{"id":44,"date":"2011-02-21T09:44:00","date_gmt":"2011-02-21T09:44:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.sostevinobile.com\/?p=44"},"modified":"2011-02-21T09:44:00","modified_gmt":"2011-02-21T09:44:00","slug":"all-wine-trails-lead-to-san-francisco","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.sostevinobile.com\/?p=44","title":{"rendered":"All wine trails lead to San Francisco"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Your West Coast Oenophile<\/b> is back in full swing on the wine circuit. This has nothing to do with my internist giving me the all clear on my liver tests (an annual ritual mandated by my need for <\/i><\/font><\/font>daily <\/i><\/font><\/font><\/font>statins)<\/i>; building the wine program for Sostevinobile<\/b><\/font> remains an inexorable labor of love.
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I\u2019ll review ZAP\u2019s 20th Annual Grand Zinfandel Tasting <\/a> in my subsequent column. Sandwiched between this behemoth were two intimate, trade-only events in San Francisco, on winter days that strove to compensate the local populace for our <\/font>Summer of 2010 that never happened. Fittingly, the first of these tastings transplanted itself from the undemarcated reception area adjoining One Market<\/a> (San Francisco\u2019s only top-tier restaurant that eschews imports among the 400+ <\/font><\/font>selections on their awarded-winning wine list)<\/i> to one of summertime\u2019s more dazzling settings on the Bay, the St. Francis Yacht Club<\/a>. <\/div>\n

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In Vino Unitas<\/a> creates an alliance of prominent wineries<\/font><\/font>, predominantly from Napa,<\/font><\/font><\/font> that sell their wares directly to purchasers in California. I\u2019ve had the pleasure of visiting with nearly all of these winemakers on numerous occasions, and so beelined directly to the table for Quill<\/a>, a newcomer both to Sostevinobile<\/b><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font> and to this event. I wish owner Shana Graham had brought her 2007 Viognier Stagecoach Vineyard<\/b> (Ridge<\/a> has got me on a serious Viognier quest these days)<\/i>, but I was quite content to taste my way through her Syrah and array of Cabernets. Her exquisite 2007 Bismarck Ranch Syrah<\/b> from Sonoma Valley could hardly have been said to have left me with a sinking feeling while two separate vintages each highlighted the distinct differences in Napa\u2019s sub-AVAs. I could not pick a favorite between the 2006 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon<\/b> and the 2007 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon<\/b><\/font><\/font><\/font>, but think the 2007 Diamond Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon<\/b> edged out its predecessor (though the 2006 did portend to open up more in a few years)<\/i>.
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I suppose the obsolescence of the quill as a writing instrument makes it a quaint name for a label. By extension, one wonders whether the rise of the iPad<\/a> will spur labels like Ballpoint<\/i> or Biro<\/i> once penmanship has totally been obviated! No matter, this virtuoso winery made for a great discovery on a sun-drenched afternoon.<\/font><\/font><\/div>\n

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Other wineries new to In Vino Unitas<\/b><\/i> included Jericho Canyon<\/a>, which comported themselves admirably with three selections: an appealing 2009 Sauvignon Blanc<\/b>, the 2006 Creek Block Cabernet Sauvignon<\/b>, and their standout 2006 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon<\/b>. Chase Cellars<\/a> also made their first appearance here with a Zin-focused lineup. I enjoyed both the 2006 Hayne Valley Zinfandel<\/b> and, in particular, the jamminess of the 2007 Hayne Valley Zinfandel<\/font><\/font><\/font><\/b>, but the fruity 2009 Ros\u00e9 of Zinfandel<\/b> left me rather indifferent.
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The third newcomer this afternoon was a longtime familiar label, Mendocino\u2019s Navarro<\/a>, though I had not previously met owner Deborah Cahn. With nine wines to work through, we easily made up for this oversight and had become old acquaintances by the time I had finished! Her first pour, the 2008 Estate Gew\u00fcrztraminer<\/b>, defied usual expectations, revealing an dry, clean interpretation of the varietal, devoid of sweetness and demanding a food complement. The 2008 Premi\u00e8re Reserve <\/b><\/font><\/font>Chardonnay<\/b> <\/font><\/font><\/font>proved an amiable wine, while the 2009 Estate Muscat Blanc<\/b> professed a dryness not unlike the Gew\u00fcrz.
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We moved onto Deborah\u2019s reds, starting with the <\/font><\/font>2007 Pinot Noir M\u00e9thode \u00e0 l’Ancienne<\/b>, a wine that reflected the across-the-board excellence of this vintage in Anderson Valley. The 2008 Navarrouge<\/b>, a wine salvaged from the smoke infusion that stymied the Pinot crop in Anderson Valley and nearby parts of Sonoma following the summer\u2019s wildfires, made for an oddly appropriate wine to pair with lox. Navarro rebounded, however, with a superb 2007 Zinfandel Mendocino<\/b>, a highlight of the afternoon.<\/div>\n

