David Hirsch's Vineyard er et gigantisk puslespil i jorden. På en højderyg ved 1.500 fod kun 5 kilometer fra Stillehavet, slanger vinstokke sig ned ad stejle skråninger og langs fjeldsider. Vandet er synlige gennem huller i redwoodtræer, i det mindste imellem pauser i regn og tåge. Hvis der nogensinde var en vingård på kanten af grunden, ville det være denne.
Men denne ridgetop udenfor Cazadero er hjemsted for nogle af Californiens mest overraskende Pinot Noir. I starten, fik David Hirsch et ry som den første producent til at henlede opmærksomheden på seriøs vin af druer på den ydre Sonoma Coast, nord for Russian River. Selv om det kan have været lidt held, står Hirsch fast her, og hans nabolag har vokset op til at være Guldkysten for Californien Pinot Noir: Flowers, Marcassin, og Martinelli´s berømte Blue Slide Ridge blev alle plantet i nærheden.
For alt deres anerkendelse, forbliver Hirsch's succes lidt af et mysterium, i det mindste på overfladen. For i de fleste af de 30 år han har forsøgt at afkode et vildt virvar af undergrund, der omfatter klipper af alle typer blandet med alt fra porøse sandsten til uigennemtrængeligt ler. Det førte ham til at dele sin 71 hektar vinmarker i 60 forskellige blokke, hver med sin egen jord signatur, hver opdrættet på egen hånd. "Hvis du er fokuseret på terroir," siger han, "skal du se efter hvad der sker under jorden."
En sådan mangel på konsekvens er yderst sjælden blandt vinmarker, hvilket gør stedet svært at forstå. Som hans vinmager, Mark Doherty udtrykker det: "Der er ingen elevator historie." Den bedste sammenligning, uundgåeligt, kunne være de uendelige marker i Bourgogne, hvor kvalitet er blevet gættet række efter række, men først efter århundreder har de forstået hvad de havde med at gøre.
Men for Hirsch, der arbejder for at afkode ens egen jord er i høj grad en vinmagers opgave. Som inspiration nævner han ingen anden end Aubert de Villaine ejer af Domaine de la Romanée-Conti.
Modenhed er sjældent et problem. Hirsch starter typisk vælge mellem slutningen af august og slutningen af september.
"Med al respekt for de millioner af ord skrevet om effekten af den californiske kyst klima, vil jeg sige, at der er en masse hokus pokus omkring det," siger han. "Den mest betydningsfulde terroir i vores tilfælde er San Andreas-forkastningen."
Det tog Hirsch næsten to årtier at nå frem til denne konklusion. I 1998 hærgede en våd sæson en mark, hvor magnesium-tung lerjord producerede vin med stor kraft, men lateral rødder. Disse overfladiske rødder blev jordslåede i den fugtige jord. "Hvad jeg indså var, er at vi skulle begynde at løse vores problemer på stedet," siger Hirsch.
Så han trykkede på reset-knappen. En jord-specialist tilbragte 18 måneder med at grave huller. Hirsch og hans vineyard manager, Everardo Robledo, begyndte at plante dusinvis af nye blokke i 27 acres. De afbalancerede mineralindholdet ved hjælp af alternative formler udviklet af forskeren William Albrecht, derefter omhyggeligt drænede vand ned i undergrund til rødderne. Nu bliver hver blok behandlet og høstet individuelt.
Denne kompleksitet er med til at forklare, hvorfor en signatur i glasset er så flygtig. Doherty vinificerer hver blok for Hirsch Pinot Noir separat, ved hjælp af naturligt forekommende gær. En prøve fra blok 8A-1-Pommard kloner lagres i nye egetræ, hvilket giver blomsteragtige noter og raffineret garvesyre. Den tilsvarende prøve fra blok 8A-2, kun et par meters afstand i vingården, er næsten standset ud i mineralske intensitet. Men Hirsch insisterer på, at den endelige blanding i 2006 er fra 33 blokke.
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| Pris: 325,00 DKK |
Chard(20)small.jpg "Klik for stort billede") 2008 Hirsch Chardonnay: We are working with the chardonnay to learn how to use the variety as a lens into our site. For this reason you will find the focus is on the fruit’s natural acidity. We picked the grapes September 19-20. Fermentation was done 11% in fourteen-gallon glass demijohns; 53% in stainless steel tanks; and 36% in oak. Total new oak was 16%. When the ferment went dry, half of the stainless wine was racked to neutral oak for aging. This is a unique wine with an intense individuality derived from this place, especially the high gravel and sandstone content of the soils. Yet, it’s true to the variety.
