Tag: syrah

A Quick Weekend in Santa Barbara Wine Country (and LA)

For years, several of my friends from the Los Angeles area have been enamored with the wines of Santa Barbara. They’ve allowed me to sample their stash, but many of these wineries are smaller production, so the wines don’t always make it out of California. Recently, my husband and I decided to do a quick jaunt to Santa Barbara wine country to delve a little further into what this region has to offer.

Quick Primer on Santa Barbara County Wine Country:

Santa Barbara County experiences warm days and very cool nights, along with fog and breezes from the Pacific Ocean. There are five distinct wine regions within the county:

  • Santa Maria Valley AVA (American Viticultural Area) – As the northernmost region of Santa Barbara County, it enjoys extremely complex soil conditions and diverse mesoclimates, allowing for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir to thrive. Santa Maria Valley was the first officially approved AVA in Santa Barbara County.
  • Santa Ynez Valley AVA – This AVA has very cool temperatures, becoming warmer toward the eastern parts of the region. Therefore, varietals vary from the fog and cool loving Pinot Noir in the west to Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, which flourishes in the warmer temperatures in the east. Some Italian and Rhône varietals also prosper in this AVA.
  • Sta. Rita Hills AVA – This is a relatively small appellation of approximately 100 square miles located within the western corridor of the larger Santa Ynez AVA. The ocean fogs usually burn off by mid-morning, with a few hours of sunshine, followed by winds. The influence from the Pacific along with the sedimentary soils found in Sta. Rita also creates an ideal location for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
  • Los Alamos Valley – This region experiences warm days and cool nights. Wines from this area will be indicated on the label as “Santa Barbara County.”
  • Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara – The varied soils and terrain of this region are best suited for growing Bordeaux varietals such as Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Sauvignon Blanc; however, Syrah and other Rhône varieties also do well in this region.

Maybe I wasn’t accustomed to having a burn on my palate when I tasted Pinot Noir, but of the wines we tasted, I found many to be a little too high in alcohol (15%+). Generally speaking, I tended to favor the Chardonnay from this region over the Pinot Noir (although I did enjoy some really lovely Pinots). Unfortunately, given our time parameters, we weren’t able to make it to all of the wineries on my “to do” list, but of those that we were able to visit, there were three that stood out. I have listed my favorites below.

Richard Longoria Wines

2935 Grand Avenue #B (tasting room)
Los Olivos, CA
805-688-0305

During his student days at Berkeley, Rick (Richard) Longoria experienced the wines of Sonoma and Napa. “Not knowing anything about the business… Rick decided to take a year off before entering law school, and traveled to South America…. It was during this trip that he came to realize that his heart was not in law, but rather [with] the possibility of working in a winery. When he returned, he sent dozens of inquiries to wineries looking for work. He got lucky and was hired as a rookie cellar man at one of his favorite wineries…” Rick shared with me that over the years, he continued to work on his craft of wine making, and in 1982, they [he and his wife] “started the brand as a part time endeavor. Then, we both gave up our day jobs to focus on making the business our sole source of income.” Longoria was born and they haven’t looked back.

Longoria excels among their peers. These wines exhibit elegance, finesse and a balanced degree of minerality. When savoring their wines, you will personally experience their quest for excellence. Rick disclosed to me, “My philosophy of winemaking is based on my belief that wine is a food, and as such, its greatest role is to accompany meals. Wines should therefore be made in a way that respects the uniqueness of each grape varietal, each vineyard site and the vagaries of each vintage. They should also be made to be well balanced so that the wine does not overpower the food. When one of my wines is paired with a meal and the food and the wine are both made more interesting and enjoyable as a result, then I have succeeded as a winemaker.”

The winery averages just about 3500 cases annually. The vineyards are located in Sta. Rita Hills and their wines are a must try on your visit to Santa Barbara.

Chardonnay Cuvée Diana
from Sanford & Benedict Vineyard, the oldest vineyard in Sta. Rita Hills and Rancho Santa Rosa

  • 2007 (ST 90, $36): fresh peaches, honey and smoky minerals with a nice balance of richness and acidity
  • 2008 (WE 94, $36): pears with maple syrup and nutmeg, honeysuckle, balanced acidity and weight, honeysuckle

2008 Pinot Noir Rancho Santa Rosa ($45): black and red berries with a hint of brett and vanilla; nice weight with silky tannins; one which seemed to fly under the radar, but one to watch

2007 Fe Ciega Vineyard (ST 91, WE 93, $54): cigar and sage spices; smooth but intense tannins; strong acidity

Foxen Vineyard

7200 Foxen Canyon Road
Santa Maria, CA
805-937-4251

When I polled my friends who had lived or are currently living in the Los Angeles area as to their Santa Barbara wine country faves, Foxen was at the top of each list, time and time again, as was Foxen’s rustic, but very endearing tasting room. Foxen recently added on a new, state-of-the-art, solar paneled tasting room, which is where I tasted their wines on my visit. I was a little bummed as I had been looking forward to experiencing their former tasting room, which had been lovingly described to me as “rustic as hell and looking more like a place you go to get pumpkins in October than a tasting room.”

Winemakers Bill Wathen and Dick Doré, otherwise known as the “Foxen Boys” like to say, “if you don’t know FOXEN, you don’t know Dick . . . or Bill.”

Bill’s background includes a degree in Fruit Science, specializing in vineyard management from Cal Poly University. In 1978, he became “a vineyard manager at Chalone Vineyard, where he was mentored by California wine pioneer and Chalone founder, Dick Graff. It was here that Bill learned traditional French winemaking techniques and appreciation for great Burgundies. Graff’s influence inspires Bill’s winemaking philosophy to this day.”

A man after my own heart, Richard, having “worked as a banker in the late sixties and seventies, quit his nine-to-five job and moved his family to Europe… Over the next year and a half, Dick traveled the back roads of France, Italy and Spain, where he developed his love of wine.” Dick eventually returned to his native Santa Barbara County, where he crossed paths with Bill and forged a partnership in making wine together. Dick’s wife, Jenny, is involved in the business as well, running marketing efforts in California and Florida.

