Mise en Place

Tag: California (Page 1 of 2)

Samra Morris, who became the head winemaker at Alma Rosa Winery in 2019, hails from Bosnia.

Bosnia’s Loss is California’s Gain: Samra Morris Takes the Lead at Alma Rosa

April 7, 2021 / / 0 Comments

I love to talk about wine with people who share my passion for it. We open bottles, we trade stories about travel and soil types, terroir and residual sugar, and we talk of taste and food and restaurants. We recommend wines to one another, we drink, and we learn a lot.

In Wine Talk, I introduce you to friends, acquaintances, and people I meet as I make my way around the world, individuals who love wine as much as I do, who live to taste, who farm and make wine. You’ll appreciate their insight, and I hope you’ll learn something from them as well. 

The world of wine never fails to provide me with pleasure. Opening a bottle, walking through a vineyard, tasting a barrel sample, meeting a fellow traveler in l’univers du vin … the discovery and exploration never end.

The journey continued last month on a beautiful expanse of land in Santa Barbara County, a property that played a major role in the formation of the Sta. Rita Hills AVA. (If you don’t know the name Richard Sanford, go ahead and learn about him, because he is truly the “Godfather of Central Coast Pinot Noir.”)

Samra Morris: “I think that would be my guidance: Drink what you love.” (Courtesy Alma Rosa Winery)

We had driven up from Los Angeles, and Buellton was my destination, specifically the Alma Rosa Winery tasting room. I was there to meet Samra Morris, Alma Rosa’s winemaker since 2019, for a tasting and a tour of the estate. (Note: For those who may not know this, the small complex in which the tasting room is housed is a must-visit when/if you do visit the town. One of my favorite restaurants in California — Industrial Eats — is also located there, and its food alone is worth the trip, especially the beef tongue pastrami reuben and the white shrimp wrapped in pancetta.)

A beef tongue pastrami sandwich extraordinaire …
White shrimp, pancetta, garlic, butter …

We sampled a bit of Alma Rosa sparkling at the tasting room; it was a warm afternoon, and the wine was good. What followed was a 10-minute drive to the estate along a quiet, nearly traffic-free road, and then, beauty.

Alma Rosa’s 628 acres (38 acres planted to vines) spread from the valley floor to the top of the Santa Rosa Hills. The estate vineyard, El Jabali, originally planted by Richard Sanford in 1983, has been joined by four non-contiguous plots of Pinot Noir (55 percent), Chardonnay (30 percent), and Syrah and Grenache (15 percent), all farmed using sustainable practices.

Sanford and his wife, Thekla, sold the estate to Bob and Barb Zorich in 2014. Zorich is a businessman in the oil industry who now resides in Houston, Texas, but he and his wife both attended school at the University of California Santa Barbara and have a home in the coastal city. They were introduced to the Sanfords in 2013, and, upon discovering that the property was for sale, took a leap into the world of winery ownership.

A ride through Alma Rosa Winery is a feast for the senses.

When we arrived at Alma Rosa, Morris took us on a quick ATV ride to a vineyard planted with Syrah — no bud break yet. Along the way we spied a few turkeys. Bobcats, deer, and mountain lions are also denizens of the property, the latter rarely seen.

Vines and hills …

Back at the ranch house on the valley floor we tasted with Morris and Debra Eagle, Alma Rosa’s general manager. Both women are engaging, passionate about wine and the estate, and great ambassadors for the brand.

Morris was born and raised in Bosnia, and attended the University of Sarajevo, where she studied agriculture and food sciences, receiving bachelor’s and master’s degrees. She met an American in the U.S. Air Force who was stationed overseas, and they moved to California when his duty took him back to the states.

She interned at St. Supéry in 2014, and worked three harvests with Thomas Rivers Brown as a cellar intern at Mending Wall. In 2017, Morris began working as a lab assistant at Free Flow Wines, and by 2019 was a quality control manager there. She became Alma Rosa’s winemaker later that year.

Here is Morris in her own words.

James Brock: How has COVID-19 changed your work and life?

Samra Morris: I think Covid-19 has affected me more personally than professionally. As a winemaker, I have been fortunate to be able to go to work every day and enjoy my cellar duties. It was a good escape from reality and what is happening in the world. It gave me a sense of peace that I needed. 

Personally, it affected me in that I didn’t have the opportunity to go home to see my family in Bosnia and enjoy my time with them. I had already been missing them a lot, so I was very disappointed when my flight was canceled. I’ve been very homesick recently, so I hope that by the end of this year we all get vaccinated and I have an opportunity to see my family next summer. 

JB: Tell us about three wines you think are drinking well at the moment. What makes them worthwhile? How about a food pairing for each one?

SM: I will start with Alma Rosa’s 2018 El Jabali Pinot Noir ($68). It is a gorgeous Pinot Noir that represents our beautiful Sta. Rita Hills in the glass. You can purchase this wine through our website or at our tasting room in Buellton. I would pair this wine with red meats. 

An estate Pinot Noir

The second wine is Alma Rosa’s 2020 Grenache Rosé ($30) from our Sta. Rita Hills estate vineyard. This rosé is beautiful, and salty strawberry notes and bright acidity make this gorgeous wine perfect to drink in the summertime. Growing up in Bosnia, we often took summer vacations on the Croatian coast. The salinity and acidity in this wine reminds me of the Old World Adriatic wines I loved from home. I would pair this wine with a light shrimp salad.

The third bottle would be the 2017 Foxy Bubbles ($55) by Blair Fox Cellars, located in Los Olivos. This is a delicious sparkling wine, and I don’t need an excuse — an occasion or food — to enjoy a bottle of it. 

JB: If cost was no consideration, tell us the one bottle you would add to your personal collection, and why.

SM: If cost were not an issue, I would choose a bottle — or a few cases — of the 2014 Maybach “Materium” Cabernet Sauvignon.

I call it a perfect glass of wine. Also, this was the first bottle I had the opportunity to share with my family when I went home for the first time after moving to California, and while sharing this bottle with them we also shared laughs and good conversation that we needed to catch up after so many years apart.

JB: What is your favorite grape, and why?

SM: As a winemaker and as a wine drinker, my favorite grape to work with is definitely Pinot Noir. Due to its thin skin, tight clusters and late ripening, Pinot Noir can be a fragile variety that always challenges me as a winemaker. As a wine drinker I just love the aromas and perfume notes.

