Showing posts with label Viognier. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Viognier. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 7, 2024

Pink Wine From Monterey County

The Seaglass Wine Company is based in St. Helena, California, while making wines from vineyards south of Napa, in the state's Central Coast appellation. They notably pull fruit from the Los Alamos Vineyard in Santa Barbara County, but for their Rosé they went to Monterey County for the grapes.

The 2022 Seaglass Wine Rosé was made from 53% Grenache grapes, 23% Pinot Noir, 19% Syrah and 5% Viognier. The wine was crafted entirely from free-run juice, with no pressed grapes at all. The winery claims that this move helps produce a softer wine with a lighter body. Fermentation took place cold, in steel tanks, with no malolactic fermentation. Alcohol hits 13.5% and I bought the wine for less than $10.

This wine has a pale salmon color, like onion skin. The nose carries light aromas of strawberry and citrus, but easy on the lemon. On the palate, there is a lovely sense of fruit, with minerals along for the ride. Strawberry, raspberry, lemon and a very light flavor of cardamom. Acidity is fresh and the finish is lengthy. 


Monday, January 8, 2024

Beautiful, Spare White Wine From Paso Robles

Halter Ranch Vineyard is located in the beautiful hills of western Paso Robles. The Santa Lucia mountain range is the backdrop to the 2700-acre estate. Only two hundred of those acres are devoted to organic grapes, 20 different varieties, as well as walnut and olive orchards. The rest is all Mother Nature, including oak woodland and wildlife corridors. Owner Hansjörg Wyss is described as a "Swiss entrepreneur, philanthropist, and world-leading land conservationist." Winemaker Kevin Sass spends a lot of time in the vineyard. He says that is where great wines begin. 

This white blend, the 2022 Halter Ranch Grenache Blanc, was fermented in a combination of Hungarian oak puncheons and neutral French oak barrels. Aged for 10 months in neutral French oak, it is a mix of 92% Grenache Blanc, 5% Picpoul Blanc and 2% Viognier grapes, all grown in the Adelaida District of the Paso Robles AVA. Alcohol sits at a reasonable 13.1% abv and the list price is $45. 

This wine is tinted very lightly, a soft yellow-gold. The nose is fascinating, full of savory goodness. Besides the Meyer lemon and apricot notes, there is a nice salinity among the aromas and an interesting lanolin aspect. Minerals abound, of course. The palate is juicy, dry as a bone and savory, with more of that crazy salinity and a healthy dose of acidity, razor sharp. The mineral notes come through forcefully. For pairing, I think any kind of seafood would do nicely, especially crustaceans. I would start every meal with this wine if I could.  


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Wednesday, November 15, 2023

Jaffurs Wine Cellars In Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara wine country stretches county-wide, and it is a big county. The vineyards north of the city are a great place to hang out, but there is plenty of wine tasting to be done in town. 

Jaffurs Wine Cellars is located in downtown Santa Barbara, an easy walk from the beach and from Stearn's Wharf, close to Trader Joe's and reasonably near to La Super-Rica Taqueria, a great stop for lunch.

They have been making great wines at their facility on Montecito Street for more than two decades, specializing in Rhône varieties grown at some of Santa Barbara County's most notable vineyards. Bien Nacido, Thompson, Larner, Stolpman and Kimsey vineyards regularly contribute fruit to the Jaffurs cause.

I paid a visit to Jaffurs on an October trip to Santa Barbara, one which yielded some bakery stops for the wife and wine tasting for me. It was a great day, in large part because the winery was buzzing when I arrived at 11:00 a.m. Winemaker Stephen Searle explained, while hustling from sorters to destemmers to huge bins, that they had just received a load of Petite Sirah grapes from Thompson Vineyard. The tasting table was set up for me right in the middle of the action. It was all I could do to stay out of the way so the crew could work. I was even offered a taste of the raw fruit, a first for me in all my many tasting sessions.

