{"id":63,"date":"2010-08-05T06:41:00","date_gmt":"2010-08-05T06:41:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.sostevinobile.com\/?p=63"},"modified":"2010-08-05T06:41:00","modified_gmt":"2010-08-05T06:41:00","slug":"where-there-is-there-there","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.sostevinobile.com\/?p=63","title":{"rendered":"Where there is there there"},"content":{"rendered":"

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A few days after attending P.S. I Love You<\/a>\u2019s Petite Sirah Symposium, Your West Coast Oenophile<\/strong> ventured back across the Bay Bridge for the 5th Annual Urban Wine Xperience<\/a> in Oakland. Again, having blogged this event for <\/strong><\/span>Sostevinobile<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/strong> last year,  I anticipated little in terms of new discovery, but was happy to renew acquaintances and do my small part to help publicize the efforts of these dedicated wine entrepreneurs.
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There is an intangible quality to the East Bay wine tastings I\u2019ve attended over the years, something that sharply delineates the ticket holders here from events in San Francisco. On a superficial level, the crowds look different, but only in the sense that they both equally reflect the heterogeneous population of their surrounding communities. But there is definitely a vibe that transcends ethnic makeup here, and I think it may well be a correlation between the lack of pretense among the local wine artisans and the genuine enthusiasm of the majority of attendees\u2014hardly a poseur or dilettante in the crowd, as far as I could detect.
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\nThere is no square there<\/em><\/span>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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Despite my disappointment at having to spend the afternoon indoors, I found the venue far more spacious and easier to navigate among the 18 various wineries, along with their partnered restaurants and caterers. The copious servings of food showcased not only their precise pairings with the wines being poured but the emerging food scene near the Oakland waterfront and surrounding neighborhoods. Certainly, I found intimations of places I am apt to explore on subsequent East Bay trips, but my focus for the afternoon centered on the appeal of the wines for Sostevinobile<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/strong><\/span>. <\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

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I stopped by first to exchange greetings with Matt Smith, my fellow tasting panelist from the Connoisseurs Guide to California Wine<\/a>, and to sample, among others, his latest release of the 2008 Alta Mesa Torront\u00e9s<\/strong> from his Blacksmith Cellars<\/a>. Though (so I\u2019m told) <\/em>every Torront\u00e9s producer in California sources their grapes from this same vineyard, Matt manages to craft this wine with his personal touch, just as he did with the very striking 2008 North Coast Chenin Blanc<\/strong>, a once-ubiquitous varietal that has fallen into disfavor over the past two decades. Rounding out his inventory for the afternoon was the 2006 C.L.R.T.<\/strong>, a wine that dare not speak its name (in accord with 2005\u2019s Napa Declaration of Place<\/a>)<\/em>, a Cabernet Sauvignon-based claret blended with Cabernet Franc and Merlot.  <\/span><\/div>\n

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Oakland\u2019s World Ground Cafe<\/a> matched these wines with a pork canap\u00e9, a pairing I find almost ubiquitous at fine & food affairs, but nonetheless well suited to Matt\u2019s craftsmanship. Another restaurant I discovered just outside the exhibit hall, Bocanova<\/a>, seemed a gargantuan undertaking, but also provided an intriguing pork variation to pair with Cerruti Cellars<\/a>, a newcomer to Urban Wine Xperience<\/strong>. Their 2009 Mer Blanc Merlot Ros\u00e9 <\/strong>heralds from vineyards in Alexander Valley, while the 2006 Cuv\u00e9e Red Blend<\/strong>, a marriage of Sangiovese, Zinfandel and Merlot bottled under their Tudal label, boasts a Napa Valley origin. As if to forge a compromise, they melded barrels from both AVAs to produce the 2007 50\/50 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa\/Sonoma<\/strong>.<\/span><\/div>\n

