Category Archives: California

Battle of the California Cabs

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What is the difference between one California Cabernet Sauvignon and another (besides the marketing hype)? Sometimes the best way to find out is to taste a number of wines side by side. Even better, if you can taste them blindly, you will be less influenced by what you think is in the glass and more by what your nose and palate actually tell you about the wine.

With this in mind, I decided to have some fun this past summer and open four different Cabernet Sauvignons I had received as samples. All of the wines were varietally labeled as Cabernet Sauvignons, so at a minimum they were 75% of the named grape. Moreover, they all hailed from the great state of California, but from different AVAs within it. To add to the pleasure, I invited our friends who were visiting for the weekend to join in. All were game, so we lined up four glasses each and poured a taste from each of the bagged and numbered bottles. I asked everyone to remain quiet while they tasted so that each person could develop his or her own opinion of each wine. However, once we had all tasted through everything at least once, comments and critiques were fairgame.

-The Crusher Wilson Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, Clarksburg (CA), USA, $11.00
100% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Plum and blackberry aromas. Dry, medium acidity, full body, medium tannins, spice and berry flavors. Some oxidative notes on the nose and palate — possibly a faulted bottle.

-Emblem Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, Rutherford (CA), USA, $50.00
100% Cabernet Sauvignon; Aged for 22 months in French oak barrels (66% of which was new).
Medium floral, blackcherry, mint and a hint of bacon on the nose. Fry, medium acidity, full body, medium+ tannins, black berry, spice.

-Emblem Oso Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, Rutherford (CA), USA, $50.00
100% Cabernet Sauvignon; Aged for 22 months in French oak barrels (45% of which was new).
Notes of blackberry, blackcherry and euclyptus on the nose. Dry, medium acidity, full body, high tannins, blackcherry, blackberry and peppery flavors.

-Josh Cellars Amber Knolls Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, Red Hills (CA), USA, $15.00
100% Cabernet Sauvignon; Barrel aged for 16 months in new American oak and 1-2 year French oak.
Dried floral, herbal notes. Dry, medium acidity, full body, medium+ tannins, blackberry, blackcherry and herbal flavors.

Before the wines were revealed, the consensus was that the Oso Emblem Cabernet Sauvignon wine was the favorite (known as Glass #3 at the time) edging out the other three wines.  The Oso Vineyard wine had longer-lasting appeal with the group, showing a less-fruit forward style and some complex spice notes on the palate, while the non-named vineyard Emblem wine was more fruit forward. The Josh Cellars wine was also well liked by the group, coming in second place.

However, after the wines (and their prices) were identified, the preferences changed somewhat. While the group continued to acknowledge how much it liked the Oso Vineyard Emblem wine, it didn’t feel that they liked it $35.00 more. Accordingly, the Josh Cellars wine seemed to win out in the end, at least in terms of its price to quality ratio.

It was an interesting experience to see that the quality of the higher priced wine was appreciated by the group  — both novices and more experienced tasters alike, but that the lower-priced Josh Cellars wine delivered sufficient quality to make the group happy.

Grand Cru Grapevine: Bubbles Born in the USA: American Sparklers (October 2010)

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We have had a busy, but productive, fall season thus far. Our wine salon, From Mystery to Mastery, conducted as part of the East End’s first HARVEST Wine Auction & Celebration was met with great success as was Tracy’s Sex, Wine & Chocolate event with certified sexuality educator, Amy Levine, held at the beautiful Coco de Mer erotica and lingerie store.

Tracy will be teaching at the International Wine Center later this month and at NYU for three classes in November. Her session on Italian Sparkling wines, to be presented at the American Wine Society’s (AWS) annual conference is sold out with 90 registrants and only a few seats remain for her session on South African Wines.

In honor of the AWS’ conference location in Cincinnati, OH – what we’ve dubbed, “the other Cin city” and birthplace of America’s first sparkling wine – we bring you the history of Nicholas Longworth this month.

