2019 Silver Trident Winery “Symphony No. 9 Sauvignon Blanc
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The Winery and Background
The two owners, coming out of hospitality and travel industry, opened their doors in Yountville in 2015. Their goal was to feature handcrafted artisan wines specifically showcasing Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and a Napa Valley red blend. They produce approximately four thousand cases in total per year. They hired Kari Auringer as the winemaker. Kari worked for ten years under the noted Celia Welch (Scarecrow and many more). One of the primary goals of the winery was to feature richly layered wines with complexity and depth.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Two years ago, Bob Binder, one of the owners, invited us to taste their new pizzetta wine and food pairings. From that time on, I have continued to purchase wines from Silver Trident.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
A Tasting Home verses a Tasting Room
They set out to create a comfortable environment where customers felt relaxed, like being at home. Through various past connections with Ralph Lauren Home Collection, artists and galleries, essentially all the items in the “home” are available for purchase. This includes furniture, floor coverings, artwork, glasses and serving trays.
The feeling enjoyed while going through a tasting is intimate, warm and beautifully appointed living room, dining room or library. They recently moved to a new location that allows them use of the kitchen. By appointment only and no tasting bar, no rush and no standing on your feet while proceeding down the wine lineup.
For the complete story and pictures on their original pairing with exotic potato chips and then the added pizzettas and tasting, see an earlier story written at:
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
One of the wines purchased was their delicious 2019 No.9 Sauvignon Blanc. This made my annual list of Best Wines Tasted, for 2022 published in December. A unique Sauvignon Blanc. On the eyes, it was very pale straw in color, but it packed a startling punch. On the nose, floral scents of honeysuckle and mellow green apple. On the palate, soft embracing citrus of Meyer lemon zest, a hint of lime and blanched almonds. The finish provided a honeydew melon that was welcomed and provided a medium long conclusion to each luscious sip. The current release is the 2021 vintage and is listed at $36/bottle.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
I have always been intrigued why the name Symphony #9. It is the first symphony to incorporate a chorus and vocal soloists in its final movement. To play the entire symphony takes between 65 and 74 minutes. Did they name it for the long-lasting finish? Or because you want to shout “Ode to Joy” after each sip?
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Paired this evening with sauteed chicken with chimichurri sauce, roasted potatoes and a fresh garden salad with bacon. A very good food and wine pairing. The chilled wine provided a cooling effect with the sauce and enhanced the flavor of the chicken with its citrus characteristics.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
2018 Palazzo Wines Cabernet Franc Reserve – An Excellent Treat!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Background
Scott Palazzo has entered the International Cabernet Franc Competition for several years. Over the years he has won consistently Gold and Double Gold for his Cabernet Franc. The most current competition he did not enter due to previous smoke damage to the vineyards. We enjoyed last evening his 2018 and it was a treat to taste this exquisite wine.
The Winery
Picture from Palazzo website
Scott Palazzo’s background is both unique and fascinating how he ended up being a winemaker. Scott grew up in an Italian family which influenced both his understanding of wine as an everyday event as well as with food and celebrations. At age 19, Scott set out with his guitar on his back and ended up in Europe. There he ended up in Saint Émilion (on the Right Bank of Bordeaux’s Gironde River). This became his wine paramount experience shaping his palate for years to come and the foundation for Palazzo Wine some 20+ years later. In 2003, after establishing a career as a television director/producer (nominated Grammy for Music Video & Television Director/Producer), he began searching for a similar terroir that he enjoyed while living in Saint Émilion.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Key to his success was his charismatic and energetic personality! Scott combined his experience with Old World wine in the cellar with New World fruit from lower Napa Valley rolling hills. Today his wines are featured by some of the world’s most famous wine restaurants. A small partial listing is French Laundry, Gary Danko, Michael Mina, Per, Daniel, Gramercy Tavern, Eleven Madison Park, Spago, Bouchon, Mastro’s Steakhouse, Emeril’s, Valintino’s, etc. The full list of restaurants can be found on his website, suffice to say, in any major city, find a prestigious restaurant and you will find Palazzo Wine!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Today Scott’s portfolio of wines includes his Master Blend Series (Left Bank Cuvee, Chardonnay, Rosé) and Reserve Wine Series (Cuvee Blanc, Right Bank Blend, Cabernet Franc).
The Wine – “Wine is bottled Poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Scott started making his Cabernet Franc exclusively for The French Laundry in Yountville. This catapulted his wine instantly to “cult status”. This story is on his 2018 vintage of Cabernet Franc. On the eyes, this is a very deep red color with medium-heavy viscosity. What wafts into the nose is a symphony of aromas from floral notes of crushed violets to red fruits like cherries and raspberries. Once entering the mouth all the individual parts burst into a taste profile like the 1812 Overture music with triumphant notes. Red and black cherries, subtle spices like pepper are counterbalanced with hints of dark chocolate and ripe plum. On the finish only a hint of pyrazines (herbal notes), this wine is vibrant, yet silky smooth beckoning one to take another sip. Structured and defined layers with silky smooth tannins and yet with defined edges are present. One of the smoothest finishes on a world class Cabernet Franc I have tasted.
