Newsletter

Anderson Valley is the Place to Be

A beautiful summer day at Husch Vineyards. We look forward to your visit!

It seems everyone wants a piece of Anderson Valley. Whether seeking prime Pinot Noir land or a great estate to craft sparkling wine, Anderson Valley is hot.

Towering coastal redwoods and the majestic Navarro River are the backdrop for a scenic and iconic region. Just 45 minutes from the coast of Mendocino, Anderson Valley has a unique microclimate conducive to world-class grape growing. The coastal influence of morning and evening fog complemented by warm days allow for ideal development and ripening of grapes.

The Anderson Valley appellation, located within Mendocino County celebrates its 40th anniversary. The local lore reminds us that the official American Viticultural Area (AVA) petition was signed on a picnic table at the Husch house, when 6 wineries and 10 vineyards came together to make Anderson Valley something special. Our uncle HA Oswald, III just graduated with his enology degree from UC Davis and returned to the family winery to launch his career. As a young, enthusiastic winemaker he quickly became involved with creating groundwork for the AVA.

Husch, the first winery in the region, had 13 vintages under its belt at that time, but we purposefully did not label some bottled wines in 1982 as we waited for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (BATF) to review the appellation. When the petition was approved in early 1983, Husch was able to label the 1982 Pinot as “Anderson Valley.” This move may not have been fully legit, but we were very excited about our appellation.

Today the Anderson Valley AVA remains quite  exclusive. We count just 25 wineries and a total of 2,500 vineyard acres inside the defined appellation. Of course, fruit from the Valley is sold to “outsiders” so the number of brands making Anderson Valley wines is probably closer to 200.

The history of winemaking in Anderson Valley is one of passion, patience and perseverance. From those early years in the 1970s until the region became “legit” in 1983 we were a rag-tag group of family farmers and winemakers pursuing our dreams.

Following Husch’s lead most wineries produce Pinot Noir, but Gewurztraminer and sparkling wines share the limelight. At 40 years old the Anderson Valley is still a special place.
 
This year the Anderson Valley Winegrowers Association produced a short film highlighting the formation of our appellation. Classic stories of swapping baby sitting for punch downs, building tree-forts while parents worked in the tasting room, and good neighborly camaraderie paint the picture of a special winemaking community.
 

We Love Weeds? How we manage or don’t manage our arch-enemy

California poppies, clover and native grasses are encouraged for weed control.

Weeds drive us nuts! Like all good farmers, our blood pressure rises when we think about star thistle, tar weed, willow herb, and blackberries. Can’t we just make these villains go away?

Success stories are rare, but one victorious weed battle comes to mind. Back in 2012 when Husch purchased the historic Garzini Ranch in the warm Ukiah Valley we were warned that the property had a problem with “puncture vine.” This annual ground creeper produces hard thorns which punch into tires and shoe soles. These little devils had to go!
 
We attacked on two fronts. We first adopted a manual removal approach: that means shovels, buckets, and a lot of labor. The second approach was more clever - we learned that puncture vine likes disturbed soils so we stopped discing the property. (Discing is a type of shallow plowing). Since discing is not part of our regenerative farming, this change was an easy decision. Without the annual seed bank, and without the annual discing, the puncture vine disappeared within 2 years. And good riddance!

We wish we could say the same for blackberries. We lose that battle every year and are open to all ideas. The shovel is still our go-to control method. But we are exploring if we can rely on our thick matts of native grasses to prevent those vicious vines from getting started. A new planting of blackberries arrives in the vineyard every fall with droppings from the birds. But if those droppings are trapped in the matting of the grasses, maybe the seeds won't be able to germinate? We hope to see some improvement next spring.

Our evolving approach with weeds is starting to recognize that weeds have value to add. Some “weeds” are native plants that bring nutrients and balance to the vineyard. Weeds can also provide habitat for good insects. Weeds protect the temperature-dependent ecosystems in the soil from scorching during hot summer days. Sometimes the weeds can be pretty - California poppy and our springtime calendula come to mind. With all of these benefits, we realize we need to live symbiotically with our weeds.

So if it doesn't have thorns, and it doesn't radically interfere with our grapevines, we might be able to live with weeds.

DEBUT: 2016 Cuvée Beret Blanc de Blanc Brut Sparkling Wine

History
Our first sparkling wine was crafted as a tribute to Richard Robinson, who led Husch in the 1980s to early 90s. Father of Zac and Amanda, current family owners, his legacy was marked by a relentless pursuit of wine quality, while often sporting his signature beret. Drawing from a rich heritage of Chardonnay-based sparklers, this wine pays homage to the illustrious tradition of Blanc de Blanc, synonymous with elegance and finesse.

Winemaking
Crafted via Méthode Champenoise, the hand-harvested grapes were selected from our Vine One Chardonnay field. Following gentle pressing, the juice underwent a leisurely fermentation, allowing for the development of nuanced flavors and delicate aromas. Extended aging on the lees imparted depth and complexity, enhancing the wine’s structure and texture. The result is a Brut sparkling wine that embodies the hallmark characteristics of the best Blanc de Blancs available.

