Wine Club Newsletter - June 2019
Newsletter Flies Under the Wine Radar
A few decades ago, when I was aggressively and enthusiastically attending any and all wine tastings possible, I sat in on the panel of The California Grapevine. We would taste wine without knowing who made them, and give them rankings and scores. This was a great source of wine education for me, and I will be forever grateful for the continued invitation to taste with these well-established and learned wine scholars. They are still going strong, and in fact, use our facility for their tasting events 4-5 times a month.
This is a recent article written by one of the panelists, Dan Berger, for the Press Democrat.
GP
The 1980 cabernet smelled a little like shoe polish, but despite the odd aroma, I liked it. In a blind-tasting of 12 cabs, I rated it first place. Which led to a bit of razzing from the assembled tasters.
It was 1983. The “event” was one of the regular weekly blind-tastings conducted by Nick Ponomareff, who has published his newsletter, The California Grapevine, for more than 44 years.
The Grapevine started so long ago that it predates about 95% of the wineries that now operate in the U.S. Back then, only a few newspapers had wine columns. Wine was an esoteric topic whose only appeal was to snobs, collectors and restaurants with 2-pound wine lists.
There was essentially no wine gadget business: no specialty glassware, decanters, corkscrews. Restaurant patrons asked for “a glass of Chablis”; chardonnay was almost unknown. Some house builders even placed wine “cellars” adjacent to fireplaces.
Napa’s best cabernets were $6 a bottle.
The Grapevine was founded in San Diego in 1974, two years before the late journalist Bob Morrisey founded The Wine Spectator literally a few miles away.
Ponomareff, a tall, bearded, soft-spoken rocket scientist, and his wife, Lettie, long had been fascinated with fine wine. In the early 1970s, Nick asked members of San Diego’s then-burgeoning fine wine community if they’d be interested in regular blind tastings of current releases to see which cabernets, zinfandels and other wines were best.
Many said yes. Tastings would be done in homogeneous groups: a dozen merlots against one another, etc. Results would be reported only in those groups. Ever scrupulous, Nick would buy all the wines at retail, making frequent trips from his La Jolla home to Northern California wine shops with the best brands.
Ponomareff rented space at a local strip mall for regular weekly blind tastings. He collected scores and tasting notes on the wines from all tasters, accumulating their most cogent notes, and offering the “average-score” results in discrete groupings by type in a newsletter. A computer program determined statistical relevance, a “true ranking.” Occasionally No. 1 was statistically identical to No. 8.
The newsletter was printed and mailed to subscribers, and soon group winners began to sell quickly. In some cases, wineries never knew why.
That’s because Ponomareff, a meticulous and careful man, was good at doing the tastings and keeping to a six issues-per-year schedule, but he wasn’t great at marketing.
“Nick is a quiet man,” said one of the original panel members, Bob Foster of Carlsbad. “He doesn’t do much public relations to advertise what the Grapevine is.”
Though Nick’s subscription base grew, it has always been modest; today it’s about 2,000. An online subscription is $32 per year.
Initially Grapevine tasters were local wine lovers, not professionals. But many became so skilled they were widely known as semi-pro wine judges.
They came from all walks and occupations — a veterinarian specializing in exotic birds, a school bus driver, several wine retailers, a concert pianist, two attorneys, a soon-to-be judge, a public relations executive and a retired college professor.
Some became judges at international wine competitions. Foster, a retired prosecutor with the California attorney general’s office, and now the book review columnist for the Grapevine, today conducts wine judgings around the country. (I occasionally write essays for the publication.)
The story of the “shoe polish-y” 1980 cabernet points to the jocularity that regular panel members have always displayed.
And to the fact that in nearly seven years as a weekly Grapevine panel member, I accumulated some odd wine-tasting terms that never show up on anyone’s list of “standard” wine terms.”
Such as “a fox’s den in a Memphis heat wave,” or “thawed frozen spinach” and a “coffee-maker hotplate that was left on over the weekend.”
By admitting that the 1980 cabernet smelled like shoe polish, I was met with guffaws. Some tasters thought it accurate. One person suggested that my first-place vote for it was equivalent to “a high dive.”
Which soon led to a rule: Anyone casting a first-place vote for a wine that everyone agrees is terrible must buy a bottle of it (an official High-Dive) and serve it at a subsequent Grapevine party.
