F A L L N E W S L E T T E R 2 0 1 3

R E L E A S E D A Y 2 0 13
FA L L
N E W S L E T T E R
2 0 1 3
wine club member
BENEFITS
FESS files
Crockett’s Rocket
M
y dad was an avid sailor, and later in life a power-boat
enthusiast. He loved to spend time cruising the coastal
waters of Santa Barbara. Some of my best memories are of
days spent at Santa Cruz Island with family and friends on
his trawler Sea Isle.
Several years back, a good friend of the Parker family made a very
generous gift of a 1972 Ericson sailboat to me. It didn’t take long
for me to catch the sailing bug, and, before I knew it, I found
myself sailing beer can races, also known as “Wet Wednesdays,”
here in Santa Barbara.
Rancho San Marcos Golf Course
A
s we continue to work with our partner, Rancho San Marcos
Golf Course, we are developing several programs where Wine
Club members will have ongoing benefits such as discounted green
fees, discounts on merchandise and additional perks like a bottle
of wine included after your round as part of our Sip & Swing
promotion. We are also planning a special Wine Club Golf Outing to
coincide with our OctoberFess festivities on Saturday, October 26th.
Keep checking the Events page on the website for more details!
For more info or to book a tee time, call 800.683.6334.
Cover photos:
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1
Fall Newsletter 2013
This passion for racing and
sailing was taken to a new
level last year when I decided
to purchase a 45-foot sloop
that had been successfully
campaigned on the east coast,
winning many prestigious awards
such as the Pineapple Cup and
the Newport-to-Bermuda race.
The boat went through a minor
refit in November and December
of last year, and was launched in
Crockett’s Rocket
January of this year. The sailboat
was renamed Crockett’s Rocket
and we have been having fun racing in regattas from San
Diego to Santa Barbara.
For those of you spending time at the beach this summer here
in California, if you see a bunch of crazy guys on an out-ofcontrol sailboat named Crockett’s Rocket, you can do one of
two things: either give us a wide birth, or flag us down and
we will take you for a ride.
summer!
Have a great summe
Eli Parker
P.O. Box 908 U Los Olivos, CA 93441 U (805)688.1545 U (800)841.1104 U FAX (805)686.1130 U www.fessparkerwines.com
behind the scenes
head
Quality Placement
Rolling into Harvest
A
W
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bout five years ago I was working in the greater Philadelphia market
with a local sales person. He knew I was a big golf fan and was
very excited to inform me that he had a secured an appointment for us
to present the wines to one of the finest, old-school golf clubs in the
area, if not the country! He mentioned the name of the club, but at the
time it really didn’t resonate with me: Merion Golf Club.
That afternoon we parked in the side lot, and on our way into the
clubhouse detoured onto the 18th fairway to locate the “Hogan plaque”
situated right in the middle of the golf course to commemorate Ben
Hogan’s famous shot that led him to
win the US Open on this very course.
The history of this place was starting
to sink in quickly. We met with the
F&B director of the club, a gentleman
named Clive, and presented our
portfolio. He loved the wines, placed
a couple on his list, and asked if we
would ever consider coming back to
do an event for the members. I half
joked “Sure, but does it come with a
tee time?” Two years ago we did do
an event for the members on a warm
early summer evening set up on the
Tim Snider
18th fairway. I was lucky enough to
play the course that day, and was even given my own locker for
the day – metal not wood – in the old upstairs locker room
where the pros dress and shower during the events. It was great.
All golf fans know that recently the 2013 US Open was played
at Merion Golf Club (Phil Mickelson finished runner-up for a
record sixth time!). What you may not know, and what made
us exceedingly proud at the winery, was the selection of Ashley’s
Chardonnay as one of the featured wines in the clubhouse during
the event! This is what we call a “quality placement”!
5IM4NIDER
Tim Snider, President
7 ,
e are rolling into the 2013 Harvest Season with less
than half of our average annual rainfall, and the
majority of it came in early winter when the vines were all
dormant. Since Santa Barbara County is considered coastal
desert, we typically expect around twelve inches of rainfall
a year. With only 6–7 inches of rainfall this year, we had to
start irrigation earlier than usual with our own well water.
The good news is that dry years typically result in a high
quality harvest with smaller than average yields. The crop
does look very good this year
and is slightly larger than I had
thought it was going to be. The
summer has been very mild,
with most days not exceeding
85 degrees F. A cool summer
will push the harvest out, and
then we will get nervous about
late-fall rains. It is a delicate
balancing act that nature has
to play, and we will cross our
fingers and hope for the best!
While this is all happening outBlair Fox
side, we are diligently racking,
blending and bottling inside. We are assembling
blin all of the
he
2012 Chardonnay blends, 2011 red Rhone wines, and
working on the 2012 Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir. It is a very
busy time in the cellar trying to get the wines in the bottle,
so we have barrels to use for the 2013 wines. The last few
vintages have all been very good, but the 2012 vintage is
looking to be exceptional. The wines are fresh, bright and
powerful, with beautiful purity of fruit. I hope you will
enjoy them!
Cheers,
Blair Fox
Fall Newsletter 2013
2
the
-
scoop
recent
EVENTS
A
s many of our guests are becoming more
familiar with the Fess Parker brand, we often
notice that they may stay at the beachfront property,
and then head up our way to wine country. We’ve
decided to make the planning easy by creating a
two night package: one night on the beach and one
night in wine country. Hence, “From the Sand to
the Vines.” The package includes one night at the
Fess Parker Resort, featuring complimentary parking
and a bottle of Fess Parker wine. Then head up north
to the Fess Parker Wine Country Inn & Spa. Enjoy
a luxurious one-night stay, a fully cooked to order
breakfast for two at Petros Los Olivos, a private
tour and tasting for two at the Fess Parker Winery,
complimentary wine tasting for two at Epiphany
Cellars, BiN 2860 International Wine Shop and
E & T tasting room and two wine infused special
treats in the guest room upon arrival.
For
reservations
call
800.446.2455
2860 Grand Avenue s Los Olivos, CA 93441
3
Fall Newsletter 2013
Proud parents and the graduate
Pomp and Circumstance
L
ots of Pomp and Circumstance for
the Parker family this spring! Young
Braeden Parker (Kris & Michellene’s
eldest) wrapped up his pre-school career
with honors and will matriculate to
Santa Barbara’s esteemed Marymount
for kindergarten. Jack Parker (Anacapa)
and Henry Shull (Hillside School) both
graduated from junior high school, albeit
on opposite sides of the country, and plan
on joining the ranks of the Bishop Diego
Cardinals for high school. Finally, Greer
Shull graduated from Bishop Diego on June
1 st and will attend Santa Clara University
in the fall. We are proud of all of you!
Buffalo Gap Food & Wine Summit
T
he 2013 Buffalo Gap Food & Wine Summit celebrated
“Spain in Texas” over the weekend of April 19th. Ashley
represented the winery at this family favorite event that was
founded by Fess, Tom Perini of the famed Perini Ranch
Steakhouse and Dr. Richard Becker of Becker wines.
Acclaimed chef Stephan Pyles of Dallas, Texas, wowed
attendees with his Paella Party on
opening night. On Saturday morning,
Master Sommelier Guy Stout led an
extensive tasting of Spanish varietals
from California, Texas and Spain
followed by the festive “Tapas Crawl”
later that evening. Buffalo Gap,
Texas may not be the first place that
comes to mind for a wine weekend,
but if you are ever in that neck of the
woods you should make a point of
stopping by!
2013
Replica of Tim Russert’s office at the Newseum, Washington DC
Mutual Admiration Society
I
n mid-May, Beth Olson, Director of Sales and
Marketing at The Fess Parker in Santa Barbara,
attended a meeting in Washington D.C. During
a bit of free time she toured the Newseum on
Pennsylvania Avenue. Having been a fan of the late
Meet the Press Moderator, Tim Russert, she sought
out the replica of his office at NBC. She was tickled
to see that on his credenza there
was an autographed bottle of
Fess Parker wine, complete with
coonskin topper and full sized
coonskin cap beside it (circled in
green in photo). Fess and Marcy
had become acquainted with Tim’s
wife Maureen Orth, while she
was covering the Michael Jackson
trial for Vanity Fair magazine.
They enjoyed several Thursday
night gatherings at the Inn. Not
surprising that two great Americans
would share such a mutual respect
participants of the 9th Annual Buffalo Gap Wine & Food Summit
(Ashley is in the back with the tall people!)
for one another!
Fall Newsletter 2013
4
Fall 2013
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CHARTER CLUB
1 Red + 1 White
2012 Parker Family Reserve White $28
2010 American Tradition Reserve Syrah $35
,iÌ>ˆÊ*ÀˆVi\Ê
$63
ÕLÊ*ÀˆVi\Ê
$47.25
WHITE WINE CLUB
2 Whites
2012 Parker Family Reserve White $28
2012 Rodney’s Vineyard Viognier $36
,iÌ>ˆÊ*ÀˆVi\Ê
$64
ÕLÊ*ÀˆVi\Ê
$48
REDS ONLY CLUB
2 Reds
2011 Clone 115 Pinot Noir $55
2010 American Tradition Reserve Syrah $35
,iÌ>ˆÊ*ÀˆVi\Ê
$90
ÕLÊ*ÀˆVi\Ê
$67.50
QUAD CLUB
2 Reds + 2 Whites
in this
-* /
2012 Rodney’s Vineyard – Viognier
2012 Parker Family Reserve – White Wine
Santa Barbara County
Santa Barbara County
Vineyard Source: 100% Rodney’s Vineyard from Fess Parker
Estate in Santa Ynez Valley
Composition: 100% Viognier
Harvest Dates: 9/20/12 – 10/2/12
Blocks: 85% ROD-G & 15% ROD-I
Harvest Brix: 23.9 – 24.9
Barrel Aging: 100% barrel fermented; aged 8 months in
1-year and older French oak barrels
Alcohol: 14.2% alcohol by volume
pH: 3.51
T.A.: 0.655g/100ml
Production: 488 cases
Vineyard Source: 100% Rodney’s Vineyard, Santa Ynez Valley
Composition: 49% Viognier, 25% Marsanne,
19% Chardonnay, 7% Riesling
Harvest Dates: 9/19/12 – 10/12/12
Blocks: K, H, M, I, B1, A, L
Harvest Brix: 20.4 – 26.8
Barrel Aging: 7 Months in 17% new French oak,
10% 1-year-old French oak,
73% 2-year-old French and Hungarian Oak
Cooperage: Sirugue, D’Aquitaine & Trust International
Alcohol: 14.1% alcohol by volume
pH: 3.42
T.A.: 0.699g/100ml
Production: 818 cases
Color:
Light Straw
Aromas:
Ripe Peach
Pink Grapefruit
Jasmine
Honeysuckle
Pear
Vanilla
Baking Spices
,iÌ>ˆÊ*ÀˆVi\Ê
$154
ÕLÊ*ÀˆVi\Ê
$115.50
Prices are subject to change and do
not include shipping or taxes required
by each state. If you are not receiving
emails regarding shipping dates, tracking
information, or special offers please email
[email protected] and let us know.
5
Fall Newsletter 2013
Asian Spice
Apricot
Honeysuckle
Vanilla
Nutmeg
Flavors:
Peach
Mango
Apricot
Papaya
Mineral
Orange Zest
2011 Clone 115 Pinot Noir
Santa Barbara County
Santa Barbara County
Vineyard Source:
Composition:
Harvest Dates:
Blocks:
Harvest Brix:
Barrel Aging:
Cooperage:
2011 Clone 115 Pinot Noir $55
2010 American Tradition Reserve Syrah $35
Color:
Light Straw
Aromas:
White
Flowers
Peach
Marzipan
2010 American Tradition Reserve Syrah
2012 Parker Family Reserve White $28
2012 Rodney’s Vineyard Viognier $36
Flavors:
White Apricot
Honeydew Melon
Citrus
Vanilla
Hint of Oak
Alcohol:
pH:
T.A.:
Production:
Color:
Opaque Black
Aromas:
Blueberry
Blackberry
liqueur
100% Rodney’s Vineyard, Santa Ynez Valley
100% Syrah
10/5/10 – 11/15/10
61% ROD-F, 39% ROD-J
22.7 – 25.0
100% barrel aged; 20 months in 38% 1-yearold French oak, 62% 2-year-old or older French
and American oak barrels
World Cooperage, Remond, Meyrieux, Seguin
Moreau, Dargaud & Jaegle, Quintessence,
Ermitage, François Frères, T. de Mercurey, Vernou
14.9% alcohol by volume
3.72
0.591g/100ml
653 cases
Smoke
Boysenberry
Tar
Spice
Flavors:
Blackberry
Plum
Dark
Chocolate
Black Cherry
Nutmeg
Espresso
Vanilla
Vineyard Source: 100% from Rancho Las Hermanas (formerly
Ashley’s Vineyard) in the Sta Rita Hills
Blocks: 100% ASH-1A
Clone Selection: 115
Tons/Acre: 1.8
Composition: 100% Pinot Noir
Barrel Aging: 16 months in 46% new French oak
Cooperage: François Frères, Remond, Gillet, Mercurey,
Ermitage
Harvest Date: 9/29/11
Harvest Brix: 24.8
Alcohol: 14.1% alcohol by volume
pH: 3.66
T.A.: 0.601g/100ml
Production: 303 cases
Color:
Dark Garnet
Aromas:
Black Cherry
Sage
Earth
Forest Floor
Lavender
Nutmeg
Vanilla
Flavors:
Black Cherry
Red Currant
Red Plum
Cranberry
Clove
Aged
Tobacco
Dark
Chocolate
Vanilla
Nutmeg
Receipts for Wine Club shipments are not included in the package due to time constraints. See cost per shipment under each Club Offering at
left. The amount will show on your next credit card statement. For further information please call your Wine Club Coordinator, Elaina, directly
at her toll free number 888-877-3335.
available
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2012 CHARDONNAY “Santa Barbara County” ........................................... $19 / $205.20 ........................ $15.20 / $182.40
2011 CHARDONNAY “Ashley’s” .................................................................. $35 / $378.00 ........................ $28.00 / $336.00
2011 CHARDONNAY “Bien Nacido Vineyard” ...................................................................................................... Sold Out
2011 CHARDONNAY “Sierra Madre Vineyard” .......................................... $35 / $378.00 ........................ $28.00 / $336.00
2011 RIESLING “Santa Barbara County” ..................................................... $15 / $162.00 ........................ $12.00 / $144.40
2011 DRY RIESLING “Rodney’s Vineyard” .................................................. $24 / $259.20 ........................ $19.20 / $230.40
2011 VIOGNIER “Santa Barbara County” .................................................... $28 / $302.40 ........................ $22.40 / $268.80
2010 VIOGNIER “Rodney’s Vineyard” ......................................................... $35 / $378.00 ........................ $28.00 / $336.00
2011 PARKER FAMILY RESERVE WHITE “Santa Barbara County” .......... $28 / $302.40 ........................ $22.40 / $268.80
2010 PINOT NOIR “Sta. Rita Hills” ............................................................ $30 / $324.00 ........................ $24.00 / $288.00
2010 PINOT NOIR “Bien Nacido Vineyard” .......................................................................................................... Sold Out
2010 PINOT NOIR “Ashley’s” ...................................................................... $50 / $540.00 ........................ $40.00 / $480.00
2011 PINOT NOIR “Clone 115” ................................................................. $55 / $594.00 ........................ $44.00 / $528.00
2011 PINOT NOIR “Pommard Clone” ........................................................ $55 / $594.00 ........................ $44.00 / $528.00
2011 SYRAH “Santa Barbara County” ........................................................... $28 / $302.40 ........................ $22.40 / $268.80
2010 SYRAH “American Tradition Reserve” .................................................. $35 / $378.00 ........................ $28.00 / $336.00
2010 SYRAH “Rodney’s Vineyard” ................................................................ $49 / $529.20 ........................ $39.20 / $470.40
2010 “THE BIG EASY” ................................................................................ $35 / $378.00 ........................ $28.00 / $336.00
FRONTIER RED “Lot 131” ......................................................................... $13 / $140.40 ........................ $10.40 / $124.80
TRADITIONS “Port style wine” (500mL) .................................................... $24 / $259.20 ........................ $19.20 / $230.40
Fall Newsletter 2013
6
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