Tag: Cabernet Sauvignon

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Concannon Vineyard

Concannon VineyardConcannon 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.

Even at such an early age, Concannon recognized that the terroir of the Livermore Valley in California’s central coast region was strikingly similar to the premier vineyards of Bordeaux. So, in 1883 he established Concannon Vineyard with a selection of high-quality vines which he imported directly from Bordeaux, including from renowned Château Margaux and Château d’Yquem.

Concannon worked closely with early California viticulture leaders Charles and Clarence Wetmore to determine if California could be a successful winegrowing region. Their efforts paid off at the 1889 International Paris Exposition when the Livermore Valley became the first American Wine Region to win international gold medal awards, including the Grand Prix.

Captain Joe Concannon (son of James) kept Concannon Vineyard continuously operating throughout the scourge of Prohibition by making and selling sacramental wine. This prevented the destruction of the winery’s 1893 Château Margaux Cabernet Sauvignon root stock and other historic Bordeaux vines.

In the early 1930s, Captain Joe became one of the first in the world to bottle Cabernet Sauvignon as a single varietal wine. During the 1950s, he hired one of the first formally-trained female winemakers, Katherine Vajda, to serve as Concannon’s lead winemaker.

In 1965, grandson Jim collaborated with UC Davis in selecting cuttings from one of Concannon’s Margaux ancient vines. These dynamic, high-quality cuttings became known as Concannon Cabernet Clones 7, 8, and 11. Today, an estimated 80% of California’s Cabernet Sauvignon is planted with Concannon Clones.

In 2008, John Concannon took over the leadership from his father as fourth-generation vintner. In 2009, Concannon Vineyard was one of the first wineries in California to become Certified Sustainable. During this time the estate winery also completed a 10-year revitalization project.

Concannon Chardonnay 2016

The nose of this wine features aromas of honeysuckle and grapefruit. It’s pale yellow color doesn’t prepare you for the unctuous, creamy mouthfeel. The grapefruit repeats on the palate, as well as lemon custard.
Serve this voluptuous and slightly sweet Chardonnay with lemon halibut almondine, salmon à la king, or raisin-turkey surprise.

Concannon Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

An excellent value, this Cabernet is rich garnet in the glass. It greets you with hints of leather and floral notes. Then come flavors of big dark fruit, red plum, and vanilla, supported by balanced acidity and bracing tannins. It ends with a nice long finish.

Try this Cab with Parisian ragout, broiled lamb chops, or veal parmigiano.

concannonvineyard.com/

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Grace Lane Wines

Grace Lane WinesGrace Lane wines are sourced from a family-owned winery in Mattawa, Washington, population 4,467, 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.

But winemaking in Washington has a much longer history, of course. It began in 1872, when a winery on Stretch Island crushed a native American grape called Island Belle. After a brief flourishing, the scourge of Prohibition and even some of the state’s own tariff laws crippled the industry until the mid-1960s. However, the state now boasts over 200 wineries, and is well on its way to regaining its place on the wine map. Indeed, it is second only to California in American wine production.

The Columbia Valley is the largest wine-growing region in the state. It is a designated AVA [American Viticultural Area], and includes 1,152,000 acres in south-central Washington, and part of northern Oregon as well. Only about 29,000 acres are under cultivation, but that is enough to include 99 percent of Washington’s vineyards. Within the very large Columbia Valley AVA, subdistricts of Yakima Valley, Red Mountain, Walla Walla, and Puget Sound are also recognized.

To the west, the Cascade Mountain range protects the area from the cool weather coming in from the Pacific Ocean, making the Columbia Valley the warmest growing area in the Pacific Northwest. Unlike the western half of Washington, it also has the drier climate that quality winemaking requires. Because of the varying temperatures throughout the region, different grape varieties do well in its various locations, although white wines dominate.

Grace Lane Riesling 2013

If you like your wine sweet and easy, this could be the one for you. It shows light straw yellow in the glass. Next come the aromas of green apple and white peach. The flavor profile (officially “medium sweet” on the International Riesling Foundation’s sweetness scale) is soft and delicate, with suggestions of those same tree fruits and hints of spice box. The acidity is relatively low.

