{"id":67,"date":"2010-07-09T18:54:00","date_gmt":"2010-07-09T18:54:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.sostevinobile.com\/?p=67"},"modified":"2010-07-09T18:54:00","modified_gmt":"2010-07-09T18:54:00","slug":"saved-by-charbono","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.sostevinobile.com\/?p=67","title":{"rendered":"Saved by Charbono"},"content":{"rendered":"

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<\/a> I used to think that this was Larry Ellison\u2019s world and that the rest of us only lived in it. Perhaps, but recently I\u2019ve begun to wonder whether it\u2019s not Tyler Florence<\/span><\/a>\u2019s world, as well. This celebrity chef and star from the Food Network<\/a> not only has his own iPhone app, but seems to be taking over the entire Northern California food scene since his relocation here in 2008 and opening his eponymous food and cookware shop. Recently, he opened Wayfare Tavern<\/a> in the space where Robin Williams, Robert DeNiro, Francis Ford Coppola and restaurateur Drew Nieporent had owned Rubicon<\/a>. Sostevinobile<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/span> feels a kindred bond with this new restaurant for its singular devotion to its California-only wine list<\/a>, a philosophical consistency with its dedication to locally-sourced cuisine and ingredients.
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Coincidentally, Your West Coast Oenophile<\/strong> stumbled upon this new venue the day after attending the 29th Annual Wine & Gourmet Food Tasting<\/a> in Mill Valley<\/a>. Among the numerous food purveyors, which included tents from standout local restaurants\u00a0Balboa Caf\u00e9<\/a>, Bungalow 44<\/a>, Piatti<\/a>, Piazza D\u2019Angelo<\/a>, and Small Shed Flatbreads<\/a>, the Tyler Florence Shop<\/a> held central court sampling selections of CC Made<\/a> caramels, Golden Star Tea<\/a>\u2019s sparkling teas, \u201chealthy granola\u201d from San Franola<\/a>, and an array of oils from The Smoked Olive<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

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But meatballs and sliders and pizza and cupcakes and ice cream, etc., weren\u2019t the reason I had pedaled across the Golden Gate Bridge. Given the major treks I had documented from the previous two weekends, the ride to Mill Valley was a relative sprint, and, after rendezvousing with my inveterate verbal jousting partner Terry Graham outside the Mill Valley Middle School, rolled into Depot Plaza, barely breaking a sweat. Wristbands affixed and tasting glasses in hand, we set about to take in as many of the 70 wineries on hand as could be squeezed into a three hour window.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

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I had been apprised of this event while reviewing Tor Kenward<\/a>\u2019s website as I composed my review of the Taste of Howell Mountain<\/a> that proceed this entry. Having missed his various 2007 Cabernet Sauvignons, I beelined to his table, only to discover that his distributor, Nurit\u00a0Robitschek of Discoveries in Wine<\/a> had elected only to bring his nonetheless excellent 2008 Chardonnay Durell Vineyard<\/strong> and the hitherto unheralded 2007 Grenache Judge Family Vineyard, Hommage Allan<\/strong>. To no surprise, the table next to Tor\u2019s was manned by the indubitable Truchard<\/a>s, a welcome constant at every wine tasting I attend (I had expected them to be pouring at Pinot Days<\/a><\/strong><\/span>, but if anyone were capable of bilocation<\/a>, it would probably be Joanne and Tony)<\/em>. As per usual, the 2006 Cabernet Franc I sampled proved yet another d\u00e9couverte grande<\/em><\/strong>.
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Jan Shrem appeared at neither of the day\u2019s tastings, but I wish he had been on hand to pour his Clos P\u00e9gase<\/a><\/span>. Nevertheless, the rep from Wilson Daniels<\/a> served up the 2008 Chardonnay Mitsuko\u2019s Vineyard<\/strong> quite professionally, along with an enticing 2007 Chardonnay<\/strong> from Sonoma Coast Vineyards<\/a>, and Girard<\/a>\u2019s refreshing 2009 Girard Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley<\/strong> and their premature 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa County<\/strong>. At the next table, I reacquainted myself with White Rock Vineyard<\/a> and met owner Henri Vandendriessche while sampling his 2007 Napa Valley Chardonnay<\/strong>.
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I\u2019d sampled wines from Balletto Vineyards<\/a> on several occasions at the Monday night wine tastings at California Wine Merchant<\/a>, but not had the opportunity to interact with them directly before this gathering<\/span>. Amid exchanging pleasantries, I enjoyed their approachable 2007 Zinfandel<\/strong> but savored both the 2007 Estate Chardonnay<\/strong> and the 2009 Ros\u00e9 of Pinot Noir<\/strong>. Sharing the same table, Bennett Valley\u2019s Baldassari Family Wines<\/a> poured both wines they produce, the 2007 Syrah Nolan Vineyard<\/strong> and the clearly preferable 2007 Syrah Jemrose Vineyard<\/strong>.
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As is often the case with outdoor summer tastings, the afternoon heat often makes keeping wine at a desirable temperature a daunting exercise. Sampling an iced-down wine or semi-cooked red gives no true indication of the wine\u2019s quality, although, at times, a clearly superior wine will manifest a redolence of its potential. Such was the case with Crinella Winery<\/a>, whose superb 2006 Sauvignon Blanc Marino Vineyard<\/strong> rose above the elements; on the other hand, getting a handle on their 2005 Pinot Noir<\/strong> proved far too elusive. The same could be said for Buttonwood Farm<\/a>, a whimsical, sustainably-farmed winery out of Solvang (not to be confused with Buttonwood Farm in Griswold, CT<\/a>, an ice cream enterprise which may have recorded the worst jingle<\/a> in human history)<\/em>, scoring high marks for its 2007 Cabernet Franc<\/strong>, despite the heat, but pouring a 2009 Syrah Ros\u00e9<\/strong> that was impossible to evaluate fairly.<\/span><\/div>\n

