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.
Showing posts with label Los Olivos. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Los Olivos. Show all posts
July '13 Santa Barbara Trip - The Old New is Old, the New New is Very New
Even though visits to the Santa Barbara wine country are old hat for me now, new was the theme for this trip. We went with new friends, checked out some newly opened wineries, and we experimented with mixing camping and winery-hopping together (what I am trying to brand as "wamping," though without much success). Saturday (Los Olivos)
Sandhi Wines ($10 tasting, wines $28-$45)
'11 Chardonnay - Santa Rita Hills, '11 Chardonnay - Rita's Crown, '11 Chardonnay - Sanford & Benedict, '12 Rosè of Pinot Noir - Rita's Crown, '11 Pinot Noir - Santa Rita Hills, '11 Pinot Noir - La Encantada, '11 Pinot Noir - Wenzlau
Sandhi is a rather new winery that's been created by partners Rajat Parr - a super famous sommelier, Charles Banks - owner of Jonata and Screaming Eagle wineries, and the winemaker and all-around badass Sashi Moorman of Piedrasassi, Stolpman, and Evening Land. The tasting room is in a small building in the back of what is now Mattei's Tavern - originally built in 1886 as a hotel for the carriage line that went through the Santa Ynez Valley. Now Mattei's Tavern is hip restaurant serving both traditional and modern local fare. Sandhi moved into the complex in November, and has intentions to expand to making pizzas out on their patio.
It was a bit tricky for us to find the tasting room, it's placed on the far back corner of the property, though it would have been easy enough to drive up to if we had taken the alleyway. We were welcomed into the old made new sleek space. The tasting room attendant was a fun guy to chat with, he was very much on our wavelength.
The wines were all top shelf quality. Acid was well utilized to provide structure, and the alcohol levels were kept low, so the wines were calm and polite. Subtle notes crept in throught the experience of each sip. For the most part, these were wine nerd wines - not something that would be smart to indoctrinate new wine drinkers on. They might find the wines agreeable, but they wouldn't get a deep appreciation for the artistry. Both of the Chardonnays had effective sharpness, balance and length. The Rosè was straight crazy-times. It was led through carbonic maceration during fermentation, which is not a process that I'm familiar with, but is the same process used to make Beaujolais nouveau. It was super interesting - a candied vegital note - definitely something to nerd out on. The Pinots were all light, tart fruit with sprinkles of pepper, serious but fun. The Wenzlau had a bizzare nose of pickles, which thankfully wasn't present in the taste, it was my favorite of the whole lineup.
Experience: B / Wine: B+
Sunday (Highway 246 and Lompoc Wine Ghetto)
Babcock Winery & Vineyards ($15 "Terroir" tasting, wines $14-$60)
'11 White Syrah "Identity Crisis", '11 Chardonnay, '12 Pinot Gris "Naughty Little Hillsides", '11 Pinot Noir "Precocious" - El Camino Ranch, '11 Pinot Noir "Ocean's Ghost", '11 Pinot Noir "Déjà vu" - Rabbit Ridge, '10 Cabernet Sauvignon "Block 15" - Estelle
Though the winery's been around for a long time (since the early 80's), the tasting room is brand new. It's a big open warehouse building, and it has a hip aesthetic. Apparently Mona Babcock is a top executive at Forever 21, and designed it with goal of creating a "modern mid-century vibe."
There were a few other couples at the counter when we arrived, so we sidled on up like the wine cowboys that we are. The guy behind the counter was cool. He was local and chatted enthusiastically about the area and the local wine.
I respect the wine that we tried, but I didn't love it. Across the board the wines were "too much." The Chardonnay was too pillow-y from too much malolactic fermentation. The Pinot Gris was too boisterous. The "Ocean's Ghost" Pinot Noir was too juicy. The Cabernet had too much garnet. By no means were these bad wines, but a little bit overboard, and because they did show interesting subtleties, it bummed me out a bit with the "too much" aspects. Bryan Babcock is definitely an interesting winemaker. He's making exciting wines - especially Pinots - with a variety of takes. I'd just rather that the wines would be a bit less brash.
Experience: B / Wine: B-
Palmina ($10 tasting, wines $18-$30)
'11 Arneis, '12 Pinot Grigio, '12 Tocai Fruliano, '11 Malvasia Bianca, '12 "Botasea" Rosè (Dolcetto/Barbera/Nebbiolo), '11 Dolcetto, '10 Barbera, '07 Nebbiolo
I thought quite highly of Palmina on my first visit there in April, 2011. I thought that the hospitality was grand and that the wines were made with talent and confidence. It's not that I was off-base with my opinion, nor is Palmina inhospitable with untalented wines, but two years later the wine and experience isn't a standout in the field. It's still a welcoming place to visit.The gents working there were friendly, though the guy that took could have used some more training. He stated that "not many people have heard of Pinot Grigio," hmmm, not so sure you're right about that buddy. There were snacks to enjoy, breadsticks, cured meats, olive oils, etc. As we were there the place packed up to the point that there was quite a din.
My opinion of their wine has changed pretty dramatically. On this visit I found the wines to be bland and monochromatic. Most had a singular upfront flavor and then fell away dramatically. The Malvasia Bianca was some fun, the nose was very light and sweet and the taste was quite dry, nothing like the nose at all. Of the reds, the Barbera was the most enjoyable, some complexity with pepper and plum notes as well as earthiness.The Nebbiolo, aka the wine of kings, had some nice acid and tannins, but fell away pretty quickly.
I'm more familiar with wines from Italy than from France, due to the fact that there's a wine bar and store down the street from my place that I used to frequent. Outside of Sangioveses and Barberas, I've not encountered really good Italian varietals being made in California. They come off more safe and boring. Perhaps if I knew French wine better I'd feel the same way about French varietals being made in Cali.
Experience: B- / Wine: C
Joseph Blair Wines ($10 tasting, wines $22-$30)
'10 "Ghetto White" Chenin Blanc, '10 Viognier, '10 Gewurztraminer, '09 "Heartbreak" Pinot Noir, '09 "Reveller" (Merlot/Petit Verdot), '10 Cabernet Sauvignon
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| Image from http://wine-dingroad.com/ |
Even though Joseph Blair is a new winery, we've attempted to visit twice before. The first time the doors were locked, and the folks at Jalama told us that Marc had a tractor break down, so we wouldn't be able to taste at the new place. The second time the doors were unlocked, but there was no one around, and after poking around for 10 minutes, we headed to another place. Finally on this visit, we were able check out the wines.
First off, Mark Cagassachi's dog Chester is the coolest dog ever. He's a rat terrier I think. That's it, just had to be said.
The tasting room has rotating art from local artists and a few high tables to sit around as well as a large desk counter where the wine is poured. The woman pouring the wines for us is an enthusiastic fan of Jalama and Joseph Blair, and happily took care of us.
The whites were nicely full-flavored, though all showed a little too much oak. The Viognier showed pretty, fragile flowers, which I always enjoy. The Ghetto Red had some fun notes, two well combined notes, pretty with a kick. The Reveller had a similar profile, but was a bit more convoluted. The Cabernet was really interesting, almost like sweet dirt. It had just been bottled, so it's likely that the wine will get better.
I've visited Jalama a handful of times and think highly of the wines that Mark Cargasacchi creates. That talent is carrying over to his Joseph Blair wines. They are a little bit more vivacious and silly, though not quite as deep. At this point, the prices of these wines are pretty decent, which is always appreciated.
Experience: B / Wine: B
Tyler Winery ($15 tasting, wines $36-$60)
'11 Chardonnay, '11 Chardonnay - Clos Pepe, '11 Pinot Noir, '11 Pinot Noir - Bien Nacido, '11 Pinot Noir - Bentrock
Justin Willett of Tyler Winery definitely represents the cutting edge of Santa Barbara wine. He's young, he's got a bunch of different wine projects going, and like Sandhi Wines, is trying to honor the Burgundian style with his wines in the Sta. Rita Hills region.
The winery warehouse that we tasted in was brand new - walls are still being built to create offices. Apparently Ryan Zotovich of Zotovich Cellars owns the big building that houses Tyler, and the plan is to have both wineries in the space, as well as a boutique hotel and an eatery. That would be a huge cultural shift for Lompoc, and definitely speaks to the potential greater trend that's occurring in the area. I've heard that the Lompoc City Council are pretty anti-growth, so perhaps the project won't get off the ground.The lady that ran the tasting room exuded a hoity-toity vibe. She was very proud of Tyler wines, and was happy to show it off, but she also was a bit dismissive of other winemakers in the area. When I asked er the prices of the Tyler wines, she answered "They're all under $60." as though any decent wine drinker would be happy to buy any bottle as long as it's under $60.
I will say that the wines were incredibly impressive. The Chardonnays were flavorful but respectful, the Clos Pepe maybe a bit too dense in flavor. The Pinots were excellent. Similar profiles, but nicely distinct aspects. The Bentrock was the most impressive. It had a cool blood orange note.
Experience: B- / Wine: A-
Monday (Foxen Canyon Road and Santa Maria)
Demetria Estate ($10 tasting, wines $22-$45)
'12 Riesling, '11 Chardonnay, '12 Rosè of Grenache, '12 Rosè of Pinot Noir, '11 Pinot Noir - La Encantada, '10 Syrah, '10 "Cuvee Constantine" (Grenache/Mourvedre/Syrah), '10 "North Slope" Syrah
The drive up to Demetria off of Foxen Canyon is a long and winding one, but the view from estate makes trip worthwhile. The Tuscan style building and grounds overlook a slight ravine, and the opposing slope is covered with vines, and rolling hills and vines continue on behind for a long distance. There's a peaceful garden and patio with plenty of tables and chairs. There were a few other groups at the same time. Some folks were lunching which we ended up doing after our tasting.The one drag about this place was the staff person who took care of us. Perhaps he was having a shit day, but I'm guessing that he's generally an ass, because he managed to be a snot, a schlub, and a general doofus as the same time. Right off the bat he gave me guff for asking for tasting notes that I could write on - acting as though he had to go to great lengths to grab me a blank piece of paper. He also was fussy at our friend for wanting to fill up her water bottle. And last be not least he called my wife nosey for overhearing that another patron was being pouring a Rosè that wasn't on the pouring list, and asking if we could try it as well.
Thankfully our severe dislike of that dude was overcome by superb wine. The Riesling and the Chardonnay were just pretty good, and the Rosè of Pinot didn't blow me away, but the rest of the wines were fantastic. My favorites were the Rosè of Grenache (flowers and peaches, quite precious and flavorful), the Pinot Noir (affirmatively against grain for Santa Barbara - earthy and vegital, calm and delicious), and the Estate Syrah (mellow, light, some sweet peppers and green vines).
Experience: B / Wines: A-
Presqu'ile Winery ($20 tasting, wines $18-$55)
'12 Sauvignon Blanc, '11 Chardonnay, '12 Rosè of Pinot Noir, '11 Pinot Noir, '10 Pinot Noir - Rim Rock, '10 Estate Pinot Noir
Our traveling companions had visited Presqu'ile's tasting room in Los Olivos a few months prior and had spoken quite highly of the wines, so we decided to check them out and to have a look at their brand new winery complex out in Santa Maria. The grounds are gorgeous. The airy main building incorporates posh elements that are rare in the region, such as a member's only tasting room, and a wine cave that is only granted to higher level members.The wines were impressive - it justified the highbrow atmosphere of the space. All were low alcohol compared to the region, between 12.9% and 13.6%. The Pinots were nicely varied - the Santa Maria Valley was peppery and meaty, the Rim Rock was circumspect (first time I've used that adjective in my tasting notes - check out the big brain on Brad!), and the estate was light with a cute little kick.
