Month: October 2025
2023 Wood Family Vineyards “Hot Lips” Sparkling Blanc de Blanc
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Background and Fun Facts on Sparkling & Champagne Wines
This will be the first release of sparkling wine using 100% Chardonnay grapes from Wood Family Vineyards. There is so much more behind simply “bubbles” in the glass with sparkling wines!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Another fun fact is that in a flute of sparkling wine there are approximately one million bubbles.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Do you know what the metal cage on sparkling wine is called and why it is used? A muselet (French: [myz. le]) is a wire cage that fits over the cork of a bottle of champagne, sparkling wine or beer to prevent the cork from emerging under the pressure of the carbonated contents. The pressure inside a bottle of bubbly is typically somewhere between 70 and 90 pounds per square inch or twice the pressure of a typical car tire! The muselet is an added method of security to keep the cork in place.
The basic three categories of Champagne/Sparkling wine are:
Blanc de Blanc-made exclusively from white grapes
Blanc de Noirs-made exclusively from black grapes like Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.
Rosé– adding a small amount of red wine or by leaving the red grape skins with juice during pressing.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
To help give a perspective on sugar levels for Champagne or Sparkling wines, here are the basic categories, going from sweet to dry based on dosage of sugar added:
• Doux: 50 or more grams of sugar added per liter. Outrageously sweet.
• Demi-Sec: 32 to 50 grams of sugar. Still sweet but showing some traction in the market.
• Sec: “Sec” in French means dry. But dry here indicates a medium sweet sparking of 17 to 32 grams of sugar per liter.
• Extra Sec: Meaning “Extra Dry” which is less sweet than Sec wine with 12 to 17 grams of sugar per liter.
• Brut: Up to 12 grams of sugar added. This leads to a balance of flavor and acidity. A bit more rounded than Extra Brut. This is one of the more popular levels of Champagne for consumers.
• Extra Brut: With fewer than 6 grams of sugar, this will produce higher acid and accentuate the carbonation.
• Brut Nature: With no sugar added (less than 3 grams), not common but a way for the winemaker to allow the quintessential nature of the Sparkling wine. This will provide strong minerality and high acidity.
Some key and common terms used in Sparkling and Champagne production:
Méthode Traditionelle – Two separate alcoholic fermentations are involved in the production of Champagne. The first is primary fermentation that occurs in stainless steel vats or oak barrels. The second fermentation takes place in the bottle prompted by the addition of a mixture of sugar and yeast that produces bubbles.
Liqueur de tirage – This mixture of wine, sugar and yeast added to still wine promotes a secondary fermentation in sparkling wine production.
Riddling – This involves moving the bottle very slowly from a horizontal to an inverted vertical position in order to dislodge the yeast sediment which slides down the side of the bottle, collecting in the plastic insert under the crown cap.
Disgorgement – When the crown cap seal is removed, the pressure created by the dissolved CO2 ejects the frozen wine, taking the sediment and plastic insert with it.
Liqueur d’expedition – This is a mix of wine and sugar used to make the final adjustment to the sweetness of sparkling wine prior to corking.
Dosage – This is an adjustment of the sugar level in Champagne and other sparkling wines by the addition of liqueur d’expedition.
Zero Dosage (Brut Nature) – No dosage (sugar) is added.
This 2023 “Hot Lips” Sparkling uses Methode Champenoise (traditional) and uses no additional dosage of sugar.
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
This wine is called Blanc de Blanc Sparkling meaning it uses only Chardonnay grapes. Most traditional Champagnes, greater than 95%, use three grapes in France: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Some additional grape varieties are allowed such as Arbane, Petit Meslier, Pinot Blanc, Voltis and Pinot Gris.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
This wine using only 100% Chardonnay is a little one dimensional yet still tasty with their exquisite and fan favorite Chardonnay grapes with 30% coming from Block 12 at Kaltoff Common in Livermore and 70% from Wisner vineyard. Many of the key characteristics of their exquisite Chardonnay carry to the sparkling wine. Noticeable is the coloring of a bright and light golden color. On the nose, green apple with a light brioche came through wonderfully. On the palate a softer and milder Chardonnay tastes of almond and soft yellow fruit. The bubbles provided an uplifting and spring freshness.
The sparkling will be release at their “Bottomless Bubbles and Bunch” on November 2nd with two seatings and at their Fourth Quarter Release Party November 22nd and 23rd. The price will be $50/bottle.
