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.  

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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.

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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).

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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.

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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). 

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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.

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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.

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When I lived in San Francisco, post-college, I dated a young sophisticated law firm partner.  He took me to all the best restaurants in the city. I was into food and cocktails and kept notes on where to go for the best martini, roasted garlic bulb, or fresh Focciaca.

Wine grabbed my full attention the evening he brought me to Ernie’s, a restaurant featured in Hitchcock’s Vertigo and a favorite with San Francisco’s wealthy social set.*  Dining at Ernie’s was way beyond any experience I’d had or even imagined. I remember three things about that evening; we ordered frog legs, three wait staff stood lined up at attention next to our table with white napkins laid over their left arms for the entire meal , and most of all, a thick leatherbound portfolio listing wines was presented by an intimating man with an impressive shiny chalice on a chain around his neck.  At that moment, staring at this strange episcopate figure with a European accent, I wanted to unravel the mystery of the wine list.

Being in my twenties in San Francisco, there was a lot to learn and enjoy, so wine was just another new adventure like attending the Opera, Symphony, Ballet, theatre, museums, galleries and special events. My job was in philanthropy so I got to attend parties at the Getty’s and other mansions in Pacific Heights.  For some reason, the large homes with full staffs and catered lunches didn’t intimidate me in the least, it was obvious to me who was interested in people and who was interested in money and pedigree.  Now that I’m immersed in the wine industry, my ability to separate the folks who are genuine wine enthusiasts from those who are “snobbish” comes in handy.

Here’s what I’ve observed:

Wine Enthusiasts. No matter where they are in their wine education, they just love wine. They enjoy a glass of wine at home, with good friends and neighbors and they never mention price unless it’s a great wine at a bargain. Sometimes they just enjoy it without talking about it at all.

Wine Snobs.  They tell you how much the wine costs before it’s even open. Their response to the wine such as “is this amazing wine or what?” is determined by the price, label or rarity.  They have funny rules like “I only like French wine or I only drink Napa Cab.”

Being a wine snob is reversible. My suggestion is to journey through wine’s past, present and future in the vineyards of the world through history, stories and images. Start at the beginning when wine was pure and unmanipulated.  You can also seek out wine makers who are bringing back the old winemaking traditions.

*Here’s a wonderful brief history of Ernie’s from a restaurant insider.

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My favorite New Year’s celebrations? Doing the unexpected with great friends. This year I had two evenings of bubbly tastings.  We tasted the newest trends in the global wine market, Rosé of Malbec and Torrontes/Chardonnay from Argentina, Moscato from California, Moscato and Prosecco from Italy and even a Yellowtail from Australia.

It’s an easy and fun party. Just ask your friends to bring a bottle from whatever country they want, the imports are well under $20 and the quality is just fine.  And, if you don’t like it straight, make sparkling cocktails or save it for the morning-after Mimosa or Bellini.  A bartender that attended made us a classic cocktail with sparkling wine, sugar and bitters. Serve finger food and don’t worry about perfect pairings.

The winner was Reginato Sparkling Torrontes Chardonnay.  It’s 80% Chardonnay, 20% Torrontes. The sweetness of the Torrontes really comes through.($17)  They also make a pretty Rosé of Malbec.

Terramia Moscato was the runner up, pear-baked, vanilla custard, dark cherries and grapefruit.  No flaws with a long dry finish.

One of my favorite Prosecco’s Villa Sandi Il Fresco Prosecco (Folio Wine Partners, $12.99) is a great choice.

Allure Moscato won the prize for the prettiest bottle. It tastes like Maraschino cherries & grapefruit. Allure Pink Moscato is popular among the younger crowds.

New Year’s is a great time to just have fun and do something new.  Enjoy!

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Silkbush Mountain Vineyards

Earlier this year I met Dave Jefferson, the founder of South Africa’s Silkbush Mountain Vineyards.  We enjoyed a lively conversation about trends in the global wine market in a LinkedIn forum and then met at his local office here in California. His company owns multiple investment properties including vineyards and wineries in Napa and Sonoma.  At that time, he gave me two bottles of Pinotage from his Western Cape vineyards, a 2008 Lions’ Drift Pinotage and a pre-release of his 2009 Pinotage (same brand).

I’ve been intrigued by South African wine but know relatively little about it.  I was pleasantly surprised by the 2008 but blown away by the 2009–it is stellar wine.

Dave and his local partner, Anton Roos, and their multi-lingual and multi-cultural staff, farm 215 acres of vineyards under a dramatic mountain called, Sybasberg (Anglicized to Silkbush).  The location is beautiful and close to the popular wine tasting region, Stellenbosh. Dave has been to South Africa well over two dozen times since 1994 and if you are planning a trip or just curious, he has created a detailed resource for wine lovers, “Planning a Trip to South Africa“.*

Until I get to South Africa, I’ll settle for enjoying Silkbush’s Lion’s Drift Pinotage. The 2009 arrived in the U.S. in late October 2011 and is available through several retailers and distributors.   This is a wine that drinks well by itself and with food, in the evening or afternoon.  I would bring it to a party, a lunch date, pair it with appetizers or serve it at Thanksgiving or Christmas. It’s enticing; after tasting it for review, I found myself wanting to enjoy a full glass. If you want more detail, Palate Press published a very accurate flavor profile of the 2009 Lion’s Drift Pinotage.

*You can stay on the property if you are a VIP (wine journalist, distributor, retailer, etc.) or paying guest. For information about where to find Silkbush’s wine or to stay at Kingsbury Cottage, contact Dave Jefferson.

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