tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38669186596678525962024-03-12T18:30:12.663-07:00Santa Cruz Mountains and Santa Clara Valley WinesMusings about the wineries, vineyards and winemakers of the Santa Cruz Mountains and surrounding area.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13751383359424192213noreply@blogger.comBlogger409125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-17479234263471486172017-07-24T07:00:00.000-07:002017-07-24T07:00:19.383-07:00Lion Ranch<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOsOMJlpCx7F4JuAqxZfzlZJp8sZKOUaQHEpM8Ekc6Dqw4Sb6m7wI-titQNPiSW8k0C5Gz5NXaAnaTvx7_NpGcTd3KKz5Kz7JJenfgDPxftJIC_jOo0drQrihq2hdqqQ1KHWnrB6XyRu59/s1600/_MG_8014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1503" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOsOMJlpCx7F4JuAqxZfzlZJp8sZKOUaQHEpM8Ekc6Dqw4Sb6m7wI-titQNPiSW8k0C5Gz5NXaAnaTvx7_NpGcTd3KKz5Kz7JJenfgDPxftJIC_jOo0drQrihq2hdqqQ1KHWnrB6XyRu59/s320/_MG_8014.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kim Engelhardt and Kathleen</td></tr>
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Santa Clara County has around 450 acres of white wine grapes planted, with most of them concentrated in a few large vineyards around the Pacheco Pass area. Those vines are pretty much all Chardonnay and Gewürztraminer, destined for large producers. All over the valley small vineyards grow a dozen different varieties; from old vine Muscat, White Riesling, Semillon and Palomino to brand new plantings of Chenin Blanc - around a dozen different grapes make up the last 10%.<br />
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Thanks to the efforts of Robert Haas of <a href="http://www.tablascreek.com/">Tablas Creek Winery</a> in Paso Robles many of the more obscure Rhône varieties such as Grenache Blanc and Picpoul are now available in California, and an increasing number of producers are focusing on these grapes, which seem particularly well suited to the valley's climate.<br />
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Kim and Todd Engelhardt fell in love with the white wines of the Rhône, and particularly the Viognier of Condrieu, on a trip to France in 2009. They purchased a property close to Lion's Peak in Morgan Hill, Kim joined local producer Sarah's Vineyard as an apprentice and together they began the process of planting a vineyard and planning a winery.<br />
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The Engelhardts planted Viognier, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne and Picpoul on 5 acres in 2011; two years later they acquired a second property and planted another 5 acres, this time with red grapes: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault and Counoise.<br />
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The tasting room opened in 2015 in the gardens of the second property. All the wines including the reds are bottled under screw cap and carry the Santa Clara Valley appellation.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtYA0DqQTIdQc9muJBwdelhPTq9sb2b6dyh3PfSp7CL5Z3vZlZHtbeXnfmW6WkXAYDneX4SCftIacvYR7Av9aFqrWM5H__K6lXsIr-Budlpz7FGZshVp5Vq2q5uKmggmWO9AZxs4l8i0wh/s1600/_MG_8006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1358" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtYA0DqQTIdQc9muJBwdelhPTq9sb2b6dyh3PfSp7CL5Z3vZlZHtbeXnfmW6WkXAYDneX4SCftIacvYR7Av9aFqrWM5H__K6lXsIr-Budlpz7FGZshVp5Vq2q5uKmggmWO9AZxs4l8i0wh/s320/_MG_8006.jpg" width="271" /></a><b>2014 Estate Grenache Blanc</b><br />
Light and floral nose, tangy, crisp and citrus. A great food wine. $28<br />
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<b>2014 Estate Viognier</b><br />
The nose was a little light for a Viognier, but it was a very hot day. On the palate there's great spicy fruit, particularly lychee. $23<br />
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<b>2014 Lion's Share</b><br />
A blend of their five white grapes with a floral, honeysuckle nose and a fat, creamy palate with some mineral notes. $24<br />
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<b>2016 Lioness, Grenache Rosé.</b><br />
Sweet, cotton candy nose, bright acidity. Not cold stabilized, so the bottle contains quite lot of harmless tartrate crystals. A perfect summer wine; we bought a bottle and drank it as we picnicked on various cheeses and fresh bread - it was an ideal pairing. $24<br />
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<b>2015 Two Lions</b><br />
60% Grenache and 40% Syrah. There's a bright berry/cherry nose and a smooth, fruity palate with notes of raspberry. $36<br />
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<b>Lion Ranch Vineyards & Winery</b><br />
<b>645 W San Martin Ave, San Martin, CA 95046</b><br />
<b>(408) 713-8501</b><br />
<b>info@lionranch.com</b>Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13751383359424192213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-80523913390873588492017-07-23T07:30:00.000-07:002017-07-23T07:30:00.202-07:00TASS<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOuFGYX1ESEl-bbh7oSg57FWeXBkxfig-kdEceqVlLJXR8XPXnbG-NMiHNOXfLN1hv3z5WkWlD5whl9pIW-rKXg4Duf8lMt2_96D2TBROubv7WOE4HhWkMXDum5r2pJNwSBgZYbGX8sA7W/s1600/_MG_7987.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1181" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOuFGYX1ESEl-bbh7oSg57FWeXBkxfig-kdEceqVlLJXR8XPXnbG-NMiHNOXfLN1hv3z5WkWlD5whl9pIW-rKXg4Duf8lMt2_96D2TBROubv7WOE4HhWkMXDum5r2pJNwSBgZYbGX8sA7W/s400/_MG_7987.jpg" width="295" /></a>After studying viticulture at Davis, Ron Mosley's first job was to help Tom Mudd set up Cinnabar Vineyards in Saratoga. From clearing the land and planting the vines to making the wine, Ron quickly mastered the entire process.<br />
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He soon found a ready market for his talents beyond Cinnabar as many successful Silicon Valley engineers decided that they like the idea of drinking and sharing wine from their own estate vineyard but either didn't know how or didn't want to deal with all the issues of farming and winemaking. So in 1992 he set up his own vineyard and winemaking consultancy business called Vinescape. Now some 35 years since he graduated Ron manages around 80 small vineyards and makes countless private-label wines for his clients.<br />
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TASS is Ron's recently launched public label, and the third member of the Blended studio trifecta. TASS refers to Tradition, Art, Science and Style - four elements that Ron brings together in producing his excellent wines.<br />
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<b>2015 TASS Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains</b><br />
Sourced from two vineyards in Woodside and Saratoga, this is classic Santa Cruz Mountains with loads of spicy cherry and cinnamon. Quite tannic; it needs at least a couple of years to show its true potential.<br />
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<b>2015 TASS Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Clara Valley.</b><br />
74% Cabernet, 20% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc sourced from Saratoga, Los Altos Hills and Morgan Hill. Tart cranberry nose, tangy acidity and silky tannins.<br />
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<b>TASS Wines</b><br />
<b>3200 Dryden Avenue, Gilroy, CA 95020</b><br />
<b>(408) 858-1862</b><br />
<b>Info@Tasswines.com</b>Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13751383359424192213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-75568491924285233662017-07-22T08:00:00.000-07:002017-07-22T11:07:14.153-07:00Medeiros Family<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqO-3UF5GC2rVHDUdUj21-R1O7XIku-3WIST3bW5XxCt_it2L94qzRFHSlFlZ8g7b7b2SsI3bSWqBVToNe4IVsUKiImVLlwlivHOa9JUyvpN9Ak-Gttyt-sp6idBVmHqPzFVGEwhwKQN2R/s1600/_MG_7983.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1278" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqO-3UF5GC2rVHDUdUj21-R1O7XIku-3WIST3bW5XxCt_it2L94qzRFHSlFlZ8g7b7b2SsI3bSWqBVToNe4IVsUKiImVLlwlivHOa9JUyvpN9Ak-Gttyt-sp6idBVmHqPzFVGEwhwKQN2R/s400/_MG_7983.jpg" width="318" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tammie and Ted Medeiros</td></tr>
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In 2005 Ted Medeiros and Bill Holt took over the Sycamore Creek winery on Uvas Road in Morgan Hill. The winery had been established in the 1970s but after a promising start (the 1978 vintage was truly exceptional) it had passed through several owners and was producing mediocre wines - they had the only Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay blend I've ever seen. Together Bill and Ted turned Sycamore Creek around; great attention to detail, particularly in the farming, meant that their Uvas Creek Cabernet Sauvignon in particular was highly prized by other local winemakers such as Stefania and Sensorium.<br />
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Around 2012 Ted and his wife Tammie decided to set up their own label, and Medeiros Family Wines was born. For the first couple of years the wines were hard to find, although well worth the search; I distinctly remember trying his 2012 Zinfandel and being impressed. Then in 2015 Medeiros joined La Vie Dansante at "Blended: A Winemaker's Studio" and now the winery has a permanent base and tasting room, open at weekends from 12-5.<br />
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All the wines are made by Ted from grapes that he farms on behalf of several small family-owned vineyards from San Jose to Gilroy and carry the Santa Clara Valley appellation.<br />
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<b>2016 "Naked" Chardonnay</b><br />
An un-oaked Chardonnay with a beautiful nose of fresh green apples. Creamy, with some tropical fruit and a good finish. $20<br />
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<b>2014 Estate Merlot</b><br />
