As the years progressed through the mid-1990s, Ther
èse and Dan Martin continued to work diligently, honing their
craft of growing great grapes. The fields matured and experience
was gained, and the Martins decided to push their dream a bit
further by starting their own winery in 1997.
As the years progressed through the mid-1990s, Therèse and Dan Martin continued to work diligently, honing their craft of growing great grapes. The fields matured and experience was gained, and the Martins decided to push their dream a bit further by starting their own winery in 1997.
With the support of the Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers Association and neighbors who were also vintners, the Martins felt comfortable with their decision, even though they knew much hard work lay ahead. “Our friend Jack Bates, and others, had no secrets and were open to sharing. That’s what farmers do – they share,” Dan said. “There is not a sense of competition, but of collaboration.”
The Martin Ranch Winery currently produces around 3,500 cases of wine, mostly from estate grapes. About 90 percent is dedicated to cabernet sauvignon, and the rest is comprised of nebbiolo, cabernet franc, and petite verdot.
With a very small staff, a lot of the work falls into the hands of Therèse and Dan. “We complement each other. If one of us is busy in the field, the other can be up at the winery doing others things, and vice-versa,” Therèse said.
Therèse was kind enough to give me a tour of the winery, including the tasting area and the barrel room. She explained how friends, many of them wine club members, come to assist during the crush and other busy periods throughout the year. “This makes for a memorable, fun experience. Our wine club members and friends assume ownership of Martin Ranch Winery.”
The barrel room was constructed with the goal of being as green and environmentally sound as possible. Natural insulation helps keep the room cool and helps maintain a temperature around 60 degrees, without any air conditioning. The design of the building also takes into account the ebb and flow of winemaking, so there is very little wasted space, time or energy.
I asked the Martins if there were any thoughts of growth in the future, perhaps planting more grapes or producing more wine.
“We love what we are doing, and by keeping the winery at this size, it keeps us in focus and active,” Therèse replied. “We don’t play any instruments, but we consider ourselves artists. If you don’t love what you are doing, you are likely to develop an edge – and that can ruin your desire to create. We are really fortunate to be part of a living winery and cherish the glory of being able to do everything together,” Therèse said.
The first wine I tried was the Martin Ranch 2005 J.D. Hurley sauvignon blanc-semillion blend. This delightful wine had a great balance of acidity and fruit. The semillion adds more body and depth to this light, slightly sweet wine with a hint of oak.
The next wine was the 2002 Martin Ranch Santa Cruz Mountains cabernet sauvignon. This wine has a very small percentage blend of nebbiolo, merlot, petite syrah and cabernet franc added to create a wine that is smooth and soft on the palate. Retail price per bottle is $25.
The nebbiolo was next, and it did not disappoint. The Therèse Vineyards 2002 Estate nebbiolo was decanted first and allowed to breathe for a short period of time. This wine was nicely balanced with plum, pepper, soft tannins, and in the tradition of Italian nebbiolos, a bit of earthiness. Que bella!
I also tried the soon-to-be-released Therèse Vineyards 2003 Reserve cabernet sauvignon. Aged 28 months in French oak, this wine was full-bodied, yet supple on the palate from start to finish. It was full of cherry and cassis – a wine you want to sip forever. Each bottle is $40.
The multi-faceted Therèse, one of the only woman winemakers in the appellation, is also a gourmet cook and exquisite gardener. Hundreds of tomato plants, squash and other garden delights are planted on the property. I strolled through the garden, stopping to smell the tomato plants, and I wondered, “How could someone so busy making wine also take care of such a huge garden?”
Rumor has it that Therèse regularly hosts dinner parties for friends and family, using original recipes that she has developed with the same passion as her wine.
Her homespun recipe for warm scallop and arugula salad with pineapple vinaigrette would pair wonderfully with the sauvignon blanc-semillion blend. The recipe for her braised short ribs would melt harmoniously with any of the red wines. Now if I can only get her to prepare some the next time I visit!
Cheers!
