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Patz & Hall Wine Co. - Napa Valley
One of California's most celebrated artisan wineries.










 


 It can be argued that it is extremely rare when the all-important parts of a business fit together perfectly. Most wine industry insiders will tell you that in the case of a winery, such compatibility is even uncommon. But in the case of Patz & Hall Wine Co., the aforementioned scenario is not only feasible, but tends to serve as a role model for small vintner-driven operations in California. The Patz & Hall story is also as amazing as is its simplistic approach to the wine business.

Started almost twenty years ago in Napa Valley, Patz & Hall has made the most of the varied wine industry experience of its four principals and has prospered greatly in doing so. Donald Patz was the national marketing manager at Flora Springs Winery when the idea of creating his own label first came to him.

Patz was a University of Oregon graduate who saw a potential niche for a winery and labeled his idea "Project X." He approached his two closest friends, Honig Cellars' Winemaker James Hall (UC Santa Cruz and UC Davis), a former co-worker at Flora Springs and industry veteran Anne Moses (UC Santa Cruz) with his idea and Patz & Hall Wine Co., was born. The three friends began their operation guided by a classic Burgundian model of hands-on control of grapes from small vineyard sites, and small lot, barrel-by-barrel winemaking.

The first wine released was a mere 400 cases of 1988 Chardonnay that was custom crushed and later produced at Honig Cellars' facility deep in Napa Valley just off the Silverado Trail. The wine made an immediate impression on the consuming public and was critically acclaimed by a number of the nation's wine press. Patz & Hall was on its way.

Little has changed in today's updated version of the Patz & Hall Wine Co. The business has grown and stabilized over the past years to around 27,000 cases.
The company has remained true to its original goal of producing rich, complex wines from low-yielding, cool climate vineyards located in a number of appellations throughout California.

While the winery has continued to embrace its founding philosophy, little else has changed. "Twenty years later and all our wines are still made at Honig," explained James Hall. "We have the flexibility of being able to select the finest grapes from the best appellations and craft them at a first rate facility. All our grapes are under contract and allow us to single-vineyard designate our wines. I feel that we get a better response from the market with single vineyard designation; it offers the consumer a feeling of security when he or she chooses a wine. They know where the grapes are grown and have confidence in our brand name.

"I am proud to be able to say that each of our wines is 100% estate grown and there is absolutely no blending. It's what we set out to do when we started and we have been fortunate to adhere to that philosophy throughout our existence."

While Hall is responsible for winemaking, Donald Patz oversees the national sales and marketing function and Moses serves as the company's president, handles sales in all-important California and doubles as an enologist. Donald Patz's wife Heather is the company's fourth and final partner - handling all office chores as well as the ever-present compliance issues that always follow wineries.

"We are fortunate to each have our individual sphere of influence," Anne Moses added. "We all work together quite nicely. All decisions concerning our company are individually discussed and agreed upon. We've never had a problem in that regard."

It is easy to see why so many wine industry veterans single out Patz & Hall for its accomplishments. The winery produces incredibly competent wines in a fortuitous environment with a minimum outlay of money, often resulting in a superior wine at a realistic price to its customers.

We are delighted to feature Patz & Hall as this month's Pinot Noir Series selection. You are about to experience an exceptionally expressive wine from a very exceptional team. Enjoy!

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FEATURED WINE




 2007 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

The Patz & Hall 2007 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir offers a beautiful expression of the varietal, with bright red fruit aromatics of cranberry and pomegranate, accentuated by seductive layers of Chambord, butter and cinnamon spice. Crisp, structured and with a lifted mouthwatering finish, this wine seamlessly balances pure cranberry and cherry notes with classic acidity. Produced from a complex blend of vineyard sites, this delicious cuvée of a Pinot Noir embodies the depth, structure and vibrant fruit flavors of the Sonoma Coast.  The list of accolades is as follows: 92 Points – Wine Enthusiast, 91 Points – Wine & Spirits, 90 Points – Connoisseurs’ Guide, 90 Points – Snooth, and “Wines We Love Right Now” – Cooking Light magazine. Enjoy the best of Sonoma Coast Pinot for Patz & Hall over dinner or by the glass this weekend.

