The SCMWA holds a couple of annual trade tastings, open to wine buyers, restauranteurs and media. It's a good opportunity to taste the new releases. The most recent event was held last month at the Farallon Restaurant in San Francisco. I deliberately skipped Ridge as I knew I'd get the chance to taste them at the Monte Bello event, and by the time I got to Kathryn Kennedy they had stopped pouring. In all I think I hit most of the tables. Here are some rather brief notes, alphabetically by winery, in the order poured.

Bargetto 

2009 Chardonnay, Central Coast
A fairly typical example of Monterey county Chardonnay. Not over oaked; creamy apple and vanilla with just enough acidity. 86
2009 Estate Reserve Pinot Noir, Regan Vineyard
Bright cherry nose; flavours of cherry, cranberry and cinnamon, with a hint of sweetness. 90
2009 Lodi Zinfandel
Ripe nose of raisin and prune are matched on the palate by raspberry and date, with some woody tannins. 85
2007 La Vita
A blend of three Italian varieties - Dolcetto, Nebbiolo and Refosco.
The nose is smoky and rustic. The first thing that you notice are the chewy tannins, but there's good dark fruit and plenty of acidity behind that; it just needs time. 91+
2010 Gewürztraminer, Viento Vineyard, Monterey County 
No surprises here; a typical floral, spicy nose and flavours of lychee and honeysuckle. Some sweetness and quite a long finish. 88

Clos LaChance 

2010 Sauvignon Blanc 
Nice tart grapefruit nose. Crisp, light citrus flavours - refreshing, but the finish is a little quick. 87
2008 Chardonnay, Santa Cruz Mountains
Nose showed butterscotch and toffee apple. Flavours of butter, vanilla and apple, perhaps some slight oxidation. 86
2008 Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains
Great nose - allspice, clove and cherry. Lovely clean, sweet fruit, nice dash of oak. 91
2009 Estate Zinfandel
Aromas of raspberry syrup and star anise. Concentrated raspberry flavours, earthy and spicy. Good value. 89
2007 JoLi Meritage 
Dusty currant and earth on the nose. Quite intense fruit - bramble, cassis, some tobacco. Good structure. 91

Clos Tita

2009 Estate Pinot 
Unusual nose; glacé cherry, dried herb, asphalt. Flavours of cherry liqueur, blueberry, herbs and something else that I just couldn't quite identify. Yeah I know, some use that is in a tasting note. 87

Cooper-Garrod
2009 Viognier 
Lively floral honeysuckle nose. Flavours of peach, pear and apricot. 89
2007 Cabernet Franc, Francville Vineyard
Brambly, leafy nose. Blackcurrant with notes of cigar and earth. 89
2007 Syrah, Finley Vineyard
Nose showed smoked meat and earth. Black fruit, salty bacon, plenty of tannin. 89+

La Rusticana d'Orsa 

Marilyn and Frank Dorsa have around 4 acres of up to 10 year old vines, with all five Bordeaux varieties represented. The wines are made at Mount Eden, but with only a couple of hundred cases made they are very hard to find at retail
2007 Cinque
Enticing nose of black fruit with a hint of eucalyptus and licorice. Plenty of rich fruit and cocoa, with soft tannins. Very drinkable. 91
2008 Cinque
The nose is a lot less forthcoming than the 2007. Good black currant and bramble fruit, with a touch of bell pepper and a good finish. 90
2009 Cinque
Not yet released. Light, smoky fruit on the nose. Lighter weight than the other vintages, but with lithe fruit and nice fine tannins on the finish. 90+

Martella 

2008 Hammer Syrah
Gamey nose, with bacon and plum. On the palate there's bright, sweet fruit - pomegranate? 89
2008 Petite Sirah, Mendocino
White flowers and black currant on the nose. Surprisingly balanced and elegant for a Petite, with good depth of fruit and a hint of earthiness. 90

Mount Eden 

2009 Chardonnay, Wolff Vineyard, Edna Valley
The Wolff Vineyard chardonnay always represents pretty good value at around $15, and this is no exception. Light, crisp apple nose; flavours of sweet green apple and citrus. 88
2008 Chardonnay, Saratoga Cuvee
Lots of toasty oak on the nose. Apple and vanilla flavours, with a prickle of tannin on the finish. 89
2009 Estate Chardonnay
Shows some interesting tropical fruit on the nose; pineapple and guava. Rich and creamy yet complex with lots of fruit and a long finish. 92
2009 Estate Pinot Noir
Black cherry and smoke on the nose. I don't think this was aerated much if at all; it seemed very tightly wound. Taut cherry fruit, orange peel and spice. 92++
2010 Domaine Eden Pinot Noir
The Domaine Eden wines come from the old Cinnabar vineyard in Saratoga. Personally I found the early vintages disappointing, but it looks like Jeffrey has finally got things the way he wants them. This is a real winner. Although the nose seems lighter than the estate it still shows some nice spice, which follows through to the palate where it's matched by lovely cherry and berry, and supported but not dominated by some oak. At around $35 this is a terrific value; I plan to load up on it. 94
2008 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
Nose shows eucalyptus and great black fruit. Rich flavours of blackcurrant and bramble; there's good tannin on the finish, but it's approachable now - if you must. 94
2008 Domaine Eden Cabernet Sauvignon
Like I said above, I've found the early Domaine Eden vintages disappointing, though maybe that's largely a case of having too high an initial expectation. This isn't a bad wine, it's just such a long way away from the Estate. The nose is softer, with berry and iodine notes. The fruit is lean and the finish is quick. 89
My understanding is that most if not all of the Cabernet vines are gradually being grafted over to Pinot Noir.

