Eve's Wine 101

Perlises Pick: Emmitt-Scorsone Wines

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

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

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

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

Emmitt-Scorsone actually has three labels.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Emmitt-Scorsone Wines

www.emmittscorsone.com

1830 Jameson Rd, Healdsburg, CA 95448

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

South Coast and Carter Estate Wineries Earn More Wine Medals

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TEMECULA, Calif. – South Coast Winery and Carter Estate Winery, owned by the Carter family, are the proud recipients of a total of 16 esteemed winning medals at the renowned Toast of the Coast Wine Competition produced by the San Diego County Fair, which takes place annually at the Del Mar Fairgrounds in Del Mar, Calif. The competition celebrates wineries from around the world producing the finest quality wines. Judging by 18 wine-credentialed judges, including winemakers, wine journalists, consultants, educators, hospitality proprietors, sommeliers and wine directors, took place on March 26 and 27, and close to 500 winners were posted on April 8.

“The Toast of the Coast Competition is always a most worthwhile wine judging arena for the fruitful labors of our Temucula-based master winemakers Jon McPherson, Javier Flores and their dedicated team,” said Jeff Carter, president of Carter Hospitality. “South Coast Winery’s Double Gold placements for Meritage 2017 and Grenache Blanc 2020 and Carter Estate Winery’s Double Gold for its Daybreak with bottling in 2022 are accomplishments we are especially proud of achieving.”

South Coast Winery Toast of the Coast 2022 Winners:

Ø  Meritage 2017, Double Gold, 94 points

Ø  Grenache Blanc 2020, Double Gold, 94 points

Ø  Verdelho 2020, Gold, 92 points

Ø  Maverick, 2017, Gold, 91 points

Ø  Sauvignon Blanc 2019, Gold, 91 points

Ø  Sangiovese 2017, Gold, 90 points

Ø  Late Harvest Gewurztraminer 2020, Gold, 90 points

Ø  20th Anniversary 2018, Silver

Ø  Chardonnay Sans Chene 2020, Silver

Ø  Pinot Blanc 2020, Silver

Ø  Pinot Grigio, 2020, Silver

Ø  Big Red Table 6th Edition NV, Silver

Carter Estate Winery Toast of the Coast 2022 Winners:

Ø  Daybreak (2022 bottling) NV, Double Gold, 95 points

Ø  Brut 2015, Silver

Ø  Blanc de Blanc 2015, Silver

Ø  Blanc de Noir 2015, Silver

A list of all winners and additional information is available at thetoastofthecoast.com.

About South Coast Winery Resort & Spa

The only winery among the state’s top wineries to claim the title of California Winery of the Year four times at the California State Fair Wine Competition, South Coast Winery Resort & Spa sets the gold standard for excellence amongst California wineries, earning more than 3,000 awards since its inception in 2003. Situated on 63 lush acres, the resort offers a breathtaking retreat for wine tours, romantic getaways and group events with 132 rooms and villas, a working winery and tasting room, gift shop, full-service spa and restaurant.

South Coast Winery offers a broad portfolio of 45 wine labels, the majority of which are available for sampling in its main tasting room – from robust reds such as Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Petit Syrah, Merlot and Pinot Noir to whites including Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay and Riesling. Also available are sparkling wines, dessert wines and other specialty offerings. The winery employs a staff of skilled winemakers, including master winemaker Jon McPherson and winemaker Javier Flores, both with decades of experience in the wine industry.

For more information, visit www.southcoastwinery.com.

About Carter Hospitality Group

Established in 2011, Carter Hospitality Group, LLC. is a family-owned hospitality company with four hotels and resorts as well as three wineries across the United States. Based in Orange County, California, the company manages and owns a portfolio of luxury properties including South Coast Winery Resort & Spa, Temecula, California; Carter Estate Winery and Resort, Temecula California; and Carter Creek Winery Resort & Spa, Texas Hill Country. Carter Hospitality Group additionally serves as the owner-franchisee for Red Lion Hotel Orlando Lake Buena Vista South, Orlando Florida. For more information, visit www.carterhospitality.com.

