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Clos Pepe: California Wines With a French Accent

March 13, 2012 in Industry Insider-Only Wine Events, Sta. Rita Hills AVA | 2 comments

photo courtesy of BottleBranding.com

I am a glass half-full (of wine) person. I count my blessings and don’t take good fortune for granted. So, I was thrilled when the opportunity presented itself to take part in a private wine industry tasting at Clos Pepe led by winemaker Wes Hagen. Hagen is one half of the award-winning winemaking team (which is completed by his wife Chanda) at family-owned boutique winery Clos Pepe. They also produce beautiful wines under their Axis Mundi label. The picturesque estate is located behind a gate off of Highway 246 in the Sta. Rita Hills AVA.

Our group of wine industry friends from Sanguis, Bin 2860 and Bottle Branding (many thanks to the folks at Bottle Branding for allowing me use some of your photos for this post) met on a chilly morning in February near the edge of a block of Pinot Noir where Hagen gave us some background on Clos Pepe. It is a 40 acre sized property planted with 29 acres of grapevines. 25 are planted with Pinot Noir and 4 with Chardonnay. It produces about 900 cases of wine annually (800 Pinot Noir and 100 Chardonnay) and sells grapes to other wineries including Longoria, Brewer Clifton, Ken Brown Wines, Ojai Vineyard, Siduri, Babcock, Arcadian, Loring Wine Company and Testarossa. It also has 650 olive trees. The vineyard was planted in three phases in 1996, 1998 and 2005. 85% of the vineyard is organically farmed, which in case you were wondering, costs about three times as much as conventional farming. The vineyard’s dirt is primarily sandy loam. Historically speaking, the site where the vineyard is located was seafloor in the Miocene epoch, some 23,000,000 to 5,000,000 years ago. Hagen picked up some dirt and exposed some diatomaceous earth

diatomaceous earth - photo courtesy of BottleBranding.com

(i.e. fossilized remains of diatoms, or a particularly inspired Scrabble play off of the root word “diatom”) in order to illustrate this point.

Later on in our tour, Hagen pointed to a bunch of short, ottoman-sized critters in section of the vineyard. This was the official weed management crew at Clos Pepe – a flock of miniature sheep, Southdown Babydoll sheep to be exact. Hagen, who is an avid golfer, shared some trivia that the official grass height for golf greens is defined by the amount of grass left by the sheep who munched away at St. Andrews (the world renowned course in Scotland). Who knew that the original golf course community was inhabited by four-footed creatures covered in wool? Hagen, naturally. I have yet to find a subject that Hagen cannot discuss from a knowledgeable perspective; clearly he is an information junkie. I picture him awake in the quiet of night, reading, thinking and writing, bathed in the pale blue light of his laptop…or perhaps playing Xbox. I am certain the truth lay somewhere between the two. But, as usual, I digress. This comes as no surprise to our loyal Wine Nation Underdog readers.

photo courtesy of BottleBranding.com

After the walking tour of the vineyard, Hagen led our group of wine aficionados up to the estate house to taste some of the fruits of his labor. Though it was only 11am, we reassured ourselves that it was indeed, five o’clock somewhere. Hagen informed us that the wine lineup for today was ordered by richness and paired with some positively decadent cheeses and Clos Pepe estate olive oil. Did someone say “Breakfast of Champions”? I was scribbling notes as fast as I could…here is the recap:

2009 Clos Pepe Brut Rosé – made from Clos Pepe estate grown Pinot Noir grown in the Sta. Rita Hills AVA, only slightly pink in color, tiny bit cloudy from lees, crisp acidity, dry and perfectly delicious. This bottle is *the* perfect way to start a meal. Though this sparkler is worthy of a special occasion, I’d pop one on any day that ends in “y”. We all have so much to be thankful for – why not celebrate just for the heck of it?

Clos Pepe Chardonnay

2009 Clos Pepe Chardonnay “HtC – Homage to Chablis” – Chardonnay made in the style of Chablis, with Clos Pepe estate grown fruit in the Sta. Rita Hills AVA, this wine spent 11 months in 55 gallon stainless steel casks, 90 cases produced, aromas of kaffir lime and white grapefruit. This wine tasted unlike any California Chardonnay I’ve ever had – spare and elegant with more weight on the mid-palate than I expected, backed up with enticing minerality and acidity. This California Chardonnay speaks with a French accent, bien sûr, and I really, really like what it has to say.

2009 Clos Pepe Chardonnay – Barrel fermented, 420 cases produced, Clos Pepe estate grown fruit in the Sta. Rita Hills AVA, spent 11 months sur lie in neutral French oak barrels, lees stirred (bâtonnage en Francais), lovely creaminess in the mouth, Asian pear and green apple aromas, beautiful minerality and acidity.

2010 Axis Mundi Syrah (67% Grenache, 33% Syrah) – Based on the blend percentages, one would think this should be labeled a Grenache not Syrah…but perhaps this was a veiled test from Hagen to see who was reading the label with a keen eye? 2010 was a very cool year, the juice spent 10 days on skins, no enzymes added, nose of cranberry and pomegranate, 100% neutral French oak, 11 months in barrel. Hagen calls this a “session wine”, meaning it is meant to be drunk and enjoyed, but not discussed. We discussed it anyway…what a bunch of rebels we are, rebels with corkscrews. And speaking of sessions, this fab old (circa 1978) dub track from Burning Spear might be the perfect soundtrack for this wine. Wine goes quite wonderfully with dub, you know? Meanwhile, moving along to Pinot Noir.

2008 Clos Pepe Pinot Noir – Sta. Rita Hills AVA, the vineyard was hit by frost three times in ’08 so the yield was very small (only about 25% of the normal yield), fruit didn’t come until late April so roughly 6 weeks of fruit hangtime was lost, nose of black cherry and baking spices, good minerality, 221 cases produced.

