Perlises Pick Dining on the Monterey Peninsula

November 26, 2022 by Michael Perlis

The term “embarrassment of riches” is often overused, but it is hard to come up with a better descriptor of the dining options on the Monterey Peninsula. Just the Lighthouse Avenue area of Pacific Grove alone has a dozen or so choices. Here are a few that we enjoyed.

Max’s Grill is on Forest Avenue just off of Lighthouse. Chef Hisayuki “Max” Muramatsu opened Max’s almost 20 years ago with his wife Yuko, after a stint as Executive Chef of Carmel’s Anton & Michel, among other prestigious establishments. The menu reflects his classic training as well as the best that the region has to offer. We had the pleasure of being taken care of by Yuko herself on the intimate patio. From our delicious starter of Tempura Prawns to the Karen’s Garden Salad and Michael’s Caesar [Michael couldn’t pass up the anchovies] through our entrees of Petrale Sole (the catch of the day) and the Duck Our Way (confit duck leg and duck mousse ravioli), everything tasted so fresh and delicious. As well it should, as Chef Max prides himself on making pretty much everything from scratch, even the bread!

Max’s Grill www.maxgrill.com

209 Forest Avenue, Pacific Grove California 93950

Jeninni Kitchen + Wine Bar has been a fixture on Lighthouse Avenue for about ten years, serving owner Thamin Saleh’s extensive menu of Mediterranean-inspired dishes to happy locals and tourists alike. We’d actually been planning the restaurant a visit for some time, but when we did, we discovered that it was in the process of changing hands. But not to worry. New owners, Jerry Regester and Gail Grammatico, bring their own impressive chops to the table and changes are planned only gradually. We had the pleasure of dining there while Thamin was still involved in the transition. We shared the octopus in a leek-fennel sauce. Karen had the skillet seared tuna with whipped potatoes, green beans and a chardonnay-mustard sauce while Michael couldn’t pass up the pork belly with creamy polenta and roasted grapes with saba syrup. The dishes deliciously reflected combinations of Mediterranean, French and Spanish influences. We can’t wait to revisit Jeninni and see what changes the new owners make.

Jeninni Kitchen + Wine Bar www.jeninni.com

542 Lighthouse Ave, Pacific Grove, California 93950

Wild Fish is, as the name implies, a seafood restaurant in Pacific Grove, specializing in locally sourced seafood and produce. Kelvin and Liz Jacobs initially opened the restaurant in Mendocino County in 2011 and subsequently moved it to the Monterey Peninsula. Starting with the Sweetwater oysters on the half shell from Tomales Bay, the Santa Cruz halibut with soba ramen and the bouillabaisse teeming with rock cod, squid, octopus and various shellfish, everything screamed freshness and deliciousness.

Karen thought that the bouillabaisse was the best she ever had. The saffron rouille was amazing. The menu for the day even identified which captain and boat brought in the catch. The enthusiasm of the wait staff was evident, as they described the process of receiving the fish and processing it all by hand at the restaurant, even using the bones for broth.

Wild Fish

www.wild-fish.com

545 Lighthouse Ave, Pacific Grove CA 93950

We also found a couple of great places to grab a bite for lunch while out and about.

From Scratch Restaurant at The Barnyard Shopping Center in Carmel specializes in fresh, made-to-order breakfast and lunch entrees. As our server assured us when we were concerned about making too many substitutions, “Don’t worry. We make everything from scratch.” We actually ate here twice, enjoying the Big Sur Omelet and BLAT Sandwich the first time and the Club Sandwich and perhaps the best patty melt anywhere per Michael when we went the second time.

From Scratch Restaurant www.fromscratchrestaurant.com

3626 The Barnyard, Carmel, California 93923

Finally, we found delicious food served by really nice people at C U Sushi in The Crossroads Shopping Center, also in Carmel. We enjoyed the salmon sashimi salad, gyoza, bulgogi bibimbab and the eel roll. The service was very quick and friendly and everything was made fresh.

C U Sushi

www.thecrossroadscarmel.com/dining/cu-sushi/

173 Crossroads Blvd, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 93923

The Monterey Peninsula has a wealth of excellent wineries and wonderful restaurants all within half an hour or so of each other. The area is beautiful, peaceful and relaxing. We had a fabulous time and are looking forward to coming back to the area to explore and have new adventures. There is something for everybody from Michelin restaurants to up and coming winemakers.

Michael and Karen Perlis have been pursuing their passion for wine for more than 30 years. They have had the good fortune of having numerous mentors to show them the way and after a couple of decades of learning about wine, attending events, visiting wineries and vineyards, and tasting as much wine as they possibly could, they had the amazing luck to meet Eve Bushman. Michael and Karen do their best to bring as much information as possible about wine to Eve’s Wine 101 faithful readers

Perlises Pick – J Dusi Winery’s Positive Signs for the Future

November 12, 2022 by Michael Perlis

We all know the future is uncertain. But as wine writers, our job is primarily to not focus on the world issues of the day but to write about wine, wineries, vineyards, etc. for the devoted readers of Eve’s Wine 101.

Sometimes, though, a bit of news comes across our desks that will impact the future, maybe only in a small way, that causes us to smile.

Any regular readers of the Perlises’ articles are sure to know that we are big fans of the wines of J Dusi Winery in Paso Robles, ever since we met Janell Dusi and tasted that first vintage from her family’s historic vineyard. So we were very pleased to receive an email that read, in part:

“Historically, certain practices for wine packaging were thought to be necessary, including the use of wax or capsules on the neck of a wine bottle.

