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TECHNICAL SPOTLIGHT WINEMAKING November 2018 WINES&VINES 29 dows known to Craig Elwood — all incorpo- rated into a boxy, Eames-like structure. The Ashes & Diamonds tasting room, made from wood-frame construction and finished in stucco, consists of a rather small interior footprint at just 2,000 square feet. This is because the hospitality area flows into the exterior courtyard. "The tasting room itself is a domestic refer- ence with its simple box shape. But the shaded exterior structure is bigger and more exagger- ated," Bestor said, adding that creating a flow between the two spaces makes the overall hospitality area feel more organic and human- istic. The courtyard's varying elevations of roll- ing landscape and zigzag paths are in sharp contrast to the flat rows of vines lining the estate. But it is that seamless flow from indoor to outdoor — both structurally and aestheti- cally — that is indicative of the classic Califor- nia architectural design. The production area of Ashes & Dia- monds, a pre-engineered metal building clad in insulated metal panels, is, despite its utilitarianism, in keeping with the Cali- fornia living theme. The large, flat, blank walls hide the industrial aspects of the building while simultaneously providing the feeling of openness — toward the vineyards as well as the tasting room — and the court- yard acts as a seamless navigation between the two structures. "The crushpad, as an indoor-outdoor space, is able to tie into the larger circulation of the winery," Bestor said. "It becomes a part of how you interact with the space when you visit." How you interact with the space — and how you interact with the wines. When asked about the standout features of her work on Ashes & Diamonds, Bestor specifically called out the contrast between the modernist "world of steel" lining the external structure and the use of soft materials and bright colors of the interior design that evoke a more tactile and "homey" experience. When asked why he chose a midcentury modern design for his winery, Khaledi had a similar answer: "In the book 'Great Winemak- ers of California,' there is discussion of … the use of stainless steel tanks with slick and seamless welding, which we employ as well," he said. But speaking to the wines these industrial vessels hold, "The era (1950s through 1970s) had a technicolor brightness," he said. "The through-line to our wines ... is the freshness, the brightness." Vivacity comes from the vineyard Outside of the Ashes & Diamonds estate vine- yards, the winery also sources fruit from various vineyards throughout Napa Valley, including those from the Oak Knoll, Mount Veeder, Atlas Peak, Oakville and Rutherford AVAs. The portfolio does, indeed, touch the eclectic terroir known to Napa, creating what production winemaker Andrew Brooks, calls "a greatest hits list" of Napa. The anomaly is the Cabernet Sauvignon that comes from Bates Ranch vineyard in Santa Cruz County. "We add great sites to our portfolio of single-vineyard wines in Califor- nia," Khaledi said. "The notion of selling a Santa Cruz wine in a Napa Valley tasting room is part of our greater narrative about classic California wines, and how they took the world stage after the 1976 Judgment of Paris." Because Ashes & Diamonds works with a variety of vineyards, the staff works with a variety of vineyard management teams. Even at the Ashes & Diamonds estate vine- yards, the day-to-day farming is performed by a vineyard management company. But whether at the estate, up valley or in the Santa Cruz Mountains, vineyard manage- ment companies work very closely with, and under the direction of, the Ashes & Dia- monds winemaking team. "We have an open relationship with our growers because the goals for our fruit are really different than others in this area," said Brooks, referring to the somewhat unconven- tional low Brix levels at which they choose to pick their red Bordeaux varieties. "We're in- terested in this idea of 'first ripeness' over maximum ripeness," Brooks said. "And there are farming practices that need to be put into place to make sure we get there." Ashes & Diamonds' winemaking team is very involved in the various vineyards, tast- ing for that first, "red-fruit" ripeness, with the sugar levels still low, but the acidy levels high enough to produce the freshness the winemaking team is looking for in their wines. That freshness translates into Bor- deaux-style wines that are ready to drink upon release, but that can also age gracefully for years. For Ashes & Diamonds, this means that harvest for red grapes can begin as early as Labor Day, ending around the last week of September. Brooks described the farming practices as all "normal techniques," regarding cover crop, canopy management and fruit load, in order to get primary metabolites in line with secondary metabolites. To monitor the fruit's progress, the Ashes & Diamonds team does not employ any phenolic analysis, nor, Brooks said, do they look for a specific Brix measure- ment before harvesting, instead relying on their active involvement in the field through every stage of vine growth. "It's about visually looking at the vine- yard, evaluating the plants, touching the fruits, smelling and tasting the fruits, under- standing where the fruit is, where you need it to go and whether or not the plant can do that," Brooks said. BRUCE DAMONTE KEY POINTS Midcentury era influences architectural de- sign and winemaking aesthetics. The winemaking team engages with vine- yard management staff to pick Bordeaux varieties earlier. Winemaking is done with minimal interven- tion despite state-of-the-art winemaking equipment. The indoor-outdoor hospitality area combines domestic comfort with exterior grandeur.