POSTCARD FROM NAPA

Lonen and Jocelyn Wines

     Working in Napa Valley at Laird Family Estate winery gives me the opportunity to interact with many winemakers.  At Laird's custom crush winery over forty small, high quality, wines are produced and during this time of year there are busy winemakers all over the place.  Some are veterans with many years experience while many are young, but talented, experienced, and well traveled.

      Joshua Krupp, one of the younger winemakers at thirty years of age, oversees two labels produced at Laird.  Krupp has acheived success with the Veraison label and with a new but exciting brand founded by Lon and Susan Curtis.  Lon and Susan's wines are bottled under the "Lonen" and "Jocelyn" labels, names they have borrowed from their children.

      The story of how the Curtis's and Josh Krupp's paths crossed is interesting.  Lon and Susan   began exploring California's wine country in the mid-1980's after moving from Idaho.  Their high tech jobs gave them the flexiblity to travel to Europe's great wine regions in the 1990's.  They noticed how wine was so much a part of other cultures, and how the European wine country lifestyles were so attractive to them.  The dream of growing their own grapes and producing their own wines was born.

     The Curtis's experimented with some homegrown grapes (1100 vines), and  then decided to pursue their dream further  by  searching out grapes from some of Napa and Sonoma's most desirable areas.  The marvelous red wines (Lonen and Jocelyn labels) are from Stagecoach Vineyards in Napa's rugged eastern hills and other prime Napa locations.  The luscious Chardonnay from Russian River (Sonoma) is under the Jocelyn label, as is a Zinfandel Port. A Chardonnay from the Russian River Bohn Vineyard is under the Lonen label.

     Winemaker Joshua Krupp has experience working with some of the best in the world.  Josh grew up in California and graduated from the University of California at Davis.  He then traveled to France and worked with Michel Chapoutier, of Rhone wine fame.  Joshua also worked with Mia Klein at Fisher Vineyards and in the Russian River Valley with Paul Hobbs. 

     The Curtis's had begun looking for a winery cooperative and had happened across Laird Family Estate.  They became acquainted with Rebecca Laird, and together they explored the possibility of using the Laird facility for their small production. 

     Josh was making the Krupp's Veraison label at Laird, and the Curtis's worked out a long term deal for some of the Krupp's Stagecoach grapes.  It seemed almost a natural progression that Joshua Krupp became the Lonen and Jocelyn winemaker. 

     The wines are excting.  When I tasted the 2002 Bohn Vineyard, Russian River  Lonen Chardonnay I was impressed.  Only 120 cases were made so I felt lucky to have tried it.  It was luscious and very well balanced.  I was not surprised the Wine Spectator magazine awarded a 93 score.

    The Wine Spectator also scored the Lonen 2001 Krupp Vineyard Cabernet a 93!  Again, low quantities (600 cases only) make this wine even more attractive.  The mountain fruit shows well with full bodied, fruit-filled, spicy, almost floral aromas and flavors.  This wine expands the palate and takes the senses to places seldom experienced.

     The 2001 Jocelyn Zinfandel Port is scarce indeed. Only 364 cases were made.  I sampled this Port under perfect conditions.  No, not in a sealed laboratory with no sounds nor smells.  I had this Port with two friends and three wonderful desserts.  We had a marvelous dinner and took our desserts "to go".  We had a berry tart, a tarimisu, and someting very chocolate. The various flavor combinations were like exploring heaven on earth.

     The Lonen and Jocelyn labels combine for about 3500 cases.  They pour their wines at selected trade events in the Bay Area and beyond.  Lon and Susan's daughter Brandi oversees marketing and special events in addition to maintaining the company website. For Lonen and Jocelyn availability visit their website.