MERRY EDWARDS RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY SAUVIGNON BLANC (2012)

“Persuasion is a strong but subdued outrider.” --- Harold Bloom

Stubborn me. Try as I do to keep an open mind, there are times even now when I’m not open to “new” ideas.  They needn’t even be “new” - just experienced previously as unpleasant by me.  But a one or two time experience is not a thing of always. And while it is important to learn what it is in a wine that you like, what characteristics and styles of it that you prefer, that too can be a trap.  The yin and the yang of wine.  Without knowing what it is you like (and why) you’re unable to venture out with any direction.  Do you prefer Sirah or Shiraz?  Same grape. Different wine styles. We could debate which is more elegant (an emotionally charged word) but would probably agree that Shiraz is generally fruitier, fuller bodied and higher in alcohol.  Does knowing that you prefer fruitier wine become helpful when you’re shopping for Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon? Of course. That’s the “yin” of wine.   

So as someone who has long preferred Sancerre or Pouilly Fume, I came to understand the preference of my palate: subdued fruit, somewhat austere and with minerality. For me, Sauvignon Blanc is all about fresh and being a little racy. Oaking Sauvignon Blanc just seemed wrong. And the more I continued enjoying my palate’s preference, and knowing why my palate preferred it so, the more set I became in my opinion.  Thus was born my “yang” of wine, a restrictive trap.

Perfect with halibut in lemon-butter-caper sauce

All that changed during a private tasting at the winery. The winery had been moved to the top of my wish list after being unable to include it in a previous trip to Sonoma.  Merry Edwards is famous for her single vineyard Pinot Noirs. And the story about her Sauvignon Blanc goes that she developed it after an invitation from the White House in which California wines were being featured with the dinner. It was suggested that a “white” wine would be more appropriate. I have no way of verifying what was relayed to me, and common sense says one doesn’t just make wine quickly. But it’s sensible that such dinners are planned considerably in advance. And as I said, that’s the story.

Fact or fancy, the story deserves to be true because the wine is unique and enticing.  The winemaker’s notes explain that the rich core (54%) of the blend is sourced from vines 25-35 years old. Sauvignon Musque (at 20%) adds floral aromatics and depth not present in other types of Sauvignon Blanc. The balance (26%) is comprised of the classic Shenandoah (Clone 1) and is the more common throughout California.

In the glass, it appears pale lemon falling quickly to a watery edge; not something I expected to see from an oaked Sauvignon, and (for me) very heartening. The nose is fresh, another surprise. Whispered notes of citrus, orange blossom, gooseberry, and ripe pear invite a taste. And tasting it is where the magic begins.  The mouthfeel is rich and luscious as a result of barrel fermentation and lees stirring. There’s weight to this wine, making it suitable for many food pairings, yet it magically retains freshness. Lots of citrus, but melon balancing the citrus. Gooseberry plays against pear. Lime with minerality but also floral notes. Lemon that is creamy with hints also of orange crème. A whisper of smoke adds interest. But the magic doesn’t end yet. Despite the smoke, the wine finishes crisply. This is a balancing act that has been perfected.

                                                                                        

I suspect, but do not know, that most of the oak is neutral.  Detailed information about vinification is not readily available.  But then again, we don’t taste information other than what it presents itself as on our palates. There is a subtlety to this wine that intrigues. An experience that lingers and invites re-visiting while making each such revisit a fresh experience. And indeed, that is magic, perhaps best left to mystify us.

Cheers!

……………….. Jim

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Merry Edwards Winery                                                    

2959 Gravenstein Hwy.

North Sebastopol, CA 95472

(888) 388-9050

Web: www.merryedwards.com

ALC:      13.9%

ARP:     $32.

REVIEWS: 91-93 Points Wine Spectator, 91 Connoisseurs Guide.

