Eve's Wine 101

Perlises Pick: LAW ESTATE WINES

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

But it wasn’t always this way.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

We tasted through the following reds:

2018 Beguiling – 85% Grenache, 15% Syrah

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

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

2018 Aspire – 84% Syrah, 16% Grenache

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

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

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

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

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

LAW ESTATE WINES

www.lawestatewines.com

3885 Peachy Canyon Road, Paso Robles, CA 93446

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

Perlises Pick: What Wines We Are Drinking At Home – Part 3

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When I started writing this series of articles about the lighter wines Karen and I have been drinking recently, I hadn’t really thought that so many of them would be from Paso Robles. After all, Paso’s reputation [at least in my mind] is for big delicious Reds, and there certainly are a lot of those coming from this area. And we don’t limit ourselves to PR’s AVAs, as I expect you know. But, as I’ve said, great winemakers make great wine, regardless of color, and here are three more wineries that produce some of our favorite lighter wines from the area. As an added bonus, they are all somehow connected to each other.

We’ve actually known Guillaume Fabre of Clos Solene www.clossolene.com the longest of these three, having met him at an event back in 2009. He was pouring his first vintage – a delicious Roussanne – and was still assistant winemaker at L’Aventure. But 2009 was long ago. We’ve followed him to the shared Paso Underground tasting room in downtown to Paso Robles and then to Tin City just south of downtown Paso. Now he and his wife Solene have their own property in the Willow Creek District of Paso Robles, from which they are creating some of the best wines in the region. I’ve always felt that his Red wines did a great job of showing how their inherent power could be softened into elegance without losing the characteristics of Paso.

The lighter wines are equally as stylish. Karen loves all of them when “paired with our “Snacks– Hunkered Down” nights of charcuterie and/or smoked fish, various cheeses, dried and fresh fruit, followed by lemon cookies or a scoop of ice cream.”

The pink La Rose is a Rhone blend of Grenache, Mourvedre, Cinsault and Syrah, made from grapes specifically farmed for rosé – no saignee here! Very pale in color that belies the complexity of the wine itself.

Clos Solene’s Hommage Blanc is a classic white Rhone blend of mainly Roussanne plus Viognier and Grenache Blanc. Karen found it to be “full bodied…flowers, fruit, spices…”

Finally, En Coulisse is 100% Chardonnay from Santa Maria Valley’s Bien Nacido Vineyards. A nice rich Chard, and [per Karen] “not overpowering with oak, vanilla or butter but fruit forward…”

Guillaume is also partner in another Paso Robles winery with his brother Arnaud –

Benom Wines www.benomwines.com. They originally took over Clos Solene’s spot in Tin City, although I believe they have now moved to a larger space in the same area.

The name Benom is a riff on the French word “binôme” which translates to “a project together”. These French brothers have successfully combined their homeland’s heritage with all that Paso has to offer, with their blends showing what can be done by them in a place with no rules. No surprise, again, that the red wines are great, but this article is focusing on these lighter wines.

The L’Essor rosé combines Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon and Contrast is a blend of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Neither of these could be made back home due to the rules about combining grapes from different regions. And they clearly should be. Karen loved the “bright fruit” of the L’Essor and found the Contrast to be “crisp, clean, full of fruit…”

As I mentioned at the start, this article is about three wineries that are somehow connected. Arnaud Fabre of Benom is also marketing director at Law Estate Wines www.lawestatewines.com, another winery that we first tasted at a festival. This time it was the Ojai Wine Festival back in 2013, when Karen came up to me and said “you really have to try Law”.

As always, she was right and we have been big fans since. We met GM Oliver Esparham at the Ojai Festival and have visited him and the rest of our friends at Law at the state-of-the-art winery and tasting room many times – once even before it was complete. The winery and vineyards high up on Peachy Canyon are amazing in their own right. But, that would mean nothing if the wines didn’t match. And they definitely do. The Law wines are truly some of the best ones around.

With regard to lighter wines, Law makes two. The Rosé blend is typically Grenache based while the white Rhone blend Soph [named after the Laws’ granddaughter] is usually about half Roussanne. The exact blends vary from year to year for both of these, but they are always stunning and are present on our table [and in our glasses] often. I love that the description on the website refers to Soph as “an extremely moreish wine”. We definitely agree on that.

