Vintage Eve Circa 8/2018: What Did We Love the Most at Live and Dine LA?

February 16, 2021 by evebushman

Angeleno‘s annual Live & Dine LA event honors the city’s most distinguished chefs and restaurateurs that continue to shape and evolve L.A.’s culinary scene. Guests will be treated to exclusive culinary demonstrations prepared by award-winning chefs, which will be paired with delicious wines and artisanal cocktails. This evening of culinary indulgences and refreshing libations is sure to make for a memorable date night, with its luxury lounges and unique tasting experiences under the stars and the Fairmont’s iconic (and romantic) fig tree.

Count me in! The last time I covered an event at the Fairmont Miramar – on Wilshire Blvd. just a block from the beach – was a Union des Grands Crus (UGC) Bordeaux Tasting in one of the large convention rooms. This time, as promised, we were outdoors under their enormous fig tree. Being outdoors was fine with me, as long as it was away from the street that, if you’ve been reading the news, is littered with abandoned electric scooters, the latest “craze” that may be dismantled by the time this article runs.

But lets move on, sorry about that, my attention had definitely been happily taken over by all of the restaurants, wineries and spirit companies – no scooters needed. (Read on or skip to the photos here.)

The crowd of smart couples and singles meandered from one welcoming table to another. My favorites of the tables (I couldn’t do it all!) started with

Menhir Salento Winery represented by Gaetano Marangelli, where I tasted Italian wines from Puglia. Between the Pass-O white blend to the Primitivo – I was enchanted. I hope to go through a tasting of their complete line up soon!

From there I inhaled: the Crab Guacamole with shaved Truffle from The Nixon in Whittier, Garlic Crostini from HomeCooked, the incredible Burrata cheese from di Stefana, a refreshing Lillet-based (a white Bordeaux wine made with quinine and citrus) cocktail made simply with tonic, Chick Souvlaki from Cleo, Roasted Peppers from FIG, Provence’s Domaine de Cala Rose wine, Ocean Prime Watermelon Salad, looooved the Mongibello blood orange juice with Tito’s vodka, and Deviled Green Eggs and Ham from Boa Steakhouse stole the show until I had a Deviled Egg from Yardbird that was equally yum-worthy.

Moving to the other side of the fig tree my taste buds were further delighted with wheat-based Carbonadi Vodka from Italy, AN Catering Garlic Noodles, a carved tri-tip sandwich from Grand Food and Beverage, really tasty cocktails from Gratitude, and Viva Tequila 32 Reposado in my favorite cocktail of the day made with Grapefruit and lime juices, agave, orange bitters and Aperol!

Still not done I munched on a heavenly slice of Grilled Cheese with Summer Truffle from Salt in Marina Del Rey (well worth a short wait in line), killer Reposado cocktails from Gracias Madre in West Hollywood and more lovely Burrata from Mozza. Of final note guests really appreciated the two open lounge spaces that served delicious Brugal Rum from the Dominican Republic and chilly gin cocktails from Sipsmith.

Restaurants and Beverage Companies

Sponsors

Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows, Hornburg Jaguar Land Rover Santa Monica, CBS 2, KCAL 9, Italy-America Chamber of Commerce West, and nonprofit partner City of Hope.

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.

Vintage Eve 7/2018: What Did I Find at The Latest Garagiste “Urban Exposure” in Santa Monica?

February 9, 2021 by evebushman

Garagiste festival co-founders Stewart McLennan and Doug Minnick (locals know Doug from his shared wine tasting room in Downtown Newhall, Double Trouble) as well as countless experienced volunteers, succeeded once again to bring nearly 50 small producing wineries under one roof – Santa Monica Bay Women’s Club – to be discovered by wine lovers.

Left to right: Erik Siering, Mark Wasserman, me, Paul Quinn and James Schreiner.

(Photo: My favorite people – and wine – at Vinemark Cellars and TW Ferm Co! — left to right: Erik Siering, Mark Wasserman, me, Paul Quinn and James Schreiner.)

Urban Exposure features artisan winemakers from across California, including Paso Robles, Santa Barbara County, Mendocino, Napa, Sonoma, Los Angeles County and more. The Garagiste Festival is Los Angeles’ only wine festival that exclusively features high quality wines from commercial California ‘garagiste’ winemakers, offering Angelenos a unique opportunity to discover hard-to-find wineries, taste hundreds of their wines, and meet the winemakers…Over 70% of the wineries pouring at the festival do not have tasting rooms, and most are not on “wine country” maps and difficult to find except at the Garagiste Festival.

Pretty sure I’ve covered every Garagiste event that has been produced in Los Angeles for the past five years, as well as a couple in Paso Robles. I look forward to trying the new vintages from wineries we’ve discovered before, and wines from new wineries added to the event. This year I tried to taste as many Rare and Reserve offerings as I could as well, before palate fatigue set in.

Will now share a few of my take-aways (oh how I wish I could’ve taken some of the wine home with me!) from the event. (Too thirsty to read on? Shoot over here to see the event photos.)

Wineries Tastes (I have only noted the wines I enjoyed – keep in mind I did not try every wine that was offered at every winery table.)

