Grape Spotlight: Berryessa Gap Durif (Petite Sirah)

In 1880, deep in the Rhone Valley, Dr. Francois Durif released to the world a new grapevine that he discovered created from a natural crossing (most likely due to cross-pollination) of a mystery grape pollen and one of his Peloursin vines. Over a century later DNA analysis identified this second parent as Syrah. This new vine was called Durif in Europe but for more mysterious reasons was called Petite Sirah in California as early as the mid-1880s. This name stuck in North and South America.

The name Petite Sirah may have resulted from the grape's "petite" berries which provide plenty of intense fruit and high tannins. High acidity is another inherent characteristic of the grape - which with the tannins encourages aging. Other common notable characteristics are blackberry, chocolate, and black pepper flavors.

Berryessa Gap Vineyards is located in the Winters AVA and situated in the western corner of Yolo County, located off Route 128 between the town of Winters and the Vaca Mountains. Napa County lies on the western side of the ridge. The Berryessa estate - Coble Ranch vineyard - is planted along the eastern ridge of the Vaca Mountains and benefits from a climate that resembles the hot and dry conditions of Mediterranean climates.  

Durif (Petite Sirah) is one of their many grapevines and the winery releases two versions. Their Berryessa Gap Petite Sirah ($27) is composed of 85% Durif, 10% Primitivo/Zinfandel, and 5% Peloursin and is modeled after the Rhone field blends copied admirably by California's Ridge Vineyards in Sonoma's Lytton Springs.  The Durif in this wine is whole-berry fermented which tones down the tannins and intensity leading to a soft and elegant wine. 

On the other hand, the Berryessa Gap Durif ($32) is 100% Durif, grown in its own plot elsewhere on the estate.  For a sensory descriptor, the wine is juicy, with dense blueberries, slight spice, and friendly chewy tannins. But on a metaphysical dimension, this wine provides deeper sensory pleasure like the feeling after that perfect golf swing or getting the barrel on a baseball.  This is a memorial wine. Great job Nicole.  

Over the Ridge from Napa - Berryessa Gap Vineyards

As I mentioned in a previous post concerning Scattered Peaks, winemaker Nicole Salengo also attended our wine dinner at Officina and introduced us to her Winters, California based winery: Berryessa Gap Vineyards.

The winery sprang from Martinez Orchards, a grapevine rootstock nursery started in 1969 by Dan Martinez, Sr., father of the current owners of Berryessa Gap, and winemaker and wine historian Ernest Peninou. Thus the Martinez family has a strong grasp of the microclimate within their western corner of Yolo County, located off Route 128 between the town of Winters and the Vaca Mountains - with Napa County on the western side of the ridge.

The Berryessa estate - Coble Ranch vineyard -- planted along the eastern ridge of the Vaca Mountains and benefits from a climate that resembles the hot and dry conditions of Mediterranean climates. In addition, the eastern-facing slopes provide well-draining soils and are situated near an Alluvial Fan or gap in the range where cooling breezes blow through -- enhancing the grapes' acidity.  This interesting micro-climate allows Berryessa Gap to plant a wide assortment of grape varieties such as Durif (Petite Sirah), Tempranillo, Primitivo (Zinfandel), Barbera, Malbec, Albarino, Verdejo, and Sauvignon Blanc.

Nicole Salengo related these and other facts during our wine dinner. She was born in Vermont and studied Geology in a New York college where she also worked at famed Belgium styled producer Brewery Ommegang (Cooperstown). That started her down the craft beverage path and when a family member offered her an opportunity to stay in Davis California, she proceeded to enroll in the UC Davis Department of Viticulture and Enology -- earning a winemaker's certificate. After a short stint in an air-testing lab (while taking chemistry classes at night), Salengo was hired at a wine shop that specialized in rare wines. Mark West, of Mark West Wines, was a frequent customer and offered Salengo a quid pro quo. He would teach her how to make wine if she worked for him full time.  A new career commenced.

In 2013, she was hired by Berryessa Gap where her primary goal is to highlight the particular terroir at Coble Ranch -- each individual year.  In this regard, Salengo introduced us to 2016 and 2019 through a rosé, a white, and a red wine. These wines were fresh, well made, and priced for most budgets.