Next article, we’ll finally leave Paso Robles and look at wines from farther north. Unless I change my mind.

Clos Solene

www.clossolene.com

Benom

www.benomwines.com

Law Estate Wines

www.lawestatewines.com

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 4/2016: Revisiting Four Brix Winery

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We’ve run news from Ventura’s Four Brix Winery over the years (Baubles party, announcing the opening of the winery and different events I was able to snag a brief tasting at.) But it‘s been since May 2010 that I’ve sat down to taste and review their wines. Via my pal Cori Solomon of #LAWineWriters a media visit was recently arranged, and I got to rectify that.

Gary Stewart

From that 2010 article I will share that “…wine tasting became a focused passion for the three couples (that own Four Brix Winery)…(Gary) Stewart is mostly self-taught, adding classes from UC Davis, and was mentored by winemaker Ryan Horn at the Vintner’s Vault in Paso; the other couples offered years of palate experience. I then offered up my own palate to try the swanky labels he had for Deductive (Zinfandel and Petite Syrah), Rhondevous (Syrah, Mourvedre, Grenache) and my personal favorite, Scosso (Sangiovese, Cabernet, Merlot).

Fast-forward to today, and from co-owner Karen Stewart (who is most often found in the tasting room), I learned:

  • They started out as garage winemakers.
  • The winery has 4,000 more square feet just added, perfect for their larger “Brix Head” events.
  • They recently added their first “estate-managed vineyard”, the Cani Amante Vineyard, in Ojai.
  • They don’t have a Chardonnay, but plenty of other whites to tantalize you.

New Tasting (Aromas and flavors separated by “;”)

2013 Smitten

100% Viognier

Camp 4 Vineyard, Santa Ynez

HELLO PINEAPPLE, then came pear, wet steel and pebbles; in the mouth was that same big pineapple flavor (someone maybe liked Hawaiian Pineapple wine when they made this one?), lemon-lime, concrete and white peach. 90 Eve pts.

 

2013 Desirous

100% Grenache Blanc

Camp 4 Vineyard, Santa Ynez

Jasmine, cantaloupe and honeydew melon, talcum powder, perfumy and fresh; on the mouth I got distinct canned fruit cocktail, medium acid and slight oak elements. 89 Eve pts.

 

2014 Dry Riesling

Cani Amante Vineyard in Ojai, Estate property.

I don’t get CA Riesling often so I was looking forward to this one. Dried peach, anise, white pepper; followed by peaches in light syrup, lemon, limeade with an encouragingly pleasant mouthfeel. 89 Eve pts.

 

2012 Meritage

64% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon

Paso Robles

Cigarette, red cherry, toast, jam and vanilla; dried cherry, black currant, cigar, oak, dark, strong tannins. 89 Eve pts.

 

2011 Temptress

85% Tempranillo, 12% Grenache, 3% Mourvedre

Dusty plum, mushroom, green peppercorn and black cherry; spices, black fruit, peppery with a long, dark finish. 89 Eve pts.

 

2011 Petite Sirah

Layers of blueberry and black cherry, musty, violets; then flavors of dark black fruit, black pepper, dry and dusty. 88 Eve pts.

 

2013 Scosso

Jammy nose with blue to black fruit, earth and mint; juicy at the start, dry at mid-palate, same fruit profile as found in the nose. 89 Eve pts.

 

2013 Cani Amante Block 4, Ojai

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot

Lovely berry fruit, milk chocolate and oak trees; very dry, pepper, black fruit, big, and chewy. WE gave it 90 pts., so who am I to disagree? 90 Eve pts.

 

Location

2290 EASTMAN AVE. SUITE 109
VENTURA, CA 93003
Call for hours Thursday through Sunday: Phone: (805) 256-6006
info@fourbrixwine.com

Website: http://www.fourbrixwine.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FourBrixWines/

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

PERLIS PICKS: LAW ESTATE WINES

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

From LAW Estate Facebook page.

From LAW Estate Facebook page.

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

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

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

Let’s look at how they got that way.

