Vintners
This Holiday Season support 2008 Winemakers at Buster's Liquors & Wines
Brooks Welcomes Unprecedented Twelve
Spring Mountain Vintners for 2009
The Brooks is delighted to welcome an unprecedented twelve vintners for the 2009 Art of Good Taste, all hailing from some of the finest vineyards in the Spring Mountain District. Like the wines they create, the winemakers of this region are a dynamic group of individuals dedicated to tackling the region’s challenges with strong ideals of integrity and faithfulness to the terroir.
"The wineries of Spring Mountain are excited to be featured at the Brooks’ Art of Good Taste as Tennessee is a rapidly growing market for us with some very knowledgeable wine collectors. With a dozen wineries participating, I think Memphis is in for a great weekend," said Sheldon Richards, President, Spring Mountain District Association.
Nestled above the Napa Valley, on the western hillside lies one of the first vineyard areas to be planted by the early settlers in the 1800s. Named for its many natural springs, the Spring Mountain District AVA (American Viticulture Area), officially established in 1993, was described by a prominent wine writer as “probably more responsible than any other Napa hillside for creating the mystique of ‘mountain grapes.’” The wines produced here have been acclaimed worldwide for their unmistakable intense flavor and delicate, balanced tannins that are now their signature.
The rugged remote mountain landscape of the Spring Mountain region, defined by some of the smallest, often hand-tilled vineyards, presents many challenges for today’s winemakers from establishing vines in lean soils and distributing water to preventing erosion. But because grapevines made to struggle for water, nutrients and sunlight develop fruit of more intense character and taste, somehow, this seemingly inhospitable environment is ideal for creating great wine.
Spring Mountain produces both premium red and white wine grape varietals, including Chardonnay, Viognier, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Smaller acreages of Riesling, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Syrah, Petite Verdot and Malbec are also known for producing exceptional quality fruit and wines.
Currently, Napa Valley cultivates over 43,000 acres of vines. The Spring Mountain District which encompasses about 8,600 acres, barely cultivates 1,000 acres of vines, primarily Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Spring Mountain properties require an attention to detail that eliminates the possibilities of mass production and corporate style winemaking. Today there are just over 30 vineyards in the region so the great wines hailing from this relatively minute appellation are getting more than their share of recognition and acclaim.
Vintners from the following vineyards will be at the Brooks for the Patrons Dinner and Grand Auction on May 8 and 9. They all agree on the potential of Spring Mountain wines and are dedicated to making them some of Napa Valley’s finest.
Barnett Vineyards
Behrens & Hitchcock Vineyards
Guilliams Vineyards
Keenan Winery
Newton Vineyard
Paloma Vineyard
Peacock Family Vineyard
Vineyard 7 & 8
Schweiger Vineyards
Sherwin Vineyards
Spring Mountain Vineyard
Terra Valentine
This Holiday Season support 2008 Winemakers!
Many thanks to the world-class vintners Jim Clendenen, Greg Linn, Gary Burk and Jeff Fink who helped make the Art of Good Taste 2008 a record-breaking year!
Buster's Liquors & Wines now stocks the wines from their respective wineries: Au Bon Climat, Ambullneo, Costa de Oro and Tantara.
So, toast this Holiday season with those who support the Brooks!
The 2008 Featured Winemakers:
Jim Clendenen
Au Bon Climat
“The Mind Behind”
Jim Clendenen graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1976 with high honors in pre-law. It was during his junior year abroad in 1974 that he discovered life beyond tacos. Beginning with the 1978 harvest, Clendenen was assistant winemaker at Zaca Mesa Winery for three vintages – a valued training experience. In 1981, his vision broadened with three harvests in one year as Jim worked crush, and directed the harvest at wineries in Australia and France. Three harvests in one year confirmed his masochistic tendencies!
In 1982, he decided to start his own winery in leased quarters. Au Bon Climat, which means “a well exposed vineyard,” has grown over its history to more than 30,000 cases, through careful reinvestment from its own production. The winery has cultivated an international reputation for its Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, and Pinot Gris.
