Swilled Dog Hard Cider Releases Sangria

April 19, 2021 by evebushman

UPPER TRACT, W.Va., /PRNewswire/ — Swilled Dog (@SwilledDog), the fastest growing craft beverage company in West Virginia, has released its Spring/Summer seasonal cider – Sangria.

A delicious blend of fresh cherries, tart apples, lemons and limes, Swilled Dog Sangria is a semi- sweet, gluten-free, and unfiltered cider that transports cider lovers to their favorite beach with each sip.

“Since our founding in 2016, our goal has always been to transform the bounty of West Virginia’s natural ingredients into fun, flavorful and refreshing ciders,” said Brooke Glover, President and Co-Founder, Swilled Dog. “Warm weather is on the way, and we are thrilled with this latest edition to our seasonal cider offerings. With ripe cherries and tart apples blending together with fresh fruit flavors, each sip of Swilled Dog Sangria recalls a day at the beach and you can almost feel the sand between your toes.”

The seasonal craft cider is uniquely made with a carefully selected blend of apples, and finished with lemons, lime and cherries and no added sugar. The addition of the cherry helps create a slightly ruby color, reminiscent of traditional sangrias. Fresh and zesty lemons and limes complement the tartness of the apples, making Swilled Dog Sangria less sweet than wine-based sangrias and infinitely more refreshing.

Swilled Dog Sangria (6.9% ABV) will be available on tap and in 6-pack 12-ounce cans in local stores, bars and restaurants in West Virginia, Virginia, Florida, Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. Each can of Swilled Dog Sangria contains 180 calories, 11 grams of sugar, 14g carbohydrates, 0g fat, 0g protein and no added sugar.

Swilled Dog Sangria is the latest seasonal release to join a year-round portfolio of hand-crafted hard ciders: Walk the Dog, Pineapple, Wild Berry, Caramel Apple and WV Scrumpy. Swilled Dog ciders are always unfiltered and made from all-natural ingredients.

Apart from crafting delicious ciders that bring friends together, Swilled Dog also celebrates time spent giving back to the community; at least one percent of annual sales benefit animal causes. In addition, 100% of the annual sales of WV Scrumpy are donated. During 2020, Swilled Dog supported organizations such as the Walking Miracles Family Foundation, Clearwater Maine Aquarium, On Eagles’ Wings, and Military Working Dogs Team Support Association.

In addition, Glover was recently elected Vice President, Board of Directors of the American Cider Association (formerly USACM). This is her second term as a member of the ACA Board and she also serves on the Marketing (Chair) and Legislative Committees. During her tenure on the ACA Board, Glover plans to help push regulatory change for the growing industry on a national level and provide actionable support to the Cider industry’s efforts to be inclusive and welcoming to all consumers.

ABOUT SWILLED DOG

Swilled Dog is a majority woman-owned, leading craft beverage producer providing the Southeast with quality, approachable beverages that are flavorful and refreshing. Our hard cider, ready-to-drink cocktails, premium, small batch spirits, and infusions are handcrafted to bring friends and family together for a better today and tomorrow.

While crafting delicious beverages, we also aim to make a significant impact for our favorite animal causes. Swilled Dog offers a unique tasting experience in Upper Tract, WV, and our products can be found throughout our expanding six-state footprint (WV, VA, IN, KY, OH, and FL). For more information, visit http://www.swilleddog.com/.

Follow Swilled Dog on Social: @SwilledDog, #SwilledDog, #GetSwilled

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/

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.

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/

Clavey Vineyard and Winery Wins Top Placements with Wine Enthusiast, Sunset International Wine Competition, and Monterey International Wine Competition

September 11, 2019 by evebushman

NEVADA CITY, Calif. (PRWEB) – Grass Valley-based boutique winery, Clavey Vineyards & Winery, has won top placements from three prestigious establishments: Wine Enthusiast Magazine, Sunset International Wine Competition, and Monterey International Wine Competition.

Wine Enthusiast (will appear in late summer issues)

2015 Syrah – 90 pts
2015 Sangiovese – 91 pts
2016 Rose – 89 pts
2015 Class III – 86 pts

Sunset International Wine Competition

2016 Sangiovese – Gold Award
2016 Syrah – Bronze Award

Monterey International Wine Competition

2015 Sangiovese – 92 pts
2015 Class III – 90 pts

This brings us to 13 awards to date for 2019, including recognition from the esteemed San Francisco Chronicles, West Coast Wine Competition, and the Jefferson Cup Invitational among others.

