Hi All! It’s Sasha!
First, I want to thank all of you who have thought of us for your holiday gift shopping and taken advantage of our $5 Shipping at our online store!

Not only have you bought wine for yourselves and those on your list, but you’ve also bought some great gift items…from our cute rhinestone T Shirts  to our cork cages, wine candles, and much more! If you need some suggestions for the people to buy for on your list, especially those whom you can’t decide what to get, click here to check out our GIFT GUIDE.

Also…I want to say thanks for those of you interacting with us on Facebook. Its been fun keeping up with our customers this way. I can’t believe that more than 50% of our Inner Circle members are our friends on Facebook!

This weekend we not only have a 2-Day storewide sale going on, but we also are asking you to come to the winery to enjoy our FREE Wine Tasting Event, where we hope you will test out our new wines for us! We’ve made 5 new wines that we need you to evaluate so that you can help us decide whether they stay on our list or not! Here’s more about the wines:

Afterglow Red (Mulled Wine)

I tried it the other night and All I have to say is mmmmmm…..  

Tasting Notes: Enjoy the inviting aromas and comforting taste of this rich, sweet red wine, which offers delightful notes of cloves, allspice, cinnamon, and orange peel on your palate.

Best warmed on a stove or in a crockpot over medium-low heat until steaming, this wine should be served hot alongside dried fruits, nuts, spiced breads or cookies. Take it up a notch by dropping in a few raisins and almonds, top it with whip cream and use a cinammon stick as a garnish to stir it with!

Berry Blush (Raspberry White Zinfandel)

Berry Blush (Raspberry White Zinfandel) – Fruity Wine Lovers…You’re going to love this wine!

TASTING NOTES: This easy drinking blush wine offers the succlent, mouth-watering flavors of sweet, ripe raspberries blended gracefully with fresh floral notes on the nose, ending with a soft finish.

Pairs well with sweet barbeque, Asian or lndian dishes, cheesecake w/ berries & more…

Cabernet Sauvignon II

Cabernet Sauvignon II – This is a different Cab Sav that we’re really wanting your opinion on because we’re considering replacing our current Cab Sav with it. Let us know what you think!

Here’s the Tasting Notes: This full bodied wine bears the tell-tale nose of spice, black currants and dark fruit. Rich in taste, it is packed with dark cherries, pepper spice and violets on the palate.

Pairs well with filet mignon, grilled steak, lamb chops, pasta with red sauce, and strong cheeses. This wine also makes a great match for dark chocolate.

Holiday Red (Raspberry Merlot)

Holiday Red (Raspberry Merlot) – You can see we’re trying to fit a Raspberry fruity wine in….we’ll have to see which you like best!

Reward your passion for intense, exotic flavors with this berry-colored red wine. The succulent flavors of ripe raspberries round out this rich, soft and supple wine. Serve slightly chilled.

Pairs well with sharp cheeses, tomato-based pizza and pasta, dark chocolate, and cheesecake with raspberry accents.

Serene White (Kiwi Melon Pinot Grigio)

 Serene White (Kiwi Melon Pinot Grigio) – The wine label featuring Lake George’s serene waters in July is perfect for this wine, because it takes you right back to summer and just begs you to relax as if you were in the sun!

TASTING NOTES: This light bodied white wine captures the mouth watering flavors of freshly cut honeydew melon and juicy watermelon. Perfectly balanced with tones of tart kiwi fruit, this wine has a deliciously fresh fruity finish.

Pair it with poultry, fish and shellfish, creamy desserts, fruit salad, or ice cream. Cheese pairings include Mild Cheddar, Provolone, and Light Swiss.

I HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A GREAT THANKSGIVING AND CHRISTMAS / HANUKKAH!

Sincerely,

Sasha

Adirondack Winery's Customer Appreciation Wine Tasting Event

Sorry it’s been so darn long since my last post, I have just been so busy lately and just a bit worn out from this summer and fall; which by the way, Thanks so much to all of you for making it another great season for us!

First, I want to remind everyone that WE ARE OPEN ALL YEAR ROUND – Click here to check our website for hours.

Hopefully, I’ll see some of you THIS WEEKEND at our first Wine Tasting Event of the off-season: Click here to see it on Facebook. When: Sat. Oct 24 11a – 6p AND Sun. Oct. 25 11a – 3p Where: Adirondack Winery, 285 Canada St., Lake George, NY (Located directly across from Shepard Park near the corner of Amherst Street).

Keeping your Adirondack Winery souvenir wine glass is paying off! Bring in one of the Adirondack Winery branded wine glasses you’ve kept around the house to enjoy a few wine tastings ON US! Never been to Adirondack Winery before or didn’t keep your souvenir wine glass? You can still get a FREE taste of our wine of the week, plus four more tastes of our wines for just a nominal fee! Only one past wine glass can be redeemed for one set of free tastings per repeat customer only.

