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Wines That Begin With “V”

Posted on April 11, 2013 by Nancy

“V” wines were the topic of our Thursday night tasting at Fine Wines of Stockton. Does this mean grape varieties that begin with “V”? Or, maybe it’s the winery or region that begins with “V”. Craig, one of the wine staff at Fine Wines of Stockton, presented this tasting. Let’s see what he came up with. Our assignment for the evening was to choose our favorite wine.

2010 Zantho Grüner Veltliner. Grüner Veltliner is a widely-planted variety in Austria, where it originated. It is common in Slovakia and Chech Republic as well, where it is known as Veltlinské Zelené. This variety produces abundant fruit and is late-ripening. Often referred to at “grüvee” in Austria, flavors in this wine can vary widely depending where the grapes are grown. They can exhibit flavors of citrus, floral, minerals, spice or stone fruit.

Citrus and honeysuckle scents are followed by citrus, mineral and honey flavors with lots of acidity and a bit of a round mouth-feel. This very complex-flavored wine would pair nicely with spicy foods or rich, creamy dishes. It will taste great all summer long and was the favorite wine of the group.

2011 Roccadelle Macie Vernaccia di San Gimignano. This white grape variety, Vernaccia di San Gimignano, is unique to the hill town of San Gimignano in Tuscany. Although other varieties are referred to as Vernaccia in other parts if Italy, they are unrelated to this variety. It is vigorous, produces plentiful fruit and flourishes in the sandstone vineyards in this area.

This DOCG (Denominazione di origine controllata garantita) is vinified from 100% Vernaccia di San Gimignano and is pale yellow in the glass. The nose is distinctly floral, think freesias. Flavors are completely different than the nose. The nose was so floral and the flavors contrast with citrus rind, minerals and a steely finish. I would describe this wine as austere. It has pleasant flavors, but is somewhat subdued, especially in comparison to the exuberant nose. This wine would taste great with oysters or steamed mussels.

2010 La Cala Vermentino di Sardegna. Vermentino is known by various names. In southern France it is Rolle, in Piedmont it is Favoria, in Liguria it is Pigato. DNA for all is identical. Vermentino is an important variety on Sardegna (Sardinia). In the northern portion of the island, DOCG designation has been granted to Vermentino di Gallura. DOC (Denominazione di origine controllata) designation applies to Vermentino di Sardegna elsewhere on the island.

This wine was light yellow and slightly viscous in the glass. The nose was reminiscent of Riesling (petrol). Flavors tasted of summer melons and white peaches. This wine had great acidity and a rounder mouth-feel. It would be excellent with spicy food or anything rich and creamy.

2011 Sauvion Vouvray. In this case, Vouvray is the location, near Tours within the Loire Valley, France. Chenin Blanc is the grape variety grown almost exclusively within Vouvray. The grape variety is thought to have originated in Anjou, just downriver from Vouvray. Several styles of wine are made from Chenin Blanc depending on weather. Styles range from dry, to sparkling to sweet dessert wines.

This very complex Vouvray showed scents of pears and melons and followed with flavors of melon, tropical fruit and minerals. This wine was slightly sweet but still had great acidity.

2010 Santi Solane Valpolicella Ripasso. Once again, Valpolicella is the location rather than the grape variety. Valpolicella is located within Varona in northeastern Italy. Winemaking in this region is said to date back to the ancient Greeks. Corvina Veronese, Rondinella and Molinara are the major grape varieties included in Valpolicella.

Ripasso is a method developed to give the lighter Valpolicella more flavor and body. This process uses seeds and stems left from the fermentation of Amarone as an addition to the Valpolicella after initial fermentation to produce a secondary fermentation. Valpolicella has been granted DOC status.

This ruby-colored wine had black pepper and plums on the nose. It had a very light body and red fruit and plum flavors and smooth tannins. Overall, this was a very light-tasting red wine. It would be a good warm-weather red wine when a heavy-bodied red wine might be too much.

2007 Vinosia Taurasi. The producer of this wine is Vinosia. Taurasi is the location northeast of Naples in the Campania wine region of Italy. Tourasi has been granted DOCG status and according to regulations, wines must be at least 85% Aglianico, but many are 100%. Anglianico, most likely originated in Campania. It is a dark-skinned variety that is late-ripening and produces highly tannic, flavorful wines. It has been called “the Barolo of the south” for this reason.

This very dark ruby-colored wine had scents of sweet, dried fruit with concentrated dark fruit flavors of dried plums and figs. Tannins were significant and extremely drying. This wine was a mouthful.

There was something for every palate in this tasting. The white wines were all very crisp with good acidity. Flavors ranged from citrus and minerals to melons. All of these white wines will be good during the summer.

The red wines showed a contrast in style. The Vapolicella was a light-colored, light-bodied red wine and had very smooth tannins. This would also make an excellent choice for summertime sipping. The Taurasi was dark and rich and could pair with barbecued steak or a spicy tomato pasta.

What a nice selection of “V” wines. We were able to learn about new varieties, wineries and wine regions. Our wine education continues.

Cheers!

Reference: Wine Grapes by Jancis Robinson, Julia Harding, José Vouillamoz

Posted in Thursday Wine Tastings | Tagged Grüner Veltliner, Valpolicella, Vermentino, Vernaccia, Vouvray | Leave a comment

Heitz Cellar Winemaker’s Dinner

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Nancy

We recently attended a Winemaker’s Dinner at the Brookside Country Club. The five-course dinner was prepared by Executive Chef Chris Isert and wines were provided for each course by Heitz Cellar. Kaj Hallstrom, Northern California Sales for Heitz Cellar was present to tell us about each of the wines. A long-time employee, and one of only 16 Heitz Cellar employees, Kaj knows all of the Winery history which he enthusiastically shared with us.

Amuse-Bouche

Salmon Mousse in a Blue Tortilla Cone

A whimsical start to the dinner. My mouth was indeed amused.

First Course

Wine Poached Organic Free Range Breast of Chicken Roulade with
Farmstead Fromage Blanc and Honey Center
Honeydew Relish, Lemon Verbena-Mango Coulis and Pea Shoots

2011 Heitz Cellar Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc

Crisp citrus flavors with just a backnote of herbal flavors in this Sauvignon Blanc paired nicely with the sweet, creamy chicken dish. This is a Sauvignon Blanc even I liked. No weedy flavors in this Sauvignon Blanc.

Second Course

Mediterranean Spiced Grilled Lamb Chop
Baby Root Vegetables and Mild Ancho Chile Sauce

2009 Napa Valley Zinfandel Ink Grade Vineyard

This Zinfandel is made in a lighter style reminiscent of the original Italian style of the Napa Valley. The Zinfandel fruit comes from Ink Grade Vineyard on Howell Mountain. Earthy flavors with berries and black pepper combine with smooth tannins and low alcohol to produce a flavorful wine.

Third Course

Pork Two Ways
Housemade Linguica Meatball with Pt. Reyes Blue Veined Cheese
Spiced Smoked Pork Rib with Cherry Syrup
Locally Milled White Polenta and Gaufrette Chip

2007 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

2007 was a perfect growing season. Fruit for this drink-young Cabernet is a blend of vineyards including Ink Grade. Flavors are complex dark-fruit with well-integrated tannins. This is what you drink while waiting for your Martha’s Vineyard Cabernet to mature.

Entrée

Dry Aged Tajima Wagyu Filet of Ribeye
Sautéd Gold Fingerling Potato and Seared Brown Butter Cauliflower
Truffle Porcini Demi Glace

2005 Martha’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

This Martha’s Vineyard Cabernet is consistently very highly rated, within the top 100 wines. Martha’s Vineyard, located in the Oakville AVA of Napa Valley, has been sourced exclusively by Heitz Cellar since the first vintages. The clone, which produces small, very dark berries, is responsible for the characteristic minty scents and flavors in this very complex wine. Dark fruit flavors and significant tannins make for a round wine in the mouth. This 2005 is very young and will only continue to improve with age. It paired wonderfully with the rich Tajima Wagyu filet.

Dessert

Dark Chocolate Grand Mariner Mousse in a Dark Chocolate Basket
Raspberry Chocolate Twigs and Raspberries

Ink Grade Port NV

This non-vintage Port, produced from all Portuguese varieties, is sourced from the Ink Grade vineyard. Sweet, rich, complex dark-fruit flavors and spice pair nicely with the dark chocolate and raspberry flavors of the mousse. A perfect ending for the meal.

Thank you to Chef Chris and his staff for a flavorful meal.

Thank you to Kaj Hallstrom for presenting the wonderful wines of Heitz Cellar, not to mention all of the great Heitz history.

Thank you to our friends Alan and Stacy for the invitation.

It was a lovely evening.

Posted in Events, Local Events | Tagged Heitz Cellar, Heitz Martha's Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Heitz Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Heitz Napa Valley Sauvignon Bland, Heitz Napa Valley Zinfandel Ink Grade Vineyard, Heitz NV Ink Grade Port | 2 Comments

Tannat — One of Our New Favorites

Posted on April 6, 2013 by Nancy

This is a variety we were introduced to by our good friend Dave. One Monday night, a couple of years ago, he brought a bottle of 2008 Pasos Vineyards Tannat. It was inky dark, had complex dark fruit flavors with eucalyptus and perfumed scents. The tannins were substantial, but well integrated. We loved the combination of fruit flavors and big tannins. This experience with Tannat was enough to prompt us to look for it on wine lists and in wine stores.

Our next experience with Tannat was in Scottsdale last summer. Yes, I know, drinking a big, red wine in near 100 degree weather seems counterintuitive, but we did it. Sacrifices must be made.

We had dinner one evening at Cowboy Ciao, located in downtown Scottsdale. It is a restaurant we go to almost every time we are in Scottsdale. The food is generally excellent. The wine list is off the charts. It is the wine list that first brought us to the restaurant. You can take a look at it here. It is written with a sense of humor, but they are serious about wine. The wine list includes nearly 1800 wines from dozens of US states and 45 countries. The choices are confounding.

We managed to find the 2009 Domaine Monte de Luz Tannat. This wine from Uruguay was very dark ruby in the glass and the nose was obviously dark fruit. Flavors followed with complex dark fruit flavors and big, grippy tannins. Once again a big, muscular wine. We liked it very much.

Recently we found another Tannat from Uruguay, 2009 Pisano Reserve Tannat, and it did not disappoint us. Dark fruit scents of plum and blackberry rushed from the glass. Flavors were complex with dark fruit and tobacco, without being over-ripe. Once again, the tannins were significant and grippy, but well-integrated into the wine. And the weight in the mouth was so light. This wine was a wonderful food wine, ABV is only 13.5%. We drank it with a pork tenderloin served with mushroom sauce, roasted asparagus and smashed yams on a recent Monday evening. The longer this wine remained in the glass, the more flavors and scents continued to evolve. It was excellent to the last drop.

Tannat most likely originated in the area of Madiran, a village in southwest France near the Pyrenees. In Wine Grapes, Robinson, et al. describe it as a “vigorous” grower that produces “big bunches of grapes but small to medium-sized berries”. Clay soils in the Madrian region produce hugely tannic wines that do well with some aging.

Tannat was introduced into Uruguay by Basque settlers in the 1870s and thrived in the temperate climate and lighter soils. It has become the most extensively planted variety. In Uruguay, tannat produces a full-flavored slightly less tannic wine that does not require long aging.

If it is a varietal you have not sipped, keep and eye out for one. I do not think you will be disappointed. We will continue to look for them. Tannat is quickly becoming one of our favorite wines!

Cheers!

Reference: Wine Grapes by Jancis Robinson, Julia Harding, José Vouillamoz

Posted in Monday Dinners, Tasting Notes | Tagged Domaine Monte de Luz, France, Pasos Vineyards, Pisano, Tannat, Uruguay, Wine Grapes | Leave a comment

Barbera — Italy vs California

Posted on April 5, 2013 by Nancy

The focus of the tasting Thursday night at Fine Wines of Stockton was Barbera. We tasted four Italian and two California offerings. Will the California wines have a style of their own, or will they taste similar to the Italian wines? We shall see. Our task for the evening was to choose our two favorite wines. That shouldn’t be too tough.

