Tete De Cuvee Dinner, December 21, 2004

Eight guests were treated to a very special and elegant evening, as well as the first-ever demonstration to the public of the new culinary dwelling that is the Melac’s, Jacques and Janet, kitchen. Rancho Cellars Cordon Bleu trained chef Janet showed off her talents to us all, providing the opportunity to see first hand where all those tasty tidbits originate for our weekly and infamous Tuesday night tasting events at the Cépage Wine Bar. Along with each course served French Champagne was paired.

Our holiday evening began with a toast of Non-Vintage Bonnaire Brut Rosé ($30), a great well-priced wine from a large Champagne House that exemplifies those classic crisp strawberry flavors that a well-made rosé can offer. Foie Gras Torchon on slices of Crunchy Baguette along with Grilled Spot Prawns and a Fresh Saffron Aioli were quickly introduced to help wash down the first glass of fizz. The prawns were piping hot and lip smacking with the subtle spice of the creamy aioli tickling the tongue.

Just moments after our first glass of wine was exhausted our next course had arrived, Wild Blue Point Oyster with Tomato, Chives and a Mango Coulis. The Champagne of choice was the Laurent Perrier ‘La Cuvee’ Grande Sicle ($140) and both paired together wonderfully lending a cool and refreshing note in the mouth and a subtle fruitiness stemming from the mango. The Champagne itself would be the only Non-Vintage, Small-House wine poured during the evening—after this we were going to explore some of the recent great vintages often only newly released to the public.

Just inches before us the third course of the evening came off the stove, Nori Rolled Ahi Tempura with a Watermelon Wasabi Sauce and into our glass the Moet et Chandon 1996 Dom Perignon ($140). This Asian inspired dish beamed a beautiful golden brown color and cooled just enough for the palate once introduced to the dipping sauce, adding a touch of sweetness from the watermelon and contrasting nicely with the rare tuna center surrounded by steamy crunchy batter. The Champagne itself paired perfectly and our diners reveled in conversation over how exquisite the 1996 vintage tasted despite its relatively large production and youth.

The fourth delight to our senses began with a glass of the Nicolas Feuillate 1996 Palmes d’Or ($100) followed without haste by another renditional use of fresh seafood (the prawns were alive just an hour before we arrived), Spot Prawns with Shaved Fennel and Radish Salad and a Fresh Thyme and Horseradish Vinaigrette. The wine was produced by the former winemaker—a la methodé champenoise—of prior vintages of Dom Perignon. Great respect must go out to an individual who can embark on such a difficult venture this day in age, that being the establishment of a new and much-respected Champagne house. The results are nothing less then stunning, with citrus and small notes of melon predominating the flavor profile. Did it pair well with our plate, oh yes it did! The warm grilled prawns contrasted wonderfully with the cool root vegetables and the kick from the horseradish was the final point that sent our taste buds into an upward spiral towards the heavens. Vinaigrettes and Champagne in general are a perfect marriage and when shellfish is added to the mix you know you’ll have a winning combination time and again. We were yet half-way through our evening line-up of eight courses and already bedazzled by not only the food and wine portion, who wouldn’t be, but also the spectacle that was our chef quickly moving to and fro without hesitation and retaining a calm and collected expression as the concept of ‘multi-tasking’ in the kitchen became readily apparent. Again, even without the food and wine it was already an unbelievable show.

Next in line was a Rabbit Loin with Leek Tagliatelle in a Tarragon Broth and the Tattinger 1995 Comtes de Champagne ($175) filling our glass. The somewhat yeasty Tattinger is a tantalizing creation from an acclaimed vintage, with marzipan and a hint of white chocolate expressing itself from this Blanc de Blanc. Equally tantalizing was the rabbit loin served sliced and perfectly tender laden with the thin slices of leek and infused with the tarragon broth. This was my first taste of rabbit and the resulting description in my mind puts it as the consistency of pork with the lighter taste of poultry, like chicken. Once again our taste buds became interlocked in a savory moment and the cry for more fresh bread was called so that every drop of the mouth-watering broth could be soaked up.

Course number five made its appearance and once again we were treated to Janet’s famous homemade foie gras, something we become accustomed to during the month of December. Seared Foie Gras with Pomegranate and Louis Roederer 1993 Cristal ($185) took the entire room to a new level. Directly off the hot copper pan, the tiny medallions of Foie Gras shed silky juices almost as irresistible as the Cristal Champagne itself. The Champagne had notes of vanilla and a refined quality that beseeches one to seek out this famed bubbly—even at the noted retail price it can be like finding a needle in a haystack. Foie Gras done properly becomes liquid love in the mouth and the Cristal is like drinking stars, both complementing with savory sensational points after every swallow. In the end the crisp and tangy pomegranate was a great addition providing a cleansing note on the tongue and leaving us in awe as to how it could get any better then this, of course it would and so came course number six.

Salt Crusted Squab with Potato Galette and a Red Wine Squab Reduction paired with Bollinger 1990 R.D. ($195) soon arrived after the fowl was removed from its flour and salt envelope while then being pounced upon by Janet’s cutlery skills—breast and thigh meat piled high in a pool of crimson sauce adorned with a pinwheel of thinly sliced baked potato. The tender gamy meat became all the more juicy with a soaking in the red wine reduction and the Bollinger, aged on its lees for almost 10 years prior to disgorgement, was a stunning knockout to our dazed mentalities.

