Picayune 2014 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
[pullquote]In daily contact with exceptional wines and incredible winemakers, we rescue small lots from prestigious wineries and make our own blend following the French négociant tradition.[/pullquote]
We met Picayune Vineyards co-owner Jennifer Roberts at the Family Winemakers tasting in Pomona almost exactly a year ago. We loved their pinot noir and their story is great. Jennifer and her partner in wine, Claire Weinkauf, both have a long history in the California wine industry. A few years ago, after “a few too many glasses of sauvignon blanc,” they decided to open a winery. And we are all better off because of that sauvignon blanc.
The Picayune 2014 Sonoma Coast pinot noir ($29) is the bright, fresh pinots we expect from Sonoma Coast. Opening with aromas of bing cherries and rose petals, the wine develops spice, cacao, and black cherries on the palate. Luscious tannins with a great acid balance make for a terrific experience.
Major bargain. $15 shipping for up to six bottles in California. Jennifer and Claire are doing something interesting with shipping charges. They seem to be charging roughly actual cost. Which means those in California pay less than the rest of the country. We advise taking advantage of this price discrimination since it favors us!
Pinotfest 2015 Offered Four Newcomers
OK, OK, don’t give us a hard time. We know Farallon’s annual Pinotfest was last November. We have to make a living to support our wine habit … er, hobby.
This year there were four noteworthy wineries that were new to us: Charles Heintz, En Route, LaRue and Lutum. In the interest of getting this review out before the next Pinotfest, we’ll focus on these four. They are presented roughly in our order of preference. However, you won’t go wrong with any of these fine pinots.
LaRue Wines
LaRue Wines is an homage to winemaker/owner Katy Wilson’s great-grandmother, Veona LaRue Newell. For reasons that remain unknown, Ms. Newell’s mother chose her unusual middle name. Katy remains impressed by her wit, wisdom, and toughness. Katy Wilson
Katy also makes some pretty good wines. Her 2013 Sonoma Coast ($60) is a blend from the Rice-Spivak and Emmaline Ann Vineyards. This wine opens with aromas of leather, tobacco, and cherries. Our tasting notes simply say, “Juicy.”
The 2013 Emmaline Ann Vineyard ($70) is from grapes grown on a three acre vineyard near the town of Freestone. This vineyard has pure Goldridge sandy loam soils and Dijon clonal selections. Proximity to the ocean and a higher elevation give the grapes some unique characteristics.
Initially you are greeted with scents of dark fruit and violets, with hints of cranberry. Flavors of strawberries and cherries combine with wet slate and leather notes. Drink now or hang on to this goodie for a few years.
Lutum Wines
Lutum is a joint venture between Bill Price and winemaker Gavin Chanin. For those rusty on their Latin, lutum”“ translates to dirt or soil – where all terroir begins. They focus on small-production, single-vineyard pinot noir and chardonnay. Naturally we’ll stick to the pinot. Bill Price and Gavin Chanin
Their 2013 Bien Nacido Vineyard ($50) opens with white pepper, mushrooms and forest floor. On the palate you’ll find red raspberry, tea and a hint of spice. The finish is soft tannins with more spice.
Lutum’s 2013 Sanford and Benedict Vineyard ($60) starts with aromas of cherries and anise. This wine features structured tannins with a nice acid balance.
The 2013 Rita’s Crown Vineyard ($50) is darker and heavier, including scents of coriander and black cherries. Spices are integrated with smooth tannins on the palate.
Finally, the 2013 La Rinconada Vineyard ($50) A bright garnet color reveals a heady nose of cranberry, dried bark and umami. A concentrated mid-palate of red fruit and substantial tannin lends itself to great structure. This is a fuller-bodied Pinot Noir that offers complexity and richness.
Lutum offers the full array of the pinot noir experience. Think of them as your one-stop shop.
Charles Heintz
Yes, there is a Charles Heintz. And he has a heck of a story: Heintz Ranch has been owned by the Heintz family for nearly 100 years. Charlie’s grandparents purchased the land in 1912. Over the many decades they grew many crops. In the first years it was chickens, berries, cherries apples and other vegetables.
…
In 2004, our ultra-premium label, “Heintz” was introduced. These small-production wines are made with 100% Heintz Ranch fruit, farmed for lower yields and are grown primarily on the hillside areas of Heintz Ranch.
Because our wines are produced in small lots, they receive the utmost care and attention, which is reflected in the taste, color and aroma of our wines. Charlie painstakingly manages all aspects of farming the 55 acres of vineyard including operations and personally overseeing the winemaking process of our chardonnay and pinot noir and syrah.
The Heintz 2013 Swan ($48) is made from vines growing at the lowest elevation of Heintz Ranch. The wine has intense flavors of fresh red cherries, cranberries, spice and vanilla. Integrated acid and tannins make for an excellent, long finish.
Charlie’s 2013 Valentina ($48) is named after the first generation of Heintz Ranch landowners. The wine has aromas of cherry and ripe cranberry. More cherries and cranberries on the palate with accents of cardamom and lavender lead to a long and lingering finish.
En Route Winery
Like many wineries, En Route blends the talents of a couple of winemakers and a viticulturist. Andrew Delos, the winemaker, is yet another U.C. Davis graduate. He’s been working with Russian River Valley pinot grapes for many years, including stints at MacRostie (Carneros) and Pellegrini (Russian River Valley). His work at Nickel & Nickel in Napa Valley impressed the partners so much that, when they created En Route in 2007, Andrew was the natural selection. In 2015 he added the title President to his portfolio.
Andrew is assisted by Gordon Smith. With his background, it’s surprising Gordon didn’t end up in music: he’s from Nashville, Tennessee. While working on a Ph.D. in chemistry at U.C. Santa Barbara, he took some time off and developed a taste for pinot noir. (Note: great idea!) He took a part-time job in a wine shop back in Nashville. One day, his manager asked him why, with his chemistry background, he wasn’t making wine. Smith worked his first harvest in 2010 at Williams Selyem in Russian River Valley. Before long, he was offered an opportunity too good to pass up: a chance to join EnRoute as the enologist, becoming the second employee at the winery. In 2015, he was promoted to assistant winemaker.
The viticulturist is Aaron Fishleder. Vineyards worldwide owe him a vote of thanks. Aaron was doing research at U.C. Davis trying to figure out better ways to fight phylloxera. While he was at it, he worked on a Masters degree. Later his research focused on Pierce’s Disease. His first job was with Far Niente, where he advised outside vineyard management on the winery’s estate vineyards. A few years later, Fishleder helped launch Far Niente Vineyards, a company separate from Far Niente charged with farming the vineyards owned by the partners of Far Niente, and sister wineries Dolce and Nickel & Nickel. Today, as president of Far Niente Vineyards, Fishleder and his staff farm the wineries’ estate vineyards and outside client vineyards in Napa Valley, Russian River Valley and Green Valley.
En Route’s “Les Pommiers” ($65) is named after the apple orchards that once graced the Russian River Valley. On the nose, red raspberry, black cherry, and floral notes. On the palate raspberry and cherry with a hint of minerality. Ripe, integrated tannins create a long, smooth finish.
Conclusion
Pinotfest is usually an event where we see what’s new with old friends. The 2015 version offered four surprises. Very pleasant surprises at that.
Paso Garagiste 2015: Is California Running Out of Pinot Noir Grapes?
Is California running out of pinot noir grapes? That’s the question that came to mind after finally getting around to reviewing the November 7, 2015 Paso Robles Garagiste Festival. We found two new wineries offering pinot noir: Pagter Brothers Winery and Chêne Vineyards. Vinemark Cellars, RN Estate, Vino Vargas, Cutruzzola Vineyards, and Aaron Wines (the Aequorea label) are old friends that have maintained their excellent quality. We’ll discuss a few of these near the end. But first, let’s look at the newcomers.
Reminder: Norma put together an entertaining video summary of this event:
Pagter Brothers Winery
[pullquote]It takes a lot of wine to be creative, so Scott took this job seriously and “researched” a lot of wine over the years.[/pullquote] Winemaker Scott Page Pagter was pouring their 2013 pinot noir ($40). Bing cherry aromas, hints of spice and acid on the finish, and a light cranberry palate in between. What’s not to like?