Barbera may have originated in Piedmont, Monferrato or elsewhere and been brought to these areas. I have read conflicting opinions on its origins. Be that as it may, it is the the most widely planted variety in Piedmont in northwest Italy. Spelled Piemonte in Italian, Piedmont translates to “at the foot of the mountains”. Terrain is mountainous, hilly and flat with the Alps close by. Soil types are quite varied. Weather, thanks to the Mediterranean influence, is warm during the summer, but spring and fall are cool. Winters can be very cold.

Barbera vines are vigorous growers and it is a good producer of fruit. It is know for its high acidity, even from very ripe fruit. It is a late ripener, but that is convenient in Piedmont, as it ripens after Dolcetto and before Nebbiolo. The three varieties are planted extensively in the area.

Barbera was brought to California by Italian immigrants and is now widely planted in the state. Its high productivity and good acidity have made it a popular blending variety. Plantings in the Central Valley of California are used mainly for blending. In the Sierra Foothills, where it has thrived in the various soil types and warm temperatures, Barbera is a star in its own right.

Lets see what these wines have to offer.

2007 Monte delle Vigne Colli di Parma – berry scents are followed by cranberry and blackberry flavors with a very light mouthfeel and great acidity. Tannins are smooth and the finish is long with both flavor and tannins. This delicious wine would pair nicely with anything rich and fatty. Pasta Carbonara anyone? The acidity in this wine would be a great balance for that richness. ABV 13.5%. This was my favorite and Pete’s favorite wine of the evening. It was the second favorite of the group.

2009 Shenandoah Vineyards Rezerve Amador County Barbera – the nose can only be described as intoxicating. Scents of cedar, redwood and dark fruit were amazingly complex. Concentrated, dark-fruit and cedar flavors combined with smooth tannins for a long finish. Some tasters perceived significant sweetness in this wine, while others did not. Overall, this tasted much riper than the prior wine. It provoked much discussion. ABV 14.3%. This was the group’s favorite wine.

2011 Prunotto Barbera d’Asti Fiulot – scents of violets and a bit of caramel float out of the glass and follow with toasty, woodsy flavors and cranberries. Tart acidity and smooth tannins combine with fruit flavors for a long finish. This wine had lots of flavor and a very light weight in the mouth. ABV 13.5%. This was my second favorite wine. It would taste good with so many things…pasta, pizza, cheeses or just by itself.

2007 Easton Shenandoah Valley Cooper Ranch Barbera – sweet, ripe fruit on the nose is followed concentrated dried fruit flavors, moderate tannins and a long finish. Most perceived a sweetness in this wine and the finish was a bit hot. This was a weightier wine in the mouth and could stand up to roasted meats and pasta with spicy red sauce. This was a riper style of wine with ABV 14.5%.

2009 Borgogno Barbera d’Alba – fruit was not immediately evident with flinty, mineral scents dominating the nose. Cranberries and tart berry flavors combine with significant tannins and good acidity for a moderately long finish. Overall, the fruit flavors in this wine were restrained. ABV 13%.

2011 Marchesi de Barolo Maràia Barbera del Monferrato – scents of violets and grapes dominate the nose. Flavors of vanilla, raspberries and cranberries combine with smooth tannins and a very light weight in the mouth to produce a very interesting combination. This wine tastes very young to me, but I think it could become something very interesting over time. The ABV is 13%.

The wines we tasted exhibited two distinct styles of winemaking. One more ripe than the other. Both styles have an appeal. My preference is the less ripe, lighter style. Both styles are well made and pair well with food. Isn’t is great to have a choice? And the price of these wines is in the $15 to $25 range, with the California wines at $25. These are tasty and affordable everyday-drinking wines.

Cheers!

Reference: Wine Grapes by Jancis Robinson, Julia Harding, Jose Vouillamoz

Posted in Thursday Wine Tastings | Tagged Barbera, Borgogno, Easton Shenandoah Valley, Marchesi de Barolo, Monte Della Vigne, Prunotto Barbera d’Asti Fiulot, Shenandoah Vineyards | 2 Comments

The Rhone Rangers – Mourvèdre A Rising Star in the World of American Rhones

Posted on April 3, 2013 by Peter

This is the second seminar we attended as part of the San Francisco Weekend Celebration of American Rhone Wines, which was sponsored by The Rhone Rangers. This seminar was intended to showcase Mourvèdre. Seven winemakers presented and talked about their wines. The seminar was moderated by Jon Bonné, Wine Editor, San Francisco Chronicle.

“Mourvèdre see Monastrell” is what you find when looking for Mourvèdre in Wine Grapes by Jancis Robinson et al. Under the heading of Monastrell they continue, “High-quality, heat-loving dark-skinned variety most valued for its heady, structured contribution to blends”.

This variety originated around Valencia, Spain. It may have been brought there by the Phoenicians, though there is no scientific proof of this. It is a “challenging” variety to grow. It buds late and ripens late and requires a very warm climate to fully-ripen. It is sensitive to drought, low-yielding and susceptible to pests, but not botrytis. You have to wonder why winemakers even bother. Yet, they do.

Mourvèdre was the main variety planted around Valencia before phylloxera severely reduced plantings in 1868. Within France, Mourvèdre is planted along the Mediterranean in Provence, Languedoc and of course into the Rhone River Valley. Bandol, within Provence, has the sandy, limestone soils and warm climate favored by Mourvèdre and it therefore is widely-planted. The sandy soils of Bandol protected Mourvèdre from wide-spread destruction during the phylloxera infestation that largely wiped-out plantings elsewhere in France. As a result, Bandol became well-known for its red and particularly rosé wines made from Mourvèdre. Mourvèdre must comprise at least 50% of red and rosé wines produced in Bandol.

Mourvèdre, introduced to California as Mataro, thrives in the depleted, sandy, calcareous soils and heat of Paso Robles, Santa Barbara, Contra Costa Counties, and the Sierra Foothills among others. Mourvèdre is not widely-planted in California, only 800 or so acres are planted. Oregon and Washington have very few acres. Some brave winemakers in Oregon and Washington do grow Mourvèdre though.

Mourvèdre produces compact bunches of smallish, dark, thick-skinned, sweet berries. The thick skins protect the berries from splitting due to rain late in the growing season. Flavors and aromas produced by this variety are described as meaty, earthy and fruity, like berries and plums. It has good structure with ample tannins.

So, with that introduction, let’s see what the winemakers have for us to taste.

2012 Tercero Rosé of Mourvèdre $18. This tank sample of the soon-to-be-released vintage is made from grapes grown in the Happy Canyon American Viticultural Area (AVA). This relatively new AVA, designated in 2009, is located in the easternmost portion of the Santa Ynez Valley. Happy Canyon is the smallest AVA in Santa Barbara County and is unique for its warm climate, soil types (loam, clay loam with high mineral content and low nutrients) and hillside geography.

Larry Schaffer explained that the grapes for this vintage were not overly ripe. They were harvested at 22.5 brix. Saignée has been used in prior vintages, but juice for this vintage spent two hours on the skins and was then pressed. Strawberry scents and flavors dominate this very flavorful salmon-colored wine. The finish was long and clean with good acidity. I will definitely be looking for this wine for the summer. Tercero also makes Grenache, Grenache Blanc, Syrah and other Rhone varietals. This wine compares favorably to the Bandols I have tasted. Highly recommended! Their tasting room is in Los Olivos, CA.

2010 Holly’s Hill El Dorado Petit Patriarche $20. This wine is a blend of 83% Mourvèdre, 14% Grenache, 3% Syrah. Josh Bendick described Mourvèdre as their favorite at the winery. The estate vineyards, located south of Placerville in the Pleasant Valley area of El Dorado County, reach to 2700 feet in elevation and are planted entirely with Rhone varieties. This wine had complex spice, earth and ripe berry flavors, was very light in the mouth and had significant tannins.

2010 Folin Cellars Mourvèdre $34. Folin Cellars is located in Gold Hill, Oregon within the Bear Creek Valley area of the Rogue Valley AVA in southern Oregon. Rob Folin described his winemaking style as old world, incorporating the use of neutral oak and larger casks along with minimal intervention. Days are hot in Gold Hill, but cool significantly at night. The climate makes the late-ripening Mourvèdre a challenge for the winemaker. Only two barrels of this 100% Mourvèdre were produced in 2010. Scents of berries and spice rose from the glass and flavors of dark berries with a bit of cedar combined with smooth tannins to produce a somewhat restrained wine. This wine is elegance in a glass.

2010 David Girard Vineyards Mourvèdre $34. David Girard Vineyards is located in Placerville, California. Winemaker Mari Wells noted this 1300 foot elevation vineyard is located on a north facing slope along the American River. Vines are trimmed for maximum shading and aeration. Mari enjoys making this varietal because she enjoys the way it changes over time. This very dark ruby wine had a ripe rich nose with earthy, ripe dark fruit flavors and spice. Tannins were well-integrated in this complex wine. This is more of a warm-weather style of wine.

2009 Kenneth Volk Vineyards Mourvèdre Enz Vineyard, Lime Kiln Valley $36. Ken Volk spoke enthusiastically about the Enz Vineyard, located in the tiny and not well-known Lime Kiln Valley AVA located in San Benito County. This dry-farmed vineyard was planted in 1922 on soil consisting of limestone and decomposed granite. This dark ruby wine has ample, but more restrained berry flavors and spice flavors with well-integrated tannins. This was a lighter style of Mourvèdre to my palate. Very nice. It was one of my favorites.

2010 Villa Creek Damas Noir Mourvedre $45. Cris Cherry is owner and winemaker. The fruit for this vintage originated from three vineyard sites, Denner, James Berry and Luna Matta, on the west side of Paso Robles in the Peachy Canyon area. This very dark ruby wine had very complex dark fruit with spice, black pepper, earthy flavors and smooth well-integrated tannins. Over time the flavors became more complex. This was on of my favorite wines.

2010 Tablas Creek Vineyard Vin de Paille, Sacrérouge $65. Tablas Creek Vineyard is a partnership between the Perrin family of Château de Beaucastel and the Haas family of Vineyard Brands. Jason Haas, director of marketing, brought us a very different wine. The mourvèdre was harvested at usual ripeness, but then dried on straw-covered benches until the desired concentration was achieved (about three weeks). The fruit is then crushed under foot. Fermentation begins in open-top containers and is finished in oak barrels. The flavors of this wine are sweet with concentrated dark plums and good acidity. Surprisingly, Jason told us the ABV is only 13.1%. This tastes more like a fortified wine. This dessert wine was a sweet and surprising end to the tasting.

This group of Mourvèdre all had some common flavors. Many had earthy, loamy flavors along with spice and black pepper. Fruit flavors ranged from berries to dark fruit and plums. Tannins in all of these wines were perceptible but well-integrated.

None of these wines were watery in the mouth. All had adequate weight and body. None were tasted over-ripe or overly alcoholic. They all tasted really nice on their own, but will pair very well with food. Think roasted chicken, roasted meats, maybe even barbecued pork. Anything with mushrooms. A very tasty, versatile group of wines. I would consider drinking this wine even in the summer, an “all weather wine”. Now I know why winemakers bother with this difficult variety. Well done winemakers!

Cheers!

Reference: Wine Grapes by Jancis Robinson, Julia Harding, Jose Vouillamoz

Posted in Other Wine Tastings, Wine Education | Tagged Bandol, David Girard Vineyards, Folin Cellars, Grenache, Happy Canyon, Holly's Hill, Kenneth Volk Vineyards, Mourvedre, Rosé, Tablas Creek, Tercero, The Rhone | 2 Comments

The Rhone Rangers – Old World Inspiration, New World Innovation

Posted on March 28, 2013 by Nancy

Our wine education continued recently at the San Francisco Weekend Celebration of American Rhone Wines. This two-day event was sponsored by The Rhone Rangers, “a non-profit educational organization, dedicated to promoting the enjoyment of Rhone varietal wines produced in the United States”.

