Cakebread Cellars has long been identified exclusively with Napa Valley, but eight years ago we ventured out on a search for Pinot Noir. We discovered an ideal 46-acre vineyard near Boonville in the Anderson Valley of Mendocino County. This jewel of a valley, which follows the Navarro River as it drains into the Pacific Ocean at Albion on the Mendocino Coast, is a cool-climate region ideal for the production of world-class Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Now coming of age (vines typically take about seven years to become fully established and deliver optimal wine quality), our vineyard boasts 16 acres and nine different clonal selections of Chardonnay, and 30 acres and six clones of Pinot Noir. (See “Big and Cool” in this issue for information on our new, 2006 release of Anderson Valley Pinot Noir.)
“Anderson Valley is comparable climatically to the Carneros District in southern Napa Valley,” says Cakebread Cellars Viticulturist Toby Halkovich. “During the growing season, it’s colder in the morning and evenings, but warmer in the afternoons. Our Anderson Valley vineyard usually ripens slowly, which results in rich and ripe flavors.” The vineyard’s remarkable diversity of low-yielding clones, planted in well-drained gravelly loam soils and selected for their adaptability to the region’s marine climate, also contributes to the intensity of its wines.
Another distinguishing feature of our Anderson Valley vineyard is that we farm it organically, with the aid of an on-site weather station that enables us to precisely calibrate the irrigation the vines need during the growing season. This also helps us to control vine pests and diseases. By planting permanent cover crops composed of a plow-down mix of grasses and legumes, we force the vines to compete for water and soil nutrients, curtailing vine vigor and yields, thus intensifying grape flavors. An overhead sprinkler system protects the vines during big frost years—like the 2007 vintage.
Comparing our Anderson Valley and Carneros Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs side-by-side is an illuminating exercise in identifying and understanding ‘regional character’. Because we vinify both Chardonnays and both Pinot Noirs using similar winemaking techniques, you can clearly discern the differences in character between our Anderson Valley and Carneros District wines. The former display rich and full fruit, while the latter typically demonstrate more structure and aromatic complexity. Of course, who knows what further riches our Anderson Valley vineyard might reveal as the wines age.
Vintage 2008: An “Amusing” Season
That’s how one of our growers, with no shortage of sardonic irony, recently characterized the 2008 growing season. This vintage began with torrential rains in January, transitioned into drought conditions in early spring and then erupted into the worst frost season in over 35 years in late March and throughout April, with over 30 frost days and a loss, on average, of 10% of the crop in North Coast wine regions. The worst episodes were right after Easter and in early April, with the latter hitting higher elevations vineyards especially hard. Fortunately, Cakebread Cellars’ vineyards are protected either by wind machines or overhead sprinklers, so most emerged relatively unscathed.
However, the tumultuous weather was not over. In May, as the vines began to bloom, a big heat spike stressed them, followed four days later by a major rainfall. This resulted in significant ‘shatter’ (when the grape flowers drop from the vine), which is an unwelcome development from a crop quantity standpoint. Fortunately, shatter can enhance grape quality by reducing the quantity and size of the berries, especially in conjunction with low groundwater levels, as has been the case this year.
The weather rebounded in June and July, and was quite nice, albeit complicated by smoke from the many fires raging at the time throughout California. None of our vineyards were directly affected, although our vineyard personnel were keenly aware of the smoky air.
In early August, the skies finally cleared, consistently good, mild weather set in, enabling our grapes to begin maturing quickly, initiating another early harvest like 2007. In fact, we began picking Sauvignon Blanc on August 12th, one of our earliest-ever starts to the harvest.
“The table is set for what should be a very nice vintage,” says Cakebread Cellars Viticulturist Toby Halkovich, noting the reduced size of the crop. “Considering everything the vines have been through, they’re in remarkably good shape.”
As long as Mother Nature refrains from any more amusement.
