Laurel Glen Vineyard to Host Signature Sonoma Valley 2019 Retrospective

April 4, 2019 by evebushman

Glen Ellen, CA – Laurel Glen Vineyard, is pleased to announce it will host a very special tasting during the third annual Signature Sonoma Valley vintage retrospective, during the Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers Alliance’s flagship weekend event series. The iconic Sonoma winery will host the tasting at its eponymous Sonoma Mountain estate vineyard on Saturday, May 18, 2019 (from 2-4:30pm).

The tasting will bring together wine aficionados and collectors for an extremely rare showcase of Laurel Glen vintages across four decades. Current winemaker Randall Watkins will be joined by the estate’s founding winemaker, Patrick Campbell, as well as Proprietor and Managing Partner Bettina Sichel and winegrower Phil Coturri to provide ‘behind the vine’ perspectives. This special event will be moderated by Esther Mobley, wine critic and journalist at the San Francisco Chronicle, who will provide insight and perspective on the nuances of each vintage.

“We could not be more thrilled to host this year’s retrospective tasting,” says Sichel. “We are especially honored that Esther Mobley has accepted our invitation to moderate, and look forward to an illuminating discussion. We recently tasted through the 15 vintages we’ve selected to pour and were impressed with how well they showed. I cannot wait to share these rare wines with a new audience at Signature Sonoma on May 18th!”

The retrospective will commence with Laurel Glen’s debut 1981 vintage, and include a curated selection of 15 vintages spanning four decades that demonstrate the winery’s consistent depth, elegance and focus. The winery’s signature sophisticated style has never wavered since it joined the ranks of first generation “cult” Cabernets from California in the 1980s, and – thanks to the ongoing policy of holding back a portion of cases upon release – Laurel Glen has become known for its deep library of wines from the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s; many of which are featured on some of America’s most prestigious restaurant wine lists, including French Laundry in the Napa Valley, Mastro’s Steakhouse in Houston and Gotham Bar & Grill in New York City.

Though tickets for the Signature Sonoma Valley retrospective are nearly sold out, Laurel Glen will also offer a special library flight the weekend of May 17-19 in the estate’s Glen Ellen tasting room. The Cabernet Sauvignon vintages offered in the flight will evoke the spirit of the retrospective and include the 1986, 1999 Reserve, 2006, 2009, 2012 Lot 44. Cost will be $75 per person and guests should plan to reserve at least 48 hours in advance.

Laurel Glen wines will also be featured in the Legends: Collector’s Dinner at 6:30pm on May 18th, the capstone event of Signature Sonoma Valley, which celebrates the heritage vineyards of the region. Tickets can be purchased here.

Signature Sonoma Valley is an exclusive, four-day immersion into the acclaimed wines, historic vineyards and welcoming community of Sonoma Valley. Tickets for all events are now on sale and available at SonomaValleyWine.com/Signature-Sonoma-Valley. Seating is limited and all events will sell out, so early purchase is strongly recommended. For more information, please call 707.935.0803 or visit SonomaValleyWine.com.

“Signature Sonoma Valley shapes how wine collectors view Sonoma Valley as a wine region, and we could not be more thrilled to showcase over three decades of Laurel Glen vintages in the capstone retrospective tasting,” said Maureen Cottingham, Executive Director of the Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers Alliance. “Our greatest hope is that guests will leave Signature Sonoma Valley with a deeper connection to our vineyards and an appreciation for the caliber of wines coming out of Sonoma Valley, and Laurel Glen’s impressive track record more than supports that message.”

About Laurel Glen Vineyard
Laurel Glen Vineyard wines have a proven track record for longevity and grace. They are among the most sought-after examples of classic California Cabernet Sauvignon, and can thus offer a true study in how the variety can perform from a great vineyard site.

Originally planted to mixed red varietals by German immigrants at the end of the 19th century, Laurel Glen vineyard was replanted to Cabernet Sauvignon in 1968 on the eve of a modern proliferation of vineyards in California. Today, the 14-acre estate is farmed organically and planted entirely to Cabernet Sauvignon, and in particular the Laurel Glen clone of Cabernet Sauvignon, certified as a unique clone by the University of California at Davis.

