tag:www.vinography.com,2007-09-09://1 2008-08-28T23:52:52Z Wine and food adventures in San Francisco and around the world Movable Type Pro 4.2-en tag:www.vinography.com,2008://1.7435 2008-08-28T23:56:14Z 2008-08-28T23:52:52Z

From the late 1800's to the first half of the twentieth century California represented a land of opportunity for many. In Northern California, this potential seems to have been realized in particular by Italian immigrants who settled North of San Francisco in great numbers, founding small towns up the coast and in the inland valleys. Drive Highway 1, Highway 12, Highway 116, and the Bohemian Highway North of the city and you'll pass old barns and homesteads, country stores, and several Italian restaurants that have been operating continuously since at least the Thirties. That these fiercely determined immigrants met with...

Alder http://www.vinography.com From the late 1800's to the first half of the twentieth century California represented a land of opportunity for many. In Northern California, this potential seems to have been realized in particular by Italian immigrants who settled North of San Francisco in great numbers, founding small towns up the coast and in the inland valleys. Drive Highway 1, Highway 12, Highway 116, and the Bohemian Highway North of the city and you'll pass old barns and homesteads, country stores, and several Italian restaurants that have been operating continuously since at least the Thirties. That these fiercely determined immigrants met with success here is evidenced by not only by the preponderance of these small towns and farming communities, but also that these same towns are, after several generations, still populated with Dinuccis and Gonnellas. Garen Staglin grew up the son of one of those early Twentieth Century immigrants. His father, Pasquale Stagliano, later naturalized as Ramon Staglin, emigrated at the age of two with his family from Calabria, Italy and settled first in New York and later California. Like so many other immigrants, the Staglianos brought with them their love of food and wine and the central role they both play in family life. It's no wonder then that when Garen met with considerable success, going from UCLA to Stanford Business School to the corporate world, and then to boardrooms and the halls of Silicon Valley venture capital, he and his wife Sharalyn dreamed of owning a vineyard. Carefully biding their time, they finally found just what they were looking for. In 1985 the Staglins purchased a very old, very large estate in Rutherford that for many years had been under the management of André Tchelistcheff, known by some as the "Godfather of California Cabernet." Tchelistcheff managed this vineyard for Beaulieu Vineyards under the ownership of the La Tour family, and it was this 50-acre parcel that he selected for producing the vaunted BV Georges De La Tour Cabernet. The Staglins took this vineyard and the adjoining ranch and literally transformed it, carefully replanting the vineyards with direction from Tchelistcheff and building an underground winery and a home for themselves in the style of an Italian villa. Today, and for nearly the past twenty-five years, Staglin Family Vineyards has been winning praise for the small quantity of estate wine that it produces each year: 350 cases of Sangiovese and 2,000 cases of Chardonnay in addition to the slightly more than 6,000 cases of this Cabernet. They are certainly my favorite producer in Rutherford, and in my opinion, one of the top three producers in the appellation. Winemaking is currently done by Fredrik Johansson, but I believe this vintage was made by then winemaker Celia Masyczek, who spent almost a decade making some of the most celebrated of Staglin's wines before continuing her career as one of Napa's superstar winemakers. The wine is made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon grown organically on the Staglin Family estate in the shadow of Mt. St. John in the Mayacamus Range in an area known as the Rutherford Bench. After destemming and crushing, the berries cold soak before a fermentation that lasts anywhere from 14 to 28 days. After secondary fermentation is complete the wine is aged for 26 months in 100% French oak barrels, (65% of which are new). Tasting Notes: Medium ruby in color and showing little sign of its age, this wine has a nose of leather, cherry, and wet cedar bark aromas -- distinctively an older California Cabernet. In the mouth it offers flavors of fresh and dried cherries, cinnamon, and what can only be described as both the flavor and texture of the softest suede. A long finish completes a very satisfying experience that, if tinged with anything other than pleasure, might be said to involve a little regret at drinking this wine now, as it clearly has a good decade ahead of it. Food Pairing: I drank this wine with a nicely grilled filet mignon and fresh vegetables, which is certainly a classic pairing. Overall Score: between 9 and 9.5 How Much?: This vintage can be had at auction or select retailers for around $120 This wine can be purchased online.]]> tag:www.vinography.com,2008://1.7434 2008-08-28T02:35:31Z 2008-08-28T02:54:51Z

Some of the best meals of my life have been from the kitchen of chef David Kinch at Manresa Restaurant in Los Gatos. I'd take half a tasting menu from him over anything at the French Laundry, any day of the week. Which is why I'm humbled at his continued interest in collaborating with me to provide an unparalleled dining and drinking experience for a few adventurous diners every once in a while. David and I both have an enduring love for Japanese cuisine. If you've ever eaten at Manresa you may have noticed this influence in Chef Kinch's cooking....

Alder http://www.vinography.com Some of the best meals of my life have been from the kitchen of chef David Kinch at Manresa Restaurant in Los Gatos. I'd take half a tasting menu from him over anything at the French Laundry, any day of the week. Which is why I'm humbled at his continued interest in collaborating with me to provide an unparalleled dining and drinking experience for a few adventurous diners every once in a while. David and I both have an enduring love for Japanese cuisine. If you've ever eaten at Manresa you may have noticed this influence in Chef Kinch's cooking. It's one of my favorite aspects of his cooking -- the guy knows how to deal with raw seafood better than almost any (non-Japanese) chef in this country. All of which is why he and I are both giddy with excitement at the prospect of the Sake Dinner: an eight course meal that will be a little heavier on the Japanese influence than normal for David, accompanied by some of the best sakes I've ever tasted. The early drafts of the menu that I've seen make me extremely hungry (I'm currently traveling on business in upstate New York, and pretty much every restaurant in town is Italian -- I'd kill for a decent plate of sushi). Working with Jeff Barielles, the wine director at the restaurant, we've managed to get our hands on some sakes that are almost never seen in the United States (as well as some others that are also phenomenal, but easier to find in the event you fall in love with them). The food and the sake will be accompanied as usual by stories from me about how and where they are made. This will be a fantastic evening if you care to join us. There are still seats available, so call the restaurant to make reservations. Manresa and Vinography present: The Sake Dinner Wednesday, September 10th, 2008 Seating begins at 6:30 PM Manresa Restaurant 320 Village Lane (just off North Santa Cruz Avenue) Los Gatos, CA 95030 408-354-4330 $325 per person gets you an eight course meal with sake pairings. You pay tax and gratuity. ]]> tag:www.vinography.com,2008://1.7431 2008-08-25T00:00:27Z 2008-08-25T00:01:26Z

In the Silicon Valley, business incubation is quite common -- larger companies often provide financial, operations, and moral support to smaller companies that they themselves have started, or outside start-ups that they believe have a good potential for success. This practice has become so normal that some companies have established entire business models based on incubation. Incubation has also become common in the wine industry, where the costs of all the equipment and supplies required to make wine can be an extreme barrier to entry, and a source of extremely high overhead for those who do take the plunge. Just...

