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Fall 2009 Release
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Now that our underground network (of caves) is finished, we’ve turned our attention to navigating the maze of social media networks –starting with Twitter and Facebook. I must admit that I’ve been fighting this rush to technologically-enhanced human connectivity, utterly uncompelled to alert my 10,000 closest friends to the completion of my morning ablutions or to search out and apologize to the high school dweeb whose heart I broke – oh, wait, I married him. But the fact is that wine incites great passion in its acolytes and the only thing we enjoy more than drinking it is talking about it. So, if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. We’ve been eavesdropping for awhile on blogs that mention Failla and are always thrilled to hear how much folks loved their visit to the winery or how ethereal they found our wines. If you seek others who share this vice, we recommend networks like CellarTracker.com, Snooth.com and VinCellar.com and encourage you to sign up and tell your new friends about our offerings. If you’ve been to our “Tasting Lodge” and have photos you’re proud of, post them on our Facebook Profile: “Failla Wines”. Perhaps you want to know exactly when we pull our first lizard out of the picking bins, then follow us on twitter. “FAILLAwines”, our Twitter handle (oops, I’m showing my age, guess that was from the prehistoric CB era).
We
are hoping that old-fashioned socializing still works also, as we
have travel plans. Anne-Marie hits the Big Apple for a
winemaker dinner at Trestle
on Tenth on October
19, followed by the
And in the “Gee Whiz” category: our friend Paul Roberts, Master Sommelier and Director at Bond Estates was asked to lead two tastings at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland last January. “As I began to think of which wines to showcase, you were at the top of the list” he wrote to us. As you can imagine, the guest list was mind-boggling with more than 40 heads of state as well as over 1,400 CEOs in attendance at the Forum.
2007 Russian River Valley Chardonnay, Keefer Ranch (375 cases produced) We picked the ’07 in late September and whole-cluster pressed the fruit into French barrels, with a restrained use of new oak allowing its toasty elements to play an Oscar-worthy supporting role rather than take center stage. The result offers complex aromas of green apple and wet stones, a classic hallmark of Chablis, underscored by notes of hazelnut, crème brulee and brioche. Malolactic fermentation balances crisp mouth-watering acidity with plush viscosity for a rich lingering finish.
Each of our Pinot Noirs is treated to the same “kid-glove” regimen: fruit destemmed into open-topped fermenters, daily manual punch-downs (the most gentle means of flavor and tannin extraction) and aging in all French oak barrels, one-third new. The answer to the mystery of how this continuity in approach by a single winemaker produces such diverse expressions of a single varietal is in the sites themselves: their differing expositions, elevations, soils, microclimates and “mojo” (the Failla translation of terroir).
2007 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, Occidental Ridge (475 cases produced) Harvested in mid-September, this fruit packed a punch. Dramatic aromas of dark, concentrated exotic fruit such as Asian youzu, combine with earthy undertones of truffle and baking spices. Sleek tannins partner with structured acidity for an elegant mouthfeel. Despite its current accessibility, we believe this vintage will cellar well for 12-15 years.
2007 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, Hirsch Vineyard (475 cases produced) We picked this fruit in two passes 10 days apart, first the Pommard clone then the Mt. Eden, from mid to late September. This vintage is noteworthy for its explosive nose of bing cherries, blackberry, and strawberry compote infused with hints of what the French call “sous-bois” elements. Fine tannins assert themselves in company with the wine’s concentrated, savory mouthfeel. Should cellar well for 7-10 years.
2007 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, Estate Vineyard (125 cases produced) Our sophomore vintage from our own vineyard was harvested the first week of September. Dry-farming coupled with steep terrain results in the most exotic aromatics of the release: blueberry, black currant, spicy cassis, integrated with rose petal and toasty baking spices. On the palate, this wine offers a full-bodied juicy mouthfeel. Deceptively fine tannins will allow the ‘07 to continue to develop in the bottle for up to 10-12 years.
2006 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, Vivien (100 cases produced) While
our elder daughter Audrey’s alter ego appears on our label, our
younger whelp, Vivien, was unrepresented until the release of this
exciting new blend. The Vivien is a mélange of hand-selected
barrels chosen after a full year of aging. Each block we pick from
our Estate, Hirsch, Occidental Ridge and Keefer vineyards is vinified
and barrel-aged separately. So each barrel of wine differs subtly
based not only on vineyard and specific block sources, but also
cooperage, toast levels, and age of barrel. Appraising this bottling
over the last 3 years has allowed us to release it at its most
intriguing phase yet. Complex aromas of dusty rose, violet, leather
and caramelized fruit have blossomed over time. The palate offers
satiny, well-structured tannins for a wine worth cellaring
2007 Sonoma Coast Syrah, Estate Vineyard (136 cases produced) Picked in early October, the fruit was added to open-topped vessels as whole clusters then treated to daily punch-downs throughout fermentation before aging in 40% new French oak barrels. Integrating the stems captures complex aromas of coriander, tapenade and duck confit so rich in this wine’s nose. Also present are sweeter notes of wild blackberry and currant with hints of star anise. Bright, chewy mouthcoating tannins create rich palette presence that benefits from decanting. Expect this Syrah to cellar well for 10-15 years.
With
this release we are making a special offer:
shipping will be
included in the purchase of your first full case of wine.
For the best chance at
receiving your full order, please return the enclosed order form by
September 28th.
We begin shipping on October 5th.
Consider picking up
your order and visiting our Tasting Lodge and Caves at the Fall
Pick-up Party on Saturday, October 10th
from
Spring 2008 Release Newsletter |
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