JB: How about one bottle that our readers should buy now to cellar for 10 years, to celebrate a birth, anniversary, or other red-letter day? 

SM: The one bottle I’d buy to cellar for the next 10 years is Saxum’s 2018 Paderewski Vineyard. This wine is spectacular, and it’s worth opening for your next major celebration. 

JB: Where is your go-to place when you want to have a glass or bottle (outside of your home and workplace)?

SM: It would be somewhere I get to look at the ocean. We have so many beautiful places in Santa Barbara County where I can experience that. The ocean is so powerful, and looking at it while sipping wine is so relaxing for me. 

JB: If there was one thing you wish everyone would keep in mind when buying and drinking wine, what is it?

There are so many times when people ask me what my favorite wine is that they should buy, and I always reply by asking them about their favorite wine and what they like to taste when drinking wine. 

I think that would be my guidance: Drink what you love to taste.

JB: What is your “wine eureka moment,” the incident/taste/encounter that put you and wine on an intimate plane forever?

SM: I think when I made wines for the first time as a winemaker. It created a different relationship between me and wines, it became much more personal. I became more passionate and think of my wines in cellar as my babies. Having the wine that I made in a bottle and sharing it with friends, family, and our customers makes me so happy. I know that all of my hard work has paid off when I see smiles on their faces. 

JB: What has been the strangest moment or incident involving wine that you have experienced in your career?

SM: The strangest moment involving wine that I have experienced in my career is my relationship with forklifts. When I first became a winemaker, I thought I would never be able to drive a forklift like a professional. One of the skills of being a winemaker, besides producing wines, is needing to be extremely handy in the cellar. At first it was a very daunting task, but every time I was on the forklift I became more familiar.

Now, I am so proud of my forklift skills and my forever connection to them! At Alma Rosa we use forklifts throughout the year, moving barrels and pallets of wine around the cellar and dumping bins of grapes into the press during harvest. When visiting the winery, you can often find me on the forklift. 

JB: Your favorite wine reference in a work of literature?

SM: In Vino Veritas. It’s a phrase I learned while studying about wine at college.

Want more wine? Read on:

From a Michigan Backyard Vineyard to Sonoma
Paul Hobbs Knew She Had Talent
Ian Cauble: From ‘Somm’ to SommSelect
Eric Sigmund is High on Texas Wine
Jeff Cole, Sullivan Estate’s Winemaker
Jon McPherson Talks Tokay and His Mentor Father
Two Reds From Chile
An Italian Chardonnay From the Cesare Stable
Mi Sueño’s 2016 Napa Valley Syrah
Joshua Maloney on Riesling and Manfred Krankl
Brothers in Wine
Two Bottles From Priest Ranch
A Derby Day Cocktail
Nate Klostermann is Making Some Great Sparkling Wines in Oregon
Matt Dees and the Electric Acidity of Sta. Rita Hills Chardonnay
Baudelaire, Pinot Noir, and Rosé: Kathleen Inman’s Passions
Colombia, France, and California: This Winemaker is a Complex Woman
Michael Kennedy Talks Sailing and Zinfandel
Spain Opened the World of Wine for Spottswoode’s Aron Weinkauf
Alta Colina’s Molly Lonborg Wants a Bottle of Château Rayas
Mumm Napa’s Tami Lotz Talks Wine and Oysters
James MacPhail on Pinot Noir, White Burgundy, and Russell Crowe
A Very Proper Sparkling Wine
Talking With David Ramey
A Merlot That Your Snob Friend Will Love
French Couple Make a Sauvignon Blanc in California
A Perfect Afternoon Chardonnay
Terry Theise Talks Reisling
A New Wine Wonderland
Paris Wine Goddess Tells All
Rice Village Wine Bar Has a Cleveland Touch
A Texas White Blend for Your Table
A Pinot Noir Full of Flavor
This Pinot Gris From Oregon Pairs Well With Cheese
Willamette, Dammit!
A Value Rioja
Drink Pink!
Underbelly Veteran Goes for Grenache
A Man of Letters and Wine
Ms. Champagne Wants a Nebuchadnezzar
The Wine Artist Goes for Chardonnay
This American Loves Spain and Its Wines
Houston’s Wine Whisperer Has a Soft Touch
Blackberry Farm’s Somm Pours in Splendor
Mr. Pinot Noir: Donald Patz of Patz & Hall
A Cork Dork Wants to Spend More Time in Tuscany
Sommelier Turned Restaurateur Daringly Goes Greek
Texas Master Sommelier Debunks Wine Geeks
A Bottle From Gigondas Changed This Houston Man’s Life
Oil Man Falls in Love, and the Rest is Good-Taste History
Ryan Cooper of Camerata is a Riesling Man
Mixing It Up With Jeremy Parzen, an Ambassador of Italy
Sommelier at One of Houston’s Top Wine Bars Loves Underdogs

The Glass Fire is still raging in Napa Valley.

Don’t Despair: How to Help Victims of the Glass Fire

October 1, 2020 / / 2 Comments

The fires continue in California, and the feelings of despair and hopelessness can at times (all the time?) overwhelm. Loss of life, property, personal belongings, historic buildings and wineries, crops and vintages … the still-burning Glass Fire, in Napa Valley, is but the latest conflagration to beset the state, and our collective psyche. As I am writing this, on the afternoon of October 1, it is 5 percent contained.

When I am channeling hopelessness about the situation, I flip the script and bring to mind the firefighters and other individuals saving lives, battling the flames, and helping people find safety. Their bravery and tireless work make me feel better. I also think about what I can do. And many others are asking about what they can do, as well.

Here are a few things you can do to help the citizens and organizations of Napa Valley; I am listing them in no particular order.

First, buy wine directly from the wineries of your choice. This is a no-brainer. Purchase by the case. Join a wine club or two. This is a direct way to benefit the people making the wine you love to drink.

If you want to donate funds, The Napa Valley Community Disaster Relief Fund is a great way to go. The 501(c)3 public charity is providing grants for services including housing and legal assistance, as well as cash assistance to homeowners and renters affected by fires.