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Atypically, we swung back to white for a side-by-side comparison of Deborah\u2019s two Rieslings. Again, the 2009 Dry Riesling Anderson Valley <\/b>held its own with her other dry vintages, while the 2007 Cluster Select Late Harvest Riesling<\/b> seemed almost \u00e6therial. From there, I moved onto the more succinct display from my old friends at Gargiulo Vineyards<\/a>. Neither Jeff nor April were on hand this time round, but I nonetheless enjoyed their ever-evolving expression of their signature Sangiovese, the 2007 Aprile<\/b>. I don\u2019t recall having previously sampled their Cabernets, but the OVX G Major 7 Cabernet Sauvignon<\/b> was quite delectable while the 2007 Money Road Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon<\/b> tasted as expensive as it sounds.<\/font><\/font><\/div>\n

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Now if only Gemstone<\/a> had nine wines to pour! Alas, I had to content myself with the wonderful 2006 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon<\/b> and 2007 Facets of Gemstone<\/b>, then finalize this brief interlude with the utterly superb 2007 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon<\/b>. No paucity of selections, however, could be found at the Far Niente<\/a> table, with its twin sister Nickel & Nickel<\/a>, along with single-release satellites Dolce<\/a> and EnRoute<\/a>. I discovered an equal fondness for Nickel & Nickel\u2019s 2009 Chardonnay Searby Vineyard<\/b> and Far Niente\u2019s 2009 Estate Bottle Chardonnay<\/b>.
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There was much to admire in the 2007 Harris Vineyard Merlot<\/b> (Nickel & Nickel)<\/i>, but not surprisingly, their selection of Cabernets dominated. Nickel & Nickel\u2019s 2007 John C. Sullenger Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon<\/b> leaped exuberantly out the bottle, while the more subdued 2007 Vogt Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon<\/b> displayed the reticence of a wine that will not fully express itself until 2015. The development of the 2008 Far Niente Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Bottled<\/b> was presaged by the<\/font><\/font><\/font> ripe maturity of the 2004 vintage, drinking now at its peak.<\/div>\n

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As I have in years past, I immensely enjoyed the 2006 Dolce<\/b>, a Sauternes-style wine Far Niente bottles exclusively under this separate label. EnRoute, their new entry in the mix, debuted with a likable if young 2009 Les Pommiers<\/b>, a blend of organically farmed Pinot Noir grapes from their vineyards in Green Valley and the Russian River AVA.<\/font><\/font><\/div>\n

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Moving forward, it is always a pleasure to visit with Matt Buoncristiani<\/a> and sample portfolio of his wines. Here I was impressed with another Rh\u00f4ne expression, the 2008 Gemello Viognier<\/b>. In the same vein, the 2007 Artistico<\/b> was a splendid expression of Napa Valley Syrah. This venture from four brothers excelled, however, with both their 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon<\/b> and the premium 2007 The Core Cabernet Sauvignon<\/b>, despite these wines tasting at least seven years away attaining from peak maturity.<\/font><\/font><\/div>\n

