Year: 2021
2008 Lineage – Truly an Artisan Wine for a Special Occasion
Steven Kent Mirassou as a 6th generation family winemaker had to set new goals. He set as his pinnacle development to produce the best “Bordeaux style” wine California could produce. A lofty and perhaps extreme goal for one man in Livermore Valley. After many years as a successful winemaker at Steven Kent Winery, he decided to make 3 to 5 barrels a year of the absolute premier “Bordeaux style” wine. For our anniversary we pulled out of the cellar a 2008 vintage, which is the second of the Lineage releases. This release entailed only five barrels. The blend which changes year to year based on flavor profiles, consisted of Cabernet Sauvignon 81%, Cabernet Franc 9%, Merlot 2%, Petit Verdot 5% and Malbec 3%. While blending is an “artistic” endeavor, Steven also is analytical in his pursuit of the perfect Bordeaux blend.
Here is Steven’s write up on why these varietals and clones were chosen. It is like an artist mixing paint colors for right shading and expression of a painting.
“Cabernet Sauvignon, Clone 30: Dark cherry and cassis flavors, fine-grained tannins and acidity. Less opulent but more age worthy than Clone 4.
Cabernet Sauvignon, Clone 191: Cassis, coffee, and mocha flavors, angular, tannic structure and lengthy, persistent finish.
Cabernet Sauvignon, Clone 4: Powerhouse rich, viscous flavors of dark fruit and chocolate with broad tannins.
Cabernet Franc: Not as “big” as CS but with more finesse and an aromatic palate of sandalwood and chocolate. Acidity is the watchword of this variety. Its acid-based red fruit flavors marry well with the darker more tannic Cabernet Sauvignon to enliven and length Lineage’s finish.
Petit Verdot: Contributes tannin, color, and grapey aromas and flavors of violet and black fruit. This variety helps to build density in the mid-palate of the wine.
Malbec: Adds fruit and tannin; quite different from Cabernet in its sauvage mix of dried berry and raspberry fruit notes. It signature aromatic note is obvious when the wine is young. As Lineage ages, the Malbec takes on a dried-fruit edge and nice acidity.
Merlot: Noble variety of Bordeaux’s Right Bank; as counterpoint to CS’s austere structure, Merlot is fleshy and opulent; ripe red/dark cherry flavor, a touch of herbal complexity which adds to Lineage’s rich mid-palate.”
The key take way on blending is that it is extremely selective and requires rigorous decision making of not only varietals, but the correct Clones of the varietals to get the flavor profile. Add another step of both winemaking and personal craftsmanship and abracadabra you have a gorgeous and refined Bordeaux blend called Lineage. I am sure Steven wished it was that simple, but this is a much shortened version.
Two of many other detailed undertakings are his hand selection of French oak barrels (Taransaud, Le Grand and Francois Freres) and his constant monitoring of the development of the wine in the barrel. The 2008 Lineage was aged 28 months in barrel and released approximately 36 months after harvest. So the wine last evening has been in the cellar for just over 10 years.
The flavor profile and experience of this wine is truly remarkable. First on the eye you see a medium to medium dark red tint and medium viscosity wine. Very different than some of the bold Cabernet Sauvignon’s coming out of Napa Valley. Your first impression is perhaps this may be a “bit light”. But hold on until you get your first whiff which reveals “black fruits, exotic woods and spice aromatics”. On the palate, you get all the above characteristics that Steven purposed in his selection of varietals and clones to produce a crescendo of semi-sweet mocha, dark cherry, dark roasted coffee, sweet tobacco, violets, black fruit, etc. You are a bit mesmerized in trying to dissect each essential trait in this wine drinking experience. This is a wine to simple enjoy and savor the existential engagement and relationship of such a rare and eloquent treat.
Steven for his 2017 Lineage received 100 points and is the first Livermore winery to achieve this honor. His current release is the 2018 and goes for $175. Prior years are available for the example the 2010 for $255 and the 2012 for $245.
