Eberle Winery: The Star of Paso Robles Wine Country
When Gary Eberle founded Eberle Winery 34 years ago with the premiere of his 1979 Cabernet Sauvignon, he introduced the world to more than a distinctive label; he introduced it to Paso Robles, California. Today, Eberle Winery has reached a case production of 30,000. The Eberle name, which means “wild boar” in German, has earned a reputation as one of the highest award-winning wineries in the United States. In 2011, Eberle was named Winery of the Year by the International Sommelier Challenge. In 2012, Eberle ranked high with the Wine Spectator, earning 93 points for its 2010 Steinbeck Vineyard Syrah. Nearly four decades of wine awards are on display in the Eberle tasting room. Once visitors taste the wines, they understand why Eberle has been called the “Godfather of the Paso Robles wine appellation.” Eberle Winery is a welcoming place. Guests arriving at the Paso Robles tasting room are first greeted by a famous bronze Porcellino (wild boar) statue. It is the 93rd replica of the original bronze Porcellino cast by Tacca in 1620 and now found in Florence, Italy. Italians consider it good luck to rub the boar’s nose and toss a coin in the water below. Visitors to Eberle are fortunate as well; they can taste the Paso Robles wines that have won so many high accolades and tour the caves for free. Eberle’s 17,000 square feet of underground caves provide a captivating environment for exclusive parties. The intimate VIP Room inside the Eberle Winery caves seat 10 for private wine tours, lunch, dinner, or other events. In addition, the 100-seat Wild Boar Room serves as a romantic and beautiful backdrop for the Eberle’s monthly Guest Chef Dinner Series (featuring renowned chefs from around the world), as well as other private events. A comfortable picnic deck overlooking the estate vineyard can also be reserved for weddings or groups of up to 100. As Gary, his wife Marcy, and their two standard poodles will attest, there are plenty of reasons to celebrate Paso Robles wine country at Eberle Winery. WHAT TO BUY ’10 Syrah, Steinbeck Vineyard – $24 ’11 Estate Chardonnay – $20 CONTACT TASTING SPECIAL NOTES Touring Tasting is a media company that produces a wine and travel magazine and is also partner in the Hitched Wine Club.
’09 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon – $34
Rich black currant, dark cherry, hint of mocha
Ripe blueberry, black cherry, hints of sweet vanilla, oak, white pepper
Citrus, green apple, pear, pineapple, hint of toasted oak
805-238-9607
tastingroom@eberlewinery.com
eberlewinery.com
Tasting Room Open Daily 10–5
3810 Hwy 46 E
Paso Robles, CA 93446
Private tastings and tours by appointment, picnic grounds, gift shop, winemaker dinners, weddings and receptions.
Make plans to pair wine with your Valentine
Make plans to pair wine with your Valentine
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RON’S WINE PICK
SINGING WATER VINEYARDS 2010 VINTNER’S RESERVE
Characteristics: Complex, well-balanced red wine made with Texas grapes, with velvety smooth tannin and flavors of black cherry, plum, licorice and toasted oak. This 55/45 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot is aged in oak barrels for 18 months. Gold Medal Winner at the San Francisco Chronicle International Wine Competition
Pairs with: Grilled steak slaughtered with Bleu Cheese.
Cost: $32.95 per bottle
Where: Winery in Comfort, Texas in the Texas Hill Country. Purchase via internet at www.singingwatervineyards.com
Posted: Friday, February 1, 2013 4:00 am
|
Updated: 3:21 pm, Fri Feb 1, 2013.
Houston Community Newspapers
February historically is noted as the “Month for Lovers” with Valentine’s Day situated in the middle of February on the 14th. Surprise your lover with wine surprises during the month with special outings The nine wineries of the Texas Bluebonnet Wine Trail have grouped together to provide a special “Chocolate and Wine Trail” for the first two weekends in February. Wineries along the “trail” will open at 11 AM on Saturday and close at 6 PM with Sunday openings at noon with chocolate and wine tastings lasting until 5 PM. Your Texas Bluebonnet Wine Trail ticket allows you to sample two luscious wine tastings paired with a wonderfully sexy chocolate delicacy. Tickets for the Texas Bluebonnet Wine Trail must be purchased online at www.TexasBluebonnetWineTrail.com with single tickets priced at $25 or a “Ticket-for-Two” priced at $45, plus handling fees and tax for each purchase. Tickets are good February 2-3 and 9-10, 2013, regardless of your purchase date.
