Author: robywine, norm roby

My career as a wine journalist/critic began in 1975 when my article about California Petite Sirah was published. My focus remained on California as I edited a monthly wine magazine and then moved on to The Wine Spectator in 1982. Over the following years, my column appeared under the banner of “Stormin’ Norman, and I also wrote articles about wine collectors and wine auctions. Without getting into a year by year bio, let me try to summarize here. During my time with The Spectator which I enjoyed immensely, I taught wine classes at a culinary school and at other venues in San Francisco. Before venturing into wine, teaching was my thing, English Lit and Rhetoric. After The Spectator I was the U.S. Contributor to Decanter Magazine, writing mostly about California, but also expanding into Washington State and Oregon. My Decanter years began in 1992 and after buying a summer home in France in 2000, I traveled throughout France and eventually published articles about St. Emilion, Castillon, Bergerac, Minervois, Roussillon, Luberon, Provence, and Alsace. Also, around 2000, my wife began working for Cousino-Macul in Chile, so we tasted and traveled our way through Chile and, of course, managed to fly over the Andes and explore and taste our way through Argentina. As travel lovers, we have also spent many interesting days visiting the wine regions of Spain, Italy, Portugal, Scicily, Greece, and New Zealand. And to come to a close, I was Director of Winesong, a Charity Wine Auction for 20 years, 1992-2000 that benefitted a local hospital. That brought me in contact with wine collectors and to the auction scene. And finally, I co-authored a book, The Connoisseurs’ Guide to California Wine published by Alfred A. Knopf. It went through 4 editions and sold over 500.000 copies.

Sauvignon Blanc: Exploring Oregon’s New & Distinct Style

As a longtime Sauvignon Blanc lover, I was amazed to find that some of the most exciting versions are now coming from Oregon. Yes, Oregon is a key player in the surge of Sauvignon Blanc. It may take a minute to let that sink in since Oregon is automatically associated with Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and in some minds, Chardonnay. This is not totally unprecedented because back in 1961 when Richard Sommer launched Oregon’s post-Prohibition era of winegrowing he planted Sauvignon Blanc — among other varieties at his Hillcrest Vineyard in the Umpqua Valley. But that was back then. 

Patricia Green, one of the most respected winemakers, was the first in the modern era to advocate for Oregon Sauvignon Blanc. In 2000, she and her partner Jim Andersen purchased vineyards in the Willamette Valley and earned high marks for Pinot Noir. For white wines, Patricia Green believed that the climate and terroir of Oregon is well-suited. On several occasions she went on record as preferring to work with Sauvignon Blanc over Pinot Gris.  Patricia, who passed away in 2017, would be happy to know that here in 2024 other multi-talented winemakers and proven wineries are out to prove her right.

 King Estate’s CEO Ed King, Jr.  thinks the world is ready for an Oregon-style Sauvignon Blanc. You heard that; the major producer of Pinot Gris is backing Sauvignon Blanc and now producing over 5,000 cases a year. King Estate’s Viticultural Director Ray Nuclo explains it this way:

“We see a lot of promise with this varietal due to the cooler climate in Oregon producing a unique expression of Sauvignon Blanc. It’s more akin to cool climate areas like the Loire Valley in France and parts of New Zealand, than, say, California and Burgundy.” 

Then Joe Dobbs, the veteran winemaker behind Wines by Joe, Dobbes Family and now Iterum Wines does not hold back in his enthusiasm. He recently said,  “I believe that Sauvignon Blanc from the Willamette Valley has the potential to be considered world class and I predict that it will eventually surpass Pinot Gris plantings.”  Brent Stone, King Estate’s winemaker sums things for the Willamette Valley this way:  “We know the variety can do well here and think it can be one of the next great wines that Oregon is known for.”

Not to be outdone, winemakers in the Rogue Valley are also devoting a lot of attention to their version of Sauvignon Blanc. Eric Weisinger, who made wines in New Zealand for several years, is busy exploring special sites. In 2023 he made a Sauvignon Blanc from The Cole Family Vineyard, a high-elevation, cool site, in the Applegate Valley sub AVA.  Eric barrel fermented the wine in neutral oak and then aged it on the lees. With its bright fruit and lime aroma, it offers a rich smooth texture, great length but retains vibrancy.

Similarly, Kiley Evans of Padigan Wines barrel fermented their 2024 in neutral oak and then extended the lees contact for 6 months. And voila! It is loaded with vibrant fruit aromas and has a rich, smooth texture, bright minerality in its flavors and a crisp finish.

Not to be overlooked, the 2024 Sauvignon Blanc from Peter William Vineyard is a stunner. It offers an attractive Sancerre-like aroma, but has loads of flavors and a lengthy finish.

While there’s plenty of excitement in Southern Oregon to match that of the Willamette Valley, the northerly AVA of the Columbia Gorge AVA has its formidable advocates. Anna Matzinger, now also a busy consultant, served as winemaker and general manager for Archery Summit for 14 vintages before joining forces with Michael Davies who made wines for Rex Hill and A to Z wineries.  For their own label, they make Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the Willamette Valley, and Grenache and Sauvignon Blanc from the cool, windy Columbia Gorge. Their 2021 “Gorgeous Savvy” Sauvignon stands out from the crowd. My note ends with this: “Light in color, the nose of this wine is seriously flinty, chalky with lime and lemon zest.  Medium bodied, it offers flavors of vibrant fruit with a leesy texture.  Brisk in the finish with hints of flint and minerality.”

Matzinger-Davies’ other Sauvignon Blanc, subtitled “Unabridged” goes way off the chart. Cold fermented with whole clusters for 8 weeks, it was aged on the light lees for 14 months. So much is going on that it’s best to let the winemaker describe this amazing wine: “I love the expression of greenness here fresh and newly risen like fiddleheads, pea shoots, spruce tips and nettle. There is lime zest and ginger, bay leaf and sea greens, angelica, bee balm, cardamom and salt. This wine is expansive, mouthwatering and wide with a texture and acidity almost crystalline.”

Coming from diverse viticultural sub-regions, we can naturally ponder whether there is a distinct Oregon style of Sauvignon Blanc. Surprisingly at this early stage, there seems to be one emerging that aims toward Sauvignon Blanc that lean toward the Loire Valley in aroma and texture but also retain some of the zippy, bright style that is New Zealand’s distinctive component. 

Brent Stone of King Estate describes it this way: “The Sauvignon Blanc wine style in Oregon can be really nice. You still get some of those traditional tropical and stone fruit notes but also subtle minerality and crisp acidity that can add balance and often make the wines very food-friendly at the same time.”

 To Joe Dobbes, the stylistic goal is this: “What world class Sauvignon Blanc should look like [for me] is true varietal character showcasing primarily copious amounts of fruit and not herbs and vegetables; crisp, forward acidity and freshness in the palate; and attention to combining all the above with palate weight, which makes the wine more interesting.” He adds, “I love the character and the richness of Sancerre and also appreciate the fresh zestiness of New Zealand.”

As this story continues to unfold over the next few vintages, it is clear that Oregon Sauvignon Blanc is no Chardonnay wannabe, nor a simple quaffing Pinot Gris. One unifying theme is that whether from the northern boundary of the Columbia Gorge or the Southern end of the Rogue Valley, the new Sauvignons are food-friendly, showing their best features as a complement to food. They are because the acidity brings vibrancy but the savory texture or palate weight enables them to stand up to a range of main courses.

The timing is great since so many of the California pioneers of Sauvignon Blanc/Fume Blanc have been acquired by corporations which over time have diluted the wine. Gone are the days when you could savor the excellent versions from Matanzas Creek, Murphy-Goode, Ferrari-Carano, Folie A Deux, Geyser Peak, Kunde Girard and so on. 

One major exception: Dry Creek Vineyards.

For readers who want to catch the wave, you should know Oregon’s trend setters are generally small family owned wineries making relatively small batches. So going direct to the winery to buy or to learn where their Sauvignons are available, here are my top ten:

Iterum Wines  ‘Old Friend’ Oak Grove Vineyard, Willamette Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2023

Andrew Rich Vintner Croft Vineyard, Willamette Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2022  

Patricia Green Cellars, Willamette Valley  Sauvignon Blanc 2022 

Padigan Wines, Rogue Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2023 

Matzinger Davies Winery, Columbia Gorge (Oregon) Sauvignon Blanc “Gorgeous-Savvy” 2021 

Weisinger Family Vineyard Cole Family Vineyard, Sauvignon Blanc 2023  

Peter William Vineyard Rogue Valley Sauvignon 2023 

King Estate Oregon Sauvignon Blanc 2022 

Kriselle Cellars Rogue Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2022

Quady North 4 Diamonds Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc , Southern Oregon 

New Faces and Places: Sauvignon Blanc Rises Again

Sauvignon Blanc has been increasing in popularity and some experts are calling it the next hot wine. While I do believe Sauvignon Blanc deserves to become better known, what fascinates me is the way many of today’s most talented and daring winemakers are working toward a new interpretation. In this new style, it is sort of a marriage between the best of New Zealand Sauvignon and the best features of Lore Valley’s versions such as Sancerre and Pouilly–Fume.