 

CASTELLARE VIN SANTO SAN NICCOLO

"Wine has been a part of civilized life for some seven thousand years. It is the only beverage that feeds the body, soul and spirit of man and at the same time stimulates the mind..." - Robert Mondavi

Think Chianti and you’re probably thinking Sangiovese, perhaps even blended with up to 10% Canaiolo and another percentage of international varieties. But Chianti made from Malvasia Bianca and Trebbiano Toscano?  In Chianti?  Well yes, because Chianti (in Tuscany) is also a place and within it, wines can be made that have no Sangiovese whatever. One such is Vin Santo, a dessert wine that, when made sweet, goes better with anise-flavored biscotti than a margarita pizza.

Its origin goes back to at least the middle ages and, while some changes have been made in the type of wood used (chestnut has given way to some use of oak which extracts fewer harsh tannins and is less porous), the technique used is essentially the same. Grapes are hung in bunches in order to wither (inside a ventilated environment – other producers use reed mats).  The longer the grapes are allowed to dry and desiccate, the higher the residual sugar will be in the wine.  Hence, Vin Santo may be made resulting in varying levels of sweetness – from bone dry, like a Fino Sherry to the moderately sweet style of this 2005 vintage Castellare Vin Santo. It is common for grapes to lose about 60% of their volume during this process. The method of drying grapes (called appassimento) is the same as that used in making the delicious Amarone della Valpolicella from the Veneto region. Other areas, such as the Greek island of Santorini, have also produced wine from desiccated grapes.

Fermentation for Vin Santo is carried out slowly in small barrels, called Caratelli (holding 50 liters, about 13.2 gallons). For comparison, a standard French Barrique will hold 224 liters (59.17 gallons).  These smaller barrels are necessary because they are often stored in warm attics where heat promotes oxidation and barrel weight becomes a safety issue for people working below.  The wine is then aged in these same barrels a minimum of three years, depending upon DOC regional requirements.  San Niccolo’s Vin Santo is aged five years then an additional 8 months in bottle.

So what can you expect out of the bottle?  If I knew nothing about these wines, but was familiar with Madera, I would appreciate a similarity while respecting differences. In the glass, the wine is amber, with thick and slow moving tears. The nose presents grape spirit high notes and the Madera like similarity. Dried apricot is evident. I also enjoyed – and this is strange – an aroma reminding me of Bananas Foster. Then I realized it was caramel as from the flambé. 

Barrels of Vin Santo are not topped off, allowing a level of controlled oxidation.  The oxidation adds burnished notes throughout and contributes to the wine’s complexity.  On the palate, the wine offered apricot, dried fruit, caramel, chestnut, raisin, toffee, dried fig and a Grand Marnier quality of orange peel. Tongue coating, and moderately sweet, the wine is balanced against spirit and acidity so as not to be unctuous.  It has a zesty acidity that finishes cleanly, thanks to the level of acidity naturally occurring in both Malvasia and Trebbiano that counter-punches the sweetness developed in the process of drying the grapes.  Well-made vintage Vin Santo can last for decades under good storage conditions.  

If you’re still upset that there’s no Sangiovese in this wine, take heart.  Sangiovese may be used to produce a rose style known as Occhio di Pernice, but that’s another story.

Salute!

…………….. Jim

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TECH SPECS:

D.O.C.                          Vin Santo Del Chianti Classico

                                    (Tuscany – Chianti – Vin Santo del Chianti Classico)

Grapes:                        Malvasia Bianca (60%), Trebbiano Toscano (40%) Both white

Age of Vines:               10/15 Years

Soil:                             Calcareous Clay-Loam

Elevation:                    1450 ft., Southwest Exposure

Vintage:                       2005

Vinification:                 Oak & Chestnut, Small Barrel* All Neutral (20-30 years age)

·         Robert Parker states aging is in 110 liter Fr & Am Oak Barrels. Producer states Oak &

Chestnut Caratelli.

Aging:                          5 Years in Wood, 8 Additional Months in Bottle

Clarification:                Bentonite-Gelatin

Alc:                               16%
Avg. Production           3000

Bottle Size:                  375ml

ARP:                             $55 U.S.

