Rodney’s Vineyard · Appellation Santa Ynez Valley – 100% Camp 4 Vineyard Clones Cabernet...

Rodney’s Vineyard

Ta b l e o f C o n t e n t s

Harvest Notes

Harvest 2008 2

Harvest 2009 3

Fall Pre-Release Wines

08 Gypsy, Red Rhone Blend 8

09 Syah, Santa Rita Hills 10

09 Syrah-Cabernet 12

November Wine Club Shipment Wines

08 Petite Sirah 16

09 Grenache 18

09 Inspiration, White Rhone Blend 20

EpiphanyA sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into reality or the essential

meaning of something, often initiated by some simple, commonplace occurrence

1

H a rv e s t 2 0 0 8

What a tough growing year we had in 2008! We started off the year

with a damp spring that had the worst frost anyone had seen for 30

years Though not all vines were affected, many of the 6-inch shoots were

fried by the frost, requiring secondary

buds to push, which resulted in a later

than usual bud-break Then, to top things

off, there was an unusual heat spike in

June that really confused the grapes even

further, as both events took place during

a crucial time in vine development

On the whole, this led us to very uneven growth and low fruitfulness

We were very diligent in the vineyard and the winery to carefully sort

this fruit, leaving only the mature, ripe fruit, without any damage

for these wines Through this

extra effort, we were actually

left with fruit that had beautiful

concentration and perfume So,

even though the yields for 2008

were very low, the resulting

product was some wonderfully

elegant grapes that showed

intensity and strength, es-

pecially in Syrah

2

Camp 4 Vineyard

H a rv e s t 2 0 0 9

In 2009, we had a very normal weather year leading up to harvest

in September We started off with average rainfall in February and

March, which brought us good fruit set in May The summer was on the

cool side, which would have meant a late

start to harvest if not for the fact that, in

September, we received the heat spikes

needed to shoot the sugar levels in the

grapes up and kick off our harvest season

with a bang And, except for the brief

interruption of rain in October followed

by a short 90-degree heat wave, the weather was pretty exceptional on

the whole! Our whites were picked prior to the rain, and the harvesting

of the reds was only pushed back a week or two by the wet weather

The one dark cloud for this

harvest season was the fact that

the vines were still affected by

the extreme frost of 2008 and

produced a much smaller than

average crop But, even though

the quantity was still down,

the quality of the grapes was

good, which is really all we

could ask for

3

Grenache clusters

Fall

Pre-Releases

’ 0 8 G y p s ySanta Barbara County

H a rv e s t

V i n e y a r d s

W i n e m a k i n g

Appellation Santa Ynez Valley – 55% Camp 4 Vineyard and 45% Rodney’s Vineyard

Clones Grenache – Noir-Tablas A, 362, 515 Mourvèdre – Tablas A

Counoise - Tablas A Cinsault – Tablas A

Blocks Camp 4 Vineyard Blocks: 8, 10, 7, and 6 Rodney’s Vineyard Blocks: N, S, and P

Yield 1 2 – 2 6 Tons per acre

Harvest Date October 6 – 30, 2008

Harvest Brix 25 5 – 26 7

8

GOVERNMENT WARNING: (1) ACCORDING TO THE SURGEON GENERAL, WOMEN SHOULD NOT DRINK ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES DURING PREGNANCY BECAUSE OF THE RISK OF BIRTH DEFECTS. (2) CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES IMPAIRS YOUR ABILITY TO DRIVE A CAR OR OPERATE MACHINERY, AND MAY CAUSE HEALTH PROBLEMS.

FPOFPO

2 0 0 8

G Y P S Y

S A N TA B A R B A R A C O U N T Y

E P I P H A N Y C E L L A R SRED WINE SANTA BARBARA COUNTY

2005 Gypsy29% Mourvèdre, 29% Syrah, 21% Grenache,

11% Carignane, 10% Petite Sirah

Produced & bottled by Epiphany Cellars Santa Maria, CA

www.epiphanycellars.com

ALC. 15.2% BY VOL. CONTAINS SULFITES

Composition 39% Grenache, 33% Mourvèdre, 16% Counoise, 11% Cinsault and 1% Syrah

Barrel Aging 22 months in 500L puncheons which were 27% new French oak barrels and 73% neutral French oak puncheons

