I recently started my Level 2 WSET program, and remembering how daunting the world of wine can be, I threw French Wine Laws at them on the first day of class. Mean teacher? No. Not understanding how to read and interpret European wine labels is a big part to understanding European wines as a whole, and it all starts in France. A lot of wines made in Europe are not labeled as their ‘New World’ counterparts do, by Grape Varietal, but instead label their wines by regions (could be a large region like Burgundy, or a district within that region like Cote de Nuits, or a commune/village like Gevrey-Chambertin, or even a single vineyard Premier or Grand Cru like Chambertin.) Confused? Don’t worry, you are not alone. As a teacher, it is my job to point out patterns and help simply the world of wine, but as the student, it is ultimately their responsibility to understand it, and know it cold. I force my students to memorize this stuff. Granted, it’s not fun to memorize names of places you don’t really know how to pronounce, but it is very important, as it is the key to unlocking the ‘old world’ of wine.
If I might digress for just a moment…..this brings up an interesting observation I have of living in California. I am a New England transplant here, and where I grew up, people bought Italian and French wines knowing about Burgundy, Bordeaux, the Loire Valley, Chianti, Brunello, Barolo, etc. I was a bit surprised when I started teaching wine out here in California that people generally lacked a rudimentary understanding of the important growing regions of Europe. Perhaps it’s because generally people in California drink Californian wines, so they don’t have the need to look outside of the state for a drink? Or maybe it is because we are 3000 miles further away from Europe than the East coast is, so there is less of an influence of Europeans here in California? Whatever the reason may be, the bottom line is that they have to memorize names of places they have never heard of before and I think this is the most challenging part. So, in an effort to help decipher the mysterious French wine laws (thereby paving the way to understanding European wines as a whole), I am devoting this blog to the French AOC.
AOC means Appellations d’ origine and was created in 1935 to protect the names of the best wines of France from fraud and quality variations within a region. It is still today supervised by the INAO (institut Nationale de Appellations d’Origine). An appellation of origin is a collective property right belonging to individual wine-growers. It is designed to protect and control geographically based regions. According to Andrew Jefford, author of The New France, he argues in favor of the French AOC system, as it met with a lot of criticism around the world, especially in New World growing regions. Andrew argues that “French wine law is splendidly resistant, furthermore, to the depredations of capitalism and the abusive perversions of the free market. It is the major reason why French wine has achieved the level of refinement, beauty, and complexity that are it’s hallmarks….It is the single name (of a region) which small-scale, economically vulnerable individuals jointly own. Nonetheless, provided you follow certain rules…your wine can be recognized and understood as offering a certain sensory experience in every country of the world. Until you reach the very highest branches of the French wine tree, indeed, the appellation name will be more important than your own name.” He continues to argue that this sort of situation, where you are not competing as your own ‘brand’ as they do in the new world, but you are part of a larger community, and your individual wine, being labeled as a place and not a brand on your own, fosters the unity and fellowship and community spirit over capitalism’s polarizing and profit-focused spirit. Basically, your success as part of a protected AOC is measured at a community level, whereas brands are measured at an economic level.
This got me to thinking about my experience at Pinot Noir camp in Oregon in 2008. I think Willamette Valley and Oregon as a whole have successfully marketed themselves as a unified region, much more so than any one particular American brand has done. I think to some extent Napa Valley has done something similar. When you think of domestic Cabernet, you think Napa valley over one individual producer. When you think about domestic Pinot Noir, you think about Willamette Valley. When I was a camper, the entire premise of the camp was to work together. We rode busses together, we did tours together. And the wineries never represented themselves in lectures as individuals, but always described their relationships amongst fellow winemakers as helping each other out. I remember one producer saying that she recalls when they first started growing Pinot in that region, she said she would borrow her neighbor’s (a competitor’s) tractors and winemaking equipment, and doing this was commonplace. Furthermore, the during the entire camping experience, the wineries never wore a shirt with their own logo, but wore an Oregon Pinot Noir logoed shirt instead. I loved the true spirit of community that has defined this region, and I believe this is what Andrew Jefford loves about the AOC. In a world where corporations have no loyalty to it’s hard-working employees, where BP oil companies get away with making tax-payers pay for their mistakes, and wall street fat cats feed on the little guy, I too love this idea of community.
Okay, back to the nuts and bolts of the French wine laws. The wine laws fall into 4 categories: Vins de Table (table wines), Vins de Pays (country wines), Vins Delimites de Qualite Superieure (VDQS: delimited wines of superior quality), and AOC or appellation wines:
French table wines are rarely found outside france, and offer nothing to the consumer from a marketing angle because they cannot be labelled with grape variety, year, or a region. So they essentially will tell you nothing about the wine. And, they are generally cheap.
VDQS was created as a sort of wating zone for aspiring AOC wines. It is a very small category, with less than 1% of all French wines found here.
AOC’s are based on the idea of “terroir,” or a sense of placeness that all wines from a specified AOC share. So, obviously the geographical boundaries are very important, geology is also important as it affects slope and aspect of a site, and of course climate is a part of determining an AOC, as are to a lesser degree political boundaries. I think the planting of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay within Burgundy clearly make this point. Where there is limy marl, you will find Pinot Noir, where there is calcerous clay, you will find Chardonnay. Speaking of Grape varieties, in an AOC quality wine, these are regulated. Generally they are traditional, have being planted in that region for centuries assuming that the trials of tribulations of history and tradition in the world of grapegrowing have merit. Yields are controlled, winemaking methods regulated as is chaptilization (the adding of sugar to a must to increase the alcoholic content of a wine…not to sweeten it). Cool climate AOCs can chaptilize and warm climate AOCs cannot, logically. Alcohol levels are also regulated in the different AOCs. Obviously, that is a lot of regulation, and it can arguably lead to limit progress and creativity. But, according to Andrew Jefford, “If you purchase an AOC wine, you are purchasing the true scent and taste of a place, defended, and controlled by the AOC rules and regulations.”
There are 3 types of Vins de Pays: regional, zonal, and departmental. This category was created to allow for more flexibilty in regulations, which has lead to creativity and plantings on non-traditional grapes in certain regions. Terroir no longer plays a big role in this category of French wines. This is the one category that you would think more french producers want to explore. However, they seem to enjoy the AOC framework, and why experiment with different grape plantings if you are a producer of a grand cru wine when you make a great living making your grand cru? So, there is not tons of motivation for quality minded-producers. The big flaw with this category of wines is that in the famous AOC protected regions of Alsace, Burgundy, Bordeaux, Champagne there are no Vins de pays. So, if you are a quality-minded producer in Burgundy and want to experiment with say, Sauvignon Blanc, you would be forced to declassify your wine to table wine level. Yikes!
