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Vintage Eve Circa 8/2018: And the Best of Show Goes To…?

February 23, 2021 by evebushman

By now you’ve (hopefully) read my two articles on judging the first annual Global Wine Awards; you may have even seen a third installment on the winners. But what you haven’t seen, or had your virtual taste of, is the wine the judges awarded a Gold, then a Double Gold, and then finally the Best of Show to: Martellotto 2016 Il Cappocia Riserva (Barrel Aged) from Happy Canyon, Santa Barbara.

So, I’m here to rectify that. I ordered a bottle for myself, just for a little R and D, and to give me a full opportunity to savor over. For good measure I thought it wise to try another red from the same winery and same AVA, the 2016 La Bomba Cabernet. So, without further adieu, here are the results:

 

2016 Martellotto Il Cappocia Riserva

(Barrel Aged)

Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec

Happy Canyon, Santa Barbara

Best in Show and 97 points at the Global Wine Awards

https://martellotto.com/products/2016-martellotto-riserva-il-capoccia-happy-canyon-of-santa-barbara

Color: Dark purple with some raisin-coloring on the edge.

Aroma: Crushed black cherry, blueberry, char, dark chocolate, cream, cigar, dried leaves and the tiniest whiff of menthol.

Flavor: Blue to black fruit, cracked black pepper, dark chocolate again, velvety at the start and then a great bite of spice and tannin, yet balanced and just as good as I remembered. Excellent blend of Bordeaux grapes.

Pairing: Cheese and charcuterie board was our dining choice for the evening but this would pair well with anything from a juicy steak, Bolognese pasta to chocolate crème Brûlée.

Conclusion: As I noted when I had my taste: just as good as I remembered and well deserving of the Best of Show award we gave it. I was really looking forward to trying the Cab next…

 

2016 Martellotto La Bomba Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Verdot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc.

Happy Canyon, Santa Barbara

Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition; Double Gold and Best of Show at the Central Coast Wine Competition.

https://martellotto.com/products/martellottocabernet

Color: Beautiful opaque blackberry.

Aroma: So, knowing that La Bomba translated is The Bomb I was looking forward to what I would find on the nose: a LOT of fresh and ripe blueberry, plum, green peppercorn, rich, spicy, coffee bean and no nose burn. The nose definitely called you in for the taste.

Flavor: bold red fruit followed by dark fruit in luscious layers and incredible balance, nice spicy qualities that lingered in the palate, both green and black pepper with the same velvety quality on the palate as the Il Cappocia Riserva.

Pairing: I had this with a bacon-wrapped filet mignon smothered in sweet onion and sautéed mushroom. Yea, that was pretty great. But I also imagined this with a robust charcuterie board filled with Mortadella with pistachio, chorizo and both hard and soft cheese.

Conclusion: I found both an unexpected flavor and balance – akin to a young Napa Cab – for a SBC Cabernet. Very well done. Makes me want to seek out Happy Canyon and the winery to learn more.

From the Winery

Martellotto Wines is the only winery in Santa Barbara County to be winning this many awards for Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux varietals, specifically from Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara.

The Rise of Santa Barbara Wines

As you know, this area is already well regarded for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay production (which I also make). However, were you aware that our region is also producing some outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux varietals? The TTB established the Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara AVA in 2009 given its distinctive climate in the far eastern part of the Santa Ynez Valley. This warmer climate is proving to be fertile ground for high quality Bordeaux varietals, especially since the diurnal temperature changes are so dramatic.

Today, a handful of producers are leading the way. I’m pleased to report Martellotto Winery is one of those wineries. In fact, Martellotto is one of the few wineries in California bottling varietally labeled wines of each of the five noble Bordeaux varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot. 

Martellotto Winery

100 Los Padres Way #7

Buellton, CA 93427

(619) 567-9244

*Tastings Available by Appointment Only 

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.

Filed Under: Eve Bushman Tagged With: aged, aroma, ava, Barrel, best of show, Bordeaux, buellton, Cabernet Franc, cabernet sauvignon, California, Central Coast, charcuterie, cheese, chocolate, climate, color, double gold, flavor, food pairing, fruit, global wine awards, gold medal, happy canyon, judge, Malbec, Merlot, petite Verdot, san francisco, Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez, tasting notes, wine competition, wine judge, wine pairing

Vintage Eve 3/2018: Appellation Alentejo in Portugal, A Tasting and Masterclass

November 24, 2020 by evebushman

One rare not-so-sunny day I traveled to the Mondrian Los Angeles in West Hollywood for a wine class and tasting on the Alentejo region of Portugal. My education on Portugal had been, up to this point, mostly spent on the obvious: Ports. However, as a wine writer, it’s always special to not only taste new wines but also have the additional benefit of learning. Here goes…

Image from CellarTours.com

The Masterclass

The session will be presented by Evan Goldstein, MS, one of our industry’s most engaging and informed wine educators, in addition to being a leading expert on Portuguese wines. At the masterclass, Evan will offer a snapshot of the grapes, zones, sub-zones and characteristics that define Alentejo’s wines and collectively establish it as one of the most promising wine regions in southern Europe today.

