2011 Syrah Hidden Terrace Vineyard

Whitney Fisher said that one benefit of the low yields attained in 2011 was good concentration to the wines, especially the cabernets, but she still thinks that the safe bet is to err on the young side when deciding when to drink them.She's more positive on the chardonnays produced in '11, on the other hand, "because chardonnay benefits from cooler seasons when acidity levels are maintained and sugars build slowly."The same can also be said for that variety in 2012, in which yields were high to very high, "but chardonnay responds far more positively to a large crop than red grapes, especially cabernet."So dropping fruit through the growing season was essential, she added, "but the fruit was so perfect that it made sorting at harvest a breeze."

I was deeply impressed with the wines I tasted at Fisher this year, the Chardonnays in particular. Whitney Fisher has a magic touch when it comes to her Chardonnays, which are among the most elegant and polished being made today in California. The Chardonnays are done with native fermentations and aged without any added SO2. Fisher is one of the few California winemakers who gives her Chardonnays a classic Burgundian elevage of two winters in barrel (the others include John Kongsgaard and David Ramey), which I feel often gives the wines more harmony and texture, especially when the wines are young. Since 2010, Fisher has moved towards larger puncheons rather than barriques for her Chardonnays, another trend I am seeing in Burgundy. The Chardonnays are made from the Fisher family's vineyards on the curving hillsides of the Sonoma side of Spring Mountain, while most of the reds are made from estate vineyards in Calistoga, basically right across the street from Araujo. For the reds, in both 2011 and 2012 the edge goes to the Sonoma wines over those made from Napa Valley fruit. In 2011, the elevation of the vineyards in Sonoma was a distinct advantage, while I find more concentration in the 2012 Sonoma wines over those made from Napa Valley fruit. The generous yields of the vintage might be one reason why that is the case.