Perlises Pick: What Wines We Are Drinking At Home – Part 4

May 8, 2021 by Michael Perlis

It is finally time to move our focus to Northern California, so now we can write about the Big Three.

Ahhh, the Big Three. These are the three winemakers that have had the biggest influence on our wine drinking over the last 2+ decades. Not only do they make great Zinfandel [kind of a requirement for this Zinfan] along with other wonderful reds that are in our wheelhouse [think Syrah, Petite Sirah, etc.] but they also make wonderful lighter style wines.

In addition, they are all founding members of the Historic Vineyard Society [insert website], an organization dedicated to preserving California’s old vineyards.

Photo provided by Mike Officer of Carlisle

The Big Three are:

Mike Officer of Carlisle Winery and Vineyards

Tegan Passalacqua of Turley Wine Cellars and Sandlands

Morgan Twain-Peterson of Bedrock

Mike and Kendall Officer’s first vintage from their Carlisle Winery www.carlislewinery.com was 1998. They both kept their day jobs for the next few years, but given the immediate accolades they received out of the starting gate for their wines produced from old-vine vineyards, focusing on Zinfandels and Rhones, demand for them to increase production was high. They eventually were able to devote themselves full-time to the winery and their family – both of their children now work at the winery. While we immediately became huge fans of their red wines, they also make three whites that are definitely on our go-to list:

Sonoma Mountain “Steiner Vineyard” Grüner Veltliner: Not too many wineries use this varietal in California.

Sonoma Valley “Compagni Portis” White Wine: a field blend of primarily Gewurztraminer, Trousseau Gris and Riesling from the Compagni Portis Vineyard. Sonoma County “The Derivative” White Wine: The 2018 is a blend of Semillon, Muscadelle, Columbard and Palomino.

While many people consider Turley Wine Cellars www.turleywinecellars.com to be a Paso Robles winery since they purchased the old Pesenti winery in 2000, they also have a facility in Amador County, having acquired the Karly property in 2012. More to the Northern California point, Turley’s headquarters is in St. Helena in the Napa Valley. Under the auspices of Director of Winemaking Tegan Passalacqua, Turley produces an amazing number of delicious Zinfandels from some of California’s best vineyards, along with some Petite Syrahs, Cinsaults and even some Cabernet Sauvignon. If you are looking for lighter wines, they make some great ones as well. For whites, the Sauvignon Blanc is a favorite of ours and The White Coat blend is always outstanding. And yes, Turley also makes a White Zinfandel; but please don’t expect it to be that silly sweet stuff.

Tegan and his wife Olivia also own Sandlands www.sandlandsvineyards.com , where they focus mainly on “forgotten classic California varieties, primarily grown in decomposed granite (sand), from regions and vineyards that have been farmed for many generations but have remained the outliers of California viticulture.” Sure, they do make some outstanding Chardonnay, but don’t miss their Lodi Chenin Blanc or Cinsault, Mataro and Carigane from Contra Costa County, even a Mission from Amador County, among others. The wines have an old-fashioned flair to them, including lower alcohol by modern California standards and are lip-smackingly delicious. Prices are really reasonable too, but you need to try to get on the mailing list!

Last but not least, Morgan Twain-Peterson founded Bedrock www.bedrockwineco.com

in 2007, but winemaking would seem to have always been in his blood. As the son of Joel Peterson who created Ravenswood and now owns Once And Future Wine, Morgan made his first wine when he was 5 years old – I think he made Pinot Noir just to annoy his Zinfandel-loving father. We were first drawn to the Bedrock Syrahs, Zinfandels and Heritage field blends, but we have found the whites to be equally as compelling. Morgan and his now partner-in-wine Chris Cottrell are doing amazing things with Sauvignon Blanc. And if you or anyone you know thinks that Rieslings are not for them, please give Bedrock’s a try; you will change your mind. Finally, the Ode to Lulu is one of our favorite pink wines every year.

Be aware that all of the Big Three reserve the bulk of their production for their mailing lists, so I highly recommend you sign up – or get on their waitlists.

As the weather starts heating up and Karen and I get to being fully vaccinated, we are looking forward to traveling to our favorite wine regions and tasting new varietals and vintages and reporting back. But in the meantime, you’ll probably see another article or two in this series.

Michael Perlis has been pursuing his passion for wine for more than 30 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 President of MCP Financial, which provides outsourced controller services. Michael can be contacted at michaelthezinfan@aol.com or mcpfinancial@aol.com.

Vintage Eve Circa Nov 2017: Tasting the Double Gold San Francisco Competitions at République

September 1, 2020 by evebushman

At the end of October I had a chance to taste a selection of Double Gold winners from the 2016 and 2017 San Francisco International Wine Competition and the 2016 and 2017 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

The San Francisco Competitions 2017 Double Gold Tour gives wine and spirits professionals a unique opportunity to taste the Competitions’ top winners and to discover the next trending tastes, styles, and varietals we’ll be seeing in 2018.

