San Luis Obispo County Wine Awards ANNOUNCED!

July 31, 2021 by evebushman

PASO ROBLES, CA – The San Luis Obispo County wine industry annually comes together to honor members of the local wine community. These awards recognize dedication, stewardship, innovation, and leadership demonstrated in the San Luis Obispo County wine community. The 2021 San Luis Obispo County Wine Industry Awards go to – Winegrape Grower of the Year, Lucas Pope, Coastal Vineyard Services; Winemaker of the Year, Jordan Fiorentini, Epoch Estate Wines; and Wine Industry Person of the Year, Lorraine Alban, J&L Wines.

“It’s exciting that the wine community can again come together, in person, to recognize the leadership, hard work, and dedication of those who have helped bring worldwide recognition to this region and the wines produced here,” said Joel Peterson, Executive Director of the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance. “These awardees elevate the reputation of this area through the cultivation of high-quality grapes, the creation of award-winning wines, and the distribution of many iconic labels. Their passion and devotion have helped build the brand awareness of the San Luis Obispo County wine region as a world-class viticultural area.”

The San Luis Obispo County Wine Community celebrated this year’s award winners at a special event on Friday, July 23 at the California Mid-State Fair.

ABOUT PASO ROBLES WINE COUNTRY ALLIANCE
The Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance is the official trade organization that represents wineries, growers, and businesses in Paso Robles Wine Country. Centrally located between San Francisco and Los Angeles, along California’s Central Coast, Paso Robles Wine Country is California’s third-largest wine region. It encompasses more than 40,000 vineyard acres and 200 wineries. For more information, visit pasowine.com. Facebook – @PasoRoblesWine, Instagram – @Pasowine, #pasowine.

Tasting Tequila Codigo 1530 Rosa Blanco

July 30, 2021 by evebushman

During last month’s Nightclub and Bar show in Las Vegas I tasted Tequila Codigo 1530 “Rosa” Blanco. I learned that this particular tequila spends one month in uncharred Napa Cabernet French oak barrels and is the only tequila that has been approved to use a particular cross emblem from the Jalisco state in Mexico, as seen on the front and the bottom of the bottle. The brief tasting, and only knowing some of the stories behind the tequila, made me want to learn and taste more. Before reviewing it in full for Eve Wine 101 readers, I did a little research via their website.

Codigo 1530

Photo from the Nightclub and Bar show, credit: Edward Bushman.

Just going to their website will blow you away as it opens up with a gorgeous short film to learn how this tequila came to be, in three glorious minutes. The family in Jalisco behind it, their water source, the filtering process, organic yeast from a local bakery, no flavoring or chemicals are added and having “the right people…that have been growing agave all of their lives.”

They have five different types of tequila in their line-up – learn more about each of these award-winners via the film and the website. The Rosa is made with their Blanco that benefits from uncharred oak barrels from Napa, aged one month, and gained a beautiful color – and flavor – without any additional additives to make it so.

This recent article on VinePair shares even more interesting information: https://vinepair.com/articles/ntk-codigo-1530-guide/

The Cross

From their Facebook, regarding the cross embossed on their bottles I learned, “…Código 1530 proudly bears the Jerusalem Cross as the symbol of its heritage story. This iconic cross sits atop the Jalisco Coat of Arms and dates back to 1530 when after colonial struggle, Amatitán was officially recognized as a city of New Galicia and Jalisco was given a coat of arms by the Spanish monarchy, which was anchored by the Jerusalem Cross. Código 1530’s name honors ‘Los Códigos’, the old world codes and customs that shaped and still live on in Amatitán and the Los Bajos region to this day. These values are at the core of the proud families who served this tequila in their homes, and the artisan distilling family who has been the custodian of this private tequila for generations.”

The Tasting

After my brief tasting at the show, though I did benefit from having “ Bar Explorer” Collin De Laval (Instagram: @tilting_at_windmills_) there with me, I looked forward to sitting over a tasting and really getting my nose and mouth wrapped around this beautiful tequila. So here you go:

Greeted by the most delicate color of rose gold, and very leggy in my glass, I was ready to search my memory of what the aromas reminded me of and found: sweet cream, cling peaches, dried dark cherries, white chocolate and biscuit. On the palate I was rewarded with tingly flavors of dried red fruits and mixed nuts, with a rich and lingering creaminess coating my palate. Going in for a second sip, and using master mixologist Richard Paterson’s technique of allowing the spirit more time in my mouth before swallowing, I noted that the flavor just got richer and multi-layered. Though there are plenty of cocktails you can make with tequila, this is one I would sip, this is heady stuff.

https://codigo1530.com/

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.

Perlis Picks: San Luis Obispo County Wine — A World Class History (Book Review)

April 3, 2021 by Michael Perlis

Reading San Luis Obispo County Wine — A World Class History by Libbie Agran and Heather Muran with the Wine History Project of San Luis Obispo County brought back a lot of great memories and also filled in a lot of gaps.