But first, thanks to the boatloads of Sauvignon Blanc coming our way from New Zealand, Sauvignon Blanc is now familiar to most wine drinkers. Some may not like the assertive style of New Zealand with its sharp green, herbal aroma and piercing acidity. But led by the ubiquitous Kim Crawford, Sauvignon Blanc is at least back in the game. So it is not surprising to see more and more Sauvignon Blancs from Chile joined by a few from Argentina, Australia and South Africa being positioned as less expensive and more appealing than under $20 Chardonnays and more flavorful than most supermarket Pinot Grigio.

While I do prefer widely available Sauvignon Blancs over the mass produced Chardonnays and sweet tinged supermarket Pinot Grigios, the most exciting trend is based upon a new style that emphasizes cool climate, site specific Sauvignon Blanc with some degree of what’s called “minerality.”

“Minerality”  is now widely used and  of course overdone, but it is definitely behind the new style of Sauvignon Blanc. Maybe it is just a cool word to use instead of smokey and flinty. That reminds me that Sauvignon Blanc was revived in California decades ago by going with the alternate name of Fume Blanc. But whatever is behind it, this new move toward a distinctive style, neither Kiwi nor Sancerre, is exciting. And the winemakers involved here on the West Coast are creative, risk takers willing to explore. 

The following reviews which have been posted at winereviewonline.com  best convey what I see as happening:

Cadre Wines Edna Valley, San Luis Obispo, “Stone Blossom” Sauvignon Blanc 2021 $22

With most of the fruit harvested from a Paragon Vineyard block planted in 1973, the wine was stainless fermented and aged on the lees. Once poured, this wine changes dramatically in the glass. It changes from flinty and green pea aroma and opens us to reveal secondary aromas of melon and white peach along with a wet stone kind of minerality. It offers plenty of vibrant flavors with mouth-coating texture, and it picks up lovely herbal and chalky nuances before finishing on a long, long crisp aftertaste.

Iterum Wines  ‘Old Friend’ Oak Grove Vineyard, Willamette Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2021 $50

Veteran winemaker Joe Dobbes is focusing on small lot wines from special vineyards under the new Iterum label. This inaugural Sauvignon Blanc is from an old vineyard Dobbes has worked with since 1989. The wine is effusively aromatic and very much in line with top quality Sancerre. It combines chalky, wet stone aromas with lime, grapefruit and fresh cut green apple. But then it performs amazingly on the palate with a rich smooth texture and multi-layered flavors. In the finish it turns on the crisp acidity, lime and lemon peel notes that linger. Beautiful, long aftertaste. Technical details explain it did not undergo M-L, and was fermented 50% in stainless and 50% in Acacia barrels.  It was then aged 7 months before bottling.

Padigan, Rogue Valley (Oregon) Sauvignon Blanc 2023 ($27)

 Sauvignon Blanc from Oregon has been getting lots of media attention recently.  Several wineries in Southern Oregon are key players, including Padigan. This 2023 is its 8th vintage and the 2023 growing season enabled Sauvignon to achieve full ripeness at a relatively low 22.5 brix.  After the wild yeast fermentation, half of the wine was aged “sur lies” for 6 months in neutral oak.  Bright, yellow-green in the glass, the wine quickly showcases lime, melon and flinty aromatics and the flavors add a layer of  juicy ripe mango for added depth. The texture is rich and supple and the finish emphasizes ripe fruit and that flinty nuance.  Probably best to enjoy within the next couple of years.  From the winery estate vineyard.  227 cases produced.   

Matzinger Davies Winery, Columbia Gorge (Oregon) Sauvignon Blanc “Gorgeous-Savvy” 2021 ($25):  Once commonplace, “flinty” is rarely used these days to describe Sauvignon Blanc, but this wine reminded me that flinty can be an accurate descriptor for distinct versions.  This version is made by veteran winemakers who seek out special vineyards.  Anna Matzinger, now a consultant, served as winemaker and general manager for Archery Summit for 14 vintages.  Michael Davies made wines for Rex Hill and A to Z wineries. This Sauvignon is from the Garnier Vineyard on the southern bank of the Columbia River.  Winemaking notes include fermenting and aging in a combination of concrete egg, stainless steel, and cigar-shaped oak barrels.  After primary fermentation, the wine was aged 6 months on light lees.  Light in color, the nose of this wine is seriously flinty and herbaceous.  Medium bodied, it offers flavors of mostly grassy fruit with a leesy texture.  Brisk in the finish with hints of flint and minerality.       

Verdad Wines, Ballard Canyon (Santa Barbara County, California) Sauvignon Blanc Rusack Vineyard 2023 ($35): This is the inaugural Sauvignon Blanc from Louisa Sawyer who sourced the fruit from the Rusack Vineyard which meets her requirements for being certified organic and for an ability to retain good natural acidity.  The Sauvignon vines are also 20 years old.  She fermented the juice entirely in stainless steel to allow the site to shine through.  The aroma is vibrant, with lots of melon fruit along with figs and flinty-chalky hints.  Medium bodied with similar melon flavors, it has a pleasant roundness in the middle palate before the acidity kicks in to bring it to a crisp finish.       

Never heard of Cadre, Iterum, Matzinger Davies, Verdad or Padigan? Well hold on, the parade of new names is just forming.  

Many of these new faces are making these daringly different Sauvignon Blancs from lesser known places such as Edna Valley and Rogue Valley. Add to that regions best known for other wines, specifically Oregon’s Willamette Valley and Santa Barbara and there’s much more awaiting us.

In my next post, we’ll look deeper at this new style of Sauvignon Blanc coming from Oregon.

From there we will move to the Central Coast and focus on the key players and the special vineyards they are working with.

Savvy Wine Shoppers: Start Your Engines

Exciting online wine deals and steals are really happening.  They are not the typical, over-hyped discounted wines that have been offered over the last year or two.  It strikes me as a new beginning, a fresh start to Spring. 

The real deal door began to swing open around April 1st and by the day of the eclipse, it was no illusion, no April Fool’s prank.

 And the wines that signaled this change  were excellent, time-proven Cabernets, Pinot Noirs,  Chardonnays, a few imports and, well, many others. What was different was the appearance of so many authentic wines from real producers instead of made up private labels and brands. And often, new vintages, newly released wines, not leftovers.

Before getting to the reasons behind this development, let me lists those deals offered online  that caught my attention:

2021 Peju Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, regularly $70, offered at $26 

2021 Daou Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles $65 to $39.99

2018 Whitehall Lane Estate Cabernet, Napa Valley $90 to $59

2020 Beringer Vineyards Knights Valley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon $32 to $23.99

2019 Handley Cellars Anderson Valley Pinot Noir, $37 to $19.

2018 Ketcham Estate Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley $45 to $19.95

2022 Long Meadow Ranch Rose of Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley $32 to $12

2022 Caymus Vineyards, California Cabernet Sauvignon, $75 to $49

These are top names and the reason the last two are cited is to reinforce the fact that new vintages, not old stuff getting dusty in warehouses, are showing up as real deals! That’s a spanking brand new release from Caymus and I’ve not seen any Peju wine so deeply discounted until now. Clos du Val just released its new Cabernet Sauvignon vintage to an online retailer at 20%, not enough to make my list but good support for the trend.

Just now winespies.com announced a 30% off deal on an absolutely great California Chardonnay, one of the top 3-4 made and never ever discounted, until now. It is the 2021 Wayfarer ‘The Estate’ Fort Ross-Seaview Chardonnay 30% off. 

Then I’m seeing a few unknowns and  newbies to the Napa Cabernet scene resorting to the online discounters to help their launch. The garigiste.com site announced the sale of  Rockmere Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley from 2018 for $59.71 a bottle, with the winery price being $95.

So why now, you ask? Well, it has to do with supply and demand. Over the last several months, business stories have focused on the global surplus of wine, and here at home, both Napa and Washington State wine folks are trying to deal with the present surplus of wine and the need to start removing vineyards in big numbers for future stability. Talk about pulling up vines let’s you know this is not a blip.

Meanwhile, retailers are staring at big inventories in their stores and warehouses. I’ve noticed much more exciting offerings from vivino.com so far in 2024. This online site works directly with retailer partners across the country. Sales are slow in brick & mortar places across the country.

Who’s to blame? Well, the easy way out is to point fingers (the middle one?) at the Gen Zers.

Apparently, recent surveys indicate a lack of interest in wine. That’s a demographic representing 18% of the population and it is more interested in energy boosting drinks. Is “Liquid Death” an energy drink? Just asking. 

The brains behind Drizly analyzed the alcohol beverage market and came up with this conclusion: “When it comes to trying new bev alc brands, Drizly’s 2023 Consumer Trend Report found that pricing was the top factor that influences Gen Z “

The  high price of wine is a big deal these days. Recent surveys show that the average bottle price of a Napa Valley Cabernet is $108. An article in The Wall Street Journal  surveyed restaurants and came up with the belief that $25 is the new restaurant normal for a glass of wine. And, yes, the prices for many consumer items are now high. But wine is non-essential, a choice, not on the same level of importance as eggs and fuel. 

