My Fave Wines From 2020: The Year When Drinking Wine Became Everyone’s Favorite Pastime

February 12, 2021 by evebushman

Lots pop into our heads when we think of 2020, and of course we aren’t out of the woods yet, or even close, so far for 2021. For me it was a windfall of wines sent for review, often accompanied by a Zoom tasting led by the winemaker. I (virtually) traveled to Germany, Spain, Argentina, France, Italy and more in those meetings and via my own cellar. And before Covid shut things down I did have quick trips to Los Olivos, Paso Robles and the Lompoc Wine Ghetto. Below is a collection of some of my favorite wines from 2020. If any of this sounds good to you, go find these wines!

It turns out that I had about 50 wine tastings, if not more, in 2020. These shout-outs are from EveWine101 website articles: the 2020 Gambero Rosso Master Class, 2017 Bordeaux presented by the Union des Grand Crus, Vega Sicilia collectors dinner with Pablo Alvarez, Fontanafredda Barolo, wine from New Zealand’s Waipapa Bay, Folded Hills Winery with winemaker Angela Osborne, California Wine STARS 2020, LA County Wines (Byron Blatty, Acri Wine Company, Angeleno Wine Company and Cavaletti Vineyards), Zoom tasting with Suzanne Phifer Pavitt and their 2012 Date Night Cabernet, Camins 2 Dreams, Gary Farrell single vineyard Pinots with winemaker Theresa Heredia, revisiting Montemar, catching up with winemaker Mark Cargasacchi and Jalama wines, also visiting Ampelos and Zotovich in Lompoc, Switchback Ridge via the Grand Reserves Reward Master Card, tasting from family-owned wineries with Dr. Laura Catena, Anne Trimbach, Laure Colombo and Alessia Collauto Travaglini, great wines that stole my palate but not my wallet from Guarachi Wine Partners, reviewing DAOU’s Soul of a Lion, Tenuta Montemagno sparkling Barbera, Castello di Fonterutoli with Giovanni Mazzei, Paul Kornell Sparkling…

In SCV Elite Magazine this year I got to write about wine tasting in Paso Robles just before the shutdown. Had exceptional experiences at Thacher Winery, Tablas Creek Vineyard, Derby Wine Estates, Steinbeck Wines, Cass Wines, Eberle Winery, Oso Libre Winery, HammerSky vineyards and the Allegretto Vineyard Resort.

January started out great with my first, and last, visit and dinner at Marstons with my VP/BFF Michael Perlis, our wonderful spouses, all over lots of wine ($10 corkage!) including 2013 Audacious Grenache/Syrah/Cab blend by Law Estate, 2013 Comstock Rockpile/Sonoma County Zinfandel, 2009 Regusci Zinfandel Napa Valley…

At Wine 661: Lucas And Lewellen tasting where we sampled five of their Santa Barbara County wines, including a Rose of Pinot and a Bordeaux blend. Had a couple of wines off of the Happy Hour menu. This was not the last time I went to Wine 661 in 2020…

Now some single bottle shout outs:

Vinos Zanzonico 2017 Syrah Reserva: 100% Syrah, 13.5% alcohol, from the Valle de la Grulla area of Baja. With a regal dark purple color, I was drawn in to fantastic aromas of sweet black cherry, plum, tri-color peppercorns, layers of rich bark, milk chocolate…all very welcoming. I went in for a taste and was rewarded with a very rich and layered mouthfeel, with dark and dry blue to black fruit, grilled mushrooms, peppery spicy goodness and tannins that held my back palate at attention for a length that just would…not…quit. 99 Eve points.

2014 Old Vine Zichichi Family Vineyard Zinfandel from the Dry Creek Valley: The 14.8% alcohol didn’t translate at all to a hot wine on the palate, instead it delivered incredible substance. It started with a nose full of sweet dark plums, pipe tobacco, black licorice, toasted oak, black pepper and popcorn kernel. Going in for a taste my mouth was filled with delicious dried blueberry and blackberry, that same black pepper, tannins that held firm, and a great balance of the dark fruit and tannins to keep it lingering a long time on the palate. This was a new Zin discovery for me, will definitely be looking for it again!

Entourage by Two Papas Wine barrel fermented (1) and stainless steel (2) 2019 Chardonnay, Thompson Vineyard, Santa Barbara County: 1. Barrel: Designated by a gold wax top (the stainless has a silver wax top) I was amazed that this was a young 2019 vintage! It had lovely notes of creamy butter, pineapple, golden delicious apple and popcorn kernel that morphed into caramel apple on the palate, mild acidity, with a long, balanced and lush finish. 2. No barrel: Our stainless sibling gave off nicely scented whiffs of Meyer lemon, both cantaloupe and honeydew melon, and a little unsalted butter. When I tasted the wine I got homemade fruit cocktail, wet pebbles, low acidity and a medium finish.

2018 Kindred Rose of Pinot Noir: The color of rose gold, complete with sparkles! Then on the nose I found pink grapefruit, lemon pith, French Toast, Creme Brûlée, and Mandarin orange = all very inviting! In for a taste next, there is a very round mouthfeel, and the same citrus fruits I found on the nose – grapefruit, lemon and orange – with a medium acidity. Enjoy now, with or without food IMO!

2015 Phifer Pavitt XRoads Cabernet Sauvignon: Crushed dark cherry, wet forest floor, grilled steak and mushrooms, dark chocolate, black licorice, pipe tobacco, toasted oak, a hint of sweet cream and more all on the nose. Flavors included that same black cherry as well as blackberry, blueberry, a gamut of spices, velvety and firm drying tannins that of course require that you go back in for another sip…and another.

2012 Regusci Patriarch Proprietary Red: aroma: dark berries, dried leaves, figs, toasted oak and a bit o’ mint. Some of the same aromas in the flavors with the addition of dark chocolate.

