Fall 2017 Release Newsletter

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C a n   I   j u s t   s a y . . .

How awesome it is to walk into the garden in our backyard and grab some arugula, butter lettuce, or romaine for a fresh summer salad; pimientos for a cast iron skillet; cucumbers for 24-hour pickles; or a variety of tomatoes and fresh basil?! For me this is the perfect balance of abundance and simplicity that Michelle and I seek daily.

This is also the essence of the Southern charm and hospitality that my beautiful wife has perfected in spite of her northern California roots. Michelle truly enjoys getting back to the basics when we entertain: great music, fresh food, and stunning wine sprinkled with sincere conversation around a thoughtful table. And she'll be the first to share with you that: 

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This rule applies not only in our home and at the chateau, but in the vineyards as well. My approach to farming aims to strike that same balance between abundance and simplicity. And I attribute it to where we are today.

The 2017 vintage looks to be 2-3 weeks later than 2016 with a slightly above average crop load. The vines are green and healthy due, in part, to all of the rain we received this past winter. Fruit set was optimal across the board and clusters are as they should be with no shot berries and very few instances of hens and chicks.

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And finally, the tasting notes here at Whetstone are done by committee as the girls and I take a seat together late morning and discuss smells, flavors, nuances...everything. 

Addie, who has been with us since the beginning, has an unparalleled (and unbridled) ability to take the abundance in the glass and translate it into layman's simplicity. Her quote at the end of the 2014 Syrah: "Like a giant field of lavender with a bull running by on a hot day"...brilliant!

S o   w i t h o u t   f u r t h e r   a d o . . .

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        2 0 1 5   w a l a l a   P I N O T   N O I R             2 0 1 4   p h o e n i x   r a n c h   S Y R A H

                             

TASTING NOTES: Stainless steel fermented, aged for 16 months sur lees in 100% French oak; 35% new oak. Bottled unfined, unfiltered. Ruby in color. Big nose of rose petal, sweet perfume, cherry and bay leaf. Medium-bodied flavors of red raspberry and cherry cola with hints of pekoe tea and Asian spice. Lingering flavors of black cherry, tea and baker’s chocolate with a hint of tobacco accentuate a textured, long finish.

TASTING NOTES: Stainless steel fermented, aged for 28 months sur lees in neutral French oak. Dark purple in color. Nose jumps out of the glass with ripe cassis, freshly crushed pink peppercorns, violets and “animale.” Secondary aromas of red meat, white pepper, beef carpaccio, and camp fire. Intense flavors of cassis, ripe raspberry, white pepper, and savory red meats. Finishes long with fleshy tannins and tobacco.

 

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Cheers to abundance.
Cheers to simplicity.
Cheers to you.  

- Jamey Whetstone