2019 Yolo County Rosé ($19)
This rosé was just recently bottled and is a blend of Grenache, Primitivo, and Barbera -- and technically its a Primitivo clone which Salengo states "provides more nuanced elegance". The grapes were harvested early, keeping sugar levels moderate, in order to produce a low ABV wine. There's a distinct depth to the wine with layers of light red fruit. Very nice.

2019 Yolo County Verdejo ($23)
Salengo and Berryessa Gap love Spanish grape varieties and, in fact, in 2013 Berryessa Gap was the original filer to the then TTP equivalent for having Verdejo designated as an approved grape varietal. This wine is an excellent tribute to Rueda as it displays abundant aromatics transitioning to a creamy lemon core, herbaceous, and finishing with fresh acidity.

2016 Yolo County Petite Sirah ($28)
The 2016 Petite Sirah is a field blend that Berryessa Gap modeled after vineyards in France as well as closer to home, Ridge Vineyards - Lytton Springs brand. The actual blend consists of 85% Durif, 10% Primitivo, and 5% Peloursin and the grapes were also whole berry co-fermented. Durif and Petite Sirah are basically synonyms; the grape was originally called Durif after Dr. Francois Durif, who discovered a natural crossing from the cross-pollination of Syrah and Peloursin. For this wine, the naturally high tannins in Petite Sirah are muted by the whole berry fermentation which allows the black cherry character to lead. Expect spices and earthiness as well as refreshing acidity held together with the remaining firm tannins. Delicious.  Berryessa Gap also produces a 100% Durif, which is labeled Durif, which comes from a block at Coble Ranch which is entirely Durif.

Keep Warm During Halloween with Exitus Bourbon Barrel Aged Red Wine

During previous Halloween's, I would accompany the little boy with a coffee mug filled with either bourbon or red wine. Now that a chaperone is no longer wanted or needed, I distribute candy outside in order to chat with neighbors. Thus a warming beverage is still desired and this year I'm combining bourbon and red wine with the 2017 Exitus Bourbon Barrel Aged Red Wine ($20). This Zinfandel based blend (Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, and Merlot) rests three months in charred American oak barrels previously filled with Kentucky Bourbon. This aging provides additional layers of toasted oak, baking spices, and tobacco which compliments the dense fruit and chocolate core. The finish is smooth with easy tannins - but the subtle heat at 15.9% abv will keep you warm. Cheers and Happy Halloween.



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

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.

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.

Exitus 2016 Vintage Bourbon Barrel-Aged Red Blend

Bourbon barrel-aged beverages have slowly seeped into the wine industry and O’Neill Vintners & Distillers entered the field with the Exitus Wines 2016 Vintage Bourbon Barrel-Aged Red Blend ($17.99). This wine is a majority Zinfandel blend incorporating lesser amounts of Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, and Merlot -- then aged in mature bourbon barrels for three months. The combination of wine and spirits come naturally for this family-owned wine and spirits company as they sourced the bourbon barrels from Kentucky and the grapes from estate vineyards or 15,000 contracted acres throughout California. These grapes are fermented in stainless steel before the barrel aging which helps the wine retain the dense fruit as the barrels add leather, vanilla, and chocolate notes. A side affect of the barrels and perhaps the Zinfandel is a little heat on the nose. And the tail falls slightly flat - but overall a worthy wine. Cheers.

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.

Dave Phinney Back with More Locations Wine

Locations is a concept by winemaker Dave Phinney that attempts to create a wine encompassing the various wine regions within a country or state. Can that wine represent "the essence of a country or place and are non-appellation, non-varietal and non-vintage"? After covering several Locations releases I can answer in the affirmative. Here are four of their latest releases:





E5 – Spanish Red Wine ($19.99) is a blend of Grenache/Garnacha, Tempranillo, Monastrell, and Carignan/Cariñena grapes with Mediterranean and Continental influences and sourced from five primary regions: Priorat, Jumilla, Toro, Rioja, and Ribera del Duero. They targeted old vines with low yields that produced a rustic wine with complexity, juicy tannins, and solid acids. My favorite of the group.

F5 – French Red Wine ($19.99) is a blend Grenache, Syrah, and assorted Bordeaux varietals from Rhone, Roussillon, and Bordeaux. One again old vine blocks were targeted that helped create another rustic wine with even more juicy tannins and dirt covered cherries. This is an old world wine.

