Academy du Rhône Wine - Washington D.C. Edition

"Vinsobres or sober wine, drink it soberly".. Monseigneur Joseph Marie de Suarès (Bishop of Vaison-La-Romaine) in1633

The Rhône Valley is a diverse and complex wine region that I've been slowly trying to comprehend. In 2023 I started with a Côtes du Rhône Online Wine Academy course in April and attended the Academy du Rhône Wine this month in Washington D.C. The Academy was hosted by Master Sommelier David Keck and showcased 18 wines from various appellations within the Rhône Valley all the while discussing the grapes and terrior within each region. The Rhône Valley is located in southeast France between Lyon and Marseille and is sub-divided into Northern and Southern regions. Southern Rhône is sandwiched between Provence to the east and Languedoc-Roussillon to the west and is known for its Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre (GSM) blends. On the other hand, Syrah is the champion of the Northern Rhône with  Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier its white counterparts. Overall, the Rhône Valley accounts for 9% of all French vineyards and ranks 2nd by volume for all French AOC wine regions.

The Rhône Valley's wine history is quite fascinating and starts three hundred million years ago as the Massif Central clashed with the Alps creating the valley and then flooding from the Mediterranean populated the valley’s soils with four different types of rock: granite, sandy silica, limestone and clay. This created conditions for the Greeks & Romans to apply viticulture which continued through the Avignon Popes up to the 1930's when Baron Le Roy championed the creation of the Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée system. The Rhône Valley was granted AOC status in 1933. Read more of the Rhône Valley's entire history at the Vins Rhône website. 

In brief, there are 34 different grape varieties planted in the Rhône Valley and red wines account for 76% of production, rosé 13%, and whites 11%. The diverse landscape consists of five major soil types: clay, stony, limestone, granitic, and sandy soils. Again see Vins Rhône for a more detailed presentation. There are 31 appellations grouped within two major areas: Côtes du Rhône AOCs and Rhône Valley AOCs. The Côtes du Rhône AOC accounts for 75% of the overall production in the Rhône Valley and itself consists of a hierarchy starting with the  Côtes du Rhône Crus,  Côtes du Rhône Villages with a geographic name,  Côtes du Rhône Villages, and  Côtes du Rhône. Red wine accounts for 86% of overall Côtes du Rhône production,  rosé 8%, and whites 6%. The Rhône Valley AOCs are more prevalent in the Southern Rhône and are distributed in a wider area from the Rhone River. 

Whereas most of the 18 wines we sampled were from the Côtes du Rhône there were a handful from Rhône Valley AOCs with one I especially enjoyed, the M. Chapoutier La Ciboise Luberon 2022. This wine is a blend of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Ugni Blanc and Vermentino from the Luberon AOC. The vineyards for this appellation and high in elevation and surround the Luberon Natural Regional Park, part of UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves. Luberon is dominated by small farmers and cooperatives and this region is one of France's sunniest with 320 sunny days each year. It also straddles Provence so the wines closely resemble that style in the sense of easy-drinking and value. This La Ciboise is a fresh and lively wine, yet creamy and structured, with noticeable citrus and stone fruit. 

Turning to the Côtes du Rhône, I want to focus on two wines from the tasting starting with the Southern Rhône Chateau de Rouanne 2020 AOC Vinsobres. The Vinsobres Crus commune has a long history of viticulture and the name is derived from "Vinzobrio, the oldest recorded version of the village name, dating back to 1137; this in turn is thought to derive from the pre-Celtic Vintio, meaning height, and the Celtic suffix briga (mountain)". It is one of the most northernly southern communes and thus shares many notable northern characteristics such as exposure to the mistral winds and a stronger reliance on Syrah. The vineyards are at high elevations and the vines are planted in very stony, red to brown soils where their warmth allows the vines to ripen early. This wine is a GSM blend of 50% Grenache, 40% Syrah and 10% Mourvèdre  where whole clusters were vinified and aged in concrete vats using native yeasts. This is an elegant and complex wine, with juicy dark fruit, black pepper and earth, and silky tannins.  As the quote relates above, this is a sober (and serious) wine. 

Returning to the beginning of the session, the first flight featured wines from the AOC Côtes du Rhône. The entire appellation stretches from Vienne to Avignon and includes 171 communes across six departments: Ardèche, Drôme, Gard, Loire, Rhône and Vaucluse), covering an area of around 30,000 hectares. The climate is Mediterranean, refreshed by the cleansing and cooling Mistral wind. Summers are hot and dry, with occasional violent storms. Rainfall is low, and snow is rare.  One of my favorites of the initial flight was the Domaine de l'Odylée. La Talentuese 2020 -- a certified organic blend of Grenache and Syrah.  The wine ages 14 months in oak barrels and demi-muids which contributes to a it's depth and complexity. There's a slight earthiness and  herbaciousness on the nose followed by plums and raspberries and a spicy and firm finish. 

Hopefully I will have more content to post n this tasting and further exploration of the Rhône Valley.

