Discovering Camins 2 Dreams in Lompoc

August 14, 2020 by evebushman

Was recently invited by fellow wine writer and organizer of the #LAWineWriters group, Cori Solomon, for a road trip to Lompoc. It had been awhile since our group had met but Cori found a winery she liked that was most willing to set up for us outside and socially distanced for a tasting. The winery is Camins2Dreams and this is their story.

“Wife and wife” winemakers Tara Gomez and Mireia Taribo Tena share the Camins 2 Dreams winery. Some of us had already tasted wines made by Gomez, as she is also the winemaker at Kita. The pair make wines, starting with their flagship Gruner Veltliner and Syrah, only in a natural style. Cori hinted that “Tara and Mireia have a good story.”

We quickly learned that the pair has years of winemaking experience between them. Gomez got her Enology degree and began making wine at J Lohr (where the two met) and Fess Parker before starting Kalawashaq’ Wine Cellars (the winery name is the same as the village her Chumash forefathers lived in). Fast forward to taking some time away to make wine in Spain, specifically at Castell d’Encus, where Tena was the winemaker. Tena also has an Enology degree, and went back to school to earn a Masters in Enology, Viticulture and Marketing of Wine.

The pair started Camins 2 Dreams in 2017, making wines from Sta. Rita Hills vineyards that focus on 100% natural bottling, not filtered or fined, all foot stomped, no new oak barrels (their new standard) and only add SO2 (a wine preservative) just before bottling. Their first production was a mere three barrels.

“We have to adjust for each vintage…it’s difficult to be consistent. So the focus is on the vineyard,” the pair shared. They “respect the land and want (their) vineyards to be SIP certified.” Look for newcomers Grenache and Graciano in their lineup.

Tasting (Notes on aromas and flavors were provided, I will only comment on those that I noted as remarkable.)

We started with a 2019 Gruner Veltliner that was a big hit with the group. Noted: pear, green apple, freshness, acidity and it worked as the perfect palate cleanser for the tasting. At the end of the tasting we were treated to a refreshing Pet Nat of their Gruner Veltliner which is described by Wine Enthusiast as “Pét-nat, or Méthode Ancestrale, is a method of sparkling wine production used all over the world. … After a period of rest that can be as short as a couple of months…”

After the white wine we moved over to their pink, a 2019 Rose of Syrah that had been made in the saignee method with nearly zero skin contact and completely fermented in stainless steel. We notes strawberries, Rainier cherries, pomegranate with a crisp finish that I thought would lend itself well to a nice picnic with cold fried chicken.

Then we started on their many Syrah wines: 2017 Zotovich Vineyard, which was their first, which had a lovely blueberry nose, tannins and long finish – my favorite of the Syrahs. A 2018 Zotovich had a lovely balance and a bit lighter to me than the 2017. The 2018 Spear Vineyards had a medium body, black fruit and a decent amount of acidity that I felt was due to its youth. We finished for with a 2018 JSB (from the John Sebastiano Vineyard) that had been bottled just two weeks prior, and a red table wine that was a combination of both 2018 and 2019 Syrah from all three vineyards: JSB, Pear and Zotovich.

My takeaway: If you seek natural wines Camins 2 Dreams is not to be missed.

Camins 2 Dreams

313 North F St, Lompoc, CA.

805-741-7047

https://camins2dreams.com

https://www.facebook.com/camins2dreams/

https://www.instagram.com/camins2dreams/

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.

Finger Lakes’ Buttonwood Grove Winery owners purchase Toro Run Winery

July 20, 2020 by evebushman

Melissa and David Pittard are excited to announce their recent purchase of Toro Run Winery. Located on State Route 89 in Ovid, Toro Run is noted for their fine wines and spectacular view of Cayuga Lake. The meticulously managed estate vineyards, planted in 2009 by founders Jim Coppola and Chris Weaver, contain a wide array of classic vinifera grapes. In addition to popular Finger Lakes varietals, such as Riesling and Cabernet Franc, the vineyards include Grüner Veltliner and Pinot Meunier, which are rarely seen in this region. The steeply sloping hillside and glacial soil make this a highly-prized location for growing prime quality grapes, which is reflected in the premium artisan wines that Toro Run has produced since opening their tasting room in 2013.

Going forward, the focus will be on continuing the legacy created by the Coppola and Weaver families while introducing innovative production methods, including the use of a variety of fermentation vessels and a focus on unique wines. Vineyard expansion has already begun, with additional Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc vines added to the existing plantings.

The Pittards also own nearby Buttonwood Grove Winery, which they purchased in 2014. Since their acquisition of that property, they have more than tripled the vineyard acreage, constructed an onsite production facility, and established a reputation for providing innovative guest experiences. Among the many award winning wines produced under their ownership is the 2016 Riesling, which won the highly-coveted Governor’s Cup for New York State’s Best Wine in August of 2017.

Vintage Eve Circa 9/2016: Tasting and Learning about Austria’s Domäne Wachau

September 3, 2019 by evebushman

At a well organized wine tasting of Austria’s Domäne Wachau at Boa Steakhouse West Hollywood I learned (among other things detailed below) once again that not all Rieslings are sweet, and was also reminded that I miss Gruner Veltliner. See my mouth-watering slide show here and read the full story below.

Getting ready to taste, that’s MS Fred Dame second from the left.

Domäne Wachau Lesson and Tasting

Roman Horvath, MV and Winery Director of Domäne Wachau led our lesson and tasting. Here are a few takeaways from the session, with my tasting notes following in the usual format where I separate aromas and flavors with “;”.

Domäne Wachau, located on the Western end of Wachau, focuses on Gruner Veltliner and Riesling.

The 2015 season saw record warmer temperatures, with cooling at night.

Ever since the 1930s and 1940s the area became more single-vineyard driven – because it is seen to produce higher quality wines.

Domäne Wachau encompasses one third of the Wachau area.

The winemaking area is very family-driven.

They don’t use insecticides.

Domäne Wachau’s Gruner Veltliners comprise 70% of their production, and have more concentration, spice and herbal qualities. Their Rieslings are always fermented completely dry, as is the style in Austria.

Tasting

Riesling Terrassen Federspiel 2015

Peach, pear, lemon, wet concrete, white flowers – possibly jasmine; grapefruit, lemon, mild acidity. 89 Eve pts.

