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

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.

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/

Vintage Eve Circa 3/2017: Tablas Creek Tasting

January 28, 2020 by evebushman

This past month I got to sample some of the wines from Tablas Creek in a preview tasting held at Salt Creek Grille Valencia and organized by Carl and Terry Kanowsky. Why?

On February 22 (2017) I ran the news on my website, social media and my weekly newsletter, but here it is in a nutshell:

Local supporters of the Santa Clarita Boys and Girls Club Carl and Terry Kanowsky, along with Greg Amsler of Salt Creek Grille are holding “an intimate wine experience on March 21, 2017, beginning at 6:30 at Salt Creek” to benefit the club. This year marks their seventh collaborative wine tasting event.

The highlighted winery will be Tablas Creek from Paso Robles with winemaker Jason Haas on hand to pour six of his wines – that will be matched with dishes from Salt Creek Grille. An auction will also take place.

Now, back to me, I got to taste the wines so that I can make your mouth water enough to buy tickets to the event! Wine critic Robert Parker has already said, “These are fabulous wines that will certainly stand up to the best coming out of the Rhône Valley in France. Certainly a reference point for Paso Robles, Tablas Creek continues to produce wines in a restrained, age-worthy and savory style that sets them apart. To say I came away impressed would be an understatement.”

Photo from Yelp

Eve’s Tasting Notes – aromas and flavors divided by ;

Some of these notes were aided by 30 yearlong club supporters John and Debra Heys, Boys and Girls Club CEO David Menchaca, the club’s director of administration Matt Nelson, Salt Creek Grille Sales and Marketing Director Jennifer Chadwick, Terry Kanowsky and Chef Tamra Levine.

2015 Patelin de Tablas Rose

Grenache, Counoise, Mourvedre, Syrah

On the nose there was a lovely fresh strawberry followed by lemon, white peach and white pepper; in the mouth there was a bit of red berry, grapefruit, lemon and a medium acid that worked well with the menu.

2015 Vermentino

100% Vermentino

Ripe pear in light syrup, mandarin orange, Limoncello and wet stones appeared on the nose; on the palate I got a nice viscosity, lemon-lime, and that same tinge of orange again all in great balance.

2014 Esprit de Tablas Blanc

Roussane, Grenache Blanc, Picpoul Blanc

Golden delicious apple, cream and white flower were welcoming aromas; followed by flavors reminiscent of a fresh fruit cocktail. Definitely an easy sipper, very balanced.

2014 Cotes de Tablas

Grenache, Syrah, Counoise, Mourvedre

Dried black cherry, dark chocolate, blueberry, black licorice and bark on the nose; then robust flavors of blackberry, blueberry, dark chocolate covered cherry and cracked black pepper in the mouth.

2014 Esprit de Tablas

Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Counoise

Detected blue to black fruits, mushroom and ash aromas; the same black fruit on the palate as well as firm tannins which made it appear seemingly older than a 2014.

2011 Esprit de Tablas

Brighter red fruit than the younger wines, including red currant and bing cherry, earth and mint; on the palate the wine was bright, spicy, balanced as the tannins had softened a bit.

Menu by Chef Tamra Levine

The first three wines, the rose and two whites, will be highlighted by “Salmon 3-Ways” and we sampled the second “way”, which was a beautiful presentation of Salmon Tartar, Grapefruit and Avocado.

The reds will be paired with the “Interlude Presentation” and we had the opportunity to sample the “Concluding Presentation”, which consisted of Discs of Grilled Artisan Sausage, Smoky Blackberry BBQ Sauce and Savory Waffle.

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.

