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CALL: 1.800.338.6071 FAX: 831.338.9111 EMAIL: |
Fall 2002 To print a PDF version of the news, click here AHLGREN
VINEYARD Founded 1976 WINE CLUB NEWS Wine Club tasting
selections are: 2000 AHLGREN
Semillon,
Livermore
Valley We
have been buying Semillon grapes from the Livermore Valley since 1981, and
without exception, every vintage has produced a very special and distinctive
wine. We
became interested in Semillon in 1979 when we were offered
grapes from the old Novitiate Vineyard above Los Gatos. Although Semillon
is considered one of the five noble grapes in France along with Sauvignon Blanc,
Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot noir and Chardonnay, it had little respect in
California, and except for Concannon, Wente and Charles Krug, it was mostly used
in generic white wines. Semillon
is a white Bordeaux variety and the base for the famous Sauternes, blended with
Sauvignon Blanc. In Sauternes, the grapes are harvested after they are infected
with botrytis, the so-called Nobel
Rot, botrytis cinerea, which develops, naturally, the incredible, velvety sweet honey-like
character of those wines. When
we started with this grape, having no experience with Semillon, we stuck to our
traditional ways with white wine learned from working with Chardonnay: crushing
without stemming, pressing without skin soak, and fermenting in the barrels at
cellar temperatures. And, rather than making a sweet wine, we followed the
tradition of the dry white Bordeaux, fermenting the wine to dryness. In
1981 the Santa Cruz Mountain Semillon crop failed. An attack of cutworms left
the vines defoliated. Someone suggested Livermore Valley as an alternative
source. The moderate climate, deep gravel and terrific drainage of the Livermore
Valley make it a great place to grow grapes. This Semillon, as well as our
Livermore Zinfandels, offer ample evidence of the quality of the appellation. We
let the grapes hang, gaining a bit of additional ripeness, hoping for that touch
of botrytis that can come toward the end of ripening when morning fogs are
followed by warm days. Although the botrytis does not reach the degree and
intensity of that in good years in France, even a touch, perhaps 10-15%,
characteristic of the AHLGREN Semillon, gives the wines a richness in the mouth
and a touch of honey in the bouquet. That justifies the risk of the wait and the
resulting higher alcohols for richer bouquet and flavors. We
like French oak for the Chardonnay, but learned, to our surprise, that we prefer
Semillon in American oak. (We had
to chuckle at a wine review featuring a panel of experts that characterized our
Semillon as definitely having French oak flavor). About the oak, we must say
that for whites we try to keep a good percentage of neutral barrels, which are
carefully pampered older barrels, to protect against extraction of excessive oak
flavors that could result from too much new oak in the white wines. We
try to protect the Semillon from going through malo-lactic fermentation, a
bacterial fermentation often called "secondary fermentation,"
occurring toward the end of the yeast fermentation. However, in 1999, the
Semillon went through a spontaneous malo-lactic fermentation. We thought it
might be ruined, or at least greatly changed, but we were pleased to discover
that we really could not tell the difference. Sometimes, in winemaking, one
simply has to shrug and say something inscrutable like "Go figure!" 2000
was a very fine vintage for the Semillon. The wine is fragrant and aromatic with
hints of pear and figs in the bouquet -- classic qualities. The flavors are rich
and complex, full-bodied, and mouth filling. The finish is long, and the wine is
dry. It is great with fish, shellfish dishes, including
sushi, and makes a surprising match with thinly sliced fuyu persimmon and
almonds. 320
cases produced.
$16.50 per bottle. Club
Member price per bottle-10%
$14.85 Club
Member 12 bottle price - 15%
$14.03 1999 AHLGREN Merlot,
Santa Cruz Mountains, Bates'
Ranch We have described our relationship with
the Bates' Ranch many times. It began when we started making the Cabernet during
our first vintage, 1976. The Merlot was planted sometime later, as was the
Cabernet Franc, so our history with these grapes dates to 1991.
The Merlot is a very low production grape at Bates', and we get only
about a ton of the grapes, if that. (We pay a king's ransom for these and the
other Bates' grapes.) None of that
mediocre stuff the grape produces in many places. The combined effect of the
Santa Cruz Mountains location plus low production result in an outstanding
Merlot.
1999 was an exceptional vintage, and this Merlot is big and substantial,
deserving to be set aside for some months or years, depending on how patient you
are. The blend is 75% Merlot with 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, all Bates' Ranch. The
dusty, aromatic, fruity bouquet has hints of chocolate. The wine is complex,
supple, and well balanced, with lush Merlot fruit character. Unfined and
unfiltered. Only 108 Cases produced, and Wine Club Members are first in line for
this wine, so if you wish to order more, please do so before we begin to offer
it to lesser mortals.
