WINEMAKERS' NOTES: VINTAGE 2000

This wine was produced from grapes grown in Monterey, one of the finest regions for Chardonnay in California. We selected the vineyard based on its long-standing relationship with the Rorden family and its consistent excellence in producing

Chardonnay with pronounced fruit, crisp acid and good balance. The grapes were harvested in late September, and after pressing we slow-fermented the juice for one month until it was completely dry. The cold fermentation preserved the beautiful fruit qualities inherent to the grapes, and the extended time on the lees contributed to the wine's intensity of flavor and fullness of body. The wine was not put through malolactic fermentation.

After fermentation, the Chardonnay was divided into two lots–one to be barrel-aged and one to remain in stainless steel until bottling. Our Barrel-Aged lot sat in French oak for 8 months. As well as imparting a hint of oak flavors, these barrels softened and rounded out the wine.

This Chardonnay is ready for immediate consumption. However, in our experience with other vintages we have produced from this vineyard, it will improve with age and proper storage for several years.

Monterey Chardonnay, "Oakless"
The oakless version of our 2000 Monterey Chardonnay is a dry and full-bodied wine with crisp pineapple overtones. This stainless steel-aged wine is higher in acid and more fruity than its barrel-aged counterpart, and is very versatile when paired with foods. The wine was not put through malolactic fermentation.

Our reason for producing an "oakless" Chardonnay was that while the traditional, barrel-aged style of Chardonnay has timeless appeal among many wine drinkers, many others avoid Chardonnay because they dislike the oak flavors in the wine. Our somewhat unconventional "Oakless" Chardonnay provides an alternative that has helped many in this second group look at the varietal in a new light.

Like our Barrel-Aged Chardonnay, this wine is ready for immediate consumption. However, it will improve with age and proper storage for several years.

Monterey Shiraz
Our Shiraz is, in some respects, the "Cadillac" wine of our 2000 vintage. This wine is dry with voluptuous fruit and black pepper. With a limited quantity of not much more than 100 cases, this wine is sure to sell out well before we release the next vintage.

The Shiraz grapes came from the same vineyard in Monterey as our Chardonnay. These vines are of a clone that has been traced back to Australia. They produce a distinctly Australian style fruit–spicy and decadent–somewhat different from the more austere French Syrah. We picked the grapes in late October, and they came in very ripe. We were struck right away by the intensity of the color. The juice that splashed onto the pavement as we crushed the grapes stained everything it touched. After fermentation, we aged the wine for 11 months in French oak barrels from various coopers and forests.

Our Shiraz has just been released, so don’t miss it! It is a delightful wine that will continue to improve with proper storage.

El Dorado Cabernet Sauvignon
This offering from the Sierra Foothills is dry and well-structured, with pronounced fruit and a lingering finish.

We produced this wine from mountain grapes grown at 1600 feet in elevation, where cool nights and warm, dry days allow the grapes to mature slowly and develop their unique character. The fruit was harvested in early October and was fermented for two and a half weeks. It was then aged for 11 months in French oak barrels from assorted coopers.

We project that this wine will be ready for release by summer of 2002. With the proper storage conditions, it will continue to improve for many years.

Central Coast Cabernet-Shiraz
This wine is modeled after the many Cab-Shiraz blends the Rordens have perfected in their home winery over the decades. It is dry, smooth and wonderfully earthy.

The Cabernet Sauvignon grapes that constitute 80% of the blend came from old, dry-farmed Cabernet Sauvignon vines on the eastern side of the Coastal Range mountains, in Paso Robles. It was a cool fall with unexpected rains, and so harvest was pushed back until early November. The clusters were hand-selected with great care and were fermented in open bins for two weeks. We punched down the caps by hand for maximum tannin extraction. The wine was aged for 11 months in French oak barrels from mixed coopers. It was then blended with 20% of our Monterey Shiraz.

We hope to release this wine sometime during spring of 2002. It will be ready for consumption at that time, but we feel that this wine is also worthy of cellaring for a number of years. Over time, the interplay of Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend matures and changes in ways that are exciting to observe.