LIOCO WINE WITH KEVIN O'CONNOR

Since trying the 2006 Lioco Indica Sonoma County a while back, I've been a fan of this small California producer.  I was fortunate enough to hook up with founder Kevin O'Connor at the recent Taste of Beverly Hills Food and Wine Festival, presented by Food and Wine magazine.

O'Connor was formerly the wine director at Spago-Beverly Hills.  He and wine importer Matt Licklider got to talking about whether or not California could produce a true "wine of origin."  A number of California producers already feel they are doing just that, but O'Connor and Licklider set out to do it their way.

While pouring his creations for me, O'Connor told me of his winemaking philosophy, which is also summed up nicely on the Lioco website.  

"Everything begins in the vineyard--without a compelling vineyard site, there is little chance of creating a distinctive wine.  Inspired by traditional European winegrowing practices, we seek out vineyard sites with tougher soil, older vines, and some stress-producing aspect (altitude, extreme temperature, poor soil, etc).  Then we simply shepherd the grapes from bud to bottle in the least intrusive way possible."

So, using wines from Burgundy and Southern France as a roadmap, O'Connor strives to produce wines with a true California identity.  This means Chardonnay with no oak and Pinot Noir and red blends with limited oak effect.  The mission is to let the grapes do the talking, and the grapes have plenty to say in Lioco wines.

My introduction to Lioco was a bottle of the '06 Indica Sonoma County.  A blend of 87% Carignan and 13% Petite Sirah, this wine showed me a very stong blueberry aroma and flavor, with a spicy finish that mellows with breathing time.  Dark undercurrents and an earthiness you'd expect from the grapes used were prominent.  I thought it would pair well with merguez sausage or lamb.

At the Beverly Hills event, O'Connor proudly poured four of his wines.  The '08 Sonoma Chardonnay uses no oak and has a nose full of minerality with a very clean taste and a nice, high acidity level.  The Lioco '09 Carneros Chardonnay is also produced sans oak and shows even more minerals than the Sonoma.  This also has a beautiful acidity and some interesting herbal notes.

Lioco's '08 Pinot Noir smells of rose petals and has a meaty, almost gamey flavor that is quite complex.  The '07 version of Indica again features mostly old-vine Carignan (the amount changes from vintage to vintage), with some Grenache and Mourvedre in the mix.  O'Connor calls this his "fun wine," and I have to agree.  Big blueberry and cherry flavors are abetted by a wonderfully dark minerality.

Santa Barbara Winery ZCS 2008

ZCS - the letters stand for the blend, Zinfandel, Carignane and Sangiovese.  60% Z, 24% C and 16% S, it's an obscure blend, to be sure.  I like 'em that way.  The Zinfandel comes from 50-year-old vines and all the fruit comes from Lodi.

Santa Barbara Winery's ZCS is a very aromatic wine, with full black cherry coming across strongly on the nose.  The jammy Zinfandel is offset by the Carignane's depth.  The taste is quite rich and dark.

Upon opening, the acidity was a bit high for me. It felt almost carbonated in my mouth.  A full hour later it still felt a bit grippy.  You should allow plenty of air to get to it before pouring.

The second night I drank it, it had settled down considerably to a smooth drink.  An earthy, brambly taste had also come over it, which I found terribly enticing.

Winemaker:  Bruce McGuire
Variety:  Zinfandel, Carignane, Sangiovese
Appelation:  Lodi
Vintage:  2008
Vineyard:  Wild Rose Vineyard
Alcohol level:
Price:  $13
Acquisition Disclaimer:  Purchased by the author

Ravenswood Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel 2006

I'm one guy who loves grocery shopping with my wife.  Denise calls out the specific need of the moment, I quickly proceed to the proper aisle and pick it up, returning to her and the basket in what I'm sure is a blinding flash of light.  There, I find her still weighing the advantages of the various bread products, spices or pasta.  When we get to the produce department - where she judges me underskilled - she cuts me loose and tells me she'll find me in the wine department when she's done.  Oh, joy!  Time to shop for something really interesting.

