Dallas Wine Chick

A Conversation with the Men behind Sartori Wines

Bernabei and Sartori 

When Banfi invited me to experience the Sartori family wine portfolio, I knew I was in for some great wines and a lunch that would take me right back to my Italian roots, but without all the yelling.  I met Andrea Sartori, fourth generation of the Sartori family, and Franco Bernabei, a renowned consulting wine maker, to explore their portfolio of wines.

This was my first experience with Sartori wines, a well-known name for over a century from Italy’s Veneto region.  The family’s initial foray into hospitality was as a hotelier and later as owners of a restaurant and hotel.  In 1898, Pietro Sartori bought Villa Maria, a vineyard with a small cellar attached in the heart of Valpolicella, to source good wines for his hotel and as a small cellar for the family’s personal consumption.  Pietro’s son, Regolo, an Air Force officer in the first World War, sold the restaurant and declared the future of his family was in wine. By the 1950’s, Regolo’s two sons expanded the winery with an eye on expanding its distribution outside of Italy.

In the late 90’s/early 2000’s, Andrea Sartori, Pietro’s great-grandson, took over the business. Soon afterward, in an effort to get closer to the grapes, he made a decision that would turn the negociant system in Italy on its head.  In 2002, the company joined with Cantina Colognola, giving the family rare guaranteed access to more than 6,200 acres of high-quality grapes from 800 farmers in Soave and Valpolicella, where virtually no wine houses control their own vineyards.  This freed them from ‘the mercy of the market’ and gave them the ability to work with the best farmers, grapes and vineyards.  Sartori said, “People thought we were crazy, but for the first time, we had the ability to do significant projects from the ground up and farmers now owned a piece of our company.”  The two coops merged together in 2011 and these relationships as critical to their success.

Bernabei, who is a fifth generation winemaker, took the consulting job with Sartori because he is originally from Veneto and wanted to work with a family that “paid considerable attention to the history and heritage of Italian wines.”  He believes that wines should be original, traceable and carry an identity card based on the vineyard.  In harvest, the balance of acidity and pH are important.

We started with the Sartori Di Verona 2012 Pinot Grigio. This wine had a mineral characteristic with floral notes, peach, citrus and pears. Bernabei talked about how this wine is treated like a great burgundy in the style it is produced. I asked him what he was going for in this wine. “I want to pick a grape and the consumer tastes the dew – it’s a perfect fruit.” He believes that winemakers should not be invasive and wines should be expressions of the vineyard.

He then talked about the trends in wine making and why Sartori will never follow the path of forcing a style that isn’t native to the grape. “The greatest wines are not forced, pushed or exaggerated,” said Bernabei. “They maintain their sense of place – we make wine with what we have. That expression can’t change,” he said.

Our next wine was the 2010 Sartori di Verona Pinot Noir, a fun project the two men put together to see if they could make an Old World expression that would stand up to the classics.  It had the classic vegetal notes and pungency that makes up good pinot with notes of vanilla, black cherry, spice and pepper.  It is meant to make pinot accessible and for $11, this was a wonderful expression of affordable pinot noir.

We then moved to the 2009 Sartori di Verona Valpolicella, which had notes of earth, cherry and represented a classic version of this wine.

We then made the switch to a white wine – the 2010 Sartori di Verona Ferdi, which was a muscular white with elegance, power and notes of pear, apricot, lemon curd and lots of complexity. We actually came back to this wine after the full line of up big reds and it had lost nothing. And, for $14, it was a heck of a deal.

It was time for the big boys next. I have to point out that we were eating lunch at Terilli’s and Bernabei asked for some Parmesan cheese, which fell woefully short of Italian cheese standards. But we persevered on (making me really want to get some of the cheese they wanted me to have). The 2008 Sartori di Verona Regolo uses a technique of gentle pressing followed by skin maceration at low temperatures for 10 days. The wine then sits on Amarone pomace to enhance the aromatics and aging potential.  This results in a wine with great minerality and notes of berry and cherry. Great to drink today, but at $19, you should put some down and see what happens.

We moved to the 2010 Sartori di Verona Regolo, which had a great balance of black fruit and acidity. The Sartori Amarone 2010 had notes of wild fig, dates, terrior and was incredible. The “I Saltari” 2001 Le Vigne di Turano is a collaboration of the Colognola and Sartori wineries to improve viticulture, winemaking and production of Verona wines. The wines are aged in casks and slow racked to “bring the marriage together.” It was old world and had aged wonderfully with notes of spice and dried fruit.

