Month: September 2025
2021 Smith-Madrone Vineyards & Winery Cabernet Franc – An Immediate Winner!
Background
Photo ©Michael Kelly
At the 6th Annual International Cabernet Franc Competition, Smith-Madrone Vineyards & Winery entered their first ever Cabernet Franc. It was placed in the $71-$85 category for California Cabernet Franc wines. Two different sets of judges rated their wine. From the disciplined Professional Judges they received a Gold Medal. From the People’s Judges they received both a Gold Medal and Best of Category for their price range. An excellent result from their first release of Cabernet Franc!
Stuart on the left and Charlie on the right Photo ©Michael Kelly
I had the privilege of meeting with Stu and Charlie Smith in August of 2024. An encounter which is paramount in my wine experiences. For the full story on the meeting and topics discussed you can read more at: https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2024/08/14/smith-madrone-vineyards-paradise-found/ . It was at this meeting that I mentioned the upcoming 6th Annual International Cabernet Franc Competition and they were very interested in entering their first vintage.
The Winery
Photo ©Michael Kelly
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 the associate winemaker is François Bugué. Truly a family affair! All the wines are estate and dry-farmed on top of the mountain. Currently their production is approximately 6,000 cases a year. They produce Chardonnay, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon and their iconic Cooks Flat (blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc) and a recently released Cabernet Franc.
Their wealth of knowledge about winemaking, Napa Valley varieties, Napa Valley politics (which there are plenty), and the history of Napa Valley is astonishing. I can only compare it to me with a paint by numbers canvas talking to Michelangelo when he was painting the Sistine Chapel. While both being very knowledgeable, they were matter of fact humbly quiet and with a great sense of humor!
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
A quick background on Cabernet Franc in Napa Valley. Per the USDA California Errata to the Grape Crush Report Crop Year 2024 (dated August 25, 2025), Napa Valley crushed 3,682 tons of Cabernet Sauvignon. A small pittance compared to the 78,562 tons of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes crushed. In California as a whole Cabernet Franc represented only .003% of the grapes crushed for 2024. Whereas Cabernet Sauvignon represented 15.5%. Many do not understand the resurgence of Cabernet Franc commanding an average price of $5,206/per ton vs Cabernet Sauvignon’s average price of $2,186/per ton. Cabernet Franc, while small in comparison to tonnage crushed, its price is more than double that of Cabernet Sauvignon. Cabernet Sauvignon may be King of the varieties, but maybe Cabernet Franc should be the one wearing the crown!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The 2021 Smith-Madrone Cabernet Franc comes from their vineyards that have been “pruned, cultivated and harvested in the same manner, creating wines of distinction and complexity” per Stuart. The wine is 89% Cabernet Franc and 11% Cabernet Sauvignon coming in at 14.7% alcohol. The wine spent 18 months in 60% new French oak barrels slumbering to perfection!
This Cabernet Franc on the eyes is dark and intriguing beckoning the imbiber to come closer and partake of a sip. On the nose, aromas of violets and pepper are dominant wafting into the senses. On the palate, medium weight and creamy (not taste), but a texturally sensation in the mouth. Black cherries are the primary and first flavor that springs forth. Secondary flavors of smooth blueberries surround the palate with joyous “chanting”. On the finish, green fruit is not noticeably (pyrazine characteristics) but silky smooth and caressing tannins catch your attention for a tasty conclusion to each sip.
Smith-Madrone Vineyards produced only 153 cases compared to their world famous dry Riesling of 1,087 cases. The current release of 2021 will not be available long and listed on their website for $85/bottle.
On my previous visit to Smith-Madrone I was able to taste it prior to being released. Now having more than a taste, this wine will now make my Annual Best Wines Tasted in the calendar year. This now gives Smith-Madrone two for 2025.
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
Chose this wine specifically to pair with a seared (1500 degrees) and BBQ’ed ribeye steak to medium rare. Accompanied by a Yukon potato and sauteed Brussel sprouts with mushrooms slices. An excellent treat with the wine and steak being paired beautifully this evening.
I can hardly wait to taste their second vintage of Cabernet Franc!
