Category: Iconic winemakers

A Unique Take on A Wine Club

Excellent wines, low prices, no-nonsense

Looking for “A wine club with “NO commitments, NO fees, NO cards on file, NO limited selections!”? Or how about a winery dedicated to offering you the “Best bang for your buck”? Well, I happened upon a winery that meets both of these requirements. My introduction to the winery was through its press release challenging other wineries to match its record of having every wine produced rated 90 points or higher.

Challenging other wineries was a clever and unprecedented way to get attention, and it obviously worked for me. But the emphasis on a wine club open to anyone and wines pitched for value was also attention-getting. Here was one winery flying way under the radar, my kind of winery. 

But a wine club anyone can join is really not a club, is it?  Could this be some kind of come on trying to unload mediocre wine, or the real deal?

Peirano Estate Vineyards is the winery and, as I learned through conversations and tastings, is the real deal. It also does things differently, goes against the grain and does so without swagger. Better yet, it  tries to make the wine experience uncomplicated yet fun. A small  winery with no hype about icons, no rockstar winemakers, no strict allocations and waiting lists, and no luxury priced wines?

Located in Lodi, Peirano Estate is family owned and it may be one of the oldest with vineyards established in 1885. The family’s history takes you through the ups and downs of farmers before, during and after Prohibition. Check it out at: www.peirano.com

The family farm now covers 300 acres and is in the hands of the fourth generation, Lance Randolph.  He’s the guy behind the tractor, behind the wines and behind this novel wine club.

A Vineyard Guy

Lance Randolph is said to have been driving tractors up and down the vineyard at the age of six. In 1992, he ventured into winemaking, a transition made easy by being very familiar with the family vineyards. Today the Peirano vineyards are planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, Viognier, and Petite Sirah. It also “has perhaps the largest single block of old, head-trained, natural rooted Zinfandel left in the state of California.”  Lance adds, “Rather than destroy these beautiful old Lodi Zinfandel vines to make way for larger yielding, more economically advantageous vines, we have decided to harvest the meager 2 tons per acre production.”

With his viticultural background, that was not an impulsive decision. Lance has explored various training and harvesting methods and the winery’s website explains his vineyard management trials and applications in great detail.  For example: “In the 1990s, Lance was one of the first to implement the Geneva Double Curtain system. This system, rather than using one cordon wire connecting the vines through the center, as done with the bilateral cordon system of the 1960s, splits the vine into two and uses two cordon wires spaced three feet apart. This method is highly advantageous for the estate Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes.”  Some of the Cabernet Sauvignon is 50 years old, but the Merlot acreage is newer, planted to six clones.

Anyway, after reading the very detailed background, the one point that sticks out to me is that having gone through numerous possibilities of vineyard management, he now prefers to hand harvest all varieties. That is unusual in Lodi or anywhere today.

An Uncomplicated Business Plan

To continue the theme of going against the grain or the norm, when it comes to selling Peirano wines, the winery favors one price fits all. Whether they be white or red, varietals or blends, barrel aged or not, all 15 wines are priced at $16 a bottle. Not only is that unusual, but the winery offers a mix and match case deal  at 50% off, or $8 bucks a bottle. Shipping is a flat rate of $48. So add $4 and the bottle price is still a reasonable $12.

Why $16?

“We chose $16 per bottle because it reflects our goal of offering exceptional quality at an accessible price. Every bottle of our wine comes from estate-grown fruit—grapes we’ve farmed on our family’s Lodi vineyards for generations. The $16 price point allows us to maintain our hands-on approach in the vineyard and winery, using traditional techniques and sustainable practices, while still keeping our wines affordable enough for everyday enjoyment. It’s a balance between honoring the craftsmanship and heritage behind each bottle and ensuring our wines remain approachable to a wide range of wine lovers.”

So no surprise, the wine club is open to anyone, but how did this come about?  Lance explains:

“I started the mix & match case offer over a decade ago when I realized that all tasting rooms were using a subscription model/wine club scenario. Call me old fashioned but I hate being forced to leave my credit card on file and be told what wine I had to try because the winery was trying to “unload” it on me! So I struggled for a long time to find a unique solution that eliminates all the wine club demands. It all came to our customer needs – they want to pick and choose what they want and get those “great” wine club discounts without all of the wine club requirements. Thus – our “family plan” was born and we actively say ‘ditch the wine club experience and try our novel approach to experiencing wine!’

Welcome to the “No Wine Club Zone”  

Many people enter the”Zone” through the tasting room in Lodi. Visitors can select wines from all 15 or 16 wines available at the time. To sample five, the fee is…$10. 

