Perlises Pick: LAW ESTATE WINES

January 15, 2022 by Michael Perlis

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: Caliza Winery

December 18, 2021 by Michael Perlis

When we decided it was time to visit wine country again, selecting the region was pretty easy. Paso Robles has long been a favorite of ours, going back to the 1980s[!]. Deciding who to visit was a little tougher – there are a lot of people who we consider friends in Paso and many of the wineries are on our “favorites” list. In addition, there are many new wineries that deserve attention.

One thing that was certain was that we needed to visit Carl Bowker at Caliza Winery. The one and only time that we did visit Caliza must have been soon after they opened the tasting room in 2008 – Pam and Carl Bowker had started making wine commercially with the 2006 vintage, but didn’t make their first wines available until late 2008. [We had actually tried to plan a visit in 2018 but couldn’t coordinate schedules.] Since that one time, we had relied on tasting Carl’s efforts at various events, such as Rhone Rangers and the Garagiste Festivals and they were always outstanding. But with no events happening in the last year and a half, visiting became a must.

Upon our arrival at the winery at the end of Anderson Road in the Willow Creek District AVA, Carl gave us a 4-wheel tour of the hillside vineyard adjacent to the tasting room. Carl explained that while the Caliza property is 60 acres, only 28 of those acres are planted. The expected Rhone varieties are there [Syrah, Grenache, Roussanne, Viognier, Mourvedre / Mataro], along with some Primitivo, Petite Sirah, Tempranillo and Tannat. Limestone and slate dominate the soil in this area [Caliza means “limestone” in Spanish]. The qualities of the soil and the climate of the Templeton Gap are what make this AVA so unique and enables Caliza and neighbors such as L’Aventure and Booker to make such great wines, as do other wineries that source fruit from the area.

And great wines they are. Sitting outside with Carl and tasting through the lineup reminded us of how much we enjoy his wines:

2020 “Pink” Rosé – One of the more complex rosés we’ve had, with a rich, strong finish and notes of white peach; a very bright blend of Grenache and Mourvedre.

2019 Viognier – This delicious 100% Viognier was concrete egg fermented. We noted ripe melon fruit with a dry, medium finish, and a full mouthfeel.

2019 Kissin Cousins – the 2020 vintage is already sold out but fortunately Carl has some of the 2019 left of this blend (48% Viognier, 30% Grenache Blanc, 22% Roussanne) that is always one of our favorites. Fermented in a combination of neutral and new oak and stainless steel (depending on the varietal) this wine had a solid mid- palate, clean stone fruit, and white flowers on the nose.

2019 Sidekick – another tasty white blend, this one 80% Roussanne and 20% Viognier. Barrel aged with a rich golden color, and notes of fresh straw and chalk, this is a serious food wine.

2018 Azimuth –the first of four outstanding reds that we tasted, this one is a blend of 50% Mourvedre, 30% Grenache and 20% Syrah. Huge fruit, notes of cherry, complex but balanced.

2017 Cohort – 58% Petite Sirah, 28% Syrah, 14% Mourvedre. This one was held back a year so the Petite could integrate, which it certainly did in this superb inky blend.

2018 Syrah – no nickname needed for this delicious 100% Syrah. It was fresh, bright, big and rich.

2018 Companion – the only wine that contains some non-estate fruit, this blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon and 48% Syrah created a terrific symbiotic pairing.

The accompanying cheese board from Paso favorite Vivant Fine Cheese with pairings selected specifically for the wines tasted just added to the experience, as did the great vineyard view from the patio.

As we were leaving, Carl mentioned that he had another important writer stopping in after us…from The Wine Advocate. Now that is impressive, but equally so is how Carl considered us to be important too. It goes to show you that he and the rest of the Caliza staff treats everyone with the same importance no matter who you are.

