As fashions came and went, Stony Hill Vineyard clung to its old-school methods and austere style of chardonnay, seemingly taking little notice of the extravagant, oaky and alcoholic styles that gained popularity in the '90s — and fetched far higher prices.
Stony Hill’s new leadership team, from left, Renee Berkus, Michaela Louise Kelly and Jaimee Motley, on the terrace of the residence built by Fred and Eleanor McCrea. Stony Hill, a bastion of white wines, will soon be a red-dominant producer as the new leadership team embraces the future while honoring the vineyard’s past.
McCoy then made an unconventional but inspired choice: He named as the winemaker Jaimee Motley, whose experience was in the vanguard of young California producers, not the typical Napa Valley pipeline. Longtime fans of Stony Hill might be disquieted to learn that major changes are afoot. The cellar is being completely rebuilt, much of the vineyard is being replanted and a conversion is underway to biodynamic and regenerative viticulture, promoting soil health and a permanent cover crop rather than tilling or plowing. Even the wines will be changing, though not stylistically.
“Transitioning to cabernet just makes sense with climate change,” Motley said. Chardonnay and the other whites, which don’t do as well as cabernet in the heat, will continue to grow in cooler sites at Stony Hill, which rises on a hillside from 600 feet to 1,600 feet, nestled among redwoods and firs. “Experimenting with new farming techniques, new varieties, and shifting the percentage of reds is the kind of creativity that I hope will keep Stony Hill alive and well,” she continued. “As much as I would have loved for it to stay as it was forever, I know that wasn’t possible.”
“They wanted to go through malo,” Motley, who has always made wine without overt intervention, said of the wines. “It would have taken a lot to block it — cold aging, lots of sulfur dioxide.” “When I think of Napa and what inspires me, it’s the wines of the ’60s and ’70s,” she said. “I’ve had them, and they always resonated, the elegance and restraint, with the kind of wines I wanted to make.”
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Rinabeth Apostol is roaring out of the pandemic-era theater shutdown - The San Francisco ExaminerOver the years, San Francisco-born Rinabeth Apostol has appeared in film, TV and on stage and has worked as an educator and activist.
Read more »
California’s employee protection law could soon be gutted - The San Francisco ExaminerThe specific question the court is expected to decide by June: whether workers who have signed job contracts that bar them from suing their employer can still bring a case to court under the law.
Read more »
San Francisco plans to purchase 200 units to house homeless families - The San Francisco ExaminerA sparkling seven-story building on 12th Street could soon play a key role in not only getting homeless families into housing, but helping them avoid displacement outside of San Francisco.
Read more »
California’s college ID cards may soon include mental health resources - The San Francisco ExaminerStudent mental health was declining long before the pandemic, but accelerated when COVID forced the closure of school campuses and increased social isolation.
Read more »
Opinion: Why I celebrate 4/20 the day before - The San Francisco ExaminerOPINION: While we get to enjoy convenient cannabis delivery to our front door, many are still living in prison. The War on Drugs unfairly targeted people of color, destroying lives and families. We must give thanks — and commit to help fix so many wrongs.
Read more »
Buzzkill: Tech companies grapple with workers getting high on the job - The San Francisco ExaminerIt’s never been easier to get high while you work. And it’s never been harder for employers to figure out what, if anything, to do about that.
Read more »