Course number seven consisted of a cheese course, Brebiou with Pear Pepper Compote and a glass of Veuve Clicquot 1990 La Grande Dame Brut ($150). Brebiou is a sheep’s milk cheese from France and a wedge was laden next to mixed greens tossed with the compote and garnished with a small slice of fresh olive bread. The pungency and brashness of the cheese was simmered down by the compote tainted greens and absolutely divine when washed down with the Champagne, a starkly different contrast to the previous vintage 1990 Bollinger, as the La Grande Dame spent far less time on its lees prior to disgorgement, dosage and subsequent release.

After over two hours of a feast for the senses our eighth and final course was finished off in full view of eager eyes. A light dusting of sugar was put to flame and the bubbly sight of slightly burnt sugar and wafting fragrance, that being the crackly crust belonging on crème brulee, was accepted spoon in hand. Pistachio Crème Brulee and Krug 1986 Clos de Mesnil ($350) put us all over the top. The pairing aroused a standing ovation whilst eager mouths took in the silky infusion of pistachio and remarked that the Champagne at hand was given 98 points by Robert Parker and 99 points by the Wine Spectator. What a way to finish a meal!

In the end one of our guest justly noted that despite the grandeur of the Champagne served it was completely and utterly shadowed by that of every morsel handcrafted and presented, plate-by-plate to each and every one of our fortunate guest by our acclaimed chef. It is rare moments such as these when wallowing in the moment is of such a unique and memorable occasion that it would be a travesty to not put the experience into memorable text, and so be it.

2004 Grande Finale, Decmber 28, 2004

A tour around the world that is wine, all in the comfy confines that is the Rancho Cellars Cépage Wine Bar. Such was our adventure, to taste the very best that 2004 had to offer, not the vintage itself necessarily—although the 2004 Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc Private Bin ($11.25) from New Zealand constituted another stunning example of that cherished grass and gooseberry aromatic with citrus undertones we’ve all come to expect from Kiwi producers—more so we wanted to grant our esteemed audience of oenophiles a very special tasting, and thank you, for their participation and stalwart commitment to our notorious wine and food tasting events held each and (almost) every week of the year.

Dispensing with the last few drops of S.B. in the glass we were greeted by the American contribution for the line-up of nine wines in total that would be gracing our palate. The 1998 Kongsgaard Chardonnay ($150) from the Napa Valley was as big and rich as they can get, all embodied by a beautiful dark golden hew from the extended bottle aging the wine had received. There is something to be said about aging a well-produced Chardonnay, something relatively unheard to many American consumers. The depth and complexity possible bring new meaning to what we know and drink that is Chardonnay.

All the best wines, be it in juice form or that of a vine, come from France so says the Frenchman himself Jacques Melac, and he was proud to put into each and every glass the 1999 Carruades de Lafite ($44.95) from Pauillac Bordeaux, another impressive example of what the long-lived Château Lafite Rothschild operation expresses in every one of their wines. Heading South Southeast to the opposite end of the earth we arrive in South Africa for a try of the 1996 Kanonkop ‘Paul Sauer’ Red Table Wine ($41.25). This blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc continues the French tradition of blending classic varietals to achieve a balance and finesse that would be difficult to obtain via single varietal bottling.

Half-way through the line-up and not one mention of solids, a detractor from the norm if you’re an avid weekly reader, and yes it was intentional, the non-mention, because we gave our famed in-house chef Janet a bit of a breather (it was her birthday mind you) and subsequently settled for a delicious plate of assorted cheeses, pâté and dried fruits. Hence it was sort of a free for all when it came to pairing, a grand experiment with dozens of possibilities for the chooser to choose on her or his own behalf.

Country number six on our tour was Italy offering up the 2001 Guido Al Taco Bulgier Superiore ($81) from famed producer Antinori. A big and heady blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah that is smooth and very gratifying on the palate and somewhat of an anomaly considering none of the varietals used are of Italian origin. Yet we’re seeing more and more of this style, not just in Italy, with the winemaker striking more for a wine that is outright approachable at it’s release as opposed to something needing 10 or 20 years of bottle aging. A change in consumer demand is certainly one factor in play with this particular example.

After Italy came Spain and the 2001 Clos De L’Obac Priorat Costers del Siurana ($60), a stunning example from the rough and rugged environs that make up the Priorat DOC in the country’s northeast. Like the Italian predecessor, both native and non-native varietals are put to use—Cabernet Sauvignon, Garnacha (Grenache), Syrah, Merlot and Carineña (Carignane) from organically grown, dry-farmed vines.

Alas our last red wine, number eight, was from Australia, a 1998 Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon/Malbec blend from Henschke ($58.75) and their Keyneton Estate in Barossa. A 5th generation producer, Stephen Henschke, continues the traditions of his forefathers and that of many other Australian vignerons utilizing Shiraz as a base and building upon with Bordeaux or Rhône derived grapes.

Something sweet to finish us off for the year and a scrumptious Eiswien from Germany came pouring out of quaint half-bottles. The 2002 Seebrich Niersteiner Ölberg Riesling ($31.50) is a steal for the price. 2002 in general is turning out to be a fabulous year for German Eiswein with conditions for this particular harvest peaking around the 9th of December—those being a hard freeze that turns the ripe grapes into marble-like rounds ready to be pressed and extracted of their sweet, syrupy juice.

At evening end we all felt much to be thankful for; our health, spending time with the ones we care about and of course our fortune to live and breath in such a beautiful place with the world’s best wines at our fingertips. This sentiment resounds not just in Carmel but across the country and beyond with encouraging wishes calling upon those who live in New York or Florida or Texas or Iowa to give us a call, or go online and find yourself a nice bottle and we shall ship without haste so that you may enjoy what we do on a daily basis or for those never ending special occasions, because that is what life really is, a special occasion.

