Finger Lakes Winery Earns Top 100

November 21, 2018 by evebushman Leave a Comment

DUNDEE, N.Y., RNewswire – In November 2018, the Missick family will mark its seventh anniversary of ownership of Villa Bellangelo, and there is much to celebrate.

In an impressive run, Bellangelo earned a spot as a producer of one of Wine & Spirits Magazine’s Top 100 Wines in the World for 2018, and has had a series of wines in Wine & Spirits Magazine’s “Best Of,” category. Bellangelo’s Top 100 honor was its 2015 Berry Select Riesling (with a score of 94). Noted wine writer Jamie Goode, author of Wine Science, recently commented on this wine’s “amazing harmony and depth.” Other “Best Of” notations in 2018 belong to its 2015 Gibson Vineyard Riesling (91), 2015 Reserve Chardonnay (91), and a listing as one of America’s Best Sparkling Wines with a nod in the Best Buy category for its Sparkling Cuvée.

Riesling at Villa Bellangelo, photo from their website.

When the Missick family moved from California to the Finger Lakes, it focused immediately on crafting authentic, delicious expressions of wines grown on the west side of Seneca Lake. With a “sense of place,” the varietal focus revolved around Riesling, Chardonnay, and Cabernet Franc. “The beauty of Riesling, is that it has an ability to express its terroir in a way few varietals can,” according to winemaker, Christopher Missick; adding “and in the Finger Lakes, we can tease out those expressions in a way no other region in the United States can. This is a cool climate that has a growing season of extended beautiful warmth, and I feel we are exploring what is viable on the frontier of American viticulture.”

Bellangelo currently offers a dozen different Rieslings in its tasting rooms. “Riesling is the winemaker’s dream varietal: there are a hundred permutations on what is possible when we stand in the vineyard in late August,” Chris Missick stated. Missick added that he is particularly proud to see the Finger Lakes continually represented as one of the world’s great wine regions by wine periodicals such as Wine Enthusiast, Wine Spectator, Food & Wine, The International Wine Review, and online reviewers such as James Suckling, Vinous and others.

Having established a great reputation for Rieslings, Bellangelo is particularly proud of its recognition for work in sparkling wines and Chardonnay. Bellangelo began producing sparkling wine in 2014, including its Brut and Sparkling Merlot Rosé. This fall will see the release of its sparkling Gewurztraminer.

Bellangelo is a family owned winery with an historical past dating to 1866 and located on the West side of Seneca Lake in New York’s Finger Lakes AVA. The Missick family operates an additional tasting room in Geneva, NY, and produces the brand Can Do, a line of ready to drink delicious canned wines that includes Moscato, Rosé, Riesling and Chardonnay. The brands are currently represented by Wright Beverage Distributing, MHW Distribution, and BevStrat. Bellangelo’s winemaker, Chris Missick, is proud to be the only full-time winemaker in the world that is also admitted to practice law before the Supreme Court of the United States.

BACA WINES TO HOST HOLIDAY DRIVE EVENT

November 19, 2018 by evebushman Leave a Comment

Photo: Baca’s Facebook page

ST. HELENA, CALIFORNIA – BACA Wines, a modern California Zinfandel brand spearheaded by Director Jennifer Brown and Winemaker Alison Frichtl Hollister, has announced plans to host a Holiday Drive event at HALL St. Helena on December 1. This event will serve as the kick-off for a month long holiday drive campaign benefiting NEWS, a Napa-based non-profit that provides support to survivors of domestic violence and abuse.

Entrance to the event, which includes a wine tasting and light bites, is a donation-based contribution to NEWS through the Eventbrite by selecting a Game-centric monetary value. The donation system is modeled with four different levels of donation named after games. For example, the DOMINOS donation is $30, with the next donation level being JENGA, a $50 donation, and so on. Each individual donation will translate to one complimentary tasting per person.

The format of this event will include a round-robin of engaging activities. Guests will make their way into the HALL’s modern Mezzanine and be invited to enjoy a bevy of holiday activities including a holiday selfie station, be invited to play BACA-inspired larger than life games, all while enjoying appetizers and currently released BACA wines.

The four 2016 BACA Zinfandel wines available to taste during the event include Cat’s Cradle: Rockpile, Tug O’ War: Maffei Vineyard, Russian River Valley, I Spy: Howell Mountain, and Double Dutch: Dusi Vineyard, Paso Robles. The 2016 vintage marks the inaugural year for the luxury Zinfandel brand owned by Craig and Kathryn Hall, the makers of HALL and WALT Wines. Winemaker Alison Frichtl Hollister will be present to answer any questions for guests about crafting the high quality Zinfandel wines.

“On behalf of NEWS, we are honored to have been chosen to receive proceeds from the BACA Holiday Drive,” says NEWS Executive Director, Tracy Lamb. “The support we receive will help bring a safe and joyful holiday season to the many Napa Valley families that we serve.”

BACA is Latin for berry. The team sources fruit from some of California’s most notable growing regions—Russian River, Rockpile, Howell Mountain, and Paso Robles. Using masterful winemaking techniques that include optical sorting, exacting fermentations and aging in French oak barrels, BACA crafts powerful wines that reflect the unique places the grapes are grown. The result is four complex, charismatic Zinfandels that pair beautifully with both food and adventure.

HALL Wines
Mezzanine – Located in the Tasting Room, 2nd floor
401 St. Helena Hwy. South
St. Helena, CA 94574

Saturday, December 1, 2018
3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. PST

Entrance to this event is complimentary with the donation of a “Game Package” as listed below. The Game Packages include:
•   DOMINOS ($30 Donation)
•   JENGA ($50 Donation)
•   DICE ($70 Donation)
•   CHESS ($100 Donation).
There is also a Holiday Cheer ticket option on eventbrite that will allow for a monetary donation of one’s choice. Tickets can be secured HERE.