Denise always goes grocery shopping fully armed with a fistful of manufacturer coupons.  Once, she gave me one of those precious slips of paper.  It was for two dollars off a Ravenswood product. 

After apologizing profusely to the old lady I nearly knocked down as I spun on my heels and left the produce area, I went to see which of the Ravenswood wines would come home with us.

One of the things I really like about Ravenswood - and there is a lot to like - is that they make so many different wines, it seems there is always something new on the shelf from them.  My choice was the Lodi Old Vine Zin, 2006, which listed at $14.  I got it on sale and with the coupon the price came down to $8.

The wine is very dark both in color and taste.  That's to be expected with a healthy part of the makeup consisting of Petite Sirah.  There's a little bit of Carignane thrown in, too, which makes me wonder if this is a field blend.  I've seen some references to the grapes of lesser percentage being "blended in."  That would indicate a "no" to the field blend question, but that would be somewhat unusual for old California vines.

The nose bears raspberries and plums, and the richness of the bouquet indicates the year and a half this wine spent in French oak.  Dark fruit takes center stage on the palate, with a certain spicy note waiting in the wings.  The palate is jammy with blackberries and plums, big, dark plums the way they taste when you get a little of the skin with the fruit.

 At 14.5% abv, the wine does have a bit of kick to it, and the tannins are quite healthy, too.  It settles down nicely after a bit of time, though.  In a rare state of being out nearly every night of a recent workweek, this bottle was opened on a Monday and finished on a Saturday.  A full five days stoppered really allowed it to calm down to a point of being soft and intense.  The mouthfeel is quite full-bodied, there's nice acidity and a good show of tannins.  I detected a bit of anise and some cocoa notes in the finish.

Ravenswood Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel 2006

Varietal:  78% Zinfandel, 21% Petite Sirah, 1% Carignane

Appellation:  California > Lodi

Vintage:  2006

Alcohol Level:  14.5%

Price:  $14 (after sale price and coupon, $8)

Acquisition disclaimer:  Bought it myself

"They Got This Recession On" Wines, Part 4

Fess Parker Frontier Red Lot 91 is the latest in a series of non-vintage wines from Fess Parker's respected Santa Barbara County winery.  Their website lists the wine at $12, but it sells at some places for $10, and I got a bottle from Los Angeles Wine Company for $8.

The wine is a blend of six Rhone varietals, and it really drinks like an actual Rhone Valley wine rather than a California facsimile.  The nose features blackberry and spices in a very dark setting.  An herbal quality seems to come through a layer of smoke.  On the palate, Frontier Red has a dark edge as well, with plenty of smoky fruit and a licorice component adding to the dark flavors.  I picked up a bit of graphite, too.  Frontier Red drank better each of the three nights it was open.

It's got a medium-mouthfeel, which is rather surprising considering the grapes involved.  I thought of it at first as "thin," but later I felt that might be a bit harsh, since the taste is so good.  I do prefer a bigger feel on my palate, though.  I would recommend giving it some time to settle down, either sitting in the glass or by decanting.

My wife used some of it in a spaghetti sauce she made, and the result was fabulous.  Naturally, the wine paired extremely well with that sauce.

Winemaker:  Fess Parker
Varietal:  56% Syrah, 20% Grenache, 13% Carignane, 5% Sangiovese, 5% Cinsault & 1% Mourvedre 
Appelation:  California > Santa Barbara County
Vineyard:  Camp Four Vineyard (Santa Ynez Valley); Starlane Vineyard (Santa Barbara County); Rodney's Vineyard (Santa Ynez Valley)
Vintage:  NV
Alcohol Level:  15.5%
Price:  $8 (list $12)
Acquisition disclaimer:  I paid for this wine, on sale.

