“Ten Years After” Tasting Party of 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Wines
We were invited to a unique wine tasting venue on Saturday at Tremayne’s Concetta Wine Shop in Modesto. Paul Tremayne hosted the event at his wine shop/wine tasting/office (in the process) and Rick Eason provided the wines from his cellar. There was a nominal charge for this event.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The intent was to see how some very good wines held up over ten years. This was a blind tasting, and the wines were revealed at the conclusion of the event. This was a very interesting and informative tasting.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Wines were priced from $75 to over $300 a bottle buying them today. Each participant had eight wines already poured for the first flight and then a second flight of six wines was poured. Everyone rated their two best wines from each flight and the worst one from all fourteen wines. A simple vote by a raised hand determined which were the winners and losers.
The top wines that held up the best, surprisingly were not the most expensive. Coming in first place was the Nth Degree by Wente Wines from Livermore at $95. Others rating top honors were Beringer Winery – Steinhauer Ranch, Berringer – Private Reserve, Seaver GTS – $220-$300, Selah – $135. All the wines were drinkable, but a few were “over their prime” and on a slippery slope downwards. Those included Mt Brave – $100-$150 95pts, Karl Lawrence Cellars $75-$85 94 pts, Faust $139, Silver Oak Cellars Napa Valley $150-$175, La Jota Winery $250 95 pts, Silver Oak Cellars Alexander Valley $150-$160, Gemstone $179 – 93 pts all receiving the lower scores.
The balance of wine “in the middle ratings” included Far Niente $170-$350, Seaver NLS Diamond Mtn, BV Georges De LaTour $140-$197.
Concluding the afternoon tasting was a treat of two Cabernet Sauvignon wines being 1996 wines and one 2006. The first was Dunn Vineyards from Howell Mtn and a 1996 Silver Oak Cellar Napa Valley. The third wine was a 2006 Berringer Private Reserve. By a show of hand, recorded Dunn Vineyards held up the best by an overwhelming majority.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
I very much appreciated attending this event and thank you Paul and Rick. Another mention should be for Tom Bender who coordinated this event.
Key take aways from this event are: 1) know how long to hold a wine 2) know how to store a wine for optimum enjoyment 3) price alone is not a criterion for longevity of a bottle.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
Results of the 7th Annual International Cabernet Franc Wine Competition – Dedicated Exclusively to Cabernet Franc Wines
Not all the bottles of competition shown (Photo ©Michael Kelly)
The 7th Annual International Cabernet Franc Wine Competition was held yesterday on March 3rd, at the Copperopolis Armory. It was constructed in 1864 and is now a California designated Historical Site. The format for the blind competition utilizes the Danish system, where the wines are “bagged and tagged and marked with coded numbers”. There were four tables of wine judges (2 tables of Professional Judges and 2 tables People’s Choice Judges each with 3 judges at each table) voting on medal designation, Best of Category, Best of Show and Grand Sweepstakes Winner. If all could not agree on the medal, which does happen, then a lively discussion going over the key characteristics of the specific wine is debated to reach a consensus award by each group of judges.
In total there were eight Divisions this year. They were the Eastern Division, Central Division, Northwest Division, Southwest Division, California Division, International, Blend (must be 50% Cab Franc) and Specialty (Cab Franc Ice Wine, Rose, Appassimento, Blanc, etc.). For the California Division it was further broken down by price categories. In total 94 wines entered the competition. The event started at 9:00 am and went non-stop, concluding around 2:30 pm with a luncheon for the judges and volunteers.
The two Professional Judge’s tables are shown below:
Professional Judges (L to R-Fran Cunniffe, Martha Dunne, Tom Bender)
Professional Judges (L to R- Mike Dunne, Debi Miller, Tana Cole)
Scrolling further down will be shown all the awards given by both the Professional Judges and People’s Choice Judges.
The Grand Sweepstakes winner from the Professional Judges was the 2023 Steven Kent Winery, L’Autre Côte Cabernet Franc from Livermore, California. In addition, they won Best of Category in the $111 and up grouping, a Gold Medal and Best of Show in the California Division.
(Photo ©Michael Kelly)
The Grand Sweepstakes winner from the People’s Choice Judges was the 2022 Donati Family Vineyards, from Templeton, California (just south of Paso Robles). They won Best of Category, Double Gold Medals and Best of Show California Division.
(Photo ©Michael Kelly)
Details on both Grand Sweepstakes winners will be forthcoming in the coming weeks. Below is the list for Best of Class and Medal Awards (just showing Double Gold, Gold, & Bronze) for the various Divisions. No awards and/or disqualification are not listed.
