The SOMM Journal

April / May 2015

Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/490558

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 90 of 112

90 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } APRIL/MAY 2015 If Chardonnay reigns here, Pinot Noir is definitely her prince, elegantly expressed through Kynsi Winery's repertoire of rich, aromatic Pinots. Owners Don and Gwen Othman moved to Edna Valley in 1975, and Don built a portable shop onto his truck to service all the winery construc- tion and newly-minted stainless steel tanks. "Bruno d'Alfonso, Richard Sanford, Ken Volk, Clay Thompson, Bob Lindquist, Jim Clendenen, Ken Brown—these were all the people we were working for before they even branched out to start their winer- ies," says Gwen. "Harvest after harvest, we were learning and being immersed in the winemaking process. And most of it was Pinot Noir." Soon thereafter, the Othmans embarked on a multi-generational jour- ney crafting aromatic Pinot Noir from intensely-farmed, low-yield Edna Valley vineyards, including Stone Corral Vineyard. "Edna Valley is a tremendous place to grow Paragon Vineyard, the property that started it all, planted by Jack Niven in 1973. "He wasn't a big yahoo maverick type," says his grandson, John Niven. "You'd think he'd plant a modest vineyard, but he went out and planted 500 acres and 13 different varietals when nothing else existed there." { somm camp preview } Center of Effort Winemaker Nathan Carlson with concrete eggs for Chardonnay fermenting and aging. "We never clean the vessels, but instead fill them immediately with new juice; in this way, the natural yeast continues from vintage to vintage—a bit of a biological history of our winery."

Articles in this issue

Archives of this issue

view archives of The SOMM Journal - April / May 2015