Category: wine discovery

Exploring Oregon’s Other Pinot

As a judge at the most recent Oregon Wine Experience and having closely followed Oregon and Northwest wines over the last two years, one thing I’ve discovered is that Oregon is successful with a wide range of wines other than Pinot Noir. Some of the most exciting Tempranillo, Malbec, Syrah and Viognier are being produced around the State. Oh, yes, the Rhone and other blends can also be outstanding. 

And then there are the rock sold and widely available Pinot Gris grown successfully in every sub-region. The list of top wineries includes King Estate, Ponzi, Elk Cove, Chehalem. Panther Creek, Eyrie, Earth, Ruestle, Brandborg, Iris, Solena, and on and on. The best Pinot Gris are highly versatile, food-centric wines that can be enjoyed year round and they should be a candidate for your go-to white. 

Why are they still relatively unknown? Pinot Gris is the second most widely planted variety in Oregon, and after a decade of steady growth, it is the leading white grape today, way ahead of Chardonnay. Yet Oregon Chardonnay gets more press largely because Pinot Gris’ reputation is tangled up with its namesake, Pinot Grigio. 

Not trying to start an argument here but Pinot Grigio is a name most wine drinkers associate with inexpensive, light and often slightly sweet white wines from Italy. And, okay, a few from Alto Adige are dry finished and quite good but also a few from California are watery thin supermarket bottlings. 

Gris or Grigio: the Gray Area

Any effort to wine-splain the difference between wines labeled Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio leads to a rabbit hole of confusion and misinformation. Don’t believe that? Well, just Google the simple question: What’s the difference between Pinot Grigio and Pinot Gris, and you get this as the first entry: “Pinot grigio, undoubtedly the most popular of the two, is lighter-bodied, crisp, clean, and vibrant with citrus flavors, according to Wine Spectator. Pinot gris, on the other hand, is sweet, and has spicy tropical fruit aromas. It generally has low acidity, higher alcohol levels, and a rich texture.”  

OMG! Where to start?  Well bad English (more, not “most”) but really this is a generalization that is totally misleading, useless, and, well, just wrong. No wonder then that  promoting Pinot Gris has long been an uphill battle for those involved.  

So it came as only a slight surprise to visit the Willamette Valley Winery Association’s homepage and be greeted with this bold heading: “We are Pinot Noir.”  No ambiguity there, and most of the website’s content focuses on Pinot Noir as the region’s signature wine.  It is, of course, but maybe Pinot Gris merits some attention since there are more than 5,000 acres planted and well over 100 wineries produce Pinot Gris.

The Journey

My interest in Pinot Gris began during an early one on one meeting with David Lett of Eyrie Vineyard. Though known today as one of the pioneers behind Oregon Pinot Noir, Lett was keen on showing me his first vintages of Eyrie Pinot Gris. He was convinced it was Oregon’s white of  the future, not Riesling, not Chardonnay. And the quality of his first vintage was as convincing as his enthusiasm. And his inaugural vintage was labeled “Pinot Gris.” That is the name used throughout Oregon today.

A few years later I was invited to visit the new and much talked about King Estate in Eugene, Oregon and was reintroduced to Pinot Gris along with Pinot Noir made from several Dijon clones.

Both encounters convinced me that Pinot Gris deserves to be taken as a serious white, neither a minor mutation nor a grape for cheap bulk wine. And that eventually led me to Alsace. Visiting the region to research a touring article later published in Decanter Magazine I left with no doubt that Pinot Gris can be a complex, intriguing and, in some cases, age worthy wine.  

My follow up article in Wines & Vines focused on the widely varying styles of Alsatian Pinot Gris  with so many off-dry, sweet finished versions, various Grand Cru bottlings, and many late harvest. Many of the leading winemakers insisted on showing their Gewurztraminer and late harvest Rieslings. But the dry versions of Pinot Gris  from Ostertag, JosMeyer, Kreydenweiss, Domaine Paul Blanck, Bott Freres, and Zind-Humbrecht were a whole different story. Yet not that well-known even in Alsace. I remember being “schooled” by a waiter in one of Alsace’s fine restaurants when I asked for a dry Pinot Gris. The answer was simple: “If you want a dry white, select a Riesling.”

If there’s such confusion in Alsace, then it is understandable why Pinot Gris grown elsewhere has yet to be fully understood and appreciated. Then too you factor in the boatloads of Pinot Grigio and the way the trade, especially restaurants, list the imported Pinot Grigios and  Pinot Gris as one wine, and the problem is compounded. 

