How Was Wine in the Pines 2018? Let Me Tell You!

June 22, 2018 by evebushman Leave a Comment

During the drive along an empty 5 freeway on a Saturday afternoon, up to the Frazier Park exit and then a few more miles to watch the terrain change from dry desert like conditions to lush green hills and pine trees, I got to try out all the great cornering my little Mini Cooper can make on the now winding road: Welcome to Wine in the Pines 2018 in the Pine Mountain Club slice of the Los Padres National Forest.

Me and my little sister “Charlotte” at Wine in the Pines 2018

I think this is the third year my husband has graciously given his ticket up to my baby sister “Charlotte” for sisterly bonding time. We’ve always taken full advantage of the hour drive up and back to get very caught up. This year she said it was the best year ever as she was getting a hang of this wine tasting thing…while I visited with friends and tasted just a bit – lots of tossing out – as I’m the designated driver on these trips.

So, enough meandering, let’s get to the heart of the matter, what did we love to taste this year? You can skip my commentary below and just look at these four photo grids if you like, if not, here you go:

Always a good time tasting and visiting with Arndt Cellars, Ascension Cellars, Cass Winery (Ted Plemons is always a favorite at this event, as are his namesake “Ted” wines), Charles Wine (no not a distributor, he makes these wines), Stephen Hemmert Wines (loved that Roussanne), the owners of Vinemark Cellars, Tobin James poured by two sweet wine lovers from Bakersfield, Hoi Polloi and Pagter Brothers (these latter two share the Double Trouble Wine Room in downtown Newhall) towards the front of the event.

We always end our tasting in that section with my friend Yoshi Murakami with JFC International for chilled sake, shochu (he served one aged in spent Jim Beam barrels – my favorite) and shochu-based cocktails! The first year Yoshi poured at the event many people had only experienced warm sake, now that they’ve discovered cold sake, and how refreshing it is on a sunny day in the pines, his table has grown in popularity!

As I made my way up the loop – I knew that organizers Mark and Debbie Bailey always try to put the same winemakers in the same spots so their fans can find them – I knew I would meet up with Sherrijon Gaspard with her refreshing Vina Sympatica sparklers (look for a new line of still wines coming soon) and I never miss time with Michel Ayer of Workman Ayer (my all-time favorite white and red blends).

In the Pine Mountain Club Village Gazebo’s version of the Lompoc Wine Ghetto we enjoyed the live music, watching people dance and wine tastes from Flying Goat (Bubbles and Rose Bubbles), Fiddlehead Cellars, La Montagne (a new Pinot Noir) and Turiya.

Then after rounding the back bend I expectantly looked for Lee and Helen Williams of Golden Star Vineyards in their bright tie-dyed shirts, an ode to their flagship wine “Purple Haze” making new wine friends, and greeting us old wine friends too.

We loved the food that was supplied from the local restaurants like La Lena Mexican Restaurant, as well as yummy plates from our very own Wolf Creek Restaurant and Brewery. Would’ve enjoyed the Stella Artois Blood Orange beer our friends had, but I had to skip it, was getting time to get back on my favorite road!

Proceeds from Wine in the Pines benefit the American Cancer Society. Find Wine in the Pines on Facebook too.

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. You can also seek her marketing advice via Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com

Perlis Picks: Epic Times at Epoch Estate Wines

June 2, 2018 by Michael Perlis Leave a Comment

In my last article, I mentioned that I’d next be writing about who went into the old Clos Solene spot at Tin City. Well, some technical difficulties have delayed that report, so this week you get…

Photo from Epoch Facebook page.

One of the benefits of living in Southern California, as do most of our Eve Wine 101 readers, is proximity to various wine regions. Santa Barbara wine country is just a couple of hours away, Paso Robles a little farther and a few more hours gets you to Napa, Sonoma and beyond.

Inevitably, once you do start visiting wineries, you’ll be presented with opportunities to join winery clubs. With so many wineries offering great wines, it is easy to get overwhelmed. How do you decide which clubs to join? For us, it is often, in addition to the wine quality, it is the feeling that we have a personal relationship with the people involved.

Epoch Estate Wines in Paso Robles is a great case in point. Karen and I first tasted the Epoch wines in 2010 when they were still being made at Denner. We had the good fortune to meet Kristen Darnell (née Carrillo), now Epoch’s Vice President of Sales and Personnel as well as newly hired winemaker Jordan Fiorentini. The wines were great, Kristen and Jordan were too, and the fact that the owners had purchased the old York Mountain Winery site to develop their winery [a place we had first visited in the 1980s] was icing on the cake. We were hooked.

A perk of being in a wine club is that members often get invited to special events. Recently, Epoch members were invited to the beautiful state of the art winery on York Mountain to attend not one but two events.