“My wife Summer and I are excited to bring our boutique winery on a national stage,” says Executive Winemaker Josh Orman. “We are very proud that our family-owned winery is furthering the Sierra Foothill appellation on the wine map. Our dream is to bring more delicious natural wine options to the public.”

From the Sierra Foothills in Northern California, Clavey Vineyards & Winery specializes in unfiltered and unfined wines that are Certified Vegan. With a growing portfolio of award-winning wines, Clavey’s eco-friendly wines are ideal for environmentally conscious wine consumers and those with dietary restrictions.

These wines are now available in several locations including our Tasting Room in Nevada City, the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-Op, and online at http://www.claveywine.com.

For more about Clavey, please visit http://www.claveywine.com or connect with us on Facebook and Instagram.

Paso: Visiting Linne Calodo and Denner Vineyards

December 28, 2018 by evebushman

Both Linne Calodo and Denner had been recommended to us over the years to visit, but if you’ve been paying any attention to the growth in Paso Robles you know that there are now hundreds of wineries to choose to visit. In my earlier article on Parrish Family, as well as this one, it was the first time in all of our visits to the area we were not seeing any wineries we had visited before. Everyone has their favorites, and I myself felt guilty about not seeing some of mine on this trip, but I do it all for you, dear reader, so that you can explore something new as well.

So on a cool Saturday morning we set out to both for predominant Rhône blends and both by appointment only.

View from Denner patio.

Linne Calodo is on the corner of 46 West and Vineyard Avenue, so it’s extremely easy to find. A short drive up the hill and you’ll find a medium-sized tasting room for guests that would like to either sit or stand through a flight.

Greeted with a menu of what we would be tasting – we knew it was ours as our name was printed on it – and a trio of red wine glasses.

We were expertly taken care of by Meghan Ball – Meghan is a new mom so she has taken a short break in her duties as assistant winemaker this year to take over as the Director of Sales. Meghan explained that guests were welcome to bring food to have for an outdoor tasting, there is sometimes live music upstairs that is enjoyed by tasters downstairs, couches and sitting areas are often used by members – as club members have always been the wineries exclusive buyers.

In fact when the tasting room opened in 2009 – they reached the maximum for wine club members. It was not until January of this year that they had re-opened the wine club for new members, and re-opened the tasting room for walk in guests. Had they not acquired more acreage they would still be closed for new tasters and members.

Linne Calodo owner and winemaker, Matt Trevisan, had switched his interests from airplanes to biochemistry – and started out with Justin Winery in 1995, the same vintage year that Wine Spectator awarded Justin Isosceles with a 100 point score. 1998 was Trevisan’s first vintage for Linne Calodo. Beginning with a 500 case production they are now at 5,000 cases. The vineyards are primarily dry farmed, all estate, they make eight to ten blends a year with four or five released twice per year, with an additional white and rose.

This struck me, Megan said that all of the wines are unfiltered and unfined, and that “through blending we create balance.” We agreed as we meandered our way through: 2016 “Rising Tides” with 77% Grenache, 14% Mourvedre an 9% Syrah; 2016 “Nemesis” with 87% Syrah, 9% Mourvedre and 4% Grenache; 2016 Outsider with 82% Zinfandel, 7% Syrah, 7% Mourvedre and 4% Graciano.

(I have no tasting notes on these wines as we were too busy chatting with Meghan all about the winery. I enjoyed everything, with a special nod to the 2016 Nemesis that had been opened 24 hour earlier. Meghan commented that the “first and last glass” of this particular wine “is a totally different experience”.)

Linne Calodo www.linnecalodo.com 3030 Vineyard Dr. Paso Robles, CA 93446 (805) 227-0797

Denner, just up Vineyard Avenue about ten minutes from Linne Calodo, has a large parking lot and several welcoming areas to taste both inside and out, a bocce court, trees, flower gardens and vineyards are all within view. We were told to take any seating area and chose a nice tall table outside to take in the sights.

