We’re pleased to mention that our 2011 Pinot Noirs took gold and silver at the 2013 Best of the Bay Wine competition last week: gold for our 2011 Russian River Pinot Noir, and silver for our 2011 Green Valley. This is a competition open only to bonded wineries in the counties bordering the bay; this year there were 130+ wines entered, and they gave away 27 golds. A complete list of 2013 medal winners is here.
It has been a warm, dry winter and early spring throughout the Northcoast, and the vines are ahead of 2013, which was already an accelerated growing year. This year in addition to Pinot and Chardonnay, I am looking at Cabernet Franc around Healdsburg, with an eye toward making a medium-bodied, food friendly ‘Loire-valley bistro’ wine. Here are some shots from the Los Amigos vineyard, farmed by Hook & Ladder, where you can see flowering on this Cab Franc just starting. (These shots were taken in early May). Here’s Chardonnay from Inspiration vineyard, also just starting to flower. This year I’m planning on making more Chardonnay than I did last year.
