The Gehr family has been
making wines for more than twenty years.
They have helped establish some notable
wineries, including Congress Springs Winery
in Santa Cruz, and honed their winemaking
skills at Zaca Mesa before striking out
on their own. In 1990, the Gehrs decided
to establish their own small winery in
Santa Barbara County, aptly named Daniel
Gehr Wines. During the course of the last
13 years, the Gehr's approach to wine
and winemaking has steadily evolved.
Those
who have followed the Gehr family wines
have seen Dan Gehr shift from whites to
reds. With the increased focus on red
wines has come a renewed purpose for utilizing
locally produced grapes. As Gehr explains,
"In the beginning of 2002, we decided
that it was important to use grapes from
local vineyards. By staying local we have
the opportunity to really monitor the
growing and harvesting of the fruit, which
obviously benefits the end result."
Another element in Gehr's
success has been the emphasis on balance,
elegance and finesse. This is a trend
that is spreading throughout the region.
"We are seeing more well-balanced
wines replacing the so called "trophy"
and/or heavily oaked styles of winemaking.
We recognize this balanced style makes
a more accessible and enjoyable wine for
consumers," Gehr adds.
The Gehr family's enthusiasm
for winemaking and the wine business is
catching on close to home. Their 25-year
old daughter, Jennifer, is following in
the footsteps of her parents by starting
her own line of wines named Vixen and
has already produced a Syrah and Viognier.
The wines we selected for
June 2003 at the California Wine Club
are Dan Gehr's 2001 Santa Barbara County
Pinot Blanc and the 2000 Paso Robles Syrah.
The Gehrs make a number of other wines,
which can be found on their website at
www.dwines.com.
Total production from the winery is approximately
7,500 cases depending on the quality and
quantity of grapes available that year.
.
The Pinot Blanc is made in the style of
a white burgundy. The flavor has a cool
and refreshing mineral core with apple
and spice flavors. The fruit was hand
harvested from the cool climate Santa
Marie Valley at the north end of the Foxen
Canyon wine trail. The vines are some
of the oldest Pinot Blanc in this area.
The grapes were gently crushed and the
juice fermented in stainless steel tanks.
Thirty percent was then aged in new French
oak for a brief period of time. A few
months before bottling about 20 percent
Santa Barbara County Chardonnay was added
to create the final wine. This selection
can be enjoyed now or will hold up to
the next 12 months. As the wine ages it
will become less fruity and more nutty
and softer. Total case production was
698. This wine retails for $14.00 per
bottle.*
. The 2000 vintage
is an early-drinking vintage. It’s
a very dark and forward wine that displays
a wonderful smoothness and softness. This
selection is ideal with a variety of game
dishes, Mediterranean cuisine, and the
foods of Southern France and Northern
Italy. This is a warm climate Syrah from
Paso Robles. The vineyard was planted
in 1997 among the rolling hills on the
eastside of Paso Robles. The fruit was
hand harvested in September 2000, destemmed
and cold soaked before a seven-day fermentation.
According to Gehr, cold soaking helps
extract the most color, flavor and aroma
from the fruit. After 14 days on the skins,
the wine is aged for one year in American
Oak, 50 percent of that was new. This
selection can be enjoyed now or will hold
up to two years. Total case production
was 1,400. The wine retails for $20.00
per bottle.*
*Special
note: California Wine Club members can
purchase additional wine at $10.50 per
bottle.
The California Wine Club
has provided this wine country story.
For more information visit www.cawineclub.com
or call 1-800-777-4443.