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

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

We tasted the following…

Beguiling 2012 [92% Grenache, 8% Syrah]

Intrepid 2013 [100% Syrah]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lots of happy people that evening. At this kind of event, attendees quickly become friends.

And the gentleman next to me said: “This is the best wine event I’ve ever attended.” [He was also happy to be sitting next to the “other Michael Perlis”, but that’s a story for another day.]

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

Law Estate Wines

3885 Peachy Canyon Road

Paso Robles, CA 93446

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

July 2013 Vintage Eve: Ojai Vineyard paired with Salt Creek Grille, Fundraiser for Henry Mayo Hospital

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I expected a nice dinner, fun company and good wine, which I got, but at the HMNMH Foundation fundraiser I also had some interesting one-on-one time with Ojai Vineyard’s assistant winemaker Fabien Castel.

Eve on the wine down tv showBut first we must start with some hand passed appetizers – marinated tuna and red potatoes – paired with a bright and cheery 2012 rosé that cooled off the guests as they entered and mingled in the private Salt Creek Grille patio.

I got to say hello to Marlee Lauffer, Wendy Whitehead, Jason and April Price, Jill Friedman, Tim and Jenny Ketchepaw, Charlie Borreson, Julia Vose and Jay Cappilla, Diana Vose, Bob and Margo Hudson, Robert Herring, Cindy Tompkins, Jennifer Chadwick, Chef Tamra Levine and Greg Amsler.

Then, settling us down to our tables, Wendy Whitehead, the president of the Guild, thanked the board, Salt Creek Grille and the guests before introducing Castel.

Winemaker Fabien Castel

Castel is French, and his only experience with wine was that he had drank it. Then he met Ojai Vineyards’ winemaker Adam Tolmach and began as his apprentice.

Castel talked about prohibition, how wine had to then be reintroduced, the consequence of that down period and resurgence is what you see today.  “Everybody in America is into wine and into learning.” Castel said. They make 20 wines every year but have 150 different bottlings offered at the tasting room.  (See my notes below on the 1991 Pinot we got to have!)

“In older wines what I want you to get is that wine is unlike any other product,” Castel said, “Age ability makes it an almost mythical drink. It can stay in cellars and not ever be wasted.”

“To me it’s about sitting down (with wine) and being together with friends and eating.  Notice how it interacts with the food.  And tonight is about fun, and how wine enhances the experience.”

“What’s not really talked about is that older wines, wine in general, are all different in taste and different in effect.  And it was used as a medication, to cleanse wounds, back in the Middle Ages.  Fermentation itself is magical in creating a product that helps our digestion and lifts our spirits.”

Castel produced his first vintage in 2001.  “When making wine you are reminded of the time it takes to make the wine, even a change in equipment changes aesthetic of the wine.

Winemakers want another voice; a literary voice of America, and that’s what I’m trying to find.   We are looking for the next brilliant writer. With wine writers…there isn’t this greatness that has transpired yet.  We need a more emotional voice.  Writing about wine is not that linear, as a sense of smell and taste is not scientific, so why describe wines in a predictable, practical, one-dimensional way?”

Tonight Castel said he was met by very interested people; a wide diversity of how people approach wine, and (pleasantly) very unpredictable.

“I hear the sound bytes of culture, but reality is more complex and doesn’t fit the sound bites. We have to take the time to taste all over the world and gain worldwide knowledge.”

Back to the Wine and the Dinner

Executive Chef Ignacio Munoz and his staff cooked all of the dishes and Catering Director Tamra Levine designed the pairing menu.

After the appetizers the guests enjoyed a ‘10 Chardonnay with a roasted beet salad; the Chardonnay, similar in taste to a Sauvignon Blanc but with more balance and less acidity, was a nice complement to the tangerine cream dressing that Chef Tamra had designed.

The ‘10 Pinot Noir was excellent with the salmon and steak course – and because I wanted to save the ‘08 Syrah for the decadent chocolate soufflé dessert.

By 7:30 p.m. the sun had set, the air had cooled and the conversation swelled.  Most guests revisited the wines we had been served while chatting. Then we got a big surprise as a magnum of cellared Pinot Noir made its rounds.