Scott Pagter at Paso Garagiste
Scott’s background is in music. As the website puts it ↑
He began fooling around with winemaking in 2007.
His partner in the business is Ralph Gibson “Gib” Pagter, Jr. Gib is a lawyer. In his profession,
It takes a lot of wine to preserve the law of the land apparently, and he takes this job seriously as well.
This year is the winery’s first vintage release. Support the new guys!
Chêne Vineyards David Platt and friend
David Platt, the Chêne winemaker, was behind the table with a few friends. They were offering their 2013 and 2014 pinot noirs (both $48). Tip: If you want something to drink now, go for the 2013. The 2014 needs at least another year of bottle time to develop. There’s some potential there.
The 2013 features raspberries and blackberries on the palate with a touch of spice and brambleberries on the finish. Aromas of cherries and rose petals.
And the Rest
For these, we will link to our previous, more detailed reviews.
Vinemark Cellars has released their first reserve pinot noir. Carrying the Santa Lucia Highlands appellation, Mark Wassberg claimed the grapes were clone 777 from Garys’ Vineyard. At a price of $38 this is a steal.
RN Estate poured two 2013 pinot noirs: Fiddlestix Vineyard ($55) and Solomon Hills ($49). Roger Nicolas continues to work magic, getting excellent fruit and treating it very well. Cutruzzola Vineyards offered their 2013 “Gloria” estate pinot noir ($42). Francis Cutruzzola and Lisa Miller continue to make some of the best pinots in the state.
We’ve praised Vino Vargas’s Rio Ruso Reserve pinot noir in the past. The 2012 vintage ($45) continues Pedro and Vicky Vargas’s history of great work.
Aaron Wines uses their Aequorea label for viognier, riesling and pinot noir. Their 2014 Seafarer ($40) opens with aromas of cranberry, red apple, and tea. The palate features boysenberries with hints of spice and baking chocolate.
Conclusion
We got this review out just in time. In February we have a date with Garagiste Southern Exposure in Solvang.
Hall and Walt at Artisan
Our friends at Artisan Wine Depot invited us over for a tasting of Hall and Walt wines. We’ve written about Walt before (and consumed several bottles of their pinot noir) so we immediately accepted. Prices quoted are from the winery websites. Artisan’s prices are considerably lower, but those may be day-of-tasting specials. Check their website for current pricing. Pouring at Artisan
It turns out that these two wineries are both projects of Kathryn Walt Hall. Walt is in Sonoma County and features chardonnay and pinot noir. Hall is in St. Helena (Napa Valley) focusing on sauvignon blanc, merlot, and cabernet sauvignon. The tasting featured sauvignon blanc, merlot and cabernet sauvignon from Hall. Walt offered a chardonnay and two pinot noirs. In an interesting side note, Hall’s Twitter hashtag is #crazygoodcabernet.
The 2014 Hall Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc ($24) opens with pronounced aromas of grapefruit. The palate is creamy with more grapefruit and a hint of apricot. We liked this, but would have liked it better at half the price.
Walt’s “La Brisa” 2013 Sonoma County Chardonnay ($40, not listed on the winery website) was next. High levels of butter on the nose followed by more butter flavors with a hint of honeysuckle. We felt like we needed a shot of Lipitor™ after tasting this one. We never thought we’d say this, but a bit of oak and/or more acid would have given this wine some balance.
“Blue Jay” 2013 Anderson Valley Pinot Noir ($40) was Walt’s next offering. Aromas of huckleberry and lavender give a clear signal of what’s coming next. With more berries and toffee on the palate, this pinot exhibits the lighter characteristics of many Anderson Valley grapes. Very nice. “La Brisa” 2013 Sonoma County Pinot Noir ($40) was Walt’s second pinot. This wine is dark and brooding. Aromas of blackberry jam and spice are followed by a lush, mouth-filling mid-palate. Maraschino cherries with a hint of spice round out a very nice wine.
The Hall 2013 Napa Valley Merlot ($33) is about as good as a merlot can get. Cherry and raspberry aromas with a hint of pepper on the nose. Flavors of cherries and blackberries on the palate. If the price had been around $20 we would have bought a couple of bottles. If you’re a merlot lover, you won’t go wrong with this one.
Hall’s 2012 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($55) had a hint of our favorite off-putting chemical, methoxypyrazine. But if you can handle that, this is a pretty good cab. Plum, coffee, and licorice are the featured flavors. (Artisan’s tasting notes quote Antonio Galloni describing one of the flavors as “menthol.” We think Mr. Galloni got this wrong.)
Kathryn Walt Hall
Ms. Hall has been involved with the California wine industry since her family first purchased a vineyard in the 1970’s. We should all be happy that she returned to California after her time in Texas. She has had a distinguished and varied career as a successful businesswoman, attorney, and as the U.S. Ambassador to Austria. From the Hall Wines website:
Kathryn and her brother managed the family vineyard from 1982 to 1992, selling grapes to other wineries, as well as producing Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon under the label WALT Vineyards. Kathryn began her public career as assistant city attorney in Berkeley, California. Later, she joined Safeway Stores, where she was responsible for developing and administering one of the nation’s first and largest affirmative action programs. Subsequently, she worked as an attorney and businesswoman in Dallas, Texas, where she was president of an inner city development company and partner of Hall Financial Group, Inc.
…
From 1997 to 2001, Kathryn served as the United States Ambassador to Austria. Since her return to America, she has resumed her role as proprietor of HALL Wines along with her husband Craig. Continuing upon her experience promoting American agriculture in Austria, in September 2001 she was appointed to the United States Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee (ATAC) for international trade and to Texas One, promoting international investment in Texas.
Kathryn serves on the Napa Legal Aid Board of Directors and is fluent in French and German, earned a B.A. in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley, a joint MBA from UC California, Berkeley & Columbia University and a J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of Law. Together with her husband Craig, they have four children.
Conclusion
Support local winemakers with long family traditions. These folks are making pretty darn good wines. Maggy Hawk Hawkster 2012
Almost exactly one year ago we were delighted to receive our 2011 Hawkster. We reviewed it very favorably. So last week when we received an e-mail offering the 2012 vintage, we jumped at the chance.
[pullquote]We often say that we don’t choose when to make the Hawkster, rather it chooses – or demands – the years in which it wants to be made. This is only the second time since the winery’s founding that we have released a Hawkster Pinot Noir. With 177 cases made, we hope you are as thrilled with this special allocation offering as we are.[/pullquote]
Here’s what estate manager Brooke Gadke said →
The 2012 Hawkster ($66) is on the earthy side compared to the 2011. Bright cherry aromas with undertones of rose petals. On the palate more cherries with spice and tannins. We bought three bottles and will let the remaining two age for another year or so. The price is still $66 and it’s still a bargain.
Owner Barbara Banke is a huge fan of Anderson Valley grapes. She describes the vineyards being located in “The Deep End:” Situated adjacent to the redwoods and one of the last vineyards before one reaches the Pacific, the Maggy Hawk vineyard is located in what many refer to as the “deep end” of Anderson Valley.
The vineyard contains a complex patchwork of different facings, slopes and clones, all of which conspire to provide a dazzling array of different Pinot Noirs. The soil is comprised of decomposed sandstone, known for exceptional drainage and low nutrients, both critical to the development of naturally balanced vines.
As one might expect, yields are controlled by Mother Nature in this setting; in most years, the Maggy Hawk vineyard provides no more than two tons per acre.
Pinot Noir and Chardonnay at Artisan
Friday, August 8, we were thrilled to attend a very special tasting of pinot noir and chardonnay at Artisan Wine Depot in Mountain View.
[pullquote]This tasting was just for you two.[/pullquote]
As co-owner James Tran said to us, →
We nodded happily in agreement.
There were five chardonnays and eight pinot noirs from twelve different wineries. We obviously won’t be able to discuss all the wineries. This review will instead focus entirely on the tasting. All prices are at Artisan not including any case discount.