Takeaways for Wine 101ers

  • Three sides of Portugal is bordered by Spain.
  • It takes less than 90 minutes to travel by train from Lisbon to Alentejo.
  • Alentejo covers one third of Portugal.
  • Alentejo is the size of Belgium.
  • They’ve been making wine for over 4,000 years; the Roman settlers were the first to plant vineyards.
  • They are 9th in the world in vineyard acreage.
  • They are 11th in total worldwide production (USA is 4th)
  • Portuguese have the largest wine consumption in the world, 54 liters per person per year.
  • Nearly 80% of the wines are reds.
  • Blending is allowed and they “embrace everybody’s grapes” in Alentejo.

Tasting

We had 12 wines to taste, starting with a sparkling Rose, two whites and the remainder were all reds. Evan wanted us to taste blind – this was lost on me as no one seemed that familiar with the grapes to begin with, we were there for a lesson, so not sure why the blind format – but it didn’t slow us down. In fact, by “halftime” we had been given less time to evaluate each wine.

Surrounded by fellow media and some members of the trade, we began our task. Number, year, producer and then the name of the wines are below. The many wine grape varietals are in parenthesis.

 

Rose: 2014 Herdade do Rocim, Espumante Brut Rose (Touriga Nacional)

Color: fresh peach.

Aroma: strawberry, cherry blossom, French toast, yeast.

Flavor: cherry, strawberry, tart, medium acid.

 

One: 2015 Rui Reguinga, Terrenus Reserva Branco (field blend of mixed whites)

Color: 24 carat gold.

Aroma: honey, kiwi, stone fruit.

Flavor: green apple, grapefruit, orange zest, medium acid.

 

Two: 2016 Luis Duarte, Rubrica Branco (Antao Val, Verdelho and Viognier)

Color: pale gold.

Aroma: green hay, barnyard, yeast and cheddar cheese.

Flavor: sweetened grapefruit, tinny, good mouth-coating viscosity, short finish.

 

Three: 2013 Susana Esteban, Procura Tinto (Field blend, Alicante Bouschet)

Color: purple.

Aroma: blue to black fruit, Cabernet-like, chocolate.

Flavor: dry, tannic, dried dark fruit.

 

Four: 2013 Joao Portugal Ramos, Vila Santa Reserva Tinto (Aragonez – aka Tempranillo – as well as Touriga Nacional, Alicante Bouschet)

Color: dark garnet.

Aroma: red fruit, stems, cigar, wet bark, medicinal.

Flavor: red fruit and stems again.

 

Five: 2011 Mouchao, Tinto (Alicante Bouschet, Trincadeira – commonly used in port wine reduction but I didn’t know that until I looked up the grape!)

Color: dark purple.

Aroma: sweet, port-like, blueberry, blackberry jam.

Flavor: drier in mouth than expected, same port-like qualities and cigar.

 

Six: 2014 Esporao, Reserva Tinto (Aragonez – aka Tempranillo –as well as Trincadeira, Cabernet Sauvignon and Alicante Bouschet.)

Color: dark purple.

Aroma: cigar, dark chocolate, espresso, mint.

Flavor: mature fruit, balanced with spice, good dark fruit.

This was the first of my favorites in the tasting.

 

Seven: 2014 Cartuxa, Tinto (Aragonez – aka Tempranillo – as well as Alicante Bouschet and Trincadeira.)

Color: purple.

Aroma: pungent red to blue fruit – a lot, and a nice amount of spice.

Flavor: black fruit, balanced, spice milder.

This was the second of my favorites.

 

Eight: 2012 Dona Maria, Grande Reserva Tinto (Alicante Bouschet, Petit Verdot, Syrah, Touriga Nacional)

Color: dark purple.

Aroma: tart nose of blueberry, dark cherry and white pepper.

Flavor: red fruit, some spice, tannic.

 

Nine: 2015 Cooperativa Granja Amaraleja, Moreto Pe-Franco Tinto (100% Moreto – in amphora!)

Color: dark garnet.

Aroma: sweet, stewed fruits, plump raisings, milk chocolate, dark cherry.

Flavor: Nice big, bold and dark fruit, good spice.

My third favorite in the tasting. Been a long time since I had a clay pot, aka amphora, wine.

 

Ten: 2015 Herdade da Malhadinha Nova, Malhadinha Tinto (Alicante Bouschet, Syrah, Tinta Miuda and Touriga Nacional.)

Color: dark garnet.

