Tasting Blindly in July...

And the theme is...?

We had an engaged and enthusiastic group of students at the July Tasting Blind class at the Morro Bay Wine Seller on Wednesday. As always, there was a theme to the wines, which I always hope students will figure out while they're tasting. This group did not disappoint - and neither did the wines!

As always, we had fresh-baked bread from #JDBakes on the tables for palate cleansing and generally tastiness.

Rhone Valley vs. Paso Robles...

Wines of the night. Missing Seven Angels 'Chosen One'

Last month, the Goddess of Wine was challenged to compare Bordeaux to Paso; this month the challenge was the Rhone Valley vs. Paso. It was fun!

The Rhône Valley was created during the last ice age as the Rhône Glacier carved its way south through what is now France. Today, the Rhône River begins in the Alps and meanders for 505 miles to the Mediterranean Sea.

THE NORTHERN RHONE is only 40 miles long and is responsible for a tiny 4-5% of all the wines from the region. The climate is ‘Continental’ – hot summers, cold winters and precipitation throughout the year. Probably the most notable feature is the steepness of the hillsides. The vineyards are terraced to keep the soil from eroding, retain the warmth of the sun and make life a little easier for the vineyard workers! 

Bordeaux vs. Paso Robles...

The Goddess of Wine was challenged to create a comparison between old and newish wine regions: Bordeaux and Paso Robles. I endeavored to provide a tasty group of wines to demonstrate the best of both worlds.
 
The French region of Bordeaux is the traditional home of meaty, sophisticated, age-worthy reds, whites, and dessert wines. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Sauvignon Blanc, and Semillon thrive. Red Bordeaux can be the epitome of fine wine. The best wines exhibit a wonderful complexity of aromas and flavors, great elegance and refinement and an ability to age gracefully - some for a hundred years.

7th Annual Garagiste Festival in Paso Robles!

This year marks  the seventh year of the Garagiste Festival in Paso Robles. The Festival, which also brings Central Coast wineries to Los Angeles, the Bay Area and Solvang, has its home in Paso where the first festival was held in 2011.  

Dubbed “one of the most exuberant wine festivals because of the thrill of discovery," and "Wine-tasting Nirvana” by the LA Times, the festival takes place in  Paso from November 10th to 12th 2017, at the Ponderosa Pavilion at the Paso Robles Fairgrounds and other area locations.  Over 60 local commercial garagiste winemakers will be pouring over 200 handcrafted, micro-production wines. 

Now a local institution because it benefits a special scholarship fund for the Cal Poly Wine and Viticulture program, it is the first and only festival dedicated to undiscovered and under-recognized American garagiste winemakers who are making some of the best, most exciting wines in the world. 

This year's festival includes a Grand Tasting, a Winemaker mixer featuring “Rare and Reserve" wines, intimate and educational tasting seminars, a Rocking After-Party, a Paso Passport Day and more.  And, like all Garagiste Events, the Paso Robles Festival offers attendees a low-crowd experience, high-quality wines, first-time and ‘soon-to-break-out’ discoveries, personal winemaker interaction, diverse grape varieties and a renegade and fun-loving spirit. 

Tickets:

info@garagistefestival.com / 805-769-8211 

Website: http://garagistefestival.com

More random thoughts at the end of the year...

It's that time of year when we examine the year-gone-by. It would be easy to talk about the obvious changes and accomplishments of the year, but I need to talk about grief; that comes with both loss of loved ones and with change.

We lost a lot of family this year. My sister, who was strong and active and the ultimate caregiver, had given so much of herself that there was nothing left of her. Over the last few years, she had slowly starved herself to the point of physical breakdown, and not enough of us had realized how lost she was. Her birthday is coming up on Christmas day, and I really don't know how to celebrate her life at this moment. Our relationship was complicated, what with 15 years between us. We had become very close during the years our mom needed assistance, but when Phyl herself was in trouble, she pushed me away. She died February 16th, in hospice, at home.

Random thoughts and some wining from the Central Coast...

First try at the living room

It's still kind of odd to be here in Los Osos. Not odd in a bad way. Just odd. After 26 years of living in our "starter" house in Burbank, we uprooted ourselves just in time to miss a hellacious heat wave, for which we are hugely grateful. We're still dealing with the death of John's dad the day after our arrival, but with the love and support of our cousins here in town, and the knowledge that Jim made his own decisions right up to the end, we're moving forward. We're still unpacking, and that will continue for a while, as we still need to have our POD delivered. We miss our books and art! And the other 80% of our belongings.

Wining by Proxy...First meeting of the L.A.Wine Writers...

