Tag: Santa Maria Valley

Solomon Hills Vineyard

June 5, 2020 Vinography Images

Vinography Images: Hills of Chardonnay

Hills of ChardonnaySANTA MARIA, CA: A hillside Chardonnay vineyard at Solomon Hills Vineyards near Santa Maria, California basks in the

vineyard and hill

May 29, 2020 Vinography Images

Vinography Images: Intersecting Planes

Intersecting PlanesSANTA MARIA, CA: Hillside Pinot Noir vineyards along the Tepusquet Bench are seemingly on a different plane from the

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Branching futures

Branching futures

What stories do ancient mountains and their caves

What stories do ancient mountains and their caves tell? Stories of beginnings. It’s hard not to be inspired drinking one of the world’s most ancient grape varieties made in one of the places that winemaking began. And when made with such grace, so much the better. Blackberry and licorice, plum and a touch of dark earth, with lingering notes of candied fennel seeds in the finish. Gorgeous acidity and a finely textured skein of tannins. Armenia’s going through a hard time right now. I salute the resilience of her people. 2017 Zorah “Karasi” Areni Noir, Armenia.

Fig and cocoa powder, prunes and lavender. Somewha

Fig and cocoa powder, prunes and lavender. Somewhat ripe, but with that herbal edge, also fresh. Persistent and long, with supple tannins. A blend of Cinsault, Grenache, and Cabernet. Drink Lebanese! They’re in a bad way these days. And never forget the spirit of Serge Hochar. 2016 Château Musar “Hochar Pere et fils” Red Wine, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon.

Cedar, dusty earth, dried herbs, strawberry and ra

Cedar, dusty earth, dried herbs, strawberry and raspberry, all wrapped in a gauze of rock dust and pulverized dried flowers. Amazing acidity and a faint saltiness in the finish. 100+ year old Cinsault bush vines from the nooks and crannies of Itata. Dr. Terroir (soil geologist Pedro Parra) is putting his terroir where his mouth is. 2017 Pedro Parra “Monk” Cinsault. Roughly 30% whole cluster, but 100% delicious.

Warning! Wunderkind wine! Chris and Suzaan continu

Warning! Wunderkind wine! Chris and Suzaan continue to do great things with the little plots of heritage vines they find in the nooks and crannies around Walker Bay. Gorgeous lemon curd, peach and poached pear flavors have a stark mineral tone and a hint of toasty butterscotch in the finish. 2017 Alheit “Cartology” Chenin Blanc, Walker Bay, South Africa.

Oh, Syrah, Such misunderstood brilliance. Especial

Oh, Syrah, Such misunderstood brilliance. Especially in the hands of @jolielaidewines, where it becomes tangy, salty blackberry and sour cherry, wild thyme and wet redwood bark layered over crushed stone. Fabulous stuff clocking in at a mere 12.8% alcohol for all its cool-climate glory. If I’ve said it once I’ll say it a million times, everything Scotty Schultz touches turns to gold. In the bottle anyways. 2016 Jolie-Laide “Halcon Vineyard” Syrah, Yorkville Highlands, Mendocino, CA.

I had a fun and very wide-ranging conversation thi

I had a fun and very wide-ranging conversation this morning with @margueritevimbert about wine, spirituality, passion, creativity, altered states of consciousness and more. Check it out.

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