Bellante Family Winery: 2016 Viognier, Los Olivos, Camp 4 Vineyard, and 14.9% alcohol.

Betwixt Wines: 2012 Grenache, Boer Vineyard, Sonoma (sold out) and 2010 Syrah.

Byron Blatty: Mark’s brand new Rose of Grenache, LA County, $27 and 2016 Tremor blend of Grenache, Syrah and Merlot, LA County, $58.

Caliza Vineyards: 2013 Estate Grenache, Paso Robles, only 50 cases made, $75

Cutruzzola Vineyards: 2012 Riesling, Riven Rock Vineyard Estate, San Luis Obispo County, 12.5% alcohol, 450 cases, $28 and the 2015 Riesling with 128 cases and $30.

Dusty Nabor: “K” Super Secret Syrah, Ballard Canyon, 27 cases, $45 and 2016 Super Secret Grenache, Ballard Canyon, 27 cases, $45.

Frisco Cellars: 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Central Coast, Yattes and DiPietro Vineyards, $56.

Gordenker Wines: 2012 Sylvia Drive Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, $68. (Parker gave this wine 93 points.)

Hoi Polloi: Everything: Pinot Noirs and Syrah! Love Minnick and happy to support local business!

Kaleidos Wines: 2014 Praying Mantis, 100% Syrah, Paso Robles, 88 cases, 15.6% alcohol, $65.

Leverage: 2014 Trajectory, GSM, Paso Robles, 85 cases, $60.

Parmeson: 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley, 149 cases, $60.

Pulchella Winery: My all-time favorite local winery was serving up their Rose of Tannat, “Rogue Rose of Tannat”, Bella Colina Vineyards, 120 cases, $35 as well as six 2016 releases.

Record Family Wines: 2013 Reserve Merlot, Paso Robles, 100 cases, $35.

Siela Wines: 2015 Chardonnay Dry Creek Valley. (SF Chronicle Wine Competition gave this a Silver in 2017, I would’ve given it a Gold.)

TW Fermentations: 2014 “Cultivator” Bordeaux Blend of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Paso Robles, 14.7% alcohol, $68 and a Malbec with 14.9% alcohol.

Vinemark Cellars: All 2014s: Reserve Pinot, $41; Cabernet Sauvignon, $32; “Mezzanotte” Primitivo/Petite Sirah blend, $32.

Volatus Wine: 2015 White Rhone Blend, $25; 2016 Bolter Rose blend of Tannat, Grenache and Viognier, $14; and Reserve Red blend of Syrah and Malbec, Paso Robles, 65 cases, $45.

All Wineries

Alma Sol+, Ann Albert, Ascension Cellars+, Bellante Family Winery+*, Betwixt Wines, Brophy Clark, Byron Blatty+, Caliza Vineyards, Cavelletti Vineyards, Cloak & Dagger+, Cutruzzola Vineyards, Domaine Kreger, El Lugar Wines, Frisco Cellars*, Golden Triangle, Gordenker Wines, Hoi Polloi+, In Vino Musicas+*, Kaleidos Wines, Kitson Wines*, LA Wine Project+, Lavender Oak Ranch+*, Magna Vita Cellars, Malibu Ridge+*, Marin’s Vineyard, Mastro Scheidt, Metrick Wines+, Monochrome Wines, Murder Ridge, On Your Left, Pulchella Winery+, Record Family Wines*, Siela Wines*, Stolo Family Winery, Sweezter Cellars+, Sycamore Ranch+, The Blending Lab+*, Tlo Winery, Torch Wines, TW Fermentations, Vinemark Cellars+, Volatus Wine, Wildwood Oak Winery* (*First time pouring at the festival, +Based in LA County)

Festival Sponsors: ETS, Glenn Burdette,, Farm Credit, Laffort, Digital Dogma, mWEBB Communications, Travel Paso, Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance. For sponsorship info, email info@garagistefestival.com.

Keep track of where the next Garagiste festival will be offered here: http://garagistefestival.com

For special discounts and updates on Urban Exposure, Taste of Garagiste mini-tastings and other Garagiste Festival events and news, sign up for The Dirt at http://garagistefestival.com/sign-up/,

Follow on Twitter (@GaragisteFest) or Facebook (http://on.fb.me/1rgBC80).

How About An Invitation to Gambero Rosso’s 1st Virtual Master Class?

July 31, 2020 by evebushman

Gambero Rosso is a huge name in Italian wines. They usually have walk around tastings for press, sommeliers, distributors and consumers. With Covid-19 ending all of that I had the remarkable luck to have been offered bottles from 12 wineries to review at home along with a live Master Class on Zoom.

The Invitation

I’m writing with a special invitation to you on behalf of Gambero Rosso, the global authority on Italian wines and publisher of the annual Vini d’Italia (Italian Wines) guide. We would like to invite you to join a small group of U.S. wine writers and key wine trade for Gambero Rosso’s first-ever virtual Master Class, hosted by Marco Sabellico, the guide’s editor-in-chief.

