Warm Weather White Wines: Dry Creek Vineyard Dry Chenin Blanc 2013

Three new white wine releases by Dry Creek Vineyard were shared with me recently, and they are perfect for springtime and summer consumption.  Personally, I enjoy whites all year long.  ‘Tis the season, though, for outdoor meals and bottles of whites on ice to pair with them.  We will cover the Dry Creek Vineyard Fumé Blanc soon and we have already had their Sauvignon Blanc.  Today, their Dry Chenin Blanc.

Dry Creek Vineyard has produced Chenin Blanc since 1972, and proudly so.  The fruit for this wine comes, as it has since the '80s, from the Clarksburg appellation in the Sacramento Delta.  The winery says sandy soils, warm days and cool nights make Clarksburg a perfect place to grow Chenin Blanc.  The 2013 vintage benefitted from nearly perfect growing conditions, and it was one of the driest on record.  A mild winter and moderate summer extended the season.

This wine is 100% Chenin Blanc which was fermented in stainless steel tanks.  The alcohol is restrained at 13% abv, and a better buy would be hard to find - $12 retail.

A pale straw tint makes for a delicate sight, while the aromas come on a little more forcefully.  Big, delicious smells rise from the glass - apple, pineapple and lime with a healthy dose of wet rock minerality.  The palate is dominated by flavors of green apples and lemon-lime with that awesome blast of minerals making another appearance on the tongue.  The acidity is just perfect: very noticeable, but it's not going to carve up your taste buds.  The sip finishes so clean and zippy with the sense of lemon zest lingering long afterward.


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South African Wine: Ken Forrester Petit Chenin Blanc 2012 , Stellenbosch

Holidays in my family and my wife's family are polar opposites.  When I was growing up, my family spent holidays at home, at rest, doing as little as possible - except for Mom, who was expected to feed everyone.  There was always a lot of sitting around, talking.  That's still true today, except he responsibility of preparing food for the feast has fallen to younger family members.

In my wife's family, holidays are just that - a clean and total break from the routine, whatever that happens to be.  On holidays you'll find them at restaurants, movies, public events - they stay as busy as little celebrating bees.  It is my suspicion they do this to avoid sitting around, talking.  That usually leads to disagreements, which lead to arguments, which culminate in fights.  Better they keep themselves busy when everyone is idle and spoiling for something to do.

One fine holiday, my wife had the bug to go to a movie.  I agreed, on the condition we go to the theater that features a bar down the hall.  Fortunately, she thought that was a great idea.  Agreement is a beautiful thing, and a glass of wine facilitates sitting around and talking.

At said bar, aptly named The Wine Bar, I was moved to order a wine from South Africa, shown on the menu as a Petit Chenin Blanc.   I asked the waiter about a grape known as Petit Chenin Blanc, only to find out that Petit is the name of the wine.  The grape is that same Chenin Blanc they love to call Steen in South Africa.

The wine hails from Stellenbosch, in the Western Cape appellation, on the little spit of land that also contains Capetown.  Ken Forrester Vineyards boasts that they have been around since 1689, which is a long time to be doing anything.  The grapes for the Petit line are not actually from the Forrester estate - they are negoçiant grapes, sourced from other growers.

At 13.5% abv, the wine's alcohol content isn't at all presumptuous and the $9 price tag is a pretty good by-the-glass price.  A humorous side note on the website claims the wine's aging potential to be "half an hour with the cap off, then reach for the next bottle!"

Petit Chenin Blanc shows a straw color in the glass, with a green tint that makes it look as fresh as a daisy.  There is a very herbal nose featuring salinity and savory white pepper aromas.  The palate also shows savory salinity, with the pear and quince flavors practically bowled over by that wonderful savory note and a refreshing acidity.  A medium finish lets the herbal notes linger.


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South African Wine At Whole Foods Market

A virtual wine tasting event with Whole Foods Market on Twitter in September 2013 featured a quartet of wines from South Africa.  The two whites and two reds were provided by my neighborhood Whole Foods store for the purpose of the event.

I don’t get to sample a lot of South African wine, so this event was a perfect learning experience for those of us who took part.  I’ve long been a fan of the wine department at WFM, and it is good to know there is a grocery store willing to stock the kind of wines they do.

These wines are all available at Whole Foods stores and are priced very reasonably.  They also show the South African terroir very well.  There is an earthiness and minerality to these wines that I find quite appealing.  Plus, I got the chance to try the Pinotage grape.

Protea White 2012

Antonij Rupert Winery, beneath Simonsberg Mountain in the beautiful Franschhoeck Valley, produces wine in South Aftrica's W.O. Coastal Region.  The Wine of Origin system is much like the French AOC system, only less rigorously structured and regulated.  This is the region where the French first made wine in South Africa, by the way, and they left a lot of their grape varieties behind.