Alder http://www.vinography.com entire business models based on incubation. Incubation has also become common in the wine industry, where the costs of all the equipment and supplies required to make wine can be an extreme barrier to entry, and a source of extremely high overhead for those who do take the plunge. Just like a larger company might rent out some cubes and offer guidance to a smaller company, so to do wineries offer the use of their equipment to smaller producers using the fees from such services to defray the costs of their capital investments. But incubation in the wine industry does not only happen as a matter of economic convenience, it often happens simply because, frankly, most folks in the wine industry can't help themselves -- they love making wine. Jeff Cohn comes to winemaking from the world of food and hospitality. He fell in love with eating and drinking in his twenties and decided that he was going to make them his career, heading off for a degree in culinary arts, which was followed by a degree in hospitality management. His early career saw him as the food and beverage director for Windjammer Barefoot Cruises and then later the manager of a Washington, D.C gourmet store. During the ten years of his hospitality career, Cohn fell deeper and deeper in love with wine, and by 1993 he couldn't take it any longer. Enrolling in a masters program in agricultural chemistry, Cohn emerged with a degree emphasizing enology, and was promptly hired by Rosenblum Cellars as its staff enologist. That same year, Kent Rosenblum allowed Cohn to make a little of his own wine on the side -- around 70 cases of Zinfandel -- and JC Cellars was born. You'd think that winemakers would be pretty busy folks -- lots to worry about as grapes come piling into the winery by the truckload, dozens of fermentation tanks, hundreds of barrels -- and that they wouldn't exactly have time for dabbling here and there. But I don't know a single winemaker that doesn't have some small side project going, whether it's a little experiment with a new cooperage, a new source of grapes, a consulting project for a little extra cash, or their own private label. Such activities make for a lot of late nights for winemakers around harvest time, but somehow they manage to pull it off, and Cohn was no exception. He gradually built up a small business on the side, thanks to Rosenblum's help, and Rosenblum customers got used to shopping at J.C. Cellars after they arrived to pick up their wines at Rosenblum. By 2000, Jeff was Rosenblum's winemaker and he had convinced owner Kent Rosenblum to add Rhone style wines (Syrah, Viognier, and Marsanne) to the portfolio, and J.C. Cellars was a steadily growing success. In 2004 Cohn was named vice president of winemaking and production, but in 2006, the time had come to focus all his efforts on J.C. Cellars. Managed by himself and his wife Alexandra, the winery now produces about 5000 cases of wine and is the poster child for "in-winery" incubation of a new brand. The fledgling winery got its start in the protective shadow of Rosenblum but is now a completely independent entity, and one of America's most highly regarded small wineries, with an unusual amount of critical acclaim for the wines. The J.C. Cellars portfolio consists of mostly single vineyard wines, with an emphasis on the Rhone varietals -- Syrah, Petite Sirah, and Viognier -- plus some Zinfandel thrown in for good measure. Cohn sources grapes from small producers throughout Northern California with long term contracts that allow him to work closely with growers to tailor the fruit to his specific liking. The wines are made in small batches that are carefully crafted to showcase each specific grape source, from the yeasts to the barrels, to the durations of time that the wines spend in contact with the skins. Cohn's wines have a reputation for power and brawn, richness and opulence. They have conjured the adjective "hedonistic" from many. These are accurate characterizations, but I find the wines somewhat more restrained on the whole than other producers that elicit similar descriptions. Cohn's wines are nothing if not carefully and lovingly made, and this is easy to taste. Full disclosure: I received these wines as press samples. TASTING NOTES: 2007 JC Cellars Rockpile Vineyard Rose, Rockpile, Sonoma Pale ruby in color, this rose of Syrah smells of alpine strawberries and rosehips. On the palate it is bright and silky with bouncy flavors of strawberry and cherry that remain firmly (thank god) in the territory of dryness, making this an excellent, refreshing wine of which to drink many glasses. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $18. Where to buy? 2005 JC Cellars "Rockpile Vineyard" Syrah, Rockpile, Sonoma Nearly opaque garnet in the glass this wine has a rich sultry nose of earth and black cherry aromas. In the mouth it is silky and thick with flavors of black cherry, leather, earth, and black currant. Dusty tannins emerge as the wine heads to a long finish. Big and brawny, this wine will please lovers of big Syrahs to no end. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $45. Not yet released. 2005 JC Cellars "Ventana Vineyard" Syrah, Monterey A cloudy medium ruby in the glass, this wine has a nose of white pepper, cassis, and black cherry. In the mouth it comes across as spicy, with continued flavors of white pepper, blackberry, and mixed spices. Lean and less bombastic than some of the other wines from this producer, but no less pleasant for it. Score: between 8.5 and 9. Cost: $45. Not yet released. 2006 J.C. Cellars "California Cuvee" Syrah, California Medium to dark garnet in color, this wine smells of homemade blackberry jam and rose petals. In the mouth it offers flavors of cassis, blackberry, cola, and caramel notes, that head towards a finish with some heat on it. Decent acid, and imperceptible tannins, but the wine doesn't quite hold together as much as you might like. Feels a bit disjointed. Score: between 8 and 8.5. Cost: $25. Where to buy? 2005 J.C. Cellars "Caldwell Vineyards" Syrah, Napa Inky garnet in the glass, this wine smells of well oiled leather, black cherry, and earth. In the mouth it offers black cherry, blackberry, and deeper woodier flavors. Good acidity and silky texture make for a very pleasant feeling in the mouth and a long finish. Score: around 9. Cost: $45. Where to buy? ]]> tag:www.vinography.com,2008://1.7430 2008-08-23T04:57:28Z 2008-08-23T04:59:23Z

It's a pretty good time to be alive. I don't find myself often wishing that I had lived in earlier times. However, there are events in the past that I would give my right arm to have been able to experience first hand. One of my top choices for time-travel destinations would certainly be the 1893 Worlds Fair in Chicago. I'd love a week to explore the wares of the world amidst Olmstead's gardens. There may not ever be another event so grand as that, but when it comes to American food and wine, Slow Food Nation may very well...

Alder http://www.vinography.com It's a pretty good time to be alive. I don't find myself often wishing that I had lived in earlier times. However, there are events in the past that I would give my right arm to have been able to experience first hand. One of my top choices for time-travel destinations would certainly be the 1893 Worlds Fair in Chicago. I'd love a week to explore the wares of the world amidst Olmstead's gardens. There may not ever be another event so grand as that, but when it comes to American food and wine, Slow Food Nation may very well be the equivalent for those who enjoy the pleasures of the palate. There's so much stuff going on over the weekend of August 29th to September 1st all I can really do is point you to the web site and offer you good luck in drooling your way through artisan bread tastings, cooking demonstrations, speakers, films, farmer's market, concerts, tours and field trips, hikes, and more. What I will tell you is that the part of the weekend known as the Taste Pavilions will be a wonderland for bay area wine lovers, especially those interested in sustainable, organic, and Biodynamic^™ wines. More than 450 wines will be available for tasting, and perhaps a hundred of them will be from exotic places like Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, New York, and Texas. There will be hundreds more from well known places like California, Oregon, and Washington. All told it will likely be the single largest tasting of sustainable wines yet held in the U.S. Here's a full list (PDF) of the producers who will be pouring and their wines. The Taste Pavilions, which have both mid-day and afternoon sessions on Saturday August 30th and Sunday August 31st will also offer a huge variety of other foodstuffs and drinks, all from Slow Food friendly purveyors and producers. Tickets for the mid-day sessions are already sold out, so if this smorgasbord of amazing food and drink appeals to you, you'd better plan on freeing up Saturday or Sunday evening over labor day to go check it out. Slow Food Nation August 29th - Sept 1st Fort Mason Center (and other locations) San Francisco Tickets for the taste pavilions are $65 (or $45 if you're under 21) and they must be purchased in advance online. This event will likely sell out in the next week or so. ]]> tag:www.vinography.com,2008://1.7429 2008-08-21T23:31:35Z 2008-08-21T23:37:18Z

Review By W. Blake Gray Stop the presses -- no, wait, this isn't printed. OK, stop the Internet -- I found an excellent nigori sake! Nigori is the White Zinfandel of sake. It's tremendously popular, particularly with people just discovering sake. It tends to be very sweet. And experts turn up their noses at it, usually with good reason. Nigori sakes are white and cloudy because they contain bits of rice that didn't complete fermentation. They have an interesting, chewy texture. What turns off sake aficionados, more than their sweetness, is their lack of complexity -- you don't get the...

