Spain’s Greatest Destination Winery: Abadia Retuerta LeDomaine Part Two – The Pairing

February 22, 2019 by evebushman Leave a Comment

Last week I wrote about the Abadia Retuerta LeDomaine Hotel, Winery, Refectorio and Santuario Spa north of Madrid, Spain after a splendid meeting with their General Manager Enrique Valero Quintana. I introduced readers to Tesse in West Hollywood, where our meeting took place, and gave you some information on their wine store. This week I will finish up by sharing the menu and wines that we tasted in the luncheon. (If you’d like to see the photos of the dishes and more click here.)

Our final course, DRY-AGED TBONE, and all of the wines.

Wine Reviews and Luncheon

HAMACHI CRUDO

sudachi, gooseberry, crispy wild rice

2016 Le Domaine Sauvignon Blanc/Verdejo

Lovely round mouthfeel filled with lush tropical bruit, pebbles and a mildly sweet finish. Some found the pairing to have a bit too much sharp citrus in the dish, but the fish was so fine and clean I felt that it worked, the wine served its purpose to rinse away the citrus and allow me to linger over the tender fish.

BURRATA

Oregon porcini duxelles, port, roquette

2014 Pago Negralada Tempranillo

2012 Pago Negralada Tempranillo

2014: This was my favorite in the tasting for the beautiful balance of plum and blackberry fruit and the tannins, followed by chocolate, coffee. (When I mentioned this at the end of our luncheon Quintana, who wouldn’t state his favorite said that the 2014 was the winemaker’s favorite as well.)

2012: A bit drier than the 2014, probably due to age and vineyard conditions that year, also showed darker black fruit, green peppercorn and tannins. The dish of smooth and creamy Burrata complemented both wines very well.

BEEF TARTARE “A L’HUILE D’OLIVE”

caper berries, shallots, grana padano, chive aioli

2004 Pago Negralada Tempranillo (Magnum)

The 2004 was Port-like, dried berries, dark cherry, tannic and a superb balance. The wine expanded some of the spice of the tartare; and this proved to be my favorite dish in the luncheon.

PORK BELLY

charred carrots, brown butter, boudon noir (blood sausage)

2015 Pago Valdebellón Cabernet Sauvignon

Lots of spice on this wine, then came rich dark fruit and cinnamon. This was quite a decadent dish with incredible richness from both the pork belly and blood sausage. I found that the char on the pork belly was quite enhanced by the wine, allowing for a sweetness to escape. I started to wish I had been there not for a wine luncheon where I could only taste, I wanted to linger over these pairings and finish all of the wines.

DRY-AGED TBONE

“old style” Pistou, charred broccolini, waffle potatoes, beef jus

2014 Abadia Retuerta Petit Verdot

Surprised to find red, blue and black fruits all on the palate – and very velvety – as well as spice, pepper. The T-bone was incredible. This again was a pairing I wish I could have completely consumed.

Tesse

From Ogron I learned that Tesse and the wine store is his “baby.” Eighty percent of the wine inventory is not sold elsewhere, and he hopes to get the “winemaker collector series (from Abadía Retuerta LeDomaine) if Enrique agrees.” I asked about the corkage fee if one were to buy from the store to have with their meal and learned that it is only $15.

From the website

Tesse is a French restaurant featuring the dynamic, continental-inspired cuisine of Chef Raphael Francois and Pastry Chef Sally Camacho Mueller, served in a chic dining room on Sunset Boulevard in the heart of West Hollywood. An extensive wine program from Jordan Ogron is supplemented by Boutellier, an exclusive wine store adjacent to the restaurant. A French-leaning craft cocktail program designed by Nick Meyer and Julian Cox is offered at the bar.

The restaurant’s name is a contraction of the French delicatesse, meaning ‘delicacy’ or ‘thoughtfulness’ — it’s also used across France as a colloquial term for charcuterie. And while the iconic pâtés, terrines, rillettes and saucisses of his homeland are central to the menu, Chef Raphael also features a broad and finessed take on French classics, with meats and fish prepared on the wood-fired hearth that anchors the kitchen and lighter fare inspired by near-daily trips to LA’s outstanding Farmers Markets.

Tesse’s menu is designed with wine in mind. The food pairs beautifully with a vast, interactive wine program designed by Jordan Ogron, which features nearly thirty wines by the glass and a list of more than three thousand selections. For those who prefer something a bit stronger, the craft cocktail program was designed by Nick Meyer and Julian Cox, the duo behind many of the most notable bar programs in Los Angeles.

https://www.tesserestaurant.com/

Abadia Retuerta Winery

The internationally recognized wines of Abadía Retuerta have enjoyed three consecutive years in the top 100 wines of the world, according the preeminent authority, Wine Spectator. While wines were produced on the estate centuries ago, the current winery is only two-and-a-half decades old and is known for its award-winning single terroir wines. The initial planting took place in 1991 with the first wines coming the following year. The estate covers 700 hectares of which 210 have been allocated to the vine, lying over a set of hillsides that reach a maximum height of 850 metres before sloping down to the southern bank of the Duero River…

The winery’s gold-standard wine is the Selección Especial, which reflects the essence of the estate – 75% Tempranillo, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Merlot. Proof of its superb quality, the 2001 Selección Especial was awarded “Best Red Wine in the World – Red Wine Trophy” in 2005 by London’s prestigious International Wine Challenge competition. In addition, Selección Especial is the first Spanish wine to be included for three consecutive years on the list of the 100 Best Wines in the World, which has been published annually since 1988 by highly regarded Wine Spectator magazine.

