Winemaker of the Year: Morgan Twain-Peterson
Sunbreak has a passion for managing old vine vineyards. And when an innovative young winemaker receives accolades for his focus on crafting exceptional wines from old vine fruit, we couldn’t be more proud. Morgan Twain-Peterson has been named by the San Francisco Chronicle as one of two Winemakers of the year. His family owns the historic 152 acre, 150 year old Bedrock Vineyard in Sonoma Valley that Sunbreak manages. Joining him is Tegan Passalacqua of Turley Wine Cellars in Napa. This is the first year two winemakers have shared the honor. They are also the youngest. Good friends, they both are devoted to seeking out and preserving ancient, often century old vines throughout California, and are responsible for some of the most significant, critically successful wines in California today. They respect the varieties planted in the past and envision a bright future in California’s oldest vines. Morgan is as comfortable in the vineyard as he is making wine having grown up working with his dad, Joel Peterson of Ravenswood fame. Morgan believes that by locating great sites and maintaining impeccable, sustainable farming, he can do the bare minimum in the winery which means handling fruit gently, many times using whole-clusters and fermenting with the microflora that comes in with the grapes. Of all the one-of-a-kind-vineyards and special grower relationships Morgan has developed to make his unique styles of wines, the Bedrock Vineyard Heritage Wine is the closest to his heart. The vineyard was originally planted between 1888 and 1895 and composed of over 22 inter-planted varieties. Morgan founded his Wine Company in 2007 with an ancient field blend from this vineyard composed of roughly 55% Zinfandel, 30% Carignane and a balance of other varieties which speak to this amazing site and the quality of the varieties found here. Morgan’s hope is to “reinvent and redefine what the ‘truly’ Californian wine is.” Zinfandel is surely Californian but by blending varieties planted generations and generations ago like Carignane, Alicante and others, even greater, more authentic wines can be created; pure expressions of vineyard and region and the most unique vinicultural asset- the ancient field blend. Sunbreak shares Morgan’s vision. We are proud to have been an early mentor to Morgan in understanding farming practices as Bedrock Wine Company’s vineyard operations increase. Please read the San Francisco Chronicle’s entire article, “Winemakers of the Year”, by wine editor Jon Bonne. ~ Diane Kenworthy and Robert Burney Winemakers of the Year connect California’s past and future...
read moreThe Owl and the Vineyard
“Sunbreak welcomes a Burrowing Owl as the newest resident of Bedrock Vineyard, the 152 acre, 150 year old vineyard we manage. Uncommon to this part of Sonoma Valley, he is living in a small pipe through the levee of a reservoir and has a separate burrow at the base of an ancient Zinfandel vine. He will probably migrate by the middle of March to breeding grounds, maybe as far away as Idaho. In the meantime, Bo Diddley (our rescue lab mix dog) is taking walks in a different part of the vineyard. The Audubon Society has identified more than 30 different birds here, from Acorn Woodpeckers to Yellow-rumped Warblers. However, this may only be half the birds that live on the property or pass through. In addition to the highlight of stumbling on our Burrowing Owl during the 2013 Bird Count, Bedrock’s reservoir is a haven for wildlife. Egrets and Herons and even the occasional River Otter fishes for dinner here. Red-winged blackbirds nest in the cattails around the edge in the late winter and Dragon and Damsel Flies swoop around on hot summer days. The bluebirds and swallows who nest in dozens of songbird houses in the vineyard come in for water and catch flying insects as well. The pond is just part of the vineyard’s vibrant agro-ecosystem. Three tree-shaded creeks are significant habitat and corridors. Cover crops and flowering insectary plantings help provide resources for beneficial insects. Barn owl boxes in the vineyard and perches for the hawks help keep the gophers and voles from damaging vines. Coyotes, foxes, and a few bobcats also do their share of hunting and help keep the gophers down to a manageable level. Vineyards are not just about grapes. They are part of nature’s diverse system.” ~ Diane Kenworthy and Robert Burney Thanks to Cathleen Francisco for fine photo of our...
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