Vintage Eve Circa Nov. 2015: A Favorite Again! Rhone Rangers LA!

December 18, 2018 by evebushman Leave a Comment

Rhone Rangers, one of the first annual events I was turned onto when I “dedicated myself to wine” in 2007, is still one of my favorites. Not only for its focus on Rhone varietals* like Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre (aka the grapes in a a “GSM” blend), Petite Sirah, Viognier and Roussane – delicious wines made famous in France’s Rhone Valley but produced in California – but also for a chance to see favorite winemakers, wineries, old friends and making new ones.

Ed Clark and Eddie Bushman at RR.

We started by being greeted at the door by long-time Executive Director Cheryl Quist, #LAWineWriters organizer Cori Solomon, Cori’s favorite side kick, her mom, and fellow wine writer Shawn Burgert. Then we grabbed a wine glass, a program, and headed off into the tasting. (For a 90-second snapshot of the tasting check out my YouTube video here.)

This year the Rhone Rangers Los Angeles event took place at The Reef, in downtown Los Angeles. Guests had an opportunity to sample over 200 wines from over 50 wineries. There was also active bidding available on wine and wine-related items in the silent auction where a portion of the proceeds benefitted the Rhone Rangers Scholarship Fund.

Prior to the Grand Tasting guests could also take advantage of wine dinners and seminars. I haven’t done that yet but I did meet a woman that had enjoyed, and learned a lot from, Vines on The Marycrest winemaker Victor Abascal’s seminar on Grenache. Mental note to take a class next time!

We also checked out the silent auction; lots of generosity from the wineries showed in the magnums and library wines offered. Not to mention where I spent the first hour, with the library and limited release wines offered below. (my notes, are in italics. If we missed a winery, it wasn’t by choice, there is just so much that it’s impossible to do it all!)

LIBRARY and LIMITED RELEASE WINES

ADELAIDA

2013 White Blend, “Finder”

2012 Estate Grenache

2012 Red Blend, “Keeper”

Winemaker: Jeremy Weintraub

The two I had and enjoyed were 2012s both from Anna’s Vineyard, the Syrah Reserve and Mourvedre Reserve.

CHACEWATER

2010 Red Blend, “Astel”

Winemaker: Mark Burch

150 Cases

A new winery for me to discover, with vineyards in the Sierra Foothills, we enjoyed the 2014 Rose, 2013 Syrah, 2012 Petite Sirah and 2010 Astel Petite Sirah.

ECLUSE WINES

2010 Syrah, Lock Vineyard, Paso Robles

Winemaker: Steve Lock

500 Cases

FIELD STONE WINERY

Six Vintage Vertical 2000—2005

Petite Sirah, State Family Reserve, Estate

Winemaker: Patrick Murray

250 Cases in Each Vintage

100+ Year Old Vines

We did a vertical tasting of Petite Sirahs from 121 year-old vines. The 2010 was awarded 94 points by Robert Parker, while we enjoyed the entire lineup from 2000 through 2005. We also tried the 2013 Trinite red blend and Petite Sirah, but sadly didn’t make it beck for the Vintage Port!

KITA WINES

2012 Red Blend, “Spe’y,” Camp 4 Vineyard

Santa Ynez Valley

Winemaker: Tara Gomez

352 Cases

53% Grenache, 27% Syrah, 20% Carignane

LAW ESTATE WINES

2010 Syrah, “Intrepid”

Winemaker: Scott Hawley

350 Cases

Besides the 2010 “Intrepid”, and this being one of my fave Paso wineries, we also loved all of the 2012’s that General Manager Oliver Esparham was pouring starting with the “Beyond Category” blend of Syrah, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mourvedre and Petite Sirah – one of our faves of the day. Then, in heady succession came the “Intrepid” blend of Syrah (95%) and Grenache (5%); “Audacious” blend of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache; “Sagacious” blend of Mourvedre, Syrah and Grenache; and finally “The Nines” 100% Grenache.

LIGHTNING WINES

2011 Grenache, Kick Ranch, Sonoma

Winemaker: Randy Hester

36 Cases

MOUNTS FAMILY WINERY

2007 Petite Sirah, “Petasera,”

Dry Creek Valley, Estate

Winemaker: David Mounts

110 Cases

Sommelier George Skorka’s pick of the day was the Mounts 2013 Viognier, so we simply had to get over there. Very refreshing. Which we then followed with the 2012 Carignane, 2012 Grenache and the 2007 Petasera. We loved their single varietals.

POMAR JUNCTION

2011 Red Blend, “The Crossing”

2011 Red Blend, “Train Wreck”

Winemaker: Jim Shumate

180 Cases Each

SUMMERWOOD WINERY

2011 Red Blend, “Diosa”

Winemaker: Mauricio Marchant

260 Cases

Voted “Best in Class” in Sunset IWC

The “Diosa” was a very tasty blend!

TABLAS CREEK

2010 White Blend, “Esprit de Beaucastel Blanc”

4400 Cases

2010 Red Blend, “Esprit de Beaucastel”

2100 Cases

Winemaker: Neil Collins

Honestly? If you only had one table to visit for Rhônes I don’t think (and yes you can correct me if I’m wrong) anyone else has more at their table to taste. We had the two library wines mentioned above, stellar, and we could barely get back to the table later to taste their entire lineup. Make sure you do!

TERCERO

2006 Grenache Blanc, Camp 4 Vineyard

Winemaker: Larry Schaffer

50 Cases

Winemaker’s First Wine Made

Manned as usual by affable winemaker Larry Schaffer, also a Rhone Rangers board member, we adored a great barrel sample of his next Rose and his 2006 – his very first – Grenache Blanc that had aged beautifully. Find Larry at his tasting room in Los Olivos.