Driving the prices of wine up and Gen Zers away is that wine is perceived as a luxury enjoyed by those who equate price with quality. Snobs! Yes, those who buy what others can’t afford and those who associate inexpensive wine as “cheap stuff.” And the big corporations have not helped by their push to create so-called “luxury brands.” 

But right now it is the online wine retailers, the flash sale types, that are driving the discount wine deals.  A report from the Silicon Valley Bank made this observation:

“Wholesalers are full up, as far as they can go,”  which is making them “more picky” in what they buy from wine producers. Wholesalers “are more afraid of being stuck with inventory that they may have to discount.” 

It concluded with a prediction that “flash sales and increased discounts” are likely in the offing in the near future.”

5 Real Deal Dealers

That future is now. Flash sales, meaning limited time offerings are leading the way. For those  interested in checking out the best wine deals offered online, here are my top 5 best sites for non-snobbery, savvy shopping wine drinkers:

www.reversewinesnob.com  This site was finding super wines at great prices before the glut, and so far in 2024 has earned my top spot for its selection of wines from California and the Northwest. It works directly with small, family owned wineries. Begin here.

www.winespies.com  Off to a great month of April with exceptional finds such as the 2020 Caymus California Cabernet and the Wayfarer Chardonnay. Also, super price for a Flying Goat Pinot Noir. Special deals on Lake County Cabernets are frequent.

www.lastbottleswines.com

 Still the best flash sale site, and is keeping up by finding wines never offered before the glut. A great offer for Handley Cellars 2019 Pinot Noir at $19. It also has marathon wine sales, and recently offered dozens of wines as “under $26 deals and steals.”    

www.vivino.com 

These are the people who have a huge database and encourage subscribers to offer reviews, But its main strength is its partnerships with retailers around the country. Here I found the 2020 Beringer Knights Valley Cabernet at 30% off. The new 2022 Caymus “California” Cabernet was first offered by vivino.

http://www.wtso.com

WTSO was one of the first, if not the first site for flash sales. It offers many wines, but I found it is a great resource for imports, especially Spanish and Italian wines. Here are three examples of excellent deals:

2021 Resalte Ribera del Duero Vendimia Seleccionada for $19.99 (50%)

2018 Famiglia Castellani Chianti Classico Riserva  DOCG $14.99

2019 Luca Bosio Barolo  $24.99

Going Rogue, Part 2: The People Behind the Label

Why would any normal person start a winery these days? Well, let’s go rogue and find out.

Oregon just nudged ahead of Washington State and is now home to over 1,000 wineries, second only to California. The last I heard California  had over 4000 wineries. New wineries are opening up each week and the Rogue Valley is attracting more than its fair share of newbies.

But why now?

The oft quoted reason is “the pursuit of a dream and the lifestyle.”  That was voiced during the boom decades of the 70s and 80s in California and still reverberates in this decade along the entire West Coast.  

Who are these wine dreamers? In the US, unlike in traditional wine countries, most winery start-up founders are career changers (doctors, lawyers, high-tech) but a few are from a farming background and a few are out and out science nerds. Yes, there are wineries started by celebrities of some kind with too much money and too big of an ego. And then there’s the epiphany story. 

When you peek behind the label to see who the owners are among the rising stars, you once again encounter the Rogue Valley’s diversity. 

Goldback Wines: Watch out for Lightning

Speaking of an epiphany, Goldback is a good place to start our second tour of the Rogue Valley. Named after a fern indigenous to Southern Oregon, this authentic, small lot artisan winery was launched in 2016 by winemaker/owner Andy Meyer. He caught the wine bug as a college student looking for a summer job.  “I answered a craigslist ad for a tasting room job for the summer, which just happened to be for Cristom Vineyards.  Within 15 minutes of driving up the driveway for the interview, a lightning bolt struck. I knew that working in wine was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.”

 After the lightning strike his resume expanded to include working harvests at William Selyem and Hirsch Vineyards in Sonoma, Felton Road in New Zealand, Mark Ryan in Washington, and Cape Mentelle in South Africa. From these experiences as well as his time as a restaurant wine director, he favors a minimalist approach to winemaking and aims to preserve natural acidity in whites and tannin integration in his reds. 

As for his own wines, the red Cuvee is the winery’s version of a Cotes du Rhone, drink now red. A blend of  58% Syrah and 42% Grenache, it offers plenty of bright raspberry fruit in its aroma and has a pleasing soft entry to deliver berry and cherry flavors.

Goldback’s Syrah is a blockbuster that showcases Syrah’s full throttle concentration and purity and is all about the grape and the site.  In recent vintages, Meyer sought out the nearby Meadowlark Vineyard with its granite soils and sustainable farming. But the site is also very windy which forces the vines to shut down frequently and contribute to a long growing season. Similar, says Meyer, to the effect of the Mistral in the Rhone. The resulting wine is dark purple and loaded with ripe plum and a floral, wild thyme character. Medium full, it is concentrated with dense, ripe black fruit flavors and some black pepper. Plush and seamless, it will benefit from a couple of years of bottle aging. But could age for a decade or more. 

From the oldest block of Grenache from the neighboring Jaxon Vineyard,Goldback’s  Grenache is a selection of the winemaker’s favorites. Those selected stood out for being “Pinot Noir-ish”and the wine is indeed not your typical Grenache. A long cold soak and a 22 day fermentation with some whole clusters, the wine was aged 18 months in neutral French oak. The nose offers up loads of vibrant, cherry, strawberry fruit that carry over into the smooth flavors. There’s a touch of earthiness in the nicely textured finish. In 2020, Goldback continued experimenting and bottled one barrel of Grenache that was 100% whole cluster, carbonic maceration.

Did I mention the remarkable Chenin Blanc? 

www.goldbackwines.com

Is There a Doctor in the Winery?

A beautiful hillside vineyard overlooking the Rogue Valley in Southern Oregon was planted by Dr. Peter William Adesman. Along with being a full-time practicing physician, he has been an avid wine collector and educator since the 1970s, and long dreamed of producing his own wines. He notes: ”In 2007, my wife, Dr. Robin Miller, and I moved to a property in the Rogue Valley where we could plant a 10-acre vineyard. That is how Peter William Vineyard was born. Our first commercial vintage was 2016.”

Peter, only call him “Doctor” if you are his patient, is dynamic, enthusiastic and has an encyclopedic wine knowledge based on tasting and traveling. For his winery,  Syrah is offered in several styles. Of the 4 Syrahs made by this winery in 2018, one labeled Candives is 100% Syrah made from the estate vineyard and aged entirely in French oak, 50% new. To distinguish it from the others, the winery went with the “Candives” name, said to be an alternate name for Syrah used in the tiny village of Chavanay in the Northern Rhone Valley. As fine as the other 2018s are, this is so dark, dense, and dramatic that the special name is certainly merited. Ultra smooth and seamless, it is beautiful now but will also bring rewards with cellaring. 94 points.

Another small batch Peter William Syrah is made from estate grown grapes which are vinified by winemaker Eric Weisinger who is the “W” referenced on the label. The end result is a compact, powerful expression of Syrah that may be one of the best values around these days. It is pure ripe Syrah beginning with its dark color and earthy, leathery, black pepper aromatics. 

Then there’s an exciting blend  from Peter William aptly named “Extravagance.” It may be going on elsewhere, but Southern Oregon sure seems to be a hotbed of creative winemaking energy leading to fascinating blends and unusual wines.  A 50-50 blend of Tempranillo and Syrah, Extravagance is aged for 21 months in French oak and bottled unfined and unfiltered. This intriguing blend turns out to be delicious red wine with both depth and charm. It comes across as ripe, plush Syrah built on a Tempranillo framework.

Check out the club possibilities at

www.peterwilliamvineyard.com

Padigan

3rd Generation Grower/Farmer

In 2023, the 2-Hawk Winery was rebranded Padigan, the name taken from a soil type. This 24 acre vineyard is owned by Ross Allen, a third generation farmer from the San Joaquin Valley. 

Both before and after the name change, Malbec was a major success along with the winery’s Syrah and Viognier. With the release of its 2019 wines, the winery began hitting full stride. 2019 was an exceptionally long, coolish growing season, and  the winery’s estate grown Malbec was not harvested until mid to late October.  The juice was wild yeast fermented, blended with 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and aged for 28 months in oak. 21% new, 61% neutral. Intensely dark, this Malbec is concentrated and needs some aeration to strut its stuff  Overall, an exciting, multi-layered Malbec.

Then there’s Padigan’s Viognier. It takes a grower who knows every vine on the estate to know the best time to harvest Viognier. Ross works closely with winemaker Kiley Evans who explains:

“The trick with Viognier is getting it ripe beyond the bitter almond finish that can be a nuisance in the wine, but not so ripe that it is overly alcoholic/hot and I’ve seen that progression happen in as little as 2-3 days.”