Scores:                         Parker 94, Galloni 94, Wine Spectator 91, Wine Enthusiast 89

           

CASAS del BOSQUE SAUVIGNON BLANC GRAN RESERVA

“One of the disadvantages of wine is that it makes a man mistake words for thoughts.”
-  Samuel Johnson

I recall tasting a Zinfandel aged in Gambia barrels. It was an interesting experience, mostly so because no one at the dinner party could identify the varietal.  Among other things, the wood had so changed the natural character of the grape that identifying it was impossible without a DNA kit.  Was it a Petite Sirah?  Yes, you would think so, but that’s not what Zinfandel should taste like.  Delicious?  Actually, it was. But what’s the point?  What other Zin could you contrast this bottle against fairly?  It was not representative of the grape.  What it was was so unique as to become a variety of one.

Maybe I need to be more open minded. All wine is manipulated after all. Just tasting free run juice will convince you how essential vinification is to the flavor of unvinified juice.   But it does seem that wine can be over manipulated and, in the process, lose its varietal character, its natural essences. I have long felt that way about Sauvignon Blanc.  It’s naturally acidic and fresh. A perfect summer refresher. Oaking it just seems wrong. Would you oak Riesling? To quote a great New Yorker cartoon, “Is Nothing Sacred?” But then I tasted an oaked version made by someone more famous for making Pinot Noir in Sonoma than Sauvignon Blanc.  It worked. Very well. With that lesson under my belt, I was willing to try another; ergo the Chilean Gran Reserva!

First thing to know is that unlike Spain, Chile has no legal definition for applying the term “Grand Reserva”. Affixing that term to the label is left to the discretion of the estate. It may or may not be applied due to better barrels being used, or a selection of superior grapes from their best vineyards being selected.  But it is not associated with aging length. The only requirement is that oak be used.

I also have to admit my inherent preferences

(call them base-line prejudices). In Sauvignon Blanc, I prefer Sancerre or Pouilly Fume. But I’ve had Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand (of course, it’s the law here), various states in the U.S., in white Bordeaux, and others from South Africa, Australia and parts elsewhere.  Despite this background, I wasn’t prepared at all for this experience.  A wine so totally different, yet remaining true to the grape’s character. The grapefruit is there, but not in the concentration of New Zealand's style. There was a cooked herbaceous quality to the wine’s aroma (asparagus?) that cousined the green tint to the wine’s otherwise lemon color.  But the taste was lively; bright even, though veiled through a sheeting of gun flint and quinine.

Somehow, fruit got through all this: lime and honeysuckle. Some passionfruit. guava and kiwi, but again veiled, this time through whispers of smoke. Not obstructive. Not intrusive. Interesting. Throw in some gooseberry. If you can imagine this, you’ll understand why I was intrigued. And somehow, the finish ends brightly on an acidic freshness with salinity.

Grapes are from Casa del Bosque’s own vineyards, about 70 kilometers (43.4 miles) from Santiago, the capital of Chile, and from their vineyards in the coolest, westernmost reaches of the Casablanca Valley.   While my opinion, or that of anyone is not, nor should be, a deciding factor, I’ll be buying more of this wine again just to better appreciate the rendition.  You may have read Hamlet, and seen it acted a dozen times, even seen it on the screen. But you’ll still pick up a nuance in a different production that makes the experience new. That’s how I felt with this Sauvignon Blanc from Casa del Bosque.  Vinous awarded it 91 points; Stephen Tanzer 91. And I? I plan to re-live the experience for the sheer interest of it.

Salud!

…………………… Jim

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TECH SPECS

Grapes were destemmed, crushed to stainless via a chiller and kept at 4c/39f, then cold soaked 74 hours. Free run juice then drained by gravity. Remaining skins and juice then pneumatic pressed and left to cold settle at 10c/50f for 4 days. Following this, 26% was racked to stainless and inoculated with selected yeasts and ultra-cool fermented (6.5c/44f). After fermentation, this was aged 2 months on gross lees (without stirring) before being blended. The remaining 74% was fermented with selected yeasts in 2nd and 3rd use French oak with temps peaking at 22c/72f. Post fermentation, the barrels were stirred weekly, after which (two months later) the barrel and tank components were blended, cold stabilized and filtered.