Perlises Pick: Jeff Cohn Cellars

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jeff Cohn Cellars

34 North St, Healdsburg, CA 95448

www.jeffcohncellars.com

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

Get to know Priorat DOQ and Its Unique Landscape through “Taste the Difference: Quality Wines from the Heart of Europe” project

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NEW YORK (PRWEB) – Priorat is a small region in the southwest of Catalonia with a long winemaking tradition which today produces some of the world’s most sought-after wines.

The name Priorat has been linked to wine from the 12th century when the Carthusian monks brought from Provence the knowledge and techniques to develop a winegrowing culture. The Cartoixa (Carthusian Monastery) of Scala Dei, founded in 1194, represents the birthplace of winemaking in the DOQ Priorat region.

Unfortunately, the drama of phylloxera, which brought devastation in all Europe at the end of the 19th Century, didn’t spare the Priorat region, which lost almost all its vineyards. It was thanks to the old generation of farmers, their dignity and love of the land that Priorat was able to re-emerge in the 1950s with the replanting of vineyards and the preservation of the agricultural tradition and culture. At the end of the ‘80s a new entrepreneurial spirit which combined quality and innovation with the original wisdom laid the foundation of Priorat’s renaissance, which led to today’s development of Priorat wines to top class. The DOQ Priorat was formally created in 1954 and elevated to DOQ, Spain’s highest wine classification, in 2006, the second of the only two regions to hold this privilege, after Rioja.

The reason of such accomplishment lies in the uniqueness of the Priorat landscape. The DOQ Priorat forms a compact and well-defined landscape unit, formed by the great mountainous amphitheater that stretches out at the foot of the Sierra de Montsant, by the slate-bed of its hillsides. The vineyards are planted on the slopes at altitudes of between 100 m and 700 m. with such a tortuous geography that many of them are worked as “costers” (Catalan word meaning steep slope) with the resulting necessity to build terraces. What gives the typical minerality and longevity associated with the region’s wines is the special Priorat soil of volcanic origin, a combination of reddish and black slate with particles of mica, called “licorella” in Spanish, Quality is also linked to low yields, and Priorat is among Spain’s lowest yield-wines, often much lower than the authorized maximum yield of 6,000 kg/ha.

Priorat is most known for its powerful reds, mainly single varietal wines of Grenache or Carignan, or blended with international varieties, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Syrah in a Bordeaux style. Among whites, the most common grapes are Garnacha blanca, Macabeo, Pedro Ximénez and Chenin.

Today, DOQ Priorat counts 107 wineries with 2.095 ha of vineyards, 155 of which were planted before 1945. The breathtaking views that characterize the Priorat landscape attract each year numerous visitors and wine lovers.

Priorat DOQ is one of the many PDOs featured in “Taste the Difference: Quality WInes from the Heart of Europe” campaign, which aims at promoting European Quality Schemes (PDO/PGI) and high-quality European wines, with a numerous series of activities in the program this year all over the US.

About TASTE THE DIFFERENCE PROGRAM:
The program: European quality wines: taste the difference is a project financed by the European Union and managed by Unione Italiana Vini and PRODECA for the promotion of PDO and PGI European wines abroad in China and US. In order to achieve this objective, the TTD.EU program will organize wine seminars, workshops and b2b meetings both in these countries and in Spain and Italy, inviting wine professionals to join study trips to Europe. The program, realized in the span of three years (2021-2023) aims at creating awareness about European quality wines, in particular Italian and Spanish, which share a long tradition and a high standard of quality.

The beneficiaries: Unione Italiana Vini is the oldest and most commissioned Association of the Italian wine market. It represents cooperative, private and agricultural wine-companies, bottlers, consortia, associations and wine-making machines or wine cellars / laboratory manufacturers, located throughout the Italian territory. Promotora d’Exportacions Catalanes (PRODECA) is a public company established in 1986 and part of the “Ministry of Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda of the Government of Catalonia”. It supports the agri-food sector and its companies with the knowledge, tools and experience to increase their products in Catalunya and worldwide.

