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Howard W. Hewitt

~ … The "W" stands for wine!

Howard W. Hewitt

Category Archives: California

We’re All Searching For Good QPR

15 Saturday Oct 2016

Posted by Howard in California, Paso Robles & Mendocino, Uncategorized

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Chronic Cellars, Decoy Wines, Duckiorn, Peachy Canyon Winery, QPR, Second labels

There are magic words and terms in the wine world. One classification every wine drinker needs to know is QPR. QPR stands for Quality to Price Ratio.

grape-sense-logoQPR represents what every wine drinker is looking for regardless of the wine budget. Every wine drinker is or should be looking for wine which tastes above, or way above, its price point.

QPR wines can be found on grocery shelves, liquor stores, wine shops, and really fine wine shops. How about an example? Robert Mondavi has a couple of different labels for Napa Cabernet in the $20 price range. The wines taste like you should pay more.

Some of the best examples of QPR wines are second labels. Wineries selling their grape juice at higher price points sometimes have a second label for value-priced wine. That doesn’t necessarily mean you’re getting less quality but it might mean you’re getting a little different fruit or perhaps grapes from a region other than the one the winery might be known for normally.

duckhorn-decoy-2011-merlot-sonoma-countyA great example of second labels from Napa is Decoy. Decoy is the number-two label for Duckhorn wines. Duckhorn is known for its marvelous single-vineyard Merlot wines. Those usually sell, full retail, for $95. But the Decoy label features a wonderful Merlot for $19.99.

Many of the famous French chateaux have second labels, a common French practice. It takes some research and work but second labels are well worth the effort.

But many Grape Sense readers buy most of their wine from groceries or local liquor stores with an occasional outing to a wine shop. So what’s on the shelf there that’s a good buy?

A recent discovery widely available in Indiana is Chronic Cellars. Chronic wines come from Paso Robles on California’s Central Coast. The background for Chronic Cellars is a good story. Two brothers who were raised in the heart of Paso wine country attended college and returned to Paso to work at Peachy Canyon winery, one of Paso’s best.

One of the slang terms often used by the brothers was “chronic” when referring to things they liked. They decided to set out on their own and offered up their first vintage in 2008. What you won’t find on their website is their wine-making pedigree. When they returned to Paso to work at Peachy Canyon they were returning home.

chronic-labelBrothers Josh and Jake Beckett’s parents own Peachy Canyon Winery. So again, pedigree matters. Chronic, now owned by Winery Exchange as of 2014, was a totally separate operation – not a second label. But the two brothers remain at the winery as winemaker and in marketing.

But the colorful labels and great value wine proved to be a hit, particularly with younger consumers. The winery makes 14 different wines.  The wines are very drinkable and surprisingly affordable. Take, for example, one of their best is Purple Paradise – a Zinfandel, Syrah, Petit Sirah, and Grenache blend. The wine has a satisfying dark fruit and chocolate taste with a balanced finish. Better yet, the suggested retail is just $14.99.

Chronic Wines are all over the state with a big presence in a couple of the supermarket changes. The wines stand out because of their labels but you’ll remember them for your taste. Chronic Cellars is one of the best value labels I’ve found in several years.

 

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Black versus Bota Box Wine Battle

04 Sunday Sep 2016

Posted by Howard in California, Gizmos & Wine Gadgets, Newspaper Column 2016, Uncategorized

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Black Box Wine, Bota Box Wine, Box Wine, Cabernet Sauvignon, Eco-friendly packaging

You’re a wine drinker and you’ve passed them in your local grocery. You look at them with curiosity, puzzlement, and perhaps even disdain.

Grape Sense LogoIt’s time to lighten up to box wines and enjoy the often tasty and economical solution to wanting just one glass some nights. Boxed wines are better than ever before and shaking off the past negative images of swill in cardboard.

There is no point trying to convince anyone the grocery boxed wines are super, high-premium wines because for the most part they are not. Some brands will advertise that way but it’s misleading. Two of the most prominent in the Midwest are Black Box and Bota Box.

A definition or two is in order before going any further. The boxed wines come with an air-tight plastic pouch inside with a pour spout attached. Generally, once opened, the wines will last a month. The container holds four bottles of wine.  Different companies do offer different sizes and various price points.