In 2011, Bettina Sichel, a veteran of the California wine industry, became the steward of Laurel Glen Vineyard. Among other quality oriented improvements, she has overseen the vineyard’s transition to CCOF organic certification in 2014.

About the Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers Alliance and Foundation
The Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers Alliance (SVVGA) is a non-profit trade organization serving more than 500 members who share a mission to promote awareness of Sonoma Valley’s grapes, wine, and history as the birthplace of the California wine industry. Sonoma Valley comprises six of the 17 American Viticulture Areas (AVAs) of Sonoma County: Bennett Valley, Los Carneros, Moon Mountain District, Sonoma Coast, Sonoma Mountain, and Sonoma Valley. The Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers Foundation (SVVGF) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that has raised more than $25,000,000 through Sonoma Wine Country Weekend and supports youth and children for future success, preserving our environment, and improving health and welfare of our local communities. For more information on the SVVGA and SVVGF, please visit www.SonomaValleyWine.com.

Tasting Titus…with Eric Titus

March 22, 2019 by evebushman

It is impossible to know every great winery in Napa, or in any reasonably sized wine region, in my opinion. So I didn’t feel too terrible that I was unfamiliar with Titus Vineyards – though this year they are celebrating “50 years of farming in Napa Valley.” I was ready to rectify this in a tasting with fellow #LAWineWriters over 12 bottles of vintages between 2006 and 2017 and lunch at the Viviane in the Avalon Hotel in Beverly Hills.

Titus Vineyards is located in St. Helena AVA at the base of Howell Mountain on the Silverado Trail. The winery is family owned and originally sold their fruit to wineries such as Beaulieu Vineyards, Cuvaison and Charles Krug. Now 75% of their farming goes directly into their own wines: Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Merlot, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Petit Verdot. The focus: Cabs and Bordeaux blends.

The vineyards have been farmed for over 150 years, with the Titus family purchasing the property in 1968 and having their first harvest in 1969. Their first proprietary vintage was 1990. They strive for a “light carbon footprint” according to Titus, using “hand crews” for harvest.

Eric Titus surrounded by members of my #LAWineWriters group

Tasting

Aromas and Favors separated by ;

2016 Andronicus (a tragedy by William Shakespeare)

Cabernet Sauvignon Blend with Cab Franc and Petit Verdot.

Dark sweet cherry, plum, black pepper, mushroom, earth; nicely balance of both fruit and pepper, tannic, long finish.

2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Blend, Napa Valley

Similar aromas as the Andronicus, also dark berry, green peppercorn, pipe and char; dark fruit, forest floor and a great balance. One of my favorites in the tasting. (Balance, due to being blends in my opinion, was going to be a positive and predominant factor in these wines.)

2016 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Blend

Perfumy, violet, mocha, plums; velvety, spice up front yet delicate, dry. (This one had some Cab Franc and Zinfandel.)

2016 Cabernet Franc

Balance, chocolate, dried dark berries, stewed mushroom, milk chocolate; dry, dark, peppery, spice and chocolate. Another favorite.

2016 Zinfandel

Blueberry, sweet charred wood, pipe, wet earth, dried leaves; welcoming spice and a very rich palate. Another favorite for me to note.

2017 Sauvignon Blanc

Golden delicious apple, lemon, minerals, zingy; lemon-lime, peach, pear, low acid, balanced. (There is a bit of Viognier in the blend, which may have accounted for the fruit and low acid. Titus said it was used to “knit together a lot of fruit.”) Very nicely done.

2006 Cabernet Sauvignon

Blue to black fruit, pipe, plum, sweet earth; dry, balanced, dark fruits, port-like.

2010 Cabernet Sauvignon

Crushed black cherry, dark chocolate, tri-color peppercorns, redwood; red fruit, smoke, oak, incredible balance. This was also a favorite in the tasting.

2012 Petit Verdot

Sweet blue fruit, ripe blackberry, ash; dried berries, tannin and that perfect balance again.

2009 Napa Valley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Voluptuous, sweet and dark fruit, dark chocolate, spice; big tannins and long length.

2010 Napa Valley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Sweet aromas of cherry candy, fruit and charred steak; black cherry, earth, dry, dark, tannic.

2012 Napa Valley Lot 1 (proprietary blend)

Hello spice, earthy, wood, blue and black fruit; big, dry, tannic and a slight musty quality. Very welcoming on the mouth. Titus called it his “chocolate mousse of wines (and) more about hedonism.”