TWO SHEPHERDS

2011 Red Blend, Syrah-Mourvedre

Winemaker: William Allen

50 Cases

VINA ROBLES

2012 Petite Sirah, Creston Valley Vineyard, Paso Robles

Winemaker: Kevin Willenborg

363 Cases

VINES ON THE MARYCREST

2013 Mourvedre

Winemaker: Victor Abascal

100 Cases

We love everything that Victor Abascal makes. Don’t ever miss visiting with him and his wife Jennifer at their table.

PARTICIPATING WINERIES (at press time)

My notes are again in italics below.

Adelaida, Andrew Murray, Bernat,

Bonny Doon Vineyard – Say yes to the 2014 Vin Gris de Cigare, aka Pink Wine of the Earth rose blend of Grenache, Mourvedre, Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Carignane, Cinsaut, Marsanne and Counoise. Made even more special as Keith Shulsky – who used to be with Michael-David Winery – is now their National Sales Manager. Some of you may remember Keith from the wine dinner he organized at New Moon in Valencia years ago!

Burbank Ranch, Burt Street Cellars, Cadaretta, Campovida, Chacewater, Clayhouse Wines, Cornerstone Cellars, Derby Wine Estates, Eberle Winery, Ecluse Wines, Epiphany, Field Stone Winery, Halter Ranch Vineyard,

Kaleidos served up a killer 100% Syrah, the” Praying Mantis”, and I was sorry I didn’t make it back to the table to try more from them.

Kenneth Volk Vineyards, Kita Wines, kukkula, Law Estate Wines, Lightning Wines, Lone Madrone, Margerum Wine Company, Michael-David Winery,

Mitchella was a new winery for us as well. We enjoyed the 2012 Shameless GSM blend and 2012 Syrah from Paso Robles.

Morgan Winery, Mounts Family Winery,

ONX Wines is another favorite of ours, and not to be confused with a wine similarly named at Trader Joe’s. We dug Reckoning (Petite Sirah red blend), Crux (GSM with a bit of Alicante Bouschet) and Mad Crush (GSM with a nice amount of Tempranillo) poured by Associate Winemaker Jeff Strekas and Hospitality Leader Annie Bowsky.

Petrichor Vineyards, Pipestone Vineyards, Pomar Junction, Proulx Wines, Quivira, Qupe,

Ridge Vineyards had an excellent 2013 Carignane and 2011 Syrah.

Seven Oxen, Estate Wines, Summerwood Winery, Tablas Creek Vineyard, Tercero Wines, Terre Rouge, Thacher Winery, Treana & Hope Family Wines,

Two Shepherds had another stellar lineup from winemaker, and Rhone Rangers Board Member, William Allen. His t-shirt (seen here in the video) got kudos as well for helping people pronounce Rhone correctly as it read, “Are you Rhônely tonight?”

Venteux Vineyards,

Vina Robles served up their awesome 2010 Syree blend of Syrah and Petite Sirah as well as their 2012 RED4 blend.

Vines on the Marycrest and Westwood Estate Wine.

*The Rhone grape varietals, from the Rhone Rangers website:

Red Grapes: The most common red Rhone varietals are Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvedre, with Syrah predominant in the Northern Rhone and Grenache in the Southern Rhone. Other relatively common red grapes include Cinsault, Carignan, and Petite Sirah. Finally, the list includes some grapes that are found only in trace amounts even in France, and are just beginning to be explored in the United States, including Counoise, Muscardin, Picpoul Noir, Vaccarese, and Terret Noir. For the sticklers out there, the Rhone Rangers have adopted Petite Sirah, a French cross also known as Durif, due to its extensive interplanting with traditional Rhone varietals in California. Learn more about these red Rhone grape varieties!

White Grapes: The principal white Rhone varietals are Viognier, Roussanne and Marsanne, each found throughout the Rhone Valley, with Grenache Blanc a widely planted but less well known contributor in the Southern Rhone. The other white grapes include Bourboulenc, Clairette Blanc, Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains, Picardin, Picpoul/Piquepoul Blanc, and Ugni Blanc. Learn more about these white Rhone grape varieties.

Eve Bushman has been reading, writing, taking coursework and tasting wine for over 20 years. She has obtained a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, has been the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and recently served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits that may be answered in a future column. You can also seek her marketing advice via Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com

Paso: Visiting Vines on the Marycrest

December 14, 2018 by evebushman 2 Comments

The first time I met Victor Abascal, Winemaker/Owner of Vines on the Marycrest (VOTM) was at the Wine Classic, an event that ran a couple of decades as a fundraiser and held here at Cal Arts. I can still see Victor at his table pouring his wines, and had routinely seen him pouring his wine at other charity events, but I had never visited his Paso winery. And, as I stated in an earlier article, this trip was all about visiting wineries I had never visited before. And seeing Victor and his lovely wife Jennifer, was more than called for.

We learned that they had the property for 9.5 years, it was an almond orchard previously. When I noted the number of wines on the tasting list Jenny said, “We can’t pour less as we make too many.” One third of their sales are snatched up by wine club members.

The modern tasting room was the very first tasting room in Paso I’ve been in that is bathed in afternoon sun, very welcome as the days start at 28 degrees when we visited in early November! The place was jumping as Vic played some of his favorite music, while the bar was crowded with happy tasters that made room for two more.

For $10 – waived with purchase – we settled in to sample nine wines. Tasting notes were supplied so, as is my habit, I tend to circle what I found as well as making some additions, so my tasting notes are a collective “blend” so to speak.

2017 Viognier

100% Viognier

Lemon-lime, green apple, grass and gravel on the nose with peach and other welcoming fresh fruits on the mouth.

2017 “Summertime”

68% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre, 12% Syrah

Fruit cocktail, stone fruit, lime zest, passion fruit, crushed lemon grass on the nose with pink grapefruit, strawberry-rhubarb pie and lime on the palate.