February 2020 Rhone Rangers Paso Robles Experience

January 25, 2020 by evebushman

The 100+ members of the Rhone Rangers invite you to join them for a day in Paso Robles Wine Country with some of America’s leading producers of Rhone varietals as we explore these great grapes and wines. This fun-filled and information-rich day will move this year to the Paso Robles Event Center! The event includes:

“Rhone Essentials” Seminar

Taste a top example of each of the principal categories of Rhone Rangers wines as you hear from winemakers and principals who have chosen the Rhone Ranger route in America, and who are forging California’s “Rhone Zone” reputation. The discussion will be moderated by Erin Brooks, Reviewer of Oregon, Sonoma, and the California Central Coast for Robert Parker Wine Advocate. The featured wines will be:

• Viognier – Steinbeck Vineyards
• Other White Varietal – Domaine De La Terre Rouge, Roussanne
• White Rhone Blend – Ridge, Adelaida Vineyard
• Dry Rosé – Rabble Wine
• Grenache – Ranchero Cellars
• Mourvèdre – Horton Winery
• Syrah – Eberle Winery
• Other Red Varietal – Peachy Canyon, Petite Sirah
• Red Rhone Blend – TH Estate, Five Blocks

Vintners’ Lunch

Seminar participants will be joined by Rhone Rangers principals and winemakers for a gourmet banquet lunch prepared by Chef Jeffery Scott. Throughout lunch, members’ Rhone wines will be passing freely around the tables, while attendees enjoy an extended opportunity to interact with the producers. Click here to preview the delicious lunch menu.

Grand Tasting & Silent Auction

Taste 200+ wines from Rhone Rangers members from Paso Robles and beyond, including top single Rhone varietals and the best in Rhone blends. New this year, we welcome delegations of wineries from Rhone Rangers chapters outside Paso Robles. During the Grand Tasting, bid on lots donated by Rhone Rangers member wineries and help support the Rhone Rangers scholarship fund!

Tickets

The day’s events will take place, for the first time, at the Paso Robles Event Center on Riverside Avenue in downtown Paso Robles! Participation in the seminar and lunch will be limited to the first 200 tickets sold. The grand tasting will be limited to 400 attendees.

Tickets for the seminar and lunch are $95 (seminar/lunch attendees will receive free entry into the Grand Tasting). Tickets for the Grand Tasting are $45.

To purchase tickets, click here.

Hotel Room Blocks

Paso Robles Inn: call our front desk at 1-800-676-1713 and ask for the Paso Robles Event Center corporate discount, which will be 12% off the best available rate at time of booking.

The Oaks Hotel: mention RHONE RANGERS when booking at 805-237-8700 for a 12% discount for a one or two night stay, 15% on a three-night stay.

More hotel partners coming soon.

Vintage Eve Circa 8/2016: Taking Over Skirball, Rhone Rangers LA 2016 Part One

August 13, 2019 by evebushman

The Rhone Rangers rode into the Skirball last weekend and as a major Rhone wine lover I was thrilled to attend the tasting again. A seminar and luncheon was also offered in the day’s events, see an upcoming article from Contributing Editor Michael Perlis as he covered that portion.

Wine 101ers: What is a Rhône

Basically Rhône grapes were born in the Rhône Valley of France and are now grown here in the U.S. The most common reds make up the “GSM” blend: Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre. On the white end you may have already had a Viognier – think Sauvignon Blanc without the high acid and with more delicate fruit. Other whites that may have crossed your palate are Roussanne and Marsanne, sometimes alone or in a white Rhône blend. If you want to wine geek out more here is a listing of “The 22 Rhone Ranger Grapes” direct from the Rhone Rangers website.

Tony Quealy from Halter Ranch Vineyard and Gary Stewart from Four Brix Winery.

Wineries A-F (Part Two, Wineries H-Z will run next week)

For some of you that think I was nuts to skip a particular winery…it may have been because I “Gave a Positive Review Already” and chose to forage on to other wineries. These wineries will be noted as GPRA and will have a hyperlink to my review…if I can find it. While some others, that may have been equally stellar as those I did visit, suffered my absence (Ha!) due to me suffering a wee bit of palate fatigue, so those are noted as SPF. (Editor’s note: any links for the West Ranch Beacon, aka WRB, are now closed, the webmaster chose not to save the links when he closed up his site. Also note that every article I wrote for the WRB is re-purposed on this site every Tuesday.)

