Bedrock Spring Release 2014

[Michael_Martin]

There have been a couple releases were some old favorites were offered again. I think the '11 Old Vine Zin and the '08 Kick Ranch were offered twice.

[Larry_P]

My understanding is that this Griffin’s has some Viognier co-fermented and as a result is more approachable young than previous vintages.

On the idea of re-upping, that’s the catch with allocated wines. If there’s something you really want, it couldn’t hurt to shoot them an e-mail and ask. Especially on the appellation wines you might get lucky.

[David_T1]

@Larry P

@David_T

My cellar has more Bedrock than any other producer, although that honestly has made me think I should start popping some corks.

FIFY

Too true. My only hesitation is every other CT note on every Bedrock red I own has something to the effect of “needs more time” “should be even better in a few years” etc etc

[jbray23]

Bedrock is the most of any producer in my cellar, with almost 10cs. Sometimes I think that’s enough but the wines are so damn good and so damn cheap compared to many others (and they age well too), I just can’t stop buying.

[Peter_Petersen]

The 2013 Gibson Ranch Grenache Gris, McDowell Valley sounds like something interesting. Will it be a white or pink/orange wine?

[danupdike]

@Peter Petersen

The 2013 Gibson Ranch Grenache Gris, McDowell Valley sounds like something interesting. Will it be a white or pink/orange wine?

Here is another producer making wine from that vineyard. Looks pink.

http://idlewildwines.com/store/item/2012-grenache-gris-gibson-ranch

[MattBerto]

@Truett W e l c h

@Scot Hasselman

I know this is dreaming, but it would be fantastic if there was some sort of “redux” opportunity at each release where some prior releases were also available to purchase. I know that there are wines I would re-buy, but which are now in the retail chain at higher prices (plus there is a significant hassle factor).

I assume Morgan gets higher prices for wines from list members than he does with retail distribution (I do acknowledge there is also a marketing element to retail sales, however) - so maybe it would work as a model?

Maybe someday, but as Bedrock is a fairly new business I would guess Morgan needed to sell virtually everything he’s made over the last few years.

He’s done this a couple times. The 08 Kick Ranch was offered about 2 years ago.

First time in my memory Morgan has offered a 750ml bottle over $40. I’ll offer kudos to Morgan for keeping pricing where it is given the demand and scores received.

[Larry_P]

@David_T

@Larry P

@David_T

My cellar has more Bedrock than any other producer, although that honestly has made me think I should start popping some corks.

FIFY

Too true. My only hesitation is every other CT note on every Bedrock red I own has something to the effect of “needs more time” “should be even better in a few years” etc etc

Personally I don’t put too much weight on those reviews. Thing is, if you have so much now, you can pop some corks and still see them age. The ones I’m really holding are the cabs, the Hudson & Griffin’s Lair Syrahs. The rest can benefit from age but are great now. Particularly the Dolinsek and Stellwagen has been great young, and I’d really pop anything from '08 or '10.

[brianmcbrearty]

@David_T

@Larry P

@David_T

My cellar has more Bedrock than any other producer, although that honestly has made me think I should start popping some corks.

FIFY

Too true. My only hesitation is every other CT note on every Bedrock red I own has something to the effect of “needs more time” “should be even better in a few years” etc etc

Can’t have everything. They’re good now. They’re as good a QPR as is available now. And it’s still a crying shame to open them. Whatcha gonna do?

I backed up the truck last release to try to cover both. So here I sit with a bunch of sonoma and north coast as cellar defenders, but every time I go look around my cellar I think, “I need something to defend THESE!”

So I figure the answer is I have to buy sooooo much 2012 and 2013 as to get way way ahead of this thing. Enough that I can’t possibly drink it all. AND THEN, I can run a decent consumption plan for the rest of my life.

Now to rob a bank.

[Michael_Martin]

Grab a bottle, drink it, enjoy it. You’ll always find something to replace it.

[Peter_Petersen]

@danupdike

@Peter Petersen

The 2013 Gibson Ranch Grenache Gris, McDowell Valley sounds like something interesting. Will it be a white or pink/orange wine?

Here is another producer making wine from that vineyard. Looks pink.

http://idlewildwines.com/store/item/2012-grenache-gris-gibson-ranch

Thanks! Looks like a nice new addition.

[Morgan_Twain-Peterson]

@Peter Petersen

The 2013 Gibson Ranch Grenache Gris, McDowell Valley sounds like something interesting. Will it be a white or pink/orange wine?

