Red Blend
2015 Crocker & Starr Casili 8 – One of the Best Blends
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Background
A question was posed on a wine chat room, if you could only drink one wine the rest of your life, what would you choose? While not answering the question, as I believe variety is the spice of life, last evening drinking this 2015, it was extremely close to being the answer. We had a relative in from out of town and had never had a Crocker & Starr wine.
The Wine – “Wine is bottled Poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The Casali designated wine is a mix of Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon with the percentages changing year by year. 2015 Casali 8 is 55% Malbec and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon. This is Pam’s ode to a Bordeaux blend and comes in at 14.4% alcohol.
First on the eyes a dark inky coloring with a magenta and purple rim. When popping the cork, the fragrances of black plum waft into the senses beckoning one to take a sip. Once on the palate, black cherries and blueberries swirl about in merriment. Secondary flavors of sweet pipe tobacco along with blackberries complete the tasting. The finish, dark chocolate counterbalanced by vanilla and surrounded by silky and embracing tannins leaves one almost speechless. Like a piece of art, you are mesmerized and totally elated with the momentary and existential experience.
Their current release is 2022 and is available to Casali members for $110/bottle (Casali 15). The 2015 will definitely make my “Best Wines Tasted This Year” again (comes out each December) in 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
Dinner with this wine was a special Carne Asada. The flank steak was tenderized and was marinated 24 hours with the following ingredients: olive oil, soy sauce, fresh squeezed orange and lime juice, fresh chopped cilantro leaves, serrano peppers, minced garlic cloves, ground cumin, Kosher salt, ground black pepper. The steak was seared on the BBQ with an infrared ceramic burner at 1500 degrees for about 3-4 minutes a side and then BBQ’ed. Served with minced cilantro, fresh extra marinade sauce and a modicum of fresh squeezed lime juice. Accompanying the meal was a fresh homemade macaroni salad with black olives, purple onions, and diced Serrano peppers. The Carne Asada was flavorful and spicy. This is now one of our “go to” BBQ food pairings!
This Malbec blend with its fruit surrounded the spicy meat and cooled it off to be absolutely a wonderful pairing with the Cabernet Sauvignon component matched beautifully with the meat protein.
The Winery
Pam Starr is simply a Rock Star. I believe she is one of the elite top 10 winemakers in Napa, but she is also much more than this. Knowing Pam Starr and following her exquisite wines for years, just about all would agree! Her technical pedigree comes from UC Davis in Fermentation Science. She started as an intern at Sonoma Cutrer, Edna Valley Vineyard, then six years at Carmenet Winery and then winemaker for Spottswoode Vineyard. In 1997 she and Charlie Crocker established Crocker & Starr.
Photo from Crocker & Starr website
Charlie Crocker comes from one of California’s oldest families, with his grandfather who was involved in the Central Pacific railroad in the mid 1800’s. His family heritage was a force in California’s development. Charlie also was involved in high tech and ran several companies very successfully. He has always had a keen interest in wine. Charlie in 1971 purchased the Dowdell property in St Helena. Today 85 of the 100 acres are planted in the classical Bordeaux grapes. On their website a detailed chronology is provided and makes a very good read.
The blending of these two personalities as a partnership is as smooth as their wine — seamless and magnificent.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
What I enjoy most in getting to know Pam, is her genuineness and friendliness. You can stop by and see her in the vineyards, driving a forklift, punching down tubs of grapes, just about anything and everything. She is immersed in the business of “perfection”. Yet she has time, to sit down and talk, provide a bowl of water for your dogs, and even converse about mundane “non-wine issues”. She is above all else, extremely real and kind. Why wouldn’t you like her wine?
Her enthusiasm spills over into her craft of winemaking skills. I am speaking as a customer and wine club member from this perspective. Since meeting Pam, some twenty years ago, her wines started out at a 10 (scale of 1-10) and have remained at this quality the entire time! No easy feat with droughts, fire and wild temperature swings.
Let’s talk about the wines she produces. First, and why I sought Crocker & Starr initially years ago, was her Cabernet Franc. Each year they produce one of the most consistently solid and best Cabernet Franc’s in the Valley. The wine always shows a deep purple, with concentrates of black raspberries and tobacco. As some Cab Francs can be “strong”, Crocker & Starr‘s are strong in texture, but surprisingly soft and velvety to drink. They have enough balance of structure, tannin and acid to last 10-15 years without fail.
Today they produce a few Cabernet Sauvignon (RLC, Stone Place, One Post), Cabernet Franc and Casali (blend of Cabernet Franc & Malbec). Also, their white Sauvignon Blanc is superb. One newer addition is Brut Rosé. All her red wines and white wines have consistently made my annual list of “Best Wines Tasted” during the year for the last 15 years! See the links to these reviews:
https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2019/12/28/2011-crocker-starr-stone-place-cabernet-sauvignon/
Photo from Crocker & Starr website
In 2021 Cyrus Hazzard joined the Crocker & Starr team as a Partner & President to continue their esteemed tradition.
One of their taglines is “Touch the Vines, Taste the Wines”. When visiting the winery, immersion into the vineyard is a prerequisite.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
2021 JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery Isosceles – One Great Wine!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The Wine – “Wine is bottled Poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The background for 30 years for the Isosceles philosophy has been to make it “their flagship wine and quality benchmark from Central Coast of California. A blend based on Cabernet Sauvignon supported by Cabernet Franc and Merlot” states Scott Shirley. Paso Robles grows each of these varietals to near perfection.
First looking into the glass with the wine, a bright and dark purple, almost black coloring and medium heavy viscosity. On the nose, mellow and soft cherry with a hint of soft vanilla pipe tobacco. On the palate this is one of the smoothest wines imaginable yet with strong characteristics. Black cherry with notes of oak, cedar and subtle leather fills the mouth. There was also a hint of licorice. The finish was layered and complex with each sip exposing the genuine uniqueness of this wine. Tannins were present and velvety but kept in check. Wine Enthusiast rated it 93 points, but it is surely higher today in my opinion. This will make my Best Wines tasted in 2025, the annual list comes out in December. The alcohol level is 15.5%.
The current vintage 2022 sells for $85/bottle and is just slightly different from the 2021 mix which was comprised of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc and 7% Merlot.
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 filet mignon BBQ’ed to medium rare. Accompanied by a fresh Cesar salad and mashed potatoes (not shown). The food and wine pairing was delicious with the wine tannins helping with the meat and embracing each morsel with fruit. Another excellent food and wine pairing this evening.
The Winery
Photo from JUSTING Vineyards & Winery website
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.
Photo from JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery website
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”.
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.
Photo from JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery website
Their talented wine maker is Scott Shirley who came to Justin in 2012. He is a graduate of UC Davis and worked at Opus One after college. His Justification blend in 2017 was named top wine in the world in 2017 and received 94 points from Wine Spectator for the 2014 vintage.
While having experienced their Isosceles and Justification wines, they produce many others. The reds include Cabernet Sauvignon, various red blends, Pinot Noir (Russian River), Malbec, Tempranillo, Zinfandel, Merlot and Syrah. Their white wines include Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay (both from the Central Coast & Sonoma County) and Viognier. Looking forward to tasting several of these other wines soon.
Sláinte,
Michael