Photos: https://www.facebook.com/eve.bushman/posts/10208640076546763?pnref=story

Adelaida Cellars – GPRA I will never forget the wine dinner I had with some nicely aged wines from the Adelaida cellar – and a lesson that Paso wines don’t have to be drunk right away. http://www.westranchbeacon.com/category.php?catg=8&id=2721 and http://www.westranchbeacon.com/visit-article-archives-view.php?catg=8&id=6287

Andrew Murray Vineyard – SPF

Beckmen Vineyards – Enjoyed the 2013 Cuvee Le Bec Red Blend and a 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon at a tasting two weeks ago with Tasting Room Mgr. Neil Redmond (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10208567024880517&set=pcb.10208567026520558&type=3&theater) so I skipped the Cuvee at this tasting but really enjoyed a big yet balanced wine club offering: The 2014 PMV Syrah Clone #1.

Bernat – SPF

Bonny Doon – Rock star (and there were a few of them at the event repping their wineries) Randall Grahm poured about a dozen of his wines. I had been a fan of his “Le Cigare” label for as long as I can remember. Well, at least since I first heard the story about the law against landing a flying saucer in the vineyards of France. This time I really liked the 2011 Le Cigare Volant Red Blend, 2011 Le Cigare Volant Reserve Red Blend, Clos de Gilroy Grenache, 2014 Old Telegram Mourvedre and the 2011 Bien Nacido Vineyard “X-Block” Syrah. My absolute faves being the Reserve, Mourvedre and the X-Block.

Broken Earth Winery – SPF

Calcareous Vineyard – A beautiful winery with an expansive view for picnickers paired with equally outstanding wines. Been a favorite of mine for many years, so it was a treat to see them at Rhone Rangers. This time I enjoyed the fruit and spice in the 2013 Syrah, the 2016 Tres Violet blend of Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre, the 2013 Moose blend of Syrah and Petit Verdot and the tart and bright 2015 Lily Blanc blend of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne and Viognier. I had a full lineup to taste back in 2011 here: http://evewine101.com/2011/04/29/calcareous-vineyards-lineup-paired-with-pals/ 2014 here: http://westranchbeacon.com/weekly-column.php?id=2342 and most recently here: http://www.westranchbeacon.com/visit-article-archives-view.php?catg=8&id=6287

Cass Winery – GPRA http://www.westranchbeacon.com/weekly-column.php?id=5402,

http://evewine101.com/2016/01/05/vintage-beacon-april2011-a-truly-inspired-cass-wine-pairing-dinner/ and most recently: http://www.westranchbeacon.com/visit-article-archives-view.php?catg=8&id=6287 another rock star, Ted Plemons, co-owner of Cass Winery was pouring once again. This time I only had one: the 2013 Rockin’ One Red Blend, tasty stuff.

Chacewater – GPRA http://www.westranchbeacon.com/weekly-column.php?id=5402

Clayhouse Wines – SPF

CONSILIENCE WINES – SPF

Derby Wine Estates – Enjoyed the steely fruit in the 2014 Picpoul Blanc, the 2012 Grenache Blanc, 2012 Fifteen 10 Red Blend, the very big 2013 Petite Sirah and the spice and bright red fruit of the 2011 Mourvedre. One of my favorite tables.

Ecluse Wines – GPRA Tasted these Paso wines very recently, and I loved their entire lineup. http://evewine101.com/2016/02/26/ecluse-unlocking-a-paso-favorite/

Epoch Estate Wines – The two red blends were simply awesome: the Syrah heavy 2012 Ingenuity Red Blend and the Big/Spicy/Yummy 2013 Estate Red Blend.