Stonewall Kitchen fine foods, Grafton Village cheddar cheese & more out for sampling, too!

Serene White (Kiwi Melon Pinot Grigio)

First off is our newest fruity wine: Serene White, which is a Kiwi Melon Pinot Grigio. I think everyone is going to really love this wine, especially all the fans of our Strawsling.

Here are the tasting notes for this wine: “This light bodied white wine captures the mouth watering flavors of freshly cut honeydew melon and juicy watermelon. Perfectly balanced with tones of tart kiwi fruit, this easy drinking wine boasts a deliciously fresh fruity finish. Pairing suggestions fish or chicken,
mild cheeses, creamy desserts and ice cream.”

The photograph on the label was taken by my wife, Sasha, aboard the Lac du Saint Sacrament, and features the gorgeous blue hues of Lake George on a clear July day.

Afterglow Red (Mulled Wine)

Here are the tasting notes for Afterglow Red: “Enjoy the inviting aromas and comforting taste of our warm, spiced mulled wine on a cold day. This rich, sweet wine has delightful notes of cinnamon, cloves, allspice and orange peel. Best warmed on a stove over medium-low heat until steaming, this wine should be served hot alongside dried fruits, nuts, spiced breads or cookies. Take it up a notch by dropping in a few raisins and almonds, or give it more pizzazz with a splash of your favorite Port, Amaretto, Schnapps, or liqueur.” Mmmmmm…..:)

Later on, we’ll tell you more about some more limited release wines coming out between winter and spring…Raspberry Merlot…Raspberry White Zinfandel…Port…Cabernet Sauvignon… so keep your eye out!

I hope everyone has a great week and hopefully I will get more consistent with my posts now….

– Mike

This event allows Indiewinemakers to search for small production, hard to find wines. Use this LINK to get free wine alerts when we begin our promotions this fall.

Trinitas Cellars – 2007 Napa Valley White Meritage – Psalms
20% off plus shipping fees. $16 on Indie Winemakers only.

Accolades
87 Points “Tangy lemon-lime, spicy pear and quince notes are light and refreshing, with a mouthwatering juiciness. Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Drink now.” – Wine Spectator

About this wine
The 2007 Psalms is our first White Meritage offered on Indie Winemakers. The blend consists of 58% Sémillon and 42% Sauvignon Blanc; 52% of the blend was barrel fermented in new Trust Hungarian oak. This extremely tight grained oak adds a spicy high note that lifts the green apple aromatics from the Sémillon and the tropical fruit of the Sauvignon Blanc. This is an age worthy white that has a rich round mid-palate and crisp finish.

Food and wine
Pair with Papaya, Mango and Avacado Salad. See our Recipe Tab for preparation instructions.

On March 7, 2009, Legal Aid Foundation of Santa Barbara County will host its 5th annual “Taste for Justice” fundraiser at the Discovery Museum (705 S. McClelland Street) in Santa Maria. This event will features many local winieries who will pour, including Lucas & Lewellen, Cambria Wineries, Fess Parker Winery, & McKeon-Phillips Winery. There will also be a beer tasting featuring Telegraph Brewery and Santa Barbara Downtown Brewing Company. A chef’s competition will feature contributions by Allan Hancock College’s Culinary Arts students. And, of course there will be a live and silent auction to benefit Legal Aid. Ticket are $45 in advance, or $50 at the door. Mint Properties is sponsoring the event, and I am selling tickets. You can fax in your request for tickets, or give me a call at (805) 878-9879.

Tni LeBlanc, JD, M.A., e-PRO
Broker/Owner, Mint Properties
(805) 878-9879, tni@MintProp.com
www.iLoveSantaMaria.com
www.SellMySantaMariaHome.com
www.BuySantaMariaForeclosures.com
www.SantaMariaRealEstateSearch.com

*Based on the information from the Central Coast Regional MLS. Neither the Association, the Multiple Listing Service, or Mint Properties guarantees or is in any way responsible for its accuracy. Data maintained by the Association or its MLS may not reflect all real estate activity in the market.

Indie Winemakers attended a trade-only tasting event that featured wines from Salta to Patagonia, Argentina.  Participating Wineries:
Andeluna Cellars ~ Bodega Dante Robino ~ Bodega Fin del Mundo ~ Bodega Norton ~ Bodega Septima ~ Bodega Valentin Bianchi ~ Bodegas y Viñedos O.Fournier ~ Bodegas y Viñedos Pascual Toso ~ Clos de los Siete ~ De los Clop ~ Dominio del Plata ~ Don Cristobal ~ Don Miguel Gascon ~ Familia Schroeder – Patagonia ~ Familia Zuccardi ~ Filus Winery ~ Finca Decero ~ Finca El Origen ~ Finca Sophenia ~ Graffigna Wine ~ La Riojana ~ Lavaque ~ Luigi Bosca ~ Pulenta Estate ~ RPB ~ Tamari ~ Terrazas de los Andes ~ Trapiche.

