Reviews of wines and spirits for the curious drinker.
Sanford Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
Sanford, the first winery in Santa Barbara wine country, was established when the Sanford & Benedict vineyard was planted in 1971. Botanist Michael Benedict and his friend Richard Sanford were committed to finding a cool-climate location with just enough heat accumulation to ripen, but not over ripen, wine grapes. A place where they could plant and grow grapes and craft wines, where they hoped the quality might equal the best of Europe.
Dry Creek Vineyard
Dry Creek Vineyard was the first winery established in the Dry Creek Valley after Prohibition. It was founded in 1972 by David Stare, who came with an early vision to plant Sauvignon Blanc. Before his arrival, the valley was little more than a few family farms and prune orchards, but Stare was determined to start a winery inspired by those in the Loire Valley, which led to a viticultural reawakening in northern Sonoma County.
Stare soon began taking winemaking classes at UC Davis. On the weekends, he looked for vineyard land and finally discovered an old prune orchard and began planting vines. Although Sauvignon Blanc beckoned to him, several vineyard specialists advised him against planting it. “They told me Sauvignon Blanc would never grow in the Dry Creek Valley, but I knew I had to stick to what I knew was right. I was going to plant this varietal come hell or high water.” It turned out to be one of his best decisions. Over the last 40 years, the winery has also developed an international reputation for its Fumé Blanc, Dry Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Zinfandel, and Bordeaux varietals.
During his long career, Stare has logged many firsts. For instance, he initiated the Dry Creek Valley appellation in 1983 and was the first to label a wine with it. He was the first to release a wine using the descriptor ‘Meritage’ (1985 vintage) on the label to classify his Bordeaux-style blend.
Dry Creek is committed to a healthy and diverse ecosystem for all plants, insects, and animal life, which in turn creates a better place for grapes, with the goal of producing high-quality wines. The winery has 185 acres of vineyards within Dry Creek Valley and Russian River Valley that are 100% Certified Sustainable. While employing many sustainable practices in the vineyard, top priorities include: growing cover crops to rebuild depleted soil; composting to reduce the need for synthetic fertilizers and improve the quality of the soil; beekeeping to enhance the eco-system of the vineyard; encouraging birds of prey to adopt the vineyards to control rodent populations; and improving the local fish and creek habitat for a healthy ecosystem.
This estate wine was partially whole-cluster pressed, and 90 percent was barrel fermented in French oak, one-quarter new. About half of the wine underwent malolactic. It starts with aromas of baked apple and apricot, cut by minerals and citrus oil. The palate features poached pear, meyer lemon and pineapple, with good balance between fruit, barrel oak, and acid.
This smooth and easy-sipping red is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, with small amounts of Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, and Malbec. There are hints of bell pepper and sweet fruit on the nose. The palate showcases black currant, blackberry, and cranberry. The full body is fruit forward, with juicy chewy tannins and a peppery finish. The mouth feel is even and full with no harshness.
Here’s a look at Dry Creek Vineyard Fumé Blanc and Merlot:
winervana.com/dry-creek-vineyard/
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Chateau Montelena
In 1976, an Englishman who owned a wine shop in Paris hit upon the idea of holding a blind tasting pitting ten of France’s and California’s best producers against one another. He enlisted nine French wine experts as judges; the French wines included the 1970 Haut-Brion, the 1970 Mouton Rothschild, and the 1973 Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet Les Pucelles.
The famous tasting has come to be known as The Judgement of Paris. No one expected the upstart Yanks to really put up a fight against the French heavyweights. However, when the votes were tallied, the judges were shocked to discover they had awarded the top prize for the red to the 1973 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, and top prize for the white to Chateau Montelena Chardonnay, both from Napa Valley. It was the shock heard ‘round the world, and legitimized California as a world-class wine-making region.
Chateau Montelena has seen three cycles of family stewardship. The winery was founded in 1882 by Alfred L. Tubbs, a European immigrant and entrepreneur. The original property was 254 acres of rugged, stony, and loose land just two miles north of Calistoga at the base of Mount Saint Helena. (Montelena is a contracted form of Mount Saint Helena.) By 1896 Tubbs’ winery was the seventh largest in the Napa Valley.
