Wine Club Review: California Wine Club Sends Tobin James Selections

I was sent the second in a series of three shipments from the California Wine Club recently. The first shipment was wines from Fess Parker, a very well known and respected winery in Central California. This time, another well known (and respected) producer called Tobin James Cellars was selected for us.

2010 Tobin James “Radiance” Monterey County Chardonnay: This chardonnay pours a pale gold in the glass, and you're immediately struck by a mish-mash of buttered popcorn, lemon, and tropical fruit aromas. Sourced from Lockwood Vineyard in Monterey County, only 4,000 cases were produced in 2010. On the palate it's got a lot of acid and no real trace of oak. Indeed, only 8% of the harvest was barrel-fermented. Lots of zesty citrus on the palate combines with some buttery texture to create a bit of an awkward mouthfeel though. The finish is medium-length and gently evaporates from the palate. Overall, a solid if unremarkable chardonnay that will probably please the masses. 13.8% abv. SRP: $18, CA Wine Club: $10.99

2008 Tobin James Titan Hills Vineyards “Fiasco”: This is something interesting, a wine made from grapes harvested over a 1.5 month period, from 20 vineyards. When I read the info sheet I scratched my head, but figured what's the worst that could happen? Mostly syrah (55%), with 25% zinfandel and 20% barbera thrown in to complete the blend. Alcohol is a rather large 14.9%, according to the label. I wouldn't be surprised if it was closer to 16% though. Loads of peppery spice, jammy black fruit, and wood smoke rush up out of the glass. Oh and alcohol too. The palate shows big, jammy black fruit, more wood smoke flavors, earth, and black pepper. Bring this one out during your barbecues and watch your non-wine-geek buddies lose their shit. SRP $21, CA Wine Club: $11.99.


As with the previous California Wine Club wines, this shipment was 1 for 2. The chardonnay wasn't that great, and to me it tasted like it cost $10 at a grocery store. On the other hand, I know a bunch of people who I'd love to have over to share the bottle of "Fiasco" with, while we grill up some thick steaks and burgers. If I paid $21 at a retail store I'd be ok with that, but I love the California Wine Club price of $11.99.

One final thought before I wrap this up; as I browsed the literature, I noticed both wines were released a while ago. In the case of the Radiance chardonnay, a year ago. The "Fiasco" was released way back in the summer of 2010. I would imagine that the 2011 Radiance chardonnay is about ready to be released, and the Fiasco too - if they've made another batch. That might explain why these are available at such a discount, the California Wine Club could have gotten them on a closeout, at lower prices.

You can find the California Wine Club on Twitter as @cawineclub and The Boring Wine Guy as @boringwineguy. Bruce Boring is one half of the founding team behind this club, the other being his wife Pam. The California Wine Club Facebook Page is also full of activity and a good place to talk about your experiences. The Boring Wine Guy is also on Facebook. If you use the code "beau12" at checkout, you will get four bottles instead of two. That might be the best deal of the whole club!

These wines were provided as media samples in collaboration with Mom Spark Media.

Beau Carufel

TasteLive, December 20th.

In celebration of TasteLive moving into a new building in downtown Santa Rosa, they hosted an opening night party. Since I couldn't join the party in person, the great folks at TasteLive sent me and a selected few bloggers a sampling of wines that will be poured at the tasting room. During the festivities, Joel Quigley interviewed the winemakers and/or owners of each of these wines while we peppered them with questions. The venue was crowded and the atmosphere was great, I think each of us who viewed from afar really did wish we were there.

This month marks the official opening of The Wineyard, located at the Santa Rosa Vintners' Square. In its past life, the facility was a big strip mall. (Re)Construction began in 2011 on a new "urban wine village", and many of the materials used in outfitting each of the venues is recycled, be it barrel staves for decoration or even the bar in the tasting room. From what I can tell, the Santa Rosa Vintner's Square will be a pretty cool place to hang out at in 2012. The list of the wineries located there is listed below:
D'Argenzio Winery
Krutz Family Cellars
Sheldon Wines
Atascadero Creek Winery
Flocchini Winery
Jazz Cellars
Shone Farm Winery (The winery is part of Santa Rosa Junior College)

I liked the fact that this tasting didn't have any cabernet sauvignon or chardonnay, rather, some "back seat" varietals (and pinot noir) that may not get the coverage of the former two grapes but are just as important to California's wine industry.

Without further ado, here's the tasting notes for the wines we bloggers got to taste:

2010 Shone Farm Sauvignon Blanc: The label also says "Estate Grown, Block Seven, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County". Very precise, specific..and academic, no? No surprise then that this winery is part of Santa Rosa Junior College. Immediately this wine shows it's stripes as a sauvignon blanc. Unfortunately it appears to be made in the New Zealand style. And it's a bit under-ripe too, with lots of asparagus, whiffs of ammonia, and freshly cut grass on the nose. Hints of grapefruit hide behind those volatile methoxypyrazines, and a bit of minerality that you have to look hard to find. On the palate it's got some bittering notes, a green, stemmy quality, and the barest traces of grapefruit and lime juice. Refreshing due to it's acidity, but not something I'd want more than a glass of.

2006 Flocchini Andrea La Rue Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast: I didn't know what to expect from this pinot noir. All too often, Sonoma Coast pinots are over-oaked and juiced with syrah to pump up the flavors. Luckily that trend is falling by the wayside. This Flocchini doesn't taste like it has any syrah added and the oak treatment is minimal. The bouquet is a melange of cherry and strawberry, baking spice, campfire, and a dusty earth note. Flavors of red fruit mingle with earth and tannin to create a very nicely balanced wine that has benefited from four years in bottle. I was impressed with the acidity present too, it kept the body of this pinot light and balanced against the fruit and tannin.

2008 Atascadero Creek Zinfandel Russian River Valley: This zinfandel comes from the Haun Ranch, outside Healdsburg. There's 90% zin with a smattering of other red grapes, and the zinfandel vines go back to 1948. The bouquet is surprisingly complex, with notes of anise, mixed berry preserve, mint, and a touch of heat from the alcohol. I picked up a medicinal scent that seemed to meander throughout the bouquet too, but I couldn't pin it down. For people who like big, juicy zinfandels, this is your wine. The mixed berry comes through, as does that medicinal thing I picked up on the nose. Mild tannin, and a very nice smooth finish. At around $28 a bottle it's extremely well priced and something I would love to pair with barbecue.

2007 Jazz Cellars Las Madres Vineyard Carneros: I'm glad a syrah was included, especially a 2007. Carneros to me is a strange region, you see vineyards growing side by side that really shouldn't. For example, pinot noir, syrah, zinfandel, and sauvignon blanc. It's quite confusing. But a lot of the time, it just works. Like in this case, the team at Jazz Cellars put together a delicious syrah. Aromatically this 2007 Jazz is all smoked meat, black cherry, plum skin, and milk chocolate, with just a touch of a green stemmy quality and a tickle of alcohol. On the palate, well integrated fruit and oak, a touch of pepper, and some beef jerky notes all combine for a nice mouthfeel. Smooth, integrated tannin creates a nice framework for the fruit and savory notes. The alcohol is nearly imperceptible compared to the nose, which given the 15% listed, is impressive. At $34 a bottle it's certainly not cheap but the quality you get is wonderful.