There are many very valid arguments against the French wine laws. Among these include the fact that they stifle creativity, fail to gaurantee quality (they gaurantee origin, not quality), they are protectionist (protecting against the corrosive effects capitalism has on the human value system…as Jefford argues), they are too complicated for today’s wine consumer. I totally agree. They should allow for varietal labelling like the rest of the new world regions do.
In the end, there are many reasons for and against this system, but I am not a politician or a lawyer, I’m just a teacher. My job is to help decipher the world of wine to my students. If it were up to me, I would have all French wines have maps on them (like the Spanish wines do), grape varietals listed in decending order according to the percentages (like the Australian wines do), and a certification seal of quality (like the South African wines do). These changes would make my job a whole lot easier, and the novice’s learning curve a lot shorter. However, doing something simple and logical would be very ‘unfrench,’ as it’s a culture based on details, perfection, and uncompromising traditions.
Class Dismissed!
Lindsay Pomeroy, The Wine Smarties
Friday, July 30, 2010
Monday, July 26, 2010
Napa Wine Country = Great Experiences
by Frank Mangio
It's been a few years since I had set foot on the hallowed wine country of Napa Valley, perhaps the most talked about appellation in all the world. There is a saying that I want to start out with : the more things change, the more they remain the same. In meeting new people, experienced hands and tasting new wines, I got the feeling that there is a unity of spirit in Napa Valley, that they genuinely believe theirs is distinctly the highest quality wine in the world as it has been for some time.
With that roadmap for the over 400 wineries in a 30 mile stretch from Napa to Calistoga and the easy decision to break this report into a two part column, let’s begin the journey: a sweeping world-class tasting from Carneros in the south; Oak Knoll, Yountville, Oakville and Rutherford in the middle; then St. Helena, Spring Mountain, Calistogoa and Howell Mountain in the north. The down economy has dented the Napa Valley story but you would never know it by listening to wineries like V. Sattui Winery just north of St. Helena and Sattui’s colossal Castello di Amorosa, just south of Calistoga. Tom Davies, the President of V. Sattui pointed out the many customer experiences that draw people into his facility, built up over his 30 years with the present owner Dario Sattui.
“We have 4 acres of winery grounds and picnic tables at the, and 34 acres elsewhere,” he began. “We sell ourselves direct to the public in many ways. We wanted to celebrate the Italian lifestyle with old world flavor and atmosphere. Our Italian deli and food store in the middle of the main wine tasting room is just one example of getting people off Highway 29 and into the winery. We started just the 2nd wine club in Napa Valley in the 70’s. We give customers what they want…a wine experience. We are now showing outdoor movies in our picnic area and on Saturday July 31 we’ll host the V. Sattui annual Italian Festa by reservation from 6:30pm to 9:30pm. It will be a huge dinner, dancing, Italian music and discounts on our wines. It is especially significant to our winery since this year is our 125th Anniversary from our beginnings as a supplier in San Francisco in 1885 founded by Vittorio Sattui.”
V. Sattui has four different and stylish wine tasting rooms. 300 year old bricks line the walls holding collectors’ library wines in the Gold Room, reserved for wine club members. 40,000 members are signed up in the many wine clubs that account for nearly half the wine sales at V. Sattui. The winery now sells about 70,000 cases direct and offers some 45 different wine styles.
My recommendations include: Pinot Noir Carneros Creek 2008. $25. - smooth, velvet style, illuminated by bright cherry fruit. A gold medal winner in the West Coast Wine Competition. Zinfandel Ramazotti Vineyard Sonoma 2007. $36. - spicy and richly flavored, and one of 9 different Zins offered. 2 gold medals: Amenti del Vino and Long Beach Grand Cru.
Dario Sattui’s greatest triumph was my next stop: the great Castello di Amorosa, open to the public in 2007. This 17 year project is an exacting replica of a Tuscan castle with 107 rooms totaling 120,000 square feet, 8 levels including 4 underground with all-European materials and the best craftsmen in Italy to build it all by hand. It attracts more than 400,000 visitors a year. Here the wines tilt toward Italian style, with a 2006 Sangiovese $26. and a 2005 La Castellana Super Tuscan $65. that are typical of the style. Traditional approaches and growing areas around the castle produce intense, well-balanced flavors similar to Tuscany and Umbria in Italy, which happens to be Dario Sattui’s homeland.
Next week we will be looking at other wineries that are keeping Napa Valley on top. For V. Sattui, access www.vsattui.com. For Castello di Amorosa, go to castellodiamorosa.com.
Note: In last week’s column on Rhone varietals and Paso Robles, we featured early efforts in planting Syrah based grapes, and should have mentioned Eberly Winery, a pioneer for this wine country. Gary Eberle planted the first Syrah in 1974. It was successful and by the late 70’s he had about 40 acres. Find out more at www.eberlewinery.com.
Wine Bytes
Gondola Cruises at Loews in Coronado are again going every Wednesday at 6:30pm through the canals of the Coronado Cays for $45. pp. Wine tastings are included on the gondolas with sommelier Kurt Kirschenman. Private cruises can be arranged as well as RSVPs by calling 619-429-6317.
Firenze Trattoria in Encinitas now has Jazz on the patio every Sunday through September from 4:30 to 8pm as a free service for their customers. More information at 760-944-9000.
La Costa Wine Company has legendary Cakebread Winery of Napa Valley for a tasting Fri. July 30 from 5 to 8:30pm. Cost is $25. each. They have just opened their Artisan Cheese Shop with cut-to-order service. Contact 760-431-8455.
The Grand Del Mar’s Addison has Tastings on the Terrace on select Wednesdays for July and August, from 6 to 7pm. Whites for July , reds for August. No RSVP required. Enjoy the wines July 21, Aug. 4, 11 and 18. $20. pp. More information at 858-314-1900.
It's been a few years since I had set foot on the hallowed wine country of Napa Valley, perhaps the most talked about appellation in all the world. There is a saying that I want to start out with : the more things change, the more they remain the same. In meeting new people, experienced hands and tasting new wines, I got the feeling that there is a unity of spirit in Napa Valley, that they genuinely believe theirs is distinctly the highest quality wine in the world as it has been for some time.