Here are a few additional organizations you can consider (I will update this list as conditions change):

The Redwood Credit Union Fire Relief Fund
Sonoma County Resilience Fund
California Fire Foundation

There will be an end to this fire, of course. But for now, people need our assistance. Let’s do what we can.

To close, I recommend this excellent piece, published in Wired. It is an awe-inspiring look at these fires and the men and women fighting and hoping to prevent them.

Tami Lotz oversees winemaking at Mumm Napa. (Courtesy Mumm Napa)

Mumm Napa’s Tami Lotz Covets a 1979 Salon, and She’s a Lover of German Wines

May 28, 2020 / / 0 Comments

I love to talk about wine with people who share my passion for it. We open bottles, we trade stories about travel and soil types, terroir and residual sugar, and we talk of taste and food and restaurants. We recommend wines to one another, we drink, and we learn a lot.

In Wine Talk, I introduce you to friends, acquaintances, and people I meet as I make my way around the world, individuals who love wine as much as I do, who live to taste, who farm and make wine. You’ll appreciate their insight, and I hope you’ll learn something from them as well. 

Mumm Napa is a beautiful place. Back in 2003, I toured the winery on a warm, sunny afternoon, ending the day seated on a terrace outside, glass of sparkling in hand. Memories of France — and a day at Maison Mumm — came back to me as I drank and admired the view.

Back in late September (2019), I was scheduled for a return engagement at Mumm Napa, but had to cancel, to my regret. As soon as we are able to travel, the winery will be one of our first destinations. Until then, I’m sampling a few bottles I received — a Brut Prestige, a Brut Rosé, the 2013 DVX Rosé, and the 2011 DVX — and taking the time to research the history of Mumm … it’s a fascinating (German) story, so if you don’t know the house’s origins get reading. (And here’s a bit about Mumm Napa’s founding.)

Mumm Napa was completed in 1987.

I’ll have review of the sparkling wines soon, including a profile of Guy Devaux, the man responsible for Mumm Napa, so look for that, but in the meantime I’m featuring Tami Lotz in Wine Talk. She oversees winemaking at Mumm, and is engaging and opinionated, qualities I like.

Lotz, a Napa native, has a degree in enology and viticulture from U.C. Davis, and has spent time in Germany, Australia, and Chile (focused on wine, of course). She worked as an intern at Mumm after college, and returned to the Napa estate full time in 2003.

Let’s see what she has to say.

James Brock: Tell us about three wines you think are drinking well at the moment. What makes them worthwhile? How about a food pairing for each one?

Tami Lotz: I tend to drink a lot of sparkling wine, so, of course, I have a couple to recommend.

First, I’ve been really enjoying the Mumm Napa 2014 Blanc de Blancs Reserve.  The blend is 82 percent Chardonnay and 18 percent Pinot Gris.  I love the stone fruit and melon notes that the Pinot Gris contributes to the apple and citrus-dominant Chardonnay. It aged for almost four years on the yeast, so there’s a lot of toasty complexity in the wine.  I think it will continue to age beautifully for another 5 to 10 years.  My favorite pairing with this wine? Oysters! I love living close to the coast so we can drive out and pick up a few dozen to take home and savor.  Retail price: $44

I’m always looking for new bubbles to try, and I recently came across a bottle from England, a Hattingley Valley Classic Reserve.  I haven’t tasted a lot of English sparkling, and I was very impressed by the quality.  The fruit was fresh, the acid bright, and the wine very balanced overall.  I enjoyed that bottle with sushi, but I think a cheese board would also be nice. Retail price: $50

As you can probably imagine with my sparkling wine background, I’m a big fan of acid.  I tend to seek out German wines because I love their acidity, minerality, and amazing aromatic expression.  I recently opened a 2017 Juliusspital Würzburger Stein Silvaner Erste Lage trocken. It was gorgeous.  The nose had a lot of pear and citrus, and the palate had a surprising amount of weight, with excellent minerality and a long finish.  We went with traditional German fare that evening, and paired it with Weißwurst and Käsespätzle. Retail price: $35

Tami Lotz loves — as she should — Chardonnay.

JB: If cost was no consideration, tell us the one bottle you would add to your personal collection, and why?

TL: 1979 Salon.  It’s one of only 37 vintages they produced in the 20th century and happens to be my birth year.

JB: What is your favorite grape, and why?

TL: It’s hard to pick a favorite grape, just like it is to pick a favorite wine, but I’m especially enamored with Chardonnay from a sparkling wine standpoint. It provides acid backbone, elegance, and length to blends, and it is perfectly wonderful when in the spotlight as a Blanc de Blancs. It ages exceptionally well, and pairs with the foods I enjoy most.

JB: How about one bottle that our readers should buy now to cellar for 10 years, to celebrate a birth, anniversary, or other red-letter day? 

TL: People don’t always realize how well sparkling wine can age. I would recommend the Mumm Napa 2006 DVX Extra Brut. After eight years on the yeast, this wine was in balance with very little dosage. It still shows youth in the bright fruit and acid, but offers so much complexity in the brioche notes contributed by the yeast. The palate shows a lot of weight and creaminess, and the finish seems to last forever. It will still be beautiful in another decade.

JB: Where is your go-to place when you want to have a glass or bottle (outside your home and workplace)?

TL: My go-to is the Oxbow Cheese and Wine Merchant in Napa. I love that they are constantly changing their list and bringing in new and interesting wines from all over the world. It’s a great place to catch up with friends and enjoy some wine and cheese. (Note: I miss the days of being able to experience the above. My current go-to place is the back patio next to the old orange tree, and our happy hours are virtual, but still very fun!)

A sparking named after a great winemaker.

JB: If there was one thing you wish everyone would keep in mind when buying and drinking wine, what is it?

TL: The one thing I can’t say enough is to drink what you like. I think that, too often, people drink what they think they “should” or what they think might impress someone. If we could all just take a moment and think about the wines that have made us smile, that made our day a little brighter, or that simply tasted good, and then go buy those wines, we’d be much happier wine drinkers.

JB: What is your “wine eureka moment,” the incident/taste/encounter that put you and wine on an intimate plane forever?

TL: I remember my first year at U.C. Davis. I was an Animal Biology major, but decided to take an Intro to Winemaking class. I grew up in Napa, was working in restaurants to pay for school, and enjoyed tasting wine, but didn’t really know much about how it was made. When it struck me that making wine was a unique blend of art and science, and that it could be a career, I changed my major and never looked back.

