Steve Hall of Robert Biale Vineyards has that very easy, very comfortable way about him; and he uses that accessible trait to describe meticulous details of his craft…

Namely:

• working with vineyard owners
• being at the mercy of mother nature
• knowing as much about each vine as he possibly could; from the good of the seed to whole of the vine… earth… air and the breezes, moisture, sun… All in one ~ Terroir

In this first of two videos, Robert Biale’s winemaker, Steve Hall is standing in Bill and Margie Heart’s “Old Kraft Vineyard.” Established in 1871, this parcel of land was planted to Petite Sirah in the early 1900s. Steve addresses this particular old Petite Sirah block.

Please note how very low to the ground in stature, and extraordinarily autumnal in color, they are.

Says Steve, “They’re a bit lower than usual, there must have been a water intrusion layer and there wasn’t as much soil depth available.”

There’s a bit of a breeze on this day. I apologize.

[Note to self:” The day Jose and I turn this into a vocation instead of an avocation, let’s get a better microphone set up. These flip phones are the bomb for high def, but stink in the exclusionary sound department.]

“The Relationship Between a Winemaker and a Vineyard Grower: The Vineyard Gets the Last Laugh…” Steve Hall

Thoughts in the vineyard with Steve Hall…