Padigan’s 2021 is a lovely expression of Viognier. Big and round on the palate, it remains lively with good citrus fruit along with crunchy melon flavors. The texture is heavenly and the wine brings it home with a long lasting finish with a subtle zing to it. This could serve as a benchmark Viognier that’s neither over the top in ripeness and alcohol nor one that relies on oak. Native yeast fermented, It was aged sur lies for 11 months in 35% new French oak and later rested on  the lees in stainless for 6 months. It seems likely to become even more complex with aging for 3 to 5 years

http://www.padigan.com 

Dancin Vineyards: Viticulture Students

DAN and CINdy Marka met while studying viticulture at UC Davis. To them, wine is all about sites, clones, soils and aspect. Both must have been super students because their vineyard is beautiful and impeccably maintained. 

Dancin is also one of a handful of Rogue Valley wineries making a Pinot Noir, but Dan Marka explains,

“ Our site was created for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay with its north, northeast facing aspect, 1800 foot average elevation and shade occurring beginning at 5:45pm (depending on the Block) throughout the growing season. We are finding that we can produce delicious Pinot Noir with great flavors and balance at alcohol levels in the mid to upper 12’s to the very low 13’s. Our wide diurnal swings allow for flavors and ripeness to occur during the day with acids retained during the overnight hours. We can see daytime highs to overnight lows vary by 40 degrees!” 

And he adds that the same Pinot Noir clones ripen later at his site than they do in McMinnville or Dundee.

As a specialist, Dancin is an exception where it is more common to grow a dozen or more varieties within an estate. But, digging a little deeper, you discover the winery’s roster offers lots of exciting choices.  Dancin makes 4 distinct Chardonnays, 4 Pinots from different blocks or different clones. It also makes Syrah, Sangiovese and Barbera. If you enjoy Barbera, Dancin’s won’t disappoint.

www.dancin.com

Weisinger Family Winery: 2nd generation wine grower

Tempranillo Estate, Rogue Valley

The Weisinger Family, on the eastern edge in Ashland is said to specialize in Tempranillo along with, Rhone and Bordeaux varietals.. Quite diverse for a 3,000 case annual output.

Acreage planted to Tempranillo has steadily increased in Southern Oregon over the last decade. Located just outside of Ashland, Weisinger was founded in 1988, making it one of the oldest in Southern Oregon. After assuming the winemaker’s role, Eric Weisinger began grafting over the original Gewurztraminer vines to Tempranillo. Adjacent to the winery, the Tempranillo occupies a steep, high elevation (2235 feet) northeast facing site. The Weisinger Family, on the eastern edge in Ashland is said to specialize in Tempranillo, Pinot Noir, Rhone and Bordeaux varietals, as well as proprietary blends. Quite diverse for a 3,000 case annual output.

My first experience with Weisinger was with the wines from 2018. 2018 was an ideal long, slow growing season with the Tempranillo picked in the first week of October. After being cold soaked and fermented for 20 days by native yeasts, the wine was barrel aged for 17 months in 30% new American oak. It offers lovely bright cherry fruit with hints of black tea and spice in a solid, medium weight package. The black cherry and spice theme continues in the deep flavors with subtle oak toast and firm, integrated tannins coming into play.  Beautifully structured and focused throughout, it should drink well over the next 5-7  years. Not surprisingly,  Weisinger’s Tempranillos have won many awards. I’ve scored them 93 and 94 in two recent vintages.

Weisinger Family Winery Roussanne, Fortmiller Vineyard, Rogue Valley, Oregon, 2019 

Normally part of a Rhone blend, Roussanne as a stand alone varietal is one that seems to challenge winemakers. After experimenting earlier with Roussanne, in 2018 Weisinger resumed its efforts after discovering the north-facing Fortmiller Vineyard in 2018. In 2019, Weisinger harvested the Roussanne at a low 22.4 Brix to preserve acidity and after whole cluster pressing the winery barrel fermented the wine using native and commercial yeasts. The lees were stirred throughout the long fermentation. The result is a wine that showcases floral and lemony aromas, and the flavors are bright with citrus and honeysuckle notes. The leesy texture adds complexity and length to this delicate, lively and pretty wine.

http://www.weisingers.com

Belle Fiore Winery: Scientists

Belle Fiore is the closest thing to a Napa-ish winery with its rather elaborate tasting room and chateau-like facility. It has a busy restaurant and is even a mini art gallery. But it is also serious about its wines made from its 31 acre estate vineyard surrounding the winery. The roster consists of the usual varieties  such as Merlot and Syrah but then you get to the “others,” especially the Italians. Here you’ll find a Montepulciano (my fav), a Barbera, Teroldego, Fiano,  and a rare Caprettone grape.  These are all possible because the owners have identified what they call “16 micro-blocks” based upon soil types and elevation.  Owner Edward Kerwin is a clinical research scientist and his wife Karen has an M.A in genetic counseling. Together they launched Belle Fiore in 2007. 

Long Walk Vineyard: A Dream Retreat from Silicon Valley

Located in the hills above Ashland, Long Walk is a newly developed vineyard and historic 35 acre orchard owned by Kathy and Tom O’Leary, Silicon Valley techies. After a prolonged search, they settled on this cool, south facing site to pursue their dream to make Rhone inspired wines. The 11-acre vineyard is planted primarily to Rhone varieties.  But they also like Zinfandel so there’s a smattering of Zin. “Field Notes” is  their version of a GSM Rhone blend. Made from 40% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah and a splash of Carignane, it is medium dark in color and unfolds quickly in the glass. The nose starts out with pretty plum fruit along with a hint of leather and game but the bright black fruit character prevails. The flavors add some herbs and cherry and are presented in a round body with gentle, dusty tannins poking through. Pleasantly subtle and charming overall, it is one to enjoy over the next several years. Kudos for the light touch. 

With Rose wines being so trendy and Roses now being made from just about every red grape available,  it was an eye opener to encounter Long Walk’s rose from a red grape that’s ideal for a Rose: Cinsault. Popular in Southern France, Cinsault is light in color and low in tannin and  remains the backbone for many Provence Roses. From vines planted in 2002, this winery’s Rose is an attractive pink-copper color and offers an aromatic mix of  just picked strawberries, rose petals and summer flowers.  Medium bodied and vibrant, it is balanced and has just enough acidity to bring it to a delicate finish. 

As for the Long Walk Zinfandel, it too is impressive. 

www.longwalkvineyard.com

Talent Cellars “Nuf Said Red” 

This new family run winery is based in the small town of Talent, near Medford. The label is a replica used by the family when the land was a pear orchard. Winemaker Matt Newbry and his wife Janéa, attribute the Inspiration Behind Talent Cellars to the very soil their family has been farming In Talent, Oregon since the 1920’s.

Sourced from two nearby vineyards, the 2017 Nuf Said is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon with 13% Petit Verdot and 12% Grenache. It was aged 22 months in French and American oak (50% new). It is medium bodied and vibrant with bright berry fruit and graphite and cedar in the aroma, yet it sweeps across the palate with juicy, ripe fruit and a hint of vanilla from the oak.  Beautifully balanced, it finishes with light, ultra smooth tannins. Production was 250 cases.

And with that, I too say “nuf said.”

Navigating the Deeply Discounted Wine World

A banner announcing “All wines, 20% off, semi-annual Wine Sale” caught my eye as I drove quickly past the shopping mall. The next day, slowing down, I noticed the store was one of those discount food places.

Probably nothing but wines in dented cans, right?  So I kept driving. A few days later, no longer able to curb my curiosity, I stopped. And shopped. Like really shopped.

The sale was at a Grocery Outlet Bargain Market. The one I visited in Bermuda Dunes was a maze of wine with well over 100, maybe close to 200 wines on display. All in bottles ( no cans) and representing every wine country and many, many regions. Not surprisingly for a discount wine program, Argentina and Chile were well-represented, but Spain and Italy were not far behind. There were several Bordeaux along with the rest of France. California and Washington State had their own sections. One wall was lined with Chardonnay!

My first impression was “What the?”  Prices started at $3.99 a bottle, with $6.99 looking like the average. Many of the labels were familiar brands such as Ravenswood, Pedroncelli, St. Clement, Canoe Ridge, McBride Sisters, and Mercer Estates, to cite a few examples. A Rose from one of the most reliable French producers, Chapoutier, was priced at $3.99. There also was a $5.99 white from Quinta de Crasto, a high-end winery well-known to me which is in Portugal’s Douro Valley. 

Then I hit the motherlode with Pinot Noir from one of my long-time favorites, Sarah’s Vineyard in Santa Clara County. Normally selling for $35, there they were at $6.99.  That first visit saw me walk out with several bottles in addition to the Pinots, and I’ve visited other Grocery Outlets since then. 

I always try unfamiliar wines and while a few purchased were dogs woofing at me, the price range makes these explorations relatively painless.

But why are some wines so heavily discounted?  My best guess is poor marketing on the part of the producer, the sales team, the importer and/or wholesaler. A small winery may need the cellar space for the newest vintage, or it just may need cash flow by selling in quantity. Bigger producers may be discontinuing the product or the label. Whatever, the appeal of the Grocery Outlet is that it doesn’t advertise the way the typical Safeway/Abertson chains do. For a producer, importer,  and wholesaler, selling quickly and quietly has its appeal. 

