Who

Grapes farmed by Charles, wine raised by Herrmann York.

What

A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot harvested on the same day from a pink quartz hill in the Ramona Valley. With a smidge of whole-cluster fruit at the bottom of the fermenter, we de-stemmed the remainder on top and let it macerate for about three weeks. This is a light wine that shows all the restraint of something grown in pure residual crystalline bedrock.

44 cases produced.

When

This wine was picked on September 23th, 2024.

Where

It’s difficult to pull into and out of the driveway that leads to this vineyard–it sits right on the highway between two blind curves. It’s difficult to prune this vineyard, because it’s gone so long without proper care. It’s hard to walk in this vineyard because some sections have to be a 30% grade. It’s hard to drive to this vineyard because it’s not only a long way from Redlands but requires the use of freeways that are perennially clogged with traffic. The only thing that isn’t difficult here is enjoying the wine it produces. And it’s gorgeous. Old growth oak trees line the lower part of the property, overhanging a creek that runs nearly year round. The vines themselves sit high on a shining hill of crystals.

Ramona Valley AVA was established in 2005, so a relative newcomer (but really a cool older cousin when compared to the upstart Yucaipa Valley). The vines here are about 20 years old and were planted as a pet project of the house’s previous owner.

Why

Back in 2020, there was no way we were making a Cabernet or a Merlot. It just wasn’t on our radar. But it’s easy to understand how Merlot and Cabernet became so dominant. They’re delicious. And powerful. We’ve always said that the site is the most important thing to us, but (maybe not so) secretly we were attracted to underdog varieties (being underdogs ourselves). When we truly started to look into all the things that make a site special, the particular variety that grew there became less and less important. The first time we showed up at this vineyard, we knew from the shining surface of the soil that it would be special. And it has. We’ve now made three wines from it (a white and two reds) and each one has been quietly powerful, taking a few years to truly show its stuff. This one is quiet for now, but if previous vintages are any indication, it will mature into quite a wine, despite being made from normie varieties.