Eve's Wine 101

Vinos Zanzonico 2020 Reserva Chardonnay and 2019 Reserva Syrah!

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If you’ve been following my reviews for any length of time you know that I started sharing my wine notes well over ten years ago, about the same time I first met winemaker Gerard Zanzonico at Napa’s Del Dotto. We’ve shared many wonderful wines of Gerard’s over the years, and when he finally retired to Baja California, and began making wines there, I knew I would (virtually for now) follow him there.

To see any past reviews just do a Google search of Zanzonico + Bushman and there will be plenty. Proud of my longstanding relationship with one of the finest winemakers I’ve had the pleasure to know, I’m happy to share my the latest: reviews of Gerard’s new 2020 Reserva Chardonnay and 2019 Reserva Syrah from Baja.

Regards to my notes: whenever possible I don’t look at tasting notes that are provided by a winemaker or winery staff. Then, for fun, I look at them afterward to see if they are similar. I did that here, and any similarities in my notes are in bold.

2020 Reserva Chardonnay

13.7% alcohol

EB: Dark gold in color with a sparkly edge, quite welcoming. On the nose I detected fleshy yellow peach, honeydew and cantaloupe melon, delicate white flower and pebbles washed with the sea. Erupting flavors tingled my palate: dried apple, melon again, lemon zest, creamy salty cheese, butter…and the wine continued to tingle my tongue for a long lasting finish. And the wine made me crave a cheese plate. 92 Eve points.

From Winemaker Gerard Zanzonico

2020 Chardonnay -100% varietal, grown in the San Vicente Valley, 85 cases produced. 12 months in French Oak, 25% new. Brilliant color, pineapple aromas with hints of tropical fruits. Balanced finish.

2019 Reserva Syrah

13.9% alcohol

EB: Plum jam, stewed dark fruit, dark chocolate, grilled mushroom, black peppercorn, smoldering rich tobacco, espresso and freshly turned earth on the nose followed by flavors of dried blue to black fruit, a lively and spicy palate, chocolate-covered espresso beans, a full mouthfeel and gripping tannins giving way to a big crescendo of a finish. 95+ Eve Points.

From Winemaker Gerard Zanzonico

2019 Syrah – 100% varietal, grown in the La Grulla Valley,141 cases produced. Mature fruit, plum and chocolate aromas…a hint of mushroom. Smooth tannins with a balanced finish.

These wines are available at LMA Wines and Vintage wines of San Diego

https://www.lmawines.com/

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

Eve Finds Perfect Taste Balance with this Perfect Pairing: Piave DOP Cheese and Spumante Garda DOC

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Well this was a new one: Being offered a selection of Italian sparkling and still wines, the cheeses to pair them with and all coming from the same part of Italy! Not something I get delivered every day so I said yes. Below I’m sharing the invitation, my tasting notes and further information:

Photo: Ed Bushman

Fall is here, and everyone is ready for a new tasty experience: Europe’s Perfect Pairing is here to be your next favorite pairing partner. If you are interested in tasting the perfect pairing of Garda sparkling wine and Piave cheese, I would be happy to send you samples… (of) convenient, delicious, and authentic northern Italian products for your Autumn gatherings.

For the Tasting

Use your next dining occasion to explore some of these styles, laying out a spread of delicious Piave cheeses. Taste the fresh and mild flavors of subtle Mezzano D.O.P. (61/180 days) and rich Piave Stravecchio (aged more than 12 months), the bright and vibrant Garda Spumante DOC will cleanse their palates between bites. Removing Piave cheese from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving, will allow for it to be at the perfect temperature to enjoy. 

Garda Spumante DOC wines are just as delicious as easy to drink as well; simply pop the cork, pour, and enjoy. The elegant, refreshing flavors perfectly complement the richness and intensity of your Piave DOP cheese board, and vibrant, fun-loving bubbles add just the right touch to a casual or festive gathering.

My Notes on the Garda Wines, Cheeses and Pairing

Collezione Riondo Brut NV: Pretty sea glass green glass bottle is very eye-catching, the wine itself is a very pale gold with a slight silvery-green sparkle on the edge. Aromas that wafted up through the tiny bubbles included candied pears, French baguette, apple pie, talcum powder and wet sand from a freshwater beach. In the mouth I got lively green apple, honey, lemon and sugary limeade.

