The Original Farmers Market is a Los Angeles treasure. It was founded at the corner of 3rd and Fairfax in 1934 as a “village” in which local farmers could sell their wares. The site had previously been a 256-acre ranch, and when oil was discovered on it, in 1900, the owner, A.F. Gilmore, replaced his dairy cattle with oil derricks. The city of Los Angeles had yet to encroach on the property as the crude was brought forth from the ground.
When the development of Los Angeles caught up to the property no new derricks were permitted, and, eventually, the Gilmore expanse grew quiet. It stayed that way into the 1930s, until two entrepreneurs, Fred Beck and Roger Dahljelm, convinced Gilmore’s son, Earl Bell Gilmore, that a farmers market would be a great venture for the property. The rest is history.
The Gilmores still own the market, and today it’s home to more than 100 vendors, including grocers, restaurants (the famed Du-Par’s among them) and shops and businesses, from jewelry, clothing, and art stores to barbers, shoemakers, and houseware merchants.
I don’t get to the Original Farmers Market often enough, but I recently attended a wine dinner at a restaurant there, Ettore Vino & Cucina, and not only were the food and wines pleasing, but the visit has also served as a personal directive for me to take myself to 3rd and Fairfax on a regular basis.
Ettore Vino & Cucina is the restaurant and tasting room of Ettore Winery, which is located in Hopland, California. Ettore Biraghi and Sofia Rivier are the winemakers, and the estate, in Mendocino’s Sanel Valley, comprises 64 acres, of which 35 are planted with vines. The property is situated 500 to 600 feet above sea level, and gravelly, loamy soils dominate.
The Ettore estate vineyard is the source of five grape varieties. (Ettore Winery)
The Ettore vineyard lies at the foot of Duncan Peak in the Sanel Valley. (Ettore Winery)
The occasion for my visit to Ettore Vino & Cucina was a winemaker dinner, presented by Biraghi and Rivier, along with Fabrizio de Falco, the restaurant’s managing director. Nine wines paired with a five-course menu was the plan, and I could not have been happier with the pairings if I had selected them myself.
The team behind Ettore Vino & Cucina, Sofia Rivier, Fabrizio de Falco, and Ettore Biraghi, speak to guests at a wine dinner at the restaurant. (Please the Palate)
A menu whose stars were the Bolognese and petit verdot. (Brockhaus Photography)
First, the two wines that pleased me the most: the 2023 Ettore Pure Chardonnay ($18) and the 2021 Ettore Petit Verdot ($38). The former, an unoaked, 100 percent stainless steel wine that does undergo full malolactic conversion, was delightful with the prosciutto di Parma and gnocco fritto, while the latter, partnered with a hanger steak (diaframma in Italian), was the pairing of the evening.
Gnocco fritto and prosciutto di Parma began the wine dinner. (Please the Palate)
Hanger steak paired well with a 2021 Petit Verdot from Ettore Winery. (Please the Palate)
What I like about this chardonnay is its vibrancy: one sip brightens the palate, and it is an excellent food wine. Lemon and jasmine on the nose, nice herbal notes as well. Medium acidity and body and an austere finish result in a wine that drinks above its price point. The alcohol level is 13.5 percent, and 1,296 cases were produced.
The petit verdot was for me the best wine of the evening; Biraghi and Rivier used fruit from vines planted 29 and 26 years ago to produce this wine, which is dark purple in color and full of body. Robust tannins, distinct violet and dark berry aromas, touches of spice (black pepper) and a fine herbaceousness combine to create a beautiful wine. A total of 168 cases were produced.
A sformato di carote was served over a gorgonzola sauce. (Please the Palate)
Tagliatelle alla Bolognese was a great companion for the Ettore petit verdot. (Please the Palate)
Ettore farms organically, and uses products certified by California Certified Organic Farmers, a nonprofit group that promotes organic agricultural practices through education, advocacy, and certification. Biraghi, who was born in Varese, Italy, and lives in Switzerland, and Rivier, who was raised in Argentina and trained in Switzerland and now resides in the Mendocino Valley, both put a premium on making low-intervention wines, and the phrase “made with organic grapes” is displayed prominently on the brand’s bottles. A major component of the duo’s winemaking is the Purovino method, which is designed to reduce or eliminate the addition of sulfites. Grapes are treated with ozone, which sanitizes them and helps manage oxidation. All fruit at Ettore is harvested by hand.
Biraghi first visited Mendocino in 2015, and had a hunch that its terroir would suit his goal of making low-intervention wines; his project was established in 2019, though the winery itself is more than 100 years old. The brand includes olive oil as well, made from trees on the Ettore property.
The other wines I tasted at the dinner included Ettore’s 2022 and 2019 Reserve Chardonnay ($22), 2022 and 2019 Rosso ($28), 2022 and 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Signature ($34), and the winery’s 2019 Merlot ($35). The Rosso bottles — a blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and petit verdot — were paired on the menu with the tagliatelle alla Bolognese, to wonderful effect. Rich meat sauce, rich, full-bodied wines that cut through the bold dish, toothsome homemade pasta … nothing more needed.
If you are in Los Angeles I recommend adding a visit to the farmers market and booking a table for dinner at Ettore Vino & Cucina. You can purchase Ettore wines here, or ask for them at your favorite merchant.
Memories of wines I’ve tasted persist, in some instances for a long while. I left Brooklyn — bound for a newspaper job in Abu Dhabi — back in 2008, and a few evenings before my departure I shared a table with a friend at a favorite restaurant near my apartment. I brought along a 1991 Château Pavie, and remember still my first sip of that bottle. Elegant and ethereal, well suited to the weather, cuisine, and occasion. On another evening I was in Paris, at a wine bar in the Marais hanging out with colleagues after work celebrating a milestone publication. The bottle this time was something from the Languedoc, an inexpensive little red wine that likely cost all of 10 euros (a 1999 Château Pavie can be had for $279.99 on FineLiquors.com). These two wines had nothing in common, save their country of origin, and both are indelibly etched in my memory.
I would love an endless supply of this.
That’s what wine, at its best, can do. It allows us to enjoy the moment, the foods we pair with the bottle, the design and sounds of the dining room, the smile of a friend, the profound immediacy. Then, months, years, or decades later, the memory of the wine brings pleasure once again. You have similar memories, I imagine, of bottles and tables and dishes and the people with whom you shared wines and conversation. Sounds and scents and images and tastes and … so much more that might not be knowable to you until one day you are sitting alone at a table in a restaurant and into your mind slides memories of that long-ago dinner and the wines served at it.
I try to keep this in mind when opening a bottle, whether I’m sampling for reviews or sharing, say, a Pfalz riesling with friends at a meal. I know the wine means something in the moment, and the idea that certain wines will sustain me in manner other than in-the-mouth gustatorily gives me pleasure.
Now, on to a new year of tastes, flavors, dinners and dishes, and, of course, memories.
Chris Kajani has been making wine at Bouchaine Vineyards since 2015.
