Papera Ranch

Russian River Valley

Two years ago Papera Ranch faced death from the Pinot Noir firing squad. Remember that fickle post-Sideways moment when everyone, seemingly dumb to the basic rules of supply and demand, wanted to plant Pinot Noir? Well, that was a dark age for Old Vine Zinfandel in the Russian River Valley. It was the persecuted in the Holy Reformation and Crusade of Pinot Noir. Too many great old Zinfandel vineyards were ripped up and replanted in the dark opening decade of the new millennium.

Thankfully, Papera Ranch was not one of them. Stuart Coulson was the savior when he bought the property at the urging of Carlisle’s Mike Officer. The vineyard, on the corner of Piner and Olivet Road, was planted in 1934 by Charlie Papera. It is a stone throw from other great sites such as Carlisle Vineyard, Mancini Ranch, and the ghost of Barbieri (a victim of the Pinot-madness whose loss we mourn). Though most of the vineyard blocks are close to 100% Zinfandel, there is one block that is highly mixed—having lots of Carignane and dashes of Petite Sirah, Valdigue, Cabernet, Trousseau Gris, Mission, several unknowns, and even a lone Pinot Noir vine. Clearly, this is the one that is a perfect fit for Bedrock Wine Co. !

Since the remainder of the vineyard goes to such luminaries as Carlisle, Novy, and William-Selyem, it is an enormous honor to receive fruit from the 1407 vines of the mixed, Block 6!

The first wines from the vineyard will be produced in the 2010 vintage. For more information on the vineyard go to owner Stuart Coulson’s website.