2022 Futures Program
Posted: Aug 19, 2022
For nearly twenty years, we have opened our cellar doors every fall for a rare opportunity to taste a limited selection of our small production red wines still aging in oak barrels during our annual Futures program.
In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we created Futures tasting flights which we were able to ship to our winery members and supporters so they could continue to taste and learn more about our barrel samples during a Zoom presentation. For many who live outside of California, this was their first time being able to participate in tasting the Futures wines, and the feedback we got was sensational!
This year, we have decided to expand both programs by continuing to offer the Futures tasting flights, which can be delivered to the 36 states where we currently ship, and having five live Futures tastings led by Winemaker Steve Beckmen at our Los Olivos estate.
- For those ordering the tasting kit, each kit will include 50ml samples of the six different wines, each wine’s specific winemaking details, and our winemaker’s tasting notes. You will have the option of tasting the wines on your own and following the tasting guide that is included with the flight, or you can join our Sales Director, Jeff Beckmen, for a Zoom presentation available for many evenings in October. In past years, we have found that the in-depth discussions had during Futures tastings lend a new perspective on the wines, generating a deep appreciation you can savor whenever you open your Futures wines.
- For those who want to join us at our live Futures tastings, they will be held every Saturday in October on our estate vineyard at 2:30 pm. The tasting will be held outdoors on Tom and Judy Beckmen’s patio and limited to 50 people.
Click here to book a tasting at the winery.
Click here to order kits to taste at home with the option to taste via Zoom with our Director of Sales, Jeff Beckmen.
Why Participate?
The greatest benefit to customers who pre-order during the Futures program is the ability to purchase these limited production wines at the lowest price that they will be offered, at special discounts of up to 40%. Since Futures buyers are promising to purchase an unfinished product, there is some risk involved as the wines will change during their last few months of aging. But, with any risk, there is great reward as the wines have historically been some the best that we have produced, and several of them will sell out during the Futures program. Futures buyers will not be billed for the wines until they are shipped after bottling later this fall and next spring.
We have a terrific lineup of wines this year, showcasing 2020 and 2021 vintage wines. We could not have had two more different vintages back to back, with 20 being hot and 21 being mild. The 2020 wines show the warmth of the vintage with their riper flavor profiles, lush textures, and fine tannins, while the 21 vintage wines show concentration, precision, and fine backbones of acidity that keep the wines lively and fresh. This should make for a fascinating tasting and will allow everyone to find wines they love and want to purchase! — Steve Beckmen
The Futures Wines
The six red wines in the Futures program have been aging in barrel anywhere from 10 months to 30 months depending on the type of wine being produced. During this aging period, the wines will evolve as the gentle process of slow oxidation softens the tannins over time. Additionally, if aged in new oak, the barrels will impart an extra dimension of flavor and complexity into the wine, which takes time to integrate into the wine.
Thieving wine from a barrel allows our Wine Club members and longtime supporters to taste a wine that is not quite finished and thus experience a whole new appreciation of our winemaking process. They can discern where a wine is headed, and for those with skilled palates or those who have been tasting our barrel samples for years, they can gain an idea of how the wine will taste once bottled.
The wines selected for the Futures program are the most exceptional and lowest production wines in our portfolio. These wines are sourced from the highest quality grapes grown in our best vineyard blocks, crafted from free run juice or gentle basket presses, and aged in premium barrels by notable coopers. Pre-ordering during Futures guarantees access to these wines, as several of the wines are fully allocated during Futures or upon release to our winery members.
There is a three bottle minimum and 12 bottle maximum pre-order for each wine. Shipping is included when you pre-order a total of 12+ bottles. The six wines included in the 2022 Futures program are:
- 2021 Purisima Mountain Vineyard Grenache “Libre” | Release Price: $75, Futures Price: $52, Released in April 2023
- 2021 Purisima Mountain Vineyard Clone #1 Syrah | Release Price: $75, Futures Price: $52, Released in March 2022
- 2021 Purisima Mountain Vineyard Syrah OWN | Release Price: $72, Futures Price: $49, Released in April 2023
- 2020 Purisima Mountain Vineyard Block Six Syrah | Release Price: $80, Futures Price: $56, Released in November 2022
- 2020 Thomas and Judith Beckmen Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon | Release Price: $125, Futures Price: $75, Released in January 2023
- 2020 TLB | Release Price: $80, Futures Price: $56, Released in January 2023