The Tubbs family sold the winery in 1958 to Yort and Jeanie Frank, who were looking for a peaceful spot to retire. The setting inspired Frank to excavate a lake and add landscaping to reflect the Chinese gardens of his homeland.
The modern renaissance of Chateau Montelena started under the leadership of Jim Barrett, who purchased the winery in 1972. The vineyard was cleared and replanted, and the chateau was renovated and outfitted with modern winemaking equipment, complemented by the highest-quality grapes from the Napa Valley. Shortly thereafter, Chateau Montelena stunned the wine world with its win at the 1976 Paris Tasting.
This wine is brilliantly clear with a golden-straw color. The nose suggests pineapple and stone fruit. On the palate, there are flavors of fresh orange zest and ginger which segues into a long and spicy finish. The wine was aged for 10 months in 100% French oak.
Serve this legendary wine with whitefish with filbert and lemon sauce, chicken Marsala, or duck with mustard and leeks.
Dark ruby in color, this wine offers rich, complex aromas of fresh raspberries, strawberry jam, vanilla and black pepper. In the mouth, this wine makes a full soft round entry, after which the acid builds nicely, supporting the dominant flavor of dark stone fruit. Plenty of fine-grain tannin completes the mouthfeel, followed by a tremendous long finish.
Pair this Cabernet with beef in wine on skewers, grilled pork New Orleans, or leg of lamb in balsamic vinegar.
For a review of two earlier vintages of these wines, see:
winervana.com/chateau-montelena-cabernet-sauvignon-and-chardonnay/
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Bonterra Vineyards has been a pioneer in organic farming in California. The vines were planted in 1987, and the first wines were released in 1992, long before organic products were widely available in America. Bonterra believes that organic grapes produce the purest expressions of the varietals and land on which they are farmed.
Bonterra’s three estates (Blue Heron, McNab, and Butler) are certified Biodynamic® by Demeter, a not-for-profit with the mission of enabling successful farming in accordance with Biodynamic practices and principles. These are simply to create and oversee a living organism which is self-contained, self-sustaining, and follows the cycles of nature. Biodynamic farming harkens back to how farms functioned centuries ago. It is a holistic view of agriculture with a high awareness of the interconnectivity among earth, plants, animals, humans, and even the moon.
There are nine Demeter-certified preparations made from herbs, minerals, and manures. These are applied to the soil and vineyards in very small doses to enhance soil fertility with increased micro-organism development and photosynthetic activity.
Yarrow, chamomile, stinging nettle, oak bark, dandelion, and valerian each play a role in strengthening, and in some cases remedying, weaknesses in the vineyards. Teas and tinctures are made from fresh or dried plants, and are sprayed to increase active regeneration on the farm.
In addition, animal “partners” play an essential role in the ecosystem. The vineyards provide chemical-free sanctuaries for bees, supported by native plants which bloom throughout the seasons. Chickens roam the rows, eating weeds and insects that can harm the vines. Their scratching and pecking aerate the soil and provide additional nutrients to the vines. December through March, around 2,000 sheep snack on the cover crops and weeds as they “landscape” the vineyards, adding beneficial fertilizer to the soil as they graze.
This wine opens with a hint of crème brulee, followed by aromas of pineapple and citrusy lemon. The palate features flavors of green apples, pears, and citrus, supported by a clean minerality. The wine underwent malolactic fermentation in previously-used or neutral oak in order for its fresh fruit characteristics to shine through. New oak was used for just 16% of the wine to provide a vanilla note.
Enjoy this best-buy wine with seared swordfish with avocado relish and roasted broccoli, or crunchy pecan chicken with lemon ginger sauce.
This red is very much in the European style, with relatively subtle flavors of cherries and currants. Those are present on the nose as, well, with the addition of a bit of toasted oak. The wine finishes with astringent tannins and a lingering finish.
Serve this up with grilled chicken on rosemary skewers, lamb chops with juniper berry marinade, or sirloin tips Quasimodo.
