Yes, that’s right! We hosted an Armenian wine dinner. I can hear the usual questions like “Where is it?” and “They make wine there?” It’s a little country in between Russia, Georgia, Iran, Turkey and Azerbaijan, and they have been making wine since about 400 BC. Nowadays, they are making some mighty fine high-quality wine. I’m going to tell you all about the Armenian wines we poured right here in our Southwest Florida home, the food we prepared in our kitchens to serve with it and show you the pictures. First, here is a little background as to how we got transported to Armenia…………….
The Classic White from Karas in Armavir, Armenia
I’ve been to plenty of wine dinner and tasting events during my “career” as a wine lover, where wine has been poured from numerous wine regions and countries – the usual California, Oregon and Washington plus France and Italy. And sometimes Spain, Portugal and Germany plus the Southern Continental countries of Argentina, Chile, Argentina and New Zealand. Sorry, I know I left out a lot of great wine regions.
The culinary part of each event has usually (hopefully!) been carefully thought out by someone who obviously understands the nuances of pairing food with wine. And believe me, as someone who has paired numerous wine tastings and dinners with food that will make both elements shine and look like superstars, IT IS NOT EASY!!!! My professional life was in the world of food and food management. I think the wine part came along as a natural progression, and I didn’t get paid for that part of it! I’ve done all of my wine research and wine pairing dinners because I really really love to do it. This is my new life beyond paid working.And the very best part? Sharing with friends, especially those who also appreciate it!
Another quite unexpected challenge for me right now was to “scale back” on the size of our wine dinners due to the current situation that calls for extra safe practices. Our goal is (and has always been) to keep us and our guests safe and healthy.
Let’s get down to the wine dinner at hand – AN ARMENIAN ADVENTURE: “From Ararat to Areni”. I watched some “live” internet interviews with Armenian wine makers hosted by Charine Tan and Matthew Horkey of “Exotic Wine Travel”, and the winemakers sounded so passionate about their Armenian wines; not to mention they had some of the best winemaking consultants in the world. I really knew very little about Armenian wine at the time except for what I had read in Charine and Matthew’s book “Uncorking the Caucasus: Wines from Turkey, Armenia and Georgia”. Since I had nothing else going on to capture my interest – after all we were in the middle of a world-wide pandemic and stay-at-home orders here in Florida – devoting some major time to researching Armenia and even better, searching out and buying some of their wines suddenly seemed very important to me. Nothing worthwhile is ever easy so they say, and it kept me busy for several months. The good news is that not only did I learn about Armenia, the grapes, wines and winemakers, but I successfully sourced some of those wines. And the wines even showed up at my front door! Now this was serious as I knew the next step was learning about Armenian cuisine and selecting some foods that would showcase these very deserving wines. After all, they had travelled a long way from the mountains and plains of Armenia and deserved to show off their best side here in Florida.
If you would like to learn more about those grapes and wines, here is the link to my last article “An Armenian Adventure: From Ararat to Areni” https://www.forkandcorkdivine.com/?p=3735
Here is the final result of my menu planning and wine pairing along with the pictures of our amazingly delicious food, the wines and oh yes indeed those wines were worth every bit of effort that went into this event!
Armenian cuisine reflects a cuisine similar to many countries in the Caucasus area, but each country – and quite often each region within each country – has their own regional differences. You often hear people say that every grandmother puts their own twist on regional cooking, and that is also true here in Armenia. Lamb, pork, eggplant and lavash bread are basic to Armenia as is bulgur, lots of herbs (especially fresh) , legumes, nuts and fresh and dried fruits like apricots, pomegranates and lemons. Cheese and yogurt are also staples and eaten daily. These are just a few of the traditional foods that one would expect to find while visiting Armenia. And then there is the local “street food” that you should try to experience when visiting a country.
Since we only had a four course dinner plus some sweets to go with our brandy, it was a bit of a challenge to serve menu items that made a rounded menu, showcased our wines, and were also foods that we could source the ingredients for and prepare. Never one to miss out on a good challenge, I do think we accomplished our objectives! Please enjoy the menu and pictures.
Our Armenian Adventure dinner table is waiting. No matter how many guests are present, they will always receive a printed menu, wine notes and a copy of “Quick Sip Tips”.
An Armenian Adventure
Appetizers
I always enjoy planning and serving the appetizer course. It sets the tone for the rest of your meal and should showcase the country as much as possible. It also really helps if your dinner guests like everything you serve in this course. We want to get that positive vibe going!!!!
Cheese is a staple and one of the best known is Chechil, or Armenian string cheese. It’s a white cheese typically made from goat or sheep milk, comes studded with tiny little black seeds called nigella seeds, and is all wound up in a thick circular braid. It’s similar to fresh mozzarella but saltier. To serve it, I had to unbraid it and pull apart all of those strings of cheese. This was one of those items that I had to source on the internet. A company called Parthenon Foods, a European market in Wisconsin, was quite happy to sell me their products! Goat cheese is also quite popular, but I opted to shop my local supermarket.
Bastirma can be spelled many ways as most of the language there depends upon which country you may have originated from, but it is lovingly, I’m sure, referred to as Armenian beef jerky. It is a highly seasoned, air-dried cured beef found in Armenia, Turkey, Greece and many other countries in this part of the world. It’s very similar to Italian bresaola and may be served as a sandwich, on top of pizza, with eggs, or just about any way you might also serve pastrami or prosciutto. I opted to add it to my appetizer plate simply sliced along with the cheeses. Parthenon Foods came through by shipping me a little package of it. It came sliced so thin, that it was difficult even to divide the individual slices. And yes, it is very salty!!!
Eggplant was a MUST to appear somewhere in this menu, and when I found beautiful pictures of Armenian rolled eggplant salad, I knew it absolutely had to be on this appetizer plate. Eggplant is served in many ways in Armenia, but this version called for vertically and thinly slicing eggplant, then frying it and spreading on a filling of sour cream, yogurt, chopped walnuts and garlic onto each browned slice. Then roll each slice up into a little “rollatini”, arrange on a serving plate, and garnish with beautiful crunchy pomegranate seeds and some fresh chopped dill. I served these gorgeous little rolls at room temperature, and they were delicious!
Since I happened to have some pomegranate molasses (more to come about that later!), I decided not to serve plain old olives and went for Persian style. It seems if you add finely chopped walnuts, garlic, mint and pomegranate molasses to your olives – green preferred – you have created Persian olives. They were full of flavor, but I really think it is an acquired taste!
Last up with the appetizer round, but not at all least, was LAVASH. No visit to Armenian food would ever be complete without lavash bread. It is so important that I even bought a cookbook called “Lavash” by Kate Leahy, John Lee and Ara Zada published in 2019. In fact lavash was added to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list in 2014. I had difficulty locating authentic lavash locally, thought about buying it on the internet, then studied several recipes before finally deciding “I can do this!”. I spent two afternoons trying my hand at lavash-making and hoping that I might end up with something not too embarrassing to serve our guests. Lavash is a thin unleavened flatbread typically baked in a very hot oven and eaten in all of the countries of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran and Turkey. Some people say it originated in Armenia and others say probably Iran. And of course it’s impossible to decide who made it first! The two recipes I tried my hand at were quite different, but the second one actually looked like the pictures on the recipe. I added sumac, black sesame seeds and sea salt to this one, so it even had some taste to it. I will venture to make lavash again some day, but not for quite a while!
Armenian String Cheese
Herbed Goat Cheese
Bastirma
Armenian Rolled Eggplant Salad
Persian Olives
Lavash Crackers Lavash Bread
An Armenian appetizer plate ready for service
Armenian Rolled Eggplant Salad
My lavash baking in the oven
My second round of lavash baking………complete with sumac and black sesame seeds.
Karas Extra Brut NV, Armavir, Armenia (100% Rkatsiteli)
Karas Sparkling is generally made from a blend of Colombard, Folle Blanche and Kangun however the sparkling we recently were able to purchase was made from 100% Rkatsiteli according to the label. It was light yellow in color with delicate and elegant bubbles displaying citric and fresh aromas with notes of toasted bread. The grapes were hand harvested, pressed and decanted for 24 hours, then fermented at 14-16 degrees C for 20 days. The second fermentation took place in special pressure tanks for 30 days. We have tasted non-sparkling Rkatsiteli before and enjoyed it, so we were not surprised that it also made a good sparkling. We would really have enjoyed tasting that blend including Kangun. Maybe another time.
Karas is a fairly new winery compared to the rest of the country. It’s located in the Ararat Valley in the west of the Armavir Region. The owners left Armenia many years ago choosing to live in Argentina where they own a successful premium vineyard property in Patagonia. Now they are also making wine sustainably using old family traditions plus their new modern technology while Mount Ararat watches over them in Armenia. Their consultant winemaker is the famous Michel Rolland from Bordeaux, France.
First
Armenia is a mountainous landlocked country, and even though they do serve quite a bit of fish there, a lake trout would probably have been ideal. However my internet search gave me a recipe for pomegranate glazed salmon which sounded like a seafood dish my guests would really enjoy. After all we had to have pomegranates somewhere in our menu! Of course even the preparation of this salmon dish could not go without challenges! The glaze called for pomegranate molasses – another specialty item to conquer! I took the easy way out and made my own from a very simple recipe of cooking down pomegranate juice, sugar and lemon. Perfect! The salmon was marinated in soy and ginger based citrus juices for about an hour, then brushed with the pomegranate glaze and broiled. Easy!
I decided to serve this as a room temperature salad course and include another Armenian staple – bulgur. One of my foodie friends took on the challenge of making “eech” for us. Eech is an Armenian bulgur salad that’s a mixture of bulgur, onions, tomato paste, parsley and red pepper. This version called for red pepper paste (that’s gojuchang at our house), and the finished salad was ever so tasty. The glazed salmon and eech looked beautiful on a bed of lettuce garnished with fresh blueberries, strawberries, scallions and of course some pomegranate seeds. It was a culinary work of art!
Pomegranate-Glazed Salmon on Eech (Armenian Bulgur Salad)
2017 Karas Classic White, Armavir
(Kangun 50%, Chardonnay 40% and Viognier 20%)
The Karas white blend gave us a taste of Kangun plus Chardonnay and Viognier. It was yellow in the glass with subtle shades of green, aromas of pear, peach and pineapple; it was floral and spicy on the palate with a fairly long finish and it paired perfectly with our pomegranate-glazed salmon, eech bulgur salad, fresh berries and pomegranate seeds.
Second
No visit to Armenian cuisine (whether actually in Armenia or at our house!) would be complete with an Armenian version of “fast food”, “street food” or “comfort food”. It seems that many cultures have their own version of pizza and this is it! Whether you call it lahmajoon or lahmacun, you will get a a very thin crust slice of whole pizza shape with a very very spicy ground meat topping that gets served with a splash of lemon juice and maybe some parsley. To eat it in true Armenian fast food style, you fold it over in quarters and eat it with your fingers. The crust has to be soft and foldable, so Chuck made our Armenian pizza with very soft tortilla shells as recommended in a recipe. The ground meat mixture (can be lamb or beef) is definitely spicy with black pepper, red pepper flakes, cayenne and Aleppo pepper if you have some. Notice I did not mention cheese!
Lahmajoon/Lahmacun (Armenian Pizza)
Armenian pizza – we opted to use a knife and fork!
2016 Karas Classic Red Blend, Armavir
(Syrah 35%, Cot 35%, Cabernet Franc 20%, Tannat 10%)
The Karas red blend was quite a blend but one that we thoroughly enjoyed! The grapes were hand harvested then cold macerated and followed by fermentation at 26-28 degrees C for 20 days. The malolactic fermentation took place in tanks. It was elegant with good acidity, sweet tannins, fruity aromas and was easy to drink especially paired with our Armenian pizza.
Third
The fact that there would be some type of kebab on our Armenian menu was definitely a given! Lula, shish, ground meat, whole meat, lamb, beef, chicken, pork …………so many variations. Going with our production limitations, we opted for lamb and vegetable skewers cooked on the grill pan of our gas stovetop. Chuck bought some gorgeous bite-size boneless leg of lamb chunks from our local Mario’s meat department, marinated them overnight in olive oil, lemon juice, herbs and spices. He also prepared some boneless chicken breast as an option. On the day of service, Chuck gave the meat and beautiful mushrooms, onions and peppers a first cook on the stove top grill basting them with the marinade while cooking. Next he threaded everything on our longest metal skewers and gave them a final searing on the stove top just before service.
Pilaf is a common dish in Armenian cuisine. It’s a seasoned rice, bulgur or other grain that you will often be served with lamb or beef. Many Armenian recipes add vermicelli or orzo to be cooked with the rice, and I opted to add vermicelli with some golden raisins and almonds with some green peas thrown in for some needed color. The result was a beautiful bowl of pilaf topped with a colorful shish kebab.
Armenian Shish Kebab and Rice Pilaf
Marinated lamb or chicken broiled with onions, peppers, mushrooms and tomatoes
Accompanied by Armenian rice pilaf with raisins and almonds
The Zorah Karasi Areni was aged in the traditional large, clay amphorae (also called karasi) for about 12 months. Zorah’s Karasi wines are a tribute to the ancient winemaking traditions of their ancestors. The wine was 100% Areni grapes that were grown at 1400 meters a.s.l. in sandy soil, rich in limestone and large stones. It was bright ruby red with very complex aromas of red fruits, lightly spiced with elegant toasted notes on the nose; then full bodied and well balanced with very silky ripe tannins. We absolutely loved the Areni Noir wine. Areni Noir are red grapes indigenous to the Vayots Dzor region from the famous little town named Areni in southern Armenia. They make medium to light bodied known for cherries and spice.
Zorik Gharibian, Zorah’s owner, was quite successful in the Milan, Italy fashion industry before deciding to come back to his native Armenia and make wine. He and his wife began Zorah in the village of Rind in the Areni region in 1998 with the goals of making wine from native grapes, aging it in amphorae and having the credentials of high powered winemaking consultants. We think they succeeded! The vineyards are way up at 4500 feet a.s.l. with a mix of volcanic and sedimentary rock, sandy soil rich in limestone in an area that is phylloxerra-free. The wines are aged for around 12 months in the karas of varying sizes – some are buried in the ground while others are above the ground each giving a unique quality to the wine. Zorah Wines are highly acclaimed and if you can find a bottle, it will cost at least $35, well worth every penny! And if you don’t believe me, check out the Bloomberg list of top wines for 2012 – a Zorah Karasi Areni was one of the top 10 way back then.
2016 Yacoubian-Hobbs “Sarpina” Areni, Vayots Dzor
All we could say after drinking that Zorah Areni and then this Yacoubian-Hobbs Sarpina Areni was “WOW”. It was almost unbelievable how much we enjoyed these wines!
Viken Yacoubian drank a Paul Hobbs Pinot Noir back in 2003 and liked it so much that eventually the two of them decided to make wine together in Armenia. They officially became partners in 2008, settled on the Vayots Dzor region almost right across from the now famous Areni-1 cave complex where winemaking evidence was found dating back over 6,000 years. Their vineyards are 1200 meters high up in the rocky volcanic and limestone soils where they grow and produce their now world-famous wines. The Areni wines are aged in French oak and produced in very small case lots. Believe me, if you get a chance to buy one or at least taste it, please please do!. The Sarpina is named for the posts used to train the vines which is recorded in Armenian agricultural history books. Our bottle of 2016 Sarpina Areni was quite complex with intense aromatics of ripe red cherries, black plums and dried flowers, followed up by vanilla, cinnamon and chocolate. It was elegant, full of velvety tannins and a long finish. It was exquisite.
ArArAt Brandy and Sweets
I never set out to feature and serve brandy at this dinner, but the more I learned about Armenia, the grapes and wines – and especially the importance of Armenian brandy – it became mandatory that I source a bottle of brandy and serve it with some recommended pairings. I was so glad that I did, because not only did our desserts get rave reviews, but this 10 year old Ararat brandy made by the Yerevan Brandy Company won the surprise grand prize for the night.
Brandy has probably been made in Armenia since the 12th century, but we do know that when Shustov and Sons took their Armenian brandy to the 1900 Universal Expo of Paris, they beat out Cognac in a blind tasting! This was so unheard of that they earned the right to call their brandy “Cognac”; however, just like Champagne that right ended. Yes, “Cognac” must come from the French commune of Cognac in Southwest France. Shustov went on to become the Yerevan Brandy Company which is Armenia’s largest brandy producer today. There are more brandy distillers per capita in Yerevan than any other city in the world. Yerevan Brandy was purchased in 1999 by the French company Pernod Ricard. Products are labeled and marketed as “ArArAt”.
This particular 10 year old brandy was everything promised in the tasting notes: rich mahogany color, dark fruit on the nose with exotic tropical spices and notes of vanilla and butterscotch. On the palate, we enjoyed the creamy texture and notes of figs, apricots, raisins and pears. It was a long enjoyable finish with cinnamon and toasty oak. Just outstanding!!! My internet research recommended everything that we served to pair with it – dark chocolate, Camembert and dried figs and apricots dipped in more dark chocolate. But the star in the crown was my foodie friend’s homemade Armenian orange cake that was ever so tasty with that brandy. I have a new respect for brandy aficionados. And orange cake bakers around the world!
Armenian Orange Cake
Chocolate Dipt Dried Figs and Apricots
Dark Chocolate Truffles
Camembert
Ararat 10 Yr Akhtamar Brandy by the Yerevan Brandy Company
And so it was that five outstanding Armenian wines and a 10 year old Armenian brandy were enjoyed with our forkandcorkdivine version of Armenian cuisine. In my opinion the wines were all worthy of sourcing and serving, and I am quite sure our guests agreed with me. We liked our three wines made by Karas – a sparkling, a white and a red blend – but unfortunately their reserve wine of 100% Areni was unavailable at the time of my wine shipment. Of course that was the one I especially wanted to serve. The Zorah Karasi Areni Noir and the Yacoubian-Hobbs Sarpina Areni were both outstanding, and I would happily drink them anytime! Our Armenian food was quite delicious and showcased those wines just as I had hoped. Once again I must thank our foodie winelover friends who support me in making these wine adventures come to reality even if they are a bit out of the normal wine drinking experience. That is my goal! Who knows where our next adventure will take us?
Armenia is a small landlocked mountainous country at the southern end of the Eurasian Caucasus. The Eurasian Caucasus consists of Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia. For those of us, including me, who were not really sure where to find Armenia, picture this: Russia and Georgia are to the north; Iran is to the south; Turkey is west and the Black Sea beyond. Azerbaijan is on the Eastern border and the Caspian Sea further east. As to the Caucasus, that’s a mountainous region between Europe and Asia lying between the Black Sea (west) and the Caspian Sea (east). Now that we know where it is, let’s start our adventure by zooming in on one of the most famous sights in all of Armenia – Mount Ararat.
Mount Ararat is a dormant volcano reaching almost 17,000 feet up in the air at its highest point. Ararat isn’t even in Armenia. It is actually located in extreme eastern Turkey. The mountain has been called Ararat since the Middle Ages and is considered by many as the resting place of Noah’s Ark even though the Bible does not specifically refer to a Mt. Ararat, but rather the mountainous region of the land of Ararat. The mountain may be physically located in Turkey, but it is a national symbol of Armenia where it is considered to be sacred. In fact it is depicted on the Armenian coat of arms along with Noah’s Ark and is known as the “holy mountain” of the Armenian people. Armenia was the first Christian kingdom in the world.
The border with Turkey is quite controversial especially since many Armenians once lived in the land west of Ararat which used to be part of their homeland, and is now part of Turkey. If they want to see Mount Ararat, sadly they have to look at it from far away. Luckily you can see it from many houses in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, as well as settlements in the Ararat plain. Greater Ararat and Little Ararat make up the two distinct cones of this famous volcano that last erupted in 1840 killing up to 10,000 people in the region. Relations between Turkey and Armenia are at best non-existent and the border between the two countries remains closed. Armenians will have to continue looking at Mount Ararat from afar. The Armenian border with Azerbaijan is also closed due to an on-going conflict ever since the Nagorno-Karabakh War of the 1990s, an ethnic territorial conflict between the Armenians living in that region and the Republic of Azerbaijan. To this day, Nagorno-Karabakh is in legal limbo claiming to be the independent Republic of Artsakh but still unrecognized as such.
Just like many countries in this part of the world, Armenia’s borders have been arbitrary and often changed depending upon whose rule they were currently under: Byzantine, Turks or Soviet Union among others. The most current situation has left them as the Republic of Armenia as they officially declared their independence from the Soviet Union on September 21, 1991.
The Armenian flag
An estimated 3 million people now live in Armenia with a little over 1 million of them living in Yerevan; however so many Armenians have left their homeland through the years, that there are more of them living abroad than at home.
Back to their roots
Armenians
have been making wine since ancient days with roots as far back as 401-400 BC
when Greek armies passed that way and were supposedly presented with wine and
beer. The wine and beer was made and
stored in “karases”, the famous clay pots of Armenia. Archaeological
excavations of the 19th and 20th centuries confirmed the
Yerevan of today was a wine-making center back in the 9th century
BC. Wine storehouses were also found
with 480 karases in the Teshebaini fortress of Yerevan. Supposedly a karas could hold up to 37,000 daL
(or dekaliter), and a dekaliter equals about 2.64 gallons of wine. According to my math, that’s over 97,000
gallons! 200 karases were also found in
a total of 10 wine storehouses in several other sites.
The little Republic of Armenia at one time was so big it covered the eastern part of what is now the country of Turkey and a large part of the Caucasus Mountains. The now tiny 29,700 square kilometers currently known as Armenia are about the size of the Hawaiian Islands or the State of Maryland. It has cold winters, dry hot summers and volcanic soil. Vineyards in this mountainous country are at very high altitudes ranging from 1,600 to 5,000 feet. Many are over 5,000 above sea level. The climate in most vineyard areas is dry and continental with deserts to the south and more extensive plains to the north, and Armenian grapes seem to love it adapting well to their growing conditions. Grape vines are indigenous in Armenia. Petrified grape matter has shown that grape vines of a Vitis Vinifera species have grown there for many many years.
A
major announcement came in 2011 that really brought Armenia into the forefront
of wine world news when archaeologists claimed the discovery of the world’s
oldest known wine production facility – the now world famous “Areni-1
cave”. The Areni cliffside cave complex
is located near the mountain town of Areni in the Vayots Dzor region, and the
Areni-1 provided evidence of winemaking activity dating back over 6,000 years. In addition to the earliest known shoe and the
oldest known brain tissue from the Old World, they found a shallow basin used
to press grapes, a storage vat, fermentation jars, grape seeds, remains of
pressed grapes and dozens of dried vines. The grape seeds were from the Vitis
vinifera variety, which is still used for making wine today. This places winemaking at about 4000 BC which
is 900 years before the earliest similar wine making remains that were found in
Egyptian tombs. Armenia’s neighbor, the
Republic of Georgia also claims to be the seat of viticulture, but since Armenia
displays evidence of early grape growing and winemaking, maybe they will share
that distinction.
There
are 17,000 hectares (42,000 acres) of vineyards in Armenia with an annual wine
production of about 7.5 million liters (2 million US gallons) in 2016. Once known for its sherry and brandy
production, there is now a small wine industry on the rise. With a fairly
recent independence and lots of old technology still in use, there has been a
recent modernization of the wine industry.
There are some exciting new methods of winemaking and production. And like so many other industries, what was
once old has now been rediscovered. For example, some modern producers are
“rediscovering” how to use the old traditional techniques like the use of
“karasi” clay jars.
Winemaking in Armenia:
then and now
Winemaking is really ancient news
in Armenia. After all, we now know that people
have been making wine here for over 6,100 years. Armenia is considered the cradle of
winemaking.
It is also another one of those countries that was snatched up by the Soviet Union and “requested” to move toward mass winemaking and distillation of alcoholic beverages. The communists confiscated all of the wineries, destroyed a lot of the vines and had no interest in winemaking techniques other than to make sweet wines and brandy. The production of sherry-type wines was very significant in Armenia and other former USSR regions. Armenian sherry wines were made from the Voskehat and Chilar indigenous grape varieties. Quality was never a consideration during all of this time although Armenian sherry was considered to be high quality. Independence finally came along for Armenia in 1991 and since then, the wine industry is being revived by people who are once again interested in quality. It is this interest and trend within the wine industry to rediscover the oldest wine producing countries in the world that has been making Armenian wine a rising star in the last decade. A number of Armenians living around the world are also bringing their money back home to invest in Armenian vineyards along with all of their business and marketing skills….. plus connections! And they can afford some of the best consultants around. It doesn’t hurt their cause any that the government has now been pushing to help winemakers market Armenia as a “Sacred Land of Wine”.
High profile winemakers from
around the world seem to welcome the challenge to make wine in “undiscovered”
wine countries/regions. As we previously
mentioned, many of these regions have been making wine for thousands of
years. They just haven’t been in the
wine spotlight ………..until now.
Michel Rolland (Bordeaux, France) has been working with Karas Winery in Armavir. Rolland is dubbed a “flying winemaker” consultant, and has worked with more than 150 wineries on four continents including Ornellaia in Italy, Lapostolle in Chile and Harlan in Napa Valley.
Paul Hobbs (California, USA) is not only well known for his vineyard and winemaking skills in California and the Finger Lakes of New York, but his international vision for winemaking in Mendoza, Argentina; Cahors, France; Galicia, Spain and now the Yacoubian-Hobbs winery in Armenia where he is a partner.
Alberto Antonini (Tuscany, Italy) once the head winemaker for Antinori, consults for Zorah Wines. Antonini’s credits include numerous wineries in Italy, plus Argentina and Chile, California, Spain, South Africa, Romania and now Armenia.
If you need and are willing to
take their advice, you have some A+ winemaking knowledge in these three!
KARAS WINERY
Case in point, Karas is a newly
established winery compared to the rest of the country. Karas is in the Ararat Valley between Mount
Aragats and Mount Ararat in the West of Armavir Region. Armavir is the smallest but the most heavily
populated region in Armenia. Karas is
the Armenian word for “amphora”, the vessel used in classical times to store
wine.
Armavir is in the middle of
thriving agricultural development, but also has a large tourist industry. The historical and cultural legacy of Armavir
boasts such well-known sites as the Sardarapat Battle Memorial which is the
religious and spiritual center of the Armenian Apostolic Church: the Holy City
of Echmiadzin. This location had several
major plusses for the Karas location: 1) mineral rich land suitable for making
great wine, and 2) the innovation and technology already happening in this
region.
The family that owns Karas left
Armenia long ago as part of the diaspora, choosing to live in Argentina. Karas Winery
is owned and managed by the Armenian-Argentinian uncle and niece Eduardo
Eurnekian and Juliana Del Aguila Eurnekian who returned to their native Armenia
fifteen years ago, bought these nine square miles of land and transformed 1,000
acres of it into vineyards. It took them
three years just to remove the rocks from the land. The Eurnekians also own a premium vineyard
property Bodega Del Fin Del Mundo in Neuquén, Patagonia Argentina where
they have been making wine for more than
a decade. Now they are also making wine sustainably using old family tradition
and their modern expertise as Mount Ararat watches over them. They grow international and local whites and
reds including Chardonnay, Colombard, Viognier, Areni, Khndoghni and
Syrah.
Karas Extra Brut Sparkling NV, Armavir, Armenia
Karas Sparkling is generally made from a
blend of Colombard, Folle Blanche and Kangun however the sparkling we recently
were able to purchase is made from 100% Rkatsiteli according to the label. Technical notes tell us it has a light yellow
color with delicate and elegant bubbles displaying citric and fresh aromas with
some notes of toast bread. Grapes are
hand harvested, pressed and decanted for 24 hours, then fermented at 14-16
degrees C for 20 days. The second
fermentation takes place in special pressure tanks for 30 days. Alcohol content
is 12%. We have previously tasted and
enjoyed Rkatsiteli, so are looking forward to these bubbles.
2017 Karas Classic White, Armavir, Armenia
The Karas white is a blend of 50% Kangun,
40% Chardonnay and 20% Viognier and 14% alcohol content. It should be yellow in the glass with subtle
shades of green, aromas of pear, peach and pineapple; floral and spicy in the
mouth with a fairly long finish.
2016 Karas Classic Dry Red, Armavir, Armenia
The Karas red is an interesting blend of 35%
Syrah, 35% Cot (Malbec), 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% Tannat. Grapes are hand
harvested then go through cold maceration followed by fermentation at 26-28
degrees C for 20 days. Malolactic
fermentation is done in tanks. It’s an
elegant wine with good acidity, sweet tannins, fruity aromas and great acidity
making it elegant and easy to drink.
Alcohol is also 14%.
ZORAH WINES
Zorik Gharibian had a successful career in the Milan, Italy fashion industry before he decided to go back to Armenia and make wine. He and his wife began Zorah Wines in the village of Rind in the Areni region in 1998 with the goals of making wine from native grapes, aging it in amphorae and having the credentials of high powered winemaking consultants. Their vineyards are in an excellent wine region at an altitude of 4500 feet above sea level with a mix of volcanic and sedimentary rock, sandy soil rich in limestone to provide excellent drainage and no need for grafting as the area is phylloxerra-free. The cuttings of the vines come from ancient abandoned vineyards of a nearby 13th century monastery. Wines are aged in temperature controlled rough concrete vats and fermented with indigenous yeast. Then the wines are aged for around 12 months in the karas of varying sizes – some are buried in the ground while others are above the ground each giving a unique quality to the wine. After light filtration, the wine is bottle aged for about 6 months. Zorah Wines are highly acclaimed. The Karasi Areni Noir retails for at least $35 a bottle.
Zorah Karasi Areni wine has been aged in the traditional large, clay amphorae (karasi) for around 12 months. Their Karasi wines are a tribute to the ancient winemaking traditions of their ancestors. The wine is 100% Areni grapes that were grown at 1400 meters a.s.l. in a sandy soil, rich in limestone and large stones. The result should be bright ruby red in color with complex aromas of red fruits, lightly spiced with an elegant toasted note on the nose. It is expected to be full bodied and well balanced with silky ripe tannins. The alcohol level is 13.5%.
YACOUBIAN-HOBBS
Viken Yacoubian so enjoyed
drinking a Pinot Noir in 2003 made by Paul Hobbs that he sent him an
email. To his surprise, Paul replied
which led to the 2005 exploration of Armenian winemaking regions by Paul and
the Yacoubian brothers. They officially
became partners in 2008 and the Yacoubian-Hobbs wine making venture was
born. They settled on the Vayots Dzor
region almost right across from the Areni-1 cave. Their vineyards are 1200 meters high in the
rocky volcanic and limestone soils where they grow and produce their
world-famous wines. The dry white wine is a blend of 80% Voskehat, 10% Khatuni,
5 % Qrdi and 5% Garan Demak (or “sheep’s tail”) from grapes in Aghavnadzor. Areni (100%) wines are sourced from vineyards
in Rind, aged in French oak and produced in very small case lots. The “Sarpina” is named for the posts used to
train the vines which is recorded in Armenian agricultural history books.
From 100% Areni grapes grown in volcanic
soil 4000 feet high just a short distance from the Areni-1 cave; fermented in
stainless steel and aged 7 months in French oak barrels. The winemaker flavor profile: “A complex wine
with intense aromatics of ripe red cherries, black plum and dried flowers,
followed by nuances of vanilla, cinnamon and chocolate. On the palate, elegant flavors….velvety
tannins create full, round mouthfeel with complexity and intensity that lingers
on the finish.”
Armenia’s wine-growing
regions and grapes:
Regions
Armenia is divided into ten provinces with the city of
Yerevan as the country’s capital. An
estimated 3 million people live in Armenia with a little over 1 million of them
living in Yerevan. The economy was mostly industry-based and highly dependent
on outside resources before independence, but despite many stumbling blocks the
economy has been steadily progressing. This
includes the Armenian wine industry. We
know that winemaking is nothing new here and all over Europe, but the ability
to take risks and become innovative is allowing the Armenian wine industry to
become successful.
Grapes are grown primarily in five viticultural regions with sixty percent of the grapes found in Armavir, Ararat and Vayots Dzor. Seventy percent of the grapes are white, and sixty-five percent of the white grapes are made into brandy.
Here are the provinces beginning with the key viticultural
regions to know:
Ararat Province: Ararat is one of the main wine producing
regions and most of it is produced on the Ararat plain, one of the largest
plateaus and one of the sunniest regions in Armenia. Many of the countries white grapes are grown
here. Ararat Province is bordered by
Turkey from the west and Azerbaijan from the south.
Armavir Province: Armavir is also a main wine producing region and you can find it on the southwestern border of Armenia. It is known for high altitudes and an extreme continental climate. Large storage areas for wine and grains were found within the ancient town of Argishtikhinili dating back to 8th century BC. Wine produced here in the Armavir Province is mainly from vineyards of the Ararat plain. Karas Wines (Tierras de Armenia Vineyards) is located here. Karas is a major estate with 400 hectares of international and native varieties, and we have featured Karas and their wines in this article.
Vayots Dzor Province: This is a south-central wine region
and is the primary home of two of the main and most well-known Armenian grapes,
Voskehat and Areni. Vayots Dzor is one of the
ancient regions producing wine in the Caucasus.
If wine comes from the region of Areni, it is called “Areni wine”. The 2011 discovery of the 6,000 year old
winemaking in the Areni Cave especially helped to put this region on the
winemaking map. Armenian winemakers are
working diligently to bring back the world’s oldest wine making region by using
indigenous varieties and modern methods to make award-winning wine. To help promote it, Areni has been the home
of the Areni Wine Festival since 2009.
Each October Armenian winemakers and tens of thousands of visitors
convene in the village of Areni (population about 2000) and celebrate the
harvest and heritage of Armenian Areni Wine.
It’s held right at the base of a cliff facing the village and features a
parade of winemakers, competitions, folk music and dancing, and lots of wine
tasting. It’s on the calendar for
October 3 this year of 2020, so maybe we can make it!
Two Vayots Dzor wineries of special note that we have featured in our article are Zorah Wines who opened in Rind in 2001 and produces Areni wine under the brands Karasi, Voski and Yereaz; and Yacoubian-Hobbs located in the village of Aghavnadzor.
Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh): The disputed area claimed by both Armenia and
Azerbaijan, and in addition to that, it claims to be independent. The altitudes are lower in this region and its
home to the Khndoghni red grape. Artsakh is also a major supplier of oak.
OAK: Armenian wine makers use a lot of Armenian or Caucasian oak which can be up to 250 years old, and costs just a quarter of importing French oak. It is from the forests in Artsakh region. The Armenian oak gives karases a pinkish color and strong flavors including sweet tones like vanilla, chocolate, dried fruit and spiciness and aromas of eucalyptus. Humidity is lower than with French oak, so the barrel needs less contact time with wine. It has to be well prepared and dried for 3 years to avoid taste of green tannins. The bouquet of an Armenian barrel is almost impossible to reproduce in any other country of the world.
The other Armenian provinces are Aragatsotn, Gegharkunik, Kotayk, Lori,
Shirak, Syunik and Tavush plus
the city of Yerevan. A few notes of interest:
Aragatsotn Province: Wine is made from vineyards to the south of the Aragats and Areni mountains. The village of Voskevaz has an ancient history of wine-making where karases were found in a nearby church of Surp Hovhannes, dating back to 7th century.
Lori Province: Lori is the largest of the provinces, and a highly mountainous area in the north bordering Georgia. It was heavily damaged by an earthquake in 1988. Besides the Zarni-Parni caves to explore, there are also the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of the Medieval Monasteries – Sanahin and Haghpat well worth a visit.
Yerevan: Winemaking and production took place here as early as the 9th century . There is an ancient wine storehouse in the Urartian fortress of Teishebaini near Yerevan. Now with the growth of Armenian economy, Yerevan is being transformed into a modern city. Its becoming a major tourist destination. Now you will see shops, modern hotels, upscale restaurants, cafes, wine bars – all absent during the Soviet Union days. Even jazz bands and jazz clubs are popular.
Alcohol has always played a part in traditional Armenian family or friend gatherings and there is no shortage of it in Yerevan. There are a number of modern wine bars with a good selection of international wines plus Armenian as well. You may not experience this is in the rest of the country as the rest of the population can’t afford to drink this wine.
Grapes
According to the Vine & Wine Foundation of Armenia, there are
over 400 different native grape varietals in Armenia with colors ranging from
purple to pale white. Many of the native
varietals were intentionally removed during the soviet Era to encourage farmers
to grow lots of white grapes needed for brandy production. Those red grapes just took up too much wasted
space!
There are 500 unique grape varietals grown
here; however only 31 are used to make wine.
So what’s with the other 369 varietals?
25 varieties make the base for winemaking today in Armenia. Many indigenous varietals, especially red,
have been re-introduced to meet the needs of new markets such as France and the
UK. “Quality over quantity” is their new
philosophy; they have found new techniques to grow higher quality grapes
capable of adapting to the harsh conditions and turbulent weather of Armenia.
If you are lucky enough to latch onto
some of the “new” wines from Armenia, and can pronounce “Areni” and “Voskehat”,
you are off to a great start and should really impress your wine friends!
Reds
Areni
(Areni Noir)pronounced
“ah-reh-nee”: A red grape indigenous to the Vayots Dzor region from the famous
little town named Areni in southern Armenia; makes medium to light bodied red
wine known for cherries and spice; red fruit flavors and aromas like cherry,
raspberry, cranberry and pomegranate with floral and herbal accents. Areni seems to have a lot of comparable
grapes. Some compare Areni to an Oregon Pinot Noir while others find it more of
a cross between a Pinot Noir and Sangiovese maybe blended with Merlot or Syrah. It is thick skinned and survives the summer
sun and high elevation climate in the vineyard but is elegant in your wine
glass. It is more feminine and seductive
but can also hit you in the face! This grape was made quite famous when an
Areni wine by Zorah Karasi made the Bloomberg’s List of Top Ten Wines of 2012.
Khndoghni pronounced “khhhyng-douh-nee”:A red grape traditionally found in the Artsakh region. The word “knind” means laughter in Armenian. This grape is definitely nothing to laugh about – it has high tannins and very interesting characteristics of black and blue fruit, cotton candy and earth. It is usually aged in Caucasian oak barrels that are made in the same region. Khndoghni can make premium red wines.
Whites
Voskehat
(Voskeat)pronounced
“voh-ski-hut”: An
aromatic white grape that many consider to be the finest Armenian native grape.
Originally from Ashtarak region, but now grown across Armenia; it’s the most
popular white wine grape in Armenia and you will find it in almost every
Armenian white wine either as a varietal wine or a blend. Called the “Golden Grape” and makes complex
medium bodied wine with fruit flavors of kiwi, melon, pineapple and quince,
along with floral and honeysuckle notes; may be compared to Chenin Blanc,
especially wines of Vouvrey. This grape
is also thick-skinned and quite hardy.
Haghtanak
(Akhtanak): Armenian for “victory”; it’s a cross between various Armenian
varietals and the Georgian grape Saperavi; makes deeply colored juice with high
sugar content; may be compared to Monastrell (Mourvedre).
Kangun: A cross
between several Armenian varietals and the Georgian grape Rkatsiteli; makes a
very complex medium bodied white; may be compared to Alsace Pinot Blanc.
Muscat
Vardabuyr: May have been brought to this area by Romans during the first
century AD; makes very fragrant white wine that can be fermented dry, partially
dry or as late harvest dessert wine.
Chilar: A white
grape used especially in dessert wine.
Lalvari: A white
grape used in sparkling wine.
Brandy: big business in
Armenia
It is probable that Armenians have been turning wine into brandy since the 12th century, but there is not enough evidence to corroborate the claim. There is some evidence that people were distilling alcohol in the area of Lebanon and Iran during that time, so it is possible Armenians were too. If that is the case, they beat out Spain and France by several centuries. They did make plenty of brandy in the late 1800s due to the Russian taste for cognac. Armenian Brandy was also called Kanyak, which is the Armenian spelling for cognac. During the communist period, Armenian wine grapes existed almost entirely to make brandy. About a quarter of all of the brandy produced in the Soviet Union came from Armenia. At the 1900 Universal Expo of Paris, brandy from the Armenian company of Shustov & Sons was selected as the best brandy in a blind tasting, a little like the famous “Judgement of Paris” blind wine tasting, beating out the competition from Cognac’s leading producer and earning the reward to legally call their product Cognac; however they lost that right after the end of WWII. Cognac is a commune in the Charente Department of Southwest France. It gives its name to the world-famous brandy produced here, similar to “Champagne” that is produced only in Champagne. Shustov was the official supplier of Armenian brandy to the court of the Russian Tsar Nicholas II. Shustov’s company eventually became the Yerevan Brandy Company, Armenia’s largest brandy producer today.
Joseph Stalin supposedly served
up large amounts of an Armenian brandy called Dvin from the Yerevan Brandy
Company to Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt at the Yalta Conference in
1944. Legend says that Churchill became
so in love with Armenian brandy that he arranged for Stalin to have it shipped
to him regularly and that he drank it every day. You may not want to believe that since
Churchill was not known for making favorable comments about the Soviet
Union.
Brandy production is still a big
business in Armenia. There are more brandy distillers per capita in Yerevan than
any other city in the world, including Cognac.
The Yerevan Brandy Company was later sold by the Armenian government to
Pernod-Ricard in 1999. It is the most
common brand of Armenian brandy you will find exported around the world
today. Armenia produces around 20
million liters (5.7 million gallons) of which 90 % is exported. And it is regarded by collectors and
connoisseurs as extremely high-end brandy.
Armenian brandy is only made
from indigenous grapes, of which there are many, but by law only these may be
used: Voskehat, Garan Dmak, Mskhali, Kangun and Rkatsiteli (A Georgian
grape). Most of the grapes come from the
plains of Ararat.
Brandy is made using a double
distillation process that uses Charentais stills which are the same type of
stills used to make Cognac. Casks are
made from Caucasian oak, also called Persian oak, from the family of white oaks
Quercus macranthera found in the
Caucasus and surrounding region, especially Artsakh. This species of oak imparts very special
aromas and tastes that you only get with Armenian brandy.
ArArAt Akhtmar, 10 year
old, 40% ABV, Yerevan Brandy Company
Yerevan Brandy Company was founded in 1887 and is the leading producer of brandy in Armenia. Previously owned by the government, it was purchased by the French Pernod Ricard company in 1999 for $30 million. The products are labeled and marketed as “ArArAt”. ArArAt brandy is made from grapes of the Ararat plain, Tavush region and Nagorno-Karabakh. A new standard was introduced in 1999 that rigidly regulates Armenian Cognac production. Yerevan Brandy Company produces a variety of ArArAt brandies under a number of brands – Erebuni, Nairi, Tonakan, Akhtamar, Otborny, Ani, Dvia and Armenia – ranging from 3 to 30 years old.
According to the company tasting notes, this is what we expect
to find when tasting the ArArAt Ahktmar 10 year old: “The color is a rich mahogany. On the nose, there is a distinctive dried
dark fruit sweetness, followed by exotic tropical spices with notes of vanilla
and butterscotch. On the palate, the
brandy has a rich, creamy texture with notes of raisins, figs, apricots and a
hint of pear. The finish is long, with
dried fruit sweetness and cinnamon notes along with a bit of toasted oak.” It should remind us more of a Spanish brandy
than French Cognac.
Why Armenia?
I am sure you are wondering why in the world do I have such an interest in wines from a country on the other side of the world that many people have never even heard of, let alone tasted the wines. And that is a really good question!
If you have followed any of my previous articles, you would have noticed that we have researched several countries/wine regions that are unfamiliar to the majority of casual wine drinkers. A number of years back we discovered the world of “Exotic Wine Travel”. Matthew Horkey and Charine Tan are two winelovers who did more than just try to find unfamiliar wines on the internet – they actually travelled to those countries, some quite extensively, and immersed themselves in the culture, the geography, people, food and most of all, their wines! In 2015 they established “Exotic Wine Travel” and in 2015 and 2016 toured the countries of Turkey, Armenia and Georgia. They wrote their first wine travel book called “Uncorking the Caucasus: Wines from Turkey, Armenia and Georgia”. You can find that one and their other wine travel books on Amazon.com and become fascinated by their wine travels and tasting just like I did. Since then – thanks to reading their books, watching their social media posts and You Tube videos, I have worked passionately to find some wines from these more “exotic” places like Turkey, Georgia, Croatia, Slovenia, and Hungary. We did find wines from all of these countries plus some others, and even more importantly – we actually got to drink them!