There's quite a lot of oak on this, but the sweet, dense black fruit is a match for it. Shows lots of chocolate on the finish. Good now, but would repay cellaring. $28<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blended Tasting Room</td></tr>
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<b>2014 </b><b>Estate </b><b>Sangiovese</b><br />
The smoky nose leads in to rich black cherry fruit, with smooth tannins. Blended with a little Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. $28<br />
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<b>2014 </b><b>Estate </b><b>Saudade</b><br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saudade">Saudade</a> is one of those words that describes a feeling and doesn't translate well into English. Here it means a rather tasty wine modeled on a right bank Bordeaux; predominantly Cabernet Franc and Merlot. There's great black fruit and lovely complexity, with the oak less apparent than the previous two reds. $30<br />
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<b>2013 </b><b>Estate </b><b>Cabernet Sauvignon</b><br />
Given Ted's reputation for growing great Cabernet Sauvignon it's not surprising that this was my favorite. It has plenty of beautiful eucalyptus, blackcurrant and blackberry, with a long lingering finish. Quite the bargain at $28.<br />
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<b>Medeiros Family Wines</b><br />
<b>3200 Dryden Avenue, Gilroy, CA 95020</b><br />
<b>(408) 427-7536</b><br />
<b>info@MedeirosFamilyWines.com</b>Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13751383359424192213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-73579535240327647632017-07-21T07:30:00.000-07:002017-07-21T17:41:20.669-07:00La Vie Dansante<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1m4LI6El7-djxctWcjHX1lZ8ypO51DPobUfTaiTxOWO4g5FE6zcHyRTe4e9GDl98yHj2xzmoNpxVOYe6LjNsAwLSXl-4Pgg_zpzZpA7GjhjBAvJN45EPvSQGtOTeUj5n87j1oWJoncADf/s1600/LVD+Logo+-+Black+on+White+-+190x380+-+96dpi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="190" data-original-width="380" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1m4LI6El7-djxctWcjHX1lZ8ypO51DPobUfTaiTxOWO4g5FE6zcHyRTe4e9GDl98yHj2xzmoNpxVOYe6LjNsAwLSXl-4Pgg_zpzZpA7GjhjBAvJN45EPvSQGtOTeUj5n87j1oWJoncADf/s320/LVD+Logo+-+Black+on+White+-+190x380+-+96dpi.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Jeffrey Fadness has led an interesting life. I'm not going to try to summarize it, <a href="http://laviedansantewines.com/portfolio-type/jeffrey-fadness/">he does a way better job than I can</a>. But a couple of years ago he took over the old (and - let's be honest - somewhat dilapidated) Thomas Kruse winery in Gilroy and opened "Blended, a Winemaker's Studio". Since then he's transformed the old barn into a modern winemaking facility and built a new tasting room alongside it.<br />
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The space is shared with two other wineries, which I'll write about separately; here I'll focus on his own label, La Vie Dansante. The first vintage was made in 2013, with white grapes sourced from Mendocino and reds from the local Besson Vineyards. Since then the capacity and range has steadily increased; current production is around the 1200 case mark.<br />
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Jeff's primary interest in Rhône grapes; in fact his endeavor has its roots in a Santa Clara Valley Syrah from Jason/Stevens, which led to him spending time as an intern there for the 2009 harvest. Almost all the wines are Rhône-style blends, apart from a little Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel sourced from the former Kruse vineyard, now renamed Summers Ranch. The tasting room is open weekends from 12-5PM, and at other times by appointment. The wines are all very reasonably priced at under $30.<br />
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<b>2015 Overture, Santa Clara Valley</b><br />
This is Jeff's salute to Tablas Creek, one of the primary advocates of Rhône varieties in California, and the reason why so many of the more obscure varieties are now grown in California. A blend of Rousanne, Grenache Blanc and Picpoul, there's an interesting soy component to the nose. On the palate there's rich stone fruit, smooth oak and some light acidity. Very nice.<br />
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<b>2016 Rosé of Mourvèdre, Santa Clara Valley</b><br />
A refreshingly crisp rose, with nice color and tart cherry flavors.<br />
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<b>2014 Grenache Noir, Central Coast</b><br />
Grenache from Monterey County is complimented by a hint of local Syrah adding a little extra depth. Lots of strawberry fruit on both the nose and palate; nice acidity with a hint of oak.<br />
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<b>2014 Prelude, Central Coast </b><br />
<a href="http://laviedansantewines.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/01132017-2014-Prelude-Bottle-Shot-480x768x96d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://laviedansantewines.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/01132017-2014-Prelude-Bottle-Shot-480x768x96d.jpg" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="480" height="320" width="200" /></a>The Prelude is a full-on Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre blend with a light, floral nose that's still remarkably easy drinking<br />
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<b>2013 Rehearsal, Santa Clara Valley</b><br />
An outstanding blend of old vine Syrah and Carignane from Besson Vineyard. It's dense and spicy with a soy component; there's plenty of structure that suggests it'll be even better in a couple of years.<br />
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It's great to see new wineries opening up in the area and shifting the focus away from the traditional Bordeaux and Chardonnay. The valley's climate seems very well suited to Rhône varieties, particularly the whites, and I can't wait to see what else Jeff has in store.<br />
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<b>La Vie Dansante</b><br />
<b>3200 Dryden Avenue, Gilroy, CA 95020</b><br />
<b>(408) 852-0779</b><br />
<b>info@LaVieDansanteWines.com</b>Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13751383359424192213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-14968217107864914542017-06-26T12:50:00.000-07:002017-06-26T14:48:15.640-07:00Vidovich Vineyards<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2012 Lake Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon</td></tr>
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While driving up to Ridge this past weekend I was surprised to see signs indicating that Vidovich Vineyards was open for tasting. I first discovered Vidovich and their Monte Bello Road Cabernet Sauvignon around 10 years ago. It was on the wine list at <a href="http://www.998cuba.com/">Habana Cuba</a>, a great Cuban restaurant in San Jose (try the ox tail, it's superb). <a href="http://scmwine.blogspot.com/2009/05/2002-vidovich-vineyards-monte-bello.html">It was a rather heavily oaked wine; lots of coffee and chocolate, quite tannic but with a good fruit core</a>. The 2001 vintage was unremarkable; rustic with chewy tannins and not much fruit, but the 2002 certainly showed a lot of promise. I managed to obtain a few cases and for a while it was my standard midweek drinker.<br />
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In 2008 I was at a trade tasting where it was being poured and <a href="http://scmwine.blogspot.com/2008/04/new-names-to-watch.html">finally got some background on the winery</a>. The vines were still very young, having been planted in the late 1990s, and 2001 was the first proper harvest. Initial vintages were made by Fetzer; the winery was completed in 2004 and local wine consultant <a href="https://webpages.scu.edu/womenwinemakers/view.php?id=79">Nancy Freire</a>, whose resume includes <a href="http://kirigincellars.com/">Kirigin</a>, <a href="https://fortinowinery.com/">Fortino</a> and <a href="http://morganhillcellars.com/">Morgan Hill Cellars</a>, was hired as winemaker. The winery had been in a state of flux following the death of its founder, but the family had plans to continue, had apparently secured a distributor and were confident about the future.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ideen and Pat run the tasting room</td></tr>
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After that, I would occasionally see wines from <a href="http://scmwine.blogspot.com/2008/03/tasting-at-picchetti.html">Picchetti</a> or <a href="http://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/jason-stephens-2007-monte-bello-road-cabernet-sauvignon-central-coast-santa-cruz-mountains">Jason-Stephens</a> made with the fruit, but I didn't see Vidovich on sale anywhere. So I was very interested to find out what was happening at the winery.<br />
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Vidovich Vineyards is right at the top of Monte Bello Road, a mile beyond Ridge. It's an impressive property with a panoramic view across Silicon Valley. But if the 20 minute drive to the summit doesn't discourage the casual visitor then the $25 tasting fee (not refunded with purchase) might. The newly opened tasting room is currently pouring 3 wines, all Cabernet Sauvignons; two vintages of the Monte Bello Road and one of Lake Vineyard. The latter is sourced from a second property in Los Altos Hills.<br />
<h4>
2012 Lake Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, $55</h4>
Rich and tannic, with notes of blackcurrant and coffee. Quite intense; it really needs around 3-5 years to soften, but has good potential<br />
<h4>
2008 Monte Bello Road Cabernet Sauvignon $90</h4>
<div>
Very tannic indeed, with not much fruit evident. Seems rather flat and one-dimensional. One can only hope that it will improve with time.</div>
