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Dierberg Star Lane Vineyards

On January 16, 1919 the Eighteenth Amendment (Amendment XVIII) and the Volstead Act went into effect in the United States. The ratification of these acts of Congress prohibited the consumption of “intoxicating liquors”, except for use in medicine, church rituals and up to 200 gallons per year of personal, home consumption. As one might expect, Prohibition was fairly controversial and not wholly embraced by the people.

The public’s demand for hooch led to speakeasies, bathtub gin and, in California alone, a 700% increase in vineyard plantings (to make “grape juice”). It also led people to a little region known as College Ranch, which was the location of the only spirits still in the north county of Santa Barbara. Because the area held the cure for what ailed ‘em, the locals lovingly nicknamed the spot “Happy Canyon.”

Church

Some seventy-six years after the end of the Noble Experiment, canyon winemakers won a proposal to have the area registered as an official AVA: Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara, currently consisting of 23,941 acres, 492 of which are planted for six vineyards and three wineries, in the east end of the Santa Ynez Valley.

I had the great pleasure of learning all about Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara on a recent trip to Star Lane and Dierberg Vineyards. Vintners Mary and Jim Dierberg grow over 237 acres of vines on their Star Lane property (half the total acres planted across the entire valley), including all five of the red Bordeaux varietals and Sauvignon Blanc. On their cooler-climate Dierberg estate, 160 acres are planted with Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah grapes to produce “Burgundy inspired” wines. The former dude ranch-turned-vineyard/winery sits at the highest elevation in the valley, with their Sauvignon Blanc vines reigning over all, high up the hills at 1500 feet.

To celebrate the diversity of Happy Canyon’s soil composition, climate, rainfall, topography, etc., the Dierbergs and winemaker Nick de Luca strive to produce terroir-driven wines, while also showcasing the individuality of the grapes, themselves. The vineyard has been farmed organically since 2006, they use ground cover under the vines, eschew tilling, and most of their wines are fermented using native yeasts. All wines are made with free-run juice and, whenever possible, they use natural gravity flow instead of pump systems. Even their caves were dug by hand – all 27,000 ft of them – a process that took over five years to complete. They like to call their philosophy “Old method winemaking using new technology.”

And the result? Incredible balance, amazing acidity. Deep, complex wines that can be enjoyed young or cellared for greater finesse. The differences and nuances from one vintage to the next are discernible in the way that the Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara wines are noticeably different from the rest of the juice produced in Santa Ynez Valley.

Dierberg Star Lane wines

In order for a region to qualify for its own AVA (American Viticultural Area) designation, petitioners must prove that the area is significantly different from the surrounding appellation in terms of mesoclimate and geography, thereby producing distinguishable fruit. Everything from rainfall to soil content, pH, drainage, topographical history, etc is documented, analyzed and contrasted with neighboring locations. If the differences are significant, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms can award the new AVA certification. Once approved, all wines with the AVA certification must contain at least 85% juice from the specified AVA.

What a happy requirement that is, in the case of Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara. Of the wines I’ve tried – especially those from Dierberg/Star Lane, these wines are dynamic, distinguished and delicious. It truly is a Happy Canyon, indeed.

Red Wines – Speed-dating for Bloggers & Wineries!

We sat at a table for an hour while 12 wineries brought us 12 wines and shpieled us for 5 minutes each. Here’s the rundown… lots of goodies for red-wine lovers! (Updates coming later)

