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.

Charm of Venice and Tuscany at Bella Dolce in Rancho Santa Fe

by Frank Mangio
Italy never looked or tasted as beautiful as it does at the new Dolce Pane E Vino in the Del Rayo Center in Rancho Santa Fe. Guests are literally transformed in this rustic, elegant creation that is at once a world of wine, a wine bar of elegance and a small-bites master restaurant with the charm of Venice and Tuscan surrounds.

Dolce Pane E Vino (sweet bread and wine) is the creation of Michael Melone and Dr. Anthony Smith who have carefully crafted an original Italian design unlike anything I have experienced. They bring a passion for the customer, cultivated from remarkable dining experiences worldwide. You’ll marvel at the tables that are crafted for sharing, and lighting that is linked in communal harmony, yet each element is its own artistic rendering. The entire atmosphere is an architectural triumph.

Dr. Anthony Smith and Michael Melone partnered to create Dolce Pane E Vino, a wine and cuisine restaurant experience unlike any other.

I would be remiss by not devoting space to the wine and cuisine. Wine flights of three offerings are paired with the meal as a delightful option, especially since bottles can be purchased that match the flavors. On the evening I visited, wines from Fort Ross, Wolf Family and Orin Swift were served and all had rich flavors to pair with an ever-evolving Mediterranean menu.

Dolce Pane E Vino is open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday. Mondays just dinner is served. Local seasonal produce is used with the freshest quality available. Dolce is now booking inspiring wineries for special events including Laird Family Estate Wed. March 24 at 5:30pm with Rebbecca Laird. There is more to know at their website DolcePanEVino.com. The phone number is 858-832-1518.

New Wines and a Perfect Gift Idea
In the past 30 days I have tasted some 500 wines of note and the following wines were especially memorable:

- Castel Giocondo Brunello di Montalcino, Italy, 2004. $45. From the Frescobaldi family of traditional Italian winemaking with 100% four year aged Sangiovese. The first of the recently great harvest years in Tuscany. Gets greater with more aging.

- Chateau Tanunda Grand Barossa Shiraz, Australia, 2007. $19. This striking, flavorful wine comes from the oldest winery in the Aussie nation in the heart of the Barossa Valley. First vines were planted in 1845. Classic and refined.

- Leal San Benito Estate Grown Cabernet, Hollister Ca. 2006. $20. North Central Coast flavor of soft, rich intense wines. A cab that is delicious and easy on the palate.

- Louis Latour Beaune Burgundy, Cote-D’or, France. 2005. $39. Burgundian wines fathered the immensely popular Pinot Noirs of the West Coast of the U.S. Mellow cherry with a smoky licorice taste. Balanced, mellow tannins. ’05 was a golden harvest in France.

- Oak Mountain Meritage, Temecula, 2005. $42. One for the locals with a nicely calculated 40% Cabernet, 40% Cab Franc and 20% Merlot Bordeaux classic style. Long, smooth finish.

- Pedroncelli Block 007 Estate Vineyard Sonoma Cabernet, 2007. $25. Ninety one points in a major wine publication, this is 100% cab grape with 18 months in oak. Elegant premium quality.

- Rodney Strong Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, Sonoma 2008. $20. Another master stroke from winemaker Rick Sayres, pulling a premier harvest from this popular pinot area. Silky texture, floral accents and a hint of spice make this one a standard to look up to.

A personal expression on a bottle or glass makes the perfect gift to give for wine lovers.
Tom Bwarie of Bwarie Gift Baskets in Carlsbad (photo) has made hand engraving an art form. As a focal point of your custom gift basket order, this personalized service is free of charge. He showed me a popular new wine aerator that he is engraving for customers, the Soiree, a glass globe with an aeration chamber that is secured to the top of a wine bottle to enhance balance and flavor. He also does wine events where he quickly engraves the names of visitors on their tasting glasses. It’s a “take-home” gift that insures branding life for the hosts. Contact information is 760-730-1458 or access the website BWarieGiftBaskets.com

Wine Bytes
Meritage Wine Market in Encinitas is serving Italian “Succulent Sangioveses” at their weekly wine tasting on Fri. March 26 from 6 to 8pm. Check with them for price and the wine lineup. 760-479-2500.

Wine Styles in Encinitas has live jazz and wine with the flamenco group En Fuego, Fri. March 26, 6 to 8pm. An extensive menu of wines from around the world, with a small bite menu of cheeses and paninis. No cover charge. Call 760-633-0057.

The Wine Bank in the Gaslamp District of downtown San Diego has the Best of Italian Wines for its event of Sat. March 27 from 6 to 8pm. Names like Gaja, Masi Amarone and Sassicaia will be poured. $50. pp. RSVP on pre-purchase at 619-239-0334.