PROFESSIONAL JUDGES RESULTS:
Specialty Division: Best of Show: Pillitteri Estates 2022 Ice Wine
2024 Silver Crest Rosé – Silver (Ohio)
2023 Silver Crest Rosé – Silver (Ohio)
2024 Concannon Vineyards Rosé – Silver (Livermore)
2025 3 Steves Rosé – Gold (Livermore)
2022 Pillitteri Estates Appassimento – Gold (Canada)
2021 Pillitteri Estates Ice Wine – Double Gold (Canada)
Woo Girl Cellars Rosé – Bronze (Woodbridge)
International Division: Best of Show Pillitteri Estates
2022 Corazon del Sol from Argentina – Silver
2022 Pillitteri Estates from Canada – Gold
Eastern Division: Best of Show 2023 Pollak Vineyards, Virginia
Pearmund Cellars – 2022 Silver (Virginia)
DuCard Vineyards – 2023 Silver (Virginia)
Pollak Vineyards – 2022 Reserve Gold (Virginia)
Boundary Breaks – 2024 Gold (Finger Lakes)
Pollak Vineyards – 2023 Gold (Virginia)
DuCard Vineyards – 2023 Silver (Virginia)
Stony Run Winery – 2020 Gold (Pennsylvania)
Central Division: 2021 Best of Show Silver Crest (Ohio)
Silver Crest Cellars – 2021 Gold (Ohio)
Northwest Division: Best of Show 2022 Camaraderie Cellars
Bitner Vineyards – 2021 Silver (Idaho)
Barrage Cellars – 2023 Silver (Washington)
Hard Row to Hoe – 2023 Silver (Washington)
Alexandria Nicole Cellars – 2022 Silver (Washington)
Barrage Cellars – 2019 Silver (Washington)
Camaraderie Cellars – 2022 Double Gold (Washington)
Pend d’ Oreillo Winery – 2022 Gold (Idaho)
Van Arum Vineyards – 2023 Bronze (Washington)
Roghani Vineyards – 2020 Gold (Idaho)
Spangler Vineyards – 2022 Double Gold (Southern Oregon)
Southwest Division: Best of Show Vivac Winery (New Mexico)
High Lonesome Vineyard – 2020 Bronze (Arizona)
Vivac Winery – 2023 Bronze (New Mexico)
California Division Overall: Best of Show 2023 Steven Kent Winery for L’Autre Côte
California Best of Category: $40 and less Cielo Sulla Terra Estate (Fairplay)
Almost Famous Wine -2023 Gold Loyal to the Soil (Livermore)
Soquel Vineyards – 2022 Silver (Santa Cruz Mtns)
Omega Road Winery – 2021 Bronze (Livermore)
Cielo Sulla Terra Estate – Gold (Fairplay)
Concannon Vineyard – 2023 Reserve Silver (Livermore)
Frog’s Tooth Winery – 2024 Bronze (grapes from Sonoma)
Del Valle Winery – 2022 Gold (Livermore)
Almost Famous Wine – 2023 Gold / Firepit Society (Livermore)
Steven Kent Winery – 2023 Silver (Livermore)
Almost Famous Wine – 2023 Silver / Strong Silent (Livermore)
Domenico Winery – 2021 Bronze (California)
Jeff Runquist Wines – 2024 Gold (grapes from Clarksburg)
Val du Vino Winery – 2022 Bronze (grapes from Clement Hills)
Prie Winery – 2023 Bronze (Lodi)
California Category $41 to $50: Best of Category Garre Winery (Livermore)
Darcie Kent Winery – 2023 Gold Stone Patch (Livermore)
Rosa Fierro Cellars – 2021 Gold (Livermore)
Dracaena Wines – 2023 Gold (Paso Robles)
Darcie Kent Winery – 2023 Double Gold Lemmons (Livermore)
Garre Winery – 2022 Double Gold (Livermore)
Concannon – 2023 Silver (Livermore)
Shale Canyon Wines – 2022 Silver (Monterey)
Cuda Ridge Wines – 2023 Silver (Livermore)
Concannon – 2023 Estate Silver (Livermore)
Arroyo Cellars – 2023 Gold (Livermore)
San Pasquel Winery – 2023 Silver (San Diego County)
Wood Family Vineyards – 2023 Gold (Livermore)
Occasio Winery – 2021 Double Gold (Livermore)
McKenzie-Mueller Winery – 2021 Silver (Napa Valley)
3 Steves Winery – 2020 Silver (Livermore)
Sea Shell Cellars – 2022 Silver (Paso Robles)
California Category $51 to $60: Best of Category Donati Family Vineyards (Templeton)
Le Vigne Winery – 2022 Silver (Paso Robles)
Rosa Fierro Cellars – 2022 Double Gold (Livermore)
J. Lohr Vineyards and Wines -2023 Gold (Paso Robles)
Donati Family Vineyards – 2022 Double Gold (Templeton)
California Category $61 to $70: Best of Category Selin Cellars (Windsor/Sonoma)
Steven Kent Winery – 2023 Silver Ghielmetti (Livermore)
Titus Vineyards – 2023 Silver (St. Helena)