Fess Parker & Epiphany – GPRA and SPF

Four Brix Winery – GPRA I was just at the winery this past April however I didn’t get to see co-owner/winemaker Gary Stewart – yet another rock star – at that time. It was nice to be able to chat with him at this event…and see that he was pouring all of my favorites. Don’t miss the “Smitten” Viognier.

http://www.westranchbeacon.com/weekly-column.php?id=6074

Part Two of this story will run next Tuesday.

Perlis Picks: The Garagiste Festival in Glendale (Part Two)

July 27, 2019 by Michael Perlis

Last week, I wrote about the seminar that Karen and I attended at the latest Garagiste Festival in Glendale. Part 2 is about the other wines we tasted.

The grand tasting featured over 50 wineries from all over California, 23 of which also poured the previous evening at the Rare & Reserve kick-off party – shout out to Fired Up Chef Services for the great BBQ buffet dinner that accompanied this.

Here are the wineries that stood out to us. I’ve also added a few comments in brackets. We didn’t taste everything, so not being marked as a favorite isn’t a sign of disrespect. And in some cases we only tasted at a winery’s table during the Rare and Reserve tasting and if so that is indicated as well.

13^th & Third Wines – Paso Robles

2018 Rose of Grenache

2017 Lily (blend of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Viognier, Picpoul)

2015 NMR (blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre)

[Hard to go wrong when the winemaker is Don Burns of Turtle Rock and Saxum.]

Aldina Vineyards – Sonoma

2015 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

Angeleno Wine Co. – Los Angeles

2018 Super Bloom Verdejo, Clay Station

2018 Meadow Rose, Terra Alta

2017 Zanja Madre (Grenache, Tempranillo), Alonso Family Vineyard

2017 Syrah, Alonso Family Vineyard

[As I mentioned in the segment about the seminar and in a previous article, I’m a big fan of what this winery is doing in downtown LA.]

Ascension Cellars – Paso Robles

2015 Ascendance Cab/Merlot [from the R&R tasting]

Bevela Wines – Santa Barbara

2018 White Lotus Grenache Blanc [from the R&R tasting]

Bodega de Edgar – Paso Robles

2015 Gran Reserva Tempranillo [from the R&R tasting]

Byron Blatty Wines – Los Angeles

2016 Evenfall (Tempranillo, Petite Sirah and Merlot)

2015 Ghost Cat (Syrah, Cab Sauv, Cab Franc and Merlot)

[both from the R&R tasting]

Cavaletti Vineyards – Santa Barbara / Los Angeles

2018 Alicante Bouschet – Barrel Sample

2017 Vigneron Reserve Syrah/Cabernet

2018 The 109 Mile Rose (Tempranillo, Grenache)

2017 Sangiovese

2017 Rancho Baila Sol Field Blend

[So impressed with everything from this winery.]

Deno Wines – Paso Robles

2010 Two Bills Zin-Grenache

2009 Paso Robles GSM

2017 Arneis, El Pomar District

2016 Estate Grenache

2016 Estate GSM

2014 Estate GSM

[These tasted like old school Paso Robles to me. I don’t mean big over-the-top wines. They brought back memories – in a good way – of visiting before things got so crowded. They have a tasting room in Templeton now, which also reminds me of old school Paso.]

DeWitt Vineyard – Sierra Foothills

2016 Estate Syrah

2015 Estate Touriga

2016 Estate Tempranillo

[Really nice, fairly prices wines. Just disappointed their Barbera wasn’t ready!]

Dusty Nabor Wines – Central Coast

2014 Bolt To Wines Grenache

2016 Bolt To Wines Grenache Blanc [the richness of this wine was amazing.]

2017 Syrah – Ballard Canyon AVA

2017 Bolt To Wines Syrah

Ferguson Family Winery – Sierra Foothills

2016 The Phoenix Zinfandel

2016 Boomshakalaka Petite Sirah

Golden Star Vineyards – Central Coast

2015 Tempranillo, Paso Robles

2016 Syrah, Chavez Vineyard, Antelope Valley AVA

[I really am past due for a visit to this high-desert winery.]