Pjafoc Vino Spumante Extra Dry White: Palest yellow of all in color, with tiny bubbles hanging onto the edge of my glass for a very long time. Aromas reminded me of creamy butter, fresh cut cucumber for crudité, white peach, biscuit and overturned dry earth. For the taste I noted that lemon-lime again, pineapple, freshly cut apple slices and a general sense of coolness. A wine to enjoy outdoors on a hot day. The wine had a creaminess as well as a medium acidity, and a very long length on the palate.

2020 Azienda Agricola Prendina Pinot Grigio: The color was a soft yellow with some sparkle, then I noted bruised apple, dust, stone fruit, dry earth and freshly cut pears on the nose. Tasting the wine I was reminded of fruit cocktail in juice, just peeled orange, tangerine, lime zest and lingering citrus fruits.

2020 Cantina Colli Morenici Chardonnay: Light yellow in color, then on the nose there was some sweet Meyer lemon, unsalted butter, grapefruit and ash followed by bright flavors of yellow apple, lemon-lime soda, a nice round mouthfeel, mild acidity and medium finish. I really liked the freshness on this one.

Mezzano D.O.P. (61/180 days) described as fresh and mild.

With the Collezione Riondo Brut NV: Taking a sip of the Riondo first, then taking a bite of the cheese, it was indeed mild, but then rinsing the wine over the cheese, the cheese grew much sharper, nuttier and creamier for me in the mouth, which made the pairing interesting and elevated the pairing. (Note: I’ve had bubbles and cheese before. I either wasn’t paying attention – which I now will do – or this is specific to these cheeses and these sparkling wines!)

With the Pjafoc Vino Spumante Extra Dry White: Doing just as I did above, rinsing the wine over the cheese, I found the pairing similar, maybe not as sharp but certainly sharper with the wine than alone. And again, the pairing elevated the whole experience.

Piave Stravecchio (aged more than 12 months) described as bright and vibrant

With the Collezione Riondo Brut NV: Even though a younger cheese it had a bit more layers on the palate – nutty, salty, briny – then with the wine I noted salt was really heightened, which was nice with the bubbly wine.

With the Pjafoc Vino Spumante Extra Dry White: The saltiness and nuttiness came out in the cheese with the wine, again, as it did with the Riondo. As an observation, these are both hard cheeses, so when you roll the wine over the cheese it also softens it. Again, making the experience something to linger over.

More

After spending too much time cooped up indoors, everyone is ready to take their gatherings and meals to a new tasty level, and Europe’s Perfect Pairing is just begging to be your next favorite pairing partner. Hailing from beautiful northern Italy, Piave DOP cheese and Spumante Garda DOC wines share distinctive origins, deep history, and authentic production techniques—and they are the perfect palate complements for one another. Simple and portable, yet utterly delicious, elevate your taste buds with this sparkling and cheesy dynamic duo.

With Garda DOC wines, there’s no corkscrew required: Covering 10 historical appellations on the shores of Lake Garda, this DOC centers around sparkling wine production. Gentle, rolling hills curve around the southern end of the large lake, where cool breezes and abundant sunshine produce perfectly ripened grapes with freshness and acidity. White Garda Spumante DOC wines are typically based on Chardonnay, Garganega, Pinot Grigio, and Trebbiano, while rosé Garda Spumante is based on Pinot Noir, Corvina, and Merlot, and both may be made in the traditional or Charmat method.

In the beautiful alpine province of Belluno, the intensely flavored Piave DOP cheeses are made. A hard cow’s milk cheese, Piave DOP is named after the Piave River, which traces its way from mountaintops to the plains, winding its way through the land used to create these distinctive cheeses. A long tradition of dairy and cheese making has been passed down through the generations in this area, and modern cheesemakers use these traditional methods to craft five age designations of Piave DOP cheese…

About the Partner Organizations

THE GARDA DOC was founded in 1996 to underline the value of the varietal wines of the 10 historical appellations of the Garda area between Lombardy and Veneto. www.gardadocvino.com 

Consorzio Di Tutela Del Formaggio Piave DOP

The Consortium for the Protection of Formaggio Piave (Consorzio per la Tutela del Formaggio Piave in Italia), with offices in Busche di Cesiomaggiore (BL), was established in 2010 to protect the PDO (DOP in Italian) from misuse, counterfeiting, and unfair competition. The Consorzio also has the task of protecting the

typicality and the peculiar characteristics of Piave cheese, promoting it on all markets – both national and international – and upholding it by providing product information to consumers. www.piavecheese.com

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

TENUTA MONTEMAGNO – MYSTERIUM: the Barbera d’Asti Superiore of 3 barrels

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The use of wood, whether it is French oak, or Slavonian, whether it is barrels of different dimensions, the time of aging, the various toasting, because of all these details, it demands attention and respect.