I think Karen and I started visiting the Paso Robles wine region in the late 1980s or early 1990s. One of my earliest memories of visiting the wineries of Paso Robles in San Luis Obispo County dates back to us driving down the 101 from the San Francisco Bay area and making a pit stop at Castoro Cellars. Around that time, we also had many happy visits to places like York Mountain Winery, Estrella River Winery [Gary Eberle’s first winery], Arciero, Pesenti and others that are no longer with us, at least in their former incarnations. Castoro, of course, is still producing great wines, along with a host of others that we have seen spring up throughout the area that we have come to consider practically our second home.

And while I’ve felt that my knowledge of the Paso Robles wine region has been pretty extensive, this book taught me so much about what I didn’t know and really filled in the connections between the various industry icons over the history of not only Paso Robles but Edna Valley and Arroyo Grande as well.

The Wine History Project of San Luis Obispo County was founded by Libbie Agran in 2015 to study and document the vineyards, varietals, growers and winemakers of the area going back to the 1700s. Working with Heather Muran [who served as a historian with the project in 2019 and 2020], the book [Libbie’s second], presents the history of the region along with the interrelationships of the people involved in an extremely readable and easy to understand fashion.

Libbie’s writing style flows off the page. She went through numerous oral interviews to collect history and information. The book is also highlighted with many family photographs of the founding members of the SLO Wine region. At the end of each chapter, Libbie lists several historical sites to visit that were discussed in that chapter.

But wait, there’s more!

While the book is a must-read in its own right, I also highly recommend that you check out the Wine History Project’s website. There, you can dig deeper into what is presented in the book and support the work that Libbie is doing. Last April [wow, time flies] I wrote about the film 91 Harvests Perlis Picks: 91 Harvests (evewine101.com) which covers the Dusi family history, but the website provides all the information on the other work that Libbie and her team are doing, as well as exhibitions around the area – I am definitely looking forward to checking these out on our next visit.

Wine History Project of San Luis Obispo County

https://winehistoryproject.org/

Michael Perlis has been pursuing his passion for wine for more than 30 years. He has had the good fortune of having numerous mentors to show him the way, as well as a wonderful wife who encourages him and shares his interest. After a couple of decades of learning about wine, attending events, visiting wineries and vineyards, and tasting as much wine as he possibly could, he had the amazing luck to meet Eve Bushman. Now, as Contributing Editor for Eve’s Wine 101, he does his best to bring as much information as possible about wine to Eve’s Wine 101 faithful readers. Michael is also President of MCP Financial, which provides outsourced controller services. Michael can be contacted at michaelthezinfan@aol.com or mcpfinancial@aol.com.

Sampling Sparkling Barbera, and More News, from Tenuta Montemagno!

December 4, 2020 by evebushman

Barbera sparkling wine, handpicked and harvested early in the “Metodo Classic” from Tenuta Montemagno? I’ll take that. And take it I did. Two bottles from the same winery, that “refines on yeasts for 24 (TM24) and 36 months (TM36)” being their only difference. The full details are here in their press release. Below are my tasting notes, and below that is new news!

Tasting Notes

Tenuta Montemagno 24 (TM24)

The color of rose gold, with teeny tiny energetic bubbles. The aromas included fresh apricot, raspberry, strawberry, biscuit, cheddar, talcum powder and ash. Same strawberry fruit in the flavor as well as crisp Meyer lemon and pink grapefruit. Liked the balance of fruit and mild acidity. This was my favorite of the two.

Tenuta Montemagno 36 (TM36)

A little less color, more like salmon, with the same exuberant bubbles. This one gave off hints of cherry, fruit cocktail, jasmine flowers, cream and a toasted wood on the nose. Tasting it I got that same cream but also a slight tart cherry and limeade. Same great balance with possibly a little more acidity, however it was mild. I shared these two with Prosecco-loving guests. They took photos and will be seeking them out.

News: The Indigenous varieties of Tenuta Montemagno: Grignolino d’Asti doc – Ruber

Ruber is the Grignolino d’Asti of Tenuta Montemagno. It is another great witness of the valorization of Monferrato indigenous varieties that is one of the beliefs of TM philosophy.

When we talk about this grape, the connection to our farmer and wine growers’ roofs is immediate. Grignolino is a rare and difficult grape to cultivate and to vinify. This wine is renowned since the Middle Ages with the name of Barbesino – from Latin Barbexinus and its existence attested by the XIII century citations, reported in the archives of Casale Monferrato. The current name’s etymology could find its origin from the Asti dialectical noun gragnola or grignole, meaning the numerous seeds in the grape, which is definitely one of its traits.

The challenge of Tiziano Barea and the Oenologue of Tenuta Montemagno was, at first, to transform the Grignolino, this ancient and “farmer” wine, into a contemporary one, preserving the original identity and organoleptic structure.

The vineyard reserved for the Grignolino cultivation has South-Southwest exposure and the characteristic soil’s composition, made of calcareous clay with slightly silty marls are the environment where it grows up, on vines of 30 years old, Guyot trained.

The grapes are worked by hand as well as by hand are harvested. The vinification process has been studied to valorize the “plus” of the Grignolino and to balance them with the innate astringency. The first step is to eliminate 2 of the 4 seed of the bounce then, the long maturing with skin contact brings out the full aroma of dried roses and the aromatic complexities of wild strawberry, wild berries and, in particular, raspberries.