Golden Triangle – Paso Robles

2015 Syrah, Willow Creek District

2015 Cab / Syrah, Willow Creek District

[Finally got to taste Garagiste Fesitval co-founder Stewart McLennan’s wines. And the good news is that he is opening a tasting room in Templeton.]

Hoi Polloi Wines – Central Coast

2017 Rose of Grenache, Adelaida District, Paso Robles [consistently Karen’s favorite Rose]

2016 “Blue Velvet” Syrah, Larner Vineyard, Ballard Canyon AVA [a consistently great Syrah from an iconic vineyard]

[From Garagiste Festival co-founder Doug Minnick and his partners; we are lucky to have this tasting room in the Santa Clarita Valley.]

MCV Wines – Paso Robles

2018 Pink Rose

2016 Petite Sirah, Rosewynn Vineyard

2016 1105 Blend

[I’ve been a fan of Matt Villard’s wines for a long time. Some big news coming from this winery so stay tuned.]

Oceans Churning Wines – Sonoma

2014 Chardonnay [from the R&R tasting]

Powicana Farm – Mendocino

2013 Petite Sirah [from the R&R tasting]

Record Family Wines – Paso Robles

2017 Estate Viognier

2017 Estate Grenache Rose

2016 Randy’s Red (Syrah, Grenache)

2016 Reserve Syrah

[The wines are made by Jeff Strekas of ONX, so of course they’re going to be delicious.]

Two Papas Wines – Santa Barbara

2017 Grenache Blanc, Saarloos Vineyard

2017 Grenache, Saarloos Vineyard

2017 Grenache, Thompson Vineyard

2017 Syrah, Thompson Vineyard

[I was eager to taste Santa Clarita local Rick Pratt’s wines and I was totally blown away by the quality.]

Two Shepherds – Sonoma

2018 Picpoul Blanc, Yolo County

2018 Rose of Carignan, Mendocino

2018 “Wiley” Carbonic Carignan, Mendocino

2016 Carigan, Mendocinao

[William Allen continues to make his delicious, convention-defying wines.]

Velvet Bee Wines – Santa Barbara

2018 Queen Bee (Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon) [from the R&R tasting]

Wandermust-Must Wines – Sonoma

2018 Verdelho [from the R&R tasting]

Zanoli Wines – Paso Robles

2017 Mourvedre, Glenrose Vineyard

2016 Syrah, Glenrose Vineyard

Congratulations to co-founders Doug Minnick and Stewart McLennan as well as Lisa Dinsmore (Event/Web Director) and Melanie Webber (Public Relations and Communications) for another great event. Their passion and hard work have really made the Garagiste Festival concept something special. We can’t wait for the next one.

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.

MARGERUM WINE COMPANY ANNOUNCES NEW TASTING ROOM IN SANTA BARBARA’S FUNK ZONE

June 26, 2019 by evebushman

Santa Barbara, California; May 28, 2019 – Doug Margerum and the Margerum Wine Company announce the opening of their new tasting room at the Hotel Californian in Santa Barbara, California. The Margerum Wine Company tasting room offers distinctive flights and wines by the glass from their premium wines produced at their state-of-the-art Buellton winery.

Leading the Margerum Wine Company team is creator and namesake, Douglas Barden Margerum, a long term Santa Barbara resident who has been a fixture in the Santa Barbara food and wine scene for over 35 years. Rani Mclean oversees the tasting room as the Direct to Consumer Manager.

Enter the MARGERUM WINE COMPANY tasting room across from the entrance to the Hotel from Mason Street, near the corner of Helena Avenue, and discover a balanced mix of quintessential Santa Barbara Spanish Colonial architecture and a multi-faceted modern style. The interior was styled by designer Marni Blau Margerum and she describes it as “where modern farmhouse meets couture boutique”. Marni’s eclectic design style centers around an expansive bar made of a reclaimed and flattened oak barrel staves from the winery. The bar is the main focal point, anchoring the spacious and exquisitely finished interior to create a naturally defined room for wine tasting and socializing.