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Similarly, Ehlers Estate<\/a> offered a small selection of their Napa Valley wines, starting with the somewhat clawing 2009 Estate Sauvignon Blanc<\/b>. Far more appealing were their red bottlings: the 2007 Estate Merlot<\/b>, the 2007 Ehlers Estate One Twenty Over Eighty<\/b> and, in particular, the 2007 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 1886<\/b>. Their exclusive focus of Larkmead<\/a> lent itself to a four-year vertical tasting of the Cabernet Sauvignon Larkmead Vineyard<\/b>. The 2008 vintage inevitably tasted a bit too young, while the 2005 clearly soared. Both the 2006 and 2007 fell squarely in between the two.
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Just next to them, Krupp Brothers<\/a> made an impressive statement with their array of Wild West-themed wines, starting with the 2007 Black Bart\u2019s Bride,<\/b> a m\u00e9lange of Marsanne, Viognier, and Chardonnay. More compelling, however, was their Black Bart Syrah<\/b>, and the 2007 Synchrony Stagecoach Vineya
\nrd<\/b>, a Bordeaux blend focused on Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. The 2006 Veraison<\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font> Cabernet Sauvignon<\/b> represented a more traditional Left Bank-style Cab while the proprietary 2007 The Doctor <\/b>offered a proprietary blend of 33% Merlot, 31% Tempranillo, 23% Malbec, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon.<\/font><\/font><\/div>\n

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Both Heitz Cellar<\/a> and Grgich Hills<\/a> have historical ties to the 1976 Judgment of Paris<\/a> tasting that put California on the world wine map, so it was little trouble to wade my way through the extensive inventory they had on hand. Grgich offered eight different wines, starting with the 2008 Estate Fum\u00e9 Blanc<\/b> and 2008 Estate Chardonnay<\/b>, a wine I would have anticipated to be more compelling, given Miljenko Grgich\u2019s pivotal role as winemaker for Ch\u00e2teau Montelena<\/a>, which garnered first in the white wine competition. More impressive were his 2007 Estate Zinfandel<\/b> and 2006 Estate Merlot<\/b>.
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Much closer to my expectation was the 2006 Estate Chardonnay Carneros Selection<\/b>, a wine on par with Grgich\u2019s 2006 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon<\/b> and the 2005 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Yountville Selection<\/b>. The standout this afternoon, however, proved to be the uxorial 2008 Violetta<\/b>, a late harvest blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, and Gew\u00fcrztraminer.<\/font><\/font><\/div>\n

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Heitz Cellar<\/a> stands as a singular winery, famed for its Cabernet Sauvignon and as one of the very few producers of Grignolino on the West Coast. Admittedly, I was somewhat tepid about the 2009 Sauvignon Blanc <\/b>and the 2008 Chardonnay<\/b> they poured at In Vino Unitas<\/b><\/i>, but quickly warmed to their 2007 Zinfandel<\/b>. Their quartet of Cabernets, all from 2005, impressed me incrementally with each bottling I sampled, starting with the generic 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon<\/b>. The 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Bella Oaks Vineyard <\/b>seemed even better, while the 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Trailside Vineyard <\/b>completely allured me. At last, the famed 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Martha\u2019s Vineyard <\/b>simply overwhelmed and garnered the rare Sostevinobile<\/b><\/font> accolade: .<\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font>
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Heitz concluded its presentation with a non-vintage dessert wine called Ink Grade Port<\/b>, made from Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Souz\u00e3o, Tinta C\u00e3o, Tinta Bairrada, Tinta Madeira, Tinta Amarela, and Bastardo (all I can say is, \u201cloved the wine but thank heavens for Cut & Paste\u201d)<\/i>! A more modestly structured but equally enjoyable Port-style wine came from the L\u00f6wenbr\u00e4u<\/a> of wineries, Meyer Family Cellars<\/a>, with their superb Old-Vine Zinfandel Port<\/b>, also non-vintage. Similarly, I very much liked their 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Bonnie\u2019s Vineyard<\/b> from Oakville, but wish I had passed on their inaugural 2006 Yorkville Highlands Syrah<\/b>.<\/font><\/font><\/div>\n