IMG_1521Now some advice about handling the boxed wine. I suggest refrigerating it after opening to make it last as long as possible, particularly if you’re going to keep it four or five weeks. If you’re a regular wine drinker, it’s probably less necessary to stick it in the fridge. The wine is in a sealed plastic pouch so it gets no air whatsoever. No air is a very good thing for storage but not so much for drinking. Pour your glass of wine from the box and let it set a bit before you drink. The box contains 20 five-ounces pours.

Black Box has been a long-time player. Black Box got its start in 2002 with the promise of super-premium wine in an environmentally friendly box. Black Box is a leader in the business and sells for around $23. You can find it for as low as $19.99 in many places.

The Black Box menu includes Cabernet, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Malbec, Shiraz, a red blend called Red Elegance, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Sauvingon Blanc, and Reisling. The wines have been listed by Wine Enthusiast 27 different times as a “Best Buy.”

Go online for lots of reviews and you’ll see the Merlot is often the highest rated. In small market Indiana, all I’ve found is the Cab and Chardonnay. The Cabernet is a satisfying glass of wine with soft fruit, correct Cabernet flavor, and an ever-so-light hint of tannins. It’s quite drinkable.

The Delicato Family Vineyards company of brands from Manceta, Ca., offers Bota Box. The Bota lineup includes Cabernet, Merlot, Old Vine Zin, Malbec, Pinot Noir, Shiraz, Chardonnay, a blend called Redvolution, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Moscato, and a second blend called Blackhawk.

The Bota Cabernet was a bit sweet but probably likable for newer wine drinkers. I didn’t find it to be correct in flavor profile for Cab but there was certainly nothing wrong with it. I bought the Bota Brick which sold locally for $9.99, a smaller version of the standard box.

Keep in mind most of these wines are blends. In California, for instance, a wine only has to include 75 percent Cabernet to be called Cabernet. And let’s face it, this isn’t Napa Cab.

I’d rate the Black Box significantly better for regular wine drinkers and Bota a good starting point for a beginner. Black wins the nod for overall quality.

Check the blog from time to time as I intend to explore more boxed wines. All stores have them. Many Meijer stores have a large selection.

The best part of boxed wine is enjoying one glass at a time. Don’t underestimate the quality until you’ve tried them. I would love to hear from regular Grape Sense readers if you have thoughts on other brands. I’ll share that in a future column.

 

 

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Deano Living the Winemaking Dream

07 Saturday May 2016

Posted by Howard in California, Indiana, Napa/Sonoma, Newspaper Column 2016

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Dean Wilson, Deano, Lake County, Lodi, Scribble Scribble

Wilson, Dean

Dean “Deano” Wilson at a recent tasting at Mass Ave. Wine, Indy

Any wine geek living around Indianapolis the past 15 years knows Dean “Deano” Wilson. Deano had a couple of retail wine operations, a restaurant, and served as one of Indy’s “bon vivants” when it came to all matters wine.

His robust sense of humor and passion turned a lot of people into oenophiles. His story continues today in California pursuing a winemaking dream. Deano, wife Vicki and kids, picked up and moved to wine country nearly three years ago.

Wilson had industry connections and started working for winemaking icon Joel Peterson at Ravenswood.

Grape Sense LogoAfter two more stops, he started his own label – “Scribble, Scribble” – and debuted his whites last year and reds recently in hometown Indianapolis.

Wilson poured his Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, and Red Blend during several April stops. The wines were full bodied, a tad lighter in alcohol than normally expected and had a palate-friendly silkiness. The wines are distributed in Indiana, Tennessee and California.

Scribble, Scribble wine got its name from Wilson’s young son. The boy came home from school with some marks on a paper and explained it was Scribble, Scribble wines. Wilson added the phrase, ‘every scribble tells a story.” Indeed the wines are named for his children and mother.

Wilson feels lucky, with a bit of karma, since his initial departure to the west coast. “I’m from Indy and the first place I looked to make wine was Mare Island near Vallejo. Mare Island is an old naval base. The USS Indianapolis took out its last time from there. I’m from Indianapolis so it just felt right.”

Deano wants to permanently locate his family near that area at the heart of California wine country. To finish living the dream, he expects to grow his winery from the 700 cases of the latest vintage to 5,000 cases by 2020.

