Month: November 2025
Two Dracaena Wines Cabernet Franc’s – 2019 Classic and 2021 Reserve, Both Are Winners!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Background
It is often stated that “success doesn’t come from what you do occasionally, it comes from what you do consistently”. No truer words sum up what Dracaena Cabernet Franc has done over the last ten years! Seven years ago, at the first International Cabernet Franc Wine Competition, Dracaena won Best of Show (overall) with the Professional Judges. They have consistently won awards every year since and we are now beginning the 7th Annual event. In addition, they have won Gold, Double Gold at SF Chronicle, 93 points by Decanter, won top 30 picks of wines from Paso Robles and too many others to list here.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Michael & Lori Budd were the force behind getting December 4th on the calendar as International Cabernet Franc Day. Lori, besides having a food science background and a graduate degree from UC Davis in the winemaking program, is a published author, award winning blog writer and podcast producer/host for Exploring the Wine Glass.
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The 2019 Classic wine came from the Plummer Vineyard in San Luis Obispo County. and it is described as filled with “aromas described as spice and plum. The long finish is framed by structure tannins”. A key point not to be lost is that this wine winning awards at the International Cabernet Franc Wine Competition comes from judges all from the northern California region. It shows the quality of their product and the impartiality of the judges. Ditto for the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition with judges from various regions. Competitions are blind tastings so truly their wines stand out!
The wine possessed a beautiful dark chocolate on the finish and solid defined tannins. The 2019 Classic had eight percent Petit Verdot providing both great coloring and body to the wine. The current Classic vintage is 2023 and goes for $42/bottle.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The 2021 Reserve is 100% Cabernet Franc from the Plummer Vineyard. This wine fills the olfactory senses with dark fruits from the first smell. What follows are black cherry and dark chocolate. The finish is softer and mellower than the Classic but providing enormous mouth filling enjoyment. The current vintage is the 2023 Metz Vineyard Reserve and is priced at $55/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
Paired this evening with seasoned and seared ribeye steak. Seasoned with applewood salt, mesquite seasoning, Woodfired garlic seasoning and Flatiron Pepper Company Hatch Valley Green (Hatch Green Chile, Jalapeno and Habanero peppers). Seared at 1500 degrees and served medium rare. Accompanied by fresh sauteed green beans and short and long brown rice (not shown).
A beautiful food and wine pairing. The 2019 Classic Dracaena Cabernet Franc with its stronger tannins interacted with the meat to soften the fat for a smooth flavor. The fruit of 2019 also helped in surrounding some of the heat from the spices.
The Winery
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Dracaena Wines is in Paso Robles with a tasting room located at 1244 Pine Street Suite 101B, in downtown Paso Robles. This is a dog friendly and comfortable setting to sip and interact with Lori and/or Mike on their wines. They currently produce, besides their two Cabernet Franc wines, Chenin Blanc, Rosé, Picpoul, Blanc de Franc and Cinnabari (a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cab Franc and 5% Merlot). I have tasted all but the Picpoul and each of the wines are delicious and solid representation of the varietal or blend.
A portion of their tasting room in Paso Robles Photo ©Michael Kelly
Previously I wrote a story comparing Dracaena Wines as a David verses Goliath story as a small winery making a big mark in the industry.
https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2020/01/14/dracaena-wines-a-david-verses-goliath-story/
This small boutique winery is definitely getting noticed besides their Cabernet Franc awards, they have also won at the 2022 Los Angeles Invitational Wine and Spirits Challenge a Gold Medal and Best of Show for their Chenin Blanc.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
2024 Starfield Vineyards Marsanne – Light and Refreshing
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Background on Marsanne
In the final 2024 Grape Crush Report for California by the USDA, it shows over one third of the total white wine grapes crushed being Chardonnay. Marsanne coming in at .00088% of the white wine grapes crushed by tonnage at 1,234 tons. The largest harvest for Marsanne, with almost 70%, came from Madera, Fresno and surrounding central valley counties. These grapes from the Sierra foothill counties were very small.
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
This wine as seen in the picture is a very light and clear color wine with a medium viscosity. On the nose faint hints of stone fruits and floral notes of honeysuckle. On the palate a delicate vanilla and almond flavors bounced side to side in the mouth. The finish was a bit abbreviated with a slight sweet and savory note mixed with minerality.