Blake Review By W. Blake Gray Stop the presses -- no, wait, this isn't printed. OK, stop the Internet -- I found an excellent nigori sake! Nigori is the White Zinfandel of sake. It's tremendously popular, particularly with people just discovering sake. It tends to be very sweet. And experts turn up their noses at it, usually with good reason. Nigori sakes are white and cloudy because they contain bits of rice that didn't complete fermentation. They have an interesting, chewy texture. What turns off sake aficionados, more than their sweetness, is their lack of complexity -- you don't get the fruity, floral flavors and aromas that are the hallmark of quality sakes. Nigori sake reminds me of amazake, a warm, sweet, nonalcoholic rice drink sold at winter festivals in Japan. Imagine saying that a wine reminds you of cocoa. John Gauntner wrote in 2005 on his authoritative sake-world site, "I have not had a full glass of nigori-zake in at least umpteen years, maybe more." I'm generally in the ABN (anything but nigori) crowd myself. Just as with White Zin, I think nigori sakes are great for the industry because they introduce new drinkers who can move up later. But I don't order White Zin off the wine list either, even the reserve list. Here's an example of the U.S. market affecting Japanese sake production: enough people here like nigori sakes, and are willing to spend money for them, that a few companies make upscale versions. (There's a difference from white Zin; the most expensive white Zin I could find online was $14.99.) For Kamoizumi brewery in Hiroshima prefecture, making a premium nigori falls in line with company history. The Maekake family who run Kamoizumi committed to unfiltered junmai production in 1971 when most of Japan insisted on charcoal filtering. Where most breweries saw impurities, Kamoizumi tasted complexities. But Kamoizumi junmais had a touch of color at a time when all sakes were expected to be clear. That decision had to be a lot more difficult than the decision to take Nigori upscale. Kamoizumi "Summer Snow" Nigori Ginjo is good enough to seduce an ABN drinker. In fact, my bottle emptied with surprising alacrity. Hiroshima is known for its soft water, a good base to start from. This sake is not chunky; instead it has a viscous mouthfeel. Yet it also rings with acidity and is not at all like the sweet, stewy nigoris that dominate the market. Tasting Notes: There's a strong olive-oil note in aroma and flavor, something I don't usually detect in sake. You also taste notes of white peach, cream (of course), lemon zest and clay. The medium-long finish never cloys. It's only very slightly sweet; with an SMV of +1, it's akin to a German halbtrocken Riesling. I have tasted many expensive non-white Zinfandels that have more residual sugar than this. It's the best nigori sake I've ever had. Is that damning with faint praise? No, but at the same time I'm not sure it's convincing to the typical nigori drinker, since I'm openly ABN. Yet I really liked this sake; my bottle emptied rapidly. If nigori is the White Zinfandel of sake, this one's the dry Pinot Noir-based rose. Food Pairing: Appropriately for an American-targeted product, this sake would work with American-style sushi, like spicy tuna roll, which overwhelms the delicate flavors of daiginjos, for example. The viscous mouthfeel makes it an interesting partner for rich-tasting fish, like salmon sashimi or steamed sablefish. I actually had it with slightly spicy Chinese food (salt and pepper squid, pea sprouts with garlic) and it was outstanding. Overall Score: around 9 How much?: $28 This sake is available for purchase on the Internet. ]]> tag:www.vinography.com,2008://1.7428 2008-08-21T03:38:11Z 2008-08-23T05:02:05Z

Wine country is now 15 minutes from downtown San Francisco, thanks to the surge in wine producers that are popping up all over the East Bay (and in San Francisco proper, too!). Oakland, Alameda, and Berkeley are now home to more than a dozen wineries that range in size from a couple of people and a couple of barrels, to some of California's most lauded wineries. A couple of years ago, these wineries got together and formed a marketing association that would help them all gain more visibility. This organization, known as the East Bay Vintners Alliance, has begun to...

Alder http://www.vinography.com members and make good on the promise of an urban wine country in the East Bay. I had a chance to sneak off to Oakland a couple of weeks ago on a picture perfect sunny day and hang out with the hundreds of Bay Area wine lovers that showed up to sample wines and special food pairings from some great restaurants in the area. The event was, as far as I can tell, a smashing success. The weather alone would have made it a pleasant enough experience, but the food was quite good, including a huge cheese spread that I made several passes on once I had finished tasting all the wines. This was my first opportunity to sample wines from all the members of the Vintners Alliance, and I'm happy to report that there's some truly great wine being made in the East Bay's urban wineries, and not just by the established names like J.C. Cellars, Dashe, and Rosenblum. There were a number of wines that were not to my taste, but the bulk of the wines were competently made and if they weren't all spectacular, they certainly all showed both the hard work as well as promise of several new small producers. My scores from my tasting follow below. Prices quoted are the suggested retail price for purchase direct from the winery. Photo courtesy of John Joh.

Scores for the 3rd Annual Urban Wine Experience

WINES SCORING BETWEEN 9 AND 9.5 2007 Dashe Cellars Zinfandel L'Enfant Terrible McFadden Farms, Potter Valley. $24.00 2006 Dashe Cellars Zinfandel Todd Brothers Ranch, Alexander Valley. $32.00 2006 JC Cellars Marsanne Preston Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley. $32.00 2007 Rosenblum Cellars Viognier Kathy's Cuvee.Winery only. 2006 Rosenblum Cellars Zinfandel Kontrabecki. Winery only. WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 9 2006 Aubin Cellars Verve French Colombard Domaine de Mirail, Cotes de Gascone. $12.00 2007 Dashe Cellars Dry Riesling McFadden Farms, Potter Valley. $20.00 2006 Eno Wines Grenache "Yes, Dear..." Eagle Point Ranch, Mendocino. $28.00 2007 JC Cellars Rose Stagecoach Vineyard, Napa Valley. $18.00 2007 Prospect 772 Rosé "Babydoll" Sierra Foothills. $15.00 2006 Rosenblum Cellars Petite Sirah Pickett Road. Winery only. WINES SCORING BETWEEN 8.5 AND 9 2006 Andrew Lane Gamay Noir, Napa Valley. $19.00 2005 Andrew Lane Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley. $28.00 2006 Dashe Cellars Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley. $24.00 2006 Eno Wines Pinot Noir "Never Say Never" Santa Lucia Highlands. $32.00 2006 Eno Wines Zinfandel "Acres of Happiness" Teldeschi Vyds Dry Creek Valley. $28.00 2005 Eno Wines Syrah "S05" Las Madres Vineyard, Carneros. $35.00 2006 JC Cellars Syrah California Cuveé . $25.00 2006 Lost Canyon Winery Pinot Noir Morelli Lane, Russian River Valley. $42.00 2006 Lost Canyon Winery Pinot Noir Saralee, Russian River Valley. $42.00 2006 Prospect 772 Grenache/Syrah "The Brawler" Sierra Foothills. $36.00 2006 Rosenblum Cellars Rosie Rabbit Late Harvest Zinfandel Winery only. 2007 Two Mile Wines Viognier Bloomfield Vineyards , Central Coast . $23.00 NV Adam's Point White After Dinner Wine. $16.00 WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 8.5 2005 Andrew Lane Cabernet Franc, Oakville. $35.00 2005 Andrew Lane Merlot, Napa Valley. $17.00 2006 A Donkey And Goat Three Thirteen (Southern Rhône style blend). $37.00 2006 A Donkey And Goat Syrah The Recluse, Anderson Valley. $37.00 2006 Lost Canyon Winery Reserve Syrah Trenton Station, Russian River Valley. $35.00 2006 Prospect 772 Syrah "The Brat" Sierra Foothills. $36.00 2006 Tayerle Wines Carneros Pinot Noir . $30.00 2007 Urbano Cellars Vin Rose Solano County Green Valley. $14.00 2006 Urbano Cellars Syrah Dry Creek Valley. $19.00 NV Adam's Point Mango Dessert Wine. $16.00 NV Adam's Point Persimmon Dessert Wine. $16.00 WINES SCORING BETWEEN 8 AND 8.5 2006 Irish Monkey Cabernet Franc, Lodi. $29.00 2006 Aubin Cellars Verve Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast. $28.00 2005 Aubin Cellars Verve Syrah Columbia Valley. $26.00 2006 Aubin Cellars Verve Sauvignon Blanc Paso Robles. $14.00 2006 Tayerle Wines Savignon Blanc Villa San Julliette . $12.00 2006 Two Mile Wines Petite Sirah Rosciano Vineyards, Dry Creek Valley. $34.00 WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 8 2006 Lost Canyon Winery Syrah Alegria, Russian River Valley. $35.00 2006 Periscope Cellars Deep 6, California(6 Grape Red Blend). $24.00 2006 Urbano Cellars Petit Verdot Lodi. $16.00 WINES SCORING BETWEEN 7.5 AND 8 2006 Irish Monkey Syrah Lovall - Borneman Lavender Farm. $26.00 2006 Periscope Cellars Sangiovese, Alexander Valley. $22.00 2006 Two Mile Wines Sangiovese Polesky-Lentz Vineyards, Dry Creek Valley. $42.00 2005 Urbano Cellars Old Vine Zinfandel Solano County Green Valley. $18.00 WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 7.5 2006 Periscope Cellars Petite Verdot, Lodi. $18.00 WINES SCORING BETWEEN 7 AND 7.5 2006 Irish Monkey Cabernet Sauvignon, "MEF". $35.00 WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 7 2006 Irish Monkey Primitivo Lovall Valley, Napa Valley. $30.00 WINES WITH A SCORE BELOW 7 2006 Periscope Cellars Zinfandel, Sonoma County. $20.00 NV Adam's Point Chocolate Dessert Wine. $16.50]]> tag:www.vinography.com,2008://1.7427 2008-08-20T03:02:55Z 2008-08-20T03:09:20Z