This wine is 14.1% alcohol and 2018 was rated 94 points by Jeb Dunnuck and won the Sommeliers Choice Awards Gold Medal in 2022. It spent 14 months in 30% new French oak and 70% neutral French oak.
The current release is 2016 Cabernet Franc and is priced around $115 and rated 96 points by Wine Advocate. It received from the American Wine Society Wine Competition a Gold Medal and “Best Cabernet Franc” and from the International Cabernet Franc Wine Competition a Double Gold Medal.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
2021 Maritana Vineyards Chardonnay “La Rivière” From Sonoma County
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Background
I normally write a story with a food pairing but last weekend when the weather was pleasantly warm and comfortable we sat out on the patio in the early evening and enjoyed this spectacular wine sans a meal. While often using the quote by Andre Simon speaking about wine and food pairings that “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” this wine was perfect by itself.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The Wine 2019 Maritana Chardonnay “La Rivière” – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The specific goals for all his wines are to have beautiful floral aromas, stabilized and permanent bright coloring to the eye. Lofty and elegant goals to be sure but he is implementing creative and imaginative techniques to achieve his desired outcome. He definitely hit his mark with this Chardonnay. I knew from previous tastings this wine was going to be outstanding. “La Rivière” means “the River” referring to Russian River AVA where the vineyards are located.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
First on the eyes, the clarity and brightness were ethereal straw, golden yellow and a heavy viscosity (not normally found in Chardonnay). On the nose, predominate aromas of almonds and pears. On the palate is where this wine is exceptional with its heavy and full mouth-filling essence with light lemon and fresh brioche. A slightly sweet finish with flavors of caramel, counterbalanced with a modicum of minerality. What the net effect provides is an elegant layered and creamy Chardonnay. This spectrum of quality is generally found in wines costing closer to $100 and up. The current price is $42/bottle and was rated by James Suckling at 96 points. The grapes were hand harvested, hand sorted using 95% used and 5% new barrels. It went through 100% secondary malolactic fermentation and is 13.5% alcohol level.
The Winery
I originally interviewed Donald Patz in his living room back in 2018. He was just starting out his venture with Maritana Vineyards, a project for developing and producing the highest quality of grapes for both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Here Donald is implementing his strategy to develop a more balanced and “elegant and perfumed version to show through” with choices of grapes with selected aged barrels. On his Pinot Noir, he has secured three vineyards in the Russian River AVA. For this varietal he is using approximately 60% new oak barrels. The wines for Maritana Vineyards will be his Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2017, “Le Russe”; the Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2017 “La Rivière”; Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2017 “Dutton Ranch/Hansen Hill Vineyard” and his Russian River Chardonnay 2017 “Dutton Ranch/Shop Block 1967”. The last using vines planted in 1967 and using 50-year-old vines in his Chardonnay production!
Fast forward some seven years and today with four decades of experience and intricate knowledge of the vineyards, he has three specific labels. They are:
MARITANA VINEYARDS – Russian River Valley Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
SECRET DOOR WINERY – Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
TERMINIM – Mendocino County Marsanne/Roussanne and Syrah
Recently all his wines received scores in mid-90’s (seven with 95 points), which shows his dedication and artisan effort with his craft.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
2022 Jazz Cellars Syrah “Airola Road Vineyard” Just Won Best of Show for Red Wine at Folsom Wine Fest!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Background
At the Folsom Wine Fest Wine Competition, Sept 13th and 14th with 480 wines being judged, the winner of the Best of Show of Red Wines was the 2022 Jazz Cellars Syrah “Airola Road Vineyard”. This was an excellent achievement considering the number of entries and all the red wine varieties represented. See https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2025/09/18/a-very-successful-5th-annual-folsom-wine-fest-competition/
The Wine – “Wine is bottled Poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
This wine comes from Calaveras County just above New Melones Lake and the wine tasting room is in Murphys at 380 Main Street Suite #3.
On the eyes this wine is bright and lively in the glass with a medium viscosity. On the nose a symphony of aromas rise to greet the imbiber of violets and lavender. This is the initial sense one is going to have a unique experience with this wine. On the palate Is where this wine becomes spectacular with a taste profile initially of dark fruits of blackberry, black cherry and blueberry. Secondary spicy flavors of black pepper, clove and cinnamon combine to make a complete tasting Syrah. On the finish tertiary flavors of earthiness and wet forest floor counterbalance the initial fruits. The tannins at the finish were surprisingly evident yet silky smooth.
