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

MerlotMe: Time to Start Drinking Your Fu**ing Merlot Again

The self-proclaimed Merlot Month of October gives you permission to start drinking Merlot again. Just like the talented child overshadowed by his elder sibling (Cabernet Sauvignon in case you didn’t follow that), Merlot is getting the attention it deserves and the oft quoted, well-known line from Sideways, may never be uttered again.

Hello My Name Is…

Merlot grapes have been around since, some think, the 1^st Century. Who really knows? What we do know is that some French dude in Bordeaux mentioned Merlot for the first time in 1784, the same year in the US that we ratified the Treaty of Paris, which officially ended the Revolutionary War with Great Britain (I know, right?).

Because of the California Gold Rush and the influx of European immigrants, Merlot cuttings arrived in California sometime in the 1850s but it wasn’t until the late 1980s when planted acreage was increased and Merlot became more significant as a stand alone wine. Now, it’s the second most widely consumed red wine in the US.

2014 Duckhorn Napa Valley Merlot, Napa

Duckhorn is, without a doubt one of the best and most consistent producers of Merlot in California. Period. Part of that is their decades long attention to Merlot when others shunned it. The other part of that is they are meticulous with their fruit, and it shows. This Merlot is that foolproof wine that balances fruit, wood and age into a terrific bottle of wine. It’s the velvety texture that first grabs you as waves of mature blackberry, blueberry and black cherry fruit cascade across your palate. But it’s also the comprehensive acidity, the proper use of oak as an equal player and the tannic structure that allows this wine to be graceful and self-assured.

($52)

2013 St. Supery Napa Valley, Rutherford Estate Vineyard Merlot, Napa

St. Supery opened their Napa doors in 1989, and Merlot has always been a part of the equation. Elegant and refined this is predominately Merlot with 5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Cabernet Franc, aged for 19 months, roughly half of that was in new French oak barrels. What you get is soft inviting fruit, black cherry, blackberry, ripe plum, dried boysenberry with back notes of wild herbs, Madagascar vanilla, campfire smoke, and hints of anise and mocha. The tannins and acidity are properly aligned in this wine making for a wine of balance.

($50)

2015 Shooting Star Merlot, Lake County

Jed Steele has an amazing knack for finding impressive fruit and delivering that fruit in a structured wine that over delivers in quality yet is underpriced. His Merlot, grown in volcanic soils, represents the minerality and richness these soils are known for. You get subdued blueberry, blackberry, plum boysenberry with some cedar and vanilla from the eight months of oak aging, but also fairly tight tannins. This offers mare mature fruit and if far richer that typical Merlots at this price point. This a wine that is so structured and uniform, that the price belies the quality in the glass.

($14)

2015 Chelsea Goldschmidt Dry Creek Valley Merlot, Sonoma

Sonoma’s Dry Creek Valley is bet known for Zinfandel rather than Merlot, yet a few pockets turn out terrific Merlot fruit. This Merlot straddles a line between bright fresh fruit, and undertone of earthiness. Yes there is blackberry, black cherry, blueberry with back notes of plum, sage and wild thyme. But there is also delightful toasted oak giving off vanilla and cedar notes, but this wine has subversive tannins, they seem mild, but they announce themselves mid palate. The acidity rounds this out make for a great food wine. ($19)

2015 J. Lohr Los Osos Merlot, Paso Robles

From the El Pomar district of Paso Robles, the J. Lohr team brings you fresh bright fruit as Paso grapes tends to be more ripe and that’s the case here. The fruit is more berry driven, so you’ll taste blueberry pie, boysenberry cobbler, back notes of black cherry, blackberry with mild tannins and mild acidity. The oak is evident but not powerful and it lays a solid framework for the fruit and for an easy drinking Merlot. ($15)

Port in the Holiday Storm

In the weeks before Christmas as time was growing short

I searched high and low for a great holiday Port.

One that would be true, as clear as a bell

From Paso Robles comes this holiday Noel.

I could go on, but let’s not belabor the poetry. Each holiday season winemaker Steve Glossner of PASOPORT WINE COMPANY creates Noel, typically a blend of young and mature barrel aged ports consisting of Touriga Nacional, Tinto Cao and a touch of Chenin Blanc, though there are variations to this. There is a freshness about this port; it offers sweet rhubarb, red raspberry, crisp baked apple, candied blackberry, caramelized cedar, sugared plum, and the kind of easy drinkability that you want in a holiday port. There is no overt sweetness and it doesn’t linger like a sticky wicket on your tongue. That doesn’t mean it’s lacking, in fact there is a complexity and richness to it making it a very enjoyable wine to sip. Available at the winery in Paso Robles, it always sells out so you’ve been put on notice! So get a fire going, grab your sweetheart, put on a classic Christmas film and soak in the goodness of this terrific little number.

