PERLIS PICKS: LAW ESTATE WINES

July 22, 2017 by Michael Perlis Leave a Comment

For most of my wine drinking life I’ve espoused the belief that my favorite wine experiences are one-on-one situations with the winemaker, often of a fairly low-budget operation sharing his or her creations with me, sometimes while standing at opposite ends of a barrel or out in a vineyard. I’ve tended to avoid the high end fancy facilities where I’ve worried [sometimes justifiably] that the money went into the architecture and not the wine.

From LAW Estate Facebook page.

Law Estate Wines continues to shatter that belief on a regular basis.

We first tasted the Law wines at the Ojai Wine Festival a few years ago. Winery General Manager Oliver Esparham was pouring their first vintage and we – especially Karen – fell in love with the Law Wines. I still remember Karen rushing up to me and telling me “You need to try Law – especially the GSM blend!” She was right; the wines were great. I had no idea what this winery had in the works though.

Not too long thereafter, we found ourselves meeting once again with Oliver, this time at the under-construction winery in the soon-to-be-named Adelaida district of Paso Robles. It had now become pretty clear that this was going to be one of those fancy wineries. Yet, I couldn’t really complain, as the wines were definitely awesome.

Let’s look at how they got that way.

Don and Susie Law followed their passion for Rhone wines from their home in Colorado to Paso Robles, which is known for producing some of the best American Rhones. As geologists, they knew the right soil when they found it, and they built the winery and tasting room to match what they knew were going to be extremely high quality grapes coming from their estate vineyards. Add to the mix a true superstar winemaker in Scott Hawley as well as a group of some of the best winery employees you’ll find anywhere, and the outcome is no surprise.

Earlier this year, we had occasion to visit the winery and taste some of their current releases. [Note that tastings are by appointment and there is a $20 charge for tasting. Also note that the $20 charge is waived if you join the Allocation – and why wouldn’t you?]

We tasted the following…

Beguiling 2012 [92% Grenache, 8% Syrah]

Intrepid 2013 [100% Syrah]

Sagacious 2013 [37% Grenache, 34% Mourvedre, 29% Syrah]

Beyond Category 2013 [50% Syrah, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Grenache, 15% Petite Sirah]

Never easy to pick a favorite here, as all the wines are truly delicious. Karen’s continues to be the Sagacious blend. I tend to lean toward the complex flavors of the Beyond Category but ultimately I’m a sucker for the Intrepid 100% Syrah.

A month or so later, we had the pleasure of attending LAW’s Black Label Release Dinner.

To explain a little, LAW has two sets of labels, White and Black. The White Label wines are released in the Fall and if you buy enough [12 bottles in total at least] you get the opportunity to purchase the Black Label wines when they are released early the next year. Now I haven’t noticed a huge qualitative difference between the two labels, at least for my palate; I’m just a big fan of all the LAW wines.

That is not to say you shouldn’t buy the Black Label wine too, as there is no reason not to buy all that Law has to offer. And, the perks are pretty good too, such as being able to attend this dinner [which filled up so quickly they had to add a second one].

Held in the barrel room, the menu for that evening was…

2013 The Nines [100% Grenache] paired with Porcini Mushroom Bisque [with Melted Leeks en Brioche, Dried Wild Blueberries, Chive Oil].

2013 Prima [100% Mourvedre] paired with Oak Grilled California Duck Breast [with Toasted Pearl Couscous, Fennel Confit, Hen of the Woods, Pomegranate Gastrique].

2013 First Tracks [40% Petit Verdot, 32% Syrah, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon] paired with Six Hour Braised Prime Beef Short Rib [with Truffle Polenta Gratin, Glazed Spinach, Heirloom Carrots, Syrah Bordelaise].

2013 Sagacious [57% Grenache, 34% Mourvedre, 29% Syrah] with Artisan Sheeps Milk Cheeses, Bacon Jam and Spiced Cherries.

Not surprisingly, everything was delicious and the wines and courses were perfectly paired to highlight the nuances of each. The big standout for me was the Prima with the duck, but that’s not really surprising given my fondness for both.

I almost forgot to mention that before dinner there was a social hour with appetizers and more great wine, including the debut of the 2015 Soph blend of Roussanne, Marsanne and Clairette Blanche.

Lots of happy people that evening. At this kind of event, attendees quickly become friends. And the gentleman next to me said: “This is the best wine event I’ve ever attended.” [He was also happy to be sitting next to the “other Michael Perlis”, but that’s a story for another day.]

And speaking of people, it would be very easy for the Law owners and staff to match the fanciness of the winery. But there were no “airs” evident. The Laws are gracious and approachable, as is Scott Hawley. Over the last few years, I’ve gotten to know the aforementioned GM OIiver Esparham as well as Tasting Room Manager Adelaida Pitts and Sales and Marketing Manager Arnaud Fabre. This visit we got to chat with Cellar Manager Pedro Vazquez, whose enthusiasm is infectious. Without them, and the rest of the Law team, being who they are, the wines would probably still be great but the experience wouldn’t be what it is.

