I have been working with the Cinsault from the Bechthold Vineyard since 2001, which is just a blink of time relative to the 130 years of sunrises and sunsets these vines have witnessed. I was introduced to this vineyard while I was working for the infamous Randall Graham at Bonny Doon Vineyard. We used the Cinsault in every red wine we bottled to lift aromatics and give length to the midpalate. In 2009 I left Bonny Doon and started making wine under my family brand Phoenix Ranch. The Cinsault has been a huge success, even referred to as “crack cocaine” by one wine writer. 2011 will be the first bottling of the Cinsault under my very own label, Onesta.
Cinsault is most commonly known as a red blending grape, used to soften and round out the palate of bigger red wines in France or as an outstanding base for rose, yielding floral, full bodied, elegant wines. The Bechthold Vineyard is unique, 75% of the vineyard produces a very concentrated version of Cinsault. The age of the vines (130 years old) and the dry farming are the major reasons for this extraordinary fruit quality. The remaining 25% of the vineyard is near a water canal and the vines have learned to suck water from this canal, making the vines more vigorous and yielding more fruit with less concentration. These bigger well hydrated vines are perfect for growing delicious rose grapes.
Onesta is lucky to have a 4.2 acre block of this amazing historical landmark vineyard in Lodi. I will be making both a red wine and a rose from Bechthold Vineyard each year.
