Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/426275
78 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } DECEMBER/JANUARY 2014/2015 { a sense of place } California wine producers have learned that Pinot Noir only makes compelling wines in cooler sites; yet it is not as simple as that. Clonal selec- tion, soil types, aspect, vinification and élevage are some of the additional factors that affect the fin- ished wines. Finding the ideal sites to grow Pinot Noir, and combining that with Pinot Noir–specific production methods, is crucial. In Monterey County, Steve Peck, the red wine- maker for J. Lohr, knows precisely how to achieve this. His Pinot Noirs are exemplary—site-specific bottlings with individual characteristics and sub- lime balance—and they represent the potential for world-class Pinot Noirs from this region. The reasons that J. Lohr has been so successful with Monterey County Pinot Noir are two-fold. First of all, like Jerry Lohr himself, Steve Peck is no rookie. He made his first wine over 30 years ago. Peck is a U.C. Davis graduate and was mentored by the great Professor Roger Bolton. He worked harvest at Joseph Phelps Vineyards from 1983 to 1985—a period he describes as formative because of the connections and long-lasting friendships that he made with working winemakers and other "cellar rats" who have gone on to formidable careers in the industry. The second reason that J. Lohr is at the vanguard for Pinot Noir in Monterey County originates from the ability and willingness to learn. The old adage remains: With the passage of time comes experience. Peck readily admits that Lohr's origi - nal plantings of Pinot Noir in Monterey County were not ideal. Although Peck was not with the company in 1972, when the first vineyards were planted, he knows the history and acknowledges that they were the wrong clones for the sites. Jerry Lohr also learned from the error and persevered; in the late 1990s, he began planting more appro - priate Dijon and Pommard clones for the sites in Monterey County. J. Lohr has been patient and diligent with its Monterey County Pinot Noir, and the commitment has paid off. A Deeper Understanding Although J. Lohr has been around for 40 years, they have continuously made a range of wines and are at times considered the "new kids on the block" for Pinot Noir in Monterey County, Peck explains. But their commitment to the variety and the appel - lation is long-standing. "We are a diligent group at J. Lohr," Peck says; "we do our work: We research and we focus." The path of that work has meant a deeper understanding of the terroirs of Monterey County. To a layman's ear, "Blue Grand Canyon" and "Thermal Rainbow" may sound like terms from some subculture lexicon—and in a sense they are: They are authentic geo-climatic terms that help define Monterey County terroir, just as limestone is a keystone of Burgundy's characteristic profile. Monterey County is a cool place, especially in the northern part, close to where the Salinas Valley opens to the celebrated Monterey Bay and ultimately to the Pacific Ocean. The Blue Grand Canyon is an enormous submarine canyon 60 PHOTO COURTESY OF J. LOHR VINEYARDS & WINES PHOTO COURTESY OF J. LOHR VINEYARDS & WINES Steve Peck is the red winemaker for J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines. The Costa Vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands.