2017 Otto’s Grenache
Old Hill Ranch
Otto’s Grenache was planted to honor our Step Father Otto Teller. Opinionated and cantankerous, Otto believed grapevines were too coddled and needed great stress to produce the best wines. To honor Otto we planted this field blend in 2010 on a modestly steep hillside that faces the hot setting sun. The soils are shallow, between two to three feet deep, and they are underlain with a thick impermeable volcanic tuff made from ejected rock and ash that is compacted and cemented into rock. If these growing conditions aren't challenging enough, the vines are also dry farmed. Average yields are low primarily because the berries are so small and these grapes produce very intense and colorful wine. alc 15.3% 49 cases