“Vicki is a chemistry teacher,” he said. “Our dream is by 2020 she gets to retire. Then she goes work a crush with a winery like Ravenswood and learns the wine analysis part of making wine. She comes back and we start our winery in the hills of Cloverdale in northern Sonoma County.”

His current and future location is a perfect spot for buying grapes. Deano bought Muscat Canelli white grapes from Lake County, north of Napa, and his Zin and Petite Sirah from Lodi west of San Francisco.

The location would give him the opportunity to buy grapes an easy distance away from Sonoma, Napa, Lake county and Lodi. The location would even make sourcing grapes from the California Central Coast a possibility.

A couple of steps in the winemaking process helped him achieve a wine style pleasing to customers wanting full flavor, a bit lighter alcohol, and a silky mouthfeel. First he picks grapes earlier than many to get more acidity. He uses oak aging to create balance and mouth feel. He co-ferments his Zin and Petite Sirah for his red blend. Fermenting the wines together “melds flavors and gives you deeper flavors,” Wilson explained.

This Indy wine icon hasn’t forgotten his Hoosier roots. He’s just living the dream from the coast. “If this is work, clock me in,” he cackled. “I don’t feel like I’m working and I don’t ever want to clock out.”

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Oliver’s Pinot a Statement Wine

27 Sunday Mar 2016

Posted by Howard in California, Indiana, Newspaper Column 2016, Uncategorized

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Bien Nacdio, Bloomington, French Camp, Oliver Winery, Paso Robles, Santa Maria Valley

Editor’s Note: This piece initially appeared in Madison Magazine, published quarterly in Anderson, ,In. It was recently sent out in a shorter version as my usual newspaper  column. It appears here in its full length as written for the magazine.

Oliver Winery in Bloomington may be known as one of the country’s biggest producers of sweet wines. But a recent Pinot Noir project provides proof that winemaking skill is not limited to the United States’ west coast.

Grape Sense LogoA mere 300 cases of a $45 Pinot Noir is just a smidgen of the Bloomington winery’s annual production. Oliver produced approximately 320,000 cases of wine in 2015. But for Bill Oliver and winemaker Dennis Dunham the Pinot project has shown what they can do with world-class fruit.

“We have the broadest range of business in our fan base,” Oliver explained. “Our bread and butter is sweeter wines. Those wines keep the lights on and that’s the reality of the world we live in. This project is about making wine for that part of our customer base who appreciates Pinot. It’s also an ability factor, it kind of shines a light on everything else we do. And, we like to drink it.”

That Pinot Noir is made of grapes from the much-respected Bien Nacido Vineyard in the Santa Maria Valley of California’s Central Coast. While the Oliver $45 price point might raise eyebrows in Indiana, a Bien Nacido wine in California consistently brings a much higher price.

Bill O Tasting

Oliver chatting, tasting Chambourcin in the tasting room.

How special is Bien Nacido? Price point explains much when it comes to wine grapes. Generally, good fruit can be purchased from the better California vineyards for $1,200-$2,000 a ton. At the other end of the spectrum is Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon which commands a king’s ransom of $6,000-$10,000 a ton. The extreme is the famous To Kalon vineyard, of Robert Mondavi fame, which commands in the neighborhood of $20,000 a ton and a required minimum of $100 price per bottle.

Oliver admitted he’d never paid more $1,600 a ton prior to 2013. The five tons of Bien Nacido Pinot Noir grapes cost the winery $4,500 a ton. Oliver has acquired five tons a year for the past three years. The first Pinot, a 2013 vintage, was released this past summer. The 2014 will be released during spring 2016.

Now to understand the wine math, it takes a ton of grapes to produce about 70 cases of wine.

Bien Nacido fruit is highly desired by the best California Pinot producers. During a 2014 visit most wineries with a Bien Nacido Pinot were charging $60 and higher to much higher per bottle.

Oliver has had a long standing relationship with the Miller family which owns a large Paso Robles vineyard, French Camp. The Millers purchased Bien Nacido in 1969 with the idea it would be great for a number of agricultural products including grapes.

Oliver3MM“We’ve bought fruit from them for probably 10 years,” Oliver said. “We’ve gotten to know them well. It’s been a fun and collaborative effort.”

