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Summer 2001 Newsletter

Stephen Ross Wine Cellars receives accolades from L.A. Times writer, Charles Olken

Charles Olken, wine writer for the Los Angeles Times and creator of The Connoisseurs’ Guide to California Wine, spoke highly of the Stephen Ross Edna Valley and Bien Nacido Vineyard Pinot Noirs. Applying a three-star system to judge wines, Olken is a tough critic. Receiving one star (or “puff” as they are nicknamed because of their round edges) means he feels that your wine is a “fine example of a type of wine without notable flaws.” Two puffs, rarer still, means your wine is “highly distinctive and likely to be memorable.” In the L.A. Times article, published February 7, 2001, Olken reviewed the 1998 Stephen Ross Edna Valley Pinot. Here's what he said:

*1998 Stephen Ross Santa Maria Valley Bien Nacido Vineyard

This wine is firmer than the less expensive version and may ultimately have the longer life. It picks up some of the brushy, herbal, tea-like notes often associ-ated with the Santa Maria Valley and juxtaposes them with very solid, still nascent fruit. A bit of patience is probably the wisest course with this one.” 

Stephen Ross Dooley is a name to remember. He makes small quantities of good wines, and his reputation is sure to spread if he maintains the good results he has shown here. I admit to liking the less expensive of his releases a little better than the higher priced spreads, but both are worth seeking out. This one is the more straightforward of the two, and its direct, ripe cherry fruit and reasonably velvety feel have earned it a fair amount of attention.

Burgundy in America Seminar Prompts New Thinking About California Chardonnays

Winemaking is a constant learning process. From one vintage to the next, winemakers are required to make slight adjustments to the methods they use in making wine.

Although Stephen Ross Dooley has received notable accolades for the wine he creates, he still feels there is room for improvement. So, he recently attended the “Burgundy in America” seminar hosted by Enologix, in order to further perfect his skill at creating Chardonnay.

 “The theme of the seminar was determining what differentiates a high quality Chardonnay, most notably the expensive Burgundian white wines, from a less expensive commodity Chardonnay,” he says. “Enologix looked at the qualities of Burgundian white wines and dissected their chemical properties to see exactly what it is that makes those wines so special.”

When the folks at Enologix analyze a Chardonnay, they look at esters, essential oils, turpines and yellow pigments to draw statistical correlations between the levels of these components and the quality of the wine. 

One of the speakers, David Ramey, explained that a luxury Chardonnay characteristically has powerful aromas and flavors with balanced, delicate, silky textures.“ Ramey said that this is often accomplished by low yields in the vineyard, and the winemaker taking micro-care of the wine,” says Dooley “ This is one thing, in my opinion, that distinguishes a small winery from a big one. I have the time and the ability to take minute care of the grapes that I put into my wine because I insist upon yields of under three tons per acre.”

Perfecting Chardonnay

As summer approaches, Stephen Ross Dooley carefully evaluates the Chardonnay in barrels to determine whether the acid balance is correct and whether fining is required, and then sets the bottling date.

To determine what he needs to do to the wine, he takes barrel samples after the Chardonnay has finished malolactic fermentation. He evaluates the wine by taste to see if it needs additional acid. If it does, he adds tartaric acid. The crisp sour taste of wine comes from tartaric acid naturally found in the grape, and depending on the vintage, additional tartaric acid may be added. 

Often the wines are already super-saturated with tartrates and don’t require any added acid. “What happens when there is a lot of tartaric acid in the wine, is that that the tartrates solidify and fall out in the wine,” he says. The tartrates in wine can resemble shaved parmesan and you simply need to scoop them out with
a spoon. 

“This is perfectly natural,” Dooley explains. “Large wineries will chill wine in tanks to 28 degrees to force the tartrates to precipitate [this is called “cold stabilizing” the wine]. However, cold stabilization removes some of the delicate flavors of Chardonnay.”

 “When it comes to clarifying wine, there’s a big difference between fining and filtering,” he says. “I’d rather fine to refine the wine, and produce a clear wine without filtration. Filtering the wine removes flavors.”

Dooley also looks closely at the color of the wine. “If the yellow pigmentis too high, I’ll reduce it by adding isinglass, which is the same fining agent brewers use to reduce cloudiness in their beer,” he says. “It’s important that the color of Chardonnay be just right.” He believes that the pigment of the wine affects the flavor just as much as any of its other properties. “I’ve found that fining the wine this way makes it clear without filtration, and maintains the flavors that developed in the wine over the past few months”. It’s just one more step I take with my wine to ensure that my customers are getting the best product I can give them.” 

Next time you drink a bottle of Stephen Ross Chardonnay, you may appreciate that the winemaking process is more complex than simply “barrel fermentation and malolactic fermentation”.

Wine & Spirits  Ranks Stephen Ross Wine in the Top Ten

Chardonnay is arguably the most popular wine varietal in America. So it makes sense that Wine & Spirits magazine would set out to determine who in the United States is making Chardonnays to remember.

The tasting panel spent 12 months tasting 402 American Chardonnays, and published the Top Ten winners in their April, 2001 issue. We were thrilled to find Stephen Ross 1999 Santa Maria Valley Bien Nacido Vineyard Chardonnay in the Top Ten.

Wine & Spirits wrote of the wine, “lively Granny Smith apple flavors fill this wine with cool, crisp intensity. Chalky and tight, its presence is felt with energy rather than weight, and a lifted, citrus-like acidity.” (W&S Magazine, April 2001, p. 117.)

Stephen Ross Dooley is pleased with the recognition his wines are receiving. “That was a good day,” he laughs. “It’s wonderful for your work to be appreciated. I knew right away that this Chardonnay was special, and it’s gratifying that others recognize its unique qualities.”

Only 290 cases of the Stephen Ross 1999 Santa Maria Valley Bien Nacido Vineyard Chardonnay were created. Call Steve at (805) 594-1318 to add this Top Ten wine to your collection – while supply lasts.

Logo Jackets Now Available

Stephen Ross Wine Cellars offers you the exclusive logo jacket.

From Charles River Traders, this jacket is 100% super poly polar fleece, with a remarkable resistance to those annoying little pills. It comes in a deep shade of navy blue, with the Stephen Ross Wine Cellars logo in ivory and gold. The pockets are the deepest, warmest pockets we’ve ever seen (big enough for a corkscrew) and they zipper shut so you don’t lose anything important (like your corkscrew).

Sizes are S, M, L, and XL, and they run big. We recommend ordering a medium if you normally wear a large. We’re happy to exchange any jacket that doesn’t fit, just be sure to leave the tags on. Call (805) 594-1318 to order your very own Stephen Ross Wine Cellars logo jacket. $60.

Stephen Ross Dooley Hosts KCBX Dinner

The annual KCBX Central Coast Wine Classic, to be held July 10-15, 2001, attracts eonophiles from around the world to experience Central Coast wines. In honor of this special event, Steve invites you to join him for dinner on Thursday, July 12th, at 6:30 p.m., in the Barrel Room at Courtside Cellars. 

The dinner, catered by Jose Dahan of Et Voila!, will feature dishes paired with Stephen Ross Wine Cellars’ acclaimed wines. Dinner is $75 per person, and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to KCBX public radio. Reserve early since space is very limited. Call Jose today at (805) 544-3663.