So to get a handle on what’s the present status and future prospects of  Pinot Gris in Oregon, I decided to explore the latest offerings from King Estate. Afterall, King Estate has been working with it for 30 vintages and has become practically synonymous with Oregon Pinot Gris. When I contacted Ed King, he concluded our conversation with this overview:  

“I have seen the “death” of Pinot Gris in Oregon announced at least twice, as well as the advent of Chardonnay in Oregon at least three times.  And yet, by far, Pinot Gris is the most successful white wine in Oregon.”

Still family owned, King Estate was founded in 1991 and now has 465 acres planted in what is “the largest certified Biodynamic vineyard in the U.S. Pinot Gris accounts for 314 acres. 

While the winery has expanded and is highly successful with Pinot Noir, it remains firmly committed to Pinot Gris. One of the largest producers of Pinot Gris, the King family did not want to risk its reputation or take a step backward with Pinot Gris from the smoke prone 2020 vintage. So not one bottle of 2020 Pinot Gris was sold. 

That’s a major decision because in the 2021 vintage, King Estate produced over 100,000 cases of Pinot Gris!

My notes on the currently available King Pinot Gris:

King Estate Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley 2021 $19.

If this is the basic benchmark of Oregon Pinot Gris and the winery’s flagship, this is one amazing wine setting a high standard! 92-93 points.

Over half of the grapes for this wine are from the estate with the remainder from several independent vineyards, all following sustainable practices. This 2021 tends toward a ripe fruit, mouth filling style that can be enjoyed as an aperitif or as a first course companion.  Showing a little bronze tint, it offers plenty of ripe melon fruit with some honeysuckle, peach and jasmine in both its aromas and flavors.  Remarkably fleshy and rich on the palate, its lush fruit and citrus personality persists and concludes with a pleasing touch of acidity in the aftertaste. This is a terrific all-purpose, versatile white with tons of character.

2019 King Estate Pinot Gris “Domaine,” Willamette Valley  $30

 Made 100% from King’s estate vineyard, this Domaine is a food-centric version that can be paired with whatever you usually match with Chardonnay. 94-95 points

Stainless steel fermented and aged 6 months on the lees, it is straw colored and  opens with bright aromas of melon, lime, and citrus that lead to a medium-bodied, generous palate. It continues with lively, crisp flavors of meyer lemon and grapefruit. Its persistent acidity keeps it on course leading to a lovely finish. With its vibrant melon fruit and touch of lime, this is a  smoothly textured well-structured wine held together by brisk acidity. A wine to drink now but it also has good aging potential. 

A selection of the best small lots assembled by the winemaker. “Backbone” is an incredible, rich, beautiful example. 95 points 

King Estate Willamette Valley “Backbone” Pinot Gris 2019 $ 28

Made from selected blocks as a winemaker’s cuvee, the 2019 “Backbone” consists of 41% estate grown fruit with the remainder from 4 neighboring, compatible vineyards.  The lots are whole cluster pressed and cold fermented in stainless steel. The wine was then aged 5 months on the lees with periodic lees stirring. Medium full bodied, this wine is brisk and concentrated with youthful aromas and flavors of fresh cut melon with tangerine and a hint of minerality. Much like the “Domaine” bottling, this wine also offers a lovely, smooth rich texture leading up to its palate cleansing, long finish. Enjoyable now and very food-centric, it has all it needs to age gracefully over the next several years. 500 cases made.

King Estate Willamette Valley (Oregon) “Paradox” Pinot Gris 2019 $35

Pinot Gris and oak Aging. Fascinating, but while oak is added, the overall impression is that the best features of Pinot Gris are compromised. 92 points

This tiny production (100 cases) is part of an ongoing experimental program. 100% estate grown, Paradox refers to the fact this is oak aged by a winery that has long championed un-oaked Pinot Gris. It was aged in new French oak for 3 months, followed by aging on the lees for 5 months. Straw yellow in color, it needed time to open. But soon displayed a melange of baked apple, lemon, vanilla and light oak toast. Medium full bodied, it is concentrated in flavors with lemon curd, apple fruit, and some yeastiness in equal parts. Tightly structured, it finishes long with good acidity to accompany the light touch of oak. Well, definitely different, and well made and attractive. I prefer the other 3 with no oak aging. 

There you have it. Pinot Gris is well-worth exploring.

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!!

The Rogue Valley’s Diverse Wines

Exploring the Diverse Wines of the Rogue Valley 

Seeking out unusual wine regions for their great diversity seems to be high on the must-do lists for today’s sommeliers. At least, the hard working SOMMS.  Makes sense because discovering new wines and/new regions pretty much validates their jobs. Recently the head of sommselect.com singled out the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA for its success with Pinot Noir and Syrah among others. He ended by praising Santa Cruz as “one of the few regions anywhere in the world hospitable to such a diverse range of varieties.” 