Oliver has bought many of the standard California varietals from the Millers but became aware they owned the rock star vineyard as well. “They’re very protective of it,” he said. “They’re very concerned that every winery that buys fruit from Bien Nacido creates wine they can be proud of. They have a brand so selling their fruit is a big deal to them.”

Oliver and Dunham have visited the Millers in California and the vineyard owners have returned the visits. “They had been here and visited and over time as our relationship matured I think they became confident that we were the kind of winemakers they wanted making wine from Bien Nacido. They granted us the privilege to buy their grapes.”

Many Indiana wineries buy California fruit. Getting the grapes to Indiana requires significant cost as well. The freshly picked fruit is packed into cardboard boxes with dry ice and arrives in two days. “It takes a lot of coordination,” Oliver winemaker Dunham said. “I talk to them about when they’re going to pick. If they’re picking at night (when temperatures are cool), we have a truck there the next morning. It’s amazing if you look at the grapes, other than being in a cardboard box you wouldn’t know that the fruit didn’t come from our vineyard.”

Oliver2MMTerroir, that over-used wine word, is what makes the Bien Nacido fruit so special. “When I was in Paso Robles at French Camp visiting it was 92 degrees,” Dunham said. “When I got back to the guest house at Bien Nacido it was 62 degrees. Bien Nacido is like just over the hill, not very far at all but it’s a magical place.”

Pinot Noir, a thin-skinned grape, likes day time heat and cool nights.

Oliver admitted to some trepidation about taking on the challenge. “Pinot is a wine that has a reputation as being challenging to make so we wanted to be thoughtful about it,” he said. “On a per gallon basis a lot more resources went into this than any other wine we’ve ever made.”

Oliver, who was primary winemaker in his early years, and Dunham have learned more about making Pinot each year. During a late October tasting at the winery, Oliver and Dunham sipped the 2013, the soon-to-be released 2014, and the new 2015 vintage in a vertical tasting.

The 2013 is a lean and austere Pinot. The distinctive Pinot fruit does comes through with balance. The unreleased 2014 is even better with more extracted fruit – or in less wine-geeky terms – more pure Pinot flavor. The 2015 was moving to new French Oak barrels at the time of the visit.

“One of the things in learning to make Pinot Noir is you can over-extract the grapes and get pepper and stuff,” Dunham said. “We started light on the first one and now we’re at the point we think we have changed our winemaking just a little bit to extract a little bit more.”

In some circles such an expensive exercise can be called a ‘vanity project.” In all probability, neither Oliver nor Dunham would argue.

“Sometimes you are there in the vineyard and it’s a magical place and being there the wine just tastes better,” Dunham said. “One of the things about Bien Nacido is it’s just a great place to grow Pinot Noir. But it’s hard not to be in that area and not love anything in your glass. But being here at our winery and having Pinot Noir in your glass of this quality … it’s really, really good fruit and great wine.”

Oliver said buying the top quality fruit and producing a great Pinot is good for business. “We’re at a pretty high confidence level with everything we’re making,” he said. “Those people in California don’t have anything on us in winemaking.”

The 2013 Oliver Bien Nacido Pinot Noir is available only at the Bloomington winery.

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Chardonnay’s Multiple Faces

01 Tuesday Mar 2016

Posted by Howard in California, France, Newspaper Column 2016, Uncategorized

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Bernard Billaud, Cahblis, Chardonnay

Mention Chardonnay and images of little old ladies sipping the yellow-ish wine at Tuesday card club comes to mind. Or the world’s most planted white grape may conjure up mental images of the wine-country Bachelorette party.

Grape Sense LogoNo grape is more loved nor hated than Chardonnay. For many years, often still prevalent, is an entire group of wine drinkers identifying themselves as ABC consumers – Anything But Chardonnay!

Chardonnay is even more dominating than many would guess. If consumers think of wine and California, they generally think of the king of grapes Cabernet Sauvignon. But guess what, Chardonnay is the most planted grape in California with Cabernet second.

Chardonnay is popular, in part, because it offers an array of flavors. Depending on style, the palate might discover lemon, pear, apple, pineapple, peach, citrus, honeysuckle, minerality, almond, and the list goes on and on. If the Chardonnay is oaked then expect vanilla, butter, butterscotch, and caramelization.

BB

Bernard Billaud of Billaud-Simon

Winemakers around the world grow and produce Chardonnay in a multitude of styles to appeal to consumers or to represent the area – think terroir – where the wine grapes are grown.