At the LA stop on this year’s multi-city tour, the San Francisco Competitions are proud to also offer a seated seminar showcasing Double Gold winning wines and spirits. Join Executive Director Anthony Dias Blue as he gives you a glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes of the SF Competitions and walks you through the complexities of tasting wines and spirits like a competition judge.

Wine and Spirits…That I Took the Time to Taste and Loved (I did skip those I’ve already tasted too.)

Cakebread Cellars 2014 Chardonnay, Reserve Family Vineyards, Carneros, Napa Valley; Goodmills Family Winery 2013 Teroldego, Lodi; 1849 Wine Company 2014 Declaration Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley; DeLille Cellars 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon, Four Flags Red Mountain; J. Lohr Vineyards 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, Signature and Premium Bordeaux Blend Cuvee St. E, both Paso Robles; Ordaz Family Wines 2014 Zinfandel, Montecillo Vineyard, Sonoma Valley; IPPIN Junmai Sake, Tamasakee, Shiga Japan and Junmai Daiginjo Sake, Yamada Nishiki, both from Hyogo, Japan.

Mission Vodka, Arizona; Frey Ranch Gin, Nevada; Belle of Dayton Gin, Dayton Ohio; New Holland Brewing Knickerbocker Gin, Michigan; Vanagandr London Dry Gin, A Coruna-Galicia, Spain; Conniption Navy Strength Gin, North Carolina; Stonecutter Spirits Single Barrel Gin, Vermont; Tattersall Distilling Barreled Gin, Minnesota; Springfield Manor Lavender Gin, Maryland; Mad March Hare Small Batch Poitin, Ireland; Hyde 10 Year Old Pure Single Malt Irish Whiskey, Ireland; Rogue Dead Guy Whiskey, Oregon; Whiskey Del Bar Classic Cask Strength Single Malt, Arizona; from Paul John: Bold Indian Single Malt, Edited Indian Single Malt and the Peated Select Cask Indian Single Malt all from Goa, India; Starward Single Malt Wine Cask Whisky, Melbourne, Australia; Kings County Distillery Peated Bourbon, New York; J Henry and Sons 5 Year old Bellefontaine and Cask Strength Patton Road, both reserve straight bourbons from Wisconsin; One Eight Distilling United Whiskey No. 6, Washington D.C.; two Whistle Pig: the Old World Cask Finish Rye Whiskey and the 15 Year Old Rye Whiskey, both from Vermont; Sagamore Spirit Cask Strength Rye Whiskey, Baltimore.

Behind the Scenes with Anthony Dias Blue

Granted, I have judged a couple of times, as I’m sure some of the students in Blue’s class have done, but it’s good to be reminded just how serious the judging is.

When the competition began they had a scant 300 entries, now they are up to 2,400.

There are 60 judges in the process, and they are made up of experts (reviewers, writers, restauranteurs, somms, etc.) allowing each group to have a good representation in which to judge merits.

There are 28 countries from the current competitions.

While they usually receive more wine to review, there are still 80 – 100 spirits.

Judging is done blind, the bottles are not seen, and they don’t know the price or the area they came from – only the varietal is known.

As price is sometime a factor to the general public, and more expensive is perceived as more valuable, the price points of the wine and spirits are not revealed.

After the Double Gold winners are awarded, then all of the judges get to taste all of the Double Golds to determine the sweepstake’s winner.

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.

Vintage Eve Circa 9/2017: Workman Ayer Does it Again X Three

June 2, 2020 by evebushman

I’d love to give you an opening, but suffice to say, a page and a half of tasting notes? OMG, let’s let Workman Ayer wines speak for itself:

Tasting

de facto red wine 2014, Santa Barbara County

90% Syrah, 10% Grenache

(Notes from the winemaker regarding this vintage and tasting notes can all be read on the website.)

Admittedly this one sounded familiar, so being a tad anal I googled myself and lo and behold I had tasted it but didn’t write it up in a full review: “The SCV Beacon – Eve’s Wine 101: Escaping to Wine in the Pines 2017 – Just Some Favorites” Michel Ayer, winemaker for namesake winery Workman Ayer, had a new red Rhône blend that served a year of time in the bottle and was released just in time for the event: the 2014 “de facto” Santa Barbara County red wine of 90% Syrah and 10% Grenache. It was outstanding. Under 100 cases produced. His Viognier was getting quite a bit of attention too.”