Years later, I brought the “Shoe Polish Cab” to a July 4 picnic and served it blind. No one had any idea which wine it was. After it was identified, many said it was better than it had been.
One judge said, “It still has some of that shoe polish.”
As to the publication’s relatively small subscription base, Foster said it has always been under the radar.
“It’s America’s best kept wine secret.”
Walk-Around Tasting
Saturday, June 22nd at 3:30 - 5:30 pm
It started trending 3 years ago, now it’s a phenomenon! Join our celebration of Rosé with our Monthly Walk Around Tasting for June, #AllDayRosé!
$35 per person / $30 for Wine Club Members
Over 14 wines! Sparkling, French, California, Greek, Spanish, we have wines for every palate and style, help us help you keep your summer refreshing!
Call to reserve your spot!
858-450-9557
Don’t forget to pick up a bottle for National Rosé Day Saturday June 8th, and celebrate all month long with no service fee if you purchase a bottle of Rosé to drink here at the WineSellar!
2012 Rebel Cru, Wine Guerilla
Growing Region: Sonoma County, California
Varietal Composition: 45% Zinfandel, 19% Petite Verdot, 13% Malbec, 9% Cabernet Franc, 9% Petite Sirah, 5% Alicante Bouchet
Fermentation: Wood and Stainless
Alcohol Content: 14.7%
Suggested Retail: $40.00
WineSellar Club Price: $35.99
Broad Strokes:
From the Winery:
Owned and operated by Matt Railla and his father, Andrew Railla, Wine Guerrilla is a small winery focusing on one varietal. With ambitions of not just growing ourselves but growing the adoration of Zinfandel by producing well balanced and high-quality zins, our goal has been to procure Sonoma County’s finest Zinfandels and provide the premier Zin experience to our tasting room customers and beyond. Sourcing from 4 different appellations and over 10 different vineyards, our wines embody every exposition of Zinfandel. From century old vines to recently planted Zins, our wines mirror the soul of Sonoma County.
Appearance:
Typical, striking Wine Guerilla label, full of color, style, and interesting images that creates interest and anticipation. The wine has a dark cherry skin hue at the center, and bleeds to nearly clear on the rim of the glass.
Nose:
The beautiful fruit has evolved nicely from its vintage of seven years ago, illustrating how this wine has improved over time. Briary, rhubarb with dark black and red fruit aromatics, including black raspberry, pepper, smoke and oak.
Texture:
The texture is seamless at this point, producing a lovely feel in the mouth. The tannins have softened and melded well into the fruit. Medium in weight, smooth, elegant, creamy, and is featuring excellent length from start to finish.
Flavors:
Wild black raspberry totally takes over the first sip. Long and complex, this sophisticated, lovely drink of wine brings the dark berry fruits laced with caramel, cappuccino and vanilla oak, leaving a fabulous impression.
Serving Suggestions:
So proud to have wines like this to offer our WineSellar Club members. It makes our quest to keep bringing the best to your table so rewarding! Enjoy now!
2016 Syrah, Dussek
Growing Region: Colombia Valley, Washington
Varietal Composition: 100% Syrah
Fermentation: Wood and Stainless
Alcohol Content: 13.8%
Suggested Retail: $28.00
WineSellar Club Price: $22.49
Broad Strokes: 93 Points (Previous Vintage, this one not yet rated)
From the Winery:
A family-run winery that blends character, balance, and warmth into passionately producing extraordinary wines in the heart of Woodinville, WA in the Columbia Valley AVA. Columbia Valley is one of Washington’s largest AVAs, and receives over 300 days of sunshine per year. The sub-appellation of Rattlesnake Hills within the Columbia Valley is where much of the fruit for this wine is sourced. Rattlesnake Hills AVA has a slightly more temperate climate, and sandy loess soils produce wines with pronounced aromatics.
Appearance:
With modest, somewhat reserved packaging, I love the label color and the overall look of the presentation, as well as the simply, well stated back label that reads “Dark. Intense. Polished…”. Good message! And of course, as they stated, the wine is dark, very dark, and looking intense!
Nose:
Perfectly correct Syrah nose, with dense fruit and almost jam like. For edification, Syrah nose may consist of black olive, cured meats, bacon, earth and soil, rosemary, tobacco and smoke. These are a few of my favorite things . . .
