Fall 2001 Newsletter
 

Stone Corral Vineyard Planted

The much-anticipated Stone Corral vineyard, planted by Stephen Ross Wine Cellars and managed by Talley Vineyards, was planted in early June. 

Almost all of the delicate Pinot Noir vines survived the treacherous journey from nursery to field. 
 

Stephen Ross Wine Cellars Celebrates the Harvest

Sips, socializing, and soils could easily be the name of this year’s Harvest Celebration open house on November 4, from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Not only will you see the inner-workings of the winery where Stephen Ross Dooley creates his award winning wines (only open to the public twice a year!), but you’ll also be treated to an explanation of how soils affect the quality of the wine. The brief and entertaining presentation will take place at 12:30, 2:00, and 3:30, and includes a comparative tasting of Stephen Ross wines produced from different soil types. Jose Dahan of Et Voila! will provide delicious appetizers perfectly paired with Stephen Ross wines. Stephen Ross Wine Cellars is located in the Courtside Cellars facility, 4910 Edna Road, in San Luis Obispo. (805) 594-1318.
 

Stephen Ross Takes Top Honor at Tasting 
By Bethany Zepponi

Winemakers work throughout their careers to develop their own style of winemaking. It’s a meticulous process of trial and error, learning how to cope with the complexities of each vintage. Objectively evaluating your own progress can be tricky, especially since the style of wine you work hard to make is what appeals to your palate. 

Participating in blind tastings with other winemakers is one way for a winemaker to judge his own creations. On June 21st, Steve Dooley joined 16 other local winemakers including Bruno D’Alfonzo of Sanford Winery, Brian Talley of Talley Vineyards, Paul Wilkins of Alban Vineyards, and Mike Sinor of Domaine Alfred for a tasting of Pinot Noirs from California and Oregon. What happened there may surprise you.

Ten wines, all 1999 Pinot Noirs, priced from $28 to $71 were placed in brown paper bags and assigned letters A through J. They were then tasted in order and each winemaker gave the wine either a “+” or “-“ indicating their opinion of the wine. They each picked five plusses and five minuses. 

This seems over-simplified, but Dooley explains that this is a very successful way of categorizing wines. “It is easier for a taster to decide whether a wine is a plus or minus, rather than trying to rank it compared to the other wines from one through ten,” he says. “This way, the wine is judged very simply and on its own merit. Statistically, the wine with the most plusses from the group is probably the most preferred.”

When all wines were tasted and the most preferred revealed, the Stephen Ross Edna Ranch Pinot Noir was the favorite, receiving nine total plusses. What makes this remarkable is that this Pinot Noir is also the least expensive - only $28 per bottle. The next least expensive sells for $38. 

Dooley is thrilled with the outcome. “I think this proves that the Edna Ranch Pinot Noir is a terrific value,” he says. “What was particularly interesting to me in this tasting was that the Oregon Pinot Noirs all came in last, even though they are all wonderful wines. It shows that Central Coast winemakers prefer Central Coast Pinot Noirs.”

If that’s true, the Stephen Ross Pinot Noirs are the benchmark for Central Coast Pinot Noir - a mantle that Dooley proudly wears. “Central Coast Pinot Noirs have more obvious cherry and raspberry flavors,” he says. “Oregonian Pinot Noir tends to be spicy and more complex. The Stephen Ross Edna Ranch Pinot Noir has a deep color and a nice nose with spicy oak and concentrated fruit flavors. It’s well-balanced.”

“I always love results like this,” Dooley laughs. “But coming in first in this tasting is very special because my wine is preferred by my peers.”

There are a few cases available directly from the winery. Call Steve at (805) 594-1318 to order.