2009 Clos Pepe Pinot Noir – Sta. Rita Hills AVA, 72 cases produced, long cool growing season, nose and flavors of bright red fruits with hints of clove. Hagen called 2009 a “winemaker-friendly” vintage – as the weather was mild and presented no real challenges. This wine will age beautifully and will gain complexity doing so, but carpe diem people can happily drink this now.

2010 Clos Pepe Pinot Noir – Sta. Rita Hills AVA, 2010 season was cool until October when there was a heat spike. Beautiful almost heady aromatics with a satisfying mouth. 775 cases produced. Hagen says this vintage is “slutty” but I think it is a Clos Pepe wine that “goes to eleven”, which is a very good thing.

2008 Axis Mundi Syrah – 100% Syrah, fruit from Sleepy Hollow Vineyard in the Santa Lucia (pronounced Loo-see-ah) Highlands, 300 cases produced, nose of bright berry fruit and spice with a pleasing hint of Syrah-funk and olives. Superb food wine as it won’t take over your meal. Perfect to pair with garlic and rosemary roasted leg of lamb. Mmmmm!

Vines at Clos Pepe

Though Clos Pepe doesn’t have an official tasting room open to the public, but those who appreciate handcrafted wine with elegance, grace and balance can purchase from the online store here. You can also fine Clos Pepe wine in a number of restaurants and markets in California including: Bouchon, American Flatbread, Los Olivos Cafe and Wine Merchant, Wally’s Wines, Bistro 45, Wade’s Wines, Mistral, Amazing Grapes, and The Plumed Horse.

Cheers!

Tags: Arcadian, Axis Mundi, Babcock, Bin 2860, BottleBranding.com, Brewer Clifton, Chardonnay, clos pepe, Grenache, ken brown wines, longoria, loring wine company, Ojai Vineyard, Pinot Noir, sanguis, Siduri, Sta. Rita Hills AVA, Syrah, Testarossa

Vintage 2011 – Syrah Harvest

October 29, 2011 in Lompoc, Uncategorized, Vintage 2011, Wine Tasting Adventures | 2 comments

Bob Lindquist and Jason

As regular readers of Wine Nation Underdog know, my husband and I have been preparing to make wine, so we’ve been eagerly awaiting the day our grapes are harvested. Back near the end of September we toured the Sawyer Lindquist Vineyard. We tasted Syrah grapes from all over the vineyard and tried to decide which blocks’ fruit we wanted in our order. Since this was our first time actually choosing and purchasing grapes, we were thrilled to have renowned winemaker Bob Lindquist there to offer his guidance.

Bob Lindquist sampling Syrah grapes

As we walked through the vineyard, we tasted Syrah clones including Estrella, 174, 383, 877 and UCD-01 from various blocks. It was amazing to me that there were such distinct taste differences between the clones. The Estrella had hints of coffee and black pepper. The 174 had notes of black plum and dark berries. After sampling many grapes, we decided that our order would be made up of three clones: Estrella, 174 and UCD-01. No one is sure when the grapes will be ready to pick, so I try (and fail) at being patient. Weeks pass …

freshly picked Syrah fruit from Sawyer Lindquist Vineyard

Our freshly picked Sawyer Lindquist Vineyard Syrah

I’ve noticed that all plans during harvest seem to change dramatically. We had everything all lined up for our Côte Rôtie inspired red wine. We thought that the Syrah fruit was going to be picked the week before, but it wasn’t quite ripe enough, so we postponed for another week. We’d also made arrangements to pick up Viognier skins and stems from Peter Work of Ampelos (thank you Peter) last week. Since we changed the pick date, the plan had to change again. Thankfully, Peter had more Viognier from Wezlau (formerly named Vigna Cesarina – located between Seasmoke and Mount Carmel vineyards) coming in the following Monday which coincided with our pick date.

Picking day finally arrives and the alarm goes off at 5:00am. It is still dark, and Jason and I are groggy but we grab a quick breakfast and head over to the Lompoc Wine Ghetto to borrow the Jalama Wines truck (thank you Mark Cargasacchi!) so that we can go pick up our freshly picked Syrah grapes at Sawyer Lindquist Vineyard. The sun comes up as we drive towards San Luis Obispo. We arrive at 7am and find out from Bob Lindquist that the pickers are working on our order (which included three different clones from three different blocks: Estrella from block 4, UCD-01 from block 3 and 174 from block 1 ), so the bins aren’t quite ready yet. High quality wine grapes are harvested by hand. When the grapes are picked they are placed into bins that are lugged by hand getting heavier and heavier with each added cluster. Pickers work in the early morning hours when it is cold and damp and often fend off yellowjackets and bees. They work incredibly hard! Many thanks to the crew who picked our fruit!

weighing the grapes

Once our order is completely picked, it gets weighed and then loaded by forklift onto the truck. Though we only planned to get a half a ton (1000 pounds) we ended up with 1401 pounds. Even now, after the grapes are picked, the plan keeps changing! We have one barrel set aside for the Syrah, so we’ll need to figure out what to do with the juice from the additional 401 pounds of Syrah. The plan keeps changing! We arrive at Jalama Wines and Mark unloads the grapes by forklift. We have plans to have the grapes destemmed at 10:00am…but the schedule for the destemmer changes (of course) so we end up waiting a few hours so we hang around Jalama Wines and try to make ourselves useful. Once we get the fruit destemmed (thank you Doug!) we take a sample bottle of the juice to take to the lab for analysis. We also check the brix using a hydrometer. Next we make a few additions: SO2 to prevent spoilage, Opti-Red (an inactivated dry yeast that improves color and adds body and mouthfeel) and Lafase He Grand Cru (an enzyme preparation that increases the extraction of stable phenolic compounds). We are hoping that the grapes and the winery have enough wild yeast in order to have a native fermentation take place. If that doesn’t happen, we’ll go ahead and inoculate the grape must with yeast..but I’m really hoping we don’t have to do that.