Our tasting started by comparing the same varietal from different wine regions.  Argentina has 3 regions and many providences within these regions:
North Region:
Salta Providence
Catamarca Providence

Cuyo Region:
La Rioja Providence
San Juan Providence
Mendoza Providence

Patagonia Region:
Neuquen Providence
Rio Negro Providence
La Pampa Providence

Each region had unique climate, soil characteristics that influenced the varietals.  The lowest region, Patagonia, has longer days of sun and a greater variance in temperature from day to night.  The soil is based on fossilized bones.  Clean ice melt from the Andes provides the irrigation needed.  This resulted in grapes of concentrated flavors and high acid content.  Pinot Noir, Malbec and Sauvignon Blanc showed very well.

The Cuyo region includes the famous Mendoza Providence.  Probably the best known wine producing region in the South America.  Many of these vineyards lie in altitudes in excess of 3,000 ft elevation.  Softer tannins and great fruit concentration are characteristics of this region.  Malbec, Bonarda and Cabernet Sauvignon showed well here.

The Northern Region has the most elevation, one as high as 9,000 ft elevation!  Shorter days are compensated by the incredibly rich soil prevalent there.  Torrentes and Chardonnay showed well.

Featured Wine Of The Week – 2004 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon – York Mountain

10% off Retail and free shipping for Mailing List members. 20% off Case Price

$36/Btl – Order Here

About The Featured Wine

The 2004 Cabernet comes from the Acclaimed Carver Vineyard in York Mountain. This vineyard has been voted best cab in California at the 2005 state fair. With such a small production, this wine was not submitted for review. Only 100 Cases Produced.

York Mountain AVA (American Viticultural Area) vineyards are situated at an average of 1,500 feet and benefit from low-vigor soil, steep slopes, long sunshine hours and cool coastal breezes. A perfect growing climate for Cabernet Sauvignon.

Summary of Tasting Event

This 2004 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon was tasted on Oct 10, 2008 by a panel of 7 tasters in a blind tasting format. The winery suggests it be paired with Beef. Blue Cheese Crusted Beef Tenderloin is our suggested pairing for this wine. The recipie can be found on the website.

The tasting group’s most consistent remark was how this wine smoothed out with air time. We recommend opening this wine 1 hour before tasting. This full-bodied bottling has a beautiful, aromatic nose, an acid backbone, and a lush, velvety mouth-feel.

We noted classic Cabernet Sauvignon characteristics with concentrated flavors of black fruits and black pepper. There are subtle oak influences on this wine.

Featured Wine Of The Week – 2005 Clacareous Vineyards Syrah

10% off Retail and free shipping for Mailing List members.

• 2008 Double Gold, San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
• 2008 Double Gold, Central Coast Wine Competition
• 2008 Gold Medal, 94 pts., BTI World Wine Competition

 

About The Featured Wine

The 2005 Syrah was produced from Kiler Canyon Vineyard, a small single vineyard located on the Westside of Paso Robles. The vineyard is dedicated to Rhone varietals and is planted to specific clones of Syrah and Viognier.

Summary of Tasting Event

This 2005 Syrah was tasted on Oct 10, 2008 by a panel of 7 tasters in a blind tasting format. The winery suggests it be paired with BBQ meat or spicy meat. Carne Guisada con Papas (meat & potatoes) is our suggested pairing for this wine. The recipie is on the website.

This was the groups’ favorite wine of the evening. We were all impressed with the full-bodied nature of the wine. More importantly, the bigness did not impact the smoothness of this wine. Look out Hermitage, this has the makings of another “Bottle Shock” story.

We noted classic Syrah characteristics with concentrated flavors of black fruits, raspberry and black pepper. There are subtle oak influences on this wine. A long finish.

To read more, go to Indie Winemaker’s Website.

After a long summer hiatus, we are pleased to launch our first Indie Winemakers Featured Wine of the Week, the award winning 2001 Chateau Clarke Grand Vin de Bordeaux by Baron Edmond de Rothschild

This week’s featured wine received 89 – 93 Points from Robert Parker. It is also a Decanter magazine world wide award winner – Commended

About The Featured Wine: This 2001 Grand Vin de Bordeaux was tasted on September 26, 2008 by a panel of 10 tasters in a blind tasting format. We found this wine benefits from the great, forward fruits of France’s 2001 Merlot vintage. We found lots of dark fruits and vanilla oak flavors. The background is soft tannins and the foreground is all fruit. Good long finish – well structured. This wine has been cellared to perfection! Indie Winemakers has a small allocation of this extremely limited wine for sale this week only.