…12 wines will be tasted and discussed, meaning you will receive 12 full bottles of wine…You would be one of just 25 hand-selected participants from the entire U.S. This will be an interactive experience, with opportunities for you to ask questions throughout the tasting…

Wine List and Notes (some are from the winery representatives/technical sheets, the tasting notes are mine and those marked with a plus sign + were my favorites. My husband Eddie joined me for the class.)

PANIZZI

+Vernaccia di S. Gimignano 2019

The name Gimignano on the label is the town in Tuscany where the Vernaccia grapes are grown. It’s not a very well-known wine grape but of top quality. This is their 30^th vintage but back in the medieval times of the 12^th century this wine was the most exported wine. The wines sees no time in oak, it’s all stainless steel. This vintage was described as “not very aromatic” though I found it quite lively with stone fruit and pineapple notes.

BOCCADIGABBIA

Colli Maceratesi Ribona Le Grane 2018

The Ribona grapes, also known as Maceratino, are indigenous and grown in the Maceratesi area. They are 25 kilometers from the sea with both sandy and clay soils. The vineyards are 20 years old. According to the technical notes “whole grape berries, picked slightly over-ripe are added to the wine” following the first fermentation. I noted the salinity in the wine, due to the proximity to the sea air, fresh fruit, as well as an earthy quality.

ZORZETTIG

FCO Pinot Bianco Myò 2018

This winery is in Fruili, and the Spessa vineyard is designated as historical and dates back to the 1950s. The grapes are harvested by hand within the first week of September. I found spice and bruised yellow Delicious apple notes. The tech sheets mentioned having this wine with light appetizers, fish, canapes, Adriatic crab with Arugula. The crab pairing sounded just perfect to me.

CASALFARNETO

+Castelli di Jesi Verdicchio Cl. Crisio Ris. 2016

This was a reserve Verdicchio, grown close to the mountains, dating back to 1995. The wine had a rich mouthfeel with lots of citrus and apple notes. It normally spends some time in oak and a minimum one year in stainless steel. This 2016 has just been released. As it’s a reserve they are aged 18 months. Had it again, two days later, still fresh, vibrant, with tons of fruit.

VELENOSI

++Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Prope 2016

This was my favorite wine in the tasting. I got notes of sweet ripe plums, crushed black cherry, black berry – and a developed maturity for being so young and not decanted. (We left it open and enjoyed it even more with dinner later.) It is 100% Montepulciano grapes, hand-picked mid-October, vineyards are in Controguerra, gravelly soil. The maceration period can extend four weeks according to the technical notes.

CONTE LEOPARDI DITTAJUTI

+Conero Pigmento Ris. 2016

This 100% Montepulciano wine was harvested mid-November from a vineyard in Sirolo in the Conero area. That grapes are picked late harvest – early October to the end of November, barrique aging. Many of the experts in the class had decanted this Riserva Montepulciano wine, some up to 24 hours before, so we swirled like mad and really liked what we found: ripe fruit, forest floor, dusty and tannic.

CONTE EMO CAPODILISTA – LA MONTECCHIA

Colli Euganei Cabernet Sauvignon Ireneo 2016

Another to decant, the wine is a blend of dried wine grapes including 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot and 4% Carmenere, vineyards are 200 meters above sea level and in barrique barrels for 12 months. Because the grapes are dried, like an Amarone, there is more sugar and a higher alcohol content, 15.5%. They also freeze their yeast for fermentation for all of their wines. The wine was filled with dried fruit, olive, mint, balsamic and tannins. After more time in my glass it was earthier.

DE STEFANI

+Colli di Conegliano Rosso Stefen 1624 2015

This wine is from the Marzemino grape, which is grown in the hillside 50 kilometers north of Venice. (One of the somms remarked that the Marzemino grape is related to the Lagrein grape.) The owner Alessandro De Stefani spoke to us about his wines, and is the fourth generation to run the family-owned winery. The wine was dry, dark, sweet with both honey and Port wine notes as it developed in the glass.

TENUTA MONTETI

+Caburnio 2015

This is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Alicante Bouschet and 25% Merlot, the percentages change with each vintage, 14% alcohol, no fining, no filtering and expected to age over 15 years according to the technical notes. The vineyards are in “the tail of Tuscany, at the coast.” It tasted older than five years to me as it was very balanced, dark fruit, earthy with a lovely nose. Would benefit from decanting too.

COPPI

Gioia del Colle Primitivo Senatore 2015

This wine is from Puglia, chalk and clay soils, 100% Primitivo, handpicked the first 10 days of September, 12 months in Slavonian oak barrels, 13.5% alcohol. We noted that it was aromatic and tart, with raspberry and mint leaves. Most of the somms loved the wine. Fred Swan commented Primitivo has “the same DNA as Zinfandel. (They are) twins that grew up in different neighborhoods.”

CÒLPETRONE

Montefalco Sagrantino 2012

Made with the Sagrantino grape in Umbria, this eight year old wine has the highest percentage of polyphenols in the world according to winery representative Giacomo Alari. Pungent, tart, mushroom and tannic – the wine could probably go a few days in an opened bottle for added depth.

