It’s A Great Day to Play Four

2002 ZINFANDEL  ·  2002 PETITE SIRAH

2003 GRENACHE ROSE  ·  2002 SYRAH “PETIT FRERE”

A wine writer recently asked me for some general info on the winery.  I had to research our first few newsletters for some ideas, since we wouldn’t be caught dead with a glossy four-color brochure detailing the winery’s background around here (even though it would probably save me the effort of creating a new piece upon each request.  I think it is my genetic right as an Unti to be as inefficient as possible).  It didn’t take long before I realized we offer four times the number of wines today than when we opened our doors in 1999.  I guess these things really sneak up on you. 

This progression, or more accurately proliferation, might be met with a furrowed brow from those professors of small business who would say we are losing our focus.  Well I have this to say about that:

1. As William Hurt says in the Big Chill “I’m still evolving.”

2. If I can borrow a quote from Nick Hornby’s delightful book Songbook regarding music and apply it here to wine: “You’re either for wine or against it, and being for it means embracing anything that’s good.”1  

3. If we kept making only two wines, we’d be “boahed” as Millie Unti says.

4. Business professors are usually in school for a reason.

5. Since when did our business conform to any business model.

6. You have to have focus before you can lose it.

Obviously there’s no arguing with an illogical mind. Announcing another four new releases...at this rate we should be up to twenty wines by the year 2010. 

Mick

¹  This assumes we know what makes a wine good.  For whites it means no oak, good fruit, some element of terroir and crisp acidity.  Real red wines generally have the same qualities of authenticity with greater importance placed on dark color, depth, richness and a balance of tannins.   And, Rosés must be dry.  In any case, the wines should reflect a sense of place.  Ultimately our definition of “good” is much simpler.  Tilio Petrocelli said it best when he explained why his brother Rico was such a good shortstop with the 1970 Red Sox:  “You know why Rico is so good? Because he is good.”

2002 ZINFANDEL
A great vintage and a new twist to our blend

You know my pet peeve with most Zinfandels.  It’s all too much.  Take your pick of reasons why I drink Zin only occasionally these days:  the wines all seem to suffer from excessive amounts of alcohol, American oak, volatile acidity, or, in an indirect homage to Kendall-Jackson, residual sugar (nowadays you have to be careful when you hear winemakers use the words “sweet fruit” when describing their red wines.)  This 2002 Zin, however, should convince even skeptics like me that it is still possible to make full-throttle Zin without the aforementioned detractors.  2002 was a great vintage for Dry Creek Zin.  For some reason, and I’m still not quite sure why, our Zinfandel grapes ripened more evenly in 2002 than any other vintage that I can remember.

Another reason this is my all-time favorite Unti Zin is our inclusion of Barbera into the mix.  When Dad planted the Barbera we both felt it would, at the very least, serve as a solid blending agent for our Zin.  As most of you found out, the Barbera made a pretty decent wine on its own in 2002.  The 2003 in barrel is even better.  But I digress.

Barbera is perfect for Dry Creek Zinfandel.  It has dark color, intense aromatics and most importantly high acid.  The acidity helps this Zin carry more weight and still be light on it’s feet.  I’m visualizing Shaquille O’Neal prancing around the Lakers’ locker room in thong underwear prior to Game 1 of the NBA finals this year.   (True story, according to Kobe Bryant…no wonder they got trounced.)  It is also the perfect yang to the ying we blended into this wine:  Petite Sirah.  As you know by now, we habitually blend Petite Sirah with our Zin to provide color and body—the same way a native Seattleite always grabs his raincoat before leaving the house.  While we love what Petite does for the structure of our Zin, it sort of dumbs down the fruit.  A little of our Barbera goes a long way toward restoring the zin-like fruit.

The 2002 Zin is darker and chunkier than any of our previous Zins.  Yet on the palate this is a very complex wine than is downright lip-smacking.  No port wanna-be here.  I’d be thrilled if we could make Zin like this every year.

2002 PETITE SIRAH
Dancing in the Dark

What has happened to Petite Sirah over the past 10 years is probably best summed up by an old Chuck Berry song:  C’e La Vie say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell.

Over the past twenty years, Petite Sirah had been seemingly headed toward extinction.   PS acreage has dropped from 14,000 in 1976 (No joke. Where the heck was it all going?) to 2,400 in 1995.  You can easily guess what was being planted in its place—Cab, Merlot, and Chardonnay—varietals that didn’t need Petite’s useful help as a blender.  Although I’ve had some Chards that would have at least had some personality with Petite Sirah.