The Rhone Rangers came about informally in the 1980s as a result of the desire of a group of winemakers to make varietals other than Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. Successful experimentation with varieties from the Rhone River Valley in France (think Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre) encouraged the group to band together to share information and bring others into the fold. In 1997 The Rhone Rangers was established as an official organization by 13 winery members. Membership now includes nearly 200 wineries from California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Michigan and Virginia.

As noted above, the Rhone Rangers took their inspiration from the wines of the Rhone River Valley, in southern France. The wine region begins at Lyon in the north and continues south to the Mediterranean, some 150 miles. The terrain and soil are varied. The climate in the northern Rhone is cooler with harsh winters and warm summers. In the southern Rhone winters are less harsh and the summers very warm.

Over 20 grape varieties may be used to produce wine in the Rhone Valley. Fewer in the northern Rhone (only Syrah, Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier) and some appellations within the Rhone allow only one variety. The combination of climate, soil, grape varieties, and always the river, combine to produce unique wines.

We tasted four pairings of wines in this seminar. “Old World Inspiration” was represented in each pair by the wines of E. Guigal, which were presented by Patrick Will, Vice President, Brand Management & Development of Vintus. E. Guigal is a quality producer known for extended aging of their wines prior to release of their northern and southern Rhone wines. They produce and age wine from their northern Rhone vineyards at Chateau d’Ampuis, which was purchased by the family in 1995. Wines from the southern Rhone are aged there as well.

“New World Innovation” was represented by four winemakers each presenting their wines for us to compare with the E. Guigal wine. Here are the pairings.

2011 Guigal Condrieu $65. Viognier, which is thought to have originated in Condrieu or Ampuis in the northern Rhone, thrives in the decomposed granite soils and steeply terraced vineyards of the area. Fermentation took place one-third in new oak barrels and two-thirds in stainless steel. This 100% Viognier was clean and crisp with a mineral flintiness. Floral notes were present in the nose and flavors.

2011 Ranchero Cellars La Vista Vineyard Viognier $30. Winemaker Amy Butler demonstrated great fondness for the La Vista Vineyards. Located in western Paso Robles, the soil in this area is calcareous shale and the south-facing slopes are very warm. This single-block wine was partially fermented in concrete, and partially in barrels (50% new oak). Fermentation with “feral” yeast was cool with 100% malolactic fermentation. No stirring occurred until bottling. This wine was creamy, with citrus flavors and floral notes. The finish was clean with great acidity. The roundness of this wine contrasted with the lighter weight in the mouth of the Condrieu. Great to be able to taste two styles with the same variety.

2011 Guigal Tavel Rosé $22. Tavel, located in the southern Rhone, is all about rosé. Literally. It is the only AOC that produces nothing but rosé. This rosé is produced using saignée, that is bleeding off juice after a short period of contact with the grape skins. This blend of 50% Grenache, 30% Cinsault, 10% Clairette, 5% Syrah and 5% other varieties underwent 100% malolactic fermentation with aging in stainless steel. Light salmon-colored in the glass, flavors are an elegant combination of berries and honey with spice notes. There was great depth of flavor with good acidity.

2012 Margerum Wine Company “Riviera Rosé” of Grenache $18. Doug Margerum’s wine is produced using a combination of saignée and gently pressed Grenache. It does not undergo malolactic fermentation and aging is in stainless steel. The blush color in the glass is very delicate. Scents of berries and fruit I associate with Grenache waft from the glass and follow with similar flavors. The finish is clean and slightly sweet, though there is no residual sugar according to testing. This wine will be a great summer sipper.

2007 Guigal Châteauneuf du Pape $50. Chateauneuf du Pape, located in the center of the southern Rhone region, is the largest AOC. Soil here is rocky, overlying clay and limestone. Grenache is the variety of note. The vineyards producing this wine are 45 years old, and it is a blend of 80% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 5% Mourvédre and 5% other. Vinification is in the “traditional style” with stems used in fermentation, followed by long aging. These wines need time to develop. 2007 is the current release. Chewy flavors of mature dark fruit, spice and tobacco combine with significant tannins to produce a complex wine with long finish. This wine fills your mouth with flavors and tannins.

2008 Bonny Doon Vineyard “Le Cigare Volante Reserve” 25th Anniversary Release $65. This is where the innovation really begins. “Reduction Elevage” is the term Randall Grahm used to describe the process of concentrating the flavors in this wine after fermentation. It involves the addition of lees, teflon stir bars and agitation. The blend is 45% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 13% Mourvédre, 7% Cinsault, 5% Carignane. Lots of dark fruit and spice on the nose with rich, ripe, dark fruit flavors, smoke, spice and significant tannins. This wine tastes great now, and should age nicely.

2009 Guigal Côte Rôtie Château d’Ampuis $185. We now move back to the northern Rhone where Syrah as the focus. This wine has 7% Viognier blended in with the Syrah to add perfume and floral notes, as is the practice in Côte Rôtie. The average age of the vines in the three or more designated vineyards is 50 years. This wine is produced in the classic style with no fining or filtration. Aging is 38 months in new barrels. Rich dark fruit and smoke scents are immediately evident in the glass. Concentrated, dark fruit flavors combine with significant but well-integrated tannins to produce a mouthful of flavor and texture. I expect this wine to become even more complex with time.

2008 Silver Wines Syrah Trentotto File White Hawk Vineyard $28. This small vineyard, just 38 rows (hence Trentotto in the name of the wine), is located on a south facing slope of Cat Canyon in Los Alamos Valley located in Santa Barbara County. Winemaker, Benjamin Silver, explained Syrah Clones 470 and 174 were grafted over Chardonnay in 2002. The soil, sand dunes, causes the vines to work very hard to produce fruit. This very dark ruby wine had primarily blueberry scents in the glass with a bit of smoke coming out over time. Dark berry flavors with a bit of sweetness followed by smooth well-integrated tannins. The finish was so long, with concentrated fruit and tannins. These complex ripe flavors come with only 13.4% ABV. A great food wine.

It was so interesting to hear every winemaker talk about his or her wine. Their passion for the land, the vines and the winemaking process was evident from all of them. The amount of detail they provided for each of their wines was amazing. Nobody spoke from notes. They all just know all of these details. It gave me a renewed appreciation for the complexity involved in making wine. Every wine was unique and all are very well made. In every case “The New World Innovation” wines compared favorably to the French version, and in most cases were considerably less expensive. With the great variety of climate, soil and winemaking styles, we have a lot to choose from. I will remember to consider Santa Barbara, Paso Robles and the Central Coast for Viognier and GSMs (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre).

Viognier from Condrieu, Grenache blend from Tavel and Châteauneuf du Pape, and finally Syrah from Côte Rôtie. And all from one producer. This was a great survey of Rhone wines. This tasting was the best of both worlds.

We attended a second seminar entitled Mourvèdre: A Rising Star in the World of American Rhones. Look for our notes from this tasting in a few days.

Cheers!

Posted in Other Wine Tastings, Stories, Wine Education | Tagged Bonny Doon Vineyard, Carignane, Chateaneuf du Pape, Cinsault, Condrieu, Cote Rotie, Grenache, Guigal, Margerum Wine Company, Mourvedre, Ranchero Cellars, Silver Wines, Syrah, Tavel, The Rhone Rangers, Viognier | Leave a comment

Chile — Carménère and Cabernet Sauvignon

Posted on March 28, 2013 by Nancy

The tasting at Fine Wines of Stockton last Thursday night was all about Chile. We tasted six wines, two of which George told us were Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Carménère. Our assignment for the evening was to identify the two Cabernets. As an aside, George wanted us to think about whether Carménère could be a substitute for Cabernet Sauvignon. Would it taste good with similar kinds of food? George raised this question because many Carménères from Chile are quite reasonably priced. One must always consider cost.

Carménère originated in the Gironde (the Medoc region of Bordeaux), and it is one of the six original varieties allowed in the production of Bordeaux wines. Carménère was essentially wiped out by phylloxera in the 1870s. It was a poor producer and very few acres remain in Bordeaux.

Carménère was introduced to Chile in the mid-1800s and thrived in the warmer climate. It was planted as a field blend with Merlot. Until 1997, when Carménère’s identity was confirmed by DNA analysis, it was often thought to be Merlot. Carmemere was officially recognized as a variety in Chile in 1998.

The warmer, longer growing season in Chile allows Carménère to fully ripen. It is the offspring of Cabernet Franc, as is Cabernet Sauvignon. Let’s see what these wines have to offer.

2009 Marquez de Casa Concha Carménère – this inky-dark wine had ripe dark fruit and asphalt on the nose with similar fruit flavors and vegetal undertones. Tannins were smooth and the finish was fairly long with both flavor and tannins. Great barbecue wine.

2008 Korta Reserve Carménère – another inky-dark wine with dark fruit, a bit of vanilla and vegetal flavors. Tannins were a bit more grippy than the previous wine. Overall, this wine was lighter and less intense than the prior wine. Good with roasted meats.

2008 Korta Gran Reserva – dark fruit, caramel and asphalt are evident on the nose. Plum and red fruit flavors upfront with vegetal flavors in the background combine with slightly grippy tannins and good acidity to produce an elegant and complex wine. This blend of 40% Petit Verdot, 20% Carménère, 20% Syrah and 20% Cabernet Franc produced more complex flavors than either of the two prior wines.

2005 Santa Ema Catalina – green olives, jalapeno and asphalt combine to produce a complex nose. Ripe, rich dark fruit flavors, jalapeno and a bit of sweetness with significant grippy tannins created a flavor profile similar to the Korta Gran Reserva, but a bit sweeter. The flavors are still very youthful. This wine is 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Carménère, 7% Cabernet Franc. The group thought this was a Cabernet. Nice job! At $35 it is the most expensive wine of the group. It’s not everyday that you see a cloth label on a wine bottle, however.

2011 Gryphus Cabernet Sauvignon – this wine was a lighter ruby color than the prior wines. The nose was more restrained. Fruit flavors predominate, but more tart fruit than the prior wines with a bit of tobacco. Acid was more perceivable in this wine than the prior wines and tannins were smooth and well-integrated. Overall, this was a less ripe-tasting wine. The group thought this was a Cabernet. Once again, well done!

2009 Concha y Toro Gran Reserva Malbec – this wine looked very young in the glass with a bit of violet around the edges. The scents and flavors were all fruit, sweet cherries and plums, with slightly grippy tannins. A bit of cedar popped in at the finish which was a pleasant surprise.

So, the tasting ended up including Malbec along with Cabernet Sauvignon and Carménère. That’s how these tastings go. The Carménère were priced from $11 to $18.75. That puts them in the everyday drinking wine price range for most of us. As mentioned above, the Santa Ema Catalina was the most expensive at $35 and the Malbec came in at $22. Also affordable. Can Carménère substitute for Cabernet Sauvignon? Depends on your taste preference, really. If you like the taste of Carménère, or if that’s what you are in the mood to drink, then most certainly consider Chilean Carménère as a choice.

So, my conclusion…Chile is a good place to look for reasonably priced red wines, especially if you enjoy a bit of vegetal character in the wines you drink. The combination of ripe fruit with green olive and jalapeno can be very pleasing. They will pair well with most anything you cook on the barbecue. And barbecue season is upon us.

Cheers!

Reference: Wine Grapes by Jancis Robinson, Julia Harding, José Vouillamoz

Posted in Tasting Notes, Thursday Wine Tastings | Tagged Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Chile, Concha y Toro, Gryphus, Korta, Malbec, Marquez de Casa Concha, Santa Ema Catalina | Leave a comment

The Wines of Howell Mountain

Posted on March 25, 2013 by Nancy

Howell Mountain American Viticultural Area (AVA), located within the Napa AVA, was the first sub-appellation to be designated in 1983. Howell Mountain is located on the northeast side of Napa Valley. The AVA ranges from 1400 to 2200 feet, putting it above the fog line.