Sláinte,
Michael
2023 Wood Family Vineyards “Against the Grain” Bourbon Barrel Aged Red Wine – A Big Change?
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The History of Using Bourbon Barrels For Wine
In the early 1980’s, American oak barrels where expensive for many start up wineries. By law bourbon barrels must be 100% American oak and can only be used one time to distill bourbon in the United States. So, after their use, many barrels became available for “other distilled spirits” and wineries to purchase at a fraction of the price of new French or new American oak barrels. So why doesn’t everyone purchase used bourbon barrels? Key is that whiskey barrels are produced differently than wine barrels. Whiskey barrels are charred on the inside verses wine barrels which are toasted. By only toasting wine barrels, the wine while aging develops many nuances of flavor. Bourbon barrel aged wines tend to be bold with ripe reds, vanilla, smoky and with muted tannins.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The use of bourbon barrel aging has taken off recently with more wineries using these barrels. Some view it as a trend to attract Millennials who buy whiskies. Others view it as a crossover from spirits to wine and yet the resulting wine is unique, smooth and provides an enjoyable sipping experience. This market is exploding due to the flavor profile not just with Millennials but with wine aficionados looking to enhance their experience. This is now an important wine segment statement by the Wine Industry Advisor. It is estimated that 20 million bottles of aged bourbon barrel wines are sold annually. Today 60 brands offer Bourbon Barrel Aged red wine.
A Senior VP for Southeastern Grocers had this insight “customers who prefer bold wines tend to prefer this selection during the peak barbeque months of summer, and the cool months of winter”. Also riding the coat tails of the large increase of Bourbon sales due to the “alphabet generations” has helped spur this upward trend in wine sales. Additionally, according to the Bourbon Women’s Association, their figures show it doubling from 15% thirty years ago to today and they too are discovering bourbon barrel aged wines.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The counter punch to the success of Bourbon Barrel aged wines comes from writer Blatner who believes bourbon barrel-aging has uses in other settings, he’s skeptical that it will be a long-term trend for wines. “Bourbon barrels add legit richness to stouts, porters, BBQ sauces, and even maple syrup. But when it’s slapped on a product just to move inventory, that’s where it loses credibility. I think it’ll stick around in categories where it actually improves the product (beer, sauces), but in things like wine, I’m not so sure.”
Thus, it will be up to the consumer to determine the fate of this market as an on-going segment or passing fad. For me, accounting for 20 million bottles provides credibility, being more like trend!
The Wine – “Wine is bottled Poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
I have enjoyed the Wood Family Vineyards “Against the Grain” Bourbon Barrel Aged Red Wine since its initial release. As a “wine writer/critic” I have received some flak that this is not a legitimate wine. That stated, my wife and I do enjoy it with a sear BBQ meat or by standalone in the winter months. We generally don’t drink “hard liquor” so this wine in the wintertime with a fire in the fireplace is a nice treat while watching a movie or show to leisurely sip.
Over the years, tasting and reviewing Wood Family Vineyards Bourbon Barrel Aged wines one key element is that these wines tend to morph in the bottle. Meaning that the Bourbon influence seems to get noticeably stronger when aged.
Another obvious trend is the mixture of varieties changes drastically as well as percentages. Below is the chronological formulas of this wine since 2018:
2018 – 28% Merlot, 28% Syrah, 14% Mourvèdre, 9% Petite Sirah, 7% Malbec, 7% Petit Verdot and 7% Cabernet Franc.
2019 – 40% Syrah, 25% Mourvedre, 25% Cabernet Franc and 10% Petit Verdot.
2020 – 54% Syrah, 36% Malbec, 5% Petit Verdot and 5% Petite Sirah.
2021 – 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Petit Verdot, 20% Malbec and 5% Petite Sirah.
2022 – 40% Cabernet Franc, 30% Petit Verdot, 25% Malbec and 5% Petite Sirah.
2023 – 75% Petit Verdot and 25% Merlot (the new release on October 12th, 2025).
The varieties are selected and blended by Rhonda Wood and her staff.
When discussing this year’s release being a big change from past releases with a strong percentage of Petit Verdot and mellowed by a touch of Merlot, Rhonda’s response was “Because we loved it! I tasted it just recently and thought it was the bomb. The bourbon influence will continue to increase”.
We tasted it a dinner party (see below) and then once again by itself to give a complete review. First on the eyes a beautiful color showing the stately and deep purple/magenta of Petit Verdot. Once the cork was popped and poured into the glass a beautiful boutique of violets/lavender and the aroma of Bourbon wafted into the olfactory senses. On the palate dark fruits, strong tannins and firm acidity greeted the imbiber. On the finish black pepper with smoky notes lingered. The Merlot played a part in calming down the strong brutish characteristics of Petit Verdot.
The grapes came from two vineyards, the Petit Verdot from Smith Ranch and the Merlot from OneOak Vineyard. The wine was aged 17 months in 28% new French oak and the balance being neutral plus 3 months in Bourbon barrels. It has 15.3% alcohol.
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
Knowing we were having this wine in advance, my wife primarily worked on a couple of Bourbon peppercorn sauces to apply to the filet mignon steaks. After two “trials” we selected one to go with a seared and BBQ’ed filet mignon cooked to medium rare. The sauce consisted of Worcestershire sauce, butter, maple syrup, crushed peppercorns and Bourbon.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Accompanied by roasted halved and seasoned red potatoes and roasted Brussel sprouts drizzled with aged and reduced Balsamic vinegar. Also, a fresh garden salad and French bread lightly toasted with butter, salt and garlic.