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Like Meyer, <\/font>Yorba<\/a> heralds from outside of Napa. Here the varietals typified the diversity of Amador County, starting with their 2006 Zinfandel <\/b>and a delightful 2006 Syrah<\/b>.Their 2007 Tempranillo <\/b>represented a straightforward expression of the grape, while their eclectic 2007 Shake Ridge Red<\/b> combined Syrah, Petite Sirah, Malbec, Merlot, Mourv\u00e8dre, and Primitivo.<\/font><\/font><\/div>\n

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Apart from Gargiulo, Yorba featured the only other Italian varietal of the afternoon, their tangy 2007 Barbera<\/b>. As I often them, Testarossa<\/a> ought to try their hand at CalItalia bottlings, but nonetheless seem content to focus on Burgundian-style wines. Of their three Chardonnays, I distinctly preferred the 2009 Chardonnay Sierra Madre Vineyard<\/b> to the quite competent 2009 Chardonnay Santa Barbara County<\/b> and the 2009 Chardonnay Santa Lucia Highlands<\/b>. Given their youth, I found both the <\/b>2009 Pinot Noir Santa Barbara County<\/b> and the 2009 Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands <\/b>too premature to assess.<\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/div>\n

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When all was said and done, this year\u2019s In Vino U
\nnitas<\/b><\/i> proved a most delightful event, one I hope will continue to be held at the St. Francis Yacht Club. After all, their co-occupants on the breakwater, Larry Ellison\u2019s Golden Gate Yacht Club<\/a>, will be sponsoring quite the yachting spectacle<\/a> some 24 months from now. Imagine that as a backdrop to a wine tasting!<\/p>\n
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Several days after ZAP, the Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers Association<\/a> held their first trade tasting of the season at the always well-appointed Farallon<\/a>. I like to think this sumptuously catered affair was meant to atone for last year\u2019s gathering at the Professional Culinary Institute<\/a><\/font><\/font> in Campbell. Not that it had been a bad event or venue, but still, compelling attendees to stroll alongside the picture windows overlooking the school\u2019s culinary lab and gaze upon their gastronomic marvels while we had to content ourselves with Monterey Jack and slices of celery constituted pure torture. <\/font><\/font><\/div>\n

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This afternoon, <\/font><\/font>the Farallon staff generously circulated<\/font><\/font><\/font> wedges of fried wonton topped with slabs of sushi-grade Ahi as professionals and poseurs alike sipped through an array of newly-released wines. Feeling quite sated, I commenced my wine explorations by regaling in the gustatory delights of Regale<\/a>, a new participant in this group. Befittingly, they pulled out all the stops, serving up nine of their wines, starting strongly with their 2007 Barbera El Dorado County<\/b>. I cottoned as readily to their 2007 Sangiovese Napa Valley<\/b> before sampling their notably restrained 2006 Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley<\/b>. As has often been the case, I enjoyed their 2007 Pinot Noir O\u2019Neel Vineyards,<\/b> then found myself as enthused by the 2008 vintage. The more broadly focused 2008 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast<\/b> seemed less developed than these other two, and it certainly would have been more telling if they had poured their 2007 Estate Pinot Noir<\/b> (actually, it seemed odd that none of the wines they showcased were Santa Cruz-grown)<\/i>.
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Regale finished with their Bordelaise selections, a nice but undramatic 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon<\/b>, with a similar results for its subsequent vintage, while the 2006 Cabernet Franc<\/b> portended to brandish its true potential 2- 3 years from now<\/font><\/font>. In the same fashion, Santa Cruz-based MJA Vineyards<\/a> chose to pour only its Napa-grown wines, bottled under two separate labels. I preferred the 2007 Serene Cellars Carneros<\/b> to the 2008 Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley<\/b>, while the 2006 DaVine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon<\/b> outpointed the 2006 Serene Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon<\/b>. While apparently sourced from different vineyards than before, the 2005 <\/b>Serene Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon<\/b> tasted roughly equivalent to its successor.<\/font><\/font><\/div>\n