TENUTA SANT’ANTONIO

+Amarone della Valpolicella Campo dei Gigli 2015

Sant’Antonio is known as the father and protector of the poor. Gigli is the name of a flower from the region in Verona. The vines are 40 years old, three months of raisining, three years in new casks. Another favorite in the tasting, and our last. The dried grapes that made up this Amarone offered huge aromatics and flavors, including a nice black cherry.

Facebook links:

Boccadigabbia
CasalFarneto
Còlpetrone
Az. Agr. Conte Emo Capodilista
Vini Coppi
De Stefani
Panizzi
Tenuta Monteti
Tenuta Sant’Antonio
Velenosi Vini
Zorzettig Vini

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.

Vintage Eve Circa 9/2016: A Trio to Taste From Paso’s Oso Libre

September 10, 2019 by evebushman

After regrettably missing out on a wine luncheon orchestrated by Cori Solomon of the #LAWineWriters Cori reached out to the winery and connected me so that I could review a few samples from home. The winery: Oso Libre in Paso Robles.

A Teaser

Nestled in the Santa Lucia Mountains on the far western edge of Paso Robles’ acclaimed Adelaida district, Oso Libre Winery is fast gaining recognition for its rich, complex wines and for the unusual microclimate of the sustainably farmed vineyards that produce them. This small, family-owned estate lies just 10 miles from the Pacific Ocean, which is consistently cooler than the rest of Paso Robles and is proving ideal for Cabernet Sauvignon, Rhone varieties and Primitivo.

Owners Chris and Linda Behr acquired the 90-acre property in 1996 when it was raw land and set about developing it into a sustainable working cattle ranch and vineyard. After more than 10 years of getting to know the region, understanding the property’s unique microclimates and learning how to grow grape vines and make wine, the couple was ready to embark on their next phase—a winery. Their son Jeff Freeland and his wife Elizabeth, with their twin daughters, moved north from Los Angeles in 2007 and two years later the family winery opened for business. (‘Oso Libre’ is Spanish for ‘free bear,’ a combination of their last names and a nod to Linda’s Hispanic heritage.)

Tasting – Aromas and flavors divided by ;

2012 Nativo (100% Estate Primitivo)

Dark browned plum in color. Spiced red apple, plums, dark cherry, mushroom, earth and dark cocoa; bright red fruit, cracked black pepper, dry and good tannins. 90 Eve pts.

2012 Carnal (Grenache, Petite Sirah, Syrah)

Blackberry in color. Smokey blue to black fruit including blueberry, blackberry, black plum, cigar, grilled mushrooms, grilled meat, spice rack; same dark and robust fruit, dust, black pepper, firm balanced tannins. Want another bottle. 92 Eve pts.

2012 Vino d’Oro (Chardonnay)

The color of pale yellow hay. Oak, Meyer lemon, cantaloupe melon unsalted butter; viscous, both cream and tang from the oak, lemon with a long finish. 89 Eve pts.

Visiting Oso Libre

With its distinctive Central Coast location, award-winning wines and picturesque working ranch and vineyards, a visit to Oso Libre Winery offers guests much more than wine. Just off Highway 46 towards Hearst Castle, the mountain setting boasts outdoor patio seating just steps from the vines. The SIP-certified (Sustainability in Progress) estate is powered by solar panels and a wind machine, and Oso Libre practices sustainability in all areas of the business. A spacious and welcoming tasting room is open every day except Tuesdays, and visitors are encouraged to take their time tasting and learning about Oso Libre’s limited production wines. An impressive display of 54 bottles on the tasting room wall, one from each of their neighboring wineries, emphasizes the close ties Oso Libre has to its fellow vintners and the community spirit they all enjoy. The winery is dog and kid-friendly and families can view the “working partners” grazing in the pastoral, mountainous ranch setting. Wine club members are treated to the locally raised dry-aged beef at member gatherings and special events at the winery.

Oso Libre’s wines not only offer a sense of terroir of this coveted Central Coast region, they also embody the winery’s blended beliefs of commitment to sustainability, craftsmanship and charity. Oso Libre prides itself in creating a sustainable and healthy ecosystem for every component of its working ranch.

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.

Paso: Sculptures, Winemaking and Tasting at Sculpterra

December 21, 2018 by evebushman

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tasting

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

NV Sparkling Wine

Chenin Blanc and Colombard

Notes of apple, peach and pear – quite refreshing!

2016 Viognier

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

2015 Pinot Noir

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

2014 Mourvedre with 12% Petite Sirah

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

2015 Figurine

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

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

2014 Cabernet Sauvignon “Bentley Ironworks”

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

2013 Petite Sirah

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

2016 Primitivo

Dark fruit, rich, lush and layered.

2015 Statuesque

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

Loved this for its rich dark fruit.

Jagger Primitivo Port

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

http://sculpterra.com/

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

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

Perlis Picks: Jaxon Keys Winery

December 1, 2018 by Michael Perlis

Karen and I were planning to revisit Santa Rosa / Sonoma County just a little over a year removed from our last ill-fated visit.

While working on scheduling appointments, I started thinking that maybe last time turned out the way it did because we were somehow being punished for not visiting our good friend and extremely talented winemaker Antoine Favero. I jest, of course, but I wasn’t going to take any chances either. Besides, we hadn’t seen Antoine in a couple of years so meeting up with him seemed like a great idea regardless.