It was a very good meal and initially at the dinner all of us felt the Bourbon influence a bit lacking compared to previous vintages. That could have been due to sauce and peppercorns. The Petit Verdot was still a solid choice of wine with steak. However, as both Rhonda and I stated it, her Bourbon Barrel Aged wine does morph and will presumably do so with this vintage. But as previously noted when tried by itself two days later, the Bourbon influence was noted.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
2019 Silver Trident Winery “Symphony No. 9 Sauvignon Blanc
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The Winery and Background
The two owners, coming out of hospitality and travel industry, opened their doors in Yountville in 2015. Their goal was to feature handcrafted artisan wines specifically showcasing Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and a Napa Valley red blend. They produce approximately four thousand cases in total per year. They hired Kari Auringer as the winemaker. Kari worked for ten years under the noted Celia Welch (Scarecrow and many more). One of the primary goals of the winery was to feature richly layered wines with complexity and depth.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Two years ago, Bob Binder, one of the owners, invited us to taste their new pizzetta wine and food pairings. From that time on, I have continued to purchase wines from Silver Trident.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
A Tasting Home verses a Tasting Room
They set out to create a comfortable environment where customers felt relaxed, like being at home. Through various past connections with Ralph Lauren Home Collection, artists and galleries, essentially all the items in the “home” are available for purchase. This includes furniture, floor coverings, artwork, glasses and serving trays.
The feeling enjoyed while going through a tasting is intimate, warm and beautifully appointed living room, dining room or library. They recently moved to a new location that allows them use of the kitchen. By appointment only and no tasting bar, no rush and no standing on your feet while proceeding down the wine lineup.
For the complete story and pictures on their original pairing with exotic potato chips and then the added pizzettas and tasting, see an earlier story written at:
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
One of the wines purchased was their delicious 2019 No.9 Sauvignon Blanc. This made my annual list of Best Wines Tasted, for 2022 published in December. A unique Sauvignon Blanc. On the eyes, it was very pale straw in color, but it packed a startling punch. On the nose, floral scents of honeysuckle and mellow green apple. On the palate, soft embracing citrus of Meyer lemon zest, a hint of lime and blanched almonds. The finish provided a honeydew melon that was welcomed and provided a medium long conclusion to each luscious sip. The current release is the 2021 vintage and is listed at $36/bottle.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
I have always been intrigued why the name Symphony #9. It is the first symphony to incorporate a chorus and vocal soloists in its final movement. To play the entire symphony takes between 65 and 74 minutes. Did they name it for the long-lasting finish? Or because you want to shout “Ode to Joy” after each sip?
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
Paired this evening with sauteed chicken with chimichurri sauce, roasted potatoes and a fresh garden salad with bacon. A very good food and wine pairing. The chilled wine provided a cooling effect with the sauce and enhanced the flavor of the chicken with its citrus characteristics.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
2018 Palazzo Wines Cabernet Franc Reserve – An Excellent Treat!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Background
Scott Palazzo has entered the International Cabernet Franc Competition for several years. Over the years he has won consistently Gold and Double Gold for his Cabernet Franc. The most current competition he did not enter due to previous smoke damage to the vineyards. We enjoyed last evening his 2018 and it was a treat to taste this exquisite wine.
The Winery
Picture from Palazzo website
Scott Palazzo’s background is both unique and fascinating how he ended up being a winemaker. Scott grew up in an Italian family which influenced both his understanding of wine as an everyday event as well as with food and celebrations. At age 19, Scott set out with his guitar on his back and ended up in Europe. There he ended up in Saint Émilion (on the Right Bank of Bordeaux’s Gironde River). This became his wine paramount experience shaping his palate for years to come and the foundation for Palazzo Wine some 20+ years later. In 2003, after establishing a career as a television director/producer (nominated Grammy for Music Video & Television Director/Producer), he began searching for a similar terroir that he enjoyed while living in Saint Émilion.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Key to his success was his charismatic and energetic personality! Scott combined his experience with Old World wine in the cellar with New World fruit from lower Napa Valley rolling hills. Today his wines are featured by some of the world’s most famous wine restaurants. A small partial listing is French Laundry, Gary Danko, Michael Mina, Per, Daniel, Gramercy Tavern, Eleven Madison Park, Spago, Bouchon, Mastro’s Steakhouse, Emeril’s, Valintino’s, etc. The full list of restaurants can be found on his website, suffice to say, in any major city, find a prestigious restaurant and you will find Palazzo Wine!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Today Scott’s portfolio of wines includes his Master Blend Series (Left Bank Cuvee, Chardonnay, Rosé) and Reserve Wine Series (Cuvee Blanc, Right Bank Blend, Cabernet Franc).