Law Estate Wines

3885 Peachy Canyon Road

Paso Robles, CA 93446

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

Perlis Picks – MCV Wines

July 15, 2017 by Michael Perlis Leave a Comment

When Karen and I plan trips to Paso Robles Wine Country, I tend to wax nostalgic. Having been visiting wineries there for almost 20 years, I often look at the past through rose colored glasses [or is that rosé?].

Admittedly, I do kind of miss the days when Paso was our little secret to introduce to our friends. Trying to recreate the feel of those experiences is as much [or maybe even more] about the people that we know there as it is about the wine.

So, when we went back up to Paso Robles earlier this year, it may come as a surprise that we didn’t even start out tasting in Paso or the surrounding hills. Instead, we skipped the fairly short although borrrrring drive up the 5 and across the 46 and opted for the 101 to 1 route, with our destination to visit Matt Villard, owner/winemaker of MCV Wines.

The only other time we had visited Matt was in 2014. At that time, he was somewhat of a new kid on the block on Limestone Way in Paso Robles. Since then, he has moved his winery tasting room to the Morro Bay Embarcadero where he joins a few other wineries and wine bars in providing great wines to serious wine drinkers as well as the crowds that frequent Morro Bay at any given time.

Matt has great people working with him in the MCV tasting room. But the real treat is when Matt is there himself. He’s a lot of fun to hang out with and, should you be so inclined, is more than happy to “geek out” with you on the technical aspects of winemaking. And he knows his stuff, being justifiably proud of the abundance of 90+ scores he has received for his wines and for the other wineries for whom he is consulting winemaker.

Also, Matt old me that “we’re starting to do private tastings in the Paso Robles area for smaller groups. If anyone is interested they should call our tasting room.”

Some of the highlights of our tasting…

2015 ALV Sauvignon Blanc from the ONX vineyard, made in a “New Zealand” style and meant to be consumed very cold.

2013 Syrah – from the Glenrose Vineyard, this wine kind of blindsided me. At first, it just tasted like a really good Syrah. But as I continued to taste, the wine seemed to have a visceral effect on me. I don’t know if it triggered some memory that I couldn’t identify, but there was something about this wine that I really really liked, a lot.

2014 Red – an insane bargain at $21, delicious blend of Petite Sirah, Syrah, Grenache, Petit Verdot and Tannat.

Matt started MCV to focus on Petite Sirah, so we finished the tasting with two of those – the 2014 Petite Sirah and the 2014 Rosewynn Vineyard Petite Sirah. Matt explained that the latter was treated more like a Cabernet Sauvignon in the winemaking process while the former was more traditional. Both tasted excellent to me.

Matt also said that the 2016 vintage should be a benchmark vintage for Paso Robles. I am really looking forward to seeing what Matt and others do with the 2016 wines when they are released.

MCV Wines
845 Embarcadero Ste. H
Morro Bay, CA 93442

Australia Up Close: Part Two

June 16, 2017 by evebushman Leave a Comment

…enjoy making new discoveries as well as trying the latest vintages of old favorites.

Last week I wrote about the Australian white wine seminar I attended via the Australia Up Close event; what I learned and what we tasted. It got a little lengthy so I split up the story into two parts. Today is what happened the second part of the day, after the seminar, and is limited to all of the Australian red wines that I sampled in a walk around tasting; those that I loved and hope to get my hands on again.

My favorites (of those tables I got to as I know I missed quite a bit) are listed below. Wineries part of the “Australia’s First Families of Wine” designation that I liked are noted as an AFF Wine.

Trade Tasting Participating Wineries

Andrew Peace Wines

Ashton Hills

Austins

Ben Haines

Best’s Great Western

Bethany

Brokenwood

Brown Brothers

Campbells of Rutherglen

Cape Mentelle – 2013 Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot blend; 2014 Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot blend.

Climbing

Cullen

Dalrymple

d’Arenberg (AFF Wine) – 2013 “The Dead Arm” McLaren Vale Shiraz; 2013 “The Ironstone Pressings” McLaren Vale Grenache, Shiraz, Mourvedre blend; 2013 “The Coppermine Road” McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon; 2011 “The Old Bloke and Three Young Blondes” McLaren Vale Shiraz, Roussanne, Viognier and Marsanne blend. (The Old Bloke…only used 2% of each white wine varietal listed in the blend. They are newly biodynamic and organic. This may have been my favorite table.)

De Bortoli Wines

Delinquente

DiGiorgio Family Wines

Fowles Wine

Giant Steps

Handpicked Wines

Helen & Joey Estate

Henry’s Drive

Henschke Wines

Howard Park (AFF Wine) 2012 “Abercrombie” Mount Barker Great Southern Cabernet Sauvignon; 2009 “Abercrombie” Mount Barker Great Southern Cabernet Sauvignon. (While both were excellent I enjoyed the younger 2012 for all of the outstanding fruit and peppery notes. There was no irrigation used – though the vineyards have irrigation if needed – and the vines were planted in 1975.)

Innocent Bystander

Jansz Tasmania

Jasper Hill

Jim Barry (AFF Wine) – 2014 “1877” Hilltops Shiraz.

John Duval

Kaesler

Kilikanoon

Koonara

Langmeil

Leeuwin Estate

Mac Forbes

McWilliam’s Wines

McPherson Wine Co

Negotiants USA – 2014 Langmeil “Orphan Bank” Barossa Valley Shiraz (Vines had to be moved, 90% survived, and were called orphans due to the move.)