Ruber is the name that identifies the Grignolino d’Asti of Tenuta Montemagno. Ruber – from Latin, it is the color, ruby red, transparent and eyes catching.

Ruber is the successful and contemporary Grignolino d’Asti of Tenuta Montemagno: the taste profile reveals the personality of a wine that is uninhibited and versatile in terms of food pairing, fairly mouth-filling, with tannins that are present but not aggressive, a suitably crisp, dry finish, and a good follow-through with the fruity notes that appear in the bouquet.

Ruber is the expression of Tenuta Montemagno wine making style, solid and convincing, that looks at the tradition with a modern eye but without useless stretches and with concrete and constant high quality.

In every glass of Grignolino, we find the important oenological story of Piedmont. Ruber is a red wine of friendly character, able to let us enjoy the aperitif – when served lightly chilled, the fish based dishes and the classical recipes of the Piedmont’s cuisine, as the medium seasoned cheese, the Muletta – typical salame of Monferrato, and the Agnolotti – stuffed pasta.

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.

THE 2020 SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY WINE INDUSTRY AWARDS ANNOUNCED

October 25, 2020 by evebushman

PASO ROBLES, CA – The San Luis Obispo County wine industry comes together annually to honor leaders of the local wine community. Typically, this awards ceremony takes place in the summer at the California Mid-State Fair. This year the ceremony took place online on October 16 and was streamed live on Facebook. These awards recognize dedication, stewardship, innovation, and leadership demonstrated in the San Luis Obispo County wine community. The 2020 San Luis Obispo County Wine Industry Awards go to – Winegrape Grower of the Year, William and Derryal (posthumously) John, John Vineyard Applications; Winemaker of the Year, Joe Barton, Grey Wolf Cellars and Barton Family Wines; Wine Industry Person of the Year, Amanda Wittstrom-Higgins, Ancient Peaks Winery. On Friday, October 16 the Winery of the Year from the Central Coast Wine Competition (CCWC) will be announced live.

The Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance in partnership with the San Luis Obispo Coast Wine Collective, the Independent Grape Growers of the Paso Robles Area, The Vineyard Team, and past award recipients worked together to vote on the 2020 industry award winners. The honorees are evaluated on their leadership and accomplishments in California’s third largest wine region, San Luis Obispo County. The Winery of the Year is determined by the Central Coast Wine Competition based on a winery’s overall performance of wines through the competition. CCWC judging is currently underway with wine awards being announced in the coming week.

“Although the circumstance of 2020 have been unprecedented, agriculture continues in our County and these individuals’ leadership, hard work, and dedication continue to bring national and international attention to the region,” said Joel Peterson, Executive Director of the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance. “We are excited to utilize a new format to celebrate these passionate individuals with a much wider audience and honor their work that will continue to elevate the reputation of wines from the greater San Luis Obispo County and the Paso Robles wine region.”

Hosted by Tom Keffury of the California Mid-State Fair and Christopher Taranto with the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance, this year’s celebration was virtual. The public can watch the presentation on the Facebook pages of the California Mid-State Fair, The Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance, and KRUSH 92.5. A short video presentation begins the presentation, followed by a live award ceremony and the unveiling of the Central Coast Wine Competition Winery of the Year award.

Winegrape Grower of the Year:
William and Derryal (posthumously) John
John Vineyard Applications
“I’m so honored that I have been awarded the Winegrape Grower of 2020 by my peers in the wine industry,” said Will John. I’ve always tried to be a good steward of the land and produce high quality wine grapes. I’m so pleased to be recognized for my contribution to this amazing wine region and thankful for all the wonderful industry professionals who have supported me along the way. I know my father would have been equally honored and grateful.”

Derryal John (1948 – 2020)
Derryal John was born into a farming family in 1948 in Delano, California. His father, Francis John, was a vineyard farmer and taught Derryal how to farm vineyards from a young age. After two tours in Vietnam with the U.S. Army, Derryal moved to Shandon in 1971. At this time he planted the San Juan Vineyard for Louie Lucas. In 1990, he started Derryal John Management and continued to farm the San Juan Vineyard until 1999. In addition, he developed and managed many vineyards in the Paso Robles area. He developed 800-acre Cuesta Ridge Vineyard for Robert Mondavi, which is now owned by Ancient Peaks Winery as the Santa Margarita Ranch. Derryal was a volunteer firefighter for 25 years in Shandon and coach of many youth sports teams. He enjoyed working closely with Will and continuing to help him with many of the farming tasks as he moved into retirement. In his spare time, Derryal and his wife Lesa loved attending activities and sports games of their six grandchildren. Derryal was much loved in the community and is dearly missed by his many friends and family after he passed away in January 2020.

Will John
Much like his father, Will John was born into a farming family in 1975 in San Luis Obispo. He grew up on the San Juan Vineyard and worked closely with his father from a very young age. He attended Cal Poly, taking every fall quarter off to work grape harvest, and put himself through school. He met and married his wife, Jalene in 2003 and they have two girls, Quinn, 13 and Delaney, 11. Will started his own vineyard farming business, John Vineyard Applications, Inc. in 2004. He enjoys vineyard development from the ground up. He currently farms approximately 400 acres of leased and owned vineyards and also manages a handful of vineyards for clients. His newest project is a 100-acre dry-farmed vineyard, Armory in Paso Robles’ Adelaida District, consisting mostly of Cabernet Sauvignon and a few Rhône varietals. In his spare time, Will enjoys participating with his girls in the raising of their sheep flock, which they show in 4-H. He also enjoys camping, snowboarding and drinking wine, of course.

