This is actually the third leg of a our holiday journey. First we explored the Sierra Foothills, then made a brief stop off in Monterey when visiting friends, and finally getting back to our home region, Santa Barbara. Actually, this final leg was it was a work day for my wife, and a kick it with friends day for me. Since my wife had to stop in Santa Barbara for work purposes, I was joined some LA friends to explore a few of the tasting rooms in the Santa Barbara Funk Zone. I've dropped in on the Funk Zone a few times before, but had never dedicated a full day to it, so I was excited to spend some quality time with friends while exploring. Needless to say, my wife was less than excited that she had to work while all this was going on.
Riverbench Vineyard (tasting $12, wines $24-$48)
'13 "Bedrock" Chardonnay, '13 Estate Chardonnay, '11 "Chapel View" Chardonnay, '11 Reserve Chardonnay, '12 Estate Pinot Noir, '11 Reserve Pinot Noir, '12 "Mesa" Pinot Noir, '11 "One Palm" Pinot Noir
Riverbench has a good reputation. Their winemaker, Clarissa Nagy, is highly considered in the area. Her husband is the winemaker at Byron, and I get the sense that they have a collaborative partnership. The primary focal points for Riverbench are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and bubbly wines made with Chardonnay and/or Pinot Noir.
Since their actual winery is way up on the northern edge of the region, I was glad that they opened a new tasting room in the Funk Zone, making it a bit easier for us to access. The tasting room was chic and sleek. The staff were fine, though not terribly engaging. There were a handful of different tasting options, we chose the "Chardonnay, Up, Up and Array" and the "Pinot Noir All Star" flights. The Chardonnays were all enjoyable and they had nice diversity from one another. The Bedrock was 100% fermented in steel tanks, while the other three were aged in varying amounts of new French oak barrels.The Reserve was my favorite of the four that we tried, and at $32, a decent price point for a quality Chardonnay the region. The Pinots were also nicely varied - there were some neat flavor characteristics such as green olives in the Estate bottling and pencil shavings in the Reserve. The "Mesa" and the "One Palm" were a little too fruit forward for my tastes.
Experience: B- / Wines: B+
Whitcraft Winery (tasting $12, wines $40-$60)
'13 Sierra Madre Chardonnay, '13 Pinot Noir - Pence Ranch, '13 Pinot Noir - Presqu'ile, '09 Pinot Noir - Morning Dew Vineyard (Anderson Valley), '09 Syrah - Stolpman, '12 Syrah - Clover Creek
There are a handful of Santa Barbara urban tasting rooms that predate the Funk Zone. Whitcraft is one of those old timers, having been established in 1985. Their tasting room isn't too far from the Funk Zone, though it was a little bit more of a walk than I expected. They are in a strange little industrial nook close to the ocean, but kinda distant from most stuff.
Whitcraft was recommended to me by Wes Hagen, formerly of Clos Pepe. Since Wes suggested it, and I sort of worship Wes, I made damn sure that I visited it when I had the chance. The tasting room was quite small, and nothing at all fancy, pleasantly not image-conscious. The tasting room guy was super friendly and proud of the wines that he was pouring.
Like Wes Hagen, Drake Whitcraft does his own thing. His wines are made with as little intervention as possible - not fined or filtered, light use of sulfur and uses no other chemicals. All of the red wines are made with whole-cluster fermentation, meaning that the stems and skins are included during the fermentation process, leading to rich and full-bodied flavors.
And these were definitely some big bad wines to drink. The one white that we tried, the Chardonnay, was quite bright and textured. All three Pinots were flavorful and fun. The Sierra Madre was lightest in body, though still masculine. It was my favorite of the three, the other two were good but a bit too much bombast. I enjoyed both of the Syrahs, probably the Stolpman more as it was a bit more restrained. Across the board I thought that the wines were adventurous and enjoyable. However, they were too pricey for me to purchase.
Experience: B / Wines: B
Municipal Winemakers (tasting $10, wines $25-$50)
'13 "Bright Red" (Grenache/Cinsault/Counoise/Syrah/Mourvèdre), '13 Grenache, '13 Pinot Noir - Santa Rita Hills, '13 "MCS" (Mourvèdre/Carignan/Syrah), '10 "The End" (Grenache/Syrah)
I had visited Municipal once before, just over a year ago when in town for a wedding. The first time I was intrigued by the place, though I thought the wine was just ok. But, I dug the feel the first time, so I wanted to give in another shot.
I won't go into detail about the decor, just imagine a winery designed by Wes Anderson. So that's to be enjoyed. However, the two shortcomings of the winery the first time that I was there was the service and the wine. And in this visit, the same two things were lacking. Once again the folks working at the tasting room were indifferent about what they were doing there, which is kind of a bummer. And once again the wine was not great, actually in some cases, hard to enjoy - and it makes me very sad when wine isn't enjoyable to drink. The "Bright Red" and "The End" were quaffable, but that's about it. The Grenache was my least favorite, too syrupy, sharp and overt.
Experience: B- / Wines: C-
Kunin Wines (tasting 10?, wines $26-$45)
'13 Sauvignon Blanc - McGinley Vineyard, '13 "Pape Star" White Rhone Blend (Grenache Blanc/Roussanne), '13 Viognier - Camp 4 Vineyard, '13 Carignan - Camp 4 Vineyard, '13 "Pape Star" Red Rhone Blend (Grenache/Syrah/Mourvèdre), '08 Syrah - Alisos Vineyard, '13 Zinfandel - Paso Robles
Wine is obviously a yuppie pursuit, especially so when actively going to taste wines. However, I still find it off-putting when I come across wine tasting rooms that are overly pretentious. I know that it's ridiculous to be surprised by stuffiness at wineries, but there are times when I am honestly caught off guard by it. Kunin was definitely haughty, perhaps one of the haughtiest joints I've ever visited. I think it was more the customers than the staff, though the staff weren't all that warm or down-to-earth either.
I was a bit mixed about the wines. Most had good aspects, but most also had less-enjoyable aspects. The Sauvignon Blanc reeked of cat pee (I acknowledge that's considered a positive aspect in some white wines but in this instance it was too heavy to be enjoyable), but was nice and simple on the palate. The Viognier was too syrupy and sharp. The Carignan had a very interesting aroma - rainforest - but was overly sweet. The red Rhone blend flavors came off too juicy and just inauthentic. The Zinfandel was the most interesting - celery and white pepper nose, juicy though balanced, maybe too much heat, but interesting tartness.
Experience: C / Wines: C+
The Funk Zone is definitely it's own animal in comparison to the further afield Santa Barbara wine region. It's definitely seeking to attract folks, and given the quick growth that it's experiencing, it is likely succeeding. I think what's working for it is it's diversity. We went from the quietly confident Riverbench, to the brassy Whitcraft, to the absurd Municipal, and finally to the haughty Kunin, all within a square mile. When it comes to wine, the Funk Zone probably has you covered. And if the first three places that you visit aren't a fit, there's another place for you to check out right across the street.
December '14 Central Coast Pit Stop - Taste Morgan
Instead of taking our usual route through the Central Valley back home to LA, we decided to take our time heading back, and stop off and visit friends in Monterey. Lucky for us, our friends were willing to indulge our need for wine tourism, and happened to be members at Morgan. So we went with them to the Morgan tasting room in Carmel.
Morgan Winery (member tasting, wines $13-$58)
'13 Sauvignon Blanc, Lee Family '13 Albariño, '13 "Metallico" Chardonnay, '13 "Highland" Chardonnay, '13 "Twelve Clones" Pinot Noir, '13 Pinot Noir - Gary's Vineyard, '13 Pinot Noir - Tondre Vineyard, '13 "G17 (Syrah/Grenache/Tempranillo), '13 "Double L" Syrah, Lee Family '13 "Rio Tinto"
(Touriga Francesca/Touriga Nacional/Alvarelhao)
The wines of the Monterey area are a mystery to me. I know that there are some large brands from the area, such as Hahn, Estancia and Morgan, but I know that there are many more to explore. Morgan's "Taste Morgan" tasting room is in a high end shopping center, not my idea of a quintessential venue, but clever I admit. The tasting room is long with lots of bar space and lots of seating. The decor was very much the rustic country club fare, as well were the other patrons. We grabbed a set of low chairs around a coffee table. Once we settled in, the tasting room attendant came out and introduced himself, poured the first round, and then would revisit with each subsequent tasting.
I gathered that we got a more expansive tasting, thanks to our friends being members. I found it interesting that there were a variety of sub-labels to the wines that we tried: Morgan proper wines are blends from the whole area, Lee Family are sourced from various wineries in or outside of Monterey, Double L from their home vineyard, and then other vineyard designates such as Gary's, Tondre, etc. I've seen lots of wineries doing some of these types of designations, but it seemed like Morgan did it to the greatest degree that I've seen.
No doubt that I was prejudiced coming in to the tasting room. Given the fact that Morgan is a huge wine producerI expected the wines to be widely appealing. And they definitely were that. But they were also kind of interesting, not amazing and definitely safe, but pleasantly intriguing. The Sauvignon Blanc was a burst of friendly tropical and stone fruit, simple with medium acid throughout. The Albariño was bland, or as I wrote in my notes: "All Cali no Spain." The "Metallico" (aged in stainless steel tanks rather than oak barrels) Chardonnay was enjoyable, but too sticky and too mainstream. The "Highland" Chardonnay was definitely mainstream, though well built. A good gateway drug wine. I enjoyed all of the Pinots. The "Twelve Clones" was quite conventional, but well built and enjoyable. The Gary's Vineyard Pinot was very smooth with mature fruit. The Tondre Vineyard was my favorite. Very pretty, very exciting - lots of acid. The G17 blend was pretty pedestrian - just came off as a bland Syrah, but the Double L Syrah was massively flavorful - blood orange, boysenberries - dense as hell. The Rio Tinto blend was also pretty fun - a big juice pop.
To credit Morgan - they are making broadly appealing wine that is interesting. It's not the sort of stuff that I'd hang my hat on, but at the same time, I respect their game. The prices varied pretty widely - Rio Tinto for $13, the vineyard designate pinots for $58 - so I can see that they are trying to include lots of folks in their pricing scheme, which is smart. I'd prefer to visit a tasting room that isn't in a shopping center, but they obviously know what they are doing.
Experience: C+ / Wines: B
Morgan Winery (member tasting, wines $13-$58)
'13 Sauvignon Blanc, Lee Family '13 Albariño, '13 "Metallico" Chardonnay, '13 "Highland" Chardonnay, '13 "Twelve Clones" Pinot Noir, '13 Pinot Noir - Gary's Vineyard, '13 Pinot Noir - Tondre Vineyard, '13 "G17 (Syrah/Grenache/Tempranillo), '13 "Double L" Syrah, Lee Family '13 "Rio Tinto"
(Touriga Francesca/Touriga Nacional/Alvarelhao)
The wines of the Monterey area are a mystery to me. I know that there are some large brands from the area, such as Hahn, Estancia and Morgan, but I know that there are many more to explore. Morgan's "Taste Morgan" tasting room is in a high end shopping center, not my idea of a quintessential venue, but clever I admit. The tasting room is long with lots of bar space and lots of seating. The decor was very much the rustic country club fare, as well were the other patrons. We grabbed a set of low chairs around a coffee table. Once we settled in, the tasting room attendant came out and introduced himself, poured the first round, and then would revisit with each subsequent tasting.
