Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/376390
september 2014 / the tasting panel / 83 Imprint A year after our country went through the scare of the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Kimmel family—Ed, Lillian and their three boys: Jim, Gary and Dennis—purchased a 1,100-acre ranch in Potter Valley, outside Ukiah in Mendocino County. Growing up in Indiana and helping Lillian's family with sheep on their property near Hopland, Ed wanted his own ranch, and Potter Valley seemed the perfect place, with ample water and enough land to be self-sustaining if needed. That was 1963. Cattle and pears were prominent in the valley. With irrigated pastures and plenty of range land, Ed started with Hereford and Black Angus cattle looking to deliver feeders to the beef market. By the late '80s, as pear orchards were being replanted with grape vines in the valley, Ed wondered if that was not the future of Kimwood Ranch. Having to rotate irriga- tion pipe from pasture to pasture, cutting and bailing hay and feedings during cold winter mornings made the grape business sound like the better option. Ed sought out Mendocino wine pioneer John Parducci and asked if he would purchase Chardonnay grapes from the ranch. John explained that most of Potter Valley was too wet for good grapes. But then agreed to a three year contract with the vineyards "above" the valley floor, almost ideally situated on the West side. So the old Ford tractor that for 20-plus years moved irrigation pipe was asked to help prepare the pastures for a new life of grape vines. The Chardonnay was planted over two years and designated by "blocks" by the management team and family for ease of identifica- tion. The north, east, west and middle blocks totaled around 27 acres. Water is provided from the Potter Valley Irrigation District sourced from the Eel River to the north through the PG&E power system, as well as water captured in the ranch's two lakes. POTTER VALLEY Sitting above the valley floor, the ranch consistently gets cooling afternoon breezes with little to no morn- ing fog. Potter Valley is unique in that it has one of the largest temperature variations from day to night in California. This allows for the berries to achieve full ripeness while locking in natural acidity. The diverse soil in the western portion of Potter Valley consists of BY MERIDITH MAY photos by George Rose Kimmel's soon-to-be-labeled 2010 Cabernet Franc ($40) is one of the newest single varietals to be bottled. It's a super-intense line-up of violets, wild cherries and that common thread of dark chocolate that can be tasted in the Kimmel reds.