<h4>
2007 Monte Bello Road Cabernet Sauvignon $110</h4>
<div>
A beautiful nose, with lots of blackberry and coffee. Unlike the 2008 the fruit is lush and sweet, lots of bramble and currant, and the tannins are smooth and silky. It's really quite delicious. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigJUkKpI_B8ypOxCJsuklTcig6ML5pyGaQ5M8lqStoaEzsuoPzgA-ZyjeugPuqclINS1NTFT790kET9iOHUmbxt8hLWIgJSiVpYj52Rc94z6_-ERhAXz881PA6Z9FwgR-j4htL7QDF0F_C/s1600/_MG_7601.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1116" data-original-width="1600" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigJUkKpI_B8ypOxCJsuklTcig6ML5pyGaQ5M8lqStoaEzsuoPzgA-ZyjeugPuqclINS1NTFT790kET9iOHUmbxt8hLWIgJSiVpYj52Rc94z6_-ERhAXz881PA6Z9FwgR-j4htL7QDF0F_C/s320/_MG_7601.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Panoramic view of Silicon Valley</td></tr>
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<div>
The winery also produce small quantities of Zinfandel from fruit grown on the Monte Bello property, though I've never seen it on sale anywhere; it's mostly kept for friends and family. </div>
<div>
<br />
While I'm pleased to see that Vidovich is still around and wish them every success I'm somewhat confused and disappointed by the excessive tasting fee as well as the <a href="http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/article/NE/20161220/FEATURES/161229987">4X price increase over the 2006 vintage</a>.<br />
<br />
Vidovich Vineyards<br />
18101 Monte Bello Road, Cupertino CA 95014<br />
650-521-3198<br />
info@vidovichvineyards.com<br />
Open: Sundays only, 11AM to 5PM</div>
Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13751383359424192213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-56698552705191603362017-05-16T21:37:00.001-07:002017-05-16T22:25:41.341-07:002016 Ridge Monte Bello Assemblage <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZYziLhmPPPYR4enIHKql8wNkYoRZJKAy_9GEv2txEqvrxv5ao7SsK5tXeLPMii2gP6kFmV4q3ShpnksU46UPRuHRUtRWwk8WvDFmmVfj3gsudVSSC1gGu3Nue1gyNi_PpWltc9usYEh2X/s1600/_MG_4893.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZYziLhmPPPYR4enIHKql8wNkYoRZJKAy_9GEv2txEqvrxv5ao7SsK5tXeLPMii2gP6kFmV4q3ShpnksU46UPRuHRUtRWwk8WvDFmmVfj3gsudVSSC1gGu3Nue1gyNi_PpWltc9usYEh2X/s400/_MG_4893.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Library wines in large formats</td></tr>
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A visit to Ridge is always fun, particularly when it's for the Monte Bello tasting. Ridge hosts three tastings in March, April and May where we get the chance to try barrel sample of the latest vintage of Monte Bello; if you've never been to one of these events, you've definitely missed out.<br />
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Alongside the official tastings many collectors bring gems from their cellars to enjoy with friends or to share with other enthusiasts, and there are occasionally older library wines available to taste and even purchase.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbtdGiheH8s31SXznqMV99WPeV_Upkx69F8ysgrkSls3Ja07wuEXXjXj3RPXpaISqU30docdukjInlA4xvp3-bNyy84RfABFwmfknfZ9_maf1sAD684MyqmmoDpnRqFCrOKOM-ac8ziZ86/s1600/_MG_4914.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbtdGiheH8s31SXznqMV99WPeV_Upkx69F8ysgrkSls3Ja07wuEXXjXj3RPXpaISqU30docdukjInlA4xvp3-bNyy84RfABFwmfknfZ9_maf1sAD684MyqmmoDpnRqFCrOKOM-ac8ziZ86/s320/_MG_4914.jpg" width="235" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ridge Winemaker Eric Baugher</td></tr>
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2016 looks to be another stunning vintage for Ridge. At the March event, where they pour samples from each of the four components, the Merlot was outstanding; fragrant and floral on the nose, with beautiful berry fruit and already some cocoa from the oak. The 2016 Monte Bello first assemblage shows all the signs of being another long-lived vintage, and the 2014 that's just been released is a fine example of what the Santa Cruz Mountains has to offer; powerful fruit, with eucalyptus, minerals and great structure. Buy it for your kids.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two stunning new releases</td></tr>
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Alongside the 2014 Monte Bello, Ridge were pouring the Estate Cabernet and their 2014 'Historic Vineyard' series. From this vintage they have released a Klein Cabernet Sauvignon and a Perrone Merlot. The Klein was taut and chewy, showing harsh tannins and hiding its fruit; no doubt it'll come around with time but on the day I didn't care for it, whereas the 2014 Perrone Merlot was luscious and rich, with velvety tannins. It's a beautiful wine, and I just wish that it wasn't $75 a bottle. The Estate Cabernet is as good and consistent as ever; it's normally the wine to buy and enjoy while your Monte Bello have a ten year nap.<br />
<br />
I say normally, because Ridge were also pouring the 2015 Geyserville, and it's a stunning wine. Quite possibly the best young Geyserville I've ever tasted. At $40 it's a great value for a wine that, while delicious now, will only improve with time. Highly recommended.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13751383359424192213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-4723258547038467082017-05-14T22:19:00.000-07:002017-05-16T22:19:36.464-07:00Photos from Ridge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih1eelxSnSr6XVrsnJ7usKxegAlqWIfir4gCzZmhbduTyl0qY3dG_tT0SAF1tg_UIDIcUqgcv4VhyphenhyphenXrv33bJp3lt9VK-vHHqwy5SalpVH15oaHUNB3wU2nGGlFiWeH3-J5VlXhgxJjG6Dt/s1600/_MG_4934-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih1eelxSnSr6XVrsnJ7usKxegAlqWIfir4gCzZmhbduTyl0qY3dG_tT0SAF1tg_UIDIcUqgcv4VhyphenhyphenXrv33bJp3lt9VK-vHHqwy5SalpVH15oaHUNB3wU2nGGlFiWeH3-J5VlXhgxJjG6Dt/s1600/_MG_4934-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a>Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13751383359424192213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-34551902021221286402017-04-23T22:21:00.000-07:002017-05-16T22:21:41.677-07:00Tasting at Ridge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13751383359424192213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-55194459480706379552015-10-04T10:47:00.003-07:002015-10-04T10:48:27.348-07:00Ridge expanding on Monte Bello RoadRidge finally announces expansion plans in association with the Mid-Peninsula Regional Open Space District. 32 more acres of Monte Bello land to be planted over the next two decades. Details on <a href="http://blog.ridgewine.com/2015/10/01/an-agreement-worth-the-wait">4488</a>, the official Ridge blog.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13751383359424192213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-49382699742050198622015-09-30T20:21:00.000-07:002015-09-30T20:26:14.986-07:00MJA VineyardsCan America's best coffee grower also be a top winemaker? Marin Artukovich thinks so. He established the Koa Plantation on Hawai'i over 20 years ago and soon established a reputation for quality; so much so that Forbes selected them as the coffee grower in an article on 50 of America's Best. <br />
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Around 2007 he sold a majority stake in the plantation and relocated to California, buying an 18 acre parcel just north of Lake Hennessy and established the label Serene Cellars. Early releases were from purchased Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc; the first estate release was from 2008.<br />
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However having lived in Hawai'i for so long, he found that Napa's ambiance didn't quite suit him, so he purchased a new property high in the Santa Cruz Mountains, not far from Burrell School. The tasting room in Napa was closed, and two new ones were opened; the one on Highland Road is part of the <a href="http://thesummitwineries.com/">Summit Wineries group</a> while the other in Santa Cruz is part of the <a href="http://www.surfcityvintners.com/">Surf City Vintners</a> on Ingalls Street.<br />
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The winery still uses the Serene Cellars brand for its Napa wines; all others are sold under the name DaVine cellars. There is an extensive range of varieties from all over, including several sourced from the Santa Cruz Mountains and Santa Clara Valley.<br />
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The tasting room in Santa Cruz is open daily and is a light-hearted affair. Most of the wines have nicknames such as Classy, Macho and Happy Ending. The staff offer you chocolate-covered coffee beans to taste alongside the wines, and the tasting room even has it's regular visitor, with her name affixed to her place at the bar. There are several flights available; each comprises 6 wines and costs $10 except for the reserve tasting which costs $20, and the fee is comped with purchase.<br />
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Since I was driving I concentrated on the local wines, which are all in the DaVine Cellars range.<br />
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<b>2012 </b><b>Chardonnay, </b><b>Santa Cruz Mountains</b><br />
A first sample seemed somewhat oxidized, so a fresh bottle was opened. The nose showed lots of butterscotch and vanilla, and flavors of sweet apple pie with not much acidity. It seemed rather too sweet for my taste, and quite mature for a 2012. $32<br />
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<b>2013Chardonnay, </b><b>Santa Cruz Mountains </b><br />
Again quite sweet. Showed less of the butterscotch than the 2012; instead had some crisp stone fruit on the nose and peach flavors. $32<br />
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<b>2012 'Sweet Thang' </b><b>Merlot</b><b>, Regan Vineyard</b><b>,</b><b> Santa Cruz Mountains</b>
The nose is ripe and hot - almost port-like (it was a little warm, and the ABV is almost 15%).