NZ7 – New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc ($19.99) is the second release from the Land of the Long White Cloud and targets Marlborough growers that have been farming since before this area was recognized as a premier wine growing region in the 1970’s. The wine includes tropical and lemon grass characters from fruit sourced from the Wairau Valley as well as minerality and balance from the Awatere Valley and Waihopai. This is a solid New Zealand styled Sauvignon Blanc, refreshing with plenty of complexity.

WA5 – Washington Red Wine ($19.99) is a blend of Syrah, Merlot, and Petit Sirah aged 10 months in French and American oak. The wine was sourced from diverse lots in the Evergreen State's greatest appellations: Walla Walla, Woodenville, Yakima Valley, and more. The wine is new world and medium-bodied with fruit forward dark fruit, various spices, chocolate, and easy tannins.

A Tale of Two Zins for National Zinfandel Day

Wednesday November 15th was National Zinfandel Day and we received two Zinfandel wines for the occasion. They are from two different geographic locations in California, Mendocino in the coastal north and Lodi in the Central Valley. Both share a Mediterranean climate with warm days and cool nights associated with breezes that provide both regions with a "reliable, natural air conditioning throughout the growing season". They both also share a large preponderance of small family vineyards, in many cases multi-generational.

In Lodi, the 2013 D'Art Lodi Zinfandel ($26, 14% abv) is sourced from grapes grown in the Mokelumne River sub-AVA on an 86 year old vineyard that was planted in sandy loam soils. This soil type helps provide a boldness to the wine that accompanies the jammy berry and fig flavors. The nose seems a tad hot, but the peppery finish is very smooth with enough tannins to lift the palate off the fruit characters.

On the other hand, the 2016 Artezin Mendocino Zinfandel ($18, 14.5% abv) is a blend of 85% Zinfandel, 10% Petite Sirah, & 5% Carignan, This is a Hess Collection brand intended to "honor the art of making Zinfandel from old vine plantings and work with family owned farms throughout Mendocino and Sonoma Counties". Many of these family farms are featured in the website's Meet the Farmers section which includes Paul Dolan and his bio-dynamic The Dark Horse Ranch. And the blend composition is reminiscent of the early Italian immigrants who grew grapes for home wine-making and blended these varietal wines to achieve robustness. The Artezin is robust as well with a dried cherry aroma, a pleasant peppery and fig palate, and a subtle peppery but smooth finish. Plenty of acids too. Nicely done for both of these wines and cheers to National Zinfandel Day.

A Trio of Wine from Murrieta’s Well While Listening to The White Buffalo

Although owned and operated by members of the Chardonnay-famed Wente family, Murrieta’s Well grows 20 different grape varieties at their Livermore Valley AVA estate. In fact the original vineyard was planted using cuttings from the Bordeaux estates of Chateau d’Yquem and Chateau Margaux back in 1884. Today, this estate is segmented into specific vineyards based on the property's various micro-climates, with the Hayes vineyard providing grapes for eleven varieties. Many of these varieties are included in three blends I recently received from the winery -- all showcasing the delicious wines being produced at Murrieta's Well as well as the larger Livermore Valley.

Murrieta’s Well The Spur Red Wine Blend Livermore Valley 2014 ($30) is a blend of 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Petite Sirah, 14% Petit Verdot, 10% Merlot, and 9% Cabernet Franc grown in different vineyards throughout estate. The wine was fermented independently and after blending aged 24 months in 50% new, 25% second use, and 25% third use French oak. This is a very pleasant wine; smooth and chewy; yet enough dark cherries and spices to complement the soft tannins. A neighborhood favorite. 

Murrieta’s Well Dry Rosé Livermore Valley 2016 ($30) is a blend of 55% Grenache and 45% Counoise - the later a Rhone grape variety allowed into the blend of Châteauneuf-du-Pape wine. The grapes are grown in the estate Hayes vineyard, gently pressed and cold fermented separately. This wine is all strawberries from head to tail complemented by melons and crisp acids.