3rd Corner in Encinitas has a Hitching Post Wine Dinner coming on Tues. March 30 at 6pm for $65. ea. This was the Santa Barbara winery made famous in the movie “Sideways.” RSVP at 760-942-2104. The Hitching Post winemaker will also be at La Costa Wine Company on Wed. March 31 from 6 to 8pm. Cost is $20. For details call 760-431-8455.

The Village of Dreams in Temecula Wine Country

by Frank Mangio
A drive along the De Portola Trail in Temecula Wine Country may as well be a winding journey through the vineyards of Bordeaux France. The peaceful easy feeling at the sight of rolling hills and rural beauty is the best therapy for a tough day at the office. And so it was when I turned into the last vineyard and winery on the trail, Leonesse Cellars, the “Village of Dreams.”

Leonesse was founded by owners Mike Rennie and Gary Winder in 2003 as the fulfillment of a lifelong dream of producing world class wines, mostly in the Bordeaux style of red blends. Together they had 50 years of agriculture and grape-growing experience in the Temecula Valley.

The wine world is taking notice of this immaculately groomed winery. In ’09, Leonesse was rewarded with high points and awards for its 2005 Cabernet Franc/Merlot which bore the mark of perfectly balanced tannins and fruity body. The 2006 Melange de Reves and 2004 premium “Vineyard Selection” Series Syrah and Merlot also took bows for their greatness.

My host was Joel Reese, the charming, dynamic Host and Touring Manager, who came to Leonesse from a music career in Tennessee a year and a half ago. “Wine is such a passionate way of life,” he enthused. “I love creating tastings and events for vistors. A lot of what I do I have picked up from your Taste of Wine columns where I learn how big a world the wine experience is. I want to broaden the appeal of the Leonesse wines.”

“We are highly focused on the Rhone style of wines and are offering some wonderful Syrahs. Our 2006, both the Vineyard Selection and the Signature Selection are doing well, as are the whites: Viognier and Rousanne,” he said.

We got around to tasting what I consider the premier grape for Leonesse, their Signature Selection Merlot. The 2006 is their latest release. Winemaker Tim Kramer, who has been with Leonesse since its beginnings, has taken grapes from the Palomar Mountain Los Caballos Vineyard and combined its Merlot grapes with a touch of Cabernet, Cab Franc and Petite Verdot, to present
a beautiful, visceral wine.

Joel Reese of Leonesse opens a bottle of Signature Selection Merlot.

It had been in French Oak barrels for 28 months after being “babied” through gentle crushing and fermentation to enhance the richness of the varietal.
“You get deep dark chocolate and cherry flavors. It’s like aroma therapy at the palate,” Reese said. Cost is $95 dollars, $71.25 for Leonesse club members.
This is just one of an exceptional lineup of Merlots and nice to see a winery do Merlot the right, regal way: aged to perfection in the finest oak barrels.
Access more about this winery at www.leonessecellars.com.

Farewell to Gaiter and Brecher, my Favorite Columnists
It is with a note of sadness that I read the last wine column from the Wall Street Journal’s Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher. After 579 columns and 12 years, they have signed off. They have been honest and adventurous in their approach to wine comment. In early 2005, when I first started reading their weekly wine columns, they raised eyebrows by declaring that wines from Temecula were quite good and recommended them. They complimented the winemakers for “following their hearts…they don’t (the wines) taste manipulated. They taste like fruit and earth.”

Since then, this husband and wife team has advised readers to “keep raising your personal bar for what is truly memorable, so that you’re always looking for the next wine that will touch your soul and make you feel like you’ve gone someplace you’ve never been before.” I recommend their book “Guide to Wine…How to Buy, Drink and Enjoy Wine.”

Wine Bytes
Il Fornaio in Del Mar kicks off their 2010 Festa Regionale with a wine dinner celebrating the Fruili-Venezie region of food and wine, now through Thurs. Jan. 17. Reservations at 1-888-ITALIAN.

A Banfi Wine Dinner is being planned at The Oceanaire downtown San Diego Thurs. Jan. 14 starting at 6:30pm. Their ’05 Sangiovese is highlighted. Cost is $85. Phone 619-858-2277.

Tesoro Winery in Old Town Temecula is kicking off events for wine and art lovers, beginning Thurs. Jan. 14 and every 2nd Thurs. from 7 to 9pm. It is FREE to the public. Call for more at 951-308-0000.

Meritage Wine Market in Encinitas has a comprehensive Pinot Noir Tasting on Fri. Jan. 15 from 6 to 8pm. $20. pp. Call for names at 760-479-2500.

