Category Archives: Paso Robles & Mendocino

Summer Drinking – Two Whites & a Rose’

10 Sunday Jun 2012

Posted by in California, France, Paso Robles & Mendocino

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Summer time is lighter wine time for most of us and I’ve definitely been going down that path in recent weeks.

The more wine I’ve consumed in recent years, the more I’ve come to appreciate really well-made whites. I might argue the learning curve is accelerated because of the red wine dominance on my wine rack. Many will disagree, but for me it’s a little easier to identify the characteristics of red wine. White and Rose’ is more nuanced.

Enough of the geeky stuff. Here are three easy-to-find wines I purchased in Central Indiana – all under $20.

Clayhouse Adobe White – The Adobe line of Clayhouse wines from California’s Paso Robles are really great value wines. I just received samples of the 2011 vintage with a couple bottles I’ve not previously sampled. These wines clearly taste above the price point, are nicely balanced, and are available at great prices. The suggested retail on the entire line is $14 or $15.

The tasty blend is 49 percent Viognier, 26 percent Sauvignon Blanc, 19 percent Grenache Blanc, and 6 percent Princess. Princess is often called a table grape and is said to resemble Muscat in flavor. It was a new one for me. I have found Viognier I’ve loved and hated – it’s very floral and fruity normally. I remember last year’s Adobe White and was put off just a bit by the Viognier. The 2011 blend is a perfect mix.

The wine has floral, identifiable orange, peach, and honey flavors. Portions of this wine are barrel fermented, but not aged, resulting in a real creamy feel on the palate. The alcohol comes in at 12.8 percent.

Simply, this is a great summer sipper or white for lighter meals.

Clayhouse Adobe White, SRP $14, Trade Sample, Highly Recommended

Arona 2010 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc – Sauv Blanc from New Zealand often takes a hit for the big acid, over-the-top fruit, and that ‘grassy thing” many wine drinkers don’t like.

Check out Arona Sauv Blanc if you are one of those folks. I tried this wine at a tasting conducted by Derek Gray of Graybull Wines. I loved it.

This wine is much lighter on the palate than many NZ Sauv Blancs. It still had the crisp acidity which would make it perfect for lighter seafood dishes, particularly white fish. Think passion fruit, pineapple, and aroma-pleasing citrus.

If you like NZ and California Sauvignon Blanc but want a bit lighter mouth feel, grab a bottle of Arona.

Arona 2010 Sauvignon Blanc, $13.99, I bought this wine at Mass. Ave. Wine Shop in Indy. Highly Recommended.


Gerard Bertrand 2010 Gris Blanc Rose’ – I’ve been on a real Rose’ kick and this one is different as they come. First, Gerard Bertand is one of the most respected winemakers in Southern France. His wines offer great value for the price point.

This wine is a blend of Grenache Blanc and Grenache Gris. Most notably, is the very – very pale – salmon color often associated with Provence’s fine Rose’ wines.

I got peach and maybe hint of a red raspberry. The wine is lighter on the palate than many but it does have pretty serious acidity. It’s also seriously dry Rose’. It would be another choice for white fish, shell fish, or a summer salad.

I picked up this unique Rose’ at Vine and Table in Carmel.

Gerard Bertrand 2010 Gris Blanc Rose, $13.99, Recommended.

Send comment or questions to: hewitthoward@gmail.com

Turmoil at a Beautiful Hilltop Mendocino Winery

23 Wednesday May 2012

Posted by in California, Paso Robles & Mendocino, Uncategorized

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There are so many hidden gems in places like Paso Robles and Mendocino county that after my trips there in 2010 and 2011 I was not sure I did them all justice.

Maple Creek Winery was one of the most interesting stops of the visit but it just didn’t fit into the stories I wrote after the fact. I did write about the beautiful area, fabulous lunch, and great story of Tom Rodrigues.

Here is the blog entry I wrote the day of our visit.

