Parallel Universes
Engaged in three vintages at a time
Somewhere in a parallel world, you'd want me as much as I want you here and I'll care not about your existence. For now, I breathe you. ― Nitya Prakash
Time and space are illusions. Everything exists at the same time. ― Darryl Anka
I loved you backward and forward in time. I loved you beyond boundaries of time and space. ― Dan Simmons
The greatest leap of faith
In the hurry-up-and-wait, time-warped, wackadoodle parallel universes of winemaking I find myself shifting consciousness between three vintages, while still existing in each one at the same time.
Fear not, this is no wine-addled journey into the complex principles of quantum physics and time travel in search of an enological multiverse. I’ve had enough science. And if I’m going to addle my mind with wine the only thing I seek is . . . well . . . the addling.
But the altered states of making three commercial vintages at one time—which you must do—is disquieting. Let me attempt to explain.
Vintage 1 (2021)
In September of 2021 I field-harvested 1,200 pounds of Zinfandel and 800 pounds of Petite Sirah and fermented them together. I harvested roughly a ton each of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Malbec and fermented them all separately. Then everything went into French oak barrels for aging. A year later I picked and barrel-fermented a ton of Chardonnay, which I split into two barrels for different styles of élevage.
About that time, I blended the Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah into my Requisite Red, a blend that I’d been “practicing” for three years prior. I saved a little bit of the Syrah and the Cab to blend with the Malbec as a varietal. All of the above became my first commercial vintage, which I just bottled at the end of March and which is now bottle-aging for months to come at a separate facility. It has been a genuine and passionate love affair for me with this vintage, which I hope will continue into old age—for the both of us.
Vintage 2 (2022)
While the above wines aged, I did a second commercial harvest in September of 2022 where I picked, fermented and barreled Merlot, Syrah, Zinfandel, Malbec, Tannat, Primitivo, Mourvedre, a new Zinfandel/Petite Sirah field blend, and two different Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards, one in the valley and a high mountain one fittingly named Aerie. That was eight months ago.
Three weeks ago, I blended those 10 wines—24 barrels in total—into two varietals (Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec) and two red blends (a new iteration of Requisite Red, and an amazing concoction of Primitivo, Tannat and Merlot that I’m calling Rojo Rustico). Although they are still at least 18 months from being released, these four wines all show extraordinary early promise, stoking my obsession and making me feel a little like a wine philanderer as I shift my affection from the vintage before.
Vintage 3 (2023)
But as any vintage Lothario knows, there’s always another pretty vineyard. And if you want to keep making wine you have to keep flirting with the future. So, while Vintage 1 matures in the bottle and Vintage 2 blooms in the barrel, I reaffirm my devotion to both in a strange case of agricultural polygamy, tasting my way through their moods as they evolve, all the while simply trying to stay patient, keeping my eye open for my next liaisons. And they came early this year as I closed deals to harvest and make wine again this fall from Aerie (that marvelous mountain top Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard), and from a new Syrah vineyard off the summit of Bennett Valley Road, as well as the same Zinfandel/Petite Sirah field blend from Vintage 2. I may even pick grapes for a white wine again. Why not? Folks like my first Chardonnay released with Vintage 1. But of course, those would have to be included in my Vintage 2.
My goals for Vintage 3 are wines that you probably won’t see until the fall of 2025—a varietal Cabernet Sauvignon, a varietal Syrah, and yet another Requisite Red Blend. And again, perhaps a white wine of sorts, but that wouldn’t be picked until 2024.
Thoroughly confused yet? Time travel indeed!
So, what does this all mean?
Hell if I know. It seems crazy to me, and more than a little unsettling, that I’ll still be waiting to release my first commercial vintage of wine I made in 2021 when I’m harvesting grapes for my third commercial vintage this fall, in just three more months. Talk about a leap of faith—financially, organoleptically, emotionally!
Just think of how much better—or worse—a winemaker I might have become before you even get to taste my first wines.
But I strive to be good. Hopefully, even better than that. And my plan is to build the Tiny Vineyards Wine Company into a direct-to-consumer, allocation-based, artisan wine venture, which makes just enough incredible wine each year to satisfy the needs and wants of its club members at commiserate discounts, and reduced or free shipping. Anything beyond that will be offered to the public at full price.