Other wines produced at Abadía Retuerta include: Pago Negralada, made with the best Tempranilla vineyard on the estate; Pago Valdebellón, from Cabernet Sauvignon; Pago Garduňa, a very intense, clean, fruity and mineral Syrah; and PV (Petit Verdot), an elegant wine with a limited production of 1,000 bottles per vintage.

The 2012 vintage of Pago Negralada and Petit Verdot have been ranked among “the greats” with 97 and 98 points respectively, according to the Gourmets Guide. For the 2014 vintage, Robert Parker Wine Advocate awarded Pago Negralada 92 points and Petit Verdot 93 points, along with 92 points for Pago Garduña and 93 points for Pago Valdebellón, which also won the Top Medal Master granted by The Drink Business Global Cabernet Sauvignon. Blanco Le Domaine 2016 scored 93 points in the Peñín Guide and 96 points in Guía Gourmets.

Abadía Retuerta LeDomaine

www.ledomaine.es

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

Spain’s Greatest Destination Winery? Abadia Retuerta LeDomaine Part One

February 15, 2019 by evebushman Leave a Comment

Try to imagine: an award-winning winery, hotel and restaurant – all built into a restored 12^th century abbey in Spain. A small group of wine writers were tasked with that very thing a couple of weeks ago. And between a stellar wine and food pairing luncheon with Abadia Retuerta LeDomaine GM Enrique Valero Quintana and Tesse restaurant partner Jordan Ogron, it was accomplished, and then some. Let me give you Part One of your taste now:

Enrique Valero-Abadía Retuerta CEO – Chapter room

With just a slice of a view of Sunset Blvd., surrounded by rows and rows of bottles of fine wine, ornate decanters, a tantalizing menu and centered on a dining table set with multiple wine glasses, we had the perfect backdrop at Tesse.

As we took our seats Quintana started to tell us about the unique abbey turned destination winery in the Duero Valley, and we quickly learned why the property deserved attention:

Award winning winery.
Spain’s leading hotel.
Michelin-star Restaurant.
Restored Medieval Abbey, built 1146.
1730 acres.
All surrounded by streams, woods and wildlife.
Wines have scored in Wine Spectator’s Top 100 list for three consecutive years.
210 hectares under vine, 70% of which is Tempranillo, followed by Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot and Petit Verdot.
LeDomaine’s score in the Conde Nast Readers’ Choice Awards was 99.52, ranking it #1 on the list of the Top Hotels in Spain and Portugal – and #2 in Europe. This was a five star hotel.
Quintana said that the location by the River Duero “gives us a unique soil and climate” and “the human factor” adds to the allure.
This is the “rebirth of a historical vineyard” as wines were produced on the estate centuries ago.
The “building is something unique” in Spain.
Their “Spa Sommelier” recommends a wine that depends on the treatments you decide to have. And this is the first in the world.
Their purple “wine salt” is an “old formula” that was discovered when a ship traveled from Britain to Spain, carrying both wine and salt which were “accidentally blended.”
When we sampled the wines we would “feel the soul of what happened there for nine centuries.”
All rooms face the vineyards.
They “restored what they inherited.”
In 2014 the Queen of Spain gave them the best restoration award.
“We blend the natural environment, the historic (building) with the human factor…the people that work here and (treat) clients as guests.” These employees are the “apostles of the project.”

Shall we visit? Only two hours from Madrid…here’s a short You Tube video to complete your virtual tour and here are the photos from our luncheon.

For my review of the wines and the luncheon please return to this website on 2/22.

Abadia Retuerta LeDomaine Hotel, Winery, Refectorio and Santuario Spa

Abadía Retuerta LeDomaine opened as a luxury hotel in 2012 after an award-winning restoration of the ancient abbey. Located in Sardón de Duero, the wine country north of Madrid, it is widely acclaimed as the finest luxury hotel in Spain.

Abadía Retuerta Winery boasts 54 vine plots each with very distinct characteristics, each analyzed, controlled, worked, vinified and tasted separately. Each terroir is planted with a single varietal or grape variety, either Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot or Petit Verdot. It is among the most advanced wineries in Europe combining ancient wine-making traditions with cutting-edge technology.