Aroma: fresh bowl of cut red fruit, juicy darker fruits, mint, earth.

Flavor: deep, layered, balanced fruit, spice and tannins.

Also a favorite for me.

 

Eleven: 2013 Cortes de Cima, Tinto (Aragonez – aka Tempranillo – as well as Syrah, Touriga Nacional, Petit Verdot.

Color: dark red.

Aroma: red to blue fruit, nicely balanced.

Flavor: heavy red fruit, deep, flavors well integrated.

 

##

Facebook: Wines of Alentejo USA

Twitter: @winesofalentejo

Instagram: winesofalentejousa

#WinesOfAlentejo

http://www.winesofportugal.com/us

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.

Filed Under: Eve Bushman Tagged With: Alicante Bouchet, aroma, blending, cabernet sauvignon, color, europe, field blend, flavor, grapes, master sommelier, petite Verdot, portugal, red wine, Reserve, Rose, Sparkling wine, Syrah, Tempranillo, touriga nacional, varietal, verdelho, vineyards, Viognier, white wine, wine education, Wine tasting

Tasting Wine Australia With “Largest Group of Aussie Winemakers to Ever Travel to the USA”

October 25, 2019 by evebushman

How about some Aussie wines? This (now past) “tasting offers an unprecedented opportunity to learn more about the current landscape of Australian wines – discover the latest releases, explore new trends, taste special back vintages and engage with the largest group of Aussie winemakers to ever travel to the USA.”

As part of the event, Wine Australia launched two new interactive components: The “Australian Wine Discovered” lounge that gave an “up-close look at Wine Australia’s award-winning free education platform” and the “Made Our Way Theater” that showcased “Cool Climate Reds” presented by Wine Victoria and World-Class Cabernet Sauvignon from Margaret River presented by Margaret River Wine Association.

Sadly I missed the seminars as there was a LOT of wine to cover. Found lots of dark fruit and some spice in the Shiraz and Cab blends at price points beginning at about $20, was told that Spanish varietals from McLaren Vale worked well due to their proximity to the Gulf St. Vincent – and a tasty Nero D’Avola did just that, Sue Henderson of Schild Estate explained how important the generations of family is to their winery, and though there was a change at the helm at MollyDooker a few years back the wines are still awesome and only bottled at a certain Fruit Weight (FW) of 55% or above: “Individual wine parcels have to achieve a certain FW to go into a particular label.”

Of the list below I have noted those in bold that I enjoyed and added in parenthesis any special wines of note. As is my habit I simply cannot visit all exhibitors, so me not noting one doesn’t mean it wasn’t a winery of note! (This is a hyperlink to my public Facebook post with pics of many wines I loved.)

Participating Exhibitors

Accolade Wines, All Saints Estate, An Approach To Relaxation, Angove Family Winemakers, Austral Estates Wines (Brothers in arms 2016 Cab and 2012 Shiraz), Barossa Valley Estate, Blue Pyrenees Estate, Cabernet Corporation, Calabria Family Wines, Cape Mentelle, d’Arenberg (Coppermine Road 2015 Cab, Ironstone Pressings 2016 Grenache Shiraz and The Dead Arm 2016 Shiraz made from vines 50-130 years old), Dandelion Vineyards (March Hare of the Barossa 2015 Mataro – aka Mourvedre), De Bortoli Wines (21 Year Old Tawny Port and Nobel One Botrytis Semillon 2015), Epicurean Wines (Massena Eleventh Hour Shiraz 2016), First Drop Wines, Fowles Wine, Giant Steps, Henschke, Hickinbotham Clarendon Vineyard, Hill Smith Family Vineyards, Howard Park Wines, Hudson Wine Brokers, Jim Barry Wines (Lodge Hill Shiraz 2016 and The Armagh Shiraz 2013), Manser Wines, Margaret River Wine Association, McLaren Vale Grape Wine & Tourism Association (Brash Higgins NDB Nero d’avolo 2016), Mollydooker Wines (All: Blue Eyed Boy Shiraz 2017, Carnival of Love Shiraz 2017, Gigglepot Cab 2017 and The Boxer Shiraz 2017), Mount Langi Ghiran, Negociants USA / Winebow, Old Bridge Cellars (Cullen Mangon Red Moon Malbec Petit Verdot Merlot 2017, John Duval Eligo Shiraz 2017, Kilikanon Oracle Shiraz 2014), Penfolds (Bin 47 Cab 2017), Penley Estate, Periscope Management Pty Ltd (Credero 5 Tales Cab Merlot 2016, Cab 2017, and Chard 2018), Peter Lehmann Wines, Pure Wine Co (Clare Cab 2015), Schild Estate Wines (Narrow Road Shiraz Cab 2016, Grenache Mourvedre Shiraz 2017, Estate Shiraz 2017 Ben Schild Shiraz 2014 and Edgar Schild Grenache 2016), Torbreck Vintners (The Factor Shiraz 2016 and The Struie Shiraz 2016), Tyrrell’s Wines (Vat 8 Shiraz Cab 2016, Shiraz 2017,Rufus Stone Heathcote Shiraz 2016 and Lunitiq Heathcote Shiraz 2014)), Vasse Felix (Margaret River Cab 2015 and Tom Cullity Cab Malbec 2015), Vinaceous Wines, Vintage Longbottom (Henry’s Drive Shiraz Cab 2017 and Shiraz 2017), Wakefield Wines (St Andrews Cab 2015 and Shiraz 2013), Wine Victoria, Wine Yarra Valley, Xanadu, Yalumba Family Winemakers 1849 (The Signature Cab Shiraz 2015 and Coonawarra Cab 2014), Yangarra Estate Vineyard (Ironheart Shiraz 2016 and King’s Wood Shiraz 2017), Yering Station.