A constant over the last 100 years is the Sartori family’s love of their land and heritage.  I look forward to continuing to watch the family’s evolution of their classical portfolio and evolution into what we consider non-traditional varietals of Italy.

Sonoma In the City Does Dallas: Day Two

The Taste of Sonoma tour brought more than 100 Sonoma County wines ranging from Russian River Valley chardonnay and pinot noir to big Zin from Dry Creek Valley to rich cabernet sauvignon from Alexander Valley to the Mansion on Turtle Creek.

Yolanda Papapietro

While I did not try anywhere near 100 wines, I was able to find some standouts and see some old friends in the process.  What a surprise to see Yolanda Papapietro from Papapietro Perry pouring her wonderful pinots.  My friend, Jennifer, turned me on to these fabulous wines and I loved being able to try the 2010 line-up from the Leras Family Vineyards, Nunes Vineyards, Russian River Valley and the 777 Clones.  Other standouts included Bella, Sojourn, Davis Family, Flowers, Gary Farrell and White Oak Vineyards.

Me, Justin and Robert 

Then I was fortunate enough to run into Rodney Strong Associate Winemaker, Justin Seidenfeld, along with my friend, Robert Larsen, Rodney Strong marketing extraordinaire.  Justin took me through the line-up and talked about the history of Rodney Strong.  The winery was started over 50 years ago when Rod Strong, who originally had a career as a dancer in America, decided to pursue his wine making passion. Rodney Strong Winery was the thirteenth winery bonded in Sonoma County. The Klein family purchased the winery in 1989 and focused on making single vintage and reserve wines. After working at Iron Horse and Mondavi as a harvest enologist as well as with Constellation wines, Justin joined Rodney Strong in 2010. He told me that he wanted to take great wines and “brighten up” the wine making style.

We tried the following line up:

• 2012 Rodney Strong Sauvignon Blanc, Charlotte’s Home – white stone fruit, pineapple, citrus and herb make this a very balanced white.
• 2011 Rodney Strong Chardonnay, Chalk Hill – old world style with vanilla, citrus and hints of oak.
• 2010 Rodney Strong Cabernet, Alexander Valley – dense and rich with big berry, plum with a great intensity.
• 2010 Rodney Strong Symmetry contains all five Bordeaux varietals and the blend changes annually.  Big berry, spice, cassis make up this well balanced red that changes based on the vineyard’s strengths.
• 2008 Rodney Strong Cabernet, Rockaway – full of raspberry, blackberry, terrior, spice and notes of vanilla.

Justin talked about his ten hour Rodney Strong interview that started out with Tom Klein, the winery owner.  After making it through the gauntlet, he walked into a room that included well-known winemaker David Ramey, where he was asked to create the final blend of Symmetry.  He rolled up his sleeves, took off his tie and blended his way to a new job.

The next day began with a lunch with the Sonoma County Trio of Vintners, Winegrowers and Tourism at Hotel Zaza Art House & Social Gallery.  The event, meant to showcase the diversity of Sonoma, began with a speed tasting concept.  Here is what I learned from sitting down with the representatives which included Guy Davis from Davis Vineyards, Christopher Barefoot from Flowers, Corey Beck from Francis Coppola and Clay Maurtison, from Maurtison Winery, who I had dinner with earlier in the week.

-          Sonoma County is the size of Rhode Island, five times the size of Napa Valley and has more than 60 miles of coastal land off the Pacific Ocean.

-          There are more than 200 different soil types.

-          There are 1,800 wine growers in Sonoma and many of them are multi-generational.

-          Today only 6 percent of the land planted is being utilized.

-          There are 100 wineries and 150 growers in Sonoma County.

-          The first winery was built in Sonoma.

I loved Tim Zahner’s, CMO of Sonoma County Tourism, quote about Sonoma.  “In other places they call it the localivore movement, in Sonoma, we call it eating.  Sonoma happens to be a place for farmers who happen to make great wine.”  I also heard great quotes about Sonoma being “Ag-land, not Disneyland,” a not so subtle snap at another well-known region about 90 minutes away.