Languedoc: The New French Wine Scene by Vins du Languedoc

Recently I attended a seminar and wine tasting titled Languedoc: The New French Wine Scene and presented by Vins du Languedoc. I thought I knew a lot about the region but in reality - not so much. Thank you Erik Segelbaum. Particularly for informing us of the History of Innovation in Languedoc starting with fortified wines in 1295, sparkling wines in 1544, grafting in 1873, and the recent research into organic and heat-resistant grapes. (more to follow on these innovations)

Languedoc is located in southeast France on the Mediterranean and is comprised of 20 AOPs representing 90k+ acres of vines. These vines - representing 26 main grape varieties - receive more than 300 days of sunshine each year and are planted in generally limestone soils along with low-lying scrub and herbal vegetation. The region can be divided into three growing zones: Mediterranean, Atlantic, and Hills & Mountains.

The Mediterranean or Coastal Plains zone is the warmest with abundant sunshine and mild, wet winters. The soils are mostly limestone with mineral-rich clay and sandstone. Indigenous grapes such as Piquepoul, Bourboulenc, and Clairette thrive in this zone.  And that was evident by the Villa Noria La Serre 2021 ($30) - made from 100% Piquepoul farmed organically in the AOP Picpoul de Pinet region. This wine has more body than others as it is matured on its lees but retains freshness and a strong citrus profile.

The Atlantic Zone is much cooler and moist and is shaped by two winds -  the crisp and dry Atlantic wind from the west and the warm Mediterranean wind from the east. The coky soil of sandstone and limestone also assists in creating a very distinct terrior. This zone is widely planted with several better-known French varieties, Cabernet, Chardonnay, and Malbec as well as the local Mauzac used in sparkling Limoux wines. Several domains stood out starting with Domaine de Brau in AOP Cabardès. Their Cuvée Château 2020 ($14)  is a fresh, but luscious blend of Syrah, Merlot, Grenache, and Cabernet Sauvignon. And their Etymologie 2020 is a more structured blend of the same grape varieties. An excellent wine.

Finally, the Hills & Mountains zone has a dry and hot climate with longer diurnal cooling. The soils are mostly sandstone and limestone and the higher elevations and volcanic subsoils lead to more mineral-driven wines. The grape varieties planted here are shared with its southern Rhone neighbors - Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, and Carignan. Most of the wines poured at this session were from this region and the red blends were in general structured with a fresh, full mouthfeel. 

Calmel & Joseph poured a few wines with the Entre Amis 2020 ($39) from AOP Languedoc Pézenas as a standout. It is a blend of 40% Syrah, 40% Mourvèdre, & 20% Grenache and think blackberries and figs followed by herbs and a structured finish. The Terre des 2 Sources Empreintes 2020 had a similar structure and freshness with more red fruit.  And their AOP Terrasses du Larzac Caprices 2019 is a blend of predominately Syrah, then Grenache, and Carignan and has a fresh mouthfeel and brings us back to dark fruit and savory spices. The Domaine Saint-Martin d'Agel Pèlerin 2020 is a fabulous blend of  45% Syrah, 30% Grenache, 15% Carignan, & 10% Mourvèdre that has velvety red fruit and noticeable minerality.  Finally, Château de Lascaux is a multi-generation family winery - we are talking 14 generations of winegrowers. Today they farm 85 Demeter-certified hectares in AOP Pic Saint-Loup. Their Carra 2020 ($22) is a GSM blend of 70% Syrah that is plainly delicious with a vibrant mouthfeel and juicy red fruit.

Murrieta's Well - Live on Snooth Media

Murrieta's Well is an extremely reliable wine producer located in the Livermore Valley and we have written about this Wente family clone multiple times (view here).  Once again this week winemaker Robbie Meyer appeared on a Snooth Livestream in order to present several current releases.  The grapes for these wines were all sourced from estate vineyards in Livermore with the majority coming from their Hayes vineyard. This lot is located on the southwest portion of their estate, has the widest elevation range (560-860 feet), and is planted with 11 of the  20 grape varieties they grow because it features the largest array of soils, aspects, and slopes.  Here are the wines we sampled during the session. Cheers.




Dry Orange Muscat 2018 ($38) initially didn't work for me. But after the wine warmed the bitter orange peel traits subsided and mandarin flavors dominated. Then I paired with dry sausages and the spices between the two mingled seamlessly.

Dry Rose 2018 ($32) is a blend of 42% Counoise, 33% Grenache, and 25% Mourvedre and is simply elegant. Creamy, lift, and refreshing acids.

The Spur 2017 ($35) is a blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Petite Sirah, 13% Merlot, and 9% Petit Verdot. It pops with cherry flavor, then spices, tobacco, and noticeable tannins. Pair with Hersheys milk chocolate.

Merlot 2016 ($46) is delicious. Full-bodied, chewy and juicy cherries, structure, dusty and chalky. The structure must be helped by the 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Pair with Hersheys dark chocolate.