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Lest one begin to think the fruit of the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA not compare with the Napa crops, the estate grown wines from Beauregard<\/a> proved to be more than well-regarded. Its two vineyards in the Ben Lomond Mountain sub-AVA offered four contrasting yet equally wondrous Burgundian wines: the 2007 Estate Chardonnay Santa Cruz Mountains<\/b> and its apposite, the 2007 Estate Chardonnay Bald Mountain Vineyard<\/font><\/font><\/font><\/b>, along with their red counterparts, the 2007 Estate Pinot Noir Santa Cruz Mountains<\/b><\/font><\/font><\/font> and the 2007 Estate Pinot Noir Bald Mountain Vineyard<\/b><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/b>.<\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/div>\n

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I have never seen Picchetti<\/a> at a trade tasting, but Cupertino\u2019s other Monte Bello Road wineries showed up in full regalia. First up, my friend Don Naumann<\/a> showed off his customary wines, with a delicious 2008 Chardonnay<\/b> and a truly delightful 2006 Estate Merlot<\/b>. Though quite good, his 2007 Estate Merlot <\/b>still struck me as young, but his superb 2007 Late Harvest Semi-Sweet Merlot<\/b> proved a wondrous addition to his lineup. From across the street, the good folks at Ridge made quite an impressive appearance, pouring their sturdy 2008 Ridge Lytton Springs<\/b>, a strik
\ning yet hitherto unfamiliar 2008 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon<\/b> and the absolutely riveting 2007 Monte Bello<\/b>, unquestionably worthy of a .<\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/div>\n

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My friend Michael Martella<\/a> <\/font><\/font> pulled double-duty this afternoon, fronting both his eponymous label and Thomas Fogarty<\/a>, where he serves as winemaker. His own 2009 Monterey <\/font><\/font>Sauvignon Blanc <\/b>showed quite likably, while he excelled with his red selections: the 2007 Fiddletown Grenache<\/b>, his 2007 Hammer Syrah<\/b>, and the exceptional 2007 Heart Arrow Petite Sirah<\/b>. From the Fogarty label, he poured a forward 2007 Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay <\/b>and the 2008 Monterey Gew\u00fcrztraminer<\/b>, alongside a somewhat fruity 2008 Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir<\/b>. I quite enjoyed the 2005 Lexington<\/b>, a m\u00e9lange of 49% Cab. Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and 21% Cabernet Franc, while totally relishing the 2006 Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Franc.<\/b><\/div>\n

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Another exceptional take on this varietal came from Cinnabar<\/a>, whose 2007 Cabernet Franc<\/b> rivaled the appeal of their 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon<\/b> in complexity. Similarly, their 2007 Merlot<\/b> proved quite strong while their 2008 Mercury Rising <\/b>was particularly affordable for a Bordeaux blend of similar quality. La Honda Winery<\/a>\u2019s Ken Wornick chaired this year\u2019s tasting, but still managed to serve up his wines this afternoon, starting with the 2009 Exponent<\/b>, a deft blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache and Sangiovese. On the more traditional front, I immensely enjoyed his 2008 Salinian Block Cabernet Sauvignon<\/b> and the exceptional 2007 Naylor\u2019s Dry Hole Cabernet Sauvignon<\/b>.<\/font><\/font><\/div>\n

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Two Clos for comfort\u2014if not wondrous wines! The ever-unassuming Clos T\u00edta<\/a> managed once again to impress me with their beautiful Bordeaux blend, the 2006 Gironde<\/b>, as well as their proprietary of Syrah, Merlot and Viognier, the 2007 La Sierra Azul<\/b>. Meanwhile, Clos La Chance<\/a> made an impressive showing with their 2007 Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay<\/b>, the 2007 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon<\/b>, and an exceptional 2007 Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir<\/b>.<\/font><\/font><\/div>\n