When fog rolls into the Napa Valley, vineyards in the Howell Mountain AVA are in the sunshine. The elevation results in lower daytime temperatures and warmer nighttime temperatures. This moderation in temperatures results in later than average bud break and great acidity in the wines.

There are two main soil types within the Howell Mountain AVA. Tufa, which consists of decomposed volcanic ash and red clay which is high in iron. Both drain well and are poor in nutrients. This results in stressed vines which produces small clusters of small berries. This high ratio of skins to fruit produces wines with big tannins.

The most common varieties planted within the AVA are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Syrah, Grenache and Cabernet Franc.

We recently tasted wines from the Howell Mountain AVA at the Spring Howell Mountain Wine Tasting. The tasting was hosted by the Howell Mountain Vintners & Growers Association at Bentley Reserve in San Francisco.

Over 30 Howell Mountain wineries poured their wines for the event. The star of the tasting was Cabernet Sauvignon, by itself and blended. These Cabernets are big, muscular, well-structured wines. Flavors of dark berries, currents, cigar and tobacco invariably pair with significant, grippy tannins and great acidity. These are not hot weather, jammy wines.

As a group, these wines are not overly influenced by wood aging. Wood flavors generally are well in the background with the flavor of the fruit free to come forward. ABV is in the 14 to 14.5% range for many of these wines.

As you sip these wines, you can only imagine the complexity that will develop with time in the bottle. I expect these flavorful, tannic wines to become interesting as they age, flavors evolve and tannins soften.

Production for many of these wineries is relatively small, putting the beginning price of a bottle of Howell Mountain Cabernet around $65. I view these wines as investment pieces. You might choose a winery, taste the wines, purchase several bottles and then wait. Begin tasting them five, seven, ten or more years from now. Make tasting notes now and then compare the flavors as these wines age. It could be a fun and educational experience.

There are currently about 45 members of the Howell Mountain Vintners and Growers Association. Wineries located within the appellation and wineries making wines from appellation vineyards are eligible for membership in the association. This map of Howell Mountain Wineries provides you with winery locations and a list of members. Not all wineries have tasting rooms, so contact wineries ahead of time if you are interested in visiting.

Some of our favorites in this group of excellent wines:

Arkenstone – 2009 Obsidian Howell Mountain Cabernet Blend $120
Bremer Family Winery – 2006 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon $85
Cakebread Cellars – 2009 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon $110
Dunn Vineyards – 2009 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon $90
John Robert Eppler Wines – 2009 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon $65
La Jota – 2004 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon; 2005 Howell Mountain Merlot
Notre Vin – 2008 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon $150; 2007 Howell Mountain Rosé of Cabernet Sauvignon $24
Red Cap Vineyards – 2008 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon $65
Retro Cellars – 2009 Howell Mountain Old Vine Petite Sirah $42
Roberts + Rogers – 2009 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon $60
SPENCE – 2007 and 2009 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon $65/$72

Cheers!

Posted in Events, Other Wine Tastings | Tagged Bremer Family Winery, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cakebread Cellars, Dunn Vineyards, Grenache, Howell Mountain, John Robert Eppler Wines, La Jota, Merlot, Napa Valley, Notre Vin, Obsidian Howell Mountain, Petite Sirah, Red Cap Vineyards, Retro Cellars, Roberts + Rogers, SPENCE, Syrah, Zinfandel | 4 Comments

Right Bank Bordeaux Vintages 2005 to 2009

Posted on March 19, 2013 by Nancy

The Thursday night tasting at Fine Wines of Stockton had us tasting Right Bank Bordeaux vintages 2005 to 2009. All wines originated from Pomerol. Kind of. Except for one. George, the wine shop owner, was short one Right Bank wine for this vintage range, so he chose a Left Bank wine with the highest percentage of Merlot. He knows how to improvise.

Wines from the Right Bank are predominantly Merlot with varying amounts of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Amounts vary by vintage, depending on the growing season. The maritime influence on the climate of Pomerol is similar to that of the rest of Bordeaux, except that Pomerol is further from the ocean and therefore has a greater diurnal temperature fluctuation. Rainy spring weather is more common here and can be problematic during flowering, but weather late in the growing season tends to be drier.

Vineyards in Pomerol tend to be much smaller that those on the Left Bank of Bordeaux. As a result, production is reduced and prices can be high for well-regarded wines. Pomerol lacks the formal classification system put in place on the Left Bank of Bordeaux in 1855. That is not to say wines from Pomerol are not highly regarded. Think Château Petrus and Château Le Pin.

On to the tasting.

2005 Château Forcas Hosten – this Left Bank Bordeaux from Listrac had a complex nose, flavors of dark wood, spices and tobacco. Tannins were significant, but smooth and the finish was moderately long. This wine is 50% Merlot, 50% Cabernet Sauvignon. To my taste, the tobacco flavors and tannins structure are reflective of the Cabernet Sauvignon in this wine. Very nice.

2006 Château Beauregard – the nose was fruit-forward with flavors of bright, red fruit. Tannins were significant and grippy. The finish was dominated by tannins and the fruit flavors were overwhelmed. The fruit flavors were a bit more evident with time in the glass. This wine may benefit from decanting. Maybe with time in the cellar the tannins in this wine will settle down and the fruit can shine through. This 17 hectare (43 acre) estate is planted in 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc. The average age of the vines is 35 years.

2007 Blason de L’Evangile – there was a lot of everything in this wine. The nose was obviously fruit with a bit of cedar. Red fruit and cherry flavors with significant, grippy tannins and great acid produced a well-balanced wine. The significant tannins do not overwhelm the fruit flavors and produced a moderately long finish. This second label of Chateau L’Evangile is 70-80% Merlot and 30-40% Cabernet Franc. This was the favorite wine of the night.

2008 Château La Croix de Gay – the nose was a pleasant mix of fruit, mint and vegetal scents. Dark ripe fruit, nutmeg and cloves produced a complex flavor with very significant but very smooth tannins. The finish was long with both flavors and tannins. Although the tannins were significant, there was no bitterness in the finish. The estate is 12 hectares (29 acres) planted 90% Merlot, 5% each Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. This was my favorite wine of the group.

2009 Château La Croix de Gay – dark fruit, ripe cherries, plum flavors without the vegetal scents of the prior wine. Significant tannins and a long finish with both fruit and tannins. I detected a bit of vanilla in the background to complete the complex flavor profile. This was Pete’s favorite wine.

As a group, these wines exhibited bright, complex fruit flavors. Tannins were significant, sometimes grippy, sometimes smooth, never bitter. Overall, a really pleasant tasting group of wines. Tonight the flavors were about fruit. Last week the predominant flavors were cocoa, coffee and tobacco.

With regard to aging these wines or drinking them now, most taste good now. Some may improve with time, but who knows how much. As a group these wines are not as muscular, with fewer rough edges than the Left Bank group. With the exception of the Château Beauregard, which might benefit from further aging, all of the Right Bank wines tasted good now. These are the wines to drink while you are waiting for your Left Bank Bordeaux to age to perfection.

The less-favored vintage of 2007 tasted very good to our group on this night. Clearly the winemaker did an excellent job with a difficult vintage.

Next week we will be tasting wines from Chile. We will taste wines within a wide price range. Will the “big bucks” matter?

Cheers!

Posted in Thursday Wine Tastings | Tagged Blanson de L'Evangile, Bordeaux, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Château Beauregard, Château Forcas Hosen, Château La Croix de Gay, France, Merlot, Right Bank Bordeaux | Leave a comment

Left Bank Bordeaux Vintages 2005 – 2009

Posted on March 12, 2013 by Nancy

The Thursday night wine tasting at Fine Wines of Stockton was a study of five recent Bordeaux vintages. Two of these vintages, 2005 and 2009, are considered great. The growing seasons were warm and produced lush fruit and opulent, complex wines. The others, 2006, 2007 and 2008, just average. Weather in those years was cool, inconsistent and challenging for winemakers. Some Châteaux produced very good wines, others not so much.

Of course all of the wines are from the Left Bank, Pauillac and Margaux specifically. They are predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot are also present in varying amounts.

George presented three Fourth Growth and two Fifth Growth wines from two Châteaux. All were tasted blind. Some questions to ponder as we tasted these wines…Can we pick-out the exceptional years of 2005 and 2009? Has aging changed the flavor of these wines? As usual, we all voted for our favorite wine at the end of the tasting.

2006 Château Clerc Milon – the dark fruit and earthy nose was followed by cocoa and dark fruit flavors. The tannins are still significant and grippy. This medium-bodied wine is very well-balanced and tastes very good on its own. No food required. Both Pete and I chose this as our favorite wine. Will it get better with time? Maybe, but it tastes really good now, so why wait? The blend is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc.

2008 Château Clerc Milon – a minimal nose of caramel was followed by minimal fruit flavors, tobacco and leather. Slightly bitter, grippy tannins produced a moderate-length finish. The tannins dominated the flavor and finish of this wine and were too bitter to my palate. Maybe this wine would come alive with food. The blend is 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot.

2005 Ch Marquis de Terme

2005 Château Marquis de Terme – the nose was very complex on this wine. Scents of earth, dark ripe fruit and sweet cocoa preceded bright, red fruit flavors and significant grippy tannins. This very light-bodied wine had a moderately long finish. The tannins still stand out in this, the oldest wine of the group. This was the favorite wine of the night. The blend is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot.

2007 Château Marquis de Terme – another amazing nose! Coffee, chocolate and earth scents were followed by tobacco, dark fruit and cocoa flavors. The tannins were significant in this very light-bodied wine. This wine provoked a lot of discussion. Some tasters thought it was out of balance with too much acid and tannins that were not well-integrated with flavors. Others liked it. Go figure!

2009 Château Marquis de Terme – earthy, very ripe fruit nose. Sweet, dark fruit flavors with a bit of vanilla, big, grippy tannins and a long finish with fruit and tannins. This wine tastes ripe, complex and has a heavier weight in the mouth. There is a lot going on in this wine, and it has the potential to become something really interesting with time. The blend is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot.

The history of Château Clerc Milon goes back the the early 19th century. It involves numerous owners, neglect and finally rescue by Baron Philippe de Rothschild in the 1970s. It is located in Pauillac, across the road from Château Mouton-Rothschild. Pauillac is home to three of the five First Growth Châteaux in Bordeaux (Château Latour and Château Lafite in addition to Mouton-Rothschild). Château Clerk Milon is in good company. It is considered by many to be an over-achiever within the Fifth Growth classification.

Château Marquis de Terme’s history reaches back to the Middle Ages. As part of a larger estate that was divided to produce Château Rauza-Ségla and Château Rauza-Gassies, both Margaux Second Growths, Château Marquis de Terme is also in good company. Early recognition came in 1787 when, following his stay in France, then Ambassador Thomas Jefferson positively “reviewed” the wines of Château Marquis de Terme.

The group chose as its favorite wine the oldest of the group and one from the two better-regarded vintages of 2005 and 2009. It was the favorite by a wide margin. Were we really able to pick-out the stellar years of 2005 and 2009? Most of us thought not. It was more a matter of choosing what we liked best. Red faces all around!

The flavor of the older wines in this group tended toward cocoa, coffee and tobacco with a lighter weight in the mouth than the youngest wine in the group. Flavors and scents produced by these older wines were very complex. The 2009 Chateau Marquis de Terme had more fruit flavors, a rounder, heavier feel in the mouth than the older wines. It stood out as different than the others in the group. Maybe due to age or maybe due to a warmer, more predictable growing season. Maybe because of both, who knows. Most tasters in the group were able identify the older wines in this group by flavor.

Our next tasting will be a similar tasting of Bordeaux from the Right Bank. Merlot and Cabernet Franc should be the stars of that show.

Cheers!

