2011 Wine Travels- Best of Columbia Valley

I also visited Washington wine country in September. And when I wasn’t winning grape stomping competitions, I was sampling wines from some of the finest producers in Walla Walla Valley, Horse Heaven Hills and Red Mountain.

These were mostly 2008 and 2009 new releases; the quality of which I thought was consistently very good. If there was a difference between the two vintages, it might have been the structure of the 2008’s being a little stronger -- not unlike the 2007 vintage for full opulent fruit, nice balance and firm structure. The 2009’s that I tasted had a little more hedonistic flair.

Also of note, I did not include any whites on this top 10 list – There were just not many offered for tasting among the producers that I visited, and none that warranted a slot among my favorites given the goodness of the wines below. If I had a favorite white, it was the 2009 Fidelitas Optu, a Sauvignon/Semillon blend. Also, none of my tastings included any Riesling.

The wineries visited were Buty, Pepper Bridge, Sleight of Hand, K Vintners, aMaurice, Gramercy, Kiona, Fidelitas and Hedges. Below are my 10 favorite wines – click the link on the wine names for further info on the wines. And thanks for putting up with all of my year end top 10 lists!

2008 Fidelitas Cabernet Sauvignon Champoux Vineyard, Horse Heaven Hills

Tasting room visit- 9/10. Notes of cedar, tobacco, anise, cassis, spice and mineral on the nose. Palate of blue and red fruit with a backdrop of mineral, cedar and spice. Silky round tannins and a long finish of fruit and spice. (I loved!)

2008 Fidelitas Cabernet Sauvignon Ciel du Cheval Vineyard, Red Mountain

Tasting room visit- 9/10. Mineral, red fruit, cedar, spice and tobacco on the nose. Similar notes on the palate with additional open notes of cherry and silky tea. Round tannins finishing with ample fruit and spice. Excellent. (I loved!)

2009 Sleight of Hand Syrah The Funkadelic, Walla Walla Valley

Tasting room visit- 9/9. Dank earth, bacon, dried herb, mineral, and red fruit notes on the nose and through to the palate. Nice feel but tight as a clinched fist. Round firm tannins and ripe red fruit on the finish. It would be interesting to see how this develops. (I really liked!)

2006 Pepper Bridge Reserve, Walla Walla Valley

Winery tour and tasting- 9/9. Aromas of tobacco, earth, cassis, mineral, and cherry. Layers of complex flavors on the palate- tea, black and red cherry, leather, cigar box. Creamy silky texture. Firm round tannins. Tons of structure and still tightly wound despite everything that it shows. A long layered finish. A great wine with a long life ahead. (I loved!)

2008 Pepper Bridge Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley

Winery tour and tasting- 9/9. Aromas of cherry, leather, cassis, and mineral. Additional darker fruit notes on the palate with added spice, tea, and cocoa notes atop the cassis and leather. Feels of pure silk, picking up notes of violet along firm, round, and polished tannins. Long finish of pure fruit and mineral notes. A great wine. (I loved!)

2009 K Vintners Ovide En Cerise Vineyard, Walla Walla Valley

Tasting room visit- 9/9. Notes of blueberry, lavender, cedar, and mineral on the nose. On top of fruit there are intensely layered flavors of mineral, cassis, currant, tea, vanilla, allspice. Nice smooth feel and round tannins. Medium-long finish. The most complex wine of the lineup I tasted, and nice balance. (I really liked!)

2008 Buty Rediviva Phinny Hill Vineyard, Horse Heaven Hills

Tasting room visit- 9/9. Massive aromas- tobacco leaf, leather, butterscotch, cassis. Smooth and polished on the palate with additional currant, black cherry, and slate flavors. Round tannins full of red fruit and spice on a medium-long finish. Excellent. (I really liked!)

2003 Kiona Syrah Estate Bottled Reserve, Red Mountain

Opened with a short decant. A dark ruby color with medium density. Aromas of black cherry, dried herbs, eastern spice, cracked pepper, with hints of cedar. Lots of red fruit and spice with some savory notes on the palate- cherry, currant, cinnamon, tea, olive, black pepper, and vanilla. Rich and silky feel with polished tannins. Nice length on the finish with ripe with notes of blue and red fruit. I purchased this at the winery... it's a superb value for an aged wine of this quality in its prime (I really liked!)

2006 Gramercy Cellars Syrah “Lagniappe”, Columbia Valley

Tasting room visit- 9/9. Bouquet of blueberry pie, anise and licorice along a savory backdrop. The palate brings brambly fruit, spice, dried herbs, and olive notes. Lush round tannins. Spice and ripe fruit on the long finish. Excellent. (I really liked!)