2008 Chardonnay Bien Nacido Vineyard UU (WS 91, $32): tangy citrus, grapefruit and green apples with some floral aromas

2008 Pinot Noir Bien Nacido Vineyard-Block N ($52): blackberries and wild berries with some spice

Babcock

5175 East Highway 246
Lompac, CA
805-736-1455

In 1978, Walt and Mona Babcock sought “retreat from Walt’s dental practice and the rigors of being restaurateurs… Their search led them to purchase 110 acres of land on the western edge of the Santa Ynez Valley in Santa Barbara County, [which] at that time the area was considered a fledgling wine region. This inspired and prompted the Babcocks to plant a 25-acre vineyard in 1980. By the end of 1983, various notable winemakers had purchased Babcock fruit and made compelling wines… In 1984, Walt and Mona Babcock decided it was time to seize the opportunity to produce their own wine.” Armed with a degree in biology and a minor in chemistry from Occidental College, and working toward his master’s degree in food science, with an emphasis in oenology at UC Davis, their son Bryan entered the picture and has been making Babcock’s wine since 1984.

I was pleasantly surprised by their $30 Grand Cuvée, which we had with one of our meals.

2008 Grand Cuvée ($30) crème brulée, pineapple, pear, with balanced richness and some acidity

Melville Winery

5185 East Highway 246
Lompoc, CA
805-735-7030

Sad to say, I wasn’t able to make it to Melville this time around. However, it came very highly recommended by many, so I thought I should include this winery in the article. Perhaps next time?

Visiting Santa Barbara and short on time?

Many of the wineries of this region are too small or too removed to have their own tasting rooms, so they opt for presence in the town of Los Olivios. It is a charming, quaint little town. Jokingly, my friend Karl stated the proximity of so many tasting rooms in Los Olivios enables people “do their own pub crawl.” It depends on what your shtick is, but if you are staying in town, it is an elegant solution to sampling wines of the region without the rock-paper-scissors exercise to see who gets the driving responsibilities.

Los Olivos Wine Merchant & Café

2879 Grand Avenue
Los Olivos, CA 93441
805-688-7265

Not only does this place have a decent selection of wines, but the cafe is also a pleasant place to have lunch.

Note: For planning your wine trip to Santa Barbara County, this particular website was very useful: Santa Barbara County Vintners’ Association

A Burger in Santa Monica… I digress


While this article highlights some of the wines of Santa Barbara County, I feel it imperative to share this little nugget. If you happen to be in LA area, don’t miss having a burger at Father’s Office. As you can see from the photo, we hit their Santa Monica location after watching the sunset on the beach with a lovely glass of wine from Foxen.

Father’s Office

1018 Montana Avenue
Santa Monica, CA
310-736-2224

Run, don’t walk. This possibly one of the best three burgers in my life. My husband says it is his top burger…caramelized onion, bacon, Gruyère, Maytag blue cheese and arugula.

Sonoma County and the Green Acres Contingency

“Welcome to Hollywood! What’s your dream?” Pretty Woman, circa 1990

Why do people do what they do – both personally and professionally? I’ve always had a mild fascination with this topic.

Winemakers tend to be very passionate people. I thoroughly take pleasure in asking them why they do what they do. Inevitably, they are doing what they love and therefore, are very happy people. Recently at the Sonoma County event in New York, I enjoyed some brilliant wines, but my favorite part of the evening was hearing how some of these winemakers turned their dreams into reality.

This article is dedicated to all of the people out there with the courage to ask the difficult question “What makes you happy?” and the tenacity, spirit and passion to make it happen. Here’s to you. And here’s to second acts. “What’s your dream?”

Sonoma County and the Green Acres Contingency…

Ravenswood

www.ravenswoodwinery.com
+1-707-933-2332
How can you not fall in love with a winery that emphatically states: “No wimpy wines… if your favorite color is beige, you should probably drink something else.” Most know Ravenswood for their delicious Zinfandels. Some know Ravenswood’s head winemaker Joel Peterson as “the Godfather of Zin.” Joel Peterson shares, “I like Zin because it’s a tough old bird. Treat it with the respect it deserves and it soars.”

In the seventies, Joel was “educated as a clinical laboratory scientist with a degree in microbiology.” He worked “full-time in cancer immunology research at a San Francisco hospital while dabbling in wine on the side.” In the Peterson family, the apple didn’t fall too far from the tree. Joel’s mom, a nuclear chemist who worked on the Manhattan Project, helped Alice Waters to edit her first book. His dad had a passion for wine, frequently organizing wine gatherings at his family’s home. Joel’s first wine education began at the tender age of 10 at one of his father’s tastings when he was told to “shut up and spit.” Of course his dad watched closely to make sure Joel did in fact spit. Joel stopped the dabbling and took his passion full throttle. He and his business partner Reed Foster founded Ravenswood in 1976.

2007 Old Hill – click here to puchase: ST 94, $50, 76% Zinfandel, 24% mixed blacks; cocoa, black plums and raspberry preserves, black pepper with lingering minerality

Landmark Vineyards

www.landmarkwine.com
+1-707-833-0053
I was able to spend some time with Damaris Calhoun, whose grandmother, Damaris Deere Ford started up this winery after visiting the region on a trip post her divorce in the seventies. (Ms. Ford remarried recently- congrats). Ms. Calhoun shared a few stories with me about her grandmother (who sounds like a real pistol). Her grandmother instantly fell in love with Sonoma on this trip. She was very concerned about the land being subsumed by the nearby urban sprawl, so she sought to protect it by developing the land into the winery that it is today.

The winery has been owned and operated by the family for three generations. Ms. Calhoun explained, “My parents (Michael and Mary Deere Calhoun) have been running the vineyard since 1992.” Ms. Calhoun has been running their northeast sales for almost three years.

Agriculture coursed through this family’s blood far before Ms. Ford purchased the winery. Ms Calhoun added, “My grandmother’s commitment to agriculture has deep roots in this country.” Ms. Ford’s great grandfather was John Deere. The names of many of their wines serve as a tribute to her family’s commitment to the land and farming. Ms. Calhoun shared, “There is Steel Plow Syrah, Grand Detour Pinot Noir– the town in Illinois where John Deere invented the steel plow— and Damaris, who was John Deere’s wife… The latest news is that we are going for our organic certification with our estate vineyard.”

In 1993, the family worked with world-renowned consulting oenologist Helen Turley and winemaker, Eric Stern. Under Eric’s direction, Landmark’s wines have garnered amazing reviews. In my opinion, these Chardonnays are underpriced for their value.