Winemaker of the Year
Joe Barton
Grey Wolf Cellars and Barton Family Wines
“I am humbled and grateful to be in such amazing company in this Year’s Mid State Fair Wine Awards,” said Joe Barton. “This award is always a representation of those that continue to bring excellence to the Central Coast. I am so honored to be a part of the legacy of artisans who have helped to craft our wine industry. I want to thank all of my family, friends and Grey Wolf staff members, both past and present, who along the way gave me their best. I could not have done it without you.”

Joe Barton is the owner and Director of Winemaking at Grey Wolf Cellars and Barton Family Wines. His parents, Joe Sr. and Shirlene Barton, started the winery in 1994, following their dream of owning a winery and building a family business for future generations to come. Joe Jr. attended Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo as a fruit science major and was tasked at the young age of 23 with carrying on the family legacy and dream after his father tragically passed in 1998. He now operates the business with his wife Jenny and has made it his life mission the past 25 years to create a distinct style, sourcing from dry-farmed vineyards in the Paso Robles Willow Creek, Templeton Gap, and Adelaida District AVAs. Farming is the core of his business. Understanding the unique microclimates of Paso Robles distinct AVAs identifies the best location for growing a variety of wines with regional character. Focusing on making hand-crafted wines from specific sites creates a dynamic portfolio of wines. He works with a selection of wine varieties including the heritage varietal Zinfandel, the classic Bordeaux varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, and both Rhône red and whites. Joe is a past board member of the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance and served on the AVA Committee that oversaw the creation of petitions that created the 11 new districts within the Paso Robles AVA.

Wine Industry Person of the Year
Amanda Wittstrom-Higgins
Ancient Peaks Winery, Wine Speak, Dream Big Darling
“I am deeply humbled to be named Industry Person of the Year,” said Amanda. As fourth generation of the Central Coast, I am proud to be part of this agricultural community, for many years I have greatly admired past award recipients. I’m honored to carry on the legacy of paying it forward and creating opportunity for others. The rising tide floats all ships, and I’m blessed to be surrounded by an amazing community and work family who make nearly anything possible. A special thank you to my husband Sam, and my two children Cooper and Cecilia who remind me everyday that anything is possible if you dare to dream.”

As Executive Vice President at Ancient Peaks, Amanda has helped establish Ancient Peaks as a leading national brand. Along the way, she has been a passionate advocate for Paso Robles, SLO County and the Central Coast. Amanda has also invested heavily in employee personal and professional development, including a successful internship program has helped many graduates achieve professional growth, opportunity and success. Amanda was on the cover on Wine Enthusiast’s 2019 “40 Under 40” issue featuring “the trailblazers who are redefining the industry as we know it.” She was also one of five nominees for “Social Visionary of The Year” at the 2019 Wine Enthusiast Wine Star Awards. In 2017, Amanda co-founded Wine Speak Paso Robles, an annual industry trade event that is now regarded as one of the finest events of its kind in California. Wine Speak is deeply involved in community service, such as hosting young wine professionals on scholarship. In 2018, Amanda founded Dream Big Darling, a local nonprofit dedicated to fostering the success of up-and-coming women in the wine and spirits industry. Amanda is passionate about local community service and served on the boards of the SLO Coast Wine Collective (three years) and Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance (two years). Amanda is a Paso Robles native, and a graduate of Paso Robles High School, Cuesta College and Cal Poly. She served as the girls JV basketball coach at Paso Robles High School, and also served as co-head coach with her sister for two seasons.

Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance:
The Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance is the official trade and marketing organization that represents wineries, growers and businesses in Paso Robles Wine Country. Centrally located between San Francisco and Los Angeles, along California’s Central Coast, Paso Robles Wine Country is California’s third largest wine region. It encompasses more than 40,000 vineyard acres and 200 wineries. For more information, visit pasowine.com. Facebook – @PasoRoblesWine, Instagram – @Pasowine, #pasowine.

About The Central Coast Wine Competition:
The Central Coast Wine Competition promotes the excellent quality and diversity of commercial wineries and grape growers while recognizing the fastest growing wine region in California. In its 17th year, the Central Coast Wine Competition is a collaboration of six California fairs and highlights the wine industry as an integral agricultural component of the community. Gold Medal winners will be showcased at the California Mid-State Fair; Contra Costa County Fair; Cow Palace/Grand National Livestock Exposition, Horse Show and Rodeo; Monterey County Fair; San Benito County Fair; and Santa Maria Fairpark. For further information, please visit centralcoastwinecomp.com, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat and YouTube @ccwinecomp. The 2021 California Mid-State Fair runs July 21 – August 1.

Nathan Carlson, Head Winemaker, Center of Effort Wines Reflects on a Decade of Change + The New Influence of The Edna Valley Region

September 14, 2020 by evebushman

After a decade of working with Center of Effort Wine, time seems to have passed quickly. “As I think back, we have accomplished so much in that time. Our wines have found a rhythm, we understand the estate and the land, and we have begun to make adjustments based on deep knowledge of this place,” explains winemaker Nathan Carlson.