Variety :                               Sauvignon Blanc, 64% clone 107, 36% clone 242.

Avg. Age of Vines               9 Yrs.

Soil Comp.                           Hillside, red clay and decomposed granite

Alc:                                      14%

pH:                                        3.24

TA (Total Acidity):               6.3 g/L (grams per Liter)

RS (Residual Sugar):            2.2 g/L

Volatile Acidity                    0.39 g/L

ARP:                                    <$15.00 U.S.

   

LYNFRED CHARDONNAY, 2015

“The discovery of a good wine is increasingly better for mankind than the discovery of a new star.” – Leonardo da Vinci

If I tell people that I’m writing another piece about Chardonnay, I can almost hear the yawn over my internet connection. But someone is not being truthful. Chardonnay is the largest planting in California. It was not always so.  And Chardonnay is more widely distributed worldwide than any other variety.  It’s malleable, more so I think than any other grape. Dry, oaked, unoaked, classic in Champagne and used in sweet wine, it’s a grape for all palates.

Making good Chardonnay is a rite of passage for vintners, and so many offerings are delicious. But every so often, one is offered – a particular vintage from a particular winery that goes over the mark and is exceptional, surprising and memorable: A wine both for summer enjoyment by itself and also enjoyable with food.  One versatile, delicious bottle that travels from the table on the deck to the table in the dining room.

My most recent experience of this came with tasting Lynfred’s 2015 Chardonnay. Grapes are sourced from Heringer Vineyards in Clarksburg, California and are planted specifically for Lynfred by the vineyard. On the nose, I enjoyed expected citrus, but also a hint of peach, pear and apricot pit.  Most inviting, however, was its clean, fresh scent. Everything about this wine said “fresh” and was sip inviting while at the same time making a taste at the expense of continued enjoyment of the aroma a sacrifice.

There’s a slight caramel-butter taste in the wine that softens the citrusy acid. It’s a pleasing push-pull of sensation enhanced by the creamy lanolin mouthfeel of the wine on the palate. Citrus peel carries into the taste along with key lime and (most enjoyable for me) jasmine.

I paired this wine with numerous dishes. Lynfred suggests a Watercress, Endive & Grilled Peach Salad (see their website for recipe). I made halibut with a butter-lemon-caper sauce and enjoyed the wine’s acidity cutting through the sauce and cleansing the palate. It worked equally well with shrimp burgers I made. Grilled scallops with orange segments were fun too. A green salad with grilled chicken dressed in a raspberry vinaigrette? No problem. The wine wasn’t put off by the vinaigrette. Its artistry is in its versatility; chameleon like, it seems lighter weighted when necessary and fuller bodied as needed; one wine.

No, one bottle didn’t do all this. I so enjoyed the wine, I went back to the winery several times, and piecemealed together a case bottle by bottle. The winery also recommends pairing this wine with grilled trout, pork loin, stuffed mushrooms and glazed turkey. I can see all these working very well because the wine’s strong point is its balance.  While there’s enough acid, for sure, it’s not out front.  While the wine is aged in oak, it’s not out front.  Texture is enhanced by oak, but the resulting wine is not a vanilla one act play and there are no overdosing traces of charred wood smoke.  In fact, the wood is muted and, I suspect, only a small percentage used is new. *

While fresh, the wine has body. The finish is crisp and medium-length but so inviting you will want another sip, starting again the cycle of aroma-taste confliction.  I tasted Lynfred’s 2015 Chardonnay against two well regarded Saint-Veran. Saint Veran is an AOC requiring its wine be 100% Chardonnay and it borders its famous neighbor, Pouilly-Fuisse, in fact sharing soil type.  In the Maconnais sub-region, these wines are white Burgundies. I enjoy many styles of Chardonnay in the summer because the wines  lend themselves nicely against the lighter foods I seem to prefer in warm weather. And Saint Veran, lighter in style than some famous and oakier White Burgundies from other areas, seemed a fair comparison.  In each tasting against the two Saint-Veran (which will go unnamed), I (and my guest) preferred the Lynfred.  Fresher, clean, with lively acidity, it presented a balance of fruit to acid that made the wine refreshing, light and zippy but without being so acidic as to pose a hazard to your teeth enamel, yet presenting a delicious taste of balanced fruit.    