With that roadmap for the over 400 wineries in a 30 mile stretch from Napa to Calistoga and the easy decision to break this report into a two part column, let’s begin the journey: a sweeping world-class tasting from Carneros in the south; Oak Knoll, Yountville, Oakville and Rutherford in the middle; then St. Helena, Spring Mountain, Calistogoa and Howell Mountain in the north. The down economy has dented the Napa Valley story but you would never know it by listening to wineries like V. Sattui Winery just north of St. Helena and Sattui’s colossal Castello di Amorosa, just south of Calistoga. Tom Davies, the President of V. Sattui pointed out the many customer experiences that draw people into his facility, built up over his 30 years with the present owner Dario Sattui.
“We have 4 acres of winery grounds and picnic tables at the, and 34 acres elsewhere,” he began. “We sell ourselves direct to the public in many ways. We wanted to celebrate the Italian lifestyle with old world flavor and atmosphere. Our Italian deli and food store in the middle of the main wine tasting room is just one example of getting people off Highway 29 and into the winery. We started just the 2nd wine club in Napa Valley in the 70’s. We give customers what they want…a wine experience. We are now showing outdoor movies in our picnic area and on Saturday July 31 we’ll host the V. Sattui annual Italian Festa by reservation from 6:30pm to 9:30pm. It will be a huge dinner, dancing, Italian music and discounts on our wines. It is especially significant to our winery since this year is our 125th Anniversary from our beginnings as a supplier in San Francisco in 1885 founded by Vittorio Sattui.”
V. Sattui has four different and stylish wine tasting rooms. 300 year old bricks line the walls holding collectors’ library wines in the Gold Room, reserved for wine club members. 40,000 members are signed up in the many wine clubs that account for nearly half the wine sales at V. Sattui. The winery now sells about 70,000 cases direct and offers some 45 different wine styles.
My recommendations include: Pinot Noir Carneros Creek 2008. $25. - smooth, velvet style, illuminated by bright cherry fruit. A gold medal winner in the West Coast Wine Competition. Zinfandel Ramazotti Vineyard Sonoma 2007. $36. - spicy and richly flavored, and one of 9 different Zins offered. 2 gold medals: Amenti del Vino and Long Beach Grand Cru.
Dario Sattui’s greatest triumph was my next stop: the great Castello di Amorosa, open to the public in 2007. This 17 year project is an exacting replica of a Tuscan castle with 107 rooms totaling 120,000 square feet, 8 levels including 4 underground with all-European materials and the best craftsmen in Italy to build it all by hand. It attracts more than 400,000 visitors a year. Here the wines tilt toward Italian style, with a 2006 Sangiovese $26. and a 2005 La Castellana Super Tuscan $65. that are typical of the style. Traditional approaches and growing areas around the castle produce intense, well-balanced flavors similar to Tuscany and Umbria in Italy, which happens to be Dario Sattui’s homeland.
Next week we will be looking at other wineries that are keeping Napa Valley on top. For V. Sattui, access www.vsattui.com. For Castello di Amorosa, go to castellodiamorosa.com.
Note: In last week’s column on Rhone varietals and Paso Robles, we featured early efforts in planting Syrah based grapes, and should have mentioned Eberly Winery, a pioneer for this wine country. Gary Eberle planted the first Syrah in 1974. It was successful and by the late 70’s he had about 40 acres. Find out more at www.eberlewinery.com.
Wine Bytes
Gondola Cruises at Loews in Coronado are again going every Wednesday at 6:30pm through the canals of the Coronado Cays for $45. pp. Wine tastings are included on the gondolas with sommelier Kurt Kirschenman. Private cruises can be arranged as well as RSVPs by calling 619-429-6317.
Firenze Trattoria in Encinitas now has Jazz on the patio every Sunday through September from 4:30 to 8pm as a free service for their customers. More information at 760-944-9000.
La Costa Wine Company has legendary Cakebread Winery of Napa Valley for a tasting Fri. July 30 from 5 to 8:30pm. Cost is $25. each. They have just opened their Artisan Cheese Shop with cut-to-order service. Contact 760-431-8455.
The Grand Del Mar’s Addison has Tastings on the Terrace on select Wednesdays for July and August, from 6 to 7pm. Whites for July , reds for August. No RSVP required. Enjoy the wines July 21, Aug. 4, 11 and 18. $20. pp. More information at 858-314-1900.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Spending time with friends
By Janene Roberts
As a friend of mine remarked recently, it's not often that we sit down for a long meal and engage in discussions with friends beyond holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. The comment was inspired after a culinary enthusiast friend of mine had a birthday party at her home. People that showed up were mostly epicureans. That meant restaurant quality food and wine was served along with good conversation. It got me thinking about simpler times while growing up. At that time, my grandfather liked to cook Sunday dinners which started around 3 p.m. and featured his favorite items to prepare–Fried chicken drumsticks, carrot salad, mashed potatoes, and coconut frosted angel food cake. My least favorite part of the meal was having my grandmother force me to drink the entire glass of homogenized milk that accompanied my meal which is probably why I prefer a nice glass of wine to go with my culinary adventures today.
As I was enjoying the meal and conversation I started to think about a plan I had implemented shortly in my late 20's. It's really an age-old religious ritual that my parents sometimes incorporated in my growing up years but that has fallen out of favor in our culture. But it might be due back around now in our stressed filled lives. The plan–to take an entire day, and my chosen day was Sunday, to just be. No money exchanges or appointments beyond getting together with family and friends or just relaxing. If you've never tried it, it's not as easy as it sounds. It means getting all your chores done the day before, putting your cell phone on vibrate, resisting the urge to check emails or Facebook statuses–anyway, you get the idea. Taking a walk along the beach or a hike in the mountains with your family or friends is one way to enjoy it. Basically, it's a time to shut down the brain just a little and get into a different frame of mind. I've been feeling the desire to commune more with my neighbors so that might mean establishing at least one Sunday a month to enjoy a meal with them. What can you do to create your own culinary ritual? If these are the times we spend most of our lives working toward, why aren't we incorporating them more often? Let me know what you decide to do.
I have a fondness for the Grand Del Mar in Carmel Valley. To me, it's a trip to Italy without the jet lag. The lavish surroundings of the resort might scare away more frugal folks, but don't let the nice dress fool you. For $20, during most Wednesday nights this summer, you can sample wines at the beautiful Addison Del Mar Restaurant. Jesse Rodriquez, their award winning sommelier, has selected a variety of wines from different regions that you can enjoy from 6 to 7 p.m. Here's a list of the options.
