{"id":90,"date":"2009-12-10T00:11:00","date_gmt":"2009-12-10T00:11:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.sostevinobile.com\/?p=90"},"modified":"2009-12-10T00:11:00","modified_gmt":"2009-12-10T00:11:00","slug":"marcs-flat-out-mean-lean-post-thanksgiving-slimdown-the-sequel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.sostevinobile.com\/?p=90","title":{"rendered":"Marc\u2019s flat-out mean & lean post-Thanksgiving slimdown: the sequel"},"content":{"rendered":"

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I didn\u2019t do so well last week. 1,788 words when I was aiming to come in under 1,000. And that was meant to include this entry, as well! I just hope all will be forgiven by the time I reach the end of the electronic page this time!<\/span><\/font><\/div>\n
I wanted to get my review of Holiday in Carneros<\/a><\/font> out before December, but the demands of raising funds for <\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/font>Sostevinobile<\/span><\/span><\/font><\/span><\/span><\/strong> occupy front and center for Your West Coast Oenophile<\/strong>. I am determined to generate a financial tsunami this month!<\/span><\/font><\/div>\n
It was another kind of tempestuous storm that afflicted my very temperamental digestive system on the morning before I set out for Carneros. If only Jacuzzi<\/a><\/font> had a Jacuzzi at their winery! Or, failing that, a stiff shot of grappa to quell my agita<\/strong><\/em>. Instead, I settled for a few gulps of olive oil, great hospitality, and some splendid wines.<\/span><\/font><\/div>\n
The formal event paired an assortment of Italian appetizers with their 2008 Gilia\u2019s Vernaccia<\/strong>, an appealing 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon<\/strong>, and the 2006 Rosso di Sette Fratelli<\/strong>, a Merlot named for the brothers who founded the various Jacuzzi enterprises. But, as Tasting Room Manager Teresa Hernando quickly showed me, the winery\u2019s true forte is in its wide range of Italian varietals and blends. Given my self-imposed limitations for the afternoon, I skipped the 2007 Pinot Grigio<\/strong> and opted for the 2008 Arneis<\/strong> before moving onto a selection of reds. Here I bypassed the 2006 Primitivo and, surprisingly, the 2006 Sangiovese<\/strong> for a sample of the 2006 Aleatico<\/strong>, their Mendocino 2007 Barbera<\/strong>, and the incredible 2007 Nebbiolo <\/strong>from Carneros. As often happens, my retasting of the 2006 Lagrein<\/strong> seemed less sweet than it had at the Napa Valley Wine & Grape Expo<\/a><\/font>, thereby mitigating my disappointment in Whitcraft<\/a><\/font>\u2019s discontinuation of this varietal. With time pressing, I thanked Teresa and promised to return for a more comprehensive tasting in the near future, making mental notes of their family commemoratives, the 2006 Giuseppina<\/strong>, the 2005 Valeriano<\/strong>, as well as their Chardonnay, the 2006 Bianco di Sei Sorelle <\/strong>(Six Sister\u2019s White<\/em>)<\/em>. Seven brothers + six sisters = 13 siblings! Is it any wonder we associate hot tubs with\u2026?<\/span><\/font><\/div>\n
My friend Sasha Verhage from Eno<\/a><\/font> had told me a while back about his satellite tasting room in the Cornerstone Place complex just down the road from Jacuzzi, and while the tasting collective Grange Sonoma<\/a><\/font> was not pouring his wines, they did feature a number of their other members, which gave me the opportunity to try the 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley<\/strong> from Mantra<\/a>. Around the corner, the wafts of wood-fired pizza lured me to <\/font>Roshambo<\/a><\/font>\u2019s new base of operations since <\/font>Turley<\/a><\/font> acquired their Dry Creek winery. Sales manager Steve Morvai offered generous pours of the <\/font>2006 Justice Syrah<\/strong> and the <\/font>2006 Rock<\/strong>, an equal blend of Zinfandel, Syrah and Petite Syrah, while enticing me with descriptions of his own Syrah project, <\/font>Les Caves Roties de Pente<\/strong><\/em>, a Bonny Doon-like tweak of a renowned Rh\u00f4ne producer. Another Cornerstone tenant, <\/font>Larson Family Winery<\/a><\/font>, poured a selection of both their own label, and Sadler-Wells, a joint venture between proprietress Becky Larson and Jean Spear, a veteran wine marketer. While I found both the <\/font>2005 Sadler-Wells Chardonnay Carneros<\/strong> and the <\/font>2005 Sadler-Wells Pinot Noir Sonoma Coas<\/strong>t<\/strong> perfectly amiable wines, the <\/font>2006 Larson Family Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma Valley<\/strong> proved the true standout.<\/font><\/span><\/font><\/div>\n
I think I failed to locate Bonneau<\/a><\/font>\u2019s tasting room on Bonneau Road because it was housed inside the Carneros Deli. My loss, I am sure, but the reception I received at Schug<\/a><\/font> amply mitigated for my miscalculation. Despite their legendary prowess, I initially tried to beg off from sampling their selection of Pinot Noir (too much sensory overload from the previous day\u2019s PinotFest<\/a><\/font>) and pared their much-welcomed bowl of Creamy Wild Mushroom Soup with both the 2006 Merlot Sonoma Valley<\/strong> and the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma Valley<\/strong>. However, an introduction to scion Axel Schug convinced me to indulge in their truly wonderful 2007 Pinot Noir Carneros<\/strong>, along with the equally appealing 2004 Cabernet Reserve<\/strong>. Only the many stops still on my itinerary kept m
\ne from sampling the rest of their library wines being poured.<\/span><\/font><\/div>\n