2007 Overlook Chardonnay, Sonoma County – click here to purchase: ST 90/WS 92, $24.99, (81% Sonoma County, 11% Santa Barbara County, 8% Monterey County), crisp green apple with orange blossom, wonderful yin and yang of acidity and creaminess, elegant minerality

2008 Landmark Grand Detour Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast – click here to purchase: RP 90, $40, (blend of five Sonoma Coast vineyards), cherries with chocolate and coffee; round, velvety texture

Gary Farrell Vineyards & Winery

www.garyfarrellwines.com
+1-707-473-2909
In the early seventies, after moving to Sonoma County to study Political Science, it didn’t take long for the wine bug to strike Gary Farrell. He became fascinated with wine, learned from pioneers in the region, worked in local cellars and then started to make his own wine. “After working for more than 20 years in wineries owned and maintained by others, I realized a lifetime dream of moving into my own new winery just in time for harvest of 2000. With the experience I garnered from working and visiting other wineries, I dreamed of how I would set up my own facility.” The rest is history.

After spending 3 years working alongside Gary, Susan Reed was promoted to head winemaker in 2006. Susan arrived in Sonoma in 1981, working her way up from lab technician to head winemaker prior to working with Gary. These wines are extremely elegant and were some of my favorite wines from this event.

2007 Russian River Selection Chardonnay, Russian River Valley– click here to purchase: $28, custard, baked apple, hazelnut, with some nutmeg. After I was done tasting (and spitting), this is the one of the ones I savored at the end of my day. I truly enjoyed this. The wonderful acidity balanced it all.

2007 Russian River Selection Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley – click here to purchase: $38, cherries, plummy, leather and earthiness, nice weight with some spice on the end

Papapietro Perry

www.papapietro-perry.com
+1-415-827-0181
Ben Papapietro, head winemaker, worked for the San Francisco Newspaper Agency, making wine as a hobby in his garage for 17 years. Ben met his future partner Bruce Perry through working at the agency. Bruce quickly joined Ben in making wines in his garage. Bruce’s wife Renae, a “New York girl with brains and chutzpah” added her marketing expertise to the mix. Ben’s wife, Yolanda, who used to be an insurance broker, now handles distributor relations. Together, the four of them own this endeavor. They set out to make wines that are, in Ben’s words “Authentic, not pretentious. Confident, but not too serious. Humble. The winery is an extension of my home and personal hospitality.” Papapietro Perry handcrafts their wines from 10 single vineyards in the Sonoma area (Pinot Noir and Zinfandel).

2007 Leras Family Vineyards Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley: $49 bing cherries, plum, cassis and smoke; velvety on the palate with hints of minerality

Acorn

www.acornwinery.com
+1-707-433-6440
Meet Bill and Betsy Nachbaur. Bill was a lawyer for 30 years and became obsessed with viticulture. Betsy worked in the banking industry for 21 years. Many trips to wine country later, the Nachbaurs bought Alegria Vineyards and made it happen. At first, they sold their grapes, but in 1994, they decided to produce their own wine and Acorn Vineyards was born. “Every wine is a field-blend, following the ancient tradition represented in the mixed planting that is our original 120-year old vineyard. Every wine is made by co-fermenting multiple varieties.”

2006 Axiom Syrah – click here to purchase: (99% Syrah and 1% Viognier, so made in Côte Rôtie fashion, it won the Gold Medal at the Sonoma County Harvest Fair) $33, intense berries, tobacco, mocha

Photos courtesy of Jennifer Mitchell Photography and www.sonomawine.com.

Northern Rhône Wine Soirée

Here’s the “Pepsi Challenge” my friend Sara posed to me – You’re in the middle of nowhere and want to enjoy the wines of the Northern Rhône. What can you buy for $12-40?

The objective of the previous feature articles was to showcase a range of the quality wines I truly enjoyed from the Northern Rhône. Producers ranged from massive (Guigal), to medium sized (Cuilleron), to smaller wineries (Vernay and Faury). They each represent something different. Vernay and Faury are smaller production, artisanal wines, with a few restaurants snatching up the limited quantity available. Historically, their wines have been classic Northern Rhônes. Although, based on my interview with Lionel Faury, their Domaine might start to include a modern approach in some wines going forward. Cuilleron is a little larger in production than Vernay and Faury, but with his cult-like following, his wines can be difficult to come by. Cuilleron is known for a more of a modern approach in his wine-making. Guigal has the largest quantity and a wide range. His “LaLas” represent what is unobtainable by most (demand and price), but Guigal also makes quite a bit of everyday drinking wines. In these three focus articles, I listed my favorites, along with the price and suggested food pairings.

I, along with many others, am fortunate to have a plethora of specialty wine shops or restaurants which I could probably find many of the wines I featured in these articles. But without much effort, what can you get for under $40 if you wanted to dabble with the Northern Rhône Valley?

To level the playing field of randomness, a few of my friends canvassed their local wine shop with the same price parameters. Specialty stores were prohibited. They purchased the wine as recommended by the owner and brought it over in a paper bag for a bind tasting. To review, the terroirs of the Northern Rhône are Condrieu, Côte Rôtie, Saint-Joseph, Hermitage, Cornas, Crozes-Hermitage, Cornas and VDP.

Everyone had the same experiences at their wine store –

1. Wine stores had a multitude of Burgundy and Bordeaux, but the selection on the Northern Rhône was marginal. This is unfortunate because these wines are so gorgeous.

2. Guigal is everywhere. There is no doubt that if you are in search of a Northern Rhône at your local wine store, you will see the Guigal label.

3. Blind tastings are more common than you’d think. I told my wine store merchant what we were doing. He smiled and threw in a whole bunch of brown paper bags so we could taste them blind. He said it happens frequently.

Findings –

The judge panel consisted of the following people: a general manager and former sommelier of a high end, celebrity chef restaurant; a professionally trained chef turned paparazzi; a fierce litigator with a special panache for 4 inch heels; a former professional surfer turned CEO; one public relations specialist with a sharp and witty tongue and a smattering of investment bankers.

Degree of wine knowledge – the entire spectrum, but all enjoyed a good glass of wine with friends

Here are the 6 wines we tasted:

Whites –

Reds –

And the winners…. Unilaterally, the top three, in order, were Cornas, Crozes-Ermitage and Condrieu.

