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VESPERA RESORT ON PISMO BEACH INTRODUCES VESPERA VINTNER’S CLUB

February 10, 2022 by evebushman

PISMO BEACH, Calif. – New for 2022, Vespera Resort on Pismo Beach introduces Vespera Vintner’s Club, which includes partnerships with some of the Central Coast region’s most exceptional winemakers – offering activities dedicated to local vintner’s wines including monthly wine dinners, complimentary Saturday tastings at Somerset Grill bar, monthly featured wines served by the glass and specially designed wine packages for overnight guests.

The monthly collaborative dinners, curated by Chef Frank Barajas, will be served in Somerset Grill’s private Barrel Room. Barajas and his team will meet with each winemaker to create multi-course dinners for these one-of-a-kind events showcasing Somerset Grill’s regionally inspired, classic seaside “Oceanside Americana” cuisine with the freshest ingredients from Central Coast California and beyond. Each featured winery will have a winemaker or other influential member at the dinner to interact with guests and share their pairing knowledge.

Discounts for monthly featured wines are available for wine club members who stay at Vespera, and Vespera Vintner’s Club offers special packages for wine dinner and tastings for overnight guests, as well as discounts when visiting partner wineries. Packages are as follows:

  • Vespera Vintner’s Club Wine & Dine Package includes two wine dinner tickets, overnight stay and bottle of featured monthly wine. Package price starts at $639.
  • Vespera Vintner’s Club Central Coast Wine Tasting Package includes two wine tastings at choice of featured vineyard, overnight stay and bottle of featured wine. Package price starts at $439.

For package reservations, visit vesperapismobeach.com/accommodations/packages.

The schedule of the first seven monthly wine dinners in Vespera Resort’s Barrel Room through July follows:

Laetitia Vineyard & Winery Wine Dinner

Wednesday, January 19 at 6 p.m.

Laetitia Vineyard & Winery will present premium estate wines that showcase the distinctive qualities of the Arroyo Grande Valley.

Daou Vineyards Wine Dinner

Tuesday, February 8 at 6 p.m.

Daou Vineyards produces its exquisite cabernet sauvignon on unrivaled terroir of Daou Mountain in Paso Robles.

Claiborne & Churchill Vineyards Wine Dinner

Tuesday, March 8 at 6 p.m.

Claiborne & Churchill Vineyards is a small, family-owned winery in San Luis Obispo, the heart of Edna Valley, known for using traditional European winemaking techniques.

Wolff Vineyards Wine Dinner

Tuesday, April 5 at 6 p.m.

Located in downtown San Luis Obispo, Edna Valley, Wolff Vineyards is ecologically friendly, certified sustainable and California Central Coast inspired.

Chamisal Vineyards Wine Dinner

Tuesday, May 3 at 6 p.m.

Chamisal Vineyards in San Luis Obispo specializes in chardonnay and pinot noir with its wines distinctively influenced by its soil types and proximity to the Pacific Ocean.

Hope Family Wines Dinner

Tuesday, June 7 at 6 p.m.

The Hope Family vineyards are in the Paso Robles region, and they have been producing high quality red wines for 30 years from the cool, rich, calcareous loam of the Templeton gap.

Qupé Wine Dinner

Dates To Be Determined

Since 1982, Qupé has been producing American Rhône varietals from the coastal regions of the Central Coast that are representative of its dedication to character, quality, balance and terroir.

Wine dinners are $129 plus tax and gratuity each and limited to 16 guests. Reservations are recommended by emailing Jaclyn.Dawson@vesperapismobeach.com or calling (805) 773-1011.

 Vespera Resort on Pismo Beach

147 Stimson Avenue

Pismo Beach, California 93449

(805) 773-1011

www.vesperapismobeach.com

About Vespera Resort on Pismo Beach

Vespera Resort on Pismo Beach, opened in late 2019, is an upscale beachfront resort on California’s Central Coast located in Pismo Beach along the city’s boardwalk and within walking distance to downtown Pismo Beach. The oceanfront resort offers 124 appointed guestrooms, most with private balconies overlooking the Pacific Ocean, and the hotel’s signature restaurant, Somerset Grill, serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Vespera Resort can accommodate events including business meetings and weddings, and the resort has a state-of-the-art fitness facility, onsite pool and lawn with firepits overlooking the Pacific Ocean. More information can be found at www.vesperapismobeach.com, Instagram, and Facebook.

Filed Under: Guests Tagged With: Arroyo Grande Valley, Barrel, bottle, calcareous, California, Central Coast, chef, Edna Valley, Paso Robles, pismo beach, san luis obispo, tasting, templeton, terroir, vintner, wine club, wine dinner, wine glass, Wine tasting, winemaker

Ten Year Challenge…With Wine and Spirits

February 4, 2022 by evebushman

My husband Eddie has painstakingly categorized our photos by year on our cell phones, so I recently looked at photos from ten years ago to see if any were worth posting alongside a photo taken recently, for the latest #10YearChallenge on social media. As you can guess, most of my photos back then were of wine, so I thought I would take a look back at what I was drinking then.

(I also searched my name, 2011 and photos on Facebook to add to my wine blast from the past.) This is what I wanted to share:

Contributing Editor Michael Perlis, Eve and then contributor Rusty Sly at All Corked Up in 2011.

From Napa

Meeting with winemaker Gerard Zanzonico in the stunning caves at Del Dotto for maybe the first time, wine tasting at 10 am in the private room for club members at Mondavi, having a seated tasting on an expansive patio with incredible views at Joseph Phelps, an underground tour and tasting in the caves at Schramsberg, meeting with the most gracious host/owner Suzanne Phifer Pavitt at Phifer Pavitt, an evening tasting at the downtown Napa PureCru tasting bar with winemaker Mitch Consentino.

From Paso

Blending wine at TH Estate with winemaker and owner Terry Hoage, visiting Cass for the first time, a mind-blowing multi-course Earth Day dinner at Justin, visiting with the now shuttered Edward Sellers, winery tour and tasting with Lawrence Lohr of J Lohr, discovering that Whalebone really does have whale bones around the property and Calcareous has calcareous rock in their vineyards, time spent with the one and only Gary Eberle, tasting wines, spirits and having dinner at Opolo, seeing Sculpterra for the first time, the dry farming at Minassian Young, Niner when it first opened, the first concrete eggs were at Villa Creek, meeting and tasting incredible wines with Janell Dusi at J Dusi, tasting Nuggucciet Cellars made by a local newspaper man and Mystic Hills Vineyard lovingly owned by local friends.

Jamaica

Though not known for wine we were well taken care of on a trip to Jamaica ten years ago with French Champagne, Appleton rum blended drinks and icy cold Red Stripe Beer.