Guy Davis

It was also a pleasure to have a chance to catch up with Guy Davis, winemaker and owner of Davis Vineyard, who has always been delightful in my past encounters.  He talked about Sonoma being a region if farmed correctly, Mother Nature takes over.  He planted his wines 17 years ago and has been organic since day one.   The man knows how to work his micro-climates in his Pinots from Soul Patch, Horseshoe Bend and Starr Ridge Vineyards.

Christopher Barefoot

The lunch was a family style affair where winemakers and the media sat together.  The event showcased great food, diversity of wines and great conversation.

My whirlwind experience ended with an event hosted by Amy Gross, a great wine blogger who writes Vinesleuth, who was hosting an event in conjunction with the Blissdom conference with Rodney Strong.  The event brought together some amazing women and we were divided into teams where we blended our own Symmetry wine.  Picture a miniature science lab where we measured, blended, sipped and debated our final blend.  Justin and Robert, graciously hosted the event and Justin judged the six blends.  While we didn’t win, our team, aptly named Cork Dork, had a great time and the conversation and tempo of the tasting was hilarious.

The Sonoma in the City event reaffirmed the diversity of soil and climate.  It’s a region focused on legacy, family, terrior and character.  And I clearly have a lot to learn.

Elyse Winery: Sincerity and Sustainability

Even before I was lucky enough to get on the blogger sample list for Elyse Winery, I’ve been a long-time fan.  I like Elyse’s approach to sustainable wines, their no fuss approach at the winery and the people have always been knowledgeable, passionate and downright nice.  Rick Saunders was our host and we had a ball with him on the tour and trying the Elyse wine line up.

Rick and Molly

In 2012, Elyse celebrated its 25^th harvest from its very first crush of 4.5 tons of Zinfandel when Ray and Nancy Coursen made 286 cases of their first wine.   In 1997, the current winery and vineyard was purchased on Hoffman Lane.

Their focus hasn’t changed – great wines prepared with artisan grown ingredients that pair well with food. Today the production is 10,000 cases with international distribution.  The two brands – Elyse and Jacob Franklin are named after their daughter and son.

We tried the following line-up:

• Elyse Chardonnay 2010 – made in a classic Old World style with citrus, pear and vanilla.  A chardonnay for folks who don’t drink Chardonnay or who love old world style Chardonnays.
• Jacob Franklin Sauvignon Blanc 2011 – only six barrels are made of this wine and it isn’t distributed outside of the winery.  Classic grapefruit, citrus and minerality.
• Elyse Le Corbeau 2008 – a 90 percent Grenache and 10 percent Syrah blend.  It had floral notes of jasmine with raspberry and cassis.
• Elyse Syrah 2008 – notes of Asian spice, mushrooms and berry with a spiciness that would make it a great Fall day wine.
• Elyse Morisoli Vineyard Zinfandel 2008 – here’s the terrior wine that originally launched the entire Elyse portfolio.  Love this wine.
• Elyse Black Sears Zinfandel 2008 – this was a big, big Zinfandel with nice berry fruit, but not a fruit bomb.  Lots of balance, pepper, spicy and juiciness.
• Jacob Franklin Mon Chou (my sweetheart) 2007 – a nice blend in a Bordeaux style with notes of green pepper, cassis, berry and tobacco.
• Elyse Morisoli Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 – soft fruits, notes of perfume, floral and hints of oak and vanilla.
• Jacob Franklin Chavez-Leeds Petite Syrah 2009 – blackberry, chocolate, mocha, spice and pepper.  This was one of my favorites.
•  Elyse 2006 Port Cabernet Sauvignon – this port combined Viognier brandy with great cabernet.  It was another favorite and a perfect cheese/fruit/dessert match.

It was a fabulous end to a behind the scenes trip of good wine, great food and great people.

Celebrity Wines: The Good, the Bad and the Funny

Christy Lemire at the Oscars

Check out my column today in Culture Map Dallas where I interviewed Associated Press Movie Critic Christy Lemire to find out what she thought the persona of the wines would be based on the celebrity.  Then Jasper Russo, who runs the fine wine program for Sigel’s, and I tried the wines.

Bernard Portet: Conversation with A Wine Country Legend

In another pinch myself moment on the trip, I had the opportunity to have lunch with Bernard Portet, considered to be one of the forefathers of the Napa Valley wine industry , at Don Giovanni.  For almost 40 years, Bernard was the co-founder and wine maker for Clos du Val Winery who helped pioneer and revitalize the American wine industry during the 70s with others like Robert Mondavi, Louis Martini and Joe Phelps.

