All the grapes used to produce the wine are from a single vineyard. Through single-vineyard wines, the winemaker gives us a wonderful opportunity to taste and smell the unique characteristic from that vineyard. Generally, the vineyard is credited by listing its name on the label. Example: 2006 Papapietro Perry Pinot Noir Peters Vineyard, Russian River Valley

A clone refers to a grape variety that is selected for specific qualities that result from natural mutations. Cuttings are made from an original "mother vine" that exhibits key characteristics, such as resistance to certain diseases or desired cluster size, taste, smell, etc. A clone’s name may be a series of numbers as with Pinot Noir Clone 777 or a more traditional name like Pinot Noir Pommard Clone.

A wine produced from just one type of clone, like Pinot Noir Clone 777 or Zinfandel Mother Clone.

A legally-defined and recognized grape-growing region. Each appellation exhibits a different combination of soil, weather patterns and terrain.

Garagista is a French term used to describe a garage-based winemaking operation. Once seen as a negative, garagista wineries gained considerable recognition during the late 1990s, and are now treated with a cult-like status.

A well known yet rarely discussed disease among winery owners and winemakers.

Must is the grape juice before it is fermented into wine.

A corked wine generally smells moldy or off-putting, sort of like a wet dog. If a wine is just slightly corked, the fruit flavors will seem faded or subdued.

Wines become corked or corky when certain bacteria (TCA or tricholoranisole) in the cork cells interact with minute amounts of chemical residues that may remain in corks or wine bottles after they are cleaned. A corked wine has a defective aroma and flavor, although it will not harm the drinker. Corked wine cannot be predicted. Any wine regardless of its quality or price can be corky.

According to an article in the Los Angeles Times, if the wine is only slightly corked try the following:
In a glass pitcher, wad up roughly a square foot of Saran Wrap or other polyethylene plastic wrap. Pour the tainted wine over the plastic wrap in the pitcher. Expose all of the wine to the plastic wrap by gently swirling the wine in the pitcher for 5-10 minutes. The more pronounced the taint, the longer the wine should be exposed to the plastic wrap. For stubborn cases, repeat the plastic soak with a fresh wad of wrap. Pour out a small amount of wine to test the results and when the taint is gone, decant the wine into another container. Toss the plastic and enjoy the wine.

Decanting a wine can help settle it down and lose that fizziness.

Serving wine at the optimal temperature allows the full range of aromas, flavors and structure to appear. White wine is often served too cold, and especially during the summer months, red wine is frequently served too warm. The temperature range for a red wine is from the mid-50s to the low 60s (55°-63°F). If you find a red wine seems too warm, place it in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes to cool it down.
For lighter white wines like champagne, it is recommended they be served in the mid 40s (45°F), while heavier whites like Chardonnay show best around 55°F

If it is a Papapietro Perry wine it is hard to believe that there is any left over, but we suppose it is possible. Consumer Reports tested a variety of wine savers and preservers, concluding that putting the cork back in the bottle and storing it in a cool location for not more than 3 days was just as effective as fancy devices or gases.

Here are the averages courtesy of the Sonoma County Grape Growers Association.
5 tons of grapes is an average yield from one acre of vineyard land.
5 tons of grapes = 13.5 barrels of wine
13.5 barrels of wine = 797 gallons
797 gallons = 3985 bottles
3985 bottles = 15,940 glasses of wine
If you are having a really big party in about 3-5 years, purchase an acre of grapes now!

1 barrel = 59 gallons
59 gallons = 24.6 cases
24.6 cases = 1,180 glasses of wine

Information courtesy of the Sonoma County Grape Growers Association

30 lbs. of grapes = 1 case of wine
1 case of wine = 12 bottles
12 bottles of wine = 48 – 6 oz. glasses of wine

Information courtesy of the Sonoma County Grape Growers Association

Whenever possible, we try to keep wine at cellar temperature, between 50°-65°F. When wine is transported from our cellar to another location, like your wine cellar, it is good to keep the ambient temperature in mind. If you are buying wine on a hot summer’s day, bring along ice packs and coolers to set the wine into after purchasing. It will help to keep it cool and avoid dramatic temperature changes in the wine.