Really? Now that “diverse range of varieties” phrase struck a chord. Coincidentally over the last 2 years, I’ve been interested in the same subject.  Well, as much as I enjoy wines from Santa Cruz, there are other regions working with a far wider range of varieties that make Santa Cruz seem normal. 

Santa Clara County, for example, has all of the mainstays, all of the Rhones, and, thanks to Guglielmo,  some unusual Italian varieties. An even wider range of varieties was encountered during my visit to the Okanagan Valley. Not just a few remaining hybrids, but there’s an exciting diversity there including many obscure vinifera grapes like Chasselas and Pinot Auxerrois, both made into impressive wines.

What also ties these two regions together is neither has what could be called a signature wine. A wine that consumers automatically equate with that place, like Napa Cabs or Amador Zins.

So this lack of a signature wine leads us to another region where winemakers actually seem to enjoy working with a diverse range of varieties: the Rogue Valley in Southern Oregon. Because it has so little in common with the Willamette Valley, winemakers get a little touchy if you refer to it as “The other Oregon” wine region. 

Yes, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are grown here, but so too are Cabernet, Zinfandel along with Spanish, Italian, and the full range of French grapes. And one or two Portuguese.

How Do you Define Diverse?

 In the Rogue Valley, it is common to grow a dozen or more varieties within a small estate. Established in 2004, Quady North has 15 acres under vine and grows 12 different varieties. Most are Rhone grapes, but it also farms Cabernet and Cabernet Franc. On its 40 acre estate vineyards, Schmidt Family Vineyards in Applegate Valley grows 14 varieties, and produces 6,700 cases a year. It also makes 25 different wines in a given year.

Its neighbor, Wooldridge Creek, one of the oldest wineries, has 56 acres planted to twelve varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Viognier, Sangiovese, Zinfandel, Malbec, Petit Verdot and Tempranillo. And a similar wild assortment is seen in many, many other wineries across the entire Rogue Valley. 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.

But are these wineries growing a dozen or more varieties like the proverbial jack of all trades, master of none? It seems crazy for small vineyards to grow grapes from Bordeaux and Burgundy, along with the Rhones. Then add a few from Spain and Italy and it seems way beyond normal. 

At Belle Fiore Winery, where 56 acres are planted to such a wide mix which includes many unusual Italian varieties, the owners have identified what they call “16 micro-blocks” based upon soil types and elevation. Two-Hawks’ winemaker, Kiley Evans, has singled out several blocks based on soil types led by a Darow Series of wine grown in one predominant soil. So the soils and sites are indeed diverse.

NOT THE WILLAMETTE VALLEY

Taking its name from the Rogue River, the Rogue Valley wine region wears that rogue title well. Approved as an AVA in 1991, the Rogue Valley is the southernmost growing wine region of Oregon and the Valley is 70 miles wide by 60 miles long. The area runs from Ashland in the southeast through the north and south sides of Medford and stretches to Grants Pass in the west. 

Today, this high elevation (1,000-2,300 foot level) generally mountainous growing area is home to 100 wineries. While most of these wineries started after 2000, the Rogue Valley is Oregon’s oldest wine region, with first vineyards planted in the 1850s. And it is home to the State’s first operating winery opened in 1873. 

Vineyards have been expanding recently and now cover around 5,000 acres, growing no fewer than 70 varieties. Yes, from Albarino to Zinfandel, the roster includes the obligatory Chardonnay and Cabernet and, no surprise, Pinot Noir. But with vineyards planted at different elevations with different aspects, the Rogue is no Willamette.

Because most of today’s vineyards were developed after 2000, many wines, Rhones, Spanish, or Italian, are likely made from relatively new vines. Typically, vineyards are densely planted and organically grown with “sustainable” a popular theme.

Dancin is one of a handful on wineries making a Pinot Noir, but as owner Dan Marca 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.

Dancin’s vineyards are in the mid-section of the Rogue Valley, just outside Jacksonville. Far to the west is the The Applegate Valley AVA which was established in 2000 as a sub-region within the Rogue. With over 700 acres under vine, the Applegate Valley “has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate, like much of coastal California. However, it has four very distinct seasons, a relatively short growing season, and fog is not a factor. Winter is cold, with occasional snow. That allows the vines to go into full hibernation. Half of the area’s annual 20-30” of precipitation arrives in winter.”

Because the growing season is on the short side and features cold nights and wide diurnal swings, the Applegate Valley AVA is best-suited to  grapes which ripen quickly or are pleasing at low levels of ripeness. Here, veteran viticulturist Herb Quady who manages many vineyards in addition to his own for Quady North, is a strong advocate of Rhone varieties. He is joined by the founders of Cowhorn Vineyard who planted 25 acres to the Rhones.  He explained his choice this way:“While our latitude is a bit lower than the Rhône, and our growing season is shorter, other qualities are similar, especially to Châteauneuf-du-Pape: river-side bench-land with little rain, hot summers, and rocky soils that don’t hold much water.”