The Wine – “Wine is bottled Poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Scott started making his Cabernet Franc exclusively for The French Laundry in Yountville. This catapulted his wine instantly to “cult status”. This story is on his 2018 vintage of Cabernet Franc. On the eyes, this is a very deep red color with medium-heavy viscosity. What wafts into the nose is a symphony of aromas from floral notes of crushed violets to red fruits like cherries and raspberries. Once entering the mouth all the individual parts burst into a taste profile like the 1812 Overture music with triumphant notes. Red and black cherries, subtle spices like pepper are counterbalanced with hints of dark chocolate and ripe plum. On the finish only a hint of pyrazines (herbal notes), this wine is vibrant, yet silky smooth beckoning one to take another sip. Structured and defined layers with silky smooth tannins and yet with defined edges are present. One of the smoothest finishes on a world class Cabernet Franc I have tasted.
This wine is 14.1% alcohol and 2018 was rated 94 points by Jeb Dunnuck and won the Sommeliers Choice Awards Gold Medal in 2022. It spent 14 months in 30% new French oak and 70% neutral French oak.
The current release is 2016 Cabernet Franc and is priced around $115 and rated 96 points by Wine Advocate. It received from the American Wine Society Wine Competition a Gold Medal and “Best Cabernet Franc” and from the International Cabernet Franc Wine Competition a Double Gold Medal.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
2021 Maritana Vineyards Chardonnay “La Rivière” From Sonoma County
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Background
I normally write a story with a food pairing but last weekend when the weather was pleasantly warm and comfortable we sat out on the patio in the early evening and enjoyed this spectacular wine sans a meal. While often using the quote by Andre Simon speaking about wine and food pairings that “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” this wine was perfect by itself.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The Wine 2019 Maritana Chardonnay “La Rivière” – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The specific goals for all his wines are to have beautiful floral aromas, stabilized and permanent bright coloring to the eye. Lofty and elegant goals to be sure but he is implementing creative and imaginative techniques to achieve his desired outcome. He definitely hit his mark with this Chardonnay. I knew from previous tastings this wine was going to be outstanding. “La Rivière” means “the River” referring to Russian River AVA where the vineyards are located.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
First on the eyes, the clarity and brightness were ethereal straw, golden yellow and a heavy viscosity (not normally found in Chardonnay). On the nose, predominate aromas of almonds and pears. On the palate is where this wine is exceptional with its heavy and full mouth-filling essence with light lemon and fresh brioche. A slightly sweet finish with flavors of caramel, counterbalanced with a modicum of minerality. What the net effect provides is an elegant layered and creamy Chardonnay. This spectrum of quality is generally found in wines costing closer to $100 and up. The current price is $42/bottle and was rated by James Suckling at 96 points. The grapes were hand harvested, hand sorted using 95% used and 5% new barrels. It went through 100% secondary malolactic fermentation and is 13.5% alcohol level.
The Winery
I originally interviewed Donald Patz in his living room back in 2018. He was just starting out his venture with Maritana Vineyards, a project for developing and producing the highest quality of grapes for both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Here Donald is implementing his strategy to develop a more balanced and “elegant and perfumed version to show through” with choices of grapes with selected aged barrels. On his Pinot Noir, he has secured three vineyards in the Russian River AVA. For this varietal he is using approximately 60% new oak barrels. The wines for Maritana Vineyards will be his Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2017, “Le Russe”; the Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2017 “La Rivière”; Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2017 “Dutton Ranch/Hansen Hill Vineyard” and his Russian River Chardonnay 2017 “Dutton Ranch/Shop Block 1967”. The last using vines planted in 1967 and using 50-year-old vines in his Chardonnay production!
Fast forward some seven years and today with four decades of experience and intricate knowledge of the vineyards, he has three specific labels. They are:
MARITANA VINEYARDS – Russian River Valley Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
SECRET DOOR WINERY – Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
TERMINIM – Mendocino County Marsanne/Roussanne and Syrah
Recently all his wines received scores in mid-90’s (seven with 95 points), which shows his dedication and artisan effort with his craft.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
2022 Jazz Cellars Syrah “Airola Road Vineyard” Just Won Best of Show for Red Wine at Folsom Wine Fest!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Background
At the Folsom Wine Fest Wine Competition, Sept 13th and 14th with 480 wines being judged, the winner of the Best of Show of Red Wines was the 2022 Jazz Cellars Syrah “Airola Road Vineyard”. This was an excellent achievement considering the number of entries and all the red wine varieties represented. See https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2025/09/18/a-very-successful-5th-annual-folsom-wine-fest-competition/
The Wine – “Wine is bottled Poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
This wine comes from Calaveras County just above New Melones Lake and the wine tasting room is in Murphys at 380 Main Street Suite #3.
