Joullian of Carmel Valley & Pelerin of Monterey County- December 14, 2004

New world winemaking meets old world winemaking in this local match-up of two very talented winemakers and their wares—bottles of vino of course. Ridge Watson heads up the two-plus decades old Joullian Vineyards located deep in Carmel Valley. Ridge was working in France at the time the Joullian and Sias families of Oklahoma City sought to establish vineyards and a winery in California. Prices for land were skyrocketing in places like the Napa Valley, but Carmel, with very similar and yet its own unique geography, appeared to be an ideal spot for the growth of key Bordeaux varietals and Carmel Valleys only Zinfandel. The basic premise for Ridge is that every year he has the chance to shape a wine into the vintage of the century, subsequently he has an unending drive to pursue this dream and live the best life he can.

Chris and Cathy Weidemann met in 1994 while studying Viticulture and Enology at the University of California, Davis. Chris worked at several wineries while Cathy took on business related enterprises and eventually they chose Monterey County and it’s Santa Lucia Highlands AVA as the perfect place to settle into lifelong dreams. Pelerin itself is the French word for Pilgrim and is emblematic of their quest for creating outstanding wines sourced from only the best fruit obtainable. Chris takes the notion that wine shapes the opinion of the handler, going back and forth with its expressions. With patience, understanding and commitment the resulting expression in the bottle can bring joy to the masses.

Our traditional best of show wrap-up sought to pick one of the best of each of our esteemed producers, a tough choice give the range and style of wines we had at our lips throughout the night. The best of show for Ridge Watson’s Joullian wines was the brand new 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon ($25) from Carmel Valley, paired with a medium-rare fillet of beef and sautéed mushrooms. The Cabernet has about 10% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc added to it, providing a graceful balance to the wine. Sourced from Mt. Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon clones, the reminiscent licorice, plum and cassis notes are readily apparent. This is a wine that is really just beginning to grow up.

The best of show for Chris Weidemann’s Pelerin wines was the 2003 Pinot Noir ($35) from the famed Rosella’s Vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands of Monterey County. Aromas of fresh ripe cherries and wild strawberries with vanillin notes, derived from the new French oak, leave the palate with a silky and smooth mouthfeel, and being a fairly young wine, the vibrant acidity paired very well with locally caught and smoked salmon on top of rye toast with a little fresh chive for garnish.

Despite the differences on the outside, these two gents have quite a lot in common when it comes to the attitude and practice for producing top-notch wines in a classic style with modern ingenuity and foresight. Once again the locals shine brightly for all us wine lovers within the rolling, oak-studded golden hills of Monterey County.

‘Petite’ Champagne Tasting - December 7, 2004

Champagne is certainly the fizzy liquid of legend adored by many an evening toast, a New Years Eve celebration, or stuck center table between the twinkle of two lovers gazing eyes.  Yet the use of the term ‘Champagne’ has of course been construed to many different products on the market today, with many American producers, as an example, generally ignoring French pleas for taking on a different term to describe their product.

Of course true Champagne is that which hails from the Champagne region of France and must be made in a tradition that goes back centuries.  Davoe Price of the Vienna Wine Company brought us wines that have the uniqueness of being termed ‘petite’, or literally Récoltant-Manipulant—one who grows and processes the wine on his/her own.  Her source is Terry Theise, who has a renowned palate and knows exactly which producers to visit in order to obtain only the best wines for import into the United States. Ultimately his selection, and outlets such as Rancho Cellars, rely on for top-notch product year after year to satisfy those that crave something a little off the beaten track when it comes to bubbly.

Foie Gras, puff pastry, shellfish and various cheeses were just some of the mouthwatering treats that pair perfectly with Champagne of all styles, as well as levels of sweetness, such were put forth into our eager hands and waiting lips.  In reality, one could create an entire multi-course meal whilst featuring a broad range of Champagne and the affects would be divine.  Being the month of December with holiday and festivities abound we can’t but help ourselves in uncorking as much Champagne as possible and admiring the fine beads that form in the thousands once the wine is released from its glass chamber.

Our best of show of the evening allowed for our Champagne tasting audience to choose two of their favorites amongst a line-up of stellar bubbly.  The top pick was a spotlight on the 1996 Pierre Gimonnet Fleuron 1er Cru Brut ($52) paired with a leek and brie puff pastry tart.  1996 is turning out to be one of the great vintages for Champagne overall so it was no wonder our audience was keen to the elegance and finesse of this wine.  The wine was disgorged in December of 2003 and even now is still to be considered dwelling in infancy.  Closely following the Gimonnet, and our tasting panel’s second top-pick of the evening, was the Non-Vintage Vilmart & Cie Cuvée  Rubis (Rosé) 1er Cru Brut ($55), with grapes grown via bio-dynamic methods and a winemaker who is known for his love of Winnie The Pooh neck ties.  Rosé, or pink wines, have a bad rap in the states with many people immediately conjuring up a sweet and unrefined California Blush or White Zinfandel upon immediate sight of the bottle.  However, most regions in France produce luscious pink wines and the CO² induced wines from Champagne have to be some of the best.  The Vilmart was actually fairly dry on the palate and had much more subdued strawberry or cherry notes then most Rosé that I’ve tried.  Paired with braised shrimp atop a garlic-aioli draped potato, the complexity and varietal characteristics from the Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grown on clay-limestone soils was profound.  This was a wine to talk about!