Naumann 

2009 Chardonnay
From a vineyard in Saratoga. Nose showed Asian pear and wet stone.
Sweet apple and pear with a saline, mineral note. Light acidity. 88
2007 Merlot 
Good nose of damson, bramble and oak. Rich, chewy fruit and a longish finish. The oak needs some time to integrate, but a decent value. 90
2009 Tre Rosso Cali
Blend of estate Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.
Dusty nose, with some blackcurrant. Powerful bramble and currant fruit, with good structure. The best wine Naumann has produced to date, and good value at under $30. 93
2007 Late Harvest Merlot
Lots of sweet, ripe fruit on the nose, also oak and a hint of VA. Lots of black fruit, raisin, date and oak. Some residual sugar, but not overpoweringly sweet. 90

Odonata 

Denis was also introducing his second label, Damselfly

2011 Rose of Petite Sirah
Barrel sample; Floral and fruity nose, Crisp and fruity with flavours of boysenberry. 88
2009 Pinot Noir, Domani Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains
Complex nose - rose petal, earth and cherry. Good rustic cherry fruit backed with nice acidity. 91
2009 Malbec, Silvaspoons Vineyard, Alta Mesa
Aromas of blueberry pie. Fruity - blueberry and bramble - with firm tannins on the finish 91
2009 Syrah, Zayante Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains
Smoky, meaty nose. Interesting gamey flavours, with black fruits. 92
2009 Petite Sirah Machado Creek Vineyard Santa Clara Valley
Black fruit, liquorice Great rich fruit. Nice controlled tannins. Caramel herb prickle if tannin 92
2009 Damselfly Sangiovese Santa Clara Valley
Earthy, herbal nose. Rather tannic with a hint of tar and some floral notes. 88
2009 Damselfly Petite Sirah, Monterey County
Mineral (sulphite?) note on the nose, Good fruit, smooth and easy drinking. 88

Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard/Quinta Cruz

Jeff had a wide selection of wines from both his brands.

2010 Verdelho
An aromatic, acidic grape native to Madeira and perhaps best known as the primary component of one of the island's classic wines. It's also grown extensively in Portugal where it's used in white port and to make dry wines. Internationally it is increasing in popularity, particularly in Australia. It's slowly growing in popularity in the US with around 100 acres planted, mostly in San Joaquin and Sacramento counties.
Crisp, floral nose. Dry, floral and lemony, with light acidity and a good finish. 89
2009 Tempranillo
100% Tempranillo. Redcurrant and caramel nose. Chewy and concentrated with red and black fruits, and ganache. Medium finish. 91
2008 Tempranillo Reserve
The reserve spends longer in barrel and is blended with some Touriga and Graciano.
Nose of fireplace and earthy fruit. Lots of smoky, earthy black fruit. 91
2009 Touriga
A blend of Touriga Nacional & Touriga Francesa - two of the main port varieties.
The nose is a little faint, with some black fruit, but on the palate it's rich and plush. While dry, it clearly shows the characteristic fruitiness of port. 90
2009 Graciano
A Spanish grape which is a component of Rioja, Graciano is rarely bottled alone which is a shame.
Bright, floral nose with a hint of smoke. Rich red fruits on the palate - raspberry, currant and strawberry - intense yet lithe, with a tannic finish. 93
2008 Baileys Branciforte Ridge Pinot Noir
Nose of woodland and cherry. Good cherry fruit, with some herbal notes and a rich, earthy finish. 92
2009 Branciforte Creek Pinot Noir
Shows cherry and cranberry on the nose. Bright flavours of cherry and raspberry, also with a rich, long finish. 92
2009 Grenache McDowell Valley Vineyard, Mendocino 
Light berry nose, Rich raspberry and pepper. 89
2009 Petite Sirah, Pierce Ranch, San Antonio
Light, smoky nose. Rich black fruits, well managed tannins and a chewy finish. 89
2008 Bobcat Red
Aimed at the restaurant by-the-glass market, this seems to be a blend of leftovers that weren't good enough for the regular bottlings. There's a light pot-pourri nose and smoky fruit cocktail flavours with a hint of band-aid and a quick finish. 81

Sonnet

2009 Muns Vineyard
Nice smoky, floral nose. Lithe cherry and berry flavours, with some earthy notes. 89
2009 Tondre's Grapefield
Nose reminds me of cherry liqueur. Rich fruit flavours - raspberry and cherry - with a long finish. 90

Storrs

2009 Viento Vineyard Gewürztraminer
Floral, lychee nose. Good spicy flavours with lots of lychee and a hint of residual sugar. 88
2010 Chardonnay, Santa Cruz Mountains
Creamy vanilla, lemon and lime, with soft acidity. 87
2008 Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains
Smoky, slightly medicinal nose. Spicy cherry - clove and cinnamon - and a long finish. 91
2008 Petite Sirah, Santa Cruz Mountains
Cider and oak on the nose. Rich, concentrated black fruit and good structure, only slightly marred by some heat. 90
2006 Rusty Ridge Zinfandel Santa Clara County
I'm normally a big fan of the Rusty Ridge Zinfandel, but this didn't quite measure up to previous vintages.
Earthy, raspberry nose, concentrated yet rustic raspberry flavours with chewy tannins. 89

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Here are some tasting notes from the SCMWA trade tasting last month. This is an annual event open to retailers, restaurateurs and media, which was held at Farallon restaurant in San Francisco.