Food and Wine Pairing
We had dinner at Vine18 restaurant at the Copper Valley Golf Club. Since my wife was having the short ribs with a Yukon garlic mash potatoes and she had requested a nice red wine to go with her meal. I had the seared Atlantic salmon filet with a champagne crab béarnaise (on the side) served with saffron rice and seasonal vegetables. Also five others had the short ribs and enjoyed the wine with their meal. For this evening it really didn’t matter the food pairing as the wine was spectacular with both meals. We had nine at our Friday Night Wine & Dine meal at dinner including a toast to Peter Singh as it was his birthday the day before. So some other very good wines were also enjoyed!
Sláinte,
Michael
https://californiawinesandwineries.com
Impromptu and Spontaneous Wine Tasting
A simple day turns into a spontaneous wine tasting experience! A couple of folks were golfing in the late morning along with Susan and when done came by house. It started off in the late afternoon with appetizers and a refreshing 2020 Wood Family Vineyards Chardonnay (https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2021/10/19/2020-wood-family-vineyards-new-chardonnay/ ) which has made my Best Wines of the Year for 5 years straight. Followed by a delightful and 2016 Darcie Kent Vineyards Cabernet Franc (https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2021/04/14/2017-darcie-kent-vineyards-cabernet-franc-silver-and-bronze-medal-winner/ ) with assorted cheeses, fig compote and assortment of specialty crackers.
As the conversations continued for a few hours it was decided to order a couple of pizza’s to be delivered. They were a meat combination (salami, pepperoni, olive, mushroom, onion and bell pepper) and a Margarita pizza. It was now time to “up the wine selection” to some heavier wines. One guest went home to pick up a 2013 Leal Vineyards Cabernet Franc from the Popescu Terrace Vineyard located in San Benito region. An excellent heavily oaked Cabernet Franc (https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2021/10/01/one-steakhouse-founded-by-morton-brothers-a-1200-degree-success-with-hindsight-leal-vineyards-far-niente-and-trinchero-wines/ ). The accompanied wine from the cellar was a 2015 Alaya Tierra from Spain. This is one of our favorites from 1,000 meters altitude region of Almansa and is a Granacha Tintorera. Intensely dark, almost black in color and a heavy viscosity. An elegant nose, with wood aromas from both French and American oak. A juicy wine with an extremely lengthy finish. This wine has also made my list of Best Wines of the Year for the last 4 years! https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2021/05/04/3-acquiesce-wines-3-food-pairings-3-couples-1-spectacular-dinner-and-8-hours/
The culminating crown jewel of the evening was the 2008 Oakville East Exposure Cabernet Sauvignon. This was well worth the 11 years letting it rest in the cellar aging gracefully to partake of this beauty. Elliot Stern, owner of the winery, produces a Cabernet Sauvignon with a nose of blackberries and blueberries. On the palate, dark cherries, Christmas spices and a hint of honey tobacco. The finish had a panache with structure and punctuated silky smooth tannins. All of us thought this was a great wine to cap off the evening! https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2020/06/29/2008-oakville-east-cabernet-sauvignon-exposure/ Oakville East Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon have made my list of the Best Wines of the Year many times. It will again this year!
Sometimes impromptu and spontaneous gatherings are the best. As the evening wound down, it reminded me that great wine and food is best shared with great friends!
Sláinte,
Michael
https://californiawinesandwineries.com
https://woodfamilyvineyards.com/
https://darciekentvineyards.com/
My Special Lunch with 2020 Hindsight Sauvignon Blanc
The Winery
Previously I have written about the Hindsight Winery in Calistoga and their excellent red wines, especially their Cabernet Sauvignon’s. About six months ago their long time winemaker, Jac Cole retired. Now some excellent news—they hired Michael Weis, who was the head winemaker at Groth. He is well known for making spectacular wines and I believe he received 100 points from Wine Spectator for one of his Sauvignon Blanc vintages. Additional reading on the winery and ownership can be found at:
The Hindsight 2020 Sauvignon Blanc Wine
Their inaugural Sauvignon Blanc release under Michael Weis was handcrafted with an artisan touch. First on the eyes it is a golden straw color and medium viscosity. On the nose, floral aromas waft into the senses, along with green apple which is most prominent. On the palate, citrus accents of lime and lemon come into play and are kept in check with flavor but not overpowering. The finish provides a mouthful feeling of a much heavier wine rather than a “light Sauvignon Blanc”. This is most likely due to the addition of nine percent Viognier. This also helps lower the acidity. This wine goes for only $25.99!
