Wine Each Week ~ Eberle 2018 Syrah

If you are Gary Eberle, you have a lot of firsts next to your name. One of those was that he was one the first to plant the Syrah grape in Paso Robles, even though grapes have been in the ground in Paso since the 1880s. And he was the very first to produce a 100% Syrah. For many years Gary has sourced his Syrah from the Steinbeck Vineyard. This Syrah straddles that warm climate, cool climate where you get a little bit of both vibrant dark black and red fruits blackberry blueberry boysenberry red raspberry, but also some of those dark earthy notes saddle, leather, slight bacon smokiness. Just under 2% Viognier is co-fermented then aged for 15 months in both French and American oak. There is also plentiful acidity making this a fine red wine for a diversity of foods.

1,418 cases.

ORIGIN: Paso Robles, California

ALCOHOL: 14.6%

PRICE: $32 (750ML)

SCORE: 91 POINTS

EBERLE

Wine Each Week – 2016 Shafer Relentless

Syrah from California is still underappreciated and typically it’s improperly grown. Shafer has long done it right. Relentless has always been a focused Syrah project, this vintage with 10% Petite Sirah added in. It was a warmer growing season and this shows a more bright red fruit indicating that. Overwhelmingly however the 2016 offers subversive black cherry, mocha, blackberry, and blueberry, with mid palate notes of earth, herbal, and smoke, fresh leather, and menthol. Aged 30 months in French oak, this is an exceptional deviation from the standard wine offerings out there and allows for a broader expression of foods to go with it.

3,300 cases

ORIGIN: Napa Valley, California

ALCOHOL: 15.8%

PRICE: $95 (750ML)

SCORE: 92 POINTS

Shafer

Wine Each Week – Paraduxx 2016 Howell Mountain Napa Valley Red Wine

Paraduxx is known for its blended wines. In fact that is its mission statement - to blend wines from Napa Valley to create the best possible assemblage. Their Napa Valley Red Wine is a wine I’ve had over multiple vintages and it is a wine that has literally never failed to impress. Comprised mainly of Cabernet Sauvignon with 35% Syrah blended in grown on Howell Mountain, this is a beautifully delicate wine with everything you want - subtle blueberry, black cherry, elderberry, boysenberry, soft judicious use of oak, vanilla, black cherry. But what makes this stand out is the harmonious nature of the fruit, the acidity, the oak to produce a seamless wine that is thoroughly enjoyable to drink and has a wonderful palate feel. But this is what Paraduxx excels at with their red table wines. That they manage to do this year after year shows an impressive level of consistency and dedication to producing the best wine they can.

ORIGIN: Napa Valley, California

ALCOHOL: 14.5%

PRICE: $82 (750ML)

SCORE: 92 POINTS

Paraduxx

Wine Each Week: 2013 Las Positas Vineyard Coccineous

The irony of the Livermore Valley is that it’s still an under-the-radar wine region, in spite of it being one of the oldest planted areas to vineyards in California. So it’s really no surprise that gems are hidden there. A case in point is this Coccineous (which translates as “scarlet”), a blend of 43% Tempranillo, 36% Petite Sirah, along with small amounts of Syrah and Malbec. Though currently on the market this 2013 defies its age and is drinking incredibly well. It offers mature notes of black berry, raspberry, cedar, black cherry, with back notes of mulberry, pomegranate and quiet notes of rhubarb. There’s a still vibrant acidity, and harmonious balance. Using a mere 30% new French and American oak, the balance between fruit and wood is impressive. This wine is also a rather unique look into a blend that seems it shouldn’t work on paper, but does work in the glass and on the palate, a wine that takes you off guard and makes you believe in small producers who toil away in the far reaches of the industry. It also shows how large distribution networks often overlook the little guy, ignoring intriguing wines with small production. Fortunately, Las Positas will keep making their wine.

ORIGIN: Livermore Valley, California

PRICE: $48/ 750 ML

www.laspositasvineyards.com

Limited availability, 290 cases.

Summertime Rose’- The Livin’ and Drinkin’ is Easy

To borrow the above phrase from George Gershwin and tweak it a little, summer is ideal for rose’ however let me be clear, it’s for any night of any year (sorry about the rhyme, Mr. Gershwin seems to be floating in my ether right now).

So for your consideration, here are four rose’ wines to explore this summer.