Unfortunately my punishment for somehow angering the tech gods continues and I've been unable to find the iPod that I had used to record most of my comments. Thankfully I had sync'd it with my PC before it evolved legs, so the notes were safe, but somewhat inaccessible; Apple certainly doesn't believe in letting you have easy access to your own data and I was damned if I'd pay the necessary $25 for what seems to be the only available third party recovery application.

I finally got around to doing the necessary hackery myself to extract the data from its binary prison; it turned out to be a bit easier than I expected. And so, with apologies for the delay, here are my notes.

All wines carry the Santa Cruz Mountains appellation unless otherwise noted.

Beauregard

2007 Estate Chardonnay
This had a really smoky, oaky nose. Big, creamy and smoky with baked apple flavours. Good acidity. Long oaky finish, but despite all the wood I enjoyed it. 90
2007 Bald Mountain Chardonnay
This wasn't showing the oak anything like as much as the Estate Chardonnay, which is surprising given that it sees 100% new French oak and the Estate sees less. Nose shows creamy apples; notes of lime, salt and honeysuckle with a medium to long finish. Reminds me of Varner. 92
2007 Estate Pinot Noir
Light smoky, earthy nose. Earthy and austere with redcurrant and herbal notes. lightly tannic finish. 88
2008 Bald Mountain Pinot Noir
Smoke and maraschino aromas. Earthy but less austere than the estate with black cherry flavours and a medium finish. 90

Big Basin

2008 Homestead Syrah
Blend of 73% Monterey and 27% Santa Cruz Mountains
Nose has roast meat and blueberry. Rich and fruity with smoky berry flavours and a medium finish. 90
2007 Fairview Ranch Syrah, Santa Lucia Highlands
Floral, berry nose. Fairly gentle tannins, smooth red berry flavors showing white pepper on the long finish. 91
2006 Rattlesnake Rock
The nose is very complex, showing smoke, meat, fruit and spice. Rich, smooth flavours of smoked meat, redcurrant and pomegranate, with a longish finish. 93
2007 Mandala
The nose suggests dusty old books, but on the palate it's sweet and spicy, with blueberry and blackberry notes and nice firm tannins on the finish. 92

Cinnabar

2007 Chardonnay
Lemon and lime on the nose; flavours of citrus, oak and mineral notes. Oak seemed harsh on the finish; give it time. 87+
2007 Pinot Noir
Funky, earthy nose; spicy flavours of sweet cherry, cinnamon and cedar. Very good. 92
2006 Cabernet Sauvignon
Dusty blackcurrant nose. A rather concentrated combination of rich fruit, smoky oak and chewy tannins. 89+

Clos LaChance

2007 Chardonnay
Vanilla and apple on the nose; sweet baked apple and vanilla cream on the palate. Seems low in acidity, with notes of sweet caramel on the finish. 88
2007 Pinot Noir
Inviting nose of cherry pie; sweet cherry and allspice flavours. Oak came across as a little harsh - needs time. 88
2007 Cabernet Sauvignon
Dusty bramble nose; flavours of blackcurrant, oak and underbrush. Promising. 89

Kathryn Kennedy

2000 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
Leather and black fruit on the nose. Complex flavours of cassis, earth, leather and cedar; a big wine with a long finish. 94
2006 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
Softer nose than the 2000. Showing lots of primary blackcurrant fruit; good structure, just needs time. 93
2007 Small Lot Cabernet sauvignon
Rustic black fruit, balanced oak, plenty of tannin, good finish. Cellar this. 93

La Honda Winery

2009 Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma
Smooth gooseberry and grapefruit flavours; creamy, clean finish. 87
2008 "Sequence" Pinot Noir
Interesting nose - sandalwood? On the palate it's got lovely spicy redcurrant notes with silky tannins and a longish finish. 91+
2009 Exponent
Blend of 44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 18% Grenache and 14% Sangiovese
As the blend suggests it's an easy drinking red table wine; light fruity nose and soft brambly fruit. Only $15 at Beltramos; a good value midweek red. 88
2008 Salinian Block Cabernet Sauvignon
5 vineyard blend from small vineyards around the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Nose shows smoke, cassis and brambles. Bold black fruit, lot of tannin, dusty oak on the finish. 90+
2007 Naylor's Dry Hole Vineyard, Chalone AVA
Lots of cassis on the nose. Spicy blackberry, blackcurrant fruit, lovely smooth tannins, a rather elegant wine. 92

Martin Ranch

JD Hurley 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon
Rustic, with notes of blackcurrant and allspice. Tannins are silky and the oak is nicely balanced. 89
JD Hurley 2008 Zinfandel, Santa Clara Valley
Some nice tart raspberry flavours, but perhaps a little oxidized? 86

MJA Vineyards

Marin Artukovich recently relocated his winery from St Helena to Los Gatos. The winery has a tasting room on Ingalls St. in Santa Cruz and a Pinot Noir vineyard on Highland Way (the continuation of Summit Road) in Los Gatos. A second tasting room at the vineyard is scheduled to open next month. The winery has two labels; Serene Cellars and Davine Cellars (not to be confused with nearby DeVine Consultants). The winery produces Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc from Napa and a Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir.
2007 Serene Cellars Sauvignon Blanc
An oaked Sauvignon Blanc. Creamy and low in acidity, with some gooseberry notes. 85

