2000 Tawny Port - Madison's Blend

The simple story is this is an incredibly special wine. Made by my father and myself shortly after my oldest daughter was born. The wine was left untouched in barrels for 21 years to slowly mature and concentrate flavors and bottled this past September to commemorate her birth.  It is a one-of-a-kind wine that celebrates my daughter, my father, our vineyard, and the shared history we all enjoy. 

The longer story begins in the late 1970’s when my father fell in love with Portuguese Port wines and decided to graft over five traditional Douro Valley Portuguese grape varieties into our vineyard in Amador County in 1980. The goal was to produce exceptional quality vintage port-styled wines in California soils. Over the years the vision grew to include table wines and extended barrel-aged tawny ports from these exotic varieties.

Our first Tawny Port was bottled in 2000 and was made exclusively from the 1989 vintage. It was a 50/50 blend of Bastardo Port and our traditional five variety port. My dad kept a barrel of the Bastardo Port separate as an experiment. His thought was to produce a Madeira-styled wine since Bastardo was grown on the Portuguese island of Madeira before phylloxera (root louse) swept through the island killing off the vineyards and forcing growers to replant on phylloxera-resistant rootstock.  Bastardo wasn’t replanted because it was likely a low-yielding variety and a real “bastard” to grow.

My father and I took the experiment one step further in the mid-1990’s and began heating our barrel of Bastardo. Traditional Madeira is aged in naturally warm cellars over an extended period allowing the wine to gradually “bake” and oxidize over many years producing incredibly complex and indestructible wines.  The results of our experiment were stunning – Bastardo responded exceptionally well to this process evolving from an odd strawberry earthy flavored wine into a stunningly complex nutty vibrant wine. 

Our original vineyard was planted n 1972 on its own-roots (Zinfandel), and by the early 1990’s was showing extensive signs of phylloxera damage. We ultimately pulled the entire vineyard out in 1995 and began a deliberate process of replanting our vineyard with updated trellising, varietal selection, drip irrigation, and rootstocks with goal of producing exceptional table and port-styled wines from Portuguese varieties.  Bastardo, along with Touriga Nacional, Tinta Cao, Souzao, Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo), Verdelho, and Alvarelhao were all selected. Alvarelhao was later identified through DNA testing to be a clone of Touriga Nacional. 

The first grapes off our new planting became our 1999 Vintage Port (black label) and was bottled in the summer of 2001.  The 2000 vintage was challenging, and we ultimately decided not to bottle a vintage-styled port but elected to continue barrel aging the wine to produce a Late Bottled Vintage style wine or a Tawny Port.

Traditionally, Vintage Ports make incredible birth year wines, and are often purchased to be enjoyed when the child turns twenty-one.  They are not for the child’s benefit, but for the aggravation the child inflicts on the parent over the course of 21 years. I decided to take the process one step further and elected to set aside 6 barrels of out 2000 vintage port and age the wines in barrels until she turned 21.   

This past September we bottled our 2000 vintage port aptly named “Madison’s Blend” after my oldest daughter that was born on May 23, 2000.  It is unlike any wine we’ve produced or anyone else is doing in California.  Not only were the barrels baked at one point, but they were never racked or topped. Each barrel was essentially half full and had been hidden deep within the cellar to slowly oxidize and evolve over 21 years. The alcohol content rose from 18% to 21% as the water evaporated and the wine concentrated.  It’s an indestructible wine boasting a deep amber hue and stunning aromas that fill the room with a decadent aftertaste that lingers on the palate for minutes.

It's one-of-a-kind! Just like my father and my daughter.

Sincerely,

Stuart Spencer

PS – Bastardo is the Portuguese synonym for Trousseau, a variety native to the Jura region of France. It’s unclear how it found its way to Portugal and Madeira. We began bottling a bottling a dry Trousseau in 2012. 

PPS – We produce 2-4 barrels of Bastardo Port each vintage. They are never racked, topped or sulphured and form the base of our Tawny Ports.

PPPS – I didn’t bottle all the 2000 Madison’s Blend but kept back approximately 90 gallons for a future bottling. Maybe when she gets married. 

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Another Award Winning Year for St. Amant!