Here are the wines that were poured for me:

Jaffurs Viognier 2022

Sourced from Bien Nacido Vineyard in the Santa Maria Valley AVA, this wine was vinified half in oak and half in steel.  The floral nose is beautiful and the marvelous salinity on the palate is breathtaking. There is a very nice acidity level here, too.

Jaffurs Roussanne 2021 

Grapes from Stolpman Vineyard in Ballard Canyon make up this wine. It has a wonderful, nutty salinity to go with the prettier fruit and floral descriptors. It was aged in French oak, 17% of which was new. I am told that the next vintage will come from their concrete tank.

Jaffurs Grenache 2020

This wine got ten months in neutral French oak. The fruit was taken from Ballard Canyon. The graceful nose shows roses and the palate is full of cherry flavor.

Jaffurs Santa Barbara County Syrah 2021

Half the grapes came from Bien Nacido Vineyard, along with half from several other vineyards. Aromas of flowers and cherry lead to flavors of cherry and raspberry.

Jaffurs Kimsey Vineyard Syrah 2019

Done up in new French oak, this Syrah has violets, black fruit and that awesome salinity.

Jaffurs Bien Nacido Syrah 2019

This one is made Côte-Rôtie style, with a little Viognier in the blend. It has a sweet floral and fruit nose and a savory taste.

Jaffurs Petite Sirah Thompson Vineyard 2021

A bold nose here, due to the new American oak in which it was aged. The wine has a beautiful sweetness and gorgeous black fruit. It was presented last in the tasting lineup, as a “dessert,” although it is certainly not a dessert wine.


Friday, April 21, 2023

Israeli White Wine With Great Nose, Palate And Acidity

The Sinai White M Series 2021 from Israel's Psâgot winery is made from 76% Gewürztraminer grapes, 10% Viognier, 7% Chardonnay and 7% Sauvignon Blanc, all grown in the northern part of the Jerusalem Mountains.

Alcohol tips only 13% abv, retails is $25 and winemaker Sam Soroka attests that the wine is kosher for Passover and mevushal. 

The floral and fruity nose is as sweet as could be hoped for, while the palate offers fleshy peach, pear and melon flavors with a nice acidity that begs for food pairing. I had mine with a delicious white pizza, and it was perfect.


Monday, December 6, 2021

Beautiful Rhônish Wine From Paso Robles

Tablas Creek Vineyard in Paso Robles was founded by the Perrin family of Château de Beaucastel and Robert Haas of Vineyard Brands.  They are dedicated to grape varieties of the Rhône Valley.

The 2020 Tablas Creek Vineyard Patelin de Tablas Blanc is made up of 40% Grenache Blanc, 21% Viognier, 19% Roussanne, 15% Marsanne and 5% Clairette Blanche - sourced from various Paso Robles vineyards which lean in the Rhône direction.  For this wine, those vineyards are Derby, Tablas Creek, Fralich, Creston Ridge and M du R.

They say the wine "marries the richness and vibrancy of Grenache Blanc with the aromatics of Viognier and the structure and minerality of Marsanne, Roussanne and Clairette Blanche."

Alcohol tips in at 13% abv and the wine cost around $25 when I bought it recently at a local specialty store.

The golden tint has a green element to it.  The wine's nose is a veritable fruit basket of tropical aromas - pineapple, mango, lemons - and a quarry full of minerals.  The mouthfeel is rich and creamy, yet with a zing of acidity that tingles.  The palate brings Meyer lemon, some tangerine and a touch of apricot to the party.  Delicious. 

The red version - the 2019 Patelin de Tablas - is a blend of four red Rhône varietals: Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Counoise. They say it is "based on the dark fruit, mineral and spice of Syrah, with the brightness and fresh acidity of Grenache, the structure and meatiness of Mourvèdre and small additions of Counoise for complexity."

The rouge is medium dark, but light enough that I can see through it.  The nose displays brambly blackberry and black cherry.  On the palate, blackberry and blueberry notes are right up front.  It is very fresh and fruity, and I hardly notice any oak effect at all, although it was fermented in oak and steel and aged for a year in upright oak tanks.  The wine drinks quite smoothly, with tannins that are fairly firm.  The medium finish is all about the fruit.


