Perlises Pick: Emmitt-Scorsone Wines

July 2, 2022 by Michael Perlis

We were very much interested in visiting “new to us” wineries on our trip to the Santa Rosa / Healdsburg area, and Emmitt-Scorsone definitely fit that requirement. Heading west from the town of Healdsburg into the Dry Creek Valley, we immediately encountered the change in scenery that is so common to wine regions. The road to the winery soon became only one lane in parts and we were thankful that the only car that we encountered heading toward us was small enough that neither had to execute any complicated maneuvers [like backing up!].

Still, we managed to arrive a little early and had a chance to talk to the owner of the property, David Merrill. He spoke fondly of his desire to just focus on tending to the grapes and his pleasure at having the Emmitt-Scorsone winery on site to handle winemaking duties, both from his estate grapes (the property, known as the Vinegrove, is about 32 acres with 7+ planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache and Petite Sirah) as well the ones the winery owners source from other areas.

We sat on the back patio – in a land of spectacular views, this is a great one – and were soon joined by winery co-owner and co-winemaker, Michael Scorsone. Michael became interested in the wine world early, moving to Napa after first graduating from the CIA in New York and then UNLV. He worked at wineries in Napa, Italy and New Zealand, eventually becoming assistant winemaker at Failla under Ehren Jordan [we’re big fans of Ehren from his days at Turley]. Michael then consulted for Fred Schrader of Schrader Cellars and then moved on to become head winemaker at Adobe Road for several years.

Michael’s assistant winemaker at Adobe was Palmer Emmitt. Palmer had a very different path to the wine world, having been an international level racing skier and then having a ten-year career working in feature film production. During that time, Palmer developed a passion for wine, eventually achieving advanced sommelier certifications from the WSET. He moved to Northern California to attend Sonoma State’s wine MBA program. As mentioned, he worked with Michael at Adobe and they made the jump in 2015 to start Emmitt-Scorsone.

Emmitt-Scorsone actually has three labels.

Judge Palmer is named after Palmer’s grandfather. The focus of this label is primarily Cabernet Sauvignon from prestigious Napa Valley vineyards and relatively undiscovered Sonoma County sites as well as classic grape varieties like Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Franc and Malbec.

Domenica Amato is named after Michael’s grandmother – her immigration picture is on the label – and focuses on Rhone and Italian varietals.

Finally, the Emmitt-Scorsone brand is more value oriented and provides a good entry point to discovering the winery.

Michael asked if we had an interest in white wines or just wanted to focus on reds. If you’ve read our articles at all in the last couple of years you know what our answer was. Michael then asked “do you like getting a little funky with your whites?” We said “heck yeah” and we were ready to taste:

2019 Domenica Amato Vermentino – from the Mahoney vineyard in Carneros; part of the vineyard is in Sonoma and part in Napa. The wine spent 10 months in Italian clay amphorae. Meyer lemon notes, crisp medium finish with a kiss of saltiness, reminiscent of the ocean air.

2020 Domenica Amato Viognier – from the Salomon Vineyard near Kenwood in the Sonoma Valley. This wine spent ten months in neutral oak barrels. With a tart peach nose, this wine is luscious and rich and had a medium finish.

2019 Domenica Amato Gusto Bianco – a complex blend of 48% Viognier, 47% Grenache Blanc [both from Sonoma County] and 5% Fiano all the way from Clarksburg in Yolo County. It was light and bright with a tangerine nose.

2016 Domenica Amato Roussanne from the Bennett Valley. An Orange Wine [i.e. skin contact white] that was interesting in all the good ways. Only made two barrels, very complex and fresh.

2019 Domenica Amato Barbera from the Dry Creek Valley. Cherry notes with bright clean fruit. Classic bramble notes but with finesse and elegance. Very nice.

2018 Domenica Amato Gusto Rosso Estate Red blend of 50% Grenache, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Petite Sirah, showcasing all the estate vineyard has to offer. Big and bright from the Grenache with a medium finish. Good rusticity with a very slight gaminess that makes you want another taste.

2018 Judge Palmer Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Terrace — the winery makes a few Cabs, this one is from their estate vineyard. Just a couple of barrels made of this. The wine was concentrated and intense with great depth and a long finish.

2019 Domenica Amato Grenache Estate – 100% Grenache from the estate. A little light in color but not in bouquet or flavor with plenty of clean red fruit. Grenache as it should be made with no attempt to over-extract it. Delicious.

In wrapping up our visit, we asked Michael what he wanted people to know about Emmitt-Scorsone Wines. He responded that it was important that people realize that the winery is just these two guys with a passion for wine. They said to each other “let’s make wine” and started with only a couple of barrels. Production is small, just about 3,000 cases and they still do everything by themselves. Their passion comes through in every bottle.

