1982: Bill’s Tales From The Rancho
The Saucelito Canyon Winery is bonded. The first harvest and commercial wine production at Saucelito Canyon winery onsite occurred in 1982. Bill completed building the winery, and Nancy set up the wine lab in her kitchen in their home. The winemaking equipment included a handcranked stemmer crusher, one stainless steel fermentor, and 30 whiskey barrels. Bill bottled and labeled the Zinfandel himself and hit the street to sell his first Zinfandel. He produced 500 cases. According to Bill, “It was easy to sell. It was just damn good.”
Drawing of the winery (date unknown).
February 1983: California Wine Merchant’s Gazette Published By Evento-Gamina Publications, San Francisco, CA
1986: House Beautiful, September Issue
“Nancy, your Zinfandel is featured in House Beautiful,” Catherine Niven, owner of Paragon Vineyard, excitedly telephoned to tell us so many years ago. “You must get a copy.” On page 91 – a full color photograph of our 1982 Estate Zinfandel graced the seasonal table prepared by Roger Verge, accent on the second e world-famous Michelin three star chef and owner of Le Moulin de Mougins restaurant near Cannes, France. Vergé’s latest cookbook at the time, Entertaining in the French Style, was a collection and complete party guide using his favorite recipes with suggestions for tableware, flowers and wine. It was a beautiful book featuring 135 full -color photographs with just one American wine: 1982 Saucelito Canyon Zinfandel paired with Steak au Poive.
1989: Bill’s Tales From the Rancho Late Harvest Zinfandel
The Late Harvest Zinfandel became a specialty at Saucelito Canyon in 1989. Using highly ripened clusters and carbonic maceration, we’re able to produce, in limited quantities, this ultra-concentrated dessert wine. Beautiful and delicious, this wine is best when shared. It is a rare nectar, sweet like blueberries and as fragrant as ripe plums. (Source: Newsletter October 2002)
The winery produced 1,000 cases of Zinfandel and 500 cases of estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignon. Bill Greenough also sold fruit to select wineries for limited bottlings.
1990: A Gift Of Cabernet Sauvignon Cuttings To Bill
Richard Sanford and Michael Benedict, founders of Sanford and Benedict in Santa Barbara County, planted some Cabernet in the early 1970s and offered Bill the rootings still in their nursery several years later. Bill took these rootings and established an acre of vines in 1975, but eventually removed them after planting an acre of Cabernet in a much drier part of the Saucelito Canyon Vineyard in 1990. Cabernet Sauvignon became known as the high-quality Bordeaux among the Saucelito Canyon wines. Michael Benedict was a mentor and major influence in Bill’s life.
1990: First Blue Ribbon For Bill’s Wine
Bill Greenough wins his first blue ribbon for his Zin at the Mid-State Fair. That was the first Zin in the South County to be recognized by judges at the Mid-State Fair – a remarkable achievement.
1991: First Harvest Festival Brochure And Celebration
1993: Fall Newsletter
Dear Friends,
This year, Mother Nature gave us a lightning harvest. We had a little hot spell at the beginning of September, but the middle of the month was cool and damp. Harvest looked to be long and leisurely. We started picking the ripe parts of the vineyard during the traditional third week of September. The temperature was 74 degrees the first day of the harvest, 84 degrees the next, 90 degrees the next, and stayed hot for the next ten days. During these ten days, we picked and processed 40 tons of fruit – a record in both time and amount.
This letter, offering the last of the 1991 Zinfandel and the first of the new 1992 Zinfandel (not to be officially released until January 1994,) is early. With out-of-country, out-of-state, and in-state demands for our wine growing, we are in the enviable position of not making enough wine to meet demand. But we will always have wine for you, our best friends and customers.
The 1991 Zinfandel speaks for itself. It received national attention and exposure this year, the recognition we always knew it deserved. The 1992 Zinfandel was picked during a mild hot spell in late September and another short hot spell in mid-October. While picking in hot, dry weather is hard on everyone, the dry heat does concentrate the fruit flavors. The must proved very difficult to ferment, stopping several times. As a result, the 1440-gallon vat did not get as hot as it usually does, nor did most of the eighteen 350-gallon bins we used (time to get another fermentation tank). As a result of the lower temperature, the 1992 Zin has a complex fresh fruit quality, a clean, open nose, and wonderful flavor. There is just a hint of oak in the long fruit finish (may be time for some new oak barrels). One would never guess it carries the typical Sauceito Canyon fourteen-plus percent alcohol. We are very pleased and excited about this vintage.