A ‘91 Pinot, that we were warned had a distinct barnyard nose, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on. The manure aromas before and after tasting, blew off in a few minutes of swirling in my glass. It was totally amazing: dry, mature fruit, pepper, 2011 port notes…how was that possible?  Those at my table, when I mentioned port could both smell and taste it. Why 2011? Well, only because of the ’11 Vintage port tasting I had attended a few weeks ago had jaded me. It had lingered on my palate as long as this Pinot Noir, from Ojai California, did.

As we neared the end of the evening Salt Creek Grille owner Greg Amsler came out and thanked his chefs and staff. And yes, there was applause.

From Chef Tamra Levine came this inspired menu

Rose with Passed Appetizer

         Nicoise Canapés…Marinated Tuna/Haricot Verts/Baby Red Potatoes

                                    Nicoise Olive Aioli

 

Chardonnay –First Course

         Vari-Colored Roasted Beet Salad with Romaine/Spring Vegetables/

                                    Tangerine Cream Dressing

 

Pinot Noir /Syrah Course

         Wood-Grilled Fennel Crusted Salmon

         Fireside Cocoa Rub Steak/ Syrah-Cherry Sauce/

         Garlic-Rosemary Roasted Potatoes/Catalan Spinach

 

Dessert Course

         Petite Chocolate Soufflé/Ganache Drizzle

 

The Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Health Foundation

From the website: http://henrymayogiving.com/

Established in 1984, the Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Health Foundation strives to increase community awareness of Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital, and raise vital funds for expanding services and acquiring new technology to bolster the level of care already available at the Hospital.  The Foundation has raised more than $50 million to give the residents of our community access to exceptional medical care.

Ojai Wine Festival Proceeds Continue to Support Ojai Parks & Music

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(OJAI, Calif.) — For 30 years, the Ojai Wine Festival has served as the primary non-profit fundraising effort of the Rotary Club of Ojai-West and its numerous philanthropic endeavors that serve to preserve the distinct events and qualities that make Ojai unique. This year, the 30th Annual Ojai Wine Festival will be taking place Sunday, June 12, from noon-4 p.m. on the shores of picturesque Lake Casitas.

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Proceeds from the signature Southern California fine wine and craft beer event have supported Ojai’s historic free summer concerts in Libbey Park for the past 15 years. Funds are regularly contributed to maintain the bandstand, purchase instruments, and provide supplies for the concerts which attract 300-400 attendees each. Libbey Park’s natural oak tree canopy provides the perfect backdrop for the concerts, but other areas of the town’s iconic park are in need of upgrades.

The Rotary Club of Ojai-West is spearheading the funding and installation of the beautiful Libbey Park shade sail project to cover and protect the city’s most popular children’s play area from extreme sun exposure during the summer months. The club’s $15,000 commitment to the costly project will be funded with proceeds from the Ojai Wine Festival.

This year’s festival has been expanded to include exceptional collection of wineries with an extensive VIP tasting experience and winery tours, a silent wine auction, a beer garden with over 30 craft beers, a selection of local restaurants selling culinary delights, arts and crafts vendors, musical entertainment, a lakeside dance floor and 30th Anniversary cake cutting ceremony sponsored by Barefoot Wines.

http://ojaiwinefestival.com/

 

OJAI WINE FESTIVAL Does it Right, by Michael Perlis

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What makes a good wine festival? A great selection of wine, of course, but also a great location. And what turns a good festival into a great one? Great organization to keep things running smoothly.

20150614_111427For the second day of our Southern California wine-soaked weekend, my wife Karen and I recently attended the 29th Annual Ojai Wine Festival. Now, I’m not sure how long Angela May and her team have been in charge of the event (I know it’s been at least the last three years since we’ve been attending) but they definitely have this wine festival thing down.

This is a big festival, taking over much of the Lake Casitas Recreation Area in Ojai.
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Right on the shore of Lake Casitas, actually. Along with a wide range of central coast wineries [from Ventura to Paso Robles], the event also includes great food and beer, as well as two bands to while away a warm pre-summer afternoon.

One of the things I really love about this festival is the event guide. It’s a great place for local merchants to advertise. And attendees can use it as a guide for their day as well as to follow up with wineries after the event is over. Not all festivals do this, but they all should.