Mixing the additions into the destemmed fruit

Since we ended up with extra Syrah fruit, we’ve decided to drain off some of the juice in order to make a rosé. I pop over to Home Depot to buy some plastic carboys to hold the juice for a short time until we figure out a long term plan for the rosé . After we drain some of the juice (this process is called saignée in France) into the carboys we jump back into the truck and head over to Ampelos to pick up Viognier skins and stems that we’re going to add to our destemmed Syrah for the cold soak. We arrive and Peter and his guys are working but the Viognier isn’t ready yet. So, we head back over to Jalama, pick up our wine sample and head to Santa Maria to drop it off at Vinquery. We also take the bins with us and drop these off at Qupé / Au Bon Climat winery in Santa Maria. We also stop at a welding supply store to pick up dry ice which we’ll add to the destemmed fruit in order to bring down the temperature and prolong the cold soak which we hope will yield deeper color and more aromatics.

punching down the dry ice

Next, we head back over to Ampelos where they are done pressing the Viognier, so we pick up the skins and stems. Once we reach Jalama (who knew winemaking involved so much driving?) we add the skins and stems to our bin of destemmed Syrah. Jason adds 100 pounds of dry ice to the grapes which makes the whole bin look like some strange witch’s brew. We’ll be back tomorrow to do punchdowns in the morning, afternoon and the evening. Even though fermentation hasn’t even started, I am already anxious to taste the finishes wine…which won’t be for at least two years…perhaps I will learn patience from winemaking?

Tags: ampelos, bob lindquist, central coast wine, Edna Valley AVA, harvest 2011, jalama wines, lompoc wine ghetto, Qupe, sawyer lindquist vineyard, Syrah, vintage 2011, winemaking

Barreling Down the Road

October 6, 2011 in Uncorked Musings, Vintage 2011, Wine Tasting Adventures | 3 comments

At the tail end of August, Jason (my intrepid partner in winemaking and life) and I left sunny Santa Barbara county and drove up to Northern California (St. Helena to be exact) in order to pick up a few slightly used French oak barrels. [NOTE: We are making a barrel of Syrah this year with biodynamically-grown fruit from the Sawyer Lindquist Vineyard in the Edna Valley AVA in San Luis Obispo. We are also hoping to acquire some Petite Sirah from a vineyard that shall remain secret for now, however due to this year's low yields we may not be so fortunate. We will know in a few weeks...cross your fingers.] It seemed a bit odd to me that we needed to drive hours and hours to locate good, clean, slightly used French oak barrels, but it turns out that here in Santa Barbara county, winemakers tend to use their barrels year after year whereas in the Napa/Sonoma area the barrels are often used once and then sold off. In Santa Barbara winemakers often use neutral barrels (barrels that have been used for at least four or five years) which impart very little oak influence to the wine. This allows the fruit to take center stage and works quite well with many of the varietals that are grown in Santa Barbara county including Syrah and especially Pinot Noir. Other winemakers will use some neutral barrels and a few new ones in order to create more complexity in the final blend of wine. In the Napa/Sonoma area where a great deal of Cabernet Sauvignon is produced, many of the renowned and in-demand wines are produced using 100% new French oak barrels. The intensity of Cabernet Sauvignon works well with new oak and the characteristics it imparts to the wine. All in all, Jason and I were thrilled to *not* be paying for brand new barrels as they cost $1000 or more. We paid a small fraction of that and walked away the happy owners of two gently used French oak barrels. I was especially happy that both barrels fit nicely in the back of the Explorer with our luggage.

The person who so generously sold us barrels is none other than Randy Hester, the cellarmaster of Realm Cellars in St. Helena. Not only does he have a hand in helping to make some beautiful, extremely hard to get wines (there is a waiting list, sigh), he is also an all-around good guy. Randy graciously took us on a tour of the beautiful caves and winemaking facilities they use at Chateau Boswell. Realm’s focus is making wines utilizing fruit from world renowned vineyards in the area including the famed To Kalon, Beckstoffer and Dr. Crane. Randy took us on a barrel sample tour of Cabernet Sauvignon made from these three vineyards. I was really excited to taste these because so many top wine producers (like Quintessa, Paul Hobbs, Provenance, Realm, Cain, Alpha Omega and Harlan Estate) create vineyard designate wines showcasing these vineyards. Though I didn’t take notes (I was there to pick up barrels after all) I thought that both the To Kalon and Beckstoffer were quite masculine and dense whereas the Dr. Crane seemed more feminine with some notes of violets. Of the three, the Dr. Crane was my favorite, though if I was eating a steak, I might choose the To Kalon or the Beckstoffer. Sadly these wines won’t be released for quite some time…and there is that pesky waiting list for Realm’s wines. I will have to be patient…this has never been my strong suit. Perhaps making a 2011 vintage will teach me patience? After all the wine is going to be sitting in barrel for at least 20 months and probably closer to 24 months. At least that gives us some time to think of a good name for our winery…even though the wines are just for friends and family we want it to have a clever name. If you have any great name ideas please let me know…if we choose a name you submitted you’ll score yourself some fabulous wine and Jason and I will take you out to dinner. Dang, Screaming Eagle is already taken…how about Shrieking Parrot?

Tags: bekcstoffer, Cabernet Sauvignon, dr. crane, french oak barrels, home winemaking, petite sirah, realm cellars, Santa Barbara County Wine, sawyer lindquist vineyard, st. helena, Syrah, to kalon, vintage 2011, wine tasting

Jalama Wines Dinner

August 30, 2011 in Lompoc, Wine Tasting Adventures | 3 comments

Jalama Wines is one of my favorite boutique wineries located in the so-called “Wine Ghetto” in Lompoc, California. The “Wine Ghetto” is an industrial park - literally a bunch of warehouses, most of which are leased out to wineries including Ampelos, Chien, Loring Wine Company, Stolpman, Longoria, New Vineland /Piedrasassi, Fiddlehead, La Vie, Palmina, Flying Goat, Samsara, and Zotovich. What the Ghetto lacks in curb appeal, it makes up for with some astoundingly beautiful wines – like those produced by Jalama.