I tasted three different 2023-vintage chardonnays from Bouchaine recently, and winemaker Chris Kajani is, based on my impression of these wines, continuing her astute, intuitive stewardship of the Carneros AVA estate. The lineup included Unoaked ($40), Estate ($40), and Reserve ($70) chardonnays, and I sampled them at one sitting, each bottle chilled to 52 degrees Fahrenheit.
The 2023 growing season was, according to Bouchaine’s team, “a lesson in patience.” A cooler summer led to slower ripening and later harvest — the end of September instead of the more typical late August. The chardonnay fruit had additional time to develop, and that time and quality is well represented in these wines.
A ‘naked’ chardonnay from the Carneros AVA.
The Bouchaine Unoaked chardonnay is suited to those who like to drink wine made from this noble grape devoid of oak influence, malolactic conversion (some winemakers, however, do allow no-oak chardonnay to undergo malo conversion) or bâtonnage. I like wines from Chablis, and I really liked this chardonnay from Napa’s Carneros district. Sweet-tart apple aromas, a touch of lemon blossom and other citrus flavors, fresh, crisp, vibrant, and excellent with grilled shrimp basted with garlic butter — my pairing for dinner on the evening I sampled these Bouchaine wines. Drink now, or hold for a year or two if curious about how it will age. Click here to purchase.
The Estate Chardonnay made by Kajani does see oak, and here’s some specificity from the Bouchaine team: It was bottled on Aug. 5, 2024, and aged for 10 months — 50 percent malolactic conversion, 90 percent barrel fermented, 10 percent tank fermented, 18 percent new oak. Kajani produces more than a dozen chardonnays from the estate’s blocks and blends what she deems the best of them for the final product. I liked this wine’s beguiling combination of richness and vibrance. Oak is not overwhelming, and the mélange of citrus and apple made me very happy. There’s no reason to not serve this with a roast pork loin and share with a few good friends. Click here to purchase.
This chardonnay pairs well with scallops.
The final bottle I tasted from this trio was the Reserve Chardonnay. The Bouchaine team said its intention here was “to create a concentrated, lush style of Chardonnay,” and Kajani succeeded in that. It was fermented 100 percent in barrel (38 percent new oak), and aged for nine months. Fruit was harvested from October 16-19, and bottling took place on Aug. 5, 2024; 200 cases were produced. Malolactic conversion is in full force here, along with sur lie aging. Carneros chardonnay is known for its cool-climate leanness and acidity, and that shines in this wine; the symbiotic play of oak and malo conversion and Bouchaine’s 1984-planted chardonnay performs with aplomb here. On the evening following my Bouchaine tasting session I wrapped some sea scallops in jamón Ibérico and seared them, and I drank the Bouchaine Reserve Chardonnay with those scallops. Delicious, sensual interplay. Purchase here.
This dry amber wine from Georgia is a great value.
Another 2023 I sampled recently is the Vazisubani Estate 3 Qvevri, an amber wine from Georgia. It’s a blend of rkatsiteli (15 percent), mtsvane (40 Percent), and kisi (45 percent), grapes identified with the country that many consider the birthplace of wine: research has documented more than 8,000 years of continuous winemaking in the region. Qvevri refers to the clay vessels traditionally used by Georgians; wines are fermented in the vessels underground. This orange wine carries a suggested retail price of $19.99, making it in my opinion a great value. Fruit, from vines planted between 1,500 and 1,800 feet above sea level, was harvested by hand and partially destemmed. Great acidity and robust tannins, dried apricots, green almond, licorice root, orange peel. This sees no oak, but something in the mouth is evocative of baking spices or vanilla. I’d love to drink this wine with a chicken dish featuring a walnut-based sauce.
Cleto Chiarli is a historic producer of Lambrusco.
Rounding out this tasting roster is the Cleto Chiarli “Centenario” Lambrusco di Modena DOC Amabile ($15). I am an avid booster of Lambrusco, and Cleto Chiarli is one of my favorite producers. The Centenario was introduced 100 years after the winery’s 1860 founding, and is 100 percent Lambrusco Grasparossa. Alcohol is 8 percent, so keep that in mind when you are looking for something refreshing to drink with pizza or a hamburger. The high acidity of this wine balances its sweetness in a manner that makes one keep going back for one more sip. The Charmant method is used here, and if you are wondering, “Amabile” refers to a wine that is sweet, but not so sweet that dessert is its only wise pairing. I would, however, have no issue if you chose to open this bottle and drink it with a slice of not-so-sweet chocolate cake. Purchase here.
Sparkling wine — be it Champagne, Cava, Prosecco, or anything else with bubbles and alcohol that is made well — is something I never take for granted. I counsel anyone who will listen to me to have a bottle or two chilling in the refrigerator at all times. I know I am at the right place when I visit a friend’s home or am a guest at a dinner party and the host offers a glass of sparkling to begin the evening.
The holiday season is drawing near, and even if you are not someone who partakes of sparkling wines on, say, a weekly basis, chances are high that you’ll add some bottles of Champagne or Cava to your shopping list between now and the end of the year. There’s nothing better to kick off a festive gathering, be it a dinner party or a garden soirée, and the elegance of a sparkling wine sets an intimate and relaxed tone, one that encourages conversation and creates good cheer.
I’ll be publishing a number of articles — including gift guides — leading up to the holiday season that will feature sparkling wines, from vintage grower Champagnes to Cava and cider, but to kick off the celebrations my tastings this week focus on three sparkling wines that represent outstanding value, each commendable in its own way. No Champagne here, but this is a delicious roster nonetheless.
Up first, the 2022 Duckhorn Vineyards Napa Valley Blanc de Blancs. It follows on from the inaugural 2021 vintage, the first ever sparkling wine made by the St. Helena-based brand, which was established by Margaret and Dan Duckhorn in 1976. This méthode champenoise wine is 100 percent Chardonnay from cool-climate vineyards in the Los Carneros region of Napa Valley Carneros, including El Veredicto, which is owned by Duckhorn.
Cheese or oysters? Pairing either with this sparkling wine is a good decision.
Renée Ary made 175 cases of this wine, which has a suggested retail price of $64. Alcohol is 12.5 percent, and aging took place for 10 months in 70 percent neutral French oak and 30 percent in second-vintage barrels. Tirage: 32 months.
Renée Ary, the fourth ever winemaker in Duckhorn’s history, was named to the position in 2014. (Bob McClenahan)
What I especially like about this wine is its fine and detailed effervescence and the lovely brioche notes it possesses. Apple and citrus sing on the palate, and a velvety/decadent mouthfeel complete the experience. It’s a great bottle to open at the beginning of a meal, and as for food, I paired it with a selection of cheeses — a Camembert, some Brie, and a Gorgonzola — and heard no complaints. I have another bottle on hand and its destiny is a date with a platter of Kumamoto oysters come December. Overall a commendable domestic sparkling wine.
We’ll remain on the West Coast of the United States for our next bottle, which is the 2019 Argyle Blanc de Blancs ($30 SRP, and I have found the ’19 for around $20 on several retail sites). Nate Klostermann, who celebrated his 20th harvest at Argyle in 2024, made some amazing wines at the estate, for which he became head winemaker in 2013. He stepped down earlier this year and was succeeded by Kate Payne Brown.