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
And
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Two charcuterie plates were served with the sparkling Blanc de Blac this late afternoon/evening. They included some nutty cheese like aged Gouda, Brie and others along with crackers, salami, nuts and cranberries. All were served to highlight the wine and not overpower the delicate taste.
Personally, I think this sparkling necessitates a careful and purposed choice of foods to bring forth the quality of the wine, so the food will not overpower it.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
2022 Starfield Vineyards and Winery Syrah with Slow Cooker Birria Tacos
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The Winery
Photo from Starfield Vineyards
The winery was founded in 2012 by Tom and Rob Sinton with plantings of 31 acres on the hillsides east of Placerville, California in El Dorado County. They are located at 2759 Jacquier Road.
Map courtesy of https://uscountymaps.com/el-dorado-county-map-california/
The naming of the wines, especially their new labels starting with the 2023 vintages, highlight the history of region from the Gold Rush with wine names as Miner’s Inch and Rising Hope. These two are for a nearby mine.
The winery produces 17 varieties of wines comprising of mostly Rhone varieties (66%) and Italian (30%) and a few Spanish varieties. The vineyards have been farmed using sustainable and fish-friendly farming since their inception.
Photo from Starfield Vineyards
The wineries name Starfield refers to “Star Fields”, sites where in their words “fruit develops the optimal balance of aroma, flavor and texture”. They also consider what they refer to as Sierra Spice, the aroma and taste characteristics that come from the western facing forests surrounding the vineyards. The local trees are Ponderosa Pines, Cedars and Douglas Firs and their oils provide earthy and woodsy forest aromatics from their oils.
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
This was sent to me as an advanced barrel sample as it is not released today. This wine was aged in 30% new French oak and 70% in neutral oak for 18 months. It is 14.5% alcohol with 269 cases produced. It is made with 97% Syrah and 3% Grenache. It will not be released until 2027 and pricing is expected at $60/bottle. Can hardly wait to taste this aged wine in 2027.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
This wine on the eyes was an inviting red brick color with medium viscosity. On the nose, soft and subdued fruit with violets waft into the senses, no slapping one in the face with dripping sweetness. Stoic and respectful best describes this wine on inspection. On the palate, the wine swirls with blackberry and black pepper. On the finish, minerality and freshly plowed earthen fields complement the fruit for a smooth and lasting 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
Selected to pair this Syrah with one of our favorite wintertime foods, Slow Cooker Birria Tacos. The ingredients for the slow cooker included chuck roast (fat cut off), yellow onions, garlic cloves, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, cumin, chili powder, cinnamon, chipotle in adobo, crushed tomatoes, beef broth, white vinegar, kosher salt and bay leaves. Two Flatiron Pepper Company mixtures were added to the sauce: Hatch Valley Green and Dark and Smoky.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The beef pieces were first browned and then transferred to the slow cooker. The broth was then added covering the meat and slowly cooked for eight hours.
Each tortilla was fried and then the beef placed in each taco with freshly cut purple onions and shredded Monterey jack cheese. A side bowl with Birria sauce was for dipping!
One of our favorite and warm dishes as the evenings start to cool down with warmth and spiciness. The wine with its subdued fruit and earthiness was a great counterbalance for the dish. A very good food and wine pairing this evening.
Sláinte,
Michael
https://californiawinesandwineries.com
2015 Peter Michael ‘La Carrière’ Chardonnay – A Great Pairing With Blackened Salmon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
From their website: ‘La Carrière’, French for “The Quarry”, reflects the vineyard’s spoon shape and tremendously rocky soils. Situated between 1,200 and 1,700 feet (366 and 518 meters) above sea level on steep mountain slopes exceeding 40 percent in grade, the vineyard has ideal southern and southeastern exposures. The shallow, rocky soils provide excellent drainage with restricted fertility, resulting in lower fruit yields with profound richness and character. As stated by their marketing ‘La Carrière’ provides a signature complexity and liquid minerality from its mountainous origin”.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The winery produces other top-rated wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon blends, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc. Their winery is located in Knights Valley in Somona County.
The history of Sir Michael David is a great read on their website listed below.