The first event, reserved for the top tier of Epoch members, started with a reception that included passed appetizers along with Epoch’s newly released white blend [Viognier, Grenache Blanc and Roussanne] and Rose [Mourvedre, Grenache and Syrah] wines. Both were excellent but the Rose is really something special. Just ask my wife Karen.

Then, we were treated to an elegant sit-down dinner in the winery, paired with the great Epoch wines.

The 2015 Sensibility [Grenache and Syrah] was paired with Manchego & Prosciutto. The 2015 Zinfandel [with a touch of Grenache] was matched with Grilled Quail and the 2015 Veracity [Grenache, Mourvedre and Syrah] with Wild Mushroom Risotto. Finally, the 2015 Estate Blend of Syrah, Mourvedre, Grenache, Tempranillo and Zinfandel was served with barbecued New York Strip with bone marrow butter and Roquefort whipped potatoes. The dessert table filled with petit fours and brownies topped off the evening, along with more wine to accompany them.

The next evening, open to all Epoch members, was a more casual affair with serving stations set up in the winery. The white blend and the Rose were available at the entry to the event along with various appetizers. The reds were paired as follows…

2015 Sensibility with two flatbreads – one wild mushroom and the other prosciutto and arugula.

2015 Zinfandel with bacon wrapped blue cheese stuffed dates.

2015 Veracity with Capicola and blue cheese skewers.

2015 Estate Blend with lamb sliders.

There was also Seafood and Chorizo Paella, which Karen really enjoyed with the Rose.

Although the events were markedly different from each other, they both really emphasized one thing to me. While the wines are delicious on their own, they really shine when they are paired expertly with the right dishes.

The other thing that always has struck me about Epoch is the amazingly nice people that work for them. Owners Bill and Liz Armstrong told me that this is the first requirement in their hiring process as almost anything else can be taught. Kudos on a job well done.

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

Perlis Picks: Clos Solene

May 12, 2018 by Michael Perlis Leave a Comment

It’s hard to believe that I’ve been writing about Guillaume Fabre, winemaker/owner of Clos Solene for almost nine years. Yet, he and his winery haven’t been the focal point of the article until now.

Karen and I first met Guillaume in 2009. In that article, I spent most of the time whining about events that provide tasting tickets as opposed to unlimited tastes of wine. In spite of that focus, we did taste some nice wines, including Clos Solene, about which I said: “An outstanding Roussane from Paso Robles.” [And yes, now I see the typo.]

My understanding is that this was the first wine released under the Clos Solene label. Guillaume had not yet made the full-time leap to his own winery, but was still working as assistant winemaker at L’Aventure in Paso Robles. Leaving his native France where he had grown up growing grapes and making wine with his family, Guillaume had come to Paso Robles to work with L’Aventure as an intern and fell in love with the Paso Robles area. Guillaume describes this as “un coup de foudre” – a bolt of lightning moment when he realized what the future in Paso Robles could be. This was the second such moment in his life, the first being when he met his future wife Solene, whom he convinced to join him in the New World.

My next article about Clos Solene was nearly five years later, in 2014, as part of a longer article about up-and-coming Paso wineries. My big takeaway about his wine was “in addition to the purity of the fruit being expressed, these wines were incredibly elegant.” At this point, Guillaume had just left the relative security of L’Aventure and was devoting himself full-time to Clos Solene, pouring at the collective tasting room in downtown Paso Robles known as Paso Underground.

Since that last visit, Guillaume has moved Clos Solene –twice!

Paso Underground is still there, of course, and definitely worth your time visiting, with four wineries pouring their wares along with all the other tasting rooms in downtown Paso Robles. But just a few miles south of downtown Paso is an area known as Tin City, with an ever-growing number of small wineries. Tin City is well on its way to becoming a day’s destination all on its own. And as Clos Solene’s popularity and production increased, having a private tasting room / winery made sense.

By the time we planned to visit him there, he had acquired the old Pipestone Vineyards property on Paso’s west side and was deep in the process of making changes to meet his vision of what Clos Solene needed to be. So we never did see him during that trip.

Although we did see Guillaume and taste the Clos Solene wines at a handful of events over the years, it took us another year [and about four years since our Paso Underground visit] to make the drive on a rainy Saturday morning into the hills and follow the long driveway to visit the property that Guillaume and Solene had acquired about a year before.

Sitting with Guillaume on the estate’s patio, as the rain stopped and the sky cleared, looking out over the property and sampling the current tasting room offerings, we got a chance to reflect on the last nine years and the plans for the future. As it turns out, everything has been in a state of evolution. That Roussanne we tasted nine years ago? That was the first wine under the Clos Solene label and it has evolved over time into Hommage Blanc, a blend of 80% Roussanne and 20% Viognier. The Rose has evolved as well, as Guillaume has focused on using grapes grown specifically for the Rose as opposed to bleed-off from grapes to be used for red wines. And then there are the reds. Every year, Guillaume has been perfecting these blends as well. One after another, these wines prove that Clos Solene represents the best of Paso. Some, like Harmonie, are pure expressions of Rhone varieties. Others, like Fleur de Solene, show what an artist like Guillaume can do without the restrictions of his native France, blending Rhone and Bordeaux varieties into true masterpieces.