We Perlises don’t give number ratings, but we thought we’d share these with you from hugely respected critic, Jeb Dunnuck [as per the Caliza website]:

2018 Azimuth 95 points

2018 Companion 95 points

2018 Syrah 95 points

2017 Cohort 94 points

In your visits to Paso Robles wine country, you might be tempted to not go all the way to the end of Anderson Road. We really think you should because, if you don’t, you’ll be missing out on some great wines and wonderful down-to-earth people.

Caliza Winery

www.calizawinery.com

2570 Anderson Road
Paso Robles, CA 93446

Perlises Pick: What Wines We Are Drinking At Home – Part 6

December 11, 2021 by Michael Perlis

Admittedly, we meant to get back to this sooner. In wrapping up the discussion for now of the lighter wines we are drinking at home, this article will focus on a few more Northern California favorites.

Shane [www.shanewines.com]

We first discovered the wines made by Shane Finley several years ago. Back before Facebook became so popular, Michael relied on various wine message boards for news. And that was how he first heard about Shane and his eponymous label. The buzz was actually pretty compelling so Michael took a chance. We immediately became big fans of his Syrah and later [gasp!] his Pinot Noir. For lighter wines, Shane used to make a Grenache Blanc, but the last vintage of this seems to have been 2014. We’ve enjoyed his Rose, which used to be made from Syrah grapes but now with Pinot Noir. But the real showstopper for us in the light wine department is his Sauvignon Blanc under his Constant Disruptions label, which is a sub-project of his Shane brand.

Shane’s Constant Disruptions bottle art shows a picture of his parents as a young couple. The name “Constant Disruptions” refers to a comment about Shane on one of his early report cards, the Sauvignon Blanc is called “Infraction”. The wines are typically single varietal and the pricing is really amazing for what’s in the bottle. For those of you that fear Sauv Blanc due to its high acidity, you’ll have nothing to be scared of here – just rich pure delicious fruit. The 2019 was from the Russian River Valley. It had lemon notes with a lingering medium finish and paired perfectly with our roasted cod. Unfortunately, this was our last bottle of the 2019. Fortunately, our case of 2020s just arrived!

Navarro Vineyards [www.navarrowine.com]

In our search for lighter wines, we’ve taken the opportunity to try to some wines that we’ve been receiving emails from for what seems like years but had not checked out. One of these is Navarro.

Navarro is in Mendocino’s Anderson Valley. One of the special things about Mendocino County, in addition to the abundance of tasty wines, are the not-Napa/Sonoma prices, especially Navarro’s mixed-case specials. So far, we’ve especially enjoyed the Chardonnay and Gewurztraminer, both from the 2018 vintage. The Chard was medium-bodied with vanilla and pear notes – not over the top as it too often seems to be these days. The Gewurtz showed peach and lychee on the palate, a bright melon nose and a medium-to-long finish with crisp acidity. It paired perfectly with chicken in a honey/mustard sauce.

They are definitely on our list to visit when we start traveling to Nor Cal again.

Keplinger [www.keplingerwines.com]

Helen Keplinger is a superstar winemaker, having gained her reputation making wine for Grace Family Vineyards and Bryant Family Vineyard, among others. She is now totally focused on making wine for the label that bears her name. When we think of the Keplinger wines, we usually think of her powerful Syrahs and Rhone blends, so the relatively delicate nature of both the 2019 Eldorado and the 2020 Rose were somewhat of a surprise to us.

Not that their delicacy implied lack of flavor or complexity. The Rose is a blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Mourvedre from the Shake Ridge Vineyard in Amador County. It has a luscious floral nose, with peach notes and a light to medium finish. The Rose is very crisp and paired perfectly with a salmon mousse appetizer. The Eldorado is a vibrant blend of Viognier, Roussanne and Grenache Blanc from Amador County. We noted guava tones and a long smooth finish.

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

April 24, 2021 by Michael Perlis

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 9/2018: What Wines Would You Stock if You Owned a Wine Bar?