The mastery is the wise and equilibrated use, to create a perfect balance between the wine that ages in and the aromas of the wood itself.

Mysterium is our Barbera d’Asti Superiore which refines in wooden barrels for at least 18 months.

It’s the uniqueness Barbera of Tenuta Montemagno, as the grapes come from the most ancient vineyards and tell its story. Actually, the Barbera d’Asti is the identity of this corner of Monferrato as well as of Tenuta Montemagno, which has its roots in the provinces of Alessandria and Asti.

The ambition of Tiziano Barea, owner of Tenuta Montemagno and the oenologue Gianfranco Cordero, is preserve the beauty of this grape through a wise and careful use of aging.

The manual harvest of Barbera grapes for Mysterium is medium late, with a further selection of the grapes during the harvest process, so as to reduce the yield per hectare to 65 q, compared to the 90 provided for in the production specification.

Pumping over and fermentation takes place with the Nectar system, which does not use mechanical components during the operating cycle. All this happens thanks to the natural CO2 emission of the wine that is formed during the process.

This procedure allows the preservation of the organoleptic characteristics of the grape variety.

Starting from this imported assumption, the aging in wood that follows the malolactic fermentation provides that the wine is separated in 3 equal parts:

  • The first part stays in barrique – Allier oak, medium toasting, second hands barrels.  The second portion refines in tonneau, French oak, again second passage oaks; the toasting is strongest.  The remaining hectoliters will age in Slavonian oak barrels, 2500 liters of capacity.

During
reserved to the barrels, is dark, at controlled temperature and with a constant humidity tax for keeping the elasticity and salubrity of the wood and, consequently, the quality of the wines that is aging inside.

Why 3 oak barrels of different dimensions and made of diverse oaks?

Because it is fundamental the constant exchange that is created between wood and wine, between each other’s aromas.
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The peculiarities of the Barbera, the vine with the lowest level of tannins among the varieties, make this process even more interesting and enhance and strengthen the traits that are its identity, typical of the composition of the soil where our Barbera grows up: marls astiane, calcareous/clayey, with alkaline pH and good salinity.

The deep ruby red color becomes intense, with violet and black reflections. The bouquet of red fruits and flowers is full, with hints of jam, of ripe fruit; hints of vanilla and spices, which represent the secondary scents, proper to the passage in wooden barrels.

Finally, the evolution of aromas leads us to tertiary, cocoa and balsamic sensations. On the palate, the acidity is tamed by tannin and becomes soft, and well balanced. It is almost velvety.

Above all, the gustatory and olfactory persistence is surprising. The latter evolves opening to wider and more differentiated sensations.

Mysterium is an example of the versatility of Barbera and how the intelligent and wise use of aging in wood, respecting the vine, gives a complex and modern wine, versatile and fascinating, with body and intensity.

Mysterium has been prized at the last edition of Mundus Vini – International Wine Competition, with the gold Medal and with 93 points by Decanter Magazine.
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Mysterium, Barbera d’Asti Superiore docg is the Barbera that tells about us and represents us.

Tasting and Lesson with Stacie Hunt: Mexico’s Valle de Guadalupe

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Had the pleasure of sitting in on a lecture of the wines of the Valle de Guadalupe with the LA Wine Writers at our favorite spot for a wine paired luncheon, Napa Valley Grille, a few weeks ago. Will share what I learned and tasted below, or you can just skip to the story in photos here.

Some Things We Learned

There are over 200 years of wine history in the area, with the first grapes, table grapes, being planted before the 16th century. Jesuit priests reactivated winemaking in the Tijuana area in 1791. In the 1800s the Dominicans came in, the Jesuits were out, and planting began north of Ensenada. By the 1900s Russian Molokans fled Russia and they too settled in Baja.