As much as we enjoyed the wines, I was a bit thrown by the exclusivity vibe at Presqu'ile. Members receive no discount on the wine - as far as I know, no other Santa Barbara area winery does that with their memberships. Members do receive free shipping on purchases, free tastings, and access to parts of the winery that non-member are restricted from - such as the special tasting room and the wine cave. I'll be interested to see if that strategy catches on with other wineries in the region.
Experience: B+ / Wines: B+
Based on the quality of wine being produced at the three very new wineries that we visited - Sandhi, Tyler, and Presqu'ile - it really feels like the Santa Barbara region is gaining momentum. Sure, it's been booming for awhile, catalyzed by "Sideways" and the general notion of wine tourism, but now there seems to be a stronger majority of wineries been created with very talented staff and deep-pocketed backers. I'm hopeful that this trend continues, but somehow without making the region more snooty and pricey.
May '13 Santa Barbara Trip - Not So Lazy Sunday
We set out with an ambitious agenda for our lazy Sunday: Make sure we got on the road early (difficult with sleepy friends), drive from LA to Santa Barbara Wine Country, get to six wineries in one day, only buy white wines or rosés under $20, have a kick ass day, and get back in one piece. We knew that we needed to go to Stolpman for our shipment, and to Dragonnette for our friends' pickup. I wanted to make sure to hit a few new places as well.
Gainey Vineyard ($15 tasting, wines $15-$55)
'11 Sauvignon Blanc, '10 Chardonnay, '11 Pinot Noir, '10 Merlot, '09 Syrah, '11 Riesling
The Gainey family has had a presence in the region for over 50 years, and started to get involved with wine growing in the early 80's - making them one of the early birds to the area. With it being an older winery, and it seems to be doing successfully, I fit it within my criticism of a winery with a similar situation - Zaca Mesa. Since both are doing so successfully, they are playing it very safe.
The wines were decent to good, aside from the Riesling, which was horrible. However the pricing of the wines was rediculously farfetched for the quality. The Chardonnay, Pinot and Merlot are $38 or higher. The grounds were very nice, though the front area of the winery were wall to wall consumerism. The back tasting area was fun though - ominous and dark. Our attendant Danelle, was extremely friendly - but not knowledgeable at all.
Experience: C+ / Wines: C
Beckmen Vineyards ($10 Estate tasting, wines $18-$30)
'10 "Le Bec Blanc" (Marsanne/Roussanne/Grenache Blanc/Viognier), '07 Rousanne, '12 Grenache Rosé, '11 Grenache, '10 Syrah, '10 Cabernet Sauvignon
We'd been to Beckmen once before, and had been a little disappointed with that visit, especially with the service. This time around the service was better and the wine was stable. The dude who took care of us was a super mellow guy, he wasn't the most helpful or friendly, but had some knowledge about their wine, and got the job done. He was nice enough to pour us the Roussanne off of the reserve tasting list when we expressed interest in it. The wines were fine - just fine. Actually the Le Bec Blanc was quite good, and the Roussanne was really exciting in a wine nerd sort of way. The rest did not impress, certainly well made, but nothing to write home about. Kudos to them for keeping the prices moderate. It was definitely very hot there, but it was quite nice to sit in the shade on their patio overlooking the pond.
Experience: B / Wines: B
Rideau Vineyard ($12 tasting, wines $20-$42)
'11 "No. 15" Viognier, '12 Mourvedre/Grenache Rosé, '10 "Lagniappe" Red (Grenache/Mourvedre/Syrah), '10 "No. 15" Syrah, '10 Petite Sirah, "11 Riesling
One person in our crew needed to stop by Rideau as an errand. Earlier in the year she had bough Travelzoo vouchers for the same tasting and tour deal that we had gone on last year. Our friend bought them with the intention of taking her folks out there. That plan was waylaid by a winter snowstorm, so she was left with the vouchers, and
wanted to see what she could get if she traded them in. After a long as hell negotiation (the guys there were acting like used car salesmen trying to push cases of wine on us), we finally had a free tasting and traded in the vouchers for some wine - the effort to up-sell was unsuccessful.
On the upside, we were able to have a picnic on their beautiful grounds while doing our tasting. The wines were easy to drink, but once again, nothing remarkable. Most of them were way overpriced for the quality - which brings me to another note: Rideau is constantly offering different deals where their wines are severely marked down. I recognize that most wineries offer deals from time to time, but Rideau does it at an extreme level - so I guess if you find a wine that you really like there, wait and hope that it gets it's price slashed.
Experience: B / Wines: B-
Dragonette Cellars ($15 tasting, wines $20-$58)
'12 Grenache/Mourvedre/Syrah Rosé, '11 Sauvignon Blanc - Vogelzang Vineyard, '11 Pinot Noir, '11 "Black Label" Pinot Noir, '10 "Seven" (Syrah/Grenache/Mourvedre), '10 "MJM" (Syrah/Grenache/Mourvedre/Viognier)
This was our fourth visit to Dragonette. The first time I believe that they were still quite new, and not well known. On the second and third visits, they were extremely busy, and seemed to have become very popular. On this visit, they were thankfully quiet, so we were able to enjoy the space to ourselves. The attendant was very nice and accommodating to our group.
I think highly of Dragonette. They are definitely making delicious wines - I just wish it wasn't as expensive as it is - though I grant them their prices more than I do Gainey or Rideau. I was not blown away by the Rosé or the Sauvignon Blanc. The Sauv had a huge kick to it, and was high quality, but the flavor profile was not my cup of tea. Both of the Pinots were great, the higher quality Black Label was top notch. As well, the Seven and the MJM (both 92% Syrah), were nicely constructed and delicious. I enjoy visiting Dragonnette, but I have a hard time being able to justify the purchase of a bottle at their prices.
Experience: B / Wines: B+
Saarloos and Sons ($10 tasting, wines $24-$50)
'11 "Hunter" Sauvignon Blanc, '11 "Bride" Grenache Blanc, '10 "Groom" Grenache, '10 "Father and Sons" (Grenache/Syrah/Mourvedre), '09 "Courage" Cabernet Sauvignon, '11 "Extended Family" Pinot Noir
From what I've seen, no other winery goes as far as Saarloos and Sons to establish a unique aesthetic, and to weave it into every part of their enterprise. I'm not sure how to explain the feel of this place: steampunk meets rockabilly? I guess we'll go with that. Whatever it was I give them great credit. The aesthetic is also deeply imbued to the Saarloos family. Each of the wines are named in honor of a family member, or a term that is connected to a family element.
I get the feeling that Saarlos appeals to a younger crowd, and it was a lot more busy on Sunday afternoon than the other places that we visited in Los Olivos. We found seats on the patio, and ran back inside for refills on the tasting. Even though it was a madhouse inside and there was only one staff person pouring, the woman there did a good job taking care of people. We were not wowed by the wines - I really wanted to like them, but they just didn't do the job. They all seemed underdeveloped and too quick to the point - thin at times, too hot sometimes as well. Not to say that they were bad, just not good. Also it was strange to discover that all of the wines that we tried were 14.5% alcohol - whites and reds. Not sure if they fudged the numbers - which you can do within 1% in California wines, or if they set that as a hard ceiling during the wine creation process. I'm sure and shit not a winemaker, but it seems hinky to me that such a variety of wines can have the same exact level of alcohol in them. I disliked the Cab and the Pinot, and enjoyed the GSM blend.
Experience: B+ / Wines: C+
Stolpman Vineyards (member tasting, wines $17-$68)
'12 Sauvignon Blanc, '12 Viognier, '11 "Golden Point" (Roussanne/Viognier/Chardonnay/Sauvignon Blanc), '10 "L'Avion" Roussanne, '12 Grenache/Sangiovese Rosé, '11 Grenache, '11 "La Cuadrilla" (Sangiovese/Syrah), '09 Sangiovese, '11"Orignals" Syrah, '10 "Hilltops" Syrah, '11 "Angeli" Syrah
I'll try to be brief with my enthusiasms. Once again Stolpman was amazing. We rolled up to Stolpman at 4:15 at the end of what I imagine was a long weekend for the folks there, though our buddy Tom was as upbeat as ever and took care of us for at least an hour and a half while we sat out on the front porch. He poured everything that was open, and happily introduced our friends to Stolpman. The wines were great. We had never tried the Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier or Rosé before, all were quite enjoyable.
Experience: A / Wines: A
We did a hell of a job packing in a lot of action in one day. It saved us a lot of money to not stay overnight and to pack food for picnicking - and it's not that exhausting to try to get back to LA at the end of the day. We enjoyed the wineries that we knew already, and while the ones that were new to us were not great, it was nice to be able to check them out. We did keep to our rule of buying only sub-$20 whites, though we bought a fair amount of those.
Gainey Vineyard ($15 tasting, wines $15-$55)
'11 Sauvignon Blanc, '10 Chardonnay, '11 Pinot Noir, '10 Merlot, '09 Syrah, '11 Riesling
The Gainey family has had a presence in the region for over 50 years, and started to get involved with wine growing in the early 80's - making them one of the early birds to the area. With it being an older winery, and it seems to be doing successfully, I fit it within my criticism of a winery with a similar situation - Zaca Mesa. Since both are doing so successfully, they are playing it very safe.The wines were decent to good, aside from the Riesling, which was horrible. However the pricing of the wines was rediculously farfetched for the quality. The Chardonnay, Pinot and Merlot are $38 or higher. The grounds were very nice, though the front area of the winery were wall to wall consumerism. The back tasting area was fun though - ominous and dark. Our attendant Danelle, was extremely friendly - but not knowledgeable at all.
Experience: C+ / Wines: C
Beckmen Vineyards ($10 Estate tasting, wines $18-$30)
'10 "Le Bec Blanc" (Marsanne/Roussanne/Grenache Blanc/Viognier), '07 Rousanne, '12 Grenache Rosé, '11 Grenache, '10 Syrah, '10 Cabernet Sauvignon
We'd been to Beckmen once before, and had been a little disappointed with that visit, especially with the service. This time around the service was better and the wine was stable. The dude who took care of us was a super mellow guy, he wasn't the most helpful or friendly, but had some knowledge about their wine, and got the job done. He was nice enough to pour us the Roussanne off of the reserve tasting list when we expressed interest in it. The wines were fine - just fine. Actually the Le Bec Blanc was quite good, and the Roussanne was really exciting in a wine nerd sort of way. The rest did not impress, certainly well made, but nothing to write home about. Kudos to them for keeping the prices moderate. It was definitely very hot there, but it was quite nice to sit in the shade on their patio overlooking the pond. Experience: B / Wines: B
Rideau Vineyard ($12 tasting, wines $20-$42)
'11 "No. 15" Viognier, '12 Mourvedre/Grenache Rosé, '10 "Lagniappe" Red (Grenache/Mourvedre/Syrah), '10 "No. 15" Syrah, '10 Petite Sirah, "11 Riesling
One person in our crew needed to stop by Rideau as an errand. Earlier in the year she had bough Travelzoo vouchers for the same tasting and tour deal that we had gone on last year. Our friend bought them with the intention of taking her folks out there. That plan was waylaid by a winter snowstorm, so she was left with the vouchers, and wanted to see what she could get if she traded them in. After a long as hell negotiation (the guys there were acting like used car salesmen trying to push cases of wine on us), we finally had a free tasting and traded in the vouchers for some wine - the effort to up-sell was unsuccessful.
On the upside, we were able to have a picnic on their beautiful grounds while doing our tasting. The wines were easy to drink, but once again, nothing remarkable. Most of them were way overpriced for the quality - which brings me to another note: Rideau is constantly offering different deals where their wines are severely marked down. I recognize that most wineries offer deals from time to time, but Rideau does it at an extreme level - so I guess if you find a wine that you really like there, wait and hope that it gets it's price slashed.