2001 Giacomo Conterno Cascina Francia, a Nebbiolo from Barolo, Piedmont…I looked for the roses, tar, licorice and red berries (notes from a professional critic) and also found tart berries, spice and tannins after decanting for 7 hours. So interesting.

Have you tried Guentota, aka the “Soul of Cuyo”, a “100-YR-OLD-VINE PREMIUM 2016 MALBEC” from Mendoza, Argentina? It’s from Belasco De Baqueano and was awarded 91 points from James Suckling. And I was far too busy lapping it up to make any tasting notes. But find it at Newhall Press Room. (Truth be told I had a LOT of wine from Newhall Press in 2020!)

2002 Joseph Phelps Insignia, I have no notes as I was also too busy drinking to take any. A stellar wine as it’s been proven vintage after vintage.

1999 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo: The nose and taste had really changed and mellowed over the 7 hours, with aromas of dried dark fruit, grilled mushroom, balsamic, dust and oak; on the palate I got both bright and dark fruit in a very fine balance.

From my local Pulchella Winery we had: Suspect sparkling wine, 2019 Latitude Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier blend, 2017 Mercenary Zinfandel blend, 2018 Witness Grenache…among others!

A note on Los Olivos: this was a non-press trip so no notes were taken. With that in mind we loved: Barbieri and Kempe are “Boutique wines made by Master Sommelier Paolo Barbieri” along with his wife Erin Kempe = bought a case! The second, Bella Cavailli Farms and Vineyard, produces some amazing wines against a backdrop of a working horse ranch, as well as some fun distilled spirits from Dorwood Distillery. Jeff Lockwood is the winemaker and his brother Jay the head distiller. We left there with both wine and spirts to enjoy at home.

A note from Wine on the Porch: During the summer months we enjoyed Hanzell Chardonnay, Saintsbury Chardonnay, Parhelion Cellars Light Pillar Chardonnay, St Supery Virtu Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc blend, Pagter Brothers 2018 Viognier, and from Hoi Polloi I snatched up their 2018 Rose of Grenache and Double-Gold Best-Of-Class 2018 Chardonnay!

A note about spirits: Yea, I wrote a lot about spirits this year too, stay tuned for a roundup of those next!

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.

Visiting Wineries We Like: Ampelos and Zotovich!

September 11, 2020 by evebushman

Finishing off our trip to Lompoc we had our last two tasting appointments, to Ampelos Cellars and to Zotovich Vineyards.

Due to Covid-19 both wineries are open for outdoor tastings. Just call or email ahead of time as we know that things can change from one day to the next.

Starting with Ampelos we met with Matt, a “cellar rat” at the winery and tasting room staffer. We went through their current lineup of wines to taste, but only after first noting the unique tasting notes done by their marketing director. Instead of the usual aromas and flavors, these tasting notes also called up more memories, or visions, of where each wine could take you. For example, the 2019 Santa Barbara County Viognier was described as, “The click clack of rails, puffs of jasmine glinted steam, the sneaky smile of a Mandarin orange sun. Teak wood bar, juicy pineapple rings, shaved coconut flesh, the sway of palm trees passing quickly by. A new day swaggers through the lounge car with unlimited possibilities while I ride alongside ‘phi’ the ‘golden girl’ of my dreams.” These kind of tasting notes, albeit not for everyone, makes the writer in me want to strive much harder. It’s boring to read, “jasmine, orange, teak, pineapple” alone. Now, moving on and back to the tasting, and my tasting notes, I found the fruit in the Viognier to be fresh with a lovely mouthfeel. A great start to our tasting.

Next was their 2017 “Garcia” Albarino that spent 50% in neutral oak and 50% in stainless steel tanks. It was quite nice, with mild fruit notes. A 2016 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir “Lambda” had both good fruit and balance, and was awarded 90 points by Wine Enthusiast. Next to try was 2015 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir “Rho” barrel select, made for their best 12 barrels and spent six to eight months longer in barrel. It was very yummy, with rich velvety fruit and oak notes. The Rho got 90 points from both Wine & Spirits magazine and Wine Enthusiast.

The next wine, a 2015 Sta. Rita Hills Grenache “Delta”, had lovely layers of red fruit, spice and earth. The 2016 Sta. Rita Hills “Syrache”, a wine I had been told by a wine pal not to miss, is a Syrah Grenache blend. This vintage was 65% Syrah and 35% Grenache. It proved to be my favorite in the tasting. Wine & Spirits gave it 91 points and Wine Enthusiast awarded it 90 points. Our final wine, the 2016 Syrah had lovely peppery notes I won’t soon forget.

When our Contributing Editor Michael Perlis checked over this article he reminded me that he had covered Ampelos after tasting them at Wine in the Pines in 2015. At that time he shared, “A fortunate cancelation of a meeting at the World Trade Center led to Peter Work missing the 9/11 tragedy. Rethinking their lives, he and wife Rebecca plunged full-time into their Ampelos vineyard in the Sta. Rita Hills, which they had acquired in 1999. My favorites were the “Syrache” [blend of Syrah and Grenache] as well as the standalone Syrah.”

From Facebook

ampelos has been a family endeavor from the start! Initially “corporate folk”, we enjoyed getting away to the Sta. Rita hills on weekends and dreamt of one day planting our own vineyards and making wines. A cancelled meeting on the morning of September11, 2001 helped us to realize that someday was TODAY! Our son, Don, came out to help get the vineyard underway and soon our dreams became reality. We are driven by a deep love and passion for viticulture. We are very proud to be one of the first wineries to be CERTIFIED sustainable, organic, and biodynamic. As a small boutique winery we produce 3500 cases and are meticulous about being as gentle as possible with all of our farming and winemaking practices. The best part about being winemakers is the opportunity to meet and share our wine with others. Come see us…

Ampelos Cellars, 312 North 9th St. Lompoc. 805-736-9957.

https://www.facebook.com/ampeloscellars/

https://www.instagram.com/ampeloscellars/

Now, onto Zotovich! In the blue building, shared with other winery tasting rooms on the corner of Highway 1 and 246, we rediscovered Zotovich Estate Vineyards and Winery with sales rep Jason Carter. We quickly learned that they sell their wine via wine club, as well as in some restaurants and stores. We tasted about 10 wines, will share the notes for some from the current vintage – which should be available on their website.