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The 2015 Peter Michael La Carrière Chardonnay is a wine that can be aged like many top-shelf French Chardonnays. The deep and rich golden color was striking along with its minerality, almond, jasmine, lemon and pear notes. The intense creaminess was the hallmark of this wine coupled with a heavy viscosity. The finish provided jasmine and pear with a touch of butterscotch. Wine Advocate gave this wine 95-97 points. Currently online it is running around $170/bottle. It should be noted that this is one of the few American Chardonnay’s that is age worthy. I generally drink them 8-11 years after the vintage date.
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
The Friday Night Wine & Dine Group met last evening (Saturday) to enjoy some good food, wine, getting caught up and laughter! Ordered the blackened Salmon with lemon-butter sauce on the side, served over herb risotto, accompanied with sautéed fresh vegetables. Besides the fish being excellent, the risotto and vegetables were extremely tasty.
The Chardonnay provided a cooling down effect on the slight spiciness of the blackened Salmon. A beautiful and delicious food and wine pairing for the evening. Peter Michael consistently makes my Best Wines tasted during every year.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
We also enjoyed some other delicious wines this evening from Sonoma and Calaveras Counties with various dishes.
Sláinte,
Michael
https://californiawinesandwineries.com
2018 Ledson Winery Dry Creek Valley “October Moon Vineyard” Malbec – An Exceptional Treat With A Sensational Meal!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
I purchased this wine a few years ago at a visit with friends enjoying the day with the knowledgeable and engaging Jerry Padilla at Ledson Winery.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The wine has matured and developed sensationally during this time! First on the eyes a unique maroon purplish coloring with a medium viscosity. On the nose both cherries and violets arise wafting into the senses with a full expectation of wonderment. Once in the mouth, an assemblage of fruits of blackberries, raspberries combine with cocoa filling the palate with a voluptuous textual feel. The long and enjoyable finish concludes with a tinge of oak and the delightful cocoa rebounds. A truly unique and exciting treat this evening.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
This wine recently won Double Gold Medal at the 2025 Finger Lakes Wine Competition and scored 91 points/Gold Medal at the 2025 Sunset International Wine & Spirits Competition. The wine came in at 15.1% alcohol level. The wine goes for $48/bottle, and the current vintage is 2019.
This wine will make my annual Best Wines Tasted for 2025, in the $50 and less category! That list comes out mid-December.
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
Tonight’s meal was sensational on so many levels! First the marinating of a flank steak for 24 hours in a Chaka sauce. The meat was seared at 1500 degrees to a beautiful medium rare level and topped off with pieces of cilantro with a little lime juice for Carne Asada dish.
The second sensational portion was just before searing it was seasoned and pounded gently into the meat with a remarkable spice from Flatiron Pepper Company called Dark & Smoky BBQ Rub. This was the first time using this rub and is it now the defacto standard for BBQ-ing abandoning our normal spice rack concoction for BBQ-ing steaks! This rub contains chipotle, ancho, habanero, thyme, toasted onion, smoke ghost, roasted garlic and paprika! I usually don’t give endorsements on spices, but this is now the third one and have enjoyed all three (the other two being Hatch Valley Green and Dark & Smoky peppers).
Photo from Flatiron Pepper Co.
The third sensational portion of the dinner was the southwest-style black bean soup. The preparation and ingredients included tomato puree, black beans, corn, roasted red pepper, sea salt, dried cilantro, onion powder, a modicum of sugar, garlic powder and a few other items. That said, we took a short cut with a tasty option, which was to open a Progress Soup Southwest-Style Black Bean soup that was delicious!
Accompanying the meal was a Yukon Gold potato and a slice of fresh sourdough bread from a local bakery with Rosemary and Garlic. The entire meal had a smoky (Carne Asada, spices, soup) and southwest theme and with the complimentary Malbec wine with its fruits wrapping up the meal.
On a personal note, we both were amazed with the meal and talked extensively about the wine, the meat, the soup and the new BBQ spice. A great evening on so many levels.
The Winery
Photo from Ledson Winery Website
The Ledson story begins in England in 1896 and is detailed on the website https://ledson.com/discover-ledson/history/ . It is a tale of hard work, family ties and a desire to do more for the community. Steve Ledson’s history is both unique and common—unique with background and successful venture and common with family ties. His demeanor and casual manner speak volumes.