Nova Vita

Ocean Eight

Old Bridge Cellars – 2014 John Duval “Eligo” Barossa Shiraz; 2015 Cullen “Diana Madeline” Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Merlot blend; 2013 Jasper Hill “Georgia’s Paddock” Heathcote Shiraz. (They only made 600 cases of my favorite at this table, the Eligo.)

Penfolds – 2014 “Bin 389” Barossa Valley Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz blend; 2014 “Bin 407” Coonawarra Wrattonbully Cabernet Sauvignon; 2014 “RWT” Barossa Valley Shiraz. (Who isn’t familiar with Penfolds? I stuck to just the wines I didn’t know, so damn good. The vines for these wines were planted between 1951 and 1960.)

Penley Estate

Peter Lehmann – 2012 “Stonewell” Barossa Shiraz.

Pewsey Vale

Pikes

Rob Dolan

Rogers & Rufus

Rymill Coonawarra

Schild Estate – 2013 “Moorooroo Ancestor Vines” Barossa Valley Shiraz. (170 year old vines, two years in both new and old French oak and then two years in bottle before release. Worth the wait for this 100% Shiraz.)

Shaw + Smith

Snake & Herring

Syrahmi

Tahbilk Winery

Thorn-Clarke Wines

Tolpuddle

Torbreck Vintners – 2009 “The Factor” Barossa Valley Shiraz; 2014 “The Struie” Barossa Valley Shiraz; 2014 “RunRig” Barossa Valley Shiraz and Viognier. (Only 3.5 % of Viognier was used in this blend to “soften” the wine and for a “tonal” lift. It worked.)

Tournon

Tyrrell’s Wines

Vasse Felix

Vinaceous

Voyager Estate

Wakefield Wines (AFF Wine) – 2013 “St. Andrew’s” Clare Valley Shiraz had a lovely touch of sweetness and great balance.

Wicks
Wirra Wirra – 2013 RSW McLaren Vale Shiraz (With vines between 40-60 years old, low yield production and the vineyard was originally planted in 1890.)

Woodstock

Yaldara

Yalumba (AFF Wine) – 2013 “The Signature” Barossa Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz blend.

Yarra Yering – 2010 “Dry Red No. 1” Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Malbec blend; 2013 “Old Bastard” Barossa Valley Grenache Mourvedre blend. (These both got big “wows” from me.)

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, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru. 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

Perlis Picks: Limerick Lane

June 3, 2017 by Michael Perlis Leave a Comment

Limerick Lane, while it has been around for a long time, really burst onto the scene when Jake Bilbro acquired the property in 2011 from the Collins Family. The story of the timing of the escrow closing coinciding with bringing in harvest and then the destemmer breaking down is legendary enough that the annual Limerick Lane Hail Mary Syrah is named after it.

Jake Bilbro of Limerick Lane Cellars.

Bursting on the scene is what happened though, with immediate recognition from major wine publications that continue to happen, maybe even at an accelerated rate. Not unexpectedly though, as making great wine seems to run in Jake’s family. Starting with Marietta Cellars, which Jake’s dad Chris named after his great aunt, Jake and his brother Scot have long worked with their father to make delicious affordable wines that everyone can enjoy, growing the winery to 100,000 cases.

[Jake’s other brother Sam, who also worked with father Chris, owns Idlewild Wines, devoted to Italian varietals – I am looking forward to visiting during my next trip to the area. Yet another brother, Lucas, did not get bitten by the wine bug and pursues his own passion as a ballet dancer.]

When Karen and I last visited with Jake, there were not many wines to taste. Success will do that, especially when you are a small winery of only about 4,000 cases. I asked Jake if he planned to expand production given the demand for the Limerick Lane wines, especially with his involvement in last year’s Historic Vineyard Society event and his obvious connection to the great vineyards the organization works to protect. Jake respond that he greatly respects the work that people like Mike Officer of Carlisle and Morgan Twain-Peterson of Bedrock are doing with regard to preserving and sourcing from California great old vineyards. However, notwithstanding the fact that these guys all sell a certain amount of grapes to each other, showcasing the special nature of the Limerick Lane vineyard and the wines it produces is his driving passion and that will be the focus of his time, at least for the foreseeable future.

The vineyards actually consists of fourteen blocks, the oldest dating back to 1910. The Zinfandel blocks are true field blends that also include Alicante Bouschet, Peloursin, Negrette, Mourvedre, Carignane, Syrah and Petite Sirah.

The Russian River Valley sprawls over a large area, and Limerick Lane is at the Northeast corner of it, with hills providing southern and western exposure. The soil is clay and rock, with the clay holding water and the rock providing space for the vines to dig deep. Cool nights and foggy mornings keep the acidity high and the wines vibrant while the warm afternoons allow the development of intense flavors.