Naumann

2008 Chardonnay
Lots of butterscotch on the nose. Flavours of creamy apple, with mineral and brine; clean finish. 88
2006 Merlot
Bright plum aromas, some smoke. Berry and plum fruit, oak seems nicely integrated. 88
2007 Merlot
Earthy nose, which comes across on the palate too. Sweet fruit, some spice and smoke. Tannic finish. 89

Ridge

2008 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
The new name for the Santa Cruz Mountains blend; with more of the younger Cabernet vines now producing the balance of the blend has shifted and it can be called a Cab. The blend is 75% cabernet and 20% Merlot, with 3% Petite Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc.
Nose is brambly with a little smoke; rich flavours of cassis and spice. Terrific value. 93
2007 Monte Bello
Did not disappoint. I'm a big fan of this vintage, as you probably know. 95

Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard

2009 Verdelho, Silvaspoons Vineyard Alta Mesa AVA
Impressive floral nose, kind of a cross between Sauvignon Blan and Viognier. Light bodied; floral and crisp gooseberry notes with caramel on the finish. 89

Savannah-Chanelle

(Edited. Zinfandel vines aren't the oldest of their kind in the state but Cabernet Franc vines probably are. Thanks to Tony Craig for the correction.)
2007 Cabernet Franc
From vines planted in the 1920s; believed to be the oldest Cabernet Franc vines in the new world. Smoky blueberry nose. Concentrated fruit - blueberry, redcurrant and cranberry. Chewy, tart finish. Hint of cigar. 91
2007 Zinfandel
Sourced from hundred year old vines. Dark blackberry/raspberry nose. Good concentration. Lots of tart raspberry syrup, backed by great acidity. Rich intense flavour and a long finish. I really liked this. 93
2007 Montmartre
Blend of roughly equal parts Cabernet Franc, Zinfandel and Carignane, with a little Syrah. Light meaty, smoky nose. Most tannic of the three wines. A chewy, spicy fruit medley that will need time to show well. 90

Storrs

2008 Chardonnay
Big, ripe nose with lots of vanilla. Rich and creamy with good acidity and flavours of red apple, lemon and lime. 88
2008 Chardonnay, Christie Vineyard
Rather shy nose, showing a little apple. Crisp apple and pear flavours, with the oak far less evident. 88

Thomas Fogarty

2007 Chardonnay
Nose of caramel and apple. Crisp apple, lime and brine. Mineral on the medium finish. 87
2008 Gewurztraminer, Scheid Vineyard, Monterey County
Consistently a great value wine and my favourite domestic Gewurztraminer.
Lovely spicy, floral nose. There's a hint of sweetness, nice citrus flavours, low acidity with a long, floral finish. 90

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The SCMWA held a trade tasting in San Francisco today. A couple of dozen great wineries pouring their current releases for buyers, distributors, restauranteurs and writers. It would be difficult enough to try all the wines without taking notes; at every table there's an old friend to catch up with. Many apologies to everyone whose wines I didn't get to taste.

These are more impressions than proper tasting notes. Overall the quality was excellent, with hardly any signs of over-manipulation.

2007 Black Ridge Viognier, Santa Cruz Mountains
Lychee, mango and tropical fruit nose. Touch of residual sugar, flavours of apricot and mango. A great pairing for spicy food. 90
2007 Black Ridge Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains
Heavy, black cherry nose. Rich, spicy cherry fruit. Medium, tannic finish. Needs a year. 91+

2007 Clos LaChance Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains
Black cherry nose. Smooth, rich cherry fruit, some spice. Light on the tannin and acidity. Drink now. 89
2007 Clos LaChance "Buff Bellied Hummingbird" Zinfandel, Central Coast
Smoky, ripe raspberry nose. Intense, concentrated dark raspberry fruit. Good structure too. 91 This would be good value anyway, but apparently Safeway have it on offer for $12 right now. Back up the van!
2006 Clos LaChance "Lila's Cuvee", Estate
Rhone blend. Smoky, meaty and earthy nose. Well structured, with good fruit backed by mushroom and earth notes. Needs a year or two. 90+
2006 Clos LaChance Cabernet Sauvignon, Estate
Soft blackcurrant fruit, fine tannins and a smooth finish. 90

2007 Heart O' The Mountain Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains
Tart cranberry and cherry nose. Rich concentrated fruit, kirschwasser on the finish. 90+
2006 Heart O' The Mountain Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains
Dusty oak, cherry. Nice sweet fruit, seemed more balanced and integrated. Drink or hold. Think I'm in the minority in preferring the 2006, to drink now at least. 91

2001 Kathryn Kennedy Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Cruz Mountains
Lovely rich warm, nose, complex currant notes. Wow. Intense fruit, nicely integrated. Seriously delicious now but will hold. 96
2005 Kathryn Kennedy Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Cruz Mountains
Fainter nose than the 2001, black fruits. Good fruit but not as integrated. Lots of structure. Less intense than 01 but perhaps more elegant. Needs time. 94+
2006 Kathryn Kennedy Small Lot Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Cruz Mountains
Sourced from 10 different vineyards from Woodside to Morgan Hill.
Soft, rich berry fruit on the nose. Smooth blackcurrant fruit, nice oak, good acidity, quickish finish. 91