Cooperage Cadus, Rousseau, Remond

Bottling Date July 27, 2010

Production 1001 cases made

W i n e m a k e r N o t e s

Ta s t i n g N o t e s

The grapes used to make our 2008 Gypsy (5 of the 13 varieties found

in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape region in the Rhone Valley in France) all

possess qualities that enhance this fresh, yet complex style of wine Grenache

adds the upfront red fruit and blackberry flavors while also including

some tannin for the backbone Both Counoise and Cinsault showcase

even bigger berry and fruit flavors with very little tannin providing the

approachable qualities of our Gypsy blend The Mourvèdre is what gives

this wine some depth with its dried herb and darker, often thought of

as animalistic, characteristics The Syrah, though small in quantity, still

adds trace amounts of depth and weight to finish off this blend. After the

trying harvest of 2008, the grapes were hand harvested and hand sorted to

only include the optimum fruit for our wine In open-top fermentors, the

destemmed and crushed fruit went through a 3 to 4 day cold soak where

fermentation started and punch downs were performed 2 to 3 times per

day After 2 weeks fermenting, the wines were basket pressed and settled

in tank before being racked into French oak After spending 22 months in

barrels, we came up with a medium bodied, Southern Rhone style blend

that may be enjoyed upon release, but can also age for another 5 years

Garnet/brick in color In the past few years, our red Gypsy blend

has become one of our most popular wines Originally, it was

conceptualized as a lighter counterpart to our flagship wine, Revelation.

Revelation, with our premium grapes, is a very age-worthy wine, while

Gypsy combines approachability with complexity and results in a wine that

is meant to be consumed while young This creates a light, fresh wine that

can be enjoyed the day you bring it home On the nose of our 2008 Gypsy,

there are inviting aromas of strawberry, black cherry, dried herbs, cinnamon,

vanilla, caramel and nutmeg Cherry, strawberry, cranberry, vanilla and

baking spice are the bright flavors found on the palate. The result is a

medium-bodied blend that surprises you with a nice, long persistent finish.

Lighter, approachable and ready to drink now, our 2008 Gypsy will pair

beautifully with blackened salmon, ribs, burgers and pork chops

9

10


FPOFPO

2 0 0 9

S Y R A H

S TA . R I TA H I L L S

E P I P H A N Y C E L L A R SRED WINE SANTA BARBARA COUNTY

2005 Revelation62% Syrah, 30% Grenache,

8% Petite Sirah

Produced & bottled by Epiphany Cellars Santa Maria, CA



’ 0 9 S y r a hSanta Rita Hills

H a rv e s t

V i n e y a r d s

W i n e m a k i n g

Appellation Santa Rita Hills – 100% Mormann Vineyard

Clones 877, Noir and Estrella

Yield 3 Tons per acre

Harvest Date November 6, 2009

Harvest Brix 25 2

Composition 100% Syrah

Barrel Aging 23 months in 83% new French oak barrels and 17% older French oak barrels

