Thanks, Dave! I didn't suspect Mission could be a real trend until about 10 yeas ago when I opened a bottle of ancient vine Amador Mission for my oldest daughter (who is now 46), who promptly declared it one of the finest wines she'd ever had, even in comparison to the endless number of Pinot Noirs I've shared with her!
Love reading this. The former owner here at Shadow Mountain Vineyards received a historical grant to plant some Mission vines. I’m still trying to locate any paperwork with the specifics, but we would love to try making our Mission into a stable fortified wine. To date, the grapes get distributed between some of the bolder reds.
While wineries such as Sandlands and Miraflores certainly use the grape to make traditional fortified Angelica (Deaver Ranch produces a "Port" from their ancient vines), Miraflores has had more success selling it as a light, fragrant table red, as has Rusack from their young vines in Ballard Canyon. Point being: Consumers are now receptive to the lighter styles of reds made from this once-maligned grape, which teaches us the lesson about market trends as they occur over the years.
Great piece, Randy! Thanks so much for posting!! I applaud your mission to rehabilitate the reputation of Mission. ;-)
Thanks, Dave! I didn't suspect Mission could be a real trend until about 10 yeas ago when I opened a bottle of ancient vine Amador Mission for my oldest daughter (who is now 46), who promptly declared it one of the finest wines she'd ever had, even in comparison to the endless number of Pinot Noirs I've shared with her!
That IS a splendid endorsement! Adding 'find way inside a bottle of well-matured Ancient Vine Mission from Amador' to my bucket list.
Although Sandlands makes one, it's hard to get. My favorite is Miraflores, which I buy at the winery tasting room in El Dorado.
Love reading this. The former owner here at Shadow Mountain Vineyards received a historical grant to plant some Mission vines. I’m still trying to locate any paperwork with the specifics, but we would love to try making our Mission into a stable fortified wine. To date, the grapes get distributed between some of the bolder reds.
While wineries such as Sandlands and Miraflores certainly use the grape to make traditional fortified Angelica (Deaver Ranch produces a "Port" from their ancient vines), Miraflores has had more success selling it as a light, fragrant table red, as has Rusack from their young vines in Ballard Canyon. Point being: Consumers are now receptive to the lighter styles of reds made from this once-maligned grape, which teaches us the lesson about market trends as they occur over the years.