TANGENT SAUVIGNON BLANC EDNA VALLEY 2008

It was dark, drizzly and cold in Los Angeles at lunchtime.  Ahh, perfect weather for the middle of May!  I tend to shy away from white wine in colder weather, but we were at Itacho for Japanese food, so I thought I'd give the wine list a quick look-see.

Two wines down I saw "Tangent," so I stopped and ordered.  Tangent is a favorite of mine from the Central Coast's Edna Valley.  The winery specializes in "alternative white wines." Their list includes such offbeat varietal wines as Grenache Blanc, Albarino, Pinot Blanc and Ecclestone, their white blend.

In that context Sauvignon Blanc may seem positively ordinary, but Tangent's Sauvignon Blanc is not ordinary.

Tangent uses no oak or malolactic fermentation in any of their wines in order to let the fruit stand on its own.  Winemaker Christian Roguenant harvests the fruit in three stages and then employs a number of different lots throught production.  His aim is to bring the styles of France and New Zealand together in one wine.

The grapes for Tangent's Sauvignon Blanc come from Edna Valley's Paragon Vineyard.  The vines have been there since 1973,  which makes them among the oldest Sauvignon Blanc vines in the Central Coast.

The wine carries an alcohol number of 13.5% abv.  It has a metal screwcap - as do all of Tangent's wines - and lists for $13.

The wine was served ice cold, which I do not prefer because it inhibits the bouquet and flavors.  Also, the weather wasn't exactly reminding me of summertime, so a lightly chilled wine would have been nice on this day.

Its color is lightly tinted, and the nose not all that grassy.  Minerals are apparent in the aromas, the scent of wet rocks making a big play.  The taste - which I expect to be full of grapefruit - is more heavy with green apples and tropical notes.  There is a bit of citrus in the profile, but it's not in the forefront.  the acidity is good and the wine provides a nice middle-weight mouthfeel.

I had it with Japanese food and found that it went very well with the spicy tuna roll, a sweet eggplant dish and mushrooms with broccoli.  I wasn't too wild about the way it paired with the freshwater eel sushi, however.

TOLOSA CHARDONNAY 2006

Meandering through some old tasting notes a while back, I came across a wine from Edna Valley near San Luis Obispo.  Normally, I like the minerality of the whites from Edna Valley.  This trip I came home with Tolosa Winery's Chardonnay.  They make a "no oak" version, too, but this one was their Estate brand.  Here are the notes I made at the time:

"The label shows the name is Tolosa Chardonnay, Estate, Edna Ranch, Edna Valley.  It's amazing there's room left for anything else!  The brown and gold label also shows abv at 14.3%.  From the coastal hills of San Luis Obispo, their estate vineyards are sustainably farmed.  The blurb on the back label explains that we can expect to find floral, white peach and creme brulee aromas and a rich palate framed by crisp acidity and minerality.  I'm sold.  The bottle cost about $18 at the winery a few weeks ago.

"A wonderfully oaky presence is there, very rich but not over the top.  I can smell those minerals they advertised.  The other notes are somewhat hindered, I suppose by the chill.  There's a little hint of the grassy kind of aroma you expect in Sauvignon Blanc - not strong, very faint, and quite unexpected.  I'm intrigued.  The wine is a pale, golden color in the glass.

"I've got the wood on the palate, but in a very reserved way.  It's fairly rich-tasting, but not too creamy.  The fruit is there, peaches and lemons.  I get a very clean, citrusy sort of feel from it.  More than anything I get the minerals.  Really crisp and quite appealing, this may not be a Chardonnay for Chardonnay haters, but it's awfully close.  I liked it with grilled chicken, and liked it even more with Kalamata olives."

Domaine Alfred Chamisal Vineyard Syrah Edna Valley 2004

The Edna Valley wine country near San Luis Obispo has been on my mind a lot recently.  It's a favorite spot of mine in California's Central Coast.  There's plenty of beautiful rolling countryside full of vineyards which produce grapes that are made into some pretty incredible wines.


