Petite Sirah, Pork and Chocolate at Rockwall Wine Company

I have found throughout life that there are some things that are just worthy of including into my list of things to do every year.  It includes seeing my sons at the holidays (and whenever I can), a cabin trip with my buddies (over 25 years of gathering for a crazed camping weekend) and a few other things that are always memorable.  I can say that after my second annual visit, the "Dark and Delicious" Petite Sirah wine tasting event has become a new entry to the list.  Yes, it is true, this is an event the is easy to become addicted to and I have determined that it is now a part of my annual event attendance planning process, all thanks to the team and members of PS I Love You.   If you follow me much you know that I am a huge fan of Petite Sirah and have been since 1991, a year that provided one of my favorite Petite Sirah vintages.  It is a wine that can be huge, bold, tannic, floral, meaty, jammy, brooding and sooooo much more.  In recent years I have found that more winemakers are taking to this grape and hand crafting more interesting, complex and even elegant Petite Sirah.  The "Dark and Delicious" event put on by the folks at psiloveyou.org is an evening that gives this misunderstood grape a wonderful opportunity to shine.  The 2013 event held on February 22nd was no exception!  

Part of the charm of this event is that it is held in a barrel room at the Rockwall Wine Company, so appropriate for an event of this kind, people gathering to partake where wine sits, aging and developing for it's future consumption.  The cool location with the skyline view of San Francisco across the Bay doesn't hurt the ambiance either.  With over 50 wineries poring their interpretation of the Petite Sirah Grape and over 30 food venues the evening was a perfect pairing of Petite Sirah, Pork dishes and Chocolate. Besides the numerous styles of Petite Sirah, the various pork entrees were amazing.  There was pate, pulled pork, meatballs, sliders, BLT sandwiches and even chocolate covered bacon available to try.  I can barely even begin to hit on the wonderful chocolate creations that I savored as I sipped rich, full bodied Petite Sirah.  For those that were interested in taking some wine treats home with them there was a silent auction built with a number of Petite Sirah treats, click on this List to see what was available that night.

I was hoping to be in early for the trade and media side of the event, but was unable to get in early due to my schedule.  Fortunately, three hours of the normal event was plenty to meet and talk with owners, growers, winemakers and Petite Sirah fans.  My guest and I were able to have a number of great conversations with people like David Mounts of Mounts Family Winery, Jerry Baldwin of J.Baldwin Wines, John Monnich of Silkwood Fine Wines and Miro Tcholakov of Miro Cellars on the wine side.  We also enjoyed talking with Elizabeth Fazzio of Blue Heron Catering and Chris Bickel of Monterey Chocolate Company about food, nutrition and the treats they were sharing with the attendees.   Listed below are the participating wineries and food vendors.

Who's Who at "Dark and Delicious" 2013

While enjoying food and wine, we chatted with a number of other Petite Sirah fans.   Their comments were all exceptionally positive, most talking about a great wine tasted or a delicious morsel devoured, though I actually heard a few different people comment on how "Dark and Delicious" reminded them of the early days of ZAP.  Those folks felt that this event made the wine and food producers very accessible, especially since key players like owners and winemakers were available to talk with.  I think the best example of availability was the presence of Shauna Rosenblum, winemaker for Rockwall Wine Company, who was there making everyone feel welcome and adding to the fun of the evening.  
 

"Dark and Delicious" and Petite Sirah in the future

Well…………judging from the excitement and enjoyment the attendees of "Dark and Delicious" 2013 displayed, combined with the passion of the individuals presenting the wine and food.  I'd say that, hopefully the future of this event seems to be very positive.  The various winemakers, owners and pouring staffs of the participating wineries seemed to enjoy the crowds and sharing their wines as much as those partaking of them.  Kudos to Jo Diaz and all the members of the PS I Love You organization, as well as the folks at Rockwall Wine Company for making such a wonderful evening possible.  The volume level was excellent for conversation and manyof the food and wine producers were pleased to have a Trade and Media time available this year.  Please keep up the good work and for as long as possible, continue this great event at the Rockwall Wine Company location.  Seriously, what location is any more appropriate than a winery barrel room located right on San Francisco Bay.  I know I will plan to return for "Dark and Delicious" 2014 to see what new Petite Sirah creations will be presented and what awesome food items will be there to pair and enjoy.  Seriously, is their any better way to stain your teeth dark purple than sipping a variety of big, bold Petite Sirah wines????  I hope that in February 2014, you too will mark your calendar and join us cult wine drinkers that love the "Big Dawg" known as Petite Sirah.

As always, drink well and constantly seek out that great bottle of wine, where ever it may hide.  As for me, I will be taking a little time off for vacation and travel (with wine in tow) to Las Vegas and Hawaii in the next couple months.  I am looking forward to these trips to hang with friends, see sights, sip great wine and relax.  So remember, Life is Still Too Short to Drink Bad Wine!!!  Enjoy the lovely Spring weather and don't forget to keep an eye on what I am up to on this site at www.gatewaytowine.com

CHEERS!!!

An Evening With the Atlantic Seaboard Wine Association

On Friday, February 1, I had the opportunity to experience a presentation of wine and information from members of the Atlantic Seaboard Wine Association.  On an evening hosted by the Healdsburg Library in Healdsburg, California, approximately 40 local folks joined me in taking in the presentation made by Dave Barber, a member of the board for the Wine Association.  Dave and Carl Brandhorst (also a board member of the association) brought wine and education from a wine region that we here on the West Coast know very little about.  Additionally, myself and a few friends thought that the wine industry was relatively new on the East Coast, we were so wrong.  Dave Barber did an awesome job of educating the audience about the history, agriculture, current and future state of the wine industry on the Eastern Seaboard.  The two gentlemen from the East Coast were aided substantially by a local friend, Miss Anne Vercelli, who helped them to get the event planned, organized and assisted in the logistics.

Who knew that early settlers were coming to the New World to seek out new places to grow grapes and make wine.  This information and much more was shared with our audience this Friday evening.  Much was learned about native American wine grape varietals, hybrid varietals (these are grape that come from the cross breeding of European and American grapes) and the wine that is produced from them along the Atlantic Seaboard.   Dave Barber did justice to explaining about the challenges that have been experienced over the hundreds of years that viticulture has been practiced on the East Coast of this nation.  Discussing the weather, the soils and the Atlantic Seaboard Wine Associations efforts to spread the news about wine from their region gave the audience a chance to learn about the efforts made fin producing East Coast Wines.  

Some of the most interesting portion of the discussion was how the history of winemaking on the Atlantic Coast tied into the history of the United States and key historical figures like Thomas Jefferson.  I would have never put much thought to some of the information we learned prior to this evening, but now will pay more attention to the development of the wine industry on the East Coast.  Now, it is time to talk about the wine our hosts poured for us to experience.

Tasting the Wine of the Atlantic Seaboard

The 6 wines for our tasting experience

This portion of our evening with Dave Barber and Carl Brandhorst was a real treat.  We were presented 6 wines from the Atlantic Seaboard to experience.  The wine we tasted was produced from European grapes, American grapes, hybrid grapes and in some cases, blends of each.  They were also produced in four different states, a couple of which were states I had never given a thought of even producing wine prior to this event.  In general, I found the group as a whole, more European in style, showing lower alcohol levels and a little more austere flavors in most cases.  So, below you will find the wine I tasted with a bit of information about each and my impressions of each.

• 2011 White Oak from Knob Hall Winery in Maryland – A blend of 60% Chardonnay, 20% Traminette and 20% Vidal Blanc
  This wine had an herbal, dry vegetal nose with minty notes to it.  It was slightly crisp with a fruit sweet lemon layer on the palate and slightly frizzante (or fizzy on the tongue).  It had a moderate finish and held the vegetal sense to the finish.  It was a $22 a bottle wine and had 12.5% alcohol.
   