2009 Gramercy Cellars Syrah, Walla Walla Valley

Tasting room visit- 9/9. Aromas of blueberry pie and gamey spice and pepper. Dark fruit on the palate with pepper, blue spice, black tea, and black olive. Concentrated flavor, silky in feel. Fine tannins and a long ripe finish. Excellent. (I really liked!)

2011 Wine Travels- Best of Willamette Valley

September 2011 brought two wonderful days in the Willamette Valley. It what was turning out to be a cool vintage in Oregon, as the vines were just getting into veraison in the first week of September.

I visited AVA's and wineries throughout the northern part of the valley. Most of the wines available to taste were new release 2009's. On balance these were forward and open with generous fruit and silky texture with balanced spice and earth notes. The best of the bunch had the structure to suggest some longevity. A few of the vaunted 2008's were sprinkled in. These were dense and serious, suggesting of things to come.

The producers visited were Domaine Drouhin, Eyrie, Bethel Heights, St. Innocent, Cristom, J.K. Carriere, Brick House, Beaux Frères, KenWright & Elk Cove. My 10 favorite wines from these visits are below- please click on each wine's link for more info.

2009 St. Innocent Pinot Noir Shea Vineyard, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton

Tasting room visit- 9/7. Mineral, mushroom, casses, fig and vanilla aromas. Earth, spice, floral and cherry fruit on the palate. Very balanced and complex with earthy tannins and a long finish. My favorite of the lineup. (I really liked!)

2009 Beaux Frères Pinot Noir The Upper Terrace, Willamette Valley, Ribbon Ridge

Winery visit- 9/8. Aromas of cherry, plum, spice, earth and mushroom. Satin on the palate with tea notes, rich spice and fruit, and further savory earth and mushroom and earth. Firm round tannins and a big finish. Bolder and more streamlined than the 2009 Beaux Freres Vineyard PN but not quite as complex. (I loved!)

2009 Beaux Frères Pinot Noir Beaux Frères Vineyard, Willamette Valley, Ribbon Ridge

Winery visit- 9/8. Savory full bouquet of mushroom, earth, mineral, anise, fig and allspice. Full flavors of spice, ripe fig, black tea, cedar, leather and mushroom- deep and savory. A fine silky feel with polished firm tannins and a pleasant zip of acidity. A full long earthy finish. Bold and heady yet grounded with balance... an outstanding wine. (I loved!)

2009 J.K. Carriere Pinot Noir, Antoinette, Willamette Valley,Eola-Amity Hills

Winery visit- 9/8. Cola, violet, sandalwood, cranberry notes on the bouquet. Moves along to cherry, fig, mineral, and earth on the palate. Seamlessly layered with a rich silky feel. Polished tannins with pronounced acid. A long creamy fruit finish. (I really liked!)

2009 Brick House Pinot Noir Les Dijonnais, Willamette Valley,Ribbon Ridge

Winery visit- 9/8. Lots of spice on the bouquet- eastern and baking. Additional lavender and fig notes. Layers of flavors on the palate- cherry, raspberry, crushed rock, white pepper, and subtle earth. Great weight and feel. Round tannins. Floral and fruit notes on the finish. Nice length. Very elegant. (I loved!)

2009 Brick House Chardonnay Cascadia, Willamette Valley,Ribbon Ridge

Winery visit- 9/8. Alluring aromas- mineral, lime, straw, and butterscotch. Leesy rich palate with stone fruit and butter toffee notes. Pleasing silkiness and good acid. Lengthy finish- lush and breathy. (I really liked!)

2008 Ken Wright Pinot Noir Freedom Hill Vineyard, WillametteValley, Eola Amity Hills

Tasting room visit- 9/8. Plum and cherry notes on the nose with additional earthy spice. Deep on the palate- with mineral, cranberry, cherry, earth, fennel, and spice notes. Firm tannins and a lengthy finish. Excellent. (I really liked!)

2009 Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir Original Vines Reserve,Willamette Valley, Ribbon Ridge

Tasting room visit- 9/7. Huge aromatics- reminded me balsam-wood, cedar, leather, violet, fig, cherry, and mushroom. On the palate it hones in on cranberry and fig fruit, mineral and earth, and subtle oak. Round and fine with polished tannins and savory fruit on a medium-long breathy finish. Excellent. (I really liked!)

2009 Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley

Tasting room visit- 9/7. Aromas of slate and rich apricot. Rocky citrus and stone fruit flavors. Opulent feel with balanced acid. Rich leesy notes on the finish. Very nice and an excellent value. (I really liked!)

2008 Cristom Pinot Noir Jessie Vineyard, WillametteVineyard, Eola-Amity Hills

Lost notes- but I remember this for big earthy stemmy tannins, big fruit, and plenty of floral, spice and earthy complexity. the Cristom wines were great- Several could have made my favorites list. (I loved!)

