Latest Event Updates
MadoroM Vineyards and Winery 2016 Merlot, The Paul Bunyan of Merlot’s
The Story of Paul Bunyan, is that he was a giant lumberjack of mythical stature in lumber camps in the United States. He symbolized a bigness, strength and vitality. More to follow below.
The Winery
MadoroM Vineyards and Winery is a family affair creating handcrafted and artisan wines from Napa Valley grapes. They produce, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, a Proprietary Red Blend (see a previous article at: https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2021/10/07/2018-madorom-camouflage-proprietary-red-wine/ ) and Sauvignon Blanc. Their new tasting room is located on the Silverado Trail. MadoroM wines is a collaboration of Andy and Marissa Amador and the talented winemaker Mike Blom. At age 27, Andy purchased a 188 acre ranch in the eastern Napa Valley and he planted 50 acres on the property. He later planted a vineyard at the base of Mt. Veeder. The name MadoroM is an incorporation of all their names!
The Wine
If you are a fan of the move Sideways and distain Merlot’s that are blah and timid Merlot’s, I would like to introduce you to a “meaty and hearty Merlot”! Having never tried this wine, I was somewhat expecting a disappointment. But once the cork was pulled, I knew something special was in store. On the eyes a charismatic brick red juice presented itself with a medium heavy viscosity. On the nose, juicy red plum overcame the senses with expectation of a rich and lavish Merlot. On the palate, red and tart cherries burst into the mouth, bringing with it lightly toasted oakiness, followed by surprisingly defined tannins and structure not normally associated with Merlot. On the finish it was a mouth filling delight with a longish and drawn out enjoyment. This is why I called it the Paul Bunyan of Merlot’s! Personally I think to the average consumer in a blind tasting, it might even pass as a Cabernet Sauvignon! What a great find. It is listed on their website for $70 and it is a steal for this big, bold and delicious Merlot.
The Food and Wine Pairing
A fantastically prepared Andouille Cajun Rice Skillet dish was chosen to pair with the wine. This was a “warm temperature flavor” dish with spiciness and far reaching textual appeal in the mouth. The recipe called for Andouille Cajun sausage, yellow onion, red & yellow bell peppers, minced garlic, Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning, kosher salt, tomato paste, fresh sliced Roma tomatoes, crushed red peppers and brown rice. A fresh garden salad with chucky Blue cheese dressing on the side. Paired with the 2016 MadoroM Merlot was an excellent choice to counterbalance the spiciness and big flavor of the meal. As an aside, the meal may have been a little too spicy to fully appreciate the wonderful wine.
This wine just made my list of the Best Wines tasted in 2021. The list will be published December 15th 2021 and over 1600 wines will have been tasted and roughly only 3% make the list. MadoroM Merlot will be listed.
If you have been turned off by Merlot’s, this 2016 MadoroM Merlot will bring you back to being an advocate of this once popular wine.
Sláinte,
Michael
Wine Media Event at Hindsight Wines October 29, 2021
Yesterday a casual media event was held at Hindsight Wines in Calistoga, California. It was held at the house of Seth Gersch and Dr. Alisa Gean, owners. Also in attendance was their new winemaker Michael Weis, they provided some delicious appetizers and poured all their new releases for the various wine writers and media personnel. The three new releases that were especially outstanding were their 2020 Sauvignon Blanc, the 2019 Chardonnay and the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon from Howell Mountain. You can read about these wines below at (the previously released 2017 Howell Mountain is in the story):
https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2021/10/03/2019-hindsight-chardonnay-paired-up-with-vine18-mahi-mahi/
Hindsight Wines has a stated goal of offering solid representative varietals of Napa Valley at a fair and competitive rate. Dollar for dollar, pound for pound they have succeeded in accomplishing this goal. While not having a tasting room or an active wine club, they do offer some amazing sales (40% to 50%) on occasion and it is worth joining their mailing list and acting quickly when they are announced.