So we offer some of the old and some of the new. We also offer some wines from our vineyard that are not generally available: 1989 Cabernet (170 cases produced), 1992 Sauvignon Blanc (65 cases produced), and 1992 late Harvest (120 cases produced), a wonderful dessert wine for the holidays.
This year has been a year of growth at our winery, but the quality remains the same – the best we can do. It has also been a hard year for our family – our thanks to all of you who have helped in so many ways.
Mark your calendar: November 6, Edna Valley/Arroyo Valley Vintners Harvest Festival hosted by Maison Deutz Sparkling Winery, and November 7 – Open House at Saucelito Canyon Vineyard.
– Bill
1993: Wine Labels EV/AV Vintners Harvest Festival Brochure
1994: Bill’s Tales From The Rancho – 100 Vines Are Planted On Trellis
Bill planted three hundred vines of Cabernet Franc and Merlot in the Saucelito Canyon Vineyard.
1995: Harvest Crew Selected For 10 Acres Of Vines
Harvest Foreman: (Sean) Christopher Weir, author of The Mad Crush, A Memoir of Mythic Vines and Improbable Winemaking, published by Mooncatcher Media 2015. “The first time Bill made wine, he was buck naked.”
Crew: Bill Greenough, Christopher, Peter, Clarence, and Adam.
Releases 1995:
- 1991 Cabernet Sauvignon at $10 per bottle.
- 1992 Cabernet Sauvignon at $12 per bottle.
- 1993 Zinfandel at $ 14 per bottle (limit one case).
Please note our vineyard grows Cabernet Sauvignon grapes with very broad fruity varietal tastes, and the 1993 vintage is exceptional in this quality. I think it is very hard to find true varietal tasting fruit for Cabernet. Ours is still dry farmed, on its own roots, and this particular vintage has a herbal olive and rose-scented aroma that tastes quickly into a very full fruity Cab middle.
– Bill
1996: Fall Newsletter
Dear Friends,
As I write this letter in the winery office/lab complex, behind me, I can hear the sounds of pressing the first lot of ‘96 Zin and the punching down of the second lot of Zin. So far this year looks great, with a large range of fruit ripening, which leads to complexity.
The 1993 Cabernet is aging very well. Our vineyard grows grapes with very broad, fruity varietal tastes, and the 1993 vintage is exceptional for this quality. I think it is hard to find true varietal fruity Cabernet. Ours is still dry farmed, on its own roots, and this particular vintage possesses an herbal olive and rose-scented aroma that tastes quickly into a very full fruity Cab middle. The best part is how the finish doesn’t compete for attention by being too oaky or tannic. It is priced at $13.50 per bottle.
The 1994 Zinfandel has proven to be very popular, demand outstripping supply. Our California distributor sold out the entire year’s supply in a day and a half. Actually, they oversold their allotment. Not to worry, we saved some for you.
The 1995 Zinfandel needed some extra time in the barrel, so we bottled late. It was worth the wait. The wine is big, soft, fruity, and complex. It drinks well now and will only improve with age. And you, our preferred customer, will have the first chance at it. The official release won’t be until spring of 1997.
We are offering our first release of our 1995 Late Harvest Zinfandel. The style you have come to know in the ‘93 Late Harvest is back. This Late Harvest has extremely rich fruit flavors of late ripening Zinfandel. A rather unusual process of carbonic maceration of whole clusters produces an extremely fruit middle to wine while balancing the finish with pleasant textures of spicy tannins from the stems. The grapes were harvested at 45 degrees Brix, which resulted in the finished wine having both 15 percent residual sugar and alcohol. The release is priced the same as the 1993 Late Harvest, $15 per bottle.