Truthfully, we are fortunate to be able to taste a lot of really good wine on a regular basis, both as writers and as consumers. But, the quality of the Clos Solene wines is still the exception rather than the rule and it helps to remind us what drove us to this passion in the first place.

The future is exciting as well. Guillaume has always sourced fruit from outstanding vineyards, such as James Berry and Glenrose. But now with the new property, he’ll be able to produce wines from his own estate, controlling the process from beginning to end. It will be just like back home, but better. Production will continue to be very limited with some slight growth in production. Guillaume and Solene are working harder than ever, now with three little mouths to feed in addition to their own.

Karen and I joined the Clos Solene Wine Club to make sure we don’t wait four or five years for another visit.

[Are you wondering what happened to that Clos Solene tasting room in Tin City? Read about that in my next article.]

Vintage Eve 9/2014: Rhone Rangers Came Back to LA September 9

February 6, 2018 by evebushman Leave a Comment

Do you have a favorite wine? A certain varietal you always go for? From a specific wine-producing area? I don’t: I like to try everything and give every winemaker equal time on my palate. Last week it was Rhônes.

For my wine 101ers this is a wine from the Rhone region of France, or, lucky for us all, Rhone varietals made here in the good old USA. The most common Rhône grapes include Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Petite Sirah, Viognier, Roussanne and Marsanne (Learn more here from the group that has helped put U.S. Rhônes on the map, Rhone Rangers: http://www.rhonerangers.org/grapes).

With that said, my glass was full when I arrived 30 minutes before our event was due to start and I got to taste some exceptional wines. And it was kept full throughout the day by these new favorites wines, though I was sorry I couldn’t visit more tables:

Alta Colina 2012 Viognier “12 O’Clock High” and 2010 Syrah “Old 900.”

Anglim 2011 Syrah, 2012 “Cerise” Red Blend of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre (GSM) and a bit of Viognier and 2011 Mourvedre.

Bonny Doon 2012 Grenache “Cuvee R” and 2009 Syrah Bien Nacido.

Donelan Wines full lineup: 2012 “Venus” White Blend made up predominantly of Roussane with some Viognier, 2012 “Cuvee Christine” Syrah that was just released at the tasting, 2012 “Cuvee Moriah” Red GSM Blend, 2011 Obsidian Vineyard Syrah and a 2012 Pinot Noir that was hiding out on the table, as it’s not a Rhône grape!

Ecluse Wines 2010 “Prelude” White Blend of Viognier, Roussanne and Grenache Blanc.

Law Estate Wines had all their outstanding new releases. Three red blends: 2011 “Audacious”, 2011 “Beguiling” and 2011 “Sagacious.” The 2011 “Beguiling” Syrah was also very noteworthy.

Minassian-Young Vineyards 2012 Mourvedre and a 2012 Red Blend of Mourvedre and Grenache was incredibly balanced.

ONX Wines, who I had just visited at another tasting this summer, shared a couple of new releases that I dug: 2013 White Blend Field Day and 2012 Red Blend “Reckoning.”

Tercero Wines 2013 “Verbiage” Blanc Blend of Grenache Blanc and Viognier, “Verbiage” GSM Red Blend and 2010 Grenache Larner Vineyard.

Vina Robles 2013 Viognier Huerhuero Vineyard, 2013 Rose “Roseum” Huerhuero Vineyard and 2009 Syrah “Syree” blend of Syrah and Petite Sirah.

Zenaida Cellars 2012 Grenache and 2012 100% Petite Sirah “Knucklehead.”

Event photo album link: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10203835190747621.1073741879.1455706632&type=1&l=035969a52a

All of the Participating Wineries

Alta Colina
Anglim
Ascension Cellars
Bonny Doon Vineyard
Broken Earth Winery
Calcareous Vineyard
Campesino Cellars
Carica Wines
Cass Winery
Cellar 433
Chacewater
Clautiere Vineyard
Cornerstone Cellars
Crux Winery
Donelan Wines
Ecluse Wines
Epiphany Cellars
Fess Parker Winery & Vineyards
Guyomar Wine Cellars
Halter Ranch Vineyard
Kale Wines
Kaleidos
Kenneth Volk Vineyards
Kita Wines
Law Estate Wines
Martian Ranch & Vineyard
Mercer Estates
Meyer Family Cellars
Michael-David Winery
Minassian-Young Vineyards
Mira Winery
Mitchella Vineyard & Winery
Morgan Winery
Mounts Family Winery
ONX Wines
Petrichor Vineyards
Pomar Junction Vineyard & Winery
Proulx Wines
Quivira Vineyards & Winery
Qupe
Ridge Vineyards
Sculpterra Winery
Steinbeck Vineyards & Winery
Summerwood Winery
Tablas Creek Vineyard
Tercero Wines
Thacher Winery
Two Shepherds
Vina Robles
Vines on the Marycrest
Zaca Mesa Winery
Zenaida Cellars
Zinke Wine Company