We never have a problem selling out our Champagne tasting events and in doing so we continue to elevate the senses and refine our palate towards the greatness that la méthode champenoise is when utilized with patience and understanding by winemakers.  Many American producers using such processes certainly create some exquisite sparkling wine but there is something so graceful about true Champagne that will always keep me coming back for more—my glass flute awaiting those first foamy-fizzy moments where I can raise in salute and quaff away.

Paso Robles Westside Grand Crew, November 30, 2004

The Westside of the Paso Robles AVA can be dramatically different then its eastern counterpart, certainly in geography and subsequently the success in grape variety grown.  Rancho Cellars was very pleased to have in attendance The Paso Robles Westside Grand Crew, a consortium of eight family wine estates that have chosen to come together because they all share a common ‘sense of place’ (terroir) representative in their wines, as well as an equal passion for their livelihood.  A thirty-plus group of eager oenophiles thirsty and hungry for information kept wide-eyed as the showing of (in order of appearance) Tablas Creek Vineyard, Windward Vineyard, Dunning Vineyards, Justin Winery, Peachy Canyon Winery, Opolo Vineyard, L’Aventure, and Adelaida Cellars poured what they each consider to be their ‘Tete de Cuvee’, or the very best wine they produce.

The usual best of show pageantry at evening end was quickly rejected by both audience and Grand Crew, despite my pleas for more finite information to pass on to readers such as yourself.  Just as well, because in reality every single one of the wines poured were magnificent to say the least.  To add yet another sparkle to it all was the treat that several wineries chose to pour only rare and of limited quantity selections—so much so that I had to beg and plead a handful of our distributors just to get my hands on a dozen or so bottles to pour and display on the shelves.  It wasn’t very surprising that by night end many of those shelves were bare.

Following is a list of individual wines poured and the respective food pairing:

• Tablas Creek Vineyard ~ 2002 Esprit De Beaucastel Blanc accompanied by a grilled prawn with aioli and micro-greens
• Windward Vineyard ~ 2001 ‘Monopole’ Pinot Noir accompanied by a 4 spice duck with sage butternut squash
• Dunning Vineyards ~ 2001 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon accompanied by pâté on crustini
• Justin Winery ~ 2001 Isosceles accompanied by chicken bouché
• Peachy Canyon Winery ~ 2001 Zinfandel Especial accompanied by polenta with tomato concasse
• Opolo Vineyard ~ 2002 Rahpsody Red accompanied by cepe pizza
• L’Aventure ~ 2002 Paso Robles Estate Cuveé accompanied by Basque cheese
• Adelaida Cellars ~ 2000 Viking Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon accompanied by smoked sausage with white beans over crustini

The Paso Robles area is awash with wineries these days but it was not hard to see why these eight can truly call themselves the Grand Crew.  The entire audience was enamored by their knowledge, wit and humor while I myself couldn’t help but gain an even greater appreciation for the similarities but certainly the differences that they all share.  If the winds of the future blow in the right direction it will be no wonder that we’ll see the Grand Crew visit Rancho Cellars once again.  I shall be waiting with baited breath and wine goblet grasped in anticipation.

Entire Rhône Valley, November 23, 2004

The French Rhône Valley is one of the oldest wine growing regions in Europe with some 21 recognized and approved grape varieties (22 if you include Duriff aka Petite Sirah) and a region that is steadily growing in improved viticulture and winemaking capable of exporting to countries around the world.  Rhône varietals in general have seen a huge boom in places like California, on one hand due to great growing conditions, but also to a winemaking and consumer sentiment that is absolutely curious about those wines that aren’t Cabernet/Merlot/Chardonnay centric.  Organizations like the Rhône Rangers have mushroomed into a powerhouse movement tinkering within the trade, bringing cognizance and savor to waiting customers and often asking top-dollar for their wines.  But alas like most wines in the states they do have recent ancestry in Europe, specifically France, which is where our Sales guru Adam led us on a tour up the Rhône Valley skipping from region to region and trying the wines on the way of course.

The 2001 vintage followed a string of great vintages in both the north and south, which is the common bifurcation of the region.  In actuality the two ends of the valley are very different then might be apparent by the mere glance of a map.  The south is known for high yields using any and all approved grapes and often, although this is changing rapidly, producing wines running the gambit of bad to ok to sometimes fantastic.  The north however typically sticks to Syrah as it’s red grape of principal and utilizes Viognier for white wine, both of which can stand the testament of time in a cellar and often need hours of decanting to reach their full magnificent potential.  The north is also a land that nearly lost its place in the wine world given the very difficult and rugged terrain for growing that pervades the land.  Most of the vines grow on steep rocky slopes and areas, like Hermitage, are only a tiny 331 acres in size.  Yet perseverance by growers who knew the land would reap superior fruit with the right care and patience has allowed the region to retain it’s place in the world’s wine scene.