Four wines, three of which were quite good and the sauvignon blanc just didn't do it for me. Still, guests at The Wineyard got to try some delicious wines and if this is indicative of the lineups that'll be poured each week, I predict much success for the Santa Rosa Vintners' Square going forward.

As always, I thank Cailyn McCauley and Joel Quigley for inviting me to participate. 2011 was my first year doing TasteLive events and I had a lot of fun. For those of you who follow me on Twitter, sorry for clogging up your Tweet-stream on multiple occasions! If you are a winery looking to do a TasteLive event, contact Cailyn or Joel at CreativeFurance Marketing.

These wines were media samples.

Beau Carufel

Smoking Loon Current Releases

I was recently sent the new releases of Smoking Loon, another project of Don Sebastiani and Sons, to review. You may recall previous blog features on the Don Sebastiani wines that I posted, in 2011, where I explored the brands "Project Paso" and "The Crusher". In this lineup, the wines are each at a suggested retail price of $9, though often can be found for a few dollars less. The bottles are all labelled California, meaning that the grapes can come from all over the state. Similar to the other brands, the Smoking Loon wines are made with grapes purchased by the company.

According to the press materials I got, the name derives from Don's love of cigars and his father's (August Sebastiani) love of waterfowl. Interesting amalgamation to say the least. The PR stuff also says this is the largest and most popular brand in the portfolio. When I worked for Trader Joe's, we sold the syrah and I think the pinot noir. Both were popular wines priced around $6.

2009 Smoking Loon Pinot Noir:
Nose: Cherry, strawberry, candied fruit, touches of spice and pepper. Fairly one dimensional though. A bit of heat on the nose distracts from what could be a rather complete bouquet.
Palate: Soft initially with ripe red fruits appearing first. Spices come through in the mid palate, some nice acidity too. Tastes light, clean. Hint of dusty earth on the mid palate that disappears on the finish. Solid wine, not overly complex but a very drinkable wine. Lacks soul and any expression of terroir but for $10 what do you expect? 13.8% abv.

2009 Smoking Loon Merlot:
Nose: Blackberry, black cherry preserve, red licorice. Touch of earth and oak.Very simple nose, even more one dimensional than the pinot noir.
Palate: Soft tannin, light body. Red candied fruit, earth, strawberry licorice. Light bodied, not hard to drink, but not exciting. Rather unappealing to me but I can't detect any flaws. Seems like an attempt to add a bit of dimension to merlot through the addition of tannin and oak chips. This will please people who just want something red in their glasses. 13.5% abv.

2009 Smoking Loon Cabernet Sauvignon:
Nose: Very ripe dark fruit, blackberry, blueberry, candied cherry. Slight green note lurks in the background. A little more complex than the merlot, and one that perhaps could stand to age a year or so. Yes, I realize I'm recommending aging a $9 wine.
Palate: Firm tannin, dries the mouth out. Medium bodied. Darker fruit flavors and acid combine for a nice texture. The finish is nice and clean, a pleasant surprise. Biggest disappointment was the hollow mid-palate, I felt like the wine evaporated. Flavors came back on the finish, dark chocolate predominantly. 13.5% abv.

2009 Smoking Loon Old Vine Zinfandel:
Nose: Juicy plum, hint of raisin, cherries. Lots of ripeness, no zin spice or pepper that I could detect. Was really hoping for more, especially if this truly an "old vine" zinfandel.
Palate: Full bodied ripeness, hints of vanilla and a fine grained tannin are the first to appear. Plenty of fruit, like a mixed bag of summer berries. A touch of cracked pepper meanders through the mid palate along with a touch of dusty soil. Pleasant, but not exactly expected for an "old vine" designation. Finish evaporates quickly, leaving a bitter tannic note. I had the highest hopes for this wine but it just failed to elicit any excitement. 13.5% abv.

The pinot noir and cabernet were the two here I could see having a glass of, if the only other option was Kendall-Jackson chardonnay. None of these wines were unique expressions of their component grapes and they each tasted like they'd been designed to fit a certain profile. Therein lies the secret to the success this brand enjoys though. For the people desiring a bottle of wine that drinks easily and is very non-threatening, the pinot noir and cabernet sauvignon are just fine. Taking any of the Smoking Loon wines to a casual party won't make you look like a buffoon. Just don't bring any of these to a gathering of wine geeks. Don Sebastiani and Sons has created a brand that doesn't necessarily open up the world of wine to anyone, but it does quench their thirst.

I'll give a lot of credit to the winemaker, Greg Kitchens, for keeping the alcohol levels reasonable in each of these wines. While I cannot tell if that's from using spinning cones or just naturally using less-ripe grapes, it's encouraging when a big producer puts the brakes on the runaway booze levels in California wines.

These wines were media samples from Balzac Communications & Marketing.

Beau Carufel

Win Tickets to the ZAP Tasting in San Francisco!

(img src: zinfandel.org)

Happy New Year! To start 2012 off right, I have some tickets to the ZAP, that's Zinfandel Advocates and Producers, festival in San Francisco from January 26-28. It's a big, three day Zinfandel extravaganza where most of California's zin producers come to share their wines with the public. Tickets can be pricey but with a few minutes work here on this blog, you could win a set!

You could win these tickets a few ways, all zinfandel-related. In the comment section, I'd like to hear a bit about why you want to go, why you like zinfandel, your favorite producer, something about zinfandel wine. You could also include favorite food pairings, who has the best zinfandel wine list in the country, or even give a list of zinfandel producers to visit. Each comment is going to count as one entry, and there is one comment per person allowed.

Now, to clarify: You are entirely responsible for getting to San Francisco and surviving for the time you're there. I am merely awarding tickets to the winner of this little contest. To further clarify, I have two (2) sets of tickets to give away. That means there will be two (2) winners chosen. The sets of tickets are one for the Epicuria and one for the Grand Tasting. The winners will then receive two (2) tickets for that event. It is critical that you specify which tickets you'd like to win when you enter this contest!

In the interest of fair play, please don't try to win unless you're certain you can make it to the tasting. There are currently 22 days before the ZAP Festival, this contest will run for 14 days, until the 18th. On the 18th or 19th I will email the winners (so include some contact information!) and ask you what tickets you want.

This contest is open to anyone over 21 years of age and is void where prohibited by law. Failure to respond to my notification email within 24 hours means you forfeit the set of tickets.

