Here and There in the World of Wine

by Frank Mangio
It’s not unusual for me to get over 200 e mails a day from those that have wine news to use in TASTE OF WINE. I review and consider them all. Occasionally I will tag an interesting news group to pass on to readers in my “Here and There” notes.

The Millennial Generation and their love affair with wine.
Millennials are those fast-moving, internet savvy people in their twenties that love to relax at an urban winery along the coast and compare brands and vintages on their wine apps, downloaded  to an ever-present I Phone They are a phenomenal group of intelligent, confident consumers who have now comprised almost half of the wine-buying public. The sweet spot for wine choice for them is an average $20. a bottle, well above the national average.

Napa Valley Iconic Winemaker dies at 101
Peter Mondavi Sr., whose family purchased the historic Charles Krug Winery in 1943, brought winemaking in Napa Valley to new heights of grandeur in the 50’s and 60’s with his brother Robert Mondavi.  He was still actively making wine until a year ago.  He died of natural causes at 101, Saturday February 20th.  He leaves his two sons, Peter Jr. and Marc, both brilliant winemakers in their own right, to carry forward the tradition of Charles Krug.

Peter Mondavi Sr. was a leading winemaker in Napa Valley for over six decades
at his family’s Charles Krug Winery.

 A number of firsts can be credited to Mondavi including:  vintage dating on varietal wines, fermentation in small oak barrels and glass-lined tanks, cold fermentation for white wines and the first newsletter, “Bottles and Bins” published first in 1949.

Websites can now end with .WINE and .VIN and not .com.
The wine industry and the public can now produce its own domain name with a .WINE and .VIN opening up a lot more opportunity to customize a web site.  According to Alison Crisci of DKC, Chicago, who specializes in producing these industry-specific sites, there are a number of availabilities for .WINE and .VIN. You can reach her at Alison_Crisci@dkcnews.com or call 312-340-6997.

San Diego County wines come up big in major competition.
The results are in at the Vineyard & Management  25th Annual International Grand Harvest Awards in Santa Rosa Ca. and San Diego County Ramona Vintners are celebrating. I have long hoped that my home base wine country would get the kind of good news that might propel them into more recognition for their winemaking efforts. The Ramona Wine District (AVA) covers 89,000 square acres and is home to more than 50 commercial vineyards and 25 bonded wineries with tasting rooms. Nine awards went to three San Diego County wineries:  Ramona Ranch Winery, Altipiano Vineyard and Lenora Winery.

 Micole Moore and partner Teri Kerns of Ramona Ranch Winery recently won a Best of Class at the recent Vineyard & Management 25th annual competition in Santa Rosa.

 All three are members of the Ramona Valley Vineyard Association (RVVA). Micole Moore  is the current President of the Association, and owner of Ramona Ranch Winery with his partner Teri Kerns.  They were the recipients of the Best in Class and Double Gold award, with their 2013 Estate Tannat red wine ($38.), a unique grape that originated in France and is now the national grape of Uruguay.  It is a hearty-bodied wine, great with a beef dinner.  Their Sangiovese 2012 Reserve ($54.) was also recognized with a gold medal.  It’s similar to the same Brunello  produced in Italy ’s Montalcino area.  Ramona Ranch also makes other locally grown reds such as Cabernet, Syrah, Merlot and Montepulciano.

Lighter wines include Muscat Canelli, Voignier and a Montepulciano Rose.’Visit at ramonaranch.net or call 760-789-1622.

Wine Bytes
WineSellar & Brasserie in the Sorrento Valley district of San Diego is having a La Rioja Alta Spanish Wine Dinner, Sat. March 5th from 6 to 9pm.  The dinner will feature the 2005 Gran Reserva La Rioja which is a 96 point wine from Spain .  Cost is $69. Call 858-450-9557 for an RSVP.

Tuscany Restaurant  in La Costa/Carlsbad continues its VIP fine dining and live jazz the first Friday of every month in the Encore Room. The live jazz Sunday Brunch is celebrating its 1st Anniversary from 10:30am to 2:30pm. Tuscany now introduces a Saturday unplugged music brunch starting March 12th. Tuscany also presents the great Sue Palmer and her Motel Swing Quintet with boogie woogie music stylings, Sat. March 19th at 7pm.  Full dinner menu is available.  Show tickets are $15. in advance, $20. at the door. Call for full details on all at 760-929-8111.

A SoCal Benefit Wine Dinner for Brain Health research will take place at Europa Village Winery in Temecula Sat. March 19th  from 5:30pm to 10pm.  Full muti-course wine dinner with award-winning wines from  Staglin Winery in Napa Valley . Meet Shari and Garen Staglin and their amazing story about beating brain disorders. Cost is $1,000. per person, with limited tickets available. Call 707-963-4038 at Staglin Winery.