On the palate there's lots of sweet, jammy fruit and a tannic finish. $54<br />
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<b>2013 Pinot Noir, Fog's Edge Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains </b>
Possessing the funky barnyard nose that you often get from Pinot. On the palate it's rich with flavors of soy and cooked cherry and lots of tannin.<br />
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<b>2013 Sangiovese, Solis Vineyard, Santa Clara County</b><br />
Interesting nose, reminiscent of a highland malt whisky; notes of heather among the oak.
Ripe and fruity, with flavors of preserved cherry and again plenty of tannin. $36<br />
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My companions tried some of the Serene Cellars wines, including a <b>2013 Sauvignon Blanc </b>called<b> "Hot Flash"</b> that was sweet and citrus, and slightly effervescent due to the injection of a small amount of CO2 gas ($24), and a silky soft, sweet <b>2009 Stag's Leap Cabernet Sauvignon </b>called<b> "Dos Hombres"</b> that was in barrel for over 4 years. ($85)<br />
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Overall MJA Vineyards' style emphasizes sweet fruit over structure; approachability over ageability. And while there's nothing wrong with that - I can think of plenty of successful wineries that have taken that approach - I found the prices to be significantly higher than I would be prepared to pay.
Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13751383359424192213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-73800317605824983412014-10-23T09:01:00.002-07:002014-10-23T09:03:42.167-07:00Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard/Vino Cruz<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;">
<b>2013 Grenache Blanc, Bokisch Vineyard</b></div>
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An unoaked white wine, made entirely in stainless steel. The nose is floral and creamy with a hint of vanilla; it's balanced and rich with a tannic prickle on finish. </div>
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<b>2012 Verdelho, </b><b>Silvaspoons Vineyard</b></div>
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Smoky nose; flavors of candied Ginger and mineral notes, but the finish is quite quick.</div>
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<b>2011 Pinot Noir, Branciforte Creek, Santa Cruz Mountains</b></div>
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SCMV has always been known for its excellent Pinot Noirs, and this is no exception. Lots of Umami, fruit and pencil shavings; Good structure, nice acidity. There's a long finish with flavours of sour cherry. Very good indeed. Recommended.</div>
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<b>2012 Grenache</b></div>
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There;'s plenty going on here - the nose shows white pepper and leather; lots of tart cranberry flavors backed by good structure. At the price this is a wine you should buy by the case. Highly recommended.</div>
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<b>2010 Tempranillo Reserve</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ZvRqSH7e8_x2nItwsqmMRkmR5Rd-VWL5YSKFO5i-dcjl9lqgps0dXJoMlZHaGSMHmo6w9_g7cYFlh9GV2UMhV1_4HZui_WAXNVXZuiYkTr59F7WMwD88SjDsPCv4Fnh6v-vlXW1SXl-M/s1600/IMG_7426.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ZvRqSH7e8_x2nItwsqmMRkmR5Rd-VWL5YSKFO5i-dcjl9lqgps0dXJoMlZHaGSMHmo6w9_g7cYFlh9GV2UMhV1_4HZui_WAXNVXZuiYkTr59F7WMwD88SjDsPCv4Fnh6v-vlXW1SXl-M/s1600/IMG_7426.jpg" height="320" width="200" /></a>Ripe (but not overripe) fruits, backed by flavors of licorice and coffee. Spicy, with good acidity</div>
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<b>2011 Graciano</b></div>
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Barnyard nose; palate is earthy with liquorice and black fruits.</div>
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<b>2010 Touriga</b></div>
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I liked this wine so much that I barely made any notes, beyond the nose of fresh cut grass and flowers. A blend of two grapes - I think it was Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca - and a great price. I bought some and plan to give it the review that it deserves soon. Highly recommended.</div>
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<b>2010 Souzão</b></div>
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Blind I'd have guessed Cabernet Sauvignon; it's got that blackcurrant/blackberry character and eucalyptus notes. But it after a good start it tails off toward the end.</div>
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<b>2011 Petite Sirah</b></div>
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I've said many times that Petite Sirah is a difficult grape to do well; this is one of those cases where it works. The dark fruits shine through the tannins; but even so it needs a couple of years at least.</div>
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<b>2007 Rabelo</b></div>
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If anyone outside Portugal is making a better port-style wine then I'd like to know it. Intense plum, pepper and spice - like a Christmas pudding in a glass.</div>
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<br />Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13751383359424192213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-60536627583347842012014-10-22T22:14:00.000-07:002014-10-22T22:15:03.939-07:00SonesFormer Bargetto winemaker Michael Sones has been crafting interesting wines under his own label for around 10 years, initially focusing primarily on good value Zinfandel and Petite Sirah - two varieties that Bargetto isn't well known for.<br />
Production is around the 1300 case mark.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOB3QE-QtzzPZOA4-QpZnHsBwUz-yH5tV5nHSXpe5UxVKwiTokvh3ngp_29UEGZmy8on4hGc_Yt9mZy8BW5w-K6b3W4zTfE9trzE2CPA2EIhm0Indn1Nuu8KaqqF4UFnzPeTZPzqL9caN2/s1600/IMG_7414.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOB3QE-QtzzPZOA4-QpZnHsBwUz-yH5tV5nHSXpe5UxVKwiTokvh3ngp_29UEGZmy8on4hGc_Yt9mZy8BW5w-K6b3W4zTfE9trzE2CPA2EIhm0Indn1Nuu8KaqqF4UFnzPeTZPzqL9caN2/s1600/IMG_7414.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
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<b>2012 Cancion Del Mar</b><br />
A lone white wine in a sea of reds, this is a blend of<br />
Viognier, Pinot Gris, Torrontés and Sauvignon Blanc. The nose is floral, with mineral notes; it's a rich, smooth creamy wine; less crisp than I remember previous vintages being, but still a good wine to have with seafood.<br />
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<b>2010 Zinfandel, Zayante Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains</b><br />
An intense, rich wine whose raspberry nose follows on through the palate into the finish. Good structure. Recommended.<br />
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<b>2009 Syrah </b><b>Zayante Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains</b><br />
This is a wine that calls out for a slow cooked pot roast or stew. From the gamey, meaty nose to the tart, raspberry finish it continues to evolve and change, revealing notes of eucalyptus, cocoa and pepper on the way. Recommended.<br />
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<b>2010 Cabernet Sauvignon, </b><b>Wiedeman Vineyard, Santa Clara Valley</b><br />
Sporting a label by local artist Ben Davis Jr, this archetypal valley floor Cabernet shows blackcurrant, brambles and coffee. Nice acidity and a good finish. Recommended.<br />
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<b>2011 Fashionably Late Zinfandel </b><br />
I was a little surprised to see any kind of late harvest red wine from 2011; a cooler vintage where mildew, odium and botrytis were a constant issue and rains at harvest forced many to pick early - yet here we have a Zinfandel with 5% residual sugar. <br />
As you'd expect it's intense with plenty of raspberry flavors, but little else; it cries out for something to give it more backbone (a hint of Petite Sirah maybe?)<br />
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<b>2012 Sack</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEGyUP__gQWvycH3l_yRGob5Mi5-J4aUFk11Db1MYv6cS3vXjJngomu7knnqyz71RRfzsPvZnLooGDbp6-TENLYJNi9YW9dW_5b16oYSExlFDTkFPIgJkZ8SsL8wPXeY9mYI6jCN-SAKuC/s1600/IMG_7418.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEGyUP__gQWvycH3l_yRGob5Mi5-J4aUFk11Db1MYv6cS3vXjJngomu7knnqyz71RRfzsPvZnLooGDbp6-TENLYJNi9YW9dW_5b16oYSExlFDTkFPIgJkZ8SsL8wPXeY9mYI6jCN-SAKuC/s1600/IMG_7418.jpg" height="400" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; text-align: start;">Caileen with the 2010 Wiedeman Vineyard <br />Cabernet Sauvignon</span></td></tr>
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Sack was an old English term for fortified wines from Spain. It grew in popularity in the Elizabethan age despite - or because of - the ongoing war between Elizabeth and Philip II. In Henry IV part 2 the character Falstaff performs a monologue in praise of “sherris sack”, concluding “If I had a thousand sons, the first humane principle I would teach them should be, to forswear thin potations and to addict themselves to sack.”<br />