JB:What has been the strangest moment or incident involving wine that you have experienced in your career?

TL: A college classmate’s parents showed up with a bottle of dandelion wine for us to taste  It’s still one of the most unique tasting experiences I’ve had.

JB: What is your favorite wine reference in a work of literature?

TL: Ernest Hemingway wrote that “Wine is one of the most civilized things in the world and one of the natural things of the world that has been brought to the greatest perfection, and it offers a greater range for enjoyment and appreciation than, possibly, any other purely sensory thing which may be purchased.” I would agree.

Want More Wine? Read On:

James MacPhail on Pinot Noir, White Burgundy, and Russell Crowe
A Very Proper Sparkling Wine
Talking With David Ramey
A Merlot That Your Snob Friend Will Love
French Couple Make a Sauvignon Blanc in California
A Perfect Afternoon Chardonnay
Terry Theise Talks Reisling
A New Wine Wonderland
Paris Wine Goddess Tells All
Rice Village Wine Bar Has a Cleveland Touch
A Texas White Blend for Your Table
A Pinot Noir Full of Flavor
This Pinot Gris From Oregon Pairs Well With Cheese
Willamette, Dammit!
A Value Rioja
Drink Pink!
Underbelly Veteran Goes for Grenache
A Man of Letters and Wine
Ms. Champagne Wants a Nebuchadnezzar
The Wine Artist Goes for Chardonnay
This American Loves Spain and Its Wines
Houston’s Wine Whisperer Has a Soft Touch
Blackberry Farm’s Somm Pours in Splendor
Mr. Pinot Noir: Donald Patz of Patz & Hall
A Cork Dork Wants to Spend More Time in Tuscany
Sommelier Turned Restaurateur Daringly Goes Greek
Texas Master Sommelier Debunks Wine Geeks
A Bottle From Gigondas Changed This Houston Man’s Life
Oil Man Falls in Love, and the Rest is Good-Taste History
Ryan Cooper of Camerata is a Riesling Man
Mixing It Up With Jeremy Parzen, an Ambassador of Italy
Sommelier at One of Houston’s Top Wine Bars Loves Underdogs

Gundlach Bundschu’s Merlot Was Made for Lamb Meatballs

May 19, 2020 / / 0 Comments

Virtual tastings: How many have you participated in during the past week? I’ve enjoyed several, including one a few days ago that featured a Chardonnay, a Syrah, and a Cabernet Sauvignon, all from California, from different producers, and all representing great value (look for a review soon).

COVID-19 has made this type of tasting a regular thing, and I am looking forward to taking part in more of them later this week, and well (who knows for how long?) into the future. Let me know how yours are going.

Today, I want to tell you about a 2016 Merlot, from Gundlach Bundschu, an estate that traces its founding to 1858, when a Bavarian, Jacob Gundlach, purchased 400 acres in Sonoma, an expanse he named Rhinefarm. He then returned to Germany, married Eva, and the couple traveled in their homeland and France on their honeymoon, during which Jacob bought the rootstock he planted on the farm. The following year, 1859, Jacob and his three partners established 60,000 vines on the property.

The 2016 Gundlach Bundschu Merlot is well worth its $35 price.

The sixth generation of the family is now in charge at Rhinefarm, led by Jeff Bundschu, who became president of the family-owned venture in 2001, when he was 33.

To the 2016 Merlot. It marked the 40th anniversary of the wine for Gundlach Bundschu (the first vintage was 1976), and here’s the rundown on the varietal composition: 82 percent Merlot, 9 percent Petit Verdot, and 9 percent Cabernet Sauvignon. It was aged for 17 months in 100 percent French oak (Nadalié), 40 percent new. Alcohol is 14.6 percent.

I opened this bottle one evening last week, and sampled it immediately. I was met with aromas of dark cherries, tobacco, earth, and mushroom, an entirely pleasant experience. The spice notes rang out in the mouth, along with mushroom, vanilla (slight), ripe cherry, and leather. Tannins here are rounded, relaxed. My next taste came 20 minutes later, and the time benefitted the wine’s balance.

Pairings? I had laid out a block of Gorgonzola earlier in the day, and it was perfect for this bottle. The main course that evening was lamb meatballs, and I cannot think of anything I’d enjoy more with this Merlot, which can be had for around $35 — it’s sold out at the winery, but is available at many merchants.

Want more wine? Read on:

James MacPhail Has His Way With Pinot
A Very Proper Sparkling Wine
Talking With David Ramey
A Merlot That Your Snob Friend Will Love
French Couple Make a Sauvignon Blanc in California
A Perfect Afternoon Chardonnay
Terry Theise Talks Reisling
A New Wine Wonderland
Paris Wine Goddess Tells All
Rice Village Wine Bar Has a Cleveland Touch
A Texas White Blend for Your Table
A Pinot Noir Full of Flavor
This Pinot Gris From Oregon Pairs Well With Cheese
Willamette, Dammit!
A Value Rioja
Drink Pink!
Underbelly Veteran Goes for Grenache
A Man of Letters and Wine
Ms. Champagne Wants a Nebuchadnezzar
The Wine Artist Goes for Chardonnay
This American Loves Spain and Its Wines
Houston’s Wine Whisperer Has a Soft Touch
Blackberry Farm’s Somm Pours in Splendor
Mr. Pinot Noir: Donald Patz of Patz & Hall
A Cork Dork Wants to Spend More Time in Tuscany
Sommelier Turned Restaurateur Daringly Goes Greek
Texas Master Sommelier Debunks Wine Geeks
A Bottle From Gigondas Changed This Houston Man’s Life
Oil Man Falls in Love, and the Rest is Good-Taste History
Ryan Cooper of Camerata is a Riesling Man
Mixing It Up With Jeremy Parzen, an Ambassador of Italy
Sommelier at One of Houston’s Top Wine Bars Loves Underdogs

Jeff Pisoni grew up among the vines, and his approach to winemaking is one I respect and admire. (Courtesy Folsom + Associates)

Wine Talk: Jeff Pisoni on John Steinbeck, His Father, and Pinot Noir

April 16, 2020 / / 0 Comments

I love to talk about wine with people who share my passion for it. We open bottles, we trade stories about travel and soil types, terroir and residual sugar, and we talk of taste and food and restaurants. We recommend wines to one another, we drink, and we learn a lot.

