December '13 Amador County Trip - In Search of OGP...Yeah You Know Me

On the second day of holiday downtime with the family, my brother-in-law decided to scoot on down to Amador County. Monday is a quiet day, and not all of the wineries in the area were open. One goal that I had in mind was to go to Vino Noceto, to try their Old Grandperé Zinfandel. While at Vino Noceto, we were strongly encouraged to check out the brand new Turley tasting room just down the road.

Young's Vineyard ($0 tasting, wines $25-$42)
'12 Viognier, '11 Sangiovese, '11 Zinfandel, '11 Barbera, '11 Petite Sirah, '11 Cabernet Sauvignon
I enjoyed Young's the first time that we visiting the Shenendoah Valley. My brother-in-law dug the hell out of Young's on that trip, so when he and I decided to roll out to the area, he really wanted to go again, which I was totally cool with. It was a Monday, so it was very quiet, just a big-ass golden retriever snoozing on the floor when we arrived. The dog was sweet and enjoyed being pet. The lady behind the counter was friendly as well, though I did not try to find out if she liked ear scratches too. The tasting room was painted with dark colors, which gave the place a bit of a spooky gothic feel, but is also calming in a weird way. 

Young's also abides by the high acid / low tannin profile that I've seen at other quality wineries in the Amador region. The Viognier was a little tainted with smoke on the opening, but that gave way to light citrus and enjoyable green hues. The oak was evident, but not obnoxiously overt. All of the reds were calm but still showed unique characteristics. My favorite was the Zinfandel. Once again a little bit of oak showing, though there were nice layers of flavors. It was a bit bombastic compared to their other wines, however its alcohol volume was a scant 14.2% - pretty low for the region. All of the wines were solidly below 15%, and the Cabernet was only 13%. I wasn't wild about their Cabernet. It was pretty, but too sweet and too green. I'm sure they put strong effort into making it, but it wasn't worth the $42 that they were charging for it. Overall the wines that we tried showed confidence by the winemaker - it's definitely in the upper crust of places that I've visited in the area. 
Experience: B / Wine: B

Vino Noceto Winery ($0 tasting, wines $16-$28)
'12 Pinot Grigio, '10 "Noceto" Sangiovese, '10 "Riserva" Sangiovese, '10 Barbera - Linsteadt, '10 Zinfandel - Original Grandpére, '13 "Frivolo" Moscato

Vino Noceto is known for three wines - their Sangioveses - which they have a number of, their "Frivolo" Moscato dessert wine, and their Original Grandpére Zinfandel. I'm fine with Sangio's, I'm not enthused about Moscatos, but I am always down to try the different versions of Old Grandpére that are found at various wineries in the area. "OGP" is the oldest Zinfandel vineyard in California - planted in 1860. Other wineries will sell their bottlings of it, and infrequently will include on their reserve tasting lists, but Vino Noceto is the only winery that will regularly pour it.
We rolled up and the place was rather packed.  Two large groups had almost completely filled the place. Both groups were having a great time. We managed to squeeze our way in to get a taste. Everyone else finished up partway through our tasting, and eventually it was just us and the two goofy dudes who were the pourers. The mood of the place was welcoming - snacks were out and the pourings were generous.

All of the wines were sweeter in profile than I would have expected, and given that the wines were generally in the low 14% range for alcohol, the sweetness wasn't coming from being high octane. The "Riserva" Sangiovese was more dialed in - robust and at the same time more calm - compared to the standard "Noceto" bottling. The "Linsteadt" Barbera was dense and sweet, strangely nearing the qualities of a port somehow. The OGP too seemed obnoxiously port-like. It did show an interesting variety of subtle flavors, but unfortunately the sweetness was too prevalent to enjoy the wine as much as I would have liked. 

Vino Noceto seems to be doing business at a good clip. People rave about their Mosceto and their baseline Sangiovese. They seem to have very affordable case deals available often, and overall their wines are very nicely priced. It's a fun place for people that don't want to take their wine too seriously.
Experience: B / Wine: C+

Turley Wine Cellars ($10 tasting, wines $28-$50)

'11 "Old Vines" Zinfandel, '11 "Judge Bell" Zinfandel, '05 "Dogtown" Zinfandel, '10 "The Label" Cabernet Sauvignon

The new kid on the block. The tasting room had just opened up within the last month when we visited. Turley has been around for a while, with a tasting room in Paso Robles, and having a decent sized distribution with wines made from various California regions - Contra Costa, Lodi, Mendocino, Napa, Paso Robles, and Sonoma. They've been making wine with Amador grapes going back several years, and more recently purchased the old Karly vineyard. Now with that vineyard, they'all start to make Amador specific Zin, rather than using it in California designate Zinfandel. It's a sign of growth for Amador that larger labels like Turley and Renwood are not just making wines from the area but actually have a physical presence with their tasting rooms. 