The Food and Wine Pairing
The lunch today is my weekly or every other week special meal! It is fresh Maguro (tuna) sashimi with rice from a local market. The fish is tender and flavorful. It is always recommended to pair sashimi or sushi with Saki, wine or beer to help sterilize any bacteria that can be found especially on raw fish. I have always enjoyed Sauvignon Blanc, but this was a truly remarkable pairing.
Sláinte,
Michael
Barnett Vineyards – A Trio of 2013 Great Wines
The Winery
At the top of Spring Mountain AVA, at 2600 foot elevation is Barnett Vineyards. The trek up the switchback road to the peak is worth the adventure. Upon reaching Barnett Vineyards, you are greeted with a breathtaking view looking back towards Howell Mtn. The Valley floor is the area between Calistoga and St Helena. Unfortunately the day this picture was taken it was a bit overcast, but on their website you will find a few beautiful sunny photos. As you can see the terrain is very sloped (30 degrees and more)!
A quick background on the owners, Fiona and Hall Barnett. They bought the 40 acre property in 1983 and established Cabernet as their initial varietal. In 2007 they hired David Tate as Winemaker and General Manager. For those who do not know David, he is a very “solid contributor” to the wine industry at large and has had a phenomenal impact on Barnett Vineyards. David has produced wine in Australia, France, New Zealand and now Napa Valley. His influence from vineyards to wine making has shown well with their 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Rattlesnake Hill receiving a 98+ points from Robert Parker. It is truly a 98-100 point wine with its dark concentrated mountain fruit and layering of tannins. He believes it “will last 18-20 years”. The Cabernet Franc rivals some of the best in the Valley with its dark purple color with hints of floral and dark chocolate. In my opinion these two are the premier wines at Barnett Vineyards. Current release is the 2018 vintage and unfortunately are both sold out! The Cabernet Franc goes for $80 and the Cabernet Sauvignon goes for $190.
Went to dinner last night and one of the guests mentioned he very much liked Merlot. So pulled this 2013 Barnett Vineyards Merlot out of the cellar. The 2013 Merlot has a deep purple coloration and has a medium-heavy viscosity. On the nose plum and black cherries waft inviting you take that first sip. On the palate, silky smooth and lush mouth filling black cherries as well as blueberry with secondary flavors of cinnamon and caramel. The finish is opulent with soft tannins yet the brightness of the wine comes across. Mostly Merlot with a small percentage of Cabernet Franc added. Aged approximately 22 months in 60% new French oak. Current release is the 2018 and goes for $70.
Sláinte,
Michael
2016 Twisted Oak Tempranillo with the Perfect Comfort Food
The Winery
Jeff Stai, owner of Twisted Oak, a boutique winery in Vallecito, California continues to make some exceptional wines. He purchased the land in January 2002 with his wife Mary. Jeff, previously an electrical engineer in Southern California had spent a lot of time in the Calaveras and Alpine foothills. Jeff’s idea of building his own winery, with his detailed background, merged the two disciplines rather easily. Here it built a gravity fed system that was both practical and efficient in the grape production. You can read more details in a previous story at:
https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2021/06/24/twisted-oak-winery-a-paradox-of-sorts/
The Wine
One of my personal favorites is the Spanish varietal Tempranillo. The name comes from the Spanish word temprano, which means “early” as it ripens earlier than other grapes in Spain. If you have visited any town in Spain, Tempranillo is available ubiquitously as Starbucks coffee shops here in the USA. On the eyes this wine is a brilliant purple color with medium to medium-heavy viscosity. On the nose, it starts out fresh and with black berry fruit. On the palate, you get the earthiness (dust), tobacco and a slight aged leather in the mouth. The finish picks up on the oak and the tannins are held in check with the cherry and slight vanilla. This is a wine to be had alone or with a delicious meal. This is their current release and is listed at $29/bottle.
