What
makes America great is the potential for discovery, a willingness to explore
and delve into the unfamiliar. Our forefathers were not shy about ignoring
boundaries and seeking adventure. Since George Washington made whiskey, let’s
celebrates the founding fathers with wines, spirits and beer you can only find
in the USA. This is all American made booze - under the radar, small batch and relatively
unknown. The flag used as a backdrop once flew over the Kennedy White House. So
go forth and drink your Independence Day! (NOTE:
This article originally appeared in The Hollywood Reporter).
Ale:
AleSmith Brewing Co. San Diego is home to more military bases (seven, count
‘em) more than any other county in California, not to mention the rest of the
U.S., and that means there are a lot of people who crave beer. But not just any
beer. AleSmith, located in San Diego, excels at barrel-aged brews. Their
Wee Heavy is a Scottish ale aged in bourbon barrels, full of toffee,
caramel, with notes of hops, roasted rye, brown sugar and a whiff of the
bourbon casks. This is a very complex aged beer that offers up a boatload of
scents and aromas with a not so wee heavy mouth feel. ($30, alesmith.com)
Cabernet
Sauvignon: Frank Family Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 Patriarch. No mater where you
go Cabernet is king, and Rich Frank (former President Walt Disney Studios,
producer Royal Pains) knows how to assemble various parts to make a compelling
whole. His motivation was to honor his dad, World War II veteran Hy Frank, who
landed on Omaha Beach four days after D-Day, then drove support vehicles for General
Patton’s Third Army. Frank presented the first release of Patriarch to his
father on his 98th birthday. There are just 500 cases of this stunning wine.
It’s smooth as velvet, seductive, a seamless mix of light oak, black berry, a
near cranberry, supple pepper spice and black cherry with an earthen back note
and mild acidity. This is the patriarch of Napa Cabs. ($225,
frankfamilyvineyards.com)
Carménère:
Niner 2012 Carménère: The Niner family from Paso Robles is not only helping to
define the Paso wine scene, but they are making unique and cool wines like Carménère,
though just a mere 138 cases. Like many of our Founding Fathers, owner Richard
Niner was a farmer, originally in West Virginia, then migrated West ending up
in the Paso Robles region where he planted Carménère on Bootjack Ranch, a plot
of land that was once an ancient seabed. With a judicious oak treatment this
wine results in black cherry, black berry and blueberry with hinter notes of
cinnamon, vanilla and spice on the finish. ($60, ninerwinery.com)
Gin:
209 Gin. San Francisco is one of the most beloved cities in the U.S. and was
actually the capital of California for a brief four months in 1862. The 209 Distillery
located at Pier 50 offers a sweeter profile than most gins and is ripe with
citrus and mint, all the better to make your cocktails more complex. And this
is a flavor powerhouse; more potent than most gins on the market so a little
goes a long way. Using in part juniper berries from Italy, lemon peel from
Spain, and Coriander from Romania, it’s ultimately all American. They also make
a Kosher iteration for Passover. ($35, distillery209.com)
Merlot:
Buty 2012 Conner Lee Vineyard Merlot & Cabernet Franc. Washington was
admitted to the Union in 1889 but was known to have grapes in the ground in the
1820s. Second only to California in terms of wine production the Washington
wine scene is rapidly evolving and doesn’t want to play second fiddle, and this
wine is one of the reasons why. Taking Merlot and Cabernet Franc and blending
them is nothing new; what is new is the expressiveness of the mere 315 cases
this 2,000-foot vineyard produces. Sure you get the bramble, black cherry,
pomegranate and blackberry you’d expect, but you also get a delightful acidity
you don’t often get from red wines. This Buty is a beauty, and California may
want to check their rear view mirror. ($45, butywinery.com)
Nebbiolo:
Wofford Acres 2013 La Mancha. The Sierra Foothills was where gold was
discovered in January 1848 and is the birthplace of California wine, though
Spanish missionaries were making wine in the 1790s. Theses days the new rush is
on wine and some are as elusive as gold. Wofford Acres La Mancha from El Dorado
is only 113 cases, and is a blend of Nebbiolo, Petite Sirah, and Cabernet
Sauvignon resulting in pomegranate, huckleberry, plum and cedar with enough
bright fruit and acidity to ensure it goes with any meal. There’s a pleasant
rustic quality to this meaning it’s not a polished Napa wine, this is a tad
rough around the edges, just like our forefathers, and the 49ers after them.
