Always fun trying something historic. At 88 years of age, this did not disappoint. From one of the last vintages produced under the Rixford label, from what at one time, pre-prohibition, was considered one of the great producers of Bordeaux style wine from California. Woodside, no less. This was a beauty to partake of. Saturated in color with slight russeting, pretty amazing it held its color so well. Of course well into it tertiary aromas of tobacco, and turned earth, it possessed a sweetness on the palate along with dried plums and an earthy note held together with a nice beam of acidity. The finish continued with no decline throughout our meal. While I would like to have tried this decades ago, this is a testament to old school winemaking.
Emmet Rixford, who established the property in the 1884 and had written a seminal book on winemaking, died in 1928. This wine was made by his sons, but no doubt they were well trained by their father. Fascinating to read the Martin Ray, used cuttings from Rixford’s vineyard when planting his vineyard. I wonder if that included Monte Bello?
In any event, a great wine on a lovely afternoon at Auberge du Soleil with my beautiful wife.
by Then_Cucumber_764
3 Comments
Wow, super cool! The old Martin Ray labels had a circular red logo very similar to the Rixford. I bet it was his inspiration for doing that.
insane
To answer your question about Monte Bello, William Short chose cuttings from the Fountain Grove utopian society to plant on the vineyard. Some of the more recent plantings to have the Rixford/Mt. Eden clone.