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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”.
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.
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 20th 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 visitors who are cellar ratting at Ampelos for the summer
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?
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.
The brown bagged lineup of wines
After the reveal - the Chardonnays
After the reveal - the Grenaches
2006 Rey Grenache - Lots of taste for very little money
After the reveal, the Syrahs
After the reveal, the red blends
There are only a handful of days that the Margerum Wine Company is open to the public – the rest of the time it is open by appointment only. February 13th was one of those public days, so my husband and I headed on down to the winery to go taste some vino. We bumped into our neighbors Pamela and Albert who asked us to join them for dinner at the Ballard Inn. Jason and I are big fans of chef Budi Kazali’s creative and flavorful menus so this was a welcome opportunity to go there with fellow foodies. More on this later!
Here is the list of wines from the “official” tasting list of the day (which didn’t include all the surprise bottles that winemaker Doug Margerum opened) and some comments:
2008 Margerum Chenin Blanc – light yellow color, crisp on the palate, flavors of white grapefruit – perfect wine for scallops and other seafood.
2008 Pinot Gris – fermented in 75% stainless steel and 25% barrel, high acid, lean wine
2006 Grenache – my husband Jason (a dedicated Grenache fan) really liked this one. It is expressive, but not dark or big or high in alcohol. It is subtle and would complement many foods…salmon or pork loin came to mind while tasting this wine.
2007 M5 – Jason and I have been fans of Doug Margerum’s M5 blend for many years. The 2007 offering had some interesting notes of sasparilla that I don’t recall from previous vintages. I’d recommend cellaring the 2007 M5 one 3-5 more years to increase the flavor integration. While we were tasting the 2007 Doug opened up a bottle of the 2008 M5 which is scheduled to be released in mid March. The 2008 is fruitier and very approachable now. You can drink the 2008 M5 this one while you are cellaring your 2007.
2006 Syrah “Alisos Vinyard” – This is an absolutely beautiful Syrah from its color all the way the finish. The only bad part was that so few bottles were made…only 50 cases.
2006 Syrah “Alondra De Los Prados Vineyard” – This was my favorite wine of the day – which is a high compliment because I tasted some beautifully made wines. The Alondra De Los Prados Syrah or ADP as it is called for short, is actually 5% Viognier. The Syrah and the Viognier are co-planted and co-fermented. The resulting wine has some floral notes which Viognier is known for the Syrah takes center stage with its intensity and power. Margerum recommends that this one be cellared for a few more years, but I will have a hard time keeping the corkscrew away from the case I bought. Only 125 cases were produced, so I highly recommend ordering a few while you still can.
2006 Syrah “Black Oak Vineyard” – This was another great example of the fabulous Syrahs that Doug makes – mmmmm…black cherry and hints of anise.
2006 Syrah “Colson Canyon Vineyard” – Aromas of florals, cassis and anise with flavors of cherry, black plum and white pepper. I bought a few of these to cellar for about 5 years. If you’re into wine scores, Stephen Tanzer rated this one a 90.
2006 Syrah “Great Oaks Ranch Vineyard” – Wines made of fruit from Great Oaks tend to have spice characteristics that I really enjoy. This intense wine offers flavors of anise, cracked pepper, coffee and black cherry.
2006 Syrah “Purisima Mountain Vineyard” – Flavors of cassis, dried cherries, black plum, blackberries and some earthy notes. The finish was long and lovely! Wine Spectator gave this wine 90 points.
2006 ÜBER Syrah – This is an extremely well planned wine. Margerum sourced Syrah fruit from seven different vineyards, and then picked and co-fermented them over 45 days. Then he blends in carefully selected barrels of single-vineyard Syrah – resulting in a powerful, dense wine. This is one of my favorite Syrahs because there is so much going on in the glass – rich, powerful and layered. Drink ÜBER and treat your mouth to an adventure. =)
1995 Antinori Solaia
There were a few other wines that we were able to taste that weren’t on the official list. The most exciting one for me was the 1995 Antinori Solaia. This is one of the most famous “Super Tuscan” wines in the world, made by the Antinori family who have been making wine for six centuries. Needless to say it was a real treat to taste this wine! It is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Sangiovese and 5% Cabernet Franc. The years in the bottle were well spent, leaving soft, well-integrated tannins. On the palate, flavors of blackberry, currant, boysenberry lead to a long and fruity finish.
The evening's lineup of wines.