Texture:
This is a pretty big wine! Pretty and big, yes. Expansive, full bodied on the palate entry, lined with youthful, tannic acid, but all is in balance and has good harmony. It does feel weighty, and there is no mistaking it is rich and powerful. There is a lovely finish to this lovely Syrah.
Flavors:
As is the case with some of the wines we review here, the palate and the nose mirror each other. Most notably, black olive and dark soil, as they perimeter flavors of cured meat, bacon, rosemary, tobacco and smoke all chime in at some point. When getting to the finish, I find the soil and rosemary standing out the most.
Serving Suggestions:
Looking for something a red to stand up to that New York Strip or seared lamb shank at this summer’s BBQ? I think you’ve found the answer.
2016 VGA, Chateau Potelle, Wildcat Mountain Vineyard
Growing Region: Mount Veeder, Napa Valley, California
Varietal Composition: 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Petite Verdot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 6% Malbec
Fermentation: 22 Months in 100% New French Oak
Alcohol Content: 15.3%
Suggested Retail: $125.00
WineSellar Club Price: $112.50
Broad Strokes: 99 Points Cellar Tracker
It’s not too often we crack the $100+ barrier, but this puppy is a Cabernet phenom!
From the Winery:
Our vision at Chateau Potelle is to produce wines of style and character that are representative of their birthplace. Like for each of us, our roots provide us with a unique culture, a set of morals and traditions. Our job as winemaker is to respect, exploit, and enhance the unique qualities of our roots, to craft wines that have a sense of place and exhibit their distinctive personality.
Appearance:
The Darth Vader look of wine, with the simple stated “VGS” and Chateau Potelle on the front. Nice information and noting on the back of the bottle too, which I like. The wine is nearly black at the core, edging out to a dark raspberry hue.
Nose:
Totally exotic, totally captivating, the aromas are restrained but still have focused, concentrate fruit with high density. Kind of waiting to lash out at any given moment. Roses, violets, vanilla oak, chocolate, roasted nuts lace the dense black fruits with red cherries. Just Fabulous!
Texture:
Full bodied mouth feel without feeling overripe or heavy. The texture is nearly perfect in my opinion. Beautifully ripened fruit has well-integrated tannins, the wines massive fruit density seemingly hiding behind a sumptuous cloak of velvet. A touch of cranberry acid adds even more life to the wine.
Flavors:
Just about everything you could want to taste in a great Cabernet Sauvignon, you will find in the VGS, in this perfectly textured, dense and tightly wound vehicle. Blackberry and blueberry fruits, a great swath of vanilla oak, black pepper, eucalyptus, espresso, spices, a hint of anise, and, and and . . . everything!
Serving Suggestions:
Please note: This wine was NOT to be sold at a retail level. The winery strongly prefers it is exclusively a restaurant wine, or purchased at the winery. We made special arrangements to bring this great wine to your table, and want to respect the wineries wishes and also provide VGS to you. Please do not reveal to the winery or anyone else that you got it from The Gary Parker Collection, thank you!
2017 Ant Moore Sauvignon Blanc, Signature Series
Growing Region: Marlborough, New Zealand
Varietal Composition: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Fermentation: Stainless Steel Tanks
Alcohol Content: 12.5%
Suggested Retail: $24.00
WineSellar Club Price: $19.79
Broad Strokes:
From the Winery:
Ant Moore, (“Ant” is short for “Anthony”) the Winemaker as well as Founder of this brand, is actively involved with winemaking in New Zealand since 2002. “As an Aussie, I moved to New Zealand in 2002 and have since undertaken every adventure required to make wine. I've developed a number of bare-blocks into vineyards, bought a winery and built it up, created a number of successful wine brands. With the benefit of hard-earned experience, we now have my signature wine "ant moore".
Appearance:
First glances at the label had me looking for an ant, or ants, as I wasn’t sure what the significance of “Ant” was. Very attractive package, I like the colors on the label and the overall look. And yes, a screw cap! The wine is clean and clear, as it is glistening with its light yellow/green hue in the light.
Nose:
The aromatics are lively and assertive, with floral and grapefruit notes. Some people fear grassy scents from Marlborough, but not here. Notes of guava, lemon, grapefruit and lime are wrapped nicely in a touch of honey.