Five Chardonnays
Chardonnays
The first chardonnay was a 2013 Etre “Sonoma” ($24). This was unusual in that it was 90% chardonnay and 10% marsanne, roussanne and vermentino. Oak and citrus aromas followed by dense fruit palate including mango and fig. This was too heavy for us. This wine was not available for sale at the time of the tasting. Check the Artisan website for availability.
Next up was Luli’s 2013 Santa Lucia Highlands chardonnay ($20). We’ve reviewed Luli’s pinot noir very positively in the past and were looking forward to the chardonnay. This is a major bargain. The wine was aged half in stainless steel and half in neutral barrels. No oak, no malolactic, just pure fruit the way we like our chardonnays. This chardonnay exhibits lots of minerality with citrus and yellow peach aromas and flavors.
The 2013 Liquid Farm “Golden Slope” from Santa Rita ($45) seemed overpriced to our palates. Subtle aromas lead to, frankly, nothing. The winery tasting notes say, “Smoky minerals, iodine, lemon curd, heady orchard fruit, ginger tea, liquid sunshine.” Iodine? Really?
Poseidon’s 2013 Carneros chardonnay ($23) was another bargain. Very light lemon aromas with a hint of ginger, more citrus on the palate with a touch of pineapple. Nice stuff.
The final chardonnay was a 2012 Saxon Brown Carneros “Hyde Vineyard” ($44). Oaky-dokie both aromas and palate. Any respectable beaver will like this. Not as buttery as some of the others. And not one of our favorites.
Eight Pinot Noirs
First three pinots (click for larger image)
First up was a 2013 from Banshee ($20). With 82% of the grapes coming from the Sonoma Coast AVA, this wine was quite enjoyable and another major bargain. Aromas of black cherries and rose petals lead to chocolate, cassis and a bit of forest floor on the palate. Nice, long finish, completely integrated tannins, what’s that price again?
Another bargain was from Alexana in Oregon. Their 2013 “Terroir Selection” Willamette Valley ($27) features aromas and flavors of red raspberries and bing cherries and a touch of butterscotch on the finish.
But the real bargain was a 2013 San Luis Obispo County “Edna Valley” by Fossil Point ($15). There are hints of smoke aromas, with tannins on the palate and a nice finish. Not complicated, but what do you want for fifteen bucks? Fossil Point is the affordable label from Center of Effort. We’ve linked to the Center of Effort website but as far as we can tell you won’t find anything about Fossil Point there. We did taste both labels in Pomona last February, but found the Fossil Point offered there was flawed.
Last five pinots (click for larger image)
Ken Wright offered his 2013 “Bonnie Jean Vineyard” Yamhill- Carlton District ($50). Over the years Ken has been about as consistent a winemaker as you can find. But his wines aren’t really to our taste. Aromas of red raspberries and rose petals lead to a disappointing palate that’s too big with dark fruit and an excessively acid finish.
Instead of Ken’s pinot, we recommend spending a few more bucks for Freeman’s 2012 “Keefer Ranch” Russian River Valley ($52). This is a fruit bomb from beginning to end. Aromas of shiitake mushrooms followed by an explosion of black cherries and raspberries on the palate. The Wine Enthusiast says it has “compelling character.” We agree.
We first ran into August West at a seminar sponsored by Greg Walter, known for his monthly PinotReport. August’s 2012 “Graham Family Vineyard” Russian River Valley ($40) is up to his usual standards. Like Ken Wright, his wines are consistent. And, like Ken, his wines are not really to our taste. Aromas of earth and leather are followed by tannins and more forest floor. The Wine Spectator says, “Ripe and chewy, with a candied edge that folds into the red berry fruit. Shows some tannic flex on the finish, moving toward blueberry flavors. Drink now through 2021.” We’re willing to believe them.
Saxon Brown made a repeat appearance with their 2011 “Glass House Vineyard” Sonoma Coast ($36). Nice aromas, nice palate, finish moves into swamp moss. We thought this wine was flawed by that finish.
Closing the tasting was Loring’s 2013 “Cargasacchi” Santa Rita Hills ($45). We’ve written about Brian and Kimberly Loring before. The Cargasacchi vineyard has never been one of our favorites no matter who makes the wine. But Brian has done the best work possible with these grapes. Aromas of forest floor followed by a palate of red raspberries.
Conclusion
Artisan remains our favorite wine shop with an unbeatable combination of variety, quality, and price.
Calera Drops By Artisan
James and Christine (owners of Artisan Wine Depot) were nice enough to invite us to taste the wines of Calera, justifiably famous for their pinot noirs. We jumped at the chance.
As we learned, Calera’s vineyards are atop Mt. Harlan, a designated American Viticultural Area. And Calera is the sole winery in this AVA. That gives them quite a marketing edge. If you like grapes from Mt. Harlan, Calera is the only game in town. According to Marta Rich, National Sales Manager, the Mt. Harlan AVA was designated in 1990. And Calera still owns and manages the only vineyards in the AVA. Marta assures me that Calera does not sell any Mt. Harlan fruit. As an economist and small business owner, I appreciate the benefits of market power like this!
Four Whites
The tasting opened with two chardonnays. The Central Coast blend ($20) opens with aromas of oak and Meyer lemon. The palate that tension between pineapple and green apple with a hint of caramel. Thoroughly satisfying and fairly priced.
Kudos to Calera for truth in labeling. The back labels of the Central Coast blends give the percentages from each vineyard. The Mt. Harlan varietals include vast amounts of technical information. 2013 Central Coast Chardonnay back label (click for larger version)
The Mt. Harlan ($36) had too much oak for our taste. With age it may come around. We detected some lime and almonds that make it worthwhile to age a couple of bottles for several years.
And then there were two 2013 viogniers, also from the Central Coast and Mt. Harlan. The Central Coast blend ($18) opens with aromas of honeysuckle followed by lime and bosc pears. The finish is lemon custard. This is a relatively austere viognier with outstanding scents.
The Mt. Harlan ($32) is very austere.Hints of pear and honeysuckle on the nose followed by a mineral palate with a touch of green mango. The best way to describe the finish is juicy and long. Mt. Harlan back label (click for larger image)
On to the Pinots
Like the chardonnay and viognier blends, Calera also offers a 2013 Central Coast pinot noir ($28). Starting with aromas of rose petals and black cherries, the palate is predominately black cherries with a hints of spice and butterscotch. 2013 Central Coast Pinot Noir back label (click for larger image)
The first single-vineyard pinot was the 2012 de Villiers ($48). Wet slate and dark fruit aromas are followed by more minerality on the palate. The technical notes on the website say this wine was not racked and is unfiltered. The chewy texture fits that perfectly.
The Ryan 2011 ($48) has a gritty, dark, earthy profile. Herbs and pepper on the nose lead to more earth and a hint of spice.
The 2012 edition of Ryan ($50) is much better. Aromas of black cherry and herbs are followed by more black cherry and blackberry on the palate. Nice structure and a long, delightful finish.
Calera’s Mills 2011 ($54) is lighter than the Ryans. Aromas of red raspberries and bing cherries lead to darker cherries and spice on the palate.
The tasting closed with the Jensen 2012 ($85). Like a number of high-end pinots, this one is beyond the scope of our taste buds. We did recognize aromas of cherries and leather followed by complexity and depth that we could detect (if not fully appreciate).
Calera’s Story
Calera is sited near an old lime kiln in the Gavilan Mountains. The vineyard is atop a mountain of limestone, just like Calcareous in Paso Robles.
Calera Location (click for larger image)
As we’ve learned, limestone is part of the classic terroir for pinot noir. Here’s the Calera vineyard map: Calera Vineyard Map (click for larger image)
Owner Josh Jensen studied winemaking in Burgundy and searched for two years before finding the ideal location. Despite being 25 miles from the ocean, the vineyard’s 2,200 foot elevation yields the cool nights pinot noir and chardonnay need. It happens that “calera” is Spanish for limekiln, serving as both the basis for great wine and the winery’s logo.