McGrail Vineyards – 2022 Silver (Livermore)
Selin Cellars – 2022 Double Gold (Windsor/Sonoma)
Steven Kent Winery – 2023 Silver Sachau (Livermore)
Hawk & Horse Vineyards – 2022 Silver (Lower Lake)
Burtech Family – 2023 Gold (San Diego/grapes from Alexander Valley)
Hawk & Horse Vineyards -2023 Silver (Lower Lake)
California Category $71 to $90: Best of Category Yates Family Vineyards (Mt Veeder)
Smith-Madrone Vineyards – 2023 Gold (Spring Mtn)
Wood Family Vineyards – 2023 Gold Culmination (Livermore)
Los Positas Vineyards – 2023 Silver (Livermore)
Wood Family Vineyards – 2022 Silver Culmination (Livermore)
Yates Family Vineyards – Double Gold (Mt Veeder/Napa Valley)
California Category $91 to $110: Best of Category LXV Wines (Paso Robles)
LXV Wines – 2023 Gold (Paso Robles)
Middle Oaks Wine – 2022 Gold (grapes from Coombsville)
Ledson Winery & Vineyards – 2022 Gold (Kenwood)
California Category $111 and up: Best of Category Steven Kent Winery (Livermore)
Steven Kent Winery – 2023 L’Autre Côte Gold (Livermore)
Mountain Terraces Winery & Vineyard – 2019 Gold (Moon Mtn/Glen Ellen)
Blend Division: Best of Show 2023 Cuda Ridge Melange d’ Amis (Livermore)
Justin Vineyards – 2022 Silver (Paso Robles)
Wood Family Vineyards – 2023 Silver “Takeoff” (Livermore)
Scenic Valley Ranch – 2022 Silver (Ramona Valley)
DuCard Vineyards – 2023 Bronze (Virginia)
J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines – 2023 Silver Cuvee St E (Paso Robles)
Del Valle Winery – 2021 Silver “RJM” (Livermore)
Cuda Ridge Wines – 2023 Gold “Mélange d’ Amis” (Livermore)
PEOPLE’S CHOICE JUDGES RESULTS:
The two Professional Judge’s tables are shown below:
People’s Choice Judges (L to R- Steve Besst, Joanne Miller, Gary Miller)
People’s Choice Judges (L to R-Holger Hornisch, Charles Luke, Chris Cox)
The Grand Sweepstakes winner from the People’s Choice Judges was the 2022 Donati Family Vineyards from Templeton, California. They also won Best of their Category ($51-$60), Double Gold Medals and Best of Show in the California Division!
Specialty Division: Best of Show: Pillitteri Estates 2022 Ice Wine
2024 Silver Crest Rosé – Bronze (Ohio)
2023 Silver Crest Rosé – Bronze (Ohio)
2024 Concannon Vineyards Rosé – Silver (Livermore)
2025 3 Steves Rosé – Silver (Livermore)
2022 Pillitteri Estates Appassimento – Gold (Canada)
2021 Pillitteri Estates Ice Wine – Double Gold (Canada)
Woo Girl Cellars Rosé – Bronze (Woodbridge)
International Division: Best of Show Corazon del Sol
2022 Corazon del Sol from Argentina – Double Gold
2022 Pillitteri Estates from Canada – Gold
Eastern Division: Best of Show 2022 Pollak Vineyards, Virginia
Pearmund Cellars – 2022 Silver (Virginia)
DuCard Vineyards – 2023 Silver (Virginia)
Pollak Vineyards – 2022 Reserve Gold (Virginia)
Boundary Breaks – 2024 Silver (Finger Lakes)
Pollak Vineyards – 2023 Silver (Virginia)
DuCard Vineyards – 2023 Silver (Virginia)
Stony Run Winery – 2020 Silver (Pennsylvania)
Central Division: 2021 Best of Show Silver Crest (Ohio)
Silver Crest Cellars – 2021 Gold (Ohio)
Northwest Division: Best of Show Spangler Cellars
Bitner Vineyards – 2021 Bronze (Idaho)
Barrage Cellars – 2023 Silver (Washington)
Hard Row to Hoe – 2023 Silver (Washington)
Alexandria Nicole Cellars – 2022 Silver (Washington)
Barrage Cellars – 2019 Silver (Washington)
Camaraderie Cellars – 2022 Silver Washington)
Pend d’ Oreillo Winery – 2022 Silver (Idaho)
Van Arum Vineyards – 2023 Bronze (Washington)
Roghani Vineyards – 2020 Gold (Idaho)
Spangler Vineyards – 2022 Double Gold (Southern Oregon)
Southwest Division: Best of Show Vivac Winery (New Mexico)
High Lonesome Vineyard – 2020 Silver (Arizona)
Vivac Winery – 2023 Gold (New Mexico)
California Division Overall: Best of Show 2023 Steven Kent Winery for L’Autre Côte