Disclosure: We received samples from Murrieta's Well in order to share our opinion about their products, but this isn’t a sponsored post.

The State of the Rhone Nation

Last month the Rhone Rangers presented a seminar on the State of the Rhone Nation at City Winery in Washington D.C. The seminar was moderated by local wine writer Dave McIntyre and featured seven prominent American wine growers who specialize in Rhone grape varieties. The Rangers mission is to promote American Rhone varietal wines, specifically, those that include "75% of one of the twenty-two traditional Rhone grape varieties as approved by the French government for the wines of the Cotes du Rhone". The non-profit consists of over 100 winery members with the majority located in the Paso Robles AVA, followed by Sonoma County, Santa Barbara County, and the Lodi AVA. Other regions represented in the seminar and the associated trade-consumers tastings were Monterey County, Santa Lucia Highlands, El Dorado AVA, and the Monticello AVA in Virginia. This latter region was represented by Horton Vineyards where the late Dennis Horton planted Rhone grape varieties back in the late 1980s. And here are the Rhone-inspired backgrounds for each of the wineries that participated in the seminar.

Halter Ranch Vineyard: 2017 Grenache Blanc, Paso Robles ($28)
The property encompassing Halter Ranch Vineyard was first settled in the 1880s with the present estate vineyards established in 1994. Over the years the estate has expanding to include 17 grape varieties with 40% of the estate planted with Rhone varieties. The elevation, excellent water drainage, sun exposure, and limestone-rich soils of the Westside Adelaida District helps create a juicy, fresh, and aromatic Grenache Blanc.

Horton Vineyards 2016 Viognier ($20)
In the 1980s Dennis Horton traveled to the Rhone valley where he realized that the thick skin and loose clusters of Viognier would be perfect for the Virginia climate. Twenty-five years later this insight proved accurate as the Virginia Wine Board established Viognier as the signature grape of the Commonwealth. Horton has continued to be a consistent and reliable producer of Viognier showcasing the old warm charm of stone fruit and balanced acidity.

Tercero Wines 2018 Tercero Mourvèdre Rosé, Santa Barbara County ($30)
Larry Schaffer is proving that Rhone grape varieties can excel in Santa Barbara County mostly grown in the Santa Ynez Valley AVA, Ballard Canyon AVA, Los Olivos District AVA, or the Los Alamos Valley. Each region provides a distinct micro-climate and soil type enabling the disperse planting based on ripening time and soil conditions. This Mourvèdre Rosé is a great example as it is a blend of different vineyard plots and shows a tropical aroma, strawberries and light cherries, and a persistent finish.

Two Shepherds Wine 2017 Two Shepherds Wine Cinsault ($20)
In general, William Allen sources his passion for Rhone varieties from Sonoma's Russian River Valley but in this case, he has access to the oldest surviving Cinsault Vineyard in the world -- the famed 135-year-old Bechthold Vineyard in Lodi. This vineyard still produces excellent fruit as modern sustainable vineyard practices have increased the health and vigor of grape clusters. This Cinsault differs slightly from the several single varietal wines produced by other wineries as Allen utilized minimal wine-making techniques such as native yeast, no additions other than minimal S02, neutral barrel fermentation and aging, whole cluster pressing, and unfined & unfiltered production. The result: a delicious wine with a candied cherry aroma, light and tart cranberries, and fresh acidity

Tablas Creek Vineyard 2016 Tablas Creek Grenache, Paso Robles ($40)
Perhaps the Rhone Rangers owes their actual existence to the pioneering work of Tablas Creek after Robert Haas established a friendship with the Perrin family of Château de Beaucastel and later established the winery in 1989. Clones and rootstocks were imported from the famed Rhone estate and after a USDA-mandated three-year quarantine the Tablas Creek estate was planted. These and other newly imported clones have spread to help establish other Rhone dominated vineyards such as Lodi's Acquiesce Winery & Vineyards. This Grenache is back after a few years hiatus and shows the old world character of soft fruit, spiciness, depth, texture, and chewy tannins.

Ridge Vineyards 2015 Ridge Red-Blend, Sonoma ($36) - 54% Syrah, 30% Grenache, 16% Mataro
In 1991 the Lytton Springs vineyard formally became part of the Ridge family when the winery acquired the property because of its acclaimed Zinfandel fame. As a collateral benefit, this Dry Creek Valley estate is also a suitable host for Rhone varieties such as Syrah, Grenache, and Mataro - the Californian name for Mourvèdre. And these Lytton Springs Rhone wines are known for their barnyard, leather, and tobacco characters.

J. Lohr Winery 2016 J. Lohr Syrah (South Ridge) Paso Robles ($15)
When Jerry Lohr decided to enter the wine industry, he searched the best sites in California to produce Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet and settled on Paso Robles to plant his Cabernet vines. Like Halter Ranch's experience, the vines benefit from elevation, excellent water drainage, sun exposure, limestone-rich soils, and the dramatic diurnal swings of  50-degrees. These conditions are also conducive to Syrah which are grown in the estate's South Ridge -- a large vineyard encompasses the warmer Estrella and San Miguel districts as well as the cooler Creston, Adelaida, and Willow Creek districts.  The grapes are sourced equally from these two warm-cold groups which according to current CEO Steve Lohr "the warmer areas tend toward black tea and camphor while the cooler districts provide aromatic white pepper and blue fruit notes.  An excellent wine - and value.