The wine is made with 95% Marsanne and 5% Roussane coming in at 12.9% alcohol. Only 72 cases were produced.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The other note on the finish was the “Sierra Spice” which Starfield Vineyards describes as being its sense of place amongst the trees on the property of “Ponderosa Pine, Cedar, Douglas Fir and combined with the mountain air of resin, bark and needles” from the trees. They sent me a test tube to inhale the aromatics:
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 special swordfish at Verona18 Restaurant with swordfish being in season. It was marinated overnight in a Mediterranean rub of fresh oregano, thyme, rosemary, basil and olive oil.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The dessert was a fabulous cheesecake with a black and blue berry compote!
Note: this wine was so light and delicate the food pairing must be very well thought out in advance. While the swordfish was a good choice and another at the table had a chicken entrée that was good, it was limited to those two dishes this evening.
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 names of the wines, especially their new labels starting with the 2023 vintages, highlight the history of the 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.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
https://californiawinesandwineries.com
2008 O’Shaughnessy Estate Winery, Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon – A Special Wine
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Irish eyes are smiling brightly when you taste this aged to perfection Cabernet Sauvignon from Mount Veeder AVA by O’Shaughnessy Winery.
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
This wine came up in “my to drink list” for 2025. After tasting it last evening this could easily go another five years. Parker also mentioned it will age 25+ years! Rated 98 points by Robert Parker and has been aging in the cellar for 14 years! Searching on the internet average price today appears to be $149/bottle. Today’s current vintage at the winery is their 2021 and is allocated at $160/bottle.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
First on the eyes striking combination of inky purple and dark crimson coloring. Viscosity was medium-heavy. Once the cork was popped it took a while for the flavors to “open up” and express their pedigree after so many years of hibernation. Once opened, fresh blackberries and smooth blueberries filled the olfactory senses. On the palate, the dark fruits combined to make a robust compote of pure fruit. Full bodied possessing strong enjoyable tannins without any pointiness. The finish concluded being opulent and richly rewarding.
This wine will make my annual Best Wines Tasted Listing for 2025 (list comes out December for each year).
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
With a break in the weather, the BBQ was fired up for filet mignon steaks this evening. Seasoned with applewood smoke salt and Flatiron BBQ Rub was pounded in the steak on both sides. This rub contains chipotle, ancho, habanero, thyme, toasted onion, smoke ghost peppers, roasted garlic and paprika!
Seared at 1500 degrees and served medium rare. Accompanied by a Russett potato and my favorite salad of iceberg lettuce, fresh bacon pieces, halved cherry tomatoes, green onions and crumbled Point Reyes Blue cheese.
Absolutely a delicious and memorable food and wine pairing this evening!
The Winery
Photo from O’Shaughnessy website
Located on Howell Mountain with acres of vineyards planted on the hillsides. The wine cave is perhaps one of the best in Napa with their infinity loop design. They also have acreage on Mount Veeder and have produced exceptional wines for decades. Currently producing Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and the Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon.
Photo from O’Shaughnessy website
The owners Betty O’Shaughnessy and Paul Woolls have held the highest standard of quality and customer service for years. This was set as the standard hallmark of their entire staff, including Sean Capiaux the winemaker and Alan Pierson, vineyard manager. Initially we all met while being a wine club member for many years.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
https://californiawinesandwineries.com
Posterity Ciderworks – Part II of the Story!
Background
Photo ©Michael Kelly
This is Part II of the visit to Posterity Ciderworks operation in Mokelumne Hill, California. Part I dealt primarily with the apple cider industry, apple cider history, similarities to winemaking and cider’s growth as an alternative alcoholic beverage. The Part One website link with these topics can be found at: https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2025/11/13/posterity-ciderworks-an-extraordinary-education/
Part II incorporates a portion of the three hours I spent with Brendan Barnard, co-owner and cider maker. Having spent this time with Brendan, whom I call “Master Appleman”, this story is more focused on their operation and offering than the industry and history covered in Part I.
The Beginning of Posterity Ciderworks
Brendan and his wife, like many beginnings, apple & apple cider started out as a hobby. They were living on the San Francisco peninsula and working in high tech. They had rented a house and in the backyard were many old apple trees still producing fruit. And as Brendan eloquently stated they could only make so much applesauce for them and their friends. The idea of making fermented apple cider began to take hold. Admittedly Brendan could hardly stomach their first batches, but this led to further his education on the subject. A few years later they purchased property in Calaveras County and took up cider production full-time.