The Castle is the official tasting room of Ledson Winery, and the architecture and construction alone are worth the visit! Ledson Winery offers the largest premium wine portfolio of any family-owned winery in the United States. Today they offer more than 70 wines annually! More information on Ledson Winery can be found at:
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
2023 Lavender Ridge Roussanne – Venture Beyond Chardonnay!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The Winery
Picture from Lavender Ridge Vineyard Facebook
Lavender Ridge Vineyard tasting room is in the town of Murphys in the lower Sierra Nevada foothills. Lavender Ridge specializes in Rhone varietal wines. They include Cotes du Calaveras Blanc, Viognier, Roussanne, Rolle, Grenache Blanc, Grenache Rose, Grenache, Cotes du Calaveras, Mourvedre, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Alicante Bouschet, Vin Doux and Anniversaire Blanc. They also feature an artisan cheese selection that is unique and has something for just about everyone.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
To read more about Lavender Ridge, see three previous articles:
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Roussanne on the eyes is a light radiant and clear golden straw color with medium heavy viscosity. On the nose floral aromatics, hints of pear, apricots waft into the senses. On the palate, you are treated to a silky-smooth mouthful texture. The finish provides a soft nutty almond, compounded with a hint of honey and distinct minerality. This Roussanne is powerful with floral aromatics, with hints of peaches, pears and provided a rich and silky-smooth mouthful texture. The fullness of body, almost a creamy sense, is the key contributor making this a unique wine! Roussanne brings more acidity, elegance and aromatic complexities to the wine. Lavender Ridge Roussanne has consistently won awards at various wine competitions. Rich Gilpin, owner & winemaker, produces Roussanne as a standard varietal and a nice change up from Chardonnay! Today’s vintage is 2023 and it goes for $30/bottle. This wine has made my Annual Best Wines Tasted list for 6 years in a row. It will also make the list for 2025 for wines $50 and less!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
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
A new dish tonight called Crock Pot Honey Sesame Chicken. Decided to try Lavender Ridge Roussanne as an alternative white wine. The ingredients included chicken breasts being placed in the crock pot for 3 hours with black pepper, low-sodium soy sauce, tomato paste, honey, rice wine vinegar, minced garlic, grated ginger, sesame oil, water, sriracha, cornstarch, sesame seeds and scallion slices, for garnish. This was served over long and short grain rice. The savory and mildly spicy is an Asian inspired and balanced flavor profile for a weekday dinner.
While Chardonnay may have been the recommended wine, with the mouth-filling and flavorful Roussanne it was an exquisite treat this week
As a side note, my wife made a note on the recipe for next time to omit the tomato paste and rice wine vinegar and add more sriracha to boost the spiciness!
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
2022 Cuda Ridge Wines Merlot With Pork Chops and New Spices
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Background
Larry Dino, owner and winemaker at Cuda Ridge, was beyond excited at getting the news that his 2022 Merlot got mentioned as being one of the thirteen favorite Merlots from around the world. To be mentioned in an article featuring Merlot wines from Bordeaux, Tuscany, Napa Valley, Santa Maria Valley and Washington and some running up to $1,000 a bottle is some accomplishment and recognition.
Photo from Cuda Ridge Wines
The Wine – “Wine is bottled Poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo from https://film-grab.com/2013/11/21/sideways/
Paul Giamatti, the actor in the iconic movie “Sideways” playing the role as Miles and his disdain of Merlot almost killed this wondrous grape varietal in California. Even after two decades with Paul’s comments, Merlot is slowly recovering from his disparaging comments on the varietal. His classic comments ranging from “No, if anyone orders Merlot, I’m leaving” to “I am NOT drinking any ####### Merlot!” only begins to frame the movie.
Photo ©Michael Kelly with Pinot Noir grapes in background
A great book that just came out called “Sideways Uncorked” by Kirk and Mira Advani Honeycutt recaps the Merlot saga as well as the rise of Pinot Noir. Many did not understand the significance of the end of the movie with Miles saving a bottle of Chateau Cheval Blanc, a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc that he was saving for a special occasion! He ended the movie confirming his love of Merlot!!
The Wine – “Wine is bottled Poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
First on the eyes a deep purple and magenta color with a medium-heavy viscosity. This is no ordinary Merlot upon first glance! This would have made even Miles take pause and notice! Once the cork was popped, the strong aromas of plums and blackberries rushed into the senses hinting as what was to come! This mystery dark wine with beautiful aromas once in your mouth only begins to tell the story of this varietal by Cuda Ridge Wines. The dark plum flavor along with blackberries co-mingled happily like an Irish jig on the palate. On the palate, one is struck with the boldness, jammy (not sweet but texturally) and a chewy quality of the wine. On the finish, black pepper counterbalanced by a note of vanilla with subtle tannins in the background, provide an enduring conclusion to each sip.