Calera Logo
Compare with the original: The Calera (click for larger image)
Josh Jensen
Josh planted his first pinot noir grapes in 1975. That same year he released his first wine. Clearly it wasn’t from those grapevines. In fact, it was a zinfandel made from purchased grapes. From the Calera website:
In 1977 Josh purchased property on which to build the winery. He chose a 100 acre site on Cienega Road halfway between the vineyard and the town of Hollister. Located 1000 feet lower in elevation than the vineyard, this property was blessed with the all-important attributes of a paved road, and both telephone and electrical service (services which to this day are unavailable on Mt. Harlan).
On the Cienega Road property. a multi-level rock crushing facility had been built into the steep hillside in the 1950s. The facility was abandoned before it was ever used for crushing rock, but 20 years later the walls and terraces, with some substantial seismic retro-fitting, (the San Andreas fault lies just 100 yards away) became the heart of Calera’s gravity-flow winery. The multi-layered hillside construction has allowed for the gentlest possible handling of the Calera wines. Wines move through the winemaking process by the mere force of gravity, rather than by the use of pumps.
Conclusion
We’ve encountered Calera many times over the years. It was a pleasure to experience a focused tasting of their wines.
Two Bargains from Trader Joe
We occasionally buy some wine at Trader Joe’s. But we recently discovered two that are amazing bargains. Each is $7.99 per bottle. You will not find better deals on wine anywhere. This is the story of two bargains from Trader Joe. (click for larger image)
Over the years Norma has become fond of their “Trader Moon” Honey Moon viognier. The 2013 vintage is so outstanding we had to write about it. Quite simply, this is the best viognier I have ever tasted. Norma is not quite that enthusiastic, settling for “pretty darn good.”
Here’s the scoop: floral and honeysuckle aromas followed by passion fruit and an amazing orange blossom flavor. There’s a hint of lime on the finish. Viognier, like pinot noir, is very susceptible to terroir and winemaking technique. We find most of them overbearing with too much of the natural honey. Not this one.
And a few days ago I brought home a couple of experimental bottles of pinot noir. We’ve only tasted one — and Norma sent me back the next day to pick up a case. The wine is from New Zealand. The Picton Bay South Island 2014 pinot noir is light enough to be a summer wine. Aromas of red raspberries and cherries are followed by more raspberries, tart cherries, and a hint of spice. Light enough to support what might otherwise be excessive acidity. (click for larger image)
According to Wine Searcher, Picton Bay is the export label for the highly regarded Mt. Riley winery in Marlborough. It looks to me like this label was created specifically for the U.S. market and (perhaps) exclusively for Trader Joe’s.
Trader Joe’s generally gives store managers considerable latitude in choosing non-TJ’s wines. You can probably find the Honey Moon almost everywhere. I know the Picton Bay is available at the Trader Joe’s on Homestead Road in Los Altos, CA.
Family Winemakers Pomona: William James Cellars and Talisman
Yes, we know, March 15 was a long time ago. We’ve been busy with various activities. We still have to earn income to support our wine habit!
In this review we’ll look at two more from Family Winemakers Pomona: William James Cellars and Talisman.
William James Cellars
William James Cellars offered a 2011 Santa Barbara County ($28). This wine is made from a Martini clone graft from the Makenna vineyard in the Santa Maria Valley. (The graft was taken from the justly famous Bien Nacido vineyard.) We found it a nice representation of the Santa Rita Hills. Opening with nice aromas of red raspberry and bing cherries, the wine slides into a nice, albeit slightly acid, palate. Decidedly Burgundian and a bargain.
[pullquote]Robin’s Manifesto: I am a goddess, and my body is my temple; so therefore I drink wine![/pullquote]
William James is owner – manager – winemaker Robin Bogue’s baby. The winery name is a composite. William is her father. James is her son. (And that means that the winery is not, truly, her baby.) The winery is in the Santa Maria area with a tasting room in Orcutt. The website reflects her general approach to winemaking (and, most likely, life):
It’s a Wonderful Life! Ingredients for Happiness and Prosperity Bread-that this house may never know hunger; Salt-that life may always have flavor; Wine-that joy and prosperity may reign forever. William James Cellars owner and winemaker Robin Bogue believes in making wine that she’d like to drink—and creating fun pairings that buck the status quo. – Photo by Kaori Funahashi
Talisman
A few hundred miles north, the Sonoma town of Glen Ellen is where you’ll find Talisman. We’ve written about Talisman before, but it was good to renew our acquaintance. (click for larger image)
Talisman wines generally need aging and decanting. The aroma rounds out nicely once the wine is exposed to air.
The wines started with the 2011 Los Carneros Adastra Vineyard ($56). Aromas of earth and leather, followed by very nice flavors. “Pleasant” was the word that came to mind.
The 2012 Sonoma Coast Wildcat Mountain Vineyard ($52) also needs some time to open up. This wine is lighter than the Adastra, with a mild raspberry palate and a hint of vanilla on the finish. Wildcat Mountain is on the opposite side of Carneros valley from Adastra. Once again we are reminded of the sensitivity of pinot noir grapes to terroir.
The 2012 Sonoma Coast Spring Hill Vineyard ($42, available only to wine club members) is from a vineyard in the infamous Petaluma wind gap. Aromas of cherry, spice, and leather lead to a palate of Santa Rosa plums and mineral. The finish is long with a hint of spice.
Here’s one you can’t buy: the 2010 Badger Block. Total production: one barrel. This wine was too special for our taste. Scents and tastes of blackberries and violets, some mineral, and a bit of spice.
The 2012 Yorkville Highlands Weir Vineyard ($65, available only to wine club members) is also for patient consumers. Aromas of forest floor with bing cherry and “desert” notes are followed by more cherries and herbs. The finish is tannins and oak. Great aging potential. Buy a case, put it in the cellar, and open one bottle a year until 2020. Maybe longer.
Scott and Marta Rich
Talisman is the pet project of Scott and Marta Rich. Scott learned the basics of winemaking when he was six years old. Greek friends made wine annually. He attended graduate school in the enology program at U.C. Davis and has worked as a research enologist for both RH Phillips and Robert Mondavi. Marta’s dad made wine in their Minnesota home. After getting her degree in psychology at the University of Colorado, she moved to Napa Valley, beginning an 18-year stint at Robert Mondavi. Before departing she was in charge of Mondavi’s Northern California sales team. Her two current positions are aDirector of Sales for Calera and Director of Sales & Marketing at Talisman.
Santa Lucia Highlands Gala
On May 16 we made our way to Salinas. Mainly known for being “America’s salad bowl” and the home of John Steinbeck, this little town has recently become the gateway to the Santa Lucia Highlands. We had returned to Salinas for the ninth annual Santa Lucia Highlands Gala.
The Santa Lucia Highlands (SLH) AVA is justifiably famous for pinot noir and chardonnay grapes. Naturally we were there for the pinots. And we found quite a few good ones.Several wineries were new to us. But the biggest surprise was a few that we have known about for years. These old friends have changed their ways and are now producing pinot that we like.
The Venue
The Mer Soleil Vineyard once again hosted the event. Mer Soleil is not open to the public. This was a rare chance to visit them.
Mer Soleil Winery The Newbies
These folks are all making very good pinot noirs. We’ll discuss them in the order in which we tasted.
Hope & Grace
First on our list was Hope & Grace. Their Doctor’s Vineyard 2012 pinot noir ($48) opens with black cherries and strawberry aromas. On the palate we discovered spice and slight tannin. This wine is not a bargain but is fairly priced. The Doctor’s Vineyard was new to us. Here’s what the winery website has to say:
The Doctor’s Vineyard is planted on the terraces of the Santa Lucia mountain range, overlooking the Salinas River Valley. Here, the fog and breezes off nearby Monterey Bay funnel southeast, between the Santa Lucia and Gabilan ranges, creating a cool, true Region 1 climate. The vines elevated site takes full advantage of the morning sunshine before the brisk afternoon maritime winds slow down photosynthesis, making for long and gentle ripening.
Owner Charles Hendricks, started Hope & Grace in 2001. Hope and Grace are his daughters. The 2012 is his first SLH vintage. The tasting “salon” is in Napa, squarely in the middle of Yountville. Annual production is about 3,500 cases. Charles has been making wine in the Napa Valley for 33 years. We’re very happy he has decided to go it alone. Charles Hendricks
Miner Family Winery
Our next stop was Miner Family Winery, located on the Silverado Trail north of Oakville on the east side of the Napa Valley. They were pouring four pinots, all 2012.