March 9, 2021 by evebushman

Recently a pal that used to live in Santa Clarita had called me as he was opening a wine bar where he lives now in Texas. He didn’t want advice on anything other than what wine I would want if I were to visit his bar.

Since he had moved to Texas a few years ago he had been working in real estate, spent some time working in a large wine store, met more ex-pats (people that had come from California too) and ran a large wine tasting group. I didn’t offer any advice on how to open his bar as he had it covered. But I took to Facebook to ask my local pals what they would want stocked in the shelves if they owned a wine bar. They had some really great ideas! These are some of their comments:

THE WINE LIST

This is a compilation of just some of the wines my pals would stock their wine bar with:

Jonata, Potek, Scar of the Sea, True Believer, Andremily, Mail Road, Stolpman, Kimsey, Roark, The Paring, The Hilt, Spear (all Santa Barbara).

So many – Crémant, Melon d’ Bourgogne, Cru Beaujolais, Cahors, Brunello, Valtellina, Vin Santo, Madeira to name a few.

There is never enough Syrah anywhere. Still gets short shrift in the marketplace, which is a shame.

I am a sucker for Roussanne and other Rhone varietals. I love Grenache and Viognier too. Zaca Mesa and Stolpman make fabulous Roussanne.

I would like to see some Gruet Brut Rose or some blends that you can’t buy at a grocery store.

Belle Glos and Domaine Carneros Pinots, plus some Australian, Spanish and Chilean cabs.

Quintarelli, Casanova, Pine Ridge, Ridge, Tolo, Foxen…

On a wine list I look for value since they have to mark it up so much. Burgundy and Barolo would be nice but I’d go to the off the beaten path wines – Cru Beaujolais (France), Ripasso, Valpolicella, Sicilian wines. For those who like big jammy wines – Shiraz! Whites – I like to see Rose from France, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and Sancerre (France). If there is a Somm I give them a price range and let them know what I like. Never have been disappointed.

Bernardus Sauvignon Blanc, Frogs Leap Cab, Rombi Cabernet, Bookenoogen Pinot and Heller Merlot.

Under $100: Cade Cabernet Sauvignon, Campesino Syrahs and Pinot Noirs, Shafer One Point Five, Grgich Hills, Turley Zins, Prisoner, Orin Swift, Patz & Hall pinots, Flowers, Mantanzas Creek Chards, Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc, Tablas Creek and Justin.

Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir is hands down one of the best Pinots out there.

Lone Star Wine Cellars and Landon Winery are two wineries in McKinney Texas. I haven’t been there in a few years. But, remember the wines were pretty good. They have tasting rooms in historic downtown McKinney TX.

Also would love to have more orange wines on menus. I’m glad it’s becoming a trend.

Would love to see more wines from Paso Robles and the Santa Ynez area. Roblar in Los Olivos is one of my favorite wineries and reasonably priced in my opinion. There are so many smaller vineyards in both of these areas to explore. Tired of seeing Kendall Jackson and the like in many of the restaurants/wine bars. Pretty much I would love to taste wines that I would not be able to find at Bev Mo, not that they have bad wines, but just not interesting ones…

Le Vigne Vineyards has some wonderful wines, Justin cabs of course, Clos Solene, L’Aventure and RN Estate are some of my favorites. All from Paso.

Justin makes a great Malbec I have been enjoying! I’m typically a Cab girl myself.

For whites: Dry Rieslings (German or Alsatian), Sancerre, South African Sauvignon Blanc, and Austrian Gruner Veltliner (as opposed to Hungarian). For reds: I love the less stereotypical Italian reds such as Nero D’Avola and pretty much any red from the Piedmont region.

I’m always excited to see Barbera and GSM’s when I visit a place that I am planning to drink wine at. I also enjoy having a good port or cream sherry available if I am visiting the wine bar after dinner and I want to end the night with a dessert-like treat.

Where wines started … Italy!