Emmitt-Scorsone Wines

www.emmittscorsone.com

1830 Jameson Rd, Healdsburg, CA 95448

Michael and Karen Perlis have been pursuing their passion for wine for more than 30 years. They have had the good fortune of having numerous mentors to show them the way and after a couple of decades of learning about wine, attending events, visiting wineries and vineyards, and tasting as much wine as they possibly could, they had the amazing luck to meet Eve Bushman. Michael and Karen do their best to bring as much information as possible about wine to Eve’s Wine 101 faithful readers.

Perlises Pick: Soda Rock Winery

June 25, 2022 by Michael Perlis

A trip to the Healdsburg area wouldn’t be complete without visiting Antoine Favero. Antoine is a winemaker for several of the Wilson Family Wineries. We’ve met with him a few times at Mazzocco Sonoma in Dry Creek Valley [with a focus on amazing Zinfandels] and at Jaxon Keys in Mendocino County [love those Rhone varietals] but we felt we should expand our reporting so we agreed to meet at Soda Rock Winery in Alexander Valley, which specializes in Bordeaux varietals.

Pulling up to Soda Rock Winery should be very impressive for any first-time visitor. It sure was for us. Visible from the road is the towering figure of Lord Snort, who is directly in front of the sadly burnt-out husk of the original winery and tasting room that was destroyed in the 2019 Kincade fire. The winery building was about 150 years old and was the original site of the Alexander Valley general store and post office. Ken and Diane Wilson purchased the property in the year 2000.

By now, you might be wondering who is Lord Snort, whose photo is included with this article. Lord Snort is a 20,000 steel sculpture created by local artist, Bryan Tedrick. This is the second of his sculptures at a Wilson family winery property, being preceded by the Coyote sculpture at Wilson Winery in the Dry Creek Valley.

Lord Snort actually made his debut at Burning Man – check out this video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=edNJ_uGzlmA – and the rumor is he will be there again.

We arrived at Soda Rock a little before Antoine got there and were greeted warmly by tasting room hostess, Madison. She gave us the option of tasting in the refurbished barn or outside among the trees right next to the vineyard and we chose the latter. Although Antoine had planned an afternoon of red wines for us, Madison poured us a couple of whites to get us started. She also brought over some cheeses and charcuterie to nibble on, which are available for purchase with your tasting.

Kenneth Carl Sparkling Brut – blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with a kiss of Pinot Meunier. Notes of green apple, ripe pear. Made at the Jaxon Keys winery in Mendocino but available at all of the Wilson family wineries.

2019 Chardonnay Reserve West Soda Rock – Alexander Valley, 100% Chardonnay. Notes of lemon, blood orange and sweet honey.

By now, Antoine had arrived. It was such a pleasure to see him again. Not only is he a great winemaker but the passion he exudes for his craft is infectious. It had clearly rubbed off on Madison who continued to pour the wines and share her thoughts on them.

2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Twisted Rail – Alexander Valley near Cloverdale Named for a 2011 abandoned railroad tunnel fire that was originally built in 1898, this wine is 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Merlot. Medium color and tannin, big and bright with notes of cigar and black cherry and a dry, clean finish.

2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Five Star General – Alexander Valley. 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Petit Verdot, 2% Merlot. The best of the barrels for each varietal go into this. Chocolate, blue and black berry notes with supple and subtle tannins.

2018 Malbec Reserve Runway – Dry Creek Valley near the Mazzocco winery. 77% Malbec, 23% Cabernet Sauvignon. Tangy and deep, but brightened up by the Cabernet. Cherry, cedar and leather notes.

2019 Cabernet Franc Warm Springs Ranch – Dry Creek Valley near Lake Sonoma, the wine is 93% Cabernet Franc and 7% Petit Verdot. These vines are at 1700 ft elevation; they get stressed from the high elevation, but are cooled by the nearby afternoon marine breezes. Fruit forward and very well rounded.

2019 Meritage Alexander Valley – Sonoma County. 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 46% Cabernet Franc, 4% Merlot. Notes of dark plum fruit along with chewiness from the Cab Franc, with a full mouthfeel and a long finish.

2019 Lord Snort – Sonoma County. 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot We might have expected a wine named after a steel sculpture of a wild boar to be frivolous, but we should have known better. This was a serious wine, with lots of depth from the Merlot

2019 Zinfandel Wentworth – Sonoma County. It wouldn’t have been a visit with Antoine without a great Zin; this one is 75% Zinfandel, 20% Primitivo and 5% Petite Sirah. It is named after Fred Wentworth, the original owner of the Alexander Valley general store that housed the Soda Rock Winery before the fire. Tart, fruit-forward, dark fruit, chocolate and vanilla notes, tinge of nutmeg and ginger, herbaceous.

2019 Primitivo Lytton Station – Alexander Valley. 96% Primitivo, 4% Petite Sirah. Persian cucumber nose with vanilla and cinnamon notes, refreshing and cool.

We really enjoyed all of these wines and highly recommend visiting Soda Rock Winery. There is so much local history in the refurbished barn saved from the fire that we found interesting. It made for a leisurely wine tasting afternoon. We would be remiss if we did not remind our readers of the Children of Vineyard Workers Scholarship Fund created by Ken and Diane Wilson in 2002 in collaboration with the Sonoma County Farm Bureau. Per the website, this fund has distributed more than $500,000 in scholarships. Antoine administers this program and was excited to tell us that one of their recipients had just gotten accepted into Yale. Wow, talk about life-changing!

