{"id":11,"date":"2013-10-27T02:51:00","date_gmt":"2013-10-27T02:51:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.sostevinobile.com\/?p=11"},"modified":"2013-10-27T02:51:00","modified_gmt":"2013-10-27T02:51:00","slug":"what-wine-goes-best-with-fruit-loop-encrusted-doughnuts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.sostevinobile.com\/?p=11","title":{"rendered":"What wine goes best with Fruit Loop-encrusted doughnuts?"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font>In our last installment, Your West Coast Oenophile<\/b> alluded to a continuing need to augment the databank of labels and varietals being assembled for Sostevinobile<\/b><\/font>.
\nOver the past several weeks, I\u2019ve had the opportunity both to visit
\nwith new wineries and to attend a number of new industry events that
\nfurther exposed me to intriguing labels of which I had not previously been aware.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/div>\n


\n<\/font><\/p>\n

There can be a certain charm when a new, perennial wine tasting starts to get its footing. Or when a perennial tasting reinvigorates <\/i>itself. The first gathering of the current cycle, the\u201cseason\u201d between bud break and harvest, the always delightful benefit in Larkspur for the Marin Agricultural Land Trust<\/a>, has augmented itself over the past few years, as plantings in Marin County, technically an extension of the Sonoma Coast AVA, have expanded and diversified. <\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font>
\n<\/font><\/div>\n


\n<\/font><\/p>\n

Just as the savory game charcuterie from Mark Pasternak\u2019s Devils Gulch Ranch<\/a>
\nhas evolved from rabbit sausage and venison shanks to include an array
\nof farm-bred pat\u00e9s, so too has the selection of wines grown in this
\nsemi-rural county grown beyond the monopoly of cold climate Pinot Noir
\nto include a broad array of plantings. Famed for its olive oils, McEvoy Ranch<\/a> in the Marin portion of Petaluma debuted its first wine foray here, the 2010 Evening Standard Estate Pinot Noir,<\/b> a tribute to owner
\nNan McEvoy\u2019s newspaper legacy. But this wine was merely a portent of
\nthings to come, as 25 acres of this special preserve have been planted
\nto Pinot Noir, Syrah, Montepulciano, Refosco, Alicante Bouschet,
\nGrenache, and Viognier.<\/font><\/font><\/font><\/div>\n


\n<\/font><\/p>\n

I often stumble upon wineries through Internet searches and articles I read, then try to connect with them for Sostevinobile<\/b><\/font>. <\/font> One such venture with which I had corresponded over the past several years but never had the chance to taste is Department C Wines<\/a>, a Pinot-focused label that had originated in San Francisco. Their first Marin release, the 2011 Chileno Valley Vineyard Pinot Noir<\/b>, finally afforded me the opportunity to meet Ian Bunje and acquaint myself with his \u0153nological prowess.<\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font>
\n<\/font><\/div>\n


\n<\/font><\/p>\n

As it evolves in its own right as a sub-AVA, Marin will mold an identity, one that is not so restrictive that it creates a de facto <\/i>orthodoxy. In this vein, Pacheco Ranch<\/a> had first broken through the Pinot Noir stranglehold with its dry-farmed Cabernet, here represented by both the 2006 Rese<\/b>rve Bo<\/b>ttled Cabernet Sauvignon<\/b> and the 2006 & 2007 vintages of the Estate Bottled Cabernet Sauvignon<\/b>. Pushing even further, newcomer West Wind Wines<\/font><\/a> showcased their Nicasio-grown 2006 Cabernet Franc<\/b> and 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon<\/b>. Add to this array the return of Pey-Marin<\/a>\u2019s 2012 The Shell Mound Riesling <\/b>and Kendric<\/a>\u2019s introduction of their 2012 Marin Viognier<\/b>, and behold the seeds of a varied and distinct AVA being sown.<\/p>\n
\n

<\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"\n<\/td>\nThere are still parts of San Francisco to which realtors fancifully ascribe\u2014or worse, deceptive concoct\u2014a nomenclature to feign the appearance of a desirable locale. A few years ago, restored stucco houses in the Presidio<\/font><\/font>, along the edge of the Outer Richmond, were designated Wyman Avenue Cottages and wishfully described as \u201clakeside properties.\u201d True, the sludge-filled pond known as Mountain Lake<\/font><\/font><\/font><\/a> lies but a mere 50 yards away, but in between lies Veterans Boulevard, an impassable four-lane thoroughfare to the Golden Gate Bridge. Try to imagine these residents dashing out the front door for an early morning swim before heading off to work!<\/font><\/font><\/font>
\n<\/font><\/font><\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/font><\/div>\n


\n<\/font><\/p>\n

The
\npundits of real estate commerce have yet to devise a sobriquet for the
\ntriangular wedge that lies between the gradually gentrified Dogpatch, a
\nstrip of abandoned factories and obsolete shipyards along Third Street and its Muni rail line (and home to both August West Wines<\/a> and Crushpad\u2019s renaissance, Dogpatch Wineworks<\/a>)<\/i> and the still-foreboding enclaves of Bayview, Hunter\u2019s Point, and India Basin. Here, in the heart of this terra incognita<\/i>, the peripatetic Bryan Harrington has settled on a home for his Harrington<\/a> label. <\/font><\/font><\/font><\/div>\n


\n<\/font><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve known Bryan for more than a decade, ever since his then Berkeley-based operations donated to the annual fundraiser my playwrights\u2019 workshop, Play Caf\u00e9<\/a>, produces<\/font>. Bryan\u2019s migration westward parallels an ascendancy in his wine making, both in terms of quality and in breadth; his forte in Pinot Noir has gradually been augmented with an impressive li<\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font>n<\/font>eup of Italian varietals, including his off-dry 2012 Muscat Ca<\/b>nelli Fratelli Vineyard<\/b>. I was duly impressed with his 2010 Nebbiolo Paso Robles<\/b>, but most striking had to be his bottling of three different interpretations of Fiano. First up was his striking 2012 Fiano Fratelli Vineyard<\/b> from the Santa Clara Valley, an emerging niche for Italian varietals. Sourced from the same vineyard in Paso Robles, the 2011 Terrane Fiano<\/b>, a sulfite-free expression, contrasted quite favorably with the 2012 Fiano Luna Matta Vineyard<\/b>, an organic vintage.<\/font><\/font><\/font>
\n<\/font><\/div>\n