Conclusion

Clearly, I missed Titus in my Napa adventures and am thrilled to have been able to meet with Eric Titus, learn about their winery and taste these exceptional vintages. My suggestion: get some.

Titus Vineyards

2971 Silverado Trail N, St. Helena, CA 94574

707-963-3235

http://www.titusvineyards.com/

https://twitter.com/TitusVyds

https://www.facebook.com/titusvineyards/

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 16k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits. You can also seek her marketing advice via Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com

Casa Ferreirinha Wins Top Honors

March 11, 2019 by evebushman

FORT WORTH, Texas (PRWEB) – The Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT®) is pleased to announce Casa Ferreirinha, a Portuguese reference brand in Douro Wines, as its platinum medal winner in BRIT’s 2019 International Award of Excellence in Sustainable Winegrowing competition. Casa Ferreirinha topped the field this year based on the winery’s ongoing sustainable programs that address both the three key factors of sustainability – environmental, economic, and social aspects — as well as superior wine taste. Five additional wineries – two from the U.S., two from Italy, and one from Portugal, also won awards based on their strong sustainable programs.

Casa Ferreirinha’s current sustainability accomplishments include: vineyard certification by the International Organization of Biological Control (IOBC) Integrated Production (IP) standards; growing floristic biodiversity as a means of promoting natural enemies of grapevine pests like the grape moth; preservation of indigenous grapevine varieties like the Touriga Nacional; use of renewable energy (hydro, wind, and solar); aggressive short-term plan for reduction in CO2e emissions; and education, medical, and insurance programs available to its workforce. The vineyard has been working towards this award for almost a decade. In 2009, Casa Ferrreirinha was a founding member of the Portuguese Association for Grapevine Diversity (PORVID), a non-profit association promoting biodiversity and managing the preservation of indigenous grapevine varieties like the Touriga Nacional.

Casa Ferreirinha is a pioneer brand in the production of Douro Wines. Innovation married with tradition, as well as the profound knowledge of the Douro Region, are the guarantee of exceptional wines such as Vinha Grande, Quinta da Leda, Callabriga and Barca Velha.

“Casa Ferreirinha and its parent organization, Sogrape Vinhos, have put together an impressive sustainability program culminating with the outstanding taste and quality of its Quinta Da Leda wine,” said Dr. Ed Schneider, BRIT’s president and executive director. “From their sustainable programs in the field, to their progressive workforce and community programs, to being good leaders and stewards within the Portuguese wine industry; we congratulate their achievements.”

“Sogrape has been for a long time promoting excellence sustainable practices at environmental, economic and social levels. This recognition reaffirmed by BRIT means to us an acknowledgment of our work in this field, in particular of all sustainability programs of Casa Ferreirinha (this year awarded platinum) and Sandeman, cherishing not only the progress in viticultural practices, but also on the initiatives applied to the winemaking processes, or even on social programs to workers and community,” said António Oliveira Bessa, board member at Sogrape Vinhos, SA. “We believe that, more and more, sustainable production and consumption will be a distinctive factor of Sogrape brands.”

The awarded wine was Casa Ferreirinha’s Quinta da Leda, 2015

Additional BRIT sustainable awards went to the following outstanding wineries:

Gold medals

Sandeman, Avintes, Portugal. Submitted Sandeman Vintage Port 2016
Tasca D’Almerita, Palermo, Sicily, Italy. Submitted Il Tascante 2015 – Tascante Estate
Jowler Creek Vineyard & Winery, Platte City, Missouri. Submitted Estate Norton 2016
E. & J. Gallo Winery, Modesto, California. Submitted J Vineyards Pinot Noir 2016. Gallo receives special recognition for its corporate-wide, multi-brand sustainability programs and for the organization’s industry leadership.

Silver medal

Ruffino, Pontassieve, Italy. Submitted Riserva Ducale Oro

Presentation of the platinum award to Casa Ferreirinha will be made in Fort Worth on Wednesday, April 17, 2019 during BRIT’s Vine to Table dinner and auction fundraising event.