I have a rather long list, but most are red wines from the Paso Robles region, Lompoc and Santa Ynez regions as well: Longoria Wines, Tercero Wines, Eberle Winery, J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines, Amalie Vineyards in Oregon, Ascension, Bass Note Sangria, Sanford, Sculpterra, Castlerock, Cutruzzola Vineyards, Joel Gott, Cass, Hoi Polloi Winery, San Antonio Winery (official), Michael David…I love all reds, depending on winery, but my go tos are usually Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Cab, Beaujolais, and red blends. I love our California wines!

Something interesting and different. Also some local TX wines.

From me: This is ONE of my own picks, because I voted for it as our Best of Show at the Global Wine Awards, from Martellotto Winery: https://martellotto.com/products/martellotto-riserva-il-capoccia-happy-canyon-of-santa-barbara

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.

Vintage Eve Circa 7/2018: Canned Bonny Doon Fizzy White and Pink…Would you try?

February 2, 2021 by evebushman

I shared a press release recently on canned wines. Suffice it to say, most of the comments, mine included, were biased against canned wines. Most of us didn’t care for the presentation – just like the people that resist screw capped wines for their lack of romance – and some questioned if there was a metallic taste. Got a lot of discussion in one of my Facebook posts and prompted the powers that be at Bonny Doon Vineyard to send me some canned wines to sample.

The two cans I tried below did turn me around. There was no problem with the flavor in these lighter-styled wines sparkling wines:

Fizzy White

AKA La Bulle-Moose Blanche

100% Vermentino

Color: Dried hay, and a little fresh green grass.

Aroma: Pineapple, lemon hard candy, kiwi, wet concrete, cantaloupe and honeydew melon.

Flavor in a wine glass: tingly, Prosecco-like, that same lemon but not as sweet, more like a light lemonade, paler melon fruit, green apple.

Flavor from the can: Same, of course, maybe more fizzy but that may just be perception.

Fizzy Pink of the Earth

AKA La Bulle-Moose de Cigare

57% Grenache, 18% Grenache Blanc, 9% Mourvèdre, 6% Roussanne, 5% Carignane, 5% Cinsaut

Color: Peach, rose gold.

Aroma: Bruised strawberry, yellow peach, raspberry, lemon-lime, akin to sparkling wine.

Flavor in a wine glass: overall light nuances of fruit cocktail, pear and peach with a medium finish.

Flavor from the can: same.

Conclusion

Basically: Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. The company sent me two of each flavor and my husband liked the idea of keeping the two we didn’t open in the fridge to have on our porch before dinner some night soon. I liked the idea of just splitting a can of wine before dinner, and before moving over to cocktails or a full bottle of wine to pair with our meal.

I also felt that both of these would also lend themselves well in a Sangria with fruit, and maybe a little rum or spirit of your choice.

I would probably have a harder time being convinced of the merits of a heartier or higher quality wine served in a can. I also can’t imagine moving people with strong opinions for cork closures to try canned wines any more than they would accept screw-capped wines. It’s just too much change…for the present. Who knows how wines will be served in 100 or so years? Everything may be canned soon enough.

Side note, I’m not a fan of wines with names that do little to tell you what grapes they’re made from. Every time I get served a Rose I find myself asking what grapes they’re made from, so this may just be my pet peeve. Plus I’m not attracted to puppies or kittens or a moose on a label though I know other people do select their wines based on a cute label, so I get the desire. Maybe it’s just me?

Click on cans for details –> https://shop.bonnydoonvineyard.com/Shop/Cans

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 15k 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.

Women in Wine: Dr. Laura Catena, Anne Trimbach, Laure Colombo and Alessia Collauto Travaglini

October 9, 2020 by evebushman

Pretty excited to have these women (virtually) in my home – Dr. Laura Catena, Bodegas Catena Zapata & Bodegas CARO (Mendoza, Argentina); Anne Trimbach, Trimbach (Alsace, France); Laure Colombo, Vins Jean-Luc Colombo (Cornas, Rhone Valley, France); and Alessia Collauto Travaglini, Travaglini (Gattinara, Piemonte, Italy)!