The wine goes for $40/bottle at the tasting room and is 100% Syrah from this vineyard. It also came in at 14.5% alcohol level.
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Paired this very warm evening with a mesquite chicken taco salad. Small pieces of chicken marinated and cooked in a mesquite sauce with shredded lettuce, minced purple onions, cut tomatoes and shredded mixed cheeses. Plated with fresh guacamole with tomatoes and Tabasco sauce.
The wine with its fruit forwardness opposes the “warm taste” of spices in the meat and provides an great “Yin-Yang” polarized opposites for a great food and wine pairing!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
While I was judging at the Folsom Wine Fest with all wines being blind, our table of three judges gave it Double Gold and was then put into the final tasting with all the judges. It was voted by all judges to be the Best of Show for Red Wines! It now made my annual Best Wines Tasted in 2025 also!
The Winery
Photo Jazz website
Joe Lazzara and Bob Smith founded the winery in 2005. Their inspiration came from New Orleans jazz music where they describe it as like jazz music being “a harmonious blend of art and science, much like a jazz composition”. They made their wine in San Francisco and in 2019 moved their wine making to Murphys. They have won over 150 medals and awards. Most recently at the Calaveras County Fair, they won Double Gold for their 2024 Sauvignon Blanc and Gold for their 2022 Viognier.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
On a personal note, I have known Bob and Joe for almost ten years and am genuinely happy with their recent accomplishments and wins. This is a small boutique winery worthy of your visit.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
A Very Successful 5th Annual Folsom Wine Fest Competition
The next morning following the wine judge’s dinner, we were eager to begin judging the wine competition. As Coleen Schwietert, Coordinator for this event mentioned the previous evening, 480 wines were to be judged Saturday. Sunday would then whittle down the Double Gold winners to be awarded The Best of Class for various categories. For sixteen judges from all around northern California, this was going to require a Herculean effort, but all the judges were ready for the task at hand.
The event was held in the Falcon Roost Room at Folsom Lake College.
Photo ©Mike Dunne
Each judge arrived at their assigned workstation, complete with snacks of protein and carbohydrate morsels to help cleanse our palates during the judging. Also, the prerequisite wine glass, dump bucket and both still and sparkling waters. Each station of 3 judges were also assigned a volunteer recorder to submit the completed scorecards to Coleen.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Coleen provided the logistics on scoring the event and went over the timing for the day’s activities.
For Session I each table completed the assigned tasks having specific wines to evaluate and score. Each judge was to score a series of 6 or 8 wines individually and then collectively announce our score for each wine and then discuss to reach a consensus. Our table for example had seven flights of red wines to taste and judge. They included Nebbiolo, Barbara, Grenache, Mourvedre/Mataro, Cabernet Sauvignon, Primitivo, and Alicante Bouschet. We then broke up for lunch, which for me was unusual but needed with so many wines! Great sandwiches with protein help fortify the body and specifically the palate.
On to Session II which for our table, was a series of five wines, both white, rosé and red. They included Viognier, Dry Rosé Blush, Carignan/Carignane, Red Blend/Proprietary and Red Dessert/Late Harvest. In total, for the first day our table completed reviewing 86 wines! A great table of judges with Lori Alaniz and Sudsy Torbeck with generally all-around scoring in the same brackets. When the range of scores were divergent, a lively and respectful discussion ensued to reach a timely conclusion.
Day two started off with Coleen stating that judging from the previous day, 18 judges arrived at Double Gold awards for 78 wines! That was a new record for this competition in the last five years.
Here were the judges on Day Two:
Photo ©Michael Kelly
and
Photo ©Michael Kelly
With that in mind the goal was to taste each of the Double Gold awarded wines and determine which ones in each category should move on to the Best of Class competition to be awarded. This was done individually with each judge scoring and the numeric scores compiled by Coleen. We then began with a reduced number of judges from 18 to 12 to review, judge and comment in detail each of the 78 Double Gold winners in each category. All inputs were provided to Coleen to “crunch the numbers” on her laptop.
Once each category had narrowed it down to advance one wine to the Best of Show categories, the judges then tasted those wines and voted individually. So today, Sunday, the judges each tasted somewhere more than 150 wines, some twice in narrowing down the winners.
Here are the Best of Class for each category:
Best Sparkling: Gwinllan Estate for their 2021 Blanc de Noirs produced via methode Champenoise from El Dorado County (Note: This is the 5th year in a row that they have won this distinction). It was also a Double Gold Medal at SF Chronicle Wine Competition!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Best Rosé: Cielo Sulla Terra Estate Vineyard and Winery with their 2024 Primarosa, a Primitivo Rosé from Fair Play in Amador County.