Hotel Angeleno

The First Acolyte to the Goddess of Wine reports on the first meeting of the L.A. Wine Writers at the Hotel Angeleno, 1/29/15, featuring Artisan Uprising wines.

As the name indicates, L.A. Wine Writers is a group of writers mostly based in the Los Angeles area who are primarily concerned with wine. The Hotel Angeleno is a familiar landmark alongside the 405 freeway that has been through several incarnations over the years. I don’t know what it is like to stay there but the food currently being served is delicious. We got to sample several dishes paired with wines from Artisan Uprising, a new-ish winery inspired by a family tradition. These dishes were all from the restaurant’s menu, no specials just for this tasting. Anyone could order these enjoyable treats.

Wining in Paso Robles with the CAB Collective...Day 2...

Day 2 of the Goddess of Wine's and JD's coverage of the Paso CAB Collective dawned bright and sunny as we headed to the Vintner panel discussion at the Paso Robles Inn.

The Paso CAB Collective was created in 2012 as a "grass-roots non-profit organization...formed with the belief that the Bordeaux varieties Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec grown in the Paso Robles appellation—and the subsequent quality of the wines produced—is under-represented in the marketplace and across the wine industry."

The tables in the ballroom were set for a large number of media and sommelier guests, but it appeared that many folks may have had too much fun the night before and decided not to attend. It was their loss, as the discussion was lively and thought-provoking.

Wining in Paso Robles with the CAB Collective...Day 1...

As the Goddess of Wine and JD headed north to Paso Robles for the 2nd Annual CABs of DISTINCTION media/trade/sommelier events, it occurred to me that JD and I fell in love with Paso mainly because of the exceptional Bordeaux-style wines we found there over 20 years ago. There were fewer wineries then, and each one seemed to have richly distinctive wines. We belonged to several wine clubs, and were always thrilled to receive boxes full of wonderful wine.

So it's a little odd to hear so many wine pundits touting the wonders of Paso Cabernets as if the region didn't exist before last year when Wine Enthusiast named it Region of the Year. Cabernet is what put Paso on the map, with Rhones and Zinfandel coming close on its heels. Now, as up-and-coming winemakers learn more about Paso and its many microclimates and terroir, more well-made, premium wines are evolving.

Wining by Proxy...Tasting Terroir at République...

Once again JD fills in for the Goddess of Wine, this time at the Return to Terroir Portfolio tasting at République, the former Campanile.

About this event:
This was stated as “the only comprehensive portfolio tasting of the year to sample producers and regions spanning our entire portfolio.“

About the company:
Return to Terroir, owned by Raphael Knapp

Their Mission:
- To import sustainably produced wines that are the precise expression of their terroir.
- To help preserve the history of native grapes and traditional winemaking regions and methods.
- To educate the trade and consumers by sharing our wines and the stories of our winemakers.

“Raphael visits France and Italy every 3 months in search of wines that are the precise expression of their terroir. Some are organic and/or biodynamic but all are 100% estate produced by (smaller) family-owned wineries. They tend to share similar characteristics: minimal use of oak, a restrained style, and focus on minerality and acidity. We feel lucky to work with all of our producers and to be able to share their hard work, history and traditions with you.”

Wining with the Wineaux of the Goddess...Sangiovese...

After Googling the term 'Wine Goonies' and discovering that 'goonie' is a word with many undesirable connotations, the Goddess made an executive decision and renamed our little tasting team Wineaux of the Goddess, and is feeling much better about life. In order to be transparent about our methods, we use the tasting note format derived from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust or WSET, as several of us have achieved various certifications from that entity and find the method simple and straightforward. We judge the appearance, nose, palate, conclusion and food match, and determine if the wine is acceptable or not. We will never give points. We each pay for the wines we bring - nothing is donated or provided by a winery.

Sangiovese grapes

New name lilting on our lips, we (John, Shawn, Rico, Xochitl, Amelia, Marya, and I) met at Fab's on February 8th to taste and discuss the many faces of Sangiovese. Italy's most commonly planted red grape varietal, with over a dozen distinct clones, is a thin-skinned grape that takes its time to mature. Central Italy, specifically the region of Tuscany, is the agricultural heartland of the Sangiovese grape named for 'blood of Jupiter'.

Rhoning in Paso...

JD & I had the opportunity to head up to Paso Robles a couple of weeks ago for the annual Rhone Rangers Experience - Paso Robles chapter - seminar and tasting. We sweet-talked our cousins in Los Osos to put us up for a couple of nights, and headed up the coast.