Most Peirano wines offered today are reds, either blends or varietals. Among the whites, the blended “Sea Enchantress” reviewed earlier is my favorite. The Chardonnay will appeal to those preferring the ripe apple and  buttery style a la Rombauer. 

The red wines range in style from simple and approachable to big, bold and cellar-worthy. The Six Clone Merlot stood out as the best red for everyday enjoyment, and the Malbec is also noteworthy in a drink-now style. With the currently available blends, you sense that the winemaker is using a splash of old vine Zin or old vine Cabernet as his not too secret sauces. 

The first wine I tasted that contained some old vine Zin was the Red “Sea Enchantress.” Here’s my note:

Peirano Estate Vineyards, “The Sea Enchantress” Red Lodi (California) The Artist Series 2020 $16

 So in this wine they combine Petite Sirah, Old Vine Zinfandel, Tempranillo and Syrah. Then it was aged in a combination of French and American oak, 15% new. The result? Well, it is not an in your face, power-packed fruit bomb. Dark in color, it has a beautiful aroma of black olive, licorice, with some blackberry and light oak toast. The ripe flavors offer lots of plum and light cinnamon supported by gentle tannins. Made in a big and approachable style, this is an absolute steal at this price. 92

After that initial encounter,  little encouragement was needed for me to explore more Peirano wines. Of the several red blends reviewed here, the differences between one and another were not dramatic. But they are different, and fun to taste. 

The family apparently has some fun with naming their wines. There’s “Immortal Zin” and “The Other,” along with “Sea Enchantress” and “Illusion,” both labels based on paintings by Alexis Randolph, representing the fifth generation. The 3 components for “The Other”  Red are listed as”This,That, and The Other.”  The back label adds the wine is “Sin-sually delicious.”

 The following notes highlight two of my favs. But for reviews on many others:, go to winereviewonline.com

Peirano Estate Vineyards Lodi (California) Old Vine ”Immortal Zin”  2022 $16

Hand harvested from 120 year old, head prune vines, this is an amazing wine to taste. The deep, dark color and concentrated flavors are expected, but the pleasure here is in the ultra-smooth, velvety texture. Blackberry and strawberry are the central themes, but there’s a floral element that elevates the aroma. Some spice and juicy ripe fruit flavors along with an earthy background continue well into the juicy finish. There’s so much going on you aren’t aware that the wine is 15.5% in alcohol. 93

Peirano Estate Vineyards The Heritage Collection, Lodi (California) Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 $16

From 50 year old vines, this wine was fermented by 3 methods: static, cold soak and rotary fermentation. It was also given extended maceration time and oak aged for one year. It opens gradually to reveal an aroma of ripe plum and graphite along with a slight floral and spice touch. Medium full bodied with concentrated black fruit flavors, it comes across the palate as soft and smooth. With integrated tannins, this is one to enjoy over the next few years.The style is big and juicy with good Cabernet aromatics and flavors presented on a solid framework. 92

Marietta Cellars: Wines for Sharing

If you are shopping for excellent wines at reasonable prices, then forget about those made by celebrities, cult wines, and wines made by 100 point rockstar winemakers. Let them all be legends in their own minds, and seek out wines made by real people.

I recently rediscovered one of my favorite examples of a family owned winery making excellent, affordable wines. Here’s how the winemaker summarizes things:

“It feels right to make the best wine possible and to sell it at a fair price. Our instincts tell us that being honest, being consistent, working hard, and thinking outside the box is more important than anything else in business.” 

The California winery is Marietta Cellars, founded in 1978 by Chris Bilbro and now in the hands of Scot, his winemaker son. While the original winery in Sonoma County was a rented cow barn, they now own 300 acres in Mendocino and Sonoma. And  if you like old vine wines from Syrah and Grenache, well the Bilbros are your kind of people. They have some of the best vineyards farmed organically.

Since Day #1, Marietta Cellars produced affordable wines, starting with blended red wines based on Zinfandel. Their benchmark Old Vine Red was first made in 1982. “Affordable” and “blended” are not exactly popular search tags in today’s wine world. Then add that the production is not tiny and the wines are not allocated to a select few, and voila?  Marietta wines are available direct from the winery, online, and yes, even in wine shops.

