I have been looking forward to this event for weeks. New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc has been my lifetime companion (in fact, some days I think we are married).   However, I have frequently struggled with the quality of other varieties crafted by the very same wineries that produce outstanding Sauvignon Blanc.

It was an interesting tasting that offered a “pour your own wine” format, where we all got to walk around a perimeter of tables laden with an amazing array of Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Riesling and other varieties (even a few dessert wines).

Of note were four “walk-through seminars.” Kudos to the event coordinator David Strada, a sheer stroke of genius. The first one involved a Riesling challenge when 12 winemakers were given the same grapes from the same block and asked to make their versions of Mud House vineyard.  It was quite a palate workout and a highlight indeed. The offerings were judged back in NZ to determine which winemaker created the most balanced effort. I am pleased to share that the winner, Mt Difficulty winemaker Matt Dicey, was my second favorite. Tasting wines in that type of panel is truly a priceless experience and made me wish for more opportunities like this. Then there were Chardonnay and a Pinot Noir Regional Tour and of course Hot Reds, encompassing other noteworthy red varieties.
Some observations –

1. Some outstanding local offerings never make it overseas (true for any country)
2. Some would be surprised at the quality of Syrah/Blends (that, in most cases, has a way to go but are farther along the continuum than I had anticipated)
3. Same producers stand out year in and year out (subject to vintage only)
4. Sauvignon Blanc is New Zealand national treasure (true for NZ)

On that note if you call yourself a Sauvignon Blanc lover, or even a wannabe lover, these wines are NOT to be missed. Call and bug your local Liquor Mart and make him/her order you some. This segment could have been titled “Everything St Clair” as I discovered that even with $18 -$24 price points it is well worth the price of admission.

1.    St. Clair Pioneer’s Block18 Snap Block 2010
2.    St Clair Vicar’s Choice 2010
3.    Bird Old Schoolhouse Vineyard 2010
4.    St. Clair 2010
5.    Brancott Letter Series “B” 2010
6.    Matua Paretai 2009 (not to be confused with regular Matua bottling)
7.    Last but not least the QPR goes to the ubiquitous Kim Crawford, (2010) after tasting 3 dozen Sauvignon Blancs in 4 hours (and going back to re-taste a dozen, some were tasted 3 times) I can absolutely say – for $12.99 (Costco price) it can’t be beat. Overall, the 2010 vintage showed MUCH better than 2009, so given the choice I would head that way.

My two favorite Pinot Noirs were fashioned by Felton Road (2009) and Spy Valley Envoy “Outpost” (2008) both in high $50s, I was genuinely impressed with both.  I first tasted Felton Road at IPNC 6 years ago when I was on a mission to educate myself about Oregon Pinot Noir.  Instead, I spent some quality time with Felton Road’s winemaker who knocked my socks off with his silky, robust, fruit-driven and texturally marvelous wines.  Then there was Stonyridge Waiheke Island. When I first poured myself some of this inky elixir I thought for a moment that I was at the wrong event. Was it a Bordeaux tasting after all? The wine smelled of huge tightly wound fruit along with some earthy notes, intense and pure, with lots of delineation and prominent yet well framed tannins.

Miss Universe of Wine… sort of

Apparently famous for its Bordeaux Blends and a team with many talents; including a  great sense of humor, Stonyridge Larose, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (predominantly), Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot stumped my palate big time. I loved the surprise and the sheer raw power of the wine and obvious wealth of complexity.  And, for $150, you can taste this great surprise as well! $150 sounds like a lot. However, to put it in perspective, this wine was deemed in the top three along with Chateau Latour (clearly in a different price range) by French judges determining the best wines of the world (that is like being in top 3 in Miss Universe pageant), and is NZ first Cult wine. Affluent consumers will snap up this cult “bargain” (by US and European standards for pricing of “cult” wines, when have you last seen one for under $400?)

As I have discovered, the press is gaga about this wine with “Arcigola Slow Food” Italy (the world’s largest wine publication) referring to it as “One of the Top 100 Wines in the World” and it did get noticed by Robert Parker who gave it 93-95 pts in 2009 “The 2008 Larose shows great purity on the nose: blackberry, wild hedgerow and a touch of dried herbs. It has quite understated, but very good, definition. There is a lovely chocolate scent off-stage that should evolve with time (think Pomerol.) The palate is very smooth, nice definition, dominated by the new oak at the moment but there is certainly sufficient fruit to support it. It offers very fine tannins on the finish that exudes so much precision and poise. It is superb.”  Sourced from, by all accounts, magical vineyard that boasts perfect ripeness, the low-yielding, handpicked grapes Larose is a force to be reckoned with and a fine addition to any cellar.

TGIF…SB…from NZ

To paraphrase TGIF, I look forward to SB on Fridays. That’s my thing. I open an SB every Friday at 5, my official Happy Hour. Okay I do it on Thursdays as well…and a random gloomy Monday here and there.

I have said for years that there simply no other region worldwide that comes close to producing the sort of quality of Sauvignon Blanc as New Zealand does in its sleep. I realize that it is a bold statement.   However I have earned the right to make it.  Without exaggeration, I have drank a LOT of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc (if I had a punch card for every bottle I consumed… I would have earned enough to drink free well into my retirement) and really tried to get into other countries with, thus far, with little to no success. I often say that I would take an average to mediocre NZ Sauvignon Blanc over an above average/highly touted (and often strongly priced) from anywhere else in the world. My simple truth is that if one can afford to drink the Sauvignon Blancs from Araujo, Rochioli, Spottswoode, etc. I would stay on domestic land a lot more often. However at $40+ they are a luxury. However educating your palate at a mere $12-$14 (an average cost at a large retailer offering discounts) is far easier on the wallet and taste delicious. I have picked up random New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs on random shelves and save an occasional disappointment the varietal purity and consistency is nothing short of mind-boggling. Every time I got talked into a substitute (by way of Chile, Argentina, etc.) it never paid off.  Needless to say that now when I am filling my basket at BevMo, trying to ignore all Wilfred Wongs wine wisdoms, and see a fresh faced sales associate heading my way with some fresh Chilean sage advice I politely swerve and hide in beer isle.   Alternatively if he fishes me out, I say as politely as I can: ”Back off my palate, sir. I know what I am doing!”