Our entertaining and educational sommelier Yule from the Ukraine presented us with six wines to taste, and allowed us time with each before returning with a new wine. What we learned and tasted:

We began with a 2016 100% Viognier that I thought had perfect fresh fruit with a medium acidity. I also agreed with the provided tasting notes that described notes of orange and lime. Yule explained that this wine, and some of the others, had spent their months aging in large “cigar” barrels. I was familiar with these for their odd shape compared to the standard shaped barrel. Yule also explained that they allowed for less oxygen to reach the wine, and I presumed the large shape would also provide less oak notes in the nose and flavor.

Next we tried the 2016 Grenache with 81% Grenache, 9% Mourvedre, 9% Syrah and 1% Roussane. While our tasting notes described the wine as having aromas of cherry and raspberry I also found chocolate. The wine is all estate fruit, fairly dry, well balanced, and left me with hints of cherry cola on the palate.

Ron Denner, the owner of the property, started out being told that he wouldn’t amount to much by his father as his grades in his early school years were lacking. Between his college years, military service and owning more than one business – two involving moving dirt (the latter being the winery) Denner more than proved his father wrong. The wine named Ditch Digger is a shout out to that memory. The wine we tasted, the 2016 vintage, again an all estate wine was 50% Grenache, 25% Mourvedre, 5% Counoise and 5% Cinsault. While the tasting notes mentioned black licorice, strawberry, botanicals and spice my own palate found it to have also notes of crushed cherry on the nose and darker fruit on the palate. This wine had spent 16 months in neutral 500L and 600L oak puncheons – three times bigger than a standard barrel – allowing for less oak on the flavor.

The next wine, the 2016 Dirt Worshipper, had a great story for its namesake, and proved to be our favorite wine in the line-up. Lets start with the brief story: Yule got down on bended knee to show us what it looked like when the workers were planting the grapes that would eventually make up Dirt Worshipper, and you probably may have guessed it, yep, they looked like they were praying. The 2016 vintage was 97% Syrah, 2% Roussanne and 1% Viognier – and why use a white wine in a red blend? And why so little of it, would it make any kind of difference? Yule explained that the small percentage of white Rhônes would act as a stabilizer for their Syrah to maintain its color. Cool. I agreed with the tasting notes that showed white pepper and blackberries on the nose, and espresso and blueberries in the palate, I also found it very creamy. I also wrote down what I overheard another guest say, “If this is ditch digging we can agree he struck gold.”

The 2012 Syrah, with it’s gold ribbon on the bottle, was considered more of a library wine that can age longer due to more tannins. With notes of violets, blueberries, and white pepper on the nose and with the addition of espresso on the palate – we were in agreement with the tasting notes on our menu.

A final wine added to the lineup was the 2016 Sacred Burro of 100% Carignan. In this wine, Yule explained, the vineyard had been head trained, and since the grapes are susceptible to mold up to 80% of the fruit was cut off to allow only 20% for wine. In comparison, if left alone there would be 20 tons of Carignan harvested to an average of five tons for Cabernet Sauvignon. He further explained that without the head training, the mold could takeover other parts of the vineyard. As we went in for our taste – the wine was described as having rose petal and raspberry notes (I also found dark cherry) it would be easier to discern these aromas if we rolled our glasses, and then see if we could sniff the raspberry or cherry on the near side, and the rose botanical on the far end. It seemed to work. Something to try at home!

Note: I didn’t explain the time in oak for all of these wines, share their Vinous scores or the pricing. You can email me if you want further details: Eve@EveWine101.com or peruse their Facebook or website pages:

https://www.facebook.com/DennerVineyards/

http://www.dennervineyards.com/

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

Vintage Eve 10/2014 Sonoma Part One: First Time at Ramey and Mazzocco

February 20, 2018 by evebushman

I haven’t been to Sonoma in over five years. It’s a large wine area to cover and this time I focused on Healdsburg wineries that had created a buzz: Ramey Wine Cellars, Mazzocco Sonoma Vineyards and Winery, Seghesio Family Vineyards, and Mauritson Family Winery. (2018 update: Part Two, on Seghesio Family Vineyards and Mauritson Family Winery, will run in my column on next Tuesday 2/27/18.)

Ramey Wine Cellars

http://www.rameywine.com

David Ramey, winemaker and proprietor, shoveled his first grapes in 1978, after attending UC Santa Cruz and then later to Davis for a masters in enology. Ramey’s first harvests were in Sonoma in ‘78 and France in ‘79 at Jean-Pierre Moueix. (Petrus was one the wineries also managed by Moueix.) Ramey came back in ‘80 and then spent the next 22 years at Simi, Matanzas Creek, Château Petrus again, Chalk Hill, Dominus and Rudd.

In ‘96 Ramey had the opportunity to make his own wine, a Chardonnay from Hyde Vineyard. Once his wife agreed, he made 260 cases in his first vintage. Today Ramey has released the 2011 from the exact same vineyard. Ramey Wine Cellars makes 40,000 cases, in what Ramey calls a “large small winery.” Co-owned with his wife, Ramey has no partners or investors.

Ramey told us that he purchased a vineyard with an old “Hop Kiln” on the property. He plans on converting the hop kiln into a tasting room and building caves for a winery. The property sits along the Russian River and is called Westside Farms. It has 42 acres planted to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. He is working on the permitting process now and would like to complete the project by 2017.

In 1987 at Matanzas Creek Winery, Ramey was one of the first winemakers in California to whole cluster press Chardonnay grapes, and he is considered a legend in the industry. His Chardonnays are made in a French Burgundian style and flavor, and he goes for more “lift” with California ripening grapes. None of the wines are filtered; they are fined using traditional French methods.

Communications Director Alexandra O’Gorman led us through a tasting of four whites and four reds.

(Aroma and flavor notes separated by 😉

2012 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay (2012 – 2014 all drought years*)

The only one that was cloudy, definitely due to being unfiltered; oak, butter, crisp apple; tart apples, white pepper, nice bite with a long acidic finish. Like a Sauvignon Blanc with some oak notes.

2012 Russian River Valley Chardonnay

Lemon lime, grapefruit, vanilla; toasted oak, same fruit, not as acidic a finish, more balanced.

2011 Ritchie Vineyard Chardonnay

Pear, cinnamon, creamy; tart, acidic, oak more prominent on palate, nice balanced finish.

2011 Hyde Vineyard Chardonnay

Rose gardens, butterscotch, medium toasted oak; more oak, moist yet dry, tart Granny Smith apples.

2012 Sonoma Coast Syrah (Make 2 different Syrahs per year)

Pungent plums, juicy blackberry and black cherry, spice rack, mulled wine notes; beautiful, stemmy, lots of black pepper and dried dark fruit. ‘

2012 Claret

Bright red to blue fruits, black pepper, smoke; Exceptional blend of fruit from all over Napa Valley, dry, cigar, dark chocolate. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot. ‘

2012 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Ramey makes four different Cabernet Sauvignon based wines per year.)

Balanced fruit and spice on the nose, including cherry, menthol; great dark drying fruit, not too peppery, ready to drink.

2011 Annum Cabernet Sauvignon (25% Cabernet Franc)

Velvety rose, plum, cigar box; deep and dark fruit, not too much pepper, lovely balance.

*As far as any issues caused by the drought, in 2014 Ramey received 20% more fruit than anticipated.

Mazzocco Sonoma

http://www.mazzocco.com

Touring the outdoor winery with our charming winemaker, Antoine Favero, proved to be a hoot! Favero’s wit and charm got me past any fear of climbing stair after to stair to get a view of sweet bubbling fermenting grape juice, the local Sonoma airport and piles of reusable grape compost. We also tasted sun-sweetened Cabernet grapes in their clusters fresh from harvest!

Most of the harvested grapes are only fermented via natural yeast according to Favero. The winery was built in the ‘80s and is one of the rare ones that is all outdoors. The barrel room didn’t have any electric cooling units; instead the unique ceiling was built to bring in the cool air, and, as an added gift, it was beautiful to look up at.

After my travel pal Claudia Sheridan practiced the art of “punch down” we returned to the tasting room to sample a few award winning wines (see tasting notes below) and later, enjoy a picnic lunch with Favero.

Best of Class and Double Gold medals

2012 Stuhlmuller Reserve Chardonnay

Oak, cream and butter aroma notes followed by tart lemon lime and creamy finish.

2012 Zinfandel, Briar

Red cherries, mint; spicy, light tannins, long finish.

2012 Zinfandel, Sullivan

More mature darker fruit, bursting cherries, dusty plums, charred oak; pungent dark fruit, greet-me-in-the-face spice and pepper.