Since most normal people have not been writing about wines and probably haven’t spent time in every major wine country and tasted literally thousands, for what it may be worth to you, I’m going to share my thoughts and shopping tips here. After that, if you are still with me, the conversation will shift to some background about Grocery Outlet which has almost as many stores as Trader Joe’s but it is less well known.

 Shopping Tips from a Wine Professional

1. Read the back label. The boring flipside with the mandatory details, not the artsy, colorful one with the brand.  For each wine that interests you, if you don’t recognize the brand, look at the back label for the name of the producer. Or the company that bottled it. Both are in the fine print.  Begin by learning the producer’s name is step #1.

2. The back label will also tell you the involvement of the producer/bottling company. For instance,”Produced & Bottled By” is a good sign indicating that the winery made most of the wine in the bottle, rather than buying it from another company. “Cellared By” is less reliable and

“Vinted & Bottled by” is pretty bogus. “Vinted” to me says the wine was bought ready-made and simply bottled.

3. Now to the wine’s origin. Check the place name, the appellation (where the grapes were grown) on the front label, such as Napa Valley or Columbia Valley with the home of the producer/bottler on the back.  If you are looking at a Cabernet from Columbia Valley but see on the back that it was bottled in Napa, Lodi, or Acampo, it is a brand owned by a major company  and the wine was trucked to a common bottling facility. The grapes may be grown in Napa or Sonoma, but If it says “Bottled in Modesto, CA,” the wine is, like Barefoot, one of dozens of brands owned by Gallo.

Yes, wines are transported in tanker trucks and in boats on their way to be bottled. You may  be shocked to know that many Sauvignon Blancs made in New Zealand are shipped literally to a bottling plant in California. Check that back label if in disbelief. 

4. How old is too old?  Making sense out of the vintage date and vintage information. The year, say, 2020, simply tells you when the grapes were harvested, not when the wine was bottled. Most wines are at their best when young, especially whites and Roses. But a 3 or 4 year old white is not necessarily over the hill. A Rose, despite its fragile drink soon image can often be enjoyable 2 or 3 years after the vintage. 

Red wines are more complicated and most are fairly safe up to 5 years after the vintage. My recent experiences involved two reds from 2013. The first, a Paso Robles, was clearly in decline, dull, lost its fruitiness  and a little fizzy. The other, a Syrah from the Sierra Nevada Foothills, was at its peak. It was also an excellent Syrah. And both, to keep us on topic, were priced at $6.99.

But my shopping guideline is to avoid whites and roses that are 5 years or older and stay away from most reds more than 10 years old. Whether offered online or in a wine store, any wine around 10 years of age makes me question where it has been during those years. Was it properly stored? Moved around? Somebody’s reject? Yes, best to avoid older wines.

5. Corks and screw caps become an issue when shopping for discounted wines.. Let’s face it, most wines are displayed standing up and a few end up in the sunniest part of the store. Corks may be traditional but they tend to dry out over time and don’t protect the wine. So you’re better off passing over old wines with corks.

6. If you use the vivino site and take photos of bottles, it is better to use google to learn more about the wine. Vivino doesn’t sell most of these wines so will offer minimal info. Go to google to see if the brand exists, and then look for it at wine.com or cellartracker for its history. If it has one which is a good thing.

7.If you taste new wines with others, don’t give the price paid ahead of time. Both newcomers and longtime wine drinkers have been brainwashed to think price equates to quality. The same people who go to Amazon for the cheapest available product, will be predisposed to not like a cheap bargain wine. 

Kick off 2024 by Getting Naked (Wines, that is)

Kick Off 2024 by Getting Naked (Wines, that is)

Yesterday NakedWines announced that during the entire month of January it has slashed the price of all its single bottles and cases by 50%. And you don’t have to sign up because no subscription is required,

The half-price deal applies sitewide though a six-bottle minimum purchase applies.

NakedWines offered about 500 wines from around the world with the majority from Caiifornia and the Northwest. One of the biggest online dealers, it experienced a few big bumps in the road recently with management changes and lower than expected sales growth.

Though I’m not a big fan of NakedWines with its annoying talk about subscribers as “angels,” I have bought wines and reviewed the website. It claims to have 300,000 subscribers.

Another issue I had was the arbitrary basic prices given since it can come up with any price it wants to. But at 50% off, things have changed.

I’m also quite familiar with some of the winemakers who put their names on the labels. You can read all about the way so-called “angels” support the winemakers, but there’s much better use of time here to talk about the wines on sale.

So I put together a case of wine that I as a veteran wine critic would recommend and would personally enjoy as a consumer. For the 12 wines selected which were said to have a market value of $409.88 my purchase price was $92.38. The $100 voucher offered me helped.And these vouchers are widely available.

Now to the chosen 12:

Scott Steingraber Building Bridges Rogue Valley Viognier 2021 $12.49

Scott Steingraber Building Bridges Rogue Valley Tempranillo 2022 $19.49

Matt Parish “The 24” Contra Costa Zinfandel 2021 $15.99

Dave Harvey Walla Walla Valley Cabernet Franc 2021 $13.99

Michaud Columbia Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2021 $10.49

Mick Schroeter Russian River Chardonnay 2022 $14.99

F. Stephen Millier Black Label Calaveras Zinfandel 2021 $11.99

DRG Daryl Groom Reserve Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2021 $24.99

Scott Kelley Oregon Tempranillo 2021 $17.49

Sharon Weeks Cattoo Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 $14.99

Scott Kelley Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2022 $16.99

DRG Daryl Groom Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 $18.49

Again, at 50% off,  my price for these 12 wines is $92.38.

So, as you can see I prefer its red wines much more than whites and roses. 

And I avoid the imports because whether from South America, Europe, or other countries, they are bottled in the USA. 

A Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile or Malbec from Argentina imported and bottled in Lodi or in Napa’s American Canyon? That means they arrived by trucks and boats in large containers and have been pumped and fiddled with. Some I tasted were ok at best, but others were not.

As for other advice, it is better to act quickly because over its history when it runs out of some wines nakedwines then suggests replacements. That can go bad.

Exploring Guadalupe ValleyWines

5 Takeaways from Guadalupe Valley 

Throughout 2023, numerous stories appeared in national media outlets announcing Mexico’s Guadalupe Valley as “the next Napa Valley.” Or Guadalupe as “Mexico’s Napa Valley.”

In one of those annual reader survey pieces, it finished a close second to Walla Walla. 

Travel articles with a romantic getaway theme or wine country destination focus were common.  A google search for Guadalupe Valley wines will show dozens of travel suggestions, tours tips, tour packages, tour guides and itineraries featuring wineries and culinary recommendations. 

 Located about 60 miles south of the US border, or just over an hour’s drive from San Diego, Guadalupe’s wine route has come alive with new wineries, new resorts, boutique hotels, and trendy restaurants. Wine-related income in Guadalupe Valley hovers around $200 million a year.

No longer flying under the radar, Guadalupe Valley secured international recognition in late 2022 by hosting the 43rd annual World congress of vines. Many of its wines win awards and medals in various annual wine competitions. With only 25 wineries existing before 2005, Guadalupe is now home to 150+ wineries, 100 restaurants, 92 hotels and boutiques, and 12 taco stands. A few sources now say there are over 180 wineries. 

Regarding viticulture, Guadalupe Valley is a real anomaly. Standard logic in all textbooks maintains that wine grapes should only be grown within the 30 to 50 latitude. Guadalupe is located at the 21-22 degree latitude and there are over 10,000 acres planted to a wide range of vinifera varieties. 

Defying logic, the mantra in Guadalupe is that it is all about altitude, not latitude. Located at elevations from 500 to 2000 feet above sea level, most vineyards benefit from cooling breezes from the Pacific on one side and the Sea of Cortez on the other. With wide diurnal swings during the summertime, the climate is basically Mediterranean. Or “best described as Mediterranean” as one winemaker explained because being dry and desert-like, it doesn’t fit into any neat category. 

So after postponing a planned visit due to covid, I finally visited this much talked about wine valley in Northern Baja. Research before the visit entailed reading many of the feature stories and, of course, tasting as many Guadalupe wines that were available during my stay in Cabo San Lucas.

My vinous version of the Baja 1000 began by departing the totally screwed up city of Tijuana in a crappy rental car that barely made it out of town. Later in the day we were welcomed to Guadalupe by rain that challenged the car’s wipers. That’s right, rain in Guadalupe Valley is about as common as rain in the Sahara.

That rain was a great omen or set up for a series of unexpected experiences that followed when visiting wineries, tasting wines, and getting a feel for this most unusual wine region. The rain made the sandy roads to the wineries even more challenging to navigate with deep potholes filled with water along with rocks and a few chickens. But holding on tight to the wheel we visited the region. What follows are takeaways from five wineries that capture the uniqueness of Guadalupe as not only an emerging wine destination but also an exciting wine producing region.  