Experience: B / Wines: B-
Dragonette Cellars ($15 tasting, wines $20-$58)
'12 Grenache/Mourvedre/Syrah Rosé, '11 Sauvignon Blanc - Vogelzang Vineyard, '11 Pinot Noir, '11 "Black Label" Pinot Noir, '10 "Seven" (Syrah/Grenache/Mourvedre), '10 "MJM" (Syrah/Grenache/Mourvedre/Viognier)
This was our fourth visit to Dragonette. The first time I believe that they were still quite new, and not well known. On the second and third visits, they were extremely busy, and seemed to have become very popular. On this visit, they were thankfully quiet, so we were able to enjoy the space to ourselves. The attendant was very nice and accommodating to our group.
I think highly of Dragonette. They are definitely making delicious wines - I just wish it wasn't as expensive as it is - though I grant them their prices more than I do Gainey or Rideau. I was not blown away by the Rosé or the Sauvignon Blanc. The Sauv had a huge kick to it, and was high quality, but the flavor profile was not my cup of tea. Both of the Pinots were great, the higher quality Black Label was top notch. As well, the Seven and the MJM (both 92% Syrah), were nicely constructed and delicious. I enjoy visiting Dragonnette, but I have a hard time being able to justify the purchase of a bottle at their prices.
Experience: B / Wines: B+
Saarloos and Sons ($10 tasting, wines $24-$50)
'11 "Hunter" Sauvignon Blanc, '11 "Bride" Grenache Blanc, '10 "Groom" Grenache, '10 "Father and Sons" (Grenache/Syrah/Mourvedre), '09 "Courage" Cabernet Sauvignon, '11 "Extended Family" Pinot Noir
From what I've seen, no other winery goes as far as Saarloos and Sons to establish a unique aesthetic, and to weave it into every part of their enterprise. I'm not sure how to explain the feel of this place: steampunk meets rockabilly? I guess we'll go with that. Whatever it was I give them great credit. The aesthetic is also deeply imbued to the Saarloos family. Each of the wines are named in honor of a family member, or a term that is connected to a family element.I get the feeling that Saarlos appeals to a younger crowd, and it was a lot more busy on Sunday afternoon than the other places that we visited in Los Olivos. We found seats on the patio, and ran back inside for refills on the tasting. Even though it was a madhouse inside and there was only one staff person pouring, the woman there did a good job taking care of people. We were not wowed by the wines - I really wanted to like them, but they just didn't do the job. They all seemed underdeveloped and too quick to the point - thin at times, too hot sometimes as well. Not to say that they were bad, just not good. Also it was strange to discover that all of the wines that we tried were 14.5% alcohol - whites and reds. Not sure if they fudged the numbers - which you can do within 1% in California wines, or if they set that as a hard ceiling during the wine creation process. I'm sure and shit not a winemaker, but it seems hinky to me that such a variety of wines can have the same exact level of alcohol in them. I disliked the Cab and the Pinot, and enjoyed the GSM blend.
Experience: B+ / Wines: C+
Stolpman Vineyards (member tasting, wines $17-$68)
'12 Sauvignon Blanc, '12 Viognier, '11 "Golden Point" (Roussanne/Viognier/Chardonnay/Sauvignon Blanc), '10 "L'Avion" Roussanne, '12 Grenache/Sangiovese Rosé, '11 Grenache, '11 "La Cuadrilla" (Sangiovese/Syrah), '09 Sangiovese, '11"Orignals" Syrah, '10 "Hilltops" Syrah, '11 "Angeli" Syrah
I'll try to be brief with my enthusiasms. Once again Stolpman was amazing. We rolled up to Stolpman at 4:15 at the end of what I imagine was a long weekend for the folks there, though our buddy Tom was as upbeat as ever and took care of us for at least an hour and a half while we sat out on the front porch. He poured everything that was open, and happily introduced our friends to Stolpman. The wines were great. We had never tried the Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier or Rosé before, all were quite enjoyable.
Experience: A / Wines: A
We did a hell of a job packing in a lot of action in one day. It saved us a lot of money to not stay overnight and to pack food for picnicking - and it's not that exhausting to try to get back to LA at the end of the day. We enjoyed the wineries that we knew already, and while the ones that were new to us were not great, it was nice to be able to check them out. We did keep to our rule of buying only sub-$20 whites, though we bought a fair amount of those.
December '12 Santa Barbara Trip - Quality Family Time
Usually for the holiday festivities we head back to Northern California, this year some of our family decided to converge on LA instead. Since I've been talking up Santa Barbara wineries for awhile, my brother and sister-and-law who were in from NY insisted that we take them to some wineries during their visit. So we knew that we had to take them to a few of our favorites and try to sneak in a few that we hadn't tried before as well. Saturday (Buellton / Los Olivos)
Ken Brown Winery ($10 tasting, wines $35-$55)
'10 Chardonnay - Nielson, '11 Pinot Noir (Santa Barbara County), '10 Pinot Noir (Sta. Rita Hills), '10 Pinot Noir - Clos Pepe, '09 Pinot Noir - Cargasacchi, '09 "A" Cuvee Syrah
Since Ken Brown is a critical figure in the expansion of the wine industry - especially Pinot Noir - in Santa Barbara, he was an obvious choice to share with my brother and SIL. This was our second visit, and it was slightly less exciting than our first. The first time around we had Ken all to ourselves, which was awesome. This time there was another group of four, so it was harder to have an in-depth a conversation. Just the same, Ken was a friendly host once again. The wines were slightly less exciting this time around - still great, but not "socks blowing off" amazing. All were well balanced, exhibited friendly fruit, but not overly so. The Santa Barbara County Pinot was quite impressive, nice acids, and good structure. My favorite was the Cargasacchi Pinot - it had a fantastic nose, a candy-like zip, some darkness to the flavor, and good grip.
Experience: B+ / Wines: A-
Buttonwood Farm Winery and Vineyard ($10 tasting, wines $14-$26)
'11 Grenache Blanc, '09 Marsanne, '10 Sauvignon Blanc "Signature", '11 Syrah Rosé, '08 Merlot, '09 Syrah, '07 Cabernet Sauvignon, '09 Cabernet Franc, '10 Malbec, '10 Syrah Port "P.O.S.H."
I've been thinking about swinging by Buttonwood for awhile. It's an independent organic winery with moderately priced wine that seems to have their own take on things - which are favorable characteristics in my book. Unfortunately those characteristics did not add up to a great experience. The tasting room had counters on both sides of the building, with a bunch of merchandise in the middle. Being a holiday weekend, there was not a lot of space left at the counter, and the staff person that attended to us did not seem excited to have more customers. She poured the wines quickly and gave little background and generally didn't engage us. They poured ten(!) different wines - none were very good. Across the board the wines were clunky and simple. My favorite note was on the Marsanne, I called it a "jank oakfest." The Merlot was quite a mess as well - overt sulfur and poor structure. My favorite was the Cab Franc.Experience: C / Wines: C-
Kaena Wine Company ($10 tasting, wines $25-$38)
'11 "Hapa Blanc" (Grenache Blanc/Rousanne), '09 "Look me in the Eye" Grenache, '10 Grenache, '10 Grenache - Tierra Alta, '09 "Hapa Red" (Syrah/Grenache/Mourvedre)
Kaena's a pretty new winery. The guy behind it is also the head winemaker at Beckmen, so he knows his stuff. I'm also a big fan of Grenache, and since it's their main grape, I figured it would be good to check them out. The space is quite sleek with a huge wrap-around counter and a couch area. There was a bit of a unique rocker vibe to the place. During our visit there was a huge family group there, and the staff person had to move quickly to keep up. She was friendly through the fray and was happy to share Kaena wine with folks.The wines were definitely friendly and fruity - overly so. I really admire good Grenache, when it's done well its sweetness is tempered and allows complexity to slip through, but it's easy to let it be sticky sweet and slight. That's not to say that the Grenaches here were bad news - but they were a bit too sticky and clunky. The reds were a bit high in alcohol - 15.3, 14.9, 15.1, and 15.3. I enjoyed the Hapa Red most, but it too was overly sweet.
Experience: B- / Wines: B-
Byron Wines ($10 tasting, wines $22-$45)
'10 Pinot Blanc, '08 Chardonnay "Stainless Steel", '08 Chardonnay (Santa Maria Valley), '06 Chardonnay "Wente Clone", '10 Pinot Noir (Santa Maria Valley), '10 Pinot Noir "Julia's Vineyard", '07 "IO" Syrah - Whitehawk Vineyard
While visiting Ken Brown earlier in the day, he encouraged us to visit Byron. He actually started Byron in 1984 (Ken Brown's first name is Byron), grew that business, and then moved on when he decided he wanted to mellow his life out. I had avoided going to Byron in the past because it's owned by Kendall-Jackson. I've assumed that the fact that it's owned by a huge conglomerate means that it creates sub-par wine, but Ken Brown assured me this was not the case. Apparently the conglomerate lets the creative team at Byron direct themselves, which apparently means that they create kick-ass stuff. I'd rather not give love to a big corporation, but sometimes hulking monoliths do something right.
The tasting room is comforting and classy at the same time. As well the staff were very friendly. The first (Pinot Blanc) and last (Syrah) wines were just pretty good, which makes them the laggards of the group. All of the Chards and the Pinots were very good. Well built, restrained, and a variety of flavors. I especially enjoyed the Wente Clone Chard - calm, citrus, and tropical fruit.
Experience: B+ / Wines: B+
Stolpman Vineyards (member tasting, wines $19-$66)
'09 "L'Avion" Rousanne, '09 Sangiovese, '10 "La Coppa" Sangiovese, '10 "La Cuadrilla" (Syrah/Petite Sirah), '10 "Originals" Syrah, '10 "Hilltops High Density" Syrah, '09 Sangiovese "degli Angeli", '10 "La Crocé" (Syrah/Sangiovese), '02 Merlot
Clearly we can't bring new folks on a visit to the area without stopping by at Stolpman. We actually visited twice on this trip, the first evening in Los Olivos, and the next morning in Lompoc. I am consistently blown away by how great their staff is, and how solid their wine is.We were a very rambunctious group by the time that we got to Stolpman on Saturday night. But Brian rolled out the red carpet and treated us very well. The tasting list included many of the Stolpman big hitters (showing off the pricey wines during the holidays) like the La Crocé and the Sangio degli Angeli. The Sangioveses and the La Crocé were really knocking me out that day.
Our visit the next morning was equally awesome. Tom was a great host, and since it was a quiet morning we were able to chat with him for quite awhile.
Experience: A+ / Wines: A-
Sunday (Lompoc Wine Ghetto)
Samsara Winery ($10 tasting, wines $22-$46)
'11 Grenache Rosé - Windmill Ranch, '09 Pinot Noir - Rancho La Viña, '09 Pinot Noir - Turner, '10 Pinot Noir - Kessler-Haak, '08 Syrah - Ampelos
Odds are, if we go to the Wine Ghetto, we're going to stop by Samsara. Lee's always a cool dude to visit with, and the wines always impress. it was an especially mellow morning, and Lee was happy to chat and even take photos of us in front of the wine barrels. The winery seems to march to it's own beat. The wine stock is always shifting, and they aren't interested in selling merchandise or memberships. I get a big kick out of that vibe.The wines were very good once again, well balanced. Samsara wines are quite full-flavored, probably because they include the stems during the winemaking process, thereby adding more tannins and flavor. The Rosé was quite nice - though we pine for the Pinot Rosé that they had a few years back. The Kessler-Haak Pinot was the standout once again.