On the eyes this wine is bright and lively in the glass with a medium viscosity. On the nose a symphony of aromas rise to greet the imbiber of violets and lavender. This is the initial sense one is going to have a unique experience with this wine. On the palate Is where this wine becomes spectacular with a taste profile initially of dark fruits of blackberry, black cherry and blueberry. Secondary spicy flavors of black pepper, clove and cinnamon combine to make a complete tasting Syrah. On the finish tertiary flavors of earthiness and wet forest floor counterbalance the initial fruits. The tannins at the finish were surprisingly evident yet silky smooth.
The wine goes for $40/bottle at the tasting room and is 100% Syrah from this vineyard. It also came in at 14.5% alcohol level.
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
Paired this very warm evening with a mesquite chicken taco salad. Small pieces of chicken marinated and cooked in a mesquite sauce with shredded lettuce, minced purple onions, cut tomatoes and shredded mixed cheeses. Plated with fresh guacamole with tomatoes and Tabasco sauce.
The wine with its fruit forwardness opposes the “warm taste” of spices in the meat and provides an great “Yin-Yang” polarized opposites for a great food and wine pairing!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
While I was judging at the Folsom Wine Fest with all wines being blind, our table of three judges gave it Double Gold and was then put into the final tasting with all the judges. It was voted by all judges to be the Best of Show for Red Wines! It now made my annual Best Wines Tasted in 2025 also!
The Winery
Photo Jazz website
Joe Lazzara and Bob Smith founded the winery in 2005. Their inspiration came from New Orleans jazz music where they describe it as like jazz music being “a harmonious blend of art and science, much like a jazz composition”. They made their wine in San Francisco and in 2019 moved their wine making to Murphys. They have won over 150 medals and awards. Most recently at the Calaveras County Fair, they won Double Gold for their 2024 Sauvignon Blanc and Gold for their 2022 Viognier.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
On a personal note, I have known Bob and Joe for almost ten years and am genuinely happy with their recent accomplishments and wins. This is a small boutique winery worthy of your visit.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
A Very Successful 5th Annual Folsom Wine Fest Competition
The next morning following the wine judge’s dinner, we were eager to begin judging the wine competition. As Coleen Schwietert, Coordinator for this event mentioned the previous evening, 480 wines were to be judged Saturday. Sunday would then whittle down the Double Gold winners to be awarded The Best of Class for various categories. For sixteen judges from all around northern California, this was going to require a Herculean effort, but all the judges were ready for the task at hand.
The event was held in the Falcon Roost Room at Folsom Lake College.
Photo ©Mike Dunne
Each judge arrived at their assigned workstation, complete with snacks of protein and carbohydrate morsels to help cleanse our palates during the judging. Also, the prerequisite wine glass, dump bucket and both still and sparkling waters. Each station of 3 judges were also assigned a volunteer recorder to submit the completed scorecards to Coleen.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Coleen provided the logistics on scoring the event and went over the timing for the day’s activities.
For Session I each table completed the assigned tasks having specific wines to evaluate and score. Each judge was to score a series of 6 or 8 wines individually and then collectively announce our score for each wine and then discuss to reach a consensus. Our table for example had seven flights of red wines to taste and judge. They included Nebbiolo, Barbara, Grenache, Mourvedre/Mataro, Cabernet Sauvignon, Primitivo, and Alicante Bouschet. We then broke up for lunch, which for me was unusual but needed with so many wines! Great sandwiches with protein help fortify the body and specifically the palate.
On to Session II which for our table, was a series of five wines, both white, rosé and red. They included Viognier, Dry Rosé Blush, Carignan/Carignane, Red Blend/Proprietary and Red Dessert/Late Harvest. In total, for the first day our table completed reviewing 86 wines! A great table of judges with Lori Alaniz and Sudsy Torbeck with generally all-around scoring in the same brackets. When the range of scores were divergent, a lively and respectful discussion ensued to reach a timely conclusion.
Day two started off with Coleen stating that judging from the previous day, 18 judges arrived at Double Gold awards for 78 wines! That was a new record for this competition in the last five years.
Here were the judges on Day Two:
Photo ©Michael Kelly
and
Photo ©Michael Kelly
With that in mind the goal was to taste each of the Double Gold awarded wines and determine which ones in each category should move on to the Best of Class competition to be awarded. This was done individually with each judge scoring and the numeric scores compiled by Coleen. We then began with a reduced number of judges from 18 to 12 to review, judge and comment in detail each of the 78 Double Gold winners in each category. All inputs were provided to Coleen to “crunch the numbers” on her laptop.
