Languedoc, Roussillon, Provence and Zin

Question 1

Chateau Lamartine “Cuvee Particulere”

Cahors

2015

Answer 1

AOC:

• Southwest France
  
  • Cahors

Story:

• Chateau Lamartine was built in 1922 on the site of a century-old oak tree. Local legend recounts that in the Middle Ages this was where Martine, the daughter of the local Baron, would meet her various suitors. As a family property that dates back to the Middle Ages, these vineyards survived the Gallo-Roman wars as well the invasion of phylloxera in 1878.
• Born in the Chateau itself, the current winemaker/owner, Alain Gayraud, took over from his grandparents in 1975. Encompassing 28 hectares of vines that range in age from 20 to 120 years old, the Domaine is in the westernmost reaches of the Cahor appellation, making Chateau Lamartine the only Cahors domaine that benefits from the influence of the Atlantic. Here, the vineyards occupy the best micro-climate along the Lot River, all with southern exposure on the oldest terraces in the appellation, where the soil consists of a limestone base with a plethora of stones. At Chateau Lamartine, Gayraud farms lutte raisonnee and spends 2,000 hours per vintage green harvesting, to attain the naturally low yields he seeks. The roots express great depth, so the vines are rarely over stressed, yielding balanced wines, even in the hottest of years.

VIticulture:

• Practicing organic
• clay / limestone
• Mechanical Harvest

Vinification:

• 90% Malbec / 10% Tannat
• Ambient yeast
• traditional method in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks between 30-32°C / finishes fermentation in cement tanks
• 12-14 months in 33% one-year-old barrels and 66% two-year-old barrels
• Filtered
• Unfined

Taste:

• “Very dark; black core. Spiced meaty nose. Firm, fine-grained tannis but a little abrupt and drying on the finish. Might well soften up a little with time” - Jancis

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $16
• Cost: $70

If/Then:

• If you’re attracted to the power of malbec, you might be interested in Domain de la Tour de Bon instead. It’s predominently Mouvedre, from a super hot climate right on the mediterranen, and it’s s really powerful expression of the good old GSM. It’s the flagship wine for the Domaine, and they refer to it as “the blood of the earth”. Truthfully, the Lamartine drinks a bit linear, and bumping up to something with a bit more oomph is really worth it.

Question 2

Leccia - 86d

Patrimonio, Corsica

2016

Answer 2

AOC:

• Corsica
  
  • Patrimonio

Story:

• Yves Leccia has a certain presence and noble bearing to him, much like his wines. In France they have often been referred to as the “Rolls-Royce” of Corsican wines, a reputation earned after nearly 30 years of making consistently elegant and sophisticated wines.

Raised in a small village in the heart of Patrimonio, Yves worked alongside his father in the vines and cellar at the earliest age he could. The Leccias have been making wine from some of the finest terroirs of Patrimonio for countless generations, and there was never the least doubt in Yves’ mind that he would continue the tradition. Originally working alongside his sister, he decided to branch off on his own in 2004 and focus on the single terroir he felt was the top in Patrimonio. This terroir, “E Croce,” sits on a thin chalk soil above a thick bedrock of pure schist, facing the gulf of St. Florent. Yves is a firm believer in the idea that if you want something done right you need to do it yourself, and thus he tends to his vines alone and works the cellar by himself as well. He keeps his yields low, knows when to harvest, and knows how to let E Croce express itself in the wines. Not a single bottle comes out of the domaine that isn’t meticulously looked after from start to finish.

In Corsica, Yves is celebrated not only for his wines, but also for being a founding member of A Filetta, a legendary and proudly nationalistic Corsican polyphonic singing group. Spend some time with Yves and you won’t hear him boast or even talk much about his accomplishments. His name, Leccia, is Corsican for Oak. The name is ironic if you look at Yves’ wines, given that he’s never had his wine touch a single oak barrel and has never allowed wood to enter his cellar. The name is less ironic if you look at Yves himself, with his stoic manner and understated personality.

Viticulture:

• Certified Organic
• Planted in 1989
• 7.1 ha
• Clay, Limestone, Schist
• Hand harvested and sorted

Vinification:

• 90% Niellucciu, 10% Grenache
• grapes are de-stemmed, then placed in stainless steel cuves
• Fermentation lasts 12 to 15 days with daily pump-overs
• After fermentation, the grapes are pressed and the wine is blended to taste
• Red wines are aged for 12 months

Taste:

• Niellucciu is the grape for his red Patrimonio. Its genetic family tree links it to Sangiovese, but after many centuries of evolution and adaptation to the island, it has an aroma and flavor profile all to itself, with little resemblance to a Sangiovese from Tuscany. Here Nieillucciu carries that “island taste,” and can be ruggedly earthy. Lisandru works to accentuate the more ethereal qualities hidden in these beasts and makes one of the most elegant reds from the region, veering toward a brighter spectrum of flavors and aromas. - the source imports

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $23
• Cost: $83

If/Then:

• This wine is basically baby Sangiovese, and it drinks very dry and tannic. For something a bit more powerful and fruit forward, might I recommend instead the Domain de la Tour de bon? It’s predominently Mouvedre, from a super hot climate right on the mediterranen, and it’s s really powerful expression of the good old GSM. It’s the flagship wine for the Domaine, and they refer to it as “the blood of the earth”.

Question 3

Domaine de la Tour de Bon

Bandol

2017

Answer 3

AOC:

• Provence
  
  • Bandol
    
    • The magnificent Bandol appellation, known for its powerful reds and structured, elegant rosés, borders the Mediterranean Sea. Half a mile inland on a hillside near a tiny village called Le Castellet, Domaine de la Tour du Bon is quietly making some of the best wines that the appellation has to offer. The terroir here is a clay-limestone mix with a red subsoil. The 12 hectares of vines form a natural amphitheater overlooking the sea, and with abundant sunshine and very little rain, this is the hottest area in the appellation.

Story:

• Tour du Bon’s flagship wine, what Agnés calls “the blood of the earth”
• Agnès Henry is the current winemaker and owner of Domaine de la Tour du Bon. Her parents bought the estate in 1968 and spent the next two years digging into the rocky earth and planting the vines that she now tends full-time. In her 25 years of making wine, she has come to embrace organic agriculture and a hands-off approach in the cellar. In addition to farming organically, she has for the last few years worked with a dyanmizer to prepare biodynamic treatments. Fermentations take place in open top cement vats and normally last about three weeks; she pumps over occasionally to get oxygen to the yeasts. Following Bandol’s requirements, the reds are aged in wood (a mix of foudres and barrels) for a minimum of eighteen months. The wines are not fined or filtered. Domaine de la Tour du Bon wines are traditional and unmanipulated, offering a true expression of Bandol’s unique terroir.

Viticutlure:

• Practicing Organic
• 38 year average vine age
• Clay, Limestone, Silt, Sandstone
• 11 ha total
• Hand Harvest
• Average yields are incredibly low at 28 hl/ha

Vinification:

• 55% Mourvèdre,
  25% Grenache,
  15% Cinsault,
  5% Carignan
• Grapes are de-stemmed
• Traditional vinification with indigenous yeasts
• Judicious use of punch-downs and pump-overs
• Wines age in foudres for 18 months before bottling
• Unfined, unfiltered

Taste:

• “A dark ruby-red in colour. Scents of liquorice, cinnamon and herbs of the garrigue. Dense and savoury on the palate with firm tannins and concentrated spicy notes. Dry and rich in texture. The finish is lengthy, hinting at further black fruit flavours.”

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $20
• Cost: $95

If/Then:

• Move instead to the Chateau Simone - it’s nestled right between Bandol and CnDP, and it takes everything you love about both regions and injects it with steroids. It’s a 2 century old wine making house, with NORTH FACING VINES (only a handful of the nothern hempishperes winemakers do this) and it gives you this really beautiful and elegant sort of “GSM” blend.

Question 4

Chateau Simone
Palette Rouge

2011

Answer 4

AOC:

• Provence
  
  • Palette: Château Simone sits directly between Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Bandol

Story:

• For more than two centuries, the Rougier family has been working the vines surrounding Château Simone. The family’s property clings to a single hillside in Montaiguet, a small hamlet just east of Aix-en-Provence and twenty miles north of Marseille. The appellation that encompasses this village is Palette AOC, and even as a small independent producer, Château Simone produces a majority of the wine labeled within the designation. To the naked eye, Château Simone appears to be a classic family-run château, but it’s impossible to begin discussing the property without diving into the myriad qualities that make this one of the most unique estates in France.

Viticulture:

• NORTH FACING VINES - Allows them to retain freshness despite regions heat.
• OLD VINES: 1.5 centuries
• Hand harvested
• Practicing Organic - awaiting certification

Vinification:

• Grenache (45%), Mourvèdre (30%), and Cin- sault (5%), with some Syrah, Manosquin, Castet, Carignan, Cab- ernet Sauvignon, and Muscat Noir (20% total)
• 100% destemmed
• lightly pressed before fermentation.
• Indigenous yeast fermentation lasts for two to three weeks in wooden vats.
• Afterward, the wine is racked into small foudre (wooden vats) to rest on lees for 18-24 months
• Wine is racked once more into neutral, older barriques where it rests for an additional year before bottling.
  
  • 4 years of age before market

Taste:

• “Rougiers are renowned for bottling elegant, floral, aromatic reds that dance on the palate rather than hammer it with alcohol and extract. This is Provençal wine for lovers of Burgundy, Barbaresco, and traditional Bordeaux”
• “The nose is deeply floral and elegant, with violets, roses, black tea, lavender, red currants, black cherry, tobacco, leather and crushed stone notes rising from the glass. This bottle is a master class in balance and precision—there are no rough edges, and every stitch of this wine’s structure and aromatic tapestry is perfectly integrated. One might expect such finesse and delicacy in Burgundy, but Chateau Simone is arguably the only estate that can pull this off in Provence. It’s a beautiful, seductive wine”

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $32
• Cost: $113

If/Then:

• I would recommend either Moving to Chene Bleu “Abelard” if you want to stay with a GSM. Chene Bleu gives you a much riper expression of the GSM than Chateau Simone, simply because of thier North facing vines. This gives them such crips acidity, which isn’t necesarily what we know and love about a juicy GSM blend from CnDP. In fact, it almost drinks more like a Bordeaux blend.

Question 5

Mas de Daumas Gassac

Vin de Pays de l’Herault

2015

Answer 5

AOC:

• Languedoc-Roussillon
  
  • IGP St Guilhem-le-Désert – Cité d’Aniane
    
    • This is the Domaines 38th Harvest.
    • Often referred to as the Grand Cru of the Midi (South of France), the Mas de Daumas Gassac top-tier wines have reached international cult status. Located in the majestic Gassac Valley, the estate benefits from the cool microclimate derived from the Gassac River, several natural springs (from which the Guibert family drinks), and the influence of the nearby mountains. The soil that dominates the valley is a rare and still unexplained red, powder-fine glacial soil, which is strikingly similar to that found in the prime areas of Burgundy. This combination of characteristics is quite unique in Southern France.

Story:

• Aimé Guibert,along with his wife Véronique, purchased the property in 1974, and began planting grapes. After years of traveling around the world for his family’s leather business, Aimé developed a love for the history and cultures of the world. This anthropological spirit led him to seek out rare grape varieties from around the globe. He even went so far as to find the grape of the wine served at the last supper! As a result, there are 40 different grape varieties planted on the property, from rare and uncloned vines from far flung places, including Israel, Portugal, Switzerland, Armenia, Madeira, etc. While many would see this as an extreme and crazy endeavor, this diversity led to unorthodox blends and truly singular wines.
• The first official vintage of the Grand Vin was 1978, with the help of the great Bordeaux enologist, Emile Peynaud. The red has a high percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon (around 80%) with the remainder a mix of many different varietals that are planted on the property including Merlot, Cab Franc and Tannat, as well as some other less expected varietals like Pinot Noir, Nebbiolo and Barbera

Viticulture:

• Hand Harvest
• Practicing Organic

Vinification:

• – 79% Cabernet Sauvignon,
  – 7% Merlot,
  – 6% Cabernet Franc,
  – 2% Malbec,
  – 2% Pinot Noir
• – 4% rare varietals
• Classic Medoc vinification – long fermentation and maceration (20 days at least) in stainless steel tank – no filtration.
• 12 to 15 months in oak barrel (1 to 7 years old barrels).
• No sulphur

Taste:

• “This is an outstanding red from the Languedoc, that shows just how good 2015’s growing season was. It’s floral and elegant on the nose, with fresh blackberries and a garrigue element of lavender and thyme, that immediately has you dreaming of Southern France. The palate is ripe, with fine tannins and excellent length. A fitting tribute to Aimé Guibert.”

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $37
• Cost: $120

If/Then:

• This is more of a Bordeaux style blend, so perhaps take them to Bordeaux.
• If want to stick with GSM blend, try Helios or Abelard! Abelard is based primarily on Grenahce, Helios based on Syrah. It’s the feminine vs. masculine interpretations of the land and the names reference one of the most Torrid loves stories in all of History. They are located on the highest mountain in Provence, overlooking Gigondas and are just outside of Avignon - Literally baby CnDP. They are completely organic and biodynamic.

Question 6

Chene Bleu “Abelard”

Provence

2010

Answer 6

AOC:

• Provence:
  
  • Vaucluse: All our wines are grown, hand-picked, made and matured on the estate, the Domaine de La Verrière. Our Domaine lies in a privileged spot - a secluded mountain saddle above the little village of Crestet, north-east of Avignon, in the Dentelles de Montimirail mountains. We are on the northern face of the Mont St Amand, above Gigondas, in the foothills of Mont Ventoux, Provence’s highest mountain.

Story:

• Chêne Bleu wines are named after the blue oak tree on our estate, the SCEA Domaine de la Verrière.
• Later, it was taken over by the local chapter of the Knights Templar, as it had a desirable confluence of objective merits, such as fertile land and protection from the elements and enemies. Ideally situated on a high, defensible plateau, the Knights could patrol the valley below. The Knights Templar were also known for choosing locations where celestial and terrestrial energy would converge and hold the Heavens and the Earth together.

In 1427, the priory was named “La Verrière,” or “Glassblowing Workshop,” by the owner, Aliot de Montvin, who was himself a glassblower of noble birth. (The winery’s white Rhône varietal blend is named “Aliot” in tribute to this historical artisan.)

The intervening history is largely unrecorded, as the property was abandoned and left in ruins due to conflicting inheritance claims. At one point, Prince Charles of Wales expressed an interest in purchasing the property, which he painted in a charming watercolor.

In 1993, Xavier and Nicole Rolet purchased the estate, by this time in a state of complete dilapidation. The restoration and renovation of the buildings and grounds took more than a decade, as the work was painstakingly done, with every attempt made to preserve the historical structures and recreate the self-sustainable ecosystem that had existed on the site since the Middle Ages.

• 11 centuries
• The tree suffered in the drought of 2005, so Marco Nucera, the internationally famed tree sculptor based in Provence, painted it with bouillie bordelaise (the ‘Bordeaux mixture’ of copper sulphate, traditionally used to protect vines). The blue-green color of the treatment enhanced the beautiful structure and the enduring inner strength of its architecture. The result was to uncover an arresting piece of natural art. The Chêne Bleu has become a fitting metaphor for our project, where we seek to preserve and protect the very essence of the site while showcasing its exceptional quality and character. We repaint it every year.
• Non mihi, non tibi, sed nobis ‘Not mine, not yours, but ours.’
• Our twin flagship reds are named after the most famous pair of lovers in the Middle Ages. Abélard was the theologian and philosopher whose passionate illicit romance with his brilliant disciple Héloïse condemned both to forced separation and tragedy. Their love survived decades of monastic seclusion through passionate and erudite correspondence.

They are not the classic “first wine/second wine”. Made with the same attention to detail, they are equal in quality, but very different in style, to reflect the distinct characteristics of the varieties and vineyards. Abélard, the Grenache blend, is well bred but packs a full-bodied punch. Héloïse, the Syrah blend, shows balance and elegance through restraint.

Abélard and Héloïse’s uncompromising commitment to each other through time reflects our own convictions. We admire their ability to combine deep thinking, passion and tenacity.

“Vive la différence”

Viticulture:

• Practicing Organic, Biodynamic, sustainable
• Hand Harvest
• Grenache,over 40 years old, north-west facing at 530 m. Syrah, 30 years old, south-west facing at 540 m.

Vinification:

• Grenache 85%, Syrah 15%
• 14.5% alcohol
• 18 months in French oak.

Taste:

• “Abélard’s rich brooding character lifts from the glass, showing ripe red fruit, black cherry and notes of sweet spice and mocha.
  Palate: Rich and concentrated. Spice and silky tannins bring structure and depth. “ The masculine expression

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $50
• Cost: $160

If/Then:

• Try Heliose instead. It’s based more on Syrah than Grenache, and has a bit of Viognier mixed in, to bring it the same kind of floral elegance of the Northern Rhone cousin wines. This is what happens when the Northern Rhone and Southern Rhone come together. Try something new, entirely, rather than a value expression of something that’s been done before.

Question 7

Chene Bleu “Heliose”

Provence

2009

Answer 7

AOC:

• Provence:
  
  • Vaucluse: All our wines are grown, hand-picked, made and matured on the estate, the Domaine de La Verrière. Our Domaine lies in a privileged spot - a secluded mountain saddle above the little village of Crestet, north-east of Avignon, in the Dentelles de Montimirail mountains. We are on the northern face of the Mont St Amand, above Gigondas, in the foothills of Mont Ventoux, Provence’s highest mountain.

Story:

• Chêne Bleu wines are named after the blue oak tree on our estate, the SCEA Domaine de la Verrière.
• Later, it was taken over by the local chapter of the Knights Templar, as it had a desirable confluence of objective merits, such as fertile land and protection from the elements and enemies. Ideally situated on a high, defensible plateau, the Knights could patrol the valley below. The Knights Templar were also known for choosing locations where celestial and terrestrial energy would converge and hold the Heavens and the Earth together.

In 1427, the priory was named “La Verrière,” or “Glassblowing Workshop,” by the owner, Aliot de Montvin, who was himself a glassblower of noble birth. (The winery’s white Rhône varietal blend is named “Aliot” in tribute to this historical artisan.)

The intervening history is largely unrecorded, as the property was abandoned and left in ruins due to conflicting inheritance claims. At one point, Prince Charles of Wales expressed an interest in purchasing the property, which he painted in a charming watercolor.

In 1993, Xavier and Nicole Rolet purchased the estate, by this time in a state of complete dilapidation. The restoration and renovation of the buildings and grounds took more than a decade, as the work was painstakingly done, with every attempt made to preserve the historical structures and recreate the self-sustainable ecosystem that had existed on the site since the Middle Ages.

• 11 centuries
• The tree suffered in the drought of 2005, so Marco Nucera, the internationally famed tree sculptor based in Provence, painted it with bouillie bordelaise (the ‘Bordeaux mixture’ of copper sulphate, traditionally used to protect vines). The blue-green color of the treatment enhanced the beautiful structure and the enduring inner strength of its architecture. The result was to uncover an arresting piece of natural art. The Chêne Bleu has become a fitting metaphor for our project, where we seek to preserve and protect the very essence of the site while showcasing its exceptional quality and character. We repaint it every year.
• Non mihi, non tibi, sed nobis ‘Not mine, not yours, but ours.’
• Our twin flagship reds are named after the most famous pair of lovers in the Middle Ages. Abélard was the theologian and philosopher whose passionate illicit romance with his brilliant disciple Héloïse condemned both to forced separation and tragedy. Their love survived decades of monastic seclusion through passionate and erudite correspondence.

They are not the classic “first wine/second wine”. Made with the same attention to detail, they are equal in quality, but very different in style, to reflect the distinct characteristics of the varieties and vineyards. Abélard, the Grenache blend, is well bred but packs a full-bodied punch. Héloïse, the Syrah blend, shows balance and elegance through restraint.

Abélard and Héloïse’s uncompromising commitment to each other through time reflects our own convictions. We admire their ability to combine deep thinking, passion and tenacity.

“Vive la différence”

Viticulture:

• Practicing Organic, Biodynamic, sustainable
• Hand Harvest
• Grenache,over 40 years old, north-west facing at 530 m. Syrah, 30 years old, south-west facing at 540 m.

Vinification:

• Syrah 63%, Grenache 35%, Viognier 2%
• 14% alcohol

Taste:

• “Concentrated and rich, with notes of sweet spice, liquorice, prunes and a hint of truffle. Full-bodied and round with silky tannins. “
• “Restrained but unwavering elegance. Our Syrah blend is named Héloïse for its balance of concentration and restraint, and its ripe, supple texture. Our fine Syrahs blend beautifully with the highly perfumed Grenache, but also blossom with the floral notes of our high-altitude Viognier, bringing Héloïse stylistically closer to her cousins in the Northern Rhône.”

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $65
• Cost: $195

If/Then:

• Move to actual Rhone!

Question 8

Domaine de la Grange des Peres

2015

Answer 8

AVA:

• Languedoc
  
  • Vin de Pays de l’Hérault

Story:

• Attaining cult wine status is not an easy feat, and certainly not when the odds are stacked against you. Laurent Vaillé has achieved what others thought impossible. Having spent his early career training under such masters as Jean-François Coche-Dury (Meursault), Gérard Chave (Hermitage), and Eloi Durrbach (Domaine Trévallon, Provence), he settled in the l’Hérault of the Languedoc and purchased his own land in 1989, near Aniane. In this area of the region, where the limestone is hard and abundant and the soil poor, no one thought he would ever have any success planting a vineyard on his plot of choice. Though it took dynamite and bulldozing to clear twice the amount of limestone, boulders, and glacial scree that is found in neighboring vineyards, he found a great terroir for his grapes. He did not have to look far to find ideal bud wood, either. He sourced his Syrah, Marsanne, and Roussane cuttings from Gérard Chave and his Cabernet from Domaine Trévallon. Laurent’s South-facing vines get very low yields, normally from twenty to twenty-five hectoliters per hectare. All are pruned in the gobelet style. The simultaneous restraint and power of his wines makes them ideal for aging. As for the skeptics, they are currently eating their words. His area of the Languedoc has since become known to produce some of the greatest wines in the region, with the new appellation of Terrasses du Larzac, of which he is technically part, reaping attention and praise. In his words, “Nature gave us a partition of land. It is up to us to interpret it.”

Viticulture:

• Soil: ​Glacial scree, Limestone
• 15 - 20 years
• 9 ha

Vinification:

• 40% Syrah, 40% Mourvèdre, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Counoise
• Wines are fermented in stainless steel tanks
• Red varietals are harvested and vinified separately and then aged in 228-L barrels separately. Reds are blended after the wines are fully complete, before settling and bottling.
• The red sees up to two years in wood, but the oak comes across as seamlessly integrated even upon release.”

Taste:

• “A powerful red, with a graceful, integrated profile, offering dried cherry, licorice and cured meat flavors, underscored by mineral, rooibos tea and Kalamata olive accents. Mineral and garrigue details pepper the long, tannic finish. Perfect for a steak.”