The oak stairs lead one past the hand-forged cast-iron railings to the stunning private room that sets the stage for an unforgettable wine tasting experience in Santa Barbara. The private tasting room accommodates up to 32 people for a seated event or 50 for a stand-up reception or custom wine-tasting menu. Crafty details and sky-high ceilings are accented by the crimson red velvet curtains on the mezzanine, providing a cozy lounge for wine club members and for larger groups with reservations. Private lunches or dinner parties are available for an exceptional wine and dining experience.

The beautiful outdoor patio boasts a spectacular vantage point for lounging, wine tasting and people-watching. The patio can also be transformed into a private space for exclusive events day or night, which can accommodate up to 24 guests for an alfresco experience at this quintessential Santa Barbara wine tasting venue.

The wines are produced from their Estate vineyard and from purchased top Santa Barbara County growers to create hand-crafted wines that are indicative of the region, showcasing individual characteristics and personality of each terroir. The scale of production is kept at a level where they can touch and know the wine as it is raised to the bottle. The standards of quality are measured by their own criteria (not by external sources) and they only make wines they personally enjoy – some to drink young; others for long aging in cool cellars for future generations to enjoy.

Margerum produces several different wine varietals, including Sybarite Sauvignon Blanc; UBER Syrah (a blend of Syrah grapes from Santa Barbara County’s best vineyards); Riviera Rosé (made primarily from Grenache grapes); the flagship Rhône Varietal Red Blend M5 (blended from Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault and Counoise grapes); the M5 White (blended from Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Marsanne, Viognier and Vermentino); and Amaro – a fortified wine made from Herbs (Sage, Thyme, Marjoram, Parsley, Lemon Verbena, Rosemary, and Mint), Barks, Roots, Dried Orange Peels, Barrel-Aged Brandy and Caramelized Simple Syrup. Currently, the Margerum Wine Company produces about 16,000 cases a year.

The Tasting Room will be its ever-changing menu featuring rare bottlings and excellent older vintages of Margerum Wines. For those seeking a more refined experience, the Margerum Wine Company offers customized Private Winemaker Tastings with Doug Margerum by appointment.

The Margerum Wine Company tasting room is open daily from 12:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 12:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Friday/Saturday and by appointment.

ABOUT MARGERUM WINE COMPANY:

MARGERUM WINE COMPANY produces limited quantities of wines made from grapes grown both on their estate vineyard and grapes purchased from other top vineyards from in and around Santa Barbara County. The 18-acre estate vineyard is planted exclusively to Rhône grape varietals. The acreage is divided between limestone hillsides and gravelly alluvial flatlands along Alamo Pintado Creek. The wines are made at their state-of-the-art winery located on Industrial Way in Buellton. Owner and Director of Winemaking, Douglas Barden Margerum, works with the top vineyards from the cool, eastern end of the valley in Happy Canyon to the western end’s cold vineyards of Sta. Rita Hills. Doug carefully selects the vineyards with meticulous attention to detail in all factors influencing the ultimate quality of the wines, including pruning, soil, climate, and farming methods. MARGERUM WINE COMPANY is committed to creating hand-crafted wines using only the highest quality grapes in order to make wines that are indicative of the place where they are grown. They strive to make wines naturally, to make wines that have individual characteristics and to make wines with personality. The scale of production is kept at a level where they can touch and know the wine as it is raised to the bottle – the antithesis of mass production. The standards of quality are measured by their own rigid criteria – not by external sources. They make wines they personally enjoy – some to drink young, others for long aging in cool cellars for future generations to enjoy, but mostly to share at the table with family and friends.