For more information, please visit www.bacawines.com, follow on social channels @bacawines, or by calling 707-967-2626.

BACA: Life’s An Adventure. Here’s To Those Who Drink It Up
BACA produces California Zinfandel sourced from some of the state’s most notable vineyards including Russian River Valley, Rockpile, Howell Mountain, and Paso Robles. Led by Winemaker Alison Frichtl Hollister and Director Jennifer Brown, the inaugural BACA 2016 wine portfolio includes four wines focusing on complex, high quality California Zinfandel. BACA is part of the HALL Family of wine brands and is produced at HALL Wines in St. Helena. For more information, please visit www.bacawines.com.

ABOUT N.E.W.S. NEWS- Domestic Violence & Sexual Abuse Services is a local non-profit, serving survivors and their children in Napa Valley. NEWS provides counseling, direct client services and a shelter that is available 24 hours a day/7 days a week. NEWS serves approximately 1,300 people each year and is continuing to grow and help their community. NEWS is dedicated to providing safety, hope, healing and empowerment for survivors of domestic and sexual abuse. Equally, NEWS is committed to promoting safe communities and social change through prevention, intervention, education, and advocacy. Donations would directly benefit NEWS’ staff and the people and families who they help every day. For more information, please visit https://www.napanews.org/.

Vintage Eve Circa 8/2008: Meeting Local Winemakers

October 5, 2018 by evebushman Leave a Comment

My husband Eddie and I spending a day wine tasting in Santa Clarita (SCV) is not news. But wine tasting at two different vineyards within ten minutes of our house in SCV is.

Chris and Jeannie Carpenter of Newhall have a cellar I have long coveted. Free standing and temperature controlled, with an attached sitting room, it is normally filled with exceptional wine. But on this day it was also filled with oak barrels to sample from and a “wine thief” (think classy turkey baster) to sample with.

Me interviewing Jeannie Carpenter, a few years after this article was written.

“We have what you call a collective co-op,” Chris began. “Three couples and a single winemaker. We had 500 pounds of Cabernet that we made into 30 gallons. Two 26 gallon half barrels – they’re easier to move and hold plenty of wine anyway -makes about 35 bottles per couple.”

“The grapes are all from a local grower in Bouquet Canyon. During the crush the grapes are ‘popped’, cleaned, covered, slosh around in a truck getting here and then we ferment it for a month with the skins on.”

“Our ‘Lost Pruners’ vintage was the last one we made. We will age the new one in American oak for about 4-5 more months. The wood softens the wine, but we have the remaining juice in glass containers. If it happens to be too ‘oaky’, we’ll blend them to taste. We are also making a Barolo style from 100% Nebbiolo grapes from Santa Ynez. It will be a little drier and needs one more year before taking home.”

At this point Chris checks his composition book to tell us that his “Cabernet Tempranillo was first bottled in July of 07.”

We asked how in the heck he learned how to do this and he said, “Reading a lot and learning by mistakes. I also tried to do everything my favorite winemaker from Saxum did; right down to picking his brain and planting the same grapes. The 200 vines we’re growing are Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre that we’ll use to make a Southern Rhone-style blend. I’ve learned a lot from collaborating with my friend, Roman Weiser (another Newhall grower) on the crafting of these wines.”

We reluctantly head away from the cellar and out to take a look at the vines. Jeannie took charge of our tour then. “I plan of having Assistance League fundraisers here,” Jeannie said. “To support our community.”

She then introduced us to her brother-in-law, Tim Carpenter, who had named the “Compa Vineyards” in memory of his dog, who was lovingly seen as a true “compadre”.

“You can come back for the grape stomp,” Chris added. “We may do that next time. Until then we let the grapes drop, to give structure to our 2009 harvest.” We’re there.

Then, back in the car, we drove ten minutes to Two Hearts Vineyard, this time into the hills above Hasley Canyon and to the beautiful home of Kerry and Susie (not Suzie Q.) Clark. And, even though they were in the midst of preparing for a wedding, it didn’t prevent them from being gracious hosts to an impromptu wine tasting.

With a 4 year old all organic vineyard they have just a bit over 200 vines. Growing Rhone reds, Primitivo, Cabernet and Barbera; whites include Colombard, Viognier, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne and White Malvasia.

“We are strictly amateur winemakers for now so we either drink our wine or give it away,” Susie reported. “We also buy grapes (Paso, Santa Barbara, and Lodi), and juice (Napa, Washington, Australia and Austria) and even use wine kits. We have won quite a few awards for our wine in the past few years. Last month we received 5 medals at the 2008 Wine Maker International Amateur Wine Competition.”

“There were over 4,300 entries from 6 different countries making it the largest wine competition of any kind – commercial or amateur – in North America. Our 2006 Cat Canyon Santa Barbara County Sangiovese won a gold medal and the 06 Sangio-Cab blend took a silver. The 2006 and 2007 Gruner-Veltliner both took gold medals and the 07 Viognier got a silver. Our wines have won awards at other competitions including the California State Fair and the L.A. Cellarmasters U.S. Winemaking Competition”.

“We enjoy the competitions as professional judges give us feedback on our wines”.

It was a hell of a tasting. I had a hard time pouring out any of the wines Kerry had us taste. But the warm weather, excellent learning experience along with the subtle cheeses, fruits and meats, all increased our pairing experience.

“It all happened by accident,” Kerry explained. “We were invited to go to Napa and all I thought was that I didn’t need any auto parts.” There was a jokester in this winemaker. “Now we have a hard time taking a vacation at all because we can’t predict when the grapes are going to be ready for pick up, tasting and testing.”