Up until recently, Armenia was not part of that list of accomplishments. Just a few months ago while being under COVID-19 “shelter-in-place”, I had plenty of time to watch Facebook Live and You Tube interviews and watched Matthew and Charine interview the owners of Karas and Zorah Wineries. I really enjoyed “meeting” them so far away around the world and so wanted to taste their wines. The rest is forkandcorkdivine history. Not only did I find some wines on the internet, but I purchased them, actually received them, and started on plans to serve them along with some typical Armenian foods. I have yet to taste these wines at the time of writing this article, but that is about to change very soon. I’ve also spent many days researching the food traditionally served in Armenia, learning what should pair best with my selection of Armenian wines, and find recipes and ingredients that I can prepare. You can expect to hear about and see pictures of Armenian foods like Armenian String Cheese, Bastirma, EECH, Lahmajoon, Shish Kebab, Armenian Rice Pilaf and Rolled Eggplant Salad. And of course the wines that were highlighted in this article. You will have to check back to our website soon to see that post! I know I can’t wait!!
The future of Armenian wines
Winemaking may have been around for over 6,000 years but quality wine has just been produced here during the last decade or less. The country is very old, but in most respects it is very young. It has not been possible to utilize modern winemaking techniques until quite recently when Armenians who left the country years ago, have returned bringing with them money, marketing skills, connections and the desire to showcase some ancient traditions and put Armenia on the winemaking map. Up until now if you asked anyone what kind of “spirits” came from Armenia, they would tell you “brandy”. There is still plenty of brandy made in Armenia, and it is high quality, but the real excitement is to see what is on the horizon for the Armenian wine industry. Areni Noir may just become the new wine sensation! Some of Armenia’s up-and-coming winemakers and winery owners predict that this will be a totally different winemaking region within the next ten years, and Armenia will take its rightful place in the global wine market. We hope that is true. We will be watching.
I have spent quite a bit of my time researching about this topic, but I have to point out that there is not a lot of information available. The information I did use came from “Uncorking the Caucasus: Wines from Turkey, Armenia and Georgia” by Charine Tan and Matthew Horkey plus numerous internet articles and resources. I do try my best to use correct information, and apologize if I have mentioned anything in error. I am always willing to make corrections when presented updated information.
The year 2020 seems to be all about celebrating the stars here at forkandcorkdivine. January was a month of celebration for Sonoma County: “A star is born” in honor of their Wine Enthusiast award for the Wine Region of the Year.
February found us exploring wines made famous by celebrities either as winery owners or in partnership with other winery owners. Our group of foodie winelovers gathered together for our February 24th forkandcorkdivine wIne tIme event with more excitement than ever – if that is possible – and brought a bottle of “celebrity wine” paired up with an appetizer or small plate that was tied in some way to the celebrity or their wine. We had wine by movie stars, rock stars, musicians, TV personalities, sports stars and other personalities all which amazingly represented 6 different countries and sparkling, whites, roses and reds. There were 15 bottles in our amazing lineup. And shine they all did just like superstars!
A warm and festive welcome to our guests.
Celebrity Night
Wines and
Suggested Pairings
Welcome from Chuck and Linda
Champagne BollingerSpecial Cuvee Brut, Champagne France; A 007 James Bond favorite
We always start off our wine events with a sparkling, be it Champagne from Champagne, France or sparkling from another part of the world; or Prosecco from Italy or Cava from Spain. We love our bubbles and it always sets a festive tone for the evening. I’m sure there are numerous celebrities with some kind of ties to a Champagne, but I decided to go on a slightly different tangent and pour Champagne Bollinger which some might say is the official champagne of James Bond. Since “James” could not be with us, we did the next best thing and prepared some foods we were sure he would enjoy and added 007 James Bond movie themes to our background music playlist. We even had his famous martini ingredients on standby, just in case he could drop by!
Champagne Bollinger introduced their dry toasty style of Champagne in 1829. It’s now instantly recognizable to many Champagne aficionadas. It is also one of the rare Grande Marque houses still owned and managed by the same family since it’s birth. Bollinger gets almost two-thirds of their grapes from its own estate including the Pinot Noir which makes up 60% of the Special Cuvee. The rest of the blend in our bottle of Special Cuvee consisted of 25% Chardonnay and 15% Meunier. We so enjoyed those tiny bubbles, ripe fruit and spicy aromas with hints of roasted apples and peaches, flavors of pears, brioche and notes of walnut.
No wonder Agent 007 was so fond of Bollinger; it has been featured in a total of 14 films. Bollinger released a new 007-themed Champagne gift box last winter just in time for the holidays and the release of the latest James Bond movie – “No Time to Die”, the 25th installment. If you were fast enough, you could have scored one for $230 on wine.com! We were willing to splurge on our Special Cuvee at prices between $70 – 80 a bottle, but $230 would not have made it into my shopping cart………….not even for 007!
Invivo XSauvignon Blanc 2019, Marlborough, NZ
by Sarah Jessica Parker
Invivo Wines is New Zealand based and owned by Tim Lightbourne and winemaker Rob Cameron. It all started when these two friends got together and decided to build a business that let them create a strong brand and have fun while doing it. It worked! They are now one of New Zealand’s leading producers and have won over 150 medals since launching in 2008. They got there by crowdfunding! In fact they became the first equity crowdfunded wine company in New Zealand in 2015, and after doing it again in 2018, they are the Southern Hemisphere’s largest crowdfunded company for any business raising over $4.7 million. They are now located in one of New Zealand’s oldest wineries and continue to make new fans.
Enter Sarah Jessica Parker, actress, producer and designer, well known for her role as Carrie Bradshaw in the HBO television series “Sex in the City” and drinking a lot of cosmos. After the company co-founders sought her out in New York, she so liked the idea of collaborating with them that she signed on as a shareholder with Invivo, personally selected the blend for the first Invivo X, Sarah Jessica Parker bottling. Parker even chose a shade of teal for her hand-drawn “X” design on the label that matches one of her favorite colors from her shoe line. This wine is a Sauvignon Blanc and the first vintage 2019 was released last fall. It’s a seriously drinkable wine and I enjoyed it! It has the grapefruit, honeysuckle, and citrus that I would expect. Just an easy drinking wine great with appetizers or by itself. The cost is about $20 a bottle.
According to my internet browsing, James Bond is especially fond of breakfast–type foods like eggs, but he really loves his caviar and foie gras! I thought he needed to share the spotlight with a female celebrity and what could be better than some “Sex in the City” with Sarah Jessica Parker? I was reminded that the “Sex and the City” characters were often found enjoying brunch somewhere in New York City, so it seemed inevitable that Sarah and James would pair up with their Bollinger and Invivo X to enjoy our brunch style appetizers even if it was just in my imagination.
Brunch Style Appetizers a la James Bond 007 “Goldeneye Casino Royale” and Sara Jessica Parker “Sex in the City”
Torchon de Foie Gras on Toast with Fleur de Sel and Fig Jam
My selection of brunch style appetizers were really simple to make and made quite an elegant presentation.
First up was the foie gras which was a fully cooked torchon ordered on-line from D’Artagnan. I had a choice of terrine or torchon, but knew from previous experience that this little torchon would be perfect to spread on a mini grilled Parisian toast by Ile De France which I am so happy that my local Publix supermarket keeps in stock. What is the difference between a terrine and torchon, you may ask? The terrine gives you foie gras placed in a terrine mold, usually porcelain with a tightly fitted lid, then steam cooked in a water bath. “Torchon” means dish towel in French, and it was usually wrapped in a kitchen towel for cooking. Nowadays it is usually cooked in cheesecloth in an oblong shape, then poached in a pot of water. My little Parisian toasts with foie gras on top were even more delicious with a tiny little dollop of fig jam and a sprinkling of coarse fleur de sel. I like to keep a package of those toasts on the shelf plus if you are ordering from D’Artagnan, it pays to order when the foie gras is on sale and put an extra torchon in the freezer where they keep very well.
Mini Shrimp Martinis
Next on the list were shrimp martinis. Since James likes both martinis and shrimp, why not put them together? I used a recipe from palatablepastime.com that said to marinate cooked shrimp in a citrus vodka. The martini sauce was made with more citrus vodka, tomato sauce, olive juice and seasonings. It was especially delicious after cooking it down till thickened. Those perfect little disposable martini glasses were available from Party City, and just right for sauce, two beautiful shrimp, martini olives and lemon slice. Garnish with some fresh basil and your appetizer is worthy of any James Bond!
Deviled Eggs with Caviar Mixed Olives
I learned that James is especially fond of eggs and even more fond of caviar, so going with the “simple is better” theme, these deviled eggs were simple, beautiful and delicious! The cooked egg yolks were blended with mayonnaise, Dijon mustard and juice from the jar of pimiento stuffed green olives that were used for a garnish. Add a very tiny dollop of caviar – whatever kind you prefer and/or can afford. This just happened to be American sturgeon caviar that I purchased locally at a new store in our neighborhood, the Golden Rind Cheese and Wine Shop. The good news and the bad news about hosting an event like this, is that you ALWAYS have leftovers. This was one leftover I was happy to enjoy the next day!
“Bagels” and Lox
I didn’t think I should have a typical “brunch” without bagels and lox. Bagels were not exactly what I had in mind, but this little appetizer was billed as the “easiest appetizer ever”, and after making and serving it, I definitely agree. I used New York Style brand plain bagel crisps as the base, spread on some cream cheese, then topped it with chopped smoked salmon that had been mixed with red onion, fresh dill, lemon juice and olive oil. Really simple but quite tasty.
Whites
SilveradoVineyards Chardonnay 2017, Napa, California
by Diane Disney Miller/Ron Miller of the Walt Disney Family shared with us by Carolyn & Jay
Diane Disney, daughter of Walt Disney, met and married Ron Miller in Santa Barbara in 1954. Ron became the President and CEO of the Walt Disney Company for 30 years. Ron and Diane established Silverado Vineyards in 1981 to make wine from the historic vineyards of their Napa Valley estate. The Miller Family has farmed their vineyards in Carneros, Coombsville, Yountville and Stags Leap District for over 30 years restoring local creeks and the Napa River and adopting sustainable practices in the winery. Diane passed away in 2013, but Ron, their children and grandchildren still carry on the family’s legacy. They continue to source grapes entirely from their 6 historic family-owned vineyards.
The 2017 Chardonnay is made with fruit from two vineyard sites in Carneros with soils ranging from sandy gravel to steep slopes of sandstone and shale. It was 100% barrel-fermented and aged eight months in 20% new French oak resulting in a wine that has butterscotch and apple pie on the creamy mouthfeel, and a light acidity with lemon followed by tones of basil and oregano. You can purchase this wine for about $30 a bottle.
The Silverado paired perfectly with Carolyn’s very delicious and creamy homemade mushroom soup which she made from button mushrooms and served with additional sauteed sliced mushrooms and fresh thyme. The soup deserved some fine china; sadly it ended up in disposable wear since I gave my kitchen cleanup crew the night off! But the flavor was still very much present.
Creamy Mushroom
Soup
Bledsoe “Elizabeth” Chardonnay 2018, Walla Walla Valley, Washington
by Drew Bledsoe and shared with us by Tom
Drew Bledsoe returned to his hometown in the Walla Walla Valley and planted his first vineyard, McQueen, after retiring in 2007 from his many years as an NFL Quarterback. In 2008 Drew and his wife Maura launched Doubleback with plans to focus on making world class estate Cabernet Sauvignon wines. Ten years later, they set out to create Bledsoe Family Winery, the sister project to Doubleback and their second label. They now have four estate vineyards plus long-term sources from other great vineyards in the Valley. It seems their focus has been quite successful so far as Doubleback Cabernets continue to receive scores of 90 points and well above from wine critics.
The 2018 Elizabeth Chardonnay was made from 100% Chardonnay grapes from the Kenny Hill Vineyard in Walla Walla Valley. Whole cluster grapes were slowly fermented at cool temperatures in concrete tulips, new and neutral French oak barrels, and stainless steel, then aged on the lees for eight months for partial secondary fermentation. Just 990 cases were produced. Alcohol: 13.7%. You will probably have to purchase this from the winery as a member of their wine list and the cost is around $45.
Bastianich Vini Orsone Friulano 2017Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy
by Lidia Bastianich
Grissini with Prosciutto
I have always liked Lidia Bastianich’s recipes, and Chuck and I still watch her cooking show on public TV. Her Italian recipes are classic. Her son Joe may have been appeared on TV for some time as a judge on “Master Chef”, but Lidia is the celebrity superstar cook to me!
The Bastianich winery was founded in 1997 in Friuli-Venezia Giulia and is well regarded there. They have 40 hectares of vineyards, all in the Friuli Colli Orientali DOC. Their goal is to make wines that bring the uniqueness of the place to we wine lovers. There are two micro-climates: one that produces grapes for their greatest cru wines: Vespa Bianco, Vespa Rosso, Plus and Calabrone. The other area is cooled by mountain breezes, allowing vineyards to produce grapes for the fresh, aromatic wines of the Vini Orsone line.
We opted to pour a 100% Friulano 2017 Vini Orsone from the hills of Premariacco, Cividale and Prepotto in Friuli Colli Orientali. It was fermented in stainless steel tanks for 15-20 days and then aged on the lees for 7 months allowing it to develop natural anti-oxidants. The resulting wine is medium bodied with aromas and flavors of ripe pears and peaches and has a mineral backbone with good acidity. Friulano grapes are famous for a light hint of almonds on the finish. You can purchase this wine for under $20 a bottle.
We really enjoy Friulano and it is an excellent match for prosciutto with arugula which should not come as a surprise (grows together goes together!!). Wanting to make Lidia’s Friulano even more perfect, the grissini (breadsticks – we used Alessi brand with rosemary) got their upper parts buttered then dipped in Parmesan cheese. Next I arranged some baby arugula on thinly sliced prosciutto and wrapped it up into a beautiful little package. Another really simple but perfect celebrity pairing.
Rosés
Chateau Miraval Rosé 2018, Cotes de Provence, France
by Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie
and shared by Doug & Anita
Tourte de Blettes
(Swiss Chard Torte)
Although some people did not want to take “Branjolie” wines seriously when Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie made their first vintage of rosé at Chateau Miraval back in 2012, I think many of those people were also quite surprised at the results. Chuck and I bought some from that first vintage that sold out very quickly, and we really enjoyed it. Granted, we were by no means wine experts especially back then, but critics also gave it good reviews; Wine Spectator rated it 90 points.
Chateau Miraval covers over 1200 acres of land with 150 acres of vineyards in Correns, the first organic village in France located in the heart of Provence. It has been home to an Italian prince, a recording studio where Pink Floyd recorded “The Wall” , and went on to be purchased by Brad and Angelina who made it even more famous. They hired a winemaker with a pedigree – Marc Perrin, of the Famille Perrin and Chateau de Beaucastel. Winemaking doesn’t get much better than that at least for me! Miraval rosés have continued to receive 90 plus point ratings from the critics every vintage since then. They now have a brand new winery on the property, and the first wine off the production line was 2018 Muse which debuted at the Cannes Film Festival for over $3000 a magnum to benefit the Good Planet Foundation.
The 2018 vintage of Miraval rose is a petal pink blend of 50% Grenache, 30% Cinsault, 10% Syrah and 10% Rolle and reminded us of Provence with aromas of fresh fruit and spring flowers. It is medium bodied, has a tangerine-like finish and was just as I remembered it. Robert Parker gave it a 90. You can purchase this wine for between $20-25 a bottle.
The Miraval paired so well with Anita’s typical Provence version of a Swiss Chard Tart, a Tourte de Blettes. Anita can prepare French dishes with the best home cooks I know, and we are always happy to experience one of her creations. The Tourte de Blettes is a little bit savory and a little bit sweet. Swiss chard is not something you generally expect in a dish dusted with powdered sugar, but it really does work well! In between that tart crust made of flour, butter and sugar is Swiss chard, raisins, pine nuts and apples. Thankfully there were some leftovers which I got to enjoy the next day with my morning coffee.
Dreaming Tree, Rosé, Geyserville, Sonoma County
by Dave Matthews and shared by Gary and Debbie
Grilled Shrimp Skewers with Blackened Garlic Butter
Dave Matthews is well known for being a singer, songwriter, musician, actor and record label owner and best known for the iconic Dave Matthews Band which he started in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1991. You may be familiar with their songs like “Crash into Me”, “Ants Marching” and “Don’t Drink the Water”. But Dave’s career has gone off in an entirely different direction. He now owns two wineries. The first is Blenheim Vineyards located on a historic farm in Albemarle County just south of Monticello in Virginia. Blenheim has been making 100% Virginia grown wines for the past 10 years, such as Viognier and Cabernet Franc. The second is named after a Dave Matthews Band song – “The Dreaming Tree” winery located in Geyserville, Sonoma County, California. Dave’s and his New Zealand winemaker partner, Sean McKenzie, goals are to make approachable, balanced and easy to drink wines that are meant to be shared and enjoyed by everybody. The Dreaming Tree is a sustainably driven brand, (as are 99% of Sonoma County wineries) that has donated over $1.5 million to environmental conservation organizations around the world. The focus is on trees as the name implies. Labels are made with 100% recycled paper, and bottles are lighter than normal to cut down on fuel used in shipping. The winery now produces Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Blend and Rosé for about $13 -$15 a bottle, and it’s available in many retail operations.
The 2018 The Dreaming Tree Rosé is a blend of 56% Pinot Noir, 23% Grenache, 11% Pinot Grigio and 10% other grapes sourced from the California appellation. It’s a soft pale pink enjoyable rosé with delicate floral and tropical aromas, fruity flavors of watermelon, strawberry and nectarine, and as Dave says it is “good for everybody earlier in the day, just fine for anybody in the middle of the day, and most everybody can enjoy it in the evening”.
We also drank a Dreaming Tree Cabernet featured under our red wine category. Gary and Debbie served up some grilled shrimp with blackened garlic butter, a recipe from Chef Fiona that she prepared for the DMB and Crew in Atlanta, GA. Grill some peeled and deveined 16/20 count shrimp (preferably wild caught), season them with salt and pepper, then remove from heat and top with melted garlic butter, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, and blackening, Cajun or jerk seasoning of your choice. Our cooks decided to kick it up another notch and added some dark rum! Garnish with a little fresh parsley and you have an appetizer worthy of Dave Matthews and all of us!
Reds
Two Paddocks, Proprietor’s Reserve “The Last Chance” Pinot Noir 2016, South Island, Central Otago, NZ
by Sam Neill and shared by Chuck and Linda
Sam Neill is an Irish-born New Zealand actor, writer, producer and director. He has appeared on the big screen in a number of movies, but became known internationally as Dr. Alan Grant in Jurassic Park back in 1993. He currently lives in Queenstown, New Zealand and owns a winery called Two Paddocks, which is how I will forever best remember him. Two Paddocks has three vineyards all in the Central Otago region of New Zealand’s South Island. Sam established Two Paddocks in 1983 with an objective being to share wonderful Pinot Noir moments with his loved ones. He certainly got me hooked! We haven’t made an effort to drink wines from New Zealand in quite some time, but this one really got my attention and obviously a number of wine critics. The Last Chance Proprietor’s Reserve 2016 received scores of 91-96 points as did three other vintages. It’s an $80+ bottle of pinot, but luckily I got it on sale from an internet wine source. The grapes came from a small terrace high above the Earnscleugh Valley, planted with Burgundian clone Pinot Noir. It takes it’s name from the watercourse that runs through the property which was hand dug by gold miners in the 1860s, The Last Chance. Some say it is the world’s southernmost vineyard. Central Otago is on the 45th parallel below Tasmania. The wine itself was full of savory spicy notes, dark red fruit and wild thyme and an elegant finish just as predicted by the winemaker. All of Sam Neill’s vineyards are certified organic and he is currently the only producer to own land in the three main valleys of Central Otago. This is extreme Southern cool climate wine at it’s best!
Il Palagio Casino Delle Vie Rosso Toscano IGT, Sangiovese 2015 Tuscany, Italy
by Sting and shared by Dave and Sandi
Gordon Matthews Thomas Sumner, much better known to the world as the musician “Sting”, was born in England in 1951. He and the new wave rock band “The Police” made music all over the world between 1977 and 1984. Then he launched a solo career in 1985. Between those two careers, Sting has received 17 Grammy Awards, won Song of the Year for “Every Breath You Take”, and many many other awards. He’s even got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Now the wine business knows him more famously for the wines that he and his wife Trudie Styler make at their Tuscan estate called Il Palagio, just south of Florence. It includes a hilltop villa with three annexes capable of providing guests with 16 bedrooms which sleep 31 people. It is for rent, by the way! But you won’t have to share it with any strangers because you have to rent the whole darn thing! The estate includes 350 hectares of farmland, vineyards and forest, and when Sting first found out that wine served to him by the previous owner came from Bordeaux, he was convinced to buy the property, restore the house, retain the estate team of farmers and make good wine. He hired Alan York, a US biodynamic winemaking and viticulture consultant, replanted the vineyards from 2001 to 2003 and produced a Super Tuscan blend called Sister Moon, a name inspired from one of his most famous songs but also inspired from the biodynamic practices used to make the wine.
Today Sting and his wife produce six wines using fruit from their 13 hectares of vineyards plus some locally-sourced grapes. Their property also supports bees and pigs, produces olives, fruit and vegetables all using organic farming principals. Sting says that wine is like a song and has a story to tell, so it makes sense that he named some of his wines after his biggest hits including Roxanne, When We Dance and Sister Moon. Dave and Sandi brought one of Sting’s red Tuscan wines to share — Casino Delle Vie 2015. This one is a Tuscany IGT made from 80% Sangiovese, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon Blanc, 9% Merlot and 3% Cab Franc named after a nineteenth century farmhouse on his estate. Grapes were macerated 6-7 days, fermented in stainless steel then barrel aged for 12 months and 6 months in the bottle. It is full bodied with aromas of mint, spice and blueberries, then jammy fruit on the palate followed by a plum taste with round elegant soft tannins. James Suckling gave it 92 points and previous vintages scored between 90-93. This was a very enjoyable bottle of Tuscan red priced between $30-35/bottle, and you can get it at a local big box wine store.
Crostini
Toscani (Chicken Liver Pate)
Dave is one of those home chefs who makes just about everything from scratch. He even makes his own sausage! This appetizer is one of two that he made for us to pair with the Il Palagio wine. Crostini Toscani, or chicken liver pate, is a classic Tuscan appetizer and always a favorite of ours. Dave sauteed the chicken livers with some onion, anchovies and garlic for lots of additional flavor, then cooked them in wine and chicken broth till liquid was reduced. The result was a chicken liver pate placed in food processor until coarsely pureed. Add a little lemon peel, salt and pepper to taste and spoon that delicious pate on some freshly grilled slices of Italian bread. You can’t go wrong with a bottle of Sangiovese!
Bucatini with Sausage and Peas
Whenever Sting eats meat, he really enjoys Bucatini with Sausage and Peas. Sting is a macrobiotic vegetarian. I had to read up on that to learn the difference since there are so many versions of vegetarianism. It seems that if you are macrobiotic, you can sometimes eat seafood while your diet focuses on eating local and seasonal foods – except of course when you feel like eating meat! At least he picked a really good dish for breaking his regime. This tasty dish is really simple to make except since Dave and Sandi don’t eat pork, he opted to make a turkey sweet Italian sausage. The result was delicious all mixed together with bucatini pasta in a tomato sauce with bright green peas, fresh basil leaves and plenty of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Another great Sangiovese pairing. We are always happy to have you in our kitchen, Dave!
Could there actually be people not familiar with the music of Andrea Bocelli? He has been a favorite of mine since the first time I ever heard him sing. But what I didn’t know until last year, was that the Bocelli family makes excellent wine in Tuscany and has been doing so for over 130 years. Mamma Bocelli still enjoys working in the fields hand-tying vines, and sister-in-law Cinzia and brother Alberto manage the company. We were first introduced to the Bocelli Family Wines at a Bocelli wine dinner in 2019 at Angelina’s Ristorante in Bonita Springs. All of the wines then available were poured and paired with Chef Ryan’s fabulous food. We enjoyed all of them and quite a few found their way home with us. That was an eye-opening experience for me since my first thought would have been that these “celebrity” wines would be quite lacking in credibility, but wow were we all surprised!
The Sangiovese di Toscana IGT 2017 was produced from a vineyard in Morellino, Tuscany from 100% Sangiovese grapes. It was 33% aged in French oak for 4 months resulting in a lush, fruity, unoaked type of red wine. They used an old tradition called “governo all Toscana” which is a small percentage of grapes are “raisined” to give great concentration and aromatics in the wine. The hand harvested grapes are ripe and smoky with dark chocolate, morello cherry and herbal notes. This is a really easy drinking Sangiovese perfect with dinner or on it’s own and is a $15-20 bottle of wine which I have seen in our local retail stores.
Passing Time, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2014, Horse Heaven Hills, Washington State
by Dan Marino and shared by Chuck and Linda
Passing Time is a joint wine venture in Washington State between NFL Quarterbacks Damon Huard and Dan Marino and the winemaker Chris Peterson. Dan Marino was born in Pittsburgh, PA, the area of my original home, but the similarities pretty much stop there. He was born in 1961 and I was born in……………let’s just say quite a few years before that! He went to the University of Pittsburgh and I went to Carnegie Mellon University which are neighbors. Pitt had a good football team – CMU not so much!.
Dan went on to a 17 year pro football career and was the Miami Dolphins quarterback between 1984 – 2000. Dan and Damon were Miami Dolphin teammates from 1997-99 and both decided that making wine would be their game plan after football. Since Damon is originally from Washington State, and realized that some really good wine was being produced there, they decided to open a wine venture named Passing Time in Woodinville, hired Chris Peterson as their consultant winemaker, started making Cabernet Sauvignon, and released their first vintage of 500 cases of 2012 Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon. It was a blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon from Discovery Vineyard plus some Champoux Cabernet Franc and Klipsun Merlot made in 80% new French oak. Quilceda Creek and Andrew Will have sourced grapes from Discovery Vineyard, so it is obviously a good choice. Wine Advocate scored only 3 other Washington Cabs higher than the 2013 that scored 96. Now Passing Time makes a Columbia Valley Red and a Red Mountain/Walla Walla in addition to the Horse Heaven Hills.
Our bottle of 2014 Passing Time Cabernet Sauvignon Horse Heaven Hills scored 95-97 points from Robert Parker and was most definitely a really big wine. It’s made from 43% Discovery Cabernet, 43% Champoux Cabernet, 9% Klipsun Merlot and 5% Champoux Cabernet Franc and aged 20 months in 80% new French oak. Black raspberries, currants, creme de cassis, smoked earth and minerals can all be found in this black and blue colored elegant Cab with 14.6% alcohol. Since it was recommended to give the wine 2-4 years in the bottle with potential for two or more decades of drinkability, I hesitated to get a newer vintage for immediate pouring and had to hand over $90 to get hold of a 2014 in 2020. Ouch!!!! No, Passing Time is not just a passing fancy for this celebrity winery.
Meatballs with Cheese and “Marinora” Sauce
Like many other football celebrities, Dan Marino has owned a number of restaurants through the years in Florida and Las Vegas that have all come and gone; however it seems that he is still a part owner of Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza chain. Italian items were really popular on his menus which of course included meatballs. No surprise there! Chuck opted to prepare meatballs to pair with the Passing Time Cab and serve with additional Parmesan cheese and our version of Marinara Sauce, “Marinora Sauce” as our quirky play on names. The football party picks added to the fun. Who doesn’t like meatballs?
The Calling, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2016 Alexander Valley, Sonoma County
by Jim Nantz and shared by Jeff and Rene
Jim Nantz is an Emmy award winning sports commentator “calling” sporting events for CBS Television Network since 1985. He had wanted to get into the wine industry for many years and his wish came true in 2009. That is when he met Peter Deutsch, founder and CEO of Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits. Their partnership was meant to be. “The Calling” was born, and Jim and Peter selected Sonoma County as their best choice to make extraordinary wines. They then partnered with two great winemakers: one from Sonoma, James MacPhail, and a global award winning Cabernet producer, Wayne Donaldson. Now The Calling wines are quality standards for Sonoma with more than forty 90+ ratings since the first vintage in 2012. They make Cabs from Alexander Valley grapes, Pinots and Chardonnays from Russian River Valley, Chardonnay from Sonoma Coast and also source Chardonnay grapes from the Dutton Ranch in Russian River Valley. Chardonnays are 100% barrel fermented in French oak using wild yeast, undergo full malolactic fermentation and are aged sur lie for 11-12 months. Reds are also fermented with wild yeasts with malolactic fermentation in the barrel.
James MacPhail makes the Pinots and Chardonnays and is one dynamite winemaker. Chuck and I were lucky enough to taste with James personally in the tasting room next to his house before he sold MacPhail Wines. I can still picture that little red wagon sitting next to the front door that appeared on all of his wine labels. James current personal winemaking project since then is called Tongue Dancer Wines where he crafts his beautiful Pinots.
Wayne Donaldson has made wine all around the world including Champagne, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia. He eventually decided on making world-class Cabernet Sauvignon in California. His philosophy is to make bold wine that speaks for itself. That is exactly what the 2016 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from The Calling did for us. It was 88% Cab, 7% Malbec and 5% Petit Verdot aged in 100% French oak for 18 months. The nose was plummy with a touch of pepper and the palate well balanced with blackberry and plum, sweet vanilla oak and a bit of tar. The tannins and acidity will support keeping this wine around for 10-12 years if you choose to do so. Alcohol is 14.5%. We already knew excellent Cabs come from Alexander Valley and this one from The Calling just further confirmed that. Alexander Valley Cabs are also excellent quality for the price. This wonderful bottle of Cab can be purchased from mid $30s up. The collection of The Calling wines can also be found in the local big box store between $30 – 70. Or if you would really like to help the winery directly, you can purchase from them and pay just $1 for shipping!
Braised Rabbit with Cavatelli Pasta
What better pairing for our Alexander Valley Cabernet than a recipe from the local and world renowned Charlie Palmer’s Dry Creek Kitchen? They are known for using regional ingredients. This recipe for Braised Rabbit Cavatelli was on the restaurant’s special Easter Brunch menu. We missed that one, but our friend and another great chef in the kitchen, Jeff Savarise, brought it to us. As soon as Jeff mentioned preparing an item from Dry Creek Kitchen, I was ready with knife and fork since Chuck and I celebrated my birthday one year with dinner at Charlie Palmer’s famous restaurant.
The recipe called for local rabbit, and I don’t know how local ours was, but I do know that Jeff had to cut up some whole rabbits for this one. The rabbit was then diced up, seasoned and sauteed along with onions, carrots and garlic, pan deglazed in red wine and red wine vinegar, then simmered in chicken stock till tender. Jeff added the cooked cavatelli pasta to the tender rabbit along with some roasted garlic and topped with fresh Parmesan cheese. The finished product was a true celebrity pairing with that Cabernet by The Calling. Another winner from Jeff!
B R Cohn, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma County.
by Bruce Cohn, the Doobie Brothers manager, shared by Jo
Bruce Cohn was managing a San Francisco music rehearsal studio by day and working as a TV engineer by night back in the 1970s when he started managing the Doobie Brothers, our American rock band that was active for 5 decades. Remember their hits like Long Train Runnin’, China Grove and Listen to the Music? Michael MacDonald, one of the Doobies, is still around making music. Bruce realized he needed a place to relax after time on the road and decided to buy an old dairy farm in Glen Ellen in 1974. He got a really good mentor, Caymus’ Charlie Wagner, to help him learn about farming practices and in 1984 he was ready to found B. R. Cohn Winery. Several of his early winemakers – Helen Turley and Merry Edwards – are celebrity winemaker superstars in their own right. He bought more vineyards producing as many as 75,000 cases a year and started hosting charity classic rock festivals there. You could see and hear Graham Nash, David Crosby, Willie Nelson, Grand Funk Railroad and many others.
B. R. Cohn was also one of the first re-emerging artisan olive oil producers in California. In fact the property was named Olive Hill Estate Vineyards after the grove of 145-year-old Picholine olive trees on the property. The B. R. Cohn Olive Oil Company still produces a wide selection of olive oils and wine vinegars.
After 41 years of business sadly Bruce accrued too much debt trying to keep his winery going and was forced to sell. Vintage Wine Estates bought the winery and the brand in 2015 and still owns it today along with many others, some of which are quite big names in the industry including Delectus, Swanson, Qupe, and Laetitia. Bruce now has a small label – Trestle Glen Vineyards – which is sourced from grapes on his 21-acre vineyard in Glen Ellen which he was able to keep and hopes to make 2000 cases annually.
You can visit the B. R. Cohn Winery in Glen Ellen, which is between Sonoma Mountain and the Mayacamas Mountain range. They produce Cabs, Malbec, Zinfandel, Pinot Noirs, Merlot, Barbera, Sangiovese, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and several others in quite a range of prices. If you visit them, you can still see the memorabilia from Bruce’s 45 years of managing the Doobie Brothers. We really enjoyed our visit there; however it was long before the change in owners.
Our friend Jo shared with us a bottle of 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon, North Coast, Silver Label B. R. Cohn. It’s a blend of hillside vineyards from Sonoma and Mendocino Counties as well as their own Olive Hill Estate Vineyard. The actual blend is 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc. There were bold, rich aromas of cassis, black cherry, mint and violets combined with oak, anise and vanilla. You could taste the cherry, caramel and clove on the palate. This is a good solid Cab usually rated about 89 points that can be purchased for around $20 in the big box store, and I am happy to see it on local restaurant wine lists.
“Silver Palate” Stuffed Mushrooms
When Jo was searching for an appetizer that reflected the earlier years of the Doobie Brothers, she decided to prepare a recipe that everyone loved then and we still do – stuffed mushrooms. This particular recipe version came from the “Silver Palate Kitchens” that began 35 years ago with the opening of The Silver Palate food store on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. it was started by two women, Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins, who wanted to prepare home cooked food cooked fresh every day using the best high quality ingredients. Their reputation grew and they began to package some of their condiments. They now offer a variety of dressings, cooking sauces, dessert toppings, oatmeal and other products. There are numerous excellent recipes on their website.
These stuffed mushrooms were large caps with stems removed, then stuffed with a mixture of sauteed onions, chopped walnuts, chopped spinach, feta and Gruyere cheese. The mushrooms were then ready for baking until the filling was hot and browned. The result? Delicious spinach, walnut and cheese stuffed mushrooms worthy of we celebrity wine lovers plus anyone who ever had the opportunity to enjoy them throughout the last 35 years. Cheers to B. R. Cohn, The Doobie Brothers and Long Train Runnin”!
Dreaming Tree, Cabernet Sauvignon 2017, 50% North Coast and 28% Central Coast, California
by Dave Matthews and shared by Gary & Debbie
The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon from The Dreaming Tree was the second varietal that Gary and Debbie shared with us. It was also produced by our singer, songwriter, musician celebrity Dave Matthews. The wine had classic aromas of blackberry and plum along with some toasted caramel, dark chocolate and good tannins. Since I could only find tech notes for the 2016 vintage, I am going on the assumption that 2017 is at least somewhat similar. The California Appellation contains 50% North Coast grapes and 28% Central Coast grapes which are primarily Cabernet Sauvignon with a little Merlot, Malbec, Tannat and Petit Verdot for good measure. The alcohol is 13.9% and it was aged in oak barrels for 18 months. The 2014 Vintage won a Gold Medal at the 2017 Los Angeles International Wine Competition. Dave’s website says that Dreaming Tree is a wine everybody can drink, and I think he has succeeded. You can find it just about everywhere and at a price everyone can afford. The Cab goes for around $15 and got a 3.8 on Vivino.
VermeilXXXIV, Proprietary Red Cabernet, 2017 Napa Valley
by Dick Vermeil and shared by Al and Mariann
Dick Vermeil was a former football head coach for the National Football League’s Philadelphia Eagles (1976-1982), St. Louis Rams (1997-1999) and Kansas City Chiefs (2001-2005). In all three stints as an NFL head coach, he took each team from a losing record to the playoffs by his third season with them. Being good native Philadelphians, Al and Mariann were quite excited to share some of Dick Vermeil’s wine with us! And we were definitely on the winning end of the deal! Vermeil led the Eagles into Super Bowl XV unfortunately losing to Oakland. He retired for the first time in 1983, then came back to coach the St. Louis Rams in 1997 and led them to their only Super Bowl victory in Super Bowl XXXIV 2000.
Fast forward from football to wine making. It seems that Dick Vermeil grew up in Calistoga, California right in the midst of Napa Valley wine country. His great grandfathers, Garibaldi Iaccheri and Jean Louis Vermeil, both emigrated to the United States in the late 1800s, settled in San Francisco, and eventually made their home in Calistoga. Garibaldi went on to own as many as 20 parcels of land in Calistoga and founded one of the first local wine companies, the Calistoga Wine Company, on property that would later be owned by the Frediani family. The Fredianis were old family friends of theirs and now current owners of the vineyards planted on that land. Those two previous generations gave Dick a love of wine which eventually led to Vermeil Wines. In 1999 Dick partnered with winemaker Paul Smith, the owner of now closed On The Edge Winery, and the first Jean Louis Vermeil Cabernet Sauvignon was bottled. On The Edge Winery had a tasting room in Calistoga for many years which eventually became Vermeil Wines. The Calistoga tasting room closed down in 2019, but you can still visit the current Vermeil tasting room in Napa.
Vermeil Wines currently making 11 different wines, all good examples of their varietals. And they are not inexpensive. They start out at $30+ and go well over $100. Vermeil does not own a physical winery. Sauvignon Blanc, Charbono, Petite Sirah, Cabernet Franc, XXXIV and Cabernet Sauvignon make up the Integrity wines and are sourced from the historic Frediani Vineyard located right outside Calistoga on the Silverado Trail. Three Signature Series wines also come from Frediani grapes. Charbono, a fairly uncommon grape in Napa Valley, seems to grow fairly well in this part of the valley and Vermeil produces a fairly good one. Luvisi Vineyards are right next door to Frediani and produce the Zinfandel. Last but certainly not least are the Chardonnay grapes from the famous Dutton Ranch vineyards in the Russian River Valley and Green Valley AVAs.
The Vermeil team has some outstanding winemakers. Thomas Rivers Brown, the Consulting Winemaker, is one of the most sought after in Napa Valley. He began making wine in Napa Valley in 1999 and quickly became the youngest winemaker to earn two perfect 100 point scores from Robert Parker. Andy Jones, the winemaker, met Thomas Brown while Andy was working at Solage Resort. In 2008 Andy went to work for Thomas and by 2013 became assistant winemaker to Thomas at Tamber Bey. Now he is the winemaker at Vermeil trying to get the very best out of every site for every vintage. That is exactly what he did with the 2017 XXXIV, a red blend of 39% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Cabernet France and 33% Petite Sirah. He made 803 cases of this big bold and well balanced 14.8% alcohol blend. It has aromas of sweet black cherry jam, cocoa powder and plum; flavors of blackberry, cherry, pencil shavings and pepper. You could drink it with a Wednesday night hamburger or a weekend filet mignon. The XXXIV of course refers to Dick’s Super Bowl win with the St. Louis Rams.
The Philly Special
You can also drink Vermeil XXXIV with the sandwich made famous in Philadelphia, the cheesesteak sandwich. Our born and raised Philly friends and lifelong Eagles fans, Al and Mariann made their version for us. They started out with rib eye steak, sauteed some Vidalia onions, then shaved that tasty rib eye and put it all on a bun with some American cheese — aka South Philadelphia style! Outstanding on a Monday night with the XXXIV or any other night of the week.
Desserts by Linda
Millionaire’s Shortbread
Bars
I don’t care how many pairings or courses we have. There is ALWAYS room for some dessert. I do try to make an assortment of some bites even if some of those small bites end up in our freezer. They taste amazingly good a few weeks later when you are looking for a bit of dessert and don’t feel like making any.
The millionaire’s shortbread bars are three layers of over the top goodness fit for any millionaire or celebrity. Sorry, for some reason I never got a picture. The first layer of shortbread – 2 cups of flour and 2 sticks of butter – gets baked and cooled. The second layer is caramel made from sweetened condensed milk and butter. After the caramel layer is cool, make the chocolate topping from good quality chocolate ( I prefer semi-sweet) and layer it on. Be sure to cut this dessert into VERY small bars as it is really rich.
Tuscan Cheesecake
with Berries
In honor of our two Tuscan celebrities, Sting and Bocelli, I opted for a Tuscan dessert. The Tuscan cheesecake is made with ricotta cheese – in this case 3 pounds of cheese and 8 eggs. There was so much batter that it made two cheesecakes! Of course that is not a bad thing. One for now and one for later. For flavoring, add orange and lemon zest plus some Grand Marnier or similar liqueur to the batter. The baked cheesecakes came out of my springform pans perfectly which always amazes me when that happens.
New Zealand Kiwi
Bread
I hated to leave Sam Neill without a food pairing and while this one didn’t go with his excellent Pinot Noir, it did add some New Zealand flavor to the dessert table. This quickbread is just like any other quickbread (banana, zucchini, etc) except you add some chopped up ripe kiwis which is a fruit that I don’t cook with very often. It got a powdered sugar lemon juice glaze on it which I would probably omit if I make it again, as the result is quite sweet.
Salted
Chocolate Dipped Orange Slices
My simplest dessert of all probably got the most comments. Peel a few fresh mandarin oranges, melt some chocolate and here again I use semi-sweet or dark chocolate, and dip each little slice half way into the chocolate. Sprinkle with some sea salt, chill till set, and voila! Reap the rewards. Another good thing – these are a 2 day make ahead item. I love desserts like that. Thankfully all of my celebrity desserts were make-ahead. Believe me, there is plenty of work to be done the day of any wine and food event.
Matthew McConaughey, Wild Turkey’s Creative Director
Matthew McConaughey has been with me ever since he came as a surprise guest to my 75th birthday party, or at least his life size cardboard lookalike has been with me!!! I thought it was time for him to make another guest appearance, but was sorry to find out he does not make wine. What he is quite involved in (other than selling Lincolns!) is Wild Turkey Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey. He is in fact the Creative Director for Wild Turkey. Matthew, a native Texan, enjoys his bourbon and when Wild Turkey asked him to be a spokesman for their brand, he was happy to work with them. But he had a vision of creating a bourbon that perfectly suited his taste, and Eddie Russell, the distiller, worked with him for two years to create one. Wild Turkey Longbranch starts out with the usual filtration process through oak charcoal. The Texas twist comes in with the second filtration of circulating it through Texas mesquite charcoal. The result is a smooth bourbon with a slight sweetness to it. It’s 86 proof, aged 8 years and is a blend of 75% corn, 13% rye and 12% malted barley first released in April 2018. Now I am not much of a hard liquor drinker after discovering how much I love wine, but I did buy a bottle of Wild Turkey Longbranch and discovered that I could easily sip on a glass of it with or without an ice cube! Thanks, Matthew. You did all right!!!!!
Matthew and me with some Wild Turkey Longbranch
The ladies did not at all mind having a photo op with Matthew before he is retired once again to the back corner of my office.
The James
Bond Vesper Martini
We were all ready with a recipe and ingredients for a James Bond Vesper Martini in case any of our guests preferred to start off their evening with one. But it was all about the celebrity wines, and James would have to wait another day for his martini.
And so it was that our starry starry night of celebrity wines came to an end. What a night of wines and fabulous foods paired with them all provided by our winelover and foodie friends. What was the verdict, you ask? Do any celebrities make good wine? The answer is undoubtedly yes. Many do. Some not as good. Just like the entire wine industry, there is a wide variety of quality and price. There is something for everybody! If you do an internet search for celebrity wines, you will come up with myriads of names from Wayne Gretsky, to Kyle MacLachlan, Boz Scaggs, Fergie of Black Eyed Pea fame, Mario Andretti, Gerard Depardieu, Mike Ditka, John Legend and Madonna. The list is endless. What I personally learned from this tasting experience is that you never know until you give the wine a try. I cannot be too quick to make a judgment based on the name of the winemaker, how the label looks, the price or where it comes from. You just may be in for a real surprise!
Once again I must pass along many thanks and plenty of cooking kudos to our winelover foodie friends. These events cannot happen without your support and contributions of wine and food. Thanks to Dave and Sandi for the photography and to Dave for preparing a slide presentation for me. It will be on display for all to see the next time we are able to get together. And a very special thank you to our friend Jeff Savarise for suggesting this fabulous and fun theme. I hope that it was everything you wanted it to be. Everyone really got into the spirit of the evening. It was a star studded experience!
See you at our next forkandcorkdivine wIne tIme event. Who knows what wines we will be pouring!
The stars came out over our table for twelve and sparkled throughout the evening as we enjoyed appetizers, six courses and sixteen Sonoma County wines. I am fairly sure there were even some shooting star moments. This was the wine dinner event we had been patiently waiting for — our celebration of the 2019 Wine Star Award winning “Wine Region of the Year” — SONOMA COUNTY.
Our stars showed great promise!
