Thursday’s Bottle

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Bordeaux, Buttonwood Winery, Karen Steinwachs, Santa Barbara County Wines, Zingy Sauvignon Blanc

Buttonwood Winery’s 2012 “Zingy” Sauvignon Blanc

“Zingy,” I wondered. Why that name? My first sip later, I understood. This wine embodies zingy; it’s easily the most tart sauv blanc I’ve encountered. And that’s saying a lot, because I’m an outspoken fan of this white Bordeaux varietal: I drink sauvignon blanc several times a month.

Winemaker Karen Steinwachs has several vintages from Buttonwood under her belt, and she understands the estate vineyard like nobody’s business.

Zingy packs a perfect balance of mouthwatering grapefruit acidity, the kind that pairs perfectly with creamy pasta or cheese. Quite by accident I discovered how well Zingy matched plain crackers topped with sea salt. I sipped, and crunched. And then the cracker box was empty …

Production: 296 cases, from estate Block 5, the “Zingy” block, at Buttonwood Winery. Whole cluster pressed to cold stainless steel. Tasting room (and seasonal fruit stand) on Alamo Pintado Road outside Solvang. Retail: $20. www.buttonwoodwinery.com

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Thursday’s Bottle

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Blair Fox Cellars, DNA, Italian wine, Liguria, Los Olivos, Pigato, Rolle, Vermentino

Blair Fox Cellars 2012 Vermentino

Honeyed tart of lemon with a hint of fresh ginger, this Vermentino has a long finish of delicate English rose petals. I cannot wait to try it with fresh seafood.

This Italian grape varietal is newer to me, but it’s definitely now on my radar.

Some of the latest DNA grape typing reveals that Vermentino is the same as Pigato of Liguria, as well as Favoria of Piedmont. This news apparently replaces the view that Vermentino is identical to Rollo, prevalent around Nice; both of those varietals are classified under the synonym Rolle.

Winemaker Blair Fox sources this from his Fox Family Vineyard in the hills outside Los Olivos. Santa Barbara County. Retail: $25. Los Olivos tasting room; www.blairfoxcellars.com

Thursday’s Bottle

Tags

Alisos Vineyard, Gewürztraminer, Larry Schaffer, Santa Barbara County Wines, Tercero Wines

Tercero Wines’ 2012 “Outlier”

This is a gewürztraminer, but not in the traditional sense: This vintage contains just .3 percent residual sugar. The result is a palate rich with crushed, ripe pink grapefruit and a hint of apricot.

Winemaker Larry Schaffer sourced the gewürztraminer for his 2012 from Alisos Vineyard.

Disclaimer: I work for Schaffer in his Los Olivos tasting room, but all that’s relevant here is the truth: I consume quite a bit of Outlier.

It’s one I fondly call “the sleeper” wine: Before people taste it, I describe it only as “a dry gewürztraminer.” Once it hits a taster’s palate, his or her eyes light up as they comprehend the fusion of sweet and tart.

Production: 95 cases. Released June 1. Los Olivos tasting room. Retail: $22. www.tercerowines.com

Speaking of chardonnay …

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California, chardonnay, Grape, Joe Roberts, Pinot noir, Santa Barbara County California, Wente, Wente Vineyards

My fellow blogger Joe Roberts at www.1winedude.com penned this lovely tribute to the Family Behind California Chardonnay, the Wente Family. Yes, that Wente, as in Wente Clone.

http://onthewinetrail.wordpress.com/2013/08/12/attack-of-the-clone-talking-american-chardonnay-history-with-5th-generation-vintner-karl-wente/

Dear Harvest: I know you’re out there . . .

Tags

Harvest, Santa Barbara County Wine, Sta. Rita Hills AVA

Pinot noir ripening on netted vines at Kessler-Haak Vineyard in the Sta. Rita Hills on Aug. 9.

On my way to work in Solvang this morning, I passed a truck pulling a trailer containing one bin of red grapes, headed west into Lompoc. I’m pretty sure I recognized the truck as one belonging to a Lompoc Ghetto-based winemaker.

I’m guessing said winemaker was making a grape delivery of either pinot noir or syrah grapes to a winery, his or someone else’s site, and that the grapes were picked this early because they’re destined for sparkling wine. Just my guess.

In the eight years since I first focused my eyes and ears on all things wine, I’ve sensed a shift in the atmosphere every August. Winemakers and vineyard managers spend more time strolling down rows of grapevines, testing grapes’ brix levels at the same time they’re testing the air for temperature and wind speed. They stare up at the sky.