California Best of Category: $40 and less Almost Famous Wine 2023 “Loyal to the Soil” (Livermore)
Almost Famous Wine -2023 Double Gold Loyal to the Soil (Livermore)
Soquel Vineyards – 2022 Silver (Santa Cruz Mtns)
Omega Road Winery – 2021 Bronze (Livermore)
Cielo Sulla Terra Estate – Silver (Fairplay)
Concannon Vineyard – 2023 Reserve Silver (Livermore)
Frog’s Tooth Winery – 2024 Gold (grapes from Sonoma)
Del Valle Winery – 2022 Bronze (Livermore)
Almost Famous Wine – 2023 Silver/ Firepit Society (Livermore)
Steven Kent Winery – 2023 Silver (Livermore)
Almost Famous Wine – 2023 Gold / Strong Silent (Livermore)
Domenico Winery – 2021 Bronze (California)
Jeff Runquist Wines – 2024 Silver (grapes from Clarksburg)
Val du Vino Winery – 2022 Double Gold (grapes from Clement Hills)
Aloria Vineyards – 2023 Silver (Vallecito)
Prie Winery – 2023 Silver (Lodi)
California Category $41 to $50: Best of Category Garre Winery (Livermore)
Darcie Kent Winery – 2023 Gold Stone Patch (Livermore)
Rosa Fierro Cellars – 2021 Silver (Livermore)
Dracaena Wines – 2023 Silver (Paso Robles)
Darcie Kent Winery – 2023 Silver Lemmons (Livermore)
Garre Winery – 2022 Double Gold (Livermore)
Concannon – 2023 Silver (Livermore)
Shale Canyon Wines – 2022 Silver (Monterey)
Cuda Ridge Wines – 2023 Silver (Livermore)
Concannon – 2023 Estate Gold (Livermore)
Arroyo Cellars – 2023 Silver (Livermore)
San Pasquel Winery – 2023 Gold (San Diego County)
Wood Family Vineyards – 2023 Gold (Livermore)
Occasio Winery – 2021 Gold (Livermore)
McKenzie-Mueller Winery – 2021 Gold (Napa Valley)
3 Steves Winery – 2020 Gold (Livermore)
Sea Shell Cellars – 2022 Double Gold (Paso Robles)
California Category $51 to $60: Best of Category Donati Family Vineyards (Templeton)
Le Vigne Winery – 2022 Silver (Paso Robles)
Rosa Fierro Cellars – 2022 Silver (Livermore)
J. Lohr Vineyards and Wines -2023 Gold (Paso Robles)
Donati Family Vineyards – 2022 Double Gold (Templeton)
California Category $61 to $70: Best of Category McGrail Vineyards (Livermore)
Steven Kent Winery – 2023 Gold Ghielmetti (Livermore)
Titus Vineyards – 2023 Silver (St. Helena)
McGrail Vineyards – 2022 Double Gold (Livermore)
Selin Cellars – 2022 Gold (Windsor/Sonoma)
Steven Kent Winery – 2023 Silver Sachau (Livermore)
Hawk & Horse Vineyards – 2022 Silver (Lower Lake)
Burtech Family – 2023 Silver (San Diego/grapes from Alexander Valley)
Hawk & Horse Vineyards -2023 Silver (Lower Lake)
California Category $71 to $90: Best of Category Smith-Madrone Vineyards (Spring Mtn)
Smith-Madrone Vineyards – 2023 Gold (Spring Mtn)
Wood Family Vineyards – 2023 Silver Culmination (Livermore)
Los Positas Vineyards – 2023 Gold (Livermore)
Wood Family Vineyards – 2022 Silver Culmination (Livermore)
Yates Family Vineyards – Silver (Mt Veeder/Napa Valley)
California Category $91 to $110: Best of Category Ledson Winery & Vineyards (Kenwood)
LXV Wines – 2023 Gold (Paso Robles)
Middle Oaks Wine – 2022 Gold (grapes from Coombsville)
Ledson Winery & Vineyards – 2022 Double Gold (Kenwood)
California Category $111 and up: Best of Category Mountain Terraces Winery & Vineyard (Moon Mtn/Glen Ellen)
Steven Kent Winery – 2023 Silver L’Autre Côte (Livermore)
Mountain Terraces Winery & Vineyard – 2019 Double Gold (Moon Mtn/Glen Ellen)
Blend Division: Best of Show 2023 Cuda Ridge “Mélange d’ Amis” (Livermore)
Justin Vineyards – 2022 Gold (Paso Robles)
Wood Family Vineyards – 2023 Silver “Takeoff” (Livermore)
Scenic Valley Ranch – 2022 Silver (Ramona Valley)
DuCard Vineyards – 2023 Silver (Virginia)
J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines – 2023 Gold Cuvee St E (Paso Robles)
Del Valle Winery – 2021 Silver “RJM” (Livermore)
Cuda Ridge Wines – 2023 Gold “Mélange d’ Amis” (Livermore)
A big shout out of appreciation to the 100 submitted wines to be evaluated and judged.