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I Took a Trip Down toThere is a theory among some historians that America was discovered by Europeans decades, or even centuries, before Christopher Columbus by a little-known explorer named Henry Sinclair, who may have been a member of the Knights Templar. In Templar symbology ‘Merika’ is a western star toward which their ships would sail, or mounted knights would ride. It is suggested that the name La Merika (The Star) is what led to the naming of the continent America, rather than after Amerigo Vespucci, an Italian explorer who is credited with describing the New World.
The theory is based on old graveyards in Nova Scotia containing grave stones which incorporate Templar devices such as Crusader Crosses and other Masonic symbols. Although there is no surviving evidence, Sinclair may have traveled to Greenland, and perhaps as far south as present-day Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Coincidentally, the sails of Columbus’ ships were emblazoned with the Templar Cross, which was then an emblem of Spain.
La Merika the wine is part of the extensive Delicato Family Vineyards portfolio. Family-owned and operated since the company’s founding in 1924, the third generation of the Indelicato family now control properties throughout California, but they are especially interested in the Central Coast.
I am a big fan of the Central Coast AVA, a huge viticultural area encompassing vineyards from Los Angeles to San Francisco. A wide variety of wines are produced there, and many of them are high quality and of exceptional value.
The Central Coast has one of the longest growing seasons in the world, and is influenced by proximity to the Pacific. Warm sunny days are tempered by cool, afternoon ocean breezes. The extended growing season allows for full fruit development, and, because ripening occurs at an easy pace, rich, full flavors balanced with bright acidity can emerge.
This wine pours nearly colorless, and then follows with aromas of citrus, honey, and green apple on the nose. Although it saw some oak, that’s barely in evidence. There are plenty of flavors of lemon/lime and grapefruit. The wine features a medium body, augmented by zippy acidity, recessive tannins, and a crisp finish. Nothing buttery or over-oaked here.
Consider matching this up with Grilled Bacon-Wrapped Trout with Green Onion Sauce, Southern Pan-Fried Chicken, or Salmon Croquettes.
This Cab shows a classic inky purple in the glass. The nose features ripe plum and brown spices. On the palate, there are flavors of blackberry and black cherry plus some dark chocolate or cocoa. The tannins rather than fruit are forward here. It ends with a medium-long finish. To get the full effect, plan on letting this breathe for an hour or so. This wine spent five months in French and American oak.
This big wine can stand up to robust foods like Country Captain with Crispy Thin Onion Rings, Baked Pork Chops with Cranberries, or Garlic Braised Shoulder Lamb Chops with Butter Beans and Tomatoes.
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Mike Ditka Wine
Sports fan or not, you perhaps have heard of Mike Ditka, immortalized as Da Coach in the “Bill Swerski’s Chicago Superfans” sketches that were a staple of the 1991 – ‘92 season of Saturday Night Live. After a career as a Hall-of-Fame NFL player, and a Super Bowl Champion coach, Ditka went on to become a restaurateur (four locations), ESPN commentator, cigar purveyor, and celebrity spokesman.
Lockwood Vineyard
Lockwood was founded in 1989 by Paul Toeppen, Phil Johnson, and Butch Lindley as a single, contiguous, 1,850-acre vineyard (one of the largest premium estate vineyards in the world) located in southern Monterey County, not far from Monterey Bay. Lockwood exclusively produces “estate” wines. This means that all of their wines come from grapes grown in their own vineyards, and are then fermented, matured, and bottled at the winery on-site.
Nestled at the base of the Santa Lucia mountains, the vineyard soil consists of “shaly loam,” a well-drained, calcareous “chalk-rock” found in only two small areas of Central California. Because the soil has a low nutrient and mineral content, the vines must work hard for survival. In the hands of a skilled winemaker, this struggle of the vines can result in some of the best and most interesting wines.
Such a winemaker is Thane Knutson, who was born and raised on the plains of Oklahoma. He took a degree in International Business from the University of Oklahoma, while he made wine in his dorm room closet and worked in the cellar of a local winery in Slaughterville, Oklahoma.
After college, Knutson moved out to Napa Valley and interned at Cakebread Cellars. He then spent two years at Hess Collection Winery as the laboratory technician before joining Raymond Vineyards just two weeks before current Lockwood Vineyard owner Jean-Charles Boisset made his entrance. At Boisset Collection, Knutson was promoted from Laboratory Technician, to Enologist, and finally to Lockwood Winemaker.
