Ah March! With all the events I had to cover for Sostevinobile—not to mention the inexorable task of sourcing our financing—it came as great relief to close the month with one of my favorite annual gatherings, the Rhône Rangers Grand Tasting. I can’t remember when I first attended this early spring festival, but it has always served not only as a harbinger of spring but of incredible wines on the cusp of reaching the market..
Your West Coast Oenophile actually held true to his strict two-pronged agenda for this tasting. First was to visit with the first-time participants at Rhône Rangers; once completed, I would next tackle those wineries who were part of my database, but I had yet to sample. First up, I gravitated over to Black Sheep Winery, who shared its table with Milliaire, another Murphys winery with the same ownership. Notable selections were the 2008 Cinsault Dusty Lane and the 2005 Syrah Milliaire, Sierra Foothills.
From Paso Robles, Caliza, my next stop, a winery given to diverse nomenclature for its Rhône blends. Its mélange of Roussanne, Viognier and Grenache Blanc, the 2008 Kissin Cousins, was quite refreshing; its GMS blend, the 2006 Azimuth, emphasized Syrah, while the 2007 Azimuth was Grenache-dominant. I followed my list to the anomaly of Coiled Wines, a venture that produces its wine in Napa from grapes it farms in Idaho! To be honest, I’m not sure how that benefitted its 2008 Syrah Snake River Valley..
Folin came down from Oregon to pour its array of varietals, with a 2007 Estate Viognier, a young 2008 Estate Petite Sirah, and a noteworthy 2006 Syrah. Further down the coast, Paso Robles’s Katin displayed a range of wines, with an exceptional 2008 Viognier Paso Robles and a trio of Syrahs, ranging from the 2007 Syrah Glenrose Vineyard and the outstanding 2007 Syrah Michaud Vineyard to their Oregonian 2007 Syrah Del Rio Vineyard. Martinelli Winery from Windsor also produced a Syrah Trifecta, showing with the 2005 Syrah Terra Felice, placing with the 2006 Hop Camp Gravel Lens Vineyard, and winning with the exceptional 2006 Syrah Zio Tony Ranch.
Though I tend to favor Roussanne, I am always impressed by a great Marsanne and certainly Michaud Vineyards did just that with their 2007 Estate Syrah Chalone AVA. They also managed to put themselves on Sostevinobile’s radar with their 2004 Estate Syrah Chalone AVA, the clear favorite among their four verticals of this bottling. From there, I progressed to Shane, one of Kosta Browne associate winemaker Shane Finley’s acclaimed sidelines; of the multiple Syrahs he poured, I cottoned most to the 2008 Jemrose and the 2008 Judge, while noting also the easy pleasure of his rosé, the 2009 Ma Fille. From Fair Play, Skinner Vineyards claims a legacy that dates back to 1861—fortunately I did not have to wait until their 150th anniversary to discover their exception Roussanne/Marsanne/Viognier blend, the 2008 Seven Generations nor their elegant 2007 Syrah Stoney Creek Vineyard.
I also confess that I had never heard of Oregon’s Hundred Valleys of the Umpqua, which sounds appropriate for a West Coast campus of Cornell, but provides a fitting backdrop for Spangler Vineyards and their Rhône-style plantings, the source of both their 2006 Syrah and 2006 Syrah Reserve. And, from the southern extreme of this tasting, Venteux Vineyards from the self-described “windy Templeton Gap” made an impressive Rhône Rangers debut both with their 2007 Grenache Paso Robles and 2007 Syrah Tache le Verre, as well as an amiable Châteauneuf du Pape-style 2007 Farmhouse Cuvée.
So next I moved on to cover those wineries I should have covered at previous Rhône Ranger tastings or other events. In my contrarian mood, I started from the nether realm of the alphabet with Zaca Mesa, a Paso Robles winery I was surprised I hadn’t previously chronicled. Nonetheless, I found much to admire in their 2009 Estate Viognier, 2008 Estate Grenache Blanc, the 2006 Estate Syrah and an estate GMS blend from the Santa Ynez Valley, the 2006Z Three. Up in Sonoma, Valley of the Moon Winery produced a likable 2007 Petite Sirah, while perennial favorite Unti contrasted its Rhône-style 2007 Grenache Dry Creek Valley with a 2007 Syrah Benchland that seemed almost Italianate.