The 3rd Corner Wine Shop & Bistro in Encinitas presents a Walter Hansel Wine Dinner Tues. Jan 19 starting at 6pm. Cost is $70. ea. Details and RSVP at 760-942-2104.

Wine Reflects the Taste of a Woman

Article and photo by Frank Mangio
I saw it coming shortly after I started covering wine events and writing about wine developments four years ago. At first it was a curiosity, then it was a realization that women were beginning to become the dominant force in the shape of wine events and wine sales. The latest numbers show anywhere between 57% and 60% of the wine buying choices are made by women.

Forget about the stereotype that women only like sweet or light wines and they are hanging around wine bars to giggle and get picked up. I have found that wine intelligence is not gender-bound. Many more women are becoming sommeliers, winemakers and owners of wine businesses.

Surprisingly, Italy’s most revered wineries, and considered one of the oldest and most traditional of wine countries, are handing control over to female members of these legendary vineyards. Antinori, the most famous of these families, now is operated by daughter Alessia who is scheduled to appear at the Four Seasons Aviara on October 7.

Angelo Gaja scaled the heights of winemaking in Barolo country. He now leaves the story to his young daughter, Gaia. Then there is the Banfi wine empire in Montalcino, now in the capable hands of Cristina Mariani-May who was quoted in a leading wine publication as saying “one strength of women is that they’re more prone to open conversation and building relationships; a bonding experience encouraged all the more by wine.”

A typical weekend tasting at La Cereza Winery in Temecula finds women at the bar for their tasty “Girlfriends” lineup of whites and now a Syrah-Petite Sirah blend.

Then there is Karen MacNeil, the author of Wine Bible, the first book about wine that ever made sense to me, who states that “women are more comfortable giving their opinion and giving a longer opinion about a wine than men. They are not keeping score or making it into a challenge.”

Terri Pebley Del Hamer was making a good living as a commercial property realtor some five years ago, when she called on an owner and winemaker in Temecula about listing his 13 acre property. She wound up purchasing what is now Keyways Vineyard and Winery.

At first it was simply an investment but when the winemaker who was leasing the property left town, Terri had to desperately turn to her innate business wisdom to make a go of it. In 2006, she assembled management who happened to be women, and fashioned a winery that emphasized the celebration of women in wine. “I realized that no one was featuring a winery that catered to women and that to my knowledge, I was the only female winery owner in Southern California, she said. “I set out to make Keyways a comfortable place where customers could take their time, stretch out in easy chairs by a fireplace and feel at home. Then I branded a line of wine called Femina Vita, or the life of a woman. I contracted with a Napa Valley artist for relaxed female poses and marketed the wine under such names as: First Crush, Sweet Surrender, Spellbound and Contentment. We offer varietals from Chenin Blanc to the Rhone Blend in Contentment, which earned gold for the 2007 vintage at last year’s California State Fair.”

Keyways now has a wine club just for women called “Brix Chix” and drew over 50 to its first meeting recently. “They came wanting to know more about wine, get inspired, entertained and empowered,” asserted Terri. “We meet once a month and they pick up a bottle of the wine of their choice. A speaker program is in the works.”

As if we need any more proof of wine being in a woman’s world, the #1 wine in the world last year according to the leading trade magazine, Wine Spectator, was Casa Lapostolle Clos Apalta, a Chilean 2005 blend. It was made by Andrea Leon…a woman.

Wine Bytes
 Women and Wine are celebrated weekly at Friars Folly in San Marcos. Wednesday nights are “Girls Nights” with wine bottles half price, and Tami Ridley the owner has been known to create wild surprises with live entertainment. Call 760-736-8035 for the latest.

 From Vine to Glass in Oceanside holds its Art and Wine night on Sat. June 27 at 6pm. Entry fee is $10. including appetizers. 760-757-1037.

 Bacchus Wine Market in San Diego’s Gaslamp District has a high-end Premier Cru Burgundy event on Fri. and Sat. June 26 and 27. 7 wines tasted for $35. Call for times at 619-236-0005.

 Vintage Wines on Miramar Rd. in San Diego offers a Sauvignon Blanc tasting on Sat. June 27 from 11 to 3:30pm, from New Zealand to domestic. Cost is just $5. Contact them at 858-549-2112.

 Escondido’s Holiday Wine Cellar has a Grenache event on Mon. June 29 from 5:30 to 7pm. It's a blind tasting, and another for only $5. 760-745-1200.

 3rd Corner in Encinitas brings an Austrian and Australia tasting in on Sat. June 27 from 2-5pm. Fee is $10. for ten wines. $15. more for a 3 course lunch. For more info, call 760-924-2104.