They were drawn to the market for many reasons including the taste, trying something new and exciting, joining an industry that is CAGR of 5%, offering alternative healthier beverages with little or no residual sugars, and generally much lower alcohol levels.
Posterity Today
There are many parallels to winemaking with taking the fruit (apples), squeezing the fruit for juice, fermentation and aging. The differences are the time of fermentation of cider is typically 8-14 months with a few batches taking 22 months. The apples are first ground up to smaller pieces before being pressed as seen in this picture:
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Other similarities include aging in stainless steel barrels, American oak barrels, used wine barrels and even French oak barrels.
One of Posterity Ciderworks key differences are that no sulfites are added, and no refining or filtering is done on the cider. With some 16,350 varieties of apples identified in North America, Brendan spends a lot time finding heirloom orchards throughout the Sierra foothills, some established just after the gold rush. One of the more fascinating portions of our conversation was that many people are hard pressed to name more than a dozen and most local markets only carry 4-6 varieties. As an aside, since this conversation with Brendan, when visiting three supermarkets recently, I have gone to the fruit area and have noticed only 4-6 apples being offered. These are mass produced, can survive shipping/transportation, most cost effective and keep freshest the longest. Not necessarily the best tasting apples.
Here is a bin of Arkansas Black apples waiting to be processed. This is the only single varietal apple cider that Posterity Ciderworks produces. It also happens to be Brendan’s favorite! I was given one to take home and it was delicious and one of the “meatiest” apples I have tasted. Many cider producers do have single varietal ciders especially where they use their own commercial orchards. Posterity Ciderworks had sold out of their last batch, so I was not able to taste it.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
On their property several rows of vineyards were there from a previous tenant. With some of their ciders a small portion of grape juice is added to enhance or augment the apple juice.
The first apple cider tasted is called Confidence with fresh acidity made with wild apples with about 30 varieties. Brendan stated he likes to make this the first introduction of fermented apple cider to wine drinkers.
One of my favorites, which I did purchase two bottles was the “Here’s to the Good Ones”. I purchased it for three reasons: having a couple of friends with diabetes, this cider has no residual sugar! Secondly the alcohol levels were a bit higher than their norma 6% range, but still low at 10%, lower than wine and spirits. The third reason for the purchase was the flavor profile being made with 45-50 apple varieties providing a crisp and refreshing mouth feeling like a Vermentino or Sauvignon Blanc (without the citrus qualities).
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Here are a few of the others with a brief description. While we tasted through various ciders and two meads, as a serious wine aficionado, I did find about half to my “wine trained palate” very alluring and tasty.
Marriage Tree – Posterity Ciderworks description: “Aged lovingly on new American oak for 18 months. Bright crisp fruit and smooth rich oak, lightened by delicate bubbles”.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Call of the Rainbow Quail – Posterity Ciderworks description: “This sparkling Rosé of apples and dry farmed, spray free Cinsault grapes spent 24 months in barrel and is perfect for a charcuterie board with rich creamy cheeses & butters”.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Cherry / Chrysanthemum Sparkling Cider – Posterity Ciderworks description: “Paired with no-spray cherries and foraged apples, this cider is a balanced sparkling medley. Ingredients: apples, cherries, chrysanthemums, yeast. Tasting notes: dried cherries, dark chocolate, cedar, subtle herbs”. This was aged 16 months in Petite Sirah oak barrels.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Aurora Cider – Posterity Ciderworks description: “This 2024 vintage has a character like a fine dry sherry. The experimental 2021 vintage was exclusively served by the glass in our tasting room; the 2022, and 2023 graced the dining rooms of 1-, 2-, and 3-star Michelin restaurants, and we’re pleased to be able to offer the 2024 vintage to you now! Notes: orange peel, cardamom, saffron, rose hip, hazelnut, dried fig”.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Nova Sparkling Cider – Posterity Ciderworks description: “Notes: crème brûlée character of caramelized sugars, vanilla & sweet almond. Crisp yet subtle bubbles bring out gorgeous aromas. Long sweet finish — think demi-sec champagne or Sauternes. Supernovae are rare events in the sky, dramatic explosions of light that are unique and intense. What better name for the bottle you hold in your hands? This single varietal sparkling cider was made with pure crab apples and wild yeast, then allowed to age on lees for a year before bottling. You may never see it again, but for now it’s intense and alluring”.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
One or two mead wines were also sampled. Some quick background that mead is the oldest known fermented drink in existence. It was from when honey combined with rainwater and fermented with airborne yeast. Later spices and scents were also added for flavor and medicinal purposes. It was known as the “nectar of the gods” and featured in myths and rituals from Europe, Africa and China from 10,000 – 20,000 and years ago! A brief history can be found on mead at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mead
I introduced “Here’s to the Good Ones” sparkling cider to our Friday Night Wine & Dine Group with the ten folks voting with thumbs up, neutral or thumbs down at a local restaurant. We also had the Director of Food & Beverage present who also voted. The results for a group of “Baby Boomers with a wine slant” were surprisingly better than expected with five giving a thumbs up, five being neutral and one with a thumbs down.