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Wednesday, November 24, 2021

From A High Hill In Paso Robles - Alta Colina Wines

A recent virtual tasting event gave me the chance to sample some of the latest releases from Alta Colina winery.  They are based in Paso Robles' Adelaida District at a nice elevation.  In fact, their name translates as "high hill."  The event was hosted by Stacie Jacob, with Mike Dawson of Solterra Strategies also on the Zoom call.  

The stars of the tasting were Bob and Maggie Tillman, the father-daughter team who run the business.  Winemaking is handled by relative newcomer Molly Lonborg.  Bob commented at the outset of the session that Alta Colina is his "retirement program run amok."  He has been at it for 18 years now.  He says he just started making wine, "and it got out of hand."

Alta Colina grows Rhône grapes on their estate, organically farmed.  The grapes are not organic, because he has never gone for accreditation.  Says Molly, "Organic is a philosophy, not a marketing tool."

The 2020 Alta Colina Grenache Blanc Estate Bottled is all white Grenache, a 50/50 blend of tank- and barrel-fermented Grenache Blanc.  The wine has a pale yellow tint and a nose of citrus and minerals - akin to the smell of a wet sidewalk.  On the palate are pear, honeydew and peach flavors delivered with a full mouthfeel and a fresh and lively acidity.  Pairing suggestions include manchego cheese and paella, although it is so versatile that you can let your imagination run wild.

The 2019 Alta Colina Claudia Cuvée Marsanne is also a varietal wine.  Bob says it was named after his mother, who was a big fan of white wines.  Claudia Cuvée was aged in oak for 16 months.  It's a blend of all four white Rhône varieties that they grow, Marsanne leading the way for Grenache Blanc, Roussanne and Viognier.  Molly says she focused on the texture of the wine while making it.  Try it with Alpine style cheese or lobster dishes.

Their 2018 GSM Grenache Blend boasts 73% Grenache grapes, 15% Mourvèdre and 12% Syrah.  It's not an oak-forward wine - they say they let the grapes do the talking.  It only had six months aging in oak, and another year in the bottle.  It shows.  This is a very fresh and fruit-forward wine, with ripe, red fruit in front.  Molly explained that the Grenache drives the palate for the fruit experience, the Mourvedre is for earthy notes and Syrah takes care of the backbone.  A creamy cheese, like Cambozola goes well with it, or wild mushrooms.

Alta Colina's 2018 Old 900 Syrah contains 96% Syrah grapes, with 2% splashes of Grenache and Viognier.  Molly said that they do co-ferment with Viognier, but this wine was blended after the fact.  Old 900 was the name of the Bomber Bob's father flew in WWII.  The grapes came from a north facing vineyard plot, rather than the Toasted Slope vineyard plot, which is south facing.  The color is very dark and the nose shows cassis, blackberry, blueberry, black pepper and a hint of bacon.  The palate is delightfully earthy and the finish is lengthy and savory.  Have some blue cheese on hand for this, or maybe braised short ribs.  


Wednesday, February 17, 2021

Paso Syrah Shows Its Dirt

Denner Vineyards, in the Willow Creek District of Paso Robles, has been around for a couple of decades.  Ron Denner got the ball rolling in the late ‘90s, and is joined today by general manager Carol Rounsaville, winemaker Anthony Yount, assistant winemaker Alex Kemp and vineyard manager Aron Nevarez.

Located in the Templeton Gap and noted for its cool climate and dirt laced with limestone, the Willow Creek AVA is a favorite spot for those growing Rhône grapes.  The Dirt Worshipper 2018 is 98% Syrah with a small dollop each of co-fermented Roussanne and Viognier.  The winery calls it a "beastly hedonistic" wine.  That's how it goes with Syrah, and aren't you glad of it?  The wine was 45% whole-cluster fermented, stands at 14.3% abv and sells for $80, but it is available only to wine club members.  Aging took place over 21 months in 15% new French oak, 7% new Hungarian oak, and 78% previously used barrels.