Ted Trots Out Cass Winery at Bazin's

Bazin's on Church recently hosted Cass Winery and its charismatic co-owner Ted Plemons. He and Steve Cass officially opened the winery in 2005 on land Cass owned and, motivated after a trip to South Africa, they wo hired their future winemaker before even one vine was planted. From that opening Cass Winery has earned multiple awards and salutations and in 2015 and 2018 Winery of the Year at the Central Coast Wine Competition.


 Located in Paso Robles Wine Country, the 145 acre estate vineyard benefits from the "Templeton Gap" -- a series of passes in the Santa Lucia Range through which air flows creating evening breezes. This helps generate a dramatic change in temperature between daytime and nighttime (the diurnal variation) which in turn helps preserves the balance of natural acids inside the grapes. Like many of its neighbors, Cass specializes in Rhone grape varieties such as Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre (the GSM blends), and Petite Sirah for reds and Viognier, Roussanne, and Marsanne for whites. Paso is also becoming well known for their Cabernet (see Paso Robles CAB Collective) and Cass currently pours a savory and creamy 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon ($36).


But the Rhone varietal wines were the main attractions at Bazin's starting with two delicious white wines -- the 2017 Genesso District Mr. Blanc ($24) and the 2016 Estate Viognier ($27). This Viognier possesses the characteristic stone fruits of peaches and apricots with brilliant acidity that balances the fruity front and finish. The Mr. Blanc is a blend of Marsanne, Roussanne, and Viognier and is more tropical and minerally in nature. We came home with a few bottles of this fantastic wine. There were also two red Rhones the 2015 Mourvèdre ($35) and 2015 Grenache ($35). Both were juicy wines with dark fruit, spices, and approachable smooth tannins.  And finally they poured the layered and wavy 2014 Backbone Syrah ($45) - commendably old world in style.

Farmhouse Wines and Green Spring Farm - "Beyond Sustainable" Farming

We grow by the motto “50% for humans, 50% for nature,” maintaining an important balance between the vines grown for humans and crops grown for soil improvement, Bob Cannard & Fred Cline --Green String Farm

This method of “beyond sustainable” farming, was developed by Bobby Cannard and Fred Cline of Cline Family Cellars and is now known as the Green String method of sustainable farming.  Their laboratory, Green String Farm, is located in Sonoma - specifically in Petaluma - and "serves to teach students how to improve the biology of the lands that they steward while growing naturally healthy food".  This method includes natural remedies for pest management, fertilization, and weeding among others. For instance they use over 1500 sheep and 500 goats to remove harmful weeds from their vineyards.  They also use native root stocks which can be dry farmed (no irrigation) and friendly insects are introduced to control harmful insects.

Farmhouse Wines is the brand name for the wine produced at Green String Farm and it takes its name from the school house located on the property. The portfolio is currently comprised of two unique blends each featuring up to six grape varieties and priced reasonably at $15. Winemaker Charlie Tsegeletos is a 30 year veteran of Sonoma wine making and encourages the grapes to tell their story without the over use of oak treatments.

Farmhouse White ($15)
This is an interesting blend of 41% Palomino, 25% Muscat Canelli, 22% Roussanne, 6% Marsanne, 5% Viognier, and 1% Riesling - with Palomino better known as the Spanish grape used in Sherry.  The juice was cold-fermented in stainless steel tanks without malolactic fermentation which presents a fruit forward, clean wine expressing melon, citrus, and tropical notes and a long coated fresh finish. This wine is dangerous, the bottle is empty before one realizes how much was consumed. 

Farmhouse Red ($15)
This wine is comprised of handpicked 39% Merlot (39%) , Syrah (21%),  Zinfandel (20%),  Grenache (9%), Petite Sirah (7%) , and Mourvèdre (3%) . The fermented wine comes from a combination of both free run and pressed juice that is aged in 40% new French oak for one year.  The result of this process is an easy drinking medium bodied wine with plenty of fruit accompanied by texture and black pepper and a very bright finish.

Ventisquero Grey GCM and Carménère

Ventisquero Grey has been operating in Chile since 1998 -- sourcing fruit from their vineyards located in Chile’s principal wine regions: Coastal Maipo, Casablanca, Colchagua, Leyda and Huasco.  I recently received samples of two excellent and affordable wines from the winery. Cheers.


