Perry Creek Winery - Amador County - Sierra Foothills

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At 2500 feet Perry Creek takes winemaking to a higher level.

It can be accurately explained that Perry Creek Winery of Fair Play (who couldn't trust wines from a place with that name?), California has a dichotomous existence; something that could also be termed the winery's past and present.

In 1989, New York-born Michael Chazen spotted some property while driving to Las Vegas and was immediately bitten by the wine bug. He planted some 20 acres and built a winery that eventually reached more than 20,000 cases, no mere feat for a startup winery in the Sierra Madre Foothills during the early 1990s.

Chazen eventually planted more acreage but a nasty divorce and settlement forced Chazen into an absentee ownership position. He departed California for Florida and the winery was put up for sale just after the advent of the millennium. Perry Creek remained in that status for several years until Dieter Juergens arrived on the scene and became interested in the property. Juergens was already a property owner and grower in the Fair Play region who had even used Perry Creek's facilities for his first custom crush fruit from his own vineyards.

According to Juergens, "Perry Creek was exactly what I had been looking for, and maybe hadn't realized it at that point. It had been on the market for a while and there was literally no movement. I knew that the price would be right and I finally succeeded in buying the entire place."

Since the Perry Creek name was basically intact and came with the purchase, Juergens decided to go fast forward in resurrecting the cozy winery. He bulldozed a lot of the area around the winery proper and created a large area park that literally jumped out at visitors. He also installed a new deck with sufficient space for events and made ample use of the existing river and creek to create an idealistic destination for winery goers. Perry Creek sprinted ahead under its new ownership and the aggressive management team that was assembled. Stefan Tscheppe was hired from Austria where his family has owned VINO Tscheppe for the past six generations. Tscheppe serves as operations manager and brings a wealth of knowledge to Perry Creek in the high-end wine and international marketing ts of the business. Also joining the Perry Creek team was consultant viticulturist Garrett Buckland, a UC Davis graduate and winemaker that brought credibility and expertise to augment head winemaker Joe Flemate (see winemaker profile).

Current annual production stands near the thirteen thousand case level and can be expected to grow to around twenty thousand in the next few years. When that goal is met, Perry Creek will decide on increasing its output based on current market conditions and demand for its product.

The winery also sports a new look, thanks to the Los Angeles design firm Kastner and Partners (famous for their Red Bull designs) and artist Gilbert Villassig. The new Perry Creek label design is assuredly more modern and attuned to the winery's new image, a radical departure from its earlier labeling. The company's signature product, Zinman, has become more of a ghostly type of Zinman, but is keeping in with the aims of the El Dorado County entity.

Perry Creek's wines are also a product of a wide variety of opinions, a sort of wine-by-committee approach that seems to be working with amazing results. Practically everyone involved with the winery, from operations manager to vineyards manager, along with the tasting room manager thrown in for good measure, has a say in the final blends that become Perry Creek wines.

"I firmly believe that everyone who has a hand in developing the wines should also have a say in what becomes of our final blends," stated Juergens. "That way, everyone puts everything they have into the process and feels like they are part of the final product. With the awards that we have been able to win, I would say that the process seems to be working quite nicely."

It isn't all that often the established wineries receive a second chance at success, but in the case of Perry Creek, this time around seems to be quite lucrative. The Perry Creek team has created a new environment that promotes its wines in a positive setting that insures continued growth. It is our pleasure to reintroduce our club members to the new Perry Creek.