Lovely aromas of blackberry, blueberry, hard grape candy, milk chocolate, toasted oak…and an unexpected smoothness for a predominately Syrah wine. On the mouth the first thing I thought was Great Balance and then steady flavors of that same blue to black fruit, with just enough oak and tannins to slightly dry the palate. Hard to believe this was a 2014 as the balance made it appear older and the lack of heat make it appear like a French Rhône. Made me wonder where in Santa Barbara County the grapes were sourced. Ballard Canyon perhaps? One of the Stolpman Vineyards maybe?

Paired the wine with what was planned for dinner: tri tip, Caesar salad and King’s Hawaiian bread. Clearly, the wine took center stage. Now I remembered why I sent everyone to Michel’s table at Wine in the Pines this past year. 94 Eve pts.

ipso facto white wine 2016, Central Coast

100% Viognier

I’ve had this wine before, so I was looking forward to trying the latest release. On the nose I got aromas of freshly sliced cantaloupe melon, Golden Delicious apple, grapefruit, lemon-lime soda and wet stones. Diving in for my taste there were distinct notes of that same apple, lemon, lime and a bit of rain-washed concrete. A nice viscosity allowed the wine to linger in my mouth.

As it was an ultra-hot day when I sampled this wine I could easily imagine taking it with to the closest beach, with a picnic basket filled with cold fruit salad, hard cheeses, prosciutto, salami, crusty French bread, nuts and dried fruits. 91 Eve pts.

abroachment white wine 2015, Lodi

100% Viognier

(Notes from the winemaker regarding this vintage and tasting notes can all be read on the website.)

Anxious to try the new abroachment Viognier made with Lodi fruit, I gave the wine a nice ice bath* for 20 minutes before popping the cork. (*Put your wine into an ice bucket, then surround with ice, fill with water.)

Whiffs of ripened pineapple, pear, white peach, maybe some tropical fruit, lemon zest and whipping cream – aromas that promised equally stimulating flavors. I got a little more anxious now to taste: Oh yes, there was that pineapple, peach and pear that I wanted, and quickly following came zesty citrus fruits, cream, and a slight acidity on the back palate that only served to lengthen the finish. I enjoyed this alone but I could see it pairing nicely with a cheese plate, crusty French bread with Brie, cold seafood salad, and a great refresher between bites of Indian food…which I really want right now. 92 Eve pts.

Garagiste Wine Festival Wins ‘Best of the Fests’, Kicks off 10th Anniversary Year in Sonoma on February 15th

January 1, 2020 by evebushman

PASO ROBLES, CALIF. (PRWEB) – The Garagiste Wine Festival, which was just named ‘Best of the Fests’ for 2019 by Fest Forums, is kicking off its 10th anniversary year with its popular Garagiste Northern Exposure event in Sonoma on February 15th, 2020. The Sonoma event offers wine lovers rare access to cutting-edge wines from over 40 micro-production, commercial wineries from Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, Sierra Foothills, Lodi, Santa Cruz and more.

The Garagiste Festival premiered in 2011 and is the nation’s first and only festival to showcase the wines of micro-production commercial ‘garagiste*’ winemakers. The ‘Best of Fest’ Award from Fest Forums, the country’s leading conference for Event and Festival producers nationwide, recognized The Garagiste Festival for its innovation. Because Garagiste offers wine lovers one-of-a-kind opportunities to taste a range of each year’s most exciting handcrafted small-lot production wines, all under one roof, its four annual festivals in Sonoma, Solvang, Los Angeles and Paso Robles consistently sell out. This is the second national award for the festival which was also named the ‘Best Wine Festival in the US in USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards.

“2020 is a landmark year for Garagiste, and we are so grateful to receive this prestigious award as we head into our 10th anniversary year,” said Garagiste Festival Co-founder Doug Minnick. “The Garagiste Festival is the ‘little engine that could’ in a world of bigtime events featuring major stars and corporations, and we know it is all down to the amazing winemakers who pour at our festivals and each year inject freshness, creativity and a renegade spirit into the wine establishment.”

The non-profit Garagiste Festival also supports the Garagiste Festival Scholarships at the Wine and Viticulture Department at Cal Poly University San Luis Obispo.

“Our mission over the last decade has been to shine a spotlight on small-lot winemakers, who you don’t find in grocery stores or on wine country maps, while supporting the winemakers of the future through our Garagiste Festival Scholarships,” said Garagiste Co-founder Stewart McLennan. “Our intimate and ‘no snobs’ allowed atmosphere has made the Garagiste Festivals unique and memorable, while our winemakers have expanded the horizons and palates of thousands of wine lovers. 2020 will be our best year of festivals ever. Stay tuned!”