We began with the 2018 “Zoto” Chardonnay that Jason said had “marginally less oak” than their Estate Chardonnay. I found it slightly acidic, akin to a Sauvignon Blanc, with both tart and buttery notes. Then we tried three more Chards, all very good. We preferred the 2017 Estate Chardonnay for its notes of Meyer lemon, white peach, pear and a hint of strawberry in a delicate balance, for only $28 a bottle. We liked the 2017 Reserve Chardonnay, from the 809 clone, and 50% new French oak, with tropical fruit including pineapple, papaya and a floral nose. The last white we tried was the 2018 Estate Viognier. The wine called up memories of lemon-lime soda, stone fruit, wet stones with a nice low acidity.

Next up came the reds, beginning with the 2017 Estate Pinot Noir. Notes included concentrated fruit – especially crushed raspberries, white pepper and a richer quality in comparison to a 2019 newly released Pinot served just before. The website said this is the 17^th vintage of their flagship Pinot. Oher reds we tried that I didn’t find on the website included their 2017 Grenache, 2016 Syrah Grenache Blend and a 2017 Syrah. Of these three I enjoyed the blend the most, but get over to the tasting room soon if you want to taste these wines!

A little research of my own and I found what I had to say about Zotovich in a Henry Wine Group tasting circa 2012, “This was my actual favorite winery of the day and I think it may have been the 10^th wine (translates to pretty early in the tasting) I had tried. The three the winemaker brought included an ‘09 Sta. Rita Hills Chardonnay that I found refreshing and steely, the ‘09 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir for its traditional cherry and stem flavors without a ton of alcohol or tannin (things I don’t like that some seem to be reaching for in Pinots) and the ‘09 Sta. Rita Hills Syrah that was both soft and then sturdy on the back palate. Want more.”

From Facebook

A small, family-owned and operated winery located on the Central Coast of California, Zotovich Vineyards handcrafts exceptional wine from small, closely monitored lots of grapes. Zotovich Vineyards & Winery proudly produces Estate Pinot Noir, Syrah, Chardonnay, Viognier, and Grenache. Our philosophy is simple: We believe great wine is established in the vineyard. We meticulously farm our estate Zotovich Family Vineyard grapes, and strive to make the best wine possible vintage to vintage.

Zotovich Vineyards, 300 N 12 St, Ste D, 805-736-1600.

http://www.zotovichvineyards.com/

https://www.facebook.com/pg/zotovichvineyards/

Rediscovering Jalama and Winemaker Mark Cargasacchi

September 4, 2020 by evebushman

Oh what a treat! I forgot how entertaining winemaker Mark Cargasacchi was! And of course, what a great winemaker he is! It had been a few years since I visited the Lompoc Wine Ghetto, aka the Lompoc Wine Trail, and when I found a photo in my Facebook memories of me at the ghetto, at Jalama wines, I re-shared it. That’s when I knew that I was way overdue for a visit. So overdue in fact that I had to learn that Mark had moved their tasting room to Palm Springs, though currently closed due to Covid. Mark often comes to Lompoc, as that is still where the winery is, so I got my foot in the door during one of his visits.

Mark picking up the wines from the tasting room before our meeting outside.

The move to the desert proved to be quite profitable for Mark, he said he had his best sales there in 2019. He sold out of all of his library wines, from 2004 through 2015, as well as his current 2016 vintages of both his Syrah and El Capitan “signature blend” and most of his 2017s! He did find a few wines to share with us, so there should be a few for you too, even better if you are a wine club member.

We caught up on some local gossip during our tasting, always fun, and heard all about his new spot in the desert. We were very happy to hear how well he is doing there and can’t wait to visit when the weather, and Covid, cools off. And by the time that happens we can try his wines again. Note: All of Mark’s wines have had no new oak since 2015. So if you use the word “oaky” as a descriptor in talking about any of his wines from 2015 on he will snort, or giggle, as it’s simply not there.

Tasting

We started with a barrel sample of Mark’s Grenache/Roussanne Blanc. It had spent time in stainless steel and neutral oak barrels, with four to five more months to go before he bottles (what Mark refers to as “a second winter”) before he will release the wine. It is also unfiltered and unfined. We thought it was super fresh, good fruit.

Next up was his 2017 Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills. We found it earthy as Mark had described, also with notes of dried black cherry and meaty plum. Then we sampled a 2016 Grenache with 13.5% alcohol, he had just released the wine six months before. We found it bright, smokey, rich and some of those earthy qualities again.

The 2016 Refugio blend of 50% Grenache and 50% Syrah was very nice, with rich and spicy bold blue fruit. A “not so petite” 2016 Petite Sirah was a big wow for me, my favorite in the tasting. Wine Enthusiast awarded it as the Editor’s Choice and 91 points, I would give this wine with a bold 15% alcohol more. Plenty of big, dark and dry black fruit, peppery and balanced.

For a finisher Mark brought out his latest wines, 2018 Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Both needed “another winter”, six to eight months or so, in bottle before he will release, but we could tell they would be worth the wait. The Merlot had outstanding blue to black fruit; rich, layered, spice, smokey and very aromatic. The Cab was bright now, but again, had that good fruit and earthy qualities we kept finding in the Jalama wines.

https://www.facebook.com/jalamawines

https://www.instagram.com/jalamawines/

https://www.jalamawines.com/

Discovering Montemar Again, and Probably Again and Again?