We’d visited with Antoine a couple of times at Mazzocco in the Dry Creek Valley where the focus is on Zinfandel – and incredible Zins they are. But knowing that Antoine makes the wine for some of the other wineries in the Wilson Artisan Wines family, we asked him where else we might meet. Antoine suggested either Jaxon Keys for Rhone varietals or Soda Rock for Bordeaux varietals.

As Rhone varietals are right up there with Zins as my favorite grapes, I naturally said: “Jaxon Keys, please.”

Jaxon Keys Winery is at the southern end of Mendocino County. Lest you think that is far, the drive took less than an hour from our home base for this trip in Santa Rosa. Driving north on Highway 101, we passed Healdsburg and the northern edge of Sonoma County and found ourselves in the foothills of Mendocino County, then passing a few other wineries before arriving at our destination.

We met with Antoine in the private tasting lounge in the winery itself, separate from the tasting room. The lounge also houses the distillery but more on this later.

As Antoine knew that we were interested in focusing on the Rhone varietals that he makes at Jaxon Keys he set up a great sampling of what he does there with those.

We started with the 2017 Viognier, which we felt was a delicious take on this varietal, free from the mistake [in my opinion] that winemakers often make with Viognier – residual sugar. None here and we got to experience a clean, dry wine with plenty of fruit.

Then we moved on to the red Rhones.

We started with the 2016 Grenache, a tasty lighter style of this grape and perfect way to segue to the…

2016 Syrah – Antoine said that it’s the best Syrah he’s every worked with and that sure showed in the glass. My note just says “wow”.

We finished with a very interesting wine: the 2016 GPS is a blend of Grenache, Primitivo and Syrah. I’ve never tasted this particular blend anywhere else and I doubt if you have either. It turns out they work really well together.

While we tasted, Karen and I had the opportunity to chat with Antoine about the winery. The Wilsons acquired the property in 2009. Before that it had a long history, most recently as Jepson Winery, which you may have heard of. The Wilsons renamed it Jaxon Keys Winery & Distillery, after Ken Wilson’s grandfathers. Total acreage is about 1200, with about 100 acres planted. Production is entirely Estate at about 2500 cases. Antoine said that like many small wineries that own vineyards, much of the grape crop is sold to other wineries. Antoine took over winemaking and vineyard management duties at Jaxon Keys fairly recently and has found an ongoing challenge as the wines become popular to balance the needs of other wineries that purchase the grapes with making sure that there is enough wine for retail customers and club members.

Since we were sitting next to the historic still, it seemed proper to finish our tasting with some brandy. Renowned [and now primarily retired] distiller Hubert Germain-Robin consults on this side of the business and the brandy is made in a historic Alambic Pot still from Cognac, France using primarily the French Columbard grapes grown on the property. We tasted through three levels of brandy [5-7 years old, 7-10 years old, and 15 years and older]. I enjoy brandy but admittedly have little expertise in it. But this stuff was smooth and tasty. They also make some very high-end bottlings as well.

Our visit with Antoine was coming to a close; it was harvest and he needed to get back to his real work. He introduced us to Jessie in the tasting room because I really wanted to taste the Jaxon Keys Zinfandels. Admittedly, we had come for the Rhones but I am the Zinfan after all. Besides, I already knew that Antoine’s Zins are legendary regardless of the label on the bottle.

Of course, I wasn’t disappointed. Especially delicious were the 2016 Mae’s Block Zinfandel and the 2016 Brandy Barrel Aged Zinfandel. We bought some of each as well as that Viognier we had tasted earlier. We wanted to buy the other wines that we had tasted with Antoine, but he had apparently shared with us what were pretty much the last bottles available of these wines. That’s what happens with great small-production wines. We can’t wait to try the next vintage.

A comment about pricing, which I rarely discuss. I believe a wine should stand on its own, regardless of what it costs. I don’t feel it is up to me to opine on the business model of a winery. That being said, I need to say that these wines are remarkably underpriced for wines of this quality. When I expressed that opinion to Jessie in the tasting room, she said “Welcome to Mendocino County.” Indeed.

Jaxon Keys Winery & Distillery
10400 South Hwy 101
Hopland, CA 95449

Michael Perlis has been pursuing his passion for wine for more than 25 years. He has had the good fortune of having numerous mentors to show him the way, as well as a wonderful wife who encourages him and shares his interest. After a couple of decades of learning about wine, attending events, visiting wineries and vineyards, and tasting as much wine as he possibly could, he had the amazing luck to meet Eve Bushman. Now, as Contributing Editor for Eve’s Wine 101, he does his best to bring as much information as possible about wine to Eve’s Wine 101 faithful readers. Michael is also Vice President of Eve Bushman Consulting (fka Eve’s Wine 101 Consulting) http://evebushmanconsulting.com/ and President of MCP Financial. Michael can be contacted at michaelthezinfan@aol.com or michael@evebushmanconsulting.com.

Vintage Eve Circa 7/2015: Garagiste in the Wiltern!