The Texas Hill Country around Fredericksburg also has its Valentine Wine Lover’s Trail for ten days of wine. From February 8-17, 2013, you can celebrate your love with a romantic excursion to Fredericksburg and the surrounding communities. Book a night or two at a historic Bed and Breakfast or at the infamous Hangar Inn in Fredericksburg. If you can’t make it on a weekend, take some time to come out during the week for a quiet, romantic adventure. Spend time with a loved one, discovering the wine and nibbling on the signature foods created just for you by the Hill Country artisans. Ticket costs for the trail are $35per adult and $60 for a couple. Each ticket provides you with one set of complimentary wine tastings at each winery along with a box of cake balls.
Special winery events will also provide you with opportunities for unique winery events which include:
• Feb. 1 – Unveiling of this year’s Valentine wine at Bernhardt Winery between Plantersville and Dobbin, north of SH 105. This “blood-red” wine made from the rare Ives Noir grape smells and tastes like “cotton candy.”
• Feb. 1, 8, 15 and 22 – Stroll the Messina Hof Winery with your love with a glass of their sparkling wine in the moonlit evenings, enjoying spectacular views of their lake and vineyards. After the tour, delight in a flight of Messina Hof wines perfectly paired with delectable tapas at the Wine Bar. Please call (979) 778-9463 ext. 223 to make your reservation for this romantic excursion. Enjoy a romantic dinner afterward in the Vintage House Restaurant and stay in their opulent Bed and Breakfast Resort.
• Feb. 10 – Romantic evening concert in the Bernhardt Winery Events Room featuring Skyline, a group that will take you to the day of the Chicago band.
• Feb. 10 – Cooking Party with the Vintage House Chef from 2:00-5:00 PM.
• Feb. 16 and 17 – Wine Club pickup at Saddlehorn Winery near Burton off U. S. 290.
For a special evening, book a night’s stay at one of the Bed and Breakfast facilities at either Bernhardt Winery or Messina Hof Winery. You will be pampered and bring home memories of an intimate affair. Each of the nine wineries along the Texas Bluebonnet Wine Trail want to make your visit with each winery a special affair to remember.
Opportunities in the Vineyard
Bernhardt Winery will host three Saturday sessions of “Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Grape Vines” on February 9th, 23rd, and March 2nd. Jerry Bernhardt will start your morning off right at 9:00 in the Winery Event Room with coffee, juice, and fruit followed by an informative presentation on growing and pruning vines. His presentations usually include lots of hand-outs. I will be there the first two Saturdays to assist “Mr. J” as needed. At 10:30, Jerry Bernhardt and I will head out into the vineyard to provide hands-on experiences for the seminar participants on pruning grape vines and physical vineyard layouts to develop your vineyard skills. You will learn how to root grape vines to take home and plant. You will leave with plenty of contact information for purchasing more vines, trellising supplies and related information to help you with this new hobby or business! You are welcome to take your cuttings home and plant your own vineyard or at least some vines to make some homemade wine! After pruning, everyone will gather inside the winery for lunch and wine tasting. Lunch is proposed to be spinach, strawberry and walnut salad, chicken salad on croissant and chocolate dessert served with Bernhardt Winery’s award-winning port. The cost of the pruning and lunch is $30 and is limited to the first 24 people per session with paid reservations. Please call the winery at (936) 520-8684 or (936) 894-9829. You will need to bring pruning shears, a change of shoes in case the ground is muddy, appropriate clothing in accordance with the weather, and a bucket to enable you to take your cuttings home.
Italian Wines Invade Texas
One of the winery consortiums from Italy launched an informative assault on Texas Sommeliers and Wine media (including me) with an array of Brunello di Montalcino wines last Monday. These Tuscan wines made from Sangiovese grapes look and taste like expensive Pinot Noirs with their fresh fruits, earthiness, and color. Their depth of staying power coupled with their finesse make this one of Kevin Zraly’s top three wines. I was awed by their quality and low price for such Finesse. By the way, Kevin Zraly is an internationally noted wine book author and lecturer who led a 90-minute program keeping we wine people including the likes of wine guru/book author Denman Moody in awe with his knowledge interspersed with humor. March down to your favorite wine shop and pick up a few bottles of Brunello di Montalcino for your drinking pleasure. Don’t forget to use your hands when you slur out the words Brunello di Montalcino for effect when ordering!
Ron Saikowski may be reached at rsaikowski@comcast.net.
Posted in
Living
on
Friday, February 1, 2013 4:00 am.
