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

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: 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

Vintage Eve Circa 9/2015: Our Haul from Hall

November 20, 2018 by evebushman Leave a Comment

2012 HALL Kathryn Hall Cabernet Sauvignon Release party invite included this teaser: …check out all of the activities we have in addition to enjoying fabulous wine and Texas BBQ prepared for the day. Enjoy music from Twang Ditty, hayride through the Bergfeld vineyard, and purchase a bottle to have it signed by Kathryn Hall!

At the “Selfie Station” at HALL Wines!

At the Kathryn Hall 2012 release party guests were treated to more than the 97-point Robert Parker reviewed wine. Before the 2012 wine was unveiled at noon we had sampled a Sauvignon Blanc, two Cabs and an extremely lush Pinot Noir (my favorite).

We enjoyed meandering the great lawn while the misters kept us cool, and we could linger as much as we liked and re-visit any wine we liked.

Guests took advantage of other ample offerings as well: a choice of seating, live music, dancing, a selfie-station, a long and imaginative buffet, tray-passed desserts and plenty of like-minded friendly guests. (See photos here.) There were rumors of hayrides and grape stomping but we were too happy in the lounge seating to get up to do much of anything else. Chatting, nibbling and tasting was plenty of entertainment for us.

When Kathryn Hall took the stage we did rise to the occasion. She gave a lovely speech about the vintage and how pleased she was with how well it was received. I made a short 27-second video of it too. Then, we got back to our own revelry. (The album for my entire 3-day trip can be viewed here.)

The last hour or so for us was spent drinking water and relaxing. Later, when the event closed after 3 fun-filled hours, we slipped into air-conditioned shuttles to take us back to our cars…and what I would expect: hotels for much-needed nap times.

KATHRYN HALL RELEASE PARTY

Annual Harvest Party Celebrates Release of 97 point 2012 Kathryn Hall Cabernet

NAPA VALLEY, CA – (excerpted from press release) “2012 is one of the most exciting vintages this Valley has seen in a decade,” says vintner, Kathryn Walt Hall. “We are thrilled with how Steve and his winemaking team have consistently crafted this wine each year, maximizing each vintage to produce the best possible result. This is truly the best fruit Napa has to offer.”

Bringing together winemakers, wine-lovers, fans and foodies alike, guests…sipped on the newly released 2012 Kathryn Hall Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine was recently rated 97+ points by Robert Parker.

In addition to the main event, a rare Vertical Tasting hosted by Steve Leveque was presented in the historic Bergfeld building. The experience included a tasting flight of Kathryn Hall Cabernet Sauvignon (vintages 2007 – 2012).

Country music entertainment…provided by country band Twain Diddy and guests enjoyed farm-to-table bites, western style by Feast Catering. Additionally, Kathryn Walt Hall was available during the event to sign bottles. The Kathryn Hall Release Party was held on The Great Lawn in St. Helena located at the base of the Mayacamas Mountains facing HALL’s Bergfeld Estate vineyard.

ABOUT HALL

HALL produces critically acclaimed artisan Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, available to taste and buy at two tasting room and winery locations in Napa Valley. Owned by Craig and Kathryn Walt Hall, its vineyard collection features five Certified Organic estates producing classic Bordeaux varietals. Each vintage, Director of Winemaking Steve Leveque crafts 16 distinct Cabernet Sauvignon wines which demonstrate the unique characteristics and diversity of Napa Valley. HALL’s highly rated wines include the 2008 “Kathryn Hall” Cabernet Sauvignon that earned #2 of the “Top 100” Wines in Wine Spectator and its 2010 ‘Exzellenz’ was awarded 100 points by Robert Parker, Wine Advocate. Since the first vintage in 2002, over 85 HALL wines have been rated 94 points and above. HALL employs high-density plantings and small vine viticulture combined with two cutting-edge, gravity-flow wineries to produce the highest quality wines. In addition, the HALL St. Helena winery was the first LEED® Gold Certified Winery in the State of California in 2009 and earned another LEED® Gold certification for its high tech production facility and modern tasting room in 2014, making HALL pioneers in the use of green buildings for the wine industry. Each of HALL’s state-of-the-art winemaking facilities and tasting rooms combine modern art and architecture matched with spectacular settings. For more information, please visit www.hallwines.com, @hallwines, or by calling 707.967.2626

Vintage Eve circa 9/2015: Re-Discovering Joseph Phelps, Plumpjack and Silver Oak

November 13, 2018 by evebushman Leave a Comment

Let me start with a note on these wineries that were due a re-visit: I think what happened was that in writing about wine I was looking toward newer places and really let my older standbys…stand by. And I was glad, after this past weekend in Napa, that I took the opportunity to go back to some old favorites. (Only want to see photos? Look here.)

A view of the entrance up to Joseph Phelps Vineyards.

The last time we visited Joseph Phelps Vineyards was around my birthday, 10 years ago. The reason I remember the time of year is that I worked it out…to get a wine club membership as a gift. Eddie loved Insignia but it was rich for my blood, luckily the birthday turned out to be the gift that kept on giving, for about five years.

We recently cracked open a 2002 Insignia, a former Wine Spectator wine of the year, and thought why not return for a visit. (My tasting notes: Aromas of stewed plums, fig and sautéed mushrooms and rich decadent flavor of solid black fruit in a killer length.)

This time I set our tasting appointment for right after Ed got a new job…deserving of another gift. And we became members again due to this stellar tasting below, that ended with a sample of the 2016 release of Insignia. (All notes on aromas and flavors are separated by ; )

2013 Sauvignon Blanc, St. Helena: Pineapple, pink grapefruit, lemon zest; crisp pear, apple with a medium acid. Very pleasant. 94 Eve pts.

2013 Viognier, St. Helena: Jasmine, lime, white pepper and white peach; a viscous melding of peach, pink lemonade, kiwi and banana. A real interesting wine. 95 Eve pts.

2012 Pinot Noir, Pastorale Vineyard: Spiced cherry, smoke and toasted oak; resonating dry cherry. 91 Eve pts.

2012 Pinot Noir, Quarter Moon Vineyard: Red to black cherry, eucalyptus; balanced tart and dark fruits, incredible depth. 93 Eve pts.

2012 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley: Blackberry, dark chocolate, mint, blueberry and dust; blackberry, tannic, dry, dark and dusty, 94 Eve pts.

2012 Insignia (opened the day before): Black peppercorn, blue and black fruit, velvety, chocolate covered cherry; a perfect balance of dusty dark fruit and rich tannins, and lucky for the taster, a delectably long finish. 99 Eve pts.

2012 Cabernet Sauvignon, Backus Vineyard: Smoke, blueberry, dark chocolate and toasted oak; a lot more fruit forward than Insignia, less spice, but a lovely balance. 93 Eve pts.

To Be Released September 2016, 2013 Insignia: Robust red fruit, boysenberry, toasted oak; dry red fruit, mild pepper, chewy on the palate, drying and another long finish. This will be good.

Plumpjack Winery was another spot we hadn’t visited in many years and were curious to re-visit.

We had a large selection offered to taste, but that didn’t stop me from visiting with other tasters when they commented on my Wine Dogs T-shirt. And when I spied the book I pointed out my essay in two of the books they had there. Soon I was signing a copy and asked to take a photo. This was a real treat for me! But now, back to our tasting. We soon learned that Plumpjack had two other labels: Cade and Odette:

2014 Cade Sauvignon Blanc: Crisp, candy apple, steely; juicy, lemon, tart but with a low acid I appreciated. 89 Eve pts.

2014 Plumpjack Reserve Chardonnay: Beautiful fruit, juicy pear, lemon hard candy and honey; low acidity and the same fruit carried over to the taste. 89 Eve pts.

2013 Plumpjack Syrah: Gamey, smoke, fig, raisin; black chewy fruit, cigar, plum, toast. Dark, big and dusty. 89 Eve pts.

2012 Plumpjack Estate Cabernet Sauvignon: Blackberry, blueberry, wet bark; big and bold at the start and then an even bigger finish. 89 Eve pts.

2013 Plumpjack Merlot: Pepper, smoke and milk chocolate, both red and black fruit, big and juicy. 88 Eve pts.

Odette Cabernet Sauvignon, Estate: Deep and resonating plum, spice, black cherry; Velvet, an easy drinker with a strong fruit profile. 93 Eve pts.

2012 Cade Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon: Pungent plum, berry, black fruit; very balanced, less spice than some of the others, quite pleasant now. 90 Eve pts.

I think that it was the same time that we visited Joseph Phelps 10 years ago we also had visited Silver Oak Winery. (Of course back then I was writing about wine for The Signal newspaper and no one had corrected me in calling it Silver OakS.)

I was very happy to revisit the wines in this tasting:

2011 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, released August 1, 2015: Peppery, cherry pie, sourdough toast, earth; the same pepper, cherry liqueur, a beautiful mouthfeel and medium length. 91 Eve pts.

2010 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon: Raisinette candy, stewed plums, blackberry jam and wet leaves; dark spiced fruit, medium pepper, tannin, chewy and nicely balanced. 91 Eve pts.

2008* Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. (This year saw four years in bottle prior to release.) Spicy, red fruit, mushroom; bright fruit combined with spice and pepper. 95 Eve pts.

2006* Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon: Earth, cooked mushroom, stewed fruit; a lovely velvety balance of rich fruit with a port-like finish. 94 Eve pts.

*There is a nice quantity of older wines from the Silver Oak library for tasting and purchase. Besides the thrill of tasting a cellared wine to see how it’s done, Silver Oak has priced them all only $5 above their original retail price. We bought both a bottle of both the 08 and 06.

Vintage Eve Circa 9/2015: Wine Tasting in Downtown Napa at Pure Cru, Bounty Hunter and Vintner’s Collective

November 6, 2018 by evebushman Leave a Comment

There is an alternative for wine tasters that are ready to explore more after Napa winery tasting rooms shut down at night: get thee to the Pure Cru wine bar and tasting room in downtown Napa to taste winemaker Mitch Cosentino’s latest vintages. (And if that’s not enough of an inducement, the downtown Napa area also boasts dozens of restaurants, hotels, a meandering river walk…and a some other tasting rooms I’ll cover in this article. Story in photos here.)

Winemaker Mitch Cosentino tasting through a few of his wines with us!

We were visiting during this recent harvest season, so we met up with Mitch at the end of his day, 7pm, for a chat and a tasting. I was asking which of the other Long Beach Grand Cru judges we needed to kill off for me to get a permanent spot and Mitch, bless his hard-working heart, indulged my fantasy while leading us through a stellar tasting. We ended up ordering a mixed case.

Tasting – aromas and flavors separated by ;

2013 Chardonnay: Asian pear, unsalted creamy butter, crème fraise, and a pale hint of rosemary; pear, apple and, see if you can find-it-cranberry delivered a perfect balance. 91 Eve pts.

2011 Sangio Vetta: Very smooth, with nuances of cherry and bark; a very easy drinker with that same cherry on the palate but this time it was crushed onto toast. 90 Eve pts.

2011 Cabernet Sauvignon: Plum, tri-color peppercorns, milk chocolate; beautiful balance of fruit, spice and chocolate. 94 Eve pts.

2011 CFM (Cabernet Franc and Merlot blend): Spiced plum, mint, pepper, creamy with some pleasing vegetation; there was that chocolate-covered-cherry again, nice and chewy, great balance, 94 Eve pts.

2011 The Don: (25% of the sales of this wine go to Make-A-Wish foundation and is named after a former partner in the winery that has since passed away.) 100% Cabernet from “two of the rarest clones” that shall not be named…I got aromas of dust, what Mitch referred to as “lead pencil”, blackberry and hard candy; very rich dark fruit, velvety, intense black cherry that would be hard for any taster to miss, doesn’t need food or aging. 96 Eve pts.

2011 Reserve Cab Franc: With only 44 cases made your best bet is to get to the tasting bar and ask if there is any left. Dark berry, cigar, eucalyptus, resonating with melted chocolate; loved the balance of dark fruit, spice and tannin. Great melding of flavors. 95 Eve pts.

Of this last wine, the Reserve Cab Franc, Mitch commented, “The worst this wine will taste over the next 10 to 15 years is today.” Well done.

We were headed over to dinner at the Bounty Hunter Wine Bar and Smokin’ BBQ (great $10 sampler for their Happy Hour, skip the house wines but definitely go for the wine flights and spirits.) and lo and behold I saw someone I knew: Ben Mason, formerly of the Hipster Enology wine blog that I had met at Rhone Rangers LA about five years ago!

Ben is now living the dream: living and working in wine country doing Sales and Hospitality for the Vintner’s Collective Napa Valley. Their collective tasting room is right in downtown Napa and we etched out another hour of our wine tasting day to visit him, coincidentally when he was doing a nice tasting event.

The tasting room had been damaged in the recent Napa earthquake, and while under construction is open for business. They represent over a dozen wineries. We tasted from four during our visit and bought a mixed half case. Of these wineries, all new to us, we purchased a Napa Zinfandel from D Cubed and a red Bordeaux blend from Buoncristiani. Both were very reasonably priced for Napa standards.

Besides seeing Ben there we thoroughly enjoyed meeting other people on the comfy seating on their huge second story porch. Definitely a place to revisit!

VINTNER KATHRYN WALT HALL TO HOST ‘HIGH-POWERED HIGH HEELS’ ON NOV. 9

October 29, 2018 by evebushman Leave a Comment

ST. HELENA, CALIFORNIA –Vintner Kathryn Hall, owner of one of the leading luxury Cabernet Sauvignon brands in the world, HALL Wines, has announced details for a unique women’s roundtable event to be held at HALL St. Helena on Friday, November 9, 2018. The High-Powered High Heel’s-titled discussion includes a panel of successful women and risk-takers who will share their stories of the rewards and challenges in their respective careers, and how they have shattered ceilings to help pave the way for their individual successes. The conversation brings together women from a range of industries and backgrounds who will discuss how they’ve bridged various gaps throughout their careers, and collectively share industry insight as they all look ahead to the future.

Women’s Roundtable Conversation to be moderated by Academy Award Winner Mira Sorvino

“The roster of women involved in the panel have all focused throughout their careers on consistently creating new foundations, new connections, and new conversations,” says Vintner and former United States Ambassador to Austria, Kathryn Walt Hall. “They are in different industries, but the discourse is similar in that the panel members embrace cultural changes and effectively express their individual voices. We look forward to an exciting afternoon as they share their experiences and challenges with each other and with our guests.”

The conversation will be moderated by Academy Award and Golden Globe winner Mira Sorvino who will lead the panel discussion that includes Actress Annie Starke, Technical Emmy Award winner LeShelle May, Founder and CEO of leading luxury fashion brand Maris Collective, Lee Ann Sauter, and Vintner Kathryn Walt Hall. Sorvino will lead the discussion to include topics related to male dominated industries and the shattered ceiling concept, the current political climate, share insight from each about helping bridge cultural gaps in the workplace, and more. Post the 60-minute discussion, guests in attendance will be allowed to ask questions directly to the panelists. The conversation aims to share current perspective from powerful female leaders and to comment on female empowerment throughout the course of their careers – and what lies ahead for each.

Friday, November 9, 2018
11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. PST

HALL St. Helena
401 St. Helena Hwy S.
St. Helena, CA 94574

TICKETS: Limited tickets are available for $400 per person and include lunch paired with HALL, WALT and BACA wines immediately following the panel discussion. Purchase HERE.

LISTEN-IN: The public is invited to join the conversation and listen live by visiting www.hallwines.com/LIVE, www.waltwines.com/LIVE, and www.bacawines.com/LIVE beginning at 11:30 a.m. PST to 1:00 p.m. and access the live stream.

The High-Powered High Heels conversation will be streamed live complimentary on the following websites – www.hallwines.com, www.waltwines.com, and www.bacawines.com from 11:30 a.m. PST to 1:00 p.m. PST. The two hour event will be held at HALL St. Helena with limited tickets available for purchase via Eventbrite and includes wine provided by HALL, WALT and BACA wines and lunch immediately following the panel.

# # #

HALL: The Art of Cabernet
HALL produces award-winning Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, available to taste and buy at two properties in Napa Valley as well as at hallwines.com. Owned by Craig and Kathryn Hall, its vineyard collection features seven Estate vineyards, of which five are California Certified Organic (CCOF). Led by Vice President and head winemaker Steve Leveque, HALL’s portfolio includes 19 distinctive Cabernet Sauvignon bottlings highlighting the finest vineyards and sub-appellations of the Napa Valley. The HALL St. Helena winery was the first LEED® Gold Certified Winery in the State of California in 2009 and earned another LEED® Gold certification for its high tech production facility and Tasting Room in 2014, making HALL a leader in green efficiencies. HALL’s 2008 ‘Kathryn Hall’ Cabernet earned the #2 spot in Wine Spectator’s “Top 100.” Two other bottlings, the ‘Exzellenz’ and ‘Rainin Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignons have garnered multiple 100 point ratings in recent years. For more information about HALL, please visit www.hallwines.com or by calling 707.967.2626. @hallwines #artofcabernet.

WALT: 1,000 Miles of Pinot
WALT specializes in premier Pinot Noir and Chardonnay sourced from the most coveted vineyards along the Pacific Coast, spanning 1,000 miles from as far north as the Willamette Valley to the Sta. Rita Hills in Santa Barbara County. Led by Winemaker, Megan Gunderson Paredes, WALT represents wines of a place – these special sites where thoughtful viticulture enables winemakers to create expressive wines that reflect the signature personality of each site. WALT farms three estate vineyards and partners with meticulous growers who aspire to share standards of quality. Owned by Kathryn Walt Hall and her husband Craig, WALT honors Kathryn’s parents, Bob and Dolores Walt, who were grape growers in Mendocino County since 1972 and nurtured Kathryn’s passion for vineyards and wine. The WALT Sonoma Square Tasting Room opened in 2012 and is located in Sonoma, CA and is open to the public. For more information, please visit www.waltwines.com or by calling (707) 933-4440. @waltwines #1000milesofpinot.

BACA: Life’s An Adventure. Here’s To Those Who Drink It Up
BACA produces California Zinfandel sourced from some of the state’s most notable vineyards including Russian River Valley, Rockpile, Howell Mountain, and Paso Robles. Led by Winemaker Alison Frichtl Hollister and Director Jennifer Brown, the inaugural BACA 2016 wine portfolio includes four wines focusing on complex, high quality California Zinfandel. BACA is part of the HALL Family of wine brands and is produced at HALL Wines in St. Helena. For more information, please visit www.bacawines.com.