The wine comes from the eastern portion of Livermore with the majority (90%) being Thatcher Bay vineyards where the cooling afternoon winds provide an overall warm climate. Larry adds 7% Smith Ranch vineyard Petit Verdot and 3% White Cat vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon to make this elegant wine. Barrel treatment is 90% French oak with 44% being new and 10% American oak barrels. The wine is in barrels for 19 months. Now the newsflash – it is listed at $40/bottle and comes in at 14% alcohol with only 220 cases produced.
This wine just made my annual Best Wines Tasted in 2025 for the quality and value in the category up to $51.
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
Adding to our wintertime “comfort foods” we decided on very thick pork chops tonight, approximately 2 ½” thick. First a spice rub coated the two pieces with ingredients of brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, sea salt, black pepper and chopped parsley. Tonight, two new spices from Flatiron Pepper Company were added to the rub mix; one being the Dark and Smokey (chipotle, ancho and habanero peppers) and Hatch Valley Green (Hatch green chili, jalapeno, habanero peppers). The characteristics of the spices are phenomenal with smokiness, sweet & savory tastes, citrus, intense heat and bright green chili flavor. The pork chops were first seared on the stove top and then baked in the oven.
Accompanied by sauteed asparagus, small red potatoes that were halved, then seasoned and roasted. A fresh garden salad was served with pepita seeds, cherry tomatoes, green onions and crumbled Blue cheese.
A winning combination of food and wine with its fruit, surrounded each bite of the spicy pork, cooling it down and it provided a great counterbalance to the dish.
The Winery
Photo ©Michael Kelly
There is a lot to be said about Cuda Ridge Wines in Livermore, California with Larry Dino as the winemaker and his wife Margie as chief wine taster. They produce Bordeaux style wines. The Cuda Ridge Wines tasting room is located at 2400 Arroyo Road in Livermore, California. Cuda Ridge Wines current production is approximately 2100 cases. They produce the following Bordeaux varietals: Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot and most recently their addition of Carménère. Always experimenting, Larry Dino also has produced non-Bordeaux style wines which are designated under their Black label, these wines include Sangiovese, New-World style Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc and others. Each varietal produced are small lots ranging from 100 – 450 cases. Cuda Ridge does extensive blending of varietals and strives for lower alcohol wines with intense complexity and character, traditional of the Bordeaux style wines.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
https://californiawinesandwineries.com
“Sideways Uncorked” by Kirk Honeycutt and Mira Advani Honeycutt
2023 Wood Family Chardonnay – A Great Vintage!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Background
Rhonda Wood has been producing awarded Chardonnay for at least 7 years in a row and before. I personally have enjoyed this wine extensively for the same amount of time. It has also won my Best Wines tasted during the year for the same amount of time. Over the last 7 years, as a testimony to her quality of Chardonnay, I have purchased 8-14 cases a year. What I also find interesting, while a thread of flavors are evident year to year, the nuances of the wine do change with the “terroir” of the year.
When one is consistent in a sport they are called All Star, consistent in horse racing they are known as a thoroughbred, consistent in car racing they are called a champion, etc. All those accolades and more are indeed worthy of Rhonda’s Chardonnay and several of her other wines.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
I have called in the past Wood Family Vineyards Chardonnay the “Utility Player of Wines” as it goes so well with so many dishes. In reviewing stories, I have written about this Chardonnay food pairings dishes have included: Asian chicken wraps, swordfish, seared Ahi tuna, baked stuff chicken, stir fried chicken with Bok Choy, baked butterflied chicken with Swiss cheese, blackened Mahi Mahi, Tempura chicken with noodles, shrimp Pad Thai, Firecracker chicken, seared scallops and many more dishes.