The winemakers says “Color: dense and dark. Aroma: very charming and open. We get a lot of fine ripe fruit on the first nose with blackcurrent, raspberry. The fruit is associated with a light spicy a smoky note (clove, and a subtle wood with mocha and vanilla). This 2001 shows a lot of elegance and complexity on the nose. Palate: very supple attack, followed by a full midpalate. The tannins are fine, dense and ripe, we notice a fantastic balance with a beautifull acidity which brings loads of fresh black fruits on the aftertaste. Cellaring: this wine will reach a good maturity level in 2008-2010 and will still be able to mature for an extra 6 years in a good cellar. “

To read more, go to Indie Winemaker’s Website.

Our first stop…. The beautiful Mount Bullion Vineyard to taste the lovely wines made by Harold and Kris Casto. We stocked up on the famous breads by JJ. Her kalamata olive bread and blueberry pastry is my families favorite!

Next stop…. Bison Creek Ranch to see the buffalo, a real log cabin, an old mine, enjoy photos by Charles Phillips and eat our first buffalo meat!

Third stop…. Chappell Vineyard to taste wines in the underground cellar of wine makers Doug and Kathy Chappell. My daughter Alexandria even experienced her first grape stomping!

Our last stop of the day…. The peaceful Mountian Meadow Farms lovingly nurtured by Brenda Ostrom. It was a slow relaxing evening with my family of farm touring, tomato tasting, scrumptious appetizers, happy music, wine, a tasty organic dinner harvested from the farm and a delicious pumpkin dessert to end the perfect day!

Sit back and enjoy the show….. then visit www.mariposaagtour.com for details on how to spend a day in the country next spring and meet this wonderful community!

!!!

Come experience “Weekend in the Country” and celebrate this counties huge range of landscapes and rich history in the foothill countryside of Mariposa. This community has put together a week-end tour of incredible guided walks, talks and workshops in 12 different locations exploring family farms, ranches, artists and wineries!

It gets better … Saturday evening enjoy music, tomato tasting, appetizers and a fresh local dinner under the stars at Mountian Meadow Farms, a good reason to mark your calender and make the trip up the hill!

Visit their great website www.mariposaagtour.com for more information on tickets, times & places!

This 2006 zinfandel from Dry Creek offers ripe raspberry and sweet vanilla aromas. Mouth-filling flavors of plum and spice are complemented by smooth tannins. The structure and well balanced nature of this wine gives great pleasure today and in years to come.

To read more, go to Indie Winemaker’s Website.

This 2005 Paso Robles Ensemble from Écluse was tasted on March 22, 2008 by a panel of 5 tasters in a blind tasting format and paired with Skirt Steak with Chimichurri.

A blend of four of the five Bordeaux grapes, this luxuriant and seductive red is stuffed with fruit, but has the depth and structure to age superbly. All tasters noted how the wine came together nicely in the finish.

We noted a slight dark fruit aroma on the nose. The flavor profile leaned to the fruity side with cherries and plumb noted. The texture is smooth and very approachable now – the fruit is focused and substancial without being overpowering.

The winery suggested we pair Skirt Steak with Chimichurri sauce with this Bordeaux blend. The wine was smooth and well rounded enough to balance the Chimichurri sauce of the skirt steak. This food pairing works especially well in a pot luck BBQ party setting.

To read more, go to Indie Winemaker’s Website.

This 2003, Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from Ackerman Family Vineyards was tasted on March 22, 2008 by a panel of 5 tasters in a blind tasting format and paired with Barbequed Lamb Chops.

The results from this tasting were consistent with the intent of the winery. The wine was balanced and refined, more Bordeaux-like in structure, body and complexity. The fruit flavor comes through much like a Heitz or Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon does.

We noted a very slight earthy aroma on the nose. The flavor profile leaned to the earthy, dusty side with blackberries and dried lavender noted. The texture was so smooth we found ourselves using the word “creamy” a lot – the fruit is more focused and substantial without being overpowering.

The winery suggested we pair BBQ Lamb Chops with this Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine was smooth and well rounded enough to enhance the rich taste of lamb chops. This food pairing works well in a formal dinner party setting.

To read more, go to Indie Winemaker’s Website.

This 2004 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from Bourassa Vineyards was tasted on March 22, 2008 by a panel of 5 tasters in a blind tasting format and paired with Harmoniously Braised Short Ribs.

This wine was built for the cellar but can be enjoyed now. We noticed a bit of alcohol on the initial sniff out of the bottle. But, that rounded out to aromas of dark berries after a few minutes in the glass. There was a lot of sweet fruit in the mouth. Strawberry, raspberry and cherry jam was noted. On the mid-pallet, the wine felt rich, lush and smooth. We were all amazed at the amount of fresh fruit flavor that came from this wine. This wine spent almost 3 years in the barrels giving the fruit lots of time to blend and mellow.