Experience: B+ / Wines: B+
Flying Goat Cellars ($10 tasting, wines $20-$42)
'10 Sparkling Pinot Noir Rosé, 09 "Goat Bubbles" Blanc de Blancs - Sierra Madre, '10 Pinot Gris - Sierra Madre, '09 Pinot Noir - Solomon Hills, '09 Pinot Noir "Clone 2A" - Rio Vista, '08 Pinot Noir - Salisbury Vineyard
We visited Flying Goat a long time ago. I didn't enjoy our first visit, but I figured that it would be fair to give them another shot. My experience level is higher, so I thought that that I may be able to appreciate them more. NOPE. The reason that I didn't like Flying Goat the first time around is the same reason I didn't like them the second time. They are snotty. It's odd that their motto is "wine without pretense." We did not feel welcomed there, and at the end of our tasting the staff person there asked us "What wine will you be taking home with you today?" I'm really not a fan of the hard sell, and generally wineries manage to avoid this techniques. Thankfully, the wines were better than the experience. The Pinots were all pretty good, though a bit slight and also overpriced.Experience: D / Wines: C+
November '12 Santa Barbara Trip - Near and Far
We decided to answer the siren call of Santa Barbara because we had a pickup party to go to at Ampelos - and because we just really wanted to go, and finally had some free time to do so. We went again with our excellent wine friends, and built a trip around checking out places we hadn't been to, and places we thought our friends should be introduced to.
Saturday (Foxen Canyon Rd. / Los Olivos)
foxen 7200 ($10 tasting, wines $26-$50)
'10 Sauvignon Blanc - Vogelzang, '10 Sangiovese - Williamson-Doré, '10 Cabernet Franc - Tinaquaic, '10 Merlot - Vogelzang, '09 Cabernet Sauvignon - Vogelzang
We made a plan to meet up with friends at foxen 7200. As it turns out, the tasting room is way the hell up Foxen Canyon Road, especially when there's some kind of bicycle race going on along Zaca Station Road. Foxen splits it's wines between two labels - Foxen proper is mostly Pinot, and foxen 7200 is bigger reds. As the winery became more successful, they built a larger tasting room, but decided to keep "The Shack" (which is about a quarter mile up the road from the Foxen facility) to have as a tasting room for the foxen 7200 wines.
The Shack certainly was funky, and there was a nice patio and a cool patio cat. The staff were all very happy and took care of us. Across the board, I didn't dig the wines enough to be able to think about buying any, especially considering how costly the bottles were. They were all single vineyard wines, were 100% made with the label grape, and had quality characteristics, but I wasn't a fan of the flavors. The Sauv and the Sangiovese were too tart, and the Merlot and Cab were too simple. The Cab Franc was interesting, but at $48, way too steep.
Experience: B / Wine: C+
Andrew Murray Vineyards ($15 reserve tasting, wines $16-$36)
'11 "RGB" (Roussane/Grenache Blanc), '10 Syrah "Tous les Jours", '10 "Espérance" (Grenache/Syrah/Mourvedre), '10 Syrah - Watch Hill, '09 "Eleven Red" (Cabernet Sauvingnon/Cabernet Franc/Tempranillo/Saniovese), '10 Grenache - Terra Bella, '10 Syrah - Thompson, '10 Syrah - Stolpman
I'd heard about Andrew Murray for a long time, he has a solid reputation in the area for Rhone-style wines. I've been wanting to visit for awhile - so when I finally was back in Los Olivos I made sure to swing by. Unfortunately, I think we chose a poor day to visit. It was busy as hell. Apparently it was the same day as the member party at the vineyard - so members were swinging through the tasting room to say hello. The tasting room attendant was by herself tried very hard to take care of everyone, but definitely wasn't able to spend time elaborating on the wines or talking about the winery. The tasting room was very modern and chic. There were lots of things for sale - we noticed that there was a large display featuring scented candles for sale, which seemed quite odd in a wine tasting room.
The wines that we tasted were priced on a more reasonable scale than most Los Olivos tasting rooms, which is a big plus for me. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy their wines very much. They all had an artificial quality, and were too simple. The "Eleven Red" was a pretty fun drink, and at $18, well-priced. The big bummer were two wines on the reserve list - the vineyard designated Grenache and the Stolpman Syrah. The Grenache had typical charactaristics - sweetness and edge, but did not weave together well. The Syrah was big clutter of flavor. I'm well acquainted with Stolpman's 2010 Syrahs, and it's interesting to see how different winemaking practices can come up with completely different products even when starting with very similar materials.
Since our visit was so marred by the crush in the tasting room, I think we should try to swing by in the future - but it'll be on "AMV" to convert me into a believer.
Experience: C- / Wines: C+
Sunday (Highway 246 / Los Olivos)
Clos Pepe Vineyards (tour $0, wines $23-$59)
'10 Estate Chardonnay "Hommage to Chablis", '10 Estate Chardonnay "Barrel Fermented", Axis Mundi '10 Grenache/Syrah - Windmill, '09 Estate Pinot Noir, '10 Estate Pinot Noir
Holy fuck - this is a fantastic tour. Wes Hagen is a superb host. I've heard very positive reviews of the Clos Pepe tour for quite a while - and had even looked into booking one last year, but found out that Wes had put the tours on hiatus. A few days prior to heading up for this trip, I thought it might be worth a shot to check and see if the tours were back online. Thankfully they were, and Wes did indeed have an opening for the Sunday of our visit. Here's how Wes described the tour in an email to me:
"Tour usually lasts until around noon or 12:30 - very geeky, very complete. You will learn more about wine in two hours than in your previous lifetime, guaranteed."
Perhaps not everyone gets stoked about a tour like that - but I sure as hell do!
As advertised the tour was very exhaustive. Wes is extremely knowledgeable about wine and other things - and puts tons of energy in delivering that knowledge in a conversational and entertaining way. He discussed the history of wine, the unique geology of the region, farming techniques, wine making techniques, and lots lots more. At the end of the walk we were taken up to the "big house" where the owners of the winery live. Wes had set up a tasting for us with great cheeses and fresh breads. While he poured the wine samples, we had a great chat about food, politics, and of course wine.
After such an amazing tour and hosting, it would have been a shame if the wines weren't good - but they lived up to the caliber of the day. The two Chardonnays were very well balanced and were top notch quality. It was fun to compare the steel vs. oaked Chard. The steel aka "Hommage to Chablis" was easily more in my wheelhouse and indeed fantastic, but the oaked was built as a different wine and was a star in its own right. The Axis Mundi Grenache/Syrah blend was a neat everyday drinker. Wes actually served it chilled - which while odd - was a solid choice. An easy drinker chilled or not. The Pinots were what we came for and they were hype-worthy. The '09 was a more formal and classy specimen, and the '10 was a bit more audacious. Wes, in great detail, explained that there was a big difference in the weather for those two years. '09 was a great year for wine making in the area, especially for Pinots. '10 was a lot more difficult with a huge heat spike just before harvest. So the '10 was a more plushy and bold than it's predecessor. That being said the '10 was delicious as well, though I preferred the '09 hands down.
After finishing up the tour and tasting, Wes encouraged us to picnic by the pond on the edge of the property, among the willows and ducks. It was a peaceful end to an outstanding experience.
Experience: A+ / Wines: A
Qupé Wines (tasting $10, wines $18-$45)
Verdad '11 Grenache Rosé - Sawyer Lindquist, '11 Chenin Blanc, '11 Viognier - Ibarra-Young, '10 Grenache - Sawyer Lindquist, Verdad '09 Tempranillo - Sawyer Lindquist, Ethan '09 Sangiovese - Alisos, '09 Syrah - Sawyer Lindquist, '07 Syrah - Alisos
There's plenty of discussion around the idea that people's tastes for wines change over time. What once was thought to be a great wine can years later be considered okay. I'm not sure if that explains the shift in my feelings toward Qupé, but it may have something to do with it. Not that I hated or even disliked the wines this time around, but I wasn't blown away by it as I was on my first visit, this time around it was more pedestrian.
The tasting room was pretty calm during this visit, mid-afternoon on a warm Sunday. The staff person was nice. Lots of stuff for sale on the walls.
The wines varied for me from decent to pretty good. I didn't find the Rosé or the Viognier to be very appealing. The Chenin Blanc was a nice drinker - well balanced citrus with cream. As on our first visit, I enjoyed the Tempranillo, which is normally a wine that I dislike quite a bit. Both Syrahs were pretty good - though the '09 was preferable. The wine prices were reasonably set for the area.
Not sure what exactly fell off for me with Qupé. Certainly I've done a look more wine tasting in the last year and a half - but I can't think that my tastes have changed that much. Perhaps its a case of too high expectations. It's no longer one of my top places to visit, but still a very solid joint.
Experience: B / Wines: B-
Dragonette Cellars (tasting $10, wines $25-$58)
'10 Sauvignon Blanc (Santa Ynez Valley), '11 Sauvignon Blanc (Happy Canyon), '11 Sauvignon Blanc - Grassini, '10 "Seven" (Syrah/Grenache/Mourvedre/Viognier), '10 "MJM" (Syrah/Grenache/Mourvedre/Viognier)
Perhaps it's on odd numbered visits that I really enjoy wineries. My above Qupé visit was my second, and I was underwhelmed. With Dragonette, I was a huge fan the first time, not as enamored the second time, and now on the third visit - quite impressed. Hopefully I'm not that arbitrary, and and justly reviewing these places.
I'm pretty sure that the thing that bugged me about Dragonette on my last visit, was that it was extremely busy, and the staff was running around frenetically. This time, we had the tasting room to ourselves, and the staff person was awesome and knowledgeable. Dragonette is a very young winery, and it appears to me that they are doing quite well. They were all sold out of their Rosé, their Pinot, and their regular GSM blend.
The wines that we did taste were artfully built. The three Sauvs were quite good, my preference was the Happy Canyon. It had the same brightness of the Santa Ynez, but also showed some minerality, which I'm always a sucker for. The Seven didn't blow me away, but it had qualities that it exhibited that bragged that it was a well built wine. The MJM - the Dragonette flagship wine - was a rockstar, super smooth. In my notes I labeled it as a "classy fellow." Dragonette's prices for their wines is a bit steep, but after tasting the wines the costs seem pretty just.
Experience: B+ / Wines: A-
Aside from the long ass drive up to Foxen while slaloming around the bicyclists, this was a banging trip. On Saturday, we got to see some great countryside, lounged at Stolpman at the end of the day, enjoyed the Ampelos pickup party, and checked out a solid Thai place in Lompoc - Herb Home. Sunday we were treated to the fantastic Clos Pepe, enjoyed a serene picnic, and ended our trip at Dragonette.
I am a bit concerned that I'm developing a bias against older wineries in Santa Barbara. I seem to be a fan of the young, upstart wineries, such as: Samsara, Peidrasassi, Ampelos, and Dragonette. And I have not enjoyed a number of established wineries: Andrew Murray, Zaca Mesa, Au Bon Climat, to name a few. I'm wondering if it's because I'm buying into the "startup" narrative, or if the established wineries are not making wines that are exciting to me - but for a different audience. I guess I'll have to drink more wine to find out.
According to one tasting room employee, the time between Halloween and Thanksgiving is an excellent time to visit, because so many people avoid traveling at that time. It was super mellow throughout the area during our visit, so I'll plan on trying to swing back through during this time again next year.
Saturday (Foxen Canyon Rd. / Los Olivos)
foxen 7200 ($10 tasting, wines $26-$50)
'10 Sauvignon Blanc - Vogelzang, '10 Sangiovese - Williamson-Doré, '10 Cabernet Franc - Tinaquaic, '10 Merlot - Vogelzang, '09 Cabernet Sauvignon - Vogelzang
The Shack certainly was funky, and there was a nice patio and a cool patio cat. The staff were all very happy and took care of us. Across the board, I didn't dig the wines enough to be able to think about buying any, especially considering how costly the bottles were. They were all single vineyard wines, were 100% made with the label grape, and had quality characteristics, but I wasn't a fan of the flavors. The Sauv and the Sangiovese were too tart, and the Merlot and Cab were too simple. The Cab Franc was interesting, but at $48, way too steep.
