Yes, you, Laurel Glen!
A while ago, I got the opportunity to go to Laurel Glen, which is located in Glen Ellen, California. While this is indeed charming, not much seems to happen here in this little village. But looks can be deceiving. Next to some really nice restaurants, you can also taste some nice wines.
Conveniently, the Laurel Glen Vineyard Tasting Room is located nearby – only 15 minutes away from their estate vineyard on Sonoma Mountain.
It’s organic!
Laurel Glen Vineyard transitioned to exclusively organic farming practices, and in 2014 they received certification from CCOF (California Certified Organic Farmers.)
Unique location
If you would draw a line west from the vineyard, where you would end up is on the Pacific Ocean coastline, at Bodega Bay (which is the village used for the Hitchcock movie ‘The Birds’). While on the east you will find Sonoma Valley. The vineyard is located on the volcanically based Sonoma Mountain, which has a 751m summit, and ranges from an elevation of 260 to 300 meters. Because of it’s unique location – as the eastern and northern slopes are protected from afternoon heat, and because the bulk of Sonoma mountain forms a windbreak against the coastal wind and fog intrusions – only the eastern slopes of Sonoma Mountain are suitable for growing Cabernet Sauvignon.
The Sonoma Mountain AVA (American Viticultural Area) is one of the smallest in Sonoma County at only 667 vineyard acres.
Double Guyot
Since growing the first vines, a lot has changed, as farming also has changed in the way of growing vines. For example; the older vines were trained by Patrick Campbell into 3-4 canes, resulting in a heavier fruit load per vine. These vines however will remain untouched as it would be unwise to do anything that could unbalance them.
When Phil Coturri in 2011 took over management of the vineyard, he trained the vines back to two canes, resulting in fewer clusters per vine. The new training system, widely used in Bordeaux, is called a Double Guyot. Each vine now has only two canes which are trained in opposite directions along wires. The lower yields result in better concentration in the berries, better light, air and a more consistent ripening.
Crazy old vines
Something else are the ‘crazy old vines’. A row of these pioneer grapevines have been growing there since the 1880’s, when Europeans who ‘settled’ Sonoma Mountain planted winegrapes. And to this day still a row grows at Laurel Glen Vineyard. They are gnarly old vines twisting their way up out of the red volcanic rock soil, right next to two rows of Cabernet Sauvignon vines planted in 1968. Starting with vintage 2012, what little fruit these three rows of old vines produced was pressed into a field blend Rosé, the Laurel Glen Crazy Old Vine Rosé. About 50% of the blend is Cabernet Sauvignon, but the rest is a mix of obscure red varietals, most of which can’t be identified with any certainty. And it’s awesome!
How cool is that?!
Now if you are not already online looking where you can buy these wines: shame on you!
Glen Laurel offers a variety of wines. The Counterpoint Cabernet Sauvignon is a perfect blend of three vineyards: Laurel Glen Vineyard, Pickberry Vineyards and Murray Ranch.
The Estate Cabernet is single vineyard bliss and if you get a chance to check out their impressive and extensive wine library, you can can consider yourself a very lucky person. I am one of those lucky ones, and I treasure it.
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