In conclusion, Brendan and his wife Kris took a hobby/interest and now their Posterity Ciderworks are being served at one-, two- and three-star Michelin restaurants! Posterity Ciderworks is worthwhile in understanding how a small but significant portion of the fermented apple cider is made, offered and tastes like. A part of the puzzle generally not known but intriguing and informative. I know I will return to purchasing fermented apple cider soon!
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
2023 Starfield Vineyards “Hope Rising” a White Wine Blend of Marsanne and Roussanne
Note it should state 2024 vintage!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Background on Marsanne & Roussanne Grapes
This has long been one of my favorite white wine blends. When given a chance to review this wine, I was excited to taste it. Marsanne originated in the northern Rhône Valley of France, likely named after the village of Marsanne. Thomas Jefferson called it “the first wine in the world” when blended with Roussanne.
Roussanne came also from the Rhône Valley of France, likely between Lyon and Valence, and was first documented in 1781. Roussanne besides being blended with Marsanne, is one of the six white grapes allowed to be used in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Roussanne was reintroduced to California in the 1980’s after many early plantings were lost to phylloxera and Prohibition period.
In the final 2024 Grape Crush Report for California by the USDA, it shows over one third of the white wine grapes crushed being Chardonnay. Roussanne represented only .00045% of the total tonnage crushed and Marsanne being slightly higher at .00088%. The actual tonnage for Roussanne and Marsanne were 637 and 1,234 tons respectively. The largest harvest for Roussanne came from San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties with over 33%. The largest harvest for Marsanne, with almost 70%, came from Madera, Fresno and surrounding central valley counties. These grapes from the Sierra foothill counties were very small. This also got my attention to try this wine!
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The wine being a blend highlighted the key characteristics of both wines. The classic blend has a complex flavor with stone fruit (peach & apricot), floral hints and a spicy nutty quality. They are generally dry and have a full-bodied texture, often referred to as having a waxy trait. The blend is 45% Marsanne, 45% Roussanne and with 10% being Viognier. Viognier in small doses is added to enhance the aromatics (floral characteristics) and provides a richer, silkier texture and full body to the blend.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
This wine provided on the eyes a light straw coloring which was just one of two surprises this evening for this wine. Visually seeing this pale coloring and then being “blow away” with the perfume or aromatics of honeysuckle was a nice surprise. The second surprise was on the viscosity of the wine being medium whereas many wines of similar blends were more on the medium-heavy side. Once on the palate the stone fruits specifically peach, tangerine and honeydew provided a large mouth filling and heavy weighted sipping experience. The finish was soft and embracing with smoothness and gentle with a faint hint of the “waxy characteristic”. The other note on the finish was the “Sierra Spice” which Starfield Vineyards describes as being its sense of place amongst the trees on the property of “Ponderosa Pine, Cedar, Douglas Fir and combined with the mountain air of resin, bark and needles” from the trees. They sent me a test tube to inhale the aromatics:
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Hope Rising is named after a gold mine near the Starfield Vineyards. This is their new label capturing the Sierra Spice with the trees and the beauty of the night sky from the vineyard. When the wine is released, it is expected to be $36/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
Paired this evening with one of our favorite meals, Swiss Cheese Chicken.
Our usual pairing is a nice Chardonnay and was extremely pleased with the Marsanne/Roussane blend as an alternative. The blend worked wonderfully with savory flavors of the meal and the creaminess of the melted cheese. The nuttiness of the Swiss cheese was only enhanced and complemented the wine. The smoothness of the wine harmonized with the butter and cheese used in the preparation of the dish.
