29 Jul How We Got the “Old Girls” Pinot Noir
Every bottle of our Martini Clone “Old Girls” Pinot Noir represents years of persistence, a little luck, and one very special block of vines.
When I decided to start Joseph Jewell Wines in 2007 and 2008, I had one simple goal: make exceptional Pinot Noir. There was just one problem—no one wanted to sell grapes to a brand-new winery. The financial recession had the wine industry on edge, and growers weren’t eager to take a chance on an unknown winemaker.
Ironically, that same recession eventually created the opportunities that helped shape Joseph Jewell Wines.
In 2009, I began working with Floodgate Vineyard in the Russian River Valley. At the time, there wasn’t much fruit available, and the vineyard manager, Warren, offered me a small corner of the vineyard. It sat in what I jokingly called the “soggy bottoms”—without question, the least desirable block on the property. But I was grateful for the opportunity because it meant we were finally making Pinot Noir from Russian River Valley.
Every January, I would call Warren and ask the same question:
“So… who didn’t pay their bill this year?”
It became something of an annual tradition. Every year another block would become available, and little by little we worked our way into better sections of the vineyard.
But there was one block I always asked about…
Block 1.
Planted in 1971 to Martini Clone, these were some of the oldest Pinot Noir vines in the Russian River Valley. Warren would always smile and say, “The Old Girls? Those all go to Gary Farrell.”
So I’d thank him, hang up, and call again the following January.
Year after year.
Then, in early 2013, everything changed.
Gary Farrell retired, and when I made my annual call, Warren answered with words I’ll never forget:
“The Old Girls… we can sell you some Old Girls this year.”
It was one of those moments every small winemaker dreams about.
Since then, we’ve been fortunate to produce this remarkable wine from these historic vines. The bottling is always 100% Martini Clone, showcasing one of California’s most celebrated Pinot Noir selections. We kept Warren’s affectionate nickname for the vineyard—“The Old Girls”—because it perfectly captures the personality and history of these incredible vines.
Today, every vintage of Martini Clone Old Girls is a reminder that some of the best things in wine—and in life—are worth waiting for.
We currently have three vintages of this special wine available: the 2020, 2021, and 2022 vintages each tell a different chapter of this remarkable vineyard’s story, but they all begin with the same lesson: persistence pays off.
Cheers!
Adrian