In Wine Talk, I introduce you to some of my friends, acquaintances, and people I meet as I make my way around the world, individuals who love wine as much as I do, who live to taste, who farm and make wine. You’ll appreciate their insight, and I hope you’ll learn something from them as well. 

Pisoni is a name that needs no introduction — especially to lovers of wine. First, there’s Gary Pisoni, who, back in the 1980s, convinced his farming family to plant grapes on their land in the Santa Lucia Highlands. Those hallowed 40 acres of vineyards have been producing great fruit — Syrah, Chardonnay, and, of course, Pinot Noir — since then.

A family of wine: Jeff, Gary, and Mark Pisoni

And it is a family affair, which brings me to the subject of this Wine Talk, Jeff Pisoni, Gary’s son and Pisoni Estate’s vintner. (Jeff’s brother, Mark, is vineyard manager at the estate.)

Jeff, who has a bachelor of science degree in enology from Cal State, Fresno, worked at Bernardus and Peter Michael prior to joining the family concern. Since 2009, he has also been head winemaker at Fort Ross Vineyard & Winery, about which he says, “I’m not trying to make a style. Fort Ross Vineyard is the style.”

Fort Ross is the sole winery Pisoni works with apart from his family enterprise. The vineyard, the closest one to the Pacific Ocean, is in the Fort Ross-Seaview AVA. “I tried the Fort Ross Pinot Noir and Chardonnay at a tasting and was struck by the luscious fruit, fine minerality and crisp acidity in each wine,” Pisoni says, referring to his introduction to the fruit there. “The cool climate and the strong character of the vineyard were clearly evident. My goal is to continue to express the personality of the vineyard and the wonderful style the winery has worked so hard to establish.” 

I tasted through a selection of Fort Ross wines this week, including the 2017 Stagecoach Road Pinot Noir and the 2018 Chardonnay, both clearly made with precision and care. Pisoni’s approach is on display here, and it’s one I appreciate and admire.

Let’s see what he has to say in Wine Talk:

Tell us about three wines you think are drinking well at the moment. What makes them worthwhile? How about a food pairing for each one?

Jeff Pisoni: 2013 Prager “Steinriegl” Riesling. Wachau, Austria. With the down time from shelter in place, I did some organizing in the cellar and opened up this bottle. It was tasting great — fresh, complex, and elegant. My wife and I drank this with grilled sole. I purchased this wine upon release for $30.

Next, 2018 Fort Ross Vineyard Chardonnay. This variety can take many forms. Our approach with Fort Ross is bright and vibrant, but still with nice texture from the high-elevation mountaintops. I found it particularly satisfying, as I think a lot of people turn to a reassuring familiarity while being in a shelter-in-place situation in the world. This brings the beauty of California with a refreshing finish. You can get this for $44 a bottle.

Finally, the 2015 Renaissance by Clape. I love this producer. Clape has a way of capturing so much intensity and purity. Weather recently has also been cold and rainy, which I think fits well for a rich syrah. This was paired with a grilled ribeye steak. What else is needed? This wine was purchased for around $75 per bottle.

JB:  If cost was no consideration, tell us the one bottle you would add to your personal collection, and why?

JP: Sure! I would buy a 6-liter bottle of 2017 Chateau Latour. It’s my younger son’s birthyear and I still need to find a bottle for him. Might as well go big, right?  As a backstory, my father gifted me a 6-liter birthyear bottle of Chateau Latour, 1979. (And yes, Bordeaux was a little cheaper back then!) I have not opened it, yet. 

JB: What is your favorite grape, and why? If you can’t single out one — I know, it’s difficult — choose one that speaks to you in a particular way.

JP: Right, it’s hard to choose a favorite, but I am extremely passionate about Pinot Noir. Yes, there is the beauty and enigmatic nature of it, the fine balance between amazing and mediocre, the multitude of elusive nuances. I am also really drawn to challenges, and nothing challenges one’s winemaking skills like Pinot Noir. 

JB: How about one bottle that our readers should buy now to cellar for 10 years, to celebrate a birth, anniversary, or other red-letter day?

JP: Our Fort Ross Vineyard “Top of Land” Pinot Noir cuvée. It’s a wonderful combination of Pinot Noir’s power and elegance. 

The wine blend is of specific blocks and mostly heritage clones. It really conveys the essence of what Fort Ross Vineyard is about. The structure comes from the rugged mountain soils of our high-elevation sites, while the elegance is from the coastal climate that is only possible from a vineyard like this, at one mile from the Pacific Ocean. Overall, it has a great depth of flavor and structure that will age well for 10-plus years in the cellar.

This wine also speaks to the history of the vineyard. First planted by Linda and Lester Schwartz in 1994, the vineyard in total is 50 acres, but made up of over 30 unique blocks. Each block has its own personality. This wine, being a block selection, shows unique aspects of the vineyard and also the idea that Linda and Lester wanted to explore this detail of the vineyard. 

Fort Ross Vineyard & Winery occupies a special place near the Pacific Ocean.

JB: Where is your go-to place when you want to have a glass or bottle?

JP: There is a great restaurant here in Santa Rosa called Stark’s Steak & Seafood. It has a fantastic wine list and a great bar scene in the evening. It is a wonderful atmosphere for a relaxing glass of wine and/or dinner. When you are in Sonoma County, check it out. 

JB: If there was one thing you wish everyone would keep in mind when buying and drinking wine, what is it?

JP: I hope that if people have a chance, they will buy a wine for drinking early and a bottle (or more) for aging. It’s fun and educational to watch the evolution of wines. It also gives you more bottles and opportunities to taste, evaluate, and discuss. I enjoy collecting things in general, so I always default to saving wines for a long time. 

Fort Ross Vineyard wines need to be in your cellar and on your table.

JB: What is your “wine eureka moment,” the incident/taste/encounter that put you and wine on an intimate plane forever?

JP: Blind tasting wine with my father when I was a teenager. My father was instrumental in me deciding to be a winemaker. He was a farmer turned grape grower turned winemaker — and a viticultural pioneer.