Experience: B / Wine: C+
Andrew Murray Vineyards ($15 reserve tasting, wines $16-$36)
'11 "RGB" (Roussane/Grenache Blanc), '10 Syrah "Tous les Jours", '10 "Espérance" (Grenache/Syrah/Mourvedre), '10 Syrah - Watch Hill, '09 "Eleven Red" (Cabernet Sauvingnon/Cabernet Franc/Tempranillo/Saniovese), '10 Grenache - Terra Bella, '10 Syrah - Thompson, '10 Syrah - Stolpman
I'd heard about Andrew Murray for a long time, he has a solid reputation in the area for Rhone-style wines. I've been wanting to visit for awhile - so when I finally was back in Los Olivos I made sure to swing by. Unfortunately, I think we chose a poor day to visit. It was busy as hell. Apparently it was the same day as the member party at the vineyard - so members were swinging through the tasting room to say hello. The tasting room attendant was by herself tried very hard to take care of everyone, but definitely wasn't able to spend time elaborating on the wines or talking about the winery. The tasting room was very modern and chic. There were lots of things for sale - we noticed that there was a large display featuring scented candles for sale, which seemed quite odd in a wine tasting room. The wines that we tasted were priced on a more reasonable scale than most Los Olivos tasting rooms, which is a big plus for me. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy their wines very much. They all had an artificial quality, and were too simple. The "Eleven Red" was a pretty fun drink, and at $18, well-priced. The big bummer were two wines on the reserve list - the vineyard designated Grenache and the Stolpman Syrah. The Grenache had typical charactaristics - sweetness and edge, but did not weave together well. The Syrah was big clutter of flavor. I'm well acquainted with Stolpman's 2010 Syrahs, and it's interesting to see how different winemaking practices can come up with completely different products even when starting with very similar materials.
Since our visit was so marred by the crush in the tasting room, I think we should try to swing by in the future - but it'll be on "AMV" to convert me into a believer.
Experience: C- / Wines: C+
Sunday (Highway 246 / Los Olivos)
Clos Pepe Vineyards (tour $0, wines $23-$59)
'10 Estate Chardonnay "Hommage to Chablis", '10 Estate Chardonnay "Barrel Fermented", Axis Mundi '10 Grenache/Syrah - Windmill, '09 Estate Pinot Noir, '10 Estate Pinot Noir
Holy fuck - this is a fantastic tour. Wes Hagen is a superb host. I've heard very positive reviews of the Clos Pepe tour for quite a while - and had even looked into booking one last year, but found out that Wes had put the tours on hiatus. A few days prior to heading up for this trip, I thought it might be worth a shot to check and see if the tours were back online. Thankfully they were, and Wes did indeed have an opening for the Sunday of our visit. Here's how Wes described the tour in an email to me:
"Tour usually lasts until around noon or 12:30 - very geeky, very complete. You will learn more about wine in two hours than in your previous lifetime, guaranteed." Perhaps not everyone gets stoked about a tour like that - but I sure as hell do!
As advertised the tour was very exhaustive. Wes is extremely knowledgeable about wine and other things - and puts tons of energy in delivering that knowledge in a conversational and entertaining way. He discussed the history of wine, the unique geology of the region, farming techniques, wine making techniques, and lots lots more. At the end of the walk we were taken up to the "big house" where the owners of the winery live. Wes had set up a tasting for us with great cheeses and fresh breads. While he poured the wine samples, we had a great chat about food, politics, and of course wine.
After such an amazing tour and hosting, it would have been a shame if the wines weren't good - but they lived up to the caliber of the day. The two Chardonnays were very well balanced and were top notch quality. It was fun to compare the steel vs. oaked Chard. The steel aka "Hommage to Chablis" was easily more in my wheelhouse and indeed fantastic, but the oaked was built as a different wine and was a star in its own right. The Axis Mundi Grenache/Syrah blend was a neat everyday drinker. Wes actually served it chilled - which while odd - was a solid choice. An easy drinker chilled or not. The Pinots were what we came for and they were hype-worthy. The '09 was a more formal and classy specimen, and the '10 was a bit more audacious. Wes, in great detail, explained that there was a big difference in the weather for those two years. '09 was a great year for wine making in the area, especially for Pinots. '10 was a lot more difficult with a huge heat spike just before harvest. So the '10 was a more plushy and bold than it's predecessor. That being said the '10 was delicious as well, though I preferred the '09 hands down.
After finishing up the tour and tasting, Wes encouraged us to picnic by the pond on the edge of the property, among the willows and ducks. It was a peaceful end to an outstanding experience.
Experience: A+ / Wines: A
Qupé Wines (tasting $10, wines $18-$45)
Verdad '11 Grenache Rosé - Sawyer Lindquist, '11 Chenin Blanc, '11 Viognier - Ibarra-Young, '10 Grenache - Sawyer Lindquist, Verdad '09 Tempranillo - Sawyer Lindquist, Ethan '09 Sangiovese - Alisos, '09 Syrah - Sawyer Lindquist, '07 Syrah - Alisos
There's plenty of discussion around the idea that people's tastes for wines change over time. What once was thought to be a great wine can years later be considered okay. I'm not sure if that explains the shift in my feelings toward Qupé, but it may have something to do with it. Not that I hated or even disliked the wines this time around, but I wasn't blown away by it as I was on my first visit, this time around it was more pedestrian. The tasting room was pretty calm during this visit, mid-afternoon on a warm Sunday. The staff person was nice. Lots of stuff for sale on the walls.
The wines varied for me from decent to pretty good. I didn't find the Rosé or the Viognier to be very appealing. The Chenin Blanc was a nice drinker - well balanced citrus with cream. As on our first visit, I enjoyed the Tempranillo, which is normally a wine that I dislike quite a bit. Both Syrahs were pretty good - though the '09 was preferable. The wine prices were reasonably set for the area.
Not sure what exactly fell off for me with Qupé. Certainly I've done a look more wine tasting in the last year and a half - but I can't think that my tastes have changed that much. Perhaps its a case of too high expectations. It's no longer one of my top places to visit, but still a very solid joint.
Experience: B / Wines: B-
Dragonette Cellars (tasting $10, wines $25-$58)
'10 Sauvignon Blanc (Santa Ynez Valley), '11 Sauvignon Blanc (Happy Canyon), '11 Sauvignon Blanc - Grassini, '10 "Seven" (Syrah/Grenache/Mourvedre/Viognier), '10 "MJM" (Syrah/Grenache/Mourvedre/Viognier)
Perhaps it's on odd numbered visits that I really enjoy wineries. My above Qupé visit was my second, and I was underwhelmed. With Dragonette, I was a huge fan the first time, not as enamored the second time, and now on the third visit - quite impressed. Hopefully I'm not that arbitrary, and and justly reviewing these places.I'm pretty sure that the thing that bugged me about Dragonette on my last visit, was that it was extremely busy, and the staff was running around frenetically. This time, we had the tasting room to ourselves, and the staff person was awesome and knowledgeable. Dragonette is a very young winery, and it appears to me that they are doing quite well. They were all sold out of their Rosé, their Pinot, and their regular GSM blend.
The wines that we did taste were artfully built. The three Sauvs were quite good, my preference was the Happy Canyon. It had the same brightness of the Santa Ynez, but also showed some minerality, which I'm always a sucker for. The Seven didn't blow me away, but it had qualities that it exhibited that bragged that it was a well built wine. The MJM - the Dragonette flagship wine - was a rockstar, super smooth. In my notes I labeled it as a "classy fellow." Dragonette's prices for their wines is a bit steep, but after tasting the wines the costs seem pretty just.
Experience: B+ / Wines: A-
Aside from the long ass drive up to Foxen while slaloming around the bicyclists, this was a banging trip. On Saturday, we got to see some great countryside, lounged at Stolpman at the end of the day, enjoyed the Ampelos pickup party, and checked out a solid Thai place in Lompoc - Herb Home. Sunday we were treated to the fantastic Clos Pepe, enjoyed a serene picnic, and ended our trip at Dragonette.
I am a bit concerned that I'm developing a bias against older wineries in Santa Barbara. I seem to be a fan of the young, upstart wineries, such as: Samsara, Peidrasassi, Ampelos, and Dragonette. And I have not enjoyed a number of established wineries: Andrew Murray, Zaca Mesa, Au Bon Climat, to name a few. I'm wondering if it's because I'm buying into the "startup" narrative, or if the established wineries are not making wines that are exciting to me - but for a different audience. I guess I'll have to drink more wine to find out.
According to one tasting room employee, the time between Halloween and Thanksgiving is an excellent time to visit, because so many people avoid traveling at that time. It was super mellow throughout the area during our visit, so I'll plan on trying to swing back through during this time again next year.
June '12 Santa Barbara County Trip - Double Down
We've now been to the Santa Barbara Wine Country so many times that we've probably been to a majority of the wineries - and we have found several places that we really enjoy to visit. This time around we brought good friends who are also wine geeks, but hadn't been to the area, so we really wanted to show them some of our favorite places. So we figured we'd take them to the Wine Ghetto, and a couple of other other highlights in the area as well as check out a few places we hadn't been to before.
Saturday (Highway 246, Lompoc Wine Ghetto)
Dierberg & Star Lane Vineyards (wines $22-$80)
Star Lane '10 Sauvignon Blanc, Dierberg '09 Chardonnay, Dierberg '08 Pinot Noir, Dierberg '08 "Drum Canyon" Pinot Noir, Star Lane '07 Estate (Cab blend), Star Lane '05 Cabernet Sauvignon, Star Lane '06 "Astral" (Bordeaux blend)
By now we are very familiar with Dierberg. It's a solid place to visit - the setting is beautiful and the Dierbergs are talented winemakers. On our previous visit we purchased four bottles of the '09 Sauvignon Blanc because we liked it so much. We had hoped the would still have some in stock, but unfortunately had run out. The '10 Sauv that we tried on this visit was good, but did not hold a candle to its predecessor. Our favorite this time around was the Drum Canyon Pinot Noir - which I believe is their new vineyard right next to the winery.
Experience B / Wines B+
Melville Vineyards & Winery ($10 tasting, wines $26-$52)
'09 Chardonnay, '11 Chardonnay - Clone 76 Inox, '10 Pinot Noir, '10 Pinot Noir - "Carrie's", '10 "Verna's" Syrah
We'd been to Melville once - on our very first wine tasting trip. On that visit, we really enjoyed Melville, but we were curious if we'd dig it the same as the first time, or if as our wine intake increased - thereby making us more discriminating tasters - we'd find that Melville wasn't as great as we had previously though. Lo and behold Melville is still awesome, perhaps even more so that we previously thought. The grounds are great, with an Italian villa style structure, looking out onto the vineyard. We'd brought a picnic lunch, and one of the staff offered to have us sit on the patio, enjoy our lunch, and he'd bring our tasting out to us - quite the solid dude. Totally dug the wines. Prices weren't outlandish, and the baseline Chard and the Syrah were impressive. The wines that are being sold are younger that wines sold elsewhere in the area as far as I could tell - Melville has confidence in the taste of their wines right away and also state that they will age well. Who am I to doubt their recommendation? Their stuff is on point.
Experience B+ / Wines B+
Arcadian Winery ($15 tasting, wines $30-$65)
'06 Chardonnay - Sleepy Hollow, '07 Pinot Noir - Fiddlestix, '06 "Jill's Cuveé Pinot Noir, '06 Syrah - Westerly/Santa Ynez Valley, '06 Syrah - Stolpman, '04 Pinot Noir - Pisoni, '06 Syrah - Purisima
Arcadian is one of the newest additions to the Wine Ghetto, though owner and winemaker Joseph Davis has been creating wine under the Arcadian label since 1996. The wines come from the Santa Lucia Highlands up in Monterey County, as well as in a few different places in Santa Barbara County. Each bottle that we tried were single vineyard designates. The woman at the tasting room was super stoked on the Arcadian wine, and her abundant enthusiasm was worrisome and infectious at the same time. The wines are all well built - each having unique characteristics but also fitting within a restrained paradigm. We were able to taste a few older vintages - the '04 Pinot was fan-tas-tic. Arcadian's median prices are a bit steep for me, but they are definitely a good addition to the Ghetto.