In reality, capsules and wax enclosures are purely packaging. Although we have used these in the past to create a polished and complete package, it serves no purpose beyond the way the bottle looks.

As we take a step forward in sustainability, starting with the 2020 Vintages we have eliminated both wax and capsules. You’ll find the vintage printed on the end of each cork. Easy to locate the vintage you want, and no more foil to cut or messy wax to deal with!”

Janell clarified that the change applies to their Paper Street label for the 2020 vintage and will impact the J Dusi label starting with the 2021 vintage. She added that “this is our first step in creating a more sustainable package for our customers, but the same quality wine inside!”

This made us very happy. Wineries that are doing their part to reduce their carbon footprint and impact on the environment should be commended and rewarded with our purchases, especially quality wineries such as J Dusi.

The other news from J Dusi was included with their Fall 2022 Club shipment. In addition to the wine, there was a nice profile of Janell’s nephew, which Janell said we could share:

“In 2002, a boy was born, beginning the 5^th generation of the Dusi Family. His parents named him Dante, in honor of his great grandfather Dante Sylvester Dusi.

Dante Michael Dusi grew up in the middle of our grape growing family, deeply rooted in the wine industry. He was surrounded by vineyards, big trucks, heavy equipment, and the family businesses.

From infancy, it was grapes and trucks that Dante loved. He spent many days riding in a car seat beside his dad, Michael, in a Peterbilt truck, transporting grapes up and down the state of California. As soon as Dante’s feet could touch the pedals, he was moving semi-trucks and driving tractors.

He understood the complex logistics of the truck yard: dispatching trucks, keeping them clean, and helping the drivers park their trucks perfectly, at the end of the work day.

Throughout Dante’s childhood, he had an eye on every aspect of vineyard work. At two years old, he was already participating in harvest, picking leaves out of the freshly picked grapes. When his Auntie Nell began making wine under her own label, J Dusi, Dante helped Janell pick those grapes.

Today, Dante is nineteen years old. He has acquired skills beyond his years by working beside his grandfather, Mike. He is learning about the soil, plants, rootstock, grape varietals, as well as the care of our vines. Dante is taking classes, studying innovative techniques, hoping to drive the family farming practice forward.

Dante is a hard working young man who is proud to carry on the legacy of the Dusi family. He proudly shares his great-grandfather’s name, Dante Dusi.”

It sounds like the future of the Dusi family vineyards is in great hands. We look forward to meeting Dante Michael Dusi one day.Michael and Karen Perlis have been pursuing their passion for wine for more than 30 years. They have had the good fortune of having numerous mentors to show them the way and after a couple of decades of learning about wine, attending events, visiting wineries and vineyards, and tasting as much wine as they possibly could, they had the amazing luck to meet Eve Bushman. Michael and Karen do their best to bring as much information as possible about wine to Eve’s Wine 101 faithful readers

Perlises Pick From Summer 2022 Wines

October 29, 2022 by Michael Perlis

With the hot summer of 2022 at an end, we thought we’d share with our readers some of our favorite wines from the last few months.

2021 Clos Solene La Rose – a blend of 56% Grenache, 26% Mourvedre, 17% Cinsault and 10% Syrah, all from the Adelaida district of Paso Robles and all farmed specifically for rosé. Light and very refreshing with fragrant citrus notes and a medium to long finish. A vegetarian pizza topped with fresh bitter arugula made a great match on a hot summer night. The note on the label from winemaker Guillaume Fabre adds to the mood: “As if he was presenting her with a rose, my father would give my mother a glass of wine of his Rosé. He liked to look at her examining the color and smell. At each of the sips, his mind would start thinking, I love you a little, a lot, passionately…” www.clossolene.com

2021 Benom L’essor – another rosé made by Guillaume Fabre, this time at the Paso Robles winery he owns with his brother Arnaud. This unusual blend of 78% Grenache and 22% Cabernet Sauvignon is very light and fresh with Meyer Lemon notes and an impression of a slight sweetness on its long finish. A light dinner of a salad of arugula/tangerine/Boursin cheese with San Pasqual dressing (Italian balsamic vinaigrette champagne-style dressing made by Valencia’s Marston’s Restaurant) and chicken salad/celery/nuts/raisin spread on crostini was a very enjoyable combination.

www.benomwines.com

2021 Idlewild Flora and Fauna Rosé – Sam Bilbro is the youngest of the Bilbro Brothers making wine in Sonoma County [the other two are Scot at Marietta Cellars and Jake at Limerick Lane] and he has chosen to focus on Italian varietals. This blend of 41% Nebbiolo, 30% Dolcetto, and 29% Barbera along with just a touch of Grignolino, primarily from Fox Hill Vineyard in Mendocino County, has plum notes and a slightly sweet and well-rounded finish. This paired perfectly with freshly made Tagliatelle Bolognese pasta with a slow braised pork ragu, basil and grated 18-month aged parmesan cheese.

www.idlewildwines.com

2021 Bedrock Ode to Lulu Rosé – Bedrock’s annual homage to the late Lulu Peyraud of Bandol, this blend of Mataro/Mourvèdre from the historic Pato and Evangelho Vineyards in Contra Costa County along with Cinsault and Grenache from Sonoma County’s Dry Creek Valley may be Bedrock’s best rosé yet. With notes of peach and persimmon and a long, dry finish, this was a great pairing with chicken siu mai, pork potstickers, and baby bok toy with garlic.