October 2, 2018 by evebushman

There is nothing like a wine event held in a new venue to rev my engines/salivary glands, and The Garagiste Festival Urban Exposure held inside the Wiltern theater, with the auditorium seats moved over to the side to accommodate wine tables and guests, made for a grand showcase for so many grand wines!

Michael D Larner sharing his Larner Vineyard & Winery 2010 Reserve Syrah – OMG delicious.

We were offered an early tasting of the “Rare and Reserve” (R&R) wines and took full advantage of it. To the point that after selecting no less than 30 wines to taste, I took a break to abate palate fatigue…and still had difficulty going back to the tables to taste everyone’s full line-up. My conclusion had to be that if I loved their R&R I would most likely dig more!

So this is what I noted for you thirsty readers:

Rare and Reserve (R&R) Note: Wines denoted with the acronym GSM are a Rhone blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre, but Grenache is not automatically predominant though listed first.

Alma Sol Winery: 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley – $60 – 50 cases.

Alta Colina Vineyards: 2011 Block 2 Bio Syrah – $55 – 110 cases.

Archium Cellars: 2012 Haven Grenache – $34 – 74 cases.

Artisan Uprising: Pre-release, 2013 Merlot – $32. (My husband loved their 2012 Malbec and the rest of their line-up.)

Bellissimo Cellars: Barrel sample, 2014 Chardonnay, Mount Eden. (I love winemaker Lora Marie Taylor’s current 2013 Chardonnay as well!)

Bon Niche Cellars: 2010 “Voutes” Bordeaux Blend – $50 – 97 cases.

Caliza Winery: Loved tasting the older 2006 Estate Syrah – $70 – 230 cases.

Cholame Vineyard: 2012 Grenache – $45 – 90 cases.

Cordon Wines: 2011 Highway 1 Blackbird Cuvee of Merlot and Cabernet Franc – $26 – 90 cases.

DENO Wines: 2010 Two Bill’s Zinfandel Grenache blend – $35.

Dilecta Wines: 2011 Tillers Grenache Syrah blend – $46 – 75 cases.

Halcon Vineyards: Loved them all: a Marsanne/Roussane blend, Pinot Noir, Grenache Mourvedre blend, Syrah and a Petite Sirah as well as the R&R 2011 Alturas Syrah – $70 – 180 cases.

Harrison Clarke Vineyards: 2012 Syrah Whole Cluster – $68 – 25 cases.

Imagine Wines: Another lovely older Syrah, the 2007 “Winged” Syrah, Paradise Mountain – $80 – 146 cases.

Incendium Wines: 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa – $32.50.

Kaleidos Winery: The entire line-up (Pinot Gris/Viognier blend, two GSMs and two Syrahs) including the 2012 Preying Mantis (Syrah) R&R – $55 – 24 cases.

Kessler-Haak Vineyards: 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, Starlane Vineyard – $45 – 47 cases.

Larner Vineyards: 2010 Reserve Syrah – $72 – 106 cases. (I love all of Michael Larner’s wines!)

Mattina Fiore: 2012 Grenache, Murmur Vineyard – $60 – 312 cases.

Overland Wines: 2010 “Kick Ranch” Petite Sirah – $45 – 66 cases. (And I also enjoyed a very golden colored and honeyed 2011 late harvest Sauvignon Blanc.)

Powell Mountain Winery: 2011 Alta Montana blend of Tempranillo, Grenache and Mourvedre – $32 – 61 cases. (Another favorite table of my husband’s.)

Prizm Winery: 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon, barrel sample $60 – 175 cases.

Pulchella Winery: 2013 Block 6 Syrah Reserve, La Vista Vineyard, yet to be named. OMG can’t wait for this one!

Ser Winery: A low acid and low alcohol but incredibly tasty 2014 Dry Orange Muscat $16 – 45 cases.

Shai Cellars: 2009 Adome blend of Syrah and Grenache…I’m a long time fan of winemaker Shawn Shai Halahmy.

STANGER Vineyards: 2009 Pinot Noir, Library Reserve – $114 – Club Only. The only Pinot I’ve ever had that doesn’t taste like a Pinot! Deep, dark and spicy. A must try! Hubby loved their 2010 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.

Tercero Wines: 2009 Les Deux Comtes Rhone blend – $45 – 88 cases.

The Central Coast Group Project (CCGP): 2013 Barrel sample.

Tlo Wines: 2012 Reserve Petite Sirah – $35 – 90 cases.

Vinemark Cellars: 2009 Primitivo – $32 – 1st Vintage.

Vines on the Marycrest: Sangiovese – $36 – 60 cases None available so instead I tasted and LOVED everything else Victor and Jennifer Abascal shared: 2014 Summertime GSM and Zinfandel blend, 2012 Zinfandel, 2010 Syrah and 2012 My Generation blend of Zinfandel, Syrah, Mourvedre and Petite Sirah.

Story in photos: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10206033352380288.1073741922.1455706632&type=1&l=b35921aa8d

Credits

Thanks must go out to the fabulous planning team that includes founders Doug Minnick and Steward McLennan, event director Lisa Dinsmore, great PR from Melanie Webber and a wonderful group of winemakers, wine reps, food vendors and knowledgeable volunteer sommeliers.