Their 20/20 Hindsight Cabernet Sauvignon is a great everyday wine to be enjoyed with a steak or simply by itself as it is smooth and provides just enough panache without breaking the bank! Read a previous story on the 20/20 at:
https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2020/12/28/the-year-2020-and-hindsight-wine-20-20/
I will state while all their wines, from their refreshing whites to their absolutely delicious red wines, my personal favorite is from the Bella Vetta Vineyard on Howell Mountain. While not an everyday wine, it truly is a remarkable wine. It has enough structure and tannins to last 7-10 years and is perfect with a juicy steak as the pictures in the below stories can attest.
No matter which wine you chose from Hindsight wines, your Hindsight will ask you why didn’t I discover these wines sooner. As they say Hindsight is always 20/20!
Sláinte,
Michael
2010 Nickel & Nickel Cabernet Sauvignon from Branding Iron Vineyard
The Winery
Nickel & Nickel was founded in 1997 to showcase single vineyard production of wines. The Branding Iron Vineyard is located at the base of the Mayacamas range on the western side of Napa Valley. It is an eight and one half acre vineyard planted in 1998. Currently they have 17 different single vineyard designated Cabernet Sauvignon’s!
The Wine
Pulled this out of the cellar where it had been resting comfortably for the last 9 years! The 2010 Branding Iron Cabernet Sauvignon used 48% new French oak and the balance once used oak. It was aged 18 months in barrel and is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.
This wine is always special to enjoy by itself or a with a big juicy steak. This evening was enjoyed by itself with each sip being thoroughly appreciated. On the eyes a very deep crimson color with medium heavy viscosity. On the nose, dark and red fruits waft into the senses. Once on the palate, blackberry, raspberry fruits abound. Secondary flavors of spices, light tobacco and rounded tannins performed their magic in the mouth. The finish with light tannins, yet a strong structure existed, provided a clean and enduring finish. This is a rich and bold Cabernet Sauvignon. Their current release is their 2018 and the website shows it for $125/bottle.
When aged this long, I would highly recommend decanting and filtering before severing as there was a large buildup of sentiment due to cellaring.
Sláinte,
Michael
2016 Gossamer Cellars Primitivo
A Brief History of Primitivo
Primitivo is a dark skinned grape originally from Croatia which then migrated to Puglia in Southern Italy. It is intensely flavored and deep in color. It is common for this varietal to have a “certain bitterness” and is recommended to enjoy with food. Primitivo and Zinfandel are essentially the same grape which was originally called Tribidrad. When it migrated to the USA in the early 1800’s it was called Zinfandel. At that time is was considered our “national grape”. Currently 97% of the world’s production of Primitivo comes from Italy. In Italy, it is generally drier than the American Zinfandel’s especially from Lodi and Amador areas.
The Winery
Tonight’s wine came from Gossamer Cellars in Murphy’s, California in the lower Sierra foothills. Gossamer’s owners, Gary and Sue Grant are unique in the wine making endeavors. Gary has always wanted to make every wine in the De Long Grape Varietal Table. This unique approach is wide rather than deep, which provides the wine consumer with just about everything to taste and imagine. Just a quick listing of some of the wines he has produced are Torrontes, Nebbiolo, Teroldego, Negroamaro, Alicante, Treixadura, Pinotage, Tannat and the list goes on. Gary subscribes to the saying proudly displayed in his quaint tasting room “Adventure may hurt you, but monotony will kill you”- Anonymous
The Wine
My wife was preparing a Bolognese sauce from scratch and the smell brought us right back to Italy with flavors wafting through the house. This Primitivo was pulled from the cellar, knowing it would play well with the meal. On the eyes, the deep color and medium viscosity beckoned the first sip. On the nose, dark fruit, an earthy quality reigned supreme. Once on the palate, plum, raspberry, vanilla pipe tobacco and tart cranberries rose up to greet your taste buds. The finish was strong with structure, earthiness and dark fruits of blackberry and black cherries with a hint of pepper spiciness, coupled with a slight tartness.