Cooperage François Frères, Mercurey and Ermitage



11



Our Syrah from Santa Rita Hills is unlike any other Syrah in our

lineup The main difference starts in the place where the grapes

were grown The Santa Rita Hills is the westernmost appellation in our

valley This means it is mostly affected by the very cool coastal climate

The cooler weather requires the grapes to sit on the vines longer which

allows the tannins to mature, the sugars to increase and, in turn, the acids

to drop The vines at Mormann Vineyard are also planted in sandy soils,

which provide good drainage, but do not retain a lot of nutrients for the

grapes The overall result is Syrah grapes that create intensity, bright

acidity, but hold a lower pH than other Syrahs in the Santa Ynez Valley

In 2009, we were lucky because the vineyards in the Santa Rita Hills were

not affected by the frosts from the previous year The vines had a low

crop yield and wonderful concentration The Syrah grapes in Mormann

Vineyard are the very last that we pick during harvest and are hand-

picked for optimum quality Once at the winery, the fruit is hand-sorted,

undergoes hand punchdowns and basket pressing before being aged for

23 months in 100% French oak barrels (83% of which were new) With

its firm tannins and bright acidity, the 2009 Santa Rita Hills Syrah will

benefit from at least 1–2 years in the bottle. For optimum drinking, age

this wine for 10–15+ years to experience its ultimate potential

Dark, inky black and opaque in color Our 2009 Santa Rita Hills Syrah

has concentrated dark colors and dark fruit This is a wine with more

complexity, fresh acidity, and intense tannins that, with some age, will

only enhance the elegant palate and pleasurable flavors lying underneath

the overriding concentration The three different clones of Syrah grown

at Mormann Vineyard provide this wine with various characteristics

The 877 clone adds bright berry, the Noir clone adds structure and tannin

and the Estrella clone provides the underlying depth On the nose of this

Syrah, there are aromas of black cherry, blackberry, cardamom, white

pepper, vanilla, spice and smoke On the palate, your senses will enlighten

with flavors of black cherry, plum, dark chocolate, mocha, baking spices

and a hint of chocolaty tobacco For an overall experience, pair our full-

bodied Santa Rita Hills Syrah with similar robust foods including a leg of

lamb, game or smoked meats

12

’ 0 9 S y r a h - C a b e r n e tSanta Barbara County

H a rv e s t

V i n e y a r d s

W i n e m a k i n g

Appellation Santa Ynez Valley – 100% Camp 4 Vineyard

Clones Cabernet Sauvignon – Clone 1 Syrah – Clone 1, Noir, Shenandoah

Blocks 17, 2, 4, 16

Yield 2 75 Tons per acre

Harvest Date October 6–28, 2009

Harvest Brix 26–27

Composition 70% Syrah and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon

Barrel Aging 20 months in 70% new American oak hogsheads and 30% neutral French oak barrels

Cooperage A P John, Sirugue, d’Aquitaine




FPOFPO

2 0 0 9

S Y R A H - C A B E R N E T


E P I P H A N Y C E L L A R S2005 Camp 4 Vineyard

SYRAHSANTA BARBARA COUNTY

Produced & bottled by Epiphany CellarsSanta Maria, CA



13



After just two vintages, our Syrah-Cabernet blend has quickly become a favorite for many of our customers It is no wonder, considering

this blend was basically invented in Australia, and both our winemaker, Blair Fox, and assistant winemaker, David Potter, worked in Australia! After tasting Australian greats such as Penfolds Bin 389 and Yalumba The Signature, they knew this was a blend destined to be on the Epiphany lineup A slight change for our 2009 vintage is that we used primarily American oak to make this wine A P John is a very sought-after Australian cooper that exports American oak to Australia and then produces and ages the barrels with their own special techniques They create barrels that provide unique qualities from the wood of smoke, vanilla and coconut, which has aided in the distinct flavors of the Australian Cab-Shiraz blend This barrel was exclusive to Australia, but recently they started exporting back to the U S So, to make this year’s Syrah-Cabernet blend in a little bit more of the Australian style, we aged the wine in 70% of the A P John American oak hogsheads, which are a larger barrel that help keep the juicier characteristics of the grape while still allowing the oak to integrate with the wine, and 30% neutral French oak for 20 months to create a big, full-bodied wine that can easily be consumed now or will age beautifully until 2021

Inky opaque black in color Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon make for a unique blend in that each grape brings special qualities to this wine

The Cabernet has pretty aromatics and firm structure, while the Syrah provides the fleshy mid-palate juiciness and makes for a rounder wine. Add the American oak flavor with the elegant ease of the neutral French oak and we come up with a big, dark, rich full-bodied wine On the nose, there are aromas of black currant, black cherries, brambles, smoke, chocolate and espresso On the palate, there are similar hints of blackberry pie, espresso, chocolate and black currant added with flavors of black licorice and smoked meat Up front, this wine hits you with essences of blackberry and black currant, followed by a big and rich mid-palate, and finally finishing with savory flavors of smoke and chocolaty espresso.Definitely a wine to be paired with your big steaks and smoked meats, our 2009 Syrah-Cabernet will delight with its well-rounded characteristics of rich fruit, chewy and savory tannins, dark chocolaty black and purple flavors while elegantly ending with great length and richness. This wine is big all the way through and will be enjoyable for years to come

Blair FoxRecipient of the “André Tchelistcheff Award”

Given to Winemaker of the Year ~ 2008

November

Wine Club Shipment

16

’ 0 8 P e t i t e S i r a hSanta Barbara County

H a rv e s t

V i n e y a r d s

W i n e m a k i n g

Appellation Santa Ynez Valley – 100% Rodney’s Vineyard

Clone Palisades Clone

Block Q

Yield 2 1 – 3 2 Tons per acre

Harvest Date October 24 – 28, 2008

Harvest Brix 27 8


FPOFPO

2 0 0 8

PETITE SIRAH


E P I P H A N Y C E L L A R S2005 Rodney’s Vineyard

PETITE SIRAHSANTA BARBARA COUNTY




Composition 100% Petite Sirah

Barrel Aging 22 months in 88% new French oak barrels and 12% American oak barrels

Cooperage François Frères, Meyrieux, Remond, Seguin Moreau, Dargaud & Jaeglé, Ermitage