“I enjoy writing the labels,” Kerry said. “I think every wine has a story to tell. My labels help tell the story of what’s in the bottle. Wine should be fun!” My husband read one of his quips, “Be a mellow fellow – drink Bordello Verdello” on the 2006 Mullaro Creek and “GRU-V” the 2006 Gruner Veltliner.

“Making wine isn’t hard,” Kerry continues, “But making good wine is. We started making small batches of beer before we lived in this house. And it was actually more complex with grinding grains and adding caramel. We had names like Brain Dead Red and Liver Killer Lager. Beer should be fun too!”

“We are also very green conscious: This is not a Rombauer Chardonnay, it’s my French Colombard, and we just reused the bottle.” Other wine making tips include oak cubes and stays and a cold fermentation process that “keeps the whites delicate.”
“In blending my own wines I can make my own decisions and make them consistent, I’m a slave to nature. But we don’t try to strong arm our grapes to taste a certain way, we go where the grapes take us.”

So do I.

PRESQU’ILE WINERY SCORES HIGH AMONG USA TODAY’S 10 BEST TASTING ROOMS IN THE UNITED STATES

September 26, 2018 by evebushman Leave a Comment

Presqu’ile, the contemporary-styled minimalist estate winery poised high in the hills of Santa Maria with stunning ocean and vineyard views, announces their 2^nd place win in USA TODAY’s 2018 National Readers Poll of 10 Best Tasting Rooms across the United States today. Presqu’ile proudly served as the only representative and entry from Santa Barbara County, a region rich with over 200 wineries and tasting rooms.

Winemaker Dieter Cronje and Matt Murphy in Presqu’ile Vineyards | Photo courtesy of Bob Holmes

“Our mission at the Presqu’ile tasting room is to share our passion for the wines from Santa Maria Valley and our estate vineyard in a relaxed, elegant setting while providing world-class hospitality,” states Matt Murphy, co-founder and president. “The nomination for the top 10 Best Tasting Rooms and second place finish in the poll is a testament to the hard work our team puts in daily to deliver this experience. They are an extension of our family and do an incredible job living up to our high expectations for the guest experience at Presqu’ile. A huge thanks to our friends and extended family who voted for us; we are so appreciative of the support.”

Nominees for USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards categories are chosen by a panel of relevant experts which include a combination of editors from USA TODAY; editors from 10Best.com; relevant expert contributors; and sources for both these media and other Gannett properties and included experts Jill Barth, a Provence Wine Master; Shana Clarke, Wine Editor for inside.com and contributor to Eat Sip Trip; Karen MacNeil, one of the foremost wine experts in the U.S.; and June Rodil, a Master Sommelier were chosen for their knowledge of wine and the American wine scene.

All voting is digitally submitted by the public, and the 10Best Readers’ Choice Award contest is accessible on the 10Best.com website. 10Best.com provides users with original, unbiased, and experiential travel content of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world. The team of local travel experts is a well-traveled and well-educated group who are not only experts in their fields – and their cities – but discriminating in their tastes. These local experts live in the city they write about and the content is constantly updated. 10Best.com averages 5 million visitors per month.

The Murphy family’s efforts have established Presqu’ile as one of the Santa Maria Valley’s defining wineries, recognized for making balanced and sophisticated cool-climate wines. From directing the planting of the Presqu’ile Vineyard to overseeing the design and construction of the state-of-the-art gravity-flow winery, shaping the elegant stylistic identity of the winery’s Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays, to shaping the tasting experience, the Murphys’ collective vision has established Presqu’ile as one of California’s leading wineries. And thanks to USA TODAY it is now a must stop on anyone’s wine-bucket list.

ABOUT PRESQU’ILE WINERY:

Located in the heart of Santa Barbara County’s Santa Maria Valley, Presqu’ile (pronounced press-KEEL) is a small, family-run winery dedicated to making exceptional cool-climate Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Presqu’ile is a multigenerational collaboration between Madison and Suzanne Murphy, their three adult children, Matt, Anna and Jonathan, and their daughters-in-law, Amanda and Lindsey. No strangers to agriculture, four generations of the wine-loving Murphy family have been farming land in Louisiana for almost a century. Led by eldest son Matt Murphy, the family founded Presqu’ile—the Creole word for “almost an island”—both as a tribute to a beloved Gulf Coast family gathering place that was lost in Hurricane Katrina, and because they envisioned Presqu’ile as an island-like haven amid the vines. Also on the team is rising star winemaker Dieter Cronje.

The Santa Maria Valley is one of the most distinctive winegrowing appellations in the world. With one of the longest growing seasons in all of California. The Santa Maria Valley is a true cool-climate winegrowing region, yielding wines of extraordinary elegance and purity—qualities that define the world’s best Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays. To preserve the complexity of these grapes, the Murphys worked with acclaimed San Francisco-based Taylor Lombardo Architects to create a gravity-flow winery designed to Matt and Dieter’s specifications. And to ensure that each wine reflects its vineyard, Dieter practices a naturally minimalist approach to winemaking, with a focus on whole clusters, native yeasts and modest new oak. As a result, Presqu’ile’s wines are pure and purposeful, conveying the authentic charm, complexity and signature Santa Maria spice that have made the wines of the Santa Maria Valley famous among enthusiasts of elegant and balanced wines. In addition to being featured by USA TODAY, Presqu’ile Winery has received accolades in numerous publications including Vinous; Santa Barbara News-Press; The Daily Meal; Santa Barbara Independent’s “Tastings To Do;” Condé Nast Traveler’s “Beautiful Wineries in California;” Must Do Travel Show and the Travel Channel.