Tasting the Hard To Find: TOP Winery

November 3, 2017 by evebushman Leave a Comment

Wasn’t sure if there really was a TOP Winery in Paso Robles as when I first heard about a luncheon with TOP my Google search came up with, you guessed it, pages of top wineries in Paso. I voiced my concern, and demanded more info…

That’s when I learned from fellow wine writer Don Sunderling that Top Winery just got some nice reviews from Jeb Dunnuck, their second release reportedly sold out in 24 hours, and production had only been about 200 or so cases. There was certainly a buzz now.

Come to find out, when I joined a few others in the #LAWineWriters group for a wine paired luncheon at Marina Del Rey’s Café Del Rey, that Top Winery is most definitely on social media: @TopWinery on Facebook, @TopWinery on Instagram and http://www.topwinery.com on the Internet. And they deserved to be considered a top winery too.

Here’s why YOU want to find them, aka my tasting notes

2015 “Poise” Roussanne, Adelaida District

100% Roussane, 30% new French Oak

Aromas of pineapple, dried apricot, peach, pear and wet stones were followed by flavors of a fresh fruit cocktail, with a low acid and a nice balance. Very drinkable and a fine first for the winery.

2014 “Precession” Grenache, Willow Creek District

100% Grenache, 25% new French Oak

Lovely Luxardo cherry, plum, fig and a bit of dust – think of it as tasting age – all on the nose. In the mouth I got notes of bright cherry to dark cherry, black plum, jam, black pepper and a nice dryness. This was one that Café Del Rey General Manager Brian Cousins said of the pairing with Pork Loin: that the two were “singing to each other.”

2014 “Lever” Mourvedre (This was a surprise addition, so I only had a chance to make some brief tasting notes.)

100% Mourvedre

I noted dark berry, green peppercorn, soft and velvety aromas followed by big, dark and spicy flavors.

2014 “Exert” Syrah, Willow Creek District

Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre

50% new French Oak

Aromas of black fruit, black pepper and cinnamon were most welcoming. On the palate I got a mouthful of dark and brooding fruit, black pepper, that cinnamon again, tannic and a very long finish. I purchased three of these from the Martinez cellar as this wine, like most of the others we tasted, had already sold out. Better stay tuned to the next releases…

Lunch

Once again Café Del Rey impressed the entire group with their inspired dishes. The first course was Salt Spring Mussels in a smoked potato fennel broth paired with the freshness of the Roussanne. Our number two was a Tri-Peppered Pork Loin and a roasted winter squash with raisins, nuts and cous cous. For that dish we had the Grenache, see above where I noted what restaurant owner Brian Cousins loved about that pairing! For our third course we feasted on Grilled Venison Loin, a sundried tomato risotto with a cognac mushroom sauce; we had that delicious dish with the Syrah I bought. After this second meat I told Cousins that both the pork and venison were outstanding cuts. Our final course was a nice palate cleanser of fruit sorbets. They were perfect but I have to admit, I let them sit a bit while I revisited each and every TOP wine.

More About TOP Winery

Husband and wife, Stanley and Elena Martinez, met in high school, pursued their college degrees, then married, made a home for themselves in Sherman Oaks – and were bitten by the wine bug. Their first vintage was 2014.

Using fruit primarily from West Paso as that is where Elena proclaimed is where “our heart and our future is” they crafted their first white wine.

Currently they are busy with the “long growing year” and are still in harvest for what will be the 2017 vintage, which promises to provide over 1,000 cases.

Also, according to Sunderling, Stanley has been mentored by Nick Elliott of Nicora Wines.

Why the “TOP” branding? No, not to be seen as the top but because, as Elena eloquently states, because the spinning top “tries to maintain balance…and wine gives us that balance.”

Stanley, credited for cooking Elena’s food, is also credited for “making my wine.” A nice pairing indeed.

https://www.topwinery.com/

Perlis Picks – Paso Robles Wine Country Grand Tasting Tour: Part Two

August 12, 2017 by Michael Perlis Leave a Comment

Last week, I shared with you about the seminar provided for trade and media to kick off the Paso Robles Wine Country Grand Tasting Tour held at the Newport Beach Marriott.