If you produce both wines, why would you call one Pinot Grigio<\/strong><\/em> and the other Pinot Blanc<\/strong><\/em> (or, for that matter, Pinot Gris<\/strong> and Pinot Bianco<\/strong>)<\/em>? Granted, I understand the marketing concept, but the linguist in me argues for consistency. Allora<\/strong><\/em>, my query seemed to generate a bit of bewilderment at Robledo Family Winery<\/a><\/font>, which perhaps should call the pair Pinot Gris<\/strong><\/em> and Pinot Blanco<\/strong> (or so my Easy Translator widget indicates). <\/em>Rhetorical conundrums notwithstanding, I was immensely please finally to meet this pioneering family and experience their hospitality. Patriarch Reynaldo Robledo\u2019s storied ascendancy from farmhand to winery owner has been well documented on their Website and in other media, but their wines demonstrate that this evolution is far more than a Horatio Alger tale. I did appreciate both the above-mentioned 2006 Pinot Grigio<\/strong> and the 2006 Pinot Blanc<\/strong>, but the eye-opener was their 2005 El Rey Cabernet Sauvignon<\/strong>, an exceptional Lake County varietal. Even more striking, the 2005 Los Braceros<\/strong>, a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah, pays homage both to the Robledo\u2019s roots as well as their winemaking virtuosity. <\/span><\/font><\/div>\n
For some reason, I\u2019d always thought Adastra<\/a><\/font> was a Paso Robles winery. The name sounds like a Paso Robles name. As I crossed over to the Napa portion of Carneros to visit their ramshackle barn, it even felt like Paso Robles. But Dr. Chris Thorpe\u2019s certified organic winery is authentically Carneros, and it only takes a sip of winemaker Pam Starr\u2019s opulent Pinot Noir, the 2006 Adastra Proximus<\/strong> to recognize the winery\u2019s sense of place. No Miles Raymond dilemma here\u2014I found the 2006 Adastra Merlot<\/strong> as enticing as the Pinot, while the 2007 Ed\u2019s Red<\/strong>, Adastra\u2019s second label, <\/span>proved an intriguing blend of <\/span><\/font>43% Syrah, 39% Zinfandel, 13% Petite Sirah, 4% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot<\/span><\/font>. <\/span><\/font><\/div>\n
Burgundy and Bordeaux took center stage at nearby McKenzie-Mueller<\/a><\/font>, a boutique winery just across the street. The 2006 Pinot Noir <\/strong>and 2006 Chardonnay <\/strong>made a nice introduction to this previously unfamiliar label, but winemaker Bob Mueller\u2019s forte lay in the components of a Meritage, in particular the 2005 Merlot, <\/strong>the 2004 Cabernet Franc<\/strong>, and the truly outstanding 2006 Malbec<\/strong>. Even the curious strains of a male folk duo singing Eartha Kitt\u2019s Santa Baby<\/a> <\/font>could not detract from this delightfully unpretentious destination.<\/span><\/font><\/div>\n
As laidback as Adasta and McKenzie-Mueller may have been, Ceja<\/a><\/font> proved just as ebullient. Pint-sized owner Amelia Mor\u00e1n Ceja made a most irrepressible hostess as she escorted me back to the bocce courts for a taste of tri-tip that I washed down with a generous pour of its perfect complement, the 2005 Syrah Sonoma Coast<\/strong>. The 2006 Pinot Noir Sonoma Co<\/strong>ast certainly held its own, but their trademark Pinot Noir\/Syrah\/ Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 Vino de Casa Red Blend<\/strong> seemed positively redolent. I managed to taste their 2005 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon<\/strong> while listening to Amelia expound her recipe for the risotto she was readying to prepare for 37 or so family and friends, then headed out to complete my loop for the afternoon.<\/span><\/font><\/div>\n
Alas, the hour I spent at Ceja meant I missed the last moments at \u00c9tude<\/a><\/font>, who was just closing down as I entered the new tasting room. Michael Mondavi\u2019s Folio<\/a><\/font>, with its seemingly incongruous Irish flag out front, also was unattainable, so I headed over, as promised, to the Carneros Inn and FARM, their onsite restaurant from the Plump Jack<\/a> Hospitality Group. The setting was warm; the pulchritudinous Ms. Cheung\u2019s effusive greeting even warmer. As if I hadn\u2019t sampled enough wines this afternoon, she poured me a complimentary selection from her wine list and sent over a much-appreciated bowl of Truffle Fries. Just the reinvigoration I needed before heading back to San Francisco.<\/font><\/span><\/font><\/div>\n
Was my entire excursion to Carneros merely a pretext to visit Yvonne? A chance to see her hard at work in her role as manager\/sommelier? Or maybe a promising portent for <\/span><\/font><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/font>Sostevinobile<\/span><\/span><\/font><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/font><\/span>? We may well have to wait to 2010 to find out\u2026<\/span><\/font><\/div>\n

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

I didn\u2019t do so well last week. 1,788 words when I was aiming to come in under 1,000. And that was meant to include this entry, as well! I just hope all will be forgiven by the time I reach the end of the electronic page this time! I wanted to get my review of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[113,106,40,6,4,16,72,17,18,63,2,10,77,108,14,35,36,3,107,27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-90","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-aleatico","category-arneis","category-barbera","category-cabernet-franc","category-cabernet-sauvignon","category-chardonnay","category-lagrein","category-malbec","category-merlot","category-nebbiolo","category-petit-verdot","category-petite-sirah","category-pinot-blanc","category-pinot-grigio","category-pinot-noir","category-primitivo","category-sangiovese","category-syrah","category-vernaccia","category-zinfandel"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.sostevinobile.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90","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=90"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blog.sostevinobile.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.sostevinobile.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=90"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.sostevinobile.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=90"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.sostevinobile.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=90"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}