ABOUT DOUG MARGERUM:

Doug’s multi-faceted background as the Sommelier/Owner of The Wine Cask, a Wine Spectator Grand Award restaurant recipient, and as a highly respected winemaker made him sought out by a variety of wineries to assist in the formation of their brands. Doug has consulted for Chêne Bleu super Rhône wines in France, and continues to consult for La Encantada Vineyards, Rancho Boa Vista and Happy Canyon Vineyards, all in Santa Barbara County, as well as the Santa Barbara wines of Paradise Springs Winery based in Virginia.

MARGERUM WINE COMPANY TASTING ROOM

19 Mason Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

805.845.8435

tastingroom@margerumwines.com

For more information the public can visit:

www.margerumwines.com

Follow MARGERUM WINE COMPANY:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/margerumwine

Twitter: @MargerumWine

Instagram: @margerumwine

For information on the Barden Wines visit:

www.bardenwines.com

Paso: Visiting Linne Calodo and Denner Vineyards

December 28, 2018 by evebushman

Both Linne Calodo and Denner had been recommended to us over the years to visit, but if you’ve been paying any attention to the growth in Paso Robles you know that there are now hundreds of wineries to choose to visit. In my earlier article on Parrish Family, as well as this one, it was the first time in all of our visits to the area we were not seeing any wineries we had visited before. Everyone has their favorites, and I myself felt guilty about not seeing some of mine on this trip, but I do it all for you, dear reader, so that you can explore something new as well. So on a cool Saturday morning we set out to both for predominant Rhône blends and both by appointment only.

View from Denner patio.

Linne Calodo is on the corner of 46 West and Vineyard Avenue, so it’s extremely easy to find. A short drive up the hill and you’ll find a medium-sized tasting room for guests that would like to either sit or stand through a flight. Greeted with a menu of what we would be tasting – we knew it was ours as our name was printed on it – and a trio of red wine glasses.

We were expertly taken care of by Meghan Ball – Meghan is a new mom so she has taken a short break in her duties as assistant winemaker this year to take over as the Director of Sales. Meghan explained that guests were welcome to bring food to have for an outdoor tasting, there is sometimes live music upstairs that is enjoyed by tasters downstairs, couches and sitting areas are often used by members – as club members have always been the wineries exclusive buyers.

In fact when the tasting room opened in 2009 – they reached the maximum for wine club members. It was not until January of this year that they had re-opened the wine club for new members, and re-opened the tasting room for walk in guests. Had they not acquired more acreage they would still be closed for new tasters and members.

Linne Calodo owner and winemaker, Matt Trevisan, had switched his interests from airplanes to biochemistry – and started out with Justin Winery in 1995, the same vintage year that Wine Spectator awarded Justin Isosceles with a 100 point score. 1998 was Trevisan’s first vintage for Linne Calodo. Beginning with a 500 case production they are now at 5,000 cases. The vineyards are primarily dry farmed, all estate, they make eight to ten blends a year with four or five released twice per year, with an additional white and rose.

This struck me, Megan said that all of the wines are unfiltered and unfined, and that “through blending we create balance.” We agreed as we meandered our way through: 2016 “Rising Tides” with 77% Grenache, 14% Mourvedre an 9% Syrah; 2016 “Nemesis” with 87% Syrah, 9% Mourvedre and 4% Grenache; 2016 Outsider with 82% Zinfandel, 7% Syrah, 7% Mourvedre and 4% Graciano.

(I have no tasting notes on these wines as we were too busy chatting with Meghan all about the winery. I enjoyed everything, with a special nod to the 2016 Nemesis that had been opened 24 hour earlier. Meghan commented that the “first and last glass” of this particular wine “is a totally different experience”.)

Linne Calodo www.linnecalodo.com 3030 Vineyard Dr. Paso Robles, CA 93446 (805) 227-0797

Denner, just up Vineyard Avenue about ten minutes from Linne Calodo, has a large parking lot and several welcoming areas to taste both inside and out, a bocce court, trees, flower gardens and vineyards are all within view. We were told to take any seating area and chose a nice tall table outside to take in the sights.