Events
The annual Union des Grand Crus de Bordeaux tasting is always not only huge but amazing, and since I love Rhone wines the Rhone Rangers can’t be missed, local have Vine 2 Wine with lots of local support, Garagiste Festival offered drinkers events in LA as well as Paso, Pinot Days up in the Skirball Center, Paso’s Earth Day Food and Wine fest was new, and long-time favorite LA Wine Fest with Yoshi Murakami doing sake classes and Chris Uhde teaching about scotch.

Special Dining

Fontanafredda Barolo at Spago Beverly Hills with fellow wine writers, Martinis at Blue Mermaid Chowder House and Bar in San Francisco on vacation, wine and cheese at Wine 661 for locals, A Taste of Monterey Wine Tasting when I visited Eddie there for Naval Postgraduate School, Iron Horse sparkling that came complements of Bourbon Steak in San Francisco for our wedding anniversary dinner.

Places that no longer exist today

Wine bar/restaurant/wine storage facility – and even live music – at All Corked Up as loved by many, the two brothers that opened Artisan Paso Robles that was a favorite for locals and visitors alike, Chef Daniel Otto was first discovered at the Oaks Grille at TPC, Chef Jason Park at Maru Sushi when it was local on Town Center Drive and many times over drinking wine at Valencia Wine Company with owner Guy Lelarge and also attending all of the wine dinners and events he organized at local restaurants.

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.

Filed Under: Eve Bushman Tagged With: All Corked Up, artisan, beer, beverly hills, Bordeaux, calcareous, champagne, chef, concrete egg, del dotto vineyards, dining, garagiste, gary eberle, guy lelarge, joseph phelps, LA Wine Fest, los angeles, Martini, mitch cosentino, mondavi, Monterey, Napa, oaks grille, Paso Robles, Phifer Pavitt, Pinot Days, restaurant, Rhone, rhone rangers, rum, san francisco, social media, Sparkling wine, spirits, union Des Grands Cru, valencia, Valencia Wine Company, Vine 2 Wine Classic, wine 661, wine bar, wine club, Wine tasting, wine tour, winemaker, wineries, Zanzonico

Get to know Pla de Bages, Spain’s smallest appellation which is rising to new heights

December 6, 2021 by evebushman

NEW YORK (PRWEB) – Despite its absence on the average wine list in the United States, Pla de Bages represents a most interesting story of resilience in the wine world.

Located north-west of lively Barcelona, Pla de Bages stretches on 1230 acres across two fluvial valleys shaped by the Llobregat and the Cardener rivers. The region has been associated with wine production from the very beginning inasmuch as to be named after Bacchus, the Greek god of wine. Pla de Bages means Plain of Bacchus and conjures up the image of a land dotted with vineyards. Wine production already flourished under Roman domination, as witnessed by the architecture of rural villas and pottery remains from the 2nd-century, one vase bearing the noun vinum, wine in Latin. In the following centuries the popularity of the region would only grow, reaching its peak in the 19th century.

Its gilded epoch expanded between 1860 and 1890 when Pla de Bages became Catalonia’s most productive wine region, supplying Barcelona’s market as well as France, already experiencing the drama of Phylloxera and craving for quality wine. Unfortunately, by the end of the century the pest had also reached Pla de Bages dragging the region into obscurity.

Despite the odds, today Pla de Bages still produces attention worthy wines, some from varieties not often found elsewhere, thanks to the determination of a small group of obstinate producers who have resisted the temptation to abandon the valley and move to the city for a safer earning. This bunch of families have embraced innovation as a way to enhance the regional great potential, nowadays almost forgotten by human memory. Clay and calcareous soils, together with the local microclimate, low amount of rain and the noticeable diurnal range, allow grapes to thrive. Made from Picapoll Blanc and Macabeo varieties, white wines are savoury and fresh, whereas from Sumoll and Garnacha grapes red wines gain intense fruity aromas and a high drinkability. The quality-driven efforts of the local wineries, amounting nowadays to fifteen brands, resulted in Pla de Bages gaining DO status in 1995 and, most importantly, revived a long tradition which would otherwise have been lost.

Filed Under: Guests Tagged With: aroma, bacchus, calcareous, clay, drink, fruity, garnacha, grapes, microclimate, phylloxera, picpoul, soil, spain, variety, vineyards, white wine, wineries

Good and Bad Wine Experiences That Shape Our Interest

January 10, 2020 by evebushman

What wineries, wine writers or winemakers have you snubbed for a real – or possibly imagined – insult?

It’s probably happened to us all. That one bad experience with a business and we no longer will frequent them. It could be out and out bad behavior (stole my wallet in a restaurant and lo and behold they handed it to back me from behind the cashier’s desk within minutes) or more of a perceived fault.

I’ve seen the latter in many cases between friends, instead of talking it out they both assume the other is in the wrong. Fine, if a friendship ends there then you are both to blame.

But lets stick to business here, wine business to be exact. A wine store owner told me that decades ago, before he was in the business, he purchased what he was told was a rare bottle of wine for a certain sale price that couldn’t be beat. You know what happened. He saw the same wine – and yes he checked to make sure it was the same vintage year – at Costco for much less. He vowed never to buy wine from the winery again. Well aware that big box stores get deeper discounts for buying in bulk, he was lied to and insulted.

Fast forward those decades and when a wine rep tried to sell him anything from that winery – and he always turned it down. The rep was persistent and finally pulled the story from my friend.

Then what happened next really surprised me. The rep went back to his employers and relayed the story. Hey, it’s only one wine shop they could have said, who cares?

But they didn’t say that. Instead they discussed it. And they came up with a formal apology and that same bottle, in that same vintage, and had it engraved with that same apology. My friend started buying their wine again, and telling this story.

I have a couple of stories like that under my skin too. One was a winemaker that made fun of bloggers on social media, saying he laughs at them when they mispronounce the name of a wine. I blushed. I may have even written about it at the time. Maybe even commented on his public Facebook post about it. I simply hate snark and elitist people.

I know that I took the insult personally, as ten years ago I could’ve been that wine blogger. I’ve avoided the winemaker at events ever since.

I remember being in Paso on a press trip many years ago and being unsure as how to pronounce the word calcareous, I believe it was Halter Ranch winemaker Kevin Sass or Calcareous winemaker Jason Joyce, that noticed it and not only politely told me how to pronounce the word (Cal-care-e-us) explained to me what it meant (a type of limestone in the soil, read more here).

