WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.640 --> 00:00:04.559 Welcome to Wine Soundtrack USA. Listen to the passion with 2 00:00:04.599 --> 00:00:08.080 which producers narrate their winery and their world team thirty 3 00:00:08.119 --> 00:00:12.199 answers discover their stories, personalities, and passions. 4 00:00:12.560 --> 00:00:15.279 Hello, friends and listeners of Wine Soundtrack. This is Alison 5 00:00:15.359 --> 00:00:18.239 Levine and today I am in the very hot Lodi 6 00:00:18.399 --> 00:00:22.480 Valley with giroder Espinoza, who is the CEO of Lodi 7 00:00:22.559 --> 00:00:27.039 Crush and the winemaker of Naya Vineyards. And we've popped 8 00:00:27.120 --> 00:00:30.079 up in a little refreshing Alberino to get us started. 9 00:00:30.120 --> 00:00:33.679 But Guerder, welcome and tell us about Anya Vineyards and 10 00:00:33.719 --> 00:00:35.520 where we are today, which is LOADI Crush. 11 00:00:36.280 --> 00:00:39.320 Yes, thank you, thank you for being here. And yes, 12 00:00:39.359 --> 00:00:42.479 so my name is like you just mentioned, and we 13 00:00:42.640 --> 00:00:47.880 just opened our twenty twenty one Albergo. It's Clemens Hills, Aba, 14 00:00:49.000 --> 00:00:53.159 very nice and refreshing and it's actually been Asian barrel, 15 00:00:53.280 --> 00:00:54.880 so it's going to be a little bit more mean 16 00:00:54.920 --> 00:00:59.399 and altease on the wine. So yeah, so yeah, we 17 00:00:59.840 --> 00:01:03.840 are actually sitting in our lounge at Lorda Crush. So 18 00:01:03.920 --> 00:01:06.840 this place, this place, we opened about a year ago. 19 00:01:07.239 --> 00:01:09.879 The front portion LORDA Crush has been in business for 20 00:01:09.920 --> 00:01:13.760 about five years. We've been making wine for about twenty 21 00:01:13.799 --> 00:01:17.760 different brands and including my brand, which is an Ia Vineyards. 22 00:01:18.200 --> 00:01:20.560 And tell us a little bit about a NYA vineyards. 23 00:01:21.159 --> 00:01:22.719 Do you what do you make? 24 00:01:23.359 --> 00:01:27.959 Yeah, so an I of Vineyards. It's actually I'm the 25 00:01:28.040 --> 00:01:35.079 owner and actually the winemaker and what basically, I'm a 26 00:01:35.120 --> 00:01:37.319 third generation farmer. So my family has been in the 27 00:01:37.359 --> 00:01:40.799 farming business for three decades already, you're in Loda. My 28 00:01:40.840 --> 00:01:45.239 grandfather immigrated from Mexico in the nineteen forties and work 29 00:01:45.439 --> 00:01:49.159 as a farm labor and throughout the years he made 30 00:01:49.400 --> 00:01:53.959 and saved money, purchased land in the Clements area. And 31 00:01:54.040 --> 00:01:56.879 my uncles are the ones that planted the vineyards after 32 00:01:56.920 --> 00:02:01.799 they finished their universities they decrease in Mexico. I immersed 33 00:02:01.840 --> 00:02:06.959 myself after having a career in the architectural field, work 34 00:02:07.000 --> 00:02:10.240 as a project manager for multiple years in this area. 35 00:02:11.000 --> 00:02:14.800 I started making wine as a home waymaker and then 36 00:02:14.840 --> 00:02:17.719 it became a Nao Vineyards, the actual brand. 37 00:02:17.840 --> 00:02:20.159 Yes, And when did you start a Nia Vineyards? 38 00:02:20.960 --> 00:02:23.080 So I started making wine back in two thousand and seven. 39 00:02:24.680 --> 00:02:29.759 The brand before an Vineyards, I had a brand. It 40 00:02:29.879 --> 00:02:33.360 was called Vignetosa, which it was in honors of my 41 00:02:33.520 --> 00:02:36.800 honors of my grandmother a Naya, I mean actually Alua, 42 00:02:36.840 --> 00:02:41.919 it's her first name. Vignettos is vineyards, so it's yeah, 43 00:02:41.960 --> 00:02:45.360 it was actually after her, honoring her, and the whole 44 00:02:45.360 --> 00:02:48.759 brand is actually honoring the family, honoring our heritage. So 45 00:02:49.439 --> 00:02:51.879 I have now an Io Vineyards. That's what I'm trying 46 00:02:51.919 --> 00:02:54.360 to do, just showcasing the family heritage. 