55 Degree Wine is largely responsible for my wine nerdom. My wife and I moved to a place just blocks away from them, and had heard good things from friends. Quickly we became regulars. The main staff people at the time, Stephanie, Tony and Wendy, were excellent hosts. They were truly passionate about wine and enjoyed sharing insights. They were great teachers, and put a lot of energy into making the experience positive for us. For us it was an ideal situation to learn to love wine. We visited frequently, and touted it to our friends.
55 Degree has a pretty sweet setup. You walk into a normal seeming wine store, brightly lit, with stacks and stacks of wines shelved delicately. The wines sold there aren't easy to find around town and some - like this one - are awesome. The major focal point is Italian wines, so the wine bottles are categorized by region, and then by other countries. As you approach the counter, a staff person directs you to a small staircase that isn't seen from the front of the store. Down the staircase you go, descending into a dimly lit, simply decorated cellar. It's definitely a unique spot. Once you find a table, a staff person brings you a menu that features the weekly wine options, broken up into four themed flights, each flight is comprised of three large tasting pours of wine. The themes can be based on a many different things - a specific region, a specific type of wine, and so on. There's a small food menu (cheese plates, pizza, hummus, etc.). You can also order wines by the glass and there are plenty of quality beers to choose from.
About a year ago, the bar began to lose it's luster. First off, the people that worked there that really knew wine began to leave. The weekly wine flight options weren't nearly as inventive or diverse. The new staff that came in weren't nearly as engaging or knowledgeable. It also seemed like the focus of the place shifted from a quiet neighborhood wine bar with an educational focus to a groupon fueled party spot. I'm not sure if that happened purposefully, but the ownership definitely seemed more interested in more people who visited once rather than a more moderate stream of people visiting regularly.
As we became less infatuated with 55, we began to explore other wine stores and wine bars. It became clear that the only advantage that 55 has over other locations is closeness to us. We discovered that 55 was charging a lot more for their wines than other wine stores, and that were other wine bars in the area that focused on a superior customer experience.
I'm not sure whether the 55 Degree will shift back to it's previous self. I have a feeling that a reason that the ownership was less invested in the regular customer was because they were focused on opening a sausage and beer restaurant next door (Link 'N' Hops - which received a less than stellar review from LA Weekly), and had to cut costs. So now that the restaurant is now open, perhaps 55 will receive more focus from the ownership and will return to its previous glory. My guess is though that the reason the restaurant was opened was because the wine store/bar model wasn't playing out as well as hoped, so potentially 55 will continue to underwhelm when compared to its past.
Experience C / Wine Selection & Prices C-
April '12 Central Valley Pit Stop - Van Ruiten
Being that my wife and I both have family in NorCal, we drive through the Central Valley with frequency. Even though it doesn't have the same wine cache as the Sonoma and Napa regions, the Central Valley is a prolific growing region for all sorts of agriculture, including wine grapes. Lodi has a rich history of wine growing, thanks to the influx of Gold Rush era immigrants who brought grape vines with them - particularly Zinfandel. I've thought during the past few trips to visit family that we should stop and check out the area.
Van Ruiten Family Vineyards ($5 tasting, wines $13.99-$34.99)
'11 Pinot Grigio, '10 Lake County Sauvignon Blanc, '10 Chardonnay, '08 "Double Barrel" Chardonnay, '10 Clarksburg Pinot Noir, '10 Cab-Shiraz, '08 Cabernet Sauvignon, '10 "Lot No. 498" Cabernet Sauvignon, '09 Petit Sirah, Winsome '08 Old Vine Zinfandel, Glory Days '09 Zinfandel, '07 Late Harvest Viognier
Upon entering the tasting room, we were warned that they were out of their Old Vine Zin, which I guess can be an issue for folks if they don't find out immediately. Not a big deal for us, we take on all wines equally. The ambience was quite nice. In the warmer months, the winery hosts a band every Sunday afternoon, and there were a bunch of folks digging the music outside on the patio drinking bottles that they had purchased inside. Everyone was very friendly. Strangers struck up conversations with us and the staff person who attended to us was very talkative. The place had a mellow and welcoming vibe. We've never tried Lodi wines before. My expectation was that the wines would be high in alcohol, that all of the reds would taste the same, and that they would serve White Zin. I have to give more credit to Van Ruiten. I was not blown away by the wines - none were refined or complex, but they showed some balance and definitely were not the high octane bombers that I expected. The reds generally had flavor variences between them, some good, some not so good. The Petit Sirah was the most emblematic of this experience. My tasting note on this one reads: "mediocre melted Boysenberry sorbet." That generally fits with most of the Van Ruiten reds because most of the wines had a clear, decent flavor to them, but that's the most of it. The good reds had a basic good flavor, while the bad reds, had a less-enjoyable basic flavor to them. And we were not served a White Zin - so that's a good thing. The Pinot Grigio was enjoyable, and the Winsome Zin (Winsome is one of Van Ruiten's budget labels) was tasty for the price. The '08 Cab, the Cab-Shiraz, and the Late Harvest Viognier were definite lowlights.
Experience: B- / Wines: C+
It's a long drive between LA and Sacramento. It's long and it's curious, because along those seemingly empty 384 miles there is actually a lot going on. Even though California sees itself as a cosmopolitan touchstone, it is at root an agricultural state. Along I-5 or the 99, food is being grown. Wine is my kind of agricultural product, so it's nice to know that when I find myself passing through, I can stop and enjoy some of their wares.
Van Ruiten Family Vineyards ($5 tasting, wines $13.99-$34.99)
'11 Pinot Grigio, '10 Lake County Sauvignon Blanc, '10 Chardonnay, '08 "Double Barrel" Chardonnay, '10 Clarksburg Pinot Noir, '10 Cab-Shiraz, '08 Cabernet Sauvignon, '10 "Lot No. 498" Cabernet Sauvignon, '09 Petit Sirah, Winsome '08 Old Vine Zinfandel, Glory Days '09 Zinfandel, '07 Late Harvest Viognier
Upon entering the tasting room, we were warned that they were out of their Old Vine Zin, which I guess can be an issue for folks if they don't find out immediately. Not a big deal for us, we take on all wines equally. The ambience was quite nice. In the warmer months, the winery hosts a band every Sunday afternoon, and there were a bunch of folks digging the music outside on the patio drinking bottles that they had purchased inside. Everyone was very friendly. Strangers struck up conversations with us and the staff person who attended to us was very talkative. The place had a mellow and welcoming vibe. We've never tried Lodi wines before. My expectation was that the wines would be high in alcohol, that all of the reds would taste the same, and that they would serve White Zin. I have to give more credit to Van Ruiten. I was not blown away by the wines - none were refined or complex, but they showed some balance and definitely were not the high octane bombers that I expected. The reds generally had flavor variences between them, some good, some not so good. The Petit Sirah was the most emblematic of this experience. My tasting note on this one reads: "mediocre melted Boysenberry sorbet." That generally fits with most of the Van Ruiten reds because most of the wines had a clear, decent flavor to them, but that's the most of it. The good reds had a basic good flavor, while the bad reds, had a less-enjoyable basic flavor to them. And we were not served a White Zin - so that's a good thing. The Pinot Grigio was enjoyable, and the Winsome Zin (Winsome is one of Van Ruiten's budget labels) was tasty for the price. The '08 Cab, the Cab-Shiraz, and the Late Harvest Viognier were definite lowlights.Experience: B- / Wines: C+
It's a long drive between LA and Sacramento. It's long and it's curious, because along those seemingly empty 384 miles there is actually a lot going on. Even though California sees itself as a cosmopolitan touchstone, it is at root an agricultural state. Along I-5 or the 99, food is being grown. Wine is my kind of agricultural product, so it's nice to know that when I find myself passing through, I can stop and enjoy some of their wares.
