Category Archives: Müller-Thurgau

What has Your West Coast Oenophile done for you lately? (part III)

So much has been happening since my last installment of this blog. Try as I might to catch up with the myriad tastings of this past winter, just as soon as I sit down before my monitor, it seems a new obstacle is thrown my way. But the dreary annual ritual of preparing my taxes has been postpones, and I am truly hoping to wrap up my explorations and finally bring my readership up to date with all of Sostevinobile’s doings.

Following the debacle of my truncated appearance at the Swirl tasting, I was determined to make sure I calendared the San Francisco installment of In Vino Unitas correctly and arrived with sufficient time to cover the entire tasting at One Market.

Actually, the Dungeness crab tacos I had sampled at One Market a few nights before were so delectable delectable, I probably would have attended this event even if they were pouring Crane Lake and Corbett Canyon. But this cooperative marketing arm represents nearly two dozen highly prestigious wineries that distribute directly to retail and ventures like Sostevinobile, something that will prove clearly advantageous to our wine program (not that we will not also work with distributors like Swirl).

Now, apparently Your West Coast Oenophile has become a bit of a known quantity at the various San Francisco trade tasting for his penchant for appearing in shorts and a polo shirt. Note, however, that this isn’t so much a fashion statement as it is a practicality; my dedication to sustainability (and admitted parsimony when it comes to parking fees) dictates that I arrive at these events, whenever possible, on my faithful Trek 14-speed. Shorts permit me both to pedal far faster and to avoid staining my Levis with chain grease. Flash your detached bemusement if you must—cutting a bella figura will always take a back seat to philosophical adherence!


Does this really make for an enticing wine bar?

Alpha Omega might very well be the first or last word in winemaking, depending on one’s perspective. On the epic bike journey through Napa Valley that I led the Ginkgo Girl in the early part of our relationship, we made our final stop at their just-opened facility. Today it would commence my explorations, as I had not had the opportunity to revisit with them since. I found myself re-impressed by a number of their offerings, including the 2007 Chardonnay Napa Valley, their newly-released 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon that presaged the excellence of this much-anticipated vintage, and the 2006 Alpha Omega Proprietary Red, a Meritage of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petite Verdot.
Over the past 18 months, I have had the pleasure of acquainting myself with many of the
wineries at In Vino Unitas; as such, this event more enabled me to solidify the relationship  between Sostevinobile and these producers than to familiarize myself with their wines (although I did sample liberally and without disappointment). Naturally, it was a pleasure to see Phil Schlein of Diamond Creek and to navigate through the trio of his designate Cabernet Sauvignons: the 2006 Red Rock Vineyard, the 2006 Gravelly Meadow Vineyard, and the 2006 Volcanic Hill Vineyard without having to man the steering wheel of their gas-powered golf cart.
Similarly, Merry Edwards held forth with considerable aplomb, underscored by a triple play of her  acclaimed Pinots: the 2007 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast as well as the 2007 Pinot Noir Klopp Ranch and the 2007 Pinot Noir Meredith Estate, both from the Russian River Valley. The Nickel & Nickel/Far Niente dichotomy presented a representative array of their wines, notably Nickel & Nickel’s 2007 Zinfandel Bonfire Vineyard and the ever-popular 2007 Estate Bottled Chardonnay from Far Niente, while sweetening the proposition with their exquisite Sémillon/Sauvignon Blanc Late Harvest selection the 2005 Dolce.
Astrale e Terra poured at a number of tastings I’ve attended in 2009, so my sampling of the 2004 Arcturus served to underscore my fondness for their Scott Harvey-crafted wines. I’d also recently had opportunities to visit both Napa facilities of sister operations Twomey Cellars and Silver Oak, with personal previews of their respective 2005 Napa Valley Merlot and the 2005 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.
I could have bypassed their tables and still have known I relished Heitz Wine Cellars’ signature 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Martha’s Vineyard or the 2006 Chardonnay Carneros Selection from Grgich Hills. Thankfully, my stop at their tables also introduced me to Grgich’s 2006 Miljenko’s Old Vine Zinfandel and the fruit of Heitz’ progressive conversion to organic farming, the 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Trailside Vineyard.
Likewise, my familiarity with their offerings did not prevent my visiting Duckhorn (along with its Goldeneye and Paraduxx labels) for a tasting of their 2008 Decoy Merlot, La Sirena yet again for the 2008 Moscato Azul and the 2007 Pirate TreasuredTestarossa for its array of Pinots—especially  the 2008 Pinot Noir Gary’s Vineyard, and Mayacamas for its 2001 Merlot.