I gathered that we got a more expansive tasting, thanks to our friends being members. I found it interesting that there were a variety of sub-labels to the wines that we tried: Morgan proper wines are blends from the whole area, Lee Family are sourced from various wineries in or outside of Monterey, Double L from their home vineyard, and then other vineyard designates such as Gary's, Tondre, etc. I've seen lots of wineries doing some of these types of designations, but it seemed like Morgan did it to the greatest degree that I've seen.
No doubt that I was prejudiced coming in to the tasting room. Given the fact that Morgan is a huge wine producerI expected the wines to be widely appealing. And they definitely were that. But they were also kind of interesting, not amazing and definitely safe, but pleasantly intriguing. The Sauvignon Blanc was a burst of friendly tropical and stone fruit, simple with medium acid throughout. The Albariño was bland, or as I wrote in my notes: "All Cali no Spain." The "Metallico" (aged in stainless steel tanks rather than oak barrels) Chardonnay was enjoyable, but too sticky and too mainstream. The "Highland" Chardonnay was definitely mainstream, though well built. A good gateway drug wine. I enjoyed all of the Pinots. The "Twelve Clones" was quite conventional, but well built and enjoyable. The Gary's Vineyard Pinot was very smooth with mature fruit. The Tondre Vineyard was my favorite. Very pretty, very exciting - lots of acid. The G17 blend was pretty pedestrian - just came off as a bland Syrah, but the Double L Syrah was massively flavorful - blood orange, boysenberries - dense as hell. The Rio Tinto blend was also pretty fun - a big juice pop.
To credit Morgan - they are making broadly appealing wine that is interesting. It's not the sort of stuff that I'd hang my hat on, but at the same time, I respect their game. The prices varied pretty widely - Rio Tinto for $13, the vineyard designate pinots for $58 - so I can see that they are trying to include lots of folks in their pricing scheme, which is smart. I'd prefer to visit a tasting room that isn't in a shopping center, but they obviously know what they are doing.
Experience: C+ / Wines: B
December '14 El Dorado County Trip - Great Views, Patient Family
I've got to share my appreciation for my in-laws. At least once a year, we come into town for the holidays or other event, and my wife and I state our interest in visiting wineries in the area. And every year, they volunteer to come along. Mind you, they don't drink wine, they've tried, but it's never been something that they've enjoyed. Just the same, they come along. We go into the wineries, unleashed due to the fact that we have a designated driver, and they wait patiently in the car. Sometimes they go for walks, but for the most part, they wait. Each time I feel guilty, but not so guilty as to give it up and do something else.
For this day's journey, we knew that we wanted to hit up a few places in the Fairplay/Pleasant Valley area of El Dorado County. We knew that we wanted to go to Skinner first, and considering that Sierra Vista was on the way back to the in-law's, we'd make that our final stop. What we didn't account for is how long we'd spend at Skinner, meaning that any plans to hit up any places in between were scrapped.
Skinner Vineyards and Winery ($10 tasting, wines $18-$48)
"Seven Generations" (Grenache Blanc/Roussanne/Picpoul Blanc/Viognier), '12 Rosé (Mourvèdre/Grenache), '12 Grenache - Estate, '11 "Eighteen Sixty One" (Grenache/Syrah/Mourvèdre), '11 "Dry Diggings" (Syrah/Grenache/Mourvèdre), '11 "Six Horse" Zinfandel, '09 Syrah - Stoney Creek Vineyard, '12 Grenache -Sumu Kaw Vineyard, '12 Grenache - Fenaughty Vineyard
During this visit, I had started reading Jon Bonné's The New California Wine. What a great book. In it he seeks and finds wineries that are doing their own thing, eschewing the California archetype of wine (big, bold, jammy). Since reading it, I decided to visit a number of wineries that he recommended that I hadn't heard of. Skinner was one of those. The Skinner story is a neat one. The current generations of Skinners, Mike and Carey, as well as their son Kevin and his wife Kathy came upon historical info about James Skinner - a great great great grandfather to James. James Skinner, a Scottish miner, had established a winery in gold country in 1861. Learning this, they decided to purchase land in the same area, and start up a new Skinner winery - to extend the family tradition. The space that they have built is gorgeous. A great, tall wooden building rests on a hillside that overlooks forested hills. Inside are a number of historical photos and drawings that tell the Skinner story.
The staff were very knowledgeable, some of the most astute in the area. The were good ambassadors for the family. I would say that there was one weird thing. Right near the tasting bar was a spiral staircase that wound down into what looked like a wine cellar. Everyone that came in, including us asked "Oh cool! Can I do down there?" And each and every time they answered, "NO! That's a private space just for the family!" This folks, is what you call an attractive nuisance. Everyone knows that spiral staircases are badass, especially ones that go down to secret cellars. And at the time that I was there, there wasn't any signage declaring the space off limits. But whatever, just weird. It did highlight the slight awkwardness of the space and the staff.
Regardless, the wine was banging. The white was super enjoyable, and the Rosé was a delicious ride. They allowed us to try a number of their Grenaches. All were great. The Estate was calm, quiet preserves, followed by late acid. The Sumu Kaw Vineyard Grenache was ridiculously light, but still carried acid and flavor. It was like a macho Rosé. The Fenaughty Vineyard Grenache was concentrated juice with pretty and light acid. Both of the GSM blends were good, I enjoyed the Eighteen Sixty One more. The Zinfandel, their one non-Rhone varietal, was a fine take - calm entry, grows in the mouth, blueberries, and a slight zip at the end. The Syrah was a big mamma-jamma. It was well constructed, mature, but too overbearing for me.
Experience: B / Wines: B+
Sierra Vista Vineyards and Winery ($0 tasting, wines $18-$35)
'13 "Old Vine" Chardonnay, '11 Roussanne,'13 Sauvignon Blanc, '13 Viognier, '13 Grenache, '11 Mourvèdre, '02 "Fleur de Montagne" (Grenache/Syrah,Mourvèdre/Cinsault), '04 "Fleur de Montagne", '08 "Fleur de Montagne", '12 "Fleur de Montagne", '09 "Old Clone" Zinfandel, '11 Syrah "Ancient Vine Reserve", '10 "Red Rocks Ridge" Syrah, '05 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, '12 Viognier Dessert Wine "Doux", '04 Viognier Dessert Wine "Doux"
There are a number of new, hip and well-heeled wineries in the Sierra Foothills - Skinner for one, but also, Andis, Turley, and Renwood. Sierra Vista is none of those things. It's been around since 1977, and is about as unassuming as a winery can be. We sat down at picnic tables with our leftover turkey sandwiches and looked out over the vineyard and the rolling hills beyond. While we sat, the owner and winemaker, John MacCready, and his family happened by. He was goofing off with his grandkids, or actually probably great-grandkids. Even though he's eighty two, he was still shimmying back and forth on one of the kid's scooters pretty well - or perhaps he was the one who got a shiny new scooter from Santa for Christmas.
The staff inside the tasting room were just as sweet. The wine list was exhaustively long, and it was only through great insistence on our part were we able to persuade them to allow us to skip a few wines here and there. Even through our protests, they were still able to get us to try sixteen (!!) different wines. Part of the reason that the list was so long was because they were doing library tastings of their "Fleur de Montagne" Rhone blend. Just the same, the list was quite varied.
Basically, there were a few big hits for us with the wines, and lots of misses. The table whites were not especially enjoyable. We liked the Viognier okay, but it wasn't very remarkable. Many of the reds were off-balanced, too sharp, sweet, with concentrated fruit, or had off-putting flavors. The "Fleurs" were pretty good, especially the younger ones, the older ones a bit sticky. The guy that was serving us was kind enough to hold on to some of the '05 Cabernet that they had, instead of serving what was left to a couple of other folks there ahead of us. He told us "You guys seem to like wine a lot, I think you'll get a kick out of this." The dude was right. It was fantastic. And given the other wines, we were taken aback. It had been decanted for a full day ahead of time. With a big cocoa nose and hits of toast, it was quite pretty, some sneaky sweetness, and a nice layer of dust. It was a tremendous experience. Finally we tried the dessert wines. The '12 was too quiet, but the '04 was tons of fun. Nutty, grippy, with slight hints of greeness.
Experience: B+ / Wines: B-
El Dorado County never ceases to intrigue. It's almost always going to assure good conversation and interesting history. It's hard to know if the wines are going to impress, surprise or underwhelm. Skinner and Sierra Vista represent two very distinct aspects of the region - new investment versus old-timer. Both are aggressively independent, and for that they are completely within the sweet spot for what's to love about the area. Just one thing though, do not go down the secret staircase.
For this day's journey, we knew that we wanted to hit up a few places in the Fairplay/Pleasant Valley area of El Dorado County. We knew that we wanted to go to Skinner first, and considering that Sierra Vista was on the way back to the in-law's, we'd make that our final stop. What we didn't account for is how long we'd spend at Skinner, meaning that any plans to hit up any places in between were scrapped.
Skinner Vineyards and Winery ($10 tasting, wines $18-$48)
"Seven Generations" (Grenache Blanc/Roussanne/Picpoul Blanc/Viognier), '12 Rosé (Mourvèdre/Grenache), '12 Grenache - Estate, '11 "Eighteen Sixty One" (Grenache/Syrah/Mourvèdre), '11 "Dry Diggings" (Syrah/Grenache/Mourvèdre), '11 "Six Horse" Zinfandel, '09 Syrah - Stoney Creek Vineyard, '12 Grenache -Sumu Kaw Vineyard, '12 Grenache - Fenaughty Vineyard
During this visit, I had started reading Jon Bonné's The New California Wine. What a great book. In it he seeks and finds wineries that are doing their own thing, eschewing the California archetype of wine (big, bold, jammy). Since reading it, I decided to visit a number of wineries that he recommended that I hadn't heard of. Skinner was one of those. The Skinner story is a neat one. The current generations of Skinners, Mike and Carey, as well as their son Kevin and his wife Kathy came upon historical info about James Skinner - a great great great grandfather to James. James Skinner, a Scottish miner, had established a winery in gold country in 1861. Learning this, they decided to purchase land in the same area, and start up a new Skinner winery - to extend the family tradition. The space that they have built is gorgeous. A great, tall wooden building rests on a hillside that overlooks forested hills. Inside are a number of historical photos and drawings that tell the Skinner story.The staff were very knowledgeable, some of the most astute in the area. The were good ambassadors for the family. I would say that there was one weird thing. Right near the tasting bar was a spiral staircase that wound down into what looked like a wine cellar. Everyone that came in, including us asked "Oh cool! Can I do down there?" And each and every time they answered, "NO! That's a private space just for the family!" This folks, is what you call an attractive nuisance. Everyone knows that spiral staircases are badass, especially ones that go down to secret cellars. And at the time that I was there, there wasn't any signage declaring the space off limits. But whatever, just weird. It did highlight the slight awkwardness of the space and the staff.
