SPRING 2011


4 5


BEHIND THE VINE


Behind The Vine with Viticulturist Sukhy Sran When I was told that the 2010 WHITE4


The soils in this location are heavier, with more clay compared to the thinner, would be featured in this newsletter, I thought


it would be fitting to share my experience with two unique varietals in that blend: Verdelho and Vermentino, both of which remain quite rare in California. As you may know, Vermentino comes from Italy, while Verdelho traces its origins to Portugal. Winemaker Matthias Gubler is really the one who inspired us to plant these varietals at our estate Huerhuero Vineyard, reflecting our winery’s European heritage and openness to eclectic blends. To be perfectly honest, our vineyard team had no direct experience with Verdelho


and Vermentino before we planted them. But we did our research, and we identified the perfect spot for growing them, a narrow low valley that traverses the center of the vineyard, running north to south. We chose this area because it is the coolest part of the vineyard. On clear summer mornings, when standing atop one of the hills in the vineyard, it’s not unusual to see the Vermentino and Verdelho blocks enshrouded in coastal fog below. At any given moment, the temperature there can be five or more degrees cooler than in the surrounding blocks.


sandier soils at higher elevations. These heavier soils stay cooler longer after the fog blows off, further differentiating the conditions from other areas of the vineyard. As anticipated, the cooler location gives both varietals more hang time to develop


ripe flavors while maintaining crisp natural acidity and aromatic complexity, qualities that are evident in the 2010 WHITE4


. While Verdelho and Vermentino could be considered exotic in California, there’s


nothing too unusual in how they grow at Huerhuero Vineyard. If there’s one thing that stands out, it’s that they both tend to set large yields. For this reason, we go through the blocks each summer and thin the crop, removing clusters and reducing the yields by an average of 30 percent. Taking off fruit might sound wasteful, but it’s essential to the level of quality that we


are trying to achieve. If the crop load is too heavy, you lose flavor concentration and complexity. Sometimes making a better wine means making less wine. Our experience with Vermentino and Verdelho is ultimately a great example of


how, in order to maximize quality, we need to treat the vineyard like a chess board or puzzle, carefully matching each varietal to the specific conditions of individual blocks. Our Paso Robles terrain is just too nuanced to take a one-size-fits-all approach, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.


Viognier


Verdelho


Sauvignon Blanc


Vermentino


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