Milagro Farm Worth the Back-Country Trip

by Frank Mangio (photos courtesy of Paul Body)

San Diego County is a late-bloomer in the booming California wine industry. Maybe it’s because in my home area, we have been so busy building homes and commercial properties, we forgot our roots: growing and producing wine like the first missionaries in the 16th century. When the Franciscan fathers were sent north and settled in San Diego and Los Angeles, they brought wine grape cuttings from Mexico which were of Spanish origin.

The entrance to the underground cellar at Milagro Farm Vineyards and Winery in Ramona.

The grapes were simply “mission grapes.” The success of these missions and the growth in population prompted secular vineyards and wineries and by the mid 1850’s, with the gold rush and the “go west” movement, wineries were abundant. But where California wine making began, in San Diego County, it took until recently to get it going again.

The county finally made it easier financially to open tasting rooms, but it was really a gathering of serious winemakers to form a true wine country and that country is the Ramona Valley. More than 16 wineries now open their doors to wine tasting. An attractive brochure points out the precise locations with an invitation to “come up and taste the wines of Ramona, a high valley community, located minutes from downtown San Diego in the heart of North County.” Also helping was the area designation as an American Viticultural Area in 2006, allowing wines to be labeled “Ramona Valley.”

At Milagro Farm Vineyards and Winery, Jim Hart is the winemaker. He grew up in the wine business as son of Joe Hart, a legendary name in Temecula Wine County with Hart Winery. Jim still adds to his winemaking duties at his father’s winery. Milagro has already done well in competition.

Milagro winemaker Jim Hart barrel tastes one of his reds with a customer prior to bottling.

Its 100 acres at 2,400 feet in the Ramona high country is suited to white varietals likek Pinot Gri and Chardonnay. Red wine selections include: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, a blend of Sangiovese and Barbera called Raggio Rosso and a Meritage with Bordeaux style grapes Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cab Franc. I loved the Cab with its full body flavors and prospect for aging.( $32. Wine club price $25.60.) A total of 14 acres are under vine. The tasting room is open Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 5pm.

See more at www.milagrofarmvineyards.com.

Wine/Food Radio Comes to San Diego-and the Winners in San Francisco

Wine and food veteran journalist Ron James along with show producer Mike Bragg of Taste of Wine TV Network kicks off a “feast for your ears,” a food and wine radio show called Wine & Dine Radio on KFSD AM 1450 radio starting Saturday March 10 from 1 to 2pm.

A team of dedicated wine and food experts will guest on the show, including TASTE OF WINE’S Frank Mangio, poised to get passionate about his favorite wines on the premier show. Now, every Saturday at 1pm, you can get a wealth of information about food and wine. Drink it in on San Diego AM 1450, or you can hear the show on your computers and smart phones available on demand anytime.

The San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, largest judging of American Wines in the world is official, with over 5,500 entries, a record. Best of Class included:

Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards 2006 Carneros Blanc de Blanc Sparkling Wine $28.

Dr. Konstantin Frank 2010 Finger Lakes Gewurztraminer $24.

Barnard Griffin 2011 Columbia Valley Rose’ of Sangiovese $12.

McGrail Vineyards 2008 Livermore Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve $36.

Castello di Amorosa 2010 Anderson Valley late harvest Gewurztraminer $35.

Wine Bytes

Meritage Wine Market in Encinitas has its first ever Luau Party Sat. March 10 from 5 to 7pm. A traditional Hawaiian menu with fun new wines. RSVP required-call 760-479-2500. Cost is $35 per guest.

Firefly Grill and Wine Bar in Encinitas has a Pine Ridge Wine Dinner from 6:30 to 9pm, for $75. a diner. Call 760-635-1066 for details.

Via Italia, downtown Encinitas brings in Wines from Sicily with special guest Silvio di Silvio and a 5 course wine dinner, Thurs. March 15 at 7pm. Cost is $75. Call 760-479-9757.