Tasting Event: Pourtal - Cradle of Wine

Santa Monica's 7-month-old wine hang, Pourtal, kicked off their December program with a pouring party Tuesday night.  Featured were the distributors of all the wines to be spotlighted during the month of December.  The wines are part of the "Cradle of Wine" series, in which Pourtal will take an in-depth look at - and taste of - wines from the Republic of Georgia, Israel, Lebanon, Bosnia and Croatia.  Representatives of the distributors who bring these wines to the U.S. will pour and talk about them, as they did Tuesday night.

The event to kick off the series found the room in party mode, with a friendly and boisterous crowd filling the area.  In addition to the "Cradle of Wine" tastes, also available were the samples from the Enomatic wine system, which delved into other areas.  Since they are available all the time, I decided to stick with the wines being poured by the distributors.

The Republic of Georgia was represented by Greg Alonzo of Terrell Wines.  He boasted that Georgia is the birthplace of wine, since the region's winemaking is traced back around 8,000 years.  Alonzo told me "Georgia has around 500 grape varieties, but only 38 are grown for commercial viticulture."  My favorite of the four Georgian wines Alonzo poured was the Mildiani Saperavi.  Saperavi is the most important red wine grape grown in the republic, and produces a hearty and distinctive wine that would probably appeal to most American wine lovers.  I thought there was a strong resemblance to Zinfandel in this wine.  The Teliani Valley Khvanchkara was also a hit with me.  Made from Alexandria & Mudzhuretuli grapes, this semi-sweet red had a beautiful bouquet and was all about raspberries.  I had the semi-sweet white as well.  The Teliani Valley Tvishi is made from Tsolikauri grapes and is floral on the nose with a refreshing minerality to edge the moderate sweetness.

Israel's wine industry was represented by Rob Fogarty of Yarden Wines.  Fogarty poured a very nice 2008 Golan Heights Moscato that held some nice effervescence along with the sweetness.  It was quite refreshing, and could work well before or after dinner.  There were also two from Israeli Wines Direct which I did not get the chance to sample.

A wine from Bosnia and one from the Dalmation Coast of Croatia were poured by Michael Morales of the Blue Danube Wine Company.  The 2007 Citluk "Herceg" was the Bosnian entry.  Made from Zilavka, Bena and Krkosija grapes, this white wine was light and a little bit sweet on the finish.  The 2007 Bibich Riserva is made from grapes - Babich, Plavina and Lasin - which are related to Zinfandel.  That doesn't surprise, since Zinfandel's roots come from Croatia.  The dark fruit and peppery highlights seemed right at home in California.

I have saved the most unusual for last.  Going into this event, I expected to find many different and unusual tastes.  This was largely not the case, as many of the wines I sampled seemed designed for an American palate.  The Lebanese wines offered a healthy dose of that "different" I was expecting.  The three wines from Chateau Musar were highlighted by stories of winemaker Serge Hochar growing Cabernet on a hillside just outside Beirut; skipping vintages due to war raging right around the property; and having difficulty getting enough labor to work the land and harvest the grapes because of the danger.  With all that stood in the way, it's no wonder the wines produced here were a labor of love.

The Cuvee White is made of Obaideh and Merwah grapes, which would translate loosely to Chardonnay and Semillon.  It has a musty funkiness that rivals any Sauvignon Blanc I've tasted, but without the acidic edge.  The Cuvee Rouge is made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault and Carignane, always in equal measure.  The Hochar Pere et Fils is the winemaker's response to a request from the distributor for something "a little more sellable."  These wines are very distinctive, to a fault, perhaps.  They are not for everyone's palate, but if you're looking for a wine adventure, they certainly qualify.

All in all, Pourtal got the month - and the "Cradle of Wine" series - off to a rousing start.  December is jam-packed with events - there are at least six in a ten-day span - so check their calendar to plan your favorites.  The people behind Pourtal are as friendly as they can be.  If the music is too loud when you are there, ask them to adjust it.  No doubt they will be happy to oblige.  