Day 1 Photos

Day 2 Photos

Q&A with Joon Lim, Atlanta's Top Sommelier for 2011

Let’s face it: many of us out there still have the mental picture of the stuffy sommelier -- that authority of all things wine in a dark suit looking down their nose at us as we struggle to order wine when we dine out. In reality it’s an outdated stereotype, but I’m surprised by how many of my non-oenophile friends still have this perception.

If there’s a movement afoot to change the perception, young sommeliers like Joon Lim are at the forefront. Joon’s story is as interesting as it is dynamic. He transformed his passion for wine into professional achievement as he attained CSW certification and rose all the way to Level 3 (Advanced) certification by the Court of Master Sommeliers in the span of just four years. In addition to his most recent Advanced Sommelier certification, Joon has recently won Taste of Atlanta’s Best Sommelier Competition. Joon’s restaurant career has rapidly moved him from Park Café in Duluth, GA to his recent rise to Beverage Manager at one of Atlanta’s top restaurants, Rathbun’s. On top of it all, Joon earnestly shares his knowledge and passion for wine with enthusiasm and humility.

Matt- Tell me about your background before wine? How long have you been studying and how were you first drawn to wine?

Joon- I was a college student also working full time at a local Starbucks coffee store. College wasn't working out too well for me so I seriously considered a career with Starbucks. It didn't turn out to be anything fulfilling, but I loved coffee, and found myself complacent. Just as I was feeling comfortable, I was invited to a wine tasting.  Wine was an intimidating subject. There was so much prestige and mystery that it made me more curious. I saw people in their suits, swirling, sniffing, and tasting. They were able to tell where it was from and what soil it was grown in. I knew that's what I wanted to do for a living. So I picked up my first book, Wine For Dummies when I was 23.  Since then, I've been buying wine books like they’re crack.  :)

Matt- As you advanced in your wine studies, what made you decide to pursue your career as a sommelier at Rathbun’s?

Joon- I'm dumbfounded as to how I advanced so quickly. I come from a non-restaurant background with limited experience. When our owners Cliff Bramble and Kevin Rathbun approached me when I was serving at the 'Steakhouse', I told them that I wasn't much of an executive. My natural personality is to be shy and reserved and very passive. I still have no idea why they promoted me.

Matt- How did you incorporate food and cuisine into your studies?

Joon- Coming from the restaurant industry, it wasn't too difficult to do. I was fortunate to work with some great chefs. One of the first chefs I worked with was classically trained in French cuisine. French cuisine taught me a great deal about flavor building and putting flavors together. It forced me to think about why certain flavors go together.  Take for example, peanut butter and jelly. I can't explain to you scientifically why they're perfect together. But I can learn some principles from that combination- Peanut butter is creamy and jelly is jammy. If that's the case, could be that a creamy risotto can also pair nicely with a jammy zinfandel?

Matt- What were the early wines that inspired you? How have your tastes changed?

Joon- The first bottle of wine I ever bought was a Dolcetto.  That was because Wine For Dummies told me it was an easy wine to get to know.  I found it to be delicious.  Then, I moved on to bigger, more tannic wines and that's all I wanted.  I craved more spice, more heat, and more fruit.  It was that way for a number of years.  Then recently, I've been craving more elegant and silky wines, like Domaine Dujac and Armand Rousseau.  These days, I'm drinking Sonoma and Russian River Valley pinots because they soothe the palate.  It's all about texture for me these days.

Matt- What did you do to prepare for the various levels of Sommelier certification to ensure your success?

Joon- I ask myself the same thing.  At the advanced level 3, the world is fair game, so where does one start?  I made 3000 flash cards, filled up 5 spiral note books, read books of biblical thickness.  You just try to do everything you can.

Matt- How did you become involved in Taste of Atlanta’s Best Sommelier competition?

Joon- I almost ended up not competing.  I wasn't sure of myself.  However, the other sommeliers told me to compete because they wanted to kick my butt.  I decided to stand up for myself and compete.  I prayed to God that I was up against goliaths, and that he had to help me just as he did with David.  :)

Matt- What is the most difficult wine to identify in competition?

Joon- Identifying wine becomes more difficult if you have two wines side by side that are similar.  I have the most trouble distinguishing Brunello and Barolo.  Both are thin skinned, tannic, have sour cherry notes and rose petal-like notes.  You really have to look for that whisper of tar to know which one is the Barolo.

Matt- Are you planning to pursue becoming a Master Sommelier?

Joon- Yes I do plan on becoming a master sommelier.  :)

Matt- What are some characteristics that make for a quality wine list? What are your goals in developing the wine program at Rathbun’s?