Regardless, the wine was banging. The white was super enjoyable, and the Rosé was a delicious ride. They allowed us to try a number of their Grenaches. All were great. The Estate was calm, quiet preserves, followed by late acid. The Sumu Kaw Vineyard Grenache was ridiculously light, but still carried acid and flavor. It was like a macho Rosé. The Fenaughty Vineyard Grenache was concentrated juice with pretty and light acid. Both of the GSM blends were good, I enjoyed the Eighteen Sixty One more. The Zinfandel, their one non-Rhone varietal, was a fine take - calm entry, grows in the mouth, blueberries, and a slight zip at the end. The Syrah was a big mamma-jamma. It was well constructed, mature, but too overbearing for me.
Experience: B / Wines: B+
Sierra Vista Vineyards and Winery ($0 tasting, wines $18-$35)
'13 "Old Vine" Chardonnay, '11 Roussanne,'13 Sauvignon Blanc, '13 Viognier, '13 Grenache, '11 Mourvèdre, '02 "Fleur de Montagne" (Grenache/Syrah,Mourvèdre/Cinsault), '04 "Fleur de Montagne", '08 "Fleur de Montagne", '12 "Fleur de Montagne", '09 "Old Clone" Zinfandel, '11 Syrah "Ancient Vine Reserve", '10 "Red Rocks Ridge" Syrah, '05 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, '12 Viognier Dessert Wine "Doux", '04 Viognier Dessert Wine "Doux"
There are a number of new, hip and well-heeled wineries in the Sierra Foothills - Skinner for one, but also, Andis, Turley, and Renwood. Sierra Vista is none of those things. It's been around since 1977, and is about as unassuming as a winery can be. We sat down at picnic tables with our leftover turkey sandwiches and looked out over the vineyard and the rolling hills beyond. While we sat, the owner and winemaker, John MacCready, and his family happened by. He was goofing off with his grandkids, or actually probably great-grandkids. Even though he's eighty two, he was still shimmying back and forth on one of the kid's scooters pretty well - or perhaps he was the one who got a shiny new scooter from Santa for Christmas.The staff inside the tasting room were just as sweet. The wine list was exhaustively long, and it was only through great insistence on our part were we able to persuade them to allow us to skip a few wines here and there. Even through our protests, they were still able to get us to try sixteen (!!) different wines. Part of the reason that the list was so long was because they were doing library tastings of their "Fleur de Montagne" Rhone blend. Just the same, the list was quite varied.
Basically, there were a few big hits for us with the wines, and lots of misses. The table whites were not especially enjoyable. We liked the Viognier okay, but it wasn't very remarkable. Many of the reds were off-balanced, too sharp, sweet, with concentrated fruit, or had off-putting flavors. The "Fleurs" were pretty good, especially the younger ones, the older ones a bit sticky. The guy that was serving us was kind enough to hold on to some of the '05 Cabernet that they had, instead of serving what was left to a couple of other folks there ahead of us. He told us "You guys seem to like wine a lot, I think you'll get a kick out of this." The dude was right. It was fantastic. And given the other wines, we were taken aback. It had been decanted for a full day ahead of time. With a big cocoa nose and hits of toast, it was quite pretty, some sneaky sweetness, and a nice layer of dust. It was a tremendous experience. Finally we tried the dessert wines. The '12 was too quiet, but the '04 was tons of fun. Nutty, grippy, with slight hints of greeness.
Experience: B+ / Wines: B-
El Dorado County never ceases to intrigue. It's almost always going to assure good conversation and interesting history. It's hard to know if the wines are going to impress, surprise or underwhelm. Skinner and Sierra Vista represent two very distinct aspects of the region - new investment versus old-timer. Both are aggressively independent, and for that they are completely within the sweet spot for what's to love about the area. Just one thing though, do not go down the secret staircase.
December '14 Livermore Valley Trip - Drinking in the 'Burbs
The Livermore Valley lacks he bucolic charm of other California wine regions. On approach, you find yourself in the exurbs of the greater Bay Area - chain restaurants and sub-divisions. Old friends of mine live nearby, and have sung the praises of the Livermore wine scene to me over the past several years. After doing a trip with them to the Santa Barbara area, they reciprocated by having me stay with them for the weekend and sharing their region with me.
To get to the wineries, you drive through the neighborhoods of Livermore. Homes, homes, homes, and then you break through and find yourself in a rural setting with lazy rolling hills. Many of the wineries have peaceful views looking down into the valley over expanses of green slopes. During the weekend that we were there, the wineries were all celebrating Christmas with craft shows, Santas, live music, etc.
We did the region over two days, one day it was just two of us, and then the second day it was three of us, plus their adorable child. They set the agenda, these were all wineries that they were very familiar with and enjoyed.
Saturday
Wente Vineyards ($10 "Winemaker's Flight" tasting, wines $25-$120)
'13 Small Lot Viognier, '12 Small Lot Counoise, '12 Small Lot Zinfandel, '12 GSM (Grenache/Syrah/Mourvèdre), '12 Small Lot Grenache, '12 "Nth Degree" Cabernet Sauvignon
To start us off, we drove to the edge of the region. Wente's vineyard backs right up to the hillside. It's a large campus with a golf course attached to it, a full restaurant and a handful of large, mission-style buildings. The tasting room is a bit cramped considering the palatial grounds. Our host was a lovely and knowledgeable woman. She had considerable experience in the wine industry and was happy to participate in a wandering conversation.
Wente is the grandaddy in the area - its also "the oldest continuously operating, family-owned winery in California." Carl Wente established the winery in 1883. Wente's name comes up a lot in the California wine scene, especially since Carl's son, Ernest Wente brought a specific Chardonnay cutting from France, that clone is now 75% of all Chardonnay made in California.
We both chose to go with the "Winmaker's Flight," a selection of wines that were all considered small lot bottlings. It seemed like the more interesting selection. While I didn't enjoy all of the wines equally, they were all confidently made. The Viognier was light, calm and laden with citrus. The flowers that often accompany Viogniers weren't there sadly. I had a good time with the Counoise, it was bright, natural and had fun green funk. Their Zinfandel was much more restrained that the normal Zin beasts I experience - light beef and checked back acid. The GSM was quite dense, well woven with big boy acid. I'm thinking it would be well served to be aged a few more years. The Grenache was the weakest of the bunch - too much oak and a slight medicine kick, though had an interesting cinnamon hint. The Cabernet was show-stopper. Velvety raspberries guided by smart acid and solid length - mainstream but delicious. As with most of the larger scale wineries, the prices were steep.
Experience: B- / Wine: B
Cuda Ridge Wines ($10 tasting, wines $21-$36)
'13 Sauvignon Blanc, '12 Cabernet Franc, '12 Malbec, '11 "Black Label" Cabernet Sauvignon, '11 "Bordeaux Blend" Cabernet Sauvignon, '12 Petit Verdot, '05 "Cuda Amis" Port-Style Dessert Wine
From the country club stylings of Wente, Cuda Ridge seemed like visiting a new neighbor's house. Their tasting room and small vineyard is immediately adjacent to homes, and the layout of the building was very suburban house-like. For their holiday festivities, each room was pouring different wines and had snacks and desserts to nosh on, sort of like a progressive house party. One of the rooms had delicious Portuguese soup that hit the spot. There were plenty of folks there, we may have crashed a member party, but who knows. We did get a chance to chat with the matriarch of the winery for a bit, she was terribly sweet - I got the feeling that they invested deeply in the familial feel to their wine community.
The wines were flavorful and generally lacked structure. The Sauvignon Blanc had a crazy grassy nose, and lots and lots of lemons. I don't think I've ever gotten banana bread off of a red wine before, but the Cabernet Franc's nose was dead on bready, the body was bright red fruit. I liked the Malbec, it was jumbled, but was enjoyable. The Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon, was big acid, big fruit, not very well defined. Alternatively, the Bordeaux Blend Cab was much more poetic. It probably needed aging, but was calm and varied, slight hints of mint. The Petit Verdot was a mouthful, big acid opening, tart black fruit and then a calm exit. Fianlly, the dessert wine was bacon and maple, but too much stickiness for me.
Experience: B- / Wine: C+
Big White House and Jon Evan Cellars ($5 tasting, wines $24-$45)
'12 Chardonnay - Spendorio Vineyard, '12 Viognier - Ripkin Vineyard, Lodi, '12 Sangiovese - Ripkin Vineyard, '13 Pinot Noir - Ripkin Vineyard, '10 "East/West Blend" Syrah, '12 Zinfandel - Splendorio Vineyard, '11 "Chateau Marion" (Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon), Jon Evan '11 "The Winter Star" (Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon), Jon Evan '11 "Les Famille des Amoureux" (Cabernet Sauvignon/Petit Sirah), Jon Evan '11 Late Harvest Syrah
We had a hell of a time finding a parking space in their huge dirt lot. The tasting room is in an airy barn, but on the day that we visited, that joint was wall to wall people. And everyone was there to have a good time. The vibe was like a festive sports bar at a country club - a bit older, chill, but saucy (in both was). We were able to select any wines we wanted to try from a massive list. We tried ten, but there were at least five more on the list that we skipped. The list offers two different labels - Big White House are wines that are made by Jon Marion, while Jon Evan wines are made by his son, Jon Evan Marion. Both men create bombastic wines, though Jon Evan's are much more interesting.The place definitely has an upbeat family vibe, though they certainly weren't equipped to deal with so many people. You had to wiggle your way to front to get wines, and then shout above the din to tell them which wine you wanted next.
Neither of the whites struck my fancy. Both featured an apricot skin flavor. The Viognier was a bit more interesting, it wasn't sweet, but had a dessert wine profile. The Big White House reds all had big flavor profiles, and the flavors ran amok - the Sangiovese had a juicy film, the Pinot showed burned branches and cranberries, the Syrah was sloppy, the Zin was a velvet punch straight in the mouth, and the "Chateau Marion" was jammy, jammy acid. Jon Evan's wines were more interesting. "The Winter Star" was dense, boisterous, had high tannins, but was the most thoughtful and enjoyable wine of the day. I also enjoyed the "Les Famille des Amoureux." It was a big dude, but the tannins were more calm, and a fun cranberry jam blend. I did not enjoy the Late Harvest Syrah - that dried apricot flavor showed up again, and the wine was un-centered.