“This can’t be Nebbiolo,” I tactfully mentioned to the Vinedos Malagon hostess. It was deep garnet, concentrated, with ripe flavors and some tannin. She brought over the bottle and yes it was Nebbiolo. I shouldn’t have been so surprised since the previous wine was Malagon’s Grenache, also unusually rich. She explains that the winery has access to Grenache planted by Russian immigrants in the 1940s. That’s right, the vines are at least 70 years old. And as for Nebbiolo, it was said to be brought into Guadalupe long ago but identity tags were never found to verify its DNA. Well, that was my first visit.

#1 Takeaway: Prepare for Guadalupe wines that aren’t typical and for wines made from odd, old varieties, old vines.

Malagon was founded in 1997 when only a dozen wineries were operating in Guadalupe and very few wine varieties besides Grenache and Nebbiolo were planted. Pedro Domecq opened a winery in 1972 but like many of the distillers who arrived earlier, it favored Palomino and Colombard in the early years. Also in the 1970s Jim Concannon and others from California visited and introduced then popular varieties such as Chenin Blanc, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, Barbera, Cabernet, Carignane, and the once popular Ruby Cabernet. The latter variety is a key component in Domecq’s XA red and Petite Sirah is one of Cetto’s most popular and attractive wines. 

Today the Valley’s wineries reflect a balance of an international cast of characters and local families. Those established varieties attracted foreign investors such as the Henri Lurton Medoc family. It seems telling that Bodegas Henri Lurton’s flagship wines from Guadalupe are Nebbiolo and Chenin Blanc. 

Next stop was Casa Magoni whose wines I had enjoyed prior to the visit. In the new tasting room, white wines were first offered and they were not the typical blends. Magoni poured a Chardonnay and Fiano blend named “Manaz.” Also, another white brings together Chardonnay and Vermentino which is just as impressive. Among the reds, the Sangiovese-Cabernet is excellent, but the most unusual tasted was labeled Origen 43 which combines Montepulciano, Aglianico, Canaiolo, Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon. All those varieties were established 16 years ago. But, of course, Magoni makes a Nebbiolo which is excellent.

Turns out that Camillo Magoni, who studied Enology and Viticulture degree from the Enologica a Di Alba in Piedmont, Italy was invited by the Cetto winery to work in the cellars. After 40 years he left to establish Casa Magoni where he introduced many Italian varieties as well as others from France. Today with more than 100 different grape varieties on 278 hectares, this is the largest experimental vineyard in Guadalupe and all of Mexico. 

#2 Takeaway

Today with over 100 wine varieties being grown, some of Guadalupe’s finest wines are rare combinations and unique blends. There’s the Red from SantoTomas that is made from 34% Mission, 33% Tempranillo, and 33% Carignan. I love Emerve’s “Isabella” which brings together Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier in a bright, full bodied style. El Cielo’s 2020 Blanc de Blancs consists of Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc with a good dose of Palomino and Chardonnay. 

So be prepared to encounter wines with fanciful proprietary names derived from the planets, the stars, children, family pets, nicknames, whatever. 

Moving on, I finally visited a new winery unknown to me but one I drove by several times: Emerve.

Many of the new wineries are locally owned and started by home winemakers or by cellar workers moving on after apprenticing at one of the big wineries. That door opened In 2004-2005 when Hugo D’Acosta who studied at Montpellier, France, and the Agrarian University of Turin, Italy, organized La Escuelita, a school teaching local farmers and families the fundamentals of winemaking and cellar procedures. The school also functions today as a cooperative, providing the necessary equipment to growers and future winemakers to make wine. 

Today, Emerve, which was one of those wineries,  draws from 18 ha and produces around 5,000 cases a year. In addition to a lovely Rose of Cabernet, Emerve is best known for its proprietary blends. “Isabella” brings together Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier mentioned earlier. There’s a red Bordeaux named “Los Nietos” and another red blend, “Armonia de Tintos,” a blend of Merlot, Cabernet, Syrah and Cabernet Franc. That cuvee was aged for 8 months in a combination of French and Hungarian oak.  It is much more than a simple red. And just for a little variation there’s a 100% Shiraz that’s bottle aged for 5 years before its release.

#3 Takeaway

While the top 3 wineries of Cetto, Santo Thomas, and Bodegas Pedro Domecq produce 80% of wines from Guadalupe Valley, there are 100 or more small family owned businesses offering a wide variety of high quality wines. And the wines are often unique.

Next up in my learning journey, Casta de Vinos

Whether it was sheer luck or fate, my visit to Casta was truly eye opening. Opened in 2010, Casta is an authentic mom & Pop family winery with Sergio Castañeda as owner/winemaker and Claudia, his wife, as director. With an annual output of 4,500 cases, Casta makes 12 wines, 10 red. The 2018 “Domina,” a 100% Merlot exudes charm in an elegant style, and the 2019 “Cirio,” a Cabernet Sauvignon and Mourvedre blend is big with multi- layered flavors. “Casta Tinta, “ a Bordeaux blend, could easily be mistaken for a young Medoc. Another amazing accomplishment, the 2020 Syrah is heavenly and stylishly refined for a young Syrah. I also liked the Petit Verdot. Clearly, the winemaking is top notch and shows a subtle use of small oak and tannin management that makes this one a genuine superstar.

#4 Takeaway

Not only are there many new wineries, Guadalupe is a paradise for anyone who loves to explore and discover previously unknown wineries. Or one that opened the week earlier.

Tuscany also has a strong foothold here thanks to the Paoloni family.  Born in Tuscany, Paolo Paoloni left his post as an Enologist at the Perugia University to manage the Valle Redondo wine company in Aguascalientes, Mexico. After several years with Valle Redondo, Paoloni purchased 38 hectares in the Toros Pintos section of the Valle de Guadalupe. 

If anyone doubts the uniqueness of Guadalupe, well the wines that were presented at the Paoloni/Villa Montefiori winery will erase all doubts.  First came the dramatic 2020 “Ross del Valle” made from 100% Montepulciano with amazing concentration. It is the first mono-Montepulciano from Mexico. Even more exciting was the 2019 Nebbiolo, a dark colored, deeply flavored version, aged for 15 months in French oak. Then the house speciality is Nero d’Avola, and the 2018 aged 12 months in oak is stunning for its depth and layers of flavors.

#5 Takeaway

Located on a steep hillside, Paoloni’s vineyards look beautifully maintained, indicating that grape growing here is as good as anywhere. Overall, the yields work out to be slim by Napa’s standards, estimated as between 1.2 to 2 tons per acre. With little water available, irrigation is not excessive with many vines being dry farmed.

 I heard during my visit  and have also read that farming practices are moving toward sustainability and organic methods.  Carrodilla is said to be the first certified organic and biodynamic vineyard in Mexico. More recently, Santos Brujos which makes a lovely Tempranillo has earned its stars as a certified biodynamic vineyard. 

So, I’ll stop here after noting that despite what you may be thinking, Guadalupe Valley wines are showing up in more and more US markets. That was reinforced a few weeks ago when looking over the shelves of Desert Wine, a small retailer in Palm Desert, there were several Paoloni wines and a few others.  

Thankfully, in 2024 you might not have to travel along those bad dirt roads to explore Guadalupe Valley wines. Check out  the list of wineries available and which states they are sold in at La Competencia Imports in Napa, Same goes for Tozi Imports on the East Coast, Nossa Imports in Arizona and Beso imports in Washington. LMA imports in San Diego specializes in wholesale to restaurants. 

And one more thing about those rough, unpaved roads: don’t expect any improvements soon. Arguing that bad roads attract good tourists and good roads will appeal to the loud, rude, sloppy wine drinkers who will ruin the character of the Valley, a powerful resistance group has been organized to control growth.

In other words, they don’t want Guadalupe to become the “next Napa Valley,”

Exploring the Rhones Less Traveled

Having long been intrigued by Rhone wines, I regularly check out theTablas Creek Vineyards blog. A recent post mentioning the availability of Terret Noir and Bourboulenc stopped me in my tracks. Of all the varieties permitted to grow in Chateauneuf-du-Pape these two were total mysteries to me.

Never one to pass up an opportunity to try a new wine and maybe learn something along the way, I reached out to Jason Hass.  As always, he was helpful and informative and kindly made it possible for me to taste these two new Tablas Creek wines. 

 In wildly different ways, both the Bourboulenc and the Terret Noir were exciting new experiences. That set me off on a mission to explore other lesser known Rhone varieties, those usually dismissed or ignored as blenders, to see what they might offer as varietal wines.