Soda Rock Winery

www.sodarockwinery.com

8015 CA-128, Healdsburg, CA 95448

Please note there is also a tasting room in downtown Healdsburg:

409A Healdsburg Avenue, Healdsburg, CA 95448

Perlises Pick: Grand Cru Custom Crush

May 28, 2022 by Michael Perlis

Custom crushes provide vital resources to boutique winemakers who don’t have their own winery facilities yet desire to have access to state of the art equipment and support. Grand Cru Custom Crush in Windsor, California takes this one step further by enabling their client wineries to offer their customers an opportunity for an amazing tasting experience.

Recently, we had the opportunity to visit with Nicole Yasinsac, Grand Cru’s Hospitality and Events Director. She gave us a tour of Grand Cru as well as providing tastes of a selection of their clients’ wines, all while sharing the story of the facility.

Robert Morris, former president of Punchdown Cellars in Santa Rosa (which was formerly Copain Custom Crush) and his wife Erin teamed up with Erin Brooks and Todd Gottula of Ernest Vineyards to open Grand Cru in 2017. The building design was inspired by the historic Boradorri Garage in Cayucos, with other touches paying homage to Robert being a reserve firefighter for the city of Healdsburg.

The production facility is 30,000 square feet with a capability of producing about 25,000 total cases annually. Winery clients are varied, which helps to ensure different picking and production schedules. Besides barrels, concrete eggs, sandstone amphorae and urns are also available, as are crush pads and bottling, as well as a lab.

We’ve been to custom crushes where tasting with the winemaker can be somewhat of an adventure, maybe just one step away from an OSHA report. The tasting salons at Grand Cru are stylish, with the bay doors available to be open to allow for as much fresh air as one would want. Gabriel Glas wine glasses help to maintain the elegance.

And the wines are no slouches either. Nicole guided us through a tasting of the following –

Edaphos by Ernest: 2021 Picpoul from Lodi’s Prie Vineyard. Ernest Winery is owned by Todd and Erin Gottula, co-owners of Grand Cru and is named after Todd’s grandfather Ernest. The Edaphos label focuses on small lots of lesser known grape varietals. The wine was subtle with an impression of a hint of sweetness and bright light citrus and a lengthy finish.

Ernest: 2019 Aligote from the Henry David Vineyard in Bennett Valley. The “other” white Burgundy, somewhat similar to Chardonnay. Light with some grassy notes and hints of arugula.

Bucher: 2021 Sauvignon Blanc from the Bucher Estate vineyard in the Russian River Valley. The Buchers added vineyards to their 360 acre dairy farm starting in 1997. The wine was fresh and bright with tropical notes. Very classic Sauvignon Blanc.

Black Kite: 2018 Pinot Noir from the Gap’s Crown Vineyard on the Sonoma Coast. The co-founders are Tom and Rebecca Birdsall along with Rebecca’s parents, Donald and Maureen Green. The label named after Rebecca’s father favorite bird. Notes of dark cherry and a pleasing light finish, smooth and silky on palate.

Terminim: 2018 Syrah from the Alder Springs Vineyard in Mendocino. This is a collaboration between François Villard of France’s Northern Rhone Valley and Donald Patz of Patz and Hall Winery in Sonoma fame. Very dark and rich with black olive notes. Delicious wine.

Saxon Brown: 2017 Zinfandel, Stonewall Block, Sonoma County. Owner/winemaker Jeff Gaffner was with Chateau St Jean and started Saxon Brown in 1997. Dense style but not overpowering, lush ripe fruit with lavender notes.

We want to thank Nicole so much for spending time with us. Please visit Grand Cru Custom Crush on your next visit to the Santa Rosa/Windsor/Healdsburg area. It is a great multi-brand experience of the outstanding wines made at the facility – private, personal, relaxed and intimate, showcasing many varietals and AVAs.

Grand Cru Custom Crush

www.grandcrucustomcrush.com

1200 American Way, Windsor, CA 95492Michael and Karen Perlis have been pursuing their passion for wine for more than 30 years. They have had the good fortune of having numerous mentors to show them the way and after a couple of decades of learning about wine, attending events, visiting wineries and vineyards, and tasting as much wine as they possibly could, they had the amazing luck to meet Eve Bushman. Michael and Karen do their best to bring as much information as possible about wine to Eve’s Wine 101 faithful readers.

Perlises Pick: Jeff Cohn Cellars

May 21, 2022 by Michael Perlis

We’ve tasted wines from Jeff Cohn Cellars many times, but always at events, where the wines were poured by Jeff or his wife, Alexandra. We had never had an opportunity to sit down and taste through the lineup with Jeff and hear the full story.