Grüner Veltliner Terrassen Federspiel 2015

Dried apricot, mown green grass, white peach; viscous, peach again, lemon zest and a touch or orange marmalade. 90 Eve pts.

Grüner Veltliner Terrassen Smaragd 2015

Fruit cocktail, green grapes, powdery perfume; same fruit, perfect balance. 91 Eve pts.

Grüner Veltliner Federspiel Liebenberg 2015

Lemon-lime, peach and slight honeysuckle; honeydew melon, kiwi, lime – all green fruits. 89 Eve pts.

Riesling Federspiel Bruck 2015

Honey, lemon curd, toasted French bread; not as sweet as the nose, with grapefruit, tonic with lemon. 89 Eve pts.

Riesling Terrassen Smaragd 2015

Peaches in light syrup, lemongrass, wet stones; viscous, lemon hard candy with a lingering finish. 91 Eve pts.

Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Achleiten 2015

Honey spread on wheat toast, pink grapefruit, gravel; green apple, a touch of white pepper, medium acidity. 90 Eve pts.

Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Kellerberg 2015

Honey, lemon, cantaloupe melon; fresh fruit, nice balance. 92 Eve pts.

Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Achleiten 2010

Golden in color, aromas of golden raisins, brown butter and bruised apple; peach tart, hard candy and almond. 93 Eve pts.

Riesling Smaragd Achleiten 2009

Gold color, aromas of sweet incense, chalk and peach candy; smooth, developed fruit, very yummy. 93 Eve pts.

Riesling Beerenauslese Terrassen 2012

A hint of effervescence, spice, overripe and bruised fruit; intense, fruit tart, very balanced. 93 Eve pts.

Grüner Veltliner V.D.N. – Veltliner Doux Naturel 2015 Brandy Fermentation

Sour berries, pear; mouth coating, brandy addition is palatable, candied cherries, ginger. 95 Eve pts.

Blind: Grüner Veltliner Achleiten 1997

I would’ve loved to have notes on this one but it came and went so fast! Suffice it to say it was remarkable and a good showing of how well these wines can age. 95 Eve pts.

Menu

It’s one of the best ways to study wine: a lesson, a tasting and then a meal. Trying to get to know a wine when you are eating is near to impossible, unless you are only judging it for its pairing capabilities. Clearly, most people order wine to accompany a meal, but they aren’t likely to note aroma and flavor while rinsing their mouth with it between bites. With that said, we had some amazing dishes offered up Boa Steakhouse. Starting with a Charred Tuna Tartare, entrée choices included an 8-ounce Petite Filet, Faroe Island Natural Salmon, Chilean Seabass, Free Range Chicken Breast, Spaghetti Primavera and the BOA Chop Chop Salad. To finish a cheese platter of Shaft Blue, Camembert and Humboldt Fog was shared.

About Domäne Wachau

Domäne Wachau, located in the Austrian Wachau region, produces an inimitable assortment of white wines, primarily Grüner Veltliner and Riesling, which pay tribute to the pedigree of its vineyards. As the only winery to produce wines from every top cru in the Wachau, Domäne Wachau boasts complex and elegant wines with great finesse, offering firm mineral structure and pronounced character. Master of Wine, Roman Horvath, the second Austrian to successfully complete MW education, joined the Domäne Wachau as Winery Director in 2004 where he has been responsible for the successful quality-oriented restructuring and strategic positioning of the winery.

About Boa Steakhouse

BOA Steakhouse artfully combines a bold, colorful environment with modern-day steakhouse fare. Steaks and chops include a selection of prime Omaha beef such as the “40 Day” Dry Aged New York Strip and the “Bone In” Rib Eye, as well as Certified Organic Beef and Premium American Wagyu, all served with a choice of rubs and house made sauces, including BOA’s own J-1 sauce. A full complement of traditional steakhouse sides is offered, including the Classic Caesar Salad made tableside and Mac-n-Cheese. The menu also offers tempting poultry dishes and superb seafood options, a wide variety of Sandwiches and Salads at lunchtime, an extensive cocktail menu and a Wine Spectator award-winning wine list.

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.

Vintage Eve Circa 5/2015: Family Winemakers, is the Hit-Maker Once Again

May 15, 2018 by evebushman

I almost skipped this year’s Family Winemakers uber-large tasting as it was being held in Pomona at the Fairplex, a two-hour round-trip drive. But then I noticed that the organizers had given the press a four hour window to taste (and recover) from about 100 wineries – each serving up two or more of their latest efforts. So…I made the trek. (If you would like to skip the coverage below you can see the story in photos here.)

Tasting Full Line Ups

Ancient Peaks – Served up some lovely wines, my favorite was the Renegade blend of Syrah, Malbec and Petit Verdot and the Oyster Ridge blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec and Petite Sirah.

Carlisle Winery – Eve Wine 101 VP Michael Perlis is a fan so I have to try and get my hands on these wines whenever I can, usually over our staff lunches (thank you Michael). Today I was loving their Steiner Vineyard Gruner Veltliner, “the only Gruner made in Sonoma.” From there both the 2013 Russian River Valley Zinfandels wowed me: one from the Papera Ranch and the other from Montafi Ranch.

Carol Shelton Wines – From the 2011 Sonoma County Karma Zin, Cucamonga Valley (yes, as in Rancho Cucamonga) 2013 Monga Zin, 2013 Rockpile Sonoma County and through to the 2011 Late Harvest Sonoma County…I was in love with these Zins! They also had some fine wines from their secondary label, Wild Thing, and I especially appreciated the flavor of the Rendezvous Rose.

Clos Pepe Estate – I’m a member of the winery, but since my shipments are usually Pinot Noirs I wanted to try the latest Axis Mundi wines made from grapes outside of the estate; the Rose of Mourvedre and blend (Grenache and Syrah). Glad I didn’t miss either, and I will want them in my next shipment.

Dolin Estate – I had to turn down a wine pairing dinner with Elliott Dolin as it was in Westlake Village on a weeknight – a possible three-hour round-trip trek. I wanted to make it up by tasting them at Family Winemakers. Elliott was happy to take me through his line-up and I was especially smitten with the 2012 Malibu Estate Chardonnay and every Pinot Noir, especially the 2012 Rincon Vineyard out of the Arroyo Grande Valley.