The 2017 Tres Chic ($16.99) from Le Grand Courtage is light and summery, fresh cut strawberries, lemon-lime, red currants, guava and a balanced acidity. Made of Grenache Noir and Cinsault. The fruit is from Sud de France (South of France) in the Pays d’Oc region.

The Edna Valley Rose’ ($16/Tempranillo, Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre) takes the idea of the Tres Chic and puts a new world spin on it. It offers similar strawberry and lemon-lime notes, but with more minerality and deeper fruit flavors.

The 2017 Fleur de Mer Cotes de Provence Rose’ ($20) then accentuates the Edna Valley with a brighter acidity and strong minerality. The strawberry and lemon lime are quieted by the more floral notes of lavender and honeysuckle.

The culmination of all this finds its expression in the J Brut Rose’ ($45/Pinot Noir and Chardonnay), which combines all the best of the three wines listed above, but adds bubbles. What’s not to love? So check out any of these bottles and enjoy summertime livin’.

The Paraduxx Paradox

Paraduxx, originally an offshoot of Duckhorn wines, was formed in 1994 to celebrate the idea of blended wines, as opposed to single varietal wines, which Duckhorn had more of a focus on. Winemaker Don LaBorde says Paraduxx is “inspired by the iconic blends of the world, and made for the modern palate.” And that’s pretty spot on. The 2014 Candlestick Napa Valley Red Wine shines a light on just how excellent a blend can be. Mainly Syrah with 38% Grenache this is an opulent wine: rich, ripe, creamy and mouth filling. It expresses sweet fresh picked blueberry and blackberry, sugared almonds, boysenberry preserves, a light acidity but a drop dead gorgeous experience, viscerally; part tactile but part emotional. Yes, wine can do this. And this wine is not for a variety of foods - it’s big and commanding, like when you have a piece of really excellent chocolate that’s so rich you just need one piece. Yeah, this wine is like that. Aged 18 months in oak, (95% French Oak, 5% American Oak) the Candlestick is that immensely satisfying experience.

ORIGIN: Napa Valley, California

PRICE: $58/ 750ML

ALCOHOL: 14.7%

SCORE:  94 POINTS

Syrah Un-Stymied

In golf circles a stymie is a ball blocking another players ball, as in being blocked with a clear shot to the cup. Syrah in general has this same issue - much of what is out there, insincere iterations of Syrah, blocks the truly wonderful expressions of Syrah. I am and have always been a fan of Syrah. Trouble is – how to find a good one that isn’t great but stupidly expensive or not great and a waste of your money. Stymie removed: the 2014Steele Stymie Syrah from underappreciated Lake County.

Jed Steele manages to extract heady aromas of cedar, boysenberry pie, blackberry, red raspberry jam, cedar, vanilla, mocha, with back notes of sage and campfire smoke. The viscosity is stunning, a virtual liquid velvet, that does not subtract from the tannins and acids, which though mild as they are, support the structure of this wine. This in no way is over jammy fruit, instead, this is darker hued, alluring, seductive - a kind of Film Noir idea of shadow and light. It offers a depth of maturity, without the need to draw attention to itself. Aged for 22 months in both American and French oaks barrels, only 20% of which were new, means while the oak provides a framework to the fruit, it does not take center stage. Jed made just 150 cases of this, and I hope you’ll try a bottle.

ORIGIN: Lake County, California

PRICE: $36/ 750ML

ALCOHOL: 14.8%

PAIRING IDEAS: Braised pork loin with garlic marinara sauce; Veggie stuffed baked potato with smoked Gouda.

SCORE:  90 POINTS

Rhone on the Range

The Rhone Valley in Eastern France is known for what we in American call Rhone grape varieties: Syrah, Grenache, Viognier, Marsanne, and a few others. The Beauty of these wines is that they typically are restrained, yet floral, subtle, earthy exhibiting less potent berry fruits than say, Cabernet from Napa, and have higher acidity, meaning they work well as food wines. Two versions, specific to the Southern part of the Rhone Valley, recently caught my eye, and they are immensely good quality considering the price tag.

The Cotes du Rhone Villages Puymeras Rouge ($18) is comprised of mainly Grenache with 20% Syrah and 10% Carignan. The lighter berry notes are clearly evident – raspberry, black cherry and boysenberry, but beyond that - and typical of Rhone wines - there is an earthiness of cedar and wet earth, black licorice, light pomegranate, but still juicyfruit without being candied.