We finally were able meet with Jeff at their recently opened tasting room in Healdsburg. You can read all about Jeff Cohn Cellars on the website here www.jeffcohncellars.com/about-our-story but ultimately, it turns out that their story is a multi-faceted love story.

First and foremost, the love story of Jeff Cohn Cellars is about Alexandra and Jeff and their family. They met while they were both working at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City in Virginia – Jeff was F&B Cost Controller and Alexandra was an accounting trainee. Coincidentally, they had both also attended Florida International University. Alexandra’s career path took her back to Florida and Jeff joined her there, working on cruise ships for two years. But being in the hospitality industry often means being bitten by the wine bug and eventually, they moved to California. Jeff had already worked as an intern at Boordy Vineyards in Maryland but during the process of obtaining his Master’s in Agricultural Chemistry at Cal State Fresno, he discovered French techniques as well as the wines of the Northern and Southern Rhone plus Zinfandel. The rest was history.

It is also apparent the love that Jeff has for his colleagues and mentors, both former and current, most notably the late Kent Rosenblum. Jeff went to work for Kent at Rosenblum Cellars after graduating from CSUF, moving up the line to eventually become winemaker and then vice president of winemaking and production. He left in 2006 to focus on Jeff Cohn Cellars [then called JC Cellars] which he had founded in 1996, but not before making his permanent mark on the wine world by having Rosenblum’s 2003 Rockpile Road Zinfandel hit #3 on the Wine Spectator Top 100 list.

Finally, and certainly not least, is Jeff’s love of wine grapes, particularly, as mentioned above, Rhones and Zins.

So yes, we are finally getting to what we tasted –

2017 Iris Sparkling Brut Rose – named after Jeff’s beloved mother, this delicious bubbly is a blend of 60% Grenache (Rossi Ranch), 20% Syrah (Rockpile) and 20% Mourvedre (Rossi Ranch). Modeled after the wines from the France’s Tavel region, Karen picked up notes of Persimmon.

2018 Rossi Ranch GSM – a classic blend of 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 20% Mourvedre, this wine had a long finish, with sausage spices notes.

2018 Maggie’s Vineyard – 100% Zinfandel from vines that are over 120 years old . Many textures and layers on this wine that Jeff dedicated to his friend Kent [see above].

2017 Sweetwater Springs – 100% Petite Sirah. Dark, ruby red, purple in color, big and balanced.

2017 Domain Des Chirats -100% Rockpile Syrah – A joint project with Yves Cuilleron, Northern Rhone winemaker from Chavanay, France (half of this wine’s production is exported to France). Big luscious berry notes; one of the finest Syrahs we’ve tasted.

2016 Stagecoach Marsanne – 85% Marsanne, 15% Roussanne. The last wine we tasted was a white. We asked Jeff why other wineries pour their whites first and he said “because they are doing it wrong.” Seriously though, white wines poured at the beginning of a tasting are often forgotten by the end. We wouldn’t have forgotten this one though no matter where in the tasting it was poured. A wonderful palate brightener with delicious tropical fruits to wake up the taste buds. Crisp citrus notes and a big mouth feel. This Napa Valley vineyard was bought by Gallo a few years ago so we are not sure what the future holds for these varietals there.

Jeff Cohn makes more wines in addition to the ones we tasted. He has many more Rhones and single vineyard Zins sourced from Sonoma, Napa and the central coast. They are definitely worth a stop when you are in Healdsburg or in the Santa Rosa area or interested in making an online purchase.

We expect you’ll love them as much as we did.

Jeff Cohn Cellars

34 North St, Healdsburg, CA 95448

www.jeffcohncellars.com

Perlises Pick: Exploring the Paso Robles Area

January 29, 2022 by Michael Perlis

Much as one might want to, spending 24 hours per day at wineries is not a realistic option. So, here are some non-winery suggestions:

First, you’ll need a place to stay on your visit. Unlike when we first started visiting the area decades ago, Paso Robles offers a wide range of accommodations for every taste and budget. For a place that is right in the middle, both in pricing and proximity to wineries, we really enjoyed staying at the Oxford Suites. It is also just south of the center of town where the nightlife is. This is a fairly new hotel, and we were very pleased with the cleanliness and the amenities, such as the full hot breakfast and the manager’s reception in the evening. The breakfast is complimentary to all guests and the reception, while available to all, is complimentary to those who book their stays directly. There is a very nice fire pit in the back. But the best part for us was the hotel staff. Everyone was extremely helpful and cheerful – not a surly one in this bunch. We’d like to give a particular shout-out to Erin – she was outstanding. An added bonus was the practically private freeway entrance to head south on CA101 to Highway 46 W or Tin City.