\n<\/font><\/p>\n

I made the intrepid trek<\/font> on my since-purloined Trek 1.2 <\/font><\/font> to Harrington\u2019s Spring Open House in the ramshackle warehouse he shares with an industrial designer and was rewarded for my efforts not only <\/font><\/font>with<\/font> the aforementioned wines but an exceptionally generous selection of local cheeses and salumi. But perhaps the most intriguing aspect of this semi-annual gathering was the portent of things to come,
\nwith barrel selections from his 2012 N\u00e9grette, Trousseau, Teroldego,
\nCharbono, Lagrein, and Carignane. Quite the evolution from the
\nspecialized Pinot producer I first met, and certainly one that appeals
\nto the esoteric predilections of Sostevinobile<\/font><\/b><\/font>! I am certainly looking forward to sampling the bottled versions of these varietals in 2014.<\/p>\n
\n

<\/font><\/font> <\/font><\/font><\/div>\n


\n<\/font><\/p>\n

A lot of people are surprised to learn that, beneath my hirsute (beard, ponytail) <\/i>exterior, lies a discernable discomfort with<\/font>, if not dread of, San Francisco\u2019s Haight-Ashbury neighborhood. Back when I returned to San Francisco with my freshly-minted Master\u2019s in Creative Writing, I financed my literary aspirations with a series of bartending gigs, more often than not in the less desirable establishments, <\/font>where customers invariably tipped with unwashed coins, not crisp dollar bills.<\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/div>\n


\n<\/font><\/p>\n

One of the most despicable<\/font> employers I had to endure ran a tawdry, mildew-laden saloon<\/a> that feigned a veneer of sophistication with nomenclature bearing trite homage to Greek mythology. One evening, the pusillanimous dweeb who owned this dive inexplicably<\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font> launched a tirade of racially-laden epithets against a clandestinely-armed patron, who, upon being ejected from the bar, lurked outside at the corner of Haight & Clayton<\/font><\/font><\/font>, intent on stabbing me as I headed out.<\/font><\/font><\/div>\n


\n<\/font><\/p>\n

Fortunately<\/font>, several of the more level-headed regulars diffused this situation<\/font><\/font> <\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font>before my shift ended, but what perturbed me most wasn\u2019t so much the volatility of this situation as the
\nsudden realization that many other habitu\u00e9s of this downbeat district
\ncould have spontaneously sprung into violence without provocation, as if still strung out on a rumored batch of bad LSD had pervaded the neighborhood some fifteen years before.<\/font><\/font><\/div>\n


\n<\/font><\/p>\n

But what
\nof the hippies who fortuitously managed to drop the good batch of acid
\nback then? These folks, so the story goes, packed up and settled in
\nFairfax, a quasi-gentrified enclave that straddles the edges of
\nyuppified Central and still-rustic <\/font>West Marin. As in Humboldt County, wine in Fairfax now constitutes the second-most preferred social lubricant, and so it seemed most befitting that the annual Fairfax Ecofest<\/font><\/a> sponsor an organic wine tasting tent this year.<\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/div>\n


\n<\/font><\/p>\n

Without even a semblance of a site map, I fumbled my way through booths hawking handcrafted flying pig mobiles, energy gems<\/font><\/font>, lobbyists for Palestinian solidarity, artisan ceramic and jewelry makers, tripped over innumerable loose<\/font> dogs and unleashed children, nearly fell into the brook, but eventually wound my way up the hill, through the Fairfax Pavillion, and onto the hilltop tent perched above the Ball Field of FUN. There I sampled through an admittedly smaller than advertised selection of mostly familiar stalwarts of organic winemaking like Medlock Ames<\/a>, Terra S\u00e1via<\/a>, Ce\u00e0go<\/a>, Scenic Root\u2019s Spicerack<\/a>, and Chacewater<\/a>.<\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font>
\n<\/font><\/div>\n


\n<\/font><\/p>\n

Of course, I found it most heartening to sample through an array of organic Sangiovese and Tuscan blends from old friends at Frey<\/a>, Petroni<\/a>,<\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font> Barra\u2019s Girasole<\/a>,<\/font> and Lou Bock\u2019s Chance Creek<\/a>, but the serendipity of the afternoon came from Fairfax\u2019 own Maysie Cellars<\/a>, a boutique operation that poured its 2012 Rosato <\/b>and the 2010 Sangiovese Mas\u00fat<\/b>, one of three different Sangio\/Tuscan bottlings they offer. <\/font><\/font><\/font><\/div>\n


\n<\/font><\/p>\n

Also of note, an outstanding 2010 Velocity,<\/b> the flagship Malbec from Velocity Cellars<\/a> in Ashland, Oregon, which also is known the home of California\u2019s leading Shakespeare festival\u2014at least it is in <\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font>Fairfax, where altered perceptions of <\/font>geography remain kind of de rigeur!<\/font><\/i><\/p>\n
\n

<\/font><\/font>O<\/font>ne could argue that Washington was the first state to have an AVA highlighted in a hit song\u2014<\/font>Alvin and the Chipmunks\u2019 1958 chart topper, My Friend the Witch Doctor<\/font><\/font><\/a> (oo-ee-oo-aah-aah, ting-tang, Walla Walla<\/b> bing-bang)<\/font><\/i><\/font>. I prefer to believe this distinction belongs to California, Sir Douglas Quintet\u2019s Top 100 hit in 1969, <\/font>Mendocino<\/a>. <\/font><\/i>At least, that was how my initial introduction to this <\/font> rising star on the viticultural landscape came about.
\n<\/font><\/div>\n


\n<\/font><\/p>\n

Now in its fifth incarnation, after devolving from The Golden Glass<\/a> <\/font><\/i><\/font><\/font>(sadly,<\/font><\/i> an event now in search of itself)<\/i>, Taste of Mendocino<\/font><\/a> revamped its format from last year\u2019s extravaganza at Terra<\/a><\/font>; the dissolution of the Mendocino Winegrape & Wine Commission gave rise to the newly-formed Mendocino WineGrowers<\/font><\/a>, which offered a scaled-down event at the Presidio\u2019s Golden Gate Club.<\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font>
\n<\/font><\/div>\n