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
First on the eyes a bright and deep golden color. Swirling the wine in the glass, you immediately see the thick and rich texture of this creamy wine. On the nose when cold, a slight lime note wafted in the senses, but as it warmed up, green apple and a tinge of green tea were present. On the palate most notable was the weightiness of the wine in the mouth. Honeydew melon was the dominant flavor with both buttery brioche dough and soft lemon zest and almond coming to the party. Also, on the finish a fresh star fruit quality was present. This year the butter scotch finish was not as pronounced, yet the wine encapsulated the mouth with a spring freshness.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The 2023 comes from two vineyards with 70% being Wisner and 30% being from Kalthoff Common area. These two are on opposite sides of Livermore. Barrel treatment was 100% French oak with 32.5% being new, 30% being once used and the balance being neutral. The wine was aged 9 months, and 900 cases were produced. The lees were stirred once every two weeks for five months. It sells for $36/bottle and comes in just slightly higher alcohol than 2022 at 14.6%.
The 2022 Wood Family Vineyards Chardonnay won Double Gold at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.
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
A bit of a gamble this evening, pairing the wine with chicken stir fry with Udon noodles. Ingredients included broccoli and topped with slices of green onions. I was a bit concerned that the Udon spicy sauce would be too much for the Chardonnay. The Wood Chardonnay was a perfect match for the food. The honeydew melon, along with the lemon zest and brioche in the wine was both simpatico and a little polarizing, to make each bite delightful. Just added one more dish to the mix for this lovely Wood Family Chardonnay!
The Winery
Photo from Wood Family Vineyards
Wood Family Vineyards, located in eastern Livermore Valley with Rhonda Wood owner & winemaker, has been producing award winning wines for over two decades. You can read more on her background from airline pilot to award winning winemaker at:
https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2016/02/10/wood-family-vineyards-2
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
Branding Iron Saloon & Restaurant – Friendly Atmosphere and Delicious Food
Photo © Branding Iron Saloon
This story was not one that was intended to be written. Perhaps not the opening line to draw a reader in, but a story I was compelled to write about. Let me begin.
Friday night we went to dinner with a couple we have known for almost 50 years. He suggested a new restaurant. We had known about the restaurant but being in Murphys, California, about 25 minutes from Copperopolis, we hadn’t visited. He had volunteered to drive, so off we departed to Branding Iron Saloon & Restaurant to try out this new establishment opened on August 31, 2025.
Photo © Branding Iron Saloon
The owners, Jenn and Craig Baldi, previously owners of an establishment in the Town Square in Copperopolis and unfortunately for Copperopolis, they departed and created the restaurant at 75 Big Trees Road in Murphys. One of their goals in establishing Branding Iron Saloon & Restaurant is to have a “Ranch to Table” motif. Their mission is to celebrate the bounty of Calaveras County, both the ranchers and farmers. By having the freshest ingredients, they can provide some of the most delicious foods.
Now back to the reason for this “non-story”. Brought a nice bottle of wine to have with dinner and share with our good friends fully intending not to write a story. However, when we met the waitress, from their previous restaurant, ran into Jenn, it felt a bit like old home week. A friendly and welcoming reception.
When hearing about the specials and their incredible listing of steaks, we made our selections. One had their fish tacos, known at their previous restaurant, another chose the steak and lobster, and my wife and I selected the eight-ounce filet mignon. As you can see from the only picture taken, it must have been 10 ounces before cooking. I could not finish the meal! It also came with a house salad with choice of dressing, a side of steak fries and freshly baked and warm rolls.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
What compelled this “self-written” story are some of the key trademarks of a first-class restaurant:
- A warm and friendly welcome upon entering
- Attentive and friendly wait staff service
- Menu with a variety of options and daily specials
- The meal served warm, promptly and as specified
- The quality and taste of the meal meeting the expectations of the guests.
They hit five out of 5 for 100%. What was a wonderful surprise is that the dishes all came out at the same time and the steaks were sizzling on the plate when served. Speaking for myself the filet mignon steak was equal or better to any steak I have eaten in the past from well-known houses like House of Prime Rib (San Francisco), Flemings Steak House (Tucson), Ruth Chris Steak House (Las Vegas), Abe & Louie’s Steakhouse, Smith-Wollensky Steakhouse (Boston) Three Forks Steakhouse (Dallas) etc.
With hitting all the high marks of an excellent restaurant, this story “wrote itself” and I was simply compelled to type a few words. A wonderful venue, a nice bottle of wine, excellent food and company this evening and Branding Iron & Restaurant is a place worthy of a short or even a longer drive. I can hardly wait for our next visit!