Oxford Suites

www.oxfordsuitespasorobles.com

800 4^th Street, Paso Robles, CA 93446

A while back, we reviewed San Luis Obispo County Wine – A World Class History [www.evewine101.com/2021/04/03/perlis-picks-san-luis-obispo-county-wine-a-world-class-history-book-review/]. Since then, we’d been eagerly looking forward to finally meeting up with co-author Libbie Agran, who is the founder of The Wine History Project of San Luis Obispo County (the Project). The Project has exhibits at various locations in the area, but its home is in the Paso Robles History Museum in the middle of Paso Robles City Park, with the showcase Wine History Gallery. We got there just in time for the end of the Celebrating Zinfandel exhibit, which was perfect for these Zinfans – the exhibit really brought back of lot of good memories. Hopefully, we will make it back in time to see the exhibit that replaced it: Celebrating Amphorae, which explores this ancient winemaking practice, including the area winemakers that are still using it. From Libbie: “You will love the Amphora Exhibit. We are near completion of our Documentary Film on the same subject. Patrick McGovern at the University of Pennsylvania, the famous archeologist who analyzes food and wine residues in clay vessels or shards found around the world, will be interviewed for the film which will be released next Spring. We are planning two Symposia in Paso Robles on Amphorae winemaking in 2022 in Paso Robles.

There will be winemakers from other countries including Georgia, Italy, and Armenia attending.” But again, the Wine History Project has exhibits all over town and you should check out the website for more information. Libbie brings an incredible amount of passion to this project and it is well worth your time. Also worth your time is the rest of the Paso Robles History Museum where you can learn even more about the area and its long history. Docents are very knowledgeable and helpful.

The Wine History Project of San Luis Obispo County

www.winehistoryproject.org

Paso Robles History Museum

www.pasorobleshistorymuseum.org

800 12^th Street, Paso Robles, CA 93446

Getting away to Cambria for a respite from wine tasting (that is if you want one!) is always a fun trip. It is just a 25-minute drive on scenic Highway 46 W. Cambria is as quaint and busy as ever. This time, we took a side trip and left downtown Cambria for the beautiful trails of the Fiscalini Ranch Preserve. They have a wide range of easy-to-moderate experiences with stunning views of the crashing waves. We have been there at sunset a number of times and it takes your breath away. And it’s free – although donations are always welcome.

www.fiscaliniranchpreserve.org

Finally, you gotta eat, right?

Our favorite restaurant in Paso and one of our favorites anywhere is Il Cortile. Michael hadn’t eaten pasta in months and knew if he was getting it anywhere it would be here. From appetizers of seafood zuppa and poached egg over white polenta to main courses of papparedelle with wild boar ragu and the branzino special, along with the great service and beautiful night sky, we were so glad to be back in Paso.

Il Cortile

www.ilcortileristorante.com

608 12^th Street

We’ve eaten many times at the original Black Cat Bistro in Cambria but this was our first time at its sister restaurant, Black Cat Bistro Too in Paso. It was the same great food and service we’ve come to expect. The pork belly appetizer was incredible and the entrees of duck breast and shrimp scampi were delicious as well. Our server Dancene took great care of us on the sidewalk patio.

The Black Cat Bistro Too

www.blackcatbistro.com

1218 Pine Street

Roots on Railroad and The Backyard on Thirteenth provide a unique outdoor food (Roots) and drink (Backyard) combination that should not be ignored. Roots was founded by Chef Chris Beckett and his business partner Katie Castillo in early 2020. Chris had been founding chef for local faves Fish Gaucho and The Crooked Kilt. After an extensive career in in the industry, he wanted to open the “biggest-little restaurant in town.” The large Backyard beer garden provides a great complement of mostly local beers and wines to go with the food or just for sipping on their own. There are umbrellas for shade, tables and comfy lounges with ample seating

www.thebackyardpaso.com

1300 Railroad Street

www.rootsonrailroad.com

1304 Railroad Street

Finally, we also really enjoyed our breakfast at the Hunter Ranch Golf Course on our way into town as well as lunches at Vivant Cheese Shop, Taste Craft Eatery, and Springside Restaurant. All these places provide great service, outdoor seating, and delicious food too.

Perlises Pick: Monochrome

January 22, 2022 by Michael Perlis

After months of no winery visits, we finally got out and about. But, something about us had changed. While we still love red wine A LOT, we have been drinking mostly whites during our stay at home and espousing our newfound “healthier diet and lighter wine to go with it” lifestyle to anyone who will listen.

It was now time to put our money where are our mouths are.

Meet Monochrome.

We first tasted Monochrome at the 2018 Garagiste Festival in Santa Monica. At that time, Michael wrote: I’m just going to say it: “It takes balls to make only white wine in red wine country. Since I was focusing primarily on reds I almost skipped it. Fortunately, Karen insisted I try the wines.

As usual…um, always…she was right. Especially loved the 2016 blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Marsanne as well as the 2016 blend of Marsanne and Chardonnay. They are pouring in Paso’s Tin City now and I highly recommend you check them out. We intend to.”

Three years later [!], we finally did.

If there was any doubt, Michael comments above were meant as a compliment, not an insult. Paso Robles is known for its big red wines and many (but certainly not all) of the white wines have the reputation of being viewed as an afterthought for that member of a tasting group that just “doesn’t like reds.”