Posted in Thursday Wine Tastings | Tagged Bordeaux, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Château Clerc Milon, Château Marquis de Terme, Merlot, Petit Verdot | Leave a comment

South African Wine Party

Posted on March 8, 2013 by Nancy

We are planning a trip to Africa in July 2014. We will be visiting Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe. We will fly into Johannesburg then travel on to Chobe National Park via Victoria Falls. From Chobe we visit the Okavango Delta, then fly on to Kafue National Park in Zambia. Next, we fly to Zimbabwe and visit Hwange National Park before returning to Victoria Falls and then Johannesburg. Whew! This part of the trip is planned for us. We need only show up with our very minimal luggage.

We will be making this trip with a group of very special friends. Wine friends, the best kind! Of course, we could not go to Africa without skipping down to Cape Town. The Stellenbosch and Paarl wine Districts are calling our names. This portion of the trip will not be entirely planned for us, so we must do some work ourselves.

Our plan is to spend two days wine tasting in the Stellenbosch and Paarl Districts. We have some very good friends, who are not going on this trip with us, but who have been wine tasting in these areas. So, we all recently got together to drink wines from South Africa and exchange ideas.

Everyone brought a South African wine for the occasion, of course. We tasted 2 whites, 2009 Mulderbosch Chenin Blanc and 2010 Simonsig Chenin Blanc. Both had good acidity with citrus and vegetal flavors. These are good summer drinking wines and would go well with spicy Asian dishes.

Among the reds, we tasted 2009 Spier Cabernet Sauvignon, 2009 Raats Cabernet Franc and 2007 Mulderbosch Faithful Hound (Red Blend). These wines have many flavors and characteristics in common. Dark fruit flavors with vegetal scents and significant tannins make these wines a good partner for roasted meats and hearty dishes. All showed a light hand with wood aging.

Of course, we had to include a Pinotage. The variety was developed in South Africa and hated my many. I don’t think hate is too strong a word. Mostly, when you mention Pinotage to a wine drinker, they will wrinkle their nose and make a funny face. In Wine Grapes by Robinson et al., under the Pinotage heading, the authors state, “South Africa’s very own cross, both loved and despised”.

Pinotage was bred in 1925, a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsaut (Cinsault), but the first commercial plantings were not made until 1943. The first vintage was 1959. Pinotage produces small, dark, thin-skinned berries and prefers soils that hold moisture. Unpleasant “spray-paint aromas” may develop due to a lack of water or high temperatures at harvest. Cool fermentation helps to minimize these aromas. A viral disease may cause an unpleasant “burnt rubber” nose in some wines. Newer clones may be responsible for an improvement in these aroma issues as well.

We tasted 2010 Spier 21 Gables Pinotage, and happily, we did not experience either of the issues mentioned above. The grapes are grown in a vineyard that is located very close to the ocean. The wine had a pleasant dark fruit nose with ripe, rich, dark fruit flavors and significant tannins. Once again, there was a light influence of wood on the flavor. It would pair with steak, roasted meats, or stews. Very pleasant.

This was the first time we have tasted Pinotage. We will continue to look for and try Pinotage to see if we can get a sense of what the variety has to offer. One of our wine New Year’s Resolutions was to try three new varieties this year. We can put Pinotage on that list. Two down, one to go!

We have a working list of wineries to start investigating. We should be able to taste a nice variety of sparkling wines, white wines, rosés and reds. Research will be done and more “meetings” will take place. Undoubtedly, more wine will be consumed.

Cheers!

Reference: Wine Grapes by Jancis Robinson, Julia Harding, José Vouillamoz

Posted in Other Wine Tastings, Stories | Tagged Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chenin Blanc, Cinsault, Hermitage, Mulderbosch, Paarl, Pinot Noir, Pinotage, Raats, Sauvignon Blanc, South Africa, Spier, Stellenbosch | 1 Comment

Cabernet Franc – That Other Cabernet

Posted on March 4, 2013 by Nancy

The question might be, “What are you drinking?”, and the answer, “Oh, it’s a Cab.” You might assume the answer indicates Cabernet Sauvignon. Probably that would be the case, but maybe it is that other Cabernet, Cabernet Franc. Actually, there are many other “Cabernets”. The alphabetical listing under Cabernet totals 15 in Wine Grapes by Robinson et al.

Cabernet Franc is known for its aromatic qualities which can include floral, spice and herbaceous notes. It is because of these aromatic qualities that it is most often used as a blending grape. In general, it is a lighter bodied red wine when not blended with other varieties.

Cabernet Franc prefers a cooler climate and thrives in sandy or clay-limestone soils. It buds and flowers earlier than Cabernet Sauvignon, thus it is easier ripening in cooler climates. Vines produce bunches of grapes with small black berries.

In the Chinon, Bourgueil and Saumur-Champigny regions of the Loire Valley, Cabernet Franc is generally not blended with another grape. Cabernet Franc thrives in the cool, maritime-influenced climate. Well-draining soils produce a variety of flavor profiles among the wines produced here. Tannins can be substantial.

Cabernet Franc is an important blending grape in Bordeaux. On the left bank (Medoc) Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are the main blending grapes, though Cabernet Franc is allowed. On the right bank (Saint-Emilion and Pomerol) Cabernet Franc is much more prominent, and is blended with Merlot. Cab Franc is planted more commonly, along with Merlot, on the right bank of Bordeaux because the early budding characteristics of both allow them to ripen in the cooler climate.

Most recent DNA and other studies indicate that Cab Franc originated in the Basque Region of Spain. It is the parent of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Carmenère.

So, the tasting last Thursday night at Fine Wines of Stockton was Cabernet Franc. We tasted six Cab Francs, none were blends. Three were from the Loire Valley, two from California and one from Argentina.

2010 Sauvion Chinon – this ruby-colored wine was a complex combination of vegetal scents and flavors including celery and green pepper along with dark fruit. Tannins were substantial, but smooth. This wine was well-structured and easy to drink. The finish was medium long. This was my favorite wine of the group.

2007 Doña Paula Uco Valley, Mendoza – this much darker wine had smoke and sweet fruit on the nose followed by ripe dark fruit flavors, smoke and significant grippy tannins. A bit of vanilla came through as well. This wine tasted like a warmer weather wine.

2011 Domaine De La Butte Bourgueil Le Pied De La Butte – this ruby wine is vinified without aging in wood, only stainless, as the winemaker wants to express the only the essence of the grapes. A floral and slightly vegetal nose is followed by cherry flavors and significant tannins. This wine is very light in the mouth but very flavorful.

2010 Jean-Maurice Raffault Les Galuches Chinon – the floral bouquet is followed by cherry and plum flavors with significant tannins, very light feel in the mouth and a fairly long finish. The Cab Franc for this very pleasant wine is among the first to ripen for this producer as it is located on fast-draining gravel soil that warms quickly. This was Pete’s favorite wine.

2010 Alexander Valley Vineyards Estate Cabernet Franc – this dark ruby wine tastes rich and ripe with vanilla behind the fruit. The tannins were significant. This is a food wine and would pair nicely with roasted meats. This was the tasting group’s favorite wine.

2010 Conn Creek Napa Valley Cabernet Franc – a surprising nose of floral and mint is followed by sweet, dark fruit, vanilla and significant tannins.

These six wine were an interesting study in contrast. First, climate. The French wines were lighter bodied, with flavors of cherries and plums. The fruit tasted less ripe, perhaps due to a cooler climate. The California and Argentinian wines tasted riper overall and had a bit more weight in the mouth.

Second, wood influence. The French Cabernet Franc in this group did not have obvious wood flavors in the wines. What I tasted was fruit. Though, I know some producers do use wood. The California and Argentinian wines both had wood flavors behind the fruit. I sensed this as vanilla in all three of the wines to varying degrees.

What all of these wines had in common is good acidity and a pleasant bouquet. The nose on all of these wines was a combination of vegetal and floral scents. All were easy to appreciate.

So, if you are choosing a wine to sip while sitting in the back yard or one that you want to drink with chicken or pork you might choose a Chinon or Bourgueil. If you are looking for a bigger wine to pair with roasted meats or a hearty dishes you might consider a California or Argentinian Cabernet Franc. It’s always nice to have a choice of styles.

Cheers!

Posted in Thursday Wine Tastings | Tagged Alexander Valley Vineyards, Bordeaux, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chile, Conn Creek, Domaine De La Butte, Doña Paula, France, Jean-Maurice Raffault, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvion Chinon | Leave a comment

Pinot Noir – Burgundy, California and Oregon

Posted on February 27, 2013 by Nancy

Just to prove to all of the regular wine tasters at the Thursday Night tastings at Fine Wines of Stockton that he really does not dislike Pinot Noir, George did a Pinot tasting himself. Generally, we taste Pinot Noir on a Thursday night that George or Gail are unable to present the wine tasting.

It isn’t that George does not like Pinot Noir, he likes it very much. He tends to prefer Burgundy over California or Oregon, and also does not like to pay a lot for a good bottle. It frustrates him that in order to find a Pinot he likes he must taste through so many to find good ones. That does not sound unreasonable.

Pinot Noir is a challenging grape to grow. It prefers a cooler climate, or at least one with a cooling coastal influence. The berries are small and thin-skinned. They are susceptible to sunburn in too hot a climate and to mildew when too wet. Often the most interesting wines come from vines that have a reduced yield.

In general Burgundy produces a less fruit forward style of Pinot Noir with complex but under-stated flavors. It can age well and gain complexity with time, becoming earthy. California tends to produce a riper, more fruity style of Pinot Noir. Oregon produces a wine somewhere in the middle, generally less fruit-forward. Pinot usually has a light feel in the mouth and smooth tannins. The color is light ruby or garnet. Often the color in the glass gives it away as Pinot Noir.

So, George thought it would be interesting to see if he could find some lower priced, $25 to $35 per bottle, Pinot Noir from California, Oregon and Burgundy that we might find interesting. Our job was to decide which wine we liked the best. As usual, we tasted all of the wines blind.

2011 Wild Horse Winery & Vineyards Pinot Noir – earth and cherry flavors, smooth tannins. Good food wine.

2011 Forefront Pine Ridge Vineyards Pinot Noir – 78% of the grapes are sourced from San Luis Obispo and 22% from Monterey County. Tart fruit dominates earthy flavors with smooth tannins. More complexity than the prior wine. Pine Ridge Vineyards (Napa Valley) is part of the Crimson Wine Group, as are Archery Summit (Willamette Valley) and Chamisal Vineyards (Edna Valley). This was Pete’s favorite wine of the group.

2010 Domaine Jean Tardy et Fils Hautes-Cotes de Nuits Cuvee Maelie – smoke and austere fruit flavors with smooth tannins.

2008 René Cacheux et Fils Bourgogne Les Champs d’Argent – again there was smoke or asphalt on the nose and with a bit of fruit. Tannins were surprisingly grippy in this wine.

2011 King Estates Oregon Pinot Noir – obvious fruit nose with berry and earthy flavors and lingering tannins. This is a bigger wine than the previous two wines.

2010 Erath Oregon Pinot Noir – closed nose with layered fruit flavors and moderate tannins. Overall, a lighter wine with very pleasant, complex flavors. Erath was purchased in 2006 by Chateau Ste. Michelle, a Washington state winery. Gary Horner, the winemaker at Erath since 2003, has retained independent control of winemaking however. This was my favorite wine of the group.

2009 Paraiso Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir – very earthy nose and flavors with berries, more flavor over all and a longer finish with some heat. ABV is 14.2%.

2009 Mist Oaks Stuckagain Heights Umpqua Valley Pinot Noir – very ripe fruit flavors, pie spice and wood influence. Moderate tannins.

This was an interesting and diverse group of Pinot Noir wines. The two wines from Burgundy distinguished themselves in the nose and flavors; smoke and asphalt with austere, but complex flavors. Austere, but complex might sound like a contradiction. Maybe it is. What I am trying to communicate is that there is interesting flavor, just not up-front ripe fruit flavor.