2015 “Spanish Bombs”

75% Tempranillo, 12% Grenache, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Carignane

Estate grown – Carlotta’s Vineyard

With welcome aromas of berries followed by flavors of bright fruit including cherry, spice and mint.

2015 Syrah

100% Syrah, limited release.

On the nose we got blueberry, black plum, dark earth on the nose and palate as well as a bit more brightness than expected.

2015 “Heart of Glass”

50% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 25% Mourvedre

Agreed with the tasting notes in finding a raspberry liqueur note on the aroma, as well as strawberry. Tasting the wine we also found that same liqueur as well as a bit of vanilla.

2015 Sangiovese

100% Sangiovese

While I had notes of cream and mushroom wafting up to my nose the tasting notes also mentioned more I could agree with: red and black cherry, dust, earth, oak, pepper and sweet tobacco. On the palate there was also a sweetness in the finish. This was one both my husband and I agreed we both liked. Victor said it was the least planted and most performing grape in Paso, and his “has curves on it.”

2015 Petite Sirah

100% Petite Sirah

Another favorite: With a big bold nose with lots of black fruit, that carried through to the flavor along with spice and good fruit.

2015 “My Generation”

55% Zinfandel, 17% Syrah, 15% Mourvedre, 132% Petite Sirah

And another fave: Yep, I agreed with the tasting notes that mentioned cassis, smoke, candied pecan and flavors of dark berries and cola. Nothing to add except that it was grand.

2015 “Remo Belli” Zinfandel

100% old vine Zinfandel

And yet another one we really enjoyed: I noted white pepper, a creamy quality and balance followed by chocolate covered cherry, Chambord liqueur and a bit of pine needles.

Not wine: “Back Patio Bliss” is a live CD offered for purchase at VOTM. Five years’ worth of music “recorded live on our back patio” and includes music from “national touring musicians.” They made 1000 copies that sell for $20 each and you can check it out, along with the wines of course, on their website: https://vinesonthemarycrest.com/shop/

www.vinesonthemarycrest.com

Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 16k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits. You can also seek her marketing advice via Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com

Vintage Eve Circa October 2015: Eve Reviews Brent Boso on “Leadership: The 5 Fundamentals for Restaurant Managers”

December 11, 2018 by evebushman Leave a Comment

It took a few weeks to find the time to dedicate myself to read and focus on the messages in Brent Boso’s 74-page book on leadership for restaurant managers. However, once I did, I didn’t regret it. These are the tips that I learned from a very young man with a very long history in restaurant service and management:

Managers can and should “take a dull moment” when things are slow to teach and coach their staff.

When a restaurant is “poorly run” managers are more like firefighters putting out one emergency situation after the other. Not very productive, eh?

Somewhat reminding me of the book, 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People, Boso instructs managers to build from the bottom and not the top, and to learn the fundamentals of their business first.

If you aren’t passionate, Boso writes, you won’t be able to become “the ant that just discovered it could carry 10 times its weight…”

When this happens I just want to leave, but Boso attacks it: “We must avoid making guests feel like they are part of a ‘problem’ at all costs, otherwise they may not come back.”

Boso spends some time on a tactic, which is practically ordering readers to Buy A Notepad! I have to agree that people will remember what they need to do just by the action of putting pen to paper.

Taking the time to teach your staff is paramount, Boso explains that it make take a lot of time but “in reality it would only take two minutes” to explain each task. He then explains, in detail, what those two minutes would look like.

In a chart Boso has the Way to do things next to the Why to do it a certain way. Honestly? I think that if restaurants were to put some thought behind the way they do things they might have a tough time with the reasoning for why they do it that way. It’s not based on shortcuts alone, but also on service and perception of service.

Invest Time In Your Co-Workers. This point is drilled into the reader and I found it compelling. Boso shares his own techniques in speaking so that his message is heard instead of ignored.

Instead of ignoring a problem, Boso wants you to confront it – in a conversation not an argument. I agree, when you wait too long emotions can take over.

There is a chapter dedicated to reinventing yourself and never settling. This is very helpful to any of us in any career that experiences “burnout” from time to time. Boso offers several ways to find “your reset button” including asking yourself “questions that you can say yes to, which could spark at least a little motivation.” (I’ve done this when selling – getting the customer to say yes to a few things before the thing I need to sell them is presented.)

My conclusion? Buy the book to learn more from this young man. He will motivate you to get involved and fix the problems plaguing your business.

Paso: Le Cuvier Winery and Time With John Munch in His Cellar

December 7, 2018 by evebushman Leave a Comment

In all of my 10 years writing about wine and spirits you would think that nothing surprises me anymore. Not the case when I met winemaker John Munch at Le Cuvier Winery. Not only did I learn a bit about some of his unique winemaking techniques, I also was treated to three hours in his cellar to taste library wines, and then time in the tasting room where every wine is paired with a creation by their chef. Going home with the latest releases my mind boggles, do I have now or do I cellar for a decade or more in true Munch Style and enjoy well into retirement. You read, you decide:

Le Cuvier’s John Munch explaining is style of winemaking.

Winemaking

Once you drive the windy hill road up to the property and park your car you will be able to take in a tremendous view. Munch greeted us in the parking lot, interrupting us from our gaze and we meandered over to the winery crush pad. I knew I’d be back out there soon enough and could snap photos to my heart’s content. We were about to see where the work that mattered takes place.

Munch had already explained that he was handing over the full time winemaking responsibility to Clay Selkirk, but we knew that Munch’s fingerprint was on everything. Munch had been making wine in Paso for years, beginning with Adelaida Vineyards and then for Estrella. The winery had originally been built by Munch as a spec house, started in 1978 and not completed until 2008. Le Cuvier Winery opened in 1983.

The vineyards are all dry farmed and head pruned, no inoculations or sulfites are used and no fining agents. They harvest premium grapes from limestone and calcareous sources. The current harvest ran from September 4 through the 24th.