FEATURED WINES

Watch Wine Video Clip >	Perry Creek 2005 Syrah Benefiting from the high elevation (2500+ feet) and the well-drained rich soils of the Sierra Foothills is the Perry Creek 2005 Syrah, with well-ripened tannins and a unique combination of fruit and spiciness not found in many California Syrahs. The animating 2005 Syrah has garnered a notable collection of medals in recent wine competitions, including a Gold Medal from the Riverside International Wine Competition, a Gold Medal from the Lodi International Wine Awards, a Silver Medal from the Taster’s Guild Awards, and a second Silver Medal from the Best of Appellation Competition. After maturing in oak barrels for several months, the Perry Creek Syrah exhibits a creamy, toasty texture which blends well with the rare complexity of spicy fruit flavors. Blackberries, cinnamon, and black olive notes are followed by an earthy tobacco essence and smooth, toasty vanilla flavors on the finish. Try pairing the Perry Creek 2005 Syrah with sauted eggplant pasta, lamb chops, and your favorite casseroles. 95% Syrah, 5% Petite Syrah. Aged 18 months in oak
Watch Wine Video Clip >	Perry Creek 2006 Zinfandel Perry Creek’s 2006 Zinfandel is a special blend from three different El Dorado vineyards along the high-elevation ridges in California’s Sierra Foothills. A Gold Medal Wine Club Exclusive, this limited production 2006 Zinfandel blend was made especially for Gold Series members and showcases the lively fruit flavor characteristics that make the Foothills one of California’s primary regions for Zinfandels. The diversity of the three vineyards and their harmonious marriage in the wine makes the 2006 Zinfandel an exciting and intense vintage from Perry Creek. An opulent and potent Zinfandel, this distinguished new release was awarded a Gold Medal at the Taster’s Guild Awards as well as a Silver Medal at the San Diego International Wine Competition. Enticing aromas of exotic fruit and chocolate covered espresso beans lead into lively flavors of peppery strawberries, brambleberries, coconut and hints of vanilla truffle on the palate. Toasted vanilla flavors compliment the spicy, nutty finish that creates a perfect balance between sweetness, fruit, and spice. Try pairing the 2006 Zinfandel with chutneys, sautéd steaks, and pastas with rich tomato sauces. 100% Zinfandel. Aged 16 months in oak.
	Perry Creek 2006 Viognier Called “pure Viognier at its best” is the Perry Creek 2006 Viognier, produced from the winery’s El Dorado vineyard. The floral flavors and complex fruit and spice aromas beautifully compliment each other in a harmonious balance resulting from Fair Play’s highly elevated appellation. The 2006 Viognier was a Gold Medal winner at the Best of Appellation Competition: “Although aged in French oak, it is the classic gooseberry, apricot, honey and lively acidity that play out from the start to the long finish. Grown at a 2,500 foot elevation, this Viognier is another testament to the importance of warm days and cool nights in finding the right balance in the El Dorado white wines.” Perry Creek’s estate bottled Viognier received optimal fruit exposure, which heightens the crisp, fresh fruit flavors characteristic of this alluring Rhone grape varietal. Enticing aromas of apricots, citrus and orange peel immediately awaken the senses and lead into round, full-bodied flavors of stone fruit and hints of spice on the palate. The refined complexity sets this Viognier apart, and its fine, creamy and slightly toasty finish creates a wonderfully rich mouthfeel. Try pairing the Perry Creek 2006 El Dorado Viognier with seafood, spicy Asian salads, and chicken. 100% Viognier. Aged 8 months in oak. Enjoy now until 2010.

ABOUT THE WINEMAKER

Energizing the winemaking team is my second priority
Perry Creek's new energentic winemaker, 38-year-old Joe Flemate, recently joined the winery's talented winemaking team of Garrett Buckland and Stefan Tscheppe. Originally from the Bay Area, he considers himself an old world winemaker, with a taste for fruit forward wines. Trained at the likes of Fogarty, Villa Mt. Eden, Conn Creek and B.R. Cohn, Flemate says, "It's all in the vineyards and the attention to detail."

Dieter Juergens finds the Sierra Foothills truly beautiful
When new owner Dieter Juergens, 66, first discovered the Sierra Foothills, he was looking for a place to take his banking customers from his base in Sacramento, California. He found the area "to be beautiful beyond belief," and when he compared the land value there to both Napa and Sonoma, much more potentially affordable.
"It wasn't just the price for the land that attracted me," Juergens confessed recently, "it was much more than that. The wineries in the foothills were much smaller, and the people who operated them were generally friendlier. When you consider the natural beauty El Dorado County has to offer and its historical significance, the combination was quite unbeatable." Juergens bought his first property around the town of Fair Play with the intention of being a grower. When the possibility of purchasing Perry Creek from its troubled owner became a reality, Juergens literally jumped at the opportunity.

He was a principal player in international banking, first with Wells Fargo and later with his own banking trust company in Sacramento.

It wasn't until the age of thirty that Juergens first became interested in wine. He first tried the sweeter German wines of his native country and then was introduced to California wines after coming to the United States in 1964.

"Once I tasted the great wines that California had to offer, I was permanently hooked," he explained further.

After acquiring Perry Creek, Juergens started amassing a management team that he felt could meet his ultimate objectives. "Like most Germans, I am only interested in producing the finest possible product. Take automobiles for instance. Germany produces the Mercedes Benz, Porsche and BMW just to name a few. If I was going to produce wines, I wanted them to be just like the greatest cars."