But first, here are my notes on those two amazing wines that had me saddling up for this journey:

Tablas Creek Vineyard Adelaida Hills District Paso Robles Bourboulenc 2022 $40

From 2/3rd of an acre, this is the winery’s 4th Bourboulenc and it is wonderfully unusual. Medium straw in color, it offers an intriguing aromatic mix of orange rind, apricot and lychee nut. Surprisingly rich and round on the palate, it combines orange and citrus flavors with a hint of stone fruit. The texture is rich, and then it finishes with a rush of lemony flavors and bright acidity. All of this is to be enjoyed in a refreshing wine with only 12% alcohol. To summarize: lovely aromas, terrific texture, mouthwatering flavors and youthful acidity holding it together. A great food wine. What’s not to like?  94

Tablas Creek Vineyard Adelaida Hills District Paso Robles Terret Noir 2021 $40

Originally from the Languedoc, Terret Noir has seldom been made on its own, most often blended with Grenache or its fellow family members,Terret Gris and Terret Blanche. Tablas Creek bottled 70 cases in 2021 and offers it at the winery.  Once poured, it has an unusual light red color that sets it apart from most red wines. The aroma is also strikingly unusual, neither berry-ish nor overtly fruity, it offers a pretty floral nose of roses and orange blossom. While light medium bodied at best, it delivers refreshing flavors reminiscent of red currants that are sustained and persistent. Gentle, fresh and lively in the finish, it is all together pleasant and refreshing. It is a fun party or aperitif style red. Fun is good, right? 92

My takeaway after trying these two unusual wines was a suspicion that there probably are other lesser-known Rhone blending varieties that might be worthwhile looking into. And sure enough, by continuing along the Rhone road less traveled, I encountered four other Rhone varieties that also have much to offer as stand alone wines and, best of all, these four are being made by several key California winemakers, a few original Rhone Rangers and some new, younger folks dedicated to Rhone wines.

The four wines are two whites, Marsanne and Roussanne and two reds, Cinsaut and Counoise. Grenache Gris was on my list, but not many are available. Picpoul wines are enjoying a well-deserved surge, but are not as unusual as are Roussanne and Marsanne.

 Marsanne is hardly a newcomer since Bob Lindquist who founded Qupe, made California’s first back in 1987. But it is still usually downplayed as part of a blend with Viognier or Roussanne. And while there are many attractive blends now coming from Australia and Santa Barbera, on its own, Marsanne is still not that common. 

And from what I’ve experienced at this early stage, I can only wonder why. Marsanne is, afterall, the white grape of Hermitage fame. The 2022 Marsanne from Starfield Vineyards in El Dorado is a fantastic, complex and stunning version and it was a great wine to begin the journey. 

Starfield Vineyards El Dorado Marsanne 2022 $34

Aged for 6 months in neutral French oak, this Marsanne is attractive now but has all it needs to age long and well. On the nose it comes across with ripe peach and nectarine fruitiness with citrus as well. Then on the palate which is plush and round, it has vibrant flavors of orange rind

and cloves with minerality as well. Solid and well-integrated, it continues the ripe peach, apricot theme in its lengthy finish. Overall, it is concentrated but so lively it invites a second glass. 165 cases made. 94

After that re-introduction to Marsanne, I reached out to Bob Lindquist who sold Qupe in 2018 but has never stopped making Marsanne. As he explains,”Marsanne and Roussanne are near and dear to me, and I continue to make both of them under my Lindquist Family label.”  He adds, “In 1986 I got Marsanne budwood from Randall Grahm and grafted over some own-rooted Cabernet vines at a small vineyard just outside of Los Olivos called the Ibarra-Young Vineyard.”

Marsanne ages well, Lindquist noted, and his vintages from the early 90s are still showing well he added. As for style, he explains:” I make Marsanne in a lighter, fresher style, all in neutral barrels and bottled after about 8-9 months.”

“Lighter” it may be, but his current release is most attractive:

Lindquist Family Vineyard Edna Valley, Sawyer Lindquist Vineyard Marsanne 2020 $38

All of the fruit is grown in this the Demeter certified biodynamic vineyard.  Yellow with green tint, this wine is medium bodied with lots of youthful character. Aromatically, it combines nectarine and white peach fruit along with some almond and lemony accents. Smooth and refreshing on the palate, it has good acidity for a balanced impression and concludes with lively fruit and a crisp finish. 92

At the end of our conversation, Lindquist added this zinger:”I think Roussanne makes the more important and complex wine…I make mine very much in the same style as Chardonnay.”  

 It turns out Roussanne is a favorite of many other winemakers. Bill Easton of Terre Rouge who makes exquisite Syrah and Viognier chimes in with this: “Roussanne is the most serious white Rhône grape. It reaches its apex with age – slow oxidation.. But it is not easy to grow.” The team at Truchard in Napa simply say “it is a challenge.” And then John Alban the unchallenged champion of Viognier adds this: “There are legions of whites that one can make for all kinds of commercial reasons, even if the resulting wines are less than compelling, but Roussanne is for people you love.”

After tasting the latest from Terre Rouge and Lindquist, I can understand the appeal. Easton offers a perfect summary of what a newcomer will encounter:  “American palates are not accustomed to classic Roussanne characteristics: Straw golden color; with exquisite quince, honey-nut, and beeswax aromas.”  To that I’d add exotic pineapple fragrances, rich viscosity, and depth unique among white wines. It is definitely a white on steroids. The Terre Rouge Roussanne is given several extra years of bottle aging before being released to the market.

The name “Roussanne” relates to the French word for russet which explains the wine’s dark color. In the early phase of the Rhone Ranger period, what was thought to be Roussanne turned out to be Viognier. The true Roussanne was eventually introduced by Tablas Creek, so most of the current plantings began in the late 1990s. 

There’s one major exception: Terre Rouge. Its Roussanne clone is unique, originating from a Chave family parcel on the hill at Hermitage. It is the real deal and you can get a good feel for what Roussanne is capable of if you are fortunate, as I was, to taste the 2011 Terre Rouge and the 2021 Lindquist Family. See the tasting notes at the end. 

Cinsaut is another Rhone that was misidentified and that’s one likely reason why it was long overlooked. It turns out that in Lodi the Bechthold Vineyard which was planted in 1886 is actually the oldest Cinsaut vineyard in the world. Until 2003 when UC Davis proved by DNA testing that it was Cinsaut, the grape was believed to be Black Malvoisie. And it was sold to home winemakers.

Often spelled Cinsault, the grape is used these days to produce Roses or in blends. It is well-represented in South Africa likely due to its parenting role in Pinotage. It was not planted at Tablas Creek until  2017, and for now the winery suggests “it will be a useful blending partner to higher-alcohol, more tannic red grapes, and it makes for delicious lighter reds on its own.”  

Thanks to Holly’s Hill Vineyard in El Dorado, my most recent encounter with a varietal Cinsaut is highly memorable and is a delicious red. Here is my note:

Holly’s Hill Vineyard El Dorado Cinsaut 2020

Based on its color and the initial sniff, my instinct says this could be a Cotes du Rhone Villages. A real good one. But then after the initial taste, it comes across with subtle, but charming flavors that don’t match anything in my experience. Though Cinsaut is classified as a lightweight, this is no such thing. Its bright, fresh cranberry aroma mingles with spices and black tea, and the flavors are full of fresh picked dark cherries and an earthy, leathery back note.  Balanced, with light tannin it finishes on a slightly tart note along with lingering berries. Lovely! 93

Starfield Vineyards, also based in the Sierra Foothills, impressed me earlier with its 2019 Cinsaut. It turns out one of Randall Grahm’s most recent obsessions is with Cinsaut, so he had lots to say when approached.

“But let me tell you why I’m so enamored of Cinsault…. By restricting yields aggressively – via water restriction, bunch and cluster thinning – one can actually produce a very elegant wine of heady fragrance and beautiful color.  For me, this is the classical  (you will forgive the expression) conundrum of how to produce an elegant, complex, let’s call it “continental” wine in a warm and dry Mediterranean climate.”

While Cinsaut seems to be gaining in traction as a Rose and as a red wine in South Africa, that leaves Counoise as the ultimate, unwanted red grape on the Chateauneuf-du-Pape team. It ripens late in the season which makes it unappealing in Southern France. Only 60 acres are planted in California today. 

 But like the last player drafted in pro football, it too could become the next star. Tablas Creek has 6 acres and bottles it as a single varietal from time to time.  Fess Parker offers an excellent Counoise under its Epiphany label which impressed me a few years back. Others now on my radar are the new Counoise from Frick in Dry Creek Valley, Adelaida from Paso Robles and the 2019 Prie Cellars in Lodi. 

 However, in my most recent experience,  Counoise was well-represented by Holly’s Hill and that winery seems ready for stardom based on its 2020. As winemakers Carrie and Josh Bendick explain, when their various new wines were tasted every January, the Counoise lot always stood out. Eventually, the winery converted some Syrah to Counoise. It is difficult to grow, though, they add, because it ripens unevenly and you always have to focus on its color. 

Holly’s Hill Vineyard El Dorado Counoise 2020

Excellent, deep color with an aroma of raspberries, lovely baking spices and floral notes. On the palate it offers vibrant flavors of spices and berries. The subtle floral component adds intrigue and there’s plenty of crisp acidity keeping it nicely woven together. Tannins are light and smooth. And the finish is fresh and long with spices such as cinnamon and clove. 