Drink wisely and well,

Tracy Ellen Kamens, Ed.D., DWS, CWE
CEO: Chief Education Officer 

       and 

Jared Michael Skolnick
COO: Cork Opening Officer 

Bubbles Born in the USA: America Sparkles

America has long had a love affair with sparkling wine, yet, while many Americans would be quick to identify Dom Perignon as an iconic figure of the Champagne region, few would know that they owe a debt of sparkling gratitude to Nicholas Longworth who created the first American sparkling wine – a Sparkling Catawba, in 1842.

Born in Newark, New Jersey, in 1783, this “crazy Jerseyman” stood somewhere between 5′-1″ and 5′-3″ and arrived in Cincinnati in 1804 (one year after Ohio had attained statehood), at the age of 21. After studying law for six months (there were apparently a lot fewer laws back then), he established a law practice.
 

Concurrent with his legal work, Longworth made shrewd investments in land, beginning in 1820. These real estate investments permitted Longworth to indulge in a new passion for horticulture and viticulture, pursuing the latter as a hobby as he began to plant vines along the Ohio River. 

His first attempts were with vitis vinifera, which, having been planted prior to the discovery of phylloxera, not surprisingly died shortly thereafter. Longworth then tried his hand at the American species, vitis labrusca. Specifically, he became interested in the Catawba grape (native to North Carolina), which was hearty enough to withstand the harsh winters of Ohio, planting these vines in 1825. He produced his first wine three years later, declared himself satisfied and subsequently quit his law practice, eventually crafting a sparkling version of his beloved Catawba.

But fortunately, Nicholas wasn’t the only one who admired his slightly sweet, sparkling wines. His wine was enjoyed not only throughout the United States, but also abroad in England and France. It was further lauded by poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow who immortalized Longworth’s wine in his, “Ode to Catawba” published during the 1850s.

Longworth’s success eventually established him as the “wealthiest man in Ohio.” In fact, “…in 1850 his taxes rated higher than any other man in the United States except William B. Astor…” at an annual bill of $17,000 and, at his death, his wealth was estimated to be $15 million. (Harper’s Weekly)

In addition to being an accomplished wine producer, Longworth was a generous person and used his wealth to help others in his community. He provided work for those in need; built housing above his wine cellars for indigent laborers; and distributed bread to the hungry from his home every Monday morning.

Longworth’s efforts also helped to cement Ohio as a key winegrowing area in the United States. By 1860, Longworth had 3,000 acres of vines and was producing 570,000 gallons of wine, annually bottling 150,000 bottles. During this period, Ohio led the nation in the production of wine, supplying one-third of the nation’s wine and out-producing California by two to one. However, this boom was short-lived as Ohio wine production declined in both the wake of viticultural disease and a loss of labor as Ohioans left to fight in the Civil War.

Yet Ohio was not alone in its pursuit of bubbles. In 1855, Benjamin Davis Wilson, who was to become the first mayor of Los Angeles, was the first to produce a sparkling wine in California. And, across the country, a “champagne” industry was started in Hammondsport in New York’s Finger Lakes region in 1860. Crafting sparklers from Delaware, Iona, Elvira and Catawba grapes, the Pleasant Valley and Taylor Wine Companies set about to establish “American champagne [as] the leading wine of the region.” (Reichl, 14) 

While most of this early success with sparkling wine was brought to an end in the 1920s as America pursued Prohibition, by 1933, “[t]he few surviving Eastern wineries, principally sparkling-wine producers of New York State [namely Great Western and Gold Seal], soon found their bearings again.” (Wagner, 61)

And, only a few decades later, a renaissance would take place, with Jack and Jamie Davies re-establishing a winery at the old Schramsburg estate in Napa Valley, CA. With a focus on quality, not quantity, the Davies’ produced a Blanc de Blancs, which they released in 1967, becoming “America’s first commercially produced Chardonnay-based brut sparkling wine.” (Sawyer) Schramsburg’s reputation was assured when, in 1972, their sparkling wine was poured at the “Toast to Peace” dinner with President Nixon and Premier Chou En-lai in Bejing, China. Their wines have been poured in the White House ever since.