Joon- I think sommeliers need energy.  It's so easy to get tired and complacent especially with all the managerial duties that have to be dealt with.  We work very long hours; deal with pressure from servers, guests, and owners.  It's easy to burn out and lose inspiration. So a quality wine program starts with an inspired sommelier.  I'm willing to do what's never been done before in the history of our restaurant.  Example, I have brought in Dom Ruinart and am featuring it for $39 a glass.  I want to push the envelope and show what Atlanta is capable of.  There are a handful of us who are committed to taking Atlanta to the next level.  We are the few.  The beverage program at Rathbun's will feature a half bottle selection, a craft beer menu, and more emphasis on the classic styles.  Right now, it is about 95% new world (American).  I will also be rolling out a new cocktail program early next year.

Matt- What do you like in a retail wine program?

Joon- I believe sommeliers have a key role to play in the retail realm.  I like stores that hire knowledgeable people who don't lie. Whether you're a sommelier working the floor of a restaurant or a retail wine shop, you're still trying to help the guest make the proper wine selection.  There's an underlying notion among retail owners that stocking clerks are able to answer questions that a customer might have about a particular wine.  They really need to invest in a team of sommeliers (depending on the size of the store of course) that can not only help customers, but also train the staff.  A couple of my favorite stores are Total Wine and the BeverageSuperstore in Suwanee.  Even as a professional sommelier, I depend on experts in the respective stores to help me navigate.  The diversity of ideas is incredible and I always learn something from them.

Matt- What are the key issues facing the wine industry? What concerns you?

Joon- Wine snobs.  :)  

In all seriousness, I worry about the accessibility of fine wine to the common person. Take for example the global demand for Grand Cru Classe Bordeaux. The prices have become prohibitive and I fear it's just a matter of time before we see the same thing happening to California cabernets.  Can you imagine Nickel and Nickel selling for $1200 a bottle?  Just like there was a real estate bubble, I believe there is a wine bubble. The prices are going to hit a ceiling and they will come crashing down as people learn of better alternatives to Grand Cru Bordeaux.  On the flip side, there are more outstanding values than ever before.

Matt- What are your favorite wine regions?

Joon- Napa Valley of course!  Finger Lakes, NY, Niagara on the Lake, Canada, Margaret River, and Bordeaux.

2011 Wine Travels- Napa/Sonoma "Lucky 13"

Spending three days of the trip throughout Napa Valley and Sonoma County, there were plenty of sensational wines to be tasted. Standing out were 2008 Cabernet Sauvignons from Napa Valley, as well as some outstanding 2008 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir from Littorai's Petaluma Gap area vineyards (south of the areas affected by the wildfires).

In Napa Valley I visited Schramsberg, Chappellet, Pride, Spottswoode, Black Sears, Anderson's Conn Valley, Reynolds Family and White Rock. I was mostly in Northern Sonoma- visiting Littorai, Wind Gap, Joseph Swan, Porter Creek, Jordan and Pezzi King.

For your reading pleasure, below are my "Lucky 13" favorite wines from the 2011 Napa/Sonoma wine trip tastings. I've included any available links to each wine for further pricing and technical info. Cheers!

2008 Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon Estate, St. Helena, Napa Valley

Winery tour tasting. Loads of aromas- cherry, tobacco, leather, cracked pepper, cedar, red currant, with subtle spice. Profoundly elegant flavors and mouthfeel- silk, tea, black currant, black cherry, leather, cigar box. Seamlessly layered balance. perfect weight and presence. Fine tannins that are firm and gripping. Long finish. Awesome to taste now, but I won't touch this for many years. (I loved+++!)

2010 Spottswoode Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley

Winery tour tasting. Alive on the nose with Meyer lemon, wheat straw, and fresh green apples. Rich and silky on the palate, apple butter, subtle caramel notes, and lime. Nicely structured- just the right acid balance. Long finish. Really vibrant and distinct flavors- excellent. (I loved!)

2008 Chappellet Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard HillEstate Vineyard, Napa Valley

Tasted at the winery. Deep aromas of slate, cherry, tobacco, shoebox leather, and anise. Seamlessly complex palate of leather, allspice, blueberry, cherry, curry, black tea. Silky, round, and voluptuous tannins, tightly stitched and well structured. Very long finish. Very outstanding... (I loved!)

2009 Chappellet Vineyard Chenin Blanc Dry, Napa Valley

Tasted at the winery. Lemon, slate, creme fraiche on the nose- with rich honeydew melon, and nutty and tropical notes. Round and silky with a beautiful finish. (I really liked!)

2008 Littorai Pinot Noir Platt Vineyard, Sonoma Coast

Tasted at the winery. Curry, clove, vanilla, and red fruit on the nose. Red berry, tea, and silk; with velvety tannins and long length. Outstanding feel, flavor, and balance. (I loved!)

