In 1978, Ruth and Mike Mann purchased a 20-acre prune orchard in
east Gilroy. Their goals were to raise a family, build a house and
start a vineyard that would produce premium wine grapes.
In 1978, Ruth and Mike Mann purchased a 20-acre prune orchard in east Gilroy. Their goals were to raise a family, build a house and start a vineyard that would produce premium wine grapes.
All of these goals had a separate timeline, but as luck would have it, all three happened simultaneously, causing more work than the couple had bargained for. “We were a little foolish,” Ruth said.
Mike has always had a passion for wine. An engineer by trade, Mike became frustrated by the inconsistent job market in the early 1990s and decided to focus his energies on pursuing something he loved.
Thirsting for knowledge, he sunk his teeth into everything academic he could find about growing grapes and making wine. “When the bug bit me, I had so much stuff related to wine in the house, I could hardly see the living room floor,” Mike said. “Books, magazines – you name it.”
The family-owned business had a plan: to seek out vineyards of exceptional quality, enhance the wine produced with modern and traditional wine-making techniques, and create distinctive, premium wines.
Mike’s philosophy was simple. Rather than focus 90 percent of the work in winemaking and 10 percent in the vineyard, he chose to do the opposite. “To make excellent wine, you need to start with excellent grapes,” he said.
The first variety of grape planted was their favorite, riesling. This was in 1982, the year that Mannstand Vineyards was born. By 1994, the winery’s first block of merlot was being harvested and had evolved into an elaborate trellis system called the Geneva Double Curtain, one that allows for maximum sun exposure and subtle shading.
Initially, Mannstand Vineyards sold their grapes to local wineries. Some of the wines produced from these grapes started gaining notoriety and winning awards. “We decided to take our ‘hard knocks’ education in the vineyard to the wine business,” said the spirited couple. Mann Cellars was born, and the results of these efforts are impressive.
The 2005 Mann Johannisberg riesling is a very solid wine. The wine had a luxurious floral bouquet with flavors of tart apples, apricots and honey ($12).
Rieslings are gaining popularity in the market today. This style of wine could easily become a “gateway wine” – a soft introduction of wine to beginners and those that do not care for traditional reds or whites (Erin, this means you!)
I traipsed down to Gilroy Bowl with some friends on Saturday to meet Ruth and Mike and to enjoy some other wines available at Mann Cellars.
The 2001 merlot ($21), aged two years in new French oak barrels, was decanted first. Decanting is a simple procedure of pouring your wine from the bottle into a larger glass or crystal container, one that allows more surface area for oxygenation. This opens up the wine and allows for its texture and potential to be released.
The merlot was a nice accompaniment to my steak dinner. It was nicely balanced with some oakiness, cherry and chocolate flavors.
Other wines available at Mann Cellars include a 2003 syrah and a 2003 cabernet sauvignon. Both of these wines cost less than $20 and have the Mann stamp of winemaking – wines that have bright flavors of fruit, good composition and a lingering finish.
Mann Cellars is a custom-crush operation, which means the winemakers grow the grapes, make the wine in rented space from a bonded winery, and bottle and distribute the product. Because of this, Mike wears many hats during the day. At any given time, he is the accountant, sales representative, distributor and winemaker. He likes to refer to himself as the CGO – chief grape officer.
Mann Cellars produces about 400 cases of wine a year. Mike says he hopes to amp that up to 1,000 cases in the near future. New releases on the horizon include a Rhone-style blend and a merlot/malbec-based port.
You’ll often see Ruth and Mike at local events, pouring and introducing their wines to the community. However, wine can only be purchased through Mann Cellars.
Next week, if I can take poetic license, I will tell you more about my dinner on Saturday. I also am supposed to get an updated photo of myself to go with this column. It’s either a new picture, or they may have to put that blue dot over my face.
Cheers!
Bottle of the Week
Solis Winery, Gilroy
Wine: 2001 Estate Sangiovise
Price: $18
Grape: 100 percent sangiovise
Flavors: Black cherry, red plum and blueberries, with a long, smooth finish
Where: The wine can be purchased at Solis Winery, 3920 Hecker Pass Highway in Gilroy, and can be reached at (408) 847-6306. Solis is open from 11am to 5p.m. daily.
Why: The wine won a gold medal at the Long Beach Grand Cru, a silver medal at the Orange County Fair and a silver at the San Francisco International Wine Competition.