The Swiss cheese chicken recipe includes pieces of chicken breasts cut in half, layered with Swiss cheese, cream of chicken soup, white wine, crumbled croutons, and topped with melted unsalted butter then baked for an hour. Accompanied by rice and steamed broccoli. The buttery aspect of the meal was wonderfully aligned with this wine. A very good food and wine pairing.
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 names 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.
Sláinte,
Michael
2021 Smith-Madrone Vineyards Riesling – Perfection of a Varietal
Photo from Wikipedia & Lamborghini
This picture of a Lamborghini Revuelto may seem a bit off to start a wine story, yet the quality, elegance, craftmanship and rarity of this car is tantamount to the 2021 Smith-Madrone Riesling. And as a bonus the wine cost $40/bottle as opposed to a starting cost of $612,858!
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
A quick background on Riesling shows it is the 20th most grown variety and in “terms of importance for quality wines, it is usually included in the “top three” white wine varieties together with Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc planted worldwide” per Wikipedia. Riesling is adaptable to grow in both warm and cool climates with the flavors varying per temperature respectively of citrus and peach notes for warm, apple and tree fruit for cooler temperature regions.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
In the California Dept of Food & Agriculture Grape Crush white wine harvest in 2024 was 1,401,048 tons. The top four wines by tonnage were Chardonnay, French Colombard, Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc representing 80% of the harvest tonnage. Riesling did not show up as a separate category in 2024! Why? Perhaps it is the “bum rap” that Riesling wines are “sweet”? This is the furthest from the truth with Smith-Madrone with residual sugar coming in at .021%.
The 2021 Riesling is extremely aromatic with floral notes and green apple on the nose. The aromatics were so intense they hit the olfactory senses after the cork was popped, and I was carrying the bottle to the table! A deeper golden yellow color than previous vintages with medium viscosity. On the palate, hints of lemon zest, mixed with stone fruits (white peach and apricots) tame the secondary flavors of lime citrus. A modicum of beeswax making it extremely mouth filling can be found. On the finish, the minerality comes through strong and pure from either the volcanic soil, or sandstone, limestone or the general rocky soil found on the property. The minerality and acidity is counterbalanced with the delicious fruit bounty. Coming in at 13.2% alcohol, Smith-Madrone Vineyards produced 1,258 cases. The current release is their 2021 and listed on their website for $40/bottle.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
This vintage will make my annual Best Wines Tasted during the calendar year. This list is reserved for approximately 2-3% of the roughly 1800 wines tasted annually. It should be noted that Smith-Madrone Riesling has made this list for the last five years with various vintages!
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
Duck, Pork, Bacon, Chicken, Shrimp, and Crab are suggested foods for Riesling. Previously the 2019 vintage of Riesling was paired with one of my favorite dishes, chicken Pad Thai. This evening the dish was lemon garlic and shrimp pasta. It was prepared with fettuccine pasta and jumbo shrimp. Ingredients included olive oil, unsalted butter, minced garlic, Himalayan sea salt, black pepper, dried oregano, baby spinach, Parmesan cheese, chopped parsley and lemon juice. The meal was accompanied by a fresh Cesar salad.
Rather than add typical red chili flakes, substituted Flatiron Pepper Company Calabrian Chile Pepper.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Calabrian chile peppers are from Calabria, Italy and are vibrant and spicy. Known for being moderately spicy and yet bright and with a fruit undertone. Calabrian chiles are often preserved in oil which tends to mellow out their heat a bit, adding a noted “kick” without overwhelming the dish. This was the first time using this sample packet with seafood and now I am convinced of the value of these flavorful chile flakes. These Chile flakes come from New Mexico and are spelled with an “e”!
Riesling, especially a dry one, is excellent with light and just slightly spicy pasta. The wine with its acidity and fruit, both complement and counterbalance the natural sweetness of the shrimp and cut through the butter and garlic. The acidity in the Riesling brightens the meal and refreshes the palate. The fruit notes (lemon, lime, stone fruits) enhance the flavors of the shrimp. The fruits also provided a refreshing and noted contrast with the red pepper flakes.
This was an excellent food and wine pairing this evening!
The Winery
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Smith-Madrone Vineyards are 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.
On the left Stuart and Charles on the right Photo ©Michael Kelly
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).