2008 Littorai Pinot Noir Pivot Vineyard, Sonoma Coast

Tasted at the winery. Smoky, earthy, spicy fruit on the nose. Silk and tea on the palate, with sweet and eastern spice and bright fruit. Silky round tannins and a long finish. (I loved!)

2008 Littorai Chardonnay Charles Heintz Vineyard, Sonoma Coast

Tasted at the winery. Mineral, lemon, and honey on the nose. Silky feel, with subtle cream notes and bright apple and citrus fruit. Rich finish, good weight and balance, good length. (I loved!)

2008 Wind Gap Wines Syrah, Sonoma Coast

Tasted at the winery. Great Syrah nose- gamey, bacon fat, pepper, and black olive were all there. Explodes on the palate with juicy red fruit, along with spice and savory notes. Finishes long with silky tannins and notes of black tea. (I loved!)

2008 Anderson’s Conn ValleyVineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Reserve, Napa Valley

Tasting room pour. Shoebox leather, cedar, black pepper, and earth throughout; with emerging black currant and cassis. Silky, with round and firm tannins. Slate and emerging fruit on a lingering finish. This is a huge wine with layers of savory flavors. As the fruit fills in this could be a blockbuster. (I loved!)

2005 White Rock Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Laureate, Napa Valley

Tasted at the winery. Vanilla, cedar, toffee, minerals, currant, and cassis are introduced on the bouquet. A beautiful satiny feel in the palate, with added notes of black tea, iron, red currant, and cherry. Nice weight throughout. Firm, gripping tannins. Big finish with spice and currant. Multi-layered, it's outstanding now and but will continue to benefit with time. (I loved!)

2010 Black Sears Winery Zinfandel Estate, Howell Mountain,Napa Valley

Tasted from barrel at the winery. Notes of vanilla, mineral, and blueberry on the nose. Mineral, black tea, blackberry, and pepper on the palate; along with a pleasing silkiness. Round grainy tannins and full finish. (I loved!)  ***link notes are for 2009, 2010 not yet released.

2006 Joseph Swan Zinfandel Zeigler Vineyard, Russian River Valley

Dark fruit and subtle spice on the bouquet. Very balanced rich dark fruit with integrated clove and vanilla notes. Round tannins and nice finish. Drinking very nicely (I really liked!)

2007 Joseph Swan Pinot Noir Saralee’s Vineyard, Russian River Valley

 --lost my notes. This was an excellent example of Joseph Swan’s style of bright fruit with nuanced spice, earth and floral notes. It was my favorite of an enjoyable lineup of Swan Pinot Noirs that I tasted (I loved!)

Photos-
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3

2011 Wine Travels- Paso Robles Top 10

Onward and upward. The same trip in May produced a wonderful afternoon strolling around the Westside hills of Paso Robles. If you've never taken a ride on Vineyard Dr, it's truly one of the great scenic wine country drives in California.

The day included stops at Turley, L'Aventure, Denner, Tablas Creek and Adelaida. Through the day I enjoyed a nice variety of Westside Paso wines and caught plenty of highlights of what the area does well- Syrah, Rhône blends, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel- below were my 10 favorites:

Click the links for more info on the wines

2007 Adelaida Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Viking Estate Vineyard, Paso Robles

Tasting room pour. Mineral, tea, floral, and red fruit on the nose. Additional red fruit, tea, lavender, and cedar notes on the palate. Well structured with good weight and feel, grainy tannins, and a long finish. (I really liked!)

2008 Adelaida Syrah Anna’s Vineyard, Paso Robles

Tasting room pour. Meaty, floral, and blue fruit notes on the nose. Plush fruit, floral, gamey flavors- with lush round tannins and long fruit notes to finish. (I really liked!)

2008 Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel, Paso Robles

Tasting room pour. Cherry, fruitcake, herb, and spice notes on the nose. Beautiful silky feel on the palate with red fruit, mineral, and peppery notes. Firm-fine tannins and a long finish. A lot more to this than tasting room notes can indicate. Outstanding and should develop nicely. (I really liked!)

2010 Tablas Creek Rosé, Paso Robles

Tasting room pour. Rich red fruit and toffee on the nose. Strawberry and cherry fruit, rich and full, with a nice finish. Excellent rosé. (I really liked!)

2008 Tablas Creek Mourvedre, Paso Robles

Tasting room pour. Meaty, mineral, red & blue fruit on the notes. Notes of tea, red fruit, and light spice on the palate. Firm round/ripe tannins, and a lengthy finish. (I really liked!)