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This wine was produced in association with Shakespeare Santa Cruz, and some of the profits go to support that group. It began as a base white wine made from Torrontés which was then fortified with brandy and sweetened with grape must. It comes in at 18% ABV.<br />
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Hard to know what to compare it to. It doesn’t have the same oxidation or maturity of a modern Sherry; neither does it have the freshness of a Pineau or Mistelle or the sweetness of a Tokaj. Instead the Torrontés gives it a very appealing floral nose, with notes of peach or apricot, but unfortunately on the palate it’s rather flat; there’s either too much heat from the brandy or not enough sweetness from the must. A curiosity that will appeal to some but doesn't really work for me.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13751383359424192213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-69047019317187153282014-10-19T15:02:00.000-07:002014-10-20T09:39:41.772-07:00Savannah-Chanelle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stefani at Savannah-Chanelle</td></tr>
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The history of Savannah-Chanelle goes back to the early days of the California wine boom. Pierre Pourroy emigrated to California from France in 1887 and was joined by his brother Eloi six years later. Together they bought land - including a vineyard - in Saratoga from the Bonjetti family and planted Zinfandel, Carignane and Cabernet Franc, among other varieties. They also planted fruit trees and produced prunes. By the 1920s the family owned over 400 acres.<br />
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The winery was established in 1917. The Pourroy wines were sold in jugs or small barrels - there was no commercial bottling - and Eloi Pourroy did not even own a truck, preferring to use horse drawn sleds and wagons. They continued producing wines and selling grapes even during prohibition, finally stopping in the mid-1950s. Many of the Pourroy family were buried in the Madronia cemetery in Saratoga.<br />
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By the late 1960s the vineyards were largely derelict. A group of Lockheed employees got together intending to purchase a parcel of land to establish a Christian camp ground. However they ran out of resources and asked a local businessman, Victor Erickson, for help. He eventually purchased 53 acres of land and raised vegetables.<br />
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A neighbor tended to the old vines and took the crop, and through him Daniel and Robin Gehrs learned about the property and persuaded Erickson to re-open the winery. In 1976 Congress Springs was established, with Gehrs as winemaker and Erickson as owner. Together they refurbished the old vineyards and planted some Chardonnay. In the mid 1980s Erickson sold the company (but not the land) to Anglo-American, a world-wide agricultural business who also owned vineyards in the San Ysidro District. However the company lost millions when a venture in Australia failed, and were bought out by some east coast bankers, who had no idea how to run a winery, and so it went bankrupt. Daniel Gehrs left to become winemaker for Zaca Mesa and eventually established his own label in Santa Barbara.<br />
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In the early 1990s the property was leased and then bought by John Del Mare, with the intention of resurrecting the Congress Springs winery. In 1996 he then then sold it to Kellie and Mike Ballard, who renamed it after their two young daughters - Savannah and Chanel. Today The winery produces Pinot Noir from a variety of sources, and a tiny amount of estate wines from the original Pourroy plantings, which are among the oldest of their kind in the country.</div>
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<b>2013 Pinot Noir rose </b></div>
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A bone-dry rose showing strawberries on the nose and palate.</div>
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<b>2013 Chardonnay, Tondre's Grapefield, Santa Lucia Highlands</b></div>
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An unoaked Chardonnay; notes of asian pear on the nose. </div>
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In the mouth there is crisp acidity and minerality with a chalky, lemony finish.</div>
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<b>2010 Pinot Noir, Regan Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains</b></div>
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Savory nose with some black cherry. The palate has rich, dark fruit and some soy or nori notes. </div>
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<b>2011 </b><b>Pinot Noir, </b><b>Tondre's </b><b>Grapefield</b><b>, Santa Lucia Highlands</b></div>
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Despite its youth the nose shows notes of leather and earth. My friend said it reminded him of "a wet dog running in the countryside". Good red cherry fruit, with a longish finish.<br />
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<b>2008 Syrah Coast View Vineyard</b>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1kI2jQCSIMX2-oOZrDGq9crz762ZShz_1iAM0qebMORu9C9u83UCrmvtitCkUK3zD-mBbDUJfvUeX1EvDKnJYcglrYCEdb8EOGSY0BjY2cYR5lTVdtac_1qms-DPpj2_qhdlAPK9XATWK/s1600/IMG_7402.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1kI2jQCSIMX2-oOZrDGq9crz762ZShz_1iAM0qebMORu9C9u83UCrmvtitCkUK3zD-mBbDUJfvUeX1EvDKnJYcglrYCEdb8EOGSY0BjY2cYR5lTVdtac_1qms-DPpj2_qhdlAPK9XATWK/s1600/IMG_7402.JPG" height="243" width="320" /></a>Herbal nose; there's a good core of fruit, but it's under a mass of tannin. Definitely needs cellar time.<br />
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<b>2011 Estate </b><b>Zinfandel, Santa Cruz Mountains</b>
Good as the other wines are, the stars of Savannah-Chanelle are the estate bottlings.<br />
This Zinfandel comes from century old vines, producing around 1.25 tons per acre.<br />
Nose is minty and herbal, with a slightly metallic note. In the mouth there's stacks of concentrated ripe raspberry fruit. The finish is long, rich and peppery. Wonderful stuff; highly recommended.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBoblyczeHZ231DqK6C2wScqu8szB7KeNbVmuk7rEjquPSqzuxNus_BjLur0tBG-XJqnMgDFDo_1xtolGrj-xhICTZqY8-uS2FhsBcav4UURpDH8dVr1GJCoCg2sTqSSQ0P64WGhN3yLOT/s1600/IMG_6428.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBoblyczeHZ231DqK6C2wScqu8szB7KeNbVmuk7rEjquPSqzuxNus_BjLur0tBG-XJqnMgDFDo_1xtolGrj-xhICTZqY8-uS2FhsBcav4UURpDH8dVr1GJCoCg2sTqSSQ0P64WGhN3yLOT/s1600/IMG_6428.JPG" height="141" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gene Guglielmo</td></tr>
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The Santa Clara Valley may well be the state's most under-recognized AVA - Wikipedia's entry on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_California_wine">History of California Wine</a> doesn't even mention it by name, in spite of over 160 years of continuous commercial grape growing and wine production. Visitors to the area would scarcely know that so many quality wineries were so close by since, unlike many other AVAs around the state, there's almost no visual indicators to advise them. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Official Unveiling</td></tr>
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So a group of local wineries banded together and enlisted the help of representatives from the cities of Morgan Hill and Gilroy to lobby the county for greater recognition. This has borne fruit, as it were, in the form of the Santa Clara Valley Wine Trail. The county has invested around $25,000 in new signage to direct visitors in a loop connecting around 16 wineries located around the Gilroy, San Martin and Morgan Hill areas. The trail runs roughly parallel to 101 on the east side of the valley from Morgan Hill down to Leavesley Road, then along Hecker Pass and back up Watsonville Road. While the signs have been in place for a few weeks, the official launch of the trail took place on Friday, at Guglielmo Winery.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsoCmj-bE8SsMEre5Mtvd82cNZdFF1eUsjXoNH6RfOUuVllTlcxb2AhTTtOL1_wIgBdVq3S4ugrgfODR2mh7Hbw6C8CLzeAqux2U7teLDFmPwO3ukdS_Thhlp3AAkUgc4RSBsCYROTXqER/s1600/IMG_6473.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsoCmj-bE8SsMEre5Mtvd82cNZdFF1eUsjXoNH6RfOUuVllTlcxb2AhTTtOL1_wIgBdVq3S4ugrgfODR2mh7Hbw6C8CLzeAqux2U7teLDFmPwO3ukdS_Thhlp3AAkUgc4RSBsCYROTXqER/s1600/IMG_6473.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a>Guglielmo was an ideal choice to showcase the potential of the Santa Clara Valley AVA. The oldest family-owned winery in the area, the Guglielmos have transformed their business from producing 'jug' wine to a range of high quality estate vintages, as well as being the driving force behind the establishment of the Santa Clara Valley AVA in 1989.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thomas Kruse disgorges his Chardonnay</td></tr>