RELM Wine, Beer and Bistro in Carlsbad presents Grenache-Domestics vs Imports Thurs. March 15 from 6 to 8pm. Four tastings with small bites, for $40 ea. RSVP at 760-434-9463. Look for the new RELM in San Elijo Hills opening soon.

PAON Restaurant and Wine Bar in Carlsbad brings in distinctive wines from South America March 15 to 21 in the wine tasting bar. $16. for six pours. Call 760-729-7377 for times.

Winemaker of the Year named at San Francisco International

by Frank Mangio
Amanda Cramer of Niner Wine Estates on the west side of Paso Robles, and some of her wine creations, have taken top honors at the recent San Francisco International Wine Competition. Her Niner 2007 Premium Bordeaux Blend ($58.) took Double Gold and Best Bordeaux Blend, and her 2007 Cabernet Bootjack Ranch ($28.) also took Double Gold.

Cramer has been with Niner since 2004 and came there from assignments in the Napa Valley, Australia and Chile. “Given the opportunity to help build a winery from the ground up in the attractive Paso Robles area was something I simply could not pass up,” she said. “I’ve always loved the combination of agriculture, chemistry and artistry that winemaking represents. The agricultural is the most important,” she said, pointing out that 2010 will be Niner’s first all-estate produced vintage. “As winemaker, the most important decision I make is the harvest date.”

Amanda’s background as a Washington DC teacher of math and chemistry provided solid preparation for the road out west and enrollment in the UC Davis School of Enology and Viticulture, considered the foremost in the country, while interning at Far Niente Winery in the Napa Valley.

After a series of high profile positions in winemaking at such names as Chimney Rock, Robert Mondavi, D’Arenberg and Casa Lapostolle, she took a job as Assistant under the great Heidi Barrett at Paradigm in the Napa Valley, who developed Cramer’s expertise in Bordeaux varietals. Then came the chief winemaker opportunity at Niner Wine Estates, and this year the Winemaker of the Year Award at the San Francisco International Wine Competition. See more about Niner by visiting www.ninerwine.com.

Wine Spectator Annual Restaurant Awards
Wine Spectator is the most circulated wine publication in the world and the most prestigious. Every year, they research restaurants worldwide for best wine list, pricing, sommeliers and food and wine presentation.

Three levels of awards are given: Award of Excellence, Best of Award of Excellence and the highest, the Grand Award. The following are the San Diego area winners that I have reviewed in my column: Grand Award – Addison, Grand Del Mar Resort; The WineSellar & Brassiere, San Diego. Best of Award of Excellence – Amaya Bistro, Grand Del Mar Resort;

Delicias, Rancho Santa Fe; Donovan’s Steak & Chop House, University City. Award of Excellence – Bistro West, Carlsbad; Firefly, Encinitas; Firenze Trattoria, Encinitas; Island Prime, San Diego; Mille Fleurs, Rancho Santa Fe; Paradise Grille, Del Mar; Truluck’s University City; West Steak & Seafood, Carlsbad.

I have observed and commented that many more restaurants are upgrading their wine presentations and deserve consideration. Innovative offerings like direct sales by the bottle, lowering or even waving corkage fees, lowering prices by the glass and adding wine “flights” are just a few of the serendipitous findings on the wine list. Wine is helping to bring the customer back into the restaurants.

Wine Bytes
Relm Wine, Beer and Bistro, a new wine bar, has opened in Carlsbad at 2917 State Street, operated by Rene Fleming. A wide variety of small plates will be offered starting August 24 including soups, salads and unique sandwiches. Call 760-434-9463.

San Diego Wine Company has a Fritz Portfolio Tasting with owner Clay Fritz, Sat. Aug. 28 from 11 to 4:30pm. Fee is just $10. Details at 858-586-9463.

