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NO VEMBER NEWS Reflecting Upon a Year of AVA Status C Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak wineries consider importance of recognition loverdale, Calif.—It took years of preparation, a name change and somewhere between $50,000 and $100,000, but the Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak AVA won TTB approval just about a year ago. Since then, the scant dozen grapegrowers and winemakers in this remote, high-elevation ap- pellation in northeastern Sonoma County have founded an associ- ation, launched a website and are working together to build a brand focused on high-end, high-elevation Bor- deaux varieties. Grower Barry Hoff- ner owns Silverwood Ranch with his wife Jackie. Their 1,200 acres of vineyards rep- resent about 25% of the AVA's total acreage. Hoffner leases some 30 acres at 1,800- 2,600 feet to Benziger Family Winery, which grows 11 different grape varieties for its high-end Imagery Estate Winery brand. Imagery's 2010 Malbec is now ready for release, believed to be the first to bear the Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak AVA in addi- tion to the mandated Sonoma County on its label. After several years of preparation, the growers submitted their petition for a subappellation to the TTB in fall 2010. At that time, it was to be called Pine Mountain/ Mayacmas. Mayacmas is a Native American name that appears on official maps and was intended to distinguish it from innumerable Imagery's Malbec is the first label to sport the Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak name. winesandvines.com Learn more: Search keywords "Pine Cloverdale." Pine Mountains across the continent. However, Mayacamas Vine- yards (spelled slightly differently) was already a well-known Napa County wine brand, so petitioners adopted "Cloverdale Peak" to win final approval. "It turned out to be a blessing in disguise," Hoffner told Wines & Vines. "Cloverdale is an up-and-coming city, one of the best little towns in the United States." Mike Foster, owner of Tin Cross Vineyard and Captûre Winery, also has been involved in the AVA since it first was conceived. "Pine Mountain has been delivering very good fruit to really good brands. The notion for us is that we really believe we can and should brand Pine Mountain as the premium high-elevation lux- ury brand," he said. Foster is a fan of Cloverdale and its Wild West history. "I don't think the world sees Cloverdale like Healdsburg," he said. "I like the name a lot. It's frontier territory, rugged. It's on the edge. Black Bart robbed stage coaches on Cloverdale Mountain." —Jane Firstenfeld 20 WINES & VINES NOVEMBER 2012