July '12 Martian Ranch & Vineyard Tasting at Domaine LA

Domaine LA is a wine store in Hollywood, that I've been wanting to visit. I had heard good things, and based on their blog and tweets, they seemed funky and smart, with a preference for small and sustainable wines. With Domaine hosting Martian Ranch - a winery I've been interested in, it seemed like a good time to swing by.

Martian Ranch & Vineyard ($10 tasting, wines $18-$22)
 '11 "Uforic" Albariño, '11 "Mother Ship" Grenache Blanc, '11 "Down to Earth" Grenache Rosé, '11 "Ground Control" Grenache Noir, '11 "G" Mourvédre
Martian Ranch is a new winery that's based in Los Alamos, slightly north of the Los Olivos/Buellton/Lompoc area. They're opening up their winery for tastings very soon. The very popular Full of Life Flatbread bakery and restaurant is also in Los Alamos, so that would be a solid plan to visit Martian for a tasting and then have dinner at Full of Life.
There's definitely a unique vibe to Martian Ranch. The winemaker and "only employee" Michael Roth poured the wines - and was down to share lots about the choices that he made when creating the wines. All of the wines that were poured were interesting, inventive, well constructed and fun. All of the wines that we tried were well-priced, especially considering the high quality.
The Albariño was my favorite of the day. It was bright and crisp, with long lasting acidity and a late showing of minerality. The Grenache Blanc was a kick to drink - initially it seemed very serious, but after a few sips its bright fruit flavors and vegetal notes broke through. It had a low acid back-end, which balanced the wine nicely. The Rosé was a study of contrasts. It was very light colored - with a beautiful salmon tint. The wine had a floral nose. It was very light, like a Sauvignon Blanc - but featured Grenache Noir qualities, such as strawberries and vegetal notes midway. A strange and neat drink. The Grenache was also a unique wine - perhaps the most unique of the group. Michael Roth talked about how it went through carbonic fermentation, so it's ready to drink much earlier than your typical Grenache. Right off the bat the wine was very herby on the nose and early taste, then gave way to more serious and dark fruit flavors. There was a good tannic grip, but also remained light. The Mourvédre also show quite a bit of uniqueness. Also young, it displayed a vegetal flavor, but a very interesting hint of walnut showed through. A neat feature of the Mourvédre is that it did not have any sulfates added, the intention is to drink it young. The reds were so interesting, I can't say that I loved them as a go to wines, but they were both flavorful and well balanced. 
I dig living in LA. On a beautiful Sunday afternoon, I can go to a cool wine shop like Domaine LA and taste the inventive wines of Martian Ranch and talk to the to the winemaker. Life sure don't suck.
Experience: B+ / Wines: B+

June '12 East Bay Pit Stop - Steven Kent/La Rochelle

Livermore is conveniently located when we drive up for family visits. After a long drive up I-5, swinging onto the 580 heading toward the East Bay, there's often a traffic slowdown that begins in Livermore. Many times prior I've thought: "there's wineries here, why not stop and take a short break?" This is the first time I've followed through on that idea. In reading wine blogs, I'd heard recommendations for Steven Kent Winery, so we decided to make that our inaugural stop.

La Rochelle Wine ($10 tasting, wines $24-$42)
'11 Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir Rosé, '08 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, '08 Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir, Pinot Noir - San Vicente Vineyard/Monterey
La Rochelle is a label within the Steven Kent Winery portfolio it focuses on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, which are grown in cooler coastal climates, not in Livermore where the Steven Kent Winery is. Steven Kent Mirassou is related to the Mirassou wine empire that spans six generations. 
The grounds at the Steven Kent winery back right up to a vineyard, and the place has a Tuscan villa feel. When we visited, there was a wine bar set up on the front patio. The very friendly staff person at the patio bar explained our options:
a. Enjoy a choice of three tastings and keep the glass on the front patio.
b. Head to the Barrel Room and choose between a Steven Kent label tasting or a La Rochelle tasting for $10.
c. For $20 have a sit down reserve tasting of either Cabernets or Pinots, paired with cheese.
We chose the Barrel Room option, and decided that we'd go with the La Rochelle tasting. The Barrel Room, is set up like a stand up restaurant. We waited to be greeted by a host. After discussing which tasting we wanted, we were taken to our table-barrel. It's a dimly lit and quiet place. We were attended to by an odd woman, who would pour each glass of wine, state the seemly scripted description of the wine, stand staring at us for an uncomfortable moment, then wander off inexplicably. Aside from the woman on the patio, all of the staff that we spoke with were bland and strange. 
Since we had a flight of four Pinots, it was easy to draw commonalities between the wines. All were slight and calm, but had a high acid kick. These characteristics were nice, but since there was a lack of tannen kick, the profile was not well connected, and the wines all ran a bit hot - some more than others. The fruit tones weren't well distinguished, and tasted clumped together. The Sonoma Coast was the best of the lot. Prices were high for the amount of enjoyment that I got from the wines. 
Experience B- / Wines C+