Jalama’s wines were the centerpiece of a private dinner hosted by Winemaker/owner Mark Cargasacchi in the barrel room of his winery. He transformed his industrial wine production space into a fabulous dining room complete with special lighting, elegantly decorated tables, orchids and oriental rugs.

I knew I was in for a treat when Mark handed me a glass of Veuve Cliquot – Champagne is one of my most favorite vices! This was just the beginning of a fabulous evening that got better and better with each course of food paired with Jalama wine. Here is the menu of wine-paired courses and a few notes I managed to scribble down in between bites:

	Pan-seared scallop on baked sopprasatta salami with greens and grapeseed oil - Barrel sample of 2009 Jalama Giallo (Pinot Gris – fruit from the Cargasacchi/Jalama vineyard, 100% neutral French oak, 50 cases produced, white peach, honeysuckle, good minerality – a great summer food wine)
	Watermelon, grilled beet and jicama salad served in a butter lettuce leaf with wine vinaigrette - Barrel sample of 2010 Jalama Clementina (55% Riesling, 45% Sauvignon Blanc – 100%, 50 cases produced, gorgeous tropical fruit aromas, perfect balance of fruit and acid)
	Tomato and cream bisque with Parmesan crisp and creme fraiche - 2008 Joseph Blair Heartbreak Pinot Noir (22 months in 100% neutral French oak, beautiful Pinot Noir)
	Stuffed cremini mushrooms with three cheeses, pesto and roasted pine nuts - 2008 Jalama Pinot Noir (22 months in 100% new French oak, includes a number of Pinot Noir clones: Dijon 114, Dijon 115 and Mt. Eden, flavors of black cherry, raspberry with subtle barrel influence of vanilla)
	Filet mignon wrapped wtih proscuitto, dark cherry reduction, confetti mashed yams and new potatoes, honey-glazed carrots with house made orange marmalade and a touch of crushed red pepper -2007 Jalama El Capitan (47% Syrah, 30% Mourvedre, 23% Cabernet Sauvignon, flavors of blackberry, plum with beautifully integrated tannins and a lingering finish- fabulous!)
	Chocolate layered cake with dark chocolate dipped strawberries and chocolate bark. - 2007 Jalama Syrah, La Presa Vineyard (dark purple in the glass, aromas of dark fruit and baking spices, flavors of black cherry, plum with hints of clove, vanilla and nutmeg – a huge and beautiful wine)

I am not typically a dessert person as too often I find them sickeningly sweet. Imagine my surprise when I took a bite of what is *hands down* the best chocolate cake I’ve ever had! It was absolutely fabulous – rich and chocolatey but not overly sweet. I am only a little ashamed to admit that I actually brought some home and ate it for breakfast – *that* is how much I loved this cake!

The delicious meal was prepared and served by Catering by Lori Cordova‘s team. Lori has been catering for events, weddings and parties of 20-2000 since 1988. I highly recommend her services – every course was beautifully presented and tasted outstanding!

Here are a few more snapshots from this wonderfully decadent evening:

Yours truly, Pamela and Clinton Froelich

Yours truly, Pamela and Clinton Froehlich

Clinton serving Veuve Cliquot

Jalama Wines Winemaker Mark Cargasacchi

Albert & Pamela - appreciators of fine wine

Tags: ampelos, boutique wineries, chien, fiddlehead, Flying Goat, jalama, joseph blair, La vie, lompoc wine, longoria, loring wine company, new vineland, palmina, piedrasassi, Pinot Noir, samsara, Santa Barbara County Wine, small lot wines, stolpman, Syrah, wine and food pairing, wine dinner, wine ghetto, zotovich

Wine Class: Santa Barbara Wines vs. Wines of the World

March 19, 2011 in Los Olivos, Paso Robles | No comments

You’ll be hoping the teacher assigns homework when you attend this class at Los Olivos Cafe where you’ll compare and contrast how Santa Barbara wines compare to wines around the world. Taste Santa Barbara Chardonnay, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and other varietals next to the benchmark regions around the globe! Light appetizers and cheese will be served. Will Santa Barbara wines come out of top? Come see for yourself on March 24th at 6:30pm at Los Olivos Cafe 2879 Grand Avenue, Los Olivos, California. The class is taught by Los Olivos Cafe Wine Director, Jon McDaniel. Reserve your place in class via email: jon@buysantabarbarawine.com or phone 805.688.7265 ext. 203

Here is a sneak peak of one of the head-t0-head competitions: 2008 Broadside Margarita Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (only their 3rd vintage) vs. 2006 Ramey Cabernet Sauvignon (one of the top Cab producers in Napa). Who will win, the upstart, underdog from Paso or the refined label from Napa? You get to decide, but you know we’ll be rooting for the underdog!

