Thanks for posting your note, Tom. I’d be really curious to try this one. Any info on how the wine was made?
I’m sure I’ve posted the photo below farther up in this thread, but this is one of the old Mission vines at Deaver Ranch, where the fruit for this wine was sourced, from a visit there with Ken Deaver last May. As far as is known, these are the oldest continuously-producing commercial winegrape vines in California.
I think I’ve managed to get Tegan to agree to swap one of his for one of mine, but not sure… ![[thumbs-up.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/f/f84c5acc11486ee4baba6dee6cf61dbd133abb18.gif "[thumbs-up.gif]"){kind=small}
It’s been awhile since I had his Mission. Think it was the first vintage, so can’t really recall how it was, but I remember it as good.
Tom, I happened to have the 2017 Bichi Listan yesterday at lunch at a Broc Cellars bottling. I’ve had really mixed luck with Bichi wines, very hit or miss. But the bottle we had at lunch was very nice, certainly among the best (and cleanest) Bichi wines I’ve tried.
For the nerds and Ken:
Just had word via social media that 3 of the Angeleno wineries that take fruit exclusively from Los Angeles County have found a dormant Mission vineyard in northern part of the County and are reviving it. It’s apparently planted in 1899, which should make it one of the oldest surviving (after the Mission San Gabriel and Olvera St “mother vine” stem). Anyway, it probably wont yield much initially as it’s been seriously neglected, but maybe for 2021 harvest.
It’s fun that traditionally much more classically focused wineries are now trying their hands with Mission. Gives it more legitimacy. I can see it filling a little domestic Gamay or Nebbiolo niche in the future, maybe. The more the merrier.
Nice - sounds intriguing! I should have another Mission report in a couple of days.
I wanted to post a brief note on two Mission wines tasted over the past week - Sandlands 2017 and 2018, both sourced from Deaver Ranch in Amador County’s Shenandoah Valley. The vines are believed to be the oldest continuously producing commercial winegrape vines in California, possibly dating from 1853 or 1854.
I really enjoyed both of these wines - both were lighter in color and body and had lots of red fruit. The 2017 showed more herbal notes in support and the 2018 had more floral notes, along with an undercurrent of herbs and maybe a touch of orangepeel. Mission is known for not having high acidity, but both of these had pleasant acidity and fairly mild tannins. Both were made from destemmed fruit, and had no additions other than some SO2. Opened both during bottling days at Broc Cellars in Berkeley and in both cases the wines were slightly chilled, which I think is a good way to enjoy them. The 2018 was the consensus favorite of the two, seemed a bit more pure and focused - most Mission wines are not really built for aging so it may be the younger one had a built-in edge there. The Sandlands 2018 Mission was certainly among the best California Mission wines I’ve tried - nice work from Tegan!
Nice! Trying to get my hands on some of the new 2018 Sandlands Mission as I’ve only had the 2017.
Although reviewed in another thread, though I’d post it here for posterity, too:
2019 Pax Mission: Harvested on the same day I took my 2019 from the same Somers Vineyard in the Mokelumne River AVA. They were around 24 Brix, roughly. Pax and Cappiello took about 20tons between the two of them, which is a pretty respectable amount, considering. Shows that they’re confident they can sell it. Wine has the tell-tale sign of Mission: great tannins and smoky, enveloped nature. This wine was probably carbonically fermented, as it seems to retain a bit more fruit than mine in comparison (or maybe fermented at lower temps?). In any case, it’s more of a glou-glou approach and a wonderful summer drinker. Straddling that fine line between a serious wine and a summer indulgence. Delicious. 91pts.
Rusack has just released their first Mission wine, using grapes from their Ballard Canyon estate from cuttings gathered on Santa Cruz Island from an old island vineyard that was planted at the turn of the 19th Century:
That’s so interesting, Larry, because I spoke to Steven Gerbac, the winemaker, last year trying to source some Mission from him. Someone had told me that they had a little growing in their unique vineyard on Catalina island and weren’t interested in using it, but it turns out I got that wrong (there is none growing in Catalina). But we did talk about his Mission growing in Ballard Canyon. He said he’d made a few barrels but wasn’t sure “he liked it” or it would ever “get released”. But I’m glad to see this years vintage did get bottled! Now I need to get my hands on some!
Bottled today at Broc Cellars in Berkeley. 2018 Mission plus two other wines.
Wunderbar! I’ve had the previous Broc Mission, and it was great. BTW Ken, managed to snatch a Rusack Mission as well (from the winemaker), despite being officially sold out. I have quite a few of various Missions on shelf, by now, be fun to do a little tasting or dinner one time with them. I’m sure only 3 people would turn up (2 being us), but nevertheless… ![[wink.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/04707e6a7bbb03e0153e349d8a9270d30e1e9525.gif "wink"){kind=small}
![[cheers.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/0ff9bfcdb0964982cd3240b6159868fbdf215b1a.gif "cheers"){kind=small}
Timely thread. Tried the Raj Parr Pais tonight.
It’s aight… light. Fruity. Bright lively rose like. A little natty funk thrown in. What I didn’t like was a hollow mid palate, a rather abrupt end with bitter finish.
Good for a chilled $15-20 casual drinker. How much is the club prices? I hear it’s $75+ which would be uh… not as appealing…
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It’s $30ish, no club membership needed.
Having tasted it with Mark tonight, I agree. It’s a crushable summer red best served chilled. I wouldn’t drop $35+ on it again though.
Ahh ok $30ish makes sense… overpriced, but at least not obscene. 
Is Harrington Mission still a thing? I had it a couple years ago at Augustine in LA and loved it. Not seen an entry in CT past the 2017, so wasn’t sure if it was still made.
Loved the Pax the other night and the Bichi (when on) is absolutely amazing.
Bryan Harrington closed down his winery prior to last year’s harvest and he didn’t release a Mission from 2018, so 2017 was the last vintage of Harrington Mission. Glad you enjoyed it!
Haven’t tried the Pax, and I agree about the Bichi - really nice when you get a good bottle, but my experience has been hit and miss.
Tasted the Sabelli-Frisch Mission today, thanks to Sean Smith. It was a bagged mystery wine, and I think most people guessed it was a Pinot Noir. Noticeably different from other California Mission wines I’ve tried, but quite good. Nice work, Adam!
Thanks Ken! And interesting that Sean blinded it - would have loved to be fly on the wall for that. Had another wine tasting group down here do the same with and they also came to the Pinot conclusion, which is interesting. I can kind of see it and not. Maybe it’s the lightness that gets people there.