Our most recent accolades include winning the GOLD MEDAL at the 2009 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition for our 2006 Pinot Noir		Our most recent Robert Parker review said “94 points – A sensational discovery … beautiful concentration … its seamless purity, complexity and length are all impressive.”
Our most recent Wine Spectator review put us on their Insider Hot List and said “92 points…terrific-Fresh, ripe and concentrated, with vivid plum, blackberry and raspberry fruit that’s zesty, complex and balanced, gaining depth, richness, complexity and length.” But my favorite critic is you— our loyal mailing list. Thanks for your support!

In this discussion I am not talking about just making good Pinot Noir, I am talking about making great Pinot Noir! What is the difference? Balance and Complexity!

An array of rich, ripe, full bodied aromas and flavors like black cherries, plums, chocolate and coffee, mixed with the elegant, sensual perfume of raspberries, brown spices and sweet cherry blossoms…textures that are full and mouth coating yet silky and lasting…pairing with any dish or perfect on its own!
When true harmony exists, the sensual layers seem to unfold forever!

The bigger question lies in how to make not just good, but great Pinot Noir. The Answer: Everything matters! – There are literally hundreds of small steps, none the answer by themselves but all-important to achieve the best expression.

Guy Davis' Top 5 Rules For Crafting Great Pinot

Risking over simplification, these are my top five rules to stay on course toward greatness:

1. Only grow on sites destined for greatness – those special little tucked away corners of the world…hillsides in close proximity to the coast, which help lengthen the growing season and to maximize those complex flavors, sites blessed with soils and exposures of perfect sunlight that match with this fragile grape.
2. Precision viticulture — I do not farm 7 acres, I farm 9869 vines – My philosophy is to visit and finesse each vine 12 to 14 times during the growing season from pruning to harvest…things like thinning the crop to boost concentration, positioning shoots and leaves to maximize sunlight and airflow, then at the end of the season, perhaps positioning them to shade the fruit and protect it from the harsh August sun…“field sorting,” which means cutting off any clusters that are not exactly perfect the day before harvest – meaning shriveled or bird damaged grapes, or any fruit not on the exact ripening pace with the others, etc.
3. Pick on the right #*@%!^$ day! It is the most important decision of the year — and yes there is a day that is exactly the day each vintage, but it takes dedication the other 364 to know when that day is…finding the point that gets your flavors as ripe and supple as possible without crossing that fine line that will jeopardize the elegance and beauty — it takes an obsessive, focused, fanatical instinct to hit that day.
4. Smell, taste, and talk to the wines every week — Once in the winery, work meticulously smelling, tasting, and talking to the wines in barrel each week to be able to handle them as little as possible, every action will create a reaction, and perhaps reduce the prized complexity – we never pump the wine – we use only gravity to gently move the wine – I do as much hand work as I can in the vineyard, to then do as little as possible to the juice once in the winery.
5. Be an expert at blending — know what true greatness is – one must have a mystic bulls-eye they are aiming toward! Through trial and experience use only techniques that work seamlessly with each specific vineyard block, keep each vineyard section separate, then through accurate yet artistic trials – a final magical blend is assembled, something special that expresses the vintage, that special vineyard location and that brilliant, haunting, alluring lust of the Pinot goddess.

Perfect Pinot may be elusive, but when discovered and embraced it is truly heaven.

Here's How It Works:

We cellar 6 bottles of each of our releases until the perfect time of the year, email you that the wine is coming and then ship it directly to your home or office – you not only enjoy a 10% discount on your re-orders (our only discount), – you get FREE SHIPPING on your 6 bottle order!

What that means is that at Thanksgiving when it’s the perfect time to drink Pinot Noir with Holiday Turkey we send that wine to you in early November…your Chardonnay arrives as the weather gets warmer, etc.