The team of Andres Basso (Director of Winemaking) and Rodrigo Gonzalez (Head Winemaker) at Lynfred have become a dynamic duo. Each has impressive education credentials and international experience, but Andre previously at Concha y Toro and Rodrigo at Casa Lapostolle bring to memory wines I’ve enjoyed that perhaps they made while they were there. For sure, they’ve given me one with their 2015 Chardonnay.

At prices between $20 and $22 (club price differentiation), you’ll find this wine a workhorse, being able to use it across varied terrains of cuisine.  And who am I to argue with da Vinci anyway?  From my perspective, a really good bottle of wine is perhaps more relevant to the moment than what happened ten millennia ago in a galaxy far, far away to a distant star. Either way, it seems the stars were aligned with this wine.

Cheers!

……………….. Jim

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TECH SPECS

·         I since learned my instinct was spot on. Only 38% of the wine was aged in wood (American) and that being with second and third use barrels.  Batonnage twice monthly.

Variety :                               Chardonnay, 100%

Brix:                                    23  

Released:                             July 1, 2016

Total Cases:                         431

Aging:                                  8 months, 38% in American Oak 2^nd & 3^rd Use

RS                                        0.1%

Alc:                                     13.7%

Ph:                                        3.43

TA:                                       7.8 g/L

Drinkable Thru:                   3-5 years, potentially

Lynfred Winery

15 S Roselle Rd

Roselle, IL 60172

(630) 529-9463

http://www.lynfredwinery.com/

BLACK INK RED WINE

“Wine makes daily living easier, less hurried, with fewer tensions and more tolerance.” … Benjamin Franklin

Black Ink Wines and TGIC Importers Inc introduced a red blend of Syrah, Merlot, Malbec and Zinfandel with the simple California appellation that earned 83 points from Wine Enthusiast upon its release. The label, allegedly, displays a squid (although I couldn’t see it) but the name is appropriate enough.  I’ve occasionally used the term “squid ink” in describing a wine’s color and the term here may be a little enthusiastically applied, although the wine is certainly medium to deep ruby.  More importantly: the wine is another crowd pleaser and, priced at $10 U.S., deserves the interest it has been drawing in the trade.

In the glass, Black Ink (2014) wafts a strong aroma of blackberry preserves with whispered notes of white pepper along with mashed blackberry and black plum. Straight to the point, these notes carry into the taste. The winemaker’s notes refer to smoky licorice. The licorice (not the smoke, more like smoked paprika for me) eluded my aged taste buds, though some cherry developed in the glass with air. The wine has a glycerin feel on the palate and finishes warmly in the back taste, blending some heat along with some sweetness that I found interesting.  At 13.5% ABV, the heat was surprising, but worked nicely against both the wine’s texture and sweetness.

One professional review referred to …”robust, dark, inky, tannin-rich…”  I found the tannins as rounded and soft as to be almost imperceptible: not a fault in a crowd pleasing, “safe” wine (see previous review for definition of “safe.”). There’s a reason why red blends are a dominant segment in the wine industry, and Black Ink serves as an example. Not made to be complex and analyzed over philosophically, it is a fruit forward, but not jammy wine that pleases the mass senses and does so at budget friendly prices. In fact, releases from TGIC refer frankly to Black Ink as a “juicy new red wine blend from California”.