Another time I arrived at Calcareous for an appointment on a Sunday morning with Joyce but he didn’t show up. When I got home a few days later he had sent me an apology note explaining that his newborn baby had been ill, and he also sent several bottles of wine. That gesture was over the top for me, he didn’t need to apologize for a family emergency, and I’ll never forget it. These are reasons, as well as their winemaking talents, that I still enjoy both Halter Ranch and Calcareous.

And I’m sure that I’ve been in the wrong myself. A pal that I knew was sensitive about not going to college and made to feel she wasn’t good enough…well I told her that spell check doesn’t always know sommelier from Somalia (she had used the wrong word on social media and I didn’t want her to be publicly scrutinized) so I suggested that she just use the accepted abbreviation “somm” that is easier to pronounce and spell. Haven’t heard from her since. Reached out though, a few times, to no avail.

Point is we’re all not above taking a lesson from Joyce, Sass, as well as the winery that etched a bottle of wine for my friend. Rather have something permanently etched in my mind with a positive message over a negative one.

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.

Filed Under: Eve Bushman Tagged With: calcareous, Paso Robles, somm, wine shop, winemaker, winery

Paso: Learning About and Tasting With Parrish Family Vineyards

November 23, 2018 by evebushman

I could swear that I had been to Parrish Family Vineyards before for a dinner they hosted for the Cab Collective. However the property on Adelaida Road was new for me as it was for everyone else, only having been opened this past year. It nagged at me for about a nanosecond, then I was quickly caught up in everything this new discovery held for me. (One of which was seeing former SCVer Denise Criste living the dream, having moved to Paso and now working in the tasting room at Parrish!)

Took some photos of the calcareous stonework that contributed not only to a large wall but also to the terroir of the wines, and some of the bright red umbrellas – that could be seen from the road below – that sheltered many inviting groups of tables on the grounds overlooking vineyards.

The tasting room was welcoming. With many different cushiony seats to choose from, we learned that this would be a theme throughout. There were member’s only rooms, meeting rooms, dining rooms adorned with leather seating, balcony seating – the inside and outside seating options seemed endless. We learned that many people would move from one spot to another to enjoy their tasting, or to linger over a bottle for part of their day, some even circling back to Parrish for a second visit the same day as they are the only winery on Adelaida open until 6pm.

Membership options began with as little as a four bottle allotment and allowed for nearly monthly gatherings where you could reserve the exact spot you wanted to sit – I could definitely see a draw for a growing numbers of members.

We were shown a wall of photos and memorabilia that flanked both sides of the entrance to the tasting room that every guest will pass through. These items told a bit of a story of Earl Henderson, the grandfather of existing owner David Parrish, who had a love for golf (there is a small putting green for you to partake in the game if you so desire) and began cultivating grapes before prohibition.

David, before taking the mantle, was known for his work in trellising. At one point he had 24 patents for different trellis types for different fruits. He has seven active now. The winery made their first vintage in 2006. Coppola, L’Aventure, Clos Solene and others buy up their grapes. Learn more about Earl Henderson and David Parrish here.

Wines Tasting

While we toured and learned about Parrish we tasted through some of their wines. Bought a couple of bottles for home as well:

A crisp 2017 Sauvignon Blanc; 2016 Chardonnay with a lovely amount of oak; the nicely balanced 2014 Silken – named for how a member described as silky – Petite Sirah and Cabernet Sauvignon blend that my husband bought; an extremely approachable 2014 Petite Sirah that I had to buy for home as we don’t often find one we love; 2014 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon from the Creston vineyard property; 2015 Petite Sirah I like almost as much as the 2014; 2015 Silken blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah and a tiny bit of Syrah; 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon and a 2014 Zinfandel that was really mellow for a Zin but damn fine just the same.

Parrish Family Vineyards, 3590 Adelaida Road, Paso Robles, CA 93446, (805) 286-4028 www.parrishfamilyvineyard.com Open from 11 to 6pm daily – the only winery open until 6pm on Adelaida Road.

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

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

 

Filed Under: Eve Bushman Tagged With: cabernet sauvignon, calcareous, Chardonnay, grapes, Paso Robles, petit sirah, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, tasting room, vineyards, wine club, Wine tasting, Zinfandel

Vintage Eve Circa 4/2015: Cabs of Distinction Welcome Reception and Tasting

July 10, 2018 by evebushman

The Paso Robles Cab Collective is a group of wineries that are focused on creating Bordeaux wines and blends in Paso Robles. This is the third year of the Cab Collective, this year called the Cabs of Distinction event, that gives trade and media a 3-day opportunity to taste and go to seminars to better our knowledge of the region’s wines – and give equal time and thought to Bordeaux varietals over the the Zins and Rhônes that Paso is famous for. (Just like Rhone Rangers and Pinot Days type events, the Cab Collective’s goal is that we will share what we’ve learned with our readers, etc.)

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Daniel Daou and Eve.

At the Paso Robles Inn Ballroom for our first seminar and tasting we experienced a few minutes of audio problems, but no one really cared because, heck, we were at a wine event so while we waited…we tasted.

Besides getting started on the tasting I did a check off in my head of what was to come: first the brief welcome, barrel and new release tasting from some of the Cab Collective member wineries, dinner (and a grappa tasting!) would be at Opolo Vineyards, a sommelier-led class in the morning, lunch (I didn’t know this yet) at Rotta Winery, maybe some wine tasting on our own (which ended up being a spirits tasting at Re:Find Distillery in Villicana Winery) being shuttled to more wine tasting and a dinner at Villa San Juliette Vineyard and then the last day at J. Lohr Vineyards having lunch, learning how to blend and then finally to Vina Robles for another lesson and tasting.

Before I could think about it any further…the audio was corrected and the reception began.

Daniel Daou, the rock star looking winemaker with microphone in hand, greeted me with, “I still like your bikini photo best…” and then picked up the mike to address the crowd. I can now see why this charming winemaker gets so many “likes” on my Facebook page. Of course the fact that he makes killer wines also has something to do with it!

Daou told the crowd, “We don’t get a bad vintage often…it’s our trademark” as “our region achieves ripeness year after year” delivering wines of “perfect balance.” Daou continued, “Several years ago…we set on a path to work together…required a lot of work, resources, money…even replanting…wineries joined in and accomplished today what you are about to taste.”

Daou then thanked the Cab Collective sponsors for their funds and resources…gave us a teaser about the seminars to come and introduced Wine Country Alliance President Jennifer Porter, who, in turn introduced Chris Taranto, Communications Director of Wine Country Alliance.

Taranto said that what he is presenting “could be presented by all of the people here today” that had come to represent the wineries. The slide show began with Zinfandel…the grape that got Paso Robles on the map. Established in the 80s, Rhone and Bordeaux varieties are the largest in the region, Taranto said, and most are family owned, small-case production. There are now over 200 wineries and 3,200 vineyard acres, 146 of that 200 have tasting rooms.