June '12 Santa Barbara County Trip - Double Down

We've now been to the Santa Barbara Wine Country so many times that we've probably been to a majority of the wineries - and we have found several places that we really enjoy to visit. This time around we brought good friends who are also wine geeks, but hadn't been to the area, so we really wanted to show them some of our favorite places. So we figured we'd take them to the Wine Ghetto, and a couple of other other highlights in the area as well as check out a few places we hadn't been to before.

Saturday (Highway 246, Lompoc Wine Ghetto)

Dierberg & Star Lane Vineyards (wines $22-$80)
Star Lane '10 Sauvignon Blanc, Dierberg '09 Chardonnay, Dierberg '08 Pinot Noir, Dierberg '08 "Drum Canyon" Pinot Noir, Star Lane '07 Estate (Cab blend), Star Lane '05 Cabernet Sauvignon, Star Lane '06 "Astral" (Bordeaux blend)
By now we are very familiar with Dierberg. It's a solid place to visit - the setting is beautiful and the Dierbergs are talented winemakers. On our previous visit we purchased four bottles of the '09 Sauvignon Blanc because we liked it so much. We had hoped the would still have some in stock, but unfortunately had run out. The '10 Sauv that we tried on this visit was good, but did not hold a candle to its predecessor. Our favorite this time around was the Drum Canyon Pinot Noir - which I believe is their new vineyard right next to the winery.
Experience B / Wines B+

Melville Vineyards & Winery ($10 tasting, wines $26-$52)
'09 Chardonnay, '11 Chardonnay - Clone 76 Inox, '10 Pinot Noir, '10 Pinot Noir - "Carrie's", '10 "Verna's" Syrah
We'd been to Melville once - on our very first wine tasting trip. On that visit, we really enjoyed Melville, but we were curious if we'd dig it the same as the first time, or if as our wine intake increased - thereby making us more discriminating tasters - we'd find that Melville wasn't as great as we had previously though. Lo and behold Melville is still awesome, perhaps even more so that we previously thought. The grounds are great, with an Italian villa style structure, looking out onto the vineyard. We'd brought a picnic lunch, and one of the staff offered to have us sit on the patio, enjoy our lunch, and he'd bring our tasting out to us - quite the solid dude. Totally dug the wines. Prices weren't outlandish, and the baseline Chard and the Syrah were impressive. The wines that are being sold are younger that wines sold elsewhere in the area as far as I could tell - Melville has confidence in the taste of their wines right away and also state that they will age well. Who am I to doubt their recommendation? Their stuff is on point.
Experience B+ / Wines B+

Arcadian Winery ($15 tasting, wines $30-$65)
'06 Chardonnay - Sleepy Hollow, '07 Pinot Noir - Fiddlestix, '06 "Jill's Cuveé Pinot Noir, '06 Syrah - Westerly/Santa Ynez Valley, '06 Syrah - Stolpman, '04 Pinot Noir - Pisoni, '06 Syrah - Purisima
Arcadian is one of the newest additions to the Wine Ghetto, though owner and winemaker Joseph Davis has been creating wine under the Arcadian label since 1996. The wines come from the Santa Lucia Highlands up in Monterey County, as well as in a few different places in Santa Barbara County.  Each bottle that we tried were single vineyard designates. The woman at the tasting room was super stoked on the Arcadian wine, and her abundant enthusiasm was worrisome and infectious at the same time. The wines are all well built - each having unique characteristics but also fitting within a restrained paradigm. We were able to taste a few older vintages - the '04 Pinot was fan-tas-tic. Arcadian's median prices are a bit steep for me, but they are definitely a good addition to the Ghetto.
Experience B / Wines B+