ORIGIN: Paso Robles, California

PRICE: $45, 500/ML

ALCOHOL: 14.1%

BOOZEHOUNDZ SCORE:  90 POINTS

1040 Good Buddy: Taxes, Wine & Those Pesky Deductions

We all know the old saying that nothing is certain in life except for death and taxes. While certainly this is true a good wine can somewhat ward off death, well, maybe not exactly but at the very least makes taxes bearable. I’m not a CPA, so any deductions listed here should be run by your accountant for approval. Time to pair a wine with a given tax deduction.

Lifetime Learning

Our convoluted tax code offers a number of deductions geared toward college students, but that doesn’t mean those of you who have already graduated can’t get a break too. The Lifetime Learning credit can provide up to $2,000 per year, taking off 20% of the first $10,000 you spend for education after high school, all in an effort to give you new or better job skills. This phases out at higher income levels, but it also doesn’t discriminate based on your age – and we should all keep learning! Any Pinot Noir fanatic will tell you it’s a lifetime grape - a wine that educates you about subtly, beauty, nuances and ethereal qualities. The Sonoma Loeb 2014 Dutton Ranch Pinot Noir is classic Russian River Valley Pinot with cranberry, pomegranate, strawberry, huckleberry and back note of cola and black cherry, rich yet calm with plenty of acidity RRV is known for. Spending time with this wine is an education in itself. ($40, Sonoma-Loeb.com)

Charitable Giving

You can deduct money or goods given to charitable organizations, which makes giving more fun! Out-of-pocket expenses for charitable work also qualify. So, if you make brownies for a charity fundraiser for example, you might be able to deduct the cost of the ingredients you used to bake them. Always save receipts or itemize the costs in case of an audit. Donations to your local library or the value of goods given to a charity are also considered viable. Of course it helps to be charitable with yourself too, so I think the Domaine Carneros Cuvee de la Pompadour will give back to you. This a brut rose - a blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay with delicate hints of strawberry, pomegranate, apricot, peach and lime, a whisper of sweet honeysuckle and with fine pinpoint bubbles. It’s a gift that will keep giving. ($37, domainecarneros.com)

Health Insurance Premiums

Medical expenses can easily kill your budget. Aside from the health benefits of wine (no, you probably can’t write off your expensive Burgundy) for most taxpayers, medical expenses have to exceed 7.5% of your adjusted gross income to be deducted. However, if you’re self-employed and responsible for your own health insurance coverage (like yours truly), you can deduct 100% of your premium cost. That gets taken off your adjusted gross income rather than as an itemized deduction. Got it? The Magsitrate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (NV) from Sonoma offers an inexpensive, cash-friendly wine, and it’s red so you’re keeping healthy, right? There is muted blackberry, blueberry, resin, dusty cedar, this offers decidedly middle of the road tannins that subdue any overt fruit along with a mild acidity and richness that’s tame and ready to drink now. And given it’s tax time, you’ll want to drink it now. ($17, magistratewine.com)

Unusual Business Expenses

Don’t overlook deductions that seem odd. As a wine writer I push the boundaries of what can be deducted related to wine, all within the parameters of the law, of course. If something is used to benefit your business and you can document the reasons for it, you probably can deduct it from your business income as long as it is a viable part of doing business. I’m able to deduct winery tasting room fees for example because my primary income is from wine writing. Which gets us to the 2014 Patz & Hall Hudson Vineyard-Carneros Chardonnay. I’m not saying you can deduct this lovely wine, but it is unusual in that this straddles the line of Chardonnays out there, not too oaky, not to stainless. Using native yeasts and malo-lactic fermentation in barrel this does not push oak on you, but gives up green apple, lemon lime curd, honey, pineapple and a back note of sweet biscuit and almond. So go ahead, think creatively about your deductions while you sip this. ($55, Patzhall.com)