Experience: C+ / Wine: C+
Les Chênes Estate Vineyard (member tasting, wines $23-$32)
'12 "Deux Blanc" (Chardonnay/Viognier), '12 "Anniversary" Pinot Noir, '12 Estate Syrah Reserve, '12 "Deux Rouge" (Cabernet Sauvignon/Syrah), '12 Primitivo, NV Old Vine Dessert Wine
Another winery, another dirt road and a barn for a tasting room - I'm starting to get a feel for the Livermore aesthetic. Les Chênes is a more calm and centered place in comparison to Big White House and Cuda Ridge. The folks behind the winery are Richard and Candice Dixon - a sweet older couple that have been married for over 50 years. In 1999 they purchased the Livermore property to retire on it, grow grapes, and make wine. They opened the winery in 2007.
The love that they have for each other and the wine was palpable upon our visit. The tasting room was busy, but thankfully not as crazed as other places that day. A group of carolers sang while folks mingled and enjoyed the wines. I was mixed on how I felt about the "Deux Blanc." Specifically my note says "seems like a county fair entrant - though a competitor." It had some very interesting characteristics, white smoke on the nose, strong acid, apple and viscous. The Pinot Noir was specifically made by Richard for their 50th wedding anniversary. It was tart and peppery, maybe too flavorful, but if that's commentary on their marriage, good on them. The Syrah was bright red and stark, lots of fun. A second flavor accompanied that primary note - thready and green, interesting. The "Deux Rouge" was a bit too cloying for me, juice added to the nice Syrah flavor. The Primativo was tons of fun. Green notes with a fogginess to it. Calm plums, prunes and raspberries. Finally the dessert wine wasn't very refined, but it was enjoyable - nutty, woody, with bright red fruit.
Experience: B+ / Wine: B
Sunday
BoaVentura de Caires Winery (member tasting, wines $24-$46)
'13 "White Table Wine" (Albariño/Sauvignon Blanc/Orange Muscat), '11 "Red Mutt" (Syrah/Petite Sirah/Cabernet Sauvignon/Zinfandel), '10 Syrah - Nelson Vineyard, '10 Petite Sirah, '11 "Green Label" Cabernet Sauvignon, '11 "Black Label" Cabernet Sauvignon, NV "Platinum Label" Cabernet Sauvignon, '11 "Blue Label" Cabernet Sauvignon, '09 "DePorted" Dessert Wine
BoaVentura was the hippest and best place that we visited all weekend. Quite honestly, I'm generally resistant to hip spots, but they were right on the money with their style and thankfully the wine was good as well. The BoaVentura barn has cool industrial art wrapped up in it.
Brett Caires was inspired to pursue wine based on his family traditions. He remembered wine being a part of family dinner. After a career in real estate and the food world, he and his wife purchased the five acre site that is now their winery and vineyard. The atmosphere was festive, lots of happy tasters on a chilly grey morning. Outside the barn door was a fire where kids enjoyed s'mores.
The white wine was pretty enjoyable. It had a soft effervescence, it was full mouthed and bright. Aside from the green funkiness, it was quite tasty. The "Red Mutt" was very good - medium bodied and a light entry. It had a Bordeaux/California vibe. The Syrah was sour candy grapes with late, soft tannins and nicely apportioned acid. The Petite Sirah was a showy pony - a dark raisin nose, a calm entry, and then a boysenberry juice body.
BoaVentura specializes in Cabernet Sauvignon. They have two vineyard locations for their Cab growing. The back vineyard is a more stable location and easier to grow on. The front vineyard is rockier, sloped and receives less light. Given it's more challenging location, the grapes from the back vineyard make more interesting wines. All of the Cabs that I tried were thoughtful and flavorful. The Green Label (100% back vineyard grapes) was challenging, pine and cedar nose, sharp with high tannins and acid. The Black Label (50% front/50% back) had a much more grand profile. Lots of plum, very Californian. The Platinum Label (60% front vineyard, 40% back vineyard) had a big fruit nose, lots of tart jam and complexity. Finally, the Blue Label (60% front, 40% back) was most decadent. A pretty port nose, calm, velvety entry, and mature juice. Quite the show horse. We ended with the port. It was nice - caramel, leaves, herbs - but a note of medicine threw it off slightly.
Experience: B / Wine: B+
McGrail Vineyards and Winery (member tasting, wines $25-$45)
'13 Sauvignon Blanc, '13 Chardonnay, '12 Cabernet Sauvignon (barrel tasting), '08 Proprietary Red (Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon), '11 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve
To their credit, McGrail put on a heck of a holiday party. They had a Santa, a lively band, and a bunch of folks enjoying the festivities. Aside from that, McGrail felt very different from the other wineries. Upon receiving our first glass of wine, we were also giving a little map that showed us the layout of the Tuscan-style building, and where we could find the rest of our wines for the tasting. The feel of the staff was stiff, and slightly annoyed. Perhaps this was specific to the holiday event, but I have a feeling that McGrail is always a stoic place. It did not have the happy, friendly atmosphere of the other wineries in the area. It felt like they were trying to emulate a larger winery, like Wente, but didn't have the same panache.
I was led to this conclusion partially by the wine. All of it was bland. The Sauvignon Blanc was nicely balanced, had lemon juice and peel, but was unengaging. The Chardonnay was simple and seemed watered down. The barrel tasting of Cabernet Sauvignon was most interesting. It was lively and had soft peppers. It was mainstream. Seemed like a top shelf supermarket mine. I disliked the Proprietary Red most. It hinted at rotten strawberries. The last tasting, the Cab Reserve was big flavored with raspberries and cherries, but uninspiring.
Experience: C / Wine: C-
Page Mill Winery ($10 tasting, wines $18-$39)
'13 Sauvignon Blanc - Ghielmetti Vineyard, '13 Chardonnay - Chandler Vineyard, '13 "Angela's Cuvée" Grenache Rosé - Lake County, '13 Grenache - Ghielmetti, '12 Zinfandel - Spencer Vineyard, Lodi, '12 Merlot - Cote Vineyard, SF Bay Region, '12 "GPS" (Syrah/Grenache/Petite Sirah), '12 Syrah - Tazatta Vineyard, '12 Cabernet Sauvignon, '11 Petite Sirah
Our last stop on the way to the airport was Page Mill. It wasn't one that my friends were familiar with, I had read a positive review about it in a wine blog. The tasting room was in a quaint rock building. The staff were very nice - surprisingly nice considering that we showed up near the end of the day, and they were starting to close up. The feel to the place was homey. Staff were not the most knowledgeable, but friendly, and were happy to pour as much wine as we liked. There was a lot to choose from. We bounced from taste to taste based on recommendations from the staff.
It was a mixed bag of wines. In addition to some being from the Livermore area, some of them were from various nearby regions: Lake County, Lodi, San Francisco Bay Area. Wines varied from off to good. The Sauvignon Blanc was completely unique. Hints of nastiness and pineapples on the nose. The body had cute, fragile characteristics, and a soft marshmallow mouthfeel. The Chardonnay was too much flavor. It had a sulfur aroma and strongly tasted of candied lemons. The Rosé was reminiscent of a stereotypical surfer - kinda vacuous and bland. I enjoyed the Greneche. It was simple but had a nice melange of flavors - flat cola, fruit juice, sage and funk. The Zinfandel was crazy dense, a kick in the mouth. The Merlot was just fine, pretty mainstream. I enjoyed the other Rhone, the Syrah as well. It had meaty pepper, and hinted of watermelon steak, backed by lots of acid. The Cabernet Sauvignon had a fun green entry with tons of fruit - not amazing, but quaff-able. We ended on the Petite Sirah - the one estate wine. It was similar to the overall experience - densely sweet, with light fruit, kind edges, and kind of jumbled.
Experience: B / Wine: C+
Well there it is. A whirlwind tour of the Livermore Valley. It's a sleepy region that has inspired folks to strike out and do what they love. And along the way they create friendly communities to join them. No one was really stuffy or seemed to look down on folks for not being knowledgeable enough - heck most of the places operated out of barns, and they maintained that quiet, supportive farmer mentality. I will say that I encountered very few interesting white wines. Many places relied upon Cabernet Sauvignon as their flagship grape. Aside from Napa, the California wine regions that I've visited are looking to stake their reputation to other varietals. Does this mean that Livermore will attempt to pivot away from Cab eventually? I'm guessing not, it's been a region for a long time, and while it's expansion is being fueled by the artisinal/locavore movement, I think they've defined themselves already.
To get to the wineries, you drive through the neighborhoods of Livermore. Homes, homes, homes, and then you break through and find yourself in a rural setting with lazy rolling hills. Many of the wineries have peaceful views looking down into the valley over expanses of green slopes. During the weekend that we were there, the wineries were all celebrating Christmas with craft shows, Santas, live music, etc.
We did the region over two days, one day it was just two of us, and then the second day it was three of us, plus their adorable child. They set the agenda, these were all wineries that they were very familiar with and enjoyed.
Saturday
Wente Vineyards ($10 "Winemaker's Flight" tasting, wines $25-$120)
'13 Small Lot Viognier, '12 Small Lot Counoise, '12 Small Lot Zinfandel, '12 GSM (Grenache/Syrah/Mourvèdre), '12 Small Lot Grenache, '12 "Nth Degree" Cabernet Sauvignon
To start us off, we drove to the edge of the region. Wente's vineyard backs right up to the hillside. It's a large campus with a golf course attached to it, a full restaurant and a handful of large, mission-style buildings. The tasting room is a bit cramped considering the palatial grounds. Our host was a lovely and knowledgeable woman. She had considerable experience in the wine industry and was happy to participate in a wandering conversation.
Wente is the grandaddy in the area - its also "the oldest continuously operating, family-owned winery in California." Carl Wente established the winery in 1883. Wente's name comes up a lot in the California wine scene, especially since Carl's son, Ernest Wente brought a specific Chardonnay cutting from France, that clone is now 75% of all Chardonnay made in California.
We both chose to go with the "Winmaker's Flight," a selection of wines that were all considered small lot bottlings. It seemed like the more interesting selection. While I didn't enjoy all of the wines equally, they were all confidently made. The Viognier was light, calm and laden with citrus. The flowers that often accompany Viogniers weren't there sadly. I had a good time with the Counoise, it was bright, natural and had fun green funk. Their Zinfandel was much more restrained that the normal Zin beasts I experience - light beef and checked back acid. The GSM was quite dense, well woven with big boy acid. I'm thinking it would be well served to be aged a few more years. The Grenache was the weakest of the bunch - too much oak and a slight medicine kick, though had an interesting cinnamon hint. The Cabernet was show-stopper. Velvety raspberries guided by smart acid and solid length - mainstream but delicious. As with most of the larger scale wineries, the prices were steep.
