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Newsletter # 08 |
2000 Zinfandel Sues over Being Labeled "The Difficult Child" By Mick Unti Several years ago, I smuggled a bottle of my favorite Cote Rotie (René Rostaing) into an A’s game. (They always serve the best wines in our section.) During one of probably five or six pitching changes Tony LaRussa made that day, I noticed an interesting saying on the neck of the bottle. In tiny print it read "Nul bien sans peine," which is French for "No pain, no gain." I always wondered why the Rostaings felt compelled to quote a Nike shoe ad on the label of their prestigious Syrah—until I made our 2000 vintage Zinfandel. Now I know. In terms of making good wine, the 2000 Zinfandel was as difficult as the 1999 was easy. Long-time Dry Creek growers (you know, the ones whose names end in a vowel) will tell you that the classic problem with the valley’s beloved grape is uneven ripening. A quirky growing season in 2000 (periods of blistering heat in June and July, followed by unseasonably cool weather in August) exacerbated Zinfandel’s schizophrenic nature. Many local winemakers complained of having less than mature flavors while sugars kept rising with each passing day of pre-fermentation cold soak. (This occurs when there is raisin-ing or shrivel within the grape bunches.) We, too, ended up with unripe flavors and high sugars, which places the burden squarely on the winemaker to blend for balance. From the beginning of its time in barrel our Zin had very pretty aromatics—sweet berry/cherry fruit, clove, tobacco leaf and white pepper but the wine lacked the structure to handle the octane (alcohol). Or as Tom Waits would say, "The alcohol picked a fight with the wine and the wine wasn’t strong enough to defend itself." Ah, but wait. Is that Petite Sirah and Syrah I hear approaching, white horse and all? It certainly wouldn’t be the first time Petite Sirah saved the day in Dry Creek. As you know from previous newsletters (you do save them, don’t you?) we have used Syrah as the great equalizer for a Mr. Lupner-like Zin. Here’s where it starts to get tricky. We picked our Syrah grapes mega-ripe in 2000 which made for an outstanding Syrah (next newsletter), but rendered it not as useful for blending with the Zin because of the alcohol. Our Petite Sirah was lower in alcohol but we didn’t have much of it in 2000. I think this is where experienced winemakers would say they earn their keep. After several blending trials and discussions with my Dad or anyone else who would listen, I decided on a blend that showcases balance, finesse and varietal expression. Ultimately, this is a personal preference (for all four of us) that will certainly appeal to the true Zinfandel drinker but flies in the face of today’s highly praised and commercially successful buffed up Zins. We could have followed the trend by adding more Syrah to give us a full-throttle wine with considerably less Zin character and drinkability. But, instead, we reduced the total amount of Zin we made to allow for a greater percentage of Petite Sirah, and ultimately made a true Dry Creek Zin. Why? Well, for the same reason we prefer a nice Dolcetto over Barolo, non barrel-fermented white wines, and a 2 to 1 score in a baseball game. As I taste the 2000 Zin over time, I’m confident I made the correct decision. It displays a remarkable complexity, texture and balance for having only been bottled four months earlier. This vintage reminds me that this is the way I like Zin to be. QUOTE OF
THE DAY Letters to the Editor Editor: Please remove me from your mailing list. Your newsletters are both irreverent and irrelevant irregardless of your intent. What’s with you Johnny-come-lately wineries anyway? No one cares about Serah or Sangenovesey. I guess America’s grape Zinfandel isn’t good enough for you fancy lads. And what ever happened to good old bourbon? All you winery people should go back to the south bay where you come from and let our little town stay a little town. We don’t need your jobs and tax dollars and fancy new hotels. We used to have plenty of prunes and time to play a few games of checkers. Now its just money, jobs, improved public schools and skyrocketing home values. I’ll take Jimmy Stewart over your Martha and Rod any day. Lester Slanderson, Healdsburg PS– Could you please donate a case of wine to the Sons of Joe McCarthy Horse Shoe tournament? Ask Mickey! Purple Teeth Not Inspiring the Mrs. in the Bedroom Dear Mickey: I am married to a Zinfandel fanatic. Early on in our marriage, the Zinfandels we drank were so fruity, complex and drinkable that we would often finish a bottle without feeling too woozy to fulfill a romantic evening, if you know what I mean. Lately, however, my husband brings home Zins that bear a closer resemblance to Port rather than red table wine. He says the wines are highly rated by his favorite wine publications, but I find them syrupy and too high in alcohol. Needless to say we almost never finish the wine that evening and the closest we get to romance is watching one of those skanky reality TV shows. What can I do to set him straight? —Frustrated and Bombed
Dear Mickey: I’ve just visited your website www.untivineyards.com and while I enjoyed all of the updated information regarding upcoming releases, I noticed you have put on a few pounds. Mix in a salad for heaven’s sake! —High School Sweetheart
Police Blotter Saturday Dec. 23, 11:30
a.m. Seven people
exiting a Plaza Street Saloon cited for public drunkenness and disorderliness.
This was later discovered to have been the annual Santa Parade. Unti Vineyards to Ship to Florida Stock Prices Soar upon Announcement Unti Vineyards announced shortly before the close of trading Friday that it would soon begin shipping wine to more states. According to George Unti, head of shipping at Unti Vineyards, UV has contracted with a local shipping company to ship wines legally into Florida, North Carolina, Indiana, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts. When asked where people can find the rate to ship to their particular state, Unti replied "Oh, it will all be on our web page as soon as the deal is finalized, or people can call us at the winery." Mr. Unti did state that while they ship to more states than before, there are still some states to whom shipping is forbidden. People in those states will still have to find another way to get their hands on some Unti wine. |
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| 4 2 0 2 D r y C r e e k R o a d - H e a l d s b u r g C A 9 5 4 4 8 - t e l 7 0 7 - 4 3 3 - 5 5 9 0 / f a x 7 0 7 - 4 3 3 - 5 5 9 1 Copyright ã 1997-2006 Unti Vineyards. All rights reserved. |
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