Enjoy this wine with Balsamic Glazed Salmon, Crab Cakes with Honey-Yogurt Salsa, or Sole with Grapes and Champagne.

Grace Lane Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

With a color of dark garnet, this Cab begins with aromas of fresh-baked brioche and ripe plum. The flavors of dark fruit, prune, and black tea are fairly assertive at first, but soon settle down into a nicely balanced whole. Perhaps predictably, this wine is definitely different (in a good way) if you are used to California Cabs.

Pair this up with Smoked Salmon and Wild Rice Cakes with Paprika and Green Onion Aioli, Pork with Apples and Cider Cream Sauce, or Potato and Morel Mushroom Manicotti.

Update February 2021: recent research indicates Grace Lane is no longer in business.

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Rabble Wine Company

Rabble Red Blend 2015 and Rabble Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
Rabble Red Blend 2015 and Rabble Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 Click here for tasting notes.

Rabble Wine

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.

Rabble Wine Company encompasses four labels: Rabble, Stasis, Amor Fati, and Tooth & Nail. Rabble’s estate winery and visitor center is regarded as one of the region’s leading destinations, featuring a somewhat kitschy castle-like building that includes an expansive tasting room.

Rabble was founded by Rob and Nancy Murray in 2011. In addition to becoming a vintner, Rob has been a grower and vineyard owner for over 20 years. He continues to own and manage properties from Paso Robles to Santa Maria, with his own brands utilizing roughly five percent of the grapes he farms. He’s obviously doing something right, as Rabble is one of Paso Robles’ fastest-growing labels.

Speaking of labels, I’m almost always more interested in what’s in a wine bottle than what’s on it. However, the iconoclastic labels for Rabble and its sister brands have attracted a lot of attention in the wine press. The Rabble labels are renditions of historical woodblock prints from the Nuremberg Chronicle, dating to the late 1400s. They have been faithfully reproduced, including a full-embossing rarely seen in this context. The images depict nature’s wrath, as a reminder to work in concert with her at all times.

Rabble Red Blend 2015

This disorderly mob member hails from Mossfire Ranch, about three miles southwest of Paso Robles. A mix of 90% merlot and 10% syrah, it greets you with its bright red-purple color and aromas of red cherry and cocoa on the nose, with just a hint of anise. The rich cherry continues on the palate, adding red berries and delicate spice notes. The flavors, lively acidity and firm but sweet tannins are remarkably balanced. An excellent value. The label illustrates the Apocalyptic Comet falling upon Florence with the Unicorn and Phoenix.

Try this wine with cranberry-cheddar brats with bell peppers, New Mexican rubbed pork tenderloin, or grilled chicken with Fresno chile/plum sauce.

Rabble Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

Another Mossfire offering, on first approach currant, cocoa, and a hint of tobacco drift from the glass. Again, the taste of cherries, but this time of the tart variety, supported by vanilla, dried sage, blueberry, and cassis. These are complemented by woody notes from the French oak, which also supplies lively and supple tannins and a nice long finish. And the label? Mount Vesuvius Erupting over Pompeii.

Enjoy this wine with venison and black bean chili with toasted cumin crema, pan-roasted chicken with blackberry-ancho sauce, or red chile and honey-glazed salmon.

www.rabblewine.com/

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Jack’s House Wines

Jack’s House WinesJack’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.

Jack and Barbara Nicklaus founded the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation in 2004, which provides valuable programs and services to more than 4,000 hospitalized children and their families, free of charge, through Child Life programs, the Pediatric Oncology Support Team, and the Safe Kids program.

Collaborating with pediatric hospitals across the country, the Foundation has grown to support innovative programs focused on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of a host of childhood illnesses.

Expanding on that mission, the Nicklaus’s have partnered with the Terlato family, producer of Jack Nicklaus Wines, to create the Jack’s House Foundation. In addition to lending support to the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation, the Jack’s House Foundation also helps fund Judi’s House, a Denver-area organization devoted solely to supporting grieving children and their families, and the Sepsis Alliance, helping to save lives by raising awareness of sepsis as a medical emergency.

