Carmel Magazine

Boutique Boekenoogen Winery Yields Major Accolades B Y L A R RY H A R L A N D 252 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • S U M M E R / F A L L 2 0 1 5 wine notes Boekenoogen ranching family, John (owner), daughter Holly (marketing), and son Garrett (winemaker), created award-winning success in just nine years. Wine Enthusiast magazine loved their Chardonnay, and their Pinor Noir is a hot item at their Carmel Valley tasting room. Photo: Kelli Uldall F or years, John Boekenoogen sat happily atop his horse, tending cattle while wineries bought the luscious grapes grown on his land. Then in 2006, his ranching family became a winemaking family—opening a Santa Lucia Highlands facility with state-of-the-art crushing and pressing equip- ment and French oak barrels, along with advanced farming technology. Nine years after launching Boekenoogen Vineyards and Winery, with his son Garrett as winemaker, his daughter Holly as marketing director, and his wife Susan designing the labels, the results have been nothing shor t of spectacular. Wine Enthusiast magazine has bestowed some of its highest scores on Boekenoogen, including a 96 on the 2007 Estate Chardonnay, and a 94 on the 2011 Chardonnay, a wine that earned a double-gold award and 96 points at the San Francisco International Wine Competition. Similarly, the Boekenoogen Pinot Noir and Viognier have wowed the critics, resulting in a unique problem. "We can't keep up with demand," Boekenoogen explains. Boekenoogen has cut back the amount of grapes sold to other winer- ies by 10 percent each year, but still consumer demand outstrips supply. Like any good businessperson, Boekenoogen has hiked the price per bot- tle in an effor t to ease demand. "Hell, it doesn't seem to slow it down at all," he says. Business is booming at the Boekenoogen Tasting Room in Carmel Valley Village, because it's one of the few places to buy the wine, and meet the patriarch himself (he works Saturdays). It's also a way to taste a new varietal. "We'd never done a Cabernet, but we planted the grapes several years ago in Carmel Valley, and it's been in the barrel for two years," he says. They dropped the first few crops, waiting for perfect clusters, and the resulting low yield means that only a few hundred cases are available. The humble Boekenoogen doesn't want to tell anyone what to do. "But I'd probably hurry down here," he advises. Boekenoogen Tasting Room is located at 24 W. Carmel Valley Rd., Carmel Valley. For more information on the wines, call 831/659-4215 or go to www.boekenoogenwines.com.

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