Food and Wine Pairing
Last night with the temperature dropping to the mid 40’s (cool for Northern California), some warm comfort food was in order. My wife prepared a turkey chili. Besides the 99% fat free ground turkey, it included diced sweet red peppers, uncooked red onions, chopped Jalapeño peppers, chili powder, ground cumin, diced tomatoes, black beans, pinto beans, water and cilantro. A modified Weight Watchers recipe. Accompanied by a garden salad. The meal had a tang of “warmth” to it but not overly hot. Paired with the fruit forward Tempranillo, it embraced the chili dish perfectly. A great food and wine pairing.
Sláinte,
Michael
2018 Wood Family Vineyard Malbec and a Paella Dinner
The Winery
Rhonda Wood, winemaker at Wood Family Vineyards, makes some exceptional wines from Livermore, California. The background on the winery can be found in another story at:
https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2021/11/06/2018-wood-family-vineyards-chardonnay/
Rhonda and the family winery are small in comparison to some of the Livermore’s known name wineries, but have been regarded for years as one of the top quality wine producers. For example, just recently they received the following accolades for her 2017 Malbec:
• 2017 Malbec – 93 points Wine Enthusiast
• 2017 Malbec – Best of Show – SF Chronicle Wine Competition 2020
The Wine
This wine on the eyes is medium viscosity and with a deep royal purple coloration, yet around the rim it is almost translucent (per the picture). On the nose blackberries and dark red plums are the leaders rushing into claim dominance in the olfactory senses. On the palate, besides blackberries and plums, you experience a soft note of milk chocolate and gentle smokiness counterbalanced with fresh ripe cherries. The finish is velvety smooth with medium acidity and tannins with no sharpness. Also on the finish the presence of ground stone minerality. Alcohol was 14.5% with only 210 cases produced and listed at the winery at $34. This is one of my four favorite wines from Wood Family Vineyards!
The Food Pairing with 2018 Wood Family Vineyards Malbec
Are friends Jeff and Mary had prepared a Paella dinner with shrimp, chicken and Chorizo with Bomba rice and lots of spices! While many suggestions on which wine to bring, but ended up pulling the 2018 Malbec to go with the meal. The host and we both thought this made an excellent and enjoyable wine with the dinner. Accompanied with a fresh garden salad with apples, onions, tomatoes, feta cheese, sunflower seeds and a few other items.
Sláinte,
Michael
2017 Rosa Fierro Cellars Primitivo – An Excellent Wine
The Winery
Rosa Fierro opened Rosa Fierro Cellars in 2014 and recently left her full time job and career as a legal assistant to concentrate 100% on the winery. “Rosie” as she is called, had worked in tasting rooms, made port in her garage and eventually worked with many of Livermore’s better winemakers at a production facility in Livermore. The winery is 100% woman owned and operated with women staff. Rosie specializes in hand crafted, limited production wines. Her grapes come from both Livermore and Napa Valleys. One of the key points of her winemaking is selecting the best grapes in the vineyard. Each varietal is limited to 50-200 cases. Those wines include Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay (both oaked and unoaked versions), Merlot, a Rosé (from Cabernet Sauvignon grapes), Zinfandel, Primitivo, a Red Blend and her latest being the Cabernet Franc. Her total production is approximately 1,000 cases. She has won many awards in a relatively short time. The tasting room is located at 2245 South Vasco Road, Livermore. The backgrounds on her and her staff on the website are especially creatively done! Rosie’s other passion is photography and her pictures adorn each unique label.
The 2017 Primitivo
After dinner, pulled this refreshing Primitivo wine out of the cellar. On the eyes a lush deep brick color and medium body. On the nose aromas of spices and typical earthiness of Primitivo. On the palate, plums, figs and coupled with brown sugar. Blackberry with bramble and pipe tobacco round out the fullness of the ruggedly soft Tempranillo. The finish provides a long and elevated spiciness and a distinct oak flavor. Alcohol level is a whopping 17% and only 75 cases were produced. This was a Gold Medal Winner at the 2020 San Francisco Chronical Wine Competition. Price is $32. I believe this is one of her best production wines thus far!!
