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FEBRU AR Y NEWS Island Vineyard Bears Fruit Small yields from 2010 harvest won't deter Catalina Island winegrowers Catalina Island. With its second harvest in and first vintage bottled, Rusack Win- C ery will debut the wines from its Catalina Island vineyard this year. The historic event represents a long-held dream of Geoffrey and Alison Wrigley Rusack, owners of 7,000-case Rusack Vine- yards in Solvang, Santa Barbara County. Alison Rusack's great-grandfather, William Wrigley Jr., bought the Santa Catalina Island Co. in 1919. The company still owns all developable land on the island, including El Rancho Escon- dido (Hidden Ranch) on the southwestern coast of the rugged, 76-square-mile Pacific island 22 miles from Los Angeles. In 2007, the Rusacks planted their first grapes at Rancho Escondido. Today, more than 2.5 acres are planted to Pinot Noir; 1.5 acres to Chardonnay and about half an acre to a unique clone of Zinfandel. According to Rusack winemaker John Falcone, Geoff Rusack discovered Zinfandel vines growing wild on nearby Santa Cruz Is- land. Part of Channel Islands National Park, Santa Cruz had been home to a winery in the late 1800s. Rusack obtained permission to take cuttings from the vines. winesandvines.com Learn more: Search keyword "Catalina." atalina, Calif.—Based in the Santa Ynez Valley in Santa Bar- bara County, Rusack Vineyards hopes to add a tasting room to the vineyards at the Wrigley family's historic ranch on geoff rusack (left) discovered Zinfandel growing wild on santa cruz Island, according to rusack Vineyards winemaker John falcone (right). Identified by the University of California, Davis, as Zinfandel, then propagated and planted, the Channel Islands Zinfandel selec- tion is unique to Rusack Vineyards. Yields so far are low, and the 2010 crop was notably shorter than in 2009: Only about 2 tons of Pinot Noir were harvested this year, and the Channel Islands Zinfandel produced about three- quarters of a ton. —Jane Firstenfeld The original, BOTTLE-MATIC-II 3 YEAR WARRANTY INCLUDED Front and Back! $1700 for Wines & Vines Readers! Front & Back! Label any cylindrical container fast and accurately from ½" to 21 day trial MADE IN USA! DISPENSA-MATIC Label Dispensers 8" diameter, @ Speeds of 1200 Pcs. per hour. NOT A CHEAP, IMPORTED KNOCK-OFF! Wasting Time Labeling by Hand! STOP FAX:(573) 392-1757; E-mail: info@dispensamatic.com Web: http://www.bottle-labeler.com 28220 Playmor Beach Rd, Rocky Mount, MO 65072 Call Toll Free: 1 (800) 325-7303 or (573) 392-7684 Wines & Vines FeBRUARY 2011 19 Price subject to change without notice. 2/01/10