Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/856465
to producing fruit. But make a grapevine strug- gle, limit its water, make nutrients scarce, prune it back and force its roots deep into a forbidding soil, and it will work overtime to create small clusters of concentrated fruit. Bowlus applies only 30 gallons of water per vine, compared to 300-600 gallons in most vine- yards. The rocky soil aids in that struggle, and leads to grapes with more skin-to-juice ratio, creating more aromatics, more of what wine- makers call terroir. The grapes hang for an extended period, but due to cooler temperatures they ripen at a lower level, which means less sugar content and brighter, more acidic wines. The total yield at Albatross Ridge is about 50 cases per ton of grapes. The juice from the first press is turned into family wine; only the best goes into the bottle. Albatross makes about 2,000 cases a year, and relies on its Carmel tasting room (Mission between Ocean and 7th, inside the Court of the Fountains) to reach consumers. Wine fans and the press rave about Albatross. Wine Enthusiast awarded the 2014 Estate Chardonnay 94 points, writing: "Refresh- ing key lime and mandarin zest mesh with sea shells, chalk and honeysuckle on the precise, steely nose." The 2014 Estate Reserve Pinot Noir earned 95 points: "Redolent on the nose with black plum, mulberry, turned ear th, wet mud, woody sagebrush…" Those descriptors please Garrett Bowlus, because this sacred land has come through in the wine. "I'd like to think my great-grandfather is gliding up there looking down," he says, "and he's proud." For more information on Albatross Ridge, go to www.albatrossridge.com. 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 7 257 LOCATED INSIDE THE PORTOLA HOTEL & SPA COMPLIMENTARY SELF OR VALET PARKING JACKS MONTEREY | TWO PORTOLA PLAZA | MONTEREY, CA 93940 | (831) 649-7830 FOLLOW US | WWW.JACKSATPORTOLA.COM LUNCH 11:30AM - 4:00PM | DINNER 4:00PM - 11:00PM EXPERIENCE MONTEREY'S NEWEST RESTAURANT! locally sourced ingredients | handcrafted cocktails monterey county wine list | award winning craft beer C A L I F O R N I A C U LT U R A L C U I S I N E