• 2008 Ortman Sangiovese, $20
  What the winemaker says: East-side Paso Robles, 2nd-gen tier $20 and under
  What Jess says: Not what I expect from an Ortman wine, but I’m excited about them producing
  What Arianna says: Where’s Arianna???
  Other notes: Cuvee Eddy & Chardonnay (Bien Nacido and Cat Canyon) coming soon!
• 2006 Louis M Martini Lot No 1 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, $120
  What the winemaker says: Nice velvety tannins but will lay down for 25+ years
  What Jess says: Deep purple flavors. A little rough on the acid/tannins. Chalky at the back of the mouth. I imagine this will be beautiful in a few years, but I’m not interested in spending this kind of money. My eyes popped out of my head when she said the retail price. I’m SO not a Napa girl
• 2007 Isenhower Bachelor’s Button Cabernet Sauvignon, $28
  What the winemaker says: 4% Petite Verdot
  What Jess says: Lacks a little body, not very fruity (if you’re looking for a fruit bomb you’d be disappointed), but there’s a likeable quality to it. The fruit’s character shows through the hands-off winemaking style. A nice wine.
• 2008 The Crusher Petite Sirah (Sebastiani), $12
  What the winemaker says: Clarksburg (North of Rio Vista river delta near Sacto!!)
  What Jess says: Big red fruit nose, no alcohol. Medium body, big blackberry, no tannins no acid. Not refined, but interesting.
• 2008 Desert Wind Ruah, $20
  What the winemaker says: Intensely aromatic, with bing cherry, cinnamon, and toasted walnut in the forefront. On the palate, flavors of cherry, raspberry and clove mingle harmoniously with supple tannins ending in a long finish.
  What Jess says: Nice wine! Similar flavor profiles to the Louis Martini and definitely more than 1/6th as good.  I’d like to buy myself a bottle!
• 2008 Duck Pond Red Blend, $15
  What the winemaker says: Dundee, Oregon. 52% Merlot, 29% Syrah, 19% Cabernet Sauvingon. Value-focused.
  What Jess says: Nice round, fruit-forward red. Nothing hits me on the head and it’s balance and lack of tannin make me happy. Would rather have this as my weeknight red than The Crusher (sorry guys!)
• 2009 Velvet Glove (Molly Dooker), $180
  What the winemaker says: A great everyday wine… or a special occasion if you prefer. Much ripeness fiddling in order to achieve its full vinological ripeness. Set the glass aside, try it again later. Can age very well.
  What Jess says: A velvet label! Super complex. Cherries, black fruit, spice, tobacco?
• 2008 TrioVintners Riot, $18
  What the winemaker says: 52% Sangiovese, 36% Syrah, 12% Mourvedre
  What Jess says: Loved the Mourvedre we tasted at their tasting room earlier today (bought two!)… very nice. I like this almost as much as the Mourvedre. This is a GREAT wine for $18… get yourself some!
• 2008 Ponzi Vineyards Pinot Noir from Willamette Valley, $35
  What the winemaker says: Sustainable, and certified. Take note! 2008 was a winemaker’s dream in Willamette Valley.
  What Jess says: Nice Pinot Noir. I’m not a Pinot fan but I’m always happy to take one from Willamette Valley and this is no exception. It’s not knock-your-socks-off, but it’s very nice. A little earthy and tannic/acidic (hard to tell with palate-fatigue).
• 2007 Stoller Pinot Noir, $25
  What the winemaker says: Dundee Oregon. Guest houses on property, come stay and hang out! 1st Gold LEED-certified winery in the US (first LEED-certified winery of any level)
  What Jess says: Earthy earthy earthy nose. On the palate: Very cherry, no tannin, light body. I like it. It needs certain foods that’ll go well with VERY cherry. But good!
• 2008 Stepping Stone Cabernet Franc from Cornerstone, $30
  What the winemaker says: Carneros because I like acidity in my wines. Acid is what makes the wine live. Acidity is the taste and tannin is the texture. Trying to build longer molecule chains to preserve the taste in the mouth longer.
  What Jess says: Chewy. Nice flavors in the background. Nice expression of Cab Franc (despite the 4% Cabernet Sauvignon). I like it. But I like Cab Franc. Opening up in my glass in just these few minutes. Worth the price, let it breathe 30 minutes before you drink and you’ll have a nice new special occasion red.
• 2007 Sequel Syrah (Longshadows Vintners project), $55
  What the winemaker says: John Duval (Barossa Valley), 3% Cabernet Sauvignon
  What Jess says: Yummy yummy! Worth every penny if you love Syrah. This is what I would hope to get from Washington Syrah!

Bienvenidos a La Rioja

Rioja. Even the name sounds infused with notes of passion and the warmth of exotic, Spanish summer nights.

Named after the Autonomous Community of La Rioja, the area is a Denominación de Origen Calificada (D.O.C. qualified designation of origin), and records indicate that grapes have been grown in this region since the 9^th Century. The red-soiled area is divided into three separate sections, (Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Baja), each producing different styles of wine, based on the location where the grapes are grown (Alta – highest altitude; Alavesa – similar in climate to Alta but lacking the better soil conditions of the more elevated area; and Baja – a Mediterranean climate producing wine with lower acidity and up to 18% alcohol (this region tends to produce a high number of blending wines)). The majority of juice produced from the region is red (Tinto), with the remaining 15% consisting of white (Blanco) and rosé (Rosado).

According to Wikipedia:

Among the Tintos, the best-known and most widely-used variety is Tempranillo. Other grapes used include Garnacha Tinta, Graciano and Mazuelo. A typical blend will consist of approximately 60% Tempranillo and up to 20% Garnacha, with much smaller proportions of Mazuelo and Graciano. Each grape adds a unique component to the wine with Tempranillo contributing the main flavors and aging potential to the wine; Garnacha adding body and alcohol; Mazuelo adding seasoning flavors and Graciano adding additional aromas.