2019 Bedrock Sauvignon Blanc Judge Family Vineyard – this might be our favorite SB we’ve had so far from Bedrock. Big, bright, ripe melon notes with a full mouth feel on the finish and a dinner of chicken thighs marinated in pureed eggplant/bell pepper/tomato sauce with haricot verts was delicious. www.bedrockwineco.com

2021 Keplinger Rosé – while superstar winemaker Helen Keplinger may be better known for her delicious reds, this 35% Grenache, 35% Mourvedre, 30% Syrah blend from the famed Shake Ridge Vineyard in Amador County is an outstanding rosé with tangerine notes, a medium finish and a big rounded mouth feel. A simple meal of a small Caesar salad, shrimp cocktail, followed by mangoes dipped in chocolate hummus was all we needed.www.keplingerwines.com

2021 Bodega Garzón Albariño Reserva – yes, we do drink wines from outside California, sometimes far outside. Uruguay’s Bodega Garzón has garnered so many accolades from respected critics and publications that it is impossible to count, including being named the 2018 New World Winery of the Year by Wine Enthusiast. From their website: “Located between Brazil and Argentina, Uruguay stands as one of the most prominent countries in the Latin American winegrowing world. Its location – on the same latitude as Argentina, Chile, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, and its temperate climate favor growing grapevines throughout its territory.” We appreciated this wine’s Meyer lemon notes, full and intense mouthfeel and gentle, long finish and enjoyed it with roasted branzino with a panko and parsley crust and roasted brussel sprouts. www.bodegagarzon.com/en/

2013 Carlisle Syrah – finally, lest you think we have forsaken red wines entirely, we loved this 100% Syrah from Rosella’s Vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands of Monterey County. From an area known more for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, Carlisle sources these grapes to make a delicious wine with plum and raisin notes with a long, luscious finish. It married well with a rare hanger steak and zucchini latkes. www.carlislewinery.com

Perlises Pick: Visiting Santa Rosa and Healdsburg

July 9, 2022 by Michael Perlis

If you are reading Eve’s Wine 101, the main reason for you to visit the Santa Rosa/Healdsburg area in Sonoma County is presumably for the wine. While we are not going to pick an absolutely favorite wine region, we’d be hard-pressed to select an area that we enjoy more.

We will name a favorite place to stay though. Vintners Resort in Santa Rosa tops our list. We’ve watched it grow from its originally named Vintners Inn under the watchful eyes of owner Rhonda Carano and GM Percy Brandon. Sadly for us, Percy has just moved on to become General Manager of the Allison Inn & Spa in Newburg, Oregon. We were fortunate enough to see him one last time to say our goodbyes. Who knows, maybe it is time for us to report on Oregon wine country? In the meantime, as Eve Wine 101 has already reported, Brian Sommer has been named General Manager and we look forward to meeting with him on our next visit.

Fortunately, our favorite restaurant in Santa Rosa is on the Vintners Resort property. John Ash and Company opened in 1980[!] and was the first Sonoma County restaurant to introduce the concept of cooking with seasonal, locally sourced foods and produce – AKA wine country cuisine. The original chef was, of course, John Ash and the current chef Tom Schmidt is continuing the concept.

The atmosphere is of an elegant country inn, with views of the vineyards on the resort property. Choose from indoor or al fresco dining on the open-air terrace with available heaters if needed. The staff is very knowledgeable and attentive, yet unobtrusive. From our appetizers of Tuna Poke and Beef Carpaccio to our entrees of Bone-In Pork Chop [which Karen said was the best she ever had] and Duck Breast, everything flowed seamlessly. As did our wine, starting with glasses of Roederer Estate Brut and then our BYOB 2013 Bedrock Winery Zinfandel from the Carlisle Vineyard. We were too full for dessert, but not too full for the complimentary dark chocolate truffles.

A little further north in Healdsburg is a wonderful restaurant that somehow we had not managed to visit on previous trips to the area, even though it opened back in 2015: Valette, which is only a block away from the Healdsburg Square. Brothers Dustin Valette and Aaron Garzini grew up in Geyserville and envisioned working together using local Sonoma products. Dustin got his culinary training at the CIA in New York and then worked at Bouchon in Napa and Dry Creek Kitchen in Healdsburg, among others. Aaron worked as sommelier and front of the house at John Ash [see above!] and at Rustic Restaurant, Francis Ford Coppola’s restaurant at his Geyserville winery. General Manager Harry Bryan recently returned to Valette from a stint at Timber Cove Resort, bringing with him over two decades of industry experience.

From top-tier professionals on down through the entire team, Valette is in a very select group of restaurants where it is clear that everybody wants to be there and enjoys what they do.

With our appetizers of Ahi Poke and Fruit Compote Special with Foie Gras, we enjoyed glasses of the 2020 Valette Rose of Pinot Noir. Yes, they do have their own wine label to complement the selections on their amazing wine list – this rose is made by Bob Cabral [formerly with Williams Selyem, among others] and was delicious. We brought a bottle of 2013 Bedrock Winery Zinfandel from the Bedrock Vineyard to accompany our entrees of Crispy Skinned Steelhead Trout for Karen and Pan Seared Alaskan Halibut for Michael. All the dishes were wonderful, both visually and gustatorily. And this time, we did save room for the peanut and chocolate dessert, “It’s Not A ‘Snickers Bar’, which topped off the evening.

We highly recommended Valette for a special occasion or just to make any occasions special.

Finally, if you find yourself out and about on a Sunday, Monday or Wednesday morning before the wineries open, pay a visit to the Luther Burbank Home & Gardens in downtown Santa Rosa. We really enjoyed strolling the grounds of the home and gardens of this world-renowned pioneering horticulturist who experimented with plants for more than 50 years. We took the easy, self-guided tour of gardens ranging from crops, fruits, herbs, flowers, wildlife habit and cactus with informative displays, pictures and mini quiz boxes. Check out the pic of the spineless cactus as big as a small house!