Job Searching

If you were looking for a job in 2015, you may be able to deduct costs related to your job search – even if you didn’t get a job – because at least you tried! Job search expenses such as preparing and sending résumés (expenses and mailing, if you actually use snail mail), fees for head hunters or temp agencies and even travel related to the job search can be included. But searching for a job is tough so you need a wine that will support the long view. The J Lohr 2012 Cuvee St. E is a St. Emilion homage wine made in Paso Robles crafted from Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cab Sauvignon and Malbec. It offers robust black cherry, huckleberry, blueberry and boysenberry with a sharp acidity and a resin note, a hint of earthen vegetable and minerality. The dominate Cabernet Franc holds up against the oak and makes a play for a new world cuvee – bold yet restrained. This is how to reward yourself after a long day hitting the pavement. ($50, jlohr.com)

Sipping Summer: Sauvignon Blancs to Beat Back the Heat

With the temps heating up we all need to chill, and the ubiquitous and stylistically diverse Sauvignon Blanc can meet a variety of taste profiles and price points. Sauvignon Blanc traces its origins, so far as we know, to France specifically the Loire Valley and Bordeaux. At some point in the 18th century, Sauvignon Blanc paired with Cabernet Franc to become the parents of Cabernet Sauvignon. So if Cab is your go-to red then Sauvignon Blanc might be your go-to white. I’ve assembled 15 Sauvignon Blancs, from New Zealand to Napa, Santa Barbara to Sancerre that are as bright, happy and refreshing as summer in a glass. (NOTE: The original version of this article first appeared in The Hollywood Reporter)

Amici Cellars 2013 Spring Mountain Sauvignon Blanc

Napa is no stranger to great wines and this 100% barrel fermented (20% new French Oak) Sauvignon Blanc beaks the traditional mold by judiciously using oak barrels. The result is a wine with typical lemon-lime, honeyed orange blossom aromas but is reinforced with notes of passion fruit, pineapple, minerality, sweet resin and a wisp of vanilla. Rich and expressive, this unique Sauvignon Blanc is impressive now but will continue to age as there is a weightiness and maturity to this wine. The vineyard source from the Spring Mountain appellation sits far above the valley floor at an elevation of 1,200 feet. ($40, Amicicellars.com)

Brander 2014 Mesa Verde Sauvignon Blanc

Fred Brander is the undisputed king of Santa Barbara Sauvignon Blanc having first made the wine 40 years ago. All his grapes are estate grown and he produces half a dozen iterations. This version is nearly flawless; a beautiful cornucopia of white peach, honeysuckle, nectarine, passion fruit, sweet grass and honey. The acidity is ideally suited and the fruit and mouth feel bounce around the tongue like a kid on a trampoline on a summer day. Made in stainless steel but with more maceration time - the contact between the juice and the crushed skins - it offers a noticeable palette weight and you understand how good Santa Barbara Sauvignon Blanc can be. ($22, brander.com)

Chateau Montelena 2014 Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc

Known for Chardonnay (the film Bottle Shock chronicled Montelena’s rise to power), they have a small parcel of Sauvignon Blanc that doesn’t get much attention since it’s second fiddle here. Yet this is a delightful wine playing both sides of the fence; the bright acidity and tropical notes of pineapple, lemon custard since the majority of the wine was done in stainless steel, and the more mature aspect - a small portion fermented in barrel which adds a touch of the vanilla, cedar and orange. There’s an ever so slight banana note in the back and it shows the power of a major winery with it’s under the radar offerings. ($35, montelena.com)

Domaine de la Perrière Sancerre 2014

Any winery that has been in business since 1790 is doing something correct and the Sancerre region of France’s Loire Valley has been growing Sauvignon Blanc since the U.S. was fresh off the Civil War. Domaine de la Perrière is a 9th generation family owned and managed winery. Typical of Sancerre, the birthplace of Sauvignon Blanc, this is a more mineral driven wine with white peach, nectarine, almond, passion fruit and a balanced acidity making this an ideal white wine with food. It is soft, rich and clean without anything overt and shows exactly why Sancerre excels at this grape. ($26, pasternakwine.com)

Duckhorn Vineyards 2012 Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc

Just when you thought Sauvignon Blanc couldn’t get any more different here comes a late harvest iteration, meaning the grapes were left long on the vine and allowed to desiccate, thereby consolidating their sugars. Made from grapes in Sonoma, this dessert wine is not made in successive vintages but only when the timing is right. The result is a luscious viscous wine with notes of honey, candied apricot, mango, toasted sugared almonds, and caramelized nectarine. It has weight and depth typical of dessert wines but the sugar is not overpowering and simplistic. It is a sensuous reminder that Sauvignon Blanc can be this good. ($45, Duckhornvineyards.com)