If you missed this Garagiste Festival event sign up for their newsletter to keep track of the next one: http://garagistefestival.com

Wine List

Alma Fria Winery, Alma Sol Winery, Alta Colina Vineyards, Archium Cellars, Artisan Uprising, Ascension Cellars, Bellissimo Cellars, Blair Estate, Bon Niche Cellars, Caliza Winery, Carucci Wines, Casa Dumetz, Cholame Vineyard, Cloak & Dagger Wines, Coda Wines, Cordon Wines, Cutruzzola Vineyards, DENO Wines, Diablo Paso, Dilecta Wines, El Lugar, Falcone Family Vineyards, Frequency, Graef Wines, Halcon Vineyards, Harrison Clarke Vineyards, Imagine Wines, Incendium Wines, Kaleidos Winery, Kessler-Haak Vineyards, Larner Vineyards, Last Light Wine Co., Levo Wines, Maidenstoen Wines, Mattina Fiore, MCV Wines, Moonwalker Cellars, C. Nagy Wines, Overland Wines, Pace Family Wines, Powell Mountain Winery, Prizm Winery, Pulchella Winery, Rendarrio Wines, Ryan Cochrane Wines, Ser Winery, Shai Cellars, STANGER Vineyards, Tercero Wines, The Central Coast Group Project, The Farm Winery, Theopolis Vineyards, Tlo Wines, Travieso Winery, Turiya Wines, Two Shepherds Wines, Valley Floor Vineyard, Vinemark Cellars, Vines on the Marycrest and Weatherborne.

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

Perlis Picks: Family Winemakers of California [Part Two]

April 21, 2018 by Michael Perlis

This year’s Family Winemakers event, held at the Pasadena Convention Center, had about 70 wineries presenting their finest bottlings to an appreciative crowd of trade, media and consumer attendees. Yes, I said 70. Obviously, I couldn’t taste everything, but I think I made a pretty good dent. Here are some of my favorites…

Ascension Cellars – specializing in Rhone and Bordeaux varietals, this was one of several wineries at the event representing Paso Robles. Enjoyed the Rose, the Soul Shaker Cab/Syrah blend as well as the dessert Primitivo.

Bokisch Vineyards – a Lodi winery focused on Spanish varietals, I was excited to see they also produced a Zinfandel from the Kirschenmann Vineyard. This vineyard is owned by Tegan Passalacqua of Turley Wine Cellars. Turley, of course, makes a zin from this vineyard as do a few other wineries. This version was about as pure an expression of the vineyard as I’ve had.

Brecon Estate – I’ve been wanting to try this Paso Robles winery since they were named winery of the year in Doug Wilder’s Purely Domestic Wine Report. Both the Forty-Two red Rhone blend and the Petite Sirah were excellent.

Cass Winery – what can be said about this Paso Robles winery that hasn’t been said? Great white and red Rhones with Ted Plemons providing the entertainment.

DRNK – the name of this Russian River Valley winery is made up of the initials of family members. The “K” is for winemaker Ryan Kunde – yes, that Kunde family so you know the winemaking pedigree is there. Great Pinot Noir and Malbec.

Frog’s Tooth – this winery serves as a great reminder that well-priced high quality wines can be found when you expand your wine search into the Sierra Foothills. Especially liked the Sauvignon Blanc and the Petite Sirah.

Pech Merle – based in Geyserville, this tiny winery is producing some really good juice. I really liked their Zinfandel.

Petrified Forest Vineyards – Ken and Susan Piters are making excellent Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon from their vineyard in Sonoma County’s Knight’s Valley.

Pride Mountain Vineyards – speaking of Cabernet, just a big “wow” for the one from this winery that overlaps the north end of Napa and Sonoma counties.

Sobon Estate / Shenandoah Vineyards – consistently one of my favorite Amador County wineries, the reserve Zin was my pick at this table.

Sol Rouge Vineyard & Winery – pouring a wide range of mostly Rhone inspired wines, there was a lot to enjoy at this table. Favorites for me were the Cinsaut and the Cabernet Franc.

Treasure Island Wines / Kohler & Frohling Wines – I had planned on visiting this table anyway and I was especially intrigued when I got an email reminding me of an article that hit The Daily Beast early in 2017. Kohler & Frohling was originally founded in the 1850s in Los Angeles and has now been recreated by the great-great grandson of the founder Charles Kohler. The wines are made by the same winemaker as San Francisco’s Treasure Island Wines, Jim Mirowski. I really enjoyed the Rose wines at this table, my favorite being the K&F Rose of Pinot Noir, which struck me as a pretty serious version of a Rose.

Eve’s article already listed all the wineries that poured at this event, so I won’t bother listing them again. But, I highly recommend you watch our site for more events in the future, both from Family Winemakers and other great organizations.

Oso Libre, the Free Bear by Barbara Barrielle

October 20, 2016 by evebushman

In Paso Robles west of Coastal Route 101, Oso Libre Winery raises cattle alongside their Rhone and Bordeaux varietals. “Free Bear” in Spanish, Oso Libre grows Viognier, Grenache Blanc, Primitivo, Mourvedre, Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel on its Adelaida region vineyards. They source a small amount of fruit from vineyard neighbors for their GSM blends. But grapes are not the only crop raised on the massive ranch only a few miles from the Pacific.