Experience: B- / Wine: B
Cuda Ridge Wines ($10 tasting, wines $21-$36)
'13 Sauvignon Blanc, '12 Cabernet Franc, '12 Malbec, '11 "Black Label" Cabernet Sauvignon, '11 "Bordeaux Blend" Cabernet Sauvignon, '12 Petit Verdot, '05 "Cuda Amis" Port-Style Dessert Wine
From the country club stylings of Wente, Cuda Ridge seemed like visiting a new neighbor's house. Their tasting room and small vineyard is immediately adjacent to homes, and the layout of the building was very suburban house-like. For their holiday festivities, each room was pouring different wines and had snacks and desserts to nosh on, sort of like a progressive house party. One of the rooms had delicious Portuguese soup that hit the spot. There were plenty of folks there, we may have crashed a member party, but who knows. We did get a chance to chat with the matriarch of the winery for a bit, she was terribly sweet - I got the feeling that they invested deeply in the familial feel to their wine community.
The wines were flavorful and generally lacked structure. The Sauvignon Blanc had a crazy grassy nose, and lots and lots of lemons. I don't think I've ever gotten banana bread off of a red wine before, but the Cabernet Franc's nose was dead on bready, the body was bright red fruit. I liked the Malbec, it was jumbled, but was enjoyable. The Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon, was big acid, big fruit, not very well defined. Alternatively, the Bordeaux Blend Cab was much more poetic. It probably needed aging, but was calm and varied, slight hints of mint. The Petit Verdot was a mouthful, big acid opening, tart black fruit and then a calm exit. Fianlly, the dessert wine was bacon and maple, but too much stickiness for me.
Experience: B- / Wine: C+
Big White House and Jon Evan Cellars ($5 tasting, wines $24-$45)
'12 Chardonnay - Spendorio Vineyard, '12 Viognier - Ripkin Vineyard, Lodi, '12 Sangiovese - Ripkin Vineyard, '13 Pinot Noir - Ripkin Vineyard, '10 "East/West Blend" Syrah, '12 Zinfandel - Splendorio Vineyard, '11 "Chateau Marion" (Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon), Jon Evan '11 "The Winter Star" (Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon), Jon Evan '11 "Les Famille des Amoureux" (Cabernet Sauvignon/Petit Sirah), Jon Evan '11 Late Harvest Syrah
We had a hell of a time finding a parking space in their huge dirt lot. The tasting room is in an airy barn, but on the day that we visited, that joint was wall to wall people. And everyone was there to have a good time. The vibe was like a festive sports bar at a country club - a bit older, chill, but saucy (in both was). We were able to select any wines we wanted to try from a massive list. We tried ten, but there were at least five more on the list that we skipped. The list offers two different labels - Big White House are wines that are made by Jon Marion, while Jon Evan wines are made by his son, Jon Evan Marion. Both men create bombastic wines, though Jon Evan's are much more interesting.The place definitely has an upbeat family vibe, though they certainly weren't equipped to deal with so many people. You had to wiggle your way to front to get wines, and then shout above the din to tell them which wine you wanted next.
Neither of the whites struck my fancy. Both featured an apricot skin flavor. The Viognier was a bit more interesting, it wasn't sweet, but had a dessert wine profile. The Big White House reds all had big flavor profiles, and the flavors ran amok - the Sangiovese had a juicy film, the Pinot showed burned branches and cranberries, the Syrah was sloppy, the Zin was a velvet punch straight in the mouth, and the "Chateau Marion" was jammy, jammy acid. Jon Evan's wines were more interesting. "The Winter Star" was dense, boisterous, had high tannins, but was the most thoughtful and enjoyable wine of the day. I also enjoyed the "Les Famille des Amoureux." It was a big dude, but the tannins were more calm, and a fun cranberry jam blend. I did not enjoy the Late Harvest Syrah - that dried apricot flavor showed up again, and the wine was un-centered.
Experience: C+ / Wine: C+
Les Chênes Estate Vineyard (member tasting, wines $23-$32)
'12 "Deux Blanc" (Chardonnay/Viognier), '12 "Anniversary" Pinot Noir, '12 Estate Syrah Reserve, '12 "Deux Rouge" (Cabernet Sauvignon/Syrah), '12 Primitivo, NV Old Vine Dessert Wine
Another winery, another dirt road and a barn for a tasting room - I'm starting to get a feel for the Livermore aesthetic. Les Chênes is a more calm and centered place in comparison to Big White House and Cuda Ridge. The folks behind the winery are Richard and Candice Dixon - a sweet older couple that have been married for over 50 years. In 1999 they purchased the Livermore property to retire on it, grow grapes, and make wine. They opened the winery in 2007.
The love that they have for each other and the wine was palpable upon our visit. The tasting room was busy, but thankfully not as crazed as other places that day. A group of carolers sang while folks mingled and enjoyed the wines. I was mixed on how I felt about the "Deux Blanc." Specifically my note says "seems like a county fair entrant - though a competitor." It had some very interesting characteristics, white smoke on the nose, strong acid, apple and viscous. The Pinot Noir was specifically made by Richard for their 50th wedding anniversary. It was tart and peppery, maybe too flavorful, but if that's commentary on their marriage, good on them. The Syrah was bright red and stark, lots of fun. A second flavor accompanied that primary note - thready and green, interesting. The "Deux Rouge" was a bit too cloying for me, juice added to the nice Syrah flavor. The Primativo was tons of fun. Green notes with a fogginess to it. Calm plums, prunes and raspberries. Finally the dessert wine wasn't very refined, but it was enjoyable - nutty, woody, with bright red fruit.
Experience: B+ / Wine: B
Sunday
BoaVentura de Caires Winery (member tasting, wines $24-$46)
'13 "White Table Wine" (Albariño/Sauvignon Blanc/Orange Muscat), '11 "Red Mutt" (Syrah/Petite Sirah/Cabernet Sauvignon/Zinfandel), '10 Syrah - Nelson Vineyard, '10 Petite Sirah, '11 "Green Label" Cabernet Sauvignon, '11 "Black Label" Cabernet Sauvignon, NV "Platinum Label" Cabernet Sauvignon, '11 "Blue Label" Cabernet Sauvignon, '09 "DePorted" Dessert Wine
BoaVentura was the hippest and best place that we visited all weekend. Quite honestly, I'm generally resistant to hip spots, but they were right on the money with their style and thankfully the wine was good as well. The BoaVentura barn has cool industrial art wrapped up in it.
Brett Caires was inspired to pursue wine based on his family traditions. He remembered wine being a part of family dinner. After a career in real estate and the food world, he and his wife purchased the five acre site that is now their winery and vineyard. The atmosphere was festive, lots of happy tasters on a chilly grey morning. Outside the barn door was a fire where kids enjoyed s'mores.
The white wine was pretty enjoyable. It had a soft effervescence, it was full mouthed and bright. Aside from the green funkiness, it was quite tasty. The "Red Mutt" was very good - medium bodied and a light entry. It had a Bordeaux/California vibe. The Syrah was sour candy grapes with late, soft tannins and nicely apportioned acid. The Petite Sirah was a showy pony - a dark raisin nose, a calm entry, and then a boysenberry juice body.
BoaVentura specializes in Cabernet Sauvignon. They have two vineyard locations for their Cab growing. The back vineyard is a more stable location and easier to grow on. The front vineyard is rockier, sloped and receives less light. Given it's more challenging location, the grapes from the back vineyard make more interesting wines. All of the Cabs that I tried were thoughtful and flavorful. The Green Label (100% back vineyard grapes) was challenging, pine and cedar nose, sharp with high tannins and acid. The Black Label (50% front/50% back) had a much more grand profile. Lots of plum, very Californian. The Platinum Label (60% front vineyard, 40% back vineyard) had a big fruit nose, lots of tart jam and complexity. Finally, the Blue Label (60% front, 40% back) was most decadent. A pretty port nose, calm, velvety entry, and mature juice. Quite the show horse. We ended with the port. It was nice - caramel, leaves, herbs - but a note of medicine threw it off slightly.
Experience: B / Wine: B+
McGrail Vineyards and Winery (member tasting, wines $25-$45)
'13 Sauvignon Blanc, '13 Chardonnay, '12 Cabernet Sauvignon (barrel tasting), '08 Proprietary Red (Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon), '11 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve
To their credit, McGrail put on a heck of a holiday party. They had a Santa, a lively band, and a bunch of folks enjoying the festivities. Aside from that, McGrail felt very different from the other wineries. Upon receiving our first glass of wine, we were also giving a little map that showed us the layout of the Tuscan-style building, and where we could find the rest of our wines for the tasting. The feel of the staff was stiff, and slightly annoyed. Perhaps this was specific to the holiday event, but I have a feeling that McGrail is always a stoic place. It did not have the happy, friendly atmosphere of the other wineries in the area. It felt like they were trying to emulate a larger winery, like Wente, but didn't have the same panache.
I was led to this conclusion partially by the wine. All of it was bland. The Sauvignon Blanc was nicely balanced, had lemon juice and peel, but was unengaging. The Chardonnay was simple and seemed watered down. The barrel tasting of Cabernet Sauvignon was most interesting. It was lively and had soft peppers. It was mainstream. Seemed like a top shelf supermarket mine. I disliked the Proprietary Red most. It hinted at rotten strawberries. The last tasting, the Cab Reserve was big flavored with raspberries and cherries, but uninspiring.
Experience: C / Wine: C-
Page Mill Winery ($10 tasting, wines $18-$39)
'13 Sauvignon Blanc - Ghielmetti Vineyard, '13 Chardonnay - Chandler Vineyard, '13 "Angela's Cuvée" Grenache Rosé - Lake County, '13 Grenache - Ghielmetti, '12 Zinfandel - Spencer Vineyard, Lodi, '12 Merlot - Cote Vineyard, SF Bay Region, '12 "GPS" (Syrah/Grenache/Petite Sirah), '12 Syrah - Tazatta Vineyard, '12 Cabernet Sauvignon, '11 Petite Sirah
Our last stop on the way to the airport was Page Mill. It wasn't one that my friends were familiar with, I had read a positive review about it in a wine blog. The tasting room was in a quaint rock building. The staff were very nice - surprisingly nice considering that we showed up near the end of the day, and they were starting to close up. The feel to the place was homey. Staff were not the most knowledgeable, but friendly, and were happy to pour as much wine as we liked. There was a lot to choose from. We bounced from taste to taste based on recommendations from the staff.