Experience B / Wines B+
Samsara Wine Company ($10 tasting, wines $22-$46)
'11 Grenache Rosé - Windmill Ranch, '10 Pinot Noir, '09 Pinot Noir - Turner, '09 Pinot Noir - Kessler-Haak, Syrah - Verna's
Our first and only visit to Samsara was over a year ago, and we enjoyed it that first time - especially the Rosé. This second time around, we were really impressed with all of their work. Samsara is a small production winery, putting out less than 1000 cases a year. Chad Melville, the owner, is very interested in natural production, relying upon native yeasts, and does not fine or filter the wine. The dude in the tasting room - Lee - is a super fun cat to chat with. He's very mellow, but also very passionate about wine. He's happy to discuss Samsara and Santa Barbara wine in-depth. The wines are playful, though not obnoxious. All were good, though we most enjoyed the Pinot from Kessler-Haak.
Experience B+ / Wines B+
Jalama Wines ($10 tasting, wines $26-$40)
'09 "Giallo" (Pinot Gris), '08 Pinot Noir, '10 Grenache - La Presa, '10 Mourvedre, '08 Syrah - La Presa, '08 Syrah - Paradise Road
Last year, Jalama was the winery that we were seeking out that drew us to the Wine Ghetto. It's one of two wine labels that are operated by Marc Cargasacchi, the other being the brand new Joseph Blair. We had hoped to visit both during this trip, but Marc was not available that day to run the Joseph Blair room, because a tractor broke down or something. So we had a fun time visiting with Christy at Jalama and plan on visiting the other label in the future. As before, the Jalama wines were very good. The Mourvedre was very fun to drink, and the La Presa Syrah really knocked my socks off.
Experience B / Wines B+
Sunday (Alamo Pintado Rd., Los Olivos)
Rideau Vineyard (tour, wines $18-$35)
'10 Viognier, '10 "Siempre" Albariño, '09 "FDL" Grenache, '07 "'FDL' Chateau Duplantier" (Syrah/Grenache/Mourvedre), '10 Riesling
I'd heard good things about Rideau from a few friends, and had planned on going at some point. So when Rideau ran a deal on Travelzoo I grabbed it. The deal was for two people to go on a tour, have a tasting and wine lesson, a cheese pairing, and a bottle of wine to boot. Our guide for the tour was the fantastic Shay. He took great pleasure in telling the history of Rideau, showing the vineyard and the winemaking area. During the pairing, he shared a lot of knowledge about wine appreciation and patiently answered everyone's questions. The force behind Rideau is Iris Rideau, who has had a long and successful career in the financial sector. She appreciated the Santa Ynez area, and was interested in restoring the old adobe bunkhouse that is now the winery. Shay toured us around the grounds, spending a lot of time discussing grape-growing, and a bit about the winemaking process. Rideau focuses largely on Rhone varietals. Their wines are well built - tasty and restrained - but lack excitement. Dug the Grenche most - did not enjoy the Riesling. Most of the wines were affordably priced. The grounds are quite nice, there is a large shaded lawn in the back with tons on seating for picnics. I'd recommend a visit, especially if you can get Shay to be your guide.
Experience A- / Wines B
Stolpman Vineyards ($10 tasting, wines $19-$68)
'10 Viognier, '09 "L'Avoin" (Roussanne), '10 Grenache, '10 "La Coppa" Sangiovese, '08 Sangiovese, '10 Syrah, '10 "High Density Hilltops" Syrah, '10 "Angeli" Syrah
The previous two times that we visited Stolpman, we've really enjoyed ourselves - somehow this time was even better. It was a lazy Sunday afternoon, and when we walked inside, an employee named Tom asked if we'd prefer to enjoy our tasting on the front patio. It was a beautiful day, and being able to enjoy Stolpman wine while watching folks passing by on the street was a fantastic way to spend the afternoon. Tom was a tremendous host, he was excited to discuss the wines and was able to answer my numerous in depth. I wasn't a huge fan on the whites, they were good wines, but they didn't tickle my fancy. However, the reds were all a hit with me. The Grenache was a really interesting wine - it was wispy slight, but still had a firm structure. The "Angeli" Syrah was awesome - Angeli is Stolpman's reserve wine. What's neat about their wines is that the wines that we were being served were young and could use some aging, but were good to drink right away.
Experience A / Wines A-
This trip reaffirmed our enthusiasm for the Santa Barbara region and likely made converts out of our first-time visiting friends. On each trip we take to the area, there is at least one or two places that really do a fantastic job of ensuring that we have a great time. The staff at the different wineries are often so friendly and passionate about the wine that it's impossible to not get caught up in the excitement. This time around, every place that we went to we had great conversations with winery staff - Lee at Samsara, Shay at Rideau, and Tom at Stolpman were standouts. Between the excellent people and the delicious wine, how doesn't one become a wine geek?
Saturday (Highway 246, Lompoc Wine Ghetto)
Dierberg & Star Lane Vineyards (wines $22-$80)Star Lane '10 Sauvignon Blanc, Dierberg '09 Chardonnay, Dierberg '08 Pinot Noir, Dierberg '08 "Drum Canyon" Pinot Noir, Star Lane '07 Estate (Cab blend), Star Lane '05 Cabernet Sauvignon, Star Lane '06 "Astral" (Bordeaux blend)
By now we are very familiar with Dierberg. It's a solid place to visit - the setting is beautiful and the Dierbergs are talented winemakers. On our previous visit we purchased four bottles of the '09 Sauvignon Blanc because we liked it so much. We had hoped the would still have some in stock, but unfortunately had run out. The '10 Sauv that we tried on this visit was good, but did not hold a candle to its predecessor. Our favorite this time around was the Drum Canyon Pinot Noir - which I believe is their new vineyard right next to the winery.
Experience B / Wines B+
'09 Chardonnay, '11 Chardonnay - Clone 76 Inox, '10 Pinot Noir, '10 Pinot Noir - "Carrie's", '10 "Verna's" Syrah
We'd been to Melville once - on our very first wine tasting trip. On that visit, we really enjoyed Melville, but we were curious if we'd dig it the same as the first time, or if as our wine intake increased - thereby making us more discriminating tasters - we'd find that Melville wasn't as great as we had previously though. Lo and behold Melville is still awesome, perhaps even more so that we previously thought. The grounds are great, with an Italian villa style structure, looking out onto the vineyard. We'd brought a picnic lunch, and one of the staff offered to have us sit on the patio, enjoy our lunch, and he'd bring our tasting out to us - quite the solid dude. Totally dug the wines. Prices weren't outlandish, and the baseline Chard and the Syrah were impressive. The wines that are being sold are younger that wines sold elsewhere in the area as far as I could tell - Melville has confidence in the taste of their wines right away and also state that they will age well. Who am I to doubt their recommendation? Their stuff is on point.
Experience B+ / Wines B+
Arcadian Winery ($15 tasting, wines $30-$65)
'06 Chardonnay - Sleepy Hollow, '07 Pinot Noir - Fiddlestix, '06 "Jill's Cuveé Pinot Noir, '06 Syrah - Westerly/Santa Ynez Valley, '06 Syrah - Stolpman, '04 Pinot Noir - Pisoni, '06 Syrah - Purisima
Arcadian is one of the newest additions to the Wine Ghetto, though owner and winemaker Joseph Davis has been creating wine under the Arcadian label since 1996. The wines come from the Santa Lucia Highlands up in Monterey County, as well as in a few different places in Santa Barbara County. Each bottle that we tried were single vineyard designates. The woman at the tasting room was super stoked on the Arcadian wine, and her abundant enthusiasm was worrisome and infectious at the same time. The wines are all well built - each having unique characteristics but also fitting within a restrained paradigm. We were able to taste a few older vintages - the '04 Pinot was fan-tas-tic. Arcadian's median prices are a bit steep for me, but they are definitely a good addition to the Ghetto.
Experience B / Wines B+
Samsara Wine Company ($10 tasting, wines $22-$46)
'11 Grenache Rosé - Windmill Ranch, '10 Pinot Noir, '09 Pinot Noir - Turner, '09 Pinot Noir - Kessler-Haak, Syrah - Verna's
Our first and only visit to Samsara was over a year ago, and we enjoyed it that first time - especially the Rosé. This second time around, we were really impressed with all of their work. Samsara is a small production winery, putting out less than 1000 cases a year. Chad Melville, the owner, is very interested in natural production, relying upon native yeasts, and does not fine or filter the wine. The dude in the tasting room - Lee - is a super fun cat to chat with. He's very mellow, but also very passionate about wine. He's happy to discuss Samsara and Santa Barbara wine in-depth. The wines are playful, though not obnoxious. All were good, though we most enjoyed the Pinot from Kessler-Haak.
Experience B+ / Wines B+
Jalama Wines ($10 tasting, wines $26-$40)
'09 "Giallo" (Pinot Gris), '08 Pinot Noir, '10 Grenache - La Presa, '10 Mourvedre, '08 Syrah - La Presa, '08 Syrah - Paradise Road
Last year, Jalama was the winery that we were seeking out that drew us to the Wine Ghetto. It's one of two wine labels that are operated by Marc Cargasacchi, the other being the brand new Joseph Blair. We had hoped to visit both during this trip, but Marc was not available that day to run the Joseph Blair room, because a tractor broke down or something. So we had a fun time visiting with Christy at Jalama and plan on visiting the other label in the future. As before, the Jalama wines were very good. The Mourvedre was very fun to drink, and the La Presa Syrah really knocked my socks off.
Experience B / Wines B+
Sunday (Alamo Pintado Rd., Los Olivos)
'10 Viognier, '10 "Siempre" Albariño, '09 "FDL" Grenache, '07 "'FDL' Chateau Duplantier" (Syrah/Grenache/Mourvedre), '10 Riesling
I'd heard good things about Rideau from a few friends, and had planned on going at some point. So when Rideau ran a deal on Travelzoo I grabbed it. The deal was for two people to go on a tour, have a tasting and wine lesson, a cheese pairing, and a bottle of wine to boot. Our guide for the tour was the fantastic Shay. He took great pleasure in telling the history of Rideau, showing the vineyard and the winemaking area. During the pairing, he shared a lot of knowledge about wine appreciation and patiently answered everyone's questions. The force behind Rideau is Iris Rideau, who has had a long and successful career in the financial sector. She appreciated the Santa Ynez area, and was interested in restoring the old adobe bunkhouse that is now the winery. Shay toured us around the grounds, spending a lot of time discussing grape-growing, and a bit about the winemaking process. Rideau focuses largely on Rhone varietals. Their wines are well built - tasty and restrained - but lack excitement. Dug the Grenche most - did not enjoy the Riesling. Most of the wines were affordably priced. The grounds are quite nice, there is a large shaded lawn in the back with tons on seating for picnics. I'd recommend a visit, especially if you can get Shay to be your guide.
Experience A- / Wines B
Stolpman Vineyards ($10 tasting, wines $19-$68)
'10 Viognier, '09 "L'Avoin" (Roussanne), '10 Grenache, '10 "La Coppa" Sangiovese, '08 Sangiovese, '10 Syrah, '10 "High Density Hilltops" Syrah, '10 "Angeli" Syrah
The previous two times that we visited Stolpman, we've really enjoyed ourselves - somehow this time was even better. It was a lazy Sunday afternoon, and when we walked inside, an employee named Tom asked if we'd prefer to enjoy our tasting on the front patio. It was a beautiful day, and being able to enjoy Stolpman wine while watching folks passing by on the street was a fantastic way to spend the afternoon. Tom was a tremendous host, he was excited to discuss the wines and was able to answer my numerous in depth. I wasn't a huge fan on the whites, they were good wines, but they didn't tickle my fancy. However, the reds were all a hit with me. The Grenache was a really interesting wine - it was wispy slight, but still had a firm structure. The "Angeli" Syrah was awesome - Angeli is Stolpman's reserve wine. What's neat about their wines is that the wines that we were being served were young and could use some aging, but were good to drink right away.