2012 Zinfandel, Pony Reserve

Red, blue and black fruit, black pepper, dark dry chocolate; blue fruit, chocolate again.

2012 Zinfandel, Maple Reserve

Milk chocolate, cracked green pepper, spicy; Nice balance of fruit and spice, drink now with or without food, just go for it.

2012 Zinfandel, Smith Orchard Reserve

Perfumy nose, flower garden, dark fruit, cracked black pepper; intense, spicy, very good.

2012 Antoine Philippe Reserve (Zinfandel blend)

The most balanced nose with notes of dust, crushed spices, good and fruity; milk to dark chocolate, incredible balance, smooth – shoot me that is good. (Favero sent us home with a bottle and an ice chest; this bottle, opened and in the car most of the time, lasted three days and could’ve gone longer.)

Facebook album link: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10204030874999605.1073741881.1455706632&type=1&l=ef858e481a

BEYOND THE STARS: Learning About Dom Pérignon with the North American Sommelier Association (NASA) Part One

January 5, 2018 by evebushman

In paying my annual dues to NASA there are many opportunities offered for continued education and tastings. And now that NASA President Diego Meraviglia is the US Brand Ambassador for Dom Perignon, it was just a matter of time before I could get in on the most rare opportunity!

Photo credit: SIMONA MAFFEI

From NASA

“Brothers come quickly ! I’m drinking stars !” was the exclamation uttered by father Dom Pérignon as he discovered bubbles in wine. A fluke, a coincidence of nature dictated by the extreme Northern location of the Champagne region causing stuck fermentations due to cold. He spent the rest of his life, 47 years, battling, studying, exploring, analyzing and comprehending this phenomenon.

In 1668 Dom Pierre Pérignon, a monk, is nominated curator of the abbey of Hautvillers. He was in charge of managing the supplies of this holy place and set out to improve and renovate the vineyards and wine the abbey produced. As a Benedictine monk, he followed the rule of St.Benedict…the strive for perfection and discipline; he left nothing to chance. He set out to make “the best wine in the world” and single handedly set the base for what Champagne and any ‘classical method’ sparkling wine is today. He invented techniques, methodologies and concepts that revolutionized wine forever.

The original prestige cuvée was indeed Moët & Chandon’s ‘Dom Pérignon’, launched in 1936 with the 1921 vintage. Until then, Champagne houses produced different cuvées of varying quality, but a top-of-the-range wine produced to the highest standards (and priced accordingly) was a new idea. In the last three decades of the 20th century, most Champagne houses followed these with their own prestige cuvées, often named after notable people with a link to that producer and presented in non standard bottle shapes (following Dom Pérignon’s lead with its 18th century revival design). These are indeed…the BEST SPARKLING WINES IN THE WORLD.

SEMINAR PRESENTED AND LED BY DOM PERIGNON US BRAND AMBASSADOR & NASA PRESIDENT, DIEGO MERAVIGLIA.

MY TAKEAWAYS FROM THE LESSON:

Dom Perignon is known for being the first to: put a brand name (his own) on a label (instead of just the name of the region), creating the bottle shape, making white wine from red grapes, blending and sorting (and at Dom Perignon every berry is sorted by hand).

Ruinart is known for being the first commercial winery in Champagne. Veuve Cliquot is known for being the first to filter.

Dom Perignon came to the abbey in 1668, at the age of 32, and was given the job of curator. He dedicated 47 years of his life to perfecting wine.

Wine in Champagne, France first appeared between the first and fourth centuries AD, when the Romans ruled the area. After that, during the Barbarian rule, there was no wine produced until 987 AD.

Champagne is the most northern region of France. There is less sunlight and thereby less warmth in the vineyard. Every year, to this day, it is a struggle for the grapes to ripen. There is spring frost and winter hail, so the “struggle is real” in producing Champagne, and also accounts for the cost.

Belgium is a bordering country but they’re not known for producing any wine at all, they make beer.

In the early days exorcists were brought in to deal with the “demon in the cellar” that was causing the wines to explode. Now that demon name has translated to what happens when you enjoy Champagne…

Dom Perignon only uses a strict 50/50 blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

The chalky fossil-rich soil in Champagne, due to originally being under the sea, gives the wines their minerality.