Wednesday, July 21, 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.: Enjoying Chardonnay
Wednesday, August 4, 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.: Savoring Pinot Noir
Wednesday, August 11, 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.: Sipping Syrah
Wednesday, August 18, 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.: Tasting Cabernet Sauvignon
Where:
Le Salon Terrace at Addison
The Grand Del Mar
5200 Grand Del Mar Way
San Diego, CA 92130
858.314.1900
www.addisondelmar.com
As a friend of mine remarked recently, it's not often that we sit down for a long meal and engage in discussions with friends beyond holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. The comment was inspired after a culinary enthusiast friend of mine had a birthday party at her home. People that showed up were mostly epicureans. That meant restaurant quality food and wine was served along with good conversation. It got me thinking about simpler times while growing up. At that time, my grandfather liked to cook Sunday dinners which started around 3 p.m. and featured his favorite items to prepare–Fried chicken drumsticks, carrot salad, mashed potatoes, and coconut frosted angel food cake. My least favorite part of the meal was having my grandmother force me to drink the entire glass of homogenized milk that accompanied my meal which is probably why I prefer a nice glass of wine to go with my culinary adventures today.
As I was enjoying the meal and conversation I started to think about a plan I had implemented shortly in my late 20's. It's really an age-old religious ritual that my parents sometimes incorporated in my growing up years but that has fallen out of favor in our culture. But it might be due back around now in our stressed filled lives. The plan–to take an entire day, and my chosen day was Sunday, to just be. No money exchanges or appointments beyond getting together with family and friends or just relaxing. If you've never tried it, it's not as easy as it sounds. It means getting all your chores done the day before, putting your cell phone on vibrate, resisting the urge to check emails or Facebook statuses–anyway, you get the idea. Taking a walk along the beach or a hike in the mountains with your family or friends is one way to enjoy it. Basically, it's a time to shut down the brain just a little and get into a different frame of mind. I've been feeling the desire to commune more with my neighbors so that might mean establishing at least one Sunday a month to enjoy a meal with them. What can you do to create your own culinary ritual? If these are the times we spend most of our lives working toward, why aren't we incorporating them more often? Let me know what you decide to do.
I have a fondness for the Grand Del Mar in Carmel Valley. To me, it's a trip to Italy without the jet lag. The lavish surroundings of the resort might scare away more frugal folks, but don't let the nice dress fool you. For $20, during most Wednesday nights this summer, you can sample wines at the beautiful Addison Del Mar Restaurant. Jesse Rodriquez, their award winning sommelier, has selected a variety of wines from different regions that you can enjoy from 6 to 7 p.m. Here's a list of the options.
Wednesday, July 21, 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.: Enjoying Chardonnay
Wednesday, August 4, 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.: Savoring Pinot Noir
Wednesday, August 11, 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.: Sipping Syrah
Wednesday, August 18, 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.: Tasting Cabernet Sauvignon
Where:
Le Salon Terrace at Addison
The Grand Del Mar
5200 Grand Del Mar Way
San Diego, CA 92130
858.314.1900
www.addisondelmar.com
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
France’s Rhone Valley: Roots are Getting Deeper
by Frank Mangio
It was five years ago that I first heard the Rhone Valley story from an early enthusiast, the late Leon Santoro who made wine at Orfila in San Diego County. He could hardly contain his excitement when talking about Syrah and Viognier, his two favorite Rhone grape varietals from this ever-more interesting wine country in the south of France.
He had joined the “Rhone Rangers,” an organization of mostly Paso Robles winemakers dedicated to showing the wine world that Rhone grapes can be made into rich and satisfying wines. Names to know that are Rhone Valley based include: Syrah (also known as Shiraz in Australia) the most planted Rhone grape in California. Full flavored berry, with aromas of smoke, bacon and crushed rock. Petite Sirah is a cross between Syrah and Peloursin. It’s extremely dark in color with big tannins and needs some lay-down time to flourish.
Grenache is the world’s 2nd most planted wine grape with aromas of red fruit, licorice and black pepper. Lots of cherry flavor.
Carignane produces wine high in acidity and tannin and does best in old vineyards. Mourvedre is the latest ripening grape and is now undergoing a big popularity push. Chocolate, leather and earth aromas. Plum and spice flavors. Viognier is the highly aromatic white wine with excellent peach, apricot and mango flavors and aroma with low acidity. Roussanne has tastes of honey and pear, with rose petal and nutty aromas and moderate acidity. Others to look for are Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Picpoul Blanc, Cinsault and Counoise.
The vintage to look for, both in France’s Rhone Valley and Paso Robles is the 2005, considered to an inflection point for southern French style wines. The latest releases are now up to 2007, with some 2008 bottles showing up on the shelves of wineries and wine shops. An elite area in the south Rhone Valley is Chateauneuf-du-pape where a blend of Granache and Mourvedre, grown in the rockiest soil in France, yields ripe, fleshy definition to the wines. This is well known to Jason Haas, whose family combined with a leading vineyard in the south Rhone area, Chateau de Beaucastel, chose Paso Robles in 1989 for a new vineyard. They purchased a 120 acres to grow Rhone style wine grapes, a first for Paso.
They named the new winery Tablas Creek. It took quite a while to plant and develop the old world cuttings and clones. Finally they enough to do business in 1992. Now, they are used not only by their winery, but by some 400 others. Tablas Creek itself sells about 18,000 cases. Easily the most elegant of the Rhone style, the winery chooses to blend, making wines that are richer and better balanced. Its 2007 Esprit de Beaucastel combines Mouvedre, Grenache, Syrah and Counoise and sells for $50. in most shops.
The Rhone Rangers promotional group will have their annual Southern California Tasting in Santa Monica at Pier 59 Studios West on Sunday August 8 from 2 to 5pm. 50 wineries will join in the event. For questions and pricing, check 800-467-0163 or access their web site, full of detailed information about this leading French terroir at www.rhonerangers.org
Wine Bytes
Delicias Restaurant in Rancho Santa Fe is kicking off complimentary wine tastings every Thurs. and Fri. from 6 to 7:3opm. General Manager and wine man extraordinaire Gino Campbell is building up his wine cellar and wants customers to tell him what’s great, so come by and try. No RSVP required. For more info, call 858-756-8000.
Belle Marie Winery in Escondido has its summer pre-release party Sat. July 17 from 2 to 4pm in the Barrel Room. Favorite new wines are being served at no charge. Open house format so stay as long as you can. No food served. Try the newest and the best. Call 760-796-7557.
Meritage Wine Market in Encinitas presents a Napa Valley Vintners Tasting Sat. July 17 from 6 to 8:30pm. Food from nearby Bentley’s. Wine names like Lail, Elyse, Frank Family and many more top quality wineries are expected to pour. Cost is $40. pp. Call 760-479-2500.