The Food & Wine Pairing
As previously mentioned, the Bolognese sauce was simmering for hours and filling the house with a delicious aroma. The sauce included olive oil, diced bacon, chopped onions, chopped carrot, chopped celery, minced cloves of garlic, fresh thyme, ground veal, ground pork, red wine, bay leaves and tomato puree. It was served over a bed of Bucatini pasta and topped with fresh Parmesan cheese. The wine and pasta were absolutely simpatico!
I never tire of visiting Gossamer Cellars to see what new wine Gary has produced and Sue is serving to taste!
Sláinte,
Michael
MadoroM Vineyards and Winery 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon and Prime Rib
The Winery
MadoroM Vineyards and Winery is a family affair creating handcrafted and artisan wines from Napa Valley grapes. They produce, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, a Proprietary Red Blend (see a previous article at: https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2021/10/07/2018-madorom-camouflage-proprietary-red-wine/ ) and Sauvignon Blanc. Their new tasting room is located on the Silverado Trail. MadoroM wines is a collaboration of Andy and Marissa Amador and the talented winemaker Mike Blom. At age 27, Andy purchased a 188 acre ranch in the eastern Napa Valley and he planted 50 acres on the property. He later planted a vineyard at the base of Mt. Veeder. The name MadoroM is an incorporation of all their names!
The Wine
The wine on the eyes was a dark, luscious purple color with a medium heavy viscosity. In the glass it had aromas of blackberries, cherries and spices. Once on the palate, a decidedly oaky presence along with blackberry and forest floor aromas and tastes. On the finish, the spiciness of clove, nutmeg, cedar with chocolate rounding out this delicious wine with structure and enjoyable tannins. The wine is age for 3 years using 26-28% new and the balance being used or neutral oak. The split overall of barrel use is 70% French and 30% American oak. The wine lists for $95 on their website.
The Food and Wine Pairing
The Friday night Wine & Dine group met at Vine18 at the Copper Valley Golf Club. Their special last evening was prime rib, baked potato and seasonal vegetables. This made for an exquisite meal with the wine engulfing the prime rib and the meat taking on new dimensions with the wine. A harmonious dining experience.
One of our party even paired the wine with a beautifully plated fresh swordfish. I personally don’t recommend this pairing, but the plating was just too gorgeous not to show the artistic handiwork of Executive Chef Albert Sandoval.
Sláinte,
Michael
Pietro’s in Lodi – Authentic Italian Food and Wine
We were on our way back from the airport and had a few errands to run in Lodi. Being stuck in Lodi is a wonderful treat when you stop for a meal at Pietro’s for lunch! I have written two previous articles on the most authentic Italian food west of Milan at Pietro’s. Jim and Annette Murdaca have for years served some of the most genuine and old world tasting foods, even beating out some “well known Italian cities of New York and San Francisco”. Pete, their son is now the head chef and continues to provide creative and excellent dishes.
Read two previous stories at:
https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2017/03/27/lange-twins-family-winery-vineyards/
https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2017/08/20/pietros-langetwins-a-perfect-team/
For lunch I ordered the Margherita pizza with crushed tomatoes, Fior Di Latte, Corto olive oil and fresh basil. My wife had Jimmy’s Salad a Caesar salad with marinated chicken. Served with fresh baked bread served with Italian olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Both dishes were so large we were only able to devour half of each! Took the leftovers for dinner last night. The food service was professional, engaging and spot on. Thank you Rodrigo!
The wine with the lunch was Pertinace Barbera D’ Alba, DOC. One of my favorite wine regions in northwestern Italy. This area is known for its cherry flavored red wines from Barbera grapes. Had previously spent a few days at Monforte d’ Alba, this wine region covers the town of Alba and the Langhe rolling hillsides. Barbera is not as well-known as two of the other Piedmonte wines: Barolo and Barbaresco. That stated, the chalky and limestone rich soils produce a wonderful Barbera.
This meal brought us back to the hillside village and sipping wine in the local square, enjoying a simple Italian meal.