This week, I’ll tell you our favorites of the wines we tasted at the Grant Tasting…

Alta Colina Vineyard

2016 Grenache Blanc [95% Grenache Blanc, 5% Roussanne]

2013 Old 900 Syrah [97% Syrah, 3% Viognier]

Ancient Peaks Winery

2015 Renegade [55% Syrah, 27% Zinfandel, 13% Petite Sirah, 5% Petit Verdot]

2013 Oyster Ridge [75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Syrah, 5% Malbec, 5% Petite Sirah]

Barr Estate Winery

2014 Albarino

2013 Dane Head [51% Malbec, 18% Petite Sirah, 18% Petit Verdot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon]

Calcareous Vineyard

2013 Tres Violet [37% Grenache, 35% Syrah, 28% Mourvedre]

2013 Signature Cabernet Sauvignon [91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Malbec, 3% Cabernet Franc]

Caliza Winery

2016 Pink [Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah]

2013 Sympatico [76% Tempranillo, 24% Grenache]

Cass Winery

2015 Viognier

2015 Mourvedre

2014 Vintage Ted [70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Mourvedre, 3% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot]

Daou Vineyards

2015 Pessimist [37% Syrah, 31% Petite Sirah, 27% Zinfandel, 5% Tannat]

2014 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon [75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Petit Verdot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 6% Merlot]

Gray Wolf Cellars & Barton Family Wines

2015 Jackal [100% Zinfandel]

2015 Big Bad [90% Zinfandel, 10% Petite Sirah]

MCV Wines

2016 Pink [Petite Sirah, Syrah, Grenache, Tannat]

2014 1105 [60% Petite Sirah, 21% Syrah, 7% Grenache, 6% Petit Verdot, 5% Tannat, 1% Viognier]

Niner Wine Estates

2014 Malbec [91% Malbec, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc]

2014 Cabernet Sauvignon [85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Malbec, 3% Merlot, 2% Carmenere]

ONX Wines

2016 Indie [Rose of Tempranillo]

2016 Indie Noir [Red Blend]

2014 Level 22 [45% Petite Sirah, 33% Syrah, 12% Mourvedre, 10% Grenache]

A few comments…

We didn’t taste at every table. These were are our favorites of the ones we tasted.

We didn’t taste everything at MCV or ONX. We probably would have more of their wines on this list if we had. But, we just reported on our visit to MCV and our article on ONX is coming up soon.

Minor rant…really minor…

We started going to Paso Robles about 20 years ago. At that time, Zinfandel was king. Don’t get me wrong, we love the Rhones coming out of Paso, and Cab is definitely making a name for itself. Wineries like Turley, Tobin James, J Dusi and others still carry on the Zin tradition, but sometimes I think it doesn’t get the attention it deserves.

So, for this reason and also because the wines were totally kick-ass, my wines of the day were the two Gray Wolf & Barton Family Wines Zinfandels – Jackal and Big Bad.

From the Gray Wolf & Barton Family Wines website:

Joe and Shirlene Barton established Grey Wolf Cellars in August 1994. Since then, the Bartons have made their winery a family-run business. Joe Senior had a vision and a dream to create great wine and do so with his family. He put on his wine labels, “A family is a circle of caring, strong and eternal.” He succeeded because he always put 100% into everything he did. Joe Senior left our pack in the Winter of 1998, but his dream and passion lives on through his family and the spirit of Grey Wolf.

I actually met Joe Junior soon after his father had passed, when the tasting room was still on Paso’s east side, at what is now Penman Springs. Joe has done amazing things with the winery and you should definitely pay them a visit.

Paso Robles has certainly made its mark on the world wine stage. I can’t help but feel that the best is yet to come.

Perlis Picks – Paso Robles Wine Country Grand Tasting Tour: Part One

August 5, 2017 by Michael Perlis Leave a Comment

I realize that the drive from Santa Clarita to Newport Beach is a little daunting. In fact, on a weekday it took almost as long to get there as it does to get to Paso Robles. But once there, Karen and I were presented the opportunity to taste with representatives of 35 Paso Robles wineries…

Adelaida Vineyards & Winery

Alta Colina Vineyard & Winery

DAOU Vineyards & Winery

Eberle Winery

Grey Wolf & Barton Family Wines

Halter Ranch Vineyard

HammerSky Vineyards

HEARST RANCH Winery- San Simeon

Lohr Vineyards & Wines

JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery

Pomar Junction Vineyard & Winery

Robert Hall Winery

San Antonio Winery

San Marcos Creek Vineyard

Sextant Wines

Tablas Creek Vineyard

Thacher Winery

The Farm Winery

Treana and Hope Family Wines

Victor Hugo Winery

Vina Robles Vineyards & Winery

Wild Horse Winery & Vineyards

Maybe if you spent a week in Paso, you’d be able to visit all of these. Fortunately, the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance has a traveling roadshow.

And admittedly, I did have another motive.