  1. Cornas, Domaine de Saint-Pierre, Paul Jaboulet Aîné 2001 (stewed blackberries, smoky, chocolate, spice; coconut and vanilla from the oak; I loved the old world, mushrooms/terroir bit on the palate.) Even though someone cheated with the price parameters, the Cornas was the winner, hands-down.
  2. Crozes-Ermitage, Le Grand Countil, Ferration Pere & Gils 2005 (red cherries, strawberries, stewed fruit, minerality, tobacco) This was  beautiful and a great price point. We felt the finish dropped off a little as we started to get toward the end of the bottle.
  3. Condrieu, Guigal 2007 (minerality, lychee, honey, pear, lemons, almonds, floral, perfume) This is a simple Condrieu, but lovely for everyday drinking. It would be perfect as an aperitif.

The Northern Rhône – Yves Cuilleron

Yves Cuilleron

Verlieu, 58 RD 1086
Chavanay
+33 4 74 87 02 37
www.cuilleron.com

I had my first bottle of Condrieu in April 2008. I don’t know why I had never had a Condrieu prior, but I just hadn’t. I was obsessed at first taste. It was an Yves Cuilleron. Our wine sommelier appropriately called it “a thinking person’s wine.” It evolved in so many ways over the course of our meal and the perfumed palate pleasantly lingered indefinitely. This bottle of wine was the genesis of our wine tasting adventure in the Northern Rhône. I fervently researched this AOC and came across the story of one of the true gurus of Condrieu – Yves Cuilleron.

Ibouteilles was intrigued to learn that he was formally educated as a mechanic, but found himself drawn back to his family’s roots of wine making. He took over his father’s estate in 1987. The Domaine now has 128 acres, with a lot of small parcels, requiring  5 weeks to harvest. Yves Cuilleron is a wine making genius, an absolute perfectionist and a phenomenal multi-tasker. He is well regarded by his peers, having engaged in many joint ventures, including Les Vins de Vienne (The Wines of Vienne), a joint venture with other well known vintners in the Northern Rhône (Pierre Gaillard, François Villard and Pierre-Jean Villa) where they resurrected fallow land and, as a result of their efforts, an application for AOC status is now in process. Mr. Cuilleron graciously answered my many follow-up questions post our visit to his vineyard.

What is your policy on treating the vines and the use of pesticides and insecticides?:
“My policy regarding vine treatments is to do the absolute minimum. In order to do this, we try and have feeble vigors on the vineyard, and we work in tandem with the weather as much as we can. In drier years, we try and give between 3 and 5 treatments. In the more damp years, we have never gone above 7 treatments. In the 20 years I have made wines, I have only used pesticides twice (and only on 10% of my vineyard).”

In addition to the many wines you make at your vineyard, you have so many projects – Les Vins de Vienne, Le Bistrot de Serine (his wine bistro for foodies) – to name a few. Even with all of these projects, the quality of your wines is not compromised. How do you balance this?:
“Indeed I have a lot of projects like Vins de Vienne and the Bistrot of Serine. It is a way to collaborate with other people. However, in each activity, we have trusted people who help help us deliver a very high quality product.”

It’s apparent that you work diligently alongside many other key wine makers and growers in the Northern Rhône (Pierre Gaillard, François Villard, Jean-Michel Gerin, and Pierre-Jean Villa, to name a few). What are your thoughts on this strong sense of community and respect for one another?:
“We’re growers firmly established in our terroirs and proud of continuing our work ethos – demanding the best of ourselves in order to make great wines. And naturally we enjoy sharing… It is very nice to work with other wine makers, and it enables fruitful exchanges. What is great is that on my own domain, I can work with my own philosophy, completely freely and the common projects are made by compromise and constructive discussions.”

With your latest endeavor for wine making at Yves Cuilleron – the Cuvées Bourasseau – you hand select 3 barrels each per appellation (Condrieu, Côte-Rôtie and Saint Joseph Rouge). The bottles feature the works of local artist Robert Bourasseau. Tell me more about this.:
“For the Bourasseau cuvées, my aim is to make wines of outstanding quality by selecting only the very best of my vineyard. It is a selection on the vines and in the cellar, in order to make exceptional cuvées.”

You seem to have a less traditional approach to wine making, which I find refreshing. What is your inspiration?
“My inspiration for the vinification is to have grapes of the best quality and vinify them in a very simple way with traditional processes, in order to respect what an appellation must be (respect for the terroir, vintage, tradition and savoir faire). I don’t want to do too much oenology and technology, which are the characteristics of “industrial wines” and not “terroir wines.”

Tasting Notes

It turns out that I am not the only Yves Cuilleron aficionado. Upon arriving in the tasting room, I noticed many of the wines were sold out. I started to fret. I had built up so much anticipation for tasting these wines. Well, fret not. We ended up tasting 10 different wines (see photo). For the über Yves Cuilleron fans out there, they hold wine future sales (en primeur) from 17 November to 31 December in the harvest year.

Condrieu

  • 2008 Les Chaillets (100% Viognier; “best and oldest vines on the estate,” muscovite rich granite soil; $50 for 500mL): floral, quince, persimmon, chamomile tea, stunning, elegant minerality; 13% alcohol
  • 2007 Ayguets (100% Viognier; sweet, botrytis infected wine taking 4-5 harvests in succession from mid-October to mid-November; muscovite rich granite soil; 39.90€): honey, candied orange peel, orange blossoms, really beautiful and more delicate on the palate than the initial impression; 13% alcohol

Botrytis sidebar: Have you ever had a beautiful Sauternes? Well, you can thank Botrytis (noble rot) for this. This fungal disease is either welcomed or feared. Under the right circumstances – misty, damp mornings and dry afternoons – Botrytis infected grapes result in a gorgeous wine. Botrytis consumes water from the grapes, concentrating the sugars. The result is a shriveled grape with intense flavor. Harvesting is a very labor intense process as many pickings are required.

VDP

  • 2008 Gamay (100% Gamay; granite and alluvial soil; 6.20€): black cherries, leather, a little chewy; 12% alcohol

Côte-Rôtie

Each spends 3 weeks in concrete vats, with lots of pumping over (remontage) and punching down (pigeage) to extract color and tannins. Then it spends 18 months in barriques. The soil is primarily schist.