Competition for the new BRIT/FIVS international sustainable winegrowing award beginning in 2020 starts May 2019. All competition rules, judging criteria, and submission dates remain the same. Please check the BRIT web site for details: http://www.brit.org/wineaward

Tasting 2016 Bordeaux via Union Des Grands Cru Bordeaux 2019 Tour

February 8, 2019 by evebushman

This is one of several years we’ve covered the Union Des Grands Cru (UGC) Bordeaux tasting. This year we were trying the latest 2016 releases at the Jeremy Hotel in West Hollywood, surrounded by many old friends – from the wineries and wine pals – in attendence. I covered as much ground as I could in the two hours I had (traffic and parking were not on my side, though we were given three hours for the press and distributor portion of event) most of which can be seen in these four photo grids.

There were two rooms for the tasting, and as I mentioned we were late, the first larger room was pretty crowded so we headed to the second smaller room behind it. There we found the usual long row of tables of sauternes – our dessert for last that we would return to – as well as wines from other appellations: Pauillac, Saint – Estephe and Saint – Julien if I remember correctly. The larger room held the remaining Bordeaux appellations.

The entire list of the wines that were expected to be sampled is below. The Chateaus that stood out for my palate, and in no particuclar order, included Brainaire – Ducru, Talbot, Clerc Melon, Lynch – Bages, De Pez, Grand Mayne, Cap de Mourlin, Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, Villemaurine, Canon – La – Gaffeliere, Leoville Poyferre, Rauzan Gassies, Coufran, Franc Mayne, d’Armailhac, Phelan Segur, La Dour Figeac, Pavie MacQuin, La Couspaude, Balestard La Tonnelle, Smith Haut Lafitte, La Louviere, Giscours, Clinet, Gazin, Fonreaud, Suduiraut, Lafaurie – Peyraguey, Guiraud and de Fargues.

Note: When I got to the Saint – Emilion tables I was quite pleased with about 90% of the wines I tried, and many had a nice little sweetness to them. One gentleman, Julien Barth of Chateau Beau Sejour Becot, was quite earnest in how “serious” he felt the appellation was that I filmed him sharing his opinion – for about 30 seconds.

Of the pals I met up with, many were completely immersed in the tasting. There was not a consensus about this particular vintage year that I heard, and as I’ve stated in past coverage of this event, there is no way I would say all was good or all was bad – my palate, such that it is, always seeks out – and always finds – outstanding wines. If a Chateau that you normally like isn’t on my list it doesn’t mean I didn’t care for it, it could just mean that I didn’t have the time to taste everything that was available. And one last word to the winery reps and family that come to pour in this tour: we appreciate you traveling to so many of our U.S. cities to share your latest vintages year in and year out. Looking forward to seeing you all again in 2020, and enjoying these 2016s wherever I can find them.

MEMBERS OF THE UNION DES GRANDS CRUS DE BORDEAUX

Perlis Picks: Stone Edge Farm Estate Vineyards and Winery

January 12, 2019 by Michael Perlis

Let me make this perfectly clear: I have nothing against Cabernet Sauvignon. While our own personal wine journey has taken us primarily down the Zinfandel and Rhone paths, we definitely recognize Cabernet’s place in the pantheon of great wine grapes. Most of our wine trips tend to focus on our favorite varietals, but we have no aversion to expanding those choices. So when our friends gave us a certificate for a tasting at Stone Edge Farm Estate Vineyards & Winery we were happy to do just that.

Stone Edge Farm actually owns three vineyards – Stone Edge, Mount Pisgah and Silver Cloud, which are managed organically by the renowned Phil Coturri.

The Stone Edge Vineyard property at the base of Sonoma Mountain was acquired by Mac and Leslie McQuown in 1995. The property has the distinction of having been owned by Nicholas Carriger, who came to Sonoma from Missouri in 1847. When he planted here, he became the first American to grow wine grapes in Sonoma Valley.

Mac McQuown had his own distinction, not only as a very successful businessman and entrepreneur, but also in the wine industry, having been a founder of both Chalone and Carmenet wineries.

Winemaker Jeff Baker, who was also a partner at Carmenet, joined the McQuowns with his Mount Pisgah Vineyard in the Mayacamas Mountains. Eventually they formed Stone Edge Farm Estate Vineyards & Winery in 2004.