These are the two events you could win tickets to:

(img src: zinfandel.org)

Thursday January 26:
Epicuria: Food & Zinfandel Pairings, 6:00 – 9:00 p.m., at The Concourse (635 8th Street at Brannan, San Francisco 94103-4901). Discover the diversity: take your palate on a culinary adventure as you discover the diversity of Zinfandel and its wide range of complementary flavor combinations. This informal dine-around expedition features pairings of 50 top Zinfandel wines with creations from master chefs in the ZinKitchen. Mingle with winemakers and epicurean experts as you take a sensual journey.
The teams will be Artezin Wines paired with Kollar Chocolates; B.R. Cohn Winery paired with Preferred Sonoma Caterers; Calstar Cellars paired with Cabot Creamery; Claudia Springs Winery paired with Pacific Catch; D-Cubed Cellars paired with A-16; Dogwood Cellars paired with Sift Cupcake; Four Vines paired with City College of San Francisco; Gamba Vineyards and Winery paired with ESTATE; J. Dusi paired with First Crush; Klinker Brick Winery paired with Fifth Floor; Ledson Winery & Vineyards paired with Centre du Vin at the Ledson Hotel; Mazzocco Winery paired with Radio Africa Kitchen; McCay Cellars paired with Wine & Roses; Outpost Wines paired with Mustards Grill; Peachy Canyon Winery paired with Swan Oyster Depot; R&B Cellars paired with Paul's Paella; Ravenswood paired with Central Market; Rock Wall Wine Co paired with Angela's Bistro; Selby Winery paired with Bocanova; St. Francis Winery paired with Executive Chef David Bush; Starry Night Winery paired with Il Davide Restaurant; Terra d'Oro Winery paired with Taste; Three Wine Company paired with The Fairmont; Trentadue Winery paired with Sarah's Forestville Kitchen and Tres Sabores Winery paired with Dean and Deluca.

(img src: zinfandel.org)

Saturday January 28:
Grand Tasting: From A To Zin, 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. at The Concourse.
From A to Zin: savor the journey through the world’s largest single varietal tasting as you explore hundreds of barrel samples and new releases. Meet winemakers from different Zinfandel growing regions and explore the dimensions of this authentically American varietal at the most comprehensive showing of Zinfandel wineries in the world. You can also experience the Grand Tasting by using ZAP’s ZinTracks ‘map’--- a way to choose one path through the Tasting and build your knowledge. ZinTracks will illuminate the many distinguishing features of Zinfandel----whether it’s why Dry Creek appellation Zins share a certain taste profile…or even just the fun of how many Zinfandel winemakers have red hair! A key part of The Grand Tasting is the role of Zinfandel as America’s “Heritage Wine.”

Either of those sound like they'd be awesome to attend, and I admit I'm a bit jealous of whomever wins, I'll be stuck up in Oregon shivering away! Winning is so easy too, why not take a minute to comment and start 2012 off with an epic wine tasting? If you do, take a lot of pictures and let us know who your favorite producers are. Good luck!

Beau Carufel

Quivira Zinfandel, 2009, Dry Creek Valley

Sent as a sample some months ago, this Quivira zinfandel ends up being one of the first wines reviewed since I moved up here to Portland, Oregon. The rest of the samples are done resting after the two day, 1,050 mile journey from San Diego, so you can expect to see the pace of reviews pick up a bit as we get into the holidays.

Zinfandel has always been a favored grape for me, it was perhaps the first red wine I tasted, 20 years ago at my family's dining table. For that reason, while others disparage zin, I love and drink it with gusto. During the course of my blog I've tasted multiple excellent bottles, including zinfandel from Shannon Ridge, and from Paul Dolan Vineyards.

So let's talk about this 2009 Quivira Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel. It's not an alcohol monster, coming in at a currently-normal 14.8%. It's got a beautiful purple color, turning garnet towards the outer edges. I can see through it, save for the center where it's inky purple.

The Quivira is aromatically quite nice, with notes of candied raspberry, plum, black pepper, and just the barest hint of earth. None of that mixed-berry jam you can get out of Paso Robles zin, the Quivira wears it's ripeness very, very nicely. Aside from some heat, it was hard to find fault with the bouquet.

If you like balanced zinfandel, this is it. In 2009, California experienced a very good growing season, some might say excellent. I feel that this good vintage, combined with good winemaking, led to a lot of balance even in varietals where it's easy to veer towards over-ripeness. This wine has a great peppery start, then a lush, ripe plum/blackberry flavor comes charging through. Behind that are some tannin, perhaps from the oak barrel, lending to a structurally sound finish.

To me, the 2009 Quivira zinfandel is a food-wine, one that I would happily pair with burgers, meatloaf, and especially some autumn stew with big chunks of meat in it. If you do like big, rich red wines with Thanksgiving, there's another pairing that could work out very nicely.

There you have it, a deliciously affordable zinfandel from a producer who clearly knows what they are doing. I rated this a B and STRONG BUY recommendation. Well worth seeking out at good wine shops and high end markets, especially for $20 or less.

This was a media sample for review purposes.

Beau Carufel

Shannon Ridge Winery Current Releases

Shannon Ridge Winery, of Lake County California, recently sent me their new red wine releases to taste through. As someone just beginning to learn about the wines coming out of the Lake County AVA, this was a good chance to get to know one of the wineries from the area. I've reviewed a Shannon Ridge wine in the past, unfortunately a disappointing sauvignon blanc. On the other hand, it's rare that I find a California sauvignon blanc I like. That said, I'm always up to try new ones!

Lake County is located in California, north of the famous Napa Valley and inland from Sonoma and Mendocino counties. This American Viticultural Area is somewhat higher than other notable AVAs as well, and Clear Lake plays a major influence on how the vineyards ripen. You probably won't be surprised to learn that cabernet sauvignon is the most-planted varietal, merlot being a distant second.

These are the wines I was sent to review:
2008 Shannon Ridge Lake County Cabernet Sauvignon $19 suggested retail
2009 Shannon Ridge Lake County Zinfandel $19 suggested retail
2009 Shannon Ridge Lake County Petite Sirah $24 suggested retail

(img src: http://calicabs.eventbrite.com)

Each of these wines can be purchased at local wine stores and directly from the Shannon Ridge website.

First up was the 2008 cabernet sauvignon. This cabernet is actually made up of 89% cabernet sauvignon, 8% petite sirah, and 3% merlot. All the fruit comes from Lake County and the abv is a relatively (sad, I know) normal 14.5%. After fermentation, the 2008 cabernet spent 16 months in French and American oak barrels.

Aromatically this 2008 Shannon Ridge cab is all smoke and wood, with a bit of a boozy heat on the finish. A vigorous swirl session brought out some dark, ripe berry aromas too. I wrote down one word, then circled it repeatedly: "pleasant". That sums up the bouquet in this cabernet, it's nice and interesting yet lacks some depth. Above average, yes..but mind-blowing, no.

The way this wine tasted was a different story however. I loved how it was dry and dusty, with some firm tannin keeping a dollop of soft red fruit flavors firmly in place right in the middle of my tongue. There is some influence from the oak barrels too, a toasty sawdust note hangs out at the fringes of my palate throughout the sip and swirl. Unfortunately the finish did leave me wishing for more depth, but that could be a function of this relatively young wine needing some decanting.

For around $15 in the retail environment, this 2008 Shannon Ridge cabernet is good and veers away from the typically overripe, fruity cabernet's that $15 buys from Napa Valley. I'd love to pair it with a grilled steak and some garlic french fries. B and a BUY recommendation.

Next, I tasted the zinfandel from Shannon Ridge. One of the varietals (along with petite sirah) from Lake County that's getting some coverage in the blogging community, zinfandel can be a very structured, focused wine or an overripe, sweet, high alcohol fruit bomb. Guess which kind of zinfandel I like?

