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liocowine · 2 years

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Place Matters

The Licklider family-owned and operated winery, LIOCO, selects grapes from exceptional California vineyards located throughout a wildly diverse, 400-mile region. The goal is to produce uniquely flavorful and distinctive wines tied to their place of origin. The never-ending search to match targeted characteristics of the fruit with the multitude of variations in certain growing conditions often leads them to very unique and challenging growing areas.

But it is the challenging elements of these “fringe sites” that often yield the qualities that make the best Pinot Noir, Carignan, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and other California wine.

Why Fringe Sites?

Our experience drinking the world’s great wines over the past 30-years has proven one theory: the best wines often come from “fringe sites”— places where grapes are pushed to their absolute limits. Unlike farming oranges or peaches, where the goal is yield and methods plant-friendly, growing world-class wine requires stressing the vine.

In classical terms, think of Riesling in the Mosel, Syrah in Hermitage, Chardonnay in Chablis, Pinot Noir in the Cote d’ Nuits. In each case, these varieties are planted in places where their very existence may be hanging in the balance.

Exploring the Wine-Growing Fringe Areas of California

California wine growing is no different. We’ve found the most site expressive wines growing at the margins and needing labor-intensive farming. Howard Family Vineyard Chardonnay grown in the Santa Cruz Mountains above the Monterey Bay, displays a soil intensity rarely found in California wine. Expectantly, we have watched as this vineyard turned from a caterpillar into a butterfly. In the span of 4 years, this challenging site with historically unsustainably low yields transformed into a vibrant ecosystem exploding with wildflowers each spring and immensely characterful fruit each fall. The farming—now converting to biodynamic—has never been better under new owners Kim & Ari Novick, and the grape yields have returned to acceptable levels. Wine quality has improved each year, too, as those who have tasted our 2019 Howard Family Vineyard Chardonnay can attest.

The Kiser Vineyard follows the same storyline—a series of hardscrabble, wind-swept ridges that make for the best Pinot Noir with persistence you simply cannot manufacture in the cellar. Kiser Vineyard is a difficult place to farm grapes—chronically foggy, with steep pitches exposed to ocean winds. Yields are predictably small, and the ensuing wines powerful and age-worthy.

Cold Climate Vineyards

Cold climate growing also fits the bill here. Our team has long had a thing for the Northern Rhone, and tasting some of Arnot-Roberts single-vineyard Syrahs inspired us to find our own proprietary site. The search lasted four years before discovering a hidden vineyard tucked away in a fog-choked valley near Aptos in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Located only 4.5 miles from the cold Pacific Ocean, this site would appear to be too cold to reliably ripen Syrah (an observation that proved to be true in 2015!). But this was precisely the kind of place we were looking for—a site where Syrah would have to hang until Halloween. Our first wine here, Caleta (Spanish for bay), barely achieved 12% abv and showed the bright, blue fruit and purple flower qualities we hoped to tease out from such a site.

Our Wilderness Adventure

In truth, we love the fringe locations for more than the wines they deliver. They are generally great places to camp, fish, mountain bike, surf, or simply escape the daily grind.

The fringe is quite literally… California wilderness. And we never tire of foraging here.

#best pinot noir

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muellerewald-blog · 5 years

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Already thinking about where you want to be escaping the UK winter months? Our selection of winter sun destinations will inspire you to get booking that holiday well ahead of time!

DUBAI

Winter is arguably the best time of year to take a holiday to Dubai considering that this desert destination is often sweltering later in the year. Anytime between November and March is ideal for bearable temperatures of around 25°C, perfect for lying by the pool! Dubai is home to some lovely beaches and boasts the number one water park in the whole of the Middle East and Europe.

No trip to Dubai is complete without experiencing a Sunset Safari or a visit to the tallest skyscraper in the world, the Burj Khalifa, to get a birds-eye view of the city, desert and ocean from the 134th floor.

COSTA BLANCA

During the winter months temperatures on the Costa Blanca average at a moderate 15°C. Located in the province of Alicante, Costa Blanca is one of Europe’s most popular holiday destinations. Also known as the ‘White Coast’ due its mile of gorgeous sandy beaches and clear waters, here you’ll find everything from beach watersports, restaurants and great nightlife, to lush green almond trees and orange groves that make the region unique.

The coastline boasts countless resorts, the most popular including Benidorm, Torrevieja and Calpe. The annual Benidorm Fiesta is held each November and attracts a huge following with many visitors returning year after year. This amazing celebration honours the Patron Saints of Benidorm, La Virgen del Sufrage and Jaime Apostol and lasts for 6 pulsating days. In 2019 the party starts 8 November and lasts until 13 November.

TENERIFE

Tenerife is always a popular destination for winter sun. The coolest month of the year for this beautiful island is December, when temperatures still hover around 20°C. If you fancy some quiet relaxation then head to the charming town of Los Cristianos on the southwest coast or for something a little more energetic, Playa De Las Amèricas has a lively nightlife scene and six beaches.