Thank you very much for your support in 2004 and we look forward to serving you in 2005!

Tour of Spain, January 11, 2005

The venerable Doug from The Henry Wine Group took our audience through the country of Spain, a historic region for grape growing and wine making and a place that has made massive inroads into the profitable export market, particularly to places such as the United States. Spain grows more grapes per acre then anywhere else in the world and prides itself on not only perpetuating native varieties but includes some noble grapes, like Cabernet Sauvignon, as it sees fit. Spanish wines are also incredibly adept towards food pairing—with the whites mingling beautifully with seafood and the reds intensifying the characteristics of cheeses, pork and stews.

Like France and Italy, Spain has a regulation system of production and labeling in place, the Instituto de Denominaciónes de Origen (INDO), which places regions and the wines produced under a classification system (Denominaciónes de Origen - DO) with efforts towards highlighting aspects of quality. In 1988 a higher designation was announced, that being DOCa, with the first DO wine to receive such status being Rioja in the northern part of the country.

Another interesting aspect to Spain’s wines is that because of the often very harsh growing conditions most vineyards are dry-farmed (irrigation was illegal until 1996), organically farmed (no chemicals) and harvest is measured in grams per vine—which results in yields that are very small and often a harvest will stretch over weeks and up to a month as individual grape clusters are picked one at a time over vast acres, the growers waiting until each and every grape reaches maturity prior to being plucked.

Our best of show for the 3 white wines shown was a close vote between the 2002 Viña Mein Vin Blanc DO Rioja ($16.50) and the 2002 Sierra Cantabria Vin Blanc DO Rioja ($24.50), with the latter narrowly claiming victory. An intriguing blend comprising 48% Viura, 30% Malvasía and 22% Garnacha Blanca being paired with a fire-red colored roasted sweet pepper that had been stuffed with Mahon, a raw cows milk cheese. Lots of earthy and hickory notes in the Sierra Cantabria were the first things that came to mind upon tasting and with only 250 cases produced this organically grown wine is something unique not to be missed.

The best of show for the 6 red wines tasted (a bonus wine, the Wrongo Dongo was thrown in at the last minute) weighed heavily on one particular wine, despite all the remaining getting a handful of nods and voting hands. Our winner was the 1995 Muga Prado Enea Gran Reserva DO Rioja ($45) paired with a wedge of Spanish Manchego cheese and quince paste. To be considered a Gran Reserva the wine typically comes from an excellent vintage, must be matured for a minimum of 5 calendar years following the harvest, including a minimum of two years in barrel and in this example the juice did spend its two year in barrel and then four in bottle before being set free to the public. This blend of 80% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha was exquisite! Soft tones of leather, olive, blackberry and cassis on the nose led towards a dark-fruit mouth feel with the tannin and acidity level very soft and tame on the palate.

Interestingly, Spaniards typically don’t consume a lot of aged wines, preferring younger and more fruit forward and modestly priced wines as their daily ‘bread and butter’. That said much of the Reserva and Gran Reserva wines hitting the shelves display tremendous quality for the price paid, something to savor when the Euro, among other things, makes high-end Burgundy and Tuscan wines only approachable in the 3 digit, plus change, dollar amount. Furthermore, those wines in the five, ten and twenty dollar price range are literally a steal compared to much of what is the vast worldly market of wines available to the average person. With that being the case we are confident that Spanish wines will only get better and our taste buds have only to relish in the thought.

For The Love Of Zinfandel, January 18, 2005

Proclaimed by ZAP (Zinfandel Advocates & Producers), a highly influential group of oenophiles, as to be America’s heritage grape—attesting to it’s unique place in the world of wine—considered California’s quintessential varietal and bestowing upon its handlers and drinkers the virtues of having no real old-world counterpart in which judgment and decree can be prescribed, a tour of anything and everything that was Zinfandel, as long as it was RED, had begun.

Of the many grapes and styles of wine that cross my nose and lips Zinfandel has always been one of my favorites, so it was with great pleasure and enthusiasm to pick eight wines that would fully represent Zinfandel from throughout its 50,000 plus acreage scattered throughout California.

Our tasting audience was able to experience two from Sonoma County—Dry Creek Valley and Russian River Valley, Paso Robles and the Central Coast, Lodi and the Central Valley, Redwood Valley in Mendocino County, Amador County in the Sierra Foothills, Napa Valley’s Howell Mountain and the old vines of Contra Costa Country near the San Francisco Bay. A task not without its pitfalls certainly, with Zinfandel typically registering 14% alcohol by volume and often exceeding 16% or 17%.

When the debate over the origin of Zinfandel transpired, as I knew it most certainly would, I proclaimed the most recent studies presented by a variety of researchers, including professor Carole Meredith of the University of California at Davis, that Zinfandel and Primitivo, found in Southern Italy-Puglia, have similar genes with further lineage tracing back to Croatia and the grape Crljenak (Tzerl-yen ak’). A special treat was then a tasting of Primitivo, a 2003 Central Coast wine produced by Bonny Doon Vineyard, and presented by the exalted Madeleine Rowan who oversees the esoteric wine club network and its gobs of members nationwide. Was there a similarity? This writer believes such, but of course winemaking style and regional aspects (terroir) can also dispel those like characteristics. Nevertheless, I do believe that we will be seeing more of the face of Primitivo and it may ultimately be up to consumer sentiment as to its ability to cement itself as a grape of choice on store shelves and any restaurant wine list.