Varying amounts of berry fruit and ripeness among the other wines in this group give you quite a range of tastes to choose from. To my palate, the King Estates, Misty Oaks and the Forefront Pine Ridge were the most fruit-forward.

And, don’t forget earthy flavors. It is a common element of Pinot Noir. Often, it is in the background behind the fruit. Earthy scents and flavors were most prominent in the Paraiso and Wild Horse wines.

Pinot Noir is among my very favorite wines. I love them because they are often light bodied, have complex fruit and earthy flavors with smooth tannins. It is the first varietal I remember really liking. My wine memory of Pinot Noir will always be linked to Jardinière, that wonderful San Francisco restaurant. At the suggestion of a waiter, I ordered a glass with dinner. That was nearly fifteen years ago and although I cannot remember the name or vintage of the wine, I remember its flavor very well. It was the beginning of a “beautiful friendship”.

Next week, we will be tasting Cabernet Franc, another of my very favorite varietals. Life is good.

Cheers!

Reference: Wine Grapes, by Jancis Robinson, Julia Harding, José Vouillamoz

Posted in Thursday Wine Tastings | Tagged Burgundy, Domaine Jean Tardy et Fils Hautes-Cotes de Nuits, Erath, King Estates, Paraiso, Pinot Noir, René Cacheux et Fils Bourgogne Les Champs d’Argent, Wild Horse Winery & Vineyards | 3 Comments

Finger Lakes Wine Tasting Series: Red Wines

Posted on February 23, 2013 by Nancy

We recently participated in a tasting of red wines produced in the Finger Lakes AVA (American Viticultural Area). The Finger Lakes AVA is located in central New York State. This map will help orient you. This AVA is named for the eleven finger-shaped lakes that were carved out by glaciers some 10,000 years ago. These deep fresh water lakes moderate the climate of the area delaying budding in the spring so as to prevent damage from late frost. At the end of the growing season, the lakes absorb heat and warm the surrounding area which results in an extended growing season. Winters are snowy and summers warm to 80 degrees.

An Episcopal minister named William Warner Bostwick was the first to plant grapes in the region in 1829. He planted Vitus Labrusca, a grape native to the eastern United States. For a time wineries in the area produced sparkling wines and by the end of the 19th century 25,000 acres were planted. Phylloxera and Prohibition took a toll on wine making in the region until after World War II.

A major boost to wine growing and wine making in the region is attributed to Dr. Konstantin Frank, a Ukrainian immigrant, who earned a PhD at Odessa Polytechnic Institute before coming to the United States. Dr. Frank’s thesis developed a technique for growing European varietals in a cold climate. He was able to successfully graft European varietals on to native root stock which allowed them to survive the snowy winters. In 1962 he established Vinifera Wine Cellars in Hammondsport, NY where he successfully grew Gewürztraminer, Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Today the Finger Lakes AVA has over 100 wineries with 11,000 acres under vines. There are two sub-appellations within the Finger Lakes AVA, the Cayuga Lake AVA and the Seneca Lake AVA. These large lakes, soil type and steep terrain create unique growing conditions within the larger Finger Lakes AVA.

Finger Lakes AVA is often compared to the Rhine region in Germany because it has a similar climate and because of its success with white varietals. Red wines from the Finger Lake AVA should not be over looked, however. Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Baco Noir have a significant presence in the AVA.

We invited three of our wine tasting friends to sample these wines with us. During the virtual tasting we all watched the video feed from the Finger Lakes Wine Alliance which sponsored the tasting. A winemaker or representative from each winery was present to introduce their wine and tell us a bit about it. We tweeted comments during the tasting and had a chance to ask questions and read what other tasters thought of the wines. It was quite interesting.

Silver Thread Vineyard is a seven acre vineyard located on the east side of Seneca Lake, sustainably farmed and produces 1,500 cases per year. Owners Paul and Shannon Brock purchased the winery in 2011 and specialize in Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, Gewürztraminer and Chardonnay.

2011 Silver Thread Vineyard Blackbird – this wine is a Bordeaux blend (70% Cabernet Franc, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot). Each varietal was harvested, fermented and aged separately. Aging took place in in French and American neutral oak for 8 months. ABV is 12.5%. This wine had a surprising light ruby color for a Bordeaux blend. Flavors of berries and tart cherries accompanied smooth tannins and good acidity. This wine was light in the mouth and easy to drink.

Swedish Hill Winery celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2011 and is very much a family operation. Dick and Cindy Peterson along with their children manage the winery. With a production of over 60,000 cases per year, Swedish Hill Winery is one of the largest in Finger Lakes. Their wines have won state, national and international awards.

2007 Swedish Hill Winery Optimus – this Bordeaux blend (42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 25% Cab Franc) is aged is small oak barrels for one year. ABV is 13.2%. This darker ruby wine had red plum flavors and significant tannins. A good food wine.

Heron Hill Winery, owned by John and Jo Ingle, is located overlooking Keuka Lake. The winery has increased annual production to 20,000 cases per year from 5,000 cases produced for its first vintage in 1977. Committed to sustainable farming practices, the winery uses no chemical fertilizers, herbicides or insecticides. Bernard Cannac, born and raised in Languedoc, is the wine maker.

2010 Heron Hill Winery Cabernet Franc – the grapes are grown in the Ingle Vineyard on the west side of Canandaigua Lake and is aged for 14 months in French, Hungarian and American oak. ABV 12.5%. This wine was a light ruby color in the glass, but had lots of flavor. Dark fruit and spice with well integrated tannins and a light mouth-feel make this wine easy to drink.

Damiani Wine Cellars is the collaboration of winemaker Lou Damiani and grower Phil Davis who both grew up on the eastern shores of Seneca Lake. They tend approximately 25 acres in this area which is the primary source of for their wines. The winery is situated in what locals affectionately call the “Banana Belt” (as are Atwater, Hector and possibly Silver Thread), because it is several degrees warmer than surrounding areas due in part to the lake affect. Elevation and slope of the terrain also figure into the creation of this microclimate. They purchase selectively from other growers within the Finger Lakes AVA. Their 5,000 case production is divided approximately equally between red and white varietals.

2010 Damiani Wine Cellars Cabernet Franc Reserve was aged in 20% new American oak for 3 months, then transferred to old French oak for one year. ABV 13.9%. This wine had a dark ruby color with a bit of jalapeño pepper on the nose. Flavors were a bit vegetal with dark fruit and grippy tannins. This wine showed the complex flavors a cool-weather Cabernet Franc can exhibit. It was our favorite wine of the tasting.

Rooster Hill Vineyards is located on the east side of Keuka Lake. Amy and Dave Hoffman relocated to the Finger Lakes region from southern California. They planted Savina Estate Vineyard in 2002 with Lemberger, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir and Riesling. In 2003 they planted Catherine Estate Vineyard with Lemberger, Cabernet Franc, Riesling and Gewürztraminer. This vineyard is at a slightly higher elevation than the Savina Estate Vineyard. Finally in 2007 the Guiseppe Vineyard was planted. All three vineyards are named for Amy’s Italian relatives. In naming the winery Rooster Hill they aim to bring a bit of Tuscany to the Finger Lakes region. The wine maker, Barry Tortolon, was born in Finger Lakes.

2010 Rooster Hill Estate Lemberger is aged 21 months in French oak and has ABV 13.6%. This ruby wine exhibited berry fruit flavors with a hint of asphalt, vanilla and significant tannins. A good red wine for chicken.

Atwater Estate Vineyards is located on the southeastern shore of Seneca Lake. The vineyards date back to the early 1900s and have been farmed by several owners. In 1999 Ted Marks purchased the vineyards and in 2000 established Atwater Estate Vineyards. Production is about 7500 cases per year, with red wine production averaging about 30% of the total. With the exception of Merlot, their vines are not yet producing, all red varietals are estate grown.

2010 Atwater Estate Vineyards Pinot Noir – the fruit was hand-picked. 2010 was the warmest growing season in 37 years and produced excellent fruit quality. The wine spent 11 months in new French (10%) and neutral French oak (90%). ABV 12.5%. 191 cases were produced. A light ruby color you would expect in a Pinot Noir followed with cherry flavors, a light mouth-feel and a surprising amount of tannins.

Hector Wine Company is located on the east side of Seneca Lake and opened during the harvest of 2010. The winery is owned by Jason Hazlitt, a local viticulturist, and winemaker Justin Boyette. Grapes are sourced from neighboring Sawmill Creek Vineyards, Jason’s family business. Both men have years of local experience growing grapes and making wine.

2011 Hector Wine Company Essence is a red blend composed of 40% Syrah, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot. ABV is 12.5% and the wine was aged in small oak barrels for approximately 10 months. This blend had a light ruby color with spice on the nose. Flavors echoed with cedar, dark fruit and significant acidity. It was a surprising combination of light color with a lot of flavor and very light mouth-feel.

McGregor Vineyards (15) was established in 1971 on the eastern side of Keuka Lake. Dedicated to the European varietals, dry red wines comprise 50% of the winery production. 40 acres are tended by hand with the average age of the vines being over 30 years of age. In addition, McGregor grows several eastern European varietals uncommon to the region. Saperavi, from the Republic of Georgia and Sereksiya Charni from Moldova.

2008 McGregor Vineyards Black Russian Red – the grapes for this Saperavi and Sereksiya Charni blend were hand-harvested. A second block of Saperavi was harvested and vinified separately. These eastern European varietals are rare in the US. Aging took place in American oak for 26 months. ABV is 12.4%. This very dark ruby wine had an intoxicating nose. It was an unfamiliar spice and dark fruit combination. The flavors followed the nose and were complex. Tannins were significant but well integrated. None of us had ever tasted either of these varietals prior to this tasting. It was a very pleasant surprise. This was a lovely wine.

This series of red wines was an interesting study in cool weather red wines. The combination of very light color in some of these wines with complex flavors and light weight in the mouth was very surprising and pleasing. These wines all drank very well by themselves and made pleasant company to our dinner, boeuf bourguignon.

With an ABV in the 12 to 13% range, these wines are a pleasant change from higher alcohol wines that are so common. These wines will not fight with your food. The use of oak was mostly judicious and did not over run the flavor of the fruit.

I now feel I will be able to look for Finger Lakes red wines in wine stores and on restaurant wine lists and have an idea of which varietals I might like best. This was a most informative tasting and thanks go the winery representatives and the Finger Lakes Wine Alliance.

The wines were provided as tasting samples by the Finger Lakes Wine Alliance.

Posted in Online Tastings | Tagged Atwater Estate Vineyards, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Damiani Wine Cellars, Finger Lakes, Hector Wine Company, Heron Hill Winery, Lemberger, McGregor Vineyards, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Rooster Hill Vineyards, Saperavi, Sereksiya Charni, Silver Thread Vineyard, Swedish Hill Winery, Syrah | 3 Comments

Pasos Vineyards – A Winery Profile

Posted on February 18, 2013 by Nancy

We had the good fortune to spend some time recently visiting with Antonio Pasos of Pasos Vineyards. His tasting room is located in Vino Piazza, The Winery Plaza in Lockeford, California. Lockeford is eight miles East of Lodi. We have had Antonio’s wines several times over the past few years, thanks to our friend Dave, who is a big fan of Antonio’s wines. We in turn, would like to introduce you to the wines Antonio makes.

Vino Piazza is a 1940s era distillery that has been converted to winery, art and entertainment space. The name, Vino Piazza, loosely translates to “wine plaza” which indicates its current use by independently owned wineries. It is an interesting space to explore. The Pasos tasting room even has a resident artist, David John Foster, with his gallery upstairs.

Antonio’s dream to make wine and have his own winery began with his work in the family vineyards in Madera, located in the southern San Joaquin Valley. Lupe, Antonio’s father, has managed vineyards for many years, and continues to do so today. After completing his formal education in wine making at CSU Fresno, Antonio worked for E & J Gallo and Fenestra Winery. Eventually Antonio moved to Lodi and established Pasos Vineyards.