Tom had some interesting varietals and wines and fascinating personal story. But you never know what’s going on behind the scenes. A fight over his winery and property is underway.

See the full story here.

Send comment or questions to: hewitthoward@gmail.com

3 Wines: Awesome, Darn Good, & a Stinker

02 Monday Apr 2012

Posted by in France, Paso Robles & Mendocino, Spain

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For three-and-a-half years I have not written much about wines I didn’t care for after sampling or purchasing. I’ve read more and more where I’m not doing anyone in service in doing that. I’ve come to agree.

I have written about not liking a particular wine and why others might like it, and occasionally really went after a bad bottle. But it’s been very rare I write about wines in a negative tone. From now on, I think it’s necessary to do that when warranted. Sometimes it might be bottle shock, a wine going bad, or other outside factors. I’ll try to note that to the best of my ability. But sometimes the wine just doesn’t taste right, like the review you’ll read below.

Now, just because I don’t like a wine doesn’t mean you might not love it. On the other hand, occasionally I’ve tasted some stinkers I would tell readers/friends to stay away from.

With that aside, sometimes we all come across a wine that is just wonderful and beyond expectations. Sometimes we find a wine that keeps us trying new things and reminds us why we became wine enthusiasts in the first place. This first review is such a wine.

Awesome – Abadia Retuerta 2006 Seleccion Especial – I like this wine so much I don’t even know where to start. This wine (a 2005 actually) won the The International Wine Challenge Award for best red wine. This wine consistently gets 90-92 points from the major wine magazines.

Dark, rich fruit like cherries, plum, and flavors of licorice, spice, coffee, and vanilla sweep over the palate in a smooth and extremely well-balanced manner that few wines match. It has very concentrated fruit with unbelievable balance from sip to swallow.

The wine comes from what is known as Spain’s Golden Mile between Tudela de Duero and Penafiel. The Abadia Retuerta wine normally retails around $23-$24 but it can be found in the $17-$18 range. It’s a tremendous value at $24. If you find it, buy it.

Abadia Retuerta 2006 Seleccion Especial, $17-$20, Very Highly Recommended

Darn Good – Ancient Peaks 2009 Renegade – This 2009 was an inaugural bottling for this wine. It’s a typically big Paso Robles combo of 46 percent Syrah, 31 percent Malbec, and 23 Petit Verdot. All of the fruit comes from Margarita Vineyard in the Central Coast appelation. This vineyard is at the foot of the Santa Lucia Mountain Range, just 14 miles from the Pacific.

The wine gets 18 months in a combination of oak. It’s a big smooth wine. On the palate, I got smoky flavors like coffee, chocolate with big fruit. Not a fruit bomb as it opens up, the wine’s power dark juiciness is balanced by good acidity and well-balanced tannins. For a wine of this power and flavor, the alcohol comes in at a palatible 14.5 percent.

The winery released just over a 1,000 cases of this wine so you’re going to have to look to find it.

Wine geekiness aside, if you like big flavored red wine with good balance Ancient Peaks Renegade is a very, very good bad boy!

Ancient Peaks 2009 Renegade, SRP $23, Trade Sample, Highly Recommended

Stinker –  Alain Paret Cotes-Du-Rhone Valvigneyre 2009 White Wine – I was upset when I tasted this wine. It’s 100 percent Viognier, a floral grape that provides wonderful aromas and often a tad of sweetness on the palate.

First, I really like the whites of France and particularly from the Rhone Valley. The wines are usually blended but when I had a chance to pick this wine up for $10.99 from a distinguished producer I jumped on a couple of bottles.

I thought a lot about this wine. It was disorganized, a little two tart for a floral wine, and just not very pleasant. I had the wine stored for awhile so I don’t think it was bottle shock. It just was not very palatable. 

Alain Paret Cotes-Du-Rhone Valvignevre, $10.99, Not Recommended.

