“I had been reminiscing about a small, hands-on entity where I could do it all myself again, like I did in the beginning.” Mitch Cosentino

Hands-on winemakers making small amounts of lovingly-crafted premium wine can be found all over the world.  Some stay small while others grow into big wineries while retaining a personal touch.  Mitch Cosentino has come full-circle. He started making his own wine in 1980 in Modesto; he then grew a 30,000+ case winery in Yountville/Oakville, bringing substantial attention to that part of Napa Valley at that time. Cosentino Winery is now owned by Vintage Wine Estates and Mitch is back to making small lots of “winemaker’s wine.”

I really like Mitch’s new PureCru wines.  They are well-priced, well-made and I have succumbed to the cool factor of his label.  I would bring this wine as a gift or to a party in a heartbeat.

PureCru wines are very approachable and food friendly with enough interest to hold the attention of connoisseurs.  The 2010 Giovanni Vineyards Pinot Noir ($32) is from Carneros.  I am pleased that it doesn’t have under-ripe green bell-pepper or cow-patty flavors that often plague Carneros wines. (I always say wine from Carneros is like a box of chocolate, you never know what you’re going to get. Nod to Forrest Gump.)  I highly recommend PureCru’s Pinot Noir and everyone knows I’m a (picky) Pinot lover.

I also recommend PureCoz Red Blend 2007 ($65).  Cosentino’s famous for his red blends and this one does not disappoint.  Aged 36 months in French Oak, PureCoz is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Sangiovese. I can not say it better than what Mitch wrote on the label, designed for the fine cuisine of the world.  It’s a beautiful wine and a real conversation starter.

For white wine lovers, I recommend the 2009 Purety blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillion ($25).  Intriguing and pleasant (with no malolactic fermentation).

Since they are made in such small qualities, this is the Wine Club you want to join. For a pittance compared to other Napa wine clubs, you get well-priced premium fruit made in small lots by a famous winemaker.

Tags: cabernet sauvignon, California, Mitch Cosentino, napa, napa winery, northern california, Pinot Noir, red wine, white wine, Winery Reviews

Photo Courtesy of Bonterra

Bonterra loosely translates from Italian as good earth.  Bonterra Winery’s good earth seems to bring out the best in their grapes.  I can not remember a time when I was more pleasantly surprised by a group of wines.  Added bonus…they are $13.99 for whites and $15.99 for reds, have a lovely fresh label and are widely available in the states and overseas.

I first opened the 2009 Chardonnay and thought, wow, this is lovely.  I like to keep Chardonnay in my fridge for a week to enjoy a small glass with Hubby in the evening after work.  I’ve experienced other organic wines turn ugly quickly even though I always use a VacuVin, but the slight changes that occurred with Bonterra’s wine were not unpleasant in the least. I am very picky about Chardonnay and I really love this wine. It has all of the elements of a thoughtfully-made, restrained Chardonnay: 70% of the fruit went through malolactic fermentation in French and American oak. It was then blended with 30% fruit from stainless steel tanks and finished off in neutral oak. For me, that is a winning combination; the malo cuts out the bitter acidity that I find nasty in “naked” Chardonnays and grapes from the the stainless steel tanks keep the wine from being overwhelmed by oak flavors.

I was also thoroughly surprised by the delightful 2008 Merlot.  Blended with a bit of Syrah, Zinfandel, and Carignane, it’s a very special wine in that the grapes were subjected to a rare 50-year frost with a long growing season which resulted in (low-yield) concentrated fruits. Events like this showcase a winemaker’s ability and palate. Winemaker Robert Blue turned a potential disaster into a must-try Merlot.

The winemaker’s handling of Bonterra’s 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon is just my style. It’s a food friendly, flexible Cabernet Sauvignon.  Folks who don’t want a tannic big red wine, this is your Cabernet Sauvignon. It has plenty of structure and flavor but I found that it pairs nicely with basic Mediterranean or Italian food. I would even recommend a high-quality pizza and salad with blue cheese. A non-stuffy Cabernet Sauvignon – nice!

Bottomline: The fact that the winemaker is making fabulous wines from organic farming is interesting to me as an oenophile and it’s fun to show others what organic wines can be, but you don’t have to be “into organic” wines to enjoy these refreshing, flavorful and delicious food friendly wines.  