1921 was the first vintage champagne from Don Perignon. It was all non-vintage prior to this. To this day they don’t make a vintage champagne every year, only the years that the fruit is the best.

Stay tuned to this column next week where I will share some of the wonderful and rare wines we tasted after our lesson!

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, 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. You can also seek her marketing advice via Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com

Vintage Beacon Circa 12/2010: Dinner with Chris Phelps, Winemaker for Swanson Vineyards

September 1, 2015 by evebushman

Guests at Ca Del Sole restaurant passed our table and stopped to remark, “Are you having a wine tasting here? We figured with the three magnums on the table…” That what? We’d share? Oh no, I was going to take any extra wine home by employing the old trick of sticking that cork right back where it belonged, slipping it under my arm, getting it into the trunk of my car! They were Swanson magnums!

Okay, back to the dinner.

Winemaking

Napa winemaker, Chris Phelps, was in town for a two-day LearnAboutWine Cabernet event. But, lucky for me, Chris had a night in between the two days to share stories about himself and Swanson Vineyards. (Joining us for dinner was Sippity Sup’s Greg Henry and his friend Helen Melville.)

I had done a little homework on Chris before the evening. I knew that he had worked alongside, and was mentored by, the winemakers of Bordeaux (Christian Moueix and Jean-Claude Berrouet), and specifically, at the famed Petrus.

While on the Right Bank of Bordeaux, Chris learned that Merlot performed at its full potential only if grown under precisely the right conditions. The clay soil it thrives on at Swanson, for example, is critical: the Merlot grape likes the fact that clay meters water out slowly to the vine during the growing season. As Chris put it, “Merlot is a winemaker’s grape,” requiring less technical intervention if it is grown in the right place.

“When grown in clay Oakville soil, the wines have naturally good acidity, color and balance, exactly what we are seeking style-wise for our Oakville Merlot”, says Chris.

When Chris first arrived on the scene at Swanson the previous winemaker had been using only American Oak for Merlot. Chris shifted to half American and half French. This change, coupled with a custom, lighter toast, added more finesse and balance to the oak’s influence on the wines.

Chris is also very passionate about oak. He suggested that I visit a “cooperage” – a place where the barrels are made – to see how flavors such as vanilla, clove and spice emerge in the toasting process. (I can’t imagine pulling myself away from wine tasting the next time I’m in Napa, but he made this idea tempting.)

Swanson Vineyards

Swanson’s 90 Napa acres are attached to a true “family-owned winery,” Chris began. “An increasing number of wineries are owned by corporations.”

One of Swanson’s strengths is that it specializes in only 3 wines for the national – and international – market: Merlot, Pinot Grigio and Cabernet Sauvignon. Many wineries seem to lose their focus as they distribute a range of wines that is always expanding.

“Making white wines for the first time, I decided to make our Pinot Grigio more of an ode to Alsatian Pinot Gris,” Chris said. “We pick it early to lower the final alcohol content, aiming for about 13.5%. We then ferment the juice 100% in stainless tanks and barrels, instead of fermenting in neutral oak, which had been done in the past. We stir the wine on the lees until Christmas, and bottle in mid-February. We find that the wine retains its freshness and fruit much better with these three fundamental changes in our approach to Pinot Grigio winemaking.”

It was interesting that Chris decided to use screw caps for Pinot Grigio to avoid any cork taint at all in his wine, and to keep the wine fresh for at least 2 years in the bottle. He likes to say that, “the crisp break of the cap being opened tells me I should expect to experience a fresh, crisp wine.” I really liked that statement and thought it would read well on the bottle.

Chris also gave me a piece of information as to the cost of Napa wines. He said that the vines in many areas of Napa Valley have to be replanted every fifteen to twenty years due in large measure to leaf-roll virus. The cost for that replanting is definitely something to consider.

Alexis and Merlot

The Alexis Cabernet, a consistently highly rated wine by Wine Spectator magazine, is 90% Cabernet and 10% Merlot, with alcohol hovering around 14%, unfined and unfiltered.

We started with the 04, and I found it had pleasant black fruits in both the aroma and taste, very dry, with a lovely length. Chris obviously brought his Bordeaux style to Swanson with the 10% Merlot he blended into his Alexis Cabernet.