If you like French-style pinots, these are the wines for you. The first two were from Rosella’s Vineyard.
[pullquote]The “777” Dijon clone is a specific variety within the Pinot Noir family originally from Burgundy’s Morey St. Denis region in France.[/pullquote]
The Rosella’s “777” ($75) is unusual. Made entirely from clone 777, this wine is intense and appealing with rose petal and spice aromas followed by dark berry flavors. This note from the winery website →
Miner also offered a Rosella’s ($60) that was a blend of clones (presumably). This pinot showed more fruit than the 777. Aromas of cherries are followed by more cherries and cedar on the palate.
The Garys’ Vineyard ($60) opens with faint aromas of rose petals. This wine is fairly austere, with flavors of black cherries and a hint of oak. The finish features spice and tannins. The spec sheet for this wine makes a point that took us about a week to figure out last summer:
This 50 acre vineyard was planted in 1995 by friends and growers Gary Franscioni and Gary Pisoni along the terraces of the Santa Lucia mountain range, overlooking the Salinas River Valley.
Finally, Miner’s Sierra Mar Vineyard ($75) is the biggest of the four. Our guess is that a year or two of aging will improve this, although it may not have enough backbone to support it. Today the wine features intense, black raspberry and violet aromas with a smooth, toasted oak finish.
Miner Family at SLH McIntyre Vineyards
[pullquote]The McIntyre Estate Vineyard lies in the “sweet spot” of this rolling, benchland region. It produces incredibly intense and complex Pinot Noirs and well- structured, concentrated Chardonnays.[/pullquote]
McIntyre Vineyards is Steve McIntyre’s pet project. Steve farms 11,000 acres of winegrapes in Monterey County as the owner/operator of Monterey Pacific. From the wine spec sheet →
Steve McIntyre
McIntyre’s 2013 Santa Lucia Highland Estate pinot noir ($34) is a major bargain. This was the first pinot that we found interesting. While the aroma a bit musty, suggesting wet earth, the flavors develop into cranberry, red raspberry and a hint of cherries. A long spice finish with silky tannins round out a wonderful experience. Sarah’s Vineyard
Tim Slater
[pullquote]Tim is a reclusive and eccentric scientist, engineer, and inventor, who worked over the years in Silicon Valley at a variety of small startups, in a little known field called micromachining. A relatively prolific inventor, Tim is named on over 25 patents in his chosen field and has worked on projects as widely varied as micro-satellite thermal controllers, artificial retinas for vision restoration in the blind, and large-scale optical networking equipment.[/pullquote]
Sarah’s Vineyard is in the Hecker Pass winegrowing area west of Gilroy. If you’re trying to find the website don’t use a search engine. There’s a “winery” in Ohio that has apparently bought up all the Google adwords.
Tim Slater bought Sarah’s in 2001. Before that he worked in tech. From the winery website →
We spent some time chatting with Tim. He may be eccentric, but he has gotten over any reclusiveness that he might have once had.
There were two Santa Lucia Highlands pinots from Sarah’s, a mini-vertical tasting. The 2012 ($32) is the more intense of the two. Aromas of bing cherries and red raspberries followed by more cherries and raspberries on the palate. The 2013 ($32) is a little lighter. Slightly less intense aromas of bing cherry and raspberry lead to more bing cherries, black cherries, and raspberry palate. Both rate as bargains.
Prim Family Vineyard Prim at SLH
Prim Family Vineyard is a new boutique winery in the Napa Valley. It’s a project started by Wayne and Victoria Prim in 2009. They have been selling wine since 2014, making them all of one year old as a commercial enterprise.
Current production is 600 cases per year, but they expect it to nearly double to 1,100 cases next year. Their 2012 Napa pinot noir won a gold medal at the San Diego competition.
Now they have sourced fruit from the Apex Vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands. Apex is at the top of the Highlands — what did you expect? — an altitude of 1200 feet. Their 2013 Apex Vineyard ($38) is on the licorice – tobacco style. Not to our taste, but still very good.
And Some Old Friends
We always like to check in with wineries we know just to keep them honest. J Seriously, it’s always fun to catch up with folks we’ve talked to before, find out what’s new, and taste their latest products.
Mansfield-Dunne
We discovered Mansfield-Dunne at the 2014 SLH gala and loved their pinot. We dropped by their table to see how they are progressing. We were greeted by John Peterson who was offering two pinots.
John Peterson
The 2012 Santa Lucia Highland ($36) is a bargain. Intense aromas of herbs, smoke and tea lead to blackberry and raspberry flavors. Smooth tannins balanced with nice acidity make for a long, delightful finish.
The 2012 Peterson Ranch ($48) is the winery’s estate wine. If you’re going to drink this wine now, we would recommend decanting it to open the aromas a bit. As it is, there are hints of blackberries, cedar and oak aromas. A palate of ripe plums and wild strawberries draw your attention to the balanced acidity and oak. Pisoni/Lucia
The Pisoni Family
We also discovered these wineries at the 2014 event. And we were impressed. Their Lucia 2013 Garys’ Vineyard ($65) is little too smooth with some subtle complexity. Look for black cherries, a slight hint of caramel, with spice and tannins on the finish.
Paraiso/Alexander Smith
We first encountered Paraiso at a long-forgotten Palo Alto wine bar quite a few years ago. We thought it was good, but the wine had some unfortunate pharmacological side effects (upset stomachs, noticeable hangover). We decided to take a chance after noting their newly-designed main label and the new second label (Alexander Smith).
Paraiso’s 2012 Santa Lucia Highlands pinot noir ($45) opens with raspberries and raisins on the nose. That combination works in practice much better than it sounds in print. Flavors of cherry, oak, and red licorice lead to a long finish. Pretty darn good. Unfortunately they had run out of their Alexander Smith wines.
Morgan
I was reluctant to try Morgan, but I followed Norma to their table. And we’re both very happy that we did. Morgan appears to have changed their ways, stopped producing monsters that need ten years aging, and are now making wines we like.
Owners Dan and Donna Lee
Their 2013 Garys’ Vineyard ($58) is pretty good, but overpriced. Aromas of baking spices, dark chocolate, and rose petals are melded with plum, black licorice, and sage on the palate.
Conclusion
The ninth SLH Gala was even better than the eighth. With any luck we’ll be back next year. Two More From Pomona: Windsor Oaks, Vino Vargas
In our previous article we raved about Picayune Cellars and Flying Goat Cellars. But we tasted pinot noirs from eleven — count them — eleven wineries making pretty good pinots.
That’s a testimonial to cooperation and education among winemakers and educators. Kudos to U.C. Davis, Fresno State, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and Sonoma State for educating generations of winemakers.
Eleven wineries is too much for one review. We’re going to write them up and post as time permits. Today we’ll look at Vino Vargas and Windsor Oaks. This review is two more from Pomona: Windsor Oaks, Vino Vargas.
Vino Vargas
After tasting a few pinots and not finding anything we liked, we decided to calibrate our palates. Luckily, Pedro and Vicky Vargas were there. We’ve written about Vino Vargas before and headed over to their table to see if the southern California air had screwed up our tastebuds.
Thankfully, that was not the case. Their 2012 Russian River Valley “Rio Ruso” ($45) was a delight. With 30% of the vintage aged in French oak, Pedro and Vicky are still making great pinot noir. The wine opens with aromas of strawberry and cherries with just a hint of earth. The palate is more cherries with a silky tannins on the finish. Vicky Vargas
We arrived early enough to chat with Vicky for a few minutes. Vino Vargas is apparently doing very well. We learned that Pedro is a U.C. Davis graduate. Vicky has a credential from the French Culinary Institute. She is a qualified sommelier. And, from their website, they have occasional wine club pickups in Los Gatos! Convenient for us bay area folks.
Windsor Oaks
We were greeted by Bruce Krueger who poured us tastes of Windsor Oaks’ two pinot noirs. Both were 2012 Russian River Valley, but one was a reserve (10 cases produced).