So for a bit of education let’s compare the two extremes – California’s iconic oaked chardonnay versus the mostly-unoaked Chablis of Burgundy, France.

While the trends, even in California, is somewhat away from the big, buttery, and oaky Chards, there is still a market for those classic wines. What has happened in recent years is a mixture of oak and stainless steel to create a somewhat softer version of the taste you know.

In addition to oak aging, Chardonnay often undergoes malolactic fermentation. But let’s not make this chemistry or complicated. Malolactic fermentation means using a different type of yeast to create a softer tasting wine than one which is more acidic. Those creamy, round soft Chardonnays from Napa most likely underwent malolactic fermentation.

Traditional oaked chard pairs wonderfully with chicken, soft cheeses, herbed fish, pork, and turkey.

In the small village of Chablis, in northern Burgundy, chardonnay is Chablis. Chardonnay is all about minerality and acidity – no butter and creamy sips for the traditionalists.

Chablis

Chablis Vineyards

The Chardonnay grapes of Chablis come from a relatively small area. The wines are aged in stainless steel or decades old cement vats. Some of the wine is oaked but it’s usually neutral oak that does not impart the strong vanilla and woodsy taste. And often Chablis is a blend of the traditional and oak aging methodology.

There are wine writers and Chablis old-timers who will vehemently proclaim Chablis as the greatest white wine in the world. One of my most memorable wine experiences was centered on this discussion during a 2012 fall visit. Wine icon Bernard Billaud was meeting with a small group of wine press folks and being pushed on the younger winemakers uses of some oak.

The older statesman of Chablis became a bit aggravated and said, “If you’re not talking about acidity and minerality,” and then he growled, “you’re just making Chardonnay.”

Chablis, or unoaked Chardonnay, is a better match with shell fish and sharp cheeses. The best sipper is debate centered on stylistic preferences.

To suggest California and Chablis are the two primary styles of Chard isn’t too much of a stretch but there are many wines made in styles at all points between the two.

There are interesting Chards from California’s Central Coast, Oregon, South America and New Zealand.

It’s loved. It’s hated. There are many types of Chardonnay to try and one to match your palate.

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Yes Virginia, Drinkable $10 Wines

17 Thursday Dec 2015

Posted by Howard in California, Holidays, Newspaper Column 2015, Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

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Christmas gifts, holiday wine gifts, Menage a Trois, Menage a Trois Midnight, Menage a Trois Silk

Grape Sense started as a wine column to educate consumers they could be drinking better than supermarket wines. There are so many wonderful and well-made wines in the $12-$18 range. But an e-mail arrived after a recent column as a reminder some people have no desire to spend more than a ten spot or can’t afford it.

Grape Sense LogoThere are plenty of good wines in the category. The only drawback is if you avoid names you know and pick up a bottle for an interesting name or cute label, you might be picking up one of the worst things you’ll ever drink.

So, today’s column is intended to shine a light on some sure-fire winners.

There are a handful of supermarket, liquor store labels which consistently deliver great value and decent wines. I have two favorite value labels – Robert Mondavi Central Coast and Menage a Trois.

Menage a Trois is a mass produced wine which doesn’t offer a lot of complexity but will surprise with its balanced flavors, good finish, and ability to pair with food. The label, with some 15 different wines, is one of the fastest growing brands in the value category.

IMG_0940 (1)Menage a Trois is all about red blends. The red and white blends have been around for a number of years. The more-recent Midnight and Silk have really expanded the portfolio. The Midnight is bigger and bolder while the Silk lives up to its name of super smooth sipping goodness.

Midnight, a blend of Cab, Merlot, Petite Sirah, and Petite Verdot was the most successful new red blend of 2014.  Silk is a crazy-sounding blend of Pinot Noir and Malbec which works. This is the red wine for your non-red-wine-drinking friends. It has the nose of a Pinot and the rich flavors of a Malbec on the palate. It’s a bit of a stunner.

The Menage a Trois brand is owned by wine giant Trinchero Estates. Trinchero also owns the second-largest U.S. wine brand, Sutter Home.

The Menage a Trois wines are almost always under 14 percent alcohol, a rarity. But more impressive is that the tasty and drinkable wines have a suggested retail price of $11-$13. But wait, I don’t think I’ve ever seen Menage a Trois on a shelf over $10. A price check the week of Dec. 7 showed the Midnight, Red, and Silk all at $8.99 or less locally.