Next we sampled the 05 Alexis. Chris said that this one benefited from a long, cool vintage and, since 05 was a big year for quantity, they thinned more heavily. Chris found the wine “complex” and we agreed that it could compete with any outstanding Right Bank Bordeaux.

The final Alexis was an 06. I noted both anise and eucalyptus on the nose, a dry, tannic mouthfeel and asked Chris how long he would suggest we lay it down for. He thought that it could go 10-20 years, or 30 in a magnum.

The restaurant’s wine list included a 06 Merlot – that’s the one I took home – and I found it to have a lovely balance. Just like Chris.

Eve’s One Bottle Post: 2010 Les Deux Chats Viognier

October 19, 2012 by evebushman

If you’re new to reading me I try and do these one-bottle-posts because I firmly believe that the time it takes to review a wine in no way compares to the time a winemaker takes in making said wine. That seemingly obvious statement is my way of paying due respects to any and all winemakers. I drink the stuff, I don’t want to make it, and I thank Bacchus that they put their hearts into the work. Now, onto paying my respects to Chris and Patty Connolly, the winemakers behind the cute Les Deux Chats label.

Les Deux Chats (Also can be found online under The Two Cats)

Ripken Vineyard

2010 Viognier

Unfiltered

Lodi, California

15.4 Percent alcohol

Appearance

This is just for observation sake, held over a white sheet of paper (the photo has a manila folder in the background) the unfiltered wine was not cloudy, but clear with some diamond sparkles, the color was the palest shade of lemon.

Nose

Pear, pink grapefruit, juicy peach, sweet Hawaiian pineapple and a little bit of elderflower thrown in.

Palate

Ripe pear, apple pie, lemon, apricot, sweet cream, tanginess/acidity softens immediately – prior to the lingering finish.

Conclusion

Very good quality. Makes me crave all kinds of food from oysters to soft cheeses to strawberries to a cold seafood salad filled…

Their Wine Club is uber-reasonable https://www3.cleverconcepts.net/lesdeuxchats.com/wine-club-signup.php

It’s 2 bottles at a time, for each release, when they are released. Each release is not to exceed $66.

From Facebook

Les Deux Chats Cellars is a small family owned winery. Producing limited production single vineyard hand crafted wines.

Company Overview

Les Deux Chats Cellars is a small family owned winery. Producing single vineyard hand crafted wines. Our passion for winemaking along with limited production allows us to focus on the details and produce high quality wines. To keep up to date of what we have going on, please “like” us and see our wall and photos.

Patty & Chris Connolly, Valencia, CA
Owners/Winemakers
info@lesdeuxchats.com

Please join our mail list by clicking “Join My List” in the left hand column or http://www.facebook.com/LesDeuxChats?sk=app_141428856257

For Events, please see our web site: http://www.lesdeuxchats.com/lesdeuxchatsevents.html

Sommelier Gregory Alonzo on Nectar of the Sun: Unique Georgian Wines

July 19, 2012 by evebushman

Striated with colored hues of magenta and amber, sunset slowly covered Tbilisi’s skyline.
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As the sky slowly purpled above us, Medea and I hustled to meet Shorena, our fellow sommelier. Tonight we planned to meet in Old Town’s poplar jazz spot, Cafe Kala. Shorena had arranged for us to taste three of Georgia’s most unique wines.

“I see her,” Medea called out. “She’s sitting in the patio area.”

“It is such a lovely evening, I thought we’d sit outside.” Shorena motioned us to take our seats. “Once the band starts, we can easily here the music from here.”

To my delight, our servers immediately filled our table with eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, stuffed mushrooms, goat cheese, lamb kabobs, and lavash bread. “A table set for a king.”

“Or a prince,” Medea said with subtle coquetry.

“A prince without a crown,” I chuckled.

“Grigol,” Shorena called for my attention. Tonight we will be tasting Saperavi, do you approve?”

Saperavi is Georgia’s hardy varietal and a staple in most Georgian blends. Translated, it’s name means ‘paint or dye.’ What makes Saperavi unique is both the skins and flesh are red in color. The best Saperavi grapes are grown in the Kakheti region of the Alazani Valley.

“Shorena, what is our first wine?”

“Pheasant’s Tears. It is a 2008 unfiltered Saperavi,” Shorena said confidently. You know the owner of the winery, correct?”