Munch paraphrased Harold McGee, from his book On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen, “Wine in the glass did not come from grapes, it’s all yeast and metabolism of the grape.” Munch added that by not using yeast and sulfites he hasn’t experienced a bad vintage. “It has little to do with winemaking so (just) let grapes do what they will.”

On barrels Munch believes that each barrel has the potential to take off in “its own personality.” He loses some to evaporation when in barrel for two years. NO NEW OAK is the mantra at Le Cuvier and has been for a long time, ever since Munch was visited by Jacques Perrin, of Chateau de Beaucastel, and was told to stop using new oak. In one year Munch switched new for old, and now you can “taste the vineyard and not the oak.” Some of the barrels date back to the 1980s and the new wine made in them “still tastes great.”

Munch explained that every bottle produced is sold at the winery, 90% to club members and 10% to walk in guests. They make 12 to 15 different wines per year, and they always hold back a few cases.

The Cellar

I knew that Munch had a cellar of library wines, that much is true, as in our email exchange in making our appointment he wrote, “We have a library containing 7000 plus bottles going back to my first vintage in 1981, so we could taste a few older wines in addition to touring & tasting our current release wines. Please let me know your specific wine interest, & also how much time you want to spend with us.”

I had written back an overly exuberant reply, pretty much stating I would spend as much time as he had and drink whatever he wanted to try. Still not wholly aware I entered his cellar only to find cases of wines lining both sides of a hall, then at the end a room lined with more cases, and a large banquet table set up with cheese, charcuterie, olives, crackers and of course several wine glasses and decanters. Being the gracious host Munch asked about our interests again, and being the appreciative writer I stuck to my answer, whatever he wanted to open…but we do sometimes prefer Bordeaux and Zins… Munch perused his clip board, flipped back and forth, and we began:

1992 Chardonnay

Either his notes or his memory served him as Munch said the wine was made from Westside vineyards, again with no sulfites, no fining and it had been fermented on the skins. (Without new oak I gathered that the skin contact would indeed contribute to color.)

The wine was honey-colored with a bouquet of bruised apple, incense, honeysuckle, with just a hint of mown grass and celery, with the same flavors on the mouth. Little to no acid made it very round to me, and the flavors lingered in my mouth, and then in memory. Munch thought there was a bit of cork taint, but I thought that blew off in a few minutes. It would be the wine he and I both returned to later in the tasting. Munch commented, “An old Cabernet and an old Chardonnay have more in common”, which made me think that I definitely want to lay down some Chard, preferably his, in my cellar.

1999 Zinfandel

With the color of dark burgundy to espresso, the bouquet included raspberry, pepper, deep, rich fruit and florals, layers of spice, forest floor and earthiness. The taste reminded me of a vintage port, very balanced and nicely spiced. Munch commented, “Picking out raisins is no what Zin is all about.” And I for one was glad those raisins stayed in the mix.

NV Pentimento

This red wine is made in the Solera method with several different vintages to create the whole. What we knew was that it was bottled in 2011, all wines were close to 15 – 16 years old (vintages ranged from 1998 to 2008) , varietals may have included old to newer Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. And as Munch said, it was a way to get rid of any excess by creating a blend.

A nice purple color with a huge bouquet that included dark, fresh berries and earthy. The flavors were very fresh, reminiscent of a fine cognac, dark fruit and chocolate.

2011 Signature Series

With 90% Malbec and 10% Cabernet from a vineyard that had been dry farmed. The color was a dark purple, I noted aromas of all dark fruit and flavors that included that same dark fruit, balanced with pepper and a lovely long finish.

I was experiencing a bit of palate fatigue here as I hadn’t noticed the pour out bucket, nor was Munch using one so it was my excuse to drink to my pleasure, so my notes on this wine is lacking. I drank quite a bit of water and rested a bit before I went upstairs for the food paired tasting that was on the schedule next. Munch said he was going off for a nap…I was a little jealous, but not for too long…

Wine and Food Paired Tasting

Before leaving us in the tasting room Munch shared this reasoning for why they serve food with their wines, we “create a ‘shadow’ of what they could be” for when you take them home and pair yourself. Recipes for all of the chef’s pairings are also available online.

2014 Chrysos paired with winter squash soup with pepitas.

75% Viognier, 25% Roussanne, skin contact, honey in color and aroma along with rich and ripe fruit: Meyer lemon, peach and kiwi. The pairing mellowed the acid in the wine quite pleasantly.

2014 Grenache (Devil’s Gate Wine Works) paired with duck breast on endive with pomegranate seeds & reduction.

Four years in barrel, I found the wine very aromatic with flavors of tart red cherry as well as dark berry. Again the pairing lowered the acid and also brought out more layers in the wine.

2015 Littoral paired with cheddar, chive and black pepper gougere.

I was told that this wine is normally Cab Franc, however this vintage was 42% Petit Verdot, 30% Cab Franc and the remaining percentages were taken up by Malbec, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. When swirling the glass we were asked to note the “stained glass” appearance that was due to dry farming. The wine had spent three years in neutral oak for aging. The color was bright and charming, and the nose held red to black fruit and pepper – all in balance. The flavor proved to be fresh and dark too, again with a nice balance of red and black fruit, followed by a welcome heat. The food pairing softened the acid and opened up the fruit even more.

NV Pentimento paired with mushroom polenta with goat cheese and wine reduction.

The 2018 release of the Pentimento using the Solera style where some of the wines contributing over 21 years of aging. The breakdown is 61% from previous years, 20% of 2015 Petit Verdot and the remaining percentage is 2015 Cab Franc. The name Pentimento is based on Lillian Hellman’s biography of the same name, referencing the past influencing the present. Black cherry titillates your nose while the flavor is very rich and layered, made brighter by the pairing.