Tasting notes: Citrus & lemon curd followed by earth, minerals, vanilla bean, caramel & a mélange of spices: the breath of a goddess! The palate shows apricot flesh & a rich creamy mouth feel. The structure is excellent & leads to a long distance finish.
2008 Hirsch Chardonnay - 596 cases bottled August 28, 2009. Alcohol: 15%; pH: 3.56; T/A: .88 |
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| Pris: 325,00 DKK |
20(29)Chard(28)20(29)small.jpg "Klik for stort billede") 2009 Hirsch Vineyards Chardonnay
As with all the wines from Hirsch, the purpose of our Chardonnay is to express the vineyard site. Through our farming and winemaking, we strive to bring the acidity and minerality of the site forward, with fruit and oak playing a secondary role. With less than 4 acres of Chardonnay vines, production is very limited, and 100% of the fruit is kept for the estate.
The Wine
The 2009 Hirsch Vineyards Chardonnay is pale gold in color, and delicate and aromatic on the palate. First impressions are of white flowers and citrus; no noticeable oak is perceived on the nose or palate. Sparkling acidity, subtle yet persistent flavors, and an overall refinement and restraint set this chardonnay apart.
The Vineyards
Our first chardonnay vineyard was planted in 1994. That year, David Hirsch prepared 2.5 acres for planting on a rocky, 40% slope above his house. He was enamored with Barolo and had the crazy idea to put in nebbiolo. One night he met Burt Williams and Ed Selyem, who were buying our pinot noir for their winery Williams Selyem. On entering the restaurant, Burt yelled from the back, “Plant chardonnay! We’ll buy it.” Thus the old chardonnay vineyard was born. The cuttings came from Joe Rochioli. Williams Selyem made the wine from 1997 to 2000; Kistler took the fruit through 2005. In 2002 David planted an additional 1.4 acres of chardonnay on a sandstone hill in field 12, just over the hill from the old vineyard. Together these two tiny vineyards comprise our estate chardonnay, first produced in 2006.
The Winemaking
This wine is a product of four vinification processes: fermented and aged on (1) glass, (2) oak, and (3) stainless steel; and (4) fermented on stainless steel and aged in oak. All four components were blended and racked to mostly neutral French oak barrels nine months before bottling.
Production: 725 cases
Bottling date: January 19, 2011
New oak: Approximately 20%
Alcohol: 14.0%
pH: 3.32
T/A: 0.63 mg / 100ml |
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| Pris: 500,00 DKK |
| Lager antal: 24 |
PN(20)2005.jpg "Klik for stort billede") Ingen info, men 2005 var en uovertruffen årgang i Californien.
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| Pris: 380,00 DKK |
| Lager antal: 24 |
PN(20)2006.jpg "Klik for stort billede") 2006 HIRSCH VINEYARDS: Conventional wisdom has it that quality is incompatible with quantity. Pshaw! Try this rich, profound, and expressive product of our most fruitful vintage in nine years. (See the blending and clonal charts for details of provenance and complexity.)
There is a depth to this wine that suggests the mystery touched upon by all true to site wines. Since bottling, the wine has matured and evolved in to a multi-faceted pinot that will reward the discriminating taster and the casual drinker. Its balance and structure foretell a long cellar life with continued development.
Though 2296 cases in total were made, it is important to note that the largest of the 21 fermentation lots totaled only eight tons. (And it had to be fermented in two tanks since our largest will hold only 6.5 tons.) Eight tons yielded us 376 cases in 2006. The wines were not blended until the week before bottling. The Hirsch is a blend of ninety-eight percent estate fruit made in very small lots.
Tasting notes: Garnet. Primary fruit aromas have evolved to a bouquet of earth, leather and sandalwood, with a touch of baking spice. On the palate, mature plum, smoked meat, and mineral flavors dance with a velvet texture across the tongue, leading to an expansive finish of dark plum, espresso and hints of woodsmoke. A suave, seductive wine.
2006 HIRSCH VINEYARDS - 2296 cases bottled March 3-5, 2008; alcohol: 14.55%; pH: 3.77
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| Pris: 325,00 DKK |
M.jpg "Klik for stort billede") 2007 M: Of our three pinot cuvees, the M is the one we blend to reflect how the climate worked on the site and its vines that year. This great 2007 pinot noir is a blend of twenty-three barrels, of which fifty-two percent were from the 114 and 777 clones. These tend to bring more of the fruit to the core of the wine; yet the lineaments of acid and tannin are very evident and provide a vibrant frame for the body. This is a wine for serious pinot drinkers: keep out of the hands of children!