Dave McGee is changing that, one wine-drinker at a time. He founded Monochrome in 2016 after a rich and varied career in industries such as radar design, stealth technology and neuroradiology. He completed the online UC Davis winemaking program and helped with the winemaking at Villa Creek and Alta Colina before making the jump to starting his winery, focusing entirely on white wine.

Taking a contrarian approach to the rest of the region, Dave and consulting winemaker Riley Hubbard focus on making only “white wines with depth, layers and complexity…” Sourcing grapes from Santa Barbara County on the south to Santa Cruz on the north (the three-hour-by-truck rule), they break each variety into small batches and use different fermentation and aging techniques for each, resulting in wines that really live up to the expression of the whole being greater than the sum of the parts.

Some notes on the wines we tasted:

2019 “Neither Here Nor There” is a blend of 56% Chenin Blanc from Jurassic Park Vineyard in the Santa Ynez Valley and 44% Sauvignon Blanc from the McGinley Vineyard in Happy Canyon. We picked up lemon notes and long finish. This wine has a really solid backbone.

2018 “Analog In A Digital Age” is 74% Marsanne from Camp 4 Vineyard in the Santa Ynez Valley, 17% Chenin Blanc from G2 Vineyard in the Willow Creek district of Paso Robles and 9% Viognier from Shokrian Vineyard in Santa Barbara County. The wine spent nine months in amphora. There was a really nice minerality on the finish.

2018 “Sense Of Out Of Place” – this blend of 53% Sauvignon Blanc from McGinley Vineyard and 47% Chardonnay from Donnachadh Vineyard in the Santa Rita Hills has a medium to long finish and pretty citrus/tangerine notes on the nose.

2018 “Wall Of Sound” is 68% Roussanne from Zaca Mesa Vineyard, Santa Ynez Valley and 32% Viognier from Shokrian Vineyard. This is a very rich classic Rhone blend.

2017 “Blasphemy” is an unusual blend of 80% Chardonnay from Donnachadh Vineyard and 20% Chenin Blanc from Jurassic Park Vineyard. It has a rich golden corn color, and is bright and rich, with a perceived sweetness [as it is 100% dry].

2019 “X-3” – the blend is 49% Roussanne from Zaca Mesa Vineyard, 37% Viognier from Plum Orchard Tree Lane Vineyard in Paso’s Templeton Gap and 14% Grenache Blanc from the G2 Vineyard. Some of this classic Rhone blend goes through the “death and resurrection” method wherein the juice is hyper oxidized and then allowed to come back to life. The wine has a very full mouth feel with citrus lemon notes and a medium to long finish

2020 “Barrel Distortion” – 94% Albarino from Plum Orchard Lane Vineyard, 6% Gewurtzraminer from Paraiso Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands. Very bright with smooth buttery notes.

You may have noticed an overriding theme here. These are serious, complex wines. A lot of thought and care went into making them and the approach to drinking them should follow suit. Monochrome is raising the bar for what white wines can be. Check them out in Paso Robles’s Tin City.

Monochrome

www.monochromewines.com

3075 Blue Rock Road, Paso Robles, CA 93446

Perlises Pick: LAW ESTATE WINES

January 15, 2022 by Michael Perlis

The curving drive through the woods on Peachy Canyon Drive only heightens the anticipation of arriving at the gates that provide entry to Law Estate Wines and the experience it and the winery staff provide.

But it wasn’t always this way.

Our first taste of Law Estate was when they were pouring their first vintage at the Ojai Wine Festival in 2013. At that time, Michael wrote: “…speaking of Law Estate (www.lawestatewines.com), their wines really stole the show for me at this event, especially their GSM blend. A new player in Paso Robles, they haven’t even released their wines to the public yet. This is one you might want to get on board with early.”

To give credit where credit is due, it was Karen who had told Michael to be sure to taste the Law wines, especially that GSM blend named Sagacious.

Our next visit to Law was while the winery was still under construction. Sitting with General Manager Oliver Esparham, who we had met at the Ojai festival, we continued to be awed at the quality of the wines produced by such a young winery. Of course, Law’s geologist owners did their homework with site selection for their vineyards [all Law’s wines are Estate designated], a state of the art winery, as well as one of the best winemakers around – Scott Hawley of Torrin.

But those are old stories and visiting Law now is about tasting outstanding wines in a beautiful luxurious setting, whether on the outdoor patio with the gorgeous views or the spacious indoor tasting lounge. Though, all would be for naught were the hosts of your tasting not the best you might encounter anywhere, which they are at Law. Their hospitality is what elevates the tasting into the perfect experience that it is.

During our tasting, we had the great pleasure of meeting with Marketing Manager Jessica Locklin and were also joined by GM Oliver. Scott Hawley has moved on to focus 100% on his own label and former Assistant Winemaker Phillipp Pfunder now has full control of the winemaking process. The wines, if anything, are more delicious than ever.

We started with the 2019 Soph, a white blend of 47% Roussanne, 28% Clairette Blanche and 25% Marsanne with a really bright floral nose. Named after the Laws’ granddaughter [Oliver’s daughter], this is always one of our favorite white wines of the year. We were delighted that there was still some available to purchase as we had just run out at home.