Vintners Resort and John Ash & Company

www.vintnersresort.com

4350 Barnes Road

Santa Rosa, CA 95403

Valette

www.valettehealdsburg.com

344 Center Street

Healdsburg, CA 95448

Luther Burbank Home & Gardens

www.lutherburbank.org

204 Santa Rosa Ave

Santa Rosa, CA 95404

Perlises Pick: Emmitt-Scorsone Wines

July 2, 2022 by Michael Perlis

We were very much interested in visiting “new to us” wineries on our trip to the Santa Rosa / Healdsburg area, and Emmitt-Scorsone definitely fit that requirement. Heading west from the town of Healdsburg into the Dry Creek Valley, we immediately encountered the change in scenery that is so common to wine regions. The road to the winery soon became only one lane in parts and we were thankful that the only car that we encountered heading toward us was small enough that neither had to execute any complicated maneuvers [like backing up!].

Still, we managed to arrive a little early and had a chance to talk to the owner of the property, David Merrill. He spoke fondly of his desire to just focus on tending to the grapes and his pleasure at having the Emmitt-Scorsone winery on site to handle winemaking duties, both from his estate grapes (the property, known as the Vinegrove, is about 32 acres with 7+ planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache and Petite Sirah) as well the ones the winery owners source from other areas.

We sat on the back patio – in a land of spectacular views, this is a great one – and were soon joined by winery co-owner and co-winemaker, Michael Scorsone. Michael became interested in the wine world early, moving to Napa after first graduating from the CIA in New York and then UNLV. He worked at wineries in Napa, Italy and New Zealand, eventually becoming assistant winemaker at Failla under Ehren Jordan [we’re big fans of Ehren from his days at Turley]. Michael then consulted for Fred Schrader of Schrader Cellars and then moved on to become head winemaker at Adobe Road for several years.

Michael’s assistant winemaker at Adobe was Palmer Emmitt. Palmer had a very different path to the wine world, having been an international level racing skier and then having a ten-year career working in feature film production. During that time, Palmer developed a passion for wine, eventually achieving advanced sommelier certifications from the WSET. He moved to Northern California to attend Sonoma State’s wine MBA program. As mentioned, he worked with Michael at Adobe and they made the jump in 2015 to start Emmitt-Scorsone.

Emmitt-Scorsone actually has three labels.

Judge Palmer is named after Palmer’s grandfather. The focus of this label is primarily Cabernet Sauvignon from prestigious Napa Valley vineyards and relatively undiscovered Sonoma County sites as well as classic grape varieties like Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Franc and Malbec.

Domenica Amato is named after Michael’s grandmother – her immigration picture is on the label – and focuses on Rhone and Italian varietals.

Finally, the Emmitt-Scorsone brand is more value oriented and provides a good entry point to discovering the winery.

Michael asked if we had an interest in white wines or just wanted to focus on reds. If you’ve read our articles at all in the last couple of years you know what our answer was. Michael then asked “do you like getting a little funky with your whites?” We said “heck yeah” and we were ready to taste:

2019 Domenica Amato Vermentino – from the Mahoney vineyard in Carneros; part of the vineyard is in Sonoma and part in Napa. The wine spent 10 months in Italian clay amphorae. Meyer lemon notes, crisp medium finish with a kiss of saltiness, reminiscent of the ocean air.

2020 Domenica Amato Viognier – from the Salomon Vineyard near Kenwood in the Sonoma Valley. This wine spent ten months in neutral oak barrels. With a tart peach nose, this wine is luscious and rich and had a medium finish.

2019 Domenica Amato Gusto Bianco – a complex blend of 48% Viognier, 47% Grenache Blanc [both from Sonoma County] and 5% Fiano all the way from Clarksburg in Yolo County. It was light and bright with a tangerine nose.

2016 Domenica Amato Roussanne from the Bennett Valley. An Orange Wine [i.e. skin contact white] that was interesting in all the good ways. Only made two barrels, very complex and fresh.

2019 Domenica Amato Barbera from the Dry Creek Valley. Cherry notes with bright clean fruit. Classic bramble notes but with finesse and elegance. Very nice.

2018 Domenica Amato Gusto Rosso Estate Red blend of 50% Grenache, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Petite Sirah, showcasing all the estate vineyard has to offer. Big and bright from the Grenache with a medium finish. Good rusticity with a very slight gaminess that makes you want another taste.

2018 Judge Palmer Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Terrace — the winery makes a few Cabs, this one is from their estate vineyard. Just a couple of barrels made of this. The wine was concentrated and intense with great depth and a long finish.

2019 Domenica Amato Grenache Estate – 100% Grenache from the estate. A little light in color but not in bouquet or flavor with plenty of clean red fruit. Grenache as it should be made with no attempt to over-extract it. Delicious.

In wrapping up our visit, we asked Michael what he wanted people to know about Emmitt-Scorsone Wines. He responded that it was important that people realize that the winery is just these two guys with a passion for wine. They said to each other “let’s make wine” and started with only a couple of barrels. Production is small, just about 3,000 cases and they still do everything by themselves. Their passion comes through in every bottle.

Emmitt-Scorsone Wines

www.emmittscorsone.com

1830 Jameson Rd, Healdsburg, CA 95448

Perlises Pick: Soda Rock Winery

June 25, 2022 by Michael Perlis

A trip to the Healdsburg area wouldn’t be complete without visiting Antoine Favero. Antoine is a winemaker for several of the Wilson Family Wineries. We’ve met with him a few times at Mazzocco Sonoma in Dry Creek Valley [with a focus on amazing Zinfandels] and at Jaxon Keys in Mendocino County [love those Rhone varietals] but we felt we should expand our reporting so we agreed to meet at Soda Rock Winery in Alexander Valley, which specializes in Bordeaux varietals.