The winery sent us their braised short-ribs recipe to pair with this Cab and their Harmony Bordeaux blend. This Cabernet Sauvignon was built for food. It’s a well-balanced wine with smooth tannins and enough acid to really enhance the short-ribs. You can’t go wrong with this pairing for a dinner party.

To read more, go to Indie Winemaker’s Website.

KIAMIE KUVÉE was tasted on April 8, 2008 by a panel of 8 tasters in a blind tasting format and paired with Boeuf Bourguignon.

Rich and juicy blackberry, plum and black cherry flavors with an integrated band of Oak. It has medium-soft tannins and a good long finish that never loses it tannin-acid balance. Fantastic now, it should continue to develop for at least 5 years.

The winery suggested we pair Boeuf Bourguignon with this red blend. The wine was smooth and well rounded enough to balance the Boeuf Bourguignon. This food pairing works especially well in an informal party setting.

To read more, go to Indie Winemaker’s Website.

This week, HotCosts is offering a Napa Valley artisan wine produced by Tofanelli Family Vineyards. This old vine (planted in 1929) Zinfandel vineyard has been managed by the Tofanelli’s for 3 generations. HotCosts has obtained a very small allocation for this weeks’ featured wine. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

The grapes are dry-farmed, pesticide-free and no trellis systems are used. Then, once in the fermentation tanks, only natural, wild yeast is used to extract the maximum amount of natural fruit flavor. The result of this hand-crafted effort is a powerfully built old vine zin. The initial taste is packed with pepper and rich black cherry fruit with some notes of cassis. We found the wine to have a good structure of acid and fruit tannin on the finish.

After 10 minutes in the glass we noticed a significant difference in the texture of the wine. We tasted the same pepper and dark berry flavors, but the wine took on a silkier, smoother texture in the mouth. We recommend an hour decanting period followed by short time in the glass to get the maximum taste and texture out of this wine. This wine can be cellared for 2-5 years.

To read more, go to Indie Winemaker’s Website.

This wine was tasted on May 3, 2008 by a panel of 8 tasters in a blind tasting format and paired with Grilled Buffalo Steak.

Dark ruby; medium body but complex with blackberry, cherry and pepper aromas; sweet currant, cherry and fig flavors are concentrated and reach all areas of the palate. The wine is nicely balanced with a long finish. Delicious wine in a lighter style that lets fruit dominate the aromas and flavors and keeps the oak in a supporting role.

The winery suggests to pair this wine with Rack of Lamb or Lamb Chops. We paired it with BBQ Buffalo Steak. The Trio Meritage took on a supporting role to balance the Buffalo. All tasters commented how the wine really “mellowed” with the Bufallo flavor. This is a wine made for food. We held this food pairing in an informal BBQ setting.

To read more, go to Indie Winemaker’s Website.

Russian River Passport is an annual event showcasing the wineries, vineyards and exceptional beauty of Russian River Valley . There are over 150 wineries and 300 growers in the Russian River Valley , producing a variety of world class wines to please any wine lover.  Indie Winemakers’ staff attended to search for new, small-lot artesian wineries and to catch-up with some of the better known brands to see what’s been cookin at their estates.

Wineries up and down Russian River Valley, many of whom are not open to the public showcase their wine at this event.   Each winery offers special foods they select to complement their wines.  Some locations had live entertainment as well.
Arista Winery - paired Pinot Noir and grilled local lamb skewers with summer vegetables.
De La Montanya Winery & Vineyard - BBQ with live music with 2007 Pinot Noir right from the barrel. Also, a Reserve Pinot Noir Bar with 6, 2006 single vineyard Pinot Noirs.
De Loach Vineyards – the entire line of fine Russian River Wines, along with Laura Chenel’s Chevre, Fresh Goats Milk Log, a lovely cheese with both Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, Bellwhether Farms Carmody, a great match with Pinot Noir, and Joe Matos Cheese Factory “St. George” Portuguese style white Cheddar Cheese, delicious with both Pinot Noir and Zinfandel, Vella Pepper Jack, and an Oregon Cabot, and artisan breads from Cousteaux bakery.
C. Donatiello Winery - Pinot Noir and Acoustic Blues. Wines were paired with food samples from Duskie Estes and John Stewart of Zazu restaurant. Barrel tastings of the 2007 vintage of Russian River Pinot Noir as well as 2007 Christie Vineyard Chardonnay.
Harvest Moon Estate & Winery - stuffed mushrooms, mango prawns, BBQ grilled tri-tip, and live music along with barrel tastings of 2007 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir & 2007 Pitts Home Ranch Estate Zinfandel.
Matrix Winery - local breads and products of Sonoma County along with vintage Bordeaux Blends, Pinot and Chardonnay.
Moshin Vineyard - grilled to order Pinot pairings with the Bar-Bie.
Pellegrini/Olivet Lane Vineyard – gourmet food and wine pairings featuring local artisan cheeses, charcuterie and special pasta.
Russian Hill Estate Winery - Spanish paella cooked in the open air with fresh ingredients foraged from the sea. Paired with Pinot Noir and Patio Pink, our Rose of Pinot noir.
Russian River Vineyards — many wineries set-up camp at Russian River Vineyards in forestville for a Santa Maria style BBQ. Additional wineries included: Aubin Cellars, Dovetail Winery, David Noyes Winery, Kasuari, T.R. Elliott, Macrae Family Winery, Martin Ray Winery, Mietz Cellars and Olson Ogden.
Suncé Winery & Vineyard - Pulled Pork over homemade rolls and/or Beef Brisket and other fixin’s. Served with all their wines.
Windsor Oaks Vineyards & Winery - 10 of their winery partners poured their Windsor Oaks Bottlings at their promontory point overlooking their 720 acre ranch. Truffled mushroom soup and fire-roasted pork, and artisan chocolate tibits. Additional wineries included: Amphora Winery, Anthill Farms Winery, Dovetail Winery, Deerfield Ranch Winery, Eric/Kent Wine Cellars, jcole Wines, Kokomo Winery, Russian Hill Estate Winery and Terremoto Cellars.