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ABOUT THE WINEMAKER



James Hall has earned a reputation for crafting dramatic Chardonnays
For more than twenty years, founder and winemaker James Hall has guided the Patz & Hall winemaking program, instilling it with his own boldness, imagination, and trademark perfectionism. Combining his belief in great viticulture, traditional winemaking practices, and the use of innovative techniques, James has earned a reputation for crafting dramatic benchmark Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs that balance vibrant power with vineyard-inspired depth and sophistication.

James developed an early appreciation for fine wine during family travels to Europe in the late 1960s. While studying liberal arts at the University of California, Santa Cruz, James met Anne Moses, and together the two began exploring their shared interest in wine. James went on to study winemaking at UC Davis and after spending years in the industry developing his expertise, opened Patz & Hall Winery in 1988 with his three partners.

A master of his craft and a widely respected veteran winemaker, James has created an acclaimed portfolio of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir that has helped turn Patz & Hall Winery into one of California's most celebrated artisan wineries.

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THE WINE REGION



Patz & Hall's 2007 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir blends a selection of fruit from small family-owned vineyard sites from Sonoma Coast, Green Valley, Sonoma Valley and Russian River Valley. Some of Sonoma's most distinguished viticulturists and vineyard owners provide fruit for this complex blend, including the Dutton Brothers, the Martinelli family, Charlie Chenoweth and Steve Hill.

The Sonoma Coast appellation runs along the Sonoma County coastline from the San Pablo Bay to the Mendocino County line, extending inland for about thirty miles. Created in 1987, this growing region includes portions of several Sonoma County American Viticultural Areas. It generally has a cool climate and receives more rain than other Sonoma appellations.

Encompassing more than 500,000 acres, the Sonoma Coast appellation is quite large, containing many microclimates and resulting in various styles of Pinot Noir. Patz & Hall's Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir embraces the region as a whole, embodying the qualities and characters that have shown the Sonoma Coast appellation to be one of the great growing regions of the world.

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Rosemary Pork Chops

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Soy Sauce
1/4 cup Water
3 Tbs. Brown Sugar
1 Tbs. Dried Rosemary, crushed
4 (6 ounce) boneless Pork Loin Chops

Preparations:
In a large resealable bag, combine the soy sauce, water, brown sugar and rosemary. Add the pork chops. Seal the bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate for about 3 hours to fully marinate. Drain and discard the marinade. Place the pork chops in a greased 11 inch by 7 inch by 2 inch baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 to 35 minutes or until the juices run clear. Serve with parmesan roasted potatoes and vegetables, and enjoy with a glass of Pinot Noir!

Bacon-Wrapped Fig & Blue Cheese Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients:
1/2 cup crumbled Blue Cheese
4 Fresh Figs, small dice
1 Pork Tenderloin
3-6 slices of Bacon (varies depending on of Tenderloin)
Salt & freshly cracked Black Pepper

Preparations:
After preparing the grill to medium heat, combine the diced figs and crumbled blue cheese in a small bowl. Toss to evenly distribute. Butterfly the pork tenderloin by slicing lengthwise almost all the way through, then open the meat up like a book. Season all surs of the pork liberally with the salt and pepper. Evenly distribute the fig/blue cheese mixture down the middle of the seasoned pork, leaving about a half inch of space on the edges. Roll the pork back up into the shape of the tenderloin, encasing the stuffing with the meat. Using toothpicks, securely fasten the pork back together at the edges.
Wrap the stuffed tenderloin evenly with the slices of bacon, securing them to the toothpicks. Place the tenderloin on the grill, directly over the heat. Grill about 20-25 minutes or until internal temperature reads 140 degrees, turning the meat occasionally to crisp the bacon evenly on all sides (and to decrease the chance of flare ups).

Once the pork is at the desired level of done-ness, remove from the grill. Let the pork rest, covered loosely in foil, for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Drizzled with a pomegranate vinaigrette gives a sweet tang to the finished pork

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