This very dark wine shows a slight ruby tint along the rim.  The nose offers blackberry, black olive, a floral spray and a hint of white pepper.  The palate is a fistfighter, with sharp tannins that ease up after a decanting, a huge dark fruit profile and a generous streak of savory meat and, as expected, dirt.  The finish is joyful and lengthy. 


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Monday, December 7, 2020

California Viognier Blend

Windsor Vineyards was founded by Rodney Strong in 1959.  Today they are based in Santa Rosa, California.  It seems that personalized labeling is a big part of what Windsor does.  The winery's website provides endless urging to select a custom label.  Strong originated the specialty when he put his best customers' names on the bottles they bought.  It's still a thing for Windsor today.

These days, the Windsor Viognier has a California appellation, with no indication of where the Viognier, Chenin Blanc and Muscat grapes for the blend were grown.  Alcohol is quite low, just 12% abv.  The wine retails for $16, but customized labels are extra.

This wine shows a light golden hue in the glass.  It gives off a nose of honeysuckle, lemon and apricot, with a palate that is just as sweet.  The acidity is fresh, but not ripping, and the finish of Meyer lemon lasts a good while.  It's a great wine to put on the holiday table - pairs well with turkey, ham and stuffing. 


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Wednesday, November 25, 2020

Great White Wine From Santa Barbara County

California wine négociant Cameron Hughes owns no vineyards and has no official winery.  He sniffs out good wine which has already been produced by established makers, then buys it on the down low with an agreement not to reveal the source.  He then sells the wine online through his wine club - he calls it a wineocracy - bringing top-shelf wines to lower-shelf wallets.  Hughes says he keeps prices low by removing the middlemen, the distributor and retailer through which store-bought wines must pass.

Lot 676 White Blend Santa Barbara County 2016

This beautiful white wine consists of 49% Roussanne grapes, 27% Viognier and 24% Marsanne.  The fruit was harvested "from one of California’s iconic producers of Rhône varietals … in cool climate vineyards bathed in cold coastal breezes from the Pacific Coast, whole cluster pressed, and barrel aged ... before blending."

Hughes says, "there might not be any wine producing region in California that delivers better value per dollar than Santa Barbara."  Alcohol sits at 14.3% abv and the wine sells for $14.  Roussanne is my favorite white grape, and if you can find one at twice that price, please let me know.

The wine's nose is very expressive and full of apricot, almonds, anise and Meyer lemon.  The mouthfeel is weighty and the acidity is medium-vibrant.  Flavors like stone fruit and citrus leads the way, while the Roussanne's notes of nuts and salinity are balanced by the floral aspect of the Viognier.  This is a versatile white wine for pairing with food.  It will be a hit on your holiday table.


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Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Israeli White Wine Deserves Spot At The Table

Yatir is billed as one of Israel's premier boutique wineries, releasing some 12,000 cases of wine each year.  The winery works with select vineyards which showcase the terroirs of Israel's Yatir Forest in the southern tip of the Judean Hills.  The Yatir wines have won high praise from critics internationally.  Yatir's general manager, Yaakov Ben Dor, says wine presses existed in the region more than 3,000 years ago, so the heritage is there.  The winery itself has been around for fewer than 20 years, and Israel's present wine industry is very young.

The grapes for the 2017 Yatir Mt. Amasa White - 52% Viognier, 33% Chenin Blanc and 15% Roussanne - were grown in the Judean Hills wine region.  The wine was fermented and aged for five months in a mix of concrete, steel and huge oak barrels.  Alcohol hits only 13.5% abv, and it is imported by Royal Wine Company.

The nose on the Israeli white wine is quite nice.  The usual suspects from Viognier, Chenin Blanc and Roussanne show up - citrus, floral, nuts - and there’s a savory salinity to it as well.  The palate is a delight, with the savory aspect again rivaling the fruit.  The acidity is wonderful, so it's food friendly and would be welcome on the table for any holiday feasts on the calendar.


