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On the Hill
Rhone Varieties:
Holly's Hill is completely focused on producing Rhone varietal wines. In fact, the estate vineyards are composed entirely of
Rhone varieties including Viognier, Roussanne, Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah, and Counoise. The winery produces both varietal wines, a dry Rosé, and red and white blends. The enthusiasm for Rhone varieties at Holly's Hill
started when Tom and Holly Cooper (owners) shared their first bottle of Chateauneuf du Pape on their honeymoon. It's been a love affair ever since. When the Coopers decided to plant their vineyard, it was an easy decision.
Especially since the clones of Chateau de Beaucastel, one of the finest Chateauneuf houses, had recently become available. These new clones including Grenache from Chateau Rayas have proved to be much better than what was
previously available in California. 
The Vineyards:
The first vineyard, fifteen acres of Syrah, was planted in 1998 at 2700 feet. The vines are trained on a quadrilateral trellising system to
obtain maximum fruit quality by limiting vigor and maximizing light penetration. The vines line steep terraced slopes with 360 degrees of exposure due to the circular lay of the land. The first crop
was harvested in October of 2000. In 2006, parts of this vineyard have been grafted over to other varieties so that the winery can fully utilize all of the production. An acre of Counoise was
added as well as a bit of Grenache Blanc and a little Mourvedre. Two and half acres of Mourvedre and one and a half acres of Petite Sirah were added in 2007.
T
he second vineyard was planted in 2000 on the adjacent hill. Due to the family's love of Rhone wines and the fact that Rhone grapes grow so well in El Dorado, they planted Counoise, Grenache, and
Mourvedre (all red Rhones) and Roussanne and Viognier (Rhone whites). The reds are head trained to allow close spacing which will force the vines to compete for nutrients and result in maximum flavors. The
whites will be trained using Vertical Shoot Positioning for ideal sun exposure. This vineyard is laid out on steep terraces, like the Syrah, and is south-facing.
Click Here For a Map of the Varieties Planted
Winemaking:
A
lthough the winery is in California, Holly's Hill wines have a distinctive French flare. New oak and big fruit bombs are not the hallmark. Instead, emphasis is placed
on the fruit itself and interventions throughout the aging process are infrequent and minor. Only French oak is used and preferably neutral barrels without the vanilla,
astringency and tannins of new barrels. Carrie and Josh also use larger volume casks as it has been done in the Rhone Valley of France for centuries. The wines are only
racked if needed allowing for further concentrations of flavors to develop from the lees at the bottom of the barrels. White wines generally spend about six months in barrels and reds eleven months. Syrah on the
other hand ages for up to two years before bottling. The Patriarche blend is the first wine put together each year getting only the best lots of estate fruit. |
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