Texture:
The wine has an acidity that makes you take notice, but not a biting or bracing kind of notice. It has a touch of creaminess in the expansive middle part of the texture, which is lengthened in your palate with a clean, crisp, direct and delicious finish that makes your mouth water for more..
Flavors:
The adjectives: Lemon, lime, honey, tropical fruits, passion fruit, guava, melon, fresh herbs, basil, lemongrass, fresh green peas, toasted white sesame seed. The wine is cornucopia of green flavors and tropical fruits
Serving Suggestions:
I really enjoy this wine in a variety of settings. As a cocktail wine, it teams up superbly with sliced apples, ripe cheeses and roasted nuts. For main dishes or appetizers, I found fresh oysters, green salads and white-fleshed fish dishes with herb sauces to be amazing!
2015 Wakefield Shiraz
Growing Region: Clare Valley, Australia
Varietal Composition: 100% Shiraz
Fermentation: Wood and Stainless
Alcohol Content: 14.5%
Suggested Retail: $25.00
WineSellar Club Price: $20.69
Broad Strokes: 93 Points Tastings.com, 90 Points Decanter Magazine
From the Winery:
In a guest post from our Chief Winemaker Adam Eggins, we explore the driving forces that contributed to Wakefield Wines being announced as the most awarded winery in the world for 2017- the first time this has been achieved by any Australian winery. The 2017 rankings, considered 80 prestigious international competitions which were conducted in over 30 countries around the world. In these competitions, more than 700,000 wines were evaluated, the most the organization has ever evaluated. Up against this extreme level of international competition where wineries from around the world were focused on showing their very best wines Taylors has come out on top and been named the world’s most awarded winery. We’ve also nabbed the top spot for most awarded wine in the world - our Jaraman Shiraz 2014.
Appearance:
Classic look/packaging for an Australian Shiraz in my book: Lots of script and information punctuated by the essentials of the wine standing out, the vintage, producer, the wine and where it came from. Dark hue of plum skin and black/purple eventually edge out to a bright crimson on the rim.
Nose:
Powerful and enjoyable notes of black berry, plum, vanilla and spice waft high above the glass. Notes of black pepper, touch of herb, vanilla oak are layered with cappuccino, coffee and roasted nuts.
Texture:
With a medium full entry and weight, the tannins are on the lighter side, balanced nicely by the wine’s acidity. Concentrated fruit is easy on the palate, and there is a nice firmness on the finish, cleaning up nicely!
Flavors:
The dark, sweetish styled fruit mixes nicely with the oak, vanilla, mocha and coffee essence. Dark berry fruit, roasted nuts, pepper amongst the many nuances in this beauty.
Serving Suggestions:
The wine has years of aging in the bottle to go. It would be a good idea to drop 6 bottles or so in you cellar and watch what happens. For those who don’t have that inclination or patience, grill a steak or a piece of lamb and savor the day.
NV Champagne De L’Argentaine, Brut, Tradition
Growing Region: Marne Valley in Champagne
Varietal Composition: 80% Pinot Meunier, 20% Chardonnay
Vinification: 15 months left on the lees
Dosage: 8 g/l
Alcohol Content: 12% abv
Suggested Retail: $44.99
WineSellar Club Price: $35.99
From the Winery:
In 1956 the wine cooperative L’Union was born. It was created as winemakers wanted to jointly develop pressing tools and winemaking and control the sale of their production. The cooperative continues to grow, full of the most innovative equipment! From this cooperative Champagne De L’Argentaine was born!
Appearance:
Pale gold in color
Nose:
Salted Almonds, White Figs, Toasted Brioche
Texture:
A wonderful delicate texture on the palate with a silky finish
Flavors:
Salted Almonds, Crisp Green Apples, Lemon Curd, Lime Zest. Lovely acidity and minerality!
Serving Suggestions:
Wild Mushroom Risotto Finished with a Dusting of Parmesan Cheese would be wonderful!