Alder http://www.vinography.com Wines & Vines magazine just pointed me to an article on their web site that made my jaw hit the table. Reporting from the recent meeting of the American Society for Wine Economists, writer Peter Mitham describes a presentation by researcher Robin Goldstein, who seems to have performed a sting operation on the Wine Spectator Restaurant Awards and exposed them as a total farce, as part of his ongoing investigations on the perceptions of value and quality in wine. In summary: 1. Researcher invents fake restaurant in Italy. 2. Researcher builds web site for fake restaurant. 3. Researcher constructs wine list of the lowest scoring Italian wines from Wine Spectator in the last decade. 4. Researcher enters Wine Spectator Restaurant Awards. 5. Fake restaurant wins Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. I haven't laughed so hard at a piece of wine news in years. It's truly unbelievable. Read the article at Wines & Vines, and then go read the the researcher's own blog post on the subject, which includes text from the Spectator's reviews of the wines on his list. It's hysterical. If this is true, it completely destroys any shred of credibility that these awards might have.]]> tag:www.vinography.com,2008://1.7426 2008-08-19T03:21:28Z 2008-08-19T03:22:50Z

Most people, when they come visit me in San Francisco and ask to be taken to wine country, assume that they're going to Napa, but at least half the time, that's definitely not where we end up. These well meaning tourists aren't the only ones who seem to forget that Northern California has many different "wine countries." Napa casts a long shadow, as it were. I've got lots of love for every piece of wine country we've got, and a special place in my heart for Sonoma County, both because it is the place of my birth, but also because...

Alder http://www.vinography.com Most people, when they come visit me in San Francisco and ask to be taken to wine country, assume that they're going to Napa, but at least half the time, that's definitely not where we end up. These well meaning tourists aren't the only ones who seem to forget that Northern California has many different "wine countries." Napa casts a long shadow, as it were. I've got lots of love for every piece of wine country we've got, and a special place in my heart for Sonoma County, both because it is the place of my birth, but also because I think sometimes it gets short shrift compared to its more famous neighbor. Sonoma County is several different wine regions rolled up into one -- from the chilly fog of the Sonoma Coast and Carneros, to the cool Green Valley and Russian River Valley, to the warmer climes of Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma Mountain, Alexander Valley, and the Sonoma Valley -- there's something for everyone in Sonoma. The main problem however, is that all these regions are spread out over a wide area, much wider than the relatively (in comparison) compact Napa Valley. So experiencing the breadth of Sonoma can be time consuming, no matter how fulfilling it ends up being. So while it's a good idea for wine lovers to pay more attention to Sonoma in general, there is one weekend this year when any self respecting wine lover shouldn't be thinking of anything else: The Sonoma Wine Country Weekend. The first event of its kind, this weekend celebration of Sonoma County wine is a combination of what have been two separate annual events up until now: The Sonoma County Showcase of Wine and Food and the Sonoma Valley Harvest Wine Auction. These two events have been combined into a single weekend that is the single best opportunity in existence for anyone to learn a thing or two about Sonoma wine. The weekend starts on Friday August 29th, with winemaker lunches at various wineries around the valley. On Saturday the 30th, the grand tasting will take place from 11 AM to 4 PM, where more than a hundred Sonoma County wineries will offer their wines for tasting along with food from more than 60 of the regions top chefs and artisan food purveyors. Sommeliers (apparently some of them famous) will be conducting wine seminars, and almost every wine that you might taste is available for sale (or shipping back home) with the help of the event staff. The evening of Friday the 29th and Saturday the 30th will also involve winemaker dinners at some of Sonoma's most spectacular wineries, including Pride Mountain Vineyards at the top of the Mayacamas mountains. And if that weren't enough, on Sunday the live Harvest Wine Auction, whose proceeds go to local charities, offers chances at bragging rights and some amazing prizes (and wines) for those who can afford to be generous, as well as a blockbuster meal cooked by some serious Sonoma culinary heavyweights. Rumor has it that there will be just a tad of wine poured at this event as well. While attendance at the auction and dinner on Sunday is a somewhat pricey proposition ($650 a head) the rest of the weekend's events are a relative steal at between $75 and $150 bucks. This is a huge opportunity to soak in the breadth and depth of Sonoma County wine without spending 4 days and 8 hours in the car zipping all over the place. It comes highly recommended by yours truly. Find out everything you need to know on the event web site. Sonoma Wine Country Weekend August 29-31, 2008 MacMurray Ranch, Cline Cellars, (and individual wineries) MacMurray Ranch 9015 Westside Road, Healdsburg, CA 95448 Tickets, which can be purchased online, are priced as follows: Friday Winemaker Lunches: $75 Friday Winemaker Dinners: $160 Grand Tasting: $150 Saturday Winemaker Dinners: $160 Sunday Auction: $650 Additional VIP packages are available. This event will almost certainly sell out, so purchase your tickets now. September just before harvest is one of the most beautiful times to be in Sonoma County. ]]> tag:www.vinography.com,2008://1.7424 2008-08-17T03:11:52Z 2008-08-17T03:11:58Z

The birth of a wine region is a fascinating thing to watch, and I'm sure an even more fascinating process to be a part of. Much of the wine that we drink comes from regions that have been established anywhere from decades to centuries ago, but the quest for great wine and great places to grow it (not to mention the changing whims of the global climate) means that there are always new frontiers when it comes to wine growing. All new wine regions begin the same -- with a pioneering spirit and a hell of a lot of determination....

Alder http://www.vinography.com The Government of the State of Baja has suggested that the fledgling wine region adopt regional appellations and a set of regulations along the lines of the Denomination of Origin laws in Spain, Italy, or France. It's easy to see how the region could benefit from such laws. They add credibility to any wines that carry the designation on the label, and the wines can be marketed to the world under specific regional names, with guarantees of quality. In short, such regulations could help increase prices and demand for Guadalupe Valley wines. On the other hand, say many of the vintners, no one has any idea what the boundaries of the region should be, what the wine regulations ought to require or forbid, or how to measure the quality of this new region's wines. And frankly, they have a point. We wine lovers are so used to the codified traditions of our global wine regions. We know that Brunello is required to be 100% Sangiovese, and that Burgundy must be 100% Pinot Noir, but at some point people had to decide that this was so. Of course, those decision makers had many decades (or more) of winemaking traditions to back up their regulations. Who is going to decide what the permitted grape varieties are in the Guadalupe Valley? And more importantly how on earth could someone decide that so early in the region's evolution as a wine locality? And what is the definition of quality in a region where only in the last couple of years have global critics even suggested that there might be high quality grapes being grown there? These are tough questions, and scary ones to contemplate a bureaucrat or some other ministry official forcing on a burgeoning wine region. For now it may be best to simply make the geographic region more official, and wait for the perspective of some history to guide more definite judgments about what will make for great Mexican wine. Read the full story.]]> tag:www.vinography.com,2008://1.7425 2008-08-16T22:28:37Z 2008-08-16T22:29:04Z

For the last 18 or so hours, and for some people it may still be so, Vinography has been deader than a doornail, thanks to a botched network upgrade by my hosting provider. I'm sorry for the inconvenience, and I thank you for your patience. This is only the third or fourth time Vinography has gone down in about 5 years, so while it's incredibly annoying, I'm trying to keep it in perspective. The irony of this downtime is that just two days ago I upgraded my Movable Type installation to the new release which dramatically improved the performance of...