$26.00
per bottle. Club Member price per bottle -
10%
$23.40 per bottle. Club Member 12 bottle
price - 15%
$22.10 per bottle 1999 AHLGREN Cabernet Franc Santa Cruz Mountains, Bates' Ranch
Cabernet Franc from this vineyard has surprising depth and body. The
blend with 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, also from Bates' Ranch enhances the structure
without compromising the soft fruit of the Cab Franc. The 1999 has an aromatic, dusty, berry-fruit bouquet and bright varietal fruit flavors with fine fruit/tannin balance. It is mouth-filling, elegant and complex. Unfined and unfiltered.
Only
115 cases produced.
$26.00 per
bottle.
Club Member price per bottle -
10%
$23.40 per bottle. Club Member 12 bottle
price - 15%
$22.10 per bottle ADDITIONAL WINES AVAILABLE:
Some in very limited quantities. Club Member discounts apply to the
following retail prices, (See accompanying order sheet.) 1998 AHLGREN Chardonnay, Ventana Vnyd. $18.00 per bottle SPECIAL DISCOUNT 15% PER
BOTTLE,
=
$15.30 20% PER 12 BOTTLES = $14.40 Regular Wine Club discounts apply to the wines below: 1999 AHLGREN Chardonnay, Ventana $18.50 1998
AHLGREN Tre Vini Rossi™, Santa Cruz
Mountains
$15.00 1999
AHLGREN Syrah, Paso Robles,
$20.00 1999
AHLGREN Syrah, Monterey, Ventana,
$24.00 1998
AHLGREN Cab. Sauv. , Harvest Moon
$27.50 1998 AHLGREN Cab. Sauv. Bates' Ranch
$27.50 JUST RELEASED: AHLGREN 2000 ZINFANDEL, Livermore Valley The 1999 Livermore Zinfandel simply flew out of here as soon as it was
discovered. The 2000 is of at least equal quality. Aromatic, rich, intense,
huge, classic Zin bouquet. Full-bodied, mouth filling, well balanced, long
finish. Complex. $22 per bottle.
Wine club discounts apply. See order sheet. COMING SOON: AHLGREN Pinot noir!
In 2000, Beth was able to obtain enough Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot
noir to make a single barrel of wine, which we are just preparing to bottle. In 2001, pursuing the Pinot noir theme, we purchased two tons from Doug
Meador of Ventana Vineyards, Monterey. The results are very promising, and we
will make more of this wine in 2002. Very soon, our precious, difficult acre of one and two year old
grapevine rootstock will be budded to three clones of Dijon Pinot noir by the
legendary master budder from Napa, Salvadore Preciado. Wish us balmy weather
without late killing frost. Wish us divine protection from sharpshooters and
their deadly infection, Pierce's Disease, and pray that the gophers extend the
gift of mercy. . LIBRARY WINE: We are offering
some fine older wines for sale 1993 AHLGREN Cab. Sauv. Bates' Reserve (limit 3
bottles) $35.00 1997 AHLGREN Cab. Sauv. Bates' Reserve (limit 6 bottles) $50.00 ----- PLUS ------ ANNOUNCING:
THE FIRST AHLGREN CELLAR SALE OF LIBRARY WINES Enjoy
our cellar cum Wine Shop. Peruse the collection of fine wines saved and cellared
by the Ahlgrens. Taste and choose. Saturday
and Sunday, July 27 and 28, 2002, 12 - 4. We
will be tasting older Chardonnays and Semillons, some in magnums. Older Zins and
Cabs, including the great '85 and '87 Bates. We will also preview our first
Pinot noirs, Santa Cruz and Ventana. Bargains in Wine Barrel Planters and Ahlgren
T Shirts Please call or email to reserve your place.
Space is limited. Wine Club Members $10, Guests $20. (Reservations not refundable.) CHANGES
IN THE AHLGREN WEB WINESHOP: www.ahlgrenvineyard.com
We have changed from the secure online store due to sharply increas-
ed costs. As a Wine Club Member, your credit card information is on file
here already, so you can simply email us your orders. No need to worry about
online security. Just let us know what you want shipped. We will run the charge
from the credit card number on file here, and the wine will be on its way. Or, to fax an order, you can download the order form from the web site,
fill it in, and fax it on to us. We ship promptly at the beginning of each week, so wines arrive before
the weekend. Tell a friend! They can download the Wine Club application from the web
page, or they can give us a call. To contact us directly: Long distance; 1-800-338-6071; fax 1-831-338-9111. Local phone:831-338-6071, email ahlgren@ahlgrenvineyard.com. IMPORTANT NOTICES WORTH REPEATING:
Why do we keep repeating? Because there are
always new members who have not yet been assailed by these messages. #1) TO AIR OR NOT TO AIR?