Price increase? Yes. Reasons: increased cost of doing just about everything. I hurt all the time, can’t buy enough Advil, and for the one reason we hear most often from other winery owners, “Your wines are too inexpensive; if you want to be taken seriously as one of the top Zin producers (and we are), then you have to increase your price.” They want us to go to the $20 to $25 range, but we resist and go to $17 a bottle. Again, thank you for all your support. Your enthusiasm makes it easier to get through these long days of harvest.
I look forward to hearing from you or seeing you at our Annual Winery Open House on Sunday, November 3.
– Bill
1997: Fall Newsletter
Dear Friends,
Harvest usually begins at the end of September. The year of 1997 saw later harvests and smaller yields due to cooler summer weather. This resulted in producing only 1400 cases of Zinfandel and 60 cases of Cabernet Sauvignon. A normal year produces 2500 cases of Zinfandel and 300 cases of Cabernet Sauvignon. Bill says, “our buyers expect a certain amount, but people have to understand that we’re still farmers who have weather and yield variables that we have to deal with.”
Bill noted that one of the most important decisions a winemaker had to make–when to harvest. How is that decision made? Bill relies on the grape’s sugar content and Ph to decide when the grapes are ripe. Grapes are measured with a hydrometer to determine the degrees of Brix (grape sugar content). Bill does not harvest all his Zinfandel with the same level of Brix (grape sugar content). Bill prefers to harvest grapes at a variety of different Brix to build upon a colorful palate combination. He explains in detail. “We try and pick some fruit that’s in the brighter flavors of strawberry and raspberry. That develops at around 21 to 22.5 Brix. Then later, we pick some at 23 to 24 Brix. That’s the more blackberry, black cherry flavors. And then we pick the rest at 26 to 27 to get the prune and plum flavors that are often associated with Zinfandel. So we get this whole different layering of flavors so that the wine has a lot of complexity.”
Bill’s final thoughts: “I think the ‘97 Zin will show itself gradually and delight us in the process. Drink it now for the fresh cherry and ripe plum flavors, and put some down to allow the youthful fruit to harmonize with the complex flavors of herbs, vanilla, and oak. No matter when you drink it, this is a food wine. Lively now, mellow later, this wine is one to put on the table.”
– Bill
A hydrometer is a sealed, hollow, cylindrical glass tube with a weight at the bottom and a graduated scale running up the tube. It tells you something about your wine. It can tell you how much sugar is in the wine kit when you start, and because alcohol dissolved in liquid makes it less dense than water, it can tell you when the fermentation is finished.
The hydrometer lets you calculate how much alcohol your wine contains.
1997: Tasting Notes Saucelito Canyon Vineyard
Cabernet Sauvignon
The ‘95 Cabernet Sauvignon: for those of you following the evolving style of our Bordeaux blend, your patience will be rewarded. The release of our ‘95 Cabernet, a blend of 90% Cabernet, 5 % Merlot, and 5 % Cabernet Franc, is our first bottling made solely from our new plantings. The ‘95 vintage stands up proudly to its brother Zinfandel. A nicely balanced wine with aromas of raspberry and violet and flavors of black cherry, cranberry, and a touch of clove on the palate, we are very pleased with the quality of this Cabernet. (135 cases produced).
“Now I remember how much I like Cabernet. The nose is full and luscious with aromas of dark chocolate at first, then cassis, black raspberries, dried cherries, mint, and tea leaves. The oak influence here is pleasantly integrated: smoke, white pepper, and vanilla round out the berries. The red fruit first found in the nose continues throughout the finish, only it’s juicier and spicier. Elegant and complex, this wine will enliven your dinner table this winter, but save enough to drink through 2010. A great Value for a distinctive estate California Cabernet.”
Source: Ellen Smith, Wine Educator
1998: Winemaker’s 1998 Vintage Notes On Zinfandel
Here are Bill’s winemaking 1998 vintage notes: El Niño has given us one of our most frustrating and rewarding vintages – anticipation, anxiety, but alas, delayed gratification. We had an unusually long growing season because of cool temperatures and fog during spring and much of the summer. The extended “hang time” and warm October days made this vintage fleshy with ripe raspberries and dark plum fruit up front. Crop load was very low, less than 60% of the previous year. But fruit quality was high. Our final yield averaged 2.5 tons per acre. This deeply layered wine has already won praise at pre-release tastings and has secured medals at many competitions.