Northern Exposure in Sonoma:
The February 15th 2020 Garagiste Festival Northern Exposure will be held at the Sonoma Veterans Building near Sonoma’s historic downtown plaza and features 40 winemakers, one-in-four of which are brand new to the festival, pouring over 100+ wines from 20+ grape varieties. Limited availability VIP Experience tickets celebrate Valentine’s weekend with a Rare and Reserve tasting featuring library, club only and reserve wines; a wine county box lunch from local fave, The Girl & the Fig; a full glass of sparkling Rosé from Garagiste Festival winemaker, Carboniste Modern Sparkling, as well as a themed treat from artisan chocolatiers Fleur Sauvage Chocolates.

Among the 40+ winemakers scheduled to pour at the Sonoma Northern Exposure Festival are:
601 Cellars, Abbot’s Passage, Aesop Wines, Ampere/Pine Mountain Vineyards, Armitage Wines, Benevolent Neglect Wines, Boonville Road Wines, Brombeere Wines, Carboniste Modern Sparkling, Carpenter Wine, Crux Winery, Dane Cellars, DeWitt Vineyard, Enriquez Estate Wines, Fallon Place Wines, Ferguson Family Wines, Fields Family Wines, Frostwatch Vineyard, Greyscale Wines, Jardesca Aperitvo, JonEVino, March Wines, Mastro Scheidt, Montagne Russe Wines, Oceano Wines, Oceans Churning, Old County Cellars, Ondule Wines, Perri Jaye Vineyards, Piezo Winery, Purple Dragon Cellars, Ricci Vineyards, Sosie Wines, Sutro Wine, T. Berkley Wines, Weatherborne Wine Corp. and Zo Wines

2020 Garagiste Festival Dates and Places:
The Garagiste Festival’s 10-year anniversary celebration will continue throughout the year with special events, signature tastings, local chefs, after parties, and rare and reserve nights.

Feb 15 in Sonoma at the Veteran’s Memorial Hall: 126 1st Street W. Sonoma, CA
April 17 & 18 at the Veteran’s Memorial Hall in the heart of Solvang: 1745 Mission Drive, Solvang, CA
July 25 at the historic Glendale Civic Auditorium: 1401 N. Verdugo Road, Glendale, CA
Nov 12 -15 – The 10th Annual Garagiste Festival in Paso Robles includes a series of special events and The Grand Tasting at the Paso Robles Fairgrounds: 2198 Riverside Ave, Paso Robles, CA

For more information and full Garagiste Festival Northern Exposure schedule details, go to: http://californiagaragistes.com/

Tickets are limited for the Sonoma festival and Garagiste Festivals always sell out. To buy tickets, go to:https://www.eventbrite.com/e/3rd-annual-garagiste-wine-festival-northern-exposure-tickets-75598187213?aff=website For breaking 10 anniversary celebration festival news and special discounts, sign-up for our free newsletter, The Dirt athttps://www.garagistefestival.com/garagiste-blog or follow us on Twitter (@GaragisteFest) or Facebook.

About The Garagiste Wine Festival
The Garagiste Wine Festival (http://www.garagistefestival.com), named Best of the Fests for 2019 by Fest Forums and the ‘Best Wine Festival in the US in 2018 in USA Today’s 10Best Readers Choice Awards, is the first and only wine festival dedicated to the undiscovered and under-recognized American artisan ‘garagiste’ producers who are making some of the best, most exciting, handcrafted small-lot production wines in the world. Founded by fellow garagistes Stewart McLennan and Douglas Minnick, the Garagiste Festivals are committed to discovering the best and most innovative limited-production winemakers and promoting and showcasing them to a broad audience of discerning wine consumers. In addition to its flagship annual festival in Paso Robles, CA, the Garagiste Festival line-up includes Garagiste Festival: Southern Exposure, featuring Santa Ynez Valley garagistes; the Garagiste Festival: Urban Exposure, in Los Angeles; the Garagiste Festival, Northern Exposure, in Sonoma; winemaker dinners, a newsletter, garagiste profiles and more.

In addition to being named the US’ Best Wine Festival, the Garagiste Festival was named one of the ‘Top Nine Incredible Epicurean Vacations’ in the world by ABC News, * “one of the premier wine events of the year,” by the LA Times and “Best Festival” by Sunset Magazine’s ‘Best of the West.’ The festivals are produced by Garagiste Events, a non-profit dedicated to furthering the education of future winemakers and those training for employment within the wine industry. Proceeds from the festivals support the Garagiste Festival Scholarship fund of the California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo Wine and Viticulture Department.

*Garagiste (garage-east) is a term originally used in the Bordeaux region of France to denigrate renegade small-lot wine makers, sometimes working in their “garages” (anything considered not a chateau), who refused to follow the “rules,” and is now a full-fledged movement responsible for making some of the best wine in the world. The Garagiste Festivals were the first to shine a light on the American garagiste winemaker in 2011.