I can only describe the following events as a transformative experience; the kind when one quietly pinches oneself as if to remind themselves that they are still residing in the real world, a fleeting yet immensely impactful joy ride like no other… a moment that feels more like a movie set than real life. Premiere Napa Valley is a fairy tale event; the sort that stays with you for a lifetime. Memories are made, friendships fostered; and perhaps some of the most special domestic wines on the planet are shared, discussed, tasted, and consumed.

Those in the “know” cherish the opportunity to visit the vintners backyard and hobnob with some of the most famous names in the industry; break bread (along with a variety of gourmet snacks) with them, and taste the one-of-a-kind offerings which are made in 5-10 (in rare instances 20) case lots.

The extravaganza starts a few days before the auction with an influx of retailers who flock in from around the world to partake in this Napa Valley Bacchanalia.   (Yes, some of the best known writing personalities were there too. Oz Clarke himself, taking copious notes and getting into a brief yet heated spar-fest with none other than Doug Shafer.) If you consider yourself a serious player in California wine sandbox, this event is not to be missed. The red carpet is rolled out by a who’s who of Napa Valley. The Academy Awards leap to mind.   During these few days at the end of February the Napa Valley is the place to see, taste and be seen.

This event not only supplies one with a bevy of ultra-exciting opportunities to taste wines that one would never be able to replicate on this scale; but also provides a powerful perspective on the looming 2009 vintage. Overall, I was impressed by the incredible strength and breadth of aromatics for this vintage.   Add in well-delineated, robust yet gentle tannins, this vintage is poised to eclipse the much-heralded 2007. I also tasted some remarkably well-balanced 2008 offerings and was left to doubt the conclusions of some critics that ’08 was an inferior vintage as a wholesale assessment.   My advice is to taste the wines yourselves or you stand to miss some outstanding drinking experiences.

This is a week of unbridled hedonism; barely concealed and barely conceivable palatal debauchery.  How many times do you find yourself spitting a dozen, unobtainable, 95+ point wines before noon?  The event culminates in an auction that takes place on Saturday at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St Helena, one of America’s most historic and majestic properties. This stately building provided a perfect setting for this most anticipated event. The morning starts with a three hour barrel tasting followed by lunch and the auction itself.  The auction room filled to capacity; chocked full of eager bidders and onlookers. As the anticipation built the impatient crowd slowly swayed to its own rhythm.  Palpable tension filled the room.

Rewind 12 hrs earlier. After a full day of crisscrossing the valley in an impossible quest to taste as many wines as I can, I retired to my hotel room to restore some much needed energy.   With four appellational tastings plus a half dozen individual events per day, one tends to lose track of any sense of reality. Once the adrenaline rush subsides, one is left with a screaming pair of sore feet, and a black and blue (literally and figuratively) palate!

It is during my down moments, while I was floating in a rather deep bathtub conveniently located right in my hotel room’s bedroom, reflecting upon my day, I kept coming back to one wine in particular, Scarecrow.  I had tasted enough prominent and highly regarded, critically acclaimed wines to fill the bathtub I was in, but somehow this bottling stood out as a king among kings. I couldn’t help but wonder what sort of price their Premier Lot would fetch. (After I had tasted both 2008 finished wine and the 2009 Auction Lot I felt they were amongst the highlights of my overall experiences in my dozen+ years of winetasting.) Scarecrow’s runaway fame started with amazing RP scores dripping with praise.   Adoring drinkers worldwide responded and their mailing list quickly becoming the sort of waiting list that I jokingly refer to as “0 gravity”; as in there is zero gravitational pull in the general direction of your mailing address.

Upon exiting the cozy tub and drying off I grabbed a scrap of paper and scribbled a number… just for the fun of it.

Number 2 takes on number 1
Or La Vie en Rose

The following morning, I found myself right back in action, in the middle of the crowded Barrel Room at the CIA. After a staggeringly informative barrel tasting followed by a lovely lunch it was time to take in what everyone ultimately came here for. I settled in the thick of the room, curiously noting that I was sitting in close proximity to both past high bidders otherwise known as Paddle #1 and #2. The auction paddle numbers are assigned by the previous years’ auction results.  The biggest spender from last year gets paddle #1. The holders of these esteemed paddles were huddling; exchanging knowing glances and extensive spreadsheets. Although there was only one actual paddle-holder in both groups there was a large entourage accompanying them. A quick study of one of the groups revealed that they were there to conduct serious business and take home some serious prizes. Interestingly, the two Japanese buyers from the second group were wearing rather curiously colored pink sport coats.   Much like their rosy garb, they appeared relaxed; amicably chatting with their colleagues, projecting a most nonchalant attitude.

The afternoon moved quickly; with many deserving wines attracting significant premiums, of note was a Schrader lot that attracted a lot of attention with a winning bid of $45,000 for 5 cases, with Ovid at close second selling for $44,000 with Levy McClellan garnering $40,000 and Shafer $38,000. After much activity, the room fell silent when Lot 138, Scarecrow Toto’s Opium Dream: Scene II was announced.  The air was thick with anticipation as rapid bids ricocheted across the room.  When $100K barrier broke, we all became silent bidders, fervently raising our imaginary paddles at the next increment. One could sense an upcoming history making moment. The excitement built and someone in the back of the crowd momentarily broke the tension by shouting “F… the recession!” It was a somewhat crude, yet poignant sentiment.   It clearly pointed to the fact that, for a privileged few wineries and their wealthy supporters, recessions come and go, phenomenal wines have a staying power and ability to attract the type of handsome sums that makes one head spin… clearly they inspire both love and lust, and with those things often come with a hefty price tag. Just ask Kelsey Grammer.

When the bidding ended at a record-breaking $125,000, Scarecrow owners, Bret Lopez and Mimi DeBlasio looked nothing short of stunned. Celia Welch, their celebrated wine maker, hugged them as they struggled to come to terms with what just happened. The attendees were on their feet, applauding and cheering both vintners and the high bidder. The winning bidder?  Paddle # 2, the Japanese buyers of Nakagawa Wine Co.   The high bidder, presumably the store owner, who was nodding his head approvingly, with a smile hovering on his lips appeared sated yet unfazed. Next year, look for a room full of pink sports coats as all of the bidders look to emulate their success!