My biggest mistake of the afternoon would have been skipping over Gargiulo Vineyards  simply because I had been invited for a private visit a few years back. Though my primary purpose in stopping by was to rib Jeff Gargiulo over having “deported” his daughter April to Hotchkiss during her formative years—much as my father had sent me when it was still an all-male boarding school, I serendipitously discovered how complex these wines had become over the past four years! The 2009 Rosato di Sangiovese was exquisite; the 2006 Aprile, a Napa Sangiovese, an absolute standout. Other Italian varietals that highlighted the afternoon were the 2007 Dolcetto di Nonno from Buoncristiani and the 2005 Charbono from Étude.
My rush through First Taste Yountville had not allowed me to linger appreciably over Gemstone’s lineup of intriguing wines, so today I partook amply of both the 2007 Facets Estate Chardonnay and the Cabernet-predominant 2006 Gemstone Proprietary Red. This afternoon also introduced me to Ehlers Estate, Ehlers Estate, a unique non-profit winery, with their 2006 Estate Merlot and the 2005 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 1886 and the leonine Meyer Family Cellars, pouring its&nbs
p;2005 Mendocino County Syrah and the 2004 Bonny’s Cabernet Sauvignon.
Two other additions to the Sostevinobile roster came from Larkmead Vineyard, impressing with both the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2007 Firebelle, a Merlot-based blend, and the multi-label venture from Krupp Brothers, featuring their 2007 Black Bart Syrah Stagecoach Vineyard and the 2006 Krupp Brothers The Doctor, an intriguing blend of Tempranillo, and Merlot, with smaller portions of Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon tossed in for good measure.
The most intriguing discovery of the afternoon, however, was the little-heralded Vellum Wine Project, a joint project of Karl Lehmann and Jeffrey Mathy, with their first release, the 2007 Vellum Cabernet Sauvignon. Blended with 10% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot, this extraordinary debut seemed a consensus favorite among attendees.
Nearly two weeks would pass before I took in a new wine discovery, the launch of Michael Benziger’ and Ben Flajnik’s Evolve Wines  at The Winery Collective. Right after sampling their 2009 Sauvignon Blanc, deftly rounded out with Muscat Canelli, I packed up my problem-free 2002 Corolla S for a much-delayed ski trip to Lake Tahoe. On my way up, I detoured for a truncated visit to the Shenandoah Valley Wineries, exploring many of the local Italian varietal specialists like Villa Toscano, Wilderotter, Bella Piazza, Terra d’Oro, Vino Noceto, and Bray. I had hoped to finish up here and swing through Placerville for a quick tour of Lava Cap, Boeger and Madroña, but, alas, I had to have picked the first day of Daylight Savings Time for my sojourn and the consequent loss of an hour meant I did not cross El Dorado-Amador county line until after all had closed for the evening.

Of course, I knew I would be visiting with these producers and several of their other colleagues at the first El Dorado Winery Association tasting in San Francisco that coming Saturday, so I happy proceeded to King’s Beach and the slopes of Alpine Meadows for the next three days. On my return, I surveyed the new Ritz Carlton Lake Tahoe, a resort where a former potential investor had tried to cajole me into launching Sostevinobile as an Audubon-themed wine bar! (see above) before leaving the snow country and winding my way to the Bay Area.  

I had wanted to visit with Roger Boulton and tour the state-of-the-art sustainable winery at UC Davis is currently developing, but arrangements could not be made in time and I had to settle for a quick drive-by. Then things got interesting.
I had never made the trek from Davis to St. Helena before, but, given the deep connection, I assumed it would be a straight-forward drive. And,
besides, I always had the GPS on my iPhone to navigate me. But once I passed through Willits on Rte. 128, both data and phone service became non-existent. For the next 45 minutes, I wound my way through interminable hairpin turns, relying on faith that the exacting precision of the route signs would guide me past Lake Berryessa with more than sufficient time to make my 2:30 meeting.
If only! By the time I reach the juncture of Hwy. 128 and Hwy. 121, I was hopelessly late, unable to phone for directions, and quite unsure whether I should veer towards Napa or toward Rutherford, as the signposts indicated. Sticking my head inside the forlorn little bait shop & convenience market that occupied this juncture, I naïvely sought to ask the T-shirted, crewcut store clerk for directions. “Which is the fastest way to St. Helena?”
Without looking up, he replied. “Never heard of it!”
Incredulous, I pressed my point. “Do I follow the road to the left or to the right?”
“I have no idea,” he responded with unbridled surliness.“Wanna buy a bottle of water?”
“No,” I insisted. “I’m just asking a simple question!”
“Sorry. I don’t serve liberal freeloaders!”
Later on, I figured I made every correct turn until I reached Lake Hennessy and missed the sign for Silverado Trail. Thirty minutes later, my cell phone came back into range as I descended upon the town of Angwin, on the backside of Howell Mountain, twenty-five miles off course. Suffice it to say my familiarity with several the lesser-known enclaves of Napa County has increased substantially from the detour.
Finding my way to Postrio the next Saturday seemed tantamount a linear excursion from my front door to theirs. Though no longer operating as an everyday restaurant, the lower levels of the Prescott Hotel catered the El Dorado Winery Association’s tasting with hors d’œuvres still on par with Wolfgang Puck’s cuisine. Twenty-four wineries made the 2½ drive from the Sierra Foothills to San Francisco to pour a wide range of wines, in terms both of varietal selections and in consistency. Old friends in the crowd included Lava Cap, who has migrated over the past few years away from its Rhône focus to more standard varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. Still, I find their strength outside of the mainstream, as their 2007 Reserve Barbera attests.
Also flourishing with Barbera was Latcham Vineyards, with a 2007 Special Reserve Barbera that approached levels of the extraordinary. I also took a shining to their 2007 Special Reserve Zinfandel, while sister winery Granite Springs, long admired for their Black Muscat, made their statement with the 2006 Petite Sirah. One of El Dorado’s better-known wineries, Boeger, also impressed with their 2008 Barbera and a truly balanced 2006 Meritage Reserve, blending 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc, 25% Petite Verdot and 12% Merlot.
I took immense delight in the 2006 Barbera from Gold Hill Vineyards, but reveled in the delicious pun of its proprietary Meritage, the 2006 Meriticious. David Girard, also a familiar presence, displayed his virtuosity with a number of Rhône-style wines, including the 2007 Grenache, the 2006 Syrah and the 2005 Coeur Rouge, a GMS blend with a touch of Counoise. An even more exotic blend came from Colibri Ridge, whose 2006 El Dorado Rufous Red melded a traditional Bordeaux Meritage with Tinta Cão, Tinta Roriz, Souzão, and Tinta Amarela
(I was also rather fond of their 2007 El Dorado Viognier).
As I had observed on my trip to the Sierra Foothills, Italian varietals constitute a significant focus in this region. Along with its amiable 2005 Syrah, Fenton Herriott  poured a noteworthy 2007 Barbera. Similarly, Single Leaf Vineyards coupled its 2004 Reserve Zinfandel with its 2006 Barbera. And, at the risk of sounding redundant, Miraflores also staked its claim with a 2007 Zinfandel and, again, a 2007 Barbera. And to show I am not entirely monolithic, I also noted that Narrow Gate brought a 2008 Chardonnay El Dorado and a 2007 Primitivo.
Besides, readers know I am just as fond of numerous other varietals, like the 2007 Mourvèdre Reserve El Dorado Crystal Basin Cellars poured besides its very palatable 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve El Dorado. And my appreciation ran deep for the 2008 Cabernet Franc that stood out among the wines Auriga Cellars poured. Both Sierra Oaks Estates and Sierra Vista Vineyards brought a 2005 Syrah to which I cottoned, while Holly’s Hill Vineyards’ 2008 Grenache Noir also provided the backbone of its 2007 Patriarche, a GMS + Counoise blend like the Coeur Rouge.
