Blind tasting...

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Permalink Reply by Tom Ferrell on September 5, 2009 at 4:43pm

Hi Janine. Wouldn't you know it, you've asked THE question.

When we first got together as an association we did a lot of blind tasting as a group where we tried to answer that very question. We kept our notes and then submitted dozens of our wines to a number of tasters for their feedback. Paul Wagner, Karen McNeil, Ron Weigand, Peter Marks, Tim Gaiser, and Gilles De Chambure weighed in with their observations. You can find what they observed about our wines as a group here.

Since then, and each year, the winemakers on Spring Mountain get together to taste the previous years vintage and refine their perspective. I can't speak for everyone, but the first thing I notice is that because of the many terroirs that make up the Spring Mountain AVA every wine is different. Not only are there soil differences from vineyard to vineyard, but the nature of the appellation means a great variation in sun exposure, elevation, and micro-climate. So within that variability you look for a common thread. This means you taste a lot of wine.

The more I taste and compare, I see some common threads in the reds. Bright red fruit aromas and flavors, deep bright color, unusually soft tannins, nice acidity all achieved without excessively high alcohols. Despite the vineyard variation I see these characteristic in each red wine, whether a Cab or a Merlot. We think there are reasons for this which we will get into in this years Touch the Terroir. Whites are tougher to distinguish, but I notice a crisp finish and nice acidity in them all. But to really see what's special with Spring Mtn. whites, you have to let them age.

We'll get into this more in a month, and I want to leave something for others to say, but thanks for starting the discussion.

Tom

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Permalink Reply by Sheldon Richards on September 6, 2009 at 11:29am

I would prefer that you taste our wines and decide for yourself. I think Tom did a great job of summing up some general characteristics of SMD wine. Bright, ripe fruit, mature tannins, perhaps some minerality, etc. And yes, read the reviews from some Napa's top somms who agreed there was a common thread through SMD wines. But the terroir expressed is certainly influenced significantly by farming practices and winemaking styles. Wait to see for yourself. I think you'll be impressed! As winemakers we also have annual barrel tastings to see how each year is beginning to take shape. '07 is going to be an impressive year and you'll certainly be drinking some of those in October.

Sheldon Richards said:

Tom Ferrell said:

Hi Janine. Wouldn't you know it, you've asked THE question.

When we first got together as an association we did a lot of blind tasting as a group where we tried to answer that very question. We kept our notes and then submitted dozens of our wines to a number of tasters for their feedback. Paul Wagner, Karen McNeil, Ron Weigand, Peter Marks, Tim Gaiser, and Gilles De Chambure weighed in with their observations. You can find what they observed about our wines as a group here.

Since then, and each year, the winemakers on Spring Mountain get together to taste the previous years vintage and refine their perspective. I can't speak for everyone, but the first thing I notice is that because of the many terroirs that make up the Spring Mountain AVA every wine is different. Not only are there soil differences from vineyard to vineyard, but the nature of the appellation means a great variation in sun exposure, elevation, and micro-climate. So within that variability you look for a common thread. This means you taste a lot of wine.

The more I taste and compare, I see some common threads in the reds. Bright red fruit aromas and flavors, deep bright color, unusually soft tannins, nice acidity all achieved without excessively high alcohols. Despite the vineyard variation I see these characteristic in each red wine, whether a Cab or a Merlot. We think there are reasons for this which we will get into in this years Touch the Terroir. Whites are tougher to distinguish, but I notice a crisp finish and nice acidity in them all. But to really see what's special with Spring Mtn. whites, you have to let them age.

We'll get into this more in a month, and I want to leave something for others to say, but thanks for starting the discussion.

Tom

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