It was a great moment for many reasons, not the least of which was a collective excitement for all to experience; an invigorating and binding sentiment that only reveals itself in times of great tragedies or triumphs. This Napa blue chip setting rarely feels as warm and intimate as it did in that single moment. Looking at the faces around me, I noted expressions of pride and satisfaction.

The auction had to go on.  However it was clear to everyone that the story of the day was and will be Scarecrow for months if not years to come. The wine, which was named in honor of JJ Cohn, Bret’s grandfather and executive producer of The Wizard of Oz, just changed Napa history. Forever.

Walking away from CIA I unfolded my wrinkled note on Hotel Avia stationary.
It read “$120K”

“There are no great limits to growth because there are no limits of human intelligence, imagination, and wonder”  – Ronald Reagan

A WHOPPER OF A DAY

Today was a big day. No, not due to Super Bowl, sorry sports fans, (in fact I would go as far as say big “f…ing” day as our fierce leader of a VP once so poignantly stated.)

Today is President Ronald Reagan’s 100^th Birthday.

As I was retrieving a birthday cake in his honor from Whole Foods bakery, I inadvertently caused much angst (and possibly few extra months in therapy) to the organically certified staff. Not only did I ask them to write “Happy Birthday Ronald Reagan” (the bakery lady giggled quite a bit at the unusual request but didn’t know how to spell “Reagan.”  She was so traumatized that she asked twice for spelling assistance, then I asked for an exclamation point at the end to boot!)

Yummy, fully calorie-loaded chocolate whopper of a cake in hand, I proudly marched home to pair it with my favorite Napa Cabernet (more on that later).   However, the realization of last night’s letter send by Robert Parker to his subscribers hit me hard and took some pep out of my step… Like the Great Communicator and Storyteller before him, Parker single handedly rearranged the wine world, one newsletter at a time. And now he is no longer a California reviewer, relinquishing those duties to a colleague. The news was difficult to swallow and absorb.

A BIG SIGH HEARD AROUND THE [WINE] WORLD

Last night was pretty tough. As the hangover of last night’s revelation slowly began to sink in, I was flooded with thoughts and emotions.  As many of you know, and despite his repeated professions of being a Francophile; in many ways I consider Parker an American Patriot and a champion of American Spirit. Clearly Parker has been a transcending, transformative force in the wine world at large and California wine in particular and I felt momentarily orphaned…

In the fragile ecosystem of the wine world, the balance can get upset rather easily.  RP’s instrumental role can simply not be underestimated; nor the unintended consequences of his departure from CA wine reviews be quantified.

His curiosity and passion for New World wines was contagious enough to rearrange many a palate (and a checkbook!)

Unlike some, I am not looking forward to any replacement; not due to change it signifies, but for an entirely different host of reasons.

Reagan is irreplaceable. So is Parker. I won’t bother qualifying my statement with how his colleague is “a fine writer”.  I am sure he is.  It just simply isn’t the point.  Parker is unique in the same sense as Reagan was. There is nothing interchangeable about great leadership.

RESCUE ME

I never thought of myself as the type that needed rescuing; but apparently, I did. Not once but twice.  First I was rescued from the clutches of rampant tyranny of the New World order, then, ironically from the Old World puritanical restraint.

I never thought that I would speak of Reagan and Parker in the same year let alone the same sentence, and certainly never aspired to compare or correlate the two in any way. However as fate would have it, both played a pivotal role in my life and the similarities that emerged as they were gradually revealing themselves were downright eerie.

I cannot express enough what Reagan’s presidency meant to me personally and how profoundly it affected my life. I would have never had a chance to become who I am in a true sense of the word had it not been for his personal courage and brilliant policies.

I also would never have matured into the kind of wine geek I am proud to have become if it wasn’t for Parker’s passionate portrayal of boutique California producers who strive for excellence and authenticity.

Both men were and continually are crucified for daring to carve the path of their own, and for doing the right thing. Both went against the politically correct, fashionable rhetoric of their day.  Both stuck to their guns. Both will go down in history (one of them has already) for being right on a great deal of crucial matters. In fact they are both heroes for championing individuality and embracing diversity, and encouraging us to carve the painful yet wondrous path to ourselves as the only sustainable journey. They both believed in one’s goodness, creativity, drive and individual abilities as the only genuine solution to virtually any problem.

I later caught up with Milos at a Hess hosted Mt. Veeder appellational tasting where he poured his Rubissow wines.  These compelling wines stood out in the company of many worthy compatriots.

Tim’s background is a confluence of science, biology, enology and viticulture; with a bit of the architecture thrown in for good measure. Timothy was pursuing a PhD in molecular genetics at Cornell when his attention turned to viticulture and winemaking. He never looked back and forged a career that led him to cross paths with some of the most diverse viticultural regions, prestigious growers and influential vintners.  Along the way, he partnered with superstar wine maker, Marco di Giulio.

In the conversations that followed our initial meeting, Timothy’s gradually revealed his  winemaking philosophy.  He views the winemaking process as if it were a living, vibrant, ecosystem; with each individual component making a powerful and indispensable contribution to the end result. He believes in a light touch when making wine. He honors the grapes by coaxing the best out of them; assisting in the process with his technical skills, only when absolutely necessary.  Given his significant scientific and technical background, his restraint is a testament to his judgment.  Perhaps this is why his wines present a cohesive, harmonious, and balanced palatal presence.

A Philosopher and a Gentleman

Recently, I had the opportunity to shadow Milos as we wandered through his custom crush facility.  He sampled his customers wine to determine if they were ready to be transferred to barrels.

A man of gentile presence and an occasional contagious hearty laugh, Timothy guided me through the facility with ease and grace. Bin to Bottle is a relatively new facility with the capacity to process thousands of tons of fruit.  It is home to over 6500 oak barrels and comes with all of the high tech “bells and whistles,” including a shiny reverse osmosis machine that resembled a relic from Roswell. We were surrounded by dozens of shiny tanks with various grapes purring and tossing restlessly in their captive chambers

We tasted the various offerings, all from the 2010 harvest. Starting with valley floor and the epic 2010 To Kalon Cab, we moved on to high elevation Atlas Peak CS, then to Mt Veeder and Howell Mountain cabs and then to two lots of Cab Franc and finally some Petite Verdot.