\n<\/font><\/p>\n

Even
\nthough wine was the central focus of this event, the panoply of
\nMendocino\u2019s offerings in the gustatory realm was amply displayed here.
\nCulinary exhibitors like Assaggiare Mendocino<\/a>, Kemmy\u2019s Pies<\/a>, Eat Mendocino<\/a>, Pennyroyal Farm<\/a>, Mendocino Organics<\/a>, and Ocean Harvest Sea Vegetable<\/a><\/font>
\nserved up exceptional tidbits that included savory panini sandwiches,
\nslices of homemade fruit pies, several cheese selections, and an
\nassortment of delectable dried seaweed snacks<\/font>. <\/font><\/div>\n


\n<\/font><\/p>\n

And of course, there was the wine. Over the years, I have tasted numerous wines from Alder Springs Vineyard<\/a>, but can\u2019t recall any from under his own label. Given owner R. Stuart Bewley\u2019s <\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font>beverage
\npedigree, it would be all too tempting to quip how these four wines
\nwere far better than California Coolers; then again, they were far better than many, many wines I have tried over the years I have been building the wine program for Sostevinobile<\/b><\/font>. I was well impressed by both of the white selections on hand, <\/font> the 20<\/b>11 Row Five V<\/b>iognier-Mars<\/b>anne<\/b> and the 2<\/b>010 Estate Chardonnay, while the <\/i>2011 Estate Syrah<\/b> easily proved their equal. The standout, however, was a claret-style wine deftly blending Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot, the sumptuous 2009 13 Tasks<\/b><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font>. Tempting, of course, to describe this wine as Herculean, but that would leave it a task short<\/a>.<\/font><\/font><\/font>
\n<\/font><\/font><\/div>\n


\n<\/font><\/p>\n

The
\nbeauty of the wine program I am designing comes from the breadth I
\nallowed for creativity, particularly in designing categories for the 16
\nthree-wine flights that will form the core of our menu every week. With
\nsuch an expansive latitude, I needn\u2019t restrict myself only to varietal
\ngroupings, featured AVAs, focus on a particular winemaker, etc., and can
\ncreate truly esoteric groupings, like Euphonic Wineries (Harmony Wynelands<\/a>, Harmonique<\/a> and <\/i>Harmony Cellars<\/a><\/i>),
\nWines of the NFL or Ivy League Winemakers or something else that
\nstrikes my fancy. Shortly after Marc Mondavi released his own Divining Rod<\/a> label, I learned about Van Williamson\u2019s Witching Stick Wines<\/a>, here ably represented by their 2010 Fashauer Zinfandel<\/b>. Now all I need is a third label predicated on dowsing<\/a> and I\u2019ll have my category! <\/font><\/div>\n


\n<\/font><\/p>\n

On the other hand, I will never be able to bring myself to have a flight based on <\/font>pet-themed labels. Or really bad proselytizing puns, like Same Sex Meritage<\/a>. But Testa Vineyards<\/a>
\ncould earn an entire flight for themselves, were they take up my
\nsuggestion that they give their wines Italian colloquial names. Such as Testa Dura<\/i>, something my paternal grandfather used to call me in moments of exasperation (other terms, in his native dialetto napoletano<\/b>, comprise an orthography far too mangled for me to attempt)<\/i>. Nonetheless, with wines like the 2010 Simply Black Tr\u00e9<\/b>, a striking blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignane, and Petite Sirah, and the compelling 2010 Simply Charbono,<\/b> my suggestions were likely superfluous.
\n
\n<\/font>
\n<\/font>
\n<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n<\/div>\n
It
\nshould be noted that regional dialects are not merely the province of
\nformer Italian city-states. Up in Mendocino, the natives of Boonville
\nconcocted Boontling, their own derivation on English peppered with numerous derivations from Scottish Gaelic<\/a>, Irish<\/a>, Pomoan<\/a> and Spanish, along with unique local coinages. Frati Horn<\/font><\/a>, the Boontling term for \u201cglass of wine,\u201d produced limited releases of the 2010 Anderson V<\/b>alley Pinot Noir and<\/b> its more complex successor, the just-released 2011 Anderson Valley Pinot Noir<\/font><\/font><\/font><\/b>. Apparently, this esoteric dialect<\/font> is facing the possibility of extinction, with only 12 fluent speakers remaining, but even an outsider can understand that these wines make for bahl hornin\u2019!<\/i><\/font>
\n<\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/div>\n


\n<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/td>\n


\n<\/font><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\"\"\n<\/div>\n

<\/font><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n


\n<\/font><\/font><\/div>\n


\n<\/font><\/p>\n

Familiar faces populated the rest of the tables at the Golden Gate Club this afternoon<\/font><\/font>. Standout wines <\/font>included a<\/font> surprisingly subtle 2009 Merlot <\/b>from Albertina<\/a>, along with their 2009 Cabernet Franc <\/b>and textured 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Reserve<\/b>. Bink Wines<\/a> proved just as formidable with their 2009 Merlot Hawkes Butte Vineyard<\/font><\/b>, while Phillip Baxter<\/a> excelled with both his 2009 Pinot Noir <\/b>and 2009 Syrah Valente Vineyard<\/b>.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/div>\n


\n<\/font><\/p>\n

As has been almost a rule of thumb, the pourings of 2010 Pinot Noir<\/font><\/b> from Claudia Springs<\/a> and from Greenwood Ridge<\/a> proved outstanding, as did<\/font><\/font> the latter\u2019s perennial favorite<\/font> 2012 Sauvignon Blanc<\/b>, a masterful organic expression. Elke Vineyards<\/a> also shone with their 2010 Pinot Noir Donnelly Creek Pinot Noir<\/b>, while the aforementioned Harmonique dazzled with both the 2007 Pinot Noir The Noble One<\/b> and the 2008 Chardonnay Un-Oaked<\/b>,<\/font><\/font>
\n<\/font><\/div>\n


