Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1050740
52 / the tasting panel / november 2018 Bottling the Best of Monterey Describing Scheid's foray into esoteric grapes as "a technological playground," Nagengast works closely with Director of Vineyard Operations Greg Gonzalez and the rest of the vineyard team to give each variety the meticulous care and consideration they require to thrive in their various microclimates. In addition to having their own separate block valves for irrigation, each block in Marta's Vineyard is also hooked up to a system that monitors environmental elements like soil mois- ture. "When we find the sweet spot, we can nail it," Gonzalez says of tailoring these variables to each grape. To highlight the terroir of Riverview, with its well-drained, decomposed- granite soils and bench location over- looking the Salinas River, Nagengast and crew will set aside some lots to press and barrel on-site so that the only yeasts present are those native to the vineyard. "Even the yeast is part of ter- roir, and that's sometimes overlooked. We're trying to exploit that here," COO Kurt Gollnick says. "Everything that's happening in one location is its own expression that you could never dupli- cate anywhere else in the world. I love the whole idea of pulling the very best out of this location from all angles." Because the small lots of these varieties would, in Kraftzeck's words, "get lost" in the company's massive main facility, they're instead processed in Scheid's reserve winery. Completed in 2006, the facility will double in size The majority of the red wines processed in Scheid Family Wines' reserve winery go through a 2-ton basket press, which is gentler on the grapes. Scott and Heidi Scheid, the children of Scheid Family Wines founder Al Scheid, now serve as President/CEO and Executive Vice President, respectively. CENTRAL COAST