The best of show for the evening was split between the north and south ends of the valley, with our oenophiles juggling Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre—lest we not forget the white grapes of Roussanne, Marsanne and Viognier often added in small quantities—the votes went soundly for the 2001 Chateau De Fonsalette Reserve ($48.50) from Côte Du Rhône, a Grenache/Syrah blend, showing off its cedar and pine nose with a tickle of anise and white pepper whilst on the palate balanced components of smokey/gamey notes played well with the onion and bacon tart dappled with a touch of crème fraiche.  As in the first round of competitors, the second vote skewed heavily towards one favorite, the 2001 Tardieu Laurent ($102) from Hermitage.  100% Syrah, the wine is amazingly elegant and drinkable for its youth with a rich smoky nose and an essence of coffee, cocoa and bacon fat.  Juicy fruit flavors, balanced tannins and acidity finish up the experience, one that should be treasured given the mere 1-barrel of production (about 25 cases), of which Rancho Cellars was fortunate to snap 3 out of that 25.  Matched up with the ever popular Gruyere Gougere cheese puffs and our audience was mesmerized.

One only unfortunate part of the Rhône today, and this transcends to many European wines for the most part, is the cost has skyrocketed to the American consumer given the difference in the Dollar and Euro in recent years.  However, we will continue to see a rise and appreciation of these wine regardless as new generations of grape growers, wine makers and consumers demand glass after glass of these delicious wines to fill their glasses.

Seghesio Family Vineyards November 16, 2004

Highlighted in the most recent issue of The Wine Spectator, Ted Seghesio is renowned for crafting California Zinfandel into a hedonistic, deep ruby colored—that sort of salivating desire that makes you want to lick every drop out of the glass—kind of wine.  Our Tuesday night tour was led by family representative Edd Lopez, who took us down memory lane, recounting the stories of vines that may very well live a lot longer then some of us will in our entire lifetime.  It is from these old vines that some of the most precious fruit is sourced, particularly for the Zinfandels, of which critics like the Wine Spectator have crowned ‘Seghesio—Masters of Zin’ on frequent occasion.  Yet there is much more in the scope of varietal wines when it comes to one of the four immigrant families to settle in the Sonoma Valley in the late 1800s.  Keeping to traditional wines like Pinot Grigio and Sangiovese is the norm, yet winemaker Ted Seghesio has also branched out towards Pinot Noir (simply for the challenge) and Cabernet as well, a component to be included in the wineries version of a ‘Super Tuscan’, the ‘Omaggio’.

100% estate fruit is used and the business remains a family affair as it has been run for over 100 years.  It was Edoardo Seghesio, who at 19, came to the Italian/Swiss Colony in the Russian River Valley from his native Italy to become the communes winemaker.  After settling just a few miles to the north, in what is today the Alexander Valley AVA, he set the stage for four more generations, including through the Prohibition Era, to continue the history, romance and tradition of his forefathers.

The best of show white wine of the evening was a tie until our Cordon Bleu trained chef gave her nod to the 2003 Arneis ($13.50) from the Russian River Valley, perfectly paired with pesto/garlic sauced mussels on the half shell.  Arneis (ar-NAIS) itself is a rare breed in California with full-bodied flavors of citrus, pear and mineral accompanied by a floral and subtle anise note in the nose.  Arneis is a fascinating varietal, saved from extinction in Northern Italy some 15 years ago and highly sought after in the United States by top chefs like Emeril Lagasse for their respected restaurants wine list.

The best of show red wine was a six-fold challenge for our tasting panel but ultimately the wine that speaks Seghesio, that being the 2002 Old Vine Zinfandel ($31.50) from Sonoma County, came out the winner for the evening.  It was noted that the term ‘Old Vine’ perhaps has reached somewhat of an confusing apex in California today, similar to the term ‘Reserve’ coined by wine icon Robert Mondavi back in the 1970’s to denote something a little different then standard varietal bottling.  Unfortunately for the consumer, as is the case with wine labeled ‘Reserve’, there are no legal requirements nor consensus on what an ‘Old Vine’, predominately Zinfandel, actually is.  For Seghesio their interpretation is literally that the vines are between 78 and 102 years of age—seems old enough to me.  Extremely low yielding and highly sought after by all Zinfandel consumers, the 2002 Vintage, given 91 points by the Wine Spectator in the December 15^th 2004 issue, is inky dark in color with blackberry and brown sugar in the nose.  On the palate juicy blueberry and a rich full-bodied structure, along with bright acidity, resonate the fact that this truly is an old vine Zin.

