HOW MANY LAWYERS DOES IT TAKE TO MAKE GREAT WINE?
AT FALCOR, JUST 2! Mike Bee and Jim Peterson are law partners at Hill, Peterson, Carper, Bee & Deitzler in Charleston, WV. However, that is not prohibiting them from making their case for outstanding wines in the Napa Valley. In 1995, the dynamic duo began working with winemaker Ray Coursen of Elyse Winery to produce their first vintage of Falcor Chardonnay. Of the 192 cases made, the duo sold five, gave five away and drank the rest.
EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE & LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIPS WITH BOTH VINEYARD OWNERS & VINEYARD MANAGERS.
Our goal is to make wines that are in balance, with no one taste element dominating the others. Wines that are in balance are very drinkable on release and, if aged properly, will retain this balance while adding additional taste complexities. Ray's extensive experience, knowledge and long-term relationships with local growers have enabled Falcor to source some of the finest fruit from prime Napa and Sonoma vineyards for our limited-production wines.
THE FALCOR PHILOSOPHY
For the first few years, Falcor limited its production to Chardonnay and permitted that excellent product to serve as its calling card to the wine industry. Then, perhaps surprising to some, the 1999 Napa Valley Chardonnay became one of the nation's top scoring Chardonnays, scoring 93 Points in the Wine Spectator. Falcor was officially on the map and, by 2004, was producing eight different varietals.
QUALITY STARTS IN THE VINEYARD
Like Mike and Jim, Ray believes that great wines start in the vineyard. He selects vineyard locations best suited to each variety, ensures that his growers practice meticulous vineyard management techniques and walks the vineyards constantly throughout harvest, picking only at the peak of ripeness. The results speak for themselves: Falcor has created wines that are fruit-forward and are superbly balanced by oak while possessing superior nuance and complexity. Pick up a bottle and you be the judge!
"Falcor makes tasting at any other winery a true challenge."
~ Dr. Kay L. Wood-Houser