It is reminiscent of a Moulin-A-Vent in weight and direct appeal but it offers more layers as a result of the floral note and baking spices. 94

As I begin wrapping this journey up, it hits me that this Counoise like the other three wines is a food-friendly wine. Both the new and older Roussanne reviewed here were definitely serious food wines.

Lindquist Family Vineyards Santa Maria Valley Bien Nacido Hillside Roussanne 2021 

From 5 acres on a west facing hillside,planted to the Tablas Creek clone between 1997-2000, Lindquist has made Roussanne from this block since 2000. It is aged on the lees in one year-old barrels for a year and then in neutral oak for 6 months. Bottled unfined and unfiltered, it is light yellow and with aeration, opens up to show pineapple, beeswax, and honey aromas with some oak. Big, generous palate, silky texture with deep flavors of ripe apples, hazelnuts and honey.

A little leesy, creamy texture and a long aftertaste of lemon curd and oak toast. 94

Domaine de la Terre Rouge Sierra Foothills  Monarch Mine Vineyard Roussanne 2011

In 2011, the crop ran into mildew problems and the yield was down by 80%. Following whole cluster pressing, the juice was barrel fermented and the wine aged on the lees. Beginning with its deep golden color, this wine was a unique experience. Rich and deeply concentrated with great viscosity, it delivers ripe pear flavors with some floral notes. Maturing nicely, but still has plenty of life ahead of it. As for a rating, how about rare and wonderful.

All of the wineries singled out here sell their wines direct, so for those wanting to jump aboard and continue the journey into the unknown Rhones, here are the contacts:

www.starfieldvineyards.com

www.hollyshill.com

www.lindquistfamilywines.com

www.terrerougewines.com

So that’s it. Oh, hold on, just got a late breaking news alert from Tablas Creek about another variety:

“Vaccarèse. There are just over 10 acres planted in Chateauneuf, just a little more than that elsewhere in France, and none, until we brought in ours, elsewhere in the world. But we believe it shows great potential, with lovely dark color and floral and herbal aromatics. It’s been so good that it’s already playing a significant role in the Esprit de Tablas.”

Well, now that sounds worth exploring on another trip!

Joe Dobbes: Veteran Winemaker Journeys Back to His Roots

Check out http://www.iterumwines.com for wine club info

And for my reviews: winereviewonline.com

At the Oregon Wine Experience’s awards ceremony last August, when accepting the Best of Show White Wine award for a 2021 Chardonnay, Blakeslee Vineyard’s owner first thanked everyone and then casually noted, “I didn’t make the wine. Joe Dobbes did.” That caught everyone’s attention. Joe who?  

Oh, that Joe. The veteran winemaker who also excels as a brand builder. The one behind “Wines by Joe,” a best selling brand found on many supermarket shelves which he developed simultaneously with his high-end Dobbes Family Estate Wines. He later added ”Jovino” as a label for Willamette Valley Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris produced exclusively for restaurateurs. And later created a custom bottling facility in Dundee where he made wines for a dozen or more other wineries. Yes, that Joe.

After adding canned wines under the “Joe to Go” name, he guided his wine company on an upward course and it grew to become the third largest in Oregon by sales. As of  2018, he explained, “We owned 214 acres of vineyard and benefited from the work of more than 30 full-time, dedicated employees, as well as dozens of part-time and seasonal.” That success caught the attention of investors and in that year Bacchus Capital Management acquired 50% interest in 2018.

I met Joe and his wife, Patricia at that awards ceremony. After chatting briefly, he handed me his card which read “Founder, Proprietor & Winemaker” of Iterum Wines. “Iterum” roughly translates as “once more, afresh” and again, as in starting over again. 

A brand from him with no mention of “Joe” in the name is by itself newsworthy.  A few days later I began firing questions his way and I learned  that  to him “Iterum is all about getting back to my roots and being highly focused.” He is doing what he always wanted to do: getting dirty in the vineyards and focusing on high-end wines. 

There’s also a circle on the label to convey that Dobbes has come full circle with Iterum Wines and is back to where he began. 

His father was an amateur winemaker, and he grew up on the family’s large farm which included a vineyard planted in the early 1980s. In the mid-1980s, Dobbes apprenticed at Wiengut Erbhof Tesch, in the German Nahe region and in Burgundy first with Christope Roumier of Domaine G. Roumier and then with Dominique Lafon of Domaine des Comtes Lafon. Returning to Oregon, he worked with Elk Cove Vineyards, Ken Wright Cellars and others before becoming head winemaker at Willamette Valley Vineyards from 1996 to 2001. 

In 2002, he noted, “I started Wine By Joe with a small amount of money in my back pocket, a lot of experience and passion, and a sufficient ignorance of what I was up against.” 

Starting over in 2019, Joe, it is fair to assume, not only had much more money in his back pocket but also an impressive resume to show as a winemaker for 34 or so vintages. Also, along the way he worked with numerous vineyards within Oregon for both his own brands and for others. But he didn’t rush to start anew. When asked about his options then, he explained:

“I essentially took a two year winemaking sabbatical after the 2016 vintage and 34 overall vintages.  It was refreshing in a lot of ways, and allowed me to really think about who, and what I wanted to be in my next winemaking act.  I had started Dundee Mobile Bottlers in 2017; however, I never intended to give up on making wine. In 2018 we bought our 21 acre dream estate from which I had made wine from in previous years for previous owners, as well as for Dobbes Family Estate. I never intended to give up on making wine. It was only a matter of when. The when for Iterum Wines ended up being the 2019 vintage.”

The “dream estate”  is the Orchard House Estate located near Salem, the 21-acre Eola-Amity Hills property contained a vineyard started by Greg Cost. The first six acres of Pinot Noir were planted in 2000, followed by Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc plantings in 2016 and 2021. The vineyard now totals 11.98 acres. It was a “dream” for him because, he adds, “I made wine for the Cost family for several years starting in 2005, so I had a strong connection and understanding of the site. I then leased the vineyard through 2012 for Dobbes Family Estate.”

He bought it in 2018, and it came with clones 114 and 115 of Pinot Noir and clones 76 and 548 of Chardonnay.

With Dobbes Family, he was making 8 different Pinot Noirs, often from single vineyards, and now with Iterum, he has added a new twist to single vineyard bottlings: single clone wines from single vineyards. Part of that dream he mentioned about his vineyard was that for Chardonnay, “the two clones that I would have planted were 76 and 548, which was crazy,” Dobbes says. 

I threw out the question of how he ranked the various clones and his thoughts on the market for single clone Pinot and Chardonnay.

“When I think about all the years of working with many different clones, I would have to say that one of my favorite wines I have produced, and continue to produce from a particular vineyard is made from two of the original heritage clones that were planted here in Oregon – Pommard and Wadenswil. Every clone that I work with from any particular vineyard is always fermented separately. I will have enough fruit of each of these clones this year to bottle the clones separately.”

 And he continues, “My Orchard House Vineyard estate presents a wonderful opportunity to compare the red fruited 115 Pinot Noir to the blue fruited 114.  The single clone bottlings from the same vineyard source produced by the same hand off of the same land, is the ultimate opportunity to geek out. Our customers absolutely love this.”

On the subject of geeky opportunities, I noted that Joe was the first in Oregon to make a Viognier and a Grenache Blanc. More recently, he has joined with a small band of winemakers intent on making a case for Sauvignon Blanc. He is on record calling Sauvignon Blanc “a world class wine for Willamette Valley.”  So what’s behind that remark?

“Yes, indeed I have been quoted stating that I believe Sauvignon Blanc can be a world-class 

 wine from Oregon just as we are known for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Sauvignon Blanc ranges from being low acid, low fruit and herbaceous to crisp, zesty and fresh and then of course there is Sancerre. 

I love the character in the richness of Sancerre and also appreciate the fresh zestiness of New Zealand. My first Sauvignon Blanc produced from the 2021 vintage under the Iterum brand was made with the advanced intention of a style that is a combination of both regions, but of course is and reflects Oregon.”

Iterum is indeed a fresh start for Joe. That first estate Sauvignon Blanc has yet to be released. But the winery is marketing a 2021 Sauvignon Blanc from the Oak Grove Vineyard, a vineyard he first worked with in 1989.  This Sauvignon is part of an “Old Friends” Collection of wines from vineyards he has worked with over the years. Currently, there are 4 different Pinots under this moniker.

But to return to single clone wines, he does not see them necessarily as a trend-setter because, he explains, “The single clonal bottlings from the same vineyard source is not something that everybody is able to do, and they also present additional sales work, so I think this is why you don’t see this very often.”

So what does he hope to accomplish and add to his resume through Iterum’s wines? 

“I think at this time it is difficult to be completely unique or a first in the industry. However, I will refer back to my goals, and objectives for Sauvignon Blanc, by helping the cause for Sauvignon Blanc from Oregon. My goals and objectives for Iterum are to produce world class, stylistic, delicious and highly regarded wines to the point where the brand is eventually considered to be the equivalent of a three star Michelin restaurant rating.”

Well, based on tasting the inaugural Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and the two single clone Pinot Noirs, I would say he is off to a great new beginning.