($35, wavwines.com)
Pinot
Noir: On Point 2013 Christinna’s Cuvee: With only 198 cases of this wine you’ll
be hard pressed to find a Pinot Noir of this quality and value. Hailing from
the Anderson Valley in Mendocino, itself a slice of American life in that the
region had its own micro language called Boontling (“frattey shams” meant grape
vines), this Pinot Noir is supple, soft and with a enough acidity to make it
stand up to picnic foods. Earthy spice, bright strawberry and dark cherry meld
for a seamless wine that is on point as to how Pinot Noir should be. In spite
of the oak barrels and the Pommard clone being undeniably French, Mendocino
makes this a truly American iteration with a forward, lively wine. ($36,
fulcrumwines.com)
Roussanne:
Adelaida Vineyards 2013 Version White. The tiny region of Adelaida, originally settled
in the 1890s by Mennonite farmers, is inside the larger Paso Robles region, and
is making its mark with Rhone grapes. Here a blend of Roussanne, Viognier and
Grenache Blanc showcase the best of the area: soft tropical fruits, honey,
mango, apricot, sweet resin, and lemon verbena bookended by judicious new French
oak. White Rhone blends are not favored by many people in part because people
haven’t tried them, but since this is all about discovery, all the more reason
to seek this sleek wine out. ($35, adelaida.com)
Riesling:
Left Foot Charley 2013 Missing Spire. This patriotic beauty hails from, ahem,
Michigan. Surprised that Michigan is making wine? Well, fasten your seatbelt -
wine was first made in 1679 when French explorers noticed grapevines growing
along the Detroit River. Today the state, and regions like the Old Mission
Peninsula, is home to over 100 wineries. Left Foot Charley, and this region as
a whole, excel at making both dry and sweet iterations of under appreciated
Riesling. This lightly sweet version is packed with subtle tangerine, peach,
lavender and honey. It’s a beautiful example of just how compelling a balanced Riesling
can be and will cause you to rethink the grape. ($18, leftfootcharley.com)
Sparkling:
J Vineyards Brut Rose. There’s nothing more festive for the 4th than bubbles,
and pink bubbles at that. From Sonoma’s Russian River Valley (so named for the
actual Russians who attempted a foothold in the Northern Sonoma region
specifically at Fort Ross) this dry sparkling rose is comprised of Pinot Noir
and Chardonnay. The strawberry, lemon cream, raspberry and tangerine notes and
deft carbonation make this a poised wine, perfect for your picnic - think fried
chicken and potato salad - and just a hint of sweetness which results in a
beautifully balanced sparkling wine that even a comrade would crave. ($38,
jwine.com)
Syrah:
Presidio Winery 2011 Artistic License: America was predominately agrarian when
the country was founded and farming is still the backbone of this country
feeding an astounding number of Americans and dozens of other countries. The
beauty of this small lot wine is the fact that it puts nature and farming
first. Made from certified organic and biodynamic grapes, this farm-friendly
Syrah is rich with boysenberry, blueberry, black cherry, and a spicy earthy
undertone that carries though the entire palate. Soft charred oak from resting
in barrel for 24 months while hanging out in Santa Barbara completes the
package. ($39, presidiowinery.com)
Vermentino:
Tessa Maria 2014 Vermintino: She’s the granddaughter of actor Fess Parker (TVs
Daniel Boone, and Davey Crockett, how much more American can you get?) and
continues the wine tradition with her own label out of Santa Barbara, now the
third generation of Parker’s to make wine. Her 2014 Vermentino is a discovery
of happy proportions and she bottled just 138 cases. This wine is ripe with
honeydew, tangerine, lemon-lime, butterscotch, and honeysuckle. All stainless
steel fermented and aged, there is no oak treatment, so this is a delightfully
light, crisp and very refreshing wine that will make you salute. In a
historical twist, the fruit comes from Camp 4 Vineyards, owned by the Chumash
Indian tribe. ($24, tessamariewines.com)
Vodka:
Loft & Bear. When you think of vodka you think, Russia, probably Poland, but
not Los Angeles. However LA was lively during prohibition, from parties on
Catalina Island, and scores of Angelinos flocking to Tijuana to get their booze
fix, to bootlegging happening in plain sight near City Hall. There are still
miles of tunnels underneath the dirty LA streets where illegal booze flowed
freely. Today downtown is hip and above board and Loft & Bear Vodka honors
LA’s past with this vodka made from winter wheat, and Northern California
water. Sweeter than typical vodka this offers a smooth and viscous palette
weight with a citrusy heat, a clean nose and refreshing feel, and it’s
distilled in a downtown loft. ($35, loftandbear.com)
Whiskey:
Jack Daniels Sinatra Select. Frank Sinatra was known to favor Jack Daniels as
his social lubricant, so this iconic American distillery decided to honor the
Chairman of the Board with his very own whiskey. Made in “Sinatra barrels,”
(they have deeper grooves cut on the interior of the barrel allowing more
extracted wood and whiskey interaction) this special bottling leaps out on the
nose with caramel, clover honey, tangerine, brown spice and is super smooth
with a viscosity other whiskies can only hope for. There’s the faintest whisper
of a citrus bite on the end, preceded by cedar, sweet resin, mint and a rustic
woodiness. Start spreading the news. ($185, jackdaniels.com)
Zinfandel:
Dueling Pistols: No, it’s not the name of a band, it’s a reference to a famous
duel between then Vice-President Aaron Burr and Federalist Alexander Hamilton
on July 11, 1804 in Weehawken, NJ. The Veep shot Hamilton dead that day but by
today’s standards Veeps do not wield such unrestrained power, with the
exception of Julia Louis-Dreyfus. This blend of Zinfandel and Syrah from
Sonoma’s Dry Creek Valley is way more easy going than either of the duelers and
it offers notes of cedar, blackberry, blueberry, anise, and black cherry with
mild tannins and a temperament that is smooth and forgiving. ($35, http://terlatowines.com/new-wines/california/federalist
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