NV Champagne Bochet-Lemoine, Cuvee Selection, Brut
Growing Region: Cormoyeux within the Marne Valley
Varietal Composition: 55% Pinot Meunier, 30% Pinot Noir, 15% Chardonnay
Vinification: Left on the lees for over 40 months
Dosage: 8.5 g/l
Alcohol Content: 12% abv
Suggested Retail: $54.99
WineSellar Club Price: $35.99
From the Winery:
Wine growers in Champagne since 1948. The Bochet-Lemoine family has for 4 generations cultivated its vineyards with deep respect for natural balance. Currently their vineyards extend 8.5 hectares through the villages of Cormoyeaux and Faverolles-et-Comy.
Appearance:
Pale gold in color
Nose:
Honeycomb, Sourdough, Lemon Zest
Texture:
Very fine bubbles with a long lingering finish
Flavors:
Golden Delicious Apples, Lemon, Ginger, Crunchy Honeycomb
Serving Suggestions:
This would be dynamic with sushi; baked scallop roll or a roll with yellowtail and lemon
2016 Chateau Maison Blanche, Amelie Constant, Cremant de Bordeaux Rose, Brut Nature
Growing Region: Montagne de St. Emilion in Bordeaux
Varietal Composition: 100% Cabernet Franc
Vinification: Vinified in stainless steel vats and then filtered, made methode champanoise, aged on the lees for 2 years.
Dosage: 0 g/l
Alcohol Content: 12.5% abv
Suggested Retail: $28.00
WineSellar Club Price: $24.99
From the Winery:
The Domaine has been in the Despagne family for over 3 centuries. The property is in Montagne, an enclave between Lalande-de-Pomerol and Saint-Georges-Saint-Emilion. The vineyard occupies 32 hectares with the average vines being 45 years old. The Cabernet Franc grapes are all hand harvested.
Appearance:
Shimmering Rose Gold
Nose:
Bonne Maman Raspberry Jam, Peaches, Roses
Texture:
Fuzzy Peach Skin
Flavors:
White Peaches, Rainer Cherries, Raspberries, Fresh Thyme
Serving Suggestions:
This is a fascinating and fun sparkling! Brunch fair would be delicious with this! Pair with a raspberry crepe for absolute perfection!
Summer Cocktails
Man does not live by wine alone. At the Parker household, we have settled in to a few different cocktails we enjoy at the end of the day as we reflect on the happenings, and enjoy the birds and colors in the sky. Here are some simple yet delicious drinks you may enjoy.
Lori’s Maggy
This recipe makes a pitcher of cocktails, and is meant to serve about 4-6 people, perhaps more. You can use commercial Limoncello or refer to Bridget’s recipe we offered last in last April’s WineSellar Club.
Ingredients:
- 16 ounces 100% Agave White Tequila
- 1 ¾ cup fresh squeezed lime juice
- 5 ounces Limoncello
- 3 ounces Citronage (Orange Liqueur)
- 4 ounces filtered water (This helps temper the tartness of the lime juice, causing for a reduction of the amount of sweetener required to balance the drink)
Method:
- In a large pitcher, add all ingredients. Place pitcher (covered) in refrigerator until well chilled.
- Serve in properly sized cocktail glasses. Salting the rim is optional, however, we instead thoroughly rub lime around the rim.
Gary’s Cherry Rum
I am a fan of good rum and good rum drinks, but find they can dull the senses unless served in a refreshing style. So I invented this little concoction for a “Sundowner” style rum drink.
Ingredients:
(This is for the base of the drink)
- 16 Ounces Meyer’s Dark Rum
- 2 Cups fresh squeezed lime juice
- 2 Cups of Black Cherries, Frozen, pitted (Can be found at Costco)
- 1 Cup of Fresh or frozen Pineapple chunks (Can be found at Costco)
- 2-4 Ounces of sparkling water, to taste (NOT to marinate in the pitcher, but served at time of making the drink)
Method:
- In a large pitcher, add all ingredients except for the sparkling water. Place pitcher (covered) in refrigerator for 24 hours. Will keep for weeks, and the rum seems to become more mellow with time.
- To serve, pour into liquid into cocktail sized glass.
- Garnish with a few cherries, add your sparkling water.
- Add ice and rub the rim of the glass with lime.
Note:
- The cherries seem to take on a significant amount of the alcohol, which when bit into, provides a fun little extra kick.
- The pineapple chunks turn brown while soaking in the rum mix, and I don’t find them as wonderful to bite into as the cherries. They add to the flavor of the drink though, so still necessary.