Rescue Dog Wines launches nationally

October 31, 2019 by evebushman

LODI, CALIF. (PRWEB) – Based in Lodi, California, Rescue Dog Wines was established with the goal of donating 50% of its profits to rescue dog organizations across the country. Proprietors Blair and Laura Lott explain that they started planning a new life in wine country around 2015. “We knew that we wanted to embrace sustainable growing practices and create a new, more rewarding lifestyle for ourselves. In addition, we knew that we wanted enough land to grow wine grapes AND foster dogs…we knew that we wanted to create high quality, premium wines. During this period of exploration throughout many of California’s wine regions it dawned on us that we could combine our two passions and Rescue Dog Wines was born,” they said.

The Lotts are preparing to plant their 16-acre vineyard in Lodi this spring to Grenache, Sangiovese, and Mourvedre. Until those grapes are grown, the winery is sourcing grapes from the Lodi growing region which are grown according to Lodi Rules and California Rules sustainability protocols. The winemakers are Susana Rodriguez Vasquez and Eric Donaldson.

Current releases are Bubbly Boxer NV Demi-Sec Sparkling Wine, Methode Champenoise, $34.00 (Lodi AVA); Predominantly Poodle NV Sauvignon Blanc, $18.99 (Lodi AVA: Cosumnes River sub-AVA); Bubbly Boxer Sparkling Rosé is a NV, Methode Champenoise, $38.00 (Lodi AVA); Beloved Mixed Red, Red Wine Blend, NV, $24.99 (41% Lodi, 28% Cosumnes River, 21% Clement Hills, 10% Mokelumne River) and 2018 Rosé, $18.99 (Cosumnes River AVA). Rescue Dog Wines’ first release was Beloved Mixed Red Blend, a non-vintage red, which was released in the summer of 2018.

The wines are available to purchase from the winery’s website. There are plans for a tasting room in Lodi in the future.

On National Dog Day (August 26), the winery did a joint program with Hotel Milo in Santa Barbara, California. Dogs were welcomed with treats and gifts, and owners with choices of the Rescue Dog wines. “This type of collaborative effort brings us great joy,” comment Blair and Laura Lott, who have participated in dog rescue related events including the Sacramento SPCA Fall Gala, Friends of the Alameda (California) Animal Shelter, the Lodi PALS (People Assisting Lodi Shelter), Los Angeles Found Animals Foundation, The Rescue Dog Runway Show in Los Angeles and the English Bulldog Rescue Bully Ball in Atlanta. As Rescue Dog Wines have been presented at rescue dog charity events around the country, Blair and Laura have felt an enormous wave of enthusiasm and interest. “The feedback we receive is phenomenal and heart-warming. We love meeting our customers and future customers and discussing our combined love of dogs and wine,” Blair explains. “People are initially drawn in by our mission, but end up leaving impressed with the wines,” he adds. Blair and Laura also relish their role as evangelists for the Lodi growing region.

Blair Lott was born and raised in Georgia. He worked with his father on their 20-acre farm and, in fact, several generations of his family have been farmers in the South. The family grew vegetables and raised livestock and he came to value the agricultural lifestyle. There were lots of dogs in his childhood, mostly boxers and Boston terriers. At 17, Blair formed an alternative rock band, the first expression of the drive to creativity which still propels him today. Blair spent the first years of his career working in the music world—writing and performing in Athens, Georgia, Nashville and later in Melbourne, Australia. He transitioned into a livelihood as a digital media consultant. During his three years in Australia he became immersed in the wine and food scene and intrigued with the idea of making wine his vocation. After moving back to Atlanta and marrying his wife Laura, they decided to move to northern California to be closer to wine country.

Laura Lott was born in Wiesbaden, Germany, and she grew up all across the U.S. as part of an Air Force family. In the summers she visited her family in Brittany, on the northwest coast of France. Her grandfather was a pastry chef in St. Malo and Laura has fond memories of spending time in the bakery. She would also visit cousins who were farmers; she remembers dinners being interrupted by having to run outside to take care of squealing pigs. She’d garden with her grandmother, where one of their specialties was making jam from the raspberries they grew. As a young adult Laura adopted her first rescue dog, a boxer, Daisy, from an animal rescue operation in Atlanta. The experience of visiting the animal shelter made an enormous impression on Laura; she determined after that visit to make rescue dogs a cause in her life. In the first part of her career, she became an HR specialist for large corporations. She then left the corporate world and embarked on a journey of exploration, investigating her creative side.

Founded in 2009, Krewe du Bizou Wines is based in New Orleans and imports and distributes fine wines from around the world. In New Orleans, the term “krewe” is applied to a group of people who make up a Mardi Gras organization. “When combined, you get a collection of fine wines representative of those special little kisses (bizou) in life, which is exactly what you’ll discover at Krewe du Bizou Wines,” explains James Moises. The company is located on the Lafitte Greenway at 2500 Saint Louis Street in New Orleans. Following Rescue Dog Wines’ lead, Bizou will be donating a portion of their sales to local New Orleans animal rescue groups.