Eve’s How To: The Wine Night

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We have a “wine night” with friends pretty frequently and it recently dawned on me that I’ve never written about how that works.

For some, or even most of you, you have some experience with this: you invite pals over, everyone brings a bottle or two to share over dinner, and you talk about the wines – why you chose them and how they fared during the evening. This blog post is to remind those with experience how to make it enjoyable for the newbie guest, and the how-to for a newbie host.

This one wine night I will use as an example is described a bit in this social media post: How was your last Wine Night with friends? We recently shared a 2019 Napa Hindsight Chardonnay that was new to me and Chablis-like due to its fresh fruit and no noticeable oak, then came the Grenache we mistook for Syrah or Mourvedre in a 2007 Domaine Du Pegau Chateauneuf Du Pape, a masterfully balanced 2000 Marcarini Brunate Barolo with dinner that benefitted from 6 hours of decanting, and two I was too tired to taste: 2010 Orma Super Tuscan and Camus VSOP Cognac. If I had to pick a favorite of the night it would be hard as the ones I had were all so good for many different reasons.

Now the details to help our wine 101ers:

Let your guests know what your menu is so they can bring a wine (or two) that they believe will be appropriate for pairing.

Always have a white to start. I’m amazed at how many people prefer sparkling, white or pink wines in general; so having at least one leaves no one out.

Decant any wine, in this case it was the Barolo, if you know requires it due to its youth or older age. Decanting allows more air to envelop a wine that needs to “open up” a bit before drinking. If you’re not sure, taste the wine before you serve it to guests. If it’s tight or tart decant it. You can also search the Internet for the same wine (same vintage year too) and see what others recommend.

Serve appetizers as well as a main course during your evening. Drinking wine without food causes early inebriation so having some starters helps. And as this may be when you are drinking your white wine, serve with cheeses, nuts, and crackers – nothing too big – unless you will be moving onto reds. If you do that before dinner then add in the charcuterie. Some wine people like charcuterie with whites too, it’s not my preference, but as in my recommendation for decanting – taste your food with your wine to educate your palate and form your own opinion.

When you do move onto reds you can do it a couple of different ways. Serve the lower alcohol wines first and move up the bigger ones last. You can decide what is served first depending on the menu. Big wine with big food. In this case we had the Barolo with a lasagna dinner, the Rhone that was more Grenache-based just before, and the Napa Chardonnay first. The Super Tuscan came at the end of the meal and the Cognac came last.

One other note on the order of the wines. If you have an amazing wine to share consider serving it early on in the evening. I had “palate fatigue” and couldn’t taste the final Super Tuscan or enjoy the Cognac, and I may have missed out.

Lastly, encourage your guests to taste each wine before committing to a full glass. That way if it isn’t their “cup of tea” they can move onto something else that is. I like to have at least two bottles open at a time to give guests that option.

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.

Arizona Wines Score Big in San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition

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San Francisco, CA. – The San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition (SFCWC) is one of the world’s most highly publicized and well-respected wine competitions of both local and large-scale wineries. A testament to the quality of wines being grown in the state, several of Arizona’s wineries have been chosen as winners in this year’s SFCWC competition.

Photo from Phoenix.org

Arizona has three wine growing regions (Verde Valley, Willcox and Sonoita/Elgin), all of which are designated American Viticultural Areas. In total, there are more than 120 wineries and tasting rooms, many of which grow varietals native to Italy and Southern France. The following wineries placed in the categories below:

  • Callaghan Vineyards:
    • Red Blend: Grenache leading blend – Up to – $29.99
    • Port – Up to – $32.99
    • White Blends – $28.00 and over
    • Cabernet Franc – $30.00 – $39.99
    • Red Blend: Grenache leading blend – $30.00 and over
    • Red Blend: Petite Sirah leading blend.
  • Copper Horse Vineyard:
    • Cabernet Sauvignon – $35.00 – $38.99
  • Four Tails Vineyard:
    • Cabernet Sauvignon – $35.00 – $38.99
    • Petite Sirah – $28.00 – $34.99
    • Viognier – Up to – $26.99
    • Petit Verdot – Up to – $39.99
    • Tempranillo – Up to – $34.99
    • Dry Rosé/Blush Blend – RS 0
  • Golden Rule Vineyards:
    • Red Blend: Sangiovese leading blend
    • Red Blend: Petite Sirah leading blend
    • Aglianico
    • Mourvedre
  • Heart Wood Cellars:
    • Cabernet Sauvignon – $39.00 – $41.99
    • Red Blend: Syrah leading blend – $36.00 and over
    • Tannat
    • All Other Red Varietals
    • Port – $33.00 and over
    • Red Blend: Petite Sirah leading blend
    • Sangiovese – $35.00 and over
    • Tempranillo – $35 and over
    • Dry Rosé/Blush – RS .1 – .299
    • Mourvedre
    • Petite Sirah – $46.00 and over
    • Pinot Noir – $44.00 – $47.99.
  • High Lonesome Vineyard:
    • Malbec – $37.00 and over
    • Tannat
    • All Other Red Varietals
    • Other White Varietals
  • Javelina Leap Vineyard & Winery:
    • Rosé Sparkling
    • Merlot – $27.00-$30.99
    • Petite Sirah – $35.00-$39.99
    • Petite Sirah – $40.00-$45.99
    • Red Blend: Zinfandel leading blend – $25.00 and over
    • Riesling – Dry <.99 RS
    • Sangiovese – Up to $34.99
    • Sauvignon Blanc/Fume – $20.00-$25.99
    • Syrah/Shiraz – $31.00-$34.99
    • Tempranillo – $35 and over
    • Zinfandel – $42.00-$47.99
    • Barbera – Up to $34.99
    • Cabernet Sauvignon – $35.00 – $38.99
    • Dry Rosé/Blush Blend – RS 0
    • Red Blend: Merlot leading blend – $30.00 and over
    • Zinfandel – $32.00-$34.99
  • Jerome Winery:
    • All Other Red Varietals
  • LDV Winery:
    • Petite Sirah – $46.00 and over
    • Petite Sirah – $40.00-$45.99
  • Mogollon Vineyards:
    • Chardonnay – $23.00 – $25.99
    • Red Blend: Syrah leading blend – Up to – $35.99
    • White Blends – $28.00 and over
    • Grenache – Up to – $34.99.
  • Pillsbury Wine Company:
    • Petite Sirah – $46.00 and over
    • Syrah/Shiraz – $44.00 and over
    • Dry/Sweet Rosé/Blush – RS 1.00 and over
    • Grenache – $35.00 and over
    • Malvasia Bianca
    • Red Blend: Mourvedre leading blend
    • White Blends – $22.00 – $27.99
    • Mourvedre
    • Red Blend: Grenache leading blend – $30.00 and over
    • Red Blend: Syrah leading blend – $36.00 and over
    • White Blends – $28.00 and over
    • White Blends – Up to – $21.99
  • Strive Vineyards:
    • Aglianico
    • Cabernet Franc – $30.00-$39.99
    • Dry Rosé/Blush – RS 0
    • Petite Verdot – Up to $39.99
    • Port – $33.00 and over
  • Sultry Cellars:
    • All Other Red Blends: $35.00 and over
  • Tantrum Wines:
    • Chardonnay – $20.00-$22.99
    • Dry/Sweet Rosé/Blush – RS 1.00 and over
    • Red Blend: Petite Sirah leading blend
    • Pinot Noir – $32.00-$35.99
  • Winery 1912:
    • Grenache – Up to – $34.99
    • Albariño
    • Red Blend: Grenache leading blend – $30.00 and over
    • Verdelho
  • Zarpara:
    • All Other Red Varietals
    • Red Blend: Syrah leading blend – Up to – $35.99.