Tasting Notes: Deep ruby. Exotic spice top note, with layers of leather, cedar, earth, loganberry and raspberry. Rich flavors of plum and ripe berry evolve to a mouth-filling, silken mid-palate showing great finesse textually as the acid structure refreshes the palate and carries the flavors to a sustained, layered finish and the loamy earth notes return.
2007 M - 540 cases 1/30/09; alcohol: 13.9%; pH: 3.70;
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| Pris: 325,00 DKK |
20(29)M.jpg "Klik for stort billede") Info følger |
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| Pris: 400,00 DKK |
 Tasting Notes
Upon opening, Bing cherry, raspberries, figs and cola on the nose, with floral notes of lavender and orange blossom. Evolving with air to show forest floor, licorice and bergamot. On the palate, bright red fruit and a brambly juiciness are supported by profound tannins and an exceptional acidity.
Wine Specs
Vintage: 2009
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Appellation: Sonoma Coast
Vineyard Designation: Hirsch Vineyards
Harvest Date: Aug. 31 - Sept. 13, 2009
Acid: 0.63 mg / 100ml
PH: 3.50
Aging 17 months in French oak with 35% new barrels
Bottling DateMarch 30-31, 2011
Alcohol 13,7 %
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| Pris: 230,00 DKK |
| Lager antal: 24 |
SAF(20)for(20)website1.jpg "Klik for stort billede") Tasting Notes
Upon opening, Bing cherry, raspberries, figs and cola on the nose, with floral notes of lavender and orange blossom. Evolving with air to show forest floor, licorice and bergamot. On the palate, bright red fruit and a brambly juiciness are supported by profound tannins and an exceptional acidity.
Wine Specs
Vintage: 2009
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Appellation: Sonoma Coast
Vineyard Designation: Hirsch Vineyards
Harvest Date: Aug. 31 - Sept. 13, 2009
Acid: 0.63 mg / 100ml
PH: 3.50
Aging 17 months in French oak with 35% new barrels
Bottling DateMarch 30-31, 2011
Alcohol 13,7 % |
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| Pris: 530,00 DKK |
| Lager antal: 12 |
Tasting Notes
Upon opening, Bing cherry, raspberries, figs and cola on the nose, with floral notes of lavender and orange blossom. Evolving with air to show forest floor, licorice and bergamot. On the palate, bright red fruit and a brambly juiciness are supported by profound tannins and an exceptional acidity.
Wine Specs
Vintage: 2009
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Appellation: Sonoma Coast
Vineyard Designation: Hirsch Vineyards
Harvest Date: Aug. 31 - Sept. 13, 2009
Acid: 0.63 mg / 100ml
PH: 3.50
Aging 17 months in French oak with 35% new barrels
Bottling Date March 30-31, 2011
Alcohol 13,7 %
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| Pris: 530,00 DKK |
| Lager antal: 12 |
The West Ridge is a series of hilltop vineyard blocks, spread along the main ridge of Hirsch like vertebrae along a spine. Altogether the West Ridge covers 28 acres and is divided into 27 farming blocks. The 2009 West Ridge Pinot Noir is a selection of the most exceptional barrels from three of the very best blocks on West Ridge, Blocks 6A, 6E and 7. These are planted to the heritage pinot noir clones of Mount Eden and Swan, as well as the Dijon clone 114.
The 2009 vintage was remarkable for the coolness and evenness of the weather throughout the growing season. This enabled excellent phenolic and physiological ripeness at moderate sugar ripeness. 2009 has produced wines of intense structure, high acidity, moderate alcohol, complex aromatics, cellar worthiness and most importantly, balance and site-specificity.
As with all Hirsch wines, West Ridge is not pumped, fined or filtered. No additives or foreign yeasts are added at any time.
100% French oak is used for aging, with approximately 30% new barrels.
Vine age: planted 1992 - 1995
Clone & block breakdown: Block 6E Block 6A Block 7, Swan 37% 114 (Dijon) 7% Mount Eden 56%
Production: 127 cases
Bottling date: March 31, 2011
Alcohol: 12.9%
pH: 3.48
T/A: 0.67 mg / 100ml |
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