As part of my continuing series of blogs profiling wineries of the Sierra Foothills (and Calaveras in particular), I again turn to guest blogger Jan Hovey, blogger for the Calaveras Winegrape Alliance and her profile of a long-time Calaveras staple: Chatom Vineyards.
"In 2011, Gay Callan, owner and visionary behind Chatom Vineyards, will be celebrating 30 years of crafting fine wines in Calaveras County.
With several generations of farming on her mother's side, Gay started seeking property for a vineyard when vineyards in Calaveras County were pretty scarce. That would be the mid- 1970's. Through a property consultant who lived in Mountain Ranch, Gay was introduced to Barden Stevenot (the recognized pioneer of the Calaveras wine industry), and the rest is history.
'I was interested in the Greenhorn Creek property,' Gay told Jan, 'but it just didn't work out.' Then she was shown the 700-acre Higgins Family Ranch on Esmeralda Road, four miles from Murphys, and it was kismet.
She purchased the ranch in 1980 and just one year later planted the first 20-acre vineyard of Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc, grapes destined for Stevenot Winery. The next year 20 acres of Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon were planted and, subsequently, in 1983 the third block was planted with Zinfandel, Semillon and Merlot - a total of 65 well-tended acres. Gay then purchased an additional 100 acres to preserve the Esmeralda Valley property.
In 1985 Chatom grapes were custom crushed in Amador County by Christina Benz and then at the Stevenot facility by Steve Millier -- the first Chatom-labeled wines. Wine production was moved to Smith & Hook for a short time, but Gay then decided to make the leap and build Chatom Wiinery at 1969 Highway 4 in Douglas Flat in 1990. The state-of-the-art rammed-earth winery with "Mokelumne Hill dirt" replete with redwood tasting room and bountiful gardens was born. From 1990 to 1998 Chuck Hovey was the consulting winemaker for Chatom, after which the likes of Tom Montgomery, Scott Klann, Mari Wells, and now Mark Kunz have served as winemakers. Gay credits much of Chatom's success to vineyard manager of 30 years, Dave Bassham. 'He's a very special part of this.'
Chatom now produces 8,500 cases and is known for un-oaked whites (where you can taste the 'white of the whites') as well as Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Touriga, a delightful Portuguese varietal particularly well suited to the Sierra Foothills.
Chatom, a name which goes back in Gay's family many generations, is distributed in ten states, but over one-third of her production goes out through the tasting room doors. 'We love our location" Gay states. The tasting room is open seven days a week and offers complementary tasting."
If you have any comments or questions about this - or any - of my entries, please contact me directly at paladin.mod@gmail.com. I promise to respond to all emails and post those which seem appropriate.
"In 2011, Gay Callan, owner and visionary behind Chatom Vineyards, will be celebrating 30 years of crafting fine wines in Calaveras County.
With several generations of farming on her mother's side, Gay started seeking property for a vineyard when vineyards in Calaveras County were pretty scarce. That would be the mid- 1970's. Through a property consultant who lived in Mountain Ranch, Gay was introduced to Barden Stevenot (the recognized pioneer of the Calaveras wine industry), and the rest is history.
'I was interested in the Greenhorn Creek property,' Gay told Jan, 'but it just didn't work out.' Then she was shown the 700-acre Higgins Family Ranch on Esmeralda Road, four miles from Murphys, and it was kismet.
She purchased the ranch in 1980 and just one year later planted the first 20-acre vineyard of Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc, grapes destined for Stevenot Winery. The next year 20 acres of Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon were planted and, subsequently, in 1983 the third block was planted with Zinfandel, Semillon and Merlot - a total of 65 well-tended acres. Gay then purchased an additional 100 acres to preserve the Esmeralda Valley property.
In 1985 Chatom grapes were custom crushed in Amador County by Christina Benz and then at the Stevenot facility by Steve Millier -- the first Chatom-labeled wines. Wine production was moved to Smith & Hook for a short time, but Gay then decided to make the leap and build Chatom Wiinery at 1969 Highway 4 in Douglas Flat in 1990. The state-of-the-art rammed-earth winery with "Mokelumne Hill dirt" replete with redwood tasting room and bountiful gardens was born. From 1990 to 1998 Chuck Hovey was the consulting winemaker for Chatom, after which the likes of Tom Montgomery, Scott Klann, Mari Wells, and now Mark Kunz have served as winemakers. Gay credits much of Chatom's success to vineyard manager of 30 years, Dave Bassham. 'He's a very special part of this.'
Chatom now produces 8,500 cases and is known for un-oaked whites (where you can taste the 'white of the whites') as well as Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Touriga, a delightful Portuguese varietal particularly well suited to the Sierra Foothills.
Chatom, a name which goes back in Gay's family many generations, is distributed in ten states, but over one-third of her production goes out through the tasting room doors. 'We love our location" Gay states. The tasting room is open seven days a week and offers complementary tasting."
If you have any comments or questions about this - or any - of my entries, please contact me directly at paladin.mod@gmail.com. I promise to respond to all emails and post those which seem appropriate.