Pulling up to Soda Rock Winery should be very impressive for any first-time visitor. It sure was for us. Visible from the road is the towering figure of Lord Snort, who is directly in front of the sadly burnt-out husk of the original winery and tasting room that was destroyed in the 2019 Kincade fire. The winery building was about 150 years old and was the original site of the Alexander Valley general store and post office. Ken and Diane Wilson purchased the property in the year 2000.

By now, you might be wondering who is Lord Snort, whose photo is included with this article. Lord Snort is a 20,000 steel sculpture created by local artist, Bryan Tedrick. This is the second of his sculptures at a Wilson family winery property, being preceded by the Coyote sculpture at Wilson Winery in the Dry Creek Valley.

Lord Snort actually made his debut at Burning Man – check out this video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=edNJ_uGzlmA – and the rumor is he will be there again.

We arrived at Soda Rock a little before Antoine got there and were greeted warmly by tasting room hostess, Madison. She gave us the option of tasting in the refurbished barn or outside among the trees right next to the vineyard and we chose the latter. Although Antoine had planned an afternoon of red wines for us, Madison poured us a couple of whites to get us started. She also brought over some cheeses and charcuterie to nibble on, which are available for purchase with your tasting.

Kenneth Carl Sparkling Brut – blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with a kiss of Pinot Meunier. Notes of green apple, ripe pear. Made at the Jaxon Keys winery in Mendocino but available at all of the Wilson family wineries.

2019 Chardonnay Reserve West Soda Rock – Alexander Valley, 100% Chardonnay. Notes of lemon, blood orange and sweet honey.

By now, Antoine had arrived. It was such a pleasure to see him again. Not only is he a great winemaker but the passion he exudes for his craft is infectious. It had clearly rubbed off on Madison who continued to pour the wines and share her thoughts on them.

2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Twisted Rail – Alexander Valley near Cloverdale Named for a 2011 abandoned railroad tunnel fire that was originally built in 1898, this wine is 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Merlot. Medium color and tannin, big and bright with notes of cigar and black cherry and a dry, clean finish.

2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Five Star General – Alexander Valley. 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Petit Verdot, 2% Merlot. The best of the barrels for each varietal go into this. Chocolate, blue and black berry notes with supple and subtle tannins.

2018 Malbec Reserve Runway – Dry Creek Valley near the Mazzocco winery. 77% Malbec, 23% Cabernet Sauvignon. Tangy and deep, but brightened up by the Cabernet. Cherry, cedar and leather notes.

2019 Cabernet Franc Warm Springs Ranch – Dry Creek Valley near Lake Sonoma, the wine is 93% Cabernet Franc and 7% Petit Verdot. These vines are at 1700 ft elevation; they get stressed from the high elevation, but are cooled by the nearby afternoon marine breezes. Fruit forward and very well rounded.

2019 Meritage Alexander Valley – Sonoma County. 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 46% Cabernet Franc, 4% Merlot. Notes of dark plum fruit along with chewiness from the Cab Franc, with a full mouthfeel and a long finish.

2019 Lord Snort – Sonoma County. 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot We might have expected a wine named after a steel sculpture of a wild boar to be frivolous, but we should have known better. This was a serious wine, with lots of depth from the Merlot

2019 Zinfandel Wentworth – Sonoma County. It wouldn’t have been a visit with Antoine without a great Zin; this one is 75% Zinfandel, 20% Primitivo and 5% Petite Sirah. It is named after Fred Wentworth, the original owner of the Alexander Valley general store that housed the Soda Rock Winery before the fire. Tart, fruit-forward, dark fruit, chocolate and vanilla notes, tinge of nutmeg and ginger, herbaceous.

2019 Primitivo Lytton Station – Alexander Valley. 96% Primitivo, 4% Petite Sirah. Persian cucumber nose with vanilla and cinnamon notes, refreshing and cool.

We really enjoyed all of these wines and highly recommend visiting Soda Rock Winery. There is so much local history in the refurbished barn saved from the fire that we found interesting. It made for a leisurely wine tasting afternoon. We would be remiss if we did not remind our readers of the Children of Vineyard Workers Scholarship Fund created by Ken and Diane Wilson in 2002 in collaboration with the Sonoma County Farm Bureau. Per the website, this fund has distributed more than $500,000 in scholarships. Antoine administers this program and was excited to tell us that one of their recipients had just gotten accepted into Yale. Wow, talk about life-changing!

Soda Rock Winery

www.sodarockwinery.com

8015 CA-128, Healdsburg, CA 95448

Please note there is also a tasting room in downtown Healdsburg:

409A Healdsburg Avenue, Healdsburg, CA 95448

Perlises Pick: Grand Cru Custom Crush

May 28, 2022 by Michael Perlis

Custom crushes provide vital resources to boutique winemakers who don’t have their own winery facilities yet desire to have access to state of the art equipment and support. Grand Cru Custom Crush in Windsor, California takes this one step further by enabling their client wineries to offer their customers an opportunity for an amazing tasting experience.

Recently, we had the opportunity to visit with Nicole Yasinsac, Grand Cru’s Hospitality and Events Director. She gave us a tour of Grand Cru as well as providing tastes of a selection of their clients’ wines, all while sharing the story of the facility.