He came to California in 1968 after studying Agronomy, Viticulture and Enology at Schools of Agronomy of Toulouse and Montpellierto.  After a stint in the army, he was hired by John Goelet, an American descendant of the Guestier wine merchant family of Bordeaux, to search the world including Australia, South Africa, North America and North Africa to find the best region outside of France to plant a vineyard.  Because he knew terrior, the microclimate and soil or sense of place, was so important he found what he was looking for in Napa’s Stags Leap District.  He produced the first vintage in 1972.  During his 40 years at Clos de Val, he knocked on doors to sell wine, planted another vineyard in Carneros and mastered the wine industry.  But he never changed his style and remained true to his elegant approach to a sense of place and balance.

Bernard started by talking about the team spirit back he experience when he first arrived in Napa Valley as the winemakers were willing to share everything that they were doing, since they were working toward a greater good to get California wines on the map.  Fast forward 40 years and he said that spirit of cooperation is still strong.  What has changed is the independence of some of the winemakers as they are now owned by large conglomerates and don’t have the freedom to share as they have in the past.

His retirement from Clos de Val had lasted for about six months when he was approached by a former colleague, Don Chase, at a Napa Valley coffee shop.  That cup of coffee led to the formation of Polaris Wines, who recently launched Heritance Wines.  The name Heritance, which focuses on Napa Valley Cabernet and Sauvignon Blanc (signature wines of France) is a combination of “heritage” and “inheritance.”  Since Bernard comes from nine generations of winemaking beginning in the 1600s, his heritage is evident.  He talked about being born in the same bedroom as his father and grandfather in Cognac, France.  “Inheritance” refers to his father, who was the regisseur of Chateau Lafite, one of the most highly regarded estates in the world, who taught him the wine business.

With the understanding that he would only make the wine and not handle the operations, he went about the business of putting his winemaking style, which he describes as “balance, elegance and complexity,” to good use.  This time he sources the best grapes throughout Napa Valley.

We tried the following line-up of the Heritance wines (and in the spirit of full disclosure, I’d buy any one of them):

-          2010 Heritance Sauvignon Blanc, a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, this had lots of tropical fruit and was very refreshing.

-          2011 Heritance Sauvignon Blanc, also a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Rousanne.  Bernard described the texture almost as a drop of olive oil and he was right.  It was full of tropical fruit, guava and was very rich and complex.

-          2011 Pinot Noir, the wine was made in a Burgundian style with creamy notes of cherry, spice and great balance.  This is the first vintage of this wine.

-          2008 Heritance Cabernet, delivered with notes of balsamic, oak, black fruit, tobacco and floral notes.

Our last wine was an Argentine Malbec named Nandu.  On one of his trips, Bernard found some great vineyards in southern Mendoza and decided to make a wine there.  We tried the 2010 Malbec that was soft and full of blackberry, herbs, blueberry and cranberry.  I would bet this Malbec would convert non-Malbec drinkers.

Bernard described Heritance as a “virtual winery without walls.”  His goal is to make complex and complete wines that go well with food.  I, for one, am very glad that he didn’t retire. There is a great deal of “heritance” that is still yet to come.

Head East: Steven Kent Wines Ahead

I recently received an invite to attend a Twitter tasting featuring the wines of Steven Kent Winery.  I wasn’t familiar with the wines from Steven Kent, but I’ve been hearing buzz lately about Livermore Valley, so I immediately accepted.  A few weeks later, a half case of wines found their way to my door.

First, more about the Livermore Valley, one of California’s oldest wine regions dating back to the 1760s.  In terms of location, it’s less than an hour east of San Francisco.  Robert Livermore planted the first vines in 1840 and according to the Livermore Valley Wine Map and Visitors Guide, the wineries in Livermore were the first to bottle Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Petite Sirah.  And, the region has also gained recognition for Bordeaux style wines due to similar growing conditions.  There are more than 50 wineries including well-known names like Wente and Concannon and more than 4,000 acres of grapes planted.

The Steven Kent winery was started in 1996 with a single minded goal to make the best Cabernet that rivals its global competitors.  Steven Kent Mirassou, of the Mirassou family brand now owned by Gallo fame, also owns La Rochelle Winery, which focuses on Pinots and Chardonnays, and was with us for the tasting.