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I haven\u2019t quite ascertained how Andrew Lane Wines<\/a> qualifies as an urban winemaker, though their wines certainly warranted inclusion this afternoon. Their corollary to Cerruti\u2019s Cuv\u00e9e Red blend was an amiable 2007 Rosso Napa Valley,<\/strong> a well-balanced m\u00e9nage \u00e0 trois with Sangiovese, Zinfandel and Valdigui\u00e9, another somewhat obscured varietal that had once enjoyed immense popularity. I found myself intrigued with their semi-spicy 2007 Petite Sirah Napa Valley<\/strong>, while enthralled with their 2007 Cabernet Franc Oakville<\/strong>. Franc<\/em>-ly speaking, one of Sostevinobile<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/strong><\/span>\u2019s most popular citations, Rock Wall Wine Company<\/a>, made an equally strong statement with their 2007 Cabernet Franc Holbrook Mitchell<\/strong> from Napa Valley. On numerous visits to their facility, I don\u2019t believe I\u2019d previously tried their 2009 Russian River Reserve Chardonnay<\/strong> and, as with their progenitor, their array of top-notch Zins, including today\u2019s 2008 Sonoma County Zinfandel<\/strong>, often leaves me scrambling to decipher my tasting notes.
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Rock Wall\u2019s Kent Rosenblum launched the East Bay winery phenomenon with his eponymous Rosenblum Cellars<\/a>, now undergoing the throes of assimilation under its corporate parent, Diageo. The realignment was quite apparent in both their 2008 Zinfandel Sonoma Appellation Series <\/strong>and 2007 Zinfandel Paso Robles Appellation Series<\/strong>, not so much in the 2007 Syrah Snow\u2019s Lake<\/strong>. Another spinoff from Rosenblum, JC Cellars<\/a>, extended the tradition of quality begun in Alameda with a profound series of his own blends, ranging from the Roussanne-Marsanne duality of their 2008 The First Date<\/strong> to the complexity of the 2008 Daily Ration<\/strong> (Carignane, Petite Sirah, Tempranillo, Grenache, and Zinfandel)<\/em> to the quixotic array of Zinfandel, Syrah, Carignane, Petite Sirah, Tempranillo, and Viognier in their ever-popular 2008<\/strong> The Impostor<\/strong>.<\/span>
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JC Cellars\u2019 white Rh\u00f4ne blend was paired with an incredible Seared Halibut on a fried wonton wedge from East Bay caterer Oren\u2019s Kitchen<\/a> (I confess to circling back to their table numerous times throughout the afternoon)<\/em>. Similarly, the Shrimp and Corn Pudding Tart from Alameda\u2019s Little House Caf\u00e9<\/a> proved an extraordinary complement to Stage Left Cellars<\/a>\u2019 white Rh\u00f4ne, the 2008 The Go Getter<\/strong>, a blend of Roussanne, Viognier, and Grenache Blanc. Sourced from a Syrah vineyard in Rogue Valley, their tasty 2007 The Scenic Route<\/strong> seemed an apt title for a descriptor of the grapes\u2019 path back to Oakland while their 2006 Grenache<\/strong> stayed in-state from a vineyard<\/span> sourced<\/span> in Santa Maria.<\/span><\/div>\n

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One of my discoveries last year, Irish Monkey Cellars<\/a>, also poured two Rh\u00f4ne varietals, the approachable 2008 Mourv\u00e8dre Lodi<\/strong> and a compelling 2007 Syrah Amador<\/strong>, as well as a blend of varietals they source from Napa\u2019s Lovall Valley (a Real Estate designation, not a recognized AVA)<\/em>, the 2008 Chateaux du Lovall<\/strong>, a will-o\u2019-the-wisp assemblage of Zinfandel, Petit Verdot, Primitivo, Syrah and Merlot. Another of 2009\u2019s stars, Prospect 772 Wine Company<\/a>, returned with the latest versions of their proprietary blends, the Syrah\/Grenache m\u00e9lange, the 2007 The Brat<\/strong> and its Viognier-infused Syrah brethren, the 2007 The Brawler<\/strong>, along with newcomer 2009 Baby Doll Ros\u00e9<\/strong>, also made from Syrah and Grenache.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

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At most tastings, R & B Cellars<\/a> usually breaks out the kitchen sink, pouring more wines than I can fathom, but held to a mere trio this afternoon, showcasing their Sauvignon Blanc, the 2007 Serenade in Blanc<\/strong>, a highly likable 2007 Swingsville Zinfandel <\/strong>and the superb 2005 Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon<\/strong>. Also at most East Bay affairs,<\/span>Urbano Cellars<\/a> <\/span>and <\/span> <\/span> Urban Legend Cellars<\/a> seem inextricably joined at the hip; sequestered in different wings of the exhibition hall, they stood out today on individual merit. Urbano opened with their 2008 Vin Ros\u00e9 Green Valley<\/strong>, a blush version of Napa Gamay (aka Valdigui\u00e9)<\/em>, then followed with an exceptional blend of Syrah, Grenache and Tempranillo, the 2007 5 Barrel Lodi,<\/strong> a haphazard assemblage of they would be, <\/span>admittedly<\/span>, hard-pressed to duplicate. Their standout pour came from their wondrous 2008 Sangiovese Mountain View Ranch<\/strong>.
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Urban Cellars\u2019 forte also stemmed from its Italian varietal bottlings, starting with the stellar <\/span>2008 Barbera Clarksburg<\/strong> that had crowds flocking to their table. Nebbiolo and Sangiovese worked synergistically to deliver their well-balanced 2008 Ironworks<\/strong>, while Marilee Shaffer delighted me with a sip from a bottle of the 2008 Teroldego Clarksburg <\/strong>she had secreted under the table. I also had warm feelings for the yet-unreleased 2009 Tempranillo Clarksburg<\/strong> and for the 2009 Sauvignon Blanc Lake County<\/strong> that paired rather seamlessly with Warmed Grits topped with a confit of Chicken & Corn from Oakland\u2018s Brown Sugar Kitchen<\/a> (proving, yet again, that there can be a wine to match up with almost everything).<\/em>
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Ehrenberg Cellars<\/a> is a venture on the cusp of coming into its own, with more people behind its table sporting badges that read \u201cInvestor\u201d than I can enumerate. Seemingly, their food partner Paradiso<\/a> had as many pasta selections on hand, each distinctive and satisfying. This wine venture, formerly known as Nectar Vineyards, showcased promising futures from its unbottled 2009 Shenandoah Zinfandel <\/strong>and 2009 Petite Sirah<\/strong>, along with the 2008 Contra Costa Zinfandel<\/strong> from its previous incarnation. Meanwhile the more seasoned Dashe Cellars<\/a> displayed its versatility with an organic 2008 Dry Riesling McFadden Farm<\/strong> and a pair of Sonoma vintages, the 2009 Grenache Dry Creek Valley<\/strong> and the 2008 Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley<\/strong>, both tangy complements to the Seared Lamb & Arugula canap\u00e9 from Oakland\u2019s Chop Bar<\/a>.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