Photo from Exploring.wine.com

Carlson joined Center of Effort in late June of 2010, when the winery had been under the new ownership of Bill and Cheryl Swanson. At his previous job, he oversaw winemaking for multiple brands in multiple facilities, and sourced grapes from growers from Lake County to Santa Barbara.

Center of Effort presented an opportunity to get back into the Edna Valley, a place that Nathan knows well. This new opportunity gave me the chance to be involved nearly from the beginning with a new winery, owners who were committed to quality and to connecting with their customers. Most importantly, after years of working broadly with vineyards and growers across the state, this was clearly an opportunity to develop a deep understanding of one single estate location; maximizing quality and efficiency from the existing vines and implementing solutions that made sense in our circumstances.

There were challenges ahead, and new wineries can be filled with uncertainty. “I had experience working with fruit from the established vines on this property. I knew that there was potential for excellence here, if the details were attended to carefully. And in particular I knew that there would be growth and learning for me by working for someone like Bill Swanson,” says Carlson.

Early meetings with Mr. Swanson made it clear that he was direct, fair and that he had vast experience managing tens of thousands of people as the President and CEO of Raytheon. He approached and thought about things on a different scale than most people.

While working with the vineyards and wines, Nathan tried to understand what exists naturally, and draw on that strength rather than imposing any particular style on the fruit. The existing vines were planted in 1997, according to production standards of that time. From that first summer, the company paid close attention to soil, aspect and growth patterns.

In 2012 we implemented a major replanting of 8 acres to very high-density, high quality planting of additional Pinot Noir clonal selections, increasing the diversity of fruit available to our winemaking program.

From 2011, they enrolled in an audited sustainability program (SIP) that has been a useful metric to measure our longer-term goals for the vineyard and the business. They use very safe methods of crop protection, plant cover crops to minimize erosion and to feed the soil, return compost to the vines each winter to build organic matter in the soil, and track water use. Canopy management is a major quality and vine health issue in a cool foggy region, and they retrofitted the vineyard to make shoot management and leaf pulling easier for the crews. It is amazing to watch the soil come back to life; where it was previously a lifeless crust directly under the vines it now holds water and earthworms and smells clean and earthy.

“Our wines have been fortunate to receive acclaim right from the beginning. Our inaugural release of the Estate Pinot Noir was rated 95 points by a major wine publication, and that praise has been a consistent part of our story ever since. We have always made our mailing list customer/members our main focus, and present offers of the wines to them upon release and prior to the winter holidays. When we began to sell the wines in distribution, it was initially through our neighbor Lorraine Alban’s wine company – she and her team have been wonderful stewards of our wines, sharing them with businesses in our region and being mindful of what is best for us in the longer term,” says Nathan.

Over the past decade, CEOE has been constantly building and developing. Wells, water infrastructure, vineyard redevelopment, a solar field to provide all winery power, upgrading facility and winery equipment, additional fermentation and storage tanks, all-new presses, and high-quality grape receiving equipment all happened largely in the background, but boosted the efficiency and quality of their wines and vineyards.

Since 2016, the company undertook a multi-million-dollar wholesale renovation of the winery and grounds.

Prior to launching this renovation, COE didn’t have a comfortable place to host visitors to the winery. “I want COE to have a place that matches the wine quality” Bill Swanson, Owner of COE said many times during meetings.

“We thought about the design of the public spaces from the desire to provide genuine hospitality and ease to our guests, with small semi-private spaces to sit comfortably, large outdoor patios and gardens for events and winery parties, and all of it open to our unmatched views of the Santa Lucia mountains. The open kitchen with Chef’s bar has been a wonderful way to share culinary experiences with small groups of our members. There truly is not another property like this in the region, and it is a special privilege to come to work here every morning,” adds Nathan.

COE is now an authentic ambassador for the Edna Valley. It is a magnificent place on the Pacific coast. Nathan started as the only employee of the business. “We had contractors and outside service providers, but it took time to assemble the right crew of people. And over time, we have had contributions from many amazing human beings who have built their experience with us at COE and eventually transitioned out into the larger world of our industry,” says Carlson.

COE’s close connection with California Polytechnic University and their Wine and Viticulture department has grown and bloomed to become a development ground for amazing talent that is moving into the industry.

“The Edna Valley AVA is a fairly small region; and because of that our voice may not have been as loud as others.

The wines from the Edna Valley tend toward elegance and longevity at their best, not bombast and hedonism, which tends to attract more attention. But members of our industry who have a broad understanding of the world of wine appreciate the quality potential and ascendency of the wines. I am ultimately looking forward to developing Center of Effort’s special strengths and to telling their unique story,” says Nathan.

Portland Cider Co. Brings Home Best Cider from the 2020 Sunset International Wine Competition

September 9, 2020 by evebushman

PORTLAND, OR – Portland Cider Co., one of Oregon’s longest operating independent craft cider producers, won multiple categories at the 2020 Sunset International Wine Competition. The cider company brought home the awards for Double Gold Best of Class (Sorta Sweet), Best of Show Cider (Sorta Sweet) and Silver (Kinda Dry). Sorta Sweet took home a Double Gold medal and Best of Class title in the Hard Cider category and Best of Show with a score of 98 points.