Sláinte,
Michael
https://californiawinesandwineries.com
https://murphysbrandingironsaloon.com
P.S. for a story on the 2010 Trespass Vineyard Escapade, I wrote a story on a previous bottle enjoyed about two weeks previously: https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2025/10/08/2010-trespass-vineyard-escapade-continues-to-impress/
2023 CULMINATION Cabernet Franc a Cut Above and for Discerning Cab Franc Drinkers!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Background
The word culmination is defined by the “end point or final stage of something you’ve been working toward or something that’s been building up”. Synonyms are apex, climax, peak, pinnacle, summit or zenith. Wood Family Vineyards, having made dozens upon dozens of award-winning wines, decided to launch a second label in 2024. The second label is the culmination of intense understanding of the vineyard management, grape harvesting, production techniques, barrel choices and wines their customers desired. Simply stated the culmination of decades of intense knowledge and experience was more than appropriate to call the new label CULMINATION!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
So why this new label and offering? Often a second label is the function of selecting grapes from a particular row in the vineyard, special barrels, pricing profiling or aging considerations. From conversations with Harrison Wood VP and Rhonda Wood the winemaker, the second label is much more than augmenting their current production. The CULMINATION label is reserved for a complete selection process and techniques producing some of the same varieties they produce at Wood Family Vineyards with extraordinary attention to detail. For example, their Wood Family Vineyards award-winning Cabernet Franc (Gold Medal, Double Gold Medals, etc.) come 100% from the One Oak Vineyard.
The previous CULMINATION Cabernet Franc came from two different vineyards. This year all the grapes were harvested from their estate vineyard.
Their intention is to introduce an elevated experience beyond their current offering and tasting room enjoyment. The CULMINATION wines will be targeted at wine connoisseurs and those wanting a more intimate experience with possible food pairings like their sunset dinners with CULMINATION WINES this year, called the CULMINATION Experience in the vineyard that was recently held.
The Wine – “Wine is bottled Poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
As mentioned earlier, this wine is from their estate vineyard in Livermore. 82% came from their original vineyard One Oak and the remaining 18% came from their second planting on their estate. The 2023 Cabernet Franc provides a truly remarkable flavor profile of Old-World verses California Cabernet Franc meeting. Many California Cabernet Franc wines are dark, robust, bold and earthy. French Cabernet Franc wines are typically elegant with softer, silker tannins. CULMINATION Cabernet Franc pulls these two contrasting flavor profiles and presents them united in the same bottle. A great analogy for this wine is a gymnast on a balance beam requiring both grace and strength in a routine.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
On the eyes the core center of the glass being an enticing dark color and medium viscosity. On the nose, violets and dark fruits waft into the senses. I did notice that having left it open for an hour, more aromas were present. On the palate, here the gymnast analogy comes into play with not brutish force stating “take notice of me” but underlying structure and finesse coming into play. Dark fruit of raspberries and blackberries with a tinge of blueberries developed a full and complete play in the mouth. The finish was intriguing with initially soft and rounded tannins then developing into robust and stately tannins. There was also a flinty and minerality presence at the conclusion. The wine really is a food companion wine with its strong tannins. This wine is for serious and discerning imbibers of Cabernet Franc. This is your California Cabernet Franc without training wheels!
At the 6th Annual International Cabernet Franc Competition, their initial 2022 CULMINATION Cabernet Franc took a Gold Medal from the Professional Judges.
For the 2023 Culmination Cabernet Franc only 150 cases were produced. It is scheduled to be released in December 2025 at $80/bottle and at 14% alcohol.
The barrel treatment was 32% new French oak and most of the balance used French oak. It was aged in barrels for 19 months. One of the unique characteristics of this wine will be its ability to be aged 10-15 years in my opinion.
This wine just made my annual list of Best Wines Tasted for 2025 with its fruit and robust tannins hitting my precise target!
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 seared and BBQ’ed filet mignons to medium rare and topped with Blue Cheese, butter and chive dollop. Accompanied by sliced Russet potato wedges, seasoned and baked with Parmesan cheese. Also sauteed mushrooms and steamed broccoli. The food and wine pairing were excellent with the full dark fruit of the wine enveloping the meat and tannins cutting through the rich meat. The strong tannins stood up to the meat and the mushrooms enhanced the earthiness; a key characteristic found in Cabernet Franc.
I look forward to tasting it again at the formal release in December 2025.