Wilson Creek Winery in Temecula brings Hollwood U2, the best U2 Tribute Band to its stage Sat. July17 from 7 to 10pm. Cost is $49. ea. $44. for club members. Make contact at www.wilsoncreekwinerycom.
Mille Fleurs in the heart of Rancho Santa Fe is hosting an elegant dinner with award winning Fritz Wines of Napa Valley Tues. July 20. Meet winemaker Clay Fritz. 5 course dinner cost is $95. Details call 619-221-8024.
Soro’s Mediterranean Grill in Old Town Temecula has a fun filled night at its first Fedora Hat Night Wed. July 21 at 6pm. Classic Mediterranean flavors will be paired with wines, with live music to perfect the atmosphere of Fedora hats and 30’s style outfits. RSVP at 951-587-8082.
Carlsbad Wine Merchants has their Wine, Music and New Menu rockin’ on Friday nights. Small bite food offerings are heavy on luscious salads. First music set starts at 6pm. Call 760-804-9994 for this week’s lineup.
Canapes in San Marcos has outdoor entertainment in the patio with a Frank Sinatra Review on Sat. July 24, 6:30 to 9:30pm. Enjoy unique dining selections, smart wine list and great music at James Allyn’s Canapes. RSVP a table at 760-510-2088.
It was five years ago that I first heard the Rhone Valley story from an early enthusiast, the late Leon Santoro who made wine at Orfila in San Diego County. He could hardly contain his excitement when talking about Syrah and Viognier, his two favorite Rhone grape varietals from this ever-more interesting wine country in the south of France.
He had joined the “Rhone Rangers,” an organization of mostly Paso Robles winemakers dedicated to showing the wine world that Rhone grapes can be made into rich and satisfying wines. Names to know that are Rhone Valley based include: Syrah (also known as Shiraz in Australia) the most planted Rhone grape in California. Full flavored berry, with aromas of smoke, bacon and crushed rock. Petite Sirah is a cross between Syrah and Peloursin. It’s extremely dark in color with big tannins and needs some lay-down time to flourish.
Grenache is the world’s 2nd most planted wine grape with aromas of red fruit, licorice and black pepper. Lots of cherry flavor.
Carignane produces wine high in acidity and tannin and does best in old vineyards. Mourvedre is the latest ripening grape and is now undergoing a big popularity push. Chocolate, leather and earth aromas. Plum and spice flavors. Viognier is the highly aromatic white wine with excellent peach, apricot and mango flavors and aroma with low acidity. Roussanne has tastes of honey and pear, with rose petal and nutty aromas and moderate acidity. Others to look for are Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Picpoul Blanc, Cinsault and Counoise.
The vintage to look for, both in France’s Rhone Valley and Paso Robles is the 2005, considered to an inflection point for southern French style wines. The latest releases are now up to 2007, with some 2008 bottles showing up on the shelves of wineries and wine shops. An elite area in the south Rhone Valley is Chateauneuf-du-pape where a blend of Granache and Mourvedre, grown in the rockiest soil in France, yields ripe, fleshy definition to the wines. This is well known to Jason Haas, whose family combined with a leading vineyard in the south Rhone area, Chateau de Beaucastel, chose Paso Robles in 1989 for a new vineyard. They purchased a 120 acres to grow Rhone style wine grapes, a first for Paso.
They named the new winery Tablas Creek. It took quite a while to plant and develop the old world cuttings and clones. Finally they enough to do business in 1992. Now, they are used not only by their winery, but by some 400 others. Tablas Creek itself sells about 18,000 cases. Easily the most elegant of the Rhone style, the winery chooses to blend, making wines that are richer and better balanced. Its 2007 Esprit de Beaucastel combines Mouvedre, Grenache, Syrah and Counoise and sells for $50. in most shops.
The Rhone Rangers promotional group will have their annual Southern California Tasting in Santa Monica at Pier 59 Studios West on Sunday August 8 from 2 to 5pm. 50 wineries will join in the event. For questions and pricing, check 800-467-0163 or access their web site, full of detailed information about this leading French terroir at www.rhonerangers.org
Wine Bytes
Delicias Restaurant in Rancho Santa Fe is kicking off complimentary wine tastings every Thurs. and Fri. from 6 to 7:3opm. General Manager and wine man extraordinaire Gino Campbell is building up his wine cellar and wants customers to tell him what’s great, so come by and try. No RSVP required. For more info, call 858-756-8000.
Belle Marie Winery in Escondido has its summer pre-release party Sat. July 17 from 2 to 4pm in the Barrel Room. Favorite new wines are being served at no charge. Open house format so stay as long as you can. No food served. Try the newest and the best. Call 760-796-7557.
Meritage Wine Market in Encinitas presents a Napa Valley Vintners Tasting Sat. July 17 from 6 to 8:30pm. Food from nearby Bentley’s. Wine names like Lail, Elyse, Frank Family and many more top quality wineries are expected to pour. Cost is $40. pp. Call 760-479-2500.
Wilson Creek Winery in Temecula brings Hollwood U2, the best U2 Tribute Band to its stage Sat. July17 from 7 to 10pm. Cost is $49. ea. $44. for club members. Make contact at www.wilsoncreekwinerycom.
Mille Fleurs in the heart of Rancho Santa Fe is hosting an elegant dinner with award winning Fritz Wines of Napa Valley Tues. July 20. Meet winemaker Clay Fritz. 5 course dinner cost is $95. Details call 619-221-8024.
Soro’s Mediterranean Grill in Old Town Temecula has a fun filled night at its first Fedora Hat Night Wed. July 21 at 6pm. Classic Mediterranean flavors will be paired with wines, with live music to perfect the atmosphere of Fedora hats and 30’s style outfits. RSVP at 951-587-8082.
Carlsbad Wine Merchants has their Wine, Music and New Menu rockin’ on Friday nights. Small bite food offerings are heavy on luscious salads. First music set starts at 6pm. Call 760-804-9994 for this week’s lineup.
Canapes in San Marcos has outdoor entertainment in the patio with a Frank Sinatra Review on Sat. July 24, 6:30 to 9:30pm. Enjoy unique dining selections, smart wine list and great music at James Allyn’s Canapes. RSVP a table at 760-510-2088.
Sightseeing in the Aisles of Wine
by Frank Mangio
If you are really into the wines, one of your favorite pastimes is to search the aisles of wine shops and wine departments of huge retailers like BEVMO and COSCTO. Buying wine is no sure thing. The only thing for sure is that there are whites and reds.
