Named after Rachmaninoff’s Opus
23 # 5 in G minor, this wine’s GST blend (Grenache Syrah Tempranillo)
exemplifies the power and finesse that is Greg’s passion in both winemaking and
music. A professional bass player for
many years, Greg tends to gravitate toward complexity in music and wine. The GST blend, G minor, is the result of
Greg Baiocchi’s desire to have his vineyard’s varietals “play well together”.
G Minor (GST) |
“G minor is the result of
co-fermenting Grenache, Syrah and Tempranillo, three varietals that have been
blended together occasionally, mostly two at a time but rarely three at a
time. To my knowledge, they have never
been co-fermented,” Greg says.
“In this GST wine, the Grenache
is the finesse of our G minor, allowing for a softer experience when the wine
first hits the palate. Strawberry and
dried cherries with soft lushness, then blue fruits enter as the wine hits the
mid-palate. The wine then finishes with
firm earthy tannins, quite a bit of structure and some of the power that comes
from huge hands… a wine just like Rachmaninoff would have created if he were a
winemaker,” Greg said.
During the June 1 opening
celebration of their new tasting room, winery owners Greg and Sharon Baiocchi
are pouring their high quality, small lot wines made from their estate-grown
Sierra Foothill grapes. Featured wines
include Baiocchi 2010 Orellana (60% Tempranillo, 40% Grenache), Baiocchi 2010
Grenache Sharon’s Vineyard, gb 2011 G minor (Greg’s unique “GST” blend of 44%
Grenache, 32% Syrah and 24% Tempranillo), gb 2012 Neophyte Rose (100%
Grenache), and gb 2012 del papa (a co-fermented blend of 70% Viognier and 30%
Roussanne). The Baiocchi family also
grows Syrah and Mourvedre in their 12 acre vineyard and will soon be releasing
more wines containing those Rhone varietals.
The new Baiocchi tasting room at
82 Main Street, Sutter Creek, CA, joins a growing group of elite wineries that
comprise Sutter Creek’s “Wine on Main”
wine tourism initiative to bring wine lovers to this historic Amador County
destination for a day or two of tasting enjoyment. Baiocchi Wines have won many kudos since
their first vintage in 2009, including accolades from Jeb Dunnuck (now at Wine
Advocate) and The Purely Domestic Wine
Report. Go to www.BaiocchiWines.com for more
information.
Greg and Sharon Baiocchi’s passion for making great
wine was born from a passion for enjoying it – namely, with friends and family.
As a second career, Greg pursued an
education in viticulture and winemaking through the U.C. Davis Extension
Winemaking Program and is the Operations Manager of the enterprise. Sharon handles Marketing and Customer
Relations. The mission of Baiocchi wine
is to produce premium, small lot wines, and to stay
focused on the land, the fruit, the wine, and the life. Baiocchi’s handcrafted
wines feature Southern Rhone and Rioja style wines made in the Sierra Foothills
with Baiocchi estate grown grapes. Greg is known in the California wine
industry as “Mister GST” for his pioneering blends of Grenache, Syrah and
Tempranillo.
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