Wine Each Week: Masut 2016 Estate Pinot Noir

Ben and Jake Fetzer come from a long line of wine; it was their grandfather who started the iconic Fetzer Vineyards in Mendocino. The brothers formed Masut in 2009 (releasing their first wines in 2011, to approach Pinot Noir from Mendocino County, north of Sonoma, and in fact their Eagle Peak Vineyard lies within the Eagle Peak AVA. Their 2016 Estate offers bright fruit, but a noticeable potent acidity, tingling the mouth and presenting dark bing cherry, raspberry, fermented strawberry, with back notes of black cherry, slight cola and an almost Dr. Pepper quality, but in a very good way. It retains its presences on the palate too, it lingers, stays around after each sip, enticing. Using five different clones (115 comprises 50% of the make-up) the 10-day fermentation in stainless steel preceded 12 months aging in new French Oak. The result is an earthy, rich (but not ripe) Pinot Noir that brings a redolent quality to California Pinot. The word "masut" is an old Indian word, generally meaning, deep, rich earth," of which this wine telegraphs beautifully. 3,100 cases

ORIGIN: Mendocino, California

ALCOHOL: 14.1%

PRICE: $40/ 750ML

SCORE: 91 POINTS

MASUT

WOW - Wanna Own a Winery?

John Chiarito

As a wine writer, I rarely write about real estate - though I did write a piece for The Hollywood Reporter about the Santa Ynez Valley and spoke with Cheryl Ladd (Charlie’s Angels) about her listed property, but that’s pretty much it. Back in 2011 I first met John Chiarito at his vineyard near Ukiah in Mendocino County and was very impressed with what he was doing. Within a few years after that meeting John was getting out of the wine business much to my dismay as he made stunning wines including Nero D’Avola (see more below). His property and vineyards are now up for sale and they need a new caretaker who will respect what John has started. I decided to include an excerpt about him and Mendocino I originally wrote for the Santa Barbara News-Press. If you may know of someone who wants a winery and vineyard in Mendocino (I’m rather tempted myself) than pass along THIS INFO.

The Chiarito property

Mendo is best known for the highest percentage of organic and biodynamic vineyards anywhere in the entire state. Grapes were originally planted in the late 1800s but Prohibition effectively killed them off and the area turned to apples, walnuts and peach orchards, some of which still produce fruit. The same time that the Mondavi clan planted vineyards in Napa in the mid-1940s, Charlie Barra, the patriarch of the Mendocino wine scene, was busy planting grapes in Ukiah, the most populous city in Mendocino located along Highway 101. Yet what few recall is that along the Russian River from Redwood Valley to Healdsburg in Sonoma, hops were the dominate crop. Small towns like Hopland harvested the hops shipping them by rail to San Francisco where they were dispersed to all parts of the globe. Old hop kilns still exist like the one converted into Milano Winery at the entrance to Hopland. But a new history is being written. Solar panels are present in vineyards, on winery buildings, and by the side of the road. To facilitate biodynamic farming sheep graze the weeds between grapevine rows. Even the plastic green ties that most of us use in our gardens to tie tomato plants to stakes are not allowed. In its place is a natural tying method, used by both Bonterra and Chiarito wineries; pliable willow tree stalks are the new preferred ties as they will eventually return to the earth from whence they came. This doesn’t mean every winery has gone “green,” many still farm with traditional chemicals, but you will not find a greater concentration of farmers who trust the land to work as it has for thousands of years.

At Bonterra's Property

And everything is here, from the massive Bonterra Vineyards who churn out 300,000 cases of inexpensive though effective organic wine, to the majority of small family-run operations with less than 2,000 cases. Some of the best include Philo Ridge, Rivino, Terra Siva and Chiarito who produce wine to rival some of the best in the Golden State. Yes, wine is ubiquitous in California and just because wine is organic doesn’t mean it’s worth buying. But these Mendocino wineries are proving the doubters wrong. Philo Ridge produces terrific Pinot Gris; Rivino produces the less-than-appreciated Cabernet Franc, and the husband and wife team actually both grew up in the Vancouver area only to meet in Mendocino and discover a passion for wine and each other. Terra Siva not only makes wine, but olive oil and produces honey. And then there is John Chiarito whose small vineyard near the minuscule town of Talmadge is producing exceptional Zinfandel. The Italian born Chiarito also produces true Italian varieties like Negroamaro and Nero D’avola, both of which he petitioned TTB to include on their varietal list, thereby becoming the first U.S. winery to get them on a wine label. Then Charito became the first U.S. winery to actually Nero d'Avola on U.S. soil. John exemplifies the spirit of the region: immigrants who honor the land and their parents and grandparents. In the example of Chiarito, the old walnut orchard that was on the property prior to the grapes being planted was pulled up with the exception of a perimeter of trees, which still bear fruit. He is planting tomatoes and figs, not only to honor his grandfather but, as he suggests, a piece of land needs diversity to succeed.