Foxen Vineyard – Starting with lovely fruit from a 2013 Chenin Blanc from the Ernesto Wickenden Vineyard, Santa Maria Valley, I also enjoyed the 2013 Chardonnay, Block UU, Bien Nacido Vineyard, Santa Maria Valley; 2013 Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley; 2013 Pinot Noir John Sebastiano Vineyard, Sta. Rita Hills.

Frostwatch Vineyard and Winery – Poured and described by wine friend Michael Fraschilla I found myself totally digging every white I tried: the mostly Semillon 2013 Vice Versa, 2013 Chardonnay and their 2012 Ophira Reserve Chardonnay.

Guarachi Family Wines – I doubted that vintner Alex Guarachi would be at the table but I had to look…and was greeted instead by his latest, and very tasty, Pinot Noir: 2013 Sun Chase Vineyard from the Petaluma Gap, Sonoma Coast.

Miner Family Winery – A lovely 2013 Simpson Vineyard California Viognier tickled my fancy and 2010 The Oracle Napa Valley Bordeaux blend put me over the edge. Tasty stuff.

Pride Mountain Vineyards – A delicious 2013 Napa Valley Chardonnay was followed by a 2012 Merlot and 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon, both with grapes from Napa and Sonoma Counties.

Rocca Family – Yes! I was so happy to find a new favorite Napa winery that I visited last October and even happier to discover they had new releases for me to try today! There were two Cabernet Sauvignons that were delish, but a Merlot stole the show. For some reason it make me think that even a non-Merlot fan would like it; it was ready to drink now and had very nice fruit and spice. Best Merlot at the event, IMO.

Round Pond Estate – I had visited Round Pond’s Napa tasting room in April of 2012 and at the time I was fond of the whites, today I was into the Cabernet Sauvignons. The first was a Rutherford estate and the second, a Kith and Kin, which is made from Rutherford and “neighboring appellations.”

Swanson Vineyards – Though I was hoping winemaker Chris Phelps would be there as we dined together years ago, I was equally thrilled to say hello again to his director of national sales, Shelly Eichner. I love their wines, especially the latest Alexis Cabernet Sauvignon.

Tablas Creek Vineyard – Can you ever have too many Rhônes? Never! They wowed me with every white Rhône blend, red Rhône blends and single varietals. Their 2014 Vermentino and 2012 Mourvedre were stellar.

About

Family Winemakers of California is an “organization that reflects the small producer’s point of view.” With nearly 5,300 licensed wineries in California someone needs to consistently speak for small, family wineries in the fight for more access to markets, protecting individual freedom from government over-regulation, and fostering aspirations to make the best wine. Our beginnings are humble. Family Winemakers was founded in 1990 after the wine market order extension was voted down in a true grassroots campaign. Industry growth and public policy on a myriad of issues begged for input from small producers. One man, one vote is the bedrock principle behind Family Winemakers that guides our views on legislation, regulation, litigation and business practices. We’ve spent 24 years and counting working to loosen up the post-Prohibition restrictions in California law and broaden access to domestic markets.

A list of the Pomona Participating Wineries can be downloaded here.

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

Results of Airline Wine Competition Released

August 23, 2017 by evebushman

Yardley, Pa. (PRWEB) August 2017 – Global Traveler, the only AAM-audited magazine for luxury business and leisure travelers, releases the results of its 13th annual Wines on the Wing Airline Wine Competition.

Air Canada Unveils New Livery Inspired by Canada (CNW Group/Air Canada)

The competition, held June 8, took place at City Winery in New York City. Expert judges participated in the blind tasting of 32 airlines’ white, red and sparkling wines. The judges hailed from a wide range of specialties, including sommeliers, wine shop owners and winemakers. In total, 28 Champagnes/sparkling wines, 56 white wines and 61 red wines were tasted.

Airlines are required to submit five different wines — two red wines, two white wines and one sparkling wine/Champagne — to be eligible for the overall Best International Business Class Wines on the Wing award or the Best International First Class Wines on the Wing award. For the first time in 2017, Global Traveler awarded gold, silver and bronze awards in each category. This year, the overall winner for Best International Business Class Wines on the Wing was Air Canada, and the winner for Best International First Class Wines on the Wing was Asiana Airlines.

In the white wine category, Best International Business Class White Wine was tied for Jurtschitsch Grüner Veltliner 2016, Austria, submitted by Air Canada, and Steininger Grüner Veltliner 2015, Austria, submitted by Brussels Airlines. For first class, the winner was EL AL Israel Airlines with Vitkin Winery Grenache Blanc 2015, Israel.

The best business-class Champagne was Aeroflot’s Ayala Brut Majeur, NV. The best first-class Champagne was United Airlines’ Joseph Perrier Brut Cuvée Royale 2004. TAP Portugal’s Luis Pato Blanc de Blancs, NV, won Best International Business Class Sparkling Wine.

When it came to red wine, Asiana Airlines reigned supreme in the first-class category with Gran Claustro 2011, Spain, and All Nippon Airways took the No. 1 business-class spot with Drumheller Cabernet Sauvignon 2015, Washington.

For the ninth consecutive year, Global Traveler awarded the Best North American Wines on the Wing. North American airlines submitted first-class and business-class wine samples, depending on their domestic flight offerings.

American Airlines was named Best North American First Class/Business Class Wines on the Wing, and also won for its red wine, La Ferme du Côtes du Rhône 2014, France, and its white wine, Domaine de la Chaise Sauvignon 2016, France. Hawaiian Airlines’ Flor Prosecco, NV, Italy, won Best North American Champagne/Sparkling Wine.

For the seventh year, Global Traveler awarded the Best Alliance Wines on the Wing. The participating airlines were divided by their airline alliance. The overall points for each airline were tallied and averaged to determine the alliance with the highest total. Congratulations to oneworld, represented by airberlin, American Airlines and British Airways.

Competition director Eunice Fried spent months preparing for the blind tasting. Fried, an accomplished wine journalist and respected wine expert, resides in New York City.

Global Traveler is the only U.S.-based publication to conduct such a survey in the United States.