 Falkner Winery in Temecula celebrates its 9th Anniversary with a weekend blast Fri. July 3 to Sun. July 5. Enjoy jazz music, tours and huge discounts. Their Pinnacle restaurant offers deep menu discounts. Call 951-676-8231 for more.

Muscle Wine Nebbiolo Gets Witch Creek Gold

by Frank Mangio

With the heady scent of high tide at a Carlsbad beach, I entered Witch Creek Winery on the Coast Highway. It had been awhile and the news recently from this highly focused Italian style winery was all good. Earlier this year, it had captured Best of Class with its 2006 Nebbiolo at the prestigious San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. That wasn’t all…Witch Creek entered 7 wines, and all 7 took medals.

Founded in 1993 by the Wodehouse family, the winery also has a tasting room in the mountain town of Julian. In addition to the usual popular wines like Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and other household names, a decision was made to source known and lesser known Italian grape varietals from the Guadalupe Valley near Ensenada Mexico, long-known for its excellence in growing Nebbiolo, Barbera, Sangiovese, Montepulciano and Aglianico.

Pete Anderson, an area specialist in Italian viticulture, works closely with Witch Creek and his winemaker contact at L.A. Cetto in the Mexican wine country, Camillo Magoni, to bring award winning Italian grape varietals to the U.S. market with price points that are well below wines from Italy.

Although the 2006 Nebbiolo is now sold out, the rave is building for the 2007 vintage. Palate pleasing with huge potential in its blueberry and blackberry combination, this vintage is still in the grip of strong tannins and needs some lay-down time.


The creative style of winemaker Ryan Baker shows best in his touch with Witch Creek Blends. (foto by Frank Mangio)

If you have a “drink-now” occasion, open it up about an hour before consumption for a mouth-feel that flourishes with the full flavor of true Nebbiolo. Cost at the winery is $35.

Ryan Baker, the eclectic Witch Creek winemaker is constantly experimenting, trying new combinations and mixes, to come up with the next big thing. His work with the blend of Brunello and Aglianico in the 2006 Due Pastore deserves cheers. Hearty meats will get a flavor boost from this vintage and well as the later 2007 model that mates Aglianico and Montepulciano. They sell for $20. and $23. respectively. For the latest information and wine releases, the website is: www.witchcreekwinery.com.

Enjoy Your Own Fine Wine at Addison
Addison, the upscale restaurant in the Grand Resort Del Mar, recently was awarded Mobil’s prestigious Five-Star designation. This award really defines the highest standard of excellence in dining establishments. It also announced that on Tuesday and Wednesday dinners, guests can bring in a wine of their own with no corkage fee. This is a first in fine dining in the San Diego market and should be applauded. Customers in that price range often want to share their wines at a dining room of Addison’s stature.

Master Sommelier Jesse Rodriguez wants guests to know that he has brought in private bottlings with Grand Del Mar supervision, in collaboration some of the best vintners available. Rodriguez said “we have been busy making some incredible wine from all over California and Europe with proprietary offerings.”

Wine Spectator recently awarded Addison the “Best of Award of Excellence.” Learn more at www.TheGrandDelMar.com.

Wine Bytes
 Il Fornaio, in Del Mar and Coronado, continues its Festa Regionale salute to Italy’s culinary regions with Campania dinners and wines, now through May 17. Campania includes Naples, Sorrento and the Amafli Coast, home to Aglianico wines and Limoncello liqueurs. The Del Mar location number is 858-755-8876.

 Holiday Wine Cellar in Escondido offers German Rieslings at a tasting on Fri. May 8 from 5:30 to 7pm. Rieslings are lovely summertime wines from dry to sweet. Cost is $10. with appetizers. Call for details at 760-745-1200.

 3rd Corner in Encinitas presents an Italian wine tasting on Sat. May 9 from 2 to 5pm for $10. each. Learn which labels by calling 760-942-2104.

 Haciendas de Las Rosas heads up the next elegant 5 course winemaker dinner at Café Merlot and Bernardo Winery in Rancho Bernardo, Fri. May 15 starting at 6:30pm. $85. pp. Reservations at 858-592-7785.

 Paso Robles Wine Country is planning their 27th annual Wine Festival for Fri. May 15 to Sun. May 17. Fri. is the reserve tasting and Sat. the Grand Tasting with over 90 wineries participating. Local chefs also get involved. For ticket information, call 805-239-8463, or visit www.pasowine.com.

 The Four Seasons Aviara and its wine club invites guests to the 5th annual Around the World Wine Tasting, Wed. May 20 at 6:30pm. Only the best of the best wines are tasted, with food sampling from the resort’s Executive Chef. For more information, call 760-603-3790.