Tags: broadside, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Jon McDaniel, Los Olivos, Los Olivos Cafe, ramey, Syrah, wine class

Grassini & Sanguis

November 22, 2010 in Uncorked Musings, Wine Tasting Adventures | No comments

Grassini and Sanguis winemaker Matthias Pippig (he talks with his hand alot)

A few days ago I brought a group of friends to Grassini Family Vineyard in the American Viticultural Area (AVA) called Happy Canyon. I tasted here in the summer and was very impressed with Grassini’s winemaker Matthias Pippig’s talents especially with his own label, Sanguis. My reasons for scheduling this visit were twofold. First, I wanted to see how the wines were evolving and secondly I wanted my friends to see the most beautiful winery in Santa Ynez Valley (in my humble opinion). After driving through the scenic Happy Canyon area, with its horse farms and vineyards, we arrived at the Grassini gate and rang the intercom. We were buzzed in and the gate opened to reveal gently sloping hills covered with grapevines with varying hues of autumn yellow leaves. Further on we passed a beautiful lake surrounded by reeds and water-loving plants of many types. After driving slowly so we could take in the beautiful vistas, we arrived at the winery. Though the winery was recently constructed, it looked as though it had been there for many years. It was built using reclaimed antique fir (circa the late 1800s), some of which was milled from timbers found in the Oregon River. We were greeted by assistant winemaker, Jessica Gasca, who took us on a tour of the facility, which is itself a work of well engineered art. It is solar powered and built such that the juice, must and wine are gravity fed (in lieu of using pumps) during the entire production process. Moving grape must and wine by gravity is a technique used for centuries that fell out of favor because of the convenience of pumps. Though the use of pumps is the norm, some winemakers and reviewers feel that the use of pumps can cause irreparable damage by introducing air and smashing berries and seeds in a way which can release unwanted off flavors.

The cave at Grassini Family Vineyard

Another time-honored method utilized at Grassini has to do with wine storage. During the construction of the facility, a cave was excavated at the site so that the wines could be stored in a place that stays cool and dark with steady relative humidity. After spending some time in the Grassini cave, I wanted to start digging one at my house.

The group tasting Grassini wines (that's me taking notes)

Our tour included a very comfortable family room with beautiful copper clad fireplace and dining room. There is also a large bedroom suite (with a great view of the vineyard) that wine club members can rent. We tasted a couple Grassini wines, both inaugural releases, while sitting at the dining room table. We started with the spectacular 2007 Grassini Sauvignon Blanc which aged for 17 months: 60% in stainless steel, 20% in new French oak and the remaining 20% in neutral French oak. With well integrated flavors of white flower, peach and pear this wine has extraordinary richness, an almost creamy mouthfeel, and a finish with hints of vanilla and caramel. Next we tasted the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon. Though a bit young, this wine already has beautifully integrated flavors of black currant, plum, cherry and a finish of chocolate. I really enjoyed this painstakingly crafted wine and I look forward to tasting it over the next four or five years as the tannins soften.

2008 Sanguis Ramshackle & Threadbare

Next Jessica took us downstairs to the main tasting area which has stunning view of the vineyard. The room was dominated by an enormous hand wrought table where we were seated to sample the Sanguis wines. Those familiar with Manfred Krankl’s coveted Sine Qua Non will notice an unmistakable similarity with Sanguis as both labels feature unique artwork by their respective winemakers. An observant wine taster in our group asked Pippig about this; Pippig cracked a smile and said that he and Krankl have been friends for years and that they share a passion for motorcycles. Small world eh? First up was the Sanguis 2008 Ramshackle & Threadbare, a heady white blend of 58% Roussane, 40% Malvasia Bianca and 2% Viognier with aromas of honeysuckle and orange blossom. Though very rich, the fruit and acidity are balanced. I’d serve this wine in warm summer months with Asian or Thai cuisine or seafood. When I tasted the wine I thought it would be fabulous with grilled thresher shark steaks in a spicy orange and ginger marinade.

We moved on to reds, beginning with the Sanguis 2007 Backseat Betty. This is a blend of 83% Syrah, 14% Grenache and 3% Viognier. Pippig, who’d taken a break from his tasks in the winery to greet us, commented that the Syrah and the Viognier were cofermented. He feels that this influences the texture in a positive way. Though it sounds counter intuitive (since Viognier is white), cofermentation helps to deepen the color and flavor of the Syrah. This exceptional wine with flavors of white pepper, blackberry and plum is a real pleasure to drink young, but I think a patient collector will be rewarded in 2014 or 2015 with greater complexity and character. I think that this wine will follow the same arc that I find with some Châteauneuf-du-Papes. They drink well young and then have a few sleepy years where they are best left undisturbed followed by a period of time when they’ve evolved into captivating, complex wines.

2006 Sanguis As the Crow Flies

Next up was the Sanguis 2006 As the Crow Flies, a classic Côte-Rôtie style blend of 97% Syrah and 3% Viognier with flavors of black cherry, blackberry, hints of smoke and herbs. I have to admit that I fall head over heels for great Côte-Rôtie style wines and their oddly pleasurable combination of floral and meaty, bacon-y aromas. I purchased some this beautiful wine on my last visit, so it was especially interesting to taste how well it is evolving. I don’t plan on opening any of these bottles in my collection until sometime between 2013 and 2015.

Lastly we tasted the Sanguis 2007 Devil in the Deep Blue Sea a blend of Syrah, Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon. Though this is a brand new release, this wine is drinking beautifully now with dominant flavors of black and red fruits and hints of mocha and bittersweet chocolate. I’d be willing to bet that this wine will evolve beautifully over the next few years. If you have the patience, I’d recommend opening at least one bottle of this gorgeous wine every year beginning in 2012.

The exceptional wines we tasted from Grassini and Sanguis are the product of impeccable winegrowing practices and the beautiful marriage of art and chemistry in the winery. Trust me, just go there. You’ll thank me later. Don’t forget to call a week or so ahead to make an appointment (888-686-3086). And when you get there, let Jessica and Matthias know that Anne from Wine Nation Underdog says “hi and keep up the fabulous work”.