2015 Zinfandel paired with candied rosemary mixed nuts.

Again we have a dry farmed grape, that gave aromas of dark fruit, chocolate and a slight dark vegetation. On the mouth we got that same dark fruit and chocolate as well as a hint of a sweet finish.

Stay tuned to Le Cuvier Winery this upcoming February 2019 for a new release, the L’Enfant de Papel, aka The Pope’s child, a GSM blend that is sure to wow like all the others on its own and in a pairing.

Le Cuvier Winery

http://www.lcwine.com/

To see the photo grids from all of our Paso winery visits from this trip click this.

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 16k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits. You can also seek her marketing advice via Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com

Vintage Eve October 2015: Giving the Double Golds a Try – For You!

December 4, 2018 by evebushman Leave a Comment

The San Francisco Competitions Double Gold Tour gives wine and spirits professionals a unique opportunity to taste the Competitions’ top winners and to discover the next trending tastes, styles and varietals we’ll be seeing in 2016…

And with that said your trusty wine and spirits reporter headed over to Ocean Prime in the center of Beverly Hills to spend the better part of an hour investigating which of the Double Golds I thought our readers might like to try. (Warning: Some of these wines and spirits may not yet be available in your state.)

The “Perlis Team” from Eve’s Wine 101 was also covering the tasting. Michael and Karen were there to taste and make notes primarily on the wines, while I put my focus on the spirits…and a little vino too. This is my report, please keep in mind that this was a walk-around tasting so I was juggling pen, paper, camera and a glass so my notes are somewhat sparse:

Desert Dry Gin, AKA Commerce Gin. Arizona, USA. https://www.facebook.com/AZDistilling?fref=ts Loved the list on the back of what was added to this most interesting gin: Cardamom, Coriander, Cumin, Cinnamon, lime zest, Lavender, apple + eight more botanicals all from northern Arizona. Well done. Best thing I tasted all day. 98 Eve pts.

G+ London Dry Gin, Austria. 90 Eve pts.

Master’s Dry Gin, Barcelona, Spain. 89 Eve pts.

Shui Jing Fang Baijiu, Sichuan, China. Killer aroma and flavors, and the presentation, beautiful etched glass bottle set in it’s own wooden stand, set them apart. From the website: Baijiu is distinct because of its use of distilling yeast during the distillation process. It is also the only one of the four top distilled liquors to use solids in the fermentation process. 97 Eve pts.

Tepoz Silver Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico. I had to agree with the coasters they were giving out with a taste, they read “Fit for a God.” This triple distilled 100% agave silver tequila was, and I’m not kidding, the smoothest tequila I have ever had. 95 Eve pts.

J.P. Trodden Small Batch Bourbon, Woodinville, Washington, USA. 91 Eve pts.

Wemyss Malts 12 Year Old “The Hive” Scotch, Speyside, Scotland. After tasting this blend of 16 different single malts I wanted to try their two other single malt blends that were also medal winners. Too bad they weren’t there to taste too: Peat Chimney from the Islay and Spice King from the Highlands. 91 Eve pts.

Oban Little Bay Single Malt Scotch, Highland, Scotland. 92 Eve pts.

Lagavulin 16 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Islands, Scotland. I always think of my husband when I have a peaty scotch like Lagavulin. He calls it an “angry scotch” as he would have a glass after a particularly rough night at the fire station. There was nothing angry, except for the peat, in this scotch. Very smooth and welcoming. 95 Eve pts.

Revel Chion Grappa Di Moscato, Torino, Italy. Simply lovely on the nose and palate, with 18 months in oak casks making it classified as a reserve, 42% alcohol. 94 Eve pts.

Nohrlund Strawberry Rhubarb Vodka Cocktail, Bottled Cocktails, Aarhus, Denmark. All three drinks from their cocktail program won medals and I was happy to taste, along with the Double Gold Strawberry Rhubarb, the Sea Buckthorn (Google that, I had to), Rose Hip and Rum and the Elderflower, Ginger and Gin. My favorite was the latter, and it reminded me a little of a Moscow Mule. The strawberry had such nice fruit, like a puree, I can see why it won the Double Gold. A collective 90 Eve pts.

Bauchant Liqueur, Product of France, “a blend of fine cognac and orange essence.” The gentleman that was tasting alongside of me thought it fit for a Margarita. I told him I like to use something this fine instead of vermouth in a vodka Martini. Either way you pour it it’s very fine stuff. 91 Eve pts.

Champagne Collet, NV Brut, Art Deco, Champagne, France. Lovely fruit cocktail on the nose and palate, pretty art deco label too. Want to have this again. 95 Eve pts.

Silk Oak, 2013 Chardonnay, Lodi, USA. A nice classic style Chardonnay. 89 Eve pts.

Vasco Urbano Wine, 2013 Grenache, Norm, Marina Ranch, Livermore Valley, USA. Fun label has a drawing of “Norm” and lists harvest date, brix and alcohol. A nice tasty Grenache I will look for. 88 Eve pts.

The Counselor, 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, River Pass Vineyard, Alexander Valley, Sonoma County, USA. Another cool label with a sketch of an old vine. Tasty wine. 90 Eve pts.

Columbia Crest Winery, 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, H3, Horse Heaven Hills, USA. I don’t think I’ve had a Columbia Crest wine in awhile, and I’d never had one from Horse Heaven Hills. Quite a nice wine. 89 Eve pts.

TAO Vineyards, 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, Los Angeles, CA. Well. This L.A. wine, come to find, is from a very small vineyard in Agoura Hills and can be found, possibly along with up to six of their other wines, for tasting at the Cornell Winery and Tasting Room. I was charmed by this Cab and will try and seek them out to taste their full lineup. 90 Eve pts.

Get a look at the labels via this 1-minute YouTube too.