Menage a Trois is consistently in the Top 20 wines in the value wine category. Google the name and you’ll consistently find reviews with words like “great value label, wonderfully balanced, medium bodied wine, and great finish.”

Mondavi’s Central Coast scores with its line of wines selling at $9.99. Mondavi’s wines are individual varietals. They score big in my book for consistently delivering value wine which is varietally correct. In other words, the Cab tastes like Cab and Pinot tastes like Pinot. That can be a big problem with many wines under $10.

Other labels delivering for less than $10 include: Bogle, Blackstone, Mark West, Mirrasou, and Clos du Bois.

There’s nothing wrong with many $8-$9 wines. Just buy names you’ve heard before. Hopefully these suggestions will provide some guidance.

 

 

 

 

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Red Wine Turning Green

11 Monday May 2015

Posted by Howard in California, Gizmos & Wine Gadgets, Newspaper Column 2015

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Avalon Cabernet Sauvignon, Avalon Winery, Bio Zero Carbon, plant-based polymer cork, sugar cane, wine closures

The excitement, debate, and controversies over organic wine, natural wine, wine bottle waste, and wine closures never to come to an end.

A few years ago the big closure movement was to screwcaps for what was usually lower priced wines. Wine closures now include cork, synthetic cork, glass stoppers, and more. The latest is an effort to further turn wine green with Bio Zero Carbon footprint stoppers. Avalon Winery, Sonoma, is promoting the closure as the first winery in the U.S. to move to the latest environmentally – friendly stopper.

Grape Sense LogoThe Graton, California, winery has long been interested in sustainability and good green practices. They have a rainwater system which helps protect local salmon and house bees for local beekeepers in the vineyard, according to their marketing folks.

The winery management team had been interested in green packaging, sustainability all while keeping wine quality at the highest levels. Then in 2014 Select (r) Bio by Nomacorc emerged as a cork alternative made as a plant­-based polymer cork made from sugar cane.

avalonFrom the press materials, the benefits include:

– Prevents cork taint. (spoiled taste)

– Allows some needed oxygen exchange required by all wines.

– Crumble free and won’t break.

– Produced with 100 percent renewable energy.

­ 100 percent recycable with other plastics.

While many wine drinkers have a hard time being tree huggers, especially when you consider the use of such heavy glass in many wine bottles, these type of efforts are worthy of note.

Avalon sent a long a bottle of its 2012 Cabernet. The wine is 76 percent Cab, 13 percent Syrah, 7 percent Zinfandel, and 4 percent Merlot. Grapes come from Napa, Lodi, Paso Robles, and Monterey County. The wine was aged in a combination of French and American barrels for eight months. That sort of wine geekiness is really only important to me for this column when winemakers are talking about new closures and other innovations.

I thought the wine was a terrifc value. It’s not quite the level of a fruit bomb ­ and that’s good thing ­but is soft, well rounded and very drinkable. The wine was varietally correct ­ it sure tasted like Cabernet. I try to judge wines for what they are and the Avalon Cab was a darn fine SRP $12.99 bottle. (Trade Sample)

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The Best Cab from Your Market Shelf?

28 Thursday Aug 2014

Posted by Howard in California, Newspaper Column 2014

≈ 1 Comment

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Bello Vineyards, Bogle, Cabernet, Robert Mondavi

Summer time is grilling time and there is not a better part of the year for some charcoal fire and beef!

If you’re a wine person that means you need a bottle of Cabernet. Now, Zinfandel, Merlot, Syrah, Petit Syrah, and more could match with your roasted beast. But nothing says summer like a great rib eye and a bottle of the king of grapes, Cabernet Sauvignon.

Grape Sense LogoBut what if you’re on a budget? Or maybe you just don’t have the palate or inclination to splurge on an expensive bottle of wine. Never fear, your faithful wine columnist and his Wine Dudes are here to help.

Yellowtail, Mondavi, Fetzer, Beringer, and Bogle wines can be found on most grocery store shelves and many wine shops and liquor stores. These wines ranged from $6.99 to $11.99. Those labels represent some of the biggest – and some would argue the best – in value wine.