This inexpensive selection — the 2022 vintage is the current release — is 100 percent Chardonnay from the Willamette Valley, specifically Knudsen and Spirit Hill vineyards. If you are searching for a sparkling wine to serve at dinner parties or to become your everyday house selection, this is an ideal candidate. You might even consider doing what I did and get a few bottles of the ’19 and the ’22 and conduct a tasting panel to compare and contrast.
A wine that represents outstanding value in the domestic sparkling world.
Freshness is the word to know here, followed closely by precision. From the minute you pour this wine into your stem you sense Klostermann’s exacting approach. It’s a focused offering, one that drinks far above its cost. Scents of lively citrus and white flowers proceed to delicate brioche and concise mineral acidity on the palate — do serve this in a bowl stem, as opposed to a flute, because you want to accentuate the bouquet.
Nate Klostermann in an Argyle vineyard. (Argyle)
Kate Payne Brown became head winemaker at Argyle earlier this year. (Argyle)
Klostermann made 2,200 cases of the 2019, and Dijon clones 76, 95, and 96 were involved. It was aged en tirage for 30 months, and its fine bubbles are pleasing and sensual. I’ll return to oysters again when thinking of food pairings, but at a recent meal my dining companion and I enjoyed this wine with dishes of shrimp dumplings and fried chicken legs at Si! Mon, a restaurant near Venice Beach.
Si! Mon’s ‘Afro-Caribbean’ shrimp dumplings, one of my favorite dishes of 2025, includes a coconut bisque and charred scallion oil.
The fried chicken legs at Si! Mon.
Rounding out this sparkling wine sampler is a fun Rosso Cònero DOC Pétillant Naturel from Garofoli. I’ve never taken to using the (to my sensibilities) too-cute phrase “pét-nat,” but don’t let my formal approach ruin your fun. And this wine, the Pét Kon Vino Rosato Frizzante, is nothing if not fun. It retails for the grand sum of $18, it is 100 percent Montepulciano, it has a bouncing, frisky fizz, and it pairs wonderfully well with hamburgers and pizza.
Winemaker Carlo Garofoli ages this unfiltered wine for five months in the bottle, following whole-cluster fermentation and partial carbonic maceration in stainless steel tanks.
Your burger pairing has arrived.
I love the color of this wine, a tempting, slightly cloudy salmon pink that playfully attracts the eye. Aromas of red berries — cherry and raspberry in an appealing manner — and on the palate a touch of mint, coupled with cherry and those aforementioned berries, plus lemon, result in a fresh, and refreshing, pour. Yes, you can open a bottle of this crown-closure wine to serve with your favorite hamburger, but an evening spent at table with the Pét Kon, a few friends, and fresh pupusas, barbacoa tacos, and grilled garlicky shrimp would be perfect.
Garafoli dates its founding to 1871, and is still a family concern, overseeing four estate vineyards encompassing 128 acres. Wines produced include Verdicchio deli Castelli di Jesi, Rosso Piceno, and Verdicchio di Matelica. The family also purchases fruit from growers and produces approximately 2,000,000 bottles a year.
Three sparkling wines at three price points, each a fine value and worth adding to your holiday shopping list. Up next, along with the usual mix, a few vintage Champagnes, some Cava, and a list of items for those searching for wine- and food-centric gifts.
The annual World of Pinot Noir extravaganza is a great event to attend; I was there this year for the first time, and look forward to the 2026 edition. More than 200 Pinot producers poured their wines and the seminars, lunches, and dinners were thoughtful and informative.
Alma Rosa winemaker Samra Morris, right, at this year’s World of Pinot Noir in Santa Barbara with Angela Shah and me.
As an appetizer to the main event, Wally’s Presents: WOPN LA is taking place on Oct. 25, and if you like Pinot Noir now is the time to get your tickets (purchase here). The Pacific Design Center is the venue, and from 2 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. you can taste wines from Alma Rosa, Calera, Bien Nacido, Dusty Nabor Wines, Kosta Browne, Presqu’ile Winery, and many other producers. Tickets are $125, and if you use promo code WOPN2025 you can save $50 if you buy two.
Dan Fredman pours Champagne at this year’s World of Pinot Noir.
Ciliegiolo. That’s an Italian word. It’s fun to pronounce. It’s fun to drink. And it leads this edition of Tasting Notes.
Ciliegiolo is a grape that originated in Italy, where it is found primarily, if not solely, in Tuscany, Lazio, Liguria, Puglia, and Umbria. The word translated into English means “small cherry;” its berries resemble that stone fruit and the wines made from them are redolent of cherries. It is not a variety that you are likely to have heard about on a regular basis, but those who know it are well aware of its value and importance. And since winemakers are paying more attention to it as a grape to shine on its own, as opposed to mainly blending it with Sangiovese to “soften” the latter’s profile, I hope this ancient grape will come to attract your attention on a more regular basis.
Ciliegiolo: An ancient grape with a disputed DNA. (Photo by Nick Belanger)
“In my view, Ciliegiolo is one of the most underappreciated grape varieties, allowing for wines of mesmerizingly pure aromas and flavors,” writes Ian D’Agata in “Native Wine Grapes of Italy” (2014), and I agree with him. (D’Agata’s book is one of my favorites on the subject, and if it is not in your library I urge you to acquire it, along with his more recent “Italy’s Native Wine Grape Terroirs.”)
Ciliegiolo’s parentage is the subject of ongoing debate. D’Agata included a compendium of DNA studies in his book that have been carried out on the variety, which was, according to the author, “most likely first described in the 1600s by Soderini, whose description of a Ciriegiuolo grapevine resembles the Ciliegiolo we know today.” D’Agata’s compendium is thorough and makes for fascinating study, and for readers who appreciate such things I recommend turning to page 248 of “Native Wine Grapes of Italy.” Suffice to say that researchers behind ongoing DNA analyses are sparring still as to the parentage and makeup of Ciliegiolo; is it a progeny of Sangiovese, or is it a natural cross of Sangiovese and Moscato Violetto? D’Agata concludes his say on the subject thusly: “Clearly, this is a matter that needs to be studied in more detail.”
I now embark on a brief journey into Giovan Vettorio Soderini, the Italian agronomist mentioned above, because I like history and biography and he had some influence on the craft of winemaking in Italy. Soderini, who was born in 1526 and died in 1596, was sentenced to beheading because of his protests against the Medici (he was born in Florence), but Ferdinando I de’Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, spared his life and banished him to Cedri, which today has a population of around 35 humans. Soderini had studied law and philosophy in Bologna, but turned his attention to agronomy following his banishment. Trattato della coltivazione delle viti, e del frutto che se ne puo cavare (“Treatise on the Cultivation of the Vineyard, and the Fruit That Can Be Obtained”) (Florence, Filippo Giunti, 1600) is according to many academicians his (posthumously published) masterwork, and copies of it can be purchased still today.
Back to Ciliegiolo, and a bottle of wine I sampled recently that leads this edition of “Tasting Notes.” It’s produced by Badia a Coltibuono and goes by the helpful name Chill Ya Jolo. It, too, is fun to pronounce, and I loved drinking it. It’s 100 percent Ciliegiolo, and sells for around $20. Yes, you should chill this wine well before drinking it.