• 2011 Viognier from Pollak Vineyards in Virginia – This wine is 100% Viognier
  The bouquet was spicy with layers of lemon, orange peel and a floral hint.  On the palate it had a fleshy white peach.  It held a nice, fruit mouthfeel and a solid finish that lingered on the tip of my tongue.  This wine is $20 a bottle and has 13% alcohol.
   
• 2011 Diamond from Candia Vineyards in New Hampshire – 100% Diamond
  This wine was my favorite white wine.  It had a lively nose of peach and white grape juice (yes, it smelled like white grapes).  It had a deep, full mouthfeel presenting peach and white grape juice (the grape juice flavor is called foxy, by those that make and drink wine from native American grapes).  It had a soft, full finish and left me willing to drink more.  The wine is $16 a bottle and I did not get an alcohol content..
   
• 2010 Syrah from Elk Run Vineyards in Maryland – 100% Syrah
  The Syrah was earthy and musky on the nose with traces of dark fruit.   It showed flavors of Mexican chocolate, vanilla, blackberries and overripe fruit.  It finishes dry, but lingers with an odd feeling and flavor on the rear of the palate.  This wine sells for $26.50 a bottle and has 13% alcohol. 
   
• 2007 Rosso della Valle from Hopewell Vineyards in New Jersey – 75% Chambourcin, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon
  This blend starts with spicy Asian plum and cocoa powder in the bouquet .  It holds true to the plum in the mouth, chocolate and overripe fruit.  It briefly showed a slight metallic component, but actually finished with a solid, long finish.  The wine is priced at $17 a bottle and has 13.5% alcohol.
   
• 2010 BDX from Heritage Vineyards in New Jersey – 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petite Verdot.
  This Bordeaux blend had heavy baking spices on the bouquet along with fresh, ripe black fruit.  Black cherry and blackberries, casis and caramel layer into the mid-palate.  It holds a rich, deep mouthfeel leading to a long, supple finish.  It is still a young wine with nice potential.  This wine, my favorite of the reds is priced in the mid $20 range and has 13.1% alcohol.

After the tasting portion of the evening, appetizers and some other wine was opened for the participants to sample along with the food.  Some of the wine poured was Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Norton and a variety of hybrid and native American varietals.  What proved to be an added treat was to be invited to a post event dinner at the home of Anne Vercelli.  Where the guests dined with Dave Barber and Carl Brandhorst while tasting additional East Coast wine.  A pleasant surprise in this portion of my evening was wine from a variety of my favorite Italian Wine grape varietals.  Combine this with being able to chat with Dave and Carl left me with a great experience for the evening. 
 

Summing the Evening with The Atlantic Seaboard Wine Association

In review of the evening, it was a bargain at $20 to attend.  The presentation was stellar, informative, educational, intriguing and held my interest from start to finish.  The wine provided was unique, interesting and for the most part very drinkable.  In short, this was a great opportunity that would have been worth attending at twice the price.  I will keep my eye open for other opportunities like this and recommend you do the same, as you never know when or where you will find the next great wine.  

As always, I hope you enjoyed the tale of this adventure with wine from the other US coast.  I hope to continue finding great events, special wine and unique people to bring to you both here at www.gatewaytowine.com and in my articles for Eve's Wine 101.  Some of the stories to keep an eye out for will be:
The Forum on Italian Wine Varietals in California held at the Castello di Amorosa in Calistoga
The Public Tasting for the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition at Fort Mason in San Francisco
The Dark and Delicious event at Rockwall Winery in Alameda

Each of these should be out in the next few weeks, at least as long as I don't run into the evil disease know as Writer's Block.  Until then, keep looking for that great bottle of wine and if possible, share it with good friends.  Remember, Life is too Short to Drink Bad Wine!!!  Enjoy!

HAPPY WINE YEAR 2013

CHEERS EVERYONE!!!

Happy New Year everyone!!!!  I hope 2013 will be bringing all of you a happy, prosperous next 11 months.  I also hope that you enjoyed the holiday season ending 2012 with friends and family in a joyous, celebratory way.  I enjoyed mine with Family and then started the New Year with great friends, Oh and some delicious wine from Thanksgiving through New Years Day.  Honestly, I haven't stopped yet, though the pace has slowed substantially.  My favorite treats were on New Years Eve, toasting the end of 2012 and the beginning of 2013.  Those were both sparkling wines, a 2005 Louis Roederer Cristal Brut and a 2008 Iron Horse Winery "Winter's Cuvee".  They were delicious, special and soooooo good.  If you are into bubbly, keep an eye out for them, although be warned, they are not inexpensive.  

Just a quick note about the 2012 vintage.  It was a very productive year as far as grape quantity, a great growing season.  But, based on what I have heard about the quality of the grapes, it should be a vintage worth collecting and enjoying.  I saw beautiful clusters of perfect fruit come in at a number of wineries and am excited to see what happens in the bottle.  I have some great expectations!!!

Worthwhile Wine Events in Northern California 2013
I will be totally honest and admit that this will not be an all inclusive list of everything happening this year, but it is a way to get started on tasting in 2013.  Additionally, some of these are large scale events and if you are allergic to crowds you may want to seek out the smaller events to go enjoy  wine tasting at.  Here is a list of some of the early 2013 events to consider attending.  I will be updating this list as my research for events continues.

• January 31- February 2, 2013 – ZAP Zinfandel Festival at two locations in San Francisco.  For tickets and information go to http://zinfandel.org.  This event is usually sold out so get your tickets ASAP.  A popular wine tasting event focused on all things Zinfandel.  This is a huge event and if you love Zins you will fight the crowds to enjoy your favorite wine.
   
• February 9-10, 2013 – Alsace Varietals Festival at various locations in the Anderson Valley in Mendocino County.  For information go to http://www.mendowine.com.  This is a great opportunity to hit a festival that focuses on varietals like Riesling, Muscat, Gewurtztraminer, Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc.  Of course Pinot Noir in the Anderson Valley goes without mentioning, but if these are wines you love, it is a must to attend.
   
• February 16, 2013 – San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition Public Tasting at Fort Mason in San Francisco.  For tickets and information go to http;//winejudging.com.  I love this event, as it has it all.  Award winning wine from all over the United States at a great venue in San Francisco.  It is a huge event and tickets go quick, so get them today.
   
• February  22, 2013 – Dark and Delicious at Rockwall Wine Company in Alameda.  For tickets and information go to http://www.psiloveyou.org.  All things Petite Sirah here.  Near 60 wine producers and approximately 40 food providers make for a wonderful evening next to the San Francisco Bay.  I loved it last year, check out my review here at my blog site, the article is "Dark & Delicious" 2012 – A Petite Sirah Cult Gathering.
   
• March 1-3 and 8-10, 2013 – Wine Road Barrel Tasting weekends at various wineries in Northern Sonoma County.  For tickets and information go to http://www.wineroad.com.  I have been hitting this event for over twenty years, loving the opportunity to taste wine from the barrel and speculate on their future potential.  It is a huge event, mass quantities of people attend, but if you plan your visit well it can be a blast.  Beware of the party places and avoid them, especially late in the day.
   
• March 22-23, 2013 – Rhone Rangers at Fort Mason in San Francisco.  For tickets and information go to http://www.rhonerangers.org.  Do you love Rhone varietals???  This is your stop for wine that I think many people in California don't understand.  I poured at this event last year and felt it was under-attended for the quality and styles of wine available.  Give it a shot, I think you will be very surprised.
   
• April 27-28, 2013 – Passport to The Dry Creek Valley at various wineries in the Dry Creek Valley near Healdsburg, CA.  For tickets and information go to http://www.wdcv.com.  A very popular event that tends to draw the Zinfandel fan.  Well planned and priced to keep the masses from overwhelming the event.  I love the Dry Creek Valley and Zin, but their is more to the wines of this valley other than Zin.
   
• May 4-5, 2013 – Hopland Passport Weekend at various wineries in Hopland, CA.  For information go to http://mendowine.com.  A smaller event, approximately 15-20 wineries participating, but they pour some very delicious win from an area that deserves more respect from the wine aficionado.
   