Sláinte,
Michael
Thanksgiving Turkey With Wine: Two Schools of Thought
Seems like every year a list comes out of wines to have with Thanksgiving turkey dinner. First it really depends on how the turkey is prepared and what and how many trimmings will accompany the meal. Also what kind of dessert will be served, i.e., pumpkin pie, pecan pie, apple pie or something else. The first school of thought is to go with your traditional Chardonnay. Chardonnay can provide the following benefits for a turkey meal:
*Flexibility – oaked or non-oaked and from a variety of regions
*Flavor profiles – range from fruit forward to bright acidity to big & rich
*Spices – Vanilla to buttery and even as one winemaker stated “crackerjack flavors in a wine”
*Wine strength – soft and delicate to a more intense
Some suggested tasty and solid Chardonnays depending on budget (range is from $11 to $100) include:
3 Steves, Livermore Valley
Alyris, Napa Valley
Cellar 13, Livermore Valley
Duckhorn Vineyards,
Harken, Arroyo Seca
Iron Hub Winery, Amador County
Kistler, Sonoma
Maritana, La Riviere and Dutton Hill, Sonoma
Mer Soleil S.L.H. Reserve, Central Coast
Peter Michael, La Carriere and Mon Plaisir, Sonoma
Tate Wines, Napa Valley
Tenbrink, Suisun Valley
Wood Family Vineyards, Livermore Valley
A second school of thought is the “A.B.C.” mindset. The “A.B.C.” stands for “anything besides Chardonnay”. Getting a perspective from a non-traditional point of view has some amazing benefits. It is like the anonymous quote “adventure may hurt you, but monotony will kill you”. Experiment and try something new! First, some of the white wines worthy of consideration are listed below with a couple of winery names:
Bourboulenc – Acquiesce
Champagne – Chateau de Bligny, Mumm
Chateauneuf Blanc – Domaine de la Charboumere
Chenin Blanc — Dracaena Wines
Clairette Blanche — Acquiesce
White Blends – Acquiesce
Picpoul Blanc – Acquiesce
Pinot Blanc – Lucien Albrecht, Saddleback Cellars
Riesling – Smith-Madrone
Roussanne –Lavender Ridge, Acquiesce
Roussanne/Marsanne Blend – Terminim Cepages d’ Or, Jazz Cellars
Sauvignon Blanc – Hindsight Wines, Matua, Acre Vineyards, Cliff Lede, Dave’s Porch Wine, Ledson
Vetliner-Grunter – Weingut Franz Hirtzberger
Viognier – Eberle Winery, Domaine Georges Vernay, Parducci Small Lot, Locke Vineyards
Secondly even some red wines, while non-traditional may include those on the lighter side and mellower side like:
Gamay – Broc Cellars, Brick House Vineyards
Grenache – Outpost, Zuidema Wines, Wood Family Vineyards
Malbec – (especially with a smoked turkey) Crocker & Starr blend, Mendel, Mineral Wines, Wood Family
Merlot – Acre Vineyard, Wood Family, Cuda Ridge, Duckhorn, Barnett Vineyards, Tate
Pinot Noir – Ledson, Gracianna, Maritana Vineyards (La Russe and Jenkins Ranch), Dutton-Goldfield
This is by far not a complete listing of wineries making these varietals, just some of the ones which I have written about or tasted. You can read more on each wine by typing in the winery on the search engine on https://californiawinesandwineries.com on the first page:
And while you are looking up a winery, just below the search engine you can enter your email to receive free updates on many enjoyable wines!