A very special thank you to both the judges and volunteers without which this event could not have happened!
No pictures of the volunteers who literally were on their feet all day running wine! A big hearty thanks!!
Susan Kelly
Celia Miller
Wendy Bendeer
Darlene Besst
Patty Powers
Two special shout outs: Due to a family emergency, Steve Besst stepped in and helped with the setup on both Monday and Tuesday. He also acted as the “clean up dump run & custodian”. Very much appreciated his assistance. The second is for Susan Kelly who took on gathering and securing all the food, non-alcoholic beverages and serving materials as she was acting for the group as CEO, Catering Executive for Ordering, in charge of obtaining food. Doing all this while occupied with family issue.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
Saturday, A Fun Day at Copper Valley Clubhouse and Verona18
Started out with a late lunch at Verona18 restaurant as they were hosting a Spring Wine Party at 4:30 pm. Wanted to have some food in the stomach before the Spring Wine Party. Ordered a seafood ceviche with scallops, white fish, shrimp in a lime vinaigrette, slices of avocado and tortilla chips. Avocado slices removed except one for the picture as I don’t eat them. The dish was exceptional delicious.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
This was just the right amount of food before sampling some of the 84 wines being poured by a combination of 13 distributors and wineries.
Too many wines to enumerate but some of the best in my opinion were J. Lohr Vineyards and Wines Cuvee POM (80% Cab Franc/20% Cab Sauvignon), DAOU RSV Cabernet Sauvignon, Belle Glos Clark & Telephone, Jayson Cab Sauvignon, Vineyard 29 and Alexana Pinot Noir.
Our Friday night Wine and Dine Group agreed to meet on Saturday after this event to enjoy a meal and some additional wine (as if we needed more!). I was stuffed from the late lunch and the appetizers served at the Spring Wine event and had a simple Caprese appetizer for my meal. Delicious with freshness and hit the spot with sliced tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil and all drizzled with balsamic glaze.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Some of the other wines brought to dinner and we enjoyed this evening were from Sonoma Valley, Paso Robles, Dundee Hills in Oregon and Napa Valley.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
One of the announcements at the Wine Party was for the Volunteer of the Year for the community. The award went to the ever energetic and lovely Pat Hansen. While winning the award, they should have also named her for sainthood. A wonderful and deserving award for Pat.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
https://californiawinesandwineries.com
https://www.coppervalleygolf.com
2022 Donati Family Vineyards Petit Verdot – Strong, Bold and Flavorful
Background
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Donati generally means “gift” from the Latin “Donatus”. Their wines are truly gifts for wine connoisseurs.
By Eric 先魁Hwang – https://www.flickr.com/photos/travelwitheric/4008426871/
Petit Verdot is a variety of red wine grapes classically used in Bordeaux blends. It ripens much later than other varieties in Bordeaux, so it was not cultivated to the extent in other portions of the world. The key to Petit Verdot is that it adds tannin, color and flavor when used in small amounts for blending. In the “new world” it has taken off as a standalone varietal. It is speculated that Petit Verdot predates Cabernet Sauvignon, yet the origins are unclear. First records of it appear in the eighteenth century. It is known for much hotter climates, making Paso Robles perfect for this grape!
Per the latest Grape Harvest report by the USDA, Petit Verdot was less than .0077% of the total red wine grape harvest with most going for blending. The AVA’s responsible for 76% of the total Petit Verdot production was Napa, Yolo County, Santa Barbara, San Joaquin and Riverside/San Diego areas.