Zinfandel, of course, is a predominant player in this region. Wineries that did feature this varietal included Cedarville, with its 2007 Zinfandel and Fitzpatrick Winery, which produced its 2006 Zinfandel at its CCOF-certified in Fair Play. Madroña Vineyards poured its 2007 Estate Zinfandel and accompanied it with its 2006 Reserve Malbec.
Perry Creek designated its basic Zinfandel the 2006 Zinman. Its reserve releases bore the whimsical label 2007 Altitude:2401 Dark Forest Syrah and 2006 Altitude:2401 Petite Sirah. Not to be eclipsed, Mount Aukum ensconced its SuperTuscan blend as the 2006 Vertigo but its 2007 Petite Sirah Fair Play was left unadorned. Its coup de grâce for the afternoon was the delightful Port-style 2007 Ace of Hearts, blended from Tempranillo, Tinta Cão, Souzão, and Touriga.
After this event, I took off the weekend to brace myself for a pair of tastings on Monday. The latter, a select pouring of Dutton-Goldfield wines, was basically a pretext to spend a delightful evening with BeiBei Song, who had charmed me when her Essinova crew had filmed the 2010 Cleantech Open Launch. The wines, as anticipated, were uniformly wonderful, particularly the 2008 Thomas Road Pinot Noir, 2007 Kyndall’s Reserve Chardonnay, and the 2008 Kylie’s Reserve Sauvignon Blanc; my companion proved every bit as charming as she is beautiful.
Knowing I had to precede our date with Henry Wine Group ’s 2010 Taste the World, I allocated what I thought was enough time to cover this event, then return home to shower and change. But my local trade rep had misinformed me about the times for the event (not to mention failing to clue me in on its vast scope), so once again I found myself in a slight frenzy trying to cover as much as I could in the truncated space of time I had left. Bypassing the numerous tables of imports, I stated out with Paso Robles’ Ancient Peaks and their array of Estate bottlings from their Margarita Vineyard. Both the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2007 Syrah were quite delectable; both these grapes are blended with Petite Sirah and Zinfandel in the proprietary 2006 Oyster Ridge, a true showcase for the winery. 
Many Oregon wineries excel at any varietal in the Pinot “clan” (i.e., Pinot Chardonnay), and Anne Amie roved no exception with its 2008 Pinot Gris and 2006 Winemaker’s Select Pinot Noir, but it was the 2008 Cuvée A Müller-Thurgau that really won me over. I suppose it’s surprising that more wineries haven’t designed a pentangular wine label for their Meritage, so the geometry of Cain Vineyards label for its 2005 Cain Five s
tands out as much as the wine it adorns. Its four-varietal (sans Malbec) NV6 Cain Cuvée showed true dexterity with blending, while the 2005 The Benchland held its own as a straightforward Cabernet.
It was hard, of course, to bypass wineries like Calera, Benton Lane, and Adelsheim, but I moved onto Ceàgo, an organic/biodynamic spinoff from the Fetzer family. I found their 2006 Syrah and especially their 2008 Muscat Canelli quite enticing. Too enticing, of course, was the next table, Clear Creek Distillery, Oregon’s premier grappaioli. Licensing restrictions will not allow me to serve any of these exceptional distillates at Sostevinobile, but I had to have at least one taste of the Clear Creek Grappa Pinot Noir.
Leaning over, I consoled myself with the white wine virtuosity of Claiborne & Churchill, exemplified by their 2007 Dry Riesling and the 2007 Dry Gewürztraminer. Steven MacRostie headlined at the table his marketing agency Crawford Malone had set up and, as one might expect, showcased his 2007 Chardonnay Carneros. Crawford Malone also introduced me to Eden Stuart’s 2005 Zinfandel Korte Ranch and their organically-grown 2006 SO Zin.Their newest client, Round Pond, is a winery I have long sought to try; the 2006 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon most certainly did not disappoint.
I managed to scarf a final sip of Demetria Estates’ biodynamic 2007 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills (the similarity of their name to the Demeter certification standard is no coincidence). Likewise, I rushed through the last samples from Long Shadows, another wine marketer from Seattle, with Columbia Valley offerings from former Penfolds winemaker John Duval: the 2006 Sequel Syrah and a Agustin Huneeus/Philippe Melka joint venture: a Bordeaux + Syrah blend called 2006 Pirouette
And on that note, I complete my thirteen or so explorations that led up to Rhône Rangers, a review I will undertake once I have a glass of single malt scotch. Neat.

Make Wine, not War—the Sequel

I haven’t written about the Punahou Kid since he took office. Of course, if he had actually accomplished anything beyond soaring rhetoric over the past nine months, I might have felt compelled to comment. Still, I find it alarmingly incongruent that a person perpetuating one war and escalating another can be accorded the world’s most revered award for the promulgation of pacifistic ideals. Failure to see the inherent contradiction here fundamentally correlates to an unabashed appreciation of the Blue Angels as a precision flight formation performing purely for entertainment value, while myopically ignoring the militaristic propaganda underlying such displays.

Far better to see military facilities turned to civilian use. Once again, Your West Coast Oenophile had the pleasure of visiting one such converted base, this time on the man-made Treasure Island, a four hundred acre development attached to the natural formation of Yerba Buena Island at the middle juncture of the Bay Bridge. This past Sunday, the first annual Treasure Island Wine Fest hosted Lodi on the Water, a celebration of more than 40 wineries from this surprisingly diverse AVA can no longer be considered the backwater of the California wine industry.

 

A chance to see old friends, a chance to meet new ones. Before I started developing Sostevinobile, the Ginkgo Girl and I ventured out to the delta for Lodi Zinfest on a day where the temperature rose above 100° F. Not exactly the most conducive way to pour or to taste wine. This weekend, however, a fog so heavy the Blue Angels had to cancel their Saturday performance hovered well into the afternoon before dissipating.
Not that the wines still weren’t in danger of overheating. An overwhelming crowd had already inundated the tent Treasure Island had recently erected to host large gatherings even before I arrived—and this was only the preview reception for media and trade. Dreading the arrival of the public attendees, I beelined over to the table for Mokelumne Glen, a winery I believe is the only producer in California devoted exclusively to German varietals. With such scant basis for comparison, I concede I feel somewhat hesitant to assess these wines, though the 2008 Late Harvest Kerner certainly ranked as one of the standouts; also quite pleasing, the 2008 Bacchus blended Müller-Thurgau with a Riesling/Sylvaner hybrid.