Sonoma County’s 425 or so wineries are best known for producing Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel, many of which receive 90 or more points from wine reviewers. You will also find excellent Merlots and Sauvignon Blancs. Our mission was to select wines that would showcase the differences between some of the awesome 18 AVAs of Sonoma County and confirm that the county overall produces some amazingly good wines……..and at reasonable prices!
There are over one million acres of land in Sonoma County making it twice as large as Napa Valley. Because of it’s size, there is plenty of diversity in the wine regions ranging from coastal cool with fog coming in from the ocean or bay to mountains, riverbeds, plains, benchlands and valleys many with quite different climates and soils. We tried to feature as much of this diversity as possible. Our first star was sparkling wine from Iron Horse in Green Valley, followed by Chardonnays from Sonoma Coast and Chalk Hill. Then we moved on to Pinot Noirs and featured them in two ways beginning with a three year vertical from the same winery in Russian River Valley, then followed up with a 2014 vertical of Pinot Noirs from three different AVAs -Russian River Valley, Green Valley and Sonoma Coast. We were dazzled by Cabernet Sauvignons from Alexander Valley and Knights Valley, Moon Mountain and Sonoma Mountain. Just when we thought we couldn’t drink another drop, there was a superstar vertical of three Zinfandels from Dry Creek Valley! More information about the various AVAs is coming as we work our way through the dinner menu.
The menu items were all selected to compliment the wines, some of them from recipes of several of the great chefs or wineries in the county. Our guests are all excellent cooks in their own right; some of them are trained professional chefs while others honed their skills in home kitchens. I believe that the foods we served allowed our wines to shine just as their winemakers intended them to do!
Here is our menu with all of the courses, wines and many pictures. We hope that you enjoy our journey through the AVAs and wines of Sonoma County almost as much as we did.
SONOMA COUNTY:
“A Star is Born”
Wine Star Award Dinner
Sunday, January 12,
2020
Hors D’oeuvres and Green Valley AVA Sparkling
Shrimp Cocktail Bites
Stuffed Mushrooms
How do you decide on the right hors d’oeuvres to start out such a starry wine packed evening? You look for something very “classy”, elegant and just the right little one mouthful! I found several with Debbie’s Shrimp Cocktail Appetizer Bites and Chef Christian’s “world famous” Stuffed Mushrooms. You can’t go wrong with those stuffed mushrooms. Everyone who has ever been to one of Chef Christian’s wine dinners at Blue Rendezvous French Bistro on the island of Sanibel, Florida has loved loved loved those mushrooms served at occasional receptions. I had the courage to ask him to bring some, and he graciously accepted! On the other end of the culinary spectrum, Debbie had never made these magical little shrimp cocktail bites before, but they were snatched up so fast off the serving plate that I didn’t even get to enjoy one. She promises to make them again ……. just for me! According to our guests, they really complimented that Iron Horse Classic Brut sparkling wine. I’ll take their word for it, because how could they be wrong?
Iron Horse Classic Brut, Vintage 2015, Green Valley, Sonoma County
Iron
Horse
Green Valley is famous for fog and slightly cooler temperatures. It was rainy and misty when we visited. The Sterlings were renovating the tasting room making our experience even more special. We were outside on the rustic deck looking down over the property with the wines set up on wooden boards.
Audrey and Barry Sterling first saw the estate in pouring rain in February 1976, thought it looked like Camelot and bought the property in two weeks. The winery is named for a train that used to cross the property, the Iron Horse. Their wines all have a sense of place specific to Green Valley, their vineyard and the vintage. They are elegant, soft and silky and full of quality and class. The sparkling wines exceed French standards for vintage quality and are of the “Grower Champagne” category. Wedding Cuvee is aged on average three years; the Classic Vintage Brut four to five and the Late Disgorged seven to eight years. The sparkling wines of Iron Horse have been served at the White House for numerous historic occasions. There are three generations of family living on the property all striving to put back more than what they take out of the land. They are certified sustainable by the Wine Institute and the Sonoma Wine Growers.
2015 Iron Horse Classic Brut, Green Valley AVA Classic Brut is the “flagship” sparkling of Iron Horse. Just 1200 cases of this 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay blend were made for the 2015 vintage. The winemaker says it has notes of rising dough, orange marmalade and baked apple with flavors of ripe red apples, mandarin oranges and hazelnuts on the palate – all flavors unmistakably Green Valley, Iron Horse and the famous Goldridge soil. I couldn’t find any ratings yet for the 2015, but previous vintages have all been between 90 and 95 points, and our guests all gave rave reviews! This bottle cost us about $45 from wine.com
We started off with some superstars of Green Valley, Chalk Hill and Sonoma Coast. Nothing sparkled as brightly as our Iron Horse sparkling bubbles!
First Course: Chardonnay
from Two AVAs
West Coast Dungeness Crab Cakes, Grapefruit Sauceand Ruby Red Grapefruit Section Garnish
I really like to make somewhat of a big splashy statement with our first course seated at the table, and this one really did that no “splashy crabs” pun intended! Anita, my foodie friend and guest at this dinner suggested this recipe as an option, and my first thought is “where am I going to get Dungeness crab here on the east coast”? Surprisingly to me, my local Publix supermarket had them and even on sale! So being the experienced crab picker that I am from my days of living in Baltimore and Virginia Beach, I set up my workstation and started pickin”!
Dungeness crabs, aka West Coast crab, is named after a small town in Washington State but you can get them in Pacific waters from California up the coast to Alaska. They have a more naturally sweet flavor than some other crabs. Now grapefruit is another story. I’ve complimented seafood with many an orange sauce, but grapefruit is a little rarer. However, you can’t believe what an outstanding dish this was and how well it paired with our citrusy Chardonnays from two AVAs.
The crabcakes had some Old Bay seasoning in them, thank goodness, as it is hard for me to leave that out, plus a few chives, some Dijon, a little whipping cream, an egg and a minimum of bread crumbs (fresh please). The grapefruit sauce started out by reducing way down some ruby red grapefruit juice with a bunch of minced shallots and adding lots and lots of butter. I plated up those finished crab cakes (which were pan fried in more butter, no surprise) on a pool of grapefruit butter sauce and garnished with fresh ruby red grapefruit sections and fresh chives. A bit of heaven on a plate!
2016 Patz & Hall Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast
Patz & Hall
Donald Patz and James
Hall met in the 1980s while working at Flora Springs Winery. Donald was a
national sales manager and James was an assistant winemaker. They became close
friends and decided that they wanted to make their own wine from elite small
vineyards. In 1988 they teamed up with their wives and business partners,
Heather Patz and Anne Moses, put up $5000, and Patz & Hall was born. Now
Patz & Hall is one of California’s most highly regarded wineries with a
really good portfolio of single-vineyard wines. They specialize in Chardonnay
and Pinot Noir.
By the late 1990s, they were able to focus 100% of their attention on making and selling their wines. Since they had no vineyards, no tasting room, no office and no employees, they decided to move to the next level and opened a tasting room and office in a warehouse in Napa which is where we first found them in 2007. They bought quality grapes from Hyde, Hudson, Dutton Ranch, Zio Tony Ranch, Gap’s Crown, Alder Springs and Pisoni. Their wines frequently earn outstanding ratings. About that time we also met Donald Patz on one of his marketing tours and enjoyed a tasting with him of all their wines at one of our favorite local restaurants, Angelina’s Ristorante in Bonita Springs, Florida.
With the business going well, they moved to a new facility in Sonoma with a visitor’s center and winemaking facility designed by Hall. In fact business was going so well that Patz & Hall soon reached an agreement with Ste. Michelle Wine Estates to purchase the company. Ste. Michelle wanted to expand into Sonoma, and the partners agreed to stay on after the sale, selling the brand, inventory and winery equipment to the new owners. The two families still continue making wine together after 30 plus years. We can verify that Patz & Hall is still making outstanding wines.
2016 Patz & Hall Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast AVA
Patz & Hall Sonoma Coast Chardonnay is one of their entry-level Chardonnays made from a diverse blend of small family owned vineyards on the coastal side of Sonoma County. Sonoma Coast is the coolest of the regions. This one was aged on lees in 32% new Burgundy barrels with 100% malolactic fermentation in the barrel. The winemaker said it should have aromas and flavors of dried orange peel, green apples, spicy pears, lime zest plus notes of roasted almonds, yeast and toffee. We were also ready to enjoy the long layered finish. The alcohol level is 14.2%. It received 90-93 points as have the previous vintages. Since most of their wines are from single vineyards, we were really anxious to give this non-single vineyard offering a try and it was a crowd favorite of the night, I do believe, meeting all of our expectations. We purchased this bottle from wine.com for $39.
2016 Rodney Strong Chalk Hill Chardonnay, Chalk Hill
Rodney
Strong Vineyards
The story of Rodney Strong Vineyards began over 55 years ago when Rod Strong, a ballet dancer, retired in Sonoma County to pursue his dream of winemaking. He started a winery and renamed it Rodney Strong Vineyards in 1980. The Klein family purchased it in 1989. Planting new rootstocks, new trellising and new varieties enabled them to focus on appellation-driven grapes such as Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Sonoma cool areas, and Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel from Alexander Valley – all Sonoma County. Rod Strong was the first to plant Chardonnay in what is now the Chalk Hill AVA. Way back in 1965 he recognized the uniqueness of this region from the rest of Russian River Valley because of that volcanic chalky white ash soil which gives the wine its subtle mineral characteristics.
Rodney Strong Vineyards was the 13th winery bonded in the newly discovered Sonoma County wine industry. Through the years Rodney Strong has earned their well-deserved reputation for single vineyard and reserve wines including best-in-class Sonoma County varietal wines, and Chalk Hill Vineyard is certainly no exception.
2016 Rodney Strong Estate Vineyards Chardonnay, Chalk Hill AVA
Rodney Strong’s Chalk Hill Chardonnay was made from 100% Chardonnay grapes grown in their Chalk Hill Vineyard. It was 97% barrel fermented in 100% French oak for 12 months. The lees were regularly stirred in the barrel to give a full and creamy texture on the palate. We got those flavors of pear, vanilla, Meyer lemon and a bit of minerality on the finish. And yes it was a perfect pairing with fresh crab! Alcohol level is 14.5% and it received several 90 point ratings. This was a $22 bottle of wine that we even got on sale for $17 from our internet go-to wine company and a Wine Star Awardee in their own right, wine.com. Chalk Hill is also further inland and warmer than Sonoma Coast but has the white volcanic ash hillsides. We were anxious to taste these two Chardonnays side by side but I think it may have been a well deserved tie between the two of them.
What an amazing pairing! Two Chardonnays and Dungeness crab cakes with grapefruit sauce and ruby red grapefruit garnish.
Second Course: A Pinot Noir Vertical of Small Vines Wines
Russian
River Valley AVA
Bacon
Wrapped Scallops with Creamy Mascarpone Polenta and Roasted Red Pepper Salad
Paul and Kathryn Sloan post recipes on their website that are outstanding suggestions for pairing up with their Green Valley/Russian River Valley wines. As soon as I saw this recipe, I knew looking further was not an option. And by the way, it’s a recipe from Chef/Owner Charlie Palmer and his Dry Creek Kitchen restaurant in Healdsburg. We had the pleasure of dining there for my birthday on one of our visits to Sonoma County.
The scallops were wrapped in bacon, seasoned and pan seared until golden. I chose to par-cook the bacon before wrapping as I know it takes but just a few minutes to cook these beautiful scallops, and I prefer my bacon well cooked. Be sure to use the biggest sea scallops you can get. They are always worth it! If you are serving “small plates” as we usually do, you can then plan on serving one or two depending on the size. I cooked the instant polenta in chicken stock as called for in the recipe (even though I heard that many polenta purists would never ever think of using the instant kind!), seasoned with salt and the last of my piment d’Espelette, whisked in the mascarpone, and it was delicious. I read somewhere about cooking the polenta in advance and keeping warm in a slow cooker, and because I have so many pans and skillets of food going on at the last minute for a wine dinner, I am always looking for a way to hold food that will still maintain quality and not need last minute cooking. Amazingly the polenta just required some vigorous whisking before plating to bring it back to it’s perfect self, and it was just as good as new! Always good to have a few cooking hacks up your sleeve. The roasted red peppers were finished off in garlic, EVOO and white wine in the scallop pan. Add the fresh basil and this wonderful dish is ready for plating. And the really good news? Paul even recommended we serve this dish with their Small Vines Wines Estate Cuvee Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. Since there was a vertical of it for at least three years in our collection, this was a food and wine lover dream pairing.
2012 Small Vines Wines Estate Cuvee
2013 Small Vines Wines Estate Cuvee
2014 Small Vines Wines Estate Cuvee
Small Vines Wines
Small Vines Wines was founded in 2005 by Paul and Kathryn Sloan with their first vintage of Pinot Noir. They may grow small vines but they make some really big Grand Cru-quality Pinot Noirs! And Chardonnays. Put together that dusty Goldridge soil west of Sebastopol in Green Valley with Paul’s Burgundian style of organic farming and you have a Pinot marriage made in heaven. He started out running a vineyard management business which he still operates today. After learning how vineyards are farmed in the Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits and the concentrated flavorful fruit that they produce, Paul opted to plant his vineyards with narrow rows of only four feet across which even called for purchasing special tractors from France small enough to fit between the rows. The vines are farmed so individually that Paul says they touch each vine independently over 28 times during the growing season. The yield of each vine is also small – about 1-2 pounds of fruit compared to an average yield of ten times more in California. At harvest time, Pinot Noir grapes are handpicked in the cold of night, hand sorted twice, and whole-clustered during fermentation. They use French oak barrels from Burgundy that have been aged a minimum of 3 years. The wine usually spends about 14 months in the barrel and is bottled unfined unfiltered.
In addition to the 7 acres of vineyards that they lease and manage, they purchased the Barlow Homestead and now have their own 8 acres of vineyard. The Barlows were prominent apple and berry farmers in West Sonoma County and the historic farmhouse that they now live in on the property dates back to 1897. Look for Small Vines Wines Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from their vineyard (TBH) The Barlow Homestead in Green Valley, and MK Vineyards Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, Baranoff Vineyards Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, Estate Cuvee Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, and Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir. You won’t find much of it – they just make around 42,000 bottles a year. Plus 75% is sold direct to the consumer.
We experienced a
wonderful tasting experience with Paul Sloan on his Barlow estate in 2007
before they were even able to move into the farmhouse. Paul poured
a taste of every one of his labels for the two of us, paired them up with some
appetizers and spent several hours telling us about his wines and his hopes for
the future. Those are the kind of experiences that this winelover will
forever remember!
2012, 2013 and 2014 Small Vines Wines Estate Cuvee
Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley AVA
Green Valley AVA is actually within the Russian River Valley AVA. However, we tasted a 3 year vertical made by Paul and Small Vines Wines from vineyard estates that he manages in Russian River Valley, but not exclusively Green Valley. The vineyards were farmed organically by Small Vines Viticulture adhering to Grand Cru standards. The soils were red sandy clay loam to dark gray Goldridge fine sandy loam. All three vintages spent 15 months on fine lees and were bottled unfined and unfiltered. Oak was 31 – 37.5% new French. There were 390 cases made (2012), 524 (2013) and 360 (2014). All three vintages gave us dark cherry and plum notes with earthy forest floor and earthy mushrooms with soft and silky texture. According to Kathryn, the 2012 vintage was more full and generous, the 2013 very cool, elegant, fresh and bright and the 14 incredibly well balanced with nice concentration. I didn’t make notes on our guests comments, but the general consensus seemed to be that we greatly enjoyed every one of those wines! Small Vines Wines are always highly acclaimed but here again don’t expect to see them on a local wine store shelf. I purchased these wines direct from the winery for $50 to $65 a bottle.
Third Course: A Horizontal of 2014
Pinot Noirs
A trio of Sonoma
County AVAs
Terrine of Grilled Eggplant, Red Peppers and Goat Cheesewith Parsley Sauce
My friend Anita was inspired to make this dish after reading about Cafe LoLo, a French Mediterranean restaurant in Santa Rosa, California that unfortunately is now closed. The recipe itself is from one of those old Gourmet Magazines that are irreplaceable! You can do an internet search and find it in their July 1993 issue.
Anita broiled eggplant slices and then layered them in loaf pans with black olive tapenade, roasted red bell peppers and goat cheese, wrapped well in plastic and refrigerated overnight resulting in these gorgeous colorful slices of vegetables. A puree of fresh parsley, garlic, balsamic vinegar and EVOO made the delicious parsley sauce that was served with the terrine. This dish was a great example of Sonoma County local fresh produce and cheese making. Great choice, Anita! And a really good option if you are transporting a dish for service somewhere else.
What do you pair with a gorgeous chilled vegetable terrine? Why a horizontal of Pinot Noirs from the same area, of course! After all as the saying goes……….what grows together goes together. Three Pinots were selected from the same vintage but from three different AVAs – the cool coastal Sonoma Coast, the famous Russian River Valley which is highly praised for Pinot Noirs and the Green Valley, a sub-region within Russian River Valley and famous for their Goldridge soil.
Landmark Vineyards were
founded in 1974 by a group of people including Damaris Deere Ford, the
great-great-granddaughter of John Deere, who invented the steel plow. By 1989
Damaris was the sole owner and moved Landmark to its present location in
Kenwood, Sonoma Valley. In 1993 Landmark hired Helen Turley to make some world-class
Chardonnay. Grand Detour was their first Pinot Noir release in 1995. Grand
Detour just happens to be the name of the village in Illinois where John Deere
set up his blacksmith shop. Since then their Overlook Chardonnay has been on
Wine Spectator’s Top 100 list eight times. Landmark calls the Sonoma Valley
home but sources grapes from vineyards in Sonoma (including Sonoma Coast),
Monterey and Santa Barbara Counties. You can visit them in their tasting room
outside Healdsburg in the Hop Kiln winery (bought by Landmark in 2016) or at
their estate in Kenwood, which is where we enjoyed all of their wines.
2014 Landmark Grand Detour Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast
AVA
The 2014 Grand Detour Pinot Noir was sourced from several vineyards in Sonoma Coast and was smooth and velvety with some anise, black tea, rose petals and cherry pie as promised by the winemaker. It was worthy of those 90 points from Wine Enthusiast plus a Gold Medal at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition and a Silver at the Los Angeles International Wine Competition. It retailed for about $35 a bottle.
2014 Rochioli “Sweetwater Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley
J. Rochioli
This is yet another wonderful story of Italian immigration to America when Joe Rocchioli Sr. moved here in 1911 from a small village just outside of Lucca. They made their way across the United States and settled in Northern California. The senior Rocchiolis worked on a farm in Russian River Valley eventually moving to 125 acres called Fenton Acres, which just happens to be where Rochioli Vineyards are today. Back in those days they grew hops, string beans and prunes but they also planted blending grapes like French Colombard, Early Burgundy and Napa Gamay to use for “jug wine”. Being good entrepreneurs, by the mid-1950s they bought the property. They planted Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc in 1959 but it didn’t grow well and in 1968, the first Pinot Noir was planted using fine Pinot clones from France, a pioneer idea at the time. They learned that the Russian River Valley climate made Pinot Noir and Chardonnay excellent choices. They changed the name from Fenton Acres to Rochioli and released their first estate wine in 1987. Amazingly to the Rocchiolis the 1985 Rochioli Vineyards Pinot Noir made by Williams Selyem was named “The Best Pinot Noir in America” by Wine Spectator! The rest was history. Now they have 140 acres in production in Russian River Valley, focus on single vineyards and their wines are all top rated. I would find it hard to believe that anyone who enjoys Pinot Noir from Sonoma County does NOT know about the famous Rochioli Pinots. Wine is generally made available on a limited basis to customers on “The List”, and once you get on it, I advise you not to jump ship!
2014 Rochioli Sweetwater Vineyard Pinot Noir, Russian
River Valley AVA
The 2014 Sweetwater was made from three clones – Pommard, Dijon 115 and the Rochioli Selection. Only 424 cases of this wine were made. Robert Parker said it should drink well for at least a decade. WS gave it 91 points and WA 94! I purchased mine from the winery in 2016 for $79 a bottle and see collector’s offering theirs online for $115. We were promised cherry, berry and plum flavors with smoky, toasty oak and that is what we got. I still have yet to taste a Rochioli Pinot Noir that was not an excellent choice!
2014 Dutton-Goldfield “Fox Den Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Green Valley
Dutton-Goldfield
Dutton Ranch and the Dutton-Goldfield Winery and tasting room are in Green Valley, an AVA at the southwestern corner of the Russian River Valley AVA that we have already mentioned is known for Goldridge soil. Dutton-Goldfield began back in 1998 when Steve Dutton, the grapegrower, and Dan Goldfield, the winemaker, decided to team up to make some wines that show off the distinct differences of their vineyards in this cool coastal region. They knew what they personally liked to drink and wanted the rest of us winelovers to share the same great experiences. They specialize in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay but also produce small amounts of Syrah, Zinfandel, Pinot Blanc, Riesling and Gewurztraminer. Steve’s Dutton Ranch Vineyard is made up of over 80 separate small vineyards. They also source grapes from single vineyards in Marin County, Sonoma Coast and Anderson Valley.
2014 Dutton-Goldfield Fox Den Vineyard Pinot Noir,
Green Valley AVA
Dan and Steve planted this 8 acre vineyard together in 2002, and Dan has been making wine from it since 2004. It is located on top of Stoetz Ridge on the western edge of the appellation and is just a tiny bit warmer on the hilltop than the bottom of the valley, but it still has that low nitrogen sandy soil that helps vines grow and fruit ripen slowly. The wine from this vineyard is usually quite silky with bright raspberry fruit and natural acidity just like a perfect Green Valley Pinot Noir. This bottle of 2014 Fox Den went through open top fermentation with cold soak and punch down, then was aged 17 months in 55% new French oak barrels. Alcohol level is 13.8% and according to the winemaker should present with cherry, strawberry and raspberry aromas, rose petals and rhubarb pie! Then there should be some Bing cherries and Chambord with a smooth texture and creamy strawberry shortcake on the finish. OK – sounds like dessert and we got it! WE rated it 94 points and RP gave it 91. This was my first bottle of Dutton-Goldfield and I thought it was exceptional as did our guests. Just 767 cases were produced. We recently purchased this bottle from wine.com for about $70. While I will always love my Rochioli Pinot, this Fox Den Vineyard was my personal horizontal winner.
A star spangled horizontal of Sonoma Pinot Noirs.
Fourth Course:
Cabernet
Sauvignon from Two Valleys
Braised Boneless Beef Short Ribs in a Hoisin Soy Sauce with Basmati Rice, Sesame Seeds, Scallions and Cilantro
When searching for recipes from Sonoma County wineries or restaurants, I discovered that the Sonoma County “WINEROAD” website not only gives loads of information about Sonoma County wineries, but also events and recipes from their “WINE & FOOD AFFAIR RECIPES” webpages. You can search for recipes by winery, category, main ingredient or wine pairing. While looking for a beef recipe that would pair well with the Alexander Valley Cabs and look good as a “small plate”, I came across a recipe for braised beef short ribs published by Soda Rock Winery that was supposed to pair well with just that wine. Since Soda Rock Winery had great historical significance in Alexander Valley and most of it was lost to the Kincade fire, I knew I had found my “perfect” food to represent this AVA. The dish had an Oriental flair as the meat was cooked in a sauce of ginger, hoisin, soy sauce, honey and Cab plus a host of other wonderful seasonings; then served with basmati rice and garnished with chopped fresh scallions, cilantro and sesame seeds. We chose to use boneless short ribs for our dish for ease in serving as a small plate, cooked it all a day in advance, then cut the meat into bite-size pieces ( I did not want it shredded!), reheated it in that wonderful cooked down and strained sauce. What a delicious dish and the pairing was superb! You can find the recipe on the Wine & Food Affair site under Soda Rock Winery.
Photo credit www.sonomacounty.com
2015 Sebastiani Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley
Sebastiani Vineyards & Winery
The story of Sebastiani begins
with Samuele Sebastiani’s emigration from Tuscany in 1895. He worked as a
stonemason, saved his money to buy land in Sonoma County and started Sebastiani
Vineyards & Winery in 1904. His was the only winery in Sonoma County to
continue operating during the Prohibition. Samuele made sure his neighbors had
work during the Prohibition and Depression by building projects around the
plaza and the church or canning fruit. His son August carried on this
philosophy by having Sebastiani barrels hand-carved by craftsmen of Sonoma. You
can still see them at the winery located in downtown Sonoma. The “Original vineyard block” was planted
primarily in Cabernet Sauvignon in 1961. Sebastiani created one of Sonoma
County’s first varietal Cabernet Sauvignons. They continue to make varietal
Cabs from Alexander Valley and North Coast plus that original vineyard now
known as Cherryblock.
Bill Foley purchased Sebastiani
in 2008 and continues to honor their past traditions while taking it into the
future. They continue to make consistent highly acclaimed wines. The first
thing he did was to cut down production allowing winemaking efforts to focus on
exceptional vineyard sites and eliminating lesser quality wines. They have
replanted the estate vineyards, focus on vine-by-vine farming and use a more
natural approach in the cellar. Sebastiani wines are now more concentrated and
complex in all tiers. Sebastiani has
been a long-term practitioner of sustainable farming working with the
California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance to continue their responsibility to
protect the land with an emphasis on single-vineyard and sub-appellation wines.
2015
Sebastiani Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Alexander Valley is a warm inland valley with perfect weather for making great Cabernets. This 2015 Alexander Valley is a blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon Blanc and 5% Merlot. It has been receiving 91 – 92 point ratings for several years now. According to the winemaker’s notes, it is rich in cassis, vanilla and cocoa powder with a focus on blackberry fruit flavors in an elegant style. We expected it to be full-bodied with a long finish and it did not disappoint. This great little bottle of Alexander Valley Cab cost just $27 and was delivered right to our door from wine.com.
2015 Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, Knights Valley
Beringer
Beringer is one of California’s oldest continually operating wineries with history that dates back to 1868. That is when Jacob Beringer left his home in Mainz, Germany and sailed to New York to find new opportunities. He made his way to Napa Valley after hearing that the rocky hillside soil and fertile valley floors of Napa Valley were similar to German vineyards, and he and his brother Frederick bought 215 acres of land there in 1875. Their winery was one of the first in Napa Valley. We won’t go into detail here since this was a Sonoma County wine dinner, but if you have never visited the Beringer estate in Napa Valley, you are missing out on a lot of wonderful history. It is an excellent experience that will not be forgotten!
Beringer has owned and been farming vineyards in Knights Valley since the mid-1960s, and their vineyard is just 17 miles north of the Beringer winery. Beringer first used a Knights Valley designation on the label in 1974 and was instrumental in getting approval for the AVA in 1983. They also grow Sauvignon Blanc grapes there. Knights Valley is the warmest of all the AVAs and has plenty of volcanic soil. The ancient volcano and Sonoma County’s highest mountain, Mount Saint Helena, looks down over the valley. All this gives the Cabs their full-bodied ripe flavors.
2015 Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Knights
Valley AVA
Beringer Knights Valley Cabernets are always highly rated and the 2015 received scores between 92 and 95 points. It was aged in small French Nevers oak barrels (56% new) for 19 months. Winemaker notes tell us it should have aromas and flavors of dark fruits like blackberry, currants, smoked meats and baking spices with menthol, cedar cigar box and pipe tobacco. The finish should be long with a dense texture. It’s 15% alcohol and made of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot; 6,030 cases were made. It definitely held true to the winemaker notes and it was a perfect pairing with the short ribs in a hoisin soy sauce. I think this pairing surprised a number of people, but if Soda Rock Winery thought it a good pairing for Cab, that was good enough for me! We bought this bottle from wine.com for $58, a most reasonable price for the high scores, proving once again the great value for price from Sonoma County wines.
We are starry eyed! Cabernet from two valleys.
Fifth Course:
Cabernet
Sauvignon from Two Mountains
Duck Leg and Mushroom Ragu on Cavatelli
Our winelover friend Jeff is quite an accomplished home chef. He prepares special dinners paired with great quality wines for friends and family almost every week without even blinking! We gave Jeff the challenge of pairing our Cabernets from two mountains with an outstanding small plate for the fifth course, and he immediately came up with this slow cooked duck leg and mushroom Bolognese style sauce served over cavatelli pasta. And then he made his own cavatelli. Wow!!!! It was indeed a perfect pairing. Even better………..he brings his own pots and pans! You can cook for us anytime, Jeff.
The Sonoma Mountain AVA is centered in the Sonoma Mountains in the northwest area of the Sonoma Valley AVA which almost surrounds it between the towns of Sonoma and Santa Rosa. The vineyards bake in the sun during the day and cool down at night in the mountain air. It is able to make a wide range of varietals in addition to great Cabs.
A notable producer of Cabernet Sauvignon on Sonoma Mountain is Laurel Glen Vineyards. Laurel Glen started out in 1977 as three acres of Cabernet Sauvignon vines on top of the mountain ranging from 850 to 1000 feet high. The first wine labeled Laurel Glen was produced in 1981. There were 14 acres under vine when the property was sold in 2011. There are nine separate blocks, all planted in Cabernet Sauvignon, made up of red sandy soil of volcanic origin, and the property looks down on the town of Glen Ellen. All of the viticulture is now strictly organic, and in 2014 the vineyard became CCOF organic certified. Their goal is to enhance the soil quality, minimize use of irrigation water and to preserve the wild spaces surrounding the property. They plant cover crops such as sweet pea, daikon radish and mustard to minimize soil erosion and control weeds. No synthetic pesticides or herbicides are used and their farming methods to minimize runoff into streams help to sustain the salmon and steelhead population. The winemaking philosophy is minimal handling, using gravity flow when possible and keeping all lots separate. The wines are aged in Taransaud French oak and Canton American oak barrels – the percentage of each and length of aging depending upon the wine lot.
2014 Laurel Glen Vineyard Estate Cabernet
Sauvignon, Sonoma Mountain AVA
The 2014 Laurel Glen Vineyard Estate wine was made after the ending of a 4 year drought in 2016. 2014 was one of those years that does not happen very often in which quality and quantity of the fruit were both excellent. The fruit was high quality despite the drought and a 6.0 magnitude earthquake in August! There were 1,220 cases bottled in July 2016. Tasting notes from the winemaker Randall Watkins said “Beautiful fragrance of sweet boysenberry and dark raspberry fruit, mineral and smoke. Hints of espresso, charred oak and baking spices.” It was impressive on the long finish, with elegance and finesse amid firm mountain tannins. It received scores between 92-95 points as did the previous vintages. This bottle was recently purchased from wine.com for $75.
2014 Amapola Creek Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Moon Mountain
Amapola Creek
Moon Mountain was the 16th approved AVA and sits high above the eastside of Sonoma Valley in the Mayacamas Mountains. These are mountain wines at their finest made on elevations from 600-2600 feet in red volcanic and ash soils.
The story of Amapola Creek by Richard Arrowood has somewhat of a bittersweet ending. The Amapola Creek winery itself was completed on Moon Mountain in October 2007 just in time for crush. It’s a very small ultra-premium facility with state-of-the-art equipment. Richard Arrowood is a legendary vintner who made wine in Sonoma County for more than 50 years. He made the wines for Chateau St. Jean from 1974 until 1990, and then founded his own Arrowood Vineyard & Winery with the 1985 vintage. He sold Arrowood Winery to Robert Mondavi in 2000 who then later sold it to Jackson Family Wines in 2006. He left Arrowood as winemaster back in 2010 to devote himself full-time to making the great wines of his estate winery on Moon Mountain. The Amapola ranch has about 100 acres along the western slope of the Mayacamas Mountains. The red, iron-oxide soil has been producing high quality wines for over a century. Amapola is right next door to the very famous Monte Rosso Vineyard. Their Chardonnays, Cabernet Sauvignons, and Zinfandels have always received high ratings from various wine critics. There are roughly 20 acres of organic vineyards currently producing over 5,000 cases annually.
The bittersweet ending
to this story is that as of January 10, 2020, Amapola is owned by B. Wise
Vineyards of Sonoma Valley. Brian Wise, Dick Arrowood’s neighbor,
purchased it from Dick who is retiring after 54 years of work.
Congratulations Dick on your retirement, and thanks for a job well done!
2014 Amapola Creek Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Moon
Mountain AVA
The Cabernets of Amapola Creek are favorites of Robert Parker who consistently gave them ratings between 94-96. The 2014 is 94 points and is a blend of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Petit Verdot. According to our winemaker, there should be blackberry and red plum on the nose followed by blackcurrant and pomegranate with subtle notes of oak and toasted vanilla. We got all of that plus the anise and a finish of chocolate, blueberry preserves and aged cedar. We were ecstatic to drink this Moon Mountain Cabernet and wish Dick Arrowood well in his retirement! We bought this bottle from wine.com for $65. Sonoma County mountain Cabs are not to be taken lightly!
Two outstanding examples of mountain Cabs from the Milky Way.
Sweet Endings:
A Vertical of A. Rafanelli Zinfandel
Dry Creek Valley AVA
It was mandatory for me to serve A. Rafanelli Zinfandel at a Sonoma County wine dinner! There were a number of years in our collection, so another three year vertical seemed appropriate. What goes well with Rafanelli Zin? Well, lots of things but chocolate really does it justice. I always end our wine dinners on a sweet note, and challenged our guest Mariann to make this chocolate cherry cake that was featured on the wineroad website by another Dry Creek Valley winery to be paired with Zinfandel. It was really a winner. It’s a very dense cake made from cocoa powder, chocolate chips and canned cherries. The chocolate icing was almost like a ganache. Just a few bites of this cake with a taste of each of those Rafanelli vintages, and you would think you were in wine and foodie paradise!
I also supplemented that delicious cake with some homemade biscotti, yet another recipe from the wineroad website, an assortment of cheeses that pair well with Zinfandel, fresh blackberries and of course – a selection of dark chocolate candies! Something for everyone’s sweet tooth and all three of those Zins.
Chocolate Iced Chocolate Cherry Cake
Biscotti da Insuppare nel Vino (“to dip in wine”)
Cheese
Plate:
Brie,
Smoked Beechwood Cheddar, 1000 Day Aged Gouda and Blue
Dark
Chocolates
Fresh Blackberries
Some of the brightest stars in the galaxy — A. Rafanelli Zinfandels
A.
Rafanelli Winery
Dry Creek Valley is only 16 miles long and 2 miles wide with little rolling hills and stony soil making it perfect for the gnarly old zin vines growing there. This is the story of a Dry Creek Valley icon.
The A. Rafanelli Winery was begun four generations ago in the early 1900s by Alberto Rafanelli, an Italian immigrant. After the Prohibition, he and his son Americo moved the winery to a knoll on West Dry Creek Road overlooking Dry Creek Valley. They began to farm Zinfandel and raise a family. Their wine was first sold commercially in the early 1970s. Now Americo’s son David and his wife Patty own and operate the business. Their oldest daughter Shelly is the winemaker; her husband manages the 85 acres of vineyards and sister Stacy is in charge of daily operations. They produce Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and A. Rafanelli Zin is some of the best you will ever taste! Visiting their very rustic laid-back winery is an event in itself. You MUST have an appointment and unless things have really changed since I was there, you must call them. Their wine is very highly allocated! They only make about 11,000 cases a year. Generally you can only buy it at the winery or by phone; however I do see some bottles here and there on the internet. If you appreciate Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel, be sure to spend the time to get on their mailing list. If you ask for a tour of the winery, you can usually get one. We felt honored to have David take us on a tour of their cellars when visiting back in 2007. And you can believe that once I got on that mailing list, I somehow have managed to keep on it every year since! Their Zinfandels are not inexpensive. You can expect to pay between $45 and $55 and a bottle of their excellent Terrace Select Cabernet will set you back $120, not small prices for Sonoma, but worth every penny for A. Rafanelli!
2013,
2014 and 2015 A. Rafanelli Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley AVA
Rafanelli Zins are all just under 15% alcohol which is perfect for this winelover as we don’t really care for any big 16 or 17% alcohol wines any more, but they are still full-bodied, dark crimson in color with lots of black fruits, licorice and flowers on the nose. Then there are those black fruits, liqueurs, dark chocolate and pepper on the palate. These Zins age well and set a really high bar for any others from Dry Creek Valley. We were anxious to see what little differences we tasted when opening this three year vertical; however by this time of wine tasting so many fabulous Sonoma County wines, I cannot tell you if anyone was even thinking about those little differences. They were just so enjoying the opportunity to drink three vintages of it. Our A. Rafanelli’s came direct from the winery and cost between $43 and $53 a bottle.
2013 A. Rafanelli
Zinfandel
2014 A. Rafanelli Zinfandel
2015 A. Rafanelli Zinfandel
Our star studded mission is now complete.
Mission accomplished! Sonoma County – your star has definitely been born! I don’t think there was any doubt after our party of twelve tasted through sixteen Sonoma wines, all shining examples of why this wine region was selected as the “Wine Region of the Year”. No, we did not rate the wines or write down tasting notes as we worked our way through them. This evening was all about enjoying them and their foods pairings. I am sure some would have rated higher than others, but there were definitely no complaints on this special night!
I always take time after an event like this to reflect on the final outcome. Did the guests enjoy the wines? And were the pairings as I had hoped for? And did everyone gain a little more knowledge about the wines as a result of the amount of time invested? Personally, I devote several months to researching, planning, coordinating and preparing such a wine dinner. The knowledge I gain is astronomical! I am happy as long as everyone else gains even a few tidbits of information, tastes some new wines, enjoys the food and most of all, an evening of friendship with fellow winelover foodies. Yes, I think the stars really shone brightly on this night and the mission was accomplished!
It is with tremendous gratitude that I share my appreciation for our guests and my husband who assist by suggesting and preparing foods for our dinner events, serving each course and cleanup, pouring wine, (no I DO NOT have a production and service staff in the kitchen!) and still continue to support me with my sometimes wild and crazy ideas for wine adventures. They are stars in their own right and never cease to amaze me! Here’s to our next adventure, wherever it may take us.
Cheers and Bon appetit,
Linda
If you would like to learn more about the wine region of Sonoma County and all eighteen of those AVAs, here is the link for my last article published in forkandcorkdivine.com surprisingly titled SONOMA COUNTY: A Star is Born. https://www.forkandcorkdivine.com/?p=3222.
Head north out of San Francisco about 30 miles and you will find yourself in Sonoma County, one of California’s top food and wine destinations. It’s got some of nature’s best scenery – giant redwoods, the Pacific coastline and quaint small towns all worthy of exploring. There are world class chefs making unbelievably delicious food most often from the area’s local ingredients. And the wine!!! Oh my oh my is the wine fantastic! In fact of the 1500 wines published about in 2019 from Sonoma’s 425 plus wineries, almost 65% of them were scored 90 points or higher.Even with all of these attributes, Sonoma is still known as an approachable region to visit, and we hope it remains this way for many years to come. Sonoma farmers and vintner’s want to sustain the fabulous scenery of their county for as long as possible; so much so that 99% of the vineyards have been certified as sustainable making it the most sustainable wine region in the world.
Photos credit www.sonomacounty.com
A Wine Star Award Winner!
Are you impressed yet with Sonoma
County? I was sold on the merits of
Sonoma when making our first visit there in 2007. It only got better on the next visits! But I am just one winelover trying to do my
part in singing the praises of wine regions and wines that I love.
Wine Enthusiast Magazine editors came up with a great idea twenty years ago as a way to honor the individuals and companies that make the wine industry so successful. Their annual “Wine Star Awards” program has grown through the years and now has seventeen categories including winemakers, wineries, and sommeliers. Here are some of the categories: Life Time Achievement, Philanthropy, Person of the Year, Innovator of the Year, American Winery of the Year, European Winery of the Year, Winemaker of the Year and Sommelier of the Year. There is one award recipient I have certainly helped to support – “wine.com” the Retailer of the Year! All of the recipients are chosen for their attributes, energy, courage, groundbreaking vision and business acumen. These are the people and companies who embrace wine culture and have a major impact in what is in our wine glass.
The award results appear in the special December 31, 2019 “Best of Year” issue of Wine Enthusiast. The Wine Star Award live trophy presentation takes place on Monday, January 27, 2020 at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco during the 20th anniversary black-tie awards dinner.
Back to Sonoma…. “Sonoma County has been named 2019 Wine Region of the Year by Wine Enthusiast for the magazine’s 20th annual Wine Star Awards”. According to Adam Strum, Chairman and Publisher of Wine Enthusiast, “Sonoma County is one of the most diverse and progressive winegrowing regions in the world”. Sonoma’s Chardonnay and Pinot Noir is top notch and the Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Zinfandel are prominent and classics. High-quality wine is now the expectation from Sonoma. The region is also one of the leaders in the wine world for best practices and a champion of sustainability. The vintners of Sonoma are also leaders in giving back to their community and have raised more than $30 million dollars from their Sonoma County Wine Auction. Sonoma is built upon multi-generation family grape growers and vintners committed to preserving the merits of Sonoma for generations to come. The Sonoma County Tourism industry also supports their visions and practices and is dedicated to sustaining the hospitality economy to the tune of $2.175 billion generated annually for the local economy, about $194 million in government revenue and supports more than 22,300 jobs. The more than 1,800 grape growers of the county, part of the Sonoma County Winegrape Commission, have the same goal which is to increase awareness and recognition through marketing and educational programs for wine consumers like us around the world. Over 250 wineries throughout the county are represented by Sonoma County Vintners who are also dedicated to telling the world about Sonoma County, one of the world’s premier wine regions!
“I would like to give a very special thank you and acknowledgment to Sonoma County Tourism. All of the wonderful pictures of Sonoma County in this article are courtesy of the media relations manager and their media library at sonomacounty.com. If you would like any travel information to help plan your trip to this wine star award winning region, please contact www.sonomacounty.com. ” You can also learn more about Sonoma County Winegrowers by visiting www.sonomawinegrape.org . Information about Sonoma County Vintners can be found at www.sonomawine.com.
Pictures of the high-quality wines of Sonoma County are taken from the forkandcorkdivine.com wine collection. These wines are patiently waiting to take their place in history when a small group of Southwest Florida winelovers gather together to taste them at “SONOMA COUNTY: A Star is born”, our own version of a “Wine Star Awards” dinner. Sorry, no black-ties involved. We are much too casual here in SW Florida!
Linda
Alexander Valley in the spring (Photo credit www.sonomacounty.com)
Sonoma County 101
Sonoma County was established in the year 1850 with 1786 square miles. It is bordered by Marin, Napa, Lake and Mendocino Counties and the Pacific Ocean and the San Pablo Bay plus it has three rivers – Russian, Petaluma and Gualala – and one lake, Lake Sonoma. According to Sonoma County Tourism, the 485,000 plus people who live here get to enjoy a mild, Mediterranean climate year round. The average high in July is 82 degrees and the average high in January is 50 degrees with an average low of 40.
There are over 1 million acres of land in Sonoma making it twice as big as Napa Valley. Because of its size and diversity in valleys, mountains, riverbeds, plains and benchlands, the 18 wine appellations (AVAs) are all quite different in their climates and soils. There are over 60,000 acres of grapes growing here even though that is just 6% of the county’s total land mass, but it is 73% of Sonoma County’s overall agricultural production. Each one of those acres can quite possibly provide us with 15,940 glasses of wine! There are 60 varieties of winegrapes planted in the county although six varieties make up nearly 94% of them. They are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc.
Vineyards were planted here well before Napa; many of the vintners and winemakers are part of old established farming families. This is a very laid-back region so much different from the Disneyland-like atmosphere of Napa Valley. But that doesn’t mean they are still in the dark ages when it comes to winemaking; cutting-edge wine production is going on here as well as Napa. It just may be done by a guy or gal driving around in a dusty pickup truck – not unlike how it once was in Napa Valley (and still is in many instances). Lots of apple orchards, dairies, sheep ranches, vegetable farms and redwood forests still exist in Sonoma County. I will never forget the first time I sat under some very large redwoods! Weather here is more coastal – in the morning cooling fog rises off the coast and drifts inland. In the afternoon, there is usually sunshine – all of which is the classic formula for producing great grapes. No wonder Sonoma County has been nicknamed California’s “Provence”!
Some of those mighty redwoods. (Photos credit www.sonomacounty.com)
What’s in a name? You may subscribe to several theories; for example,
that Sonoma means “valley of the moon” from the word “sono” which meant moon in
Suisan, a native American tribe that lived in Napa Valley; or the “Pinocchio”
theory. Some say that sono also meant
“nose” and an Indian baby with a very
large nose grew up to be Chief Big Nose,
thus Sonoma became known as the “land of Chief Big Nose”. Then there is the one based on some
twentieth century anthropologists who noted that sonoma is a common Wappo suffix appearing at the end of Indian
village names. It is believed that the
Wappo tribe lived in Sonoma before being pushed out and relocating in Napa
Valley.