Moving on to the red blends of mostly Rhone varietals, these are as usual stunning and virtually impossible to pick a favorite. Karen has always been especially partial to the one called Sagacious, as mentioned above [Oliver somehow still remembers this].

We tasted through the following reds:

2018 Beguiling – 85% Grenache, 15% Syrah

2018 Sagacious – 35% Grenache, 34% Syrah, 31% Mourvedre

2018 Audacious – 31% Grenache, 26% Carignan, 24% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Syrah

2018 Aspire – 84% Syrah, 16% Grenache

One of the several great things about the Law tasting experience is that the taster is presented with the entire flight at once, with ample opportunity to go back and forth between wines to compare the various flavors. And Jessica, like everyone else at Law, was ever-present to graciously answer questions and provide additional information.

As we were tasting back and forth through the flight, Jessica asked if we had any preferences. Michael’s “I dunno, they’re all so good” was followed by Karen’s “You haven’t tried the Aspire yet.

” Even though Karen loved the nice long finish and big mouthfeel of her usual favorite Sagacious and the dark ripe blackberry notes of the Audacious, she was spot on with the Aspire’s fruit forwardness and violet bouquet. Upon tasting it, Michael immediately agreed with an insightful “damn”.

Much as it is difficult to pick a favorite amongst Law’s wine selection, it is also hard to pick a favorite winery in Paso Robles. There are too many wineries in the area that we love for us to be able to say that there is a #1. But, you would be hard-pressed to find a better winery experience, wines, and people than Law Estate Wines. And now the addition of a guest cottage makes an extended stay possible. Plans are also in the works for an education center.

With all that, you may never want to leave the property on your next visit.

LAW ESTATE WINES

www.lawestatewines.com

3885 Peachy Canyon Road, Paso Robles, CA 93446

Perlises Pick: J DUSI WINERY

January 8, 2022 by Michael Perlis

A visit to Paso Robles is never complete for us without a visit to J Dusi Winery. Admittedly, it’s personal.

We first met Janell Dusi in the mid-2000s at a roadshow tasting for Paso Robles wineries held at a hotel in Santa Monica. At that time, she was pouring her first commercial vintage of Zinfandel made from the family’s historic Dante Dusi Vineyard off the west side of Highway 101. Planted by Janell’s great-grandparents in 1945, the amazing fruit had been traditionally sold to other wineries who were proud to designate the vineyard on their label. But Janell took the family business to the next level by making and bottling the wine under her J Dusi brand.

Since then, we’ve visited Janell many times, initially at the family home on the vineyard property and more recently at the winery/tasting room on Highway 46 West. Whether they know it or not, Janell and her family have become our Paso family.

Janell has also grown the wine selections beyond the flagship Zinfandel and even added another brand to the mix – Paper Street.

The first thing we noticed on this trip was how much the outside tasting area had expanded, with lots of comfortable seating and umbrellas, much of it colored the signature Dusi blue.

Then, Janell greeted us and, although we forewent our usual hugs, it was with immense joy that we sat down with her to talk about the last several months and sample several of the new releases.

We started with the 2020 Pinot Grigio. We found this to be super bright and fresh. Its low alcohol makes this a true summer wine, although we drink a lot of this all year long. It is not just popular with us, as Janell’s customers love it and buy it by the case. One of them even referred to it as “Dusi Water”, a term a stickler might find offensive, but not Janell. Hey, whatever keeps the customer happy, right? [Just a thought from us – much like in our neck of the woods, Agua Dulce means Sweet Water in Spanish, maybe she should rename it – not Acqua Dolce – but Acqua Dusi. What do you think, Janell?]

Second to be tasted but always first in our hearts was the Dante Dusi Zinfandel. This was the 2019 vintage and we noted that it was fruity and spicy [specifically with pumpkin bread spices] with a nice long finish. Classic Dusi Zin.

The next two wines were from the 2017 vintage. The Escandalosa is a blend of – not Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre – but Zinfandel, Syrah and Mourvedre. We’re not sure if the “scandal” is the unusual blend or what happened at the naming party that came up with it, but it had a beautiful cherry color and great spices from the Zinfandel. The other 2017 was the Caterina’s Vineyard Syrah, which was full bodied, well rounded, with notes of white pepper and a looong finish. Sadly, the 2018 version of this is the “last Syrah” from this great vineyard, although other varietals will be forthcoming.

We also tasted one of the wines from the Paper Street label – the 2017 Narrator. This is a classic GSM [40% Grenache, 40% Syrah and 20% Mourvedre] and was just perfectly balanced. The Paper Street vineyard was planted by Janell’s brother Matt and their father Mike on the West side of Paso Robles. Planted not only to Zinfandel, but also to Mourvedre, Grenache, Syrah and Clairette Blanche [among others], Janell is doing great things with this vineyard, as are other wineries in the area. The name Paper Street has a double meaning, referring both to the vineyard not having a true address and as an homage to Matt’s favorite movie, Fight Club. Ditto with the name Narrator, referring both to Mike Dusi and to the Narrator in the movie.