Prior to the start of the trade and media portion of the tasting, we were invited to attend a seminar on Paso Robles wine presented by Peter Neptune, MS. For me, this was enough to justify the schlep to Newport Beach even without the grand tasting afterwards.

Master Sommelier Peter Neptune is a world renowned wine expert and educator. I’ve often wanted to attend one of his seminars but never had the chance. I was not going to pass up this opportunity.

We tasted through six wines from wineries that are representative of Paso Robles Wine Country today. Mr. Neptune offered his thoughts on these wines, as well as how Paso has developed over the last couple of decades.

[Yes, I realize that I often bemoan the loss of “old” Paso, as recently as a couple of weeks ago. But I do understand that, overall, the wines are better for a host of reasons. Still, 20 years ago, the wines – and winemakers – were special enough to make us fall in love with the region.]

The wines we tasted during the seminar were [with some of Mr. Neptune’s comments noted as PN]…

We first tasted the 2014 Espirt de Tablas Blanc from Tablas Creek Vineyard. A blend of Roussanne, Grenache Blanc and Picpoul Blanc, PN said that that this is one of his favorite whites from Paso Robles.

Then, we moved on to the 2016 Indie Rose of Tempranillo from ONX. PN referred to the wine’s “sunset” color and that it reminded him of a “creamsicle” [in a good way].

Time for the reds, so we started with the 2013 Grenache, Mourvedre and Syrah blend from Alta Colina, which PN referred to as a “versatile” wine.

A Paso Robles tasting wouldn’t be complete without a Zinfandel in the mix, so we tasted the 2015 Zinfandel from Ancient Peaks, described with the highly technical word of “yummy” by PN.

Then we had the opportunity to taste two of Paso’s super-premium wines – the 2014 Soul of a Lion from Daou and the 2014 Estate Cuvee from L’Aventure. The Daou was a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, which PN referred to as “gorgeous” and the L’Aventure blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Petit Verdot was noted by PN to have “tremendous power and concentration”.

We also discussed the 11 Sub-AVAs within the Paso Robles AVA [American Viticultural Area] and how wineries were labeling their bottles with their specific AVA along with the trend toward estate wines and organic and biodynamic farming.

Peter Neptune’s passion for wine really showed up in the class. His speaking style made a fun seminar even better.

After the seminar we stayed around awhile to taste some of the wines being poured at the Grand Tasting before heading back up to the Santa Clarita Valley. Next week, I’ll let you know our favorites.

PERLIS PICKS: LAW ESTATE WINES

July 22, 2017 by Michael Perlis Leave a Comment

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

From LAW Estate Facebook page.

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

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

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

Let’s look at how they got that way.

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

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

We tasted the following…

Beguiling 2012 [92% Grenache, 8% Syrah]

Intrepid 2013 [100% Syrah]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lots of happy people that evening. At this kind of event, attendees quickly become friends. And the gentleman next to me said: “This is the best wine event I’ve ever attended.” [He was also happy to be sitting next to the “other Michael Perlis”, but that’s a story for another day.]

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

Law Estate Wines

3885 Peachy Canyon Road

Paso Robles, CA 93446

Australia Up Close: Part Two

June 16, 2017 by evebushman Leave a Comment

…enjoy making new discoveries as well as trying the latest vintages of old favorites.

Last week I wrote about the Australian white wine seminar I attended via the Australia Up Close event; what I learned and what we tasted. It got a little lengthy so I split up the story into two parts. Today is what happened the second part of the day, after the seminar, and is limited to all of the Australian red wines that I sampled in a walk around tasting; those that I loved and hope to get my hands on again.

My favorites (of those tables I got to as I know I missed quite a bit) are listed below. Wineries part of the “Australia’s First Families of Wine” designation that I liked are noted as an AFF Wine.

Trade Tasting Participating Wineries

Andrew Peace Wines

Ashton Hills

Austins

Ben Haines

Best’s Great Western

Bethany

Brokenwood

Brown Brothers

Campbells of Rutherglen

Cape Mentelle – 2013 Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot blend; 2014 Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot blend.

Climbing

Cullen

Dalrymple

d’Arenberg (AFF Wine) – 2013 “The Dead Arm” McLaren Vale Shiraz; 2013 “The Ironstone Pressings” McLaren Vale Grenache, Shiraz, Mourvedre blend; 2013 “The Coppermine Road” McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon; 2011 “The Old Bloke and Three Young Blondes” McLaren Vale Shiraz, Roussanne, Viognier and Marsanne blend. (The Old Bloke…only used 2% of each white wine varietal listed in the blend. They are newly biodynamic and organic. This may have been my favorite table.)