I’d been introduced to Mats Hagstrom of Travieso and his 2007 Amaranta Kirks’ Fairview Ranch (Syrah) at a recent convocation of the Stanford Wine Club; new this afternoon was his 2007 El Chupacabras, a blend of Syrah, Mourvèdre, Grenache, and Viognier. On the other hand, I can’t recall the first time I met Tony and Jo Ann Truchard, but it was a delight, as per usual, to delve into their 2008 Roussanne. Another familiar, Andrew Quady, was not in attendance, but his new Oregon arm, Quady North, proved a worthy extension of his famed California operations, especially with the 2007 Viognier Steelhead Run and a striking 2006 Syrah Flagship.
Also comporting themselves with considerable aplomb, Pomar Junction showcased why Paso Robles has come to exemplify Rhône varietal viticulture in the New World with a 2008 Viognier, their dry 2008 Rosé of Syrah and the understated elegance of their 2007 Syrah. Reinforcing this claim to prominence. Paso’s own Lone Madrone poured a number of varietals and blends, highlighted by the 2007 Points West Red, a combination of Syrah & Mourvèdre. And, of course, L’Aventure crystallized this reputation, flourishing with their 2007 Rhône blend, the 2007 Côte à Côte.
Loosely translated from the Greek, Kaleidos means “beautiful form; its flavors, too, evoke a sense of beauty and delight, particularly its 2005 Syrah and its sumptuous 2006 Grenache. Jemrose is a portmanteau of uncertain derivation but offers no ambiguity with its distinctive 2007 Gloria’s Gem, a proprietary mélange of Syrah and Merlot.
Coincidentally, as I set about to keyboard in my notes on Holly’s Hill, I received an e-mail from their winemaker querying whether Sostevinobile would like to purchase some cases of their Mourvèdre, and while I cannot commit to any wine acquisitions until our program is in full force, I am happy to state that I did, indeed, find the 2008 Classique quite delicious! So, too, was the 2006 Estate Syrah from Solvang’s Harrison Clarke (no relation to Myron Harrison Clarke, a name some of my readers may recall with detached bemusement).
I neglected to ask Derby Wine Estates from where the name was derived, but their 2007 Fifteen 10 White (a blend of Roussanne, Marsanne and Viognier) and their 2006 Fifteen 10 Red (38% Syrah, 28% Grenache, 28% Counoise, 6% Mourvèdre) needed no explanation. In typical fashion, Concannon Vineyard flourished with their 2004 Reserve Captain Joe’s Petite Sirah but demonstrated their versatility remains unhampered since its acquisition by The Wine Group with their 2005 Grenache and 2006 Syrah.
I wrapped up the afternoon with a trio of wineries. Boulder Creek’s Big Basin furnished an impressive lineup of Syrahs, most notably the 2007 Syrah Mandala, Santa Cruz Mountains. Paso’s Clautiere Vineyards made its strongest impression with both the 2004 Estate Syrah and the 2005 Estate Mourvèdre while Clayhouse’s 2007 Show Pony Red Cedar Vineyard, an estate Petite Sirah, spoke loudest for this venture from the Middleton Family Wines.
Despite my best intentions, I failed to cover Los Olivos’ Curtis Winery, as well as Arroyo Robles and Arnot-Roberts, as I had penciled into my roster for the afternoon. If only there had been time to cover everyone I wanted to taste!
If Rhône Rangers had put my skills for advanced preparation and navigation to the test, two days of trying to cover the inaugural SF Vintners Market at Fort Mason showed how little they had been honed. I cannot commend Bridget Raymond of Courtesan Wines and Cornelius Geary of Radcru enough for how impressive tasting-cum-retail market at Fort Mason on April 10 & 11 turned out. Wineries from California, Oregon and a smattering of other countries filled the Herbst Pavilion at Fort Mason and showcased an impressive array of wines, ranging from hobbyist vintages to near-cult status.
If Rhône Rangers had put my skills for advanced preparation and navigation to the test, two days of trying to cover the inaugural SF Vintners Market at Fort Mason showed how little they had been honed. I cannot commend Bridget Raymond of Courtesan Wines and Cornelius Geary of Radcru enough for how impressive tasting-cum-retail market at Fort Mason on April 10 & 11 turned out. Wineries from California, Oregon and a smattering of other countries filled the Herbst Pavilion at Fort Mason and showcased an impressive array of wines, ranging from hobbyist vintages to near-cult status.
Admittedly, a guide a bit more comprehensive than a four-column list printed out on a single 8″ x 11″ sheet might have made negotiating the roster of some 150+ wineries a bit easier and allowed me to cover the numerous labels I was not yet formally acquainted. In truth, however, the greater challenge to making my quota stemmed from that I was attending the Market not so much to sample new wines but to escort potential investors for Sostevinobile through the intricacies of the wine world, its products and its consumers.