Happy hunting for your wine of choice and Happy Thanksgiving,
Michael
2018 Wood Family Vineyards Chardonnay
The Winery
Rhonda Wood, winemaker at Wood Family Vineyards, is a charismatic person which influences the entire winery. From high in the sky to down to earth wines!! Yes Rhonda Wood, winemaker/owner of Wood Family Vineyards used to fly planes (US Airways) but now can be found in the vineyards tending vines. She and husband Michael (with their two sons), have a winery in eastern Livermore. Rhonda started making wine in 1996. Besides sourcing wine on their property (Merlot), they have 17 specific vineyards which are manicured to their specifications throughout Livermore’s ideal climate. Rhonda and the family winery are small in comparison to some of Livermore’s known name wineries, but have been regarded for years as one of the top quality wine producers.
The Wine
Pulled from the cellar the last two bottles of Wood Family Vineyards 2018 Para Mas Amigas Chardonnay, Gold Medal Winner from SF Chronicle Wine Competition in 2019. This wine burst with lemon and pear, followed by butterscotch and as Rhonda Wood states “crackerjack flavors”. Not an over the top buttery Chardonnay like Rombauer, but just enough to provide a buttery caramel and texture in the mouth. First on the eyes, a golden hue and medium viscosity is obvious. On the nose and palate, the wine has lingering tropical fruits, peach and pear on the palate. A portion under goes 100% secondary malolactic fermentation, but allows a final mix, to allow old world and new world Chardonnay to coexist in harmony. In a recent conversation, Rhonda stated she blended her Chardonnay from both “tightly grained barrels and loosely grained barrels” into the final production wine.
The Food and Wine Pairing
For the meal this evening was a baked Swiss cheese chicken recipe. It consists of chicken breasts covered with Swiss cheese, a soup and wine mixture, then topped off with croutons and butter. Accompanied with oven roasted Cauliflower (olive oil, unsalted butter, garlic powder, paprika, black pepper) and smashed Yukon Gold potatoes. A delicious food pairing with one of my all-time favorite Chardonnay from Wood Family Vineyards.
Sláinte,
Michael
2018 Smith-Madrone Vineyards Estate Cabernet Sauvignon A Great Wine at a Moderate Price
The Winery
Smith-Madrone Vineyards is located on 200 acres on top of Spring Mountain west of St. Helena with 38 acres planted in vineyards. The vineyard elevation ranges from 1,300 to 2,000 feet. The founder, managing partner and enologist is Stuart Smith, Charles Smith is the winemaker and Sam Smith is the assistant winemaker. Truly a family affair! All the wines are estate and dry-farmed on top of the mountain. Annual production is between 3,000 to 4,000 cases a year. Currently they are producing Chardonnay, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon and their iconic Cooks Flat (blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc).
(Photo taken by Matthew Denny)
The Wine
The 2018 Smith-Madrone Cabernet Sauvignon provided a unique perspective to Cabernet Sauvignon’s from Napa. While I have enjoyed many Cab’s from Spring Mountain, I suspect it is the dry farmed quality that presents such a welcoming twist. First on the eyes a deep red crimson color, along with royal purple hues presenting a medium heavy viscosity, intrigues your visual awareness. On the nose raspberry, dark Bing cherries, vanilla pipe tobacco waft up to stir up your excitement. Once in the mouth dark fruit mixed with red fruits are predominate. Then leather weigh in with the fulfillment of the aromas previously mentioned along with “Christmas spices” of nutmeg and cinnamon”. On the finish, it is smooth and silky at first but later puffs out its structure and tannins as a proud authentic wine. Also traces of minerality provide a complete and enjoyable wine. The wine contains 86.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot and 7.5% Cabernet Franc. It spent 21 months in barrel, 50% new French oak and 55% neutral oak. Smith-Madrone made 1,006 cases and this is a solid mid-priced wine at $62 at the winery! This was just released in October. I have had many others wines much closer to $100 that did not provide the balance, fullness and enjoyment that this did!
The Food and Wine Pairing
Paired with a BBQ’ed Carne Asada dish. Marinated 24+ hours with cilantro leaves, olive oil, soy sauce, fresh squeezed orange & lime juice, minced garlic, diced jalapeno, cumin and salt/pepper. Served with mixed long and short grain rice and a roasted broccoli and mushrooms. An excellent pairing with the 2018 Smith-Madrone Cabernet Sauvignon from Spring Mountain.
Sláinte,
Michael