  • 2007 Madinère (100% Syrah, 32.80€) manly, leaves and pips, soil, medium tannins
  • 2007 Terres Sombres (100% Syrah, old vines; 50% new oak; 43.00€) figs, dark cherries, tobacco, baking spices; pleasant old world funk; can age nicely

Saint-Joseph

(It follows suit with Côte-Rôtie for the remontage, pigeage and time in barriques. The soil is primarily sand and granite.)

  • 2007 Le Pierres Sèches (100% Syrah, “refers to the dry stone walls used to strengthen the vine terracing,” 13.50€): figs, tobacco, toast, white pepper, vegetal; little acidity; drink now or can age 6m-1y for more balance; 13% alcohol,
  • 2007 L’Amarybelle (100% Syrah, 50 year old vines, 50% new oak, ST 91, $45): figs, baking spices, white pepper, some acidity and tannins so balances and rounds out for a smooth finish; 13.5% alcohol
  • 2007 Les Serines (100% Syrah, cuvée de garde, 25.70€) more fruit forward, stewed strawberries and figs, tobacco, beautiful mushroomy funk; 13% alcohol

Cornas

  • 2006 Les Vires (10% Syrah; just purchased 1.5 acres in 2006, 60% of vines are 90 years old; granite soil; also 3 weeks in concrete vats for remontage and pigeage, followed by 18 months in barriques; 38.90€) prunes, old world funk, leather, tobacco, white pepper, hay; tannins still strong, 13% alcohol

What did we buy, why and what would I pair it with?

I have to admit, we went a little buck wild with our purchases at Yves Cuilleron. Luckily, my father-in-law lives in France, so we were also able to (1) alleviate transport issues by storing our wine with him in the country and (2) sign up for their wine club, enabling us to participate in their futures sales.

  • 2008 Les Chaillots – I’m just such a fan of his Condrieu and we had to walk away with some. I loved the minerality and lingering perfume. It would pair well with mild seafood (shrimp, scallops, sea bass) in Thai spices or just by itself as an aperitif.
  • 2007 Ayguets – Bring on the stinky cheese/fromage-qui-pue (that was a shout out to my French friends and family). Mmm… a great, creamy blue cheese would be so fabulous with this.

The reds of Yves Cuilleron were also of exceptional quality. We knew we couldn’t pick these up in the States for the same price with transport and taxes. Each had enough tannins to be age worthy. We had to get them all.

  • 2007 Terres Sombres and 2006 Les Vires – Adam Sandler said it best, “Turkey for you and turkey for me”… an idea for Thanksgiving dinner.
  • 2007 Le Pierres Sèches- There’s a restaurant in NY that prepares the best duck breast. The preparation changes by season, but they nail it every time. This would be so delicious with that or any other perfectly cooked duck breast.
  • 2007 L’Amarybelle – With the baking spices on this one, I’d waive in the tagine.
  • 2007 Les Serines – My husband makes a mean ratatouille. That or some sort of red meat sauce could match well with that mushroomy bit on the palate.

The Northern Rhône – Georges Vernay and Domaine Faury

During our visit to the Northern Rhône, every set of hands was fervently at work with the harvest. As a result, we weren’t able to have a comprehensive tour for each of the facilities we visited, but we sat down in the tasting rooms of Georges Vernay and Domaine Faury and spent time with them via email afterward delving into their wines and vision. Both had a strong artisanal imprint.

Georges Vernay

1 Route Nationale, Condrieu
+33 4 74 56 81 81
www.georges-vernay.fr
Georges Vernay is viewed by many as the “savior of Condrieu” because he was very influential in preserving these elegant and complex wines from extinction. His daughter Christine took over the reigns of the Domaine in 1997. I exchanged a few emails with with Paul Amsellem, one of the owners of Domaine Georges Verney and Christine Vernay’s husband, to get a brief understanding of the history of this AOC.

The appellation (AOC) of Condrieu dates back to 1940. After World War II, much of the vineyards of Condrieu had been replaced by peach and apricot orchards. In the 1950’s, the vineyards had whittled down to fewer than 20 acres. Paul conveyed, “Georges Vernay technically started his domaine in 1950” and at the time, owned 15 of the 20 acres. He lobbied with others to preserve this treasured wine and as a result, Condrieu now boasts of 270 acres. In total, Vernay owns about 45 acres in the Northern Rhône. Christine focuses on producing “straight, elegant and areal wines.” They were absolutely thrilled to have us as guests. Georges has a very strong relationship with Paul Bocuse and the Vernay wines grace the wine lists at Bocuse’s restaurants in nearby Lyon. Vernay’s wines are also featured on the wine lists of many high end restaurants such as The Fat Duck, French Laundry and Le Bec Fin.

Tasting Notes:

Prices indicated below are the cost at the vineyard and are not inclusive of import fees, taxes, shipping etc. All wines were grown and made on premises (Domaine).

  • 2008 Condrieu (100% Viognier; vines at the very top of the hill, granite soil; 17€) juicy pears, violets, minerality; 12.5% alcohol
  • 2008 Les Terrasses l’Empire Condrieu (100% Viognier; classic, from the middle portion of the hill, granite soil; 30 year old vines; 35€) orange blossoms and soothing chamomile tea; 13.5% alcohol
  • 2007 Chaillées de l’Enfer Condrieu (100% Viognier; 50 year old vines; appropriately named “terraces from hell” because of its steepness; 25% new oak; 50€ ) delicate, white peaches with a little tiny bit of nut; 14% alcohol
  • 2007 Côteau de Vernon Condrieu (100% Viognier; 65 year old vines; decomposed granite soil; 60€) peaches, raw almonds; 14% alcohol
  • 2007 Blonde du Seigneur Côte-Rôtie (92% Syrah, 8% Viognier; 30 year old vines; 18 months in oak, 30% new oak, $80) black fruit, pepper, tannins; 12.5% alcohol
  • 2007 Sainte-Agathe Côtes du Rhône (100% Syrah; 35 year old vines; $28) strawberries, rhubarb, black pepper, a little bit of old word funk which I like; 12.5% alcohol

What did we buy, why and what would I pair it with?

My friend Susannah and I were talking about eggs with truffles last night as her 3 year old son Phillip, who was dressed in a sports jacket with shoes that light up, prepared pretend meals for us and his imaginary mouse. Perhaps it was Phillip’s prowess with a pretend stove and pan, but I can’t get the eggs out out of my head and think that would be so yummy with these two Condrieus. I also think something like a simple chicken dish, lobster or asparagus would do the job nicely.

