Month: May 2022
2020 Hindsight Sauvignon Blanc With Unique Ora Salmon from New Zealand
Last night our Friday Night Wine & Dine group ate at Verona18 restaurant at The Golf Club Copper Valley. This is still their “soft opening” but with a more extensive menu mimicking their Modesto restaurant, Verona Cucina Italiana.
The meal started off with a Caprese Salad. Fresh tomatoes (Beefsteak?), fresh mozzarella, basil, Kalamata olives, olive oil and with a balsamic glaze. Perhaps one of the best I have ever tasted! Paired with a Montepulciano d’ Abruzzo Riserva to cut through tomatoes and olive oil. Perfectly paired. The wine is especially tasty but I want to clear up a common misconception. Montepulciano d’ Abruzzo and Montepulicano are two entire different wines. Montepulicano d’ Abruzzo is a totally unique and wonderful wine from the Abruzzo region in east-central Italy and not to be confused with the Montepulicano which is mainly Sangiovese grapes from Tuscany. Colline Teramane became a DOCG region (denomianazione di Origine Contraollata Garantita) in 2003. Essential by being a DOCG vs DOC, they must follow stricter guidelines in producing their wine. Only four provinces can produce this wine. The wine must be 90% Montepulicano with only 10% being Sangiovese grapes.
This wine is deeply colored inky red/purple with pepper spices notes. Often it is called “rustic”. In general, it is “aromatic, tannic and with low acidity”. It is aged in oak for twenty-four months. Key flavors of earthiness, blackberries and prevalent. Often it is also beholds sweeter tannins and is appropriately paired with hot & spicy peppers and pork dishes. Its ability to age in the cellar is up to 20 years and the price point can range from $8 to $200+. A delightful treat which is often overlooked and confused with the lighter Montepulicano from Tuscany. As the winemaker Antonio Lamona states “I want to make wines that are pleasing to the body and the spirit”. For the typical California wine drinker you will pleased if you get a nice bottle of Montepulicano d’ Abruzzo.
Looking at the menu in advance, I had decided on the Grilled Salmone. It was an Ora King salmon, with fresh herbs, olive oil served over saffron risotto. Ora King salmon is not commonly found so here is a quick background. First it is the only saltwater farmed salmon given best choice ranking. I am generally opposed to any “farmed fish” but this is very different. There are a variety of reasons that Ora King Salmon should be your #1 choice in farm raised salmon: healthy feed and fish growth, location and farming techniques, as well as a unique skin that is uncommon to anywhere else in the world. Critics believe the best of the best salmon in the world actually is farm raised in New Zealand. This special king salmon has been described as the “Wagyu of the Sea” because the taste of this fish compares to no other. From the crystal clear waters flowing from Te Waikoropupū Springs in Takaka, to the pure and isolated sea waters of the Marlborough Sounds. Several 3 Star Michelin restaurants have served this fish including The French Laundry in Yountville, California (Napa Valley). After tasting it last night I have to agree this was outstanding.
This was paired with a 2020 Hindsight Sauvignon Blanc from Napa Valley. Previously I have written about the Hindsight Winery in Calistoga and their excellent red wines, especially their Cabernet Sauvignon’s. About 10 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:
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! I literally felt while eating the salmon with this wine, I had achieved a state of Nirvana!
The group also had several other wines to go mainly with Italian pasta dishes and all were absolutely solid.
Sláinte,
Michael
https://californiawinesandwines.com
http://www.hindsightwines.com/
https://www.coppervalleygolf.com/homepage/current-operations
Love Cork Screw Wines – The Road Less Traveled
Chrishon Lampley is a négociant and owner of Love Cork Screw and Lampley Reserve Wines. Firstly, what is a négociant? A négociant is a French word for a wine merchant or wholesaler. More specifically one who buys grapes, grape juice or partially fermented or finished wine from others and sells the wine produced under their name/label. Thus Chrishon does not own a winery or vineyards and yet has sold over one million bottles of her wine!