Alder http://www.vinography.com dramatically improved the performance of the site for you, my readers. In particular, I know many of you have suffered through waits of 30 seconds to sometimes 3 or 4 minutes when posting comments to the site. This performance problem has now been resolved, and comments post in just a few seconds now, which is a huge relief to me and hopefully to you as well. Thanks for your continued readership. I now return you to regularly scheduled programming.]]> tag:www.vinography.com,2008://1.7423 2008-08-15T06:18:24Z 2008-08-15T06:18:44Z

Heritage plays out in many ways in the Napa Valley. There are only a few remaining families that have been farming in the valley since Prohibition, and even those that have tenures lasting more than three decades are increasingly being supplanted by new blood or corporate interests. Some of those families that have left the valley after decades often move on to other enterprises after cashing out on their vineyard investments. However, it's tough to abandon Napa Valley once you've lived and loved there for so long. Winemaker Justin Meyer moved his family to the Anderson Valley in 1999 after...

Alder http://www.vinography.com Heritage plays out in many ways in the Napa Valley. There are only a few remaining families that have been farming in the valley since Prohibition, and even those that have tenures lasting more than three decades are increasingly being supplanted by new blood or corporate interests. Some of those families that have left the valley after decades often move on to other enterprises after cashing out on their vineyard investments. However, it's tough to abandon Napa Valley once you've lived and loved there for so long. Winemaker Justin Meyer moved his family to the Anderson Valley in 1999 after more than 35 years of making wine in Napa Valley with a vision of producing world-class Port-style wine and establishing a family estate that could be carried on by future generations. Despite this move, the family never truly left Napa, as it continued (and still continues) to farm the same vineyard that in some ways is responsible for the fate of the entire Meyer clan. Justin Meyer was one of the great icons of the modern California wine industry and one of its greatest success stories. Meyer thought he was destined for a life of prayer and service when he joined the Christian Brothers religious order in the late 1950's, but a twist of fate led to him being sent to work at the order's winery in Napa in 1964. That fateful move was the beginning of a forty-year career in the wine industry. After working for several years at Christian Brothers with the famous Brother Timothy, he left the order to marry a woman named Bonny that he had fallen in love with, and with literally a dollar to his name, he co-founded a little winery that he and partner Ray Duncan decided to call Silver Oak. The rest, as they say, is history. Justin spent 28 years at Silver Oak and built it into one of the world's most sought-after wine brands. During that time, Meyer, who was a lover of Port, purchased some bulk tawny port on the market and started to make small batches of the stuff under a new label: Meyer Family Cellars. The port was for friends and family, and was also sold in small quantities at the Silver Oak winery to those in the know. During this time, Meyer raised a family with Bonny, whose name was also applied to a piece of vineyard land adjacent to Conn Creek that Meyer purchased for his wife in 1974. From an early age, this couple's son Matt Meyer knew that he wanted to be a winemaker and winegrower like his father. Unlike in his father's day, the way to do that was pretty straightforward for Matt, who went to U.C. Davis for a degree in Viticulture, and then began working immediately with his father on turning the family winery into something more than just a little port hobby. The family purchased vineyards in the Yorkville Highlands in 1999 and planted Syrah. Justin Meyer passed away in 2002, leaving the winery under the direction of Matt and his new wife, Karen, a winemaker whom he met while working a harvest in New Zealand in 2004. While their primary focus was growing a business and a brand in the Yorkville highlands, the family took special care to maintain the vineyard from which Meyer had made some of the most famous single vineyard wines for Silver Oak (and for Napa Valley) for more than a decade (1979-1991). As Meyer Family Cellars gradually settled into a working rhythm and predictable operations, the family decided that the time had come to produce a wine that would honor in equal parts Justin and his wife Bonny -- him with a world-class Cabernet, her with the honor of being its namesake. Bonny's Vineyard last produced a wine in 1991. Since then the family continued to farm it, and completely replanted the vineyard in 1999, making the first harvest of new fruit and inaugurating this project in 2003, the first time that the vineyard has produced a wine in 12 years. Harvested in mid-September (notably early for Oakville) the grapes for this wine were selected from small bunches of even smaller berries, and destemmed before being crushed. After a day of soaking at cold temperatures to extract color and flavors from the skins, the grapes and juice began fermentation which lasted 10 days before the wine was pressed. It completed its primary and then secondary fermentations in stainless steel before being moved to 100% new American Oak barrels where it aged for a lengthy 34 months before bottling. During that time it was racked once a year (the process where the wine is carefully poured off the sediments that have accumulated in the barrel). The wine was not fined, but was filtered before bottling. If the pedigree of this wine is not enough to pique a wine lovers interest, two salient facts about its winemaking should gain the attention of those serious about California Cabernet. The first is the daring choice to age the wine in only American Oak, a practice which is increasingly rare in California, and even more so in Napa Valley. The second is the fact that this wine weighs in at only 13.19% alcohol, which, like the choice of oak, is neither good nor bad in itself, but is certainly even more uncommon for Napa Cabernet. Which brings me to the bottom line on this wine. Those looking for a wine that defies the stereotypes of Napa Cabernet while at the same time upholding its reputation for being some of the tastiest wine on the planet shouldn't miss their chance to experience the first example of what will likely be a highly sought after wine. Full disclosure: I received this wine as a press sample. Tasting Notes: Dark garnet in the glass, this wine has a nose of luxurious chocolate and cherry aromas. In the mouth it is nothing short of gorgeous. Beautifully smooth and lithe on the tongue, the wine swirls with great acidity that carries flavors of cherry, mint, chocolate, cedar and tobacco across the palate in several waves of pleasurable, layered flavors. The finish soars off the back of the palate effortlessly and endlessly. An incredibly impressive first release that Justin Meyer could not help but be proud of. Food Pairing: This wine epitomizes the concept of delicate strength, which means it's rich enough for grilled lamb on rosemary skewers, but not likely to overwhelm more subtle dishes either. A very nice food wine. Overall Score: Between 9 and 9.5 How Much?: $135 This wine is being released on August 31st in limited quantities, and I believe it will likely only be available to members of the winery's mailing list. You can sign up on their web site to purchase up to three bottles.]]> tag:www.vinography.com,2008://1.7422 2008-08-12T04:06:52Z 2008-08-12T04:06:35Z

Serious wine lovers in the San Francisco Bay area get several opportunities each year to indulge their passions for wine. Large, themed tastings like the ZAP Zinfandel Festival or the recent Pinot Days are great opportunities to get a sense of a certain varietal and the quality of the recent vintage in California and events like the upcoming Family Winemakers are an opportunity to taste wines from smaller producers. It is quite rare, however, despite the nearness of the appellation and the saturation of wine in the Bay Area, for consumers to get the opportunity to get an in-depth or...