47 00:02:54.479 --> 00:02:57.840 Fantastic. And you said your grandfather first planted the vineyards, 48 00:02:57.840 --> 00:02:59.759 So how many acres do you have and what do 49 00:02:59.759 --> 00:03:01.240 you have planted? What are you working with? 50 00:03:01.520 --> 00:03:06.719 Yeah, so my uncle's planted the vineyards and they planted 51 00:03:07.159 --> 00:03:10.120 the first two varieties that the planet was Cavernouso in 52 00:03:10.199 --> 00:03:11.680 young and patitira. 53 00:03:12.039 --> 00:03:14.520 Those were very typical here for Lodi. 54 00:03:14.439 --> 00:03:17.360 Very popular back then as well. So that was back 55 00:03:17.400 --> 00:03:21.800 in the early eighties and then throughout the years once 56 00:03:21.840 --> 00:03:24.560 I immersed myself, I started exploring with different brand of with 57 00:03:24.599 --> 00:03:29.360 different varieties, and I decided to talk to the family 58 00:03:29.400 --> 00:03:32.120 to plant some of the unique varietals like, for example, 59 00:03:32.319 --> 00:03:35.919 Tempornello Alberdino that we're going to be tasting today. We 60 00:03:36.000 --> 00:03:41.360 have neviolo, which is a very unique variety for California itself. 61 00:03:41.520 --> 00:03:46.360 And actually the us, and then we have Timpornello as 62 00:03:46.360 --> 00:03:47.360 well and Pinot green. 63 00:03:47.840 --> 00:03:49.759 And how many acres total do you have planted? 64 00:03:50.159 --> 00:03:52.120 So we have about one hundred and eighty acres total. 65 00:03:52.439 --> 00:03:56.039 Wow, yeah, in one hundred and eighty acres, yes. 66 00:03:56.080 --> 00:03:58.120 That's about yeah. So we have two different properties in 67 00:03:59.560 --> 00:04:03.520 plants area. And the actually the smaller blocks that wants 68 00:04:03.599 --> 00:04:06.800 the unique varieties that I just mentioned, those are smaller blocks. 69 00:04:06.800 --> 00:04:10.240 They're about two acres to five acres each. 70 00:04:11.120 --> 00:04:13.560 So you're selling fruit or are you making all of it? 71 00:04:13.840 --> 00:04:16.199 No, So the majority of the fruit, which is the 72 00:04:16.199 --> 00:04:20.519 patitzia in Caberneto when young goes to a different, big, 73 00:04:21.120 --> 00:04:25.480 larger production winery. But the smaller blocks that we have 74 00:04:25.959 --> 00:04:29.240 are pretty much for our brand, or we share some 75 00:04:29.319 --> 00:04:31.680 of the fruit to some of the local small producers 76 00:04:31.720 --> 00:04:32.120 as well. 77 00:04:32.439 --> 00:04:33.800 And what's your total case production? 78 00:04:34.399 --> 00:04:36.759 So right now we're under our ny vinyears, I'm producing 79 00:04:36.800 --> 00:04:41.759 about eighteen hundred cases. It's a small brand. We're hoping 80 00:04:41.800 --> 00:04:46.480 that in the next two or three years make it bigger, 81 00:04:46.639 --> 00:04:46.879 you know. 82 00:04:47.759 --> 00:04:50.319 And for now the wines are available here in the 83 00:04:50.360 --> 00:04:53.279 tasting room or are they available in any other markets? 84 00:04:53.399 --> 00:04:55.759 Yes? Yes, so we have it here at the tasting room. 85 00:04:56.160 --> 00:04:59.519 We sell online. We have it by allocation, so sign 86 00:04:59.600 --> 00:05:01.759 up in your and our mailing list through our website 87 00:05:02.319 --> 00:05:04.759 and when we release the wines, that's when we send 88 00:05:04.759 --> 00:05:07.920 the email for people to purchase the wines. We're starting 89 00:05:07.959 --> 00:05:11.160 to open the market in different restaurants Southern California, San. Yeah, 90 00:05:11.199 --> 00:05:14.360 it's been very attractive to the brand. So that's where 91 00:05:14.399 --> 00:05:17.680 we focus in our brand out of the Southern California. 92 00:05:17.720 --> 00:05:21.279 That's great. Yeah, So I'm curious. You said that you're 93 00:05:21.399 --> 00:05:24.639 a third generation farmer and that did you grow up 94 00:05:24.680 --> 00:05:25.240 here on Lodai. 95 00:05:25.879 --> 00:05:28.600 Literally pretty much in my life, I came to the 96 00:05:28.720 --> 00:05:31.759 US or immigrated to the US when I was in 97 00:05:31.959 --> 00:05:34.800 end of high school, finished my high school here in Lodai. 