Concannon Vineyard
The Concannon Vineyard story began in 1865 when James Concannon, then an 18-year-old boy, courageously set sail from the rocky coast of Ireland’s Aran Islands to seek opportunity in America.
Concannon Vineyard
Benziger Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir
Benziger Winery
In the early 1980s, the Benziger family (not to be confused with Beringer, although they often are) migrated west from White Plains, N.Y., and started a winery on Sonoma Mountain. Winemaker Joe Benziger learned his craft by making large production wines for the Glen Ellen brand, but eventually decided that his future lay with a series of small, artisan wines, sustainably produced.
Depending on location, every Benziger vineyard is certified sustainable, organic, or Biodynamic, using the most up-to-date green farming practices. But, just what does that mean? Green, sustainable, and organic are words that are often used rather casually. At Benziger, they try to be more precise.
Their third-party certified-sustainable vineyard program emphasizes environmentally-sound growing methods, such as biodiversity, soil revitalization, and integrated pest management. Their growers are required to participate in sustainable farming.
Organic grape growing avoids the use of synthetic chemicals and uses natural methods like crop rotation, tillage, and natural composts to maintain soil health, as well as natural methods to control weeds, insects, and other pests. The winery itself is certified organic, too. Organic is an evolutionary step up from sustainable. After that, many Benziger growers move on from certified organic to certified Biodynamic.
Animals and beneficial gardens play an important part in Biodynamic farming techniques. Benziger relies on sheep for the removal of overgrown cover crop, and they replace the need for mowing, disking, and spraying herbicides; they aerate the soil while continuously depositing nutrient-rich fertilizer throughout the vineyard.
Olive trees also support the health of the estate. Olives often grow well in the same climates and soils as wine grapes, and Benziger has been offering an Estate Biodynamic Olive Oil for a number of years.
Benziger North Coast Sauvignon Blanc 2014
This very pale-yellow sipper is made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc grapes harvested from the North Coast appellation of Sonoma County. It opens with hints of melon on the nose. There is a subtle sweetness in the taste, suggesting peaches. The acidity comes on reminiscent of Key lime. It ends with a bit of bubbly on the finish.
Pair this easy-going wine with tabbouleh, braised swordfish in white wine, or grilled shrimp in a Catalan almond sauce.
Benziger Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2014
This selection looks more like cherry Kool-Aid than wine, but it’s wine, for sure. The understated nose features raspberry and sweet earth. The taste is cherry, alright, but this time of the tart variety. There is a medium finish with restrained tannins.
This easy-to-drink Pinot would go nicely with steam-poached salmon, Spanish chicken with sweet peppers, or Andalusian braised lamb shanks with honey.
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BACA Wines
The eponymous Kathryn Hall Wines are known for their Cabernet Sauvignons. A second label, WALT Wines, specializes in Pinot Noir and Chardonnday. In 2016, Ms. Hall’s daughter, Jennifer Brown, launched a third winery for the family named BACA Wines. Latin for ‘berry,’ BACA’s focus is on California Zinfandel. According to Brown, “When we set out to create the BACA brand, we had one mission in mind: to produce luxury Zinfandels that are nuanced, honest, current, and fun. We saw a gap in the market with the Zinfandel varietal, so we decided to craft a luxury Zin brand aimed at the curious and the adventuresome – while focusing on quality.”
Grace Lane Wines
Grace Lane Wines
These selections are sourced from a family-owned winery in Mattawa, Washington, nestled in a bend of the Columbia river and 152 miles southwest of Seattle. The family had been farming in the area since the mid-1950s, and believed that the region’s moderate temperatures, low rainfall, and sandy soils would be ideal for wine grapes, and planted their first grapevines in the area in 1997.
Nino Franco Winery
Nino Franco Winery
I very much enjoy sparkling wine, and I encourage you to do the same. There are plenty of reasonably priced bubblies available, so there is no need to save them for a special occasion (although that works too).
Gnarly Head Winery
Hey, man, check out this gnarly wine. Gnarly Head wine, actually.
Starting from San Francisco, go about 100 miles east and a bit north and you’ll reach Lodi, California, home of Gnarly Head Winery.
Rabble Wine
Rabble Wine Company
If you are looking for affordable, approachable, easy-drinking wines, I suggest you seek out those from Paso Robles. This large but lesser-known appellation was established in 1983 (a mere toddler in wine years), and is located around the town of Paso Robles in the northern part of California’s San Luis Obispo County. Most of the growing area is classified as Region III, equivalent to France’s Rhône region. At last count, there were over 18,000 acres under vine.
Byron Wines
Byron Wines
Designated in 1981, the Santa Maria Valley AVA is located in the northernmost part of Santa Barbara County, just east of Santa Maria city. The east–west orientation of the wide, open valley means cool winds and fog flow in freely from the Pacific Ocean, settling most noticeably in lower-lying areas. This cool maritime influence lengthens the growing season (among the longest in the world), and contributes to the eventual sugar/acid balance in Santa Maria Valley’s wines.
Jack’s House Wines
Jack’s House Wines
Jack Nicklaus needs no introduction, of course. The Golden Bear is the winner of 18 major golf championships, a golf course designer, a tournament manager, a golf equipment manufacturer, a product endorser, an author, and a philanthropist.