The protea is a beautiful South African flower.  The winery claims its beauty inspired this wine.  Protea White is 100% Chenin Blanc - sometimes called Steen, and quite widely planted in South Africa.  The wine is bottled under cork and comes beautifully etched by Designer Mark Eisen.  The winery suggests using the bottle after the wine has been enjoyed, as a vase or drinking glass.  Protea is imported in the US by Terlato Wines.

The wine retails for $15 and the alcohol hits only 13% abv.  The website describes a laissez faire approach to winemaking:  "To make our protea White, our winemakers step smartly aside and allow the essence of the remarkable, too often underappreciated Chenin Blanc grape to arrive in the glass with rich fruit and verve."  Well, Chenin Blanc is not underappreciated around this house.

The wine sits pale in the glass, with the bouquet immediately apparent.  As advertised in big letters on the label, aromas of pear, citrus and honeysuckle burst from the glass.  The citrus element hits me as grapefruit, while a distinctive atmosphere of earth joins the fruit.

The palate displays fruit first, but the minerals stay in focus.  Grapefruit and lemon-lime hit first and leave last.  There's a generous acidity which has this white begging to paired with something.  Oysters would be nice, if so inclined - shrimp, lobster or crab if not.  Snacking?  Almonds and goat cheese pair nicely.

DMZ Chardonnay 2012

The DeMorgenzon Winery is in the W.O. Western Cape region, in the upper reaches of South Africa's Stellenboschkloof, in Stellenbosch.  The first vines were planted here in the early 1700s.  Views of both the Indian and Atlantic Oceans are visible from their vineyards.  Visitors are treated to the sight of wildflowers throughout the estate.   Not only are the vineyards something to see, there's something for the ears.  They believe music is a powerful growth aid, so they pipe Baroque music among the vines around the clock.

The DMZ Chardonnay grapes grow in soils blessed with granite and sandstone.  One quarter of them were whole cluster pressed, while a combination of steel tanks and French oak barrels were used for fermentation and aging.  It has an easy-open screw cap on top, an alcohol level of 13.5% and a price tag of $17.

The wine's hue is a pale yellow, and its bouquet smells of peaches, pears, orange peel and lime.  The palate shows zingy citrus aplenty.  There is a wonderful acidity and a great sense of minerals.  I get a whiff of oak spice, and a huge blast of terroir.  The wine is clean and refreshing, with a strong mineral influence and grapefruit and minerals on the finish.

Robertson Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

Robertson Winery was founded by Dr. William Robertson in 1941.  Today some 35 grape-growing families contribute fruit to the Robertson wines.  Viticulturist Briaan Stipp and cellarmaster Bowen Botha head up the Robertson winemaking team.

The '11 Cabernet is fermented in stainless steel, then aged in French oak for four months.  This brings a very fresh style to a variety that is usually produced oak-heavy.  It costs $10 at Whole Foods.

This Cab sits medium-dark and ruby red in the glass, with an intriguing nose of blackberries and dirt. It hit me at first as dusty, then seemed muddy.  I mean all that in the best possible way, of course.  There's a hint of pencil lead, but not as much as one might expect in a Cabernet.  The palate is quite dark, with enough minerality to put the fruit in the backseat.  The plum and cassis notes do make their way to the forefront, though.  The tannins are very firm and the acidity is lip-smacking, but this isn't a Napa Cab by a long shot.  Not elegant, plenty rustic.

Flagstone Dragon Tree Cabernet Sauvignon - Shiraz - Pinotage 2009

This wine offers a grape to which we aren’t exposed very much in the US, Pinotage.  It is truly a South African grape - it was bred in South Africa in the 1920s.  It’s a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault, which was known in South Africa as Hermitage at the time.  Bruce Jack, founder and winemaker at Flagstone, explains his use of the grape.

"The unmistakable wild berry Pinotage aromas and juicy flavours are only a small portion of its specific character. The real secret Pinotage gives in a blend is a burst of fruit on the finish – in the same way old vine Grenache can do to Rhone blends."

The Flagstone website recommends pairing this blend with North Indian curry or sushi - the more wasabi, the better.  Sounds strange, I know.  You can find both food items at Whole Foods to conduct your own experiment.

The name of the wine comes from a Dragon Tree brought from the Canary Islands to the Port Captain of Cape Town a century ago.  This was before a breakwater was constructed to protect vessels from suffering damage due to severe nor'westers, and it was known among world travelers that bringing an exotic plant to the Port Captain would insure a good berth in the harbor.

All this information comes from the fascinating and well-written Flagstone website, which you should plan to spend some time investigating.

This wine clocks in at 14% abv and sells for $17.

The vineyard sites selected for Dragon Tree are made up of stony, rocky soil, and the minerals show well.  It's the fruit that steals the show, though.  It is inky purple and has a powerful bouquet of dusty blackberry and currant.  On the palate, dark fruit is in the forward position.  Minerality, good acidity and firm tannins are a great buildup to the chalky finish.