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Given that this tasting wasn\u2019t a major industry event (not to mention that it was competing with one less than 10 miles away)<\/em>, it was particularly heartening to discover so many boutique producers and other wineries that had yet to register on Sostevinobile<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/span><\/strong>\u2019s radar. Ray Coursen makes an array of varietal wines and quixotic blends at his Elyse Winery<\/a> and under its premium Jacob Franklin label (Charbono!)<\/em>. I opted to try his striking red and white Rh\u00f4ne mixes sourced from Naggiar Vineyards: the 2006 C\u2019est Si Bon<\/strong> (Grenache, Mourv\u00e8dre, Syrah, Cinsault, Counoise, and Viognier)<\/em> and the 2007 L\u2019Ing\u00e9nue<\/strong> (Roussanne, Marsanne, Viognier and Grenache Blanc)<\/em>.Another Francophone, LeVois Vineyards<\/a> from Sonoma\u2019s Bradford Mountain made a striking first impression with both their 2007 Zinfandel<\/strong> and their 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon<\/strong>.
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Limerick Lane<\/a>, self-styled sole source of the floral Furmint found in the U.S., had been scheduled to pour this afternoon; in its stead, I encountered the alliterative juxtaposition of Lewelling Vineyards<\/a>, Lewis Cellars<\/a>, and Lucas & Lewellen Vineyards<\/a>. Starting with Lucas & Lewellen, a winery highly focused on Italian varietals, I relished both their off-dry 2009 Mandolina Malvasia Bianca<\/strong> and the complex 2007 Mandolina Toccata<\/strong>, an atypical Super Tuscan blend of Sangiovese and Freisa with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot. By comparison, Lewis Cellars appeared a bit more conservative, pouring a muscular 2007 Syrah Napa Valley<\/strong> alongside their more tame 2009 Vin Gris<\/strong>, a ros\u00e9 of Syrah. And Lewelling remained true to its St. Helena roots, with a 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon<\/strong> and a newly released 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon<\/strong> showing strong intimations of future complexity.
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My next four stops covered wineries with which I have long been acquainted. Sonoma\u2019s MacRostie Winery<\/a>, the crown jewel of 8th Street East, garners most of its press for its Chardonnays, but I elected to bypass these selections for the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley<\/strong>, a most fortuitous choice. Honig<\/a>, a Rutherford winery that originally operated a mere two blocks away in Pacific Heights, cuts its viticultural teeth with Sauvignon Blanc, and still makes this wine its forte, as the 2008 Sauvignon Blanc Rutherford <\/strong>abundantly displayed; I found its red brethren, the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon<\/strong>, equally appealing. Silverado Trail\u2019s esteemed Signorello Estate<\/a> held its own with their 2006 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, and, frankly, the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley<\/strong> from Frank Family Vineyard<\/a> tasted on par with its best vintages.
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While this year\u2019s tasting featured a number of wineries from Italy, France, Spain\u2014three of the past four Wold Cup Champions\u2014and New Zealand, I bypassed these tables, in keeping with Sostevinobile<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/span>\u2019s parameters. I also skipped several of the wine distributors on hand, having sampled their clients\u2019 wines on numerous occasions. I did, however, stop by the table for Northwest Wines in order to partake of Owen Roe.<\/a> This unique winery, based in Oregon but encompassing Washington vineyards as well, blends a mind-boggling\u00a024% Zinfandel, 22% Sangiovese, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Syrah, 10% Merlot, 7%, Cabernet Franc, 6% Blaufr\u00e4nkish, and 4% Malbec to craft its fine 2008 Abbott\u2019s Table<\/strong>. Closer to home, Odisea Wine Company<\/a> in Danville offered its own idiosyncratic m\u00e9lange, the wonderfully named 2006 Veritable Quandary<\/strong>, a Spanish-Rh\u00f4ne blend of\u00a040% Verdelho, 25% Roussanne, 20% Marsanne, and 15% Viognier. As if to compensate for this non-traditional mix, they also presented a straightforward 2009 Grenache Blanc<\/strong>, a stellar wine.<\/span> <\/span><\/div>\n

