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Fine Wine Since 1984 |
Volume No. 2 |
Issue No. 2
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Date December 2003
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Well, the 2003 harvest is in the barrel so to speak, and will be remembered as one of our finest ever. When we started farming organically, there was a time when the vineyards struggled. We were assured that it would only be a matter of time before the vines took to their new regimen. They were right, and this year will stand as the year it all came together. Not only was the harvest the heaviest, we expect to crush some 1200 tons of fruit this year, but one of the finest ever in terms of the quality of fruit. In anticipation we purchased our second press and added about 40,000 gallons worth of new tanks. Still, it's always exciting when the fruit cooperates as it has this year. In addition, we harvested our first eight barrels of the Syrah we're not actually making, and boy do the sounds and smells of the Rhone ring with this barrel baby. As we continue to grow (we're now in 46 of the 50 states), we're just thankful that mother nature is being good to us! The 2002 vintage Chardonnay has been knocking people out, as has the '99 vintages of the Rose and the Blanc de Blancs. A little tight out of the starting gate, they have both mellowed well in the last 4 months, and are already showing off their finesse. The 2001 Pinot Noir had its unveiling at the recent Wine & Chile Fiesta to rave reviews. Bigger than the 2000, we held onto it a bit longer, and as a result, it's coming out of the bottles knocking boots! Grab it while you can because we recently had a coming out party of a sorts in that wine monster, New York, and the reception was incredible. You might also note that the price dropped a few points, which is always good, and because it's such an excellent SOUNDING excuse, we're going to blame the Euro. In fact, when anything here at the winery goes awry, we're going to blame it on the Euro. Still, with the limited production, this might be a short timer. Fear is such a cheap sales tool, but as the son of an insurance salesman, justified. The "Barrel Select" Chardonnay 2002 is just about to be bottled, and as long as we're waxing poetic about short timers, this one should be mentioned. A seemingly lesser dollop of oak on the nose, we HAD to hold onto this one in the barrel a little bit longer than previous vintages. The complexity is staggering, but the acidity is what I think is going to define this wine. The aging of this wine should be an incredible evolution, and I suspect it will be as good or better than anything that has come before. Again, tiny quantities. The Grande Reserve has also been opening some eyes as of late. The ever so slight touch of oak gives this wine great depth, and character, and at $45 a bottle is the one you want if you're hoping to get lucky. We used to play a game called stump-the-dummy, and I wish we'd had this wine when we were playing it. There won't be a 1998 version of this wunderwein so grab without regard to convention, in three to five years you will become the most popular weinhund on the block. Why the German references? Blame it on the Euro! Wine club members have already enjoyed the stuff, and as yet post no complaints.Another quick thank you to Greg O'Byrne and his dedicated team for pulling off the Santa Fe Wine and Chile Fiesta once again this year with class and efficiency. The event gets better each year, and somehow he managed to produce the Godfather of California wine himself, monsieur Robert Mondavi. Just about every winery in the world has SOMEONE who worked for this guy at some time, and it was a thrill to see him at our event! Congratulations to whoever made that a reality. And not to overlook the multitude of OTHER fabulously talented wine makers who took time out during crush to visit our fair state. Thank you! And last but not least, the talented chefs who lent their time and effort to the event. We have vowed never again to run out of wine at this event again! We know you've heard that before, but this time we're serious.
Tasting room hours |
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Gruet U
New States We wanted to welcome the following states to our family...
Only five states to go, and we have the full compliment! So, if there are any distributors in Alaska, Mississippi, Arkansas, Nebraska or North Dakota that need a good sparkling wine, give us a horn! Other BitsIn other news, a sad chapter in our history came to a close recently with the closing of our Banquet facility. Many a couple had their receptions and special events with us, and it was the site for a lot of very fun nights over the years. Unfortunately, the demands of the winery became too much to insure the quality of service people had come to expect. The good thing too is that in reality we need the space for our tasting room and the growing number of visitors we get each year. As soon as possible we hope to expand the tasting room and convert the banquet facility into a barrel room where customers can enjoy a chilly glass of Gruet! Just a short note of thanks to all the new members of our wine club! Again, I want to reiterate the benefits of joining our club...not only do you get the best discounts, but you get a chance to taste items that rarely, if ever, make it out of our tasting room. This is in addition to the regular wines you've come to enjoy. Membership also gives you discounts on all the wine related items in our tasting room, including our gift baskets and limited releases. And of course we roll out the figurative red carpet when you tour our facilities. Throw in the highly prized Gruet baseball cap and our monthly news letter and you have yourself a veritable party. Last month we featured our yet-to-be-released 2001 Pinot Noir and have already received numerous calls...all happy. |
Short note of thanks and gratitude to Cliff Skoglund for bringing down his staff for a tour and a tasting her at the winery. Geronimo and Eric di Stephano continue to knock 'em dead. The staff asked as many or more questions as any tour we've ever given. A testimony, we believe, to their dedication to their craft. This is a group that loves wine, and again we thank them for their interest. The Scarpa's crew was also by, and we're proud to announce a private blend and label for this favorite restaurant of ours. Working directly with Laurent, they've put together two terrific wines...a Chardonnay and a Pinot Noir. Get out there and try some. We'd also like to thank the intrepid crew from Santa Cafe for joining us on Sunday (their day off), for a tour and tasting. How long have they served Gruet? Over 10 years thank you very much Judy & Bobby. We had a swell time, and appreciate them taking their time out to come and play! We're glad to see people getting involved in the process. Whether it's a blend for the Wine & Chile Fiesta, or local chefs and owners, their putting forth the effort to create something individual from a local source to pair with their cuisine, is an honor to us. And in some ways a little more than just business as usual. A big thanks to all the local merchants who have supported us with their faith in our wine. Salud! Here's another plug too for our winery tours which are always open to the public. Monday through Saturday at 2:00p.m., we offer guided tours of our facilities. Get behind the scenes at the winery and enjoy our wines in the tasting room. The balloon Fiesta just blew out of town, and we were fortunately able to throw a bottle to the gentleman pictured below at the last second. However his flight turned out we figured he could probably use the bottle. Thanks to all you kind folks who visited the winery and chose to adopt a bottle or two, and thanks to the very nice people who took Nathalie up in her first balloon ride. |
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American Wines since 1984, in the tradition of Gruet Champagne in France
info@gruetwinery.com | © 2001-2005
