VILLA CREEK CELLARS

Villa Creek Cellars – Snail prize 

PASO ROBLES

5995 Peachy Canyon Road

tel. (805) 238-7145

www.villacreek.com

wine@villacreek.com

60 ac – 30,000 bt

‘‘When Cris and JoAnn Cherry began planting grapes on their 60-acre property, they decided to never farm with chemicals”

PEOPLE

Cris and JoAnn Cherry are restaurateurs turned winemakers. In 1996 they moved to Paso Robles to open their restaurant, and in 2001 began to make their own wine. The Cherrys now live on their estate in the west hills of Paso Robles.

VINEYARDS

Their MAHA Estate was planted in 2012 and is Demeter certified biodynamic and Stellar certified organic. The Cherrys have begun to use this estate fruit from the past few harvests. However, they also source from friends’ vineyards whose grapes range from biodynamic, to organic, to sustainable. As Cris puts it, “75% of our purchased fruit is certified Organic and/or Biodynamic. The other is farmed in that fashion but not certified.” They source fruit from the James Berry Vineyard and G2 which are both sustainable, and from the CCOF certified Luna Matta.

WINES

The refreshing Grenache Blanc 2017 has juicy white peach, green apple, and a lovely, lingering minerality. It was aged in concrete and underwent partial malolactic fermentation. The Avenger 2015 is inspired by the wines of Priorat, Spain but the Cherrys “don’t wanna be a cover band.” It’s a Syrah dominant blend with Mourvedre, Grenache, and Petite Sirah. It is full bodied with cola, wet soil, and blackberry tart notes. The Garnacha 2016 evokes ripe blackberries in a summer forest; brambly, herbaceous, with a long, spiced fruit finish. The Willow Creek Cuvee 2016 (Great wine) is a Grenache dominant GSM. It features fruit from the famed Willow Creek district and is a Villa Creek Cellars’ flagship wine. Gorgeous notes of ripe fig and black plum are framed by a sweet smoky edge. It has a backbone of sweet herbs, wet soil, and smoke.

FERTILIZERS compost, green manure

PLANT PROTECTION biodynamic preparations

WEED CONTROL mechanical, mowing

YEASTS spontaneous fermentation

GRAPES purchase 50%

CERTIFICATION biodynamic, organic