hat’s so special about Martin Ranch Winery? Well, first, the 11 acres of vineyards have ample sunny exposure, and the climate is quite conducive to producing good, rich flavors and even ripeness. Then, there’s a beautiful pond, which provides both important irrigation water and a lovely place to relax on a summer afternoon.

Here, they grow Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petite Verdot, Zin and Nebbiolo. Most of the rootstock is 110R, 101-14, 3309, Freedom and 305C. The Cab clones are 4, 7 and 8, and the owners, husband-wife team Dan and Thérèse Martin are currently grafting over a small percentage to clones 6 and 337. Increasingly, winemakers are lining up to buy the Martins’ Cabernet fruit, and the diversity will help produce an even more complex product. Most of the established vineyards on the lower slopes of the property in front of the winery are trellised on the lyre system, with quadrilateral cordons.

At this location in the very southern part of The Santa Cruz Mountains AVA, in Santa Clara County, there is about 60 inches of rain per year, although they got far less this past winter. Fortunately, they have a beautiful 1-acre pond, which not only provides irrigation water, but also hosts a remarkable collection of bird life and a never-ending chorus of bullfrogs. There are also fish in the pond, including large-mouthed bass, bluegill and catfish. Being able to fish in the pond is a unique wine club privilege. Dan points out that the Nebbiolo on one side of the pond is the “odd man out” here: it must be cane pruned in order to guarantee fruit. The first 2 buds can often be infertile. Even in a good year, he might get 1 ton per acre. It’s a labor of love and a constant viticultural experiment.

As we walked back to the winery through the Cab vineyard, I heard the distinctive sound of chickens. “They come in handy,” Thérèse remarks. “Nothing like fresh eggs for breakfast every day, plus, we have plenty of egg whites for fining.” Of course, they also have to share an occasional hen with the resident foxes that make a home in the hilly, once oak-dominated area.

Grapes Grown to Order

When Dan and Thérèse married and began planting Thérèse Vineyards vines in 1993, they did so mostly to supply the needs of the Santa Cruz Mountains wineries whose products they carried in their stores. “We asked our favorite wineries what they would like to have in terms of grapes,” says Dan. They accordingly planted an assortment of Bordeaux vines, something the region was beginning to gain a reputation for, with many Santa Cruz Mountains wineries already making Cabernet from neighboring Bates Ranch. I can remember seeing Bates Ranch Cabernet from Ahlgren Vineyards on store shelves back in the mid ‘80s, and pretty much every winery making Cab from the appellation has made a trip to Bates. The Martins subsequently established a solid reputation for their Cabernet, and many wineries in the Santa Cruz Mountains have since sourced fruit from what was originally known as Harvest Moon Vineyards.

As Thérèse Vineyards came on line and began producing more fruit, and as the supply of Bordeaux grapes became more plentiful in the appellation, the couple decided to do what many growers do: become a winery. Plus, Thérèse was itching to get her hands into winemaking. They made their first wine in 1997, and their first commercial crush in 2002 was 625 cases. They’ve grown significantly with each harvest, changing the name of the place to Martin Ranch to highlight the new winemaking aspect of the operation.

The new predominantly “green” winery building was constructed in less than a year, and was designed to accommodate exactly 536 barrels. As Dan says, “that’s plenty already!” The first piece of equipment they purchased when they decided to build a serious winery was a forklift. “We got it on e-Bay from some guy in Michigan: it had less than 200 hours on it!” says Dan. When I visited, the barrel room was stocked with 500 barrels, 5 high, each neatly color-coded to indicate vintage, varietal and vineyard source.

Fortunately, the room has a very high ceiling with lots of shutters, fans and cupolas on top that can be opened to let in the cold night air. In the morning, when the fog brings its cool moisture, they can open the winery doors and let the warm air out and the much cooler air in. Due to the very thick R-60 ceiling insulation and the thick walls with R-30 insulation, the temperature inside pretty much stays at 60 degrees or below. There’s a gap in the mountain range that ushers in the fog and cool ocean air, for most of the summer. It’s one of the benefits of being on the lee side of Mt. Madonna. As they say, everything in real estate is location, location, location, and there is no real estate more location-dependent than a vineyard, or for that matter, a winery.

