Lazy Creek Vineyards

Lazy Creek Winery
Location 4741 Highway 128, Philo, California, United States
Coordinates Coordinates: 39°6′25.96″N 123°29′55.72″W / 39.1072111°N 123.4988111°W
Wine region Anderson Valley
Appellation Anderson Valley AVA
Founded 1973
First vines planted Pinot noir
Gewürztraminer
Riesling
Chardonnay
Key people Hans Kobler[1]
Josh and Beth Chandler[1]
Don Carano
Rhonda Carano
Parent company Ferrari-Carano
Acres cultivated 52
Cases/yr 3,000[1]
Varietals Gewürztraminer[2], Pinot Noir[2], Riesling[2], Chardonnay[2], Syrah
Tasting By appointment[1]
Website lazycreekvineyards.com

Lazy Creek Vineyards is a winery in Philo, California in the United States. It is owned by Ferrari-Carano. It's the second oldest winery in the Anderson Valley.[3] The vineyard and winery is best known for its Gewürztraminer wine. The on-site Gewürztraminer grapes are some of the oldest in the Anderson Valley AVA.

History

The original Lazy Creek Vineyards property was first used as a farm and vineyard by the Pinolis family in the 1900s. They played grapes and plum trees. In 1969, Hans and Theresia Kobler purchased the property. They maintained a ranch onsite and lived in San Francisco, before planting their first grapes in 1972.[3] Their first grapes were Pinot noir and Gewürztraminer. It was then bought by Josh and Mary Beth Chandler and Dr. Noorthoek in 1999.[1] After acquiring the vineyard, the Chandler's expanded the vineyard to 40 acres.[1] They also had an on-site farm, with cattle, pigs and chickens. In the summer of 2008, they sold the winery to Don and Rhonda Carano, owners of Ferrari-Carano.[2] The winery has been featured in the New York Times,[2] the Sacramento Bee, and Sunset.[4]

Wine production

Historically, the winery produced syrah, pinot noir, Gewürztraminer, and chardonnay. Today, the winemaker is Christy Ackerman.[3] The vineyard produces approximately 3,000 cases of wine.[1] The original founder, Hans Kobler, planted a variety of grapes, including Gewürztraminer. The vines he planted were phylloxera-resistant. This was experimental at the time, and his grapes survived phylloxera attacks. Today, his Gewürztraminer vines remain some of the oldest in the Anderson Valley AVA. They grew their grapes organically. Their Gewürztraminer was aged in 20-year old barrels.[2] Today, Ackerman ages the grapes in stainless steel barrels rather than oak. They produce three acres of Gewürztraminer wine and produce 100 cases.[3] The property also has Pinot noir grapes, many which were originally planted by Kobler.[1] The winery sells both Lazy Creek wine and Ferrari-Carano wine.[3]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Gaffney, Rusty. "Lazy Creek Vineyards". PinotFile. The Prince of Pinot. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Asimov, Eric. "Lazy Creek is Sold". Diner's Journel. New York Times. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Dunne, Mike. "Mendocino County’s Lazy Creek Vineyards readies for its close-up". Mike Dunne on Wine. Sacramento Bee. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  4. ↑ Nathan, Emily. "Taste your way through Anderson Valley". Fall travel guide. Sunset. Retrieved 18 January 2015.

External links