This 2009 zinfandel is again 14.5%, around the norm for what we see these days. A blend of 93% zinfandel and 7% petite sirah, this wine spent 12 months in oak barrels. 2,060 cases were produced.

I liked the spice and earth notes right up front, very dark aromas that set the tone for the wine. There's also some black cherry and fig creating a balance with the spice and earthy primary scents. If I had to pick one aspect of the bouquet that I enjoyed the most, I would choose the mixture of earth and black cherry. Imagine dark, dry earth and crushed cherries, inhale deeply and I think you'll get a sense of what I smelled with the 2009 Shannon Ridge zinfandel.

After tasting this zin, I wrote the following: "Plenty ripe but with nice balance between ripe red berry fruit and the tannin. Well built wine, my attention was taken by a dollop of spice on the mid-palate. Very enjoyable, especially for zin lovers!"

Good stuff, this is a very good zinfandel at a great price. Using wine-searcher.com I found it at $18, which compares favorably to zinfandels costing a lot more. This is a very high-quality wine with great complexity and for most zinfandel drinkers, atypical of what they usually drink. Upon some reflection, this might be a zin for cabernet lovers...B, STRONG BUY recommendation.

Finally, the "big daddy", petite sirah. Again, 14.5% alcohol, I detect a theme...This is varietally pure, 100% petite sirah and also spent 12 months in oak barrels. A relatively small 7,000 cases were produced, though the Shannon Ridge cabernet did see 12,000 cases making it the largest of the three. I did a quick check of wine-searcher.com and found this petite sirah at only $12 at a number of stores. That's half the suggested retail price. The question then is, how good of a deal are we getting?

An intense blend of blackberry and blueberry are framed by baking spices and dry, dusty earth. I was intrigued by the restraint, even after running the wine through an aerator. There is a green, herbal component at work but it's very light and doesn't show up with every sniff of the glass. Even after being open for three hours, the bouquet remained a lot more muted than I expected.

Sipping this Shannon Ridge petite sirah is a different story entirely though. An initial smoothness full of ripe berries give way to a thick, tannic mid-palate that begs for a steak. I used words like "beefy" and "chewy" to describe how dry and intense that mid-palate sensation is. Balancing a ripe core of black fruit with a muscular, tannic sensation is a hallmark of good petite sirah and one of the reasons I tend to enjoy it so much. In that regard, the 2009 Shannon Ridge achieves notable balance and intensity. I suspect that given a few more years of aging, we'll see an even better wine.

Of the three Shannon Ridge wines I tasted, this was my favorite by a comfortable margin. An easy B+ and STRONG BUY recommendation, at $12 it's a no-brainer. Bring this out at the end of a Barolo tasting or when you're grilling thick steaks, I bet it'll wow your friends.

A successful tasting of three Lake County wines that showcase the high quality and low prices that create some outstanding bargains in that region. All three of these are wines I'd gladly purchase and indeed, if I spot the petite sirah around town, I'll be picking up a few to have on hand. If Shannon Ridge keeps pumping out wines like this, I think they'll become a very well known Lake County producer in a short period of time.

These wines were media samples for review purposes.


Beau Carufel

Cornerstone Cellars' Stepping Stone Red Rocks!..And it Does!

Throughout this summer I've explored some of the wines from Cornerstone Cellars and their Stepping Stone label. This blog marks the last of the wines I received in the sample shipment from a few months ago. The 2009 Stepping Stone Red Rocks! was something I'd been looking forward to tasting, yet also holding off until the occasion was worthwhile. Since the vast majority of wine drinkers (me included) aren't looking to drink their wines in a sterile environment, tasting and evaluating wine in such an environment can be a bit counterproductive. That's why I'll often open a sample with food, to gain a better sense of how the wine interacts with other tastes, textures, and flavors. Recently, the occasion to open the 2009 Stepping Stone Red Rocks! was appropriate.

Backing up a bit, here's a list of the Stepping Stone by Cornerstone Cellars wines I've tasted to date:
2010 Stepping Stone White Rocks!
2010 Stepping Stone Corallina Rosé
2010 Stepping Stone Riesling
2010 Stepping Stone Sauvignon Blanc

The 2009 Stepping Stone Red Rocks! is a blend of zinfandel and pinot noir, perhaps one of the odder blends you'll ever see. When doing background for this blog feature, I sat back and shook my head when I learned of the blend here. My fear was that the two varietals would clash, creating a disjointed, unpleasant wine.

(img src http://www.cornerstonecellars.com)

Luckily, the 2009 Red Rocks! was anything but disjointed. It's also not for the faint of heart or those seeking "subtle, light wine". Clocking in at a whopping 14.9% abv, this is a textbook "big, juicy, intensely ripe" red blend. I smelled a lot of ripe blackberry and black cherry preserve on the nose, along with vanilla toast, indicating some time spent in oak. The tell-tale heat from the high alcohol crept in but wasn't too distracting, to me that was a pleasant surprise.

Tasting the Stepping Stone Red Rocks! evoked memories of my mom and/or grandmother cooking a Finnish summer berry dish in the kitchen. Basically, you boil ripe strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and sugar, as well as a touch of corn starch, to create a sweet berry compote. The aromas of fruit in the kitchen were often very intense and sweet, two characteristics to describe the flavor of the Red Rocks! If you're looking for a pairing, think smoked spare ribs, marinated tri-tip, or Sloppy Joe sandwiches. They'd all play well against the sweet black and blue berry fruit, toasty vanilla oak, and bits of spice that pop up on the edges of your tongue.

Does this wine sound good to you? For me, serving it with barbecue-sauce drenched ribs was awesome, and I made sure to back up those intensely sweet, ripe flavors with a side of cole-slaw. The 2009 Stepping Stone Red Rocks! is a powerhouse of a wine, and somewhere along the way I think the pinot noir just gives up, letting the zinfandel work it's magic. That turns out to be a good thing, allowing more focus on ripe fruit and spice.

For around $15 a bottle at the Cornerstone Cellars website, this is a great deal on an outstanding summer barbecue wine. It's well made and fits into a style that a lot of us enjoy with heavy, hearty foods. You can order the Red Rocks! via the website or find it at some fine stores in and around Napa Valley.

This blog feature wraps up my tastings of the Stepping Stone by Cornerstone lineup, thanks go to Craig Camp for sending me these bottles to taste. I had a good time tasting and sharing them with you, and it's proof positive that a winery who produces very high end wines can also have a viable, high quality second label that comes in at a very, very friendly price point.

These wines were media samples for review purposes.