Murrieta’s Well The Whip White Wine Blend Livermore Valley 2015 ($24) is a blend of 30% Sauvignon Blanc, 30% Semillon, 30% Chardonnay, 7% Viognier, and 3% Muscat Canelli grown in different vineyards in the winery's estate. Most of the juice was fermented in stainless steal, although a portion of the Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc were fermented in small oak barrels. The the blended wine is aged 14 months where 1/3 in used French Oak and 2/3 in stainless steel tanks. This process provides a roundness and creaminess in addition to the bright flavors and acidity. And the aromatics from the Viognier and Muscat Canelli account for the stone fruit and floral launch. Nicely done.

These wines were paired with the latest release from The White Buffalo, Darkest Darks, Lightest Lights. LA-based songwriter Jake Smith writes meaningful folk songs performed in the various styles of blues, rock, and soul. The feature track Avalon is getting plenty of airplay on SiriusXM Outlaw Country; this is one catchy tune. The album oscillates from the gritty to the ballads as in The Robbery and The Observatory or Nightstalker Blues and If I Lost My Eyes. Like his previous releases, I placed this at the front of my listening queue. Cheers.

Celebrating Parducci Wine Cellars 85th Anniversary with Special Cuvee 85 & a True Grit Vertical

Mendocino's longest running winery, Parducci Wine Cellars, opened 85 years ago this year. Now part of the Mendocino Wine Company consortium, the winery was founded by John Parducci and his family in 1932 - a year before the 21st Amendment was ratified. During that year of prohibition, 14 year old John rode alone on a rail car delivering grapes to home winemakers. Eventually he would become head winemaker at Parducci in 1940 while championing Zinfandel and Petite Sirah: "two grapes that would become a signature of Mendocino County". In 1994 Mr. Menodcino retired and in 1997 current winemaker Bob Swain was hired in his current capacity.

In honor of the winery's 85th Anniversary, Swain crafted the Special Cuvee 85 ($45) a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (69%), Merlot (18%), Petit Verdot (8%), and Cabernet Franc (5%). He chose the Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in order to recognize John Parducci's expertise in making reserve wines from these grape varieties and the other two to celebrate Parducci use of estate grapes. The fermented wine is aged in various oak regimens including some new American oak. The wine is fantastic dark fruit throughout, a bit spicy, but ah so smooth,

The winery is also celebrating their True Grit series with a release of a three wine vertical of the 2004, 2005, and 2006 Petite Sirah vintages. Priced at $50, these wines are or were available DTC or in the tasting room on a limited basis. You don't get a chance to taste through a 10+ year old vertical and these wine show that Petite Sirah, the John Wayne of Wines, age nicely. The 2006 (92% Petite Sirah, 4% Grenache, 2% Syrah) was my favorite as it was still vibrant with a leathery plum aroma, slight spices, and a smooth and still acidic tail. Delicious. The 2005 (92% Petite Sirah & 8% Grenache) was also bright with solid fruit and acidity with spices enveloping the finish. And the 2004 (97% Petite Sirah & 3% Viognier) still had legs. Although the aroma is flatter, there is still sold fruit and enough acids to lift the tail. Not bad for a 13 year old wine. Swain and Parducci Wine Cellars prove that if you have the patience to cellar their Tru Grit Petite Sirah - it's well worth the effort.

Finally, Mendocino County is part of the devastating Redwood Complex Fire and I wanted to share a Parducci Facebook post:

From the Redwood Complex Fire in Mendocino and Lake Counties, South to Sonoma and Napa we have employees, family and friends that have been impacted by these devastating fires. We are thinking of all of the communities affected. We hope everyone is safe and our thoughts and strength are with you. While many of our employees have been under mandatory evacuation or gravely affected by the fires, we can confirm that we are all safe.
Thank you to all of those fighting the fires and helping those who have lost so much. We want to express our gratitude to the heroes within our local community, throughout California, and even across the nation that came to fight the Redwood Complex Fire in Mendocino county. They truly are lifesavers.
We are doing what we can to help locally, providing shelter and resources for displaced families and animals. The tide is thankfully turning as containment increases on all fronts, but the road to recovery will be a long one. Many devastated families and communities will rely on help to rebuild. If you would like to help, you may make a donation of any size to the following community organizations. 100% of the donations go to those in need.

• Disaster Fund for Mendocino County - www.communityfound.org
• Napa Valley Community Foundation - www.napavalleycf.org
• Sonoma County Resilience Fund - www.sonomacf.org

Thank you for being such a long-standing customer of ours, we appreciate you.

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.