About San Francisco International Wine Competition: The San Francisco International Wine Competition is the largest and most influential international wine competition in America, and is judged by a prestigious panel of nationally recognized wine experts. Judging is based on a blind, consensual procedure, ensuring competitive integrity as it remains the nation’s most respected wine competition. 2015 marks the 35th year of the annual competition. www.sfwinecomp.com

About San Francisco World Spirits Competition: The San Francisco World Spirits Competition is regarded as the most respected spirits competition in the world. The competition was the first comprehensive, international spirits judging held in the United States on an annual basis. Products are evaluated by top spirits professionals and are judged in a blind, consensual procedure ensuring competitive integrity and making this annual competition the most reputable and recognized competition in the spirits industry. www.sfspiritscomp.com

Who is the Best Wine Critic of the World?

December 3, 2018 by evebushman Leave a Comment

HELSINKI, PRNewswire – BWW — The Best Wine of the World — competition is by far the toughest wine competition on this planet. Unlike any other industry competition, only 1% of the wines involved will be awarded and also the World’s most trustworthy and skillful Wine Critic will be chosen.

The BWW 2018-competition is held in the world’s largest wine information service – Tastingbook.com.

Over 18.700 wines have received so far in total 1,5 million votes from 390,000 wine professionals and wine lovers from 114 countries during the three month voting period – only two more weeks of voting time is left! (Note from Eve: Press release was dated 11/20/18. Printed now to show the TOP 20.)

The BWW 2018 – The Best Wine Critic of the World -voting has now started and already almost 100 000 professionals votes have been given to the 50 shortlisted wine critics.

The current TOP 20 Most Voted Wine Critics are:

1. Jeannie Cho Lee MW
2. Antonio Galloni
3. Jancis Robinson MW
4. James Suckling
5. Neal Martin
6. Tim Atkin MW
7. Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW
8. Allen Meadows
9. Michel Bettane
10. Christer Byklum
11. René Gabriel
12. Markus Del Monego MW
13. Eric Asimov
14. Julia Harding MW
15. Jeff Leve
16. Richard Juhlin
17. Jeb Dunnuck
18. Andrew Caillard MW
19. Oz Clarke
20. José Peñin

All the competing Wines and Wine Critics can be found at www.tastingbook.com

BWW is the largest wine competition in the world, whether measured by the number of wines, the number of consumers involved or the judges taking part.

BWW warmly welcomes all vineyards to enter their wine for the 2019 competition.

Registration is the easiest, fastest, and most affordable in the business.

Registration will begin on January 1st at www.bwwcompetition.com.

BWW Competition Q&A. The BWW competition is a unique worldwide wine competition. Millions of consumers around the world together with thousands of wine professionals, select the finalist wines, which are then judged by professionals around the world.

Paso: The 8th Annual Garagiste Festival, Rare and Reserves and Grand Tasting

November 30, 2018 by evebushman 2 Comments

Over 60 Garagiste winemakers – aka garage winemakers, most of whom don’t have tasting rooms and don’t produce over a certain number of cases annually – would be pouring for the 8^th Annual Garagiste Festival in Paso Robles. We’d covered this event in Los Angeles and Paso Robles over the years and oftentimes these wineries would grow – they would have to leave the event to make room for new Garagistes. This turnover meant an influx of new discoveries every year, as well as seeing some winemakers that have remained small and we could then taste their new vintages.

The Garagiste events, co-created by our very own Doug Minnick of Hoi Polloi and the Double Trouble Wine Room on Main in Downtown Newhall, is also the non-profit brainchild of partner Stewart McLennan.

In this two-day Paso event Minnick and McLennan had separated the rare and reserve tasting from the main event by a day. I loved the idea as I usually experience palate fatigue after the first tasting anyway. Combining my notes with day two, the wines of special note have the winery names in bold, with the Rare and Reserves noted as RR in bold as well. And, as is my usual disclaimer, if I missed a winery or a wine it wasn’t due to any distaste but can only be blamed on palate fatigue and/or I had already tasted their lineup at Garagiste Santa Monica earlier this year:

Adron Wines*

Alta Colina

Armitage Wines*

Artisan Uprising – RR: 2015 Tempranillo and 2017 Sangiovese.

Ascension Cellars – RR: 2012 Trinity GSM and 2012 Soul Shaker Cabernet Syrah blend.

Bevela Wines

Bolshoi Family Wines*

Bon Niche Cellars – RR: They did a vertical of their Bordeaux Blends including a 2010, 2012, and 2015. I liked the balance of the 2012 the best.

Caldera Cuvee

Caliza Winery – We have tasted Carl Bower’s wines off and on over the years at this event, happy to have tried them today as enjoyed: 2015 Azimuth GSM, 2015 Syrah and 2014 “Cohort” blend of Petite Sirah, Mourvedre and Syrah. All wines are from estate vineyards.

Circle B Vineyards

Cloak & Dagger Wines

Copia Vineyards – RR: 2016 “The Story” blend of Grenache and Syrah.

Corner Cellars*

Cutruzzola Vineyards

Decroux Wines*

DENO Wines

DeWitt Vineyard*

Diablo Paso – RR: 2014 Tempranillo Gran Reserva. Learned that these were grapes sourced from Napa and had spent 42 months in oak. My second favorite of the rare and reserves.

Dusty Nabor Wines – RR: I’ve liked all of Dusty’s wines at Garagiste, this time it was a 2016 NSO, meaning for “No Special Occasion”, California Red Wine for $19 that was the winner!

Gary Kramer Guitar Cellars* – RR: A barrel sample of Malbec? I hate barrel samples as it’s all oak to me sometimes, this one was nice indeed.

Golden Triangle

Hoi Polloi Winery – I stopped at the table to say hello, but I have had their wines many times as they have a tasting room five minutes from my home in Santa Clarita.

Hoyt Family Vineyards – RR: 2009 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon was my favorite of the entire rare and reserve tasting.