The non-reserve pinot ($28) opened with aromas of black cherries, rose petals, and an earthy undertone. On the palate there was cola, spice and tannins leading to a long finish.
The reserve ($35) needs some bottle time to develop. Aromas and palate were flatter than the non-reserve. “Juicy” was the best description we could come up with, with hints of oak and vanilla. Buy half a case and open one bottle a year starting in 2017.
History
Bob and Renee Stein
Windsor Oaks is a 20 year project of Bob and Renee Stein. The winery is located east of U.S. 101 in the town of Windsor (about halfway between Santa Rosa and Healdsburg). But the vineyards extend west beyond Sebastopol. The Steins own the 700 acre estate, of which
… approximately 350 acres have been deeded to the Sonoma County Open Space District and are designated ‘Forever Wild.’ The remaining 250 acres are uniquely situated in both the Russian River Valley and Chalk Hill appellations, representing two of the most recognized growing regions for outstanding quality wine grapes. In fact, the address of the winery is actually in the Chalk Hill ava. The Steins put the wilderness area in the middle of the property with the vineyards around the edges:
Windsor Oaks Aerial View (courtesy of Bing Maps, click for larger image)
Bob and Renee partnered with Doug and Julie Lumgair when the winery was started. Doug is still the estate general manager. Julie was the winemaker through the 2011 vintage when she decided to relax a bit.
Margaret Davenport
But not to worry.Her replacement, Margaret Davenport, previously worked at Clos du Bois and Passalacqua. We have fond memories of her Passalacqua zinfandels.
The 2014 vintage will mark Margaret’s 35th crush. She’s only been with Windsor Oaks since 2011, but her wine already speaks for itself. A lab apprenticeship in 1980 began a long, critically-acclaimed winemaking history.
Sabrina Prati
Margaret is assisted by Sabrina Prati. Sabrina has wine in her veins. One of her first memories is ridinga vineyard tractor with her father. With her BS in Viticulture and Enology from UC Davis, the year 2013 was her eighth harvest.
Douglas Lumgair
Douglas Lumgair is the Estate General Manager. Doug has been a partner in Windsor Oaks from day 1. Today he keeps it all running.
We were excited to discover Windsor Oaks and (indirectly) renew our acquaintance with Margaret Davenport.
Big Surprises in Pomona
On March 14 we took a deep breath, had our mechanic bless our ancient BMW 530i, and headed south. Our destination was the Los Angeles County Fair venue (the “Fairplex”) in Pomona (out toward San Bernardino). The event was the next day, a southern California edition of the Family Winemakers tasting. As an added bonus the venue includes a Sheraton hotel that was walking distance from the pavilion.
And what a tasting it was. We found half a dozen wineries making terrific pinot noir. But two really stood out: Picayune Cellars and Flying Goat Cellars. There were big surprises in Pomona!
Picayune Cellars
Jennifer Roberts at FWC Picayune‘s 2013 Sonoma Coast ($29, MAJOR BARGAIN) is an excellent representation of this AVA. Aromas of cedar, wild strawberry and red raspberry followed by smoke, leather, and a hint of caramel on the palate. The finish is long and surprisingly aromatic.
Jennifer Roberts, c0-owner of Picayune, was behind the table. We chatted for a while. Their first bottling was a sauvignon blanc in 2011. Annual production is about 1,500 cases.
Jennifer Roberts and Claire Weinkauf
Every good winery has a story and Picayune is no exception. The founders are Ms. Roberts and Claire Weinkauf. At the time Claire was working with Paul Hobbs and Jennifer was a wine broker. Claire had the idea, Jennifer had the liquor license, and one night after consuming quite a bit of sauvignon blanc the idea came together. And here they are five years later. Claire married Aron Weinkauf, the winemaker at Spottswoode. Jennifer’s husband Nathan Roberts is co-owner and winemaker at Arnot-Roberts. As Jennifer put it, “This is our little bit.” (Look up the definition of “picayune” to get the joke. Or read this.) Flying Goat Cellars
Flying Goat Logo and Philosophy (click for a larger image)
Picayune, Flying Goat — who said the industry was running out of creative names? Flying Goat co-owner and winemaker Norm Yost was ably assisted behind the table by Danielle McKee. In an entertaining economics side-note, the other co-owner, Kate Griffith, lobbied Congress on behalf of the Mexican government to help get NAFTA passed. (On the home page, Ms. Griffith’s job description is “proprietor/chief philosopher.”) Norm and Kate are almost newlyweds, having gotten hitched January 1, 2010 (01/01/10 for numerologists).
Flying Goat’s 2011 Dierberg Vineyard Santa Maria Valley ($46). Aromas of dark fruit with cherry notes are followed by ripe fruit with hints of smoke, leather, and earth on the palate. The 2011 Rancho Santa Rosa Vineyard Santa Rita Hills ($48). Opening with scents of dark fruit and black cherries lead to a great mouth feel with spice that lingers on the palate. A hint of vanilla at the end of the finish.
And their 2010 Rio Vista Vineyard Clone 2A Santa Rita Hills ($42) is a fruit bomb that may put you in a diabetic coma. Scents of huckleberry lead to smooth tannins with hints of freshly-ground coffee.
Flying Goat is located in the Lompoc Wine Ghetto. Somebody needs to put a decent hotel in Lompoc so we can visit the area easily. But Kate was once the Economic Development Manager and Planning Commissioner for the City of Lompoc, so perhaps she can do something about this. She is on the Lompoc Wine Alliance Board of Directors. And — best of all — she is treasurer of the Lompoc Valley Beekeepers Association.
Norm is currently on the Board of Directors of the World of Pinot Noir after serving a stint as president. He is also a former board member of Santa Rita Hills Winegrowers Alliance and Santa Barbara County Vintners Association, and winemaking instructor at Allan Hancock College. In his 30+ years in the industry he has made wine starting in the Willamette Valley and working south until 2000 when he settled in the greater Santa Barbara area and started Flying Goat.
#protip
We have a buying tip. Have you ever wondered what happens with the unopened bottles of wine after a tasting event? If you find something you like and whoever is pouring has the authority, offer to meet them after the event ends so you can take some of that wine off their hands. You’ll pay for it, but you’ll also generate quite a bit of goodwill. These folks don’t want to truck the wine all the way home.
Conclusion
We continue to be amazed by the number of new pinot noirs, the ongoing increase in the number of wineries, and the incredible job growers and winemakers are doing with this most-difficult grape. After this event, we are in awe.
Coming next: the half-dozen other pinot noir wineries worth looking for. Yes, that’s right: eight wineries producing pinot noir that we want to write about.
RN Estate Solomon Hills Vineyard Vertical
While exploring our wine-cellar[1] this afternoon, we were pleased to discover two bottles of the RN Estate Solomon Hills Vineyard (Santa Maria Valley). The vintages were 2011 and 2012. Forthwith, our RN Estate Solomon Hills Vineyard vertical tasting.
The 2011 ($55, two bottle limit) is the more approachable of the two. In a word, this wine is “pretty.” Aromas of black cherry and strawberry lead into Asian five-spice and more black cherries on the palate. The finish is slightly spicy with lingering silky tannins.
The 2012 ($49) needed to breathe a bit to open up. (If you are lucky enough to have a bottle or two, I’d advise waiting another year, at least.) Aromas here are more consistent with what we call “desert,” creating images of sand and tumbleweeds. But the palate is an explosion of delectable fruit with just a hint of tobacco. There is also a very small hint of spice on the finish with more smooth tannins.
The Vineyard
[pullquote]The Solomon Hills Vineyards takes its name from its neighboring hills named for Salomon Pico, a celebrated bandit who in the 1850’s traveled frequently along the stretch of El Camino Real that is known today as Santa Maria Valley. Pico’s life was so colorful that it is believed by many to have inspired the legend of Zorro.[/pullquote]
The Solomon Hills Vineyard was developed in the late 1990s. It is located on a western slope of the Santa Maria Valley, adding a more pronounced ocean fog influence to the terroir. The soil is sandy loam, reflecting the sea that once filled the valley. This vineyard is near the justly-famous Bien Nacido and Sierra Madre plots. But, of course, the name must have a story →
We hope the partnership between Roger Nicolas and the Solomon Hills team continues for many years.