Knutson’s experience with Hess and Raymond inspired his passion for cool weather varietals and innovative winemaking.
Sideways notwithstanding, this wine shows that a well-made Merlot can be flavorful and satisfying. This one opens with aromas of strawberry, raspberry and cherry. It features plenty of concentrated fruit supported by touches of mint, spice, pepper, and soft tannins. It is deep purple in color and has a moderately long finish.
Pair with not-too-spicy pork or poultry dishes.
Looks can be deceiving; although very pale in the glass, this wine greets you with aromas of green apple, citrus, and mineral notes. It is extremely well balanced on the palate, with flavors of honeysuckle and passion fruit. That hint of initial sweetness quickly yields to a firm acidity and a restrained French oak backbone.
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Amapola Creek Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay
After a legendary career of over 45 years toiling in the vineyards of Sonoma County, Richard Arrowood opened his final winery, Amapola Creek, in 2005. Amapola is Spanish for “poppy,” and the creek that bears the name runs through the estate. When in bloom, the golden poppies line the creek and offer a lovely sight with the vineyards and mountains in the background.
Between the MountainsIf you’re looking for good value in wine, head for the Chilean section of your local wine shop.
Winemaking was established in Chile in the mid-sixteenth century by Spanish missionaries, and for 300 years wine production was based on the Pais grape they carried. In 1851, French wine experts arrived, and with them the more familiar European grape varieties. And now, even with over 400 years of experience, and free of the twin scourges of Prohibition and phylloxera, Chile has yet to attain its full potential.
This promise continues to attract winemakers from around the world. One of the French concerns is the Marnier Lapostolle family, founders and owners of the famous orange liqueur Grand Marnier, as well as other spirits. Lapostolle was established in 1994, with the goal of creating top-quality wines using French expertise and the unique terroirs of Chile.
The home of this wine is the Atalayas vineyard in the Casablanca Valley, in the Coastal Cordillera, 47 miles west of Santiago. Atalayas was originally planted in 1997, and enjoys cool coastal winds and a low annual rainfall. 100% of Atalayas vineyard is under organic and biodynamic agriculture management.
This is the rare white that will benefit from thirty minutes or so of ‘breathing’ before pouring. While you’re waiting, admire its bright lemon-yellow color and nose of citrus and melon. This wine suggests grapefruit on the palate, which is supported by its zippy acidity. There is oak, but it is well integrated and in a secondary role. Look for a hint of crème brûlée on the finish. Fermentation was on 68% new and used French oak, as well as 32% stainless steel. 20% of the total underwent a further malolactic fermentation.
This wine would go nicely with Braised Snapper and Mussels, Shrimp in a Picante Sauce, or Chicken à la Chinita.
The horseshoe-shaped Apalta vineyard is located 124 miles southwest of Santiago, 42 miles away from the Pacific Ocean, between the Andes mountain range and the Coastal Cordillera. The first vines in Apalta were planted in 1920, and some of these were transplants that had originally been brought from France at the end of the 19th century. Apalta is also 100% under organic and biodynamic management.
“Song of Apalta” is a Bordeaux-style red blend that was born from the relationship between Carmenère, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah. All fermentations were made with wild yeasts and minimal intervention on the part of the winemaking team.
Here’s a food-friendly wine that is also good for quaffing. It is rich garnet in the glass, with delicate legs. The nose shows spice and eucalyptus, as well as black and red fruits. The body is light in the mouth, with flavors of ripe red berries and figs. These are backed up by medium tannins and a surprising amount of acidity. The wine has a medium-length finish.
Serve with Roast Beef in a Black Pepper Crust, Leg of Lamb with Pistachios, or Lemon Veal Chops.
www.colchaguavalley.cl/en/2012/07/lapostolle-presenta-canto-de-apalta/
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The Luke Donald Wine Collection is the result of a collaboration between professional golfer Donald and Bill Terlato, head of the behemoth wine distribution operation, Terlato Wines International.
