Chalone Vineyard
Encyclopedia
Chalone Vineyard is located in the Chalone AVA south of San Francisco, California
, United States
, on an unusual geological formation called the Gavilan benchland. The soil is rich in limestone
and calcium carbonate
and also contains a significant amount of decomposed granite
. Chalone is situated in an arid chaparral environment, in which temperatures can vary as much as 50°F in one day. The climate is very dry, only 12 to 14 inches (355.6 mm) of rain fall per year. These factors combine to create a unique terroir, the signature profile of a wine growing region.
was planted in the 1890s by a Frenchman
, Charles L. Tamm, who thought the soil similar to that in Burgundy. In 1964, the property was purchased by new owners with a commitment to producing fine wine. Under the guidance of California wine pioneer Richard H. Graff
, the vineyard
expanded when new vineyards were planted and the winery was moved from a converted chicken shed to a bigger location adjacent to where a newer (and much larger) winery stands today.
Graff wanted to establish a Burgundian-Style, top-flight Chardonnay
, and with his brothers, John Graff and Peter Watson-Graff, began producing some of the earliest barrel-fermented and aged wines in the United States. In addition to introducing California to oak barrels, Graff brought to California the process of malolactic fermentation
in white wines. In 1971 he was joined by Phillip Woodward and the two began what would later become the Chalone Wine Group.
Chalone Vineyard achieved third rank out of ten from France and the U.S. in the historic Judgment of Paris wine competition
. All 11 judges awarded their top scores to either Chalone Vineyard or Chateau Montelena
, also of California.
Chalone grew and prospered first with Richard Graff and brothers John and Peter Watson-Graff, then Michael Michaud as winemaker. During this time the Chalone Wine Group expanded to include six wineries in California and two in Washington. Chalone Wine Group also owned about 24% of the Chateau Duhart-Milon estate in France. In 2005, Chalone Wine Group was purchased by beverage giant Diageo
.
Today, Chalone Vineyard produces Chardonnay, Pinot Noir
, Pinot blanc
, Chenin blanc
, Syrah and Grenache
.
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, on an unusual geological formation called the Gavilan benchland. The soil is rich in limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
and calcium carbonate
Calcium carbonate
Calcium carbonate is a chemical compound with the formula CaCO3. It is a common substance found in rocks in all parts of the world, and is the main component of shells of marine organisms, snails, coal balls, pearls, and eggshells. Calcium carbonate is the active ingredient in agricultural lime,...
and also contains a significant amount of decomposed granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
. Chalone is situated in an arid chaparral environment, in which temperatures can vary as much as 50°F in one day. The climate is very dry, only 12 to 14 inches (355.6 mm) of rain fall per year. These factors combine to create a unique terroir, the signature profile of a wine growing region.
History
The original vineyardVineyard
A vineyard is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice...
was planted in the 1890s by a Frenchman
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Charles L. Tamm, who thought the soil similar to that in Burgundy. In 1964, the property was purchased by new owners with a commitment to producing fine wine. Under the guidance of California wine pioneer Richard H. Graff
Richard Graff
Richard Graff was one of the pioneers of modern California winemaking.-Early life:Born on January 20, 1937, he grew up in the San Francisco suburb of Danville. He first passion was music, culminating in a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard. While at Harvard he restored an entire theater organ in a...
, the vineyard
Vineyard
A vineyard is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice...
expanded when new vineyards were planted and the winery was moved from a converted chicken shed to a bigger location adjacent to where a newer (and much larger) winery stands today.
Graff wanted to establish a Burgundian-Style, top-flight Chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is originated from the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand...
, and with his brothers, John Graff and Peter Watson-Graff, began producing some of the earliest barrel-fermented and aged wines in the United States. In addition to introducing California to oak barrels, Graff brought to California the process of malolactic fermentation
Malolactic fermentation
Malolactic fermentation is a process in winemaking where tart-tasting malic acid, naturally present in grape must, is converted to softer-tasting lactic acid. Malolactic fermentation tends to create a rounder, fuller mouthfeel. It has been said that malic acid tastes of green apples...
in white wines. In 1971 he was joined by Phillip Woodward and the two began what would later become the Chalone Wine Group.
Chalone Vineyard achieved third rank out of ten from France and the U.S. in the historic Judgment of Paris wine competition
Wine competition
A wine competition is an organized event in which trained judges or consumers competitively rate different vintages or bands of wine. There are two types of wine competitions, both of which use blind tasting of wine to prevent bias by the judges....
. All 11 judges awarded their top scores to either Chalone Vineyard or Chateau Montelena
Chateau Montelena
Chateau Montelena is a Napa Valley winery most famous for winning the white wine section of the historic "Judgement of Paris" wine competition. Chateau Montelena's Chardonnay was in competition with nine other wines from France and California under blind tasting...
, also of California.
Chalone grew and prospered first with Richard Graff and brothers John and Peter Watson-Graff, then Michael Michaud as winemaker. During this time the Chalone Wine Group expanded to include six wineries in California and two in Washington. Chalone Wine Group also owned about 24% of the Chateau Duhart-Milon estate in France. In 2005, Chalone Wine Group was purchased by beverage giant Diageo
Diageo
Diageo plc is a global alcoholic beverages company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest producer of spirits and a major producer of beer and wine....
.
Today, Chalone Vineyard produces Chardonnay, Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir
Pinot noir is a black wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. The name may also refer to wines created predominantly from Pinot noir grapes...
, Pinot blanc
Pinot Blanc
Pinot blanc is a white wine grape. It is a point genetic mutation of Pinot noir. Pinot noir is genetically unstable and will occasionally experience a point mutation in which a vine bears all black fruit except for one cane which produced white fruit....
, Chenin blanc
Chenin Blanc
Chenin blanc , is a white wine grape variety from the Loire valley of France. Its high acidity means it can be used to make everything from sparkling wines to well-balanced dessert wines, although it can produce very bland, neutral wines if the vine's natural vigor is not controlled...
, Syrah and Grenache
Grenache
Grenache is one of the most widely planted red wine grape varieties in the world. It ripens late, so it needs hot, dry conditions such as those found in Spain, the south of France, and California's San Joaquin Valley. It is generally spicy, berry-flavored and soft on the palate with a relatively...
.
Further reading
- Taber, George M. Judgment of Paris: California vs. France and the Historic 1976 Paris Tasting that Revolutionized Wine. NY: Schribner, 2005.
- Woodward, Phillip and Walter, Gregory S. Chalone: A Journey on the Wine Frontier. Sonoma, CA: Carneros Press, 2000.