Murrieta's Well Snooth Virtual Tasting with Winemaker Robbie Meyer

On July 19th Snooth co-founder Mark Angelillo and Murrieta’s Well winemaker Robbie Meyer participated in a video tasting of four Murrieta’s Well's wines while also discussing the history of the Livermore Valley winery. The winery traces its history back to 1883 with the planting of imported cuttings from France and the building of a gravity-flow winery into the hillside. In 1990, Philip Wente and Sergio Traverso revived the 92-acre property, and renamed the winery in honor of Joaquin Murrieta who discovered the estate in the 1800s.The well refers to the Artesian well where Murrieta and his band of desperados watered their horses.  The estate's 500 acres lie in the middle of the valley in generally gravelly soil with morning fog cooling the grapes before the start of a typical sunny day. The grapes for the four wines were harvested exclusively from these estate vineyards, blended from different blocks that exhibit slightly different soil types and mesoclimates.

Murrieta’s Well The Whip White Wine Blend Livermore Valley 2014 ($24 - 29% Semillon, 27% Chardonnay, 18% Sauvignon Blanc, 12% Orange Muscat, 8% Muscat Canelli, 6% Viognier) was aged sur lie for 12 months with 30% of the wine aged in used neutral French oak barrels. This process enhances the wine’s general texture and mouthfeel.  The tangerine aromatics from the muscat grapes are potent, followed by creamy apricot & citrus flavors (thanks to the  Semillon& Chardonnay), and finishes refreshingly acidic. Quite nice.

Murrieta’s Well The Spur Red Wine Blend Livermore Valley 2013 ($30 - 40% Petite Sirah, 26% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot, 8% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, 8% Malbec) was aged for 24 months in French oak barrels, using a combination of new and previously used barrels. The result is a complex wine with chewy cherry flavors, some spice and chocolate with smooth tannins. Drink now and often.

Murrieta’s Well Chardonnay Small Lot Livermore Valley 2014 ($44) is made from isolated own rooted Ernest Wente clone. The wine was fermented slowly in barrel with native yeast and aged sur lie - once again enhancing the wine’s general texture and mouthfeel. Yet the oak doesn't overwhelm the wine, leaving the creamy chardonnay citrus flavors to acquire the spotlight. Textured and refreshing acids. And extremely nice wine.

Murrieta’s Well Cabernet Sauvignon Small Lot Livermore Valley 2013 ($58 -75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, 6% Malbec, 5% Petite Sirah, 4% Petit Verdot, 4% Merlot) was aged for 20 months in 70% new French oak. This is a meaty and juicy wine with some dustiness and lingering smoothness of dark chocolate. The acidity and strong tannins allow for long aging. Decant accordingly.

Motto Wines - "Bold & Rich" California Wine?

With the supply of inexpensive wine growing, the challenge is to find brands that exceed the quality you would expect from this category. I received three such wines from Motto Wines, a new brand which sources California grapes and produces the wine at an SRP of $15. The brand markets themselves as producers of bold, rich, fruit forward wines by fermenting lots separately then blending right before bottling to create the most favorable profile. I found that claim true for their 2013 GUNG HO Red Blend (14.5%) - 60% Zinfandel, 23% Petit Verdot, & 17% Petite Sirah. The wine was aged for 10 months in a combination of older and once-used barrels as well as stainless steel tanks. This wine was quite pleasant with soft fruit flavors with a juicy creamy texture and easy tannins. Very approachable. My next favorite was the 2013 UNABASHED Zinfandel (14.5%). Made in the same fashion as the Red Blend, this wine is more fruit forward, with a spicy red cherry profile and the same soft tannins, albeit with a little more spice. The final wine,  2013 BACKBONE Cabernet Sauvignon (14.5%), just didn't make an impression. Same production method, but the aroma started hot and the fruit fruit flavors intertwine with the tannins in a race to the finish. These wines may not be as Bold and Rich as advertised, but the Red Blend is a good buy at this price range. Cheers.

Old Soul Wines from Lodi's Oak Ridge Winery

Last month I received samples from Oak Ridge Winery, specifically four wines focusing on their unique Old Soul brand. I say unique in the sense that this brand focuses on non-Zinfandel grape varieties and as the oldest winery in Lodi, these grapes have an "old soul".  Oak Ridge's Zin is rather tasty, so was excited to get started.