Go to www. mariettacellars.com  You can also find 8 Marietta Cellars’ wines today at www.wine.com 

Here are my recent reviews on two of those wines:

Marietta Cellars California OVR Old Vine Rose 2023 $19

Here’s an absolutely lovely Rose to enjoy year round. The Bilbro family has long specialized in old vine wine, and Scot Bilbro has been the winemaker since 2012. Chris Bilbro, his dad, founded Marietta back in 1978. This 2023 Rose is made from 50% Syrah, 25% Grenache, and 25% Grenache Gris, with all of the fruit from the estate’s organically grown McDowell Valley vineyards established well over 100 years ago.  With its inviting coral-pink color and its lively peach and melon aroma, the wine charms you and seals the deal with its juicy peach and pomegranate flavors which come with  a hint of spice. Nicely textured, it remains lively on the palate and finishes on a crisp note. 93 points 

2021 Marietta Cellars “Christo,”  Estate Grown, North Coast  $20.00

“Christo” refers to the family nickname for Chris Bilbro, veteran Sonoma winemaker. A Rhone blend (68% Syrah, 20% Grenache, 18% Petite Sirah, & 4% Viognier), this is a powerful, full bodied red. Aged for 18 months in neutral oak, this blend offers a solid core of ripe fruit and is built on a solid foundation. The aroma is fantastic. It opens to reveal background notes of spice, ripe plums and earthy, forest floor. Some subtle floral hints of violets and lavender emerge with aeration. On the palate, black pepper pokes through in the intense, rich berry flavors. The lengthy finish has a pleasant touch of juicy blackberry fruit and light tannin.  Taken altogether, this wine has it all. It is a whole lot of wine for the money and should age well. 94 points

So why isn’t Marietta Cellars better known?

Well, I’ll let the Bilbros offer a reason: “We are hands-on and busy year-round.”

Sales Alert!

Terre Rouge Wines

On Thursday, August 22, Bill Easton with Terre RougeWines will begin a major sale:

Mediterranean Madness Sale 2024

Starts Thursday, August 22nd Online

Watch for our email Thursday morning with all the details!

So my best advice is get on the mailing list.  

sales@terrerougewines.com

And here are my recent reviews to whet your appetite:

2011 Domaine de la Terre Rouge, Sierra Foothills (California) Roussanne Monarch Mine Vineyard              

 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.  This vintage is maturing nicely, but still has plenty of life ahead of it.  As for a rating, how about rare and wonderful.     97 points Norm Roby 

WINES FROM THE CELLAR2005 Domaine de la Terre Rouge, Sierra Foothills (California) Roussanne  ($75): From the winery’s cellar courtesy of Bill Easton.  The color here is medium yellow but with some lively green glints.  You really have to suspend your instincts about an “old” looking white because this wine is still very much alive.  The intense aroma is a combination of nectarine and candle wax with some citrus and green tea subtleties.  Concentrated with layers and layers of flavors, the wine offers a silky smooth, creamy texture from bottle aging.  It has developed nuances of pear and honey flavors and a touch of almond but it is all seamless and harmonious at this stage.  Finishes long and lively.  What a treat to experience how well Roussanne responds to cellaring.  It held up well when tasted again a day later.  Amazing wine.     98 points Norm Roby

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.”

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. 

Special Spring Sales Alert

A truly exciting winery is having a sale now until this Sunday.

You can buy wines at prices that are normally “members only” so you can first select some exciting wines to sample. And then also through these wines, consider joining the club.

And THE winery is: Tooth & Nail Winery

www.toothandnailwine.com

Based in Paso Robles, this oddly named winery offers several types of wines under 4 different brand names:

Tooth & Nail: Creative, unconventional wines with unusual names and stunning labels. For example, “The Fragrant Snare” brings together Chardonnay, Albarino, and Viognier.

Amor Fati: Syrah, Grenache, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, all from cool climates.

For me, these 4 were love at first taste. All scored 92 points or higher. See reviews at 

http://www.winereviewonline.com

 Stasis: Pinot Noir from Santa Maria and a Viognier. Both excellent.

Destinata: Drink now, no fanfare Chenin Blanc, Riesling, and Syrah. All good. All fun. Especially the drink-now style Syrah. The dry Riesling and Chenin will surprise you.

Bundles: special packages at 20% off prices. 

There’s a Pure Bliss” bundle and a” Once in A Lifetime” bundle you should check out.

BTW: the labels are so artsy, so creative, and so collectible!

You can see my wine reviews at winereviewonline.com and better understand my enthusiasm.

Who’s Behind these Wines?

Rob Murray is the owner. After making Rabble Wine a raving success, he sold it to start Tooth & Nail. With Rabble, he was the first to use augmented reality technology in wine labeling, thereby injecting a sense of movement and play onto a bottle of wine. When it comes to label artwork and design, he is far ahead of everyone.