The 2020 Sunset International Wine Competition featured wines and ciders that were blind tasted by industry experts, researchers, growers, writers, producers and sommeliers to determine the winners in each category. Judging took place on June 23 and 24, 2020, in Santa Rosa, California.

“Sorta Sweet continues to be our most-awarded cider with seven total Gold Medals to its name,” said Jeff Parrish, co-owner of Portland Cider Co. “It’s gratifying to be awarded for your efforts, especially in a competition that is the caliber of the Sunset International Wine Competition with experienced sommeliers assessing ciders and wine from all over the world.”

Since first entering competitions, Portland Cider Company’s Sorta Sweet has claimed over 15 awards, and since the cidery’s establishment, it has won nearly 100 awards for its products and taprooms, including Best Cider House and Best Cidery in Portland.

Portland Cider Co.’s Sorta Sweet is a love song to the Oregon craft cider movement and the company’s most award-winning cider. It’s semi-sweet, refreshing and effervescent, and is a winning example of the marriage of the owners of Portland Cider: an Oregon native & UK expat on a mission to bring quality cider to the world. The higher levels of natural sugars are balanced with the right amount of tartness that offers a fresh finish that tastes like biting into a crisp apple. Available year-round, Sorta Sweet is made from 100 percent Northwest apples.

While many wine and spirit competitions have been canceled for 2020, the 2020 Sunset International Wine Competition was determined to take place and saw a 10 percent increase in entries compared to the 2019 competition.

“All imaginable health precautions were taken to ensure the safety of judges and backroom staff, while the wines were given the full measure of respect they deserve. Secondly, we are grateful to all the wineries that sent in their wines for evaluation. This year’s entries garnered a record number of Golds and Double Golds, making for a very competitive Sweepstakes round,” said Debra Del Fiorentino, President of Wine Competitions Production & Management, who owns and operates the Sunset International Wine Competition.

About Portland Cider Company

Portland Cider Company was started in 2013 by an Oregonian and a family of British expats with the mission of bringing cider, handcrafted in the English tradition, to the Northwest. One of Oregon’s longest operating independent cider producers, Portland Cider has two taproom locations: the Portland Cider House at 3638 SE Hawthorne Blvd. and the Clackamas Taproom and Cidery at 8925 SE Jannsen Rd, Bldg. F, in Clackamas. Since its opening, the cidery has won nearly 100 awards for its products and taprooms, including being named Best Cider House and Best Cidery in Portland. For more information, visit PortlandCider.com and engage on social media at @portlandcider.

Tasting Single-Vineyard Pinot Noir With Winemaker Theresa Heredia of Gary Farrell Wines

August 21, 2020 by evebushman

Tickled to have an opportunity to taste wines with a winemaker – via Zoom – after such a long dry Covid-induced period! And it would be a favorite winery of many pals – Gary Farrell Vineyards and Winery – whose website says they’re “A Grand Cru of the Russian River Valley for more than three decades, (producing) wines of balance, elegance and pure varietal expression.” Well, I would be putting the varietal expression to test with seven of their single vineyard Pinot Noirs.

Introduction

I’d like to invite you to a special tasting we are organizing with Gary Farrell winemaker Theresa Heredia, via Zoom, that explores the depth and breadth of Gary Farrell Pinot Noir for a small group of media. She will lead a tasting of her single-vineyard Pinot Noirs that includes bottlings from long-time Gary Farrell growers such as Hallberg and Toboni and more recent vineyard additions such as Gap’s Crown, Martaella and Fort Ross. The tasting will be 7 wines total, which we would send you in advance. She will provide background on each vineyard and will discuss her approach to making each wine, which is tailored to the vineyard and focuses on achieving bright, vibrant aromas, intense yet supple flavors, and the winery’s signature balance and purity of varietal expression. And, of course, she will welcome questions and discussion.

What We Learned

Did a little advance googling to learn a bit about the winery and Heredia in advance of the zoom presentation. I learned that the majority of the newly released 2017s are for members only and that they have an “Inspiration” series that offers a one-time released wine to members only as well. Most of their wine is available at the winery and online, some may be found in restaurants and a few retail outlets.

They were named one of the top 100 wineries in the October 2019 issue of Wine and Spirits Magazine, one of the Top 50 producers in Wine Spectator’s June 2020 issue and their recent 2017 Fort Ross Pinot was awarded 95 points by Wine Spectator. Prince of Pinot named them the 2016 Vineyard of the Year.

Heredia began her tenure with Gary Farrell in May 2012, after working as the winemaker for Joseph Phelps Vineyard’s Freestone label. The San Francisco Chronicle named her the 2012 Winemaker to Watch.

From Heredia we learned that most of her wines are made with whole clusters, they have less alcohol, she likes skins on, ferments all separately, and a light toast to her barrels – that is her influence showing. What is Heredia most proud of: Her 2017 vintage, including two more vineyards she picked up in Lompoc. What is her favorite Pinot vineyard: Fort Ross, it reminds her of Burgundy, as does the Martaella vineyard.

The winery makes 12 to 14 Pinots, and though they also make a Rose, Sauvignon Blanc, and others, their focus is Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

The Wines (Tasting notes were provided and discussed. I put the ones I agreed with in bold.)

2016 Bien Nacido Vineyard Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley

Heredia called this wine a “sexy spice box” and I agreed with finding pomegranate, dried stems and anise. WE 95, WS 89, $70 https://shop.garyfarrellwinery.com/product/2016-PINOT-NOIR-BIEN-NACIDO

2016 Fort Ross Vineyard Pinot Noir, Fort Ross-Seaview

Heredia used more whole cluster grapes in this wine and the area is known for being foggy and cooler, which produces a darker wine. One pal noted it as “bright and cheerful” and I did find the wine earthy, savory, with tea, blackberry and strong tannins. $75, 94 WE

https://shop.garyfarrellwinery.com/product/2016-PINOT-NOIR-FORT-ROSS

2016 Hallberg Dijon Clones Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley (Green Valley)

Savory again, lots of black tea, and noted a beautiful color. 94 Pinot File, $60, https://shop.garyfarrellwinery.com/product/2016-PINOT-NOIR-HALLBERG-DIJON

2016 Hallberg Vineyard Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley (Green Valley)

Clones in this wine included 667, 772 and 828. It had aromas reminiscent of dark cherries, cola and dried mushrooms. wine.com 54.99, RP 92, WS 92

2016 Martaella Vineyard Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley

These last three wines Heredia said showed more concentration and are structure-driven. Lots of red to black fruit, sweet cedar and plenty of tannins. 94 WE, $65 https://shop.garyfarrellwinery.com/product/2016-PINOT-NOIR-MARTAELLA

2016 Toboni Vineyard Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley

Clones 115, 667 and 777 were used in the wine. Lots of vanilla bean, with the expected cherry, in this one. Ed’s favorite. 93 WS, $55 https://shop.garyfarrellwinery.com/product/2016-PINOT-NOIR-TOBONI

2016 Gap’s Crown Vineyard Pinot Noir, Petaluma Gap

A crowd pleaser, this one went well with a Pork Wellington Eddie made for dinner. We loved the nose of cherries, cola and that nice savory quality we kept finding in the wines. Heredia said it could age five or more years. 94 WE, $80 https://shop.garyfarrellwinery.com/product/2016-PINOT-NOIR-GAP-S-CROWN

Contact information and links

https://www.garyfarrellwinery.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Gary.Farrell.Winery/

707-473-2909 Concierge@GaryFarrellWinery.com

Rocky Pond Estate Winery Adds Accomplished Consulting Winemaker

August 17, 2020 by evebushman

ORONDO, Wash.,/PRNewswire/ — Rocky Pond Estate Winery, the Washington producer crafting wines from their beautiful and sustainably farmed riverside and lakeside estate vineyards, has reached an agreement with highly regarded and accomplished winemaker and viticulturist Steve Leveque. He will join the team for the 2020 growing season and will lead all winemaking activities alongside their established Winemaker Shane Collins and current vineyard management team led by Javier Rocha.

“We are filled with excitement and anticipation as we welcome Steve to the team,” stated Owners and Founders David and Michelle Dufenhorst. “This is another building block in our mission to elevate Rocky Pond as the top Eastern Washington wine destination. We believe in the potential of this special region, its micro-climates, and soils. By adding Steve to share his wealth of experience and to guide our excellent winemaking and vineyard teams, we hope to take our offering to the next level.”

Leveque’s list of winemaking work is impressive, extensive, and full of household names like HALL, Chalk Hill, Opus One, and Mondavi. His addition to the Rocky Pond team is a monumental investment in the future of wine quality and vineyard management that will further elevate and expand the burgeoning program for decades to come.

Leveque honed his winemaking techniques during his 10-year tenure as winemaker at Robert Mondavi Winery. He also gleaned cutting-edge ideas from leading viticulture research and visionary collaborators including prominent wine consultant Michel Rolland. Steve went on to work as executive vice president and winemaker of Chalk Hill Estate Winery in Sonoma, where he handcrafted an award-winning portfolio from small-lot Bordeaux varietals and Chardonnay.

Leveque has also earned three 100 Point scores from Wine Advocate, two 100 Point scores from Jeb Dunnuck and the #2 Wine in the World from Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines of 2011. Over 80 of Steve’s wines have been rated 99-95 Points from the elite wine publications.

“I am excited and humbled to be working with such a dedicated and talented team. The level of commitment and leadership shown by the Dufenhorst family is something I rarely get to experience, and I can’t wait to make wine from their amazing vineyards,” states Steve Leveque. “The Double D and Rocky Reach vineyards, with an abundance of rock and glacial silt soils, coupled with ideal climatic conditions, makes me confident that world-class wines will be the standard at Rocky Pond.”

The Dufenhorsts have been actively compiling quite the all-star team. They are laser-focused on increasing quality across the board through innovation in winemaking, sustainable vineyard practices, and elevated hospitality experiences. Leveque will work alongside current Rocky Pond Winemaker and native of Lake Chelan Shane Collins in addition to President John Ware who recently took the reins after twenty years at Quilceda Creek.