Tasting Notes
Elegance unfolds with each sip, revealing beguiling aromas of crisp green apple, Meyer lemon and star jasmine. A symphony of flavors delights the palate with notes of lemon soufflé and Asian pear complemented by toasted brioche. A fine, persistent mousse and a harmonious balance of freshness and complexity lead to a lingering finish. Versatile and refined, this Blanc de Blanc is the perfect companion for celebratory occasions, pairing seamlessly with oysters, seafood or charcuterie.

HARVEST DATE: Aug 23, 2016 at 19.3˚ brix
ALCOHOL: 12.5%
CASES: 99
MATURATION: 7 years
ACIDITY: 7.8 g/L (pH 3.0)
RETAIL: $65

The Meaning of Wine Awards & Ratings: Check out our bling

The awards are in and Husch Sparkles in Gold. Each year, Husch enters a handful of traditional wine competitions, those that we hold in high regard. We are often asked in the tasting room about how wine competitions work and what the awards mean.

Every competition has a wide tasting panel of judges with wine experience such as sommeliers, wine writers, wine curators for restaurants and retail stores, and even winemakers. Each judge is presented with a flight of wines based on varietal, vintage and sometimes price point. These wines are poured in a back room (or brown bagged) and coded for a blind tasting. The wine is then scored by each judge on the visual (clarity, color), the nose/aroma (fruity, earthy), the palate (body, finish) and overall quality (low, medium, high).

Once the score sheets are tabulated awards are then assigned. Typically, the wines that the majority of judges give a high score receive a Gold Medal and the wines that are unanimously given a high score receive a Double Gold. From there, these wines enter the sweepstakes round where they may be awarded Best of Class, best of their category (ie Best White Wine, Best Chenin Blanc), Best of Region, or Best of Show. Most competitions that Husch enters review over 2,000 wines. So a Gold Medal, Best of Class, or Best of Show award is a true honor.

Wine magazines, online reviews, and newspaper ratings are a bit different. Husch may either submit the wines to each publication or the writer requests for a sample, who then tastes each wine blind and scores the wine based on either a 100 point, 5 star or some similar rating.

Husch is proud of our winemakers Brad and Peter, along with their dedicated vineyard and cellar team, for continually producing high quality wines that bring home gold time and time again. And how lucky we are to enjoy all these award-winning vintages. Cheers!

RECENT AWARDS AND ACCOLADES
2023 Vin Gris
GOLD MEDAL California State Fair

2023 Sauvignon Blanc
BEST OF SHOW WHITE WINE Mendocino Wine Comp.
BEST OF CLASS/DOUBLE GOLD North Coast Wine Challenge
BEST OF CLASS/DOUBLE GOLD Orange County Wine Comp.

2022 Renegade Sauvignon Blanc
DOUBLE GOLD San Francisco Chronicle Wine Comp.

2022 Chardonnay
BEST OF CLASS/DOUBLE GOLD Dan Berger Int’l Wine Comp.
DOUBLE GOLD Mendocino County Wine Comp.

2022 Vine One Chardonnay
GOLD MEDAL San Francisco Chronicle Wine Comp.

2021 Special Reserve Chardonnay
DOUBLE GOLD Harvest Challenge
GOLD MEDAL Mendocino County Wine Comp.
GOLD MEDAL Dan Berger Int’l Wine Comp.

2022 Dry Gewurztraminer
BEST OF SHOW WHITE WINE North Coast Wine Challenge
DOUBLE GOLD Harvest Challenge
DOUBLE GOLD San Francisco Chronicle Wine Comp.

2023 Chenin Blanc
BEST OF CLASS/DOUBLE GOLD Sunset Wine Comp.
GOLD MEDAL North Coast Wine Challenge

2022 Pinot Noir
GOLD MEDAL North Coast Wine Challenge
GOLD MEDAL California State Fair

2021 Reserve Pinot Noir
GOLD MEDAL Sunset Int’l Wine Comp.

2019 Knoll Pinot Noir
GOLD MEDAL Dan Berger Int’l Wine Comp.
GOLD MEDAL Pacific Rim Int’l Wine Comp.

2021 Cabernet Sauvignon
GOLD MEDAL California State Fair

2022 Old Vines Zinfandel
GOLD Orange County Wine Comp.

2022 Old Vines Heritage
GOLD MEDAL San Francisco Chronicle Wine Comp.
GOLD MEDAL Sunset Int’l Wine Comp.
GOLD MEDAL North Coast Wine Challenge

2022 Muscat Canelli
BEST OF SHOW DESSERT/BEST OF CLASS Sunset Wine Comp.
BEST OF CLASS/GOLD North Coast Wine Challenge
BEST OF CLASS San Francisco Chronicle Wine Comp.

2023 Late Harvest Gewurztraminer
100 POINTS /DOUBLE GOLD California State Fair
BEST OF SHOW DESSERT Mendocino Wine Comp.
BEST OF SHOW DESSERT/BEST OF CLASS Sunset Wine Comp.

You can also stay in touch with our free newsletter. Expect news and special wine savings with our semi-annual mailing.

Husch Vineyards
Tasting Room: 4400 Hwy 128, Philo, CA 95466
Mail Address: PO Box 189, Talmage, CA 95481
Open Daily 10am to 5pm
1-800-554-8724
Contact Us  | Accessibility  | Trade & Wholesale  | Privacy