Do you recognize some of those last names? You should as they are also names of their family wineries. I had met Alessia and her mother, Cinzia Travaglini, a year ago when they held a wine tasting luncheon at Angelini Osteria. (Read about that here.) The other esteemed ladies, well-educated winery owners and winemakers, I had not met before.

What We Learned

Dr. Catena explained that the wine industry employs about 40% female workers, and when she started zero were employed in actual viticulture, most worked on the business side. Even those, working in the office, had male bosses. In her time she has fought for equal pay for equal work. From her bio I learned more about this remarkable woman: Dr. Laura Catena is a fourth-generation Argentine vintner, physician and author. Catena was born in Mendoza and spent her childhood with her grandfather Domingo at the family’s winery in the small village of La Libertad. Laura graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University in 1988 and has a Medical Doctor degree from Stanford University.

For Travaglini it’s a different story, her family-run winery is all female except for her grandfather. From her bio: Today, she can be found tending the vines at Travaglini or working in the cellar alongside her family. She also takes an active role in the administration, marketing, sales and promotion of Travaglini wines…Alessia holds a degree in Economics and Business Management from the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore. Although Italian is her native tongue, Alessia also speaks English, Spanish and French.

Colombo shared that her winery has a “sense of place” as her neighbors have cows, make cheese, etc., all contributing to what is typical in her area. A little from her bio we learn: …she interned at Château Haut-Brion while working toward her bachelor’s degree in Viticulture and Oenology in Bordeaux. She then received her master’s degree in Oenology from the University of Montpellier, where she participated in experiments with vinifications in the southern hemisphere. In 2010, Laure was ready to join the family estate where she has been working alongside her parents ever since. In 2014, she created her own Domaine in the Appellation of Saint Péray, Le Domaine de Lorient, with partner Dimitri.

Trimbach said that fifty percent of their productions is Riesling, and her family has been making wine for nearly 50 years, from their own estate grapes and from negotiants. Dr. Catena said that Trimbach is an expert at social media, and had built the Trimbach website. From Trimbach’s bio: She studied economics at Prepa HEC in Strasbourg before spending three years in Dijon, Burgundy to complete her master’s degree. Post-studies, she spent six months in Copenhagen improving her English skills before returning to France for an internship with a beverage distributor. In 2008, Anne moved back to Alsace and began to formally work as a winemaker and Trimbach ambassador.

Wines (my notes are in italics)

Jean Luc Colombo 2018 Saint Peray, “La Belle De Mai”

60% Roussanne, 40% Marsanne White Rhone blend

14.5% alcohol

Laure Colombo, winemaker

This was a beautiful wine. Colombo said it was from a single vineyard, old vines, and that the grapes were harvested and vinified together. Beautiful nose showing fruit, minerality and simply, a bouquet of fresh flowers. It was mouthwatering, with low acidity, that same fresh fruit and balance.

2017 Caro Domaines Barons De Rothschild Lafite and Nicolas Catena

74% Malbec and 26% Cabernet Sauvignon

Dr Catena said that Malbec softens Cab, and that she had researched this idea and learned that this is “a historical blending.” Had this wine a few weeks earlier in a Zoom with Caro, and this is an excerpt of my notes: This is a limited production wine, comes from “specific sub divisions of terroir”, and since they don’t make it every year it’s scarce. I found a beautiful nose filled with lots of dark fruit, spice, tobacco and dark chocolate. Drawn in for a taste I got a rich spicy mouthfeel and that same luscious dark fruit.

2016 Travaglini Gattinara DOCG

100% Nebbiolo

13.5% alcohol

Massimo Collauto, winemaker

93 points, Wine Advocate

Just as I had recalled from tasting a year ago, this wine does not disappoint. Filled with earth, plum, dried red currant, pipe smoke and chocolate covered cherries all on the nose. The taste, ah, is balanced dry dark fruit – blueberry and blackberry – including stems and brambles.