“When Barbara and I started the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation, we wanted to help provide world-class medical care to those who need it,” Jack Nicklaus said. “This newest partnership with Terlato Wines helps us expand that vision, reaching even more people, with great wines for a great cause.” Ten percent of the net sales from every bottle purchased is donated to the Jack’s House Foundation.

Both of this month’s wines are made by the somewhat mysterious 2Sons Winery of Sonoma, 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.

Jack’s House Chardonnay 2014

This is a golden-hued, easy-drinking summer sipper. Made of 100% chardonnay, the wine was aged sur lie, which is to say, ‘on the lees,’ a common practice for chardonnay. Lees is the coarse sediment (mainly dead yeast cells and small grape particles) that accumulate during fermentation and aging, which in this case was entirely in stainless steel.

The wine has a delicate nose, is very dry, and features suggestions of green apple, peach, and lime pith on the tongue. The finish is quite short.

This would pair nicely with Salmon Pâté, Rolled Sole Fillets in Vermouth Sauce, or Spaghetti with Mussels, Sicilian Style.

Jack’s House Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

This ruby-colored wine is more transparent than most Cabernet Sauvignons. The nose reveals typical aromas of dark stone fruits, while the flavors are tart cherry, plum, cocoa, and a hint of coffee. The tannins and acid are there, but well-integrated and balanced. After fermentation, the wine was aged for 21 months in 50% new French oak barrels.

Enjoy this vino with Chicken Gumbo, Beef Rolls Stuffed with Pork and Dill Pickles, or Lamb Chops with Four Garlic Sauces.

www.jackshousefoundation.org/our-wines

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Black Stallion Cabernet Sauvignon

Black Stallion Cabernet Sauvignon 2013
Black Stallion Cabernet Sauvignon 2013. Click here for tasting notes.

Black Stallion Cabernet Sauvignon

In 1894, Gaspare Indelicato was born in the small village of Campobello di Mazara in the province of Trapani, Sicily. In 1911, at the tender age of 16, he emigrated by himself to the United States through Ellis Island, New York, as many European immigrants of the time did.

Eventually, Gaspare found his way to Manteca, California, about 75 miles east of San Francisco, in the agriculturally-rich San Joaquin Valley, where the climate reminded him of his homeland. There he met and married his wife Caterina Luppino. In 1924, Gaspare and his brother-in-law Sebastiano made a bold decision to purchase a 68-acre dilapidated dairy farm, planted grapes, and shipped them by train to home winemakers in Chicago and and the Northeast during Prohibition. (Although technically illegal under the Volstead Act that delineated Prohibition, home winemaking was very rarely prosecuted, since the law was vague about it, and the government had its hands full dealing with bootleggers and organized crime surrounding alcohol.)

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HALL Wines

Hall WinesKathryn Walt Hall has a most impressive curriculum vitae. To touch on just a few of the high points, she is the proprietor of HALL Wines and WALT Wines [family businesses she has been involved with for over thirty years], was assistant city attorney in Berkeley, California, worked as an attorney and businesswoman in Dallas, Texas, and has served on numerous non-profit and institutional boards, with an emphasis on issues related to social care and mental health. From 1997 to July 2001, Ms. Hall served as the United States Ambassador to Austria. In the midst of this, together with her husband Craig she has raised four children.

HALL wines hail from five estate vineyards: Sacrashe (Rutherford), Bergfeld (St. Helena), Hardester (Napa Valley), Atlas Peak Estate, (Atlas Peak), and T Bar T Ranch (Alexander Valley). From these 500 acres come classic Bordeaux varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc. In each vineyard, small-vine farming is employed to produce low-yield, high-concentration fruit.

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Greystone Cellars

The CIA’s California Headquarters

Greystone Cellars
Greystone Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 and Greystone Chardonnay 2011 Click here for tasting notes.

Cresta Blanca. Inglenook. Roma. Italian Swiss Colony. Christian Brothers. These are just a few of the pioneering and once-popular twentieth-century California wineries that are now long gone.