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Whole Foods Market Debuts A New Vintage For One Wine

The local wine concept is alive and well at Whole Foods Markets in Southern California.  The One Wine label - available at Southern California Whole Foods stores - is a unique collaboration between Whole Foods Market and local winemakers.  It started with WFM’s commitment to providing their customers with products that celebrate the places and stories from which they are created.

The One Wine label started in 2011 as a partnership with two wineries in Santa Barbara County, and has since blossomed into a mutually beneficial, creative and delectable partnership between Whole Foods Market and over ten of Southern California’s best winemakers.  All of the One Wine releases are small lot wines, typifying the movement of boutique wineries in Santa Barbara County.  They are all in limited supply, and only available in Southern California Whole Foods Market stores.  They have a habit of disappearing from the shelves quickly, so don't delay in picking up the ones that interest you.

I had the extraordinary opportunity to visit the Whole Foods Market in Venice, CA as they celebrated the five-year anniversary of that store.  The new One Wine releases were poured, with winemakers and representatives of the wineries that made them present to chat about the wines.  It was a three-hour drive down to L.A. for them, so their presence was much appreciated.

Roger Fawcett

The event was headed up by Hilary Maler, the Southern Pacific Region Associate Marketing Coordinator for Whole Foods.  Joining her was Roger Fawcett, wine and spirits buyer for the region.  Fawcett was excited about the chain's involvement with the One Wine project.  “We are thrilled to partner with our neighboring vineyards to create regional, locally produced blends for our customers,” he said.  “Our One Wine label wines showcase the world-class winemaking taking place in the foothills and valleys that surround our community, and allow our shoppers the opportunity to uncork a range of Southern California’s best wines.”

In case you are unfamiliar with the One Wine line, participating wineries include Ampelos Cellars, Au Bon Climat Winery, Cimarone Wines, Clendenen Family Winery, Fallbrook Winery, Happy Canyon Vineyards, Hearst Ranch Winery, Hitching Post Winery, Ken Brown Wines, Margerum Wineries, Sextant Wines, South Coast Winery and Stolpman Vineyard.  With names like those, you can expect high quality - and they are priced nicely, between $15 and $20 per bottle.

You can get a taste of One Wine by viewing this mini-documentary.

Jim Saunders

One Wine Hearst Ranch Paso Robles Red Blend 2011, $20

Jim Saunders, of Hearst Ranch Winery, conducted a blind blending session to determine the mix for his One Wine Red Blend.  It turned out that the Whole Foods Market team, led by Priscilla Vazquez, made a more popular blend than that of the winery staff.  Saunders took it in stride and signed off on it, saying, “We get to showcase a lot of different wines in one bottle.”

Priscilla Vazquez

He certainly does.  The blend is 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Malbec, 3% Petit Verdot and 2% Petite Sirah.  The expressive nose shows big fruit - black cherry and raspberry - with a touch of mocha.  Blackberry and currant flavors dominate a palate which is both elegant and powerful.  The tannins make themselves known in this muscular wine, and the alcohol stands at 14.1% abv.  Saunders says, “We use different shades of oak for the different varieties in the blend.  We love it.  We made less than 500 cases, so it probably won’t last too long on the shelves.”

Gray Hartley

One Wine Hitching Post Red Blend 2010, $15

Gray Hartley is one half of the winemaking team at Hitching Post Winery.  He and Frank Ostini make some fairly legendary Pinot Noir, and are also doing some nice things with a grape Hartley calls a “Pinot Noir wannabe.”

The Valdiguié grape - VAL dee gee ay - was once known as Napa Gamay, due to its similarity to the grape of Beaujolais.  What it really bears a resemblance to is Pinot Noir.  The One Wine Hitching Post Red Blend is 51% Valdiguié, 42% Merlot and 7% Cabernet Franc, so the grape’s presence is easily noticed.  Hartley leans in and softens his already soft voice to explain how Valdiguié “acts as a conductor, tapping the baton and bringing the other elements of the wine together in symphony.  It brings out the best the other grapes have to offer.”

The wine is fermented and aged in neutral oak barrels and comes to an easy-drinking 13.8% abv.  The smoky, raspberry/floral nose and slightly tart palate immediately makes me think of a really bold Pinot Noir.
When Hartley told me how the One Wine experience has spurred sales of other Hitching Post wines, WFM’s Roger Fawcett jumped in.  "The One Wine project is a great way to showcase the region's winemakers, and the extra visibility helps move other wines in the wineries' own lines."  Hartley responded with an overly sincere, "You're in good hands with Whole Foods Market,” then the kicker: “Oh, that's an Allstate commercial!  Seriously, the friendships we've built with Whole Foods are close."