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The Santa Cruz Mountains AVA is, of course, acclaimed for its Pinot Noir, so the Pinot-only focus of Heart o\u2019 the Mountain<\/a> <\/font> comes as now surprise. Certainly their 2007 Estate Pinot Noir<\/b> put them on par with Clos LaChance\u2019s efforts, while their 2008 vintage fell a notch below. And although they also bottle Pinot, Big Basin<\/a> elected to represent themselves with four different Syrahs, the 2006 Rattlesnake Rock Syrah<\/b>, the 2007 Fairview Road Ranch Syrah<\/b>, a sand-free 2007 Mandala Syrah<\/b>, and their standout, the 2007 Homestead Syrah<\/b>. Sonnet Wine Cellars<\/a> also focuses on this varietal only, with a quartet distinct vineyards in different AVAs. Of the four, I particularly liked their 2008 Pinot Noir Tondr\u0113\u2019s Grapefield<\/b> (Santa Lucia Highlands)<\/i> and the 2007 Pinot Noir Mums Vineyard <\/i><\/b>(Santa Cruz Mountains)<\/i>.<\/font><\/font><\/font><\/div>\n

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While they also bottle Pinot, Big Basin<\/a> elected to represent themselves with four different Syrahs, the 2006 Rattlesnake Rock Syrah<\/b>, the 2007 Fairview Road Ranch Syrah<\/b>, a sand-free 2007 Mandala Syrah<\/b>, and their standout, the 2007 Homestead Syrah<\/b>. And though Kathryn Kennedy Winery<\/a> originally staked its claim as a Cabernet-only endeavor, her heirs now release an organically-grown 2009 Sauvignon Blanc<\/b>. While the 2000 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon<\/b> served this afternoon seemed focused more on nostalgia, the 2006 Estate Cabernet Estate Cabernet<\/b> certainly paid tribute to her legacy. <\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/div>\n

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No Santa Cruz tasting would be complete without Bonny Doon<\/a>, a winery known for never sitting on its laurels. I bypassed both Le Cigares and settled for the 2009 Ca\u2019 del Solo Albari\u00f1o<\/b> and their new 2009 Contra<\/b>, a Carignane rounded with Grenache, Mourv\u00e8dre, Syrah, Petite Sirah, and Zinfandel. No need to winnow my sele
\nctions with Martin Ranch Winery<\/a>, who quietly presented their 2006 J. D. Hurley Merlot<\/b> and 2006 Dos Rios Cabernet Sauvignon<\/b>.
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Saratoga got to call itself Saratoga, after the famed hot springs in upstate New York, only because the speaker at Calistoga\u2019s christening screwed up and pronounced this to be \u201cthe Calistoga of Sarafornia!\u201d Nonetheless, two of Saratoga\u2019s more prominent wineries, along with Kathryn Kennedy, were on hand for this tasting. Chavannah-Sanelle\u2014I mean, Savannah-Chanelle<\/a>, poured an array of their wines, including their 2007 Estate Zinfandel<\/b> and noteworthy 2007 Estate Cabernet Franc<\/b>. I liked the 2007 Coastview Vineyards Syrah<\/b>, though found it a bit floral, while the 2007 Monmatre<\/b>, a Zinfandel\/Carignane\/Cabernet Franc blend, tasted too acidic for my liking. Cooper-Garrod<\/a> (not Gooper-Carrod or some other syncretic twist) <\/i>offered a range of wines, which I commenced sampling with the 2009 Estate Viognier<\/b>. I was copacetic with the 2006 Estate Syrah<\/b>, as well, but relished to the 2005 Test Pilot F-16<\/b>, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. Their varietal 2006 Estate Cabernet Franc<\/b>, however, proved simply outstanding.<\/font><\/font><\/div>\n

