Vintage 2001

I thought I'd seen every combination of conditions a growing season could throw at us, but this--the 13th vintage of Conundrum--was unlike any I've ever experienced. A combination of spring frosts in some North Bay areas followed by heat spikes in spurts along the season had many winemakers hopping when several grape varietals ripened at the same time. We're very lucky that the five grapes we use in this proprietary blend come from wine-growing areas we have selected throughout the state for their optimal conditions for each varietal, and all the grapes were quite tolerant of the weird weather.

Our Sauvignon Blanc came from near St. Helena, where it was very warm--a climate these grapes thrive in. The Muscat Canelli also loved the heat that is typical of its growing area, Tulare County, and these grapes came through with their characteristic tropical flower/orange blossom aroma. The Chardonnay and Viognier--both of which love cool weather--were grown in Monterey County, but even this always-cool area experienced periods of atypical heat that pushed the grapes toward ripeness. We held out and let the fruit hang on the vines even longer than usual, waiting for the acids to come into balance with the maturity levels. Our patience resulted in grapes with deeply ripe flavors but a wonderful, firm acidity that gives the 2001 vintage an extra note of refreshing crispness. The Sémillon, another cool-climate lover, responded to the extra warmth of the season with ripe melon flavors and an especially dense, lush texture.

As always, we varied our winemaking approach for each small, separate lot to best enhance its characteristics. We fermented and aged about 30 percent of the lots in temperature-controlled stainless steel and aged the remaining 70 percent in a combination of French and American oak barrels for 7 months.

For me as winemaker, the joy is in the blending, and in this vintage it was truly rewarding to fit the pieces of the puzzle together. To me, this wine wraps together an array of floral aromas with tropical fruit, peach, apricot, spice and zingy citrus flavors in a creamy, unctuous texture. We don't ever reveal the exact proportions of the varietals that produce these sensations because we hope this wine will be enjoyed as a harmonious whole rather than put under a microscope for analysis.

Jon Bolta
Winemaker/Production Director

Released September 2002
Suggested retail price: $24
Suggested serving temperature: Lightly chilled