Stephen Abronson, the proprietor has put together a good room and wine director Rachel Bryan has made some good choices in the wine dispensers.  Small plates are served, with a great cheese selection from Andrew's Cheese Shop and hand-crafted flatbreads from Full Of Life.  Their Autumn Salad was delicious.  There's a small outdoor patio in front with some heaters, in case your party would like to people-watch along the boulevard.  

Tasting Notes: K&L Domestic Rhone Varietals

I have been meaning to get over to a tasting at K&L wines in Hollywood for what seems like ages. I finally made it over there today. As luck would have it, the topic of the day was domestic Rhone varietals. I like not only the wines produced using Rhone varietals, I also get a kick out of checking out the list of grapes that are used in the Rhone. I mean, if your restriction includes grapes like Bourboulenc and Piquepoul Blanc, why not just open the door and let 'em use anything? Seriously, it is interesting to find out how the 22 grapes of the Rhone are used by different winemakers. In California, of course, there are no restrictions on which grapes can be used. But there are plenty of winemakers who are ready to take up the challenge anyway.

There were 10 wines on the menu this afternoon. Prices ranged from $13 to $43, with a pretty even spread. Three of the wines were less than $20, three were in the $20 range, three were in the $30 range and only one was over $40.

Here are my notes:

Tablas Creek "Esprit de Beaucastel" Blanc 2007 (Paso Robles) - A classic Rhone-style blend to start with, this one was 68% Roussanne, 22% Grenache Blanc and 10% Piquepoul Blanc. Light grass and citrus on the nose, the taste was fairly tart and earthy.

Stolpman Vineyards "L'Avion" Estate Santa Ynez White 2006 - Funky on the nose and palate, but I mean that in a good way. Very grassy and oaky nose. Lots of that oak on the palate, too, with minerals coming through strongly.

Beckman Purisima Mountain Vineyard Grenache Rose 2008 - Strawberry red with a somewhat obscured nose, to my nose, anyway. Dry with a nice acidity, this should do well with food. The minerals seemed to outweigh the fruit, but I like that.

Copain "L'Hiver" Mendocino County Syrah 2006 - Dark purple in color, the wine had an oaky nose with mushroom notes. Blackberry, pepper and clove are all over the palate.

Skylark North Coast "Red Belly" Red Blend 2007 - 47% Carignane, 47% Syrah and 6% Grenache. I liked this before I tasted it. It's a darkly colored wine, with oak and dark berries on the nose. It had a very nice earthiness, but a little too much heat.

Owen Roe "Sinister Hand" Columbia Valley Rhone Blend 2007 - This one is 62% Grenache, with the remainder split between Syrah and Mourvedre. Somewhat lighter in color than the previous two, with a medium body and a spicy, dark flavor.

Four Vines "Peasant" Paso Robles Red Blend 2007 - The makeup on this one screams "Rhone": 33% Mourvedre, 30% Syrah, 25% Grenache, 7% Counoise and 5% Tannat. That last one sneaked in somehow, even though it is not a Rhone varietal. When you get down to the fifth grape, who's keeping score? A ruby color with a slightly obscured nose and huge tannins.

Margerum "M5" Santa Barbara County Rhone Blend 2006 - This is another 5-pack, with 52% Syrah, 26% Grenache, 9% Mourvedre, 4% Counoise and 4% Cinsault. The other 5% comes from several different cofermentations of the separate grapes. The wine was somewhat light in color, with a raspberry/cranberry/clove component making itself quite known. It's very different - and very nice.

Prospect 772 Sierra Foothill "The Brawler" 2006 - From Calaveras County, this wine is 96% Syrah and 4% Viognier. Fruity and oaky on the nose and the palate, it had a very hot finish.

Ojai "Melville Vineyard" Santa Rita Hills Syrah 2004 - Very dark purple in color, the nose was full of blackberry and spices. A very smooth palate featured raspberry and red plums.