Our goal is to never ship wine during the hottest months of the summer, and we’re careful where we ship wine during the coldest months of the winter, too.

Although we try to think green, when it comes to transporting our wine, we do what is best for the wine. Styrofoam shippers are excellent insulators from both heat and cold, and they protect the wine when it being tossed around during shipping by a common carrier.

Not necessarily. If the wine got too hot or too cold, it can cause the cork to move upward. Unless the wine was exposed to prolonged temperature extremes, the wine should still be fine. The best way to find out is to pop the cork and try the wine.

Try to avoid the top of your refrigerator, in the attic or next to a heater. Think of wine like you would perishable food. The more optimal the storage temperature, the longer a vegetable or fruit remains fresh. The same is true for wine.

Find a dark, cool interior wall closet for storing your wines. Placing the wine box on the floor works well unless you have heated floors. Then you’ll need to put the wine at least a few feet off the floor. Although most California homes lack basements or cellars, the rest of the country has a great wine storage option. Basements generally are cooler and keep a temperature range similar to a wine cellar. With proper storage, our Pinot Noir and Zinfandel will last 5-7 years, in some cases a bit longer. Storage is not the only criteria for a wine’s ability to age. Some vintages just age better than others.

Yes! If you don’t believe it, experiment with different wine glasses—shapes and manufacturers—and be amazed at the results.

At Papapietro Perry, we want everyone who comes to our tasting room to experience the full magic of our wines. That is why we only serve our wine in Riedel stemware, especially designed for Pinot Noir and Zinfandel.

Entire books are written on this topic, but we’ll give you the condensed book version here and just focus on our own philosophy.

Oak barrels impart flavors into the wine as well as promote the softening of tannins (harsh flavors) during the aging process. Oak barrels are produced in many countries and can range in price from $600 to more than $1500 per barrel. Meaning not all barrels are created equal.

At Papapietro Perry, we use only one type of oak barrel—François Frères. We consider François Frères barrels to be the best of the best, and that quality is reflected in our Pinot Noir and Zinfandel.

It can be the name of my college roommate’s brother, or it can be the nickname for brettanomyces, a yeast that can occur in wine. Wines that have brett will impart the aromas and flavors of wet dog, dirty gym socks, band-aids or an earthy, barnyard quality. Although considered a winemaking flaw by some, many French Burgundy producers believe a little brett can enhance their Pinot Noirs.

At Papapietro Perry, we vote with the camp that believes brett to be a flaw. Fastidious cleaning practices prevent brett from entering our cellar, and we plan to keep it that way.

Traditionally the shape of a wine bottle denoted the type or varietal of wine it contained. European wine producing countries set this standard long ago and it has since been adopted by the new world wine producers.

The sloped-shoulder Burgundy bottle is generally used for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, the two varietals grown in the Burgundy region of France.

A high-shouldered Bordeaux bottle is used for Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Bordeaux varietal blends and Zinfandel. A Bordeaux bottle is also used for Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, two white varietals.

The tall narrow Hock bottle is used for varietals like Riesling and Gewurztraminer that are traditional to the French region of Alsace or the German regions of Mosel or Rhine.

Not all wineries continue to use the traditional bottle shapes for their wine, but at Papapietro Perry we use the traditional bottle shapes. Our Pinot Noirs are in a sloped-shoulder Burgundy bottle and our Zinfandel are in the high-shouldered Bordeaux bottle.

Pinot Noir complements so many foods. We don’t live by the “white wine with fish and red with meat” rule. We drink Pinot with most everything. It is especially delicious with salmon, chicken, duck and lamb. We avoid pairing it with spicy foods and chocolate. We don’t think any wine pairs with artichokes or asparagus, although when you grill the asparagus we have found it to be acceptable.

Zinfandel seems to shine when we make heartier fare, such as barbeque, spicy pasta dishes and Asian dishes.

At the winery we think 4:30 is the perfect time…

The wines really shine in 3-5 years from vintage date. Some vintages may continue to improve beyond that. We just drank a 2000 Peters Vineyard and it was fantastic. If you have a question about a particular wine, give us a call or send an email and we will let you know what we think.