Over the years winemaking has changed due to new technology, growing techniques and water issues. (Underground aquifers are being exhausted due to drought. Drip systems can help control the salinity of the wines.) Most days reach 85 degrees, however the nights are at least 20 degrees lower and breezy. Stacie said that the fog creeps over in the morning and like a cat’s paws.

Some of the red wines being produced, with ABVs between 14-15%, include Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Cabernet Franc, Carignan, Grenache, Merlot, Malbec, Syrah, Petit Verdot, Tempranillo, Nebbiolo, Dolcetto, Barbera, Petite Sirah, Pinot Noir, Mision, Sangiovese and other Italian reds.

Whites, with ABVs between 12-13%, include Chardonnay, Chasselas, Chenin Blanc, Macabeo (aka Viura), Muscat Blanc, Palomino, Riesling, Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Mision Blanco, Albariño and a variety of Italian whites.

There are many notable wineries including Casa de Piedra, Casa Magoni, Paraleo, Mogor Badan, Monte Xanic, L.A. Cetto, Montefiore and more. There are approximately 200 bonded wineries in total.

There is no system presently, for classifications on the labels, however, like California, bottles have to be made of 75% of one singular variety to have that variety’s name on the label. The only other items on a label have to be the producer’s name, region and the alcohol content.

One of Stacie’s mentors is winemaker, educator and a leader in the field, Hugo D’Acosta. He created an educational facility for budding winemakers in El Porvenir, has vineyards in Bordeaux and Pyrenees and partners with Wente in Napa and Milagro in San Diego.

These wines are “not your daddy’s wine” Stacie said, not like the wines of Bordeaux or Italy though they share similar varieties. The terroir makes a difference in the varietal character, which you may see via my tasting notes below.

The Wine and Pairing

This four course wine paired luncheon, one of many I’ve enjoyed with the LA Wine Writers, was outstanding as usual. Below are the courses, the wines (all retail for $35 and under), notes on the wines and the pairings.

 

Poached Bosc Pear with Burrata and Endive

Cavas Maciel, Venus Rosa of Merlot

100% Merlot Rose

Valle de Guadalupe

Aroma: Pink grapefruit, pear, pale florals, pebbles, flint.

Flavor: Peach, crisp acidity and then palate drying, a slight salinity.

Pairing: Very refreshing on the palate.

 

Diver Scallop Crudo with Cucumber Brunoises, Blood Orange Reduction

Monte Xanic, Sauvignon Blanc

100% Sauvignon Blanc

Valle de Guadalupe

Aroma: Lemon-lime, fruit cocktail, white peach.

Flavor: Meyer lemon, crisp, clean and low acid.

Pairing: The fruit in the dish and in the wine made for a good pairing.

 

Seared Cumin Crusted Seabass, Coconut Cauliflower Puree

El Cielo, Chardonnay 2015

100% Chardonnay (oaked)

Valle de Guadalupe

Aroma: Toasted oak, butter, cream, Golden Delicious apple, rich mouthfeel with some salinity.

Flavor: Lemon, oak, hay, balanced fruit and acid.

Second wine: Vinos Lechuza, Chardonnay 2016

100% Chardonnay (stainless steel)

Valle de Guadalupe

Aroma: Unsalted butter, banana, kiwi, pale oak.

Flavor: Golden Delicious apple (again), oak, buttery with a long finish.

Pairing: I preferred the oaked Chardonnay over the stainless with this dish.

 

Pasta Arrabbiata with Romano Pecorino

Vinos de la Reina, Sangiovese 2015

100% Sangiovese

Valle de San Vicente

Aroma: A slight vegetal aroma blew off in a few minutes, then I got plums, perfumy, char and a dusty quality.

Flavor: Red to dark fruit, pepper, tannic, dry, jammy. (Stacie said the jammy quality comes from the heat in the area.)

Pairing: Most of the writers inhaled this pairing and who am I to argue? But maybe I was just saving myself for the grand finale.

 

Santa Maria Grilled Tri Tip Chimichurri, Spring Farmer’s Vegetables, Tri Tip Jus.

Vina Cava, Tempranillo 2016

100% Tempranillo

Valle de Guadalupe

Aroma: Earth, dust, blueberry, blackberry – perfume to my nose.

Flavor: Deep, dark and dusty with black fruit, char and oak. Another wine I will look for again.

Pairing: The spice in this dish enhanced the wine perfectly.

 

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.