Refectorio is a sanctuary of haute cuisine, located in the abbey’s original refectory where the monks ate their meals, boasting One Michelin Star. Executive Chef Marc Segarra’s delectable dishes are served under a vaulted Gothic ceiling and a 17th-century fresco of The Last Supper.

The nurturing and innovative sanctuary of holistic healing and wellness features 10,000-sq.-ft. of ultra-luxurious facilities, a ground-breaking “fusion wine” oenotherapy spa concept based on a blind tasting of wines, a signature treatment menu, Spain’s first ‘Spa Sommeliers’ who guide guests on their wellness journey, and the highest level of individualization and guest service including Spa Butlers who welcome guests and assist at every step of their spa experience.

Abadía Retuerta LeDomaine

www.ledomaine.es

reservations@ledomaine.es

AUSTIN HOPE NAMED THE 2018 PASO ROBLES WINE INDUSTRY PERSON OF THE YEAR

January 27, 2019 by evebushman Leave a Comment

Paso Robles, CA – On January 18 the Paso Robles wine community come together to recognize one of their own who has exemplified the spirit of Paso Robles Wine Country with outstanding leadership and vision in promoting the region. Austin Hope, President and Winemaker of Hope Family Wines will receive the 2018 Paso Robles Wine Industry Person of the Year award at the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance’s annual winter gathering.

Austin Hope (photo credit: Carpe Travel)

Austin Hope, President and Winemaker of Hope Family Wines, is a steadfast advocate for the Paso Robles American Viticultural Area. Austin has played an important role in introducing the wines of Paso Robles to a global audience while holding leadership positions within the industry leading to the region being recognized and respected as one of the great wine regions of the world.

“I am humbled to be recognized as the 2018 Wine Industry Person of the Year,” said Austin Hope, “I have had the great benefit to work with an amazing team at Hope Family Wines who share my philosophy in promoting the region with the same enthusiasm as promoting our own wine brands. This honor would not be possible without the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance team as well as the endless support from my wife and daughters.”

Austin has emerged as a visionary leader after graduating from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a degree in fruit science, today he is a third-generation California farmer and first-generation winemaker. He built and leads Hope Family Wines which includes Austin Hope, Treana, Troublemaker, Liberty School, and Quest wine brands.

Working locally, nationally, and internationally on behalf of the Paso Robles wine industry, Austin has held several important positions, including past Chairman and current Secretary of the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance where as a board member he worked with 58 vintners and growers to establish the region’s 11 AVAs. Austin currently sits as a board member of the CAB Collective, a group dedicated to promoting Cabernet Sauvignon and red Bordeaux wines of Paso Robles. Austin, and his wife Celeste, support Must! Charities by hosting an annual golf tournament as well as hosting an annual Dia de Los Muertos event benefiting children’s art programs for Studios on the Park.

Austin Hope was nominated and named the 2018 Paso Robles Wine Industry Person by the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance membership which represents 450+ companies including wineries, vineyards, and associated businesses. Austin was recognized by industry colleagues at the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance’s Annual Gala on Friday, January 18 at the Park Ballroom.

The evening also featured the installation of the Alliance’s 2019 Board of Directors and the presentation of the new incoming Executive Director of the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance (official announcement to follow in the coming week.)

Board of Directors Installation
The incoming Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance Board of Directors and Executive Team are as follows:

•   Jason Yeager – Chairman
•   Jason Haas – Vice Chairman, Tablas Creek Vineyard
•   Austin Hope – Secretary, Treana And Hope Family Wines
•   Sarah Kramer – Treasurer, Umpqua Bank
•   Tyler Russell – Director, Cordant|Nelle
•   Molly Scott – Director, Justin Vineyards & Winery
•   Bob Tillman – Director, Alta Colina Vineyards & Winery
•   Faith Wells – Director, Hospice du Rhone
•   Malani Anderson – Director, Turley Wine Cellars

ABOUT PASO ROBLES WINE COUNTRY ALLIANCE
The Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance represents wineries, growers, and businesses in Paso Robles Wine Country. Centrally located between San Francisco and Los Angeles, along California’s Central Coast, Paso Robles Wine Country encompasses more than 40,000 vineyard acres and 250 wineries. For more information, visit www.pasowine.com. @PasoRoblesWine, @PasoWine, #pasowine

Perlis Picks: Stone Edge Farm Estate Vineyards and Winery

January 12, 2019 by Michael Perlis Leave a Comment

Let me make this perfectly clear: I have nothing against Cabernet Sauvignon. While our own personal wine journey has taken us primarily down the Zinfandel and Rhone paths, we definitely recognize Cabernet’s place in the pantheon of great wine grapes. Most of our wine trips tend to focus on our favorite varietals, but we have no aversion to expanding those choices. So when our friends gave us a certificate for a tasting at Stone Edge Farm Estate Vineyards & Winery we were happy to do just that.