Old Soul 2013 Lodi Chardonnay ($14, 13.5%) starts with tropical and stone fruits on the nose and palate, but then the buttery oak starts to dominate the wine. The butter almost overwhelms the favorable lemon pepper spice finish. Would love to try an unoaked version of this wine.


Old Soul 2014 Lodi Pinot Noir ($14, 13.5%) - blended with Zinfandel and Merlot. Plenty of sweet red fruits on the nose; dark blackberry fruit on the palate; easy finish with subtle spice and tannins.Very approachable, although comes across on the sweeter side. 


Old Soul 2012 Lodi Cabernet Sauvignon ($14, 13.5%) - blended with Zinfandel and Merlot. Jammy throughout, dark cherries on the nose then blackberries on the palate. Slight spice on the tail. Like the Pinot, feels slightly sweet.

Old Soul 2013 “Pure Red” Blend ($14, 13.5%) -  a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah.  Cherry spice on nose, deep blackberry fruit, easy chewy tannins for a savory finish.

Lou Foppiano turns 100, celebrates in Healdsburg

Our favorite maker of Petite Sirah at Foppiano Vineyards turns 100. Just imagine the changes in the wine industry that he has witnessed. Also, a great place to visit; read about our tour.

California Wine Tour Day 3 - Russian River Valley

We have been fans of Foppiano Vineyards since we tasted there wines and heard their unique history at the 2007 Washington D.C. Food & Wine Festival. For Foppiano Vineyards is Sonoma County's oldest continually owned family winery, having operated since 1896. Thus, we made sure we started our day at this historical site. After emigrating from Genoa, Italy, Giovanni Foppiano failed to strike it rich mining for gold, so instead he purchased a working winery and started supplying wine to Italian families locally and in San Francisco. His son, Louis A. Foppiano, joined the operation and eventually purchased the franchise in 1910. Apparently father and son had differing visions. During the next decade, the winery flourished and the vineyard expanded as new grapes were planted. One of these was Petite Sirah, which would become the winery’s trademark wine. Then Prohibition hit. Since individual could still make 200 gallons of homemade wine, Foppiano stayed in business by shipping grapes east and by switching to other fruit for the local market. The winery retained its previous vintages and probably supplied the black market. But 6 years into Prohibition, the Feds finally realized the winery continued to posses wine and raided the facility. They released 100,000 gallons of the 1918 vintage into the neighboring creek. Since it was still lawful to consume wine, people from miles around raced to collect the wine for personal use. By this time Louis J. Foppiano had ascended the mantle after Louis A. passed in 1924. The Foppiano tasting room contains a picture of Louis J. sitting under a Federal Agent next to the creek, with one wine consumer passed out on the other side of the red river. When the Volstead Act and prohibition were repealed in 1933 Louis J, resumed operations and headed east in search of new markets and distribution channels. His efforts succeeded and by “1941, Foppiano Vineyards was sending six rail cars a week to the east coast filled with wine, and increased its production to over 800,000 gallons of wine annually.” The winery sells a miniature Lionel version of one of these rail cars – which we added to our train collection. A few years later Louis J. helped create the Sonoma County Wine Growers Association as California started gaining a winemaking identity. After conquering the jug wine market in the 1950’s the winery switched to more premium grapes as growers in the Central Valley were more cost competitive. New grapes were planted in the vineyard, with only the Petite Sirah remaining. From that time, Foppiano has slowly gained recognition for producing premium red wines and their Petite Sirah “is known nationwide as one of the country's top Petites year-in and year-out’. Louis J. passed the helm to son Louis M. and today, in his 90’s still resides near the winery. Louis M. shares he family affection for the Petite Sirah and was one of the leaders in forming the PS I Love You, Petite Sirah advocacy organization. With his sister, Susan Foppiano Valera, he plans to continue this family legacy into the next century.