Everything else is really window-dressing and your experience with tasting the wines. That’s why I urge a “core and explore” strategy. Your core wines are brands and vintages you can rely on for consistent quality. Then allow say 1/3 of your wines and budget for the “explore” part. Those would be the vast number of new wines brands and varietals that you have not tried. Chances are some of those “explorations” will be so good, that you will want to add them to your core list.
So what’s really selling these days. I decided to check on the inventory renewals at COSTCO’s biggest selling wine department in my home town of Carlsbad.
California’s best selling varietals, despite all the words of praise from we wine writers for newer sensations, is still Chardonnay for a white and Cabernet Sauvignon for a red. This was underlined by current sales and inventory at COSTCO. Their stock of Chardonnay is led by Clos Du Bois, La Crema and Beringer.
Checking out the Cabernets, the biggest seller and the highest inventory of any wine at COSTCO is the venerable and all-time Napa Valley great, Mondavi - specifically CK Mondavi (the CK is for Charles Krug, where members of the family make premium wines, as well as this value wine.) This is not to be confused with Robert Mondavi wines, bought out some years ago by an international conglamerate.
Other cabs that are moving at COSTCO include: Louis Martini, Montes Alpha and Casa LaPostoll from Chile. Other big red movers are: Cambria Pinot Noir, Dona Paula Shiraz/Malbec from Argentina, Tin Roof Merlot, Villa Pillo Toscana Rosso Borgoforte from Italy, Manage A Trois red blend and Kirkland house brand Merlot from Washington.
New Tastings Worth Telling
Where do I begin. I just returned from the Napa Valley, more convinced than ever that it is the greatest growing grounds for wine in the world, with lots of fabulous tastings, but that will be reserved for a future column. As I write this, a large real estate investment trust has just announced a purchase of Beaulieu and Sterling Vineyards, both from Napa Valley. Foley Family Wines which has Sebastiani and Wattle Creek, has just added Chalk Hill from Sonoma. OK, so those are business trends. Here are some special tastings:
Lewis Cellars Chardonnay Reserve Napa Valley 2008. $65. The winery of the season at Amaya, the Grand Del Mar Resort. Balanced to perfection with crisp character.
Saxon Brown Pinot Noir Sonoma 2008. $41. Dynamic treatment of this “First Lady” of reds. Strawberry notes carry through to the long, glamorous finish.
Thornton Winery Petite Sirah Temecula Valley, 2007. $40. Thornton has 7 new releases out, topped by this inaugural triumph by winemaker Don Reha. Carefully aged 27 months in toasted oak.
Thornton Winery Nebbiolo Temecula Valley, 2007. $34. The northern Italian backbone grape to the famous Barolo and Barbaresco, this wine has wings and flies with its famous brethren. Rich and visceral. Expect leather, mineral characteristics.
Parallel Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley, 2007. $64. According to “birthday girl” Laura at Carlsbad Wine Merchants, this wine was created by Winemaker of the Year Phillipe Melka. A prime-time serving.
Baily Vineyard and Winery Riesling Temecula Valley, 2008. $14. Made to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Temecula. Crisp, clean and smooth taste. Serve cold with chicken and pork. Can easily be an aperitif.
Fontana Fredda Briccotonio Barbera Piedmont Italy, 2008. $9. Here is one of Italy’s most delicious table wines. The Barbera grape is underrated. No concern about age. Just open it and enjoy!
Wine Bytes
§ A Temecula Valley Tasting Tour departs the Mission Bay Visitors Center on Sat. July 10, 10am to 5pm. Stops at 3 favorite wineries: Briar Rose, Falkner and Leonesse. Cost is $100. ea. Includes vineyard tours, tastes and snacks. Call 619-233-8687 for more.
§ Il Fornaio in Del Mar has a Festa Regionale, headlining a Taste of Toscana, now to July 18. Wine choices include Chianti Ruffina and Mazzoni Super Tuscan with entrees like Bistecca alla Fiorentina. RSVP at 1-888-ITALIAN.
§ The new Wines@WholesalePlus is open in the San Diego Culinary Center across from the Convention Center. A Super Saturday Sampling happens Sat. July 11 from 4 to 7pm. You get 10 wines for $10. with appetizers. Details at 619-231-6400.
§ Capri Blu Italian Bistro west of Rancho Bernardo has a Ferrari-Carano wine dinner Tues. July 13 starting at 6:30pm. A fabulous four course dinner and 5 wines from Sonoma’s Ferrari-Carano. $65. pp. Reservations at 858-673-5100.
§ The California Wine Festival Santa Barbara is Thurs. thru Sat. July 15 to 17. Highlight is the Sat. Beachside Wine Festival at the Santa Barbara Pier. Prices vary, so check out the website at www.californiawinefestival.com.
§ The 2nd annual Mouton Noir Wine Dinner is at Amaya in the Grand Del Mar Resort Fri. July 16, 5:30 to 10pm. Four course dinner with wine pairings, $70. ea. Celebrate a collection of small growers from around the globe. RSVP at 858-314-2036.
If you are really into the wines, one of your favorite pastimes is to search the aisles of wine shops and wine departments of huge retailers like BEVMO and COSCTO. Buying wine is no sure thing. The only thing for sure is that there are whites and reds.
Everything else is really window-dressing and your experience with tasting the wines. That’s why I urge a “core and explore” strategy. Your core wines are brands and vintages you can rely on for consistent quality. Then allow say 1/3 of your wines and budget for the “explore” part. Those would be the vast number of new wines brands and varietals that you have not tried. Chances are some of those “explorations” will be so good, that you will want to add them to your core list.
So what’s really selling these days. I decided to check on the inventory renewals at COSTCO’s biggest selling wine department in my home town of Carlsbad.
California’s best selling varietals, despite all the words of praise from we wine writers for newer sensations, is still Chardonnay for a white and Cabernet Sauvignon for a red. This was underlined by current sales and inventory at COSTCO. Their stock of Chardonnay is led by Clos Du Bois, La Crema and Beringer.
Checking out the Cabernets, the biggest seller and the highest inventory of any wine at COSTCO is the venerable and all-time Napa Valley great, Mondavi - specifically CK Mondavi (the CK is for Charles Krug, where members of the family make premium wines, as well as this value wine.) This is not to be confused with Robert Mondavi wines, bought out some years ago by an international conglamerate.
Other cabs that are moving at COSTCO include: Louis Martini, Montes Alpha and Casa LaPostoll from Chile. Other big red movers are: Cambria Pinot Noir, Dona Paula Shiraz/Malbec from Argentina, Tin Roof Merlot, Villa Pillo Toscana Rosso Borgoforte from Italy, Manage A Trois red blend and Kirkland house brand Merlot from Washington.