Speaking of something people should do, festival attendees should take advantage of VIP tickets when they are available. Many events do offer this perk for an added cost, and in most cases the extra cost is well worth it.

The Ojai Wine Festival is one of those that offers a limited number of VIP Tickets, and the price is well worth it. Not only do you get early access [beat the crowds!], but you start the festival with a glass of Barefoot Bubbly to get you in the mood. And of course, there is the VIP section of the festival, with great seating by the lake and access to the VIP wines and food, as well as beers from Stella Artois [and spirits too].

As usual, this report is primarily about the wineries. And also as usual, there was no way for me to taste all of them. But, of those I tasted, these were some of my favorites:

First, two wineries that were real eye-openers for me…

Ascension Cellars from Paso Robles was pouring in both the VIP section and the main tasting area. The wines in the VIP section were definitely VIP-worthy. All their wines were outstanding. People who know me know that I am mostly a Rhone/Zin guy, but I have to say their Soul Shaker Bordeaux blend really rocked and was my favorite wine of the day. Their Mayhem Syrah was right behind this one.

Falcone Family Winery, also in the VIP section and also pouring some outstanding selections from Paso Robles along with a great Chardonnay from the Santa Maria Valley. They do something pretty gutsy with their highest end wine, producing a non-vintage 2012/2013 blend of Petite Sirah, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon called Annate. Knocked my socks off and came in a very close 2nd for my favorite wine of the events.

Other standouts…

Bonny Doon Vineyards from Santa Cruz continues to make tasty wines, including the latest version of Clos de Gilroy (Central Coast Grenache).

Kenneth Volk Vineyards makes a wide variety of wines, some of which come from unusual grape varietals, such as the delicious Touriga Nacional from Paso Robles.

Toucan Wines, based in Arroyo Grande, is known for its estate Zinfandel and Petite Sirah, which I loved. But my favorite is always Doug Timewell’s Carignane that he makes with grapes from old vines in Contra Costa County. Sadly, Doug is getting out of the wine business soon, and it will be our loss.

The Ventura County Winery Association had their own little corner of the festival. Pouring were Cantara Cellars, Panaro Brothers Winery, Plan B Wine Cellars, Magnavino Cellars and Sunland Vintage Winery. Lots of good wines; standouts for me were the Zinfandel and Cabernet Franc from Cantara and the Grenache Rose and the Syrah from Plan B.

As I wrap up, I need to add one more element to a great festival – the attendees. The crowd is about as friendly as it gets and we have made friends there who we look forward to seeing annually, maybe sooner.

So, that’s it. Great wine, beer, food, entertainment and people all on the shores of Lake Casitas. Not sure it could get any better.

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 Picked: Wine In The Pines 2015

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The middle of June 2015 was truly a wine-soaked weekend in the Los Angeles area, with Wine in the Pines on Saturday, June 13th at Pine Mountain Club followed on Sunday, June 14th by the Ojai Wine Festival.

First – Wine In The Pines

The annual Wines In The Pines festival was started in 2003 by the Village Pine Mountain Club. We are very proud to have helped the event be a huge hit this year. Lots of good wines, very well organized, great food and entertainment as well. And even though it was warm [mid 80s, I think, which happens sometimes up here] I heard hardly any comments about the weather as people were just having too good of a time.

11147145_1075427829139320_4730589047469111001_nI saw many Santa Claritans at the festival, as usual. After all, the event is just over an hour away from the SCV. Yet, once you leave the 5 freeway at Frazier Park and head into the mountains you are quickly transported into another world – they don’t call it Mount Pinos for nothing.

While walking amongst the towering pines, you are able to sample wine from dozens of wineries, along with beer and food. You can check out the list of participating wineries, breweries and restaurants here:

http://www.wineinthepines.com/winefood.html

Some of the winery highlights for my wife Karen and me [note that if a winery isn’t mentioned it just means we probably didn’t get to it]:

Ampelos Cellars: A fortunate cancelation of a meeting at the World Trade Center led to Peter Work missing the 9/11 tragedy. Rethinking their lives, he and wife Rebecca plunged full-time into their Ampelos vineyard in the Sta. Rita Hills, which they had acquired in 1999. My favorites were the “Syrache” [blend of Syrah and Grenache] as well as the standalone Syrah.