Family-run Oso Libre calls itself a winery and traditional San Luis Obispo cattle ranch, pasture-raising estate beef for a ‘whole farm’, sustainable family business. Family for Oso Libre is founding vintner/ranchers Chris and Linda Behr, who bought the initial 90 acres in 1996. Son Jeff Freeland and his family joined them in 2006 and the family released their initial vintage in 2009 after years of planting, study and winemaking experience.

Now expanded to over 350 acres, Oso Libre has plenty of available pasture allowing the ranch to harvest between 8 and 12 steers per year and offer an Angus beef club in addition to their popular wine clubs which are presently waiting list only.

Oso Libre beef is raised with exacting standards: no Hormones, no Feedlot, no Corn and no Stress. Their steers are grass fed in open pastures and vineyards enjoying free-range grasses, legumes and water from flowing creeks. Beef from the ranch exceeds USDA standards and can be purchased in the tasting room as well as ordered in a variety of packs for home delivery.

Many weekends, Oso Libre also grills up Angus burgers from their own steers for visiting wine tasters. The burgers are perfectly paired with Oso Libre’s variety of wines. With close proximity to the sea, fog keeps this cool and grapes have time to hang and ripen for maximum fruit concentration.

Oso Libre’s exceptionally fruit-forward Vino d’Oro Chardonnay benefits from this cool climate Adelaida region for a Burgundian style balance between stone fruit, vanilla and oak. Perfect food wine for California seafood. The winery’s powerful and aptly named “Carnal” is a blend of Grenache, Mourvedre and Syrah, each year a bit different, and essentially non-vintage is the wine I would grab to go with a juice Angus burger on the terrace overlooking the Oso Libre vineyards.

The winery also makes a Mourvedre, several Cabernet Sauvignons and a Bordeaux blend called Reserva. The Cabernet I like for its balance, elegance and name is the Quixotic Cab, named after Don Quixote and his quest for perfection. A wine embodying cherry, plum and vanilla with a complex finish of licorice and chocolate.

Plan to visit Oso Libre on a burger day and explore their “whole” approach to farming, maybe taking home both their award-winning wines and outstanding Angus beef. Not many wineries can offer that.

Perlis Picks: Family Winemakers of California – Again!

May 14, 2016 by evebushman

There are a few events that I try to go to every year. The annual Family Winemakers of California event is one of those. I’ve written extensively in the past about the important work this organization does for the wine industry as an advocate for wineries and ultimately benefiting the consumer. The organization has been a major player in obtaining rights for wineries to ship direct to consumer in the various states. Based in Sacramento [where the legal action takes place] FWC typically holds annual events in San Francisco and in Southern California.

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On March 20^th, 2016, nearly 90 wineries gathered in the Wyland Center at Del Mar Fairgrounds to pour for appreciative members of the trade, media and public their latest releases and promote not only themselves but the work done by the organization.

As usual, it was impossible to make a huge dent in the number of wines being poured. My wife Karen and I did our best to sample as many wines as possible. Here were some of our favorites…

Cantara Cellars – based in Camarillo, I enjoyed Mike and Chris Brown’s Franknvine blend of Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Malbec.

Cass Vineyard & Winery – a Paso Robles favorite. And the ever entertaining co-owner Ted Plemons now has a wine named just for him.

Chacewater Wine & Olive Mill – rich powerful wines from Kelseyville in Lake County. My favorite was the Petite Sirah.

Collier Falls – owner Barry Collier was pouring a selection of his wines from Dry Creek Valley. Loved the Petite Sirah and the Primitivo [don’t call it Zinfandel!].

Field Stone Winery & Vineyard – excellent Fume Blanc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon from this Healdsburg winery. But the Petite Sirah was my favorite, from a vineyard planted in 1894!

Rickards Winery – from Cloverdale in the Alexander Valley. Favorites were Fume Blanc and Petite Sirah. We felt the Fume was the best white wine we had that day.

Manzoni Estate Vineyard – really liked the Syrah from this Soledad winery.

PasoPort Wine Company – not sure why I had never tasted wines from this Templeton winery. They make a great selection of wines and ports. Liked everything I tasted. Tied for find of the day for me with…

Pech Merle Winery – from Healdsburg, great Zinfandel.

Prizm Winery – same owners as D’Anbino Vineyard in Paso, creating “special, small-run wines.” Cabernet Sauvignon showed great fruit.

Before closing, here’s a suggestion for anyone attending an event at the Del Mar Fairgrounds…

Right across the street is the Hilton San Diego / Del Mar. Very nice, well maintained hotel, and they offer a free shuttle not only to events at the fairground but to anywhere within a five-mile radius. The hotel restaurant, coastalKitchen, serves great seasonal dishes from local farms – don’t let the casual appearance fool you, the food is world-class. And, if you happen to be hanging out there after the FWC event, chances are good you’ll run into a winemaker or two, such as Jon Larsen who shared his delicious Cabernet Sauvignon from Angwin Estate Vineyards with us.