Winemaker Notes
After a long and satisfying career as the founder of Alfaro’s Micro Bakery, one of California’s premier gourmet bakeries, Richard Alfaro was presented with a unique opportunity in the form of an aging 75 acre apple farm in Corralitos. An offer was made on the baking company by an interested buyer, and in 1998 this forgotten piece of land was lovingly transformed by Richard and his wife Mary Kay, into what is now known as Alfaro Family Vineyards & Winery. In the ensuing years, the Bread Baker became the Winemaker, captivating discriminating wine drinkers along the way. Today there are a total of 38 acres under vine in Corralitos, 18 more in Aptos, and all of the vines are cared for personally by Richard and his crew. The acreage is comprised of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Syrah, Merlot, Malbec and Gruner Veltliner. All of the production from start to finish occurs in-house so the grapes take a very short trip from vineyard to bottle. Two of the vineyards are named after the Alfaro’s children, Lindsay Paige and Ryan Spencer. Wife Mary Kay, a certified sommelier, assists Richard while running the office, managing the tasting room and handling the needs of their growing wine club.
The largest and perhaps most varied of California’s wine-growing regions, the Central Coast produces a good majority of the state's wine. This vast California wine district stretches from San Francisco all the way to Santa Barbara along the coast, and reaches inland nearly all the way to the Central Valley.
Encompassing an extremely diverse array of climates, soil types and wine styles, it contains many smaller sub-AVAs, including San Francisco Bay, Monterey, the Santa Cruz Mountains, Paso Robles, Edna Valley, Santa Ynez Valley and Santa Maria Valley.
While the Central Coast California wine region could probably support almost any major grape varietiy, it is famous for a few Central Coast reds and whites. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel are among the major ones. The Central Coast is home to many of the state's small, artisanal wineries crafting unique, high-quality wines, as well as larger producers also making exceptional wines.
With hundreds of red grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended red wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged resulting in a wide variety of red wine styles. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a red wine blend variety that creates a fruity and full-bodied wine would do well combined with one that is naturally high in acidity and tannins. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
How to Serve Red Wine
A common piece of advice is to serve red wine at “room temperature,” but this suggestion is imprecise. After all, room temperature in January is likely to be quite different than in August, even considering the possible effect of central heating and air conditioning systems. The proper temperature to aim for is 55° F to 60° F for lighter-bodied reds and 60° F to 65° F for fuller-bodied wines. How much does this matter?
How Long Does Red Wine Last?
Once opened and re-corked, a bottle stored in a cool, dark environment (like your fridge) will stay fresh and nicely drinkable for a day or two. There are products available that can extend that period by a couple of days. As for unopened bottles, optimal storage means keeping them on their sides in a moderately humid environment at about 57° F. Red wines stored in this manner will stay good – and possibly improve – for anywhere from one year to multiple decades. Assessing how long to hold on to a bottle is a complicated science. If you are planning long-term storage of your reds, seek the advice of a wine professional.