  • 2007 Chaillées de l’Enfer Condrieu – I enjoyed the delicateness and little bit of nut I got on the finish. I also fancied the translation of its name – Terraces from Hell.
  • 2007 Côteau de Vernon Condrieu – This is their original vineyard and part of the history of Condrieu. We had to walk away with some of this. It also came in half bottles, which I thought was nice to mix it up as we aren’t always in the mood for a whole bottle.
  • 2007 Blonde du Seigneur Côte-Rôtie– It was the best of the reds we tasted there. I am feeling something gamey or stew-like for this one – a little bit of winter comfort food plus this bottle would be heavenly.

Domaine Faury

La Ribaudy, Chavanay
+33 4 74 87 26 00
email: p.faury@42.sideral.fr
They were in the thick of the harvest when we arrived, but Lionel Faury, who works side-by-side with his father Philippe, sat down with us for our tasting. Faury currently has about 17 hectares (41 acres), 8.5 in St. Joseph, 2 in Côte-Rôtie, 3 in Condrieu and 3.5 VDP (Vin de Pays or “Country Wine”).

VDP sidebar…  VDP respresents about 20% of France’s wine production. (source: WSET 2005 – Exploring the World of Wines and Spirits). Laws are specific in AOC regions, dictating among other things, the exact percentage of certain varietals permitted by terroir in the vinification process. As an example, Côte Rôtie is only allowed up to 20% Viognier and 100% of the residual portion must be Syrah. VDP has fewer restrictions than higher appellations and often encourages creative wine makers, which we as wine drinkers, get to benefit from as VDP Comtes Rhodaniens (VDP from the Northern Rhône) can be quite yummy and not expensive.

In the past, Domaine Faury had been recognized for a classic and traditional interpretation of Northern Rhône wines, but Lionel added, “I think I am a young wine maker who makes his best for the wine and I think I would like to find a good balance between the ‘tradition’ and the ‘evolution’ way of making wine.” Faury wines are featured on the wine lists of some select, high profile restaurants and are very grateful for the exposure they’ve received as a result. However, Phillipe was indifferent to any pomp or stature associated with listing these restaurants. His focus was on the the viticulture and the quality of the wine itself, being a wine maker first and foremost, which was especially charming. The wines were so reasonably priced, especially for the quality. As we left their home and winery armed with our purchases, the entire Faury family waved goodbye to us from their patio.

Tasting Notes:

Prices indicated below are the cost at the vineyard and are not inclusive of import fees, taxes, shipping etc. All wines were grown and made on premises (Domaine).

  • 2007 Cuvée La Berne Condrieu (100% Vignier; 40 year old vines, single parcel named after the former owner; aged in 25% new oak, 25% old oak and 50% in stainless steel; 27€) quince, melon, minerality, floral, very delicate; 14.5% alcohol
  • 2007 Saint-Joseph (100% Syrah; 12€) roses, red bell pepper; 13% alcohol; decent tannins, drink in next few years
  • 2007 Cuvée La Gloriette Saint-Joseph (100% Syrah; 3 parcels, old vines 40-60 years; 16€) roses, toast, violets, cassis; 13% alcohol; decent tannins, can age 5-10 years
  • 2007 Côte-Rôtie (85% Syrah, 15% Viognier; 27.5€) figs, violets, floral; 13% alcohol 4-6 years can keep for 12 years

What did we buy and why and what would I pair it with?

  • 2007 Cuvée La Berne Condrieu – We loved the delicacy and minerality on this one. You cannot beat the price and quality. I’m just loving simply prepared white meat dishes which won’t complete with its perfume, a delicate seafood or simple dumplings with this. You can’t go wrong.
  • 2007 Cuvée La Gloriette Saint-Joseph – I am going to sound redundant, but it was an amazing wine for this price point. With that bit of fig on the palate, I’d pair it with duck, lamb or pork.


The Northern Rhône – E. Guigal

E. Guigal

Ampuis, Côte-Rôtie
+33-4-74-56-10-22
www.guigal.com
“In certain magical places, dreams can sometimes become reality.”

With an annual production of 6 million bottles, a cellar with wines dating back to 1946 and a proud family legacy, this is one of the behemoths of wine production in the Rhône Valley, and therefore, a great place to get a solid lay of the land. E. Guigal is currently run by father-son team Marcel and Philippe Guigal.

Cave Guigal
Cave Guigal

Stéphane Croxet, who runs the export department of Guigal, graciously offered to give us a tour in either English or French. Since I am married to a Frenchie, my French has improved tremendously over the past few years, but I am not there yet with complete fluency, especially incorporating technical jargon and the velocity of speech. I was grateful for his lingual dexterity and the thoroughness of his explanation of the wine making process at Guigal.

In the Northern Rhône, Guigal acts as both producer and negociant. However, in the Southern Rhône, Guigal acts exclusively as negociant. Negociants make the wine, but purchase the grapes from growers. Even though they don’t technically farm these grapes, negociants are heavily involved in the viticulture. As with a talented chef, most wine makers are super control freaks with their craft. I can relate to this. In fact, I embrace and salute the control freaks among us. Just try to be in the kitchen with me when I am cooking – things have to be done a certain way and in a certain order, with certain ingredients – I get it.

Guigal runs a tight ship, so it was of no surprise to me that their capacity as negociant follows suit. They are involved in the entire viticulture process – from the growth to selecting the day of harvest. Growers know that grapes will not officially be accepted until they arrive for vinification and have been tested personally by Guigal. This family has earned the respect of the growers and is well regarded by their peers. For Guigal, reputation is paramount to all. Business with Guigal is still done to this day by hand shake. As Stéphane explained, “We give our word and for us it’s equivalent to a written contract. It’s worked liked that since the beginning (3 generations).”

Although, Guigal has the right to reject the grapes, it is a rare occurrence since Guigal has worked with these producers for many years, every step of the way in the viticulture process. In tandem, the respect for the relationship and time spent nurturing the vines is reciprocated by Guigal. Stéphane conveyed, “It’s only right that we respect the time and passion that they have put into harvesting the grapes for us. This courtesy needs to be extended to them as well.” Guigal has 2 back-up control methods in place for the machinery to ensure that grapes are received and processed ASAP to avoid wasting precious time. As in the case with some of the grapes for the production of their Châteauneuf-du-Pape, these growers travel for several hours from the Southern Rhône, so the back-up controls are critical to guarantee expeditious receipt of the grapes.