\n<\/font><\/p>\n

Normally, I\u2019d be quite skeptical of any self-canonized<\/a> winemaker, <\/font>but
\nGregory Graziano has certainly committed himself to the promulgation of
\nItalian varietals in California as devoutly as any evangelical,
\nparticularly with his Monte Volpe<\/a> and Enotria<\/a> labels. Under the latter auspices, his 2009 Dolcetto<\/b> proved a delightfully unexpected discovery. Biodynamic adherents Jeriko Estate<\/a> contrasted a compelling 2011 Pinot Noir Pommard Clone<\/b> with a vastly impressive 2010 Sangiovese<\/b>.
\n<\/font><\/div>\n


\n<\/font><\/p>\n

The
\n2011 vintage seems to be erratic for Pinot Noir, though not without
\nsplendid bottlings throughout both California and Oregon\u2019s
\nBurgundian-focused AVAs; on the other hand, 2010 continues to show
\nuniformly excellent, as also evidenced here by both Lula Cellars<\/a>\u2019<\/font> 2010 Mendocino Coast Pinot Noir<\/b> and Navarro<\/a>\u2019s 2010 Pinot Noir M\u00e9thode \u00e0 l’Ancienne<\/b>.
\n<\/font><\/div>\n


\n<\/font><\/p>\n

Rounding out my most notable list for the afternoon, Meyer Cellars<\/a> impressed with their Meyer 2009 Syrah High Ground<\/b>, while my longtime friend Fred Buonanno displayed his usual aplomb with both the 2009 Pinot Noir Marguerite Vineyard<\/b> and the 2012 Gew\u00fcrztraminer Ferrington Vineyard<\/b> from his meticulously sustainable Philo Ridge<\/a>.<\/a><\/font> <\/font><\/div>\n


\n<\/font><\/p>\n

I
\nam not meaning to give short-shrift to the other wineries pouring here
\nand covered numerous times in this column. At the risk of sounding
\ntrite, the whole event this day was greater than the sum of its parts,
\nand, in many ways, Taste of Mendocino<\/b><\/i> proved an ideal
\ntasting, with the right balance of wine and food, and just the right
\nnumber of participating producers that one could both enjoy each of the
\nwines without the sense of being rushed or scrambling to cover as much
\nas possible.<\/p>\n
\n

<\/font><\/font><\/div>\n


\n<\/font><\/p>\n

Ordinarily, wine serves as a complement to food, an equal partner in gustatory pairings. At the 6th Annual Vinify Get a Taste<\/b><\/i> tasting in Santa Rosa, the culinary indulgence of <\/font>Vinoteca<\/a> c<\/font>o-owner
\nHillary Lattanzio came close overwhelming the collective vinifications
\nof 14 boutique winemakers. Trays upon trays of hand-pressed
\nmeatballs\u2014three varieties in three different sauces\u2014lured attendees from
\nthe different wine stations set up along this cozy custom crush
\nfacility parked inside the same Santa Rosa industrial complex that
\nhouses Carol Shelton and Salinia.
\n<\/font><\/div>\n


\n<\/font><\/p>\n

Along with anchor winery Lattanzio<\/a>, well-known produces like Olson Ogden<\/a>, Sojourn<\/a>, Couloir<\/a>, and Calluna<\/a> poured alongside Baker Lane<\/a>, Argot<\/a>, Bj\u00f8rnstad<\/a><\/font>, Desmond<\/a>, and Frostwatch<\/a>. Boutique producers included pulchritudinous Pfendler<\/a>, co-tenant Super Sonoman<\/a>, and Syrah virtuoso Westerhold<\/a>. Having cited these labels in numerous Sostevinobile<\/b><\/font> posts, I was nonetheless pleased to discover Randal Bennett\u2019s Townley Wines<\/a> pouring their 2010 Chardonnay Alder Springs Vineyard<\/b>, the almost foolproof 2010 Pinot Noir La Encantada Vineyard<\/b>, and a curiously-named 2008 The Shizzle Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon<\/b> from Napa Valley. <\/font><\/div>\n
Other revelations here came from microproducer Cowan Cellars<\/a>\u2019 2012 Sauvignon Blanc Lake County<\/b>, 2012 Ros\u00e9 North Coast<\/b>, 2010 Isa, and 2010 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast<\/b>, while Couloir\u2019s alter ego, Straight Line Wines<\/a> impressed with a trio of wines: the 2011 Sauvignon Blanc<\/b>, 2011 <\/b><\/font>Syrah<\/b><\/font>, <\/b>and, most welcome, 2011 <\/b><\/font>Tempranillo<\/b><\/font><\/font>.<\/font><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n

<\/font><\/div>\n

Over the past few years, T.A.P.A.S.<\/a>
\nhas proven the most peripatetic of the major tastings, changing venues
\nwith almost each iteration until settling this year, as have many
\nothers, at the Golden Gate Club. One of the cornerstones of this event
\nhas always been its gargantuan paella dish, this Spanish culinary
\nstaple being the perfect complement to Tempranillo. Whether it were a
\nmatter of funding or the challenges of the Presidio setting, I cannot
\nattest, but its absence this year sorely impacted the overall tasting.  <\/font><\/div>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

Nonetheless,
\nthe smaller venue paired nicely with the intimate collection of
\nwineries for the sixth staging of the Grand Tasting. The forty wineries
\non hand included a number of new participants (at least, new for Sostevinobile<\/b><\/font>, as commitments to a synchronous event in St. Helena precluded my attending)<\/i>, a list that began with Egan Cellars<\/a>, a boutique operation that impressed with its <\/font>2011 Albari\u00f1o Terra Alta Vineyard<\/b> and 2011 Tempranillo Liberty Oaks Vineyard<\/b> (along with an anomalous 2012 Vermentino Las Lomas Vineyard<\/b> they graciously poured)<\/i>.<\/font><\/div>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