Photo ©Mike Dunne
Best White Wine: It was a tie with Sobon Estate 2024 Viognier from Amador County. This was started on our panel on Saturday and each of us were astonished by this wine. The other wine tied was the 2024 Inner Sanctum Cellars Chardonnay from Calaveras County. It was also a Gold Medal winner at SF Chronicle Wine Competition.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
and
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Best Red Wine: Jazz Cellars for their 2022 Syrah from airola Road Vineyard in Calaveras County. This was a great win for owner Joe Lazzara and Bob Smith. Have known them both for some time and happy for their achievement.
Photo ©Mike Dunne
Best Dessert Wine: Golden Leaves Vineyard & Winery for their 2023 Asmodeus Estate Merlot Dessert Wine from Fair Play in Amador County
Photo ©Mike Dunne
This event could not have been pulled off without the hard work of the volunteers categorizing the wines, pouring the wines, labeling each vial, delivering the vials non-stop to the judges without spillage, dumping spit buckets, preparing judges snacks, ordering food and various other assorted duties.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
I know many of you may think “Wine Judging” is a simple task, but it is truly hard requiring immense concentration and a refined palate to discern the wheat from the chaff. Remember this is a blind competition with judges not knowing the wineries involved. The judges who participated on Saturday and Sunday spent more than 13 hours in this laborious task providing you with some guidance on the best possible wines to be enjoyed!
For your information most of the wineries will be pouring at the Foothill Wine Festival, returning to the Palladio in Folsom on Saturday, November 8th! Tickets are available at foothillwinefest.com .
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
Cuda Ridge Wines 2023 Casa de Viñas Carménère and Tri-tip with Argentina Chimichurri Sauce
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Background and Comparison
This is the third wine review of Cuda Ridge Wines Carménère line up from three different vineyards. Constructed below is a simple guide in understanding each of these Carménère wines by Larry Dino, the owner and winemaker of Cuda Ridge Wines. While they have similar traits of Carménère each has its own distinct aroma and flavor profile/characteristics.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
| Cuda Ridge Carménère Wines | |||
| Little Dog Vineyard | Insel Family Vineyard | Casa de Viñas | |
| Alcohol Level | 13.60% | 13.30% | 13.50% |
| Barrel Treatment | 17 months in 50% new French and 50% neutral American oak | 17 months in 50% in new French and 50% in once used American oak | 17 months in 33% new French and 66% once used French oak |
| pH | 4.1 | 3.5 | 3.76 |
| Cases produced | 57 | 48 | 48 |
| Clone identification | Clone 2 | Clone 6 | Clone 3 |
| TA | 0.41 g/100ml | 0.46 g/100ml | 0.48 g/100ml |
| Note: | |||
| 1. pH means the concentration of hydrogen ions. Lower than the mid-point of 7 (scale 0-14) | |||
| contributes to the wine’s acidity, making it crisp and with a slight tartness. | |||
| 2. TA stands for Titratable Acidity, a measurement of total concentration of all acids present. This | |||
| is an indicator of the total amount of acid molecules which affects the wine’s taste, color, | |||
| microbial stability and overall balance. TA contributes to its ability to age and balance | |||
There are also different soil types and trellis systems used from vineyard to vineyard.
The Wine – 2023 Casa de Vinas Carmenere – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
On the eyes a similar magenta/purple coloring to the other that is as intriguing as the previous two Carménère wines. A medium to medium-heavy viscosity. On the nose this Casa de Viñas was extremely bright with floral aromas bursting out of the bottle and with Eucalyptus. In the glass counterbalanced with dusty earth, wet red brick and vanilla aromas. Once in the mouth blackberries and raspberries were dominant with a slight smokiness, earthiness and mushroom quality. On the palate a “milky mouthfeel” provided a subtle balance of acidity and tannins, a conjoined experience. On the finish pyrazines were present and kept in check along with a slight minerality. A very long-lasting and integrated conclusion.
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Paired this evening with a seared and BBQ’ed tri-tip steak. The meat was tenderized and marinated for 24 hours in a Chaka sauce. Served with a delicious Argentina Chimichurri sauce drizzled over the meat slices. The sauce consisted of fresh flat-leaf parsley, cloves of garlic, shallot, red wine vinegar, coarse sea salt, dried oregano, red hot pepper flakes, ground black pepper and extra-virgin olive oil. All the ingredients were put together in a blender and allowed to marinate for 24 hours in the refrigerator.