American Fine Wine Invitational

• Lot #9 Tawny Port—Double Gold
• 2015 Barbera—Gold
• 2015 Barbera Rosé—Gold
• 2014 Bootleg Port—Silver
• 2015 Marian’s Zinfandel—Silver

OC Fair Wine Competition

• 2015 Barbera—Gold
• 2015 Mohr-Fry Ranch Petite Sirah—Gold
• 2015 Syrah—Gold
• Lot #9 Tawny Port—Gold
• 2015 Lloyd Martel Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon—Silver
• 2015 Souzão—Silver
• 2015 Touriga—Silver
• 2016 Verdelho—Silver
• 2015 Vintage Port—Silver
• 2015 Marian’s Zinfandel Silver
• 2015 Mohr-Fry Zinfandel—Silver
• 2015 Tempranillo—Bronze

LA International Wine Competition

• 2015 Speakeasy Red—Gold, Best of Class
• 2016 Verdelho—Gold
• Lot #9 Tawny Port—Gold
• 2015 Mohr-Fry Ranch Petite Sirah—Gold
• 2015 Touriga—Gold
• 2015 Vintage Port—Silver
• 2015 Barbera—Silver
• 2015 Llloyd Martel Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon—Silver
• 2015 Souzão—Silver
• 2015 Syrah—Silver
• 2015 Tempranillo—Silver
• 2015 Mohr-Fry Ranch Zinfandel—Silver
• 2015 Marian’s Vineyard Zinfandel—Silver

SF Chronicle Wine Competition

• Lot #9 Tawny Port—Double Gold, Best of Class
• 2015 Marian’s Vineyard Zinfandel—Gold
• 2014 Mohr-Fry Ranch Petite Sirah—Silver
• 2015 Speakeasy Red—Silver
• 2014 Lloyd Martel Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon—Silver
• 2015 Barbera—Silver

CA State Fair Wine Competition

• 2015 Marian’s Zinfandel—Gold
• 2015 Barbera—Silver, Best of Class of Region
• Lot #9 Tawny Port—Silver
• 2015 Mohr-Fry Ranch Zinfandel—Silver
• 2015 Touriga—Silver
• 2015 Vintage Port—Silver
• 2015 Tempranillo—Silver
• 2015 Mohr-Fry Ranch Petite Sirah—Silver
• 2015 Syrah—Silver
• 2015 Lloyd Martel Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon—Silver
• 2016 Verdelho—Silver
• 2015 Souzão—Bronze
• 2015 Speakeasy Red—Bronze

2016 Wine Awards

St.Amant 2016 Awards

California State Fair

2014 Tempranillo: Double Gold Medal, Best of Show Red

2014 Speakeasy Red: Silver Medal

2014 Bootleg Port: Silver Medal

2014 Souzão: Silver Medal

2014 Syrah: Silver Medal

2014 Touriga: Silver Medal

2015 Verdelho: Silver Medal

2014 Mohr-Fry Old Vine Zin: Silver Medal

2014 Marian’s Old Vine Zin: Silver Medal

 

Orange County Fair

2015 Verdelho: Four Star Gold Medal

2014 Souzão: Gold Medal

2014 Touriga: Gold Medal

2014 Bootleg Port: Gold Medal

2014 Barbera: Silver Medal

2014 Syrah: Silver Medal

2014 Marian’s Old Vine Zin: Bronze Medal

 

LA International Wine Competition

2014 Mohr-Fry Old Vine Zin: Gold Medal

2014 Souzão: Gold Medal

2014 Syrah: Gold Medal

2014 Bootleg Port: Silver Medal

2014 Marian’s Old Vine Zin: Silver Medal

2014 Speakeasy Red: Silver Medal

2014 Tempranillo: Silver Medal

2014 Touriga: Silver Medal

2015 Verdelho: Silver Medal

2014 Barbera: Bronze Medal

 

San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition

2014 Barbera: Gold Medal

2013 Tempranillo: Gold Medal

2013 Speakeasy Red: Silver Medal

2014 Mohr-Fry Old Vine Zin: Silver Medal

2014 Marian’s Old Vine Zin: Silver Medal

2014 Verdelho: Silver Medal

Lot #8 Tawny Port: Silver Medal

2013 Bootleg Port: Bronze Medal

St.Amant Scores at SF Chronicle Wine Competition

St.Amant won a trio of Gold Medals at the 2015 San Francisco Chronicle wine competition held in early January. Below are the award winning wines.

2013 Verdelho - Gold Medal
2013 Barbera - Gold Medal
2012 Tempranillo - Gold Medal
2012 Vintage Port - Silver Medal
2012 Bootleg Port - Silver Medal
2013 Mohr-Fry Ranch Old Vine Zinandel

St.Amant has also been blessed with some good recent press.