These were the other participating wines:

Witness Tree, Willamette Valley, Select $38
Cristom, Willamette Valley $60
Beaux Freres, Yamill Valley $71
Flowers, Sonoma Coast $55
William Seylom, Sonoma Coast $36
Siduri, Pisoni Vineyard, $58
Sanford, La Rinconada $55
Talley Vineyards, Rosemary’s Vineyard $45
Domaine Alfred, Califa $42
 

Tasting Tip: Host a Professional “Blind” Wine Tasting
By Stephen Ross Dooley

One of the first things a winemaker must do when he or she sets out to hone the craft is to develop a discerning palate. The best way for anyone to sharpen their senses is to participate in regular blind tastings like the one I attended in June.

Based on a simple ratings system developed by Enologix, the blind tasting can be invaluable in developing your ability to pick up complexities in wine. Hosting a blind tasting for your friends is a great way to spend an evening. 

First, pick about six wines of the same varietal. I caution against choosing more than 10 because your palate will get fatigued - after a while all the wines will start to taste the same. 

Uncork the wines and place them in brown paper bags secured at the top with a rubber band or string. Have someone else assign each bag a number. If you need to replace the corks, be sure to mix them up so the cork doesn’t give the wine away.

Give each person a pad of paper and something to write with. Taste the wines in random order (the first wine tasted tends to get preference, so mix up the order in which each taster starts) and assign a “+” to half and a “-“ to the other half. The one with the most plusses is the clear winner.

Other tips: Be sure to spit out the wines. A woozy head can affect your preferences. Save the quaffing for the party after the tasting.

Taste in silence. When you’re finished tallying up the scores discuss the last wine first. Try to always find a positive comment.

Only serve very plain bread and water with the tasting.

Don’t wear cologne. The scent can affect your palate.

Finally, try to think about the wine in terms of how you would enjoy it with a meal. Wine, after all, is intended to be served with food.
 

Behind the Barrel: The Shocking Truth About Bottling

Have you ever wondered why wineries hang on to their bottled products for months, sometimes years, before they are released to the public? Most people assume that it is an integral part of the aging of the wine. That’s true, but not for the reasons you might think.

A phenomenon called “bottle shock” occurs in many wines just after bottling. The wine goes into a “hibernation” where the aromas are non-existent and the wine tastes rough. Bottle shock occurs for a number of reasons including pumping wine during bottling such and “splashing” the wine into the bottle. Or if the bottle is not adequately filled with inert gas it can pick up an inordinate amount of oxygen. Filtering and adding SO2 can also cause a wine to go into shock.

It is impossible to tell if a wine is in bottle shock before you open it. Just pay special attention to the vintage, and know that certain reds need to stay in the bottle for at least a few months. Try to find out the exact release date if you have a wine from a recent vintage. 

 “The white wines from Stephen Ross are not filtered so there’s minimal bottle shock,” explains Steve Dooley. “The reds are filtered so I do keep them for six months or so before releasing. I try not to release any wine until it is readily drinkable.”
 

Don't Miss Our Featured Wines

We are currently featuring our 2000 Chardonnay and 1999 Edna Pinot Noir.  See the descriptions here.
 

Barrel Adopters Have Barrels of Fun

One of the most unique opportunities available from any winery, the Stephen Ross Wine Cellars Barrel Adopters program is much more than a wine club. Barrel adopters receive the following:

• One mixed case of white wines, including 2001 Stephen Ross Edna Ranch Chardonnay, and 2001 Bien Nacido Chardonnay
• One mixed case of red wines including 2001 Stephen Ross Edna Ranch Pinot Noir, 2001 Dante Dusi Zinfandel,  2001 Monte Rosso Zinfandel, and 2001 Bien Nacido Vineyard Pinot Noir
• Two invitations to the Annual Barrel Adopters Dinner to be held on November 9, 2002 and catered by Jose Dahan of Et Voila with a meal designed to pair with Stephen Ross Wines
• Barrel tasting with Stephen Dooley at the winery
• Your signature and other artwork on a Burgundian French Oak Barrel.

To sign up, go to our Futures page.

Open House

The winery will be open on November 10 from 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. for potential barrel adopters to come by and taste a sample of the 2001 vintage. Call (805) 594-1318 for more information.