WinePod Announces the 2008 Harvest Update and Grape Availability
Ask any winemaker—they’ll tell you that if you are going to make excellent wine, you must start with excellent grapes. That’s why we started very early this year in choosing our 2008 vineyard selections for the grapes we’ll be offering through WinePod.
Contact Johanna Hirt at (408) 722-7313 or johanna.hirt@winepod.net for current pricing on grapes.
Many factors have influenced the growing season in 2008, including a late frost in the spring. Luckily, we were still able to get got our hands on some incredible fruit for 2008 that we’re sure will turn into incredible wine in the hands of our WinePod winemakers.
The prices we’re quoting are for fruit only and do not include shipping. We use low-carbon footprint shipping methods, with five-day insulated shipping containers. The minimum grape purchase is based on the smallest lot of wine possible in the WinePod system.
If you have any questions about our grapes or vineyard partners, please call 408-226-9463 or email customerservice@winepod.net.
WINEPOD REDS
2008 Napa River Ranch Vineyard Cabernet
Click here for vineyard web site.
Location: Oak Knoll District, Napa Valley Appellation
2007 Napa River Ranch Vineyard Cabernet
Click here for vineyard web site.
The Napa River Ranch Vineyard is owned and managed by the prestigious Hall Vineyards in Napa Valley. Our fruit comes exclusively from the “B” block. The vineyard site is north of the town of Napa and sits at the confluence of a river and two creeks: the Napa River, Hopper Creek and Dry Creek. The soils are relatively deep and are made of clay, loam and some river gravel. This vineyard is ideal for dry farming practices and intense, complex fruit.
In addition to our 2008 Cabernet, we also have 2007 Napa River Ranch Cabernet: Brix 25, pH 3.84, TA 0.334.
For a tasting of wine made with Napa River Ranch grapes, try the 2004 Hall, Kathryn Hall Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, 93 points, Wilfred Wong, $85
2008 Charlie Smith Vineyard Cabernet
Click here for vineyard web site.
Location: Nuns Canyon, Sonoma Valley Appellation
LIMITED SUPPLY
The Charlie Smith Vineyard is new to WinePod this year, and is an example of why we love our job. At the urging of Peter Brehm, we made a special trip to this vineyard which is absolutely stunning with a view of all of Sonoma Valley. We were amazed at the unique red soils that were penetrated by the ancient rock gravel.
Charlie Smith is in the increasingly sought after Nuns Canyon section of the Mayacamas mountain range in Sonoma Valley next to Kistler Vineyard. As a mountain top vineyard, their vines struggle to produce even a small amount of grapes, but these smaller berries are an intense fruit.
Unfortunately, we don’t have any examples of commercial wines made with Charlie Smith Vineyard Cabernet to point you to, but trust us that the grapes are amazing. This is a unique opportunity for those of you who want something different, as this may be the only year we are able to source this fruit and are extremely happy to have the small amount we’ll be harvesting.
2007 Rancho Sarco Vineyard Cabernet
Location: Coombsville District, Napa Valley Appellation
Alas! We were unable to source this fantastic fruit in 2008 as a winery that will remain unnamed swooped in and gobbled up the contract in January. However, we still have some of the 2007 and it continues to make a rich, intense and showy Cabernet.
This vineyard is in the Coombsville section of Napa Valley right at the entrance of the Valley near Sarco Creek and the Silverado Country Club. Being closer to the Bay, this vineyard allows the fruit to ripen more slowly. The Cabernet is Clone 8 on 110R rootstalk.
2006 Trailside Vineyard Cabernet
Location: Rutherford District, Napa Valley Appellation
VERY LIMITED SUPPLY
We purchased a small amount of this fantastic and highly sought after fruit in 2006 and put it in suspended animation while we furiously worked on the WinePod release. As a result, we never really used it which means it’s still available for those of you who want to get your hands on the same grapes that go into well-known $85 commercially produced Cabernets.
The Trailside Vineyard is planted in Rutherford dirt, hugging the Silverado Trail on its east side near the banks of Conn Creek. The vines consistently produce deep purple berries bursting with an extra ripeness and intensity.
For a tasting of wine made with Trailside Vineyard Cabernet, try the 2003 Heitz Trailside Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon.
2006 Windsor Oaks Vineyard Cabernet
Location: Chalk Hill Appellation
The Windsor Oak Vineyard Cabernet is an extremely ripe fruit that is memorable to us because it became some of the first wines we produced with the WinePod. At 29 Brix, this fruit will make a huge wine with very high alcohol. Or, you can add water to reduce the Brix to a lower level. Either way, the wine will be ripe and fruity.