Alder http://www.vinography.com Serious wine lovers in the San Francisco Bay area get several opportunities each year to indulge their passions for wine. Large, themed tastings like the ZAP Zinfandel Festival or the recent Pinot Days are great opportunities to get a sense of a certain varietal and the quality of the recent vintage in California and events like the upcoming Family Winemakers are an opportunity to taste wines from smaller producers. It is quite rare, however, despite the nearness of the appellation and the saturation of wine in the Bay Area, for consumers to get the opportunity to get an in-depth or comprehensive look at the wines of Napa Valley. Perhaps it's just because Napa wines don't need much marketing help, or perhaps it's because the Napa Valley Vintners association exhausts itself with its two major events each year, but there just isn't a real good opportunity for members of the public to survey the breadth and depth of wines from the Napa valley. Unless, that is, you happen to be a member of the Napa Valley Wine Library Association. The Wine Library is just what it sounds like: a library with books about wine. Started in the early Sixties by a group of winery owners that realized the irony of having a public library in the heart of Napa Valley that possessed virtually no literature or resources about wine, the library association was built on donations of money and books from Napa's wine families over four decades. Now occupying a special section of the St. Helena public library and even owning a small vineyard out behind the building, the Wine Library Association is a membership organization that gives its members access to these materials, some of which are rare and historic, as well as to annual tasting events. Each year the organization hosts a two part event: On Saturday they offer a full day seminar on a specific topic, often a certain AVA or certain varietal, and then on Sunday they offer a tasting event showcasing a specific varietal as represented by hundreds of wineries in the valley. This year's event will feature an all-day seminar on August 23rd at the Culinary Institute of America in St. Helena focused on "White Winemaking -- Techniques and Trends", in which prominent winemakers and vineyard managers from Charles Krug, Robert Mondavi, Spencer Roloson, Stony Hill, and Louis. M Martini discuss the current state of white wine making in Napa Valley. On Sunday the 24th, over 100 wineries will pour their recent vintages of white wines in the grove at the Silverado Country Club. Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Marsanne, Vermentino, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Grigio, Roussanne, Albariño, Viognier and more will be on offer. "That's all well and good," you may be saying, "but this is a members-only event and I'm not a member of the Napa Valley Wine Library Association." That's true. But a check for $60 sent in advance, or a check for $85 on the day of the tasting will do the trick. Membership is available on the spot, and covers the tasting plus any others that you choose to go to for the rest of the year. If you'd like to attend the seminar on the 23rd, there is an additional cost of $150. Sound like a steal? It is. Unless you're a member of the trade that attends Premiere Napa Valley, or someone willing to pay in the hundreds or even thousands for a package at the annual Auction Napa Valley, there is generally no other way to get the opportunity to taste so many Napa Valley wineries in a single setting. If you're serious about learning more about Napa wines, especially if you're interested in some of the less famous wines of the valley, this is an event you don't want to miss. I've provided an initial list of the wineries scheduled to pour at the bottom of this post organized by the varietal they'll be showcasing. Napa Valley Wine Library Association Member Tasting Sunday August 24th Silverado Resort and Country Club 1600 Atlas Peak Road Napa, California 94558 707-257-0200 Annual membership dues for the Association are $60, or $85 if purchased at the door. Only checks and cash will be accepted, I believe, so stop at an ATM or bring your checkbook. Additional details on how to get membership in advance and on the event can be found on the Association's web site. Please note that the location for the Saturday event is the Greystone Castle in St. Helena My usual tips for such outdoor public tastings apply: wear loose fitting but dark colored clothing (but keep in mind that it may be very warm for the outdoor tasting). Eat a good meal before going and drink lots of water while tasting. Decide in advance which wineries you would like to visit, and make sure to spit rather than swallow the wine to make sure you get a chance to enjoy (and remember) a number of wines. The wineries and the varietals currently scheduled to pour are as follows: Albariño Mahoney Chardonnay El Molino Fleury Estate Forman Grgich Hills Hendry Hyde de Villaine (HdV) Jocelyn Lonen Keenan Kongsgaard Long Vineyards Mayacamas Monticello Muir's Legacy Northfield O'Brien Patz & Hall PEJU Pine Ridge Pride Prix Richard Partridge Rombauer Rutherford Ranch Saddleback St. Clement Saintsbury Sedna Stags' Leap Winery Stony Hill Swanson The Hess Collection The Terraces Trefethen Truchard Tulocay ZD Chenin Blanc Ballentine Casa Nuestra Gewürtztraminer Madonna Estate Stony Hill Marsanne Krupp Brothers Moscato Canelli Robert Pecota Muscato Azul La Sirena Pinot Blanc Saddleback Pinot Grigio Madonna Estate Pinot Gris Hendry Riesling Casa Nuestra Prix Stony Hill Trefethen Rousanne Prix Truchard Sauvignon Blanc Broman Cakebread Carrefour Crocker & Starr Duckhorn Ehlers Estate Emmolo Frog's Leap Green and Red Hall Heitz Hill Family Honig Jericho Canyon Joseph Phelps Long Meadow Ranch Markham PEJU Rios Rutherford Grove Rutherford Ranch St. Supery Silverado Vineyards Spring Mountain Teaderman Vinoce Vermentino Mahoney Viognier Saddleback Seps Spencer Roloson Stags' Leap Winery Proprietary Blends Ceja, Vino de Casa Hill Family, Carly's Cuvée Krupp Brothers, Black Bart's Bride Prix Robert Mondavi, Fumé Blanc Robert Sinskey, Abraxas St. Supéry, Vertú Schramsberg, Blanc de Blancs Venge, Bianco Spettro ]]> tag:www.vinography.com,2008://1.7418 2008-08-11T05:03:50Z 2008-08-11T05:03:24Z

If I ever wanted to make a lot of money in the wine industry, I know just what I'd do. It wouldn't be starting a vineyard, or publishing a book, or making my own wine, or marketing someone else's. No if I wanted to make a pile of money, I'd simply organize a big wine competition. Such competitions and their gold medals are good for one thing and one thing only: making a pile of money for the people who organize them. I don't believe the do a bit of good for the wine industry as a whole, no matter...

Alder http://www.vinography.com "NEW Competition! Look at the Super Star Pro Wine Buyers Lined Up to Judge Your Greatest Wines! Get your wines tasted by top U.S. Professional Wine Buyers from Andronico's Market, Dean and Deluca, IL Forniao Restaurant Group, Playboy Mansion West. $75 per entry Early Bird until August 16. SO DON'T WAIT. Enter Now. Moving wine and finding new retail outlets is getting harder and harder... Why spend thousands of dollars traveling and hours beating your head against the wall trying to get face time with the real decision makers? We've done the work for you to get your wines in front of the right people. What does this mean for you? Well, in addition to cutting down on your work and expense, the results will be published and distributed TO THE TRADE.... Winners will be awarded gold, silver and bronze -- and the Guide will provide price points, contact information and production information so that wine buyers throughout the U.S. (and abroad) can use it as their "bible" to find wines they KNOW the wine-buying public will love." I don't know about you, but that sort of makes my skin crawl. I don't see this as much different than marketing investment schemes to the elderly. The two prey on the same insecurities about success among those who desperately want to be successful. They're not illegal, but they are morally dubious. A huge number of wineries in the United States don't get the 90+ point scores from the critics that immediately bring their wines to the attention of the wine buying public. Nor are they sufficiently popular that people buy their wines no matter what the critics say. This group of wineries needs to sell their wines. They need wine buyers at restaurants, hotels, retailers, and bars to think that their products are worth selling. They're not desperate -- any more desperate than the maker of a product who needs to sell it to survive -- but they do know that they have not gotten accolades from the people who really count, so selling out their wine is going to take a combination of hard work and luck. Where there is a need in the marketplace, products and services spontaneously arise to fill it. Recognizing the need for hundreds, if not thousands of wineries to distinguish themselves from the pack somehow, the commercial wine competition arose. The formula is simple. Wineries looking for publicity pay a fee for each wine that they want to enter into the competition. Their wines are judged in dozens and dozens of different categories (generally by hardworking folks who are trying to do a good job, though not always) to maximize the numbers of medals that can be handed out like so much candy to the nervous wineries looking for as much validation as those anxious parents who want their children to be stars. Maybe after paying the $750 to enter ten bottles of wine, a winery walks away with a Gold, two Silvers, and one Bronze medal. They get to hang them around the necks of their bottles in the tasting room. They get to pay their PR lackeys to send out press releases about the awards, and, of course, they now get to mention the fact that their wine won a gold every single time they pour a glass for anyone, anywhere. Of course, there's nothing wrong with this, despite its insipidity. There's nothing really wrong with the folks who organize these wine competitions making hundreds of thousands of dollars from the event ($500 x 800 wineries = take it to the bank). But there is something vaguely evil about the whole scenario. It's like a whole little economy that has sprung up to feed on insecurity, mediocrity, and hope. And with so many wine competitions out there, from state fairs to so-and-so's international wine competition, the thousands of gold medals handed out have become completely meaningless. I've never had a friend recommend a wine to me based on the fact that it has won a gold medal. I've never had a sommelier in a restaurant or bar tell me that the wine they were recommending was a gold medal winning wine. I've certainly never seen it listed on a wine list. I think I might have seen (but only once or twice) a wine store or supermarket shelf talker mention a medal. The only people I ever hear talking about these damn medals from are the wineries themselves and their marketing agencies, both of whom (rather pitifully I think) try to wring every tiny little bit of mileage out of their award that they can. It's like the folks who work in tasting rooms don't have anything interesting to say about the wines, but if they can talk about medals they might just sell a bottle or two. I'm sure someone will come along here and slap me down and tell me that gold medal wines sell better in their tasting room and that they really have gotten a return on their investment of however many hundreds of dollars they spent on this wine competition or that state fair entry. But that doesn't mean that the wine industry wouldn't be a hell of a lot better off if all these wine competitions just went away, and people spent their money and time making better wine, and telling people interesting stories about it. Which is what most everyone remembers anyway. ]]> tag:www.vinography.com,2008://1.7419 2008-08-10T05:19:31Z 2008-08-10T05:33:22Z