Experience A / Wines A-
This trip reaffirmed our enthusiasm for the Santa Barbara region and likely made converts out of our first-time visiting friends. On each trip we take to the area, there is at least one or two places that really do a fantastic job of ensuring that we have a great time. The staff at the different wineries are often so friendly and passionate about the wine that it's impossible to not get caught up in the excitement. This time around, every place that we went to we had great conversations with winery staff - Lee at Samsara, Shay at Rideau, and Tom at Stolpman were standouts. Between the excellent people and the delicious wine, how doesn't one become a wine geek?
February '12 Santa Barbara County Trip - Hop, Skip, and Sip
Last month, we had a member pick-up party to attend in the evening at Ampelos, so we decided to head up early and check out a few newer tasting rooms in Los Olivos that we'd never been to before.
Alta Maria Vineyards ($10 tasting, wines $22-$64)
'10 Sauvignon Blanc, '09 Chardonnay, '09 Pinot Noir, '06 Cabernet Sauvignon, Native9 '09 Pinot Noir - Rancho Ontiveros Vineyards, Native9 '08 Pinot Noir - Rancho Ontiveros Vineyards, Autonom '08 Red Cuvée (Syrah/Grenache/Mourvedre).
Alta Maria is another new kid on the block in Los Olivos. It actually houses three different labels: Alta Maria, Native9, and Autonom. There is a very slick aesthetic to the tasting room and the wine labels. The room is well laid out, with a long counter and large leather chairs in the middle for lounging. Both of the tasting room attendants, Jim and Stephanie, were very nice, and were excited to talk about the wines. We were a bit unlucky during our visit. Just as we arrived, a large group came in off a party bus, for a woman's 50th birthday party. Immediately they took over most of the room - and were loud as hell. But Jim hung in with us, and Stephanie poured us tastes of the Native9 and Autonom wines - which they would ordinarily charge extra for. I found that the Native9 Pinots had tons of flavor, the '08 had crazy earthy and funky flavors that were very unexpected but exciting. We really liked the Autonom Cuvée. Overall, each of the wines had lots of flavor, but still retained an authentic quality.
Experience: B / Wine: B+
The pick-up party at Ampelos was great as well. Peter and Rebecca Work really roll out the red carpet for members. The wine was flowing, lots of food to eat, and there was a festive atmosphere.
We weren't sure how well it would work to swoop up to the area from LA and come back the same night, but it went quite well. We were able to check out two new joints in the early afternoon, make pick-ups at the two wineries that we're members at, and get home at a reasonable time. I still prefer to make a weekend out of it, but it's nice to know it can be done in one day.
Tecero Wines ($10 tasting, wines $16-$30)
'10 Viognier - White Hawk Vineyard, '10 Grenache Blanc, '07 Watch Hill Grenache, '07 Thompson Vineyard Syrah, '07 Cuvee Christie (Syrah/Grenache/Mourvedre), '08 Cuvee Christie (S/G/M), '10 Mourvedre Rosé.
Although Tercero's tasting room in Los Olivos is new, they've been making wine for a while. A few years back, Tercero's owner - Larry Schaffer - was a winemaker at the region's mega-winery: Fess Parker. During that time he developed the wines for Tercero and struck out on his own. I'd been curious to try Tercero wines for the past year, so I was looking forward to visiting their new Los Olivos tasting room. The decor of the room is sleek, the tasting list is written on a large chalk wall. Perhaps she was having a bad day, but the tasting room attendant did not seem very interested in us or the other patrons. She definitely did not share much information about the wines. I liked the balance of each of the wines, never too much oak, heat, or fruit. But even though they were proficient, they seemed to lack edge. Even they didn't tasting manipulated, there was a safeness to the flavors. Perhaps this was because the whites were served at nearly room temp, and found out that some of the reds had been opened since the previous day. We liked the '07 Cuvée best, and found the Rosé to be the least likeable. All of the wines were reasonably priced in comparison to many other wineries in the area, which is a real plus.
Experience: C+ / Wine: B-
Although Tercero's tasting room in Los Olivos is new, they've been making wine for a while. A few years back, Tercero's owner - Larry Schaffer - was a winemaker at the region's mega-winery: Fess Parker. During that time he developed the wines for Tercero and struck out on his own. I'd been curious to try Tercero wines for the past year, so I was looking forward to visiting their new Los Olivos tasting room. The decor of the room is sleek, the tasting list is written on a large chalk wall. Perhaps she was having a bad day, but the tasting room attendant did not seem very interested in us or the other patrons. She definitely did not share much information about the wines. I liked the balance of each of the wines, never too much oak, heat, or fruit. But even though they were proficient, they seemed to lack edge. Even they didn't tasting manipulated, there was a safeness to the flavors. Perhaps this was because the whites were served at nearly room temp, and found out that some of the reds had been opened since the previous day. We liked the '07 Cuvée best, and found the Rosé to be the least likeable. All of the wines were reasonably priced in comparison to many other wineries in the area, which is a real plus.
Experience: C+ / Wine: B-
Alta Maria Vineyards ($10 tasting, wines $22-$64)
'10 Sauvignon Blanc, '09 Chardonnay, '09 Pinot Noir, '06 Cabernet Sauvignon, Native9 '09 Pinot Noir - Rancho Ontiveros Vineyards, Native9 '08 Pinot Noir - Rancho Ontiveros Vineyards, Autonom '08 Red Cuvée (Syrah/Grenache/Mourvedre).Alta Maria is another new kid on the block in Los Olivos. It actually houses three different labels: Alta Maria, Native9, and Autonom. There is a very slick aesthetic to the tasting room and the wine labels. The room is well laid out, with a long counter and large leather chairs in the middle for lounging. Both of the tasting room attendants, Jim and Stephanie, were very nice, and were excited to talk about the wines. We were a bit unlucky during our visit. Just as we arrived, a large group came in off a party bus, for a woman's 50th birthday party. Immediately they took over most of the room - and were loud as hell. But Jim hung in with us, and Stephanie poured us tastes of the Native9 and Autonom wines - which they would ordinarily charge extra for. I found that the Native9 Pinots had tons of flavor, the '08 had crazy earthy and funky flavors that were very unexpected but exciting. We really liked the Autonom Cuvée. Overall, each of the wines had lots of flavor, but still retained an authentic quality.
Experience: B / Wine: B+
The pick-up party at Ampelos was great as well. Peter and Rebecca Work really roll out the red carpet for members. The wine was flowing, lots of food to eat, and there was a festive atmosphere.We weren't sure how well it would work to swoop up to the area from LA and come back the same night, but it went quite well. We were able to check out two new joints in the early afternoon, make pick-ups at the two wineries that we're members at, and get home at a reasonable time. I still prefer to make a weekend out of it, but it's nice to know it can be done in one day.
July '11 Santa Barbara County - Going Where We're Supposed To
The route for our third trip to SBC was pretty much written before we headed out. There were a number of wineries that were on our must try list: Fiddlehead, Alma Rosa, Beckmen, Qupe, and Dierberg Star Lane. These were all wineries that we had been told we had to see. It was nice to see that after visiting the area three times we were still able to find new wineries to enjoy.
Friday (Lompoc Wine Ghetto)
Road Music: Radiohead - In Rainbows
Fiddlehead Cellars ($10 tasting, wines $22-$50)
'08 Sauvingnon Blanc - Happy Canyon, '04 "Hunnysuckle" Sauvignon Blanc, '10 "Goosebury" Sauvignon Blanc, '10 "Pink Fiddle" Pinot Noir Rosé, '07 "Seven Twenty Eight" Piinot Noir - Fiddlestix Vineyard, '07 "Oldsville Reserve" Pinot Noir - Willamette Valley.
Fiddlehead was high on my list of wineries to visit because I've heard great things about their wine. Our high expectations were not met. The Pinots were nice, but slightly too hot on one, and too flabby on the other. The Rosé was pretty good, but just pretty good. The tasting room staff person was not friendly or informative. This probably affected our opinion of the wines.
Experience: C- / Wine: C+
Loring Wine Company ($10 tasting, wines $35-$45)
'09 Chardonnay - Sierra Mar Vineyard/Santa Lucia Highlands, '09 Pinot Noir - Shea Vineyard/Willamette Valley, '09 Pinot Noir - Keefer Ranch Vineyard/Russian River Valley, '09 Pinot Noir - Rosella's Vineyard/Santa Lucia Highlands, '09 Pinot Noir - Aubaine Vineyard/ San Luis Obispo County, '09 Pinot Noir - Cargasacchi Vineyard/Sta. Rita Hills, '09 Pinot Noir - Clos Pepe Vineayrd/Sta. Rita Hills, '09 Pinot Noir - Rancho La Viña/Sta. Rita Hills.
A tasting at Loring is interesting. They serve eight wines, seven of which are big flavor Pinots. The Pinots are served in geographic order, starting with furthest away (Oregon) - and ending with closest to the tasting room location (a few miles away). Each wine was unique from one another. That said, none of the wines were great and with all of the Pinots tagged at $45, not worth the price.
Experience: B- / Wine: B-
Zotovich Cellars ($10 tasting, wines $28-$42)
'09 Chardonnay, '08 Pinot Noir, '10 Viognier, '08 Syrah.
Zotovich is a new winery and seems to be gaining acclaim. We weren't wowed during our visit. The Chardonnay was quite good, and the Syrah was pretty good. The Pinot and Viognier were not as enjoyable. While we were there a group of well lubricated middle-aged men who arrived in a limo dominated the attention of the one staff person - so we weren't able to learn much about the Zotovich wine making process.
Experience: C+ / Wine: B-
Saturday (Santa Rosa Road, Buellton, Los Olivos)
Road Music: Easy Star All-Stars - Radiodread
Lafond Winery ($10 tasting, wines $22-$48)
'08 Chardonnay, '07 Estate Chardonnay, '08 Pinot Noir, '08 Pinot Noir - Arita Hills Vineyard, '06 Pinot Noir - Lafond Vineyard, '09 Syrah.
We did not expect much from Lafond. We chose it because it was on the same road near as Alma Rosa. We were thanking our random luck after our visit, because it was an excellent stop for us. We enjoyed the full roster of wines. The Chardonnay, '06 Pinot, and Syrah were the standouts. Lafond really rolls out the red carpet for visitors. They had an awesome complementary spread of cheese, meat, fruit, and sweets to pair with the wines. Our favorite part about Lafond was Diane. She was extremely nice, passionate, and helpful. Lafond is one of the oldest wineries in the region - and it seems that they have great confidence in their wine and their customer service.
Experience: A- / Wine: B+
Alma Rosa Winery & Vineyards ($15 for Pinot only tasting, wines $32-$43)
'08 Pinot Noir - La Encantada Vineyard Clone 115, '08 Pinot Noir - Sta. Rita Hills, '07 Pinot Noir - Sta. Rita Hills, '08 Pinot Noir - La Encantada Vineyard, '09 Pinot Noir - La Encantada Clone 667.
The Sanfords - who own Alma Rosa - are basically the first family of this wine region. They began planting Pinot Noir in 1970. After separating from Sanford Winery in 2005, they created Alma Rosa in their minds eye. They create organic and sustainable wine. We had a choice of a mixed tasting with a variety of wines for $10, or a Pinot Noir only flight for $15. We went with the Pinot flight. The bummer was that our friends decided to go with the mixed flight, so they were served in a different area from us, which was kind of annoying that we couldn't hang out. The grounds are funky and cool - though a bit crowded when we were there. Our pourer was not knowledgeable about the wines unfortunately. It was fun to see Chris Burroughs, the Tasting Room Manager, who had a role in "Sideways." We dug each wine. There were interesting differences between them and each had high quality. The '07, '08 La Encantada, and the '09 were our favorites.