Friday, August 2, 2019

Viognier Tames Lodi Sauvignon Blanc

The little hamlet of Murphys, California is home to one of the nation's biggest wineries.  Ironstone Vineyards is located east of Lodi in Calaveras County, in the Sierra Foothills.  It may be an out-of-the-way stop, but there's a better than average chance you've had some of their brands, or at least seen them on the supermarket shelf.

The Kautz Family are fourth-generation growers, not unusual in that part of the state, and the family-run winery's corporate officers are known simply as John, Gail, Kurt and Jack.

Ironstone Sauvignon Blanc Lodi 2017

The grapes for this white blend were grown in the Mokelumne AVA in southwest Lodi.  The label shows a "sweetness meter" which points to "medium-dry."  That is less surprising when you know that the wine is only 88% Sauvignon Blanc, with a healthy 12% portion of Viognier mixed with it.  Alcohol is somewhat restrained at 13% abv, and the wine retails for $14.

This pale Lodi Sauvignon Blanc has a nose featuring earthy minerals and apricots.  The palate shows citrus - mainly lemon and grapefruit - with a sweet edge.  A great acidity goes along with the easy-sipping flavors.   Pair this wine with with seafood, pork, chicken and bean dishes, or have it as an aperitif.


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Wednesday, May 22, 2019

Chardonnay: More Dry, Less Oak

The little hamlet of Murphys, California is home to one of the nation's biggest wineries.  Ironstone Vineyards is located east of Lodi in Calaveras County, in the Sierra Foothills along Highway 4 north of Douglas Flat, Vallecito and Angels Camp.  It may be an out-of-the-way stop, but there's a better than average chance you’ve had some of their brands, or at least seen them on the supermarket shelf.

The Kautz Family are fourth-generation growers, not unusual in that part of the state, and the family-run winery's corporate officers are known simply as John, Gail, Kurt and Jack.

Ironstone's 2017 Chardonnay is on the dry side, and it's the only Chardonnay I've encountered which has a sweetness scale on the label, as in Rieslings.  This one points to just off medium dry.  In my opinion, I never have much trouble with how dry or sweet a Chardonnay is.  What I'd like to see is an oak meter instead.  This wine spent only five months in French oak barrels.

The 2017 Ironstone Vineyards Chardonnay is made from 90% Chardonnay grapes, 5% Viognier and 5% Chenin Blanc, sourced from several appellations, including Mokelumne River and Sloughouse.  The wine checks in at the expected 13.5% abv and sells for $14.

This Lodi wine is straw-yellow in the glass, with a nose that sports oak predominantly, citrus and tropical notes along for the ride.  The palate gives more fruit than oak, apples, peaches and lemon most notably.  It's very tasty and not weighed down by excessive oak.  Pair with light spring and summer fare or sip it on the porch.


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Friday, May 10, 2019

California Chardonnay, Easy Oak

The Sierra Foothills winery Leaping Horse Vineyards is so named for the owners’ love of all things equestrian.  The label - a subset of Obsession, which is a subset of Ironstone -  brands itself as unpretentious and contemporary.  The Kautz family is in its fourth generation east of Lodi in Calaveras County.

The 2017 Leaping Horse Chardonnay was made from 90% Chardonnay grapes and 10% Viognier.  The wine aged for only four months in new French oak barrels, so it’s not sagging under the weight of wood.  Alcohol tips in at 13.5% abv  and the retail sticker reads $10.

The California Chardonnay is straw colored and smells of lemon, guava, apples and vanilla.  On the palate there is citrus, melon and a touch of pineapple with a faint floral note.  It’s oaky, to a point, but not overdone.  The acidity, does not rip, but it refreshes.  The finish is long, with tropical notes.


Friday, March 1, 2019

Wine In Cans, Right Now

Canned wine, I'm told, is the fastest growing trend in the wine industry.  No longer a fad or gimmick - well, maybe it's still a gimmick - wine in cans is a 45 million dollar business.  U.S. sales of canned wines jumped by 43% in the year leading up to June 2018.  Stupendous CellarsDavid Weitzenhoffer told Forbes that the market for wine in cans has been doubling every year, and he expects it to more than double this year.  He calls cans "the greatest democratization of wine in our lifetime."  Who's buying it?  Those millennials, I guess, with all their white-water rafting and Himalaya climbing.  They need a wine that's portable as well as potable.