Ascension Cellars: Winemaker Erick Allen uses fruit from the Cass Vineyard in Paso Robles and makes his wines there as well. Focusing primarily on Rhone and Bordeaux blends with minimal use of oak, we enjoyed the “Silver Blanc” [Chardonnay and Viognier blend] and the “Trinity” [Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre].

Bellissimo Cellars: owner/winemaker and Santa Clarita Valley resident Lora Marie Taylor obtains grapes from organically farmed vineyards in the Sta. Rita Hills and the Central Coast. Her Chardonnay was clean, bright and refreshing on a warm pre-summer day.

Cantara Cellars: From their winery in Camarillo, Mike and Chris Brown continue to craft delicious wines from Lodi grapes. Enjoyed the “Mischievous” blend of Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.

Coruce: Based in the high desert, Coruce went commercial in just 2013. Some of their wines are still made with Central Coast grapes [like their excellent Viognier from the Bien Nacido Vineyard] but they are focusing more and more on local grapes, like their tasty Antelope Valley Zinfandel and Syrah bottlings.

Gen 7: Are you old enough to remember the Brookside Winery tasting rooms that dotted the landscape in the late 60s and early 70s? Probably not, but I am. Gen 7 represents the latest efforts of that winemaking family. Best ones here for me were the “Road to Morocco” blend of Cabernet, Zinfandel and Petite Sirah as well as their “1832” Zinfandel.

Golden Star Vineyards: Lee and Helen Williams continue to impress me with their tasty wines from the High Desert. Loved their Chardonnay, Zinfandel, three different Syrahs as well as their signature Purple Haze blend. Their daughter Heather introduced me to their “desert wines” a few years ago and I’ve been hooked ever since.

Mystic Hills: Based in San Miguel [just outside of Paso Robles] but with Santa Clarita Valley roots, Judy and Joel Cox’ winery is producing some wines that are really getting noticed and bringing in the awards. My favorite is their “Unforgiven” red blend.

Plan B Wine Cellars: Based in Ventura, Plan B does a great job with the grapes it purchases, focusing primarily on Zins and Rhones, which are right up my alley.

Really enjoyed their Syrah.

Rotta: Winemaker Jeff Branco brings his impressive to pedigree to Rotta Winery in Paso Robles. Loved his Cabernet but it was his Syrah that really knocked me out.

Zotovich: Their tasting room is in Lompoc and their vineyard is in the Sta. Rita Hills. They sell a lot of their grapes to other wineries in the area, but keep some for themselves, making some delicious wines like the great Syrah that I tasted.

To sum up: a great day in the mountains, a great day in the woods, a great day for wine, beer, food and fun. Be sure to join us next year.

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

Drink in the View at the 29th Annual Ojai Wine Festival

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Ojai, CA –  The twenty-ninth annual Ojai Wine Festival will take place Sunday, June 14, 2015 from 12:00 to 4:00 pm on the scenic shores of Lake Casitas. From its humble beginnings in 1987 the event has grown into a leading regional event attracting nearly 5000 people from throughout the Central Coast and Southern California. The annual event is a major fundraiser for the Rotary Club of Ojai West Foundation; a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that helps fund many humanitarian and community projects, including the environmental science based educational Lake Casitas Boat Tours for public schools.

logo-2015“You can’t beat the combination of fantastic wine, beer, food, live music, dancing and fun in such a beautiful shady setting on the shores of Lake Casitas.” boasted Wine Festival Executive Director, Angela May. “Our selection of wineries and breweries is looking impressive for this year.Tickets are limited and we advise buying tickets online now. Photos, maps, and event information can be found at the Festival’s website.”