Bottling Date August 3, 2010




As we have mentioned, 2008 was a devastating year due to the frost Almost all of the varietals were affected by this harsh weather,

except one For once, Petite Sirah’s perpetual tardiness was a blessing in disguise! As one of the last grapes to be picked, barreled and bottled, Petite Sirah, to start off the vintage, is also one of the last to go through bud break For 2008, the buds for Petite Sirah had not yet pushed when we had that last cold spell, so this varietal was virtually unscathed by the late frost. When it came time to pick these grapes in late October, we finally had something to smile about! Because of the name, people often think Petite Sirah is a frail, dainty grape But, in all actuality, it is a tough little varietal, which is why we pick it last The thick skins of this grape carry such heavy tannins that the clusters need longer hang time to allow those tannins to soften Longer hang time means higher brix, which, in turn, means a bigger wine After hand-sorting the clusters, which allows us to go through each uneven cluster to use only the ripe, undamaged fruit, we placed the grapes into 5-ton open-top fermentors, performed hand punchdowns and then basket pressed the grapes This is a gentle process that only extracts the clean juice from the grapes For the next 22 months, the juice was aged in 88% new French oak barrels, creating this luxurious chocolaty, rich wine that can be easily aged for the next 10–15 years

Inky and dark in color The Petite Sirah at Rodney’s Vineyard is planted at a 900-foot elevation on a natural mesa This means the grapes have

to work harder to get their water and nutrients, creating grapes with a rich concentration The clones of these grapes originated from the 100+ year-old Palisade vines that Eli Parker acquired from Rosenblum back in 1996 These two facts alone make the potential for a premium Petite Sirah astronomically greater Add the skills of our great winemaking team and we are sure to have a showstopper on our hands! In our 2008 vintage, the juice spent 22 months in 88% new French oak Since the grapes were grown in a cool climate year, using this much new oak gave the wine more depth, spice and richness. On the nose of this wine, you will find aromas of plum, blackberry, graphite, blueberry, acacia flower and nutmeg. The palate provides elements of blackberry, plum, baking spices, black pepper, chocolate, black currant and vanilla We love this wine because it has brought us back to a Petite Sirah that is a big, full-bodied wine encompassed with dense flavors. In the mouthfeel, you will find mature, rounded tannins that will delight you with a chocolaty long finish. This big, rich flavored wine can be enjoyed with some of your heavier dishes including lamb, game meats, porterhouse steak and, of course, chocolate!

17

18

’ 0 9 G r e n a c h eSanta Barbara County

H a rv e s t

V i n e y a r d s

W i n e m a k i n g

Appellation Santa Ynez Valley – 100% Rodney’s Vineyard

Clone A - Grenache Noir

Blocks P1, P2, P3

Yield 3 5 Tons per acre

Harvest Date November 3, 2009

Harvest Brix 26 5


FPOFPO

2 0 0 9

G R E N A C H E


Composition 100% Grenache

Barrel Aging 20 months in 100% French oak barrels

Cooperage François Frères, Mercurey, Sirugue





2009 was a very good year for the Grenache grape And Rodney’s

Vineyard supplied our favorite stand-alone Grenache for the year

So, it only made sense that the juice for this wine was 100% Grenache,

which was entirely sourced from Rodney’s Vineyard! We had a late

harvest for this grape happening in early November, which allowed

for the brix to get to an ideal level We then handpicked the grapes

and hand sorted them into the crushers, at which time we bled off

10% of the juice This allowed us to concentrate the wine, as there

was a greater ratio of skins compared to the juice After 3 days of

hand punchdowns and 2 weeks of fermentation, we aged the wine

for 20 months in 100% French oak, which was all 2 years old or older,

providing a softer oak finish for the final product. As a fresh red wine,

the 2009 Grenache is ready to drink now through 2016

Ruby garnet in color One of the greatest qualities of Grenache

is its versatility Its bright and lifted medium body makes it an

excellent wine during the warm summer months But, then there are

the spicy, fleshy characteristics and firm structure that make it an ideal

candidate for the cooler seasons when heartier foods are more apt to be

served Add the fact that this wine is ready to drink now and we have

the perfect wine! Our 2009 vintage is a nice expression of Grenache,

with pure fruit that is fresh and ripe, as opposed to the candy-apple

quality that can sometimes override this varietal It has a lifted

perfume, spicy fruit character with a long finish and firm structure

that leaves a bit of a dried-herb essence on the finishing note. The

nose of this wine exudes aromas of raspberry, licorice, baking spices

(including cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg), black cherry and dried

lavender herbs On the palate, we found tastes of sweet cherry, exotic

spice and anise with a finish of dried herb. As a wine that treads the

line between rich ripe fruit, delicate acidity and firm tannin structure,

the 2009 Grenache can be enjoyed with a variety of foods, including

lamb kabobs with couscous, herb-roasted vegetables and rosemary-

infused baked chicken

17

18

’ 0 9 I n s p i r a t i o nSanta Barbara County

H a rv e s t

V i n e y a r d s

W i n e m a k i n g

Appellation Santa Ynez Valley – 75% Camp 4 Vineyard and 25% Rodney’s Vineyard

Blocks Camp 4: 14, 22 and 23 Rodney’s: G, I

Harvest Date September 11 - October 1, 2009

Harvest Brix 24 3 – 25 0

Composition 42% Marsanne, 25% Viognier, 25% Roussanne, 8% Grenache Blanc

Barrel Aging 10 months in one-year-old and older French oak barrels

Cooperage François Frères, De Mercurey, Ermitage, Tonnellerie Quintessence


Production 168 cases


www.epiphanycellars.comCONTAINS SULFITES


2 0 0 9 I N S P I R A T I O NS A N T A B A R B A R A C O U N T Y – W H I T E W I N E

ALC.

14.

7% B

Y VO

L.



Inspiration has come to be known as our white counterpart to Revelation

Each year since our first vintage in 2005, this Rhone blend has consisted

of Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier and Grenache Blanc After a very normal

growing year in 2009, a welcome change after 2008, we were able to pick

these white grapes before they were subjected to our brief rain spells in early

October This allowed for even grapes that virtually had no problems! This

year, we used Marsanne, Roussanne and Grenache Blanc that were grown at

Camp 4 Vineyard and we were lucky enough to acquire some Viognier from

Block G at Rodney’s Vineyard This is one of our favorite blocks of Viognier,

as the grapes tend to showcase the flavors of papaya and tropical fruit as

opposed to the grapefruit qualities that many other blocks of Viognier in

this valley tend to embrace After spending 10 months in older French

oak barrels, the 2009 Inspiration blend resulted in a rich, hearty wine very

reminiscent of the premium Southern Rhone style wines Like some of the

big Chardonnays, Inspiration can be aged for up to 5 years

Light straw in color The recent trend for our whites has been crisp,

clean, fresh wines For our 2009 Inspiration, we have gone back to

the southern Rhone roots of the white blend and created a rich, saucy

wine that beautifully lingers in your mouth With the white Rhone

grapes, however, there are still trace elements of both styles of wines The

Grenache Blanc adds texture and a fresh brightness The Viognier brings

in some honeysuckle and bright white flowers while adding beautiful

aromas to the nose The Marsanne adds richness, while the beeswax and

honey comes from the Roussanne, which was 100% malolactic fermented

to enhance the buttered-toast quality Put these four grapes together

and we have a wine that is rich in the mouth, full of weight and leaves

you wanting more with the warm, long finish. With aromas of honey,

cardamom, white flowers, beeswax, graham cracker, nutmeg, marzipan,

spiced orange and a touch of oak and flavors of citrus, honey, honeysuckle,

lemon cream, white peach and toasty oak, the 2009 Inspiration is a big

wine meant to be enjoyed with the heartier foods of winter including

lobster, rich fish dishes, clam chowder, pasta with heavy cream sauces,

pumpkin soup and white fish with a beurre blanc sauce.

19

Notes: __________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

20

Eli Parker, Founder & ProprietorRecipient of the “André Tchelistcheff Award”

Given to Winemaker of the Year ~ 2006

2963 Grand Avenue • PO Box 908 • Los Olivos, CA 93441phone: 866 354 9463 • e-mail: wineclub@epiphanycellars com

www epiphanycellars com

PO

Box

908

29

63 G

ran

d A

ven

ue

Los

Oli

vos

, C

A 9

3441

ph

one:

866

354

946

3e-

mai

l: w

inec

lub

@ep

iph

any

cell

ars

com

ww

w e

pip

han

yce

llar

s co

m

PRES

ORT

EDST

AND

ARD

U.S

. PO

STAG

E PA

ID

SAN

LU

IS O

BISP

O, C

APE

RM

IT N

O. 7

Prin

ted

on re

cycl

ed p

aper

.

Rodney’s Vineyard · Appellation Santa Ynez Valley – 100% Camp 4 Vineyard Clones Cabernet...

Documents

Transcript of Rodney’s Vineyard · Appellation Santa Ynez Valley – 100% Camp 4 Vineyard Clones Cabernet...