THE JEFFERSON CLUB - JANUARY 2022
This month, we feature one of our entire staff’s favorite producers of Syrah, Stolpman Vineyards, with the inaugural release of their iconic Great Places Syrah from the single vineyard Ruben Solorzano.
STOLPMAN VINEYARDS GREAT PLACES ‘RUBEN SOLORZANO’
2018
Winemaker: Peter Stolpman
Vineyard Manager: Ruben Solorzano
Region: Ballard Canyon, CA
Grape Varietal: 100% Syrah
Viticulture: Limeston soils, steeply slowed goblet-trained vines at high density
Method: undetermined
Serving Suggestions: serve at 60-64F; decant 1 hour
Age: hold 2023 - 2033
Nose:
Palate:
Finish:
ABOUT STOLPMAN VINEYARDS
We’ve featured the incredible wines by Peter Stolpman in the restaurant since opening Just A Taste, and it has been truly delightful to experience his new lines of wine over the years. However, The Great Places truly expresses the pinnacle of Peter’s vision with incredible single vineyard expressions of Syrah. The Ruben Solorzano vineyard was propagated in 2007 from pre-clonal, 100+ year-old Syrah vineyards for their lower production of loose, tiny clusters and berries. These precious vines were grafted in extremely tight spacing upon a steep, limestone block. Here, each vine expends its energy ripening only 2 or 3 clusters (per vine!) to gain incredible extraction and longevity.
ABOUT THE WINE
The inaugural Great Places block is named in Ruben Solorzano’s honor. Ruben has been the vineyard manager for Stolpman since Tom hired him in the early 1990s. Through a unique profit-sharing program initiated by Tom, and greatly expanded by Peter, Ruben convinced his team to continually improve upon their vineyard practices with a focus on wine quality. Through this education at the training block, “Cuadra,” Ruben gained insight into what would make a truly remarkable Syrah in Ballard Canyon, to which the Stolpman family proudly calls their first “Great Place.”
For more about Stolpman’s incredible “La Cuadrilla” program, check out this link at Forbes Magazine
Interview with Peter Stolpman and Ruben Solorzano here
“Est. turn of century by Tom Stolpman to showcase Rhone varieties on the limestone outcroppings of California’s Central Coast. Committed to dry farming & sustainable vineyard, winery, and community practices. Today, Pete & Jessica Stolpman own and operate the winery.”