2006 La Honda Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains
Cabernet Sauvignon 57% Sangiovese 43%
Light nose, some black fruit. Light bodied and earthy. The tannin has calmed since I last tasted it, but it still needs time. 86
2006 La Honda Cabernet Sauvignon, Chalk Hill
Blackberry and dusty oak on the nose. Big, rich, ripe blackberry/blackcurrant flavours. Long tannic finish. Give it at least another year. 92
2006 La Honda Meritage, Chalk Hill
Nice floral, black fruit nose. Good blackcurrant fruit, less tannin than the Cabernet Sauvignon. Drinking well now. 91
2007 La Honda Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains
Unlike 2006 all the fruit went into one blend. I think it's a good decision.
Cherry Cola on the nose. Big ripe fruit, cherry and cranberry. Needs time. 90+

2008 Martella Sauvignon Blanc, Monterey
Fermented in steel, aged sur lie for 5 months.
Citrus nose, grapefruit, lemon and fig. Bright and fruity, mandarin pear and peach. 90
2006 Martella Grenache
Ripe, porty nose. Ripe, tart fruit (acid added?). Notes of liquorice. 85
2007 Martella "Hammer" Syrah
Earth, black fruit on the nose. Lots of tannins, liquorice again, bitter finish. 87
2008 Martella Zinfandel
Initial mushroom nose blew off to reveal floral, rose petal nose. Some residual sugar. Sweet raspberry, low acid, tannic finish. 85

2008 Martin Ranch JD Hurley Chardonnay
Cidery nose. Vanilla cream and smooth apple. Cidery finish. 86
2006 Martin Ranch JD Hurley Merlot, Santa Clara Valley
Oak, smooth plum fruit. 88
2006 Martin Ranch JD Hurley Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Cruz Mountains
Earthy berry nose. Good acidity, nice fruit, tart finish. 88
2006 Martin Ranch Therese Vineyard Syrah, Santa Clara Valley
Earth, smoke and black fruit. Lovely fruit, nice acidity, crisp finish with white pepper 91
2005 Martin Ranch Therese Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Cruz Mountains
Shy, earthy nose. Dense blackcurrant fruit, lot of tannin. Needs 3+ years in the cellar. 90+
2006 Martin Ranch Therese Vineyard Sangiovese, Santa Clara Valley
Lots of earth and sweet oak. Nice red fruit, red currant, earth, smoke, liquorice 91
2007 Martin Ranch Therese Vineyard Zinfandel, Amador
12% petite Sirah. Around 0.5% residual sugar.
Sweet raspberry syrup nose. Sweet raspberry, decent structure 87

2007 Mount Eden Saratoga Cuvee Chardonnay, Santa Cruz Mountains
Made from declassified estate fruit as well as some from managed vineyards.
Peaches, pears and vanilla on the nose. Rich, sweet fruit, nice oak - not too heavy. Good tart finish. 91
2006 Mount Eden Estate Chardonnay, Santa Cruz Mountains
Lighter nose than the Saratoga Cuvee, showing some caramel. Bright fruit, green apple. Not really showing much right now. Long finish though. Great potential. 90++
2007 Mount Eden Estate Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains
Huge nose - cherry, raspberry and oak. Full bodied - rich cherry spice, orange peel and so much more. Long, lingering finish. Could be better than the awesome 2005. Buy this and cellar it. 96+
2007 Mount Eden Saratoga Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Cruz Mountains
Always a good value. Nice dusty, blackcurrant nose. Good berry fruit, nice balance. 89
2006 Mount Eden Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Cruz Mountains
Another 2006 with a light nose. Seems to be a feature of the vintage.
Elegant and structured, but way too young. There's a big wall of tannin around the fruit. Hard to rate at this stage; 89++++

2008 Odonata Chardonnay, Peter Martin Ray Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains
Toast, fig and apple pie on the nose. Rich pear, peach and apricot. Toasted brioche on the finish. 92
2008 Odonata Grenache
Raspberry/cherry pie on the nose and again on the palate. Spice, raspberry, shows some oak. 91
2007 Odonata Malbec
Tart blackberry nose. Orange, blackberry, toast and clove. Good acidity. 90
2007 Odonata Durif, McDowell Valley
Nice black fruit. Spicy. Good tannin control. 90

2007 Sarah's Vineyard Old Vine Grenache, Santa Clara Valley
Interesting smoky, meaty nose. Medium bodied. Rich, concentrated fruit, light tannin. Very tasty 91

2008 Storrs Chardonnay, Santa Cruz Mountains
Apple and vanilla nose. Flavours of green apple and tropical fruit. 89
2006 Storrs Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains
Spicy, with cinnamon, clove and dried cranberry nose. Sweet cranberry fruit and white pepper, but there's bitter tannin on the finish. 88+ if the bitterness goes with time.
2006 Storrs "Two Creek" Rhone blend, Santa Clara Valley
Savoury, gamey, roasted meat nose. Rich and full bodied. Sweet, dark fruit; intense and concentrated. Medium finish. Good tannins. Great value at around $25 92
2005 Storrs "Lion Oaks" Zinfandel, Santa Clara Valley
Spice, black pepper, raspberry nose. Another wine with intense, concentrated, sweet fruit. Long finish. 92
2005 Storrs Petite Sirah
Nose shows barnyard, some tart black fruit. Lots of tannin, but not too much and there's fruit to support it. 89

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Storrs are perhaps best known for their excellent Chardonnays, but they also make some great Zinfandels. Sourced from some old vineyards in the Santa Clara Valley, the Rusty Ridge and Lion Oaks are typically intense, concentrated and delicious.