The Viticulture Notes Are:
- Varietal Composition: 100 % Saucelito Canyon Zinfandel
- Farming: Dry farmed
- Appellation: Arroyo Grande Valley, San Luis Obispo County, California
- Soil Composition: Deep Sandy Loam, Up; Lifted Sea Terrace
The Winemaking Notes Are:
- Harvest Date: October 8 to 20, 1998
- Brix at Harvest: 25.0
- Alcohol by Volume: 14.0%
- Total Acidity at Bottling: o.72 g/100ml
- pH at Bottling: 3.54
- Time in Oak: Nine months Neutral American
- Bottling Date: August 23, 1999
- Aging Potential: Four to Six Years
- Cases Produced: 1,234 cases
- Release Date: September 1, 2000
- Ca Suggested Retail: $23
- Distribution: National, Tasting Room, Wine Club, and Mailing List
– Bill
1998: Fall Newsletter-Awards And Wine Critics For “96 Zinfandel”
Dear Friends,
The ‘96 Saucelito Canyon Zinfandel, Arroyo Grande Valley Estate, wins awards and praise from Wine Writers:
- ‘96 Zinfandel: A late bloomer, but a wine rapidly becoming worthy of its sunset label. Time in the bottle has enriched this wine, and it, too, is showing its pedigree and earning much acclaim.”
- The Wine Advocate by Robert Parker, Jr. – “This textbook ‘96 Zinfandel offers copious quantities of black cherry, raspberry, and spicy fruit that soar from the glass. The color is a deep ruby/purple, and the wine is rich, layered, full-bodied, and pure. Tasting it brought back to mind a hypothetical blend of top quality (Chateauneuf du Pape) and Zinfandel. Best drunk over the next 3 to 4 years to take advantage of its exuberant, fiery youth.”
- Wine Spectator – “Lots of spice, earth, mineral, and leather before the raspberry, rhubarb, and berry flavors kick in. Clean and refreshing on the finish, where the fruit keeps pumping. Drink is now through 2001.”
1998: Fall Newsletter-Awards And Wine Critics For “96 Zinfandel”
Dear Friends,
The ‘96 Saucelito Canyon Zinfandel, Arroyo Grande Valley Estate, wins awards and praise from Wine Writers:
- ‘96 Zinfandel: A late bloomer, but a wine rapidly becoming worthy of its sunset label. Time in the bottle has enriched this wine, and it, too, is showing its pedigree and earning much acclaim.”
- The Wine Advocate by Robert Parker, Jr. – “This textbook ‘96 Zinfandel offers copious quantities of black cherry, raspberry, and spicy fruit that soar from the glass. The color is a deep ruby/purple, and the wine is rich, layered, full-bodied, and pure. Tasting it brought back to mind a hypothetical blend of top quality (Chateauneuf du Pape) and Zinfandel. Best drunk over the next 3 to 4 years to take advantage of its exuberant, fiery youth.”
- Wine Spectator – “Lots of spice, earth, mineral, and leather before the raspberry, rhubarb, and berry flavors kick in. Clean and refreshing on the finish, where the fruit keeps pumping. Drink is now through 2001.”
Releases 1998:
- 1995 Zinfandel
- 1996 Zinfandel
- 1995 Cabernet Sauvignon (a blend of 90 percent Cabernet, 5 percent Merlot, and 5 percent Cabernet Franc (135 cases produced)
- 1997 Late Harvest Zinfandel (62 cases produced)
- 1997 Late Harvest Zinfandel – For the devotees of the Late Harvest Zinfandel, this wine is for you. The ‘97 vintage is our best Late Harvest to date. It has all you would expect: gobs of decadent fruit plus a marvelous fresh finish that lingers sweetly on your palate. It is so good that it comes with a guarantee. (62 cases produced.)
– Bill
Upcoming Events:
- November 7: Edna Valley/Arroyo Grande Valley Vintners Celebration at Talley Vineyards.
- November 8: Open House at Saucelito Canyon Vineyard 11 am to 3 pm.