AVAILABLE ONLINE NOW: Click here for USA TODAY’S 10 BEST TASTING ROOMS

PRESQU’ILE WINERY

5391 Presqu’ile Drive

Santa Maria, CA 93455

Phone 805.937.8110

www.presquilewine.com

Domaine Carneros Announces Debut of its Jardin d’Hiver

September 23, 2018 by evebushman Leave a Comment

Domaine Carneros, a benchmark for California sparkling wine, reflecting both the terroir of the Carneros region and the craftsmanship of its French legacy, celebrates the completion and opening of its garden conservatory, Jardin d’Hiver, with an expanded hospitality space and five-course pairing experience.

The beautifully-designed Jardin d’Hiver – an Art Nouveau conservatory-style addition to the north terrace of the renowned Domaine Carneros château, will allow guests to immerse themselves in the beauty of Carneros and surrounding vineyards while being shielded from the winds that define the region’s cool prevailing climate, perfect for sparkling wine production.

In keeping with the 18^th century French design of the landmark château, which was modeled after the Taittinger family’s famed residence, the Château de la Marquetterie, the Jardin d’Hiver takes its inspiration from the glass buildings created by Gustave Eiffel in the mid-late 1800’s to protect plants and citrus trees on the Place de la Concorde in Paris. With its custom-crafted, gracefully-curved glass walls, skylights, white marble tables, indoor-outdoor fireplaces and majestic new fountain, the Jardin d’Hiver offers guests an inviting and warm, yet elegant space to enjoy the fine wines, gracious hospitality and sweeping views for which Domaine Carneros is known.

With the opening of the Jardin d’Hiver comes an expanded and unparalleled gustatory experience called “The Art of Sparkling Wine Pairing: Asian Bites with Bubbles,” an Asian-inspired, seasonally-driven five course food and wine pairing designed to showcase the versatility of sparkling wine. With vibrant, yet delicate flavors, Domaine Carneros sparkling wines are a perfect complement to Asian cuisine. The experience is offered once a day at 11:00 a.m. for $85 per person Monday-Friday. Reservations are required no later than 48 hours in advance and available for groups of no more than 8 guests. Wine club members enjoy a 20% discount. Pairings are subject to change based on the seasonal availability of ingredients.

OPENING PAIRING EXPERIENCE

Bay Scallops in Spicy Yuzu Sauce
Paired with Ultra Brut
Sautéed bay scallops with a yuzu citrus sauce, chiles and cilantro
~
Fresh Spring Roll with Daikon, Mango and Mint
Paired with Estate Brut Cuvée
Rice noodles, mango and carrots rolled in a rice wrapper with fresh mint, cucumber and Daikon radish sprouts
~
Sesame Ahi Tuna Poke Wonton with Avocado Mousse
Paired with Brut Rosé
Sashimi-grade ahi tuna mixed with English cucumber, wakame seaweed, scallion, cilantro and sesame seeds presented in a fried wonton and garnished with avocado mousse
~

Soba Noodle and Chicken Salad with Spicy Peanut Sauce

Paired with Verméil Demi-Sec
Buckwheat soba noodles, shredded chicken breast, red bell pepper, purple cabbage and cilantro tossed with a spicy peanut sauce and presented in a lettuce cup
~
Green Tea Pudding with Black Sesame Tuile
Paired with Verméil Demi-Sec
Creamy Matcha grean tea pudding accompanied by a tuile cookie made with tahini and black sesame seeds

ABOUT DOMAINE CARNEROS
Founded in 1987, Domaine Carneros reflects the hallmark of its founder, Champagne Taittinger, in creating a vision of terroir-driven sparkling wine with the quality tenets of the traditional method production and extended aging. Located entirely within the Carneros AVA, between Napa and Sonoma counties, the six estate vineyards total approximately 400 acres with 125 acres planted to Chardonnay, 225 acres planted to Pinot Noir, with the remaining acres currently in development. The winery focuses on making ultra-premium Carneros sparkling wines and limited production Pinot Noirs.Domaine Carneros’ château has become a landmark and symbol of the region. The architecture and interior design were inspired by the 18^th century Château de la Marquetterie, the Taittinger family residence in the Champagne region. The winery also places a high value on preserving the environment and has farmed sustainably since the late 1980s. The roof of the pinot noir winery adjacent to the château hosts a solar array that was the largest on any winery in the world when it was installed in 2003. Eileen Crane, CEO & Founding Winemaker, has overseen 31 harvests at the château and in 2018 celebrates the 20^th anniversary of the winery’s luxury cuvée, Le Rêve Blanc de Blancs.

For More Information
The stunning Domaine Carneros château and terrace are open to visitors for tours and tastings by appointment only from 10:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. daily. For more information, please call 800.716.2788 or visit www.domainecarneros.com.

Perlis Picks: Turley Wine Cellars Again

September 22, 2018 by Michael Perlis Leave a Comment

Turley Wine Cellars has always had a very significant presence in our personal wine cellar and I don’t see that ever changing. While our wine interests have broadened, Turley continues to be on a very short list of wineries we absolutely can’t do without.

But when we bumped into Turley Tasting Room Manager Malani Anderson a few months ago while attending a seminar at the Hospice du Rhone event, we realized that we had not actually visited Turley’s Paso Robles’ winery and tasting room in quite some time. Obviously, we needed to rectify this.

Our connection to Turley Wine Cellars started in 2000, when they acquired the Pesenti winery and vineyard in Templeton. Of course we knew of Turley before that, having latched onto Zinfandel as a favorite varietal several years earlier. We were also very familiar with Pesenti and had visited them many times, usually to start a day of tasting [they opened at 9 AM!].

Larry Turley had founded Turley Wine Cellars in 1993 and quickly became what is known as a “cult” winery specializing in Zinfandel and Petite Syrah [yes, that’s how Larry spells it]. Acquiring Pesenti in 2000 not only gave Larry access to a great historic vineyard but, in my opinion, helped to bring additional legitimacy to an area that was starting to explode.