The best of show for the evening was a heated competition amongst all the Zinfandels shown as well as the Primitivo. Each of our tasters was granted two votes in this match-up, with the 2001 Biale Old Pato Ranch ($41.95) from Contra Costa County taking the win and being followed closely by the 2001 Robert Craig ($20) from Amador County in the Sierra Foothills. Highlighting the dark berry and balance of acidity and subtle tannins in the Biale were some chocolate chip cookies that must be dunked in order to fully appreciate the flavor and texture combinations. Food is actually a tough match for Zinfandel overall, noted our chef Janet Melac, not that food doesn’t go well but more so the ability to accurately meld flavors between the two is a bit more challenging with Zinfandels then its old-world counterparts. Certainly all things chocolate immediately come to mind, along with beef or BBQ pork, as well as something as simple as a quality cheddar with whole-wheat olive bread—all of which were mixed and matched as desired by our tasters.

What was clear to everyone by evenings end is that Zinfandel, like most grapes, comes in a wide range of flavors, from the jammy to the dark and hedonistic. Often other varieties are added in small portions, like Petite Sirah, therefore providing further differences. Regardless the reaction overall was spectacular and will provide further fuel for more Zin drinking in the near future. After all, January is considered Zinfandel month and I intend on staining my lips, teeth, tongue and possibly more on Saturday the 29th in San Francisco for ZAP’s gala tasting of several hundred of the wines that we know and love as Zinfandel.

Calfornia Cabernet Sauvignon, January 25, 2005

Cabernet Sauvignon is king in California, especially in places like the Napa Valley, yet its growing is attempted all over the state, from Southern California to the Sierra Foothills and amongst the quiet oak-studded rolling hills of Sonoma County. Our task at hand was to sample a variety of Cabernet from a variety of vintages, not more then one from a specific region or appellation.

Our tasting panel started in the south, specifically the Westside of Paso Robles, moved northward through Cienega Valley and Carmel Valley and into the Santa Cruz Mountains where we tried the 2000 Mount Eden Vineyards Estate Cabernet ($26.95) from the historic site where pioneers Paul Masson and Martin Ray got started some 100 years ago when California, as we know today, was still in its infancy. Continuing north, we passed through the Russian River Valley and then hopped over the Mayacamas Range into what some consider the centroid of California Cabernet Sauvignon, the Napa Valley. Our final tasting region was eastward in gold country, that of the Sierra Nevada Mountain foothills and Amador County.

Jacques decided to put a little different spin on our usual best of show run-down at the end of the evening; how about a worst of show competition instead? Going down the lineup the overwhelming vote for our worst of show was the 1998 Thunder Mountain. Miller Vineyard ‘Docs’ Cienega Valley Cabernet ($54.95). The Cienega Valley is in San Benito County south of San Jose and east of the Monterey Bay. For a variety of reasons this wine was just not pouring well, nor was it representing what a great California Cabernet can be. Nonetheless, this sort of thing happens all the time, as most of you must realize. The efforts of the grape growing and/or winemaker, along with a variety of other variables—the weather in 1998, the final blending and make-up of the wine, the way it was stored and shipped, even the amount of time we allowed the wine to ‘breath’ prior to serving—all of these things are going to influence the final judgment on your palate.

What about the good ones? High on the list of preferences came two wines, the 2000 Hartwell Estate ‘Mistique’($49.95) from Stags Leap, paired with an absolutely amazing Moroccan lamb stew with dry cherries; secondly, for best of show, was the 2000 Nickel & Nickel Vogt Vineyard ($74.95) from Howell Mountain (both winners came out of Napa Valley, coincidence—I think not). The Nickel & Nickel wine got matched up with a grilled New York steak-new potato-horseradish crème frâche tidbit that perfectly accentuated the plush, dark berry, earth and black pepper components that the Vogt Vineyard transpired into the wine, a stark contrast to the more fruit forwardness and creamy texture tasted in the Hartwell Estate Cabernet.

The grape acreage and tons crushed in California (Cabernet leads the red grape pack with over 396,000 tons crushed in 2003) can fluctuate on an annual basis, something akin to the stock market. Varieties of grapes come into vogue and then become passé, yet for over a hundred years winemakers have attempted to emulate the classics that have been produced in places like the Bordeaux region of France. With that said it appears that despite rising prices, over speculation and a huge amount of other varietal imports, Cabernet as a wine by itself, within a blend (meritage) and oh so capable of some age in a cellar, seems to have its following and a permanent seat on the throne. This is what a majority of wine savvy folks think of as one of the best and the noblest wines in the world. Even more so, the producers of California Cabernet, wherever they may be, have etched a place in the world wine scene as top-notch makers, perhaps capable of superseding on a continuous basis their counterparts in Bordeaux. The only way to know is to drink and see.

Tour of New Zealand, February 1, 2005

The merry-go-round tour of wines and vines that are featured every week as part of Rancho Cellars Tuesday night tasting events found its way to the most easterly and southerly wine producing region in the southern hemisphere. New Zealand’s grape growing and winemaking past is relatively short, yet the consistent quality that streams from its exports is profound. In just under 30 years avid growers and winemakers have turned regions throughout the North and South Island into classic wine country portraits, with the wines themselves earning world-class recognition, particularly for cool climate centric varieties like Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc.