1999: Fall Newsletter Tolosa Winery
Dear Friends,
Bill and Nancy announce that they have moved their winemaking to the new Tolosa Winery in the Edna Valley. They were attracted by the opportunity to work in a pristine environment with the latest equipment while they remodel their winery in the Saucelito Canyon Vineyard.
In March, Nancy Greenough sent a letter to friends and loyal customers announcing two business decisions. The first announcement was to address the calls of frustrated customers trying to buy wine that is sold out. The Saucelito wines are not easily found in retail stores and the supply of cases at the winery was limited because of the high demand for the wine. Nancy announced that they would be allocating more wine for direct sales and they would select an earlier pre-release date to Preferred Customers.
The second decision is to plant more Zinfandel, Cabernet, Merlot, and Cab Franc in the hopes of increasing production. Bill also announced the planting of small test blocks of new varieties.
The winery has been also updated as described in one of the following newsletters.
– Bill
1999: Farm Bureau Bulletin
Mark Souder, Editor of the Farm Bureau Bulletin, describes the vineyard around 2000 as three acres of some of the oldest Zinfandel planting (1879) in the county, and an additional seven acres of Zinfandel, two acres of Cabernet Sauvignon, and also newly planted Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Mark described the vineyard as dry-farmed, with some drip irrigation being used for experimental purposes on their latest plantings.
Bill Greenough describes the current market for Zinfandel, stating that it has been doing very well for about the last seven years now. Bill describes, “Zinfandel is a very popular wine. It’s very user-friendly, having flavors that are easy to associate with other fruits people are familiar with.” The demand for Zinfandel had been rapidly growing over the last several years. Many new vineyards of Zinfandel have been planted, and more wineries are producing Zin.
1999: Letter From Nancy
Dear Friends
During the hustle and bustle of harvest, our house has been a flurry of activity. Our daughter Margaret left to start her first quarter at UC San Diego, and our son Tom has opted to attend Bill’s alma mater, Dunn School in the Santa Ynez Valley. We are, however, far from having an empty nest. Bill’s young cousin, George Greenough from Boston, is doing an internship in the vineyard, and Suzanne Roberts has joined us as our special events coordinator. Helena Bynes packs up your orders and keeps the place reflecting on a great vintage for 1999. Harvest was late, and the additional hang time means more complexity in the wine.
1997 Cabernet Sauvignon Release: As the days grow cooler, it’s the perfect time to release our 1997 Cabernet Sauvignon. We just had it the other night with a grilled filet. It was wonderful and will only improve. Our style of Cabernet, blended with Merlot and Cabernet Franc before barreling in French Oak, is ever evolving. We look forward to sharing this vintage with you.
1999: Three Acres Planted In Bordeaux Grape Varieties
Bill Greenough planted three more acres at Saucelito Canyon Vineyard. The varieties planted on the three additional acres are Cabernet Sauvignon (Estrella clone), Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Malbec. These varieties are dry-farmed and planted on their own roots. The Bordeaux varieties thrive because of the same fluke of geography that ripens the Zinfandel – heat.
1999: Saucelito Canyon Vineyard Varietal Count And Age As Of 9/6/99 – A Special Report On The History Of The Vineyard
The original three acres of Zinfandel vines were planted in 1879 by homesteader Henry Ditmas and are now part of the University of California at Davis’s Heritage Zinfandel collection.
The Zinfandel vines for the following plantings are cuttings from our Heritage Zinfandel. All Zinfandel vines are dry-farmed and planted on their own roots.
- 1880 3 acres 11 x 11 Head prune Heritage Zinfandel
- 1976 3.2 acres 8 x 11 Trellis
- 1980 1.5 acres 8 x 11 Trellis Heritage Zinfandel
- 1996 1.0 acres 11 x 11 Head pruned Heritage Zinfandel
- 1999 0.3 acres 8 x 11 Trellis Heritage Zinfandel
Cabernet Sauvignon And Other Bordeaux Varietals: Planting Dates
- 1990: The Christian Bros.’ Mont La Salle clone came to Saucelito Canyon by way of Sanford and Benedict Vineyard in Santa Barbara County. In the early 1970s, Richard Sanford and Michael Benedict planted some Cabernet and offered Bill the rootings they still had in their nursery several years later. Bill took these cuttings and established an acre of vines in 1975, but eventually removed them after planting an acre of Cabernet in a much drier part of the vineyard in 1990.