Saturday morning, got on the road early, stopping in Solvang to break our fast at Paula's Pancake House. This time we had contacted our friend Lee Tomkow, a brilliant photographer and videographer, to meet us. Over breakfast, we chatted about wines and wineries. On hearing that we were headed to the RR, he suggested that we look up Ambyth Estate and try the wines there. He couldn't say enough about them - biodynamic, organic farming, great location at a high elevation in Templeton. I said we'd keep it in mind, time permitting.

Wining around SLO County...Day 2

After an early evening in Morro Bay, we had a semi-healthy breakfast (see Facebook for photos) at the Blue Skye Coastal Cafe on the Embarcadero and headed to our appointment at the Paso Robles Wine Services custom crush facility to meet General Manager, Aram Deirmenjian, of Kiamie Wine Cellars. The rain was just beginning, so we took our time, especially along the 46, but we still got there a bit early, which was good, as Aram was ready for us.

Kiamie is a collaboration between three guys with diverse yet complementary backgrounds. Winemaker Steve Glossner has been making great wines in Paso for a long time, and is the winemaker who made the first Isosceles for Justin. Aram Deirmenjian’s family has been farming grapes in California for 30 years, and Greg Johnson has extensive retail wine experience.

On September 1st, 1997, JD and I were in Paso Robles trying new wineries. Well, new to us. We were on Route 46 at Anderson Road, and there were 2 small wineries kind of next to each other. We went to the farthest one first. It was Midnight Cellars, and it was in a building that seemed as if it were the owner's house. The wines were young. I remember being not that impressed.

We drove back toward 46, stopping at Dark Star Cellars, a large barn with a counter at the front for a tasting area. There were silly clocks on the wall, and a friendly young woman behind the counter. While we were tasting the red, Bordeaux-style wines, a roly-poly man with curly hair came in behind the counter. After a while, we realized he was Norm Benson, the owner and winemaker. He was funny and cynical and sarcastic, and we fell in love with him on the spot. Within a short time, Norm was pouring barrel samples for us - a first for us - and we were goners. Dark Star had just opened recently to the public. We joined the wine club as charter members, and Dark Star is still the only wine club we have maintained for all these years - and we've gone thru a bunch of other clubs!

Norm makes a gorgeous meritage blend - Ricordati ('always remember'). The blend varies from year to year, but it's always a rich, fruit-forward, well-structured wine that never disappoints. We love his other wines, too, especially the Rhone-styles he's ventured into in the past few years. And it's especially nice to be able to walk into the winery and be greeted as an old friend.

On our first visit, we asked about the clocks on the wall. Norm said that whoever sent him a clock deemed to be silly or special enough to be displayed on the wall would receive a free bottle of Ricordati. Later that year, we found a foam-rubber, bright orange clock in the shape of a lobster - the tail was a pendulum. We laughed ourselves sick when we saw it, and bought it immediately, thinking we'd be up in Paso in May for the wine festival and would bring it with us. Scheduling got a little off, and it appeared that we wouldn't be able to go, so we mailed the clock to Dark Star with our compliments. We didn't hear anything, and were disappointed that no one acknowledged our gift.

Somehow, our schedule opened up, and at the last minute we hopped in the car and rushed up to Paso. Dark Star was having a big party with music and barbecue and general fun. When we arrived, I said we didn't have reservations, but we were members - the Dickey's. The girl at the desk (probably Nicole, Norm and Susan's daughter), looked up and yelled for Norm: "The Dickey's are here!" While we stood there, confused, Norm ran out of the barn and pulled us in to show us the lobster clock, happily ticking away in the center position of honor on the wall! He pulled out a bottle of Ricordati and put in John's vest pocket. We felt we truly belonged after that.

A year or two after that, Norm and Susan threw a dinner party, just for members. I remember RSVPing, and wondering that they didn't mention any cost to us. But we arrived for dinner, and discovered it was a small party, for charter wine club members. Norm and Susan barbecued, wine flowed like water, good spirits abounded.

That evening we had the opportunity to taste son Brian's new wines. At that time, Brian wasn't legal drinking age, but he was already making tremendous wine; very different from his dad's wine. Brian is still making great wines - Brian Benson Cellars - sharing tasting room space at Dark Star. We're big fans, and can't say enough good things about this hard-working young man.

That was the beginning of our love affair with Paso Robles, especially the wineries on the West 46, and the 'far-out' wineries up Vineyard Road and beyond.

Oh, and how did I remember that our first visit to Dark Star was on 9/1/97? Easy. Norm signed and dated the bottle of 1995 Ricordati we bought that day. The bottle is sitting in my living room. We drank it in 2002 (I think), for my birthday, after Norm told us, at the above-mentioned dinner, that it was time to drink it. So we did!