One Wine Hitching Post Rosé 2012, $15

The pink side of Valdiguié is about as pink as it gets.  It’s deeply tinted - like the salmon Hartley caught in his earlier career as a fisherman.  The mix this time is 48% Valdiguié , 47% Grenache and 5% Pinot Noir.  Hartley says there’s isn’t a lot of Valdiguié available in California.  “I dare you to try and find some!  Ours comes from French Camp Vineyard in Paso Robles.”  It has a very modest 13.1% abv number and is released to Whole Foods for One Wine before they do their own Hitching Post version.

Showing the mark of a good rosé, the wine has great acidity.  Again, the presence of the Valdiguié comes through in the flavors that are as dark as the color.  Again, Hartley lifts his imaginary baton in explaining how the grape inspires the other fruit.  “All the grapes are co-fermented, half in steel and half in neutral oak.  The fermentation of Valdiguié is quite something to see.  It really roils in the barrel.  Puts on a show."

Doug Margerum

One Wine Happy Canyon Merlot 2010, $18

Doug Margerum was one of the original winemakers involved in the One Wine series, back when it was called A Collaboration.  He showed up on his birthday with no candles awaiting him, but he lit up like one when he started talking about his wines.

The One Wine Happy Canyon Merlot blends 75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Malbec, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot.  Margerum says he used Bordelaise punchdowns to keep the grape skins in contact with the juice and sent the wine into small oak barriques for eleven months.  The Merlot was fermented in steel.  The wine offers a dusty, floral nose and is fresh in a way that is Margerum’s calling card.  Bright cherry flavor and great acidity are your reward for working the corkscrew.   This wine - as with all the One Wine selections - was subject to a blending panel.  Margerum admits that he cheated the process a bit to get the blend he wanted, but all’s well that ends this well.

One Wine Margerum White Blend 2012, $16

Margerum’s white wine entry to the One Wine line is an inventive blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc and Riesling.  "I wouldn't do it, but they can," Margerum says, with a nod toward the WFM crew.  "For them, all bets are off the table."  He likes more traditional blends, so something this riotous would not appear in his portfolio.  "I'd be more inclined to mix Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon."  The wine is very mineral driven, with pears and apples aplenty, but the minerals are really the story.  It's a delicious and interesting wine.  Quite refreshing, too.

Marissa Beverly

One Wine Clendenen Family Winery Italian Red Blend, $15

Representing Clendenen Family Winery was Marissa Beverly.  She tasted me through the One Wine Italian Red Blend, made of 60% Nebbiolo and 40% Barbera grapes at only 13.5% abv.  The grapes come from Bien Nacido Vineyard, a very special plot of Santa Maria Valley land, in blocks planted especially for winemaker Jim Clendenen.  It's a non-vintage mix of mainly '05 and '06 wine.  The nose shows cherries and dark berries and hits the palate with great acidity and tart raspberry flavors.

One Wine Au Bon Climat Winery Pinot Gris 2012, $18

Clendenen's Pinot Gris is a 100% varietal wine made from grapes grown in the Sierra Madre Vineyard in the Santa Maria Valley.  The alcohol is quite restrained - just 12.3% abv - and the wine sees full malolactic fermentation, which converts the malic acid into lactic acid and gives a fuller mouthfeel.

Whole cluster pressed, the wine is fermented and aged six months in neutral oak.  The bouquet is full of fruit with a great mineral profile.  Soft, smoky fruit decorates the palate and there is just a touch of creamy oak on the finish.  Pair it with salmon, lobster or crabs and you'll be happy.


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Vouvray Chenin Blanc Wine

If you are a fan of Chenin Blanc wine, you are no doubt also a fan of Vouvray wine.  Vouvray - the French wine region east of Tours, along the northern shore of the Loire River - is virtually dedicated to one grape, the delightful Chenin Blanc.  Vouvray has been known for its masterful Chenin Blanc wines since the 16th century, when it is thought the grape appeared as an immigrant from the Anjou region.  Its naturally high acidity makes for an incredibly refreshing and food-friendly white wine.  Chenin Blanc from Vouvray is also an age-worthy white, and one which is done in several degrees of sweetness.

On a recent visit to Disneyland, Denise and I went on Daddy’s Favorite Ride - the Napa Rose restaurant in the Grand Californian Hotel, adjacent to Disney California Adventure.  There I ordered the Baron de LaDoucette Marc Brédif Chenin Blanc 2011 of Vouvray to accompany the cheese plate.  This Vouvray is in the dry style and sells for $15 by the glass at Napa Rose.  The wine retails for around $20 per bottle.  Its alcohol content is 13% abv.

The pale, green-gold color is pretty, if not spectacular.  Aromas of grapefruit and flint dominate the sniff.  There are lots of minerals and wet stones in this wine’s bouquet.  The palate shows lovely fruit - pear and citrus - edged with flinty minerals.  A great level of acidity brings the freshness and makes me glad we ordered the cheese plate, too.  The finish is crisp, with a citrus zip.  What’s amazing to me: I get all this while the wine is cold.  Let it warm up a bit and it is thoroughly invigorating.