Of course, changes were made to the tasting room to give visitors a great Turley experience. We’ve visited many times over the year for pick-up parties, seminars and, of course, just to taste the great Turley wines. But, as I said, we hadn’t stopped by in a while so we were extremely pleased to be able to correct this by visiting with Paso Robles tasting room assistant manager and educator Steve O’Brien.

Steve took us on a quick visit to the Pesenti Vineyard before the day got too hot. He explained that the rains of 2016 and 2017 really provided much needed benefit to the vines, which had been suffering a great deal from the drought; these vines are traditionally dry-farmed. 2018 has seemed to have returned to the “normal” drier conditions. On the plus side, Steve said that the timing of harvest seemed like it was going to be a little later than the past few years had been, also being a little more like normal conditions.

When we first signed up for Turley’s mailing list in 2000, when they acquired this amazing property, we were able to pretty much select everything Turley had to offer. At that time, I’m guessing that Turley made, perhaps, twenty wines, mostly Zinfandel. Now, they make almost 50 different wines, mostly vineyard designated Zinfandel and Petite Syrahs. Although it’s now become impossible to take everything Turley offers, the work of picking and choosing is a lot of fun.

We’ve always admired Larry Turley and director of winemaking Tegan Passalacqua [and everyone else at Turley for that matter] for the focus on preserving California’s heritage vineyards. We’ve also held a special place in our heart for the ones in Paso Robles, so we were excited when Turley added yet another Paso vineyard to the portfolio – the Amadeo Martinelli Vineyard. The bottling is called “Amadeo’s” in the Turley lineup [they can’t really call it Martinelli, can they?] and is another great example of what Paso’s old vineyards can do. The vineyard, on the west side of Templeton, was planted in the 1920s and the Amadeo Martinelli winery operated up until the 1960s.

We had the opportunity to barrel taste with Steve O’Brien all of their Paso 2017 Zinfandels – Dusi, Pesenti, Ueberroth and Amadeo’s – as well as the Pesenti 2017 Petite Syrah. Now, barrel tasting can be dicey; often the wines are not ready to drink and just offer a glimpse of what is to come. These wines were delicious, even the Petite which can often take some time in the bottle to come around. I’m not sure I could have told them apart blind – although I think I could have picked out the Dusi for its always distinct [to me] brambly notes – but I can tell you this much though: I am going to have some tough choices when they show up on the allocation letters. [Not the Amadeo’s though, at least as of now it is only available in the Paso Robles tasting room.]

Finishing our visit in the Tasting Room, we started with the 2016 White Coat blend of Roussanne, Grenache Blanc and Vermentino. Always one of our go-to whites [when available] it is named after Larry Turley’s days as an ER physician.

We followed that with a real treat, the 2017 Cinsault from the Bechthold Vineyard in Lodi. This vineyard was planted in 1886 [wow] and is the oldest Cinsault vineyard in the US.

Then we had a side-by-side tasting of two 2016 Zinfandels – Duarte and Rattlesnake Ridge. The Duarte Zinfandel is named after grape grower Joe Duarte who introduced Larry to the vineyard of Contra Costa County; this is a blend from three of those which were planted between 1890 and 1930. The sandy soils help to create a very soft style of Zin. The Rattlesnake Ridge on the other hand is Howell Mountain at its finest – big and bold. Trying these side by side really showed the differences imparted by the growing regions.

We couldn’t leave without trying the 2016 Amadeo’s Zinfandel. This is really another great addition to Turley’s portfolio. And we couldn’t leave without buying because it doesn’t make it to the mailing list!

Ditto for the 2016 Tecolote blend of Grenache and Carignane from the Pesenti Vineyard. These two varietals seems to go together naturally and the old vines add to the complexity.

Steve reminded us that when Turley Wine Cellars first started, people commented that the wines were pretty expensive…for Zinfandel. Now that Zinfandel is recognized as a quality wine grape [in no small part due to Larry Turley’s efforts], the price of high-end Zinfandel has gone up substantially – except for Turley. I don’t think I’ve seen an increase since we’ve been on the allocation list. As Malani told me: “We know there are many wines to choose from out there, but we want to be a no brainer for high quality and fair pricing and I think that makes us unique.”

We’ve enjoyed being part of the Turley family for almost 20 years. Thank you to Malani for setting this up and to Steve for being such a great host. And don’t forget to visit your favorite wineries – there just might be something great that didn’t make it onto the mailing list!

Turley Wine Cellars

Paso Robles Tasting Room

2900 Vineyard Drive,
Templeton, CA 93465
Tel: (805) 434-1030

Amador County Tasting Room

10851 Shenandoah Road,
Plymouth, CA 95669
Tel: (209) 245-3938

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.

The Passing of Kent Rosenblum

September 15, 2018 by Michael Perlis 3 Comments

Kent Rosenblum passed away on September 5^th, 2018.

Before there were the current big three of Turley, Carlisle and Bedrock [or whoever your favorite Zinfandel producers might currently be], there were the three Rs of Zinfandel: Rosenblum, Ravenswood and Ridge.

Kent Rosenblum of Rosenblum Cellars, Joel Peterson of Ravenswood and Paul Draper of Ridge Vineyards pretty much created the category of Zinfandel as an artisan wine. They paved the way for the quality and variety of amazing Zins that we now get to enjoy on a regular basis.

Karen and I have had the great pleasure of meeting one of the Rs, Joel Peterson of Ravenswood and also now Once and Future Wine Company, a few times.

Sadly, we never got to meet Kent Rosenblum and our lives are poorer for that. There are many moving tributes online and I encourage you to seek those out.

Being a great pioneering winemaker was only part of who he was. He was clearly a good friend to many as well as, most importantly, being a wonderful husband, father and grandfather.