Ehlers Estate 2014 Sauvignon Blanc

This Napa Valley winery located just north of St. Helena was founded in 1886, but Sauvignon Blanc only appeared on the property in the mid 1990s. All their fruit is made from certified organic grapes - they received their organic certification in 2008 - and this Sauvignon Blanc is all lemon, peach, pear, nectarine, grapefruit, floral notes and a bright acidity from an ideal growing season. More restrained and less herbal and grassy than other Sauvignon Blancs, this is a low-key intro to the grape. ($28, ehlersestate.com)

Giesen 2014 Sauvignon Blanc

New Zealand is not just the Lord of the Rings territory, it’s Sauvignon Blanc land, but surprisingly it was only planted there in 1973 and it’s rise to international prestige shows how suited this grape is to this island. Giesen crafts a blend using 60 vineyards spread across the length and breadth of Marlborough’s famed Wairau Valley. The 2014 vintage also has a small selection of fruit from the more southern Awatere Valley. On the nose there is immediate lemon verbena and sweet grass and typical of the New Zealand style these is herbaceous, grassy with tart mango and lemon meringue and an acidity that calls out for food. It’s almost hard to believe you can find a wine of this caliber at this price. ($14, giesen.co.nz)

Jackson Estate 2013 Stitch Sauvignon Blanc 

Not to be out done by their brethren Jackson Estate, also from the Wairau Valley in New Zealand, traces their English heritage back to the 1840s when they first came to New Zealand. Located about a four-hour drive apart from Giesen this Southern Hemisphere wine expresses plum, lychee, mango, lemon-lime and pineapple, which dominate this clean pure expression of Sauvignon Blanc. There are back notes minerality and acidity rounding out the whole. Aged minimally on the lees - expired yeast cells - gives this a wine a slight viscosity. ($21, jacksonestate.co.nz)

J. Christopher 2014 Sauvignon Blanc

From Oregon’s northern Willamette Valley, better known for Pinot Noir, comes this softer version of Sauvignon Blanc patterned after France’s Loire Valley. There’s lime, lemon, grapefruit and a resin like maturity with more of a mineral note and almond but less overt fruit. This ends up tasting less sweet than other versions you might encounter, yet still feels slightly richer with a noticeable acidity and rounder weight in the mouth. ($20, jchristopherwines.com)

Justin 2014 Sauvignon Blanc

It’s no secret that Justin Winery in Paso Robles has long been one of the leaders of this still up-and-coming wine region in spite of their original plantings being in 1981. But original owner Justin Baldwin knew this region would be best for the traditional Bordeaux varieties including Sauvignon Blanc. Their 2014 Sauvignon Blanc is crisp with tropical notes of lemon-lime, grapefruit, green apple, guava and white peach. Since there was no malo-lactic fermentation this is a light, bright, clean iteration of Sauvignon Blanc, which feels like a perfect summer day in your glass. ($14, justinwine.com)

Kriselle Cellars 2014 Sauvignon Banc

Oregon is best known for the Willamette Valley where Pinot Noir reigns, but the southwestern portion of the state is home to a number of diverse wineries like the Rogue Valley where Kriselle Cellars turns out this terrific little number. It’s different that California in that there is more caramelized pineapple and passion fruit and an upfront limoncello vibe, with a wonderfully long finish. The acidity is full but not piercing, the wine is smooth but still vibrant. Being so close to the Rogue River the noticeable minerality speaks volumes and rounds out the wine making this unique, and a fantastic value for a wine so complex. ($21, krisellecellars.com)

Lula Cellars 2014 Sauvignon Blanc

Located in the teeny tiny town of Philo in the Anderson Valley in Mendocino, the 2014 vintage marks the first Sauvignon Blanc ever released by Lula Cellars. This outstanding wine comes from grapes grown at nearly 2,500-feet elevation ridge top and close proximity to the Pacific coast lending to warm days and cool nights – ideal climate conditions for grape growing. This version offers grapefruit, fig, honeydew, resin, quince and a thread of minerality with a long finish and cleansing acidity. ($22, lulacellers.com)