What makes Paso unique? According to Taranto Paso Robles is the hottest of the coolest regions, depending on how close to the ocean, and that calcareous soils prevail all over the area – more than any other California AVAs.

In a slide of a side view, from Morrow Bay, we saw the mountain ranges, and how the fogs can get trapped in the area; as well as wind and cooler air. Taranto said that Paso “benefits from proximity to the ocean, and proximity from the ocean.”

In 2007 59 vintners came together to set 11 separate AVAs as the land was very diverse. Approved by Nov 9, 2014 wineries could now use new labels with their set district. So “preserving Paso as a whole” was accomplished.

Porter added, “We are really friendly…non judgmental, approachable…” our manifesto includes the words, “there are no rules…this is the Place to Grow Wild.” Porter said that we would see that in the blends the winemakers are making as they are “just trying to be welcoming…taking the snobbery out of wine.”

Now, back to the tasting.

As usual I photographed all of the wines I liked in particular. But here are a few comments to the photos:

Justin Winery winemaker Scott Shirley’s barrel tasting of his latest was freaking outstanding and we hoped he could make single bottles from that one barrel instead of making what will definitely be a killer blend. No such luck unless we get his home address.

Red Soles was a new one for me, and of equal interest to some great wines is that they are distilling spirits – must learn more about that soon in another visit. Suffice it to say if you make if from grapes (or any fruit) they are allowed to sell it from a winery tasting room. Rumor is that there are twenty wineries in Paso now doing this!

The latest Suendero 2011 blend from Vina Robles blew my socks off. And their 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon was great too.

Bon Niche was new for me, we had two blends, loved both, especially the 2011 Chemin blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot.

My new fave find of the tasting, Rotta, and his SBR blend – you’ll read about more as we ended up getting over there for a full tasting over lunch in Part II of this tale running on May 22.

Halter Ranch killed me with their first 2012 Malbec, gotta get me some more of that as well as their latest Ancestor 2012 vintage.

Loved J. Lohr, and we had a two hour tasting coming up with them and Vina Robles during this same trip.

The latest Soul of a Lion blend from DAOU was very remarkable. Need more.

Michael Mooney’s latest for Chateau Margene, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, was yummy and good to drink now.

Eve Bushman has been reading, writing, taking coursework and tasting wine for over 20 years.  She has obtained a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, has been the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and recently served as a guest judge for the L.A. International Wine Competition.  You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits that may be answered in a future column. You can also seek her marketing advice via Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com

Filed Under: Eve Bushman Tagged With: ava, Bordeaux, Cab Collective, Cabernet Franc, cabernet sauvignon, calcareous, California, Merlot, Paso Robles, paso robles wine country alliance, sommelier, spirits, vintage, wine education, Wine tasting, winemaker, wineries

Wine 101ers Dream Part I: Visiting Bordeaux’s Château Le Grand Verdus and Château Petit Village

July 24, 2015 by evebushman

If you enjoy Cabernet Sauvignon (or any of the 5 noble grapes of Bordeaux that also include Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot) visiting Bordeaux may be on your bucket list, it certainly was on mine. And, after my first day in Pomerol where Merlot is the predominant grape, I’m sitting in my hotel in Bordeaux city center sipping a glass of wine from one of the five wineries we (my husband Eddie is in many of my photographs) planned to visit on our trip.

Visiting a Château is not something I wanted to rush so visiting only five over two days seemed just fine, and thanks to Planet Bordeaux and the helpful tourism office of Bordeaux, I was set with leisurely tours and tastings.

Note: As I was walking or standing most of the time my notes are brief, but I think you will get the idea!

Château Le Grand Verdus

Winemaker/Export Manager Thomas Le Grix de la Salle showing the winery to Eddie Bushman.

Winemaker/Export Manager Thomas Le Grix de la Salle showing the winery to Eddie Bushman.

20 km east of Bordeaux. 16th-century Renaissance residence has been in the hands of the same family since 1810 – four generations of the LE GRIX DE LA SALLE family. In 1579, the fortified country residence was built on the site of an old fortified castle. In 1974, Château Le Grand Verdus, one of the architectural jewels of the Bordeaux region, was listed as a historical monument. (Appointment courtesy Planet Bordeaux)

The one thing I asked was to please book us a tour in the oldest Château possible, like the iconic images we see on many Bordeaux wine labels. Château Le Grand Verdus did not disappoint. Three generations of the family currently live at the Château, and our guide said that the “grandfather would end his life here.”

We learned that the property started out as a farm where cows made their home, and now is where vines reside. After World War II they decided it was a nice terroir for vines and the family began cultivating and selling grapes.

Negotiants – thought to be untrustworthy – were soon discarded by the winery, and they chose to sell their wines directly to the consumer. As a point of history they were the first to do this in Bordeaux. The vine production grew from its original of 40 hectares to 120 hectares.

Notes:

Windows of the Château were not installed in an effort to prevent bandits from entering.

The Château belonged to Napoleon’s architect. (Now if that isn’t a slice of history I don’t know what is!)

The makeup of the soil – clay, gravel, limestone, calcareous, shells, etc. – can all be seen on the walls of the Château and make it a “nice parcel for planting.” (See more in this Facebook album link here.)

Grapes include Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Muscadet, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.

The three-level cellar was built in 1970. The stainless steel tanks were originally designed to use for milk before then!

Winemaker/Export Manager Thomas Le Grix de la Salle explained that you can’t make “good wine without clay…Latour, Petrus, all have clay” and both clay and limestone are needed for their sponge effect in holding water.

Thomas studied agriculture in Toulouse, travelled to gain experience at Santa Barbara Winery and then in far off Marlborough, New Zealand; making Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in both locations.

95% of the grapes used in their wines are from their own estate.

Due to global warming, a very real thing to Thomas, he is having great success with Cabernet Franc and is using more in his blends. This may be a trend to watch.

We tasted several whites, a rosé, a red vertical from 2009 to 2012 of their Grand Reserves, and a 2010 and 2011 from their second label “Generation” red blends. (The second label had different color capsules, making them easier to find for a buyer according to Thomas.) Most were predominant Merlot with Cab and/or Cab Franc. All with great balance, fruit, acidity and ageability. Across the board I’d have to give them all high marks, and nothing less than 90 Eve points.