All were vastly different from one another and in various stages of readiness. The standout was the To Kalon Cabernet destined for Bounty Hunter’s “Justice” program. It was a sleeping giant, once awakened, it made a quite an impression. There is little doubt that this Cab will be a magnificent creature.

I have always found it fascinating that no two rows in the same vineyard are alike. A few rows a dozen feet apart could yield entirely different fruit; something that make fruit sourcing one of a winemaker’s greatest challenges.  Every winemaker I know is an active and consistent participant of fruit selection when it is sourced externally (as oppose to estate fruit where they obviously work with what they have and the most powerful tools outside of vineyard management becomes blending and separating the lots).

A big voice in the winemaking world

Tim was a cook at age nine and brewed beer at fifteen, he also loves to sing. The youngest of four children, wine was an everyday part of his family setting. One of his earliest memories is a Magnum of Sebastiani and Scharmsberg being presented at the dinner table.

A hybrid of scientist and master craftsman, he focuses on capturing the essence of given grapes.   He trusts his palate more than his formidable technical knowledge. He never substituted refractometer for taste and lab results for intuition.  “Flavor doesn’t exist outside a mind” quotes Milos, a truism that is often forgotten in the winemaking process.

As I was watching him taste and talk of the wines an image of a midwife floated into my mind.  It felt very much as if he was waiting for that perfect moment, when the grapes were fully spent and had no more to give so that he could transfer and guide them to their new stage.

Determining when the grapes have given up as much as they can is not science. It is art. The changes are sometimes very subtle, sometimes dramatic and span from weeks to mere hours. When the wine stops evolving it has to be immediately moved to the next phase. The character of wine is cemented during the fermentation process, barrel aging attributes very minimum by comparison and primarily reveals nuances rather than the substance.

Milos’ goal as a craftsman is to create a complete wine that stretches tannins in order to extract every ounce of taste.  He strives to create a harmony of flavors, creating a story similar to a jazz band arranger. Composing a jazz riff of flavors is no easy task; yet I can’t help but notice that Milos, an improviser at heart, somehow combines a series of flavor solos into an integrated, lush, mature and well-structured composition.

Timothy’s current and previous clients span across the valley and the globe.  His current projects include:

• Howell at the Moon
• Bounty Hunter Rare Wines & Provisions
  
• Haber Family Vineyards
• Hidden Ridge Vineyard
• Loomis Family Vineyards
• Liquid Sky Vineyards
• Rubissow Family Wines
• Sedna
• Girard Winery
• Windsor-Sonoma
• Hidden Ridge
• Black Coyote
• Lookout Ridge
• Spence Vineyards

Past consulting, full-time winemaking and enology projects include:

• Black Coyote Wines
• Marcowine, LLC
• Cliff Lede Vineyards
• S. Anderson Vineyard
• Dromana Estate Winery
• Opus One
• Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars

Milos’ favorite CD is Miles Davis’ “Kind of Blue”, a classic jazz album that was recorded in 1959; yet, like his wine, is as fresh and original as the day it was released.  The album was a collection of modal sketches.  As Napa’s Bebop King of Flavors, Milos’ wines produce a series of flavor sketches that flow from one to another as seamlessly as a Coltrane riff flows from a Bill Evans solo.

Part I

A few months ago, at a Cabernet tasting at Bentley Reserve, I was struck by a wine which gave me a pause, it was the sort of wine one hopes to find and when one does, they just can’t believe their good fortune.

The wine spoke to me in ways that made the room quiet and my senses dance. Whenever I experience these types of sensory transformations, I instinctively know that it is a special treat.

This head-turning wine was offered by an attractive, thoughtful woman that looked more like a dreamy siren or romantic heroine than a vintner. She exuded this… luminescence. I fell in love with her silky, elegant, effervescent, meticulously crafted, quintessentially authentic, gorgeous Cabernet and with her vibrant, yet soothing presence.

Fast forward to tonight. My invitation read:

“Please join us at the Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant this October 27 from 4:30-7:30 PM. Kristine, along with Winemaker Philippe Melka and the Entre Nous team, will be pouring flights that include all of the estate wines: two vintages of Cabernet Sauvignon along with our Sauvignon Blanc and Rose.”

Firstly, I can relate to any start-up, however well-positioned, due a simple dynamic. The wordsmiths and the wine-smiths have a commonality of sorts – if we don’t connect with our audience, we are doomed to fail.

Kristine’s brand, Entre Nous was to be officially introduced to the world. How could I miss it? If you hadn’t guessed already the siren, turned vintner, is none other than Kristine Ashe, who is responsible for assembling an impressive team of Napa Valley heavyweights who helped elevate her magical estate fruit to withering heights.

Her vineyard manager is Jim Barbour.

Her winemaker is Phillippe Melka.

Her 2007 Cabernet is sold out. “Shocking”, I know:)

She credits “word of mouth” and the loyalty of the individuals that the brand attracted. She also credits her winemaking philosophy as well as being very price conscientious; not making the wines prohibitively expensive along with her runaway success. I have a slightly different theory.

In the highly competitive and crowded world of Napa Valley $100+ Cabernet and Cabernet Blends, a bottling has to be quite special to stand out; especially in these doldrums called “US economy of late”. It is no longer enough to have a pedigree, a stellar vineyard and a famous wine making consultant to attain “cult” status. To stand out requires an edge.

Paradoxically, the production costs are the same or more as previous vintages and 2010 was a challenging vintage to boot. The labor costs associated with vineyard stewardship didn’t change. Growers were required to make multiple passes through the vineyard to ensure proper canopy management due to heat spikes and walls of rain that spelled the looming danger of mildew. Barrel sales have slowed some but their prices didn’t go down, not to mention the consulting expertise that is in no less demand (or costly).

Yet the consumer’s expectations are at an all-time high. If they are to part with their dollars these days, they want an irresistible reason; an offer they simply cannot refuse.

