Fall 2001

AHLGREN VINEYARD CELEBRATES ITS

 25^TH ANNIVERSARY!

1976-2001

Wine Club tasting selections are:

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Doug Meador has brought the grapes through in the best possible condition. The quality of these Chardonnays reflect Doug's keen and consistent knowledge of vineyard management.

       The character of the wine is also consistent. There are frequently described Ventana Chardonnay flavors: pineapple, apple, tropical, citrus. They appear again and again with vintage variations and as recognizable vineyard character.

Once in awhile there comes along an Ahlgren Ventana Chardonnay that really grabs our attention. 1977 was such a year. It was a drought year, but out of necessity, these vines are irrigated in any year. The vineyard is on the edge of the Arryo Seco; the vines grow in a sandy, gravelly, somewhat chalky soil where moisture passes through into the water table quickly. The vines get the measured amounts of irrigation necessary to maintain vine health and promote desired growth and development of the fruit. So, it probably was not dry conditions that made the 1977 great. Maybe it was a long, even growing season. Maybe it was also the extended time on the lees we gave the wine in barrel.

There are scientists who work at figuring out what it is that improves flavors of grape and wine made from air, sun, soil and moisture. What is it? Add a pinch of this, more of that, stir and grow?

The 1999 Ahlgren Ventana Chardonnay reveals itself to be another especially exceptional vintage for this wine, which will not be released to the outside world for a few months. We liked the 1998 very much, but the 1999 has a special complexity and richness of character that marks it as a standout vintage.

Drinking wonderfully well now, remember that Ahlgren Ventana Chardonnay tends to age nicely. We think it is worth laying a few bottles or cases of this wine down for future and continuing pleasure. 500 cases produced.

                                                                  $20.00  per bottle

Club Member price per bottle - 10%               $18.00

Club Member 12 bottle price - 15%                $17.00

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1998 AHLGREN Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Cruz Mountains

Harvest Moon Vineyard

      For those of you new to the Wine Club, let us tell you that Harvest Moon Vineyard is right next door to the Bates' Ranch. The vineyards are several hundred feet apart, separated by rolling hills sprinkled with California Live Oaks. The ranches are divided by a small creek.

      One might think that the wines would be identical. Not so. There is always the difference created by even slightly different micro-climates, degree of slope, exposure, and so on. There are also distinctive differences that reflect the opportunities and choices made when the vineyards were planted.

      Dan and Therese Martin's Harvest Moon Vineyard is planted to different clones, on different rootstocks, on different trellising systems. They have their own management style, and, this vineyard is younger that Bates' vineyard. This 1998 is the third vintage in production.

      So, the Martins have a distinctive vineyard that reflects the characteristics of their site. Terrior, say the cognoscenti. "The wine's pedigree," reflecting the distinguishing characteristics of the vineyard location, the influences of management and nature.   

      The bouquet is complex, fresh, and aromatic with a cherry/berry quality. It has bright fruity flavors. Accessible now with fine fruit/tannin balance. Unfined and unfiltered.  568 Cases produced.

                                                                              $27.50 per bottle                 Club Member price per bottle -  10%              $24.75

            Club Member 12 bottle  price -  15%              $23.38 

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1998 AHLGREN Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Cruz Mountains

Bates' Ranch

        We have described our relationship with the Bates' Ranch many times. We started making the wines during our first vintage, 1976. Many very fine wines have resulted. If you are a reader of Robert Parker, you may be familiar with the reviews he has given our Bates' Cabernets, the review of the 1987 was especially rewarding. (See enclosures.)

      These grapes are the Simi clone, but the grapes and wine clearly represent the Santa Cruz Mountains rather than the Sonoma home of the clone, and the wines are distinctively different from those of Simi.

The vines are on St. George, which, now that there are many choices of rootstock, is considered a bit old-fashioned.

      The vineyard is meticulously tended. Barely a weed to be seen. There is some work being done to get the canes into a vertical position. This is, essentially, a 30 year old vineyard managed with awareness of current trends in vineyard management.