I don't know if this one is even available anymore.  I had a bottle of it several years ago, when the place was known as Domaine Alfred.  The winery has since reverted to their original name of Chamisal Vineyards.  Even though this wine was produced in the Alfred days, the grapes came from Chamisal's namesake vineyard.  Here are my notes on this memorable Syrah:

"A nose of very dark fruit promises only a bit of what ends up on the palate.  A very earthy, pungent taste made up of dark fruit, leather and spices - and a lot of each.  It comes at you like a Grenache, leading with the earthiness, but a powerful spiciness joins in on the taste buds.  There's quite a lengthy finish, too - one that you wish would never end."

Edna Valley Vineyard Islay Peak Petite Sirah 2006

I have had both a Petite Sirah and an Edna Valley wine recently.  I thought I'd combine the two and jog down memory lane to a past visit to one of my favorite wine areas, and one of my favorite wineries there.  Here are my notes on that bottle:

"This is from Edna Valley Vineyard's tasting-room-only series of wines. A $20 purchase in their lovely and busy tasting room, this Petite Sirah from the San Luis Obispo area of California's Central Coast claims 14.5% abv.  There's a beautiful artistic rendering of a vineyard against the hills on the label, but no artist information.  It does look just like Edna Valley, though.

"The aromas here are very pungent, and quite nice.  I get lots of big cherry, leathery notes, licorice, and a dark vibe from the aromas.  A bit of alcohol on the nose burns off after a resting time.  It's a very jammy smell, one that I find very inviting.

"The taste comes on a little hot at first - give it some time after pouring or decanting.  The flavor profile is a powerful followup of what was present on the nose.  The fruit is very forward, and it's a big blueberry fest.  It doesn't appear as dark and forbidding as suggested by the nose.  In fact, it's  very welcoming.  The tannins are a bit strong, but the structure is good and the finish is medium long.  I had this with some Pinches Al Pastor tacos we brought home from the restaurant on Sunset Boulevard.  It fit quite well."

Variety:  Petite Sirah
Appellation: California > Central Coast
Vineyard:  Islay Peak
Vintage:  2006
Alcohol Level:  14.5% abv
Price:  $18
Acquisition disclaimer:  Purchased by the author at the winery tasting room

Edna Valley Vineyard Paragon Chardonnay 2008

Edna Valley is one of my favorite wine areas to visit.  Do I say that too much?  This time I mean it.  From the rolling hills to the lovely vineyards to the zany, unofficial mayor of Edna Valley - and her eclectic restaurant - it's a place that reveals something new every time we go there.  Not that it's got any wild nightlife or exotic attractions - the wine and the wine people are enough to make us thirst for a return visit.  

Edna Valley Vineyard  is one of the "showier" places in Edna Valley.  Calling anything in Edna Valley "showy" may be a bit of a stretch, but Edna Valley Vineyard's facility - among a few others there - is definitely ready for visitors.

I wouldn't call their Paragon Chardonnay a wine that defines what Edna Valley is all about, but it certainly shows its address well.  A golden straw color in the glass, one would expect quite an influence from the oak in this wine.  The nose betrays some of that influence with a fairly good dash of spices.  There is also a nice whiff of pears and minerals.  The rocks are something I expect in any white wine from Edna Valley. 

The taste is pretty incredible.  I get the kind of sweet fruit flavor that's in a can of fruit, like pineapple, pears or peaches - that heavy juice in the can.  There's a good bit of citrus, lemon zest, too.  The wood comes through in healthy fashion, with strong notes of vanilla and traces of holiday spice.  This would be a great white on the Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner table.  But don't wait until then.

Variety:  Chardonnay
Appellation:  California > San Luis Obispo County > Edna Valley
Vineyard:  Paragon
Vintage:  2008
Alcohol Level:  13.9% abv
Price:  $11
Acquisition disclaimer:  Purchased by the author at a wine store

Wines For Rockers: Red Zeppelin

I ran across another rock'n'roll winery for your rocking and drinking pleasure. Red Zeppelin Winery is located in Cayucos, CA, just up Highway One from Morro Bay. It's an interesting part of California, and the Red Zeppelin wines are made of grapes taken from several nice areas near there. The fruit comes from Paso Robles, Monterey County and San Luis Obispo County.