Rocky Pond currently operates two beautifully adorned tasting lounges – one in Chelan and the other in Woodinville – for their beloved wine club members and wine lovers alike. They invite guests for wine tastings, bottle purchases, and culinary chef specials created by their in-house Executive Chef each week by reservation at www.rockypondwinery.com.

How Would You Like to Get Comfortable at Grapestake Cottage and Vineyards in Paso? (Promo code below!)

June 20, 2020 by evebushman

We have some news from Grapestake Cottage and Vineyards in Paso Robles to share:

Grapestake Cottage is open and we miss our wonderful guests. We are waiting for you with a bottle of our 2018 Grapestake Zinfandel (or choose Grenache) and Owen’s hand curated olives. The vines are full and rich with flowers…roses are in bloom and the sun is shining! We have ultra sanitized everything (actually we always did) and we assure you that your home away from home will be sparkling clean! Most restaurants have reopened and wineries are gradually opening.

We are offering a special code to entice guests to visit us. Please use: Wine101 in the promotion code box at checkout to enjoy 15% off your 2 night minimum stay. This promotion code will expire July 31^st for any future travel date.

If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact me directly. Please stay safe and healthy and hope to see you soon!

Regards from the Vineyard!

Nancy

805-888-5225

https://www.grapestakecottage.com/

And here, as a reminder, is my story from my own visit there in 2018:

Oh dear me, what kind of karma do I have? Apparently the best. I’m sitting at a dining table, in a one bedroom cottage, set apart from a large estate, perusing an antique piano turned into a display case, a couch and two armchairs – that all recline – a beautiful modern kitchen area with everything you could possibly need for a welcome stay – from coffee maker to teapot, corkscrew to sweet and salty snacks and a large fireplace, television, another seating area…and that’s just in the front room. (Ed’s taking a nap in the bedroom so we may get there later.)

I am just starting this article and it’s slow going as I find my eyes drifting to one of many windows where the sun has begun to set behind the patio, garden and vineyards. If this isn’t my heaven then I don’t know what is.

The sun has now set, but before it grows too dark I see little bitty lights in the tree on our patio. I’m itching to go out and sit at the table and open a bottle of wine. But we’re in Paso Robles. And since Grapestake Cottage is so inviting, I forget for a minute that I have winery appointments. I made a quick evaluation of our calendar and decide that on at least one of our nights, Sunday, we will be bringing in a pizza, opening one of the many wines we’ve purchased to enjoy on the patio, watch that sunset again, and then retreat inside when it gets cold to flip on the fireplace, take our shoes off, don one of the provided terry robes, put some popcorn in the microwave, put our feet up and get cozy.

We also made sure to set some time to get to know Nancy and Owen Belletto, our hosts, a wee bit better. “It all started with a tractor” was the joke Owen made when we first met, and that tractor – and everything that came after – was the turning point that soon meant building a cottage, an incredible garden and…vineyards.

The name Grapestake has a meaning as well. I learned that Owen used 40-year-old wooden grapestakes – now grapestakes are all made of metal – to repurpose them as fencing for the cottage just as he had seen in some homes in Carmel. After meeting Owen, and seeing the amazing property, I could easily visualize him as he “spent countless hours cutting, sanding and measuring” just for the beauty it would provide for guests…

As we were told to “please feel free to wander the vineyard and grounds” we did. But as I didn’t want to run into any gophers, I waited until our set interview time with Owen and Nancy to learn more about the Bellettos and their home. I learned that when they chose the property that the estate home was already built, which had formerly been a B and B and required no more work, a stipulation Nancy required before moving in.

That requirement was really more of a model, as within a short time the gravel parking area become the base of the cottage, the grounds now included olive trees, and the same designer that had built the home was called upon to build Grapestake Cottage – however in the original plans the cottage was only built to house Owen’s tractor. But Owen needed a bathroom near the tractor…but why just have a bathroom without a bedroom…and Grapestake Cottage began to really take shape, literally.

All in all there are 8 acres on the property under vine, 7.5 of those acres are Syrah – they are estate growers for Justin, and were named the grower of the year in 2016 – and the remaining .5 acres are for Grenache and is reserved for Owen’s winemaking alone. Owen has a background in agriculture – the pair met while in studies at UC Davis – where they were starving students for a short time, enjoying wine tasting in nearby Napa valley back in the days when it was free to taste.

Fast forward to present day in Paso. They have met welcoming and charming people in the Paso wine industry. Any local winemakers, they feel, are very free with answering any wine question put to them without a nuance of elitism.

“Paso Robles is where Napa was 30 years ago,” Owen began. “insofar as how people are treated.” And a good way to explain why so many wine people may prefer tasting and touring in Paso over Napa. It’s not just the difference in the cost of wines, but also in how Paso treats its guests.

As far as how they treat their own guests, and circling back to how we felt our accommodations were far and above the standard, Nancy explained, “I’ve traveled with Owen on many trips and have often been irritated by asking to pay for items like water bottles and snacks. So we put a lot of thought into what a guest would like that we would also appreciate.”

Come check then out for yourself, and remember to use code wine101 before July 31: https://www.grapestakecottage.com/

https://www.instagram.com/grapestakecottage/

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 15k 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