Chateau Montelena
Steven Spurrier is an Englishman who once owned a wine shop in Paris that catered to the English-speaking expatriate community. In 1976, in order to drum up interest in his business, he hit upon the idea of holding a blind tasting pitting ten of France’s and California’s best producers against one another. He was able to enlist nine esteemed French wine experts as judges, among them Odette Kahn, editor of the influential Revue du Vin de France; and Christian Vannequé, sommelier of the three-star Parisian restaurant La Tour d’Argent. The French wines included the 1970 Haut-Brion, the 1970 Mouton Rothschild, and the 1973 Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet Les Pucelles.
The famous tasting, held May 24, 1976, at Paris’ InterContinental Hotel, has come to be known as The Judgement of Paris. Neither Spurrier, a Francophile to the core, nor anyone else expected the upstart Yanks to really put up a fight against the French heavyweights. However, when the votes were tallied, the judges were shocked to discover they had awarded the top prize for the red to the 1973 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, and top prize for the white to Chateau Montelena Chardonnay, both from Napa Valley. It was the shock heard ‘round the world, and legitimized California as a world-class wine-making region.
George M. Taber, the Time magazine correspondent present at the time, details the event in Judgment of Paris: California vs. France and the Historic 1976 Paris Tasting That Revolutionized Wine. The story was also dramatized in the 2008 film Bottle Shock.
Thirty years later, in May of 2006, as a celebration of the original Judgement, the same wines were retasted to gauge their aging potential. The French were confident that here the weak Californians would stumble. Instead, mon dieu, they placed first through fifth. Boo Ya!
Chateau Montelena has seen three cycles of family stewardship. The first began in 1882 when the winery was founded by Alfred L. Tubbs, a European immigrant and San Fransciso entrepreneur. The original property was 254 acres of rugged, well drained, stony, and loose land just two miles north of Calistoga at the base of Mount Saint Helena. (Montelena is a contracted form of Mount Saint Helena.) By 1896 Tubbs’ winery was the seventh largest in the Napa Valley.
The Tubbs family sold the winery in 1958, at which time the Chateau and its overgrown grounds passed into the hands of Yort and Jeanie Frank, who were looking for a peaceful spot to retire. The setting inspired Frank to excavate a lake and add landscaping to reflect the Chinese gardens of his homeland.
The modern renaissance of Chateau Montelena started under the leadership of Jim Barrett, who purchased the winery in 1972. The vineyard was cleared and replanted, and the winery was renovated and outfitted with modern winemaking equipment, complemented by the highest-quality grapes from the Napa Valley. In 1972 wines were made for the first time, and shortly thereafter Chateau Montelena stunned the wine world with its win at the 1976 Paris Tasting. The winery continues today with Jim Barrett at the helm.
This Chardonnay started by being harvested at night in order to preserve delicate flavors and aromas. The wine is brilliantly clear with a golden-straw color. The nose suggests pear and tropical passion fruit. On the palate, there are flavors of juicy peach, citrus notes of pink grapefruit, honey tangerine, and starfruit, conveyed by an appealing softness. The mid-palate features an understated, nutty, oak tone which segues into an interesting long and spicy finish. The wine was aged for 10 months in 100% French barrels, 11% of which were new.
Serve this legendary wine with Morroccan Lemon Chicken, Sea Bass with Gingered Broth, Risotto with Scallops, or, if your dinner guests are French, Crow.
Although famous for their Chardonnay, Montelena makes a number of reds as well, including this Cabernet Sauvignon. The blend is 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Franc.
Dark ruby in color, this wine offers rich, complex aromas of ripe dark cherry, plum, cinnamon, and tobacco, with top notes of earth and forest floor. In the mouth, this wine makes a full soft round entry, after which the acid builds nicely, supporting the dominant flavor of black currant, plus licorice and spice. Plenty of fine-grain tannin completes the mouthfeel. Nice notes of toasted oak round out the tremendous long finish. This is a very well-balanced wine that will age for ten to twelve years, if you have the patience.
Pair this Cabernet with Tenderloin of Beef with Blue Cheese, Cider-Braised Pork Medallions, or Broiled Lamb Chops.
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Charles Krug Winery
After stints as a teacher, political activist, newspaper editor, U.S. Treasury employee, and inventor, in 1861 the restless German immigrant Charles Krug established the very first commercial winery in Napa Valley.