But even in this corner, the Rogue Valley is not the exclusive Rhone Zone. A few miles away from Cowhorn, Red Lily Vineyards has emphasized Tempranillo planted along benchlands of the Applegate River and has vines located on three distinct sites.  Winemaker/owner Rachael Martin tells us her “newest vineyard site planted to Tempranillo “has a predominantly northern aspect on a varying slope surrounding a knoll, and sits at an average elevation of 1500 feet.” And another vineyard site “has a predominantly western aspect on a 12% average slope that rises to an elevation of 1630 feet.” She makes Tempranillo in three styles, including a Rose.

As specialists, Dancin and Red Lily are rare in this region where it is more common to grow a dozen or more varieties within an estate.  But, looking closer, Dancin makes 4 distinct Chardonnays, 4 Pinots from different blocks or different clones. It also makes a Syrah and a Barbera. Its kindred spirit near Ashland is Irvine & Robert Vineyards. Also specializing in Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, it typically bottles 3 of each varietal, all small batches identified by clone or vineyard block. And, no surprise, makes a rare Pinot Meunier.

However they go about it, Rogue Valley winemakers are making most wines in small batches based upon some unique condition, be it soil, micro-climate, clone, or block by block. 

And this is how I read the situation after talking to winemakers at Peter William, Weisinger, 2-Hawk, Quady North, Goldback, and Schmidt Family: winemakers revel in the diversity. Making a wide variety of small batch wine is what being a winemaker is all about. Hands on winemakers: they can be creative and make decisions that they were trained to do. They dont have to be told what to make and how to make it from the sales team, the bosses, and the market or some focus group.

 But since consumers naturally like to have reliable information and advice, the question of what is the Rogue Valley’s signature wine needs to be addressed. Not long ago, W. Blake Gray writing for winesearcher.com made a case for Malbec as the region’s best. He included wines from the Umpqua Valley but highlighted the Malbecs from Weisinger Family and 2-Hawk. 

Though I share his enthusiasm for those Malbecs, his argument largely based upon grape prices failed to convince Malbec is it. On my first few visits,  I thought the star was Syrah, but then I tasted a stunning Grenache from 2-Hawk, a beautiful Viognier from Quady North, Cabernet Franc from several wineries, and more recently Tempranillo from Peter William Vineyard and others. And then there are creative blends such as Tempranillo and Syrah.

In fact one could easily argue that the standout Rogue Valley wine is Cabernet Franc. While admittedly being on the Cab Franc bandwagon, I draw support from the excellent medium bodied versions made in Applegate by Quady North, Schmidt Family, and Wooldridge Cellars and then head south east to Ashland and add Cab Francs from Belle Fiore and Weisinger Family. Here’s a tip: when released in the Spring of ‘22, Weisinger’s 2019 Cabernet Franc will rank as one of the best made in the West Coast. 

Tempranillo, the third most widely planted variety in the world, has not yet established a beachhead anywhere in the USA. Given the Spanish heritage, that’s odd.  But there’s more new acreage being developed in the Rogue Valley.  Today, close to 100 wineries offer one in their tasting room. 

 

Winemakers, Not Rock Stars

Giving the great diversity of varieties that can be successfully grown, the Rogue Valley is attracting young, creative winemakers. Goldback is a new winery launched in 2016 by Andy Myer. In an interview, he explains: 

“Wine had always been of some interest to me, but the big moment happened after I moved to Oregon from Pennsylvania in 2006.  I was transferring to Willamette University in Salem and was 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.”

From there, he gained experience by working at William Selyem and Hirsh in Sonoma, Felton Road in New Zealand, back up to Wahington at Mark Ryan and then to Cape Mentelle in Western Australia.

From these experiences, he came to favor “a minimalist approach to winemaking and aims to preserve natural acidity in whites and tannin integration in reds.” After wandering the wine globe, his search for a region took him to the Rogue Valley. 

The region’s diversity fits in perfectly with Myer’s view of wine:

“Wine itself is irreducibly complex.  The fact that you could spend your entire life working one piece of land with one type of grape and never quite figure it all out, because there are thousands of variables every year in growing grapes, and about the same in making wine.  That it’s impossible to make the same wine twice… and that every vintage everywhere is completely different.”  

For detailed reviews of Goldback and other Rogue Valley wineries, see my reviews at

winereviewonline.com 

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

Making Wine Fun Again

Just discovered One of the most exciting wine clubs, bar none. 

Honest.

It not only meets but also exceeds 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.