Updated: 3:21 pm.
Days of Wine and Chocolate for NJ Wineries
Valentine’s Day is almost upon us, and you’re still trying to decide where to take that special someone for a romantic date. Let the Garden State Wine Growers Association help with their annual Wine Chocolate Wine Trail Weekend, February 9th and 10th at participating New Jersey wineries. The trail features wine tasting and chocolate samplings from noon to 5 pm at more than 40 wineries across the state.
According to Tom Cosentino, Public Relations for the GSWGA, this a great opportunity for the wineries of New Jersey to shine. He says, “The Wine Chocolate Wine Trail Weekend provides a tremendous opportunity to showcase the New Jersey wine industry to individuals and couples throughout the state and surrounding regions. There is no better pairing than wine and chocolate and this trail weekend allows New Jersey wineries to offer visitors a sampling of their finest wines paired with chocolates, gourmet food and delicacies, and local entertainment. By promoting our wine trails we not only allow visitors to meet and talk with the winemakers themselves and see the vineyards, but they also get to experience the unique locales of the regions, including bed and breakfasts, restaurants and shops.”
Many of the wineries are offering more than just the standard tasting for this special weekend. Tours, live entertainment, food pairings, and even dinners are a part of the wine trail experience. “It’s an opportunity to check out many wineries in one day and know that there is something special going on at each one,” remarks Kate Quarella of Bellview Winery, New Jersey’s 2012 Winery of the Year. “We’ve always enjoyed the Wine Chocolate Wine Trail Weekend, but we are really excited about some new additions this year,” she adds. These include a customizable cupcake bar featuring The Sweet Life Bakery and the release of Bellview’s cellared 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon.
At Plagido’s Winery in Hammonton, the Wine Trail Weekend gives winemakers a chance to meet with their customers. “Guests are able to come through and tour the winery, like an Open House,” says owner Ollie Tomasello. Since he is so often out working in the vines during the year, this is an opportunity to learn what his customers like. And according to the Plagido’s tasting room staff, customers love chocolate. Look for chocolate-dipped wine bottles, courtesy of Cheryl Pirrera of Creative Customs, all weekend long.
The Wine Trail Weekend can also be an occasion for wineries to have a little fun with their guests. Sharrott Winery in Blue Anchor is featuring a special wine tasting featuring foods that “put you in the mood.” There may be more than a little tongue-in-cheek humor and certainly lots of innuendo on the Sharrott menu, but according to Larry Sharrott II, owner and winemaker, choosing to serve aphrodisiac foods this year was a no-brainer. “We wanted to try something new and fun, to give our customers an interesting experience.” He adds, “Many of our customers tell us that Sharrott wines make them feel more romantic!” Perhaps Sharrott sums up the weekend best when he quips, “Food and wine is sex you can talk about!”
If you go:
Call ahead or check the winery’s website. Many wineries charge an additional fee for special events and tastings. You may also need reservations for some wine tours or dinners.
Map out your route. Visit www.newjerseywinetrails.com for event information and maps.
Bring bottled water in the car. For hydration between stops.
Choose a designated driver.
And most importantly, have fun savoring the wonderful variety of New Jersey wines!
Jennifer Malme is a full-time mother, sometime substitute teacher, avid locavore, and enthusiastic supporter of New Jersey wines. Her lifestyle blog, Down-Home South Jersey, explores ways to live simply and eat well in and around Cumberland County. When she is not blogging, she enjoys cooking, touring local wineries, and reading. She has never met a cheese that she doesn’t like, and she especially enjoys finding new, authentic ethnic restaurants in her area. Jennifer lives in Vineland with her husband, teenage son, and very smart Siamese cat.
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Winter happenings in the Texas vineyards
Grape growing
Posted: Wednesday, January 23, 2013 8:28 am
|
Updated: 10:01 am, Wed Jan 23, 2013.
Houston Community Newspapers
Texas vineyards are in a dormant state. Leaves have dropped off the vines, leaving a skeleton of arms reaching out from the trunk going in all directions. These long spindly arms, some as long as six feet, will need to be pruned back to the main vine body to limit this year’s production of grapes. Pruning is one of the most important steps in producing great wines! If the vines were not pruned back to limit grape production, the vines’ root systems would not be able to support production of quality grapes. It is impossible to make good wine from low quality grapes.