Another hybrid varietal grown with greater proliferation in Lodi is Symphony, a cross UC-Davis developed from Grenache Gris and Muscat of Alexandria. Abundance marries Symphony with Sauvignon Blanc to create their 2007 Bountiful Blanc, a most distinctive blend. I used to drink their 1999 Viognier almost religiously and had hoped to sample their current vintage, Nonetheless, their 2005 Abundantly Rich Red, a Carignane/Zinfandel mélange, provided more than satisfactory consolation. Murphys stalwart Ironstone Vineyards offered an undiluted interpretation of Symphony with their 2008 Obsession, but true kudos belonged to their 2006 Cabernet Franc.
Ironstone’s Kautz family also produces Christine Andrews as a more sophisticated line of wines. Certainly their 2007 Malbec, though still young, portended a promising evolution, but I found myself wishing they’d brought their 2005 Tempranillo as a benchmark.

Not that the afternoon was lacking for Spanish varietals. Assuredly, Lodi’s leader in this category has long been Bokisch Vineyards, which also spearheads Lodi Rules, the rigorous standard for sustainability throughout this AVA. Markus could not attend this event, owing to harvest duties, but, much to everyone’s delight, this wife was on hand to promote the winery. Liz is the kind of girl who could pour Two Buck Chuck and make it taste good, but her own wines required no embellishment. I found myself liking the 2008 Albariño better than its previous vintage, while the 2007 Garnacha outpaced the other reds she offered.
Standing just behind her, Harney Lane’s interpretation of Albariño seemed somewhat fruitier, but both their 2007 Zinfandel and their 2006 Petite Sirah were monumental expressions of their particular varietal. Housed in Elk Grove, McConnell Estates also produced a noteworthy 2006 Tempranillo, as well as a forthright 2006 Petite Sirah, while Acampo’s St. Jorge Winery accompanied its stellar 2007 Tempranillo with a refreshing take on the standard Portuguese white varietal with their 2008 Verdelho. With a motto of “No Boring Wines,” Ripken Vineyards certainly produces strikingly colorful labels, but I felt neither the 2005 Vintage Port nor the 2006 El Matador Tempranillo had quite the same con gusto zest that their packaging conveyed. Still, I was quite enamored of their immensely flavorful 2006 Late Harvest Viognier.
What? No Pinot? In addition to German and Iberian grapes, Lodi offers a wide range of Italian, Bordeaux and Rhône varietals, not to mention a ubiquitous supply of Zinfandel (interestingly, no one with whom I spoke ventured to mention Tokay or the other filler grapes that made up the bulk of Lodi’s growing 25 years ago). I typically think of Peltier Station for their Petite Sirah, and was pleased to discover their new Hybrid label, a line of sustainable wines that included a new 2007 Hybrid Petite Sirah, as well as a nicely drinkable 2008 Hydrid Pinot Grigio. Watts Winery is a small operation with a big heart—they produce a special On Wings of Hope line to benefit Burkitt’s lymphoma research. I wish they would have taken their 2005 Montepulciano to the tasting, but their 2005 Dolcetto Los Robles Vineyard Clements Hills was more than delightful in its own right. Time constrains caused me to overlook the 2007 Pinot Grigio from Van Ruiten Family Winery, though I did manage a taster’s sip of their splendid 2006 Cab-Shiraz.
Several years ago, I introduce Macchia to Consorzio Cal-Italia; this tasting offered a chance to reconnect and sample their 2007 Amorous Sangiovese and their 2007 Delicious Barbera (one of several versions of this varietal that they produce). Still, it was their library offering of the debut 2001 Barbera that really sent me back. St. Amant Winery also brought a pair of strong Barbera vintages, contrasting their 2007 Barbera with a just-released 2008 Barbera, Another old acquaintance, l’Uvaggio di Giacomo has simplified its name for non-Italian speakers (something Sostevinobile will never do!), but the new Uvaggio label is undiminished with an outstanding 2005 Barbera and a 2008 Vermentino that makes for an easy apéritif.
The Woodbridge Winery not only compelled the gargantuan industrial wineries in California to start making wines with an eye toward quality, it also catalyzed recognition for the potential of Lodi as a varietal-driven AVA. Although this facility’s repute has dwindled since Robert Mondavi stepped back from personal control, and portends to devolve into an indistinguishable jug factory under the current regime, they still managed to produce a respectable 2008 Vermentino for this event. I can’t say that Constellation’s other holding, Talus Winery, struck much of a positive chord with any of their offerings, while Gallo’s Barefoot Cellars seemed outright pedestrian compared to their heyday as part of Davis Bynum. Once again, I could not bring myself to warm up to any of the lackluster Campus Oaks wines that Gnekow Family mass-produces. Central Valley conglomerate Delicato Vineyards ponied up to the table with four disparate labels, and managed to make a slightly positive impression with their 2007 181 Merlot.