2009 Denner “The Ditch Digger”, Paso Robles

Tasting room pour. Tight aromas- mostly cherry and red currant. The palate gives black cherry and mineral notes with rich spice and round tannins. Finishes long. (I really liked!)

2010 Denner Theresa, Paso Robles

Tasting room pour. Stone fruit and floral nose. Leesy and rich fruit through the palate with a lengthy finish. Very nice. (I really liked!)

2008 L’Aventure Estate Cuvée, Paso Robles

Tasting room pour. Mineral, tea, black currant, and cherry notes in the bouquet. Full dark fruit along with mineral and toffee notes on the palate. Round firm tannins and good length. (I really liked!)

2005 L’Aventure Optimus, Paso Robles

Tasting room pour. Cracked pepper, cherry, and dried herbal notes on the nose, leading to darker currant, leather, and graphite notes on the palate. Great feel and structure. Gripping round tannins and a long finish. (I loved!)

2009 Turley Zinfandel Dusi Vineyard, Paso Robles

Tasting room pour. Blackberry, cherry cola, and spice on the nose. The palate shows additions of red fruit and black tea, with a nice satiny feel. Tannins and round and fine with spice and fruit lingering on the finish. (I really liked!)

Click for more Paso Robles pictures

2011 Wine Travels- Santa Barbara Top 10

This past May I traveled to California and toured multiple areas of the Central and North Coasts. In September I did a second stint out west to the Willamette Valley and Eastern Washington.  I carefully planned producers to see and mapped my areas of interest. The end result was getting to taste some spectacular wine along the way.

As the year ends and I prepare to move from Atlanta to California, I'd like to take a little stroll down memory lane and list my favorite wines from each region that I visited in 2011. These are all wines tasted and notes written while on the road

Starting things off is Santa Barbara County. In Santa Barbara I visited Melville, Fiddlehead, Qupe/Verdad, Foxen, and the Bien Nacido Vineyard. It was a great day that saw my friends and I completely circling Sta. Rita Hills before heading into Los Olivos via Ballard Canyon Road, and then heading up Foxen Canyon Road to Santa Maria Valley. It's interesting that 2011 ended up being such a cool vintage for California, it was very hot in Santa Barbara in early May while I was there, even in the cool-climate Sta. Rita Hills and Santa Maria Valley areas.

As you can see from the list there were lots of great Syrahs, and the 2009 Pinot Noir vintage was looking pretty good.

My 10 Favorite Santa Barbara wines from the trip-

2008 Foxen Pinot Noir Black 8 Bien Nacido Vineyard, Santa Maria Valley

Tasted at Bien Nacido. Pungent bouquet with black fruit, mushroom, and cola. Very bold style continues to the palate. Black fruit, red fruit, mushroom, mineral, cola. Silky but a little hot. Gritty tannins and bold finish. Aggressive but somehow pulls it off- drinks and tastes like Pinot Noir. It's wild- I could see this being profound if it mellowed a little with bottle age. ( I really liked!)

2009 Tyler Pinot Noir N Block Bien Nacido Vineyard, Santa Maria Valley

Tasted at Bien Nacido. Cola, plum, apple-cherry, spice- expressive bouquet. Mineral, red fruit, and spice- beautifully balanced with a silky feel, fine tannins, and a long finish. (I really liked!)

2005 Qupé Syrah Bien Nacido Hillside Estate, Santa Maria Valley

Tasting room pour. Gamey nose with plum, raw meat, leather, and olive- awesome. Black peppery fruit with plenty of mineral and savory depth on the palate. Firm tannins and long finish. Excellent. (I really liked!)

2010 Verdad Rosé Sawyer Lindquist Vineyard, Edna Valley

Tasted at the winery. Strawberry and peach aromas and flavors throughout. Leesy and rich with good finish. Very nice. (I liked!)

2008 Fiddlehead Cellars Sauvignon Blanc Happy Canyon, Santa Ynez Valley

Tasted at the winery. Lemongrass, apple, toast on the nose- rich and leesy style bold fruit and a long finish. Very nice. (I liked!)

2009 Melville Pinot Noir Carrie's, Sta. Rita Hills

Tasted at the winery. Lots of perfume and floral aromas along with cola, spice, and red fruit. Bright flavors on the palate- fruit, well-integrated spice, subtle earth notes. Great feel. Tannins firmer than past vintages. Big finish. It's all there- can't wait to spend a little more time with this and delve deeper. Very excellent. (I loved!)

2009 Melville Pinot Noir Terraces, Sta. Rita Hills

Tasted at the winery. Aromas are marked with cola, mushroom, earth, and black cherry. Balanced earth, spice, and fruit flavors- bold & intense & elegant at the same time. Lithe structure and feel, fine tannins. Long finish. Excellent. (I really liked!)

