Members’ Corner

Welcome to the Fall 2021 Wine Club shipment…

Welcome to Members’ Corner. Here you’ll find inspiration to accompany each wine club shipment.

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Message from the winemaker…

The 2021 vintage was a good one for our Pinots! With our vineyards and winery located so close to the coast, we were lucky to have clear skies and fresh air here throughout the 2021 growing season. The vines continued to experience drought conditions, and produced small berries and small clusters, translating to good flavor intensity. The smaller size also led to a quicker ripening so this year’s harvest came in notably early.

Welcome rains marked the end of the 2021 harvest and came in full force! I’m currently enjoying the wet weather from inside the winery completing the final barreling-down of this harvest’s wines.

Our resident herd of deer seem much happier now that the stormy weather has arrived - we had just recently caved-in and set up a water trough for the poor souls during the drought! I’m happy to report that they are now finally feasting on green grass and falling apples from one of the 20+ heirloom apple trees across the property.

I hope you enjoy the special 100% whole-cluster Langley vineyard Pinot I’ve created for this shipment, which at 2.5 barrels made is an exclusive for our members. It goes together as a set with the de-stemmed version you received in the Spring and is super fun to open side-by-side. I recommend letting them breathe and come to room temperature for at least half an hour prior to tasting, and then pay particular attention to the first smell and sip. In the wine notes below, I go into detail on how I craft the whole cluster differently and what effect that has on the character of the wine. Both the 100% whole cluster and the de-stemmed are labors of love: I relish the process of punching one fermentation down by hand and foot-treading the other while watching different flavors and properties develop along the way.

This is indeed a box of comparisons, we’re also including the Run Dog Pinot in two different vintages: 2017 & 2018.

We finish with a library 2016 Nebbiolo. This is a variety that I made true to form - it begs to be aged, so we held a little back for this very use. The vineyard has recently been purchased by a new owner - we’ll be sad to see it go from our range after a few more vintages. If you’re a fan of it, it’s prudent to stock the cellar with this age worthy wine while we still produce it.

Our tasting room is open By Appointment 3 days a week. If you plan to taste during pickup, please book an appointment online to ensure Mark is able to host you. For simple curbside Pickups without a tasting, there’s no need to book.

Enjoy the pairing recipe and happy holiday season to you and yours!

Phillip Baxter, Owner / Winemaker.

Fall 2021 Wines:

Club 6 members receive 2 of the Langley 100% Whole-cluster, 2 x 2018 Run Dog Pinot, 1 bottle of the Nebbiolo and 1 bottle of the Run Dog 2017 vintage comparison. Club 12 members receive double.

2017 100% whole cluster Langley Vineyard Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley

A great comparison to get your geek on. This wine has the same farming, same pick date, same aging and bottling date as the de-stemmed version that was included in this Spring’s shipment. What marks this wine apart from it’s twin is the whole cluster process, which creates different fermentation kinetics and flavors in the resulting wine.

The first difference is when the grape clusters are sorted into a fermenter in-tact (with the stems still attached). Due to this extra-gentle treatment, each individual berry begins it’s own micro-fermentation within it’s own skin while still on the stems.

Another difference comes after several days of cold soaking - when Phillip’s nose tells him the time is right - he begins foot-treading the grapes. There isn’t much juice released from the berries yet and the most traditional way to mix this solid kind of fermentation is foot-treading, which definitely involves some muscle!

Slowly, over several days the berries are compacted, and the juice starts to seep out more and more. The stems steep in the juice alongside the berries, which raises the pH, leading to a more voluptuous mouthfeel. Due to its slow micro-fermentations, the whole-cluster version does continue to echo the bright and fresh fruit flavors of the ‘normal’ Langley Pinot, but there is also an added richness and and a ‘fuller’ body from the presence of the stems.

In short, the de-stemmed version tends to show more bright fruit, mineral lines, high tones of raspberry and fresh cherry.

The 100% whole cluster version is a beautifully supple wine. It begins with scents of ripe huckleberry and soft strawberry. An oppulent mouthfeel unfolds to reveal savory umami flavors interlaced with blackberry and juicy Santa Rosa plum. Earthy tannins and warm cedar elements give weight to a wonderful velvety finish.

Full tasting notes for the de-stemmed can be found in the Spring 2021 members corner page (scroll all the way down for links to previous pages & recipes).

Drink now through 2028.

2018 Run Dog Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley

At Run Dog vineyard the vines cover one acre of sloping hillside with a beautiful view of the Anderson Valley.  They take full advantage of the gentle morning and warm midday sun before being shaded by trees in the afternoon. This avoids any sunburn or rapid ripening often common in late Summer heat spikes. The wine is single appellation, single vineyard, single varietal (Pinot Noir), even single ‘clone’ - (meaning sub-variety). The ‘Pommard’ clone is characterized by bramble and intense summer berry flavors and performs particularly well in cooler appellations.