Beau Carufel

Big House Cardinal Zin, Beastly Old Vine Edition

With summer continuing, I remain on the lookout for wines to barbecue with. In my mind, a barbecue wine is cheap, easy to drink, and perfect for sharing with friends. It can also serve as a "3rd bottle" for those nights when you're entertaining and the good times last into the evening. Notice how I didn't mention barebecued food pairings, that's because I tend to think of barbecue wines or outdoor wines as ones you don't have to worry about pairing with any particular food. Over the course of this wonderful summer I have had the chance to sample and review multiple wines I'd put in the barbecue wine category, a few of which are listed right here:
1. 2009 M. Chapoutier Cotes du Rhone "Belleruche"
2. 2009 Santa Carolina Reserva Carmenere
3. 2010 Stepping Stone Corallina Rosé
4. 2010 Muralhas de Moncao Rosé
5. 2009 Bodega Tamari Torrontes

In May I even did a "barbecue wine showdown" pitting the 2009 The Usual Suspects cabernet and the 2009 Pueblo del Sol tannat.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago when I opened another Big House Wines selection, the 2009 Cardinal Zin Beastly Old Vine. At a suggested retail of around $10 and an actual retail price closer to $7, this meets at least one of the criteria for barbecue wines. Tasting and evaluating it will determine if it's another winner for the summer, and perhaps one to stock up on as we head towards Labor Day.

The 2009 Cardinal Zin is actually a blend, like most Big House red wines. This year, winemaker Georgetta Dane blended 80% zinfandel, 10% mourvedre, 8% carignane, and 2% petite sirah. The zinfandel comes from old vines, something like 40+ years old.

(img src: http://www.bighousewines.com)

Nice packaging! I like the "Cardinal" on there, he looks so thirsty! But so are we, so that means it's time to talk about this Cardinal Zin.

It pours a fairly nondescript purple/red, so basically it looks like red wine. There's no electric violet hue like in some 2009 Beaujolais, nor an entrancing rusty burgundy that I experience in grenache sometimes. Just red wine. With that said, remember this is a potential barbecue wine, so my expectations are simple.

How does it smell? Zinny with a touch of the earthy mourvedre, if you ask me. "Zinny" is candied raisin, plum, black pepper, and a bit of sweet cherry. Some vanilla oak makes an appearance, a bit too heavy for my taste though. The ripe plum and cherry create a good richness and depth, so in a way the 2009 Cardinal Zin coats your palate. I wasn't really happy about the candied raisin, but then again that is a flavor I have found in other old vine zinfandels. For a $10 (or $7) zinfandel-blend, the nose offers good complexity and enough intensity to still be discernible by a slightly dulled olfactory sense. The kind that you get after spending a day grilling and drinking those other two bottles of wine with your friends.

Onward to how the wine tastes. What pleased me the most was the black pepper, prickling the edges of my tongue after a few seconds and restraining the sweet fruit flavors. Yes, I know there's carignane in there, along with mourvedre. I really can't tell though, unless the carignane was letting in the red licorice and candied cherry flavors, and the mourvedre gave the wine it's tannin and earthy flavors right on the fininsh. As for the petite sirah, maybe it was added for color or just to fill out the tanks, I have no clue because I don't think I tasted it at all. Then again my palate might not be sensitive or trained enough.

So, does the 2009 Big House Cardinal Zin Beastly Old Vines make the cut as a barbecue wine? Yes, it does. I gave it a B- and for $7, a BUY recommendation. This isn't something to break out for special occasions or a wine to age in your cellar. It's a good choice for a mid-week pasta dish with red sauce, a weekend barbecue back-up bottle, or that third bottle to open after a fun day with your friends.

This wine was a media sample for review purposes.

Beau Carufel

2009 Paul Dolan Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel

Way back in March I tasted the Paul Dolan Vineyards 2009 chardonnay and 2009 sauvignon blanc, both were outstanding wines for the money, and honestly, outstanding wines overall. Last year I got to sample previous vintages of Paul's wines during a TasteLive event featuring Paul Dolan Vineyards. That tasting was a blast and I learned a lot while getting to taste some splendid examples of wines made with organic grapes. This blog highlights the two new red releases I was sent, Paul Dolan Vineyards 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon and 2009 Zinfandel.

Both the cabernet sauvignon and zinfandel wines are made with organically grown grapes. That is not the same as an organic wine. Important distinction that many people might not know about, so here's the deal: organic grapes are farmed in accordance with USDA (or other appropriate agency) regulations specifying the types of pesticides and chemicals that can and cannot be added. Organic wine is made much like conventional wine, but must contain no added sulfites. What are sulfites? A naturally occurring chemical (sulfur dioxide) that stabilizes wine so that it will last for long periods of time. That's the quick and dirty definition. Winemakers may use organic grapes to make non-organic wine, and can still label the wine as "Made With Organically Grown Grapes".

First up, the 2009 Mendocino County Cabernet Sauvignon. 2,800 cases were made and the blend is 97.5% cabernet sauvignon, 2.5% petite verdot. The primary grape sources are Parducci's Upper Home vineyard and Paul's own Dark Horse Ranch. The '09 cabernet spent 15 months in 50% new American oak barrels.

It pours a beautiful dark purple in the glass, and has a nice shimmer effect too. The color is bright, vibrant and tells me right away that this is indeed young. As much as I love the brick-red hues of aged cabernet, looking at a glass of fresh, young cab definitely gets my wine-geek side going.

After my usual wait time of one hour, I poured a glass and immediately noticed the wide spectrum of aromas. Lots of blackberry, cassis and bramble were first, then a beautifully expressive red earth and herb melange. As those aromas faded, a woodsy, campfire-esque smell wafted up out of my wine glass. At various points during my tasting of this wine, I could also detect a green, grape-stem aroma that had me fascinated. Rather than detract from the wine, it added an extra dimension.

That complexity I smelled carried over to the taste and texture. The Paul Dolan cabernet makes no bones about being a young wine, it's bright and full of acid and tannin. Luckily they're balanced by some dark berry and plum notes, dark chocolate, earth and a bit of oak. I like how the tannin created a bookend to the ripe fruits, keeping them from getting out of control while allowing the earth and dark chocolate to shine through. To me, this is a wine that's very expressive of terroir and not at all overly manipulated. If I had to find one flaw, it's that the finish is too quick. This cab wraps things up too fast, leaving the drinker wondering "what the hell just happened?".

Beyond that little gripe, this is some delicious cabernet sauvignon. At a suggested retail price of $25, it's a no-brainer. I think that with a few months to a few years of bottle age, that finish might develop. Even a few hours in a decanter will allow more flavors to come out and play. Easy B++ (89 points) and STRONG BUY recommendation. You can find the Paul Dolan 2009 Mendocino Cabernet Sauvignon in good wine shops all over the country.

Next I tasted and took notes on the 2009 Mendocino County Zinfandel. This is almost all zin, 99%, with 1% syrah added. Only 2,727 cases were produced, so it's clearly a very small production wine, just like the Paul Dolan Cabernet. Most of the grapes were sourced from the Parducci Upper Home vineyard, right outside Ukiah, California. After fermentation was complete, the 2009 zinfandel spent 15 months in neutral oak barrels, redwood tanks, and 10% new American oak.

I had high hopes for this wine, having loved the 2007 Mendocino County zinfandel I tasted last year. In my glass, it had a surprisingly light color, like a garnet in the sunlight. It was clear all the way through and reminded me of some California pinot noirs, the ones that are bastardized with syrah.

