Onward Zinfandel
Producer: Faith Armstrong
Region: Redwood Valley, California
STORY
This month we’re drinking wines from an outstanding producer in Napa, California. Faith Armstrong is producing stunning wines that are more than worthy of our attention. To say starting out as a young winemaker in the Napa Valley is difficult would be an understatement, but her drive and passion have helped her create a name for herself. Rather than invest in her own vineyards, she works with several small-scale growers on a very intimate level. Over the course of just a few years, she’s cultivated strong bonds with these farmers ensuring superior grape quality and vineyard management. The opportunity to work closely with various vineyard sites has allowed Faith access to multiple grape varieties of varying ages. The ‘Onward’ collection is sourced from single vineyard sites. Faith is a true steward of the vine, she strives to create wines that showcase pure expression of fruit and the landscape from which it comes.
HOW TO
Faith chooses to harvest early to ensure freshness and balance within her wines. This is apparent when tasting her Zinfandel. It is not the big, bold bottle you may be accustomed to. This is a side of Zinfandel we seldom bear witness to, a delicate expression with a finesse that still exudes complexity, sourced from 65-year-old vines. The fruit comes from Knox Vineyard located in the Redwood Valley of Northern California. Faith describes this vineyard as majestic, surrounded by massive redwood and oak trees. Cooler temperatures in the Redwood Valley allow the freshness and acidity of the grapes to be retained. Old vines produce smaller quantities of fruit but each berry is concentrated creating a wine that is juicy, complex, and beautifully perfumed. Expect notes of bright red fruits like cherry, cranberry and currant. Perfect for a crisp Spring evening.
TUNES FOR YOUR JUICE
by Liza Morgioni
An exploration of one artists’ hand in two different projects
When Neil Young released his Harvest Moon album in 1992, it was seen as a return to his folk influence. With a few more years of life experience under his belt, he explores more mature themes on the album, such as his dedication to keeping his relationship alive. Speaking of relationships, though this initially seems like a solo album, it’s important to note that Young collaborated with other musicians, like Nicolette Larson and James Taylor, on every track.
For Onward’s Zinfandel, we travel to a separate vineyard site stewarded by a different family, and Faith once again proves her status as an expert collaborator. These 65-year-old Zinfandel vines have been around for decades longer than the aforementioned Syrah vines. At their age, these Zinfandel vines produce grapes of lower ripeness, which Faith prefers, than young Zin vines. This is a more gentle, yet still vibrant, expression of Zinfandel. The same could be said listening to the Harvest Moon album as compared to Neil Young’s earlier work; shave off a little bit of intensity and we are left with something calmer and a bit more grounded.
“Unknown Legend,” the opening track on the album, is much more folk than rock, with sounds like the sliding guitar and meandering harmonica somehow toeing the line between lively and relaxing. It’s downright pretty, just as this Zinfandel’s notes of pink peppercorn and zested cranberry jelly float around on the palette.
As an added bonus, this Zinfandel vineyard is surrounded by towering redwood trees, making it a quintessential Californian site. Though Faith and Neil happen to be from Canada originally, it’s safe to say that they have become Californian icons.
Onward Syrah
Producer: Faith Armstrong
Region: Redwood Valley, California
STORY
Moving from North to South, we’ll next explore Onward Syrah, sourced from Ledgewood Vineyards in Suisun Valley, located just south of Napa. Faith and Roger King, the grower, have a close working partnership. Tending to the vines and creating wine respectively, is a holistic process for both of them. They always have the end goal in mind - producing the best wines possible and allowing the sense of place to emanate in the glass. Before these vines were planted, this landscape was home to Suisun creek. Over time, the creek migrated, leaving the fertile soils in which these Syrah vines have now taken root. The old creek bed retains dampness and moisture allowing the vineyard to be dry-farmed, no small feat in this region.
HOW TO
This is Syrah as we expect it to be -lush and elegantly structured. Rhône varieties, such as Syrah, thrive in the Suisun Valley. Plenty of warmth, sunshine, and attention from Roger and Faith is what helps to create this stunning expression of Syrah. Fruit-driven notes of plum and blackberry present themselves, balanced by subtle hints of savory olive and white pepper. You’ll find this wine has serious structure, displaying a tannic grip and robust body. Fire up the barbecue, this Syrah is begging to be paired with grilled sausage, lamb, or eggplant!
TUNES FOR YOUR JUICE
by Liza Morgioni
An exploration of one artists’ hand in two different projects
Faith Armstrong Foster isn’t afraid to do things a little differently than the average California way, and because of that Onward Wines stand out. She is not unlike a musician, always utilizing her signature style while developing quality relationships with growers. The vines for this Syrah were planted in 1997, so they are not much older than Neil Young was when he wrote “Mr. Soul” for folk-rock band Buffalo Springfield in 1967. Well, youth is no determination of skill as this equally inviting song and wine prove.
Though Faith opts for an earlier harvest, she cold-soaks her grapes to further enhance flavor and color, so her Syrah is still big; layers of plump fruit, spice, and purple flowers dance in harmony. This robust combination reminds me of the powerful yet whimsical style of “Mr. Soul,” with Neil Young’s signature tenor voice remaining buoyant over an intense flurry of guitar riffs. It’s still structured - the bass keeps stomping along, yet an undeniable wildness distinguishes this track from others on the album. Now in this case, with the in-fighting that occurred in Buffalo Springfield especially between Neil Young and Steven Stills, I can’t say with certainty that Neil had as strong a relationship with his artistic partner as Faith seems to have in her work. But I can say that she, too, is not afraid to push the envelope in order to create something unique.