Who knows where this stuff comes from? Or why the first place I find out about it is some newspaper in the UK. But apparently times are tough for some grape growers in Washington state, so instead of putting the hard work in to grow wine grapes, they're turning to Marijuana instead. Or perhaps more accurately, they're selling out to friendly people who show up willing to pay cash for their vineyards. Apparently several former vineyards have been converted to Ganja fields in the last year or two. But one has to wonder at the wisdom of such an approach...

Alder http://www.vinography.com Who knows where this stuff comes from? Or why the first place I find out about it is some newspaper in the UK. But apparently times are tough for some grape growers in Washington state, so instead of putting the hard work in to grow wine grapes, they're turning to Marijuana instead. Or perhaps more accurately, they're selling out to friendly people who show up willing to pay cash for their vineyards. Apparently several former vineyards have been converted to Ganja fields in the last year or two. But one has to wonder at the wisdom of such an approach given that due to their need for sun, most vineyards are quite exposed and easy to spot from the air. As in, easy to spot from a DEA helicopter. Or maybe these folks are getting really savvy and they're just shooting for a sensimilla cover crop in between the rows. The stuff grows pretty quickly, maybe they're getting a full, um, harvest by the time the rows need to be cleared in the spring. I'm reminded of a great song by Little Feat... "Just give me: weed, white sand, and wine, and I'll be willin'" Read the full story.
]]> tag:www.vinography.com,2008://1.7420 2008-08-10T04:23:24Z 2008-08-12T15:43:59Z

The Pinot Days event, which took place on the last weekend in June this year, brings together one of the largest collections of Pinot Noir producers in North America for the tasting pleasure of the public. It's taken me quite some time to get this report out. Such tasting reports are the most time intensive blogging that I do, especially when the organizers of events like Pinot Days don't have an electronic list of the wines that are being poured at the event. Which means I need to transcribe the hundreds of wines and scores that I record in my...

Alder http://www.vinography.com The Pinot Days event, which took place on the last weekend in June this year, brings together one of the largest collections of Pinot Noir producers in North America for the tasting pleasure of the public. It's taken me quite some time to get this report out. Such tasting reports are the most time intensive blogging that I do, especially when the organizers of events like Pinot Days don't have an electronic list of the wines that are being poured at the event. Which means I need to transcribe the hundreds of wines and scores that I record in my notebook at the event. And that is tough to do with a newborn in the house. But this weekend I finally got a block of time to spend with my scores and crank them out. I use such events, comprehensive as they are, as a means of judging the overall quality of the vintage in California, if it is possible to generalize in such a way as this. At this most recent tasting, the 2006 Pinot Noirs were on display, and I found them generally good but not as consistent as those who made good wine in 2005 (a problematic vintage in certain places). 2006 seems to have been more consistent in quality across many regions, from Santa Barbara County all the way up to Mendocino than in 2005. However the character of the wines did not seem as strong as in recent past vintages. In particular I found myself encountering a moderate incidence of volatile acidity in the wines, which seemed more prevalent in Sonoma Coast and Russian River Valley wines than in wines from the Central Coast areas. The field of wine also evidences a continued dialing back of extraction and ripeness from levels that seemed to peak in the 2002 and 2003 vintages. This is especially true for the wines from the Santa Lucia Highlands which tend to be some of the most overripe Pinot Noirs made in Northern California. Wines from Garys' Vineyard, Pisoni Vineyard, and Rosella's Vineyard, continue to be moderated to saner levels of fruit and alcohol than in the past. I'm especially excited about the 2006 wines from the Santa Rita Hills and Santa Maria Valley, which seem to be excellent and certainly worth pursuing in greater depth. I know that some of you have been waiting for this report for some time (and probably given up on ever getting it), but better late than never. I've called out the few nice roses I found as well as a couple white wines of note. Also, given the increasingly steep price of most Pinot, I've called out those wines that I think represent the best values (under $35). Enjoy. Click on the wine names to find online retailers who sell that wine. PINKS AND WHITES 2007 Patton Valley Vineyard Rose of Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $14. 2007 Hartford Family Winery Rose of Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. Score: between 9 and 9.5. $22. 2006 Fort Ross Vineyard Rose of Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. Score: around 9. Cost: $16. Where to buy? 2007 Coterie Rose of Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. Score: around 9. Cost: $?? 2007 Inman Family Wines Pinot Gris, Russian River Valley. Score: around 9. Cost: $ 25 2007 Novy "Blanc de Noir" White Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon. Score: around 8.5. Cost: $?? BEST VALUES 2005 Ladd Cellars Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $30. 2004 Fort Ross Vineyard Pinotage, Sonoma Coast. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $32. 2006 Patton Valley Vineyard Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $35. 2006 Joseph Swan "Saralees Vineyard" Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $35. 2006 Mary Elke Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. Score: around 9. Cost: $26 2006 W.H. Smith Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. Score: around 9. Cost: $28 2006 Joseph Swan "Cuvee de Trois" Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. Score: around 9. Cost: $28 2006 Copain "Tous Ensemble" Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. Score: around 9. Cost: $30 2006 Fort Ross Vineyard "Symposium" Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. Score: around 9. Cost: $32 2006 Eno Wines "Never Say Never" Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands. Score: around 9. Cost: $32 2006 Melville Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills. Score: around 9. Cost: $32 2006 Eric Kent "Windsor Oaks" Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. Score: around 9. Cost: $33 2006 Byron Kosuge "The Shop" Pinot Noir, Carneros. Score: around 9. Cost: $33 2006 Londer Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. Score: around 9. Cost: $35