New Year’s Resolution: 12 Months – 12 Cabernets

With every year that passes we set out new goals, new challenges and new experiences for ourselves. But often that doesn’t translate to our wine habits, which can get old and tired. So for Cabernet Sauvignon lovers, here’s a road map for a new Cabernet Sauvignon to try each month from various places, each with its own unique quality and character; a road map that will entice your senses and open you to new wines you may never have considered. (NOTE: The original holiday version of this article was published in The Hollywood Reporter-DEC/2014)

Amici Cellars 2011 Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon: From Calistoga, winemaker Joel Aiken has a pedigree worth toasting. He made the BV Georges de Latour, one of Napa’s most iconic wines for a quarter century. Now he crafts killer Cabernets from choice vineyard sites around the Napa Valley. Once poured you’ll find flavors reminiscent of violets, oak and vanilla, blackberry and blueberry. This is a smooth drinking wine that makes you realize how approachable a high end Cabernet can be, without all the fussy tannins and aging time. ($125, amicicellars.com)

Barons de Rothschild Lafite Reserve Speciale Pauillac 2010: Bordeaux is not Napa. That might seem obvious, but many people expect Bordeaux to drink like Napa Cab. The differences in this wine are obvious from the subtle and nuanced flavors to the berry notes of black cherry, and blackberry. However the earthiness, acidity and quiet nature of Bordeaux is a counterpoint to aggressive American Cabernet’s. This is a terrific example of reasonably priced Bordeaux, and a wine meant to work with food. ($49.99, finewinehouse.com)

Beaulieu Vineyards 2009 Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon: Long used as the go-to juice for the Emmy Awards Governor’s Ball and a benchmark of Napa Cabernet since 1936, this BV is as smooth and suave as George Clooney himself. There is upfront acidity, black cherry, huckleberry, blackberry seamless oak and vanilla and a textural weight all delivered with a silky and smooth wine that makes you wonder why all wine can’t be this tranquil and creamy. ($80, bvwines.com)

Clos Pegase 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon: With renowned architect Michael Graves behind the design of this Napa winery facility, their Cabernet should be just as world class, and it is. Ready to drink now this 2011 Cabernet is very accessible for everyone and presents black cherry, rhubarb, plum, blueberry, mild acidity and though still a young wine, it is nonetheless quite structured and amiable for your dinner table. ($50, clospegase.com)

Frank Family 2012 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon: Though owner Rich Frank is producer on the hit TV show Royal Pains (he was former Chairman of Walt Disney TV) he also produces wine from his northern Napa Valley property. This lithe, supple wine is replete with mild notes of blackberry, blueberry, cedar, and black cherry, balanced and structured with soft delectable oak, acidity and tannins showing the firm control of a veteran producer. ($50, frankfamilyvineyards.com)

Hourglass Vineyards 2012 Blueline Estate Cabernet Sauvignon: Like a classic timepiece this wine, grown on the slopes of the Mayacamas Mountains, exudes black cherry, lavender, blackberry, cedar, soft but noticeable minerality and a touch of caramel. The tannic structure is evident but not overwhelming and a brief decanting will enhance the floral aromas. Easy to drink, it might be gone in a few minutes if you’re not careful. ($125, hourglasswines.com)

Jordan 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon: Though Napa gets most of the Cabernet attention, Sonoma too has its own choice spots in which to make excellent Cabernet. Served at several of the Academy Award Governor’s Balls in the 1990s and served at the White House in 1988, this current iteration is all cassis, bright cherry, blueberry, with a mild acidity and oak program balanced along with tame tannins which makes this an easy drinking wine with a bit of heft. ($53, jordanwinery.com)

Justin Vineyards 2011 Isosceles: Paso Robles has long been a producer of Cabernet and it is this wine that actually put this region on the map. The current vintage celebrates its 25th anniversary of this now iconic wine with rustic dark red fruits like rich deep black cherry, black currant and ripe blueberry. The judicious use of oak is tempered by a befitting acidity and an easy drinking quality. ($70, justinwine.com)