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Every county in California apparently contains a municipality with its same nomenclature<\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font>. Similarly, each AVA contains a winery named the wine region that encompasses it. Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard<\/a> grows a number of well-structured, if not familiar varietals, but I opted to focus on the Iberian-style wines it produces under its Quinta Cruz<\/a> label. Their 2008 Tempranillo <\/b>was certainly a pleasant enough wine, while the 2008 Graciano<\/b> proved truly outstanding. So, too, was the 2007 Touriga<\/b>, a blend of both Touriga Nacional and Touriga Francesa. Even more diverse were the wines from River Run<\/a>, a Watsonville winery. I did appreciate their organic 2008 Chardonnay Mountanos Vineyard<\/b> and the atypical 2009 Ros\u00e9 of Carignane<\/b>, as well as their <\/font>2008 C\u00f4te d\u2019Aromas <\/b>that blended of Syrah, Mourv\u00e8dre, Carignane, Viognier, and Grenache. More telling was the 2007 Carignane Wirz Vineyards<\/b> and the wondrous 2008 N\u00e9grette San Benito County<\/b>.<\/font><\/font><\/font> <\/font><\/font><\/div>\n

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His organically-grown grapes mean that I frequently encounter Jerold O\u2019Brien\u2019s Silver Mountain Vineyards<\/a> at CCOF and other interrelated tastings. With time pressing, I limited myself to his superb 2006 Syrah<\/b> and a retasting of the 2004 Alloy<\/b>, his signature Bordeaux blend. Despite the waning minutes, I should have tried all four wines Storrs Winery<\/a> poured, but leapfrogged over to their 2008 Central Coast Grenache<\/b>. Thankfully, I did not miss out on the new release of their phenomenal 2007 Pinot Noir Christie Vineyard<\/b>.<\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/div>\n

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I keep waiting to hear that Press Club <\/a> has closed its cooperative satellite tasting room near Yerba Buena Gardens, so it seemed fitting that I close out the tasting with Mount Eden<\/a>, one of the six stations still pouring in their subterranean cavern. As with Silver Mountain, the frequency with which I have sampled their wines at other events led me to limit myself to their 2009 Wolff<\/b><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font> Vineyard Chardonnay<\/b> and the equally impressive 2007 Saratoga Cuv\u00e9e Chardonnay<\/b>. And with that, I rested, knowing I had to brace myself for a squash match in just a few hours.<\/p>\n
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I had hoped to file my 2011 entries here in a more timely fashion, but the demands of sewing up the financing for Sostevinobile<\/b><\/font><\/font><\/font><\/font> have taken center stage as of late. Admit it, though\u2014wouldn\u2019t you rather be tasting all these marvelous wines at our bar, rather than just reading about them? E-mail me a buona fortuna,<\/b><\/i> and I\u2019ll put you on the guest list for our Grand Opening!<\/font><\/font><\/div>\n

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Your West Coast Oenophile is back in full swing on the wine circuit. This has nothing to do with my internist giving me the all clear on my liver tests (an annual ritual mandated by my need for daily statins); building the wine program for Sostevinobile remains an inexorable labor of love. I\u2019ll review ZAP\u2019s […]<\/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":[44,40,86,6,4,34,16,61,42,7,17,15,18,12,119,56,10,14,35,41,82,36,19,3,24,64,84,71,87,58,100,66,5,27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-44","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-albarino","category-barbera","category-bastardo","category-cabernet-franc","category-cabernet-sauvignon","category-carignane","category-chardonnay","category-gewurztraminer","category-graciano","category-grenache","category-malbec","category-marsanne","category-merlot","category-mourvedre","category-muscat-blanc","category-negrette","category-petite-sirah","category-pinot-noir","category-primitivo","category-riesling","category-rose","category-sangiovese","category-sauvignon-blanc","category-syrah","category-tempranillo","category-tinta-amarela","category-tinta-bairrada","category-tinta-cao","category-tinta-madeira","category-touriga","category-touriga-francesa","category-touriga-nacional","category-viognier","category-zinfandel"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.sostevinobile.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44","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=44"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blog.sostevinobile.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.sostevinobile.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=44"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.sostevinobile.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=44"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.sostevinobile.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=44"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}