Despite an IRS debacle back in the early 90’s that forced significant business changes, the recent loss of Eugenio Pio "Pete" Seghesio at the age of 85, and the difficulties of running a grape growing and winemaking operation in California with local and international competition constantly nipping at your heels, the family has remained true to their values yet mindful of the realities of a world that is vastly different then it was in 1885.  With the foresight and skill that individuals like Edd has towards business operation and the vigneron skill that Ted portrays in the wine who wouldn’t doubt that our children’s children may enjoy some of the old vine juice that has nurtured much of humanity for centuries—cheers to that thought!

The Young Winemakers of the Santa Cruz Mtns.
The Santa Cruz Mountains is a vast appellation with rugged rolling mountains, Redwood forest and significant differences in climate, soil and grape growing at every corner.  Noted as a reputed wine making region since the late 1800s, most of the wineries didn’t survive Prohibition Era. However, by the mid-1930s a resurgence led by pioneers like Paul Masson of Alamaden Winery, Martin Ray, who planted Mt Eden Vineyards in Saratoga and Chafee Hall of Hallcrest Vineyards in Felton, paved the way for future generations.

Two under-30 pioneers of their own generation, Kenny Likitprakong and Ryan Beauregard, led the charge through 8 wines with foods to match and gave our tasting panel a feel for what the wines of the future, both in source, style and marketing representation, may exhibit as the wine thief (a device used to extract wine from barrels) is passed from the elder to younger winemakers.

Kenny is the head winemaker for Hallcrest Vineyards and The Organic Wine Works located in the small Santa Cruz Mountain town of Felton, yet on the side he produces white wines under his Banyan label and red wines under The Hobo Wine Company.  Seeing the process of grape to wine is the connectiveness and was the inspirational catalyst for him—such that each year he sources his fruit from often little known yet highly reputed vineyards from throughout California, offering the consumer top-notch wine, readily drinkable and at a fair price.

Ryan’s family has been growing grapes and making wine for generations, a natural fit for continuation from Ryan’s perspective.  With a committed drive to produce wines only from local sources, that being the Ben Lomond Mountain District and its parent appellation the Santa Cruz Mountains, the uniqueness of each wine is readily apparent in every bottle from Beauregard Vineyards.  The two Chardonnays we tasted, for example, each display quite a difference in flavor profile, with one being more ripe fruit driven and the other holding onto greater acidic components, thus representative of terroir.

As is tradition, we ask our audience to choose what wine they would consider their ‘best of show’ for the evening under a variety of conditions—this time one wine from each winemaker.   For Kenny it was a close finish between the Banyan 2003 Gewurztraminer ($8), with grapes sourced from Monterey County and the Hobo 2002 Zinfandel ($18) from the Dry Creek Valley.  Ultimately the Zin won out, which wasn’t too surprising from this taster’s perspective, as I am a vocal supporter and proud member of ZAP or Zinfandel Advocates and Producers.  Paired with a mushroom Bourguignon puff, the bright berry fruit and baking spice flavors envelope the mouth leaving richness accompanied by a long soft finish.

The ‘best of show’ for Ryan’s wine was a stiff competition between the Beauregard 2002 Appellation Blend Chardonnay ($18), matched up with pesto/garlic herb mussels, and the 2002 Zinfandel from the Beauregard Ranch in the Santa Cruz Mountains ($22.50).  It was a narrow win for the Chardonnay, one of five that the young vigneron produces, all from fruit grown in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

For this writer it is readily apparent that a new shift is occurring in the world of wine. In vogue are the breaking of old standards and barriers and an allowance by consumer demand that keeps that tune playing.  Today, wineries and winemakers don’t consider ‘estate’ grapes to be so critical, screwtop enclosure methods are flooding the market and a tide of young sommeliers are bringing a hip and alternative experience for the diner at many fine eating establishments around the world.  The demographic group that is the 21 to 35 year olds of our day have more disposable income, an international palate for wine and food and a thirst for knowledge about the wines they put on the table every night.  While overall consumption in this country hasn’t necessarily been in line with the likes of bottled water or soft drinks, there is a cognizance that incorporating wine into a daily lifestyle reaps huge benefits for the mind, body and soul.  My own personal crusade of the grape is my guiding light and with young winemakers on my side like Ryan and Kenny I know the world of unique and deliciously satisfying wines will only improve.