Samsara Wine Company ($10 tasting, wines $22-$46)
'11 Grenache Rosé - Windmill Ranch, '10 Pinot Noir, '09 Pinot Noir - Turner, '09 Pinot Noir - Kessler-Haak, Syrah - Verna's
Our first and only visit to Samsara was over a year ago, and we enjoyed it that first time - especially the Rosé. This second time around, we were really impressed with all of their work. Samsara is a small production winery, putting out less than 1000 cases a year. Chad Melville, the owner, is very interested in natural production, relying upon native yeasts, and does not fine or filter the wine. The dude in the tasting room - Lee - is a super fun cat to chat with. He's very mellow, but also very passionate about wine. He's happy to discuss Samsara and Santa Barbara wine in-depth. The wines are playful, though not obnoxious. All were good, though we most enjoyed the Pinot from Kessler-Haak.
Experience B+ / Wines B+

Jalama Wines ($10 tasting, wines $26-$40)
'09 "Giallo" (Pinot Gris), '08 Pinot Noir, '10 Grenache - La Presa, '10 Mourvedre, '08 Syrah - La Presa, '08 Syrah - Paradise Road
Last year, Jalama was the winery that we were seeking out that drew us to the Wine Ghetto. It's one of two wine labels that are operated by Marc Cargasacchi, the other being the brand new Joseph Blair. We had hoped to visit both during this trip, but Marc was not available that day to run the Joseph Blair room, because a tractor broke down or something. So we had a fun time visiting with Christy at Jalama and plan on visiting the other label in the future. As before, the Jalama wines were very good. The Mourvedre was very fun to drink, and the La Presa Syrah really knocked my socks off.
Experience B / Wines B+

Sunday (Alamo Pintado Rd., Los Olivos)

Rideau Vineyard (tour, wines $18-$35)
'10 Viognier, '10 "Siempre" Albariño, '09 "FDL" Grenache, '07 "'FDL' Chateau Duplantier" (Syrah/Grenache/Mourvedre), '10 Riesling
I'd heard good things about Rideau from a few friends, and had planned on going at some point. So when Rideau ran a deal on Travelzoo I grabbed it. The deal was for two people to go on a tour, have a tasting and wine lesson, a cheese pairing, and a bottle of wine to boot. Our guide for the tour was the fantastic Shay. He took great pleasure in telling the history of Rideau, showing the vineyard and the winemaking area. During the pairing, he shared a lot of knowledge about wine appreciation and patiently answered everyone's questions. The force behind Rideau is Iris Rideau, who has had a long and successful career in the financial sector. She appreciated the Santa Ynez area, and was interested in restoring the old adobe bunkhouse that is now the winery. Shay toured us around the grounds, spending a lot of time discussing grape-growing, and a bit about the winemaking process. Rideau focuses largely on Rhone varietals. Their wines are well built - tasty and restrained - but lack excitement. Dug the Grenche most - did not enjoy the Riesling. Most of the wines were affordably priced. The grounds are quite nice, there is a large shaded lawn in the back with tons on seating for picnics. I'd recommend a visit, especially if you can get Shay to be your guide.
Experience A- / Wines B

Stolpman Vineyards ($10 tasting, wines $19-$68)
'10 Viognier, '09 "L'Avoin" (Roussanne), '10 Grenache, '10 "La Coppa" Sangiovese, '08 Sangiovese, '10 Syrah, '10 "High Density Hilltops" Syrah, '10 "Angeli" Syrah
The previous two times that we visited Stolpman, we've really enjoyed ourselves - somehow this time was even better. It was a lazy Sunday afternoon, and when we walked inside, an employee named Tom asked if we'd prefer to enjoy our tasting on the front patio. It was a beautiful day, and being able to enjoy Stolpman wine while watching folks passing by on the street was a fantastic way to spend the afternoon. Tom was a tremendous host, he was excited to discuss the wines and was able to answer my numerous in depth. I wasn't a huge fan on the whites, they were good wines, but they didn't tickle my fancy. However, the reds were all a hit with me. The Grenache was a really interesting wine - it was wispy slight, but still had a firm structure. The "Angeli" Syrah was awesome - Angeli is Stolpman's reserve wine. What's neat about their wines is that the wines that we were being served were young and could use some aging, but were good to drink right away.
Experience A / Wines A-

This trip reaffirmed our enthusiasm for the Santa Barbara region and likely made converts out of our first-time visiting friends. On each trip we take to the area, there is at least one or two places that really do a fantastic job of ensuring that we have a great time. The staff at the different wineries are often so friendly and passionate about the wine that it's impossible to not get caught up in the excitement. This time around, every place that we went to we had great conversations with winery staff - Lee at Samsara, Shay at Rideau, and Tom at Stolpman were standouts. Between the excellent people and the delicious wine, how doesn't one become a wine geek?