August 28, 2020 by evebushman

I remember tasting Montemar wines at past Wine in the Pines events, and that a few friends were in love with their wines, especially their Pinot Noirs. When my #LAWineWriters group planned a trip to Lompoc I looked around to see who else I would like to visit, and remembered that Montemar was there. Besides Pinot they are also known for Rhônes – GSM blends and Syrah – as well as Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Chardonnay, Rose, Viognier, Grappa and more.

When I met up with owner Caryn Arrowood she gave me their wine list, and whew, there was a lot to choose from. (For a writer, who of course has to spit everything, I limited myself to varietals that I normally appreciate.) Caryn commented that they make “too many” of a lot of varietals. They do indeed, lucky us.

But before we got to tasting Caryn showed me their life-size chalkboard where visitors could write down their goals (sadly Caryn’s husband Steve had his life’s goals written there before he passed away due to cancer), organic garden (Caryn offered that we take anything we like home with us), their sandy beach (yes, you read that right), large paintings of popular musicians one of their club members had done and plenty of well-spaced seating areas. Now, I grew thirsty to taste.

Tasting

The first wine we tasted, Caryn’s favorite and mine now as well, was their 2018 Grenache Blanc with delightful notes of fresh pineapple and fruit cocktail. Next up, a 2014 Sangiovese from Stolpman Vineyard, proved once again how great the Stolpman Vineyards are, and how a great winemaker can do great things with it. It had a beautiful nose filled with light red fruit, spice and brambles. Another wine with great fruit and spice, as well as mushrooms and violets, was the 2014 Grenache, I was now three for three in finding favorites at Montemar.

A dark, earthy, spicy wine with great balance, their 2014 GSM was the ticket. This rendition had 50% Syrah, 25% Grenache and 25% Mourvedre. A 2013 Syrah, Thompson Vineyard, had me at a “hello blueberry” youthful taste for a 2013, that also had a bright mint and some red earth notes to it.

Next up was their 2012 Syrah EBA (Extended Barrel Aged) from the Watchhill Vineyard. This wine has 12 more months in barrel, for a total of 30 months, before bottling. Caryn commented that this was “a good vineyard” for them. I got lots of red jammy fruit, pepper, crushed leaves, with a long tannic finish. Another favorite that lingered in my mind for a long time after tasting. Our final wine was a 2015 Petite Verdot from Happy Canyon. It was dark, dusty, with lots of great fruit and the most perfumed bouquet.

Note: Though Steve had been the winemaker for all of the wines we tasted, we learned that their son Kyle Arrowood, who Caryn said had been “a garage winemaker since he was a kid”, had taken up the helm. I look forward to returning and tasting Kyle’s vintages. The Arrowoods have long-time contracts with many vineyards where they can “control the fruit”, and I expect that to continue for many years to come.

Montemar Wines

1501 E. Chestnut Ct., STE E. Lompoc.

805-735-5000

https://www.montemarwinery.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Montemarwines/

https://www.montemarwinery.com/reopening.html

Discovering Camins 2 Dreams in Lompoc

August 14, 2020 by evebushman

Was recently invited by fellow wine writer and organizer of the #LAWineWriters group, Cori Solomon, for a road trip to Lompoc. It had been awhile since our group had met but Cori found a winery she liked that was most willing to set up for us outside and socially distanced for a tasting. The winery is Camins2Dreams and this is their story.

“Wife and wife” winemakers Tara Gomez and Mireia Taribo Tena share the Camins 2 Dreams winery. Some of us had already tasted wines made by Gomez, as she is also the winemaker at Kita. The pair make wines, starting with their flagship Gruner Veltliner and Syrah, only in a natural style. Cori hinted that “Tara and Mireia have a good story.”

We quickly learned that the pair has years of winemaking experience between them. Gomez got her Enology degree and began making wine at J Lohr (where the two met) and Fess Parker before starting Kalawashaq’ Wine Cellars (the winery name is the same as the village her Chumash forefathers lived in). Fast forward to taking some time away to make wine in Spain, specifically at Castell d’Encus, where Tena was the winemaker. Tena also has an Enology degree, and went back to school to earn a Masters in Enology, Viticulture and Marketing of Wine.

The pair started Camins 2 Dreams in 2017, making wines from Sta. Rita Hills vineyards that focus on 100% natural bottling, not filtered or fined, all foot stomped, no new oak barrels (their new standard) and only add SO2 (a wine preservative) just before bottling. Their first production was a mere three barrels.

“We have to adjust for each vintage…it’s difficult to be consistent. So the focus is on the vineyard,” the pair shared. They “respect the land and want (their) vineyards to be SIP certified.” Look for newcomers Grenache and Graciano in their lineup.

Tasting (Notes on aromas and flavors were provided, I will only comment on those that I noted as remarkable.)

We started with a 2019 Gruner Veltliner that was a big hit with the group. Noted: pear, green apple, freshness, acidity and it worked as the perfect palate cleanser for the tasting. At the end of the tasting we were treated to a refreshing Pet Nat of their Gruner Veltliner which is described by Wine Enthusiast as “Pét-nat, or Méthode Ancestrale, is a method of sparkling wine production used all over the world. … After a period of rest that can be as short as a couple of months…”

After the white wine we moved over to their pink, a 2019 Rose of Syrah that had been made in the saignee method with nearly zero skin contact and completely fermented in stainless steel. We notes strawberries, Rainier cherries, pomegranate with a crisp finish that I thought would lend itself well to a nice picnic with cold fried chicken.

Then we started on their many Syrah wines: 2017 Zotovich Vineyard, which was their first, which had a lovely blueberry nose, tannins and long finish – my favorite of the Syrahs. A 2018 Zotovich had a lovely balance and a bit lighter to me than the 2017. The 2018 Spear Vineyards had a medium body, black fruit and a decent amount of acidity that I felt was due to its youth. We finished for with a 2018 JSB (from the John Sebastiano Vineyard) that had been bottled just two weeks prior, and a red table wine that was a combination of both 2018 and 2019 Syrah from all three vineyards: JSB, Pear and Zotovich.