Every day, another of the zillion or so vineyards I pass on my daily commute gets nets flung over its vines. Another day, another netting. (Netting vines is super hard work, just so you know).

When I pass one or more winemakers gathered together, I’ll likely hear fragments of conversation that sound like: ” … When do you think you’ll …  ” or “What about …. ?” and even … “Did you hear .. .?”

One might utter “It’s been warm overnight,” and the other might remark about an August night’s sudden chill. And that’s not the half of it …

So many unknowns go into the execution of an actual grape harvest that it’s a wonder thousands take place daily in these parts. First off, there’s weather to consider — especially heat and … R-A-I-N. (Shush! I didn’t even say the would out loud).

There’s equipment: Picking, transportation and storage. Don’t forgot your gloves and plenty of water. Do we have enough clippers for everyone? Hats? Did I mention water? Will someone please bring some sunscreen … I hear it’s going to be a beautiful morning, out in the vineyard under sunny skies. We’ll be serenaded by song birds — oh, wait. Those will be the hungry swallows, angry that We. Got. Here. First.

This is my love letter to the coming harvest, because it’s just around the next turn, you know.

Copyright centralcoastwinepress.com

Owners, clients of Bien Nacido Vineyards celebrate 40 years of top-flight grapes

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Bien Nacido, Nicholas Miller, Ontiveros Adobe, Santa Barbara County Vintners' Association, Santa Maria Valley Wine Country Association

I covered the Miller family’s lovely tribute to its iconic Bien Nacido Vineyard Saturday evening in the beautiful courtyard of the Ontiveros Adobe.

http://www.noozhawk.com/article/bien_nacido_vineyards_20130811

Sta. Rita Hills to host fourth annual Wine & Fire

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Clos Pepe, Dragonette Cellars, Kessler-Haak, Longoria Wines, Sebastino Vineyard, Sta. Rita HIlls, Wine & Fire 2013

Wine & Fire returns for a fourth year this coming weekend, Friday through Sunday, Aug. 16-18, at several locations throughout the Sta. Rita Hills AVA.

Winemaking members of the Sta. Rita Hills Winegrowers Alliance (SRHWA) will showcase the wines they produce from the appellation, Santa Barbara County’s coolest and western-most AVA.

Wine & Fire 2013 opens Friday evening with a party at the historic Sanford & Benedict Vineyard barn, the structure that originally housed the first winery in the Sta. Rita Hills: Sanford. The evening will include wine tasting, wood-fired pizzas from Bello Forno and one of Lompoc’s favorite bands, Saint Anne’s Place.

Saturday kicks off with a morning seminar and lunch at Hilliard Bruce Vineyard, and will end with more wine tasting and food, this time at La Purisima Mission starting at 5 p.m.

Josh Raynolds of Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar will once again moderate Saturday morning’s seminar on chardonnay and pinot noir.

Seminar attendees will sample chardonnay from six Sta. Rita Hills’ vineyards while six winemakers outline the terroir, farming styles and climate for those sites.

The pinot noir portion of the seminar will target clone 115; six additional winemakers will depict the SRH’s most-commonly-planted clone by pouring barrel samples from seven different vineyards.

Panelists and vineyards include:

n Chardonnay: Santa Rosa Corridor — Steve Clifton of Brewer Clifton, Sweeney Canyon Vineyard; Ken Brown of Ken Brown Wines, Rita’s Crown Vineyard; and Richard Sanford, Alma Rosa Winery, El Jabali Vineyard. Also presenting chardonnay, from the Highway 246 Corridor, are John Hilliard, Hillard Bruce Wines, Hilliard Bruce Vineyard; Leslie Mead-Renaud, Foley Family Wines, Rancho Santa Rosa; and Antonio Moretti, Moretti Wines, 3D Vineyard.

n Pinot Noir Clone 115: Santa Rosa Corridor — Brandon Sparks-Gillis, Dragonette Cellars, Cargasacchi Vineyard; Kris Curran, D’Alfonso-Curran Wines, Rancho LaVina Vineyard; Norm Yost, Flying Goat Cellars, Rio Vista Vineyard; and Steve Fennell, Sanford Winery, La Rinconada Vineyard. Also presenting Clone 115, from the Highway 246 Corridor, are Kim Smith, LaMontagne Winery, Kessler-Haak Vineyard; Adam Lee, Siduri Wines, Clos Pepe Vineyard; and Bill Wathen, Foxen Winery, Sebastiano Vineyard.