Today, sparkling wine is produced in all fifty states, and, while many of these producers are local in scope, leading American sparklers are found in California, Oregon, New York, Virginia, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Massachusetts, and are often national and even international in their reach. Here, many serious winemakers are crafting world-class wines utilizing the Traditional Method of production, with ultra-premium producers focused on estate-grown grapes and the production of vintage-dated wines.

Harper’s Weekly Journal of Civilization, Nicholas Longworth Obituary, published 3/7/1863.

Reichel, Ruth ed., History in a Glass: Sixty Years of Wine Writing from Gourmet. Random House: New York, 2006 [Frank Schoonmaker, Return to the Native, p. 14]

Sawyer, Christopher. “The Best of Both Worlds.” The tasting panel, December 2009.

Wagner, Philip M.  Grapes Into Wine, Knopf Press, 1976

  
  

Producer Profiles

Biltmore Estate
Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina is “the most visited winery in the United States,” seeing one million visitors annually. The 125,000 acre estate is the site of George Vanderbilt (grandson of Cornelius)’s dream home designed by noted architect Richard Morris Hunt. The Château Reserve Blanc de Blancs is 100% Chardonnay from fruit sourced throughout North Carolina and is aged 24-30 months before disgorging.

Chateau Frank
In 1962, Dr. Konstantin Frank established Vinifera Wine Cellars in Hammondsport, New York and earned a reputation for his Rieslings and “champagnes.” The 1999 Prestige Cuvee is made with 100% estate-grown fruit, a blend of 50% Chardonnay, 45% Pinot Noir and 5% Pinot Meunier and then aged for more than five years. 

Gruet Winery
The Gruet family of Champagne, France established their Albuquerque, NM winery in 1984. The 2004 Blanc de Blancs remained en tirage for a minimum of four years with the last bottles reaching anywhere up to five years.

Iron Horse Vineyards
When Iron Horse’s founding partners, Audrey and Barry Sterling, first saw the 300 acre property in 1976, it was the most westerly vineyard in Sonoma, but the Sterlings knew they wanted to grow Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and that this was the perfect climate in which to do so. The 2005 Classic Vintage Brut is among the most traditional of their sparklers, made from 25% Chardonnay and 75% Pinot Noir and aged for three years. 

Kluge Estate
Kluge Estate was established in 1999 in Carter’s Mountain on the edge of Blue Ridge Mountains in Charlottesville, VA by Patricia Kluge whose dream was to build a wine region. The 2007 SP Rosé, made from 95% Chardonnay and 5% Pinot Noir, was aged for 21-24 months and won at the Monticello Cup in 2010 and took home Silver medals at both the San Diego Wine & Spirits National Women’s Wine Competitions.
 

L. Mawby
Larry Mawby planted vines on Michigan’s Leelanau Peninsula in 1973, with his first harvest in 1978. His Talismon is made from estate grown fruit picked as a field blend of Vignoles, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and Chardonnay.

Soter Vineyards
Although he is more known for his Pinot Noirs, Tony Soter chose to make a sparkler because he is a “sucker for a winegrowing challenge.” Produced from 100% estate grown fruit, the Soter Rosé is a 50-50% blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and spent at least three years on the lees.
 


Troutman Vineyards
Building on Ohio’s wine legacy, Deanna and Andy Troutman established Troutman Vineyards in 1997. Their Cuveé D, a brut style sparkler made from hybrid variety, Vidal Blanc, won a Bronze Medal at the 2009 Ohio Wine Competition in the Hybrid Sparkling Wine category. 

Grand Cru Grapevine: All in the Family (September 2010)

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September 2010

Summer has not yet quite finished out its tenure, but the 2010 harvest is already in full swing. Having been spared from the potentially devastating Hurricane Earl, many of the white grapes have begun to be picked and brought into the winery, while the red grapes will remain to finish ripening for a few more weeks.