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In my quest for objectivity, I hope Sasha Verhage will forgive me if I describe his 2007 The One Fairview Road Ranch<\/strong>, the Pinot Noir from his Eno Wines<\/a> as not quite as mind-blowing as the 2007 The Change Agent <\/em><\/strong>(Grenache)<\/em> and the 2007 The Freedom Fighter <\/strong>(old vine Zinfandel)<\/em> proved this particular afternoon. Meanwhile, Dick Keenan\u2019s Carica Wines<\/a> held up their end with the 2008 Kick Ranch Sauvignon Blanc<\/strong>, the 2007 Kick Ranch Syrah<\/strong>, and Syrah-dominated GMS blend, the 2007 Temptation Sonoma County<\/strong>.<\/span><\/div>\n

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I was happy to find Marie Bourdillas\u2019 Aubin Cellars<\/a> on hand once again. This restrained, Burgundian-style operation offered equally-striking bottlings of their 2007 Carneros Pinot Noir <\/strong>and the 2007 Sonoma Mountain Syrah<\/strong>, along with a demure 2008 French Colombard<\/strong>. And, of course, I saved room for dessert, knowing that Adams Point Winery<\/a> had its 18% alcohol Mango Wine<\/strong> on hand. In keeping with the Napa Declaration of Place, Adams Point calls its fortified blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Petite Sirah California Red After Dinner Wine<\/strong>. While I found this \u201cnot Port\u201d quite compelling, their Chocolate Dessert Wine<\/strong>, the same wine with an infusion of chocolate, bordered on tasting syrupy, not quite the finale to this event I had conjured.<\/span><\/div>\n

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Efforts to transform Jack London Square into a culinary mecca<\/a> have been well-documented of late, and while the quiet exit of hokey food chains like T.G.I. Friday\u2019s, El Torito and the Old Spaghetti Factory certainly seem a positive development, I, too, question whether this destination can draw sufficient crowds to sustain a mega-enterprise like Bocanova or, speculatively, a future branch of Sostevinobile<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/strong><\/span>. But, on this one afternoon, there definitely was a there there, and it remains safe to say that Urban Wine Experience<\/strong> proves the East Bay winery scene remains a vibrant presence that will continue to endure.
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A few days after attending P.S. I Love You\u2019s Petite Sirah Symposium, Your West Coast Oenophile ventured back across the Bay Bridge for the 5th Annual Urban Wine Xperience in Oakland. Again, having blogged this event for Sostevinobile last year,  I anticipated little in terms of new discovery, but was happy to renew acquaintances and […]<\/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":[40,6,4,34,16,32,125,7,11,15,18,12,63,2,10,14,88,35,41,82,9,36,19,24,67,99,110,5,27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-63","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-barbera","category-cabernet-franc","category-cabernet-sauvignon","category-carignane","category-chardonnay","category-chenin-blanc","category-colombard","category-grenache","category-grenache-blanc","category-marsanne","category-merlot","category-mourvedre","category-nebbiolo","category-petit-verdot","category-petite-sirah","category-pinot-noir","category-port","category-primitivo","category-riesling","category-rose","category-roussanne","category-sangiovese","category-sauvignon-blanc","category-tempranillo","category-teroldego","category-torrontes","category-valdiguie","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\/63","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=63"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blog.sostevinobile.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.sostevinobile.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=63"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.sostevinobile.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=63"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.sostevinobile.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=63"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}