These discerning consumers apparently went after Entre Nous with gusto.

Chris Towt and Ellie Phipps Price are consummate hosts as their 4^th of July gathering has clearly demonstrated. I was excited to be small part of their inaugural event – the launch of the brand all of their own.

For those of you familiar with Sand Hill Durell bottlings, there is obviously some continuity in terms of vineyard source, winemaking team (vineyard manager Steve Hill 1980-present; Don Van Staaveren, winemaker 2002-present), etc. however the fruit itself comes exclusively from the Durell Vineyard Ranch House Block, a very special site. My understanding is the fruit from that block will not be sold to any other producer and will be used only for the Dunstan label. Ranch House Block includes roughly 5 acres of Pinot Noir and 3½ acres of Chardonnay. The Chardonnay is planted to Wente clone, and the Pinot Noir is a combination of Dijon (lovingly referred to as “sweetheart”) clones – the somewhat typical selection of 115/667/828 with some Calera and Swan to balance it out.

Why Dunstan Label?

Clearly highlighting the fruit source has a lot to do with the new Brand. Chris Towt and I spoke extensively prior to the event, when I first tasted the wine at the Pinot Days about a “sense of place” and how excited he was to partake in the journey of “translating” this very notion from soil to glass.

There is a great story behind the label itself that showcases Chris and Ellie’s love of horses, with a great “lucky” twist to it… go find out for yourself at www.dunstanwines.com

On to the wines, briefly:

2009 Dunstan Rose of Pinot Noir – fantastic (and sold out at the winery), great summer sipper with true character and grit. Fabulous aromatics, a true crowd pleaser.

2008 Chardonnay – signature stone fruit, sophisticated, nuanced citrus. Fresh and breezy, with the underlying steely vivid minerality. Hints of toasty oak, medium-bodied, substantive yet refreshing mouthfeel. Tasted several times over a three month period with consistent impressions.

2008 Pinot Noir – I was struck by its authentic varietal character showcasing opulent black fruit, hints of spice, layered mid-palate and a long satisfying finish.

Chris and Ellie also generously offered the 2007 Sand Hill Chardonnay that I thought showed very well.

Descending into the (Wine) Dungeon, Dunstan-style

There were some steps involved, if you wanted to dip your palate in some Vineyard History, the root cellar steps that is. If you managed to keep your head on your shoulders (low beam), you were rewarded with a vertical retrospective of 2004-2007 Sand Hill Pinot Noir.

I must say the 2004 was a pleasant surprise that showed clear longevity and stamina (you’ve heard “location, location, location” chants by your realtor, well, for Don van Staaveren it is “patience, patience, patience”), 2006 was in the thinking faze (it never quite opened up for me), 2007 was a great example of a generous vintage, but it was 2005 that stole my heart, just a little. Lithe, elegant fruit, great concentration, lovely paced finish. I risked a head injury and went back for seconds…

After all that, I must admit that my favorite after all was 2008 Dunstan. Much like a confluence of three different AVA the wine seemed to be a reflection of terroir, but also somehow a team effort of a partnership with the special site via winemaking and the deep friendship and mutual affection that was evident between Chris and Ellie. If you have not guessed already these two are a couple and it appears their romance certainly brought some unique quality to the wine, it was a beautiful example of what California Love Affair is about. Gobs of fruit, great mid-palate, lingering finish. Did anyone say “hedonism?”

It is worth a mention that the hosts went out of their way to hire a professional chef to create food pairings with each wine. Richard Haake of Winery Chefs, http://www.winerychefs.com did the honors. I was quite enamored with mushroom tortellini with porcini broth paired with 2007 Sand Hill… the earthiness of the broth infused with the “king” of mushrooms really did the “trick”.

Below is the full menu for the event:

“Crostini  with Eggplant Tapenade

Spanish Pork Skewer

Paired with 2009 DUNSTAN Rose

Rock Shrimp Sandwich with Gravenstein Apple Slaw

Paired with 2007 Sand Hill Chardonnay

Mushroom Tortellini with Porcini Broth

Paired with 2007 Sand Hill Pinot Noir

Heirloom Tomato, Caramelized Onion, Cured Black Olive and Thyme Tart

Paired with 2008 DUNSTAN Chardonnay

Spoons of Coq Au Vin with Potato Puree

Paired with 2008 DUNSTAN Pinot Noir

Artisan Cheese Board featuring local cheeses with seasonal accompaniment.”

Love, Lifestyle and Living Out Loud

Wine represents many things to many people, but most prominently perhaps a “lifestyle,” a notion that is brought up regularly in many wine-related discussions.

By any measure Chris and Ellie have a great lifestyle, filled with not just work and a smorgasbord of obligations, but with friends, hobbies/passions, social causes that are near and dear to their hearts and of course the centerpiece of the aforementioned gathering – guardsmanship of the Durell Vineyard.

Although Chris had no prior formal background in wine, and learned mostly by osmosis, he talks with great enthusiasm of all things wine and clearly caught the “bug” we all know all too well. He recognizes what a special place Durell is and clearly wants to pay a tribute to its riches, to tell a story framed by a single block that was nurtured for decades by this incredible piece of land. Collaboratively, Chris and Ellie managed to capture what is so important about the vintner’s role – make the kind of wine that is an interpretation all your own, make it distinct and individualistic but always in the context of honoring the land that gave you an opportunity to create that signature imprint.

It was a glamorous and classy affair with well-heeled winerati sporting designer suites and walking purposefully with this unmistakable, European flair. I always find wine events in San Francisco such a departure from those in the wine country and not just strictly due their casual, relaxed vibe.

That said I have always liked this event a lot in the past (and it became a fun annual tradition of Champagne and oysters for me, as this somehow winds up being the only time all year that I consume oysters). This year definitely had an edge, partly due to the choice of venue, which was, incidentally, brilliant. I found the San Francisco Design Center to be a great facility that lends itself in a stellar fashion to a large wine event.

I felt it made a huge difference. Another noteworthy observation is that the food catered was exceptional this year.

The concept of categorizing the event into sparkling, white, lighter reds and on to heavy ones bespeaks intelligent planning. Each category was given a “floor” essentially, so theoretically you would start on the ground floor with whites and go one floor up to lighter reds and so on.