We’ve been fortunate to meet Kent’s daughter Shauna Rosenblum of Rock Wall Wine Company as she carries on the family tradition. Our condolences go out to her and to the rest of Kent’s family and friends.

More from ZAP [Zinfandel Advocates & Producers] – used with permission, including the photo:

A bright light has gone out in the Zinfandel community. Beloved husband, father, grandfather and Zinfandel pioneer, Kent Rosenblum died unexpectedly at his home in Alameda early September 5. He was 74 years old.

A founding board member of ZAP, Kent served continuously on the board since the organization started in 1991 and was president in 1997. Throughout the years, Kent was an enthusiastic champion of ZAP’s mission. He was a tireless advocate, always dreaming up new ideas and generously hosting ZAP events (remember Good Eats & Zin!). Most recently, he was working on a new membership passport initiative that will be unveiled this fall. There is so much more to say about Kent’s contributions. He was a leader by example and his was a life well lived.

Heartfelt wishes and remembrances are flowing in by the hundreds and hundreds from all over. Kent touched countless people, not only with his winemaking, but his charming wit, compassion and exuberance were infectious. He created a lasting legacy in the Zinfandel world that lives on with his winemaker daughter, Shauna at Rock Wall Wine Company.

We are deeply saddened by his passing and extend our sincerest condolences to Kent’s wife, Kathy, daughters Shauna and Kristen, his brother Roger, sister Pamela and his granddaughter, Skylar. He was a devoted friend and will be missed dearly.

Rebecca Robinson
Executive Director

Los Olivos to Host 39th Annual “Day in the Country” Fall Festival

September 10, 2018 by evebushman Leave a Comment

LOS OLIVOS, Calif. (PRWEB) – Los Olivos, CA (http://www.losolivosca.com/), the historic, wine-drenched Santa Ynez Valley town in the heart of Santa Barbara’s wine region, will welcome guests to its 39th annual Day in the Country festival (http://www.losolivosca.com/day-in-the-country/) on Saturday, October 20, 2018. The largest of Los Olivos’ event productions, Day in the Country embodies the village’s history-laden atmosphere, featuring an entertaining mix of Victorian-era, Western-style and harvest season activities and experiences.

The day-long fall event begins with an early morning, Platinum Performance-sponsored 5K Fun Run (7:00 AM-9:30 AM) – which is dog-friendly, and also features a one-mile Kids’ Run. Runners may sign up online in advance (http://www.losolivosca.com/day-in-the-country/), or day-of, starting at 7:00 AM in downtown Los Olivos.

Also starting at 7:00 AM (runs through 10:00 AM), is a Burrito Breakfast produced by members of the Lucky Clover 4-H Club, at the Santa Ynez Valley Grange Hall. True to the region’s agricultural roots, the historic Grange Hall in downtown Los Olivos plays host to the Santa Ynez Valley Grange, #644, an official chapter in the nationwide association of Granges, originally founded in the 19th century as a farmer’s association.

At 10:00 AM, Los Olivos’ main thoroughfare of Grand Avenue transforms into a parade route displaying vintage tractors, antique autos, professional square dancers, musicians and animals. Presiding over the 2018 Day in the Country Parade, are this year’s Grand Marshals: Mike and Maggie Mesikep, longtime Los Olivos business owners. The parade is followed by a street fair (opens at 11:00 AM), with more than 100 local and regional vendors, crafters and food purveyors. Food trucks and pop-ups will mingle with shopping opportunities for original, local artisan goods.

The Los Olivos outpost of Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. hosts a Beer Garden, which pairs well with town-wide eats provided by The Bear and Star, Los Olivos Wine Merchant & Café, and the First & Oak Kitchen gourmet food truck. BBQ fans will delight in the tri-tip offered by Los Olivos Rotary, while sweets-seekers will find craft cookies, wine slushies, Aebleskiver, shave ice and other sugary delights.

Los Olivos will be filled with live music during this year’s Day in the Country, with performances throughout town starting at 11:00 AM. A town-wide raffle will run from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, offering valuable prizes such as travel, food and wine experiences. Los Olivos businesses will be showcasing their entries in the 2018 Santa Ynez Valley Scarecrow Fest (http://syvscarecrows.com/), inviting Day in the Country revelers to cast votes for their favorite scarecrows in the friendly competition.

Day in the Country’s expanded Kiddie Korral kicks off at 11:00 AM in Saarloos Paark, with an entrance marked by the now-iconic, oversized citrus-shaped stand belonging to Los Olivos Lemons. Entry to the Korral is granted with a small donation and inside, littles and grown-ups will find mini-horses, kiddie steer roping, giant yard games, face painting and more family fun.

The 2018 Day in the Country Wine Roundup provides tasters with a Roundup Pass good for both Saturday and Sunday ($25.00 per person; 21 and over), allowing them to taste 18 wines from nine local wineries including Bien Nacido & Solomon Hills Estates, Crawford Family Wines, Epiphany Cellars, Kaena Wine, Larner Vineyard & Winery, E11even Wines by Andrew Murray, Solminer Wine Company and more.

“Day in the Country is Los Olivos’ most highly acclaimed festival of the year. It’s a special day and a wonderful opportunity for families, both local and visiting, to enjoy country living the way it used to be in simpler times, meshed with the modern conveniences that the backdrop of present-day Los Olivos provides. And best of all? Day in the Country attendance is free,” said Liz Dodder, Executive Director of the Los Olivos Chamber of Commerce.

Day in the Country is produced by the Los Olivos Chamber of Commerce (http://www.losolivosca.com/about/lobo/), a volunteer organization which funds town services such as maintenance for the village’s central flagpole, public restroom facilities and trash removal.

