Spring with Peter Paul Wines

 

 Need to “Sustain” Good Vibes?
Here’s some wonderful sustainability news

 

Bottle glass modifications help Peter Paul become more environmentally responsible.

We have been assessing how to be better stewards of the land and our environment. As a result, we have begun our efforts by rethinking our bottle glass program. Martin has found a way to use lighter glass that is still high quality and very protectant of the wine (Watch 3-Min Video – recorded pre-pandemic) This lighter glass is locally-produced, lighter to ship, and requires less trucking fuel. All of this culminates in a healthy reduction in green house gas emissions which is something that all of us at Peter Paul Wines have been very mindful of.
We know there is much more that can done, and will continue to explore things like recycled labels, closure options, and other production choices. Stay tuned. 

 

Pinot Noir Vineyard Source – Terra di Promissio’s Diana Karren in Wine Enthusiast! 


As the Crown Jewel of our Pinot Noir program – the Terra di Promissio vineyard holds a very special spot in our minds, both professionally and personally. At the heart of the vineyard is the dynamo Wonder Woman, Diana Karren, who very deservedly was featured in Wine Enthusiast Advocacy Issue. The highlight concerns her tireless efforts in sustainability that reaches all of Sonoma County.

It brings us a huge amount of pride and joy to be working with Diana and Charles on our Mille Freres & Mary Pinot Noir!

Click here to read the full article. 

Vintage Summaries:
Written shortly after harvest, these notes provide a time capsule of the vintages -2016 and 2018- as we experienced them at the time. A fun “blast from the past” providing some context to the resulting wines being offered today.

Vintage 2016 (For Napa Cab)

A second warm spring in a row meant things got off to an early start, but didn’t finish as early as last year. The summer provided a near-perfect growing arc until a significant—but temporary—heat spike late in the season made things interesting, before October eased off the heat-pedal just a bit to ensure a flawless landing. The result is almost an embarrassment of riches: a fifth-straight vintage of noble quality, with this probably being the best of those five.

Combining the ripeness of 2015 with the structure of 2013 and the layered fruit of 2014, this year gives us goosebumps. The critical acclaim you’ve heard about the vintage in Napa is warranted. We are quite happy with our bottling and hope you will be too.


Vintage 2018 (For Gravenstein Highway)

After the heat-spiked 2017 vintage, 2018 was like a calm stroll through the Muir Woods; Effortless with consistent, moderate weather for what turned out to be the longest harvest in years. In fact, I remember how few vintners and winemakers came to my taco truck party in late October because they were still picking fruit. The good news: both phenolic maturity and sugar-levels were in pristine balance at harvest. Thankfully, we wrapped up Pinot Noir and Chardonnay well before the rains of early October. The resulting wines have a lovely density of fruit and phenolics without tasting overripe, especially from Terra de Promissio and Bacigalupi vineyards.

Speaking of… this is our third vintage with the TDP site, which has established itself as the magnificent backbone of our Pinot Noir program – forming the core of our flagship Mille Frères and dramatically upgrading the complexity of Gravenstein Highway.
 

– Martin R, Reyes, Master of Wine

 


Wine has been with us for thousands of years, both as a companion to merriment and a close friend in troubled times. We are grateful to be one of the wineries you follow and will be with you during these weeks.

Spotlight: Pinot Noir

What’s so cool about this variety?

Our “spiritual center of gravity,” Pinot Noir is one of the most beloved variety and for a very good reason! It is responsible for some of the world’s best wines due to it’s unique ability to express extremely impactful yet nuanced and elegant flavors. But it is a capricious grape. First, it prefers relatively cool climates. In warmer climates, it tends to ripen too fast (reducing the intensity of aromas), and the berries can shrivel and suffer from sunburn. Likewise, it is prone to disease/virus pressures. Finally, Pinot Noir’s yields must be limited to produce quality wines. 

However, despite growing challenges, Pinot Noir’s allure is irresistible. It is one of the most food-friendly wines on the planet due in part to it’s excellent acidity profile and complex aromas and flavors.  Many of the plantings worldwide (and in our vineyard sources) are drawn from the best clones developed at the University of Burgundy in Dijon. California’s north coast, in particular Petaluma Gap, Sonoma Coast & Russian River can rival the very best sites in the world due to the perfect balance of cooling influence from the Pacific Ocean, ideal soils, and steady ripening from our California sun. 

 

 

 


Lastly, until further notice, Martin will be playing it safe with dad humor – from now on, he will only be sharing inside jokes.