This was the Fourth Annual Rhone Rangers Tasting event in Los Angeles. Rhone-style wines are defined as a wine consisting of 75% of one or more of the twenty two Rhone grapes varieties approved in the Cotes-du-Rhone.  On Wednesday, June 4, 2008, forty-three Rhone Rangers member wineries were in Los Angeles for trade and consumer tastings at Raleigh Studios, in Hollywood, CA.  Indie Winemakers’  staff attended, searching for the next generation of winemakers emerging from cellars all across the United States.

The Rhone Rangers, is a leading non-profit organization dedicated to promoting American Rhone varietal wines. American Rhone-style wines are made from the same grapes that have flourished for centuries in France’s Rhone River Valley, and their growing popularity in the United States speaks to their versatility with food, wide range of rich flavors, and to the skills of American winemakers.

The annual Santa Barbara County Vintners’ Festival featured the wines of 100+ members of the Association.  The weather was in the mid 50’s and felt more like the 40’s with the wind.  The festival as well laid out and we didn’t find any lines to try the wines.  In large events like these, you typically don’t run into the winemakers.  At this event, all seemed to be in attendance. 

Interaction with the winemakers gave Indie Winemakers’ staff the opportunity to learn more about the different AVA’s and microclimates found within Santa Barbara County.  For example, Lompoc (pronounced Lom Poke) also known as the Santa Rita Hills AVA has a cool costal climate and many of the Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays and Syrahs come from here.  Just 15 minutes in land, you will find Solvang, Los Olivos and Santa Ynez AVAs suited to Rhone Varietals.  This area is hotter and drier.

We had an interesting conversation with a winemaker on rootstock and vine clones.  You may have seen this information in winemakers’ technical data on a wine you have purchased.  A rootstock is a plant (usually just the stump) that has established a root system to nourish the vine clone being grafted.  Growers choose the rootstock based on the varietal, soil and climate.  Most Cabs for example use a drought resistant rootstock. Vine clones are numbered or named after someone.  These clones can produce an amazing variety of flavors for the same grape varietal.  For example, consider the number and type of apples we have available.  All are apples but each type provides a very different taste.  This is the same with grapes.

There were many wineries in attendance and too large to name them all.  Below is a list of the smaller produces we visited and merit further review:
Au Bon Climat  - A winery known for their Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
Beckmen Vineyards –  Santa Ynez mountains, great Rhone varietals.  Check out the Mountain Grenache.
Blackjack Ranch Vineyards and Winery - Featured on Sideways, this winery is kicking out some great Chardonnay.  They are also know for the highly regarded Harmmonie but were obviously not pouring it at the event.
Carina Cellars - Known for their Syrah but heard the Iconclast (not tasted) which is a Cab Syrah blend is a must try.
Epiphany Cellars - Produces single vineyard wines to accentuate the terroir’s influence to the varietal.  Great Syrah’s along with lots of awards for the Rhone blend called Revelation.
Firestone Vineyards - Met with winemaker Kevin Willenborg at the event.  Tried the lesser know varietals that they produce; Chardonnay and Syrah.  Both were excellent!
Gainey Vineyard - Great Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noirs poured at the event.
Melville – Another Santa Rita Hills winery known for great Pinot Noirs.
Ovene Winery - This winery sources grapes through out Santa Barbara County.  They had a really nice Viogner and Chardonnay for the event.
Paige 23 Wines - Unique wines that are produced with food in mind.  Trying to enhance, not overpower the food, these wines had focused fruit flavors.  The Syrah had a small amount of Viogner added for acid balance.  Keep an eye out for this wine.
Presidio Vineyards and Winery - Certified organic and biodynamic vineyards, this produces makes small lot wines suited to the micro climates they grow in.  Loved the estated Syrah from the cool climate of the Santa Rita hills.
 Stolpman Vineyards - Also known as a source for great grapes for other premier winemakers, Stolpman keeps a few tons for their own label.  The Estate Syrah has all the classic components of pepper and spice along with a very balance dark berry fruit flavor.  Would love to try the Hilltop Syrah some day.