LA for the Urban Wino - 55 Degree Wine (Atwater Village)

55 Degree Wine is largely responsible for my wine nerdom. My wife and I moved to a place just blocks away from them, and had heard good things from friends. Quickly we became regulars. The main staff people at the time, Stephanie, Tony and Wendy, were excellent hosts. They were truly passionate about wine and enjoyed sharing insights. They were great teachers, and put a lot of energy into making the experience positive for us. For us it was an ideal situation to learn to love wine. We visited frequently, and touted it to our friends.
55 Degree has a pretty sweet setup. You walk into a normal seeming wine store, brightly lit, with stacks and stacks of wines shelved delicately. The wines sold there aren't easy to find around town and some - like this one - are awesome. The major focal point is Italian wines, so the wine bottles are categorized by region, and then by other countries. As you approach the counter, a staff person directs you to a small staircase that isn't seen from the front of the store. Down the staircase you go, descending into a dimly lit, simply decorated cellar. It's definitely a unique spot. Once you find a table, a staff person brings you a menu that features the weekly wine options, broken up into four themed flights, each flight is comprised of three large tasting pours of wine. The themes can be based on a many different things - a specific region, a specific type of wine, and so on. There's a small food menu (cheese plates, pizza, hummus, etc.). You can also order wines by the glass and there are plenty of quality beers to choose from.
About a year ago, the bar began to lose it's luster. First off, the people that worked there that really knew wine began to leave. The weekly wine flight options weren't nearly as inventive or diverse. The new staff that came in weren't nearly as engaging or knowledgeable. It also seemed like the focus of the place shifted from a quiet neighborhood wine bar with an educational focus to a groupon fueled party spot. I'm not sure if that happened purposefully, but the ownership definitely seemed more interested in more people who visited once rather than a more moderate stream of people visiting regularly.
As we became less infatuated with 55, we began to explore other wine stores and wine bars. It became clear that the only advantage that 55 has over other locations is closeness to us. We discovered that 55 was charging a lot more for their wines than other wine stores, and that were other wine bars in the area that focused on a superior customer experience.
I'm not sure whether the 55 Degree will shift back to it's previous self. I have a feeling that a reason that the ownership was less invested in the regular customer was because they were focused on opening a sausage and beer restaurant next door (Link 'N' Hops - which received a less than stellar review from LA Weekly), and had to cut costs. So now that the restaurant is now open, perhaps 55 will receive more focus from the ownership and will return to its previous glory. My guess is though that the reason the restaurant was opened was because the wine store/bar model wasn't playing out as well as hoped, so potentially 55 will continue to underwhelm when compared to its past.

Experience C / Wine Selection & Prices C-

April '12 Central Valley Pit Stop - Van Ruiten

Being that my wife and I both have family in NorCal, we drive through the Central Valley with frequency. Even though it doesn't have the same wine cache as the Sonoma and Napa regions, the Central Valley is a prolific growing region for all sorts of agriculture, including wine grapes. Lodi has a rich history of wine growing, thanks to the influx of Gold Rush era immigrants who brought grape vines with them - particularly Zinfandel. I've thought during the past few trips to visit family that we should stop and check out the area.