If anyone is thinking Paso is in the middle of nowhere, let me remind you that this is 2021, the era of Zoom, virtual tastings and websites with real human interaction. Besides, typical members visit the winery once or twice a year.

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!!

And THE winery is: Tooth & Nail Winery

www.toothandnailwine.com

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!

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 labelling, 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. He also earmarked a percentage of profits from Rabble for “1 % for the Planet”, joining companies like Patagonia, Boxed Water and Honest Tea, in giving to vetted environmental non-profit organizations.

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. “My approach is to treat everything with such care that the voice of the vineyard shines through the wine,” he says. “It’s all about respecting nature’s intent.”

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

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.

Spring Wine Deals

Now that we’ve adjusted to the Spring forward time, let’s check out the best deals on wines to celebrate springtime. Or March Madness. Or whatever!

www.cawineclub.com

The California wine club focuses on small family owned wineries and here are my top 4 choices from its current inventory. All greatly discounted.  It also offers $1 on case shipping and an extra 10% discount to March 31.

2020 Madrona Vineyards Barbera Rose, El Dorado $11.99

2018 Testarossa Pinot Noir Cuvee Los Gatos $17.99

2018 Testarossa Chardonnay, Cuvée Los Gatos $14.99

2013 Retzlaff Cabernet Sauvignon, Livermore Valley, $15.99

www.napacabs.com

Napacabs.com offers more than Napa Cabernets. It continues to amaze me. Check out its case specials for yourself. Here are the super deals this week:

2018 Mount  Veeder Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mount Veeder, Napa $26.97 per bottle for a three-bottle purchase.

2017 Aerena Red Hills Lake County Cabernet Sauvignon, $19.98

www.winespies.com

Here are two hard to find wines at super savings. Yes, $55 is a heck of a deal for

one of Washinton’ s top producers. One could argue Andrew Will is #1. But for now,

better to act fast, argue later. And the Sauvignon will thrill fans of the varietal.

2015 Andrew Will Champoux Vineyard Horse Heaven Hills Red, $55.00

2019 Jack Winery ‘Two Old Dogs’ Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc $19.00

www.wine.com

2014 Frescobaldi Chianti Rufina Riserva $19.97

You should also check out the “New Arrivals” section here. It includes many once “mailing list” exclusive wines, such as the full lineup of Kosta-Browne Pinots.

2 Best Daily Deals

2018 Robert Craig Howell Mountain Cuvee, Napa Valley, $39.95 (normally ($50)

From www.wineexpress.com

The blend is 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot and 4% Malbec. All mountain grown and Craig has a long history as one of the genuine superstars along with Randy Dunn known to bring out the best in Howell mountain fruit.  Normally impossible to find,  this is a great opportunity to discover why so many of us love Howell Mountain reds.

2018 Domaine Mongeard-Mugneret, Bourgogne Rouge $29.00

From: www.wineaccess.com

Want to experience what authentic French Burgundy is all about without going over budget? This one is made by a proven small family owned estate and from the excellent 2018 vintage. A fairly safe way to taste Pinot Noir from 50 year old vines grown in the heart of Burgundy. This is the entry level wine. But by the time we get to review it, it will certainly be long gone. Cheaper by the case.

Full disclosure: Neither an influencer nor an affiliate, I do this just to share.

You can thank me later.

Unbeatable Deal on Award Winning Wines

Top This: Great Wines at 50% Discount

Terrific opportunity to get to know Navarro Vineyards which is family owned and hauls away Gold Medals at every wine competition.

Navarro’s six-bottle Black Friday Sampler is only available through Monday, November 30, or until the sampler is sold out. The six wines in this sampler, three Chardonnay and three Pinot Noir, have earned a total of seventeen Gold or Silver medals in major wine competitions. 

The 2017 Chardonnay, Mendocino was awarded 94 points by http://www.winereviewonline.com

2016 Pinot Noir, Méthode à l’Ancienne, Unfiltered  is another winner, one of the finest examples of Anderson Valley Pinot.

The sampler is being offered for $88.50, a savings of $88.50! There is a limit of one sampler per household. However, you can also add six bottles of any Navarro wine or non-alcoholic juice of your choice and the twelve bottles will qualify for One-Cent shipping.

online at www.NavarroWine.com or you are welcome to phone us toll-free at 1-800-537-9463 or 707-895-3686 between 8-6 PST weekdays, 8-5 PST weekends. If you prefer, reach us by email at sales@NavarroWine.com 

7 BEST WEBSITES FOR HOLIDAY WINE SHOPPING

Super sales begin with Black Friday and will continue into the next year. If you are looking for good deals on hard to find wines normally sold in restaurants or winery direct, daily deals are where the action is. 

