Hardy Wallace
Hardy Wallace
Greetings-
FL Jim- Happy you dug the 2019 Brosseau Syrah. I worked with that block for several years (putting it into the D&R MSG) before bottling it on its own. The 2019 is 90% Brosseau Syrah with 10% Brosseau Grenache.
We lost the 2020 Brosseau Syrah due to smoke, and for 2021 we moved the contract over to Extradimensional Wine Co. Yeah! - The 21 is lithe, aromatic, and I think right up your alley.
As for production / vineyards (true for both D&R and our new project)
The only vineyard that is not fully organic is actually Evangelho. It is often farmed organically but mealybug is an issue there and they have had to spray at times. Those vines are irreplaceable and I respect that decision.
SO2-
None is used during fermentation on reds or whites and I use as little as possible (including none) yet as much as the particular wines need.
The only wines I've made that were always zero so2 were the Clothing Optional wines. Those all had nothing added, extended elevage (usually 20+ months), and 1-2 years in bottle pre-release.
Stems / Fermentation-
All the non BDX variety reds have always been 100% whole cluster / whole bunch with a lot of gentle foot treading and on larger tanks some short pumpovers to move the juice.
Pressing-
We press most of our reds on very gentle cycles (usually using Pinot-esque settings for our Rhone varieties). We get less wine per ton yet I think it makes a huge difference in the wines.
Fining / Filtration-
I've never fined anything and only filtered maybe 6 out of 100+ bottlings (which we noted in the release notes).
I am not anti-filtration. I only want to use it if I think it makes the wine way better- The 2018 Familiar Blanc was filtered and I think that wine is pretty special.
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L'Anglore-
As for Pfifferling / L'Anglore- Eric is a hero of mine. (One of the last posts I made on @dirtyandrowdy IG was of Eric and Josep Roca drinking our Evangelho in front of a tank of L'Anglore Vejade)- Our wines differ in style quite a bit. He runs heavier on the carbonic (he's a master of finding that balance with carbonic and still showing terroir). The closest thing I've ever made to his style was the 2019 Brosseau Grenache, 2020 Fred & Dora's Petite Sirah, and some of the later Especial wines.
Kate and my new wines definitely draw on some of the L'Anglore (and Souhaut) inspiration- while the focus is more blend based vs. the vineyard designate focus of D&R.
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Hank-
Hank rocks. I love that guy and he and Caro's wines.
I always love Hank's La Clarine Farm Cedarville Mourvèdre. He has such a beautiful and light touch on what I feel is a very distinctive spot for Mourvèdre.
FL Jim- Happy you dug the 2019 Brosseau Syrah. I worked with that block for several years (putting it into the D&R MSG) before bottling it on its own. The 2019 is 90% Brosseau Syrah with 10% Brosseau Grenache.
We lost the 2020 Brosseau Syrah due to smoke, and for 2021 we moved the contract over to Extradimensional Wine Co. Yeah! - The 21 is lithe, aromatic, and I think right up your alley.
As for production / vineyards (true for both D&R and our new project)
The only vineyard that is not fully organic is actually Evangelho. It is often farmed organically but mealybug is an issue there and they have had to spray at times. Those vines are irreplaceable and I respect that decision.
SO2-
None is used during fermentation on reds or whites and I use as little as possible (including none) yet as much as the particular wines need.
The only wines I've made that were always zero so2 were the Clothing Optional wines. Those all had nothing added, extended elevage (usually 20+ months), and 1-2 years in bottle pre-release.
Stems / Fermentation-
All the non BDX variety reds have always been 100% whole cluster / whole bunch with a lot of gentle foot treading and on larger tanks some short pumpovers to move the juice.
Pressing-
We press most of our reds on very gentle cycles (usually using Pinot-esque settings for our Rhone varieties). We get less wine per ton yet I think it makes a huge difference in the wines.
Fining / Filtration-
I've never fined anything and only filtered maybe 6 out of 100+ bottlings (which we noted in the release notes).
I am not anti-filtration. I only want to use it if I think it makes the wine way better- The 2018 Familiar Blanc was filtered and I think that wine is pretty special.
------
L'Anglore-
As for Pfifferling / L'Anglore- Eric is a hero of mine. (One of the last posts I made on @dirtyandrowdy IG was of Eric and Josep Roca drinking our Evangelho in front of a tank of L'Anglore Vejade)- Our wines differ in style quite a bit. He runs heavier on the carbonic (he's a master of finding that balance with carbonic and still showing terroir). The closest thing I've ever made to his style was the 2019 Brosseau Grenache, 2020 Fred & Dora's Petite Sirah, and some of the later Especial wines.
Kate and my new wines definitely draw on some of the L'Anglore (and Souhaut) inspiration- while the focus is more blend based vs. the vineyard designate focus of D&R.
----
Hank-
Hank rocks. I love that guy and he and Caro's wines.
I always love Hank's La Clarine Farm Cedarville Mourvèdre. He has such a beautiful and light touch on what I feel is a very distinctive spot for Mourvèdre.
