Wine

I have been an apprentice winemaker for many years, learning from the master, Mr. Bill, who has been making premium California zinfandel since 1974.  I hope to continue making wine in his legacy (and that of his friend and mentor, Dave Bennion). 

A few stories about Bill:

• Bill Peterson makes Zinfandel wine from his home-based operation (InMenlo story by Linda Hubbard, a journalist with whom we randomly shared some of our Peterson zin at Camper restaurant in MP one evening): 

• THE TRESPASSER, A Documentary about Bill Peterson, A Private Winemaker: 

If you track your wines in Cellartracker:

• Our Peterson Private Reserve producer page: https://www.cellartracker.com/producer.asp?iProducer=237738. It lists all the vintages to which I've had access (2001-on), with pictures of the labels, etc. And it enables you to track your bottles, write reviews, etc.

• I like Cellartracker a lot. Basic tracking of all your wines is free (good enough for most). There is a premium tier that gives you "drink-by" windows, professional reviews, and lots of other features. It is not expensive and they are a good site so I would recommend giving them the support.

How we make wine:

Sometime around 1974, Bill Peterson began making wine. Around that time, he befriended Dave Bennion (1929-1988), a legendary California winemaker (originally SRI research scientist) who was the founder and winemaker at Ridge. Bill and Dave started collaborating on experimental wines, and Bill learned Dave’s method of making submerged-cap, single-vineyard zinfandels. Through Dave, we got to know Benito Dusi, a legendary grower in Paso Robles, from whose vineyard we source grapes to this day.

I originally met Bill because a friend and colleague one day approached me and said “Can I borrow your truck?” She explained that she was a winemaker and needed something big to pull a trailer of grapes from Paso Robles to the Bay Area. My truck could handle her little trailer. And thus I got to meet Bill, and I become a helper, then a member, then whatever it is I am today in the wine club that has been making Peterson wine for 50 years. Over the years I learned almost everything I know about making wine from Bill and other members of the club, and it has been a great hobby and passion. I am grateful to all fellow winemakers who have come and gone, for all the fellowship, innovation, knowledge, and preservation of wine legacy.

Many have made wine with Bill and some have learned much of his methodology and have contributed to it. And a series of winemakers at Ridge have followed in Dave’s footsteps and have had commercial success. But because there was very little written documentation of their (our) method for making excellent zinfandels, I have written a book to capture institutional knowledge and document some of our practices, partners, tools and supplies, for internal use by our fellow winemakers and to ensure that the knowledge is not lost. The book is (intentionally) not available commercially, although it is published professionally and is available to our friends upon request.

Related stories about those related to our "family tree" of winemaking:

• Wikipedia entry about David R. Bennion (founder and winemaker at Ridge Vineyards) 

• History of Ridge Vineyards and Ridge site 

• "Grape Expectations" - From the New York Times,  March 17, 1991, Section 7, Page 11

"The rise and fall and rise of zinfandel is inextricably bound up with the story of Ridge Vineyards, a smallish winery in the Santa Cruz Mountains south of San Francisco that specializes in the wine, and with the two men who have guided Ridge since its beginning in 1959. Burly, laid-back David Bennion, a Stanford University engineer, was a Ridge founder and its first winemaker; Paul Draper, at one time affiliated with the Central Intelligence Agency, an intellectual enamored of Jungian psychology and a perfectionist in the cellar, joined Ridge in 1969. He replaced Bennion as winemaker in the 1970's and as president of Ridge in the 1980's. Bennion later died in an automobile accident on the Golden Gate Bridge."

• Eric Baugher, winemaker (previously at Merus and formerly at Ridge, where he made wine in the Dave Bennion style and gave me lots of good advice on everything from barrels to submerged-cap fermentation, as well as many yummy tastings). He now makes wine at Gali Vineyards as well as his own privsate label, Deauratus. 

And a few zinfandel stories and resources: 

About our friend and long-time source for the grapes, Beni Dusi, and other worthy growers we work with

• Wine History Project: Benito Dusi

  • See also the following timeline entry:

• Honoring Paso Robles Zinfandel Grape Grower Benito Dusi 

• The Story of Benito Dusi and Ridge Paso Robles Zinfandel 

• Following the zinfandel trail through California (nice story about Beni's grand-niece Janell, who makes lovely wine herself, and whose father Mike grows amazing grapes, continuing Beni's and Dante's family tradition and our relationship with the Dusi family) 

• Joe Duarte provided us with grapes for the first three vintages I made at Valley Forge (2017, 2018, and 2019). Here is another article about grapes from Oakley and Contra Costa County, including Duarte.

• David Darlington - Angels' Visits: An Inquiry into the Mystery of Zinfandel

• Charles L. Sullivan - Zinfandel: A History of a Grape and Its Wine

• Sue Crane - Behind the Barrels: The Women of Ridge