From what I could tell, there were about 100 wine bloggers that were online to taste the wine.   Many – especially those not from California – had limited experience with Livermore Valley wines.  And, I would venture to guess that most immediately figured out what we had been missing.

2011 “Lola” (Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon Blend) Ghielmetti Vineyard $24 — orange blossom, honeysuckle, lime, floral, minerality and pear.  A perfect patio wine on a sunny Spring day.

2010 La Rochelle Chardonnay, Dutton-Morelli Lane Vineyard, Russian River Valley $65 – apple pie spice, pear, butterscotch, white flowers, peach, caramel candy and vanilla.  A very elegant Old World style chardonnay.

2009 La Rochelle Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands $38 – fruit forward, black cherry, raspberry, earthy, very silken with a hint of smoke.

2009 La Rochelle Pinot Noir, Donum Estate, Carneros $75 –  cherry cola, blackberry, oregano, dried cherries and notes of mushroom.  This was the earthiest wine in the bunch.  The Old World Pinot lovers raved and the New World Pinot lovers didn’t in our group.  I liked both the Pinots, but the style was very different.

2009 Steven Kent Petite Verdot, Ghielmetti Vineyard, Livermore Valley $50 –  cocoa, chile, leather, smoke, figs, plum and tobacco.  This was like a spicy fig newton in a glass, but smooth and balanced.  I enjoyed this thoroughly.

2009 Steven Kent Cabernet, Home Ranch Vineyard, Livermore Valley $65, cassis, plum, chocolate, spearmint and oak.  A wonderful representation of the promise of Cabernet.

Perhaps a trip East the next time I am in San Francisco is in due order.

Arista and Lakewood: A Food/Wine Experience

Mark graciously poses with our table

Earlier this year, I had a chance to sit down with Mark McWilliams, owner and winemaker at Arista Winery in Sonoma.  Since Mark and his family have Texas roots and a house in Richardson, I asked him if he’d be willing to host a dinner at Lakewood Country Club, and he immediately said yes.

I wrote earlier  that his family took the plunge in the early 90’s with the purchase of land in Sonoma and the relocation of the family from Texas.  They partnered with a vineyard management company and other experts to put together a team and for about ten years the family sold to their grapes to wineries –  some very established ones.

After college, and at the urging of his father to try out the family business during harvest, Mark had his wine epiphany moment when he was walking with the wine makers of La Crema and realized he understood what they were talking about.  From that moment on, he knew what he wanted to do with his life.  He joked that he’s continued that summer job for the last 12 years.  In 2002, they started making their own wine and soon received a cease and desist letter from Gallo’s McWilliams Winery.  The name was changed to Arista, the Greek word for excellence.

The first vintage was 500 cases of three Russian River Valley Pinot Noirs.  Today they make 5,000 cases including 14 pinot noirs, 2 zinfandels, 1 gewürztraminer and 3 chardonnays.  Ninety percent of the wines are sold direct from the winery. 

Back to the dinner – below are the wine and food pairings created by William Koval, the talented executive chef of Lakewood Country Club:

First Course:

Roasted Butternut Squash and Brown Sugar Soup with Warm Stone Crab, Ricotta, Mascarpone, Pasta paired with the 2010 El Diablo Vineyard Chardonnay.  A very well balanced, Burgundian style wine with citrus notes.  A match made in heaven.

Second Course:

Seared Fresh Shucked Sea Scallop, Cauliflower Puree, Chanterelles and Chicken Jus with Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, a non-vintage pinot with notes of black cherry, cranberry and raspberry.  Another great pairing.

Third Course:

Berkshire Pork Tenderloin with Bacon, Sage, Sweet Potato, Fresh Marshmallow, Brussels Sprouts and Cranberry Pinot Sauce (I had lamb due to my pork allergy) paired with the 2010 Mononi Vineyards.  This site, which was purchased from Merry Edwards, was the most elegant with soft fruit, five spice and a great balance. 

Fourth Course

A cheese course of Cottonwood River Cheddar, Montelarreina, Tournevent Chevre Noir and La Tur paired with a 2010 Smokey Ridge Vineyard Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley.  The wine had notes of blackberry, blueberry, pine and pepper.  Incredible and only 16 barrels exist of this wine.