Wine Tasting Etiquette Quandry
Since I've to a number of tasting room recently, I've come up against a bit of a sticky issue. Very often, the tasting room attendants will ask the question "So what do you think about that wine that you just had?"
Sometimes I can answer both honestly and positively, "That was excellent, I really liked the blah blah blah, etc."
But sometimes the wine that they ask about does not taste good and/or have redeeming qualities. What's the proper way to answer? I see three potential options:
1) Be completely and bluntly honest. One of the first times I ever went wine tasting I went with my buddy Cal. Cal would take a sip of wine, make a disgusted face, and say "I do not like!" directly to the attendant (in his thick Syrian accent). This can be hilarious and frank, but more often uncomfortable.
2) Admit that you didn't like it but blame yourself for not liking it. This would be something like saying "This seems like it's really good quality, I just don't like Syrahs." In instances this works well, but not very helpful when you have to come up with excuses for not liking all of the wines that are being poured.
3) Lie like there's no tomorrow. Act as though you enjoyed every last drop. Honestly this is my go to technique. No matter what the winery's size or style is, they are in the business of making people happy, so it's easier to act as though they've accomplished their goal. Though I can't help feeling disingenuous when I do it.
So my question is - how do you handle this? Blunt honestly, deferred blame, or outright lie? Or perhaps something else? I'm certainly open to new ideas, so lay them on me.
Sometimes I can answer both honestly and positively, "That was excellent, I really liked the blah blah blah, etc."
But sometimes the wine that they ask about does not taste good and/or have redeeming qualities. What's the proper way to answer? I see three potential options:
1) Be completely and bluntly honest. One of the first times I ever went wine tasting I went with my buddy Cal. Cal would take a sip of wine, make a disgusted face, and say "I do not like!" directly to the attendant (in his thick Syrian accent). This can be hilarious and frank, but more often uncomfortable.
2) Admit that you didn't like it but blame yourself for not liking it. This would be something like saying "This seems like it's really good quality, I just don't like Syrahs." In instances this works well, but not very helpful when you have to come up with excuses for not liking all of the wines that are being poured.
3) Lie like there's no tomorrow. Act as though you enjoyed every last drop. Honestly this is my go to technique. No matter what the winery's size or style is, they are in the business of making people happy, so it's easier to act as though they've accomplished their goal. Though I can't help feeling disingenuous when I do it.
So my question is - how do you handle this? Blunt honestly, deferred blame, or outright lie? Or perhaps something else? I'm certainly open to new ideas, so lay them on me.
April '12 Paso Robles Trip - Happy Birthday to Me
Leading up to a momentous birthday of mine, I knew that I wanted to enjoy the hell out of the celebration with good friends, and go somewhere new. Growing up in Northern California, I'd taken a number of trips along the Central Coast, but haven't been through the area in a long time. I'd heard a lot about the wines of Paso, and I've been very interested to check the region out. The region seemed pretty spread out as I started planning the trip, so I stuck to wineries on the west side of the 101, and even then, wineries that were either near Vineyard Dr. or in the Westside portion of the region.
Friday (Southwest)
L'Aventure Winery ($10 tasting, wines $25-$85)
'10 Rosé (Syrah/Cab), '10 "Optimus" (Syrah/Cab/Petit Verdot), '09 "Plus 16" (Mourvédre/Cab/Syrah), '09 Côte á Côte (Grenache/Syrah/Mourvédre), '09 Estate Cuvée (Syrah/Cab/Petit Verdot)
Owner and winemaker Stephan Asseo started out making wine in the Bordeaux region of France. Eventually he relocated to Paso Robles so that he could be more experimental with his wines. Each wine is a red blend, but each has a different take. There were a few weird things about the tasting. The wines were really young, though the staff recommended that they all be aged several years. Also, the wines were high in alcohol - all were over 15% and the Côtes á Côtes was over 16%. That said, these were exciting wines. They definitely made the trip down the long dusty road worth it. The tasting room staff were supportive and intelligent.
Experience: B / Wines: B
Caliza Winery ($10 tasting, wines $23-$48)
'10 "Kissin' Cousins" (Viognier/Rousanne/Grenache Blanc), '10 "Pink" Rosé (Syrah/Grenache/Mourvédre/Primotivo), Shellstone '09 Grenache, "Sympatico" (Tempranillo/Grenache), '09 Syrah
I can't figure out what the deal was with Caliza. I had heard really great things about the winery, but I really didn't dig it. The room was nicely decorated and had lots of tchotchkes for sale. The first wine, the "Kissin' Cousins" white blend was way too sweet and did not have redeeming characteristics. None of the other wines persuaded us to change our opinion. Wines were clunky, hot, and lacked appealing flavors. It was a bummer of a visit, and it made me nervous that Paso wineries weren't up to snuff.
Experience: C / Wines: D+
Brian Benson Cellars ($10 tasting, wines $25-$45)
NV "Kandy Red" Red Blend (Zin/Grenache/Mourvédre), '08 Zinfandel, '08 "S&M" (Syrah/Mourvédre), '08 Syrah - Glenrose Vineyard, '06 Syrah - Denner Vineyard
APV - 15.2-16.5%(06 Syrah)
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Brian Benson is the son of the owner of Dark Star Cellars (which is right next door), and has been involved with the winemaking process since he was a teenager. Both he and his father are hot rod enthusiasts, and that aesthetic carries over to the decor of the tasting room and the style of the wines. The dude working the tasting room was a fun guy - a self-described cellar rat. He was passionate about wine, and entertaining to talk to. I can appreciate that the wines have a specific take - big, bold, high-octane reds. That's not really my bag, but most of the wines were enjoyable to drink, especially the Zin and the '08 Syrah. The '06 Syrah had a bonkers smell to it. I thought it smelled like sushi seaweed - according to the Cellar Rat there are all sorts of comparisons that the scent has been compared to: soy sauce, tuna, and according to one sommelier: "fecal spice" (but in a good way). Brings new meaning to calling wine "the shit..."
Experience: B / Wines: C+
Saturday (Westside / Far Out Wineries)
JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery ($15 tasting, wines $22.50-$62)
'09 Viognier, '09 Cabernet Sauvignon, '09 Reserve Tempranillo, '09 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, '09 "ISOSCELES" (Cab/Cab Franc/Merlot)
I went into Justin wanting to hate it. I think that the best wineries are the small wineries, and that corporate wineries do not make a quality product, nor do they offer a worthwhile and personable experience. Justin is a big-ass winery. They may have started from humble beginnings in the Paso area, but now they are big fish. No matter what my anti-big-winery stance is, Justin did me right. Since we were a big group we had a private tasting in the barrel room - which was cool to check out. Our hostess was extremely attentive and very knowledgeable. The next day we went back to pick up a bottle of their Zin. The regular tasting room staff was very nice as well. The tasting room had all sorts of t-shirts, books, snacks, etc. for sale. The wines were very good - and well-priced for the quality, especially in comparison to other Paso wineries. The Viognier was insanely good. It hit all the right sweet, fruity notes, but had a macho quality. And the Reserve Cab knocked my socks off - I literally had no socks after that wine. The Tempranillo was not enjoyable for me. Generally I don't like Temps, and this one didn't have any upside for me. I'd rather have gone to Justin and said that their wine sucked, and been able to continue my crusade against big-ass-wineries, but I know when I'm forced to admit defeat.