Vinification:

For red wines, to extract as much color and tannins from the skins as possible, wines are either produced by remontage/pumping over or punching down. Remontage/pumping over draws wine from the bottom of the vat and then pumps it to the top. This helps to break up the crust of skins, pips. etc. (often referred to as the châpeau) which forms at the top. Punching down is the process of literally punching down the skins and pips with devices such as paddles or rakes to extract color and tannins. In the secondary/malolactic fermentation, the liquid from the châpeau is added.

Guigal uses both large and small barrels for aging, with the large barrels used for red wines and small barrels for white wines. Red wine typically has enough tannins already, so the larger barrels are used as there is less surface area of contact by volume. Since 2003, Guigal has manufactured smaller barrels at a cooperage using hand selected French oak. Costly and precious new oak is saved for their absolute best wines. The Viognier for their Condrieu spends about 9 months on the oak, whereas the Syrah for their Côte-Rôtie can spend as long as 42 months. Typically, they use their barrels for up to 20-25 years and then send them to Scotland for the aging process of Scotch.

Sales:

Of the 6 million bottles produced annually by Guigal, half of their production is exported, of which, half of that goes to the United States. For Guigal, the U.S. market seems to prefer Châteauneuf-du-Pape. I am going to speculate on this, but one would have to think the heavy demand for Châteauneuf-du-Pape in the U.S. is driven by its favor among many influential wine critics. If you fell into the aforementioned population, I highly recommend branching out. Be zany. Mix it up. Try the Côte-Rôtie. Or throw in a real thought provoker – the Condrieu. You’ll be glad you tried something new.

Tasting Notes:

Prices indicated below are the cost at the vineyard and are not inclusive of import fees, taxes, shipping etc. I’ve noted wines in which Guigal both grows the grapes and produces the wine (Domaine). Unless noted, Guigal acts in the negociant capacity.

  • 2007 Condrieu (100% Viognier; 9 months fermentation, 1/3 oak, 2/3 stainless steel; sand and granite soil; 30 year old vines; ST 90/WS 91, $51): white peaches, lychees, figs; nice minerality, lovely lingering finish; 13% alcohol
  • 2007 Crozes-Hermitage Blanc (95% Marsanne, 5% Roussanne; 12 months partially in oak; clay, silt, sand and gravel soil; 25 year old vines; 6.95€): commented to us 2007 is better than 2006; ripe apples, acacia honey: lingering finish; 13% alcohol
  • 2008 Condrieu “La Doriane” DOMAINE (100% Viognier; 9 months in 100% new barrels; shale and silicone soil; 35 year old vines, 35.74€): elegant, white peaches, violets, white flowers; acidity balances the alcohol nicely; minerality sneaks up on your palate (in a good way); 13.5% alcohol
  • 2005 Châteauneuf-du-Pape (80% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 5% Mourverde; 45 year old vines; 20.22€): obviously 2005 was a very good vintage for all and this one can age nicely; red cherries, vanilla, chocolate, coffee; still a little chewy
  • 2005 Côte-Rôtie “Brune & Blonde de Guigal” (96% Syrah, 4% Viognier;  2 years in oak barrels, second time barrel was used; Brune – iron oxide rich soil, Blonde – silicone and limestone soil; 35 year old vines, 28.25€): elegant, well rounded, not quite ripe cherries, vegetal, black pepper; will age well, nicely integrated
  • 2003 Hermitage Rouge (100% Syrah; aged in oak for 2 years, 2nd time oak used; limestone and clay soil, 40 year old vines; 38.36€): stewed strawberries, white pepper, licorice
  • 2004 Côte-Rôtie Chateau d’Ampuis DOMAINE (95% Syrah, 5% Viognier; 38 months in new oak; 6 terroirs; 50 year old vines; ST 93/WS 92, $177) dark cherries, leather, pain grillé, slight vegetal tone; drink now, but can age
  • 2005 La Turque DOMAINE (93% Syrah, 7% Viognier; 42 months in new oak, single parcel; 15 year old vines; ST 96/100 RP, $449): They were generous enough to let us taste one of the beloved and famous “La Las” – La Landonne, La Mouline and La Turque. Stéphane conveyed that they sell out right away on the release date (1 February). With a cult-like following, the futures market on this stuff is insane. Figs, dark cocoa, white pepper, tannins – still a little chewy – will age beautifully.

What did we buy, why and what would I pair with it?

  • 2007 Condrieu – I am infatuated with Condrieu – maybe even obsessed. Viognier can be a high maintenance grape, and this trickles down to the end cost. I loved the minerality, elegance and perfume of this one. I thought the price point couldn’t be beat. I’d have it as “apero” (tribute to my family in the south of France), with simply prepared and not too pungent seafood (ex. butter poached lobster, grilled whole fish such as a sea bass) or goat cheese. I am partial to cow’s milk cheese, so I think it would also be unbelievable with a goat cheese blend such as La Tur. The food should be simple and not complete with the perfume of this wine. I’d consume it within the next few years.

    • For the Côte-Rôties below, I’d love to have either one of these with a grass fed, succulent steak cooked medium rare (because that’s how I like it), a great burger, something gamey like duck, a crystalized, aged cheese such as Gouda or a pungent cheese like Epoisses.

  • 2004 Côte-Rôtie Chateau d’Ampuis – The priciest that we purchased from Guigal, we were able to benefit from the velvety integration which only comes with age. It continues to have fabulous aging potential and a complexity to match. We’re storing some of these, but drinking some too. I think it will continue to evolve for the next 10 years.
  • 2005 Côte-Rôtie “Brune & Blonde de Guigal” – A great year, a great wine and a great bang for the buck. This has some fantastic aging potential and depth. I loved the finish. I’d drink now, but it could also continue to age for the next 10 years.