If you ever find yourself in Lodi, make time to enjoy the great Italian food and wine at Pietro’s.
Sláinte,
Michael
2020 Wood Family Vineyards “New” Chardonnay
No Rhonda Wood does not use the word “New” on the label, as the new is designated by the vintage year 2020. I am taking some liberties with the “new” as this wine is not like any of her previous vintages. Not to worry as her legacy of wining Gold, Double Gold Medals, Best of Show and Best of Class will still continue with this vintage, but it is very different from her previous vintages.
So how is it different? In the past her previous vintages had in her words a bent to being “crackerjacks in a bottle” with caramel and a slight secondary malolactic fermentation creating a buttery finish. Then the 2019 brought forth more citrus flavors. See a previous story at: https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2021/05/25/2019-wood-family-vineyards-chardonnay/ . Her new is going to be different, but extremely enjoyable in a more subtle experience.
The 2020 has a golden color glistening on the eyes with a medium heavy viscosity. On the nose, minerality and flint are predominate. Once on the palate, a definite “full on” fresh bakery brioche with a lightly smoked almond flavor abounds. Secondary flavor produced a hazelnut taste. With a little more new tight French oak barrels this year, the wine came across with a refined, old world and lightly oaked finish. A miniscule lemon fragrance towards the end of the finish was also present. In a blind tasting, you could easily think it was an old world Chardonnay from Europe. Different from previous and many will embrace it and enjoy it more!
Sláinte,
Michael
Answering a Common Question
Several readers have asked do I only drink wines from California. The answer is absolutely no, as I drink wines from many states and variety of countries and locations within those country. Then why do I generally only write about California wines? Do I prefer California wines over other countries?
So to answer the question I have to go back 9-10 years ago when I started writing about wines and wineries. I was working on my writing skills (which I am not formally trained) so a friend mentioned the easiest way to begin writing about something I knew. That left the door open to about three subjects: high technology (my career), golf and wine. While having spent over 30 years in high technology memory, microprocessors, ASIC’s (application specific integrated circuits), executive management, etc., writing about this would garner about 100 readers. Writing about golf is trying to define “fine art” or “classical art” – lots of words describing movements and era’s, but it comes down to individual taste as to either you enjoy it or not (nor was I trained in this discipline). So this left wine as the default candidate.
While I have been enjoying wine since going to school in Switzerland and experiencing many villages and ordering 1 deciliter blanc or 1 deciliter rouge at the age of 20. Every village had their vines going on the hillsides and it was a local drink. Now I don’t remember in the local village pub having any wine list or recommending a particular wine, it was what was grown by the village winemaker as this was in the countryside not a metropolitan area.
Wine, when returning to USA and then 21, I took a liking to as something as “an intermediate step”. Beer was blah (little or no microbreweries then) and hard liquor was something I wanted to abstain as I had seen the divesting effective on many people close to me. So wine, which was relatively up and coming in Napa Valley (mid-1970’s) and I enjoyed the ambiance and people involved in the business. Robert Mondavi sold me the first case of wine I ever purchased a 1974 George de Latour Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. I still have one bottle of it in cellar to remember that day in 1978.
So back to the question of only drinking California wine. I started a Blog and website called California Wines and Wineries as I figured I would not run out of material with so many wineries here in California. So it makes sense that I try to write about wines from the various AVA’s and sub-AVA’s here in California from Temecula, Santa Barbera, San Benito, Central Coast, Santa Cruz, Livermore Valley, Sierra Foothills, Napa Valley, Sonoma Valley, etc.
But even with covering such a diversity of wines, people, varietals, terroirs, AVA’s, etc., within the state of California, I do still drink wines from other regions and countries. As the anonymous quote goes “Adventure may hurt you, but monotony will kill you”. I have tasted wines from over 45 countries while on business travels and personally was only hurt slightly hurt by tasting wines in India, Brazil and China. I have done wine tasting in the France, Japan, Frankfurt, Brazil, China, Taiwan, wine tours of Italy, Switzerland (as an adult), Mexico, Canada, etc. And have tasted wines from around 40 states within the USA.