My takeaway: If you seek natural wines Camins 2 Dreams is not to be missed.

Camins 2 Dreams

313 North F St, Lompoc, CA.

805-741-7047

https://camins2dreams.com

https://www.facebook.com/camins2dreams/

https://www.instagram.com/camins2dreams/

Tasting: Two Papas Wines

April 12, 2019 by evebushman

I’ve known Rick Pratt, owner and winemaker for the new Entourage label by Two Papas Wine, for a few years now as he and his wife Teresa are one of the wineries that participate in Sunset in the Vineyard.

I’ve come to learn that Pratt’s wines are made from all Santa Barbara County grapes, that he makes the wines at Flying Goat Winery in Lompoc, and besides the event I mentioned you can also find his wines at Marston’s, Buellton Wine and Chili Fest, Santa Monica Fest and Sierra Pelona Wine Fest.

Pratt makes 240 to 320 cases per year of five varietals. Current releases (tasting notes below) are from 2017: Grenache Blanc, two different vineyards for two Grenache, a Grenache Syrah blend and a Syrah. Next up and in barrel now are the 2018s: all the same except that instead of the Grenache Syrah blend Pratt will be releasing a Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre (GSM) blend.

Most of the grapes come from the coveted Thompson Vineyard. Not to be confused with Thompson green table grapes, grapes from the Thompson vineyard are known to be the top Rhônes in the state, possibly in the country, according to Pratt, which he says are also wine critic Robert Parker’s favorite.

Even my fellow wine writer has reviewed Pratt’s wines and said, “…with Two Papas Wines, we may have a King of Grenache here in Santa Clarita.” Rusty Sly, February 1, 2019 http://www.slystateofwine.com/article

Tasting (Collective notes made with the Wine-y Women Meet-Up group. Some of their descriptors are in quotes. Aromas and flavors separated by;)

2017 Grenache Blanc

Saarloos and Sons Vineyards

El Camino Ranch, Los Olivos

12.5% alcohol

Grapefruit, fruit cocktail, tangerine and a hint of stainless steel; Green apple, dried apricot, lemon-lime, medium acid and that bit of steeliness. This was my favorite.

2017 Grenache

Saarloos and Sons Vineyards

El Camino Ranch, Los Olivos

13.8% alcohol

Strawberry, red plum, “Bing cherry” and wet pebbles; strawberry again, cherry cola, “warming”, earthy and tangy. This was a general favorite in the tasting.

2017 Grenache

Thompson Vineyard

Alisos Canyon, Santa Barbara County

13.8% alcohol

Cherry, raspberry jam, earth and oak; red fruit, a bit of grapefruit again and a little tartness.

2017 GS

75% Grenache, 25% Syrah

Thompson Vineyard

Alisos Canyon, Santa Barbara County

13.8% alcohol

“Bouquet of flowers”, opened “acorn nuts”, earth, blueberry, blackberry and a hint of caramel; dark fruit, red fruit, blue fruit, tannic and a bit acidic allowing for a long finish.

2017 Syrah

Thompson Vineyard

Alisos Canyon, Santa Barbara County

14% alcohol

“Black currant”, “Raisinettes”, oak, black cherry; black fruit, “chocolate cherry cordial”.

I also learned that Pratt has been licensed to sell commercially since October 2018, prices range from $27 to $35 a bottle, 10% discount to club members and club members that want to purchase above their allocation are extended a 15% courtesy. The commitment? Only three bottles twice a year. If you want more they also have a second club level, the Elite Club. It is two each of three bottlings twice a year. One in Spring just before Easter and one in early November, just before Thanksgiving. With that option 3 bottles twice a year averages $85 per shipment and 6 bottles twice a year averages $185 per shipment.

Pratt commented, “I love wine and talking about wines, just want to cover my expenses.”

(A note on the pretty ladies on his labels: The one with Natalie Wood on it has been granted permission for reuse, the others are models, including the lovely blond that is the Pratts’ daughter-in-law and the brunette in the large green hat is their daughter.)

https://twopapaswines.com/

Vintage Eve Circa Feb 2016: Wow, the 13th Annual Stars of Santa Barbara, by WineLA.com

February 26, 2019 by evebushman

Ian Blackburn of WineLA (formerly Learn About Wine) has done it again – rallied a stellar list of wineries to offer samples of their latest vintages at this year’s Stars of Santa Barbara event, once again held at the prestigious Peninsula Beverly Hills Hotel. (Watch the event in a slide show here.)

STARS also included VIP winemaker speakers, 80s KROQ DJ Richard Blade taking requests, yummy noshables and a silent auction – with enough wine to deck out a great cellar – that benefitted the T.J Martell Foundation in supporting Leukemia, cancer and AIDS research.

VIP Session: Brian Loring and Greg Brewer

Winemakers Brian Loring of Loring Wine Company and Greg Brewer, Co-Founder Brewer Clifton Winery led the VIP session. Ian called these men two of the “top personalities” that were represented at the event. These are my take-away lessons:

From Brewer

The “sand and plankton” added to the “oceanic voice” of the Santa Rita Hills.

All estate vineyards from old Lompoc family farms, so these same family names are on their wine labels.

The fruit is “generous (and produces) lush, curvy, sexy wines.” They use the full cluster, like “nose to tail” as referenced in cooking. The stems and the flesh add to the long-lasting tannins.

Only problem in the industry is that though we don’t need to dumb down wine we do need to make it accessible and understandable to all.

Brewer got hooked on wine while working in a tasting room.

From Loring

About ten years ago Wine Spectator named him and Brewer as 2 of the 10 to watch.

Unlike Brewer, Loring doesn’t use stems at all. Joked that it was due to his dislike of vegetables. His wines are big and plush on their own.

