This week I had an opportunity to visit with Joseph Otos to talk about his winemaking philosophy and the brands that he is putting on the map, Willowbrook and Owl Ridge.
Both brands are crafted in Sebastopol’s rabbit warren of entrepreneurship that I described during my August visit with Rick Davis and Greg La Follette. Joe relates that the facility is a perfect place to work for the exchange of ideas as well as the opportunity to taste and compare notes with so many of the region’s most famous producers of Pinot Noir. He feels that there’s a sense of pushing the envelope in this facility so that everyone can stay ahead of the curve.
Willowbrook is a Pinot Noir brand while Owl Ridge has created an identity with Cabernet. A few years ago at the Sonoma County Harvest Fair, their Sonoma County bottling took Gold. During this visit we focused on the Cabs from the T.R. Passalacqua Vineyard.
The vineyard is located off Mill Creek Road in the western hills of Dry Creek Valley. Joe walks the vineyard religiously to get the picking right when the flavors are where he wants them. In tasting the wines over 7 vintages, it seems that he applies the gentleness necessary in working with Pinot to the more burly Cabernet, striking a balance of suppleness, fruit expression and acidity to carry the flavors.
Owl Ridge, Dry Creek Valley, T. R. Passalacqua Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 Tasted in barrel after the final blend was constructed, this plays like a finished wine, already in the bottle. There’s loads of black fruit jumping out of the glass with a suppleness in the mouth that one just doesn’t expect out of the barrel. Certainly there is structure but it is tamed, making the wine delicious already. This wine will be released next summer. Retail for the 2004 is $42 to give a sense of the anticipated price.
How might such a supple and fruity Cab evolve in the bottle? There’s always the danger of early decay, a criticism that many European commentators frequently hurl at California wines. To answer the question, we tasted:
Owl Ridge, Dry Creek Valley, T. R. Passalacqua Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 In the nose there were berry liqueur-like aromas coupled with sweet vanilla. The mouth was just luscious with ripe tannins caressing the fruit. This wine is sold out but might be found hidden in a restaurant or friend’s cellar. Owl Ridge