Sláinte,
Michael
2013 Outpost Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, 2020 JUSTIN Vineyards and Winery Isosceles Reserve and Posterity Ciderworks “Here’s to the Good Ones” Sparkling Cider
Background
Invited a couple over for dinner and brought out a new “wine” (cider) to start the evening off. I had double decanted and filtered the 2013 Outpost Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon in advance. Our guests brought over a lovely bottle of 2020 Justin Isosceles Reserve for dinner. All three were excellent and from my perspective all the wines were perfect for the evening.
The Wineries
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Posterity Ciderworks – The fermented cider market, in stark contrast to the shrinking wine industry/consumption, is growing at a compound annual growth rate of 4.2% to over 6.5%. The worldwide market for cider is $16.38 billion dollars. Europe is the largest market followed by Asia Pacific region as the fastest growing from China and Australia demand. The US market size is estimated at $5.15 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach $6.86 billion by 2030 for a CAGR of 5%. The wine industry in the US in 2025 is estimated at $109 billion. Comparatively, alcoholic cider sales are 4.7% of the fermented wine market. Key factors in the growth for the cider market are the consumer preferences towards a healthier drink alternative; craft style implementation and lower alcohol levels compared to wine and spirits. Also, many ciders are sweet, but Posterity Ciderworks do not add sugars or back sweeteners which result in having low or zero residual sugars for their ciders.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Additional factors like rising costs of “fine wine” and the next younger generations are “less brand loyal” than previous generations. Other concerns are the elitist or out of touch image/reputation of the wine industry relating to younger wine drinkers and demographic changes with Baby Boomers aging slowing their consumption. More at: https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2025/11/13/posterity-ciderworks-an-extraordinary-education/
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Outpost Wines – Under years of leadership of Frank & Kathy Dotzler was sold July 23, 2018. Located at 2200-foot elevation in Angwin on Howell Mountain (east side of Napa Valley). They being AXA Millésimes, the division of the large French insurance company. They own wineries in Bordeaux, Burgundy, Portugal and Hungary. Those wineries include Chateau Pichon-Longueville Baron in Bordeaux, Domaine de l’Arlot in Burgundy, Quinta do Noval in Portugal’s Douro Valley and Disznókő in Hungary.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Previously I visited the winery yearly picking up allocations of wine but have not visited since the buyout. More at: https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2024/11/11/2014-outpost-wine-true-vineyard-howell-mtn-cabernet-sauvignon-100-pts-and-chateaubriand/
Photo ©Michael Kelly
JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery – The winery started first with a philosophy of taking the best of the Old-World meeting with the New World with an imaginative blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot. The goal of bringing about the Right Bank wonders of these two grapes and making an outlandish wine was the cornerstone of their existence. Herbs, red fruit with structure and elegance came together in their Justification blend. Justin Baldwin, owner and founder of Justin Vineyards and Winery summed up the goal very neatly with the statement “We believe the wine should be exceptional from every angle. I personally invite you to discover our award-winning tradition that starts with our limestone-rich soil in Paso Robles and ends when the last glass is poured”.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The winery was founded in 1961 when they (Justin & Deborah Baldwin) purchased their 160 acre estate in the Adelaide Hills. It is located 15 miles west of Paso Robles. More at: https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2025/08/13/2021-justin-vineyards-winery-isosceles-one-great-wine/
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Paired this evening with a marinated tri-tip steak for 24 hours in Chaka sauce. Then before grilling, Flatiron Dark & Smoky BBQ Rub was pounded in the steak on both sides. Topped with cilantro. 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 our go to for BBQ meats (beef pork, seafood) and even baking meals needing a little “zip”.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Seared at 1500 degrees and served medium for our guests. Accompanied by roasted parmesan potatoes wedges and sauteed asparagus. Also, a fresh garden salad was served with cherry tomatoes, crumbled Blue cheese, fresh bacon all with an Italian dressing.
Dessert was too decadent to describe or show!
This was an amazing food and wine pairing for the evening!
Sláinte,
Michael
https://californiawinesandwineries.com
2023 Starfield Vineyards Aglianico – A Scarce and Underrated Varietal
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Background on the Aglianico
Aglianico’s origins continue to be debated but thought initially is that the grape varietal was transported by Greek settlers to Southern Italy around 800 BC. However, DNA studies show no direct link to modern Greek varieties, leading many to believe it is native to southern Italy. The first written record of Aglianico was in 1520. This grape, like many others, was nearly wiped out by the late 19th century phylloxera epidemic.