U.S. supermarket wines are catching up with European counterparts

September 16, 2019 by evebushman

NEW YORK /PRNewswire/ — U.S. supermarket wines, once considered to be poorly made and rarely worth drinking, scored a major success at the 2019 International Salute to Excellence awards for private label in Amsterdam, winning seven top honors in the category.

Getty images

The award-winning wines were:

From Costco: Kirkland Signature Bordeaux Supérieur 2016 (Bordeaux, $10), best quality; Kirkland Signature Asolo Prosecco NV (Italy, $10). best value.

From Trader Joe’s: Trader Joe’s organic Grower’s Reserve Merlot 2017 (California, $5), best quality; Trader Joe’s Platinum Reserve Pinot Noir 2017 (Russian River Valley, $15), best quality.

From Aldi US: Evanta Malbec 2017 (Argentina, $4), best value; Scarlet Path Zinfandel 2017 (Lodi, $8), best quality; Outlander Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 (Paso Robles, $9), best quality.

This is the best performance ever recorded for wines sold exclusively by U.S. supermarkets, more than doubling the number of 2018 winners. The showing demonstrates that U.S. private label wines continue to get closer to their European counterparts in terms of value and quality – especially among wines costing less than $15. This matters because wines that are sold exclusively by European supermarkets have long been considered among the best wine in the world at combining those two things.

“Don’t overlook private label store wines,” said Washington Post wine columnist Dave McIntrye, one of 18 international judges who participated in the 2019 wine awards program. “These were good value, high quality bottlings. Some stores are doing a great job sourcing really good juice.”

Wines were judged in 25 categories by varietal, style, and appellation, and each category was judged for best quality and best value. The 18 men and women who judged the competition came from around the world, and included Masters of Wines, sommeliers, winemakers, wine writers, wine educators, and retailers. They judged 350 wines from 40 retailers in 11 countries.

To see all results for the 2019 judging, visit www.plmasalute.com/wine-awards. The international Salute to Excellence Wine Awards are a competition sponsored by the Private Label Manufacturers Association, with offices in New York and Amsterdam. Founded in 1979, PLMA today represents 4,000 companies who are involved in the manufacture and distribution of store brand products in foods and beverages, as well as home and health products. PLMA sponsors two trade shows annually in Chicago and Amsterdam.

Eve Gets Her Zinfandel On…At Elevating Zin 2019

June 14, 2019 by evebushman

Michael Perlis and I are both big Zinfandel wine fans. Don’t get us wrong though, we love almost all varietals and our choices are completely dependent on what we are eating or the occasion. If the lesson is Rhones we’re there, Burgundy sometimes, Bordeaux varietals is pretty much a yes, and Zinfandel…well that just takes our collective breaths away. Big, bold, dusty and filled with mature dark fruit and tannins, our palates had been watering for weeks before we attended the latest Elevating Zin event produced again by Ian Blackburn for WineLA.com.

The Turley table pouring for Michael Perlis and Juan Alonso.

Below is the complete list of wines and wineries that were offered. The wines that were my favorites are noted in italics, my notes are in parenthesis and asterisks denote faves of the day. Look for Michael’s article on this website as well. Curious as it may appear, we don’t always love the same Zins, so it’s worth a look to read us both! Your palate may be just like one of ours. (Just want photos? Go here.)

Wine List (Most of the wineries, if not all, were delightfully represented by the winemaker and/or owner.)

Beekeeper Cellars

(These are Ian’s wines and always a favorite for me.)

Zinfandel, Secret Stones, Rockpile, Sonoma County 2016*

Zinfandel, Montecillo Vineyard, Sonoma County 2016*

Brown Estate

Zinfandel, Brown Estate, Chiles Valley, 2017*

Zinfandel Red Blend – Merlot, Zin, Petite Sirah, Napa, 2016*

Rosemary’s Block Zin – Zinfandel, Brown Estate, Chiles Valley, 2017

Chiles Valley Zinfandel – Zinfandel Brown Estate, Chiles Valley 2017*

Elyse Winery

(All wines are held 5 years.)

Zinfandel, Korte Ranch Vineyard, Saint Helena, 2013

Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley, 2013*

Frank Family Vineyards

Zinfandel, Napa 2016

Kreck

(A new winery and a new favorite for me.)

Old Vine Zinfandel, Teldeschi Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley, 2016*

Old Vine Zinfandel, Del Barba Vineyard, Contra Costa County, 2016*

Martinelli Winery

Zinfandel, Vellutini Ranch, Russian River Valley, 2016*

Zinfandel, Vigneto di Evo, Russian River Valley, 2016 (I missed this one.)