Initially planted by the Del Fava family, the property was later purchased by the Collins Brothers in the 1970s. When Mike Collins was ready to sell, he wanted the property to be in good hands, which is why he approached Jake Bilbro. Escrow closed just the day before harvest in 2011. And, to complicate matters, as harvest was wrapping up a few weeks later, the winery’s destemmer broke, with 7 tons of Syrah still to crush. With rain on the way, Jake threw a “Hail Mary” and dumped the grapes, stems attached, into two open top fermenters and hoped for the best.

Personally, I love the complexity that stem inclusion can bring, especially to Syrah. And the Hail Mary bottlings from Limerick Lane live up to this trait. From that year on, Jake has made a Syrah labeled Hail Mary to pay homage to that first vintage. We got to taste the 2014 during our visit and it was great as always.

We also got to taste a few other wines during our visit…

2014 Russian River Zinfandel – from the original vines planted over a hundred years ago. Not your ordinary Zin, the field blend aspect makes this is a complex delicious wine.

2014 Syrah Grenache – it was the 2011 version of this that I raved about along with the RR Zin when I attended Sonoma In The City back a couple of years ago. This continued that tradition.

1910 Block Zin [2014] – You’ll rarely see specific tasting notes from me, but in this case it was just too obvious; it was just like fresh blueberries! Wonderful wine!

2014 Rocky Knoll Zinfandel – another field blend, with Mourvedre and Petite Sirah that give this wine wonderful structure.

These wines get very high scores from the wine publications. Production is small and the wines are very hard to find outside of the tasting room or the mailing list.

I asked Jake what he would like people to know about Limerick Lane. This would have been a perfect opportunity to talk about their great wines and brag about all their great scores and accolades. Instead, he said “Tell them that we’re really nice people. We’re small so we can’t have a lot of people stop by all at once so visitors have to make appointments. But we really do want to see them.”

Go see them. There should be new releases to taste, but don’t wait too long.

Limerick Lane

1023 Limerick Lane
Healdsburg, CA 95448

See photos of our visit to Limerick Lane and others from our trip here: Sonoma County Series.

Perlis Picks: The Rhone Rangers Back Again [Part Two]

May 6, 2017 by Michael Perlis Leave a Comment

Last week’s article was about the seminar that kicked off the latest Rhone Rangers event in Los Angeles.

Now it is time to report on the grand tasting. Three dozen wineries were pouring, mostly from Santa Barbara County and Paso Robles]:

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Bud break, photo courtesy Rhone Ranger Facebook.

Adelaida Vineyards & Winery

Alta Colina

Andrew Murray Vineyards

Bernat

Bonny Doon Vineyard

Broken Earth Winery

Calcareous Vineyard

Crux Winery

Derby Wine Estates

Eberle Winery

Fess Parker & Epiphany

Hearst Ranch Winery

Jaffurs Wine

Kaleidos

Kenneth Volk Vineyards

Kukkula

Leverage

Lone Madrone

Martian Ranch & Vineyard

Morgan Winery

Petrichor Vineyards

Pomar Junction Vineyard & Winery

Qupé

Ranchero Cellars

Record Family Wines

Rideau

Ridge Vineyards

Sculpterra Winery

Seven Oxen

Tablas Creek Vineyard

tercero wines

Thacher Winery

The Withers Winery

Two Shepherds

Vines on the Marycrest

Wrath

Zaca Mesa

Zenaida Cellars

I was determined to get to some new wineries along with some old favorites. With that many wineries, I couldn’t taste nearly everything. So, before I begin my personal picks from the event, I’d like to preface my remarks. More than maybe any other event, the Rhone Rangers tastings have always impressed me with the overall high quality of the wines being poured. My point is this. I tasted at less than half of the tables and found amazing wines at pretty much all of them. I am quite sure that if I had tasted at the other half of the winery tables, I would have found an equal number of outstanding wines at those stations as well.

That being said, these were the standouts for me of what I tasted – once again, please pardon the lack of diacritical marks on the French words. I’ve added a few comments here and there, along with a few from my wife Karen as well, noted as KP.

Alta Colima

Paso Robles, CA

2013 Toasted Slope Syrah

Andrew Murray Vineyards

Los Olivos, CA

2014 Roasted Slope Syrah

2015 Watch Hill Vineyard Syrah

[Nice to see Andrew Murray, one of my early Rhone influencers, continuing to hit it out of the park.]

Bernat Wines

Los Olivos

2010 Intrigue Syrah

Bonny Doon Vineyard

Santa Cruz, CA

2012 Le Cigare Volant Red Blend

[Randall Grahm is my own personal nominee for the father of the American Rhone movement, with the latest release of the wine that started it all for me.]

KP: Bonny Doon’s 2016 Picpoul was an even balance of bright acidity and minerality. My favorite white of the day.

Calcareous Vineyard

Paso Robles, Ca

2014 Tres Violet Red Blend

2013 Devil’s Canyon Syrah

2013 Moose Red Blend

Crux Winery

Geyserville, CA

2013 GSM, Red Blend

2014 Mourvedre

2013 Syrah

[Nice to taste some of more of the wines from this winery that I was first introduced to at Hospice du Rhone last year.]

Derby Wine Estate

Paso Robles, CA

2011 Mourvedre

2013 Petite Sirah

[For some reason I hadn’t tasted Derby’s wines, even though I am well acquainted with the history of one their vineyards – Laura’s. I’m glad I finally tried them.]