Ventisquero Grey Carménère 2014 ($20.00)
The fruit for this wine was grown in the Maipo Valley which is located just south of the capital city Santiago and as wine-searcher.com states "...is home to some of the country's most prestigious wines ... and is often described as the 'Bordeaux of South America'". Specifically the Maipo Valley is situated at the most northern end of the Central Valley separated from Mendoza by the Andes Mountains and blocked from the Pacific by the Coastal Range. The sun warms the valley during the day, followed by colder nights which slows ripening, extends the growing season, and leads to grapes with a balance between ripeness and acidity. An ideal environment for the Bordeaux based Carménère. Winemaker Felipe Tosso states that Carménère needs some oak to tame high concentrations of fruit, but too much oak masks the beauty of the fruit, and thus the Grey Carménère is aged a minimum 18 months in oak and at least 8 months in bottle. This method allows the wine to portray the dark red and black fruit characters integrated with a velvety texture and a very fresh palate.

Ventisquero Grey GCM 2017 ($20.00)
The GCM refers to 62% Garnacha, 19% Cariñena, and 19% Mataro (Mourvèdre) from a single block No 28, La Robleria, Apalta Valley - Colchagua from central Chile. According to wine-searcher.com, the "Colchagua Valley boasts a textbook wine-growing climate: warm, but cooled by ocean breezes and dry, but refreshed by rivers and occasional rainfall". And the Apalta Valley sub-region receives the brunt of these cold Humboldt Currents that provide a similar diurnal swing as discussed with the Maipo Valley. Tosso states that 2017 was a hot year where the grapes ripened weeks earlier with good acidity, low alcohol, and ripe tannins. "The GCM is an expression of single block vines that is fresh and fruity and doesn't require lengthy oak again." The wine is very friendly, fruit forward with a noticeable velvety texture and bright acids rounding out the palate. Time to start planning for the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons.

Department 66: Dave Phinney's Côtes Catalanes Brand

Languedoc-Roussillon, the wine region in southeast France lies adjacent to the Mediterranean coastline and runs from the Spanish border to Provence. According to Karen MacNeil's The Wine Bible, this region is considered the single largest wine producing region in the world and accounts for a third of total French wine production. Roussillon refers to the French part of historic Catalonia corresponding to the administrative Department 66 Pyrénées Orientales. Côtes Catalanes is a sub-region or IGP (Indication Géographique Protégée) in Roussillon snuggled next to Spain with vineyards covering the eastern foothills of the Pyrenees mountains. The Mediterranean provides a hot and dry clinate with generous sunshine: 320 days of per year. The soil is driven by the mountains and consists of "black schist, with small deposits of granite and limestone in red, rocky soils known as angile". And with its ties to Catalonia -- Grenache, Carignan, and Mourvedre grapes are major players.

Dave Phinney discovered the region about a decade ago while visiting friends near Maury and immediately purchased a plot of vines. A year later he started constructing a winery and enlarging his holdings to 120 hectares (300 acres) where Department 66 Wine now calls home. I recently received samples of three of their releases which were all well made and delicious. Cheers to Department 66.

2017 Fragile ($18) - a blend of Grenache with small percentages of Syrah and Carignan. Simply delicious. Strawberries and grapefruit are positioned within a nutty depth and persistent acids. The bottle was gone in a blink of an eye. 

2015 Others ($25) - a blend of Grenache, Carignan, Syrah and Mourvedre grapes harvested from 10 to 65+ year old vines. The fermented wine was aged in 30% new French oak for 18 months and aged five months in the bottle before release. A deep wine with dark fruit; herbaceous and spicy too. Finishes with lingering acids and tannins.

2014 D66 ($38) - a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Carignan grapes harvested from 10 to 65+ year old vines. The fermented wine was also aged in 30% new French oak for 18 months and aged five months in the bottle before release. A brilliant wine. As deep and dark as the Others, but more velvety and creamy texture with silky smooth tannins.

Live with Snooth & Robbie Meyer of Murrieta's Well

Joaquin Murrieta (1829 – July 25, 1853), also called The Robin Hood of the West or the Robin Hood of El Dorado, was a famous vaquero, and gold miner in California during the California Gold Rush of the 1850s.... In 1919, Johnston McCulley supposedly received his inspiration for his fictional character Don Diego de la Vega — better known as Zorro — from the 1854 book entitled The Life and Adventures of Joaquín Murieta: The Celebrated California Bandit by John Rollin Ridge. Wikipedia

One of the spots Murrieta would use to water his horses was a small well in the Livermore Valley in a parcel of land purchased by Louis Mel in the 1880s in which he planted a vineyard with cuttings from the famed Chateau d’Yquem and Chateau Margaux vineyards. He eventually sold the property to his friend Ernest Wente and years later in 1990 Philip Wente and Sergio Traverso revived the winery and opened Murrieta’s Well. They renovated the original winery keeping the original well close to the tasting room where visitors can still see original beams and stones -- dragged from the nearby river bed -- embedded in the walls.

Although the Wente name is now synonymous with California Chardonnay, the winemaker at Murrieta's Well, Robbie Meyer, specifically features multiple grape varieties to showcase not only the Livermore Valley but also the winery's estate vineyards. This 500-acre estate lies in the middle of the Livermore Valley in generally gravelly soil with morning fog cooling the grapes before the start of a typical sunny day. During a recent Snooth tasting, Meyer discussed five wines from the Murrieta’s Well portfolio where the grapes were harvested exclusively from these estate vineyards.