Ciliegiolo: A grape that deserves wider recognition.
The 2024 Chill Ya Jolo was imminently approachable — I am looking forward to sampling the 2025 — and I tasted it after the bottle reached 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Winemaker Roberto Stucchi Prinetti, aided by consultant Maurizio Castelli, know what it means to put together a wine that makes you smile, and this one certainly does that. It comes with 12 percent alcohol, and 20,000 bottles were produced after aging in stainless steel.
Drink this with pizza, scallops, or a good hamburger.
Labels are made to attract the eye and impart information about the contents of a wine bottle. The ladybug (coccinella in Italian) on this one calls attention to Badia a Coltibuono’s approach to sustainable organic farming, and the Hesse quote is apt: Beauty is in the details.
Back to a little pertinent history now. Badia a Coltibuono — Abbey of the Good Harvest (or Cultivation) — was established in 1051 by Giovanni Gualberto (sainted in 1193 by Pope Celestine III), who founded the Benedictine Vallumbrosan order. It functioned as an abbey until 1810, when it was unable to withstand Napoleon’s assault on the Church. Michele Giuntini, a banker from Florence and ancestor of the current owners, the Stucchi Prinetti family, bought the property in 1846, and that began the estate’s journey to becoming a leader in the Chianti Classico universe.
This wine is liquid ruby; holding a glass to the light makes the Chill Ya Jolo even more inviting. The cherry aroma here is profound — it made me think of a time I had a particularly fresh basket of Lapins cherries and after rinsing sliced a few of them and caught their scent. A little heady, lots of vivacity.
I paired this wine with seared sea scallops; I put the Maillard reaction to good use and made sure that the scallops showed its effect, because that’s a mix of flavors you’ll remember for a long while. The wine’s brightness and lively fruit seemed made for the seafood, which was prepared with a briny vanilla cream sauce.
Chill Ya Jolo might be seen as a summer wine, but in my house wines similar to it are consumed around the year. No reason to put strictures on matters such as these.
The 2022 Nestweaver Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir is next, and it excited my senses for a good while following my initial taste. A subtle aroma blend of raspberry and sweet cherry put me in an expansive mood on the afternoon I sampled this wine, which was made by Patrick Nyeholt. A secondary note on the nose is dried mushroom, a scent that gives this wine a restrained wildness. Its garnet color in the glass promises what I discerned as seriousness.
Nestweaver Wines was launched in 2021 by Caren Frutig Hatton — you might know her as the co-founder of Arietta, which she established alongside her husband, Fritz Hatton, and John and Maggy Kongsgaard, in 1996. “Nestweaver represents the elegant, nuanced Pinot Noir I envisioned creating for over 20 years, and Patrick Nyeholt is the winemaker to bring my vision to fruition,” Frutig says.
Patrick Nyeholt, Caren Frutig Hatton, and Jeffrey Corpuel stand in the Corpuel Family Vineyard, located in California’s Sebastopol Hills. (Photo courtesy Nestweaver)
Some might question the wisdom of pricing the second vintage of a wine produced from purchased fruit at $125, but the market will have final say, as it almost always does. I will say that I have tasted a good number of wines sold at higher prices that satisfied me less than the Nestweaver did, and I’ll leave it at that.
The 2022 vintage — 14 percent alcohol, 122 cases produced, 100 percent Pinot Noir — saw 30 percent new French oak, and nine months of élevage resulted in something that is delicious now and worthy of aging; 140 cases were made. Frutig Hatton says her grandmother, who created a “loving sanctuary” for her family, was the inspiration for the wine, whose label was designed by Frutig Hatton’s daughter, Hattie.
Nestweaver represents the elegant, nuanced Pinot Noir I envisioned creating for over 20 years, and Patrick Nyeholt is the winemaker to bring my vision to fruition.
Nestweaver Wines founder Caren Fruitig Hatton
I find this a cerebral wine, and its soft tannins contribute an elegant touch. Fruit comes from the Corpuel Family Vineyard, a 7.6-acre Sebastopol Hills property planted to Pommard, Swan, and Vosne-Romanée clones by Ulises Valdez, who sadly passed away of a heart attack at the age of 49 in 2018.
Patrick Nyeholt is the head winemaker at Nestweaver, and serves as associate winemaker at Arietta.
I paired the Nestweaver Pinot Noir with a lamb chop seared simply with olive oil and rosemary; the wine gracefully melded with the protein’s gaminess, and the lamb elevated the wine’s midpalate. Nyeholt, who began working under Andy Erickson at Arietta in 2011 and was named head winemaker at Nestweaver in 2022, has produced an intriguing wine, one I hope to revisit soon.
I am a proponent of opening a bottle of sparkling wine as often as one can, be it Champagne, cava, or anything else bubbly and made well. Sharing a bottle with friends and family at the table is a ritual that can slow the pace of a hectic day, encouraging conversation and contemplation. Closing out this edition of Tasting Notes is a wine from Texas, the 2021 Heath Sparkling Wines Adoration. It has a suggested retail price of $61 — Heath club members can get it for $52 — and is a Pinot Noir-dominated blend: 77.2 percent of that sparkling mainstay, along with 17.2 percent Chardonnay, 3.8 percent Pinot Meunier, 1.5 percent Pinot Gris, and .3 percent Pinot Blanc.
Make a platter of spicy friend chicken and pair it with this sparkling rosé.
This sparkling rosé was sampled after being chilled to around 46 degrees Fahrenheit, a temperature that served it (and me) well. A beguiling pale coral hue invites one to sip and savor this wine, which smells of wild strawberry, Bing cherry, and rose petals, a balanced melange. In the mouth, red fruit flavors dominate, then a fine citrus blossom note comes along to finish the experience.
The Heath Adoration is classified as a Brut and has .75 percent residual sugar. It spent only 20 months on the lees, which likely explains the large, vigorous bubbles in the glass. The acidity here is impressive; I paired this bottle with a platter of fried chicken that I made with a slightly spicy batter, and the combination was nearly perfect.
A Bordeaux-stye red blend from the Ballard Canyon AVA is up first in this edition of Tasting Notes, and it’s a selection many of you will want to add to your cellar or wine list. I tasted the 2021 Fenix, from Jonata, on a recent afternoon, along with a few other bottles, and this vintage puts on display the methodical yet agile and intuitive stewardship of winemaker Matt Dees.
The blend is 77 percent Merlot, 14 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, and 9 percent Cabernet Franc, and if you, as I do, love Cabernet Franc, you’ll enjoy the 2021 Fenix even more, because that grape was beautifully evident during my sampling, as it was the next day, when I poured the wine at dinner, pairing it with a duck breast seasoned with salt and star anise.
Where did Jonata get its name? Matt Dees explains. (Jonata)
Dees, who has been overseeing Stan Kroenke’s Jonata since 2004 (and whose purview now includes Kroenke projects The Hilt and The Paring) came to the profession without a degree in oenology, though he did earn a degree in plant and soil science at the University of Vermont, a curriculum relevant to winemaking.
