20 years and two vineyards later, Stag’s Hollow is maturing well. This season, the 20th vintage of the winery’s famous Vidal is released and available for tasting in the wine shop. Grown in the Stag’s Hollow Vineyard, Vidal benefited from 2015’s long growing season. Usually left on the vine until the first frost, the prolonged growing season meant that the first frost was later than normal. The thick skins retain the aromatics, which is why winemaker Dwight Sick waits for the first frost to gently break down the skins. “This is our ripest Vidal ever,” says Dwight.
Their Shuttleworth Creek Vineyard, only a short distance from the winery, came into production in 2014. It is planted largely with Pinot Noir but also has all kinds of new grape varieties like Tempranillo, Dolcetto, Teroldego, and Albariño. The 2015 Albariño was harvested in two batches three weeks apart and vinified very differently. The final blend of the two batches shows the Albariño beautifully in the rich 2015 vintage. What makes the new vineyard fascinating is how physically different it is from the Stag’s Hollow Vineyard, allowing Dwight a whole new terroir palette from which to work.
Something new this year for fans of the fizz, Stag’s Hollow has a new Muscat Frizzante. Made with Muscat Ottonel and Riesling, it is a fresh wine for your summer parties. Ask for it in the wine shop this season.
~ Luke Whittall
(Pictured; Winemaker Dwight Sick)