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Gamling And McDuck Santa Ynez Valley Chenin Blanc

Another trip to the movies was improved by wine.  That seems to happen to me a lot, I'm told.  It could be that everything is improved by wine, or it could be that movies generally need a little added excitement.  Maybe I'm just lucky.

We found ourselves at the mall on Pico again, with tickets to see "The Company You Keep" and "Trance."  There was just enough time in between for a bite and a drink.  We'd had a good experience at Westside Tavern before, so it didn't even need to be discussed.

The specials: Lobster Cobb and short rib grilled cheese.  It's a go.  Flipping open the menu to quickly choose a glass of wine, I see the phrases "Chenin Blanc" and "Santa Ynez Valley" adjacent to one another.  I'd better investigate this.

Our waiter tells me the Gamling and McDuck wine is "made by our head bartender, he's right over there."  The waiter motions to the bar behind him and across the room.  "He and his brother and his brother's girlfriend all collaborated on it.  The name of the wine is their nicknames, or something."  He later brought me the bartender's card.  Since he wasn't too busy, I stopped by to do a mini-interview with Dan McClary (right).

As it turned out, the other two-thirds of the company - Gabrielle Shaffer and Adam McClary - are in Napa.  "They are the winemakers," said Dan, "I write checks and act as the Los Angeles face for the wine.  We get our grapes from different sources.  The Chenin Blanc is from Jurassic Park Vineyard, out in the eastern end of the Santa Ynez Valley.  We used Napa fruit for our Cab Franc."

In an email, Adam McClary told me that Gamling and McDuck is something he and Gabrielle do on the side.  "She's the Viticulturist at Stagecoach, and I make wine and manage a boutique Calistoga winery called Lava Vine."

Oh, those nicknames?  They are their pet names for each other.  Adam explains, "She was in a secret spy club with her neighbor when they were 5 years old, and her secret spy name was Galadrielle Gamling, which I found to be adorably precocious, and she became a Gamling.  I'm McDuck because ... I evidently waxed poetic about Scrooge McDuck's detailed lineage.  Gabe just started calling me McDuck."

So there you have it.  Their sense of humor bleeds over into the company's website.  It shows tasting notes like "The clean, white vinyl interior of Wonder Woman's invisible jet" and "The urge to tell the truth."  I must confess I get neither of those elements, but I still find plenty to like.

2013 will be the trio's fifth vintage of Gamling & McDuck.  They started with 150 cases produced in 2009, and will make about 800 this year.

The Gamling and McDuck Chenin Blanc, Santa Ynez Valley, Jurassic Park Vineyard 2011 is poured for $14 by the glass at Westside Tavern.  Suggested retail is $22.  Alcohol content is quite low, at 12.8% abv.

A greenish tint emanates from the glass while a bountiful nose full of herbal and mineral aromas assures me that I made the right order.  Green melon and minerals appear as the dominant smells.  There is a hint of lemongrass in the bouquet, along with a trace of caramel.  The olfactory show alone is worth the price.  The mineral-driven palate shows citrus - lime and lemon jump out at me - and the acidity is zippy.  The full mouthfeel lends itself to pairing with comfort food and any sort of seafood.

The oak effect is very well played.  I imagine it is responsible for the caramel on the nose and the butterscotch note on the palate.  This wine spent seven months in neutral French oak, on the lees.



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Wine Country: Arizona - Arizona Stronghold Vineyards

Arizona’s wine history dates back to 16th-century Spanish missionaries who planted grapes to make wine for religious purposes.  While not exactly a religious mission, Arizona’s wine industry has grown rapidly in recent years.  Six years ago there were less than a dozen wineries in the Grand Canyon State, a number that has grown to over 60 today.

According to the Arizona Wine Growers Association, Arizona wine “enjoys three established grape growing regions - Sonoita/Elgin in Santa Cruz County, the Greater Willcox region in Cochise County, and the Verde Valley in Yavapai County.  There also are vineyards or wineries in Pima, Graham, Mohave, and Gila counties, plus several urban wineries in the Phoenix metropolitan area.  The majority of the vineyard acreage in Arizona is in Cochise County.”  That's where you'll find Arizona Stronghold.

Arizona Stronghold  Vineyards was founded by industrial musician Maynard Keenan and Eric Glomski (former vegetation and landscape ecologist.)  Keenan and Glomski were both producing wines made from California grapes at the time.  They combined their assets to purchase the vineyard near Wilcox, in southeastern Arizona, which became Arizona Stronghold.  Tim White is the winemaker.