New Tastings Worth Telling
Where do I begin. I just returned from the Napa Valley, more convinced than ever that it is the greatest growing grounds for wine in the world, with lots of fabulous tastings, but that will be reserved for a future column. As I write this, a large real estate investment trust has just announced a purchase of Beaulieu and Sterling Vineyards, both from Napa Valley. Foley Family Wines which has Sebastiani and Wattle Creek, has just added Chalk Hill from Sonoma. OK, so those are business trends. Here are some special tastings:
Lewis Cellars Chardonnay Reserve Napa Valley 2008. $65. The winery of the season at Amaya, the Grand Del Mar Resort. Balanced to perfection with crisp character.
Saxon Brown Pinot Noir Sonoma 2008. $41. Dynamic treatment of this “First Lady” of reds. Strawberry notes carry through to the long, glamorous finish.
Thornton Winery Petite Sirah Temecula Valley, 2007. $40. Thornton has 7 new releases out, topped by this inaugural triumph by winemaker Don Reha. Carefully aged 27 months in toasted oak.
Thornton Winery Nebbiolo Temecula Valley, 2007. $34. The northern Italian backbone grape to the famous Barolo and Barbaresco, this wine has wings and flies with its famous brethren. Rich and visceral. Expect leather, mineral characteristics.
Parallel Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley, 2007. $64. According to “birthday girl” Laura at Carlsbad Wine Merchants, this wine was created by Winemaker of the Year Phillipe Melka. A prime-time serving.
Baily Vineyard and Winery Riesling Temecula Valley, 2008. $14. Made to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Temecula. Crisp, clean and smooth taste. Serve cold with chicken and pork. Can easily be an aperitif.
Fontana Fredda Briccotonio Barbera Piedmont Italy, 2008. $9. Here is one of Italy’s most delicious table wines. The Barbera grape is underrated. No concern about age. Just open it and enjoy!
Wine Bytes
§ A Temecula Valley Tasting Tour departs the Mission Bay Visitors Center on Sat. July 10, 10am to 5pm. Stops at 3 favorite wineries: Briar Rose, Falkner and Leonesse. Cost is $100. ea. Includes vineyard tours, tastes and snacks. Call 619-233-8687 for more.
§ Il Fornaio in Del Mar has a Festa Regionale, headlining a Taste of Toscana, now to July 18. Wine choices include Chianti Ruffina and Mazzoni Super Tuscan with entrees like Bistecca alla Fiorentina. RSVP at 1-888-ITALIAN.
§ The new Wines@WholesalePlus is open in the San Diego Culinary Center across from the Convention Center. A Super Saturday Sampling happens Sat. July 11 from 4 to 7pm. You get 10 wines for $10. with appetizers. Details at 619-231-6400.
§ Capri Blu Italian Bistro west of Rancho Bernardo has a Ferrari-Carano wine dinner Tues. July 13 starting at 6:30pm. A fabulous four course dinner and 5 wines from Sonoma’s Ferrari-Carano. $65. pp. Reservations at 858-673-5100.
§ The California Wine Festival Santa Barbara is Thurs. thru Sat. July 15 to 17. Highlight is the Sat. Beachside Wine Festival at the Santa Barbara Pier. Prices vary, so check out the website at www.californiawinefestival.com.
§ The 2nd annual Mouton Noir Wine Dinner is at Amaya in the Grand Del Mar Resort Fri. July 16, 5:30 to 10pm. Four course dinner with wine pairings, $70. ea. Celebrate a collection of small growers from around the globe. RSVP at 858-314-2036.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Sipping Around Carlsbad
by Frank Mangio
Carlsbad is a lovely beach and BBQ town and a city that I have called home for many years. It never occurred to me until recently that in casting around for a story on a North Coastal San Diego community that seemed to be dominating the social wine scene, Carlsbad gets the nod.
Active, events-driven wine shops like Carlsbad Wine Merchants, Wine Loft and La Costa Wine Company compete with restaurants and resorts. New wine and dine places are going up in both the downtown district and village style shopping centers in new communities like Bressi Ranch.
Wine shoppers keep coming back to well run specialty centers like The Forum and Carlsbad Premium Outlets. The city even has its own winery by the sea with Witch Creek Winery, releasing 24 hand-crafted wines from its location on Highway 101. A few blocks away on
Carlsbad Village Drive, the classy, richly appointed PAON Restaurant and Wine Bar is attracting a big following with its steady stream of stylish wine events, including the legendary Frenchman Stephan Asseo of Paso Robles’ L’Aventure.
The winery was a perfect fit for the restaurant’s California-French cuisine and European style service. PAON was recently named the Best Restaurant in the San Diego area for 2010 by San Diego Magazine. The wine list has an abundance of Cabernet and Bordeaux style blends. L’Aventure has been a Paso signature winery for some 13 years and tonight was spotlighting its new release 2008 Estate Cuvee ($85.), a blend of 50% Syrah, 36% Cabernet and14% Petit Verdot, served with an Angus Veal entrée. Asseo’s pledge is to make “balanced wines for your pleasure.” He asserted that “Paso Robles is one of the few wine countries that French Bordeaux style wines co-exist with French Rhone style wines. This is why I left France. I could not do a wine like the Estate Cuvee there due to restrictions on blends. I don’t have a formula when I make this wine. I do have the freedom to create what the harvest, the earth and the weather have given me. I try all the grapes in my vineyard, come up with 5 or 6 blend combinations before choosing the best that I have tasted. 2008 was not the best for the cabernet, so I made this blend mostly Syrah. You can see and taste the strength in the 15.9% alcohol and the purple/black tones and flavors, with the long, spicy finish. This is an enormously balanced wine which will get even better with aging.”
It was an adventure (which is English for L’Aventure) to engage with this firebrand of fine wine. We hope to see more of Stephan Asseo and his passionate love of French style wines.
I was also fascinated by PAON’s well-cared-for retail wine shop, presently at 170 carefully selected bottles of fine wine, soon to be up to 400 bottles. It’s managed by Jen Graves who has been crafting her abilities for a number of years in San Diego. Not a day later, PAON hosted an important Italian wine tasting in cooperation with Maddelana Brands of Southern California, representing may fine Italian vineyards and wineries. As many of my readers know, Italian wines are more earthy, acidic and made to compliment food, than their California brethren. Names to know from this tasting included: La Montecchia from Veneto, Marotti Campi from Marche and Fornacina from Montalcino in Tuscany.