“Yes, I know both John Wurdeman and his wine maker Gela Patalishvili. They produce some interesting hand-crafted wines. They do this by following the ancient Georgian tradition of pressing the grapes and then storing them in bees-wax lined amphora pots called “kvevri,” I replied matter-of-factly.

“Grigol, do you know the tale of the Pheasant’s Tears?” Medea queried.

Before I could answer, Shorena blurted out. “In the story, a hero claims that only a wine beyond measure can make a pheasant cry tears of joy.”

“On that note,” I smiled. “Let’s drink some wine … Gaumarjos!”

On first sight, the wine is such a dark red it is called black by Georgians. Savory hints of charcoal, black pepper, smoke, black currant, and pomegranate are dominated by mulberry and plum. On the palate, this full-bodied wine has a velvety structure with strong tannins and acidity, and a most pleasurable finish. Pheasant’s Tears is an exciting and original wine that even the most discerning of palates would enjoy. This Saperavi pairs best with roasted meats and hard cheeses. However, Georgians often prefer this wine with sheep cheese which is typically soft in the middle.

“Shorena, what is the alcohol content?”

“13 per cent. Grigol, are you ready for our next wine?”

“Of course.” I gave a nod of approval.

“Our next selection is a 2003 Saperavi from Vinoterra. The alcohol content is 13 per cent,” Shorena flashed me a wide beaming smile.

“Isn’t Vinoterra now owned by Bukhard Schuchmann? Medea queried.

“Yes, and his winemaker, Giorgi Dakishvili and I go way back. He is my friend and teacher.” A smile filled my face as I reflected on the times I raised a glass with the gentleman I consider to be Georgia’s finest winemaker.

Vinoterra Saperavi is made in the traditional Kakhetian style. Fermented for 20 days in amphora pots before transported to oak barrels for 24 months for full maturation. Finally, the wine is bottled unfiltered. There is a deep inky purple coloring to this wine. Along with complex cherry aromas, there are notes of ripe blackberries, mulberry, and a hint of mint and clay. There is a rustic side to this concentrated charmer as the silky tannins accompany a long lasting aromatic finish. Overall, this Saperavi is a deep wine rich of extract with good aging potential. This wine goes well with an assortment meats and cheeses.

Medea nodded her approval. “I understand why you admire Giorgi. He is an artist when it come to hand-crafted wines. I wish I knew his secret.”

“Love and passion for his craft,” I smiled. “Also his preference for using the best grapes from vineyards 30-50 years old.”

“Ready for our last selection?” Shorena asked with excitement.

Giving a nod of approval. “What’s the next selection?”

“A change of pace. I have selected a 2006 Mukuzani from Teliani Valley.”

“You know my next question.”

13 per cent alcohol,” Shorena chuckled.

Teliani Valley uses totally modern techniques with temperature-controlled fermentation and some aging in small oak barrels. Though their methods for making wine are quite progressive, this winery’s soul dates back 80 centuries. One tradition kept alive at Teliani Valley, all grapes are hand-picked.

So what makes Mukuzani so special and one of my personal passions? The Saperavi grapes come come from only the Right Bank of the Alazani River in Kakheti’s renown Mukzani Appellation. This is the creme de la creme of Georgia’s favorite grape varietal.

Shorena’s final selection certainly lived up to it’s reputation. The wine is dark ruby red in color. The bouquet is a smooth aroma of ripe berry, black currant, plum, and hints of oak. There is a generous mouth filling of fruit on the palate. Fleshy cherries and black plum abound.

“Followed by luscious blackberry.” Medea was quick to add. “And the slightest hint of … licorice.”

“This Mukuzani is juicy and tasty,” Shorena remarked. “And since it was aged in oak for 13 months, this adds to it’s complexity.”

“I also liked the smooth finish. Ladies, I think with the moderate tannins and acidity, this wine would pair nicely with roast beef, lamb chops, and grilled steak.”

“Barbecue veal or ham,” Medea was quick to add.

Flashing both Medea and Shorena a quick grin. “For fun, I would even pair our Mukuzani with spicy Indian dishes.

Georgian reds are definitely distinctive and delicious I thought to myself. Breaking my mood of of thought and reflection … Medea giggled playfully.

“Mmm, spicy Indian food. Little India Restaurant?”

We broke into laughter as Shorena was first to speak. “I guess we will come back for the late jazz session.”

But that my friends is another story …