Select from ten of Ojai’s best restaurants to buy a delicious meal. Guests may dine and drink wine on tables throughout the site or picnic on a grassy knoll overlooking the stage and Lake Casitas. Not a wine lover? Beer lovers can enjoy tasting a great selection of over 20 domestic and import beers. Purchase a V.I.P. ticket for the exclusive V.I.P. Lounge to enjoy early 11:30 am entry, fine wines by the glass or Stella Artois premium craft beer by the glass with free hors d’oeuvres served by Sakura Ojai, La Piu Bella Tavola Italian Catering & Whole Foods Market in a lovely shaded setting by the lakefront. VIP patrons can sample a glass of wine from Ascension Cellars. Falcone Family Vineyards, Gainey Vineyard or Barefoot Wine & Bubbly or sample award winning 100 percent blue agave Tequila Los Tres Toños and Tequila El TrueQue.

Full ticket price information is available at the festival’s website – http://www.ojaiwinefestival.com.

Visitors can look forward to listening, dancing, and singing along to the music of Beatles tribute band, Sgt. Pepper, plus Captain Cardiac and the Coronaries, a 1950’s – 1960’s rock and roll show band. The festival will also feature an assortment of arts and crafts vendors selling their wares. Small children can play in the park’s play area and free boat rides on Lake Casitas will again be available to all attendees. More than 100 volunteers guarantee a well run and safe festival.

Calendar Details

29th Annual Ojai Wine Festival

Wine & beer tasting, food, craft vendors, silent auction and entertainment by the lakeside

June 14, 2015 at Lake Casitas Recreational Area Event Site

12 to 4 PM

Tickets online at www.ojaiwinefestival.com or starting in April at Ojai’s Attitude Adjustment Shoppe or Reid’s Appliances of Ventura and Santa Barbara

Advance tickets receive deep discounts and there is a limited number of VIP and General Admission available.

Perlis Picks: Law Estate Wines

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Law Estate Wines

www.lawestatewines.com

I give all props to my wife Karen on introducing me to Law Estate Wines

20141031_140634We were attending the Ojai Wine Festival in 2013 and Karen had just come back from the VIP Tent. “You have to try Law”, she said. “They’re wines are really good.” She was right. They were definitely our [well her] find of the festival that day.

We visited general manager Oliver Esperham sometime after that at the still-under-construction winery in Paso Robles and tasted through the whole lineup of the winery’s first 2010 vintage releases. We found extremely high quality across the board.

The winery and tasting room are now open and we paid Law a return visit recently. Everything is state of the art, the winery itself is practically a work of art, and rockstar winemaker Scott Hawley and his team make the wines. Clearly, no expense has been spared by owners Don and Susie Law. And while I have reported on Law before, my expectations that with all the resources that were committed to this effort, the results had to be good.

But I didn’t expect this…

When we sat down and tasted the 2011 releases at the winery, I realized these wines were not just really good. I am always loathe to toss out superlatives like “best ever” or to try to assign numerical scores to a subjective topic. I can, however, say that without question that I cannot recall tasting another winery’s lineup where the wines were better than these.
We tasted the following from the 2011 vintage:

Beguiling – 85% Grenache, 15% Syrah

Sagacious – 38% Syrah, 34% Mourvedre, 28% Grenache

Intrepid – 100% Syrah

Audacious – 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Syrah, 18% Grenache, 8% Petite Sirah

20141031_141543As I said, the last time I tasted the Law wines was the 2010 vintage. At the time, I compared them [favorably] to some of the very well made Australian Syrah and Rhone blends that I have had. I would say the same of the 2011s, except more so. The fruit was consistently incredible, but to me the acidity has been really nailed on these, so that after every taste your palate just cried out for more.

Law also made a fifth wine from the 2011 vintage. Called The Nines, it is 100% Grenache from two blocks of the Law Vineyard, block 9A and 9B. We did not get to taste this wine, unfortunately. It is the first of their black label series, reserved for a select few top of the line bottlings. I’m really curious how much better the wine could actually be compared to their outstanding “standard” lineup, and I am hoping one day soon to rectify that.

As if as this wasn’t enough, we then visited the barrel room to taste some of the 2013 wines in barrel. [2012 wines are already resting in bottles.] Tasting through the Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, it is clear that the high quality we experienced tasting the 2011s was going to continue. And with additional varietals being planted in the Law vineyard [Tempranillo, Clairette Blanche, Marsanne, Roussanne as well as a field blend of Syrah, Viognier and Roussanne] it is clear that Law Estate Wines has a great future ahead of it.

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.