Krug was not only a pioneer, but was innovative and inspirational as well. He became the major local winery figure of his era. He introduced the cider press for winemaking (no more foot stomping!), and carefully selected rootstocks, varietals, and vineyards, a novel approach to winemaking at the time.
Upon Krug’s death in 1892, James Moffitt became proprietor of the winery, and succeeded in keeping it open during the dark days of Prohibition. In 1943, Robert Mondavi persuaded his parents, Cesare and Rosa, to purchase the winery from Moffitt for $75,000. Robert Mondavi developed his wine career there, until he founded his own winery in 1966 and went on to become one of the greatest legends in all of California’s wine industry.
Cesare rejuvinated the winery, and reestablished it as one of Napa’s premier producers. Following Cesare’s death in 1959, Rosa ran the winery until 1976 when it was inherited by Peter Mondavi, Sr.
Innovation continued under Peter, who introduced vintage dating, cold fermentation, cold filtration, and fermentation in small French oak barrels. He was active in the affairs of the winery nearly up until his death in 2016 at the age of 101. The operation continues under the guidance of his sons Mark and Peter Jr.
The color of this 100% chardonnay in the glass is bright yellow with a hint of green. The nose features aromas of tropical fruit, particularly lime, and fermenting bread dough. On the palate, the citrus and peach flavors are balanced with a lively acidity. There is a surprisingly creamy mouthfeel, complemented by a lingering finish. Fermentation was 70% stainless steel and 30% barrel, so the oak is present but not overbearing.
Please your guests and yourself by serving this wine with Chicken ala Kiev, Sea Bass Stuffed with Crabmeat, or Scallops Sauteed in Garlic Butter.
This cabernet sauvignon favors elegance and finesse over power. The dark purple color is more transparent than inky. Black cherry dominates the nose. The taste displays the same dark fruit, abetted with cocoa and hints of tobacco and vanilla. The supple tannins help to support a relatively long finish. The blend includes 84% cabernet sauvignon, 10% merlot, 4% petit verdot, and 2% cabernet franc. Fermentation was for 20 months in French and American oak.
Enjoy this wine with Steak Diane, Ragout of Lamb, Herb-stuffed Pork Chops with Wine Sauce, or just with some honest bread and artisanal cheeses.
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Hook and Ladder Winery
Looking toward his eventual retirement, in 1970 San Francisco firefighter Cecil De Loach bought 24 acres of old-vine Zinfandel in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County. For six years De Loach worked the acreage part time, selling grapes to other producers, as neophyte winemakers often do. In 1976 De Loach released his first wine, 1,000 cases of a vintage 1975 Zinfandel, and in so doing became one of the first Russian River wineries.
After a 16-year career, De Loach retired from the San Francisco Fire Department in 1982. But this allowed him to work the winery full time, and over the next two decades he grew production to 250,000 cases annually. Not only was he one of Sonoma county’s wine pioneers, during this time he was also extremely active as a promoter and advocate of Sonoma wines.
Unhappily, De Loach ran into financial difficulties in the late 1990s, and filed for bankruptcy in 2003. (The De Loach label continues, however, having been purchased by the Boisset family of Burgundy, France.)
He could have called it quits at that point, but De Loach postponed his retirement yet again. In 2004 he founded Hook & Ladder Winery, the name an obvious nod to his first career as a firefighter, having been a tillerman steering the rear wheels of a hook and ladder fire truck. (He was forced to leave his eponymous label behind because a non-compete agreement prevents his own name from ever again appearing on a wine bottle, a testament to his stature in the Sonoma wine industry.)
Still in the Russian River Valley today, De Loach now works 375 acres in the cool climate there, with his wife, son, grandson, and granddaughter all employed at Hook & Ladder.
A single-vineyard blend of 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Cabernet Franc, 18% Merlot, and 17% Sangiovese. Plenty of ripe fruits, with a supporting cast of cassis, spice, cedar, and leather. A somewhat short finish. After decanting for an hour, serve with pork satay and peanut dipping sauce, or prime rib paired with madeira sauce.