Experience: B- / Wines: B+
Cold Heaven Cellars ($10 tasting)
'09 Viognier - Santa Ynez Valley, '09 Viognier - Le Bon Climat Vineyard, '09 Viognier - Sanford & Benedict Vineyard, '07 Domaine des Deux Mondes "Saints and Sinners" Viognier, '09 "Makepeace" Pinot Noir, '09 "Nevertell" Pinot Noir, '03 "Second Sin" Syrah, '03 Late Harvest Viognier.
Cold Heaven is known for Viognier, which is a nice departure from the norm in the region. The tasting room was in a state of disarray while we were there. Apparently the manager had just quit, and the staff person there was trying to figure out how to deal with everything. Withstanding that, the wine was very nice. It was nice to visit a winery that put a lot of energy into making good quality white wine.
Experience: C+ / Wines: B
Beckmen Vineyards ($10 tasting, wines $16-$39)
'10 Sauvignon Blanc, '09 Le Bec Blanc (Rossanne, Marsanne, Grenache Blanc), 09 Cuvee Le Bec (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Counoise), '09 Syrah, '09 Grenache - Purisima Mountain Vineyard.
Beckmen has a really good reputation. They are 100% biodynamic, which is huge undertaking and in my opinion makes better wine. They have a rambling property with picnic areas looking over a small pond. The staff there were not engaging, which put a damper on the experience. We had a choice between a regular $10 flight and a $15 reserve flight. We chose the regular flight. The wines on the regular list were nicely priced. We dug all of the wine especially the Syrah and the Grenache.
Experience: C+ / Wines: B+
Qupé Winery ($10 tasting)
Verdad '10 Albariño, '10 Viognier, '10 Marsanne, '08 Chardonnay, Verdad '08 Tempranillo, '09 Grenache, Ethan '09 Syrah, '05 Syrah.
Qupé is a very solid winery. They are also one of the original wineries of the region. We enjoyed all of the wines on the tasting list. They host three wine labels: Verdad - for their Spanish wines, Ethan - for wines created by Ethan Linquist, the second generation of the owners, and Qupé. The Albariño, and the '05 Syrah were the standouts. It was a busy day and the staff were efficiently handling customers. The guy that took care of us was really low key, verging on uninterested.
Experience: B / Wines: A-
Sunday (Highway 246)
Dierberg & Star Lane Vineyards ($10 tasting, wines $20-$80)
Star Lane '08 Sauvignon Blanc, Star Lane '09 Sauvignon Blanc, Dierberg '08 Chardonnay, Dierberg '07 Pinot Noir, Star Lane '07 Merlot, Star Lane '06 Cabernet Sauvignon, Star Lane '05 Cabernet Sauvignon, Star Lane '06 "Astral" Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve.
Of all of the wineries that we visited on this trip Dierberg was our favorite - which is saying a lot. The tasting room is a funky farmhouse brightly painted. The staff were very helpful. They spoke in depth and at a level that suited our experience level with wine. The winery has two labels. Dierberg produces the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from a vineyard near Santa Maria. Star Lane produces Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon from their warmer weather Happy Canyon location. Each wine aside from the Chard were unique, complex, and tasty. We really enjoyed the Merlot and all of the Cabs.
Experience: B+ / Wines: A-
Another fine weekend spent in Santa Barbara County. Qupé and Dierberg Star Lane really blew us away, Lafond and Cold Heaven were great finds, Alma Rosa and Beckmen were good - though slightly below our high expectations. The mellow mood of the wineries and the opportunity to learn from the staff sets the region apart from others.
Friday (Lompoc Wine Ghetto)
Road Music: Radiohead - In Rainbows
Fiddlehead Cellars ($10 tasting, wines $22-$50)
'08 Sauvingnon Blanc - Happy Canyon, '04 "Hunnysuckle" Sauvignon Blanc, '10 "Goosebury" Sauvignon Blanc, '10 "Pink Fiddle" Pinot Noir Rosé, '07 "Seven Twenty Eight" Piinot Noir - Fiddlestix Vineyard, '07 "Oldsville Reserve" Pinot Noir - Willamette Valley.
Fiddlehead was high on my list of wineries to visit because I've heard great things about their wine. Our high expectations were not met. The Pinots were nice, but slightly too hot on one, and too flabby on the other. The Rosé was pretty good, but just pretty good. The tasting room staff person was not friendly or informative. This probably affected our opinion of the wines.
Experience: C- / Wine: C+
Loring Wine Company ($10 tasting, wines $35-$45)
'09 Chardonnay - Sierra Mar Vineyard/Santa Lucia Highlands, '09 Pinot Noir - Shea Vineyard/Willamette Valley, '09 Pinot Noir - Keefer Ranch Vineyard/Russian River Valley, '09 Pinot Noir - Rosella's Vineyard/Santa Lucia Highlands, '09 Pinot Noir - Aubaine Vineyard/ San Luis Obispo County, '09 Pinot Noir - Cargasacchi Vineyard/Sta. Rita Hills, '09 Pinot Noir - Clos Pepe Vineayrd/Sta. Rita Hills, '09 Pinot Noir - Rancho La Viña/Sta. Rita Hills.
A tasting at Loring is interesting. They serve eight wines, seven of which are big flavor Pinots. The Pinots are served in geographic order, starting with furthest away (Oregon) - and ending with closest to the tasting room location (a few miles away). Each wine was unique from one another. That said, none of the wines were great and with all of the Pinots tagged at $45, not worth the price.
Experience: B- / Wine: B-
Zotovich Cellars ($10 tasting, wines $28-$42)
'09 Chardonnay, '08 Pinot Noir, '10 Viognier, '08 Syrah.
Zotovich is a new winery and seems to be gaining acclaim. We weren't wowed during our visit. The Chardonnay was quite good, and the Syrah was pretty good. The Pinot and Viognier were not as enjoyable. While we were there a group of well lubricated middle-aged men who arrived in a limo dominated the attention of the one staff person - so we weren't able to learn much about the Zotovich wine making process.
Experience: C+ / Wine: B-
Saturday (Santa Rosa Road, Buellton, Los Olivos)
Road Music: Easy Star All-Stars - Radiodread
Lafond Winery ($10 tasting, wines $22-$48)
'08 Chardonnay, '07 Estate Chardonnay, '08 Pinot Noir, '08 Pinot Noir - Arita Hills Vineyard, '06 Pinot Noir - Lafond Vineyard, '09 Syrah.
We did not expect much from Lafond. We chose it because it was on the same road near as Alma Rosa. We were thanking our random luck after our visit, because it was an excellent stop for us. We enjoyed the full roster of wines. The Chardonnay, '06 Pinot, and Syrah were the standouts. Lafond really rolls out the red carpet for visitors. They had an awesome complementary spread of cheese, meat, fruit, and sweets to pair with the wines. Our favorite part about Lafond was Diane. She was extremely nice, passionate, and helpful. Lafond is one of the oldest wineries in the region - and it seems that they have great confidence in their wine and their customer service.
Experience: A- / Wine: B+
Alma Rosa Winery & Vineyards ($15 for Pinot only tasting, wines $32-$43)
'08 Pinot Noir - La Encantada Vineyard Clone 115, '08 Pinot Noir - Sta. Rita Hills, '07 Pinot Noir - Sta. Rita Hills, '08 Pinot Noir - La Encantada Vineyard, '09 Pinot Noir - La Encantada Clone 667.
The Sanfords - who own Alma Rosa - are basically the first family of this wine region. They began planting Pinot Noir in 1970. After separating from Sanford Winery in 2005, they created Alma Rosa in their minds eye. They create organic and sustainable wine. We had a choice of a mixed tasting with a variety of wines for $10, or a Pinot Noir only flight for $15. We went with the Pinot flight. The bummer was that our friends decided to go with the mixed flight, so they were served in a different area from us, which was kind of annoying that we couldn't hang out. The grounds are funky and cool - though a bit crowded when we were there. Our pourer was not knowledgeable about the wines unfortunately. It was fun to see Chris Burroughs, the Tasting Room Manager, who had a role in "Sideways." We dug each wine. There were interesting differences between them and each had high quality. The '07, '08 La Encantada, and the '09 were our favorites.
Experience: B- / Wines: B+
Cold Heaven Cellars ($10 tasting)
'09 Viognier - Santa Ynez Valley, '09 Viognier - Le Bon Climat Vineyard, '09 Viognier - Sanford & Benedict Vineyard, '07 Domaine des Deux Mondes "Saints and Sinners" Viognier, '09 "Makepeace" Pinot Noir, '09 "Nevertell" Pinot Noir, '03 "Second Sin" Syrah, '03 Late Harvest Viognier.
Cold Heaven is known for Viognier, which is a nice departure from the norm in the region. The tasting room was in a state of disarray while we were there. Apparently the manager had just quit, and the staff person there was trying to figure out how to deal with everything. Withstanding that, the wine was very nice. It was nice to visit a winery that put a lot of energy into making good quality white wine.
Experience: C+ / Wines: B
Beckmen Vineyards ($10 tasting, wines $16-$39)
'10 Sauvignon Blanc, '09 Le Bec Blanc (Rossanne, Marsanne, Grenache Blanc), 09 Cuvee Le Bec (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Counoise), '09 Syrah, '09 Grenache - Purisima Mountain Vineyard.
Beckmen has a really good reputation. They are 100% biodynamic, which is huge undertaking and in my opinion makes better wine. They have a rambling property with picnic areas looking over a small pond. The staff there were not engaging, which put a damper on the experience. We had a choice between a regular $10 flight and a $15 reserve flight. We chose the regular flight. The wines on the regular list were nicely priced. We dug all of the wine especially the Syrah and the Grenache.
Experience: C+ / Wines: B+
Qupé Winery ($10 tasting)
Verdad '10 Albariño, '10 Viognier, '10 Marsanne, '08 Chardonnay, Verdad '08 Tempranillo, '09 Grenache, Ethan '09 Syrah, '05 Syrah.
Qupé is a very solid winery. They are also one of the original wineries of the region. We enjoyed all of the wines on the tasting list. They host three wine labels: Verdad - for their Spanish wines, Ethan - for wines created by Ethan Linquist, the second generation of the owners, and Qupé. The Albariño, and the '05 Syrah were the standouts. It was a busy day and the staff were efficiently handling customers. The guy that took care of us was really low key, verging on uninterested.
Experience: B / Wines: A-
Sunday (Highway 246)
Dierberg & Star Lane Vineyards ($10 tasting, wines $20-$80)
Star Lane '08 Sauvignon Blanc, Star Lane '09 Sauvignon Blanc, Dierberg '08 Chardonnay, Dierberg '07 Pinot Noir, Star Lane '07 Merlot, Star Lane '06 Cabernet Sauvignon, Star Lane '05 Cabernet Sauvignon, Star Lane '06 "Astral" Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve.
Of all of the wineries that we visited on this trip Dierberg was our favorite - which is saying a lot. The tasting room is a funky farmhouse brightly painted. The staff were very helpful. They spoke in depth and at a level that suited our experience level with wine. The winery has two labels. Dierberg produces the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from a vineyard near Santa Maria. Star Lane produces Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon from their warmer weather Happy Canyon location. Each wine aside from the Chard were unique, complex, and tasty. We really enjoyed the Merlot and all of the Cabs.
Experience: B+ / Wines: A-
Another fine weekend spent in Santa Barbara County. Qupé and Dierberg Star Lane really blew us away, Lafond and Cold Heaven were great finds, Alma Rosa and Beckmen were good - though slightly below our high expectations. The mellow mood of the wineries and the opportunity to learn from the staff sets the region apart from others.
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