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
This wine is 98.5% Petit Verdot, 1.1% Petite Sirah and .4% Malbec. It is currently slated to be released in late Spring 2026 with only 76 cases being produced. The grapes come from the Bordonaro Vineyard, and the price is slated to be $56/bottle. Donati Family has been producing this as a standalone varietal since 2008! This vintage was allowed to age gracefully for 27 months in barrels. 25% of the barrels were brand new Eastern European oak and the balance of 75% was used more than once. When released it will have been bottled for over one year.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
This wine, when poured into the glass possessed a dark and mysterious magenta color with a medium-heavy viscosity. On the nose, aromas of black fruits of blackberry, plum and violets rise up into the senses. On the palate, this intensely layered wine provides the aforementioned fruits, coupled with a mellow earthiness. Key characteristics are vanilla and hazelnut counterbalanced by lavender and dried herbs. At the end, this is an inky and bold wine with layers of enjoyment. Personally, I believe this to be a wine to be enjoyed with food as opposed to be a standalone wine.
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
This wine was chosen this evening to be paired with a stir-fried flank steak. The beef was thinly sliced, tossed in Chaka sauce with Dark & Smoky Flatiron Peppers, kosher salt, black pepper and stir fried on the stovetop. Served with white sesame seeds. Added to the stir fry were broccoli and slices of red pepper. Accompanied with homemade cauliflower rice with egg, onion and pork.
The wine being bold was able to cut thru the meat and yet provide just enough fruit to envelop the lightly spiced meat. Another very good food and wine pairing dinner
The Winery
Photo from Donati Family Vineyard
We met Briana Heywood, the winemaker, two years ago while in Paso Robles. They had won the Best of Class and Double Gold for their Cabernet Franc at the 6th International Cabernet Franc Wine Competition and wanted to understand other wines they produced. Her background prior to joining the Donati Family was at J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines for almost 10 years as an enologist and previous experience with a variety of wineries. She is engaging and energetic with a personality that you just love listening to!
The winery produces both a larger scale commercial wine offering and very small artisan & boutique wines for direct customer purchase and their wine club with approximately 600 cases produced for DTC. They are located at 2720 Oak View Road in Templeton, California. Their tasting room is quaint and inviting and more like a family room atmosphere. Many of their other wines are for commercial and mass production with approximately 7,000 cases for the wholesale market. They are moderately priced for the consumer and a welcome change!
While not one of the “big major names” in Paso Robles AVA, they are getting noticed by wine aficionados and discerning wine drinkers. FYI, Briana will be pouring her wines at the Cabernet Franc Wine Stroll (Cab Franc and many others) on March 28th https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2026/02/03/7th-annual-cabernet-franc-and-many-other-wine-varieties-wine-stroll-on-march-28th/
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
2010 Buccella Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley – Unwrapping the Last Bottle
(Photo ©Michael Kelly)
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
(Photo ©Michael Kelly)
2010 Buccella is a Cabernet Sauvignon (86%) with Malbec 6%, Petit Verdot 3%, Merlot 3% and Cabernet Franc 2%. Robert Parker rated this wine at 95 points a few years back. I acquired it eleven years ago and it has been resting with “its brothers” very quietly in the cellar. On the eyes this is a deep black color and medium-full viscosity. The fragrance is black cherry and blueberry. On the palate, it opens to express both the blueberry and cherry with distinction. Secondary flavors of vanilla and dark fruits abound. Key to this wine is the finish with soft and smooth silky tannins, this is not your normal big and sharp Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Rather than pick you up and slap you upside the head, this comes and caresses and warms you like a comforter next to a fireplace in winter. The style is as unique as its label. Absolutely one of my top twenty wines. Hard to find a 2010 rated 95 points by Robert Parker and price ranges from $185 to $225. The current release is their 2020 vintage. The wine comes in at 14.5% alcohol.
Unfortunately, this was my last bottle of Buccella!
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
(Photo ©Michael Kelly)
Pulled this bottle out of the cellar to pair with freshly cut 2” filet mignon steaks purchased at Swingle Meat Market in Jackson. Seasoned, seared and BBQ’ed at 1500° on the grill to a beautiful medium rare finish. Served with a dollop of Blue cheese crumbles on top. Accompanied by fresh snap peas sauteed with garlic, a small Yukon Gold potato and a fresh salad with cooked bacon, cherry tomatoes and blue cheese. A perfect pairing for this tender filet mignon that was easily cut with a butter knife! The smooth tannins were sufficient to cut through the meat, and the taste was remarkable with both the meat and Blue cheese. This was the best tasting filet mignon in recent memory.
This was the first time we stopped by Swingle Meat Company, and we will most certainly be stopping regularly going forward. Great beef and other products are both freshly cut while you wait or some are frozen. They are a family-owned business and have been in business since 1945.
The Winery
Buccella is a small artisan and boutique winery committed to making limited quantities of luxury wines. They are in the southern area of Napa with fruit coming from some of the premiere vineyards in Napa Valley.
