It's a little hard to believe that thirty years have passed since my first harvest at Joseph Phelps in 1983. To be able to mark that anniversary in Catalunya is a dream come true. In addition to our two vineyards, I've contracted to buy garnatxa (grenache) from an organic vineyard near Falset. We'll blend this with part of our carinyena to make a traditional Montsant wine. This vineyard is 14 years old and is in perfect condition. It's been owned by a Dutch family the past few years. As you can see, the fruit is as pretty as it can be. We started picking by hand at 7:30 a.m. on Sept. 3rd (Labor Day). Everything went smoothly and we were finished by 2:30 p.m.
This (2012) has been the warmest and driest year in Catalunya for 30 years. The grapes are ripening early and mine are no exception. This garnatxa was harvested at 25.6 Brix with a pH of 3.70 (damn good numbers, if you ask me!). I can't tell you how absolutely thrilled I am with the way things are going here. Also, I want to thank each and every one of you for your support and encouragement over the years. You've given me the courage to pursue a dream and I plan to reward you with some killer wine! Thanks again for keeping in touch.
Russell & Susan
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