Robert Morris, former president of Punchdown Cellars in Santa Rosa (which was formerly Copain Custom Crush) and his wife Erin teamed up with Erin Brooks and Todd Gottula of Ernest Vineyards to open Grand Cru in 2017. The building design was inspired by the historic Boradorri Garage in Cayucos, with other touches paying homage to Robert being a reserve firefighter for the city of Healdsburg.

The production facility is 30,000 square feet with a capability of producing about 25,000 total cases annually. Winery clients are varied, which helps to ensure different picking and production schedules. Besides barrels, concrete eggs, sandstone amphorae and urns are also available, as are crush pads and bottling, as well as a lab.

We’ve been to custom crushes where tasting with the winemaker can be somewhat of an adventure, maybe just one step away from an OSHA report. The tasting salons at Grand Cru are stylish, with the bay doors available to be open to allow for as much fresh air as one would want. Gabriel Glas wine glasses help to maintain the elegance.

And the wines are no slouches either. Nicole guided us through a tasting of the following –

Edaphos by Ernest: 2021 Picpoul from Lodi’s Prie Vineyard. Ernest Winery is owned by Todd and Erin Gottula, co-owners of Grand Cru and is named after Todd’s grandfather Ernest. The Edaphos label focuses on small lots of lesser known grape varietals. The wine was subtle with an impression of a hint of sweetness and bright light citrus and a lengthy finish.

Ernest: 2019 Aligote from the Henry David Vineyard in Bennett Valley. The “other” white Burgundy, somewhat similar to Chardonnay. Light with some grassy notes and hints of arugula.

Bucher: 2021 Sauvignon Blanc from the Bucher Estate vineyard in the Russian River Valley. The Buchers added vineyards to their 360 acre dairy farm starting in 1997. The wine was fresh and bright with tropical notes. Very classic Sauvignon Blanc.

Black Kite: 2018 Pinot Noir from the Gap’s Crown Vineyard on the Sonoma Coast. The co-founders are Tom and Rebecca Birdsall along with Rebecca’s parents, Donald and Maureen Green. The label named after Rebecca’s father favorite bird. Notes of dark cherry and a pleasing light finish, smooth and silky on palate.

Terminim: 2018 Syrah from the Alder Springs Vineyard in Mendocino. This is a collaboration between François Villard of France’s Northern Rhone Valley and Donald Patz of Patz and Hall Winery in Sonoma fame. Very dark and rich with black olive notes. Delicious wine.

Saxon Brown: 2017 Zinfandel, Stonewall Block, Sonoma County. Owner/winemaker Jeff Gaffner was with Chateau St Jean and started Saxon Brown in 1997. Dense style but not overpowering, lush ripe fruit with lavender notes.

We want to thank Nicole so much for spending time with us. Please visit Grand Cru Custom Crush on your next visit to the Santa Rosa/Windsor/Healdsburg area. It is a great multi-brand experience of the outstanding wines made at the facility – private, personal, relaxed and intimate, showcasing many varietals and AVAs.

Grand Cru Custom Crush

www.grandcrucustomcrush.com

1200 American Way, Windsor, CA 95492Michael and Karen Perlis have been pursuing their passion for wine for more than 30 years. They have had the good fortune of having numerous mentors to show them the way and after a couple of decades of learning about wine, attending events, visiting wineries and vineyards, and tasting as much wine as they possibly could, they had the amazing luck to meet Eve Bushman. Michael and Karen do their best to bring as much information as possible about wine to Eve’s Wine 101 faithful readers.

Perlises Pick: Jeff Cohn Cellars

May 21, 2022 by Michael Perlis

We’ve tasted wines from Jeff Cohn Cellars many times, but always at events, where the wines were poured by Jeff or his wife, Alexandra. We had never had an opportunity to sit down and taste through the lineup with Jeff and hear the full story.

We finally were able meet with Jeff at their recently opened tasting room in Healdsburg. You can read all about Jeff Cohn Cellars on the website here www.jeffcohncellars.com/about-our-story but ultimately, it turns out that their story is a multi-faceted love story.

First and foremost, the love story of Jeff Cohn Cellars is about Alexandra and Jeff and their family. They met while they were both working at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City in Virginia – Jeff was F&B Cost Controller and Alexandra was an accounting trainee. Coincidentally, they had both also attended Florida International University. Alexandra’s career path took her back to Florida and Jeff joined her there, working on cruise ships for two years. But being in the hospitality industry often means being bitten by the wine bug and eventually, they moved to California. Jeff had already worked as an intern at Boordy Vineyards in Maryland but during the process of obtaining his Master’s in Agricultural Chemistry at Cal State Fresno, he discovered French techniques as well as the wines of the Northern and Southern Rhone plus Zinfandel. The rest was history.

It is also apparent the love that Jeff has for his colleagues and mentors, both former and current, most notably the late Kent Rosenblum. Jeff went to work for Kent at Rosenblum Cellars after graduating from CSUF, moving up the line to eventually become winemaker and then vice president of winemaking and production. He left in 2006 to focus on Jeff Cohn Cellars [then called JC Cellars] which he had founded in 1996, but not before making his permanent mark on the wine world by having Rosenblum’s 2003 Rockpile Road Zinfandel hit #3 on the Wine Spectator Top 100 list.

Finally, and certainly not least, is Jeff’s love of wine grapes, particularly, as mentioned above, Rhones and Zins.

So yes, we are finally getting to what we tasted –

2017 Iris Sparkling Brut Rose – named after Jeff’s beloved mother, this delicious bubbly is a blend of 60% Grenache (Rossi Ranch), 20% Syrah (Rockpile) and 20% Mourvedre (Rossi Ranch). Modeled after the wines from the France’s Tavel region, Karen picked up notes of Persimmon.

