2007 Bedrock Heirloom Wine
Bedrock Vineyard, Sonoma Valley

The inaugural release of the Bedrock Wine Co. is a classic California field blend. Composed of Zinfandel, Carignane, Petite Sirah, Syrah, Barbera and numerous other mixed blacks from vines planted as far back as 1888, the Bedrock Heirloom Wine is as distinctly Californian as it gets. Though as firmly rooted in California as the vines are in our vineyard’s red, cobbly, soil, this wine is made to stand next to the greatest field blends in the world—those of Chateauneuf-du-Pape. As such, a premium is put on richness, balance, spice, and integrated oak components. In 2007, I used 40% new French oak from a range of forests. Outside of the big mamer-jammer, 600 Liter, demi-muid from Taransaud, I used the Burgundian coopers of Claude Gillet, Cadus, and Rousseau in an attempt to highlight the wine’s perfume and spice components while lessening the inprint of oak flavor. Typical of Sonoma Valley, this year’s wine features a dazzling aromatic profile of crushed red berries, kirsch, pumpkin pie spice, bright, clarified, fruit flavors and rich structural components imparted by the mixed blacks which ground the wine and indicate that it will age gracefully for 8-10 years.

2008 Cuvee Caritas White Wine
Sonoma County

Yes, I have joined the ranks of winemakers who cannot resist naming a wine after their dog. When it came to naming the first white wine to be made at Bedrock—a barrel fermented blend of Sauvignon Musque and ancient vine Semillon—my mind naturally wandered to my big, beautiful, Great Pyrenees Caritas.

Caritas, “Tas” for short, came to us the same summer that Bedrock Wine Co. was prepping for first harvest. The name in the Latin as it is spelled means charity; the Greek, spelled “karatas” means “to build a community.” The name seemed appropriate for a dog that would age with the winery—an undertaking that needs both the charity of mother nature (not to mention the bank!) but also a solid community around it.

However, enough about the name and more about the wine!

Some of my favorite white wines in the world are the exceptionally complex whites based on Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon from Graves and Pessac-Leognan in Bordeaux. At their best these wines combine exotic, almost tropical fruit elements, with beautiful spice and a pure mineral expression. These wines are rarely attempted in California, but after being given access to a couple wonderful sites I decided to give it a go. I am thrilled with the resulting wine.

The fruit comes from two remarkable locations. The Sauvignon Musque (a particularly exotic and aromatic clone of Sauvignon Blanc) is grown on a steep hillside high up on Kick Ranch on the backside of Spring Mountain. The Semillon element comes from 100 year old vines growing at 1800’ above Sonoma Valley in the incomparable Monte Rosso vineyard.

In 2008 I whole cluster pressed both varietals and fermented them separately, each in 40% new French oak from Tonnellerie Bordelaise, Nadalie, and Damy. The Semillon was allowed to go through malolactic, to richen even further its broad, pliant mouth-feel and rich, spicy, fruit. The Sauvignon Musque was not allowed to go through ML in order to keep its bright, lithe, structure and perfume of asian pear, apples, pumpkin pie spices, and florality. Both lots are still “sur lattes” and are stirred once a week for the time being. The final blend will be assembled in the late spring just prior to bottling.

As the name might indicate, a portion of the proceeds will go to charity.

2008 Ode to Lulu Rosé
Bedrock Vineyard, Sonoma Valley

Bedrock Wine Co.’s first rosé is an homage to the great lady of Bandol—Lulu Peyraud of Domaine Tempier. I have attempted to craft a wine of noble breeding—a serious rose’ for the not so serious trivialities of the warm months of the year when nothing else satisfies quite as much. The wine is made from 100% Mourvedre grapes sourced from a block originally planted in 1888 at my family’s Bedrock Vineyards in Sonoma Valley. Picked at 23.8 brix (white wine levels), this wine was crushed and placed directly into the press. There, it macerated for several hours, picking up the delicate coral color it has today. It was then fermented very cold in stainless steel tank and let lie sur-lie for three months prior to racking and bottling. This wine is all about delicate red fruits, snappy flavors, and the classic forest floor spiciness of the terrestrial Mourvedre.