Chris Knap of the Orange County Register writes:
“The grapes are from the winery’s eponymous Lafond Vineyard and the neighboring Arita Hills Vineyard in the Santa Rita Hills. If this relatively new appellation doesn’t ring a bell, it’s the western end of the unique east-west valley that draws cool air into Santa Barbara County from the Pacific Ocean.
As such, these vineyards can get quite cool, just the weather for a perfumed, multilayered Pinot Noir…”
Three new releases:
Lafond Vineyard 2005 Pinot Noir Clone 777
Lafond Vineyard 2005 Pinot Noir Clone 113
Lafond Vineyard 2006 Chardonnay Wente Clone
In viticultural terms grape clones are not really clones, there is no DNA manipulation. In every vineyard there are vines, which through natural mutation, produce grapes that are a little better than the others. This can range from color, flavor, bunch size or any other criteria. If the the characteristics are of sufficient value the grower may graft the wood from this vine to a standard root stock. It is still the same variety but with emphasis on the new characteristics for which it was selected.
Pinot Noir is the variety most susceptible to these mutations and in the past 20 years many of these new clones have been recognized and used in vineyards in California. In our vineyards we have 8 different Pinot Noir clones. Many we value as stand alone wines, and all, as components adding complexity to the final blend.
The three wines we are releasing include a Wente Clone Chardonnay. Selected from our best Chardonnay block, fermented and held in stainless steel, without malolactic fermentation. The result is a wine that brings out the full characteristics of this great grape – incredibly fruity and rich.
All thee wines are being sent to this months Wine Club Members.
Each wine is priced at 38.00 and for a very limited time we are offering the Three Wine Clone Selection for 99.00 + tax + 6.50 shipping charge.
For more information and to order.
Photos, taken by David Lafond, of the Hilltop Chardonnay Vineyard in the Santa Rita Hills during a late afternoon irrigation. Hilltop uses overhead sprinklers which can be very useful as frost protection. Our own vineyards use drip irrigation, which although more economical in water use, lack drama.
The Hilltop vineyard is between our Lafond northern and southern vineyards and has been a large component of our SRH Chardonnay for many years producing excellent wines.
The top picture of the river shows the beaver dam that is being built. Look at the lush green line just above the water top center right. By the end of summer this will be one of the more spectacular features of the river in our area…….The back ground hills show signs of green although with only 5-6 inches of rain this season and little prospect of more we are beginning our irrigation schedule next week..With the Vines beginning to show signs of growth this includes maybe one or two initial watering of 10- 12 hours in order to reach full potential water capacity of the soils..followed by any necessary weekly installments….This year followed by two previous years of above average rainfall will prove to be interesting….
David Lafond, March 2007.
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