Right on cue, the East End’s first HARVEST Wine Auction & Celebration will take place on September 24-25, 2010. As a reminder, Grand Cru Classes will offer its “From Mystery to Mastery” class through the Wine Salon as part of this two-day event.

The HARVEST event and the actual harvest signal autumn’s impending return, which also finds children returning to school this month and answering the age old question of what they did on their summer vacations. With family stories in mind, this month we look at the Concannon Family and its history.

And, we encourage you to return to school this fall as well…wine school that is. Tracy will reprise her Sex, Wine & Chocolate event on October 5, 2010 with nationally recognized sex coach and certified sexuality educator, Amy Levine, at the amazing Coco de Mer erotica and lingerie store. Savor every sip, taste and touch more fully through this decadent tasting of wine paired with Bond Street chocolates, which integrates a unique look at the intersection of these three joys in life. Call the store at 212-966-9069 to reserve your spot.

For tamer, but equally wine savvy, classes, turn to Tracy’s classes, which will be offered NYU’s School of Continuing & Professional Studies. She is also teaching the WSET Intermediate Certificate at the International Wine Center on Mondays, starting October 18, 2010.

Drink wisely and well,
Tracy Ellen Kamens, Ed.D., DWS, CWE
CEO: Chief Education Officer
and
Jared Michael Skolnick
COO: Cork Opening Officer

All in the Family

Two Generations of the Concannon Family

I first met the Concannon family in a grocery store in California. No, I didn’t have the pleasure of meeting a member of the family, that came later, but yes, you can actually buy wine at the same time that you stock up on those other staples in life – milk, bread, cereal and ice cream – at the supermarket in some states. Rather, a family vacation had brought by parents, sister and I to San Diego and we were browsing the wine aisle in search of an inexpensive wine to enjoy with dinner. I’m not sure what drew us to the Concannons, but we picked up the bottle, placed it in the cart along with a rotisserie chicken and sides and headed back to our studio room at the hotel. We were not disappointed.

This past summer, I actually had the opportunity to meet John Concannon, the fourth generation of Concannons to run his family business, for dinner at Brasserie Ruhlmann, with his wines poured throughout the meal. I was very impressed with John and the wines, both of which were (food)-friendly and approachable. Over the course of dinner, John shared his family’s history with me, further adding to my appreciation of Concannon.

In addition to having wine in their blood, the Concannon family is also proud of its Irish heritage, with founder James Concannon becoming the first Irish immigrant to establish a winery in the U.S. John owes his family’s legacy to Great Grandmother Ellen who devised to keep her husband closer to home. Born on St. Patrick’s Day, James initially moved to the U.S. and found work in the rubber stamp business, but his wife, Ellen, insisted he stay in the area and make wine for the church instead. Following his wife’s advice, James bought 47 acres of land in California’s Livermore Valley and planted vines in 1883.

Building on their lengthy history, in the 1950s, the family was the first to hire a female winemaker. And, in 1961, the Concannons celebrated both the arrival of John and the launch of America’s first varietally-labeled Petite Sirah. Today, Concannon is the oldest, continuing operating U.S. winery under the same family and heralds its 127th harvest this year. John’s niece, Shannon, is already eagerly asking her dad questions about the wine business, ready to take the helm of her family’s venture, although it is expected that she will at least complete grammar school before doing so.

While Concannon’s Reserve and Heritage wines are only available at the winery, two other tiers of Concannon wines are widely available:

  • Concannon Selected Vineyards – grapes sourced from California’s Central Coast; $10.00 and under
  • Concannon Limited Release – comparable to the winery’s Reserve wines; includes the Conservancy wines, which are sourced from Livermore Valley vineyards that have been preserved as agricultural land in perpetuity; $15.00

Tasting Notes

Concannon Vineyard, Sauvignon Blanc 2008, Livermore Valley (CA), USA, $10.00
Mildly aromatic with aromas of grapefruit and lime, this wine is dry, with restrained fruit flavors of grapefruit, lime, citrus pith and stone, anchored with vibrant acidity.