His 2006 Pinot Noir, closed with a screw cap, had aged well. Loring wanted people to see that the closure doesn’t affect the aging.

Loring, joking again, said he got into wine via a work release program from prison. However, like Brewer, he had started in the industry working in a wine shop, “hung out at harvest” and then, along with his sister, went full time.

Now, onto the tasting (I had a wee bit of a cold so I’m sure there were some great wines that I missed!)

Big Hits for Me

Westerly Wines, Fletcher’s Red, Happy Canyon Santa Barbara 2010.

All of the Pinots from the Bonaccorsi Wine Company.

Clos Pepe (yes this wine is still available for purchase) Axis Mundi Grenache/Syrah 2012.

Crawford Family Wines Syrah, Zotovich Vineyard, Sta. Rita Hills 2014 and Second Street Cuvee, Ballard Canyon 2013.

Summerland Winery Trio (GSM Blend) – Paso Robles 2013.

Margerum Amaro and M5 Rhone Blend, Santa Barbara 2013.

Coquelicot Estates Wines Mon Amour Bordeaux Blend and Sixer Rhone Style Syrah, both Santa Ynez Valley 2012.

Everything from Stolpman: ‘L’Avion’ Roussanne, Stolpman Vineyards, Ballard Canyon 2013; Estate Syrah, Stolpman Vineyards, Ballard Canyon 2013; ‘Originals’ Syrah, Stolpman Vineyards, Ballard Canyon 2013 and ‘La Croce’ Red Blend, Stolpman Vineyards, Ballard Canyon 2013.

Rusack Zinfandel, Ballard Canyon Estate (one of my fave AVAs in the area), 2013.

Everything from Larner Vineyard and Winery: Estate Grenache 2012

Estate Mourvèdre 2012; “Elemental” Estate GSM 2011 and Estate Syrah 2011.

Two from Crawford Family Wines: Syrah, Zotovich Vineyard, Sta. Rita Hills 2014 and Second Street Cuvee, Ballard Canyon 2013.

From Tercero, two stay-tuned-for new releases: 2015 Mourvedre Rose and 2015 Aberration (a red blend in stainless steel).

DV8 Cellars: GSM, Santa Barbara County 2012 and Syrah, Ballard Canyon 2012.

Refugio Ranch Vineyards Escondrijo blend (Syrah, Grenache, Petite Sirah) 2012 and my pick of the day: a killer Petite Sirah 2013.

From Wine LA

Dedicated to keeping the populous current on the developments growing out of Santa Barbara, this Annual Tasting Event features the namesakes, owners, winemakers pouring some of the best wine made in California. Long before Sideways, LearnAboutWine was bullish about the quality of Santa Barbara wine. Today, with the continued evolution of Santa Barbara we see Santa Rita Hills and Santa Maria focusing on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, Santa Ynez, Los Olivos and specifically Ballard Canyon focusing on Syrah and Rhone varieties and Happy Canyon focusing on Bordeaux varietals. Santa Barbara continues to make smaller production wines that need a story to be told and we deliver on that promise. Come and meet the winemakers, passionate owners, and the farmers and see why Santa Barbara deserves a bigger part of your wine budget and why you should plan a number of visits in the months ahead

2016 PARTICIPANTS

Bonaccorsi Wine Company
Brewer-Clifton
Brophy Clark Cellars
Ca’ Del Grevino Winery & Estate
Cargasacchi
Carucci Wines
Challen Winery
Clos Pepe Estate
Coquelicot Estate Wines
Consilience Wines
Crawford Family Wines
D’alfonso-Curran
Dolin Malibu Estate Vineyards
Dv8 Cellars
Foxen
Inception Wines
Jaffurs Wine Cellars
Jonata
La Fenêtre Wines
Lafond & Santa Barbara Winery
Larner Vineyard & Winery
Levo Wines
Loring Wine Company
Margerum Wine Company
Refugio Ranch Vineyards
Riverbench Winery
Rusack Vineyards
Silver Wines
Stolpman Vineyards
Summerland Winery
Tantara Wines
Tercero Wines
Temerity Vineyard
The Brander Vineyard
The Hilt
The Paring
Thorne Wine
Westerly Wines
William James Cellars
Zaca Mesa Winery And Vineyards

Sta. Rita Hills Winegrowers Alliance
Ave Winery
Ken Brown Wines
Kessler-Haak Vineyard & Winery

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 judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru. 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

Vintage Eve Circa 2/14: Eve Reviews The New California Wine by Jon Bonné

September 5, 2017 by evebushman

Nearly 300 pages of continuing education, that’s how I saw this book. I took diligent notes through to page 180 (below) of key items that I thought would be of interest to wine 101ers.

Jon Bonne, photo – KCET

The second section of the book, however, was very subjective as Bonné covered many popular California grape varietals, and growing areas, and then made suggestions – The Three-Bottle Tour being the narrowest view and his choice of Top Producers getting a paragraph or two. How can you narrow down the best Cabernets of California to three bottles or 8 wineries? Even with the addition of a “More Notable Wines” section, we only got eleven more Cabs.

So, are you going to stick to 19 wineries for your California Cabs? I think not. This was the theme throughout and all I could imagine were the thousands of hard working winemakers shaking their heads in disgust…and wondering how they will ever get their wine tasted. I, dear reader, plan to do my part and keep tasting. Some of Bonné’s suggestions, some of yours, and some that I happen to come across on my own. I urge you to do the same.

Notes from Bonné for Wine 101ers

Bigger isn’t always better. (I’ve had many high-octane California wines and am happy to see a return to less alcohol with good flavor and tannin structure.)

Terroir does matter. You can’t just plant any grape anywhere. California winemakers are learning by doing.

In the section “Searching for The New California” Bonné gives a respectful nod to winemakers off the beaten path of wineries we normally visit.