Also served was a BBQ’ed Portabella mushroom and sauteed Brussel sprouts with bacon and button mushrooms.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Carménère is a versatile wine with its medium to medium-heavy body and balanced acidity. The chimichurri sauce brought out the herbaceous notes and BBQ-ing showcases its richness and earthiness with the smoky characteristics. This Carménère was the right one with the Argentina chimichurri sauce and meat.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
As a comparison, the key quality of the Little Dog Vineyard, it had an unbelievable smooth finish, the Insel Family Vineyard had additive qualities of spices and now Casa de Viñas with even more complexity. Having three options is key for your food choice. For example, just to have a sipping wine or with a non-spicy dish, the Little Dog Vineyard is perfect. Wanting to pair the wine with a medium spicy dish the Insel Family Vineyard is spot on! Casa de Viñas being the one to choose for a spicier meal.
A Brief History of Carménère
The history of the Carménère varietal is as fascinating as it is happenstance! It was once one of the grapes in the Médoc region of Bordeaux. It served a similar purpose as Petit Verdot does today – producing a deep red/purple ink on wines. It was one of the original six red grapes of Bordeaux. Carménère originates from the French word for crimson (carmin) which refers to the crimson color of the autumn foliage.
(Photo from Wikipedia)
When the Phylloxera plague hit in 1867 destroying most of the vineyards in Europe, many thought the Carménère grape was extinct. It wasn’t until 150 years later that it was discovered that Chile had preserved the Carménère grape thinking it was Merlot (from clippings planted from France). DNA confirmed that it was the missing 6th varietal of Bordeaux.
Carménère Today
Carménère grows mainly in Chile, specifically the Colchagua Valley, Rapel Valley and in the Maipo Province. It is also grown in the Veneto region of Italy, and recently several wineries in Mendocino, Livermore, Lodi, Napa and Calaveras are producing it, albeit in small quantities. Walla Walla, Washington also has some root stock growing in Carménère. In California only 111 acres are producing Carménère which accounts for .000075% of the red grape harvest. Interestingly while in California the red grape harvest was down 25%, Carménère harvest was up 10%. These numbers are from the USDA Grape Crush Report for 2024, their errata dated August 25, 2025.
The Winery
Go to https://www.CudaRidgeWines.com to read about their incredible wines offered. The list of awards for all his other wines is extensive with dozens and dozens of noteworthy awards.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
Two Great Wines Last Weekend After Wine Judging All Day for Dinner!
On a “free night” at the 5th Annual Folsom Wine Fest judging last weekend, we decided to grab a quick bite at Fat’s Asia Bistro Folsom across the street from the hotel. A fellow wine judge, Mike Dunne brought a nice bottle to the restaurant and I brought a bottle to share with a couple of others for dinner.
We ordered some interesting and tasty dishes for the evening. They included:
Honey Walnut Prawns
Bulgogi Pork Lo Mein – Korean style pork loin, lo Mein noodles, cabbage, carrots green and yellow onions
Mongolian Beef – Jalapeño peppers, green onions
Filet of Beef Steak Kew – cubed filet with seasonal vegetables, roasted garlic in black bean sauce
Combo Spicy Fried Rice
All these foods were spectacularly intriguing and bit warm on the palate. That stated, don’t think we were going for a the “perfect food and wine pairing” this evening. We decimated the quote by Andre Simon that I use on most of my writings “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners”. While the meal was great the body and soul were a bit disjointed, food and wine speaking!
First wine for the evening was a 2001 Goldschmidt Vineyards, Single Vineyard Selection Cabernet Sauvignon from Oakville. Wine Enthusiast referred to this wine as “Purity is the word that comes to mind”. This was a fruit forward wine with cherry and blackberries with structure and complexity. Soft velvety tannins engulfed the palate with a medium length finish.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The second wine for the evening was a 2015 Outpost Wines Cabernet Sauvignon from Howell Mountain. It was rated 97 points from Wine Advocate and 97+ points by Vinous. Jeb’s description includes “deep purple color and loaded with blue fruits, graphite and crushed rock, it’s full-bodied, impeccably balanced and has fine, polished tannins”. The spice and fruit on each sip were immensely enjoyed as was the long finish.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
No doubt both wines were delicious despite perhaps not being elequently paired with the meal. It was a great finish to a long day of wine judging.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
https://califonriawinesandwineries.com
Welcoming Judges Dinner at 5th Annual Foothill Wine Fest Competition
Started out the competition with a judges’ dinner held at IL Forno Classico in Rancho Cordova. Il Forno is a family run business initially operating in the Historic Folsom in 1985. Besides the restaurant at Gold River, they offer a private dining room and wine room and shop. The fully stocked wine store houses about 600 different wine labels. They offer their wines at competitive prices to enjoy with dinner or even take home a unique offering. Their pricing is extremely competitive and offers to match any wine list price for the same wine and vintage. Year after year they have attained the Wine Spectator Award for friendly wines pricing.
Scott Litteral is the owner and pictured below is Scott with his family. Scott is also one of the judges at the Folsom Wine Festival Competition. He personally has tasted all the wines in the cellar being offered. He also mentioned that he has more rare and expensive wines stored on the premises “out of sight” and under lock and key!