[1] OK, it’s really just a couple of wine racks in the garage with a portable air conditioning unit for summer use. We can call it whatever we want.
Pinotfest 2014: the Best of the Rest
A few weeks ago we reviewed the two best newcomers: Reuling Vineyards and Ernest Vineyards. Today we want to review seven excellent wines. This is Pinotfest 2014: the best of the rest. In roughly the order in which we tasted them, they are:
Wayfarer Vineyards Paul Lato Wines Bethel Heights Failla Wines Archery Summit Wines Patz & Hall Wines Skewis Wines
Wayfarer Vineyards Wayfarer Vineyard Map (click the map for a larger image)
Wayfarer is the culmination of a 30 year quest by Jayson Pahlmeyer. Those who have been around the industry for a while will be familiar with Pahlmeyer wines of Napa Valley. Jayson Pahlmeyer planted the winery’s first cabernet sauvignon in 1981 using cuttings of Bordeaux varietals smuggled into the U.S. through Canada. The first vintage was 1986. But for 30 years he dreamed of Burgundy. In the early 1990s he nearly closed a deal for vineyards in Burgundy. Luckily for us, the deal fell through at the last minute. But his patience was rewarded about 1997 when the Wayfarer Farm on the Sonoma Coast came on the market. The result is Wayfarer Vineyards and some pretty good pinot noir. The Wayfarer 2012 Golden Mean ($115) blends fruit from the Fort Ross-Seaview vineyard. The wine opens with aromas black cherries and rose petals. Earth and more black cherries on the palate are balanced with nice acid. A long finish with spice and tannins rounds out a great experience. The specific grapes are Pommard clones 4 and 5 plus Swan.
In addition to Jayson, his daughter Cleo is the verve behind Wayfarer. With a degree in art history and a background in the international art market, Cleo seems out of place in the wine business. But, as she told her father, “When it comes to the future of Pahlmeyer, I am all in!”
The Pahlmeyers are ably assisted by Bibiana González Rave, the consulting winemaker. She’s very good, having done a stint as winemaker for Lynmar Estate. (We are members of the Lynmar wine club. Along with Hartford Family, they are year in and year out the most consistently excellent pinot noir producers that we know.)
Jayson Pahlmeyer, Cleo Pahlmeyer, and Bibiana Gonzales Rave Paul Lato
Paul Lato
Paul Lato featured Paul Lato himself. His 2012 “Happiness” Hilliard-Bruce vineyard (Santa Rita Hills) was very good. Aromas of red raspberry and vanilla are followed by the distinctive “desert” flavors characteristic of the Santa Rita Hills. Tannins and spice finish a very nice experience.
Bethel Heights
Bethel Heights was our first Oregon winery of the afternoon. They are located northwest of Salem in the Aeolian Hills.
The winery has been around a while, bottling their first commercial vintage in 1984. Bethel Heights was founded in 1977 by five refugees from academia: Ted Casteel, Pat Dudley, Terry Casteel, Marilyn Webb, and Barbara Dudley. Today their production is about 10,000 cases per year, making them quite a success in Oregon. Somehow we missed them on our Oregon road trip a few years ago. And now we regret that. The next generation is gradually taking over at Bethel Heights. Terry and Marilyn’s son Ben Casteel and his cousin Mimi Casteel are the winemaker and viticulturist/general manager respectively.
Ben and Mimi Casteel
The 2012 Aeolian (green label, $42) opens with aromas that knock your socks off. Typical of Oregon pinot noirs, this is lighter, with distinct acid. By contrast, the 2012 Casteel (red label, $60) features very light aromas followed by intense flavors of spice and earth. Bethel Heights bottles
Failla
We first encountered Failla at Pinot on the Riverin 2011 (“Feeding Frenzy at Failla” was our alliterative headline). So we thought we’d try them again. And we were not sorry.
Failla’s 2012 Sonoma Coast is a fruit bomb that explodes on palate with black cherries, brambleberries, leather and a long finish. By contrast, the 2012 Hirsch Vineyard Sonoma Coast is more complex and less explosive. The wine opens with spices, merging into tannins with notes of brambleberries.
Ehren Jordan, Anne-Marie Failla and daughter Failla has an interesting history. Co-founders Ehren Jordan and Anne-Marie Failla followed very different paths only to end up in the same place. Ehren, the winemaking genius, got his degree in art history from George Washington University. His introduction to wine was a part-time job as a stock boy at Bell’s Wine Shop in Washington, D.C. At the tender age of 21 he ended up in Aspen, spending his days skiing and nights bussing tables. By the end of the season he was thee sommelier/manager of the restaurant. Obviously there was talent. He burnished his credentials working forJean-Luc Columbo in the Rhône Valley. On returning to Napa in 1994 he worked as winemaking partner at Neyers Vineyards. In 1996 he proposed to Anne-Marie. The two were married in 1997.
[pullquote]Prior to construction, a pride of mountain lions appeared to have taken a wrong turn coming out of hibernation. The first beast laid siege to the residence, crashing through a window in pursuit of a cat and making short work of it…inside! Within a week a trio of adolescents was on the front doorstep and they weren’t looking for sugar. Let’s just say we now have the emergency after-hours phone number for the Department of Fish and Game tattooed to our eyelids.[/pullquote]
In 2006 Failla was building their tasting room in the hills next to the Silverado Trail in Napa Valley. This anecdote is unforgettable →
Anne-Marie Failla is the CFO and someone dear to my heart: she has a degree in economics from the University of Virginia. After numerous stints in investment banking, venture capital, and entrepreneur at an internet ” start-up cum flame-out in San Francisco” she had learned the ins and outs of both spreadsheets and unrealistic forecasts. After moving to Napa she worked in William Hill’s cellar, followed by marketing jobs at Beringer and Chappellet. In the early years of Failla she pruned vines, picked grapes and learned to wield a mean weed-whacker. Today they are looking forward to help from their two daughters, Audrey and Vivien.
Archery Summit
Chris Mazepink
We did visit Archery Summit on our Oregon road trip. So we dropped by their table. We especially liked their 2012 Red Hills Estate ($85) with its earthy aromas and palate and a long finish of spice and tannins. But it’s sure no bargain.
[pullquote]I firmly believe that the best wines in Oregon are made from the Dundee Hills and Ribbon Ridge AVAs. At Archery Summit we have all the ingredients to build upon the winery’s past successes.[/pullquote]
Archery Summit does not have the long history of Bethel Heights, but they’re also no newcomer. Founded by Gary Andrus in 1993, the winery assembled a portfolio of six vineyards. Five are in the justifiably famous Dundee Hills ava, with the sixth on Ribbon Ridge. Gary was assisted by vineyard manager Tim Scott. Archery Summit is into a new generation of management, with Chris Mazepink holding the titles winemaker and general manager. Here’s what Chris has to say →
Patz & Hall
We’ve run into Patz & Hall several times before and always been favorably impressed. At Pinotfest they were pouring five pinots. We both thought the 2012 Gaps Crown was the best of a pretty good lot, with the Hyde Vineyard in second place. We split on third place. I voted for the Jenkins Ranch, while Norma went with the Sonoma Coast blend. So, in the order of our preferences:
The 2012 Gaps Crown vineyard ($70, sold out on the website) seduces you with aromas of cranberry and dark fruit with a hint of earth and spice. The wine explodes on the palate featuring strawberries, cherries, and red raspberries, followed by a hint of vanilla. Tannins and spice round out an excellent finish.
The Gaps Crown vineyard is actually in eastern Sonoma county, near the Napa county line. The altitude combined with wind currents keep the grapes cool. Aclassic California microclimate vineyard.
Hyde Vineyard is at the far south end of Sonoma county near the intersection of Sonoma, Napa, and Marin counties. Although technically located in Sonoma county, the vineyard is in fact part of Napa’s Carneros ava. The 2012 Hyde Vineyard ($70) is lighter than the Gaps Crown, with aromas of Bing cherries, cranberries, and oranges. On the palate there are red raspberries and more Bing cherries. The balance is tilted toward acid, with a finish of silky tannins. Patz & Hall Vineyard Map
The Sonoma Coast blend ($46) is on the big side. Aromas of lush strawberries and red raspberries with notes of mint and earth. Flavors of black cherries and spice lead to another long finish with a good balance of tannins and spice.