If one can get past the packaging, cans really are a pretty good idea.  No open bottles because it's a single serving.  Fully recyclable along with all your other aluminum cans.  No fuss no muss getting those darn corkscrews to work right.  This is starting to read like one of those cable commercials where the person gets all flustered trying to do a simple, easy thing, then breathes a gigantic sigh of relief when the product appears that makes everything simpler and easier.

Right Now wines are sold in cans, fairly classy looking ones at that, and contain wine that's actually pretty good.  None of the four I sampled were big thinkers, but they tasted fun, and when you need wine while skiing down a black diamond run you don’t want that darn glass getting in the way.

Winemaker and Master of Wine Olga Crawford did a good job with the Right Now collection of red, white, rosé and shimmer.  They taste good, have a nice level of acidity and pair well the sort of fun food one finds at a barbecue or a tailgate party.  They sell for $24 for a four-pack

Alpine Stream White is made up of 85% Pinot Gris, 10% Viognier, 3% Sauvignon Blanc and 2% Vermentino.  Alcohol lays low at 12.5% abv.  The pale gold wine has mineral driven stone fruit, nice refreshing acidity.  It's a bit earthy on the palate, which I like.

Shimmer Lightly Sweet Rosé is carbonated pink wine at 13% abv.  Zinfandel grapes account for 40% while Petite Sirah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot make up most of the rest.  Nine percent are written off as assorted varieties.  It has quite an interesting look in the glass, dark pink-orange, and offers a nose of slightly candied cherry and strawberry.  It tastes really sweet, Jolly Rancher cherry, with light bubbles for fun and a nice acidity for pairing.

Dry Rosé has California on the can and alcohol hits easy at 12.5%.  The grapes are 35% Zinfandel, 32.8% Syrah, 30.2% Barbera and a 0.4% dollop of Merlot.  This wine shows a nice salmon color, with a muted nose of cherry  It's earthy, tasty, not too complex and has a wonderful acidity.

Red Number 8 is labeled as California, but contains a 63% share of Lodi Zinfandel, along with Petit Verdot, Merlot and Petite Sirah.  Alcohol sits at 13.5%.  It’s very dark, with an earthy nose of brambly black berries.  The tannins are good, the acidity is great and the fruit is dark  A bit of a short finish, but it's the best of the bunch.


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Monday, February 25, 2019

Day-Old Sparkler Wows

Why does sparkling wine always seem better after it's gone flat?  Is it just me, or do the festive bubbles seem to get in the way of the aromas and flavors?  I like a sparkler when it's been open for a day and has just a bit of frizzante left to it.  It seems then more like a real wine.  It also seems to allow the wine's full complexity to surface and be savored.  That's how it was with the Valentin Bianchi Brut.

This Argentine wine was made in the traditional method, Champenoise, meaning it got a second fermentation in the bottle.  It was aged for a year in the bottle with the spent yeast cells, a method called sur lie, which imparts more weight and creaminess to a wine.

The grapes - 62% Chardonnay, 33% Pinot Noir and 5% Viognier - came from Bianchi's Dona Elsa Estate and Las Parades Estate.  The sandy soil sits 75- meters above sea level in San Rafael, Mendoza.  Alcohol registers 12.5% abv and it retails for $22.  Bianchi is imported by Quintessential Wines.
 
This is one complex sparkler.  I have been taken aback in the past by several South American Chardonnays, which sometimes have led me to think of Champagne.  Bianchi Brut comes on with some Meyer lemon and tangerine, which is quickly greeted by a toasty note, then squeezed aside by a smokey aspect.  There's a lot going on in there.  The palate is simply delicious, with savory overtones on the fruit flavors.  Acidity zips right along, but doesn't make a nuisance of itself.  Pair away with, you know, anything - it's a bubbly - but I'm just going to sip this until it's gone.