When I talked to Mark in June about his wines, he said, “I want them to stop you and get your attention. I want to make wines that take people on a continuum of what they first drank and the evolution of their palate.”   The sensory experience of the food and wine this evening was another reinforcement that Arista is reaching this goal.

George Vanderbilt’s Estate Wine to Italian to Oregon Pinot: A New Thanksgiving Tasting Tradition?

I was preparing to visit my husband’s family over the holidays in Huntsville, Alabama, and it has become part of a family tradition to do a wine tasting.  I packed up 18 bottles, mostly of review wines, and we set upon our journey.  Our wines were varied – everything from Italian wines to Pinot Noirs from Oregon to sparklings from George Vanderbilt’s estate.  We also got to taste first and second labels from one provider.

Here was our line-up:

Biltmore Estate

Biltmore Estate Christmas at Biltmore 2012 (California) – this was a semi-sweet white blend of Gewürztraminer, Muscat Canelli, Chenin Blanc, Muscat Orange and Riesling.  It was paired with a tataki tuna, which matched perfectly with any Asian or spicy dish.  I tasted spice, lime, citrus, honey, candied ginger and pear. 

Biltmore Estate Blanc de Blancs Methode Champenoise – Brut NV (Russian River) – Yeasty, nutty and green apple.  A nice sparkling that continues to impress.  Both of these wines are part of the Biltmore Estate’s sparkling collection and are served at the historic estate of George Vanderbilt.

Cornerstone/Stepping Stone

Cornerstone Pinot Noir 2010 (Oregon) – fruit forward and black cherry.  A very traditional Pinot Noir from Oregon that matched perfectly with our Thanksgiving dinner.

Cornerstone Chardonnay 2010 (xx) – almond, citrus and well balanced.  A chardonnay for people who do not like chardonnay.

Stepping Stone Pinot Noir 2010 (Oregon) – earthy, cherry cola and smooth.  Also another great match with Thanksgiving food.

Stepping Stone Cabernet 2010 (Napa) – currant, cassis, spice, cedar and licorice.  Delicious and another group favorite.

Amici

Amici Sauvignon Blanc 2011 (Napa) – A very crisp, fruity wine with notes of citrus.  This was a group favorite of the whites.

Amici Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 (Napa) – Blackberry, coffee and cedar with balance.  A nice and well balanced wine.

Jenner

Jenner Chardonnay 2010 (confirm) – lemon curd, vanilla, almond and good balance.

Jenner Pinot Noir 2010 (Sonoma) – big fruit, big taste, cherry and cherry cola.  A good representation of a Sonoma Pinot.

Lange Twins

Lange Twins Caricature Red Blend 2010 (Lodi) – this was a very juicy wine with lots of red stone fruit and raspberries with spice.  It was a nice blend of cabernet and zinfandel.

Piccini

Piccini Chianti DOCG 2011 (Tuscany) – this was a juicy wine that was drinkable and very food friendly.

Piccini Chianti Classico DOCG 2009 (Tuscany) – notes of plum, flowers and berry.  It was velvety, smooth and had a great finish. 

Anna de Codorniu Brut NV – a nice little cava with notes of citrus, tropical and good balance.  

There were a few other wines that we did taste – one that had turned and one that wasn’t to my personal taste.  I have to point out the great wines of Cornerstone and Stepping Stone that continue to impress me with well done, small production wines.  

Wines of Chile: A Terroir Master Class

I recently participated in the eighth Wines of Chile Blogger Tasting:  A Chilean Terroir Master Class.  The tasting was led by Fred Dexheimer, Master Sommelier, who participated from Santiago joined by 12 Chilean winemakers including a representation of women winemakers.  The focus was the breadth of the region’s terroir.  The Wines of Chile’s PR folks always do things first class, so I was excited when a well branded case of several varietals including sauvignon blanc, pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon and carmenere arrived at my door prior to the tasting.

Chile actually has several hundred years of wine heritage –in parallel with the arrival of the first Spanish conquerors. By mid-19th century, Chilean businessmen started looking at France as a model for winemaking and they brought back rootstocks to Chile.  In the 80s, Miguel Torres, a well-known Spanish winemaker, started making wines in the Curicó Region and began state-of-the-art winemaking and the expansion of other regions.