From 1950 to 1989, the Christian Brothers produced their wines in the Greystone Cellars building, which was built in 1889 in St. Helena, California, and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. In 1993, an earthquake-damaged Greystone was sold to The Culinary Institute of America, an independent, not-for-profit college offering bachelor’s and associate degrees in culinary arts, baking, and pastry arts, as well as certificate programs in culinary arts and professional wine studies. After $15 million in upgrades and renovations, in 1995 the CIA reopened Greystone as their California branch campus; the primary campus is in Hyde Park, New York.

The Christian Brothers’ winemaker was Brother Timothy, who was instrumental in creating the California wine industry as we know it today, and had a career spanning more than 50 years. Among his many interests, he was an avid collector of corkscrews, and his collection is on permanent loan
to The CIA at Greystone, and the inspiration for the Greystone Cellars wine labels.

Greystone Cellars wines are actually produced by the neighboring Markham Vineyards under the direction of winemaker Kimberlee Nicholls, but that’s a story for another time. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of Greystone Cellars wines benefit The CIA at Greystone.

Greystone Chardonnay 2011

With no ambition of being an estate wine, the grapes for this blend traveled west from Lodi and north from Santa Barbara. The trucks were filled with 77% Chardonnay and 23 % Chenin Blanc.

The wine presents itself in the glass with a light straw color. The nose features mango and lemon. These tropical markers continue in the taste, complemented with guava, lively acidity, and a somewhat contradictory creamy mouthfeel. The finish is short but smooth.

Try this summer sipper with Black Bean and Avocado Crostini, Prosciutto and
Summer Melon Salad, or Grilled Swordfish with Peppered Pasta.

Greystone Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

It starts out on the nose with understated aromas of vanilla and cream soda. The visual clues are a garnet color and delicate legs. The wine features flavors of tart cherry and blackberries, with a hint of pepper. On the palate, it is quite smooth, almost lush, but with a short, simple finish. Give this wine about 30 minutes in the frige before serving.

The technical details are: blend is 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, with the remainder Barbera, Malbec, Grenache, and Tempranillo. Aged in 26% new French and American oak. 30,000 cases were made.

Keep the food pairing simple: Reuben Sandwich, Satay of Beef with Peanut Sauce, or Grilled Chicken Burritos.

www.greystonecellars.com/

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Dry Creek Vineyard

Dry Creek VineyardDry 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.

Dry Creek Vineyard Chardonnay 2016

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.

Dry Creek Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

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/

www.drycreekvineyard.com/

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Chateau Montelena

Chateau MontelenaChateau 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.

Chateau Montelena Chardonnay 2015

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.

Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

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/

montelena.com/

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Bonterra Vineyards

Bonterra VineyardsBonterra 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.

Bonterra  Mendocino Chardonnay 2014

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.

Bonterra  Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

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.

www.bonterra.com/

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La Merika Wines

La Merika WinesI Took a Trip Down to
La Merika

There 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.

La Merika Chardonnay 2013

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.

La Merika Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

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.

www.delicato.com/

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Mike Ditka Wine

Mike Ditka Wine's The Hall of Famer Chardonnay and The Coach Cabernet Sauvignon
The Coach Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 and The Hall of Famer Chardonnay 2012 Click here for tasting notes.

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.

As part of his restaurant venture, Ditka also became interested in wines, and launched his eponymous private label in 2006, when he partnered with Mendocino Wine Company to do the actual winemaking.

However, in part because of limited distribution, sales were disappointing, falling more than 28 percent by the summer of 2012. At that time, Da Coach decided that a relaunch was necessary, and teamed up with Chicago-based world-wide wine powerhouse Terlato Wines International.

Although Ditka is the public face of the line, and continues to weigh in on the final result, the production chores are now handled by 2Sons Winery. 2Sons is a wine making team that works out of the Rutherford Hill winery in Napa Valley, another Terlato holding.

With the Terlato muscle behind Ditka’s wine, the line has been completely rebranded, distribution has been substantially increased outside of the Chicago area, and output has risen from 5,000 to 16,000 cases, comprised of eight labels.

