Category: News

A delicious review of the 2016 CrossHatch Depth, Santa Ynez Valley by Winery Reflections…

“Crunchy blackberry, green tobacco, juicy Damson plum. Wild blueberry, blooming violet, black licorice. A lively parade of deep yet energetic fruit highlighted by dark cherry, tart boysenberry, and açaí anchors a nicely extracted yet fresh display intriguingly complicated by notes of bell pepper, black coffee, and bitter cacao. Hints of eucalyptus leaf, cilantro, and fresh garden herbs emerge to continue themes of pleasant natural charm while pronounced wafts of iris, lavender, and rose provide layers of pretty floral perfume. Suggestions of anise, nutmeg, dill, and cinnamon gently unfold within a wave of interesting and eclectic spices while impressions graveley minerality and sandy soil subtly reveal integrated reflections of terroir. Impressively bright and balanced on the palate with a delightful mix of concentration and crunch; exhibiting firm structure and texture inside a complex and compelling frame. Medium plus in body with elevated levels of tannin and acidity. This 2016 “Depth” by CrossHatch Wines is a well made and exciting red from Santa Barbara’s Santa Ynez Valley.

While the classic Bordeaux varieties are traditionally and frequently blended together, an overwhelming majority of blending typically takes place a year or more after harvest using a range of single-varietal base wines to create one finished wine. This bottling, crafted using a co-fermented blend of 60% Merlot/40% Cabernet Franc sourced from the Camp 4 Vineyard in the Santa Ynez Valley, showcases a unique and interesting take on one of the world’s most classic grape combinations. Because the co-fermentation process allows different varieties to ferment and age together as one undisturbed batch, the finished product develops a flavor profile that is completely distinct from if the blending took place further into the winemaking process. In this instance the depth, texture, and concentration of Merlot is present yet is seamlessly offset by Cab Franc’s more lively and energetic edge. This wine is an extremely interesting and exciting sum of its parts, made even more fun by a small amount of whole-cluster addition. Very nice.

Have you tried a co-fermented red blend?”

Thanks to Screw It Blog for selecting the 2019 CrossHatch Shape Rosé in their Central Coast Hottest Rosé Releases.

The Shape is a unique, co-fermented rosé. The blend is made of 80% Grenache and 20% Mourvèdre and they are put together as juice and made together which makes it a harmonious wine. Kærskov Vineyard in the Los Olivos District AVA of Santa Barbara County was the source of the fruit. The winery harvested both varietals at the same time. First, to extract color, they gently crushed the grapes and soaked them together. And finally, they cold fermented the wine in stainless steel and aged for 6 months.

This rosé has a light carnation pink color with creamsicle orange highlights. Strawberry, honeysuckle, grapefruit and Meyer lemon aromas jump out of the glass followed by honeydew, lime zest and strawberry shortcake on the palate. Light and refreshing on the finish. A great expression of a more traditional French rosé.

Read the full article.

Thank you Doug Wilder of Purely Domestic Wine Report for your review of our 2018 CrossHatch Patina.

“The nose is wet grass and ferrous metallic acidity with deep, resinous pear and white stone fruit underneath. The palate entry is a velvety yellow stone fruit and honeysuckle with a bright core of crisp citrus. Drink through 2023”

The 2018 CrossHatch Patina is selected as the Recommended Rhone Wine of the Month by Wine Country This Month: Central Coast. This delicious blend of 80% Viognier and 20% Grenache Blanc pairs perfectly with Southern Fried Chicken by our friends at Uncorked Wine Tasting and Kitchen.

View the article and recipe.

2018 CrossHatch Patina, Santa Ynez Valley  $30

Wine Enthusiast Magazine and writer, Matt Kettmann include CrossHatch Wines in this article about co-fermented wines….

““Think of it like cooking a stew, where the ingredients are combined early in the process and get to meld together throughout,” Matthias Pippig, winemaker at Sanguis Wine in Santa Barbara, says of co-fermented wines. “We can establish great balance naturally, rather than through winemaker or chemical intervention.”

Pippig is one of several contemporary winemakers embracing co-fermentation, a historical technique in which multiple varietals are fermented in the same vessel. They believe co-fermentation allows for new, naturally derived flavor profiles. While it can be difficult to find different grapes that ripen at the same time, these winemakers feel that the successes stand out in comparison to varietal wines or typical blends.

The resurgence of co-fermented wines in America dovetails with modern trends toward low-intervention wines and storytelling. However, the practice of combining multiple grape varieties for fermentation is nothing new. In the Old World, inky Syrah from France’s Côte-Rôtie was historically enhanced with floral Viognier. And in California, the wine industry was more or less built on field blends of varieties planted willy-nilly prior to Prohibition.

As more consideration was put into where vines were planted, this concept of co-fermentation fell increasingly out of fashion. But today, interest is reemerging across America, and especially throughout California.

Northern California vintners Morgan-Twain Peterson, MW, of Bedrock Wine Co., Mike Officer of Carlisle Winery & Vineyards and Sean Thackrey of Thackrey & Company highlight the complexity of old-school field blends in special bottlings. Thackrey’s flagship wine, Orion, is a field blend of assorted grapes that were all harvested at once, as is Peterson’s Bedrock Heritage Sonoma Valley, which includes 27 varieties from one vineyard.

Meanwhile, in the state’s Central Coast region, some winemakers stake almost entire brands on co-fermented vino. After years of making varietal wines under the Carr Vineyards & Winery label, Ryan and Jessica Carr launched CrossHatch Winery in 2011 to explore co-fermentation. They currently produce six such wines per vintage.

“By blending the juice before fermentation, you change the chemical makeup of the must and you produce something truly unique,” says Ryan.

Sanguis Wine released five co-fermented wines in 2019, and Winemaker Pippig’s side-by-side experiments continue to yield promising results. So can we expect to see more co-fermented wines on shelves and in restaurants? “On a small scale, with winemakers who…make it their goal to push forward and aren’t risk-averse? Yes,” says Pippig.”

WINE ENTHUSIAST MAGAZINE, JANUARY 2020