Now about the “road less traveled and that has made all the difference” as Robert Frost stated in his poem. Her less traveled road contains the following elements: target marketing, keen understanding of developing wine consumers, family/friends and a modicum of light heartedness.
Target Marketing
Many “sophisticated wineries” are all chasing the $78.3 billion USA market with many high end offering. Chrishon has targeted both the grocery store consumer and the developing “alphabet consumers” (Gen X, Gen Y, Gen Z). In a lengthy conversation, her insight to the grocery consumer is based on the following priorities: Label, Price and Quality. She has an answer for each. The label I will discuss later, but the price issue, is something she attacked head on. She wants the consumer in her words “to pull a $20 bill out of their pocket and buy her wine”. To this end, her Love Cork Screw Wine portfolio comprises eight varietal wines with over half under twenty dollars. Her labels are light hearted, not to intimidate the grocery store shopper. The names of the wines for example are “Head Over Heels” (Riesling), “We’re Moving On Up” (Cabernet Sauvignon), “Be The Light” (Sauvignon Blanc), “Good Times Good Friends” (Pinot Grigio), etc. They are eye catching phrases and friendly/light hearted when going down the grocery isle. They also serve as gifts for a promotion, moving to a new home, a party and other events. Her wines can be found at Target Stores, Walmart, Total Wines and many other locations. One of her creative marketing tactics is putting the nutritional and serving information on the back of the wine bottle. This is highly regarded by the “alphabet consumers” wanting to know this type of information.
Quality
As a négociant she can pick and choose the wine varietals to suit her market. One of the key markets is the mid-west. Her assessment of this market is for a “sweeter palate”. She has wines from Fenn Valley in northern Michigan peninsula (Concord, Riesling, Pinot Grigio), Summerland Wine Brands in Buellton, California (Cabernet Sauvignon) and Healdsburg, California (Sparkling). She is currently working with a winery in Chile on a Sauvignon Blanc.
Lampley Reserve
I was sent a bottle in advance of our conversation. My “left brain” was in a bit of shock that someone was producing a Demi-Sec sweet sparkling wine. A quick recap of Champagne/Sparkling residual sugar levels. First Brut Champagne is 0-12 grams/per liter sugar level and Demi-Sec is 32-50 grams/per liter. The market in the USA is definitely a Brut or drier level as evidenced by 97% of all Champagne imported is Brut from France. Prosecco follows a similar guideline. Again this is where Chrishon follows the road less traveled and is targeting the “alphabet generations” and grocery store novices. However as stated earlier, she is keen on family and friends. Adorning the label of her second and higher end wine label Lampley Reserve is a picture of her mother when she was twenty. Chrishon’s mother likes a sweet sparkling wine, so this first varietal in the series is to honor her mid-eighties mother! It is comprised of 53% Chardonnay, 45% Pinot Noir and 2% Pinot Meunier grapes with a light alcohol level of 12.17%. Only 432 cases were produced. While not a big fan of demi-sec sparkling or Champagne, it was difficult to assess the quality, but I am not part of Chrishon targeted market.
Conclusion
However, her success cannot be denied as she has sold over 1,000,000 bottles of wine since starting in 2013. Her target marketing (demographics, geography, price point, label design) and much more has put Chrishon on the map and makes her a force to be taken seriously. Her Lampley Reserve line of wines is just launching and she is doing a refresh on her Love Cork Screw labels in Q3 2022. She is not finished by any means and discussed briefly a plan to import wines from South Africa. She described her wines as being in a mood and one of her tag lines sums up appropriately “enjoy it, drink it, don’t think it”. Her road less traveled is wide open with her focus, creativity, attitude and bringing new wine lovers into the fold.