98 00:05:35.920 --> 00:05:38.839 I decided to do the farming. I wanted to do, 99 00:05:39.000 --> 00:05:42.000 you know, more of a office work and I love architecture, 100 00:05:42.079 --> 00:05:44.519 so that that was my profession for a long time. 101 00:05:46.040 --> 00:05:48.079 But the roots were in the farming. 102 00:05:48.399 --> 00:05:52.879 So I'm curious, what is your first memory relevant to wine? 103 00:05:53.839 --> 00:05:56.680 Yeah, so the first memory, you know, it's actually been 104 00:05:56.720 --> 00:06:00.519 in the vineyards. You know, I remember since I planted 105 00:06:00.519 --> 00:06:03.519 the first viniard And like I said, that's back in 106 00:06:04.040 --> 00:06:09.360 eighties literally was just my seeing my grandfather out there 107 00:06:09.560 --> 00:06:14.120 pruning every year, taking us as kids, you know, to 108 00:06:14.120 --> 00:06:16.399 to help them. You know, that was that was literally 109 00:06:16.720 --> 00:06:19.839 that's probably the best memories that I have had. Uh. 110 00:06:19.879 --> 00:06:21.720 And then after that, and then after that, you know, 111 00:06:21.839 --> 00:06:25.720 I started once I knew what the grapes were producing, 112 00:06:25.879 --> 00:06:28.720 you know, which I wish it was wine. That's when 113 00:06:28.759 --> 00:06:30.639 I really emerged myself into the wine. 114 00:06:30.839 --> 00:06:33.759 So is there one particular wine or an experience that 115 00:06:33.879 --> 00:06:36.040 was one of those aha moments for you that kind 116 00:06:36.040 --> 00:06:37.720 of either set you on the path that you decided 117 00:06:37.720 --> 00:06:39.560 that you were going to give up architecture and become 118 00:06:39.560 --> 00:06:42.839 a wye maker, or maybe just you know, enjoying wine. 119 00:06:43.519 --> 00:06:47.360 Yes, absolutely so. So like I said, I started making 120 00:06:47.399 --> 00:06:49.600 wine for our you know, as a home wine maker 121 00:06:49.639 --> 00:06:53.160 and my literally in my garage. I created the first barrel, 122 00:06:53.199 --> 00:06:57.600 which it was a BATITSI ra out of our vineyard, Vinoda, 123 00:06:58.399 --> 00:07:03.360 and and I remember that, you know, we all liked it. 124 00:07:03.399 --> 00:07:06.000 I was giving it away to families and friends, the 125 00:07:06.040 --> 00:07:09.480 bottles we bottled it. We did everything ourselves. And then 126 00:07:09.519 --> 00:07:13.319 I decided to enter the State Fair Home Winemakers competition. 127 00:07:13.839 --> 00:07:16.319 I want a double gold, right, So I was like, 128 00:07:16.480 --> 00:07:20.680 all right, I did something right, I did something good. Uh, 129 00:07:20.759 --> 00:07:27.000 And that's what Literally, this kind of made my mind 130 00:07:27.040 --> 00:07:29.560 to open a brand, you know, talk to star a brand, 131 00:07:29.879 --> 00:07:33.480 and you know, and I, you know, to start talking 132 00:07:33.519 --> 00:07:37.399 to multiple friends and families about you know, let's just 133 00:07:37.439 --> 00:07:40.319 open a brand and and start you know, talking to 134 00:07:41.560 --> 00:07:43.680 other winemakers. You know, Hey, you know what's it take 135 00:07:43.759 --> 00:07:45.879 to open a brand or what I need to do. 136 00:07:46.000 --> 00:07:49.720 And the nice thing ABOUTTA is that I can go 137 00:07:49.800 --> 00:07:52.959 talk to any winemaker literally and knocking the door and 138 00:07:53.000 --> 00:07:55.360 then we'll open it and then we'll talk to you. 139 00:07:55.959 --> 00:08:00.720 That's great, that's community. And so I love the fact that, 140 00:08:00.800 --> 00:08:03.439 like one of your first AHA moments was making your 141 00:08:03.439 --> 00:08:07.000 own wine and winning awards. If we were to come 142 00:08:07.040 --> 00:08:09.800 to your home today, what kind of wines do you 143 00:08:09.839 --> 00:08:12.600 have in your cellar, in your collection your refrigerator. Is 144 00:08:12.639 --> 00:08:14.480 it all load eye wines? Is it your own wines 145 00:08:14.600 --> 00:08:19.600 or is it certain certain greate varieties, certain regions or producers. 