BOB’S RANCH A Vineyard Apart
BOB’S RANCH
A VINEYARD APART The perfect confluence of site, soil, and viticulture.
WALT WINES SONOMA, CALIFORNIA
THE
Legacy BOB’S RANCH is named in honor of Kathryn Walt Hall’s father Bob Walt. A Pharmacist by trade, Bob turned toward viticulture in order to pursue his passion for the land. He believed that great winemaking begins with thoughtful viticulture. With each year, we continue to refine our farming and winemaking in the pursuit of honest, vivid expressions of Pinot Noir, just the way Bob would.
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Some of my favorite memories as a young girl are of spending time with my father in our family vineyard. He was a pharmacist by trade, but loved the land and
made the decision to pursue a life more in line with the legacy he wished to leave behind. Our original vineyard changed hands, but I always knew there would be another. When we became aware of this special vineyard in Sonoma, we jumped at the chance to secure it. We renamed the vineyard Bob’s Ranch after my father and farm it in a way that honors his memory. I know my father, Bob, would
be proud of what we’re doing in his name. —Kathryn Walt Hall, Vintner
Ralph Stanley Walt, Kathryn’s grandfather Bob & Dolores Walt, Kathryn’s parents
Robert “Bob ” Stanley Walt, Kathryn’s father
Walt ’s Drug Store in Berkeley, California
Kathryn & her son David
THE
Site
B
ob’s Ranch is in a league of its own. Ideally situated just to the North of the Petaluma Gap in the Sonoma Coast AVA, its unique location
benefits from the characteristics of both the incredible winegrowing regions of the Russian River Valley AVA and the Petaluma Gap AVA. The marine layer keeps the site cooler than areas further north and inland, and the winds from Bodega Bay provide beneficial stress to the vines leading to a natural development of intense fruit and balanced concentration.
“The wines we make from Bob’s Ranch simply could not be made anywhere else. It’s a vineyard that truly stands out.” —Megan Gunderson, Director of Winemaking Exceptional flavor characteristics result from limiting Cotati fine sandy loam, the dominant soil type in the vineyard. This also provides for good drainage, ensuring perfect growing conditions. These conditions—the location, climate, and soil— culminate in perfect Pinot Noir terroir.
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THE
Viticulture W ith its wide variety of clones, heritage field selections, and rootstocks, Bob’s is truly
a vineyard unlike any other in the world.
Developed by Paul Hobbs and Ulises Valdez, the rolling hills of the vineyard include 43 blocks with 17 distinct selections of Pinot Noir and 9 distinct selections of
Chardonnay. Since acquiring the vineyard in 2014, WALT has honed the viticulture to a level unsurpassed in the region. The wide variety of raw materials in the vineyard available to our winemaking team provide unprecedented flexibility to craft the perfect wine. Elevation: 195 feet above sea level Farming: Certified Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA) Sonoma Sustainable—Sonoma County Winegrowers
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“ Bob’s Ranch is the perfect combination of exceptional location and masterful vineyard design. All of these characteristics are aligned precisely to create a premier Sonoma vineyard.” —Don Munk,
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Director of Vineyard Operations
A view of block 4C VR Pinot Noir— 0ne of the 17 distinct selections planted at Bob’s Ranch.
THE
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Process
I believe great wines start in the vineyard, and our team works that much harder to be exacting and honest during every step of the winemaking process.
Our decisions preserve the genuine, focused character of terroir expressed in each bottle. Our winemaking approach includes: optical sorting, native primary yeast fermentation, native malolactic fermentation with bâtonnage, barrel aging on the lees, and bottling wines without the use of fining agents or filtration. Holding true to these methods leaves us no room for error or shortcuts—we believe the reward is in our complex, expressive, and complete wines. We do everything on an incredibly small scale with Bob’s Ranch. We ferment each individual block in its own tank.
I call it ‘micro-scale’ winemaking. It gets a little insane. But it’s a winemaker’s dream when it comes to blending each lot. Life’s too short for restraint—enjoy! —Megan Gunderson, Director of Winemaking
The California heritage selections grown at Bob’s Ranch are predisposed to producing clusters of “chicks and hens� (small and large berries) while the weather accentuates this phenomenon. The different sized berries produce a dynamic, complex, and concentrated wine.
THE
B
Wine
ob’s Ranch Pinot Noir, our flagship wine, opens with aromas of ripe pomegranate and cherry, and has hints of the complex earthy character that
distinguishes this terroir. A bright palate showcases pitchperfect balance between fruit and acidity. Composition: 100% Pinot Noir Appellation:
Sonoma Coast
Barrel Aging: 10 months in 45% new French oak, François Frères Clones:
Varies from vintage to vintage. The 2018 vintage had:
Heritage Selectrions: Hyde, Calera, Mt Eden, Bebe, and Cruz. These clusters are smaller, and tend to be composed of ‘chicks’ and ‘hens.’ This cluster morphology (shape) yields richness and concentration in the finished wine. Dijon Clone 667—definitely one of the more fruitful expressions of Bob’s Ranch. It brings a vibrant lift.
“We also included a small amount of whole cluster fermentation for the first time in 2018, and we utilized the concrete tanks. This for me, brought a fresh intensity and earthiness to the wine— really accentuating the Bob’s Ranch character.” —Megan Gunderson, Director of Winemaking
2014 93 Pts. Jeb Dunnuck
2015 90 Pts. The Wine Advocate
2015 94 Pts. International Wine Report
2016 93 Pts. The Wine Advocate
2016 93 Pts. Jeb Dunnuck
2016 95 Pts. International Wine Report
2017 93 Pts. The Wine Advocate
2017 93 Pts. Wine Spectator
My parents, Bob and Dolores Walt, were dedicated winegrowers who loved the land and each other. Not a day goes by that I don’t think of their love of the earth or their passion for the vines. WALT has an incredible combination of an amazing and dedicated winemaking team, a state-of-the-art winemaking facility, a passionate winery staff, and strong relationships with extraordinary vineyard partners. I invite you to explore WALT Wines as they speak the voice of the vineyard and demonstrate the talent and devotion of our team.
—Kathryn Walt Hall, Vintner
@WALTWINES MILESOFPINOT WALTWINES COM