The restaurant specializes in fresh seafood, angus steaks, New Zealand Lamb, sauteed pastas, crafted sandwiches and the finest hand-tossed pizzas.
Picture from Il Forno website
The evening started off with each judge bringing a bottle or two of wine to share at the table with fellow judges. You know you are going to be in for a treat when wine judges bring in their selection of wines!
Each judge brought a unique and older vintage of wine. For example, below are a picture of only two of the 20+ wines shared: a 1986 Inglenook Estate Reserved Cabernet Sauvignon and a 2020 Carmignano DOCG (super Tuscan).
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Other wines, too numerous to enumerate, included a 2013 Smith-Madrone Reisling, 2019 Cuda Ridge Carmenere, 2018 Chimney Rock Cabernet Sauvignon, even a homemade wine and on and on.
Coleen Schwieter, Foothill Wine Competition Coordinator, gave a welcoming speech noting that 480 wines were submitted this year from 78 wineries in the Sierra foothill counties. This was a sizeable increase from the previous year of 350 wines. Coleen mentioned the competition is supported by the Folsom Chamber of Commerice and extremely appreciated! She also provided an outline of the events for the next two days regarding logistics and introduced Scott Litteral.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The menu this evening included a choice of either Cesar Salad or Mixed Baby Greens. Below is a picture of the Cesar salad with hearts of Romaine, rosemary croutons, shaved parmesan and Caesar dressing. I chose the Caesar salad:
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Next up was a choice of Naughty Pasta (too long a description but very tempting), Seafood Risotto tossed with salmon, snapper, shrimp, spinach, Chardonnay-lobster sauce, fresh tomatoes, Chicken Parmigiana lightly breaded, baked with marinara and mozzarella, served over spaghetti, Oven roasted Salmon filet with garlic herb compound butter, lemon risotto and sautéed broccoli, and the last option was Grilled Angus Filet Mignon with brandy cream green peppercorn sauce, roasted Yukon gold potatoes and sauteed haricot verts. Many of us chose the Angus Filet Mignon:
Photo ©Michael Kelly
If all these delicious dishes didn’t fill you up, the desserts were beyond decadent! Not only in taste but in size/portions! The choices were Tiramisu, Chocolate cake, Crème Brulee or Toffee Cheesecake. I left the full-size dinner spoon for a reference:
Photos ©Michael Kelly
I think just about everyone took home a portion of their dessert as it could not be consumed after such a filling and wonderful meal.
We all hopped on the shuttle vans that they so graciously provided and headed back to the hotel to get a good nights rest for the opening round of wine judging.
Thanks, Scott, for providing such a wonderful venue and delicious food. If you are ever in Rancho Cordova area, this is a stop worthy of your time and consideration.
Picture of Scott Litteral Photo ©Michael Kelly
A special shout out to Coleen Schwieter for all the coordination and logistics for the evening and the upcoming days. Pictured below is Coleen and her husband Randy.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
As you can see in the pictures everyone enjoyed the time socializing, sharing stories and enjoying the evening. Below are Tom (judge) and Wendy Bender from Sonora who were enjoying the festivities:
Photo ©Michael Kelly
While enjoying the evening it was also an opportunity for the judges to say hello to each other as we typically see each other at various events during the year. It is also an opportunity to meet new judges that we may not have spent time with previously. Below are judges (L to R), Lisa Gomez (The Vine), Carrie Boyle (Vintage Wine Marketing, River City Wine, writer) and Lori Alaniz (Sheldon Wine & Spirits Shop):
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Sláinte or perhaps better yet for this venue, salute!
Michael Kelly
https://californiawinesandwineries.com
2023 Cuda Ridge Wines “Insel Family Vineyard” Carménère
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Background
This story is part two of three on the three different vineyards that Cuda Ridge Wines makes their Carménère from. The first story was on “Little Dog Vineyard” and this being “Insel Family Vineyard”. Due up next will be the story on Casa de Viñas Vineyards. Will be doing a comparison between the three Carménère wines by Cuda Ridge Wines.
A Brief History of Carménère
The history of the Carménère varietal is as fascinating as it is happenstance! It was once one of the grapes in the Médoc region of Bordeaux. It served a similar purpose as Petit Verdot does today – producing a deep red/purple ink on wines. It was one of the original six red grapes of Bordeaux. Carménère originates from the French word for crimson (carmin) which refers to the crimson color of the autumn foliage.
(Photo from Wikipedia)
When the Phylloxera plague hit in 1867 destroying most of the vineyards in Europe, many thought the Carménère grape was extinct. It wasn’t until 150 years later that it was discovered that Chile had preserved the Carménère grape thinking it was Merlot (from clippings planted from France). DNA confirmed that it was the missing 6th varietal of Bordeaux.