This wine is a very light yellow-green, pale almost to the point of being colorless. Fermented in a combination of stainless steel and seasoned French oak barrels to retain its crisp acidity. The tart citrus flavors are balanced with just a hint of oak from the not-new barrels. (Oaky, buttery chardonnays are on the wane, I for one am sorry to report.) This chard features bright but delicate aromas of just-ripe apple, pear, and mango. Good now, but should be more appealing in warmer weather. Would contrast nicely with richer seafood such as truffled lobster risotto or rosemary-roasted salmon.
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Although wine production started in New Zealand as early as 1819, that nation of beer drinkers didn’t really start to get serious about it until the mid 1960s, time-wise much like California. Real success didn’t come until the early ‘80s, however, with the varietal New Zealand has become famous for, sauvignon blanc. The first release to get wide attention was the 1979 from Montana Wines (New Zealand’s biggest wine maker) and an even more compelling product followed from Cloudy Bay Vineyards in 1985, finally putting “the land of the long white cloud” on the world’s wine-making map.
In 1876 the Ngaruroro River in the Hawkes Bay region severely flooded and changed course, leaving behind a large new tract of gravelly soil. At first, the plan was to turn this infertile ‘wasteland’ into a quarry. Before that project got underway, however, local winemakers claimed the land as their own and began planting vines.
Terry Peabody and Steve Smith established Craggy Range in Hawkes Bay in 1997, recognizing the area’s potential to deliver first-rate wines. Their goal was to make single-vineyard wines – wines that are true expressions of the vineyard’s terroir.
Peabody handles the ‘front office’ at Craggy Range, while Smith is the senior winemaker and certified Master of Wine. Decanter magazine and Wine and Spirits magazine have named him as one of the fifty most influential people in the world of wine.
Kidnappers Vineyard is located on the Hawkes Bay coastline at Te Awanga where the climate is warm and sunny and the soil is predominantly clay loam.
This wine introduces itself with a very pale straw color and lemony nose. The citrus notes continue on the palate, abetted by tastes of mineral and oyster shell. The finish suggests clove and grapefruit.
This wine would pair well with Grilled Scallops with Raspberry-Thyme Beurre Blanc, Lemon-Basil Basated Shrimp, and Mixed Grill of Summer Vegetables.
Te Kahu means The Cloak in the native Maori language. Legend has it that the mists rolling down the valley are the cloak of a beautiful maiden laying at the feet of her lover, the fallen giant Te Mafa.
This lean, restrained wine is a classic Bordeaux blend of 58% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Malbec, and is very much in the European style. The bouquet offers notes of dark plum, blueberry, cedar, and a hint of oak. The palate adds elements of earth and dusty cocoa powder supported by moderate tannins. The finish is relatively short.
Let this wine breathe for at least two hours, then serve with Paprika Chicken or Braised Lamb Shanks with White Beans.
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Pedroncelli Winery
Pedroncelli was founded in 1927 in Geyerserville, California, during the middle of Prohibition, and began by selling grapes to local home winemakers. After Repeal in 1933, Pedroncelli began to make their own wines in a winery that had been sidelined as a barn.
In 1949, John Pedroncelli Jr., son of the founder, made and released the label’s first Zinfandel, using fruit from vines still being harvested today, the so-called Mother Clone. The first Cabernet Sauvignon appeared in 1966.
In the late ‘70s, Pedroncelli transitioned out of the jug wines they had been making and began to focus on mainstream varietals, and the ‘80s saw the beginning of an extensive vineyard replanting effort.
Nearly 100 years later, Pedroncelli continues to be owned and operated by the founding family.
This straightforward Zinfandel is a clear ruby red in the glass. The taste is quite dry, even astringent, with a hint of dust. The pepper note often characteristic of Zin is present but not dominant, and is balanced by aromas of boysenberry and blackberry. The finish is moderately short. After decanting for at least an hour, pair this with just about anything from the grill.
Made from 100% Chardonnay, this wine much more resembles a Sauvignon Blanc. It has plenty of citrus tartness, balanced by undertones of melon and pear. If you’re not a fan of wood, although 30% of the wine was aged in oak it’s almost not detectable.
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