When we arrived at 10:00 – yes they open that early for tasting – the winery was busy bottling and cleaning. A few other visitors were also trickling through, but the tasting room was relatively free so that the tasting room representative could give us his complete attention. We skipped the Pinot Gris and headed straight to the 2006 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. This is a jammy cherry wine throughout, with a slightly toasty finish. This would be an interesting wine to compare with a Willamette Valley Pinot. Next up was the 2004 Russian River Valley Merlot. This is a full bodied wine – with more of a blackberry flavor than cherry. Vanilla is very noticeable at the finish. One of our favorites was the Lot 96 Bin 002 NV; a blend of Sangiovese, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, Carignane, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc. This is a smooth fruity wine and priced at $12, this is a great value everyday drinking wine. The 2004 Russian River Valley Cabernet Sauvignon was similar to the Merlot in body and at the finish – although a little spicier at the tale. We last tried the 2005 Russian River Valley Petite Sirah – and again more blackberry than cherry. The most interesting part is the slight chocolate flavor at the finish. We thought we were through, but then the tasting room representative announced to the room, “Happy early 4th – here’s a library tasting of our Petite Sirah”. We tried the 2001 Russian River Valley Estate, 1988 Sonoma County Petite Sirah, and the 1994 Russian River Valley Estate Petite Sirah. What a bonus. The wines were still full bodied but incredibly smooth; with the 1994 Estate wine being our favorite of the three. We were getting ready to leave when Louis M. Foppiano volunteered to walk us through the vineyard – discussing the family history and showing off the Petite Sirah vines. What a great visit; thanks to everyone at Foppiano Vineyards.

Leaving Foppiano, we headed a couple miles south on Old Redwood Highway to J Vineyards and Winery. This winery was founded by Judy Jordan, whose family also founded Jordan Vineyard & Winery. J Vineyards is known for their sparkling wines so we were eager to visit. Entering the winery is also a bit confusing since they share a driveway with Rodney Strong Vineyards. Just look for the signs. The grounds and tasting room were quite impressive which created a new concern as we worried how they would react to our son being present. This concern quickly dissipated when our tasting represented pulled out a can of apple juice, animal crackers, and a miniature wine bottle filled with. Boy, is this winery prepared for children. Thank goodness. Although we don’t really get modern design and architecture – J Vineyards tasting room was comfortable – even with this style. The design behind the tasting bar was especially interesting.

With our son occupied with food and bubbles, we started tasting, beginning with the sparkling wines. These wines are made “Methode Champeniose” where they sit, not 2 or 3, but 4 years on lees. The result is awesome sparkling wine - tiny bubbles, fruit flavors - nice acidity. We tasted the J Cuvee 20 (in honor of their 20th anniversary), the J Brut Rose, and the 1999 J Vintage Brut. The last was our favorite, made from Russian River Chardonnay. These wines are slightly pricey ranging from $30-$50 – but well within the range for excellent sparkling wines. Changing to white still wines, their J Chardonnay Russian River Valley is one of the few oaked chardonnay wines that we have tasted. It’s creamy, with good texture – but not overly buttery. The fruit still dominates. Our favorite white was the J Viognier Alexander Valley. We tried both the 2006 and 2007 vintages and noticed several distinctions between the two which makes it interesting to taste a vertical series. The 2007 is fruitier with a vanilla finish, whereas the 2006 is creamier. Both are excellent.

Moving to reds, J Vineyards offers several Pinot Noirs, a Zinfandel, and even a Pinotage. The latter was a good interpretation of the variety. The wine was slightly smoky, but not to the extremes as made in South Africa. Sometimes with these versions you wonder if you are drinking a coastal Scotch. The Zinfandel was also different than the spicy versions made in Amador and Lodi – its fruit forward with a blackberry flavor and slightly vanilla finish. Finally, the Pinots were very good. The Russian River Pinot Noir is a blend from 5 vineyards and interestingly the nose is very peppery – but not the flavor or finish. Instead you get cherry. We next tried the J Pinot Noir Nicole’s Vineyard which our rep described as masculine and the J Pinot Noir Robert Thomas Vineyard which she described as feminine. We agreed with her assessment, but for some reason preferred the Thomas Vineyard version.

We ended our session by tasting the J Ratafia dessert wine; a blend of several varieties included Pinot Meunier and fortified with brandy. This is a great dessert wine – it tastes like peaches and apricots with a nutty finish. And this was one of only three wines that we purchased the entire trip. J Vineyards was extremely accommodating during our entire visit – which probably lasted over an hour and a half - just in the tasting room. If you are traveling to Sonoma with children, this is one winery you must visit. And for those without children, come to sample and excellent array of sparkling and still wines.