Complete List of Scores

WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 9.5 2006 Elke Vineyards Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. $38 2006 Derbes Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $45 2004 Derbes "Les Pinots" Pinot Noir / Pinot Meunier, Russian River Valley. $44 2005 Calera "Ryan Vineyard" Pinot Noir, Mt. Harlan. $40 2002 Calera "Mills Vineyard" Pinot Noir, Mt. Harlan. $48 2006 Peay Vineyards "Pomarium" Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. $52 WINES SCORING BETWEEN 9 AND 9.5 2006 Freeman "Akiko's Cuvee" Pint Noir, Russian River Valley. $52 2006 Fort Ross Vineyard "Estate" Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. $39 2005 Fort Ross Vineyard "Reserve" Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. $49 2004 Fort Ross Vineyard Pinotage, Sonoma Coast. $32 2006 Eric Kent "Stiling Vineyard" Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $42 2001 Elke Vineyards Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. $55 2005 Elke Vineyards Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. $45 2006 Demetria Estate "Le Belier" Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills. $45 1999 Clos Saron Pinot Noir, North Yuba. $N/A 2005 Calera "Mills Vineyard" Pinot Noir, Mt. Harlan. $45 1997 Calera "Reed Vineyard" Pinot Noir (out of magnum), Mt. Harlan. $75 2007 Auteur "Ophelia" Pinot Noir (blend of Oregon and California fruit). $38 2006 Auteur "Shea Vineyard" Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon. $70 2006 Arista "Longbow" Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $48 2006 Ancien "Mink Vineyard" Pinot Noir, Napa. $45 2006 Patton Valley Vineyard Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon. $35 2006 Peay Vineyards "Scallop Shelf" Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. $52 2005 Pelerin "Rosella's Vineyard" Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands. $48 2006 Saintsbury "Lee Vineyard" Pinot Noir, Carneros. $45 2006 Hartford Family Winery "Fog Dance" Pinot Noir, Green Valley. $$45 1998 Domaine Naddef "Les Champeaux" Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru, Burgundy, Fance. $?? 2006 W.H. Smith "Marimar" Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. $48 2006 W.H. Smith "Maritime" Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. $54 2006 Pappapietro Perry "Pommard Clone" Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $49 2006 Pappapietro Perry "Peter's Vineyard" Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $49 2004 Michaud Pinot Noir, Chalone. $38 2002 Michaud Pinot Noir, Chalone. $N/A 2006 Melville "Terraces" Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills. $52 2006 Melville "Carries" Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills. $52 2006 Londer "Canby Vineyard" Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. $50 2006 Londer "Paraboll" Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. $30 2005 Ladd Cellars Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $30 2005 Ladd Cellars "Gaps Crown" Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. $35 2006 Kindred "Amber Ridge" Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $$44 2006 Joseph Swan "Saralees Vineyard" Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $35 2006 J. Wilkes "Block Q" Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara County. $55 2005 J. Wilkes "Block Q" Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara County. $55 WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 9 2006 Goldeneye Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. $55 2006 Freeman "Keefer Ranch" Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $46 2006 Freeman Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. $42 2006 Foursight "Charles Vineyard" Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. $46 2006 Fort Ross Vineyard "Symposium" Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. $32 2006 Flying Goat Cellars "Rio Vista Vineyard" Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands. $40 2006 Eno Wines "Never Say Never" Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands. $32 2006 Eric Kent "Windsor Oaks" Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $33 2006 Mary Elke Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. $26 2006 Demetria Estate Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills. $40 2006 Demetria Estate "Cuvee Sandra" Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills. $60 2006 Copain "Kaiser En Bas" Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. $50 2006 Copain "Tous Ensemble" Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. $30 2006 Copain "Cerise" Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. $45 2006 Clos Saron "Home Vineyard" Pinot Noir, North Yuba. $45 1994 Clos Saron Pinot Noir, North Yuba. $N/A 2003 Hereszytn Clos Village Vielles Vignes, Gevrey Chambertin, Burgundy, France. $37 2006 Byron Kosuge "The Shop" Pinot Noir, Carneros. $33 2006 Byron Kosuge "Hirsch Vineyard" Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. $50 2006 Byron Kosuge "Manchester Ridge" Pinot Noir, Mendocino. $40 2007 Auteur "Sonoma Stage" Pinot Noir, Sonoma. $60 2006 August West "Graham Family Vineyard" Russian River Valley. $48 2006 Arista Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $40 2006 Arista "Mononi Vineyard" Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $56 2006 Ancien "Toyon Farm Vineyard" Pinot Noir, Carneros . $45 2006 Pey-Lucia "Frisquet" Pinoe Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands. $39 2006 Saintsbury "Stanley Ranch" Pinot Noir, Carneros. $45 2006 Saintsbury "Brown Ranch" Pinot Noir, Carneros. $65 2006 Siduri "Ewald Vineyard" Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $?? 2006 Hartford Family Winery "Lands Edge" Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. $45 2005 Skewis "Reserve" Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. $50 2006 W.H. Smith Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. $28 2005 Huber "Baden" Pinot Noir, Malterdinger, Germany. $42 2006 Pappapietro Perry "Lera's Family Vineyard" Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $49 2006 Miner Family Vineyards "Garys' Vineyard" Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands. $55 2006 Miner Family Vineyards "Rosella's Vineyard" Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands . $55 2003 Michaud Pinot Noir, Chalone. $38 2001 Michaud Pinot Noir, Chalone. $N/A 2006 Melville Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills. $32 2006 Londer Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. $35 2006 Londer "Estate" Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. $50 2006 Joseph Swan "Cuvee de Trois" Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $28 2005 Joseph Swan "Trenton Estate" Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $52 2005 Joseph Swan "Great Oak" Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $38 2006 Inman Family Wines "OGV" Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $45 WINES SCORING BETWEEN 8.5 AND 9 2006 Handley Cellars Pinot Noir, Mendocino. $25 2005 Handley Cellars "RSM Vineyard" Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. $52 2006 Goldeneye "Migration" Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. $32 2007 Gary Farrel "Bien Nacido Vineyard" Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley. $50 2008 Gary Farrel "Hallberg Vineyard" Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $50 2006 Freeman Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $42 2006 Flying Goat Cellars "Dierberg Vineyard" Pinot Noir Santa Maria Valley. $42 2005 Eno Wines "Fairview Vineyard" Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands. $38 2006 Elke Vineyards Rose of Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. $18 1998 Elke Vineyards Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. $$60 NV Mary Elke "Booneville Bath" Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. $18 2007 Caloir "Romas Vineyard" Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. $44 2007 Caloir "Monument Tree" Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. $44 2005 Tardy "Au Bas de Combe" Nuits St. George, Burgundy, France. $54 2006 Calera "Mt. Harlan Cuvee" Pinot Noir, Mt. Harlan. $30 2006 Bouchaine "Estate" Pinot Noir, Carneros. $39 2006 August West "Rosella's Vineyard" Santa Lucia Highlands. $48 2006 Arista "Toboni Vineyard" Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $56 2006 Ancien Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $?? 2006 Pelerin "St. Vincent" Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands. $38 2005 Philo Ridge Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. $32 2005 Copeland Creek Pinot Noir, Sonoma. $25 2006 Roesseler Cellars "Dutton Ranch" Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $38 2006 Roesseler Cellars "Sanford and Benedict" Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara. $48 2006 Saintsbury Pinot Noir, Carneros. $35 2006 Saintsbury "Toyon Vineyard" Pinot Noir, Carneros. $45 2006 Saintsbury "Cerise Vineyard" Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. $45 2006 Siduri "Muirfield" Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon. $?? 2006 Siduri Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. $?? 2006 Siduri "Sonatera" Vineyard Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. $?? 2005 Skewis "Legenfelder Vineyard" Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $44 2001 Skewis "Floodgate Vineyard" Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. $N/A 2006 Suacci "Carcienne" Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $48 2005 Tandem "Sangiacomo Vineyard" Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. $48 2005 Tandem "Van Der Kamp Vineyard" Pinot Noir, Sonoma Mountain. $48 2006 Halleck "The Farm" Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $50 2005 Huia Pinot Noir, Marlborough, New Zealand. $30 2006 Tantara "Bien Nacido - Old Vine" Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara County. $48 2006 Tantara "Dierberg Vineyard" Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley. $52 2006 Tantara "Pisoni Vineyard" Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands. $60 2006 Ladd Cellars "Moore Ranch" Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $?? 2006 Ladd Cellars "Swicegood" Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $?? 2006 J. Wilkes "Hillside Bien Nacido Vineyard" Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara County. $42 WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 8.5 2006 Handley Cellars Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. $30 2006 George "Vintage IV" Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $50 2006 Gary Farrel Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $42 2006 Flying Goat Cellars "Rancho Santa Rosa" Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills. $44 2006 Enkidu "Tina Marie" Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $42 2006 Enkidu Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $28 2006 Dovetail Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $39 2006 Dovetail "Indioli Vineyard" Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $52 2006 Clos Saron "Texas Hill" Pinot Noir, North Yuba. $40 2005 Domaine Prince de Menode "Ladoix" Burgundy, France. $31 2005 Serveau "Les Sorbets" Morey St. Denis 1er Cru, Burgundy, France. $73 2006 Bouchaine Pinot Noir, Carneros. $24 2006 Roesseler Cellars "Red Label" Pinot Noir, California. $28 2006 Roesseler Cellars "Griffin's" Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast. $35 2006 Roesseler Cellars "La Encantada" Pinot Noir. $46 2006 Tandem "Auction Block" Pinot Noir, Sonoma Mountain. $60 2006 Tandem "Silver Pines" Pinot Noir, Sonoma Mountain. $60 2006 Tantara "Garys' Vineyard" Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands. $52 2006 Native 9 Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara County. $55 2006 Inman Family Wines "Meredith" Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. $45 2005 Sonnet "Kruse Vineyard" Pinot Noir, York Mountain. $40 ]]>