However, like most other areas making wine, latitude and climate don’t always follow the textbook notions that we prescribe. In smaller micro-climates and with creative grapevine trellising and vineyard landform management, warmer weather grapes like Syrah, Merlot and even Zinfandel are finding a home in the ground and amongst barrels in the cellar. Even the often looked down upon Pinotage, a crossing of Pinot Noir and Cinsault created in South Africa circa 1929, has found a place, added as a blend with Merlot or Pinot Noir.

New Zealanders have a lot going for them when it comes to the beauty and spaciousness of the land, a small, highly educated and hard working populace and a willingness to create wines in some aspects of the classics, but more so to cement a notion of New Zealand wine being just that—New Zealand, unique in style and character, nothing more.

Our best of show for the evening was a separate match-up of the white and red wines, with an exclusion of wine number eight, a luscious dessert wine from Konrad—the 2002 Noble Late Harvest Riesling ($30.75) laced with botrytis, that lovely noble mold granting so much aroma and flavor with every sip—dipped in freshly made almond madeleines (the cookie, not the girl).

It wasn’t much surprise that a Sauvignon Blanc, the 2003 Konrad ($16.75) walked away the winner for our best of show white wine. Paired with the irresistible and perennially requested gougeres cheese puffs, the wine was not overly laden with grass or gooseberry notes, more-so it was rich and subtle in the typical aforementioned descriptors and also provided a good amount of citrus qualities, all of which lingered on the palate.

For the reds an overwhelming number of hands shot up, even two from one person (cheater) for New Zealand’s other prime variety, Pinot Noir. The 2001 Mountford Pinot Noir ($41) from the Waipara region south of Marlborough was as good as any equivocally priced wine from Oregon or Burgundy. Offered with a mini-medallion of New York steak atop roasted new potatoes and finished with a horseradish crème fraiche dollop, this Pinot was medium to full-bodied and full of cherry, dark fruits and even a little cocoa powder note on the finish. A great example of what can be done with one of the worlds’ most finicky of grapes.

Overall, the wine from Southern Starz Inc., an importer that focuses on Australian, South African and New Zealand wines, were impressive and very well representative of the beauty that is becoming permanently etched in all our minds regarding the array of wines this faraway country exports by the boatload, literally.

Canada and Inniskillin Wines, February 8, 2005

Canada’s influence on the world’s wine scene reflects a result of conscientious producers who sought to dispel the legacy of inferior wine making along a vast stretch of land—British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley to the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia. The many stories that surround this source of success fall on a notion of learning what others had tried in the past when it came to very similar climate and landscape. Grape growing/winemaking has been attempted all over the world and with that in mind Canada’s leading producers learned from these preceding successful experiments, and mistakes, particularly when it came to cool-climate grape growing.

In regards to the wines of the Okanagan Valley, it is irrigation that has made successful grape growing possible—the likes of Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot, just to name a few, ripening with the proper viticulturist handler and producing wines often noted as being very classic in appearance, aroma and flavor.

In contrast, the Niagara Peninsula wine-growing region, source for most of Inniskillin’s exotic and hedonistic Icewines, has more of a continental climate, similar to Burgundy, instead of being so heavily influenced by maritime weather and seasonal phenomena like its neighbor far to the west. The Great Lakes, like Lake Ontario, and the varying strata of surrounding soils provide ideal conditions for cool climate varietals like Riesling and Chardonnay, and even in small microclimate zones red grapes, like Cabernet Franc, can thrive.

The Icewines themselves are created under very specific conditions supported by Canada’s Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA), stating that once the equilibrium of acidity and sugar is met in the grape and temperatures reach -10º C, the grapes need to have reached a Brix level (the measured level of sugar in the grape) of 34 degrees, at a minimum, to be called Icewine. However, Inniskillin trumps these requirements and does not make Icewine until its grapes reach 37 or 38 Brix. Hence, once the frozen grapes are crushed and processed the superiority of these Icewines to that of Germany or Austria can be paramount.

The best of show soiree was split between the first three Canadian wines we tried from producers Jackson-Triggs and Osoyoos Larose, with the latter half of the voting set amongst the sweet wines of Inniskillin. The overwhelming favorite in the first set was our very first wine in the line-up, the 2003 Jackson-Triggs Sauvignon Blanc Grand Reserve ($18.50) hailing from the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia. A full-bodied wine that was lively with traces of citrus, mineral and a dap of gooseberry—classic Sauvignon Blanc flavors. Paired with grilled shrimp and spicy aioli on crustini, the reaction from our audience was a revelation in what a great start the evening had taken.

The Icewines of Inniskillin are something unmatched in relation to all other wines produced, not to mention the fact that our tasting audience was forced to endure five different sweet concoctions in a row. The best of show for these very limited production wines was the 2002 Oak Aged Gold Vidal ($77), a wine that smacks you in the face with its intense flavor and sweetness. Paired with a stilton cheese interlaid with dried apricots the mouth feel was one of absolute heaven! A close second runner-up was the 2002 Cabernet Franc ($90), that’s right—an Icewine made from a red grape. This has got to be one of the most unusually grand wines many of us had ever tried, expressing itself with cherry, mint, oak and strawberry notes—which we eagerly washed down with golf ball sized chocolate dipped strawberries, a spectacular marriage of flavor and texture.

In summation, the Canadian non-dessert wines are something to consider, particularly when price and quality and put into perspective. As the vineyards mature and greater investment is put into the vinification and marketing of these wines there is no doubt they will become less and less an unknown part of the variable wine world. The Icewines have to be some of the best grape creations to ever grace a glass, absolutely stunning and very unique. Remember, Valentine’s Day is this Monday and what better a gift then something as sweet as your sweetie to cap the timeless tradition of love and humble regard that the day beseech.

