We are pleased to share with you our seasonal newsletters.
Summer 2015
The Upcoming 2012 Melanson Release
The 2012 vintage has been characterized as “classic Napa Valley” with its exceptional quality and quantity of fruit. The Melanson Vineyard on Pritchard Hill is an example of all the elements of nature coming together harmoniously to create a beautiful expression of the site and a superb wine.
The vintage was nearly ideal from budbreak to harvest, and the highly anticipated release of the 2012 Pulido~Walker from Melanson Vineyard is sure to please.
“All the punch and power is there, with no sense that it will take time to smooth out. The wine is round, full, rich and accessible—more complete than it has ever been at release. With flavors of ink-black fruit and white flower aromatics, this exemplary vintage is drinking beautifully now and will only become more astonishing with age.” —Thomas Rivers Brown
As a testament to the quality of the fruit from this vineyard, an exclusive bottling featuring the core of Pulido~Walker’s 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon from Melanson Vineyard made history as the highest selling debut offering at the 2014 Premiere Napa Valley Auction with 60 bottles selling for $65,000. Of the 225 wineries in the Auction, Pulido~Walker’s lot “The Possible” joined a handful that broke through the fundraiser’s $1,000 per bottle barrier.
We look forward to releasing our extraordinary 2012 Melanson Vineyard next month ($495 for three 750 ml bottles packaged in a custom birchwood box). Shipments begin in October, weather permitting.
2013 Vintage Blending and Bottling
Quarterly barrel tastings are a disciplined regime for each vintage to monitor how the wine develops. But the real excitement starts at the blending session 45 days before bottling. Imagine a dishwasher’s worst nightmare with dozens of Reidel stems spread across the expansive table awaiting Mark and Thomas. Tasting each vineyard block of every clone initially gives a sense of its singular potential. Several rounds of combining each clone in different proportions yields an “aha” moment when the final blend is selected. Sadly, after culling, some barrels are declassified as we reserve only the “best of the best” for bottling in our single vineyard designate Cabernet Sauvignon wines.
A highlight of the 2013 Pulido~Walker from Melanson Vinyard is the tremendous performance of Clone 337, which deepened from a red-fruited and high-toned flavor to a much blacker profile that makes the wine characteristically Pritchard Hill—mountainous and tannic, yet also balanced by acidity and abundant fruit with extraordinary aromatics.
In the Panek Vineyard, Clone 6 typically produces a smaller berry, and this season saw that sometimes shy performer excel with balanced vine vigor and growth. Clones 7 and 169 were the real revelation, however. Both delighted us with uncharacteristically tiny berries and extremely thick skins, from which the wine draws its profound color and flavor.
Late in June, we bottled the Pulido~Walker wines at Outpost using state-of-the-art mobile bottling lines and a very attentive team. Our 2013 Panek Vineyard will be in bottle until its release in February 2016, with the 2013 Melanson Vineyard resting in the cellar for an additional eight months prior to shipping in October, 2016.
An Update on Our Estate Vineyard
After years of preparation, another milestone in our “patient pursuit of the possible” has been achieved with the planting of the Pulido~Walker Estate Vineyard on Mount Veeder.
Starting in 2006 with soil pits and weather stations, we began to observe and learn about the elements of terroir on our property. These expansive soil and weather studies provided the data needed for picking the very best 15 acres for planting and hand selecting the Clones for exceptional single vineyard designate wines. The infrastructure for irrigation and two miles of underground drain tiles were then installed. Ripping, shaping, soil amendments, and cover crop all readied the Mount Veeder hillsides for planting.
Finally in late spring of 2015, we tilled the vineyard cover crop with its nitrogen-fixing elements into the nutrient-rich soil. During the last few weeks, our vineyard manager, Joshua Clark, began planting the young grapevines. His experienced team meticulously handling each plant to ensure that the green-grown bench grafts thrive on the gentle hills of our Estate site.
Water Tank
In preparation for planting our Estate vineyard, last winter’s project was the construction of a 515,000 gallon, bolted-steel lined water tank we affectionately nicknamed “The General.” Integrated nicely into the property landscape, its size certainly commands a salute when you pass by. The water tank was filled during November’s heavy rain by two of our wells, affording us the ability to have a self-sustaining water supply for a month of vine irrigation. This will be critical for our new plantings and enable perfection—making sure the Estate vines have water when they need it from the “double poly” drip irrigation system.
Summer Recipe & Pairing Suggestion
Our Estate Ambassador Daniel Ha’s mom inspired this home recipe for Summer “Shaken Beef” Salad, a dish Daniel grew up eating. Remixed into a lighter summertime salad, the vinaigrette dressing uses the abundant Meyer lemons from our Estate garden to accompany fresh greens and heirloom tomatoes.
Enjoy with a glass of 2011 Pulido~Walker from Melanson Vineyard!
Summer “Shaken Beef” Salad
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 11⁄2 to 2 pounds beef tenderloin (filet mignon), trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 5 garlic cloves, chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 21⁄4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 11⁄4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 5 tablespoons canola oil
- 1⁄4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1⁄4 cup white wine
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 bunches watercress or arugula
- 1 large heirloom tomato sliced thin
- 1 red onion, peeled and thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
- 3 scallions, trimmed and cut in 1-inch lengths
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette Ingredients and Preparation
- 2 tablespoons minced shallots
- 1⁄2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- Juice of 1 Meyer lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
- 1 tablespoon Champagne Vinegar
- 1⁄2 teaspoon chopped cilantro
In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of minced shallots with 1⁄2 teaspoon of finely grated lemon zest, 3 tablespoons of fresh Meyer lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of champagne vinegar, and 1⁄2 teaspoon of chopped cilantro. Whisk in 1⁄4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. (Makes 1⁄2 cup)
Preparation
1) In large bowl, marinate meat with garlic, 1 tablespoon sugar, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and 1 tablespoon oil. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours and no more than 6 hours.
2) Whisk together rice wine vinegar, white wine, soy sauce, fish sauce, and 1 tablespoon sugar.
3) Prepare Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette (see left).
4) Arrange watercress or arugula on four plates.
5) Divide meat into two portions and place in two medium bowls.
6) In wok or large skillet over high heat, heat 2 tablespoons oil until smoking, then add one portion meat in one layer. Sear until brown crust forms (about 3 to 4 minutes), then flip to brown other side, another 3 to 4 minutes. Add half of red onion slices and half scallions, and sauté, stirring, until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Add 1⁄3 cup vinegar mixture and shake pan to stir and release beef from hot wok. Add 1 tablespoon butter, shaking pan until butter melts. Remove meat, and repeat with remaining portion of meat and remaining onions, scallions, vinegar mixture, and butter.
Toss watercress or arugula with Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette, and top with the Shaken Beef and slices of heirloom tomato.