Vintners in each region came to understand their terroir and climate and often gravitated to the particular grapes out of those 60 options that seemed to thrive best. For example Alexander Valley is well known for its Cabernet Sauvignon and Russian River Valley is known for elegant wonderful Pinot Noirs. And of course, there is Dry Creek Valley famous for its Zinfandel. Russian fishermen may have planted the first vineyard in Sonoma, but the Spanish Franciscan fathers planted vineyards by 1820 around their mission San Francisco Solano. You can still see it in the town of Sonoma. When California became a state in 1850 there were vines planted throughout the northern part of the state. And then there is the “Father of the California Wine Industry”, Agoston Haraszthy – a Hungarian “entrepreneur” who lost and found his fortune a number of times. In 1857 he established Buena Vista Winery with 300 acres making it the largest winery in the state. He went to Europe to study viticulture and upon returning to California, promoted Sonoma as a viticultural paradise and so it became! Then there were famous winemakers like Ernest and Julio Gallo who began their winemaking in the Central Valley area of Modesto and later took their American dream to Sonoma. They were convinced that Sonoma grapes made great premium wines and by 1993 they owned 4000 acres of Sonoma. E. & J. Gallo Winery is now the largest winery in the world today. The company is still family owned, spans three generations of the Gallo family and employs more than 6500 people around the world. According to their company fact sheet, revised March 2019, they own 15 wineries throughout California and Washington and over 23,000 acres of vineyards in California.
Buena Vista Winery (Photo credit www.sonomacounty.com)
The Challenges of Mother Nature
Sonoma County did not come by the Wine Star Award easily! They earned every ray of it. Was the summer too hot? Did the frost come too early? Did it rain more than usual? Or maybe it didn’t rain at all! These are just some of the worries of a grape grower every year! California is known for drought conditions. Then there are the seemingly never ending wildfires. Finally along comes a flood. Through all of these obstacles, do not omit being good stewards of the land. Yes, the life of a vintner is indeed challenging!
Volcanoes and earthquakes
Northern California sits along the “Pacific Ring of Fire”, a 25,000 mile arc of volcanoes and earthquake zones from Patagonia to New Zealand and all around the Pacific Ocean Basin. Many millions of years of volcanic action have helped to create the varied and complex soils of California wine country. The North Coast landscape still contains basalt lavas, andesite breccias and rhyolite tuffs, and a thick strata of powdery white volcanic ash. The Sonoma Volcanics is the official name for the geological formation under much of the eastern half of Sonoma wine country and many parts of Napa. The mountains and hills in this area were created by upthrusts or “crinkles in the earth’s crust”. The top ridge of the Mayacamas Mountains, which separates Sonoma from Napa, is made up largely of maritime sediments on the Napa side and is more volcanic on the Sonoma side near Mt. Veeder. The Mayacamas are more uniformly volcanic moving north to Spring Mountain, Diamond Mountain, Calistoga, upper Knights Valley and Alexander Valley. Sonoma Mountain, across Sonoma Valley to the east, is also volcanic. After these areas, you will find the resulting volcanic soils on a vineyard-by-vineyard basis. Generally east of the San Andreas Fault you will find plenty of sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous rock. The area around Sebastopol used to be under the Wilson-Grove Sea about 3 million years ago resulting in Goldridge, the best sandy loam soil for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in the Russian River Valley. There are also some volcanic soils in the Sonoma Coast AVA and in higher elevations of Carneros AVA. Moon Mountain AVA is the most volcanic and most visibly obvious in the Monte Rosso (Red Mountain) Vineyard creating some powerful well-structured Cabernet Sauvignon wines. The Sonoma Mountain AVA looks over the little town of Glen Ellen and produces excellent Cabernets as well as whites. It is not surprising that the Chalk Hill AVA consists of chalky volcanic white ash soils. Then there are the Knight’s Valley and Alexander Valley AVAs with their mixed alluvial sedimentary soil in this mainly Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel country. Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak AVA is higher and rockier with Cabernet as its king. There are also the more extreme terroirs of Dry Creek Valley AVA and the famous Rockpile AVA. What winelover hasn’t enjoyed bold Zinfandels from Dry Creek Valley and the Rockpile vineyards looking down on Lake Sonoma? Here are just a few of the wonderful wineries with their roots in the volcanic soils of Sonoma County: Arnot-Roberts, Benziger, Chalk Hill, Lancaster Estate, Louis M Martini, Mauritson, Paul Hobbs, Pax Mahl, Pride Mountain, Ramey and Stonestreet.
Stonestreet
Photos credit www.sonomacounty.com
Drought
The 2016-17 year of water measurement claimed that California’s five years of drought was finally broken. In 2017 everything north of Monterey County was free from drought. However, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor In July of 2018, 85% of California suffered from abnormally dry or drought conditions, including the coast north from Monterey County which is south of San Francisco. How do winegrowers prepare for possible drought? Many years of drought have shown them the importance of conserving water even when it’s not dry. One technique is to bury the irrigation lines and measure the amount of water in the soil, then irrigate with just what is necessary. Another technique called “deficit irrigation” is to water as little as possible. This can make the vines produce smaller berries and hopefully better wine. Yet another option is to dig deeper wells to access underground aquifers, but this can cause other environmental concerns about depletion of the groundwater supply. In some other drier areas of California, the old method of capturing water when plentiful to give it back to the groundwater has been used. One farmer used floodwaters from the nearby river to submerge the vines in up to 18 inches of water which eventually seeped into the soil instead of heading out into the ocean. When they get the water, it really has to be protected!
Since the entire state is often affected in some way or other and there have been State of Emergency declarations for the state in years like 2014, the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act was created in 2014 which set up agencies around the state to manage water use. The State Water Resources Control Board enacted new regulations for water-use measuring and reporting. There are 431 recognized water basins in the state and conservation is encouraged. According to the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance, vintners and growers have already been focusing on this for decades out of necessity to stay in business. Conservation and new technology are key.
Sonoma County created a drought
website as a resource to assist all of the county’s agricultural
producers. There are many resources
available through the University of California Cooperative Extension Services
of Sonoma County.
Fire
Along with drought comes the increased
likelihood of wildfires. According to
CalMatters, a non-profit non-partisan website, there is no longer a particular
time of the year for fires in California.
The state has had 78 more “fire days” now than it had 50 years ago, and
just since 2007 fourteen of the 20 most destructive fires have occurred in the
history of the state. The worst fire
year on record is 2018. Some of the
state’s utility companies have received lots of press in 2019 for numerous
reasons including the controversial cutting off of power in supposedly
high-risk areas for days at a time.
As of November 24, 2019, 6,872
fires were recorded according to Cal Fire and the US Forest Service burning
over 250,000 acres of land. Sonoma
County has not escaped this natural disaster.
The Kincaide fire burned almost 78,000 acres in Sonoma County by
November 6.
First let’s back up to October 2017. That is when the Tubbs Fire broke out in Calistoga in Napa Valley. It then proceeded to burn down through Santa Rosa in Sonoma County, where it caused the most destruction. By the time the fire was contained, over 36,000 acres and 5,600 structures had been destroyed. Whole neighborhoods were wiped out! Several small wineries in Sonoma County were heavily damaged, but the famous Chateau St. Jean was lucky just to have cosmetic damage. And then there was Paradise Ridge with the destruction of winery buildings and three homes. Paradise Ridge is a 155 acre estate overlooking the Russian River Valley with a two story LOVE sculpture which made it quite famous as a wedding destination. In fact it was voted as the best place to get married in Sonoma County for 2016 and 2017. Ironically that LOVE sculpture was the only thing left standing except for a 700-square foot building and a patio pizza oven! Two years later the owners have rebuilt and their highly anticipated reopening took place December 8, 2019. “Welcome back to paradise” said owner Rene Byck. Apparently LOVE will overcome all obstacles!
Fast forward to the infamous Kincade Fire of October 2019. Although the fire damaged less than 8% of the
1 million acres that make up Sonoma County, the areas of Geyserville, Healdsburg,
Santa Rosa and Windsor were threatened.
Luckily the fire was kept mainly in unoccupied wilderness in the
northeastern Sonoma County. Most
visitors don’t travel to those areas, so the beautiful beaches, redwoods,
vineyards and wineries are still ready for tourism. The people of Sonoma County want you to know
that the county is very much open for your business!
Unfortunately Soda Rock Winery was not so lucky. Soda Rock is owned by the Wilson family and sits on Highway 128 in Alexander Valley just outside Healdsburg. The 150-year-old building that housed a small winery, tasting room and offices were all destroyed except for the stone façade out front and a 20,000 pound, 32 ft. wide, 20 ft. tall sculpture of a wild boar known as Lord Snort. This was once the site of the original Alexander Valley General Store and Post Office. Luckily the 150 year old barn was left standing nearby and by that same weekend the owners held an informal tasting there to sell their wine. The sign outside said: “Recovery begins/Taste today.” Just an FYI about Lord Snort: He was made by the Glen Ellen artist, Bryan Tedrick, and was first on display at the Burning Man Festival. The Wilsons bought this property in 2000 and took 10 years to restore it before opening in 2010 as Soda Rock Winery, so they are not eagerly looking forward to rebuilding it one more time. For the time being, the tasting room will be in the barn that was saved by the heroic first responders of Sonoma County.
Photos credit www.sonomacounty.com
Floods
After the drought and wildfires comes another one of Mother Nature’s “gifts”…floods! In February of 2019, some parts of Sonoma County were flooded with 21 inches of rain while 9 inches fell in Santa Rosa. Flooded driveways made it impossible to access some Sonoma wineries. The Russian River got so high it swamped over 24 low-lying towns. It reaches flood stage five times a decade, but this storm caused some of the worst damage in 24 years. Not to leave out the big city, the water level was up to car wing mirrors in San Francisco. Then don’t leave out the fear of possible mudslides where the wildfires have previously scorched the earth. There is some good news afterwards: flooded lakes and irrigation ponds help water the vineyards during the upcoming growing season. And grapevines were dormant during the flooding and there was little or no immediate effect on the 2019 crop, just the need to repair erosion sites and clean up debris. Not all wineries were so lucky especially those in the path of heaviest rain. The Russian River swelled to 13 feet above flood stage in Guerneville and Monte Rio putting homes and businesses under water. Some wineries and hospitality centers were flooded and vineyards were under water. Sonoma County was hit with a similar raining flooding situation in 2017. Amazingly enough with this flooding, officials said the drought was still not over! Yes, no one ever said that growing grapes and making wine is without challenges!!
The 18 AVAs (American Viticultural
Areas) of Sonoma County
Alexander Valley AVA
43 wineries with 14,449 acres established in 1984 as the 7th AVA
Top varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon
Alexander Valley is located at the northern end of Sonoma County and is a long warm inland valley with perfect weather for making great Cabernet Sauvignon plus some full-bodied Chardonnays. It is here that you will find the towns of Healdsburg, Geyserville and Cloverdale.
Cyrus Alexander arrived here in
1840 to manage a 48,800 acre land grant ranch for Henry Fitch who later gave
Cyrus 8,800 acres as payment for his service.
Cyrus was the first to grow vines in Alexander Valley. Rodney Strong is another well-known settler
of Alexander Valley arriving in 1962 and purchasing land in the Chalk Hill
region. Rod felt that there was
potential for top quality Cabernet Sauvignon in Alexander Valley and planted 15
acres on a small hill there. The story
of Rodney Strong and his wines is now a famous part of history.
Chateau St. Jean
Rodney Strong
Hawkes Winery, Sonoma & Alexander Valley (Photos credit www.sonomacounty.com)
Another great story is that of
the Young family beginning with Peter Young establishing his 200 plus acre
ranch in Geyserville in 1858. His
grandson Robert Young planted 14 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon becoming the first
grower in modern times to plant that variety in the Alexander Valley. The Robert Young estate winery was built in
1997 and produces Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay exclusively from the family
property of over 150 years.
Robert Young Winery (Photo credit www.sonomacounty.com)
Stonestreet, Chateau St. Jean,
Jordan, Lancaster Estate and Silver Oak are well known by we Southwest Florida
winelovers. I’m lucky enough to say that
I’ve only missed touring and tasting in one of them. Sorry, Jordan – I hope to see you on a return
visit one day! A few of the other
equally worthy wineries are Ferrari-Carano, Coppola, Hawkes, Lancaster Estate,
Robert Young, Rodney Strong and Seghesio. Alexander Valley has come a long way from apple
and plum trees to world-class wine grapes!
Lancaster Estate
Ferrari-Carano
Photos credit www.sonomacounty.com
One Alexander Valley winery that I am extremely sorry NOT to have visited is Soda Rock Winery on Highway 128 outside Healdsburg. As previously mentioned, Soda Rock Winery burned to the ground on October 27, 2019 most likely caused by embers from the Kincade Fire. The 150 year old building was the site of the original Alexander Valley General Store and Post Office. All that was left is the brick façade and a 20 foot tall sculpture of a wild boar! But don’t count Soda Rock Winery out – they were already doing tastings that weekend in their barn that was miraculously left standing.
Photos credit www.sonomacounty.com
Sebastiani Vineyards & Winery
The story of Sebastiani begins with Samuele Sebastiani’s emigration from Tuscany in 1895. He worked as a stonemason, saved his money to buy land in Sonoma County and started Sebastiani Vineyards & Winery in 1904. His was the only winery in Sonoma County to continue operating during the Prohibition. Samuele made sure his neighbors had work during the Prohibition and Depression by building projects around the plaza and the church or canning fruit. His son August carried on this philosophy by having Sebastiani barrels hand-carved by craftsmen of Sonoma. You can still see them at the winery located in downtown Sonoma.
The “Original vineyard block” was planted primarily in Cabernet Sauvignon in 1961. Sebastiani created one of Sonoma County’s first varietal Cabernet Sauvignons. They continue to make varietal Cabs from Alexander Valley and North Coast plus that original vineyard now known as Cherryblock.
Bill Foley purchased Sebastiani in 2008 and continues to honor their past traditions while taking it into the future. They continue to make consistent highly acclaimed wines. The first thing he did was to cut down production allowing winemaking efforts to focus on exceptional vineyard sites and eliminating lesser quality wines. They have replanted the estate vineyards, focus on vine-by-vine farming and use a more natural approach in the cellar. Sebastiani wines are now more concentrated and complex in all tiers.
Sebastiani has been a long-term practitioner of sustainable farming working with the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance to continue their responsibility to protect the land with an emphasis on single-vineyard and sub-appellation wines.
2015 Sebastiani Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
The 2015 Alexander Valley is a blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon Blanc and 5% Merlot. It has been receiving 91 – 92 points ratings for several years now. According to the winemaker’s notes, it is rich in cassis, vanilla and cocoa powder with a focus on blackberry fruit flavors in an elegant style. We expect it to be full-bodied with a long finish and will be extremely happy if it provides all that for around $27 a bottle.It was delivered right to our door from wine.com.
2015 Sebastiani Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley AVA (Photo by Linda Rakos)
Bennett Valley AVA
17 wineries with 700 acres established in 2003 as the 12th AVA
Top varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot and Pinot Noir
It wasn’t until the late 1970s
that vineyards made a return to Bennett Valley after the combination of
Prohibition and phylloxerra had gotten rid of them. Matanzas Creek Winery pioneered their return. It is now owned by Jackson Family Estates and
is also renowned for its lavender fields and lavender products. Bennett Valley is located south of the city
of Santa Rosa on high ground between Sonoma Valley and Cotati Valley. The valley’s
volcanic soil also makes great Merlot.
Matanzas Creek lavender fields (Photo credit www.sonomacounty.com)
Carneros AVA
22 wineries with 6481 acres established in 1983 as the 3rd AVA; shared with Napa
Top varietals: Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
The Los Carneros AVA (“the rams” in Spanish), located just north of San Pablo Bay, is shared by both Sonoma and Napa counties. Sheep ranches, dairies and hay fields dominated the region until the 1970s. This was the first wine region in California to be defined by climate rather than political boundaries. Cool fog and breezes from the bay make it one of the coolest regions in the county and a perfect location for the great sparkling wines, whites and Pinot Noirs that are produced here. Louis M. Martini bought the Stanley Ranch in 1942, started replanting vineyards, and the great Carneros wine reputation began. Several Champagne and sparkling wine producers such as Domaine Carneros, Gloria Ferrer, and Domaine Chandon saw its potential and proceeded to make Carneros a major California sparkling wine center. The Ferrer family from Spain opened Gloria Ferrer Caves and Vineyards in 1986 making it the first sparkling wine house in Sonoma Carneros. The largest part of the AVA falls on the Sonoma side and is entitled to also use the Sonoma Valley AVA designation. Napa wine producers can also use the Napa Valley AVA designation. Some other wineries to know here include Anaba, Cline Family Cellars, Donum, Jacuzzi Family Vineyards, Patz and Hall, Ram’s Gate and Schug Carneros Estate. In addition to the great sparkling wines, Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs, Syrah and Merlot are now known for their high quality.
Gloria Ferrer
Carneros – Gloria Ferrer
Patz & Hall tasting room, Sonoma, California (Photos credit www.sonomacounty.com
Chalk Hill AVA
5 wineries with 1491 acres established in 1983 as the 4th AVA
Top varietals: Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and
Sauvignon Blanc
Chalk Hill may be a small wine AVA, but it is one of the most
esteemed. Located in a northeast corner
of the Russian River Valley AVA, it is blessed with a warmer climate and white
volcanic ash hillsides from which it takes its name. Chalk Hill also produces excellent Merlot,
Semillon, Syrah, Sangiovese and Zinfandel.
Chalk Hill Estate was founded in the 1970s by Fred Furth and purchased
by Bill and Carol Foley in 2010. Windsor
Oaks Vineyards includes 210 acres of vineyards with 16 grape varieties. Because of all the varieties which they sell,
you will find Chalk Hill designated wines throughout Sonoma County made by such
producers as Rodney Strong and Arnot-Roberts.
Chalk Hill Estate (Photo credit www.sonomacounty.com)
Rodney Strong Vineyards
The story of Rodney Strong Vineyards began over 55 years ago when Rod Strong, a ballet dancer, retired in Sonoma County to pursue his dream of winemaking. He started a winery and renamed it Rodney Strong Vineyards in 1980. The Klein family purchased it in 1989. Planting new rootstocks, new trellising and new varieties enabled them to focus on appellation-driven grapes such as Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Sonoma’s cool areas, and Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel from Alexander Valley – all Sonoma County.
Rod Strong was the first to plant Chardonnay in what is now the Chalk Hill AVA. Way back in 1965 he recognized the uniqueness of this region from the rest of Russian River Valley because of that volcanic chalky white ash soil which gives the wine its subtle mineral characteristics.
Rodney Strong Vineyards was the 13th winery bonded in the newly discovered Sonoma County wine industry. Through the years Rodney Strong has earned their well deserved reputation for single vineyard and reserve wines including best-in-class Sonoma County varietal wines and Chalk Hill Vineyard is certainly no exception. One of their greatest awards came in 2013 when Wine Enthusiast named it as the “Wine Enthusiast American Winery of the Year” as part of their annual Wine Star Awards.
Rodney Strong uses sustainable practices to safeguard the region’s eco-system. Their solar energy system is one of the largest of any winery in the world, and they were the first carbon neutral winery in Sonoma County.
2016 Rodney Strong Estate Vineyards Chardonnay Chalk Hill AVA
Rodney Strong’s Chalk Hill Chardonnay was made from 100% Chardonnay grapes grown in their Chalk Hill Vineyard. It was 97% barrel fermented in 100% French oak for 12 months. The lees were regularly stirred in the barrel which should give us a full and creamy texture on the palate. In our glass we expect flavors of pear, vanilla, Meyer lemon and a bit of minerality on a long finish. We also look forward to a perfect pairing with fresh crab! It is 14.5% alcohol and received several 90 point ratings. This was a $22 bottle of wine that we even got on sale for $17 from our internet go-to wine company and a Wine Star Awardee in their own right, wine.com.
2016 Rodney Strong Chalk Hill Chardonnay Chalk Hill AVA (Photo by Linda Rakos)
Dry Creek Valley AVA
Photo credit www.sonomacounty.com
70+ wineries with 9000 vineyard acres established in 1983 as the 2nd AVA
Top varietals: Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc.
They have been growing grapes here for 140 years in this rural north-central
Sonoma County area. That is when Italian
settlers came to the valley after the California Gold Rush. It is almost like time is standing still in
this valley that is only 16 miles long and 2 miles wide with all of its little
rolling hills and gnarly old vines. Dry
Creek Valley is located just outside Healdsburg, a wonderful little city of
about 12,000 people. You can stay in one of their luxury hotels or rustic inns
while you make it home base for visiting family –owned wineries and vineyards
and experiencing farm-to-table dining prepared by some world-class chefs. The Russian River and Lake Sonoma are on
either side of the AVA. The soil here is
stony giving the concentrated fruit and flavor characteristics of Zinfandel,
the king of Dry Creek Valley. Even if
you think you don’t care for Zinfandel, you MUST taste the Zins of Dry Creek
Valley. A. Rafanelli, Seghesio, Mauritson and Ridge make some of the best
Zinfandel you can ever sip on. I can
tell you that first hand as I have been lucky enough to visit, tour and taste
at all of them at least once. These wines
can make a Zinfandel lover out of anyone!
You will see lots of gnarled old-vine Zinfandel standing on their own
without trellises and some new vines planted in the traditional head-trained
style.
Cabernet sauvignons are also excellent; however you don’t hear much
about them. Sauvignon Blanc is grown on
bottomland near the creek and it is a knockout.
Some Côtes du Rhône-style blends are also gaining some
momentum.
Photo credit www.sonomacounty.com
Ironically Dry Creek isn’t even dry!
The Warm Springs Dam was built in the northern part of the valley in
1982 which allows for flowing water in the creek year-round. The Dry Creek AVA also overlaps Rockpile AVA
in the north and there is plenty of water flowing in the Russian River of which
Dry Creek is a tributary! Dry Creek
Vineyard, founded in 1972 as part of the valley’s post-Prohibition renewal,
even has a sailboat on its label. Pedroncelli Winery has been family-owned and
operated since 1927. Ridge Vineyards
Lytton Springs is famous for leading the 1970s Zinfandel renaissance. I can testify to the “gnarly” old zin vines
there when I opened my car door into one in the parking lot. Thank goodness they are so sturdy as I am
sure that I am not the only person to commit that crime! And then there is the A. Rafanelli Winery
which was our initial entry into the world of Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel. Back in those days, winelovers knew that to
buy wine from Rafanelli, you needed cash or a checkbook. No credit cards for them! I proudly got on that Rafanelli mailing list
and still buy their Zins to this day.
Unti Vineyards are famous for their Grenache and Syrah. One tasting experience not to miss is at
Bella Vineyards & Wine Caves where the tasting rooms are in the cave and it
is so worth the visit. While you are
driving around in this rural valley tasting their fabulous wines, you will
probably get hungry and one of the best places to get lunch is the iconic Dry
Creek General Store where you can pick up your sandwiches to go.
Bella
Bella
Dry Creek General Store
Dry Creek Kitchen
Dry Creek Kitchen
Photos credit www.sonomacounty.com
A. Rafanelli Winery
The A. Rafanelli Winery was begun four generations ago in the early 1900s by Alberto Rafanelli, an Italian immigrant. After the Prohibition, he and his son Americo moved the winery to a knoll on West Dry Creek Road overlooking Dry Creek Valley. They began to farm Zinfandel and raise a family. Their wine was first sold commercially in the early 1970s. Now Americo’s son David and his wife Patty own and operate the business. Their oldest daughter Shelly is the winemaker; her husband manages the 85 acres of vineyards and sister Stacy is in charge of daily operations. They produce Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and A. Rafanelli Zin is some of the best you will ever taste! Visiting their very rustic laid-back winery is an event in itself. You MUST have an appointment and unless things have really changed since I was there, you must call them. Their wine is very highly allocated! They only make about 11,000 cases a year. Generally you can only buy it at the winery or by phone; however I do see some bottles here and there on the internet. If you appreciate Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel, be sure to spend the time to get on their mailing list. If you ask for a tour of the winery, you can usually get one. We felt honored to have David take us on a tour of their cellars when visiting back in 2007. And you can believe that once I got on that mailing list, I somehow have managed to keep on it every year since! Their Zinfandels are not inexpensive. You can expect to pay between $45 and $55 and a bottle of their excellent Terrace Select Cabernet will set you back $120, not small prices for Sonoma, but worth every penny for A. Rafanelli!
2013, 2014 and 2015 A. Rafanelli Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley AVA
Rafanelli Zins are all just under 15% alcohol (14.7%?) which is perfect for this winelover as we don’t really care for any big 16 or 17% alcohol wines any more, but they are still full-bodied, dark crimson in color with lots of black fruits, licorice and flowers on the nose. Then there are those black fruits, liqueuers, dark chocolate and pepper on the palate. These Zins age well and set a really high bar for any others from Dry Creek Valley. We are anxious to see what little differences we taste when opening this three year vertical. Our A. Rafanelli’s came direct from the winery and cost between $43 and $53 a bottle.
A 3 year vertical of A. Rafanelli Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley AVA (Photo by Linda Rakos)
Fort Ross – Seaview AVA
Photo credit www.sonomacounty.com
5 wineries with 555 acres established in 2012 as the 15th AVA; currently 2 wineries located within the AVA
Top varietal: Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
One of Sonoma County’s “youngest” AVAs is located in the far western part of the county where the terrain looks like it drops straight down to the Pacific Ocean, and it’s high enough to be above the fog line that covers the surrounding Sonoma Coast AVA. The first wine grapes planted in Sonoma and Napa Counties was in 1817 at the Russian-American Company’s Fort Ross, but modern times took over in 1973 when sheep rancher Mick Bohan planted Riesling grapes in hopes of recovering from low wool prices. This AVA is located just a few miles from the ocean between Jenner and Sea Ranch and with a significantly higher elevation it is distinguishably different than the Sonoma Coast AVA that is all around it. Vineyards are planted on steep coastal ridges from 920 to 1800 feet high. Farming is not easy here – it’s so remote, and it’s mountainous terrain with low yields – but some of California’s finest producers can be found here in this handful of growers. The wine here is so highly acclaimed that the region has been called the “A-List wine region” and the “Secret Elite wine region” by various sources. This small prestigious AVA has been home to some of Sonoma’s “A-lister” wineries including Fort Ross Vineyard, Hirsch and Flowers. Quite often the well-structured wines of this AVA are best after tucking them away in the cellar for a few years to soften and deepen.
According to Daniel Schoenfeld, the owner of Wild Hog Vineyard, there are just two wineries currently operating in the Fort Ross – Seaview AVA : Hirsh and Wild Hog. Daniel and his wife Marion took a rugged mountain property located at the headwaters of Wild Hog Creek (which is 45 minutes west of the little town of Cazadero) and transformed it into a beautiful garden with a vineyard. They have been there since 1973, began making wine in 1977 and opened their Wild Hog Vineyard winery in 1990, the first winery in the AVA. They make the only Zinfandel in the AVA plus Pinot Noir and Syrah. Wild Hog is 5 miles from the Pacific Ocean east of Fort Ross at an elevation of 1400 feet above sea level.
Other vineyard owners or buyers of Fort Ross-Seaview grapes include Pahlmeyer, Marcassin (Helen Turley), Failla (Ehren Jordan), Williams Selyem, Wayfarer (Jason Pahlmeyer), Martinelli, Sir Peter Michael and (Dave) Del Dotto. David Hirsch planted his pioneer vineyard in 1980 just two miles from the ocean and made his claim-to-fame by selling grapes to Williams Selyem, Kistler, Littorai and others starting in 1994. His on-site winery began in 2002 where grand-cru quality rich Pinot Noirs are produced. Hirsch says his property was so remote that he had to go through five cattle gates on dirt roads to reach it. Now Hirsch is the only other remaining winery in the AVA.
When Dave Del Dotto tasted some Pinot Noir from here, he thought it rivaled Romanée-Conti, bought the property, and renamed it as his Cinghiale Vineyard (“wild boar”).
Flowers Vineyards & Winery still maintains vineyards in the AVA but have relocated their winery and tasting room to the Healdsburg area. You can find the House of Flowers on Westside Road just a few minutes outside of downtown Healdsburg.
Photos credit www.sonomacounty.com
If you are looking for a place to stay while visiting this coastal
area, you should check out the Timber Cove Resort with its dramatic cliffside
views of the ocean. We stayed there and
enjoyed the fireplace and those dramatic views right from the windows of our
room. There is also the Jenner Inn and
River’s End Restaurant & Inn. After
you visit Napa Valley and work your way through Sonoma County, the scenery of
Jenner is an amazing experience.
The view from Timber Cove Resort (Photo credit www.sonomacounty.com)
Fountaingrove AVA
4 wineries with 600 acres established as the 17th AVA in 2015
Top varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah
Most of the Fountaingrove vineyards lie among the foothills of the Mayacamas
Mountains and go way up to 2000 feet
above sea level creating a cooler climate than the lower lands to the south. It
has iron-rich Sonoma Volcanic soil which makes for healthier vines, good
drainage and lots of nutrients. The AVA
is named after an historic area of the northeastern part of the city of Santa
Rosa, a “utopian community” on a 600 acre ranch established in the late 19th
century by Thomas Lake Harris who brought the “Brotherhood of the New Life”
with him from New York. He started California’s
original “cult” winery in 1875 that operated until the 1940s. The Japanese winemaker Kanaye Nagasawa was known
as the “Grape King” and was one of the first Japanese settlers in the United
States. The winery once provided wine
for Harris’ wine shop in New York City.
Now it is left to Mother Nature. Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet
Franc, Zinfandel and Viognier are also grown in Fountaingrove.
There is one Fountaingrove winery that I am quite familiar with – Fisher Vineyards. Fred and Juelle Fisher bought 100 acres on the western slope of the Mayacamas Mountains and founded their winery in 1973. The winery is on the family estate tucked in among the vines and Douglas fir trees. The winery itself was built from the timbers cut down to clear the land for it. Since then the family also purchased 57 acres on the Silverado Trail in Napa Valley. You may recognize the name of Fred Fisher. He was one of six brothers from Norwalk, Ohio who established Fisher Body Co. and built millions of automotive bodies for General Motors. Their “Body by Fisher” was GMs first mark of excellence and Fred carried the goal for excellence into his wine production. The Fishers produce Chardonnay, Cabernet, Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Franc in their Whitney’s Vineyard, Mountain Estate and Wedding Vineyard at their estate in the Fountaingrove District of Sonoma County. The famous Coach Insignia Cabernet Sauvignon is produced from their Napa vineyards. I feel privileged to have visited that estate, tasted wine with several members of the family and attended several wine dinners with Juelle Fisher right here in Southwest Florida.
Green Valley AVA
10 wineries with 3600 acres planted in vineyards established in 1983 as the 13th AVA
Top varietals: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Sparkling Wine
Green Valley AVA is located within the southwestern part of the Russian River Valley AVA bounded by the towns of Sebastopol, Forestville and Occidental. It is famous for its fog, slightly cooler temperatures and the fine sandy loam covering about 60% of the area thanks to the remains of an inland sea several million years old. The soil known as Goldridge is especially suited for high quality wine grape production due to excellent drainage and low soil fertility. The weather and the soil allow for the production of world class Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs, but Syrah is also a winner. Vineyards still compete here with apple orchards. Familiar with the Gravenstein? Supposedly the Russian settlement at Fort Ross brought the apples with them when they started to farm inland. Some top wineries to know are Benovia, Dutton Estate, Dutton-Goldfield Winery, Hartford Family winery, Freeman Vineyard and Winery, Radio-Couteau, Martinelli’s Jackass Vineyard and several others, Paul Hobbs Walker Station Vineyard and Williams Selyem Heintz Vineyard.
Wine tasting at Benovia (Photo credit www.sonomacounty.com)
Two of my personal favorites that we visited (along with several others!) are Iron Horse, known for their wonderful sparkling wine, and Small Vines Wines who receive great accolades for their Pinot Noirs.
Iron Horse
The sparkling wines of Iron Horse have been served at the White House for numerous historic occasions. Their Chardonnay is a signature Green Valley wine and their rising star is Pinot Noir. Audrey and Barry Sterling first saw the estate in pouring rain in February 1976, thought it looked like Camelot and bought the property in two weeks. The Sterlings practice “precision viticulture” or micro-farming under the guidance of Daniel Roberts, aka “Dr. Dirt”. Their wines all have a sense of place specific to Green Valley, their vineyard and the vintage. They are elegant, soft and silky and full of quality and class. The sparkling wines exceed French standards for vintage quality and are of the “Grower Champagne” category. Wedding Cuvee is aged on average three years; the Classic Vintage Brut four to five and the Late Disgorged seven to eight years. There are three generations of family living on the property all striving to put back more than what they take out of the land. They are certified sustainable by the Wine Institute and the Sonoma Wine Growers. The Sterlings were renovating the tasting room when we visited there making our experience even more special. We were outside on the rustic deck looking down over the property with the wines set up on wooden boards.
2015 Iron Horse Classic Brut Green Valley AVA
Classic Brut is the “flagship” sparkling of Iron Horse. Just 1200 cases of this 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay blend were made for the 2015 vintage. The winemaker says it has notes of rising dough, orange marmalade and baked apple with flavors of ripe red apples, mandarin oranges and hazelnuts on the palate – all flavors unmistakably Green Valley and Iron Horse. I couldn’t find any ratings yet for the 2015, but previous vintages have all been between 90 and 95 points, so I’m not expecting anything less! This bottle cost us about $45 from wine.com .
2015 Iron Horse Classic Brut Green Valley AVA (Photo by Linda Rakos)
Small Vines Wines
Small Vines Wines was founded in 2005 by Paul and Kathryn Sloan with their first vintage of Pinot Noir. They may grow small vines but they make some really big Grand Cru-quality Pinot Noirs! And Chardonnays. Put together that dusty Goldridge soil west of Sebastopol with Paul’s Burgundian style of organic farming and you have a Pinot marriage made in heaven. While working as a wine steward at John Ash & Co Restaurant in Santa Rosa in 1995, Paul was offered a glass of Domaine de la Romanee Conti which was a life changer for him. He eventually started out running a vineyard management business which he still operates today. After learning how vineyards are farmed in the Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits and the concentrated flavorful fruit that they produce, Paul opted to plant his vineyards with narrow rows of only four feet across which even called for purchasing a special tractor from France small enough to fit between the rows. The vines are farmed so individually that Paul says they touch each vine independently over 28 times during the growing season. The yield of each vine is also small – about 1-2 pounds of fruit compared to an average yield of ten times more in California. At harvest time, Pinot Noir grapes are handpicked in the cold of night, hand sorted twice, and whole-clustered during fermentation. They use French oak barrels from Burgundy that have been aged a minimum of 3 years. The wine usually spends about 14 months in the barrel and is bottled unfined unfiltered. Chardonnay grapes are also processed in the white Burgundian method.
In addition to the 7 acres of vineyards that
they lease and manage, they purchased the Barlow Homestead and now have their
own 8 acres of vineyard. The Barlows
were prominent apple and berry farmers in West Sonoma County and the historic
farmhouse that they now live in on the property dates back to 1897. Look for Small Vines Wines Pinot Noir and
Chardonnay from their vineyard (TBH) The Barlow Homestead in Green Valley, and MK
Vineyards Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, Baranoff Vineyards Russian River Valley
Pinot Noir, Estate Cuvee Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, and Sonoma Coast
Pinot Noir. You won’t find much of
it – they just make around 42,000
bottles a year. Plus 75% is sold direct
to the consumer.
We experienced a wonderful tasting experience
with Paul Sloan on his Barlow estate in 2007 before they were even able to move
into the farmhouse. Paul poured a taste of every one of his labels
for the two of us, paired them up with some appetizers and spent several hours
telling us about his wines and his hopes for the future. Those are the kind of experiences that this
winelover will forever remember!
Dutton-Goldfield
You will find Dutton Ranch and the Dutton-Goldfield Winery and tasting room in Green Valley, an AVA at the southwestern corner of the Russian River Valley AVA . Dutton-Goldfield began back in 1998 when Steve Dutton, the grapegrower, and Dan Goldfield, the winemaker, decided to team up to make some wines that show off the distinct differences of their vineyards in this cool coastal region. They knew what they personally liked to drink and wanted the rest of us winelovers to share the same great experiences. They specialize in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay but also produce small amounts of Syrah, Zinfandel, Pinot Blanc, Riesling and Gewurztraminer.
Steve’s Dutton Ranch Vineyard was the “2017 Vineyard of the Year” and is made up of over 80 separate small vineyards. They also source grapes from single vineyards in Marin County, Sonoma Coast and Anderson Valley.
2014 Dutton-Goldfield Fox Den Vineyard Pinot Noir Green Valley AVA
Dan and Steve planted this 8 acre vineyard together in 2002, and Dan has been making wine from it since 2004. It is located on top of Stoetz Ridge on the western edge of the appellation and is just a tiny bit warmer on the hilltop than the bottom of the valley, but it still has that low nitrogen sandy soil that helps vines grow and fruit ripen slowly. The wine from this vineyard is usually quite silky with bright raspberry fruit and natural acidity just like a perfect Green Valley Pinot Noir. This bottle of 2014 Fox Den went through open top fermentation with cold soak and punch down, then was aged 17 months in 55% new French oak barrels. Alcohol level is 13.8% and according to the winemaker should have cherry, strawberry and raspberry aromas with some rose petals and rhubarb pie! Then there should be some Bing cherries and Chambord with a smooth texture and creamy strawberry shortcake on the finish. WE rated it 94 points and RP gave it 91. Can’t wait to taste it! Just 767 cases were produced. We recently purchased our bottle from wine.com for about $70.
2014 Dutton-Goldfield Fox Den Vineyard Pinot Noir Green Valley AVA (Photo by Linda Rakos)
Knights Valley AVA
2 wineries with 2496 acres established in 1983 as the 5th AVA
Top varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah and Zinfandel
Knights Valley is protected from the Pacific Ocean making it the warmest AVA in the County. The ancient volcano and Sonoma County’s highest mountain, Mount Saint Helena, looks down over Knights Valley. The volcanic soil is well drained, the temperatures are warm and there is lots of sunshine – all the better to give the Cabernet Sauvignon those famous Knights Valley full-bodied, ripe, chocolate flavors. Bordeaux varietals are important here, both red and white (although little white wine is produced), thriving to produce nice Meritage blends. The Valley is about 6 miles east of Healdsburg and abuts Alexander Valley AVA on the west, Chalk Hill to the south, and is 5 miles from Calistoga on the east. The only good way to get here is through the mountains on twisty sections of Highway 128. This valley is so remote that it has gotten more rural through the years. Vineyards were first planted here in the 19th Century by Thomas B. Knight. The valley once had a small town when grapes were big business here before the Prohibition, but the town burned down in the 1960s. Vineyards and wineries eventually returned minus any commercial development, tasting rooms or hotels. Vineyards have become big business here once again; Knights Valley AVA was one of the original five AVAs in Sonoma County. Two of the largest wineries producing wine with Knights Valley on the label but are located elsewhere are Beringer and Kendall Jackson. Peter Michael Winery has been based in this region since the early 1980s although the mailing address is Calistoga. Some small producers making wine from Knights Valley grapes are Donelan Family Wines and Anakota. All of these wineries produce highly rated wines.
Beringer
Beringer is one of California’s oldest continually operating wineries with history that dates back to 1868. That is when Jacob Beringer left his home in Mainz, Germany and sailed to New York to find new opportunities. He made his way to Napa Valley after hearing that the rocky hillside soil and fertile valley floors of Napa Valley were similar to German vineyards, and he and his brother Frederick bought 215 acres of land there in 1875. Their winery was one of the first in Napa Valley. We won’t go into detail here since this is an article about Sonoma County, but if you have never visited the Beringer estate in Napa Valley, you are missing out on a lot of wonderful history. It is an excellent experience that will not be forgotten!
Beringer has owned and been farming vineyards in Knights Valley since the mid-1960s, and their vineyard is just 17 miles north of the Beringer winery. Beringer first used a Knights Valley designation on the label in 1974 and was instrumental in getting approval for the AVA in 1983. They also grow Sauvignon Blanc grapes here.
2015 Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Knights Valley AVA
The Beringer Knights Valley Cabernets are always highly rated and the 2015 received scores between 92 and 95 points. The 2015 was aged in small French Nevers oak barrels (56% new) for 19 months. Winemaker notes tell us it should have aromas and flavors of dark fruits like blackberry, curranrants, amd smoked meats and baking spices with menthol, cedar cigar box and pipe tobacco. The finish should be long with a dense texture. It’s 15% alcohol and made of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot; 6,030 cases were made. We recently purchased our bottle from wine.com for $58, a most reasonable price for the high scores.
2015 Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Knights Valley AVA (Photo by Linda Rakos)
Moon Mountain AVA
4 wineries with 1500 acres established in 2013 as the 16th AVA
Top varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Moon Mountain is high above the eastside of Sonoma Valley and is one of
the few AVAs in the Mayacamas. In fact,
they say on a clear day you might be able to see San Francisco skyscrapers to
the south. It is harder to farm at high
elevations, but the results can be quite rewarding. Known for centuries as the Valley of the
Moon, it is one of the newer AVAs. You will find some of the state’s oldest
Cabernet Sauvignon (Monte Rosso Vineyard) and Zinfandel vines here. All of the Bordeaux varieties are prominent
in Moon Mountain growing in a variety of soils mainly rocky and volcanic at
elevations ranging from 400 to over 2000 feet above sea level. Some wineries to look for are Ty Caton,
Hanna, B Wise and Hanzell (if you can
get an appointment).
Amapola Creek
The story of Amapola Creek by Richard Arrowood has somewhat of a bittersweet ending. The Amapola Creek winery itself was completed on Moon Mountain in October 2007 just in time for crush. It’s a very small ultra-premium facility with state-of-the-art equipment. Richard Arrowood is a legendary vintner who made wine in Sonoma County for more than 50 years. He made the wines for Chateau St. Jean from 1974 until 1990, then founded his own Arrowood Vineyard & Winery with the 1985 vintage. He sold Arrowood Winery to Robert Mondavi in 2000 who then later sold it to Jackson Family Wines in 2006. He left Arrowood as winemaster back in 2010 to devote himself full-time to making the great wines of his estate winery on Moon Mountain. The Amapola ranch has about 100 acres along the western slope of the Mayacamas Mountains. The red, iron-oxide soil has been producing high quality wines for over a century. Amapola is right next door to the very famous Monte Rosso Vineyard. Their Chardonnays, Cabernet Sauvignons, and Zinfandels have always received high ratings from various wine critics. There are roughly 20 acres of organic vineyards currently producing over 5,000 cases annually.
The bittersweet ending to this story is that as of January 10, 2020, Amapola is owned by B. Wise Vineyards of Sonoma Valley. Brian Wise, Dick Arrowood’s neighbor, purchased it from Dick who is retiring after 54 years of work. Congratulations Dick on your retirement, and thanks for a job well done!
2014 Amapola Creek Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Moon Mountain AVA
The Cabernets of Amapola Creek are favorites of Robert Parker who consistently gave them ratings between 94-96. The 2014 is 94 points and is a blend of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Petit Verdot. According to our winemaker, there should be blackberry and red plum on the nose followed by blackcurrant and pomegranate with subtle notes of oak and toasted vanilla. We will also be looking for some anise then a finish with chocolate, blueberry preserves and aged cedar. Cannot wait to taste our Moon Mountain Cabernet and wish Dick Arrowood well in his retirement! We bought our bottle recently from wine.com for $65.
2014 Amapola Creek Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Moon Mountain AVA (Photo by Linda Rakos)
Northern Sonoma AVA
329,000 acres established in 1990 as the 9th AVA
Top varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Zinfandel and Sauvignon
Blanc
Northern Sonoma is the
second-largest AVA in Sonoma County; however very few wineries use this
designation on wine labels. Six
different AVAs make up the 329,000 acres of Northern Sonoma: Dry Creek Valley,
Alexander Valley, Knights Valley, Chalk Hill, Russian River Valley and Green
Valley. So why was this AVA
created? Regulations dictate that
wineries may only use the word “estate” on the label if both their vineyards
and winery are located in the same AVA. This
was of great importance for E&J Gallo, the largest wine company in the world,
in order to say “estate” on the label of their Gallo Family Vineyards brand for
Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. You
can see the Northern Sonoma AVA on wines in supermarkets across the United
States. There are some small wineries
that use this AVA on their label but you really have to search for them.
Petaluma Gap AVA
9 wineries with 4000 acres established in 2017 as the 18th and newest AVA
Top varietal: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah
You will find the 200,000 acres of Petaluma Gap in southern Sonoma
County and northern Marin County. About
75% of the planted acreage is in Pinot Noir grapes, and the rest is mainly
Chardonnay and Syrah. Those people who
worked towards the establishment of this AVA, which mostly was already covered
under the Sonoma Coast AVA, claimed this area was different because of
afternoon wind and fog coming in from Bodega Bay that passes through the low-lying
hills and valleys in the gap in the California Coast Range of mountains, and then
continues out into San Pablo Bay. This
helps to cool down the grapes and slow down their ripening. The AVAs western boundary is the Pacific
Ocean; to the south, the Gap crosses into Marin County where the coastal hills
start climbing up to the 2,572 foot Mount Tamalpais. The northern boundary stops just short of
Russian River Valley.