3rd Corner in Encinitas hosts the favorite Paso Robles Justin Winery for a 4 course dinner on Tues. Aug. 31 from 6 to 9pm. Includes the great latest-release blends: Isosceles, Justification and Obtuse. $70. pp. RSVP at 760-942-2104.

WineSellar & Brasserie presents a special yacht party “Sunset Wine & Cheese Harbor Cruise” Sun. Aug. 29 from 4 to 7pm. Limited guests. Total price $99. Call Amos at 858-688-1063.

The next “Drink Yourself Blind” wine tasting competition at Bacchus Wine Market in the Gaslamp District downtown San Diego is Fri. Sept. 3 from 4 to 8:30pm. They brown bag 8 wines. Prizes for those that are correct on 4 or more. Cost is $15. Call 619-236-0005.

The Truth About Sulfite in Wine

by Frank Mangio

Right out of the gate, I don’t feel there is a problem with a trace of sulfite in wines. But it is the number one complaint I hear about wine consumption.

“I get a headache from drinking wine…must be the sulfite in it. I must be allergic. Is there a wine that is sulfite-free?” Enough of those questions and I had to do some digging so I could understand enough to answer this common misunderstanding.

If you have a consistent headache from wine, chances are good it’s not from the trace sulfite in it. Instead it is more likely coming from the alcohol or histamine-like compounds, mostly in red wine, so you should have an allergy check. Perhaps an anti-histamine tablet would solve the problem.

Sulfite is a natural bi-product of the fermentation process. Elements are also in bread, salad ingredients, meat, seafood and the list goes on. The human body itself contains about 6 ounces of natural sulfite, mostly in amino acids that help in making all sorts of body parts.

Most wineries add sulfite to their wines after fermentation to preserve flavor and help prevent oxidation. Oxidation is the enemy of wine in that it will sour it and turn it brown in a short time. The U.S. requires warning labels on wines because a small percentage of people (like asthmatics) can suffer from allergic reactions. Other countries don’t require the warning so consumers of these wines think they are sulfite-free.

I “Googled” the net and came up with one winery in Oregon that describes itself as “Eco Wine…Organic Sulfite Free Wines.” The winery is Amity and it specializes in Pinot Noir. Oregon has always been my favorite Pinot Noir appellation and Amity has been a medal winner with its version, most recently scoring at the San Francisco International Wine Competition this year with the highest rating for Pinot.

The winery describes this winning ’07 Pinot Noir as “eco-organic without sulfites.” The federal agency that polices such things made the winery change the label to “no detectable sulfites.” The price is $27. at the winery.

The website is www.amityvineyards.com. The phone number is 503-835-2362 ext #1. The winemaker is Myron Redford and he has been doing sulfite-free wine since 1991. He also has a Chardonnay/Pinot Blanc blend that is sulfite-free.

Aussie Wines Slipping but Rieslings Holding Up
At the recent San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival Sommelier Blind Tastings, one of the wines chosen was an Australian White Riesling from the Clare Valley.

It had most of the sommeliers baffled as they had just identified a Riesling from Germany, the birthplace of this delicious grape. I thought it was a smart stroke to place the spotlight on an Aussie white, as the reds just haven’t performed that well lately. This year’s harvest has had dismal weather to contend with and in the recent past, an ocean of wine has hit the U.S. from “down under.” Of course when we say Aussie Red, we mean Shiraz.

As of last year, about 50 million cases of surplus have been returned, exports have dropped 13%, and 12% by value. The rush to wine riches is the main culprit. The wines are too sweet, too much alcohol, a fake fruit taste and oh so similar.

I personally enjoy a great Shiraz, sister of the Rhone Valley French Syrah, grown extensively in California. But the trend in Australia is to get away from quality. But back to Rieslings, and this is the varietal that seems to bring back the Aussie charm in winemaking. They are well-made, structured wines with a hint of lime and a nice fullness. Try these: Killkanoon 2007, Clare Valley, $18.99; and Pewsey Vale Vineyard, 2008, Eden Valley, $13.99