Among the region’s white wines, the most prominent varietal is Viura (also known as Macabeo), and contains blends of a little Malvasía and a little Garnacha Blanca. Rosado from Rioja is traditionally made from Garnacha grapes.

La Rioja

Rioja wines are divided into four classifications: The most basic is simply called Rioja. This wine is the region’s “entry-level” classification, can be fermented from any of the area’s allowed varietals, and has spent under a year aged in oak barrels. The next level is called Crianza. Crianza has been aged for a minimum of two years – one of those years must be in oak. After that is the Reserva classification, given to wines aged in oak for at least one year, with three years or more total aging. The fourth and most esteemed level of Rioja classification is called Gran Reserva¸ which describes a wine that has been aged in oak for two or more years and in bottle for three or more. Despite the minimum aging requirements, however, some of the more celebrated Rioja wineries to hold onto their wines for 10, 15, 20 or so years, until they are determined to be at their peak drinkability, and not released before that time. Due to this “library-style” release – plus varietals used, etc. – it is not uncommon to see many Rioja wines priced similarly to the best French Bordeaux bottles. But this is not to say there aren’t excellent deals to be found from the D.O.C.

Ironically, one of the value wineries I discovered was the same one that Jess wrote about at the very start of this blog. Viña Santurnia produces their wines en la propiedad – on the property – in the Alta district of Rioja. All of their wines are priced very well, and for comparison I decided to try three from their production: 2006 Crianza ($10.99 retail), 2004 Reserva ($14.99 retail) and 2001 Gran Reserva ($26.99).

Tres vinos de Rioja

What works about this project is that I’m tasting three levels of a producer’s wine, reporting back on what I liked and why. The intention is to illustrate what happens at each of the price points. What does not work about this project is that the winemaker uses different blends for each classification, and the three wines I tasted all came from different vintages.

The 2006 Crianza, aged for 12 months in American oak barrels, is made from 100% Tempranillo grapes. When I smelled it in the glass, my immediate impression was “pepper, with notes of litter box.” There was some fruit hiding in there somewhere, but – true to the Old World style – this wine was pure Barnyard Spice. Perhaps surprisingly, that’s considered a good thing when you’re talking about traditional Rioja. There was great balance to this spicy/peppery/dusty/earthy wine. Although it is made in the classic style, I found it to taste a little more like modern, New World wines than I expected; this is not a judgment, just an observation. For $11, I was pleased as can be.

The 2004 Reserva is crafted from a blend of Tempranillo, Mazuelo and Graciano and was American oak-aged 24 months before being bottled in September 2007. At $15, this was actually my least favorite of the three. Totally cherry-vanilla, it was jammier and more wood-sweet (likely due to more time in oak) than the Crianza. The balance was lovely and managed to align acid, tannin and fruit, but seemed overwhelmingly “New Worldy,” before disappearing with a short, dry, peppery finish. I was hoping for a little more depth and complexity for my $4 extra. I voted this wine “most likely to go bad before I get back to drinking it.”

2001 Vina Santurnia Gran Reserva

The 2001 Gran Reserva was an entirely different wine altogether. Cherries, asparagus and white pepper on the nose. Much more reserved on the palate than the other two – the entire experience was of a more sophisticated, more mature, more complex wine. Smooth, a little spicy, with flavors that unfolded gently in a controlled, delicate expression. The Gran Reserva is a blend of 90% Tempranillo and 10% Graciano. The percentage of Graciano – in addition, of course, to being an older vintage – might be one of the contributing factors in the wine’s higher sticker price. Graciano is a harder grape to grow, and produces the lowest yields of any of the other Rioja varietals. Whatever the reason, the Gran Reserva was in a class all its own. It also recently scored 90 points from Wine Spectator.

Everything about wine is a personal decision, from the flavors one prefers to the price they’re willing to spend. This blog is only a catalog of what Jess and I have tried, usually with a focus on bang for the buck. I really enjoyed the Viña Santurnia Crianza, I also really enjoyed the Gran Reserva. In the spirit of sultry, Spanish adventures, go with your own wine passion on this one. When one follows their heart, they are certain to drink more deeply from what life has to offer. And whatever it is that you choose, salud!

Remember those drunken high school Spring Breaks? You know, the kind with vast bodies of water, cruising some sort of strip, 12 kids packed into a quasi-clean motel room and rampant instances of unsafe behavior – both before and after the consumption of bathtub gin and fruity wine coolers? One thing I always link with those shame-filled memories are the ultra klassy t-shirts hanging in beach shop windows and draped across the torsos of swaying, boozy teenagers. Especially the ones displaying an artfully drawn mug of frosty ale, and 30 or so tasteful and respectful reasons why “Beer Is Better Than Women.”