Sláinte,
Michael
https://californiawinesandwineries.com
https://www.lovecorkscrew.com/
For more on Chrishon Lampley visit her TEDx talk at https://lovecorkscrew.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/How-Success-Screwed-Me-Chrishon-Lampley-TEDxGrandBoulevard.mp4?_=1
Why I Love and Hate Social Media – My Nightmare
This may be a strange title, but it perfectly sums the diabolical relationship with all forms of current social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.). Now this may seems a bit odd considering my daily and numerous posts on Social Media. This relationship of love/hate is much more than a passing fad, as I have had these feelings for years trying to understand and comprehend the significance and impact of social media.
So let’s start off on a positive note before my rant or negativity. Social media allows ones to connect with like-minded folks on a variety of subjects. In my case, wine, wine education, the wine industry and foods to pair with wines. I would not have the reach and diversity in my “social family” if it were not for the various forms of social media. But how deep that impact and connection is based on individuality of the audience not a “total number of readers”.
Now the dissatisfaction with social media. In Alan Toffler’s FUTURE SHOCK, published in 1970, he stated “minimum involvement is precisely what the user of the throwaway society gets for his money”. So a percentage of well-intended readers are interested a specific subject, their interest wanes with the amount of “involvement” or connecting with the author. If they connect, the reader most likely will follow that author. If something is askew, the reader becomes lost or disheartened with thought, the article is summarily dismissed. The baby is thrown out with the bathwater. Toffler also stated that in our society becoming “even faster pace we are headed towards further and faster cognitive overstimulation”. I think this a solid reason that a five-ten second clip is gaining popularity as it requires so little involvement of thought and time. The content if more than a picture, it is just the medium to entice the reader to the article.
Another great quote is by Os Guinness, in his book The DUST OF DEATH, states “the printed word has ruined the intellect. It has given fools and fiends the same power as wise men and saints. It has made a jumble of the mind, a burlesque of reason. No one any longer knows how to think clearly and cognitively to a finish”. Also the statement appropriately sums up where our culture is today with Os’s comment “the option now is not one-dimensional uniformity but multi-dimensional over choice”. We are facing paralysis of thought and action due to so much abundance of choice. So when a blogger states sulfates are ok and the next wine writer states sulfates are damaging it causes confusion and halts the cognitive process except for a few who venture forth to do research and ferret out a conclusion.
Now add today with new social media mediums constantly changing and emerging, TikTok, Instagram and iTunes for example. The printed word is being swallowed up for clips and five-ten second bits of information. While it is always interesting to see a traffic accident (provided no one is seriously hurt), an apparent living tree actually being a person scaring pedestrians, cars sliding down an icy hill, etc., what is the message? It appears that Instagram, TikTok, etc., are really a passing opium for the one dimensional non-thinking masses. While a picture may we worth a thousand words, it really only provokes a thumbs up or down, without a thorough comprehension or investigation of intent or reasonableness.
In 1847 Soren Kierkegaard stated “reflections …… must not so much move, mollify, reassure, persuade as awaken and provoke men and sharpen thought”.
Yet here we are today being entertained to death via our cellphones clinched in hand. Halford Luccok in one of my favorite quotes once said, “We are going to have eyes the size of cantaloupes and brains the size of peas”.
So when an author, blogger communicates on a subject, they are asking for your consideration of the content and an informed response. A response not necessarily of agreement but of a mindful retort. Giving just a thumbs up, is essentially a “non-event”. Engagement of thought is the underlying request not an emoji.
So there I have shared just a skosh of my love and hate relationship with social media with you the readership. It is the best and worst of our collective communication systems today. So living with it is paramount, but loving it may not necessarily bring us to Nirvana.
Now back to sipping some enjoyable wine…………
Slainte,
Michael
Jeff Runquist Wines 2020 Cabernet Franc – Gold Medal and Best of Class Winner at 3rd Annual International Cabernet Franc Wine Competition & Celebration
At the 2022, Cabernet Franc Wine Competition and Celebration, Jeff Runquist Wines 2020 Cabernet Franc took a Gold Medal and Best of Class from the Professional Judges. This really is no surprise as Jeff Runquist at the previous Cabernet Franc competitions has received Silver and Gold Medals for prior vintages! The judges at the S.F. Chronicle also awarded him Best of Class for his 2020 Cabernet Franc. The cream always rises to the top!