Antonio Pasos

Antonio prefers to use Rhone, Bordeaux and Italian varietals in his wines. And while all wines Antonio makes are aged in wood, he believes the flavor of the fruit should never be over run by the wood. He wants to taste the true character of the grapes. While many wine makers in the Lodi Appellation produce a very ripe style of wine, this does not describe Antonio’s style. His wines are flavorful, elegant and age very well. Even with the ripe warm weather fruit from the Lodi area he produces wines that allow you to taste the varietal characteristics, not jammy fruit.

Antonio sources grapes from Contra Costa County, the Umpqua Valley in Oregon, Lodi and Alta Mesa (located within the Lodi American Viticultural Area). He produces small-lot wines from a number of varietals and blends. Some of the varietals he uses are Viognier, Chardonnay, Albariño, Charbono, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Shiraz. The varietals vary by vintage depending on the quality of the grapes, so there is always something new to try. In fact, Antonio was pouring a 2011 Dolcetto on the day we visited. Antonio is not afraid to try different, unusual blends. His Chardonnay/Albariño blend took me by surprise but it was excellent.

We particularly enjoyed two white wines we tasted:

2010 Pasos Vineyards Albariño Alta Mesa was crisp and a bit floral with great acidity. He also has an Albariño made with native yeasts that had a little rounder feel and was very good, too.

2010 Pasos Vineyards Chardonnay/Albariño blend sourced from the Alta Mesa and Lodi Appellations is 75% Chardonnay and 25% Albariño. This blend has the great acid of the Albariño, along with fruit flavors of the Chardonnay. This wine spends time in American and Hungarian oak which lends a round mouth-feel.

Among our favorite reds:

2007 Pasos Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon/Old Vine Shiraz blend from the Lodi Appellation. This very dark wine had complex dark fruit flavors, significant tannins and good acid. If we can keep our hands off this bottle, it will age nicely.

2007 Pasos Vineyards Reserve Dastarte Red Wine from the Lodi Appellation. This signature wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Merlot and Petit Verdot. This wine shows scents of cocoa and dark fruit. Flavors of leather and dark fruit accompany significant drying tannins. This wine cries out for a steak.

We had the good fortune to taste a 2002 Pasos Vineyards Dastarte when we visited the winery. Lupe was kind enough to share a bottle he had been saving. This light-bodied wine has great tannin structure, complex berry fruit and spice flavors. This wine is aging well, and has a lot of life left in it. Just one example of how well Antonio’s wines age.

2008 Pasos Vineyards Charbono Lodi Appellation. We bought this wine on the strength of prior tastings. We have always enjoyed the rich dark fruit flavors and tannin structure of this wine. Antonio has very few bottles left.

Vino Piazza is a lovely location with courtyards and tables outside the tasting rooms. Often, Antonio’s father, Lupe is tending the barbecue. The day we visited we enjoyed snacking on smoked chicken sausage, salami and Compté cheese. Lupe is just as enthusiastic about Antonio’s wine as Antonio is. He is knowledgeable about vineyard management and is full of wonderful stories. He is quite the character.

With the weather improving, it is a great time to head out for a visit to Pasos Vineyards tasting room. You will enjoy sampling Antonio’s well-made wines, a welcome change from the over ripe, jammy wines many in Lodi make. Bring a lunch and sit in the courtyard enjoying good wine and good friends.

Posted in Stories, Tasting Notes, Winery Profiles, Wines of the Weekend | Tagged Antonio Pasos, Bordeaux, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Charbono, Dastarte, Italy, Malbec, Merlot, Pasos, Pasos Vineyards, Petit Verdot, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Vino Piazza, Viognier | Leave a comment

Southern Oregon Wines

Posted on February 11, 2013 by Nancy

Dave, one of the other regular tasters on Thursday nights at Fine Wines of Stockton, presented this wine tasting. Dave frequently visits friends in Oregon and on a recent trip collected wines from three wineries in the Southern Oregon AVA (American Viticultural Area).

There are 17 AVAs within Oregon, counting the recently designated Elkton AVA. All three wineries are within the Southern Oregon Appellation, one is within the Umpqua Valley AVA which is a sub-appellation of Southern Oregon and two are in the most recently declared Elkton AVA which is a sub-appellation of the Umpqua Valley.

Warmer and drier than the Willamette Valley AVA, the Umpqua Valley AVA consists of a collection of hillsides and river drainages of small mountain ranges with many microclimates and many soil types (150). It stretches 65 miles in length from around Elkton, south to Canyonville and is approximately 25 miles wide.

As noted, Elkton is Oregon’s newest AVA is within the Umpqua Valley AVA. It has been designated to recognize the moister and cooler growing area caused by the marine influence of the Pacific Ocean within the Umpqua Valley AVA. The Elkton AVA is approximately 79,000 acres with 96.5 acres of producing vineyards.

Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Bordeaux varietals, Rieslings and Gewürztraminer grow well in the Umpqua Valley AVA. Currently more than 30 grape varietals are grown in the AVA and over 20 wineries in the Umpqua Valley AVA.

Bradley Vineyards, located within the Elkton AVA, has ideal soil and weather conditions for Pinot Noir, Baco Noir, Gewürztraminer and Riesling which are planted over 25 acres. All wines are estate grown and vineyards were planted in 1983.

Anindor Vineyards is located within the Elkton AVA in the Misty Hills, three miles south of the town of Elkton. The established vineyard was purchased by Rod and Nina Pace in 2005. You may be curious about the name of the vineyard, as I was. Nina explained it is Rod and Nina spelled backwards. How clever! The bird pictured on their labels, a Goss Hawk, preys on robins. Nina explained, flocks of migratory robins can do serious damage to vineyards. We all love birds, but not in the vineyard, please.

They grow Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Gewürztraminer and Baco Noir on 14 acres. The Gewürztraminer was grafted to #777 clone Pinot Noir in 2008 and one acre of Baco Noir was planted in 2009. They hope to have their first bottling of Baco Noir in 2013.

Fruit is hand-picked and sorted. Minimal intervention is used and the winery is LIVE (Low Input Viticulture and Enology) certified. LIVE is an independent non-profit organization that certifies vineyards and wineries using international sustainability standards.

Misty Oaks Vineyard is located west of Sutherlin, about 23 miles south of Elkton, and is in the Umpqua Valley AVA. The name of the winery comes from the fog that hangs on the hills of the Tyee Range where the vineyards are planted. Vineyard elevation ranges from 700 to 1000 feet with a southern exposure.

Steve and Christy Simmons tend 15 acres planted in six varietals (Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and Gewürztraminer). Vineyards have unique growing conditions and are each named for a physical attribute or relevant incident. Gobblers Knob, Stuckagain Heights and Viper Trail are my favorites. Each wine is labeled with the vineyard name. All are estate grown and bottled.

Here are the wines we tasted and what we thought:

2011 Misty Oaks Vineyard Constitution Ridge Pinot Blanc – light yellow color with orange blossom on the nose followed by citrus flavors, great acidity and a light mouth-feel. Orange peel on the finish made this a pleasant sipper. It would be great on a hot summer day.

2006 Anindor Vineyards Gewürztraminer – mineral and floral nose with honey and citrus flavors. This wine had a round mouth-feel with good acidity and a slightly sweet finish. It would be great with spicy food. (Some tasters thought they detected a bit of tannin in this wine, but it does not spend any time in oak.)

2010 Bradley Vineyards Dry Riesling – characteristic riesling nose with lemony-citrus flavors and good acid. The very light mouth-feel of this wine was a great contrast to the rounder mouth-feel of the prior wine. Two different varietals with very different weight in the mouth. Both delicious.

2008 Bradley Vineyards Pinot Noir – this light ruby colored wine had a rich ripe fruit nose with a bit of barrel toast. The flavors of tart cherries were well balanced with moderate tannins and good acid. Another good food wine.

2005 Anindor Vineyards Pinot Noir – this wine is still a light ruby color in spite of its age. The nose was earthy and complex with flavors of dark berries, smoke and a bit of tobacco. Tannins are smooth and the finish is fairly long. The longer this wine sat in the glass, the more interesting it became. It is developing those really interesting older flavors. Wonder what it might do with a bit more time.

2011 Bradley Vineyards Baco Noir – this wine was a beautiful deep ruby-violet. The nose was complex with ripe dark fruit and very evident immediately upon pouring. Flavors tasted of dark ripe fruit and a bit of spice and vanilla. This wine has a lot of acid and significant tannins. It has a heavier weight in the mouth and would be great with BBQ ribs. This was not a shy wine. I am curious to try more of this varietal as I have very little experience with it.

2009 Misty Oaks Vineyard Gobblers Knob Red Wine – this wine had a restrained nose of dark fruit with complex dark fruit flavors, leather and a bit of vegetal flavors. This wine had a very light body and was well balanced with acid and tannins. Described by some tasters as classy, this wine would pair well with roast beef or roasted quail. The blend on this elegant wine is 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc and 6% Malbec. Dave explained the name of this vineyard comes from the wild turkeys roosting in the oak tree in this vineyard. Can’t you just picture it?

This was a great introduction to the wines of an area of Oregon that I was not familiar with. There are over twenty wineries in the Umpqua Valley and Elkton AVAs, so there is a lot of wine to be explored in this area. I am particularly interested in tasting more Baco Noir.

Thank you Dave for touring this interesting wine area and bringing back some great wines for us to try. Your timing was perfect as it allowed us to taste wines from the newest Oregon AVA, Elkton, which was just established on February 5, 2013.

Cheers!

Posted in Thursday Wine Tastings | Tagged Anindor Vineyards, Baco Noir, Bradley Vineyards, Gewurztraminer, Misty Oaks Vineyard, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir, Riesling | Leave a comment

A Twisted Journey to Twisted Wines

Posted on February 6, 2013 by Peter

A couple of weeks ago Nancy and I went up Highway 4 to Bear Valley, Ca. to do some cross country skiing. We go several times each year and usually go straight up and back. This time, though, our trip took a twisted turn.

As we were headed down the road on our way home we decided to stop at Twisted Oak Winery and do some wine tasting. There are two ways to get to Twisted Oak Winery. Turn off Highway 4 onto Red Hill Road, it only goes off one way, and then you find there are two entrances to the winery, a smooth paved road and a gravel and dirt road. We had been up the paved road before so we decided to take the dirt road this day. If you are interested to can check out the post from our last trip back in November of 2011.

As we headed up the rough twisty road the leafless trees closed in make it somewhat spooky in places. There were numerous humorous signs guiding our way as we maneuvered around the potholes. When we were close to the winery we were greeted by pirates and rubber chickens hanging from the trees. Truly a twisted drive and it put us in the mood for some of their twisted wines.

Twisted Oak Winery specializes in Mediterranean varietals and makes some very good wines. They also have a tasting room in the town of Murphys down the road a few miles but is more interesting to taste at the winery.

At the entrance to the tasting room is a giant frog and there is music playing loudly from the wine making area. Inside the tasting room there is a small tasting bar and a large variety of twisted souvenir and food items. “El Jefe” (Jeff Stai, one of the owners) wasn’t there so Serena (sp?) was pouring. She was great… very knowledgable and personable. She told us about each wine and where the grapes came from and any other trivia that was interesting.

We started off with their 2011 Verdelho and 2011 Viognier which were both flavorful and crisp. Unfortunately the did not have any of the Ruben’s Blend, a Marsanne, Roussanne, Grenache Blanc blend I really like.

Next we tasted the reds starting with the 2010 *%#&@! – yes that is its name, a quote from the winery, “Sounds like Cluck, pairs with Duck”. A blend of Mourvedre, Syrah and Grenache it was a bit smoky with ripe fruit and smooth tannins.

Our second red was the 2009 Torcido, 100% Grenache. While very good with a lot of flavor and structure we didn’t find it typical of the varietal. Of course what is typical for the Rhone or Spain may not be typical of the Sierra Foothills. This wine was rated 93 points by Wine Enthusiast and was #50 on their top 100 wines of 2012. What else can you say!