KP: I dragged Michael over to the Derby table. I enjoyed all their white wines and loved their 2015 Mourvedre Rose. Light, refreshing and clean on the palate. It was one of my favorites of the day.

Hearst Ranch

San Simeon, CA

2014 The Pergola Petite Sirah

Leverage

Paso Robles, CA

2016 Leverage Rose, Grenache Blend

2014 Acceleration Red Blend

2014 Trajectory, GSM Red Blend

[A fairly new winery, doing some good things.]

Petrichor Vineyards

Santa Rosa, CA

2014 Syrah

2014 Grenache

2014 Les Trois Red Blend

[I’ve been a fan of this winery since it started. We visited them in 2015. Still making great wines that make you want more of them.]

KP: I tasted the Petrichor 2016 Rose Blend. Subtle and very enjoyable.

Ranchero Cellars

Paso Robles, Ca

2013 Carignane

[Amy Butler might be better known as a consulting winemaker for other wineries in Paso, but her own label is definitely worth seeking out.]

KP: Amy’s 2015 Chrome, Grenache Blanc, knocked me over. It has wonderful mouth feel and bright apple overtones.

Ridge Vineyards

Curpertino, CA

2015 Lytton Estate Petite Sirah

2014 Lytton Estate Grenache/Mataro/Syrah

[An iconic winery. Nothing else needs to be said.]

tercero wines.

Los Olivos, CA

2013 Mourvedre

2011 Grenache, Camp 4 Vineyard

Two Shepherds

Windsor, CA

2014 Pastoral Blanc

2014 Pastoral Melange, Red Blend

Vines on the Marycrest

Paso Robles, CA

2014 Syrah

2014 Petite Sirah

Zaca Mesa

Los Olivos, CA

2014 Mourvedre

2012 Mesa Reserve Syrah

[Almost skipped this oldtimer, until I saw our friend Anita Musi pouring the wine. Turns out she is now their Southern California sales manager. I’m glad we stopped because the wines were excellent.]

Stopping at Zaca Mesa helped to remind me, and I am now reminding you, to check out all of these Rhone Ranger wineries. They’re making wonderful, delicious wines and deserve your attention.

Perlis Picks: The Rhone Rangers Back Again [Part One]

April 29, 2017 by evebushman Leave a Comment

It doesn’t seem that long ago that we had the pleasure of the Rhone Rangers visiting Los Angeles at the Skirball Center last year. They came out to see us again recently, a little earlier this year than in the past, getting exposure to attendees and enthusiasts who weren’t able to attend last time. So American Rhone fans were provided with an earlier than usual jump on the wine event season as well as the opportunity to taste from some wineries who weren’t able to attend last year’s event, along with some of the usual favorites.

Photo courtesy Rhone Rangers Facebook.

In brief, the Rhone Rangers is an organization of wineries dedicated to wines made in the United States from grapes that have their origins in France’s Rhone Valley. Some of the better known grape varieties are Syrah, Grenache and Viognier, but there are almost two dozen in all. For my wife Karen and me, American Rhone wines are without a doubt favorites of ours [along with Zinfandel, which I just can’t help mentioning] and make up the majority of our own wine enjoyment.

[Speaking of American Rhone, Patrick Comiskey was on hand to autograph copies of his definitive book on the topic during the grand tasting portion of the latest Los Angeles event.]

This year’s event was at a new location, Civic Center Studios in downtown Los Angeles. This central location was selected to help attract more attendees in general as well as more “millennials and hip somms” as explained to me by one of the participants, which makes a lot of sense as they are the future of wine consumption, after all.

This is the kind of event that I recommend going “all in” on if you can, taking advantage of the seminar as well as early VIP entrance to the grand tasting. [VIP status also got you access to the VIP lounge.]

[As I typically request when writing about grapes of French origin, please excuse my eschewing of accent marks, etc.]

The seminar this year was dedicated to pink wines. Titled Rhone-n-Pink, its timing was perfect for the start of spring and heading into the warmer months.

Moderated by Dan Fredman, these were the panelists and the wines they were pouring and discussing:

Andre Murray, Andrew Murray Vineyards [Los Olivos, CA], 2016 Esperance Rose [Cinsault].

Amy Butler, Ranchero Cellars [Paso Robles, CA], 2016 Galaxie Rose [Carignane].

Erich Fleck, Lone Madrone [Paso Robles, CA], 2015 Mourvedre Rose.

Larry Schaffer, tercero wines [Los Olivos, CA], 2016 Mourvedre Rose.

Randall Grahm, Bonny Doon Vineyard [Santa Cruz, CA], 2013 Vin Gris Tuile

Victor Abascal, Vines on the Marycrest [Paso Robles, CA], 2015 Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah rose blend.

A pretty stellar panel, representing both Santa Barbara County and Paso Robles, along with Randall Grahm to represent the rest of the known universe. [Seriously, no disrespect intended. Randall is probably the winemaker most responsible for my own love of Rhone varietals – I have a signed poster of the 1984 Le Cigare Volant hanging on my wall like a teenager worshipping a rockstar – and without people like him pushing the envelope the wine world would be a much poorer place – definitely more boring. It was really a kick in the head to have Andrew Murray on the panel with him, because after Randall it was also Andrew who really fueled my Rhone interest many years ago.]