2008 Sangiacomo Roberts Road Pinot Noir
Location: Sonoma Coast Appellation
VERY LIMITED SUPPLY
2007 Sangiacomo Roberts Road Pinot Noir
VERY LIMITED SUPPLY
We have small amount of the 2007.
Brix 25.6, pH 3.81, TA 0.417, YAN 386 (Very Good)
The Roberts Road Vineyard is owned by the Sangiacomo family and is highly sought after by many winemakers. We were lucky enough to get a small amount of their fantastic Pinot Noir.
Vineyard location selection is always tricky with this varietal, but the Sangiacomo Roberts Road Vineyard located in the Petaluma gap has proven itself to be an ideal location to grow world-class Pinot Noir. The vines struggle to create only one ton per acre.
For a tasting of wine made with Sangiacomo Roberts Road Pinot Noir, try the Tanden Sangiacomo Pinot Noir, $50, which received 94 points from the Pinot Report.
2008 Annadel Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir
Click here for vineyard web site.
Location: Sonoma Valley Appellation
The lovely Annadel Estate Vineyard sits on 37.4 acres at the northwest end of the Sonoma Valley appellation fronting the Sonoma Highway. There is no flat land, and elevation ranges from 410 to 530 feet. The vineyard was established in 1998, and all of the soils are characterized by alluvial gravel and cobble.
Although it is officially in the Sonoma Valley appellation, the site drains northwest toward Santa Rosa Creek rather than south-southeast toward Sonoma Creek. Therefore, the climate at the site has more in common with that of the Russian River Valley and Santa Rosa Plain than it does with the San Pablo Bay and much hotter Kenwood areas. Heat accumulations in the coolest areas at the site are 5 percent to 7 percent less than at some of the most famous Russian River Pinot Noir vineyards.
The target yield for the mature vineyard is an average of 3.0 to 3.5 tons per acre. The Pinot Noir is planted in the coolest areas of the vineyard and planted with Dijon clones: 115, 667.
2008 Annadel Estate Vineyard Syrah
Click here for the vineyard web site.
Location: Sonoma Valley Appellation
2007 Annadel Estate Vineyard Syrah
Click here for the vineyard web site.
Location: Sonoma Valley Appellation
The Annadel Syrah is planted on all four soil-types on the site with a select group of clones: 100, 174, 877 and Tablas Creek A (a sub-selection of clone 99 made by Chateau Beaucastel). The Syrah is grafted on 101-14 and 420A rootstocks.
We have plenty of 2008 and about two tons of the 2007 fruit available. The 2007 fruit was picked at 24.8 Brix, pH 3.99 and TA 0.368
2008 Underwood Mountain Vineyard Pinot Noir
Click here for vineyard web site.
Location: Columbia Gorge Appellation, Oregon
To all Oregon Pinot lovers, we give you the Underwood Mountain Vineyard Pinot Noir! This pretty vineyard sits at about the 1,000-foot elevation on deep, well drained, volcanic soil. The steeply trellised vineyard faces east on Underwood Mountain in the Columbia Gorge appellation, with the vines are using a bilateral cordon. The vineyard is planted with Pommard and 115 clones. As you may know, the Oregon climate is famous for its affinity to the Pinot Noir grape. If you’re interested in making a great Pinot, try the Underwood Mountain Vineyard.
WINEPOD WHITES
2008 Windsor Oaks Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc
Location: Russian River Valley
This Sauvignon Blanc is located at Block 10D3. Our fruit comes from Clone 1 planted to rootstalk 101-14. This fruit was picked on August 22, 2008. Brix 23.9, pH 3.07, TA 0.60, YAN: 66 (low)
2008 Sangiacomo Home Ranch Vineyard Chardonnay
Location: Los Carneros Appellation, Sonoma
This wonderful Chardonnay is from the original home vineyard of the well-known grape growers, the Sangiacomo family. The Home Ranch Vineyard was planted in 1971 and is designed with drip irrigation and a bi-lateral cordon vertical trellis. This vineyard consistently makes world-class Chardonnay. The Sangiacomos limit their production of this vineyard to 3.5 tons per acre.
For a tasting of wine made with Sangiacomo Home Ranch Vineyard chardonnay, try Rombauer, Macrostie, Simi, or Acacia Chardonnays.
November 19th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
[...] model and Garagiste by WinePod® make four cases of world-class wine per fermentation using premium grapes including cabernet sauvignon from Rancho Sarco and Napa River Ranch in Napa Valley, pinot noir and [...]