    • The Northern Rhône – Demystified

    September 2009
    Since this is the first of a series I am rolling out, here’s my game plan when I report on wine regions:

    • Part 1: The region demystified. Some find wines intimidating. There’s absolutely no need for this. Wine is supposed to be fun and enjoyed. I think it’s critical to know what’s behind the curtain in order to establish a base understanding. For some, this section might be too much information (and might have the same effect as listening to Charlie Brown’s teacher prattle on). All good- just skip down to the tasting notes or flash forward to the tasting party.
    • Parts 2-4: Wineries and Tasting Notes (length will vary based on the visits)
    • Part 5: A Tasting Party (at your home, suggestions for a few budgets)

    September 2009
    Côte-Rôtie, Condrieu, Saint-Joseph, Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage and Cornas

    Part 1 –

    The Vintages – Great Expectations?

    • 2007: “Sunny vintage, rich and fat wines, with an interesting roundness, medium keeping potential,” said Stéphane Croxet, Head of the Export Department at E. Guigal. “2007 was cloudy but not rainy. We had a wonderful month of September with a 3 week period of sunny and hot weather.” commented Lionel Faury, who works side-by-side with his father Philippe at Domaine Faury.
    • 2008: “A gourmand vintage of fruit-laden wines with silky tannins,” noted Yves Cuilleron, Domaine Yves Cuilleron. Lionel Faury elaborated, “Lots of pleasure for the reds now, but not a vintage to keep years and years. 2008 was pretty difficult, but saved by September with a very windy period and 3 weeks of dry. A vintage for good viticulturist.” Stéphane Croxet added “fresh vintage wines with a nice minerality that should be enjoyed young.”
    • 2009: Yves Cuilleron shared with me, “I just finished the 2009 harvest, this vintage looks like it will be a beautiful year, thanks to the favourable weather since spring with record sunshine and a beautiful month of September, which enabled an optimal maturity of the grapes. This vintage will give rich and balanced wines, with colourful reds.” “Seems exceptional at the moment: complex fruit and structure, supple tannins, very good keeping potential,” commented Stéphane Croxet. Lionel Faury stated, “2009 had dry, beautiful weather… The reds should rock our world… A vintage for winemakers.” He expects “whites to be high in alcohol (14-14.3%).” Although it was a little too early to tell, he added his concerns about “the possibility of not enough acidity for the balance in the whites.”

    Terroir – What is it and why do we care?

    coteaux

    It’s not Falcon Crest. Sorry to destroy your fantasy, but you won’t see a slew of women dressed up in cocktail dresses running around wine country. It’s a bunch of farmers who are immensely passionate about their craft. What matters the most with farming? Location, location and the critical variables….So
    terroir = location + climate + varietal(s).
    It is the primary impetus for the performance of the wine. Therefore, it makes sense that the French would name their wines after the terroir.

    Location

    In Côte-Rôtie, two terroirs dominate – Côte Blonde and Côte Brune – and they are divided by a volcanic fault line. Legend has it that “The master of these two premises had two daughters, one with deep chestnut hair, the other as fair as a cornfield. He offered to each a large dowry upon their marriage, one of the best hillsides he possessed. These he named – the brown and blond slopes – La Côte Brune et La Côte Blonde.” (E.Guigal marketing literature)

    piedIn Côte Blonde, the southern vineyards, Viognier dominates. The sandy, schist and calcareous soil on top of its granite base produces elegant and feminine wines with a great deal of finesse. In Côte Brune, the northern vineyards, Syrah dominates. The schist and iron rich soils along with the different micro-climates produce powerful and more tannic wines.

    The terrain is precipitously steep, so hand harvesting is mandatory (and required for AOC regulations). Vines produce their finest offspring when they think they are dying; therefore, the best grapes for wine grow in poor soil (rather than fertile soil).  In order to achieve the finest grapes, proper pruning is essential. They use Single Guygot and Gobelet pruning in the Northern Rhône. Vines are then generally trained into a tepee shape to provide stability from the strong winds.

    Climate

    Continental with a Mediterranean impact. Translation: warmer summers and cooler winters

    Varietals

    • Condrieu is 100% Viognier. No doubt, she is the fair maiden of the land. As such, many producers proudly stake signs along the mountainside claiming their territories. Viognier is a difficult grape to work with because it can rapidly build up high sugar levels. These wines continue to evolve immensely as soon as the bottle is opened, metamorphosizing into many life forms. I believe the only way to truly experience the potential for this wine is to consume it over the course of an hour or so. It is elegantly perfumed with scents of violets, honeysuckle, peaches and apricots. At first, the wine screams, “I am a dainty lady;” however, you quickly realize how cerebral this dainty lady can be. She is no shrinking violet and is a force to reckon with.
    • Côte-Rôtie (literally translates to roasted slope) is predominately Syrah based. Producers are allowed to add up to 20% Viognier. Some are starting to stick closer to 100% Syrah for their Côte-Rôtie and most of the producers I met keep the Viognier allocation below 10%. The producers we visited actually grow the Viognier for their Côte-Rôtie directly alongside the Syrah, which I found interesting. Stéphane Croxet elaborated, “That is to say that the Viognier vines are scattered within that Syrah ones and the wine-makers work as if they had only one kind of grape planted. Both varieties are harvested at the same time and co-fermented. That is something traditional here in Côte-Rôtie, used to soften and give a more feminine touch to the Syrah.” It is a beautiful, elegant and sophisticated red which, in my opinion, people don’t take enough notice of – OR – if they do, they drink too young. Typically, a Côte-Rôtie will have notes of violets and spice. These wines can stand toe-to-toe in a food pairing with foods similar to what you’d pair with a premier cru from Bordeaux.

    Since we were in the areas of Condrieu and Ampuis, my focus this time around was on Condrieu and Côte-Rôtie. However, we had quite a sampling of the other wines from the Northern Rhône and they were very yummy. I’ve included those in my tasting notes. Here is a cursory overview of the others we tasted –

    • Saint-Joseph: Syrah based with up to 10% Marsanne and Roussanne. The southeast facing slope soil is sandy, granite, shale and gneiss, with some clay. Typically, it has scents of black fruit.
    • Hermitage Rouge: Syrah based with up to 15% Marsanne and Roussanne. The soil is primarily granite. It tends to be silky, spicy and plummy, with scents of black fruits.
    • Crozes-Hermitage: Syrah based with up to 15% Marsanne and Roussanne. The soil has some bits of clay, is pebbled and well filtered. It covers 11 communes. In most cases smoky, raspberry aromas linger.
    • Cornas: This is a sought after, sun trapped, small parcel of land. It is 100% Syrah, dark and inky in color, with scents of black currants and black fruit.