Experience: B+ / Wines: A-
Chateau Margene ($10 tasting, wines $34-$58)
'10 Grenache Blanc, '10 Pinot Noir, '09 Cabernet Sauvingon, '08 Petit Sirah, NV "Pistolero" (Zin/Sangiovese/Merlot/Petit Sirah/Syrah)
Our visit to Chateau Margene started off a bit funky. I had made reservations to have our group visit at a specific time on Saturday, which was confirmed by email. Though when we arrived the tasting room had no idea that we were coming, and seemed a bit sketchy about our presence, and apparently did not realize that we were coming, though quickly Christina set us up outside on the patio and took good care of us. It was a beautiful, sunny day, and we enjoyed the setting. Also we enjoyed the winery cat - Kit Kat - who was quite friendly until she decided to go grapenuts on our friend's hand. The wines poured were an eclectic mix - especially the last wine, the "Pistolero," which was basically leftover red wine, carefully blended together, and sold for $56 in a four liter box. None of the wines stood out as best of the day - but there were some interesting take-aways. No one in our group liked the Pinot. A handful in our group liked the Cab quite a bit, while others (including me), did not at all. Most folks liked the Petit Sirah pretty well. And a couple people (including me) thought that the "Pistolero" was pretty decent, while others strongly disliked it. Considering that all of the reds were +$50 and that none of the wines were above the pretty good level - Chateau Margene was not a weekend favorite.
Experience: B- / Wines: C
Calcareous Vineyard ($10 tasting, wines $28-38)
'09 Viognier, '08 Syrah, '08 "Tres Violet" (Syrah/Mourvédre/Grenache), '07 Meritage (Cab/Petit Verdot/Cab Franc/Merlot/Malbec), '08 York Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, '07 Cabernet Franc
I put Calareous on our trip list because I had heard pretty good things about the wine, and very good things about the location. I'd refine that recommendation slightly. Calcareous has reliably good wine, good staff, and indeed a very good location. The picnic area is well laid out, and the panoramic view is fantastic. Inside the tasting room, we were very well taken care of - or perhaps I was very well taken care of, I think I monopolized the attention of the dude who poured for us. He was very informative and patient with answering my bevy of questions. The wines themselves varied from good to very good. Each were solidly built, stayed within the norms for what flavors one would expect, and lacked a little bit of subtlety. My least favorite wine was the Meritage (which I just learned is what US producers typically label a Bordeaux style blend), my most favorite was the Tres Violet. Calcareous is definitely worth the visit, and is more than just a good view.
Experience: B+ / Wines: B
Alta Colina Vineyard & Winery ($5 tasting, wines $24-$42)
'09 Grenache, '09 Mourvédre, '09 GSM (Syrah/Grenache/Mourvédre), '09 Toasted Hill Syrah, '10 Late Harvest Viognier
A visit like the one that we had a Alta Colina is exactly the type of thing that my burgeoning wine nerd heart desires. A tiny, unassuming winery, where you get to talk at length with the winemaker at length about their product - it can't be beat. Bob Tillman was a very gracious host. When he retired from a technical profession, he decided to purchase a small vineyard to make Rhone-style wines. Less than ten years later, he is cranking out an excellent roster of wines. Speaking with Bob, it was interesting to hear about the creation process and the thinking that go into making wine. One tidbit that he told us was that when he's getting near to bottling wine, it's easy to tell what the opening flavors of the wine will be, and what the end flavors will be, but it's making sure that the middle flavor profile is well built to connect those two ends. Bob certainly seemed at ease with the technical aspects to wine growing and making, but he also seemed to have a artistic sensibility. All of the wines were well constructed and enjoyable to drink. Each of the reds seemed to be built from the same template - so that there were flavor profile similarities between them - so the wines weren't as diverse as I'd like between varietals. I enjoyed the GSM and the Late Harvest Viognier most - really awesome.
Experience: A- / Wines: B+
Villicana Winery ($5 tasting, wines 18-$32)
'10 Viognier, '10 Estate Vin Rosé, '09 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, '10 Zinfandel, '10 Estate Zinfandel
Yikes. Not sure what to do about this one. Villicana was highly suggested to me by my boss. Since my visit, he's been very interested in how I enjoyed it - and I have no idea how to respond. I really didn't enjoy it, but don't think that's going to fly. Our presence wasn't warmly received by tasting room staff, and they generally seemed stressed out by folks who were coming in. Compared to other wineries we visited that day, Villicana's wines did not impress. The Zin was pretty good, but was a high-octane 16.4% alcohol level (though the Estate Zin was at 17%!). Did not dig the other wines. At least they were more reasonably priced. I welcome any advice on how to break the news to my boss...
Experience: C- / Wines: D+
Sunday (Westside)
Tablas Creek Vineyard ($10 tasting, wines $20-$70)
'10 "Côtes de Tablas" Blanc (Viognier/Grenache Blanc/Marsanne/Roussanne), '09 Roussanne, '11 Rosé, '10 "Esprit de Beaucastel" Blanc (Roussanne/Grenache Blanc/Picpoul Blanc), '11 "Patelin de Tablas" Blanc (Grenache Blanc/Viognier/Roussanne/Marsanne), '10 "Antihesis" (Chardonnay), '10 "Côtes de Tables" (Grenache/Syrah/Mourvédre/Counoise), '09 "Esprit de Beautcastel" (Mourvédre/Syrah/Grenache/Counoise), '04 "Esprit de Beautcastel" (Mourvédre/Syrah/Grenache/Counoise)
Where some other wineries in Paso seem to be seeking their identity, and trying to figure out what story to tell about their wines, Tablas Creek is firmly identified and at rest with their narrative. Tablas Creek derives it's inspiration from Châteauneuf du Pape - the premier growing region of the Rhone. The winery seems to put an abundant amount of energy into making great wine, and integrate biodynamic and sustainable principles. Their tent-pole wines are rhone-style blends. All if the blends showed admirable characteristics: the white - Tablas Blanc, the budget red - Patelin, the general red - Côtes, and the fancy red - Esprit de Beaucastel (which kicked ass). Also, the 100% Roussanne was awesome. There were a few less enjoyable wines, the Chardonnay especially. Our tasting room attendant was a bit jittery, but she was very helpful and seemed excited to share the wine. Overall, Tablas Creek is a very solid winery - one of Paso's premier joints.
