Rodergerdts – Matchbook Wines

About RODERGERDTS

Rodergerdts is named after the family from whom that the ranch was purchased. The ranch was used for grazing over the last 50 years but was dry farmed to barley and wheat during the 1950’s and 60’s. The ranch was part of the original Mexican Land Grant bearing the name “Rio de Jesus Maria”. The Bemmerly family homestead the area in the 1850’s. The ranch is home to the best Chardonnay crushed at Matchbook, a five-acre Dijon clone (clone 124). This clone is the backbone of the Arsonist Chardonnay. Petit Verdot has done particularly well at Rodergerdts and is part of the experimental hanging curtain trellising system – a system pioneered by JK Vineyards for Matchbook. Teroldego, a Northern Italian varietal that produces massive color and big structured wines, is planted in the northern part of the ranch.

Size:

 197 Acres

Date Planted:

 2014

Varietals:

 Chardonnay (101 acres), Petite Sirah (40 acres), Petit Verdot (25 acres), Teroldego (30 acres)

Clones:

 Chardonnay (04 and 124), Petite Sirah (clone 03), Petite Verdot (clones 02)

Soil Type:

 The Rodergerdts ranch is divided into two soil types – the northern section of the ranch is pure Corning Gravelly Loam which represents 2/3 of the ranch. The southern section that is planted to Chardonnay is a mixture of Corning Gravelly loam and clay with the lower lying areas Sehorn-Balcom clay and the elevated, upland soils Corning Gravelly Loam. Like all of the ranches that Matchbook receives fruit from, these are well-drained soils due to the sloping nature of the terrain. Corning Gravelly Loam are soils derived from indigenous rocks, silt and sand laid down from stream flows over a broad area thousands of years ago.

Topography:

 The ranch is divided into three zones – the north is rolling terrain divided by large gullies that run the width of the property, the middle is defined by steep, rounded hills and the south has both an upland portion and a lower section that is flatter with heaver soils.