We tasted 12 wines from several different regions and I was surprised by the diversity of the wines:

Sauvignon Blanc

• Vina Casablanca Nimbus Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2012, Casablanca Valley ($12.99) – minerality, apple, citrus and herb; very refreshing and not too fruity.  My favorite white that I tried
• San Pedro 1865 Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2011, Leyda Valley ($19) – unfortunately this bottle had turned, but it received lots of positive reviews from the other bloggers
• Casa Silva Cool Coast Sauvignon Blanc 2011, Colchagua Valley ($25) – pineapple, lemongrass, floral and great acidity

Pinot Noir

• Emiliana Novas Pinot Noir 2010, Casablanca Valley ($19) – funk on nose, tobacco, raspberries, cocoa, smoke and lavender
• Cono Sur 20 Barrels Pinot Noir 2009, Casablanca Valley ($32) – very fruity with red stone fruit, cherries and leather.  This was my favorite Pinot
• Morande Gran Reserva Pinot Noir 2009, Casablanca Valley ($17.99) – cinnamon, floral and spice

Carmenere

• Concha y Toro Marques de Casa Concha Carmenere 2010, Cachapoal Valley, ($22) – I tasted chocolate, wood and berry.  I really wanted more from this wine, but never got the payoff
• Carmen Gran Reserva Carmenere 2010, Colchagua Valley, ($14.99) – blackberries, spice and smoke.  A very interesting wine
• Koyle Royal Carmenere 2009, Colchagua Valley, ($25.99) – very meaty, green pepper, herbal, lush and silky.  This was my favorite Carmenere

Cabernet Sauvignon

• Ventisquero Grey Cabernet Sauvignon 2009, Malpo Valley, ($29) – this tasted of cherries, cola, herbs and black pepper with floral notes
• Maquis Cabernet Sauvignon 2010, Colchagua Valley, ($19) – smoke, leather and violet
• Los Vascos Le Dix Cabernet Sauvignon 2010, Colchagua Valley, ($64.99) – this wine was made in commemoration of Barons de Rothschild (Lafite’s) 10 years of work in Chile.  It’s a limited quantity wine and had lots of vanilla, cedar, eucalyptus, cherry and chocolate.  This was my favorite wine, but had the steepest price tag

This is my second time to participate in a #winesofchile tasting and the evolution and diversity of these wines continues to impress.

Post Conference Tour: #WBC12, Carlton Without Handcuffs

And then it was over.  Just like that.  But thankfully my post trip was about to begin.  The town of Carlton, where I had spent the #cuffedincarlton wine tour trip, was willing to have a group of us back for a two-day excursion with some of my most favorite wine bloggers.  We were picked up by the rocking party bus from the Doubletree with Motown music, couches and comfy seating where we were transported to Carlton’s “Walk in the Park” event featuring more than 30 Oregon wineries.  The event brought together some of Yamhill County’s best wineries and gave me the opportunity to spend some extra quality time with some of the people behind my favorite wines. 

A special shout out to Ken  Morrison from K&M, who was such an avid student on how to Tweet and was kind enough to continue the crazy chicken legacy.  BTW, he and his partner, Mauro Hernandez, make some pretty rocking Pinots that I can’t wait to receive once the weather breaks in Texas and my shipment arrives.

Lynn and Amy generously hosted us at Republic of Jam for cocktails and fabulous appetizers.  It was so fun to see the store that has become such a destination point and their vision brought to life.   I loved the craft cocktails made with so many of their products; they were just delicious. 

We had dinner at the Horse Radish, well those did that didn’t have a pork allergy (Carlton definitely loves its pork products), but they gave me a really nice salad and I was able to sneak across the street for a great turkey sandwich that I snuck into the hotel James Bond style.  I was able to share a bottle of Retour, one of my favorite Pinot Noirs who is owned by a dear friend of mine.

Marcy and I were assigned to the Casa della Valle B&B where we met Eve and Joe, the sweetest and kindest couple that treated us like dear friends.  Joe is an avid collector of some of the most classic toys and xxx has a huge collection of antiques.  Marcy and I had a blast getting to know them, learning about how they decided to start a B&B and finding more about their collections.  We were so excited to have been assigned to the B&B so we could get to know such an interesting couple (and the breakfast absolutely rocked).

The next morning, we had a private tour with Ken Wright, who in my mind is one of the “father’s” of Oregon Pinot.  Because there have been really great discussions on other blogs by attendees of WBC12 about Oregon terrior,  I have no need to recreate my version, so I’ll just talk more about Ken’s point of view from that day.  He talked about the wines doing so well because all of the conditions are right for Pinot Noir and the depth and how where the grapes are planted matter.  He called others to task who are growing Pinot grapes on the floor of the valley making poor wines and hurting the Oregon wine industry.  Ken has earned the right to have an opinion. 

He talked about how nutrition is key to making great wine and the plant is the ultimate report card.  Ken told a great story about seeking out a farmer in Washington State who was responsible for growing a specific apple for the Japanese market who had 15-acres dedicated to doing only that.  Ken and his team visited the farmer who at the beginning of their discussion peeled one of his apples and took them on a tour of the vineyard.  When they returned, the apple had not aged a bit and was “freaking unbelievable.”  This further solidified that each plant must be allowed to take its fruit to the ultimate stage.  Microbiology and protecting the fruit is so important – not only for wine, but for the fruits and vegetables that we eat daily.

We tried two of his wines – the Ken Wright Cellars Abbott Claim, Yamhill-Carlton AVA, which was lush with stone fruit, cassis and spice.  Our next wine was the Ken Wright Cellars Carter, Eola-Amity AVA, which was much more mellow in nature with blueberry, cherry and plum.  Totally different vineyard, totally different terrior and elevation.  Cool experiment!

Our next stop was Lemelson Vineyards, a 160 acre, carbon-neutral facility, focused on producing certified organic wines.  The winery owns seven estate vineyard sites located in Yamhill-Carlton, Dundee Hills and Chehalem Mountain.  We started with a glass of 2011 Dry Riesling, which was full of tropical notes and was very enjoyable.  We then toured “the Starship Enterprise,” the winery’s gravity flow facility designed by Steve Cornish, who also designed Palmaz Vineyards (link).  After we climbed up the ladder of this high tech wonder with our glass of 2010 Tikka’s Run Pinot Gris, I didn’t time my ladder climb with the person ascending before me and ended up covered with Pinot Gris and a broken glass.  Lesson learned – make sure you get your timing right if climbing a ladder with a glass of wine in hand. 

Anthony King, the wine maker and his wife Kara, talked about the collegial community of winemakers in the region.  We then tasted some of the same wines aged in different coopers – such a cool experience and it becomes easy to see why a winemaker pays $1,100 for a high-end barrel – aromas, flavors, smells are all different.  We adjourned to the porch and had the opportunity to taste several wines (most of which I ended up ordering – you will find that was a common theme of this day).

• We tried the 2010 Thea’s Selection Pinot Noir (which of course I had to bring a bottle to @winebratsf , that was named after Dorothy (Eric’s mom), who wanted to be called Thea.  It was earthy, cherry and full of licorice.
• Our next wine was the 2009 Mt. Richmond Vineyard Pinot Noir, which was very floral with bright fruit.
• The 2009 Johnson Vineyard Pinot Noir was next, which needed some bottle time, but was full of rich notes and big fruit. 
• We moved to the 2010 Jerome Reserve Pinot Noir, which is made of a different blend every year, and was my favorite Pinot.  Big depth, dark fruit and a fabulous wine. 
• We ended with 2009 Oeneous Dessert Riesling with figs, which was a ridiculously fantastic match.

Our next stop was lunch at Cuvee, several tart flambées prepared by Chef Gilbert Henry, which happily did not contain all pork products.  The veggie and salmon ones made me very happy.  Belle Pente, Alexana and Carlo and Julia joined us for lunch and talked briefly about the wines that were paired with the lunch. 

I sat across from Felix Madrid, the owner and winemaker of Carlo and Julia, who talked about naming the winery after his twin sons (now 23!).  At five, his child smelled one of the wines and remarked, “dad, this smells like perfume.”  A child after my own heart and probably a pillar in the family business.

Then we did a speed dating of sorts with a number of wineries.  I don’t think that Carlton understood how much we liked their wines and we slowed down the schedule when we insisted on buying at every stop.  We visited Carlton Cellars, Valley Emporium, Noble Pig (loved the food/wine pairings), Terra Vina, Mouvance and Troon (super interesting and non-traditional wines like meritage, zinfandel and port).  I would have loved another hour at each place.

Thank you again to the City of Carlton, “the wine capital of Oregon” for rolling out the red carpet and making this group of bloggers feel special.  Your town has so much to offer and I can say with certainty that I will be returning as soon as possible.