I will open access to the wine club first to anyone who has reserved wine in my inaugural advance wine sale. You’ll get some communication about it from me in October, when I ship you your wine But, FYI: this sale will continue for only a short while longer. NOTE! You can now buy single bottles in the advance wine sale.
Here’s what to look forward to.
This is what I have made, am making, and am planning to make. It’s as far into the future as I can go without dredging up that quantum physics mojo again.
2021 VINTAGE - Official release October 2023, currently available to reserve here.
Requisite Red (145 cases produced) - A proprietary blend of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. This is a foodie wine, complex and structured enough for a special event, but not so big or heavy as to overwhelm what is being served. Beautifully balanced with big notes of strawberry, black cherry, spice, dark chocolate, and leather. The mouthfeel is unquestionably seductive with sassy acidity, gentle tannins and a faint French oakiness of toasted coconut.
Eclipse Malbec (78 cases produced) - Made as a celebratory wine for the 2024 Great American Eclipse. Jammy and fruit forward with just a splash of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon to add structure and depth. Notes of black cherry, plum, pomegranate, tobacco, and cocoa present in a velvety mouthfeel of bright acidity, soft tannins, and a long austral finish.
Sonoma Chardonnay (47 cases produced) - A lean, crisp, refreshing Chablis-style Chardonnay (NOT big, oaky or buttery). Fermented in one-year-old French oak barrels, this is a heavily pear-driven wine with additional notes of lemon, lime peel and melon within a very light creaminess.
2022 VINTAGE - Official release October 2024, available to reserve November 2023
Requisite Red (200 cases estimated) - Only eight months in the barrel (ten more to go) this iteration of our signature wine has us all gasping in delight. In addition to the ever-present dark fruit and seductive mouthfeel of our proprietary blend there’s a faint sweetness emerging along with distinct notes of black pepper. That could be because I changed our source of Zinfandel and Petite Sirah, and blended in Cabernet Sauvignon from both our Valley and Mountain sites. Only the source for Syrah remains the same.
Rojo Rustico (150 cases estimated) - What a surprise this has been. I had read about a blend from northern Spain that utilized Zinfandel, Tannat and Merlot, and I remember thinking that it sounded like something I would like. Then I found myself having to field blend a short ton of Primitivo with 800 pounds of Tannat due to picking schedules and weather anomalies during last year’s crazy harvest. I also had a ton of Merlot that was coming in hot and I wasn’t sure I still wanted to make a varietal out of it. Long story short, most folks will tell you that Zinfandel and Primitivo are the same grape, and the proportions of it and the Tannat to the Merlot were close to the wine I had read about. So, what the hell, all together they went into six barrels and almost immediately the music started to play! I’ll reveal more shortly, but suffice it to say you’re going to want this in your cellar.
Aerie Cabernet Sauvignon (100 cases estimated) - Blending two barrels of our Valley Cabernet Sauvignon with two barrels of our Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon was akin to actor Regé-Jean Page having an offspring with the model Bella Hadid. We don’t know yet if the kid is going to grow up even richer, more structured, more complex and more generous in spirit than her two parents. It’s highly likely, but only time will tell. What we do know, however, is that she is already truly beautiful!
Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, or Chardonnay (50 cases estimated) - TBD
2023 VINTAGE - Official Release October 2025, available to reserve November 2024
Requisite Red (100 cases estimated) - With the exception of the Syrah and the Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, I’ve contracted again for the same grapes we used for this blend in 2022 because they were sensational last year.
Syrah (150 cases estimated) - I’m picking a new Syrah vineyard this year because my old source, while excellent in quality, cannot deliver the yield I need to make a single varietal. I’m looking for two tons.
Aerie Cabernet Sauvignon (150 cases estimated) - I’m betting that this is the year that our Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon stands on its own in both quality and yield. I’m looking for two tons here as well.
Mendocino Malbec (125 cases estimated) - This was actually picked in 2022 but I’ve decided to age it longer and release it as a reserve, as it is showing signs of developing into something special.