From Paso Robles, the delightfully-named Pasoport<\/a> focuses on fortified wines whose sanctioned nomenclature, fortunately, was grandfathered in before the U.S. \/EU Wine Agreement on Certificates of Label Approval<\/a> took effect, as well as other Portuguese-style blends and varietals. Starting with their 2011 Vinho Blanco Edna Valley<\/b>, a light, competent Albari\u00f1o that prefaced their 2008 Vinho Tinto<\/b>, a deft blend of 30%
\nTempranillo, 25% Touriga, 23% Tinta C\u00e3o, and 22% Souz\u00e3o. Beyond these
\nstill wines, their port offerings took center stage: the 2008 PasoPort Brandi Touriga Nacional <\/b>and the utterly superb 2007 Violeta<\/b>, an intense marriage of 53% Touriga, 28% Souz\u00e3o, and 19% Tinta C\u00e3o.<\/font><\/font>
\n<\/font><\/div>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

The US\/EU Wine Agreement covers a number of Spanish regional designations, but not the labeling within. As such, Dubost Ranch<\/a> can call its red blend\u201440% Tempranillo, 40% Syrah, 20% Garnacha\u2014a 2009 Crianza <\/b>(though
\nSyrah is not a designated varietal of the Rioja DOCa, this wine does
\nconform to the aging prerequisites of Crianza classification).<\/i> Similarly, the 2009 Reserva Starr Ranch<\/b>, a co-fermented blend of 30% Tempranillo and 70% Syrah, aged in barrels for three years before bottling, as Rioja requires.
\n<\/font><\/div>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

After selling off their vast<\/font> R. H. Philips<\/a>
\noperations, Lane and John Giguiere remained in Yolo County and opened
\ntheir Crew Wine company, a multi-label holding company that includes Matchbook<\/a> in Zamora, CA. Their Iberian offerings include the 2009 Tempranillo Dunnigan Hills<\/b>, the crisp 2012 Ros\u00e9 of Tempranillo Dunnigan Hills<\/font><\/b>,<\/font> and a 2009 Tinto Rey<\/b>, a crossover blend of 40% Tempranillo, 33% Syrah, 19% Graciano, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 4% Tannat. From Sonora, Inner Sanctum Cellars <\/a>featured a more traditional blend, the intriguing 2010 Torro<\/b>, a m\u00e9lange of 90% Tempranillo and 10% Graciano.
\n<\/font><\/div>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

Though
\ndistinctly California town, Sonora and Zamora sound as if they belong
\nin Arizona. Each year, T.A.P.A.S includes a growing contingent of
\nwineries from the Sonoita AVA and the Verde Valley; as the quality of
\nthese wines incrementally improves, it becomes more and more compelling
\nto expand the scope of Sostevinobile<\/b><\/font>\u2019s wine program (though technically not part of the West Coast, these vineyards do fall within the 750-mile radius from San Francisco)<\/i>.Highlights from the Cactus State included a competent 2012 Tempranillo<\/b> from Javelina Leap<\/a>, Dos Cabezas<\/a> three-headed blend of Tempranillo, Monastrell, and Garnacha, the 2010 Aguileon Cochise County<\/b>,<\/i> and longtime participant Callaghan Vineyards<\/a>, returning here with their 2009 Claire\u2019s Sonoita<\/b>, a blend of 55% Monastrell and 45% Garnacha.<\/font><\/div>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

One of the state\u2019s highest profile winery, Caduceus Cellars<\/a>, stems from the pioneering vision of Maynard James Keenan, lead singer of Tool<\/a>. At T.A.P.A.S<\/b>., his 2010 Sancha<\/b> artfully blended Tempranillo with 8% Garnacha. Meanwhile<\/font>, sister winery Arizona Stronghold<\/a> poured their 2010 Site Archive Mourv\u00e8dre<\/b>, aka Monastrell, as well as the 2011 Site Archive Malvasia Mid-Block<\/b>, a varietal whose Spanish name eludes me. <\/font><\/div>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

In 2013, Arizona Stronghold brought a number of new varietals into production, including their Cabernet Pfeffer. Kenneth Volk<\/a>,
\nwhich sources Cabernet Pfeffer from California\u2019s only known plantings,
\nbroadly impressed here with their wide selection of Iberian varietals,
\nmost notably the 2010 Verdelho, Paso Robles<\/b>, a striking 2009 Grenache San Benito Vineyard<\/b>, and the redoubtable 2008 Tempranillo San Benito<\/b> (though technically not part of the official T.A.P.A.S.<\/font><\/b> roster, both the outstanding 2010 Tannat Bella Collina Vineyards <\/b>and 2007 Cabernet Franc Paso<\/b> Robles underscored Volk\u2019s legendary viticultural prowess)<\/i>.<\/font><\/font><\/div>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

As
\nwith Primitivo and Zinfandel, or Charbono and Dolcetto, there continues
\nto be considerable debate on whether Cabernet Pfeffer and Gros Verdot
\nare distinct varietals or simply different nomenclature for the same
\ngrape (Sostevinobile<\/b><\/font> is wont to believe they are not)<\/i>.
\nNonetheless, let me move onto Petit Verdot, another grape that is
\nnormally foreign to the Iberian lexicon; here, this ancillary Bordelaise
\nvarietal comprised a third of the trilogy that comprised Starr Ranch<\/a>\u2019s 2010 Orion<\/b>, in what has previously constituted a Tempranillo-Garnacha-Monastrell blend. Starr Ranch also served up an amiable 2011 Tempranillo Paso Robles<\/b> and an exquisite 2011 Estate Grenache<\/b>.<\/font><\/font><\/div>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

The rest of the tasting featured wineries that have sustained this event since its inception. Berryessa Gap<\/a>, which hales from the rather isolated confines of Winters, showcased their 2009 Rocky Ridge Tempranillo<\/b>. Bodegas Paso Robles<\/a> stunned with their 2008 Pimenteiro<\/b>, a 2:1 blend of Bastardo and Tempranillo and a delightful 2010 Monastrell.<\/b>
\n<\/font><\/div>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

I do wish Baiocchi<\/a>
\nspecialized in Italian varietals, but nonetheless they excelled here
\nwith a trio of outstanding Grenache-focused wines, starting with the 2011 Gminor<\/b>,
\na mixto of 44% Garnacha with 32% Syrah and 24% Tempranillo. The
\nequally-splendid 2010 Orellana featured Tempranillo and Garnacha in a
\n3:2 blend, while the 2012 Neophyte Ros\u00e9<\/b> (100% Garnacha) <\/i>proved utterly stellar. Other Garnacha standouts were Turkovich<\/a>\u2019s 2011 Grenache California<\/b>, Twisted Oak<\/a>\u2019s 2009 Torcido Calaveras County, an<\/b>d Core<\/a>\u2019s 2008 Grenache Reserve Santa Barbara County<\/b>.
\n<\/font><\/div>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