Jardesca*

Kaleidos Winery – RR: 2015 Praying Mantis Syrah.

Kitson Wines*

Last Light Wine Co

Leverage Wines – RR: 2017 Chardonnay and 2016 Trajectory GSM blend.

Lost Blues

MagnaVita Cellars*

Marin’s Vineyard

Mastro Scheidt*

MCV Wines – RR: 2011 1105 Petite Sirah blend. Also enjoyed to of their 2015 Petite Sirah – one from the Rosewynn Vineyard and the other from the Gemeny Vineyard.

Merisi Wines* – RR: 2016 Los Carneros Grenache.

Montage Russe

On Your Left Wine Co. – RR: A fellow wine taster sent me here. 2015 Two Wheeler Grenache Mourvedre that hadn’t been released but I thought was ready and a 2014 Single Track Syrah.

Pagter Brothers Winery – Of course I stopped in to say hello, even though the share a tasting room with Hoi Polloi (see my notes above) and was rewarded today with a wine club only pour of their 2016 Petite Sirah. Well done!

Pelletiere Vineyards – RR: 2015 Reserve Sangiovese and 2016 Lagrein (Lagrein is the name of the grape.)

Powell Mountain Cellars – RR: 2010 and 2011 Pinnacle Bordeaux blends.

RF Wines – Enjoyed their 2015 Exceed Malbec, 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon and their 2015 Petite Sirah was my favorite at the grand tasting.

RN Estate Winery – 2015 Estate Cabernet Franc, 2014 Cuvee des Trois Cepages Bordeaux Blend and 2014 Malbec.

Saint K Wines

Seven Angels Cellars

Seven Oxen Estate Wines

Sea Shell Cellars

T. Berkley Wines* – 2016 Cabernet Franc, Napa.

Tlo Wines – 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon, Lucas and Lewellen.

TOP Winery

Torch Cellars

Transmission Wine Co.*

Turtle Rock Vineyard – I had enjoyed a wine luncheon highlighting Turtle Rock Vineyards so I was thrilled to try the new 2016 Willow’s Cuvee GSM with a touch of Tempranillo and the 2016 Maturin Rhone Blend from the James Berry Vineyard. (Winemaker Don Burns is the assistant winemaker at Saxum.)

TW Fermentations – RR: 2015 Cultivator blend and a newly released 2015 Merlot.

Ultima Tulie

Vandella Vineyards*

Vigo Cellars*

Vinemark Cellars

Vino Vargas

Volatus Wines – RR: 2008 Reserve Red – a Syrah and Petite Sirah blend.

Willow Creek Wine Group*

*First time pouring at the Paso Festival.

To see the photo grids from all of our Paso winery visits from this trip click this.

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 15k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits. You can also seek her marketing advice via Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com

Vintage Eve Circa 9/2015: Old and New Finds at Del Dotto and Regusci

November 27, 2018 by evebushman Leave a Comment

After visiting the PureCru wine bar on the first night of our recent trip to Napa Valley we spent our second day tackling a wee bit more: Regusci Winery, Hall, Del Dotto and Vintner’s Collective. The first and last stops were not planned, but happy circumstances brought us to them. (This is the album of our trip.)

Tasting DEL DOTTO VINEYARDS “The Beast” behind the curtain, in the dark recesses of the caves, with winemaker Gerard Zanzonico

We thought we were starting at Hall at 10a.m. and found out the day before, no, we were to be there at 11. My friend “Double E” had made me a fan of Regusci Winery, by way of her wine club allotment that she generously shared, so we made a detour from Highway 29 over to the Silverado Trail to visit the nearly 200 year-old winery.

We were greeted by three dogs, yellow Labradors I think, that framed the driveway. Once we parked we walked up a short walkway, past a display of farm fresh fruits and vegetables for sale, to a lovely building filled with a welcoming wine tasting room staff.

Tasting Regusci

We started with a 2013 Chardonnay that had spent 14 months in American oak and had a very tart lemon-lime Sauvignon Blanc flavor profile. It was fine, just not destined to be my all time favorite.

From there we sampled a 2012 Estate Zinfandel from 90 year-old vines. It was dark, bold and spicy with a medium length. A nice wine…but hold onto your hats.

Then we had the 2012 “The Elders” Cabernet Sauvignon that I had enjoyed at home recently – the wine is stellar.

But hold on, we then were given a sample of the 2011 “Patriarch” Bordeaux blend. This wine had it all: velvety dark rose petals, a bowl of dark fruit and dark chocolate on the nose was followed by a very dry, firm and balanced flavor profile. 99 Eve pts.

Gerard Zanzonico, another winemaker I disturbed from harvest for a visit, took a brief respite from crushing the sweetest Cabernet grapes I’ve ever had, to take us through a short tasting at Del Dotto Vineyards.

There really is nothing better than tasting with a winemaker, in the barrel room with a wine thief. And at Del Dotto, one of the most grand barrel rooms in Napa, this is wine lovers heaven. We stole past some of the other tasting groups to sample some of their best new selections.

We enjoyed remarkable samples of: Del Dotto Napa Valley 2013 Rutherford Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Darnajou, French Oak Family Reserve, Connoisseurs’ Series to release in Fall 2015; Villa Del Lago 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, to be released February 2016; Del Dotto Napa Valley 2013 Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon, Centre Sylvain, French Oak, South, Family Reserve, to be released Fall 2015; and a killer finale, the Del Dotto Napa Valley 2013 The Beast Cabernet Sauvignon, blend of all of their estate vineyards: Howell Mountain, Rutherford Estate, Oakville Vineyard, St. Helena Mountain, Vineyard 887 and Vista Del Lago, set to be released Fall 2015.