My wine buddies got together recently to determine the best of the lot. All four wine drinkers are pretty serious about their vino and took the task seriously. I purchased five bottles of wine from a local Kroger and then bagged them. Another of the wine guys mixed the bottles up and then everyone picked up a number at random and stuck it on a bottle. So no one knew what we were tasting – we took notes.

We had a great time and great discussion about wine. But, to borrow a phrase, I wanted to kick it up a notch. So I added a sixth wine that was a $100 bottle of Bello Family Vineyards 2008 Napa Cabernet. That bottle was also wrapped, and randomly numbered.

The first task was to pick out the $100 bottle. I had told the guys I was including one and would never do that again if I repeat the exercise. Two of the four were able to pick out the $100 bottle rather easily. As I recall, the other two had the expensive bottle as their second pick.

The moral to that story is even experienced palates can be wrong or confused.

But what about the under-$12-value Cabs? All five wines were 2012 Cabernets. Keep in mind most had a little bit of Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot or whatever in the blend but were at least 75 percent Cabernet.

There was unanimous agreement that none of us cared if we ever tasted the value Yellowtail or Fetzer Cab ever again. Ever!

We probably disagreed the most on the Beringer Cab. The group loved it and hated it. That put it in the middle for us in the number-three slot. The Beringer needed time out of the bottle and just kept improving. Two of the group hated it, I think it’s a very solid choice for the price point.

The top two were Mondavi Central Coast Cabernet and Bogle Cab. The Mondavi was smooth with a balanced mouth feel and good Cabernet characteristics. Seldom do wines at this price point have much of a finish – or a pleasant one – and that was true with this bottle. A serious wine drinker would call the Mondavi thin. Still for a beginning wine drinker, I’d offer up the value Mondavi line to any one with great confidence.

So that means our winner was Bogle, but it was close. The Bogle could be described much like the Mondavi but with a little bit ‘more’ across the palate. The fruit was a bit bigger, there were secondary characteristics, mild tannins and a satisfying finish.

I’d call the Bogle pretty darn good juice. Try it with a rib eye.

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Catching Up (Again) on Reviews

12 Tuesday Aug 2014

Posted by Howard in California, South America

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Cesar Toxqui Cellars, Columbia Valley, Ex Umbris, Lenore, Mendocino, Mira 2010 Nappa Valley Cabernet, Mira Winery, Owen Roe, Syrah, Ventisquero Grey Pinot Noir, wine reviews, Zinfandel

My biggest downfall in maintaining a blog is getting wine reviews written. I prefer telling stories but the utility of at least quick thoughts on some good wines I’ve recently consumed seems like a part of the job I should NOT ignore..

I taste so much outstanding wine this summer the idea of reviewing some of the things I’ve sipped at home slips to the “I really need to do that” level and not get done.

So here we go! Some recent nice-drinking wines.

Grey PinoVentisquero Grey 2012 Pinot Noir – This was a nice surprise from Chile. Much of the Chilean Pinot Noir I’ve previously consumed had that nagging vegetal or green pepper hint that was not predominant in this wine. I liked its earthiness and sort of a damp wood quality. That make sense?

It’s so hard to find drinkable good Pinot under $20-$25 but this fits the category. It has a little spice, nice acidity and ultimately a very drinkable glass of wine.

Ventisquero Grey 2012 Pinot Noir, average price around $20, Recommended.

MiraMira 2010 Napa Valley Cabernet – Wow, this is good wine. I tasted a lot of bottles at a higher price point during my 10 days in Calfornia last month but only a few were better than this one.

The nifty blend of 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Syrah worked well. That Cab Franc and Syrah gave the wine a nice rich and round mouth feel.

This wine had great balance and a perfect Cab finish – I got the tannins, sensed the oak but it was in balance with the nice Cabernet flavor.

Mira 2010 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, SRP $52 – but found online as low as $39, Highly Recommended.

Owen Roe 2010 Ex Umbris Syrah – This Columbia Valley Syrah, from one of the grape’s best producers, was extraordinary wine. It should be noted the ’09 vintage of this wine made Wine Spectator’s annual Top 100 list.

owen_roe_ex_umbris_label__13161_stdI had tasted Roe’s value label Syrah – Lenore – around $17 so had to step up to this bottle at about twice the price. I wasn’t blown away but thought it was so much better than many West Coast Syrah offerings. It was tad thinner than I expected but did have lovely fruit and nice balance.

It had a very identifiable richness or velvety feel in the mouth. I’m a sucker for that type of experience every time. It’s just very well made wine. This wine got 90 points from Wine Spectator and Stephen Tanzer.

Owen Roe 2010 Ex Umbris Syrah, $29, Highly Recommended.

Cesar Toxqui 2005 Mendocino Zinfandel – I had the pleasure of sitting with Cesar Toxqui at a dinner in Mendocino, Ca., in 2011. He has a fascinating story of growing up in the wine business and worked his way up to his own label.

CesarLabelHe was working still then with a member of the Fetzer family at Jeriko Estate wines but aching to do more with his own label. We tasted a couple of his wines at dinner and I really was taken with his Zinfandel. Zin is a bit of a calling card for Mendocino producers.

I thought the wine had great fruit, depth, and finish. I had held onto this one since that trip and it was worth the wait. He is a very small production winery so finding it would be a big challenge. Still, it continues to reinforce my continuing theme of look for the small producers to find big surprises and great wine.

Cesar Toxqui 2005 Mendocino Zinfandel, around $25 (from memory), Very Highly Recommended – if you can find it.

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Good Wine Doesn’t Have to Cost $50

31 Thursday Jul 2014

Posted by Howard in California

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Clayhouse, Daou Vineyards, Joseph Phelps, Pride Mountain Vineyards, Spottswoode Winery, Stags Leap

What’s for dinner? A grilled, spiced pork chop.

I want wine. I search the wine rack and pull out a ‘suspect” cabernet from Central California. Now I can’t possibly like this wine. It’s going to be flabby, not taste like cab, no balance, no fruit or too much fruit. It’s going to be jammy. There won’t be any depth or meaningful seconed notes – or mid-palate if you prefer – to discern. The finish will be like water or if lucky maybe bitter.

437479-Royalty-Free-RF-Clip-Art-Illustration-Of-A-Cartoon-Male-Wine-TasterI can’t possibly like this wine and it’s going to be just awful because, you ask? This wine was not one of my $50 or $100 bottles.

Recently a number of wine bloggers had this nice little circle confab (blushes) that certainly summed it all up. “There is no such thing as great wines under $20.” Now, I’m not prepared to argue that particular premise. Those who take themselves and their wine writing way too seriously slugged it out.

While in California for 11 days in July, I tasted stunning Cab at Daou Vineyards atop a mountain in Paso Robles – $85 for the best bottle Then just a few days later I tasted Pride Mountain Cabs which retail at $90 and $135. I sipped Cab and Insigina at the icon Joselph Phelps winery – those bottles SRP at $65 and $250.

man-sniffing-wine copyI was lucky to get into Stags Leap where I tasted killer $85 Cab. Thanks to a good friend in the wine business, I got into Spottswoode Winery in St. Helena, where they only can take 60 visitors a week, and tasted its $70 and $150 Cabernet.

Now, I admit those were GREAT wines. Those were all really great wines.

But not everyone can afford those wines. And, I’d argue, many palates are not ready to appreciate those wines unless you’re really a big wine drinker.

So you wander to the wine shop, liquor or grocery store and try to find something you might like and can afford. That scenario is why I started the wine writing nearly seven years ago.

Yes, I bought a few bottles of high-end Cabernet to tuck away for a special event, retirement, or for some future self-indulgence. I’m a lucky guy.

But on Thursday nights at home with my grill, a pork chop and empty glass. I open wines which just aren’t supposed to be all that good if you listen to some writers.

Nonsense!

clayhouseMy $14 bottle of Cabernet tonight is NOT a great wine. But it is a good wine. First, my bottle of Clayhouse 2012 Estate Vineyard Cabernet tastes like Cabernet! (They all don’t, trust me.) Second, the fruit is not a mouthful of jam. Third, it’s an easy drinker. Fourth, it’s not very complex – but I’m pretty superficial guy anyway.

It’s tasty. It’s easy to drink. Ready? It’s suggested retail price is $14. I’ve certainly tasted worse Cabernet at higher prices. Clayhouse is widely distributed and a pretty consistent value wine maker.

“Drink what you like” and, perhaps “Drink what you can afford” remains the best wine advice I or anyone can ever give you!

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