Cliff Brown's Wine Picks recently reviewed our 2012 Mohr-Fry Ranch Old Vine Zinfandel and recognized it as his "Wine of the Week" giving it a score of 91 points. Cliff's Review -
"The wine is a ruby to garnet color.  The enticing nose has brambly berries, warm baking spices, dusty minerals, black pepper, dark bittersweet chocolate, vanilla bean, dried flowers and a touch of subtle earthiness.  This has a fairly full body with soft to moderate tannins and good acidity.  The spicy, brambly berries coat the palate on the front end with dusty minerals, black pepper and dark chocolate coming in later.  The finish has nice length with a nice floral note and subtle earthiness joining the berries and spice.  This is a very easy wine to enjoy now and over the next couple of years.  (91 pts)"

Alder Yarrow writing for Jancis Robinson's website recently wrote a very complimentary article on our Lodi Native Zinfandel project that we are involved in. He called the Lodi Native project, "One of the most exciting things to happen to California wine in years."

He also reviewed our 2012 Marian's Vineyard Lodi Native Zinfandel
"Light to medium garnet in the glass, this wine smells of candied cherries, candied plum, and cola. In the mouth, cherry cola, candied plum, and wonderfully juicy strawberry flavours have a faint and charming sweetness to them, while suede-like tannins add grip to the palate. Quite juicy thanks to excellent acidity. Delicious. 17.5"

Wine Enthusiast - 92 Points - 2012 Marian's Vineyard's Lodi Native Old Vine Zinfandel
Not a fruit bomb, it’s suave and complex. Aged in neutral oak, this limited-production wine shows baking spices in aroma, a smooth, lush texture and good concentration. Plum and blackberry flavors are layered, sophisticated and linger on the finish. It’s full-bodied, but has enough tannin and acidity to balance out the richness."

2014 Marian's Vineyard Harvest & Crush

Thanks goes out to Randy Caparoso, Lodi Winegrape Commission blogger for putting together the two video pieces about on our 2014 Marian's Vineyard Harvest & Crush.

The Bootleg Society - The Story behind the Poster

One sure way to guarantee something gets done is to make it illegal.  Such was the case during Prohibition, that ill-conceived period in our country’s history, where our government outlawed the commercial production, distribution and sale of alcoholic beverages.  As is often the case, the unintended consequences led to widespread flaunting of the law as bootlegging, rum running, and speakeasies flourished.  Alcohol poured in from Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean.  Lodi even went through a period of vineyard expansion as hundreds of rail cars left for east coast markets loaded with crates of grapes packed with instructions on “how not to make wine.”

Speakeasies replaced saloons, and provided well-to-do Americans with clandestine drinking establishments.  These bars were hidden from public site, often behind secret doors and passages, and many required patrons to utter passwords to gain entrance.

Our longtime customers are all probably well aware of our beginnings in the wine business as my father bootlegged our 1981 Vintage Port out of a less-than-reputable winery that refused to pay us for our grapes.  That began our adventure in the wine business, but the similarities to Prohibition run far deeper than our bootlegging past.

For many years, my father operated what could best be described as a modern day Speakeasy. There were no signs directing patrons to our entrance, guests often circled the building looking for the front door, and if they happened to make it that far, they were often greeted with a brusk, “Did you call for an appointment?”  That phrase was more than just a question – it was a test, and if you passed, you gained admittance to the St.Amant Speakeasy. You were told the call sign - that if the blue pickup was parked out front, St.Amant was open.

Clearly my father never attended the Disney school of customer service, but it worked for him, and many customers came to love his direct style.  But at the end of the day, he always let the wines speak for themselves, and more often than not, they spoke well.

The Bootleg Society Poster

So when we decided to create our wine club, it seemed fitting to name it the Bootleg Society, a name that reflected not only our beginnings in the business, but the spirit of the brand and our against-the-grain approach to wine. We also wanted to create a piece of art that helped identify and give our club its own personality. I turned to my good friend and artist Vince McIndoe.  I had come to know Vince through Zinfest – I had worked with him to create the iconic posters that helped define and promote Lodi’s premier wine event. We had become good friends and I knew he could create the perfect poster for our wine club.

The poster has been a hit! We even created a new wine, our Speakeasy Red that features the poster art on the label.  It’s been a very fun project and we look forward to creating more prohibition themed events, wines and experiences for our loyal club members.

We hope you enjoy!

Stuart Spencer