https://www.australianwine.com/en-AU

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.

Filed Under: Eve Bushman Tagged With: Australia, cabernet sauvignon, Chardonnay, Grenache, Malbec, Merlot, nero d'avola, petite Verdot, Shiraz, tasting, usa, wine event, Wine tasting, winemaker, winery

​STARS of Napa Valley Wine Returns to LA March 13th

March 2, 2019 by evebushman

Beverly Hills, California ​– Join wineLA at the Peninsula Beverly Hills for ​STARS of Napa Valley Wine on March 13th, 2019​. Come taste alongside approximately 30 of the Napa Valley’s finest wineries! Did you know that Napa Valley produces 4% of our wine in California, but 30% of our total wine dollars?! Napa Vintners hold a very special place on the world stage and they are coming to Los Angeles in full force!! All grape varietals will be showcased! Napa gives us not only some of the best wine, but also some of the greatest diversity in varietal and style! The Peninsula Beverly Hills will expect to welcome hundreds of wine enthusiasts to meet the winemakers and celebrate Napa Valley’s most coveted wines.

Among the elite list of wineries showcasing their most popular pours are: 1849 Wine, Alpha Omega, Barnett Vineyards, Bouchaine Vineyards, Hertelendy Vineyards, Venge Vineyards, Frank Family Vineyards, Hesperian Wines, Kale Wines, Michael Mondavi Family Estate, Miner Family Winery, O’Connell Family, Teachworth Napa Valley, TOR, Trinitas Cellars, VGS Chateau Potelle, Yount Ridge Cellars, Emerson Brown Wines, Staglin Family Vineyard, Burgess Cellars, Newton Vineyard, Hestan Vineyard, Cliff Family Winery + many more!

In addition to the wineries confirmed to attend wineLA’s annual STARS of Napa Valley Wine event, tickets will include an elegant assortment of tray-passed hors d’oeuvres, and a number of lofty auction items to bid on with 100% of the auction revenue donated to The T.J. Martell Foundation, funding children’s cancer research at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

Master of Wine Dinner with TOR Wines hosted by Matt Deller M.W. 5:30PM VIP+ tickets can be purchased for $250. ​VIP admission begins at 6PM: ​Advanced tickets for the VIP experience may be purchased for $175 per person and will be ​$225 a​ t the door. The VIP experience features an Older Vintage Tasting, dinner buffet & gift bag. G​ eneral admission begins at 7PM: A​ dvanced tickets are $​ 95 and will sold for ​$125 at​ the door. General Admission includes the unlimited wine tasting alongside tray-passed appetizers, silent auction, and cheese and dessert after party.

Tickets –> https://www.winela.com/stars-of-napa-valley

About wineLA

wineLA is about enhancing the wine culture of Los Angeles one event at a time. To do so, wine must be in rhythm with food, fashion, and music, while also reflecting the geography, architecture and atmosphere of centers of interest. Los Angeles is a giant playground with an amazing array of venues, spaces, wine bars, restaurants, beaches, rooftops, gardens, and magical views. We are a part of the LA lifestyle, the wine lifestyle, and we celebrate the people, the places and the passion!

About Napa Valley Vintners

wineLA has partnered with the Napa Valley Vintners to present THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS! All grape varietals will be showcased; From Bubbles to Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay and red wines that run the gamut such as: Merlot, Cabernet, Petite Verdot, Zinfandel, Meritage Blends and Rhone varietals such as Syrah and Grenache – Napa offers not only some of the best of California, but also some of the greatest diversity.

​About The T.J. Martell Foundation
A silent auction containing many collectable and large format wines 100% benefits The TJ Martell Foundation, the music industry’s largest foundation funding innovative medical research focused on finding cures for children’s leukemia, cancer and AIDS. The Foundation sources and supports early-stage research projects aimed at developing more effective clinical treatments for patients who otherwise might not be supported. Learn more at tjmartell.org​.