Jim Clendenen, the mind behind, Au Bon Climat, is recognized worldwide for his classically styled wines. In addition to his Burgundian-focused ABC wines, Clendenen also is highly regarded for his Italian and other French varietals. In 1989 and 1990, Au Bon Climat was on Robert Parker’s short list of Best Wineries in the World, and in 1991, was selected by Oz Clark as one of 50 worldwide creators of Modern Classic Wines. Dan Berger of the Los Angeles Times named Clendenen “Winemaker of the Year” in 1992. He also was named “Winemaker of the Year” by Food & Wine Magazine in 2001 and 2004 “Winemaker of the World” by Germany’s leading wine magazine, Wein Gourment. In 2007, Clendenen was inducted into the James Beard Foundation’s “Who’s Who of Food and Beverage in America.”
The Brooks is thrilled to welcome Jim back to Memphis for the second time as an Art of Good Taste honoree.
Greg Linn
Founder, Ambullneo Vineyards
Greg Linn’s favorite definition of the verb blend is “to pass imperceptibly into one another; to harmonize.”
Ambullneo Vineyards uses that definition as its core philosophy – that is, to blend and not be site-specific. Not being at the mercy of single vineyards enhances the quality of every vintage. Yes, great vineyards can make great wines, but adeptly blending several great vineyards creates unique wines of exceptional character. What if Burgundy could blend La Tache, Musigny and Chambertin? Just imagine the results.
Gary Burk
Owner, Costa De Oro
In 1993 on a visit home to Santa Maria, Burk was fortunate enough to share a dinner with Au Bon Climat’s Jim Clendenen and Dominique Lafon of Domaine des Comtes Lafon. After that evening, Gary was hooked…funny what a great glass of Meursault will do! In 1994, he was invited to work harvest at the Au Bon Climat/Qupe facility and was hired full time in 1995. He worked in production and marketing for ABC/Qupe until August of 2002 when he left to devote all of his time and energy to Costa De Oro. He made one barrel each of Gold Coast Vineyard Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in 1994 and has increased production of the Costa de Oro label each year to the current level of 4,500 cases annually. He currently produces his wines at the Central Coast Wines Services facility in Santa Maria.
Burk has received critical acclaim, receiving 90-point scores or higher from Robert Parker, James Laube, Wine Spectator, and
Wine & Spirits Magazine. He has also had wines named in the Top 100 Wines of the Year by
Wines & Spirits Magazine in 2000, the
San Francisco Chronicle in 2001,
Wine Country Living in 2003, and most recently, winner of “Best in Show” at both the Orange and Santa Barbara county fairs.
Jeff Fink
Winemaker, Tantara Winery
Since 1997, Tantara has been dedicated to producing the very finest Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah. Located on the beautiful Bien Nacido Vineyard in Santa Maria Valley in Santa Barbara County, Tantara wines are sourced from top Central Coast growers and vineyard designate from vineyards such as Bien Nacido, Dierberg, Solomon Hills, Sanford & Benedict, Rio Vista, Talley Rincon, La Colline (Laetitia), Silacci, Pisoni, Garys’, and Brosseau.
In addition to two acres of Bien Nacido G Block Pinot Noir, in 1999 Tantara planted 10 acres of Pinot Noir and two acres of Syrah, which brought the vineyard holding to approximately 14 acres and now makes up estate bottling.
Because of the commitment to detail and the finite amount of fruit that meets Tantara’s standards, total winery production remains small at approximately 7,500 total cases for the 2005 vintage.
Tantara was the name of a horse owned by winemaker Bill Cates some years ago. After Tantara was retired to pasture, she defied predictions of an imminent demise and lived to a ripe old age. Horses symbolize elegance, grace and power and, in Tantara’s case, long life, all of which are qualities the winery embraces.
Friends for more than 20 years, Jeffrey Fink, an architect, and Bill Cates, were both originally from Virginia. They converged in California on a mission: to transform noble fruit into world-class wine and have a good time doing it.