Vertical tasting at Chateau Le Grand Verdus

Vertical tasting at Chateau Le Grand Verdus

33670 Sadirac
Tel. +33 (0)5.56.30.50.90
http://www.chateaulegrandverdus.com/en/accueil.html

https://www.facebook.com/ChateauLeGrandVerdus?fref=ts

Château Petit Village, Pomerol

(Appointment courtesy Planet Bordeaux)

Our guide, Julie Bellot, explained that they only make red wines in this very modern looking facility. Most wineries are small and have 4 to 10 hectares. They produce Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Julie said that they were one of the first Pomerol wineries to modernize. Many chocolate colored concrete tanks fill the winery – that was a first for me to see! They are lined with epoxy so no concrete flavor imparts to the wine.

Notes:

Petit Village benefits from both wind and humidity – the wind dries the leaves and the bunches.

The Merlot benefits from the sand, gravel and clay in the soil.

Petrus, their neighboring winery, benefits from blue clay. (Did you know about blue clay before today? I didn’t!)

“Bad pollinates” result in uneven grape size in the bunches.

Birds and small animals like foxes are not a problem.

Cabernet Franc leaves are smaller than the other grape leaves.

The older the vines the smaller the yield.

They only make two labels, first and the second. The second label will not have the word “Château” on the label, is made from the youngest wines and will be a lesser cost.

Wines of Pomerol have to have a majority of Merlot.

IMG_3355

We tasted a 2012 Merlot (second label) and the 2009 Merlot that had longer aging before its release. Both were enjoyable now, or you can age. “This is the best place in the world to grow Merlot,” Julie commented, there is “always that velvet sensation in (the) mouth (and there is) great quality of Pomerol wines.” Both of these wines deserved a minimum 90 Eve points.

Château: +33 (0)5 57 51 21 08

www.petit-village.com

Eve Bushman has been reading, writing, taking coursework and tasting wine for over 20 years.  She has obtained a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, has been the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and recently served as a guest judge for the L.A. International Wine Competition.  You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits that may be answered in a future column. You can also seek her marketing advice via Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com

Filed Under: Eve Bushman Tagged With: Bordeaux, Cabernet Franc, cabernet sauvignon, calcareous, chateau, grapes, Malbec, Merlot, muscadet, petit verdot, planet bordeaux, pomerol, Sauvignon Blanc, semillon, soil, vines

Wine 101 – Learning About Two of Spain’s Winemaking Regions: Rueda and Ribera del Duero

November 21, 2014 by evebushman

Spain’s Great Match, now in its 21st year, is a tasting event organized by the Trade Commission of Spain, in which American importers and distributors of Spanish wines present their top products, new wines and their latest vintages to the American wine industry professionals and consumers…and offers a great education for wine 101ers!

Lecture: Verdejo meets Tempranillo

Rueda and Ribera del Duero with Steve Olson, Wine & Spirits Educator

Educator Steve Olson

Educator Steve Olson

Before the walk around tasting mentioned above began, some attendees such as myself signed up for an educational lecture on two regions with nothing in common other than that they are both in Spain: Rueda and Ribera del Duero.

Steve Olson, our very entertaining and informative teacher, got started by explaining that the Rueda wine area produces white wines while Ribera del Duero is known for its reds. In this class the two would meet.

The Spanish, in Olson’s opinion, make wines to make people happy. Wine critic Robert Parker says that Spain is producing the cutting edge wines of today. The Spanish are very thirsty people, according to Olson, and with 80% of their land under vine, in the past they had kept most of the good stuff for themselves. But now Spain has realized that the U.S. is an important consumer, and there are much more imports available.

As we viewed slides of the two areas, Olson explained that Spain enjoys “an incredible food and bounty…plenty of produce in Spain.” As the “fourth most mountainous country in Europe” most vines have been planted 20,000 feet above sea level. The terrain allows for acidity, ripeness, minerality and freshness in the wines. And while the soil is calcareous in Ribera, it is more clay based in Rueda.

A wine from Rueda only has to have 50% Verdejo to be called a Verdejo; and it must be 85% if making Superior Verdejo – the remaining percentage is usually filled with Sauvignon Blanc. The wines we were about to taste in the class are all l00% Verdejo. Now Sauvignon Blanc is only used in the less expensive Spanish wines according to Olson.  And the top Verdejos are more aromatic, with notes of fennel, licorice, and some have a nutty quality.

While there are about 60 wineries in Rueda there are 270 wineries in Ribera.

All of the wines we were to taste in the class were hand picked and hand sorted.  Though to keep grapes fresh, and to harvest at night, they are slowly going for more machinery.

In Ribera the days are warm, and at night it cools off. The cool ocean breezes are from the Atlantic as Ribera is not on the eastern side of Spain. The wineries produce low yields, have a longer hang time and are usually under 14% alcohol. Ribera is one-fourth the size of Rioja.

As we readied ourselves to begin the tasting Olson said, “If you’re in Ribera and you want a white wine most likely you will be given a Rueda.” So to Olson, the seminar was a perfect paring:

WHITES (Aroma and taste are separated by ; and prices for all are suggested retail)

Martinsancho Verdejo 2013, Bodega Angel Rodriguez Vidal, DO Rueda

100% superior, dry farmed. $20

Lemon, pear, grapefruit, slight creamy hints; same notes with a nice acidity to round it off. Very well done. My favorite of the whites.

 

Robert Vedel Cepas Viejas Verdejo 2012, Herrero Bodega, DO Rueda

Orange, sweet honey dew melon, pink lemonade, honey, caramel apple; Not as crisp as the first wine we tasted, the fruit is not as strong on the palate, dry, want food, maybe Manchego cheese, interesting. $24

 

Cuvee Especial 2012, Bodegas Jose Pariente, DO Rueda

Single vineyard, up in the hillside. $35

Sweet and tart, mown grass, lime, mineral notes; lemon, drying, green, want with shellfish.

 

Naiades Verdejo 2011, Bodegas Naia, DO Rueda

Some oak aging time, 2800 feet above sea level, head pruned. $34

Sweet and creamy, oak, moss, milky; slightly bitter, oak, lemon, acid.

 

2 Spanish VerdejoAt press time these two additional Verdejos were shipped to me for review:

2013 Protos Verdejo

Pink lemonade, creamed corn, buttered popcorn, lemon wedge, pears in light syrup; lemonade, grapefruit juice, light, acidic, short finish, pleasant, would enjoy with a crisp wedge salad with a rich creamy dressing.

 

2013 Finca Montepedroso

Carmel apple, lime, kiwi, white peach, stony; mango, crisp Granny Smith apple, tingly, not too acidic, nice length. Would be nice with a grilled tuna steak in mango salsa.