The interior features a wrap-around bar in the center of the room, and a lot of open space surrounding it. Even though it's a brand new space, the decor has a weather look that's artsy while at the same time evoking a western roadhouse. It was just us and the tasting room manager when we were then, and it felt like we should be speaking in hushed tones given the echoing off the hardwood throughout. She wasn't the friendliest of tasting room folks that I've ever met, but she was pretty knowledgeable about the wine.

Turley is know for their Zins, and though the list was limited given their recent opening, Zins were three out of the four wines on the tasting menu. The "Old Vines" Zin is a blend from all of the growing regions. It had a huge red fruit flavor, tons of acid, and was, I guess "kinda likeable - that's what I have written in my notes. The "Judge Bell" is their first Amador specific wine that they've made. It's from Story Winery's vineyard, next door neighbors of Turley's new Amador vineyard.Still big flavor, though more calm compared to the Old Vines, typical Zin profile, a little lime within the acid. Given it's age, the '05 Dogtown showed Cabernet characteristics: muted and medium fruit. It did still retain some grip though. It was my least favorite of the Zins. Finally we tried the Cab, labeled, well, "The Label" - named because it's from the vineyard on the property of the Turley family in Napa. It was being sold in a large-format bottle. It was a quiet wine, especially compared to the rest of the tasting. Some greenness, generally unexciting. 

Experience: C+ / Wines: B-

Kind of a typical day for Amador. Solid experience at Young's, inexpensive and rambunctious wine at Vino Noceto, and Turley representing the newcomers was a bit pricier and more refined than the average spot in the area. Though at the end of the day, I truly hope that the Turleys don't push out the Vino Nocetos. Amador's charm comes from it's sleepiness and unassuming nature. The more that wineries from out of the area roll in and bring their stuffier mentalities, the less it will be enjoyable. Let's hope that the competition compels more growth in winemaking technique in the area, but doesn't wipe out the personable nature.

December '13 El Dorado County Trip - Highs and Ho-Hums

Another holiday season, another trip up to the Sierra Foothills to visit with the in-laws. It's not as though I'm using winery visits to hide away from my wife's family, I really like them, and sometimes they come along for the visits,  it's just that there's tons of downtime while I'm there, so I steal away to check out a few wineries in the area. I really enjoy the mood of the region, folks are friendly, unassuming and proud of their wines. I had the visit to La Clarine set up ahead of time. Miraflores was a place that I had intended to visit for awhile, and since it was nearby, we stopped there as well.