Too many grapes will increase the demand on the roots with the roots providing not enough support for a large mass of grapes. As a result, vines are pruned back to provide grape production in proportion to the capacity of the roots to support quality production of grapes and the subsequent essences in each bunch of grapes. Too few grapes will produce grapes with even higher quality, but the cost for producing such quality becomes very high. A proper balance of quantity of grapes per vine is essential to produce quality grapes at a reasonable cost.
For instance, the optimum quantity of Cabernet Sauvignon rapes is around four to five tons per acre under normal weather conditions. Last year, the weather in Texas was optimal with production of quality Cabernet Sauvignon at rates as high as six tons per acre. Vineyard managers work with their vines and know with experience how much to prune from the vines to produce quality grapes. Vineyard managers know that grape production controls their levels of incomes. Low yields per acre will produce grapes with higher costs per ton of grapes. High yields per acre produce lower quality grapes with prices that are lower per ton. Vineyard managers in Texas know that the missing item in the income equation is who will buy their grapes. Texas wineries are looking for quality grapes in order to establish that Texas can produce quality wines. As a result, Texas Vineyards produce smaller grape yields per acre to satisfy the needs of Texas Wineries. To my knowledge, there is not a single Texas Vineyard that produces on purpose high quantities of grapes per acre.
Bernhardt Winery between Plantersville and Dobbin on Texas 105 will host three Saturday sessions of “Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Grape Vines” on Feb. 9, 23, and March 2. Jerry Bernhardt will begin each morning vineyard session at 9 in the Winery Event Room with coffee, fruit and a presentation on growing and pruning vines. His presentations usually include lots of hand-outs. I will be there during two Saturdays in February to assist “Mr. J” as needed.
At 10:30, Jerry Bernhardt and I will head out into the vineyard to provide hands-on experiences for the seminar participants on pruning grape vines to develop your vineyard skills. We will also review vineyard layout and preparation in the field. You will learn how to root grape vines to plant at home. In addition, there will be plenty of contact information for purchasing more vines, trellising supplies and related information to help you with this new hobby or business! You are welcome to take your cuttings home and plant your own vineyard to make some homemade wine!
After pruning, everyone will gather inside the winery for lunch and wine tasting. Lunch is proposed to be spinach, strawberry and walnut salad, chicken salad on croissant and chocolate dessert served with Bernhardt Winery’s award-winning port. The cost of the vineyard seminar, continental breakfast, and lunch is $30 and is limited to the first 24 people per session with paid reservations. Please call the winery at 936- 520-8684 or 936-894-9829. You will need to bring pruning shears, a change of shoes in case the ground is muddy, appropriate clothing in accordance with the weather, and a bucket to enable you to take your cuttings home.
Ron Saikowski writes about wine and wine events for HERE. He may be reached at rsaikowski@comcast.net.
Posted in
Entertainment
on
Wednesday, January 23, 2013 8:28 am.
Updated: 10:01 am.
WINE WALK: Goings on in the Texas vineyards
Related Content
RON’S WINE PICK
ALAMOSA WINE CELLARS 2007 SYRAH TEXAS HILL COUNTRY
Characteristics: Red wine with full fruit nice spice, full bodied structure and lingering finish.
Pairs with: Grilled steak, rack of lamb, or barbecued brisket (dry)
Cost: $19.99 per bottle
Where: SPEC’S
Posted: Friday, January 11, 2013 6:00 pm
|
Updated: 10:43 am, Fri Jan 11, 2013.
Houston Community Newspapers
Texas vineyards are in a dormant state. Leaves have dropped off the vines, leaving a skeleton of arms emanating off the trunk. These long spindly arms, some as long as six feet, will need to be pruned back to the main vine body to limit this year’s production of grapes. Pruning is one of the most important steps in producing great wines! If the vine were not pruned back to limit grape production, the vines’ root systems would not be able to support production of quality grapes.
Too many grapes will increase the demand on the roots with the roots providing not enough support for a large mass of grapes. As a result, vines are pruned back to provide grape production in proportion to the capacity of the roots to support quality production of grapes and the subsequent essences it each bunch of grapes. Too few grapes will produce grapes with even higher quality, but the cost for producing such quality becomes very high. A proper balance of quantity of grapes per vine is essential to produce quality grapes at a reasonable cost.
For instance, the optimum quantity of Cabernet Sauvignon rapes is around four to five tons per acre under normal weather conditions. Last year, the weather in Texas was optimal with production of quality Cabernet Sauvignon at rates as high as six tons per acre. Vineyard managers work with their vines and know with experience how much to prune from the vines to produce quality grapes. Vineyard managers know that grape production controls their levels of incomes.