After the event at the winery was wrapping up we headed over to Doug Margerum’s house to continue our wine tasting adventure. (Thanks again for your hospitality Doug!) Doug opened a number of wines from his collection including a 2001 Vieux Telegraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Châteauneuf-du-Pape happens to be one of my favorite wine-producing regions in the world. Clearly this is my lucky day!
After enjoying Doug’s hospitality and some really interesting conversations (“Hi” to Fisch and Blaine), Pamela, Albert, Jason and I headed over to Ballard Inn for dinner. We ordered most of the appetizers – *all* were wonderful, but my favorites were the “winter turnip soup with duck confit and Fuji apple salad”, the “red roast Kurobata pork belly with Napa cabbage fondue” and the “panko crusted sweetbreads with Madeira sauce”. It was hard to choose an entree because they all sounded so good. The “pan seared duck breast with sweet potato puree and balsamic reduction” is what I usually order, but the “Australian rack of lamb with creamy farro, leeks, fennel and star anise glace” sounded amazing. I eventually settled on the “crispy skin arctic char with roasted fingerling potatoes and horseradish nage”. Everything was beautifully presented and incredibly flavorful! Kazali’s food was the perfect ending to a decadent and fun-filled day!
Disco ball hung in the doorway to the Margerum Wine Company barrel room
Jason, Pamela and Tony in the barrel room at Margerum Wine Company
The aftermath of some serious wine tasting at Margerum Wine Company
Pork cracklins + sparkling off-dry German Rieslings = Strangely wonderful wine/food pairing
The text on this painting from Doug Margerum's collection reads "wine is good living". I couldn't agree more.
On the way out to Los Olivos for a wine tasting event, we stopped at Brander. I’d served Brander’s 2008 Purisima Sauvignon Blanc at a wine dinner a few weeks ago. I’d been meaning to come back to buy more ever since. One of the guests at the wine dinner, a self-proclaimed “reds only” guy, tasted it and said “I’ve been wrong about white wine my whole life”. Truly a high compliment – and a worthy wine. Many Sauvignon Blancs, especially those with aromatics of grass or “cat pee”, are totally lost on me. This Sauvignon Blanc has heady floral aromatics and a great balance of fruit and acid. It will be a great match for seafood! In addition to the Purisima Sauvignon Blanc we tasted a number of other wines from Brander. The 2008 Cuvee Nicolas, a blend of 80% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Semillon, was another well balanced white from Brander. It spent 5 months in neutral French oak before it was bottled. It is slightly rounded on the palate, though it still has good acidity. An all-around great food wine! We also tasted some of Brander’s red wines. The 2008 Brander Merlot is really wonderful with flavors of black cherries and chocolate. It only spent 5 months in French and American oak – so the flavor of the fruit really shine. Priced at $20 a bottle (or $216 a case), this wine is an incredible value – lots of bang for the buck! Another great red is the 2007 Brander Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. Even though it is young, there is already fabulous flavor integration and it is drinking well now. I grabbed a few of these so that I can have Cabernet to drink while I am waiting for my Napa Cabs to sufficiently age. =)
Bob Lindquist, Ethan Lindquist and Paige Lindquist
After Brander we headed to Los Olivos to the Qupe tasting room where winemaker Bob Lindquist lead a tasting of all the wines that Qupe makes from the Bien Nacido Vineyard. It was an impressive lineup of whites and reds:
2008 Qupe Bien Nacido Cuvee – this is a blend of 50% Chardonnay/50% Viognier. Qupe has been making this blend since 1992. For this blend the Chardonnay fruit is picked underripe and the Viognier is picked slightly overripe – resulting in good structure, freshness and balance.
2008 Qupe Chardonnay Bien Nacido Y Block – This wine is made from fruit picked at varying times which means that the wine is both crisp (from earlier picked fruit – at 21 brix) and lush (from later picked fruit – at 25 brix).
2007 Qupe Chardonnay Bien Nacido Reserve Block 11 – This Chardonnay has 22% Roussanne blended into it which gives the wine headier aromatics. Bob Lindquist says that “this wine can age beautifully for 10-15 years.”
2007 Qupe Roussanne Bien Nacido Hillside Estate – Roussanne is a challenging grape on many different levels. It is difficult to grow well and it is also challenging in the cellar. This wine is fermented and aged in barrels that were used once for Chardonnay. This year’s vintage is more crisp and minerally than past vintages and should develop into a more complex wine over time.
2006 Qupe Roussanne Bien Nacido Hillside Estate – Named “Best New World Wine” by Decanter magazine, this is a perfectly balanced 100% Roussanne grown in Block 10 of Bien Nacido. The vines are Tablas Creek clones; these are originally from Chateau de Beaucastel in the Chateauneuf du Papes.