Of course, Tempranillo ruled the roost here, with veterans like Clayhouse<\/a>, with their 2010 Casa de Arcilla Tempranillo<\/b> and Verdad<\/a>\u2019s 2010 Tempranillo Sawyer Lindquist Vineyard<\/b>. Berryessa Gap<\/a> in Winters offered a scintillating 2009 Rocky Ridge Tempranillo<\/b>, as did Sutter Creek\u2019s Yorba<\/a> with their 2009 Tempranillo Amador County<\/b>, while from Oregon\u2019s Rogue Valley, Folin Cellars <\/a>weighed in with their sumptuous 2007 Estate Reserve Tempranillo<\/b>.
\n<\/font><\/div>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

Oregon\u2019s other representative here, founding T.A.P.A.S.<\/b> member Abacela<\/a>, brought their perennial favorite, the 2009 Port<\/b>, a blend of 46%<\/font> Tempranillo, 19% <\/font>Tinta Amarela, 18% Bastardo, 11% Tinta C\u00e3o, and 6%<\/font> Touriga Na\u00e7ional that even an abecedarian could cotton to! Closer to home, Lake County\u2019s Six Sigma<\/a> showcased their 2010 Diamond Mine Cuv\u00e9e,<\/b> an atypical blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Tempranillo, and 8% Syrah, while Lodi\u2019s venerable Riaza<\/a> intrigued with their NV Vi\u00f1a Selecta<\/b>, a \u201csort-of-proprietary red blend\u201d consisting of 80% Tempranillo, 10% Garnacha, 5% Graciano, and 5% ???<\/font><\/div>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

Lodi\u2019s other mainstays here, <\/font>Bokisch<\/a> proved across-the-board excellent, with this year\u2019s standouts coming from the 2012 Verdelho Borden Ranch<\/b>, a striking 2010<\/b> Tempranillo Lodi<\/b>, their 2010 Monastrell Clement Hills<\/b>, and an always-dazzling 2010 Graciano Lodi<\/b>. And in addition to their own excellent 2010 Tempranillo Lodi<\/b>, Harney Lane<\/a> yet again produced a dazzling 2012 Albari\u00f1o Lodi<\/b>.
\n<\/font><\/div>\n
Regrettably absent from this year\u2019s Grand Tasting: Forlorn Hope<\/a>, Berghold<\/a>, and Silvaspoons<\/a>, three wineries that have long impressed me here and on other <\/font>occasions. But it would be absent of me not to cite attending wineries like St. Jorge<\/a> which, in their stead, showcased a trio of esoteric varietals, including the 2009 Touriga Nacional Silvaspoons Vineyard<\/b>, a sublime 2009 Souz\u00e3o Silvaspoons Vineyard<\/font><\/b>, and (to the best of my knowledge) <\/i>California\u2019s first 2010 Trincadeira <\/b>Silvaspoons Vineyard<\/b>. A final singular grape expression came from the 2011 Arinto San Antonio Valley<\/b>, bottled<\/font><\/font> (I had tried the barrel sample earlier this year<\/i>)<\/font> by Lockwood\u2019s Pierce Ranch<\/a>, complemented perfectly by their 2011 Albari\u00f1o San Antonio Valley<\/b>.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/div>\n
Even though the San Antonio Valley AVA<\/font> is in Monterey County, it reminds that the first T.A.P.A.S. <\/b>Grand
\nTasting featured a Texas winery, an absence I can\u2019t say I totally
\nregret. But this event has thrived, in the past, not just by its wines
\nbut through pairing and the totality of the Iberian tasting experience.
\nCertainly locating a venue that can accommodate the full panoply of the
\nevent would bode well for the Seventh Grand Tasting next year.<\/font><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