Carménère Today
Carménère grows mainly in Chile, specifically the Colchagua Valley, Rapel Valley and in the Maipo Province. It is also grown in the Veneto region of Italy, and recently several wineries in Mendocino, Livermore, Lodi, Napa and Calaveras are producing it, albeit in small quantities. Walla Walla, Washington also has some root stock growing in Carménère. In California only 111 acres are producing Carménère which accounts for .000075% of the red grape harvest. Interestingly while in California the red grape harvest was down 25%, Carménère harvest was up 10%. These numbers are from the USDA Grape Crush Report for 2024, their errata dated August 25, 2025.
Uniqueness of Carménère
Photo from Pat Spangler from Spangler Vineyards/Oregon of Carménère Vineyard
As a varietal, it has the deep ruby coloring and aromas of red fruits. Tannins are softer and milder than Cabernet Sauvignon, thus its use in blending to soften a strong Cabernet. The use is like the use of Merlot in formulating an enjoyable blend. Chile produces a 100% Carménère which has a cherry and fruity flavor but has traces of smoke and earthy notes with the inky coloration.
The Wine – “Wine is bottled Poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The 2023 Cuda Ridge Carménère Insel Family Vineyard wine comes from Pleasanton on the western portion of Livermore Valley AVA. The vineyard is flat with sandy loam and loam soil. It is 100% Insel Family Vineyard Carménère. On the eyes, a medium-heavy viscosity wine with a unique inviting deep purple/maroon coloration. On the nose, ripe Bing cherries greeted the senses. The palate is where this wine excelled. First the bright cherry taste was intense and concentrated. Ripe juicy plums and dark fruits then came forth with a hint of soft, dry and wet earthen tones (minerality and forest floor) with black tea and leather in the background. The earthen notes are generally found in Chilean Carménère but not found too often in California. The finish was long lasting with mocha and pepper finishing off the enjoyment with a hint of Eucalyptus and Cedar counterbalanced with vanilla.
The Insel Family Vineyards Carménère compared to the Little Dog Vineyard possesses a bit more tannins and acidity which should be considered in the food pairings. It still was enjoyable with caressing tannins on the palate.
The wine is aged in new French oak barrels (50%) and once used American oak (50%) for 17 months. The wine comes in at 13.3% alcohol and is sold at $50/bottle. Only 48 cases were made so this will go fast. It will be released on September 27th and 28th at a release party at Cuda Ridge Wines.
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
This wine was specifically chosen to pair with the meal of Pork Tenderloin Tacos. Ingredients for the marinade included olive oil, fresh squeezed lime juice, honey, minced garlic cloves, cumin, chili powder, paprika, dried oregano, kosher salt and flour tortillas. The pork tenderloin was cut up into small strips and added to the marinade for 8 hours in the refrigerator. The pork tenderloin was cooked in an iron skillet on the stove top with about one half the marinade. On a separate burner, the Street Corn Avocado Salsa was prepared. It included grilled corn, Serrano peppers, diced red onion, minced garlic, fresh squeezed lime juice, olive oil, chopped cilantro, cumin and kosher salt. The tacos combined the three (shells, meat and street corn) and topped off with additional chopped cilantro to be served.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
We purposely cut back on the chili powder and Serrano peppers so as not to overpower the wine. This was critical as the tacos and wine were paired wonderfully and I was glad to have less heat in the dish. An interesting note is that we had plenty of pork left over and the next night we used it in a pork taco salad, and it tasted even better!
A very good pairing and if more peppers and spices were to be used you might consider a Merlot wine.
The Winery
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Larry Dino, owner and winemaker at Cuda Ridge Wines, now has all six modern Bordeaux varietals available at the tasting room. The Carménère is the first locally produced wine varietal in the Livermore AVA.
One of the solid and simple marketing ideas that Larry devised is his coloring scheme: White label for his Reserve wines, Black label for his non-Bordeaux wines and purple label for his Bordeaux varietals. Obviously Carménère falls in his purple label.
His Carménère will surely garner many awards in the upcoming wine competitions. Truly a good price point given the uniqueness and scarcity of Carménère plantings in California and the only current Livermore grown Carménère being offered. Besides the Insel Family Vineyard Carménère he offers two other vineyards designated Carménère wines: Little Dog Vineyard and Casa de Viñas. All three Carménère wines will be released to the public on September 27th and 28th at the winery.