La Clarine Farm ($0 tasting, wines $20-$26)
 '12 White Blend (Viognier/Marsanne/Petit Manseng), '12 Mourvédre - Cedarville, '12 "Josephine + Mariposa" (Grenache/Mourvédre), '12 "Home Vineyard" (Tannat/Tempranillo/Syrah/Cabernet Sauvignon)
La Clarine is definitely off the beaten path, a figurative concept that was made literal to me when driving to the farm on a bumpy back hills road. It doesn't have any signs and you can't find it on any wine region maps. Bill Easton at Terre Rouge was the first person that mentioned it to me, but then after checking out the La Clarine website, I noticed that a local wine shop - Domaine LA - spoke very highly about it, as well, Eric Asimov from the NY Times seemed to be a big fan. So I was excited to make an appointment for a visit. When we arrived, Hank and Caroline were very welcoming hosts, along with their cadre of playful dogs and twenty goats. Both Hank and Caroline have other jobs, but manage to run a small vineyard and make around 1500 cases of wine a year.
The led us on a hike up the hill to their vineyard, and discussed their growing process. Their home vineyard utilizes farming techniques that are inspired by The One Straw Revolution (a book by Masanobu Fukuoka). It's the most natural vineyard farming technique that I've ever seen. The vines were not trellised at all, and the surrounding earth was allowed to grow natural ground cover. Hank seemed to be approaching the vineyard with a c'est la vie attitude, growing a variety of grapes - Tempranillo, Tannat, Syrah, Grenache, and Cabernet Sauvignon - and seeing how they did in that situation. Though they were clear that while they weren't rigid with their growing techniques, it was still really hard work. But standing on top of that hill, seeing those happy dormant vines, and having a panoramic view of the foothills, you can see how their passion is fulfilled.
We headed back down the hill to check out the completed product. Their wine making facility is as low-frills as it gets, a work shed filled to the rafters with wine aging in barrels and winemaking equipment. We tasted the wine on a piece of countertop that was laid on a drum. All of the wines are fermented with native yeasts, and only go through malolactic fermentation if it naturally occurs. The wine is foot pressed and unfiltered. The white wine is aged in plastic "Flextanks" that mimic aging in concrete, and the red wine is only aged in neutral oak barrels. A majority of the wine that they make is sourced from other vineyards, the grapes from their vineyard go into the "Home Vineyard" blend.
We tried four different wines. The White had a full spectrum of acidity, a variety of flavors including hints of sage - very enjoyable. The Mouvédre was playful, lots and lots of authentic berries, especially strawberries and a wood bark note on the front, light and solid. The "Josephine + Mariposa" was my favorite, smooth tannins but lots of tongue prickling acid, an overall fun drink. La Clarine bottles a more than those three, but depending on the time of the year, they may only have a few available. We bought the last of the while we were there, and the Mourvedre was nearly gone too. My wife inquired whether there was anything in barrel that we could try, and Hank went into the shed with a wine thief and brought out a measuring cup filled with the '12 "Home Vineyard" Red Blend - a friendly young wine with juicy tannins and a full body, it should be a treat by the time it's bottled.
Visiting with Hank and Caroline and seeing what they are doing at La Clarine is the ultimate wine experience for me. They are two passionate and warm people that are able to pour their hearts into creating something. They are making delicious wine with very little intervention. And they are doing it their own way. And they're great hosts.
Experience: A / Wine: A-

Miraflores Winery ($0 tasting, wines $20-$30)
'12 Viognier, '06 Zinfandel, '10 Zinfandel, '07 Syrah, '09 Syrah, '10 Syrah, '10 "Methode Ancienne" Syrah, '10 Petite Sirah, '10 "Meritage" (Cabernet Sauvignon/Petite Verdot/Malbec)
The tasting room sits atop a small hill overlooking the vineyard. It's an attractive and interesting Mediterranean style, with clay style walls and lots of old wood features. Inside is a high ceilinged space and a long bar. The ladies behind the bar were decked out in Christmas hats. They were happy to pour anything we wanted from the long tasting list. What was neat about their wine list was that they featured a number of multiple vintages of the same wine, so that you could try the '07, '09, and '10 Syrah, or the '06 and '10 Zinfandel. That's only something I've seen at special reserve tastings. It's always fun to compare one vintage to another. Toward the end of our tasting, we went out onto the patio, and enjoyed our tasting and the great weather.

It's really hard for me to go from a place like La Clarine to any other winery without the following winery to be cast in a pale light. La Clarine represents an ideal wine experience Miraflores is a pretty spot, and the people there are nice, but it's  not going to be able to match up for me. Right out of the gate with the Viognier I felt that the flavors were off - too much sulphur, lack of discernible fruit, rough rather than smooth. Thankfully from there the wines improved somewhat. The '06 and '10 Zins were decent - jammy, exuberant, nice pepper, not very complex. Out of the four Syrahs that I tried, the '09 was my favorite, more restrained than the others. The '06 was good as well, bombastic flavors. The "Methode Ancienne" was made with native yeasts and stomped by foot. I really like wines that use only native yeasts, but this one was the least enjoyable Syrah at Miraflores. The Petite Sirah and the "Meritage" were not interesting. 

Given the earlier comparison, Miraflores wasn't very interesting. The wines were safe and not complex. However, compared to the wider range of wineries in El Dorado County, it's a solid place. It has a pretty space, a good vibe, and offers fun vertical tastings. 
Experience: B- / Wines: C+

Quite a day. La Clarine was everything that I expected it would be: earthy, friendly, unconventional, complex, and high quality. I'm glad we went to Miraflores as well. I had been wanting to go there for a long time, having heard that it was a well run establishment. It's a funny comparison. Miraflores is pretty much a paint by numbers place, and does so in a well thought out way. It is definitely a place with mass appeal. In hindsight we should have reversed the order of the visits. But they both exhibit the reason that I enjoy going to wineries in the Foothills. They are relaxing places where people are enjoying what they do without a pretentious attitude.