Who would have thought that such a seemingly simple topic would have produced such lively discussion? Did the winemaker go for a dark color or light color or maybe didn’t care about the color at all? Were the grapes picked specifically for rose or was the juice used the result of the saignee method [bleeding off the juice from grapes so the remainder can be used for a more concentrated red wine]? Should the wine be a “porch pounder” meant to be consumed as a quaff or should it be as attention getting as any red wine?

And of course, there was Randall’s wine which was, not surprisingly, the outlier of the six, literally solarized, sitting outside in carboys for nine months.

At the end, there were two main takeaways for me. 1. The white zin backlash is still evident as related by these producers of pink wine; it is hard to get people to even taste the stuff. And 2. Regardless of the winemaker’s philosophy of managing color and complexity, the end result still better taste good.

Next week: the Grand Tasting

Vintage Eve Circa March 2013: A Special Meeting with Santa Barbara, Paso Robles and Napa Valley Producers

March 28, 2017 by evebushman Leave a Comment

A couple of weeks ago I received a special invite, from LearnAboutWine.com founder Ian Blackburn: “Tastemakers, Sommelier and Press, please accept my invitation to a special press gathering for the STARS of California Wine.” And that was enough for me to send off my rsvp right away.

I knew from a previous luncheon that the meeting – very intimate with a little over a dozen of us in attendance – would be stellar, the restaurant would be remarkable and the wine, presented by a winery representative or owner, chosen with care.

This time we met at a penthouse private room in the TAKAMI Restaurant, in downtown Los Angeles. Our wine representatives included Larry Schaffer, winemaker and owner of Tercero Wines; Timothy Carl, the managing director of Knights Bridge Winery; and Michael Young, the sales and marketing director of L’Aventure Wine.

I had just visited Larry at his Los Olivos Tasting room last month. The two wines he presented at our luncheon, 2011 Viognier and 2009 Grenache, I covered in my notes, as well as information on Tercero. You can read that here: http://westranchbeacon.com/2013/03/eves-wine-101-tasting-with-winemakers-in-the-santa-barbara/

On this occasion, however, I enjoyed Larry’s wines with three Robatas: Angus New York, Chicken Negima, Chilean Sea Bass; and then a selection of sushi rolls. For me, I prefer to make tasting notes sans food. But, in real life, this is how we do it – and it was very enjoyable to sit back and just enjoy as my tasting notes had already been done. The rest of the guests, some new to Larry’s wines, remarked that they really enjoyed them and what he has accomplished with Rhone varietals.

When Timothy Carl introduced Knights Bridge he explained that his family has ten generations of grape growing experience. They only produce Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon in their vineyards about five miles Northwest of Calistoga.

Almost everyone immediately became a fan of the Knights Bridge Sauvignon Blanc. My notes mention balanced acidity and minerality. Carl remarked that they “squeeze the fruit to get the right Ph” and by doing that you “may lose some juice potential…but you get the aromatics, mouth feel and fruit components like orange blossom.”

The stand out wine for me was Carl’s 2008 Knights Bridge Pont Chevalier Cabernet Sauvignon filled with blackberry, lavender, cassis, and minerality in perfect balance.

Then Michael Young introduced his L’Aventure “meat and potato” wines to pair with a Grilled Angus drenched in a Black Truffle Sauce…and potatoes. The 2010 Optimus was 55% Syrah, 27% Cab and 18% Petit Verdot. I thought it was a fruit bomb with plenty of spice on the back palate, bold and tannic, a great wine. Young followed it up with the 2010 Estate Cuvee that was a blend of 42% Syrah, 42% Cab and 16% Petit Verdot. Only slightly softer than the Optimus, another fabulous wine.

As we chatted it up, huge dessert platters arrived, bottles were offered to “revisit”, business cards were passed around…and then our hosts had to rush off for their second appointment of the day because after the luncheon was a press tasting event, to be followed later in the evening with a public tasting. I had to skedaddle as well, but this was the wine list others were to enjoy all evening on the rooftop:

2013 Participants:

D’Anbino – Paso Robles

Knights Bridge – Sonoma

Hammersky – Paso Robles

Beekeeper – Sonoma

Chateau Margene – Paso Robles

Tudor – Santa Lucia

Hope Family – Paso Robles

Zaca Mesa – Santa Barbara

Adelaida – Paso Robles

Tercero – Santa Barbara

L’Aventure – Paso Robles

Stanger – Paso Robles

Dubost – Paso Robles

Robert Murray – Paso Robles

Pipestone – Paso Robles

Kiamie – Paso Robles

Edmond August – Paso Robles

Levigne – Paso Robles

Sculpterra – Paso Robles

Frank Family – Napa Valley

Calcareous – Paso Robles

Hoyt Family – Paso Robles & Malibu

Shai – Santa Barbara

Eden Canyon – Paso Robles

Rocca – Napa Valley

Cakebread – Napa Valley

Turiya – Santa Barbara
Snowden – Napa Valley

Peju – Napa Valley

and many more to come….