Once each category had narrowed it down to advance one wine to the Best of Show categories, the judges then tasted those wines and voted individually. So today, Sunday, the judges each tasted somewhere more than 150 wines, some twice in narrowing down the winners.
Here are the Best of Class for each category:
Best Sparkling: Gwinllan Estate for their 2021 Blanc de Noirs produced via methode Champenoise from El Dorado County (Note: This is the 5th year in a row that they have won this distinction). It was also a Double Gold Medal at SF Chronicle Wine Competition!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Best Rosé: Cielo Sulla Terra Estate Vineyard and Winery with their 2024 Primarosa, a Primitivo Rosé from Fair Play in Amador County.
Photo ©Mike Dunne
Best White Wine: It was a tie with Sobon Estate 2024 Viognier from Amador County. This was started on our panel on Saturday and each of us were astonished by this wine. The other wine tied was the 2024 Inner Sanctum Cellars Chardonnay from Calaveras County. It was also a Gold Medal winner at SF Chronicle Wine Competition.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
and
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Best Red Wine: Jazz Cellars for their 2022 Syrah from airola Road Vineyard in Calaveras County. This was a great win for owner Joe Lazzara and Bob Smith. Have known them both for some time and happy for their achievement.
Photo ©Mike Dunne
Best Dessert Wine: Golden Leaves Vineyard & Winery for their 2023 Asmodeus Estate Merlot Dessert Wine from Fair Play in Amador County
Photo ©Mike Dunne
This event could not have been pulled off without the hard work of the volunteers categorizing the wines, pouring the wines, labeling each vial, delivering the vials non-stop to the judges without spillage, dumping spit buckets, preparing judges snacks, ordering food and various other assorted duties.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
I know many of you may think “Wine Judging” is a simple task, but it is truly hard requiring immense concentration and a refined palate to discern the wheat from the chaff. Remember this is a blind competition with judges not knowing the wineries involved. The judges who participated on Saturday and Sunday spent more than 13 hours in this laborious task providing you with some guidance on the best possible wines to be enjoyed!
For your information most of the wineries will be pouring at the Foothill Wine Festival, returning to the Palladio in Folsom on Saturday, November 8th! Tickets are available at foothillwinefest.com .
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
Cuda Ridge Wines 2023 Casa de Viñas Carménère and Tri-tip with Argentina Chimichurri Sauce
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Background and Comparison
This is the third wine review of Cuda Ridge Wines Carménère line up from three different vineyards. Constructed below is a simple guide in understanding each of these Carménère wines by Larry Dino, the owner and winemaker of Cuda Ridge Wines. While they have similar traits of Carménère each has its own distinct aroma and flavor profile/characteristics.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
| Cuda Ridge Carménère Wines | |||
| Little Dog Vineyard | Insel Family Vineyard | Casa de Viñas | |
| Alcohol Level | 13.60% | 13.30% | 13.50% |
| Barrel Treatment | 17 months in 50% new French and 50% neutral American oak | 17 months in 50% in new French and 50% in once used American oak | 17 months in 33% new French and 66% once used French oak |
| pH | 4.1 | 3.5 | 3.76 |
| Cases produced | 57 | 48 | 48 |
| Clone identification | Clone 2 | Clone 6 | Clone 3 |
| TA | 0.41 g/100ml | 0.46 g/100ml | 0.48 g/100ml |
| Note: | |||
| 1. pH means the concentration of hydrogen ions. Lower than the mid-point of 7 (scale 0-14) | |||
| contributes to the wine’s acidity, making it crisp and with a slight tartness. | |||
| 2. TA stands for Titratable Acidity, a measurement of total concentration of all acids present. This | |||
| is an indicator of the total amount of acid molecules which affects the wine’s taste, color, | |||
| microbial stability and overall balance. TA contributes to its ability to age and balance | |||
There are also different soil types and trellis systems used from vineyard to vineyard.
The Wine – 2023 Casa de Vinas Carmenere – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
On the eyes a similar magenta/purple coloring to the other that is as intriguing as the previous two Carménère wines. A medium to medium-heavy viscosity. On the nose this Casa de Viñas was extremely bright with floral aromas bursting out of the bottle and with Eucalyptus. In the glass counterbalanced with dusty earth, wet red brick and vanilla aromas. Once in the mouth blackberries and raspberries were dominant with a slight smokiness, earthiness and mushroom quality. On the palate a “milky mouthfeel” provided a subtle balance of acidity and tannins, a conjoined experience. On the finish pyrazines were present and kept in check along with a slight minerality. A very long-lasting and integrated conclusion.