It was a mixed bag of wines. In addition to some being from the Livermore area, some of them were from various nearby regions: Lake County, Lodi, San Francisco Bay Area. Wines varied from off to good. The Sauvignon Blanc was completely unique. Hints of nastiness and pineapples on the nose. The body had cute, fragile characteristics, and a soft marshmallow mouthfeel. The Chardonnay was too much flavor. It had a sulfur aroma and strongly tasted of candied lemons. The Rosé was reminiscent of a stereotypical surfer - kinda vacuous and bland. I enjoyed the Greneche. It was simple but had a nice melange of flavors - flat cola, fruit juice, sage and funk. The Zinfandel was crazy dense, a kick in the mouth. The Merlot was just fine, pretty mainstream. I enjoyed the other Rhone, the Syrah as well. It had meaty pepper, and hinted of watermelon steak, backed by lots of acid. The Cabernet Sauvignon had a fun green entry with tons of fruit - not amazing, but quaff-able. We ended on the Petite Sirah - the one estate wine. It was similar to the overall experience - densely sweet, with light fruit, kind edges, and kind of jumbled.
Experience: B / Wine: C+
Well there it is. A whirlwind tour of the Livermore Valley. It's a sleepy region that has inspired folks to strike out and do what they love. And along the way they create friendly communities to join them. No one was really stuffy or seemed to look down on folks for not being knowledgeable enough - heck most of the places operated out of barns, and they maintained that quiet, supportive farmer mentality. I will say that I encountered very few interesting white wines. Many places relied upon Cabernet Sauvignon as their flagship grape. Aside from Napa, the California wine regions that I've visited are looking to stake their reputation to other varietals. Does this mean that Livermore will attempt to pivot away from Cab eventually? I'm guessing not, it's been a region for a long time, and while it's expansion is being fueled by the artisinal/locavore movement, I think they've defined themselves already.
November '14 Santa Barbara Trip - Black Friday
When your wife has work to do on the day after Thanksgiving, and you've got the day off, might as well hook up with some friends and check out some wineries. We wanted to check out some estate wineries, as well as a few tasting rooms in Los Olivos. Lincourt and Roblar are two of a handful of estate wineries that are on the east side of the Santa Ynez Valley that I had not yet visited, so we wanted to check those places out. After a morning afield, we planned to lunch in Los Olivos and meet up with a few more friends. Los Olivos was filled with folks who found themselves in the same predicament as us - thirsty and looking for something to do.
Once again I apologize for the lack of photos - I'm crap at remembering to take them, that's something my wife is smart about doing.
Lincourt Winery ($10 tasting, wines $18-$50)
'12 Steel Chardonnay, '13 Rosé (Grenache/Grüner Veltliner), '10 "Carol Ann" Chardonnay, '12 Pinot Noir - Lindsay's Vineyard, '12 "Annie Dyer" Pinot Noir, '12 Syrah, '11 Merlot, '12 Cabernet Sauvignon
A long while back, a coworker recommended Lincourt to me. I'd been dismissive of her recommendation, largely because Lincourt is a piece of a wine empire. Lincourt was the first piece, but the Foley Wine Group also is connected to Foley and Firestone in Santa Barbara, as well as wineries in Napa, Sonoma, Lake County, Washington and New Zealand. Empires give me pause - their products can be obnoxiously mainstream. However, over the years, I'd heard random folks saying supportive things about Lincourt, so I put it on my list.
Since my friend and I got such an early start leaving LA, Lincourt was an easy choice being that they are one of the only wineries in the area that opens at 10am. Arrive at 10am we did, first ones in the door. The property was pretty expansive from what I could see, open lawns, and a few patio areas. Inside was decorated typically - light coloring, a good amount of stuff for sale, a few different counters to sidle up to. The tasting room staff were still getting prepped when we waltzed in. We had a good conversation with the dude that took care of us. He was very enthusiastic about Lincourt's wines, and wine in general. He had all sorts of recommendations about where to travel to in France to enjoy wine.
Given the fact that Lincourt and Foley share a winemaker, it's not surprising that the profiles of the wines are similar - calm, smartly made, simple, broad-scale appeal. Of the chardonnays, I preferred the Carol Ann, despite the presence of aging in oak barrels, it was pretty. The Rosé was enjoyably crisp with a slight effervescence. Both Pinots were enjoyable, the Anne Dyer characteristics were well integrated and was quite full flavored - my favorite wine of the tasting. The Syrah was dense with jumpy fruit and vegetable notes. The merlot was overt - too much pucker. I'm bearish on the idea of Cabernet Sauvignons being grown in the region, I don't think that they work out all that well. The Lincourt Cabernet was good for the area, well layered with some chocolate, though still not as contemplative as the exciting Cabernets that I've had before.
Experience: B / Wine: B
Roblar Winery ($10 tasting, wines $20-$42)
'11 "Block One Reserve" Sauvignon Blanc, '12 Central Coast Chardonnay, '12 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir, '11 Grenache, '11 Estate Merlot
I've driven past Roblar a number of times, its on the road to a handful of places that I've visited before. From that vantage, I've been inclined to keep on driving by because it looks like a place that is popular with party buses - expansive parking lot and tons of touristy-looking folks rambling about. While researching this trip, I happened across Roblar's website, and noticed that they are a sister winery to Michel-Schlumberger in Sonoma, which I visited a few years back and loved. Well, if Robar had any of that magic, I was in.
The building is huge - it houses a sprawling tasting room and their winery. The tasting room evokes a hunting lodge feel, lots of wood and a massive fireplace. Even here we were early arrivals, so we grabbed a few tall chairs and sat at the bar. Given the high ceiling, I imagine when the place is busy it can get loud. Thankfully we had the run of the place when we were there. The tasting room manager was fun, very animated and very much about the Roblar wine.
The regular tasting list only scratched the surface of the wines that Roblar offers. It seemed for every varietal, there were three levels of choices. For the chardonnays, we were told that the premium chard was "like Land 'o Lakes," the moderate "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter," and the budget "Parkay." Categorizing the wines like that was a bad sign to me. Buttery chardonnay can beat streets. If that's what they're after they weren't going to be very enjoyable to me. The Sauvingnon Blanc followed that mold - too sweet, various flavors but mainstream. Despite my apprehension, the chardonnay was decent, crisp and approachable, The Pinot Noir as well was pretty good, classic juicy mainstream flavors, lots of cherry. The Grenache was a big disappointment. It is often a favorite of mine, but this fella was far too sweet to be enjoyable. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the Merlot - fruit-forward yet calm, and very nice acid.
Experience: C+ / Wine: C+
Larner Wine ($10 tasting, wines $23-$65)
'12 Rosé (Syrah/Grenache/Mourvèdre), '10 "Elemental" Red Blend (Grenache/Syrah/Mourvèdre), '10 Grenache, '10 Syrah, '09 Reserve Syrah
I'm a bit familiar with Larner's vineyard, as it's been a esteemed source of grapes for other wineries - supplying Samsara, Kaena, Bonaccorsi, Kenneth-Crawford and others. More recently, they've started making wines for their own label. Larner's tasting room is hidden in plain sight. Right at the main intersection in Los Olivos, smushed next to the Los Olivos General Store and the Panino sandwich shop is their tasting room. It's not even really a room, it's like an alcove. At one point during our tasting there were six people including us, and it was really crowded. Despite that, the woman in the tasting room was very cool, and excited to share Larner wines.
Small room, big wines. The rosé was grand - stark yet had a bright note in the middle. The reds were increasingly bombastic and creative. The "Elemental" was savory, vibrant and dense. The grenache started smooth, but became quite grippy toward the end - too overt for me. The sweet tomato entry on the regular syrah gave way to a dark blueberries profile - quite tart. The reserve syrah was the most interesting red - crushed flowers and juicy tannins - very boisterous.The wines were funny, as I was drinking them I was really engaged in them, until I realized how overt they were - these are big mamma-jamma wines, but they are made with intricate characteristics. Not my favorite profile, but definitely enjoyable and respectable.
Experience: B / Wines: B+
Byron Wines ($10 tasting, wines $22-$45)
'12 Pinot Blanc, '12 Chardonnay, '12 Chardonnay - Nielson Vineyard, '11 Pinot Noir, '12 Pinot Noir - Nielson Vineyard, '11 Pinot Noir - Julia's Vineyard
We really enjoyed Byron on our first visit there a few years back. The wine was expressive and mature, and the staff were confident and fun. This time around they seemed a bit off their game. I will have to say that it was quite crowded, but even with that they didn't seem to be able to deal with the situation. One of my friends purchased wine, which is supposed to then waive the tasting fee, when she pointed out that they had failed to do that, they took ten minutes to fix it, but still didn't fix it correctly. When she brought their attention to that mistake, they were not receptive. Rather than push it, my friend gave up. This experience definitely runs counter to to calmness and nimbleness that we were treated to before - so hopefully an anomaly.
Perhaps it was the busyness, or the exasperated manner of the staff when they were pouring, but I didn't enjoy the wine as much this time either. The whites were quite clean and crisp, but seemed buttoned up. I wrote in my notes that the Nielson Vineyard Chardonnay was the Tracey Flick of wines. The pinot noirs were more compelling. While the Santa Maria Valley Pinot was a bit too sweet, the Nielson Vineyard and the Julia's Vineyard were delicious - dark entry, good acid, well balanced.
Experience: B- / Wines: B
For a one day jaunt, we covered a good amount of ground (I didn't bother to add any notes about my tastings at Stolpman and Samsara considering that I've written so positively before about both that there's little new to add to my enthusiasm for those place). I was definitely thankful to not be the driver for this trip. Visiting some of the older estate wineries - Lincourt and Roblar - was interesting. The Foley/Lincourt empire is definitely smart about their enterprise. And while I didn't love Roblar, I can appreciate that they are creating quality wines with a smart business practice. I think I'm going to have to go back to Larner at some point to figure out if their wines are too big for me, or justifiably bombastic.
Once again I apologize for the lack of photos - I'm crap at remembering to take them, that's something my wife is smart about doing.
Lincourt Winery ($10 tasting, wines $18-$50)
'12 Steel Chardonnay, '13 Rosé (Grenache/Grüner Veltliner), '10 "Carol Ann" Chardonnay, '12 Pinot Noir - Lindsay's Vineyard, '12 "Annie Dyer" Pinot Noir, '12 Syrah, '11 Merlot, '12 Cabernet Sauvignon
A long while back, a coworker recommended Lincourt to me. I'd been dismissive of her recommendation, largely because Lincourt is a piece of a wine empire. Lincourt was the first piece, but the Foley Wine Group also is connected to Foley and Firestone in Santa Barbara, as well as wineries in Napa, Sonoma, Lake County, Washington and New Zealand. Empires give me pause - their products can be obnoxiously mainstream. However, over the years, I'd heard random folks saying supportive things about Lincourt, so I put it on my list.
Since my friend and I got such an early start leaving LA, Lincourt was an easy choice being that they are one of the only wineries in the area that opens at 10am. Arrive at 10am we did, first ones in the door. The property was pretty expansive from what I could see, open lawns, and a few patio areas. Inside was decorated typically - light coloring, a good amount of stuff for sale, a few different counters to sidle up to. The tasting room staff were still getting prepped when we waltzed in. We had a good conversation with the dude that took care of us. He was very enthusiastic about Lincourt's wines, and wine in general. He had all sorts of recommendations about where to travel to in France to enjoy wine.
