Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/5037
december 2009 / the tasting panel / 69 T here's no doubt that Bill foley's daughters, lindsay and courtney, inspired him. the lincourt winery name combines the two, as do his pinot Noir (lindsay's) and chardonnay (courtney's) vineyards at las hermanas ranch. under the winemaking guidance of Kris curran, lincourt Vineyards will shed its second-label-to-foley image and take on a personality of its own. Increasing the quality of the wines will be her goal, guiding the focus toward estate vineyard fruit and taking advan- tage of the Santa ynez Valley appellation. Lincourt 2008 Pinot Blanc, Sta. Rita Hills from courtney's Vineyard in Sta. rita hills. curran manages this "diffi cult" grape with fi nesse; lanolin, banana and pear/apricot nectar make for a delicious sipper. Lincourt 2008 Sauvignon Blanc, Santa Ynez Val- ley from the lincourt estate, this Sauv Blanc sees no oak and no Ml. delicate, dewy heather, kiwi and lychee notes linger like a spring breeze after the rain. Quite ethereal. Lincourt 2007 Chardonnay, Sta. Rita Hills Searing acidity makes this white zippy and linear. Noting its dab of oak and partial Ml, curran offers, "this is not the full-tilt boogie" but instead, an understated jewel. game and make a touchdown on the end product." Curran brings in an entire roster of techniques to make balanced wines, blending 100 small lots to fi nd the right combination of fruit, wood aging and handling. "But mostly, it's attitude," she insists. Walking through the vineyards on a late October day, Curran and assistant winemaker Colin Murphy believe that the '09 vintage will be special. "It will surprise us all," she says gleefully. "Colin has a great feel for the lay of this land, and the possibilities are even blowing his mind." But Curran will push the Pinot towards fruit-driven and "ex- tremely well-balanced" wines. Curran manages to add an air of further mystery to an already intriguing varietal. "What's chal- lenging about estate-grown fruit is to shape it into different styles," she says, "even though it's the result of the same viticultural practices and is tended to with the same care. You have to understand the raw materials." The 2008 Foley "Steel" Chardonnay is racy and lean, but with surprising structure and mouth richness that accompanies its stony, oyster-shell quality. Pineapple lifts into the nose; you can sense its honeyed weight. Absolutely no ML and, yes, 100% stainless steel. SRP $28 Kris Curran, over- looking the vineyard on Lincourt's Alamo Pintado Road prop- erty, gives thought to the future of wine- making in the Santa Ynez Valley. Gilding the lily in the Santa Ynez Valley Lincourt Vineyards