Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/72473
WINERY UPDATE formed High Valley, with elevations ranging from 1,800 feet to 3,000 feet. The warmer "climate" atop the hillsides and ridges makes them perfect settings for Rhône varieties, as well as Zinfandel, Malbec and Tempranillo. Surprisingly, the valley floor cools down to even chillier temperatures than Carneros, forming a haven for white varieties and textured, Burgundian-style Pinot Noir. The 40- to 50-degree swing in temperatures is funneled into the area's ravines, a phenomenon that has inspired an additional 30 acres of Pinot Noir to be planted on a property named Bickford, surrounded by oak trees. David Ramey describes the personality of the Brassfield Pinot Noir—made from Dijon and Pommard clones—as "honest wine, not cloying or co-fermented." Green adds, "At this price point, producers look for color, with a leaning to co-ferment with Syrah or Merlot. Not us. This is 100% Pinot Noir." Ramey has captured the charm of the varietal at $18 suggested retail. Selling out their first 4,500 cases of the latest vintage of Pinot Noir (2010), the winery will release the 2011 vintage sometime this month. Green points out, "We expect to have 7,500 cases of 2012, and eventually, once we are in full Pinot production, we will produce about 16,000 cases." "The World Is Opening Up" David Green walks us up Electric View, home to Syrah and Viognier vines that were barely a dream on our visit less than a decade ago. Now, the vines are bearing fruit, growing and struggling as intended, within a pattern of narrowly spaced Roman trellising. Low-to-the-ground clusters of grapes stay warm from the gravelly soils as the vine canopy shields them from sun- burn and protect them from potential dehydration due to harsh winds. We pick up a stone and even in the late afternoon, we lose our grip as it almost burns our hand. "Jerry Brassfield told me that there is a continued series of surprises up here," Green notes as we drive the steep and sprawling terrain, watching wild turkeys streak by and savoring the tranquility of deer and their fawns. "He feels as if the world here is continu- ing to open up." Microclimates, from marshland to pine forest and meadow- land lead to the same road: Serenity. The Wines of Brassfield Estate Brassfield 2011 "Serenity", High Valley (SRP $14) A blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio and Gewürztraminer, this gentle white reflects the calming balance of its proximity to the estate's own Lake Serenity. A light straw hue matches the perfume of steel-edged pears, juicy melons and the tartness of a MacIntosh apple. Think Orvieto meets Albariño. It's a study in crisp, popping acidity. "It behaves at the table," says David Green. Brassfield 2011 Pinot Grigio (SRP $14) Fermented in stainless steel barrels and neutral oak barrels for six months (and stirred on the lees every two weeks), this white sings with a mid-palate creami- ness and texture. But on the outside, steel and salt, defined by lemon, mango and chamomile; the fruit teeters on a tightrope of acidity and stone. The fruit comes from two vineyard blocks on the valley floor of High Serenity Vineyard. Both of these blocks are comprised of gravelly, sandy loams and are located in one of coolest vineyard sites in all of Lake County. Brassfield 2011 Pinot Noir, High Valley (SRP $18) Dusty roses and muddled cherries make this a bright and happy wine. Cinnamon spice adds to the mid-palate fullness. The textural quality is key here—a fresh, delicious factor and pretty aromat- ics are part of the overall effect. Brassfield 2010 "Eruption," Volcano Ridge Vineyards (SRP $18) The vineyard site is on steep slopes, 2,200 feet in elevation, Jim Allen, Senior VP of Fine Wine for Southern Wine & Spirits, confers with Brassfield Winery President David Green in the lobby of the expansive, multi-storied tasting room. on pure, volcanic soil. A blend of reds (Syrah, Tempranillo, Malbec, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Petite Sirah and Zinfandel), Eruption is an intriguing house of characters: from the dynamic to the rich to the exotic, but all accessible and generous. Structure holds this blend in check. Melting violets, a touch of fennel and a range of jammy, blue-to- black fruit makes this as appealing a food wine as sipped on its own. july 2012 / the tasting panel / 85