146 00:08:20.319 --> 00:08:23.160 Yeah. You know, one of the things that I always 147 00:08:23.720 --> 00:08:26.360 say about myself, I like to explore. I like to 148 00:08:27.720 --> 00:08:33.600 find different styles, find different unique varieties. So if you 149 00:08:33.679 --> 00:08:36.039 go to my cellar, you will find a good variety 150 00:08:36.120 --> 00:08:39.480 of different wines from all over the world. I like 151 00:08:39.559 --> 00:08:43.200 to explore. Right now, I'm in a trend of finding 152 00:08:43.240 --> 00:08:46.120 what's the natural wine, you know, and that's the trend 153 00:08:46.120 --> 00:08:49.919 that everybody's talking about. So I'm I'm drinking a lot 154 00:08:49.960 --> 00:08:54.159 of natural wine classification wines. I don't know if they 155 00:08:54.159 --> 00:08:56.759 are natural, but I just wanted to see the style. 156 00:08:56.879 --> 00:09:02.840 And and also I do that because with a lot 157 00:09:02.879 --> 00:09:06.360 of crush, I have clients asking me, hey, we'd like 158 00:09:06.399 --> 00:09:09.159 to do a full cluster fermentation, you know, and I 159 00:09:09.159 --> 00:09:11.200 don't want to use no addition, so I want to 160 00:09:11.200 --> 00:09:14.080 go as natural as possible. Okay, well, let's you know. 161 00:09:14.159 --> 00:09:17.799 So that's kind of been my literally my school, you know, 162 00:09:17.919 --> 00:09:20.639 kind of just drinking the wines and exploring the styles 163 00:09:20.720 --> 00:09:24.440 and finding out what the style is supposed to take 164 00:09:24.639 --> 00:09:28.320 stastes like. And by doing that, it's just by opening bottles. 165 00:09:28.799 --> 00:09:30.919 And so, is there anything you opened up recently that 166 00:09:31.000 --> 00:09:32.320 tasted really really good? 167 00:09:32.679 --> 00:09:35.000 Yes, you know what. I just got back from Mexico 168 00:09:35.399 --> 00:09:38.120 and I was able to meet with a Michelin star 169 00:09:38.240 --> 00:09:42.559 chef in Wahaca, Mexico, and she started her own brand 170 00:09:42.840 --> 00:09:45.519 and Baya the Wallalupe. So she asked me to try 171 00:09:45.519 --> 00:09:48.200 her greenage blanc, which is natural wine. 172 00:09:49.879 --> 00:09:52.759 We're not seeing the quote marks he's using here, So 173 00:09:53.240 --> 00:09:54.000 I said, hey. 174 00:09:54.080 --> 00:09:56.679 You know what, this is perfect. I'm just exploring this 175 00:09:57.039 --> 00:09:59.360 new style. I said, would like to try it. So 176 00:09:59.399 --> 00:10:01.720 she actually pour a glass of wine for me, and 177 00:10:02.279 --> 00:10:04.159 it was it was nice. I liked it. It was 178 00:10:04.519 --> 00:10:10.120 very nice and refreshing. But to me, those wines have 179 00:10:10.279 --> 00:10:13.679 a little bit of oxidation and a lot of the 180 00:10:13.720 --> 00:10:17.840 wines that I've been drinking with a style, and this 181 00:10:18.120 --> 00:10:20.840 wine in particular didn't have that. You know, it was 182 00:10:20.879 --> 00:10:23.639 a little bit more fresher, a little bit more. You 183 00:10:23.679 --> 00:10:25.879 can taste the yeast, you can taste the wild yeast 184 00:10:25.879 --> 00:10:29.240 in the wine. But it was it was a nice wine. 185 00:10:29.240 --> 00:10:33.360 I was very surprised with that. Yeah, yeah, some. 186 00:10:33.360 --> 00:10:34.559 Good wines coming from there. 187 00:10:34.600 --> 00:10:37.720 Absolutely, yes, that's actually and that's where we got the 188 00:10:37.799 --> 00:10:43.840 idea of planting neviolo in Lora. My uncle actually, we 189 00:10:43.840 --> 00:10:47.759 we go a lot to Mexico and my uncle was 190 00:10:47.879 --> 00:10:52.600 in the Wallaalupe, Mexico, and he started tasting Nevolo's, so 191 00:10:53.279 --> 00:10:56.240 we noticed that there was no Nevollo's planted in this area. 192 00:10:56.519 --> 00:10:58.080 So we were like, all right, let's plant, you know, 193 00:10:58.159 --> 00:10:59.600 a couple of acres and see what it does. 194 00:10:59.679 --> 00:11:02.360 It's very very curious. Nebyola doesn't usually like heat. 195 00:11:03.279 --> 00:11:05.720 The nice thing about where we are, which I think 196 00:11:05.919 --> 00:11:08.399 is growing. That's why we've been very successful where it's 197 00:11:08.440 --> 00:11:11.519 growing is because we're right at the beginning of the hills, 198 00:11:11.559 --> 00:11:15.879 which is the Clemens Hills ABA, and we. 199 00:11:15.799 --> 00:11:19.360 Get a lot of the delta breeze, so we get 200 00:11:19.440 --> 00:11:22.440 a lot of hot days, but then we have a 201 00:11:22.600 --> 00:11:26.240 lot of drop on the temperatures at night, you know, 202 00:11:26.320 --> 00:11:28.840 So we can be one hundred and then a night 203 00:11:28.919 --> 00:11:30.399 can be sixty, you know. 204 00:11:30.440 --> 00:11:34.480 So it's like a forty degree difference in a during 205 00:11:34.519 --> 00:11:35.840 the heat season. 206 00:11:35.679 --> 00:11:38.240 Which allows your wines to have a lot of vicidity exactly. 207 00:11:38.639 --> 00:11:39.440 Yes. Yeah. 208 00:11:40.200 --> 00:11:43.639 So do you think there's a such thing as a 209 00:11:43.639 --> 00:11:46.320 perfect variety? 210 00:11:46.480 --> 00:11:48.759 I don't. I don't. I don't think so. I think. 211 00:11:49.320 --> 00:11:52.480 I think every variety has its unique you know, And 212 00:11:52.559 --> 00:11:56.559 I think every variety, for me, it's a it's a 213 00:11:56.639 --> 00:12:00.200 it's a unique wine, and not just the variety about 214 00:12:00.200 --> 00:12:03.080 the style, the wine making style, you know, it's unique. 215 00:12:03.120 --> 00:12:06.360 So I think we can all be made. I mean, 216 00:12:06.440 --> 00:12:08.960 we do this all the time. We we I sell 217 00:12:09.080 --> 00:12:13.519 to other producers producing the same variety grapes, and uh, 218 00:12:14.039 --> 00:12:17.639 and I taste their wines against mine, and they're unique, 219 00:12:17.759 --> 00:12:20.039 you know, and nothing wrong with either, well though, either 220 00:12:20.120 --> 00:12:24.080 are the wines. But they're just unique wines, so. 221 00:12:24.120 --> 00:12:28.559 No sense of perfection. So I'm curious as a wine drinker, red, 222 00:12:28.559 --> 00:12:29.440 whieter rose. 223 00:12:30.279 --> 00:12:36.840 Depending on the mood, Still are sparkling? I prefer sparkling? 224 00:12:37.000 --> 00:12:41.519 Okay, yeah, yeah, those were easy questions. So I'm curious 225 00:12:41.639 --> 00:12:44.200 when you're you know, you're tasting all these wines. You're 226 00:12:44.200 --> 00:12:47.559 an equal opportunist with your red, white and rose depending 227 00:12:47.559 --> 00:12:49.960 on the mood. What about depending on the food? How 228 00:12:50.000 --> 00:12:52.080 do you approach food and wine pairing? And do you 229 00:12:52.159 --> 00:12:55.480 follow rules? Do break rules? Do you have rules you 230 00:12:55.480 --> 00:12:57.000 can share with us or guidelines? 231 00:12:57.279 --> 00:13:00.600 I do all of them, right, I break rules, majority 232 00:13:00.639 --> 00:13:04.759 will break the rules. But I am very particular with 233 00:13:04.799 --> 00:13:07.600 the wines once I gonna, once I'm at the table, 234 00:13:08.799 --> 00:13:12.559 I try to do as close as possible the pairing. 235 00:13:14.200 --> 00:13:19.639 But I just believe that each palady is different. And 236 00:13:19.679 --> 00:13:22.480 I can be drinking an Alberino with a peanut butter 237 00:13:22.480 --> 00:13:24.919 and jelly sandwich and I will enjoy it. And there's 238 00:13:24.960 --> 00:13:27.799 nothing wrong with that. So to me, I don't think 239 00:13:27.840 --> 00:13:32.399 we have to put ourselves as there's has to order 240 00:13:32.519 --> 00:13:35.080 or or believe that there has to be rules, you know. 241 00:13:35.159 --> 00:13:37.240 I think there's you. You should enjoy it the way 242 00:13:37.279 --> 00:13:40.679 you want to. Uh. And that's actually one of our 243 00:13:40.720 --> 00:13:43.360 newer brands that I just started. It's a can wine. 244 00:13:44.039 --> 00:13:48.360 It's under Los Cuernos Wines. And the concept with that 245 00:13:48.679 --> 00:13:50.600 is that there's no rules, you know. 246 00:13:50.759 --> 00:13:54.120 So yeah, drink out of a can, com pair it 247 00:13:54.200 --> 00:14:00.639 with anything, yeah, yes. So what do you think that 248 00:14:01.960 --> 00:14:03.919 you know, you're a small brand, You're