After waiting an hour for the wine to open up, I swirled and sniffed the 2009 zinfandel, finding ripe black cherry and blackberry aromas, spices, crushed pepper and even a hint of something delicate, like dried flowers. Needless to say this is somewhat atypical of most zinfandels out there but speaks to another of Paul Dolan's wines expressing it's sense of place, or where the grapes are grown.  I loved the bouquet, loved the complexity and the fact that it wasn't the same old, stewed blueberry/blackberry oak monster that is so often made here in California.

Tasting the wine was another great experience, with a lot of grippy tannin framing blackberry and baking chocolate, white pepper, red currants and that same green, stemmy note from the cabernet. There was a good layering of acid throughout, maintaining balance between dark, ripe fruit and the wood/bittersweet chocolate. Very, very impressive to me. The complexity shows what is capable with zinfandel, and this is one I would happily age for a few more years to see what other flavors came out to play. I love how mouth-filling it was, with the acidity hitting the roof of my mouth, the tannin and pepper the sides of my tongue, and the core of fruit plopping down smack in the middle of my tongue. That's not to say it was overripe though, again I go back to how balanced and interesting this wine is.

After pondering the 2009 Paul Dolan zinfandel, I looked at the price, $25 suggested retail. You can probably find it a lot cheaper and if you do, buy a bottle. This is an easy A- (90 points) and another STRONG BUY recommendation. You can find it in good wine shops around the country at retail prices closer to $20. It's a great wine to pair with barbecue during the summer, and something that'll accompany a rib roast during the winter. Paul Dolan did it again, another outstanding wine.

These wines were media samples for review purposes.


Beau Carufel

A New Series of Wines From Don Sebastiani & Sons: Project Paso

Raise your hand if you know of Sebastiani winery and wines? Good, now raise your hand if you know that the winery and vineyards are no longer owned by Don Sebastiani...While he no longer makes wines under his own family name, you just can't keep Don Sebastiani from the wine business. He and his sons, Donny and August, are now running Don Sebastiani & Sons, based in Sonoma. Among their many projects as négociants are "The Crusher" and this blog's subject, Project Paso. As you probably guessed, the Project Paso wines are all made with Paso Robles grapes.

The following wines are designed to appeal to people who want inexpensive, high quality reds and whites from Paso Robles. Specifically, Project Paso aims to get Millennials drinking wine from that region by showcasing something beyond just fermented grape juice. While the Sebastiani's role is that of négociant, for Project Paso they partnered with Sam Balakian, a famous winemaker in the area who has extensive experience blending wines for the Sebastianis, especially their California series wines back when they owned Sebastiani winery. These wines highlight the 30+ year relationship between Sam and the Sebastianis.

(img src http://www.donandsons.com/ourwine)

Project Paso 2009 Red Blend: A blend of seemingly a gazillion varietals..but in reality there are eight. 37% Grenache, 16% zinfandel, 14% petite sirah, 11% mourvedre, 9% barbera, 8% lagrein, 3% tempranillo, and 2% sangiovese. It's pouring as a nice dark garnet color, almost zinfandel-like. That should come as no surprise though because there is 16 % zinfandel in here. The bouquet is nice, loaded with a variety of ripe fruit elements. Some of the more prominent were cherry and strawberry. I also got some cola and a hint of earth. While not particularly exciting, the Project Paso does smell quite tasty.

When tasting a blend like this, with so many grapes in it, I often anticipate a highly complex wine as each varietal vies for attention. In the '09 Project Paso, you don't get a hugely complex wine as much as you get a well balanced red. Nice ripe fruit elements, good acidity and tannins keeping them in check, and a hint of oak. Solid at the $14 suggested retail price, one I'd gladly share with my buddies during a round of burgers or pizza. The fact that it can be found for less than $14 (closer to $10) makes it a huge step up from the "Menage a Trois" type wines that can be so unimpressive. B-, BUY recommendation.

(img src http://www.donandsons.com/ourwine)

Project Paso 2009 Chardonnay: To me this is a chardonnay for those of you who love the "traditional" California style. Winemaker Greg Kitchens aged this sur lee for eight months on a mix of American and French oak. I could smell some ripe apple notes with a hint of apricot. The telltale sign of oak, a warm vanilla aroma, was present also. I think this wine sees at least partial malolactic fermentation too, I picked up the scent of buttery movie theater popcorn.

Right away I tasted more of the buttery oak that I'd smelled. Beyond that was some bitter acidity that didn't seem too pleasant to my palate. I did get notes of apple and a lemon juice component on the mid palate. As I searched, some tropical fruit like pineapple mixed with passion fruit, reminiscent of a can of Kern's Nectar showed up. The alcohol spiked on the back end yet it's "only" 13.9%. Definitely goes against my tastes and isn't my style, but at $14 SRP, you might like the lusher, richer California-style chardonnay. B-.

(img src http://www.donandsons.com/ourwine/)

Project Paso 2009 Zinfandel: Blended from three zinfandel vineyards around Paso Robles, this was almost exactly what I expected it to be. When you see the "Old Vine" designator on a bottle of wine, remember that it's generally accepted that the vines are 30+ years old. Old grapevines produce slightly different flavors than a young (10 year old) vine and a lot of people love this style especially in zinfandel and grenache. I loved the color, and elegant light-hued purple. There's 93% zinfandel and 7% lagrein in the 2009 Old Vine zinfandel, and I don't know why the winemaker chose or needed to add it in. My best guess is to add color and/or tannin to the wine.

An aromatic beast with red berry fruit, crushed white pepper, bubblegum and dark chocolate all coming out of the glass at me. The alcohol is 14.4%, not at all unreasonable in a zinfandel but it does show itself as a heaviness on the bouquet. That ripeness carries through to the taste too, lots of cherry preserves and white pepper with some very light tannins providing structure. Yes, the wine is rustic but that is part of the intent here, and it does work. I did get a bit of alcoholic burn on the finish, somewhat distracting but it would be covered up had I paired the wine with a buffalo burger or peppercorn steak. At $14 it's tough to justify buying a bottle because other wines like the Bogle Old Vine ($12) and Dry Creek Vineyards ($13) deliver beyond this one, but I've heard rumors of the Project Paso Old Vine zinfandel being on the shelf for as little as $10. B, at $10 it's a good bottle of wine.

(img src http://www.donandsons.com/ourwine)

 2009 Project Paso Cabernet Sauvignon: The last of the Project Paso wines I tasted, this is a bit of a "frankenwine" because it's got the following grapes in it: 89% cabernet sauvignon, 5% petite sirah, 2% alicante bouchet, 2% grenache, 2% merlot. Yikes! The alcohol is only 13.6% so I suppose I can forgive Greg Kitchens for using the kitchen sink in this red wine. Despite the legality of saying this is cabernet sauvignon, I have a hard time considering it as that.

Right away I smell the 2% grenache, something I didn't think possible. Ripe raspberry and blackberry rushes up at me. I also got leather, sawdust, red currant, and a smokey campfire-esque aroma. Very, very interesting and I attributed this complexity to all the varietals in play.

