Ask the Grower
Bill Brosseau, owner of Brosseau Vineyard.
If you have any questions you would like to ask one of our growers, please email them to wine@testarossa.com and we'll try to include them in future grower interviews!
How did you decide the location to plant/purchase your vineyard?
BB:. My Dad was set on finding limestone soils as he was a fan of French vineyards. He located a minerals map and tracked down only a couple of places with limestone. He narrowed the search to the Gabilan mountain range, home to Chalone. My parents instantly fell in love with the Chalone Chenin Blanc made by Richard Graff during the 1970s. Once they visited the area, they were impressed by its charm and peacefulness.
How did you decide what varietal(s) and clone(s) to choose for your vineyard?
BB: My Dad never intended to make wine on a commercial scale as he continued to work at Lockheed Martin. He hoped that one of his children would eventually be interested in making commercially. Since it was going to be a while before this could happen, he talked to various winemakers about what varietal would be a good fit for this area. He decided to pursue Chardonnay in 1980 foreseeing growth potential with this varietal. He selected clones from Chalone based upon the recommendation of their winemaker. The clones chosen were known for quality and consistency. He also planted one acre of Pinot Noir to be used for home-winemaking purposes.
Do you practice organic, biodynamic, or sustainable farming practices? If so, why or why not?
BB: We currently practice organic farming. We find that organic farming ensures consistency, patience, attention to detail and a creative thought process among the grower. It is a sophisticated, holistic method of farming which relies on cultural and biological controls versus conventional chemical controls. It requires more research and time in the vineyard, but we find the pay-off in quality to be well worth the venture.
What do you feel are the two biggest factors that affect the ultimate quality of your grapes (e.g. soil type/structure, climate, slope, plant material, viticultural practices, etc)?
BB: I feel that the soil type of limestone and decomposed granite impress the largest influence on the site. This soil stunts the vines by minimizing nutrient and moisture retention. There is no other soil type like this anywhere on the west coast so we feel privileged to be so unique. The second factor would be viticultural practices. Since we are farming organically, we are minimally intervening with the growing process. We feel this farming practice produces the most expressive and unique wines.
How long have you and/or your family been in the wine/grape growing business?
BB: Our family planted the vineyard in 1980. I have worked on the vineyard since I was a child.
From a growers perspective, what have been the easiest and hardest vintages the last 10 years and why?
BB: 1997 was the easiest vintage because the weather conditions were optimal and it was a high yielding year with high quality. 2007 was our hardest vintage because we had a severe winter freeze, which stunted vine growth. This led to yields of less than 1 ton to the acre, which is financially difficult to handle. Fortunately, 2008 has started off with great success. Nature keeps us on our toes.
What would you like to tell wine lovers/consumers that they probably don’t know about vineyards?
BB: After my dad purchased the land, he realized that there was not enough winter rains to provide water for the new vineyard. He then bought a water truck and hauled water up a 1,000 foot increase in altitude from the Salinas valley to the vineyard. He did this every weekend until our neighbors were able to run a 6 mile pipeline to the valley floor of the Salinas Valley, providing us instant water at our site. Soon after this, as you can imagine, he sold the water truck; thankful to never drive one again.