Back to the 2021 Fenix, which was retailed with an average price of $100 (look for it on sites such as Benchmark Wine Group and K&L Wine Merchants, and inquire at your preferred local purveyor). You can also consider becoming a Jonata member for access to current releases and earlier vintages. The 2021 spent 20 months in 50 percent new French oak and 50 percent twice-used French oak barrels (225 liters). Note: One barrique holds 300 750-milliliter bottles of wine. Alcohol clocks in at 14.5 percent, and 1,265 cases of the 2021 were produced.
Dees recently told Levi Dalton in an episode of “I’ll Drink to That” that the Jonata vineyard is the sandiest he’s ever seen, adding that “it’s a beach.” When the Jonata team was surveying the property and assessing it for viability, several winemaking consultants told them that they would be better off growing asparagus or developing a golf course — the sand would be perfect for bunkers. I’m glad Dees didn’t listen to them. The soil there has been producing some stellar wines.
Matt Dees takes soil seriously.
Complex, decadent, focused, architectonic, confident. Those terms came to mind when I sat with the Fenix. Black and dark-blue fruit, buffed leather, and violet notes arouse the olfactory senses, while blackberries, sage, pristine forest floor, plum, and wild mushroom — perhaps chanterelles — meld wonderfully on the palate. Duck breast, as I wrote, pairs well with this wine, as would a rack of lamb. You need some fat to marry the robust (yet remarkably refined) tannins. This is a wine that will please you now, or in 10-plus years if cellared properly.
On to New Zealand
We’ll venture to a wine from New Zealand next, the 2022 Pencarrow Pinot Noir, which I tasted alongside another Pinot from that island country (the latter selection has among its team a very famous name — more on that below).
This Pinot Noir is a steal for $30.
Palliser Estate makes the Pencarrow line, which also includes a Chardonnay, a Pinot Gris, and a Sauvignon Blanc, all made from fruit sourced (100 percent) from Palliser estate’s Marlborough-based vineyards. Guy McMaster is the winemaker, alcohol is 14 percent, and 73 percent of the fruit came from the Pencarrow Vineyard, 24 percent from the Woolshed Vineyard, and 3 percent from the Pinnacles Vineyard. The (mainly) wild-fermented wine is cold-soaked, then pump-overs and plunging take place, followed by 10 months in oak barrels.
As with the Jonata Fenix, I sampled the Pencarrow Pinot Noir on a sunny afternoon immediately after opening the bottle (a screw cap) and finished it later with food. The wine is an attractive light ruby in the glass, an inviting hue. A faint white pepper note marks the aroma, along with wild raspberry, red cherry, and fruity nutmeg. Those profiles continue when one tastes the Pencarrow Pinot Noir, and I picked up some mushroom-centric umami as well. Tannins are powdery, and the finish is sustained. This wine, which retails in the $30-$35 range, is fun to drink, pure fun. Later that day I paired it with a meatloaf made from beef and pork and sun-dried tomatoes and could not have been happier.
A Famous Name
Does the name Sarah Jessica Parker ring a bell? It likely does. She is the famous individual to whom I referred earlier in this piece, and she’s the Invivo X proprietor — her official title with the brand. The 2022 Invivo X SJP Pinot Noir, which Wine Spectator placed at number 82 on its 2024 Top 100 wine list, closes out this edition of Tasting Notes. If you are skeptical of wines linked to celebrities, I understand, but that sector is too large and varied for blanket aversion. This bottle is worthy of your consideration.
From New Zealand comes this wine, which represents a great value.
Marlborough is the region from which the grapes for this wine hails — with a touch of Central Otago fruit added in. It has a suggested retail price of $25, which in my opinion is more than fair. This Pinot Noir is a bit darker in the glass than is the Pencarrow, a hue that is nonetheless fetching. No one I know would mistake this wine for anything other than a Pinot Noir; there is a lively black cherry component, plus allspice and earthy leather, on the nose. The aroma promises something satisfying, and it doesn’t disappoint. A taste reveals cherry and raspberry, with muted oak and smoky spice.
Sarah Jessica Parker and Rob Cameron taste Invivo X SJP samples. (Courtesy Invivo Wines)
The Invivo X SJP has an ABV of 13.5 percent, and fruit was harvested by hand and de-stemmed into open fermenters. Indigenous yeasts began fermentation following a cold-soak of 7 to 10 days. The wine spent 11 months in 35 percent new and 65 percent used French barriques, and malolactic fermentation occurred in barrel.
What did I pair this Pinot Noir with? Salmon. I had a few skin-on, wild-caught coho filets and wanted to see how they’d do with the wine. I seared them (skin-down first; be sure to dry the skin fully before cooking) after seasoning with salt and pepper, and finished by adding a tablespoon of butter to the pan and basting the filets with it. The wine’s tannins complemented the fish’s richness and my guest was ecstatic.
The wines in this Tasting Notes demonstrate terroir well, and the winemaking quality is evident. If you try one (or all of them) let me know what you think. The next edition of Tasting Notes will include a Texas sparkling wine, a California Pinot Noir, and a Tuscan red that loves being chilled.
Aligoté can divide. There are those who disdain it openly, proud, it appears, to proclaim loudly to anyone who will listen that it is not worth the effort it takes to make, that the best Aligoté is inferior to the worst Chardonnay. On the other side of the line are the sane, knowing individuals, the ones who appreciate Aligoté and share their enthusiasm for it with their friends and acquaintances. If you encounter a character who belongs to the first group, nod in agreement and walk calmly away.
Aligoté is a proud grape; Burgundian winemakers love it (check out Les Aligoteurs) and yes, you’ll traditionally find it in your Kir cocktail. (Fascinating history and story behind that apéritif. It was originally known as a “blanc-cassis,” but now honors Félix Kir —1876 – 1968) — a former mayor of Dijon who served the drink to delegations visiting his city to showcase his region’s offerings. What was once made with crème de cassis and red wine had to be made with white wine after the Nazis had their way with Burgundy’s red wine stocks, and the tradition lives on. Put one part crème de cassis in a wine stem and follow with nine parts white wine. Here’s a recipe from the International Bartenders Association.)
Aligoté is in no way an inferior grape, contrary to what the misguided proclaim. It is a cross between Gouais Blanc and Pinot Noir, it is, after Chardonnay, the second most-planted variety in Burgundy, and it represents great value.
Drink this with oysters on the half shell.
One Aligoté that I enjoyed recently is Abbey Road Farm‘s 2023 vintage, available for $35 directly from the producer. I opened the sample bottle and thought, “I must pair this with briny, small oysters,” which is what I did. Royal Miyagi, with lemon and mignonette sauce. Poached shrimp would also be excellent. The wine carries a refined note of salinity, along with unripe apricot and Granny Smith apple. Delicate floral aromatics add to the pleasure. Whole-cluster pressing was used, and this estate Aligoté was aged sur lie for eight months in neutral French oak (70 percent) and in one new Austrian oak puncheon. Drink now.