 

Back to accentuating the positive. One thing for certain, Lodi has know lack of inventiveness in coming up with offbeat names for their wines.Witness Michael~David Winery,which seemingly tries to squeeze more life out of a pun than juice can be extracted from a ton of grapes. From their collection of collection of 7 Deadly Zins, I immensely enjoyed the 2006 Gluttony Zinfandel and luxuriated in the 2005 Rapture Cabernet Sauvignon; also noteworthy but obvious, their 2007 Petite Petit, a Petit Verdot/Petite Sirah blend. Grands Amis also offered a young but promising 2007 Petit Verdot and a similarly evolving 2007 Première Passion, a Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Along with their noteworthy, 2007 Estate Petite Sirah, Vino Con Brio! shared their 2008 Estate Brillante, a deft mix of Viognier, Roussanne, Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc and the 2008 Passione Rosé, a blushing Sangiovese. Stama Winery made their pitch with the 2005 Curvaceous Cabernet and 2007 Zany Zin, but I cottoned more to their 2005 Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc.In and of itself, Klinker Brick is a great name, so they can be excused if their 2007 Farrah Syrah is a tribute to owner Farrah Felten and not the late Charlie’s Angel. Besides, their 2007 Old Ghost Zin was enough to make one downright jiggly!

A pun on the name of owner Dave Dart led to the development of d’Art Wines, a highly stylized line of wines that feature the artwork of spouse Helen Rommel Dart on the labels. With lush red coloring on the inside of the bottles, as well, they painted a bold swath with both their 2007 Tempranillo and the 2007 Zinfandel. m2 Wines featured their 2007 Artist Series’ Zinfandel, a perennial commissioned showcase, along with their appealing Syrah/Petite Sirah mix, the 2006 Duality and the 2007 Trio, which blends the same varietal with a predominant Cabernet Sauvignon. The artwork of painter Chris Spencer adorns the very Van Gogh-like label for Barsetti Vineyards. Though it may seem heretical these days, their oaky 2006 Chardonnay outshone their steel-barreled version from the following vintage.; their 2006 Zinfandel showed quite nicely, too.
Several Lodi wineries stay close to the basics and produce quite admirable wines. The Lucas Winery offered a 2006 Chardonnay, as well as a panoply of different Zinfandel bottlings, featuring their 2005 Zinstar. I remain surprised that Maley Brothers still lacks a website, but their trio of 2004 Merlot, 2006 Petite Sirah and 2005 Zinfandel remained as true as when I’d previously sampled them. Lodi mainstay Berghold Vineyards, a long-standing acquaintance, brought out a truly elegant 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, along with the debut of their 2006 Footstomp Zinfandel, both estate bottlings. And it was no onus to sample the 2007 Chardonnay and 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon from Onus Vineyards.
Readers know I am never hesitant to tweak the wineries, whenever I see an opening. I told Trinitas Cellars their 2006 Ratzinger Zinfandel tasted rather “papal;” I was also quite fond of their 2005 Old Vine Petite Sirah. I also thought Oak Ridge Winery needed a wine called Elvira, but they handled themselves quite ably with their 2007 3 Girls Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2005 Moss Roxx Zinfandel.
Call it an Italian thing—I’ll refrain from the obvious puns on Borra Winery, tempting though they may be. Their designated 45.7° series may seem eclectic to some, but their Fusion wines, particularly the 2008 Fusion–Red, a blend with 60% Syrah and 30% Petite Sirah (with other varietals comprising the remaining 10%) set the standard for this winery. I hold a similar respect for LangeTwins, a winery that has been cited for its implementation of sustainable technology and long-standing dedication to environmental preservation. Their 2007 Petit Verdot shows that their fidelity to the Lodi Rules only enhances the flavor of the wine; the 2005 Midnight Reserve is a finely-tuned Bordeaux blend, with Cabernet Sauvignon predominant.