Concannon Vineyard, Conservancy Chardonnay 2008, Livermore Valley (CA), USA, $15.00
Aged in French and American oak barrels, the nose is greeted with slight toast and nut notes, along with melon. The dry palate presents with medium+ acidity and flavors of melon, citrus, mineral and noticeable, but well-integrated oak. It paired beautifully with a blue crab salad.

Concannon Vineyard, Conservancy Merlot 2007, Livermore Valley (CA), USA, $15.00
Sourced from a cool area, this Merlot is bright and fruity with aromas of plum, cherry and herbs. Medium acidity and medium tannins join the dry palate, which offers black cherry and leafy notes.

Concannon Vineyard, Conservancy Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, Livermore Valley (CA), USA, $15.00
Produced from 93% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Syrah, this wine is dry, with medium acid, full body and medium, ripe tannins. Aromas and flavors of blueberry and spice are joined with a hint of dark cocoa.

Concannon Vineyard, Conservancy Petite Sirah 2007, Livermore Valley (CA), USA, $15.00
Deep aromas of blackberry, smoke herald this dry wine, which has medium acidity, a full body, and notes of blackberry, smoke and oak wrapped around finely-grained tannins.

Women in Winemaking: Simi & Franciscan

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When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up? Not surprisingly, winemaker was probably not on your list. Similarly, while Janet Myers and Susan Lueker are now both successful Napa Valley winemakers, they each came to their craft by a circuitous route.

Janet grew up in Southern Illinois with a family fruit orchard and maternal grandparents from Italy, but her interest in grapes didn’t come until later. She studied biology in college and initially pursued anthropology. Janet eventually moved to London and, while waiting tables there, developed a love of wine. As her passion strengthened, she chose to study enology at UC Davis. 

Meanwhile, Susan studied chemistry when she first went away to school, but then changed her mind and majored in child development. After working with hospitalized children, which she found quite depressing, she decided to switch careers. Susan had always liked wine and her parents had met at UC Davis, so it seemed like a natural place to investigate. After a great meeting with one of Davis’ professors, Susan enrolled at the university. 

Arriving at the same decision around the same time, Susan and Janet found themselves as lab partners and became friends. Today, Janet is the head winemaker at Franciscan, a post she has held since 2005, while Susan is at Simi, where she has been for the past 10 years.

A recent “Women in Winemaking” dinner featured both winemakers and their wines at the Crosby Hotel in New York. During the reception, guests had the opportunity to taste Simi’s Sauvignon Blanc and Franciscan’s Napa Valley Chardonnay as well as two red wines. Moving to the dining room, additional wines were paired with dinner.

Simi Chardonnay 2007, Russian River Valley, CA
This wine was made from 20-year old vines planted by Zelma Long. It showed butter, apple and citrus aromas on the nose owing to partial malolactic fermentation and ageing in G. Ferrer barrels. Dry and full-bodied on the palate, its flavors included apple, oak, nuts and vanilla.

Franciscan Cuvée Sauvage Chardonnay 2007, Carneros, CA
Named for the use of ambient/wild yeast used, this wine takes twice as long to ferment and Franciscan was the first producer in Napa to bottle a wild ferment wine. This wine has aromas and flavors of oak, yeast and green apple and spice, which can be attributed to the wild yeast, barrel fermentation and lees stirring.

Simi Landslide Vineyard 2006, Alexander Valley, CA
The 290 acre (180 of which are planted) Landslide Vineyard was planted in the mid1980s by Zelma Long and has three different elevations, each of which delivers a unique quality to the grapes. The lowest elevation results in ripe character and softer tannins, while the highest provides vibrant, vivacious fruit. A blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, the remainder made up of the other four Bordeaux varieties, floral, blackberry smoke and cherry aromas greet the nose. A full-bodied palate shows notes of blackcherry, spice, vanilla, oak and smoke. 