Aglianico is a full-bodied red wine with high acidity and tannins. Typically, with dark fruit like black cherry and plum, minerality and earthy elements are key characteristics. If you enjoy Nebbiolo, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese and/or Nero d’ Avola, while all are different and unique, each share some key characteristics, full body, tannins, acidity and fruit with Aglianico.
In the final 2024 Grape Crush Report for California by the USDA, Aglianico has for the last two years only represented .00006% of the total tonnage crushed being only 161 tons in 2024. The leading AVA #11, portions of San Joaquin and Sacramento counties with 53 tons. Essentially tied for second were AVA #3 (Sonoma & Marin counties) with 24.6 tons and AVA #10 (Sierra foothill counties of Nevada, Placer, El Dorado, Amador, Calaveras, Tuolumne and Mariposa counties) with 23 tons.
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
While having enjoyed many Aglianico wines over the years, I have never had one from El Dorado AVA. My expectations were pleasantly exceeded with this dark and brooding wine offering both earthy notes and fruits. First on eyes, a dark wonderment in the glass with medium-heavy viscosity. On the nose, dark cherries, violets and plum rose up to the olfactory senses begging for that first sip. On the palate a yin-yang of old world minerality and earthiness counterbalanced with delicious aromatic fruits provided an intense flavor and yet balanced to perfection. The finish was medium length and refreshing.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The wine is made with 95% Aglianico, 3% Mourvedre and 2% Roussanne. It comes in at 15% alcohol and only 177 cases were produced. The wine was aged for 18 months in 27% new oak barrels and the balance being neutral. The wine underwent partial malolactic fermentation to keep the acidity lively yet softening the tannin structure. A creative process to achieve a remarkable wine.
This wine will make my annual Best Wines Tasted for calendar year 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
Pulled this wine from the cellar to pair with a wonderful “wintertime” comfort food this evening. It was Jalapeno Meat Loaf, perfect for a damp and rainy evening. Ingredients included panko breadcrumbs, egg, minced jalapeno peppers, minced garlic, shredded cheddar cheese, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, honey and chili powder. A slight change this evening was not using the minced jalapeno peppers but rather using Flatiron Pepper Company’s Hatch Valley Green pepper combination spice. It included Hatch Valley Green for bright chili flavor, Jalapeno for classic flavor and moderate heat and Habanero as an extra kicker! This provided the right amount of spice, flavor and heat to complete the meat loaf. Accompanied by a baked Russet potato.
The food and wine pairing was spectacular with the combination of spice in the meal and the fruit in the wine.
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.
Sláinte,
Michael
https://californiawinesandwineries.com
Posterity Ciderworks – An Extraordinary Education!
Background
Photo ©Michael Kelly
I was invited by the owners of Posterity Ciderworks to visit their operation. I agreed and made the short trip/visit to Mokelumne Hill, California. I spent three hours with Brendan Barnard, co-owner and cider maker. While I haven’t really spent any time tasting real “cider” or understanding the cider process or business segment, I walked away with just a modicum of knowledge from a great tutorial by “Master Appleman” Brendan.
Industry
The fermented cider market, in stark contrast to the shrinking wine industry/consumption, is growing at a compound annual growth rate of 4.2% to over 6.5%. The worldwide market for cider is $16.38 billion dollars. Europe is the largest market followed by Asia Pacific region as the fastest growing from China and Australia demand. The US market size is estimated at $5.15 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach $6.86 billion by 2030 for a CAGR of 5%. The wine industry in the US in 2025 is estimated at $109 billion. Comparatively, alcoholic cider sales are 4.7% of the fermented wine market.
Key factors in the growth for the cider market are the consumer preferences towards a healthier drink alternative, craft style implementation and lower alcohol levels compared to wine and spirits. Also, many ciders are sweet, but Posterity Ciderworks do not add sugars or back sweeteners which result in having low or zero residual sugars for their ciders. Additional factors like rising costs of “fine wine” and the next younger generations are “less brand loyal” than previous generations. Other concerns are the elitist or out of touch image/reputation of the wine industry relating to younger wine drinkers and demographic changes with Baby Boomers aging slowing their consumption.
History
Many think the cider market decreased due to Prohibition. Between 1800 to 1900 the cider market dropped by 80%. Brendan explained this was due to sociological and economic factors and considerations. First the population moved from rural to urban cities and local farms/farmers moved away from an agricultural society. Secondly the development of the industrial revolution allowed new and unique foods to be introduced from various cultures immigrating to the US. Thirdly, with a significant influx of immigrants, there was a growing market and consumer demand for beer.
