Sauvignon Blanc Notes
Gina’s Sauvignon Blanc Notes:
My grandfather (Mom’s Dad), Al Granzella, owned a vineyard in Clearlake, CA for nearly 30 years. He purchased a 30 acre bare parcel and in 1977 he planted 13.5 acres to Sauvignon Blanc grapes, with a few rows of Cabernet Sauvignon, that he used for wine that he made for himself and family. In 1979, he planted 5 more acres of Sauvignon Blanc and in 1983, he planted 12 more acres of Sauv Blanc. The vineyard backed up to Cache Creek, which was his water supply for irrigation. The soils were red volcanic clay from Mt. Konocti, typical of what you find in Lake County.
He sold his Sauvignon Blanc grapes to large wineries in Napa and Lake Counties during the time he had his property:
Guenoc Winery
Buena Vista Winery
Fetzer
Mondavi
Louis M. Martini Winery
Kendall-Jackson
Groth Winery
He produced a tiny amount of Sauvignon Blanc that he labeled under “Granzella.” The Cabernet he made was bottled in shiners, and were stored in his wine cellar at his home in El Sobrante, CA.
I have fond memories of being up at my grandparent’s cabin in Clearlake Oaks during the late summer and my Nunu coming back from harvesting grapes, covered in red dirt. Harvest was always a stressful time for him, as he was always worried about brix (sugar levels) and picking the grapes at just the right time for the wineries who had contracts with him. I always loved going to his vineyard to see him during the summer months, where he spent every single weekend. He never went without drinking Bud Light while working his vineyard.
When we started Sans Wine Co. in late 2015, I told Jake that we had to produce a Sauvignon Blanc from Lake County, as a way to honor my Nunu’s memory. I like to believe that if he was still around, he would have traded in the Bud Light for a can of Sans Wine Co. Sauvignon Blanc.
We were lucky to find an awesome Sauvignon Blanc grower in Kelseyville, Chuck Carpenter, to purchase grapes from. Chuck has lived in Kelseyville his entire life and owns a large acreage of organic pear orchards in Kelseyville as well. What drew us to Chuck’s vineyard is that it is certified organic (CCOF). My grandfather’s vineyard was conventionally farmed and he often implemented the chemical sprays on the vines himself. There was less concern (and education IMO) back then about the long term effects from chemical exposures.
Gina Schober