Stone Edge Farm actually owns three vineyards – Stone Edge, Mount Pisgah and Silver Cloud, which are managed organically by the renowned Phil Coturri.

The Stone Edge Vineyard property at the base of Sonoma Mountain was acquired by Mac and Leslie McQuown in 1995. The property has the distinction of having been owned by Nicholas Carriger, who came to Sonoma from Missouri in 1847. When he planted here, he became the first American to grow wine grapes in Sonoma Valley.

Mac McQuown had his own distinction, not only as a very successful businessman and entrepreneur, but also in the wine industry, having been a founder of both Chalone and Carmenet wineries.

Winemaker Jeff Baker, who was also a partner at Carmenet, joined the McQuowns with his Mount Pisgah Vineyard in the Mayacamas Mountains. Eventually they formed Stone Edge Farm Estate Vineyards & Winery in 2004.

The Silver Cloud Vineyard is in the Moon Mountain District just north of the Mount Pisgah vineyard, up in the Mayacamas Mountains where Sonoma County borders Napa County. The tasting room is on the Silver Cloud property and it is aptly named, being at a high elevation seemingly close to the clouds. It’s a long, winding and narrow road; they recommend you hire a driver. Please don’t go all the way up there without making an appointment first.

Karen and I had plans to head into Napa (more on this in a future article) so we chose that morning to pay Stone Edge Farm a visit.

We parked and were met by Philippe Thibault, Stone Edge Farm’s Director of Hospitality, who gave us a tour of this amazing mountain property and led our tasting.

Stone Edge Farm makes three wines: a Sauvignon Blanc a Bordeaux blend called “Surround” and their flagship Cabernet Sauvignon.

We tasted the 2016 Sauvignon Blanc [actually an 80/20 blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon], two vintages of the Surround blend [2009 and 2014] and the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon.

My impressions were that these wines are designed to showcase the fruit but to not overpower the palate. Sometimes wines are referred to as “food wines” because they just don’t stand on their own and need food to make them work. That was not the case here. The wines all drank beautifully on their own but the experience was definitely enhanced by the charcuterie that was provided.

The Cabernet Sauvignon in particular made a special impression. I am not one for complicated tasting notes, but I did comment specifically about the mouthfeel of this wine, the way it magically spread across my tongue and then dissipated. I actually said “…like a cloud” before I remembered we were at the Silver Cloud Vineyard.

As I’m sure you’ve noticed, the name is Stone Edge Farm. The entire operation is built around sustainability and includes 16 acres that are organically farmed just west of downtown Sonoma. There is a 30-seat private dining room called Edge where their culinary director pairs the Stone Edge Farm wines with seasonal dishes.

Just to wrap up – Thank you so much Philippe Thibault for being such an engaging host. This is definitely a winery to check out when you are looking for an elevated experience, both in location and in wine. But remember: Make an appointment!

Stone Edge Farm Estate Vineyards & Winery

Michael Perlis has been pursuing his passion for wine for more than 25 years. He has had the good fortune of having numerous mentors to show him the way, as well as a wonderful wife who encourages him and shares his interest. After a couple of decades of learning about wine, attending events, visiting wineries and vineyards, and tasting as much wine as he possibly could, he had the amazing luck to meet Eve Bushman. Now, as Contributing Editor for Eve’s Wine 101, he does his best to bring as much information as possible about wine to Eve’s Wine 101 faithful readers. Michael is also Vice President of Eve Bushman Consulting (fka Eve’s Wine 101 Consulting) http://evebushmanconsulting.com/ and President of MCP Financial. Michael can be contacted at michaelthezinfan@aol.com or michael@evebushmanconsulting.com.

Perlis Picks: Zialena

January 5, 2019 by Michael Perlis Leave a Comment

An Irishman, an Israeli and a Korean walk into a tasting room.

While this may sound like the opening line of a bad joke it is actually how I found out about Zialena.

The Irishman and his Israeli wife are friends of ours. They were visiting Sonoma County with their friend, the Korean gentleman, when their driver suggested they go to a fairly new winery that they had not yet heard of.

They enjoyed their experience so much that they gave me the Tasting Room Manager’s business card. When we were planning our trip a few months later, I reached out to Reece Channell to schedule a visit.

When we drove up the long winding driveway to the modernistic winery and tasting room in Alexander Valley, I thought at first I was at the winery of some wealthy dabbler with a vanity winery project; the place looks that cool.

It turns out I was totally wrong, as the owners of Zialena have deep roots in the area, being one of those “becoming-rare-like-a-unicorn” families that Scot Bilbro alluded to in my previous article.

In fact, the Mazzoni family’s story in Geyserville goes back to the early 1900s when Giuseppe Mazzoni emigrated from Italy. He became a grape farmer and winemaker with Italian Swiss Colony. Giuseppe’s sons produced wine commercially until the 1970s (look for the old barn off the 101 with the Dr. Pierce’s sign on it) after which grandson Mike established Mazzoni Vineyards.