The rest of the story is now becoming part of the Sierra Foothills wine history. With the top notch team in place, Perry Creek has already exceeded its earlier counterpart in terms of wine quality and consistency.

A great deal of the quality aspect comes from the fact that much of the grapes used for Perry Creek come from Dieter Juergen's home vineyard that he labels Fair Play Farms.

"When I first saw the Fair Play property,"Juergens continued, "I was amazed with its natural beauty. Then I remembered most of the finest German vineyards were located at high altitudes in rough soils so I decided that the area would make an excellent vineyard site. So far, we have been quite happy with the quality of the grapes we have produced. My winemaker Joe (Flemate) absolutely believes that true quality in wines begins and ends in the vineyards, so we do our best to produce the finest fruit."

Juergens is still in banking, but admits to spending each Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the winery. He can usually be found in the Perry Creek Tasting Room behind the counter pouring wines for visitors and customers.

"This gives me an excellent chance for consumer feedback," he added. "I get the first hand reaction to our wines and pass it on to my winemaker and consultant. Whenever changes need to be made, we have a head start on what people are really looking for."

THE WINE REGION

The Sierra Foothills wine region is famous for its Zinfandels and other fierce flavored varietals. The area that was home to the famous California Gold Rush setting in the 1840s also contains a great amount of complexity as far as soils and conditions are concerned. Perry Creek's vineyards are situated in the Fair Play AVA Appellation, at around 2400-feet elevation, an excellent altitude that requires the vines to work extra hard to accomplish their mission. At this altitude, the accompanying low annual rainfall forces roots deep into the decomposed granite soils, creating highly concentrated, complex wines. The resulting fruit is also able to exhibit optimal natural acidity, due to normal cool nights in these high altitudes. Even though the actual fruit yield from mountain vineyards is much lower than valley-grown grapes, the accompanying flavor intensity and complexity more than compensate for the lower yield.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Eggplant and Pasta

Ingredients:
Serves 4

1 Large purple Eggplant (about 1 pound)
1 Pound Penne Pasta
1/2 Cup olive oil
2 Garlic Cloves, chopped
1 15-ounce can Chopped Tomatoes
6-8 Fresh basil leaves, torn in large pieces
1/2 Cup black olives, chopped
2 Tablespoons capers
Salt and Pepper

Preparations:
Peel eggplant and cut into 1/2 inch cubes; sprinkle with salt and place in colander to drain about 30 minutes. Remove and dry on paper towels. Cook pasta according to package directions. While pasta water is heating, put oil in a large saute pan and brown eggplant until golden. Add garlic and saute another minute. Add tomatoes with their juice, basil, olives and capers, simmer another 5 minutes. Taste and add pepper and salt as needed. Drain pasta and toss with sauce. Serve with Perry Creek's 2005 Syrah and enjoy!

Succulent Steak with Zinfandel Sauce and Vegetable Saute

Ingredients:
Serves 6

6 Small, thick Steaks
1 Teaspoon Olive Oil
1 Cup Beef Stock
1/2 Cup Perry Creek 2006 Zinfandel
1 Tablespoon Tomato Paste
1 Large clove Garlic, chopped
1 Teaspoon dark chocolate
Salt and Pepper

Preparations:
Put olive oil in hot saute pan. Sear steaks on both sides and transfer to warm pan in a 350-degree oven. Add beef stock, Zinfandel, tomato paste and garlic to saute pan, reduce by half. Add chocolate and stir to melt. Continue to simmer until mixture is reduced to a creamy consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.

THE GRAPEVINE

Our annual Pre-Holiday California champagne blowout is on!
Each year we feature an outstanding selection from among California's best sparkling wine producers and this year, we're pleased to offer the Laetitia Vineyard and Winery's Brut Cuvee. This cuvee blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Blanc is elegant, crisp, and irresistible as only a sparkling wine should be! A standout at a number of competitions, the Laetitia Cuvee's award collection includes 4 Gold Medals from various international wine competitions, 90 Points from Wine News, 5 Silver Medals from California wine competitions, and a "Highly Recommended" Score by the Beverage Tasting Institute. Now through October 15th save 36% on case purchases of this excellent selection and be ready for your up-and-coming holiday celebrations, office parties, and special occasions.

Click here to find the perfect entrée to pair with your favorite bottle of wine.