Van Ruiten Family Vineyards ($5 tasting, wines $13.99-$34.99)
'11 Pinot Grigio, '10 Lake County Sauvignon Blanc, '10 Chardonnay, '08 "Double Barrel" Chardonnay, '10 Clarksburg Pinot Noir, '10 Cab-Shiraz, '08 Cabernet Sauvignon, '10 "Lot No. 498" Cabernet Sauvignon, '09 Petit Sirah, Winsome '08 Old Vine Zinfandel, Glory Days '09 Zinfandel, '07 Late Harvest Viognier
Upon entering the tasting room, we were warned that they were out of their Old Vine Zin, which I guess can be an issue for folks if they don't find out immediately. Not a big deal for us, we take on all wines equally. The ambience was quite nice. In the warmer months, the winery hosts a band every Sunday afternoon, and there were a bunch of folks digging the music outside on the patio drinking bottles that they had purchased inside. Everyone was very friendly. Strangers struck up conversations with us and the staff person who attended to us was very talkative. The place had a mellow and welcoming vibe. We've never tried Lodi wines before. My expectation was that the wines would be high in alcohol, that all of the reds would taste the same, and that they would serve White Zin. I have to give more credit to Van Ruiten.  I was not blown away by the wines - none were refined or complex, but they showed some balance and definitely were not the high octane bombers that I expected. The reds generally had flavor variences between them, some good, some not so good. The Petit Sirah was the most emblematic of this experience. My tasting note on this one reads: "mediocre melted Boysenberry sorbet." That generally fits with most of the Van Ruiten reds because most of the wines had a clear, decent flavor to them, but that's the most of it. The good reds had a basic good flavor, while the bad reds, had a less-enjoyable basic flavor to them. And we were not served a White Zin - so that's a good thing. The Pinot Grigio was enjoyable, and the Winsome Zin (Winsome is one of Van Ruiten's budget labels) was tasty for the price. The '08 Cab, the Cab-Shiraz, and the Late Harvest Viognier were definite lowlights.
Experience: B- / Wines: C+

It's a long drive between LA and Sacramento. It's long and it's curious, because along those seemingly empty 384 miles there is actually a lot going on. Even though California sees itself as a cosmopolitan touchstone, it is at root an agricultural state. Along I-5 or the 99, food is being grown. Wine is my kind of agricultural product, so it's nice to know that when I find myself passing through, I can stop and enjoy some of their wares.

Wine Tasting Etiquette Quandry

Since I've to a number of tasting room recently, I've come up against a bit of a sticky issue. Very often, the tasting room attendants will ask the question "So what do you think about that wine that you just had?"
Sometimes I can answer both honestly and positively, "That was excellent, I really liked the blah blah blah, etc."
But sometimes the wine that they ask about does not taste good and/or have redeeming qualities. What's the proper way to answer? I see three potential options:

1) Be completely and bluntly honest. One of the first times I ever went wine tasting I went with my buddy Cal. Cal would take a sip of wine, make a disgusted face, and say "I do not like!" directly to the attendant (in his thick Syrian accent). This can be hilarious and frank, but more often uncomfortable.

2) Admit that you didn't like it but blame yourself for not liking it. This would be something like saying "This seems like it's really good quality, I just don't like Syrahs." In instances this works well, but not very helpful when you have to come up with excuses for not liking all of the wines that are being poured.

3) Lie like there's no tomorrow. Act as though you enjoyed every last drop. Honestly this is my go to technique. No matter what the winery's size or style is, they are in the business of making people happy, so it's easier to act as though they've accomplished their goal. Though I can't help feeling disingenuous when I do it.

So my question is - how do you handle this? Blunt honestly, deferred blame, or outright lie? Or perhaps something else? I'm certainly open to new ideas, so lay them on me.

April '12 Paso Robles Trip - Happy Birthday to Me

Leading up to a momentous birthday of mine, I knew that I wanted to enjoy the hell out of the celebration with good friends, and go somewhere new. Growing up in Northern California, I'd taken a number of trips along the Central Coast, but haven't been through the area in a long time. I'd heard a lot about the wines of Paso, and I've been very interested to check the region out. The region seemed pretty spread out as I started planning the trip, so I stuck to wineries on the west side of the 101, and even then, wineries that were either near Vineyard Dr. or in the Westside portion of the region.