We reluctantly said goodbye to Gerard, promising to visit anytime – other than harvest! Maybe even for a glimpse of their latest property, Piazza Del Dotto:

Piazza Del Dotto is the latest winery and caves of the Del Dotto Family. Located in beautiful Oakville, Napa Valley, California. The Piazza in Italy is known for being the “hub of action”. Come enjoy the synergy of food and wine with your family and friends at the “Barchessa”, (Barn in Italian). The Barquessa is anticipated to open early 2016.

Paso: Learning About and Tasting With Parrish Family Vineyards

November 23, 2018 by evebushman Leave a Comment

I could swear that I had been to Parrish Family Vineyards before for a dinner they hosted for the Cab Collective. However the property on Adelaida Road was new for me as it was for everyone else, only having been opened this past year. It nagged at me for about a nanosecond, then I was quickly caught up in everything this new discovery held for me. (One of which was seeing former SCVer Denise Criste living the dream, having moved to Paso and now working in the tasting room at Parrish!)

Took some photos of the calcareous stonework that contributed not only to a large wall but also to the terroir of the wines, and some of the bright red umbrellas – that could be seen from the road below – that sheltered many inviting groups of tables on the grounds overlooking vineyards.

The tasting room was welcoming. With many different cushiony seats to choose from, we learned that this would be a theme throughout. There were member’s only rooms, meeting rooms, dining rooms adorned with leather seating, balcony seating – the inside and outside seating options seemed endless. We learned that many people would move from one spot to another to enjoy their tasting, or to linger over a bottle for part of their day, some even circling back to Parrish for a second visit the same day as they are the only winery on Adelaida open until 6pm.

Membership options began with as little as a four bottle allotment and allowed for nearly monthly gatherings where you could reserve the exact spot you wanted to sit – I could definitely see a draw for a growing numbers of members.

We were shown a wall of photos and memorabilia that flanked both sides of the entrance to the tasting room that every guest will pass through. These items told a bit of a story of Earl Henderson, the grandfather of existing owner David Parrish, who had a love for golf (there is a small putting green for you to partake in the game if you so desire) and began cultivating grapes before prohibition.

David, before taking the mantle, was known for his work in trellising. At one point he had 24 patents for different trellis types for different fruits. He has seven active now. The winery made their first vintage in 2006. Coppola, L’Aventure, Clos Solene and others buy up their grapes. Learn more about Earl Henderson and David Parrish here.

Wines Tasting

While we toured and learned about Parrish we tasted through some of their wines. Bought a couple of bottles for home as well:

A crisp 2017 Sauvignon Blanc; 2016 Chardonnay with a lovely amount of oak; the nicely balanced 2014 Silken – named for how a member described as silky – Petite Sirah and Cabernet Sauvignon blend that my husband bought; an extremely approachable 2014 Petite Sirah that I had to buy for home as we don’t often find one we love; 2014 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon from the Creston vineyard property; 2015 Petite Sirah I like almost as much as the 2014; 2015 Silken blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah and a tiny bit of Syrah; 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon and a 2014 Zinfandel that was really mellow for a Zin but damn fine just the same.

Parrish Family Vineyards, 3590 Adelaida Road, Paso Robles, CA 93446, (805) 286-4028 www.parrishfamilyvineyard.com Open from 11 to 6pm daily – the only winery open until 6pm on Adelaida Road.

To see the photo grids from all of our Paso winery visits from this trip click this.

Paso Robles Award Winning Estate Winery Holds Second Annual Harvest Dinner

November 22, 2018 by evebushman Leave a Comment

PASO ROBLES, Calif. (PRWEB) – Paso Robles award winning estate winery, Allegretto Vineyards and Wines, held the second annual Harvest Dinner on October 19, 2018. This was an opportunity for the community to help the winery celebrate its harvest and meet the winemaker, Allen Kinne.

Photo: Allegretto Vineyards and Wines Facebook page

The evening began with hors d’euvres at sunset and concluded with live music under the stars on the Piazza Magica. Executive Chef Justin Picard prepared a culinary experience as the highlight of the evening. In celebration of the harvest, Allegretto poured their award-winning small lot, single vineyard and Allegretto estate wines.

The combined talents of winemaker Kinne and Chef Picard promised a magical evening of excellent wine, food, and good company.

Alan Kinne has been working with Allegretto Vineyards owner, Douglas Ayers, for the past six harvests, guiding the hand-picking harvest from all of the Allegretto vineyards and producing Allegretto’s award-winning Paso Robles estate wines. Kinne was the original winemaker at Horton Vineyards and helped launch Chrysalis Vineyards, both in Virginia, until leaving for Paso Robles in 1999. His winemaking career started in 1977 with Tabor Hill Winery in Michigan. Since then his career has taken him from Michigan to Virginia, to Paso Robles and Oregon and back to Paso Robles. Kinne is widely credited for introducing the Albariño grape to the Central Coast after planting the vines in Virginia in 1996.

Chef Justin Picard is the executive chef for Allegretto resort’s farm-to-table Mediterranean-inspired Cello Ristorante and Bar. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in New York, Picard has worked in some of the most renowned kitchens in San Francisco and Aspen. His extensive career has led to opportunities overseas, two guest appearances at the James Beard House in New York, and participation in some of the nation’s most celebrated food and wine events.

The turnout for the evening was greater than expected and set the stage for future winemaker dinners and events. All of the wines poured during the evening are available from the Allegretto Vineyards tasting room.

The wine menu at the Allegretto Vineyard and Wines tasting room include flights presenting estate white and rosé wines, and estate Malbec, Tannat, Zinfandel, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Four different flights of award-winning wine are available. A special tasting room food menu from Allegretto Resort’s Cello Ristorante & Bar can be enjoyed with a bottle of wine in the family-friendly courtyard.

Allegretto Vineyard & Wines
2700 Buena Vista Dr., #101
Paso Robles, CA 93446
(805) 369-2526