Olson Ogden Wines

2009 harvest report

2009-11-13T08:56:32-08:00

We are just wrapping up harvest, the 2009 wines are resting in barrels and ready for winter hibernation. In looking back at this year’s harvest, I find it like most harvest’s I’ve worked…a blur. The 10 to 15 hour days just roll by due to the amount of work and activity. As they say, “time flies when you’re having fun.” This year was particularly fun as we moved to a new facility (our seventh in seven years) called Vinify in Santa Rosa. These guys run a first class custom crush facility. In addition to the 17 other brands being made there, we had the services of a group of first rate harvest interns including one from Scotland. The energy and passion that was running through the winery was electrifying. Imagine going to work and everyone there, including yourself, absolutely loves being there and working because the work is so rewarding. That said, it all comes down to the wines. Or in the case of this vintage, it all came down to the weather.

Coming into September, the weather had been textbook for a high quality vintage. Every winemaker and grower I spoke with this summer was excited about the potential for a superb vintage, which given the problems with frost and smoke in 2008, was welcomed with open arms. It was not to be. Mother Nature threw curve balls at us that would make a big league pitcher jealous. The weather in the first week of September was hot and got everyone mobilizing early. That was followed by some rain and a little cool weather. Then more heat. Then more rain in October followed by cloudy, muggy days, which created a perfect environment for mold. Thankfully the rest of October dried out and allowed harvest to finish in good weather.

All in all, this was a vintage for the ages. Against a backdrop of the worst recession in three generations, we had a very good harvest with a bountiful crop. I feel bad for the many growers that couldn’t sell their fruit, there were tons and tons of grapes left unpicked on the vines. But the grapes that did get picked were turned into some great wines. And it is the consumer, you and me, that will reap the benefit in the next couple years. With so many good wines and a weak, but hopefully recovering, economy, prices are going to be reasonable and offer great values for the next few years. It’s a great time to be a wine drinker! -- by Tim

recent reviews of olson ogden wines 2007 vintage wines

2009-11-08T16:57:32-08:00

NorCal Wine wrote one of the most comprehensive tasting notes on our 2007 Sonoma Napa Syrah you will ever read. Worth taking a read. The Palate Press also tasted and favorably reviewed two of our wines recently...the 2007 Stagecoach Vineyard Syrah and the 2007 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. We also got notice that Wine Enthusiast Magazine awarded 90 plus points for 4 our 2007 vintage wines with one wine designated a "Cellar Selection" and another an "Editor's Choice". The reviews should be out in their Best of Year issue in early December and on their website later this month. It is nice to see these positive reviews from well traveled palates and receive such positive feedback for our wines. -- by John

wine spectator rates and reviews olson ogden wines' 2007 vintage pinot noirs

2009-10-13T13:10:08-07:00

The Wine Spectator's, Jim Laube, recently wrote a piece on their website regarding 15 distinctive 2007 vintage Pinot Noirs from the Sonoma Coast and Russian River Valley appellations of California. Olson Ogden Wines' pinots from the vintage were included in the article. He had good things to say about both of our pinots from this vintage. Click here to read the article. -- by John

Olson Ogden Wines Label Naming Contest!

2009-09-30T21:37:51-07:00

We have some exciting news! We have a new addition to our wine portfolio and we’d like your help in naming it. Olson Ogden Wines will produce 1000-1500 cases of this wine and sell it by the bottle, in boutique wine shops, by the glass, in fine restaurants nationwide, and to our mailing list customers. Beginning October 1 we are holding a contest to name our new wine on our Facebook Fan Page. It’s easy to enter: visit our Facebook Fan Page, become a fan, and leave your label submission in the comments. The contest will run through October 15 and a winner will be announced at the end of the month. We are honored to have Guy Kawasaki, co-founder of Alltop.com to serve as contest judge. Alltop.com aggregates the web’s best blog content including the Internet’s most comprehensive wine blog resources at http://wine.alltop.com/. Guy Kawasaki is a founding partner of Garage Technology Ventures and a former Apple Fellow at Apple. He is also the author of nine books. The contest winner will receive a prize consisting of a case of the new wine, recognition of his/her contribution on the label and the notoriety of branding a nationally distributed wine. Four finalists will receive a Olson Ogden Wines magnum. The expected wine release date is March 2010. Here is some background about the wine to get your creative juices flowing:

•    The winemakers have taken to calling this wine “The Other One” in an ode to the Grateful Dead. Incidentally, the Grateful Dead has served as the soundtrack for the making of more than one vintage.
•    The wife of one of the winemakers is not a fan of The Grateful Dead and hates the name.
•    The unnamed wine, currently in barrel, will be a straightforward, easy drinking, and fruit forward, uncomplicated red wine that may be made up of multiple varietals including Syrah, Grenache, Pinot Noir, Merlot and Cabernet.
•    The winemakers also considered naming the wine “Nomad” because of the frequency of winery moves (six times in eight vintages). The name was already taken.
•    The varietals come from more various winemaking regions throughout Northern California and the Central Coast. It will not be a vineyard designate wine.
•    The wine will retail for under $20.

You must be an Olson Ogden Wines Facebook Fan Page member to participate. This contest is open to all ages, however, prize recipient must be 21 years of age or older (proof of age required at delivery). Contest submissions become the property of Olson Ogden Wines. We are looking forward to your creative inspiration!

drinkhacker.com - tasting report for olson ogden wines 2007 vintage

2009-09-25T21:00:00-07:00

Christopher Null of Drinkhacker.com recently tasted through our 2007 vintage wines. He had previously tasted four out of the five wines at several industry events. He updated and upgraded his thoughts on the wines with this tasting report. Read what he had to say about the wines at drinkhacker.com by clicking here. -- by John

the prince of pinot reviews olson ogden wines 2007 vintage pinot noirs

2009-09-24T21:00:00-07:00

Have you ever read the PinotFile by the Prince of Pinot? Worth a read if you like pinot noir. The Prince packs his issues with tasting notes of various pinot noirs and regularly does features on select pinot producers, vineyards and regions. He recently tasted our 2007 vintage pinot noirs and had some good things to say about the wines. Here are links to the two reviews. -- by John

2007 Olson Ogden Wines Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

2007 Olson Ogden Wines Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

pinot on the river festival 2009

2009-09-23T21:00:00-07:00

Olson Ogden Wines will be pouring its 2007 vintage pinot noirs (and maybe a library selection or two!) at the upcoming Pinot on the River Festival Grand Tasting on Sunday, October 25th at Rodney Strong Vineyards in Healdsburg, CA. Get 10% of your tickets here by using the code "oo2009". To read about the entire weekend's festivities go to the Pinot on the River website. www.pinotfestival.com -- by John

pressdemocart.com wine list by peg melnik

2009-09-23T11:08:00-07:00

Peg Melnik, wine writer for the Santa Rosa Press Democrat, reviews Olson Ogden Wines 2007 Sonoma Napa Syrah on her Wine List column. Click here to read the review at pressdemocrat.com. -- by John

michael murry blogs about olson ogden wines' 2007 vintage

2009-09-22T21:00:00-07:00

Michael Murry is a mailing list customer of Olson Ogden Wines and has an interesting blog. He recently wrote about two of the Olson Ogden 2007 vintage wines he tasted. See what he had to say about the 2007 Olson Ogden Wines Unti Vineyard Syrah and the 2007 Olson Ogden Wines Sonoma Napa Syrah. -- by John

wine x magazine justwinepoints.com rates olson ogden wines' 2007 vintage

2009-09-21T20:42:42-07:00

wine x magazine justwinepoints.com rates and reviews Olson Ogden Wines' 20007 vintage and rates all 5 wines from the vintage between 94 and 98 points! Click here to read the reviews. -- by John