Posted by Matt
Baileyana’s Roots
Baileyana’s ownership –
the Niven family – has two major quality
advantages working in its favor. First,
is its uniquely positioned Firepeak Vineyard located in the Edna Valley. The second is their highly skilled,
Burgundy-born and educated winemaker Christian Roguenant who knows exactly how
to get them most from this special vineyard.
Among the first to plant
grapes in the Edna Valley, Jack Niven founded his family’s wine business in the
early 1970s with Paragon Vineyard. His wife Catharine caught the bug from him,
and planted a few acres in their front yard. Her project grew into what is now
Baileyana Winery.
Catharine’s two sons,
James and John, purchased the dry-farmed cattle ranch adjacent to the Paragon
Vineyard in the mid 1990s. Taking into account the cool climate and the
volcanic soils found here, they designed and planted the Firepeak Vineyard with
select clones, varieties and rootstocks specific to the site. Stretching out
from the foot of Islay Hill in the Edna Valley, the Firepeak Vineyard stands as
a testimonial to the Niven family’s heritage in the region.
 |
| Baileyana's Paragon Vineyards |
The Edna Valley
Edna Valley’s grape
history began with Spanish missionaries 200 years ago. Located in San Luis
Obispo County, California south of the city of San Luis Obispo and north of the
town of Arroyo Grande. The Edna Valley AVA is part of the larger Central Coast
AVA.
Most valleys run
north-south. But the Edna Valley runs
east-west – a rare configuration that funnels in cool, Pacific breezes. The cool ocean air brings frequent fog
providing a natural cooling system that keeps the vines at an unusually low
temperature. This is the perfect climate
for the sometimes temperamental pinot noir vines.
The
long summer days and distinctive evening fog of the Edna Valley offers a
markedly long growing season. This extended time on the vine allows grapes
grown here to develop intense and complex varietal flavors, while achieving
optimum maturity levels.
As Islay Hill is the most southern sibling
in a chain of extinct volcanoes known as the Seven Sisters, soils in the
northern portion of Edna Valley are known as “Dirt of the Devil.” These
volcanic remnants are combined with clay loam and rocky marine sediment,
offering a unique mix of nutrients and good drainage.
Christian
Roguenant
Christian Roguenant believes that a winemaker is his
own greatest critic and is endlessly searching to get one step closer to
perfection. “My passion and desire is to
make better wine every year” says Christian.
Roguenant began winemaking in Champagne and even crafted the official
sparkling wine of the 1988 Olympics. He
has decades of experience in regions as diverse as Europe, Argentina and New
Zealand.
The
Wine
This pinot starts with the aromas of ripe black
cherry, strawberry and vanilla with a hint of cola. Yes, cola.
It is an unusual aroma in a wine, but a pleasing one nonetheless. The wine is complex, yet supple with dark
fruit flavors like cherry and cranberry.
It has a ripe, round, smooth mouthfeel and soft tannins. The finish is pleasant and sustained with
lingering flavors of raspberry and blackberry.
Food
Pairings
Pinot Noir is an easy match with a wide variety of
foods. Classic pairings include oily
fish (like the grilled salmon I enjoyed with this wine). Other options could include chicken or roast
turkey. The smooth, red fruit flavors
are delicious with almost any poultry dish.
No comments:
Post a Comment