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I noted in my previous entry a certain remorse at having opted to skip the Grand Tasting for Pinot Days <\/span>in committing to this festival. Fortunately, Paul Mathew Winery<\/a> elected to do likewise and so validated my decision with two superb interpretations of this varietal, the 2007 Ruxton Vineyard Pinot Noir<\/strong> and the 2007 TnT Vineyard Pinot Noir<\/strong>. Promoters of the Marin tasting pointed extolled the return appearance of Pride Mountain<\/a>, which lived up to this advanced billing both with its well-balanced 2009 Viognier <\/strong>and a standout 2007 Pride Merlot<\/strong>.
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True wine connoisseurs know you shouldn\u2019t judge a wine by its label, even though somewhere in the order of 90% of all wine sales are predicated by how buyer responds visually to the label<\/span> (how well I remember debating Louis P. Martini<\/a> back in the 1980s on the merits of his then-antiquated label)<\/em>! My visceral, albeit initial response Speedy Creek Winery\u2019s labels was rather dismissive, but then I sampled their trio of extremely satisfying wines: the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Knights Valley<\/strong>, the 2007 Zinfandel KnightsValley<\/strong>, and their particularly appealing 2006 Sangiovese<\/strong>. No such dilemma influenced my perception of Robert Rue Vineyard<\/a>, which matched the bold wines they poured: the 2007 Wood Road Reserve Zinfandel<\/strong> and the even more compelling\u00a02006 Wood Road Reserve Zinfandel<\/strong><\/span> with an unambiguous label (however, if they ever try to come out with a Bob Street second label)\u2026<\/span>
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The Mill Valley Wine & Gourmet Food Tasting<\/strong><\/span> boasted over 70 wineries in attendance, and had there been more time, I might have sampled each of the ventures not mentioned here that Sostevinobil<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/strong><\/span>e<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/strong><\/span> has covered at numerous other events. For what is essentially a celebration of wine and food (as opposed to an industry promotion)<\/em>, I was astounded at both the quality and the breadth of the participants that the festival promoters and the Mill Valley Chamber of Commerce were able to draw. Truly, this was no small town affair.
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I finished the afternoon with a winery that I had somehow missed, despite its position right next to my first stop of the afternoon. Hiding behind a pair of overpriced sunglasses, Summer Estate Wines<\/a> volunteer pourer Susan Hopp appeared incognito, until I read her name tag.Now, back in the days before I fully appreciated my own predilection for miscegenation, Susan was not quite a friend, not even a paramour, but someone with whom I had shared a bond that ought to have sprung certain feelings of amity at this re-encounter. Ah, but for a lingering acerbity I struggle to comprehend!<\/span><\/div>\n

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I found I very much admired Summer Estate\u2019s unoaked 2008 La Nude Chardonnay<\/strong><\/span> and their exceptional 2006 Andriana\u2019s Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon<\/strong>, but was perfectly willing to allow my visceral reaction to this overt snub to leave me hopping mad and willing to dismiss the winery outright (after all, with over 2,100 wineries now on <\/em>Sostevinobile<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/strong><\/span>\u2019s<\/em> roster, overlooking one Chard and one Cab isn\u2019t going to alter our wine program to any measurable degree)<\/em>. But the cycle back to San Francisco mitigated much of the perceived affront, and my Internet investigation revealed the pivotal position Summer Estate and its owners, Jim and Beth Summers, play in establishing Charbono as a significant California varietal. I plan to visit on my next swing through Calistoga.
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Shortly after Susan had relocated from Michigan to San Francisco, I was quite bemused to hear her chastise me for purchasing a Toyota instead of a Detroit-made car\u2014while she was driving a BMW 320i! Now that she is earning an\u00a0MBA Studies in Sustainable Management at the Presidio Graduate School<\/a>, I hope she will be enabled to make more consistent critical discernment. After all,\u00a0Sostevinobil<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/strong><\/span>e<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span> strives to embrace all the genuine advocates for sustainability we can find.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

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A seat at the bar will be waiting\u2026
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<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I used to think that this was Larry Ellison\u2019s world and that the rest of us only lived in it. Perhaps, but recently I\u2019ve begun to wonder whether it\u2019s not Tyler Florence\u2019s world, as well. This celebrity chef and star from the Food Network not only has his own iPhone app, but seems to be […]<\/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":[136,6,4,28,16,45,81,135,137,7,11,17,70,15,18,12,14,82,9,36,19,3,57,5,27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-67","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blaufrankish","category-cabernet-franc","category-cabernet-sauvignon","category-charbono","category-chardonnay","category-cinsault","category-counoise","category-freisa","category-furmint","category-grenache","category-grenache-blanc","category-malbec","category-malvasia-bianca","category-marsanne","category-merlot","category-mourvedre","category-pinot-noir","category-rose","category-roussanne","category-sangiovese","category-sauvignon-blanc","category-syrah","category-verdelho","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\/67","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=67"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blog.sostevinobile.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.sostevinobile.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=67"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.sostevinobile.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=67"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.sostevinobile.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=67"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}