Those not familiar with Jeff Runquist Wines, they are located at 10776 Shenandoah Road in Plymouth, Amador, California. Jeff makes some 41 wines from 25 varieties of grapes. The winery was voted as “2021 Winery of the Year” by Dan Berger’s International Wine Competition.
Jeff and his wife Margie, opened their winery in 2011, Jeff Runquist Wines in Amador. I had previously done various stories on Jeff Runquist Wines and one which gives a brief background on the winery and man, see: https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2017/05/09/jeff-runquist-wines/ .
The Wine – 2020 Cabernet Franc
On the eyes a beautiful infusion of purple and garnet colors and a medium body. On the nose, aromas of vanilla, smoke and light oak fill the senses. On the palate, raspberries, strawberries and minerality fill but do not with overwhelm tastes. Soft tannins and a smooth finish with a hint of cocoa makes this wine an enjoyable drinking wine with or without food. Alcohol is 15.2%. It was released in November 2021 and is now sold out! The price was $26/bottle and 540 cases were produced. But don’t despair, the 2021 will be released in November of 2022.
The Food and Wine Pairing
Paired with an American summer cuisine of a seared BBQ burger, homemade potato salad and baked beans. Accompanied with a fresh garden salad with white balsamic dressing. A tasty meal and the wine was so pleasant with the meal.
Dallas legendary football coach Tom Landry once stated, “The secret to winning is constant, consistent management”. Details and more details. Jeff Runquist continues to impress wine aficionados’ with his consistent and high quality wines at every wine competition he enters. Here is just a small sampling of his recent awards besides his International Cabernet Franc Wine Competition and Celebration:
JEFF RUNQUIST WINES – RECENT WINE COMPETITION RESULTS
2022 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
BEST OF CLASS
2020 Cabernet Franc, Salman Vineyard, Clarksburg
2019 Petite Sirah, Salman Vineyard, Clarksburg
2020 Primitivo, Nostro Vino Vineyard, Amador County
2020 Tempranillo, Liberty Oaks Vineyard, Lodi
DOUBLE GOLD MEDAL
2019 Cabernet Sauvignon, Three Way Vineyard, Paso Robles
2019 Petite Sirah, Salman Vineyard, Clarksburg
2020 Zinfandel, Massoni Ranch, Amador County
2019 Zinfandel, Peroni Ranch, Amador County
GOLD MEDAL
2019 Paso Robles Lagrein French Camp Vineyard
2019 Barbera Reserve, Amador County
2020 Barbera, Cooper Vineyard, Amador County
2020 Dolcetto, Amador County
2020 Grenache, Three Way Vineyard, Paso Robles
2019 Petit Verdot, San Joaquin County
2020 1448, California
2020 Viognier, River Junction
2019 Zinfandel, Nostro Vino Vineyard, Amador County
2021 Dan Berger’s International Wine Competition
BEST OF SHOW RED, BEST OF CLASS, TRIPLE GOLD
2019 “R” Lagrein, Paso Robles
BEST OF CLASS, TRIPLE GOLD
2019 “R” Reserve Barbera, Sierra Foothills
TRIPLE GOLD
2020 “R” Dolcetto, Sierra Foothills, Amador County
BEST OF CLASS, GOLD MEDAL
2016 “R” Sangiovese, “The Hill,” Amador County
GOLD MEDAL
2019 “R” Tempranillo, Shake Ridge Ranch, Amador County
2019 “R” Barbera, Amador County
2019 “R” Reserve Petit Verdot, Damir Ranch, Stanislaus County
He continues to get his excellent wines validated over and over again!
Slainte,
Michael
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