Winemaker Jeremy Leffert’s motto is: “Pour now. Live for today.” He has a degree in Environmental Science and later studied at Cal Poly. At Tooth & Nail, Jeremy leans toward the philosophical and is ever alert to avoid “the dominance of the winemaker’s hand.” With that in mind, he views himself as a shepherd as much as a maker.

Wait! A winemaker without a BIG ego? Not puffed up about high scores, not an icon or living legend? Just a highly skilled professional.

As a wine club, Tooth & Nail not only meets but nails it by exceeding my 4 very demanding standards:

1.High quality wines

2. Wide variety of wines, unusual wines, and wines at all price points

3. Membership has real value, VIP, being part of cutting edge thinking, something trending

4. Fun

Well, the “fun” requirement eliminates about 90% of all winery wine clubs, the snobby places with way over the top prices.

Also those wineries where members feel pressure to buy or else get dropped. And those with the weekend traffic and the crowds? 

So  hello Paso Robles, the home to high quality wineries owned by crazy, gifted, fun loving, creative, enthusiastic and, well, nice people.

And one more major thing, this winery is within reach of TinCity, home to dozens of other wineries, a few artisan breweries, and a food vendor or two. Yes, part of a wine destination!!

Black Friday Wine Sales: Jumping the Gun

Fittingly, an exciting early Black Friday wine sale comes from one of my favorite recent discoveries: Tooth & Nail from Paso Robles. 

  • service@toothandnailwine.com

The Black Friday deal: 30% off all wines until November 28th

BTW: for a small limited production winery, a 30% discount is a BFD.

Here are my favorites that were reviewed at winereviewonline.com

2020 Destinata by Tooth & Nail, Santa Barbara County Syrah 

When opening a Syrah in a clear bottle, you instinctively brace for something unusual.  Destinata is the latest addition to the Tooth & Nail family, and it represents wines made for present enjoyment without fanfare.  “Inspired by the experience of Beaujolais Nouveau” this cool climate Syrah was made with native yeasts and bottled unfined and unfiltered.  The lush, black fruited aroma is backed by hints of black pepper and the flavors display solid Syrah character throughout.  Smooth and vibrant with good acid balance, it is harmonious from start to finish.  The winemaker’s motto is: “Pour now.  Live for today.”  So, yes, it can be served chilled.    And with the discount, the price is close to $20 a bottle!!  

91 Norm Roby 

2018 Amor Fati, Santa Maria Valley Santa Barbara County Grenache Murmur Vineyard 

 “Wow” is the first impression and the amazement continues as the wine unfolds.  Darker than most, this Grenache displays aromas of ripe dark fruits, spice, and hints of lavender, thyme and earthiness.  Medium-bodied and loaded with lush, dark fruit, currants and spice flavors, it is plush and has soft tannins that bring it to a strong finish.  Powerful, but not over-done with oak in the background, it should age well for 4 to 5 years, but it is lovely now.  This cool-climate Grenache is easily one of the top five I’ve ever tasted.      

97 Norm Roby 

2018 Amor Fati, Santa Maria Valley (Santa Barbara County, California) Syrah Murmur Vineyard 

From the same vineyard used for the winery’s Grenache, this is exciting cool-climate Syrah.  Amor Fati, which means “love of one’s fate,” is made by the Tooth & Nail Wine Co. based in Paso Robles.  For their Syrah, they source fruit from the Murmur Vineyard, which is located about 12 miles from the Pacific.  Minimally handled, the wine was aged for 18 months in French oak, 30% of it new.  Dark, opaque in color, it is a concentrated, brooding wine that needs time to unfold.  With aeration, it displays deep blackberry and black pepper fragrances with some olive and earthiness in the background.  Medium full, but no monster, it is well-balanced, with secondary flavors of tobacco and plum.  Needs time to unwind, but has all the right stuff.     

94 Norm Roby 

Love Paso Robles Cabernet? Of course you do.

Well, this following wine could be the best deal of all Paso Cabs for less than $20:

2020 Tooth & Nail Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles

Don’t delay. Go to the website for the discount code.

You can, as always, thank me later

Best New Wine Clubs of 2021

With wineries now beginning to open up, this is a good time to explore new and exciting wine clubs. The best are those that first of all offer truly exciting, high quality wines not normally available in the marketplace.

Special events, first dibs on small production wines, and other perks to membership are second in importance.

