Dirty and Rowdy Spring Release Preview 4/1

Andddd there goes my will power.



Dirty and Rowdy Spring Release Preview
4/1-4/8

When our Winter release wines reach your doorstep, you know the Spring release is not far behind.
Our Spring release will run 4/1-4/8. The release will consist of our two 2015 Familiar wines and our 2014 Alder Springs Vineyard Chardonnay.

The 2015 Familiar Blanc and Familiar Mourvèdre are wines that encourage near term drinking-- Both are geeky, wet the palate, gleefully satisfy the intellect, and will be at home during leisurely meals. These are wines for Summer, holidays, gifts, and for parties where you want to bring something that you want to drink, but where you won’t blow a gasket when your neighbor grabs a bottle and fills his or her glass to the brim. In fact, it that might be a good idea.

The 2014 Alder Springs Vineyard Chardonnay is the wine not to bring to a casual party. It is a laser. Bright, crispy, and wound like a gyroscope, this singular wine will appreciate and reward time in the cellar.

Allocations will run from 4/1-4/8. Shipping will begin mid to late April and we will offer refrigerated shipping where necessary/available. Allocations are not guaranteed and we encourage you to order early.

The Wines:
2015 Dirty and Rowdy Familiar Blanc California White Wine
Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Melon, Pinot Blanc, Roussanne, Marsanne
$30 11.5% ABV

2015 Dirty and Rowdy Familiar California Mourvèdre
Santa Barbara, Monterey, Mendocino, El Dorado, Amador Counties
$30 12.7% ABV

2014 Dirty and Rowdy Alder Springs Vineyard Chardonnay
Mendocino County, CA
$53 11.7% ABV

Allocations on the Familiar wines will be solid. We encourage you to stock up for the year as these wines bring both early pleasure and also really blossom 6-9 months out. The 2015’s are nerdy, joyous and celebratory.

Like the 2013, the 2014 Alder Springs Chardonnay will be extremely limited. Less than 45 cases of 750MLs will be available and only 10 cases of 1.5Ls.

We are in the process of nailing down a date for a Spring release party in Santa Rosa, CA. The date will be announced in the official release email. Please note, this will be the only pickup option available for this release.

We wish you a great Spring and look forward to sharing these wines with you,

Kate, Amy, Matt, Hardy[/quote]

Well, someone beat me to it!

Familiar Blanc before the summer? Yes, please!

The Familiar Mourvedre is a stellar bargain as well!

totally! … especially since the Alder Springs Chard is included! (A day 2 tasting of a 2014 bottle was crazy good.)

How would you compare the Alder Springs Chard ($53) to the Rhys Alpine Chard (high $60’s)? I’ve really enjoyed the Rhys.

The D&R is higher acid. I find the Rhys serene and the D&R kaleidoscopic.

Mr Wallace said that the '15 Familiar Blanc is higher in acidity and a little leaner than the 2014.

I loved the 2014 Blanc. The Chardonnay is a little expensive for me.

Here are a couple of notes on this release (more will be in the release letter next week).

2014 Alder Springs Chardonnay
Though definitely in the same family, this might be the evil twin to the '13. Where the '13 showed CA flesh and fruit (on top of a bed of nails), the '14 is like electronic music played on vinyl (if that makes sense to anyone).

2015 Familiar Mourvèdre
This is a little deeper than the ‘14 (In between the 13 and 14). There is more Mourvèdre in this. Upon pop n’ pour maybe someone could even blind it as Mourvèdre? There is more Antle in here than '14 and there is about 2-3% Petite Sirah. I have had a bottle open since last Sat and it is still getting prettier and prettier.

2015 Familiar Blanc
The blend / ratio is a bit different
'15 Blend- 28% Chenin Blanc, 22% Pinot Blanc, 18% Chardonnay, 12% Melon, 10% Roussanne, 10% Viognier
('14 Blend- 39% Chenin, 28% Semillon, 21% Chardonnay, 8% Melon, 4% Pinot Blanc)
It is much tighter / brighter and has only 12% skin contact vs the '14s 30%. The acid is higher and the Roussanne and Vio are really nice supporting notes in the aromatics. This has more polish than the '14.

One other important note:
The 2015 Familiar Blanc is the ONLY non-sparkling white wine we produced in '15. There will not be a separate bottling of Chard or Melon. The '15 Alder Springs was aromatically off the charts, but it needed stuffing, and the skin maceration on the Melon worked too well in the blend to leave just 2 barrels out on its own. I tried the blend every which way, and it was just better together. There is a lot of fancy / expensive wine in the '15 Familiar Blanc.

I think the 14 chardonnay was opened in DC a few weeks back, correct? Things were getting a bit blurry by that point. I recall liking it a great deal.

How does the Familiar Mourvèdre compare to the Shake Ridge?

Yessir. I popped one in DC. It was still a little numb from bottling in Jan. but it was starting to open up.

The Familiar is an earlier drinker made up from fruit from 7 of our 8 vineyards- Shake Ridge is more dark fruited, more tannic / structured, and has granitic / volcanic minerality. The Familiar is more red fruited, has slightly acidity, is softer on the palate, and I think the sandstone (from Santa Barbara Highlands) and the granite / limestone (from Antle) show more in the Familiar.

Hold Shake and drink Familiar till the cows come home

Thanks, Hardy. I opened one of my Shake Ridge bottles already (had to try it, even though I had seen other advice on letting it age first–tho I was able to wait until the UPS man was out of sight ). I agree that it’s young, but it was quite drinkable all the same. Very interesting and well-balanced wine, even at this stage. (note to self: put out a TN!)

Will you be putting out an Ancient Vines Mourvèdre this year? (I think that’s the name, I mean the one with juice from the Evanghelo vines.)

What are you doing at 3:30 in the morning? Sleeping? Lame. I’m ordering wine!

Ha!

Got the allocation email, but the website says I don’t have any allocation. Not even a wish list which seems odd as I am a regular purchaser.

Same problem here.

Order in! No issue with the website at all.

the only problem I had was arguing with myself over what my wallet says I should purchase, and what I want to buy! sadly, my wallet won … but my order is in.

I still have nothing. I sent them a note. I tried to order a shirt the other day, and the website balked at me then as well.

Same here.

I believe this is simply a test of faith.

Remain strong.

All fixed. Order in.