I don’t have all of the notes written up on the wines but here is my note for the Grenache Gris and Ode to Lulu Rose:

2013 Ode to Lulu Rose: In our continuing quest to continually one-up the previous vintage of this wine we stumbled headlong into the rugged terrain of Mendocino. Don’t get me wrong, I really like the 2012, where I feel we finally captured a trace of ethereal lightness and perfume while maintaining the sturdy stock of Mourvedre at the wines base. However, I wonder if perhaps the 2012 was just a trace too delicate? We used more Carignane from the sandy, soft, soils of Contra Costa County for that wine so my theory was that we needed to find soils with a bit more edge in them. Though the base of 2013 wine is composed around the ancient plantings of Mourvedre at Bedrock Vineyard and Pagani Ranch, the rest of the wines is composed of dry-farmed Grenache planted in the 1880’s at Gibson Ranch in McDowell Valley and Carignane from the 1950’s planted on soils that remind me of Pauillac in Ukiah. As always, all the lots were picked early and all except the Grenache Gris were whole-cluster pressed. This, I think, though I am sure I will continue to refine, is the best Ode to Lulu to date. Fresh, perfumed, lifted, bright, clean, dense, and delicious.

2013 Gibson Ranch Grenache Gris: When life gives you ancient Grenache, make ancient Grenache! After picking out our bit of Grenache for rose’ at Gibson Ranch I got a call from the ranch’s new owner Jake Bilbro. It was their first year working the vineyard and it turns out they had a few extra tons of the Grenache left. Would I be interested? The stuff we got for rose’ had been phenomenal and I wondered what it would look like for red. It should also be noted that none of us are too sure what type of Grenache is up there. It has very light pigmentation and the clusters take on a grayish caste, leading many to suspect it is actually Grenache Gris. Another friend thinks it is too dark for Gris but might be Grenache Rouge, but not Grenache Noir. I frankly don’t know what it is, but I know it is delicious. I have long wanted to make a light, summer, red- a California version of Beaujolais or Pinot D’Aunis or Frappato (yes, I know, those are not just summer wines) but perhaps kissed with just a trace more sunshine. Something fresh, juicy, spicy, and delicious. This fits that description. It was fermented with 50% whole-cluster with no foot-trodding to maximize carbonic fermentation with the rest destemmed. It fermented to dryness with native yeasts and underwent ML in a combination of neutral barrels and concrete tank.

[David_T1]

@brianmcbrearty

Can’t have everything. They’re good now. They’re as good a QPR as is available now. And it’s still a crying shame to open them. Whatcha gonna do?

I backed up the truck last release to try to cover both. So here I sit with a bunch of sonoma and north coast as cellar defenders, but every time I go look around my cellar I think, “I need something to defend THESE!”

So I figure the answer is I have to buy sooooo much 2012 and 2013 as to get way way ahead of this thing. Enough that I can’t possibly drink it all. AND THEN, I can run a decent consumption plan for the rest of my life.

Now to rob a bank.

After reading Morgan’s notes just for the rose’/grenache I think this is the plan I need to take

Larry- I added the 08 Kick Ranch & 10 Sonoma Coast syrahs to death row

[Scott_Watkins]

@David_T

@brianmcbrearty

Can’t have everything. They’re good now. They’re as good a QPR as is available now. And it’s still a crying shame to open them. Whatcha gonna do?

I backed up the truck last release to try to cover both. So here I sit with a bunch of sonoma and north coast as cellar defenders, but every time I go look around my cellar I think, “I need something to defend THESE!”

So I figure the answer is I have to buy sooooo much 2012 and 2013 as to get way way ahead of this thing. Enough that I can’t possibly drink it all. AND THEN, I can run a decent consumption plan for the rest of my life.

Now to rob a bank.

After reading Morgan’s notes just for the rose’/grenache I think this is the plan I need to take

Larry- I added the 08 Kick Ranch & 10 Sonoma Coast syrahs to death row

+100 That grenache (or whatever it is) has really piqued my interest

[NickC]

buckets and buckets of rose

[Larry_P]

@David_T

Larry- I added the 08 Kick Ranch & 10 Sonoma Coast syrahs to death row

Excellent!

[Steve_Pohlman]

This rose is the real thing … From rose junkies!

[Dave_H]

Man, that grenache gris sounds delicious.

[Larry_P]

@Dave H.

Man, that grenache gris sounds delicious.

I tasted this out of tank last summer - very pretty and floral, really amazing stuff.

[M_Hudson]

Grrrrrr…this thread kills me. I am not 100 percent sure how many cases I still have left but somewhere around 9.

Have been a huge fan of the rose and kick ranch Sauvignon blanc. Last year the rose disappointed me. Wonderful to see Morgan changed things up a bit for this year.

I am in the camp all the reds needs time so all his reds go directly to offsite and all the whites go in cellar defender cooler. I think I still have 6 rose and 6 kr sv bl left from last year.

Still bet I can’t resist a case