Every morning once impossible to buy wines like Ridge, Spottswoode, Silver Oak, Lail and Chateau d’Yquem are dangled before my eyes. And many high-end Bordeaux, Rhone and Italian wines that were centerpieces on wine lists are now offered online.

2020 sucks and we all want to start a new year. But maybe there’s a silver lining: There has never been a better time to restock your wine cellar with some of the best top rated wines that until recently were strictly allocated.

www.lastbottlewines.com and www.firstbottlewines.com

Based upon the flash sale model, lastbottlewines is headquartered in Napa Valley and has been gaining momentum and clients since its humble beginning in 2011. Its Three partners (Cory Wagner, Stefan Blicker and Brent Pierce) are young-ish with good connections in the wine world.

If you order too late, you get an empty wine case image with the not so subtle snooze you lose message. If you happen to buy the last bottle, they give you a $25 credit. Shipping is free on 4 or 6 bottles or more.

The comments are obviously aimed at millennials with an overuse of CAPS, preponderance of buzz words from awesome, bang, boom, wow, and references to a killer Vintage or “Rockstar winemaker.  Then you usually encounter more exclamation marks and 3 dots than your English teacher ever thought possible in one paragraph.

So many ROCKSTARS, so little time. The 2018 Ridge Lytton Springs quickly sold out.

Other recent examples of wines offered that’ll rock your world are Newton Chardonnay, Amavi Cabernet from Walla Walla, Pine Ridge’s Carneros Chardonnay, Lang & Reed’s Cabernet Franc, and a lovely 2016 Rioja from Bodegas Casa la Rad. 

Yes, they have an importer’s license and can offer super discounts on imports as well. It just offered a fabulous 2015 Brunello for $29. I couldn’t resist the 2019 Sauvignon Blanc from 

Matahiwi Estate, NZ, for $10. The 2018 Rivetto Langhe Nebbiolo for $18 was so tempting.

If you are looking for a fun, crazy day, you should be ready for one of lastbottles all-day

Marathon sales.

www.firstbottlewines.com

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This is the young sibling of lastbottle and it is more like a normal store, not a flash sale. It does offer one deal a day but stocks about 400 wines, with the mix slighted slanted toward California.

 Discounts are more modest in the 10-25% range, and prices on this site start at $14.95. This year it is coming up with much more interesting, hard to find wines than its sibling. Headline names at firstbottle include Von Strasser, Turley, Three Sticks, Lail Blueprint, Matthiasson, Peter Michael, Ridge and Scherrer, among many others.

The French selections are not to be overlooked.  Recent châteauneuf-du-Pape such as 2017 

Domaine Serguier, Cuvee Revelation for $39.95 caught my eye.

http://www.winespies.com

BEST for Napa & Sonoma Wines

Headquartered in Santa Rosa, California and founded in 2007 by Jason Seeber, winespies.com presents one new wine a day. The offers expire at midnight or until sold out. Recent selections are often selling out fast.

With new staff additions, Winespies is now one of the hot websites of 2020 as it finds wines from all parts of California and a few top-notch imports.

Be ready for their super re-stocking sale on Black Friday and the following Monday!

While the language and emphasis on “Spies “agents, and “operatives”…may seem silly, these guys are serious about wine sleuthing. So about the “agents” and “operatives,” get over it.

So far in 2020, winespies has offered wines from cult-like names such as Arietta, Amuse Bouche, and David Arthur. It has uncovered excellent wines from small producers like Aaron Wines in Paso Robles, Hawk & Horse in Napa, Two Sisters in Santa Barbara, and Annadel Estate in Sonoma. 

But the 2018 Schrader Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Double Diamond was a major addition, pushing winespies to the top.

It was the first to offer the Groth Reserve Cabernet and Frog’s Leap Cab. The iconic Beekeeper Zinfandel is still available as is the Erik Kent Russian River Valley Pinot for $25. And there are a few off the wall discoveries such as the 2017 Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon from The Walls, a rising star.

Then it came up with a real wonderful surprise:La Sirena 2018 ‘Rosato’ Amador County Rosé of Primitivo for $18. La Sirena is Heidi Barrett’s own label.

The wine descriptions are lively and entertaining most of the time.

Excellent discounts, often 50%.

Delivery is on time.

Strong on California wines, especially Russian River Valley, Sonoma Valley and other Sonoma regions.

WTSO.com (Wines ‘Til Sold Out) 

BEST FLASH SALES, MULTIPLE OFFERINGS

This is a major player I’ve been following and using since 2012. The concept is based on a “flash-sale” model and a featured wine remains available until sold out.

Each day at least 4 wines are offered; when sales are brisk, the number could be as many as 10.

WTSO is on East Coast time, so sleepy West Coast folks could miss out on a few early specials.