Friday, October 19, 2018

Kosher Viognier From Israel

The Covenant wine label grew because two Napa Valley vintners wondered why they couldn't make a great kosher wine in the homeland of the Jewish people.  Turns out, they could.

Co-owners Jeff Morgan and Leslie Rudd were inspired by the many Israeli wineries and the terroir of the Galilee and Golan Heights. The landscape reportedly reminded them of both California and France's Rhône Valley.  Unfortunately, Mr. Rudd passed away this past May after a battle with cancer at the age of 76.

Covenant started out as a California wine, made in the cellars of Herzog Winery.  It was in 2013 that Morgan and Rudd decided to more fully embrace their Jewish roots and expand to Israel.  Neither had been an observant Jew when they got started in the winemaking business.

The winery explains kosher wine by saying that "all wine is kosher. But because kosher wine is also a beverage used to sanctify the Sabbath and other holidays, it can only be handled in the cellar by Sabbath-observant Jews."  The Covenant wines fit the bill.  They are produced under rabbinical oversight.

Viognier is one of the premiere white grapes of France's Rhone Valley, and it is also at home in the hills of the northern Galilee.  This wine is sourced solely from the Manara Vineyard.  It is made in a lighter style, and shows just light spice notes and restrained alcohol at 13.6% abv.

The 2017 Covenant Israel Blue C Viognier's pretty nose shows floral and mineral notes, with a lovely blast of mango and tangerine in the middle.  The acidity is bright and fresh, but not strong enough to rip one's taste buds out by the roots.  It's a weighty wine, with flavors staying along the mineral and citrus backbone.  The finish is medium and pleasant.


Friday, July 13, 2018

The Whip - Livermore Valley White Wine Blend

Winemaker Robbie Meyer took to Snooth recently to discuss the latest vintages from Murrieta's Well, in California's Livermore Valley.

The vines of the Murrieta's Well estate vineyards were first planted in 1884 by Louis Mel with cuttings from Chateau d'Yquem and Chateau Margaux, says the winery.  Mel sold the property, lock, stock and wine barrel, to Ernest Wente in the 1930s, and it's still part of the Wente Family estate.  Today, Meyer personally selects grapes from all over the five hundred acres. 

He says there is "nothing quite like growing fruit in the vineyard, caring for it in the winery and crafting it into something people can enjoy."  Through the growing, the harvesting and the fermentation, Meyer says blending is where he sees the real art of winemaking.

He sat in with a group of invited wine writers and helped us sip through the Murrieta's Well Sauvignon Blanc, dry rosé, white and red blends and a pre-release of the Cabernet Sauvignon.

Murrieta's Well The Whip 2016

The Whip starts out as a Bordeaux Blanc, but bends toward the Rhône about halfway through.  The grapes are a fairly even split of five estate-grown varieties - 33% Sauvignon Blanc, 24% Semillon, 21% Chardonnay, 12% Orange Muscat and 10% Viognier.  The wine's alcohol level rests comfortably at 13.5% abv, 297 barrels produced and the retail price is $26.

A portion of the Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc were fermented in oak to give them extra roundness. Then, 14 months aging in barrels added even more softness.

The wine looks pale gold in the glass, with green shadings showing.  Its nose is a mixture of orange blossoms, apricots, light grass and earth notes.  The palate offers lovely stone fruit and citrus.  The flavors are pleasing and the acidity is easily racy enough for a salad or egg dish.  In fact, I think having it with Sunday brunch would be perfect.  The grapes here are Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Chardonnay, Orange Muscat and Viognier, so it's a real vineyard party in a glass.



Wednesday, June 13, 2018

LBD Rosé: The Perfect Accessory For Spring

My wife tells me that a little black dress is perfect for any occasion.  That's something you learn in Girl School, I guess.  I took shop class and learned how to make an ugly key rack.  Perfect for no occasions.  I grew up to wear my shirttail out whenever possible and comfortable shoes with all outfits. I think girls were probably given much more useful information in their youth.