Sláinte,
Michael
2019 Brick Barn Estate “Fatalist” Cabernet Franc – A Real Treat This Week
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Background
This wine won so many awards at the 5th Annual International Cabernet Franc (2024) it was remarkable! First, they won Best of Category ($101 and up) as well as Double Gold Medals by the Professional Judges. The People’s Choice Judges also awarded it Double Gold Medals, Best of Category, Best of Show for California Cabernet Franc wines and Grand Sweepstakes for all divisions. While Brick Barn had submitted in prior competitions with their regular Cabernet Franc winning many awards, this is truly a remarkable feat for this first-time entry of Fatalist Cabernet Franc!!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Santa Ynez Valley AVA
Map from https://carrwinery.com/
The AVA is unique to California as it is a long, east-west valley with both cool and warm climates. This allows for a range of varieties to be grown from Pinot Noir closer to the ocean breezes/fog to Cabernet Franc/Sauvignon to the eastern regions. Many Rhone grape varietals also have thrived in this versatile appellation such as Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Roussanne and Viognier.
The Winery
Norman and Kathleen Williams started with a vision for his 40 acres acquired in 1968. Today the property, Buell Ranch, has expanded to 1,060 acres with 35 acres planted in vineyards. Their inaugural wines were produced from the 2015 vintage, and they opened the tasting room in 2018. For a “more recent winery” they have garnered a real presence in Santa Ynez Valley.
Their “terroir” is unique being between the Pacific Ocean (only 10 miles away) and the warmer inland valley. This allows both the cool marine elements of morning fog and breezes to co-mingle with the warmth of the summer months. The net effect is ripening steadily and closing down for evening, producing great natural acidity and layers of structure/complexity for the grapes.
Picture from Brick Barn Estate Winery
The winemaker is Adrian Bolshoi who upholds the vineyards “non-invasive farming practices” that allow the vineyards to speak for and show their distinct personalities. Thus, minimal interventions are the hallmark of their wines. They use a variety of vessels in the making of their wines, including neutral oak barrels, new oak barrels, oak puncheons, stainless steel, and concrete. The reason being to highlight each wine’s fermentation process, which expresses the varietals full characteristics.
Today their award-winning white wines include Chardonnay (various), Albariño, Sauvignon Blanc, Vermentino and Viognier. Their red wines include Cabernet Franc (& a Reserve), Grenache, Pinot Noir (various), Rhone Blend and Syrah. Additionally, they produce their Fatalist label featuring the finest barrels and tedious management and craftsmanship. Those wines in the Fatalist lineup include Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah.
For both the standard and Fatalist offerings the awards are too numerous to list and can be found at:
https://www.brickbarnwineestate.com/wines/accolades/
“Fatalistic” can be conjectured as an odd name, but indeed it comes from the word “fate”. The meaning of fate from Oxford Dictionary “is the development of events beyond a person’s control, regarded as determined by a supernatural power”. Fatalistic is someone who shows a belief in fate and feels they cannot control events or stop them happening. While the vineyards may help the quality of the grapes determined by their location, I do think Adrian Bolshoi plays a major role in the outcome of this wine as winemaker! So perhaps “pseudo-Fatalistic” would more aptly describe this wine?
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
They first introduced the Fatalist Cabernet Franc with their 2017 vintage. The 2019 is now their second release. First on the eyes a deep royal purple and maroon coloring and medium-heavy viscosity. On the nose dark cherry and then bursts into the olfactory senses with floral aromas of violets and fresh roses quickly following. On the palate upon the first sip, the dark cherries spring forth with an appropriate amount of fruit, cedar and a faint vanilla pipe tobacco and rhubarb. The finish provides stately pedigree tannins but come across with a velvety presence. The result being an extremely smooth and balanced wine! Perhaps one of the most graceful finishes from recent memory.
Only two barrels of this exquisite wine were produced using Russian oak. It is listed at $180/bottle and comes in a remarkable low 13.6% alcohol content for such a big and bold flavor. This wine will make my annual list of Best Wines Tasted for 2025 (out in December).
The 2020 vintage is their current release.
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 marinated Tri tip steak for twelve hours in Chaka then seared and BBQ’ed to medium. The steak was also seasoned before BBQ-ing with Flatiron Pepper Company’s Dark and Smoky spice combining Chipotle, Ancho and Habanero flakes. Accompanied by halved small seasoned and roasted potatoes and a fresh garden salad with bacon, cherry tomatoes and green onions. A wonderful food and wine pairing this week!
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly