LOS PILARES 2010 SAN DIEGO COUNTY, 50% GRENACHE 50% CARIGNANE
THE GRAPES
We started looking for these grapes in 2009, learning about many of the growers in San Diego. We wanted local fruit from our backcountry with its provençal growing conditions, and we wanted all southern Mediterranean varieties, because Coleman and Gina’s long-term, backyard vineyard experiments in Alpine told us that those grapes are better suited to this climate than the usual “international” varieties — Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir.
We settled on two lots from two very different growers.
Rich grew our ton of Grenache in a small vineyard in Ramona that he cultivates like a herd of bonsai plants (meaning with painful care and all by hand). We call him “Rich Grenache.” He has the mind of a scientist and the heart of an artisan.
Don grew our ton of Carignane in a substantial vineyard in Valley Center. He’s a real farmer and has been for decades. We call him “Don Carignane” His vines were planted in the 80s and have grown thick and gnarly. With age, the yield has dropped and the quality risen. The vineyard has suffered from and survived fires and pests. It is beautiful against a mountain backdrop with a carpet of natural groundcover.
The 2010 growing year was a disaster in Napa and a miracle in San Diego. The coldest summer than many can remember, it extended our growing season by 30 days, making for deeper flavors in the grapes. In Napa, many growers didn’t get their fruit ripe enough (by their exaggerated standards) to harvest until it was too late and the rains came.
THE HARVEST
The Grenache came in perfect, like heaps of great, black and red pearls. Delicious to eat. There was some damage in the Carignane, so we sorted it twice, once by selective harvesting in the vineyard and once while destemming at the winery. We were very happy with the result.
THE WINEMAKING
It’s more about what we didn’t do than what we did. We did not crush. Instead, we fermented whole berries. Chris and Alysha might be the only winemakers in San Diego who can do this in volume thanks to their beautiful destemmer and its nimble, pink fingers. We did not inoculate with cultured yeast but let ambient yeast do the work. We did not add acids, enzymes, yeast food, tannins, or anything else. We did not control the temperature of fermentation. We did not use oak barrels, staves, chips, or extract. No wood. We did not filter or fine.
In other words, we allowed heaps of healthy, whole grapes to ferment in bins. Then Chris and Alysha pressed them off the skins, and they became wine.
We racked once and bottled. This stuff is fresh. Drink now.
Bottled by Vesper Vineyards, Valley Center, California
