Star Lane Wines

A Philosophy Based on Terroir
The French invented the word, terroir, to describe the relationship between winemaking and the natural growing conditions that grace a vineyard. At Star Lane, we take our terroir as seriously as the French. We understand that the land shapes our wine style.

But while it’s true that “wine is made in the vineyard,” it is equally true that what happens in the cellar directly affects the quality in the bottle. Winemaker Nick de Luca is a firm believer in gentle handling of the grapes, the use of natural, indigenous yeast, and picking the grapes only when they have achieved optimum ripeness. (Sometimes this can prolong harvest to a nail-biting finish extending into late November!)

Nick says, “Terroir is important. But so is vintage. And, if you are using natural yeast, then your winery becomes part of your terroir. Finally, the wine must reflect the personality of the people involved. All of us, from owners Jim and Mary Dierberg to the vineyard and cellar crews are part of our terroir.”

French oak barrels are used to age the wines, and-true to principal-no wine is bottled until it has had time to integrate the properties of the vineyard and the vintage into a consummate whole. For the red wines, firm but velvety-soft tannins provide structure; for Sauvignon Blanc, bright natural acidity provides backbone. This white wine is partly fermented in oak barrels and partly in stainless steel drums. Both red and white wines are supremely influenced by the land and the weather. This is what makes them unique, from vintage to vintage.

Ultimately, it is a confluence of knowledge and good taste that helps guide our winemaker to create wines that truly reflect the essence of our estate. We are delighted to share them with you.

2005 Santa Ynez Valley “ASTRAL” Cabernet Sauvignon

In every vineyard, there exist select parcels of land that yield exceptional quality. Since arriving at Star Lane, winemaker Nick de Luca has consistently observed this special nature in three vineyard parcels—blocks 24, 25 and 29. Not surprisingly, they are all contiguous and located along the ridgeline at the highest elevations in the vineyard which surpass 1,500 feet at the pinnacle.

These parcels form the nucleus of Star Lane’s vineyard selection Cabernet Sauvignon, Astral, a Latin-based word that means, “Pertaining to or proceeding from the stars.” According to Nick, “Block 25 is always the guts of the wine. It’s typically the first harvested and has enormous body.” Block 24 lies at the highest elevation and is the most even ripening. This section of vineyard is planted with vines whose provenance is purported to be from the original clonal material at the famous Beaulieu Vineyard in Napa Valley. Planted in 2001, Block 24 is “own-rooted”—that is, the vines are not grafted to phylloxera-resistant rootstock. It’s a calculated experiment designed to explore the essence of the way Cabernet Sauvignon was once grown for centuries in both the Old and New World. Block 29—the third parcel in the Astral trio—is among the last to ripen at Star Lane. “These grapes always add nuance and pedigree to the blend,” Nick says.

The 2005 Star Lane Astral Cabernet Sauvignon shows immense concentration, with huge, lush tannins that frame tightly layered cassis, blackberry, plum, coffee, chocolate, spice, vanilla and smoke flavors. Sporting a suppleness that belies its youth, the wine is drinking beautifully now. But we suspect it will offer collectors many years of pleasure to come.