Recently I happened to be in Whole Foods and spotted their 2006 Central Coast at $20. As I understand it, the fruit is sourced from a number of young, domestic vineyards in Santa Clara Valley.

It pops out of the glass with a savoury nose of raspberry and oak. Lots of raspberry/brambly flavours and peppery spice. Although it's only 14.2% it showed some heat, though in its defence this was perhaps exacerbated by being served a little on the warm side. There's fair acidity but not a great deal of tannin so drink it now. At $20 it's reasonable value but not a stunning bargain, though the 10% half-case discount does help. 87

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Critics often disagree over particular wines. It's understandable; after all, they are only human, and there can be any number of reasons, from bottle variation to a dislike of a particular style or a perceived flaw. But if I were to pick a particular vintage, let's say for example 2005, and a particular grape, such as Zinfandel, then you might reasonably expect critics to agree on whether it was a decent vintage or not. Surely you wouldn't be in the situation where one publication says it's one of the worst vintages in the past 25 years whereas another says it's a great vintage?

Well yes, actually, you would. As for me, so far I've been reasonably impressed with the 2005 Zinfandels that I've tasted, and the Storrs "Rusty Ridge" has raised the standard further. The fruit is sourced from a number of old head-trained, dry-farmed vineyards in the Santa Clara valley, across the eastern edge of the Santa Cruz Mountains. It's aged mostly in American oak with some French.

This is exactly what old vine Zinfandel should be about. Rich, concentrated raspberry aromas and flavours; not sweet, not overly hot despite the 15.2% alcohol, and enough tannin and acidity to support it all without ending up flabby. The oak is integrating nicely and there are secondary notes of pepper and spice. It retails for around $25-$30 and at that price I highly recommended it.

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I finally got around to checking up on the results from the SF Chronicle Wine Competition. Now I've never had a particularly high opinion of such competitions ever since I realised that Gold, Silver and Bronze did not equate to first, second and third position; instead they are equivalent to point ranges. But it's always interesting to see what reviewers are saying about wines that you like, and this is supposedly the largest competition of American wines in the world.

As a follow-up to the competition there's a tasting event in San Francisco on Saturday February 28 at Fort Mason.

Ventana Vineyards from the Arroyo Seco AVA in Monterey County won best overall white wine for their 2007 Riesling.

La Honda Winery got Best In Class for their 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, "Naylor's Dry Hole Vineyard", Chalone AVA, which I called a nice, soft, drink-me-now cab with good blackcurrant flavour

Solis Winery was judged Best In Class for their 2007 Fiano, which I recently tasted and called the best non-Chardonnay white wine I've tried in a while.

Sarah's Vineyard achieved two Best In Class awards. The first was for their excellent 2007 Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir. I was impressed by a barrel sample at Pinot Paradise last year and tasted the finished product recently. It's very good, but give it a couple of years to really shine. They also scored Best In Class for their 2005 Besson Vineyard Syrah. Frankly I'm a little surprised by that as I found it a bit overripe for my taste.

Storrs picked up Best In Class for their 2005 Petite Sirah. Sadly they weren't pouring this when I last visited.

To be frank, working out who won what is not easy. There is a table of medals awarded by winery here, but it's full of errors and missing entries. Here are the ones that I have identified so far; apologies for any that I missed. All wines carry the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA unless noted.

