Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/913027
{ SOMMjournal.com } 105 soils). "To the west of us, you're looking at almost entirely sandstone-based soils from the uplifted Pacific Ocean plate," he explained. "To the east of us, we have this mix of soils and it's very much driven by these volcanic forces that have been going on for tens of millions of years." When the Boissets purchased DeLoach, the desire was to expand their reach into different areas in a manner that paral - lels the Burgundy négociant model. "We believe this Olivet Bench area [a warmer par t of the Russian River Valley with sandy, Huchica loam soil] is one of the best sites in the world, but it's always good to have a couple other flavors to put in the glass," added Maloney. After the whites came the reds. It was impressive for a winery to host a side- by-side tasting with some of the great Burgundies of the world; to do so, the win - ery must be able to stand on its own, and DeLoach exceeded expectations. "I made a note that I loved all the Californian Pinots. For me, that just doesn't happen," said Jason Charles, Sommelier and Beverage Manager at Deloitte University Benchmark Hospitality in Westlake, Texas. The incredible day came to a close with bubbles and foie gras bites in the JCB Lounge, followed by an elaborate dinner with fresh market produce from the Theater of Nature. Hoernlein tested the somms' palates with a game of "guess that wine," stumping the group with rare vintages from Burgundy and a stunning Beaujolais-Villages Gamay. Day 2 The somms arrived at DeLoach remarkably alert and ready for harvest. We headed to Ferguson Vineyard in Green Valley, a colder sub-AVA located in the southwestern hills of the Russian River Valley, and met with Boisset Manager of Grower Relations Taylor Ramsey. Ferguson is a tiny, 1.25-acre site planted entirely to Swan clone Pinot Noir—not nearly enough fruit for a vineyard designate, "but it adds a wonderful flavor component for the Green Valley," Ramsey noted. DeLoach was nearly wrapped up with harvest by this time, and Ferguson was one of only three remaining Pinot Noir blocks left to pick. Maloney had warned us the previous day that a family of deer had recently moved into the Biodynamically- farmed vineyard. "We prob - ably should have picked it last week, but we needed something for you guys to do," he said with a laugh. The Ferguson berries were small, dark, and intensely deli - cious. The somms clipped the cold fruit sampling clusters along the way ("It's very meditative," one of them murmured). After we suc - ceeded in harvesting our two rows, we headed back to the winery and split off into groups. Maloney put the somms to work digging out tanks of Pinot Noir and old vine Mission grapes for their Angelica while the rest of us sorted our Pinot Noir from the Ferguson vineyard, filled barrels, stomped grapes, and worked in the lab. The somms gather in DeLoach's 17-acre Saitone Vineyard, originally planted in 1895. Jennifer Knott, Head Bartender at 312 in Chicago, carries the fruits of her labor.