About Peninsula Hotel

The only AAA Five Diamond and Forbes Five Star-rated hotel in Southern California every year since 1993, The Peninsula Beverly Hills offers 194 guest rooms, including 38 suites and 16 private villas, nestled among lush tropical gardens in the heart of Beverly Hills. The Peninsula is located at the intersection of Wilshire and South Santa Monica Boulevards and within comfortable walking distance from the legendary Rodeo Drive.

Filed Under: Guests Tagged With: beverly hills, blend, cabernet sauvignon, California, food, Grenache, Master of Wine, Meritage, Merlot, Napa Valley, petite Verdot, Rhone, stars of Napa, Syrah, varietal, vineyard, vintner, wine auction, wine event, Wine tasting, winela, winemaker, Zinfandel

STARS of Napa Valley 2018

March 10, 2018 by evebushman

Beverly Hills, Calif.​ ​–The Peninsula Beverly Hills and WineLA join together to host STARS of Napa Valley ​(​www.STARSofNapaValley.com​)​ on Wednesday, March 14th, 2018​.

wineLA_STARS_of_NAPA_2018_HEADERFACT: Did you know that Napa Valley produces 4% of our wine in California? And 30% of our total wine dollars! Napa is a very special place on the world stage of wine and they are coming to Los Angeles in full force!!

Taste along side over 30 of the Napa Valley’s finest wineries! All grape varietals will be showcased; from Cabernet Sauvignon to Napa Valley Bubbles, from to Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay and red wines that run the gamut such as: Merlot, Cabernet, Petite Verdot, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Meritage Blends and Rhone varietals such as Syrah and Grenache – Napa not only has some of the best wine to offer, but also some of the greatest diversity. The Peninsula Beverly Hills will expect to welcome hundreds of wine enthusiasts to meet the makers and celebrate Napa Valley’s most coveted wines.

WineLA is excited to present one of the greatest collection of brands ever assembled for this annual gathering! Among the list of wineries showcasing: Matthiasson, Ladera Vineyards, 1849 Wine Co., Robert Mondavi Winery, Tuck Beckstoffer Wines, Alpha Omega, Barnett Vineyards, Chateau Boswell Winery, Vineyard 29, Somnium Wine, Howell at the Moon Winery and Vineyards, Alder Deutsch Vineyard, Relic Wine Cellars, Baldacci Family Vineyards, S.R. Tonella Cellars, Yount Ridge Cellars, Amizetta Estate, Joseph Phelps, Boeschen Vineyards, Trinitas Cellars, Joseph Carr, Saint Helena Winery, Revana Wine Portfolio, Clif Family Winery, Hesperian Wines, Kenzo Estate, Hertelendy Vineyards, Angwin Estate Vineyards, VGS Chateau Potelle, Dos Lagos Vineyards, and AXR Napa valley, to name a few.

In addition to the wineries confirmed to attend wineLA’s annual Tasting Napa Valley event, tickets will include an elegant assortment of tray-passed hors d’oeuvres, and a number of lofty auction items to bid on with 100% of the auction revenue being donated to the T.J. Martell Foundation.

VIP admission begins at 6 p.m.​ (Advanced tickets for the VIP experience may be purchased for $149 per person and will be $200 at the door) The VIP experience includes the ​Older Vintage Tasting, Dinner Buffet & VIP Gift Bag​. ​General admission begins at 7PM​ (Advanced tickets are $80 and will sold for $95 at the door) This event is limited to 150 guests and, similar to wineLA’s past wine events, is expected to sell out so tickets at the door may not be available.

For more information about Tasting Napa Valley or to purchase tickets, call wineLA at 310-451-7600 or visit

http://www.winela.com/starsofnapavalley

About wineLA

WineLA is about enhancing the wine culture of Los Angeles one event at a time. To do so, wine must be in rhythm with fashion, music, food and other beverages. It must take advantage of the geography, the architecture and the centers of interest. Los Angeles is a giant playground with an amazing array of venues, spaces, wine bars, restaurants, beaches, roof tops, gardens, and magical views. WineLA is a part LA lifestyle, the wine lifestyle, and celebrate the people, the place and the passion.

wineLA hosts significant events, classes, and quality tasting events for regions of the world. This is phase two of what was started 20 years ago at LearnAboutWine.com – America’s first wine education website and first in wine event creation.

Filed Under: Guests Tagged With: beverly hills, cabernet sauvignon, California, cellar, Chardonnay, charity, Grenache, Meritage, Merlot, Napa Valley, petite Verdot, Pinot Noir, Rhone, Sauvignon Blanc, Sparkling wine, stars of Napa, Syrah, vineyards, wine auction, wine event, Wine tasting, winela

Tasting the September 2015 New Releases from Vina Robles Vineyards and Winery

October 23, 2015 by evebushman

This is the third vintage from winemaker Kevin Willenborg at Vina Robles in Paso Robles, and, as I was a fan of the last two, I couldn’t wait to taste them. We work our way up dear reader, whites to reds in a tasting of four wines that I don’t think you should pass up.