2017 Trimbach Riesling Reserve

91 points by Wine Spectator and James Suckling.

A dry – not sweet – Riesling, with crisp apple, citrus and minerality reminiscent of standing by a cool lake – all on the nose. The taste was all beautifully ripe fruit. I paired this later in the evening with a rich vanilla ice cream with ribbons of lemon puree.

Social Media Contacts

Taub Family Selections

Instagram: @taubfamilyselections Facebook: @TaubFamilySelections Twitter: @TFSelections

Trimbach

Instagram: @trimbach, @annetrimbachalsace Facebook: @maisontrimbach Twitter: @trimbach

Jean-Luc Colombo

Instagram: @vinscolombo, @laurecolombo Facebook: @vinsjeanluccolombo Twitter: @vinscolombo

Travaglini

Instagram: @travaglinigattinara, @alessia.c.travaglini Facebook: @www.travaglinigattinara.it

Bodegas Caro

Instagram: @bodegascaro, @lauracatenamd Facebook: @bodegasCARO

Rediscovering Jalama and Winemaker Mark Cargasacchi

September 4, 2020 by evebushman

Oh what a treat! I forgot how entertaining winemaker Mark Cargasacchi was! And of course, what a great winemaker he is! It had been a few years since I visited the Lompoc Wine Ghetto, aka the Lompoc Wine Trail, and when I found a photo in my Facebook memories of me at the ghetto, at Jalama wines, I re-shared it. That’s when I knew that I was way overdue for a visit. So overdue in fact that I had to learn that Mark had moved their tasting room to Palm Springs, though currently closed due to Covid. Mark often comes to Lompoc, as that is still where the winery is, so I got my foot in the door during one of his visits.

Mark picking up the wines from the tasting room before our meeting outside.

The move to the desert proved to be quite profitable for Mark, he said he had his best sales there in 2019. He sold out of all of his library wines, from 2004 through 2015, as well as his current 2016 vintages of both his Syrah and El Capitan “signature blend” and most of his 2017s! He did find a few wines to share with us, so there should be a few for you too, even better if you are a wine club member.

We caught up on some local gossip during our tasting, always fun, and heard all about his new spot in the desert. We were very happy to hear how well he is doing there and can’t wait to visit when the weather, and Covid, cools off. And by the time that happens we can try his wines again. Note: All of Mark’s wines have had no new oak since 2015. So if you use the word “oaky” as a descriptor in talking about any of his wines from 2015 on he will snort, or giggle, as it’s simply not there.

Tasting

We started with a barrel sample of Mark’s Grenache/Roussanne Blanc. It had spent time in stainless steel and neutral oak barrels, with four to five more months to go before he bottles (what Mark refers to as “a second winter”) before he will release the wine. It is also unfiltered and unfined. We thought it was super fresh, good fruit.

Next up was his 2017 Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills. We found it earthy as Mark had described, also with notes of dried black cherry and meaty plum. Then we sampled a 2016 Grenache with 13.5% alcohol, he had just released the wine six months before. We found it bright, smokey, rich and some of those earthy qualities again.

The 2016 Refugio blend of 50% Grenache and 50% Syrah was very nice, with rich and spicy bold blue fruit. A “not so petite” 2016 Petite Sirah was a big wow for me, my favorite in the tasting. Wine Enthusiast awarded it as the Editor’s Choice and 91 points, I would give this wine with a bold 15% alcohol more. Plenty of big, dark and dry black fruit, peppery and balanced.

