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March 7, 2008
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2008-03-07
LIMERICK LANE CELLARS
Passion, Vision, Dedication & Old Vine Zin
Sue Straight, The Wine Wench
Take a big pinch of passion, mix in some vision and dedication and stir well with old vine Zinfandel – these are just some of the components that make up Limerick Lane Cellars.
Located down a quiet lane (Limerick Lane, actually) just south of Healdsburg, this little gem of a winery is a feast for the senses; the surrounding vineyards slope right down to the tasting room’s bay windows, so you really feel as if you are out amongst the vines, the tasting room is bright and cheerful, with marble floors and a handcrafted mahogany bar, the tasting room staff is warm, genuine and knowledgeable, and the wines are absolutely delicious (more on that later).
Michael Collins is the visionary behind Limerick Lane. When he, his brother Tom and family friend, Ted Markoczy, purchased 30 acres on Limerick Lane in 1977, he saw beyond the squatters, broken down buildings and chicken coops that dotted the property. What he saw was gentle slopes striped with old vine Zinfandel and infinite possibilities. Since then, Michael has been actively involved with every aspect of his vineyards and winery – no weekend hobbyist here, folks!
Winemaker, Ross Battersby, has been working side by side with Michael for more than 11 years. Ross wears many hats around the winery, doing everything from crafting their fabulous wines to traveling sales calls, to fixing the fork lift and plumbing. A former safari guide, Ross has many fascinating stories to share, and he enjoys sharing them with visitors. He also gives a great winery tour (tours are by appointment, before 3 p.m.).
Winery Chef, Tasting Room & Wine Club Manager, Peter Leary, is who you’ll usually find behind the tasting room bar, unless he’s busy in the kitchen. Peter is the kind of person who makes visitors immediately feel at home. He really loves what he does and it shows. Under Peter’s care, Limerick Lane’s wine club “Club Limerick” has grown in leaps and bounds – so much so that membership is becoming limited, and may soon be available by waiting list only. Club Limerick provides a sampling of all Limerick Lane wines at different times of the year – many of which are available only at the winery or on the website only. Peter is an excellent chef, and cooks for all wine club and special events at the winery. Many of the ingredients for Peter’s delicious culinary creations come from either his or Michael Collins’ organic gardens.
Assistant Winemaker, Rick Oberlin, not only helps Ross with the winemaking, he also works in the tasting room on Mondays and sells the wine to local restaurants and wine shops. A Southern California native with a sparkling personality, Rick loves to share stories and give winery tours to visitors, especially ladies.
The newest member of Limerick Lane’s family is Karin Stacy. A warm and witty veteran wine salesperson, she is selling Limerick Lane wines to restaurants and stores all over the San Francisco Bay Area.
Now for my favorite part – the wines! Limerick Lane wines are all about balance and finesse. You won’t find big, over-the-top, high alcohol wines here, just delicious, well balanced wines with juicy, mouthwatering aromas and flavors. Michael and Ross attribute this to the vineyards. They believe that most of the winemaking occurs “from the ground up,” so they use non-interventionist methods in crafting Limerick Lane wines. The grapes are all estate grown on the property’s 30 acres, except for a small lot (250 cases) of Pinot Noir. The wines are unfined and unfiltered, so the terroir really shines through. Limerick Lane is well-known for producing fabulous Zinfandel and Syrah, and now Pinot Noir is being added to the vineyard’s estate profile.
I had the pleasure of tasting a handful of wines during my visit at Limerick Lane – the following three wines were my favorites:
2006 Pinot Noir, Orsi Vineyard $38 (Scheduled for release in March): Wow! This is Limerick Lane’s first Pinot Noir and you don’t want to miss out on it! Aromas of raspberry, red cherry, rose petal, spice and vanilla continue as flavors in the silky, delicate mouth. Long, luxurious finish. Only 250 cases produced.
2004 Zinfandel, Collins Vineyard $26: Mouthwatering scents of raspberry, blackberry, brown sugar and peppery spice lure the taster into a juicy mouthful of consistent flavors that linger through the finish.
2006 “1023,” Collins Vineyard $38: Named after the address of the vineyard (1023 Limerick Lane), this proprietary blend of Zinfandel and Syrah is a luscious adventure in a glass. Opulently rich from start to finish, with aromas and flavors of blackberry, plum, black cherry, balanced by brown spice and smoke notes, all wrapped up in a velvety smooth mouthfeel.
If you are planning on visiting Sonoma County, don’t miss Limerick Lane Cellars at 1023 Limerick Lane, Healdsburg. Open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily with tours by appointment. For more information, visit their website at www.limericklanewines.com or call (707) 433-9211.
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