2018 Rossi Ranch GSM – a classic blend of 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 20% Mourvedre, this wine had a long finish, with sausage spices notes.

2018 Maggie’s Vineyard – 100% Zinfandel from vines that are over 120 years old . Many textures and layers on this wine that Jeff dedicated to his friend Kent [see above].

2017 Sweetwater Springs – 100% Petite Sirah. Dark, ruby red, purple in color, big and balanced.

2017 Domain Des Chirats -100% Rockpile Syrah – A joint project with Yves Cuilleron, Northern Rhone winemaker from Chavanay, France (half of this wine’s production is exported to France). Big luscious berry notes; one of the finest Syrahs we’ve tasted.

2016 Stagecoach Marsanne – 85% Marsanne, 15% Roussanne. The last wine we tasted was a white. We asked Jeff why other wineries pour their whites first and he said “because they are doing it wrong.” Seriously though, white wines poured at the beginning of a tasting are often forgotten by the end. We wouldn’t have forgotten this one though no matter where in the tasting it was poured. A wonderful palate brightener with delicious tropical fruits to wake up the taste buds. Crisp citrus notes and a big mouth feel. This Napa Valley vineyard was bought by Gallo a few years ago so we are not sure what the future holds for these varietals there.

Jeff Cohn makes more wines in addition to the ones we tasted. He has many more Rhones and single vineyard Zins sourced from Sonoma, Napa and the central coast. They are definitely worth a stop when you are in Healdsburg or in the Santa Rosa area or interested in making an online purchase.

We expect you’ll love them as much as we did.

Jeff Cohn Cellars

34 North St, Healdsburg, CA 95448

www.jeffcohncellars.com

Perlises Pick: Exploring the Paso Robles Area

January 29, 2022 by Michael Perlis

Much as one might want to, spending 24 hours per day at wineries is not a realistic option. So, here are some non-winery suggestions:

First, you’ll need a place to stay on your visit. Unlike when we first started visiting the area decades ago, Paso Robles offers a wide range of accommodations for every taste and budget. For a place that is right in the middle, both in pricing and proximity to wineries, we really enjoyed staying at the Oxford Suites. It is also just south of the center of town where the nightlife is. This is a fairly new hotel, and we were very pleased with the cleanliness and the amenities, such as the full hot breakfast and the manager’s reception in the evening. The breakfast is complimentary to all guests and the reception, while available to all, is complimentary to those who book their stays directly. There is a very nice fire pit in the back. But the best part for us was the hotel staff. Everyone was extremely helpful and cheerful – not a surly one in this bunch. We’d like to give a particular shout-out to Erin – she was outstanding. An added bonus was the practically private freeway entrance to head south on CA101 to Highway 46 W or Tin City.

Oxford Suites

www.oxfordsuitespasorobles.com

800 4^th Street, Paso Robles, CA 93446

A while back, we reviewed San Luis Obispo County Wine – A World Class History [www.evewine101.com/2021/04/03/perlis-picks-san-luis-obispo-county-wine-a-world-class-history-book-review/]. Since then, we’d been eagerly looking forward to finally meeting up with co-author Libbie Agran, who is the founder of The Wine History Project of San Luis Obispo County (the Project). The Project has exhibits at various locations in the area, but its home is in the Paso Robles History Museum in the middle of Paso Robles City Park, with the showcase Wine History Gallery. We got there just in time for the end of the Celebrating Zinfandel exhibit, which was perfect for these Zinfans – the exhibit really brought back of lot of good memories. Hopefully, we will make it back in time to see the exhibit that replaced it: Celebrating Amphorae, which explores this ancient winemaking practice, including the area winemakers that are still using it. From Libbie: “You will love the Amphora Exhibit. We are near completion of our Documentary Film on the same subject. Patrick McGovern at the University of Pennsylvania, the famous archeologist who analyzes food and wine residues in clay vessels or shards found around the world, will be interviewed for the film which will be released next Spring. We are planning two Symposia in Paso Robles on Amphorae winemaking in 2022 in Paso Robles.

There will be winemakers from other countries including Georgia, Italy, and Armenia attending.” But again, the Wine History Project has exhibits all over town and you should check out the website for more information. Libbie brings an incredible amount of passion to this project and it is well worth your time. Also worth your time is the rest of the Paso Robles History Museum where you can learn even more about the area and its long history. Docents are very knowledgeable and helpful.

The Wine History Project of San Luis Obispo County

www.winehistoryproject.org

Paso Robles History Museum

www.pasorobleshistorymuseum.org

800 12^th Street, Paso Robles, CA 93446

Getting away to Cambria for a respite from wine tasting (that is if you want one!) is always a fun trip. It is just a 25-minute drive on scenic Highway 46 W. Cambria is as quaint and busy as ever. This time, we took a side trip and left downtown Cambria for the beautiful trails of the Fiscalini Ranch Preserve. They have a wide range of easy-to-moderate experiences with stunning views of the crashing waves. We have been there at sunset a number of times and it takes your breath away. And it’s free – although donations are always welcome.

www.fiscaliniranchpreserve.org

Finally, you gotta eat, right?

Our favorite restaurant in Paso and one of our favorites anywhere is Il Cortile. Michael hadn’t eaten pasta in months and knew if he was getting it anywhere it would be here. From appetizers of seafood zuppa and poached egg over white polenta to main courses of papparedelle with wild boar ragu and the branzino special, along with the great service and beautiful night sky, we were so glad to be back in Paso.