Harvest On Howell Mountain

by Frank Mangio
In our last report on Napa Valley wines, most wineries were happy to see the progress of the fruit as it experienced “Veraison,” the changing of the leaves and grapes to a rich color, signaling the onset of harvest.  This latest blast of heat we are experiencing seals the deal, especially on Howell Mountain, the first AVA subappellation  in Napa Valley and an  impressive elevation for growing wine grapes beginning at 1,400 feet above the fog. This means warmer mornings and cooler afternoon breezes.   This is Cab Country, concentrated and structured.

Howell Mountain, the highest elevation in Napa Valley rises to 2,400 feet and is home to Cabernet, Merlot and Zinfandel. The Cakebread Dancing Bear Vineyard is shown.

TASTE OF WINE was struck by its elegant and timeless qualitieswith a Mountain Wine distinctive flavor , characterized by pepper and warm spices.  The grapes are small, tightly clustered and powerfully concentrated for intense fruit.  They develop thick skins that yield rich tannins. A closer look at the terroir reveals rich, red volcanic soils  with naturally superb iron, enriching the grapes in Howell’s 600 + acres planted.  Here are some names to know:

Robert Craig Winery
Robert and Lynn Craig have been producing distinctive Cabernets for over 20 years.  Their ’96
Cab brought fame when Wine Spectator called it the hot new winery. It’s been a top 50 Cab producer ever since.

  

The winemaker since 2008 at the 20 acre Robert Craig Winery on Howell Mountain is Stephen Tebb.

Be sure to taste their 2009 Howell Mountain Cabernet with 85% Cab, 6% Petit Verdot, 7% Merlot, and 2% Malbec.  It recently bagged 96 points at Wine Advocate.  www.robertcraigwine.com.

Charles Krug Winery.  The Peter Mondavi Family has staked their reputation on the 9 acres planted to Cabernet on their 20 acre parcel and the accolades are pouring in on this ’07 Howell Mountain Rocky Ridge Vineyard Cab, their first release from their Howell Mountain Vineyard. www.charleskrug.com.

O’Shaughnessy Estate Winery.  Owner Betty O’Shaunessy began her winery in 1990 in Oakville and over the next few years more vineyards on Howell and Mt. Veeder.  Founding winemaker Sean Capiaux is still master winemker, creating world class Cabernet. with deep roots on the  hillside property.  A favorite is the 2009 Howell Mountain Cabernet offering excellent structure and deep color.  www.oshaughnessy.com.

Betty O’Shaughnessy at harvest.

Duckhorn Vineyards.  Duckhorn has its headquarters winery in St. Helena on the floor of Napa Valley, but their vineyard that has the signature 2007 Cabernet is midway up Howell Mountain.  They have sourced cab here since 1989.  The current release has 68% Cab and  32% Merlot.  To further encourage complexity, this wine was bottle-aged one year longer than normal prior to release.  www.duckhorn.com.

Cakebread Cellars was founded in 1973 by Jack and Dolores Cakebread.  The current winemaker is Julianne Laks, only the 3rd winemaker in 35 years.  Their Cabernets are full-throttle wonderful.  Their Howell Mountain Dancing Bear ranch is a favorite, with most applause reserved for the 2007 with 22 months in French Oak. The mix is 80% Cab, 13% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc.  www.cakebread.com.

You can experience mountain wines from Howell Mountain at a Harvest Celebration in Napa Valley’s Yountville, Saturday November 3 from 1 to 4pm at the V Wine Cellar.  $35. pp. advance tickets for 17 wineries plus Chef’s tasting menu.  Call 707-965-2665 or visit www.howellmountain.org.

Wine Bytes
PAON in Carlsbad presents a Napa/Sonoma Tasting in the Tasting Bar, Thurs. Sept. 27 thru Wed. Oct. 3. Six one ounce glasses for $16. Check for names at 760-729-7377.

Meritage Wine Market in Encinitas has Lobsterfest 2012 Sat. Sept. 29 from 6 to 9pm.  Advance tix required at $100. ea.  This is an old fashioned Maine Lobster Boil with all the trimmings with lots of wines.  Call now at 760-479-2500.

Ponte Winery in Temecula rolls out its Grape Stomp Sun. Sept. 30 from 4 to 9pm.  Cost is $95. for a Buffet Dinner, and Dance.  Stomps are team mate competition for prizes.  Call 877-314-WINE.

The RB Historical Society brings its 2nd annual wine tasting, music and food fest to Bernardo Winery, Sun. Sept. 30 from Noon to 4pm.  Four live bands will play. Beer and wine from area breweries and vineyards.  Tickets $20. ea. or at the door for $25.  Call 858-775-5788.

Digging Up Dirt in the Vineyard

by Frank Mangio

Don’t be surprised if, along with other nutritional revelations on wine labels, you will also be made aware of the amount of calories in a standard sized glass of wine.  What is considered standard for wine is a five ounce glass.

So if you are a calorie counter, you are consuming roughly 120 calories per 5 ounce serving.
That should not be a concern, if you drink in moderation. This is the latest in a string of reports that are positive for wine as a healthy drink, all things considered.