Readers will get a wealth of wine history – from prohibition, the Judgment of Paris, growers morphing into winemakers, phylloxera, current winemaking practices, through to Bonné’s list of current cult winemakers.

Find new ways to discover wine with destinations like the Lompoc Wine Ghetto for the Garagiste/Garage winemaker.

Wineries that are making more than one label so that people can enjoy both “table” wines as well as special occasion wines.

Comprehensive sections on each grape growing region, and what’s special about each, makes you feel as if you have seen the terrain yourself.

Color photographs throughout, though having them all captioned may have been more helpful.

Praise for THE NEW CALIFORNIA WINE:

“The New California Wine delivers some of the most insightful wine writing you’ll read anywhere. This is the real skinny on cutting-edge California wine from somebody who’s on the ground, knows his stuff, and could care less about offending the Establishment.”

– Matt Kramer, author and columnist for Wine Spectator

“An impeccably timed, beautifully written book chronicling a profound generational shift in California winemaking. Required reading for any sommelier, retailer, or consumer who’s left California behind for other pastures – it’s time to come home!”

– David Lynch, owner/wine director of St. Vincent Tavern and Wine Merchant and author of Vino Italiano

The New California Wine is the untold story of the California wine industry: the young, innovative producers who are rewriting the rules of contemporary winemaking; their quest to express the uniqueness of California terroir; and the continuing battle to move the state away from the overly-technocratic practices of its recent past. In this comprehensive guide to the new generation of must-know wines and vintners, Jon Bonné writes from the front lines of the California wine revolution, where he has access to the stories, philosophies, and techniques of top producers.

Well-Connected Author: As the wine editor for the San Francisco Chronicle, Jon has won a regional following in the Bay Area as well as national recognition as one of the most important voices in the wine community. He is very active on Twitter and has nearly 14,000 followers.

Winning Book Formula: The New California Wine will do for California what Vino Italiano did for Italian wines: rid the industry of its overly-commercialized image and introduce the public to the avant-garde winemakers who are making compelling–and better–wines. The New California Wine includes evocative, full-color photography, giving it the same visual appeal as the top-selling Secrets of the Sommeliers.

Featuring discussions on more than 600 wines and detailed maps of growing regions and vineyards, The New California Wine is a necessary addition to any wine lover’s bookshelf. Part narrative, part authoritative purchasing reference, it is the story of the winemakers who have changed the very face of California’s wine industry.

Jon Bonné is the wine editor of the San Francisco Chronicle and covers wine and spirits throughout California and around the world. Previously Bonné was lifestyle editor and wine columnist for MSNBC.com and wine columnist for Seattle magazine, and has written for such publications as Decanter, Saveur, and Food & Wine. His work in food and wine journalism has earned awards from the James Beard Foundation and the Association of Food Journalists. Follow him on Twitter @jbonne.

The New California Wine, Jon Bonné. $35.00 paper over board • 304 pages • 50 full-color photographs • 7 7/16 x 9 inches. ISBN 978-1-60774-300-2 • On-Sale Date: November 5, 2013

Wine in the Pines 2017: Leave Your Troubles Behind You (Look for Eve there too!)

April 28, 2017 by evebushman

PINE MOUNTAIN CLUB, CA – Leave your troubles behind and travel to an oasis – only an hour or so north from Los Angeles. Pine Mountain Village, at the crest of the 5-freeway, has a unique venue that wine, beer, food and music lovers have enjoyed attending for more than a decade: Wine in the Pines. The event is on June 10 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., with a VIP entry at 12:00. Proceeds from Wine in the Pines benefit the American Cancer Society.

“It’s so exciting to see so many wineries, both big and boutique, returning for Wine in the Pines 2017,” Mark Bailey, owner of the local Madd Bailey’s Pub and the Wine Room Gallery said. “Last year’s event was epic, and once again, the village gazebo area will be transformed into the fabulous Lompoc Wine Ghetto, alongside barbecue and live music.”

At press time winery participants include Ascension Cellars, Cass Winery, Cantara Cellars, Charles Wine, Enjoy Wine, Frolicking Frog Cellars, Flying Goat, Golden Star Vineyards, JFC International, La Montagne, Lapus Luna, Madd Bailey’s Wine, MM Organics, Mountain Ranch Winery, Opolo Vineyards, Pomar Junction, Ranchita Canyon Vineyard, Sagebrush Annie’s, Silkwood Wines, Stephen Hemmert Wines, Tobin James, Turiya, Vinestead, Vista Del Rey Vineyards and Workman Ayer.

Wolf Creek Brewery, Tioga Sequoia Brewing Company, Firestone and Stella Artois are the craft beer breweries also signed up so far, while food vendors include Big Mike’s Ragin BBQ, Brazil Hot Dogs, La Lena Mexican Restaurant and Wolf Creek Restaurant.

In addition to the wine, beer and food vendors there is always live music wafting through our woods – at least three bands!

The Wine Room Gallery Wine Bar in Pine Mountain will be open on both Saturday and Sunday from 12:00 to 6:00 p.m. and guests will be able to purchase and take home some of the wines they tasted at the festival. Tickets and information: www.WineInThePines.com, 661-242-8810, thewineroomgallery@yahoo.com and Facebook.

Information on cabins available for rent is also on the website: www.WineInThePines.com and there is a Holiday Inn located nearby.

Vintage Eve Circa March 2013: The Great Los Olivos, Solvang and Santa Ynez FOOD shout out!

March 14, 2017 by evebushman

Getting ready to hit the road for a weekend in Santa Ynez and Lompoc wine country I did what I always do: I asked Facebook friends where to eat. Once on my weekend, with plans for a picnic with one winemaker and at least one dinner at Hitching Post II I was looking for more breakfast and lunch places.

Below is what they offered up…and below that is where I ended up!

Facebook Choices

Denise L: Succulent.