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The launch saw speeches by several civil dignitaries, followed by a tour along part of the trail and lunch in Gilroy. On the way we tasted quite a number of local wines, including a quite good 2009 Syrah at Morgan Hill Cellars, a freshly disgorged, hand-riddled sparkling Chardonnay at Thomas Kruse, the final vintage of Fratelli vineyard Fiano from Solis, a brand new 2012 Zinfandel from Medeiros Family and a rather fine Port style wine called Eredita from Guglielmo.<br />
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The celebrations will continue over the weekend with a special promotion. Tickets cost $40 at participating wineries.<br />
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<br />Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13751383359424192213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-36596305160268708312014-08-06T11:49:00.001-07:002014-08-06T17:36:24.689-07:00In defense of Two Buck Chuck(Note: Please be sure to read the comments to this post - there's more interesting information there, some of which contradicts what I wrote. Dave)<br />
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There's an article doing the rounds at the moment that's trashing Trader Joe's Charles Shaw wines. Personally I didn't think there was a need to; I find they vary from poor to undrinkable myself, and won't have them in the house. But some people will drink anything - look at how much Budweiser gets sold every day. I'm not going to link to the publishers; that just encourages them.<br />
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However the article contains a good deal of misinformation which really deserves to be addressed. I should point out that I haven't visited the <strike>factory</strike> winery myself, but there are some things that are common to just about all facilities, from the smallest to the most industrial.<br />
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Are there rats, birds and insect bits in the wine? Well, rodents don't tend to live in vines 3 feet off the ground, and if they did they'd certainly get out of the way as soon as a tractor came close. Gophers tend to be the biggest pest in vineyards; they live in the ground and attack the roots, not the fruit. Similarly with birds; in fact most winemakers net their vines to prevent birds from getting access. The odds of wildlife getting caught by the harvester is very small indeed - but not zero.<br />
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No winemaker that I know of, even at the highest level, will search through the grapes to ensure that there are no insects or frass present. It's just not going to happen. Some wineries have what's called a shaker table - it's effectively a long tilted metal table that vibrates. The vibration moves the grapes from one end to the other. Insects and other detritus will typically fall off in the process; the whole clusters will move through to the crusher-destemmer. Top wineries will have human sorters who will remove any leaves and clusters that don't look healthy or ripe.<br />
Wineries that need to process large amounts will still need some kind of conveyer system. Bugs will have plenty of time to get away, but obviously some won't.<br />
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Having travelled along the conveyer the clusters enter the destemmer. This is a rotating drum with holes in it; the grapes fall off the stems and go through the holes. Very unripe grapes will remain attached to the stems and come out of the other side. If a bird or rodent did make it this far it will be ejected too. The grapes then fall through into a crusher that breaks the skins, and from there are transferred into the fermentors.<br />
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So it's possible that a trace of animal material can make it into the bins. And as I said, that's true of just about every winery I know. It's also true of just about every food production method I know; that's why there are legal limits on the amount of foreign matter allowable in just about every food there is; it doesn't mean it's necessarily there, but it does mean that the food isn't considered to be contaminated by it. In the case of wine however that matter will get removed when the wine is pressed - and if for any reason it didn't, then it would be removed by the racking and filtering. that goes on when the wine is finished.<br />
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The article also states that the wine is sweetened with grape juice and sugar. Well there is nothing illegal about adding grape juice to wine - if there was then Tokaj, one of the world's greatest sweet wines would not exist. Adding sugar is illegal in California - as is adding water except under certain circumstances - but why would you sweeten with sugar when you can use grape juice? (The adding of sugar is called chaptalization, and is permitted in some countries when the wines don't have enough fermentable sugar to start with. )<br />
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There are plenty of legal additives such as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mega-purple">Mega Purple</a> that wineries can use to improve the perceived quality of their cheap wines. They don't have to disclose them, though some wineries have started to and I greatly encourage that.<br />
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So while I don't encourage anyone to drink Two Buck Chuck if they can possibly avoid it, there's no reason to believe the false claims being made against it. If you really want to avoid something nasty in your diet then look out for partially hydrogenated oils - that stuff is seriously bad for you.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13751383359424192213noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-28181052637395666102014-07-05T12:52:00.002-07:002014-07-05T13:14:01.237-07:00Mindego RidgeThis looks like an interesting new project. The site is a <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/Mindego+Hill+Rd/@37.2977829,-122.2393327,886m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x808fae98b81fc465:0x8b9fff4f8c2c009e">10 acre vineyard in La Honda</a>, producing around 600 cases of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The winemaker is Ehren Jordan, formerly of Turley and owner of Failla, and a former San Francisco Chronicle <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/wine/article/Winemaker-of-the-Year-Ehren-Jordan-3258181.php">Winemaker of the Year</a>. The first release from the 2013 vintage isn't until November, so now would be a good time to head over to <a href="http://www.mindegoridge.com/">their web site</a> and sign up for their mailing list.<br />
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<br />Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13751383359424192213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-8754258511179129392014-07-02T16:00:00.003-07:002014-07-02T16:01:10.799-07:00The 101 best wineries in AmericaWeb site The Daily Meal has come up with their list of the 101 best wineries in America, and not surprisingly several of them are from the Santa Cruz Mountains.<br />
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At #54 that have the legendary Mount Eden - should have been higher of course, but that's fine.<br />
Just above at #52 is Woodside's Thomas Fogarty. <br />
Inside the top 20 at #18 we find the idiosyncratic Randall Grahm and his Bonny Doon Winery.<br />
And taking the #1 spot is Ridge. Congratulations!<br />
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For the full list see <a href="http://www.thedailymeal.com/america-s-101-best-wineries-slideshow">The Daily Meal</a>.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13751383359424192213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-23891326472494648662014-06-26T21:05:00.000-07:002014-06-25T21:11:52.728-07:002010 Big Basin Estate Syrahs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHMONNoWEbdv_cHCX6OYkCLdR3ZzWgO6jntw08GpRKTYWQ4j4XlQeq8M5rxOFG6MI47Q-KfSX3mb1nwqqh18vlj91lst0kBbbaIL12Zl7WCl_ocR8HgL4Fj6OfIq0Q3uJfhh0Hu6JErEWZ/s1600/IMG_4971.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHMONNoWEbdv_cHCX6OYkCLdR3ZzWgO6jntw08GpRKTYWQ4j4XlQeq8M5rxOFG6MI47Q-KfSX3mb1nwqqh18vlj91lst0kBbbaIL12Zl7WCl_ocR8HgL4Fj6OfIq0Q3uJfhh0Hu6JErEWZ/s1600/IMG_4971.jpg" height="400" width="273" /></a></div>
Since 2002 Bradley Brown has been producing excellent estate Syrah; intense wines that deserve - nay, demand - cellaring. As the vines have aged and other Rhone varieties have been planted the range has expanded. The latest release features two siblings that are very different from each other.<br />
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2010 Big Basin Old Corral Syrah </h4>
The 2010 Old Corral is a dark, brooding wine featuring 13% Grenache and 1% Viognier. There's a deeply rich nose; lots of dark fruit - plum and blueberry, with herbal tones. Lots of young tannins back up a nice fruit core. It's almost painfully young at this stage; needs at least 3-5 years cellaring and will reward more. Highly recommended.<br />