As often happens, Mike’s kids Lisa and Mark wanted to get the family back into the winemaking business, and Zialena (with Mark as winemaker and Lisa as General Manager) was born, naming it after their aunt (“Zia” in Italian) Lena. The winery and tasting room buildings that I found to be so cool were designed to showcase the family property as well as highlight the modern aspects of the winery itself. The centerpiece of the winery are several open-top concrete fermentation tanks which are emblazoned with what I had initially thought to be a starburst pattern but turned out to be the pattern of Zia Lena’s ravioli stamp, which is the logo of the winery.

Tasting is available in the tasting room or on the patio. As the weather was great, we opted for the patio and tasted through some of the current releases:

2016 Sauvignon Blanc

2017 Rose of Sangiovese

2014 Capella

2013 Zinfandel

2013 Cabernet Sauvignon

2015 Zinfandel

This was a very tasty selection. The Sauvignon Blanc and the Rose of Sangiovese were both very refreshing, the Sangio in particular picking up that grape’s complexity. The 2013 Cabernet showcases the fruit that makes Sonoma County my favorite destination for Cab. The 2014 Cappela is a true Zinfandel-based field blend that is an homage to the family history and is delicious.

Speaking of Zins, those for me were the shining stars, not to mention having an interesting story behind them.

It wasn’t until Mark and Lisa had already started making wine at Zialena that their father Mike happened to mention the Mazzoni clone of Zinfandel.

This is how Reece explained it:

In the drafting process of the vineyard map with varietals and acreage breakdown Mike mentions very nonchalantly “….. and this is planted with Mazzoni clone Zinfandel.” Both Mark and Lisa immediately ask, “Wait what? Mazzoni clone Zinfandel? What is that?” Mike then tells the story of how Duff Bevill of Bevill Vineyard Management came across Giuseppe’s original vineyard at the location of the Doctor Pierce’s barn. Eventually Duff came over to talk to Mike about it because he was the only family member who knew about the old home ranch. They decided to find out more about the Zinfandel on the property by taking bud wood to UC Davis for analysis. Sure enough Davis had not seen this Zinfandel before! It was then registered by Davis as the Bevill/Mazzoni clone of Zinfandel. It is a heritage pre-prohibition clone. Mark and Lisa are very proud to be the fourth generation to grow the clone and to make a 100% single vineyard, single clone Zinfandel out of it.

This story was especially meaningful to us, as we are deeply interested in California’s heritage grapes and vineyards.

Zialena has a bright future ahead. The current winery was only completed a couple of years ago (previous vintages were made at a custom crush), so one has to feel that as good as the wines are now, the best is yet to come.

Zialena

21112 River Road

Geyserville, CA 95441

Wine Lovers: Supermarkets are making it easier to buy quality wines for less money under their own labels

December 30, 2018 by evebushman Leave a Comment

NEW YORK,/PRNewswire/ — American shoppers, who may be enjoying more wines than ever before, need look no further than their supermarket to find quality wines that cost a-third less than similar bottles from the country’s biggest wine producers, according to the Private Label Manufacturers Association.

“Why not buy the retailer’s own brands of wine at the supermarket and save?,” says Jeff Siegel, an award-winning wine writer whose blog The Wine Curmudgeon is one of the best-read wine websites on the Internet. “That’s the way it works in Europe. So why shouldn’t it work that way in the U.S.?”

And what better time to get those savings with the holidays here?

Siegel’s point: European supermarkets have sold private label wines for years, to both critical and consumer acclaim. Tesco, one of Britain’s biggest grocery chains, won more than 140 medals for its wines at the 2018 International Wine Challenge, while labels from discounter Aldi – costing an average of just $7 each – won 43 medals at a previous wine challenge.

Even more telling perhaps was recent news that thousands of British shoppers queued up on a sultry August morning a year ago to buy Lidl’s $5 Prosecco – and were devastated when the chain sold out almost immediately. This is the opportunity U.S. supermarkets have as well, says Siegel, whose blog focuses on the wines most Americans can afford to buy – and does so in English and not winespeak. “Imagine how happy their wine drinking customers would be hearing they can buy terrific sparkling wine for $5? They’d be waiting in line for the store to open too.”

It’s more than speculation: Whole Foods Markets introduced their Sommelier Selects program last year featuring seasonal wine recommendations under its own labels along with suggested food pairings by the retailer’s Master Sommelier. And this year, Walmart launched its curated Winemakers Selection label at very popular prices, with wines that are curated from many of the best wine regions of the world.