Janell also told us of an exciting new development involving J Dusi Wines. You may have heard of the emerging market for canned wines. My initial observations have been these tend to be lower-end wines designed for maximum quaffing. Maker Wine Company (www.makerwine.com) is taking a different approach – focusing on quality wines from smaller producers in a convenient canned package. Janell’s contribution to the brand is a blend of the Zinfandels from the Dante Dusi and Paper Street vineyards. This should really “up” the perception of what canned wine is all about.

It was wonderful to visit with Janell, but she had a winery to run. We said our goodbyes after quick tastes of the yummy 2016 Zinfandel Port and the 2018 Haute Blanc Viognier Port and headed out, knowing we would be back to J Dusi on our next trip to Paso Robles wine country.

J Dusi

www.jdusiwines.com

1401 CA 46 West

Paso Robles, CA 93446

Mentors – from Michael Perlis (Originally posted June 2009)

January 1, 2022 by Michael Perlis

Over the last 25 or so years of enjoying wine, I’ve had the great benefit of a few individuals who have served as my mentors in this area.

Starting out, my first wine mentor was my boss Tim. We sometimes had to travel to see clients, and he introduced me to the miniature wine bottles offered on the plane, as well as enjoying wine with dinner. He also liked to go to the wine stores in the towns we visited, seeking out rare finds that were not available at home or were just priced lower because the shop owners didn’t know any better.

Next, living in San Antonio in the mid-80s, my wife and I made the acquaintance of a private wine broker who introduced us to the wines he was importing from Europe. I regret that I cannot recall his name.

Moving back to California in the late-80s, we spent a lot of time traveling the coast. And approximately mid-way between Los Angeles and San Francisco, in the town of Cambria, we met Calvin Wilkes, who probably had the greatest influence on me of anybody in terms of my enthusiasm for wine.

Calvin ran a combination wine shop and tasting bar in Cambria, and I received the benefit of his knowledge, both in terms of local wines and wines from around the world. For a short time, he also had a small restaurant in the shop, which local winery employees would frequent.

Bringing in bottles from their wineries and sharing them just enhanced our own experience. We visited him often, until he moved to Pacific Grove, where he and his wife Michele run Fifi’s Cafe Bistro. We like to visit him there as well, and he professes to remember me from the old days. I recommend you stop in if you are in the area. Tell him “hello” from me.

We met DiMaggio Washington in the 90s, when he ran Select Wines. I think this was the first combo wine store and tasting bar in Santa Clarita. His Zinfandel tastings were a big influence on my ultimate focus on this grape, and the blind tastings were fun but challenging. It was only later, after reading more about DiMaggio, that I realized how patient he was with us newbies and how deep his own expertise goes. I haven’t seen him in a long time — I hope to rectify that soon.

More recently…

Gary R., who has tried diligently but unsuccessfully [albeit expensively] to get me interested in older Bordeaux style wines.

Victor Herstein at All Corked Up. who seems to have a palate similar to mine and has shown me the pleasure of mixing wine and rock and roll.

And, last but not least, Eve Bushman, who has allowed me in a small way to feel a part of this incredible industry.

To all of my mentors, past, present, and future, I raise my glass and say “thank you”.

For Laker Fans from Michael P. (Originally posted June 2009)

December 25, 2021 by Michael Perlis

Eve,

Here’s my post, if it could run during the upcoming Finals, that would be pretty awesome.

Michael

After family, friends, and career, I would venture to guess that two of the most important things in my life are wine and the Lakers. I’m not sure if this sound pathetic, but it is true.

I first became a fan of the Lakers in 1971-72, during that incredible 69-13 season, which included that historic 33-game winning streak. Watching Jerry, Wilt, Gail and the rest of the team during that championship season got me hooked.

Now I am not a fair-weather fan. Some people think that the Lakers have always been good. And, overall, they have been a very successful organization. But, they have had their trying times in between the great teams of Wilt and Jerry, Kareem and Magic, Shaq and Kobe, and now Kobe and Pau. I remember some pretty poor teams — teams that didn’t make the playoffs, or if they did, were eliminated early.

But through it all, I followed the Lakers, often listening to Chick’s “word’s-eye view” on the radio, as these were the days before home games being shown on cable. Actually, these were the days before cable.

In the mid-80s, I discovered wine. A lot of trials and tribulations there too, as I struggled to learn as much as I could about this incredible — what, beverage? Yes, but much more, at least to me. Finally, I was just able to enjoy what I liked and not worry too much about the details.

I was going to try to tie these two things together, my Lakers and my wine, talk about how when a great team plays together it resembles the components of a great wine coming together, but that would be kind of a stretch, don’t you think? But, what they do have in common is the enjoyment I get from them, and I think that’s what matters.

Which is why you’ll often find my wife and me at our favorite table at All Corked Up, watching the game and drinking [and sharing] our wine, especially this time of year.

Michael P.