Experience: B / Wines: A-
Halter Ranch Vineyard ($10 tasting, wines $16-$44)
'11 "Côtes de Paso" Blanc (Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Picpoul Blanc, Marsanne, Viognier), '09 "Ranch" White (Roussanne/Marsanne/Grenache Blanc/Sauvignon Blanc), '11 Rosé (Grenache/Syrah/Mourvédre/Picpoul), '09 "Côtes de Paso" (Grenache/Syrah/Mourvédre/Tannat/Counoise/Cinsault), '08 Cabernet Sauvignon, '07 Cabernet Sauvignon - Vineyard 41, '09 Zinfandel, '06 "El Pecado" Syrah Dessert Wine
I was interested in visiting Halter Ranch because they are featured as a SIP Certified winery. SIP stands for "Sustainability in Practice," which is a Central Coast based rating system that comprehensively evaluates a winery's sustainability practices. Halter Ranch really touts their efforts toward this program - which definitely floats my boat. The grounds are quite nice - very relaxing. The attendant was a very nice conversationalist and helpful. I really enjoyed Halter Ranch's wines. They all were showing good flavors and balance, and were well priced. The "Ranch White" and the Cab were the standouts. In comparison to the other big hits of the weekend (Justin, Alta Colina, and Tablas Creek) I did not feel that I was as moved by Halter Ranch, but that could have been because it was the end of a long weekend - I'll definitely swing by Halter Ranch next time we're around to give it a fresh look.
Experience: B+ / Wines: B+
Wine of the trip - Tablas Creek's Roussanne. I've rarely had Roussanne, and I've never really noticed it before. This bad-ass dude did me right though. Very refined flavors, light notes, but also managed to have some heft.
Paso is a beautiful place. The west side wineries are surprisingly distant from one another, which gives an opportunity to take in the sights - rolling hills, old oak canopies, olive and walnut orchards, of course vineyards - while traveling between them. It's a serene experience. I think that environment rubs off on the people that we met. Folks were mellow, though excited to share wine. They were helpful and fun. On the spectrum of wineries that we decided to go to, there was a large disparity. Either the winery was very good to awesome (Justin, Tablas Creek, Alta Colina, Halter Ranch, Alta Colina), or the winery was sub-par and often over-priced - with a few exceptions. That countered my expectation. Based on the input that I had gotten while prepping for the trip, I had expected a slew of solidly good wineries. I'm wondering if this hit or miss situation is because of the types of wines that are being produced. Many wineries that we checked out are producing Rhone blends. I'd hypothesize, those styles of wines take a high degree of difficulty to make well. If you do make them well - you're golden, if not you're making high-alcohol fruit bombs. Luckily while we were visiting we got a bunch of recommendations for other wineries to check out - so we'll be ready to take on more Paso next time we're up.
Friday (Southwest)
'10 Rosé (Syrah/Cab), '10 "Optimus" (Syrah/Cab/Petit Verdot), '09 "Plus 16" (Mourvédre/Cab/Syrah), '09 Côte á Côte (Grenache/Syrah/Mourvédre), '09 Estate Cuvée (Syrah/Cab/Petit Verdot)Owner and winemaker Stephan Asseo started out making wine in the Bordeaux region of France. Eventually he relocated to Paso Robles so that he could be more experimental with his wines. Each wine is a red blend, but each has a different take. There were a few weird things about the tasting. The wines were really young, though the staff recommended that they all be aged several years. Also, the wines were high in alcohol - all were over 15% and the Côtes á Côtes was over 16%. That said, these were exciting wines. They definitely made the trip down the long dusty road worth it. The tasting room staff were supportive and intelligent.
Experience: B / Wines: B
Caliza Winery ($10 tasting, wines $23-$48)
'10 "Kissin' Cousins" (Viognier/Rousanne/Grenache Blanc), '10 "Pink" Rosé (Syrah/Grenache/Mourvédre/Primotivo), Shellstone '09 Grenache, "Sympatico" (Tempranillo/Grenache), '09 Syrah
I can't figure out what the deal was with Caliza. I had heard really great things about the winery, but I really didn't dig it. The room was nicely decorated and had lots of tchotchkes for sale. The first wine, the "Kissin' Cousins" white blend was way too sweet and did not have redeeming characteristics. None of the other wines persuaded us to change our opinion. Wines were clunky, hot, and lacked appealing flavors. It was a bummer of a visit, and it made me nervous that Paso wineries weren't up to snuff.Experience: C / Wines: D+
Brian Benson Cellars ($10 tasting, wines $25-$45)
NV "Kandy Red" Red Blend (Zin/Grenache/Mourvédre), '08 Zinfandel, '08 "S&M" (Syrah/Mourvédre), '08 Syrah - Glenrose Vineyard, '06 Syrah - Denner Vineyard
APV - 15.2-16.5%(06 Syrah)
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Experience: B / Wines: C+
Saturday (Westside / Far Out Wineries)
JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery ($15 tasting, wines $22.50-$62)
'09 Viognier, '09 Cabernet Sauvignon, '09 Reserve Tempranillo, '09 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, '09 "ISOSCELES" (Cab/Cab Franc/Merlot)
Experience: B+ / Wines: A-
Chateau Margene ($10 tasting, wines $34-$58)
'10 Grenache Blanc, '10 Pinot Noir, '09 Cabernet Sauvingon, '08 Petit Sirah, NV "Pistolero" (Zin/Sangiovese/Merlot/Petit Sirah/Syrah)
Experience: B- / Wines: C
Calcareous Vineyard ($10 tasting, wines $28-38)
'09 Viognier, '08 Syrah, '08 "Tres Violet" (Syrah/Mourvédre/Grenache), '07 Meritage (Cab/Petit Verdot/Cab Franc/Merlot/Malbec), '08 York Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, '07 Cabernet Franc
Experience: B+ / Wines: B
Alta Colina Vineyard & Winery ($5 tasting, wines $24-$42)
'09 Grenache, '09 Mourvédre, '09 GSM (Syrah/Grenache/Mourvédre), '09 Toasted Hill Syrah, '10 Late Harvest Viognier
A visit like the one that we had a Alta Colina is exactly the type of thing that my burgeoning wine nerd heart desires. A tiny, unassuming winery, where you get to talk at length with the winemaker at length about their product - it can't be beat. Bob Tillman was a very gracious host. When he retired from a technical profession, he decided to purchase a small vineyard to make Rhone-style wines. Less than ten years later, he is cranking out an excellent roster of wines. Speaking with Bob, it was interesting to hear about the creation process and the thinking that go into making wine. One tidbit that he told us was that when he's getting near to bottling wine, it's easy to tell what the opening flavors of the wine will be, and what the end flavors will be, but it's making sure that the middle flavor profile is well built to connect those two ends. Bob certainly seemed at ease with the technical aspects to wine growing and making, but he also seemed to have a artistic sensibility. All of the wines were well constructed and enjoyable to drink. Each of the reds seemed to be built from the same template - so that there were flavor profile similarities between them - so the wines weren't as diverse as I'd like between varietals. I enjoyed the GSM and the Late Harvest Viognier most - really awesome.Experience: A- / Wines: B+
Villicana Winery ($5 tasting, wines 18-$32)
'10 Viognier, '10 Estate Vin Rosé, '09 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, '10 Zinfandel, '10 Estate Zinfandel
Yikes. Not sure what to do about this one. Villicana was highly suggested to me by my boss. Since my visit, he's been very interested in how I enjoyed it - and I have no idea how to respond. I really didn't enjoy it, but don't think that's going to fly. Our presence wasn't warmly received by tasting room staff, and they generally seemed stressed out by folks who were coming in. Compared to other wineries we visited that day, Villicana's wines did not impress. The Zin was pretty good, but was a high-octane 16.4% alcohol level (though the Estate Zin was at 17%!). Did not dig the other wines. At least they were more reasonably priced. I welcome any advice on how to break the news to my boss...