These are all wines offered under the retailer’s name, just like their other store brand foods and household products, and many retailer wine programs here in the U.S. have had international success. Bottles from Costco, Trader Joe’s, and Aldi were honored at the Private Label Manufacturers Association’s 2018 International Salute to Excellence Awards, which reviewed more than 300 wines from 39 supermarket chains in 13 countries. The judges, who included Masters of Wine, sommeliers, wine writers, and retail industry professionals, gave awards to a $9 chardonnay from Aldi, a $10 sparkling wine from Trader Joe’s, and a $22 cabernet sauvignon from Costco.

“But that should be just the beginning,” according to Siegel. “It shouldn’t be three wines, but dozens of wines. Why not a $6 rose? Or an $8 sauvignon blanc? Or a $9 pinot noir? The idea that quality wine has to cost a certain amount is as old fashioned as a dial telephone. Otherwise, how would the Europeans be so successful?”

Think of all the holiday celebrations that would be that much more enjoyable if shoppers would worry a lot less about what to drink at a time when value is even more important, given the tangle of gift lists, party demands, and stretched-to-the-limit budgets.

Perlis Picks: Marietta Cellars

December 29, 2018 by Michael Perlis Leave a Comment

Recently, I wrote an article about Sam Bilbro’s Idlewild Wines. In the past, I’ve written about Jake Bilbro’s Limerick Lane Winery. But to truly attempt to grasp the influence of the Bilbro family on Sonoma County – indeed California – wine, one really needs to go back to where it started: Marietta Cellars.

Chris Bilbro, patriarch of the Bilbro clan, founded Marietta Cellars in 1978, naming it after his great-aunt. He bought the current winery property in 1990. Scot Bilbro took over winery operations from his father a few years back. He toured the winery with us on our visit, along with Jenifer Freebairn (Marietta’s VP of Sales and Marketing). Winery equipment is a curious mix of old and new equipment and that’s how Scot likes it. Production is now at about 65,000 cases annually and there are no direct-to-consumer sales. [So, why am I here, right?]

“Scot,” I said, “you are somewhat of a unicorn.”

Scot laughingly asked me “Michael, what do you mean?” even though I was sure he understood my point.

For many years, I have been an extremely vocal proponent of buying wine directly from small family owned wineries. “Don’t buy at big retail stores,” I’d say. “Support the little guys who are crafting their authentic wines by hand.” Now here comes Marietta Cellars, selling only to stores and restaurants through a network of distributors. And at 65,000 cases, while not a big winery in the corporate world, Marietta is definitely on the larger size of “small family owned wineries.”

Which brought me to my “unicorn” comment because off the top of my head I don’t know of any other family owned wineries that only sell wholesale.

Scot said that they were a “unicorn” in another way too. Families like the Bilbros, the Mauritsons and a few others are part of an ever shrinking group that has been farming the area for decades. While Scot in no way bemoaned the new blood that is coming into the region, he did acknowledge that families like the Bilbros are becoming more and more rare in Sonoma County.

As I said, no direct to consumer sales and therefore – no tasting room. But my writer’s card did get us an opportunity sit down with Scot and Jen to taste some of the winery’s current releases.

The largest production of the winery goes to the OVR series, which is most known for Old Vine Red but there is also an Old Vine Rose and an Old Vine Riesling. We tasted Old Vine Red Lot Number 67 which is a Zinfandel heavy blend. This wine was first produced in 1982 and doesn’t have vintage designations as it is a combination of grapes from different years.

As is a characteristic of Marietta Cellars wines, the OVR really over-delivers at its low price point – I’ve seen this wine for well under $20. My only complaint about this wine is it might encourage people to feel that this wine is so delicious why would they need to expand their horizons [i.e. pay more]?

My answer to them would be: the best is yet to come.

And that would be the next tier up, the Family series, each wine being named after a beloved member of Marietta Cellars’ extended family. We tasted the 2016 “Román” a Zinfandel (named after cellar master Roman Cisneros, who has been with Marietta Cellars over 30 years – one of several long-term employees), the 2015 “Armé” a Cabernet Sauvignon (named after Marietta’s husband) and the 2015 “Christo”, an intense Syrah-based blend named after Chris Bilbro himself.

All of these wines had great fruit and mouthfeel with long finishes, most notable to me in the Christo. But what I really got from these wines was a feeling of comfort. They are just really good tasting wines that you want to curl up and read a good book with or enjoy with a hearty meal.

These attributes carried over — and then some – to the top tier Estate series as well. As the name implies, this series showcases some of the special vineyards that Marietta works with. The 2016 Angeli Zinfandel (named after the family that settled the property in the late 1800s), the 2015 Game Trail Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2015 Gibson Block Syrah were all wines you just didn’t want to dump from your tasting glass. Especially that Syrah which was just amazing.

As I’ve said [too many times?], you can’t buy these wines directly from the winery. So, don’t go showing up on their doorstep asking for a taste. I suggest you use the Find Wine tool on their website to see where you can get your hands on some.