The top airlines in each category are:

BEST INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS CLASS WINES ON THE WING
GOLD Air Canada
SILVER Brussels Airlines
BRONZE TAP Portugal
4. airberlin
5. Aeroflot

BEST INTERNATIONAL FIRST CLASS WINES ON THE WING
GOLD Asiana Airlines
SILVER British Airways
BRONZE United Airlines
4. Singapore Airlines
5. American Airlines

BEST CHAMPAGNE INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS CLASS
GOLD Aeroflot
SILVER All Nippon Airways
BRONZE Delta Air Lines
4. Brussels Airlines/Hainan Airlines (TIE)
5. airberlin

BEST CHAMPAGNE INTERNATIONAL FIRST CLASS
GOLD United Airlines
SILVER American Airlines
BRONZE Singapore Airlines
4. Asiana Airlines
5. British Airways

BEST SPARKLING WINE INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS CLASS
GOLD TAP Portugal
SILVER Alitalia
BRONZE Hawaiian Airlines

BEST WHITE WINE INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS CLASS
GOLD Air Canada/Brussels Airlines (TIE)
SILVER Air Serbia
BRONZE United Airlines
4. Singapore Airlines
5. TAP Portugal

BEST WHITE WINE INTERNATIONAL FIRST CLASS
GOLD EL AL Israel Airlines
SILVER All Nippon Airways/Asiana Airlines (TIE)
BRONZE British Airways
4. Singapore Airlines/American Airlines (TIE)
5. American Airlines

BEST RED WINE INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS CLASS
GOLD All Nippon Airways
SILVER American Airlines
BRONZE Aeromexico
4. TAP Portugal
5. Brussels Airlines

BEST RED WINE INTERNATIONAL FIRST CLASS
GOLD Asiana Airlines
SILVER Asiana Airlines
BRONZE Singapore Airlines
4. United Airlines
5. British Airways

BEST NORTH AMERICAN WINES ON THE WING
GOLD American Airlines
SILVER JetBlue
BRONZE Delta Air Lines

BEST NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPAGNE/SPARKLING WINE
GOLD Hawaiian Airlines
SILVER Delta Air Lines/JetBlue (TIE)
BRONZE Virgin America

BEST NORTH AMERICAN RED WINE
GOLD American Airlines
SILVER JetBlue
BRONZE Delta Air Lines

BEST NORTH AMERICAN WHITE WINE
GOLD American Airlines
SILVER United Airlines
BRONZE JetBlue

BEST ALLIANCE WINES ON THE WING
GOLD oneworld
SILVER Star Alliance
BRONZE SkyTeam

For more information on the competition, check out the August 2017 issue of Global Traveler or visit globaltravelerusa.com.

About Global Traveler
With nearly 300,000 readers, Global Traveler connects with U.S.-based frequent, affluent, international travelers. According to MediaMark Research (MRI), GT readers have an average net worth of $2 million and 50 percent are CEOs and owners of companies. Our readers average nine domestic flights per year and 93 percent travel internationally on a regular basis, mostly in first and business class. More than 55 percent stay in 4- and 5-star hotels, at an average 60 nights per year. Four special editions — Leisure Lifestyle Edition, Global City Guidebook, Class Act Guide and The Trazee Book — complement 12 monthly issues. Each year, Global Traveler awards the GT Tested Reader Survey awards, the Leisure Lifestyle Awards and the Wines on the Wing awards.

About Global Traveler Digital
Global Traveler’s website, globaltravelerusa.com, which unveiled a new design in late 2016, offers unique daily content catering to the lifestyle and travel interests of our audience of premium travelers. Other digital offerings include eFlyer USA (20,000 double-opt-in subscribers); eFlyer Asia (4,000 Asia-based, double-opt-in subscribers); custom e-newsletters; sponsored content; Publisher’s Picks, GT on the Go and Premium eDeal e-newsletters; and a weekly On the Road with Global Traveler slideshow. More than 80,000 visitors monthly rely on globaltravelerusa.com as their travel resource.

About FXExpress Publications, Inc.
FXExpress Publications, Inc., based in Yardley, Pa., is a privately held company publishing Global Traveler, eFlyer USA, eFlyer Asia, Trazee Travel, WhereverFamily and several annuals; and also operating globaltravelerusa.com, globaltravelerusa.com/blog, trazeetravel.com and whereverfamily.com.

Tasting the latest Scholium Project wines, by Michael Perlis

April 30, 2016 by evebushman

I think I am finally beginning to understand the Scholium Project wines. A little. Maybe. It’s taken me a few years.

Perhaps it has to do with how I think and feel about wine. You may have noticed that even though I have been contributing to Eve’s Wine 101 for several years now, I rarely review individual bottles of wine. Eve does most of that and she is great at it.

Of course, for the wineries out there, if you want me to review your wines, feel free to send them to me. But, I’ll review them my way, which basically has to do with how I feel about them in the context in which I am drinking them.

Which brings me back to the Scholium Project.

As I said, I’ve been drinking Scholium for a few years. I’ve enjoyed the wines; some are more challenging than others. I’ve had people whose palates I admire roll their eyes when I mention Scholium; I’ve had others’ eyes light up.

When asked what they taste like, I’ll often reply that, well, they taste like Scholium. Admittedly, I stole this from an article that I read awhile back wherein the author of the piece asked one of winemaker Abe Schoener’s assistants what a particular bottling named Glos tastes like and she replied that “it tastes like Glos.” To me, that was the perfect answer, as Abe’s wines taste of what they are, representative of the conditions in the vineyard that day and what has happened to the wine with minimal intervention. Even knowing the varietal becomes of reduced importance.

The best way to developing an understanding of what Abe is doing is to attend one of his lectures/tastings. Philosophy becomes the core and the wine almost becomes secondary, except of course, it isn’t.

Recently, along with assistant winemaker Alex Pitts and master of presses and everything else Brenna Harrington, Abe hosted a tasting at Everson Royce Bar in the developing Arts district of Downtown Los Angeles. On a stereotypical warm late Winter So Cal day, about 20 or so of us had the opportunity to taste the latest releases of the Scholium Project.

Before and during tasting, bearing in mind his academic roots [Ph.D. in Pre-Socratic Philosophy], Abe discussed the wines in both big picture and small picture terms, referring to celestial and agricultural cycles and the release of wines being not only dependent on their development but on the “necessities of commerce”. [Italics are mine to point out that Abe does live in the real world with all the rest of us.]