The Petaluma Gap Winegrowers Alliance had already been in place since
2005, formally applied for the AVA status in 2015, and were instrumental in
getting it approved. Winemakers such as
David Ramey and Kosta Browne already
used Petaluma Gap grapes and the Gap’s Crown Vineyard has been praised for its
Pinot Noir grapes. There are a few boutique wineries in the AVA like Adobe Road
and Kastania, but the long list of notable producers from outside the AVA who
use Gap grapes reads like the “who’s who” of well-known wineries such as
Sojourn, Rodney Strong, DeLoach, Cline Family Cellars, Spottswoode, Tamber Bey
and Twomey.
David Ramey
Photos credit www.sonomacounty.com
Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak AVA
1 winery with 310 acres established in 2011 as the 14th AVA
Top varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Located on the western edge of the Mayacamas overlooking Cloverdale, Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak is one of the highest and most remote AVAs in Sonoma County. Cabernet is king of the mountain and takes up about 80% of the vineyard acreage. Vineyards share the area with olive groves, some sheep and cattle. The Sonoma County side of the AVA is part of the Alexander Valley AVA and the northern section is in Mendocino County. The intense flavors of Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordeaux varietals come partially from the high elevation and red rock volcanic soils. The peak itself starts out at 1600 feet and reaches 3000, and many of the vineyards are at the higher elevations. Several well-known wineries have vineyards here including Imagery Estate Winery who has their tasting room in Glen Ellen, Capture Wines who make Cabernet from their Tin Cross Vineyard and Francis Ford Coppola Winery whose “The Family Coppola” Cabernet Sauvignon proudly displays the Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak AVA on the label.
Rockpile AVA
192 acres established in 2002 as the 11th AVA
Top varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Syrah and Zinfandel
Rockpile is located west of Lake Sonoma to the Mendocino County border, high above Dry Creek Valley and is known for its intensely red grapes. I’ll bet most winelovers know and love Rockpile zin! The 2500 acre Lake Sonoma reservoir was created by the construction of the Warm Springs Dam back in 1982. Elevations range from 800 to 2100 feet, and vineyards receive lots of sunlight. If you want to take a scenic drive around the Lake and stop somewhere for a picnic, be sure to stop at the famous Dry Creek General Store on Dry Creek Road in Healdsburg and pick up some of their delicious deli sandwiches and salads.
Rockpile is famed for its signature clone of Zinfandel selected by Kent Rosenblum and Ulises Valdez. You probably recognize Kent Rosenblum as the now deceased creator and owner of the legendary Rosenblum Cellars which was synonymous with Zinfandel. Kent was known as the “King of Zin”, and my most vivid memory of Rosenblum wines was accidentally discovering……and tasting!……. the fall release of every single Rosenblum Zin produced one year at their tasting room in Healdsburg. Kent was a founding member of ZAP, the Zinfandel Advocates and Producers group, which holds Zinfandel tasting festivals each year featuring a good 120 winemakers or so.
A Swedish immigrant, S.P. Hallengren, planted grapevines here in 1884
who only sold his wine in Sweden. Five
generations later we are very lucky that his heirs run Mauritson Wines and make
fantastic wines with some of those grapes (and others) just a few miles away at
their winery in lower Dry Creek Valley.
Another notable winery making equally great Rockpile Zinfandel and other
wines is Seghesio Family Vineyards (you can find them in Healdsburg), and I am
so happy that we visited both of these wineries on several occasions and have
most enjoyable experiences. In fact we
still see Clay Mauritson at wine dinners whenever he comes to Southwest
Florida.
Russian River Valley AVA
94 wineries with 13,896 acres established in 1983 as the 6th AVA
Top varietals: Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
The Russian River flows through this valley where cooling fog and warm
summer afternoons make it ideal for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Wines from RRV are ripe and elegant. If you have sipped on wine from Williams
Selyem, Kistler, Kosta Browne, Paul Hobbs, DuMOL or Rochioli – just to name a few! – you can
testify to the greatness of Russian River Valley Pinots. And we can’t leave out the Chardonnay or
Sauvignon Blanc. Williams Selyem,
Kistler and Lewis are known for their Chardonnay, and if you have been lucky
enough to taste a Merry Edwards Sauvignon Blanc, you will agree. And we certainly can tell you that Merry
Edwards Pinot Noir is superb. If you
enjoy sparkling wine as much as I do, J Vineyards and Winery and Iron Horse
will really fill the bill with their grapes from RRV and Green Valley.
J Winery
Lynmar
Coppola
Gary Farrell
Photos credit www.sonomacounty.com
J. Rochioli
This is yet another wonderful story of Italian immigration to America when Joe Rocchioli Sr. moved here in 1911 from a small village just outside of Lucca. They made their way across the United States and settled in Northern California. The senior Rocchiolis worked on a farm in Russian River Valley eventually moving to 125 acres called Fenton Acres, which just happens to be where Rochioli Vineyards are today. Back in those days they grew hops, string beans and prunes but they also planted blending grapes like French Colombard, Early Burgundy and Napa Gamay to use for “jug wine”. Being good entrepreneurs, by the mid-1950s they bought the property. They planted Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc in 1959 but it didn’t grow well and in 1968 the first Pinot Noir was planted using fine Pinot clones from France. This was considered pioneering at the time. They learned that the Russian River Valley climate made Pinot Noir and Chardonnay excellent choices. They changed the name from Fenton Acres to Rochioli and released their first estate wine in 1987. Amazingly to the Rocchiolis the 1985 Rochioli Vineyards Pinot Noir made by Williams Selyem was named “The Best Pinot Noir in America” by Wine Spectator! The rest was history. Now they have 140 acres in production in Russian River Valley, focus on single vineyard and their wines are all top rated. Wine is generally made available on a limited basis to customers on “The List”, and once you get on it, I advise you not to jump ship! I still remember my excitement at finding out that I was a “Rochiolian”! According to their website, The List is currently full. I have seen their Russian River Valley wines for sale at Total Wine, and you may want to drink it while waiting to get on The List.
2014 Rochioli Sweetwater Vineyard Pinot Noir Russian River Valley AVA
The 2014 Sweetwater should give us cherry, berry and plum flavors with smoky, toasty oak. It was made from three clones – Pommard, Dijon 115 and the Rochioli Selection. Only 424 cases of this wine were made and I’m anxious to taste it. Robert Parker said it should drink well for at least a decade. WS gave it 91 points and WA 94! I purchased mine from the winery in 2016 for $79 a bottle and see collector’s offering theirs online for $115. I have yet to taste a Rochioli Pinot Noir that was not an excellent choice.
2014 Rochioli Sweetwater Vineyard Pinot Noir Russian River Valley AVA (Photo by Linda Rakos)
2012, 2013 and 2014 Small Vines Wines Estate Cuvee Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley AVA
We have already told the story of Small Vines Wines with the Green Valley AVA . This 3 year vertical is made by Paul Sloan and Small Vines Wines from vineyard estates that he manages in Russian River Valley but not exclusively Green Valley. The vineyards were farmed organically by Small Vines Viticulture adhering to Grand Cru standards. The soils were red sandy clay loam to dark gray goldridge fine sandy loam. All three vintages spent 15 months on fine lees and were bottled unfined and unfiltered. Oak was 31 – 37.5% new French. There were 390 cases made (2012), 524 (2013) and 360 (2014). We anticipate dark cherry and plum notes with earthy forest floor and earthy mushrooms with a soft and silky texture from all three vintages. Small Vines Wines are always highly acclaimed but here again don’t expect to see them on a local wine store shelf. I purchased these wines direct from the winery for $50 to $65 a bottle.
3 year vertical of Small Vines Wines Estate Cuvee Russian River Valley AVA (Photo by Linda Rakos)
Sonoma Coast AVA
7 wineries with 4725 acres established in 1987 as the 10th AVA
Top varietals: Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
This is the coolest of the Sonoma County regions. It is next to the Pacific and gets more than twice the rainfall of the inland regions, but is still warm enough to produce fabulous Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah. Sonoma Coast is the largest AVA (750 square miles). In fact it is so large that several vintners formed the West Sonoma Coast Vintners association made up of wineries located from just west of local Highway 16 from Petaluma to Annapolis to the Pacific Ocean. They have defined this as the “true” Sonoma Coast. David Hirsch, Ted Lemon (Littorai), Burt William (Williams Selyem), Steve Kistler, Ehren Jordan (Failla) and Andy Peay were some of this region’s pioneers. Their Pinot Noirs, Syrahs and Chardonnays are spectacular. Since then, the Fort Ross-Seaview AVA was made official in 2012.
Everyone who has ever enjoyed wine at our home, knows that Peay wines have a very special spot in our wine room. We were lucky to have a private visit with Andy Peay at his winery in Cloverdale in 2010 where he treated us to barrel tasting some of Peay’s finest! Memories like that are never forgotten!! Their vineyards and home are far to the west 4 miles from the Pacific Coast. Nick Peay and his brother Andy wanted to make wine and started looking for a place to plant vines. They looked up and down from Oregon to California and found a farm near Annapolis, an area that is even cooler than Ft. Ross-Seaview. They bought it in November 1996, built a reservoir and got the land ready for planting. Their first 30 acres were planted in 1998. Nick, Andy and Nick’s wife Vanessa Wong produced their first Peay wine in 2002. Now they have a 51 acre vineyard. Nick and Vanessa grow the grapes and make the wine and Andy runs the business and sells the wine. Vanessa is a winemaker with a great resume of her own. Pinot Noir and Syrah vines make excellent wines here as their vineyards are lower than Fort Ross and always in the cold air mass. They farm organically and are certified for fish-friendly farming. They run on bio-diesel at the vineyard and use solar power at the vineyard and the winery in Cloverdale. The wines from Peay are quite distinct, outstanding and display their terroir. You can drink them young or you can age them like we do. We prefer the subtle dried flower nutty less fruity more integrated aromas that Peay tells us to expect. They don’t make a lot of wine – often less than 100 cases of a particular one – so unless you are on the mailing list, if you see one on the shelf in a wine store, buy it!
Landmark Vineyards
Landmark Vineyards were founded in 1974 by a group of people including Damaris Deere Ford, the great-great-granddaughter of John Deere, who invented the steel plow. By 1989 Damaris was the sole owner and moved Landmark to its present location in Kenwood, Sonoma Valley. In 1993 Landmark hired Helen Turley to make some world-class Chardonnay. Grand Detour was their first Pinot Noir release in 1995. Grand Detour just happens to be the name of the village in Illinois where John Deere set up his blacksmith shop. Since then their Overlook Chardonnay has been on Wine Spectator’s Top 100 list eight times. Landmark calls the Sonoma Valley home but sources grapes from vineyards in Sonoma (including Sonoma Coast), Monterey and Santa Barbara Counties. You can visit them in their tasting room outside Healdsburg in the Hop Kiln winery (bought by Landmark in 2016) or at their estate in Kenwood, which is where we enjoyed all of their wines.
2014 Landmark Grand Detour Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast AVA
The 2014 Grand Detour Pinot Noir was sourced from several vineyards in Sonoma Coast and should be smooth and velvety with some anise, black tea, rose petals and cherry pie. It received 90 points from Wine Enthusiast plus a Gold Medal at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition and a Silver at the Los Angeles International Wine Competition.it retailed for about $35 a bottle.
2014 Landmark Grand Detour Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast AVA (Photo by Linda Rakos)
Patz & Hall
Donald Patz and James Hall met in the 1980s while working at Flora Springs Winery. Donald was a national sales manager and James was an assistant winemaker. They became close friends and decided that they wanted to make their own wine from elite small vineyards. In 1988 they teamed up with their wives and business partners, Heather Patz and Anne Moses, put up $5000, and Patz & Hall was born. Now Patz & Hall is one of California’s most highly regarded wineries with a really good portfolio of single-vineyard wines. They specialize in Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
By the late 1990s, they were able to focus 100% of their attention on making and selling their wines. Since they had no vineyards, no tasting room, no office and no employees, they decided to move to the next level and opened a tasting room and office in a warehouse in Napa which is where we first found them in 2007. They bought quality grapes from Hyde, Hudson, Dutton, Zio Tony, Gap’s Crown, Alder Springs and Pisoni. Their wines frequently earn outstanding ratings. About that time we also met Donald Patz on one of his marketing tours and enjoyed a tasting with him of all their wines at one of our local restaurants.
With the business going well, they moved to a new facility in Sonoma with a visitor’s center and winemaking facility designed by Hall. In fact business was going so well that Patz & Hall soon reached an agreement with Ste. Michelle Wine Estates to purchase the company. Ste. Michelle wanted to expand into Sonoma, and the partners agreed to stay on after the sale, selling the brand, inventory and winery equipment to the new owners. The two families still continue making wine together after 30 plus years.
2016 Patz & Hall Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast AVA
Patz & Hall Sonoma Coast Chardonnay is made from vineyards on the coastal side of Sonoma County. This one was aged on lees in 32% new Burgundy barrels. The winemaker says it should have aromas and flavors of pineapple, guava, honeydew and lime zest plus notes of toasted almond macaroons, cinnamon and sugar cookies. We should also enjoy a long layered finish. It received 90-93 points as have the previous vintages. Since most of their wines are from single vineyards, we are anxious to give this non-single vineyard offering a try. We recently purchased this bottle from wine.com for $39.
2016 Patz & Hall Chardonnay Sonoma Coast AVA (Photo by Linda Rakos)
Sonoma Mountain AVA
3 wineries in the southern part of Sonoma County with 667 acres established in 1985 as the 8th AVA
Top varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay
The Sonoma Mountain AVA is centered in the Sonoma Mountains in the
northwest area of the greater Sonoma Valley AVA which almost surrounds it. On the west side there are cool winds and fog
coming in from the Petaluma Gap. It also
overlaps Bennet Valley AVA on the northwestern end. Sonoma Mountain AVA is able to produce a wide
range of varieties such as Grenache, Grüner Veltliner, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon
Blanc, Semillon, Syrah and Zinfandel in addition to the top varietals of Cab
and Chardonnay all mainly due to the diverse micro-climates. You will find a series of hills with groves
of live oak trees on the west side of the mountain; however you may think you
are looking at a different mountain when you see the rugged forests on the
other side looking over the Valley of the Moon.
Sonoma Mountain is home to the
town of Glen Ellen and was once the home of that famous author Jack
London. You can stay at the Jack London
Lodge like we did and visit the Jack London State Historic Park.
You should not miss visiting the Benziger Family Winery when in this
region. The Benzigers began a transition
to biodynamic farming in 1995 and in 2000 the Estate was officially certified
as a biodynamic farm by the Demeter Association. You can take the biodynamic farm tram tour
and even see a display describing every aspect of the biodynamic farming
techniques that were developed in the 1920s by Rudolph Steiner. For example, you can get a crash course in
the use of “horn manure” that is made from cow manure, then buried inside a cow
horn during the winter months.
Benziger
Photos credit www.sonomacounty.com
Laurel Glen Vineyards
Another notable producer of Cabernet Sauvignon on Sonoma Mountain is Laurel Glen Vineyards. Laurel Glen started out in 1977 as three acres of Cabernet Sauvignon vines on top of the mountain ranging from 850 to 1000 feet high. The first wine labeled Laurel Glen was produced in 1981. There were 14 acres under vine when the property was sold in 2011. There are nine separate blocks, all planted in Cabernet Sauvignon, made up of red sandy soil of volcanic origin, and the property looks down on the town of Glen Ellen. All of the viticulture is now strictly organic, and in 2014 the vineyard became CCOF organic certified. Their goal is to enhance the soil quality, minimize use of irrigation water and to preserve the wild spaces surrounding the property. They plant cover crops such as sweet pea, daikon radish and mustard to minimize soil erosion and control weeds. No synthetic pesticides or herbicides are used and their farming methods to minimize runoff into streams help to sustain the salmon and steelhead population. The winemaking philosophy is minimal handling, using gravity flow when possible and keeping all lots separate. The wines are aged in Taransaud French oak and Canton American oak barrels – the percentage of each and length of aging depending upon the wine lot.
2014 Laurel Glen Vineyard Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Mountain AVA
The 2014 Laurel Glen Vineyard Estate wine was made after the ending of a 4 year drought in 2016. 2014 was one of those years that doesn’t happen very often in which quality and quantity of the fruit were both excellent. The fruit was high quality despite the drought and a 6.0 magnitude earthquake in August! There were 1,220 cases bottled in July 2016. Tasting notes from the winemaker Randall Watkins said “Beautiful fragrance of sweet boysenberry and dark raspberry fruit, mineral and smoke. Hints of espresso, charred oak and baking spices. Impressive on the finish, maintaining elegance and finesse amid firm mountain tannins. Fine, long finish”. it received scores between 92-95 points as did the previous vintages. This bottle was recently purchased from wine.com for $75.
2014 Laurel Glen Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma Mountain AVA (Photo by Linda Rakos)
Sonoma Valley AVA
100 plus wineries in the southern part of Sonoma County with 5565 acres established January 4, 1982 as the 1st AVA of Sonoma County. There are now over 10,000 acres of vineyards.
Top varietals: Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Zinfandel
The Petaluma Gap to the west and the Santa Rosa plain to the northwest help to produce a wide range of wines in Sonoma Valley. The valley is also bordered by two mountain ranges: the Mayacamas to the east and Sonoma Mountains to the west. It is here you find such interesting little places as Glen Ellen, Valley of the Moon and Kenwood. You will probably find the widest range of wine grapes here than any other wine growing region in the County.
Northern California viticulture began here in this valley. The first vineyards were planted in Sonoma Valley by Franciscan friars at Mission San Francisco Solano in 1823. Buena Vista Winery was later established by Agoston Haraszthy in 1857, and became one of the first successful wineries in the State. There were 256 wineries by 1920 then along came Prohibition which took a toll on all of the wine regions. By 1969 there were still just 58 bonded wineries in Sonoma Valley. It became the 8th designated AVA in 1981, and by 2005 the number of wineries was back to pre-Prohibition numbers with 254.
Kunde Family Winery sits on 1,850 acres and has been farmed by the same family for five generations. Also in the valley are Chateau St. Jean, famous for their Cinq Cepages, and Ledson Winery & Vineyards that looks very much like a gothic castle.
Hop Kiln
Ledson
Photos credit www.sonomacounty.com
Sustaining the future for winemaking
“Sustainability” is no longer just a passing fad. It’s become a necessity for winemaking in California. Long term droughts, wildfires and unusually high temperatures have made everyone take notice. Leaders in the industry have taken initiative to do something about it, especially those in Sonoma County. In fact, Sonoma County is a global leader! Sonoma County has committed to become the first 100% sustainable wine region in 2019. The Sonoma County Sustainability Program is well on the way. According to the Sonoma County Winegrowers’ 4th Annual Sustainability Report, 72% of Sonoma County vineyards have already been certified sustainable, and their website claims a 99% completion as of December 2019. The Sonoma County Winegrape Commission, also known as Sonoma County Winegrowers, was established in 2006 as a non-profit marketing and educational organization for the promotion and preservation of Sonoma County as a worldwide premier grape growing region. Their members are family farmers whose goal is to produce high quality grapes that are the base for making world class wine, sustain the land for the future, and preserve the land, air and water where they live. The SCWC is leading this charge for the 1800 wine growers represented in the county. Most of them are multi-generational family businesses, many who have been following sustainable practices for years. More than 40% of Sonoma vineyard parcels are less than 20 acres and 80% are less than 100 acres. The Sonoma County Vintners organization represents more than 200 wineries throughout the county.
Photos credit www.sonomacounty.com
Sonoma: My personal wine star!
I really do enjoy Napa Valley wines. And I also enjoyed all of our visits to Napa Valley wineries and tasting rooms for some exceptionable and unforgettable experiences. However, this is the voice of a “retired winelover” who just can’t buy a bottle of Napa cab for several hundred dollars. Napa Valley is more like a “Disneyland” for winelovers, and there is nothing wrong with that. Then there is Sonoma County which I fell in love with on our first visit. The Sonoma experience is more about driving down a dirt road, drinking a bottle of wine with the winemaker and/or their family in a rustic setting and picking out a deli sandwich at the Dry Creek General Store type of experience. You can buy excellent wine from Sonoma County and in many instances, it will be a highly rated bottle quite possibly a Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel or Chardonnay at prices far less than the wines of Napa Valley. Many wineries these days have sold to much larger wine conglomerates, and we certainly don’t dislike them for making money! However so many of the Sonoma wineries are still multi-generational family owned, and they are very concerned about keeping the land and business alive for their future generations plus the rest of the world. Still not sold on my wine star? It’s pretty simple, but there are choices – if you buy more expensive wine and want the best of the best, visit Napa and by all means buy the wine! If you are into a more laid-back lifestyle and buy more reasonably priced wines, then please support my wine star, the one selected as the “Wine Star Award Wine Region of the Year” – Sonoma County.
If anyone reading this article has found even a few small tidbits of interesting information or has enjoyed reading the whole “never ending” thing, then my mission has been accomplished. Selfishly my objective is to personally gain new knowledge. Preparing and writing about a topic is like following a recipe to me: so many parts research, so many parts personal experience, and many parts of love about wine, where it comes from, and who makes it! My research starts out with numerous internet articles, several books such as “The Wine Bible” by Karen MacNeil, 2nd Edition;“Wine Folly: the Master guide” by Madeline Puckette and Justin Hammack, Magnum Edition; and a very special addition for this article: “Volcanic Wines: Salt, Grit and Power” by John Szabo, MS. I have previously acknowledged the Sonoma County Tourism office for all of their information available on the internet plus permission to use photos from their media library, but really wish to thank them again! I try my best to present accurate information, but by the time I hit the “publish” button, it may already be out of date. If you discover anything incorrect, please let me know and I will make revisions.
As always, I would like to encourage you to drink adventurously and never stop learning about new wines or wine regions. Who knows where our next adventure will take us?
It was all about the good old USA when a few serious lovers of
wine and food gathered together for our most recent forkandcorkdivine
“wIne tIme”
event. The theme was to be a celebration
of wine “Made in the USA”. Our guests
were charged with bringing a wine made in the United States that they knew we
would all enjoy and/or should be introduced to.
And of course, being the foodies that we are, there had to be a
delicious culinary treat prepared and presented to go along with that special
bottle of wine. Before I show you the
pictures and tell you about the wines and their food pairings from our very
successful evening, this would not be a forkandcorkdivine
post if I did not give you some wine information tidbits!
A VERY quick overview of winemaking in the USA
There are over 10,000 wineries in these fifty United States of
America, and wine is made in every one of them.
The USA is not new to winemaking
– wine has been made in America for over 300 years – but compared to
Europe and parts of the world much further east like the country of Georgia, where
wine can be traced back to 6000 BC, 300
years is just the blink of an eye. Now United States ranks fourth in the wine
producing countries of the world, and three of the top wine producing companies
in the world are from the United States.
We Americans should be pretty proud of our wines. After all, didn’t our California wine edge
out the French wine in that very famous 1976 Judgment of Paris blind tasting
wine event? Just 43 years later in 2019 California
has over 4500 wineries (according to Statista.com) and produces 80-90% of our
US wine. From the cult classic and unbelievably priced wines of Napa Valley
like a bottle of Screaming Eagle that will set you back an average of $2500 for
a new vintage or probably $7500 or more for an older vintage (that is if you
can find it and I may be off a few $1000s), or “just” some Dalla Valle for
around $500 down to a really great bottle of 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon from
Joseph Phelps currently selling for $70 on wine.com. Of course, there are many excellent bottles
of wine available in every price range.
The fun part is searching them out which is what we winelovers “love” to
do!
Did I say there is wine made in every state? You bet! The very first AVA, or American Viticultural Area which is similar to the geographical wine classification system in Europe, was recognized in Augusta, Missouri in 1980. There were 242 approved AVAs in the US as of July 2019. The largest AVA is the “Upper Mississippi River Valley AVA” which crosses four states – Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois – with a whopping big 19 million acres! And then there is the southernmost AVA, the “Texas Hill Country AVA” with over 14,000 square miles. Texas wine has been steadily gaining in recognition; Texas now ranks number five in number of US wineries by state. Here is one that may surprise you –Hawaii has an appellation – in fact one of the commercial wineries is the “Volcano Winery” near the summit of the Kilauea Volcano which should really not come as a surprise. Hawaiian winemakers primarily make fruit wines like a pineapple sparkling wine. The principal grape in Hawaii is the Symphony grape, a cross of the vinifera varieties Muscat of Alexandria and Grenache Gris, that makes white wine with a slight spiciness and aromas of citrus, apricot and peach.
Nothing against pineapple sparkling wine from Hawaii or maybe a Muscadine or Scuppernong from the Southeastern US……in fact we may do a tasting of those one of these days??…..but I had a feeling that most of our winelover friends were more interested in bringing us some terrific wine made from Vitis vinifera grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. They did not disappoint! We drank some excellent examples of US sparkling blend, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, rosé of Pinot Noir, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Syrah, red Meritage blend and Cabernet Sauvignon. Now let’s reveal the wines and the pictures of the food pairings.
#1 Pairing: Roederer Estate Brut Sparkling
Salmon Horseradish Dill with Caviar Mousse Terrine
Domaine Chandon Creamy Blue Cheese Spread
Assorted Crackers
Roederer Estate Brut was the first sparkling wine produced by Champagne Louis Roederer of France, famous for their Cristal Champagne that would set us back $200 – $300 a bottle. We are so lucky to have our own Roederer right here in the USA where they have been making highly acclaimed sparkling wine in the Anderson Valley of Mendocino County, California since 1988. This wine landed at #27 on the Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2018 and I bought it for a mere $26. It’s made from 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir grapes, and was crisp and elegant with complex pear, spice and hazelnut flavors such as promised in the tasting notes and I absolutely loved it!
The salmon mousse was light and elegant just like the Roederer and had a tiny bit of zip to it from the horseradish. You can make it from canned salmon but I prefer to poach fresh salmon filets, then crumble and puree with the rest of the ingredients. I’ve made a smaller size version before and put into a Le Creuset terrine but this time I used a loaf pan to make sure all of that goodness made it into the finished product. The caviar gets layered in the middle of the terrine, so that each slice gives you some of everything and looks beautiful! You can find the recipe on epicurious.com (Gourmet November 1997). It’s an oldie but a goodie that has showed up at my dinner and cocktail parties a number of times.
The Domaine Chandon cheese spread is so simple to make and so delicious! It’s made of cream cheese, blue cheese, toasted walnuts, chives and parsley. You can google the name of the recipe and up it pops. Just remember to set it out at room temperature before you plan to serve it to allow for softening up. Sorry – I missed my photo op before the guests dug into it.
#2 Pairing: Ghost Block Morgaen Lee Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2016
Chicken Sliders with Mozzarella Cheese and Pesto
Ghost Block is one of three brands owned by the Pelissa family in Napa Valley. They have been owning and farming vineyards there for over 100 years. All 635 acres of grapes are 100% organically farmed. The other two brands are Oakville Winery and Elizabeth Rose. Each one has it’s own winemaker, vineyard designation and identity. The Ghost Block story goes that back in the 1980s, a ghost was seen leaving the Yountville Pioneer Cemetery walking up the hillside through the vineyard. A local retired veteran told Andy Hoxsey, the current Ghost Block owner, that it was the ghost of George C. Yount, the founder of Yountville who also planted the first grapevine in Napa Valley in 1839. The next morning Andy went to trademark the name “Ghost Block”, so if you are in the area be on the lookout for the ghost of George C. Yount!
The Ghost Block wines are made from four of the family’s single vineyards which include Ghost Block and Morgaen Lee. The winemaker Kristi Koford made this excellent example of a Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc from the Morgaen Lee Vineyard. The grapes were 40% whole cluster pressed, barrel fermented and aged sur lie for 7 months in once used barrels; then 60% soaked on the skins for 12 hours before pressing and cold fermenting in stainless steel. The wine was aromatic (think stone fruit like white peaches and yellow melons) with a lively acidity very similar to a Sancerre. We all enjoyed this wine.
Our Sauvignon Blanc pairing was Pesto Mozzarella Chicken Sliders made by Chuck. He shredded a local supermarket rotisserie chicken and layered it on slider buns that had been spread with mayonnaise, then added some basil pesto and sliced mozzarella cheese. Brush a little more pesto and melted butter on the tops of the buns and bake till cheese is melty. Easy and a really good pairing with the wine. No ghosts appeared as the sliders disappeared!
Escargot and Wild Mushrooms with Crumbled Blue Cheese
Kistler wine………..It almost needs no comments!! Kistler Vineyards is dedicated to making world class site specific Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Kistler was founded in 1978 in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma and produced just 3,500 cases of wine in their first vintage in 1979. They now produce about 35,000 cases a year. They make their wines using classic Burgundian techniques. They use native yeasts, French oak barrels, and bottle unfiltered and unfined.
The Chardonnay is barrel fermented in underground gravel floor barrel rooms and aged sur lie in the same barrels for 11 to 18 months. Each of their 11 vineyard designate Chardonnays have different characteristics unique to their particular vineyard. Kistler has been making Chardonnay from Hudson Vineyard since 1994. The soil there is a mix of volcanic and marine sediment which makes an elegant wine often with tones of iodine and minerality. Tasting experts told us to expect notes of lemon, pears, green guava, apple blossom, crushed rocks and salty oyster shell characteristics. It receives ratings in the mid to high 90s every year, and we were so happy that Jeff and Rene shared it with us.
A bottle of Kistler demands something sophisticated and that is just what Jeff prepared for us as their pairing. He sauteed escargot – minus their little shells – with wild and exotic mushrooms in a really tasty sauce and served it with crumbled blue cheese on the top. What a dish!!
#4 Pairing: Four GracesRosé of Pinot Willamette Valley Oregon 2018
Northwest Seafood Canapes
Every great tasting line-up deserves a rosé and we had a great one. The Four Graces is a winery in the Dundee Hills of the Willamette Valley in Oregon founded in 2003 by the Black family. The Blacks named the winery after their four daughters and farmed sustainably to make rich, elegant, delicious and complex wines. In 2005 they bought the Doe Ridge property in Yamhill Carlton and turned the vineyard into one of the largest experiments of its kind with 40 acres farmed sustainably through the LIVE (low impact viticulture and enology) program. Since then Bill Foley has purchased Four Graces and the winery is dedicated to producing world-class wines.
The 2018 Four Graces Rosé of Pinot was made from 100% Pinot Noir aged 4 months in 50% French oak and 50% stainless steel producing a light pink color with a touch of rouge. The delicate aromas of Montmorency cherry, wild strawberry, Meyer lemon and and tiny bit of creme fraiche made this one award winning tasty Rosé. In fact it was a double gold medal winner in the Best of the Northwest 2019 Wine Competition and a welcome addition to our Southwest Florida wine tasting.
Al and Mariann paired their wine with a seafood canape featuring a horseradish spread on brioche bread topped with smoked white fish, smoked salmon, slice of cucumber, then garnished with red onion and dill. It was a match made with grace in heaven.
It was so much “prettier” with the wine in it!
#5 Pairing: Robert Sinskey Pinot Noir Carneros Napa Valley 2014
Texas Style Beef Brisket
Robert Sinskey Vineyards has grown from 15 acres of vineyards to 200 acres of prime vineyards in five Carneros locations and just under 5 acres next to the winery which is located on the Silverado Trail in the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley. It’s a 100% organic and biodynamic certified winery known for its reds. Their goal is to make “pure wines of character that pair well with cuisine.” The Pinot Noirs are silky, elegant and complex. They also make Cabernets, some Bordeaux-style reds, Merlot, Chardonnay and several other varieties. One of the 2017 fires burned to within several feet of their hospitality center, but remarkably all that was lost here was some vines and landscaping. Some of their neighbors were not as lucky!
The 2014 Robert Sinskey Pinot Noir from Carneros was made from 32 separately harvested and vinified lots from all 5 of their Carneros vineyards. It was cave aged 10 months in French oak, 30% new barrels, and 308 barrels were produced. Tasting notes told us to expect lavender, rose and rosemary with ripe strawberry, cranberry, red plum and cherries followed by clove and vanilla spice from the French oak barrels. There was sage and forest floor on the finish. I have always enjoyed Sinskey Pinot Noir and this one was no exception. Good choice in Pinots, Dave and Sandi!
Dave always brings some special culinary techniques to our wine and food pairings, and we are always wowed by his efforts and tasty food. To go with that wonderful Sinskey Pinot, he made a Texas-style beef brisket that was smoked and then cooked in sous vide. That brisket was full of flavor. You should have been a chef, Dave!
#6 Pairing: Textbook Merlot Napa Valley 2017
Veal Blanquette
TEXTBOOK specializes in growing and crafting small lots of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay grown in the Oakville, Yountville and Los Carneros appellations of Napa Valley. Their grapes are hand-picked, hand-sorted and carefully handled throughout the entire winemaking process. TEXTBOOK was founded in Napa in 2004 by Jonathan and Susan Pey who have a European background that led them to their “bold-yet-balanced” winemaking style. They have some excellent vineyard sources; for example the primary vineyard for their “Mise en Place” Cabernet Sauvignon is a site in the Oakville district next door to Screaming Eagle. That puts them in some outstanding company!
The 2017 Merlot was made from 100% Napa Valley grapes (90% Oak Knoll and 10% Oakville Districts) and is 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Both sites are sustainably farmed. The must was gently pressed in French oak barriques. Barrels were 100% French – 33% new. The wine was in the barrels for 12 months with two rackings and one egg white fining. The finished product was light bodied with tart cherry, plum and spice.
Christian is our very own Culinary School trained French chef who brought us a simmering pot of his delectable veal blanquette. Those bites of veal and vegetables in an exquisite cream sauce almost melted in your mouth. And it paired perfectly with the TEXTBOOK Merlot. Thanks, Chef and Mari. If you would like to taste it, check them out on Sanibel at their Bleu Rendezvous French Bistro.
#7 Tensley Colson Canyon Vineyard Syrah Santa Barbara 2016
Spiced Lamb Meatballs with Walnut Romesco Sauce
Joey Tensley started out working as a “cellar rat” for Fess Parker Winery in Santa Barbara County back in 1993. He moved on to Babcock as assistant winemaker and really came to appreciate the uniqueness of grape growing in Santa Barbara County. He came to love Rhone varietals while making wine at Beckmen and decided to produce only Rhone varietals sourced only from Santa Barbara County. Now he and his wife have a tasting room in Los Olivos and their Colson Canyon Syrahs have won a number of awards. Joey also produces “Fundamental Wines” that are priced just under $20 a bottle that have received great ratings from Wine Enthusiast and Wine Spectator.
Tensley now owns Colson Canyon Vineyards and the Syrah has received many accolades including a Food and Wine “Top Syrah in America over $20” in 2008, 99 points from Robert Parker for the 2008 Anniversary Series Colson Canyon Syrah, and a #17 of the Top 100 Wines from Wine Spectator. They still get those great scores – 97 and 94 points for the 2016 – and we Southwest Florida winelovers get that! We got to share a 2016 from Joe and Diane’s wine collection. According to Joey, it’s floral with smoky meat qualities, dark fruits and chocolates and elegance. It had that garrigue and cracked pepper that we love about Syrah. We will be looking forward to more Tensley Syrahs. Santa Barbara County Syrahs provide an outstanding Rhone varietal experience.
Diane paired up that peppery Syrah with Spiced Lamb Meatballs full of tasty seasoning like coriander, cumin and assorted pepper. To compliment the meatballs, there was a Walnut Romesco Sauce for dipping. Romesco Sauce originated in Catalonia, Spain and is typically bold and zippy. Diane’s sauce was all of that although she said she dialed down the “zip” a bit, but those toasted walnuts, roasted peppers and tomatoes, chipotle powder and other spices gave those meatballs exactly what they needed to enjoy with the Syrah.
#8 Rodney Strong Symmetry Red Meritage Blend Alexander Valley 2015
Korean Style Chicken Wings
The story of Rodney Strong Vineyards began over 55 years ago when Rod Strong, a ballet dancer, retired in Sonoma County to pursue his dream of winemaking. He started a winery and renamed it Rodney Strong Vineyards in 1980. The Klein family purchased it in 1989. Planting new rootstocks, new trellising and new varieties enabled them to focus on appellation-driven grapes such as Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Sonoma’s cool areas, and Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel from Alexander Valley – all Sonoma County.
Rodney Strong Vineyards was the 13th winery bonded in the newly discovered Sonoma County wine industry. Through the years Rodney Strong has earned their well deserved reputation for single vineyard and reserve wines including best-in-class Sonoma County varietal wines. One of their greatest awards came in 2013 when Wine Enthusiast named it as the “Wine Enthusiast American Winery of the Year” as part of their annual Wine Star Awards.
Rodney Strong uses sustainable practices to safeguard the region’s eco-system. Their solar energy system is one of the largest of any winery in the world. They were the first carbon neutral winery in Sonoma County.
Alexander Valley is best known for classic Bordeaux varietals that thrive there due to the well-drained rocky soil, warm climate, cooling ocean breezes and evening fog. The Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc are all high quality. Each of the Rodney Strong single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon releases comes from small Alexander Valley vineyard sites: Alexander’s Crown, Rockaway and Brothers. We had the privilege to enjoy a bottle of 2015 Symmetry Meritage Red Blend from Gary and Debbie’s collection. They have visited Rodney Strong many times, and we now know why it is one of their favorites. This official “Red Meritage” (rhymes with “heritage”) is a blend of exquisite Bordeaux varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon (73%), Merlot (10%), Petit Verdot (8%), Cabernet Franc (7%) and Malbec (2%). It spent 21 months in 56% new French oak barrels before going out into the world. The winemaker’s notes told us to expect luxurious aromas of red fruit, plum, vanilla, dusty oak and dried fruit which become silky layers of dark fruits, and baking spices on the palate. It was indeed elegant with refined tannins and a long, lingering finish. Wine Enthusiast rated it 90 points.
I need to mention that “Meritage” may not appear on a bottle of wine unless the wine meets the specifications of the Meritage Alliance which was founded in 1988 to promote blended wine from Napa Valley. The wine must be made from two of the permitted grapes which are based on the Bordeaux red wines of the past 200 years and typically based around Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. No single variety can make up more than 90% of the final blend. The winery must be a member of the Alliance which is primarily US dominated; however there are members from other countries including Argentina, Australia, Canada and France.
Debbie and Gary paired this wonderful Red Meritage with a recipe from Rodney Strong Vineyards: Korean Chicken Wings. The wings were lightly tossed in oil then baked. Then they got a bath of soy sauce and gochujang, some rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, garlic and ginger. A light char after that and a few sesame seeds and scallions made them a perfect meritage of their own to go with the Symmetry. Who doesn’t love chicken wings……..especially served with a great wine!
#9 Terra Valentine Yverdon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
Roasted Eggplant, Zucchini and Crookneck Squash with Barley in a Pesto Dressing
Terra Valentine was founded in 1996 by the Wurtele family who bought the original winery and vineyard on Spring Mountain in the Mayacamas Mountains way up above St. Helena down in Napa Valley. They remodeled and added a state of the art winemaking facility, and hired Philip Baxter as their consulting winemaker. Baxter had worked at Charles Krug and Rutherford Hill Winery, so he came with great credentials. His son Sam Baxter later became the head winemaker and General Manager. I am delighted to say that Chuck and I visited this wonderful property back in 2010 before the Wurteles sold the winery and the Vyerdon Vineyard to Jackson Family Estates. They later sold the brand to Sam Baxter who eventually bought some other property on Spring Mountain which will be the new home of Terra Valentine estate.
Because I really enjoy the history of wine, the wine estates and the people who make it, it was time to pull our remaining bottle of Terra Valentine wine out of the cellar! It was a 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon from the Vyerdon Vineyard and every time I look at that bottle, I can still see those truly beautiful stained glass windows in the tasting room/winery at Terra Valentine high up on that mountain top! Visiting wineries, hearing their stories and tasting the wine where it was made is a major part of what being a winelover is all about! This bottle of history was made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and was just the third vintage from Vyerdon Vineyard. Robert Parker predicted it could age well for 15 plus years and he rated it 90 points. The tasting notes written way back then predicted a big wine with sage, cedar, black currants and blackberries with superb mouth-feel and exceptional balance. Much to my delight and our guests, the wine was still very well balanced and had those dark fruits and toasty earthy hints. It deserved the acclaim of a winery once 2,100 feet high up on a mountain over Napa Valley.
To pair with the very special Cabernet Sauvignon, I opted for a salad of grilled eggplant, zucchini and yellow squash blended together with plump pearl barley in a house-made walnut, basil and mint pesto. The roasting of the vegetables made them a good partner for the toasty oak notes of a Cabernet Sauvignon.
Dessert Buffet
Bite-Sized Meyer Lemon Tarts with Fresh Blueberries
Believe it or not, even after enjoying all of those wine and food pairings, our guests always seem to make room for a sweet bite of this or that. I like to present options and usually prepare a little dessert buffet. And good news for the pastry chef – all of these desserts can be prepared a day in advance. Since I wanted my little pies to be right out of the oven, I did prep ahead but baked off late in the day of service.
The Meyer lemon tree right outside my kitchen window mass produced beautiful lemons this year, so I am constantly challenged to find ways to use them.. These teeny little tarts were perfect! I used prepared pie pastry cut into 2 inch circles to make teeny little tart shells in my mini-muffin tins. I learned the ease of using a “tart tamper” which I must admit was totally unfamiliar with, but it made those little circles fit just right Yes, I could have improvised but that little wooden (or plastic) tool you see pictured below came with two different size “tampers” on it, and it became my new baking tool best friend! Then I filled the shells with lemon curd that I made from those wonderful lemons. Top with fresh fruit of your choice. Blueberries seemed right this time!
Brie and Fig Preserve Mini Pies
I was a bit worried about making something else with pie pastry, but the thought of Brie and fig preserves oozing out of fresh baked pie crust sounded delectable to me! And they were. You can probably find various versions of this recipe on line. That’s where I found mine and I will definitely tuck it away for future events. it took a bit of time, but was so simple. Roll out a prepared 9-inch pie pastry and cut out 3-inch circles. Put a little cube of Brie and a teaspoon of fig preserves on half of the circles and top them with the other half of the circles in which you have cut these nice Xs in to let the steam out. Assemble, crimp, egg wash and bake until they look absolutely beautiful, browned and glazed. WOW is all I can say to describe them!
Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes
Since I already had my new best friend, the “tart tamper”, I decided to splurge on and purchased mini-cheesecake pans. I’ve been a frequent cheesecake baker through the years and have numerous springform pans, but couldn’t imagine why I would want “mini”s. Now I know! These are fantastic little mini desserts when you want just a bite on your buffet. I filled my new mini pans with a gingersnap crust – after all it is fall and pumpkin season – tamped them all down with the other end of my tart tamper, and baked them off. Then I filled them with a pumpkin cheesecake filling made from cream cheese and pumpkin puree (do not use pie filling!) and baked till set. Chill the finished product and those little cheesecakes came out of the pans perfectly! Top them off just before serving with whipped cream.
Dark Chocolate Mousse
You must ALWAYS have something chocolate on a dessert buffet. That is the law! I made Bobby Flay’s recipe for Dark Chocolate Mousse and served them in small attractive clear plastic catering dessert bowls/cups. I’ve made this recipe before and it has not failed me yet. That light and fluffy mousse made of bittersweet chocolate, whipped heavy cream and whipped egg whites is like heaven in your mouth. Just don’t put the whipped cream garnish on until you are ready to put them on your buffet. Unfortunately I forgot to get better pictures of the finished product.
Guest Gallery
Enjoy a few of the pictures from our event. As usual, these events cannot happen without the assistance of our foodie winelover friends. Many thanks to everyone for thoughtfully selecting and sharing their wine, their culinary expertise, their service and cleanup assistance, and to Sandi for assisting with photography. Till the next “wIne tIme”. Cheers!
While looking through the dusty recesses of my “forkandcorkdivine” CellarTracker wine inventory a few months back, I discovered some exciting, unique, fun and really amazing wines on the shelf. They were like “lonely leftovers” from wines I had ordered and served at several forkandcorkdivine events. There were wine dinners from Croatia, Hungary, Turkey, Macedonia, Lebanon, Israel and Santorini among numerous others. I’m always looking for unique themes for wine dinners to share with friends, and in the pop of a cork, “Eastern European & Mediterranean Wine and Dine Tour” the sequel was born! Those lonely leftovers would take center stage and assume the starring role that they deserved as they paired up with appropriate foods from their country of origin. And even better, they would be shared with people who have never had an opportunity to taste the varietals or at the very least, be familiar with the winery.