- 1994: 500 vines of Cabernet Franc and Merlot were planted in the Saucelito Canyon Vineyard.
- 1999: Three additional acres of Cabernet Sauvignon (Estrella clone), Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Malbec were planted. These varieties are also dry-farmed and planted on their own roots.
Releases 1999:
- 1997 Cabernet Sauvignon at $19.50 per bottle. Silver Medal in Monterey.
- 1997 Zinfandel at $19.50 per bottle.
The Vineyard Profile Of Saucelito Canyon Winery, Published In 2000 By The Edna Valley Arroyo Grande Valley Vintners’ Association
2000: Spring: Letter To Charter Members Of The Saucelito Canyon Wine Club
Dear Charter Members,
Congratulations! You are a Charter Member of The Saucelito Canyon Wine Club. Our wine club is already full, and we have started a waiting list. For your Spring Shipment, we have selected three special wines for you. We have included the limited release of our 1997 Cabernet Sauvignon (only 300 cases produced), 1996 Zinfandel from our library, and a special bottling of 1998 Late Harvest Zinfandel (only 24 cases produced). See the vintage notes below with recipe ideas.
We would like to extend an invitation to our First Annual Wine Club BBQ. This BBQ is limited to wine club members. The BBQ will be out on “the vineyard” on May 7, 2000. Lunch will be catered by Old County Deli ( a San Luis Local Favorite) and will include Saucelito Canyon Wines.
– Bill & Nancy
2000: Spring Newsletter
Dear Friends,
We have been working hard in the cellar and finally have the ‘99 vintage “in barrel.” Our ‘99 Zinfandel and Cabernet are both small vintages but high in quality. The ‘99 Late Harvest Zinfandel is also dynamite! We have been working hard in the vineyard planting cuttings of our old vines to restore the Zinfandel vineyard back to its original size, as planted by Henry Ditmas in 1879.
As many of you know, our Zinfandel vines are the oldest continuous producing Zinfandel in San Luis Obispo County and are among the oldest vines in the state. Our ancient, by California standards, vineyard will be featured this year at the KCBX Wine Classic – we are hosting the Vineyard Symposium out at the ranch on July 14, 2000. Tickets to the event are very limited; if you are interested in attending, contact KCBX soon at (805) 781-3026.
– Bill
Upcoming Events:
- 2000: Roll Out the Barrels 2000 Friday, May 5 at 6:00 PM
The location is the Cliffs at Shell Beach. Rex Hale is the Executive Chef. He will be joined by the great Italian chefs of San Luis Obispo County, featuring Maria Rizzo of Cafe Roma, Joe DiFronzo of Giuseppe’s, Doug MacMillan of Rosa’s, and Antonio Varia of Buona Tavola. - 2000: The KCBX Wine Classic A Very Good Year!
Founders of Saucelito Canyon Vineyard, Bill and Nancy Greenough, are honored as the featured vintners at the 2000 KCBX Wine Classic, July 11 to 14.- The Catalog for 2000 Central Coast Wine Classic features an article about Bill and Nancy Greenough as honorees, wine and food activities, and auction items.
2000 Vintners Of The Year
The County Supervisors named Bill and Nancy Greenough, proprietors of Saucelito Canyon Vineyard, “2000 Vintners of the Year.” The supervisors quoted William Greenough as saying their success is owed “to a vineyard that has a lot of strength and a lot of character.” The supervisors responded that surely the same can be said of the vintners. Source: Press Release County Supervisors, County of San Luis Obispo, and Tribune News Saturday, August 5, 2000.
These awards were announced at the California Mid-State Fair:
- Vintners of the Year: Bill and Nancy Greenough.
- Winemakers of the Year: Bill and Nancy Greenough
- Winegrowers of the Year: The Pebble Smith Family
- Lifetime Achievement: The Pesenti and Nerelli Families