(Photo ©Michael Kelly)
It is not often a wine goes without an identifying label with the winery name on the front. Their name and information being located on the back of the bottle. Collectors know that Buccella wines have this identifiable wax logo stamped on the bottle. It is a contemporary interpretation of a traditional silver tastevin cup used for tasting in Bordeaux and other areas. This along with the name “bucella”, a Latin word meaning mouthful, provides a perfect representation of this exquisite wine. The winery was founded in 2002 by Bill Deem and his wife Alicia who are still actively involved in the business.
The Winemaker & Consultant
The wine was made by Rebekah Wineburg who was the winemaker there from 2009-2015. Renowned winemaker Celia Welch was the consulting winemaker for 3 years at Buccella. Rebekah is now the winemaker at Quintessa and owner/winemaker at Post and Vine Wines. The current winemaker at Buccella is Bradley Schroeder
Sláinte,
Michael
“First Taste of the Year” Fundraiser Was a Tremendous Success
The 39th annual “First Taste of the Year” event was held on Saturday February 21st, 2026 at the Armory on Main Street, in Copperopolis, California. It was sponsored by the Copperopolis Community Center, a volunteer staffed organization that restores and preserves the two publicly owned historical buildings in town. 2026 marks the 39th Annual wine tasting event and coincides with the 166th anniversary of Copperopolis. The two buildings are the historical brick Congregational Church and the Armory. Both buildings were constructed during the copper rush in the mid 1800’s, the Armory in 1863 and the church in 1865. Copperopolis was the center of the “Copper Rush” (after the gold rush). These are two of the four buildings in town on the National Register of Historic Places: Copperopolis Armory and the Congregational Church. From 1860’s to the time the mines closed in 1945, 72,598,883 pounds of copper were mined in Copperopolis and the copper used in the Civil War, WWI and WWII for ammunition casings.
Photo Calaveras Community Center
Photo Calaveras Community Center
With advance purchase the cost was $30 which included a commemorative wine glass, hors d’ Oeuvres, a raffle and of course many wines to enjoy. Wineries pouring were Ironstone Vineyards (Murphys), Indian Rock Vineyards (Murphys), Frog’s Tooth Winery (Murphys), Gossamer Cellars (Murphys), Indigeny Reserve (Sonora), Jessie’s Grove (Lodi), La Folia (Murphys), Newsome-Harlow (Murphys) and Prospect 772 (Angels Camp). Two others were scheduled to pour being Jazz Cellars (Murphys) but was snowed in from recent storm and Bodega del Sur.
The attending guests voted for Best White Wine and Best Red Wine tasted during the evening.
For the Best White Wine, the 2023 Prospect 772 Tatum’s Grace won. It is a blend of 50% Roussanne and 50% Viognier. A beautiful wine with hints of apple, pear and honeysuckle.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
For the Best Red Wine, there was a tied between Frog’s Tooth Winery and La Follio. The Frog’s Tooth Winery 2024 GSM was a wonderful and refreshing wine of Grenache, Mourvedre and Syrah. Smooth, jammy, savory spices with rustic notes. It recently won a Gold Medal at SF Chronicle Wine Competition.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
La Folia tied for first place with their Barbera possessing gorgeous aromatics with cherry, cranberry with a modicum of spices and a candied finish.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Additionally raffle tickets were available to purchase. Winners were announced for prizes of various gifts, gift certificates and baskets announced towards the end of the evening.
The turnout was outstanding this year with the community supporting the Community Center fundraiser. All the attendees applauded the wineries participating and appreciated their attending.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Noticed while tabulating the votes, every winery received votes for their wines!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Photo ©Michael Kelly
This was a classic small town America fund raising with the community helping to support a worthy cause! The volunteer committee hosting this event worked tirelessly in making it successful.
Sláinte,
Michael
2024 LXV Blanc De Franc – An Elegant and Layered Beauty With a Subtle Message
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Background
Our Friday Night Wine & Dine group met last Thursday evening to enjoy a meal at Verona18. Their special this evening was a blackened salmon, and I decided to pair it with this wine.
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
First on the eyes, a pale light-yellow color. On the nose, floral aromas that changed throughout the wine temperature. On the palate, flavors of white peach and pear were dominant. Secondary flavors of minerality and a touch of vanilla. Most notable was the weightiness of this wine in the mouth due to being aged 10 months on lees with constant stirring in French oak barrels. The finish was a bit abbreviated, which only beckoned another sip. Each sip was contemplative trying to unlock the secret code to this graceful and delicate wine.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Besides the wine being mysterious and hiding nuances of subtle enjoyment, so the label is similar. Notice the label has writings in Sanskrit references sections of the Bhagavad Gita. The answer is straightforward with the upper portion referencing “earth, water, fire, ether, mind, intellect and ego” referencing components of material matter. For LXV, Neeta explained that this “speaks beautifully to terroir” the elements that give wine its character.