From “lonely leftovers” to “super stars”!
Seven countries and their representative wines were selected from our forkandcorkdivine inventory. We would return to Hungary, Croatia, Macedonia, Santorini, Turkey, Lebanon and Israel – quite an undertaking for one night’s dinner! Our participating and willing winelover guests each chose one of those countries for cooking up some culinary delights that would do their wine proud. When our wine dinner date finally arrived, everybody assembled (with their menu item in hand) to strategize about how best to complete each course. The welcome sparkling toast – or two – was poured, and we settled in for a fabulous experience. Here is how we traveled through those seven countries, the delicious foods we ate, and last but not least what unique and exciting wines we drank.
Chuck and Linda’s
“Eastern European & Mediterranean
Wine and Dine Tour”………the sequel
I have heard good things about sparkling wines currently being produced in England, and since the hostess has final say on the menu, we started our journey with a quick stop in England before heading on to Eastern Europe.
Airport Stopover in “England”
Savory Asiago Lemon Thyme Shortbreads
Hattingley Valley NV Classic Reserve Sparkling
Hampshire, England 92 pts WE
Hattingley Valley has been making sparkling wine in Hampshire, England since 2008. The soil is chalky and the climate ideal for sparkling wines. They use the traditional method for production and this Classic Reserve was made from 48% Chardonnay, 33% Pinot Noir, 17% Pinot Meunier and 2% Pinot Gris. It had hints of apricots and vanilla with some stone fruit, was creamy on the palate and crisp and fresh with a dry finish. We liked it a lot! This one was obviously a good choice for our first try at an English sparkling. Our trip was getting off to a great start!
The savory Asiago lemon thyme shortbread cookies were made from an Ina Garten recipe and were a perfect little mouthful to go with the Hattingley Valley. From the production standpoint, even better – you can make them several days in advance.
Savory shortbread cookies make great little appetizers, and you can make ahead!
Stop #1 – Helena’s “Hungary”
Chicken Paprikash
Chicken Paprikash is a classic Hungarian dish made from tender chicken and a rich creamy paprika-infused tomato sauce. Helena used boneless chicken to keep it easy for serving since our goal was to serve small plates. It is often served with Hungarian noodles, but again we were aiming for small servings. A slice of crusty baguette seemed perfect for sopping up that delicious sauce! A dollop of sour cream for extra flavor and good looks, and Stop #1 was ready to pair with our wine.
Oremus is one of the most famous wineries in Hungary and most famous for their Tokaji, the “wine of kings and the king of wines”. Bodegas Vega Sicilia bought Oremus a few years back and helped restore it to its former glory! Their 115 hectares of vineyards in the Tokaj-Hegyalja appellation grow in a stony clay soil similar to the central Loire Valley. They grow 50% Furmint, 20% Harslevelu, 20% Zeta and 10% Yellow Muscat. Oremus produces 375,000 bottles a year of which 226,000 are dry whites.
Our 2011 Oremus was a dry Furmint from the Mandolas Vineyard. The must was gently pressed, fermented in new wood barrels, then aged in 136-litre small barrels. This wonderful version of Furmint that we drank was bright straw gold in color, fresh and intense with spice, ripe white peaches and flower blossoms. It was dry on the palate with crisp acidity just as we would expect from volcanic soil. All in all, a great “Stop”! By the way, you can read about sweet Furmint wines later when we get to dessert.
Piquentum Teran Wine and Croatian Maraschino Liqueur
Stuffed cabbage rolls are made by cooks in many ethnic cuisines. They can have lots of variations, but Diane made hers in a traditional style with ground meat and rice filling rolled up in a cabbage leaf and cooked until tender with a homemade tomato sauce. They were quite tasty and a delicious pairing for our Croatian wine.
Piquentum wine is made by Dimitri Brečević who was born in Jurançon, French Basque Country, and after studying oenology in France and working in a number of wine regions, returned to his father’s homeland of Istria, Croatia. Istria is in the westernmost part of Croatia bordering on Italy and Slovenia. It is well known for grapes like Malvazija Istarska and Teran while the region of Dalmatia is known primarily for Plavac Mali. In 2006, Dimitri started his own winery in a converted concrete water tank near the town of Buzet. Piquentum currently has 4.5 hectares of vineyards: Malvasia 60%, Teran 20% and Refosco 20%. Grapes are hand-picked, and then slowly pressed without temperature control since it normally stays at 10-11 degrees C. all year long in the concrete tank. Wines go through “wild ferment” – no added yeast, bacteria, or additives. After a long and slow fermentation, the wines are bottled unfiltered with just enough sulfur added to help them make their journey across the Atlantic to us!
The 2012 Piquentum “Rouge” was made from the red grape Teran on organically farmed 25-50 year old vines. It was macerated 2-4 weeks and aged in wood barriques from 14-18 months. It was fragrant, and coated the inside of the glass like syrup while still being light bodied low alcohol with acidity that would have paired really well with the Croatian Prsut (prosciutto) that hangs from the ceiling of the winery. It did indeed have a pronounced iron and sanguine flavor, which is not a favorite of some wine drinkers, but our group found it enjoyable.
We will tell you more about the Maraschino cherry liqueur in the picture when we get to the sweet endings!
Note: If you would like to read more about the wines and foods of Croatia, here is the link to a previous posting on forkandcorkdivine https://www.forkandcorkdivine.com/?p=1113
2012 Piquentum “Rouge” Teran, Istria, Croatia
Stop #3
– Chuck’s “Macedonia”
Ćevapčići with Yogurt Sauce
Spicy little cigar-like sausages made of ground beef, pork and lamb with a yogurt cucumber dipping sauce
Ćevapčići is a grilled dish of minced or ground meat traditionally found in southeastern European countries. Croatia considers them a national dish, and we served them at our forkandcorkdivine Croatian wine dinner. Since they are also quite common in the Republic of North Macedonia and promised to pair very well with our wine, we decided to feature them at our Macedonian Stop #3. Chuck made his version of Ćevapčići from a mixture of ground beef, pork and lamb. They are supposed to be quite spicy, shaped into cigar-like sausages, grilled and served with a yogurt cucumber sauce or avjar. Chuck cut back on the spice a tiny bit in consideration of our guests varied preferences.
Our Macedonian wine was truly a super star. Much to our amazement, Saturday October 5 – the very day of our wine dinner – was the first Vranec World Day! This was especially exciting for us as the Republic of North Macedonia is the largest wine producer of the grape variety Vranec.
The word “Vranec” means strong, black and powerful horse, the black stallion, and the wine made from the Vranec grape is an intense dark red in color. The grape came from Montenegro in the 1950s, and Macedonia now has the most Vranec plantings in the world.
Tikves, which is also the name of the wine region, has been making wines over 120 years. It is the oldest winery in Macedonia beginning in 1885. Today it is very modern and innovative right down to using solar panels for self-sustainable energy and recycling waste into fertilizer. We served Tikves Bela Voda wine at a previous dinner. The Vranec was blended with Plavec and it was excellent.
Our 2013 Tikves “Special Selection” Vranec was sustainably farmed on 30 year old vines, aged for 12 months in premium quality French oak barrels which gave it aromas of overripe berries and dry plums with hints of oak, smoke, chocolate and fresh spices. Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate gave it 90 points. The Tikves Vranec was the favorite of some of our guests. It was indeed a superstar with it’s own special Vranec World Day!
2013 Tikves “Special Selection” Vranec, Tikves, Republic of Macedonia, 90 pts WA
Shrimp baked with tomatoes and Feta cheese is a classic Greek dish. Garides Youvesti as it is known in Greece, is usually served in an earthenware dish called a youvetsi. Anita started her classic version with shrimp, scallions, peeled and seeded tomatoes and white wine on top of the stove; then placed in individual ovenproof ramekins. They were topped with crumbled feta cheese and baked in the oven just before service until everything was hot and that delicious cheese was lightly melted. What a treat was in store for us paired with two excellent Assyrtikos!
We first tasted and quickly came to love Assyrtiko wines a few years ago. It is indigenous to the Greek island of Santorini where it’s roots have to scavenge water from 30-40 feet below the soil. Lucky for us, this usually makes the wine unusually good! Assyrtiko maintains high acidity and higher alcohol than most whites and is intensely dry with citrus notes and high minerality. After all it is a volcanic wine, sitting on a very big rock right out there in the middle of the water! You can drink it young or age it.
The 2015 Tselepos “Canava Chrissou” is one of the best examples of Assyrtiko. Its pale yellow in color, very concentrated with flavors of lemon and lime peel and a touch of sea salt on the finish with 13.5% alcohol. Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate gave it 94 points and Wine Enthusiast 92 points. This was our last bottle of six purchased a few years back, and it was still a great wine.
Since it is always good to have a backup plan, we opted to serve two great examples of Assyrtiko. GAI’A (Yay-ya) is one of the pioneers of the modern Greek wine revolution. Gai’a was established in 1994 by Leon Karatsalos and winemaker Yiannis Paraskevopoulos who wanted to show off Santorini indigenous grapes to their best by merging traditional methods with innovative techniques. “Thalassitis” means “originating from the sea” in Greek, comes from 70-80 year old vineyards and is the flagship white of Gai’a. Our 2017 Thalassitis was made from hand harvested grapes, destemmed and pressed, macerated with skins at 50 degree F for 12 hours, then fermented in stainless steel tanks. It gave us flavors of stone fruit, wild honey and salt air just as promised. Our wines were indeed worthy of Anita’s shrimp dish for Stop #4.
A Turkish classic – phyllo sheets, spinach and feta cheese
Borek ready for baking.
Borek hot out of the oven!
Cheers to Chamlija!
Bὂrek is a pastry made of thin flaky dough, quite often phyllo; filled with cheese, spinach, or ground meat; then baked. You will find it in Turkey, the Balkans, Caucasus, and countries all around the Mediterranean and Eastern Europe. I made a classic Turkish version of fresh spinach, onion and feta cheese filling. Luckily purchased sheets of phyllo dough work really well. Just keep layering them, add that fresh spinach filling between the layers, painting them with a yogurt and milk egg wash as you layer. Brush the top with egg yolks, then sprinkle with black and white sesame seeds. Bake till golden brown and enjoy!
2015 Chamlija Papazkarasi Blanc de Noirs, Thrace, Turkey
Turkey has a wine history dating back to 7000 BC, but 80% of Turks have never touched wine. They are Muslims and alcohol is considered “haram” or prohibited. They grow a lot of grapes in Turkey but have no system for wine, standards or appellations. Wineries were state run until 2004. In spite of all this, Turkish wine quality has been steadily improving and winning awards. Of the 600-1500 indigenous grapes, 30-60 are grown commercially. Boğazkere, Öküzgözü, Kalecik Karasi and Narince are some of the grapes to know. Through our favorite wine travelers and authors of “Exotic Wine Travel”, Matthew Horkey and Charine Tan, we came to know and love Chamlija (chahm-lee-zjah), a certified sustainable winery making promising wine from both indigenous and international varieties. Mustafa Camlica is the owner and his daughter Irem, a renowned Turkish artist, makes the artistic labels that appear on Chamlija wine bottles.
Sadly this bottle of 2015 Chamlija Blanc de Noirs from Thrace, Turkey was the last of our Chamlija wine. It was a lightly pressed white version of the indigenous Papazkarasi grape grown high on the Strandja Massif near where European Turkey meets Bulgaria, also known as Thrace of the Marmara Turkish wine-growing region. Mustafa’s family has been growing grapes in the area since 1936. The wine was pale straw in color with a nose of lemon, flavors of lemon and peach and a refreshing finish. It was fermented in stainless steel and only 420 cases were made. We are delighted to know that one bottle found its way to us right here in Southwest Florida!!!
Manti with Tomato Butter and Yogurt
Turkish star-shaped dumplings stuffed with a ground beef filling, topped with a buttery tomato sauce,yogurt garlic sauce and garnished with mint and Aleppo pepper
Manti dough.
Manti ready to cook.
Assembly line.
Manti garnished and ready!
Since there was a positive response to manti when served at our previous Turkish wine dinner, I decided it deserved a second appearance at one of our forkandcorkdivine wine dinners. This version of manti is a classic boiled Turkish dumpling filled with ground beef, then served with a garlicky yogurt sauce and a smoky tomato butter sauce.
First step is to prepare the dough from flour, egg and a bit of salt, then knead away till smooth for about 5 minutes and let it rest about 1 1/2 hours. Make the meat filling of ground beef (I used lamb for my first version), onions, parsley and seasoning. The really fun part is rolling out the dough as thinly as you can (1/16 inch is good), then cut in 2 inch squares and put a spoonful of meat in the center of each square. Fold the dough over on each square to make a little starlike “purse” then fold up the corners making sure they are sealed. I froze mine on a floured sheet pan and then pulled out of the freezer fairly close to when I was ready to cook. Once again this is a good dish for such a dinner as you can make and freeze the manti days ahead! Make your sauces – the yogurt is cold, and the tomato butter can be reheated lightly on the stove. Be sure to get your pot of salted water boiling in advance, so you are not standing at your stove waiting for a boil while your guests wait patiently for your next course! It’s happened to me!! Cook and plate, add your sauces and garnish with dried or fresh chopped mint and some Aleppo pepper is terrific. The bottom line is that this dish was perfect with our Turasan Kalecik Karasi wine for Stop #5 in Turkey.
2016 Turasan Kalecik Karasi, Cappadocia, Turkey
Turasan has been making wine for 3 generations in Cappadocia, the home of the troglodyte cave dwellers and fairy chimney rock formations. Winemaking has been going on in Cappadocia for more than 7,000 years including the Hittites, Byzantines and the Turks. Emir is a native white grape grown here along with an indigenous red, Kalecik Karasi. This winery owned by Hasan Turasan was the first privately established winery in the region and they are considered a 70 plus year legend. We drank a bottle of Turasan Emir at our previous Turkish wine dinner. There were 2000 cases of this 2016 Turasan Kalecik Karasi produced by dry farming in volcanic tuff soil, vinified in stainless steel and concrete tanks, then bottled after 5 months. Our wine was red fruit-forward with low to medium tannins, bright acidity, aromas of red fruit, raspberry, red currant and cherry. It is often compared to Pinot Noir and our guests really enjoyed it! Again I repeat: Stop #5 pairings were quite a success.
Seasoned ground lamb on a skewer served with pickled vegetables, Lebanese potato salad and pita bread
Kafta skewers – lamb from Circle C Farm
Barb plating her Lebanese cuisine.
Kafta Kebabs with Lebanese potato salad, pickled vegetables and two sauces
When our friend Barb opted to pair our Lebanese wines with appropriate food, she went in search of some authentic recipes from Julie Taboulie’s “Lebanese Kitchen”. Julie has a wonderful cookbook full of flavorful Mediterranean home cooking recipes. She has also had a cooking show on public television. Barb decided to make Kafta Kababs, a street food star in Lebanese cooking. Barb bought some grass fed ground lamb from our local Circle C Farm, seasoned it well, and formed it into traditional long sausage-like shapes on skewers. She grilled the kababs and served them with pickled vegetables, Lebanese style potato salad, several dipping sauces and pita bread. The potato salad was made with gold, red and purple potatoes, scallions, herbs and a garlic vinaigrette dressing and added a really colorful presentation to the plate. Barb’s Lebanese street food was a delicious feast and well worthy of our Stop #6 wines.
2013 Massaya “Cap Est”, Red Rhone Blend, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
Grenache noir 50%/Mourvedre 50%
Lebanon is another one of the oldest areas of wine production in the world dating back 5000 years ago to the Phoenicians. Religion always seems to play a big part in winemaking. Here it was Islamic Muslim rule that prohibited the use of alcohol; however Christians and Jews still made wine for sacramental and medicinal use. Jesuits planted grapevines in the Bekaa Valley which later became Chateau Ksara, the country’s first commercial winery. French winemakers have a big influence due to French occupation after WWI. Winemaking in Lebanon is especially challenging due to geopolitical struggles in this area of the world. But Lebanon is perfectly suited for winegrowing due to warm sunny days, cool nights, and soil of lime and red clay with a gravely mix in the mountain vineyards. The grapes are on French rootstock and widely consist of French varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Cinsault, Chardonnay, Carignan, Mourvedre, Viognier and Grenache.
The Ghosn family, owners of the boutique Massaya Winery, was forced to leave Lebanon in the 1970s, but Sami and his brother Ramzi returned to the family estate in the mid 1990s. Sami will tell you how he had to sleep on the roof of their old home with an AK47 for 4 months before he successfully removed squatters from his home. Sami and Ramzi started making Arak, an ouzo-like spirit by 1994 and now export red, white and rosé wine to over 20 countries. They became partners early on with the owners of Vieux Telegraphe and Cheval Blanc which surely had an impact on their wines. Not bad partners to have in the wine business!
The 2013 Massaya “Cap Est” is a Red Rhone blend of 50% Grenache and 50% Mourvedre from 17 acres on the hillsides of the northeastern Bekaa Valley in the Ras Baalbeck area. The wines spent 22 months in oak vats and were bottled without fining or filtering at 2 years. It was an elegant pale ruby wine with subtle violets and ripe red berry fruits on the nose, minerality and fine tannins highlighting the terroir. This wine was just as good as I remembered it from our tasting with Sami Ghosn a few years back right here in Southwest Florida.
2015 Chateau Musar “Hochar Pere et Fils” Red Blend, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
Cinsault 50%/Grenache 35%/Cabernet Sauvignon 15%
Chateau Musar is located in Ghazir 24 km north of Beirut. Their 180 hectares of vineyards grow mainly in the Bekaa Valley, 40 km east of Beirut, and were the first to become organically certified in Lebanon in 2006. The Musar vineyards are so remote and unspoiled that they could have been considered “organic” by default before there was such a term. All the grapes are hand-harvested by local Bedouins between August and October. Ambient yeasts do the work of fermentation. Bare minimum amounts of sulphur is used and the reds are neither fined nor filtered. They produce 58,000 cases a year from Cinsault, Carignan, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Grenache, Obaideh (a native Chardonnay), Merwah (a native variant of Semillion), Chardonnay, Viognier and Vermentino.
The Hochar Pere et Fils is sourced from specially selected vineyards with deep gravelly soil over limestone base. Low yields keep the wine concentrated. The 2015 Chateau Musar “Hochar” is a blend of 50% Cinsault, 35% Grenache and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon which was macerated in cement vats followed by 6 months in French Nevers oak barrels. Our bottle of Hochar was bright ruby red with red fruits on the nose, bitter sweet cherries and a hint of dark chocolate followed by sweet spicy notes on the palate. The tannins were soft with a long finish. This was a really nice well rounded red blend and we enjoyed it. Stop #6 – another success!
Stop #7 – Donna’s “Israel”
Sambuska – A savory cheese-filled Middle Eastern turnover pastry
Sambuska can be filled with chickpeas, ground meat, cheese or potatoes and make great little appetizers. You can even prepare them ahead and keep some in the freezer. They cross many cultural lines and are ancestors to samosas, empanadas and calzones. They are traditionally fried, but you can also bake them. Donna opted to make the cheese version, filled with a mixture of kashkaval and feta cheese. Once again this is a perfect item for a dinner like ours, since Donna was able to make them ahead, transport them and just warm them a bit before serving. They were a perfect accompaniment to our two Israeli wines. Another great course – Stop #7.
2014 Binyamina “Yogev” Cabernet Sauvignon-Shiraz, Israel
92 pt WE/Editor’s
choice
According to many articles I have read, Israeli wines have been getting a “bad rap” for many years. Just like all of the other countries in that part of the world, they have been making wine forever. The Middle East is the historic birthplace of wine, but with a wealth of young winemakers looking toward the future, modern winemaking really took off in Israel in the 1970s. So who made this happen? Baron Edmond de Rothschild, owner of the famed Chateau Lafite Rothschild in Bordeaux is heralded as the father of modern winemaking in Israel. Now there are approximately 300 wineries in Israel, some small and some large. The four largest are Barkan, Carmel, Teperberg and Golan Heights who together make more than 20 million bottles a year. Most Israeli wine produced is kosher; however some small wineries make non-kosher wine. The US is the largest export market for Israeli wines which are made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Grenache, Carignan, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc.
Binyamina Winery is the fifth largest in Israel and produces about 2.8 million bottles a year. It was founded in 1952 and used to make mainly sweet and table wines. Some investors bought it in 1994 who invested in new vineyards and technology until it was purchased by a supermarket chain. Their two well-educated winemakers make wine in four major labels. The “Yogev” or “farmer” series was created to honor the people who grow the grapes. There are six wines in the series and all are blends.
Our 2014 Yogev Samson Cabernet Sauvignon (60%) – Shiraz (40%) was selected by Wine Enthusiast as the #33 wine of their 2018 Top 100 and awarded 92 points. It was inky-purple with cherry and orange zest on the nose, rich tannins and flavors of currant, raspberry, chocolate, flint and coffee. Our guests agreed it was a good drinking well-balanced bottle.
2014 Golan Heights Winery “Yarden” Cabernet Sauvignon, Upper Galilee, Israel
91 pts WE/WS/ #87 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2018
Golan Heights Winery was founded in 1983 and has played a significant role in Israel’s current wine culture and the addition of Israeli wine to the world wine map. They currently produce four labels with a range of varieties and styles: Yarden, Gamla, Hermon and Golan. They practice sustainable agriculture and use solar power. Our bottle of 2014 “Yarden” Cabernet Sauvignon was New World in character with big, bold fruit, quite a bit of oak and 14.5% alcohol. We got the blackberry and violet aromas, and wild berry, toffee, anise, nutmeg and ginger flavors that we were told to expect. The finish was soft with notes of mocha. This Israeli wine was another winner with a 91 point rating from Wine Enthusiast and #87 on Wine Spectator’s Top 100 of 2018. We look forward to tasting more Israeli wine in the future.
Final Stop – A Sweet Ending
Hungarian Kifli Puffs
Nena’s Croatian Sour Cherry Cake
I don’t care how many other courses there are! Every good wine dinner MUST have a sweet ending!! I decided to try my luck with Hungarian kifli puffs. These are delicate, nutty, lightly sweet pastries baked until crispy. My recipe looked fairly simple and called for purchased frozen puff pastry. I can work with that. Pulse a lot of walnuts in the food processor until finely chopped and mix with some sugar. For the pastry, thaw it out and roll lightly to make enough space for 8 equal pieces. Put a little scoop of nuts in the middle of each and fold the cornersNen of each into a little package and bake. I’m happy to report that my kifli puffs looked just like the picture in the recipe! And just as our guests predicted, they tasted really good the next morning with a cup of coffee!!
If one dessert is good, two is MUCH better. Nena’s Croatian Sour Cherry Cake recipe filled the bill. I could fold beaten egg whites into to the initial batter just as instructed. The biggest challenge was finding the required sour cherries. My supermarket had no frozen or canned sour cherries, only sweet. I was about to give up and make plans to visit several other stores when I discovered dried sour cherries in the specialty foods area of the produce section. Hooray! Just add water, heat a bit to rehydrate, and the sour cherries are ready to use. Bake your cake in a 10 inch round pan for 5 minutes, then very carefully place the cherries around the surface of the cake and finish baking. Perfection! Serve with some fresh whipped cream for some happy guests.
2016 Royal Tokaji Late Harvest, Hungary 94 pts WE
A blend of
Furmint, Hárslevelü and Yellow Muscat
The Royal Tokaji Wine Company was founded in Hungary in 1990. They focus on single-vineyard wines made from first growth vineyards. Royal Tokaji was inspired and founded by Hugh Johnson, the legendary author and wine historian, with a goal to reclaim the region as one of the most renowned. The wines have already won over 100 international awards, so evidently Mr. Johnson is well on the way to meet his objective. Their portfolio of award winning wines includes Dry Furmint, Late Harvest, 5 and 6 Puttonyos blends, single vineyard Aszu wines and Essencia. The Tokaji wine region is 240 km northeast of Budapest in the Zemplen Mountains and was the first classified wine region in Europe.
The Late Harvest wine is a blend of Dry Furmint with Harslevelu and Yellow Muscat grapes that were harvested between October 28 and November 4, destemmed and macerated overnight, then pressed for 2-3 days before racking. It fermented in the tank followed by 2-3 months in the barrel. Our 2016 had aromas of acacia flowers and pears, with flavors of apricots, pear juice and dried rosemary. Wine Enthusiast scored it 94 points and so did we!
Maraska Maraschino Liqueur, Croatia
Maraschino is a liqueur made by distilling Marasca cherries. They are the small slightly sour fruit of the Marasca cherry tree which grows wild along parts of the Dalmation coast in Croatia. The cherries and crushed cherry pits are processed and distilled similar to brandy. It is 32% alcohol, 64 proof, produced and bottled by Maraska in Zadar, Croatia. It made a very sweet ending!
The hostess trying to “catch up”! Of course, I’m also the photographer.
No longer left alone on the shelf! They are now famous.
Guest menu page 1
Guest menu page 2
After each wine dinner, I reflect upon how lucky I am to have a husband and winelover foodie friends who are willing to assist and take part in the experience. Without them, none of these amazing experiences would ever happen! This evening’s adventure was truly another of epic proportions and was numerous months in the making.
A group of eight winelover foodie friends made a whirlwind tour of seven countries in Eastern Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean in just about five hours. We tasted twelve wines paired with food appropriate for each country or wine region. We even had a bonus of sparkling wine from England and a liqueur from Croatia.
Did we vote on or select any favorites? They are all my personal favorites depending upon the time and place, food served and other guests tasting. I did hear some indications throughout the evening of extra special wine appreciation, but it would be hard to pick a winner! I am ecstatic to have been able to share them.
Our “lonely leftover” wines from the CellarTracker inventory got their chance to shine like the superstars they are. And we were so happy to share them with people who appreciate them. A number of those wines were purchased some years back when I discovered a couple of wine purveyors who sold wines from less familiar countries like Croatia, Slovenia and Turkey. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to purchase and taste them because those companies have now closed their doors or will do so shortly. Blue Danube Wine Company was a favorite of mine, and I just recently received notice from them that they are retiring and will no longer be in business by the end of the year. On the positive side, several new companies have begun to appear. For example Blue Ice US is now offering some wines from Croatia and Slovenia. While their portfolio is still fairly small, it is a good start. Who knows how the import wine industry will fare in the future? We will just have to wait and see. In the meantime, taste as many “new to you” wines as you can! Life is too short to pass up any opportunities to drink adventurously, and we have proved over and over that you don’t even need to leave the comfort of your home. Cheers!
Travel along with forkandcorkdivine on our latest armchair adventure as we experience the foods and wines throughout the Pyrenees Basque Region of France and Spain. We recently featured eleven great examples of wines from Basque Country plus Rioja paired with foods selected for their authenticity to the area and how well they compliment the wine.This is the land of Pintxos and Tapas, those beautiful little small snacks featured on tray after tray in every bar or tavern across the area and we intend to try our culinary skill at preparing them.
Deviled egg, poached shrimp and quindilla pepper pintxos dusted with piment d’Espelette
We love to explore wine from regions that are less familiar to us. It is challenging, educational and really enjoyable to delve into the history of a country or wine region, learn about the people, the grapes, the wines, the winemakers, the cuisine, and everything else that goes along with each new adventure. And what makes it even more challenging is the fact that it all happens right here with the help of the internet, wine books, local wine dinners and tastings and some very good friends in the local wine and food community.
The quick scoop on Basque Country
The Basque Region straddles between two countries and consists of seven different provinces of France and Spain. Basque Country, or “Euskal Herria”, is home to 3 million people .
Featuring my Spanish map purchased from “Wine Folly”
French Northern Basque Country (Pays Basque Français) is made up of three provinces united in one governmental body constituting the Basque Municipal Community since January 2017. It is all part of the Pyrenees Atlantiques Departement which is shared with the Bearn region. There is just one appellation here – the Irouleguy AOC – which produces mainly big fruity tannic red wines, but there are also intensely fruity deeply colored roses and tangy full-bodied whites. The grapes to know about here are Tannat, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon for reds and Gros and Petit Manseng, plus Courbu for whites.
Spanish Southern Basque Country (Pais Vasco) is south across the Pyrenees Mountains and consists of four provinces, three of which make up one of the seventeen Autonomous Communities of Spain. Navarre is the fourth province of Basque Country and has just one appellation, DO Navarra. And then there is La Rioja. We have included it in our wine dinner event because one of the three sub-wine regions of Rioja – Rioja Alavesa – is actually part of Spanish Basque Country. We hated to see the rest of Rioja left out, so we included it. La Rioja is also classified as a DOC, just one of two in Spain. Besides we may not have the opportunity to “travel” back this way again!
There are two main categories of wine in Spanish Basque Country – Txakoli, the traditional Basque wine pronounced “cha-koh-lee”, – and the wines from Rioja Alavesa which are predominantly white (Viura or Macabeo, Malvasia and Garnacha Blanca) with some big reds and rosados. What wine drinker would not be familiar with Tempranillo, the best loved and most prized Spanish grape and the fifth most cultivated in the world! Throw in some Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano and you have the basic grapes of both Navarra and Rioja. Our goal is to showcase a few of each!
We will start off with some Txakoli from the Pais Vasco, head north across the Pyrenees to Irouleguy for some of their Tannat and white blends, then head back south across those mountains to Navarra for their excellent Garnacha and Rosado, and finally land in Rioja for some classic Viura, Rose and THE red wine of Spain, Tempranillo! It promises to be a quite rewarding trip!
Now off to dinner! We have included some background on the menu items; i.e. why we selected them, some tips on where to get the ingredients and how to prepare them, and of course some wine information. I have not described the wines in detail as you can read all about the wineries and each wine in my previously posted article of forkandcorkdivine.com titled “Txakoli and Pintxos: THE BASQUE COUNTRY”.
On egin! Buen apetito!
“Txakoli, Pintxos & Tapas”
DINNER IN BASQUE COUNTRY
A Spanish Cava Welcome
Macabeo-Xarello-Parellada
Blend (91 pts Vinous)
Raventos I Blanc Blanc de
Blanc 2016, Penedes, Spain
The majority of Cava – Spain’s famous sparkling wine – is produced in Catalonia, but it is also made in a number of other regions including Basque Country and La Rioja. it is made from a blend of Macabeo, Xarello and Parellada grapes in the traditional method similar to Champagne. We were introduced to Raventos i Blanc Blanc de Blanc at the Natural Wine Store in Naples, Florida and it is a winner! Raventos is located 40 km west of Barcelona in the DO Penedes wine region. This family has viticulture history since 1497! They are the only Cava producer to estate grow and estate bottle all of their own Cavas. This one was very well balanced with minerality, soft fruit flavors and nutty notes. It was a perfect opener for our wines of the Basque Country, and of course, our little display of tasty bites that showcased those wine notes.
Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Dates
Debbie’s scrumptious bacon wrapped dates.
Manchego Cheese with Quince Paste
Manchego DOP cheese with quince paste (membrillo)
Rosemary Marcona Almonds
Marcona almonds…………3 ways
Spanish Olives stuffed with Lemon Peel
Bacon wrapped dates are a traditional Spanish tapa and Debbie did them proud with this particular variation. Manchego DOP cheese is a “must” on any Spanish menu. It is a sheep’s milk cheese quite possibly best known of all the Spanish cheeses and quince paste (membrillo) is often served with it. If you have never tried this combination, please put it on your next cocktail party menu. I found my quince paste at our local Whole Foods Market. I always try to add on a few authentic specialty items to my wine dinner menus, and La Tienda is an internet market specializing in gourmet Spanish groceries. I found my speciality olives, Marcona almonds, peppers, spices, ham, candy and crackers there. Yes, I could probably have found a number of these items locally but one stop shopping is really worth it to me. I did purchase a number of my Spanish cheeses from iGourmet.com as I have found them to have an outstanding variety at fairly reasonable prices. Yes, the very helpful young man working behind the Whole Foods cheese counter told me he could order them for me, but I am so spoiled now just sitting at my computer and letting these specialty groceries come right to my door!
My tablescapes are always rather eclectic. Makes it more interesting!!!!
We had our bubbles and were ready for some Txakoli! I think it was a first for all of us and after reading and watching videos of the famous “Txakoli pour”, Chuck practiced his pouring technique. Was it perfect? No, but it was fun and our guests enjoyed the performance. We had the famous Ameztoi from the Getariako Txakolina DOC and a Txomin Etxaniz Getariako Rosado, both excellent examples of Txakoli wines from the Basque Pais Vasco. I knew that we had to pair them with “pintxos” that you would see available at every respectable (?) bar and tavern in the Pais Vasco region. You can read all about Txakoli in my previous post at this link. https://www.forkandcorkdivine.com/?p=2882
This was my opportunity to get yet another cookbook or two, and my first choice was “Pintxos: Small Plates in the Basque Tradition” by Gerald Hirigoyen. Amazon.com quickly took care of me and I was soon selecting a number of items after looking at the beautiful pictures. After all, that’s the first step……….to make the food look beautiful! I lined up my first round of pintxos on elevated platters down the middle of our table to look like a bar in San Sebastian or Bilbao. Here are some pictures of the finished products.
A great source for pintxos recipes.
Chilled Melon Shooters with Serrano Ham Crisps
The melon shooters were made by cubing and pureeing a ripe honeydew melon, (you can use any kind of sweet ripe melon) adding some fresh lemon juice and seasoning with piment d’Espelette – one of the two seasonings of choice in many of my recipes. Top with a dusting of it plus a crispy slice of Serrano ham. I oven baked the Serrano ham until pieces were dry and crispy. Some of the slices were for the melon shooters and the rest was for the infamous “ham dust” coming up in another recipe.
Deviled Egg and Poached Shrimp with a Quindilla Pepper
Start out this crowd-pleasing pintxos by hard cooking eggs, then scooping out the yolks and cutting a tiny little slice off the long sides to allow each half to sit there perfectly on your pintxos platter. The yolks get mixed with a garlic Aioli and of course some piment d’Espelette. Be sure to use the largest shrimp you can find (mine were U-11), peeled and deveined with tails on, then poached in garlic, red pepper flakes, salt and lots of lemon. Quindilla peppers are a must! They are chili peppers from Spanish Basque region usually pickled (as were mine) with a fairly mild Scoville Heat Unit about 2.5 times milder than a jalapeno. Skewer it all up and naturally you will sprinkle with some sea salt and more piment d’Espelette!!!!!
Marinated Peppers
Debbie made these wonderful Spanish marinated peppers .
Debbie made these marinated peppers from a recipe in “Spanish Cuisine: Modern & Traditional Recipes of Northern Spain” 2016. The peppers were baked, skins removed, then fried in oil, garlic and seasonings. The EVOO, lemon juice and vinegar worked their magic while the peppers chilled in the refrigerator. They were tasty and authentic.
Assorted Spanish olives
We served Spanish olives from La Tienda stuffed with lemons and oranges. They were delicious!
Crusty Bread and Tapas Crackers
Crackers from Spain
Here are some of the spices you should definitely have on hand for preparing authentic Spanish and Basque cuisine – Pimenton smoked paprika both hot and sweet plus Piment d’Espelette. Pimenton is a dried Spanish pepper powder. This Pimenton de la Vera is a smoked DOC product and can be “dulce’ sweet, “agrodulce” bittersweet or “picante” spicy. It’s a distant cousin to Hungarian paprika. The Piment d’Espelette is a red chili pepper made from peppers in the Basque region of France and Spain and are named after the French village of Espelette. It is more delicate than cayenne pepper. Supposedly people in the French Basque region use it in place of black pepper. It seemed to end up in all of my Basque recipes.
Irouléguy and Pintxos from French Pyrenees
Domaine Brana Blanc Irouléguy AOP
2016
Pays
Basque, Southwest France
Gros Manseng
50%/ Small Courbu 30%/ Petit Manseng 20%
Domaine Brana Blanc 2016
Gnudi Ricotta Dumplings with Fresh Corn Tomato Confit
Gnudi are more rustic and easy to make than gnocchi. Gnudi is made with ricotta cheese instead of cooked potatoes and can be scooped right out of a loose dough for cooking in simmering water instead of the kneaded, rolled and cut gnocchi. I absolutely love them both, but this recipe was recently featured in a Wine Spectator magazine and came with a recommendation for pairing with a Petit Manseng wine. Since our white Irouleguy is made from a blend of Petit and Gros Manseng, it sounded like a marriage made in heaven.
The fresh tomatoes and corn get cooked with herbs and garlic in an olive oil bath until the tomatoes pop and start to shrivel. Drain off the olive oil but be sure to save it for making vinaigrette or aioli as it is now filled with flavor. Mix up the gnudi batter without stirring too much. I also learned on my first attempt that you must not put too much ricotta in the mix, and you should then refrigerate the batter till ready to use. This will help it to stay together in much neater little spoonfuls when you cook them. The dish makes a beautiful colorful plate especially if you use multi-colored cherry tomatoes. And the chef was right about that pairing – our white blend of Petit and Gros Manseng was outstanding with this dish!
Domaine Arretxea Irouléquy AOP
2015
Pays Basque, Southwest France
Tannat 66%, Cabernet Franc 17%, Cabernet Sauvignon 17%
Domaine Arretxea Rouge 2015
Mushroom Pintxos – Pintxos de Txampis
Stacked mushroom caps and onion puree on crispy baguette slices
This was a perfect way to serve up mushrooms as a pintxos. One of our guests said it tasted just like French onion soup! That is probably because Chuck caramelized shallots in white wine, pureed and seasoned it, then cooked the mushroom caps in the onion puree. To put it into a perfect work of art, start with a crisped baguette slice that has been brushed with EVOO, spread on some onion puree, one mushroom cap, some more puree, another mushroom cap, then some more of that delicious puree. Hold it all tightly together with a tall skewer and garnish with some parsley and be sure to serve it right from your warming oven. That Tannat red blend from Arretxea was so well balanced with aromas of cassis, raspberry and licorice followed by some black fruit, herbs and minerality. You won’t often see wines of Irouleguy on a shelf anywhere, but I recommend that you seek some out and try them. I had to purchase all of mine from the internet along with almost every other wine that we served.
You can’t serve pintxos or tapas without some croquetas and we chose to do potato croquetas with a saffron alioli. The raw croquetas were perfectly shaped by Mariann and then Al quickly fried them in my Waring Pro deep fryer. Yes, I know it’s deep fried! But sometimes you just can’t beat that quickly and perfectly deep fried item done in “first use” oil. I always keep plenty of canola oil on hand. Somehow I just haven’t been able to bring myself to buy an air-fryer, yet one more small appliance to keep on my ever-expanding shelves of cooking equipment! The saffron alioli was just THE most perfect dipping sauce for our croquetas. There are many versions for croquetas, but this one came from Gourmet magazine way back in 2004. Sometimes oldies are best!!!!!
The Artadi Garnacha Rosado was fresh and floral with some intense strawberry and cherry aromas and herbal notes. It was a perfect choice with the croquetas.
Bodegas Nekeas Garnacha
El Chaparral de Vega Sindoa, 2016
100% Garnacha, Navarra DO,
Spain (92 pts V)
Bodegas Nekeas Garnacha El Chaparral de Vega Sindoa 2016
Poor Man’s Cassoulet
Cannellini beans and
pork belly baked in mini casseroles with bread crumbs and Serrano ham dust
I have made the real-deal cassoulet before, and while it is perfect for the menu here, I was not looking forward to investing a week to putting it together. This is a much lower budget and far less time consuming recipe from my Gerald Hirigoyen “Pintxos” cookbook, and judging from guest comments, it was quite satisfactory.
The key ingredients to make it “cassoulet-tasty” are duck fat (which I happened to have in the freezer), pork belly (again, lucky to have a pound in the freezer), juniper berries (had them from another one of our big dinners), and some Spanish ham (got that for several other recipes). What I did not have was dried cannellini beans which I did finally find at Whole Foods packaged by Bob’s Red Mill. Canned beans just won’t work for this recipe. You have to cook in all of the wonderful flavors of carrots, celery, garlic and fresh tomato.
I cooked up my cassoulet, put it into mini-ramekins for individual service, topped with bread crumbs and the final magic ingredient — HAM DUST! That was actually simple once you know how. Bake and dry extra Serrano ham crisps when prepping for the melon shooters, then take the extra dry ham and run it through the food processor for instant HAM DUST. Pop it under the broiler for about 2 minutes and your guests will be oh so impressed! So it didn’t have confit duck legs and half a dozen other kinds of smoked meats, but that duck fat, pork belly and ham dust really go a long way. And by the way, an old vine Garnacha is perfect with it!
A Tapas Tour of Spanish Rioja Grapes
CVNE (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Rioja MONOPOLE
Clasico Blanco Seco
2015, La Rioja Alta
Viura (Macabeo)
blended with 5% Manzanilla Sherry
(94 pts Tim Atkin/92
pts RP) #17 in Vine Pair’s Top 50 of 2018
CVNE Blanco Seco Monopole 2015
R. López de Heredia
Rioja Blanco Viña Gravonia 2009
Here’s another recipe from the “Spanish Cuisine – Modern & Traditional Recipes of Northern Spain” cookbook that couldn’t be more simple while bringing you lots of flavor. I seasoned the tuna steaks in advance and had them all ready for Chef Al to pan sear in a very hot skillet. We cut them into little squares, sat them on a little bed of Spanish sweet potato puree, and then drizzled them with a glaze made of orange marmalade, sherry vinegar and water. Sprinkle on some parsley and sea salt and you have a Spanish tapas plate worthy of the CVNE Monopole and Heredia Vina Gravonia whites that we paired with it.
Bodegas Muga Rioja Flor de Muga Rosé 2017, La Rioja Alta 100% Grenache (94 pts JS/93 pts VM/ 91 RP/90 pts WS)
Flor de Muga Rose 2017
Pimientos y Chorizo Frito – Mini Chorizo Bites with Yellow and Poblano Peppers
It just wouldn’t seem right to serve up Rioja wines and Tapas without Spanish Chorizo and Peppers. These were perfect little bite-size chorizos purchased from La Tienda that come 40-50 links in a 1 lb package. I had to substitute Poblanos for Anaheim peppers, but when Chuck cooked them up with the yellow pepper and garlic, we knew it was a winner. Even our non-chorizo lovers (that includes me!) liked this dish. And the wine pairing……………..our Muga Flor de Muga rose would have been hard to beat!
CVNE Rioja Gran
Reserva 2010, La Rioja Alta
Tempranillo
85%/Graciano 10%/Mazuelo 5%
(94 pts WS/92 pts WE/91 pts RP/ #22 WS Top 100
of 2016)
Seared Filet of Beef Tenderloin with Piquillo Pepper Shallot Jam and Garlic Aioli on a Circle of Toasted Whole Wheat and Arugula Lightly Dressed in EVOO
Last but not at all least for our Rioja Tapas, was this fantastic beef tenderloin plate from my well used Gerald Hirigoyen “Pintxos” cookbook. My first task was to make the Piquillo Pepper and Shallot Jam. Wow! That is some tasty stuff. The Pedro Ximenez sherry didn’t hurt the taste any either! And while on a search for a jar of piquillo peppers in advance of my special internet order, there they were all along on a Fresh Market shelf. Piquillo peppers have a delicious sweet taste and NO heat. I now like them so much they will become a pantry staple.
We bought several beef tenderloin fillets which Chuck seasoned well with salt and our usual dose of piment d’Espelette, seared them off on all sides in a very hot skillet until they were rare inside. Let them rest and then slice VERY thinly so you can roll the slices.
The recipe called for more baquette slices, but since I already had several of them going on, I went for the optional whole wheat bread toasted and then cut into 2 1/2 inch rounds.
Service was very simple – Spread each wheat toast round with some of that delicious aioli that I made for the egg, shrimp and quindilla pintxos, add one rolled up beef slice, and top with some piquillo pepper shallot jam. Of course we need some greenery and a bit of baby arugula tossed with a little EVOO was the perfect touch. Our guests said they were “eating healthy”! And the pairing………… oh my goodness how perfect was the CUNE 2010 Rioja Gran Reserva and 2014 Murrieta Rioja Ygay Reserva with this plate. It just doesn’t get much better.
Dulces
Gâteau Basque from Anita’s kitchen
Gâteau Basque is a traditional dessert from the French Northern Basque Region, typically filled with cherry jam or cream filling. The top of the cake should be decorated with a crosshatch pattern or a Basque cross. Anita baked this perfect version with the berry jam inside and the beautiful crosshatch design on the top. We salute Anita and her baking skills!
Spanish Chocolates
Chocolate dipped oranges and strawberries from Barcelona. Very tasty!