Lucy the greyhound is the current name-sake reigning over ‘Run Dog’ vineyard. She takes her grape-guarding duties seriously - her owner recently saw her run into the bushes chasing two eager deer who were roaming among the rows …. they won’t be back!!

With 4 barrels made, our 2018 vintage 100% Pommard clone of Pinot Noir displays aromas of toasted almond, bergamot and rose. In the glass, brooding sous-bois flavors join with delicate mushroom, bramble and exotic spice. Textural tannins and hints of tobacco leaf round out the mid-palate while elegant maraschino cherry provides a long lingering finish.

Drink now through 2025.

2017 Run Dog Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley

Although you can certainly taste the vineyard in every vintage of Run Dog Pinot Noir, each wine is slightly different depending on conditions that season.

The warmer 2018 vintage produced smaller berries resulting in wine with more intensity, structure and tannin.

Whereas 2017 was a cooler vintage giving brighter flavors and a more delicate mouthfeel.

2017 tasting notes: Scents of fresh raspberry and summer fruits dominate the nose. On the palate, earthy flavors of porcini, bramble and plum skin lend complexity and are balanced by elegant strawberry tones. Smooth tannins evoke flavors of dusty black tea and combine with bright cherry for a sophisticated finish. 

5 barrels made. Drink now through 2026.

2016 Fox Hill Vineyard Nebbiolo, Mendocino

One of the best-kept secrets in Mendocino County is the many vineyards of older- vine Italian varieties. The Fox Hill vineyard has been in the same Italian-heritage family for generations, with the 40 year old Nebbiolo vines made up of two stock clones and one suitcase clone brought over to the US by the owner’s grandfather. This inland Mendocino County vineyard benefits from a warm but elongated growing season: the heat is tempered just slightly by the cooling wisps of marine fog that manage to slink into the inland valleys and crevices at night. This special microclimate allows for a slower ripening leading to well-balanced flavors and complexity in the finished wine.

With notes reminiscent of a classic Barbaresco this old-vine Mendocino Nebbiolo is derived of 3 clones resulting in intriguing complexity. Delicate in color, on the nose it displays dusty rose petal along with strawberry and undertones of sandalwood. The palate’s fine dry tannins and grippy texture is layered with dried roses, fennel, graphite and subtle sanguine tones. With a linear cherry fruit focus and intricately layered, this wine benefits from decanting and will age ten to fifteen years.

Open to let breath for at least an hour before enjoying and try our pairing recipe below!

Drink now through 2030.

Our fall 2021 recipe…

This Fall’s pairing recipe comes with the Nebbiolo in mind, but will also team equally well with either of the Run Dog Pinots. The recipe is courtesy of Mark, our tasting room host. Mark has developed his go-to version of the rustic but elegant ‘French Country Pork’ by combining several different recipes over the years. The Nebbiolo’s pronounced tannins call out for a slow cooked, fattier cut of meat. Gamey meats would be too much, but the milder flavors of the pork allow the Nebbiolo’s delicate nuances to show through. French Country Pork is a breeze - most of the ingredients you’ll probably already find in your stock cupboard and it’s oh so comforting for the Fall and Winter months!

Ingredients (serves 6-8):

3 1/2 lbs boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
2 cup red cooking wine (medium body, like Merlot, ideally)
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 leeks, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
4 carrots, sliced
2 rosemary sprigs
1 bayleaf
salt & pepper
Chopped Parsley as garnish

Method:
1) Heat a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add a little olive oil. Brown the pork pieces all over, remove from pan to a plate.
2) Deglaze the pan with the wine.
3) Return pork to pot, along with the leeks, garlic, carrots and rosemary sprigs. Pour the red wine and stock over the top. Season with salt & pepper.
4) Bring to a boil.
5) Reduce heat to a simmer and cover.
6) Cook low and slow until pork is fall-apart tender and liquid is reduced (anywhere from 1h 45 mins to 2 1/2 hours). Stir once or twice during this time and check that the dish hasn’t gone dry, adding a little more liquid to keep moist if needed .
4) Remove the rosemary sprigs & garnish with chopped parsley.

Serving suggestion:
Serve this with smashed potatoes, a simple arugula and radicchio salad and pain de campagne.

Enjoying your wines and want to restock?

2017 Langley de-stemmed version is available if you need to complete (or replenish!) your set. For members re-ordering any mixed six pack of wines prior to the Spring shipment we will apply complimentary ground shipping. Simply visit the store and note ‘Reorder’ in the customer comments box. Log into your account to view member pricing.

We wish you a happy holiday season and hope you

ENJOY this fall’s selection.

Phillip & Claire Baxter.

Previous club shipments / recipes:

spring 2021

Fall 2020