Today I still write about once or twice a month on my website about a wine from Spain, Portugal, Italy, etc., just for my own education and enjoyment. I’m I partial to California wines, yes, but I am not exclusively nor biased for or against other areas. In fact I go to more educational sessions on foreign wines than domestic wines for my own self education.
So to those who think I only taste or drink California wines, here are a few pictures of wines which I have enjoyed which are not California wines but generally not written about.
The few pictures below (and I have lots more) should answer the question, that I do drink other than California wines!!
Sláinte,
Michael
https://californiawinesandwineries.com
Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand and a Tropical Salsa with Halibut
Yes this is one of my “off California wines” for the month of October. Why? It is important to understand what are the main differences between Sauvignon Blanc in the USA (specifically Northern California) verses New Zealand? Briefly, in Northern California it tends to be more fruit aromatic with minerality notes with the sharp citrus taking a second row. Over the years, wineries either pushed the fruit-forwardness or lowered it with barrel aging. Others push the citrus flavors along with floral bouquets.
In New Zealand the grapes come mostly from the southern island of New Zealand. Here the Sauvignon Blanc tends to be herbaceous and fruit forward with decidedly tropical fruit flavors dominating the palate. Authorities in New Zealand claim their sandy soils impart good drainage causing the grapes to grow fuller-bodied and more fruit-forward. Yet once you taste a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, the sharp acidity and citrus produces a love it or leave it demarcation. It is critical to understand what food you are pairing the Sauvignon Blanc with. I always keep Sauvignon Blanc’s from both Northern California and New Zealand on hand depending on food choices.
The Wine
Matua started producing Sauvignon Blanc in 1974 as the first winery in New Zealand in the Marlborough area. Today, Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is world famous for its unique, fresh flavors, lime zest and lemongrass. They use grapes from all over Marlborough to provide a blend of extremely crisp tropical flavors from the entire region. This is an “inexpensive” wine but when looking for a crisp citrusy wine, it is always a “go to” wine.
The Food and Wine Pairing
Bought a fresh piece of Halibut today and decided prepare it with a tropical salsa. The salsa consisted of fresh diced pineapple, red bell pepper, purple onion, mango, cilantro, lime peel, crushed red pepper, cumin and cinnamon. Marinated for 1 ½ hours in the refrigerator. The Halibut was marinated in olive oil, lime juice and granulated chicken flavor bouillon for thirty minutes. Then cooked in a skillet for 3-4 minutes on each side. Topped off with the salsa and a side of flavored rice. Pairing the tropical salsa with the citrus and tropical wine was spot on for a beautiful food and wine pairing.
Sláinte,
Michael
2018 Madorom Camouflage – Proprietary Red Wine
First time trying this wine early this week and it is always fun to try to figure out the “mix” of varietals in a blend especially when not on the bottle. First on the eyes, it had to be Petit Verdot due to the deep coloring. On the nose, a very distinct Merlot aroma with a floral bouquet wafted into the senses. And lastly upon my first through third sips, blackberry and spices were lovely with structured but not overwhelming tannins securing the finish in the palate hinting it was Cabernet Sauvignon. That was my “uneducated guess” or assessment.
The next day, I sent an email to the winemaker, Mike Blom with my notes. Sure enough it did contain, 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot. What escaped my taste buds was a darn 2% of Petite Sirah! The wine was aged 27 months in a mix of French and American oak barrels. The alcohol percentage is 15.2% and was unfined. The Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Petite Sirah are from the Pope Valley vineyards. The Merlot is from the Napa Valley vineyard. This bottle retails for $44.
A very mellow and relaxing blend and easy to sip after dinner. Camouflage is one of Madorom’s two labels. The Camouflage series consists of a red blend, a Rose blend and Sauvignon Blanc. The other offering by Madorom is their Black Label and with two varietals, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
Sláinte,
Michael
California Wines & Wineries 