Friday (Southwest)

L'Aventure Winery ($10 tasting, wines $25-$85)
'10 Rosé (Syrah/Cab), '10 "Optimus" (Syrah/Cab/Petit Verdot), '09 "Plus 16" (Mourvédre/Cab/Syrah), '09 Côte á Côte (Grenache/Syrah/Mourvédre), '09 Estate Cuvée (Syrah/Cab/Petit Verdot)
Owner and winemaker Stephan Asseo started out making wine in the Bordeaux region of France. Eventually he relocated to Paso Robles so that he could be more experimental with his wines.  Each wine is a red blend, but each has a different take. There were a few weird things about the tasting. The wines were really young, though the staff recommended that they all be aged several years. Also, the wines were high in alcohol - all were over 15% and the Côtes á Côtes was over 16%. That said, these were exciting wines. They definitely made the trip down the long dusty road worth it. The tasting room staff were supportive and intelligent.
Experience: B / Wines: B

Caliza Winery ($10 tasting, wines $23-$48)
'10 "Kissin' Cousins" (Viognier/Rousanne/Grenache Blanc), '10 "Pink" Rosé (Syrah/Grenache/Mourvédre/Primotivo), Shellstone '09 Grenache, "Sympatico" (Tempranillo/Grenache), '09 Syrah
I can't figure out what the deal was with Caliza. I had heard really great things about the winery, but I really didn't dig it. The room was nicely decorated and had lots of tchotchkes for sale. The first wine, the "Kissin' Cousins" white blend was way too sweet and did not have redeeming characteristics. None of the other wines persuaded us to change our opinion. Wines were clunky, hot, and lacked appealing flavors. It was a bummer of a visit, and it made me nervous that Paso wineries weren't up to snuff.
Experience: C / Wines: D+

Brian Benson Cellars ($10 tasting, wines $25-$45)
NV "Kandy Red" Red Blend (Zin/Grenache/Mourvédre), '08 Zinfandel, '08 "S&M" (Syrah/Mourvédre), '08 Syrah - Glenrose Vineyard, '06 Syrah - Denner Vineyard
APV - 15.2-16.5%(06 Syrah)

Brian Benson is the son of the owner of Dark Star Cellars (which is right next door), and has been involved with the winemaking process since he was a teenager. Both he and his father are hot rod enthusiasts, and that aesthetic carries over to the decor of the tasting room and the style of the wines. The dude working the tasting room was a fun guy - a self-described cellar rat. He was passionate about wine, and entertaining to talk to. I can appreciate that the wines have a specific take - big, bold, high-octane reds. That's not really my bag, but most of the wines were enjoyable to drink, especially the Zin and the '08 Syrah. The '06 Syrah had a bonkers smell to it. I thought it smelled like sushi seaweed - according to the Cellar Rat there are all sorts of comparisons that the scent has been compared to: soy sauce, tuna, and according to one sommelier: "fecal spice" (but in a good way). Brings new meaning to calling wine "the shit..."
Experience: B / Wines: C+

Saturday (Westside / Far Out Wineries)

JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery ($15 tasting, wines $22.50-$62)
'09 Viognier, '09 Cabernet Sauvignon, '09 Reserve Tempranillo, '09 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, '09 "ISOSCELES" (Cab/Cab Franc/Merlot)

I went into Justin wanting to hate it. I think that the best wineries are the small wineries, and that corporate wineries do not make a quality product, nor do they offer a worthwhile and personable experience. Justin is a big-ass winery. They may have started from humble beginnings in the Paso area, but now they are big fish. No matter what my anti-big-winery stance is, Justin did me right. Since we were a big group we had a private tasting in the barrel room - which was cool to check out. Our hostess was extremely attentive and very knowledgeable. The next day we went back to pick up a bottle of their Zin. The regular tasting room staff was very nice as well. The tasting room had all sorts of t-shirts, books, snacks, etc. for sale. The wines were very good - and well-priced for the quality, especially in comparison to other Paso wineries. The Viognier was insanely good. It hit all the right sweet, fruity notes, but had a macho quality. And the Reserve Cab knocked my socks off - I literally had no socks after that wine. The Tempranillo was not enjoyable for me. Generally I don't like Temps, and this one didn't have any upside for me. I'd rather have gone to Justin and said that their wine sucked, and been able to continue my crusade against big-ass-wineries, but I know when I'm forced to admit defeat.
Experience: B+ / Wines: A-

Chateau Margene ($10 tasting, wines $34-$58)
'10 Grenache Blanc, '10 Pinot Noir, '09 Cabernet Sauvingon, '08 Petit Sirah, NV "Pistolero" (Zin/Sangiovese/Merlot/Petit Sirah/Syrah)