Mike Ditka The Hall of Famer Chardonnay 2012

This wine greets you with a lemony color and aroma. The taste features grapefruit (plenty of zippy acidity), with supporting hints of apple and honeysuckle. Some of the wine spent six months in barrel during fermentation, while another portion was in stainless steel; the ratio was designed to keep the evidence of wood in the background. It ends with a rather one-dimensional short finish.

Ice down a bottle of The Hall of Famer and pair it up with Artichoke and Lemon Fritters, Warm Pancetta-Wrapped Endive Salad, or Asian Chicken in Ginger-Lemongrass Broth.

Mike Ditka The Coach Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

Come on! Shouldn’t this really be named Da Coach? The wine world could always benefit from a bit more humor and a bit less stuffiness. Regardless, this easy-drinking cab is very approachable. It is transparent garnet in color, somewhat lighter in appearance and body than most Cabernets, perhaps because it is “only” 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, abetted by 15% Merlot and 7% Cabernet Franc.

The nose sports aromas of raspberry and a bit of red currant. The raspberry continues on the palate, supported by an undertone of dark chocolate from the abundant but not overwhelming tannins.

Enjoy this wine with Rack of Spring Lamb with Roasted Garlic, Pork Chops with Morels and Thyme, or Veal Stir-fry with Snow Peas and Snow Pea Shoots.

mikeditka.com/

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Amapola Creek Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay

Amapola Creek WineryAfter 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.

The 100-acre ranch (purchased in 2001) that is home to Amapola Creek is situated on the western slope of the Mayacamas Mountains, which rise between and separate the Sonoma and Napa valleys. Although his wife Alis envisioned the site as the perfect place for a peaceful retirement, Richard had other ideas, and immediately set about selecting the best 20 acres of the property for use as the centerpiece of Amapola Creek Winery.

The mountainside estate vineyards are footed in red-brown volcanic soils, and are California Certified Organic. The winery itself is an “organic handling facility,” reflecting the Arrowoods’ commitment to making wine in the most natural way possible, as well as their “prevention not intervention” philosophy. The solar-powered winery is a small-production, ultra-premium facility with state-of-the-art equipment. To preserve quality, total annual production is just 3,000 cases.

In early December 2019, Richard Arrowood announced his retirement.

www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/northbay/sonomacounty/10427340-181/richard-arrowood-sonoma-wine-business

Amapola Creek Chardonnay, Russian River Valley 2010

The Rued and Dijon Chardonnay clones that make up this wine were grown by a single farmer, Joseph Belli, a long-time friend and associate of Arrowood’s. The harvest was aged for 10 months in new and old French oak, under malolactic fermentation, and yielded a mere 210 cases.

The nose features aromas of stone fruits such as nectarine and peach, with a hint of flint. Those flavors continue on the palate, along with highly-integrated oak and structural acidity. It’s all wrapped up with an unctuous mouthfeel and long finish. Drink this unfined wine now.

Amapola Creek Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

The fruit for this wine came from the high elevation Arrowood estate acreage, which features the aforementioned mineral-rich basaltic volcanic soils, and cooling breezes from San Pablo Bay.

This is the fourth Cabernet released by Amapola. The wine was aged for 24 months in new and seasoned French and American oak. This elegant wine shows excellent harmony and structure. The nose opens with cherries, black fruits, and cassis, plus a suggestion of cedar. The taste features effusive blackberry, plum, and currant. The fruit is offset by a pleasing dustiness, and is accompanied by a mouthfeel of firm acidity over fine tannins. A delicate hint of toasty oak and vanilla displays the true varietal nature of Cabernet Sauvignon.

www.amapolacreek.com/

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Chateau Montelena

Chateau Montelena Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 and Chateau Montelena Napa Valley Chardonnay 2008
Chateau Montelena Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 and Chateau Montelena Napa Valley Chardonnay 2008. Click here for tasting notes.

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.

Chateau Montelena Napa Valley Chardonnay 2008

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.

Chateau Montelena Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

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.

montelena.com/

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Charles Krug Winery

Charles Krug Winery
Click here for tasting notes.

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.

Krug Carneros Chardonnay 2010

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.

Krug Yountville Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

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.

www.charleskrug.com/

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