TGIC Global Fine Wine Company (aka Guarachi Wine Partners) was founded in 1985 by Alex Guarachi of Chili and includes Black Ink of California in their portfolio of many fine wines including Bodega Norton and Pascual Toso. Guarachi Wine Partners has since become the #1 importer of South American wines priced over $10 and works with both international and domestic partners.

Cheers!

……………………. Jim

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DONATI FAMILY VINEYARDS CLARET

“Most of the guests who stay here wouldn't know the difference between Bordeaux and Claret.” -----  John Cleese(Basil Fawlty) Fawlty Towers

Red wine, orange, rose and white; dry wine and sweet, sparkling wine – each adds to the buffet of our lifestyles that rotates with the occasion and season and the meal being served. Fruit forward or reserved and earthy, these styles too await the matching circumstance to show themselves at their best. And then, another category: from what I call “safe” wines.  These are not wines to contemplate analytically. They are simply enjoyable. They’re safe because they fit a  niche that requires easy drinking and socialization.  “Safe” wines are those that are the best choice for serving at a mixed group get together.  “Safe” wines are pleasurable to drink and serious enough so that advanced wine consumers won’t be against having a glass. Any large get together folds in people with different palates, but what is commonly shared is that they would like to spend time with you.  That can’t be done if you spend all your time hidden away opening bottles after looking through your racks wondering what to open next, and then next and then…

And then there’s the economics. Do you really want to open a Romanee-Conti for a mixed group that’s certain to include those who wouldn’t understand it?  Save those bottles for when they fit the required circumstance.  On the other hand, showing your guests what you think of them with a $5 bottle is showing them what you think of them.

I tasted Donati’s 2012 red blend and immediately thought it would fit nicely into both the everyday drinking and the “safe” wine category. With an ARP of $17, (found at $14.99) it’s affordable, one of the criteria for inclusion into this class.  It’s also well made. A blend of 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 14% Malbec, 14% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, it is a classic “old world” blend from “new world” California vines.  Medium bodied and fruit forward, the wine presents a pleasing taste of blackberry, plum and black cherry fruit that is enjoyable by itself.  Not jammy and not cloying, the fruit is balanced nicely against acidity and picks up secondary character from 19 months aging (19% new French, 3% new American and 78% neutral oak).  With hints of earth, chocolate, cassis, violet and spice, the wine offers enough substance for “serious” wine drinkers to be able to enjoy it.

Grapes are from their vineyards in the Paicines AVA within the larger San Benito County AVA in the center of Coastal California.  This area has been under cultivation since its Mission Days, giving way later to wine giant Almaden which was sold and split up in the 1980s. Although several vineyards border the Paicines, the Donati Family Vineyards are, so far, the only winery-vineyard brand contained within this sub-appellation. South of San Jose and east of

Monteray, the AVA is located within Davis Class II where acreage is less costly than their neighbors more coastal. And while warmer than nearby regions within San Benito County, the Paicines appellation enjoys cooling breezes of ocean air from the cold Monterrey Bay which serves to cool temperatures overnight and extend hang time. (U of Davis classifies regional climates from 1 [the coolest] to 5, with zones 1-3 considered most suitable for production of premium wines).  

I was attracted to this bottle by its unpretentious use of the term “Claret” on the label.  In fact the winemaker’s own notes state, “Fruit forward and easy drinking by design….” Tannins are soft and rounded, fruit is forward and evident, but not syrupy and is presented in balance. Easy drinking, it’s a crowd pleaser.  91 points from Wine Enthusiast and awarded an “Editor’s Choice,” it also took GOLD at the 2015 San Francisco Chronical Wine Competition.  And your kids won’t need to go barefoot because at prices under $17, you can buy them shoes and some DFW Claret and still have some money left over for the get together.

Cheers!

……………… Jim

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TECH SPECS

Fermentation:                         Stainless, 100%

Twice daily punch downs & pump overs

Alc:                                          13.8% ABV

Bottled:                                   May 5-7, 2014

Cases:                                      9490

Donati Family Vineyard

https://www.donatifamilyvineyard.com/

2720 Oakview Rd

Templeton CA 93465

877-511-9463