Wine, food, blues, sea and sun. These elements create a unique wine tasting experience at every California Wine Festival. A sunny seaside setting, hundreds of California’s best red and white wines, live blues music complemented by dozens of top chefs and specialty food purveyors serving gourmet appetizers, fresh cut fruits, grilled meats, artisan breads and cheeses and much more.  The event was great even though temps hit the high 80’s.  We visited the following wineries:
Calcerous Vineyards  Where the soil rules.  Loved Twisted Sister Bordeaux blend.
Edward Sellers Every winemaker in Paso raves about this guy.  “I like my wines, but he makes the wines I drink” said one winemaker.  They are focused on unique Rhone-style wines from Paso Robles.
Hahn Estates - Fantastic Pinot Noir from Monterrey.
Harvest Moon - Russian River Zin masters.  All excellent wines.  Found the Late Harvest Zin and stayed for an hour!
EOS - They were pouring an incredible Petite Syrah.  Look for it.
Howell Mountain Estates - Fine, balanced cab from Napa Valley’s premiere AVA.
IO Wines - Poured a fantastic Santa Barbara Rhone Blend.
Ironstone Vineyards - Nice reserve wines.
Tara Bella -  We found a great Cabernet from Sonoma, really rivals the great ones from Napa.

Indie Winemakers attended the Santa Lucia Highlands Trade tasting event Monday, April 7. 

Not being a big Pinot Noir & Chardonnay drinker, I had lots to learn on this trip.  I’ve heard of the influences this region has had on the great Bergundian grape but had not had an opportunity to taste them.  First, I must say how friendly and straight-forward the winemakers are here.  I met several who were probably suprised that I had not heard of them, but were very gracious and took the time to explain their passion of this region.  It was obvious that they were in it for the passion of winemaking and the SLH AVA.

I am now on every ones waiting list and joined as many wine clubs as I could possibly afford.  YeHaw.

Many well known vintners and brands from outside the Santa Lucia Highlands rely on the appellation’s grapes for their top vintages. The prevalent varietals grown here are Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with some Syrah.  Many of the wineries below poured wine sourced from grapes grown at Garys’ Vineyard, Rosella’s Vineyard and Sleepy Hollow’ Vineyard.  Considered to the be the premiere vineyards of the region, each winemaker had their own presentation of the fruit.  Rather than try and give a review of each winery’s final product, we have given a general observation about the differences between these vineyards.

Gary’s Vineyard from SLH.  Gary’s aroma was full of dark berries.  There was a lot of sweet fruit in the mouth. Strawberry, raspberry and cherry jam was noted. On the mid-pallet, the wine felt rich, lush and smooth.

Rosella’s Vineyard from SLH.   Rosella’s was a bit brighter in taste.  Rather than dark berries, I noted more cherry on the nose and palate. On the mid-pallet, the wine felt rich, lush and smooth.

Sleepy Hollow’ Vineyard - from SLH.  These grapes were planted in 1973 making them the oldest Pinot Noir vines in North America.  The result is intense fruit aromas of plum and spice. On the palate, we tasted cherry and blackberry with smokey undertones.  The minerality of these grapes created a very smooth and long finish.  

The following are wineries we were able to attended at this event.  We missed many more. Here are our notes:

Boekenoogen - Family owned vineyard that until recently, was only selling grapes to other wineries.   Tried the 06 Chardonnay $30 retail, 350 cases produced.  Light yellow-green; complex, attractive butter and mineral aromas show lees, malolactic fermentation and oak; mineral deep flavors; soft mouthfeel, medium to full body with richness; balanced. Pleasing, complex style; very nice wine
Belle Glos – Belle Glos showcases distinctive single-vineyard Pinot Noirs produced from some of California’s top wine-growing regions.  Met with winemaker Joseph Wagner at this event.  Great guy with a real passion for winemaking.  He spoke in length about the Gambit Series “Gary’s Vineyard” Pinot Noir. Produced without adding sulpher, these are fragile wines!  But the result is a wine with depth, complexity and texture.  This had lots of ripe fruit and spicy aromas. In the mouth its full bodied, very soft and supple with great balance. Those aromas expand and explode in wave after wave of intensity as you breathe out through your nose.  Get it if you can find it…..

