298: Unrivaled Russian River Pinot Noir and Sonoma Wines with Theresa Heredia of Gary Farrell Winery

Does harvesting wine based on the biodynamic calendar make sense? What about actually drinking the wine based on the lunar cycle? How does fog play a profound role in growing grapes and winemaking in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma, California? Why do some winemakers add Mega Purple to wine, and what the heck is Mega Purple?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with superstar winemaker Theresa Heredia who has worked for some of California’s most prestigious wineries.

You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks

Giveaway

One of you will win a bottle of Gary Farrell wine.

To qualify, all you have to do is email me at [email protected] and let me know that you've posted a review of the podcast.  I'll choose one person randomly from those who contact me.  Good luck!

Highlights

What was the "aha moment" in her wine career that Theresa experienced during a trip to France?

Which aspects of Pinot Noir and Châteauneuf-du-Pape captured Theresa’s interest?

How did finding the intersection between chemistry and wine change the trajectory of Theresa’s career?

How did Theresa get through the double heat waves of 2010 - the most challenging year of her wine career?

Which viral moment has been the highlight of Theresa’s wine career so far?

What was it like to work at a new vineyard as a new experimental winemaker?

How often does Theresa taste the grapes as they ripen in the vineyard and the wine as it ages in the barrel?

What are “Jesus units” in winemaking?

What’s Theresa's opinion on Mega Purple, and why is it used in winemaking?

What can you expect from a visit to the Gary Farrell winery and tasting room?

How did Theresa approach making the wines her own over the years at Gary Farrell Winery?

What makes the Russian River Valley AVA unique in Sonoma?

How does fog influence the development of grapes in a vineyard?

Key Takeaways

The lunar cycle is correlated to gravitational forces. So if you pick on a root day, the theory is that you're not going to capture as much of the aromatics as you would on a fruit day when the gravitational forces are the weakest.

The fog and diurnal temperature shifts help preserve acidity and color development in the grapes. It can get up to 90 degrees Fahrenheit in the daytime, but at night, the grapes cool down to fog temperature, which is about 50-55 degrees. So you get that big swing in temperatures called a diurnal shift.

Mega Purple is highly concentrated grape juice made from Rubired grapes. Winemakers use Mega Purple to add color, body and texture, and make bigger, bolder wines.

About Theresa Heredia

Theresa Heredia started her career at Saintsbury and has also worked at Joseph Phelps Vineyards and Domaine de Montille in France. She became Winemaker at Gary Farrell Winery in 2012 and achieved critical acclaim for her wines. At Gary Farrell, she developed strong relationships with some of the most prominent vineyards in California. She was twice nominated as Winemaker of the Year by Wine Enthusiast and has received numerous other accolades.

To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/298.