His awards for these delicious wines are as follows:
2020 Carménère Insel– Silver Medal, 2022 San Francisco Chronicle Competition
2020 Carménère Little Dog Vineyard – Wine Enthusiast, 92 points
2019 Carménère – Gold Medal, 2021 Orange County Fair
The list of awards for all his other wines is extensive and would direct you to his website to view the dozens and dozens of noteworthy awards.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
Cellar 13 2021 Albariño – A Great Choice with Sashimi
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The Winery
Photo from Cellar 13
Cellar 13 was founded by Darin Winton, who also happens to be one of the few Native American Winemakers in the United States. He proudly uses the Cherokee language for their two Bordeaux style blends. The Right Bank blend is named “Aliheliga” which means grateful, and the Left Bank blend is named “Tsogadu” the number 13. On the backside of these two labels is artwork from Cherokee artist John Balloue.
Darin retired in 2017 and was immediately hired as the Assistant Winemaker at 3 Steves Winery in Livermore, California. Here he learned about wine making from start to finish. He was able to produce his own wines under his label. He has used a few wineries in Livermore as an impromptu “custom crush operation”. Darin handles the winemaking, and Gail Henderson runs the operations and marketing side of the winery.
The goal of Cellar 13 is to establish high quality and award-winning wines using fruit from only the best Vineyards. To that point here is just a partial list of their most current award-winning wines in just a few short years:
CHARDONNAY
* 2017 Chardonnay – Double Gold – 2019 SF Chronicle Wine Competition
* 2018 Chardonnay – Gold Medal Winner 94 points – 2023 Sunset International Wine Competition
* 2019 Chardonnay – Best in Class Winner – 2021 Livermore Valley Uncorked Wine Competition (Best Chardonnay in Livermore), Gold Medal Winner – 2021 SF Chronicle Wine Competition
ALBARIÑO
* 2021 Albariño – Gold Medal Winner – 2023 Orange County Fair Commercial Wine Competition
* 2023 Albariño – Gold Medal Winner – 92 POINTS 2024 Orange County Fair Commercial Wine Competition. Gold Medal Winner – 92 POINTS Sunset International Wine Competition.
SAUVIGNON BLANC
* 2023 Sauvignon Blanc – Double Gold Medal Winner – 2025 SF Chronicle Wine Competition.
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
* 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon – Double Gold Medal Winner 97 points – 2023 Sunset International Wine Competition, Double Gold Medal Winner – 2023 SF Chronicle Wine Competition. 2024 Orange County Fair Commercial Wine Competition, top 1% of awards.
BORDEAUX BLENDS
* 2019 Tsogadu (13 in Cherokee) – Left Bank Bordeaux Style Blend – 2019 Tsogadu (13 in Cherokee) – Left Bank Bordeaux Style Blend – 94 Points, Gold Medal Winner – 2024 California State Fair. Gold Medal Winner – 2023 Orange County Fair Commercial Wine Competition.
* 2019 Aliheliga (“Grateful” in Cherokee) – Right Bank Bordeaux Style Blend – Best in Class Winner – 2023 Livermore Valley Uncorked Wine Competition, Gold Medal Winner – 2022 SF Chronicle Wine Competition.
See their website for the complete listing of their awards.
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Albariño or Alvarinho is a variety of white wine grape grown in Galicia (northwest Spain) and in Northwest Portugal (Monção and Melgaço). Albariño is the name for the grape in Galician. In Portugal it is known as Alvarinho, and sometimes as Cainho Branco. Around 93% of the world’s Albariño vines are planted in Spain and Portugal. In California for the 2024 harvest 9,784 tons were processed of Albariño grapes. That represents only .007% of the total white wine grapes for California! Approximately 81% of Albariño grapes come from San Joaquin County (AVA #11) and Yolo County (AVA #17), both AVA’s include portions of Sacramento County per the USDA Grape Crush Report for 2024.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Typical flavors of Albariño are lemon zest, grapefruit, honeydew, nectarines and salt and often finish with a slight bitter note or minerality note. I have noticed that American Albariño is crisp and with strong aromatic notes of stone fruits and honeysuckle.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
On the eyes Cellar 13 had a pale-yellow tinge. On the nose a strong aroma of honeysuckle flooded the olfactory senses. On the palate, stone fruit, honeydew melon with lemon zest completed the tasting experience. On the finish both minerality and a salinity note completed the tasting. A great wine for seafood and shellfish. The 2021 Albariño was a Gold Medal Winner at the 2023 Orange County Fair Commercial Competition. The grapes from Livermore which only contributes less than .0035% of the total California production of Albariño grapes.
This wine made my annual Best Wines Tasted for 2025, which comes out each December.
The current release is 2023 and goes for $29/bottle and is 13% in alcohol.
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Selected this wine this evening for tuna sashimi picked up earlier in the day. Usually I go with Sauvignon Blanc but have enjoyed this wine with other seafood and decided to give it a go. It was a solid choice with its acidity and citrus notes with the Maguro. This gives me one additional wine to pair with my weekly sashimi meal.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly