Hidden Wine Gems of California

If you do most of your wine shopping while also buying groceries, you might notice that most of the major grocery chains seem to sell the same wines.  It’s not uncommon to find respectable offerings from the likes of Columbia Crest and Chateau Ste Michelle from Washington, or Sterling and Robert Mondavi from Napa Valley, or Yellow Tail from Australia.  All of the above wineries certainly have something delicious to offer for every taste; finding similar wines in multiple locations also gives you the option of comparing prices and looking for the best deal. 

But, what if you want to try something new?

At this point, you have a couple of options.  You can start with the internet and go to a website such as Wine.com or Bevmo.com.  Surely, these sites give you some flexible browsing and shopping options as well as some general descriptions and ratings of various wines.  In various regions of the country, there are some wine warehouses that also have websites.  In Southern California, for example, I like browsing the inventories at Napa Cabs, The Wine Club, The Wine Exchange, and KL Wines. 

There is another option as well.

Hit the road.  Go wine tasting and pick something unfamiliar.  Now; the upside of this approach is that you may find a wine that you never even considered and discover that you really enjoy it.  The downside is that you may find some wines that you never want to taste again.  Truly both experiences are possible on any wine trail. 

What I’d like to do is suggest a few wineries that I’ve visited and share what I enjoyed most about their wines.  Take note that these are mostly wines that you are unlikely to find in the local market, although you might get lucky shopping at a store nearby these wineries.  Also, each has offerings that are only available directly through the winery.  All have websites to assist you with buying wine and even joining their wine clubs in order to receive regular shipments of new releases.

In no particular order, here are some of the wineries in California that I’ve discovered; some more easy to find than others, but all with very tasty wines.

Terra Valentine (www.terravalentine.com)

Terra Valentine is located about 2,100 feet above Napa Valley.  The location is quite secluded but worth the drive west of St. Helena.  They only offer tastings by appointment but we were able to get a same-day appointment.  They offer up an array of delicious wines including a magnificent Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir.  Their Sangiovese just cries out for some pasta with red sauce.  That said, their Cabernets are elegant and such a pleasure to taste.  I’ve also had the great delight of pairing their Spring Mountain Cabernet with some grilled rib-eye steak on two occasions and I’m already looking forward to the third.
 

Topel (www.topelwines.com)

I discovered Topel during a visit to Healdsburg in Sonoma County.  I actually found their tasting room during a walk around central Healdsburg, a very charming and even somewhat vibrant small town that is developing a beautiful blend of country living and culinary sophistication.  Anyway, at Topel I found some really great wines from a winery I’d not heard of until my visit.  At the winery, it was explained to me that that Topel was known for its' Cabernet.  The bonus for me was tasting their 2007 Serendipity Monterey Pinot Noir. This wine tastes in two waves: the first filled with soft fruit, then 2nd wave with the spicy characteristics that give it enough structure to be diversely food friendly.  They also make some very nice Syrah.  Topel’s wines aren’t as easy to find as some of the others on this list, but if you are in Healdsburg, CA, it’s worth a visit.

Denner (www.dennervineyards.com)

About 2 hours south of San Francisco, west of the quaint and upcoming town of Paso Robles, are some of my favorite wineries.  Many of these wineries are starting to gain popularity and you may find several wines from this region on your grocer’s shelves.  Names such as Justin, Wild Horse, Tobin James, and J. Lohr are just a few of the more popular wineries.  However, on Vineyard road, just about 2 miles north of Highway 46 west, is one of my all-time favorite wineries, Denner. 

I cannot sing Denner’s praises enough.  They wide array of varietals including Viognier, Mourvedre, Syrah, and Grenache are splendid across the board.  A few of their wines have some really interesting names, such as the Ditch Digger, which is a GSM (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre) blend or the Dirt Worshipper (Syrah and Viognier).  Tastings are done by appointment only, however and I recommend calling ahead.  Many of the Denner wines are starting to gain recognition with several accolades in the popular wine trade magazines. 

Jaffurs (www.jaffurswine.com)

Santa Barbara County is generating quite a local buzz with the quality of wines being produced there.  In fact, that buzz is starting to go national.  I’m just waiting for some of them to show up at the grocery store around the corner.  However, the fact that they haven’t, simply means it’s another reason for a road trip. 

Jaffurs makes wines in the Rhone tradition similar to those of Denner with a bit more subtlety.  One of my favorites here is their Grenache Blanc with its’ refreshing and zesty tropical flavors.  One cannot dismiss their Petite Syrah or Grenache – both elegant and filled with aromas and tastes of brilliant and haunting dark fruit.  The structure of these wines is quite a thrill.  This brings me to their Syrah. 

From Jaffurs 2008 vintage, they offer up 6 vineyard-specific Syrah bottling.  It is easy to find a good one because they are all good.  It will be quite a bit more difficult to just walk out with one, however, Jaffurs makes this decision a bit easier by only offering them to wine club members.  I assure you; once you taste their wines, the decision to be a club member will seem like a natural next step in the process.

Leonesse (www.leonessecellars.com)

About 80 miles Southeast of Los Angeles is the town of Temecula.  Just East of Temecula are several wineries, many whose wines are readily available throughout Southern California.  In my opinion, Temecula is an up-and-coming wine region that is still carving out its identity as a serious player in the world of wine.  Clearly, they are moving closer to that with each vintage. A great example of this is Leonesse. 

I highly recommend their vineyard selection Syrah offerings as well as their signature selection Merlot.  Before even tasting these wines, the nose will let you know that you’re in for a treat!  They also make a fantastic and surprisingly complex Zinfandel from their signature selection as well.  What’s more, you can enjoy the Leonesse wines amidst a beautiful hillside setting with a scenic view of Palomar Mountain.  There is plenty of room to walk around and find your own “perfect tasting spot”.

For our purposes here, I’ve only mentioned a few wineries.  I discovered these mostly by accident or sheer curiosity.  There are many more than this on my list of recommendations.  My best recommendation, however, is to take wine tasting with a sense of adventure and discovery.  Aside from drinking plenty of water, don’t rush.  Give yourself time to explore and take in each wine that you taste.  Ask questions.  Have fun.  You may just find something that you can take back home and surprise your friends with. 

Be safe.

Cheers!

The Terrific Tastes of Temecula

Yesterday, on a cloudy Wednesday morning in Los Angeles, my wife and I decided to go wine-tasting in Temecula, located about 100 or so miles east of where we live. I don't have the exact number but I believe there are between 30 and 50 wineries there. It's the closest collection of wineries to Los Angeles next to Santa Barbara and up the coast of California.

We visited Temecula a few years ago and tasted some wine... and didn't like it. I don't remember what vineyards we visited but I concluded that, unless they figure out better farming techniques or hire better winemakers, they're not going to be selling much more than something slightly more flavorful than 2-buck chuck.

Maybe we visited the wrong wineries back then.

Yesterday, after a stop for lunch at Miguel's JR in Corona, we visited three wineries: Leonesse, La Cereza, and Mount Palomar.

La Cereza did not impress us, although we may have offended them when we asked to taste only one wine instead of the whole lineup.  I suggested they recommend the wine and they served a Cabernet in a plastic cup that was priced around $24 but tasted like something we'd find for about $5 at the grocery store. It was wimpy and absent of just about any character. It wasn't 'bad' tasting, just not very good.  A side note to La Cereza - even if someone asks for a freebie, give it to them in a nice glass.  You never know what they're going to do with that experience.

Not the same for Leonesse and Mount Palomar.

We first stopped at Leonesse and paid $12 for 6 tastings, which we shared. We started with the 2008 Viognier and 2007 Vineyard Selection Chardonnay for starters. Both are yummy wines with the Vionier having surprising body and boldness. The Chardonnay is oaky and filled with pineapple and melon nuances.

So far, so good.

We moved on to the reds. So much for my Temecula history! Leonesse definitely knows what they are doing. We chose to taste the 2006 Meritage, a Merlot-based wine that manages to be bold and delicate at the same time with a wonderful cherry finish wrapped in soft tannins. It reminded me of some of the finer blends coming out of the Paso Robles area. The 2007 Zinfandel was probably our least favorite but more on that later. The 2006 Syrah was pleasingly complex with a nice balance of dark fruit and, one my favorite characteristics found in a good syrah - black and white pepper. Although the tasting notes only identify the black pepper, I personally tasted white as well. The 2007 Syrah was a younger version of the 2006 but with similarly pleasant flavors.

At this point, the kind folks behind the tasting bar broke out their 2007 Vineyard Selection Syrah and the 2007 Vineyard Selection Zinfandel. Both are single vineyard wines. The Syrah was an elegant and bold wine laced with black cherry, chocolate, blackberry, and a fantastically soft finish. It's also got a bit more alcohol than the cellar selection Syrah tasted earlier. This wine should age nicely but can drink nicely now - I recommend decanting.

The 2007 Vineyard Selection Zinfandel was more to our liking than the cellar selection mentioned earlier. We both agreed that the cellar selection was a decent Zinfandel but it didn't blow our minds like the Vineyard Selection did. This wine just jumps from the glass with cherry, cola, coffee, clove and nutmeg nuances... all the fruit and spiciness I've come to love in a yummy Zinfandel.

Before I move on, one more note - the folks at Leonesse are clearly exited about their wines and passionate about their customers enjoying the experience. It's a fun place to visit and it's in a beautiful location. If we didn't have places to go and things to do, we could have stayed all afternoon.

But we did move on... detouring at La Cereza before landing at Mount Palomar - a rustic winery that looks as if it's all set for a party with live music and free flowing vino for all!

Our tastings began with their 2006 Sangiovese - a medium bodied wine that was loaded with cherry flavors and a nice finish. We followed this with the 2005 Trovato, a Tuscan style wine that was quite complex and yummy. The Trovato left me wanting for a place of spaghetti with Italian sausage and a robust tomato sauce. Are you hungry yet?

The 2006 Meritage was 50% Merlot and very pleasant to drink. At this point, it was my wife's favorite at Mount Palomar. But, of course, we moved on and tasted the 2005 Syrah - the only one on the list that left me wanting for a bit more robust flavors; although my taste buds could have been conditioned by this time. Anyway, the stars of the Mount Palomar tastings were the 2004 Cloudbreak, a Meritage style blend that was big, tannic, and cried out for a grilled T-Bone or Rib Eye steak, and the 2005 "Best of Vintage" Charbono. The Charbono, we were told, is a grape from Argentina although there is some speculation as to its origin. I'd never tasted a Charbono before and this was lovely. We both agreed that it's a wine that can be enjoyed with or without food - it's got enough backbone to hold up under some pretty bold dishes but is smooth and complex enough to enjoy by itself.

Alas, it was time to go home. We talked at some length about our experience and decided to come back. We will definitely return to Mount Palomar and Leonesse and allow for more time to visit other wineries in Temecula as well.

I imagine at one youthful time, Napa Valley and Paso Robles were poised for experimentation and probably some trial and error along the way before blossoming into wine regions with their own identities. Temecula will get there. If Leonesse and Mount Palomar are any indication, they are well on their way.