The Malibu Vineyard
is a steep terraced hillside overlooking Malibu
Bay from an average elevation of 750 feet. Two
acres of vines were planted in 1985 by Michael
and Kim McCarty. The first vintage was produced
in 1989. All the original wood came from cuttings
from the Mt. Eden Vineyard in the Santa Cruz Mountains
appellation and Napa’s Joseph Phelps Vineyard.
Yearly production remained around 150 cases of
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc,
as well as a small quantity of Chardonnay and
Pinot Noir, until the 2001 vintage. All vineyard
work is done by hand.
Between 1989-1992 The Malibu
Vineyard wine was made by Steve Dooley of Edna
Valley Vineyard (he is now winemaker/owner of
Stephen Ross Wines) it was aged in new French
oak casks. Beginning with the 1993 vintage, Bruno
D’Alfonso of Sanford Winery has been the
winemaker. After the vintage 1993 the main house
burned down in the Malibu fire. Unfortunately
the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir blocks were totally
consumed by fire as well. The Cabernet Sauvignon,
Merlot and Cabernet Franc survived but took two
years to recover sufficiently to produce quality
wine.
By 1996 Bruno D’Alfonso
was able to make a small amount of wine and then
in 1997 a full recovery produced 150 cases. 1998
delivered a very low yield but very rich wine.
Sadly the 1999 and 2001 vintages were lost due
to very cool summers resulting in a crop that
wouldn’t ripen. The summer of 2000 was warmer
and that vintage made it to proper sugar resulting
in a fine blend.
However, after much deliberation,
we decided to remove the entire vineyard, add
another acre and new trellising and replant with
three clones of Pinot Noir. Currently, The Malibu
Vineyard has 1.5 acres of clone 777 and .75 acres
each of 667 and 115 all on rootstock 101-14. The
growing year 2002 was very successful and the
first vintage will be harvested in 2005.
In the meantime we purchased
two tons of the same blend of Pinot Noir clones
from the Ashley Vineyard in the new Santa Rita
appellation. Bruno has made the wine and it will
be available in spring 2004, to be sold under
The Malibu Vineyard label. This process will be
repeated in 2003 and 2004. As indicated, the 2005
will be the first “estate” grown Pinot
Noir from The Malibu Vineyards.
Those interested in purchasing wines from The
Malibu Vineyard are welcome to respond by Email.
In vino veritas!!!
Cheers!!!!!
Michael and Kim McCarty
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