Michael Perlis has been pursuing his passion for wine for more than 25 years. He has had the good fortune of having numerous mentors to show him the way, as well as a wonderful wife who encourages him and shares his interest. After a couple of decades of learning about wine, attending events, visiting wineries and vineyards, and tasting as much wine as he possibly could, he had the amazing luck to meet Ev Bushman. Now, as Contributing Editor for Eve’s Wine 101, he does his best to bring as much information as possible about wine to Eve’s Wine 101 faithful readers. Michael is also Vice President of Eve Bushman Consulting (fka Eve’s Wine 101 Consulting) http://evebushmanconsulting.com/ and President of MCP Financial. Michael can be contacted at michaelthezinfan@aol.com or michael@evebushmanconsulting.com.

Perlis Picks: Mauritson

December 22, 2018 by Michael Perlis Leave a Comment

“Sense of place” is often bandied about in conversations about wine. Wines should not only be delicious but they should reflect their terroir – where they are from and the conditions unique to the vintage. The Rockpile AVA in Sonoma County is one of our favorite sources of wines that epitomize where they are from. Located at the far western end of the Dry Creek Valley, for me the wines (especially Zinfandels) from this area make me think of a combination of the power of Paso Robles with the complexity of the Russian River Valley.

So, when Clay Mauritson, in response to my inquiry about Karen and me visiting with him at his namesake winery during harvest, suggested that we spend the morning out in Rockpile to get grape samples, that sounded pretty exciting to us.

Mauritson is not too far from the entry to the Dry Creek Valley just west of Healdsburg. We met Clay there at 8 AM and headed west to Rockpile. Along the way Clay told us about some of the area’s history and the impact that Clay’s family has had on it.

Clay’s family emigrated from Sweden. Clay told us that “they settled in the Rockpile area of Dry Creek Valley and began growing grapes immediately, circa 1868. In 1884 my great, great, great, grandfather attempted to export wine back to his homeland of Sweden.” The homestead and ranch had grown to about 4,000 acres until 1968 when the Army Corps of Engineers acquired 3,300 acres of the land owned by the Mauritson family by virtue of eminent domain due to the perceived need to build a dam, thereby creating Lake Sonoma. Clay said, “When we lost the Rockpile property, my grandparents purchased the ranch in Alexander Valley where they continued growing grapes. The Rockpile property was used for livestock: sheep and cattle, but we did not resume growing grapes there until 1998.” But it wasn’t until Clay returned from college and worked in the winemaking industry in the area that he made the decision that the Mauritson name should actually be on wine bottle labels as the winery. The Mauritson winery was officially born with the release of its first vintage in 1998. The modern winery and tasting room was opened in 2004.

It didn’t take long for Clay to revisit the Rockpile area and realize its potential for making great wine. The Mauritson Rockpile Zinfandels are some of my all-time favorites. Rockpile was granted official AVA status in 2002, due primarily to the efforts of Clay’s dad Thom along with Rod Park and Jack Florence Sr.

Clay also discussed how happy he was with the current 2018 harvest. The growing season had been virtually perfect. Sometimes near the end of the growing season, the threat of impending heat spikes or rain could impact when the grapes are picked. Not this year. The grapes only needed to be picked when they were ready to be picked. Clay said that they test the grapes early and often at Mauritson, so they can plan the optimal picking window. He explained you can do a lot of things at the winery but you “can’t change the flavors” – those happen in the vineyard.

Walking the vineyards with Clay as he pulled samples to take back to the winery for testing, I felt a new appreciation for an AVA that has always been at the top of my list of favorites. And since I wanted to play “winery helper” and carry the buckets that Clay was filling, I also felt a greater appreciation for the hard work that happens in the vineyard, especially those steep ones in Rockpile. I am sure that Clay would have finished sooner without me, but my excuse is that I am 63 and out of shape while Clay is 20+ years younger and still looks like he did in his football playing days at Oregon.

We spent a couple of hours in the vineyards and I admittedly weenied out and let Clay walk at least one of them alone. But now it was time to head back to the winery and taste some wine.

While when I think of Mauritson I automatically think of Zinfandel, I soon found out those aren’t the only varietals that Clay is making, and making well, I might add.

We tasted through several wines:

2017 Mauritson Sauvignon Blanc, Dry Creek Valley – I really liked the richness of this wine.

2017 Mauritson Chardonnay, Alexander Valley

2016 Charlie Clay Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley – Clay makes this with/for renowned Chef Charlie Palmer; the only wine he makes with purchased grapes.

2015 Mauritson Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley – Excellent in its own right, this was a great lead-in for the Rockpile wines…

2016 Rockpile Zinfandel, Rockpile Ridge Vineyard

2016 Rockpile Zinfandel, Cemetery Vineyard

2016 Rockpile Zinfandel, Pritchett Peaks Vineyard

All three of these wines were excellent representations of what Rockpile is known for.

