MAY NEWS
Wild Side of Wines From
S
The Rhône Vintners discuss pitfalls and successes of working with unusual varieties
an Francisco, Calif.—Wildness, a core element of the Rhone Rang- ers' movement, was the highlight of
a March 27 session at the annual Rhone Rangers San Francisco event. During "Wild Wines and How They Came to Be," moderated by Patrick Comiskey of Wine & Spirits magazine, attendees sampled an eclectic lineup of eight American Rhône- variety wines from eight American produc- ers. The challenges of growing wine while attempting to maintain a hands-off ex- pression can be a challenging situation for winemakers. This session emphasized the struggles winemakers faced while walking on the wild side.
Winemakers discuss 'wild' rhône varieties. One panelist, Gideon Beinstock, wine-
maker of 800-case Clos Saron, started his winery in 1998 in Yuba County in the Sierra Foothills. Clos Saron special- izes in Syrah, Pinot Noir and blends. Beinstock's wines represent the extreme edge of natural winegrowing. Made with no chemicals in the vineyard or cellar, no fining or filtering, the wines never touch a pump, rather they are moved entirely by gravity. Most years, Beinstock farms everything he
produces, but the abysmal 2010 vintage led him to outsource fruit for his 2010 Out of the Blue from a vineyard of organic Cinsault planted in 1885. —Kerry Kirkham
winesandvines.com
Learn more: Search keyword "Rhône."
Wines & Vines MAY 2011 23