Abe also pointed out that wine has an overriding theme of “doom and decay.” From the moment the winemaking process starts to the point the wine is consumed, it constantly changes, at some point, sooner or later, reaching a peak and then falling off, with the ultimate elusive goal of consuming the wine at exactly the right point in time.

[In my own mind, I carry this theme to a micro level, opening a bottle and having it develop over the next hour or two from that initial taste to the last sad glass.]

And yes, there was wine. I’ll list them below, without attempt at tasting notes, but with a little bit of commentary.

Blowout – Scholium now produces sparkling wines, both a white and rose. Primarily Gruner and Verdelho [the rose also has Zinfandel], closed with a beer bottle cap. 2015 vintage – great way to start [white] and finish [rose] the tasting.

We then tasted the latest releases of…

2015 Naucratis [Lost Slough Vineyards] – incredibly rich Verdelho.

2015 Rhododactylos [Bechtold Ranch] – the label says white wine for some reason that I don’t understand. The color varies but it always is some shade of pink; this one the darkest I can remember. This is typically one of my favorite Scholiums, I think of pure river water when I drink it.

2015 FTP [Kirschenmann Ranch] – Pinot Grigio from Tegan Passalacqua’s vineyard in Lodi. The name is an homage to Tegan, who is perhaps best known as the winemaker for Turley. The TP stands for Tegan Passalacqua, the F stands for what F usually stands for.

2015 Il Ciliego – tasty light version of zinfandel, first vintage and a move away from heavy reds that Scholium had been known for.

2014 Androkteinos [Hudson Vineyards] – delicious Syrah, one that I will very much miss as Abe is discontinuing this wine with his focus more on white wines.

2013 Babylon [Tenbrink Family Vineyards] – fortunately, this Petite Sirah is not going away. My favorite of the day – yes, I asked for seconds.

And the olive oil.

After the tasting, I commented to Abe that he is an “outlier”. I’m not sure he appreciated that, but I definitely meant it as a compliment. The wine industry, any industry, needs those who approach their work outside of typical boundaries in order to move the industry forward.

One last thing…I was commenting to someone at the tasting that I wish Abe et al did a better job of selling their wines. The woman I was speaking to said they need to sell just how they do it, a bottle at a time. Personally, I disagree. With a patio full of adoring fans who were clearly feeling “all in”, what better way to encourage further commerce than to suggest website purchases and even better to join the Scholium Obligants and receive quarterly shipments? Abe didn’t mention it at the tasting, so I am mentioning it here.

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: Family Winemakers of California [Part 2 Favorite Wines]

April 18, 2015 by evebushman

Last week, I wrote about my own history with Family Winemakers of California. This week’s article is about my favorite wines at this year’s tasting. I did my best to visit some of my old favorites as well as try to find some new ones. With almost 100 wineries pouring hundreds of wines, I barely made a dent, but of what I tasted, here are the ones I liked the best:

Ancient Peaks – Mike Sinor is the winemaker for this Santa Margarita winery, just south of Paso Robles. My favorites were the Renegade Rhone blend and the Oyster Ridge blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Petit Verdot and Malbec. I think these are my two favorites from them every year.

BellaGrace Vineyards – A fairly new [2006] winery based in Plymouth. Barbera is one of the things Amador County does best, and there’s was no exception. Their Primitivo was tasty as well, but my favorite was their old vine Zinfandel – not surprising as Amador boasts some of the oldest Zinfandel vineyards in California.

C.G. Di Arie Vineyard & Winery – Another Sierra Foothills producer great Barbera, Primitivo and Zinfandel, along with a Cabernet Sauvignon that I really liked.

Ca’Momi Winery Napa Valley – very good Zinfandel from this Napa winery. My wife Karen enjoyed their Prosecco and their Rose.

Carlisle Winery – I can’t say enough good things about Carlisle. I’ve been a fan since they started in 1998, and Mike and Kendall Officer continue to support FWC and those retailers who supported them since they began, despite huge accolades and a waiting list to buy wine that is miles long. Loved their Gruner Veltliner [as did Karen], as well as the two single vineyard Zinfandels they were pouring [Montafi Ranch and Papera Ranch], and it was amazing to me how delicious their Sonoma County Syrah was – this wine is priced as an everyday wine but definitely does not have an everyday taste.

Cima Collina – tasty wines from Marina, California. Liked their Syrah and loved the Mourvedre.

Clavo Cellars – Neil Roberts continues to make outstanding wines out of Templeton. His whites are always great and the reds keep getting better and better. I especially liked the Zinfandel and Collusion red blend.

Inspiration Vineyards & Winery – very small winery based in Santa Rosa, owner/winemaker Jon Phillips is make some very nice wines. I found his red Rhone blend to be really tasty.

Mattina Fiore Wines – a new winery for me, and a pretty new one overall [2011], this wine was a great discovery for me. Based in San Luis Obispo, as I was tasting the wine the words that kept coming into my head were “These wines are very pretty.” The only Chardonnay I had that day, and it was outstanding. Their Grenache, Syrah and Red Rhone blend were great as well.

Nottingham Cellars – this was another big find for me. The winery is in Livermore, an area to which I have previously paid little to no attention. The Rhone blend was outstanding and the Petite Sirah was a dollop of deliciousness on my palate.

Rock Wall Wine Company – Sadly, winemaker Shauna Rosenblum did not make the trip down from Alameda this year, which is understandable since her baby is due any time now. Fortunately her wines did – I’m a big fan of her Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Tannat, as well as the Obsideana red blend.

Sobon Estate / Shenandoah Vineyards – another Amador County producer, so naturally I enjoyed their Barbera, Zinfandel and Primitivo.

Thirty-Seven Wines – based in Sonoma, I was really excited to try these wines, especially when I found out that Shane Finley is their winemaker. The Grenache and Syrah were amazing, as was the red blend. These wines really over-delivered – very reasonable price points and very high quality.

Tres Sabores – winemaker Julie Johnson is making nice wines at her winery in St. Helena. I enjoyed the Petite Sirah, Zinfandel and the red blend of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot named Por Que No?

Vezer Family Vineyard – another winery that was new to me, this one is based in Fairfield. Enjoyed their Petite Sirah and Zinfandel, as well as their red blend. [Karen really liked their Verdelho.] And I liked their Cabernet Sauvignon as well.