Zinfandel, Giuseppe & Luisa, Russian River Valley, 2016*

Mauritson Wines

(Been a fan since Michael introduced me to Clay Mauritson’s wines years ago)

Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley, 2017*

Zinfandel, Rockpile Ridge Vineyard, Rockpile, 2016*

Zinfandel, Rockpile Ridge Vineyard, Rockpile 2017*

Zinfandel, Jack’s Cabin Vineyard, Rockpile, 2017*

Portalupi Winery

(The winery also makes a Barbera and Charbono that I hope to review in the near future.)

Old Vine Zinfandel, Dolinsek Ranch, Russian River Valley, 2016

Old Vine Zinfandel, Reserve, Dolinsek Ranch, Russian River Valley, 2016

Old Vine Zinfandel, Dolinsek Ranch, Russian River Valley, 2017

Old Vine Zinfandel, Reserve, Dolinsek Ranch, Russian River Valley, 2017*

Ridge Vineyards

(Loved the addition of Petite Sirah and Alicante Bouschet in the 2016.)

68% Zin, 18% Carignane, 12% Petite Sirah, 2% Alicante Bouschet, Geyserville, Alexander Valley, 2017

Zinfandel, East Bench, Dry Creek Valley, 2017

88% Zinfandel, 9% Petite Sirah, 3% Alicante Bouschet, Pagani Ranch, Sonoma Valley, 2016*

Robert Biale Vineyards

(Another winery Michael turned me onto.)

Black Chicken Zinfandel, Napa Valley, 2017

Stagecoach Vineyard Zinfandel, Napa Valley, 2017*

Turley Wine Cellars

(Interesting to me that it was the two Turleys I was unfamiliar with that were my favorites – from Lodi and Amador County.)

Zinfandel, Juvenile, California, 2017

Zinfandel, Kirschenmann Vineyard, Lodi, 2017*

Zinfandel, Buck Cobb Vineyard, Amador County, 2017*

Zinfandel, Dusi Vineyard, Paso Robles, 2017

William Selym

(Most of us are familiar with their Pinot Noirs, was a treat to try their Zins.)

Papera Vineyard Zinfandel, Russian River Valley 2017

Fanucchi – Wood Road Zinfandel, Russian River Valley 2017

Zialena

Zinfandel, Estate, Alexander Valley, 2016

Zinfandel, Estate, Alexander Valley, 2015 Reserve*

Zinfandel, Estate, Alexander Valley, 2014 Reserve

Zinfandel, Estate, Alexander Valley, 2013 Reserve

(Please forgive me for missing these two wineries listed below = palate fatigue.)

Bella Vineyards and Wine Caves

Dry Creek Zinfandel, 2016

Big River Ranch Zinfandel, 2015

Barrel 32 Zinfandel, 2016

Seghesio Family Vineyards

Zinfandel, Home Ranch Vineyard, Alexander Valley, 2015

Zinfandel, Cortina, Dry Creek Valley, 2015

Zinfandel, Old Vine, Sonoma County, 2015

Zinfandel, Mariah Vineyard, Mendocino Ridge, 2017

(* faves of the day)

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.

VERDE VINEYARDS AND TANK HOUSE JOIN THE WINERIES OF SANTA CLARA VALLEY FAMILY

May 9, 2019 by evebushman

SANTA CLARA COUNTY —The Wineries of Santa Clara Valley is happy to announce the addition of two wineries to the association—welcome Verde Vineyards and Tank House.

Verde Vineyards:
Owners George and Lynda Green opened Verde Vineyards in 2017 and become members of the Wineries of Santa Clara Valley this past March. Their backgrounds in the medical field and attention to detail carry over into their passion for winemaking. “Our focus is on making enjoyable wines that engage all the senses, and we strive for a balance of all the flavor components that give the taster an overall flavor or feeling of the wine as the first impression,” says George Green, co-owner Verde Vineyards.

The winery specializes in hand-crafted small lot Bordeaux varietals from their 12 acres of estate vines in Santa Clara Valley.

Tank House Winery
Father & son Al and Joe Cavigli, began making wine in their garage over 10 years ago. When the wine making became more than a hobby, they purchased 5 acres of land and moved to San Martin, California. Their first day of operation coincided with the first day of the associations Spring Passport month, so they were welcomed with more than a normal

The Caviglia’s make their wines with grapes from Borden Ranch, a distinct AVA of Lodi, California. They oversee every step of the process themselves and make ten different varietals that can be purchased in restaurants and stores throughout the Bay Area, as well as in their newly completed tasting room.

“We look forward to sharing our love of wine with all who visit the Tank House,” says Al Caviglia, co-owner Tank House Winery. “Please stop by with friends and family to enjoy a glass of Tank House wine with our family. Cheers!”