2000 Qupe Roussanne Bien Nacido Vineyard – At 10 years of age, this balanced wine is drinking really beautifully. The fruit for this wine was the first crop off of a custom planting at Bien Nacido. It was fermented and aged in one year old Francois Freres French oak barrels (that had been used once for Chardonnay) for 15 months.
2007 Qupe Syrah Bien Nacido – 3% of the Syrah fruit was sourced from the new Sawyer-Lindquist Vineyard. The weather during fruit set was very windy, which caused yields to be low and increased the intensity of the flavors. Lindquist says that this one can be cellared for 8-12 years.
2006 Qupe Syrah Bien Nacido Hillside Estate – The fruit for this Syrah is from a 5 acre southwest facing slope called Z block. This block is farmed organically to Qupe’s specifications. This is Qupe’s 20th vintage of Syrah.
2006 Qupe Syrah 25th Anniversary Bien Nacido X Block – The block where this fruit was grown is farmed biodynamically by the Bien Nacido team. Lindquist used 50% whole clusters in the fermentation which adds layers of spice and complexity. He made this wine specifically to cellar – he says you can lay this one down for 20-25 years.
1999 Qupe Syrah Bien Nacido Hillside Estate – Lauded by critics (96 points from Wine & Spirits magazine) since its release in 2002, this wine is drinking beautifully in 2010 with flavors of fruit, spice and smoke. 1999 was rainy and cold and the grapes ripened very slowly. In fact, the grapes for this wine were harvested on November 18 at 22.5 degrees brix – later than any other Qupe vintage to date.
Lindquist was clearly in his element pouring wine with help from son Ethan and daughter Paige. After we tasted through the entire list of wine, Lindquist told stories. He said that Paige’s first word as a child was “cheese”. Of course! We also played a few rounds of 1960’s music “name that tune”. Jason and I didn’t recognize a single song; sadly we didn’t win any wine. Oh well, we didn’t go home empty handed – we picked up a few bottles of the 2007 Qupe Central Coast Syrah, 2006 Qupe Syrah Alisos Vineyard (one of my favorites!) and the 2007 Qupe Grenache Purisima Mountain Vineyard.
2006 Ethan Sangiovese
I was in Los Olivos today, so I stopped by the Qupé tasting room to see what Ethan Lindquist was up to. In addition to the Qupé wines, he was pouring a few wines from his own label, Ethan. His 2006 Sangiovese is wonderful. It was so wonderful that I bought a few bottles to take home – as though I need more wine. I guess I am working out the difference between “need” and “want”. Well, I clearly wanted the Sangiovese – it is such a good summertime wine. Plus it is so food friendly you can pair it with practically anything! The fruit for this wine was grown at the Hearthstone Vineyard in Paso Robles on the west side. It was aged for 30 months in neutral French oak barrels. The neutral oak really allows the bright red fruit and spice flavors to shine. I also bought each of Ethan’s vineyard designate Syrahs. The first one was the 2006 Purisima Mountain Vineyard Syrah. The fruit for this wine is from Beckmen’s outstanding, biodynamically grown Purisima Mountain Vineyard block 6. Ethan went “old school” on this one – the whole clusters of grapes were foot stomped and fermented with native yeast in small open top fermenters. In order to add many layers of flavors, complexity and a solid tannin structure, the skins and stems were left in contact wine for 4 weeks. This was made to age – I’d let it sit at least four years. The second vineyard designate Syrah was the 2006 Rancho Santa Rosa Vineyard Syrah. The fruit was grown in the cool Sta. Rita Hills appellation in Santa Barbara County. Typical of a cool-climate Syrah, it has notes of white pepper, leather and earth. Ethan says it is one of the “softest and most elegant Syrahs I have ever made”. This one can be aged for many years as well…but if you get impatient and open it soon be sure to give it plenty of time to breathe. For best results decant it AND give it a good hour to open up. Thankfully the Sangiovese doesn’t require any additional aging. On my way home, I picked up an authentic, super thin crust, Italian style pizza topped with prosciutto and asparagus from Via Vai. Jason and I shared it with the Sangiovese. What a wonderful way to end the day! My only regret is that Ethan made a really small number of cases – only 100 cases of the Rancho Santa Rosa Vineyard,75 cases of the Sangiovese and 75 cases of the Purisima Vineyard Syrah. Get it while you still can!
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