Murrieta's Well Small Lot Sauvignon Blanc 2017 ($35)
Their Sauvignon Blanc vineyard is from descendants of the original Chateau d’Yquem cuttings planted by Louis Mel in the late 1800s and is part of the original 92-acre parcel Louis Mel purchased when he first moved to the Livermore Valley. The Louis Mel vineyard features well-drained gravelly soils that are ideal for growing Sauvignon Blanc. The wine itself was fermented in neutral French oak barrels and then aged sur lie for four months, which allows the wine to mature during fermentation and early aging without imparting oak features. According to Meyer, this adds texture and weight to the palate while maintaining the wine's freshness. And there's plenty of depth and texture to this wine surrounded by a floral aroma and grapefruit and white peach driven fruit and solid acidity. A refreshing yet mature wine.

Murrieta's Well The Whip 2016 ($26)
This is a unique blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Chardonnay, Orange Muscat, Viognier with the grapes harvested from the estate's Hayes vineyard with the exception of the Louis Mel vineyard and Sauvignon Blanc. Interestingly, the Hayes vineyard is responsible for eleven of the twenty grape varieties planted at Murrieta's Well as the vineyard holds an array of soils, aspects, and slopes. The grapes for The Whip were fermented and aged in a combination of stainless steel tanks and oak that Meyer says builds texture and mouthfeel as well as maintains freshness and acidity. The Viognier and Orange Muscat provide plenty of aromatics and the Sauvignon Blanc natural acidity and these enclose a complex, creamy, and round middle. An excellent wine.

Murrieta's Well Dry Rosé 2017 ($30)
This rosé is an exclusive Rhone blend of Grenache, Counoise, and Mourvedre. The first two grapes are harvested from the Hayes vineyard, the later from their Raboli vineyard where they are gently whole cluster pressed, cold-fermented separately, and then aged two months in steel tanks after the final blend. This is a luscious dry wine; cream strawberries, depth, mint, and healthy acids.

Murrieta's Well The Spur 2015 ($35)
A red blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Merlot, Petite Verdot, and Cabernet Franc from the Louis Mel, Hayes or Sachau vineyards. The grape varieties were fermented separately in stainless steel then blended together and aged for 24 months in 50% new, 25% second use, and 25% third use French oak. Meyer stressed that this wine doesn't identify as a single varietal and this inviting wine starts with dark fruit and dried cherries, then coconut and spices, and concluding with a vibrant finish.

Murrieta's Well Small Lot Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 ($58)
The grapes were primarily grown in the gravelly, coarse, and sandy loam soils of the Sachau vineyard with a small percentage harvested from the historic Louis Mel vineyard. After fermentation, the wine was aged for 18 months in 80% new French oak and 30% second and third use French oak barrels. Despite this oak regime, the wine provides great fruit expression -- mostly plums -- but also some earthiness and chocolate enveloped in layers of texture. This solid wine finishes with soft but lingering tannins.

Carmel Winery's Selected Mediterranean Red Blend & Israeli Wine Regions

Last month I received another sample of Israeli wine which led me to not only research the targeted winery, but also Israeli wine regions.  I immediately learned that Carmel Winery was founded in 1882 by Edmond James de Rothschild (owner of Château Lafite). Within ten years Rothschild had built two wineries,  both intended to support Jewish settlers returning from Europe. The Rishon Le Zion Wine Cellars was built in 1890 and is the oldest winery in Israel still in use. This facility was also the first to use electricity and the telephone. The Zichron Ya'acov Wine Cellars was built two years later and is the largest winery in Israel. These facilities make Carmel the largest producer in Israel and one of the largest in the eastern Mediterranean as they produce over 15 million bottles of wine a year.

Until the 1970s, Carmel focused on sweet and sacramental wines, but in order to engage the international market they transitioned to international varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc.  The Selected Mediterranean Red Blend ($11) is a reflection of that philosophy and is a blend of several grape varieties grown in the Shomron region: Petite Sirah, Mourvedre, Viognier, and Petit Verdot.

This region is one of five major Israeli Wine Regions with Galilee, Samson, Judean Hills and the Negev the remaining four. Shomron and Samson are the historical coastal viticulture areas in central Israel with the former located on the base of the southern Carmel Mountain range and cooled by Mediterranean breezes. Samson is not a geographic place -- just a biblical name to describe the central coastal Judean Plain and Judean Lowlands, south east of Tel Aviv. The region is relatively low lying, hot, and humid with mostly alluvial soils mixed with sandy, clay loams. Bulk grapes are the predominate crop.

Negev is the desert region that comprises half the country. Vineyards are located in the elevated, semi-arid, and loess soil land in the northeast at Ramat Arad.