Keenan says, "this project is about reconnecting.  It's about rekindling a relationship with the Earth, to our community, to each other.”  On the label, he describes life at his high-elevation vineyards as "hot days, cool nights, harsh winds and bitter, biting cold winters."  No doubt, creating good wine takes the edge off the bad conditions that nature deals out.

"The wines express, first and foremost, Arizona," says Keenan, "and secondarily the grapes and hands of the vignerons involved ... Great wine doesn’t have to be expensive; it doesn’t have to be pretentious; and it shouldn’t be hard to find.  It just has to be great and it has to be made by people that care.”  Keenan promises “minimally mucked-with wines that retain their natural vitality and character."

Arizona Stronghold was kind enough to supply samples of two of their wines. Both are made from Arizona grapes grown in Cochise County - from the Arizona Stronghold Vineyard and Bonita Springs Vineyard - and both are five-variety blends.

Arizona Stronghold Tazi White Table Wine 2011

Their white blend is made of 28% Sauvignon Blanc, 25% Riesling, 18% Malvasia Bianca, 16% Chenin Blanc and 13% Gewürztraminer.  The wine has a 13.4% abv number and comes under under a synthetic closure.  It is aged in stainless steel and neutral oak and retails for $18.

A golden straw color, Tazi is very aromatic with an upfront floral element on the nose, with lemons, minerals and orange peel and a fair amount of oak also appearing.  The palate shows a crisp minerality, medium full mouthfeel and notes of pineapple, lemon, pear juice and minerals.  The wine is extremely fresh-feeling in the mouth despite a hefty oak effect.  The flavors really come through strongly, as does the acidity.  I would love to taste this wine without any barrel aging, but with the oak it’s a force to be reckoned with.  This is not a “salad white” - it would overpower most very light dishes.  Try this with ham or pork chops.  I’m sure you could even wash down a strip steak with it.  White wines aren’t supposed to demand this much attention, are they?

Arizona Stronghold Mangus Red Table Wine 2010

Named for a famous Apache leader, Mangus is a Super Tuscan-style blend of 71% Sangiovese, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Malbec, 3% Petit Verdot and 2% Merlot.  It retails on average for about $22, has a 13.8% alcohol content and is bottled under a synthetic closure.

The wine has a medium-deep ruby color, with a bright cherry nose - courtesy of the Sangiovese - which also sports a fair amount of oak spice and alcohol.  Decant for at least a half hour to minimize the heat.  The palate offers a dusty, earthy cherry flavor with clove and nutmeg in the profile.  The oak is quite apparent in those spices, but the Arizona dust keeps the rope in its leather-gloved hand.  There is a gentle bite of tannins, and the wine’s rustic character is tempered by a little pencil point from the Cab and some floral notes from the Malbec.  On the whole, the wine rather reminds me of a Zinfandel.


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LOCAL WINE FOR SOCAL WHOLE FOODS

lovers in Southern California love their wine from Santa Barbara County.  Syrah, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and even Italian grape varieties from the Santa Barbara area are plentiful on wine shelves in Los Angeles, and the Santa Barbara wine country experience is just a short trip up the 101.

My eye was caught recently when I spied a collection of wines from Santa Barbara County at Whole Foods Markets in West Hollywood.  Whole Foods is known for their "locally grown" stance in food, and now we see they have the same sort of regionalism in the wine department.

The wines go under the name "A Collaboration," and feature different wines of several different Santa Barbara County winemakers under the same label.  These wines are made exclusively for Whole Foods Markets, and are only available in Whole Foods' Southern Pacific Region.  They can't be ordered, either, as Whole Foods West Hollywood store only ships wine near Christmas.  Southern California has these wines all to themselves.

Whole Foods throws a much-deserved spotlight on Santa Barbara County's climate, soil,terroir and winemaking talent in hopes of raising awareness of the wealth of wine located there among the everyday grocery shopper.  To that end, the displays of "A Collaboration" wines are placed prominently in the stores with descriptive material - like large-format shelf talkers.

The winemakers involved in this collaboration are Doug Margerum of Margerum Wine andCimarone, Jim Clendenen of Au Bon Climat and Frank Ostini and Gray Hartley, the team behind the Hitching Post label.

Six blends are featured in the line, each with its own appeal, and all six should tempt any Southern California wine lover strolling the aisles of Whole Foods.  They retail for between $15 and $17 a bottle.  The chain describes the wines of "A Collaboration" this way:

Hitching Post, Central Coast Red Wine

"Frank Ostini and Gray Hartley of Hitching Post Winery created a 22 barrel selection that includes a blend of 73% Valdiguie and 27% Syrah.  The selection was handcrafted for Whole Foods Market to feature the bold aromas of flowers, red fruits, dark berries, spice and a touch of bacon.

Hitching Post, Central Coast Rose Wine

Perfect for a warm, sunny, California afternoon, the 60% Valdiguie and 40% Pinot Noir handcrafted blend is a versatile dry rose that pairs well with a variety of foods.