      The wines have become less tannic and fruitier over time, and the same is to be said about the wine from Harvest Moon. As the roots grow deeper over the years, vines tend to become less tannic, in our experience.

      All to the good, we say. Bates' wines took a very long time to

come around when the vines were in their youth. Now, here we have a '98, only three years old and certain to age very well, but even now is very approachable and fruity.                                                                                                                                                                                                          

      It has a soft, dusty, briery Cabernet bouquet. Shows a supple elegance with good tannin/acid balance. Soft, dark fruit flavors. Very nice, long finish. Unfined and unfiltered. 508 cases produced.

                                                                        $27.50 per bottle.

    Club Member price per bottle -  10%                $24.75

    Club Member 12 bottle  price -  15%               $23.38

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                                                                                  per bottle               SPECIAL DISCOUNT

1998 AHLGREN Chardonnay, Ventana Vnyd.                $18.00                 15% PER BOTTLE = $15.30

                                                                                                                20% PER 12 BOTTLES =  $14.40

1997 AHLGREN Nebbiolo, Harvest Moon Vineyard          $22.00

1998 AHLGREN Tre Vini Rossi™, Santa Cruz Mountains  $15.00

1998 AHLGREN Syrah, Paso Robles, Meeker Vnyd.         $21.00

1998 AHLGREN Syrah, Monterey, Ventana,                    $22.00

1997 AHLGREN Cab. Sauv. , Harvest Moon                   $32.50

SALES OF LIBRARY WINES: As you know, if you attended our "Bring Your Own Picnic Library Wine Tasting" last July, we are beginning to release some fine older wines for sale.

      We actually hate to part with these wines, but, the fact is, alas, we cannot hope drink them all ourselves. 

ANNOUNCING: The Summer 2001 Second Annual

BRING YOUR OWN PICNIC, (B.Y.O.P.)

Library Wine Tasting and Sales, Sunday, July 15, 2001

FOCUS ON AHLGREN MIGHTY ZINFANDELS

      At the first B.Y.O.P. last year, we tasted several outstanding examples of older wines, concentrating on reds as well as current releases. Among other treats were three decades of AHLGREN Santa Cruz Mountain, Bates' Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon: 1976, 1986, 1996

      On July 15^th, 2001, we will have a collection of library Zins available for tasting and purchase. Can hardly wait!

A SPECIAL ZINFANDEL REALEASE!

      We are releasing the 1999 AHLGREN Livermore Zinfandel now. Wine Club members can order by phone or with the enclosed order form. This is a terrific Zinfandel that has rich, bright  Zinfandel fruit bouquet; lovely , luscious fruit flavors, fine balance. Elegant, complex, and mouthfilling.

BRAGGING RIGHTS:

      The 1996 AHLGREN Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Cruz Mountains Bates' Ranch received the highest score of any wine tasted in a recent tasting in Munich conducted by American Express for their magazine published for their very high end card holders there. Also, Ahlgren was selected as one of the best 200 California wineries by the gourmet magazine of Germany, der Feinschmecker, and ranked with, for example, Mt. Eden, and Chateau Montelena, and higher than Silver Oak, and Jordan.

OLD NEWS:

The AHLGREN Wine Shop is up and running.

 WINES SALES AT www.ahlgrenvineyard.com 

       We have a 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! The Wine Club application can be downloaded from the web page. If you would rather contact us directly, we always enjoy hearing from you: 1-800-338-6071 or fax 1-831-338-9111. Local phone: 831-338-6071.

IMPORTANT NOTICES THAT BEAR REPEATING:

#1) TO AIR OR NOT TO AIR?  WE SAY, "LET IT BREATH!"

      You know that 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. Now, we are experimenting, decanting and airing  our red wines, young and old, with somewhat vigorous pouring for the young, more gently for the old depending on the wine.

      Our discovery is that those who claim that airing and decanting improves wines of substance are absolutely correct. Give it a try, tasting before you decant, and then after decanting. The wines come forward, round out, and taste better and better as you progress through the glass and the bottle. The other part of presentation is making certain that the wines are room temperature. Temperature makes a huge difference. Too cold, and the wine withholds its virtues.