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
Paired this evening with a seared and BBQ’ed tri-tip steak. The meat was tenderized and marinated for 24 hours in a Chaka sauce. Served with a delicious Argentina Chimichurri sauce drizzled over the meat slices. The sauce consisted of fresh flat-leaf parsley, cloves of garlic, shallot, red wine vinegar, coarse sea salt, dried oregano, red hot pepper flakes, ground black pepper and extra-virgin olive oil. All the ingredients were put together in a blender and allowed to marinate for 24 hours in the refrigerator.
Also served was a BBQ’ed Portabella mushroom and sauteed Brussel sprouts with bacon and button mushrooms.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Carménère is a versatile wine with its medium to medium-heavy body and balanced acidity. The chimichurri sauce brought out the herbaceous notes and BBQ-ing showcases its richness and earthiness with the smoky characteristics. This Carménère was the right one with the Argentina chimichurri sauce and meat.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
As a comparison, the key quality of the Little Dog Vineyard, it had an unbelievable smooth finish, the Insel Family Vineyard had additive qualities of spices and now Casa de Viñas with even more complexity. Having three options is key for your food choice. For example, just to have a sipping wine or with a non-spicy dish, the Little Dog Vineyard is perfect. Wanting to pair the wine with a medium spicy dish the Insel Family Vineyard is spot on! Casa de Viñas being the one to choose for a spicier meal.
A Brief History of Carménère
The history of the Carménère varietal is as fascinating as it is happenstance! It was once one of the grapes in the Médoc region of Bordeaux. It served a similar purpose as Petit Verdot does today – producing a deep red/purple ink on wines. It was one of the original six red grapes of Bordeaux. Carménère originates from the French word for crimson (carmin) which refers to the crimson color of the autumn foliage.
(Photo from Wikipedia)
When the Phylloxera plague hit in 1867 destroying most of the vineyards in Europe, many thought the Carménère grape was extinct. It wasn’t until 150 years later that it was discovered that Chile had preserved the Carménère grape thinking it was Merlot (from clippings planted from France). DNA confirmed that it was the missing 6th varietal of Bordeaux.
Carménère Today
Carménère grows mainly in Chile, specifically the Colchagua Valley, Rapel Valley and in the Maipo Province. It is also grown in the Veneto region of Italy, and recently several wineries in Mendocino, Livermore, Lodi, Napa and Calaveras are producing it, albeit in small quantities. Walla Walla, Washington also has some root stock growing in Carménère. In California only 111 acres are producing Carménère which accounts for .000075% of the red grape harvest. Interestingly while in California the red grape harvest was down 25%, Carménère harvest was up 10%. These numbers are from the USDA Grape Crush Report for 2024, their errata dated August 25, 2025.
The Winery
Go to https://www.CudaRidgeWines.com to read about their incredible wines offered. The list of awards for all his other wines is extensive with dozens and dozens of noteworthy awards.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
Two Great Wines Last Weekend After Wine Judging All Day for Dinner!
On a “free night” at the 5th Annual Folsom Wine Fest judging last weekend, we decided to grab a quick bite at Fat’s Asia Bistro Folsom across the street from the hotel. A fellow wine judge, Mike Dunne brought a nice bottle to the restaurant and I brought a bottle to share with a couple of others for dinner.
We ordered some interesting and tasty dishes for the evening. They included:
Honey Walnut Prawns
Bulgogi Pork Lo Mein – Korean style pork loin, lo Mein noodles, cabbage, carrots green and yellow onions
Mongolian Beef – Jalapeño peppers, green onions
Filet of Beef Steak Kew – cubed filet with seasonal vegetables, roasted garlic in black bean sauce
Combo Spicy Fried Rice
All these foods were spectacularly intriguing and bit warm on the palate. That stated, don’t think we were going for a the “perfect food and wine pairing” this evening. We decimated the quote by Andre Simon that I use on most of my writings “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners”. While the meal was great the body and soul were a bit disjointed, food and wine speaking!