The Presidential Election of 2004, November 2, 2004

Drank good wine, ate good food, engaged in dynamic conversation, no politics involved in this blurb…

When my, meaning Rancho Cellars, wine bar is closed I’m fortunate enough to have similar opportunities to get my varied wine education for the senses and equally dynamic conversation with those like me at a few other locations in the Monterey Bay area.  Nothing like walking into a room full of people eager to try whatever they may find inside of a wine glass—patiently dissecting all that we can, an exploration of passion and endless intrigue.  My companion and I took advantage of the $1 glass offered to those who proved they had voted, and I was pleased to gulp down the Wrongo Dongo a very light and fruity Spanish red wine from Spain’s Jumilla region near the eastern Mediterranean coast.  Made from Monastrell (Mourvedre), the wine has ripe berry flavors and a satisfying finish.  It is just one of a slew of inexpensive, highly quaffable wines the Spaniards have been exporting.  We had the wine for a short while in the store, sold out, and now I’m missing it and shall have to re-establish a home for it on my shelves.  On to the next wine…

So I’m always on the lookout for new varietals that I’ve yet to sink my nose into the glass and let my tongue roll the juice around, all the while trying to fill every assorted taste bud with all that can be displayed from the grape and its vigneron manipulator.  I’m often surprised and pleased by what I can find, thus perpetuating the fascination I have with wine.  In this instance I continued with red wine and took on Mencia, another native to Spain, this time from the burgeoning El Bierzo region of northwestern Spain.  Thought to be linked to Cabernet Franc, the temperate regions grapes have considerable age, often approaching 100 years, thus imparting a flavor that is complex and in somewhat of a constant change once exposed to air and consistent swirling, as is my habit.  The wine was a dark garnet color with subtle berry, earth and vegetative aromatics.  Full-bodied in the mouth it did seem to have some resemblances of Cabernet Franc, but also perhaps Syrah or Monastrell due to its intensity.  Mint, wood and tart cherry flavors kept the wine showing it’s various faces in my mind.  An interesting selection and certainly something to try if you should come across on a wine list.

To conclude my evening I went after a big, full-bodied wine from a region many seem to overlook—the Columbia Valley of Washington State—producing about 99% of the state’s wines and encompassing some eleven million acres (the Napa Valley AVA is less then 3% of that!).  While the planted acreage may be small today, an area this size has vast potential and several well established wineries already turning heads.  Andrew Will is often considered one of the finest producers in all the land and I have been eager to try any of the wines for some time.  The 2002 Andrew Will, Champoux Vineyard is a blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot.

The Champoux Vineyard was first planted in 1972, which makes it one of the oldest vineyards in Washington.  Noted for producing wine of finesse and the potential for graceful ageing, the 2002 vintage was very expressive, with lots of dark fruits—cherry, blackberry, and cassis—in the nose and on the palate.  The ‘meritage’ philosophy of winemaking has been growing in all of Andrew Will’s releases, and this is certainly one of the best!  The Andrew Will Champoux Vineyard is available for $57 with supplies being limited and the 2000 and 2001 vintages are also available.

I stuck to my task for the evening and left with the knowledge I needed to pass it on to those equally intrigued with the hope that they may do the same (hint, hint).  Wine is certainly good for the soul at so many levels, something to keep in mind for a lifetime.

Wines of Sicily, October 26, 2004

Our guide for the evening was the knowledgeable Christian who works for a Scottish owned company that has branched out to Sicilian wines, some of the hottest products on the market today.  For most of us Italian wines conjure up Chianti, Barolo or a Pinot Grigio of some sort, but with places like Sicily that is no longer.

Historically, Marsala was the primary wine product—easy to transport with less spoilage helpful in an often long journey to the marketplace.  However, the dry and sweet wine has fallen to the wayside with the introduction of new wine making techniques, money to support a product destined for export and an overall desire amongst consumers for unique, well-priced wines, in particular the sometimes obscure indigenous varietals, like Nero d’Avola and Ansonica of Sicily.

Donnafugata is a Rallo family owned company going back some 150 years, with the family’s historic cellars in Marsala and the vineyards at Contessa Entellina in the heart of western Sicily.  One wine even comes from the small island of Pantelleria, a Passito (a process where half the harvest is picked early, dried on straw mats in the sun for weeks before being added to the second harvest and fermented together) called Ben Ryé ($33) that is 100% Zibibbo (Moscato d’Alessandria) and a taste of orange and apricot marmalade with the true apex hitting the mouth upon sampling a chunk of homemade foie gras our Codon Bleu trained chef churns out this time of year for eager foodies such as ourselves.

The best of show for the two white wines that we tasted went to the 2001 Donnafugata Chiarandà ($38.75), which is a blend of 50% Chardonnay and 50% Ansonica, that are vinified separately in open-top concrete containers before spending time in barriques (small, new oak barrels).  The wine is big and rich with oak, butter and minerality dominating the palate—paired perfectly with a basil-marinated prawn with a sweet pepper basil remoulade on puff pastry.  Honestly this taste like something you would expect to see out of California’s Russian River Valley, which cements in my mind that the level of quality coming out of Sicily is truly eye opening.

Our best of show for the red wines turned out to initially be a tie between the 1999 Azienda Agricola Cos Scyri Nero d’Avola ($35) and the 2000 Donnafugata Mille e Una Notte Nero d’Avola ($61.50), with our sales guru Adam casting the winning vote for the latter wine and thus elevating it’s prominence amongst our tasting panel.  The Mille e Una Notte Nero d’Avola has a nose of black pepper, jammy raspberry fruit and exhibits similar characteristics on the palate—overall being a big and robust wine from old vines.  Paired with chicken liver sage pâté many agreed that this expression of the indigenous Nero d’Avola is one of the finest examples tasted.