Other interesting Carlsbad locations for great wine and food are: the new Tommy V’s in Bressi Ranch, Vigilucci’s two locations, West and Bistro West and the Mediterranean Café. All will reward you with a Carlsbad style wine and food experience.
Merlot’s Comeback
I have to admit I am one of these closet Merlot fans that maybe roots for an underdog and hopes that this comeback kid rises from the ashes.
Merlot was blind-sided with a sucker punch when the enormously successful Sideways movie and its main character, Miles, slammed Merlot and put Pinot Noir on a pedestal. Merlot growers like Beringer and Provenance in the Napa Valley and a number of Washington growers are fighting back. In my top ten tasting, I placed the Grgich Hills 2006 Napa Valley ($42.) as a leading edge Merlot. At its best, Merlots like Grgich have that velvety, black cherry at the front palate. Many have said the ’07 is equally concentrated in lovely flavor that builds to rich, cherry /oak finishes. You will have to spend more for peak Merlot, but the rewards will be there.
Wine Bytes
Bacchus Wine Market downtown San Diego has a 4th of July BIG Zin and BBQ event Fri. July 2 from 4 to 9pm. Cost is $15. pp. Details at 619-236-0005.
Falkner Winery in Temecula Wine Country is celebrating its 10th Anniversary Sat. July 3 – Sun. July 4. Includes free Jazz music 12 to 3pm, BBQ, tours, hourly raffles and big discounts on their award winning wine. More info by calling 951-676-8231 x1.
San Diego State University is offering its “Exploring Wine” course Tuesdays, starting July 6 – Aug. 3 from 6 to 9pm. It’s part of SDSU’s certification program. Call 619-594-6924.
The Temecula Valley International Jazz Festival is on for Fri. July 9 – Sun. July 11. Prices start at $35. Acts include Herb Jefferies and Freda Payne, Poncho Sanchez and Trini Lopez. Full details at 951-678-2517.
Carlsbad is a lovely beach and BBQ town and a city that I have called home for many years. It never occurred to me until recently that in casting around for a story on a North Coastal San Diego community that seemed to be dominating the social wine scene, Carlsbad gets the nod.
Active, events-driven wine shops like Carlsbad Wine Merchants, Wine Loft and La Costa Wine Company compete with restaurants and resorts. New wine and dine places are going up in both the downtown district and village style shopping centers in new communities like Bressi Ranch.
Wine shoppers keep coming back to well run specialty centers like The Forum and Carlsbad Premium Outlets. The city even has its own winery by the sea with Witch Creek Winery, releasing 24 hand-crafted wines from its location on Highway 101. A few blocks away on
Carlsbad Village Drive, the classy, richly appointed PAON Restaurant and Wine Bar is attracting a big following with its steady stream of stylish wine events, including the legendary Frenchman Stephan Asseo of Paso Robles’ L’Aventure.
The winery was a perfect fit for the restaurant’s California-French cuisine and European style service. PAON was recently named the Best Restaurant in the San Diego area for 2010 by San Diego Magazine. The wine list has an abundance of Cabernet and Bordeaux style blends. L’Aventure has been a Paso signature winery for some 13 years and tonight was spotlighting its new release 2008 Estate Cuvee ($85.), a blend of 50% Syrah, 36% Cabernet and14% Petit Verdot, served with an Angus Veal entrée. Asseo’s pledge is to make “balanced wines for your pleasure.” He asserted that “Paso Robles is one of the few wine countries that French Bordeaux style wines co-exist with French Rhone style wines. This is why I left France. I could not do a wine like the Estate Cuvee there due to restrictions on blends. I don’t have a formula when I make this wine. I do have the freedom to create what the harvest, the earth and the weather have given me. I try all the grapes in my vineyard, come up with 5 or 6 blend combinations before choosing the best that I have tasted. 2008 was not the best for the cabernet, so I made this blend mostly Syrah. You can see and taste the strength in the 15.9% alcohol and the purple/black tones and flavors, with the long, spicy finish. This is an enormously balanced wine which will get even better with aging.”
It was an adventure (which is English for L’Aventure) to engage with this firebrand of fine wine. We hope to see more of Stephan Asseo and his passionate love of French style wines.
I was also fascinated by PAON’s well-cared-for retail wine shop, presently at 170 carefully selected bottles of fine wine, soon to be up to 400 bottles. It’s managed by Jen Graves who has been crafting her abilities for a number of years in San Diego. Not a day later, PAON hosted an important Italian wine tasting in cooperation with Maddelana Brands of Southern California, representing may fine Italian vineyards and wineries. As many of my readers know, Italian wines are more earthy, acidic and made to compliment food, than their California brethren. Names to know from this tasting included: La Montecchia from Veneto, Marotti Campi from Marche and Fornacina from Montalcino in Tuscany.
Other interesting Carlsbad locations for great wine and food are: the new Tommy V’s in Bressi Ranch, Vigilucci’s two locations, West and Bistro West and the Mediterranean Café. All will reward you with a Carlsbad style wine and food experience.
Merlot’s Comeback
I have to admit I am one of these closet Merlot fans that maybe roots for an underdog and hopes that this comeback kid rises from the ashes.
Merlot was blind-sided with a sucker punch when the enormously successful Sideways movie and its main character, Miles, slammed Merlot and put Pinot Noir on a pedestal. Merlot growers like Beringer and Provenance in the Napa Valley and a number of Washington growers are fighting back. In my top ten tasting, I placed the Grgich Hills 2006 Napa Valley ($42.) as a leading edge Merlot. At its best, Merlots like Grgich have that velvety, black cherry at the front palate. Many have said the ’07 is equally concentrated in lovely flavor that builds to rich, cherry /oak finishes. You will have to spend more for peak Merlot, but the rewards will be there.
Wine Bytes
Bacchus Wine Market downtown San Diego has a 4th of July BIG Zin and BBQ event Fri. July 2 from 4 to 9pm. Cost is $15. pp. Details at 619-236-0005.
Falkner Winery in Temecula Wine Country is celebrating its 10th Anniversary Sat. July 3 – Sun. July 4. Includes free Jazz music 12 to 3pm, BBQ, tours, hourly raffles and big discounts on their award winning wine. More info by calling 951-676-8231 x1.
San Diego State University is offering its “Exploring Wine” course Tuesdays, starting July 6 – Aug. 3 from 6 to 9pm. It’s part of SDSU’s certification program. Call 619-594-6924.
The Temecula Valley International Jazz Festival is on for Fri. July 9 – Sun. July 11. Prices start at $35. Acts include Herb Jefferies and Freda Payne, Poncho Sanchez and Trini Lopez. Full details at 951-678-2517.
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