Alfaro Family Vineyards
Gold: 2006 "Billy K" Merlot
Bronze: 2007 "A" Pinot Noir
Bronze: 2006 "A" Syrah
Bargetto
Gold: 2006 Reserve Merlot
Beauregard
Gold: 2006 Trout Gulch Vineyard Pinot Noir
Bronze: 2006 Trout Gulch Vineyard Chardonnay
Big Dog
Silver: 2005 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (San Francisco Bay)
Silver: 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Port (San Francisco Bay)
Bonny Doon
Gold: 2006 Ca del Solo Dolcetto (Monterey)
Bronze: 2006 Le Cigare Blanc (Central Coast)
Bronze: 2007 Le Vol des Anges (Arroyo Grande Valley)
Burrell School Vineyards
Bronze: 2005 Estate Merlot
Cinnabar
Gold: 2007 Pinot Noir (Santa Lucia Highlands)
Silver: 2006 Mercury Rising (California)
Bronze: 2006 Trebbiano (Paso Robles)
Clos LaChance
Gold: 2007 "Glittering-Throated Emerald" Chardonnay (Monterey)
Gold: 2005 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (Central Coast)
Silver: 2006 "Black Chinned" Syrah (Central Coast)
Bronze: 2006 "Buff-Bellied" Zinfandel (Central Coast)
Creekview Vineyards
Double Gold: 2006 Syrah (Santa Clara)
Gold: 2007 Chardonnay (Arroyo Seco)
Cumbre of Vine Hill
Gold: 2006 Hicks Family Vineyard Pinot Noir
Fernwood Cellars
Bronze: 2007 Vanumanutagi Chardonnay
Bronze: 2006 Small Vineyard Merlot
Bronze: 2006 Machado Creek Petite Sirah (Central Coast)
Fortino
Silver: 2006 Petit Sirah (Central Coast)
Bronze: 2005 Sangiovese (Central Coast)
Bronze: 2005 Carignane (Santa Clara)
Gatos Locos of Vine Hill
Bronze: 2007 Chardonnay (Mokelumne River),
Bronze: 2006 Syrah
Hallcrest
2005 Belle Farms Pinot Noir
Hunter Hill
Silver: 2006 Estate Syrah
Bronze: 2007 Syrah/Grenache/Mourvedre (California)
JD Hurley
Silver: 2005 Merlot
Silver: 2006 Zinfandel
Bronze: 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon (Santa Clara Valley)
Bronze: 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon
J. Lohr
Gold: 2007 "Fog's Reach Vineyard" Pinot Noir (Paso Robles)
Gold: 2006 "Hilltop Vineyard" Cabernet Sauvignon (Paso Robles)
Bronze: 2006 "Arroyo Vista Vineyard" Chardonnay (Arroyo Grande Valley)
Bronze: 2005 "Carlo's Vineyard" Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley)
Jason-Stephens Winery
Silver: 2006 Dorcich Vineyards Syrah (Santa Clara Valley)
Bronze: 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon (Santa Clara Valley)
Bronze: 2006 "Dorcich Estate" Cabernet Sauvignon (Santa Clara Valley)
La Honda Winery
Best In Class: 2006 "Naylor's Dry Hole" Cabernet Sauvignon (Chalone)
Double Gold: 2006 Lonehawk Cabernet Sauvignon
Bronze: 2006 "Windsor Oaks" Cabernet Sauvignon (Chalk Hill)
Loma Prieta Winery
Gold: 2007 Saveria Pinot Noir
Gold: 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon
Mann Cellars
Bronze: 2005 Mannstand Vineyard Malbec (Santa Clara County)
Martella
Silver: 2006 Zinfandel (Fiddletown)
Silver: 2006 "Hammer" Syrah (AVA not stated)
Silver: 2005 "Heart Arrow Ranch" Cabernet Sauvignon (Mendocino)
Bronze: 2007 Viognier
Bronze: 2006 "Oleta Vineyard" Grenache (Fiddletown)
Martin Ray Winery
Gold: 2004 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
Monte Verde Vineyards
Silver: 2006 "Muritabo" Syrah (Central Coast)
Bronze: 2006 "Villa Palma" Merlot (Central Coast)
Muccigrosso
Gold: 2005 "Stan's Zin" Moniz Vineyard Zinfandel (Santa Clara)
Silver: 2006 "Lyn Zin" Zinfandel (Santa Clara)
Bronze: 2005 "Table Two" Syrah/Sangiovese (California)
Perrucci Family Vineyard
Silver: 2006 Sangiovese
Silver: 2006 Merlot
Roudon-Smith
Gold: 2007 Pinot Noir
Bronze: 2006 Cabernet Franc (Monterey)
Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard
Gold: 2005 "Bailey's Branciforte Ridge" Pinot Noir
Gold: 2006 Shepard Vineyard Durif
Silver: 2006 Branciforte Creek Pinot Noir
Silver: 2005 McDowell Valley Vineyard Durif (Mendocino)
Sarahs Vineyard
Best Of Class: 2007 Pinot Noir
Best Of Class: 2005 Besson Vineyard Syrah (Santa Clara Valley)
Gold: 2007 Estate Pinot Noir (Santa Clara Valley)
Silver: 2007 Chardonnay
Silver: 2007 Estate Chardonnay (Santa Clara Valley)
Satori Cellars
Gold: 2006 "Halelujah" Cabernet Sauvignon (Washington)
Bronze: 2006 "Ta Da" Syrah (Santa Clara County)
Bronze: 2006 Estate Petite Sirah (Santa Clara Valley)
Bronze: 2006 Estate "Bluehand" Cabernet Sauvignon (Santa Clara County)
Savannah Chanelle
Silver: 2007 Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley)
Bronze: 2006 "Gunsalus" Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley)
Bronze: 2006 "Armagh" Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast)
Silver Mountain Vineyards
Silver: 2006 Tondre's Grapefield Pinot Noir (Sta. Rita Hills)
Silver: 2006 Muns Vineyard Pinot Noir
Silver: 2006 Miller Hill Pinot Noir
Silver: 2006 Wiedeman Syrah (Central Coast)
Solis Winery
Best In Class: 2007 Estate Fiano (Santa Clara Valley)
Silver: 2007 Estate Chardonnay (Santa Clara Valley)
Silver: 2005 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Cabernet Franc (Santa Clara Valley)
Bronze: 2004 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (Santa Clara Valley)
Sones
Gold: 2006 French Camp Petite Sirah (Paso Robles)
Silver: 2007 "La Sirena" (California)
Bronze: 2006 Zinfandel (Santa Clara County)
Sonnet
Silver: 2006 Amber Ridge Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley)
Silver: 2006 Kruse Vineyard Pinot Noir (York Mountain)
Bronze: 2006 Muns Vineyard Pinot Noir
Bronze: 2006 Tondre's Grapefield Pinot Noir (Sta. Rita Hills)
Soquel Vineyards
Gold: 2007 Saveria Vineyard Pinot Noir
Gold: 2007 Bald Mountain Vineyard Pinot Noir
Silver: 2007 Lester Family Pinot Noir
Silver: 2006 Garvey Family Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley)
Stefania
Silver: 2006 Uvas Creek Cabernet Sauvignon (Santa Clara Valley)
Silver: 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon
Storrs
Best In Class: 2005 Petite Sirah
Double Gold: 2006 Wildcat Ridge Pinot Noir
Gold: 2007 Chardonnay
Gold: 2007 Stu Miller Vineyard Chardonnay
Gold: 2006 Pinot Noir
Gold: 2005 Lion Oaks Zinfandel (Santa Clara County)
Silver: 2006 Le Manoir Pinot Noir (Monterey)
Sycamore Creek
Double Gold: 2007 Zinfandel (Santa Clara Valley)
Gold: 2006 Vanumanutagi Chardonnay (Santa Clara Valley)
Bronze: 2005 Uvas Creek Cabernet Sauvignon (Santa Clara Valley)
Therese Vineyards
Gold: 2005 Syrah (Santa Clara Valley)
Gold: 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon
Thomas Fogarty Winery
Silver: 2007 Gewürztraminer (Monterey)
Silver: 2007 Pinot Noir
Silver: 2004 Vallarga Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley)
Bronze: 2006 Chardonnay