trying to get 249 00:14:03.960 --> 00:14:07.000 your name out there. You you know you can build 250 00:14:07.000 --> 00:14:09.159 a following locally, but how do you get your name 251 00:14:09.159 --> 00:14:11.240 out beyond? And what do you think the role of 252 00:14:11.279 --> 00:14:14.919 wine critics and scores play in that for someone like 253 00:14:14.960 --> 00:14:17.000 you or just in general and how you look at wine? 254 00:14:17.639 --> 00:14:21.240 Yes? And and I think they're important for the brand 255 00:14:21.320 --> 00:14:25.360 when they're starting, uh, and not not just when they're starting, 256 00:14:25.399 --> 00:14:27.919 but I think they're they're important to get them reviewed. 257 00:14:28.480 --> 00:14:30.759 A lot of the times. What I have done myself 258 00:14:31.399 --> 00:14:34.879 is I get too stuck with the same wine every year, 259 00:14:35.120 --> 00:14:38.639 right and and and there's nothing wrong with that, I 260 00:14:38.679 --> 00:14:41.000 mean it's selling, but then I wanted to I want 261 00:14:41.080 --> 00:14:44.919 to be since I'm been in the architectural side of it, 262 00:14:45.080 --> 00:14:48.440 I like to get critique. So I do the same 263 00:14:48.480 --> 00:14:51.120 thing with my wines. I like to submit these wines 264 00:14:51.320 --> 00:14:57.320 to particular competitions or magazines for reviews because I like 265 00:14:57.399 --> 00:15:00.559 to get feedback of you know, or I'm at or 266 00:15:00.799 --> 00:15:03.240 or what kind of score are going to be getting, 267 00:15:03.320 --> 00:15:04.960 you know, depending on the wine. 268 00:15:05.039 --> 00:15:08.559 Right, And maybe you won't change your style, but it'll 269 00:15:08.559 --> 00:15:09.639 give you some context. 270 00:15:09.679 --> 00:15:12.720 Yes, absolutely, and like and like I mentioned earlier, you know, 271 00:15:12.759 --> 00:15:15.240 I like to be I like to explore. I like 272 00:15:15.279 --> 00:15:18.279 to be creative, you know, and I like to stay 273 00:15:18.320 --> 00:15:21.360 on top of, you know, what people are liking, you know. 274 00:15:21.559 --> 00:15:24.919 So so yeah, I think that's that's probably the main reason, 275 00:15:25.000 --> 00:15:27.519 you know, why I do that. But at the same time, 276 00:15:27.559 --> 00:15:30.360 you know, I like to to know that if you know, 277 00:15:30.600 --> 00:15:33.240 one of the wines is getting low scores or is 278 00:15:33.320 --> 00:15:37.039 getting you know, why is it getting lost? You know 279 00:15:37.080 --> 00:15:39.919 those scores? If and you know, so that's why I 280 00:15:39.960 --> 00:15:41.600 do it. Yeah. 281 00:15:41.639 --> 00:15:43.960 So for somebody who hasn't had the pleasure to taste 282 00:15:44.000 --> 00:15:46.080 your wines yet, what do you think they're missing out on? 283 00:15:47.200 --> 00:15:50.120 So again, I mean, these wines are one hundred percent 284 00:15:50.200 --> 00:15:53.960 truthful to the variety, truthful to the winiards, to the soils. 285 00:15:54.440 --> 00:15:58.000 I don't do no blending, very low. I don't like 286 00:15:58.080 --> 00:16:00.840 to use the word natural in my wines, but I 287 00:16:00.960 --> 00:16:05.440 like to use the word low intervention, so they're very 288 00:16:05.480 --> 00:16:07.200 low in you know, I don't I don't. I try 289 00:16:07.200 --> 00:16:11.240 to stay away with with any additions from the vineyards 290 00:16:11.240 --> 00:16:14.080 all the way to the wine making. So that's one 291 00:16:14.080 --> 00:16:16.519 of the main keys that I try. I like to 292 00:16:16.559 --> 00:16:19.600 promote about the wines that you're going to taste, truthful 293 00:16:19.679 --> 00:16:21.840 to the variety. Now, I do play a little bit 294 00:16:21.879 --> 00:16:24.840 with with with the wine making. So like for example, 295 00:16:24.879 --> 00:16:28.320 this wine that we're tasting, it's an Albadino. Uh. Typically 296 00:16:28.360 --> 00:16:32.919 Alberdinos are fermented on stain is still thanks uh, this 297 00:16:33.039 --> 00:16:35.159 one in particular, I like to do it in barrels, 298 00:16:35.440 --> 00:16:37.639 you know. So I like to fermented in