Where wine really shines is in its capacity to deliver resveratrol, an antioxidant that combats cardiovascular conditions.

A standard 5 ounce glass ofmwine has been found to contain 120 calories.

My good friends at Italo Americano published a report from Italy’s Higher Health Institute, among others that also found that resveratrol is capable of ”blocking the flu virus….  at present there is no known pharmaceutical product which can effectively block the flu virus.”  Other medical analysis suggests that drinking two glasses of red wine per day helps prevent a host of other diseases related to the heart and nervous system.

One of the most frequent questions I get is the “Contains Sulfite” notice on the wine bottles.  We all know that the government can get over-protective at times and this may be one of them. The fact is that a tiny amount of sulfur dioxide is added to the fermentation process, to control oxidation in the wine and protect spoilage, like turning the wine into vinegar during aging.  Nearly every wine maker adds sulfites.  Only Australia and the U.S. require a label mentioning the additive.   Sulfites don’t give you headaches, like some say.  Likely it’s an allergic reaction.  I know individuals who pop an anti- histamine before consuming wine and that seems to calm the problem.

Hats off to Charles Krug Winery, Napa Valley’s first winery and the sanctuary for several of the venerable Mondavi Family members.  They invented the public wine tasting event in 1951 at the onset of their harvest that year.  This year, Peter Mondavi Senior, 98 years young, will conduct his 61st tasting and break ground for an exciting new hospitality center on September 8, on the Great Lawn.  The winery was founded in 1861. Check out the details at www.charleskrug.com.

Wine Enthusiast Magazine just came out with their top 100 Restaurants in America, and in the San Diego area where this column is produced, Addison at the Grand Del Mar is the clear leader.  The wine program, directed by Jesse Rodriguez since its beginnings is “extensive and deep, strong on verticals and diverse, highlighting small producers.”  Rodriguez has some 25,000 bottles in the cellar as last count. The signature dish is the Braised Short Ribs, having gone from rustic to refined, using Port Wine and various spices. Learn more at www.addisondelmar.com. If you are in Beverly Hills, try CUT by Wolfgang Puck.

Here’s a brief but reliable wine pairing rule of thumb for popular dishes:
·        Lobster/Crab- open a premium Chardonnay to compliment the richness of the flavor.

·        Chicken-Can be paired with either red or white, but also is best suited to a robust Chardonnay or Viognier.

·        Fish-with the more flavored fish, a Pinot Noir red is a great choice.

·        BBQ Pork or Ribs-To balance the BBQ sauce and hot, peppery accents, a sweet Riesling is
always a smart wine.

·        Steak-with strong tannins, flavor and acidity, a Cabernet or Syrah is the flavor choice.

With the New Bunz in Town, Open a Red

With a revolutionary approach to the all-American Burger, noted San Diego Chef Jeff Rossman of Terra fame, has opened BUNZ, a casual restaurant with fresh-picked local produce,
100% aged beef for burgers and local seasonal fruit for shakes.

What caught my eye was the wine menu as well as draft and bottled beer in this short order format. The Merlot was a Canyon Road from California’s Central Coast, a nice choice to wash down 8 choices of burgers.  The condiments are all home-made, like the BBQ sauce in the “Cowboy Burger” I ordered, onion rings, ketchup  and pickles. All salads are organic.  Rossman’s 13 years as an Executive Chef is pulled in to create new and exotic tastes on a burger menu.

Jeff Rossman has created the new BUNZ in San Diego, an individual taste experience.

He has a “Vegan” Burger, ground turkey burger and a really different tasting “Smashed Medianoche Sandwich,” a Cuban delight with roasted pork and swiss cheese.
Check out BUNZ  at bunzsd.com, or call 619-298-6515.

Wine Bytes
There’s a new wine bar in Encinitas that just opened, Encinitas Wine Merchants and Wine Bar, located in the Kohl’s Center on El Camino Real. The wine specials served change weekly, with Happy Hour from 4 to 6pm.  Call 760-407-4265.

Flemings Steakhouse has its next wine dinner Fri. July 27 at 6:30pm, with the wines of Bianchi of Paso Robles.  Four course dinner with matching wines.  $75. pp.  Call 858-535-0078 for an RSVP.

Roll Out the Barrel Food and Wine benefiting Make A Wish is Sat. July 28 from 6 to 10pm at Humphreys By The Bay on Shelter Island.  Unique auction items included.  Live Entertainment.  Cost is $200. each.  Purchase tickets at www.sdwineandwishes.com.

Monte De Oro Winery in Temecula spotlights Big Bad Voodoo Daddy in a concert on Sat. July 28 starting at 6pm.  Tickets go from $55.  Phone 951-491-6551.

Altipiano Winery in Escondido is the host for the Ramona Heart Murals benefit food and wine event Sat. Aug. 4 from 2 to 6pm.  An exclusive Great Room is the winery venue with gourmet food to match the wine pairings.  Piano entertainment.  Price is $45. Call 760-787-1102.