Assorted Marcona Almonds
French and Spanish Cheese Plate: P’tit Basque, Idiazabal, La Peral and Leonora
The cheeses were all purchased from iGourmet and were great examples of cheeses from the Basque Country. They are an assortment of goat’s milk, cow’s milk and sheep’s milk cheeses. My new favorite is called Leonora – a goat’s milk cheese from Leon in northwestern Spain. It is a velvety bloomy rind log with a white, slightly flaky paste covered in ash. Wow! If you like a softer cheese and can find this one, I suggest you try it.
Torres Magdala Orange Liqueur Emilio Lustau East India Solera Sherry
Cheers from Chuck and Linda, your host and hostess!Our Basque Country wine selections
In just over five hours a group of winelover foodies worked our way through a magical evening of 10 pintxos and tapas plus some welcoming small bites and dessert paired with 11 wines all of which highlighted a particular area and/or wine of the Basque Country region of France and Spain. I did my usual work which included all the research and writing of another forkandcorkdivine post about the wine, then waited several months for this to become reality and it finally happened. Once again I fell in love with my wine region. Yes, this area makes excellent wines at particularly good value prices. I suggest you include them in your wine cellar and your weekly routine of wine tasting.
I am always asked where I find these wines that we serve. That is a difficult question to answer except to say that for the most part, unless they were served at a wine dinner we have attended, I am usually searching the internet. I don’t even bother looking at the shelves of my local big box wine store; however I am sure you will find some of them there. My go-to is first of all “wine.com”. Then I go to “wine-searcher” to see if there are any sources listed that may actually ship wine to me as that is the next major issue. I have had luck with “winechateau” and a few others. My natural wine source is Peter Rizzo at The Natural Wine Store in Naples. I also purchase from The Wine Store and Naples Wine Collection both of Naples. It really depends upon the wine region that I am researching and hoping to serve their wines.
Many thanks to everyone who assisted with the research, the dinner and drinking of our Basque wines! I couldn’t make it happen without you. And where to next? I read that Sonoma, California has been selected by Wine Enthusiast magazine Wine Star Awards as the wine region of the year. This makes me extremely happy as we have visited many Sonoma wineries through the years and tasted many of their wines. It is one of my favorite areas of the country making some of my favorite wines. I can’t wait to officially celebrate it in January 2020!
What in the world is Txakoli? A few months ago, I had no idea! And serve it with some Pintxos? Now that really sounds intriguing! As you probably have learned by now, if you have followed any of my previous forkandcorkdivine.com wine adventures, I’m always on the alert for a “new-to-me” and unique wine region to explore. When I asked a few of my most loyal winelover foodie friends (They are the ones who will follow me into whatever tangent I go off on, no matter how crazy it may sound kind of friends) said “How about Basque Country”? I immediately said “Yes, of course”! Here are the results of about three months of my off-and-on research and writing about “THE BASQUE COUNTRY”. I guarantee that you will probably learn more about Txakoli and Pintxos than you ever wanted to know! And off we go…….….
Ameztoi Txakoli from Getariako Txakolina DOC
The Basque Region of the Pyrenees Mountains straddles between two countries and consists of seven different provinces of France and Spain. The part of the world referred to as “Basque Country”, or Euskal Herria, is home to the Basque people who first inhabited the area back 200,000 years ago during Lower Paleolithic times. It is geographically located in southwestern Europe between the Aturri River to the north and Ebro River to the south. This is the land of mountains. The mountain chains of the Pyrenees plus Aralar, Aizkorri and Gorbeia mark the dividing line between the watersheds of the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Extending for a little over 300 miles from the Bay of Biscay to the Mediterranean Sea and reaching up to a height of over 11,000 feet, the Pyrenees do an excellent job of separating the Iberian Peninsula from the rest of continental Europe. On the Iberian side of the region, the Basque Mountains of Spain transition from the Pyrenees in the east to the Cantabrian range in the west.
Just like other regions in mostly temperate climates between 30-50 degrees of latitude that usually promote excellent conditions for growing grapes, people in the Basque Country region have been growing grapes and making wine for centuries.
A QUICK OVERVIEW
3 million people live in Basque
country including 262,000 on the French side or Northern Basque Country, the
remainder in Spain or the Southern Basque Country. There are 10 million Basques and their
descendants around the world. Those 3
million who still live here have their own language, their own culinary
traditions and a very distinctive landscape.
The term “Euskal Herria” defines the historical and cultural entity of
the Basque area but not a unification of politics and government. The Basque
language, known as “Euskara” is a link between all Basques and is one of the
oldest languages in Western Europe; it may possibly be connected to the Iberian,
Berber or other languages found around the Caucasus. Northern Basque Country does not officially
recognize the language. If you only
remember one thing about the Basque language, this is it! THERE IS NO “CH” IN BASQUE. IT’S SPELLED “TX”! TXOMIN sounds like “CHO-MEEN”. And there you have it…………your first lesson in
speaking Basque!
The Basque people have long
sought to have their own autonomous government.
After the French Revolution (1789), the Basque provinces north of the
Pyrenees were abolished and designated as French Republic departments. In Spain, their Nationalist Party formed a
government that allied with General Franco during the Spanish Civil War. When they lost the war in 1939, Franco
abolished their autonomy. When democracy
was restored to Spain in the 1970s, the Basque Country was once again approved
as autonomous.
Spanish Southern Basque Country
is made up of four provinces, three of which are: Viscaya (Biscay, Bizkaia), Guipúzcoa
(Gipuzkoa), and Álava (Araba) all comprising one of the 17 Autonomous
Communities of Spain. These 3 make up the Basque Autonomous Region whose
administrative capital is Vitoria-Gasteiz.
The fourth province is Navarre, another one of the 17 Autonomous
Communities also having its own government and parliament. Pamplona-Iruñea is the administrative
capital of Navarre. We probably know it
better for it’s famous “Running of the Bulls”.
Álava is in the foothills of the Pyrenees with an easy rolling landscape, mild climate and vineyards everywhere. Alava is the largest in size of the three provinces in the Basque Autonomous Community with almost 3000 km. and also the least populated of the three. It borders on Biscay and Gipuzkoa to the north, La Rioja to the south, the province of Burgos to the west and Navarre to the east. The landscape and climate make it an ideal location for wineries and some have taken great advantage of this by using avant-garde architecture, new brands and lots of marketing. The Marques de Riscal Winery in the town of Elciego has a building designed by Frank Gehry, the world-famous architect who designed the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, about 100 miles from here. Just outside Laguardia, another famous architect Santiago Calatrave created the Isios Winery. Not familiar with his work? He also designed the new Olympic stadium in Athens, Greece.
French Northern Basque Country
has three provinces, all part of the Pyrénées Atlantiques Département
which it shares with the Béarn region. They
are: Labourd (Lapurdi), Lower Navarre (Baxe Nafarroa), and Soule
(Xiberoa). These three provinces were
united in one governmental body and then joined together with Bearn to form the
Department of the Atlantic Pyrénées which makes up the new
Aquitaine region, a fusion of three French regions of Aquitaine, Limosin and
Poiton-Charentes, which was created in 2014.
Basque Country Flag
After reading many articles about
the history and current status, It seems that Basque Country is both
complicated and controversial. According
to an article of February 12, 2019 in the online “basquetribune”, this region is filled with many differences from
identity to versions of past history and what is to come in the future. “There are many citizens who feel Basque and
only Basque, many who feel Basque and Spanish, others who feel Basque and
French, and many (from Navarre) that do not feel Basque at all”. But we are here primarily to learn about the
wine, so that is how we will focus moving ahead, no matter what the identity of
the winemakers.
FRENCH
NORTHERN BASQUE COUNTRY (Pays Basque Français/Pays Vasco Francés)
Fifteen percent of Basque Country
is in southern France which is home to Biarritz, Bayonne and St-Jean-de-Luz (famous
for sunbathing and surfing) and Hendaye in the Pyrénées foothills (famous for
hiking). It’s a 1,108 square mile region
in the western part of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques Department and
the region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. The region was first known as Aquitania
because when Caesar came here, the Aquitani people lived here. They weren’t Celtic and are often regarded as
Basques. There have been many wars and
conquests since those days.
It has constituted the Basque
Municipal Community since January 2017 and was formerly home to those 3
historic French provinces of Lower Navarre, Labourd and Soule. The department of Landes lies to the north, the
Bay of Biscay on the west, Bearn to the east and Southern Basque Country on the
south.
We wine lovers know it best of all for the indigenous grapes and wonderful interesting wines that we tasted in 2018 when forkandcorkdivine studied about the “le sud-ouest” region of France during our celebration of Wine Enthusiast Magazine’s Wine Star Award for the “2017 Wine Region of the Year”.
IROULÉQUY AOC
The grapes and wines of the French
Basque Country are synonymous with the Irouléquy AOC. You can find it about 125 miles south of
Bordeaux — as far south as you can go in France before crossing the Pyrenees
into Spain – and 25 miles southeast from the Atlantic coast at Bayonne reaching
right down to the Spanish border. Irouléquy AOC wines, or Irulegi, come from the historic province of Lower Navarre and are
usually considered part of the Sud-Ouest wine region. These are the only AOC certified wines in the
Northern Basque Country. About 550,000
liters are produced annually with about 70% being big fruity tannic reds, 20% intensely
fruity deeply colored rosés and 10% tangy full-bodied whites. The tiny village of Irouléquy is in the
middle of the AOC and according to Map-France.com, 320 people live there. The
vineyards are often on very steep slopes which requires the development of
special growing and terracing techniques by the Basque wine growers. The hills
and steep ridges rise up to 3300 feet sheltering the valleys below. The terraces are between 100-400 meters above
sea level and most of the soil is sandstone-rich clay deep red in color. Weather is usually calm here – rainfall is
moderate, falling mostly in winter, and autumn is warm and dry, which usually
makes harvest here less stressful than cooler wetter regions. However, they do sometimes suffer from the
wrath of unpredictable mountain storms and the hot dry autumn wind called Haïze
hegoa.
THE GRAPES AND WINES OF FRENCH BASQUE
COUNTRY
Whites
The classic southwest France
white wine blend is made from Courbu, Petit Courbu, Gros Manseng and Petit
Manseng, the same blend used nearby in the Jurançon and Bearn
appellations. The grapes ripen more
fully and retain more of their refreshing acidity here than further inland due
to sunny ocean breezes. The wine is full-bodied
with aromas of tropical fruits and just the right amount of tangy acidity.
Gros Manseng (Izkiriota in Basque) represents the main part
of white grapes planted here. This golden
color grape brings a beautiful aromatic freshness to wine along with quince, apricot
and passionfruit aromas with a spicy floral note and plenty of acidity. It
makes wine with moderate alcohol potential sometimes reaching 13% alcohol
level. Gros Manseng originally comes
from southwestern France, and for a long time was not produced in any other
areas. It is ideally suited to the high
humidity and dry sunny late summers of the region. Gros Manseng almost
disappeared in 1958 but production has constantly increased since the
1970s.
Petit Manseng (Izkiriota Ttipia in Basque) gives power and
volume to the wine. It brings aromas of
citrus, exotic fruits and truffles with freshness on the palette with elevated
acidity and an aromatic complex finish. Petit
Manseng is also primarily grown in this region of southwest France, although
still in small quantities, plus Basque Spain and Italy. Some of it has found its way to the US and
Australia. This grape is often left on
the vine to made a late harvest dessert wine.
Petit Courbu or Courbu (Xuri Zerratia in Basque) is a rare
grape variety in Irouleguy and really isn’t found in any other part of
France. It adds some smoothness and
roundness to the wine along with honeyed citrus aromatic notes often
accompanied with minerality. It is
perfect for lowering the acidity and alcohol levels of the Mansengs. Petit
Courbu is not the same grape as Courbu Blanc; however there are very subtle
differences and both grapes are used to make the dry white wines of
Irouleguy. This is another grape that
neared extinction but has made a bit of a comeback.
Reds
The red wines are made from
Cabernet Franc and Tannat grapes which have been grown here for centuries. Tannat is especially symbolic of red wines in
Southwest France; Madiran being the most famous. Cabernet Sauvignon is used in smaller quantities. The resulting wines are so fruit-forward and
intensely tannic that they usually need at least four years before you can
drink them. You can cellar the best
examples for a good ten years. If you
do, you will be rewarded with spicy, earthy notes and softened tannins.
Cabernet Franc (Axeria in Basque; “the fox”) adds aromatic
finesse and elegance to the wines of Irouleguy.
It is all about red berries, violets and notes of spice.
Cabernet Sauvignon (Axeria Handia in Basque; “the big fox”)
adds a bit of character, structure and volume to the wines. It brings some aromas of blackberry,
chocolate and sometimes pepper. It is
only used in small amounts.
Tannat (Bordelesa Beltza in Basque; the “black Bordeaux”))
is also historically from southwest France.
It is the major red (or black!) grape in Irouleguy vineyards. It is full of black currant, blackberry,
black plums, black licorice, vanilla, dark chocolate and possibly some
graphite, blood, iron, menthol, sandalwood, tobacco, cardamom, brown spices and
smoke. It is definitely not for the
winelover who prefers finesse and elegance in the glass! But it does
bring a balanced tannic structure to the wine.
The most popular Irouléquy wines
are made by Domaine Arretxea, Domaine Brana, Domaine Ilarria, Jean-Claude
Berrouet and the Cave d’ Irouléquy.
Rosés
Lots of rosé
is produced here but most of it is for local consumption. It’s a fruit-driven very fragrant rosé
with a deep color and aroma that is very similar to that produced in nearby
Navarra. It’s excellent to pair with the
local spicy cuisine, especially a Piperrada
which is a stew make with Jambon de
Bayonne ham and spicy Piment
d’Espelette peppers and is very similar to a ratatouille. The ham and peppers are both local products
with their very own protected AOC.
THE WINEMAKERS
We can thank the Romans and the
monks for developing vineyards here, just like many other areas of France. In this case, it was the Roncesvalles Abbey
where the eleventh century monks made wine for religious pilgrim travelers on
the way to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostella in Spanish Galicia. Between constant decline and the Great French
Wine Blight in 1912, there was little land cultivated in vineyards. Today there are a handful of independent
vintners plus the Cave Irouléquy, a cooperative formed in 1952 to attempt a
rescue resulting in some wines receiving certification and AOC status awarded
to Irouléquy in 1970. In 1970 there was
just 250 acres of vineyards cultivated by 60 growers. Good luck finding some for purchase – they are
still few and far between! But with
persistence in internet wine shopping, you should be lucky enough to latch onto
a red. These are not your big black
tannic wines of Madiran. They have more
exotic flower and red fruit flavors with a bloody iron tang. I also suggest trying
extra hard to find a white because they are so unique with their flowers,
yellow fruits, savory and saline flavors and aromas.
Domaine Arretxea
Michel Riouspeyrous worked on his
family farm in Irouléquy until he studied Agronomy and went off to military
service. He eventually came home with Thérèse,
his wife from Alsace. In 1989 they
rented 2 hectares of vineyards and started farming organically. They moved on to biodynamics which was
radical then especially since they bottled their own wine without joining the
cooperative. Their Domaine (Maison) Arretxea
now has eight hectares of steep terraced land set against the peaks of the
Pyrenees with sheep grazing between the vineyard rows and beautiful wildflowers. The majority of their grapes are native
varietals: Tannat (red), Gros Manseng and Petit Manseng (whites) which are
ideal to grow in the soils of dolomite, clay, limestone, silica, mica and iron
oxide. They vinify each different
terroir separately by using traditional methods and bottle four cuvees. White wines are fermented and aged in foudres
and stainless steel; reds are aged on the lees in cement or foudres then
unfined and unfiltered. Rosé
is made by the Saignée method with no malolactic fermentation. They now own about 20 acres and make just
3,300 cases a year.
Domaine Arretxea Irouléquy 2015, Irouléguy, France
Domaine Arretxea Irouleguy Rouge is made from a blend of 66% Tannat, 17% Cabernet Franc and 17% Cabernet Sauvignon grown on 7 – 15 year old vines in 5 hectares of vineyards. Each parcel of grapes was vinified separately, macerated for 3 – 4 weeks with daily punch-downs, aged for 10 months on the lees in cement, then bottled unfined and unfiltered. We expect a beautiful purple color wine with aromas of cassis, raspberry and licorice; then full-bodied on the palate with black fruit notes, herbs and minerality. The tannins promise to be well balanced and we can drink it now or put away for a few more years.
Domaine Brana
The Brana family has been passionate about the
wines of Basque Country since 1897 when Pierre-Etienne Brana began trading
wine. In 1974
grandson Etienne Brana and his wife Adrienne began a distillery and planted an orchard of pear trees
William. Ten years later they started making Irouléquy
wines and set up their own vineyard. They have 22 hectares planted along very
narrow terraces cut out of the remarkably steep hillsides. Their farming practices are non-intervening
and include bio-dynamic principles. All
harvesting is done manually. They have
exceptional terroir and brought back their ancestral viticultural traditions
with the rebirth of the white Irouléquy blend – Courbu and Manseng. They make
reds from their origins – Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Tannat. Four generations later, Martine and Jean
Brana continue the family goal for quality.
Domaine Brana Irouléquy Blanc 2016, Irouléquy, France
The Domaine Brana Blanc is a savory but fresh and lively white made from a blend of 50% Gros Manseng, 30% Small Corbu and 20% Petit Manseng. The color should be crystal clear with green highlights. On the nose, we expect citrus notes, exotic fruits and flower pollen. It promises to be nicely balanced with a fresh long harmonious finish. It should be especially good paired as an aperitif or with fish, shellfish, sheep and goat cheese.
“Herri Mina” Jean-Claude Berrouet
If Martine and Jean Brana ever feel
that they need any winemaking advice, they can always go to Jean-Claude
Berrouet, another Irouléguy native.
Jean-Claude just happened to be the winemaker for Chateau Petrus for
over 30 years and has consulted all over the world! It seems that Jean-Claude became homesick for
his Basque Country and eventually came home.
In 1992 he planted 4.5 acres of sandstone terraces and produced his
first vintage in 1998. He named his
estate “Herri Mina” which means country and homesick in Basque. Jean Claude makes a wonderful white blend of
Gros Manseng, Petit Corbu and Petit Manseng from vines no higher than 400 feet
above sea level. He also produces a
small amount of 100% Cabernet Franc wine.
Domaine
Ameztia
Although the Costera family has been
making Irouléquy wine since the 17th century, it wasn’t until 2001
that Jean-Louis, a shepherd turned winemaker, modernized the winemaking
facilities on the family estate. He
brought on board his Bordeaux-trained oenologist nephew, Gexan, and started
relinquishing control to him. Previously
Gexan had been practicing his skill by making
wine at Arretxea. Along with the same philosophy
used in raising the best lambs, the two of them are now using more organic
practices and are replanting the Cabernet Sauvignon with Cabernet Franc and
Tannat. Their 7 hectares also have a
little Gros Manseng and Petit Manseng for their white wines and a
single-vineyard wine called Cuvee Pantxo, named after a close family
friend.
Irouléguy
Wine Cellar
The Cave d’Irouléguy began in 1952
when 9 wine growers decided to join forces in a “cooperative”. The creation of the Irouléguy AOC in 1970 gave
the group some momentum; they now represent 60% of the planted vineyards of the
appellation (150 hectares) and market 650,000 bottles per year. There are currently 81 wine growers associated in the
cooperative.
SPANISH SOUTHERN BASQUE COUNTRY (Pais Vasco)
Known as Pais Vasco in Spanish,
it is bordered by the Bay of Biscay to the north and Navarra to the east, La
Rioja to the south, and Cantabria to the west.
The Pyrenees Mountains separate Spain from France to the northeast;
however Navarra makes up most of the actual border with French Basque
Country. This 2793 square mile
autonomous Spanish portion of Basque Country was officially established by
Spain in 1979. Its government has a
president and a parliament in the capital of Vitoria-Gasteiz. The Spanish mountains are steep and jagged
and rivers are short and fast, cutting deep gorges through the mountains. The people of the Pyrenees tend to have
individual farms, called caserio,
which allows them to cultivate their small mountain plots. This is in contrast to the Ebro River basin
where there are more communal group vineyards, and they are in open fields. Most of the population is along the coast with
four-fifths of the Basques in the coastal Greater Bilbao area. Bilbao is the
largest city of the region and home to the famous Guggenheim Museum Bilbao. Head east along the coast to Getaria, a
fishing village where you can enjoy some top-notch fresh seafood. A little further east is San Sebastian, a
provincial capital with a beautiful beach and cliffs and Hondarribia, a fishing
town with a walled old town. Basques
have traditionally been sheepherders, but corn and potatoes are heavily
cultivated here.
The Pais Vasco is part of Green
Spain where the landscape is lush and green.
This area spans from Galicia in the northwest to where Basque Country
borders on France in the east.
Winemaking here is limited because many vintners didn’t bother
replanting after the scourge of phylloxerra during the second half of the 19th
century. But what vines there are grow
some pretty outstanding grapes, and winemakers make a very distinctive style of
wine. This is the land of TXAKOLI! Pronounced cha-koh-lee, Txakoli has been made
here by the Basque since the Middle Ages.
It’s the characteristic spritz, ultra-dry, ultra-high acid that makes it
perfect for local seafood. But before we
dig deep into the unique and exciting world of Txakoli, let’s find out what
grapes grow here.
THE GRAPES AND WINES OF SPANISH BASQUE
COUNTRY
There are two main categories of
wine in the Spanish Basque Country: 1) Txakoli, the traditional Basque wine,
and 2) the wines from the Rioja Alavesa, which is one of the three sub-regions
of the Rioja DOC. There are some reds
and an occasional rosado, but this is predominantly white wine country.
The Grapes of Spanish Basque Country
Hondarrabi Zuri is the dominant white grape of Spanish
Basque Country and is native to the area.
It is used to make the citrusy, floral wine with lots of minerality and
a touch of fresh herbs known as Txakoli.
You can sometimes even get an aroma of sea spray. The grape is named for
the town of Hondarribia and the word “Zuri” means white in Basque
language. Some experts say the grape is
indigenous to Basque Country while others say it comes from southwestern France. It can be blended with a number of other
Basque Country varieties of which Folle Blanche is the most common, but also
small amounts of Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling.
Hondarrabi Beltza is the main dark-skinned variety of Spanish
Basque Country, and the only place it is grown. Its parent is believed to be Cabernet Franc
and tastes of raspberries, black fruit and violets. It is also used to make Txakoli in both red
and Rosado styles. The wines are fresh,
meant to be consumed young and are high in acidity. They are sometimes bottled with a bit of
carbon dioxide to keep their freshness.
Folle Blanche is a white grape grown in Spanish Basque
Country where it is known as Mune Mahatsa
and sometimes blended with Hondarrabi Zuri. It’s a little known grape found
almost exclusively in western France especially the Loire Valley. High susceptibility to rot and disease sent
it on the decline. A high acidity and
fairly neutral flavor profile make it ideal for brandy — It is most often used
to make brandy in the southwest of France.
Also known as Picpoul in some
parts of the French southwest; however not the same as the Picpoul found in
Languedoc-Roussillon.
Petit Corbu, Gros Manseng and Petit Manseng are white grapes
used in smaller amounts in Spanish Basque Country. See information about these grapes in our
French Basque Country section.
The wines:
White………..TXAKOLI
Basque farmers made homemade Txakoli up until the 1980s. The name itself means “farm wine” or “homemade wine”. Txakoli grapes are not easy to grow – there are cold winds and year-round rain creating constant threats of mildew and mold. Txakoli (also known as Txakolina) almost died out due to the phylloxerra plague in the 19th century, but the Basque people tried to keep their culture alive and were finally rewarded when three production areas received DO status in the 1990s. Today there are 33 wineries.
During the recent years Txakoli
has become quite famous for several reasons.
First of all, the quality of the wine has improved greatly, but even
more importantly, the wine itself fits nicely in the trend for light fruity
easy-to-drink wines. It has a pale
greenish hue with citrus, green apple, saline and mineral notes and is perfect
with fish, seafood and appetizers. Txakoli is bone dry, extremely sleek on the
palate, bracing acidity, often semi-sparkling and often served from several
feet high into a little tumbler that should be low and wide. Splashing on the floor is quite acceptable! This process is called “breaking” and tends
to open up the wine making it taste and smell even more vivid. It should be served cold, and drink it before
the bubbles are gone in order to get the whole Spanish Basque experience. If you want to pour Txakoli like a Basque
Country native, get yourself a “speed pourer spout” advertised “for perfect
perpendicular flow of wine, Txakoli, liquor and cider………” and watch a video on
the fine art of pouring Txakoli.
Be sure not to tuck this wine
away in your cellar; you had better drink it the first year! Txakoli is traditionally fermented in kupels, which are very old large oak or
chestnut barrels, but some Txakoli is now made in stainless steel vats. Fermentation lasts 20-25 days and then the
wine is left on its lees. The CO2 gives
the wine its sparkle and since the wine isn’t racked, the sparkle is still
there when poured into your glass. The alcohol content is usually between 9.5 –
11.5 %. Do be sure to try it whenever
you can as it is difficult to find anywhere else in Spain – or in the
world! If you are lucky enough to be
tasting it there in Spain on a January 17, it’s Txakoli Day!!!
Txakoli goes perfectly with pintxos, which you will be served in every tavern in Basque Country and in other areas nearby such as Cantabria, La Rioja, and Navarre. Officially pintxos or pinchos are small snacks typically found on a tray in bars or taverns. They are called pinchos because they usually consist of ingredients placed on a small slice of bread fastened with a toothpick or “spike”. The customer keeps track of the number of items they have eaten by the number of pinchos accumulated. Sometimes, the toothpicks even come in different shapes or sizes to differentiate the prices. You can put just about anything on a pintxo, but most commonly in Basque Country you will find fish (hake, cod and anchovy), tortilla de patatas, stuffed peppers and croquettes. It is a way of life here to socialize with your friends while eating pintxos and drinking a glass of Txakoli white wine.
In case you want to try your culinary skills making Pintxos, you can get some excellent Pintxos recipes on the internet that all sound quite tasty, or you can invest in some cookbooks. While this one is not from Basque Country, it is by a San Francisco Chef Gerald Hirigoyen who along with Lisa Weiss published this book in 2009: “PINTXOS small plates in the Basque tradition”. All of the recipes sound delicious and I plan to make several of them at our upcoming “Txakoli, Pintxos and Tapas” wine dinner event. It received great kudos from both Eric Ripert and Paula Wolfert.
THE DENOMINACIONS DE ORIGEN (D.O.s)
FOR TXAKOLI
D.O. Getariako Txakolina (Chacoli de Guetaria): This was the first
Txakoli to be awarded D.O. status back in 1989.
It is located in the north of the Guipúzcoa Province around the towns of
Getaria and Zarautz along the coast of the Bay of Biscay. The vines are planted
on slopes facing away from the sea to protect them from strong breezes and make
sure they get enough sun. Vines are
trained over wires and sometimes over earthen or stone pillars. With just 200 hectares of vineyards it may be
the smallest in size but is the largest in production which is why you will
probably see more of it available here in the US. Accepted grape varieties are Hondarrabi Zuri (about
95% of what is grown here) and Hondarrabi Beltza (about 5%).
Txomin Etxaniz Winery (Txakoli de Getaria)
is the most renowned producer of Txakoli and the largest winery in Getaria with 600,000 bottles produced annually. The Txueka family has been in the wine world since 1649 and spearheaded the move for legal designation of the first Txakoli appellation. “Txomin” is the same as “Domingo” in Spanish and represents a modern winery with spotlessly clean stainless steel equipment that produces and exports about 15% of its 300,000 bottle production to 26 countries. They have trellised vines over 100 years old growing on 35 hectares right next to the Atlantic Ocean. Since the US is the largest export market for Txakoli, you can find Txomin wine right here to experience it. They do also make a Txakoli rosé which was unheard of until about 10 years ago. It’s a 50/50 blend of the white Hondarrabi Zuri and the red Hondarrabi Beltza, pale pink with strawberry scent and savor and dry in taste. According to Mr. Txueka, they make it primarily for American taste. Txomin is also experimenting with fermentation in large acacia wood barrels which give a distinctive new take on Txakoli. Now they also make a traditional method dry sparkling wine not at all unlike Champagne.
The Txomin Rosado is a blend of 60% Hondarrabi Beltza and 40% Zuri. Grapes are harvested manually in early October then go to the winery for an 8 – 10 hour maceration followed by temperature controlled fermentation and rest on its lees before bottling. The resulting wine is light, fragrant, fresh and fruity with hints of minerality and medium acidity and an alcohol content of 11%. This wine pairs well with white meat, grilled seafood and as an aperitif. Serve it between 45-50 degrees F.
Ameztoi
is one of the top producers of Getariako Txakolina. Ameztoi has 20 hectares of 25 year old vines facing the Bay of Biscay on seaside cliffs with views of the town of San Sebastian 20 minutes away along a serpentine highway. Ignacio Ameztoi is the fifth generation to make the family’s Txakolina in Getaria. Hondarribi Zurri and Beltza grapes are sustainably farmed and used to make wine fermented in stainless steel kept chilled to about 32 degrees F. and bottled with residual carbonic which causes that wonderful Txakoli natural spritz. Ametzoi was the first producer of rosé txakoli and méthode traditionelle Txakoli sparkling wines in addition to their whites and reds. Their Rubentis rosé is a field blend of Hondarribi Zurri and Beltza.
The Ameztoi Hondarrabi Zurri Txakolina is pale white with a touch of green, fragrance of green apples and grapes and notes of mint and green tea. It is dry on the palate with a big aromatic finish and a fine elegant effervescence. The alcohol level is 10.5 – 11% with no fining or filtering. It pairs well with all kinds of seafood and fish – an excellent choice for oysters, sushi or tempura fish. Drink it young between 45-50 degrees F. W&S rated it at 91 points.
D.O. Bizkaiko Txakolina (Chacoli de Viscaya): Established in 1994,
it’s located in the Viscaya Province in the north of Basque Country close to
Bilbao and the coast. The 250 hectares
of vines are planted around 500 feet high.
You will find a few more Hondarrabi Beltza vines here, therefore more reds
and ojo gallo, a dark rosé, but the main variety is Hondarrabi Zuri with some Folle
Blanche. Vines here are on pergolas near
the coast and trellises further inland.
There are 69 wineries in this D.O. and most are very small.
D.O. Arabako Txakolina (Chacoli de Alava): Created in 2001 on the
initiative of the only five producers left in the Alava Province, it’s the
newest region and has 60 hectares. Alava
is further inland than the other two, which means the grapes can get
riper. Alava is also known as Rioja
Alavesa (part of the Rioja D.O.) which is just to the south but is also a
historic Basque region. Rioja wines are
produced in the southern part of the province, and Txakoli vineyards are to the
north right beside the border with the Vizcaya Province. Grapes permitted are white Hondarribi Zuri,
Gross Manseng, Petit Manseng and Petit Corbu and red Hondarribi Beltza. There are small amounts of red and rosé
Txakoli produced here. Alcohol content
is 9.5%.
Txakoli is also produced in the Cantabria
and Burgos regions. When Spain tried to
limit production just to the Basque Country, the producers of Burgos reminded
them that they had been making it for over 10 centuries!
From Txakoli to the Ebro River Valley
We came to Spain to visit the Spanish Southern Basque
Country. While the Pais Vasco region is
what first comes to mind with the zesty white Txakoli wines, there are two more
very important regions to explore as part of Basque Country. The sub-regions of Navarra and La Rioja are
found in the Ebro River Valley, and we are heading there next. Navarra is known mostly for rosado wine made
from the Garnacha (Grenache) grape, but there is so much more to learn
there. La Rioja is the home of King
Tempranillo plus some very worthy oak-aged white wines of Viura (Macabeo). We can’t talk about Basque Country without
mentioning these next-door neighbors with some very famous and long-standing
bodegas that include Lopez de Heredia and Marques de Murrieta. Besides Navarra also falls under a sub-zone
of the D.O. Rioja, its southern neighbor.
So we are legally bound! Next
stop from Pais Vasco —- Navarra!
Rose………….from Navarra
D.O. Navarra
Navarra is another one of
Spain’s 17 Autonomous Communities and has its own government and
parliament. The capital of Navarra is
Pamplona-Iruñea,
famous for the “Running of the Bulls” in the annual San Fermin Festival. Navarra is considered as part of the Spanish
Southern Basque Country. This is a huge
region with a great variety of landscapes and climates from mountains to
deserts………and a variety of wines. It is
close to the Bay of Biscay in the northwest, the Pyrenees in the northeast and
the Ebro River all combined with moderate temperatures created by the
Mediterranean climate. Winemaking was
recorded here way back in ancient Roman times; but the winemaking boom was cut
short by phylloxerra just like most other areas of Europe.
The D.O. Navarra was created in
1933 with 11,000 plus hectares differentiated into five production subzones
with three different climates:
Cool humid Atlantic climate:
Baja Montaña
sits along the border with Aragon in eastern Navarre at the foothills of the
Pyrenees Mountains. It’s hilly here with lowland forest. The grapes are only red – Garnacha and some
Tempranillo.
Valdizarbe is in Central Navarre just south of the Pamplona basin in
the heart of the Pilgrims Way to Compostela and is the most humid of the
subzones. It largely runs along the
river Arga in an area of gentle hills and valleys. You will find Tempranillo, Garnacha, Cabernet
and Merlot along with some Chardonnay and Malvasia.
Tierra Estella is in western Navarre
along the Pilgrims Way to Santiago which borders on the official Basque Country
area and La Rioja. The land slopes down
towards the south where you will find lots of olives and cereal crops. The grapes include Tempranillo plus Cabernet
Sauvignon and quite a bit of Chardonnay.
Continental climate with extreme winters and summers:
Ribera Alta is located in central
Navarre along the Ebro valley between Aragon and La Rioja. It’s a large very flat plain with little
vegetation. Tempranillo is the main
grape followed by Garnacha. There is
quite a bit of white Viura and Muscatel here.
Mediterranean climate with hot summers and moderate winters:
Ribera Baja is in
the south of Navarre near the town of Tudela and is the most important of the
five in terms of area and number of wineries. It covers 14 different
municipalities, all on a dry, sandy plain on the right bank of the river Ebro.
Navarre has traditionally been
known for production of crisp, fruit-driven rosé (rosado) but has been overshadowed
for many years by its southern neighbor, Rioja, for making high quality red
wine. But that has begun to change somewhat
thanks to innovative and brave winemakers who have done a lot to bring Navarre
out of the shadows. The rosado is
generally made from Garnacha which pairs really well with the hearty local
cuisine; however recently Tempranillo and varietal reds based on Cabernet Sauvignon,
Merlot and Pinot Noir are also produced.
A smaller quantity of white wines are produced and based mainly on
Chardonnay, Viura and Garnacha Blanca. A
natural sweet wine is made from Moscatel.
Bodegas
y Viñedos Artadi
Artadi
began
in1985 as a cooperative making traditional young wines for the local
market. It is now an icon growing grapes
and making wine in three different Spanish wine regions: Alava, Navarra and
Alicante. These 150 hectares of vineyards respect the terroir and natural
environment of each region. In 1992 the
Lacalle and Laorden family took control of the project that began with 80
hectares in Laguardia, Alava. In 1996
Artadi expanded to Navarra with Artazu, in 1999 in Alicante with El Sequé and
in 2015 with the latest acquisition of Izar-Leku in Guipúzcoa. All of Artadi practices organic and
biodynamic agriculture. They are
biodiverse and sustainable. Artadi has
played a major role in the transformation of Spanish wine in the last
decades. They left the Rioja appellation
in December 2015 which means that any wine bottled at their facilities will not
carry the Rioja seal. They are “wines
without DO”. They also pioneered the
move to discard the traditional Crianza category and instead highlight the vine
age. It is said that Carlos Lopez de
Lacalle launched the Artazu winery at the request of a friend from the US who
wanted to sell a good Spanish Garnacha in the US. For quite some time Artazu
was the only producer in Navarra to make high quality red Garnacha wines. Up to that point Garnacha was reserved for
the production of rosés.
Artazu Garnacha “Artazuri” Rosado 2017 Navarra DO
Artazuri Rosado is made from 100% Garnacha grapes grown around the village of Artazu in the Valdizarbe subzone of the northernmost part of the Navarra DO. The rosado is made by maceration of Garnacha grapes for 4 – 5 hours. The resulting wine should be fresh and floral with intense strawberry and cherry aromas and some herbal notes on the background. The alcohol content is 13%.
Bodegas
Nekeas
Bodegas Nekeas was founded in 1990 as
a collaboration of a number of families, all friends for decades and native to
Navarra. Their histories in viticulture
are rich. The estate in the Valley of
Valdizarbe has grown to be recognized as a figurehead of quality in
Navarra. They use sustainable techniques
– dry farming, no fungicides, herbicides or pesticides. They grow Garnacha, Tempranillo, Cabernet
Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay and Viura. The oldest vineyards, El Chaparral,
are Garnacha planted in clay based soils between 80 – 130 years ago, and are
one of Navarra’s most historical viticultural areas. These vineyards get one of the latest
harvests in Spain. Bunches are
destemmed, fermented in stainless steel, then aged in new, second and third use
French oak barrels for six months.
Bodegas Nekeas Garnacha El Chaparral de Vege Sindoa 2016 Navarra DO
The El Chaparral 100% Garnacha gives the expression of the most Atlantic Garnacha grapes in Spain. The climate here is both Mediterranean and Atlantic. There are spring frosts, dry warm summers and drastic temperature swings between day and night. The wine is vivid garnet in color, juicy and spicy on the palate with red fruit and black and white pepper flavors. Expect accents of coffee and minerality. The finish should be elegant, fine and delicate but with firm tannins.
Vino de Pago or is it “Wines of Payment”?
Navarra participates in a Spanish wine classification first introduced in 2003 called Vino de Pago. Vino de Pago (pago means “estate”) refers to the Vineyard and Wine Act 24/2003 of July 10th which is the highest category existing within Spanish wine law. It covers individual wine estates usually associated with top-quality wines that were typically not covered by a DO status. These estates must be small – meaning not equal to or larger than any parish in the Region; they must have unique characteristics in soil and micro-climate enough so that they are differentiated from surrounding sites; and their wines must be distinctive with singular qualities. Vino de Pago can also have a DO or DOC status if they meet those particular requirements.
The Spanish word “payment” comes from the Latin word “pagus” which means a country district. Their were 17 Wines of Payment as of 2017. This classification was similar to the emergence of “Super Tuscan” wineries in italy, and it is still quite controversial. Fewer than half of Spain’s regions ratified the legislation . Navarra did; however Rioja chose not to do so. Rioja now has the new classification Viñedos Singulares which was recently added to focus on single vineyard sites in Rioja.
Pago de Arinzano, Pago de Otazu and Prado de Irache are examples of Vino de Pagos in Navarra. Arinzano is a 740 acre estate located in the municipality of Aberin (Merindad de Estella) . It was purchased by the Chivite family in 1988 and operates as Bodegas Chivite. Pago de Otazu is in Cuenca de Pamplona, less than 7 miles west of Pamplona. Prado de Irache is located near the town of Estella.
The critics of this category will tell you that some of the wines have remained outstanding while several have not. The term “Vino de Pago” is not legally restricted; any winery can use the word Pago in their name. So try the wine and know there are no guarantees. Drink what you like!
Crossing into Rioja…………Navarre is also part of D.O. Rioja and
Rioja DOCa
Because of the close proximity to
its southern neighbor, part of Navarre also falls under the D.O. Rioja, Baja sub-zone. Navarre has a total of 6,220 hectares in
Rioja Baja and a choice of reds, rosés and whites along the Ebro River. A small
section of Navarra is also classified as Rioja
DOCa. Denominación de Origen (DO)
and Denominación de Origen Calificada (DOCa) are the two highest Spanish
categories for quality wine. Rioja is one of
only two winemaking regions in Spain to have received the prestigious DOCa
classification, the other being Priorato.
DOCa Rioja Alavesa
…….yet another part of Basque Country
DOCa Rioja Alavesa is a subzone of D.O. Rioja that has vineyards in
the south of the Basque Country.
Vineyards are planted on the banks of the Ebro River at 1150-1600 feet
altitude. Around 80% of the subzone is
planted in Tempranillo grapes with 4% dedicated to other red grapes and the
rest to several varieties of white grapes.
Just to create more confusion, this is the same geographical area as the
D.O. Arabako Txakolina which is officially part of Basque Country.
The Prestigious La
Rioja
By now it must be obvious that we
cannot talk about Southern Basque Country without digging into La Rioja. D.O. Rioja is one of the four main wine
producing areas of Northern Spain; the other three being Galicia, Catalonia and
Ribera del Duera. The DO Rioja wine region
includes municipalities in three northeastern Spanish provinces: La Rioja,
Navarra and Alava; however, most of the municipalities (116) vineyards (41,000
plus hectares) and wineries (320) are located in the autonomous community of La
Rioja.
There are over 70 Designations of
Origin (Denominaciones de Origen) used to classify Spanish wines. The better known is La Rioja for its red
wine, but don’t underestimate the quality wines of Ribera del Duero in northern
Spain or Jumilla in southern Spain.
There are quality white wines especially in Galicia. Jerez is located in the south and known for
sherry. Each area is unique with its own
special wines. You can be sure that each area is rich in history and culture
and has their own varied and delicious cuisine. We should add that other important
wine regions of Spain are equally unique: the
Penedes, Rias Baixas and the Priorat.
And we can’t neglect the smaller regions including Bierzo, Calatayud and
Campo de Borja, Castilla-La Mancha, Rueda and Toro.
You may think that Spanish wines will be really big and bold because of the really hot weather there, but some of the best vineyards are well over 1000 feet above sea level where temperatures are much cooler. Spain is actually the second most mountainous country in Europe after Switzerland. Still with all of those mountains, Spain has more vineyard acreage than any other nation — 2.5 million acres of them. Even with all of those vineyards, it is third in wine production after Italy and France.
One of the significant differences
with Spanish winemakers in general is that they still prefer their indigenous
grapes made in the “old ways” and the flavors that this brings to the wine.
They also still prefer long aging in the barrel. While they don’t go for 25 years any more due
to the change in modern taste, the highly regarded Rioja Gran Reserva, for
example, is still barrel aged for 5 years.
Spain has a very long history of
growing grapes and making wine. Grapes have been harvested and wine produced here
in La Rioja dating back to the Phoenicians and the Celtiberians. Monks recorded the earliest written evidence
of the existence of grapes here in 873, and viticulture was documented in
1063. Rioja wine was exported to other
regions as early as the late 13th century. The first document to protect the wine
quality was written in 1650.
History continues to tell about
many old traditions; however, Rioja has been honored with several impressive
“wine firsts”. In 1925 it was the first
wine region in Spain to receive a D.O. designation (guaranteed
by the “Denomination of Origen” D.O.) Fast forward through the years to 1991 when the
prestigious “Calificada” or Qualified nomination reserved for producing Spain’s
finest wine was presented to La Rioja, now the first DOCa of Spain.
Those old traditions get a new twist!
Rioja wines account for a large share of Spanish wine sold in the US, according to Ana Fabiano, the trade director and North American brand ambassador for the region. “Change in an old-world wine region does not happen frequently” was a very significant comment made at an early 2019 press conference in New York to present the newest marketing campaign and changes in classifications. It was reported by Ms Fabiano that the US bought more than 1.1 million cases of Rioja wine in 2018, and it is hoped that we will buy around 2 million cases annually in the next several years. Their new global marketing campaign is Saber Quien Eres or “Know Who You Are”. Ms. Fabiano summed it up this way “Rioja is looking to the future, but is standing in the history of her soil”. (From a Forbes article of 2.15.2019 “Will Rioja Wine Increase its Market Share?” by Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen.)
The grapes of Rioja and Navarra
Let’s start with the grapes. According to the latest issue of Madeline
Puckette’s “Wine Folly” Magnum Edition, there are 100 common varieties of
grapes in Spain, the country with the highest vineyard acreage in the world. The most widely planted and/or best known varieties
from the 5500 Spanish bodegas (wineries) and cooperatives are Airén (white),
Tempranillo (red) and Albarino (white) from Rias Baixas and Parellada, a white
grape from the Penedès wine region in Catalonia used to make Cava.
Airénis the most widely planted grape variety in Spain accounting for 22% of the vineyards; and is most notably planted throughout Central Spain due to its tolerance for hot, dry conditions and poor soil. Airén is very resistant to diseases and makes a “snappy crisp white”. It is often used for blending but sometimes vinified to make red wine. Airén is also distilled to make a spirit.