He had a vast wine collection he started in the 1970s, and he would often open wines and introduce them to my brother and me. We loved the learning and experience of the different wines and regions. Well, many times, he would open wines and not tell us what it was — he would ask us to guess the variety, region, and vintage. It was an awesome experience, and very influential for me. In the blind tastings, we obviously had plenty of wrong ideas, but I remember making a few great calls and it brought a very strong connection to wine and the concept of terroir.

JB: What has been the strangest moment or incident involving wine that you have experienced in your career?

JP: One time an intern had filled a 15-gallon stainless steel keg with juice and closed it with a valve. This was during harvest, so it went unnoticed for a few days — long enough for the keg to ferment and build up a lot of pressure. When we tried opening the valve, it plugged with grape solids, so we could not release the pressure. We then had to very, very carefully remove the fitting that held the valve in place. This exposed a 2-inch hole in the top of the keg. In a fraction of a second, a 2-inch vertical stream of wine shot up from the keg and hit our 25-foot-high ceiling. Nearly all the wine was lost to the upward stream, and we all just looked around in awe for a few moments. 

JB: What is your favorite wine reference in a work of literature or film?

JP: I grew up in Monterey County, so John Steinbeck was an important author for us. And Cannery Row was a fun read:

“Two gallons is a great deal of wine, even for two paisanos.”

Want more Wine Talk? From Paris to Los Angeles and many other places, the goodness flows

A Merlot That Your Snob Friend Will Love
French Couple Make a Sauvignon Blanc in California
A Perfect Afternoon Chardonnay
Terry Theise Talks Reisling
A New Wine Wonderland
Paris Wine Goddess Tells All
Rice Village Wine Bar Has a Cleveland Touch
A Texas White Blend for Your Table
A Pinot Noir Full of Flavor
This Pinot Gris From Oregon Pairs Well With Cheese
Willamette, Dammit!
A Value Rioja
Drink Pink!
Underbelly Veteran Goes for Grenache
A Man of Letters and Wine
Ms. Champagne Wants a Nebuchadnezzar
The Wine Artist Goes for Chardonnay
This American Loves Spain and Its Wines
Houston’s Wine Whisperer Has a Soft Touch
Blackberry Farm’s Somm Pours in Splendor
Mr. Pinot Noir: Donald Patz of Patz & Hall
A Cork Dork Wants to Spend More Time in Tuscany
Sommelier Turned Restaurateur Daringly Goes Greek
Texas Master Sommelier Debunks Wine Geeks
A Bottle From Gigondas Changed This Houston Man’s Life
Oil Man Falls in Love, and the Rest is Good-Taste History
Ryan Cooper of Camerata is a Riesling Man
Mixing It Up With Jeremy Parzen, an Ambassador of Italy
Sommelier at One of Houston’s Top Wine Bars Loves Underdogs

Theresa Heredia, winemaker at Gary Farrell Vineyards & Winery, outs Pinot Noir in the spotlight.

Keats and Pinot Noir: Theresa Heredia Talks Wine and Poetry

March 3, 2020 / / 0 Comments

Wine Talk is is celebrating a birthday — it’s a 4-year old now — and the most recent subject, Gary Farrell’s Theres Heredia, is a winemaker you should get to know.

First, she pairs food and wine with aplomb (wait until you read her recommendation for lamb). Second, she knows her Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and is making some great ones at the Sonoma winery. Finally, she admires the poetry of John Keats.

Read Heredia’s Wine Talk here, and take a look at some of the back catalogue by visiting the links below.

Want more Wine Talk? From Paris to Los Angeles and many other places, the goodness flows
A Merlot That Your Snob Friend Will Love
French Couple Make a Sauvignon Blanc in California
A Perfect Afternoon Chardonnay
Terry Theise Talks Reisling
A New Wine Wonderland
Paris Wine Goddess Tells All
Rice Village Wine Bar Has a Cleveland Touch
A Texas White Blend for Your Table
A Pinot Noir Full of Flavor
This Pinot Gris From Oregon Pairs Well With Cheese
Willamette, Dammit!
A Value Rioja
Drink Pink!
Underbelly Veteran Goes for Grenache
A Man of Letters and Wine
Ms. Champagne Wants a Nebuchadnezzar
The Wine Artist Goes for Chardonnay
This American Loves Spain and Its Wines
Houston’s Wine Whisperer Has a Soft Touch
Blackberry Farm’s Somm Pours in Splendor
Mr. Pinot Noir: Donald Patz of Patz & Hall
A Cork Dork Wants to Spend More Time in Tuscany
Sommelier Turned Restaurateur Daringly Goes Greek
Texas Master Sommelier Debunks Wine Geeks
A Bottle From Gigondas Changed This Houston Man’s Life
Oil Man Falls in Love, and the Rest is Good-Taste History
Ryan Cooper of Camerata is a Riesling Man
Mixing It Up With Jeremy Parzen, an Ambassador of Italy
Sommelier at One of Houston’s Top Wine Bars Loves Underdogs

Richard Matuszczak will pour you some good wines at La Toque. (Megan Menicucci photo)

Wine Talk: Meet La Toque’s Richard Matuszczak

January 30, 2020 / / 0 Comments

One of the many great things about living in Los Angeles is that I am now much closer to Napa and Sonoma — not to mention Santa Barbara — and the wines and wineries there.

And the food. There are some outstanding restaurants in the Napa Valley, and the latest Wine Talk’s subject oversees the wine program at one of them, La Toque. Angela and I dined there on our honeymoon back in October, and we will most definitely return for another meal.

The milk-fed veal chop at La Toque (Megan Menicucci photo)

Richard Matuszczak poured some excellent wines for us during our evening at La Toque, including a Seavey Caravina. His selections paired beautifully with our courses, which included pork belly, shrimp, and mushrooms.

Matuszczak’s Wine Talk includes his take on Caravina, and some other great bottles, so give it a read, and make a reservation at La Toque.

Want more Wine Talk: From Paris to Houston and many other places, the goodness flows
A Merlot That Your Snob Friend Will Love
French Couple Make a Sauvignon Blanc in California
A Perfect Afternoon Chardonnay
Terry Theise Talks Reisling
A New Wine Wonderland
Paris Wine Goddess Tells All
Rice Village Wine Bar Has a Cleveland Touch
A Texas White Blend for Your Table
A Pinot Noir Full of Flavor
This Pinot Gris From Oregon Pairs Well With Cheese
Willamette, Dammit!
A Value Rioja
Drink Pink!
Underbelly Veteran Goes for Grenache
A Man of Letters and Wine
Ms. Champagne Wants a Nebuchadnezzar
The Wine Artist Goes for Chardonnay
This American Loves Spain and Its Wines
Houston’s Wine Whisperer Has a Soft Touch
Blackberry Farm’s Somm Pours in Splendor
Mr. Pinot Noir: Donald Patz of Patz & Hall
A Cork Dork Wants to Spend More Time in Tuscany
Sommelier Turned Restaurateur Daringly Goes Greek
Texas Master Sommelier Debunks Wine Geeks
A Bottle From Gigondas Changed This Houston Man’s Life
Oil Man Falls in Love, and the Rest is Good-Taste History
Ryan Cooper of Camerata is a Riesling Man
Mixing It Up With Jeremy Parzen, an Ambassador of Italy
Sommelier at One of Houston’s Top Wine Bars Loves Underdogs

It takes a lot of work to make great wine.

Tastings: A Fine California Blend, Followed By a Roero Arneis From a Vaunted Name

October 25, 2018 / / 0 Comments

After a great tasting earlier this month of selections from 19 of Italy’s best wineries put on by the Instituto del Vino Italiano di Qualità – Grandi Marchi , I conducted tastings of several California wines and one from Italy, bottles that impressed me with their honest approaches and distinct characteristics.

A family of farmers who make great wine.

Among them was the 2014 Gamble Family Vineyards Paramount Proprietary Red Blend, a succulent and bold wine (32 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 32 percent Cabernet Franc, 28 percent percent Merlot and 8 percent Petit Verdot) that will continue to improve with age. Click here for my take on it, and then look for a bottle of your own, which will be an asset to your cellar for the next decade or so, or feature at your next dinner party. I shared a meal with Tom Gamble and one of his sales reps several years ago at Tony’s in Houston, and immediately grew fond of the man and his wines; I look forward to tasting more of them.

Vietti is the name behind another wine from this week, and that name is special to me. I have drank a lot of wine emanating from the house, and I’ve never been disappointed. This time, it was the 2017 Roero Arneis, a unique grape that more people should know about. Dry, full-bodied, satisfying, and crisp: I loved it. Here’s my brief review of the vintage.

I wrote about these wines, and many more, for PaperCity magazine, and if you want to see what else I’ve been drinking, check out the links below.

A Zinfandel for Daily Drinking
A Wine Family’s Excellent Adventure
Four Brothers and Some Great Young Wines
Your Endless Crush Rosé
Enrique Varela Loves Malbec
This Geologist Knows His Italian
A Chardonnay For Your Mother (and You)
Don’t Dismiss the Peat
Distinctive Whisky Enters a New Era
A Whisky Legend Visits Houston
A Rare Cask, Indeed
Austin Whisky, Strange Name
Here’s Your Texas Rum Goddess
A ZaZa Wine Guy Loves Great Service
A Merlot That Your Snob Friend Will Love
French Couple Make a Sauvignon Blanc in California
A Perfect Afternoon Chardonnay
Terry Theise Talks Reisling
A New Wine Wonderland
Paris Wine Goddess Tells All
Rice Village Wine Bar Has a Cleveland Touch
A Texas White Blend for Your Table
A Pinot Noir Full of Flavor
This Pinot Gris From Oregon Pairs Well With Cheese
Willamette, Dammit!
A Value Rioja
Drink Pink!
Underbelly Veteran Goes for Grenache
A Man of Letters and Wine
Ms. Champagne Wants a Nebuchadnezzar
The Wine Artist Goes for Chardonnay
This American Loves Spain and Its Wines
Houston’s Wine Whisperer Has a Soft Touch
Blackberry Farm’s Somm Pours in Splendor
Mr. Pinot Noir: Donald Patz of Patz & Hall
A Cork Dork Wants to Spend More Time in Tuscany
Sommelier Turned Restaurateur Daringly Goes Greek
Texas Master Sommelier Debunks Wine Geeks
A Bottle From Gigondas Changed This Houston Man’s Life
Oil Man Falls in Love, and the Rest is Good-Taste History
Ryan Cooper of Camerata is a Riesling Man
Mixing It Up With Jeremy Parzen, an Ambassador of Italy
Sommelier at One of Houston’s Top Wine Bars Loves Underdogs

“It seems to me that our three basic needs, for food and security and love, are so mixed and mingled and entwined that we cannot straightly think of one without the others. So it happens that when I write of hunger, I am really writing about love and the hunger for it, and warmth and the love of it and the hunger for it… and then the warmth and richness and fine reality of hunger satisfied… and it is all one.” ― M.F.K. Fisher, The Art of Eating

Grace Amid Discord and Despair: We Talk Ramey, Cline, ‘Sideways’, Riesling, Zinfandel, Syrah, and More

August 19, 2018 / / 6 Comments

Fires out west, Twitterreah in D.C., and collapsing infrastructure in Genoa: The woes continue unabated (it’s always been that way, of course), and as summer progresses toward the autumnal equinox, despair and dismay seem the manners of the day. What to do?

Well, once you’ve checked on your friends and acquaintances in wine country, those dealing with the deadly fires, once you’ve donated to relief efforts there, after you’ve made sure your friend in Genoa is OK, after you’ve read the latest piece from Maggie Haberman about the goings-on in the White House (has there ever been a leakier bunch at 1600 Pennsylvania?), it’s time to cook and drink and eat and give thanks for the solace that can be had in those activities.

A few weeks ago, I was at State of Grace in Houston, drinking Rosé and enjoying some oysters. Matt Crawford, the restaurant’s general manager and beverage director, stopped by and poured us a Mezcal, and we talked briefly. Matt’s a great guy, and he just happens to be the subject of my latest Wine Talk. Give it a read, and next time you decide on oysters, pair them with Mezcal.

Drink Mezcal with your oysters. (Brockhaus photo)

Briny heaven (Brockhaus photo)

Continuing with wine, we move to Germany (my favorite wine country), and a great cause. (Drink Riesling every day!) But first, let’s hear from Mark Twain on Deutschland:

My philological studies have satisfied me that a gifted person ought to learn English (barring spelling and pronouncing) in thirty hours, French in thirty days, and German in thirty years. It seems manifest, then, that the latter tongue ought to be trimmed down and repaired. If it is to remain as it is, it ought to be gently and reverently set aside among the dead languages, for only the dead have time to learn it.
– “That Awful German Language,” Appendix D of A Tramp Abroad

Whenever the literary German dives into a sentence, that is the last you are going to see of him till he emerges on the other side of his Atlantic with his verb in his mouth.
– A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court

…mastery of the art and spirit of the Germanic language enables a man to travel all day in one sentence without changing cars.
– Christian Science

A dream…I was trying to explain to St. Peter, and was doing it in the German tongue, because I didn’t want to be too explicit.
– Mark Twain’s Speeches, 1923

The Germans are exceedingly fond of Rhine wines; they are put up in tall, slender bottles, and are considered a pleasant beverage. One tells them from vinegar by the label.
– A Tramp Abroad

Twain’s sarcasm and humor set aside, if you read this today (Sunday, the 19th of August, 2018) before 4 o’clock in the afternoon or so, and if you are in Houston, Texas, hightail it to Camerata and drink some fine German wines and contribute to a good cause. (Click here for more details.)

All of this talk about German wines takes me back to a fine summer day a few years ago; my friend Holger and I took a journey that included a stop at Schloss Vollrads. We drank and ate well.

A fine setting for Riesling.

I enjoy a Riesling at Schloss Vollrads.

Drinking Rielsing with Holger on the Rhine near Bingen.

Finally, there’s Zinfandel and Syrah, and Cline and Ramey. Two bottles we opened recently, two vintages that I recommend highly and that will pair with everything from hamburgers to beef stew and grilled ribeye or lamb. David Ramey and Nancy and Fred Cline are the names behind these two bottles, and you’ll want to add both wines to your inventory.

Zinfandel from old vines is in this bottle.

The Petaluma Gap AVA was born on December 7, 2017. (Courtesy Petaluma Gap Winegrowers Alliance)

Welcome to the World, Petaluma Gap AVA!

December 20, 2017 / / 0 Comments

It happened earlier this month, and in celebration of the event I opened a bottle of Pfendler Chardonnay, an appropriate and worthy choice. I’m talking about the official recognition of the Petaluma Gap American Viticultural Area (AVA), and the people who’ve spearheaded the move deserve a round of applause. (For those of you who don’t know what an AVA is, click here.)

The Petaluma Gap AVA comprises 4,000 acres of vineyards and 200,000 acres of land; 75 percent of those vines produce Pinot Noir, while Syrah and Chardonnay make up most of the remaining plantings (other grape varieties come in at less than 1 percent of the total in the AVA). The area is known for the wind and fog that visit it daily, and generally slower ripening times, which can result in the development of some fine flavors and the preservation of natural acidity, something good for everyone.

Eighty or so winegrowers, along with nine wineries, call the AVA home, and one of them is Pfendler Vineyards, the producer of the bottle I opened to celebrate the AVA’s birth. Kimberly Pfendler, the founder of the winery, sent me some thoughts about the recognition of the area:

I’ve long called the Petaluma Gap the most exciting emerging wine region in California, and the AVA recognition is a big step towards building awareness for our wines. My late-husband Peter Pfendler was one of the original pioneers of the Petaluma Gap, and began planning grapes here as early as 1992 and was the first to plant what is now known as the Gap’s Crown. Unfortunately, our signature fog and wind, which make the Petaluma Gap so interesting, were not a good fit for the Cabernet vines he planted. When I started Pfendler Vineyards 10 years ago I made it our goal to capture the Petaluma Gap’s distinct cool climate in elegant-style Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines. We farm three estate vineyards on the western slopes of Sonoma Mountain. The combination of sun and fog results in wines with beautiful freshness and layers of nuanced flavors. 

Pfendler Vineyards, the source of some very good Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. (Courtesy Pfendler Vineyards)

Pfendler is right about the flavors and freshness; the celebratory Chardonnay I tasted, the 2015 vintage ($38, 14.3 percent alcohol, 400 cases, Clone 4 and Hyde-Wente) is a fetching golden yellow in hue, and offers a bouquet of bright apple and gentle spice. Peach, lemon, and a slight toasty quality round out the taste. The aforementioned acidity is satisfyingly present, leading to a balanced finish. Drink this with a good cheese, say, a Camembert or an aged Cheddar, or pair with crab cakes, as I did.

Up next, tasting the 2015 Pinot Noir from Pfendler.

Want more wine? Check out these pieces:

The Perfect White Wine For Your Holiday Festivities
A California Cab Made By an Englishman
Peat is Neat
Distinctive Whisky Enters a New Era
A Whisky Legend Visits Houston
A Rare Cask, Indeed
Austin Whisky, Strange Name
A Merlot That Your Snob Friend Will Love
French Couple Make a Sauvignon Blanc in California
A Perfect Afternoon Chardonnay
Terry Theise Talks Riesling
A New Wine Wonderland
Paris Wine Goddess Tells All
Rice Village Wine Bar Has a Cleveland Touch
A Texas White Blend for Your Table
A Pinot Noir Full of Flavor
This Pinot Gris From Oregon Pairs Well With Cheese
Willamette, Dammit!
A Value Rioja
Drink Pink!
Underbelly Veteran Goes for Grenache
A Man of Letters and Wine
Ms. Champagne Wants a Nebuchadnezzar
The Wine Artist Goes for Chardonnay
This American Loves Spain and Its Wines
Houston’s Wine Whisperer Has a Soft Touch
Blackberry Farm’s Somm Pours in Splendor
Mr. Pinot Noir: Donald Patz of Patz & Hall
A Cork Dork Wants to Spend More Time in Tuscany
Sommelier Turned Restaurateur Daringly Goes Greek
Texas Master Sommelier Debunks Wine Geeks
A Bottle From Gigondas Changed This Houston Man’s Life
Oil Man Falls in Love, and the Rest is Good-Taste History
Ryan Cooper of Camerata is a Riesling Man
Mixing It Up With Jeremy Parzen, an Ambassador of Italy
Sommelier at One of Houston’s Top Wine Bars Loves Underdogs

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