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CALL: 1.800.338.6071 FAX: 831.338.9111 EMAIL: |
BRING YOUR OWN
PICNIC, (B.Y.O.P.) Library Wine Tasting, Summer
2000 We had a "Bring Your Own
Picnic" Library Wine tasting earlier this year and tasted several
outstanding examples of older wines, concentrating on reds, as well as currently
available wines. Where quantities permitted, older wines were offered for sale. Watch
for the B.Y.O.P. Library Wine Tasting of Summer 2001. Among other treats were
three decades of AHLGREN Santa Cruz Mountain, Bates' Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon: 1976, 1986, 1996! KEEPING TRACK:
the 1997 AHLGREN, Santa Cruz Mountains, Bates' Ranch
We
were astounded by the quality of the 1997 Cabernet Sauvignons from the moment
the grapes arrived at the winery. The depth of color and intensity of flavors
marked it as a blessing of a vintage. The regular Bates' '97 is really
exceptional. Here is a third party opinion: "92
points. Ahlgren Cabernet Sauvignon Santa Cruz Mountains,
Bates' Ranch 1997. Massively proportioned and
ripe, with hefty flavors of melted chocolate, plums, black
currants and blueberries framed by mouthgripping tannins.
Best from 2002 through 2009." (Wine
Spectator 10/31/2000.) Compare the $35 per bottle price to
the other wines ranked 92 points and priced in a range from $125 to $28. All but
one wine of 23 receiving 92 points have prices higher than the AHLGREN. Most are
priced much higher, yet their scores are the same. The Wine Spectator review
clearly indicates that the AHLGREN is an exceptional value as well as a very
high quality wine. In these times of pricey Cabernets, we are proud to produce
such a wine. Sorry, we are sold out. COMING
SOON: 1997 AHLGREN Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa
Cruz Mountains, Bates' Ranch RESERVE. Early on, observing the obvious
quality of the 1997 Cabs, Dexter selected five barrels of Bates' Cab as
especially outstanding, and designated them Reserve,
deserving of extended barrel age, ultimately a full year. This 97 Bates' Reserve
was bottled July 11, 2000, and will be released November 15, 2000 at $50 per
bottle. We are certain that this too will rank as a great value, considering the
quality. Only 108 cases produced. AHLGREN Wine Club Members have early priority in ordering
their bottles, six bottle limit. Sorry,no discount on this wine. We are
enclosing a 97 Bates' Reserve order card for your convenience. Again, first
come, first serve. A Day in
the Life of …
It
is Monday, October 16, 2000, 3:00 p.m.,
and Beth just called in saying she is on her way back from Bates' Ranch with the
Cabernet Franc. The grapes look great. We are
set up to crush as soon as she returns. This has been a rather relaxed
vintage, so far. Semillon, Merlot, and Chardonnay came in relatively early. Paso
Robles Syrah and Zinfandel were not far behind, and since then we have been
waiting for the Santa Cruz Mountains Cab, Cab Franc, Nebbiolo and the Ventana
Syrah. Incredibly lovely aromas of
fermenting Chardonnay are wafting up into the house from the barrels down in the
cellar. Mmmmmm!
October 23,
the Ventana Syrah arrived looking great and tasting delicious. Very promising! October 25: This
rain spooks us all. Planned to pick our Fladaboe Zin this morning, but Rob
called off the pickers. If rain is followed by warm, sunny and breezy days, all
is well, although ripening is delayed some. Forecast is not reassuring at the
moment. Keeping our fingers crossed. We do not really want rain on Zinfandel
that is ready to be picked. This is a tiny vineyard producing very intense
grapes. Our second year with Fladaboe Vineyard , and last year's wine suggests
that we may have a reserve Zin in our future. Beth crushed the first Ahlgren Pinot
noir. The new vineyard we are working with yielded only enough grapes for one
barrel of wine, and it is being pampered as it goes. It is due to be racked into
its new French barrel this evening. Time will tell. November
18: All
of our grapes are now in and crushed. Pressed the Harvest Moon Cabernet
Thursday, and it is showing lovely fruit flavors. The weather has turned cold,
and we are working hard at warming up fermentations to assure good extraction.
Our Cellar Master, Kenny Gallegos, created
a primo heat exchanger utilizing the heat generated by the hot tub. We have the
propane stove set up on the crush pad, are heating water, filling 5 gallon water
bottles to set into the must to add warmth. It is rather like tending a yard
full of newborns. 'Tis a very late season! LETTER
FROM THE WINEMAKER, Beth Ahlgren Greetings! So
far, it has been a great harvest. All
anticipated amounts of grapes are coming in, and the quality of the crop has
been superb. As I write this
(10/21), we are still waiting for both Bates' and Harvest Moon Cabernet to come
in, and it looks like it may be November before they are ready to be picked. It has been a funny season. The first
predictions were for an early harvest. We had spells of hot weather, and in some
grape growing regions, every variety ripened,
not only early, but all at once. In
other areas, such as the Santa Cruz Mountains, we have had many cool weeks which
slow ripening.
Of course we are looking for optimum ripeness, and it looks like the
sugars are going to come in just fine. Measurement of sugars, or degrees brix,
does not tell the whole story. We are looking for ripening of tannins and
development of flavors. The leisurely pace of ripening has
allowed us time to become fully acquainted with our new wine making equipment.
In previous years, our grapes were picked into yellow boxes, stacked by hand in
the truck, transported to the winery and dumped, by hand, into the stemmer/crusher.
Then, the boxes were
laboriously high pressure washed, one by one, repeatedly throughout the season.
This year, we began using bins, consistent with the practice of most other small
wineries. This change pleases our growers as bins facilitate picking and loading
the fruit, and the comparative ease of cleaning and handling pleases us. The new equipment allows us to move the bins with a fork
lift and drop the grapes into the eight feet high hopper, gently delivering the
fruit to the stemmer/crusher. Our small crush pad provides just enough room for
it all to take place. Dexter has become a master at forklift maneuver in our
very limited space, and the forklift has made a tremendous difference in our
lives. At the end of a day's crush, we all go to bed much less exhausted. One of the changes you may see in the
next year in your bottles of AHLGREN wine, is the use of a composite cork or a
synthetic cork. Admittedly, the
aesthetics of a natural closure made from the bark of the cork oak can't be
beat, but the statistics behind changes to another type of closure tell the
story. Between 7-9% of all bottles sealed
with a natural cork suffer from being corked, tainted by off flavors that are in
the cork itself. Since we do not see that many corked bottles at AHLGREN, I had
not really given the topic much thought until I was in Maine this summer working
on sales, 200 miles north of the Maine warehouse where our wine is stored.
This particular outing was a two day trip, so I had two bottles of each
wine to taste around. One of the bottles was corked, which meant that I could only
taste that particular wine one day. A
lot of planning and expense went into my trip east, only to be compromised by a
bottle closure. When I mention the use of synthetic corks to our brokers,
distributors, and sales people, they are in total agreement. They have all had
the same experience I had. Plus, we
know that you may have experienced corked bottles as well.
We are still investigating what will
work best. The synthetic cork information says they are recyclable, but they are
coded with a "6," which means, in effect, they are not recyclable.
While Portugal and Spain are concerned
about the move away from natural cork closures, we are concerned about staying
the course. WINES SALES AT
www.ahlgrenvineyard.com
The AHLGREN
Wine Shop is up and running. We have a brand new and secure
on-line wine shop where you can purchase AHLGREN wines and logo items. As a Wine
Club Member, you will receive a password and enter the special page that
displays your Wine Club discounted prices. We need your email address to enroll
you. For orders, the phone, fax and email are also available to you. Online is
yet another convenient way to place your orders for AHLGREN wines. Tell a
friend! TO AIR
OR NOT TO AIR? WE SAY, "LET IT
BREATH!" We have a history of being pretty
rigid about declining to open wines much before pouring ("We want to
experience the wine opening," which you have probably heard before.) Also,
we seldom decanted a red unless it was old, and there was a significant amount
of sediment. Recently, we began experimenting, decanting all manner of red
wines, young and old, with somewhat vigorous pouring for the young, gently for
the old. Our discovery is that
those who claim that airing and decanting improves the wines of substance are
surely correct. Give it a try, tasting before you decant, and then after
decanting. ABOUT THOSE
INCONVENIENT, ADULT SIGNATURE REQUIRED LABELS ON WINE SHIPMENTS: From time to time, we are asked to
eliminate the "Adult Signature Required" stickers on wine shipments.
Unfortunately, we are required by law, and by our contract with the shippers, to
affix the stickers. Sorry for the inconvenience, but we are forbidden to ship
without the stickers. ADVENTURES AT
AHLGREN VINEYARD: The biggest adventure going right now
has to do with bunnies and a mad gopher. Little wild bunnies are beautiful, and
love young grapevines. We haven't seen a rabbit around here for at least 12
years. That is, until we planted our tender little rootstocks this spring. Now,
two of the new plants have gone to the bunnies, and it gives us feelings of
compassion for Mr. McGregor of Peter Rabbit infamy. We could not have imagined, reading
to our young children when all sympathies were with the rabbit, changing
allegiance to cheer for the farmer. What to do? We are trying, "Bad Bunny! Go
away!" This admonition has not proven to be an effective solution to date.
The truly mad gopher is tearing up Val's garden and
the flagstone terrace. No solution here yet either. We are contemplating a
Halloween hex. Many birds, as usual. Heard a male
Great Horned Owl last night. The female's call is much lower. Maybe he favors
bunnies and gophers for his midnight repast. Val is preparing a list of menu
suggestions for the owl, and putting in a call to Harry Potter. Dexter heard the
call of a Northern Pigmy Owl recently, and today, Val rescued a beautiful jet
Black Phoebe, trapped on the wash porch, flapping at the window. It is a great
treat to see such a lovely little creature up close, and releasing it to see it
fly away is an even greater pleasure. AHLGREN WINE MAKES GREAT GIFTS
As many of you know, we can gift wrap and enclose cards for gift
shipments Give us a call or try our new secure web site for click and ship
convenience: www.ahlgrenvineyard.com Local
phone: (831) 338-6071 Toll
Free: (800) 338-6071 Fax:
(831) 338-9111; email:ahlgren@ahlgrenvineyard.com. (Do
not email credit card information.) SALUD!
CHEERS! À VOTRE SANTÈ! Beth,
Dexter
& Val Ahlgren
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