Current “Day in the Country” sponsors are as follows; additional sponsors will be announced as the event nears and will be listed on the event’s web page (http://www.losolivosca.com/day-in-the-country/) or on the Facebook event page (https://www.facebook.com/events/1848405095247198/):

Visit Santa Ynez Valley; a santé Spa; The Bear and Star; The Bubble Shack; Fess Parker Wine Country Inn; Fess Parker Winery & Vineyard; Epiphany Cellars; Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Foundation; Jones Land Use Planning; KRAZy Country 105.9; Larner Vineyard & Winery; Los Olivos General Store; Los Olivos Wine Merchant & Café; Mission Sanitation; Nielsen Building Materials; Platinum Performance; Saarloos + Sons; and Stafford’s Famous Chocolates.

Located just a couple of hours north of Los Angeles, the walkable – and Instagram-able – Santa Ynez Valley town of Los Olivos boasts an abundance of wine tasting options; wine, beer and craft cocktail bars; foodie havens in the town’s restaurants and gourmet culinary counters; art galleries and carefully-curated boutique shopping for clothing, accessories and home décor – both new and vintage; plus, luxury lodging and an equally luxurious spa. Many of the town’s businesses are housed in 100-year-old buildings, which have been meticulously maintained.

Los Olivos also hosts other seasonal, family-friendly events: the summer-starter “Locals Love” Block Party (June 2019) and Olde Fashioned Christmas (December 1, 2018; http://www.losolivosca.com/los-olivos-olde-fashioned-christmas/). Additional information about Los Olivos may be found at LosOlivosCA.com, including a brief history of the Western town.

For further information about Los Olivos’ October 20 Day in the Country festival, please contact Anna Ferguson-Sparks, Stiletto Marketing, at 1.877.327.2656 or info [at] stilettomarketing [dot] com.

About Los Olivos, CA

Located in the vista-filled Santa Ynez Valley, the charming, historic town of Los Olivos is a rewarding and relaxing weekend getaway or fun-filled day. Founded in 1887 as a stop on the stagecoach route from Santa Barbara to San Luis Obispo, Los Olivos is noted for its support of the arts, wine tasting opportunities, unique shopping, epicurean restaurants, seasonal festivals, antiques, recreational landscapes, and friendly village residents. Boasting expansive views of Santa Barbara County’s vineyards and horse ranches, Foxen Canyon Wine Trail starts in Los Olivos and stretches north, winding its way through the rolling hills of California’s Central Coast.

Perlis Picks: Hoyt Family Vineyards

September 1, 2018 by Michael Perlis Leave a Comment

Have you heard of tiny houses? There’ve been a few television shows about them. My wife Karen occasionally watches them and I’ll sometimes lift my head up from wine-related Facebook conversations to see what’s up.

Basically, people downsize to a minimum level of possessions and space requirements in order to live in very small residences, simplifying their lives in the process. Now what that minimum level is varies from family to family depending on their own situation. The whole idea has never really appealed to me; for one thing, what to do with the wine?

But, to stay in a tiny house in a vineyard on the west side of Paso Robles? Heck yes, that is very appealing.

The first episode of DIY Network’s “Cabin Brothers” featured the development and construction of two tiny homes on the vineyard property of Hoyt Family Vineyards. The “brothers” are twins John and Ron Daniels [formerly of the show “Redwood Kings”] and their company Daniels Wood Land is conveniently based in Tin City just south of downtown Paso Robles.

The cabins/homes have all the amenities – two bedrooms [one is a master with a queen size bed and the other is smaller with bunk beds], a shower and full kitchen. Our vineyard view cabin gave us a full frontal view of the beautiful vineyard – just be careful not to give a full frontal view to the vineyard workers; this is a working winery, after all. In case you’re wondering, you also have satellite TV and Wi-Fi.

But all this would mean nothing to me if the wines didn’t measure up.

For a little bit about how that started, we have to begin in…Malibu.

Carol and Stephen Hoyt moved to Malibu and planted their Chardonnay vineyard on their property in 2001. Carol, a self-taught winemaker, made her first wine with purchased Cabernet fruit while waiting for the first Chardonnay grapes to be ready to harvest in 2004. Since that time, Hoyt Family Vineyards became known for producing delicious Chardonnay from Malibu.

But we all know that there is more to wine than Chardonnay, yummy as it is, and in 2011 the Hoyts purchased 86 acres on the west side of Paso Robles in the very highly regarded Willow Creek District, with neighbors like Booker, Tablas Creek and most recently Clos Solene [in other words, a pretty darn good neighborhood], to expand the estate offerings of Hoyt Family Vineyards. After much work [some still ongoing] on the vineyards, which now consist of two adjacent properties totaling 140 acres with 30 acres planted, they now also produce Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Viognier, Grenache and Petit Verdot.

Tastings are available by appointment at the vineyard property, which is especially convenient if you are staying there. But we wanted to check out the new tasting room in downtown Paso Robles. Located just north of the busy park square, the Hoyt Family Vineyards tasting room is a wonderful addition to the downtown tasting room scene. It is now literally possible to spend a day (or more) tasting wine strolling around without ever needing to drive into the surrounding countryside, should you so choose.

We went through the whole lineup of wines, which I am pleased share with you here, including the winery’s notes:

White

Hoyt2Hoyt Sparkling Wine: Our newest addition, a sophisticated Methode Champignon sourced from Sonoma County. Light, crisp and refreshing. Perfect for a celebration or a Sunday morning. Dry, with notes of pear and apple, delicately tickles your fancy.