REDS

Pesquera Reserva 2009, Alejando Fernando Tinto Pesquera, DO

No drainage, gravel, Tinto Fino 100%, estate grown, aged in American oak for 24 months and then one year in bottle before release. $50

Smoky and juicy blackberry, blueberry, wet bark, milk chocolate, incredibly lush; cigar, chewy, jammy, good dark fruit, nice smoky lingering finish. Very good.

 

PSI 2012, Bodega Dominio de Pingus, DO Ribera del Duero

A bit of a tough vintage. Concrete aging, 100% Tinto Fino, all organically farmed, above 2400 feet sea level. $40

Pungent, tinny, raspberry, figs; palate similar with the addition of drying tannins. Would like to have roasted meat or a nice charcuterie plate with olives and hard cheeses.

 

Astrales 2011, DO Ribera del Duero

Clay soil, old vines, 29 hectares, 20 months in mostly new French oak, then American oak, natural ferment native yeasts. $70

Sliced Italian plums, blackberry, black pepper, dark chocolate; dry, dirt, dried dark berries, nice, want pizza topped with black olives and artichoke hearts.

 

Aalto 2011, DO Ribera del Duero $50

Lovely balance of dark fruit and spice, ending with a hint of mint; happy to have the same expert balance on the palate, dry finish cries out for just one more sip.  This might be my favorite of the reds though the Reserva is excellent, just totally different.

Following the class was the walk around tasting of Spanish wine and fare – beyond Rueda and Ribera. Unfortunately, I had been slightly injured in an accident with an employee (he was pointing to someone without looking and jabbed me in the throat) that is, at press time, still sore. Anyway, I did make it to some of the tables (Sabor olives, Cheese from Spain, Amontillado Los Arcos Sherry, Finca Hispana, El Seque Alicante, Vina Albina, Tapas from The Bazaar, Trus Crianza, Las Rocas…) but not nearly as many that deserved coverage, which I’m confident my fellow press allowed. However, I did take a few photos of the tasting if you care to check them out via this Facebook album link: https://www.facebook.com/eve.bushman/media_set?set=a.10204245974576960.1073741887.1455706632&type=1&pnref=story

Wineries

  1. W01 – Agustí Torelló Mata
  2. W02 – Bodegas Franco Españolas Rioja Bordón
  3. W03 – Bodegas Muriel/García Figuero/Vallformosa
  4. W04 – Bodegas Ontañón
  5. W05 – Bodegas Riojanas
  6. W06 – Bodegas Solar de Urbezo
  7. W07 – Campo Viejo / Ysios
  8. W08 – Castillo de Monséran
  9. W09 – CIV (USA)
  10. W10 – Clos Pons
  11. W11 – Codorníu Raventos Bodegas y Viñedos
  12. W12 – Finca Hispana
  13. W13 – Folio Fine Wine
  14. W14 – Frederick Wildman & Sons, Ltd./El Coto de Rioja
  15. W15 – Freixenet USA
  16. W16 – Jorge Ordóñez Selections
  17. W17 – Marqués de Riscal
  18. W18 – Martín Codax / Las Rocas
  19. W19 – Matarromera
  20. W20 – Osborne/Montecillo
  21. W21 – The Artisan Collection
  22. W22 – The Haciendas Company
  23. W23 – Torgar Group
  24. W24 – Torres
  25. W25 – Wines From Spain, Inc
  26. C01 – Campo Viejo
  27. C02 – Codorníu Raventos Bodegas y Viñedos
  28. C03 – Freixenet USA
  29. C04 – J. García Carrión
  30. C05 – Marques de Gelida

Tapas Courtesy The Bazaar® by José Andrés,

SLS Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Beverly Hills

LUNCH MENU Chef’s Selection of Spanish Cheeses & Embutidos / Jamón / Pa’amb Tomaquet / Beef Flank Steak / Papas Canarias / Croquetas de Pollo.

DINNER MENU Gazpacho Chilled Tomatoe / Spanish Tuna and Local Radish / Jicama Wrapped Guacamole / Croquetas de Pollo / Modern Olive Station / Chef’s Selection of Spanish Cheeses & Embutidos / Jamón / Pa’amb Tomaquet

CARVING STATION Beef Flank Steak / Papas Canarias, PAELLA STATION Chicken & Mushroom Paella / Vegetable Paella and SWEET LITTLE SURPRISES THE PATISSERIE

Wines from Spain

Wines from Spain is a promotional division of the Trade Commission of Spain based in New York. For 30 years, Wines from Spain has been committed to increasing the awareness of Spanish wines throughout the United States through education, informational materials, special events and promotions. For further information on specific wine regions and producers, please contact: Wines from Spain, Trade Commission of Spain, 405 Lexington Avenue, 44th Floor, New York, NY 10174-0331 or visit www.WinesfromSpainUSA.com.

Eve Bushman has been reading, writing, taking coursework and tasting wine for over 20 years.  She has obtained a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, has been the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and recently served as a guest judge for the L.A. International Wine Competition.  You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits that may be answered in a future column. You can also seek her marketing advice via Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com

Filed Under: Eve Bushman Tagged With: alcohol, calcareous, cheese, eve bushman, eve wine 101, food pairing, olive oil, restaurant, Ribera del Duero, rueda, Sauvignon Blanc, sherry, spain, tapas, tasting notes, verdejo, vines, wine education, Wine tasting

Cab Collective Final Installment: Vintner’s Panel Discussion

May 16, 2014 by evebushman

After reading Paso Robles Cab Collective: Wine Dining in the Beacon on 5/9, Paso Robles Cab Collective: En Primeur, Current and Reserve Tasting (also on May 9) on this website, today I have the final installment on the Cab Collective (though you can also look forward to an entire article just on HammerSky alone very soon).

l- r Kevin Sass, David Parrish, Matt Kettmann, Michael Mooney, Daniel Daou

l- r Kevin Sass, David Parrish, Matt Kettmann, Michael Mooney, Daniel Daou

Vintner Panel Discussion

Moderated by Wine Enthusiast Contributing Editor and freelance writer Matt Kettmann, on the topic of Paso Robles CAB Rises to the Global Stage, Kettman began by saying, “I knew least about Paso Cabs until last year’s event…and learned that when done well it’s a pretty stupendous wine.”

Speakers:

Parrish Family Wines

David Parrish, Winemaker and Proprietor

www.ParishFamilyVineyard.com

Parrish: He went to Davis, and from there worked with Robert Mondavi.  He was in Napa for 20 years, then bought 160 acres in Paso, planted 20 acres in Preston.

Parrish wanted enough “growing degree days”, which means that the Cabs need a warmer area, with good root stocks.  Parrish said, “A winemaker must educate themselves on the best clones, then look for calcareous soil, and also some clay…” and added that in Paso they have the “Goldilocks syndrome” in growing grapes and making wine as “It’s not too hot and it’s not too cold.”