Incidentally if any of you believe that champagne and oysters is a romantic, “chick” thing, I have never seen so many guys line up and partake with vigor in the oyster bar, just an observation. This was a sort of event where one might find Bill Harlan stopping by, delicately poking in an oyster shell reminiscing his youth on the beach with his group of guys and gals… and he wasn’t even there for the Bond (although I spotted him later behind the table animatedly chatting with attendees.)

I also got a chance to catch up with James Ontiveros (the affable Abreu of Central Coast) who was in town, much to my surprise (it is Harvest time!) More on that later…

Art and Science

My understanding of the selection criteria for Wine & Spirits Magazine Top 100, based upon some of Joshua Greene’s comments is that there are seven staff critics that do the choosing and a consensus is reached so that all involved stand behind each other’s choices. The groundwork is laid throughout the year and the wine selection is based upon the staff’s recommendations during the span of the year. Clearly not all wineries submit samples for potential review, a universal phenomena/potential dilemma for any wine publication, so presumably it is from the group of submitted samples that the editors select their top 100, a process that is likely more subjective than they would admit to. Incidentally I don’t have an issue with that, as this exercise by definition could never be an exact science as the precise criteria is almost always impossible to nail down with any of such “Top” lists… so let’s set science ambitions aside and focus on the art.

Each winery presented two wines, more often than not their top scoring wines of the year. There was no feasible way to taste all of the wines and have much of the insight (if you are familiar with my thoughts on palate fatigue), so I opted to strategize instead and developed a “game plan” I ended up following loosely with reasonable success.

Since the tasting lasted roughly 4 hours, after some oyster/Champagne indulgences I planned to first taste the offerings from some of the French producers I don’t get much exposure to anymore. That and Joshua Greene made quite a case for the 2008 Faiveley Bâtard-Montrachet … I also wanted to try some Spanish, Italian and Portuguese producers, and let’s not forget my beloved Aussies and NZ. Guiltily, I also promised myself to spend some time in the company of the U.S. producers with whom I am quite familiar yet just can’t seem to get enough of. This was definitely an interesting mix of Old World and New World wines, some fairly esoteric, which in itself is a treat!

So here are my highlights and lowlights, in terms of impressions, in no particular order.

The burgundy was not earth-shattering, (even though I would have really liked it to be, wishful thinking doesn’t work in life or in wine). A while back Burgundy was a bigger part of my wine life than nowadays and I know my epiphany when I taste it. Young, somewhat oak-centric at first, soft and pleasant fruit with promises of complexity yet frankly, a little muted overall. The Champagne offerings were very tasty darlings indeed and hit the spot perfectly, I would have been thrilled to spend a couple of hours at that portion of the event alone. I was pleasantly surprised by some of the wines presented by producers whom I normally closely associate with different grape variety (i.e. Craggy Range is all about Sauvignon Blanc to me and I love Drew Pinot Noirs, yet it was his Syrah that was rocking it out this time), and how well they showed. I thought the Rhones were lovely but again, a bit shy at this stage, I was, however very impressed by some Spanish Riojas, that were very robust and distinct. Reisling world is a bit of an enigma to me, but I knew enough to note that there were some very strong offerings presented.

Overall, there were definitely a few showstoppers for me, and I can’t wait to share them with you.

My top 10 in the top 100

CHAMPAGNE’s Casual Splendor

I came expecting the 100 point 2002 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut Rose to all but steal the entire show but I found myself quite enamored with 1988 Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Champagne Brut Rare Vintage (95pts). To my palate it was very prominent and complex, with plush honeysuckle and floral characteristics framed by bright acidity.

I was in Champagne heaven and things were only going to get better from there.

PINOT NOIR or Peeking at my Pinot People

If you haven’t figured it out by now, here is a confession – I am a Pinot geek. I can’t stay away for long, even at the site of dozens of other producers who brought the most taste-worthy offerings… what can I say, it is a force akin to gravity. Pinot people have always held a very special spot in my heart.

It is a little wonder that I would up with three Pinot Producers on my list, the iconic Hartford and Willams Selyem. I have tasted (and drank) Keller’s Cruz a number of times and yet the wine seduced me all over again at this event so I had to mention it.

The elephant(s) in the room or che SYRAH SYRAH

Frankly, I don’t see why these two wines shouldn’t have been occupying an entire floor, they were certainly larger than life.

First I let it sink in that this is a SYRAH from Craggy Range, my adored Sauvignon Blanc source and guilty pleasure I have been known to go thru cases of through a hot summer.

Courtesy of the first ever viticulturalist and MW, Steve Smith, comes, or should I say, thunders in 2007 Hawkes Bay Le Sol Gimblett Gravels Syrah – Zenlike concentration in a body of a sumowrestler. Wow.

SHIRAZ 2007 Brokenwood Graveyard Shiraz.

Disclaimer, I am no stranger to this brand. I fell in love with 1998s from Brokenwood portfolio and they have since became one of my favorite Aussie producers that routinely turn out wines of great concentration coupled with some initial restraint that age beautifully.

This one was young yet… here are my notes:

“Warning – Run and hide unless you don’t mind being buried in red fruit up to your neck.” Starved for water, these vines struggle for dear life and it shows. Earthy, floral and startlingly elegant for a beastly creature, surprising yet refreshing minerality delivers great balance. Where is my steak?

[Digression. As most of you know I am not big on food/wine pairing rhetoric. This one made me wistful for a steak. Big juicy strip and a great philosophical conversation would have been just about perfect with it.]

TELL ME NO LIES!  Or CABERNET King holds court

2005 Shafer Hillside Select

The event’s highlight for me.

(I know, I know, there goes the girl who came to discover and be wowed by new adventures and wound up gushing about one of her favorite brands of all time. I am as annoyed as you are. Yet here we are… remember the title…palates are always honest.)

Would it be wrong to just hang at this table all night, I wondered? I knew it would be, however it was most tempting.

Exquisite. Gorgeous. Outstanding… need I say more?! Okay, if you insist.

Precision. Balance. Strength. Substance. Depth of Flavor. Delineation. Complexity.

A Mile Long Finish.