The Martins have a swamp cooler to help maintain 70 to 80 percent humidity. Still, they have to be religious about topping: I asked Dan what the regimen was. “We usually do it every 2 weeks, and if you have to add more than a bottle in between toppings, well, you’ve waited too long”, explains Dan. What does he use to top off? I’ve seen wineries that top every barrel off with the same wine, regardless of what’s in the barrels. “Oh no, we do it by varietal. I use these kegs (beer kegs) to store the topping wine. First I top off all the 04 barrels with 04 juice, then I’ll move to the 05 barrels.”

What’s the barrel regimen? “That depends on which program you’re referring to”, Dan explains, since both he and Thérèse have their own labels. Hers is “Martin Ranch, Thérèse Vineyards,” and his is “Martin Ranch, J.D. Hurley,” named for his favorite great uncle. The Thérèse Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon (from the estate property) is aged for 28 to 32 months in a mix of French, Hungarian and American oak, while the Merlot and Syrah under Thérèse’s label go 24 months in French and American. In '06, they added Hungarian oak to the Syrah program, because Dan really thought it added complexity and richness. The wine they are both excited about is the Deer Park Syrah, from a Corralitos area vineyard managed by renowned viticultural consultant, Prudy Foxx.

The Nebbiolo is Dan’s “pet project.” He first made it in 1997. “It was a tannic monster,” he confesses. “I am still learning how to deal with it.” In this part of California, it’s hard to get good color in Nebbiolo. He tries to get the big seeds out between 7° and 4° Brix during fermentation, as soon as the color is at maximum intensity. Extended maceration tends to lose the color, so it’s all about timing. I asked how they make it in Italy and Dan says they’re not big on new wood at all: they tend to use old puncheons.

Dan is also very fond of Sangiovese, which he sources from Day Road Ranch and grower Simon Limus’ Dos Ninas vineyard. Dan is eager to get his hands on some of Simon’s Brunello (the first legally imported to the US) and Montepulciano from the same vineyard.

Forget His and Her Towels: This is His and Hers Winemaking

Winemaking is certainly a very personal thing: with these two, it is both personal and competitive. Their personalities are very much reflected in their winemaking styles. Thérèse is strong-willed and energetic, a marathon runner with an intensely athletic build and a personality to match. Dan’s laid back, keenly observant and likes to take things slow and easy.

Although Thérèse has learned a good deal from Dan about grape growing and winemaking, it’s clear that she has her own mind and style. He’s about the fruit and smooth, approachable textures. He’s not afraid to take advantage of the variety of oak products on the market. She tends to stick with traditional barrels, and a lot of aggressive new wood. From tasting through their lineup, side by side, it is immediately apparent who made what, without even looking at the labels. It’s also a great way to appreciate the subtle differences between fruit grown in the flatter, warmer, higher-yield Santa Clara Valley region and what comes off their vineyard and others in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

For example, the 2004 Estate Cabernet under the Thérèse Vineyards label has that characteristic aroma of earthy minerality, dusty cocoa, black cherries and black pepper that I associate with Santa Cruz Mountains Cab. With 70 percent new French oak, this massive wine has great tannins and a lovely texture, and a very wood-laden finish. Thérèse thinks it’s the best wine she’s ever made. She may well be right. In contrast, the 2003 Santa Clara Valley Cab under her label is hotter, riper and definitely a simpler wine. She used 50 percent new American and French oak to add complexity. It’s a good wine, but not as well matched for a big steak as is the 2004 SCM Cabernet.

On the other hand, Dan’s 2003 J.D. Hurley Cab from Dos Niñas, is wine that comes from a mix of Santa Clara Valley and Estate fruit. It’s aged in French, American and Hungarian oak, and has really great flavors that run from fruit to herbs, and pack a nice, spicy punch on the finish. The Martins have both done extremely well with their wines in competitions this year: I’m sure they are keeping score, but I don’t want to throw more coals onto the fire. It’s definitely a spirited and mutually satisfying competition: they get to make great wine – and music – together, and yet they can maintain their own styles and perfect their own signature moves. Like a tango, theirs is a dynamic, energetic and very passionate winegrowing and winemaking relationship. The results are not just fun to taste, they’re fun to watch.

---

Photos by Laura Ness unless otherwise noted