Experience: C- / Wines: D+
Sunday (Westside)
Tablas Creek Vineyard ($10 tasting, wines $20-$70)
'10 "Côtes de Tablas" Blanc (Viognier/Grenache Blanc/Marsanne/Roussanne), '09 Roussanne, '11 Rosé, '10 "Esprit de Beaucastel" Blanc (Roussanne/Grenache Blanc/Picpoul Blanc), '11 "Patelin de Tablas" Blanc (Grenache Blanc/Viognier/Roussanne/Marsanne), '10 "Antihesis" (Chardonnay), '10 "Côtes de Tables" (Grenache/Syrah/Mourvédre/Counoise), '09 "Esprit de Beautcastel" (Mourvédre/Syrah/Grenache/Counoise), '04 "Esprit de Beautcastel" (Mourvédre/Syrah/Grenache/Counoise)
Where some other wineries in Paso seem to be seeking their identity, and trying to figure out what story to tell about their wines, Tablas Creek is firmly identified and at rest with their narrative. Tablas Creek derives it's inspiration from Châteauneuf du Pape - the premier growing region of the Rhone. The winery seems to put an abundant amount of energy into making great wine, and integrate biodynamic and sustainable principles. Their tent-pole wines are rhone-style blends. All if the blends showed admirable characteristics: the white - Tablas Blanc, the budget red - Patelin, the general red - Côtes, and the fancy red - Esprit de Beaucastel (which kicked ass). Also, the 100% Roussanne was awesome. There were a few less enjoyable wines, the Chardonnay especially. Our tasting room attendant was a bit jittery, but she was very helpful and seemed excited to share the wine. Overall, Tablas Creek is a very solid winery - one of Paso's premier joints.
Experience: B / Wines: A-
Halter Ranch Vineyard ($10 tasting, wines $16-$44)
'11 "Côtes de Paso" Blanc (Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Picpoul Blanc, Marsanne, Viognier), '09 "Ranch" White (Roussanne/Marsanne/Grenache Blanc/Sauvignon Blanc), '11 Rosé (Grenache/Syrah/Mourvédre/Picpoul), '09 "Côtes de Paso" (Grenache/Syrah/Mourvédre/Tannat/Counoise/Cinsault), '08 Cabernet Sauvignon, '07 Cabernet Sauvignon - Vineyard 41, '09 Zinfandel, '06 "El Pecado" Syrah Dessert Wine
I was interested in visiting Halter Ranch because they are featured as a SIP Certified winery. SIP stands for "Sustainability in Practice," which is a Central Coast based rating system that comprehensively evaluates a winery's sustainability practices. Halter Ranch really touts their efforts toward this program - which definitely floats my boat. The grounds are quite nice - very relaxing. The attendant was a very nice conversationalist and helpful. I really enjoyed Halter Ranch's wines. They all were showing good flavors and balance, and were well priced. The "Ranch White" and the Cab were the standouts. In comparison to the other big hits of the weekend (Justin, Alta Colina, and Tablas Creek) I did not feel that I was as moved by Halter Ranch, but that could have been because it was the end of a long weekend - I'll definitely swing by Halter Ranch next time we're around to give it a fresh look.Experience: B+ / Wines: B+
Wine of the trip - Tablas Creek's Roussanne. I've rarely had Roussanne, and I've never really noticed it before. This bad-ass dude did me right though. Very refined flavors, light notes, but also managed to have some heft.
Paso is a beautiful place. The west side wineries are surprisingly distant from one another, which gives an opportunity to take in the sights - rolling hills, old oak canopies, olive and walnut orchards, of course vineyards - while traveling between them. It's a serene experience. I think that environment rubs off on the people that we met. Folks were mellow, though excited to share wine. They were helpful and fun. On the spectrum of wineries that we decided to go to, there was a large disparity. Either the winery was very good to awesome (Justin, Tablas Creek, Alta Colina, Halter Ranch, Alta Colina), or the winery was sub-par and often over-priced - with a few exceptions. That countered my expectation. Based on the input that I had gotten while prepping for the trip, I had expected a slew of solidly good wineries. I'm wondering if this hit or miss situation is because of the types of wines that are being produced. Many wineries that we checked out are producing Rhone blends. I'd hypothesize, those styles of wines take a high degree of difficulty to make well. If you do make them well - you're golden, if not you're making high-alcohol fruit bombs. Luckily while we were visiting we got a bunch of recommendations for other wineries to check out - so we'll be ready to take on more Paso next time we're up.
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.
November '11 Gold Country Trip - Some Things to be Thankful For
Every Thanksgiving we head up to my in-laws who live in El Dorado County. It's always a relaxing trip, so I figured I could explore the area wineries during the down-time. Our plan for months prior was an all family drive out to Amador County on Friday, the Wednesday trip was a spur-of-the-moment drive that my brother-in-law and I did when nothing else was going on.
Wednesday (Apple Hill - El Dorado County)
Lava Cap Winery ($5 reserve tasting, wines $18-$30)
'09 Viognier Reserve, '09 "American River Red" Cuvée (Syrah/Merlot/Cab Franc/Zin), '07 Zinfandel Reserve, '07 "Rocky Draw" Zinfandel, '09 Syrah, '08 Petite Sirah.
A few years back we had our wedding near Placerville. Some friends from LA came up for the wedding and stayed at a Bed & Breakfast in Placerville. The owners of the B&B recommended that they check out Lava Cap. Our friends had a great time visiting the winery and recommended that we stop by sometime. Lava Cap has a great view off their deck and a warm/low-key tasting room. It was the day before Thanksgiving, so the tasting room was pretty busy. There were a total of fifteen wines to choose from, split between the regular list and the reserve list. I opted toward the reserve tasting but wasn't wowed by the wines. The flavors were all pretty basic. I enjoyed the Peitite Sirah most and the Zins were pretty good as well.
Experience: B- / Wine: C+
Boeger Winery (free tasting, wines $15-$19)
'09 "Boejerlais", '07 Cabernet Franc, '09 Barbera, '07 Zinfandel, '08 Zinfandel - Walker Ranch Vineyard, '08 Petite Sirah.
Like Lava Cap, Boeger is in the Apple Hill area near Placerville. Apple Hill is a popular tourist area in the fall, so the tasting room here was busy as well. Boeger's pretty well set up to handle large crowds - they have a very long counter and plenty of open space. The staff were efficient and helpful. The regular tasting list had eleven wines on it, we were able to choose six. I was excited to try the "Boejerlais" - their version of a Beaujolais - it was light and refreshing. Overall the wines were pretty good, a little more complex than the wines at Lava Cap. The Cab Franc and the Zins were slightly too hot. Dug the Petite Sirah.
Experience: B / Wine: B-
Cielo Estate (free tasting)
'09 Vermentino, NV Quatre Vignes (Syrah/Grenache/Counoise/Mourvedre), '06 Carignane, '09 Magnifique (Merlot/Cab Franc/Cab), '08 Zinfandel Reserve - Herbert Vineyard, '09 Petite Sirah Reserve - Herbert Vineyard.
