2007-03-16
 
Limerick Lane Cellars
by Charles Neave
The name “Limerick Lane” is a geo-graphical – not strictly lyrical – reference, though there is more than a bit of poetry in the wines they craft at this Sonoma County winery.
Michael Collins, the passionate visionary behind Limerick Lane Cellars would say, “Grapevines produce the finest fruit when grown in challenging conditions.” The same could be said for some wineries, Limerick Lane Cellars in particular.
When Michael Collins and his late brother, Tom, purchased 30 acres on Limerick Lane near Healdsburg nearly three decades ago, it came complete with buildings that were in varying degrees of disrepair, resident squatters of the human kind, and a collection of derelict chicken coops. But being a farmer at heart, Michael had a passion for growing things and soon realized that he had found – and bought – the perfect spot for producing wine grapes. The neglected old Zinfandel vines that dated back to the first part of the 20th century were restored to a healthy and productive state, and carefully selected new rootstock was planted. And the dream of the Collins brothers was on its way to becoming a world-class operation.
It was in 1986 that Limerick Lane produced its first wine by “custom crushing” (using someone else’s equipment and facility) the grapes at a winery in Geyserville, with outstanding results. Realizing that producing estate wines would be the best way to showcase the unique soil, history, climate and topography of the vineyard, Michael decided to build a winery on his property. It was finally completed in 1993.
As Food & Wine magazine would later write about Limerick Lane’s Zinfandel: “Superbly balanced wine, full of cherry and raspberry flavors. This Zinfandel is more plush than most Claret, but has the same sort of elegance.” In 2002 Collins Vineyard Zinfandel was ranked in the top 25 of the top 100 wines of 2004. And no less a figure than that ultimate wine arbiter, Robert Parker, wrote this about the wines of this small property: “Although limited in availability, it is a must-purchase for Zinfandel fanatics.”
The years went by and the later vintages of this small winery only increased in popularity with the more learned wine enthusiasts, with every offering a virtual sell-out. The accolades, recognition and praise continued to roll in on a regular basis. Ross Battersby became winemaker in 1997 and five years ago a new tasting room was opened.
Last year Peter Leary came to Limerick Lane, working weekends while pursuing a Culinary Arts Certificate at Santa Rosa Junior College during the week. When he finished the last of his courses he took over management of the wine club and tasting room. As an added bonus from all of those hours in college kitchens, he also became the official winery chef, cooking for wine club parties and other special events.
“Multi-tasking” is not at all unusual (or unexpected) at a small winery such as Limerick Lane. Another good example is Assistant Winemaker Rick Oberlin, who also works in sales. If you’re not comfortable wearing a variety of hats throughout the course of the day, a position at a winery this size is probably not a wise option when it comes to career choices. For those who rejoice in such activities, however, it is pretty close to nirvana.
As time rolls on, Limerick Lane wines continue to receive more high scores and great reviews. Food and Wine magazine’s “Wine Guide for 2007” gave the Limerick Lane 2004 Collins Vineyard Zinfandel four out of four stars and ranked it in the Top Five of the Best of California Zinfandels. Today wines bearing the Limerick Lane label include Syrah, Zinfandel, Old Vine Zinfandel, the intriguingly-named1023 (a blend of Syrah and Zinfandel) and a Rosé Sec. With so many of these wines sold out soon after they come into the market, a visit to the winery’s tasting room is your best bet. While you are there you can soak in the history of the place, listen to some stories and, most of all, enjoy a sip of some especially fine nectar, all thanks to the quality of the land, and the perseverance and vision of those who work it.
 The tasting room at Limerick Lane Cellars is open to the public from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. daily. Located at 1023 Limerick Lane, they are just on the southern edge of the town of Healdsburg, off of the Old Redwood Highway. For more information you can reach them at (707) 433-9211 or go online to www.limericklanewines.com.
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