Since then, our beloved black varietal has generated a cult following (an abused phrase, I know, but here it truly is appropriate) that might be heartier than the wine itself.   A zealous Zin market has created quite a demand for both Petite Sirah grapes (since it is ideal for blending with Zin) and massive wines made from the varietal.

We take pride in at least trying to make full-flavored, yet balanced, wines.  If there is one wine we make that is close to over-the- top, it’s our Petite Sirah.  I wish I had a video camera to record the look of amazement on our customers faces each time we pour this opaque wine.  If your are looking for subtlety (though most likely you aren’t if you are reading this rag) then you might consider passing on this puppy.  The 2002 Petite Sirah is more complex (including classic black pepper flavors) and balanced than last year, but it’s still a chunky wine.

Petite Sirah this dark, thick, and full-bodied tempts one into thinking it will age ten to twenty years...but I always worry the fruit won’t hold on that long.  Better to grab a huge piece of meat off the barbecue, put on a Led Zeppelin or Rolling Stones cd, beat your chest and drink this wine before it makes old bones (three to five years).  Like the 2001 this wine is extremely limited (190 cases).

2003 GRENACHE ROSÉ
No Fear and Loathing at the Bar du Var

I just returned from Provence where I more than re-kindled my inspiration for these lovely dry wines.  (I can just hear you now…“Boy, Mick life is tough.”  Hey, it’s the first time I’ve been to France in 13 years, so lay off.)  I think I had at least a half bottle of rosé every day there, and see no reason to stop now that I’ve returned.

Not much new to say here.  The 2003 has a bit more depth, richness and grip than previous vintages thanks to a tad more Mourvedre (try saying that tens times quickly).  This is once again produced from juice we bled off from our red Grenache fermenting tanks.   The 2003 Grenache (Red) is huge which might also explain for this wine’s bigger frame.

Dry Rosés have become quite fashionable within the restaurant industry these days.   This is nothing really new.  Restaurateurs seem to enjoy talking the Rosé talk, because these wines are so versatile with food and ideal in summer heat, but a seldom few would back it up by actually offering their customers a decent selection.  That is changing.  Any restaurant worth its salt has at least one or two available this time of year.  Only 199 cases produced and several of those are being gobbled up by local restaurants.  (Purchase limited to three bottles per person.)

2002 SYRAH "PETIT FRERE"

“Once in awhile you get shown the light in the strangest places
if you look at it right.” *

If, as Ben Franklin once said: “Necessity is the Mother of invention,” then this wine is, in the words of Isaac Hayes, a “bad mothah (shut yo mouth)”.  One of the main reasons our wines are better today than when we started is that we haven’t been afraid to trust our instincts and make adjustments on the fly.

Our 2001 Little Bro Syrah was created to use up our de-classified lots of primarily Syrah.   Our “odd lots” from 2002, consisted of young vine Syrah and 25% Grenache.  Since this blend is pretty much pre-determined by our other blends, we don’t spend much time on it, and as such don’t have real high expectations for the quality.  However, when Sebastien showed me this blend, he had a mischievous grin.  This almost black wine, with its intense juicy fruit, is one the most enjoyable to ever come from this property. It is so good that it inspired us to reconsider our main 2002 Syrah blend and include some Grenache.  We have already done the same with our preliminary 2003 blend.  Even a small amount of Grenache seems to brighten the aroma and broaden the mid-palate of our Syrah.

The quality of our ’02 Petit Frere probably also speaks to the overall greatness of the vintage for us.  We seem to be hitting a nice stride here at UV.  Between my Dad’s work in the vineyard and Sébastien’s touch in the winery, Unti Syrah has never been better.   Whatever the explanation, this wine is a deal and it won’t last.  Only 550 cases produced.

  * This should appease my longtime friends, who have wondered why it took so long for me to quote the Grateful Dead.  

UNTI Syrah Dry Creek Valley 2001

Led by well-defined, lightly spicy blackberry fruit in the nose and following with very solid, nicely concentrated flavors of a similar bent, this supple, medium-full-bodied Syrah is held back only by a bit of youthful stiffness at present.   While its tannins are plainly evident, they are never threatening, and its fruit hangs on at the finish.  We feel safe in betting on four to six years of continuing improvement here.

Connoisseurs’ Guide to California Wine—August 2004

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

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