Parrish mentioned that he had netted canopies that didn’t work to keep the birds from eating his fruit, and the netting hurt the grapes.  He heard about Falcons to keep birds out of vineyards and a falconer from Oregon was brought in.  “It’s unbelievable,” Parrish said.  “Like a Great White in the ocean but over the sky.”  Now no bird damage to the canopies.

2010 Cabernet Sauvignon

“This wine has black fruit, tobacco, spice, and luxurious finish begging that you drink more …”

EB: Creamy, pungent ripe dark fruit, stems, mint; dances on the tongue, dark fruit again, balance, dry finish.  I might prefer this one with food, a nice filet mignon…

Halter RanchCC seminar lineup

Kevin Saas, Winemaker

www.HalterRanch.com

Saas: Halter Ranch is located in the west side of Paso Robles, and they have the largest planting on the west side.  With 15 varieties now – as Saas had removed some things – the owners had bought the property in 2000 and sold fruit to Justin.  Over time the owner decided to commit and build the winery. They dry farm to the degree that they can, and as they have 3 substantial wells, the water shortage is not effecting them.

2010 Ancestor

“Only 200 cases” were made, the wine is a blend of Cab, Petit Verdot and Malbec.  “We removed Merlot and Cab Franc.” Saas said.  “And are committed to Cab, Petit Verdot and Malbec.” This vintage saw sixteen months in new French oak.  Saas came to the winery in time for the blending of this, their flagship wine.

EB: Dusty, rose petals, rich blueberry, blackberry, tobacco, dark chocolate, coffee grounds; Deep dark smoky fruit, tannic, tea bags, black pepper, palate-drying.  Very good now, can cellar if you don’t like the tannin structure, with food or without.

Chateau Margene

Michael Mooney, Winemaker and Proprietor

www.ChateauMargene.com

Mooney: The Mooneys are 7th generation Californian.  Mooney looked at Sonoma and Napa, and then chose Paso and started here in 97 with all small production Bordeaux.

Mooney said, “The conversation of east side verses west side needs to go away.” Paso has over 600,000 acres so they can have many different varieties that can do well, and can be blended together from different areas.  “For me, lets spread the word on Paso Robles.”

As far as the question of water, Mooney commented, “We have had a huge water problem for years, El Niño is due next year, droughts come and go, the shallow wells have dried up and now the county must approve new plantings.  Hoping that ordinance will change.  No issue yet for them in Creston.”

2012 Cask 4 Cabernet Sauvignon

Mooney said, “This wine has plush tannins and structure.”

EB: Younger nose in compared to the others in the tasting.  More bright fruit and acidity; same profile in the mouth, I want to give this wine a little more time, however, if you like bright fruit go for it!

DAOU Vineyards and Winery

Daniel Daou, Winemaker and Proprietor

www.DAOUVineyards.com

Daou: In a 2 minute history, Daou spoke of how he co-founded DAOU with his brother Georges and how Paso Robles has the “most French-like terroir we could find in California.”  Their mountain is 100% calcareous clay – which gives natural acidity. Daou added, “Let the dream come to Paso…high density planting, lots of research of clonal selection to reflect terroir and what to produce in high quality fashion.”

2010 Soul of a Lion

Daou said they produced 550 cases of this wine, which saw “new French oak aging for 24 months, still needs some time.”  It sold out in five weeks in tasting room.  This terroir can produce a more expensive Cabernet, Daou believes, “It’s doable and it’s sellable.”

Daou wants to see more age-worthy wines produced in Paso and the continuation of the “Cabs of Distinction” Cab Collective over the next ten years.  “We’re not trying to be Napa,” Daou said. “Our soils are more like the 1982 ripe year in Bordeaux with natural acidity and minerality in the wine.   It’s always good to look at history, 1982 was a warmer year in Bordeaux; we are achieving ripeness every year…”

EB: Mint, full/round, plump dark fruit, milk chocolate; Tannic, dusty dark fruit, pepper, long finish.  Good to go now or cellar, very nice.

Facebook album link: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10202851177387902.1073741866.1455706632&type=1&l=c56410ce87

Filed Under: Eve Bushman Tagged With: Bordeaux, Cab Collective, Cabernet Franc, cabernet sauvignon, calcareous, California, France, Malbec, Merlot, Napa Valley, Paso Robles, petit verdot, Sonoma, spice, tannic, terroir, vineyard, wine education, wine enthusiast, wine events, Wine tasting, winemaker

Paso Robles Cab Collective- En Primeur, Current and Reserve Tasting

May 9, 2014 by evebushman

In this, the second annual Cab Collective, now called the Paso Robles Cab Collective, the media was given a multi-day schedule.  I planned on resting my head for two nights at the Hammersky farmhouse, after days that would be spent doing barrel tasting of the 2013 vintages, vintner panel discussions, library tastings, interviewing winemakers over our meals and culminating with a return visit to Justin Vineyards for a press BBQ.  So lets get this party started!

(For this 8-page story I decided to divide it up by sharing the wine tastings on the Eve’s Wine 101 and the wine paired dinners in the Eve’s Wine 101 column – on the same day, 5/9/14 – in the SCV Beacon.  The final installment, the Vintner’s Panel Discussion, will appear on this website on 5/16.)

wine glass line up cab collectiveAll we knew was that we were to meet at the Paso Robles Inn Ballroom to start, in what quickly morphed into being called “Cab Camp”, with barrel tastings from the as-yet-unreleased 2013 vintage.

En Primeur Tasting is just a fancy name for Barrel Tasting.  With most only having 4-6 months in barrels, with another 12 or more to go, it is quite a test of the palate to discern what the future wine may taste like.  I was able to pick out some various notes of oak, cigar, chocolate, red to blue fruit and tannin, though specific fruits such as blueberry to fig took some time and contemplation.  And finding blueberry now may translate to fig later anyway.

(Two hours later we were to taste the current vintages, and then reserve wines, my notes on that are included below.  I have to admit my palate was fatigued after the barrel tasting, and many of us commented that they may want to plan it differently next year.  This would come to be our ONLY comment.  The event was that stellar.)

En Primeur, Current and Reserve Tasting

Of special interest to me was Adelaida as I was going to dine with the winemaker later.  I learned that their growth has been “even with Paso” in that they started with the popular bold Zinfandels in 1981 and then moved over to Cabernet Sauvignon.  I enjoyed the ’10 Cab for its gamut of red to blue fruit, and later, an ’03.