As such, my notes on individual wines are scant, but I would like to commend the following wineries for the fine variety of wines I did sample and share with Sostevinobile’s suitors: Bialla Vineyards, Amapola Creek, Tom Scott Vineyard, Reynolds Family Winery, Kapcsándy, Sciandri, Dominari, Palladian, Captûre, Rosa d’Oro, Provenance, Perry Creek, Modus Operandi, Ochoa, Olivia Brion, Pavo, PB Hein, Sylk, Signorello, Spotted Owl, Lancaster, MadoroM, Ramazzotti, Respite, De Novo, TR Elliot, Terisa, Waits-Mast, Urban Legend, Two Mile Wines, Tristant, Coup de Foudre, and the collective wineries of Terroirs Artisan Wines. For now I can only acknowledge their contribution to our efforts and incorporate them into our roster, but more extensive reviews of their offerings will surely come.
By contrast, my 2010 excursion to the Trade Tasting for the Santa Cruz Mountains Winery Association in Campbell was a succinct, manageable affair. Nearly all of these wineries had participated several weeks before in a Santa Cruz tasting at Farallon, which left few new wines for me to sample. Plus, I had attended numerous Santa Cruz tastings in 2009, including an absolutely splendid staging of this same event at Trevese in Los Gatos, one of only four restaurants in Silicon Valley ever to have garnered a Michelin star.
And therein lies the rub. Much to almost everyone’s surprise, Trevese abruptly shut its doors not long after last year’s event, forcing the SCMWA to find a new locale to host their event. And certainly the Professional Culinary Institute is a fine space, albeit a bit cramped, in a building it shares with a branch of Gold’s Gym in Campbell. But whereas Trevese had pulled out all its stops, regaling attendees with trays upon trays of extraordinary cicchetti and other appetizers, this tasting furnished little beyond the customary fruit platter and cheese spread. Which would have been fine except that in between the two rooms housing the tasting was their professional kitchen, a state-of-the-art facility with expansive picture windows, which allowed attendees to peer in at the gourmet preparations these up & coming culinary stars were executing every time we passed from one room to the other! A veritable torture for even a moderate gastronome, and not even the exquisite kind!
Basta! I know I’m supposed to be discussing the wines, like my introduction to the 2005 La Rusticana d’Orsa, a single production blend focused on Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from the winery bearing the same name. Another winery I had not previously encountered, Beauregard Vineyards, made a great initial impression with their 2006 Chardonnay Santa Cruz Mountains. A final winery so new to this event, they failed to be included in the program guide, Dancing Creek, hinted auspiciously at their potential with their just-released 2008 Pinot Noir Regan Vineyard and a 2008 Reserve Merlot.
No newcomer to this tasting or to Sostevinobile, Kathryn Kennedy did share a new perspective on their efforts with an inaugural release of their organic 2009 Sauvignon Blanc (I continue to be impressed how this varietal particularly seems to flourish in it organic expression). While at their table, I also happily partook in their 2007 Syrah Reserve Maridon Vineyard and in both the 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate and the outstanding 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate, the single varietal bottlings that help put this winery on the map. Silver Mountain struck a consonant chord with their 2006 Syrah Wiedeman Vineyard, while Michael Martella once again demonstrated his virtuosity with his 2006 Fiddletown Grenache Oleata Vineyard.
One winery that has consistently impressed me is Odonata, and their 2008 Grenache Alta Mesa did much to perpetuate my endorsement. I seem to receive e-mails every week from Pleasant Valley Vineyards, which may account for my overlooking their table a time or two in the past; today, I leisurely partook of their entire inventory, noting their exceptional 2008 Erika Anna Viognier, Hansen Vineyards, the 2008 Dylan David Pinot Noir, Lester Family Vineyards, Thelma Henrietta Block, and the 2007 Abby Madison Cabernet Sauvignon, Martin Ranch (I suppose, as Craig and Cathy Handley add more grandchildren, their roster of eponymous labels will increase accordingly). Finally, I stopped by to visit briefly with Frank Ashton, who had last year introduced me to my first Torrontés from California that Downhill Winery produced. This time, his 2009 Torrontés showed considerable evolution, while his 2007 Susannah’s Barbera proved an evenly-structured wine (as did his preview of his forthcoming 2008 Alessia Barbera from Amador County).
I hurried back to San Francisco to attend a reading by William T. Vollmann at the Mechanics Institute Library, to which I have subscribed for a decade or so. I can’t remember what wine they were serving, although I did partake in more than my share, along with the bowls of Japanese rice crackers. More evidence of my liberal freeloading? I’ll let my readers decide for themselves.