Vina Robles New Releases Sept 2015

2014 White4

$16 retail, $12.80 wine club

54% Viognier, 22% Vermentino, 15% Verdelho, 9% Sauvignon Blanc

Aroma: Lemon zest, crisp green apple, jasmine flower, Jolly Rancher lemon hard candy, white peach, pink grapefruit, sourdough toast, wet pebbles.

Flavor: Tingly, apple again, lemon-lime, orange marmalade, hint of dill, medium acid. Funny, the overall flavor reminded me of a romaine lettuce salad with a creamy dressing like this one with mayonnaise, Champagne vinegar and mustard; which would be a fun pairing too.

88 Eve pts.

 

2014 Sauvignon Blanc – Estate

$16 retail, $12.80 wine club

100% Sauvignon Blanc

Aroma: Peach, Meyer lemon, dried apricot, candied ginger, something floral and a tiny bit of vanilla.

Flavor: Pink lemonade, white wine Sangria, kiwi, pineapple, fruit cocktail, medium acid and an incredible length. I’m not a fan of high acid, this one was just the right note for my palate. Would love it with a bowl of vanilla ice cream covered with some cling peaches in light syrup. Slurp.

89 Eve pts.

 

2013 Cabernet Sauvignon – Estate

SOLD OUT AT WINERY  “released on October 16 and we have plenty to sell!”

80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Petite Verdot

Aroma: Juicy plums, black cherry, cherry brandy, dust, milk chocolate, vanilla bean, cracked black peppercorns and warmed tree bark.

Flavor: Smooth chocolate, blackberry jam, fig, rich mouthfeel, incredibly balanced dark fruit flavors and spice with nice tannins on the finish. Would work with any meaty main dish straight through to a chocolate cream pie or a Snickers bar. Yes.

91 Eve pts.

 

2012 Petite Sirah – Estate

$29 retail, $23.20 wine club

100% Petite Sirah

Aroma: Blackberry, black currant, espresso, balsamic, mushroom, leather, wet leaves and this: a juicy medium grilled steak.

Flavor: Big and bold with peppery black fruit, dark chocolate, coffee bean, sharp at first but rounds off quite quickly and ending with a deep finish. I’d like a marinated tri-tip with grilled mushrooms or a Chile Colorado burrito drenched in Enchilada sauce with this one.

90 Eve pts.

http://www.vinarobles.com/

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

Filed Under: Eve Bushman Tagged With: acid, aroma, blend, cabernet sauvignon, eve pts, flavor, food pairing, fruit, Paso Robles, Petite Sirah, petite Verdot, Sauvignon Blanc, verdelho, vermentino, vintage, Viognier, winemaker

Eve Wine 101 Reviews: Syrah, Port and Tannat

November 15, 2013 by evebushman

Wines to be reviewed are stacking up at Chez Bushman and you know what that means?  The pressure to drink is overwhelming!  Now, I didn’t do these three all on the same night but I did get through them and made ample notes to prove it:

Red Lava Vineyards 2005 SyrahRed Lava Vineyards 2005 Syrah

14.5% alcohol

100% Red Lava Vineyards Syrah

Red Hills Lake County

From Lee’s Wine Bistro

I immediately thought “Wow, with 14.5 percent alcohol and it being a Syrah, I expect an explosion.”  Luckily I got something far better:

Observed in the glass the wine had a very opaque dark purple color.   A couple of swirls later and I noted pungent aromas of blackberry and blueberry followed quickly by green peppercorns, toast and smoke.  Anxious to taste now…I was happy to find that the same bold blue fruits carried over from the nose to the mouth, as well as tannins in the front palate, dried plums, a hint of cigar and tannins carrying it all through to the finish.  Friends that I tasted this with noted the wine’s balance.  For me, yes it was balanced, which made it that much more surprising as there was no overabundance of heat on the palate from the alcohol or too much fruit.  It was, in a word or two: really nice.

Two Days Later

We were on our way to a single malt scotch class when I reviewed the Red Lava Syrah.  I wanted to try the wine again to see if it changed with a little aeration.   This time I got  dark plums, stems, prunes, stewed tomatoes and wet earth on the nose.  The taste was less fruity on day two; dry, dark and peppery.  Conclusion: Make sauce out of it or drink it all up on day one!

From Facebook https://www.facebook.com/RedLavaVineyards?fref=ts

 

About

From the virgin soils of our hillside vineyards we bring you our landmark wines, Syrah, Tempranillo and Sauvignon Blanc. Their character stands as tribute to the undiluted alchemy of the Red Hills Lake County American Viticultural Area.