• May 17-19, 2013 – Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Festival at various wineries in the Anderson Valley in Mendocino County.  For information go to http://mendowine.com.  Mmmmmmm, give me some Deep End Pinot Noir and I am a happy camper. Experience the Pinot Noirs of the Anderson Valley, you won't regret it. 
   
• May 18-19, 2013 – Taste Alexander Valley at Various Wineries in the Alexander Valley near Healdsburg, CA.  For tickets in information go to http://www.alexandervalley.org.  Another smaller event, but what it lacks in size, it makes up for in quality.  Great wine, beautiful area at a lovely time of the year.
   
• June 8, 2013 – The Barbera Festival at the Cooper Ranch in Shenandoah Valley near Plymouth, CA.  For tickets and information go to http://barberafestival.com.  Here is another cult event that I am hoping to attend.  Barbera, like Petite Sirah has a smaller, but loyal following.  I have heard great things about this event and the Cooper Ranch is home to some of the best Barbera wine grapes in California.
   
• June 8-9, 2013 – Passport to Pinot Weekend at various wineries in the Russian River Valley near Santa Rosa,CA.  For information go to http://www.rrvw.org.  This is a very young event, only year two or three in existence, but come on it is Russian River Valley Pinot Noir.  I think that is all I need to say. 
   
• June 14-16, 2013 – A Taste of Redwood Valley at various wineries in the Redwood Valley, north of Ukiah, CA.  For information go to http://mendowine.com.  This event has been around for years, always during Father's Day weekend.  I have enjoyed it, worked at it and can tell you it is a nice way to taste great wine while meeting the people that grow the grapes and make the wine.  It is another small event with 15-20 wineries participating.

As you can see there are a lot of opportunities to taste wine north of the San Francisco Bay.  My future search will be more towards Napa, Livermore, Lodi, El Dorado and Amador Counties.  It blows me away to think on how many wineries are out there today and of all the wine I haven't even heard of much yet tasted.  The events above will provide an introduction to a fraction of them, so if you have the time, go check them out.  Make a weekend of it if you can, as many of these events are in some cool places to visit and hang out.  

I put out information here, but I also wanted to invite you to give me feedback on my blog and information.  Additionally, if you have any events you want to share with me and my audience drop me a line at gatewaytowine@gmail.com.  I am hoping to share my experiences at some of the with you in the future months, so please stay tuned.  Keep looking for me at http://gatewaytowine.com.   As always, keep seeking that delightful glass of nectar from the vine.  Remember, Life is Too Short To Drink Bad Wine.  Drink well and enjoy!!!

Recommendations to Consider While Wine Tasting

It is time I spoke out on a topic I have given thought to for quite some time, Etiquette for visitors in wine tasting rooms.  My hope is that with this posting it will improve the wine tasting experience for everyone, customers and wine tasting room staff alike. Before I get my feet too wet, let me be clear that these are my own observations and thoughts about certain issues that occur in winery tasting rooms.  Please don't construe these comments to represent anyone I work for or am professionally associated with, although, if you were to talk to wine hospitality employees in any region I think you will find that they will support these thoughts in most cases.

Many articles, blogs and even critical comments in social media venues have addressed the behavior and practices of hospitality employees, but what about the other side of the wine tasting bar?  Wine tasting is an experiential activity for many people and of course they would like to enjoy great location, pleasant people around them and an environment suited for the optimal wine tasting experience.  Ideally, an environment that allows them to really take in the aromas, flavors and nuances of wine, while enjoying conversation and some education in the process.  For the purpose of this article I have selected what seem to me to be three major issues that seem to impact the wine tasting experience for people on either side of the tasting bar.  First is the area of Odors and Scents, second will be General Courtesy, and the final one is the most controversial Children in the Wine Tasting Room. 

• The impact of Odors and Scents in a wine tasting environment –  Because wine tasting is such a sensory experience, the ability to taste and enjoy wine is impossible to separate from the sense of smell.  That is why Odors and Scents have a huge impact.  Proof in point, have you ever been wine tasting and you have someone come into the winery you are at and immediately you notice that they reek of cigarette smoke or are bathed in cologne or perfume?  What does that do to you ability to smell and subsequently taste the wines?  Yes, it does really hamper your ability to take in the bouquet and diverse aromas that wine offers up to you!!!  What do you do now that you have these people next to you?  Can you move away?  Probably not, especially in a crowded wine tasting room, so now you are stuck with offending odors that now are ruining your opportunity to enjoy the wines that you have traveled far to taste. 

  I am not suggesting that confrontation is a good option, but by educating people to the impact they are having on others, as well as their own wine tasting enjoyment hopefully they will think ahead and not enter a tasting room with Odors and Scents that will diminish the sensory evaluation of wines.  Potential sources of Odors and Scents that can negatively impact the wine tasting experience are: Perfume, cologne, after shave lotions, skin/hand creams, cigarette/cigar/pipe smoke, Marijuana smoke (don't be surprised on this one, it happens more than you can believe), human body odor and even the smell of pets on clothing.  Actually, there are a number of people that are allergic or offended by many of these smells without experiencing them in a wine tasting room.
  
  Going forward, please keep in mind that any Odors and Scents that you may have on your body and clothes when you are wine tasting will impact not only your ability to enjoy the wine, but everyone around you too!!!  One additional thought, for parents of babies and toddlers, if you are wine tasting with children still wearing diapers, you have an additional source that can provide offputting Odors for a whole room.  Please be wary of that when you think about taking children into a wine tasting environment and if they need a diaper change, please be proactive.  

Courtesy in this arena is always greatly appreciated, but never usually until it occurs and the offending party leaves, being proactive and considerate is a wonderful thing.  Remember, currently wineries and wine tasting rooms don't have much in the way of reminders in their tasting rooms and on their websites about the negative impacts of Scents and Odors, so it is up to us to carry the message forward!

• General Courtesy while Wine Tasting – Honestly, this is a topic that huge, simply because it deals with people's behavior.  Wine tasting and Hospitality people are constantly scrutinized for their service and behavior by visitors and customers, even being taken to task on websites like Yelp, Facebook and many others.  Yet what is to be done about the discourteous wine taster?  There is nowhere that they get publicly outed for boorish or abusive behavior, doesn't seem fair does it, especially when Hospitality people are trying to provide an excellent experience for their wine tasting customer. Sure, there may be Hospitality people that may rub you the wrong way and if it is inappropriate behavior, contact the winery and let them know.  Give them a chance to fix the problem instead of slamming everyone at that location on Social Media sites!.

  So you are asking, "What does he consider boorish or abusive behavior"?  Take a look below and see!

  • Haggling/Arguing about tasting fees and discounts – Most wineries have policies about wine tasting fees, wine prices and they are usually printed on menus or other documents.  It is always cool to ask if any discounts, sales or deals exist………..But, don't argue, haggle or browbeat tasting room people about the issue if their answer isn't the one you want.  It is not a negotiable item and the wine tasting room staff shouldn't be subjected to a lecture about what you expect or what another winery does.  This also applies to people who work in the "Industry".  Some people believe that the "Industry" includes restaurants, bars and wine shops.  Well, it may in many wineries for complimentary tastings, but not necessarily for discounts on purchases.  Again, this is an item that it always is good to ask for clarity, but should not be expected or argued about.  Seriously, I have never been given a complimentary wine tasting or discounts in restaurants, bars and wine shops for being in the "Industry", so if you do get offered that opportunity in a wine tasting room enjoy it.  

    One additional situation that frequently arises is customers demanding to taste wines that are not available or that the tasting room staff has been told they are not allowed to pour.  There may be some discretionary wines that tasting room staffs may be allowed or authorized to pour, but ask politely and don't take it out on the Hospitality person if they are not able to pour it for you.
     