My friend Dan was with me and said he really hit on the raspberry and oak flavors. I liked the leather, plum, blackberry and dusty flavors, a real melange of stuff. There was some nice firm tannins, giving the wine a really good weight on my palate. Both Dan and I liked the finish, it lingered nicely without overreaching and tapered off with surprising elegance. My ideal pairing: A Philly cheesesteak sandwich with potato salad. B. BUY recommendation. Sure it's got a lot of grapes making up for perhaps less-than-ideal cabernet, but it's fun and at $14 suggested retail, won't break the bank.

Instead of corks, the Project Paso line uses a closure called a "Zork", which has been available for years yet still isn't widely used compared to cork or screwcap. For some, the Zork closure is a nice middle ground, being more convenient and reliable than a cork yet classier than a screwcap. I like it, and I hope more wineries use Zork closures. It's neat and does really balance the line between traditional cork and new-age screwcap.

This is my second blog post about Don Sebastiani & Sons wine brands, and while both of the brands I've tasted are good,I have to go with The Crusher as being better wine. There's nothing wrong with any of the Project Paso wines, they're quite easy to drink and deliver at their price points. Unfortunately, they're a tad generic too, where the wines of The Crusher are great expressions of place. Still, the quality is consistent through all the Don and Sons wines, no doubt about it. I predict both lineups I tasted will be very successful.

The Project Paso wines were media samples for review purposes.


Beau Carufel

Tasting Folie a Deux New Releases

I was recently sent four new releases from Folie a Deux winery to taste and discuss. They're all 2008's though I am not sure if the Chardonnay was released earlier than the red wines. Some back-story might help put these wines into perspective so I will oblige. My personal experiences with the brand go back 20+ years to when my dad sold the brand down here in San Diego. More recently, I've sold the famous Menage a Trois by Folie a Deux in various wine retail stores that I've worked at. Even now at my current job, I get asked if my store sell it, which we do not.

The history of the winery itself goes back well over 20 years but more recently there seems to have been an uptick in the quality of the single-varietal wines, much to my delight. While their bread and better wine, the Menage a Trois, continues to account for most of the brand's sales, it is my hope that wine drinkers will start to make the relatively modest jump in price to these more structured, nuanced offerings.

2008 Folie a Deux Napa Valley Merlot - Wonderful garnet color in the glass, nice clarity throughout, pleasing depth. The nose smells like the color purple, grapes, toasty wood notes, but with heat that tickles the nose. I like the silky tannins and the way a beam of dark chocolate cuts through some ripe blackberries and cherries that sit on my palate. I could taste the oak, seven months in French and American barrels left their mark in a good way. Folie a Deux added some Cabernet Sauvignon to reinforce the tannins and add a bit of backbone, that was a good idea. The SRP is $18, I would be willing to bet you could find this for about $12 when it's released. Excellent example of a low-priced Merlot that delivers in spades. B+ and a strong BUY recommendation. 14.5% abv.


2008 Folie a Deux Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon - Dark ruby that pales towards the edges, very nice depth in my glass. Sweet vanilla oak bursts from the glass along with candied cherries, blackberries and a hint of earth. Very traditional Napa flavor profile, at least on the nose. The wine spent 15 months in French and American oak barrels after undergoing 14 days of maceration. My first few sips of this wine left my palate overwhelmed with oak, but after an hour of being open, I found wonderful notes of earth, firm tannins and fresh ripe black cherry and raspberry. The Suggested Retail Price is $24, in my experience though you will be able to find the Folie a Deux Cabernet Sauvignon around $16-18, making it a much better deal. I'm a fan and give it a B and a BUY recommendation. 14.0% abv.

2008 Folie a Deux Napa Valley Chardonnay - For you California chardonnay lovers, this is a very traditional style. Oak-scented pineapple and passion fruit softened by a rich buttery aromas. I could smell the calling card of malo-lactic fermentation, a buttered popcorn richness.When tasted, smooth waves of tropical fruit finish off with a bit of surprising yet welcome acidity. Honeysuckle brings a bright floral component into play, acting as a foil to the buttery sensation that malo-lactic fermentation produces. Just six months in American Oak barrels allow the wine to retain a vibrant character while imparting enough weight to give a nice feeling of depth. Overall, a very straightforward, high quality chardonnay. For under $20, a wine comparable to such supermarket staples as La Crema and Kendall-Jackson, yet offering a bit more dimension. B- and a BUY recommendation for those who like this style of wine. 14.2% abv.

2008 Folie a Deux Amador County Zinfandel - Dangerously dark in the glass, in the way that only zinfandel can be. Plenty of tobacco and prunes on the nose, downright luxurious! Hints of smoke and dark chocolate announce that the Folie a Deux is firmly oriented towards the "dark and bold" part of the flavor spectrum. I've always had the impression that Amador County produces a different kind of zinfandel than Napa or Sonoma, in that the bold, ripe fruit flavors can be the support to earth, tobacco, mocha and tannic structure. Folie a Deux's 2008 Amador helps reinforce my belief. Great tannins frame a smokey, chocolate filled, utterly pleasing zinfandel experience. This too has a suggested retail of $18 but with some research you can find it for about $14 and that's totally worth the price. An easy B+ and BUY recommendation from yours truly. 14.5% abv.

These are flat-out good wines. Very good in fact, as evidenced by my scores. I'd happily drink any of the reds, especially the Amador County zinfandel, which was a superb wine for the price. There is nothing wrong with the chardonnay, I should clarify, but regular readers will note that it isn't my preferred style. Still, recognizing quality wine is something I take a lot of pride in and therefore can easily recommend this chardonnay. While not as available as their Menage a Trois, this foursome from Folie a Deux shows that the winery is serious about producing very good wine at very reasonable prices. Be on the lookout and pick up a bottle or two, better yet just buy all of these and impress your friends.

These wines were provided as media samples by the PR firm.

Beau Carufel

Making Sense of Turkey Day Wines

Gobble effin' Gobble.

Thanksgiving seems to put a normally sane, rational person into a state of mental (and often physical) paralysis. My belief is the logistics of this oh-so-American holiday have become overwhelming because as we're so wont to do in this society, Thanksgiving MUST be a GIANT CELEBRATION!!!!


I must respectfully call b.s. Perhaps not even respectfully so. Those of you who are reading this and are considered the "wine expert" or "wine guy/girl" in your circle of friends know all too well that around this time of year, the "what wine should I pair with Thanksgiving" question creeps back to life like a zombie in Shaun of the Dead.

Lots of experts and "experts" will tell you all sorts of cool wines to pair with your Thanksgiving meal. Wine Hipsters, those smug denizens of New York City wine bars, trade tastings, and San Francisco restaurants will suggest off-beat, funky wines that you have no chance in hell of ever finding. Stuff from some random obscure producer in the Loire Valley that makes 2 barrels of amazing wine, of which somehow seven 3-packs make it to the States.

Even better, you can listen to the cacophony of voices espousing the "Natural Wine" way of life. Who doesn't want an un-sulfured 2010 Viognier/Pinot Blanc/Marsanne blend that's just come 2200 miles across America's highways while still fermenting? Yummy! Who needs racking and barrel aging when you have potholes and brake-checks?

My point is this: on Thanksgiving, simplify the wines you choose! Let's face it, is there any one, singular flavor you'll be assaulting your palate with on the Big Day? I doubt it, and therefore trying to pair a wine with each dish or opening that crazy/unique/rare bottle will get tiresome and frustrating. My advice is to pick three wines, and get multiple bottles of each one.