barrels and 299 00:16:37.679 --> 00:16:40.240 let it age for twelve months in the in the 300 00:16:40.279 --> 00:16:43.360 barrel before I bottle it. And then even after that, 301 00:16:43.440 --> 00:16:44.799 I like to let it age a little bit on 302 00:16:44.840 --> 00:16:47.559 the bottle before I release it. So you know, that's 303 00:16:48.039 --> 00:16:50.840 just a different style that I'm trying to to bring 304 00:16:51.399 --> 00:16:54.000 you know, so again bringing that high acid. How are 305 00:16:54.000 --> 00:16:56.519 the sassets a little bit of crispy, But it's a 306 00:16:56.559 --> 00:16:59.919 little bit more mineral minerality in the wine. So you 307 00:17:00.080 --> 00:17:02.720 can enjoy it in a nice hot day, or you 308 00:17:02.720 --> 00:17:04.960 can enjoy it under the fireplace. You know. 309 00:17:06.319 --> 00:17:09.400 So the train just went through the town of Lodi, 310 00:17:09.480 --> 00:17:11.759 right across the train tracks, right across the street from 311 00:17:11.759 --> 00:17:13.359 your taste room. And we heard the train go by, 312 00:17:13.400 --> 00:17:16.240 and some space aliens got off the train, you know 313 00:17:16.279 --> 00:17:18.720 they didn't They came in via train this time, and 314 00:17:18.799 --> 00:17:21.279 they walk up to your door. Which of your wines 315 00:17:21.279 --> 00:17:25.079 would you want to say welcome to you know, Anaya vineyard? Welcome, 316 00:17:25.319 --> 00:17:27.240 Welcome and taste my wines? 317 00:17:27.559 --> 00:17:30.039 Yeah, absolutely, yeah. I will probably get them started with 318 00:17:30.240 --> 00:17:32.720 an albino or probably get them the pino grease, which 319 00:17:32.799 --> 00:17:37.440 the pino gree is a skin contact fermented so let 320 00:17:37.480 --> 00:17:39.720 it let us let us sit on skins for about 321 00:17:39.759 --> 00:17:43.359 thirty six hours before I press it. So I just 322 00:17:43.440 --> 00:17:46.920 stem the fruit and throw the stans back to the 323 00:17:46.960 --> 00:17:49.680 to the to the to the skins, and then I 324 00:17:49.720 --> 00:17:52.920 press it all thirty six hours later. So that brings 325 00:17:52.960 --> 00:17:55.400 you more a little bit more tan its a little 326 00:17:55.480 --> 00:17:58.400 more acids, uh, and then also a little bit of color. 327 00:17:58.880 --> 00:18:01.599 So you know, that's always a fun wine because people 328 00:18:01.599 --> 00:18:04.000 get intimidated. This is a you know, this looks like 329 00:18:04.000 --> 00:18:06.400 like a little copper, like a little orange wine. But 330 00:18:06.440 --> 00:18:08.880 it's not. It's just you know, the style. 331 00:18:09.160 --> 00:18:11.480 Yeah, so you're gonna welcome them with something a little weird, 332 00:18:11.480 --> 00:18:13.599 a little different, but textured and fun. 333 00:18:14.839 --> 00:18:18.039 To me, that just gets some motivated. Okay, so what 334 00:18:18.160 --> 00:18:20.000 else you have? You know? And then I start pulling 335 00:18:20.000 --> 00:18:22.359 out all the other wines and start showcasing all the 336 00:18:22.359 --> 00:18:23.119 other brands. 337 00:18:23.680 --> 00:18:25.640 So we're here. You said you have one hundred and 338 00:18:25.680 --> 00:18:30.000 eighty eight, one hundred and eighty acres. I can't speak 339 00:18:30.079 --> 00:18:32.759 right now. It's a number of big number. Do you 340 00:18:32.799 --> 00:18:34.119 spend a lot of time in the vineyard? 341 00:18:34.519 --> 00:18:37.119 I do. I do. That's probably where my wine making 342 00:18:37.359 --> 00:18:40.839 comes out of. You know, I have a good mentor, 343 00:18:41.480 --> 00:18:44.400 and with her we spend a lot of times in 344 00:18:44.440 --> 00:18:47.680 the vineyards. So her philosophy, which is now my philosophy, 345 00:18:47.880 --> 00:18:50.799 is the wine has to be produced in the vineyards. 346 00:18:51.200 --> 00:18:53.240 So I like to, even with my clients and a 347 00:18:53.440 --> 00:18:56.960 load of crush, I like to visit the vineyards before 348 00:18:56.960 --> 00:19:00.119 they bring the fruits, or before we even commit to 349 00:19:00.200 --> 00:19:02.599 make the wines for them, you know, I would like 350 00:19:02.640 --> 00:19:05.599 to see how the farming procedures are. I like to 351 00:19:05.599 --> 00:19:07.440 see how the fruit is gonna look before it gets 352 00:19:07.440 --> 00:19:11.519 to the winery. My gold with that is to bring 353 00:19:11.559 --> 00:19:15.240 the fruit in and just babysit the wines through and 354 00:19:15.559 --> 00:19:17.960 have to manipulate the wines at the winery. 355 00:19:18.559 --> 00:19:20.960 So in the years that you've been now managing the 356 00:19:21.000 --> 00:19:24.160 vineyard and making wine, we know, every vintage tells a 357 00:19:24.160 --> 00:19:26.880 different story, and you're trying to make wines that express 358 00:19:26.960 --> 00:19:30.279 the grape. But how much variation do you see your 359 00:19:30.319 --> 00:19:32.319 toy year in a place like lod Eye. 360 00:19:33.079 --> 00:19:35.359 Yeah, I mean, particularly the last couple of years, it's 361 00:19:35.359 --> 00:19:39.000 been the weather's been crazy, so it's been all over 362 00:19:39.039 --> 00:19:43.119 the war to be honest. So yeah, I mean that's 363 00:19:43.200 --> 00:19:45.200 that's probably, you know, the last couple of years has 364 00:19:45.240 --> 00:19:48.759 been very unpredictable for us, For me, for myself, just 365 00:19:48.799 --> 00:19:51.000 because I like to stay truthful to the to the 366 00:19:51.079 --> 00:19:53.720 variety and to the soils and to the you know, 367 00:19:53.759 --> 00:19:54.720 to the climate change. 368 00:19:55.319 --> 00:19:58.240 Previously, was it more consistent or has it always given 369 00:19:58.279 --> 00:19:59.920 you sort of a run for your money? 370 00:20:00.359 --> 00:20:02.599 No? I think it has been. It was a little 371 00:20:02.640 --> 00:20:05.359 bit more consistency, you know. I mean the last couple 372 00:20:05.400 --> 00:20:07.480 of years, we've been seeing wet years, we've been seeing 373 00:20:07.519 --> 00:20:10.039 hot years. You know, who knows how this year is 374 00:20:10.079 --> 00:20:11.680 going to be. You know, we're already seeing the heat, 375 00:20:11.839 --> 00:20:13.440 so I mean it's going to be a dry year, 376 00:20:13.519 --> 00:20:15.880 you know, so we might have to have the fruit 377 00:20:15.920 --> 00:20:20.279 pig earlier, you know, and and not enough you know, 378 00:20:20.759 --> 00:20:23.759 probably not enough ripeness, you know, So all of that 379 00:20:23.960 --> 00:20:26.480 is just going to be part of the fun, you know, 380 00:20:26.640 --> 00:20:27.440 when we're gonna pick. 381 00:20:28.039 --> 00:20:32.880 Are there any sort of signs or omens that you 382 00:20:32.920 --> 00:20:35.000 look for that tell you what a vintage is going 383 00:20:35.079 --> 00:20:35.440 to give you? 384 00:20:36.559 --> 00:20:39.559 Yeah, I mean I think there is. I think there's 385 00:20:39.680 --> 00:20:43.559 a there's always during voration, you know, that's when we 386 00:20:43.599 --> 00:20:45.599 start seeing, you know, how the fruit is going to 387 00:20:45.680 --> 00:20:47.400 come out, I mean, or what we're going to be 388 00:20:47.480 --> 00:20:50.480 looking this year. I think we're seeing that the mines 389 00:20:50.480 --> 00:20:53.640 are a little bit heavier with fruit, so we've been 390 00:20:53.720 --> 00:20:56.759 doing a lot of thinning. But I think it's going 391 00:20:56.839 --> 00:20:58.319 to be a good year. I think, you know, we 392 00:20:58.440 --> 00:21:02.000 have enough water in the soil, and obviously this heat 393 00:21:02.039 --> 00:21:04.400 is not helping a lot but I think it's going 394 00:21:04.480 --> 00:21:06.319 to be a I think there's going to be a balance. 395 00:21:06.920 --> 00:21:09.559 So all signs point to a good harvest, but we 396 00:21:09.680 --> 00:21:10.000 never know. 397 00:21:10.279 --> 00:21:14.319 We never know exactly. Yes, who knows it might rain tomorrow. 398 00:21:15.440 --> 00:21:19.599 So I'm curious, do you, since you are making your 399 00:21:19.640 --> 00:21:21.680 wine in the vineyard and you spend a lot of 400 00:21:21.720 --> 00:21:25.279 time in the vineyard, do you have a tendency to 401 00:21:25.440 --> 00:21:27.359