Round Up: Favorite Wine or Cocktail Events

March 17, 2017 by evebushman 2 Comments

It’s no secret that Eve’s Wine 101 co-hosts Cocktails on the Roof (save the date: 8/25/17!) and is currently recruiting wineries – and guests – to Wine in the Pines. (That date is set for 6/10/17).

This got me to thinking…what are the best wine or cocktail events our readers/followers have enjoyed and would recommend? So I got some answers from Facebook friends, hyperlinked the event websites for you and added my own notes in italics if it’s an event I’ve attended before:

Robin B: The ones we used to have in SCV which were lots of fun. (The Santa Clarita Wine Fest is the one that Robin B is referring to. The same people that run the LA Wine Fest run it, and I’ve been talking with them as they might bring it back for 2018! So stay tuned! It was/is our only large wine festival held in the Santa Clarita Valley.)

Kathie W: Cocktail event – obviously Cocktails on the Roof. (Clearly, a winner to me! If you Google our event you will see lots of pre and post event coverage for our 2015 and 2016 events. All of the money goes straight to the WiSH Education Foundation that serves all of the students in the Hart District = our middle schools and high schools.)

Jeannie C: The Assistance League Santa Clarita 10th Annual Sunset in the Vineyard is scheduled for the 1st Sunday in November at Compa Vineyard, November 5, 2017. Our inaugural was 2008! From 7 vintners, food made by the ladies from AL, music from an iPod (the event has now has grown) to 20 vintners, 2 craft breweries, the Culinary iCUE chefs and students, Dole/Humphries and friends, Valet parking, not to forget amazing community partners, a live and silent auction – and all the proceeds benefit Operation School Bell and those in need in the SCV! We’ve come a long way baby! (We’ve supported this event since the start. Don’t have much to add to Jeannie’s words, except to say that this is the singular SCV event that showcases local winemakers, some commercial and some not, so it would be tough to find some of these wines anywhere else! Or the opportunity to talk to home winemakers about their craft.)

Terri S: Any of the Rhone Rangers events…the walk around Grand Tastings are superb. (We have been covering the RR events for years. Best way to learn about domestic red and white Rhone grapes being grown here, and the awesome Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre blend, aka the GSM, that is a favorite to many. Rhone Rangers LA is 3/25.)

Russ B: Passport to Dry Creek Valley. They have a theme at each winery such as circus, beach, pirate, the movie Caddyshack, the Kentucky Derby and a Masquerade. They also have food at every winery. Great event. (4/29-30.)

Marleen R: Gosh so many. I loved Pinot Days (6/3), Celebration of Harvest Santa Barbara (10/6-9), and Ventura Winter Wine Walk (12/2). California Wine Festival (held this past Jan 2017) and of course Wine in the Pines are good one too. I look at the participating wineries and what they have to offer, besides location and value price. (The only event here that I still attend is Wine in the Pines. Look for upcoming press on that one, but I will share that this is my ultimate favorite outdoor venue for wine tasting. Why? It is wide open, you are surrounded by nature and PINE TREES.)

Lisa D: This year is SITV 10th Anniversary. Great local event.

Scott K: The Park City Food and Wine Classic is a mind-blower. (For those that want to travel, this event in Utah will be July 6-9.)

Lauren G: Inexpensive but tasty! (Lauren has volunteered for us in our Pour Into events. We raised money for the victims of the earthquake in Haiti and the Hurricane Sandy. Our minimum donation was $25 for the tasting event, with local cellar owners and winemakers donating all the wines. The venue, All Corked Up, is sadly no longer available but we would love another local venue to step up the next time we feel the urge to help others via a wine event.)

Me: Masters of Taste is a richly designed event held on the field of the Rose Bowl with wine, spirits, cocktails and food samples from the best restaurants in LA will be held on 5/7, Lucky Rice LA on 7/28 works with Bombay Sapphire Gin and serves up both Asian inspired cuisine and more, and LA Weekly’s The Essentials held on 3/26 is another event with a heck of a lot of food to sample, wine and spirits, and exceptionally large!

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru. 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

Montes Wine Tasting Part Two: Wine Tasting and Menu by The District by Hannah An

March 10, 2017 by evebushman Leave a Comment

Last week I wrote about meeting up again with old wine friend Alex Guarachi of Guarachi Wine Partners that segued into a nice conversation with the two winemakers I was supposed to meet – Aurelio Montes Sr. (Montes, Chilean wines) and Aurelio Montes Jr. (Kaiken, Argentinean wines) – and a splendid wine tasting luncheon. Part One gave the info on the two winemaking regions, ending with the start of my tasting notes. This week I have the rest of the tasting notes (including my favorite) and the menu.

Tasting – aromas and flavors separated by ;

Montes Outer Limits CGM 2015

50% Carignan, 30% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre

Got a whiff of cigar followed by char, blueberry and mint tea; on the palate it was brighter than I expected with bright red fruit, raspberry, dry with a medium acidity. 91 Eve pts.

Kaiken Obertura Cabernet Franc 2014

100% Cabernet Franc

Red fruit, peat, green peppercorn, vanilla and chocolate all on the nose; with chewy red fruit and a palate drying finish. 92 Eve pts.