Margerum Wine Company, M5 Red Blend

Owner and winemaker, Doug Margerum, crafts world-class wine, stressing individuality with connotations of nature.  The first wine in the series is a five-grape, six-vineyard, 18-barrel selection blended from six Santa Barbara County vineyards and displays aromas of blackberry and blueberry backed by hints of violets, anise and leather.

Margerum Wine Company, M3 White Blend

A carefully crafted blend of 50% Sauvignon Blanc, 25% Riesling and 25% Old Vine Chenin Blanc is lively, bright, refreshing, clean and complex.  Capturing the essence of spring in a bottle, the wine is perfect for outdoor dining and picnics.

Clendenen Family Vineyards Red Blend

With peak harvest season prolonged until fall, this wine benefits from a gradual ripening that allows the acidity to become softer and the flavor development to heighten; all made possible by the special relationship between the climate, site and grapes.

Au Bon Climat, Pinot Blanc

While the Santa Maria Valley is noted for its Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Syrah, the most distinctive grape in the valley is the Pinot Blanc—a more concentrated, rich and elegant varietal.

Cimarone Wines, Sangiovese Blend

Grown on the steep hillside of the magnificent Cimarone Wines estate, the Sangiovese has been a standout throughout Cimarone Wines’ rich history.  This proprietary blend of Sangiovese, Syrah, Syrah Noir, Petit Verdot and Mablec is a wine that truly drinks well now but will reach its peak with bottle ages.

Cimarone Wines, Syrah Blend

Happy Canyon is one of the warmer Santa Barbara County wine regions for Syrah, producing wines that are rich and supple with long flavors.  The dense, lean flavors of the other varietals, including Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec, perfectly complement the Syrah to make an unparalleled wine that showcases the future of the Cimarone brand.



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MEXICAN WINE AT LOTERIA - L.A. CETTO CHENIN BLANC

Southern California wine adventurers who would like to take a Mexican wine for a spin can do so at the Loteria Grill Studio City location.  Loteria Grill is known for their incredible Mexican food, so it seems a natural for them to offer wines made in Mexico to pair with their cuisine.

L.A. Cetto, I'm told, is a mass producer of wine south of the border - along the lines of Gallo in the U.S.  While their wines aren't thought to be reflective of the burgeoning quality wine industry in Mexico, they are popular and relatively easy to find.

The Chenin Blanc from L.A. Cetto is made from 100% Chenin Blanc grapes grown in the Valle de Guadalupe region of Baja California.  The wine has an alcohol level of 12% and sells for around $10 a bottle.  It was $9 by the glass at Loteria.

Almost clear in the glass, the wine has a fresh nose with minerals and pears leading the way.  It tastes very fresh and light with a mild acidity that makes a better show on the finish.  Tropical notes come on the mid-palate, which helps it pair so well with the plantains.  It would seem to be made for that match.  It's a lesser success with the cheese enchilada in a pumpkin seed sauce, but that sauce is not to be missed.

DRY CREEK VINEYARDS CHENIN BLANC 2008

Variety is the spice of life, but I freely admit I can get stuck on things I really enjoy.  A favorite tune can cause me to hit the "repeat" button for the duration of the drive.  I'll go to "On Demand" for several episodes at a time of a TV show I like.  When a restaurant makes a dish I can't do without, I don't do without.  I go there repeatedly to enjoy it again and again.

When some friends wanted to hook up for dinner, I was overjoyed when they agreed to Fabrocini Beverly Glen.  That's because they make the salad of my dreams, the calamari and scungilli.  A little light on lettuce and a little heavy on seafood is how they make it, and that's fine with me.  I ordered the Dry Creek Chenin Blanc to go with it, and all was well in my world.

Healdsburg's Dry Creek Vineyards produces some extremely nice wines.  This white is produced from 100% Chenin Blanc grapes from Clarksburg, the Sacramento Delta region.  It's stainless steel fermented with no barrel aging and logs a 12.5% abv number.  According to the winery's website, 2008 was the first vintage for the wine to have a vineyard designation, and also the first to feature a screw cap.

The nose shows minerals, citrus and tropical notes.  The palate is quite interesting, with a sweet edge to the citrus, maybe some Meyer lemon.  More minerals are tasted and a bracing acidity is present - the creek isn't the only thing that's dry here - but at the same time there is a creamy aspect which I don't find too often in white wines fermented in steel.  It's a delicious quaff on its own, but it pairs perfectly with the calamari and scungilli salad - still the only thing I've ever ordered at Fabrocini and still the reason I look forward to dining there.  Denise had the shrimp scampi, which is nothing short of amazing.  The wine is brilliant with that dish as well.