Little Black Dress wine is intended to be the booze equivalent of that garment, a no-brainer, easy choice that solves problems on the spot. As they say, "Good taste is your call. It's something you wear proudly and pour boldly. It's your own personal flavor. And it looks amazing."

Margaret Leonardi is the winemaker in Mendocino County.  I don't know if she wears a little black dress or a pair of old jeans, but she certainly knows how to make a wine that's right for all occasions.
The winery likes to say that "a good bottle of wine is the best accessory," and I will concur.  It's certainly a much better accessory than a tiny black purse that only holds a couple of credit cards.  It's better than a belt that's six inches wide and shiny.  It's better than shoes that hurt your feet.  Of course, pretty much everything is better than shoes that hurt your feet.

The Little Black Dress folks like to say, "Confidence turns heads and sophistication is the rule," when talking about their wines.  They are confident, and with good reason.  Even without a fancy, single-vineyard label - actually, with only "California" to describe the wine’s origin - they manage to put a really distinctive wine in the bottle.  They did it with Chardonnay, and damned if the Mendocino winery didn't do it with the rosé as well. 

The 2017 Little Black Dress is the same size this year as last, but it's made from different grapes.  The newer LBD Rosé was vinified entirely from white wine grapes, 75% Pinot Grigio, 13% Muscat, 10% Chardonnay and 2% Viognier grapes out of Mendocino County.  The wine was fermented and stored in stainless steel tanks up to its bottling.  Alcohol is a calorie-conscious 12% abv.

The color is light pink, almost an onion skin tone.  Aromas are powerfully surprising, with a great earthy presence joining the floral and fruity expression.  The palate, is as dry as a bone and luscious, with stone fruit and herbal qualities.  The wine pairs beautifully with salad or toast but is a lovely sipper on its own.


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Monday, October 9, 2017

Israeli Wine: Carmel Winery

Israeli winery Carmel was established in 1882, so it's been around longer than the state of Israel. Shomron, where the wine is made, is in the West Bank region of Galilee. Grapes include 45% Shiraz, 30% Carignan, 20% Petite Sirah and 5% Viognier. Carmel is kosher, with alcohol that hits in the usual range at 14.5% abv. The label promises a light, fruity and refreshing wine. They say you should serve the wine chilled.

The Carmel Mediterranean Red Blend 2016 is Syrah-heavy, inky, and earthy on the nose. Savory tones overshadow the plum, cherry and currant aromas, with a high, herbal note apparent - sage, perhaps. There’s a light cinnamon-and-vanilla feel as well. The palate is dark and fruity, with a firm set of tannins. Pair this easily with a standing rib roast over the holidays, whichever holidays you observe.


Friday, August 25, 2017

Wine Country: Maryland

Black Ankle owners Sarah O'Herron and Ed Boyce credit - or blame - their entry into winemaking on "one taste-test too many." The winery is named after the road on which the vineyard sits in Frederick County, Maryland, in the North Central Piedmont region. It may have originated from the muddy boots walkers got when traversing the road that was a dirt trail long after other roads had been improved. It also may date back to Native American lore. They like the "wine stomping" images that spring to mind.

Sustainability is a watchword at Black Ankle. They even built their winery and tasting room from "straw, clay, stone and wood that we found on the farm." Sounds like a structure on which all three "little pigs" could have collaborated.

The 2015 Black Ankle Viognier was purchased at a local wine shop in Baltimore’s Fells Point neighborhood, where we stayed on a recent vacation. It blends 75% Viognier and 25% Grüner Veltliner in a mix that I don't think I've encountered before. The vines grown in what the winery calls "decomposing slate with quartzite veins." It retails for $32, although I got mine several dollars cheaper. Alcohol is at 13.5% abv.

Pale yellow in the glass, this Maryland Viognier has a delightful nose of peaches and lemons. The palate shows a savory sense with both wonderful acidity and a full mouthfeel. White wines are enjoyable enough when the weather is perfect, but when things are hot and humid there’s an even higher appreciation achieved.