After the Grenache we moved on to the 2009 River of Skulls – This 100% Mourvedre had sort of a dusty fruit nose with a bit of vanilla and great fruit flavor. I always appreciate a winery with 100% varietals. You get a real feel for what that grape should taste like. We really liked this wine and ended up taking some home.

The 2009 Tempranillo is another 100% varietal but from two different vineyards has big tannins and big flavor. This would be the wine to pull out for a BBQ. Another one that went home with us.

Twisted Oak Winery has many wines and we couldn’t taste them all but of the others we did taste, one that stood out was the 2009 The Spaniard, a blend of Tempranillo, Graciano and Garnacha. According to the Twisted Oak Winery web site this wine was made by “Winemakers of Unusual Size”, alluding to how big the wine is. If you follow James the Wine Guy, he rated this wine 9.1 out of 10 and has a video review you can watch.

The 2009 Ol’Chumbucket, Tempranillo, Monastrell, Graciano, Carignane and Grenache impressed us enough the we took some home with us as well. Not the cheapest but well worth the price.

The last one we brought home was the 2009 Petite Sirah. Described as “big, bad, bold and bodacious” it really lives up to that description. Dark ruby, plenty off tannins and fruit, well structured, a couple bottles of this came home with us too.

If you do a wine tasting trip to the Sierra Foothills you really need to stop at Twisted Oak. Lots of fun and nice wines make for a very enjoyable experience.

Posted in Other Wine Tastings, Tasting Notes, Vacations and Trips | Tagged *%#&@!, El Jefe, Garnacha, Graciano, Grenache, Monastrell, Mourvedre, Ol'Chumbucket, Petite Sirah, Syrah, Tempranillo, The Spaniard, Twisted Oak Winery, Verdelho, Viognier | Leave a comment

Tuscan Taste Off

Posted on February 4, 2013 by Nancy

We recently completed a series of three wine tastings at Fine Wines of Stockton entitled Red Wines of Tuscany. We tasted six Rosso di Montalcino, six Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and six Chianti. We chose our top two wines from each tasting and those six wines were our focus for the Tuscan Taste Off. We will choose our two favorites from this group of six wines.

The star of the show for this series of tastings has been Sangiovese. It is the dominant varietal in all of these wines. It is present in varying percentages and is called by a slightly different name in the various regions. Sangiovese Grosso in Rosso di Montalcino where it makes up 100% of the grapes, Prugnolo Gentile in Vino Nobile di Montepulciano where 60-80% is required and Sangiovese in Chianti where 75-80% must be Sangiovese.

Among the things we learned about is the classification system used in Italy. DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) and DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) are two classifications that apply to these three groups of wines. These classifications are intended to assure quality and that the wines were produced in the designated area using the designated standards. DOCG indicates a higher standard than DOC.

The Rosso di Montalcino carries the DOC designation and the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Chianti carry the DOCG designation.

Let’s go tasting:

2010 Il Poggione – this garnet colored wine had a minimal nose with just a hint of smoke. Dark fruit and tobacco flavors combine with significant smooth tannins, good acid and a light mouth-feel. The finish is moderately long. Although the flavors are not overly complex, this would be an excellent food wine. The group thought it would pair well with pizza, pasta with tomato sauce or chicken Parmesan. This Rosso di Montalcino was the group’s favorite wine. So the DOC wine takes the prize!

2009 Volpaia Chianti Classico – this dark garnet wine had a complex nose of roses, nutmeg and smoke. Complex flavors of dark ripe fruit, tobacco and a bit of smoke combined with significant drying tannins for a long flavorful finish. This wine had a heavier weight in the mouth that the first wine and would pair well with hearty, meaty dishes.

2008 Tenuta Valdipiatta – garnet color with stinky nose initially that blew off to caramel. Flavors of tobacco, leather and dark fruit with significant smooth tannins and a long finish had a very light mouth-feel. This wine too provoked a lot of discussion as the flavors were fairly complex. This Vino Nobile di Montepulciano tied for second favorite of the evening.

2008 Fattoria del Cerro – this ruby colored wine had a bit of berry fruit on the nose with dark fruit and berry flavors, significant smooth tannins and a long finish. There was a bit of sweetness in the finish and it also had a very light mouth-feel. This Vino Nobile di Montepulciano tied for second favorite of the evening.

2009 Tenute Silvio Nardi – light garnet color combines with flavors that were earthy with cherries and smooth tannins. Most tasters thought this was a lighter flavored wine with a light mouth-feel that would be good with veal, chicken or pork chops.

2010 Palladio Chianti – this dark ruby wine had dried fruit on the nose and flavors with mushrooms, smooth tannins and a moderately long finish. Most tasters thought this tasted like an older wine because of the dried fruit flavors.

So, our group of tasters liked the Rosso di Montalcino best and liked both of the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano wines. It often happens that more than one wine will receive the same total number of votes, especially if votes for first and second are combined. If there is a tie, we just have to pick one! We are, after all, wine tasters not statisticians.

Our next tasting will focus on wines from southern Oregon.

Cheers!

Posted in Tasting Notes, Thursday Wine Tastings | Tagged Chianti, Italy, Rosso di Montalcino, Tuscany, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano | Leave a comment

Trione Vineyards and Winery

Posted on January 29, 2013 by Peter

Recently we received some sample wines to try from Trione Vineyards and Winery in Geyserville, California. We had not heard of Trione before and were intrigued by their story. For more than thirty years they have been providing grapes for some of the top wineries in the area such as Duckhorn, Kendall-Jackson and Sonoma-Cutrer among others. They farm almost 700 acres in the Russian River Valley, Alexander Valley and the Sonoma Coast. Only since 2005 have they decided to make their own wines. They opened their tasting room in 2008, and so far they have garnered several awards with subsequent vintages. Sounds like a wine tasting trip we should make this summer.

When they built the winery they decided to preserve a 97 year old stone building, “The Old Stone Building” that was the Nervo Winery back in 1908. It was built using basalt rocks from a local quarry and lumber from Oregon and was built to be earthquake proof as the 1906 San Francisco earthquake was a recent memory. When you visit their web site go to the Media section to read the details of this unique building. The building has been renovated as a hospitality center hosting winery and wine club events.

We received the wines in a very nice recyclable box holding six 50 ml bottles, the perfect size for a tasting. I think I need some of these small bottles to take on my next airplane flight, no more mediocre wine while flying! There were two whites and four reds in the box.

We started with the 2010 Trione Vineyards Russian River Valley, River Road Ranch Sauvignon Blanc (14% abv). This Sauvignon Blanc had a year of barrel aging and is a light straw color. The nose started out a little floral and then turned a little floral and grassy. Great acidity and flavors much more like a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc rather than the citrus and tropical fruits you often find in California Sauvignon Blanc. These flavors are the result of a new yeast strain, Alchemy II, from South Africa.

The 2008 Trione Vineyards Russian River Valley, River Road Ranch Chardonnay (14.3% abv). A pale yellow, lighter than I would expect for a 2008 with buttery caramel on the nose. Aged in a mixture of new, one and two year old French oak, there was caramel sweetness, some citrus, orange rind and toasty flavors. It was crisp and clean in the mouth with a little roundness. This is a big rich and complex Chardonnay, so pair accordingly.

2008 Trione Vineyards Russian River Valley, River Road Ranch Pinot Noir (14.2% abv) – A nice pale red as most Pinot Noir tends to be. Brambly fruit, earthy nose. Earthy, medium tart cherry flavors with some smokiness. The clean finish lingers a long time. Twenty percent of the grapes were left as whole clusters and three clones, 115, 667 and 777 were used.

2008 Trione Vineyards Russian River Valley, River Road Ranch Syrah (14.8% abv) – A lighter color than I usually expect from a Syrah, the nose is smoke and dark plum. A light mouthfeel with plenty of fruit, good acidity and a medium length finish. This wine is for when you want to enjoy a lighter Syrah and not the huge fruity ones often made.

2007 Trione Vineyards Alexander Valley, Block Twenty One Cabernet Sauvignon (14.5% abv) – A medium to dark red with a light complex nose of floral, fruit and vanilla with an occasional flash of mint. Really pleasant ripe fruit flavor with a touch of spice and vanilla. Nice restraint on the use of oak. This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petite Verdot and Malbec.

2007 Trione Vineyards Alexander Valley, Geyserville Ranch Red Wine (14.5% abv) – A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (57%), Merlot (35%), Petite Verdot (4%) and Malbec (4%) it is dark ruby color with an earthier nose than the Cabernet Sauvignon. A complex wine with ripe dark fruit, spiciness and cedar flavors. The flavors are bigger with well integrated tannins.

Disclaimer – These wines were provided as tasting samples.

Posted in Other Wine Tastings, Tasting Notes | Tagged 2007 Trione Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007 Trione Vineyards Red Wine, 2008 Trione Vineyards Chardonnay, 2008 Trione Vineyards Pinot Noir, 2008 Trione Vineyards Syrah, 2010 Trione Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, Trione Vineyards and Winery | 2 Comments

Name That Grape

Posted on January 26, 2013 by Nancy

Our Thursday night tasting at Fine Wines of Stockton was a polite version of “Stump the Chump”. Alan organized the tasting this week and gave us a list of six wines at the beginning of the tasting, each a different varietal. He opened five of them and did not tell us which one he did not open. Our job for the evening was to identify the varietals.

The wine tasting was very informal in the sense that Alan did not call on individual tasters to describe each wine. We all described each of the wines by just chiming in when we had something to contribute. But, we did not indicate which varietal we thought each was. We all just made individual notes and then kept track of how we did when Alan unveiled each wine at the end of the tasting.

Here is what we tasted:

2010 Bokisch Tempranillo – this ruby/garnet wine had pleasingly smooth tannins with dark fruit and vanilla flavors. This wine was easy drinking by itself and would pair well with food.

2010 Justin Cabernet Sauvignon – the nose was earthy with dark fruit flavors, significant but smoother tannins than the tempranillo.

2010 Domaine Jean Tardy et Fils Hautes-Cotes de Nuits Cuvee Maelie – this transparent ruby colored wine tasted of berries and tart cherries with abundant acid and very smooth tannins. This wine evolved in the glass to show earthy flavors and a bit of spice with time. It tasted great by itself, but would be amazing with salmon, chicken or pheasant.

2011 St. Amant Mohr-Fry Ranch Old Vine Zinfandel – this Lodi AVA wine was a deep ruby color with a big, ripe fruit-forward nose. Flavors of ripe dark fruit along with a heavier mouth-feel, smooth tannins and a hot finish cry out for food. This wine would pair nicely with BBQ.

2008 Rocca delle Macìe Chianti Classico Riserva – This wine knocked my socks off! The color is still dark ruby and the nose is complex exhibiting dark fruit, earth and cocoa. Complex flavors of dark fruit, tea and spice combined with significant tannins and good acidity. Did I mention how complex this wine is? Oh yeah, I did. This bottle of wine is perfect when you are in the mood for big, complex (but not over-ripe) flavors and significant grippy tannins. I love this kind of wine by itself, but it would pair well with a variety of roasted meats or tomato-based pasta.

Because I was crazy for this Chianti, we snagged a bottle to take home. Because we have been discussing Tuscan wines for several wine tastings on our blog, I couldn’t resist including a picture of the Chianti Classico DOCG label showing the “gallo nero”. How charming!

Also on the tasting list, but one that we did not get to taste, the 2010 Tres Picos Borsao Garnacha.

So, “How did we do?” you ask (I knew I couldn’t distract you by running on about the Chianti). Neither the writer of this post or her husband got all five varietals correct. One taster, Craig, did however. Congratulations Craig! We hold you in very high esteem!

Next week we will go back to Tuscany with our Tuscan Taste-Off when we will be tasting Rosso di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Chianti.

Cheers!

Posted in Tasting Notes, Thursday Wine Tastings | Tagged Cabernet Sauvignon, Chianti, Pinot Noir, Tempranillo, Zinfandel | Leave a comment

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Trione Vineyards and Winery

Name That Grape

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