The Galilee and Judean Hills are more trendy cooler climate wine regions. The Judean Hills ranges from the mountains north of Jerusalem to the south of Hebron. Warm days and cool night time temperatures characterize the region which ranges from 500 to 1,000 meters above sea level. The Galilee is the most respected appellation, located in northern Israel and includes the "two finest quality wine growing regions, the Upper Galilee and the Golan Heights".  These are high altitude, cooler climate sites located not far from Lebanon's Bekaa Valley.

As for Carmel's Selected Red Blend, winemaker Lior Lacser produced a fresh, light, approachable wine; not necessarily fruit forward but balanced between the cherry flavor, acids, and modest tannins.  At this price this wine is well worth a closer inspection. Cheers.

A Quick Visit to Temecula Valley Wine Country

During our craft beer centric stay in San Diego, we did allocate one afternoon to visit wine country - choosing Temecula Valley or Southern California's Wine Country as they refer to themselves. This wine region is located 90 minutes south of Los Angeles and 60 minutes north of San Diego off I-15. The community boasts 35 wineries - all situated due east of Old Town Temecula - and grows over 50 grape varieties. The first modern winery, Callaway Vineyard & Winery, opened in 1974 and the region gained its AVA designation in 2004. The landscape is very scenic, dry rolling hills interspersed with lush green vineyards. And the wineries are tightly packed making a wine excursion quite simple to navigate. And as always, theCompass Winery, Brewery, Distillery Locator Mobile App helps.

Our first stop was at South Coast Winery, prehaps the most prolific producer in the region. The winery was established in 2003 and since then has been awarded the Best California State Winery four times (2016 the latest). Besides the extravagant facility - it includes a resort and spa - they produce wine from at least 20 grape varieties including many Rhone such as Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Roussanne. These three are blended into a delicious GVR and also bottled as 100% varietals. Excellent wines. Another tasty white was the 2015 California Verdelho, with its lemon profile, velvety texture, and fresh acids; it reminded of the new Nationals star Trea Turner - light and speedy, but possesses surprising power. As for reds you can remain in Portugal with a solid Touriga, move to Bordeaux with several offerings or return to the Rhone with my favorite, their 2014 Grenache or 2014 Mourvedre both $18. Great values for two delicious wines. South Coast also includes a nice portfolio of sparkling wines so as you can see from the range of offerings, a must visit.

The next stop was to Falkner Winery, primarily because they had answered a tweet I had posted on suggestions. The winery is much smaller, but includes a restaurant, and provides a grand view of the surrounding countryside. The winery opened in 2000 and specializes in a smaller portfolio of Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, Merlot, a Meritage, and the "Amante" Tuscan proprietary blend. Prices are much higher than at South Coast, most likely from smaller volumes. The "Amante" ($55) is a big Super Tuscan plenty of leather, tobacco, and fruit. Their off-dry 2015 Risqué Riesling was a group favorite and the wine we enjoyed while studying the scenery on their deck.

Our last stop was Wilson Creek Winery & Vineyard because our hosts wanted us to sample their specialty Almond Sparkling Wine and chocolate. The Wilson family opened this winery in 1998 and currently run a large operation. This was the most populated of the three with a small wait at the tasting bar. The most interesting wine was the 2014 Variant Series White Cabernet ($26), which was both fully textured and lively. For reds, Syrah and Petite Sirah were the leaders particularly the 2012 Family Reserve Petite Sirah ($65). Pricey yes, but also big and bad. They also provide a range of low cost sparkling wines like the Almond which seemed rather popular. Take a glass and walk down to the shallow creek and try to find the crawfish.

Finca Hispana Representing Spain's Rich and Diverse Wine Culture

Spain's wine culture is as rich and diverse as any country and one brand attempting to capture this complete image is Finca Hispana. They produce wines from indigenous varieties grown in ten unique regions from Rioja to Priorat and from Cava to Sherry. And the varieties include Tempranillo, Garnacha, Cariñena, Monastrell (Mourvedre) and Garnacha Blanca. Each Finca Hispana wine showcases not only the region and grape variety, but also the winemakers - who are displayed proudly on each label.  In 2015 these wines started arriving in the United States and are priced very modestly at $15. I recently received a care package and here are the highlights.


FH Garnacha-Carignan-Syrah - The blend consists of 40% Garnacha, 40% Carignan, 20% Syrah all from vines aged between 30-60 years old in DO Monsant - the center of Catalonia and surrounding DOQ Priorat. This complex but approachable wine is produced by Eugènia Guasch López.

FH Garnacha Barrica, 2011 D.O. Carinena - José Maria Valero tends 100 year old vines in Cariñena, situated on the high plains of the ancient Kingdom of Aragon in northern Spain. The wine starts with a creamy mouthful of dark cherries which leads to mild acids and easy tannins. My favorite.


FH Castrijo Joven, 2012 DOC Rioja - José Ayala Salazar began working in his father’s vineyard at the age of six. Now he works 40-80 years old vines in the Labastida region, the highest and most northern area in Rioja. The wine stresses bright berry fruit followed by a creamy texture and subtle tannins.