You may have noticed a recurring theme here, but not unexpected to anyone who knows me or reads my articles on a regular basis. I gravitate toward Zinfandel and the Rhones, and with the breadth of selection here, it was easy to create a tasting game plan that would meet those desires. But there was also plenty of high-quality Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Pinot Noir being poured. This was truly a tasting for everyone and I am looking forward to what they do with it next year.

As Paul Kronenberg, President of Family Winemakers of California said to me: “There are an enormous amount of brands every year that consumers are exposed to and everyone’s palate is different. We strongly encourage them to explore all the varieties that California has to offer and to spread the word about what they discover.”

2015 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, by Rick Fraga

February 14, 2015 by evebushman

Happy 2015, Eve’s Wine 101 fans! I hope your New Year is off to a great start like mine is, hitting the ground at a gallop. It didn’t hurt to start the year almost 100 pounds thinner than last year to begin with, but that is another story (one that includes not limiting my access to wine to lose the weight!) The best part of 2015 is starting it as I have for the last five years now, as a Wine Judge for the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. This is an event that I anticipate at the beginning of every year, this year it took place from January 7^th through the 10^th at the Cloverdale Citrus Fair grounds in Cloverdale, California.

Yes, the competition has been completed and has started another stellar year for the wine industry across the United States. After last year’s competition amassed over 5,800 entries for states all across the nation, it was anticipated that participation would drop for 2015, but at the start of judging the Chronicle Competition began with over 6,400 entries from 28 states. You would think this to be a daunting task for the 60+ judges to complete their evaluations in 3 ½ days. But, as usual the panels were up for the job and joyfully sipped and savored their way, finishing the Sweepstakes judging before noon on Friday the 10^th.

This year’s San Francisco Chronicle Sweepstakes winners came from three different states, California, New York and Ohio (yes Ohio!). The Sweepstakes winners are:

Sparkling Wine – Gloria Ferrer – 2010 Blanc De Blancs, Carneros, $42.00

Pink Wine – Robert Hall Winery – 2014 Rose de Robles, Paso Robles, $14.00

White Wine – ZD Wines – 2013 Chardonnay, California $38.00

Dr. Konstantin Frank – 2013 Riesling, Semi Dry, Finger Lakes, New York $14.99

Red Wine – Sonoma -Cutrer – 2012 Pinot Noir, Founders Reserve, Russian River Valley $65.00

Pezzi King – 2012 Estate Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley, Row 14 Reserve, $50.00

Dessert Wine – Debonne Vineyards – 2013 Vidal Blanc Ice Wine, Grand River Valley, Ohio $29.99

Label – Inizi – 2012 Charbono, Calistoga, $32.00

This competition is one of my favorites every year, as I am exposed to such a huge diverse range of newly released wine, I have the opportunity to catch up with a number of friends that I only see a few times a year and it kicks my New Year off on a great start. The competition is great in its own right, as it breaks many wines down in price range categories, this makes it so $20 Cabernet Sauvignon is not competing with the same wine at $60. It benefits the wineries as far as medal competition, but also the consumer, who can now look for wines that are medal winners in a specific price range. Everybody wines when this happens. If you are curious about the medal winning wines from this year’s San Francisco Chronicle Competition go to the following address, http://winejudging.com/medal-winners/.

During this week of judging, I have the opportunity to meet wine people (educators, critics, media people, wine makers and more) from all corners of the United States and share stories, wines and experiences. It is a wonderful 3 ½ days of intense tasting, camaraderie, entertainment and of course…some great food mixed in! What’s not to like when you have wine industry icons such as Wilfred Wong (formerly of Bev-Mo and now with Wine.com), Kent Roseblum (formerly Rosenblum Cellars and now with RockWall Wine Company), Dr. Barry Gump (Wine educator from Florida International University) and many more noteworthy wine industry professionals together to evaluate wine from across the United States.

The competition started every morning with breakfast, except for the meet and greet event on Tuesday. This is where the judges are introduced and the panel selections for the week are announced. From that point on it is off to take the annual Judges Picture and then time to start our judging. My panel was comprised of three judges, Kathleen Arnink (Educator from Cornell University), Chris Sawyer (Wine Writer and Sommelier) and myself. This year we tasted Petite Sirah $20+, Syrah $40+, Syrah $30-$39, Cabernet Sauvignons $25-$29, Zinfandel $25-$29, Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio $15+, Verdelho, Gruener Veltliner and a varietal called Blanc du Bois (which none of us had ever heard of prior to this event). We were quite pleased with the variety and overall quality of what we judged this year, finding some exceptional wine throughout the week.

Now sitting down and tasting 120 to 150 wines a day may sound like a challenge, which it is, but being able to gather with all of the judges both Tuesday and Wednesday evenings for the Judge’s dinners makes the day all worthwhile. The Tuesday dinner is always catered at the home of the Chronicle Competition’s Executive Director, Bob Fraser. Bob and his lovely wife Carrie welcome us every year into their backyard, providing us the opportunity to reconnect with old friends, meet and get to know the new judges and generally have a fun night with wine, food and friends. The evening concluded with most of the judges heading back to the motel where they were staying and gathering to visit and sip wines in a couple select rooms.

The Wednesday night dinner was a bit more formal, as it is hosted by a winery from either Napa or Sonoma County. This year we were invited to the Francis Ford Coppola Winery near Geyserville. It is a beautiful facility, laden with artwork and memorabilia from Coppola movies. Thanks to the amazing effort by our hosts, the dinner experience was fabulous. Prior to the start of dinner, we all were greeted with wine, a tour of the facility and then led into their large barrel room for the meal portion of the visit. It was well lit and beautifully decorated, with three long tables set up for family style seating and dining. What added to the experience was that the Coppola wait-staff were all dressed up as Italian characters that you may find in a New Jersey or New York neighborhood. These folks were hilarious, acting the part as they brought out copious amounts of food and wine all evening for the very appreciative guests. Topping the evening off was the presence of the man himself, Francis Ford Coppola and his lovely wife Eleanor. He spoke and welcomed everyone to his winery, leading into what I think was the best Judge’s dinner I have ever attended. The staff was amazing, keeping wine and food flowing, there was music playing and the ambiance was electric. It definitely was a memorable evening.