Ram’s Gate 2014 Carneros Sauvignon Blanc

The Sauvignon Blancs from Rams Gate in Carneros almost defy description. They are herbaceous with lemon-lime, grapefruit, meringue but also vanilla, sweet grass, mango, peach and pear and a moderate mouth feel and buoyant acidity. They are the perfect balance, striking a middle ground that can placate anyone. In part this is because they are stainless steel fermented but then aged on the lees for nine months so there is a minimal sense of body weight and oak treatment without loosing Sauvignon Blancs inherent quality. ($28, ramsgatewinery.com)

Sonoma Loeb 2013 Sonoma County

This winery is known for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and in fact 2013 was their first ever Sauvignon Blanc but out of the gate they’re knocking it out of the park. Lively and crisp with a mild but noticeable acidity, this offers honeysuckle, lemon-lime, pear and fig, green apple and candied melon. The fruit comes from two distinct Sonoma regions, the Russian River Valley and the Alexander Valley. A partial fermentation in French oak and stainless steel tanks means that you get almond and cedar notes but you don’t lose the tropical flavors like lemon zest, peach and apple typically associated with Sauvignon Blanc. ($18, Sonoma-loeb.com)

Vogelzang Reserve 2012

Though most Sauvignon Blancs are not oaked, some are and to find a superior version of that is tough as usually the oak obliterates the classic fruit. From Santa Barbara’s warmest growing region called Happy Canyon, this Sauvignon Blanc from grape growers turned winery, is a decadent feel of clover honey, tangerine, nectarine, green tea, sweet resin, orange blossom and caramel. The acidity is more muted and it was fermented in neutral French Oak and aged for eight months, using natural yeasts therefore you get a viscosity most wines wish they had. ($32, vogelzangvineyard.com)

 

Sticky Notes on the 2015 Wine Judging Season

As a wine writer (yes I know it seems to be a silly job, but wait…) I’m invited each year to also be a wine judge (…see, I told you). I’ve written about the ups and downs of wine judging before (go HERE). For 2015 I was at five wine judgings, all in California this time, and rather than detail why awards competition actually do matter as I’ve done previously I’m going to impress you with big ass numbers and witty comments. For example:

2,650 – Number of miles I drove to attend the competitions (I could have driven to my father-in-laws house in Pittsburgh instead…or not).

San Diego International Wine Competition

Run by veteran wine writer Robert Whitley this is one classy event.

70 – Number of volunteers who made this a seamless competition

150 – Number of wines I tasted in two days

32 – Number of years the event and its sister Wine & Roses Grand Tasting have raised boatloads of money for local charities

80 – Cost of the Best of Show Red: Benzinger 2012 Tribute

35 – Cost of the Best of Show White: Sonoma Cutrer Chardonnay

San Francisco International Wine Competition

Run by Andy Blue and Tim McDonald, this is one of the largest wine competitions on Planet Earth.

301 – Number of wines I tasted over two days

91 - Wines tasted during the Sunday morning Sweepstakes round

4,902 – Number of wines entered into the competition

254 – Number of Double Gold Medals (a distinction given when a wine unanimously wins a gold medal by all the judges evaluating it)

-Best in Show Champagne: Collet 2004 Brut Millésime ($75)

-Best in Show Red: Jeff Rehnquist 2013 Paso Robles Syrah ($25)

Wilfred Wong in action

Critics Challenge Wine Competition, San Diego

Run by Robert Whitley (who runs the San Diego Competition), the cool thing about this smaller competition is that it is comprised only of wine writers and each time we award a medal we are required to write something about the wine and affix our name to it. I like this idea because there is no anonymity. You like a wine, you say exactly why. There is no “best of” as we individually award Platinum, Gold or Silver medals.

173 – Number of wines I tasted over a day and half

18 - Dollars to be exact, the cost of a Platinum Award I gave to Balletto Rose of Pinot Noir from Russian River Valley – incredible value!

18-Number of judges

Jonathan Mitchell of Ocean Prime in Beverly Hills and I hide from our scores.

Central Coast Wine Competition, Paso Robles

My backyard on the California Central Coast, this is a terrific intimate competition held as part of the California Mid State Fair. Best of Show wine was the Eberle Winery 2012 Barbera ($20)

1946 – The year the Fair first started

95 – Number of wines tasted in one day

9 – Time in the morning when I had to judge Zinfandel

666 – a numbered glass in my flight I called “Satan’s wine”

3,400 – Number of glasses of wine poured during the competition

1- Number of glasses that broke

At this competition the volunteers give out their own award!