For a finisher Mark brought out his latest wines, 2018 Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Both needed “another winter”, six to eight months or so, in bottle before he will release, but we could tell they would be worth the wait. The Merlot had outstanding blue to black fruit; rich, layered, spice, smokey and very aromatic. The Cab was bright now, but again, had that good fruit and earthy qualities we kept finding in the Jalama wines.

https://www.facebook.com/jalamawines

https://www.instagram.com/jalamawines/

https://www.jalamawines.com/

Vintage Eve July 2017: Memorable Stolpman Encounters

May 19, 2020 by evebushman

There are usually more than one reason we become fans of a particular winery: an outstanding line-up of varietals, a feeling of connectivity with the people that work with the winery, a tasting experience that lingers in your memory and maybe a chance meeting…I had all of these things happen when I encountered Stolpman Vineyards.

Tom Stolpman says, “I don’t always drink wine but when I do it’s La Cuadrilla” from, you guessed it, Stolpman Vineyards!

A few years back I was planning a group trip to Los Olivos/Ballard Canyon/Solvang wineries. Stolpman Vineyards came up because I liked the Rhone varietals they were making – well before they obtained a separate AVA distinction for their Ballard Canyon Syrahs.

I wrote about that first tasting in the article title “Eve and Peter Stolpman: Stolpman Vineyards Ballard Canyon Tour, Picnic and Tasting” in 2013 and still count it as one of my most memorable. The way that Peter, partner and vintner, took care of us: tasting the wines in the vineyard – while driving to a picnic spot and learning some of their vineyard practices. Peter was tall, good looking and charming on his own, but with those tasty Stolpman wines and the surroundings to match – my group was completely enamored.

I would see Peter off an on over the next few years, along with his lovely bride Jessica, at trade tastings.

Fast forward to…well you can see it in every article footer since this happened: when I “served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru…” in August 2015. There I was in a room filled with wine judges – with so much to learn from – and I also took note of a very tall slender man with a cowboy hat come in, shake a few hands, and then disappear.

Something nagged at me about that tall man. Later that evening at a dinner hosted for the judges and all those involved with the Long Beach Grand Cru I saw him again, “It was then that a tall gentleman wearing a cowboy slipped a bottle of wine from Stolpman Vineyards onto the tasting table. It took me about a nanosecond to figure out who that was. Tom Stolpman is also on the Board of Directors. A second after that I learned that he met fellow board member, James McAdams, in law school in the 70s and the two practiced in the same Long Beach firm.”

I wrote about that experience in “Judging 101: The Long Beach Grand Cru AND THE WINNING WINE LIST” in July 2015 and later “Tasting Not Spitting: Attending the Long Beach Grand Cru, Post Judging.”

During the 2016 Long Beach Grand Cru Tasting I got to meander the grounds along with Tom, in particular tasting and commenting on wines from other wineries that were made from his vineyards. It was another memory for me to file away in my brain under “Stolpman Encounters” that I call up often. We had become Stolpman wine club members by then.

Again, fast forward to this current year where we met Peter again when our very own Salt Creek Grille hosted a wine pairing dinner with Executive Chef Ignacio Munoz. I brought three of the original six guests that Peter had hosted for that tour, tasting and picnic now four years earlier – and maybe because we rushed him en masse he easily remembered us. So nice. We bought a case of wine that night that will last me through the summer, 2015 Roussanne and 2014 Syrah.

Good memories indeed.

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.

Discovering Folded Hills Winery – Plus Winemaker Angela Osborne

February 28, 2020 by evebushman

Once again the #LAWineWriters met up at Napa Valley Grille in Westwood to have a wine paired luncheon. This time organizer and fellow writer Cori Solomon invited us to taste through some new Rhone wines – Grenache predominant – from a winery in the Santa Ynez AVA: Folded Hills Winery Farmstead Ranch.

We were greeted by the owner, Kim Busch, and general manager Tymari Lore on the patio of the restaurant. There were no less than nine wines for us to try, along with a six course meal created by Chef Ben Diaz. (See photos here.)