  • Appointments – Setting up appointments are a great thing to do when possible for wine tasting.  Special treatment, tours, private tastings are all great treats.  BUT………don't take them for granted, especially if you are going to be late or not show up for one you have scheduled.  Be courteous and call the winery and let them know you are cancelling or running late, in most cases it isn't a problem, in most cases!!!!  Remember, that some wineries can be very busy and tightly booked or that they have added to their staff for the day of your appointment.  With advanced warning most tasting rooms will accommodate you whenever possible, but courtesy is greatly appreciated.  Oh, one additional thought here too!  If you are scheduling your winery visits, always ask how long your wine tasting visit may last so that you aren't too backed up and shortchanging the tasting room staff and yourself while visiting.
     
  • The Last Stop or the 10 minutes before closing visit – Okay, this is a big one.  Think about it, what do you expect when you pull into a wine tasting room at 5-10 minutes before they are closing???  Should they give you a full tasting, should they be excited to see someone that may have been tasting all day and is looking to drink (not taste) more before they go to dinner or head home.  Probably not, though some tasting rooms may accommodate you, don't expect them all to.  If you show up late, ask what they can do for you and don't be disappointed, mad or go off on them or their winery on a website like Yelp, because you didn't get to party longer.  Again, courtesy is the key.  If you really wanted to taste their wines you would have shown up with a half hour or longer to spare to be able to have an enjoyable experience.  Remember, you can always come back another day!
     
  • Pets - I am not one to criticize people for having their pets, mostly dogs when they are traveling, but this is another situation where it is courteous to ask if the wine tasting room allows animals indoors.  Service dogs are usually the only pets that are universally accepted, because of their unique purpose, but beyond that please ask.  Some tasting rooms provide or sell food or have food and wine pairing options that may carry health code restrictions about animals in their service or sales areas.  Yes, there are dog friendly wineries, which is cool, as I love seeing a well behaved pet with their owner in public.  But, again, ask first before you bring them into the building.  Oh, this includes those of you that travel with mini dogs in your purses and bags.  Just because they are contained does not mean it is automatically accepted as OK.  I have watched people take their dogs out of their purse or bag and place them on the wine bar (then watched other customers actually pay their tasting fee and leave in disgust).   Please keep this in mind when you take your four legged friends out in public, ask first and avoid any problems.
     
  • Wine Tasting Karma - A simple thought here, if you are amiable, courteous and friendly when out wine tasting you will usually receive the same treatment in return.  Actually, even when you are not acting nicely, you will still be treated well.  If you are nice and not treated well, ask for the manager, call the winery or for some of you that think it is appropriate, then go to Yelp (personally, I can't stand Yelp and think it should be eliminated from the Internet in it's current form).  But, at least let the winery know so they can make sure it is not a recurring issue.

• Children in Wine Tasting Venues – Now this is an issue that can set fires with some people.  I love children and enjoy them as much as anyone, having raised three sons and now have two granddaughters.  Honestly, I have seen wonderfully behaved children while on either side of the wine tasting bar.  For me though, the common sense piece of this should be obvious, children really ought not to be in a venue that is focused on alcohol.  They are not allowed in most bars, unless there is food also served there and then not usually allowed at the bar.  First of all they can't buy or taste wine and are usually bored and restless (this applies primarily to pre-teens and toddlers, teenagers seldom seem to be with their parents while wine tasting unless the family is on a wine tasting portion of a family vacation).  One other thought too, if you are out driving to wineries with your children in the car you are subjecting them to an environment where there is a greater possibility for for accidents caused by other drivers that may be intoxicated.  Just a risk to consider.

  If you have your children with you while wine tasting are you really able to enjoy the whole wine tasting experience???  If your children are younger, you can't (or shouldn't) let them run loose in the tasting room while you are tasting, as no one else in the tasting room is watching your children for you.  Though, if they are disruptive, they most definitely will be watching them disrupt their wine tasting experience.  Raising children taught me many things, one important thing was that if you children are not occupied or having fun, neither are you.  Please take this in consideration, because not only can children in the tasting room lessen the enjoyment of your wine tasting experience, but they can impact the enjoyment of all the other visitors and make the job of the tasting room staff more difficult as well. 

I have witnessed many unfortunate incidents involving children in wine tasting venues.  They include babies with full diapers, toddlers wearing shoes that have squeaky toy squeakers in them running loose in the tasting room(Oh yes, no BS here, the mother had them on the child so she would know where her baby was, unfortunately everyone else in the building also knew where the baby was).  I have also watched children going through retail items and tossing them around the room, children screaming and crying while being chased by parents and soooo much more.  There have even been days when I have witnessed parents chastising tasting room employees for not having a child friendly environment.  What about the wine tasting experience makes anyone believe that wineries and wine tasting venue should be child friendly???  OK, enough of the horror stories, but just wanted to give the reader a visual to associate with the issue at hand.  WINE TASTING IS AN ADULT EXPERIENCE…………………!!!!!

If you do bring children to a wine tasting room, have a plan to manage their presence, give them quiet activities to occupy them with and most important……..please supervise them!!!  If they are calm, occupied and pleasant, then most likely yours and everyone else's experience will be the same.  Please be courteous to everyone, just like you expect the wine tasting room staff to be. 
 

Wine Tasting Courtesy…..The Final Shot

I am off of my soapbox now, but just wanted to say thank you if you read this complete blog.  Additionally, I would say bless you if you forwarded it on and share it with others to help further the concept of customer courtesy in wine tasting venues. Those of us who work in the Hospitality side of wine tasting will continue to strive to provide a great experience for you when you visit us, but we need your help too.  I hope I haven't made too many parents mad, but after all, wine tasting is an adult experience.

Yes, it has been awhile since I have gotten anything out on this site, but am working to get back into the swing of things now amidst the business of harvest time here in Sonoma County.  The harvest is going well, the grapes look great and the weather is beautiful.  Come visit out here in this special season.  Come back too, and visit me here at gatewaytowine.com when you have time.  As always, Life Is Too Short To Drink Bad Wine!!!  Drink Well!!!

An Evening of Jazz, Wine and Food at Sonoma Cutrer

The Al Molina Jazz Sextet at Sonoma Cutrer 

You ever put in a long day, be it at work or just a knock around day when you are off work and know that you need something different to help relax in the evening?  Well…………….I found that something different in the latter part of July at Sonoma Cutrer Winery in Windsor, California.  I had an invite from a friend of mine, Mark Elcombe, who works at Sonoma Cutrer, to attend their Jazzy Summer Nights series on the 21st of July.  The featured artists were the Al Molina Latin Jazz Sextet, a group of well know San Francisco Bay area Jazz Musicians.  Having heard a bit about the event from Mark, I took him up on the offer and headed to Sonoma Cutrer after a long day of pouring wine.  

I arrived at the Sonoma Cutrer Hospitality Center a little after the 6 PM start time for the music, but that was the only negative I can attach to the evening.  As I walked up to the patio, I picked the lush, rich Latin Jazz strains wafting with the breeze on a pleasant Saturday night.  I made note of the food available first, being hungry and it, of course, now being dinner time.  The dinner fare was being made available by Mateo's Cocina Latina of Healdsburg, with their offerings of a wide variety of Latin dishes that seemed to be well paired with the music now filling the air.  Additionally, the dessert side of the food available was provided by Viola Pastry Boutique Cafe of Santa Rosa.  The various dessert offerings looked mouth watering and as I found out a bit later, their was no disappointment with the taste side of their treats either.

I proceeded closer to the music, stopping to provide myself with a well deserved glass of Sonoma Cutrer Chardonnay.  This evening both the Sonoma Cutrer Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays were available by the bottle and the glass, which were each satisfying and a nice addition to a very pleasurable evening.  I ran into Mark Elcombe as I was getting myself acclimated, catching up briefly with him and thanking him for the invite to such a great evening.  Now armed with wine, I found myself a good location to enjoy the performance.  It was a well attended evening, with all the seating and stand up tables being in use and the crowd was definitely enjoying music, wine and food.  Within a few minutes of smelling the delicious aromas of the food over at Mateo's tent, I headed over and purchased a great tostada with fresh produce and rich, spicy flavors that were nicely tempered by the slightly chilled Sonoma Cutrer Chardonnay.  Back to my table to enjoy it all.

Mateo's Cocina Latina Tostada at Sonoma Cutrer 

What a great Saturday evening, plus…throw in running into a few of the people I had poured wine for earlier in the day at Martinelli Winery and I added some good conversation to go along with the wine, food and music.  I have to say that Sonoma Cutrer has a great location for producing this type of event and everything was ideal.  That included my dessert, which was absolutely amazing.  I had a small piece of an apricot dish that was fresh, rich and superb.  Honestly, I did not stop there, as my plate included a piece of a blackberry treat layered over a nice, rich almond paste and a flaky crust.  Mmmmmmmmm, washed down with the Sonoma Cutrer Pinot Noir, I was quite the happy camper and the ladies at the Viola table was exceptionally hospitable.  All in all, it was an amazing evening!!!!

Viola Pastry at Sonoma Cutrer

The Next Jazzy Summer Night Show at Sonoma Cutrer

Now for those of you that thought this event sounded like a must attend evening, well…………………….there is one more before the end of the summer.  On Saturday August 18th, at 6 PM, the final show of the series will be presented at the Sonoma Cutrer Hospitality Center.  The featured artists will be Deborah Winters and the Peter Welker All Star Band, which means a talent female Jazz singer and a big, rich sounding 10 piece Jazz band.  After doing a little research, I think I just may have to hit this show as well, being as the combination of singer and band is too much to miss.  Check it out for a great evening of Jazz, wine and food at Sonoma Cutrer Winery.

Gatewaytowine.com

Yes, I am back after all kinds of busy happening this summer.  Looking forward to getting caught up on many back items and planned articles.  In the upcoming future I will be writing on the 2010 releases at William Selyem Winery and Martinelli Winery for Eve's Wine 101.  Then hopefully sooner than later I will be finishing up and posting my story about Simaine Cellars up in Ukiah and the special family ties that have helped to create wonderful wines tied to one of the best hospitality experiences you can find through a winery of any size.  

As always, check me out at gatewaytowine.com or my Facebook spot at the same name.  It is great to be back and nothing has changed, as Life is still too Short to drink Bad Wine!!!!

Vineyard Road Wineries – Thacher Winery

Well, it was getting along in the afternoon and Christian and I had tasted a nice variety of wines on our wandering drive up Vineyard Road.  We are on our way to Thacher Winery, a producer that I was first introduced to during the Sweepstakes round of judging for the 2011 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.  During that round, Thacher received a share of the title of Red Wines Sweepstakes winner for the competition, splitting the title with Ecluse Winery, which is also is located in Paso Robles.  So on up Vineyard Road we drove, finally turning down a long driveway onto a beautiful property that we were soon to learn was an old Kentucky style horse ranch. The owners, Sherman and Michelle Thacher bought the property in 2004 and have combined the ranch and vineyards into an amazingly lush and attractive property.  The huge barn from the days of numerous horses on the property still stands next to the tasting room parking area as a reminder of the property's rich history.

Thacher Winery Tasting Room

Once the clown car was parked Chris and I ambled into the small, but warmly friendly tasting room.  We had barely stepped in the door when we were instantly greeted by both of the tasting room hostesses, Marguerite and Katie.  There was only one other couple in the room tasting when we entered and we all ended up chatting, tasting and laughing for the next hour.  Immediately we had a menu before us, along with glasses and our first wine, a 2010 Thacher Viognier.  This was a nice start to our tasting as Marguerite began telling us of the Thacher story.  The wine was aromatic with an emphasis on the fruit and floral side.  It was chilled, but not too cold which allowed us to enjoy the pear and apple, especially mid-palate.  Additionally, the acidity was nice and noticeable, especially as it lingered through a gradually diminishing finish.  This was one on the more noteworthy Viogniers I have tasted in a while.

We continued tasting and chatting, as Katie joined in full time, as the other couple had left and we started talking about Thacher wines, our visit to the Paso Robles area, and generally having a great, relaxed conversation.  Wine number two certainly was a great follow-up to the Viognier.  This was the Thacher N/v (non-vintage) Vin Rouge, a Rhone style blend of 50% Syrah and 50% Grenache.  Spice, Spice and more Spice is what I can say about this delicious offering.  It had baking spices on the nose, including cinnamon along with forward cherry, then spice and cherry cola on the palate.  Throw in soft soft tannins and a silky mouthfeel, top it with a fruit laden finish and you have a very drinkable Thacher Vin Rouge.  This wine, for many reasons was one of our favorites for the day.

Next up was the Thacher 2008 Syrah, with earth, leather and dark fruit on the nose, then flowing into a rich blackberry on the palate. The wine has depth and size in the mid-palate and firm tannins, but show a noticeable acidity which would make it a good wine to consider with food.   As we continued our tasting Christian and I were enjoying the hospitality that Katie and Marguerite provided us.  Their information and stories were great and the ability to answer my frequent questions was impressive, definitely a great staff here!  Soon we moved on to the Thacher 2009 Controlled Chaos, a lively blend of Mourvedre, Zinfandel, Grenache and Syrah.  Spicy red fruit in the bouquet, followed with ripe cherry and raspberry on the palate and finished with well managed, softer tannins that lingered gracefully with the fruit into a lasting finish.  This was a nicely concocted blend of Rhone (yes, I know, there is Zin) grapes.

Were ended our tasting with two big rich Zinfandels.  The first being the 2009 Thacher Triumvirate, which could qualify as a big fruit bomb. Bold, ripe red berries on the nose and in the palate, satin like in the mid-palate with depth and solid tannins.  For me though the downside was that I sensed a fair amount of heat that just threw it off enough to make it not one of my favorites today.  Then finally we finished with the 2009 Thacher Zinfandel.  This Zin was well made forward, bright cherry on the nose and in the mouth surrounded with leather and a slight bit of tobacco.  It carried to a soft, silky mouthfeel, still show great cherry long into the soft, lingering finish.  The wine was nicely balanced, graceful and rich at the same time.  This definitely was two thumbs up.  With this final taste, we made our purchases as bid our very wonderful hostesses a good day after thanking them for an excellent presentation of Thacher wines.
 

The Final stretch at Thacher Winery

Thacher Winery was our final stop of the day and for our three day excursion.  It was one of our large list of enjoyable stops we made during the trip.  It has beautiful property, a comfortable tasting room that holds a warm and fun hospitality staff.  This would not be a stop for the shoppers at heart, as their retail merchandise is limited, but it is still a wonderful place to experience well made wine. Definitely, Thacher would be on the recommended list for future visits.  So we packed ourselves into the clowncar and headed back in to Paso Robles for dinner at Estrella, a tapas format restaurant.  This ends this adventure, for now.  But keep an eye out, as I have a few trips in mind during the rest of 2012, you know, before the world ends in December.  So check in here at gatewaytowine.com  for my upcoming offerings on wineries that catch my curiosity.  As always, "Life is Too Short to Drink Bad Wine".  Enjoy!!!

Proulx Wines on Vineyard Road

On our way to the next stop, we were looking for another new location, preferably one that neither Christian or I had ever visited or tasted wines from before.  As it turns out, it was not difficult to find a winery that fit the target.  We drove less than a mile up Vineyard Road and found the driveway leading up to Proulx (pronounced Pru) Winery.  From the road we didn't know how far the tasting room was up the road, but the first buildings and house you come to were the most eclectic and interesting I have seen on this trip.  They were whimsical in their decor on the property, which caused us to look and laugh for a few minutes before we continued up the hill to the winery, vineyards and tasting room.  Driving further up the hill we saw the Proulx Winery facility at the top of a knoll surrounded by vineyards, some younger, but obviously some were older vines.  What stood out and made me comment was the fact that the vines had not been pruned yet and it was already the first of April.  I knew I had to ask why Proulx vines were just now being pruned (the crew was working on the younger vines on the north side of the vineyard) when up in the Russian River Valley, where I work, they had be pruned for one to two months already.  

Proulx Wines Tasting Room

Up we drove, unloaded and headed for the tasting room, situated where you could see a beautiful panoramic view of the vines that go into Proulx wines.  The tasting room itself was smaller, set up for no more than 20 people comfortably, but had many windows and great sight lines onto the property.  As we entered the first person we met was Kevin Riley, the owner and winemaker for Proulx Wines. Kevin was a younger man, possibly late 20's or early 30's and as we found out, a Cal Poly grad.  Kevin greeted us and set us up with glasses and a menu and started us out with the first of five wines he was pouring, all of which were red wines from 2008-2010.  He started us with the 2008 Proulx Merveille, a Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauv, Merlot, Petite Verdot and a little Petite Sirah.  The wine had a rich bouquet, showing black currant and dark berries on the nose and on the palate.  It had a bold mouthfeel, big and tannic, then followed through with solid fruit from beginning to end.  A good start to our first ever visit to Proulx.

As Kevin was pouring the second wine, a 2010 Proulx Petite Sirah (Yellow Label), I inquired about why the vines on the property were just beginning to be pruned.  While I sipped the youthful, slightly earthy Petite, Kevin explained that he found that be waiting to prune the vines he could minimize the impacts of frost and other springtime problems that grape growers battle.  He told me that he was still getting good fruit set, nice sized crops and fewer headaches.  He added that it did not set back the ripening of the grapes or impact his harvest, even on his 50+ year old Zinfandel vines.  I was impressed, first with the Petite Sirah as it was firm, big, tart blackberry and blueberry on the nose and palate, continuing with soft, very drinkable tannins and a lingering finish.  Additionally, I was impressed with his knowledge and his willingness to take chances with his vines, though he seems to had it well thought out before starting.

We continued the wine and farming conversation while Kevin served us and a few other customers.  Next up was the 2010 Proulx Zinfandel (Red Label).  The Zin is a nice fruit forward offering, softer red flavors of black raspberry and cranberry and a bit of cola to it. The tannins are well managed and focused in the finish with a hint of leather.   This is a nice red fruit Zinfandel and it lingers favorably.  Kevin continued to answer my various questions as he poured the fourth red wine, a 2009 Proulx Dimples (yes I said Dimples, a Zin, Grenache, Petite Syrah and Syrah blend).  This wine began with tempting earthy notes of tobacco and leather on the nose, followed by cherry, boysenberry richly filling the palate with a solid deep mouthfeel and concluding with a fruit filled long lasting finish.  This is a delicious wine, which is why bottles of it sits in my cellar.  It really gave a consistent ride from front to back, fruit, feel and finish, you can't ask for much more.

So now we were at the final wine and I think I had worn Kevin down with questions, but were enjoying his hospitality, wit and willingness to give me his Proulx view of wine.  The final pour was of the 2009 Proulx Zinfandel (Black Label) from the Willow Creek Farm.  This Zin was true to what I interpret his style with Zinfandel to be, rich fruit and in this case hints of raspberry and a bit of blackberry, softer flavors and tannins, all of which make up a very approachable easy drinking wine (Hmmmmm, maybe too easy).  It was also a very delicious wine, as all of the Proulx efforts that Kevin poured.

Proulx Wines in a nutshell

Stopping in to Proulx for a tasting was an excellent guess.  We met Kevin Riley the owner/winemaker and learned not only about his wines, but some unusual vineyard management practices that seem to be very beneficial.  A great location, not much on the retail/shopping side but a good stop for those of you that go wine tasting to taste wine!!!  A very hospitable place in an area that seems to be consistently good in wine quality, hospitality and fun.  Make Proulx a stop next time you are out on the Westside of Paso Robles and specifically on Vineyard Road.

Well, the day was getting long, meaning that Christian and I had decided upon one more stop.  I had already chosen this visit, as I had wanted to get down to Thacher Winery to see what they were doing after there Sweepstakes win for a Zinfandel at the 2011 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.  So down the road we go and if you want to see what we found at Thacher just keep an eye here at gatewaytowine.com.  Summer is coming SOON!!!  Time to start laying in your hot weather wine treats and I just may have some recommendations for you in the upcoming weeks.  Good wines may come and go, but one thing never changes……………..Life is Too Short to Drink Bad Wine.

Wandering on Vineyard Road near Paso Robles and into Hearthstone Winery

Now we were back on Vineyard Road after a short, but interesting visit to Jack Creek Cellars.  Christian and I were trying to decide where our next stop would be, somewhere we were familiar with or a winery new to us.  As is typical for me, I chose the road not traveled and headed the Clown Car up the driveway to Hearthstone Vineyards and Winery.  Neither of us had been to Hearthstone or really even heard of them prior to pulling into the parking lot, but that would not stop us from checking out what wines they had to offer. Once parked, we noticed a group of people standing around serving trays with wine glasses in hand, causing us to think we may have stumbled on to a wine club gathering or something similar for Hearthstone fans.  So preparing to possibly need to leave, we headed into the tasting room.  As we passed the table with the serving trays and people gathered around, the young lady serving what looked like nice small cuts of beef on baguette slices told us it was a good day to be here.  She added that the winery was pairing red wines with Harris Ranch Beef, prepared with different types of rubs on them for seasoning.  My son and I looked at each other, smiled and headed in to pay whatever the price to taste the wines and the beef, as it was right about lunch thirty.

In the door we went, noticing a nice patio area just out the door with plenty of tables and chairs available, all situated nicely under the shade of a large oak tree.  At the upper end of the patio a gentleman in a cowboy hat was setting up to provide some musical entertainment for the guests, so it seemed like the folks at Hearthstone were setting up for a nice day of food, wine and music.  As we stepped up to the tasting bar we were greeted warmly by a couple of their staff, instantly making us feel welcome.  In short order we had menus, glasses and had already paid our money to sample the offering of three different beef samples, each prepared with a unique rub. Now before I get too far into this blog, I will say that it was sooooo relaxed here and the vibe for fun seemed to be very pervasive, that I did not write down extensive tasting notes.  Yes, maybe it was remiss on my part, but I couldn't help myself, so what you will get is memory and snippets from my voice recorder notes.  Our host, a gentleman that was about my age, was a riot, sporting a dry, eclectic sense of humor and was rapid fire throughout our visit.  He guided us through our Hearthstone adventure.

Well, I do remember that we started with the Hearthstone 2010 Rhone blend called "Pearl".  This was a Rousanne and Viognier combination that was pleasantly aromatic, with stone fruit, flowers and buttery hints from the barrel on both the nose and in the palate.  It had a supple rich feel in the mouth, solid from beginning to end and held together a solid level of acidity.  A good opening wine on a nice warm Paso Robles afternoon.  Upon finishing the "Pearl", our glasses were cascaded with the 2008 Hearthstone Grenache, another Rhone offering that was a softer, lighter style than I had tasted in recent months.  The wine was vibrant, introducing cherry in the front and buoyed with earthy components, plus a nice feel of mocha.  It was consistently soft and pleasant, lingering memorably long.  What a find for an opening red wine, plus at $24 a bottle I think it is a decent value wine.  

It was at this point that we were told that we were up to our first wine and beef pairing, to which Christian stuck his glass out and gathered his taste of the 2007 Hearthstone Lodestone (a Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre blend) before heading out to the beef.  I did the same, trying to catch him before he devoured all the meat.  Needless to say the pairing was delicious, though I did taste the wine on it's own first before adding the meat to the experience.  The Red Rhone blend was very well made and had a few years on it in the bottle, showing darker fruit that trailed a smoky sense on the bouquet.  Plum, dark berries were also in the front, but the wine displayed an appealing spicy character with the fruit mid-palate and finished with lengthy barrel notes of vanilla and toasted oak.  Their description of this wine is solid as is the wine.  Now combined with the beef, it just showed soooo well that we eventually went back for seconds of the meat and wine.

The next two wines were also paired with the beef from Harris Ranch, first the 2005 Hearthstone Pioneer (a Syrah, Zin, Primativo blend) and followed by the 2007 Hearthstone Profundo (a Super Tuscan style blend of Sangiovese, Cab Sauvignon, Cab Fran and Syrah).  The Pioneer had some age and was delightful, having complexity, jammy plums and great spices blowing up in the finish.  The Profundo was the wine of this visit, it was layered presenting, earth, oak and bigger red berries.  It had a great satin mouthfeel and brought on a second taste instantly to enjoy with the beef.  Each of these wines were excellent on their own, especially the Profundo, but paired with the beef was a gastric delight, even considering that both held alcohol over 14.5%.  From here we went to the Bordeaux offerings, a 2007 Hearthstone Fireside Claret (Cab Franc, Cab Sauv and Merlot) then the 2009 Hearthstone Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve.  The Fireside Claret was a very representative blend and even held a lower alcohol content under 14%.  Complex and layered in the nose and on the palate it was another offering of earth, fruit and barrel.  It had a nice sensual component about it, seductive, yet forward.  The Claret was one of the better versions I have had in a few years.  As for the Cabernet Sauvignon, I was captivated by it, mostly because the presence of eucalyptus, mint, black licorice and dark fruits all buoyed by bigger tannins.   This was the first wine that the tannins caught my attention, but notably it is young and will grow into them.  This is the wine to buy and lay down for the future.  It deserves the opportunity to become something special with age.

As we were tasting the last two wines (the first time), I told our tasting guide that I really enjoyed their wines and wished I could express that to the winemaker.  He had a funny look on his face and told me to hold on.  He then yelled at a man whose back was to me, saying, "Hey Paul, this guy has something to tell you about your wines".  I turned around to see the winemaker, Paul Ayers coming over to introduce himself to us and find out what I had to say.

Hearthstone Winery with Winemaker Paul Ayers

I had the opportunity to talk wine with Paul for quite a while, finding him to be a very open, interesting and genial guy.  We chatted up his wines, plus that I remembered that I had seen them in the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.  At which he asked a number of questions about how the judging was performed and what I thought of the benefits of entering in those competitions.  I told him that it was my opinion that you could benefit nicely if you wines were well received, but if they weren't you did not need to make an issue of them to the public.  I commended Paul on his work with the Hearthstone wines, telling him I thought they all were very good, well made wines.  We chatted for about 20 minutes longer before I politely excused myself so Christian and I could head out.  Paul gave me his card and invited me to return, telling me that if I would give him some notice we could check out wines in the barrel.  I told him I would be glad to take him up on that opportunity.  We shook hands, I picked up the wines I had purchased and headed to the car for our next stop!

Sorting out a Great Visit at Hearthstone Vineyards and Winery

As you can tell, we had a wonderful visit at Hearthstone Vineyards and Winery.  The staff was excellent, fun and informative, they have a nice facility indoors and out, plus the wines were consistently very good.  Additionally, the wines were accessibly priced, showing that the folks at Hearthstone were making an effort to get their wine to the masses.  The facility sat up on a hill with a nice view and a great patio to lounge on.  The only thing that did not stand out was the retail side of the business for gifts and such.  But, for me that is the least important area to consider when evaluating a winery and their tasting room.  This is a great stop and if you are fortunate enough to be there when they are having an event, take it in and relax.  Two thumbs up for Hearthstone!!!!

So back to the clown car and once again we are on our way down Vineyard Road.  We have two more stops, with the next one being Proulx.  Check it out again in a day or two for the next visit, remember you can find all of my blog at www.gatewaytowine.com.  Remember, if you want to follow my motto, "Life is too Short to Drink Bad Wine", keep coming back here………….oh and stop and see the folks at Hearthstone.

On Vineyard Road in Paso Robles – Jack Creek Cellars

Jack Creek Cellars – tasting room

Here it is the start of Day 3 wine tasting in the Paso Robles and Edna Valley wine regions, it begins with a delicious breakfast at Colby Jack's located on the bottom floor of the Carlton Hotel in Atascadero, CA.  Christian and I lazed around until hunger kicked in and we were off on our next adventure.  With music blaring off of an I-Phone attached to the car stereo, we headed out Hwy 46 going West to taste more wine, after a brief stop to stock up on munchies and water.  With our supplies in hand it was onto the Highway to Vineyard Road for our first stop.  Due to a number of recommendations while tasting on Thursday, I pointed the Clown Car towards Jack Creek Cellars and cruised on to see why it was a good destination.  Apparently, Jack Creek is one of the few Paso Robles area wineries that makes Pinot Noir and has received some good attention for the quality of their wines.  So, after winding around Jack Creek Road we arrived at the new looking winery facility, which has the tasting room co-located with it.  Out of the car and after a brief chat with patrons that had just exited the tasting room we entered to see what the fuss was about at Jack Creek Cellars.

The building was spotless, located amidst the young vineyards on gentle rolling hills.  The property would be looking more beautiful as the vines continue to fill in, but it was a lovely location.  Inside the building, the tasting room area was in the front of the winery and is a simple, spartan area.  With a small tasting bar and limited retail items (mostly t-shirts and sweatshirts) it was easy to focus on the wines Jack Creek Cellars produces.  We were warmly greeted by the two women working in the tasting room and quickly presented menus and glasses to start our Jack Creek journey.  As we were started off with the 2010 Estate Chardonnay, our hostesses told us about the brief history of the winery, the owners and their passion for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.   The Chardonnay had a light, forward, fruity presence with citrus, tropical fruit and pear on the nose and on the palate.  The wine ladies of Jack Creek told us that the Chardonnay does not go through malo-lactic fermentation and sees very little oak contact.  That explained the fruit emphasis in this wine and the lighter, shorter finish.  I will say that I could imagine a number of food presentations to pair the wine with, it definitely could be a summer sip alone wine as well.  A nice Chardonnay presentation overall.

Next on tap was the 2010 Estate Pinot Noir and while it was being poured I was admiring the beautiful crystal glasses we were tasting from.  Our hostess told us that for $10 we could take them home (which I did, very well made and perfect for Pinot Noir).  Upon sniffing and sipping this wine, I knew that this is a very young wine and I was experiencing it's youthful expression.  It was a fruit forward, black cherry laden Pinot, that had subtle spicy nuances and then grew into a bit deeper satin mouthfeel showing richer blackberry and boysenberry flavors.  The finish was layered with fruit and spice, but was just a bit short for what I expected, but again this is on the young side and I think it's potential will present better in about two years.  At that point it will show complexity and very distinct layers and deeper fruit.  I liked this wine, especially considering where they are located and that the competition in the area focuses on bigger red wines.

After cleaning the last drops from our glasses, we were poured the Jack Creek 2010 Estate Reserve Pinot Noir.  Once again, this Pinot Noir is also very youthful, but with much more intensity than the previous Pinot.  It struck with darker fruit, black cherry, blackberry and hard candy hit the palate after and intense bouquet of the same fruit and spice.  To say this was a overbearing mouthful might seem extreme, but this wine deserves a few years at minimum in the cellar to do it justice.  It was hard to describe, as it was so intense, but I would like to try it by 2015 and I think it will be something special.

Assessing Jack Creek Cellars

Christian and I agreed that Jack Creek Cellars was a good first stop.  The whole time our hostesses were engaging, informative and friendly.  They provided an excellent hospitality experience for us.  We both liked the wines and they were definitely unique in an area where you could find more Zinfandel, Rhone Varietals and Syrahs.  Still, if I was looking for Pinot Noir wineries, I would be headed further south or back up here in the Russian River Valley, Sonoma Coast and Anderson Valley areas.  Not that their Pinots weren't worthy, but they were the only real Pinot provider in the area.  Jack Creek is making very nice wine and I think they will be building themselves a good reputation over time.  If you are in the area, stop……whether it be for a change of pace or curiosity, their wines are worth checking out.

Well, stop one was a worthwhile beginning!!!  As we left the Jack Creek Cellars property, we had no idea what our next destination would be.  I will give you big hints though, like we stopped three more times during the day and all were on Vineyard Road (can't believe we only stopped at 4 wineries all together).  Okay……………..I'll tell you where if you promise to read up on the other three.  We caught Hearthstone Vineyard and Winery (awesome stop, wine paired with Harris Ranch beef), Proulx and finished with Thacher Winery (a stop I wanted to make, as they were a sweepstakes winner for their Zinfandel at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition).  Each winery was unique and enjoyable, but to learn more catch the blog at www.gatewaytowine.com.  

Thank you for joining me for another stop in the pursuit of good wine.  Always remember……………Life Is Too Short To Drink Bad Wine!!!!

A casual day of wine tasting in the Edna Valley – Stop #6 Alapay Cellars in Avila Beach

Alapay Cellars

Finally, the last stop of our day in the Edna Valley.  For me, it was probably my most anticipated tasting room visit of my whole tripfor a couple reasons.  First, what could be better than a wine tasting room within a few blocks of the ocean.  Genius credits to the folks at Alapay Cellars for just that alone.  Second, I have actually tasted some of the Alapay wines while judging them in competitions and was very impressed.  Finally, I had received great feedback from the tasting room staffs I had talked with earlier in the day.  All in all, that is three great reasons for closing the day at Alapay cellars.  So onward we drove into Avila Beach, stereo blaring as we waded into the parking nightmare that is Avila Beach on a beautiful Friday evening!

After sorting out where Alapay's tasting room was, Christian and I cruised town until we found a parking space that was big enough and legal for me to park the clown car in.  Out the door and into town we went!  What a great little beach side city Avila Beach is.   It is such a cool place and as we entered the tasting room for Alapay Cellars, we realized that it was pretty impressive in it's own right.  It was a large venue, with two tasting areas, a great assortment of retail items and all of it was set in an amazing ocean themed environment.  This is a fun and festive place to taste wines, as I will tell in more detail.

 
Alapay Cellars

We walked up to the smaller of the two tasting bars and were warmly greeted by two of the staff and asked if we would like to experience the Alapay wines.  We said of course, where we were guided over to the largest of the two tasting bars and took seats to start.  Again we were greeted, this time by Rebecca (co-owner and wife of winemaker Scott Remmenga) and she handed us a menu, welcomed us to Alapay and asked us what brought us into their tasting room.  I explained that I had had the pleasure of judging some of their wines in the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition in 2011 and wanted to come visit and try more of their wines.  Rebecca was pleased to meet me, excused herself and went over to another spot on the bar and brought her husband, Scott over and introduced us.  It was a pleasure to meet Scott and I told him I was a fan of his Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc and his Lagrein.  He was very gracious, thanked me and took over pouring for Christian and I.

Scott was a great host, starting us with two very good white wine offerings.

• 2010 Alapay  Santa Barbara Viognier –   This wine was very soft and seductive, teasing with bright stone fruit and honey, it also brings citrus into the mix and layers of solid mineral hints to flow into a lingering fruity finish.  The fruit made the wine, but the acidity held it together as it tickled my palate and reminded me that this is a great varietal.  
• 2009 Alapay Central Coast  Chardonnay – This wine also brought citrus and stone fruit here (the nectarine in the menu description was right on).  It was deeper in the palate, with more width and butter, definitely presenting barrel impacts to the wine. Both of these whites were excellent, well made efforts to introduce us to the spectrum of Alapay wines that Scott is crafting.  

As we tasted, Scott talked with us about soils, weather impact on the vintages and more, all while helping with and pouring for the many customers taking in the Alapay wines.  Soon we were looking at our first of four mostly Rhone, single varietal red wines.

• 2010 Alapay Santa Barbara Cinsault – I am a Cinsault fan, though they can be exceptionally hard to find.  This wine was exceptionally aromatic, a veritable fruit perfume of red berries that had me sniffing and enjoying long before the wine hit my mouth.  It carried the raspberry/strawberry sense softly, gently into the slowly evaporating finish.  Delicious on its own, this wine tells you that it is a food friendly offering too.  It is very worthy, especially at such a young age.
• 2009 Alapay Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon – This Cab has solid red berry and cherry fruit, a hint of dried roses on the nose, but earthy hints and oak undertones.  The mid-palate and finish give slight mint, bigger cherry and soft tannins into a lengthy vanilla edged finish.  Another youthful, but promising offering.
• 2009 Alapay Santa Barbara Grenache – This first sniff of the bouquet here sets you back with a smile.  Candied cherry, spices and just big, red fruit abound.  This is a big, bright, fruit bomb (yes, I did say "bomb").  End to end red berries and cherry softly flow into a gentle spicy, fruity finish.  It left me asking, "May I have another"?
• 2010 Alapay Jack McGinley Vineyard Santa Barbara Reserve Syrah – This Syrah is a soft, lighter, more elegant Syrah than I have had in a while.  I think it's youth will eventually fade and it will become more complex.  Plum and a soft jamminess on the palate, you sense the impact of the barrels and catch the soft layer of spice in the gentler finish.  This wine is a creeper, meaning once you get beyond expectations it opens your eyes to a slyly crafted smoother Syrah.

I have to admit that all four were very good wines, representative of the varietals and priced very reasonably, actually all were good values in my mind.  The Cinsault and the Grenache were my "take home" heroes here, delightful and delicious.  By now Christian and I were thinking dinner, which translated to tri-tip sandwiches at the Firestone Grill in San Luis Obispo.  But before we could even act on it, Scott was bringing us his dessert wine offerings, so we sat back down and watched as he started us with three different wines.

• 2008 Alapay Paso Robles Zinfandel Port – I have to be honest here, I am normally a port snob.  My favorites are usually Vintage or Late Bottled Vintage Portuguese Ports, mostly due to being less sweet and sugary than their California cousins.  I was caught by surprise as this wine was very berry oriented, mostly blueberry, some mint, prune and a deep plum towards the finish.  Where it won my approval was the management of the sugar and sweetness.  It was rich, ripe, but complex and layered, what I hope for in Ports.  
• 2009 Alapay Late Harvest Moscato – MMMMMM, nothing like the nose grabbing aromatics of a Muscat wine.  Floral, stone fruits and mild citrus in the nose, the mid-palate and the finish gave solid balance shored up with a very firm acidity that kept it from being overly cloying.  Delicious.
• 2011 Alapay Late Harvest Viognier – This was a treat to taste, as I have only ever had two other Late Harvest Viogniers and both were quite good.  This was no exception, with subtle honeysuckle, peach, apricot and outstanding acidity.  I very fruit centric dessert wine and again, not overly cloying.  

What can I say, I like dessert wines, but have some reservations about flavor profiles for some.  All three of Scott Remmenga's offerings were well made, delicious wines that would add to any well throughout after dinner pairings.  With the dessert wines finished, we made our purchases, shook hands with Scott and thanked him for a great tasting.  We left Alapay Cellars smiling.
 

Summing up Alapay Cellars and the Edna Valley

I have to admit that after a long day of tasting at 6 different stops we were done, but Alapay Cellars met with my hopeful expectations for the wines they produce.  Everything we tasted was at worst good wines, at best they were excellent.  The consistency is here, the quality is here……………..so why aren't you?  The Remmenga Family presents great wines, a cool tasting room, excellent retail, wonderful hospitality ( I watched other customers here and they all enjoyed the wines and had quality experiences) and they are just blocks from an ocean beach.  I call that a must see stop!  If you are visiting Scott and Rebecca at Alapay, plan for at least an hour to take it all in.

Well, it was time to seek our tri-tip sandwiches, so Christian and I headed out.  A long day, a great experience in the beautiful Edna Valley and Avila Beach.  Take a day or two to check the area out, but be careful as you may just fall in love with it.  As always, be well and remember, "Life is too short to drink bad wine!!!!"  Keep following me as I roam and seek NON-bad wines at www.gatewaytowine.com.