Tags: cabernet sauvignon, California, Chardonnay, Merlot, northern california, pairing, red wine, white wine, wine

I adore downtown Napa; it has a lovely urban feel yet it is situated on the beautifully renovated Napa River Waterfront.  There are dozens of tasting rooms, modern classy hotels and historic B&B’s, fabulous restaurants, nightlife (like salsa dancing at Ceja’s or jazz at Silo’s ) and shopping all within walking distance. It’s a wonderful destination for a girls’ getaway, a romantic date or even a healing respite alone or with a good friend.

I drive to Napa from my home 25 country miles away through the rolling vineyards about twice a month. I have often wanted to stay overnight on the spur of the moment. I just learned that smart folks in downtown Napa have figured out how to make it easy for visitors to enjoy a spontaneous overnight stay – they’ve designed complimentary overnight kits.

The Do Napa Overnight Kit includes:

• An overnight shirt for sleeping
• Do Napa canvas tote bag
• Brush, hair bands and a mirror
• Contact lens case and saline
• 29 Cosmetics face products for the ladies
• Lip balm
• Makeup remover
• Woolite for delicates
• Deodorant

The Kits will be available at select properties in the city of Napa that are members of Napa’s Tourism Improvement District while supplies last. Local bars, restaurants and the Napa Valley Welcome Center will also have information about the Overnight Kit to distribute to visitors. To check availability, visitors should inquire at the front desk or call ahead on the day of their visit. Downtown Napa’s website is a great place to get ideas for your trip and a list of lodgings. DoNapa.com

Tags: B&B, California, hotels, napa, tasting rooms, Tips & Travel, wine tasting, Wineries & Wine Bars

Because I love tasting wines from around the world, I have purchased many  Chilean wines (as well as received samples).  My big news is that I am blown away by how much the quality of Chile’s red wines has risen just in the last year. The first time (2009) I sat through a Carmenére tasting, I ended up recommending a Sauvignon Blanc to my readers. Even though I’m a huge fan of Chilean whites* and Pinot Noirs, I was less than enthusastic about Chile’s effort to promote Carmenére as their signature grape.

Don’t get me wrong, Carmenére is no backwoods weird varietal; it enjoys a fine pedigree. Here’s a fun fact from Wine.com: Carmenère is yet another grape that was eventually exiled from the Bordeaux blend. In the late 1800′s, Carmenère was brought over to Chile from France, and it never turned back. For a while, Chilean growers thought this grape was Merlot and labeled their wines as such. But in the early nineties, thanks to DNA testing, vineyards were revisited and the grapes correctly labeled, and Carmenère was discovered to be the backbone of many Chilean wines. 

Without further commentary, I’m happy to recommend the following Chilean Carmenéres. Happy shopping!

• Santa Carolina Reserva de Familia, Carmenère  2009 ($10)
• Natura, Carmenère 2010 (Made by Emiliana) ($10) This wine is organic, I’ll be writing a post about organic wines soon.
• Paso Grande Valle Control, Carmenère 2010 ($10)
• Montes Alpha Colchagua Valley Carmenère 2008 ($15)  Montes Alpha makes consistently good value wine.
• Margues de Casa Concha Carmenère 2009  ($16) Made by Concha y Toro, another big name and easy to find.
• Carmen Gran Reserva, Apalta Carmenère 2009 ($17)
• Novas Limited Selection Carmenère / Cabernet Sauvignon ($15) This is what I call a Saturday night wine – complex, smooth, drinkable now. Very nice wine.

Most of these wines are widely distributed thus easy to find. I hope you enjoy them.

*Chilean White Wine post coming soon~ I’m tasting a bunch of Chardonnays and Sauvignon Blancs this month.

Picture taken in Chile on the Wine Writer’s Trip sponsored by Winebow. I’m in the hat and that’s the famous Karen MacNeil who wrote The Wine Bible next to me.

Tags: Carmenere, Chile, red wine, South African wine

Mourvédre* and its cousins are a hot commodity in the USA right now.  Mourvédre is one of  22 grapes known as Rhone Varieties.  Fortunately you don’t have to go to France to taste these interesting wines.   American-made wines are featured at tastings sponsored by the Rhone Rangers each year.  The 2012 San Francisco Celebration of Rhone Wines featured 500 wines from 100 wineries mostly from California (lots of Paso Robles wineries).

The three most common white Rhone grapes grown in California are Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne.  Marsanne and Roussanne are often blended together.  One of my favorite blends is Viognier with Chardonnay.  Popular Rhone reds are Syrah, Grenache and Mourvédre.

These grapes are naturally bold and flavorful. Like Petite Sirah, they are very distinct; for instance, if you taste rich honeysuckle nectar, it is most likely a Viognier.  Syrah is frequently paired with BBQ, rich sauces and meat while a lesser wine would be over-powered.  While an occasional full-bodied Syrah will find it’s way to my table, my favorite California Rhone wines are restrained the fruit ripeness is controlled and enough acidity is present to create a balanced wine that doesn’t leave my teeth purple or my tongue honey-coated.

Here are producers that I recommend:

Two Shepherds.  Winemaker William Allen is an on-the-move tech executive, a committed wine blogger, a marketing evangelist for Sonoma wine events and a darn good winemaker. His first bottling was in 2010 and he is quickly ramping up to deliver 2011 to meet demand. Tip: Get on his mailing list.

Inspiration Vineyards & Winery.  Jon Phillips’ wines are food friendly and terroir-driven. He makes a small amount of Chardonnay-Viognier (190 cases), bright, elegant Viogniers, a very French White Rhone Blend and several other varietals mostly from the Russian River/Dry Creek area. Tip: The tasting room is open Thursday – Monday, no appointment necessary and if it’s not during harvest, you’ll probably meet the winemaker.

Cline Cellars.  Drinking wine out of the barrel with Charlie Tsegeletos was a seminal moment in my wine loving journey. His enthusiasm for winemaking and wine education remains unbridled even after 30+ years. His 2010 Old Vine Mourvédre is a steal at $20 and his Mourvédre Rose is always a winner. Tip: Join the Pendulum Club, (the only club I belong to) the people are wonderful, the deals are great and the winery is a lovely home-away-from-home.

Hope Family Wines. Founder Austin Hope and winemaker Jason “JC” Diefenderfer make some great Rhone wines in Paso Robles. A larger winery with five very well-priced labels (Troublemaker, Treana, Liberty School, Candor and Austin Hope) has something for everyone. I especially like Troublemaker Blend 3, a red Rhone blend made from multiple vintages ($20).  Tip: Read more about Troublemaker online.

*It was about 10 years ago when I first heard the fun folks at Cline Cellars teaching people how to remember Mourvédre (here’s how to really pronounce it).

Tags: Cline, Grenache, Hope Family, INspiration VIneyards, Mourvedre, red wine, Rhone, syrah, Troublemaker, Two Shepherds, Viogner, white wine

I enjoy wine from all over the globe, but many German wines that I receive* are too sweet for my palate.  I’m always excited to get a Silvaner because the best ones are dry (the opposite of sweet) and pair perfectly with Springtime seafood and salads.  I served this 2009 Graf v (von) Schönborn with fresh white shrimp, cilantro, garden limes, chopped red onions and a little salt and pepper over broccoli/carrot slaw. The wine is light in body, low-alcohol (12%) with stone fruit and a bit of lime. Absolutely lovely and easy drinking.

When I visited Germany, I advocated to wineries that reaching more American wine lovers requires making their labels more user-friendly.  This producer gets it.  Here’s what the wine label would look like if the usual German “rules” were followed.

Tags: cliantro, germany, pairing, seafood, shrimp, Spring, white wine, wine

MacPhail Family Vineyards

Specializing in single vineyard small lots, MacPhail’s delightful wines are flawless expressions of terroir-driven Pinot Noir.  It’s also a cool place to visit and hang out with the winemaker.

My first visit to MacPhail’s cool little barn/tasting room, I didn’t get to taste because I was hosting a couple from out of town.  My guests joined another couple in the four-seat tasting bar with James, the winemaker, pouring. Wandering around the work space, I took in family bicycles parked side-by-side, wine-making apparatus neatly organized in the compact room and a slew of framed articles tucked away on a stairwell.  With time to kill, I began reading the articles.

Tags: dry creek valley, MacPhail, Pinot Noir, russian river, Sonoma Coast, wine picks

MacPhail Winery, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County

Part 2.  Read the back story and meet the wine…

Interview with James MacPhail, Winemaker, MacPhail Family Winery 

When did you start making wine, what was your position and with whom?  I started making my own wine in 2001 (it was a Merlot).  I was working at Pelligrini at that time – and that’s where Merry Edwards was making her wine before she built her own place.  I worked for both producers doing everything and anything that was asked of me.  There really wasn’t a name for it.  I guess “cellar rat” is the closest thing.

When did you start your own label?  2002

When did you partner with Hess? If you mean when was I contacted to be the winemaker for Sequana, that would be in the spring of 07.   If you mean when did Hess and MacPhail Family Wines come together, that would be June of 2011.

 How did that come about?  For 2007, I was on the list to be interviewed for Sequana. I went over with 3 bottles of my Pinot – no resume – and met with Dave Guffy.  We hit it off.  I got a call the next day and was offered the position.  If you mean 2011, that happened at the Taste of Vail event with CEO Gary Bulger – over a beer.

What are your favorite things to do when you are not making wine?  Sleep in, be with my family, go places and relax and soak up the sun.  Swim.  Go out with friends and try new places.

Do you have any goals or dreams in the winemaking business that you have yet to meet? If so, what are they?  I’d love to make wine in Argentina, do more research about this business; I’d like to teach.  It’s a never-ending quest.

Thanks James (& Kerry!), I finally got the answers to my burning questions. Regarding Argentina, interesting…everyone knows it’s my favorite place in the world (besides home). 

Tags: California, Healdsburg, northern california, Pinot Noir, red wine, Sonoma, wine country, wine tasting, winery

 

MILESI don’t know. It’s the heartbreak grape. Difficult to vinify. For me, it’s a metaphor for the process of art. You struggle and suffer against seemingly insuperable microclimatic odds, and only when everything comes into a … perfect confluence can you really alchemize something transcendent. And it doesn’t happen often. But, forsaking money, and with no apparent concern for one’s well-being, like artists, true artists, Pinot vintners persevere for that one preternatural moment. Which, when imbibed, is then only but a memory, nothing really tangible, like a book, or a painting, or a movie, admittedly. But … unsurpassable in all other sensory delights in that one sublime, albeit ephemeral, moment. From Rex Pickett’s new play, Sideways.

I wrote a press release about Rex Pickett’s involvement with the 10th Annual Pinot Noir Summit. During our interview via Skype, we chatted like old friends for so long that we found ourselves adjusting our screens in our offices because the sun had went down.  When we finally hung up, we had decided that I would interview him onstage at the Pinot Summit event. We also agreed that it would be fun to do the same thing (new topics) at the Wine Blogger’s Conference in Willamette Oregon later in the year. Rex’s book, Vertical, highlights a road trip to a Pinot Noir festival in Willamette Valley.

Tags: Pinot Noir, Pinot Noir Summit, Rex Pickett, Sideways

Insider Tips for Finding & Enjoying Great Pinot Noir

• Pinot Noir is best when it is grown in a very specific place proven to have ideal conditions. If it says “California” on the label, pass it by, even if it is $12 and seems like a bargain. It’s not, it will disappoint you. Here are two Pinot Noirs under $20 that you can easily find.
• Because the grape is so sensitive to growing conditions, it’s a lot of fun to explore the different AVA’s that are known as good Pinot Noir growing areas.  There are many famous Pinot places that we’ve all heard about; currently, my favorite AVA’s are  Sonoma Coast,  Santa Ynez Valley and Sta Rita Hills.
• You’ll find a lot of wineries source their grapes from only a few regions while their wineries are in another place altogether. To taste lots of Pinots all in one place, I recommend Pinot Noir-specific events. San Francisco’s Pinot Summit is very civilized and fun; only 350 people, approximately 44 top wines (selected from over 400 entries).  I interviewed Sideways author, Rex Pickett at the 10th annual tasting and it was a blast. In addition to enjoying world-class Pinots, I like this event because the rooms are large and comfortable and the event is very creatively designed.  You can also spend the night at a fab downtown San Francisco hotel and keep the party going.
• Explore Pinot Noir from other countries. When I was in Germany on a Pinot Trio tour (Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc), the vintners’ apologized for pouring wine younger than 15 years old.  Here in the states, aging Pinot Noir is quite rare.  I’m also a student of Chilean Pinot Noir which I find vastly more interesting than their prominent grape, Carmenere.

10th Annual Pinot Noir Summit, Girl with a Glass & Sideways author, Rex Picket.

Tags: Chile, Coghlin, germany, Lazy Creek, Petite Abeille, Pinot Noir, Pinot Summit, Santa Ynez Valley, Sonoma Coast, Sta Rita Hills, Volk Wines