Federalist Wines
The Federalist Wines
The Federalist, later known as The Federalist Papers, is a series of tracts written in support of the ratification of our nascent nation’s Constitution. The Federalists believed in strong national government, supported modernization, manufacturing, and industrial development, and the use of a tariff to fund the Treasury. (That’s the IRS, folks.) They supported a national Bank of the United States, and funding national and state debts incurred during the Revolutionary War. In foreign affairs the Federalists opposed the French Revolution, and sought a strong army and navy. Noted Federalists were: Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay, George Washington, and John Adams, the only Federalist president of the U.S.
The Federalist wines are produced by the somewhat mysterious 2Sons Winery, which is owned and managed by the Terlato Family wine empire. The vineyards and winery were founded in 1981. Three friends, John Grace, Mark Rafanelli, and Philip Staley (so why isn’t the winery named 3Sons? See? Mystery.), joined forces and purchased the site that was formerly the Alderbrook Estate. In 2000 the Terlatos were asked to develop a long-range plan to produce world-class wines and market 2Sons throughout the U. S. The Terlatos later purchased a majority share, and invested in both vineyard sources and winery to provide the winemaking team with the best grapes and equipment available. This has helped position the winery to produce single vineyard and estate wines with an on-going focus on Zinfandel.
The Federalist Chardonnay 2011
This golden Chardonnay hails from the Russian River Valley AVA’s northern end near Healdsburg, approximately 80 miles north of San Francisco. Things start out with aromas of lemon and green apple. The lemon continues on the palate, with the addition of lime and pear. All of this means a bracing acidity, of course. The oak is certainly present, adding to a round, rich mouth feel, as is just a hint of sweetness. The nicely long finish features hints of cinnamon and bitter almond.
Separate Chardonnay blocks were barrel fermented in 30% new oak and aged in barrel for nine months. 2500 cases were produced.
This food-friendly wine calls for an Artichoke and Leek Frittata, Dungeness Crab Risotto with Lemon and Parsley, or Steamed Mussels with Saffron Aioli.
The Federalist ‘1776’ Lodi Zinfandel 2013
We now travel from 80 miles north of San Francisco to 80 miles east, to the vineyards near Lodi, which produce about 18% of California’s wine grapes, more than Sonoma and Napa combined. The area is particularly hospitable to Zinfandel, a uniquely American grape, and this wine is no exception.
The nose reveals red fruits: cherry with a bit of plum. This dark-purple wine features flavors of blackberry, plum, and cinnamon. It also includes Zinfandel’s characteristic pepperiness, which some winemakers are moving away from.
Enjoy this Zin with Bruschetta with Cherry Tomatoes, Wine Braised Short Ribs with Balsamic Glaze, or Grilled Rib-eye Steaks with Roasted Garlic Butter.
federalistwines.com/american-craft-wine
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Wyoming Whiskey
Wyoming Whiskey
Small batch whiskey, we have been told, is a welcome trend. The Mead family first came to Wyoming in 1890 as ranchers. While subsequent generations have endeavored in law, politics, and extreme skiing, Sam Mead is leading the fifth generation toward renown as a premier whiskey producer. Wyoming Whiskey products include four varieties. Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey is a traditional bourbon whiskey that is dark amber in color and smooth to the taste buds. Flavors that can be detected include brown baking spices, vanilla crème, caramel, and cinnamon.
By Spirits Contributor Neal Kotlarek
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Trapiche Broquel
Trapiche Broquel Winery
Come with us now to Argentina, famous for the tango, Che Guevara, gauchos, and, increasingly, wine. Like 85 percent of Argentina’s quality producers, Trapiche is located in Mendoza in the north-central part of the country near the eastern foothills of the Andes.
Cuervo Reserva de la Familia Tequila
Cuervo Reserva de la Familia is the world’s first extra-añejo tequila. It is drawn from the Cuervo® family’s private reserve collection of tequilas, relying on a family recipe handed down over ten generations. Each bottle is numbered, dated, and sealed in wax. All by hand. The tequila is made using only the flavorful inner portion of hand-selected blue agave plants harvested at peak maturity after seven to twelve years of growing in the field. After distillation, it is aged in French and American oak barrels for a minimum of two years, although the final blend includes tequila from reserves as old as 30 years.
Definitely not for shots or margaritas, Reserva de la Familia is best served in a snifter, allowing for full appreciation of its flavors and aromas of rich oak, toasted almonds, vanilla, and cinnamon. There is a long and velvety finish. At about $170 per 750ml bottle, this is a rare treat for most of us, but worth it if you can swing it. Cuervo commissions a different well-known Mexican artist each year to design the wooden presentation box Reserva de la Familia comes in, so the current offering won’t match this photograph.
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Cuvaison Winery
Cuvaison Winery
Established in 1969, Cuvaison (French for maceration, the period of time grape juice spends in contact with the skins and seeds) is an estate vineyard and winery that produces primarily Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, both grown exclusively in the Carneros AVA on the northern end of both Sonoma and Napa. When the winery was founded, the Carneros region was little known for grape growing, and much of the acreage was pastureland. But, the area’s cool bay breezes and frequent fog are ideal for wine, and it is now home to thirty-one wineries and an equal number of growers.
Migration Wines
Migration Sonoma Chardonnay and Sonoma Pinot Noir
Duckhorn Portfolio is the umbrella corporation of an expanding wine mini-empire. First came the flagship Duckhorn Vineyards, established in 1976 by Dan and Margaret Duckhorn to pioneer and feature premium Napa Merlot. (Duckhorn has a “second growth” label named Decoy, as well.) Next came Paraduxx in 1994, specializing in Zinfandel-based blends. This was followed by Goldeneye, which began making Pinot Noir in 1996.