Mission

To provide our fans with incredible wines vintage after vintage.

Company Overview

Great wine begins with the nurturing earth, while both in turn enrich our lives. Steep hills and southern exposure. Hot summers and cool evening breezes: a place to make great wine…a place to enjoy life.

Description

We’re artisanal wine produces and have a vein of rare red obsidian traversing our steep hillside vineyard. Our namesake.

http://www.redlavavineyards.com

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2007 Roxo Port2007 Roxo Método Português

Paso Melange

19% alcohol

71% Cabernet Franc, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot

Purchased Wine 661

Almost every Paso Robles wine tasting I’ve attended in LA, Roxo Port is there.  But yet, when I was planning a chocolate tasting and I didn’t have a bottle on hand, Tanya Green, the owner of Wine 661 did.

The color was of very opaque ink.  With the small sample at my desk in front of me, without lifting it to my nose and without swirling I could smell pungent plum and black cherry.  When I brought if to my face I detected perfumy stewed dark fruits, mulling spices, black pepper, both milk and dark chocolate.  Finally, getting it to my mouth, I was rewarded with a rich mouth-coating viscosity, blackberry, and balanced fruit against spicy tannins.

From Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/RoxoPortCellars

About

Premium Port Style Wines

Mission

We pledge to make Port-style wine using only traditional methods with minimal interference.

Description

Método Português adorns our label and translates to “the Portuguese method.” Our grapes are exclusively handpicked and sourced from esteemed Paso Robles and Cienega Valley vineyards in California. Each vineyard was carefully selected for its location, farming practices and superior fruit.

http://www.roxocellars.com/ 

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Pulchella 2011 Tannat2011 Pulchella Winery Tannat

15.8 % alcohol

Bella Collina Vineyard

“Private Reserve 25”

Paso Robles

From my wine club allotment

I learned from the website that “25” refers to the number of cases, the equivalent of one wine barrel, that was made of this particular Tannat.  Because of that small amount the wine is only available to wine club members so you better join if this sounds tasty to you:

The color was a very dark purple that stretched out to a garnet edge.  A blast of ripe and juicy red and blue fruits got my attention on the aromas first: both raspberry and fresh blueberry.  Then I began to detect velvety notes of smooth milk chocolate, a sliver of cigar smoke and felled trees.  On the mouth, and here I expected again to be hit by the heat of the high alcohol content, instead I got darker fruit, more smoke, some astringency, tannins, seeds and stems.  Wow, what a mouthful.  I drank it alone but it sure would have paired well with a bold Bolognese sauce over spaghetti or grilled steak.

From Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/pulchellaWinery?fref=ts

About: An Uncompromised Passion For Wine…Join The Cult!!!

Description

Pulchella Winery is the brainchild of troublemakers, Nate Hasper and Steve Lemley.  This whole crazy idea started in Paso Robles in late 2005. After experimenting for many years separately, Nate and Steve joined forces and created the winery with the binding agent being a collective, raw and intense passion for extracted custom wines without any compromise…

Tasting Room

24261 Main Street, Santa Clarita, CA 91321.  661-799-9463

Hours of Operation: Wednesday – Friday: Open for wine tasting 5pm to 10pm.

Saturday: Open 2pm to 10pm.

www.PulchellaWinery.com

Filed Under: Eve Bushman Tagged With: alcohol, aroma, balance, Cabernet Franc, cabernet sauvignon, color, finish, fruit, Paso Robles, petite Verdot, Port, portugal, pulchella winery, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, Tannat, tannins, taste, tasting notes, Tempranillo, wine education, Wine tasting

Rusty Sly: Daou Winery

January 21, 2013 by evebushman

Prior to coming to Paso Robles, a couple of my friends that are regulars to the area introduced me to wines from a new winery called Daou.  I was very impressed with the quality of the wines from this new winery.  So continuing our Paso Robles adventure Tracy and I decided to stop at the Daou winery as our second stop and see what this new winery had to offer.  The  tasting room is large, well laid out and beautiful.  Stepping up to the wine tasting bar we were greeted by Tiffany Decoux.  Tiffany was very warming to the point that you felt like you were a part of the Daou family.  She was very informative and it was extremely obvious that she enjoyed what she was doing.  Many times I go to tasting rooms and the people pouring do not have much insight or interest in the winery other than a quick description of the wine that they memorized.  That was not the case at Daou.  She went into great detail on each wine and how it was created and provided information on the history of Daou and the future goals for the winery.  These goals include building villas where people can spend the night on top of the hill overlooking the winery.  With the quality of the wines, the great view and the fantastic treatment from the Daou staff you can count me in.Tiffany started our wine tasting adventure with a 2011 Chardonnay.  This wine displayed aromatics of green apples and lemon zest.  On the palate you were greeted by a buttery yet crisp wine that presented a fine balance of acidity along with flavors of green apples and lemon zest.  What a fantastic Chardonnay.