Low yields per acre will produce grapes with higher costs per ton of grapes. High yields per acre produce lower quality grapes with prices that are lower per ton. Vineyard managers in Texas know that the missing item in the income equation is who will buy their grapes. Texas wineries are looking for quality grapes in order to establish that Texas can produce quality wines. As a result, Texas Vineyards produce smaller grape yields per acre to satisfy the needs of Texas Wineries. To my knowledge, there is not a single Texas Vineyard that produces on purpose high quantities of grapes per acre.
If you want to experience first-hand activities in Texas Vineyards, try your hand at a pruning party at Haak Vineyards on Saturday, January 19thth, starting at 9 AM. Haak Vineyards is located in Galveston County in Santa Fe, west of I-45. Bring your pruning shears and gloves, wear appropriate clothing for the vineyard and related weather conditions, and come prepared to learn in the vineyard the art of pruning. Pruned grape vine arms from the pruning will be yours for the keeping to make grape wreaths or even start new grape vines. Basic pruning lessons, live music from Bon Ton Mickey and the Zydeco Hot Steppers, and an Oyster-Fish Fry will be available to attendees. For more information, go to www.haakwine.com.
Bernhardt Winery will host three Saturday sessions of “Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Grape Vines” on February 9, 23, and March 2, 2013. Jerry Bernhardt will begin the morning at 9:00 in the Winery Event Room with coffee, fruit and a presentation on growing and pruning vines.
His presentations usually include lots of hand-outs. I will be there the first two Saturdays to assist “Mr. J” as needed. At 10:30, Jerry Bernhardt and I will head out into the vineyard to provide hands-on experiences for the seminar participants on pruning grape vines and physical vineyard layouts to develop your vineyard skills. You will learn how to root grape vines to take home and plant. You will leave with plenty of contact information for purchasing more vines, trellising supplies and related information to help you with this new hobby or business!
You are welcome to take your cuttings home and plant your own vineyard or at least some vines to make some homemade wine! After pruning, everyone will gather inside the winery for lunch and wine tasting. Lunch is proposed to be spinach, strawberry and walnut salad, chicken salad on croissant and chocolate dessert served with Bernhardt Winery’s award-winning port.
The cost of the pruning and lunch is $30 and is limited to the first 24 people per session with paid reservations. Please call the winery at (936) 520-8684 or (936) 894-9829.
You will need to bring pruning shears, a change of shoes in case the ground is muddy, appropriate clothing in accordance with the weather, and a bucket to enable you to take your cuttings home.
Ron Saikowski may be reached at rsaikowski@comcast.net.
Posted in
Living
on
Friday, January 11, 2013 6:00 pm.
Updated: 10:43 am.
From Fruit to Wine kit provides budding winemakers with a new tool – Virtual
New, easy-to-use system provides education and fun, hands-on winemaking experience
(PRWEB) December 11, 2012
Anyone who has dreamed of making wine now has an easy way to get started. The new From Fruit to Wine (FFTW) wine-making kit, available in six varietals, emphasizes wine education while also simplifying the winemaking process by offering pre-packaged ingredients and clear, easy-to-follow directions.
“What’s different about the FFTW kit is its universal appeal, emphasis on wine education and the value it offers for the experience it provides,” explained FFTW Director Adam Hirschkatz. “The system was designed for the wine novice and experienced wine drinker alike and offers a simplified way to make ten bottles of homemade wine for under $100. There’s nothing quite like serving a bottle of wine you made with your own ‘winery’ label on it. And not only can you serve a great bottle of wine, but you can also explain how it was made to your friends and family.”
The FFTW starter set makes the winemaking process simple and fun with the inclusion of:
- Pre-portioned ingredients (to be paired with common household materials);
- All of the equipment needed to make wine;
- Step-by-step instructions;
- Blank, customizable wine bottle labels; and
- Your Wine Book, featuring sections on wine history, winemaking, party ideas and wine tasting.
Each set makes 10 bottles of one wine varietal and sells for $99. Ingredient re-stocks are $39. Six varietals of wine are currently offered: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Pinot Chardonnay, Johannisberg Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc.
About From Fruit to Wine
Based in Seattle, From Fruit to Wine (a Varietal Hobbies company) offers a complete home winemaking experience. The From Fruit to Wine system is a self-contained winemaking system that includes everything needed to make wine, step-by-step instructions, wine bottle labels and information to help users learn about wine history, winemaking and wine tasting. To find out more about From Fruit to Wine, visit the From Fruit to Wine Facebook page or http://www.fromfruittowine.com.