El Dorado County Fair Wine Competition, Placerville

I absolutely adore the Sierra Foothills (the region is in several of my travel books) and what’s not to love about where gold was discovered!

62 – The number of wines I tasted and spit (sadly) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

7 – Hours it took me to drive to the competition

6.99 – Least expensive wine to win a Double Gold Award

75 – Most expensive wine to win a Double Gold Award

18 – Cost of the Best White: Oak Farm Vineyard 2014 Sauvignon Blanc       Mohr-Fry Ranches

18 – Also the cost of the Best Red: Terra d’ Oro Winery 2013 Petite Sirah

Doing my thang at San Francisco

Cruel & Unusual Comments

Many wines were exceptional (see the scores of these competition wines and seek them out), many were average and some were kinda awful. As always, I assembled a series of quotes from fellow judges (winemakers, sommeliers, wine writers, retailers, etc.) throughout the competitions about the worst of the worst…cause it’s fun.

“It’s like bottled Pierces disease.”

“It smells like a gerbil cage.”

“It’s like a punch in the face, then a punch in the stomach”

“This rose tastes like cherry Windex.”

A Pinot Noir flight of 12 wines was such a disappointment a wine writer said, “I’ve had better flights of fancy.”

One winemaker hated a wine so much he told me: “It’s a cross between Satan and apathy.”

A wickedly bad Sangiovese produced this comment: “It’s like I’m at my gym teacher’s house walking on his carpet in four day-old wet socks.”

Satan's Wine at the Central Coast Wine Competition

Aleksander and the Fabulous, Marvelous, Quite Good, Very Nice Wine

For a children’s story, wine doesn’t make a good central character or theme. Kids’ books are better suited to things like James and the Giant Peach, not Mike and the Mammoth Merlot. But as a story, S&G Estate has a good one. Owners Goran and Ksenija Bjekovic first met while playing volleyball for Yugoslavia’s national team. Their son, Sasha Vujacic, two-time NBA Champion and former Lakers star, began his athletic career in Italy where Goran and Ksenija also began a love affair with wine. And now from their property in Paso Robles comes this Bordeaux beauty; as sleek and focused as an athlete but not a steroid driven maniac. The 2011 Aleksander is 80 percent Merlot and 20 percent Cabernet Sauvignon. This luscious wine spent18 months sitting in French, Serbian and Romanian oak barrels. It’s as smooth as silk with notes of black cherry, rhubarb, black berry and boysenberry, a proper acidity you don’t often get from Merlot and spicy cedar and vanilla. Paso wants to be known for it’s Bordeaux wines, and some are quite good, but they tend to be huge ripe fruit wines, which actually have a difficult time working with food. The Aleksander by contrast is a seamless wine, certainly one of the best I’ve had from Paso in a long time, beautifully balanced and ideal with food. So get a bottle, and tell your own story with it. http://www.aleksanderwine.com/

ORIGIN: Paso Robles (Creston AVA), California

PRICE:  $75 - 750/ml

ALCOHOL: 13.4%

BOOZEHOUNDZ SCORE:  91 POINTS

BBQ, Cabernet & Loose Change

July is here and there's nothing more American for the Fourth of July than hard working Americans finding something of value, say, like the Louisiana Purchase. Deals like that are hard to find, however “value” doesn't equate to cheap, it means the price is commensurate with the quality of what you purchased. As a wine writer, I've had my share of wines in the $200-$300 range that are not worth it. Less rare is a wine that is inexpensive but has amazing quality. But it does happen, and happens here with the Concannon 2013 Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon. Concannon has been around since 1883, and they have helped establish multiple clones that are widely used in California. This wonderful wine is earthy black cherry, rustic red raspberry, plum, judicious use of oak, which frames the fruit but does not overwhelm it and a surprising acidity, perfect with anything on the grill. What is worth celebrating is that the Concannon family has turned out such a superior wine at this price. Honestly - and I don’t say this often - it’s worth way more. So get your grill on this holiday (I grilled up Santa Maria Tri Tip with this beautiful wine) and make sure you try this Cab while celebrating. www.concannonvineyard.com

ORIGIN: Paso Robles, California

PRICE: $20/ 750ML

ALCOHOL: 13.9%

BOOZEHOUNDZ SCORE:  90 POINTS

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)