What we learned about the winery:

The vineyards are situated further south than any other vineyards in the Santa Ynez AVA and provide for cooler climate wines.
The winemaker, Angela Osborne, is also known for her A Tribute to Grace wines.
Their wine club is called “The Fold” and is very event-centered.
If you like French Rhônes, many of which are lower in alcohol than the American version, know that the Folded Hills wines we tried ranged from low to mid-range at 12.10% alcohol to 14.5%, with most hovering at about 13%.
They launched in April 2017 and you can taste the wines in their Montecito tasting room or at the estate in Gaviota.
This is a small production winery, with 5,500-6,500 case production, and they tend to “sell out fast.” Owner Kim Busch added, “Yes we do sell out of most our wines, all but 2 of which are purposely higher production.”
If you visit the winery you will not only see vineyards but also fruit trees and farm animals.

According to their brochure the wines “have no residual sugar and one gram or less of carbs, no commercial additives, minimal sulfur, only native yeast, are grown organically following the biodynamic calendar, made from grapes that are 95% estate grown, hand harvested using sustainable practices in the vineyard, are vegan, and crafted consciously to be lower in alcohol…” as well as being family owned.

Below are my tasting notes on the wines and food pairings:

ONE

Beet Tartare: Yuzu, hazelnut chimichurri, radish, nasturtium, country bread.

2018 Lilly Rose Grenache: 100% Folded Hills Grenache. Salmon in color, aromas and flavors of pink grapefruit, apple, lemon, graphite. Loved the beets and the Rose cooled down the heat of this dish.

TWO

The Nomad Flatbread: Salmon belly, crème fraiche, escabeche, radish, chervil.

2018 August White: 68% Folded Hills Grenache Blanc, 32% Area 51 Roussanne. White flowers, pears in light syrup, concrete, mild acidity. I loved the salmon – and had seconds – with this white Rhone.

THREE

Apple and Brie Flatbread: Granny Smith, picked red onion, triple crème brie, prosciutto, heirloom tomato velouté.

2018 Estate White Santa Ynez Valley: 50% Grenache Blanc, 25% Marsanne, 25% Clarette Blanche. Apple, peach, butter, toasted oak, crisp and clean mouthfeel, and my favorite white in the tasting. Loved the apple notes in the wine with the apples in the flatbread.

FOUR

Mary’s Free-Range Chicken Wings: Thai passion fruit chili, petite frisee, Heirloom radish, cilantro.

2017 August Red: 67% Grenache, 33% Syrah. Very perfumy aromatics, velvety red fruit, black cherries, big and tannic – especially when compared to the other red wines. My fellow writers oohed and awed over the pairing; it was quite nice with the spices on the chicken.

FIVE

Yellowfin Tuna: bubu arare, porcini crema, truffle ponzu, maitake.

2017 Cluster Grenache: Whole cluster Grenache, 100% Folded Hills. Cherry cola, green peppercorn and a nice easy drinker.

2017 Estate Grenache: 100% Folded Hills Grenache. Cherry liqueur, brambles, minty and dry.

2017 Grant Grenache: 92% Grenache, 8% Syrah. Raspberry, bright, oak and tannic.

All were really nice with the tuna, and as it was served cold it was a perfect picnic as we were outdoors on a cool day with low alcohol wines. These last two Grenache were my favorites of the reds.

SIX

Charred Te Mana Lamb: honey nut squash, baby kale, pine nut relish, au poivre.

Twice Fried Brussels Sprouts: Balsamic, parmigiano reggiano, togarashi, shaved bonito.

2017 Stolpman Syrah Ballard Canyon: 100% Stolpman Syrah. Strawberry, richly oaked, cola, tart.

2016 G.S.M.: 80% Folded Hills Vineyard, 20% Thompson Vineyard. 40% Grenache, 40% Syrah, 20% Mourvedre. Red berries, ash, long finish.

Both wines were very nice with the lamb and Brussels Sprouts, if I could have eaten more I would have!

https://foldedhills.com/

https://www.facebook.com/foldedhills/

https://napavalleygrille.com/

https://www.facebook.com/NapaValleyGrilleWestwood/