      Beth has just returned from a trip New England. At the wine dinners, she specified that the wines should be opened four hours before serving. The results are clearly that Ahlgren reds definitely blossom with airing before serving. Remember, temperature is also crucial.

#2) 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

 Lots of red shouldered hawk calls. We heard three at once the other day, so must assume a family has hatched and taken wing. At least three coveys of quail are in charge of the ground birds at the moment. Val discovered a nest of hatched eggs in the garden when she finally got out to do some weeding late in spring.

The most incredible wild life encounters  occurred early in early August. Val and Dexter drove up to the gate and saw a young coyote coming down the drive directly toward them. Dexter turned off the engine, and they just sat and watched and the little beast fearlessly approached on the inside of the gate, keeping a close eye on the car and its occupants. Obviously curious, it continued along inside the fence down alongside the car, looking straight into the driver's window, only five or six feet away. Val had the digital camera, and the picture taking began.

                Finally, deciding they had to move on, Val opened the car door and the little coyote casually returned toward the gate and crossed under the fence and across the highway. Val went down to the mailbox to pick up the mail and a phone book wrapped in plastic that had been dropped at the base of the mailbox. As she did so, the little coyote returned across the road and approached her. Val squatted down, putting the phone book on the ground and also put her hands down, thinking she could lose her nose in this encounter. The coyote snapped at the book, which was laying at Val's feet, ripping a small piece of the plastic covering. Then, it  put its lower jaw under the book, clamped down, and ran back across the highway taking its phone book with it. When it returned to the edge of the road, Val and Dexter decided they had to end the adventure for fear of the little beast getting hit by a car.

                Next day, Dexter checked up on the phone book, and it was down in the woods, all ripped up.

                About two days later, our dog Art went tearing down the hill toward the southern edge of the property, responding to a tremendous ruckus of coyote yips and howls. Dexter and Val followed, not knowing what to expect from this encounter. All was well. Art responded to their calls, but the coyote concert made it clear that there were at least three "singers," and the one that was spotted was much larger and more mature looking than the one that likes phone books. In addition to the family of red shouldered hawks, it looks like there is a family of coyotes at Ahlgren as well.

 finished undergoing lens implant surgery. She will be getting back into the garden soon to begin to reclaim her own.

      The Black Phoebes have returned to their nesting spot high in the eaves for the fourth year. Our old copy of Birds of America (12917 &1936) says they are "the handsomest of the Flycatchers. His manners are quiet; he is so demure that he is almost staid. The comforts of civilization are matters of indifference to him. You may meet a Black Phoebe in town today and find his nest under the eaves of a kitchen, and tomorrow you may find his brother living just as contentedly in a lonely canyon." (Sounds like it was written in 1917, doesn't it?)

      The book discusses a study of the diet of these birds that revealed they are prodigious eaters of flies and all manner of bugs, but curiously, a great majority of the critters they consume are harmful ones. Very few beneficial insects are eaten. As flycatchers, the aerobatic show as they flit about chasing their prey is a delight to watch. 

      Other birds are around, but the most impressive sight of the week was a pair of turkey vultures gliding over and then perching on stake tops of the grape trellis in our little hilltop vineyard.  Eventually, one hopped down to the ground and picked up something that, from the porch, looked as though it could be a gopher. Turkey vultures have fantastic eyesight, and find carrion by sight while soaring high above.                                     

      Turkey vultures are really big birds; wing span is six feet. They do not look comfortable perched atop a steel grapestake. Hopping around on the ground, they look like huge black chickens. Soaring gracefully in the sky, they are majestic. This is the closest look at these birds we have ever had, and they are impressive.     

      We wonder what animal or bird left the gopher behind for the vulture? We are definitely grateful for all of these expert creatures, seen and unseen, and their work in the vineyard. 

            That's all for now. Remember AHLGREN wines for gifts.

SALUD! CHEERS! À VOTRE SANTÈ!

Beth, Dexter & Val Ahlgren