Cielo is a brand new winery. They just took over the old Sogno vineyard during the spring. It's an easy drive to Cielo from my in-laws, so I was hopeful that the winery would be decent. The have a very airy tasting room, and have a number of trinkets for sale. We were the only visitors and the time, and Nicole was a very engaging and fun host. There were sixteen wines to chose five tastings from. Since the winery is so new, none of the grapes used in the wines are from the estate yet. They are sourcing from a number of locations around the state currently. I appreciated the fact that the made wines that were different from the normal varieties of Gold Country wines. Overall the wines were good, especially the red blends - and the prices were very reasonable.
Experience: B- / Wine: C+
Friday (Shenandoah Valley - Amador County)
Story Winery (free tasting, wines $14-$26)
'10 "Miss Rose", '09 Chenin Blanc, '08 "Quartz" Zinfandel, '07 "Picnic Hill" Zinfandel, '08 "Hilltop" Zinfandel, NV Almond Sparkling Wine.
It's definitely a red flag when a winery has both White Zin and Almond Champagne on their tasting list. Putting that aside, Story is a cool little winery. They have a nice deck on the hillside and an intimate tasting room. The staff were extremely helpful. I did not think highly of any of the wines. Most of the wines were clunky and simple. I did appreciate that they were using mission grapes to blend in a few of the wines as a nod to the history of California and the region - though those blends did not taste great. The zins were okay, the "Quartz" was the best of the lot.
Experience: B / Wine: C-
Cooper Vineyards (free tasting, wines $17-$32)
'10 Pinot Grigio, '10 Viognier, '10 Roussanne, '09 Barbera, '09 Barbera Riserva, '08 Alicante Bouschet, '08 Zinfandel, '08 Petite Sirah, '07 Syrah, '07 "Dicembre" (late harvest Alicante Bouchet), '10 "Pink" (Sauv Blanc/Pinot Grigio/Viognier).
Cooper was my favorite winery on this visit. They have an airy and well spaced out tasting room. They had piles of walnuts out for folks to take home that had been harvested that morning from the Cooper orchard. The white wines were not great. The Barberas were pretty good. We enjoyed the Alicante and the Zin quite a bit. I'd never heard of the Alicante grape before, so it was neat to try. The late harvest Alicante was good as well. The staff were all really friendly and excited to share what they knew about wine. I definitely got the feeling that Cooper is a winery that puts a lot of energy into making good quality wine and sharing it with people as though they are friends and family.
Experience: B+ / Wine: B+
Terra d'Oro Winery (free tasting, wines $10-$30)
Montevina '10 Sauvignon Blanc, '08 Barbera, '08 Sangiovese, '06 Forté (Sangiovese/Cab), '08 Aglianico, '09 Aglianico, '09 Teroldego, '08 Zinfandel, '07 SHR Zinfandel, '07 Deaver Old Vine Zinfandel, NV Zinfandel Port.
So far, Terra d'Oro is the most corporate winery I've experienced in the Gold Country area. They have a huge winemaking complex out front, and then a large warehouse-y tasting room in the back. The place lacks any true personality, everything is very superficial. They are more than gracious with their wines at the tasting. Both the Terra d'Oro wines, and the Montevina wines (their budget label) have long tasting lists that you are free to try anything on the lists. Most of the wine was decent, but not above that. The Anglianico was the most enjoyable to drink.
Experience: C- / Wine: C-
Helwig Vineyards & Winery (free tasting, wines $15-$35)
'10 Sauvignon Blanc, '10 Viognier, '10 Syrah Rosé, '09 "Round Up Red" (Syrah/Zin/Primotivo), '09 "East Block" Zinfandel, '09 "Sea of Grapes" Zinfandel, '09 Petite Sirah.
Helwig is a brand new winery. The ownership has had a vineyard in the area for a while, but only recently decided to purchase these grounds and build a full winery. The grounds of the winery are stunning. The buildings sit on top of a knoll, and have panoramic views of the Shenandoah Valley. The buildings and cave are smartly designed and have a subtle modern feel. The staff person we had was nice. The red wines were good, especially the "Round Up" and the "East Block."
Experience: B / Wine: B
Driving around in the foothills and popping into wineries for tastings is a great way to spend time with family. The scenery, especially in the fall is idyllic. For the most part the El Dorado and Amador County wineries are very personable. The wineries were well attended during the holiday week, and it was fun to chat with other visitors about which wineries to check out. We weren't knocked off our feet by the wines that we tried this time around, wines were a bit too clunky, or too hot - but it's still a wonderful experience. There are many more wineries to explore in the area, and we look forward to trying a lot more out during future holiday trips.
Wednesday (Apple Hill - El Dorado County)
Lava Cap Winery ($5 reserve tasting, wines $18-$30)
'09 Viognier Reserve, '09 "American River Red" Cuvée (Syrah/Merlot/Cab Franc/Zin), '07 Zinfandel Reserve, '07 "Rocky Draw" Zinfandel, '09 Syrah, '08 Petite Sirah.
A few years back we had our wedding near Placerville. Some friends from LA came up for the wedding and stayed at a Bed & Breakfast in Placerville. The owners of the B&B recommended that they check out Lava Cap. Our friends had a great time visiting the winery and recommended that we stop by sometime. Lava Cap has a great view off their deck and a warm/low-key tasting room. It was the day before Thanksgiving, so the tasting room was pretty busy. There were a total of fifteen wines to choose from, split between the regular list and the reserve list. I opted toward the reserve tasting but wasn't wowed by the wines. The flavors were all pretty basic. I enjoyed the Peitite Sirah most and the Zins were pretty good as well.
Experience: B- / Wine: C+
Boeger Winery (free tasting, wines $15-$19)
'09 "Boejerlais", '07 Cabernet Franc, '09 Barbera, '07 Zinfandel, '08 Zinfandel - Walker Ranch Vineyard, '08 Petite Sirah.
Like Lava Cap, Boeger is in the Apple Hill area near Placerville. Apple Hill is a popular tourist area in the fall, so the tasting room here was busy as well. Boeger's pretty well set up to handle large crowds - they have a very long counter and plenty of open space. The staff were efficient and helpful. The regular tasting list had eleven wines on it, we were able to choose six. I was excited to try the "Boejerlais" - their version of a Beaujolais - it was light and refreshing. Overall the wines were pretty good, a little more complex than the wines at Lava Cap. The Cab Franc and the Zins were slightly too hot. Dug the Petite Sirah.
Experience: B / Wine: B-
Cielo Estate (free tasting)
'09 Vermentino, NV Quatre Vignes (Syrah/Grenache/Counoise/Mourvedre), '06 Carignane, '09 Magnifique (Merlot/Cab Franc/Cab), '08 Zinfandel Reserve - Herbert Vineyard, '09 Petite Sirah Reserve - Herbert Vineyard.
Cielo is a brand new winery. They just took over the old Sogno vineyard during the spring. It's an easy drive to Cielo from my in-laws, so I was hopeful that the winery would be decent. The have a very airy tasting room, and have a number of trinkets for sale. We were the only visitors and the time, and Nicole was a very engaging and fun host. There were sixteen wines to chose five tastings from. Since the winery is so new, none of the grapes used in the wines are from the estate yet. They are sourcing from a number of locations around the state currently. I appreciated the fact that the made wines that were different from the normal varieties of Gold Country wines. Overall the wines were good, especially the red blends - and the prices were very reasonable.