Saturday will wind down with the grand tasting, where more than 25 SRHWA members will pour chardonnays, pinot noirs and other grape varietals alongside food purveyors, among them Babe Farms, the Ballard Inn, Avant Tapas & Wine and the Hitching Post II

To buy tickets and check up-to-the minute details on special tastings at specific SRH wineries, visit www.staritahills.com

Members of the SRHWA are 3D Ranch, Alma Rosa, Brewer-Clifton, Cargasacchi, Carr, Clos Pepe, Cold Heaven, Crawford Family Wines, D’Alfonso Curran, Dierberg, Dragonette, Fiddlehead, Flying Goat Cellars, Foley Family Wines, Foxen, Gypsy Canyon, Hartley Ostini Hitching Post Wines, Hibbits Ranch, Hilliard Bruce, Huber Vineyards, Jalama Wines, Ken Brown, Kessler-Haak, Kita Wines, Lafond, La Lomita Vineyard, LaMontagne, Liquid Farm, Lindley Wines, Longoria Wines, Loring Wine Co., Montemar, Moretti, Municipal Winemakers, Pali Wine Company, Prodigal Wines, Rancho La Vina, Rozak Vinters, Sanford Winery, Seagrape Wine Company, Sea Smoke, Sebastiano Vineyard, Siduri Wines, Spear Vineyards and Winery, Thorne Wine, Transcendence and Zotovich Vineyards.

Copyright centralcoastwinepress.com

 

Thursday’s Bottle

Tags

A-non-ah-mus Wines, Ron Hill, rosé

(OK, so today is actually Friday; the week got away from me).

A-non-ah-mus Wines’ 2012 Syrah Rosé

Full of candied cherry and essence of warm, grilled strawberries. Pure fruit-infused sugar on the palate. Great with nut-encrusted grilled salmon, peaches or just alone.

Hill produced his rosé via the saignee method, using syrah from Alisos Vineyard in the Los Alamos Valley. Production: 25 cases — that’s just one barrel, folks. Retail: $16

Visit http://www.anonahmus.com to reach Hill, former assistant winemaker at Babcock Winery before striking out on his own.

Longtime winemaker Rick Longoria releases block-specific Fe Ciega pinot noir

Tags

Block M, Fe Ciega, Mt. Eden clone, Pinot noir, Rick Longoria, Santa Barbara County, Sta. Rita Hills AVA, Sta. Rita Hills' pinot noir

Rick Longoria, one of my favorite winemakers, has released his first pinot noir vintage from Block M at the esteemed Fe Ciega Vineyard in the Sta. Rita Hills.

Block M is named for the clone Mt. Eden, which Longoria planted in 2008 from cuttings taken at another treasured site, Sanford & Benedict Vineyard, across the Santa Ynez River from Fe Ciega.

Fe Ciega’s Block M comprises 1.25 acres on a steep hill — one that Longoria said he originally thought “was too steep to farm.” However, other vineyards nearby “were planted on as steep if not steeper slopes, so that gave me confidence that we could plant this block and not have any serious problems with tractor access, etc.,” he noted.

Longoria grew fond of the Mt. Eden pinot noir clone when he sourced it from both Sanford & Benedict and the Mt. Carmel vineyards. “Those sites produced some of the best wines I made in the late 1980s through the mid-2000s.”

Longoria calls his first Block M vintage, the 2011, quite reminiscent of the Mt. Carmel pinot noirs he once produced: “Rich forward fruit aromatics in the nose, and a juicy dense quality in the mid-palate, with a velvety finish.”

He recommends a few more years of cellaring, as do the many critics who have praised the wine since its release..

Longoria produced just 58 cases of the 2011, but anticipates increased production as the vines continue to mature.

The 2011 Pinot Noir Block M Fe Ciega retails for $55. Information and tasting room hours, www.longoriawine.com

Copyright Central Coast Wine Press

Thursday’s Bottle

Today is the launch of a new feature “Thursday’s Bottle,” Central Coast Wine Press’ every-Thursday take on new wines. Short and sweet and written in terms we all understand, “Thursday’s Bottle” is just like it sounds: A new bottle to try every Thursday evening.

Jalama Wines 2011 Mourvèdre

Rich with dried cherries, white pepper, plum and a hint of nutmeg. Long finish full of sour cherry.

Winemaker Mark Cargasacchi selected his best barrels of mourvèdre from both Curtis and Camp 4 vineyards. Fermented with native yeasts; aged 16 months in neutral French oak; unfined and unfiltered. Production: 100 cases. Released May 2013. Retail: $36. www.jalamawines.com; tasting room in the Lompoc Wine Ghetto, www.lompoctrail.com