The remainder of the competition flowed on into Friday, with the Sweepstakes portion of the judging being performed in a large room in front of an audience. The final judging segment included recognition for the staff and volunteers that are always so critical to the success of the competition, then the Sweepstakes judging. It all wrapped up after the Sweepstakes winners were announced, with closing remarks from Bob Fraser and the final portion of the 2015 San Francisco Chronicle Competition, the Public Tasting Event, being announced as taking place on February 14^th at Fort Mason in San Francisco. This is a portion of the competition I highly recommend you consider if you are in San Francisco on Valentine’s Day Weekend. It is 3-4 hours of tasting award winning and other wines from across the United States, with the opportunity to meet the owners and winemakers of these great wines. It is a great event, a wonderful opportunity, plus it is a nice way to spend a special Valentine’s Day weekend.

I wish all of you a great 2015! This will be a wonderful and busy year here for me, as I will be judging a new wine competition specifically for Rose wines in March, traveling to the Walla Walla, Washington area for wine tasting in April and judging one or possibly two wine competitions in June. I look forward to providing insights to these and other events that I will have the opportunity to participate in. Have a great Spring and enjoy every day. Please drink responsibly and, as always, remember that “Life is Too Short to Drink Bad Wine”

Vintage Beacon 11/09: Sunset in the Vineyards: Introduces More Than Burcak

November 18, 2014 by evebushman

This Sunday, November the 8^th from 3-6pm, (was) the one place to find many, if not all, members of the Santa Clarita Valley Vintners and Growers Association sharing their wines and knowledge with a very thirsty crowd all to benefit our local Assistance League. We’ll be there, will you have your your tickets in time? (661- 254 -4126 Email: alsc@email.com)

Some of our winemakers have, at press time, this to share about what they will be pouring on Sunday

The “winemaker wives” Jennifer Hasper and Megan Lemley

Les Deux Chat, owned by Chris and Patty Connolly, will be pouring a selection of their wines. Tomas & Jenny Lukas will share their 2007 Bobcat Red Syrah, 2008 Bobcat Red Syrah, 2008 Cab Mascari Vineyard and 2008 Luminari Zinfandel. Chris Carpenter will be pouring a 2008 Santa Inez Nebbiolo and 2008 Pinot Noir along with a 2007 “Lost Pruners” Cabernet Sauvignon. DiMaggio Washington will be pouring his Rancho Santiago 2007 Port. Danny Mascari, from his vineyard on Bouquet Canyon Road, Bouquet Vineyard, will be sharing a 2005 Cabernet, 2007 Cabernet, and 2007 Sangiovese.

Susie and Kerry Clark, of Two Hearts Estate, Castaic, will be pouring 08 Lewis Vyd Petite Sirah, Lodi, 08 Two Hearts Estate Primitivo, 07 Two Hearts Estate Primitivo, 07 Two Hearts Estate Scorched Earth Syrah, 08 Two Hearts Estate Syrah, 07 Two Hearts Estate Cabernet, 08 Primitivo/Petite Blend, 08 Paso Cabernet, 08 Paso Cab/Syrah Blend, 08 White Hawk Vyd Cat Canyon S.B. Sangiovese, 08 Triunfo Creek Vyd Malibu Merlot, 07 Malbec, Argentina, South America, 09 Two Hearts Rose, 07 & 08 Gruner-Veltliner, Weingut Huber, Traisental Austria, 08 Oakville Vyd Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc, 09 Swayze Vyd Neenach Sauvignon Blanc, 09 Swayze Vyd Neenach Semillion and 09 Swayze Vyd Neenach Sauvignon Blanc/Semillion Blends.

Pulchella Winery, formerly known as Dragonfly, will be pouring 2007 lot #1 Janes Ranch Vineyard Zinfandel Paso Robles, 2007 lot #2 Janes Ranch Vineyard Zinfandel Paso Robles, 2006 Creston Ranch Farms Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles, 2007 Paso Robles Syrah, 2006 Paso Robles Chardonnay.

Joe & Jill Fariss, of “Soaring Hawk”, will be bringing ’07 Merlot, ’07 Zin, ’08 Viogner. Their beer-master friend, Richard Gayou, will be bringing 2 seasonal beer/ale. And there will also be bits of brats served by the Assistance League ladies to pair it with!

Roman Weiser will pour 2008 Whistling Vineyard Syrah ‘Ben’s Crush’, 2008 Whistling Vineyard Grenache ‘Ben’s Crush’ 2008 Central Coast Pinot Noir ‘Fat Boy’, 2008 Danny’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ‘Screaming People’, 2007 Danny’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ‘Lost Pruners’ 2007 Central Coast ‘Nebiollo’ and 2006 Central Coast Cabernet Sauvignon ‘Raul’s Secret.’

Roman is also preparing something very special, never seen in these parts of the World: “In my country it is called BURCAK. (pronounced something like this – BOURCHAUG or BURCHYAG) It is simply a wine in the middle of fermentation, poured to taste as it ferments in your glass.

Burčák is supposed to offer great health benefits. Burčák is rich in vitamins, particularly Vitamin B, and certain essential minerals. Burcak is believed by many to possess the life-giving energy of sun and soil – the secret of good health. Local superstition has it that one should drink at least as much of Burcak as how much blood flows in ones veins to ensure good luck until the next harvest.”

Derrick McKaughan and Roman Weiser

New this year (and it’s only their second year!)

New additions this year include wine maker Randy Bartlett of “4 Joe’s Wines”, winemaking father-son duo Jeff & Ed Capuano and “World Wine Educator” and COC professor, professional sommelier and vineyard grower/winemaker DiMaggio Washington. Also new this year, good friends of the Santa Clarita Valley Vintners and Growers Association, Corry & Carol deRobertis. They will be offering tastes of their custom made artisan cheeses.

Once again this year a silent auction will include these terrific choices:

A day of sailing out of Marina del Rey aboard Betsy & Kenny Linn’s Benteneau yacht the ‘Alcyone’, includes lunch & wine and delightful hosts.

A fun auction item this year is a dinner served and made by a select group of the winemakers with select wines, as well as some rare bottles from these local winemakers. Their dinners are not to be missed.

Other the gourmet related items to be included: Bottles of 2007 Sea Smoke “Southing” Pinot Noir, a bottle of Pulchella 2007 Paso Robles Syrah, and “The 2005 Wine of the Year”, a 2002 Joseph Phelps “Insignia.”