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $70
• Cost: $195

If/Then:

• Move to actual Rhone if attracted to Rhone style blend, move to bordeaux if like old world cab.

Question 9

Turley “Juvenile”

California

2017

Answer 9

AVA:

• California: Though the vast majority of our wines are single vineyard designates, Juvenile is actually composed of a variety of young vines that have been replanted in several of our old vine sites. We tag the vine when we replant it so as not to mix the brand new vine with its much older neighbors, then pick these young vines separately and make a distinct wine. The vines that make up Juvenile range in age from about 6-25 years, and we pull from 18 of our best vineyards across California, including Hayne, Ueberroth, Pesenti, Salvador, Vineyard 101, Fredericks and Kirschenmann.

Story:

• Turley Wine Cellars was founded in Napa Valley by Larry Turley in 1993. Because Larry has never met an old vine vineyard he didn’t like, Turley now makes 34 separate wines from 38 different vineyards, some with vines that date back to the late 1800s. Often weak and decaying, these old vine vineyards require extra care and attention in order to restore them to their former glory. After twenty-five years as an emergency room physician, Larry can now focus his resuscitative skills on the various old vineyards that comprise the wines he loves. All of the vineyards are either certified organic by California Certified Organic Farmers or somewhere in the process, and only natural yeasts are used in the fermentations. By focusing on old vine Zinfandels and Petite Syrahs in particular, Turley aims to both create and preserve California’s unique winemaking culture.

Viticulture:

• Practicing Organic

Vinification:

• Native yeast

Taste:

• Pale to medium ruby-purple, the 2017 Zinfandel Juvenile is scented of cinnamon toast and licorice with warm red currants, cranberries, warm black berries and cherries with blue fruits and spicy hints. Light to medium-bodied, it has a good core of fruit in the mouth with loads of warm spices coming through, framed by softly textured tannins and juicy acidity, finishing long and spicy. 15,000 cases produced.”

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $17
• Cost: $75

If/Then:

• Try the Heitz cellars Ink Grade instead. Heitz has been making wine since the 1960s, and Joe Hietz has worked alongside some of the biggest names in Napa. The vines that Heitz works with are almost 30 years old planted on top of Howell Mountain, whereas Turley’s are simply “Juvenile”. You get a much more complex flavor profile fro Heitz.

Question 10

Ridge “Three Valleys”

Sonoma County, CA

2018

Answer 10

AVA:

• Sonoma County

Story:

• The history of Ridge Vineyards begins in 1885, when Osea Perrone, a doctor who became a prominent member of San Francisco’s Italian community, bought 180 acres near the top of Monte Bello Ridge. He terraced the slopes and planted vineyards; using native limestone, he constructed the Monte Bello Winery, producing the first vintage under that name in 1892.

In the 1940s, William Short, a theologian, bought the abandoned winery and vineyard just below the Perrone property; he replanted several parcels to cabernet sauvignon in the late 1940s. From these vines — now the “middle vineyard” and referred to as the Torre Ranch — new owners Dave Bennion, Hew Crane, Charlie Rosen, and Howard Ziedler, all Stanford Research Institute engineers, made a quarter-barrel of “estate” cabernet. That Monte Bello Cabernet was among California’s finest wines of the era. Its quality and distinctive character, and the wines produced from these same vines in 1960 and ’61, convinced the partners to re-bond the winery in time for the 1962 vintage. Dave Bennion left his role at S.R.I. to oversee winemaking duties full time.

The first zinfandel was made in 1964, from a small nineteenth-century vineyard farther down the ridge. This was followed in 1966 by the first Geyserville zinfandel. The founding families reclaimed the Monte Bello terraces, increasing vineyard size from fifteen to forty-five acres. Working on weekends, they made wines of regional character and unprecedented intensity. By 1968, production had increased to just under three thousand cases per year, and in 1969, Paul Draper joined the partnership. A Stanford graduate in philosophy—recently returned from setting up a winery in Chile’s coast range—he was a practical winemaker, not an enologist. His knowledge of fine wines and traditional methods complemented the straightforward “hands off” approach pioneered at Ridge. Under his guidance the old Perrone winery (acquired the previous year) was restored, the finest vineyard lands leased or purchased, the consistent quality and international reputation of the wines established. Cabernet and Zinfandel account for most of the production; Syrah, Grenache, Carignane, and Petite Sirah constitute a small percentage. Known primarily for its red wines, Ridge has also made limited amounts of chardonnay since 1962.

Lytton Springs, in Sonoma County, became part of the Ridge estate in 1991. A quarter century’s experience with this vineyard had convinced us that it was an exceptional piece of ground. Forty consecutive vintages of Geyserville attest to yet another stunning combination of location and varietals. Though born in the early sixties to the post-Prohibition world of modern California winemaking, Ridge relies on nature and tradition rather than technology. Our pre-industrial approach is straightforward: find intense, flavorful grapes; intrude upon the process only when necessary; draw the fruit’s distinctive character and richness into the wine.

Viticulture:

• Organic/Sustainable
• We encourage healthy nitrogen levels in our soils through a variety of methods including annual cover cropping, the addition of organic compost and fertilizers when necessary, and close monitoring of plant tissue nitrogen levels throughout the growing season.

Vinification:

• 72% Zinfandel, 14% Petite Sirah, 10% Carignane, 4% Mataro
• 14.5% alcohol
• “Pre-industrial” and “pre-prohibition” techniques
• native yeast
• We extract color, flavor, and tannins from the grapes without the use of commercial enzymes or nutrients.
• Natural Malo
• Everything else doen by taste - pump over, extraction, etc.
• 100% air dried American Oak
  
  • 12% new, 15% one year old, 23% 2 year old, 25% 4 years old, 25% five years old.
  • 10 months in barrel.

Taste:

• Ruby-garnet red color. Pungent cherry and raspberry fruits, sweet oak, and complex minerals. Intense cherry fruit entry, rip plum, lively acid, and exotic spices and barrel toast. Tannins are supple and coated by appealing fruit. Wonderfully long finish.

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $17
• Cost: $76

If/Then:

• Try the Geyserville! It is a single vineyard instead of an estate blend, and the vines are much older - in fact, they’re about 130 years old. And with older vines, you get a much more developed flavor profile, with bramble fruit and sensuous tanins. The 3 valleys is simple in comparisson.

Question 11

Ridge “Lytton Springs”

Dry Creek, CA

2017

Answer 11

AVA:

• Sonoma

Story:

• The history of Ridge Vineyards begins in 1885, when Osea Perrone, a doctor who became a prominent member of San Francisco’s Italian community, bought 180 acres near the top of Monte Bello Ridge. He terraced the slopes and planted vineyards; using native limestone, he constructed the Monte Bello Winery, producing the first vintage under that name in 1892.

In the 1940s, William Short, a theologian, bought the abandoned winery and vineyard just below the Perrone property; he replanted several parcels to cabernet sauvignon in the late 1940s. From these vines — now the “middle vineyard” and referred to as the Torre Ranch — new owners Dave Bennion, Hew Crane, Charlie Rosen, and Howard Ziedler, all Stanford Research Institute engineers, made a quarter-barrel of “estate” cabernet. That Monte Bello Cabernet was among California’s finest wines of the era. Its quality and distinctive character, and the wines produced from these same vines in 1960 and ’61, convinced the partners to re-bond the winery in time for the 1962 vintage. Dave Bennion left his role at S.R.I. to oversee winemaking duties full time.

The first zinfandel was made in 1964, from a small nineteenth-century vineyard farther down the ridge. This was followed in 1966 by the first Geyserville zinfandel. The founding families reclaimed the Monte Bello terraces, increasing vineyard size from fifteen to forty-five acres. Working on weekends, they made wines of regional character and unprecedented intensity. By 1968, production had increased to just under three thousand cases per year, and in 1969, Paul Draper joined the partnership. A Stanford graduate in philosophy—recently returned from setting up a winery in Chile’s coast range—he was a practical winemaker, not an enologist. His knowledge of fine wines and traditional methods complemented the straightforward “hands off” approach pioneered at Ridge. Under his guidance the old Perrone winery (acquired the previous year) was restored, the finest vineyard lands leased or purchased, the consistent quality and international reputation of the wines established. Cabernet and Zinfandel account for most of the production; Syrah, Grenache, Carignane, and Petite Sirah constitute a small percentage. Known primarily for its red wines, Ridge has also made limited amounts of chardonnay since 1962.

Lytton Springs, in Sonoma County, became part of the Ridge estate in 1991. A quarter century’s experience with this vineyard had convinced us that it was an exceptional piece of ground. Forty consecutive vintages of Geyserville attest to yet another stunning combination of location and varietals. Though born in the early sixties to the post-Prohibition world of modern California winemaking, Ridge relies on nature and tradition rather than technology. Our pre-industrial approach is straightforward: find intense, flavorful grapes; intrude upon the process only when necessary; draw the fruit’s distinctive character and richness into the wine.

Viticulture:

• Planted 1972
• Organic/Sustainable
• We encourage healthy nitrogen levels in our soils through a variety of methods including annual cover cropping, the addition of organic compost and fertilizers when necessary, and close monitoring of plant tissue nitrogen levels throughout the growing season.

Vinification:

• 74% Zinfandel, 15% Petite Sirah, 9% Carignane, 2% Mataro
• 14.8% Alcohol
• “Pre-industrial” and “pre-prohibition” techniques
• native yeast
• We extract color, flavor, and tannins from the grapes without the use of commercial enzymes or nutrients.
• Natural Malo
• Daily pump over
• Everything else done by taste - pump over, extraction, etc.
• Barrels: 100% air-dried american oak barrels for 14mo.
  
  • 10% new
  • 20% two years old
  • 30% three years old
  • 20% four years old
  • 20% five years old

Taste:

• Nose of plum, blackberry and licorice. Plentiful raspberry fruit on entry with notes of pepper sage, well coated tannins and long layered finish.

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $33.25
• Cost: $110

If/Then:

• Try the Amapola Creek! It’s made by Richard Arrowood, of Arrowood cab. Amapola means Poppy in spanish, which is a reference to the California State flower - and this wine blooms and entices you much like said Poppy. The vineyard is located at the southern part of Sonoma, so it’s a bit warmer than Alexander Valley, allowing the fruit to ripen more than the Geyserville. Plus, they’re certified oraginc as opposed to just practiing.

Question 12

Ridge “Geyserville” - 86’d

Alexander Valley, CA

2018

Answer 12

AVA:

• Sonoma
  
  • Alexander Valley: Geyserville is home to the oldest vines we farm. The “Old Patch” section of the vineyard contains vines that are more than 130 years of age. Ridge has made Geyserville as a single-site zinfandel every year since 1966.

Story:

• The history of Ridge Vineyards begins in 1885, when Osea Perrone, a doctor who became a prominent member of San Francisco’s Italian community, bought 180 acres near the top of Monte Bello Ridge. He terraced the slopes and planted vineyards; using native limestone, he constructed the Monte Bello Winery, producing the first vintage under that name in 1892.

In the 1940s, William Short, a theologian, bought the abandoned winery and vineyard just below the Perrone property; he replanted several parcels to cabernet sauvignon in the late 1940s. From these vines — now the “middle vineyard” and referred to as the Torre Ranch — new owners Dave Bennion, Hew Crane, Charlie Rosen, and Howard Ziedler, all Stanford Research Institute engineers, made a quarter-barrel of “estate” cabernet. That Monte Bello Cabernet was among California’s finest wines of the era. Its quality and distinctive character, and the wines produced from these same vines in 1960 and ’61, convinced the partners to re-bond the winery in time for the 1962 vintage. Dave Bennion left his role at S.R.I. to oversee winemaking duties full time.

The first zinfandel was made in 1964, from a small nineteenth-century vineyard farther down the ridge. This was followed in 1966 by the first Geyserville zinfandel. The founding families reclaimed the Monte Bello terraces, increasing vineyard size from fifteen to forty-five acres. Working on weekends, they made wines of regional character and unprecedented intensity. By 1968, production had increased to just under three thousand cases per year, and in 1969, Paul Draper joined the partnership. A Stanford graduate in philosophy—recently returned from setting up a winery in Chile’s coast range—he was a practical winemaker, not an enologist. His knowledge of fine wines and traditional methods complemented the straightforward “hands off” approach pioneered at Ridge. Under his guidance the old Perrone winery (acquired the previous year) was restored, the finest vineyard lands leased or purchased, the consistent quality and international reputation of the wines established. Cabernet and Zinfandel account for most of the production; Syrah, Grenache, Carignane, and Petite Sirah constitute a small percentage. Known primarily for its red wines, Ridge has also made limited amounts of chardonnay since 1962.

Lytton Springs, in Sonoma County, became part of the Ridge estate in 1991. A quarter century’s experience with this vineyard had convinced us that it was an exceptional piece of ground. Forty consecutive vintages of Geyserville attest to yet another stunning combination of location and varietals. Though born in the early sixties to the post-Prohibition world of modern California winemaking, Ridge relies on nature and tradition rather than technology. Our pre-industrial approach is straightforward: find intense, flavorful grapes; intrude upon the process only when necessary; draw the fruit’s distinctive character and richness into the wine.

Viticulture:

• Organic/Sustainable
• We encourage healthy nitrogen levels in our soils through a variety of methods including annual cover cropping, the addition of organic compost and fertilizers when necessary, and close monitoring of plant tissue nitrogen levels throughout the growing season.

Vinification:

• 68% Zinfandel, 20% Carignane, 10% Petite Sirah, 2% Alicante Bouschet
• 14.7% Alcohol
• “Pre-industrial” and “pre-prohibition” techniques
• native yeast
• We extract color, flavor, and tannins from the grapes without the use of commercial enzymes or nutrients.
• Natural Malo
• Daily pump over
• Everything else doen by taste - pump over, extraction, etc.
• 100% air-dried American oak barrels.
  
  • 11% new, 42% one and two years old, 47% three and four years old.
  • 13 months in barrel.

Taste:

• Dark ruby color. Intense black cherry fruit aroma, exotic oak spice, cola, mint, and complex gravel earth. Intense bramble fruit entry, sensuous textural tannins, lively acid, and showing great mineralogy in a long finish.

Cost vs. Front:

• Front:
• Cost: $110

If/Then:

• Try the Amapola Creek! It’s made by Richard Arrowood, of Arrowood cab. Amapola means Poppy in spanish, which is a reference to the California State flower - and this wine blooms and entices you much like said Poppy. The vineyard is located at the southern part of Sonoma, so it’s a bit warmer than Alexander Valley, allowing the fruit to ripen more than the Geyserville. Plus, they’re certified oraginc as opposed to just practiing.

Question 13

Heitz Cellars “Ink Grade Vineyard”

Napa Valley, CA

2018

Answer 13

AOC:

• Napa
  
  • Grown high atop Howell Mountain where the flavors of mountainside fruit stand out as the hallmark traits of our classically made Zinfandel.

Story:

• Family owned since its founding in 1961, Heitz Cellar’s legacy runs as deep as the roots throughout the Napa Valley; a winery legend that has helped shape the history of Napa Valley winemaking. In the late 1950’s, pioneering vintner Joe Heitz ushered in Napa’s modern era with his iconic, globally celebrated wines, including Napa Valley’s first vineyard-designated Cabernet Sauvignon, the renowned Heitz Cellar Martha’s Vineyard. Fifty-eight years of the Heitz family’s dedication to viticulture, stewardship, and classic winemaking, maintained the winery’s notoriety as a benchmark amongst its peers in California and Europe.

In April, 2018, Heitz Cellar entered an exciting new chapter as this rich legacy was passed into the hands of the Lawrence family, whose deep roots in agriculture and commitment to the same core values of fine winemaking made it a perfect match. The wines are made with an unwavering commitment to quality from organically farmed, 100% Napa Valley fruit, and a commitment to the sustainability of Napa Valley.

• Joe Heitz was destined for a career in wine, even if he did not always know it. He was one of those people that destiny took a hold of. Joseph Heitz began taking an interest in the wine business during World War II.

Needing money, he found a part-time job with Italian Swiss Colony wines a survivor of prohibition that specialized in packaging, lower, priced wines. From there, Joe Heitz earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in winemaking from UC Davis.

Armed with his new education, he was quickly hired by Gallo. His next job was at Beaulieu Vineyards where he worked with the already, legendary, Andre Tchelistcheff.

At first, Heitz thought he might one day replace the aging Tchelistcheff, but that was not in the cards, so Joe Heitz went into business on his own, founding Heitz Winery.

The debut vintage for Heitz Cellars was made from the 1959 vintage. The wine was made from purchased fruit. The wine was labeled as Cabernet Sauvignon. By labeled, I mean there was a simple sticker that read, Cabernet Sauvignon, bottled by Heitz Cellar, St. Helena California. The vintage was written by a. After his first vintage, there was no turning back for Joe Heitz.

Joe Heitz and Alice Heitz made their first vineyard purchase in 1961, when he obtained an 8 acre parcel of vines for $5,000, right off Highway 29 in St. Helena.

Viticulure:

• 19 Acres
• Certified Organic
• Planted in 1990

Vinification:

• Aged nine months in large neutral American oak tanks before spending two years in once-used tight grain French oak barrels.

Taste:

• This wine has a puckering sensibility of tannin on entry but settles in the glass to show a fresh core of strawberry, black cherry, cedar and soy. The oak is buttery and spicy, good at playing a supporting role to the density of mountain-grown high-toned fruit.

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $25
• Cost: $85

If/Then:

• Try the Geyserville! It’s Ridge’s single vineyard zinfandel, and the vines are much older than the Ink Grade - in fact, they’re about 130 years old. And with older vines, you get a much more developed flavor profile, with bramble fruit and sensuous tanins. The Ink Grade would seem simple in comparisson.

Question 14

Amapola Creek “Monte Rosso”

Sonoma, CA

2015

Answer 14

AVA:

• Sonoma: Our ranch consists of approximately 100 acres along the sun-washed western slope of the Mayacamas Mountains adjacent to the highly-acclaimed Monte Rosso Vineyard. These red, iron-oxide soils have yielded superb wines for well over a century. We have planted approximately 20 acres of organically certified estate vines to continue in that tradition.

Story:

• Richard Arrowood is an iconic winemaster who has been making wine exclusively in Sonoma County for more than for 50+ years. From 1974 through 1990, he created the wines for Chateau St. Jean, where he developed some of the first vineyard-designate Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon produced in Sonoma County.

He and his wife, Alis, founded Arrowood Winery with the 1985 vintage. Each year, they made extraordinary small-lot varietals and vineyard designates. Richard was the winemaster at Arrowood Winery until June 2010, when he resigned his position to devote himself full-time to making wines for his estate winery, Amapola Creek Vineyards and Winery.

Viticulture:

• Certified Organic
• 125 year old vines
• mineral-rich, well-drained, decomposed volcanic ash soils and by the cooling breezes of San Pablo Bay
• Dry farming

Vinification:

• 15 months in new and seasoned French and American oak barrels
• 15.3% alcohol
• 400 cases

Vintage:

• The weather during the growing season in 2015 was dry, marking year five of draught in Northern California. We were fortunate to have had such a great harvest. The season began early with a warm spring and the weather stayed beautiful all the way through to a late August harvest. The quality of the fruit was exceptional while yields were down 25% due primarily to the ongoing drought conditions. The grapes were hand-picked on August 22nd, 2015.

Taste:

• “blackberry fruit and leather. Stay with the glass, and these characters will quickly develop into fresh fruit, red cherries and black brambleberries laying over a hint of orange peel and toasted anise seeds.

Take a sip, and you will immediately find a bright, fresh acidity, dripping with the berries promised on the nose. Wait a moment, and you will notice rich tannins balancing the acidity, underscoring dark black cherries and a sparse note of crème brulee. The finish is long and smooth, reprising the fruit from the nose, and adding a touch of allspice at the very end”

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $26
• Cost: $122

If/Then:

• Try the Martinelli instead. The family has been growing grapes in Napa since the 1880s. This particular estate is planted on “Jackass Hill”, the steepest non-terraced vineyard in Sonoma (reaching nearly 60 degree slope!) . This gives you a much more developed and ful lbodied style of zinfandel, which plays cat an mouse in your mouth.

Question 15

Martinelli “Vellutini Ranch”

Russian River Valley, CA

2012

Answer 15

AVA:

• Sonoma
  
  • Russian River

Story:

• The Martinelli family has been growing grapes in the Russian River Valley since the 1880s. At the ages of 19 and 16, Giuseppe Martinelli and Luisa Vellutini eloped from their small village in the Tuscany region of Italy, making their way to California looking for land to farm and start a winery. Giuseppe had been a winemaker in Italy and with his viticulture knowledge he was hired to plant a vineyard for a farmer in Forestville. Within two years he earned enough money, and borrowed some from a local wood cutter, to purchase land of his own. Working side by side on a 60 degree slope, Giuseppe and Luisa planted a small area of Zinfandel and Muscat Alexandria vines, which later became known as the Jackass Hill vineyard. Over 135 years later, this south easterly exposure remains the steepest non-terraced vineyard in Sonoma County.
• The Martinelli Family has been farming their estate vineyards for over 135 years, continuing their rich history and making them 6th generation wine growers and farmers. The Martinelli children have always been raised working in the fields from a young age. Leno Martinelli was making wine at 5 years old, and farming his own vineyards at the age of 12. Leno taught his son, Lee Sr., to make wine alongside him when Lee Sr was 5. This tradition continued with Lee Sr. having his children tying vines, suckering, and picking apples at ages as young as 6 years old. A strong work ethic was the byproduct to the stewardship of the land as a way of life, a gift to provide for your family and a privileged obligation to the next generation. Many decades later, Lee Sr. and Carolyn’s four children are stilled happily involved in the farming and winery businesses on a daily basis.
• This vineyard borders Jackass Vineyard and the backside of Jackass Hill. Its is named after Luisa Martinelli’s family, the Vellutini’s who lived on this property. We were able to buy the land and plant grapes on it. Albert Vellutini was Lee Sr’s age and they used to fish in the streams and hide from the truant officer when they were kids on this property. They had more fun playing cat and mouse with the truant officer who did not know the creeks and valleys as well as they did. There’s a story where the officer followed the boys into the stream to catch them, only to lose the boys and his own rubber boot in the deep mud of the creek. It was the crowning moment for such mischievous boys. Its been a favorite piece with its remaining fruit orchards from the Vellutini family and now Zinfandel and Syrah vineyards. The Zinfandel vineyard was made from cuttings from Jackass Hill and Jackass Vineyard.

Viticulture:

• The year was 1899 when Giuseppe and Luisa Martinelli planted three acres of Zinfandel in the Russian River Valley. The old vineyard is now known as Jackass Hill and remains the steepest non-terraced hillside vineyard in Sonoma County.

Vinification:

• Native Yeast
• The wines are kept in barrel for 10 months
  
  • 33% NFO
• Unfiltered and unfined, and clarified only by racking before bottling.
• 16.3% alcohol

Taste:

• This robust, generous and ripe red offers a mix of candied plum, blackberry and black olive, with a lavender tone to brighten the concentrated fruit. A sweet oak note complements the richness of the palate.

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $43
• Cost: $150

If/Then:

*