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In the late 1970s, Bob Roudon of Roudon-Smith planted a 5 acre Chardonnay vineyard in the hills between Scotts Valley and Soquel and named it after his wife Annamaria. Those vines provided the fruit for Roudon-Smith's estate Chardonnay for many years. Following the retirement of the founders, the winery and vineyard were sold separately; the latter being purchased by Cesar Ramirez, a long-time employee.

This is a nice, structured Chardonnay. On the nose there's green apple, vanilla and lemon curd. As you'd expect there's decent acidity here; it's richly textured with a good finish, and was a splendid pairing to a herb crusted tilapia. Over a couple of hours an interesting butterscotch component developed.

This sells for $30 at the winery, but I've seen it for $24-$27 at other retailers; a fair price for a good wine. Don't waste your time looking for information on the Storrs website; for some reason it's not listed there.

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Last weekend a few of us went out for dinner at an old favourite, Thai Basil in Sunnyvale. This used to be a tiny hole-in-the-wall on the end of Murphy Street in Sunnyvale. It was so successful that the owner opened a much larger second branch in the nearby Town & Country Village. Now that mall is being demolished and rebuilt, the original Thai Basil has expanded into what was formerly a particularly seedy looking bar called the Miramar. This is the first time we been there since it reopened.

The obvious question arose: what wine to take? What goes best with Thai food? Conventional wisdom has it that the best match for many asian cuisines is an off-dry Riesling, but although Felton Empire was once famous for it's Rieslings I don't think there's much planted here any more. Besides, I'm not a huge fan of Riesling or of off-dry wines in general. As Stephen Colbert might say: dry or sweet, pick a side, we're at war. Red wine didn't seem appropriate and although a nice sparkler might work there are very few that would really stand up to a sweet or spicy dish.
Unfortunately my cellar is somewhat lacking in dry whites these days. A 2007 Storrs Sauvignon Blanc looked promising; I also picked out a 2004 Varner Home Block Chardonnay.

The Storrs is from the San Lucas AVA, which is in Monterey County. It's a light, fruity wine with lots of the typical grapefruit flavours as well as melon, gooseberry and something tropical - guava perhaps. There's a slight sweetness that showed up particularly when paired with a bowl of Tom Yum Soup.

The Storrs didn't last long, so we moved on to the Varner. In theory this should have been a good pairing; it's a full bodied, rich, creamy Chardonnay. The oak has integrated nicely after a couple of years in the cellar; there even seemed to be a hint of petrol on the nose like you'd expect from a Riesling. But in practice the sweetness of the sauces, nuts and coconut, and the spice of the chili and basil somewhat overpowered the wine. With hindsight I think a Fogarty Gewurztraminer would probably have been a better choice; I'll save the Varners for something more appropriate.

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Storrs winery is based in an industrial estate just off River Street in Santa Cruz. Founded 20 years ago by Stephen Storrs and Pamela Bianchini, the winery has gone from producing 1200 to 12,000 cases a year. They are perhaps best known for their Zinfancel and Chardonnay, but they make a wide range of wines from fruit sourced mainly from the Santa Cruz Mountains and Santa Clara Valley.

2006 Annamaria's Vineyard Chardonnay, Santa Cruz Mountains ($30)
The 5-acre vineyard is located in the foothills between Scotts Valley and Soquel. It was planted in the 1970s by Bob and Annamaria Roudon, and was part of the Roudon-Smith estate. Following Annamraia's death and Bob's retirement the vineyard was sold to long-time employee Cesar Ramirez who now maintains it. This is a rich, buttery chardonnay with good fruit and crisp acidity.

2007 Sauvignon Blanc San Lucas ($18)
Unusual to pour a Sauvignon Blanc after a Chardonnay, but it seemed to work. Fermented in 100% stainless steel. Very crisp and refreshing, with flavours of grapefruit and melon. I typically only buy Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand these days, but this was worth a purchase.

2005 Two Creek, Santa Clara County ($25)
A rich Rhone-style blend of Carignane, Syrah, Grenache and Grand Noir - a cross between a cross between Aramon and Petit Bouschet.
This newly opened bottle wasn't showing much fruit, just earth and tannins.

2002 Merlot, San Ysidro ($18)
A dusty nose. On the palate it showed plums and earth. Nice finish.

2004 St Clare Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains ($22)
A Bordeaux blend of Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot from another fresh bottle. Once again the nose is dusty and the wine is tight and tannic. Notes of liquorice.

2005 Rusty Ridge Zinfandel, Santa Clara County ($30)
Storrs make two Zinfandels from Santa Clara County. The Rusty Ridge is a rich, fruity Zin with a long finish. There's no obvious heat from the 15.2% alcohol. The fruit is sourced from a series of old vine vineyards, head-pruned and dry-farmed, located on the eastern edge of the Santa Cruz Mountains.

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