Our visit to Chateau Margene started off a bit funky. I had made reservations to have our group visit at a specific time on Saturday, which was confirmed by email. Though when we arrived the tasting room had no idea that we were coming, and seemed a bit sketchy about our presence, and apparently did not realize that we were coming, though quickly Christina set us up outside on the patio and took good care of us. It was a beautiful, sunny day, and we enjoyed the setting. Also we enjoyed the winery cat - Kit Kat - who was quite friendly until she decided to go grapenuts on our friend's hand. The wines poured were an eclectic mix - especially the last wine, the "Pistolero," which was basically leftover red wine, carefully blended together, and sold for $56 in a four liter box. None of the wines stood out as best of the day - but there were some interesting take-aways. No one in our group liked the Pinot. A handful in our group liked the Cab quite a bit, while others (including me), did not at all. Most folks liked the Petit Sirah pretty well. And a couple people (including me) thought that the "Pistolero" was pretty decent, while others strongly disliked it. Considering that all of the reds were +$50 and that none of the wines were above the pretty good level - Chateau Margene was not a weekend favorite.
Experience: B- / Wines: C

Calcareous Vineyard ($10 tasting, wines $28-38)
'09 Viognier, '08 Syrah, '08 "Tres Violet" (Syrah/Mourvédre/Grenache), '07 Meritage (Cab/Petit Verdot/Cab Franc/Merlot/Malbec), '08 York Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, '07 Cabernet Franc

I put Calareous on our trip list because I had heard pretty good things about the wine, and very good things about the location. I'd refine that recommendation slightly. Calcareous has reliably good wine, good staff, and indeed a very good location. The picnic area is well laid out, and the panoramic view is fantastic. Inside the tasting room, we were very well taken care of - or perhaps I was very well taken care of, I think I monopolized the attention of the dude who poured for us. He was very informative and patient with answering my bevy of questions. The wines themselves varied from good to very good. Each were solidly built, stayed within the norms for what flavors one would expect, and lacked a little bit of subtlety. My least favorite wine was the Meritage (which I just learned is what US producers typically label a Bordeaux style blend), my most favorite was the Tres Violet. Calcareous is definitely worth the visit, and is more than just a good view.
Experience: B+ / Wines: B

Alta Colina Vineyard & Winery ($5 tasting, wines $24-$42)
'09 Grenache, '09 Mourvédre, '09 GSM (Syrah/Grenache/Mourvédre), '09 Toasted Hill Syrah, '10 Late Harvest Viognier
A visit like the one that we had a Alta Colina is exactly the type of thing that my burgeoning wine nerd heart desires. A tiny, unassuming winery, where you get to talk at length with the winemaker at length about their product - it can't be beat. Bob Tillman was a very gracious host. When he retired from a technical profession, he decided to purchase a small vineyard to make Rhone-style wines. Less than ten years later, he is cranking out an excellent roster of wines. Speaking with Bob, it was interesting to hear about the creation process and the thinking that go into making wine. One tidbit that he told us was that when he's getting near to bottling wine, it's easy to tell what the opening flavors of the wine will be, and what the end flavors will be, but it's making sure that the middle flavor profile is well built to connect those two ends. Bob certainly seemed at ease with the technical aspects to wine growing and making, but he also seemed to have a artistic sensibility. All of the wines were well constructed and enjoyable to drink. Each of the reds seemed to be built from the same template - so that there were flavor profile similarities between them - so the wines weren't as diverse as I'd like between varietals. I enjoyed the GSM and the Late Harvest Viognier most - really awesome.
Experience: A- / Wines: B+

Villicana Winery ($5 tasting, wines 18-$32)
'10 Viognier, '10 Estate Vin Rosé, '09 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, '10 Zinfandel, '10 Estate Zinfandel
Yikes. Not sure what to do about this one. Villicana was highly suggested to me by my boss. Since my visit, he's been very interested in how I enjoyed it - and I have no idea how to respond. I really didn't enjoy it, but don't think that's going to fly. Our presence wasn't warmly received by tasting room staff, and they generally seemed stressed out by folks who were coming in. Compared to other wineries we visited that day, Villicana's wines did not impress. The Zin was pretty good, but was a high-octane 16.4% alcohol level (though the Estate Zin was at 17%!). Did not dig the other wines. At least they were more reasonably priced. I welcome any advice on how to break the news to my boss...
Experience: C- / Wines: D+

Sunday (Westside)

