“Viognier
is sexy to drink and challenging to grow”
– this sums up some
of the passion we feel about our vineyard and
wine.
The vineyard was planted in 1997 with year old
dormants. The first harvest, in 1998, produced
a total of 123 bottles! By 2000, the wine was
entered into competition and won its first medal
at the Santa Barbara County fair. Since then,
Calzada Ridge has received nothing but rave reviews
including a 90 point rating from Robert Parker
and each vintage completely sells out.
When it came to choosing a winemaker, we wanted
an expert in the field of Rhone varietals and
one who would share our philosophy of letting
the vineyard speak for itself, or as the French
say “la terre parle.” No one is more
enthusiastic and perfectly suited than acclaimed
winemaker Andrew Murray who is well known for
his own highly respected wines and has been chosen
#1 in Food & Wine’s Tastemaker Awards.
In Andrew’s own words...
The 2008 Vintage of the Calzada
Ridge Viognier has all the tell-tale
aromas and flavors that we have to expect from
this wonderfully special
vineyard. The distinctive aromas and flavors in
the 2008 come as a
gentle progression rather than as a tumultuous
rush…first off the citrus
and pear notes arrive, followed by melon and mineral
notes…then the more
typical Viognier qualities emerge…a mix
of floral and spicy notes. It
is a wine to be slowly savored for its special
qualities. This is truly
a unique wine that exhibits the fantastic terrior
of the Calzada Ridge
Vineyard. The grapes are lovingly farmed and picked
at optimum maturity
rather than over-ripe which is the rage today.
This preserves the
natural acidity and ephemeral flavors of Viognier.
Too many Viognier
bottlings today are very high in alcohol and sweet
tasting. This is a
refreshing alternative and a wine that pairs wonderfully
with food.