First wine for the evening was a 2001 Goldschmidt Vineyards, Single Vineyard Selection Cabernet Sauvignon from Oakville. Wine Enthusiast referred to this wine as “Purity is the word that comes to mind”. This was a fruit forward wine with cherry and blackberries with structure and complexity. Soft velvety tannins engulfed the palate with a medium length finish.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The second wine for the evening was a 2015 Outpost Wines Cabernet Sauvignon from Howell Mountain. It was rated 97 points from Wine Advocate and 97+ points by Vinous. Jeb’s description includes “deep purple color and loaded with blue fruits, graphite and crushed rock, it’s full-bodied, impeccably balanced and has fine, polished tannins”. The spice and fruit on each sip were immensely enjoyed as was the long finish.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
No doubt both wines were delicious despite perhaps not being elequently paired with the meal. It was a great finish to a long day of wine judging.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
https://califonriawinesandwineries.com
Welcoming Judges Dinner at 5th Annual Foothill Wine Fest Competition
Started out the competition with a judges’ dinner held at IL Forno Classico in Rancho Cordova. Il Forno is a family run business initially operating in the Historic Folsom in 1985. Besides the restaurant at Gold River, they offer a private dining room and wine room and shop. The fully stocked wine store houses about 600 different wine labels. They offer their wines at competitive prices to enjoy with dinner or even take home a unique offering. Their pricing is extremely competitive and offers to match any wine list price for the same wine and vintage. Year after year they have attained the Wine Spectator Award for friendly wines pricing.
Scott Litteral is the owner and pictured below is Scott with his family. Scott is also one of the judges at the Folsom Wine Festival Competition. He personally has tasted all the wines in the cellar being offered. He also mentioned that he has more rare and expensive wines stored on the premises “out of sight” and under lock and key!
The restaurant specializes in fresh seafood, angus steaks, New Zealand Lamb, sauteed pastas, crafted sandwiches and the finest hand-tossed pizzas.
Picture from Il Forno website
The evening started off with each judge bringing a bottle or two of wine to share at the table with fellow judges. You know you are going to be in for a treat when wine judges bring in their selection of wines!
Each judge brought a unique and older vintage of wine. For example, below are a picture of only two of the 20+ wines shared: a 1986 Inglenook Estate Reserved Cabernet Sauvignon and a 2020 Carmignano DOCG (super Tuscan).
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Other wines, too numerous to enumerate, included a 2013 Smith-Madrone Reisling, 2019 Cuda Ridge Carmenere, 2018 Chimney Rock Cabernet Sauvignon, even a homemade wine and on and on.
Coleen Schwieter, Foothill Wine Competition Coordinator, gave a welcoming speech noting that 480 wines were submitted this year from 78 wineries in the Sierra foothill counties. This was a sizeable increase from the previous year of 350 wines. Coleen mentioned the competition is supported by the Folsom Chamber of Commerice and extremely appreciated! She also provided an outline of the events for the next two days regarding logistics and introduced Scott Litteral.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The menu this evening included a choice of either Cesar Salad or Mixed Baby Greens. Below is a picture of the Cesar salad with hearts of Romaine, rosemary croutons, shaved parmesan and Caesar dressing. I chose the Caesar salad:
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Next up was a choice of Naughty Pasta (too long a description but very tempting), Seafood Risotto tossed with salmon, snapper, shrimp, spinach, Chardonnay-lobster sauce, fresh tomatoes, Chicken Parmigiana lightly breaded, baked with marinara and mozzarella, served over spaghetti, Oven roasted Salmon filet with garlic herb compound butter, lemon risotto and sautéed broccoli, and the last option was Grilled Angus Filet Mignon with brandy cream green peppercorn sauce, roasted Yukon gold potatoes and sauteed haricot verts. Many of us chose the Angus Filet Mignon:
Photo ©Michael Kelly
If all these delicious dishes didn’t fill you up, the desserts were beyond decadent! Not only in taste but in size/portions! The choices were Tiramisu, Chocolate cake, Crème Brulee or Toffee Cheesecake. I left the full-size dinner spoon for a reference:
Photos ©Michael Kelly
I think just about everyone took home a portion of their dessert as it could not be consumed after such a filling and wonderful meal.
We all hopped on the shuttle vans that they so graciously provided and headed back to the hotel to get a good nights rest for the opening round of wine judging.
Thanks, Scott, for providing such a wonderful venue and delicious food. If you are ever in Rancho Cordova area, this is a stop worthy of your time and consideration.
Picture of Scott Litteral Photo ©Michael Kelly
A special shout out to Coleen Schwieter for all the coordination and logistics for the evening and the upcoming days. Pictured below is Coleen and her husband Randy.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
As you can see in the pictures everyone enjoyed the time socializing, sharing stories and enjoying the evening. Below are Tom (judge) and Wendy Bender from Sonora who were enjoying the festivities:
Photo ©Michael Kelly
While enjoying the evening it was also an opportunity for the judges to say hello to each other as we typically see each other at various events during the year. It is also an opportunity to meet new judges that we may not have spent time with previously. Below are judges (L to R), Lisa Gomez (The Vine), Carrie Boyle (Vintage Wine Marketing, River City Wine, writer) and Lori Alaniz (Sheldon Wine & Spirits Shop):
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Sláinte or perhaps better yet for this venue, salute!
Michael Kelly
https://californiawinesandwineries.com