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2010 Rattlesnake Rock Syrah</h4>
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Blending just 11% Grenache into the Syrah somehow gives a lighter wine than the Old Corral. The nose is floral, almost soapy; it comes across more like a white wine than a red. Where the Old Corral showed black fruits the Rattlesnake Rock leans towards the red; more cherry than plum, with smoky, meaty notes and great structure. Again. this is a wine you shouldn't plan to touch for a while. Highly recommended.</div>
Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13751383359424192213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-48099321748988294262014-06-25T00:25:00.000-07:002014-06-25T21:11:41.334-07:002012 Cinnabar Chardonnay, Santa Cruz Mountains<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjivAJgvitp4nYEH0iYxpQa27ZvEq8rC-UJY_BD_v8b5-hU5uMpUDO6rf6vh2UIMzMxmC1JfZnXdw19TSRURXzTJnkNUzer97kv0Wyh2n8mW-S6FwSx6VrZ-lJf7CGJTxjL59f4xZoXgY-8/s1600/IMG_4955.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjivAJgvitp4nYEH0iYxpQa27ZvEq8rC-UJY_BD_v8b5-hU5uMpUDO6rf6vh2UIMzMxmC1JfZnXdw19TSRURXzTJnkNUzer97kv0Wyh2n8mW-S6FwSx6VrZ-lJf7CGJTxjL59f4xZoXgY-8/s1600/IMG_4955.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
Since the sale of the old vineyards off Highway 9 to Mount Eden, George Troquato has been sourcing fruit from all over the state, particularly Paso Robles and Monterey. However he still produces a couple of wines from local fruit - a Pinot Noir from Lester Family Vineyard, and a rather nice Chardonnay.<br />
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The fruit for the 2012 Chardonnay was sourced from two small vineyards high above Los Gatos; the 40 year old Wright’s Station Vineyard - <a href="http://www.wrightsstation.com/">http://www.wrightsstation.com</a> - and the nearby 25 year old single acre Skyland Vineyard on Skyland Ridge.<br />
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A fairly typical Santa Cruz Mountains style of Chardonnay; citrus and tropical fruits on the nose; plush apple, lemon and vanilla on the palate. There's French oak but it's not excessive.<br />
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$38 at the winery tasting room in Saratoga.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13751383359424192213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-60210860213360266662014-06-24T23:46:00.000-07:002014-06-25T00:25:57.303-07:002010 Martella Syrah, Camel Hill Vineyard<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3qxh-fA_0vG-GRLrT0XHW5eplUfGjc4R5GxotWvhMWBa3rJcTpx533iuBfKSUv_gx7uua5-2fIWFbDHU-Tg_rfm6c4-rO6VpCiDCTuRGJ7u9q46Ws0nzkBf7WoCVN8fos3t4nYKnAtIde/s1600/IMG_4973.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3qxh-fA_0vG-GRLrT0XHW5eplUfGjc4R5GxotWvhMWBa3rJcTpx533iuBfKSUv_gx7uua5-2fIWFbDHU-Tg_rfm6c4-rO6VpCiDCTuRGJ7u9q46Ws0nzkBf7WoCVN8fos3t4nYKnAtIde/s1600/IMG_4973.jpg" height="337" width="400" /></a></div>
Michael Martella has been making wine in the Santa Cruz Mountains for over 40 years as former head winemaker at Thomas Fogarty, and since 1999 under his own label from purchased fruit. I'll confess that in the past I haven't been the greatest fan of his label; I've found his "Hammer" Syrah to be aptly named and not really to my taste.<br />
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So I was pleasantly surprised by this latest Syrah from the Camel Hill Vineyard in Los Gatos, which displays finesse rather than raw power. The nose is lovely, showing black fruit and leather; on the palate there are gorgeous fruit flavours backed by good acidity and tannin. Recommended.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13751383359424192213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-32955405155619297122014-06-23T23:25:00.000-07:002014-06-25T00:26:09.392-07:00 2011 Big Basin Pinot Noir, Lester Family Vineyard<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEKd7yKnuyfwwH6Npwlod2C5jWRiraGfiTPGTOXcF_LTxpN2Erk-QdXu7qJmJBnNExLNFlrhoWtGxgynNP5rT6Rmbxr0aNczT0zCybg2i_FRELC92RIWUUvIriyyM7Hd-lI9_bg4KhzZ6E/s1600/IMG_4963.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEKd7yKnuyfwwH6Npwlod2C5jWRiraGfiTPGTOXcF_LTxpN2Erk-QdXu7qJmJBnNExLNFlrhoWtGxgynNP5rT6Rmbxr0aNczT0zCybg2i_FRELC92RIWUUvIriyyM7Hd-lI9_bg4KhzZ6E/s1600/IMG_4963.jpg" height="400" width="265" /></a></div>
The Lester Family Vineyard is located in Corralitos, towards the southern end of the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA, at an elevation of around 500 feet. The vineyard is planted to seven different clones of Pinot Noir; primarily Dijon clones 667, 777 and 115, but also Mount Eden, Wadenswil, Mariafeld and Jackson. Since 2002 the fruit has been used by several local wineries and has produced a variety of structured, age-worthy wines.<br />
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2011 was a tough vintage; a cool summer that also had rain in June and October. While this was bad news for late ripening grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon, the cooler weather didn't affect Pinot Noir quite so badly; so while it's by no means a classic vintage, good wines can be made even in bad years - and this is one of the finest 2011s that I've tasted.<br />
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The nose is beautiful and expressive; floral with plenty of savoury cherry. On the palate it's long and smooth, with fine tannins; a lovely complex interplay of fruit, herb and meaty flavours. Overall I think this is one of the best wines I've had from the Lester Family vineyard. Highly recommended.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMAAvkXh7Q2XTjx2DdwbFLee2Sg10DmvufdItbsRhwzkCvK3G2rLPfLMVRvsRVC-Kup_JooWWflBEv7kWpttExjdGSXd04Tvorz1Nk2wTC-oe-EL4lfLjyfuXyoEtx-rMbzc27b7VYGq8r/s1600/IMG_4956.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a>Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13751383359424192213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-967429649028502752014-04-20T14:51:00.000-07:002014-06-25T21:09:59.377-07:00Fellom Ranch<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;">
Montebello ridge has long been known as an ideal place to grow Cabernet. From the earliest plantings at the end of the 19th Century to the present day the area has hosted dozens of small wineries. And while the mountain top is now dominated by one of the finest wineries in the world, there is still room for lots of smaller vineyards and wineries such as Vidovich, Naumann, Relyea-Wood - and Fellom Ranch.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking south from the vineyards</td></tr>
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In 1929 Senator Roy Fellom purchased a 250 acre ranch on Monte Bello Road. A few acres of land had been planted with vines by the previous owner, Paul Cena and the family traded the grapes with a neighbour, Andrew Mikulaco, who paid them back in wine. </div>
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In the early 1980s Senator Fellom's son and grandson decided to replant the vineyards and open a winery. Around 10 acres were terraced and planted, almost entirely to Cabernet Sauvignon, with a small block of Petite Verdot. The winery was bonded in 1987.</div>
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I recall first encountering Fellom Ranch Vineyards at a Santa Cruz Mountains vintners festival in the mid 1990s. At the time they had a barrel sample of their Saratoga Zinfandel which so impressed me that I ordered a case. I was invited to the release party at the winery - up near Ridge, a half mile from Monte Bello Road down a winding single-track lane called Flintlock Road, and thankfully was able to persuade a friend to act as a designated driver.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bud and Brookes Fellom</td></tr>
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The wines could occasionally be found at local retailers and restaurants, but they gradually became harder to find and I haven't seen any since the 1999 vintage. When I first started writing the blog and <a href="http://scmwine.blogspot.com/">wiki</a> I contacted the winery and saws told that they were temporarily closed to visitors, but planned to re-open. Due to family legal issues the winery remained closed until last fall. I heard about the opening in time to visit on the spring Passport day.<br />
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Roy 'Bud' Fellom III is the current owner and winemaker. Assisted by his family he has been making wines continually since 1987, though in recent years he got disillusioned in dealing with wholesalers and distributors and decided to concentrate on sales direct from the winery.<br />
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The temporary closure has certainly impacted production - at present they are down to 400-500 cases annually, but plan to get back to their earlier peak of 1500-2000 cases. The winery no longer has the lease on the Saratoga vineyard that produced the Zinfandel that I enjoyed so much; instead they source fruit from a number of vineyards both locally and as far afield as Shennadoah valley and Paso Robles.<br />
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The winery should be open at weekends during the summer months for tasting and sales - the web site is <a href="http://www.fellom.com/">www.fellom.com</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"><b>2012 Chardonnay, Santa Cruz Mountains.</b></span><br />
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Sourced from an unnamed vineyard over by Cooper Garrod this is fairly typical of the more restrained Santa Cruz Mountains style - plenty of lemon, pear and chalk with some tropical fruit notes. Recommended. $20<br />
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<b>2011 Pinot Noir, Central Coast</b><br />
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From vineyards in the Paso Robles area the nose is floral, with strawberry and preserved cherry. Smooth flavours of chocolate and cherry - an easy drinker, similar in style to those from Carneros. $22<br />
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<b>2010 Cabernet Sauvignon, Douglas Crest Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains</b></div>
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From a nearby vineyard opposite Vidovich this has a perfumed, floral nose and nice berry flavours. There's some good acid and soft tannins. Doesn't seem like a candidate for cellaring, but tasting very nice right now with a little air. Recommended. $25<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A magnum from the first vintage <br />
of Fellom Ranch estate cabernet</td></tr>
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The winery were also pouring two barrel samples from the 2013 vintage:<br />
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<b>2013 Zinfandel, Shenandoah Valley</b><br />
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A bright raspberry nose with a hint of VA. Lots of sweet raspberry fruit; quite a bit of residual sugar - more than I care for, but the other tasters seemed to enjoy it.<br />
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<b>2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, Estate, Santa Cruz Mountains</b></div>
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Similar in style to the Zinfandel; nose and palate showed blueberries with some apparent residual sugar.<br />
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And finally there was a magnum of the estate Cabernet Sauvignon from the maiden vintage:<br />
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<b>1987 Cabernet Sauvignon, Estate, Santa Cruz Mountains, from a magnum</b></div>
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Lovely old nose, with lots of leather, cedar and herb. Nice acidity. Still has plenty of good blackcurrant fruit supported by lots of secondary notes. 1987 was a very good, ripe year and this wine has held up beautifully. showing the true potential of the site. A real treat.</div>
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Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13751383359424192213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-34751205179712622642014-03-01T19:01:00.000-08:002014-04-20T19:02:44.997-07:00Oral History of the Santa Cruz Mountains Winemakers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://drbenniontrustfund.org/Wines_and_Winemakers_of_the_Santa_Cruz_Mountains/Wines_&_Winemakers_of_the_Santa_Cruz_Mountains_files/shapeimage_4.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://drbenniontrustfund.org/Wines_and_Winemakers_of_the_Santa_Cruz_Mountains/Wines_&_Winemakers_of_the_Santa_Cruz_Mountains_files/shapeimage_4.png" /></a></div>
In the early 1990s the writer and historian Charles L. Sullivan was comissioned by the Bennion Trust to create an oral history of winemaking in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Over a period of two years he interviewed many of the prominent winemaking families in the region, and compiled a 700 page document which provides a fascinating insight into the state of the appellation at the time as well, as the history over the previous century.<br />
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The book was self published by the Bennion Trust and was only available to those in the know who purchased a copy directly from Fran Bennion herself. $40 got you over 350 sheets of velobound copier paper.<br />
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Some years ago I contacted first Mr Sullivan and then the Bennion Trust, offering to host a copy of the manuscript on the internet, to bring it to a wider audience. The original source material was still in existence on early Apple Macintosh disks, and could have been converted to a modern format without too much difficulty. The offer was politely declined at the time, but I recently learned that the trust has since gone ahead with publishing a version of the project online.<br />
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At the present time it's still incomplete. All of the interviews are viewable as PDF scans; they are readable, but are not currently indexed or searchable. The quality is perfectly readable and I've successfully processed some of the pages with OCR software. The appendix - which consisted of various photographs and commercial documents from Ridge - are not yet present, nor is the original map of the appellation drawn by Jan Sherrill.<br />
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You can view the project at <a href="http://drbenniontrustfund.org/Wines_and_Winemakers_of_the_Santa_Cruz_Mountains/Wines_%26_Winemakers_of_the_Santa_Cruz_Mountains.html">drbenniontrustfund.org</a>Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13751383359424192213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-80576269448108957232013-01-24T14:51:00.002-08:002014-06-25T21:10:58.879-07:00Montallegro<a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BBBcLElCUAA1iAh.jpg:large" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BBBcLElCUAA1iAh.jpg:large" width="240" /></a>I got an email today from a wine retailer thanking me for the blog - he'd used some of the information from a post on Montallegro on his web site. It turns out that he has an allocation of the 2006 Montallegro Cabernet for sale at $30 a bottle, which I think is a very good price. You can check it out at <a href="http://www.princeofwine.com/open/all/motallegro-cabernet/2006-montallegro-cabernet-sauvignon-santa-cruz-mountains.html">PrinceOfWine.com</a><br />
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By coincidence I opened a bottle of the 1999 Montallegro just this last weekend. It's a lovely Cabernet with a nose of campfire and brambles. The palate is what I expect from Saratoga Cabernet (think Mount Eden, Kathryn Kennedy, Cooper Garrod etc.) - lots of blueberry, blackcurrant and earth. There's still plenty of slightly bitter tannin; it's drinking well now but I'm sure it'll continue to improve over the next few years. Recommended.<br />
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Now where's my credit card...Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13751383359424192213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866918659667852596.post-8253414531154963362013-01-20T11:43:00.004-08:002013-01-20T11:43:55.861-08:00Rebooting the blog<a href="http://www.santaclarawines.com/images/santaclarawines.com/Image/Wineries%20of%20Santa%20Clara%20Valley%20Logo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.santaclarawines.com/images/santaclarawines.com/Image/Wineries%20of%20Santa%20Clara%20Valley%20Logo.JPG" width="200" /></a>While I don't make New Year Resolutions, I have decided to try and make more of an effort in updating the blog, and the winery wiki. There have been several new wineries that have opened in the past couple of years, both in the Santa Cruz Mountains and the Santa Clara Valley, which I have yet to cover or even sample.<br />
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The Santa Clara Valley AVA has some top class vineyards, particularly in the western foothills, and several under-rated, high quality producers. So my goal is to try and visit every Santa Clara Valley winery this year, or at the very least the ones I haven't been to before.<br />
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I'm also looking forward to a presentation by local historian Charles Sullivan on <i><b>The History of Winegrowing in the Foothills of the Santa Clara Valley </b></i>next Tuesday at the Immanuel Lutheran Fellowship Hall -14103 Saratoga Avenue in Saratoga. The presentation is free; there is also a wine tasting featuring four local producers. For details see the <a href="http://saratogahistory.com/">Saratoga Historical Foundation's website.</a><br />
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You can find out more about the Wineries of Santa Clara Valley at their <a href="http://www.santaclarawines.com/index.php">website </a>or on their <a href="https://www.facebook.com/santaclaravalleywines">Facebook page</a>, as well as on my <a href="http://scmwine.wikispaces.com/">local wineries Wiki</a>.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13751383359424192213noreply@blogger.com1