The Silver Cloud Vineyard is in the Moon Mountain District just north of the Mount Pisgah vineyard, up in the Mayacamas Mountains where Sonoma County borders Napa County. The tasting room is on the Silver Cloud property and it is aptly named, being at a high elevation seemingly close to the clouds. It’s a long, winding and narrow road; they recommend you hire a driver. Please don’t go all the way up there without making an appointment first.

Karen and I had plans to head into Napa (more on this in a future article) so we chose that morning to pay Stone Edge Farm a visit.

We parked and were met by Philippe Thibault, Stone Edge Farm’s Director of Hospitality, who gave us a tour of this amazing mountain property and led our tasting.

Stone Edge Farm makes three wines: a Sauvignon Blanc a Bordeaux blend called “Surround” and their flagship Cabernet Sauvignon.

We tasted the 2016 Sauvignon Blanc [actually an 80/20 blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon], two vintages of the Surround blend [2009 and 2014] and the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon.

My impressions were that these wines are designed to showcase the fruit but to not overpower the palate. Sometimes wines are referred to as “food wines” because they just don’t stand on their own and need food to make them work. That was not the case here. The wines all drank beautifully on their own but the experience was definitely enhanced by the charcuterie that was provided.

The Cabernet Sauvignon in particular made a special impression. I am not one for complicated tasting notes, but I did comment specifically about the mouthfeel of this wine, the way it magically spread across my tongue and then dissipated. I actually said “…like a cloud” before I remembered we were at the Silver Cloud Vineyard.

As I’m sure you’ve noticed, the name is Stone Edge Farm. The entire operation is built around sustainability and includes 16 acres that are organically farmed just west of downtown Sonoma. There is a 30-seat private dining room called Edge where their culinary director pairs the Stone Edge Farm wines with seasonal dishes.

Just to wrap up – Thank you so much Philippe Thibault for being such an engaging host. This is definitely a winery to check out when you are looking for an elevated experience, both in location and in wine. But remember: Make an appointment!

Stone Edge Farm Estate Vineyards & Winery

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: Marietta Cellars

December 29, 2018 by Michael Perlis

Recently, I wrote an article about Sam Bilbro’s Idlewild Wines. In the past, I’ve written about Jake Bilbro’s Limerick Lane Winery. But to truly attempt to grasp the influence of the Bilbro family on Sonoma County – indeed California – wine, one really needs to go back to where it started: Marietta Cellars.

Chris Bilbro, patriarch of the Bilbro clan, founded Marietta Cellars in 1978, naming it after his great-aunt. He bought the current winery property in 1990. Scot Bilbro took over winery operations from his father a few years back. He toured the winery with us on our visit, along with Jenifer Freebairn (Marietta’s VP of Sales and Marketing). Winery equipment is a curious mix of old and new equipment and that’s how Scot likes it. Production is now at about 65,000 cases annually and there are no direct-to-consumer sales. [So, why am I here, right?]

“Scot,” I said, “you are somewhat of a unicorn.”

Scot laughingly asked me “Michael, what do you mean?” even though I was sure he understood my point.

For many years, I have been an extremely vocal proponent of buying wine directly from small family owned wineries. “Don’t buy at big retail stores,” I’d say. “Support the little guys who are crafting their authentic wines by hand.” Now here comes Marietta Cellars, selling only to stores and restaurants through a network of distributors. And at 65,000 cases, while not a big winery in the corporate world, Marietta is definitely on the larger size of “small family owned wineries.”

Which brought me to my “unicorn” comment because off the top of my head I don’t know of any other family owned wineries that only sell wholesale.

Scot said that they were a “unicorn” in another way too. Families like the Bilbros, the Mauritsons and a few others are part of an ever shrinking group that has been farming the area for decades. While Scot in no way bemoaned the new blood that is coming into the region, he did acknowledge that families like the Bilbros are becoming more and more rare in Sonoma County.

As I said, no direct to consumer sales and therefore – no tasting room. But my writer’s card did get us an opportunity sit down with Scot and Jen to taste some of the winery’s current releases.

The largest production of the winery goes to the OVR series, which is most known for Old Vine Red but there is also an Old Vine Rose and an Old Vine Riesling. We tasted Old Vine Red Lot Number 67 which is a Zinfandel heavy blend. This wine was first produced in 1982 and doesn’t have vintage designations as it is a combination of grapes from different years.