Santa Cruz Mountains - Varner Wines & Storrs Winery, February 15, 2005

Heading north from Carmel and up into the vast stretches of the Santa Cruz Mountains our touring destination was for the evening. Two family owned and operated vinification operations were featured—Varner Wines of Portola Valley in the northeasterly quadrant of this AVA (American Viticultural Area) within San Mateo County, and Storrs Winery, based in the ‘surf city’ that is Santa Cruz on the northern shores of the Monterey Bay and its cool Pacific waters.

Varner’s annual case production is a fifth to that of Storrs, around 3000 cases, yet both wineries have a similar notion that the location of the fruit source and the quality of that fruit is the first and foremost aspect towards creating superior wine. Since their first release in 1983, Bob and brother Jim, have focused solely on creating terroir representative Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from their small vineyard. Bob hovers near lunacy (we like these kind of winemakers), being meticulous in how grapes are harvested—small yellow tubs, about 350 which must be cleaned with every single load of grapes that get plucked and carted off to the cellar—and a style of winemaking that is extremely noninterventionist. Native, wild yeasts are allowed to feast off the sugars, a variety of French oak barrels are used and the bottled wines are held back a little longer prior to public release to insure the wine has had enough initial bottle maturity before eager corkscrews go poking in its direction.

Terry Pershall has been with the Storrs Winery for several years, with an extended tour of duty in the food and restaurant business prior. He was quick and remarkably adept in pairing Janet Melac’s foods perfectly with the four Storrs wines that were offered and conveyed the philosophy of husband and wife team, Steve and Pam Storrs, winemaking style—a fruit driven effort encapsulating nearly 18 different varietals, creating a wide portfolio of wines that I would categorize as accurately representative of what they should be, the Grenache tasted like Grenache—what a concept, as well as being very easy-drinking. The Storrs have taken on a vineyard in Corralitos just south of Santa Cruz and soon will be offering estate wines in addition to the fruit they source from Santa Cruz, Monterey and Santa Clara counties.

Our best of show was split between the two wineries, with votes for the Varner wines narrowing granting a win to the 2002 Chardonnay from the Amphitheater Block ($30), a small two-acre patch of vineyard that was planted in 1981 with terrain reminiscent of, you guessed it, a bowl shaped amphitheater. Paired with Janet’s always requested and oh-so-famous gougere cheese puffs, the wine was rich with copious amounts of tropical fruits, some oak (50% new French was used) and lively acidity.

Amongst the four Storrs wines tasted, it was the 2002 Zinfandel ($32) from the Lion Oaks Ranch that took the award for best of show. Cumin spiced grilled pork loin with cheddar and salsa accruements, all piled between a sandwich roll, added to the complexity and depth that this slurpable wine offered in the glass. Lots of blackberry jam, vibrant acidity, minerals and a good amount of oak derived notes (they used a combo of 70% American and 30% French) gave this wine the spotlight it deserved.

Many of us in the industry, be it retail or winemaker, believe the future of wine as we know it has become bifurcated and is perhaps screaming towards two extremes; with massive holdings, production scale, marketing blitz and product saturation occurring on one end—perhaps in sacrifice of quality; while on the other hand an artisan approach predicated by committed patience, hands-on interaction and a focus on quality not quantity lay in existence, all the while just waiting to be discovered. The latter certainly conjures the notion of ‘old-world’ stylistic creationism, a firm conviction that if the wine isn’t good enough it will never be released. Unfortunately, the scale of economics quite often becomes the binding factor, consequently it must remain in the integrity of producers like Bob Varner and the Storrs to retain this quality approach and ourselves, as consumers, to choose these wines rather then those that are offered at the local bargain bin for far less dollars than they could conceivably be profitably created. Our spending and consuming habits will be the ultimate bellwether.

Oregon Pinot Noir - February 22, 2005

Many of us have absolute favorites when it comes to wines, either a specific grape or blend, or perhaps that one geographic spot on the globe that just seems to make your knees weak at the thought of tasting a complete line-up of the savory grape juice. This would be the case, for me, during our last Tuesday night tasting at Rancho Cellars—Oregon Pinot Noir!!! Yes, just like the character Miles from the recent hit movie Sideways, I too have a love for the silky and the sensual—for the soft and often terroir driven and if Cabernet Sauvignon is classed as a more masculine wine, Pinot Noir most definitely takes on a feminine reflection.

Oregon’s Willamette Valley is still in its infancy when it comes to vineyards and winemaking if compared to many other hot spots for wines and vines. However, a recent string of fabulous vintages, along with a very driven wine-orientated populace, has pushed this large AVA (American Viticultural Area) to the forefront when it comes to cool-climate varieties, most notably Pinot Noir.

The 2002 vintage specifically is being considered one of the best of all times and fortunate for our people-packed tasting room we had Tom Elliot from Northwest Wines Ltd. able to field the questions and offer a great perspective on everything that is Oregon wine country and the Pinot therein. Tom has a portfolio of dozens of top-notch Oregon producers allowing myself the hardship of picking out 8 different wines for our sold-out show.

