Larry Lanza recalls how
much fun it was to grow
up with his brothers
at Wooden Valley Winery.
They played baseball,
went hunting, drove Jeeps
around the vineyards,
and worked a great deal.
The brothers all were
together, making the
work fun. He started
driving tractors when
he was only 11 years
old. In high school,
as soon as he got home
and finished his homework,
he’d go out to
the vineyards to work.
Once he graduated from
high-school, he was in
the vineyards full time
for hands on experiential
learning.
Larry considers the microclimates
in Suisun Valley to be
a tremendous asset. Between
Interstate 80 and the
end of the valley, there
are four distinct microclimates.
With this understanding,
Larry’s able to
plant grapes into the
conditions that each
variety likes best. Wooden
Valley has Chardonnay
planted to the south,
because temperatures
are cooler and there’s
more wind. The Cabernet
Sauvignon is in the same
area, but it’s
tucked back into the
corner of the property,
where the soil’s
rocky and there’s
less wind. Closer to
the mountains, there’s
no wind at all and the
temperatures are five
to ten degrees warmer.
Going higher up into
the valley, it is even
hotter. As far as the
soil in their vineyards
is concerned, Larry thinks
that the soil might be
too good. By that he
means that the soil is
deep and they have a
higher water table. These
factors together can
make it challenging to
control the vines.
Larry enjoys working with
all of the varieties that
they have planted, but he
especially enjoys working
with Primitivo. They’ve
only made three or four
vintages with it so far,
but he’s finding it
to be one of the “bullet
proof” varieties.
It does require multiple
thinning; but, besides that,
Larry finds that it is relatively
easy to grow. The most difficult,
in Larry’s opinion,
is Petite Sirah. It is a
very thin-skinned grape,
which gives it high potential
for sun burn; and, the tightness
of the cluster makes it
prone to rot. It also requires
multiple passes for thinning.
He really enjoys the challenge
that it presents to him,
though, and finds it so
rewarding in the end.
With regard to the future of
Wooden Valley Winery, Larry biggest
goal is to not only thriving,
but also maintaining a regular,
measured growth program. His
aim is to continue to improve
the quality of the grapes that
he sends to the winemaking team.
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