As is a characteristic of Marietta Cellars wines, the OVR really over-delivers at its low price point – I’ve seen this wine for well under $20. My only complaint about this wine is it might encourage people to feel that this wine is so delicious why would they need to expand their horizons [i.e. pay more]?

My answer to them would be: the best is yet to come.

And that would be the next tier up, the Family series, each wine being named after a beloved member of Marietta Cellars’ extended family. We tasted the 2016 “Román” a Zinfandel (named after cellar master Roman Cisneros, who has been with Marietta Cellars over 30 years – one of several long-term employees), the 2015 “Armé” a Cabernet Sauvignon (named after Marietta’s husband) and the 2015 “Christo”, an intense Syrah-based blend named after Chris Bilbro himself.

All of these wines had great fruit and mouthfeel with long finishes, most notable to me in the Christo. But what I really got from these wines was a feeling of comfort. They are just really good tasting wines that you want to curl up and read a good book with or enjoy with a hearty meal.

These attributes carried over — and then some – to the top tier Estate series as well. As the name implies, this series showcases some of the special vineyards that Marietta works with. The 2016 Angeli Zinfandel (named after the family that settled the property in the late 1800s), the 2015 Game Trail Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2015 Gibson Block Syrah were all wines you just didn’t want to dump from your tasting glass. Especially that Syrah which was just amazing.

As I’ve said [too many times?], you can’t buy these wines directly from the winery. So, don’t go showing up on their doorstep asking for a taste. I suggest you use the Find Wine tool on their website to see where you can get your hands on some.

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 Ev 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.

Paso: Sculptures, Winemaking and Tasting at Sculpterra

December 21, 2018 by evebushman

Lucky for me winemaker Dusty Nabor, of Dusty Nabor Wines, is pals with Sculpterra winemaker Paul Frankel – in fact Nabor buys his Bentley Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from Frankel – and Nabor graciously offered to see about getting me an interview and a behind the scenes tour with Frankel.

My husband and Frankel in front of the many metal art pieces at Sculpterra.

When we drove up to the winery, its reputation as a sculpture garden preceding it, I made a point to tour the grounds a bit and photograph anything I hadn’t already seen before. It’s quite an impressive sight, and I believe unlike any other winery in Paso or anywhere else.

We met up with Frankel who filled us in on some of what we were seeing. There are metal sculptures, railings, a new several-feet-tall “photo album” mural just getting ready to be filled in, racks and poles for bicycles and horses – predominantly created by Bob Bentley. More about the art and artists can be read here: http://sculpterra.com/our-art/

Frankel grew up at Sculpterra, and lucky for his father, he was bitten by the wine bug when he attended Cal Poly. Frankel said you have to love farming and winemaking. His father, Dr. Warren Frankel, is currently in India working as a medical missionary with the “His Healing Hands” organization.

The vineyard was planted in 1993, beginning with 90 acres, then they purchased 160 more. There are now twelve varieties of wine grapes under vine, and pistachio acreage as well. There is also a vegetable garden and fruit trees.

Viognier does well here, according to Frankel, and is their best selling white wine. Primitivo is the most popular in their blends, and their Port is well liked too. Harvest began on September 11 this year and ended on November 1^st.

Their biggest issue: squirrels. Frankel believes there are thousands of them on the property. The have tried bombs, traps and even shooting. Now they have hired a person for the sole purpose of managing the squirrel population.

Interesting aspects on the winemaking: Frankel uses bed sheets instead of lids during fermentation. He believes the technique prevents volatility and too much alcohol in the resulting wine. They can do 10-20 tons a day for de-stemming. A lot the wines have a percentage of new oak influence. Frankel’s been at this since he was 21 and is now 26, “I enjoy the labor and (a winemaker) needs to be young. If you’re passionate (it all) works well.”

Tasting

Frankel left us at the door of the tasting room and we were aptly cared for by Iddy (Isabel) Shirley. Tasting notes were once again provided, some of which I added to. These are the wines I especially liked in the tasting:

NV Sparkling Wine

Chenin Blanc and Colombard

Notes of apple, peach and pear – quite refreshing!

2016 Viognier

I agreed: apple, peach, nectarine, white pepper. I could see why this was a favorite.