Similarities and Differences to Winemaking
There are many parallels to winemaking with taking the fruit (apples), squeezing the fruit for juice, fermentation and aging. The differences are the time of fermentation of cider is typically 8-14 months with a few batches taking 22 months. The apples are first ground up to smaller pieces before being pressed as seen in this picture:
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Other similarities include aging in stainless steel barrels, American oak barrels, used wine barrels and even French oak barrels.
A key difference is that no sulfites are added, and no refining or filtering is done on cider by Posterity Ciderworks.
One of the fascinating, at least for my understanding, is that there are over 7,500 apple varieties in the world and the US has approximately 2,500 varieties grown according to a internet search. While the number is large, due to commercialization, leveraging resources, farming practices, ability for storage, yields and transportation ease without spoilage less than 100 are readily available for the commercial markets. Brendan showed me the classic work on apples called The Illustrated History of Apples in the United States and Canada in seven books covering 16,350 apples. Some differences in how many apple varieties exist, suffice it to say, many are correct!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Pages in the book detail descriptions and a drawing/picture of the apples.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
And
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Here is a bin of Arkansas Black apples waiting to be processed. This is the only single varietal apple cider that Posterity Ciderworks produces. It also happens to be Brendan’s favorite! I was given one to take home and it was delicious and one of the “meatiest” apples I have tasted. Many cider producers do have single varietal ciders especially where they use their own commercial orchards.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
That said many people are hard pressed to name more than a dozen and most local markets only carry 4-6 varieties.
Can you imagine with about 100 or so varieties of wine grapes grown in the USA, if we had 7,500 varieties of wine grapes, the market would be really diluted! Interestingly over the course of a year Posterity Ciderworks typically uses about 93 varieties of apples. Another fascinating aspect is while there are varietal apples, in a single orchard, there can be a field mix of varieties some up to 30 blends. The varieties are spread primarily due to deer and bears.
Some heirloom varieties of apples have been around since just after the Gold Rush in 1849.
This is just part one of two stories on cider and Ciderworks. The next story will focus on how they started their business and several of the ciders (and Mead) offerings. Stay tuned for that story!
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
Two Excellent Meals in Las Vegas – One With 2022 Faust Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Photo by Havana 1957
We arrived in Las Vegas in time for a late lunch at Havana 1957 Cuban cuisine in the Flamingo Hotel. Had one of the most delicious Ceviche dishes ever! It was called the Tropical Ceviche made with fresh Mahi-Mahi, with tomato, aji cachucha, and Leche de Tigre, served over avocado and cucumber, garnished with fresh cilantro, and accompanied by Japanese sweet potato chips.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Ordered a Spicy Guava Margarita made with Tequila Jose Cuervo Traditional, triple sec, lime juice, syrup Guava Real, tabasco Jalapeño, dehydrated lime with jalapeño and with slices of Jalapeño and lime. Spicy, refreshing, with your mouth trying hard to process if it was sweet or tangy! Note: for the record more than one was had to try to verify the yin-yang taste of this wonderful drink! Also had one of the best waiters, Brendan who was suggestions and service was spot on.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
While in Las Vegas we met with a good friend of over twenty-five years, Rachel Gabato. Enjoyed a drink or two with her. One of the best things in life is meeting up with a longtime friend and picking up the conversation without missing a beat!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
As an aside, since we were in Las Vegas for another friends wedding, we decided to celebrated our 48th wedding anniversary (Nov 19th) a few days early.
Made reservations at Bugsy & Meyer’s Steakhouse. The name is a nod to Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel and his business partner Meyer Lansky who opened the original Flamingo. The original Flamingo Hotel opened in December 1946. Since we had a late lunch, we decided to go with their prix fixe menu of Caesar salad with aged parmesan cheese, a small filet mignon with house rub and charred at 1200 degrees with a side of steak fries. Ordered a nice bottle of 2022 Faust Cabernet Sauvignon to pair with the meal.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
And
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Finished the meal with a beautiful Crème Brûlée custard with fresh fruit for dessert.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
A great precursor to the evening reception for Nicole and Harrison at Flamingo Hotel for the wedding on Sunday.
Sláinte,
Michael