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Catching Up On Recent Great Wines

19 Monday Mar 2012

Posted by in Italy, Paso Robles & Mendocino, South America

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Time to catch up on some recent wines I’ve enjoyed. There is a wide spectrum of wines in this group and certainly something for everyone’s palate. I’m on a roll lately – these are all great wines!

Lioco Mendocino County 2010 Rose’ – I like my Rose’ and have made that clear here previously. This is one to try for those folks who turn their nose up at ‘pink wine.’ Take a sip of this ultra-dry Rose’ and you’ll forget any physical resemblance to some White Zinfandel. You might even think you’ve landed in Southern France where the Carignan grape reigns king.

This California wine is 100 percent Carignan and is just delightful. It’s old vine grapes which makes for a full-flavored wine. It’s color is closer to salmon than pink. It has just a hint of watermelon with more pronounced strawberry – not just strawberry, but strawberry picked fresh from the vine.

This fabulous Rose’ would be awesome with crackers and cheese, heavy crusted bread, grilled fish or a mushroom dish. I bought this bottle at Cork & Cracker in Indianapolis. 

Lioco Mendocino County 2010 Rose‘, $14.99, Very Highly Recommended

LangeTwins Winery Midnight Reserve – This Cabernet, Petit Verdot, Merlot, and Malbec blend is a really very nice big, but still smooth, red wine blend. Considering it’s a Lodi, California, blend, many would expect this to be huge fruit and powerful alcohol but its really neither. The alcohol comes in at a relatively modest 13.6 percent while the fruit is silky smooth and nicely balanced.

This juice was honored at a number of California wine competitions and it’s easy to see why with its nice fruit and balance. If you like a little bigger and rich, the LangeTwins is nice wine. It is distributed in Indiana.

LangeTwins Winery Midnight Reserve, $30, Highly Recommended

Cantina del Taburno Falanghina – If you don’t like this white wine, you don’t like white wine. Italy produces some delightful light-bodied whites and this one is right there with  more fruit than many you may have sampled.

Okay, so you’ve never heard of “Falanghina.” Don’t feel bad. It comes from a coastal region in Italy north of Naples. The wine is smooth with nicely balanced fruit. I got a lot of pear on my palate but you might find some almond or nectarine.

The best thing I can say about this white is you’ll want to drink it. I found it online for $14-$17. I bought this wine at Grapevine Cottage in Zionsville near the higher end of that range. 

Cantina del Taburno Falanghina, $16,99, Highly Recommended


Trivento Amado Sur 2010 Malbec – You want a bargain? You want a bang-for-your-buck wine? Here you go. The Trivento Amado Sur is a great value line from Argentina’s Mendoza region. The wine is a really nice balance between 80 percent Malbec, 10 percent Bonarda and 10 percent Syrah.

Argentina has been doing these three grapes in grand style for a number of years. This a  blend that I would use to move newbie wine drinkers away from Cab and Merlot. It’s a great introduction to a varietal that has changed the entire perception of South American wines. The taste will give you a rich dark fruit and hints of pepper. The wine would pair nicely with pork or seasoned chicken off the grill.

Trivento Amado Sur 2010 Malbec, Trade Sample, widely available around $11, Highly Recommended



Calcu 2008 Carmenere Reserva   –  I’ve never been overwhelmed by any Chilean Carmenere. It’s different. It has a taste profile different than most wines but I’ve found most of it pretty average, but drinkable, juice. I was pleasantly surprised by this trade sample of Calcu.

This wine had nice blackberry and spice. It was smooth without a funk or harshness many previous Carmeneres left me tasting. Chile’s Colchagua Valley is one of the hottest wine regions in Chile. The Carmenere, Syrah, and Cabernet offerings are worth a try.

This wine would work with grilled meats, probably big enough for that charred steak if you want something other than Cab or a big Malbec.

 Calcu 2008 Carmenere Reserva, Trade Sample, around $13-$14, Recommended


Send comment or questions to: hewitthoward@gmail.com