Abbey Farm Road is an 82-acre farm, winery, and bed and breakfast in Carlton, Oregon. (Abbey Road Farm)
2022 Markham Vineyards Merlot, Napa Valley, California
I have my mind on a Napa Merlot that also represents great value for the price, and I’d recommend finding it soon, because it’s sold out at the producer’s website (though the 2023 vintage will be along soon). I have found it at retailers in the $25-$30 range, however, and it’s worth every dollar. I paired the 2022 Markham Vineyards Napa Valley Merlot with a rack of lamb, and the duo was the centerpiece of a fine meal.
Kimberlee Nicholls is a veteran winemaker and leads the Markham winemaking team. (Markham Vineyards)
This wine, from an all-female winemaking team, is dark red in the glass and offers aromas of black stone fruit, sensuous and warm. You get the familiar cherry and plum flavors on the palate, and freshness and vibrancy that spark conversation. The 2022 Merlot spent 18 months in oak barrels — 30 percent new — and was fermented in stainless steel. It is 95 percent Merlot, 3 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2 percent Malbec.
Markham’s estate vineyards — Yountville Ranch, Little Cannon, and Rockerbox —provide about a third of the fruit here, and head winemaker Kimberlee Nicholls and her team have produced a food-friendly wine that I’d gladly give to all of my cooking friends.
2024 Turnbull “Josephine” Sauvignon Blanc, Oakville AVA, California
Rounding out this edition of Tasting Notes is a Sauvignon Blanc from the Oakville AVA that I particularly liked. It’s available for $50 from the producer, Turnbull Wine Cellars, and holds a place on my list of top 10 Sauvignon Blancs tasted in the past year.
Turnbull Wine Cellars’ ‘Josephine’ Sauvignon Blanc: Graceful, complex, and delicious.
Peter Heitz is the winemaker at Turnbull, and he’s been quoted thusly in reference to this Sauvignon Blanc: “This wine gives me goosebumps — in the best way.” I did not get goosebumps when I tasted this wine, but I am in no position to quibble with Mr. Heitz, nor doubt his reaction, because I did love this bottle. I paired it with a pork loin (garlic, fennel, and parsley). Fermentation and élevage are carried out in terracotta amphorae, concrete tank, and French oak, and the result is an exhilarating journey of citrus joined with grace, complexity, and satisfying texture that pairs well with foods. I couldn’t ask for more in a Sauvignon Blanc.
Peter Heitz is a fourth-generation winemaker.
Fruit in this wine is primarily estate, from Turnbull’s Home Ranch and Fortuna vineyards, complemented by grapes from a North Coast site that sits at 1,600 feet above sea level. If you have friends who think Sauvignon Blanc is not worthy of pairing with serious food, who consider it a “pool sipper,” share some of this wine with them during a meal of the pork loin I mentioned and watch their reactions.
Burgundy is often on my mind. The diverse landscapes and geography, the wines, the cuisines … it is a fabled region with a grand history (the Franks and the Dukes of Burgundy are alone worthy of lifelong study) and captivating present. All that, plus escargots, those heavenly escargots.
A Bugundian staple. (Photo by James Brock)
I spent some time in that magical region – since Jan. 1, 2016, known officially as Bourgogne-Franche-Comté – of France last year, and too many days there would have been too few. I was therefore excited when I received Kosta Browne’s Burgundy Series 2022 vintage lineup, because the wines took me back to the sights, sounds, and smells of Meursault, where my traveling companions and I set up headquarters for a few days in a stone house overlooking a vineyard in the small village (2022 population: 1,376).
A Meursault room with a view. (Photo by James Brock)
Headed to the patisserie in Meursault. (Photo by James Brock)
Meursault is known for its excellent white wines, and when planning a trip to Burgundy don’t overlook the idea of making the village your temporary home. The proximity of the Chassagne-Montrachet and Puligny-Montrachet appellations, to name but two nearby, and the city of Beaune are nothing but bonuses. In addition, Meursault has an excellent patisserie on its town square that makes a fine pain au chocolat, as well as a French-Asian restaurant, La Goutte d’Or, where Yuki and Thomas Broyer’s menu of honest, authentic food includes fricassee of frog legs, duck breast, pike quenelles, sushi, and terrines of pigeon, foie gras, and lobster. La Goutte d’Or’s wine list, full of great values, adds to the story.
To the Burgundy Series wines. Kosta Browne winemaker Julien Howsepian — his family’s roots lie in Burgundy and he speaks French — had long wanted to make wine from grapes grown in the region, and beginning in 2012 began having discussions about the vision.
“Back then, it was just the seed of an idea — a dream waiting to be realized,” he said. “Creating the Burgundy Series has been a remarkable journey, and one of the most inspiring experiences of my career. In many ways, our early years in Burgundy felt like a return to our roots in the Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast, when we were the new kid on the block finding our footing, building relationships with growers and earning their trust and respect.”
Chablis Premier Cru ($115 SRP/$70 member price) is an ideal place to begin my study of Kosta Browne’s Burgundy Series. Kimmeridgian soils is the buzzphrase, and Chardonnay the buzzword, so let’s take a brief look at both.
Julien Howsepian, Kosta Browne’s head winemaker. (Courtesy Kosta Browne)
If you don’t already know, Chablis is — must be by regulation — 100 percent Chardonnay. Then there’s the hierarchy: Petit Chablis, Chablis, Chablis Premier Cru, and Chablis Grand Cru. The latter three originate from vineyards planted on the aforementioned Kimmeridgian soils, while Petit Chablis — the name was first used in 1908 to mark wines not made from Chardonnay grapes and/or not grown in Kimmeridgian soils — is primarily grown on younger, Portlandian soils.
This is putting it simply, but the mineral-rich Kimmeridgian clay and limestone (full of fossilized oyster shells) give the first three appellations astounding minerality and aging potential, while the Portlandian earth produces wines marked by immediate approachability and freshness (plus great value). As a loose rule of thumb — I write “loose” because changes made by winemakers in Chablis have resulted in wines that are offer an abundance of pleasure whether one drinks them young or old, as opposed to times past, when many of the wines were harsh when young or lacked a finesse and depth that was sorely missed — drink Petit Chablis young, perhaps two years after release, Chablis five years after release, and Chablis Premier Cru and Grand Cru five to 10 years (or more) after release. Time will reward you, but if you are impatient do not let me stop you from pulling a cork whenever you desire. To close this topic, it’s a pleasing thing to try a Premier Cru five years after release and the same wine/same vintage five years later. Notice and appreciate the evolution and development of the living liquid.
The first thing that struck me upon tasting the 2022 Kosta Browne Chablis was its singular precision. Lovers of Chablis will be familiar with the flinty minerality these wines possess, and this one is no exception. Retrieve a stone from a river whose waters are clean and flowing and hold it under your nose — that aroma is beautifully represented here, along with white stone fruit and a delicate lemon note. The concise minerality continues in the mouth and marries well with the wine’s distinct acidity. You’ll love opening this bottle and drinking it with a plate of seared sea scallops (prepared simply with garlic and a touch of lemon).
A Chablis of elegance and precision. (Courtesy Kosta Browne)
This wine has an alcohol level of 13.5 percent, and élevage involved the use of 100 percent stainless steel for 13 months. As noted, I would not scold you if you opted to open this Chablis now, but uncorking it in 2028 would not be a bad plan, either.