We ran the gauntlet from simple and satisfying with value in mind (’02 Andrew Rich Cuvée B $17.25), to the higher-end as-good-as-it-gets Penner-Ash ($42) or Lange Winery Three Hills Cuvée ($43), showing off bigger notes of dark cherry fruit and earth appeal, qualities that many Willamette Valley Pinots share. In actuality all of the wines hailed from the Oregon’s principal winemaking region with the exception that the 2002 Daedalus Cellars Labyrinth Pinot ($38) chose not to designate ‘Willamette Valley’ as the sourced AVA. That being said, the legal constraints, imposed by the growers/winemakers themselves, are some of the most stringent in the country, more so than that of the Federal guidelines. For example, with the only exception being red Bordeaux varietals, a wine labeled Pinot Noir must contain 95% Pinot Noir instead of the Federal requirement that 75% of the juice be that of the variety labeled.

The best of show, not including the opening and palate refreshing 2003 Willamette Valley Raptor Ridge Pinot Gris ($16), amongst all the Pinot tasted was by far the 2001 Domaine Serene Evenstad Reserve ($47). This wine has been making headlines by pinot-oenophiles for many months and has been a running favorite of mine for just as long. While not from the ’02 vintage I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to share with others the magic of this wine, thus I was redeemed for my divergence by the wines stake as our favorite of the night.

Coming in at a not too distant second was the 2002 Shea Wine Cellars Estate Pinot ($35). The Shea and all our wines were matched up with a selection of fine cheeses allowing our tasting panel to experiment with scrumptious St. Agur blue cheese or Italian Ubriaco. In many instances the more pungent cheese, like the St. Agur, paired beautifully with the full-bodied and mineral toned wines that were prolifically poured glass by glass.

The evening end came sooner then we knew, despite our 2-hour indulgence of 9 different wines and for many it was off to the front desk to grab what bottles they could knowing full well the wines would probably not last long once home. I believe that 2002 will be a year to savor over the next decade and already a trickle of 2003 vintage wines are arriving—another good year, but overall a smaller harvest and more limited in availability. If I have any say in the matter, which I do, I think our wine bar will be returning to the Willamette Valley in the not to distant future so ready your reservations.

Tour of the Southern Rhone - March 1, 2005

The south of France boast one of the oldest and most diverse regions for grape growing and winemaking, with a resurgence in recent years towards refinement and elegance, as well as experimentation for a thirsty world. Our tour was led by in-house sales guru Adam and Bill Elbring from North Berkeley Imports, with extensive information between the two gents passed our way during the two-hour session.

This part of France has a lot of similarities to California in both climate and topography, capable of growing a plethora of fruits and vegetables, and where that’s not possible the grapes take captive the land and dig in deep, literally.

Out best of show dance was split between the first two wines tasted, a white and rosé, and then the latter five, with wine number eight outright winning in its own category—a succulent sweet, apricot marmalade toned dessert wine made from Muscat D’Alexandrie from Mas Amiel called ‘Plentitude’ ($31.50).

Votes went for the 2003 Eric Texier Sablet Rosé of Clairrette ($24.75), providing an interesting aroma and mouthfeel, starkly different actually, with the nose reminiscent of wild strawberry, rhubarb and raw almonds; whereas on the palate a lighter fruit essence was noted with a crisp finish and a bit of a steely aspect. Clairrette itself is generally used as a blending component in the Southern Rhône, yet on its own this example paired very well with the roasted sweet pepper-leek-tomato-olive pizza done up by our chef, solidifying that salty foods pair wonderfully with this wine.

Onto the five red wines, a wide array of grapes and styles providing the audience with a fantastic look at the diversity that exist within this ancient wine region. Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah and even Merlot (yes, this was a challenge for everyone attempting to guess the varietal in glass—the least of what anyone thought was a Merlot from the Rhône, yet it was a fairly good wine overall especially for the $12 price tag-2003 Domaine de la Milliere Vin du Pays Vaucluse). Ultimately the 2001 Chateau de Pibarnon Bandol ($45) from Provence came out the winner. Yes, while not technically in the Southern Rhône, the landscape, grapes and style of winemaking are very similar to its neighbor. Pibarnon is often considered the Chateau Latour (of Bordeaux) of this region, producing some of the very best wines in France outright. 100 year-old Mouvredre vines, with a dap of Grenache, put forth a sweet blueberry nose with a touch of herbaceousness. In the mouth dark fruits, tobacco and ripe rich tannins suggest youth with very high potential for aging. In fact, most vintages of this wine should be laid to rest for 10-15 years before being allowed to escape from its chamber. Matched up with a hunk of Morbier cheese our tasting panel was thoroughly mesmerized.

While 2002 was considered one of the worst vintages of recent memory due to devastating storms, the new 2003 wines, along with 2001 and prior, were showing wonderfully overall, further achieving the mark that has made the grapes themselves so vastly popular around the world’s wine regions. It is no wonder organizations like the US Rhône Rangers continue to gain membership from wineries and patrons alike. If you’re still not convinced that American versions of the 22 (or 23 depending on whom you ask) approved red/white varieties are worthy of your glass check out the super tasting of over 150 wineries at Fort Mason in San Francisco on March 19th. More info is available at www.rhonerangers.org.

Washington State Wines - March 8, 2005

Eastern Washington State and its federally designated appellations; Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley, Walla Walla and Red Mountain, offer the consumer some of the greatest vineyards for Bordeaux and Rhône varietals, particularly red wines, all found within this relatively dry and arid landscape.

Protected from the pounding storms of the Pacific Northwest by the Cascade Mountain Range (14,500 feet), the leeward stationed vines benefit from irrigation via the Columbia River and its tributaries and also the wide swing in temperatures, warm days, cooler nights, that can occur throughout the year in relation to the state’s northerly latitude. The biggest threat for most growers, on occasion, are precisely these fluctuations, most notably the ‘winter killers’, sporadic frosts that can drum down temperatures well into the negative degrees Fahrenheit.