2009 Melville Chardonnay Clone 76 Inox Estate, Sta. Rita Hills

Tasted at the winery. Creamy melon & honey aromas. Hits the palate with brightness and strong acid. Lots of green apple/pear/melon, and leesy richness, along a lengthy finish. Very nice. (I really liked!)

2007 Qupé Syrah Purisima Mountain Vineyard, Santa Ynez Valley

Tasting room pour. Gamey, leathery, peppery fruit on the nose. Black pepper, black olive, and lush black fruit fill the palate. Smooth silk feel, round tannins, and long finish. Excellent.  (I really liked!)

2009 Foxen Syrah Dry Farmed Tinaquaic, Santa Maria Valley

Tasted at Foxen tasting room. I lost track of my notes for this one, but you have to know it was a big gnarly savory monster- totally awesome. (I loved!)

Link to the photos-

Calluna Vineyards Revisited- Aux Raynauds Merlot

In May of 2010 I visited Calluna Vineyards in Chalk Hill. Owner/Grower/Winemaker David Jeffrey showed me around the vineyards, detailing his goal to create wines from his new site in Chalk Hill sharing as much with Bordeaux as California. It was great at the time to visit such a unique site, seeing something cool and new. I liked all of the wines very much, and it was clear to me at the time that the 2008 Calluna Aux Raynauds Merlot, Chalk Hill was something special.

I guess Merlot's not the most prestigious grape being grown in California these days, but I think it's suffered an unfair decline in popularity. No one is penalizing California Cabernet, Chardonnay or Pinot Noir for the sins of their bulk commodity producers. Merlot however has developed the reputation of soft and jammy; a quaff-able crowd pleasing red that doesn't require the serious attention and scrutiny of other more distinguished varietals.

The Calluna Aux Raynauds would have none of that. It was a young wine of serious structure and depth- coming from Jeffrey's Raynaud vineyard, named for Alain Raynaud of Chateau Quinault in Saint-Émilion whom he worked harvest in 2003 with. It exhibited a Right-Bank style in its profile and blend (Merlot with 4% Cabernet Franc). Aged in 50% new French oak and with only 60 cases made, I was pretty stoked about the level of this wine for $40.

Fast forward a year and a half, I opened a bottle and enjoyed over the course of my Friday night: Decanted, with a dark black-garnet color of slight clarity. In the bouquet I picked up aromas reminding me of cassis, rose hips, white pepper and blackberry. Full and open on the palate with big dark fruit flavors- currant, black cherry and blueberry. The fruit is melded in a range of notes- tea, mineral, cracked pepper, tar, spice. Silky in feel with firm fine-grain tannins and juicy black fruit and peppery spice on a generous finish. Seems to be at the beginning of a long ascent. (I really like!)

I'm starting to see some nice reviews for the Calluna wines in Wine Spectator and Wine & Spirits. They are well deserved. This is still a small project in its infancy, so look them up online and check it out!

Thanksgiving Heavy Hitters

There's not a better holiday for wine than Thanksgiving. You can put your food & wine-pairing acumen to the test, or you can pull corks on some epic bottles to share with friends and family. I prefer the latter.

I bought a nice dry Pfalz Qualitätzwein Riesling at Murphy's in Atlanta to get things started, and then moved on to some heavy hitters from my stash over the course of the weekend. All the wines paired well with holiday fare (and leftovers).  The salty, savory and sage flavors of the holiday fare complimented the good acid and bright juicy fruit of each of these wines:

Müller-Catoir 2009 Riesling Trocken, Pfalz (Imported by Michael Skurnik)- Lemongrass, petrol and slate aromas. A bracing dose of lime, wet rock and mango hits the palate. Juicy rich feel with hints of dried herb. Good length. Paired classically with Thanksgiving dinner. Could add nuance with aging. (I like!)

Melville 2009 Terraces Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills- Opened for Thanksgiving- did not decant. A striking cloudy ruby color. Broad bouquet with hints of Christmas spice, cherry, cranberry, sandalwood and mushroom-earth. Hits the palate with a balanced intensity from the bouquet and adds floral, mineral and tea notes to the mix. Full and sharp on the palate with a glassy smooth feel augmented by stemmy tannins both firm and fine. Ample finish. Excellent. Will be interested to see where this is going. (I really like!)

St Innocent 2009 Shea Vineyard Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton- Opened for Thanksgiving weekend- no decant. Dark dense clear ruby color. Aromas of black cherry, dusty herb & spice and balsam. Full and generous on the palate with ample red & black fruit, spice, herb, eucalyptus, mineral and coffee notes. Smooth and creamy feel lined with round-fine tannins. Finishes medium-long with red fruit and baking spice. Excellent.... in that opulent new world Pinot kind of way. I'm sure this would mellow and add some extra nuance with more bottle age. (I really like!)