<\/font><\/div>\n

The following week saw the return of a perennial<\/font> megatasting Pinot Days<\/a>
\nin its final Fort Mason appearance. Even if the exhibit halls were not
\nbeing shut down for a dramatic redesign, I suspect relocation of this
\nand numerous other wine events would have been desirable. Shrinking
\nattendance, as well as a notable diminution of participating wineries,
\nhave reached a point where the Festival Pavilion has begun to feel
\ncavernous.
\n<\/font><\/div>\n
With
\nthe desertion of the once-teeming crowd and numerous wineries, there
\nwas also a notable absence of any kind of substantive food offering,
\nIt\u2019s not just that five hours of tasting requires a lot of stamina and a
\ncontinuous need to replenish. It\u2019s primarily a safety measure to
\nprovide attendees a modicum of something to nosh and keep from hammered
\nafter visiting eight or so tables. But perhaps a new venue next year
\nwill come with onsite catering.<\/font><\/div>\n
Meanwhile, Sostevinobile<\/b><\/font> was able to acquaint itself with a handful of new wineries and <\/font>begin to gain a perspective on the 2011 vintage (and even a glimpse into 2012)<\/i>. First up was Santa Rosa\u2019s Amelle Wines<\/a>, a specialist in both Pinot Noir and Zinfandel, with a refined 2010 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir <\/b>and a stellar 2010 La Cruz Pinot Noir<\/b>. As would be pattern, the 2011 Amelle Pinot Noir Pratt Vineyard<\/font><\/b>, while quite amiable, did not prove the equal to the preceding vintage. Showcasing their first commercial bottling, Apogee<\/a> served up an equally appealing 2010 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir<\/b><\/font>, a 130 case effort.<\/font>
\n<\/b><\/font><\/div>\n
With Siduri\u2019s Adam Lee as their winemaker, Healdsburg\u2019s Bucher<\/a><\/font> <\/font>offered a tepid rendition of the 2011 Pinot Noir<\/b> but surprised with a sneak pouring of their strikingly rounded 2012 Chardonnay<\/b>. Chris Donatiello is another veteran winemaker, and while his C. Donatiello<\/a> label isn\u2019t new or unfamiliar, it does represent a sort of resurrection since his schism with Hambrecht Wine Group. Here his 2010 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley <\/b>proved an exceptional wine, while, as with others, the 2011 Pinot Noir Tina Marie Vineyard <\/b>and the 2011 Pinot Noir Block 15 <\/b>seemed a slight notch below, although both were excellent bottlings. In his stead, VML Winery<\/a> has taken over the Healdsburg facility (where , in its Belvedere incarnation, I had contracted my first bottling in 1990) <\/i>and here showcased winemaker Virginia Lambrix\u2019 deft approach, first with her superb 2011 Earth Pinot Noir<\/b>, a blend of assorted vineyards and clones from the Russian River Valley, followed by one of the afternoon\u2019s standout, the 2011<\/b><\/font> Floodgate Vineyard<\/font><\/b> Pinot Noir<\/b>. Also not to be missed: the 2012 Ros\u00e9 of Pinot<\/b>.
\n<\/font><\/font><\/div>\n
Pence Ranch<\/a>
\nlists it address as Pacific Palisades, which would be one of the most
\n\u00e6therial places to own a winery, but, alas, its grapes and production
\nall come from Santa Barbara. No disappointment whatsoever, however, in
\nthe quality of their wines, with a trio of superlative offerings:<\/font> the 2010 Estate Pinot Noir<\/b>, the 2010 Uplands Pinot Noir<\/b>, and most significantly, the utterly delectable 2010 Westslope Pinot Noir<\/b>. Such wines can only make one interpolate how their sold out 2010 Swan Pinot Noir <\/b>might have tasted.<\/font><\/font><\/font>
\n<\/font><\/div>\n
In other years, I have chided Tondr\u0113<\/a> for failing to show at their designated table at a number of events. And with wines like their 2010 Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands<\/b>,
\nI will excoriate them if they ever fail to show again! I\u2019ve also had a
\nnumber of occasions to savor Hall Wines, but previously not had the
\nopportunity to taste through their adjunct WALT Wines<\/a>. In keeping with her Cabernet forte, the Pinots here proved just as first-rate: the 2011 Blue Jay Pinot Noir <\/b>from Anderson Valley and the exceptional 2011 Rita\u2019s Crown Pinot Noir<\/b> from the Sta. Rita Hills.<\/font><\/div>\n
A new and interesting participant this year was<\/font> Healdsburg\u2019s Ousterhout<\/a>,
\na Zinfandel-focused winery that sounds like Pinotage producer, but only
\nvints ros\u00e9s from its Pinot Noir grapes. Here their two offerings stood
\nin marked contrast to most producers, with the 2012 Dellinger Vineyard Pinot Noir Ros\u00e9 <\/b>decidedly preferable to the 2012 Wood\u2019s Vineyard Pinot Noir Ros\u00e9<\/b><\/font>. Also pouring a ros\u00e9, fellow newcomer Reuling Vineyard<\/a> juxtaposed their 2012 Ros\u00e9 of Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast <\/b>with an equally-appealing 2011 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast<\/b>.
\n<\/font><\/div>\n
The last word at this tasting came from Oregon\u2019s Z\u2019IVO Wines<\/a>, showcasing a retrospective of their 2007 Estate Pinot Noir Eola-Amity Hills<\/b> and their current 2009 Eola-Amity Hills Willamette Valley Pinot Noir<\/b>. Judging by the previews of the 2012 vintage I sampled here or elsewhere, Pinot Days 2014<\/b>
\nportends to be a revelatory, if not highly enjoyable tasting, wherever
\nit is eventually held. As long as the promoters don\u2019t further scrimp on
\nthe sustenance.<\/p>\n
\n

The day prior to the Pinot tasting proved to be a
\nwhirlwind, starting with this century\u2019s equivalent of feeling naked in
\npublic, namely arriving at an event, only to realize I\u2019d left my iPhone
\nat home, and ending amid the<\/font><\/font> row of tasting rooms in <\/font>Saratoga\u2019s quaint downtown<\/font>.
\nThe calamity of the forgotten phone meant I could only shoehorn in a
\n15-minute survey through the vastly pared-down Golden Glass tasting at
\nthe revived Metreon Center, yet even this brief interlude revealed that
\nthis once-monumental event had dwindled to a mere vestige of its
\nprevious glory.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/div>\n