Il Cortile

www.ilcortileristorante.com

608 12^th Street

We’ve eaten many times at the original Black Cat Bistro in Cambria but this was our first time at its sister restaurant, Black Cat Bistro Too in Paso. It was the same great food and service we’ve come to expect. The pork belly appetizer was incredible and the entrees of duck breast and shrimp scampi were delicious as well. Our server Dancene took great care of us on the sidewalk patio.

The Black Cat Bistro Too

www.blackcatbistro.com

1218 Pine Street

Roots on Railroad and The Backyard on Thirteenth provide a unique outdoor food (Roots) and drink (Backyard) combination that should not be ignored. Roots was founded by Chef Chris Beckett and his business partner Katie Castillo in early 2020. Chris had been founding chef for local faves Fish Gaucho and The Crooked Kilt. After an extensive career in in the industry, he wanted to open the “biggest-little restaurant in town.” The large Backyard beer garden provides a great complement of mostly local beers and wines to go with the food or just for sipping on their own. There are umbrellas for shade, tables and comfy lounges with ample seating

www.thebackyardpaso.com

1300 Railroad Street

www.rootsonrailroad.com

1304 Railroad Street

Finally, we also really enjoyed our breakfast at the Hunter Ranch Golf Course on our way into town as well as lunches at Vivant Cheese Shop, Taste Craft Eatery, and Springside Restaurant. All these places provide great service, outdoor seating, and delicious food too.

Perlises Pick: Monochrome

January 22, 2022 by Michael Perlis

After months of no winery visits, we finally got out and about. But, something about us had changed. While we still love red wine A LOT, we have been drinking mostly whites during our stay at home and espousing our newfound “healthier diet and lighter wine to go with it” lifestyle to anyone who will listen.

It was now time to put our money where are our mouths are.

Meet Monochrome.

We first tasted Monochrome at the 2018 Garagiste Festival in Santa Monica. At that time, Michael wrote: I’m just going to say it: “It takes balls to make only white wine in red wine country. Since I was focusing primarily on reds I almost skipped it. Fortunately, Karen insisted I try the wines.

As usual…um, always…she was right. Especially loved the 2016 blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Marsanne as well as the 2016 blend of Marsanne and Chardonnay. They are pouring in Paso’s Tin City now and I highly recommend you check them out. We intend to.”

Three years later [!], we finally did.

If there was any doubt, Michael comments above were meant as a compliment, not an insult. Paso Robles is known for its big red wines and many (but certainly not all) of the white wines have the reputation of being viewed as an afterthought for that member of a tasting group that just “doesn’t like reds.”

Dave McGee is changing that, one wine-drinker at a time. He founded Monochrome in 2016 after a rich and varied career in industries such as radar design, stealth technology and neuroradiology. He completed the online UC Davis winemaking program and helped with the winemaking at Villa Creek and Alta Colina before making the jump to starting his winery, focusing entirely on white wine.

Taking a contrarian approach to the rest of the region, Dave and consulting winemaker Riley Hubbard focus on making only “white wines with depth, layers and complexity…” Sourcing grapes from Santa Barbara County on the south to Santa Cruz on the north (the three-hour-by-truck rule), they break each variety into small batches and use different fermentation and aging techniques for each, resulting in wines that really live up to the expression of the whole being greater than the sum of the parts.

Some notes on the wines we tasted:

2019 “Neither Here Nor There” is a blend of 56% Chenin Blanc from Jurassic Park Vineyard in the Santa Ynez Valley and 44% Sauvignon Blanc from the McGinley Vineyard in Happy Canyon. We picked up lemon notes and long finish. This wine has a really solid backbone.

2018 “Analog In A Digital Age” is 74% Marsanne from Camp 4 Vineyard in the Santa Ynez Valley, 17% Chenin Blanc from G2 Vineyard in the Willow Creek district of Paso Robles and 9% Viognier from Shokrian Vineyard in Santa Barbara County. The wine spent nine months in amphora. There was a really nice minerality on the finish.

2018 “Sense Of Out Of Place” – this blend of 53% Sauvignon Blanc from McGinley Vineyard and 47% Chardonnay from Donnachadh Vineyard in the Santa Rita Hills has a medium to long finish and pretty citrus/tangerine notes on the nose.

2018 “Wall Of Sound” is 68% Roussanne from Zaca Mesa Vineyard, Santa Ynez Valley and 32% Viognier from Shokrian Vineyard. This is a very rich classic Rhone blend.

2017 “Blasphemy” is an unusual blend of 80% Chardonnay from Donnachadh Vineyard and 20% Chenin Blanc from Jurassic Park Vineyard. It has a rich golden corn color, and is bright and rich, with a perceived sweetness [as it is 100% dry].

2019 “X-3” – the blend is 49% Roussanne from Zaca Mesa Vineyard, 37% Viognier from Plum Orchard Tree Lane Vineyard in Paso’s Templeton Gap and 14% Grenache Blanc from the G2 Vineyard. Some of this classic Rhone blend goes through the “death and resurrection” method wherein the juice is hyper oxidized and then allowed to come back to life. The wine has a very full mouth feel with citrus lemon notes and a medium to long finish

2020 “Barrel Distortion” – 94% Albarino from Plum Orchard Lane Vineyard, 6% Gewurtzraminer from Paraiso Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands. Very bright with smooth buttery notes.

You may have noticed an overriding theme here. These are serious, complex wines. A lot of thought and care went into making them and the approach to drinking them should follow suit. Monochrome is raising the bar for what white wines can be. Check them out in Paso Robles’s Tin City.

Monochrome

www.monochromewines.com

3075 Blue Rock Road, Paso Robles, CA 93446