De Bortoli Wines

Delinquente

DiGiorgio Family Wines

Fowles Wine

Giant Steps

Handpicked Wines

Helen & Joey Estate

Henry’s Drive

Henschke Wines

Howard Park (AFF Wine) 2012 “Abercrombie” Mount Barker Great Southern Cabernet Sauvignon; 2009 “Abercrombie” Mount Barker Great Southern Cabernet Sauvignon. (While both were excellent I enjoyed the younger 2012 for all of the outstanding fruit and peppery notes. There was no irrigation used – though the vineyards have irrigation if needed – and the vines were planted in 1975.)

Innocent Bystander

Jansz Tasmania

Jasper Hill

Jim Barry (AFF Wine) – 2014 “1877” Hilltops Shiraz.

John Duval

Kaesler

Kilikanoon

Koonara

Langmeil

Leeuwin Estate

Mac Forbes

McWilliam’s Wines

McPherson Wine Co

Negotiants USA – 2014 Langmeil “Orphan Bank” Barossa Valley Shiraz (Vines had to be moved, 90% survived, and were called orphans due to the move.)

Nova Vita

Ocean Eight

Old Bridge Cellars – 2014 John Duval “Eligo” Barossa Shiraz; 2015 Cullen “Diana Madeline” Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Merlot blend; 2013 Jasper Hill “Georgia’s Paddock” Heathcote Shiraz. (They only made 600 cases of my favorite at this table, the Eligo.)

Penfolds – 2014 “Bin 389” Barossa Valley Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz blend; 2014 “Bin 407” Coonawarra Wrattonbully Cabernet Sauvignon; 2014 “RWT” Barossa Valley Shiraz. (Who isn’t familiar with Penfolds? I stuck to just the wines I didn’t know, so damn good. The vines for these wines were planted between 1951 and 1960.)

Penley Estate

Peter Lehmann – 2012 “Stonewell” Barossa Shiraz.

Pewsey Vale

Pikes

Rob Dolan

Rogers & Rufus

Rymill Coonawarra

Schild Estate – 2013 “Moorooroo Ancestor Vines” Barossa Valley Shiraz. (170 year old vines, two years in both new and old French oak and then two years in bottle before release. Worth the wait for this 100% Shiraz.)

Shaw + Smith

Snake & Herring

Syrahmi

Tahbilk Winery

Thorn-Clarke Wines

Tolpuddle

Torbreck Vintners – 2009 “The Factor” Barossa Valley Shiraz; 2014 “The Struie” Barossa Valley Shiraz; 2014 “RunRig” Barossa Valley Shiraz and Viognier. (Only 3.5 % of Viognier was used in this blend to “soften” the wine and for a “tonal” lift. It worked.)

Tournon

Tyrrell’s Wines

Vasse Felix

Vinaceous

Voyager Estate

Wakefield Wines (AFF Wine) – 2013 “St. Andrew’s” Clare Valley Shiraz had a lovely touch of sweetness and great balance.

Wicks
Wirra Wirra – 2013 RSW McLaren Vale Shiraz (With vines between 40-60 years old, low yield production and the vineyard was originally planted in 1890.)

Woodstock

Yaldara

Yalumba (AFF Wine) – 2013 “The Signature” Barossa Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz blend.

Yarra Yering – 2010 “Dry Red No. 1” Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Malbec blend; 2013 “Old Bastard” Barossa Valley Grenache Mourvedre blend. (These both got big “wows” from me.)

Vintage Eve Circa March 2013: The Great Los Olivos, Solvang and Santa Ynez FOOD shout out!

March 14, 2017 by evebushman Leave a Comment

Getting ready to hit the road for a weekend in Santa Ynez and Lompoc wine country I did what I always do: I asked Facebook friends where to eat. Once on my weekend, with plans for a picnic with one winemaker and at least one dinner at Hitching Post II I was looking for more breakfast and lunch places.

Below is what they offered up…and below that is where I ended up!

Facebook Choices

Denise L: Succulent.

Tanya G: Route 246 in Solvang. Best pork chop I’ve ever had IN MY LIFE! No joke!

Myron H: Ellen’s Danish pancake house in Buellton! Also the golf course in Solvang has a good lunch.

Marlee L: Ellen’s for breakfast!!!

Todd W: It’s kind of a tradition for me to go to The Little Mermaid in Solvang for Æbleskivers, but I heard they closed, so I dunno what else to recommend.

Myron H: The ebilskivers that are in the town of Solvang are also good do not know that restaurant name.

Eve B: Could it be Solvang Restaurant – Home of Arne’s Aebleskiver www.solvangrestaurant.com

Todd W: Thx! If you’re looking for a light lunch, I might suggest Panino. Love their sandwiches.

Sonya R: The Restaurant at the Ballard Inn is well reviewed in Yelp.

