Dear Friends and Family,

Winemaking for the 2008 vintage began last week. I always get excited going into a new year taking what I've learned in previous harvests and applying these lessons to key winemaking decisions for the upcoming year. For the last few weeks, I've spent a lot of time evaluating the progress of each 2007 wine since harvest. It's a lot of tasting, but more importantly, it's correlating the "taste" with things like harvest analysis, flavor, intensity, structure, and color to determine which vineyard and winemaking practices we want to continue.

Most consumers think winemaking begins when grapes are harvested, but in fact, the single most important winemaking decision happens in early spring when the vines are pruned. Decisions need to be made regarding how many buds to leave per spur and how many buds to leave per vine. If you're like me, pushing the envelope to make the very best wine possible, proper pruning is what separates exceptional wines from ordinary wines.

To make the best wine, you need a balanced vine. If the vine is pruned for too large of a crop, the vine will strangle itself trying to ripen the fruit. I'm sure you've tasted wine made from under ripe fruit… they're thin, tart, and light in color wines. Not what I'm looking for. If you prune for too small of a crop, the vine will put too much energy into growing shoots and leaves imparting a vegetative character to the wine. When I prune a vineyard, I'm trying to visualize harvest in mid- to late-October. I want the berries to burst with flavor when I bite into them and I want brown seeds for a soft tannin structure. I call this physiological maturity and it can only be achieved with a balanced vine.

This Ledson style of winemaking has proven itself over and over again. In fact, four of our wines have just received Gold Medals at the World Wine Championships: Our 2005 Sonoma Valley Barbera (90 points), the 2004 Lodi 'Old Vine' Zinfandel (93 points), the 2005 Contra Costa 'Oakley' Zinfandel (92 points), and the 2005 Russian River 'Old Vine' Zinfandel, Baldocci Vineyard (92 points).

Our inaugural release of the 2005 Sonoma Valley Barbera was less than 185 cases. I am hoping over the years that I can increase the production, but only while maintaining the high quality. The 2004 Lodi 'Old Vine' Zinfandel was just released and as we expected it's flying out of our tasting room. I can't imagine having any of this wine left in a month or two. I wanted to let you know about this wine so you would have a chance to try it before it's gone. The 2005 Russian River Zinfandel from the Baldocci Vineyard and the 2005 Oakley Zinfandel have not yet been released for sale. Only Ledson Club Members can buy these wines through our futures release program. This will be your last chance to buy these wines at our pre-release pricing. If you're not a member of the Ledson Wine Club, we would love to have you join to access our futures program and experience the preferred pricing and other benefits our club members receive.

Cheers,

2004 Lodi 'Old Vine' Zinfandel
Aged in French oak barrels, this wine brings to your nose complex aromas of black cherries, spice and lightly toasted oak with robust big berry, raspberry fruit flavors followed by a rich smooth peppery fruit finish ... read more
Buy Now   $36/bottle

2005 Sonoma Valley Barbera
Enticing aromas of gooseberries, chai spice and cassis carry into rich plums and strawberries with a slightly tart pomegranate undertone. A rich toasted mahogany plays on the finish ... read more
Buy Now   $40/bottle

2005 Russian River 'Old Vine' Zinfandel, Baldocci Vineyard
Jammy aromas of raspberry and strawberries are followed by complex flavors of plum and green peppercorn. Well-balanced oak nuances make for a smooth, lingering finish ...
read more

Buy Now   $36/bottle (Release price $40)

2005 Contra Costa 'Oakley' Zinfandel
White pepper and youthful tart fruit consisting of cranberry and boysenberries define this wine. Aromas of mint and tobacco with young tannins on the palate lead to dusty tannins in the finish ...
read more

Buy Now   $28/bottle (Release price $32)

UPCOMING EVENTS

March 14 & 15 (8 pm)

Jefferson Airplane Lead Singer &
Jefferson Starship Hit Maker

MARTY BALIN and SLICK AGUILAR

Two Amazing Nights! Two Incredible Shows!
Limited Seating! Exclusively at Ledson!

Tickets: $65/each
including
VIP All Access Pass at the Ledson Winery
Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon (11 am - 4 pm), or a
Private Tasting by Appointment Only

Purchase tickets >>

On the heels of our tremendously successful Jefferson Starship shows the Harmony Lounge presents two special performances with Jefferson Airplane lead singer and Jefferson Starship hit maker Marty Balin and longtime Jefferson Starship lead guitarist Slick Aguilar. Marty Balin, along with Paul Kantner formed the Jefferson Airplane in 1965; a band that is now inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and is known for their historic performances during one of America’s great era’s -- the Summer of Love.
Limited seating! Don't miss out on this rare intimate evening of timeless music!

March 15 & 16 (11 am - 4 pm)
Savor Sonoma Valley: A Barrel Tasting & Culinary Experience

Experience the best Sonoma Valley offers with the royal treatment at the Ledson Castle! 19 Sonoma Valley wineries will be showcasing their 2007 vintage, perfectly paired with culinary delights. Enjoy Ledson's award-winning wines straight from the barrel, paired with savory delicacies created by Valerie Coats from Valerie's Vineyard Catering - nothing tastes this good. Meet other wine lovers and kick off the 2008 wine season with Ledson's incredible ambience and great staff.
Tickets:
$55 per person for a weekend pass
$20 for a Designated Driver weekend pass
$40 for a Sunday-Only pass
$10 for a Designated Driver Sunday-Only pass
For more information please visit www.heartofsonomavalley.com or call (866) 794-9463.

April 12 (6 pm - 9 pm):
‘Futures’ Release Party - Exclusively for Ledson Wine Club Members
Join us as we proudly toast the arrival of our new vintage. This private and complimentary release celebration offers our valued wine club members the first opportunity to experience these exceptional wines. Several of these highly anticipated releases are very limited in production and therefore, will not be made available to the general public. Enjoy sampling our new wines exquisitely paired with delicious hors d'oeuvres while you mingle with our winemakers and learn about our unique winemaking philosophy. We welcome you to take advantage of the first and possibly only chance to stock your cellar with Ledson's incredibly promising 'future' wines. For reservations, please call (707) 537-3810 ext.154.

If you prefer to place your order over the phone, please call
Randy Santos at (707) 537-3811, Jerry Padilla at (707) 537-3820, Brian Nogueira at (707) 537-3812.

 

7335 Sonoma Hwy 12  • Kenwood  • CA 95409  • Phone: (707) 537-3810 • www.ledson.com