Having survived a lawsuit related to misleading suggested prices, the site was upgraded and slightly reformatted in early 2017.

Now relying less on numerical ratings and wildly inflated prose, the site is much improved both in terms of its wine selections and its wine commentary.

While still emphasizing Italian and Spanish reds, it has vastly improved its selection of Bordeaux, Burgundy, Sancerre and Beaujolais. But its strength is in Rhone wines as typified by the 2016 Chateauneuf-du-Pape by Domaine Benedetti for $32.99. A Gigondas I’ve enjoyed is a best buy here: 2016 Domaine du Grand Montmirail Gigondas Vieilles Vignes $22.99. 

But there’s good depth in the Spanish offerings as typified by the 2016 Diez-Caballero Rioja Vendimia Seleccionada $16.99, 70% below retail.

Even the CA wines now show better selectivity. Recently good for Sonoma Pinot Noir and Napa Cabs. The Dutton-Goldfield’s 2016 Dutton Ranch/Freestone Hill Vineyard Pinot for $29.99 was recently offered and snapped up. Another winner, 2018 Robert Stemmler Pinot Noir Nugent Vineyard Russian River Valley, sold for $19.99. As a Syrah fan, I was surprised to see the 2013 Hall Napa Valley Darwin Syrah at $19.99.

Sad to say I missed out on an attractive $14 Languedoc, 2016 ‘Le Coeur’ by Domaine de Fabregues.  Sometimes with wtso a wine will re-appear, so I will not hesitate should this one return.

We have purchased wines from them, mostly French, and they arrived on time and in good condition. But I’m a little uncomfortable when it comes to those California wines that are unknown to me, cant be verified by others, and may be private labels from bulk wines. 

I regularly check the “Last Chance Wines” listed for bargains and free shipping.

The annual magnum marathon is a major Cyber Monday sale.  Several double magnums are included.

One of my favorites is the popular “Cheapskate Marathon” held twice a year. 

The price range for this marathon is $8.99-18.99

http://www.wineexpress.com

BEST FOR HIGH END, Luxury Wines

winexpress.com tries to balance “value and service” which suggests it is neither a giant warehouse nor a down-and-dirty discount site.  It is the exclusive online wine shop partner of The Wine Enthusiast catalog and website. So it is well-financed and has an excellent facility for storage and shipping.

So far in 2020, it has risen to the occasion and has picked up many once allocated wines from California and has vastly improved its high-end imported selections.

It really leads the field in upgrading to big-named wines like Gaja, Dominus, Sassicaia, Shafer, Caymus Special Select, and, yes Perrier-Jouet and Dom…all slightly discounted with the Sassicaia 25% below retail. 

I’ve not yet seen anyone else offer Quintessa, Phelps Insignia or Cakebread’s Reserve Chardonnay or Cabernet Sauvignon. And recently it secured an allotment of Orin Swift “Abstract,” Andy Erickson’s “Leviathan” in magnums and the luxury Corton-Charlemagne from Louis Latour and a 2017 Puligny Montrachet, Les Folatieres.”  

Add the 2016 Château La Nerthe Chateauneuf and the Pahlmeyer Merlot and Chardonnay to the recent offerings and the point is clear: wineexpress.com is getting first dibs on many wines once exclusive to top restaurants and/or sold direct from the winery.

The site works through the usual sorting procedures with click on searches by variety, price and region. It also offers several wine club options and gift packages.

One special touch is a series of videos taking you through tastings that are conducted by Josh Farrell, its Wine Director.

He often runs through the daily wine special which can then be purchased. He is one excellent swirler, BTW, and he encourages decanting and/or aerating young wine.

You can learn a lot about judging wine by watching a few of his videos.

And it continues to offer several good value wines under $20.

But overall,  this online site sticks to the high road ($50 and up) and allows some wriggle room for choices within each category.

www.invino.com

BEST UNDER THE RADAR SITE

Coming on strong, this site focuses on special direct imported wines, Napa and Sonoma Valley wines, and on super values from many other regions.

And also to its credit, the shallow hype, thick bs, and silly background stories, common to so many sites, are absent here. Being so low-keyed, it seems to slip under most people’s radar.

But there is an Impressive list of Napa Cabs from Von Strasser, Turnbull, Juslyn, and Sullivan Vineyards. It snagged 10 cases of Lail’s Blueprint Cabernet for $70 and Ridge’s Lytton Estate for $37. 

Pinot Noir fans can enjoy 50% off the 2015 Jigar Russian River Valley Pinot, offered at $23 and the 2018 Anthill Farms Sonoma Coast for $29.

There’s no loser in the stock list. I highly recommend checking this site out for yourself. 

Let me explain why I like it.

First, I prefer more than bargain wines, I want wines with some excitement and sizzle. I also look for wines that before discounts, I would normally find way over my budget.

www.sommselect.com

BEST FOR ESOTERIC, LITTLE KNOWN GEMS

This is the must site if you are looking for wines that are not available either in traditional wine shops or on most websites. Would you believe a Foxtrot Pinot Noir from Okanagan Valley or a Guy Amiot 2017 Chassagne-Montrachet or a 1966 Remoissenet Burgundy?  

Or the rare 2016 Christoph Edelbauer, Grüner Veltliner “Neuberg” Reserve Kamptal from Austria. Or a red Alto Adige made from a rare local grape, Schiava (a.k.a. Vernatsch, a.k.a. Trollinger). This was billed as “The World-Class Red You’ve Never Heard About” and they were right about that.

Headed by two sommeliers, Ian Cauble and David Lynch who are based in Sonoma, this site is dedicated to finding unusual, limited production wines that are true to their type.

 Discounts are modest. Occasionally, there’s a deal. But overall, you are paying full price.

This site will offer an outstanding wine from Greece, Austria, or Slovenia as well as unheralded or overlooked wines from California, Germany, Italy and France. 

The magic touch extends to New Zealand for a rare Central Otago Pinot or to Willamette Valley for the scarce 2017 Nicolas-Jay Pinot Noir. They even tracked down a rare Pinot Noir from Humboldt County made by Briceland Vineyards.

However, I sometimes wonder about the provenance of wines like the 1966 Burgundy and the recently offered 2003 Le Dome, St. Emilion. Where have they been all these years?  They also unearth some wild and strange wines such as the 1946 Roussillon Rivesaltes. Yes, that was 1946, and the bottle price was $250. 

But I also learn more from this site than any other. There are wines that I’ve never even heard of  such as the 2013 Chateau Simone which Cauble describes this way:  “Despite coming from some of France’s oldest vines, being run by the same family for 200 years, and maturing in a historic 16th-century cellar, Château Simone’s beguiling wines lie in relative obscurity. What’s clear, however, is that these rare beauties always yield an enchanting experience.”

Part of the enjoyment of wine is to discover a lovely wine that comes with a rich and exciting history. And make no mistake, you get tons of background information from these SOMMS.

The strengths here are not only wines from Italy and France, but also wines from Germany, Austria, and Portugal.

The curated themed 6-bottle collections are typically unusual, and come with reliable, insightful information. 

 In fact, I recommend this site to anyone studying or WSET.

http://www.wineaccess.com

Best comeback website

For mythology fans, this is your phoenix in the online marketing world. Wineaccess started in late 1997, stumbled during the dotcom crash by web hosting wine shops, and barely survived until 2006. 

The turnaround began that year when the company which was an online portal based in Philadelphia connecting consumers with retailers rose from its ashes to develop a new direct to consumer marketing program. 

Then the company was bought in 2015 by Northwest Venture Partners, a venture capitalist firm. Now based in Napa, it is run by Vanessa Conlin, MW, along with other relatively young people with an MS or an MW candidate.  With her team running the ship, it is smooth sailing, easy to navigate with good background commentary for each wine.  You can check to see what each Somm recommends, go to the “Under $30” list, or see what the daily deal is. The deals are available for 3 days or until the wine is sold out.

“Wines direct from the source” is the slogan. Its mantra is that fine wines are made in small quantities, and its goal is to find them and offer the best deals. 

But let’s return to the online  “discoveries.” Each day at 10:00 in the morning, an email announces the wine of the day. 

The morning message consists of a detailed background narrative of the wine and the wine producer, and you sense that the story presented is the key to this online marketing. Prices are spelled out for fewer than 12 bottles, but discounts are deeper for a case or more. 

Shipping is free for 6 bottles or orders of $120.

First, the good news is that many wines are worthy of our attention and the choices are keeping up with the times. From Napa it offers wines from Vermillion, Vine Cliff, Grgich Hills, Dalla Valle and Bevan Cellars. From other places, there is Foxen Pinot Noir, Bedrock Zinfandel, Meyer Family Syrah, and County Line Rose from Anderson Valley. 

The 2017 Provenance Napa Valley Cab for $39 is indeed a steal at 40% off.

Among imports, the 2018 Château Croix d’Aumedes is a great find in a Corbieres selling for $14.95. It also has Chateau Parenchere, a Bordeaux red I often enjoyed when living in France. 

I’d also stock up on the Chateau du Glana very attractive at $39. 

The site charts prices and suggests you routinely save 30% to 50% on a full case.

Good news is that despite a pandemic and fires, it delivers on time with no delays or excuses needed. And the enclosed printed material is concise information.