I got nuthin

I took this IROQ Z joyride down memory lane last night while working over some recent guy issues. I mean, if there exists such profound wisdom as “Beer has no mother and can be mature within a year” (#9),  “You can shoot a beer” (#15) and “A beer is always wet” (# 20) than surely women can find our own answer to those tacky t-shirts, and list plenty of reasons why [blank] is better than men, right?

While I mulled this over, I poured myself a glass of 2008 HJ Fabre Malbec. We’ll call it “research.”

I had opened this Malbec from Mendoza, Argentina the night before. Decked out with a really hot label, I looked the bottle up and down – and even turned it around to see if it was packing anything interesting on the backside. “Five generations of winemaking in Bordeaux and today in Argentina.” Worldly and experienced. Nice. The label claims that this wine “shows a remarkable balance between fine, elegant fruit and silky tannins.” Ooh, sophistication and a nice body. Things are getting interesting…Alcohol 14.5% by volume. Hello, Big Boy! Momma is gonna have a good time to-night! And then I read this:

“We recommend you decant an hour before serving to allow the wine’s full qualities to unfold.”

- Herve J Fabre

Wait. I’m ready to go but have to hang on for an hour before the wine’s magic is ready to start working?

Come again?

OK, fine. It’s no big deal. Maybe that’s what happens when you’re working with 100 year old vines. I can roll with it. I’ll be patient.

HJ Fabre Malbec - treats you right

14 years after meeting my ex, I have to admit that I cannot begin to fathom how the modern dating world works. According to the bits and pieces I’ve picked up here and there from my friends, women are supposed to act interested – but not too interested. Always be busy. Dismissive. A little cold – but flirty! Be endlessly optimistic. Messages and phone calls should not be returned until sufficient time has passed that the guy becomes convinced that the girl is being flown on private jet to London by hotter paramour. It’s enough to drive a person to drink…

The Malbec, on the other hand, wouldn’t judge me for weakened resolve to interact. When I tried it – poured through an aerator – after 20 minutes, it was a luscious dark purple in the glass, with a rim of electric lavender. A nose of warm bread, blackberry and spice. My haste was chastened by a sharp, unbalanced experience. Strong tannin, but ultimately a long, forgiving finish. Exhibit A: Malbec isn’t going to freak out on me for not playing games.

When I was 21, life was a lot simpler. Things like “emotional availability” weren’t really issues – because at 21, no one was available. We were all selfish and stupid and unwilling to compromise. Imagine my surprise when – 14 years later – I find the dating scene to look exactly the same! I’ve grown up, but the world seems to be stuck where it was when last I was single. At least one half of it, anyway… Many people say that this is a particular problem with dating in El Lay: That the land obsessed with eternal youth does not make for mature adults. It’s all about “no strings,” “no drama,” “easy,” “casual,” “cool” – forgetting that there is actually something comforting about being able to put aside the false street facades to find authenticity and security with another person – even if that security equates to expecting someone to be there in the morning.

Me and Malbec: Peaceful, easy feelin'

But my Malbec wasn’t going anywhere. In fact, as we sat together, it just got better and better. After 45 minutes, it presented rich anise flavors, more pronounced blackberry, and a soft, velvety mouthfeel. I never would’ve gotten something that good if I’d only given it a cursory taste and formed an immediate impression. I was rewarded for taking my time and waiting things out awhile. And I liked what I was drinking.

Don’t get me started on the levels of deception. This includes people who post 10+ year old photos on dating sites, creative descriptions for what others would call a “girlfriend”/”fiancee”/”spouse,” excuses for inappropriate behaviors not befitting their respective situations, and the immeasurable inaccuracies one makes up about themselves to work up the courage to get back into the dating pool or to talk to someone “out of their league.” The dating world is bubbling with so many lies that spending too much time here will leave an innocent with a hard, crunchy, burned crust. And that’s if they get out in time to keep their heart from getting blackened and overdone.

This is in direct contrast to that lovely HJ Fabre Malbec! It was upfront from the beginning – well, once I discovered the fine print about waiting an hour after opening to imbibe… It boasted of blackberry and anise – and then it sealed the deal. In fact, it actually over-delivered: I didn’t know what to expect  from a $16 bottle of wine, but this one wasn’t playing around! An hour after opening, this wine showed silky tannins, blackberry, spice, cocoa powder and anise on the palate and anise in the long, delicious finish.