Unlike other wines with rock'n'roll labels, Red Zeppelin seems to be a wine first and a marketing ploy second. I make this statement without the benefit of an actual tasting.  With what seems to be a good track record by the winemaker, a raft of awards and the fact that they've been doing it for a while now - since 1991 - I feel justified in biting on the hype.

One corner of Red Zeppelin's website describes a rather bizarre link between the dirigible on the label and Randall Grahm's Le Cigare Volant. It's worth reading. There, you'll also find that Red Zeppelin wines have won several awards and been praised by no less than the San Francisco Chronicle and Rachel Ray.

Their flagship wine is the Black Zeppelin 2005. This is a Paso Robles Syrah with a healthy dose of Alicante Bouschet and Cabernet Sauvignon blended with it. The Red Zeppelin Syrah 2005 hails from Bear Valley Vineyard in Monterey County. 99% Syrah, with 1% "white varietal." The Red Zeppelin Vinidiction is a non-vintage blend from Monterey and San Luis Obispo Counties, with 55% Cab and 45% Syrah. Red Zeppelin also makes a line called White Zeppelin, featuring a Riesling, a Chardonnay and a Viognier.

These wines are a little hard to find. Other than the winery's website, only a handful of retailers carry the line. There does not appear to be a tasting room associated with the winery, and tours are not given.  On January 11th, 2009, Wine Woot was offering a three pack of reds - one of each - for just under $50.

Winemaker Stillman Brown seems to be a fun-loving winemaker, indeed. Click on Swillyidle to find out what else he's been up to.

Tasting Notes: Chamisal Vineyards Stainless Chardonnay 2008

The Bottle: A slim Burgundy bottle belies the wine inside. No big, fat, overblown Chardonnay bottle here. This lean, unoaked wine gets a container that's lean, too. Chamisal Vineyards - formerly Domaine Alfred - is in California's Central Coast appellation, near San Luis Obispo and Edna Valley, home to some very fine white wines. The abv on the label states 14.1%. I'm ready for the pure taste of Chardonnay.

The Nose: Pure fruit, no oak at all. This is a really beautiful smelling wine. Apples seem to dominate for me, but there's a tropical or citrus angle at play, too. The aromas are quite vibrant, giving me the impression the taste will be amazingly fruity.

The Taste: Apples, then peaches, then a zippy, zesty flavor on the finish give my taste buds an E-ticket ride. The acidity is quite nice; not overwhelming, but definitely able to handle some swordfish or cod. The finish is rather lengthy, and the clean, crisp minerals linger after the fruit has finally faded.

Tangent Paragon Vineyard Riesling 2007

The Bottle: For me, no trip to Edna Valley is complete without a stop at what may well be my favorite winery anywhere. Tangent's "alternative whites" are a big attraction to me. This one is no exception. This wine cost $20 at the winery, a price I was happy to pay. But I'll get to that later. The abv is 14.1%. The back label offers a bit of exposition about the grape; the best-known varietal from Germany and the most prestigious from the Alsace region of France. They promise that the Edna Valley version will offer vibrant minerality and flavors of melon and peach. The wine is unoaked and did not go through malo-lactic fermentation.

The Nose: The minerals come through quite strongly in the aroma, like rain-wet gravel. Minerality is what Edna Valley wines are all about, and nowhere more than at Tangent. I get some white peach notes and a restrained citrus aspect, too.

The Taste: The acidity grabs me right away. This is a great food wine. Dry and succulent at the same time, here are the peach and melon flavors they advertised. The finish is quite lengthy and there's a very enjoyable aftertaste. I tried this with with a tofu ceviche, California roll, spinach and ricotta calzone and some brie and hummus - a real multinational dinner - and it was an unqualified winner with all.