Here's my short-list:

1. Sparkling wine: This could be some delicious grower Champagne or some German Sekt, or even a cheap Cava. Of course, I personally prefer the dry flavors of a Brut Champagne but if YOU like sweet, go with sweet. Bubbles are the key, they'll keep your palate fresh while the alcohol will help you and your guests chill out a bit. Keep multiple bottles of whatever you pick on hand and serve it when guests start arriving, a nice mellow tone to start the night will lower your stress levels.

2. White wine: I'll get flack for this, Wine Hipsters will roll their eyes and bloggers will castigate me via Twitter, but I suggest a Fume Blanc/Pouilly-Fume or Riesling. Keep the white wine simple, chilled and accessible to all your guests. For the vast majority of people, the stress of wondering whether your special bottle of Norwegian Roussanne/Gewurztraminer will work with potatoes au gratin just isn't worth it. With the Fume Blanc or Pouilly-Fume, that nice kick of acidity that's been softened by a bit of oak will work with a lot of the veggie dishes and can stand up to some of the creamier sides. An off-dry Riesling will add some fun with it's sweet but light blend of flavors. If you cook a turkey that has herbs added, the pairing will work with that too.

3. Red wine: I can sense the sharpening of attack-talons now, the jeers are going to rain down..Or worse, this entry will get relegated to the "that guy's full of shit" blog heap. Pinot Noir or Zinfandel. Either of these will work beautifully provided they're well chosen. Since the average Thanksgiving guest cannot taste the difference between a $740 Grand Cru Burgundy and a $90 Willamette Valley Pinot, why even worry? Grab two or three bottles of something that costs about $40 a bottle and you'll be getting some delicious juice. For Zinfandel, try to avoid a jammy fruit-bomb from Paso Robles, instead check out some stuff from Mendocino or Sonoma Counties. $30-40 gets you a slam dunk Zin that stands up to the turkey, stuffing and sweet potatoes yet doesn't leave you feeling like you just inhaled mixed-berry jam from Smuckers.

The Thanksgiving that most of us...no the vast majority of us will celebrate will have a mix of wine fans and those who drink it because there's alcohol in it and everyone else is doing it. We who love to explore wine need to realize this and accept it. There are 364 other days in the year to explore new and interesting wines, so calm down with the Thanksgiving madness, take a deep breath, and just enjoy the way wine brings people together.


No turkeys or zombies were harmed in the making of this blog.

Beau Carufel

Live Tasting With Paul Dolan Wines, Biodynamic in the House!

Last Wednesday I took part in a live tasting with Paul Dolan of Paul Dolan Vineyards, my first semi-formal exposure to biodynamic wines. Paul Dolan Vineyards and Parducci Wine Cellars fall under the umbrella of the Mendocino Wine Company. Set up in 2004, the company has focused on organic and biodynamic farming and winemaking.


I was sent some samples of the Paul Dolan wines in cute little 50ml bottles, from a company called TastingRoom. The premise is that a full bottle is dispensed into the smaller bottles, in a controlled environment, to ensure there's no spoilage or taste changes. One of the benefits I can see is that for the cost of shipping (by weight) one or two 750ml bottles, you can send out more samples of more wine, allowing a more comprehensive tasting of a winery or winemaker's work.


The downside is that for me and others (yes you, @1WineDude), 50ml just isn't enough to properly taste a wine. Call us lushes or drunks but I and other wine bloggers like taking a large sip, swirling it around, spitting, then taking another one to confirm our impressions. Still, the concept rocks, I'm excited to sample more wines using this method.

Thanks to the awesomeness of the interwebs, anyone who signed up was able to see and interact with Mr. Dolan via Ustream, a site that allows users to interact with live video feeds while simultaneously porting their comments their Twitter or Facebook accounts.

Check out his Biodynamic 'stache! Pretty rockin', I must admit. Mr. Dolan exuded a calm, passionate confidence about his beliefs. Biodynamics is controversial and at least within the wine blogging community, is part of a contentious debate.

Personally, Biodynmaics speaks to the side of me that wants all things to live in harmony, a utopian vision of the earth as one giant, interconnected organism. On the other hand, the analytical side (the side that got me a Finance degree) wants some serious scientific study of the the claims made by Biodynamicists.

(img courtesy Joe Roberts @ http://www.1winedude.com)

So with that aside, the wines, all made with organically grown grapes save for the last one, are as follows:

2008 Mendocino County Sauvignon Blanc: I enjoyed the bright, citrus notes and accessibility of this wine. Wonderful on a hot summer day because of the great acidity but also felt a touch un-integrated, like some flavors were fighting to the surface. A good effort though and hits the price point nicely. B-. $18 SRP

2008 Mendocino County Chardonnay: You know me and most California Chardonnays. Generally they do not like my palate and vice versa. This one was well structured with some great acidity woven throughout the flavors of passion fruit and green apple. Still buttery and with hints of oak for those of you who dig that style. Nice balance, very well put together. I really enjoyed this wine, it's a QPR winner. B+. $18 SRP

2007 Mendocino County Pinot Noir: Hooray for Pinot! I think Paul Dolan did a good job crafting a more traditionally oriented Pinot with lots of sour cherry, spice and using oak as a supporting flavor. Hints of smoke and tobacco on the finish left me a bit curious though, not what I expected. B. SRP $30

2007 Zinfandel Mendocino County: My favorite wine of the night and one of the better Zinfandels I've had this year. I was absolutely impressed with the tannins and acidity that integrated so well with the dark berries and bakers chocolate. What an effort! I'm gonna buy some of this stuff and taste my friends on it, I bet they won't even know it's Zin! It also managed to kick the QPR in it's ass. A-, Strong BUY. $25 SRP.

2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Mendocino County: Not bad..But just didn't quite grab my palate the way I'd hoped. I think though that with some time in bottle, this wine would be delicious. Good tannins, under-developed fruit, some smoke flavors but really interesting fresh-cut oak too. I did like the sense of place, the expression of terroir here, this ain't no Napa Cab, that's for sure. Dare to be different!  B-. $24 SRP.

2006 Deep Red Mendocino County: The evening's most expensive wine, and also the only  Biodynamic wine of the evening. A blend of 57% Syrah, 31% Petite Sirah and 12% Grenache. Big, dark and brooding. I liked this one a lot actually, it had character and complexity which made me sit up and take notice. Perhaps my second favorite wine of the night. Lots of spicy blackberries and black cherries, earth, tobacco, tar all showed up to the party. I'm going to give this wine a BUY rating and a B++/A-. It's the good stuff, $42 SRP

Of the above wines, you should buy the Zinfandel and the Chardonnay, and splurge for a bottle of the Deep Red. I was impressed with the quality of the wines as much as I was impressed with Mr. Dolan's clear, honest speech. I'd love to meet the man and talk more about organic farming and biodynamic farming. While it may be controversial, there's no doubt that this way of farming and winemaking produces wines of at least equal quality to those using more conventional methods.


These wines were sent as samples for review purposes

Beau Carufel