To those in the know, Joseph Swan, the founder of his namesake winery, was part of California…read morewine-making royalty. He was responsible for some of the best Russian River vintages from the 1970s and 80s, from crisp, fruit-forward Chardonnay to brooding, vineyard-specific Pinot Noir, to memorable, age-worthy Zinfandel, with a smattering other varietals thrown in for good measure. Joel Peterson, who would go on to found Ravenswood in Sonoma, got his start by working with Swan on batches of ZInfandel back in the day, and that's just part of the story here.
To those who don't happen to know the backstory, today's Joseph Swan Vineyards might come across as a bit more rustic-chic than a polished and prim wine critics' darling. It's understated in the extreme, with simple wooden signs, scattered wine-making equipment, open-cardboard boxes of bottles stacked up on the walls, and a tasting room that, well, isn't exactly a room at all, just a small corner of the main winery otherwise taken up by office space, lab space, and rows of moveable barrels in which various vintages of wine slowly age and mature until they are - by consensus vote - deemed ready for release to the general public.
You can visit here on weekends without an appointment; just read ahead of time the directions on the winery web page, which is simple but sufficient, so that you don't get your wires crossed while navigating the narrow backroads in this pretty little section of the Russian River AVA, where some of the region's best cool climate wines are made. You can also make prior arrangements by phone or email to taste on Fridays and Mondays. If you happen to come on a Friday before noon, you may find yourself tasting through 4-6 newly opened bottles, depending on what the current releases look like. This will likely include a white or two (Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Grenache Blanc), several Pinots (vineyard-designate, or a multi-vineyard blend), a Zinfandel, a Syrah, or another red such as Petite Sirah or Tannat. The whites are released a few years after harvest; the reds may be aged 3-5 years or more. Our favorite from a September 2016 tasting was a 2010 Great Oak Vineyards Syrah, followed by two 2012 Pinots (Great Oak and Trenton View). 2014 Viognier and Grenache Blanc wines, aged in stainless steel barrels rather than oak, were beautifully aromatic and delicately made.
At JSV, nearly all the wine comes from estate vineyards or from vineyards within a few miles of the property, often owned by friends of the crafty and creative winemaker, Ron B., and his partner, Lynn, who together oversee the operations with the help of a small number of hands-on apprentices and assistants. You'll likely encounter others in the tasting room who know ahead of time about Joseph Swan's reputation for scoring wines in the mid- and upper-90s by the major critics whose opinions still matter (Wine Enthusiast, Wine Spectator, Wine Advocate, Prince of Pinot, etc.). This doesn't mean that you need to share their views, of course, but it gives you some sense of the gravitas here that lies beneath the cool-casual atmosphere. It looks effortless, and at times this may indeed be the case, but years of work, play, experimentation, and daring have all gone into the process that results in some sophisticated wines, even by Russian River Valley's high standards.
See what you think. There are lots of other good places nearby, if you don't like things at the Swan, such as Taft Street Winery, Pellegrini Wine Co., and Joseph Phelps - Freestone. But I gotta think that you'll like this particular Swan quite a bit. An ugly duckling he most certainly is not!
