Claudia Springs Winery

Longtime friends Claudia and Bob Klindt and Claudia and Warren Hein left their lives in San Jose in 1989 and purchased adjoining parcels of land in bucolic Anderson Valley, Mendocino. Winemaker Bob Klindt produced 550 cases of Chardonnay that year. Since then, the Heins have sold their interest in the winery to the Klindts. Today, the extended family produces approximately 3,000 cases of Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, Petite Sirah, Pinot Gris and Viognier.

A heat spike during the 2004 harvest pushed sugars up quickly, and had everyone in the valley scrambling for picking help at the same time. Once the fruit was in, Bob and Claudia did partial whole cluster fermentation - for the first time - to extract bright fruit along with some spice from the obviously very ripe stems. The 2004 is moderately saturated bright ruby with forward aromas of cherry, raspberry, rootbeer, lily, tuberose, and spearmint. It is rich and full-bodied with an intense Bing cherry core, along with notes of Dr. Pepper, cinnamon, raspberry, mint tea, and vanilla. The partial whole cluster fermentation does mark a change in style, as the 2003 was less fruity, more earthy, and slightly drier with a tart finish.

Reviewed January 31, 2008 by Catherine Fallis.