Tags: As the Crow Flies, Backseat Betty, Cabernet Sauvignon, Château de Beaucastel, Châteauneuf-du-Papes, Côte-Rôtie, Devil in the Deep Blue Sea, Domaine de Vieux Télégraphe, grassini, Grenache, happy canyon AVA, malvasia bianca, Manfred Krankl, Matthias Pippig, Ramshackle & Threadbare, Roussanne, sanguis, Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez Valley, Sauvignon Blanc, Sine Qua Non, Syrah, Viognier

Last Chance to Get Some Beauties from Ken Brown

October 25, 2010 in Wine News | No comments

I got some news from Deb over at Ken Brown that some of my favorite wines are running really low in terms of inventory. There are only 12 cases (out of only 140) of the 2007 Cargasacchi Pinot Noir (Sta. Rita AVA) left. I’ll be the first one to admit that most Pinot Noirs leave me wishing I was drinking a wine with a bit more oomph. I am always on the lookout for what I call a “velvet hammer” which is a balanced Pinot Noir with deep, multi-layered flavors that make a smooth progression over my entire palate, with a long finish. I rarely find these types of uber-satisfying Pinots, but Ken Brown’s 2007 Cargasacchi is a lovely velvet hammer, indeed. The flavor profile is distinctly black cherry with baking spices and some earthiness. Here are the stats for the wine geeks out there (you know who you are): Alcohol 14.6%, pH 3.65, 100% Pinot Noir -clone 115 on 3309 rootstock, harvested 10/10/2007, French oak for 17 months. Get it while you can – and tell Ken or Deb that Anne at Wine Nation Underdog sent you.

Ken Brown is also running low on the 2004 Bien Nacido Vineyard Syrah and the 2005 A Cuvee Syrah. There are only fifteen cases left of each. Both are outstanding, but I am a huge fan of the 2005 A Cuvee; I will sheepishly admit that I am such a fan that I asked Ken to autograph one of my bottles. The A Cuvee is a blend of warm climate fruit from Watch Hill Vineyard and cooler climate fruit from Bien Nacido. Flavors of black plum and blackberry from the cool climate fruit and spice and garrigue from the warm climate fruit combine to make a Syrah so deep and luscious you want to swim in it. Just be sure to give this one some time to breathe so that you get to experience the full spectrum of flavors. This wine is drinking soooo beautifully right now but if you are the patient type you can lay it down for a few years and be rewarded for your restraint.

What do you think about Ken Brown Wines? Drop me a line and let me know. Until then, remember life is too short, drink good wine.

Tags: cargasacchi, ken brown, ken brown wines, Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara county wines, Sta. Rita Hills AVA, Syrah

20th Annual Santa Barbara County Celebration of Harvest

October 20, 2010 in Wine Tasting Adventures | No comments

Morgan Clendenen winemaker/owner of Cold Heaven

When I think of Harvest Festival, I imagine there is an autumn chill in the air and I’m sipping red wines bundled up in a cozy sweater. However, this year, the 20^th year of the festival, we were in the midst of a late summer heat wave, so shorts and sandals were de rigueur. This year there were over 115 different wineries represented at the festival. Of the 115, there were many wonderful, familiar wines from Ampelos, Beckmen, Brander, Dragonette, Fiddlehead, Foxen, Margerum, Jaffurs, Tre Anelli, Stolpman, Ken Brown, Cold Heaven, Palmina, Qupé, being poured, so I a made point to seek out wines that I had not sampled before.

Bob Lindquist winemaker/owner of Qupe and his son Theo

With far too many wines to sample everything, I had to really pick and choose carefully from the offerings. Of the wines I tasted, there were a few real stands outs. Jim Vogelzang was pouring an absolutely lovely ’06 Vogelzang Cabernet Sauvignon, but his superb 2009 Sauvignon Blanc was what took my breath away. Jim took a few minutes to explain to me what they do differently. Naturally, they start with great fruit – after all you cannot make an outstanding wine if you start with bad grapes. Here is where it gets interesting. After the grapes are picked; they are put on refrigerated trucks which are driven to Napa. In Napa they delivered to renowned winemaker Robbie Meyer (of Versant, Jericho Canyon, Peirson Meyer and L’Angevin) who works his oenological magic. Jim also let me know that for the Sauvignon Blanc, Meyer uses neutral French oak barrels that have been used for Chardonnay. Another outstanding white was the unreleased ’09 Dragonette Happy Canyon Sauvignon Blanc which was heady with the aroma of honeysuckle and tasted of creamy lemon curd. Yes, dear reader, I know I said I was going to avoid familiar labels, but this was an unreleased Sauvignon Blanc from Dragonette, so I had to bend my own rule. It was less of a hard and fast rule and more of a guideline really, anyway.

Dan Reeves of Reeves Ranch Vineyard

Even though it was a very warm day and white wines were helping me cool off, I did taste some wonderful reds at the festival. I loved the 2006 Jalama Paradise Road Syrah, which is co-fermented with 3% Viognier in the classic French Côte-Rôtie style. Young winemaker, Mark Cargasacchi is crafting some truly beautiful wines. It runs in the family; Mark’s brother is making some outstanding wine too. Speaking of Mark’s wines, he wasn’t pouring it at the festival, but his 2006 Jalama El Capitan is *really* worth getting your hands on (while you still can). It is a red blend of 47% Syrah, 30% Mourvedre and 23% Cabernet. He only made 92 cases of this rich beauty, and last time I checked they only had 8 cases left, so if you’re a fan of GSM blends, give the folks over at Jalama Wines a call: 805-735-8937 or go visit the new tasting room in the Lompoc. Tell them that Anne from Wine Nation Underdog sent you. You’ll thank me later after you’re tucking into your first glass. Overall, my favorite Syrah of the festival was the 2008 Reeves Ranch Syrah. I had heard of the name Reeves Ranch Vineyard because Kris Curran (winemaker/owner of Curran) made a Reeve’s Ranch Reserve Syrah from fruit from this vineyard a few vintages ago. It was extraordinary, so naturally I had to go investigate the source of this outstanding fruit. Boy was I in for a treat. Dan Reeves poured me some of his 2008 Reeves Ranch Vineyard Syrah and I really enjoyed the well integrated flavors of coffee, mocha and spice. Most of the fruit is from the estate which is located in the foothills above Los Olivos. The vines which were originally planted in 1989, were grafted over to Australian and French Syrah clones (Shiraz clone 3, Estrella and Clone 99) in 1994. The rest of the fruit is from Black Oak vineyard in Los Alamos. Though the grapes from Reeves and Black Oak were fermented separately, it was eventually blended together and aged for 18 months in French oak, some of which was neutral. After I tasted this wine, I thought it would be priced around $35 a bottle. Are you ready for this? The wine sells for $24 on the Reeves Ranch website and you get a discount if you order a case. Don’t you love it when you find a great wine at a really good price? I do! If you are in the Central Coast area, you can taste this wine at Avant Tapas and Wine bar in Buellton. It is also being poured by the glass at Los Olivos Café (in Los Olivos). Don’t wait too long though, because they only make 400 cases a year.