The Cotes du Rhone Reserve Blanc ($12) is made up of mainly Grenache along with 15% Marsanne, 10% Clairette and 10% Viognier. There are light tropical notes, lemon zest, a nearly vibrant peach note and back notes of honeysuckle and slight butter toffee, though this is not a sweet wine, but it hints at it, though offers mainly bright  summer fruit.

Widely available here in the U.S. I highly recommend one or both, not only as a deviation from the norm, but a surprise for quality in your glass.

www.lesduaphins-rhone.com 

May the Fourth Be With You: Of Klingons, Wine & Paso Robles

Star Wars may the daddy of all sci-fi films, but TV’s Star Trek is the granddaddy of anyplace where anyone wishes to boldly go. It’s one thing to create a whole other world, rather universe, of unique characters and places, and it’s another to actually have a wine here on planet earth inspired by such far off distant galaxies. The Klingon Bloodwine (literally “tlhlngan ‘Iw Hlq”) has been transported to earth for us mere mortals. A blend of Malbec, Syrah and Petit Verdot without a hint of blood, this is a mild wine, fun like Spock (OK, well, maybe not fun exactly) but not as nerdy and implacable as many Klingons. Bright red fruit like plum, black cherry and boysenberry with a boost of acidity and a touch of oak treatment makes this the perfect wine for May 4^th, or any such celebratory millennia ocasion. Grab your light saber, cuddle with your Tribble, sit next to your favorite AI, and enjoy the bounty of the universe. http://www.vinport.com/startrek/klingon-bloodwine

ORIGIN: Paso Robles, California  (so we’re told)

PRICE: $19.99 / 750/ml                 (uncertain how many darsek that equals)

ALCOHOL: 13%                           (booze is booze in any galaxy)

Boozehoundz’s Best of 2014!

With winemaker Aron Weinkauf--Spottswoode Winery & his dog Cashew

In looking back at 2014 Boozehoundz covered everything from various professional wine judging, to wine bloggers, to organic wines, Russian beers, interviews with winemakers and sommeliers and more. To re-cap the best wines and spirits I tasted through in 2014, with a score of 91 points or above (drum roll please), here are some clear winners, so, cheers and keep exploring new wine and spirits. If you’ve tried something awesome drop me a line and let me know. It might make it into a variety of publications I write for including Boozehoundz, The Hollywood Reporter, the largest wine/spirits magazine in China, or someplace else! Since I work for myself I do not write about anything I personally have not vetted and found to be to my picky standards. I get no kickbacks for recommending anything, just the satisfaction of you, the reader, finding something new! And remember, every Tuesday Boozehoundz posts all new info – so sign up for free to get this blog. Here we go…

Qupe 2011 Grenache (91 Points, $35) A stunning biodynamically made wine from San Luis Obispo grapes this offers soft black cherry, rhubarb and pomegranate, blackberry compote, mild oak and spice supported by a mild acidity and enough fruit to compliment your food without overpowering it. (Full Review HERE)

A Sake and cheese pairing I did

Citadelle Gin Reserve Solera 2013 (91 Points, $35) Using a solera method and aged in a combination of American casks, old Cognac casks, and Pineau des Charente casks (a French aperitif), it is softer, holds a slight woodiness and possesses a thicker viscosity. They use over 20 different botanicals as well, creating a multi- layered effect. The nose is clear juniper berry, soft mint and eucalyptus, coriander and dried thyme. (Full review HERE)

2012 Lava Cap Winery Chardonnay (91 Points, $18). Stupidly good and inexpensive and from the unlikeliest of places – El Dorado County in the Sierra Foothills, this impressive Chardonnay has terrific acidity and the new French Oak is all caramel, and a subtle smoky element with a touch of citrus. They perform a battonage on it – meaning after the yeast converts the sugars to alcohol, the tiny dead yeast cells are stirred up inside the wine barrel, which adds additional flavor and texture to a wine. I love the mouth feel on this and the slight bite at the end. (Full review HERE)