Given the fact that Lincourt and Foley share a winemaker, it's not surprising that the profiles of the wines are similar - calm, smartly made, simple, broad-scale appeal. Of the chardonnays, I preferred the Carol Ann, despite the presence of aging in oak barrels, it was pretty. The Rosé was enjoyably crisp with a slight effervescence. Both Pinots were enjoyable, the Anne Dyer characteristics were well integrated and was quite full flavored - my favorite wine of the tasting. The Syrah was dense with jumpy fruit and vegetable notes. The merlot was overt - too much pucker. I'm bearish on the idea of Cabernet Sauvignons being grown in the region, I don't think that they work out all that well. The Lincourt Cabernet was good for the area, well layered with some chocolate, though still not as contemplative as the exciting Cabernets that I've had before.
Experience: B / Wine: B
Roblar Winery ($10 tasting, wines $20-$42)
'11 "Block One Reserve" Sauvignon Blanc, '12 Central Coast Chardonnay, '12 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir, '11 Grenache, '11 Estate Merlot
I've driven past Roblar a number of times, its on the road to a handful of places that I've visited before. From that vantage, I've been inclined to keep on driving by because it looks like a place that is popular with party buses - expansive parking lot and tons of touristy-looking folks rambling about. While researching this trip, I happened across Roblar's website, and noticed that they are a sister winery to Michel-Schlumberger in Sonoma, which I visited a few years back and loved. Well, if Robar had any of that magic, I was in.
The building is huge - it houses a sprawling tasting room and their winery. The tasting room evokes a hunting lodge feel, lots of wood and a massive fireplace. Even here we were early arrivals, so we grabbed a few tall chairs and sat at the bar. Given the high ceiling, I imagine when the place is busy it can get loud. Thankfully we had the run of the place when we were there. The tasting room manager was fun, very animated and very much about the Roblar wine.
The regular tasting list only scratched the surface of the wines that Roblar offers. It seemed for every varietal, there were three levels of choices. For the chardonnays, we were told that the premium chard was "like Land 'o Lakes," the moderate "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter," and the budget "Parkay." Categorizing the wines like that was a bad sign to me. Buttery chardonnay can beat streets. If that's what they're after they weren't going to be very enjoyable to me. The Sauvingnon Blanc followed that mold - too sweet, various flavors but mainstream. Despite my apprehension, the chardonnay was decent, crisp and approachable, The Pinot Noir as well was pretty good, classic juicy mainstream flavors, lots of cherry. The Grenache was a big disappointment. It is often a favorite of mine, but this fella was far too sweet to be enjoyable. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the Merlot - fruit-forward yet calm, and very nice acid.
Experience: C+ / Wine: C+
Larner Wine ($10 tasting, wines $23-$65)
'12 Rosé (Syrah/Grenache/Mourvèdre), '10 "Elemental" Red Blend (Grenache/Syrah/Mourvèdre), '10 Grenache, '10 Syrah, '09 Reserve Syrah
I'm a bit familiar with Larner's vineyard, as it's been a esteemed source of grapes for other wineries - supplying Samsara, Kaena, Bonaccorsi, Kenneth-Crawford and others. More recently, they've started making wines for their own label. Larner's tasting room is hidden in plain sight. Right at the main intersection in Los Olivos, smushed next to the Los Olivos General Store and the Panino sandwich shop is their tasting room. It's not even really a room, it's like an alcove. At one point during our tasting there were six people including us, and it was really crowded. Despite that, the woman in the tasting room was very cool, and excited to share Larner wines.
Small room, big wines. The rosé was grand - stark yet had a bright note in the middle. The reds were increasingly bombastic and creative. The "Elemental" was savory, vibrant and dense. The grenache started smooth, but became quite grippy toward the end - too overt for me. The sweet tomato entry on the regular syrah gave way to a dark blueberries profile - quite tart. The reserve syrah was the most interesting red - crushed flowers and juicy tannins - very boisterous.The wines were funny, as I was drinking them I was really engaged in them, until I realized how overt they were - these are big mamma-jamma wines, but they are made with intricate characteristics. Not my favorite profile, but definitely enjoyable and respectable.
Experience: B / Wines: B+
Byron Wines ($10 tasting, wines $22-$45)
'12 Pinot Blanc, '12 Chardonnay, '12 Chardonnay - Nielson Vineyard, '11 Pinot Noir, '12 Pinot Noir - Nielson Vineyard, '11 Pinot Noir - Julia's Vineyard
We really enjoyed Byron on our first visit there a few years back. The wine was expressive and mature, and the staff were confident and fun. This time around they seemed a bit off their game. I will have to say that it was quite crowded, but even with that they didn't seem to be able to deal with the situation. One of my friends purchased wine, which is supposed to then waive the tasting fee, when she pointed out that they had failed to do that, they took ten minutes to fix it, but still didn't fix it correctly. When she brought their attention to that mistake, they were not receptive. Rather than push it, my friend gave up. This experience definitely runs counter to to calmness and nimbleness that we were treated to before - so hopefully an anomaly.
Perhaps it was the busyness, or the exasperated manner of the staff when they were pouring, but I didn't enjoy the wine as much this time either. The whites were quite clean and crisp, but seemed buttoned up. I wrote in my notes that the Nielson Vineyard Chardonnay was the Tracey Flick of wines. The pinot noirs were more compelling. While the Santa Maria Valley Pinot was a bit too sweet, the Nielson Vineyard and the Julia's Vineyard were delicious - dark entry, good acid, well balanced.
Experience: B- / Wines: B
For a one day jaunt, we covered a good amount of ground (I didn't bother to add any notes about my tastings at Stolpman and Samsara considering that I've written so positively before about both that there's little new to add to my enthusiasm for those place). I was definitely thankful to not be the driver for this trip. Visiting some of the older estate wineries - Lincourt and Roblar - was interesting. The Foley/Lincourt empire is definitely smart about their enterprise. And while I didn't love Roblar, I can appreciate that they are creating quality wines with a smart business practice. I think I'm going to have to go back to Larner at some point to figure out if their wines are too big for me, or justifiably bombastic.
June '14 El Dorado County Trip - Long Talks and Medium Sips
Here I find myself realizing that I completely forgot to log this trip. I hadn't expected to do any tasting on this trip, so I didn't bring my trusty notebook. So I reverted to my old technique of writing notes on the tasting sheets. Keeping those loose sheets out of the recycling bin can be tricky. Apparently that's where they ended up this time, because I didn't even realize that I had not yet written this entry until seven months later. So I'll do my best to recall the wines that I tried. Thankfully, my memory of the experience is pretty clear.
My wife and I were up in the area for a family camping trip, and given that my wife had a little more work to accomplish from her folks' house, I decided to venture out to a few Apple Hill wineries to occupy myself. It was the middle of the week, and a hot day, so I was the only taster at both places - meaning that I had a good opportunity to chat up the folks working the tasting rooms.
Fenton Herriott Vineyards ($0 tasting, wines $15-$25)
'13 Chardonnay, '12 Gewürztraminer, NV Janeway Lot 2 (Chardonnay/Gewürztraminer), '10 Zinfandel, '11 Barbera, '11 Syrah, '10 White "Port", '11 Ruby Syrah "Port"
The Fenton Herriott estate is a simple and friendly spot. You enter the gate, pass by a barn, and drive up a short hill to the tasting room. Beyond the room is a picnic area and the vineyard itself. Inside is a plainly decorated room with a good amount of space. Debbie, the tasting room manager, was dealing with paperwork when I arrived. She put that aside, and gave me the royal treatment. Good god, she was friendly. We yakked for a long time while she poured several wines. One should not assume that Debbie is always friendly though. Toward the end of my tasting some guys trying to sell printing supplies came in, much to Debbie's irritation. She sent them packing with efficiency. The tasting list is pretty long, and she invited me to taste whatever I wanted to. I was aiming to taste a little bit less, but she encouraged me to try more.
To me, Fenton Herriott represents the typical Sierra Foothills winery. The wines are definitely inexpensive, there is a wide variety of wines being made - many not ideal to the region, and the wines are not at all complex - some are pretty good, some are not. The Gewürztraminer was too sticky, and the white blend didn't come together well. The reds were basic, none stood out as having interesting characteristics. I did enjoy the Chardonnay. It too was simple, but had a good calm flavor to it.
Experience: B / Wines: C
Chateau Davell Boutique Winery ($5 tasting)
'13 "Chloe" Chardonnay, '11 "Marguerite" Red Rhone Blend, '12 "Zander" Zinfandel, '12 "Augustus" Super Tuscan, '11 Cabernet Sauvignon
Apparently, I've been drinking wine long enough to be typecast. Debbie at Fenton Herriott told me "Oh you should go to Chateau Davell, it's the sort of place that you'd love." I'd never heard about Chateau Davell before, but I was open to recommendations. The tasting room is located within the same grouping as Crystal Basin and Bumgarner, which I visited a few years back. It's a tiny, homey-looking building, with some kids toys and space for running around out front. The interior is cozy and rustic. Upon entering, the winemaker, Eric, came out of the back. On quiet days like the day I visited he paints in the back. All of the label art is painted by him, and most of it is portraiture of his family.
Eric was a super neat dude to chat with. He was calm and confident in his work. He was accommodating, but didn't feel the need to fill in the empty spaces of the conversation. In addition to the vineyard, his family has an organic farm where they grow produce to sell to local markets. He and his wife were compelled to start growing organic because of their children. All of the wine is grown organically and some is unfiltered (perhaps this is what Debbie had in mind when she directed me here).
The wine was very much like Eric - not overstated, individual, and enjoyable. I really liked the Chardonnay. It was playful and classy. The reds were nice, but lacking my notes, I can't recall which ones really stood out. I have a feeling that I'll be back at Chateau Davell, next time around I'll be sure to bring my notepad.
Experience: B / Wines: B
For a quick visit, this trip made an impression on me. There really is something special about wine tasting in the Sierra Foothills. Sure the wine can be hit-and-miss, but the people can't be beat. They are friendly, helpful, and proud. I realize that I can get caught up in the luxurious estates with the palatial grounds, but what I really enjoy is the good conversation. And that's what this area is all about.
My wife and I were up in the area for a family camping trip, and given that my wife had a little more work to accomplish from her folks' house, I decided to venture out to a few Apple Hill wineries to occupy myself. It was the middle of the week, and a hot day, so I was the only taster at both places - meaning that I had a good opportunity to chat up the folks working the tasting rooms.