Montes Alpha M Red Wine 2012

80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot

Developed fruit- POW- on the nose, with cherry liqueur, butterscotch and dried spice; followed by flavors that were big yet balanced, excellent fruit, pepper and spice. Aurelio Sr. said it spent 18 months on new French oak and a year in bottle before the release. 95 Eve pts.

Kaiken Mai Malbec 2013

100% Malbec

In what Aurelio Jr. called a Malbec that was “100% Argentinean taste” I found butter toffee almond, vanilla bean, milk chocolate, mint and velvety fruit up front; then dusty dark fruit, spice, with a pleasantly tart finish, 92 Eve pts.

Taita Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Winemaker’s Secret Choice**

(**I guessed a Bordeaux for that 15% and Aurelio Sr. told me that was what was discovered in a Bordeaux blind tasting as well.) The Taita series (pronounced Tie-Tuh) were all $249 SRP. The wine tasting today began with wines that were $19.90 SRP, so we got a full range. This 2007 was my favorite of the tasting. It was what Aurelio Sr. called a “glacier ” wine as the soil’s rocky makeup indicated water at some point, but a very long time ago. He didn’t irrigate, but instead forced the roots to search for water, which produced less fruit bunches. He also laid wood chips onto the ground. 96 Eve pts.

Taita Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Winemaker’s Secret Choice*

Barrel aged for two years and four years in the bottle prior to release. I got fresh blueberry, black licorice, mixed peppercorns and roasted meat on the nose; and on the palate it was that same blueberry and pepper, as well as a demi glaze/reduction sauce note, all with a perfect balance. 95 Eve pts.

Taita Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Winemaker’s Secret Choice*

Due to the rains there wasn’t a 2008 to try in this vertical of Taita wines. The new 2010 has just been released to the market. Big pungent aromas of blue and black fruit as well as cigar greeted me on the nose; then this younger wine showed bright fruit and more tannins. Will be even better with some age. 91 Eve pts.

Menu

There were several passed appetizers, including a yummy Vietnamese Spring Roll, before the winetasting. After the tasting guests were treated to Tuna Poke with Avocado Puree and Rice Crisps, Crispy Candied Walnut Prawns, Coriander Crusted New Zealand Lamb, Curry Brussels Sprouts, Hannah’s Famous Noodles and a cheese course. Wines paired at lunch, but not reviewed, included the Montes Limited Selection Sauvignon Blanc 2016, Kaiken Terroir Series Torrontes 2016, Montes Purple Angel 2013, Kaiken Obertura 2014 and Montes Alpha M 2012. A very yum worthy pairing was had by all.

Watch it in less than one minute here.

Aurelio Montes Senior in Chile: http://www.monteswines.com/en/

Aurelio Montes Junior in Argentina: http://kaikenwines.com/en/home/

Guarachi Wine Partners: http://www.guarachiwinepartners.com/

The District by Hannah An: http://thedistrictbyha.com/

Écluse Wines Take Home Three Double Gold Medals in 2017 SF Chronicle Wine Competition

February 27, 2017 by evebushman Leave a Comment

Écluse Wines, a boutique, family owned winery located on Kiler Canyon Road on the Westside of Paso Robles was awarded three Double Gold medals and four Gold Medals in the 2017 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. The competition is the largest in the United States, attracting more than 7,000 entries from 28 states this year.

Results announced earlier this week gave the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon a Double Gold medal – the only Cabernet to earn this distinction in its class in the $39-$42.99 suggested retail price (SRP) category. The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon showcases enticing bright cherry aromas leading to dark fruit, currants and a hint of espresso on the palate for an elegant and luscious finish.

“The 2014 wines are complex and showcase layers of flavors unique to our vineyard,” said Pam Lock, proprietor. “We are honored that nearly 67 judges from across the United States feel the same as our customers, and that our wines continue to earn high scores across the board.”

Écluse Wines also received a Double Gold medal for their 2014 Petite Sirah, which begins with black plums, blackberry and caramel with a velvety richness and spice on the mid-palate and a long, lingering finish. The other Double Gold winner was the 2014 Zinfandel, which begins with aromas of bright red fruit and hints of oak and vanilla. These flavors continue on the palate with notes of cassis and blackberry, a full mouthfeel and an incredibly smooth finish.

The winery also took home four Gold medals for the following: the 2014 Ensemble, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec; the 2014 Improv, a blend of Petit Verdot, Merlot, Petite Sirah and Syrah; the 2014 Insider, a blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon; and the 2014 Rendition, a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Écluse also scooped up two Silver awards, one for their Blind Dog Midnight Run Cuvee and the other for their 2014 Lock Vineyard Syrah.

“Since we began entering the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition in 2008 our results have been consistent, every wine we have entered has medaled. In 2011 our 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon won the sweepstakes award for Best Red. It’s great exposure and an honor for our small brand,” Lock concluded.

Écluse Wines are crafted from their 30-acre Lock Vineyard. Known for producing some of Paso Robles most sought-after grapes and terroir driven wines, proprietors Pam and Steve Lock are dedicated to making small, limited production award-winning wines. Wine enthusiasts interested in tasting these award-winning wines may visit the Écluse tasting room Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11 am – 4 pm or order online at www.eclusewines.com.