Zinfandel being a hallmark of Lodi, it was not surprising to find some wineries exclusively featuring this varietal, like the Paul Simeon Collection, whose only pour was their 2007 St. Sophia Zinfandel. Benson Ferry staged a Zinfandel trifecta, with their 2006 95240 Zinfandel zipping by and winning by a nose. Jessie’s Grove Winery also featured a number of their Zinfandels, including the cleverly-named 2006 Earth, Zin & Fire and a deep 2006 Westwind Zinfandel; My true fondness, however, was reserved for their 2008 Chardonnay and the 2008 Jessence Blanc, a Roussanne/Viognier blend.
I concede that my fondness for Harmony Wynelands may have precipitated from the charms of event coordinator Kitty Wong, who was on hand to pour their esoteric 2006 GMA, a marriage of Mourvèdre, Grenache and Alicante Bouschet. This latter varietal, a cross between Grenache and Petit Bouschet, a hybrid vitis vinifera created from Aramon and Teinturier du Cher, which gives Alicante Bouschet the rarity of having red flesh; such a complex pedigree is cause for Harmony Wynelands to give its bottling the lofty appellation of 2005 Alicante Bouschet Premier Crush. On the less exotic side, I also found their 2006 Riesling quite approachable, as well. 
In contrast, Heritage Oak Winery may have seemed to venture into the slightly exotic with their quite satisfying 2007 Vino Tinto, but its Spanish appellation belied a distinctly California combination of Zinfandel, Syrah and Petite Sirah. Their 2007 Block 14 Zinfandel was equally appealing. Namesake Carl Mettler of Mettler Family Wines provided a well-received 2007 Epicenter Old Vine Zinfandel, along with the 2005 Petite Sirah and a somewhat early 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon that offered indications of future promise. Further down the row of tables, Vicarmont Vineyards’ Vic Mettler chose to stake his claim in the Right Bank’s dominating varietal, with a 2007 Vicarmont Merlot and the palindromic 2006 vMv Merlot.

My general sense is that the Lodi AVA, which had but eight working wineries in 1991, has made sizable strides in its viticultural evolution, especially since my last visit in 2007. Even though I would rate the inaugural Treasure Island Wine Fest as one of my more manageable tastings this year, with 43 wineries attending, there clearly was a enormous amount of information (and wine) to absorb. Certainly, a more capacious guide than a two-sided 8.5″ x 11″ print would have helped make the event more manageable, but I managed, most ironically, to visit with each of the presenters, thanks to the Blue Angels! Had they not put on their display somewhere near the midpoint of this marathon, the bulk of the crowd would have remained inside the tent, and my mounting sense of claustrophobia would have never permitted me to finish. Go figure!
I managed to attend a number of other tastings this past week, including Napa Valley Vintners’ Battle of the Palates that kicked off Harvest Week in San Francisco on Monday and Wednesday’s sumptuous Wine & Spirits Magazine Top 100 Tasting at The Galleria. The Punahou Kid came to town Thursday, yet inexplicably neglected to invite me to either of his soirées. I could have stood outside the St. Francis and joined the protests over the predictably lackluster results of his stewardship or the feckless selection of the Nobel Prize committee; instead, I opted to spend the evening uncharacteristically uncorking unimaginative imported wines at the Officer’s Club at Fort Mason. The first military base ever converted to civilian usage!