2015 Pinot Noir

Eddie liked this one a lot. Notes of tea, cherry, clove and mint.

2014 Mourvedre with 12% Petite Sirah

Smoke, jam, cedar and my top pick…so far.

2015 Figurine

43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Primitivo, 24% Merlot

Brambles, blackberry, smoke, clove and chocolate. I loved the lush fruit and long finish. This was a top pick for both of us.

2014 Cabernet Sauvignon “Bentley Ironworks”

The grapes are grown below Bentley’s workshop, near where the winery is located some distance from the tasting room. Liked the brambly quality. Another favorite of Ed’s.

2013 Petite Sirah

Besides blackberry I found it gamey and earthy, and it turned out to be my favorite wine in the tasting.

2016 Primitivo

Dark fruit, rich, lush and layered.

2015 Statuesque

38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Syrah and 24% Petite Sirah.

Loved this for its rich dark fruit.

Jagger Primitivo Port

Ed is not a port fan but he enjoyed all of the wonderful chocolate flavors in this one.

http://sculpterra.com/

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

BACA WINES TO HOST HOLIDAY DRIVE EVENT

November 19, 2018 by evebushman

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/.

SWIRL IN THE HOLIDAYS! POPULAR WINE CLUB OFFERS UNBEATABLE PRICES ON POPULAR WINE SELECTIONS + GIFTS SETS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

November 10, 2018 by evebushman

ARCADIA, CALIF.—With the 2018 holiday season at our doorstep, wine lovers are turning to the Original Wine of the Month Club® for their holiday gift giving ideas—from high-quality wine assortment gift collections to gift-giving wine club memberships. Original Wine of the Month Club®’s unique, hand-picked selections of robust and flavorful wines create the ultimate holiday gift-giving experience. With convenient online ordering, free shipping and gift-giving ideas starting at $24.99, holiday shoppers are only a click or call away from the perfect gift for family members, friends and clients. To view our Top Holiday Wine Gifts Delivered, please visit www.wineclubgifts.com.

Paul Kalemkiarian talks wine with evewine101.com founder Eve Bushman.

For the gift that keeps giving throughout the year—wine lovers are discovering the added value and instant gratification they provide friends and relatives with Original Wine of the Month Club® Monthly Gift Clubs, which start at $152 for a four-month membership and features two bottles per delivery of exquisite wine and a signature monthly newsletter. New members receive a free wine accessory with wine gifts delivered.

Give friends and family a wine subscription gift they will savor throughout the year! The Original Wine of the Month Club® also offers a 6-bottle “Cellar Series,” which includes a wine shipment every other month of six extraordinary wine selections for as low as $185.

The Original Wine of the Month Club® Monthly Gift Club is a gift that keeps giving! Order a one-year membership for your friends and loved ones and they will receive a wine delivery every one- to- three months—your recipient will be reminded of your generosity with each flavorful wine selection! With free shipping for every order, each package is gift-wrapped and comes with a personalized, hand-written greeting. www.wineofthemonthclub.com

A perfect gift for wine connoisseurs or the wine novice, each of the featured holiday wine gifts delivered come with an attractive case or basket filled with the best quality wines from around the globe.

2018 Holiday Gift Ideas Under $150 include:

• Treasure Vintages–Our treasured treasure map fine wine gift box. One bottle of hand selected Classic, Vintners or Limited Series wines makes this a great grab and go wine gift bottle. (Starting at $46)

• Wine Elegance–Send your gift recipient on a tour of the world’s great vineyards with a wine gift delivery of one bottle of recent Wine of the Month Club Selections. Inspired by travel from city to bustling city, our chestnut-colored faux leather bottle carrier replaces flimsy bottle bags with something that will stand up to a tireless lifestyle. Featuring a magnetic closure and two sturdy metal handles. ($51)

• Keep Cool–Send your gift recipient on a tour of the world’s great vineyards with a wine gift delivery of 3 assorted bottles of recent Wine of the Month Club Selections. Keep drinks cold on the go with this large insulated tote, sporting an ample front pocket and removable shoulder strap. Lined with food-safe PEVA, it holds up to three standard wine bottles. ($89 to $135)

• Say Cheese—Two of your favorite wine selections are shipped in a bamboo wooden gift box that transforms into a cheese board. Three cheese tools are included: Chisel, Knife, Spreader ($90 to $140)