Peter Stolpman of Stolpman Vineyards

There were lots of great events over the Harvest Festival weekend, including an open house at Au Bon Climat / Qupé winemaking facility. There was also an open house event at Cold Heaven – as soon as I get my notes and snapshots organized I will post again. Until then, let me leave you with this thought. Those who abstain from alcohol die sooner than those who drink moderately (1 to 3 drinks per day)…as if you needed an excuse!

Danish cellar rats who are interning at Ampelos for the summer.

Danish visitors who are cellar ratting at Ampelos for the summer

Tags: ampelos, Beckmen, boutique wineries, Brander, cargasacchi, central coast, Cold Heaven, dragonette, Festival of Harvest, fiddlehead, Foxen, jaffurs, jalama, jalama wines, ken brown, margerum, palmina, Qupe, reeves ranch, Santa Barbara County Harvest Festival, Sauvignon Blanc, stolpman, Syrah, Vogelzang, wine, wine tasting

Roll out the Barrel (Barrel 27 that is)

July 18, 2010 in Wine Geek Group Tastings, Wine Tasting Adventures | 1 comment

Three winemakers to have on your radar - McPrice Myers, Edgar Torres, Russell From

Recently, a few wine geek friends and I organized a wine tasting trip to Paso Robles. We all met up and then our driver whisked us off to our first stop Barrel 27‘s tasting room at 2323 Tuley Ct. Suite 110, in Paso Robles. I’d made an appointment for us to taste the wines from Barrel 27, McPrice Myers, Herman Story and Bodega de Edgar. Barrel 27 is made by two young winemakers, McPrice Myers and Russell From. Their cellar master is Edgar Torres. Essentially, Barrel 27 is a collaborative effort while each winemaker has his own personal label as well. We walked into the tasting room (located in an industrial area just off the highway), grabbed a spot at the bar and proceeded to work our way down the list.

*2009 Barrel 27 “Sittin’ Pretty” Viognier – heady floral nose, honeysuckle, tangerine, orange marmalade. 100% Viognier. Most of the wine was done in stainless steel except for one neutral oak barrel. Retail price: $18

2008 Barrel 27 “High on the Hog” – blend of 39% Grenache Blanc, 36% Viognier, 20% Roussanne, 5% Marsanne. Florals on the nose with peach, honey and melon on the palate. Done half in oak and the rest in stainless steel. Wine Spectator 88 points. (Points, smoints, I drink wine, not points.) Retail price: $15

2005 Barrel 27 Central Coast Rosé of Syrah – 80% Syrah, 20% Grenache. Flavors of raspberry, cherry and smoky orange. This is a fabulous barbecue wine. Some of the Syrah was bled off soon after it came into contact with the skins. (This method of making rosé is called saignée -a French winemaking term). This results in a pink wine because there isn’t enough contact with the grape skins to make the wine red. Retail price: $13

2007 Barrel 27 “Rock and a Hard Place” Grenache – Nose of black and red raspberries, blueberries and dried cranberries. On the palate, flavors of the aforementioned berries plus hints of black tea and spice. Drinking this wine reminded me of wine tasting in France’s Châteauneuf-du-Pape region, where Grenache is often the primary grape. Retail price: $18

2006 Barrel 27 “Right Hand Man” Syrah – Aromas of black cherries, black pepper, anise and plum with flavors of black raspberry, pepper and hints of smoke. Retail price: $18

2007 Barrel 27 “Head Honcho” Syrah – Nose of ripe black fruit, sage and smoke. Palate of blackberries, cranberries, cola, pepper, clove, anise and dark chocolate. Retail price: $28

2007 Barrel 27 “Hand Over Fist” – Rhône style blend of 52% Syrah, 29% Grenache, 19% Mourvedre. Aromas of black plum, blueberry, rhubarb and violets. Palate of black cherry, blackberry, currants and spice. Retail price: $30

2006 Barrel 27 “Bull by the Horns” – Blend of 50% Petite Verdot, 25% Syrah, 25% Tempranillo. Aromas of blackberry, cocoa, clove, anise, pepper dominate the nose. The palate is fruit forward (blueberry, black plum, blood orange) and backed up clove, cinnamon, tea and vanilla.

Herman Story wines just waiting to be tasted in the barrel room

After tasting through the Barrel 27 list we were ushered through a doorway behind the bar and into the back of the warehouse where barrels and were stacked to the ceiling. We were surprised and delighted to be greeted by Russell From, McPrice Myers and Edgar Torres. They let us know that they would be leading us through a combined tasting of wines from all three of their personal labels. What an unexpected and exciting surprise! After all the introductions, we got down to tasting. Each winemaker stood by a makeshift table (made an upended barrel) ready to pour his wine. Here are the notes I managed to scribble down during this little adventure. The wines marked with an * are the ones that made it into the trunk of my car:

*2009 Bodega de Edgar Albariño – lively acidity, ginger, lychee – one of the best Albariños I’ve tasted.

