Calluna Vineyards 2009 Calluna Vineyards Cuvée, Chalk Hill is an estate-grown right bank-style Bordeaux blend featuring Merlot & Cabernet Franc as the primary varietals, with barrel aging in about 40% new French oak. It's a great representation of Calluna's very classically-styled Bordeaux varietal wines. With dinner it showed very well, quickly coming to life with notes of violet, red currant, olive, cocoa, spice and mint throughout the palate- deftly balanced and highlighting the floral and red fruit notes. Polished with fine/firm tannin and a full finish. Excellent overall and even better for the price (selling for around $30), with the structure suggesting longevity (Rating- I like+!).
A word about Succulent Café- it's beautifully done low-key farm-to-table cuisine; French technique and southern influenced. A wonderful cheese plate with fresh local ingredients and main courses of braised short rib and duck confit cassoulet accompanied the wine. The restaurant does charge a corkage, but after offering our server some of the Calluna he responded very kindly by opening up two interesting local wines to taste.
Both of the local wines were Bordeaux varietal wines from Santa Barbara County. The first was Cuatro Vientos Vineyard 2009 "CS/CF", Santa Barbara County- a Cab Sauv/Cab Franc blend. It was a lush blend of fig paste, dates, anise and spice- with round and ripe blue & red fruit and secondary notes of toffee & chocolate along with round full tannins (rating- I like!). This seemed more influenced by the Cab Franc, showing a nice ripeness and depth without the trappings of overly green notes that Santa Barbara County Cabs and Cab Francs can sometimes have. I believe this wine is made by Margerum Wine Company, but I couldn't find any info online.
The second wine was Baehner Fournier 2009 Petit Verdot, Santa Ynez Valley. Baehner Fournier grows Bordeaux varietals in the eastern hills of the Santa Ynez Valley. The Petit Verdot sells for $42 with only 58 cases bottled. It started with aromas of brioche, cassis and slight notes of bell pepper. The palate added dried herb, spice and currant before finishing with round and firm tannin and ample finishing notes of sagebrush and spice (rating- I like!). Enjoyable and interesting indeed- would love to have some more time with this one.
It was nice of them to offer the local wines for you to taste. What I like about Succulent Cafe is that they have an excellent service. When I visited last, they would even advise on what types of wine go well with your meal, which is great since I’m not really familiar with the local wines. We might consider bringing our own bottle next time if we’re in the area again.
ReplyDeleteCorey Glenn
Corey- they're remodeling and adding the former Valley Vino space. It should be a big step forward for Succulent Cafe- check it out next time you're in the area.
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