Fenton Herriott Vineyards ($0 tasting, wines $15-$25)
'13 Chardonnay, '12 Gewürztraminer, NV Janeway Lot 2 (Chardonnay/Gewürztraminer), '10 Zinfandel, '11 Barbera, '11 Syrah, '10 White "Port", '11 Ruby Syrah "Port"
The Fenton Herriott estate is a simple and friendly spot. You enter the gate, pass by a barn, and drive up a short hill to the tasting room. Beyond the room is a picnic area and the vineyard itself. Inside is a plainly decorated room with a good amount of space. Debbie, the tasting room manager, was dealing with paperwork when I arrived. She put that aside, and gave me the royal treatment. Good god, she was friendly. We yakked for a long time while she poured several wines. One should not assume that Debbie is always friendly though. Toward the end of my tasting some guys trying to sell printing supplies came in, much to Debbie's irritation. She sent them packing with efficiency. The tasting list is pretty long, and she invited me to taste whatever I wanted to. I was aiming to taste a little bit less, but she encouraged me to try more.
To me, Fenton Herriott represents the typical Sierra Foothills winery. The wines are definitely inexpensive, there is a wide variety of wines being made - many not ideal to the region, and the wines are not at all complex - some are pretty good, some are not. The Gewürztraminer was too sticky, and the white blend didn't come together well. The reds were basic, none stood out as having interesting characteristics. I did enjoy the Chardonnay. It too was simple, but had a good calm flavor to it.
Experience: B / Wines: C
Chateau Davell Boutique Winery ($5 tasting)
'13 "Chloe" Chardonnay, '11 "Marguerite" Red Rhone Blend, '12 "Zander" Zinfandel, '12 "Augustus" Super Tuscan, '11 Cabernet Sauvignon
Apparently, I've been drinking wine long enough to be typecast. Debbie at Fenton Herriott told me "Oh you should go to Chateau Davell, it's the sort of place that you'd love." I'd never heard about Chateau Davell before, but I was open to recommendations. The tasting room is located within the same grouping as Crystal Basin and Bumgarner, which I visited a few years back. It's a tiny, homey-looking building, with some kids toys and space for running around out front. The interior is cozy and rustic. Upon entering, the winemaker, Eric, came out of the back. On quiet days like the day I visited he paints in the back. All of the label art is painted by him, and most of it is portraiture of his family.
Eric was a super neat dude to chat with. He was calm and confident in his work. He was accommodating, but didn't feel the need to fill in the empty spaces of the conversation. In addition to the vineyard, his family has an organic farm where they grow produce to sell to local markets. He and his wife were compelled to start growing organic because of their children. All of the wine is grown organically and some is unfiltered (perhaps this is what Debbie had in mind when she directed me here).
The wine was very much like Eric - not overstated, individual, and enjoyable. I really liked the Chardonnay. It was playful and classy. The reds were nice, but lacking my notes, I can't recall which ones really stood out. I have a feeling that I'll be back at Chateau Davell, next time around I'll be sure to bring my notepad.
Experience: B / Wines: B
For a quick visit, this trip made an impression on me. There really is something special about wine tasting in the Sierra Foothills. Sure the wine can be hit-and-miss, but the people can't be beat. They are friendly, helpful, and proud. I realize that I can get caught up in the luxurious estates with the palatial grounds, but what I really enjoy is the good conversation. And that's what this area is all about.
October '14 Santa Barbara Trip - Backtracking
We found ourselves drawn up to the area once again by a party. This time we were going to one of Stolpman's member parties at their vineyard in Ballard Canyon. That party, btw, was off the chain. Even though it was ridiculously hot that day, they really rolled out the red carpet for their members - a great tour led by Peter Stolpman, Ruben "The Grape Whisperer" Solórzano cooked up some awesome tacos, almost the full roster of Stolpman wines were being poured, and they even had a mariachi band - quite a shindig. After the party we had that afternoon and next morning to visit some other wineries.I've realized that many of the places that I visited early on deserve a second glace. After a second visit to Zotovich, I changed my tune. Some places, like Beckmen, took a second visit to confirm my opinion. And at Palmina, which I loved on my first visit, strongly lost it's luster the second time around. So with that in mind, we decided to revisit Cold Heaven in Buellton on Saturday, and then Longoria and Moretti on Sunday in Lompoc.
Cold Heaven Cellars ($10 tasting, wines $22-$75)
'12 Viognier- Le Bon Climat, '11 "Mutchmore" Pinot Noir, '10 "Nevertell" Pinot Noir, '10 "Second Sin" Syrah, '04 "Second Sin" Syrah, '08 "Domaine Des Mondes" Syrah, '13 Late Harvest Viognier
Owner/winemaker Morgan Clendenen is an interesting character. She got
her start in wine working for a distributor in North Carolina. During a
stint at a Napa winery, she met Jim Clendenen, an institution in the Santa
Barbara region - most known for his winery Au Bon Climat. Morgan and Jim married and she
started the Cold Heaven label with him. They are now divorced, and Morgan know runs the winery independently. Cold Heaven is a quandary. Despite how our first visit was off-kilter, we still enjoyed the wines. And, at one of our early wine parties, a Cold Heaven Pinot was a big hit. It's focus on Viognier was one of the original attractants for us, it's my wife's favorite white grape. We were excited to go back for a revisit.
Once again the tasting room was a bit of a disaster. The dude running the place was terribly nice, but really not on top of things. The tasting room is tiny, and any time there was more than one small group in for a tasting it got really cramped, which he didn't really have a solution for. Also, we were looking forward to the Viognier - on our first visit we tried four different ones - this time around there was only one to try.
The wine was just pretty good. The Viognier was easy and enjoyable - candied lemons. I enjoyed the Muchmore Pinot somewhat more than the Nevertell Pinot, especially given the price difference ($22 vs. $38). The Nevertell was overflavored while the Muchmore had a lighter body and blueberry compote. I wasn't expecting to try three Syrahs, but that was the order of the day. The '04 Second Sin was by far my favorite of the three - velvety with some meat on it. The other two were both quite dense, giving me the feeling that they could probably age and turn out like the older Second Sin. Finally the Late Harvest Viognier was a treat - light/bright lemons and caramelized grapefruit.
Experience: B- / Wine: B-
Longoria Wines ($10 tasting, wines $19-$48)
'13 Pinot Grigio, '12 "Cuvée Diana" Chardonnay, '11 Pinot Noir - Fe Ciega, '11 Tempranillo, '11 "Blues Cuvée" Red Blend (Cabernet Franc/Syrah/Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Malbec), '10 "Vino Dulce" Syrah Dessert Wine
We had a great time during our first visit to Longoria's Lompoc Wine Ghetto space. That time we visited in late fall, as grapes were fermenting, and since the tasting room was on part of the winery, we were given an up close view on the fermentation process by the tasting room attendent. We also really enjoyed the wine. I had heard that Longoria was moving into a new space in Lompoc, so I was interested in seeing their new spot. The new space is a very old space for the Lompoc community. Rhe building was constructed in 1913 to as the "JM Club" - a gathering space for employees of the Johns-Manville Company, then the Celite World Minerals Company. The space was often used for dances or parties. Many long-time residents recalled going there for weddings or other celebrations. The space had fallen on disrepair, prompting the Longorias to purchase it and spruce it up for the tasting room, adding a winemaking facility in the back. They faithfully restored old features of the building, the molding, windows, doors, fireplace, etc.. Lucky for us, Diana, Rick Longoria's wife was in the tasting room on the day of our visit, she was happy to show us around the new space and discuss the efforts they went to in bringing the place back to life.
I take it as a good sign that Longoria is establishing a space outside of the Ghetto. Rick and Diana were the first winery to open up in the Wine Ghetto. Now some 19 wineries call the Wine Ghetto home. As the area becomes more serious about wine, more wineries are going to pop up and help to renew spaces throughout the town - which I think will be positive for the economic health of Lompoc. It's a neat model to see unused buildings being adapted into wineries.
Diana guided us through our tasting. Pinot Grigio has been a mainstay of their roster since 1999. It was crisp with clear notes of lemons and pineapples, not braggy for sure, but a bit too understated. The Chardonnay showed clear signs of oak on the palate, though it was well integrated. It was serious but playful. The Pinot opened brightly with tar and inky dark jam, simple yet high quality. I dug the Tempranillo most - a quiet dusty entry lead to a macho blackberry body and then late playfulness. Definitely Cali-style but mature. The red blend was bright and had rust, but it was monochromatic. The dessert wine was smartly made, a nice balance of sweet and zip - chocolate raspberries. None of the wines knocked it out of the park, but they were thoughtful.
Experience: B+ / Wine: B
Moretti Wines ($10 tasting, wines $20-$35)
'13 "Bianchetto" White Blend (Tocai Friulano/Arneis/Malvasia Bianca), '13 Rosé (Pinot Noir), '11 Pinot Noir - Machado, '10 "Rosso Mio" (Dolcetto/Barbera/Nebbiolo), '11 Merlot
Antonio Moretti is a big booster of the Santa Rita Hills. A long-time restauranteur from Italy, he fell in love with wines from the area, and decided to move there. Eventually he opened up "Taste of Sta. Rita Hills" wine bar located in the Wine Ghetto - a shop focused on featuring wines from a variety of smaller labels that didn't have their own tasting rooms. Back in 2011 we visited Taste of Sta. Rita Hills. Antonio was an awesome host, sharing his enthusiasm for the wine of the region, even pairing cheeses and meats that paired well with the wines on the tasting list. In that first tasting, we did try a few of the wines that Antonio had made himself under the Moretti Wines label. More recently, Antonio and his wife Jeni opened up an additional tasting room in the Ghetto to display their own wines.It is a welcoming space with a little patio area so that folks can have their lunch while enjoying a glass of Moretti wine. On the day of our visit Jeni Moretti was staffing the space along with her big German Shepherd. She, like Antonio, was an amiable host. We chatted at length about her experiences in the wine world, living in a rural area, and of course Moretti wines. I was not wowed by the wines. Easy yes, interesting not as much - which is how I remember the Moretti wines that I had back in '11. The Bianchetto had lots of lemon lime and late stonefruit. The Rosé was pretty with strawberries, and slightly sweet. For me, the Pinot Noir had a big flavorful entry and too much of a mainstream profile. The red blend followed suit - big bright fruit entry with a jammy acid kick. I enjoyed the Merlot most, thanks to its tobacco/chocolate characteristics, which added depth to the fruit notes.
Experience: B / Wine: C+
It's nice to be able to revisit. My opinion of Cold Heaven was confirmed - pretty good wine with a tasting room that lacks organization. Longoria is a solid institution in the region, with solidly made wine. I and am very happy to see how they are revitalizing Lompoc with their new tasting room. And Moretti has great customer service and simple, flavorful wines.
What was fun about this visit was the conversations. At both Longoria and Moretti we were able to have long talks with the matriarchs of the wineries. Owning a winery is an exercise in passion and frustration, and both Diana and Jeni were calm yet passionate people. I'm certain that I wouldn't be able to be as cool as they are if the wine world was my career.
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