With the addition of Verde Vineyards and Tank House, the Wineries of Santa Clara Valley is now up to 32 wineries strong.

About the Wineries of Santa Clara Valley:

The Wineries of Santa Clara Valley is a non-profit 501c3 Corporation, made up of member wineries who grow and produce wines that are grown in the Valley. Producing wines from other regions fruit is also permitted. The specific purpose of the Corporation is to educate people about wine and wineries, grape growing, using sustainable agricultural winemaking and production practices related to the highest standard of quality winemaking in Santa Clara Valley. Its focus is also to provide educational opportunities and promote public awareness about the cultural heritage, health benefits and enjoyment of wine in a socially responsible manner, and to be recognized as a positive, contributing member of the community.

The Wineries of Santa Clara Valley is an association representing member wineries that grow and produce wines in one of the oldest wine producing regions of California.

With the first plantings at the Santa Clara Mission in 1798, the region of Santa Clara Valley represents one of the oldest growing traditions in the country. The Santa Clara Valley is now home to over three dozen wineries, of every size and shape, from long-established family operations to relatively small newcomers. On March 28, 1989, the Santa Clara Valley received AVA status; prior to this the region’s wines were typically labeled ‘Central Coast’ or ‘Santa Clara County’.

FitVine Wine Now Available at Bed Bath & Beyond and Cost Plus World Market

February 23, 2019 by evebushman

LODI, Calif. (PRWEB) – FitVine Wine, makers of clean great-tasting wines with less sugar, fewer sulfites and no flavor additives, continues their aggressive retail expansion plan by entering Bed Bath & Beyond and Cost Plus World Market. This expansion will make FitVine wines available in 23 Bed Bath & Beyond locations in 11 states and 259 Cost Plus World Market locations in 33 states.

FitVine Wine was born when friends made a pact to craft amazing wines that would complement their active lifestyles and not compromise their health and fitness goals. They began with sourcing the cleanest ingredients and an extended proprietary fermentation process. As a result, their clean great-tasting wines have no flavor additives, less sugar and fewer sulfites compared to competitors. The unique fermentation process also allows FitVine to craft rich and flavorful wines with the mouthfeel and alcohol content (13-14%) consumers expect from high quality fine wines. FitVine wines are also gluten free and vegan friendly. FitVine varietals include: Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Limited Edition Holiday Red Blend, Rosé, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, and Prosecco.

“When we first launched, our wines were only available online,” said Mark Warren, President and Co-Founder of FitVine Wine. “While our direct-to-consumer online sales remain strong, the customer demands for increased retail availability has grown exponentially. Our new partnerships with Bed Bath & Beyond and Cost Plus World Markets are helping us respond to consumer demands by offering our loyal customer base more access to our better-for-you wines at their favorite stores.”

FitVine fan favorites including, the classic Cabernet Sauvignon, full-bodied dry Chardonnay, and light and crisp Sauvignon Blanc are now currently available at select Bed Bath & Beyond and Cost Plus World Market locations. Customers can find their local retailer by visiting FitVine Wine’s store locator.

“FitVine is an ideal fit for our stores as our customers seek quality, convenience and variety at a one-stop shop location,” said Alex Joerger, Director of Wine, Beer & Spirits for Cost Plus World Market. “Given the unique and diverse product offering in our stores, we need to be highly selective and FitVine checked all of the boxes by offering great tasting wines with lower sugar and fewer sulfites, an ideal combination for starting off the New Year.”

FitVine will host wine tastings at Bed Bath & Beyond and Cost Plus World Market stores throughout the months of February and March. For more information on a tasting near you, refer to FitVine’s calendar of events.

Want to learn more about FitVine Wines, find a retailer near you or pop open your first bottle? Visit FitVine Wine for more information.

About FitVine Wine:
FitVine was born when friends made a pact to craft amazing wines that also fit their active lifestyles. FitVine’s clean great-tasting wines have less sugar, fewer sulfites and no flavor additives. To create clean and rich tasting wines with the flavor, mouthfeel and alcohol content you expect from a fine wine, FitVine uses a proprietary malolactic fermentation process. The wine ferments to dry and lowers sugar levels. On average, all wines have 0.01-0.09 grams of sugar, 2.5-3.9 grams of carbohydrates and 92-120 calories (per 5 oz. glass). The ‘fun’ in the bottle remains intact with all wines ranging from 13.4 – 13.9% alcohol. FitVine crushes grapes, so you can crush life!

Vintage Eve Circa 8/2008: Meeting Local Winemakers

October 5, 2018 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.

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.

Me interviewing Jeannie Carpenter, a few years after this article was written.

“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 of 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.

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.”
“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.