Tablas Creek Vineyard ($10 tasting, wines $20-$70)
'10 "Côtes de Tablas" Blanc (Viognier/Grenache Blanc/Marsanne/Roussanne), '09 Roussanne, '11 Rosé, '10 "Esprit de Beaucastel" Blanc (Roussanne/Grenache Blanc/Picpoul Blanc), '11 "Patelin de Tablas" Blanc (Grenache Blanc/Viognier/Roussanne/Marsanne), '10 "Antihesis" (Chardonnay), '10 "Côtes de Tables" (Grenache/Syrah/Mourvédre/Counoise), '09 "Esprit de Beautcastel" (Mourvédre/Syrah/Grenache/Counoise), '04 "Esprit de Beautcastel" (Mourvédre/Syrah/Grenache/Counoise)
Where some other wineries in Paso seem to be seeking their identity, and trying to figure out what story to tell about their wines, Tablas Creek is firmly identified and at rest with their narrative. Tablas Creek derives it's inspiration from Châteauneuf du Pape - the premier growing region of the Rhone. The winery seems to put an abundant amount of energy into making great wine, and integrate biodynamic and sustainable principles. Their tent-pole wines are rhone-style blends. All if the blends showed admirable characteristics: the white - Tablas Blanc, the budget red - Patelin, the general red - Côtes, and the fancy red - Esprit de Beaucastel (which kicked ass). Also, the 100% Roussanne was awesome. There were a few less enjoyable wines, the Chardonnay especially. Our tasting room attendant was a bit jittery, but she was very helpful and seemed excited to share the wine. Overall, Tablas Creek is a very solid winery - one of Paso's premier joints.
Experience: B / Wines: A-

Halter Ranch Vineyard ($10 tasting, wines $16-$44)
'11 "Côtes de Paso" Blanc (Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Picpoul Blanc, Marsanne, Viognier), '09 "Ranch" White (Roussanne/Marsanne/Grenache Blanc/Sauvignon Blanc), '11 Rosé (Grenache/Syrah/Mourvédre/Picpoul), '09 "Côtes de Paso" (Grenache/Syrah/Mourvédre/Tannat/Counoise/Cinsault), '08 Cabernet Sauvignon, '07 Cabernet Sauvignon - Vineyard 41, '09 Zinfandel, '06 "El Pecado" Syrah Dessert Wine
I was interested in visiting Halter Ranch because they are featured as a SIP Certified winery. SIP stands for "Sustainability in Practice," which is a Central Coast based rating system that comprehensively evaluates a winery's sustainability practices. Halter Ranch really touts their efforts toward this program - which definitely floats my boat. The grounds are quite nice - very relaxing. The attendant was a very nice conversationalist and helpful. I really enjoyed Halter Ranch's wines. They all were showing good flavors and balance, and were well priced. The "Ranch White" and the Cab were the standouts. In comparison to the other big hits of the weekend (Justin, Alta Colina, and Tablas Creek) I did not feel that I was as moved by Halter Ranch, but that could have been because it was the end of a long weekend - I'll definitely swing by Halter Ranch next time we're around to give it a fresh look.
Experience: B+ / Wines: B+

Wine of the trip - Tablas Creek's Roussanne. I've rarely had Roussanne, and I've never really noticed it before. This bad-ass dude did me right though. Very refined flavors, light notes, but also managed to have some heft.

Paso is a beautiful place. The west side wineries are surprisingly distant from one another, which gives an opportunity to take in the sights - rolling hills, old oak canopies, olive and walnut orchards, of course vineyards - while traveling between them. It's a serene experience. I think that environment rubs off on the people that we met. Folks were mellow, though excited to share wine. They were helpful and fun. On the spectrum of wineries that we decided to go to, there was a large disparity. Either the winery was very good to awesome (Justin, Tablas Creek, Alta Colina, Halter Ranch, Alta Colina), or the winery was sub-par and often over-priced - with a few exceptions. That countered my expectation. Based on the input that I had gotten while prepping for the trip, I had expected a slew of solidly good wineries. I'm wondering if this hit or miss situation is because of the types of wines that are being produced. Many wineries that we checked out are producing Rhone blends. I'd hypothesize, those styles of wines take a high degree of difficulty to make well. If you do make them well - you're golden, if not you're making high-alcohol fruit bombs. Luckily while we were visiting we got a bunch of recommendations for other wineries to check out - so we'll be ready to take on more Paso next time we're up.