Tanya G: Route 246 in Solvang. Best pork chop I’ve ever had IN MY LIFE! No joke!

Myron H: Ellen’s Danish pancake house in Buellton! Also the golf course in Solvang has a good lunch.

Marlee L: Ellen’s for breakfast!!!

Todd W: It’s kind of a tradition for me to go to The Little Mermaid in Solvang for Æbleskivers, but I heard they closed, so I dunno what else to recommend.

Myron H: The ebilskivers that are in the town of Solvang are also good do not know that restaurant name.

Eve B: Could it be Solvang Restaurant – Home of Arne’s Aebleskiver www.solvangrestaurant.com

Todd W: Thx! If you’re looking for a light lunch, I might suggest Panino. Love their sandwiches.

Sonya R: The Restaurant at the Ballard Inn is well reviewed in Yelp.

Hola O: I can’t vouch for it myself, but my friend went there and really liked it, but not full on restaurant, cheese plate, wine bar type food, olives, chocolate etc. http://www.thegoodlifecellar.com/about-the-good-life-solvang/

Todd W: I’ve eaten at Ballard Inn for dinner (took my wife there for a Valentine’s weekend getaway in 2010) and it was an incredible meal. We stayed at the Inn as well. Lovely place. Nicely located between Solvang and Los Olivos. Don’t know that I’d suggest it for lunch.

Lee T: Succulent is the best. Really, really good, it’s also worth taking time to go to Los Alamos to Quackenbush as well.

Patrick B: You can grab breakfast there, but you have to be staying there. To many bakeries in Solvang to count. Look for the place with a line. There aren’t too many breakfast options in Los Olivos either.

Diane G: We eat at Ellen’s a lot when we are up there. Haven’t heard about Succulent – is it newer? The menu looks great!

Eve B: I can’t wait to try them out! How about Los Olivos? Any breakfast or lunch spots there you guys like?

Patrick B: Try the Los Olivos Cafe

Julia V: Los Olivos Cafe’s curried chicken salad is my absolute fav! I may be there tomorrow for an early lunch … visiting my 94-year-old aunt and 93-year-old uncle who live in Solvang. Hope they’re up to it! There is also The Vineyard House and Ballard Inn.

Andrew F: Paula’s pancake house!

Alex H: Long horn coffee shop and bakery soooo good!!!

Julia V: Olsen’s Danish Bakery – ITEM – 103 Olsen’s 7 Sisters Butter Ring Coffee Cake. A delightful Danish coffee cake filled with the goodness of almond and custard. A coffee cake for any occasion. FABULOUS!

Barry L: If you go, I want an almond butter ring from Olsen’s bakery. Just read Julia’s post. It is the best thing ever.

Jannis S: Sides Hardware & Shoes in Los Olivos!

Diane G: Don’t forget about “Pea Soup Anderson’s” if you are into pea soup… not a great place for anything else, though.

Larry M: Toss up between Sides for Eggs Benedict and Paula’s for Danish Pancakes.

Our Choices

Well. Things took a turn once we arrived in wine country…we still dined at The Hitching Post II, but we also had tasty offerings in the Stolpman Vineyard, Corner House Coffee, Stafford’s Famous Chocolates, the private home of Steve and Cathy Pepe and finally, at Sides Hardware and Shoes.

Starting out at Stafford’s in Los Olivos, a candy shop located in a former windmill, we were completely surrounded by chocolate. Laced with Lavender, infused with red wine, bars and pops – we were in red wine pairing heaven. We sampled many of the items and planned on ordering more. I suggest spending time there in between tasting rooms!

Located right next store to Stafford’s was the rustic Corner House Coffee. We got our coffee fix in as well as almond croissants and toasted bagels. It was an important spot for us as some of the tasting rooms didn’t have restroom facilities, but the coffee shop did – for its guests.

Our lunch that first day was provided by Peter Stolpman in the Stolpman Vineyards located in the Ballard Canyon section of Santa Ynez Valley. A grand picnic of sandwiches, salads and pickled vegetables that went very well with their white blend L’Avion Roussanne, Syrahs and Sangiovese. (The tour and tasting will run in a separate story.) Even though the day was cold, and had grown windy enough to knock empty wine glasses from our picnic table – we loved it. We just had to keep our glasses full to prevent any mishaps – not a problem. You can book your own picnic and vineyard tour too via this link: http://www.stolpmanvineyards.com/Tasting-Room/index.php?p=31&title=Vineyard-Tours

Much later that evening we had dinner at The Hitching Post II. I hadn’t been there since the film Sideways came out. It was crowded, as expected, but the service was prompt. We had the fresh lobster, filet mignon, prime flat iron, Angus rib chop and rack of lamb. And when I mentioned my sister-in-law’s birthday as we were ordering dessert, hers arrived with a lit candle and a song.

I felt silly after asking everyone for a breakfast spot as the one breakfast we had ended up being provided for us…

After driving through the gates of Clos Pepe Vineyards to reach the home of Steve and Cathy Pepe where we were to spend the night, we quickly saw winemaker Wes Hagen playing Frisbee Gold, aka Disc Golf, amongst the dormant vines. We had an appointment for a wine class and tasting the next day and told Wes we’d see him then. He told us he would be up for breakfast first.

How pleasant, just as it had been with Peter Stolpman, to mingle and chit chat with Wes Hagen over granola, Cheerios, bananas, toast and bagels.

Our final meal was one of the suggested places: Sides Hardware and Shoes, a Brothers Restaurant. When Wes overheard our plans he suggested we try anything they had with bacon in it as they cure their own. Sold. We had a fresh cobb salad, with bacon, bacon burger, fried chicken salad and a “Triple Pork Burger with bacon, pork shoulder and house made chorizo, served with fried onions, jalapeños and roasted poblano aioli.” And though it sounded really rich to me, those that ordered it were the first ones done!