Following the Chardonnay she poured a 2010 Chemin de Fleurs.  This wine was off the charts in my opinion and one that I had to have.  The blend is what I call an Americanized Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc.  Daou uses the two primary grapes of Grenache Blanc and Roussanne in this style which is in accordance with French AOC guidelines.  However, they then add Viognier which is not an accepted varietal by the French AOC for Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc, but this is America which also uses Marsanne.  Does it hurt the wine?  ABSOLUTELY NOT.  Like I said in the beginning, I loved this wine.  The full body and mouth feel that is offered up by the Grenache Blanc and Roussanne working in harmony with each other is spectacular.  Add a little Viognier to get those nice fruity flavors and aromatics that it is known for and you have a gem.

Though Tiffany poured many great wines for us I am going to mention one more that stood out to me.  This wine was a Bordeaux blend or Meritage, as we call it in the United States.  This wine is only available to members and I was honored to be given a sample.  They call it their Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and it contains  Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petite Verdot.  I really have a great amount of difficulty explaining just how great this wine was.  It was silky smooth coating your mouth with a fine balance of fruits that are not overpowering.  Tannins were present but so well integrated into the chemistry of the wine that it did not offend one’s palate.  I have had Meritages far more expensive than the one made by Daou that cannot match the quality and flavor of this wine.  It is quite simply a work of art and shows a lot of experience from a winery that has only been open for a few years.

Tiffany Decoux and Daniel Daou

The last wine we sampled led into a chance meeting with one of the two brothers that own the winery, Daniel Daou (owner/vintner).  After a brief introduction by Tiffany, Daniel began to tell me about his vision as well as his background in wines.  His wine knowledge stems from France where he lived and trained before coming to the United States for college.  While in France, he was trained by Delphine Barboux from  Chateau Lascombes in the Margaux appellation and Chateau L’Evangile in the Pomerol appellation.  Chateau Lascombes produces what is termed as 2nd growth Grand Cru Bordeaux wines.  Chateau L’Evangile is unclassified but resides near Vieux Chateau Certan and Chateau Petrus.  What is interesting, and may be the reason I love the meritage wine from Daou, is that I have a case of the 2005 Chateau Lascombes in my wine cellar.  This house makes great bordeaux wines.  The influence of the French training by Delphine Barboux is very evident in his winemaking.  All of Daou’s wines use French oak barrels, no American oak is used.

Daniel had another group at the winery while we were there and he asked if we would like to join them on the tour.  How could I say no?  We were first lead where Daou has their fermenters.  Here he talked about his wines and wine processes from vineyard to fermenter.  Next he showed us his barrel room.  What was interesting here is that he requested that the bands on his latest barrel order from the cooper (wine barrel maker) be painted red.  This is unique as I have never seen this done before and it shows is that he likes to be a little different.

Custom Red Barrel Bands

Next he showed us the process that is uses for sanitizing the oak barrels in preparation for receiving the fermented wine.  His barrel sanitizing process does not use chemicals but rather high pressure steam.  This method is becoming very popular in the wine industry as it is very sanitary and does not involve the use of chemicals.  Using steam also allows one to clean in areas that cannot be reached or are hard to get to using other cleaning methods.  Steam also rehydrates the barrels, sanitizes, removes tartrates, residues, tannins, bacteria, parasites, mold and leaves a neutral PH on the surface of the barrels.  This is becoming the new state of the art process for cleaning and sanitizing wine barrels at wineries.  The steaming process is also used for cleaning and sanitizing many stainless items within the winery as well.

Steam Sanitizing Barrels

I was extremely impressed at the professional effort being employed at the Daou Winery.  The winery was started in 2007 and opened in October 2010.  From what I can see, they are on their way to becoming an extremely successful winery on a large scale.  The wines, people and passion for what the winery is all about shines brightly everywhere you go, then add all of the positive comments from the various patrons at the tasting bar and it is quite evident that the winery and their products are fantastic.  Tracy and I had a great time at the Daou Winery and will definitely be back.  There wines are one that you will definitely want to stock up on and if you want to really surprise your wine buddies just open their Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, I guarantee it will blow them away.

Cheers,

Rusty Sly

Filed Under: Eve Bushman Tagged With: balance, Barrel, Bordeaux, Cabernet Franc, cabernet sauvignon, Chardonnay, Chateauneuf du Pape, fermentation, France, French oak, Grenache Blanc, marsanne, Merlot, palate, Paso Robles, petite Verdot, Roussanne, tannins, Viognier, Wine tasting, winemaking

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Eve Bushman

Eve Bushman, owner Eve’s Wine 101 and Eve Bushman Consulting.

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