FOR FRIENDS OF THE FAMILY A Peek at Our Upcoming June Shipment Our June shipment includes a very special release — our 2007 Rouge, a blend made exclusively for the “Friends of the Family” members. A spectacular blend of the Estate Syrah and our 110 year-old Zinfandel vines. as most of you know, we only bottle it in special years and have only made this blend in two other vintages in our 10 year history. The '07 is out of this world! Join our “Friends of the Family” Wine Program

Cellared for You Before They Sell Out

Last June, when the 2006 Syrah got 94 points from Robert Parker and 92 points from the Wine Spectator that wine sold out immediately. BUT we had already reserved all the wine for our “Friends of the Family” in the cellar and 6 months later, when the weather was colder and better suited for heartier foods and the rich, yummy Syrah, we then shipped it to our “Friends of the Family” to enjoy with Prime Rib at the Holidays or to give as gifts in December! Cool, huh!!

Friends of the Family Also Receive:

• Detailed notes & a recipe or great food pairing idea with each wine.
  
• An invitation to all the exclusive “Friends of the Family” events each year!
  ***Each event comes with a “one-of-a kind” T-shirt or hat…we ship you the hat or shirt or vest or whatever even if you can’t make the event.
  

Custom Fit: You Can Opt-Out Prior to Any Shipment

We notify Friends a week or so in advance of each shipment. If — for any reason — you wish to pass on that shipment, just alert us and we'll contact you in a few months when the next wine is ready for you. If you are ready and waiting for the delivery, then do nothing and we bill the credit card on file and the wine shows up ready to be poured and enjoyed!

We release 5 or 6 wines each year ranging in price from $18 to $50, and remember, we pay the shipping on the 6-bottle delivery!

Our Latest Wine Releases

The following is a list of our new releases – more information is available on each of the wines by clicking thru on the website links…

This year we are celebrating our new 10th Anniversary label and the 5 year mark of our oldest son Cole joining the winery full-time as our Cellarmaster and Assistant Winemaker!

2007 Russian River Valley Chardonnay - $35
Bright citrus notes are wrapped in richness, Featured last month by Food & Wine Magazine

2006 Russian River Pinot Noir - $40
All Estate grown, Layers of velvety fruit and spice, Explosive aromas and flavors!

2006 Russian River Valley Zinfandel - Old Vine - $30
110 year-old-vines create amazing complexity of flavors - only 250 cases produced

2005 Napa Cabernet - $50.
A wine that won the "Best of Class" and "Best of Napa" at the most recent California State Wine Competition— and a 98 point score as well!

Try a 6-BOTTLE SAMPLER of these delicious new releases! 2 bottles of the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and a bottle each of the Zinfandel and Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Just $184! A savings of over 20%! If you join the Friends of the Family Wine Club, and make this your first shipment, you will receive free shipping as well!

Welcome To The Family

We have just added a few new folks to the email list this month, so if this is your fist time receiving our email, you either signed-up for the list at an event where we were pouring, or in our tasting room, or your name was given to us from someone that is in our inner circle or "Friends of the Family Wine Club"

For those that are getting this for the first time, please check out the web site for more details at www.daviswines.com ...we are truly a boutique, artisan, Family winery - we nurture every wine from vine to bottle - we have very limited, handcrafted production, most wines are just a few hundred cases each vintage and available only direct from the winery and/or a few A+ select restaurants around the US. We have been grapegrowers for 15 years, are celebrating the release of our 10th anniversary vintage, and my son Cole has been the cellarmaster with me for the past 5 years...we have strong beliefs about wine and earth-friendly farming, putting our heart and soul into every bottle.

Guy Davis
Davis Family Vineyards

IN OUR NEXT ISSUE:
Earth Friendly Farming: “Going Green” In The Vineyard

As most of you know I grow all our grapes using a combination of organic and biodynamic methods…next issue I will explain what that means in terms of practices;why it makes better wines; and, how it makes an all around better planet…for wine lovers, neighbors, workers etc.
You do not want to miss this one, it will be really “fertile” reading!!!

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Wine Enabler.com on Davis Family Vineyards.

The ‘05 Chardonnay was fermented in 20% stainless steel and 80% oak, with about 1/3 of the oak new. The grapes were a combination of estate grown and selected grapes from the Dutton Ranch Vineyard. In the nose, Guy’s Chardonnay is subtle for a Californian. There is plenty of apple and melon, but the oak is down a step or two from most. In the mouth, the wine has a great feel with the apple and melon popping out without overt interference from the oak. This wine would go very well with a roasted chicken. It was my favorite offering at the tasting..."