Storybook Mountain 2006 Estate Reserve Zinfandel, Napa Valley- Opened for Thanksgiving weekend, no decant but several hours open. A dark clear garnet color. Generous note of plum, blueberry, clove, tobacco and leather on the bouquet. Vibrant and open fruit on the palate, both blue and black, deftly balanced with seamless hints of spice, cedar, herbs, cocoa and earth. It glides through the palate with fine and round tannins, finishing long with all of the seamless layers of flavor demonstrated throughout. Elegant like a Pinot Noir. Imminently approachable and effortlessly complex- this is a sensational wine. (I love!)

This was a pretty special lineup of wines to enjoy over the weekend.  The Müller-Catoir Riesling was a great starting point... great with Thanksgiving dinner and beautifully bright and vibrant with its fruit.  The Melville and St. Innocent were both balanced and bold young Pinot Noirs with layered fruit, spice and depth.  I have to say, the St. Innocent definitely plays on the California side of the fence for an Oregon Pinot Noir. The Storybook Mountain is a special wine, classically-styled like an aged claret. A California Zinfandel that was the most elegant and beautiful of the three. 

Click the links on the wines above to learn more about each of these wines and how they are grown and made.

The 2011 Thanksgiving BV Twitter Debacle

Congrats to Beaulieu Vineyard & Diageo on your excellent social media campagne!!!!  No more virtual underage drunk winos!

Epic Grapestomping at Chateau Champoux

In September my friends Justin and Jon traveled with me all the way to Washington and Horse Heaven Hills to compete in Chateau Champoux's 2011 Grape Stomping Competition. Needless to say, three strangers from Georgia were the heels of the competition!

None of us had ever stomped grapes, but Justin was determined to win. After his pep talks in the car and a game plan derived from watching YouTube videos, we were ready an intense 5 minutes of grape stomping action!

The end result was victory against eleven other teams (by a full 2 fl.oz over 2nd place) as well as a prize for longest distance traveled. Prize baskets of cool schwag and wines grown at Champoux from the likes of Quilceda Creek, Sineann and Three Rivers were scored...

The winning effort (pardon the poor audio)



The Loot-

Some recent tastings of Champoux wines-

-Fidelitas 2008 Champoux Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Horse Heaven Hills- Tasting room visit 9/10. Notes of cedar, tobacco, anise, cassis, spice and mineral on the nose. Palate of blue and red fruit with a backdrop of mineral, cedar and spice. Silky round tannins and a long finish of fruit and spice. (I really like!)

-Sineann 2007 Champoux Vineyard Cabernet Franc, Horse Heaven Hills- Decanted for an hour. Dense and dark color with lightening garnet edges. Aromas of violet, gingerbread, red & black currant. Dense and tight hitting the palate; it opens up to notes of clove & cinnamon-flavored tea, red cherry & currant, and leathery-peppery-vanilla. Bright and full-flavored and developing through the palate. Plush feel with dusty tannins and a large lingering finish (I like!)

-Sineann 2006 Champoux Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Horse Heaven Hills- 375ml, opened for 2 hours without a decant. A dense dark garnet color. Notes of slate, cinnamon, curry and red fruit on the bouquet. Glassy smooth with strong hot flavors of cinnamon spice and baked red fruit. Some coffee and cedar backing notes that are mostly overshadowed. Peppery spicy round tannins and a sweet port-like finish. Some nice parts, but the sum is a hot mess.

2011- Sans Blog

Damn... what happened? The last time I posted the blog was called "Wineheimer" and it was September of 2010. It's been crazy busy since then with a wine sales job taking most of my time and energy.

2012 will bring a new location and hopefully the time and energy to post again. I'm relocating to Santa Barbara CA, and hopefully will be posting wine blogs in the new location from a new perspective. I'm no longer in the wine business, so I feel comfortable relaunching the blog from the perspective of a wine enthusiast and overall superfan!

In the meantime I'm posting a photo recap of my highlights of 2011.  The links below are photos from my vineyard travels of 2011... Santa Barbara, Paso Robles, Monterey, Napa, Sonoma, Willamette Valley, Columbia Valley. If you like vineyard pictures ad nauseum you'll want to check these out.

SANTA BARBARA 2011

PASO ROBLES 2011

MONTEREY, SAN BENITO, SANTA CRUZ

NAPA VALLEY

SONOMA COUNTY

MORE NAPA VALLEY

WILLAMETTE VALLEY 1

WILLAMETTE VALLEY 2

WALLA WALLA VALLEY

CHATEAU CHAMPOUX (please note that my team won the grape stomping championship!) and RED MOUNTAIN