Experience: B- / Wine: C+
Friday (Shenandoah Valley - Amador County)
Story Winery (free tasting, wines $14-$26)
'10 "Miss Rose", '09 Chenin Blanc, '08 "Quartz" Zinfandel, '07 "Picnic Hill" Zinfandel, '08 "Hilltop" Zinfandel, NV Almond Sparkling Wine.
It's definitely a red flag when a winery has both White Zin and Almond Champagne on their tasting list. Putting that aside, Story is a cool little winery. They have a nice deck on the hillside and an intimate tasting room. The staff were extremely helpful. I did not think highly of any of the wines. Most of the wines were clunky and simple. I did appreciate that they were using mission grapes to blend in a few of the wines as a nod to the history of California and the region - though those blends did not taste great. The zins were okay, the "Quartz" was the best of the lot.
Experience: B / Wine: C-
Cooper Vineyards (free tasting, wines $17-$32)
'10 Pinot Grigio, '10 Viognier, '10 Roussanne, '09 Barbera, '09 Barbera Riserva, '08 Alicante Bouschet, '08 Zinfandel, '08 Petite Sirah, '07 Syrah, '07 "Dicembre" (late harvest Alicante Bouchet), '10 "Pink" (Sauv Blanc/Pinot Grigio/Viognier).
Cooper was my favorite winery on this visit. They have an airy and well spaced out tasting room. They had piles of walnuts out for folks to take home that had been harvested that morning from the Cooper orchard. The white wines were not great. The Barberas were pretty good. We enjoyed the Alicante and the Zin quite a bit. I'd never heard of the Alicante grape before, so it was neat to try. The late harvest Alicante was good as well. The staff were all really friendly and excited to share what they knew about wine. I definitely got the feeling that Cooper is a winery that puts a lot of energy into making good quality wine and sharing it with people as though they are friends and family.
Experience: B+ / Wine: B+
Terra d'Oro Winery (free tasting, wines $10-$30)
Montevina '10 Sauvignon Blanc, '08 Barbera, '08 Sangiovese, '06 Forté (Sangiovese/Cab), '08 Aglianico, '09 Aglianico, '09 Teroldego, '08 Zinfandel, '07 SHR Zinfandel, '07 Deaver Old Vine Zinfandel, NV Zinfandel Port.
So far, Terra d'Oro is the most corporate winery I've experienced in the Gold Country area. They have a huge winemaking complex out front, and then a large warehouse-y tasting room in the back. The place lacks any true personality, everything is very superficial. They are more than gracious with their wines at the tasting. Both the Terra d'Oro wines, and the Montevina wines (their budget label) have long tasting lists that you are free to try anything on the lists. Most of the wine was decent, but not above that. The Anglianico was the most enjoyable to drink.
Experience: C- / Wine: C-
Helwig Vineyards & Winery (free tasting, wines $15-$35)
'10 Sauvignon Blanc, '10 Viognier, '10 Syrah Rosé, '09 "Round Up Red" (Syrah/Zin/Primotivo), '09 "East Block" Zinfandel, '09 "Sea of Grapes" Zinfandel, '09 Petite Sirah.
Helwig is a brand new winery. The ownership has had a vineyard in the area for a while, but only recently decided to purchase these grounds and build a full winery. The grounds of the winery are stunning. The buildings sit on top of a knoll, and have panoramic views of the Shenandoah Valley. The buildings and cave are smartly designed and have a subtle modern feel. The staff person we had was nice. The red wines were good, especially the "Round Up" and the "East Block."
Experience: B / Wine: B
Driving around in the foothills and popping into wineries for tastings is a great way to spend time with family. The scenery, especially in the fall is idyllic. For the most part the El Dorado and Amador County wineries are very personable. The wineries were well attended during the holiday week, and it was fun to chat with other visitors about which wineries to check out. We weren't knocked off our feet by the wines that we tried this time around, wines were a bit too clunky, or too hot - but it's still a wonderful experience. There are many more wineries to explore in the area, and we look forward to trying a lot more out during future holiday trips.
November '11 Santa Barbara County Trip - In Which We Meet a Legend
Since we had a free weekend, we decided to head up to the Santa Barbara wine country to visit a few wineries we hadn't been to before. As it worked out, the general theme of the trip was keystone winemakers. Ken Brown is the owner and winemaker Ken Brown Wines. Rick Longoria is the owner and winemaker at Longoria. Sashi Moorman is a partner/creator/winemaker at Piedrasassi, one of the winemakers at Evening Land, and the winemaker at Stolpman. We planned to spend most of our trip at the Wine Ghetto - which now my favorite wine destination. It was an especially cool time of the year to visit, the Ghetto was a hive of activity. Wineries were receiving their grapes from the fields and were in the beginning stages of creating wine.
Saturday (Buellton, Highway 246, Lompoc)
Road Music: Florence and The Machine - Lungs
Ken Brown Wines ($10 private tasting, wines $35-$50)
'08 Nielson Vineyard Chardonnay, '08 Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir, '08 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir, '09 Clos Pepe Vineyard Pinot Noir, '08 "A" Cuvee Syrah.
Ken Brown has had an immense influence on the growth of the wine industry in Santa Barbara County. He began making wine in the area 35 years ago and was the head winemaker at Zaca Mesa and Byron before creating his own wine label. Tastings are by appointment only. We had an excellent time. Ken makes tremendous wine and is a wealth of knowledge. He shared wine growing techniques with us like we were old friends, and it was interesting to hear about the growth of the wine industry in the region during his career. Anyone who is at all interested in the essence of wine and seeing the passion that goes into making great quality wine should visit Ken Brown.
Experience: A+ / Wine: A
Piedrasassi / New Vineland Winery ($10 tasting, wines $26-$56)
New Vineland '09 Santa Barbara County Chardonnay, Piedrasassi '08 Central Coast White Wine, New Vineland '08 Santa Barbara County Syrah, Piedrasassi '08 Central Coast Syrah, Piedrasassi '08 Rim Rock Vineyard Syrah, Piedrasassi '06 Santa Ynez Valley Sangiovese Dessert Wine.
Piedrasassi is a super hip and funky place. Everything about their tasting room exudes style. The winery is pretty new and they have a very small distribution. Each wine was exciting to drink and were of high quality. The tasting was accompanied by their Syrah jelly on cheese and red wine vinegar and olive oil on heirloom tomatoes. We felt cooler and smarter for having visited.
Experience: B+ / Wine: B+
Evening Land Vineyards ($10 tasting, wines $25-$60)
'10 Chardonnay, '10 Etoile Pouilly-Fuisse Chardonnay - Burgundy, '09 Oregon Pinot Noir - Eola-Amity Hills, '09 Sonoma Pinot Noir - Occidental Vineyard, '09 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir, '09 Sta. Rita Hills - The Tempest Vineyard.
Evening Land is moving their tasting room into a different space in the Wine Ghetto soon, so their current tasting room is no frills. The goal of Evening Land is exhibit how a specific place has an effect on wines. Evening Land makes wines from four distinct places: Burgundy France, Oregon, Sonoma, and Santa Barbara County. These distinctions are made through Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines. All of the wines had good flavors, but were slightly short on length and complexity. We had a very nice conversation with the staff person there - she was very helpful.