Hola O: I can’t vouch for it myself, but my friend went there and really liked it, but not full on restaurant, cheese plate, wine bar type food, olives, chocolate etc. http://www.thegoodlifecellar.com/about-the-good-life-solvang/

Todd W: I’ve eaten at Ballard Inn for dinner (took my wife there for a Valentine’s weekend getaway in 2010) and it was an incredible meal. We stayed at the Inn as well. Lovely place. Nicely located between Solvang and Los Olivos. Don’t know that I’d suggest it for lunch.

Lee T: Succulent is the best. Really, really good, it’s also worth taking time to go to Los Alamos to Quackenbush as well.

Patrick B: You can grab breakfast there, but you have to be staying there. To many bakeries in Solvang to count. Look for the place with a line. There aren’t too many breakfast options in Los Olivos either.

Diane G: We eat at Ellen’s a lot when we are up there. Haven’t heard about Succulent – is it newer? The menu looks great!

Eve B: I can’t wait to try them out! How about Los Olivos? Any breakfast or lunch spots there you guys like?

Patrick B: Try the Los Olivos Cafe

Julia V: Los Olivos Cafe’s curried chicken salad is my absolute fav! I may be there tomorrow for an early lunch … visiting my 94-year-old aunt and 93-year-old uncle who live in Solvang. Hope they’re up to it! There is also The Vineyard House and Ballard Inn.

Andrew F: Paula’s pancake house!

Alex H: Long horn coffee shop and bakery soooo good!!!

Julia V: Olsen’s Danish Bakery – ITEM – 103 Olsen’s 7 Sisters Butter Ring Coffee Cake. A delightful Danish coffee cake filled with the goodness of almond and custard. A coffee cake for any occasion. FABULOUS!

Barry L: If you go, I want an almond butter ring from Olsen’s bakery. Just read Julia’s post. It is the best thing ever.

Jannis S: Sides Hardware & Shoes in Los Olivos!

Diane G: Don’t forget about “Pea Soup Anderson’s” if you are into pea soup… not a great place for anything else, though.

Larry M: Toss up between Sides for Eggs Benedict and Paula’s for Danish Pancakes.

Our Choices

Well. Things took a turn once we arrived in wine country…we still dined at The Hitching Post II, but we also had tasty offerings in the Stolpman Vineyard, Corner House Coffee, Stafford’s Famous Chocolates, the private home of Steve and Cathy Pepe and finally, at Sides Hardware and Shoes.

Starting out at Stafford’s in Los Olivos, a candy shop located in a former windmill, we were completely surrounded by chocolate. Laced with Lavender, infused with red wine, bars and pops – we were in red wine pairing heaven. We sampled many of the items and planned on ordering more. I suggest spending time there in between tasting rooms!

Located right next store to Stafford’s was the rustic Corner House Coffee. We got our coffee fix in as well as almond croissants and toasted bagels. It was an important spot for us as some of the tasting rooms didn’t have restroom facilities, but the coffee shop did – for its guests.

Our lunch that first day was provided by Peter Stolpman in the Stolpman Vineyards located in the Ballard Canyon section of Santa Ynez Valley. A grand picnic of sandwiches, salads and pickled vegetables that went very well with their white blend L’Avion Roussanne, Syrahs and Sangiovese. (The tour and tasting will run in a separate story.) Even though the day was cold, and had grown windy enough to knock empty wine glasses from our picnic table – we loved it. We just had to keep our glasses full to prevent any mishaps – not a problem. You can book your own picnic and vineyard tour too via this link: http://www.stolpmanvineyards.com/Tasting-Room/index.php?p=31&title=Vineyard-Tours

Much later that evening we had dinner at The Hitching Post II. I hadn’t been there since the film Sideways came out. It was crowded, as expected, but the service was prompt. We had the fresh lobster, filet mignon, prime flat iron, Angus rib chop and rack of lamb. And when I mentioned my sister-in-law’s birthday as we were ordering dessert, hers arrived with a lit candle and a song.

I felt silly after asking everyone for a breakfast spot as the one breakfast we had ended up being provided for us…

After driving through the gates of Clos Pepe Vineyards to reach the home of Steve and Cathy Pepe where we were to spend the night, we quickly saw winemaker Wes Hagen playing Frisbee Gold, aka Disc Golf, amongst the dormant vines. We had an appointment for a wine class and tasting the next day and told Wes we’d see him then. He told us he would be up for breakfast first.

How pleasant, just as it had been with Peter Stolpman, to mingle and chit chat with Wes Hagen over granola, Cheerios, bananas, toast and bagels.

Our final meal was one of the suggested places: Sides Hardware and Shoes, a Brothers Restaurant. When Wes overheard our plans he suggested we try anything they had with bacon in it as they cure their own. Sold. We had a fresh cobb salad, with bacon, bacon burger, fried chicken salad and a “Triple Pork Burger with bacon, pork shoulder and house made chorizo, served with fried onions, jalapeños and roasted poblano aioli.” And though it sounded really rich to me, those that ordered it were the first ones done!