For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prweb2012/12/prweb10216116.htm
Why the Learjet set is buzzing about this new winery
Jack Nicholson is a fan. Rush’s Geddy Lee loves the stuff. Robert Parker, the powerful U.S. wine critic, is smitten. With A-list devotees like that, the trophy reds of Jonata predictably come at a price. Now available in Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta in very limited quantities, they sell for about $50 to $150 a bottle – juice for the rich and famous.
But there’s a curious difference between Jonata, a new property in the Santa Ynez Valley near Santa Barbara, and its northern-California cult-winery counterparts in Napa Valley and Sonoma County. The estate began causing a stir even before the first bottles were released five years ago. The main reason? Screaming Eagle, its more-established sister property in Napa, which makes the most hallowed and expensive cabernet sauvignon in the United States, at $750 (U.S.) a bottle. Can’t afford or find Screaming Eagle, with its 500-case annual output parcelled out in three-bottle limits to mailing-list subscribers? Jonata might do.
The other reason is Stan Kroenke, a property developer who owns both estates and may have the deepest pockets anywhere in the wine industry. Married to Ann Walton, a billionaire heiress to part of the Wal-Mart fortune, Kroenke also heads the company that owns the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche, NBA’s Denver Nuggets and NFL’s St. Louis Rams. Jonata was created by and for the Learjet set.
Yet in an irony that might amuse those of us managing to get by on $12 Chilean merlot, the winery has yet to turn a profit. “Ultimately, I’m going to have to double my price to fit in the long-term business plan,” said Armand de Maigret, Jonata’s estate manager, last week during a stop in Toronto.
Superb though the wines are (I particularly love the elegant, polished, earthy cabernet sauvignon and the peppery syrah), winemaker Matt Dees, formerly of Napa’s Staglin Family Vineyards, has had to overcome a costly challenge. The vineyard is mostly carpeted with sand. Nutrients and water are scarce, which demands extreme high-density vine spacing. That practice forces roots into a competitive battle so that they burrow deep into the underlying silt for vital resources.
When vines become stressed for too long in the frequent 40-degree daytime temperatures, on comes the drip irrigation, fed by a specially built reservoir, and out comes the flock of free-range chickens for fertilizer duty. So concentrated are the resulting berries that Dees has had to depart from the traditional cellar playbook, minimizing agitation of the fermenting liquid so as not to extract bitter tannins from the thick skins. “He had to relearn how to make wine in sand,” de Maigret says.
It’s been a trying journey for 12-year-old Jonata, founded by three other men before Kroenke galloped in as a white knight, first as a partner and then as sole owner. One was Charles Banks, an investment manager with ties to the sports world. The others were film producer Arnon Milchan and Gerald Levin, the former chief executive of Time Warner.
Their goal was to create a great cabernet estate within a two-hour Ferrari drive of L.A. After purchasing the 600-acre property, however, the original trio faced a rude awakening – high-profile consultant Frédéric Engerer of Chateau Latour declared that just five acres were suitable for the quality Bordeaux varieties cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc. “One of the other investors asked, ‘Okay, what are we supposed to do with the other 595 acres,’ ” de Maigret recounted. “The answer was asparagus.”
Instead, they took a shotgun approach, planting 10 varieties instead of three, including syrah, viognier, grenache and Tuscany’s sangiovese. In the fullness of time, they reasoned, one might prove successful, in which case the plan would be to dispense with the losers and regraft all the rootstalks with the winning vine. But Milchan and Levin soon bailed, prompting Banks to call in Kroenke.
The latter two also would make headlines in 2006 by buying tiny Screaming Eagle from founder Jean Phillips for an undisclosed sum rumoured to be $30-million to $40-million. Suddenly, Jonata (pronounced ho-NAH-ta), which had yet to release any product, was no longer a Hollywood folly in the dunes but a strategic prong in a serious wine enterprise.
Instead of regrafting, de Maigret says, the decision was recently made to keep all the original vines, even to add an 11th, and to mix and match grapes into a variety of blends.
In de Maigret, a Frenchman who grew up in a wine family in Champagne, Kroenke may have found the last critical asset needed to turn Jonata into the Screaming Eagle of Santa Ynez. A suave salesman with an unbridled gift for hyperbole, he sees his role not merely to sell Jonata as a stardust brand but to stimulate buzz for the entire southern region.
“The next frontier in California is, I believe, in that zone,” he added, lifting a glass of his syrah-viognier blend called Sangre. “There is so much pleasure here that, you put a glass of this to somebody’s face, there is no way that you cannot fall in love with it.”
What is wine?
Most of us are aware that there is something out there called “wine” and that it comes in two varieties: red and white.
It turns out that there is a huge spectrum of wine from sweet fizzy whites that weigh in at about 4 percent alcohol to big bold reds with no sugar at all whose body balances a 15 percent alcohol content. Throw in Ports and it goes up to 19 percent.
There are more types of wine than there are ways to use Cream of Mushroom soup in a Minnesota hot dish. I guarantee that you like at least one of them.
So what is wine? Some wines, indeed some very good wines, are made from things like cherries or raspberries or apples. In fact, there are some delicious sweet raspberry wines made locally at St. Croix Vineyards in Stillwater.
However, the vast majority of wines, and the ones that I will focus on, are made from grapes.
And most grapes have French names (dang it). Some common ones are Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir, which are reds. Whites include Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio (aka Pinot Gris), Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling.
A wine drinker doesn’t necessarily need to know how wine is made, but later on this information will come in handy. Most wine, very broadly speaking, is made via a similar process (obviously, there are wines that will depart significantly from the narrative below like Ice Wines where the grapes are allowed to freeze on the vine). The grapes are tended carefully and picked at just the right time. They are crushed and the juice is drained. An interesting note here is that any grape, when crushed, will yield a nearly clear liquid. Red wines get their color from soaking the skins until the red color bleeds out which also imparts flavor specific to red wines.
Yeast is added and the juice (or “must”) is fermented into wine. This is often done in large stainless steel vats. After fermentation, the wine is filtered and aged. Sometimes this is done in the bottle and sometimes in oak barrels. Ultimately, the wine is shipped and sold.
This is where we come in. We get to enjoy the wine without any of the headache of making it. And that’s a good thing, too, because my first (and last) batch of homemade wine was so bad that when we tossed it out, it killed the grass.
Since we have arrived at my favorite stage in the process – drinking the wine – I will pass on the conventional dogma that wine buffs like me will tell you. Imagine you are serving dinner to guests. Wine conventionalists will tell you the following: start the evening with a light white wine and move to more fuller bodied wines as the meal progresses. If the entrée is beef or something else with lots of flavor and body, serve a big wine such as a Cabernet Sauvignon or Petite Syrah. If the entrée is a light fish, serve a dry white; for salmon (a heavier fish), try Pinot Noir or Chianti or Rioja. Finally, serve your sweet wines with dessert, be they red or white. To summarize, progress from white to red, light-bodied to full-bodied, and serve the sweet last.
Now for the disclaimer: If you like ice-cold Cabernet Sauvignon with mint chocolate chip ice cream (not something I personally recommend), drink it and make no apologies. Drink the wine you like in the manner in which you like to drink it. There is no more important lesson than this. Wine is to be enjoyed. Period.
OK, as a “conventionalist,” after telling you that there are no rules, I will pass on a few guidelines:
White wines should be served chilled.
Red wines should be served at room temperature or (very) slightly cooler. An 80-degree Cabernet is less pleasant than a 68-degree Cabernet.
Young red wines can be a little rough, so to soften them, pour the wine into a separate glass container such as a carafe. This does two things: it improves the wine and gets the bottle off the table. Your wine friends will like it and won’t have to know that you paid $9 for it.
Another important thing to note is that wines from Europe are generally labeled by geography rather than the type of grape. Rioja (a place in Spain) is made from the Tempranillo grape and red Bordeaux (a region in France) wines are generally made from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot and others.
Also know that place names like Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne and Chablis are respected around the world as protected trade names. Wine makers in Bordeaux have been labeling their wine as such for
hundreds of years. However, in the U.S., wine makers are free to use those names without royalty. Respecting that these names are the property of those who originated them, I will never personally purchase a “Chablis” from California.
These names are fodder for a future article so we’ll leave it there today.
Finally, the only way to get to know what you like is to try it. Most of the liquor stores in the area will periodically host a free wine tasting. Some (like Haskell’s in White Bear) don’t advertise this fact much, but it is done. Don’t be afraid to ask. Also, some places have a bottle of something open most of the time. On The Rocks next to Festival in Hugo is one of those. So go out there and taste boldly. You have nothing to lose and a lifelong passion to gain.
Paul Lundh writes from Centerville. You can email him at lowdownnews@presspubs.com.