Traditional varieties
In 2017, the Rioja harvest
consisted of 88% red grapes even though since 1925 there have been seven
traditional authorized grape varieties –
four red and three white. They are:
RED
GRAPES
Tempranillo is the best loved and the most prized Spanish grape. Tempranillo is to Spain like Cabernet is to Bordeaux! This variety is the fifth most cultivated variety in the world, covering 231,000 hectares in 2015. It may be found in 17 other countries, but 88% of it is cultivated in Spain. This is a grape that buds early, ripens early and has a short growing cycle. Not without some problems, it is susceptible to mildew and sensitive to extreme drought and wind, but it is very vigorous and well suited to growing here. Tempranillo makes a deeply colored wine with high alcohol content and low acidity. Synonyms for Tempranillo include Tinta Roriz, Tinto Fino and Tinto del Pais.
Garnacha Tinta (Grenache Noir) is one of the most widely planted grapes in the world with 163,000 hectares in 2015. It was thought to be introduced from Spain to France during the Middle Ages. Spain and France account for 87% of the world’s Garnacha. This variety gives a good yield, is extremely drought resistant and adapts to different soils although it does not come without a lot of susceptibilities that make it a challenge to grow. It is generally spicy with notes of cinnamon and white pepper, red berry-flavors, soft on the palate and makes relatively high alcohol wine. You may get more leather and tar flavors with age. It is often used as a blending grape – Chateauneuf-du-Pape and GSM – for example. The grape tastes different depending upon where it is grown. In France, Southern Rhone Grenache-based wines have more smoky herbal notes including oregano, lavender and tobacco while American Grenache smells more like licorice and flowers. But in northern Spain where it is warmer, the grapes can get very high sugar levels adding both body and spice. It tends to express the place where it is grown, especially in Navarra. In fact, it has been noted by some winemakers as the “Pinot Noir of Spain” and the signature grape of the region which is quite a step up as it used to be considered a workhorse variety. Today it is the third most widely planted grape in Spain (behind Tempranillo and Bobal). Garnacha Tinta has many aliases, but its known as Cannonau and Tocai Rosso in Italy.
Mazuelo (Cariñena/Carignan) is a black-skinned grape of Spanish origin often found in Spanish and French wine but is widely planted throughout the western Mediterranean and around the world. It’s most common use is for blending with other grapes in northeastern Spain and in France’s Languedoc-Roussillon where it is most often blended with Grenache, Syrah and Mourvέdre. Winemakers of Rioja use Mazuelo to add acidity to their Tempranillo-based wines. It expresses high tannins, acid and color which makes it an excellent choice for blending. When used to make a varietal wine, it shows rich dark and black fruits, pepper, licorice and spicy savory accents. It is also prominent on the island of Sardinia where it’s known as Carignano. This is yet another one of those grapes that was considered low-quality and fell out of favor until some producers started to bring it back to life. Mazuelo or Carignan can be a perfect food wine with its balance of flavors and no bitter tannins. It has earthy meaty notes that make it a good partner for everything from turkey to duck to bacon and cheeses like Gouda, Basque and Manchego. In the US, it was once the third most widely planted grape variety in California where it was a big part of the California jug and box wine industry.
Graciano is a small black-skinned grape grown primarily in Navarra and Rioja although there is now a bit of it to be found in California and Australia. A small amount of it is also grown in Languedoc under the name of Morrastel. Graciano grapes make a moderately tannic, deeply colored intensely perfumed wine with aromas of mulberry, violets and chocolate. These characteristics make it very popular with winemakers of Rioja who use it mostly in the Rioja bland with Tempranillo and Garnacha. Graciano vines are quite susceptible to mildew and on top of that, are very low-yielding which is why they have been unpopular. However like everything else that goes out of style, it is now gaining a following as a single varietal wine both in Rioja and Navarra.
Red grapes make up about 95% of all vines planted in the Navarra
DO although this percentage is decreasing somewhat as more whites are
planted. Tempranillo, Garnacha, Mazuelo
and Graciano are also the significant reds there with the addition of some
Cabernet Sauvignon.
WHITE
GRAPES
Viura (Macabeo) can be found in both the French and Spanish
Basque Country vineyards; however it is the most important white grape of La
Rioja. Viura is key to Rioja Blanco and
may be blended with some other varieties such as Malvasia, Garnacha Blanca,
Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Early
harvest will make wines aged in stainless steel that are fresh, citrusy, floral
with aromatic notes while late harvest wines are aged in oak and are honeyed,
nutty and heavier body. The fact that it
is a very versatile grape makes it perfect for still, sparkling, dry and sweet
wines. Viura, or Macabeo as it is more commonly known in Spain, is used in Catalonia
to make the traditional method sparkling wine Cava, where it is blended
primarily with Parellada and Xarel-lo.
Viura is widely planted throughout Spain and considerably planted in the
Languedoc-Roussillon region of Southern France.
The Roussillon winemakers use it in the sweet wines of Banyuls and Maury
and the rich dry wines of Corbieres and Minervois.
Malvasia is a versatile white grape capable of producing wines in dry, sparkling or sweet styles. It is now grown in Spain, Portugal, Italy, Croatia, Slovenia, Greece and the US. Even the Malmsey wine on the Portuguese island of Madeira is made from Malvasia. There are many sub-varieties grown in Douro, Portugal sometimes used to make white Port. But in Rioja and Navarra, it adds body weight and texture when blended with Viura to make White Rioja Blend. Malvasia was more dominant in White Rioja wine prior to the arrival of phylloxerra when it made oak-aged rich alcoholic wines. Then along came the 1960s and the increase of Viura which is perfect for crisper lighter whites.
Garnacha Blanca (Grenache Blanc) is a light-skinned mutation of Grenache Noir and native to northern Spain but best known for its part in French white wines particularly as one of the grapes allowed in Chateauneuf-du-Pape. It makes light golden straw-colored juice often used in a blend; however it is increasingly used to make a varietal wine. In Spain you will mainly find it along the Pyrenees, Navarra and Catalonia in particular. It is permitted in the white wines of Rioja.
The main white varieties of the Navarra DO are Viura, Garnacha Blanca, Malvasia and Chardonnay.
Newer authorized varieties
In 2007, the Regulating Council of the DOCa approved these additional varieties: Indigenous reds: Maturana Tinta (also called Maturana Parda or Maturano) and Autochthonous varieties – Whites: Maturana Blanca, Tempranillo Blanco and Turruntés or Torrontés (which is different than that planted in rest of the world) and the Foreign varieties of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Verdejo.
The classifications
And how are wines of Rioja classified?
You have probably noticed by now that the wine world is very slow
to make any major changes, but in 2018 that is exactly what happened in Rioja. The Rioja Consejo
Regulador released a new classification system!
We already have talked about the quality or regulated classifications, the most common terms of DO and DOCa, which is an appellation classification system somewhat similar to both France and Italy. Spain also has two “unregulated” label designations referred to as “country wine” and “table wine.”
Denominación de Origen (DO)includes wines that are sourced only from the designated growing regions and meet specific criteria and quality standards. These are good quality wines from over 60 Spanish wine regions usually offered at reasonable prices.
Denominación de Origen (DOC) “DOCa”, which is
similar to the Italian DOCG, is the strictest classification representing the
highest quality wines offered from Spain.
There are only two regions with this honor to date: Rioja, which was
first to be awarded, and Priorat, the second.
There is also the designation of “Vino de la Tierra” or “wines of the land” used for categorizing and naming Spanish wines that are not in DO designated growing regions. The label designation “Vino de la Tierra” romantically translates to “wines of the land” or “country wines.” Wines that don’t fall into any of the categories are called “Vino de Mesa” or “table wine” status.
For many years, the D.O. Rioja classification of wines has taken this a step further to assign a quality level to their wine. Their quality level has been based on the length of time the wine remains in the barrel. It must remain in 225-liter oak barrels for 1 to 3 years, and then in the bottle itself for 6 more months to 6 years. These are the specific levels of aging time which include the latest revisions:
Crianza: Red wines
must be aged in oak barrels and bottles for a minimum of 2 years. This is the
youngest of red wines with a minimum of 1 year in the barrel. Whites and rosés need only 6 months in the
barrel. You can expect some red fruit
flavors and subtle spices from the Tempranillo.
Reserva: Reds
must be aged in oak and bottle for a minimum of 3 years with at least one year
in the barrel and 6 months in barrels.
Whites and rosés require 2 years minimum in oak and bottles, 6 months of
which must be in oak barrels. Reserva
makes for great balanced red wines with some subtle aged flavors of spice and
dried fruit.
Gran Reserva: These are usually wines made from exceptional vintages. Total aging for red must be 5 years including a minimum of 2 years in oak and at least 2 years in the bottle. Whites and rosés need at least 5 years aging but just a 6 month minimum in barrels.
Gran
Añada: A new aging classification was added in 2018 to be used
for sparkling wine. Sparkling wine must spend at least 3 years on the lees and
age for at least 15 months. Vintage
wines must be hand-harvested.
Generic (Joven):
This classification was previously called cosecha or harvest and
was used for young wines. There is no
aging requirement; you can expect minimum use of oak. In the past, these wines were the lowest
indication of quality; however, you may now see some much higher quality
wines in this classification especially some Rioja Blanco made with Viura
grapes
Viñedos
Singulares
The most significant change is the addition of a completely new category called Viñedos Singulares. This category was added to encourage greater focus on single vineyard sites and promote the differences in regional microclimates. This system, which is similar to grading in Burgundy, now focuses on terroir! This change came after a long-running battle between the Regulatory Council of the DOCa and over 150 producers who argued that major changes were necessary to promote the value of quality over quantity and point out the differentiation in soils. Yes, they still have the same three levels of aging, but now the winemaker can add the name of the village or municipality of origin to the front label on the bottle. All 145 of them in Rioja!
Here’s what to look for on the bottle from those who use this new category. The label on the front has to indicate the name of the vineyard which must be registered as a brand. The term “Viñedo Singular” must appear directly underneath the vineyard name. The guarantee seal on the back of the bottle might read “Crianza Viñedo Singular” or “Gran Reserva Viñedo Singular”. There are some additional specifications to ensure the quality of wine in the bottle — the vineyards must be at least 35 years old, grapes have to be hand-picked, yields relatively low, and the wines have to pass a certification test by a regional tasting committee before marketing. So far there are 76 applications for this category from 44 wineries and growers.
The Vinos de Zonas
The second part of this major change is the use of “Vinos de
Municipio” and “Vinos de Zona”. The use
of these terms has been permitted since 1998; however the sub-regions of Rioja
are now known as Zonas. The sub-regions
of Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Oriental and Municipios
(municipalities)/Pueblos (villages and towns) can now be identified on the
label in the same text size as Rioja instead of just two-thirds as before. 85% of the grapes in the bottle must come
from the Zona or Municipio indicated.
Rioja used to be fairly easy to learn about as wine regions
go. It had just one appellation for the
entire 210 square mile region with over 150,000 acres of vineyards. It did however have three sub-zones based
upon a variety of terroirs and climates.
Then the Rioja Regulatory Council decided to be a bit more specific and
officially divided the region into three zonas
(zones) and allow the name of the zone to appear right on the wine label just
below the word Rioja and even in the same type size!
The D.O. Rioja region is now officially divided into 3 sub-zones and can be named on the bottle:
Rioja
Alta (High)
Occupies the westernmost portion of the region with most of its
vineyards west of Logroño on the south bank of the Ebro River and a small area
on the north bank around the villages of Abalos and San Vicente de la
Sonsierra. All vineyards are within the province
of La Rioja. Tempranillo thrives here
along with other important grapes, Graciano and Garnacha. Wines from this subzone are usually elegant,
lighter in body and lower in acid. Some
producers of note here are Muga, Marqués de Murrieta, La Rioja Alta and Marqués
de Cáceres.
Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España
………is better known as CVNE which is confusing since most people know it as “Cune” ………pronounced COO – nay. The CVNE winery, or whatever name you prefer, was founded in Haro, La Rioja, in the year 1879 by two brothers Eusebio and Raimundo Real de Asúa. Since 1879 CVNE has grown to 545 hectares of vineyards and three bodegas or wineries each with its own winery and winemaker. CVNE sits near the railroad tracks in Haro which was important to get their wines out to Bilbao and beyond. CVNE is the largest of the three, only uses grapes grown or purchased in the Rioja Alta subzone and packages the wines in a Bordeaux-style bottle. The Imperial cellar is an independent winery inside the original CVNE winery. Viña Real is a Rioja Alavesa brand that uses a Burgundy bottle and made their first vintage in 1920. The new Viña Real winery in Laguardia was completed in 2004 and is probably the most advanced winery in Spain. Then there is Viñedos del Contino in Laserna which only makes wine from its own 62 hectares of vineyards in the Rioja Alavesa.
The company’s bottom line thrives on the production of lots of Crianza classified wine, particularly CVNE Crianza which is labeled “Cune”. An early misspelling of CVNE caused this wine to forever be known as Cune. At the other end of the spectrum, the CVNE 2004 Imperial Gran Reserva was selected as the Wine Spectator number one wine of the annual Top 100 in December 2013. Real de Asúa, named after the two founders, had its first vintage in 1994. The wines of CVNE now include: CUNE, Imperial, Monopole, Real de Asúa, Viña Real, Pagos de Viña Real and Contino. CVNE celebrated its 140th anniversary in 2019 with the launch of its newest winery called Bela. Bela is an avant garde winery located in Villalba del Duero with 74 hectares of vineyards. Their first wine produced was Bela Roble 2017, a 100% Tempranillo.
CVNE has had some prominent milestones in Spanish winemaking
including the use of a pasteurizer device, “El Carmen” the largest all-concrete
winemaking facility of its day in Spain which was set up in 1940, and in 1989
use of “El Pilar”, a gravity-driven winemaking facility, began. Eiffel’s Cellar was designed by the legendary
French architect, Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel.
CVNE Rioja Monopole Clasico Blanco Seco 2015, La Rioja Alta
Monopole was the oldest registered white-wine brand in Spain and first produced by CVNE in 1915. Monopole was one of CVNE’s main wines from the early 20th century to the 1970s when it fell out of fashion, sales fell and production ceased in the 1980s. It was fresh and bone dry with some barrel aging and the addition of some Sherry wine. Some years ago a lone bottle of 1979 Monopole was found in the cellar. Upon tasting it was found to be savory, fresh, balanced and delicious! And Monopole production was reborn in 2014 after a 35 year gap!!! Today it is unoaked and made entirely from Viura with a tiny bit (5%) of Manzanilla Sherry added. Our bottle of 2015 Monopole Clasico Blanco Seco was made from hand harvested grapes put into concrete tanks; then into stainless steel for alcoholic fermentation. Then it went with its lees into vats and previously used botas for about 8 months aging. When we taste it, we expect straw yellow color with slightly golden notes, complex aromatics including gooseberry, apple and chamomile flowers. It should be elegant with saline notes and a long slightly acidic finish. The alcohol content is 13.5%. Tim Atkin rated it 94 points and Robert Parker gave it 92. VinePair rated it as their #17 wine in their Top 50 of 2018.
R.
López de Heredia Bodega
Don Rafael López de Heredia y Landeta was an enthusiastic student in the art of wine making who fell in love with the area around Haro in the Rioja Alta region. Around 1877 he began the complex now known as the López de Heredia Bodega, the oldest in Haro, one of the first three bodegas in the Rioja region and today is one of the most traditional. Today the estate covers 53,000 square meters which includes over 65,000 square feet of cellar space, up to 200 meters long and 15 meters below ground. The many cellars include the “El Calado Cellar”, which was built in 1892 with a main gallery 215 meters long stretching towards the Ebro River. Bodega Vieja, the “old cellar”, is used as the bottle vault plus the Bodega de Reservas aging area, home to very select wines. The “new cellar” Bodega Nueva was completed in 1907. “The Cemetery” is their private wine cellar. There are almost 13,000 Bordeaux oak barrels stored in those cellars. There are also 72 oak vats ranging in size from 60 hectoliters to 640 hectoliters. And they have their own cooperage! They are one of the few Spanish bodegas crafting their own barrels.
When Don Rafael first established the bodega, he decided he
couldn’t make outstanding wine without the best of materials to work with
including the vineyards. Therefore he
founded what many people consider the most famous vineyard in Rioja – Viña
Tondonia. Over 247 acres of Tondonia is
on alluvial and limestone soil along the Ebro River which also serves as the
border to the Rioja Alavesa sub-region further north. The top Reserva and Gran Reserva wines come
from Tondonia. Today the bodega owns 180
hectares (445 acres) of land with 110 currently in production. This includes the additional vineyards of Viña
Cubillo, Viña Bosconia and Viña Zaconia.
They use only estate grapes and practice organic farming. Lopez de Heredia has preferred to stay true
to their roots and traditions unlike Spain’s growing number of new-wave
producers with modern technology and new French oak. All of their wines begin in the 72 large oak
vats, some of which are 139 years old, then on to a long aging in 14,000
handmade American oak barrels. They are
frequently racked, fined with egg whites and are bottled without
filtration. They produce a wide range of
red wines at different price points.
Vino Cubillo is younger with a healthy addition of Garnacha; Bosconia
Reserva and Gran Reservas are richer and more complex. The Tondonia Reserva and Gran Reserva receive
the most critical acclaim and are made from the standard Tondonia blend of
Tempranillo, Garnacha, Graciano and Mazuelo.
Tondonia also stands out with aged and complex white Riojas and produces
some Tondonia Blanco from a small section of Viura and Malvasia. The smooth, elegant and delicious Viña Gravonia
wine comes from the 59 acres of Viura grapes planted at Viña Zaconia. About 25,000 cases of wine are produced
annually.
R. Lopez de Heredia Rioja Blanco Viña Gravonia 2009 La Rioja Alta Calificada Rioja DOC
Viña Gravonia is made from 100% Viura grapes. The 2009 is a year officially rated as VERY GOOD. It was barrel aged four years, being racked twice per year and fined with fresh egg whites. Then it rested in the bottle unfiltered at 12.5 % alcohol. 13,100 bottles were made. We expect it to be fresh and aromatic, complex and developed with some candied citrus and honeycomb, dried pear, quince, and fresh almond well balanced with a long finish. This wine is a great example of traditional style. James Suckling and Wine Spectator both scored it at 94 points.
CUNE CVNE Rioja Gran Reserva 2010 La Rioja Alta Calificada Rioja DOC
The CUNE Gran Reserva is made from hand selected grapes in their vineyards in Rioja Alta. It’s a blend of 85% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano and 5% Mazuelo. The wine was aged in American and French oak for two years and three more years in the bottle and has an alcohol content of 13.6%. Our wine should be maroon in color with a perfect balance between ripe black fruit and aromas of vanilla, toffee, leather and tar. It should be nicely rounded with balanced tannins; however there will probably be less finesse than in the Gran Reservas from Imperial, Viña Real and Contino. 50,000 bottles were produced. But with scores of 94 points WS, 92 points WE and 91 points Robert Parker, how bad can it be? Wine Spectator also selected it as their #22 wine in the Top 100 of 2016. Sounds like a winner to me!
Bodegas
Marques de Murrieta
Marques de Murrieta was founded in 1852 near Logrono in the Rioja region. Then in 1872 Peruvian –born Luciano de
Murrieta y Garcia-Lemoine purchased the Castillo Ygay estate which is still where
they produce the wines. This became the
first estate in Rioja to export their wine.
Murrieta was somewhat of an innovator – he was the first person in Rioja
to age his top red wines in oak barrels similar to Bordeaux. Up until then, the wines were sold in the
same year as production. He was also one
of the first to start exporting wines.
Then the company lost its luster and was later bought by Vicente Cebrián
Sagarriga. It is now run by his son, Vicente Dalman Cebrián.. Today Murrieta is the largest single estate
in the region with 750 acres divided into 28 separate plots growing all of
their own grapes mainly Tempranillo with smaller amounts of Garnacha, Viura,
Mazuelo, Graciano and Cabernet Sauvignon.
The current owner also has an estate in Rias Baixas and a history of
making white wines. Maybe that is why
Ygay also makes two whites. The main
focus still remains its Reserva, which makes up 85% of production and made from
the typical Rioja red Tempranillo blend.
The winemaker, Maria Vargas, is one of the highest profile women
winemakers in Rioja. The Rioja Reserva
has been shifting gradually towards a more fruit-driven terroir style of wine with
a little higher percentage of Garnacha and Graciano. This allows the Gran Reserva to better show
off the characteristics of aging. In
2016 they started making a more modern rosé further proving that Murrieta is
not totally focused on tradition.
Marques de Murrieta Rioja Ygay Reserva 2014 La Rioja Alta Calificada Rioja DOC
The Murrieta Rioja Reserva is made from a blend of Tempranillo 84%, Graciano 9%, Mazuelo 5%, and Garnacha 2% all grown on the 741-acre Ygay Estate in Rioja Alta. The grapes were de-stemmed then fermented in stainless steel tanks under controlled temperature for 8 days in constant skin contact. The wine is aged for 19 months in 225 liter American oak barrels. 2014 was a somewhat challenging vintage; however it still received 94 points from Tim Atkins, 93 from Robert Parker and 92 Wine Spectator. We are expecting to taste a great bottle of Murrieta upon opening! We will look for red cherries and some aromatic herbs on the nose, a velvety texture with round tannins and a subtle finish. 900,000 bottles were produced.
Rioja Oriental (Eastern Rioja)
Previously known as Rioja Baja (Low), this is the area east of
Logrono on both banks of the Ebro and lower in altitude. Interestingly enough, most of the vineyards
on the north side of Rioja Oriental actually lie within the province of
Navarra. This makes up the largest
portion of D.O. Rioja and represents 40% of its wine production. This zone has very dry and warm summers with
large proportions of silt and alluvial as well as ferrous clay soils. Garnacha and Tempranillo are both grown
here. The wine industry here is largely
made up of cooperatives. When
previously named Baja, producers thought the name meaning “low” denigrated the
image of their wine. So in 2017 the DOCa
Rioja approved the name change to Rioja Oriental. This name did not go over well with many both
inside Spain and US, but the name is now official.
Rioja
Alavesa (In Basque Country)
This is the smallest of the three subzones and is located on the
north bank of the Ebro River that lies entirely within the province of Alava in
the Basque Country. Alava is within the autonomous community of Pais Vasco
(Basque Country). In 1998 Alavesa was permitted to label wines Rioja Alavesa if
made from Alavesa grapes and bottled in Alavesa. Alavesa’s climate, soil and style is similar
to Alta and the two of them are considered to produce the best wines of the
region. Tempranillo is the main grape
along with Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano used for blending. Some Viura is also produced. A producer of note is Marqués de Riscal.
The Vino de Municipios
There are 144 authorized
Municipios or villages in the DOCa. 85%
of the grapes in the bottle must come from the named Municipio. The rest can come from a neighboring
Municipio. 49 wineries and 20 Municipios
have requested this labeling designation so far out of the current 145
municipalities. It is still unknown
which ones will emerge as standouts.
Single varietal white wines
There are even more changes.
Single-varietal white wines may now be sold under the Rioja Blanco
label. The amount of white grapes planted has increased to approximately 1500
hectares and close to 8% of total Rioja sales, an increase from 5% just 5 years
ago as white Rioja wines have gained in international prominence. Single varietal wines can now be produced from
any of the permitted grape varieties.
Espumosos
de Calidad de Rioja
For the first time ever Rioja has a sparkling wine
designation. It’s called Espumosos de Calidad de Rioja, somewhat
similar to Champagne, must be by the traditional method and must age for at
least 15 months. It can be made from white or rosé wines produced from any of
the native grapes of Rioja. The first
vintages will be released beginning the year of 2019, and must be labeled
“Método tradicional” Brut, Extra Brut and Brut Nature.
There’s a new aging classification
added in 2018 named “Gran Añada” to go along with the new sparkling wine
designation. Sparkling wine must spend at least 3 years on the lees and age for
at least 15 months. Vintage wines must
be hand-harvested. Hopefully this new
classification will not be confused with the existing Cava sparkling wines.
Rosado or Rosé wines
Rosé or “rosado” wines can now be made in a lighter color since it
appears that the lighter color rosés of Provencal have been much more
successful in the market than a Spanish rosado.
Bodegas Muga
You can find
Bodega Muga in Haro located in the Alta subzone of Rioja. It is among some of the oldest wine ventures
in Rioja and is considered one of the region’s most important winemaking
families even if it is less than 100 years old!
Muga was established in 1932 and
moved to its current location in 1970. Their
70,000 hectares of vineyards can produce around 2 million bottles of very high
quality wines annually. It’s still
family owned, and now the third generation is leading the charge. They have led the modernization of the winery
during the last few decades in which Rioja has become transformed during this
time as well. Muga still makes extremely
classical wines with malolactic fermentation and aging performed in oak and egg
whites used for fining. The reds are
fermented in oak vats (each one of their big tanks can hold 55,000 liters), aged
in American oak casks, and then racked every four months. You won’t find any stainless steel tanks here!
They are also one of the few wineries with their own cooperage, so if you are
in the Haro area, Muga is definitely worth a visit. The Mugas go to France every winter to
personally inspect the trees and select them for their barrels. They use 100% indigenous yeasts and rack by
gravity. The wine is inspected by
candlelight during racking to watch for sediments. Muga makes classical
Crianza, Reserva and Prado Enea Gran Reserva, the Prado Enea being made from
high altitude vines close to the boundaries of the western end of Rioja or Alavesa
in the Basque Country. This makes
perfect sense as ‘Muga’ actually means “border” in Basque. It is also well-known for “Torre” Muga and “Aro”
Muga. James Suckling gave the 2016 Aro
100 points! Not to mention the 99 points
for the 2011 Prado Enea and 98 for the 2016 Torre.
Winemaker Jorge Muga
has been working with grapes other than their main grape, Tempranillo – he puts
around 20-30% of Garnacha, Graciano and Mazuelo in his Tempranillo blend. He also barrel-ferments a white made from
Viura with a bit of Malvasia. Muga makes
Cava Conde de Haro from Viura and several Rosados. Muga Rosado is made from a blend of Garnacha,
Viura and Tempranillo grown in the upper Najerilla Valley, one of the 7 valleys
in the Rioja wine region which is known for its very old vineyards with
Tempranillo and Garnacha vines between 80-100 years old. The extra special Flor de Muga Rosé
is made from 100% Grenache grapes grown in specially selected plots. On a
personal note, I can still recall that very first bottle of Rosé
that I ever drank – it was a Muga Rosado!
And I loved it!
As previously
mentioned, with the change in classifications from the Rioja Consejo Regulador,
rosado or rosés can now be made in a lighter color more closely
resembling the rosés of Provence. You
can now expect to see Muga rosés with a very pale pink color.
Bodegas Muga Flor de Muga Rosé 2017
The first thing you will notice when looking at a bottle of Muga “Flor de Muga”, or “Wine Flower of Muga” Rosé, is the very pale pink color of the wine not at all unlike a Provence Rosé but quite different from the salmon color Artazu Rosado of Navarro. The Flor de Muga is made from specially selected plots of 70-90 year old Grenache grapevines growing at 600-750 meters altitude. The soils in the upper Najerilla Valley are made up of clay-limestone and red iron-clay soil. The grapes are handpicked, given short 12 hour skin contact maceration and only 50% of the purest free run juices are used. They are fermented in very small oak vats for 15-20 days; then kept on its lees for at least 4 months. The result is a light pale rosé with an elegant fresh nose, hints of peach, strawberry and white flowers. It should have a full and fleshy palate with a long finish. The alcohol content is 13.5%. James Suckling 94 points; Wilfred Wong 93; Robert Parker 91; and Wine Spectator 90.
We have been “Basque…ing” in the Pyrenees!
That wraps up our latest forkandcorkdivine wine region “armchair” adventure. Our Basque Country travels are now complete. We covered a lot of territory! We have traveled between two countries, crossed the Pyrenees Mountains and visited seven different provinces of France and Spain that make up the ancient and exciting Basque Region. We have learned about a variety of grapes and wines – some probably quite unfamiliar to many of us – and others that many of us have known about for quite a few years. We’ve learned about the French Basque wine of the Irouleguy AOP including the Tannat blend and the lesser known Blanc blend of Gros and Petit Manseng and Courbu. Crossing the Pyrenees into Spain, most of us probably have never even heard of Txakoli wine and surely not the Hondarrabi Zuri or Beltza grapes unless we have visited the Basque Pais Vasco where you would most likely have enjoyed Pintxos with your Txakoli. On to another part of Basque Country – the Kingdom of Navarra. The wines of Navarra have traditionally showcased Rosados in the past, but Navarra is now coming into its own with a good selection of reds, whites and rosés. Then who hasn’t enjoyed the wines of La Rioja where Tempranillo is king? After all it even received the very first DOC status of Spain, and one of La Rioja’s three subzones is part of Basque Country. Some of the best red wines in the world have come from this part of Spain. And then there is the food! You can eat like a Basque shepherd in France and cook up some of Paula Wolfert’s delicious and famous Southwest France recipes or have a taste of everything by trying all of those Pintxos and Tapas like a true Spaniard.
The winemakers have various
philosophies in Basque Country, just like we have learned about in so many
other wine regions. While there are many
who still embrace the traditional methods, there is a younger generation of
winemakers attempting to modernize the industry. But quite often you will find the middle of
the road is still most favored with just the right blend of the old traditions
mixed with some new modern technology and ideas. And even better, the cost of wines from these
areas are a pretty good value that will give you a great tasting experience
without breaking the bank. Now that is
something that this winelover can really appreciate!
So once again we repeat – be
adventurous! Branch out a bit and try
different wines. Drink the Txakoli and eat the Pintxos! You may just find out that you have really
been missing out on a great experience. Forkandcorkdivine will be hosting a Basque
Country wine dinner for a small group of our winelover foodie friends in the
very near future. We will taste a number of wines from Basque Country (with a
few extras from the rest of Rioja for good measure!) and we will pair them all
appropriately with food that we lovingly prepare. Just in case you think that whipping up a
little wine dinner menu is a quick and easy task, here is a humorous quote from
my husband Chuck who is forced to endure (and yes assist!) throughout each one
of these wine and culinary adventures:
“A wine dinner based on the Pyrenees almost brought Linda to her knees. Creating a menu that was Basque was a monumental task, but she did it with grace and ease”.
from Chuck Rakos
I don’t know about “grace and
ease”, but I do know that I am passionate about the entire learning experience
and can’t imagine how boring our life would be without it. You can be sure to read all about our Basque
Country dinner – “Txakoli, Pintxos and Tapas” – in the next forkandcorkdivine article. And of course there will be many pictures of
the food and wine. Then on to our next
adventure – topic yet to be determined!
Where would you go next?
All of the information that I used to
prepare this article is available on the internet and the following books: “The
wine Bible” by Karen MacNeil; “Wine Folly: the Master Guide” Magnum Edition by
Madeline Puckette and Justin Hammack and “The World Atlas of Wine” by Jancis
Robinson and Hugh Johnson. Please accept
my apologies if there is any incorrect data or information; I try to verify
from several sources.
Just use a little imagination and come along with forkandcorkdivine.com and some of our wine lover foodie friends for Part 2 of our armchair adventure through the wine regions of Tre Venezie. No, sad to say we weren’t actually in Trentino or Alto Adige, but it was as close as we could get without leaving Southwest Florida.
Trentino-Alto Adige is in the northeastern corner of Italy, and if you didn’t actually know you were in Italy, you might think you were in Austria or Germany. After all, this region was under Austro-Hungarian rule prior to becoming Italian in 1919, and many people of that heritage live here. You will hear people speaking German, see German signs, even German on the wine labels. Germans know their region as Sudtirol or South Tyrol in English. Foods like goulash and dumplings are really popular. This region is also known for their aromatic, fresh, floral, fruity, full-bodied, food friendly white wines. Two-thirds of the wine produced here is white, but you will also find some very good local reds. Most of the wine produced here is DOC quality. Our mission to accomplish for this wine dinner event —– showcasing the Austro-German-Hungarian food and culture and highlighting those white wines.
“Benvenuto in Trentino-Alto Adige” served up a selection of really tasty wines from the region all paired up with food authentic to the area and guaranteed to compliment the wines. Dinner was lovingly prepared and served by our hosts Doug and Anita Jenkins. Anita is a world-class home cook in the kitchen, and Doug makes an excellent “sommelier”. If anyone could accomplish our mission, they could! So off to Anita’s kitchen. I can still smell that wonderful gulasch and pollo brasato cooking!!! Let the adventure begin!
Tre Venezie
Benvenuto in Trentino-Alto
Adige
Saturday, May 25, 2019
Antipasti
Anita is known for dining with a French flair. She and Doug visit relatives in France often. Her dinners always begin with appetizers or in this case “antipasti” in the living room. This is the time for guests to get comfortable, catch up on news and enjoy some light dishes paired with several appropriate wines …….just enough to get us prepared and anxious for what we know is yet to come! Anita’s Trentino-Alto Adige antipasti met our expectations and more.
Pane Tostato Salato
Alta Badia
Savory Bread Toasts
Alta Badia ia a cheese made from pasteurized cow’s milk in the Alta Badia Valley of the Dolomite Mountains in Alto Adige. Alta Badia is a popular ski resort. The cheese develops light brown rind after six months and is closed texture straw color inside. It’s good as a table cheese or in this case, was excellent melted in the oven on our bread.
“Pane Tostato Salato ” Alta Badia Savory Bread Toasts
Involtini di Speck ad
Asparagi
Speck and
Asparagus Scrolls
Asparagus was wrapped with smoked Mozzarella and Speck, a smoked prosciutto from Trentino-Alto Adige, then placed in the oven for about 10 minutes until that cheese was melted! This version beats serving cold wrapped asparagus hands down!!
“Involtini di Speck ad Asparagi” Speck and Asparagus Scrolls
Mortadella alla Griglia
Grilled
Mortadella
We love our Mortadella sliced from the deli on a sandwich, and we know about fried bologna sandwiches, but grilled Mortadella! YES, YES, YES. Get big thick slices, cut it in cubes, grill it off for some grill marks or pan fry, maybe drizzle some balsamic on it or not, and serve it with some aioli and horseradish sauce. So easy and we guests absolutely loved it! Delicious with a glass of Pinot Grigio from Alto Adige.
“Mortadella alla Griglia” grilled Mortadella
Castagne Stufate
Wine Braised Chestnuts
Chestnuts are not just for the Thanksgiving stuffing! They are especially oh so delicious when braised in wine and served with several other Italian Antipasti. Good with both the Pinot Grigio and the Lagrein.
“Castagne Stufate” wine braised chestnuts
Conte
Fini Pinot Grigio 2017 Alto Adige
The Conte Fini with its bright citrus fruit flavors, full bodied and mineral notes was a great introduction to our evening of white wines (plus two reds!). The Pinot Grigios were all unique.
Kupelwieser Pinot Grigio 2017 Alto Adige
Fritz Kupelwieser planted his Alto Adige vineyard in 1878. The current wines are fresh and lively with an elegant style right down to the stylish design on the bottles. The Fritz Pinot Grigio comes from vineyards on the valley floor of Alto Adige. Kupelwieser ensures the high quality of the wine by sticking to a low grape yield. The wine is straw yellow with delicate fruity aromas, subtle tones of pears, excellent acidity and a soft full dry finish. You can cellar this wine for 2-3 years. We were happy to drink now!
Kupelwieser
Lagrein 2016 Alto Adige
Lagrein grapes are unique to Alto Adige and are also grown to a low yield for outstanding quality wine. The destemmed grapes are fermented for 8-10 days under temperature control; the must is kept in contact with the skins. 70% of the wine is aged for 12 months in large oak barrels and the rest in 2-3 year old small French oak barriques. It is then aged in bottle for 6 more months resulting in ruby to dark garnet red wine with intense, complex, spicy aroma and fresh perfume of wild berries and violets. There is a good amount of tannins, soft velvety body and a lightly spicy finish. You can cellar this for 6-8 years. It paired nicely with our Antipasti.
La Minestra
Tirolese Canederli al Brodo
Tirolese Bread Dumplings in Broth
What a way to start our dinner! Canederli or Knodel are typical of the Tyrol especially in the cities of Trento and Bolzano. Who ever thought little balls of bread stuffing could be so absolutely delicious! These little balls of bread were stuffed with speck, seasoned with herbs, then cooked in a rich meat broth. This recipe is supposed to have come from peasant farmers using up stale leftover bread. I really want to have lots of “leftover” and stale bread to see if I can meet the standard set by Anita. Doug paired the Canderli with two outstanding wines by Tiefenbrunner. They were both great wines and we were not unanimous in our choice for this pairing. Of course, I am impartial – I loved them both equally!!!
Tiefenbrunner has the highest vineyard in Europe! The Castel Turmhof Wine Estate is in its fifth generation of family operation. Sabine and Christof Tiefenbrunner produce over 20 types of wine. They have 60 acres of vineyards mainly on the mountain slopes around the castle which is on the Wine Route of South Tyrol. Our first wine was “Merus” Pinot Bianco in Italian aka Weissburgunder in German. These 100% Pinot Bianco grapes were fermented under temperature control in stainless steel tanks then aged on the lees in concrete vats. The result is a fresh elegant wine pale yellow in color with flowery, fruity notes of apples and tropical fruits, and fresh mineral acidity on the finish. I’ve become a big fan of Pinot Bianco since drinking it from Friuli.
Pinot Nero (Noir) is an international grape that really grows well in northeastern Italy. It likes the cool weather and soil here. This Pinot Nero by Tiefenbrunner came from 6 acres at 1470-3200 feet above sea level. The grapes were fermented on the skins in stainless steel tanks for 12 days, then aged in barriques and barrels for 8 months. The wine is ruby red with aromas of raspberries, red cherries, strawberries and violets, red berry flavors with crisp acidity and a nice soft round finish. I could drink this Pinot often!
Primi
Pollo Brasato al Ginepro con Patate
Braised Chicken with Juniper Berries
and Potatoes
Here we are in the mountains – in fact mountains with very dizzying heights – so foods that are braised on the stovetop or in the oven like goulash and stew are the norm. Anita made this classic Tyrolean dish by browning chicken thighs and then cooking them in red wine with herbs, carrots and potatoes. There were a few extra special ingredients, like the bay leaves harvested from Anita’s bay tree, and the green onions that were so beautiful on top of the simmering pot. But do not omit the juniper berries! These little berries have a piney taste with citrus overtones and are often used in European and Scandinavian cooking. Juniper berries are the female seed cone produced by certain species of junipers. They have a piney taste with citrus overtones and many medicinal uses and by the way, are used to flavor GIN! So if your recipe calls for juniper berries and you just ran out of them, you can add a tiny bit of gin to your recipe! I would never recommend picking some off your juniper tree although I know some people do just that. And how was that chicken? It was tender, the meat fell off the bone, full of flavor and paired so well with both the Pinot Grigio and the Muller-Thurgau.
Abbazia
di Novacella Stiftskellerei Neustift Pinot Grigio 2015
Valle Isaro Alto Adige 92
pts JS; 91 W & S; 90 WE
The abbey was founded in 1142 by the Augustinian order of Canon Regular in the little town of Novacella in the Isarco or Eisack River Valley. Abbazia di Novacella is a huge complex including church, library, museum, gardens, convention center, boarding school, restaurant and…….a wine estate! In fact they are known for making world class white wines here. This particular Pinot Grigio started out in gravelly soil between 1969-2461 feet above sea level. Two-thirds of it was fermented and stored in stainless steel tanks and the other third in oak casks for 6 months. It had a straw yellow color with aromas of citrus fruits, peach and honeydew melons; orchard fruit flavors and tangy acidic full elegant finish. James Suckling gave it 92 points, and it was my favorite Pinot Grigio of the night.
Tiefenbrunner
“Feldmarschall Von Fenner” Müller Thurgau 2016
Südtirol/Alto
Adige 94 pts WE
I was so anxious to taste this wine which is the “flagship” wine of Tiefenbrunner. It was made from 100% Müller-Thurgau grapes grown at 3280 feet above sea level. The red soil is characterized by glacier rock, silty-loamy sand, white and red marble, granite rocks, dolomite and limestone. It is no surprise that the soil has a high salt content which really adds to the fruit and herb aromas of the 94 point Wine Enthusiast rated wine. Half of the grapes were fermented in large wooden barrels and half in stainless steel all without added yeast. The wine is light straw yellow with notes of white flowers and yellow fruits, peach and apricot and fresh acidity. You can cellar this wine for 10 years or more and the mineral notes become more prominent as it ages. It really delivered for me!
Secondi
Gulasch alla Tirolese con Polenta
Tyrolean Goulash with Polenta
As we said before, goulash is typical of the Tyrolean region. After smelling the aroma of it simmering on Anita’s stovetop, we were ready to taste! The diced beef was browned with onions and simmered in some more wine (of course!) until fork tender with herbs and spices and pancetta. You can serve goulash on polenta, with a side of polenta or skip the polenta and go with mashed potatoes or maybe some of our new favorite – bread dumplings. This meat was so tender and the sauce so flavorful that we were all in Tyrolean culinary heaven! And our wine pairing? This was our chance to drink wine made by one of the most famous women winemakers in the world.
Foradori Vigneti
delle Dolomiti Teroldego 2015 Trentino
Elizabetta Foradori is a key figure in Italian winemaking who put Trentino and its native grapes on the map. She is considered to be one of the most influential female winemakers in the world. She took over the winery from her father in 1984 and in 1986 started making Granato old-vine Teroldego which later became their flagship wine. By 2002 she had converted the winery to biodynamics and became fully Demeter certified in 2009. She also makes natural wine in clay amphorae. Foradori is considered the leading producer of Teroldego wine.
Dolci
Bavarese alla Fragola con Budino al Latte e Cioccolato
Strawberry Bavarian with Milk Pudding and
Chocolate
As if the light and creamy Strawberry Bavarian wasn’t enough to satisfy our sweet tooth for the dessert course, Anita added a layer of chocolate pudding topped off with strawberry fans and fresh mint leaves. The whole effect was beautiful and really tasty with a Tramin Gewürztraminer . We know that Gewürztraminer is a perfect pairing for Asian and Middle Eastern spicy foods, but it’s fruity and delicate floral notes went extremely well with the layers of Strawberry Bavarian and Chocolate Pudding.
Cantina Tramin is a co-operative winery founded in 1898 which now represents 290 members across 620 acres in the Tramin area of Alto Adige. The town of Tramin is home to the Gewürztraminer grape which is high in natural sugar and makes off-dry wines with a big bouquet of lychees. It may also have aromas of roses, passion fruit and floral notes. It might possibly even have a tiny spritz of fine bubbles. This particular wine is 100% Gewürztraminer that came from 100 acres of vineyards 990-1485 feet above sea level. The grapes were fermented in stainless steel tanks for 10 days, then aged for 5 months. What we got in the glass was straw-yellow in color with scents of peaches and fresh cut grass over hints of white spices. Those tropical flavors of lychee certainly complimented our Strawberry Bavarian and Budino dessert. What a great finish to our dinner!
Our Trentino-Alto Adige wines of the night.
Mission accomplished! We set out to showcase the Austrian-German-Hungarian foods representative of the Trentino-Alto Adige wine region of Italy while pairing Anita’s delicious foods with some excellent examples of the wines from the Trentino-Alto Adige wine region. We had six wines from the “white wine heaven” of Alto Adige including Pinot Grigio, Pinot Bianco, Müller-Thurgau and Gewürztraminer plus the indigenous Lagrein red and an international Pinot Nero. Trentino was represented with Teroldego, probably the most famous red of that region.
Even more of an accomplishment is the completion of our adventure to eat and drink our way through the entire Tre Venezie while pausing occasionally to educate ourselves along the way. Between our two wine dinners, 8 adventurous winelover foodies tasted 19 different wines including Prosecco, Classico Brut Sparkling, Bardelino Chiaretto, Bianco Super White, Gewürztraminer, Müller-Thurgau, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Bianco, Friulano (a Radikon orange), Lagrein, Pinot Nero, Ripasso, Soave (Garganega), Teroldego, Amarone della Valpolicella, and Torcolato from Breganze. We visited the Veneto, Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Trentino-Alto Adige. We prepared and ate 18 different menu items including everything from borlotti bean and tomato salad and spring minestrone with fava beans; to frico Friulano; to porcini gnocchi, polenta and bread dumplings, to Speck and Mortadella; smoked trout, braised chestnuts, and scallops; chicken with juniper berries; gulasch to crispy pork belly and spezzatino. We served up a number of DOP cheeses: Montasio, Asiago of 3 different ages, Fior d’Arancio Blue with Orange, and Alta Badia. Of course there were delicious dolci items of almond torte with chocolate chips and strawberry bavarian with chocolate budino. Thank goodness, we had two evenings and about ten hours to complete out mission!
Once again these food and wine adventures could not happen without the participation of our friends. Special thanks to Doug and Anita Jenkins for hosting our dinner in Trentino-Alto Adige, preparing the foods and sharing their wines. My Tre Venezie adventure is complete after about 4 months of research, planning and presenting. Where to next? We have some great ideas……………….stay tuned to see where the food and wine takes us! Ciao for now.