We also tasted three more wines from Rockpile:

2016 Rockpile “Madrone Spring” blend of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Syrah

2015 Rockpile “Buck Pasture” blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc.

2015 Rockpile Cabernet Sauvignon, Rockpile Ridge Vineyard

All of these showcased the intensity of the Rockpile fruit.

Whew. Clay makes a lot of wines and we didn’t even taste all of them. But, as an added bonus we got to taste one of the wines from Clay’s single soil Cabernet series, which focuses on producing Cab from four distinct soil types. We had the 2014 Clough and it was outstanding.

Something else to consider: Annually in August, Clay Mauritson and Chef Charlie Palmer co-host the Project Zin event in Healdsburg. This is a gathering of winemakers and chefs to benefit Down Syndrome Association North Bay. The winery lineup is Zinfandel heaven and August now looks like a pretty good time to visit the area.

You’ll find that several wineries make wine from Rockpile grapes – some even own vineyards in Rockpile and other just purchase grapes from the area – and you’d be hard pressed to find wine from this AVA that you won’t like. But I heartily recommend that you at least start your enjoyment of Rockpile wines with the family that had so much to do with putting Rockpile on the map in the first place – Mauritson.

Mauritson

2859 Dry Creek Road
Healdsburg, CA 95448

Paso: Sculptures, Winemaking and Tasting at Sculpterra

December 21, 2018 by evebushman 2 Comments

Lucky for me winemaker Dusty Nabor, of Dusty Nabor Wines, is pals with Sculpterra winemaker Paul Frankel – in fact Nabor buys his Bentley Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from Frankel – and Nabor graciously offered to see about getting me an interview and a behind the scenes tour with Frankel.

My husband and Frankel in front of the many metal art pieces at Sculpterra.

When we drove up to the winery, its reputation as a sculpture garden preceding it, I made a point to tour the grounds a bit and photograph anything I hadn’t already seen before. It’s quite an impressive sight, and I believe unlike any other winery in Paso or anywhere else.

We met up with Frankel who filled us in on some of what we were seeing. There are metal sculptures, railings, a new several-feet-tall “photo album” mural just getting ready to be filled in, racks and poles for bicycles and horses – predominantly created by Bob Bentley. More about the art and artists can be read here: http://sculpterra.com/our-art/

Frankel grew up at Sculpterra, and lucky for his father, he was bitten by the wine bug when he attended Cal Poly. Frankel said you have to love farming and winemaking. His father, Dr. Warren Frankel, is currently in India working as a medical missionary with the “His Healing Hands” organization.

The vineyard was planted in 1993, beginning with 90 acres, then they purchased 160 more. There are now twelve varieties of wine grapes under vine, and pistachio acreage as well. There is also a vegetable garden and fruit trees.

Viognier does well here, according to Frankel, and is their best selling white wine. Primitivo is the most popular in their blends, and their Port is well liked too. Harvest began on September 11 this year and ended on November 1^st.

Their biggest issue: squirrels. Frankel believes there are thousands of them on the property. The have tried bombs, traps and even shooting. Now they have hired a person for the sole purpose of managing the squirrel population.

Interesting aspects on the winemaking: Frankel uses bed sheets instead of lids during fermentation. He believes the technique prevents volatility and too much alcohol in the resulting wine. They can do 10-20 tons a day for de-stemming. A lot the wines have a percentage of new oak influence. Frankel’s been at this since he was 21 and is now 26, “I enjoy the labor and (a winemaker) needs to be young. If you’re passionate (it all) works well.”

Tasting

Frankel left us at the door of the tasting room and we were aptly cared for by Iddy (Isabel) Shirley. Tasting notes were once again provided, some of which I added to. These are the wines I especially liked in the tasting:

NV Sparkling Wine

Chenin Blanc and Colombard

Notes of apple, peach and pear – quite refreshing!

2016 Viognier

I agreed: apple, peach, nectarine, white pepper. I could see why this was a favorite.

2015 Pinot Noir

Eddie liked this one a lot. Notes of tea, cherry, clove and mint.

2014 Mourvedre with 12% Petite Sirah

Smoke, jam, cedar and my top pick…so far.

2015 Figurine

43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Primitivo, 24% Merlot

Brambles, blackberry, smoke, clove and chocolate. I loved the lush fruit and long finish. This was a top pick for both of us.

2014 Cabernet Sauvignon “Bentley Ironworks”

The grapes are grown below Bentley’s workshop, near where the winery is located some distance from the tasting room. Liked the brambly quality. Another favorite of Ed’s.

2013 Petite Sirah

Besides blackberry I found it gamey and earthy, and it turned out to be my favorite wine in the tasting.

2016 Primitivo

Dark fruit, rich, lush and layered.

2015 Statuesque

38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Syrah and 24% Petite Sirah.

Loved this for its rich dark fruit.

Jagger Primitivo Port

Ed is not a port fan but he enjoyed all of the wonderful chocolate flavors in this one.

http://sculpterra.com/

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

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