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WINEMAKING County vineyards from which they source their fruit, and the amount of grapes leaving the county is far lower. New restaurants are opening up in Ukiah, Calif., the county seat, and Fetzer said people are buying properties to turn their day trips into long weekends. Already Anderson Valley has enjoyed a good level of success by focusing on Pinot Noir, and Fetzer said he sees that type of varietal focus spreading across the rest of the county. The Choir statues from China deliver a silent performance in the winery cave. it happen. After wildfires left their mark on the 2008 vintage, MacGregor said the decision was made not to try and salvage the wine through filtration or other treat- ments. "We elected to bulk out at a loss everything from red grapes I produced that year," he said. "That takes deep pock- ets and a commitment to quality." Building a reputation for quality The change is coming, Fetzer said. More wineries are identifying the Mendocino Grape prices have remained stable, even if they still lag behind Napa and Sonoma. In 2000, the average winegrape price for Mendocino fruit was $1,500 per ton, but that average slipped to just over $1,200 per ton in 2011. Sonoma County stayed at $2,000 during the same period, but Napa County's average rose from $2,500 to $3,400—and some vineyards there com- mand prices of more than $8,000 per ton. Mendocino's average is still more than twice the state's average price for wine- grapes. Growers in the county also lead the state in organic farming by percent- age of organic acres. Despite the steps toward establishing a distinct reputation, Fetzer admits the county is not quite there yet. He is hopeful that new opportuni- ties in the global market will further fuel TECHNICAL REVIEW demand for the region's wines. He sees potential in Italian varietals but also said the county could benefit from growing many different types of grapes. Fetzer referred to an "earthiness" of Mendocino County's red wines, a positive quality that made them unique and au- thentic. He said the Atrea Old Soul blend was marked by such a quality that may come from Mendocino's rustic terroir. And the dramatic shift between night and daytime highs—as much as 105°F in the day to 48° at night—during the growing season yield white wines of remarkable balance. "I think the whites—the Rhone whites of Roussanne, Viognier—are really doing well here in our county." MacGregor said he wants Mendocino County to share the same place of promi- nence as the other notable counties of Cal- ifornia's North Coast. He said, "We can stand on the level with Napa and Sonoma and compete on actual wine quality." Fetzer said believes his father's predic- tion about the direction of the industry was accurate. And as an owner of one of California's smaller wineries, he is focused on quality, but also trying to put Men- docino County in the top tier of Califor- nia's wine regions. QUALITY STAINLESS TANKS QST offers its clients……. Professionally fabricated stainless tanks 35 years of tank fabrication experience Performance & reliability guarantees Custom designs & modern features Quick & competitive tank project pricing On site tank repairs & modifications Special application tanks of all sizes "In stock tanks" from 500 to 10,000 gallons 510 Caletti Ave. Windsor, Ca. 95492 Phone 707-837-2721 or Toll-Free 877-598-0672 www.qualitystainless.com Company Website winetanks@aol.com email contact/sales info size & fit… or Ready to Ship "Stock Tanks" Either way QST is ready to assist our clients! Call QST today for information or pricing! Custom Fabricated Tanks for the perfect 34 WINES & VINES DECEMBER 2012