Introducing Ashes & Diamonds, Napa

http://www.ashesdiamonds.com

Recently featured in my post at www.winereviewonline.com Ashes & Diamonds is new, the wines are super, the tasting room is bright, lively and the charming owner, who was there when I dropped in, is often on the scene.

The winery and visitor’s center are not typical Napa. In fact, they are the opposite of the chateau wannabes dotting the landscape. The main building is a stark white rectangle with an odd, zig-zag roof and port-hole windows, which Vogue noted it looks more like a silicon Valley start-up than a winery. It seems to be trying to attract a young crowd by being open longer hours (7:00 pm closing) and by hiring a young chef who helped put Scribe Cellars on the millennial radar.

And there is some instagram-like freshness in the winery’s motto: “Ashes & Diamonds Winery is a love letter to Napa as it was when it first took the world stage in the 1960s.”

There are 3 different membership levels. Here are a few of the perks:

The winery Picnic is complimentary for all members.

The A&D Wines + Cheese experience ($75 for non-members) is $35 for 3 & 6-Bottle members. Complimentary for 12-Bottle members.

The A&D Grand Cuvée Flight ($75 for non-members) is $35 for 3 & 6-Bottle members. Complimentary for 12-Bottle members.

The A&D Wines + Food experience ($125 for non-members) is $60 for 6 & 12-Bottle Members only.

Act fast if you want to join.

After joining, check out my favorite which was rated 95 points:

Ashes & Diamonds Napa Valley, Mt Veeder, (Saffron Vineyard Mountain Cuvee #2)  2017 ($75)

From a high elevation, dry-farmed site planted in 2000,  this wine consists of 55% Merlot, 20% Cabernet, and 25% Cab Franc.  After a cold-soaking encouraged a native fermentation, the wine was blended and aged for 19th months is French and American oak, 30% new.  Dark, youthful in appearance, the wine shows vibrant herbal and plum aromas with a touch of cocoa. On the palate it seems light and bright with refined delicate berry/fruit flavors, rounded by ultra soft tannins. It has a delightful long finish. The oak remains in the background but should come into play with cellaring. Mt  Veeder is one of Napa’s coolest sites for Bordeaux varieties. Overall, a charming, refined wine reminiscent of a Margaux. 321 case produced.

Dont hesitate. You can thank me later.

Celebrate World Malbec Day

 2-Hawk Vineyard Malbec “Darrow Series,” Rogue Valley, Oregon 2017   $49

With so many solid, pleasant drinking Malbecs available for under $25, anything above that price point has to be exceptional to get my attention. I was looking for a special Malbec to celebrate the occasion.

Well, I recently discovered an exceptional Malbec from 2-Hawk,  a small winery in Southern Oregon. “Darrow” refers to the dominant soil profile in the home vineyard.  As winemaker Kiley Evans notes, “ Malbec is one of the real stars in the Rogue Valley because it shows a consistent ability to ripen while at the same time being sensitive to vintage variation.” 2017 was an unusually cool vintage with the last Malbec picked in early November. And the wine, blended with 21% Cabernet and aged for 20 months in 50% new French oak, is a show stopper. Dark in color, it displays layers of blueberry, licorice, and leathery aromas mingled with hints of thyme and cassis. The whole package is more elegant and refined than blockbuster, powerhouse. It finishes with persistent fruit flavors joined by light toasty oak spice and refined tannins.  341 cases made. 95

http://www.2hawk.wine

Friday’s Wine Special

www.napacabs.com  outdid everyone today with its case price of $129.97 and free shipping of select Writer’s Block wines from Lake County.

Writer’s Block is owned by Jed Steele and his son, Quincy. Jed helped put Lake County on the wine map through his own Steele Wine winery which he sold recently.

Writer’s Block showed up early on my morning radar through an offer from reversewinesnobbery.com. 

Its sales offered Writer’s Block for an average of $13 a bottle.

So then I checked the website for Writer’s Block only to find case sales on all varietals for $150 a case.

But then along came napacabs.com with its unbeatable case price and free shipping.

The case contains 2 bottles each of:

– Writer’s Block Lake County Syrah 2017

– Writer’s Block Lake County Zinfandel 2016

– Writer’s Block Lake County Pinot Noir 2017

– Writer’s Block Lake County Malbec 2017

– Writer’s Block Lake County Cabernet Franc 2017

– Writer’s Block Lake County Petite Sirah 2016

This is a free shipping Friday special.

So better act fast.

Full Disclosure: I am NOT an affiliate, and am NOT getting paid for this.

But I do enjoy ucovering great deals.

you can thank me later or sign up to follow me.