With asst. winemaker Bobby Donnell at Amici Cellars

Ventura Limoncello Crema (92 Points, $20) is all made by hand (I’ve visited his small production facility in an industrial section of Ventura) with no fake colors or flavors – this is the real deal. Only the top skin of the lemon is peeled which is more concentrated with the citrus oil, then soaked. It’s mixed with sugar and neutral spirits rather than vodka. It's ripe with lemon and lemon rind and stunningly balanced with the alcohol rendering it a smooth, viscous, decadent wonderfully piquant dessert liqueur. (Full review HERE)

The Top Scoring wine for Boozehoundz in 2014 was the stunning Goldeneye 2011 Confluence Vineyard Pinot Noir (93 Points, $80) from the Mendocino’s Anderson Valley is that type of Pinot Noir that makes you realizes why you love, or should love, Pinot Noir, because it has everything, a confluence of a deft acidity, black cherry, raspberry, mild strawberry, a hint of dark cola, spice, judicious oak, and it walks that line between being polite yet mysterious, an in-your-face attitude, and that indescribable intangible that just makes it taste so damn good. (Full review HERE)

Enjoying bubbles at Syncline Winery, Washington State

One Niner Niner!

I love Syrah. I make no apologies about that - it can make a terrific wine. It is however often grown in the areas that do not suit it best, typically for me warmer climates, which tend to produce thin, watery wines with too much acidity and tepid fruit. Syrah is known in the wine industry as “vigorous” (which means it grows quickly and produces a bunch of fruit, actually too much) which if you’re looking for yield, you've got it. But the best Syrah’s tend to be farmed by dutifully controlling the vines and pruning, lots of pruning, to maximize the flavors in fewer clusters. The 2012 Niner Wine Estates Syrah from Paso Robles has beautiful nose notes of blackberry, rich raspberry, black cherry and blueberry components flanked by my old friend oak and a sweet vanilla, the fruit coming from, surprisingly, the Westside of Paso Robles. It’s been aged in barrel for 19 months (70% French oak, 20% Hungarian and 10% American so it’s a student of the world, if you will), which some may decry as being too heavy-handed since the oak treatment is quite obvious here. But this one works for just the sheer unadulterated joy and pleasure of drinking wine, and isn’t that the point anyhow? The voluminous flavors and scents on this will not only surprise you, but you’ll end of drinking this so quickly because it tastes so damn superb. Therefore, you should consider getting at least two bottles. NINER WINE

ORIGIN: Paso Robles, California

PRICE: $30 - 750/ml

ALCOHOL: 14.8%

BOOZEHOUNDZ SCORE: 89 POINTS

Twin Sons of Different Mothers

Summer is fast approaching and typically folks turn to white wines to stave off the heat. I don’t advocate whites in summer and reds in winter – wine is an all-year adventure, be that Champagne, dessert wines or whatever else you might find, there is no “season” in which to drink them. Having said that a pair of terrific lighter wines together on one table provides something for everyone, regardless of the calendar. The 2013 Decoy Sauvignon Blanc out of Sonoma has soft citrus, lime, grapefruit and beautiful mouth feel to make this perfect with appetizers of cheeses, kicking it on your deck. The Decoy lacks the sometimes more astringent nature of Sauvignon Blanc, and has a creamier texture, akin to Chardonnay. Its “brother” is the 2013 Halter Ranch Rose from Paso Robles. This baby rules because this version comprised of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and the wildly offbeat Picpoul Blanc, is simply a standout wine. I love the acidity which is needed for food along with a dark strawberry, black cherry, pomegranate kind of thing. It’s deeper than most roses so if you prefer red wines, this is for you. So find these wines, get them on your table and if it is hot or cold where you are, sunny or overcast, these two wines are the best of both worlds. 

DECOY 

HALTER RANCH 

Tasting With: Don Brady, Winemaker at Robert Hall Winery, Paso Robles

Don and the Golden Bear

Don Brady is originally from Texas, but doesn’t that explain the whole of it. I like many people from Texas and the wine scene there represented best by the Hill Country is coming of age, albeit slowly and with great challenges. Don learned winemaking there, came to California, and has been the only winemaker that Robert Hall Winery in Paso Robles has ever known. And that, my friends, is a good thing. I’ve known Don for years, and he makes terrific wine, so to spend some time at the winery tasting room and taste with him is always a welcome experience. The winery had just won a major victory at the California State Fair Wine Competition (which I was a judge at) so Don was feeling pretty damn good. And why not? Robert Hall Winery located on the Eastside of Paso Robles hammers out 60,000 cases (nearly a quarter of a million bottles) of wine mainly dedicated to Cabernet Sauvignon. 2nd is Syrah, and Rhone varieties which Paso does okay with but the Bordeaux varieties are quickly becoming their signature. “We have the heat units to get Cabernet ripe here,” Don says with his slight Texas drawl. 