• Treasure Trove of Wine–This is one of our most popular wine gift packs that we offer! Our 6-bottle “Treasure Trove of Wine” of found vintages not only shows your creative taste, our wood box adorned with ancient sailing routes is a great accent for any would-be interior designer. Brass studs accent this treasure chest of our most interesting finds. The gift box set includes: Six bottles of Classic, Vintners or Limited Series wines. ($135)ABOUT THE ORIGINAL WINE OF THE MONTH CLUB®

Serving both the novice and educated wine enthusiasts nationally since 1972, the Original Wine of the Month Club® is a highly-rated mail order wine service that offers its members hand-picked selections of fine wines from the world’s finest growing regions in such diverse areas as California, Oregon, Washington, Italy, Spain, France, Germany and Australia. Each month more than 400 wines are tasted and evaluated for club selection and brought to the members at extraordinary prices. Wine subscription gift packages are popular for any special occasion. Members may shop online from a full selection of wines in the “Wine Shoppe,” a collection of gourmet gifts and wine accessories. Original Wine of the Month Club® newsletter contains fascinating insights into the featured wines, gourmet recipes and serving tips for wine lovers. The club is FREE and you never pay for a wine you do not like. The original Wine of the Month Club® houses a wide selection of award-winning wines at a retail space/warehouse in Arcadia, California. For more information, please visit www.wineofthemonthclub.com

Two Bottle Post: 2000 Chateau Margaux Pavillon Rouge and 2007 Domaine Saint Prefert Chateauneuf Du Pape, Reserve Auguste Favier

November 9, 2018 by evebushman

On the heels of the first Feed SCV Chef Auction where I couldn’t contain my thrill of a wine class with me being purchased for $900 (photo next to these wines), I celebrated a great week with some old pals, and two wines from our cellar. So, though I do like my one bottle posts, this week I give you two.

I stole away into the kitchen to sample and review the two wines alone, as is my way so that I can be completely devoted to the task. Then, as my guests asked, I let them know my findings and suggested they sample each before deciding which to start with. For me I thought that the Bordeaux was lighter than the CDP (Chateauneuf Du Pape) in both style, fruit and spice. I enjoyed both, but the chocolate and beer chili I had made for dinner screamed out for the CDP that I presumed was predominately Syrah, followed by Grenache and Mourvedre grapes.

2000 Chateau Margaux

Very dark garnet in color, with aromas of aged red fruit, musty, tri-color peppercorns, earth, cigar, savory beef and pencil shavings. On the mouth I got that same red fruit – with a brighter flavor than expected, along with mild pepper, slightly medicinal, good mouthfeel and good tannin structure. 91 Eve pts.

This 2000 Bordeaux is one of the six 2000 vintages I knew I would be reviewing this year. I had pulled up the Wine Spectator ratings on each of these to compare with my review:

CHÂTEAU MARGAUX

Margaux Pavillon Rouge 2000

Score: 94

Release Price $65

Current Auction Price $196

Country France

Region Bordeaux

Issue Mar 31, 2003

Tasting Note

Glorious aromas of freshly picked raspberries, with tiny hints of cream and minerals. Full-bodied, with superfine tannins and a long, long finish of berries and cherries. Super second wine from Margaux. Best Pavillon Rouge I have ever tasted. Best after 2010. 20,525 cases made. –JS

2007 Domaine Saint Prefert Chateauneuf Du Pape, Reserve Auguste Favier

The color began as garnet with a golden brown edge, however 30 minutes in the glass and it became more purple. On the nose there was raspberry, blueberry, mushroom, stewed meats, rubber and earth. It was quite inviting. I was thrilled with what I found on the palate: a huge mouthfeel, just wow, clean and fresh, killer berry fruits and spice rack notes, as well as milk chocolate and a little bit of mint on the finish. 100 Eve pts.

Conclusion

Being a fan of both Bordeaux and Rhone blends I was thrilled to have had the opportunity to sample such stellar older vintages. My husband has the cellar keys, and though I do keep track of the wines in our cellar on a spreadsheet, I didn’t realize we had some older CDP as well as the 2000 Bordeaux I knew we had. Thinking I need to take another look at the spreadsheet, and our cellar, and soon.