The Sicilian wines we tasted have a lot of characteristics reminiscent of Californian or Australian wines given that the climates of all three regions have great similarity.  Additionally, the entrepreneurial drive for quality and expression of place seems intrinsic in everything that these fine Sicilian crafters can get their hands on.  I believe and welcome the Sicilian rise in the vast world of Italian wines gracing the table, only time will tell where it goes.

Grateful Palate - Australia, October 19, 2004

The lively and witty Peter Lynn from the Majella area of Coonawarra district in South Australia took time in his busy schedule to enlighten us about the wonderful wines he produces and represents from his home country.  Busy schedule is actually an understatement in that he participates in TWO harvests annually, one at home and a second revolving year after year at select California wineries.  Additionally he hits the street doing sales for The Grateful Palate, the wine importer that brings over case after case, boat by boat.

Ever eager to speak to Aussie wines our first sip of the evening, the Majella Sparkling Shiraz ($32), is one of Peter’s favorite wines, well paired with all sorts of poultry and vodka—yes vodka, by mixing with a currant flavored vodka for a sort of sparkling martini.  Beyond the instances of harder spirits introduced into his diet, Peter believes that the more you drink [taste] the more you learn, which is precisely what we at Rancho Cellars preach every single Tuesday night.  Eat, drink and be merry!  Speaking of eating, another fantastic wine and food combo that certainly raised some eyebrows was kangaroo tacos.  Grab your favorite cut of roo and throw it in with you onions and seasonings, a little fresh cilantro on the top and wash it all down with a virgin Chardonnay.  In this instance ‘virgin’ refers to a Chardonnay that is unoaked—spending it’s entire life pre-bottling in stainless steel, therefore giving the wine a great breadth of flavor often unnoticed compared to the more oak-prolific very traditionally made Chardonnay throughout the world.  We picked one up from Trevor Jones that’s an outstanding wine for only $15.

As Americans have come to know in recent years the Australia wine scene burst onto the market in the late 90’s and now has surpassed both France and Italy with imports into the states.  The popularity of the wines continues to rise as well as trends, such as the use of Stelvin enclosures, or screwtops, for wines at every price point.  Another example of the countries prominence on the world wine scene would be the University of Adelaide—one of the top viticultural and winemaking schools outside of France, perhaps only comparable to California’s UC Davis in stature.

Our best of show white wine of the evening was a near draw between the aforementioned ‘virgin’ Chardonnay and the 2003 Holly’s Blend ($11) from Marquis Philips, an intriguing and often overlooked white varietal, that being Verdelho.  Verdelho is a varietal with origins in Portugal, and historically has been used primarily in the production of Madiera but it has gained a small foothold in Australia..  The grape is very flexible and malleable, yielding very different quality wines depending on when it is harvested -- early it produces spicy, herbal wines, later, more fruit driven aromatic wines, such as the one produced by Marquis Philips.  Paired with a dilled prawn over tabouli in a lettuce cup our tastebuds were in pure heaven.

The best of show red wine was just as tight a race as the previous match-up, but ultimately the 2003 Hazyblur Grenache ($25) from the Adelaide Plains was the triumphant winner and paired with an marinated pork loan with grilled eggplant and Thai basil it’s no wonder our faithful attendees keep coming back for more week after week.

Sooner then we knew it our two-hour tour was over and we were licking our glasses for those last few drops of sweet dessert wine, a 2002 Noble Blend of Muscadel, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Semillon from Lilly Pilly ($15.50), that exploded with apricot, melon and honey flavors.  A beautiful way to end a lively and informative evening, resonating the fact that Australian wines are only going to get better and better as the years fly by.

Foxen - Santa Maria, October 12, 2004

Jenny Williams Doré is part of a small team of individuals who have painstakingly pursued a dream to grow fruit from the land that will represent its personality, just as their actions in creating wine from that fruit require taking each aspect very personally—from crush to bottling. 

Bill Wathen and Dick Doré have been at it since 1985 keeping to their minimalist approach and letting nature do what it does best, accentuate the natural flavors of the grapes and striving for making wines that they want on their dinner table every night.  Combined with Jenny’s marketing background, we’re shown how those who are committed to such goals can easily express where the wines emanate and how one of the many advantages of running a small winery allow everyone a chance to do a bit of everything, working hard and having fun for a common goal.

The winery itself has an amazing history going back many generations in the family to the Missionary days of early present-day California.  In 1837 Dick’s great-great grandfather, an English sea captain, purchased the Rancho Tinaquaic in what would become Santa Barbara County near the Santa Ynez Mission.  Still in use today are many of the buildings that have spanned the decades and now churn out a wide assortment of wines.  The 2000 acre estate has grapes that are grown using sustainable viticultural practices and the wines are unfiltered, with fining only utilized for the white wines.  The region itself tends to have a longer growing season then other places in California and subsequently ripe and full-bodied wines tend to be the norm.