Franciscan Magnificat Red Wine 2006, Napa Valley, CA
One of the first Meritage blends, Magnificat was named for Bach’s piece, which was written for five voices. Franciscan has been making this wine since 1984, varying the blend each vintage. Janet noted that, “By varying the blend, we can be more true to the personality of the blend.” The 2006 is produced from 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 3% Malbec and 1% Petit Verdot, with meat, bacon, cherry and smoke aromas. Medium+ tannins, fruit, spice and vanilla linger in the long length.

What’s your Conundrum?

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I was asked to serve as the judge for a special event celebrating Caymus’ Conundrum, which was paired with a range of take-out cuisine in search of the best match. This wine is a “proprietarily secretive blend of California white grapes”, drawing from Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat Canelli, Chardonnay and Viognier, and a combination of stainless steel and barrel fermentation that results in an unusual, but wonderful wine.

Pamela Wittman, owner of Millissime PR & Marketing Services, graciously opened up her home to a group of wine and food journalists, inviting them to each bring a dish of ethnic food, which they felt would pair well with the Conundrum wine. The stakes? A jeroboam of Conundrum.

Guests arrived, bearing their dishes, which Pamela and her team (Patricia, Erin and Matthew) plated, carefully protecting each person’s the identity until the big reveal later in the evening. After everyone had settled in, Pamela offered a brief welcome and explained the origin of the evening’s event. When she first tasted this wine, she felt strongly that it would pair well with a variety of foods and thus, she sought to confirm her suspicions that night. Guests were then invited to dig into the wonderful array of food.

Having been asked to serve as the arbiter for the evening, I took my job seriously and made sure to take a bite of each dish and taste it alongside the wine, keeping careful notes of my impressions. I tasted the food on its own and then took some wine into my mouth, while the food was still in it, to further probe the pairing. It was a fun, but challenging task, as I sought to rank my preferences from 1 (favorite pairing) to 11 (least favorite). Certainly, it was not a scientific experiment, but I did come to some conclusions and submitted my ranking to the Millissime team.

My first choice was a Chicken Tagine with Apricots, prepared by Jamal Rayyis (technically he cheated as it wasn’t take-out, but he did take it out of his kitchen and it was quite tasty, so there were no arguments). I found the dish to be full-flavored and well-spiced with its fruit flavors — fruity, but not sweet — matching nicely with the fruit in the wine. My second favorite selection was Chicken Tikka Masala, the flavors and creamy texture serving as a nice foil for the wine. Sweeter dishes such as General Tso’s Chicken were less preferred by me as their sweetness dimmed the fruit in the wine and made it appear overly dry. Dishes with excessive heat overpowered the wine and were similarly less successful. I also have to mention the Grand Marnier Shrimp, brought by my friend, Lisa Carley, which thankfully made it into my Top 5, otherwise she claimed that she would have had to stop speaking to me.

A popular vote was also taken, and, while there wasn’t perfect consensus, the #1 and #11 spots were the same — Jamal taking home the prize for the evening and my dear husband, Jared, falling short on both lists (and confirming my impartiality as judge). Actually, everyone really enjoyed the Thai pasta dish he had selected, but its heat (and mind you, he ordered it as medium, not hot) would be better suited to a beer or lassi.

So, that was our Conundrum for the evening, easily solved with great wine, great food and great company. What’s yours?

All images courtesy of Pamela Wittman.

California wine is not just for dummies – book review

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I was delighted to have the opportunity to review the newly released California Wine for Dummies book by Ed McCarthy and Mary Ewing-Mulligan since the pair are so well respected as writers and educators.

However, I admit to a certain negative bias given that it was part of the “for Dummies” series. I had never read any of the “for Dummies” books previously distaining the assumption that a lack of knowledge on the subject made one a dummy. Moreover, I think it is somewhat insulting to address people in this manner. Accordingly, upon receiving the book, when I read the book in public (i.e. on the subway), I found myself wishing that it had been prominently marked as a “Review” copy.

Despite my predisposition toward the book, I was pleasantly surprised at its quality given the format and premise.

Ed and Mary have a great sense of humor and forthright approach, both of which are infused throughout the book. The book is really well designed with a series of icons that permits the reader to easily navigate each chapter in search of the desired information.

The book is great as a reference on California wines, but would also be useful as an adjunct to other travel resources, when planning a trip to a particular California wine region. It may also be of assistance with wine purchases with Ed and Mary’s lists of reliable wines for each grape variety and within various price bands.

Grand Cru Grapevine: I Left My Heart in San Francisco (February 2009)

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Baby it’s cold outside! It’s the perfect time to stay indoors and open some wonderful wines, but eventually you may get stir crazy, so we have plenty of places for you to come hang out with us.

On February 26, Grand Cru Classes will present Long Island wines: From Potato Farms to Parker Points at the newly opened City Winery in Manhattan. We are very excited to partner with Michael Dorf on his project and look forward to a great event. Please register at City Winery online.

Two days later, Grand Cru Classes will import its Sex, Wine & Chocolate event to Washington, D.C. We’ll be at the beautifully-appointed Co Co Sala Chocolate Lounge, along with sexuality educator, Judith Steinhart, sipping wine, savoring chocolate and soaking up knowledge. We invite women-only to our noon session on Saturday, February 28, with a special session for couples-only presented at 3:00 PM. If you have friends, family or colleagues in the D.C. area, be sure and let them know we are on our way. And, save the date for the New York return on March 19, 2009. Details for this event are posted on our website.

Looking ahead, Tracy will reprise her Great Grapes! series through New York University’s School of Continuing & Professional Studies. The non-credit course will be offered on four consecutive Tuesdays, beginning March 24 at 6:30 and will feature Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Merlot and Pinot Noir. Registration is through NYU only.

While we are waiting for Spring, our hearts and minds are back in California wine country, namely the Napa and Sonoma Valleys. With the restrictions on transporting liquids on planes, we no longer take wines home with us from our travels. Instead, we leave with heavy hearts as we bid goodbye to these wonderful wine regions, but know we will be back.

Drink wisely and well,

Tracy Ellen Kamens, Ed.D., DWS, CWE

CEO: Chief Education Officer

and

Jared Michael Skolnick

COO: Cork Opening Officer

I LEFT MY HEART IN SAN FRANCISCO

Napa Fog The popular song, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” made famous by Tony Bennett, is certainly apropos in many regards this month. As singer of the song, Tony longed to be back home, foreswearing both Paris and New York for his love that “…waits there in San Francisco.” Such passionate love, whether for a grand city or a lover, is certainly in keeping with the arrival of Valentine’s Day this month.

But beyond such love, Tony’s devotional also unwittingly mentions so many of the important aspects that make the Napa and Sonoma Valleys, which lie north of San Francisco, such great wine growing regions. His, “…city by the bay…” brings cool air, where “[t]he morning fog may chill the air…above the blue and windy sea…” and its “…golden sun will shine…” Truly, it is the climate, shaped so dramatically by the mountains, water and fog, that positively impacts the quality of the grapes.

Situated beneath the mountains, the Napa Valley is bounded on both sides with the Mayacamas range to the West and the Vaca range to the East. Moreover, the Napa Valley sits to the west of the hot and dry climate of the San Joaquin Valley (aka Central Valley), where much of California’s bulk wine is produced. In the early morning, the high heat from the Central Valley draws the cool air and moisture from the Pacific Ocean into the San Francisco Bay and then up the Napa Valley, cooling the area as it rolls in. This marine influence has differing results as one works their way up the 30-mile long valley, finding a difference of as much as 1oF/mile, with the southern end experiencing lower temperatures and increased rainfall when compared to the northern end, up near Calistoga. By noon, the fog has burned off and the valley is warm, with plenty of sunshine to fully ripen the grapes each year.

The southern end, known as the appellation of Carneros, spans both Napa and Sonoma and maintains the coolest climate of the region. Here, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay truly shine. Further up in Napa, we find Cabernet Sauvignon and, again Chardonnay, but generally produced in a different style. Whereas the Carneros Chardonnays are elegant and restrained, the wines from upper Napa are fuller-bodied and richer in character due to the warmer climate. Other varietals also are grown in Napa including Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc. High above the valley floor, the mountain appellations lie above the fog, with grapes receiving more sunlight and a warmer overnight temperature. As a result, these are wines with a darkness and intensity to them balanced with good acidity and tannins that are well polished. The most produced wine in these areas tends to be Cabernet Sauvignon and similarly, Bordeaux-style blends, in which Cabernet Sauvignon plays a significant role.

The larger, Sonoma Valley is a region of polyculture, not just viticulture, growing a wide range of produce and playing host to numerous farms. The areas closer to the coastline are tempered by the marine air, while areas further inland maintain higher temperatures. Consequently, some sub-regions are particularly well-suited for given grape varieties. More specifically, the Alexander Valley is vaunted for its Cabernet Sauvignons, while Rockpile is prized for Zinfandel. The Russian River Valley is another area known for cool-climate Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs, while the warmer and drier Dry Creek Valley is home to Rhone varietals (Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre) and Zinfandel.

Tasting Notes

Dutton-Goldfield, Shop Block Pinot Blanc 2007, Green Valley, CA, $25.00
Celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2008, Dutton-Goldfield is the partnership of vineyard owner/manager, Steve Dutton, and winemaker, Dan Goldfield, in producing small lot, cool climate wines in the Russian River Valley. As a sub-AVA, the Green Valley is hailed as, “the coolest, foggiest region of the Russian River Valley.” Their Pinot Blanc has citrus, floral and stone aromas, with a dry, medium-bodied palate. Bright fruit flavors of citrus and apple coexist with muted notes of minerality.

Frank Family Vineyards, Chardonnay 2006, Napa Valley, CA, $32.50
This is a beautifully-made Chardonnay with aromas of apple and floral notes. Medium-bodied on the palate, it has flavors of apple and white flower and only a limited perception of integrated oak.

Robert Mondavi Winery, Fume Blanc Reserve 2006, To Kalon Vineyard, Oakville, CA, $45.00
From the famed To Kalon vineyard, this 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 10% Semillon blend has youthful aromas of grapefruit, hay and wet stone, opening up to peach. On the palate, it is dry with medium+ acidity, medium body, white grapefruit, stone and peach notes, finishing with a touch of yeast in the long length. 

Coturri, Jewell Vineyard, Pinot Noir 2005, Sonoma Mountain, CA, $30.00
While the wines aren’t labeled as such, Coturri is a biodynamic producer, believing that organic production isn’t the stuff of marketing, but rather, it’s the only way to make wine. This elegant Pinot hails from 60-year old vines and has raspberry and herbal aromas. Dry, with lively acidity, medium body and medium tannins, its flavors of raspberry and black cherry, coupled with pleasant herbaceousness, are very concentrated throughout the palate. 

Seghesio, Zinfandel 2005, Rockpile, CA $36.00
Known for its Zinfandels, Seghesio produces a range from different appellations and vineyards. The Rockpile rendition is spicy and juicy, with medium body, medium acidity, ripe tannins and rich flavors of spice, blueberry and blackberry.

CADE Winery, Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, Howell Mountain, CA, $60.00
Made in small quantities (only 400 cases), this wine comes from 9 year old vines grown at a 2,000 foot elevation, which is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, with some Merlot to soften the wine. Aromas include menthol, along with some blackberry fruit in the background and oak. The dry palate displays medium acidity, high tannins and flavors of blackberry, oak and coffee.

NB: The wines selected for this month’s newsletter carry higher average prices than our usual selections, but we believe that these wines deliver excellent quality, while still providing good value. There are significant numbers of lower-priced California wines, most of which are commercially-made, cheap and cheerful wines with grapes sourced from throughout the state. With the high cost of land values in Napa and Sonoma, it is costlier to make great, artisanal wines, as these represent. Yet, with people choosing to stay in more frequently, as opposed to dining out, these wine costs provide you with the ability to trade up, while still keeping expenses reasonable.