If any of you are in possession of this wine feel free to invite me to your home, I know we’ll instantly become best friends.

Bonding with Bond

I have always had a love affair with Harlan wines but my relationship with Bond was a bit tense at times. I found some of the wines to be somewhat austere and closed however almost always meaningful, wise beyond their age. Both the 2006 Quella and the Plubirus, although very different from one another, had a tremendous presence and were perhaps the most intellectually stimulating wines of the evening.

So here is my short list of wines of the tasting:

• 2002 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut Rose
• 1988 Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Champagne Brut Rare Vintage
• 2007 Hartford Arrendel Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
• 2007 Keller Estate La Cruz Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
• 2007 Williams Selyem Hirsch Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
• 2007 Brokenwood Graveyard Hunter Valley Shiraz
• 2007 Craggy Range Hawkes Bay Le Sol Gimblett Gravels Vineyard Syrah
• 2008 Drew Mendocino Ridge Valenti Vineyard Syrah
• 2005 Shafer Hillside Select Stag’s Leap Cabernet Sauvignon
• 2006 Bond Quella Napa Valley

Honestly there were many, many other fantastic wines, this is just an insight into my palate and how it behaved that particular evening. Any other night this list may have been slightly different, which is the beauty of wine… like a river, it is fluid (pun intended), by the time you take your second step in the water it has already changed from the first…

In the end Wine & Spirits produced a terrific event with something for everyone’s palate. I wish I could have cloned mine that evening… looking forward to the next year’s event already.

Grape vines by definition isn’t a narcissistic variety, they are nurturers. That is why they tend to produce such vigor and fruit in abundance (with some notable exceptions). They are looking for those birds to consume the fruits of their labor and continue the cycle of life. They soak up the sun and desperately search for water in a gargantuan effort to not just survive but thrive for the sake of their offspring – their fruit. From my point of view it is as motherly as it gets… and that is where it all begins. Anyone that has spend 5 minutes in the wine world would tell you the proverbial cliché – great wines start with great grapes, great wines are grown in the vineyard, etc.

That would be 100% true.

Then it is onto “vineyard management”, which, granted, requires lots of skills and dogged dedication, but let’s face it, also is a fancy term for “grape torture” as most open and sincere vineyard managers would tell you… how many times have you heard the most brilliant growers in the industry talk about reducing yields? What do you think “dropping fruit” means? Or dry-farming? Or low-irrigation?
That means “no water for you” kind of “soup Nazi” deal, ah and yes, we’ll take of some of your “offspring” to be recycled through vertical “disintegration”, i.e. let it rot on the ground and become part of the soil… and be absorbed into that cycle of life. (Some of my vineyard manager friends talk of going straight to “grape hell”, should it exist, for the atrocities they have committed…)

Ironically after all the torture, the grapes get treated with velvet gloves, some notable wineries who have both the resources and the inclination even pick at night (mostly applicable to Pinot Nor crop) to maximize the cooling environment that preserves the integrity of the fruit.

In the life of a wine maker that is often the most stressful time, harvest, as it sets the tone for the entire vintage. Compromised fruit will never make great wine.

Next comes the cellar work, which mostly is about emotional and palatal intelligence and wisdom, otherwise known as “don’t fix what ain’t broken”. Again, most renowned winemakers will tell you that their efforts are mostly about taking the nurturing reigns and not messing up what Mother Nature delivered. If you are a parent it ought to sound familiar.

And last but not least comes you, the consumer (often through an obstacle course put together by a three-tier Monster, wholesalers, restaurateurs and wine shops). Wine travel is just that, a journey of self-discovery, a marathon of sorts. As you move along, the scenery and the pace changes, your physicality ebbs and flows but one thing remains – the experience of every turn… if you weren’t interested in that you would have chosen a sprint instead (and found satisfaction in a nearest bar). Wine journey is for seekers.

`Have some wine,’ the March Hare said in an encouraging tone.”
“A Mad Tea-Party” Chapter from Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

It was that time again… the mad wine party otherwise known as Family Winemakers Tasting. It is not actually a party at all, and is certainly most sane… for most of us, but not me.

I am completely and utterly maddened by all of it… the beehive environment, the energy of the room, the wonder of what is to be found a mere table length away… the lure of the treasure hiding in plain sight.
I am an addict. Obviously of wine in general and CA wine in particular, but also of wine events somehow. Why? It is a separate entity with life and rhythm of its very own. Adrenalin infused palate Olympics, this teeth-staining adventure is akin to white-water rafting without a paddle.

Honestly, one never knows what to expect… you may fall instantly and madly in love or be left wondering why this particular producer makes wine as oppose to and want to run and hide (and secretly wish the grapes would as well).

Those amongst us in the writing arena frequently represent ourselves as some sort of supermen/women with super palates and stamina of Bacchus himself, fit for tasting hundreds of wines. Having visited hundreds of evens for a decade+ I am here to tell you, that all this posturing is just that… bravado.  Spit or swallow sparingly or ardently, your palate gets tired and cranky. Those who congratulate themselves on braving table after table and glass after glass to compile vinsightful and precise tasting notes are ether kidding themselves or you, probably both.  Anyway, we all try to brace ourselves, but all the preparation in the world wasn’t going to matter once you walk through those doors with your little paper bracelet and get handed a logo glass. You feel like the wine version of the poster “the few, the proud, the Marines” and the theater of wine that is unfolded before you. The battleground isn’t about stamina, it is about defining foe vs ally, it is a CIA kind of war fought behind the scenes, a battle of intellect, perceptions and evaluations.
I am not a warrior, kids, (although I did assemble an AK47 once in less than 3 min), so rather than going for a decent battle-cry, I channeled a Mad Rabbit that got Alice into this mess in the first place.
I proceeded to dart across the room with my “must sample before palate shutout” list.  I could deploy some set decorum and rules of engagement… but since I happen to be a  straight shooter, here is the skinny…
We all have preferences, we all have loyalties, we all like our own versions of blondes and brunettes. If you think people in wine professions or critics don’t have those you are wrong.  So I wanted to taste what I wanted to taste. First.

I will not however list them as such, if you wish to guess which wines stole my heart, be my guest. I will list them alphabetically.