WE SAY, "LET IT BREATHE!" UNLESS IT'S ZINFANDEL, in
which case, proceed directly to the glass and enjoy. The perfect red wine when
in the mood for instant gratification. We have a history of being Our discovery is that those who claim that airing and decanting improve
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", about 60-65°. Temperature makes a huge difference. Too cold,
and the wine withholds its virtues. Even Chardonnay and Semillon, chilled before serving, benefit as they
air in the glass and warm a bit #2)
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. ABOUT THOSE LITTLE CRYSTALS: Sometimes,
when a white wine has been stored at low temperatures, such as in a
refrigerator, potassium bitartrate crystals will form. To avoid this happening
in the bottle, wineries more industrialized than Ahlgren, chill their wines in
refrigerated tanks at around 23° for about three weeks. This causes the
tartrate crystals to drop out before the wine is bottled. These tartrates are a
byproduct of this sort of winemaking and provide a source of cream of tarter for
the baking industry. At Ahlgren, some tartrates fall out in the barrel at the cool
temperatures of the winery. We
spare the wine the trauma of sitting at below freezing temperatures to force the
rest of the tartrates to drop. We know that the crystals are harmless and are
evidence that the wine has not been forced to undergo unnecessary treatment that
adds nothing to the quality and likely detracts. We recommend that you do not store Ahlgren white wines in the fridge,
but that you chill them for half an hour or so before serving, if you like them
a bit cooler than the temperature at which you regularly store them. If you do
find tartrate crystals, fear not. They are harmless.
ADVENTURES
AT AHLGREN VINEYARD We had snow twice this winter, and it was enough to keep us snowbound
for a few hours until it melted off of the driveway. Very beautiful and quiet. At this writing, it is the sixth day of spring. We saw a good-looking
coyote crossing the driveway ahead of us, moving uphill, as we drove toward the
winery this afternoon. There is a pause between the migrating birds that fly through in the
late fall and the burst of activity that comes after. We have seen the Black
Phoebes, but have not crawled out on the roof to see if they have returned to
their traditional nesting place on the bracket supporting the chimney of Val's
beloved wood burning cook stove. We also see many Oregon juncos, quail, stellar jays, brown towhees,
acorn woodpeckers, soaring vultures, red tailed hawks, and resident
hummingbirds, and the migrants are on their way. We are hearing great horned
owls and red shouldered hawks. A couple of our helpers from Camp Joy, a non-profit, educational organic
market garden in Boulder Creek on Camp Joy Road, spotted two red shouldered
hawks in the vineyard. One was on the ground, and one was on a fence post.
Definitely a sign of hunting, of gophers, we hope. April 4, 2002, Bloom time: wild iris, both the little California
Blue-eyed Grass, and the larger, creamy white Douglas' or Mountain Iris are in
bloom; garden daffodils too; a cloud of light pink quince blooms cover their
tree, the redbud and the little fruit trees are all in bloom, and a gopher has
moved in, burrowing below Val's flourishing carrot patch. The chase is on. ABOUT ACORNS
Last year, we sent acorns to Wine Club Members as our holiday
greeting. Since then we have heard from some of you wanting more acorns.. We
cannot send them for now. The sad news is, that since we sent those acorns from
our huge, healthy California Live Oak, quarantine has been enacted against
exporting oak products from this area due to an infection that has been killing
Tan Oaks and Live Oaks in Coastal areas. Rest assured: our tree stands healthy.
We are certain that the acorns we sent you were uncontaminated, even though they
may have hatched an acorn moth worm. Val carefully hand selected each acorn, but
later discovered that the moth lays her eggs on the blossom of the oak, before
the acorn forms. When the acorn grows, the grub within has all it needs to,
munch and grow, finally boring its way to freedom and its next great adventure. LOOKING
FOR NEW NEIGHBORS:
The 14 acre Ahlgren Parcel,
between our little Pinot noir vineyard and the historic Saratoga Toll Road is
offered for sale. END
NOTE: Remembering
a great Greyhound: To Willy's Friends,
Today, April 4, 2002, at about 1:30, after enjoying a late lunch of gourmet
veggie pizza, thin crust, light on the cheese, our Dear Willy died, suffering
from bone cancer, at the age of nearly 14 years. He had worked as a winery greeter at Ahlgren
Vineyard for ten years, earning a reputation for kindness to all, and did his
patient best to train his standard poodle, Art, to follow in his footsteps. He was a beautiful, big racer who started
his professional life at the tracks in Phoenix. There he had the intelligence
and good sense to refuse to return to the starting gate after being bumped on
the hindquarters when the door of a gate dropped on him before he could
completely enter.
Although not injured, he refused to play the game any longer, and would
not race. He was then retired and, happily, ended up at Ahlgren Vineyard. In honor of his life here on this mountain,
and in memory of the many mornings he spent running there with the power and
abandon with which this dog celebrated his sweet life, the vineyard block known
for many years as Moondance, has been renamed "Greyhound Run
Vineyard." We anticipate that the Pinot noir that will
grow here will exhibit qualities equal to his: grace, verve, beautiful
conformation, color, noble elegance and fine structure. With
fond memories and great thanks to Willie for his kind and loving presence during
our years together, The
Ahlgrens That's all for now. SALUD!
CHEERS! À VOTRE SANTÈ! Dexter
& Val Ahlgren
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