The second reference, being the lower portion, states “the one who knows the truth thinks I do nothing at all”. This about the ego-less actor referencing the winemaker who as Neeta states “is fully engaged in the world yet knows the true self is untouched and the winemaker acts, but nature does the work”.
Truly both reference the wine grounded in terroir, the elements of earth, and speaks to effortless ego-fee creation (minimal intervention) that LXV strives for in their winemaking.
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Had chosen this wine assuming raspberry and strawberry flavors would counterbalance the blackened salmon with its flavors and the acidity cut through the salmon. Upon reflection the blackened salmon flavor was a bit too much for this refined wine, nevertheless the food and wine were both tremendously enjoyable.
LXV Wines and Wine Tasting Experience
LXV provides a unique tasting experience located at 1306-B Pine Street, Paso Robles. They were rated one of the Top 10 tasting experiences as rated by USA Today. LXV, besides holding regular wine tastings, also provide an optional spice pairing. The spice pairings are far reaching with Peruvian, Mystic Orient, Smolder Notes, Turkish Shores, Shmeli Suneli and many more spice packets. One is whisked away with their varietal and proprietary blends to capture the adventures of different cultures and culinary treats.
Photo of Neeta Mittal from their website
The idea of exotic spices started with Neeta’s mother in a town south of Mumbai. Her mother would regularly visit the spice markets to purchase fragrant herbs and spices to go with their handmade Tandoori Masala. One of the goals of spice tasting is to open the confined discussion of pH and acidity of wine to a broad horizon of international flavors. Today they offer besides a variety of “Bordeaux influenced wines”, others like Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, Syrah and many more. Their wines receive ratings from 97 points to 99 points!!
Kunal and Neeta Mittal are the driving force behind their love affair with Cabernet Franc offerings. Currently they offer Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon from France, Saint Émilion and their Willow Creek estate in Paso Robles. As they state “Maison Mittal, exists where Bordeaux and Paso conspire – two continents speaking one language of stone, discipline and time. We arrive not as a luxury, but as a reminder that wine can still be a practice of place, spoken with global fluency and crafted with unapologetic precision. The wines we leave behind will outlast the moment they were made.”
Photo of Kunal Mittal from their website
To read more about their journey, how they found Paso Robles and they quest to make Paso Robles the Cabernet Franc capital in California read the following links:
https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2023/12/26/lxv-wines-presented-cab-franc-day-paso-robles/
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A few other wines were enjoyed this evening with each person or couple bringing a wine of choice from their home.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
Wine and Food Pairing Question
Wine & Foodie Lovers: A question on food and wine pairing. I whole heartily subscribe to the saying and use it with most stories about food and wine pairing is – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” by Andre Simon.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Last week a new recipe was tried called Spinach Tomato Gorgonzola Stuffed Chicken. The result was delicious; however, the ingredients went with contrasting wines. Here are the ingredients: baby spinach, sundried tomatoes in oil, gorgonzola cheese, chopped shallot, bacon, minced garlic, fresh basil, panko, fresh oregano, kosher salt and olive oil. Each chicken breast was filleted and stuffed with the filling. The stuffed chicken breasts were first seared in a cast iron skillet and then baked. Accompanying the meal was rice and a fresh garden salad with bacon, halved cherry tomatoes and slices of purple onion.
Here is the issue on wine pairing with competing flavor profiles.
- Fresh basil, sun-dried tomatoes and garlic pair well with herbal notes of Cabernet Franc.
- Gorgonzola pairs well with a sweet Late Harvest Riesling or Sauterne to complement the salty, creamy notes of the dish.
- Spinach pairs best with crisp, high-acid white wines that complement its earthy, mineral-rich and sometimes slightly bitter profile like Sauvignon Blanc Grüner Veltliner, or Vermentino which highlight green fresh flavors.
- Baked chicken pairs best with versatile wines that balance savory, delicate meat of the chicken like Chardonnay or a light-bodied Pinot Noir.
So, what wine from above list or other varieties, would you choose to complete and the meal?
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
Gossamer Cellars in Murphys, California
Two new and excellent wines by Gary Grant: Treixadura and “Reed” Charbono.
Slainte,
Michael Kelly
Avellino’s Italian Market and Wine Bar
Avellino’s Italian Market and Wine Bar in Angels Camp, continues to exceed expectations! Located at 1225 S. Main Street, Angels Camp. They provide great imported wines, excellent service, genuine hospitality and scrumptious foods. It is one of our favorite places just to simply relax and enjoy a glass of Italian wine and a few truly Italian tidbits on an afternoon. 98% of all the foods and wines are imported from Italy.
Salute,
Michael Kelly