PINE RIDGE CHENIN BLANC - VIOGNIER 2008

Unusual grapes are wine geek's great joys.  Unusual blends of rather common grapes finish a close second in my book.  Pine Ridge Winery claims they are the first California winery to produce this unusual blend.  The mix is 81% Chenin Blanc and 19% Viognier.  The Chenin Blanc fruit was taken from five different vineyards in the Clarksburg area, while the Viognier came from Bear Creek Winery in Lodi.

The nose shows a grassy characteristic with plenty of floral notes surrounding it.  White grapefruit and melon, with a slightly nutty sort of edge, come through strongly on the palate.  There is a level of tropical activity in there, too.  The acidity seems a little lacking in the mouth at first, but by the finish I realize I've been had.  The acidity sneaks up and quietly introduces itself almost as I swallow.  Although it pairs well with the talapia ceviche, I feel it may be even better with a more traditional ceviche or a seafood salad.  Even if you have it with nothing at all, this wine will make friends easily.  It is so clean and refreshing, it's a perfect choice for a summer day

I had this treat at Piero's Acqua Pazza at The River in Rancho Mirage.  It cost $6.95 by the glass and was exactly what I wanted on a day when the temperature was barely into triple digits.

"They Got This Recession On" Wines, Part 7

I'm a relative novice in the area of wines from South Africa.  But I like Chenin Blanc, and I've heard a lot of good things about South African Chenin Blanc, so I had my eyes open for a good opportunity.  Along comes a South African Chenin Blanc that costs under ten dollars.  How could I say no?  Let's bust this recession South Africa style.

Man Vintners Chenin Blanc 2009

Man Vintners is located in Paarl, in coastal South Africa northwest of Cape Town.  This is traditionally a white wine area, although reds are gaining in popularity there.  This steen - South African for "Chenin Blanc" - is produced in stainless steel, and it has crisp and clean flavors to show for it.  The wine is 13.5% abv and cost only $7 where I bought it, probably at a bit of a discount.  The nose shows a tropical and canteloupe profile that is quite pleasant, while on the palate are lime and orange peel.  It's a crisp, rather full mouthfeel.  The acidity seems a little lacking, making me think of it as a summertime porch wine.  It probably goes nicely with salads and light seafood, but I would like it on that warm afternoon out on the deck.

Varietal:  100% Chenin Blanc 

Appelation:  South Africa > Paarl
Vintage:  2009
Alcohol Level:  13.5% abv
Price:  $7
Acquisition disclaimer:  Purchased by the author

Henkell Trocken Piccolo Dry-Sec Sparkling Wine NV

A leftover from the holidays, this German sparkler delivered a 187 ml serving that was serviceable, if not a really special wine.  The label is German, but the grapes came across the border.  Henkell Trocken is made up of French Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Blanc de Noir from French Pinot Noir and Chenin from Saumur.

The wine is 11.5% abv and pours up as a golden yellow in the glass.  The effervescence was rather slight, but the nose was very yeasty, offering lots of promise.  The palate came across very smooth, almost creamy, in fact.  There just didn't seem to to be a lot going on here.  That's a shame, since I generally find most sparkling wine a bit too bubbly and often quite sweet, especially in the lower price range.  Henkell Trocken is pleasant enough drink, it just didn't move the "wow meter" too much.

Varietal:  Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Chenin Blanc 

Vintage:  NV 

Alcohol Level:  11.5% abv 

Price:  $3 

Acquisition disclaimer:  Purchased by author

Napa Rose - In The Lounge

A recent visit to Napa Rose at the Disneyland/California Adventure complex was quite enjoyable, despite the fact that we came without a reservation and had to sit in the lounge area. It turned out to be perfect, as we really weren't all that hungry anyway. In the lounge you can order any of the salads or appetizers from the menu. Perfect, since that's what we wanted. The wines, as expected, were outstanding. I tried a pair.

Domaine Tempier Blanc, Bandol, France 2007 This is a very nice wine! The white wines of Bandol take such a backseat to the reds, they are practically in the trunk. Only about 5% of the grapes in Bandol are white wine grapes. Pale golden in the glass, the nose has tons of minerals along with citrus and grassy aromas. It feels full in the mouth with a great acidity. Some pear and citrus come across on the palate, but it it dominated by the minerality. Enjoy a nice, long finish. It's an interesting blend of 58% Clairette, 19% Ugni Blanc, 19% Bourboulenc, 4% Marsanne. Excellent with seared scallops.

Dry Creek Chenin Blanc 2007 From an area where they really know how to make a great white wine, this namesake winery in Dry Creek Valley does a great job with Chenin Blanc. Aromas of honeysuckle and tropical fruit capture the nose. The pale wine is crisp and refreshing, with flavors of tart apple and melon. The acidity is great, perfect for food, and the finish is pleasing.

My wife and I enjoy the appetizers-in-the-lounge experience so much, that's where we've been found on our last few visits to Napa Rose. If you are really hungry, though, you should opt for the dining area where you can order entrees.