Similar to other regions on the globe, investment into vineyards and winery facilities is a mixer of grass-roots, garage-style winemaking on one end, towards heavy investment from noted and established producers on the other, like the collaboration between Chateau St. Michelle and Marchesi Antinori of Italy, to produce the Col Solare Red Table wine from the Columbia Valley ($69.95). This particular partnership—with nature, a dialogue between land and imagination, terroir and technology in mind, comes from a passion found in winemakers everywhere and the result in the glass is nothing but spectacular. In our instance of tasting the ’97 Col Solare, notes of a red-fruited and a meaty wine with layers of complexity came to mind, actually very ‘Italian’ in style (the wine is about 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 3% Syrah). Paired with smoked apple chicken sausage with grilled onion vinaigrette and white beans, again, very ‘Italian’ in style—Yummy!

The best of show at the end of the night went to the 2002 DeLille Cellars Chaleur Estate Sauvignon Blanc ($35.95) paired with roasted salmon on cucumber with lemon dill crème frâiche. The wine was very full-bodied and loaded with buttery and oaked notes, almost more reminiscent of a Chardonnay than Sauvignon Blanc.

For the six red wines tasted, the 1998 Reininger Cabernet Sauvignon from Walla Walla ($35.95) was narrowly surmounted by the 1999 Andrew Will Sheridan Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ($54.95), paired with a tri-tip sandwich adorned with salsa and spinach. This Cabernet spoke loudly of fruity blueberry, herbaceousness and a touch of jam in the nose with a very dark and dense appearance in the glass. Soft and well-balanced in the mouth, flavors of red fruits, subtle oak with tame tannins and strong acids make the wine a candidate for another 3-5 years of aging potential at a minimum.

One particular distinctive note within our evening’s conversation was the perception of Washington State wines abroad. With few exceptions, most wineries have yet to break the market beyond the west coast, yet concepts like the Washington State Wine Commission (WWC) [www.washingtonwine.org] are helping promote the regions uniqueness and image as a creator of high-end Bordeaux-style wines. For the future, look for a greater amount of Rhône and Italian varietals to begin making their way into bottle as the regions growers experiment further and see current plantings mature towards higher fruition.

Tour of South Africa - March 15, 2005

The oenophile patrons of Rancho Cellars were very fortunate to have a man who had just returned from South Africa and saw first hand how this once underappreciated wine growing region is quickly surpassing others in its scale of production and the quality of wines produced. More importantly, it is American consumers that South Africans are really pushing product towards as we have become the sought after end-point of exports versus other countries—that’s the kind of attention I personally like!

Our man of the hour, two hours actually, was Scott Thomasen from Epic Wines, having just spend the long journey to that southerly hemispheric wine region; speaking with producers, visiting the vines and the goats in 115º weather (can you conjure the smell-Scott did and he says it wasn’t a highlight), remember it’s summer down there, and yes I said goats because wine number five of the evening was the 2003 Goats do Roam ‘Goat-Rotí’ ($18.00), a great easy-drinking blend of Shiraz, Mourvèdre and 3% Viognier. This wine is an absolute quaffer with bright fruit flavors and even a little brown sugar tinge in the nose. Goat-Rotí is a phun against France’s Rhône Valley and apparently areas in South Africa also make superb goat cheese. What, did you think they made wine out of goats?!? Neither did I, so lets move on to the best of show.

Our best of show was first a battle amongst the white wines shown, Viognier, Chardonnay and a Sauvignon Blanc. The clear winner by a whopping 18 votes was the 2003 Fairview Viognier ($21) from the Coastal Region and the District of Paarl. Viognier is a recent addition to the South Africa wine scene and the wine produced by Fairview has an accolade to be one of the best in the world, a good candidate for a nod of best of show don’t you think. Lots of stone fruit aroma and flavors with balance in acidity, but vibrant enough to cut through foods like a brie and leek tart pizza, conveniently paired from the hands of Chef Janet.

Just as our choice of white wines had a clear and decisive winner, no hanging chads here, our outright red-wine-winner was the 2002 Boekenhoutskloof Syrah ($49.50). This full-bodied Syrah has a massive amount of brambleberry, spicy fruit and soft chewy tannins to greet the eager drinker. The soft vanillin touch to the wine is the most oak-worthy note within as the winemaker specifically chooses 2 or 3 year old barrels to reduce any overwhelming aspects derived from the wood. Paired with a tooth picked garlic-basil sausage with salt-roasted potato, roasted red pepper and fresh basil leaf (breath) the reaction was one of shear delight.

Overall, South Africa has made dramatic changes in the last 10 years, abandoning the KWV cooperative, somewhat of a regulatory body, and designing a tiered breakdown of grape origin, Region-District-Ward-Estate, similar to the U.S. AVA (American Viticulture Area) as an example. And yes, Pinotage is still in play, that crossing of Pinot Noir and Cinsault seeking to embody itself as uniquely South African, and we tried a great example (2002 Fairview Primo Pinotage $30) that appeared to tout itself in-glass as exactly what it should be, great wine!

At the very least South Africa is a spectacular place to visit (Scott’s first words home to his wife were ‘let’s move’, so far he’s been denied). With a look and feel that is somewhat Californian, although the sun hangs at a different angle in the sky, the wines streaming their way across the Atlantic will certainly continue to find space on our racks and a comfortable home in my belly.