Another winery I would learn more from later over a meal was Ancient Peaks. They had a popular $15 retail 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon, but I fell more for their 2010 Oyster Ridge that was predominantly Petit Verdot.  Later, during the reserve tasting, we enjoyed the ’07 Cab and ’07 Oyster Ridge blend of Petit Verdot, Petit Sirah and Merlot.  Winemaker Mike Sinor called it “The best of the best in the vineyard.”  (More on both of these first two wineries later.)

I finally got to meet Calcareous winemaker Jason Joyce (see earlier review here of his wines and how I had missed him before) serving his 2013 York Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc blend with notes of chocolate and dark plums.  Joyce said the wine would see another 30 months in barrel before a 2016 bottling.

Cass winemaker Ted Plemons never fails to entertain.  His barrel sample of a Cab blend of clone 8 and clone 33, with 6 months in barrel, was filled with fruit and smoke.  Plemons commented that he thought too many people spit out their tastes as they had to feel the wine, deep in the throat, to get the full taste.  He himself will taste and “take notes until we can’t.”

I saw owner/winemaker Michael Mooney of Chateau Margene over his 100% new French oak Cab barrel sample and look forward to trying more of his wines.  Mooney was the one I first heard from about the Cab Collective three years ago during a Paso tasting in Culver City.  He was very excited about the new group forming, things they were learning from each other and planning their first event.

Clautiere Vineyard shared their ’11 Bordeaux BDX blend of Cab, Cab Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot.  I learned that Clautiere believed that Malbec would be more of an interest in future vintages.

It was very popular around the DAOU Vineyards table.  Winemaker and Facebook friend Daniel Daou was holding court, definitely one of the buzz-making wineries for their Bordeaux blends.  We barrel tasted the Soul of a Lion blend and later returned for the ’11 Cab.  And still later, I returned to a taste of the ’09 Reserve Cab with 75% Cab, 12% Cab Franc, 10% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot.  It was one of my favorites of the day for its balance, spice and exceptional mountain fruit.

At Eberle I asked to try Gary Eberle’s last wine that he had made, ’07 Love and Kisses Cab.  The wine’s name was an ode to his final efforts.  I noted a gentle sweetness and plum red

Eve and Tony Quealy.

Eve and Tony Quealy.

berries.

I enjoyed reconnecting with winemaker Kevin Sass and tasting room manager Tony Quealy at Halter Ranch Vineyard over a barrel tasting and current vintage of Ancestor.  The blend is one of my favorites from the winery, and the new vintage had all of my favorite things: chocolate, dark fruit and tannins all in balance. Later, when I got to sample the ’10 and ’08 Ancestor, both had the same chocolate and dark fruit notes, both were faves of the day.

Slight Segue: We are staying at the Hammersky Inn.  As I am transcribing my notes this morning I’m enjoying a cup of French press coffee, and a view that starts with my husband sitting at the kitchen table with me and beyond to a porch swing, then the barn, tasting room, lush green lawn, vines, rose bushes, birds, rock walls and stately trees.  The Inn is nearly 100 years old, and the bedrooms are richly decorated; the bathrooms filled with aromatic lotions and soaps.  I highly recommend trying the different overnight accommodations in Paso, hotels to Inns.

At the event Lauren Tinnin, who we hope to see again in the Hammersky tasting room, impressed us with their ’10 Bordeaux blend called Party of Four, with Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and only 11% Cab.  Later we returned and met up with friendly (and funny – he told me a skunk got into the farmhouse and we’d be spending the night in the barn!) owner Doug Hauck who poured us samples of ’08 Open Invitation Zinfandel and Merlot blend with a very chocolaty nose, a very nicely structured ’07 “Limited Resource” Cab and a fruity ’10 Zin.  We enjoyed that same Zin again over a roasted pig BBQ at Justin Winery that night.  (We also had a nice long chat, and several wines to review, look for my story on HammerSky alone in a later story!)

At Jada my fave – maybe of the whole day – was the ’11 Jack of Hearts that was a blend of 62% Petit Verdot, 31% Cab, 7% Merlot.  This is a winery I noted to visit.

At J. Lohr we were lucky enough to try the ’06, ’07 and ’10 Cuvee POM which is a Pomerol-styled Meritage blend that may be made of different percentages of Merlot, Cab, Petit Verdot, Cab Fran and Malbec each year.  I liked the ’06 the best, which was Merlot dominant.

At Justin I tried the ’09 Isosceles Reserve; it was ripe, with great fruit and balance.  Having just had dinner at Justin Vineyards two weeks ago, I bypassed the wines I had just tasted and zeroed in on the ’11 Isosceles too.  This vintage was Cab dominant, with the addition of Cab Franc and Merlot.

I enjoyed the ’10 Cab Franc from Le Cuvier, getting some of the same stemminess I got in their barrel tasting, as well as chocolate, fig, cigar and stewed fruits.

I heard a buzz about Le Vigne so I was happy to sample the ’06 Meritage blend called “Nikiara” and enjoyed the abundance of both fruit and spice.

Another wine I had just reviewed over a wine dinner was Opolo.  I asked about the sudden rise in production – 29 thousand cases to 75 thousand cases – and was told that it was due to demand.  I could see that the tasting table crowd was a decent example of that!

I knew I’d have something from Parrish Family at the panel discussion the next day, but I really enjoyed the opportunity to try the ’06 Cab; another Paso Cab with a great spice and fruit.

Peachy Canyon’s ’11 Devine Cab, that included 14% Merlot and 6% Cab Franc, was filled with juicy fruit and chocolate.  The ’07 Para Siempre, a 5-varietal blend, was still remarkably young but very enjoyable.

Pomar Junction’s ’10 Reserve Cab would age well, and for now I was happy with the tangy red fruit and smoky finish.

Red Soles Winery shared a ’11 Estate Cab that was all big fruit and tobacco.

Visiting with Vina Robles winemaker Kevin Willenborg is always fun, and fruitful! This time I enjoyed his ’10 Suendero blend that was 79% Cab and 21% Petit Verdot.  Later I tried the ’07 version, that was 86% Cab and 14% Petit Verdot…I may have liked the ’10 a wee bit better!

Album link: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10202851177387902.1073741866.1455706632&type=1&l=c56410ce87

Filed Under: Eve Bushman Tagged With: balance, Barrel, Bordeaux, Cab Collective, Cabernet Franc, cabernet sauvignon, calcareous, clone, estate wine, food pairing, French oak, fruit, library wines, Merlot, nose, palate, Paso Robles, petit sirah, petit verdot, restaurant, spice, tannins, vineyard, wine education, winemaker, Zinfandel

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Eve Bushman, owner Eve’s Wine 101 and Eve Bushman Consulting.

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