RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
Saturday, September 23, 2000
In the cool of the morning, eighty-eight Members and guests of the Society set out by bus and by car for the Russian River Valley. As the mid-morning sun warmed us, we approached the open door of Russian Hill Estate Winery. Society member Dr. Ellen Mack, who co-chaired the event with Dr. Valery Uhl, welcomed us at the door to the just-completed winery building. Inside we could see the gleaming stainless steel tanks and racks of oak barrels. Ellen and her husband, Dr. Edward Gomez, have 21 acres on the site and 15 at another location of which 30 acres are, or soon will be, planted in vineyards. A worker was shoveling must from the stemmer-crusher as we toured the modern facility. Then the moment arrived; it was almost 10:30 and we hadn't had our first glass of wine! That was soon remedied as we tasted their 1998 Dutton Ranch, Gail Ann's Vineyard Chardonnay. (Gail Ann is Warren Dutton's wife). The single-fermentation Chard was fermented half in French oak and half in stainless steel; no malolactic fermentation, giving it a bright and balanced feel and avoiding the heavy oak for which California is famous (or infamous). Then the barrel tasting of the 1999 Walker Vine Hill Syrah, a fine example of cool -climate Syrah, which will be bottled next March and released in September of 2001. The medium-bodied 1998 Zinfandel came from 25 year-old vines farmed by the Martinelli family.
Ripening grapes at Dutton Ranch.
We met the other half of our group, who had been touring Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards , at Dutton Ranch. Those who did not follow Warren Dutton for a tour of the vineyards tasted a full slate of wines from Sebastopol Vineyards and Dutton Goldfield Winery, all from Dutton Ranch grapes. Beneath the slope that produces Kistler's outstanding Dutton Ranch Chardonnay we visited blocks of Pinot Noir and Merlot, heavy with fruit, ripe but not ripe enough apparently for Warren Dutton to pick it. I scrambled for a glass of excellent Pinot Noir from Dutton Goldfield before hopping on the bus for Hartford Estates.
The spacious and new tasting rooms are presided over by Don Hartford, who told us about the Hartford and Hartford Court wines while we sipped the welcoming glass of 1998 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay. The tasting included their 1997 Hartford Vineyard and Highwire (named for the peculiar trellising of their supplier) Vineyard Zinfandels, the 1998 Hartford Court Arrendell Vineyard and Jennifer's Vineyard Pinot Noirs, and their top of the line 1998 Laura's Chardonnay, named for Don's wife (smart man)!
Don Hartford welcomes us to Hartford Estates.
The alfresco setting for our luncheon provided a cool interlude to the warmish day. Our speaker, Marie Gewirz, gave us the big picture of the Russian River Valley and its winegrowers, while we dined on, among other delectables, Squash Blossom Tempura stuffed with Goat Cheese, superbly ripe Tomatoes with Basil, Garlic, and Olive Oil, 5 Star Anise Liberty Duck Breast with CherryBerry Sauce, local Cheeses and Berry and Peach Shortcake. Accompanying wines were a 1999 Christopher Creek Viognier, Russian River Valley, Catie Corner Vineyard, 1999 Russian Hill Pinot Noir (pre-release tasting), and 1998 De Loach Estate Bottled Zinfandel.
We were home as the sun went down, after a perfectly complete yet leisurely day in the Russian River Valley. One more reason to appreciate our friends and colleagues in the Society of Medical Friends of Wine. Our thanks go to Ellen Mack and Valery Uhl for the planning and hard work that went into the event, and to our Executive Secretary, Margaret Harding for making it all happen.
Roger Ecker
Additional Photos
Dr. Roger Ecker and our host and Ellen's husband at Russian Hill Estate Winery, Dr. Edward Gomez.
Dr. James Pfeifer and Dr. David Hansen enjoying lunch at Richard's Grove in Saralee's Vineyard.
Ellen Mack greets us at the entrance to their new winery building.
Warren Dutton explains their philosophy and practice of viticulture at Dutton Ranch.