And we now turn to Pinot Noir, that other grand grape of Burgundy, for the remaining four selections in Kosta Browne’s Burgundy Series vintage 2022 (2020 was the first vintage in this series). These names — Beaune, Pommard, Volnay, and Nuits-Saint-Georges — will likely be familiar to many, and Howsepian and his team have produced fine examples that fit well under these appellations.
I’ll dispose of some rudimentary notes here about the four Pinot Noirs. All come in at 13.5 percent alcohol, and each carries a suggested retail price of $150, or $90 for Kosta Browne club members. As for oak programs, which Howsepian controls, here’s the breakdown: Beaune (37 percent new oak, 63 percent neutral oak for 13 months); Pommard (29 percent new oak, 71 percent neutral oak for 13 months); Volnay (19 percent new, 81 neutral for 13 months); Nuits-Saint-Georges (29 percent new, 71 percent neutral for 13 months).
Howsepian works with a winery in Côte de Beaune (under a confidentiality agreement) to produce this series; the wines are vinified and aged in barrel in Burgundy, then transported under refrigeration for bottling in Sebastopol, California, where Kosta Browne, which is owned by Duckhorn Wine Co., is located.
“Over time, as our connections in Burgundy have strengthened, our ability to work with the best vineyards has grown, including access to Premier Cru properties in Beaune and Chablis,” Howsepian says. “The exceptional quality of those vineyards is embodied in our 2022 Burgundy Series wines. So is the extraordinary quality of the 2022 Burgundy vintage, which has already earned glowing praise for its energy, freshness, and generosity. It is a fascinating union that I find thrilling.”
Here is a look at the four 2022 Pinot Noirs in Kosta Browne’s Burgundy lineup, beginning with the Beaune Premier Cru, and though I want you to keep reading, if you are pressed for time here is my appraisal in brief: Club members should definitely purchase these bottles, and, depending on their wine-buying budget, non-club members would do no wrong adding these selections to their cellars. My tastings were, across the board, much, much more than satisfactory.
The Hôtel-Dieu de Beaune is a cultural treasure. (Photo by Colby Walton)
The Beaune Premier Cru bottling speaks of cherries, dark cherries, the predominant note aroma-wise and on the palate. If you like black and dark blue fruits, this one will interest you. Wonderful tension and vitality are evident in this medium-body wine, along with confident acidity and tannins. Secondary aromas of forest floor and mushroom, which will become more pronounced as the wine ages in the bottle, are part of the dynamic here, and the hint of white pepper is delightful. I’d pair this bottle with a mushroom and chicken fricassee, making sure to include some morels. Interesting fact about Beaune Premier Crus: There are 42 individual climats (vineyard sites) classified as premier cru in the appellation, and only about 10 percent of total production meets the premier cru qualification standards.
Drink this wine with duck. (Courtesy Kosta Browne)
To the Kosta Browne Pommard, and first things first: You will be pleased if you serve this bottle with duck breast or duck confit. The wine’s rusticity, restrained might, and dark cherry notes will marry perfectly with the waterfowl, but won’t overpower the dish. You also get a pleasing floral undertone, as well as red berry notes. The tannins and power characteristic of wines from the appellation are evident, but they do not punch wildly. Pommard, which lies between Beaune and Volnay, had a population of 444 as of 2022. As noted above, time spent in this area is time not wasted; cycling around the villages is a pleasant way to spend a day, and the scenery is moving and enlivening.
Cycling in Pommard. (Photo by Colby Walton)
Here, in transition, I offer some words from Jon Bonné, which appear in his indispensable book The New French Wine: “If Pommard tends to be about muscle, Volnay stands on finesse. Frequently the comparison is to Chambolle, and the similarities are there, certainly in the nuanced structure of the wines and in the relatively light topsoil with harder Bathonian limestone below.” Volnay boasts, according to Vins de Bourgogne, 29 premiers crus, a not insubstantial quantity; these include Santenots, Clos de la Chapelle, and Clos de la Rougeotte.
Volnay, as done by Kosta Browne. (Courtesy Kosta Browne)
Yes, Pommard wines are described as masculine, and those from Volnay (the appellation dates to 1937) are often termed “feminine.” They can certainly, in most cases, be appreciated as “delicate,’ and while I’ll leave it up to readers to debate the utility of using “masculine” and “feminine” to describe wines, the Kosta Browne Volnay is complex and carries an arsenal of poised, confident aromas, including the ever-present cherry, as well as gooseberry and raspberry. In the glass the wine is a lovely shade of garnet, and tannins are restrained. When you take this bottle to the table, try pairing it with coq au vin, as made by Julia Child.
A road that leads to some fine vineyards. (Courtesy Wikimedia Commons)
Nuits-Saint-Georges is the final selection in this series, and a key thing to know about the appellation is that it is comprised of two parts, which are divided by the town and the valley of the Meuzin, a smallish river (38 kilometers long) that is a tributary of the Saône. (In an interesting aside, the Meuzin made international news in 1978 when a disgruntled winery worker dumped $600,000 worth of wine into the river, a wasteful act that killed thousands of fish.) Soil composition is also divided in the appellation, but limestone, marl, and clay dominate. The elevated portions of the northern section consist of alluvia marked by small stones, while the low-lying areas of the northern region are mostly silt deposited by the Meuzin. The southern part of the appellation features alluvia from the Vallerots Valley and limestone deposits atop the slopes.
This terroir diversity produces wines with diverse characteristics: in the south, near Premeaux-Prissey, you’ll find lighter wines with subdued tannins, while in the north, near Vosne-Romanée, the wines are more complex and show remarkable finesse. Drink these wines young to enjoy their vivacity, and age with care to appreciate the AOC’s overall reputation for producing robust wines that mature with grace into something complex and elegant in the bottle.
To the 2022 Nuits-Saint-Georges from Kosta Browne, and we begin with my food pairing, as presented by Yotam Ottolenghi: slow-roasted lamb with grapes. The recipe uses an abundance of shallots and garlic, and its sauce will enhance the wine’s elegance. I tasted the 2022 immediately after pulling the bottle’s cork, and its freshness and earthiness mingled in the nose and on the palate. Rose petals, subdued red licorice and violets were also playing in the bouquet. In the mouth you get a wine of medium body and balanced, dancing elegance.
Howsepian, as noted above, has roots in Burgundy; one of his grandmothers grew up in a village near Nuits-Saint-Georges, and his father had an uncle who worked in wineries in the region. What he and his team have produced in this series of wines is worthy of that legacy. While I understand the decision to keep some details — namely, vineyard sites — confidential, knowing exactly the provenance of the fruit that went into the bottles would allow a more comprehensive appraisal and comparison of the wines. However, 2022 has been universally deemed an excellent vintage, with high temperatures that slowed polyphenolic ripeness and a major storm in June that helped the vines get through a dry July, and these bottles represent the vintage well.
Australia’s been on my mind often as of late, for several reasons. One, I’m re-reading Patrick White‘s The Solid Mandala, which I first encountered during a seminar taught by my favorite university professor, H.E. Francis. Secondly, I’m researching Western Australia for a trip I plan to make. Finally, I recently completed a tasting series of some wines from Down Under that impressed me greatly.