Jenkins Ranch is a vineyard we have encountered on many occasions. The vineyard is located in central Sonoma county but still gets enough cooling breezes. Patz & Hall’s2012 Jenkins Ranch opens with aromas of red raspberries and rose petals. The palate is juicy and spicy with residual tannins. You can probably age this one a few years to good effect. (This wine is sold out on the website and no price is listed. The 2011 vintage is $55.)
We were not as fond of the 2012 Chenoweth Ranch ($60), despite the vineyard’s location north and west of Jenkins Ranch. We found this wine too light with very little pinot noir character.
Like so many wineries, Patz & Hall begins as the story of four friends: Donald Patz, James Hall, Anne Moses and Heather Patz. In 1988 these four decided to focus on pinot noir and chardonnay. Lucky for all of us. Here’s a quick biographical sketch of each. Anne Moses met James Hall while the two were students at U.C. Santa Cruz. Anne interrupted her progress toward a degree in biology to take enology and viticulture classes at U.C. Davis. She returned to Santa Cruz to finish her degree. She worked for various wineries in a number of capacities, including stints at Far Niente and Spring Mountain.
James Hall, Donald Patz, Anne Moses, Heather Patz
Heather Patz runs customer relations, including the Salon Society wine club. She helped design and open the Tasting Salon with its seated, private tastings. However, she began in the business end of the winery, including accounting.
James Hall is the founding winemaker of Patz & Hall. Unlike Anne, when he went to U.C. Davis he transferred to finish his degree there. His first job was at Felton-Empire. But at Flora Springs he met Donald Patz, then the sales manager.
And Donald Patz (Heather’s husband, you could have figured that out) is still the national sales manager. One measure of his success is his 2012 election to the Wine Institute board of directors in 2012.
Skewis Wines Violet and Kathryn pouring for Skewis
A quick search revealed that we have actually tasted Skewis pinots before. But this time we had extra motivation. Siduri’s Adam Lee recommended a particular Skewis pinot. We’re not stupid. We headed to the table next door to give Skewis a try.
Skewis bottles Hank and Maggie Skewis
And we were not disappointed. The 2012 Salzgeber-Chan Vineyard Russian River Valley Westside Road ($50) opened with very nice aromas of black cherries, spice, and earth. On the palate we found gooseberries and some minerality. The finish features a marvelous mixture of tannins and spice.
[pullquote]We believe that the finest Pinot Noir can only be made from low yielding vines located in premium growing regions. We work with growers who share this belief and rigorously limit yields by means of winter pruning, spring shoot thinning, and summer cluster thinning prior to “veraison.” As a result, the average crops in the vineyards we contract with are between two and two and one-half tons per acre.[/pullquote]
Hank and Maggie Skewis founded Skewis Wines with the intention of producing high quality, vineyard designated pinot noirs from California’s north coast. In 1994, they bought their first grapes from the Floodgate Vineyard in Anderson Valley. Since then they have sourced fruit from the Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast appellations.
Annual production is all of 900 cases, placing Skewis squarely in the “determined to remain boutique” category. Here’s their philosophy → Conclusion
The trade tasting at Pinotfest 2014 was a great, great experience. The wineries brought their best. Thanks to them as well as Farallon Restaurant and Peter Palmer for continuing to put on such a terrific event.
Paso Robles Garagiste Festival 2014: The Best of the Rest
Our earlier review focused on the best two pinot noirs we found at Garagiste: Vinemark Cellars 2012 Paso Robles pinot noir ($29) and Vino Vargas 2012 Rio Ruso Russian River Valley pinot noir ($45).
Today we want to cover the other fine pinots we tasted at the Paso Robles Garagiste Festival 2014: the best of the rest. In roughly the order we tasted their wines, the wineries are:
1. Tlo Wines (Paso Robles) 2. Lazarre Wines (Paso Robles) 3. Felten Cellars (Paso Robles) 4. Cutruzzola Wines (Cambria)
Cutruzzola is a name you’ve read here before. We discovered them at last year’s Garagiste festival. They were one of our two newcomers of the year for 2013. (The other, Baker & Brain, was not at the 2014 Garagiste Festival.) Tlo
Andy Zaninovich
Tlo Wines is a long-time dream of owner and c0-winemaker Andy Zaninovich. The other co-winemaker is his son Adam. Keeping things in the family, newlywed daughter Avery Z. Jones handles marketing. (As an aside, she gets extra credit for cleverly shortening her last name.) Her husband Bryce helps out in the winery. Avery and Bryce usually handle events, sharing the pouring and other duties. But the two were absent from the Garagiste Festival because they were on their honeymoon. (Excuses, excuses.) Andy is married to Kathleen who holds the crew together. Lili takes care of mice. Their first vintage was 2010. They’ve grown to 500 cases per year. Adam, Kathleen, Lili, Avery, and Bryce
The Tlo 2013 Spanish Springs, Edna Valley pinot noir ($25) opens with aromas of Bing cherries followed by red raspberry and cranberry on the palate with a bit of earth. A long spicy finish rounds out a respectable pinot. Andy pointed out that the Spanish Springs vineyard is the closest vineyard to the coast in California. It gets that fog every night. Adam and Andy with Nicole Burns
LaZarre
[pullquote]Adam and his wife Angie are completely committed to providing the very best possible wines at any price and will continue to do so until he departs this earth. After all, wine is a gift from God and should be enjoyed responsibly or at least naked…..[/pullquote]
LaZarre Wines is a joint venture of Adam and Angie LaZarre, both of whom were nice enough to pour us a taste and chat for a few minutes. These two folks are as enthusiastic about wine as anyone we’ve met. This from their website →
There doesn’t seem to be much else to say about the winery, so let’s get to the pinots.
The LaZarre 2011 Central Coast pinot noir ($32, 120 cases produced) is competent, featuring aromas of cherry and earth. The flavor spectrum is dominated by huckleberry with surprising candy notes. A solid entry in the pinot noir category.
Adam poured us a barrel sample of their 2012 vintage. Right now this wine is crunchy with tannins and oak, but the structure seems very nice. Look for it in a year or so. My guess is that it will develop nicely. Adam and Angie LaZarre
LaZarre produces under 1,000 cases per year. This year 600 of those cases were pinot noir. Let’s encourage them to make more!
Felten
Mary-Ellen Felten
Felten Cellars is another true Garagiste winery with annual production of 500 cases. As far as I can tell, the winery’s first vintage was 2011. Felten is the brain child of Stephen A. Felten who started making wine when his then-fiancée Mary- Ellen gave him a home winemaking kit. He has made wine for Norman Vineyards, EOS Estate Winery, and Rutherford Hill Winery in Napa Valley.
Stev and Mary-Ellen Felten
Felten’s 2011 San Luis Obispo County pinot noir ($21, BARGAIN) is a competent pinot noir. Unusually for vineyards this far north, the wine has the characteristic that we call “desert” (see Santa Rita Hills). Featuring fruit and spice, the undertone of dust is unmistakable.
Cutruzzola
Cutruzzola’s Lisa Miller was pouring their 2012 Gloria pinot noir ($40). Named after co-owner Frank Cutruzzola’s mother, the website’s tasting notes match ours:
Ripe black cherries, red plum, tobacco and cedar on the nose graduate to an powerful palate of cherry and spice, lifted by bright acidity. Silky tannins are beautifully balanced by the fruit and spice, and are only revealed on the precociously long finish.
Lisa had some exciting news for us. There were enough exceptional grapes in 2013 to let them produce their first reserve wine. Named, naturally, Giacomino (after Frank’s father), this gives us something to watch for in the coming months. This wine will only be available in their Cambria tasting room, scheduled to open in January.
Conclusion
This has been an excellent year for pinot noir newcomers. They have been helped by the excellent growing conditions in 2012. The real challenge will be for them to maintain the quality when the grapes aren’t quite this good (or plentiful).