Our entertaining and educational sommelier Yule from the Ukraine presented us with six wines to taste, and allowed us time with each before returning with a new wine. What we learned and tasted:

We began with a 2016 100% Viognier that I thought had perfect fresh fruit with a medium acidity. I also agreed with the provided tasting notes that described notes of orange and lime. Yule explained that this wine, and some of the others, had spent their months aging in large “cigar” barrels. I was familiar with these for their odd shape compared to the standard shaped barrel. Yule also explained that they allowed for less oxygen to reach the wine, and I presumed the large shape would also provide less oak notes in the nose and flavor.

Next we tried the 2016 Grenache with 81% Grenache, 9% Mourvedre, 9% Syrah and 1% Roussane. While our tasting notes described the wine as having aromas of cherry and raspberry I also found chocolate. The wine is all estate fruit, fairly dry, well balanced, and left me with hints of cherry cola on the palate.

Ron Denner, the owner of the property, started out being told that he wouldn’t amount to much by his father as his grades in his early school years were lacking. Between his college years, military service and owning more than one business – two involving moving dirt (the latter being the winery) Denner more than proved his father wrong. The wine named Ditch Digger is a shout out to that memory. The wine we tasted, the 2016 vintage, again an all estate wine was 50% Grenache, 25% Mourvedre, 5% Counoise and 5% Cinsault. While the tasting notes mentioned black licorice, strawberry, botanicals and spice my own palate found it to have also notes of crushed cherry on the nose and darker fruit on the palate. This wine had spent 16 months in neutral 500L and 600L oak puncheons – three times bigger than a standard barrel – allowing for less oak on the flavor.

The next wine, the 2016 Dirt Worshipper, had a great story for its namesake, and proved to be our favorite wine in the line-up. Lets start with the brief story: Yule got down on bended knee to show us what it looked like when the workers were planting the grapes that would eventually make up Dirt Worshipper, and you probably may have guessed it, yep, they looked like they were praying. The 2016 vintage was 97% Syrah, 2% Roussanne and 1% Viognier – and why use a white wine in a red blend? And why so little of it, would it make any kind of difference? Yule explained that the small percentage of white Rhônes would act as a stabilizer for their Syrah to maintain its color. Cool. I agreed with the tasting notes that showed white pepper and blackberries on the nose, and espresso and blueberries in the palate, I also found it very creamy. I also wrote down what I overheard another guest say, “If this is ditch digging we can agree he struck gold.”

The 2012 Syrah, with it’s gold ribbon on the bottle, was considered more of a library wine that can age longer due to more tannins. With notes of violets, blueberries, and white pepper on the nose and with the addition of espresso on the palate – we were in agreement with the tasting notes on our menu.

A final wine added to the lineup was the 2016 Sacred Burro of 100% Carignan. In this wine, Yule explained, the vineyard had been head trained, and since the grapes are susceptible to mold up to 80% of the fruit was cut off to allow only 20% for wine. In comparison, if left alone there would be 20 tons of Carignan harvested to an average of five tons for Cabernet Sauvignon. He further explained that without the head training, the mold could takeover other parts of the vineyard. As we went in for our taste – the wine was described as having rose petal and raspberry notes (I also found dark cherry) it would be easier to discern these aromas if we rolled our glasses, and then see if we could sniff the raspberry or cherry on the near side, and the rose botanical on the far end. It seemed to work. Something to try at home!

Note: I didn’t explain the time in oak for all of these wines, share their Vinous scores or the pricing. You can email me if you want further details: Eve@EveWine101.com or peruse their Facebook or website pages:

https://www.facebook.com/DennerVineyards/

http://www.dennervineyards.com/

To see the photo grids from all of our Paso winery visits from this trip click this.

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