Our final winery visit of the day was to Limerick Lane Cellars, the only American producers of Furmint wine. The winery has also built a respectful reputation producing zinfandel wines. Plus, Limerick Lane is located in the same southern Healdsburg local as the first two wineries. The winery started over twenty years ago when Michael and Tom Collins and their friend Ted Markoczy, purchased a run down 30 acre vineyard on Limerick Lane. They resuscitated the existing vines, planted new vines and razed and cleared land for a new winery. After producing a Sauvignon Blanc wine at a custom crush facility, they decided to concentrate on the variety best suited for their terrior: Zinfandel. Their first vintage was bottled in 1993 and immediately recognized as an “an exemplar of the finest California Zinfandel”. In the meantime Michael Collins also travelled to the Tokaj region in Hungary and returned with Furmint and Hárslevelu cuttings. The results of this endeavor is posted here, but needless to say we were excited to try their Furmint wine.

When we arrived we were fortunate that winemaker, Ross Battersby, was pouring wines that afternoon. Mr. Battersby joined Limerick Lane in 1997 after working at Stonestreet Winery. There are not many in Sonoma with his interested background either. The U.K. native has an Honors degree in Agricultural Economics, worked as a safari guide in Africa, and moved to Berkeley to manage an international adventure travel company. That proximity to Sonoma and Napa raised his interest in wine and many years later we meet him at Limerick Lane.

We started the tasting with the zinfandel, the Collins Vineyard Deco Zin and the Collins Vineyard Zinfandel. Both were produced in the Russian River Valley style that we have come to appreciate on this trip: fruit forward cherry and raspberry flavors with just a hint of vanilla. And completely smooth. The difference between the two is that the Collins Vineyard Zinfandel is a blend of Zinfandel grapes from throughout the estate with the average age of the vines being about 50 years. On the other hand the Deco Zin is produced from a lot of 74 year old vines. Some of the grapes from this lot also go into the Collins Vineyard Zinfandel – but the initial selection comprises the Deco Zin. We have become complete converts to Russian River Valley Zindandel. And also Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. Limerick Lane produces their version, the Orsi Vineyard Pinot Noir. If you prefer the big bold, high alcohol pinot noirs, this wine is not for you. Instead it is medium bodied – and I hate to use the adjective – but silky smooth and somewhat earthy. A European wine. The winery also produces a European style dry rose in the Rose Sec. This is a 50-50 blend of Zinfandel and Syrah – also from estate grown grapes. The wine has a strawberry flavor and out of the few rose styled wines offered on our trip, this was one of the best.

We finally came around to the NV Late Harvest Furmint a blend of the 2002- 2004 vintages. The wine is made in the Tokaji Aszu fashion at approximately 3 puttonyos – with 6 puttonyos the sweetest. Please see Dezel's Virginia Vine Spot for another good overview of Tokaji Aszu. The wine was golden as expected and tasted just like the Hungarian version: apricots and honey. The one difference is that Limerick Lane’s version has a slightly nutty finish – whereas the last Tokaji Oremus Aszu 5 puttonyos that we tasted was all apricot from start to finish. Look for a later posting for a live comparative tasting between Limerick Lane’s NV Late Harvest Furmint and a couple Hungarian 3 puttonyos dessert wines.

Limerick Lane Cellars is a must visit for any tourist to Sonoma County. For one, there is no place in the United States where you can taste a Furmint wine and perhaps their dry Furmint would be available during your visit. Their Zinfandel wines are outstanding as well and the Rose and Pinot Noir. Apparently their Syrah is not too shabby either. Plus the staff, as displayed by Mr. Battersby, are extremely courteous and entertaining. Traveling with children. You should see how quickly their winemaker fixed broken Kung Fu Panda chopsticks using a cork and a rubber band.

See the Compass Tours section at Wine-Compass.com for pictures.

Marietta Cellars Old Vine Red Lot #44

Somehow we stumbled upon one of our new favorite values wines: Marietta Cellars Old Vine Red Lot #44. Located in Sonoma, Marietta Cellars specializes in Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Each year the winery creates a proprietary blend consisting of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Carignane and lesser amounts of Cabernet and Syrah. The current version, Old Vine Red Lot #44 is awesome - blackberry aroma - slightly spicy - but with a smooth, almost buttery finish. And priced under $15 it's a bargain.