*2009 McPrice Myers Larner Viognier – gorgeous floral nose, lychee, tropical fruits, creamy mouthfeel. 177 cases produced. Retail price: $28

2008 Herman Story “Tomboy” – blend of 80% Viognier, 10% Marsanne, 10% Roussanne. The Viognier is from Whitehawk Vineyard and the Marsanne and Roussanne grapes are from Bien Nacido Vineyard. Florals, honey, apricot and nectarine. My scribbled notes say “Tomboy will get your friends to stop drinking crappy white wine”. 228 cases produced. Retail price: $36

2009 McPrice Myers Roussanne – This was a barrel sample. Jasmine, honey. Fruit sourced from the James Berry Vineyard (Paso’s premier source of Rhône varietals).

*2008 Bodega de Edgar Garnacha – A dear friend brought me a bottle of this a few months back – it knocked my socks off! Some whole clusters were used to make this wine. Blackberry, raspberry with anise and baking spices on the finish.

*2007 McPrice Myers “L’Ange Rouge” Grenache – 92% Grenache, 4% Syrah, 4% Mourvedre. Fruit from Alta Mesa and Larner Vineyards. Big but still elegant with flavors of red raspberry, cranberry, bittersweet chocolate, tobacco leaf. 575 cases produced. Retail price: $36

*2008 Herman Story “On the Road” Grenache – Fruit from Larner, Santa Barbara Highlands and Derby Vineyards. Cranberry, black raspberry, clove, anise, nutmeg, coffee and leather. 398 cases produced. Retail price: $36

*2008 Bodega de Edgar Tempranillo – Fruit sourced from French Camp Vineyard. Boysenberry, with vanilla and dusty earth on finish (reminded me of Sangiovese)

*2008 McPrice Myers “Altas Vinas” – 47% Mourvedre, 34% Grenache, 19% Syrah. The fruit is sourced from the Santa Barbara Highlands Vineyard located high in the Southern Santa Barbara Mountains. 243 cases produced. Retail price: $36

*2008 Herman Story “Casual Encounters” – 40% Syrah, 30% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre. This is the first vintage of this SGM blend. The Grenache was whole cluster and was sourced from Thompson. The Syrah is from Laetitia. The wines were 100% co-fermented. Earth, leather, pepper, black plum and chocolate. 154 cases produced. Retail price: $36

*2008 Bodega de Edgar “Mis Pasos” – 42% Syrah, 41% Merlot, 17% Tempranillo. Gorgeous, black fruit, coffee, leather, spice and earthy notes. 25 cases produced. Retail price: $45.

*2007 McPrice Myers Larner Vineyard Syrah – 3% Viognier was co-fermented with the Syrah. Flavors of black plum, dried blueberry, raspberry, hints of violets. 142 cases produced. Retail price: $36

*2008 McPrice Myers Larner Vineyard Syrah – the ’07 and the ’08 are deeply colored and dense with flavor. Also, both vintages have long finishes. Retail price: $36

*2007 Herman Story “Nuts and Bolts” Syrah – This is the second vintage of “Nuts and Bolts”. Deep dark color, black cherry, baking spices, white pepper, earth, bacon – super long finish. 522 cases produced. Retail price: $36

*2008 McPrice Myers “Beautiful Earth” – 79% Syrah, 16% Grenache, 5% Mourvedre. Flavors of black plum, blueberry, blackberry, baking spices and coffee. 650 cases produced. Retail price: $36

*2007 McPrice Myers Les Galets Vineyard Syrah – 100% Syrah – gorgeous deep ruby color. Blackberry, white pepper, anise, bittersweet chocolate, clove and hints of mint and tobacco leaf. 194 cases produced. Retail price: $36

These beautifully-crafted, small production wines are really, really, really worth getting your hands on. A huge thank you goes out to Russell From, McPrice Myers and Edgar Torres for personally introducing us to their fabulous wines. Thanks guys!

* – this marks wines I was compelled to bring home

A selection of Herman Story wines

Herman Story wines - the backs of the labels

Edgar risking life and limb to find us a couple bottles of his La Guerra white wine

Was it something McPrice said?

Tags: barrel 27, barrel tasting, Bodega de Edgar, Edgar Torres, Garnacha, Grenache, GSM blend, Herman Story, McPrice Myers, Paso Robles, Russell From, Syrah, Viognier

Brown Bag Tasting

May 26, 2010 in Industry Insider-Only Wine Events, Wine Geek Group Tastings | 1 comment

My friend Louise hosts a wonderful brown bag tasting every time she and friends feel like they need to cull their wine collections. She calls it a Winemergency. She specifies a type of wine or a few types as the unifying theme. Then attendees bring appetizers to share and a bottle or two. All the bottles are bagged, tasted and then everyone compares notes at the end just before the bottles are removed from the bags. This evening we tasted no fewer than twenty nine wines: seven Chardonnays, six Grenaches, nine Syrahs and seven blends. Needless to say we weren’t drinking the wine, we were tasting, spitting and then scribbling a few notes. I know some people feel like it is a waste to spit out wine – and I wholeheartedly agree with them. With that said, these events present an opportunity to taste many wines side by side, which is one of the best ways to train your palate. After every wine was swirled, tasted, compared and contrasted, there were a few bottles that really stood out from the crowd: 2006 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay, 2008 Brewer Clifton Chardonnay, 2007 Tre Anelli Grenache, 2004 Beckmen Estate Grenache and 2006 Rey Grenache (Note: priced around $20, the Rey is a great buy though it can be hard to find – try the Wine Hound in Santa Barbara or the Bounty Hunter in Napa if you’re trying to find Rey wines), 2005 Ampelos Epsilon Syrah, 2004 Beckmen Estate Syrah, 2006 Clos Saint Michel Châteauneuf-du-Pape (blend of 40% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 30% Mourvedre), 2006 Ampelos Syrache (blend of 73% Syrah, 27% Grenache), 2008 Delas Saint-Esprit Côtes du Rhône (blend of 70% Syrah, 20% Grenache, 5% Mourvedre, 5% Carignan and a with a price of $15 a great buy). In between tasting, spitting and scribbling notes, I managed to take a few snapshots.