A Xanadu vineyard. (Xanadu)
Xanadu made three of the Australian wines I tasted, all from the Margaret River region. They are part the brand’s Circa 77 range, created to commemorate the year –1977 – in which the first vines were planted at the estate. I sampled the 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2023 Sauvignon Blanc/Semillion blend, and the 2022 Chardonnay (all come with a suggested retail price of $18.99).
The Margaret River is a fascinating wine region; more than 36 grape varieties are grown on roughly 14,400 acres, and the first vines in the area were planted in 1967, according to the Margaret River Wine Association. It boasts more than 200 wineries, many of them small, family-owned operations. Cabernet Sauvignon is the most widely planted grape there, followed by Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. If the wines produced in this Mediterranean-climate region are new to you, these three Xanadu selections are a great place to begin your exploration.
A land of wine. (Margaret River Wine)
First thing to know: these wines are fun. Fun to drink, fun to serve, fun to share. And that in no way implies that quality is lacking. The wines are made well, and possess a freshness and vitality that state “pour me immediately.”
That “drink me now” directive applies especially well to the Sauvignon Blanc/ Semillon blend, which is 70 percent of the former and 30 percent of the latter. Bracingly dry, crisp, lively … those three adjectives come immediately to mind when drinking this wine. You’ll note the bright citrus (helmed by lime) on the nose, as well as a hint of tarragon. In the mouth there is honeysuckle and a barely discernible mélange of baker’s spices.
Xanadu’s Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon blend pairs well with poached or grilled shrimp.
You’ll want to chill this well and pair with shrimp poached in olive oil and garlic. I know this is a great combination because it’s what I served when I drank the rest of the bottle with a meal on the day following my sampling session. The wine was still vibrant. Fruit comes from the Wallcliffe subregion of Margaret River, mostly from Xanadu’s Boodjidup and Lagan vineyards.
No malo in this wine. Pair it with pasta al limone.
The Chardonnay continues the vibrancy. I’ll start with a food pairing: a lemon farfalle with garlic and olive oil. Sprinkle fresh Italian parsley and grated Parmigiano Reggiano on this dish and you have a fine meal. This Margaret River Chardonnay – 12.8 percent alcohol – is light on oak and did not undergo malolactic fermentation. Apple and pear notes dominate the bouquet, while white peach and citrus linger in the mouth. Drink now, or hold for a year or two.
The final Xanadu wine in my tasting session, the 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon, has a lot to offer for the price. It’s 86 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 5 percent Cabernet Franc, 4 percent Merlot, and 2 percent Petit Verdot; alcohol comes in at 14 percent. The wine’s red hue is deep and serious, and on first taste cassis and graphite come at you with grace, as do eucalyptus, black fruit, and deftly applied oak. This wine is ready for your table now – pair it with a rib eye and potato au gratin with Gruyère – or cellar until 2027.
Deft oak, confident tannins … a wine for your favorite cut of beef.
The Circa 77 line also includes a Shiraz and a Rosé that I have not sampled, but I look forward to doing so.
Xanadu was founded by Dr. John Lagan and his wife, Eithne, in 1969, and the name, as you might surmise, comes from Coleridge. Lagan, a lover of literature, was fond of his new landholdings, so wanted to give it a fitting name. The estate now includes a restaurant and tasting room, and produces a variety of wines; check out the Stevens Road single-vineyard range and the Xanadu Reserve lineup for higher-end selections. As always, ask for these wines at your favorite merchant, or purchase directly from the producer, though in Xanadu’s case the latter route is likely not convenient for residents of the U.S.
I’ve got more wines from Australia on my agenda, as well as a look at this year’s edition of World of Pinot Noir, so stay tuned.
I am looking forward to tasting some Grenache Blanc, Counoise, and Albariño (among other “neglected” wines from California) on Saturday, March 29, in Los Angeles. I’ll be doing so at The Festival of Forgotten Grapes. What do I mean by “neglected”? Read on.
The Festival of Forgotten Grapes takes place on March 29 in Los Angeles. (Sandoval Media)
The festival exists, in the words of its organizers, “to celebrate the underdogs of the California Wine World.” These grapes represent 7 percent of the state’s vine plantings – the varieties that comprise the other 93 percent are Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Syrah, and Petite Sirah – and while the “forgotten” moniker might not be apt for, say, Riesling, I venture that many drinkers of wine are not familiar with Ruché or Trousseau Gris. And I know that we all love an underdog, so this festival is for you.
Last year’s event was an organized and efficient affair, and a new venue for this year’s edition – and additional food vendors – promises improvement. Pizza ovens are again part of the plan (I recall an excellent pepperoni pie at 2024’s event with which I paired a Nebbiolo), and there will be ample seating as well. No one likes the adventure of standing with wine glass in one hand and plated food in the other, juggling both with awkwardness.
A pie at last year’s Festival of Forgotten Grapes. (Sandoval Media)
But the stars of the festival are the producers (click here for the lineup) and the purchase and shipping system set up by the event’s organizers. In brief, here’s what you need to know about the latter: purchase one bottle or 144 bottles, and the good people behind the event will personally deliver your treasure at no cost (for VIP ticket holders), or $15 if you choose the general admission route. Exception for the GA people: If you purchase 12 bottles or more you, too, will be treated to free delivery. Don’t live in California? Sorry to hear that, but your wine can still be delivered to you for a reasonable shipping rate.
VIP attendees will also take home a copy of the most recent Slow Wine Guide USA and can enter the festival at noon, two full hours ahead of the hoi polloi – more time to taste and eat and mingle. Click here to purchase tickets ($99 for VIP and $69 for GA – use promo code Brockhaus10 for a $10 discount on GA passes). (A portion of ticket proceeds will benefit Minds Matter Southern California.)
Tansy Wines will be poured at The Festival of Forgotten Grapes.
I was impressed with the scope, diversity, and quality of producers at last year’s event, and do not expect to be disappointed this year. I love what William Allen and Karen Daenen produce at Two Shepherds, including a Cinsault made from the Bechthold Vineyard in Lodi, which was planted in 1886, and a lovely Pinot Meunier (Hopkins Ranch/Russian River Valley). Then there’s Tansy Wines, owned by Kitty Oestlien and Shelley Lindgren. I’ve yet to taste anything they’ve made that disappointed, be it a Fiano I paired with some soft and hard cheeses or the pair’s Red Field Blend. Honest winemaking here.
William Allen holding one of his canned wines at the Two Shepherds facility in Windsor, Sonoma County. (James Brock Media)
William La Follette at the 2024 Festival of Forgotten Grapes. (Sandoval Media)
Most of the wines poured at the festival, which is organized and run by Allison Levine and Chris Kern, are made from varieties planted during the early days of the state’s wine industry or before the Judgment of Paris. This means you’ll taste history, and take some home with you.
Allison Levine (top row third from left) and Chris Kern (top row fifth from left), the duo behind The Festival of Forgotten Grapes. (Sandoval Media)
California is rich with men and women making great wines, and The Festival of Forgotten Grapes is among the best events showcasing some of the state’s producers. Hope to see you there.
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