I don’t have a bulleted, bawdy list of why this Malbec is better than a man. It certainly provided more honesty, more depth and – with 12 months of aging in French oak barrels – a longer commitment than many men I’ve encountered in a long time. I needed it when I was having a hard time, and it was there for me – in all its robust glory. Even with my frustration and anger and disheveled hair and makeup, my Malbec just let me be me. It made no demands. It was the perfect size, and seduced me with its promises of pleasure two nights in a row. It hinted at relaxation and sweet, sweet slumber. My Malbec offered kindness.

And then I drank it.

I’ve always been a foodie. My father is proud to tell anyone who will listen that, as a baby, I wasn’t given traditional baby food. Instead, my parents would grind to a mash whatever they were having for supper, and that would be my meal. By six years old I was preparing my own food several times per week, and my favorite part of birthday celebrations was trying some sort of fancy new restaurant.

(Not me)

It could be that my father created a monster. As evidence, I can point to that time in junior high school when, as punishment for some now-forgotten crime, I had to stay home while everyone else went out to dinner. My father made me a ham sandwich on white bread and forbid me to to use the stove. Fair enough. Instead, I threw away the sandwich and reheated homemade frozen dumplings in the toaster oven. My daddy didn’t raise no fool.

Food has always been one of my greatest interests, comforts and pleasures. I can probably tell you about certain meals that would give other nights of primal satisfaction a run for the money. As such, I live to eat and to study the components that make a good dish great.

For me, wine (and certain creative spirits and cocktails, as well) is an extension of my love of food. Each vintage – like other types of spirit-sustaining sustenance – has a history, and that history informs the end result…even when it doesn’t live up to expectations – which, frankly, is one of the things that makes wine so exciting: There are never any guarantees of what you’re going to get. Wine is living, it’s dynamic. It changes. So do palates.

It is this last point that has been making me a little crazy these days.

I’ve gotten pretty serious about wine in the past year. In that time, I’ve gone from liking big, jammy fruit bombs to…liking big, jammy, fruit bombs – but feeling self-conscious about it. Conversations with a couple of super-cute sommeliers helped me begin to appreciate Old World wines for what they are, instead of simply writing them off as tasting like dusty old leather. Little by little, glass by glass – I’ve begun to really appreciate how a good wine will unfold over time, revealing more and more of itself like a patient and seductive siren, luring me to crash on the rocks of the really good stuff.

2006 Antonio Caggiano Aglianico dell Irpinia Tari Campania

Several dates with a hard-core wine geek introduced me to wines like Austrian St. Laurent, French Minervois, Italian Aglianico and a Romoritan/Menu Pineau blend whose very existence breaks wine-making law in France. One would think all of this exposure would be exciting, but now I’m even more confused – mainly because I’m not sure what I’m “supposed” to be teasing out, picking up and enjoying anymore; and with all of the new juice, I’m not even 100% sure I can tell the difference between the wines I know and the new ones that I don’t. Aside from the thrill of experiencing something new, I second-guess my dislike of the sharpness of the Aglianico, and I worry that because I found the Romoritan/Menu Pineau a little…meh…that maybe I lack sophistication, or that my foodie palate just isn’t as good at wine as I thought it was.

The more I learn, the more confusing it becomes. Descriptions like gooseberry, wet cat and tobacco leaf haunt me in my sleep and taunt me in tasting rooms. And while I might describe myself as a bit “nervy” and “racy,” I couldn’t begin to tell you what this means in terms of wine. I’ve also recently come to learn that there is a class of wine drinker that poo-poos those big, jammy, fruit bombs I love, specifically because they…have…flavor; there is even a Facebook page devoted to these “Anti-Flavor Wine Elites.” So wine isn’t supposed to have flavor? Wha? I certainly missed that chapter in my first Wine 101 lesson.

This is definitely a weird place to find myself. I’m not sure if I’ve started to overthink what I’m tasting – in the way I overthink practically everything else – and if this is one more thing to add to my list of nightly meditations. Or perhaps this is one of those transition times when I will come through with a more delicate palate and an expanded appreciation for all things edible. So I guess I’ll just keep drinking and trust that – like circumnavigating a white bread sandwich – eventually I’ll noodle my way into a far more appetizing, satisfying situation.

I’ll be gaining a new title this year. With the addition of these extra letters, what I permanently lose is snowy Midwestern Christmases where I giddily stuff myself full of bacon, cheese and mayonnaise hors d’eouvres; the two-parent home in which I always believed my child would be raised; and a loud group of flawed-but-funny family members who fight a lot but love each other even more than they disagree. So there are a lot of changes happening, but I recently realized that there is a constant in there, too: A very important bond with my sister-in-law old friend.

Remaining close with one’s ex-husband’s sister is actually a lot easier than you might think. I like to credit similar artistic notions, temperaments, philosophies about life, the universe and everything…and a mutual deep appreciation for good wine. Oh – and being broke. I guess that’s also important, because lately we’ve done a whole bunch of bonding over that, too. So what wine does a poor divorcee bring to her equally strapped sister-in-law, to be enjoyed as they might’ve, back when they were younger, fabulous and slightly more liquid? Turns out it’s a 2008 McManis Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, for about $9.99 a bottle.

2008 McManis Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon

The McManis – unlike certain aspects of a failed marriage and a bad economy – is very easy to swallow. It’s a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and a pinch of Petite Verdot, aged on new and used French and American Oak for 4-6 months. While not quite a fruit bomb, it is definitely a jammy Cabernet (take it or leave it). On the nose, it’s all big, black fruit like fresh blackberry and stewed plum. I picked up chocolate on the nose, but on the palate that turned into vanilla and smoke. It’s big and fruity through-and-through, so if California Cabs are your thing, this might be a worthwhile wine for you. Especially for the price, which is kept low because the fruit comes from Lodi, instead of one of the more expensive AVAs to the north.

As we all move through life, it’s impossible to avoid the hailstorm of difficult decisions that leave us running for cover. People grow and change, circumstances shift, we often find ourselves finding ourselves due to some serious miscalculation of where we thought we’d be at a particular point in our lives. These things are hard. So I’m all for celebrating the easy decisions: Joy, bravery and love. Especially love. Love in whatever form you’re lucky enough to find it, however long it lasts and wherever it takes you. Especially if the place it leads is crying with laughter over a cheap and delicious wine, with an ex-family member, who – despite no longer being related – feels more like a sister, now that we’re “only” just friends.

On a recent crisp, spring afternoon I met Jess in her sunny apartment to hunker down and taste the latest wine shipment from Gourmet Monthly Wine Club (read more reviews at WineClubReviews.net).

Jess opened the box and set three bottles on the coffee table: A 2008 Carmen Rapel Valley Carmenere, a 2008 Bodegas Gormaz Vina Gormaz Rueda, from Chile and Spain, respectively; and a 2005 Surfrider Red (Bordeaux blend/Meritage) from Rosenthal Estate Wines in Malibu. But that’s pretty much all there is to say about that one.

2008 Carmen Carmenere

I’ve written before about the Carmen Carmenere. It had a nose full of pepper and jam and a taste of lead pipe and salad. I wish I could speak more favorably, but – try as I might – I just couldn’t bring myself to like this wine. Jess thought it was ok. She got the green pepper essence I kept complaining about but she didn’t hate it as much as I did. So…there’s that…ringing…endorsement.

The Rueda was good. It had a lovely, lovely aroma like muscadel (maybe?), peach and ripe grapefruit with undertones of lime. On the palette I picked up flowers and grapefruit, although I felt the wine was a little flabby. But good. It was flabby but grapefruity deliciousness, with a nice balance and mouthfeel.

But here’s the thing: The Gourmet Monthly Wine Club tasting notes say that Carmen is “Chile’s oldest wine brand,” and “South America’s leading winery as well as its oldest.” Which makes me wonder, once again, if I need to find a different job. Apparently Wine & Spirits named Carmen “Top Winery of the Year” at least four times (according to the literature), and, I don’t know, I guess I was supposed to really like this juice. I will say this: Even though I didn’t love the wine, clearly there was a lot of thought that went into choosing it for the club.

Bodegas Gormaz Vina Gormaz Rueda

Rueda is actually a Denominación de Origen (DO) in Spain, for the wines from the Community of Castile and Leon, located northwest of Madrid. The Verdejo grape has been grown in this region since the 11th Century, and is now one of Spain’s most successful white grape varieties. In order to be labeled Rueda, a wine must contain 50% Verdejo, with the rest typically consisting of either Sauvignon Blanc or Viura – as in the Bodegas Gormaz Vina, which is 60% Verdejo and 40% Viura. Interesting stuff, and the Vina Gormaz was a good wine for introduction.

I have to admit that this was not my favorite overall shipment, but I don’t believe it was for lack of quality in the wine. And, truthfully, sometimes we all pick up bottles of otherwise highly rated and glowingly reviewed wine that just doesn’t please our palate. I think that’s what happened here. In vino veritas…

One of my favorite things about the heady days of summer is the even more hedonistic nights. I grew up in the South, where the humid afternoons gave way to evenings which wrapped themselves like a warm blanket around bare skin. Serenaded by the sound of cicadas and bullfrogs, I spent countless evenings drunk on the electrifying summer air.

Out here in SoCal, what we lack in humidity and loud amphibians, we more than make up for in fiery hot festivals with their fair share of music, super-charged excitement and beautiful people dressed in small summer clothing. And these days, it isn’t just my joie de vivre that makes me tipsy; California boasts some of the best wine events around.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego

There are two festivals, in particular, that are circled in red on my schedule: The first is Rhythm & Vine (produced in association with World of Wine Events and Fast Forward Event Productions, known for the nationally acclaimed San Diego Wine & Food Festival). This is a music and wine festival benefiting the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego. It’s worth the drive to spend the day eating amazing food from some of San Diego’s favorite restaurants, like Donovan’s Steak House and Truluck’s Seafood, Steak and Crab House. Breweries include Stone Brewing Company and La Jolla Brew House. Wineries such as Bridlewood Estate, Jake-Ryan Cellars and Pear Valley Vineyard will be pouring to raise money to keep kids off the streets and paired with mentors and life-long friends. The event also includes silent auctions and incredible live music. Tickets start at $75. Saturday, April 17, 2010.

4th Annual Valley Food and Wine Festival

The second event to get excited about is the 4^th Annual Valley Food and Wine Festival. On Saturday, June 19, 2010, there will be over 100 different types of wine, beer and spirits mingling with tasty food and beautiful people in tony Calabasas, California. The $100 ticket not only gets you into what will be a fabulous, soon-to-sell-out event, but all proceeds benefit the Alzheimer’s Association. Even better, The Valley Food and Wine Festival is a “Green Event” – you’ll be tasting delicious chow, raising money for an amazing cause and doing it all without waste.

So get your summer groove on. Kick off the season with hot summer nights and cool, cool beverages – for a good cause! These events are out of town but definitely in touch. Bullfrogs cost extra.

If I have ever represented myself as anything other than a neophyte in this overwhelming world of fermented fruit juice – my bad. Let me assure you that I know I have a lot to learn.

Carmen sings the blues

For example, before my last Gourmet Monthly Wine Club arrival, I had never had Carmenere. One of the bottles in the shipment was a 2008 Carmen Rapel Valley Carmenere from Chile. Excitement! A great opportunity to expand my horizons! Jess poured our glasses. We got comfortable and prepped ourselves for delving deeply into this new experience.

And.

Ummm.

Well.

Here’s the thing: If you like licking lead pipes, you’re going to totally love the metallic notes in this wine. It’s big and jammy, so that might appeal to some. Anyone out there that has ever considered joining a facebook fan page in praise of green peppers is going to be oh-so-happy. Ecstatic, even. I referred to this wine as “salad in a bottle,” after my first sip, so that should get a whole bunch of salad drinking party people really stoked.

Oh, sweet mercy.

…just not my thing.

But what do I know, right? This was my first experience with Carmenere. Could be that the 08 Carmen is the gold standard and I just didn’t have the good sense to know better.

It happens.

So when I visited my family in North Carolina a few weeks later, my sister-in-law took me to West End Wine Bar and I decided to do more research. And eat some olives. Because, man, I love me some olives.

But I digress.

PKNT. BYOB!

I ordered a glass of 2008 PKNT “Silver Collection” Carmenere. The PKNT (pronounced “picante“) is also from Rapel Valley, Chile. And this time I loved the varietal. Black pepper and dark berries on the nose and palette. So delicious – and I’m generally not a huge fan of very peppery wines. Really, really enjoyed this one, though.

Good Carma?

But when I returned to the Land of LaLa and attended a benefit to help Chile (and its devastated wine industry) at Pourtal Wine Bar, I again had a hard time enjoying this Bordeaux export that has since become a Chilean trademark. The 2008 Carma Carmenere from the Colchagua Valley was all tobacco and chocolate, purple berries and pepper. Not tastes I dislike in wine, but I definitely disliked them in this wine. I couldn’t even finish my glass.

The thing is, though, that a quick Google search of “2008 Carma Carmenere” returns, like, a billion reviews (okay, more like 1,720 entries) – mostly positive – about this stuff. Wine writers, bloggers and merchants the world over all seem to think it’s unquestionably, quaffably, yum.

Which brings me, full circle, back to where I began:

1. I have no pretenses, whatsoever, about knowing, really, anything at all

2. Over the course of this little journey, I tried three very different Carmenere wines, two of which did not taste like green peppers and one of which did. I have it on the highest, cross-referenced and researched authority (albeit lacking a large test sample) that Carmenere should not taste like salad

The great thing about this varietal is that you can find well-reviewed Carmenere for well under $20. So don’t take my word for it – give it a try. Carmenere is hugely popular right now, and Chile really needs the business. Then please share your comments! I’d love to get other opinions and see what the rest of the world drinks and thinks.

Chai, everyone!

For years, kosher wine has been synonymous with syrupy sweet – almost grape jam-like – wine. Some people love it and some people force the stuff down their gullet for the sake of tradition, religion or making grandma’s dry potato kugel palatable.

But wine lovers no longer have to hope Elijah downs their glasses before they get to the gefilte fish. Vintners the world over are producing stand-alone kosher wines that any wine aficionado will really want to drink – any time of year.

I’ve highlighted a few of them below, but this post is – by no means – exhaustive. Perhaps all of these great kosher wines give us reason to be thankful that Passover lasts eight nights. Kosher wine tasting, anyone?

- Departing from our regular focus, this piece does not concentrate specifically on value wines, although some are included in this list –

* Bartenura: Italy ($10-$25). Admittedly, I am the last person who would ever expect to see an Italian kosher wine. But I’m certainly not complaining! From the land of the Blackshirts, we have Bartenura – makers of mostly whites, astis and spumantis. So bring some bubbly to Bubbe! She’ll positively plotz.

* Abarbanel: France ($10-$30). Produced by one the world’s oldest Jewish families, the Abarbanel clan can trace its lineage all the way back to ancient Israel. I guess you could call them the OGs of Oenology. They offer a wide variety of wines (including Cremant) at an assortment of price points. Doesn’t that get you ready to take a tikn?

Backsberg wines

* Backsberg: S. Africa ($10-$30). No badkhan! Although it might be surprising to some folks, South Africa has been making wine for centuries and has developed a reputation as one of the impresarios of the New World regions. Backsberg, specifically, has been named one of Wine & Spirits’ Top 100 Wineries of the Year, they have won awards for their mentsh-tastic sustainable business practices and strive to produce highly “drinkable” wines.

* Five Stones: Australia ($15-$25). From the Beckett’s Flat folks in the Margaret River region of Australia, we have Five Stones wines. Offering a wide selection – certified by Kosher Australia, Kashrut Authority of Western Australia and the Orthodox Union USA, these wines are kosher, Mevushal – and guaranteed geshmak!

Baron Herzog: California ($10-$50). Good ol’ Baron Herzog. When Kadem was the only alternative to Manischewitz – and just as sugary – Herzog came on the scene and gave us grown-ups something different to wash down dry brisket. This is a solid, reliable and tasty choice,with  a nicely varied selection of varietals and prices. If given as a gift, your hostess will think you’re haimesh.

Dalton: Israel ($12-$50). From the site: “The Dalton Winery is set in the beautiful green, mountainous country of the Upper Galilee, five kilometres from the Lebanese border, overlooking the Hermon Mountain.” These wines have been heavily influenced by Australian winemakers, although they are beginning to dabble in Old World styles for their premium selections. This is a relatively new winery, but they are already renowned for an excellent product.

Yarden wines

Yarden: Israel ($10-$75+). For the sustainability-conscious seder we have Yarden Wines, from Golan Heights. Both kosher and organic, these wines offer something to please the most rabid rebbe to your shtetle’s strictest shicker. They’ll please your eco-fanatical friends, too!

Golan Heights: Israel ($15-$70). Bordeaux-inspired and gold-medal winning, these are weighty wines for real wine drinkers. No shlock here. Looking for a truly yummy way to celebrate your yontef? Get a few bottles for the whole mishpocha. You’ll come across like a macher, but everyone will be so busy drinking, they really won’t care.

Hagafen Cellars: Napa Valley, CA ($15-$150). Napa Valley and Jew-friendly, too? Oy! I could kvell. With bottles up to $150 or so, this is serious stuff; Manischewitz is to Hagafen what spoons are to the iPod. This ain’t your daddy’s syrupy shmaltz. Established in 1979, this is a gold-medal winning, family-run winery – and highly recommended.

Covenant wines

Covenant: Napa Valley, CA ($25-$100+). According to Robert Parker of The Wine Advocate, Covenant makes the “finest kosher wines money can buy.” They employ both Old and New World techniques to create wines that consistently win awards and acclaim. The vintners, Jeff Morgan and Leslie Rudd, are bacchanalian balmalochas, for sure. And while their wines may cost a lot of gelt – gloib mir – they will be a delicious part of your celebration.

Zei gesund, dear drinkers! Hope your holidays – all of them, no matter what you’re celebrating – are joyous and delicious. L’Chaim!

* good wines at great value