Congratulations to all the winners of this year’s competition! Find out more about Arizona Wines with Arizona’s Wine Trail Passport.

Carter Creek Winery Racks Up 12 Awards at TXIWC

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JOHNSON CITY, Texas – Carter Creek Winery, located in the heart of Texas Hill Country and owned by the Carter Family, accepted 12 awards at one of the largest wine competitions in Texas – the 5th Annual Texas International Wine Competition (TXIWC). The mission of this yearly competition is to highlight Texas as a prominent viticulture and wine-making region while also raising funds for charitable donations for local community organizations.

Entries from six countries and over 11 U.S. states were blind tasted and judged by panels of three or more industry qualified judges – master sommeliers, masters of wine, certified wine educators, enologists, wine writers, professors, beverage directors, buyers and other influencers – all chosen for their vast experience and well-trained palates.

“We are most pleased that 12 of our Texas High Plains wines from Carter Creek Family Winery won distinguished recognition at TXIWC and especially proud our Plateau Red was awarded Best of Class Texas Red,” said Jeff Carter, president of Carter Hospitality, operating company of Carter Creek Winery Resort & Spa. “We too, like the organizers of this competition, are passionate about bringing recognition to Texas viticulture and supporting local community causes,” Carter added.

Veteran master winemaker Jon McPherson, who oversees production of Carter Creek’s award-winning wines, points out the winery’s vineyards in Texas Hill Country produce varietals that are especially unique because of the combination of an extremely warm growing season and an early harvest delivering softer, earth driven wines. McPherson likes to talk about the qualities of Best of Class Texas Red winner, Plateau Red, which is a blend of tempranillo, grenache, touriga nacional and tinta cao, showing a very exotic fruit aroma of spiced black cherries and raspberries. He says that Plateau Red is a rich, full-bodied wine due to 18 months of barrel aging and pleases the palate with bold lingering fruit flavors.

The 12 Carter Creek Winery, Texas High Plains award winners include the Best of Class Texas Red, one double gold, two gold and eight silver medals. Award winning wines include:

  • Best of Class Texas Red Wine Blend: Plateau Red, 2016
  • Double Gold Red Wine Blend: Maverick, 2018
  • Gold Medal White Wine Blend: Gloriosa, 2017
  • Gold Medal Red Wine Blend: Maverick, 2017
  • Silver Medal Sparkling White: Brut, NV
  • Silver Medal Dessert, Port: Dominum Tinto, NV
  • Silver Medal Other Flavored Grape Wine: Sangria, NV
  • Silver Medal Sparkling Fruit: Sparkling Peach, NV
  • Silver Medal Red: Tempranillo, 2016
  • Silver Medal White Blend: Plateau White, 2017
  • Silver Medal White Blend: Viognier Roussanne, 2017
  • Silver Medal White Blend: Viognier Roussanne, 2018

Producing award-winning wines since 2016, Carter Creek Winery’s production facilities are in Johnson City along Old Hwy 290 in Texas Hill Country, complementing Carter Creek Winery Resort & Spa. Carter Creek Winery Resort & Spa features 78 luxury villas, tasting rooms, a restaurant, its own onsite microbrewery creating small batch craft beers and an outdoor event center. It is a counterpart to Temecula, California’s award-winning South Coast Winery Resort & Spa and Carter Estate Winery and Resort.

 About Carter Hospitality Group

Established in 2011, Carter Hospitality Group, LLC. is a family-owned hospitality company with four hotels and resorts as well as three wineries across the United States. Based in Orange County, California, the company manages and owns a portfolio of luxury properties including South Coast Winery Resort & Spa, Temecula, California; Carter Estate Winery and Resort, Temecula California; and Carter Creek Winery Resort & Spa, Texas Hill Country. Carter Hospitality Group additionally serves as the owner-franchisee for Red Lion Hotel Orlando Lake Buena Vista South, Orlando Florida. For more information, visit www.carterhospitality.com.