When Boars Fly: Gary Eberle Gets a Big-Ass Award

Before I ever knew anything about wine I was working at a Murder Mystery event in Paso Robles for a private party. I think I got killed early in the evening and was probably dead while the guests finished their catered dinner. There was wine on the table, some label I didn’t know because I didn’t know anything at that point. It was a Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon from Eberle Winery. Since I was a scavenger and poor, when the party ended I absconded with a half empty bottle of wine, when home and promptly drank it. Thus began my man-crush on Gary Eberle and a turning point into a world of wine I could never have imagined. Now as a professional wine writer and wine judge, I still recall that most excellent wine crafted by Gary Eberle. So when the California State Fair (they run a large wine competition which I have judged at) correctly decided to honor Gary Eberle with their Wine Lifetime Achievement Award it was like, what took you so long? Gary Eberle has been called the Father of Paso Robles wine, the Godfather of Paso; it really doesn’t matter because he is one of the two most important men (including Jerry Lohr) in the history of the Paso Robles wine.

Dinner in the vineyard with Gary, August 2014

Eberle Winery is one of the most awarded wineries in the nation with literally thousands of awards and accolades. Originally from Pennsylvania, Gary found wine at an early age. “I suddenly discovered what James Bond was talking about,” he told me. “I was young and stupid and went from drinking Boone’s Farm to Chateau Latour.” Fresh out of U.C. Davis, he and a few investors bought 160 acres in Paso back in 1973 when the place was mainly large tracts of dirt. He started by heading his family’s Estrella River Winery. In 1980 he co-founded the Paso Robles Appellation and in 1983, Gary opened the doors to his own Eberle Winery with the premiere of his 1979 Cabernet Sauvignon. Eberle Winery’s Cab was the first wine to place the Paso Robles AVA designation on its label. Gary was also the first to plant Syrah on the Central Coast, and the first to make a 100% Syrah varietal wine in the United States.

Judging with Gary at the San Diego International Wine Competition

As if that wasn’t enough I placed Gary at #43 on IntoWine.com’s Top 100 Most InfluentialWinemaker’s list; the winery was the recipient of the “Winery of the Year” as voted by the wine judges at the CentralCoast Wine Competition in 2014 (caveat #1: I am a wine judge here too). But Gary, ever modest, takes his milestones in stride instead preferring to promote Paso and his love of red wines (“A wine’s first obligation is to be red,” he recently told me), specifically Cabernet. “If you want to know how good Paso Robles Cabernet is,” Gary once told me, “have a blind tasting of Napa Cabernet and a Paso Robles Cabernet. We may not always come out on top, but we can compete against Bordeaux and Napa first growths.” And having started my wine writing/judging career on the back of his wines, I know he’s right. “We have the potential to have the same reputation as Sonoma or even better.” Well, that may still be a ways off, but if Paso focuses its energies collectively, the region will be able to stand its own ground. And much of that is do to Gary as a believer in the region and a fighter for better quality wine from the region.

I love being on the Eberle property, almost as much as I love the wines.

A visit to the Eberle tasting room off Highway 46 East begins with the bronze statute of a boar sitting out front of the main doors, a replica of an original from 1620 that sits in Italy. Eberle in German means “little boar,” and it’s considered good luck to rub the boar’s nose and toss a coin in the water. All money collected at the Eberle boar fountain is then donated to local children’s charities. The winery offers a free 30-minute tour of their facility, discussing the entire winemaking process and if you’ve never taken a tour, this is a great crash course on wine education. And if education seems too formulaic, consider another of Gary’s nuggets of wine wisdom. “The difference between wine and children is that you can sit down and reason with a bottle of Cabernet.” See, this is why I like the man. The winery also has a beautiful picnic area overlooking the vines and a bocce ball court. And Eberle is heavily involved in the community, most notably being the founder of the long running Winemaker’s Cook-Off held each August (caveat #2 – I am one of the judges at this fantastic event too), which raises money for local charities. The annual event pulls in 30 winemakers who personally grill up their best dishes to match their wines. It’s a feast of food and wine with live music and has raised nearly $500,000 for local high school charities. Damn!

So, if you don’t care that someone was a warded a lifetime achievement award, that’s okay, in spite of the fact that Gary Eberle is the most deserving person to get this award. What’s not okay is to bypass Eberle Winery when you visit, or drive through, Paso. Check it out for yourself, rub the boar’s nose and enjoy the wine. It’s that simple. Eberle Winery - 3810 Highway 46 East, Paso Robles. They are open everyday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Phone (805) 238-9607.