Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/522996
74 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } JUNE/JULY 2015 By 8:00 a.m. our bleary eyed, bushy tailed group was sipping a vin gris–style, bone-dry yet fennel-fresh strawberry/watermelon saturated Center of Effort 2013 Edna Valley Pinot Noir Rosé from Burgundian bowls, while standing on the sandy bluff of the Center of Effort estate. Just to the north, we could see some of Edna Valley's Seven Sisters—dramatic volcanic cones, like natural pyramids, which originally rose up along the coast some 20 million years ago. From this hilltop in the southeastern quadrant of Edna Valley, we could also see other well-known properties associated with the AVA: Stone Corral Vineyard on a neighbor- ing mound of sandy loam, next to Talley's Oliver's Vineyard on a lower clay loam slope; Chamisal further east on a clay loam bench; to the north, the historic Edna Valley Vineyard and Paragon Vineyards, on clay-sandy loam slopes at the foot of Firepeak (aka Islay Hill, one of the Seven Sisters); and to the southeast, the gravelly or chalky loam slopes of Slide Hill Vineyard (formerly Sawyer-Lindquist Vineyard) and the iconic Alban Vineyards. Center of Effort winemaker Nathan Carlson talked to us about how Edna Valley viti- culture is dominated by either Sustainability in Practice (SIP) or Biodynamic practices, and their comprehensive program of French oak and steel barrels, concrete egg, native yeast and destemmed versus whole-cluster fermentations. At the same time Mr. Carlson made it clear that "vineyard still trumps all in Edna Valley . . . . We get such tremendously high acids in this ocean environment, in some years it can be more of challenge than a benefit." Two of the seven wines presented by Mr. Carlson which seemed to epitomize the challenges of the cold climate coupled by the estate's well-drained sandy loam: a tightly wound, steely edged yet silky, fragrant Center of Effort 2012 Edna Valley Chardonnay, neatly underscored by partial barrel-fermented toastiness; and a pungently compost/ earthy, piquant and cola-raspberry perfumed Center of Effort 2012 Rosso-Corsa Edna Valley Pinot Noir, with just enough wildness to offset it intrinsic prettiness. Our next stop was at Stone Corral Vineyard, a 20-acre vineyard planted completely Edna Valley & Arroyo Grande Valley Immersion daY 2 A vertical tasting of Baileyana Edna Valley Pinot Noir at Niven Family Wine Estate. Center of Effort Winemaker Nathan Carlson in the winery with the somms.