4-13-10

TASTING

MAC LEOD VINEYARD

WINE TASTERS

BOCCI


We're sleeping at the Birmingham B&B in Sonoma County and Jerry, the owner, chews your ear off if you're in shouting distance. He means well, but just talks a bit too much for our liking. After a full breakfast complete with melon and a strawberry followed by eggs, tomatoes, asparagus, spinach, half an english muffin, all accompanied by coffee and orange juice, we hit up the Mac Leod Ranch. The family farm has many acres of grapes mostly all growing on north facing slopes. The hillside combined with a cool Pacific breeze makes their location ideal for growing Sauvignon Blanc varietals.

The founder of the ranch, George Mac Leod, is 89-years old and is now retired but he worked for Monsanto for many years. He insists that Monsanto is run, and always has been, by a group of gentlemen. Marjorie, George's daughter-in-law now has been working with George and she will be owner in the future. The Mac Leod family farm is striving towards an organic certification and instead of spraying their vines, they utilize an insectary. The insectary attracts "good" bugs to eat and keep in check the "bad" bugs that prey on their grape vines. The reasons for their goal to achieve the organic label are different than other farmers' reasons we've been working with previously. The Mac Leod's used to spray chemicals and use fertilizers but now feel that those practices do more harm than good to the grapes. Grapes are very sensitive, much like milk, and take on the flavor of their surrounding terrior. George felt that by using these chemicals he was altering the natural flavor and subsequently making an inferior product. His decisions seem to be influenced less by moral and economic factors and more by producing the highest quality grapes possible.

We did a tasting at a picnic table outside their barn after a walking tour of their property. The wine was fabulous. The Mac Leod's don't give public tours or tastings so it was a treat for a small group of us to go and spend time at their vineyard in a private setting.

We'd like to welcome the newest Pattap boy, Jonathan Max, to the family.

NEWEST NEPHEW