Our best of show white wine for the evening was a match-up between the 2001 Chenin Blanc ($13.50) and the 2001 Chardonnay ($20.00), with the latter inching out a win and paired with a smoked salmon and watercress roll—enlightening the green apple, butter and mineral components of the rich Santa Maria Chardonnay.

The best of show red wine was centered on two of the six wines poured, that being the 2000 Foothills Reserve Meritage ($35), a blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc competing with the 2001 Pinot Noir from the famed Bien Nacido Vineyard ($40.50).  Accompanied next to stuffed mushrooms certainly had no influence in the Bien Nacido Pinot claiming victory, what with a rich nose of red fruits and violets leading into notes of cherry, white pepper and soft new oak all tremendously balanced and yet still a young wine capable of several more years of bottle age.

It appears that the ability for Santa Barbara County wineries to reach the spotlight is upon us and it will be no surprise to see prominent establishments like Foxen lead the way in turning the masses towards the unique offerings that come from these Southern California valleys and hillsides.

Robert Talbott Vineyards, October 5, 2004

‘Robert Talbott Vineyards is the story of one family's commitment to strict standards of excellence, belief in the value of hard work, recognition of the wisdom of simplicity, and devotion to the family as life's center.’  A pioneer in Monterey County viticulture and winemaking, the wines from Talbott are rooted deep in philosophy.  Famed prior to fine wines by the success in the luxury tie business, the Talbott family began planting vines in 1982 and released their first vintage the following year to critical acclaim.  

Our evening commenced with Ross Allen, Winery Representative, and Lee Codding, Director of Marketing and Sales, speaking to the Talbott wines like they know the back of their hand.  The understanding of what it takes to gather from a fruited vine that had been nurtured for decades, quite often, leading in towards taking that fruit and having it evolve in the winery.  Even more significantly, the wines have the notable integrity to gracefully age for many years.  Ross and Lee discussed the persistent method of not fining and filtering certain lots of wine, the use of sustainable agricultural practices and the tradition that all Talbott wines will never reach the full potential in your mouth without the addition of good foods—something everyone can always agree with; wine is a food like many and none should be left to consume by themselves.

The eight wines that were featured, the first five being Chardonnay, represented the various styles of what many compare as having classic Burgundian characteristics; balanced fruit flavors, notable minerality and firm acids—a cellar worthy white wine.  The best of show for the evening went to the 2000 Diamond T Estate ($55) paired with a grape and goat cheese tart or a brie and leek pizza.  The Diamond T grapes are generally the last to be harvested allowing for a long hang-time on the vine, all of which creates an extremely rich and perfectly balanced wine.  The wine’s finish is long lasting with floral and ripe stone fruits mingling with soft earth tones—reminiscent of the chalk soil that grapes are grown on in Carmel Valley.

The remaining wines of the evening revolved around a vertical of CASE Pinot Noir from the Sleep Hollow Vineyard, vintages 1998, 1999, and 2000.  The best of show for our three red wines went to the 1999 vintage of CASE Pinot Noir ($35) paired with roast duck over a risotto of oyster mushrooms and leeks.  Like the Chardonnay, all of the Pinot Noirs that are made by Sam Balderas have a wonderful balance of fruit, earth (terroir), and acidity.  That said, the 1999 had dark fruit flavors, lots of earth and subtle oak notes on the finish.

Certainly much of the credit in today’s wines goes to Sam Balderas, who began his trek into wine around the age of ten.  Growing up and eventually tagging along side one of the Grandfathers of winemaking in California, Martin Ray of the Santa Clara Valley, allowed him to hone skills that have been keeping with a stylistic flavor that becomes appreciated vintage after vintage at Talbott.  Since 1984 such has been the normal way of existence.  The harvest came early and swift this year for most of the vineyards that our utilized.  Combined with the early grape growing season overall in 2004 the fruit reached high levels of ripeness with great expectations that the vintage will continue the stellar tradition of what have become some legendary wines.

Sparkling Wines - September 28, 2004

Sparkling wine has been enjoyed around the world for centuries, noted for those special occasions and New Years Eve toast but equally capable as something to sip during a casual evening with a small plate of cheese and good conversation.  Everyone agrees that the tiny bubbles are one of the many sweet spots of enjoyment when it comes to bringing that champagne flute to your lips—crisp and refreshing, yet what flavors come next can vary in great degree. 