Perlises Pick: LAW ESTATE WINES

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

But it wasn’t always this way.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

We tasted through the following reds:

2018 Beguiling – 85% Grenache, 15% Syrah

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

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

2018 Aspire – 84% Syrah, 16% Grenache

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

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

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

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

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

LAW ESTATE WINES

www.lawestatewines.com

3885 Peachy Canyon Road, Paso Robles, CA 93446

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

Perlises Pick: J DUSI WINERY

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

J Dusi

www.jdusiwines.com

1401 CA 46 West

Paso Robles, CA 93446

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

Gleason Family Vineyards Santa Barbara County Wine Country Portfolio Acquires Solvang, CA’s Buttonwood Farm Winery & Vineyard

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Santa Ynez, CA – The Gleason Family Vineyards Santa Ynez Valley portfolio of brands (Roblar Winery and Vineyards, Refugio Ranch Vineyards) has officially announced the December 2021 acquisition of Solvang, California’s Buttonwood Farm Winery & Vineyard (www.ButtonwoodWinery.com), a 106-acre property in the heart of Santa Barbara County wine country.

Buttonwood Farm Winery & Vineyard currently comprises a 42-acre estate vineyard, onsite winery facility, tasting room and gardens, a two-acre orchard, small hop yard, and 10 acres of rotated seasonal produce. The property, founded in 1968 on a principle of sustainability, was first utilized as an equestrian operation, followed by the planting of organic fruits and vegetables, and in 1983, the initial planting of the vineyard.

Originally created by Betty Williams, a founder of The Land Trust for Santa Barbara County and an engaged community planning member, Buttonwood’s sustainable vineyard was first planted with a focus on Bordeaux-style wines. The vineyard evolved over time, and small blocks of Grenache Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Grenache, Syrah, Sauvignon Musqué, and Malbec joined the original plantings of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sémillon, and Sauvignon Blanc. The entire vineyard is own-rooted.

Bret Davenport, president and managing partner of Buttonwood, along with his wife Barry Zorthian and partner, Seyburn Zorthian, have been instrumental in furthering Williams’ vision for the Buttonwood property. Williams and Davenport partnered in 1983 with the original planting of the vineyard, continuing in 1989 with the building and bonding of the winery. Seyburn Zorthian has been the designing artist of Buttonwood’s labels since the founding, working from her studio on the property since the early 1970s.

Bret Davenport commented, “It’s been fascinating to review our family’s fifty-plus years here on Buttonwood Farm. We’ve observed the evolution of our wine region, partnered with wonderful people to create special occasions with the land as the backdrop, and enjoyed the wine and food that we grew. My partners and I feel that we are handing over the Buttonwood legacy to the right people, who share our philosophy of preserving the intrinsic character of this special land. We look forward to seeing this new chapter in Buttonwood’s history unfold.”

Kevin Gleason, proprietor of the Gleason Family Vineyard portfolio along with his wife, Niki Gleason, added, “Buttonwood farm and vineyard property is iconic, and the family behind it has such deep roots in this wine region, and in the area’s agricultural community. As a family owned and operated group, this resonated highly with us, and we look forward to becoming new stewards for this land to continue to prosper and evolve.”

In 2004, Niki and Kevin Gleason purchased a Santa Ynez Valley cattle ranch which had been used for grazing for hundreds of years. The 415-acre site, now Refugio Ranch, sits along the northern face of the Santa Ynez Mountains with the Santa Ynez River serving as its northern property border. The Gleasons planted 26 acres of vines in 2006, and produced their first Refugio Ranch Vineyards wines in 2008.

In 2017, the Gleasons purchased Santa Ynez Valley’s Roblar Winery and Vineyards, Royal Oaks Wines, and what was then-Royal Oaks Ranch which, in 2018, became the planting site for the family’s one-acre organic farm, now Roblar Farm. The proprietary farm sparked the introduction of new food menus and summer of 2021, the Gleason Family Vineyards portfolio announced new executive chef and head of culinary operations, Peter Cham, as part of the brands’ concerted expansion of Santa Barbara wine country hospitality experiences.