Nichelini: A vintage of 122 years
Anton Nichelini, husband to Caterina Nichelini and father of 12, stood only 5-foot-6 when he built his winery in Chiles Valley. But, in terms of history, it isn’t the size of the man, it’s the impression he makes on the land.
As forebear of the Nichelini family and founder of the Nichelini Winery, Anton’s imprint is nothing short of a crater. Nichelini vineyards were harvested and Nichelini wine was made for the 122nd consecutive year this year, extending its claim as the longest family-owned continuously operated winery in the Napa Valley. Nichelini is second in California in that particular niche to only Wente Vineyards in Livermore, a family-owned operation in its 125th year. There are 262 family and extended family members.
“If you talk to Krug, they will tell you their winery is older. It is, but it has changed hands,” said Doug Patterson, Nichelini vice president, marketer and third-generation family member during the recent “Festa della Vandemmia” (vintage festival) held annually by the descendants of Anton and Caterina Nichelini.
The Festa celebrated the introduction of a reserve cabernet sauvignon created by Aimee Sunseri, a fifth-generation member of the Nichelini clan and its seventh family-member winemaker. A month earlier a zinfandel reserve created by Sunseri was celebrated. They are the first two reserves ever made by Nichelini.
Of the range of wines made at Nichelini, old-vine zinfandel, however, continues to be its signature wine. It is the same wine that Anton Nichelini produced from the family vineyard’s 20-acre plot more than a century ago.
“Zinfandel has been our signature wine for 122 years now and we would certainly like for it to continue to be,” said Patterson.
Swiss and Italian by heritage, Anton Nichelini worked in the magnesite and chromite mines, which are still visible on the land he homesteaded in Chiles Valley, before launching his winery. He started selling wine in 1890, and built his cellar in the same year, said Patterson.
His wine was not something he just schemed up in the cellar. He learned how to make wine shortly after coming to the U.S. from a vintner named Joshua Chauvet, alleged to be to Sonoma County what winemaking pioneers Charles Beringer and Charles Krug were to the Napa Valley.
“Chauvet worked at Buena Vista for a time and that’s where he apparently learned all about the winemaking business from Agoston Haraszthy,” said Patterson.
Haraszthy is also credited with teaching winemaking to Beringer and Krug. Worthy of note, Haraszthy, a flamboyant individualist who proclaimed himself the “Count of Buena Vista,” met an abrupt ending in an alligator-infested river in Nicaragua in 1869.
Anton Nichelini set the bar high for the succession of heirs in his wine cellar.
Sunseri prepared herself to take over the winemaking role by earning degrees in viticulture and enology from U.C. Davis and microbiology from U.C. Santa Barbara.
“It’s kind of like a pedigree, from winemaker to winemaker,” said Patterson.
“Our main objective continues to be to produce wine from grapes that grow very well in the Chiles Valley district,” he added, “but we’re also working to have a place in history.”
There is, in fact, a committee of family members, headed by 89-year-old Dorothy Hoffman, intent on securing that place. One component of their work is in preserving the one-room 14-by-14 foot cabin that was Anton and Caterina’s first home — as well home as to the first four of their 12 children. Looking at what remains of the cabin, it boggles the mind to think about how they all lived there.
“Anton took five years to get the improvements on the land done so that when he finished he would get ‘patent,’ which was a homestead deed to the land,” said Patterson.
The cabin was built to specifications required to obtain the patent. Patterson said that at the time the Nichelinis built it there were two identical cabins built by nearby homesteaders. But both burned to the ground.
“Consequently, the Napa County Historical Society thinks the cabin on this property is the only one of its kind left in the county,” Patterson added. “If that’s true, we go beyond the family in our history.”
In addition to restoring the cabin, a stone wall along the road has been built where an original wall fell down after being shaken over the years by truck vibrations along Sage Canyon Road. A plaque with Anton and Caterina’s names on it has been mounted in the wall.
The house that Anton built in 1895, which serves as the winery has been recognized as both a national and state historic site.
Today, the Nichelini property is 540 acres. There are 13 blocks of vines, 12 named for the children born to Anton and Caterina, the 13th for Anton, himself.
That the Nichelinis made wine for this long is a phenomenon when considering that the Napa Valley was not always wine country. According to Patterson, the attrition rate of bonded wineries was such that by 1965 only 24 of 168 operative wineries in 1934 remained.
Even an arrest by Prohibition officers couldn’t stop Anton Nichelini.
“He was a heck of a dynamo for a little bitty guy,” said Patterson.
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