First let me say it is a phenomenal event and it humbles me to have been a tiny part of it. Family is such a special notion and these folks are truly that… they value family and what it means to be an artisan producer… a sincere thank you to them all.

To be continued…

And what better way to exercise it than to show up at a Wine Tasting?

So here I was, on a mission, 8 Mission Street that is, at the swanky Hotel Vitale, where the Wine Institute Tasting was held.  I am no stranger to wine events, however this one was a bit unusual.  Titled “The Unexpected Grapes from Unexpected Places” it delivered just that.

The roster of producers represented wines from all over the state – from Temecula all the way to Lake County with everything in between, the varieties offered were anything but the usual suspects – Durif, Vermentino, Mouvedre, Albarinho, Tempranillo, Fruillano, Nebbiolo, just to name a few.

It also featured a great seminar lead by Evan Goldstein, MS. His engaging personality and encyclopedic knowledge of all things wine (not to mention an immensely entertaining Dustin Hoffman flair) held the attention of several dozen very thirsty wine folks, trade and press alike.  He threw us a gauntlet in a form of a blind tasting consisting of 12 wines (5 white, 7 red), all of which fell into a category of either uncommon variety or uncommon origin. In other words, if it was a Cab, it was not likely to be from Napa, and if it was a Pinot, not likely from Sonoma or Russian River Valley, etc. We were supposed to guess both the variety and the place of origin.

Warning: DO try this at home.

I know it isn’t feasible to line up 12 fascinating wine pours for a group of your closest friends, but I bet if you pool your resources it isn’t that challenging to come up with 4-6. The point is to expand your awareness, both palatal and geographical. Go ahead and “blindfold” a wine fashioned from an unusual variety or from a lesser known area and test yourselves…  This exercise is not about getting it right, and guessing correctly in the end, it is about the experience itself.  [Besides, you will have loads of fun before you even get to your own tasting. Imagine picking the dead ringer for say, a Napa Valley Cab from Paso Robles and anticipating everyone being wowed by it? Feel Good Factor all around.]

Back to my Blind Ride.

My notable standouts were: the 2007 Nth Degree Cabernet from Livermore Valley and a Pinot Noir form SLH.  Sourced from the best vineyard blocks and subjected to a rigorous regime during harvest, combined with a diverse oak treatment program this was one fantastic Cabernet. Brimming with varietal character, exquisitely balanced, it delivers great fruit and subtle tannins – a great effort overall.

The Pinot was… ready for it? 2008 Gary’s Vineyard “Lucia” Santa Lucia Highlands.  I know, I know.  Not exactly an “obscure” discovery, but I just had to say something about that one. I tasted it for the first time at the Family Winemakers Event, went home and promptly ordered some from the winery… obviously it blew me away.  This taste was no different; I instantly fell all over again for the luscious fruit framed in earthy overtones, the seductive silky texture culminating in a playful finish.
It didn’t require any guesswork on my part, I didn’t want to identify it, I wanted to drink it! Here was my insatiable apatite for hedonism leading me astray yet again, instead of partaking in all things new and different my palate beckoned to the tried and true. I guiltily swallowed my pour; secretly wishing I could sip it for a good long while.

There was one more wine that I also was quite pleased with… 2007 Big Basin “Mandala” Syrah from Santa Cruz Mountains. Big bold fruit, well-integrated tannins, long finish, what’s not to like?  It is also important to mention that all 12 wines tasted were very good for different reasons, these were merely my personal favorites.

I find wine events in general to be quite invigorating. Each has a rhythm, a personality, and each one has taught me something unique.  I like the quirky personalities they attract, both humble and the irreverent attendees, even the stupid questions I sometimes overhear… I chuckle in the ladies room when women engage in a banter referring to the subtleties of oak/flavor profiles instead of discussing men and make-up. I am a wine geek at heart and proud of it.

I do have a secret to share with you though. With each tasting I attend, I hold out a special hope. This hope is all about meeting a producer who just knocks my socks off, for one reason or another.  That is my Holy Grail, and when I find it, I just can’t wipe a grin off my face.  It clearly happened before and this time I got lucky again.

How to Buy $45 Syrah for $25?  Easy.  Heard of Clavo Cellars?  Me neither.

Neil Roberts is no “new kid on the block.” His own label, “Clavo Cellars” is just 5 years old but Neil has been a successful grower for more than 20 years. Is he a “David Abreu” of Paso Robles? I intended to find out.  For many years Neil was a viticulturist for Robert Mondavi brand, overseeing vineyard properties located on the Central Coast. As the head of Roberts Vineyard Services, Roberts has been managing vineyards and growing grapes for some of the most prominent vineyards, including Peachy Canyon, Robert Hall, Ancient Peaks and many others who were selling fruit form prominent wineries to newcomers turned rock star projects such as Barrel 27.  I was quite enamored with the 2008 “Oracle” Grenache Blanc (I blame Kris Curran for getting me hooked on that variety, if you have never had this grape, change that.)  However it is was the Syrah that I fell for.  Plush fruit driven nose, silky texture, ripe tannins, tons of personality… with an entry fee of a mere $25? Staggering.  2006 Syrah “Reckless Moment” Syrah. $25. (Should be $45) Run, don’t walk to get some.

So what was are take away lessons from this tasting?
Lesson #1
Think outside the box, in life and in wine! It is amazing what is revealed if you make your palate available to new experiences. Don’t just automatically default into your staples, instead engage in a palatal adventure.
What is the payoff?  You may well discover a brand new favorite.

Lesson #2
There are surprising validating factors about those staples that may not be apparent without a challenge. Here is the hypothesis: you may have thought that you like Napa Valley Cabs, but what you actually liked was fruit-driven Cabs that are well balanced, something that can be found outside of Napa.

Lesson #3
It sure feels good to know how rich and diverse California winegrowing regions are and the treasures they hold… even if you wind up holding on to your favorite glass of Pisoni Pinot Noir.  I, for one, feel much more secure that way – should an Asteroid cause devastation in Gary’s vineyard I know I won’t be thirsty for long. After a proper mourning period I will find another lover, and another exquisite ecstasy delivered by yet another (or perhaps even the same) talent who found (and planted) an epiphany a few (hundred) miles down the road…