“Buttonwood fits extraordinarily well into our existing portfolio, not only due to its ideal positioning within the Santa Ynez Valley wine region, but also due to the farm component of the property and the hospitality for which Buttonwood is well known,” said Matthew Bieszard, Gleason Family Vineyards General Manager. He continued, “We are very excited about the possibilities Buttonwood has as a vineyard, farm, brand, and winery, and we look forward to putting the Gleason Family Vineyards touch on each facet of the business.”

Karen Steinwachs, Buttonwood’s winemaker for the past 14 years and one of the region’s trailblazing women winemakers with a double-decade wine industry career, will remain part of the Buttonwood winemaking team. Buttonwood’s winery will continue to operate, with the Gleason Family Vineyards portfolio’s winery facility on the Roblar property serving as the winemaking hub for all brands, led by head winemaker Max Marshak.

Buttonwood Farm Winery and Vineyard, located at 1500 Alamo Pintado Road, Solvang, CA, is currently open daily for outdoor wine tasting experiences and bottle purchases, 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Advance tasting reservations are recommended.

Roblar Winery and Vineyards, located at 3010 Roblar Avenue (at the intersection of Roblar Avenue and Highway 154), Santa Ynez, CA, is open daily for wine tasting experiences and bottle purchases, 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Advance tasting reservations are requested. Chef Cham’s weekly “Bites Menus” are offered Friday through Sunday, and house-made, to-go style sandwiches and salads are available in Roblar’s “bodega” the remainder of the week.

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Roblar Winery and Vineyards

3010 Roblar Avenue

Santa Ynez, CA 93460

Phone: 805.686.2603

www.RoblarWinery.com

Refugio Ranch Vineyards

2990 Grand Avenue

Los Olivos, CA 93441

Phone: 805.697.5289

www.RefugioRanch.com

Buttonwood Farm Winery & Vineyard

1500 Alamo Pintado Roadso
Solvang, CA 93463
Phone: 805.688.3032

www.ButtonwoodWinery.com

About the Gleason Family Vineyards Portfolio

The Gleason Family Vineyards (www.GleasonFamilyVineyards.com) hospitality portfolio is an independent, family owned and operated group of brands which includes Roblar Winery and Vineyards, Refugio Ranch Vineyards, and now, Buttonwood Farm Winery & Vineyard.

The Gleason family’s carefully-selected and meticulously farmed Santa Ynez Valley estate vineyards produce a variety of grapes from Sauvignon Blanc to Roussanne, Grenache to Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon to Syrah, all destined for expertly-crafted wines from the seasoned team of winemaker, Max Marshak, and assistant winemaker, Kat Neenan.

Roblar Winery and Vineyards (www.RoblarWinery.com), 40 acres of grand oak-studded grounds located at the crossroads of the Santa Barbara County towns of Santa Ynez and Los Olivos, offers immersive wine country itineraries for afternoons, overnights, and private events. The property boasts a 5,000-square-foot tasting room and multiple outdoor seating and event areas, and includes the luxe Roblar Farm ranch home, complete with an infinity pool overlooking vineyard views. Celebrate special occasions with an intimate chef’s dinner in the state of the art winery, on the one-acre, organic Roblar Farm, or at the estate’s black-and-white, indoor-outdoor event venue, the Tuxedo Barn. @RoblarWinery

The Los Olivos, CA tasting room for Refugio Ranch Vineyards (www.RefugioRanch.com), built c.1912, served as the warehouse for Pinal-Dome Refining Co. (later Union Oil), where tank cars from the Pacific Coast Railway were filled. The historical, early-1900s warehouse has been preserved, and now features two wine tasting bars, a VIP lounge, and an expansive outdoor deck, one of the largest tasting locations in Los Olivos. The 415-acre Refugio Ranch estate may be toured by appointment, awarding guests with wine tasting by the property’s Upper Pond, with views of the Santa Ynez Valley and San Rafael Mountains. @RefugioRanch