Kimmel Vineyards 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon: From Mendocino comes this delightful wine full of rhubarb, blackberry and dusty black cherry with a touch of oak, mild acidity and mild tannins. Owner Jim Kimmel (not Jimmy Kimmel) employs certified sustainable growing practices, which shows that great wine can be made in a responsible, yet tasty way. There is a nose of sandalwood, cedar, cassis, black cherry, dark chocolate and a whisper of dark spice. ($48, kimmelvineyards.com)

Mastroserio Winery 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon: When gold was discovered in El Dorado County in the Sierra Foothills in 1848 signaling the gold rush, wine was not in the mix. But when the gold ran out, pioneer-entrepreneurs planted grapes. One of the better Cabs to come from this region is this lush rich Cab heavier on its barrel fermentation program, which results in lots of cedar, resin, blackberry, black cherry and dried chervil with a surprisingly buoyant acidity. ($50, mastroseriowinery.com)                        

 

Pepper Bridge 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon: Walla Walla Washington is the source of the fruit for this earthy Cabernet with plenty of rustic cherry and blackberry, blueberry fruit, minimal tobacco and aged oak - a combination of new and used French oak to be precise. 2011 was a cooler season in the state therefore there is less bright crisp fruit and more of a dense and dark nature to this wine for those who crave a more mysterious and brooding wine. ($60, pepperbridge.com)

Spottswoode 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon: One of Napa’s premier under the radar producers, Spottswoode goes about quietly making first-rate wine. Their Cabernet opens with rich black cherry and a nose of oak and vanilla and a slight cocoa, but is rewarded with decanting time to reveal, cedar and ripe blueberry, roasted oak and the flavors smooth out with a mature ripe red fruit note, changing the complexity to a velvety, deep berry. ($150, spottswoode.com)         

Eye Spy Goldeneye

It was August 29^th, my birthday. It also happened to be International Cabernet Day (sort of an official wine day? Not sure but what the hell.) So as wine lovers reached for a Cab to open last Friday, I, like the proverbial salmon swimming upstream and bucking the currents, opened Pinot Noir - which also happens to compliment salmon quite well. The Goldeneye 2011 Confluence Vineyard Pinot Noir 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, and an in-your-face attitude, and that indescribable intangible that just makes it taste so damn good. Many Pinots have some of these components in various quantities but to find the whole package is like discovering plutonium. Bam! Suddenly in your glass is that elusive wine people write poetry about, and winemakers weep over - and this Goldeneye is like a golden goose.  

GOLDENEYE

ORIGIN: Anderson Valley, Mendocino, California

PRICE: $80 - 750/ml

ALCOHOL: 14.5%

BOOZEHOUNDZ SCORE: 93 POINTS

"Take wine out to the ballgame..."

So you head to the ballpark, it’s a bright summer day and you have a hankering for wine. Sure, beer is the preferred drink at a baseball game, but regardless, you just want a glass of wine with your hot dog and peanuts. But without the actual glass – too treacherous – you can’t have shards of glass flying when you catch that home run. You can’t BYOB, so what to do? Hold on to your first base. Fetzer winery in Mendocino has saved the day. Actually they, and a company named Zipz have created a new day.

We now have single serve wines in safe, eco-friendly, 100% recyclable durable plastic which are shaped like a real wine glass hold some pretty good wine. Problem solved, crisis averted, and wine to drink. The Red, called Crimson is primarily Zinfandel, Syrah and Cabernet and the taste is clearly Zin-driven. It’s a very pleasant kitchen sink blend, far superior to bag-in-a-box wine, or whatever-in-a-can and frankly, this would make a terrific everyday red wine.  The White, known as Quartz, is a blend of Chardonnay, Riesling, Gewürztraminer and Pinot Grigio – a fine concoction ending up fruity, fresh and slightly sweet. The glasses are sealed and have a lid.

Currently they are available at these ballparks:

Tropicana Field - Tampa Bay Rays

Coors Field - Colorado Rockies

AT & T Park - San Francisco Giants

Safeco Field - Seattle Mariners

Citi Field - New York Mets, and

Turner Field, home of the Atlanta Braves.

There are plans to roll these out to other ballparks and perhaps even supermarkets, so they will be ideal for picnics, time at the beach, even your own backyard deck. Smart, smartly designed, and we hope successful. It’s a home run.  CRIMSON & QUARTZ

$9-11/ 187 ml – Alc:12 % (White), 13.5% (Red)

BOOZEHOUNDZ RATING: 88 POINTS

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!