2015 Chardonnay: Our newest release! We have taken our Malibu estate grown Chardonnay through 100% malolactic and aged it in new and used French Oak. This is the wine that put us on the map! Crisp, with hints of oak and butter this Chardonnay’s acid is well balanced on your palate and could look forward to it aging beautifully, if you can wait, but we don’t think you will want to! It is our classic “Drink it all day Chardonnay”! Case Production 325

Muscat: For those of you who expect this wine to be overly sweet, we have a surprise for you! Made with no residual sugar, this Muscat presents itself as beautifully dry with a fragrant nose of citrus, clean and crisp. This is a onetime wine from our estate with a small production, get it before it’s gone! Case Production 30

Rosé

2017 Pinot Noir Rose: Sophisticated and elegant, best describes our estate Grown Pinot Noir Rose. This Rose, already turning heads and making a splash, claimed 99 points, double gold and best of class from the California State Fair. Notes of strawberry, and citrus make this perfect for the summer or for that matter anytime.

Red

“Dylema” Our fun red blend. Originally created for the Malibu Chili cook off, this has become a house favorite. A Cab based blend with a little bit of everything else thrown in. Smooth and easy on the palate, we were hard pressed as what to call it, so we named it after our kids, Dylan and Emma. Enjoy our “Dylema”. GOLD Medal Winner

Grenache: Our first Grenache! And we are delighted with its lovely gardenia and soft smokey pepper and burnt Cherry undertones. Case Production 80

2012 Tempranillo: Fruit forward, well balanced. The velvet feel rolls in your mouth, with magical notes of black currant, blackberries, blueberry, vanilla and cooking spices. Very limited production of this hand picked estate fruit. Case Production 55

2013 Petite Sirah: Our 2013 Petite Sirah is totally amazing. Big bold fruit, beautiful legs, rounded mouth feel, we think it’s like “sex in a bottle”. Very limited production, and we feel it will be winning Gold Medals- we expect nothing less!

2012 Cabernet Sauvignon: Already winning Best of Class by the San Francisco Wine Chronicle, this is our favorite Cab yet. It’s unbelievable round mouth feel, is chewy, fruit forward, leggy and lovely. A sophisticated Cab, very limited production, this wine won’t last! Case Production 96

These are very well made wines. The awards they are getting, such as the one from the Chronicle, are about as legit as they get. The Rose really knocked us out and the Petite Sirah is aptly described as amazing. As you can see, production is tiny on many of these so blink and they might be gone. But whatever they are pouring next will be sure to please.

Thank you to Nancy Hoffman of Hoyt Family Vineyards for hosting us at the property and at the tasting room, as well as giving us a whirlwind vineyard tour and pointing out the best places to enjoy a glass of wine at sunset. She is a joy to work with – don’t believe just me; check out the reviews on Airbnb. https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/23712572

So, am I ready to give it all up and move into a tiny house? Probably not. But I would definitely stay again in a tiny cabin in a beautiful vineyard, especially this vineyard and this winery: Hoyt Family Vineyards. You should too.

Hoyt Family Vineyards

Tasting room:

1322 Park Street, Paso Robles, Ca. 93446

Vineyard:

2015 Township Rd, Paso Robles, Ca. 93446

Cabins:

2110 Township Rd, Paso Robles, Ca. 93446

Arrow and Branch announces New Tasting Experiences

August 16, 2018 by evebushman Leave a Comment

NAPA, Calif. (PRWEB) – Arrow&Branch announces three new tasting experiences offered exclusively at the Wheeler Farms Winery in St. Helena

These three new experiences, detailed below, are exclusively offered at one of Napa’s newest state-of-the-art wineries, Wheeler Farms. Included in the experiences are: a complete tour of the grounds, winery, and winemaking facility as well as an opportunity to visit the properties chickens, bees, orchard, and bountiful planters that are filled with seasonal vegetables and herbs.

The newest additions to the Arrow&Branch tasting experiences at Wheeler Farms will now feature small bites made by the winery’s chef included in the fee. These pairings will complement each wine experience and feature produce grown right on the property. Current seasonal dishes include a Mushroom Duxelle, Parmesan Crisps, Salted Organic Almonds, Cheddar Biscuits drizzled with local honey, and Gougeres.

Current Release Experience

The first of our three experiences allows one to taste through our four newest released wines: the 2017 Sauvignon Blanc, 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon “Black Label,” 2014 Red Wine “Right Bank Blend,” and 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon “Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard.”

Beckstoffer “Dr. Crane Vineyard” Experience

Our second experience allows for an in depth vertical tasting of wine from one of Napa Valley’s more esteemed and historical vineyards. Often referred to as the La Mission Haut Brion of Napa, this vineyard was originally planted in 1858 and consists of gravelly Cortina and Bale loam soils. The vineyard’s climate is known as one of the warmest in Napa Valley which produces a beautiful, dark, luscious fruit flavor profile.

Each taster will experience Arrow&Branch 2012, 2013, and 2014 wines coming exclusively from the Beckstoffer “Dr. Crane Vineyard”

“Right Bank” Experience

This experience offers an opportunity to enjoy a vertical tasting of Arrow&Branch’s flagship wines. The primary grape source is from our meticulously farmed Cabernet Franc Estate Vineyard in Coombsville. The unique microclimate is unlike any other in the Napa Valley; where the morning fog burns off quickly but cool breezes sweep through the vineyard on summer afternoons. This allows the grapes more time to ripen and encourages flavor and character development in the grapes. The wine is then blended with Merlot from the Stagecoach Vineyard which also provides a unique flavor profile thanks to its elevation and red, volcanic soil. The fruit is described as ripe, bold, and extremely concentrated which make it perfect for ultra-premium wines. The two unique grape sources create a “Right Bank” Cheval style wine.

Each taster will experience Arrow&Branch “Right Bank Blend” 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014 wines.

This is a great opportunity to taste the wines of Arrow&Branch at its home in St. Helena. Tasting fees for each experience are $125/person. For more information or to book a tour, visit our website http://www.arrowandbranch.com or contact Holly Horton – Director of Hospitality at 925-519-1214 / wine(at)arrowandbranch(dot)com