The island has plenty of activities to offer such as scuba diving, horse riding and swimming. Visit the town Los Gigantos with its lovely harbour where boat trips offer you the chance to see dolphins play in the waters with the stunning backdrop of the Los Gigantos ‘giants’ in the background, vertical cliffs reaching heights of 500 m in some places. For the wine connoisseurs, Festival of San Andres takes place 29th to 30th November where the first wines of the new season are ready. Producers from vineyards open wines for sampling at the harbour of Puerto de la Cruz.

FLORIDA

Temperatures in Florida during the winter months rarely drop below 20℃, and the sea stays nice and warm too. Great for a day at the beach! There’s plenty to do off the beach too, with Universal Studios Orlando and Walt Disney World just two attractions offering entertainment for children and adults alike.

If you’ve always fancied exploring the wildlife of the Everglades, now’s the perfect time to go because humidity is low, and mosquitoes are rare. For something a little different, the Halifax Art Festival takes place 1st to 2nd November in downtown Daytona Beach. This is the second oldest art festival in Florida and attracts hundreds of top artists and thousands of visitors.

FUERTEVENTURA

Due to its close proximity to the African coast, it’s not surprising that Fuerteventura enjoys 3,000 hours of sunshine a year, making it a popular destination for winter sun holidays. Fuerteventura is the second largest of the Canary Islands, famous for its long sandy beaches and towering sand dunes. The main resort of Corralejo can be found in the north of the island, with a relaxed and peaceful atmosphere. There are dozens of great restaurants and cafes and bars and a beach ideal for water sports.

Caleta de Fuste is a purpose-built holiday resort situated on the east coast of the island. If you are looking for a beach holiday, combined with lots of family orientated activities, then Caleta de Fuste is the perfect destination. The International Kite Festival takes place every November in Corralejo, with about 700 kites in various shapes and colours decorating the sky. It lasts for three days and attracts large crowds from all over the island.

COSTA DEL SOL

Costa Del Sol has around 320 sunny days a year and an average winter temperatures of 20ºC. The mild temperatures make it possible to walk on the beach, eat al fresco with views of the sea or explore the charming whitewashed towns. While summer on the Costa Del Sol is busy, the winter months are perfect to take advantage of the substantially shorter queues at major attractions. Besides the beaches and sunshine, Costa del Sol is full of artistic and cultural offerings.

Granada is home to one of Europe’s greatest treasures – the Alhambra. Malaga has everything, from Roman ruins and Moorish fortresses to contemporary museums and art galleries. Marbella’s Old Town is a charming blend of Andalusian and Moorish architecture, and Fuengirola boasts a striking Arab fortress. The Nerja Feria is a festival in honour of the patron saint of the village, Virgen de las Angustias, with events, music and celebrations happening all over the town. It takes place in the second week of October and is one of the most exciting times in the village.

ALGARVE

The Algarve has more than 300 days of sunshine each year and very few rainy days making it ideal for those wanting to get away from the Irish winter. With the average temperatures ranging between 10 and 15C in most coastal cities in the winter months, the dry and warm conditions make it excellent for exploring outdoors. Boasting over 100 miles of golden beaches, including the Blue Flag Praia d’Oura and Praia de Vale Figueira, the Algarve is Portugal’s most popular region for holidaymakers. Known for its limestone caves and cliff tops, whitewashed villages, water sports and golf scene, the Algarve has it all.

One of the Algarve’s most popular areas is Albufeira, close to Faro airport. In the popular Old Town, you’ll find churches, restaurants, cafés and bars in abundance. Every 11th November in the port city of Portimão, the ancient festival of Feira de São Martinho (St Martin’s Fair), takes place and is a real slice of Algarve culture. There are stalls, street food and carnival games to enjoy but the festival is mainly celebrated by eating roast chestnuts and drinking the first of the year’s wine (called a magusto).

MALTA

Malta enjoys some of the highest average hours of sunshine in Europe throughout the year and from October to April you can expect temperatures from 10 to 25C. With over 250 km of barely inhabited coastline and beautiful inland landscapes, Malta in the winter months is a great destination for a walking holiday. The weather is perfect for heading out trekking or exploring without having to worry about getting sunburnt or overheated.

Malta’s rich history offers an abundance of indoor or even underground sites to discover, the prehistoric Ghar Dalam cave is a must. There are a variety of interesting museums, palaces, dungeons and lavishly decorated cathedrals to enjoy too. One of the most popular areas in Malta is in the northern region of St. Paul’s Bay. The neighbouring resorts of Qawra and Bugibba have lots of amazing hotel options and it’s a great place to base yourself if you want to explore more of Malta. The Carnival in Valletta is one of the oldest cultural events that takes place in Malta. From 28th to 5th March, the streets are full of extraordinary floats, each followed by groups of dancers and musicians in themed costumes.

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