Collecting myself and my cell phone, I quickly headed down the Peninsula for the Farm to Grill celebration Ridge<\/a>
\nextends to its members. But before embarking on the long trek up Monte
\nBello Road, I detoured to the Campbell Community Center for the
\ninaugural Silicon Valley\u2019s Wine Escape<\/b><\/i>, sponsored by the nascent Wineries of the Santa Clara Valley<\/a>
\ntrade alliance. Despite its long viticultural significance\u2014at the time
\nof statehood, Santa Clara counted more vineyard acreage than any other
\ncounty in California\u2014the Santa Clara Valley AVA has long been
\nunderrepresented among the prime viticultural settings in the Bay Area.
\nOn this afternoon, there was an obvious overlap with the nearby Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrower Association<\/a>, with several attendees also frequent pourers at these older trade events.
\n<\/font><\/div>\n
T<\/font>hese wineries also tended to be more seasoned than <\/font>their less familiar colleagues, yet there were plenty of intriguing discoveries. From Gilroy, Fortino<\/a> featured a rather impressive 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon<\/b> alongside their equally-appealing 2008 Charbono <\/b>from their San Martin plantings. And demonstrating their command of \u0153nological sciences (as opposed to Scientology<\/a>)<\/i>, Thomas Kruse Winery<\/a> showcased their 2011 Chardonnay <\/b>and 2010 Merlot<\/b>.
\n<\/font><\/div>\n
Two
\nother Gilroy wineries further highlighted the versatility of the AVA,
\nwith the multichrome Satori Cellars<\/a> ably marrying 49% Cabernet
\nSauvignon, 36% Syrah and 15% Merlot to produce their 2010 JoyoUS Estate Reserve<\/b>. Tucked into Hecker Pass, Solis Winery<\/a> flourished here with a diverse trio of wines: a highly competent 2008 Estate Syrah<\/b>, a wondrous 2012 Reserve Fiano<\/b>, and an unspecfied Bordeaux blend, the 2009 Cara Mia<\/b>.<\/font><\/div>\n
\n
Two
\nother Gilroy wineries further highlighted the versatility of the AVA,
\nwith the multichrome Satori Cellars ably marrying 49% Cabernet
\nSauvignon, 36% Syrah and 15% Merlot to produce their 2010 JoyoUS Estate Reserve<\/font>. Tucked into Hecker Pass, Solis Winery flourished here with a diverse trio of wines: a highly competent 2008 Estate Syrah<\/font>, a wondrous 2012 Reserve Fiano<\/font>, and an unspecified Bordeaux blend, the 2009 Cara Mia<\/font>.<\/font><\/div>\n
Most of the wineries here heralded from the garlic capital of the world, Gilroy. Kirigin Cellars<\/a> has the added distinction of being the only winery in North America that also sports a regulation cricket pitch<\/a> and field. Neither batsmen nor Commonwealth loyalists were on hand here, as the winery featured a decidedly Italian 2012 Malvasia Bianca<\/font>, alongside their 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon<\/font> and a passable 2011 Petite Sirah<\/font> (I will refrain from commenting on their saccharine, signature Vino de Moca<\/font>)<\/i>. Another of Gilroy\u2019s Hecker Pass denizens, Sarah\u2019s Vineyard<\/a>, excelled with their Rh\u00f4ne focused 2010 C\u00f4te de Madone Blanc<\/font>, a Roussanne-focused vintage rounded out with 25% Marsanne, 15% Viognier, and 10% Grenache Blanc and their 2009 C\u00f4te de Madone<\/font>, a GMS blend with Carignane and Counoise, as well.<\/font><\/div>\n
Just after Christmas, in 1988, I was actually snowed out of a meeting in San Martin as I sought a custom facility to bottle my George Herbert Walker Blush<\/font>\u2014A Kinder, Gentler Wine<\/font>; no worries about precipitation on this scorching afternoon as I sampled the 2008 Estate Melody<\/font>, a Meritage of 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Cabernet Franc, 17% Petit Verdot, 14% Malbec, and 4% Merlot from San Martin\u2019s Creekview<\/a>. Morgan Hill\u2019s Sycamore Creek<\/a> also specialized in Bordeaux varietals, with an appealing 2010 Malbec<\/font> and a well-rounded 2009 Merlot<\/font>. <\/font><\/div>\n
As I had sampled a number of Jason-Stephens<\/a> wines only a few days before, I elected here only to try their superb 2010 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon<\/font>. Likewise, the constraints of a breakneck schedule meant bypassing such familiars as Aver Family<\/a>, Clos LaChance<\/a>, Cooper-Garrod<\/a>, and the ubiquitous J. Lohr<\/a>. I could not, however, fail to taste the exquisite Martin Ranch<\/a>\u2019s 2009 Th\u00e9r\u00e8se Vineyards 2009 Sangiovese<\/font> nor Guglielmo<\/a>\u2019s utterly compelling 2009 Private Reserve Barbera<\/font>, despite my usual trepidation after being informed it had won Best in Region at the 2013 California State Fair Wine Competition<\/a>.<\/font><\/div>\n
I did like the 2011 Colombard<\/font> from Lightheart Cellars<\/a> but was a bit less sanguine about their 2012 Let There Be White<\/font>, a wine described only as \u201ca fun white blend.\u201d The other wineries on hand\u2014Casa De Fruta<\/a>, Ross Vineyards<\/a>, Rapazzini<\/a>, Morgan Hill Cellars<\/a>, and Sunlit Oaks<\/a>\u2014fared
\neven more poorly, I fear, including a pair of Moscato bottlings I found
\nutterly clawing. Perhaps, however, these wines were the inspiration for
\nthe box of Fruit Loop-encrusted doughnuts (!) <\/i>decorating the food table in the center of the Community Center!<\/font><\/div>\n
With
\n150 years of viticultural history, the Santa Clara Valley may not
\nqualify as an emerging wine region, but as a trade associate, it is
\nstill quite inchoate. As such, their events will combine a mixture of
\nveteran savvy and na\u00efve charm, as the Silicon Valley Wine Escape<\/i><\/b>
\nshowed. The setting felt more like a church bake sale than a slick wine
\ntasting, with a genial crowd and some of Silicon Valley\u2019s better
\ngastronomic ventures interspersed throughout this meeting hall. Some
\nwineries were quite established, others still jejune, but that is to be
\nexpected at this stage, and all held promise for the future. And with a
\ncenter bar of tables featuring a surfeit of homemade entr\u00e9es and
\ndesserts (including the aforementioned doughnuts)<\/i>, they certainly upped the ante for outright hospitality to which some long-established tastings might want to pay heed!<\/font><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\"\"\"\"<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In our last installment, Your West Coast Oenophile alluded to a continuing need to augment the databank of labels and varietals being assembled for Sostevinobile. Over the past several weeks, I\u2019ve had the opportunity both to visit with new wineries and to attend a number of new industry events that further exposed me to intriguing […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[44,73,59,6,4,34,28,47,60,61,42,7,72,70,15,18,23,12,63,56,2,10,14,65,41,36,62,3,52,24,67,64,71,58,66,68,69,57,5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-albarino","category-alicante-bouschet","category-arinto","category-cabernet-franc","category-cabernet-sauvignon","category-carignane","category-charbono","category-dolcetto","category-fiano","category-gewurztraminer","category-graciano","category-grenache","category-lagrein","category-malvasia-bianca","category-marsanne","category-merlot","category-montepulciano","category-mourvedre","category-nebbiolo","category-negrette","category-petit-verdot","category-petite-sirah","category-pinot-noir","category-refosco","category-riesling","category-sangiovese","category-souzao","category-syrah","category-tannat","category-tempranillo","category-teroldego","category-tinta-amarela","category-tinta-cao","category-touriga","category-touriga-nacional","category-trincadeira","category-trousseau","category-verdelho","category-viognier"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.sostevinobile.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.sostevinobile.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.sostevinobile.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.sostevinobile.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.sostevinobile.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=11"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blog.sostevinobile.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.sostevinobile.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=11"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.sostevinobile.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=11"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.sostevinobile.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=11"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}