Wine Blogging Wednesday - #wbw75 Special, Elusive, Single Vineyard '04 hope & grace, Sleepy Hollow

 With a month to plan, I  kept on opening  single vineyard wines.  Even when a nasty cold kept me from tasting anything but Red fruit?  Wine? I kept opening  them and had some yummy things from yummy places like Saralee's and Stagecoach.  But the one I loved the most is one that if I had gotten a current vintage, I could have snuck in under the guidelines since it is made from fruit from three vineyards within the Santa lucia Highlands AVA: Doctors Vineyard, Hahn Estates, Santa Lucia Highlands fruit. 

But I found tucked away an 2004  the awesome folks at hope & grace had made from a single vineyard;  Robert Talbott’s renowned Sleepy Hollow Vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands. the 2004 is made from fruit sourced from a small 3 acre parcel within block” A” of the Sleepy Hollow Ranch.  Warm sun, cooling fog, long growing season make this a great area for Pinot Noir. 

For a masterful summary of the AVA, Norcal wine sets it out here: 

If you have the opportunity to try this wine, go for it. Hailing from Monterey county in the Santa Lucia Highlands in a special place called Sleepy Hollow vineyard, Charles Hendricks has been sourcing grapes since 2001 and producing an amazing Pinot. Dark and lovely, with classic Santa Lucia Highlands pinot perfume that emanates from your first dislodging of the cork, the flavors will not disappoint. Plums, pastrami, raspberries. cherry, mocha, vanilla.... It has a gorgeous acidity to make it pair deliciously with many offerings and is lovely by itself.

Charles names the wines after his daughters, Hope and Grace, and the label is a mesmerizing painting that hangs in the tasting room in Yountville, which ties back to his personal touch with fine dining since he acquired it from Modesto Lanzone (I still miss Enoteca Lanzone!), who figures prominently in both the modern art and culinary history of San Francisco.

The  Santa Lucia Highlands consistently produces wonderful wines form wonderful producers.  Weather, geography and love of the land combine It's a very special place as you can see here.  But if  you get a chance, so see for yourself.

 

If , however, you find yourself in Yountville (ground zero for all that is delicious and good in the world which includes Thomas Keller, Michael Chiarello and Craig Camp) make an effort to visit  hope & grace Tasting Salon
Edward James Courtyard ~ 6540 Washington Street, Yountville, California
Open Monday through Saturday ~ 10:30 am ~ 5:30 pm  and Sundays ~ 11:30 pm ~ 4:30 pm