Experience: B / Wine: B
Stolpman Vineyards - Lompoc Tasting Room ($10 tasting, wines $19-$68)
'10 Sauvignon Blanc, '09 'L'Avion' Roussanne, '10 'La Cuadrilla' (Syrah/Grenache/Petit Sirah/Viognier), '08 Estate Sangiovese, '09 "Originals" Syrah, '09 'Hilltops' Syrah, '09 'La Coppa' Sangiovese, '09 La Croce (Syrah/Sangiovese), '08 'Angeli' Sangiovese.
On the day of our trip, we learned that Stolpman had just opened their new tasting room in the Wine Ghetto. We'd visited Stolpman's Los Olivos tasting room back in April and were huge fans of their wines. The current setup of this tasting room overlooks the warehouse floor - and given that harvest is just completing we were able to watch the Stolpman team make new wine while we tasting their current wines. The tasting list had a number of Sangiovese's. The entry-level priced Sangio was very good, and the "La Croce" and "Angeli" were fantastic. Alicia was a great host.
Experience: B+ / Wine: A-
Sunday (Lompoc)
Road Music: Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears - Scandalous
Longoria Winery - Lompoc Tasting Room ($10 tasting, wines $22-$48)
'10 Albariño - Clover Creek Vineyard, '08 Pinot Noir - Fe Ciega Vineyard, '09 Pinot Noir - Rancho Santa Vineyard, '09 Pinot Noir - Bien Nacido Vineyard, '04 Syrah - Alisos Vineyard.
Longoria also has two tasting rooms - one in Los Olivos and one in Lompoc. The Lompoc tasting room is attached to their winemaking facility. Christopher was kind enough to tour us around the warehouse and pointed out the different processes that were going on. We had a great time chatting with Christopher about a variety of topics and we enjoyed the wines that were on the tasting list. The three Pinots had unique differences - we enjoyed the Fe Ciega and Bien Nacido quite a bit. The Syrah was awesome as well.
Experience: A- / Wines: B+
After visiting a few other wine regions recently it was really nice to come back to SBC. There is such a true passion there that it's impossible to not get excited about wine. This was especially true when we visited with Ken Brown. He is one of the most influential people to the wine industry in the region - and he's willing to spend an hour just chatting with us and share with us his great knowledge. There's no ulterior motive there - he's a dude who's committed his life to wine and will share his love of wine purely. Experiences like that are truly unique, and I'm glad we were a part of it.
Saturday (Buellton, Highway 246, Lompoc)
Road Music: Florence and The Machine - Lungs
Ken Brown Wines ($10 private tasting, wines $35-$50)
'08 Nielson Vineyard Chardonnay, '08 Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir, '08 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir, '09 Clos Pepe Vineyard Pinot Noir, '08 "A" Cuvee Syrah.
Ken Brown has had an immense influence on the growth of the wine industry in Santa Barbara County. He began making wine in the area 35 years ago and was the head winemaker at Zaca Mesa and Byron before creating his own wine label. Tastings are by appointment only. We had an excellent time. Ken makes tremendous wine and is a wealth of knowledge. He shared wine growing techniques with us like we were old friends, and it was interesting to hear about the growth of the wine industry in the region during his career. Anyone who is at all interested in the essence of wine and seeing the passion that goes into making great quality wine should visit Ken Brown.
Experience: A+ / Wine: A
Piedrasassi / New Vineland Winery ($10 tasting, wines $26-$56)
New Vineland '09 Santa Barbara County Chardonnay, Piedrasassi '08 Central Coast White Wine, New Vineland '08 Santa Barbara County Syrah, Piedrasassi '08 Central Coast Syrah, Piedrasassi '08 Rim Rock Vineyard Syrah, Piedrasassi '06 Santa Ynez Valley Sangiovese Dessert Wine.
Piedrasassi is a super hip and funky place. Everything about their tasting room exudes style. The winery is pretty new and they have a very small distribution. Each wine was exciting to drink and were of high quality. The tasting was accompanied by their Syrah jelly on cheese and red wine vinegar and olive oil on heirloom tomatoes. We felt cooler and smarter for having visited.
Experience: B+ / Wine: B+
Evening Land Vineyards ($10 tasting, wines $25-$60)
'10 Chardonnay, '10 Etoile Pouilly-Fuisse Chardonnay - Burgundy, '09 Oregon Pinot Noir - Eola-Amity Hills, '09 Sonoma Pinot Noir - Occidental Vineyard, '09 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir, '09 Sta. Rita Hills - The Tempest Vineyard.
Evening Land is moving their tasting room into a different space in the Wine Ghetto soon, so their current tasting room is no frills. The goal of Evening Land is exhibit how a specific place has an effect on wines. Evening Land makes wines from four distinct places: Burgundy France, Oregon, Sonoma, and Santa Barbara County. These distinctions are made through Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines. All of the wines had good flavors, but were slightly short on length and complexity. We had a very nice conversation with the staff person there - she was very helpful.
Experience: B / Wine: B
Stolpman Vineyards - Lompoc Tasting Room ($10 tasting, wines $19-$68)
'10 Sauvignon Blanc, '09 'L'Avion' Roussanne, '10 'La Cuadrilla' (Syrah/Grenache/Petit Sirah/Viognier), '08 Estate Sangiovese, '09 "Originals" Syrah, '09 'Hilltops' Syrah, '09 'La Coppa' Sangiovese, '09 La Croce (Syrah/Sangiovese), '08 'Angeli' Sangiovese.
On the day of our trip, we learned that Stolpman had just opened their new tasting room in the Wine Ghetto. We'd visited Stolpman's Los Olivos tasting room back in April and were huge fans of their wines. The current setup of this tasting room overlooks the warehouse floor - and given that harvest is just completing we were able to watch the Stolpman team make new wine while we tasting their current wines. The tasting list had a number of Sangiovese's. The entry-level priced Sangio was very good, and the "La Croce" and "Angeli" were fantastic. Alicia was a great host.
Experience: B+ / Wine: A-
Sunday (Lompoc)
Road Music: Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears - Scandalous
Longoria Winery - Lompoc Tasting Room ($10 tasting, wines $22-$48)
'10 Albariño - Clover Creek Vineyard, '08 Pinot Noir - Fe Ciega Vineyard, '09 Pinot Noir - Rancho Santa Vineyard, '09 Pinot Noir - Bien Nacido Vineyard, '04 Syrah - Alisos Vineyard.
Longoria also has two tasting rooms - one in Los Olivos and one in Lompoc. The Lompoc tasting room is attached to their winemaking facility. Christopher was kind enough to tour us around the warehouse and pointed out the different processes that were going on. We had a great time chatting with Christopher about a variety of topics and we enjoyed the wines that were on the tasting list. The three Pinots had unique differences - we enjoyed the Fe Ciega and Bien Nacido quite a bit. The Syrah was awesome as well.
Experience: A- / Wines: B+
After visiting a few other wine regions recently it was really nice to come back to SBC. There is such a true passion there that it's impossible to not get excited about wine. This was especially true when we visited with Ken Brown. He is one of the most influential people to the wine industry in the region - and he's willing to spend an hour just chatting with us and share with us his great knowledge. There's no ulterior motive there - he's a dude who's committed his life to wine and will share his love of wine purely. Experiences like that are truly unique, and I'm glad we were a part of it.
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