Don Brady and Yours Truly

But it is Merlot, that quirky, under appreciated and weirdly mis-understood grape where Don hits a home run, year after year. And he and I share a secret love of this maligned grape, in part because Don seems to understand the soul of Merlot better than most people in California. I offer a review of his 2010 Merlot here (2010 MERLOT), and the 2011 is currently available. My cohort in wine Joe Roberts of 1 Wine Dude tasted it at my urging, and rated it a B+ and Joe knows what the hell he’s doing. Definitely put Robert Hall Winery on your short list when you visit Paso Robles.

What We Tasted Together:

~2011 Syrah ($18) is blended with a little Grenache resulting in a bacon fat, smooth mouthfeel.

~2004 Merlot (N/A) Don graciously pulls out a 2004 Merlot for me (oh yeah, baby) and it shows that Don has been attentive to Merlot for a long time. The wine, no longer available though I savored each sip, is rich with blackberry, blueberry, cedar, cocoa, vanilla and the ability to make you audibly say, “wow.” And this, to me, is where Robert Hall Winery shines “I think Robert Hall Merlot is one of the best wines we make it’s a nice counterpart to Cabernet. It can be crazy good, but the world doesn’t see it.”

~2011 Meritage ($40) Mainly Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with a little Cab Franc and Petit Verdot, it’s a hefty, lush blend.  ROBERT HALL WINES

Savoring Summer Sangria

It’s getting away from summer but that doesn’t mean you have to give up drinking summer. I make sangria every year and I love its lively, fresh, pungent, fruit-forward (literally) nature. But often if you get sangria in a restaurant or bar it’s some peculiar overtly sweet viscous liquid that may or may not be made with real fruit. Well, my supplications to the Sangria Savior have been answered. Eppa Sangria, already made and put into a bottle, is here to save winter from feeling too wintery. This is a bright, expressive wine with minimal alcohol (which means you can have two bottles) of soft and easy fruit and wine, actually way too easy to drink. Made with organic fruit, there’s lots of ripe juicy fruit, tangy and tart while being mildly sweet. Mendocino County Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah is mixed with fruit juices including pomegranate, blueberry, Mediterranean blood orange and…steady…acai (I’ve only ever had acai – a Brazilian tree fruit known for its intense antioxidants- in acai bowls here in Santa Barbara and Oahu). It’s kind of an odd combination, but it works quite well and it’s certified organic – not that that is a huge issue, but fewer chemicals consumed means better long term health. Honestly, I have not found a bottled sangria I like better and though I will still laboriously make mine every year in August, the Eppa is a welcomed addition to my wine routine.

$11.99/ 750 ml – Alc: 8.5%  EPPA SANGRIA  

BOOZEHOUNDZ RATING

4 Bonz – Good Dog!

The Grapes of Wrath

What’s in a name? I don’t know. A winery called San Saba started out making innocuous wines. The son took over from the father, re-named the winery Wrath, brought in a new winemaker and now makes really cool wines. Their tasting room, located on the lower level of the Carmel Plaza in Carmel (Monterey County) is an amber lit small space with lots of cherry wood and a quartz bar but it’s a little professional, library-ish and austere looking. Of course, that’s only 1/3^rd of the equation, the other two parts are the wines and the staff. The wines are very good, not cheap, and the staff is knowledgeable, but this isn’t an energetic place. It’s not somber mind you, but does lack an upbeat energy. It’s polite, but not a hoot. Their tastings include the Standard = $10 for 3 wines; Single Vineyard = $20 for 3 wines; and the Pinot Noir = $30 for 5 tastes. So yes, it’s pricy. The Pinot’s are very good and I chose this tasting because it made financial sense, and I liked the wine (the 2009 Ex Vite Pinot Noir - $38). If you buy a bottle the fee is waived. They also offer cheese & crackers for $20 for 3 cheeses. It’s a fine stop with some fine wines and everything will be fine. And sometimes fine is pretty good. http://www.wrathwines.com/

Bottle prices: $30 - $49. Chardonnay, Syrah, Pinot Noir.