FH Castrijo Joven 2014 Rioja Tempranillo - Also located in Labastida, this family vineyard is now tended by Aintxane Prieto Uriarte and her husband. This is a vibrant wine; mint and chocolate, easy tannins and very approachable.


FH Cuvee 2012 Jumilla Monastrell - José Floreal Jimeniz Joulie was born during the the Spanish civil war and tended vineyards because he couldn't attend school. 70 years later he still works every day in Jumilla's desert like conditions. His vines are nearly 100 years old and survive on less than 10 inches of rain per year in the southeast corner of Spain. This is a big spicy wine; it needs to breathe; to allow the textured tannins to settle down.

FH Monastrell Joven, 2012 D.O. Jumilla - Another wine from Jumilla this one produced by Daniel Guerrero Cruz. It is also a full bodied wine, but not as big as the Cuvee. Instead, there's more jaminess and ripe fruit.

The Rhone Rangers Ride to DC

If you are a Rhone wine lover, I hope you are familiar with the Rhone Rangers. This is a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of American made Rhone varietal wines. The organization consists of close to 200 winery members, 110 Professional and Grower Associates, and 800 Sidekicks - consumer fans like you and me. In order to become a winery member, the winery must produce a wine where 75% of the wine’s content must contain one or more of the twenty-two Rhone grapes the French government has approved for growing in the Cotes du Rhone. Syrah is the most common red grape, followed by Grenache, Mourvedre, Cinsault, Carignan, and Petite Sirah ("The Rhone Rangers have adopted Petite Sirah, a French cross also known as Durif, due to its extensive interplanting with traditional Rhone varietals in Calfiornia."). Viognier, Roussanne and Marsanne are the most common white grapes, but you can also find some Grenache Blanc produced in California.

Twenty-three Ranger wineries came to Washington D.C. June 4th in order to promote the organization and Rhone varieties. These wineries poured close to 80 wines at The Long View Gallery that day - during two session. All the wineries were from California except Horton Vineyards from Gordonsville, Virginia (just outside of  Charlottesville). Dennis Horton introduced Rhone varieties into the Commonwealth over 25 years ago and now Viognier is designated Virginia's signature Grape. In addition to their dependable Viognier, Horton offers a tasty sparkling Viognier - one of the few produced in the country. Another notable Virginia Ranger, Tarara Vineyard & Winery, was absent for the tasting because of a shortage Rhone wine, but provided the Riedel stemware for the event. The California contingent represented several wine growing regions as well as original Rangers such as Bonny Doon Vineyard and Qupe Wine Cellars as well as newbies Two Shepherds Wine and Petrichor Vineyards.

Ridge Vineyards was the first winery on the menu, with their Rhone wines produced at their Lytton Springs Sonoma facility.  They poured the always dependable Syrah and Petite Sirah, but the most interesting of these was the 2012 Buchignani Carignane ($26) - perhaps the only 100% single varietal of this grape produced in American.  I tasted through several very nice wines from Petrichor Vineyards (Sonoma), Mira Winery (Napa), Michael David Winery (Lodi), Guyomar Wine Cellars (Templeton), before spending several minutes with Santa Maria's Kenneth Volk Winery. Definitely looking forward to the 2014 Wine Bloggers Conference in Santa Barbara. Two of the wines from Kenneth Volk were 100% Mourvedre (both $36) - with plenty of red fruit and nice acidity.  They also poured a delicious, easy drinking Grenache ($28). 

 I also spent some time investigating Paso Robles in anticipation to the Conference's pre-tour in that region.Epoch Estate Wines produces several excellent blends ($40-$65) and the Proulx Wines rosés were quite tasty. This winery's red blend. "The Wah" ($54) is also one to look for. Broken Earth Winery was pouring several affordable cool wines including a 100% Grenache Blanc ($20) - very floral with great acidity - and an earthy  Petite Sirah "Diable Negro" ($18).  And another Paso winery, Pomar Junction Vineyard and Winery, had several nice whites such as the 2013 Estate Grenache Blanc ($20), 2013 Estate Viognier ($20) and the 2013 White Blend, "Cotes de Pomar Blanc" ($28) - great acidity to balance the fruitiness of the wine. Ans all nice values.

A few other notable pours were the Qupe Wine Cellars 2011 Grenache Sawyer Lindquist Vineyared ($35) and 2010 Syrah, "Sonnies" Sawyer Lindquist Vineyared ($55); and Rosé of Syrah ($25 & $16) from Cornerstone Cellars and Chacewater Winery. Cornerstone was also pouring a velvety 2011 Syrah "Black Label" ($35) and Chacewater a fruit forward 2011 Petit Sirah ($20). Finally, Two Shepherds Wine had several wines that caught my fancy including another Grenache Blanc - the 2012 Saarloos Vineyards, Santa Ynez ($25)  and a Grenache Noir ($38) from the same vineyard.

After all this writing I'm ready to open another nice Rhone styled wine, the Viognier from Virginia's Corcoran Vineyards. Cheers.