Bernardus - Met with winemaker Dean Dekorth.  Cool guy with a sense of humor to go with the serious side of winemaking.  Tried the 05 Rosella’s Vineyard Chardonnay.  500 cases produced $40 retail.  This wine is showing really nice right now.  Straw yellow. Toasted oak and muted tropical notes of pineapple and guava. Full bodied with excellent flavor on the palate. Impressive balance, not overly fat or buttery, with crisp acidity.

Cru - Met with winemaker Michael Leven and bonded over leaving the corporate world to start somthing we love and the importance of food and wine pairing.  Great guy who puts a capital A in artesian winemaking.  Cru is focused on site-designated Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs from Monterey County.  Tried the 06 Chardonnay Vigne De Monte Nero Vineyard 200 cases produced retails for $29.99.  This wine has bright fruit flavors and acidity.  A beautiful harmony of fruit and oak provide the main theme, followed by a lingering, well-rounded finish. I was thinking how great a cold dungeness crab salad would taste with it. 

Kosta Browne - Met with winemaker Michale Brown.  History – the guy starts out in the restaurant business, decides to become a sommelier, then determines that he should start making wine.  So, he goes over to a great winery run by Robert Rex called Deerfield Ranch and becomes assistant winemaker.  In 2001,  2 days after 9/11 he and his partners put together a prospectus to raise money for a new winery, and succeed!  Today, they sell their Pinot Noir and a little Syrah on a mailing list allocation that reaches a 10 year waiting list.  Tried the 06 Rosella’s and Gary’s Vineyard from SLH.  Folks, get on the mailing list and wait your turn to get these well crafted wines.
Loring - This winery is focused on Pinot Noir.  They produce single vineyard designated wines from 14 vineyards.  As mony other wineries pouring here today, they focus on sourcing Pinot Noir grapes from the best vineyards in each appelation known for Pinot Noir. They poured the Gary’s and Rosella’s Vineyard 06 Pinot Noir. This is a winery worth trying. I can’t wait to try their complete production.

Paraiso - This winery was pouring Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah.  Most of their Vineyard Designates wines are produced in small lots totaling less than 300 cases each. I especially liked the Eagles Perch Chardonnay which showed great balance with rich white burgundian flavors.  Their West Terrace Pinot Noir was my favorite of the wine I tasted at this winery.  This had lots of dark fruit and spicy aromas. In the mouth its full bodied, very soft and smooth with great balance.

Pisoni - The family that introduced the “Pisoni Clone” Pinot Noir to the region also makes a few barrels for those on their mailing list.  Tried both the Gary’s Vineyard and Estate Pinot Noir.  Both showed long-term aging potential with a tight core but open fruit flavors.

Robert Talbott - Just my luck – arrived at the table closest to the entrance last!  Went clockwise and they were last on the clockwise tour.  There was very little left to taste – but I did get to try the Talbott Chardonnay – Sleepy Hollow vineyard.  Made in the Bergundian style, it was creamy , rich with mineral notes.
Six Strings - As the name implys, the winemakers are both guitarists who share a passion for making excellent wines in small lots that are inspired by great music.  Their motto: “Less Masking – More Tasting.” Keeping with the non-invasive winemaking techniques, both the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir were nicely balanced – Mozart anyone?

Let me be the first to warn you that my knowledge of wine is basic and is primarily influenced by an article on Chateau Mouton-Rothschild. As an Actor by trade I made sure to just stand back and observe the customs involved in wine tasting at a trade event.

The event itself was pretty stunning. Wines were displayed like museum pieces while in the center there was a table consisting of various breads, cheeses, and meats. I was free to taste and ponder to my hearts content. 

I was shocked, and at first repulsed to learn of the customs involved in a professional tasting. I envisioned myself quite the expert at twirling the wine in the glass, sniffing it, then sipping it, I was surprised to see everyone “spit” the nectar out! The images evoked while watching someone spit the wine into a silver “spittoon”, were reminiscent of those marble fountains of Puti and Eros. Or at least that is what I had to train my mind to accept it as. The shock quickly subsided as I proved myself to be quite a natural. While I knew nothing of tannins, sulfates, and fruit forward wine, I certainly was a professional when it came time to expunge the wine from my mouth. 

The tasting crowd ranged from restaurant entrepreneurs, wine educators and wine buyers. It was rather enjoyable to observe that everyone had their own personal nuances and traditions when it came to wine tasting. Time seamed to fly by as 10:30 became 3:00 in a matter of minutes. By the end of the event, I found I had made several new friends and business leads. The white table-cloths were no longer crisp and white, a sure sign that it was time to leave. Sluggishly I pulled myself together a crawled the three blocks home.