There will be gourmet raffle items as well. Raffle tickets are 10 for $10 or 25 for $20. Winners will be posted on the blackboard and will be available for pickup when exiting.

From Jeannie Carpenter, President of our Assistance League and co-owner of Compa Vineyards

“I just returned from an Assistance League Conference. I discovered that other chapters are beginning to copy our “Sunset in the Vineyard” event as a fundraiser too. I was told it was an honor!

This event helps fund local programs; one such program is Operation School Bell which allows Assistance League to buy new school clothing for over 1,660 SCV children in need at our “Shopping Event at Kohl’s”. One can imagine that the need will be much greater this year!

As a group, the Santa Clarita Valley Vintners and Growers Association, share their acquired knowledge and periodically lend one another a hand with the tasks of pruning, harvesting, bottling and of course, tasting…”

August 2008 Vintage Eve: Meeting Local Winemakers

August 22, 2014 by evebushman

My husband Eddie and I spending a day wine tasting in Santa Clarita (SCV) is not news. But wine tasting at two different vineyards within ten minutes of our house in SCV is.

Event planner Jeannie Carpenter with guests Betty and Luke Herme

Chris and Jeannie Carpenter of Newhall have a cellar I have long coveted. Free standing and temperature controlled, with an attached sitting room, it is normally filled with exceptional wine. But on this day it was also filled with oak barrels to sample from and a “wine thief” (think classy turkey baster) to sample with.

“We have what you call a collective co-op,” Chris began. “Three couples and a single winemaker. We had 500 pounds of Cabernet that we made into 30 gallons. Two 26 gallon half barrels – they’re easier to move and hold plenty of wine anyway -makes about 35 bottles per couple.”

“The grapes are all from a local grower in Bouquet Canyon. During the crush the grapes are ‘popped’, cleaned, covered, slosh around in a truck getting here and then we ferment it for a month with the skins on.”

“Our ‘Lost Pruners’ vintage was the last one we made. We will age the new one in American oak for about 4-5 more months. The wood softens the wine, but we have the remaining juice in glass containers. If it happens to be too ‘oaky’, we’ll blend them to taste. We are also making a Barolo style from 100% Nebbiolo grapes from Santa Ynez. It will be a little drier and needs one more year before taking home.”

At this point Chris checks his composition book to tell us that his “Cabernet Tempranillo was first bottled in July of 07.”

We asked how in the heck he learned how to do this and he said, “Reading a lot and learning by mistakes. I also tried to do everything my favorite winemaker from Saxum did; right down to picking his brain and planting the same grapes. The 200 vines we’re growing are Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre that we’ll use to make a Southern Rhone-style blend. I’ve learned a lot from collaborating with my friend, Roman Weiser (another Newhall grower) on the crafting of these wines.”

We reluctantly head away from the cellar and out to take a look at the vines. Jeannie took charge of our tour then. “I plan on having Assistance League fundraisers here,” Jeannie said. “To support our community.”

She then introduced us to her brother-in-law, Tim Carpenter, who had named the “Compa Vineyards” in memory of his dog, who was lovingly seen as a true “compadre”.

“You can come back for the grape stomp,” Chris added. “We may do that next time. Until then we let the grapes drop, to give structure to our 2009 harvest.” We’re there.

Then, back in the car, we drove ten minutes to Two Hearts Vineyard, this time into the hills above Hasley Canyon and to the beautiful home of Kerry and Susie (not Suzie Q.) Clark. And, even though they were in the midst of preparing for a wedding, it didn’t prevent them from being gracious hosts to an impromptu wine tasting.

Kerry and Susie Clark and 1/3 of the different varietals they had to share!

With a 4 year old all organic vineyard they have just a bit over 200 vines. Growing Rhone reds, Primitivo, Cabernet and Barbera; whites include Colombard, Viognier, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne and White Malvasia.

“We are strictly amateur winemakers for now so we either drink our wine or give it away,” Susie reported. “We also buy grapes (Paso, Santa Barbara, and Lodi), and juice (Napa, Washington, Australia and Austria) and even use wine kits. We have won quite a few awards for our wine in the past few years. Last month we received 5 medals at the 2008 Wine Maker International Amateur Wine Competition.”

“There were over 4,300 entries from 6 different countries making it the largest wine competition of any kind – commercial or amateur – in North America. Our 2006 Cat Canyon Santa Barbara County Sangiovese won a gold medal and the 06 Sangio-Cab blend took a silver. The 2006 and 2007 Gruner-Veltliner both took gold medals and the 07 Viognier got a silver. Our wines have won awards at other competitions including the California State Fair and the L.A. Cellarmasters U.S. Winemaking Competition”.

“We enjoy the competitions as professional judges give us feedback on our wines”.

It was a hell of a tasting. I had a hard time pouring out any of the wines Kerry had us taste. But the warm weather, excellent learning experience along with the subtle cheeses, fruits and meats, all increased our pairing experience.

“It all happened by accident,” Kerry explained. “We were invited to go to Napa and all I thought was that I didn’t need any auto parts.” There was a jokester in this winemaker. “Now we have a hard time taking a vacation at all because we can’t predict when the grapes are going to be ready for pick up, tasting and testing.”

“I enjoy writing the labels,” Kerry said. “I think every wine has a story to tell. My labels help tell the story of what’s in the bottle. Wine should be fun!” My husband read one of his quips, “Be a mellow fellow – drink Bordello Verdello” on the 2006 Mullaro Creek and “GRU-V” the 2006 Gruner Veltliner.

“Making wine isn’t hard,” Kerry continues, “But making good wine is. We started making small batches of beer before we lived in this house. And it was actually more complex with grinding grains and adding caramel. We had names like Brain Dead Red and Liver Killer Lager. Beer should be fun too!”

“We are also very green conscious: This is not a Rombauer Chardonnay, it’s my French Colombard, and we just reused the bottle.” Other wine making tips include oak cubes and stays and a cold fermentation process that “keeps the whites delicate.” Kerry added, “In blending my own wines I can make my own decisions and make them consistent, I’m a slave to nature. But we don’t try to strong arm our grapes to taste a certain way, we go where the grapes take us.”

So do I.