For many countries sparkling wine is just that, sparkling wine, although it is often made in the traditional méthode champanoise, whereas in the United States, for example, wines labeled ‘champagne’ may be made in such a traditional manner yet only true champagne would come from the Champagne region in France just east of Paris.  The debate rages on to this day with American producers not likely to adopt a condition of only reserving the name champagne strictly to the region, as places like New Zealand have done.  But beyond the nomenclature, sparking wines are made with a wide variety of grapes beyond the traditional Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.  The Prosecco sparkling wine in Italy makes for a wine that can easily be sipped at any point in the day with its low levels of alcohol and soft fruit flavors.  The southwestern French wines of Blanquette de Limoux use Mauzac and Chenin Blanc as the primary varietals, granting citrus, tropical fruit and minerality notes.  Blanquette de Limoux is actually the historic birthplace of sparkling wines, long before Dom Perignon thought to blend wines from several different vintages in Champagne, therefore creating the ‘house style’ of Non-Vintage sparklers that have become so highly sought after.  Furthermore, the style can become as unique as a sparkling Shiraz from Australia, a much fuller bodied sparkling wine with robust cherry, berry and dark fruits marking a different experience to the consumer but equally satisfying.

The best of show wine of the evening was skewed towards what our audience thought of as the best value vs. the best overall wine.  In the instance of the best value the results were widely scattered amongst all 8 wines, with the Non-Vintage Zardetto Prosecco Brut from Italy ($12) narrowly beating out the 2000 Gruet Grand Rosé from New Mexico ($30); these sparkling wines from the high desert (4300 ft elevation) are amazing and they make a brut too—a steal at $14.50!

The best wine of the night went hands down to the Non-Vintage ‘La Cuvée’ from Laurent-Perrier, the Grand Siècle Brut from the Champagne region of France ($139.95), paired with a leek and brie pizza.  The bold flavors and toasty notes lend a creamy and elegant finish on the wine—truly mouth watering.

What is most apparent is the fact that for most of us the availability of moderately priced, in the $10-$25 range, sparkling wines—the same price that many of us will spend on an evening bottle of Chardonnay or Zinfandel—are prolific.  Additionally, sparkling wine and Champagne have seen the most consistent level of availability and pricing over recent memory, much more so then any other type of wine on the market.  As wine production continues to grow worldwide and as consumers seek out new and often undiscovered grapes and producing regions it is certain that an increase in uncorking the bubbly will expand to entice the taste buds for generations to come.

Tour de France - September 21, 2004

The French wine regions can be somewhat labyrinthine for many the oenophile, with different labeling schemes, obscure and unknown grape varietals or blends, all crafted with sometimes definitive alternatives in the style that many of the wines are made elsewhere in the world, yet being common place among French vignerons.

As a result, Rancho Cellars spends many a Tuesday throughout the year on a continuous exploration of what France has to offer, from the top Rhône and Burgundy wines to little known and wonderfully affordable selections from the Languedoc-Roussillon to the satellite regions of Bordeaux.  On this particular evening Patrick from World Wine Trading, an importer catering to private clients and dabbling a bit in the overall retail market, led us through a fascinating tasting and discussion focusing on primarily inexpensive yet outstanding little known wines that are often exclusive to his company’s portfolio.  In fact it is these lesser known regions and grapes that the great winemakers are flocking, buying up fruit and ensuring that what is grown keeps growing. 

Interestingly enough, many of the small villages who have been growing and making traditional wines are a bit off-standish when the opportunity comes to export their local product.  Often very little of the wine is made, in terms of exporting potential, and they have seen what success can sometimes bring—higher cost of land and grapes, visitations by more and more exporters looking for the next big wine that the international community will quaff in earnest, etc... 

Speaking of quaffability, of the 3 white wines shown the best of show was given to the 2001 Abbaye Sainte-Eugénie Corbières ($13.50), made from 100% Maccabeu a little known white varietal that thrives in the clay and chalk soil of the region.  Soft fruit and mineral notes made the wine an exceptional pairing with the monkfish, grilled eggplant and savory rouille sauce. 

Between the 3 reds the 1999 Chateau Colombier Monpelou Pauillac ($30) from Bordeaux was the house favorite red of the night.  A classic example of Cabernet Sauvignon (65%), Merlot (25%), Cabernet Franc (5%), and Petit Verdot (5%) all of which displayed cherry, currant, plum, cedar and green pepper notes.  How perfect can a food and wine pairing be?  Try the juice with a little prime beef filet with mushrooms and let the magic in your mouth encapsulate you. 

For dessert we were treated to two outstanding yet very different wines.  It was nearly a tie between the 2001 Domaine du Trapadis Rasteau Vin Doux ($30), a very rare fortified sweet wine, and the 2000 Domaine Cazes Muscat de Rivesaltes ($13.50), with the latter being the winner by just one vote.  However, the vote may have ultimately been swayed by the introduction of a heaping slice of homemade (from our Codon Bleau trained chef Janet) foie gras atop toasted bread—utter heaven in the month!!! 

The resulting conclusion of the night was one of wine flavors of every sort filling the nooks and crannies of our mouths, slightly expanded stomachs, and the satisfaction of experiencing what many have not—high quality, unknown wines from one of the greatest wine producing countries the world may ever know.