California Wines Score Style Points
By ERIC ASIMOV
The polarizing years of California wine are over. No longer can its styles be summed up in a descriptive phrase or two, like plush, concentrated cabernet sauvignon; lush, jammy pinot noir; buttery oak-bomb chardonnay; or extravagantly ripe, blockbuster zinfandel.
Those dominant styles gave the impression of a monochromatic wine culture, in which more was good and even more was better. Many people embraced these wines and still do. But a significant minority dismissed them and California wines in general, though in truth, a careful search could have always turned up producers who valued finesse and subtlety but were largely ignored by critics.
Now California can be characterized by its stylistic diversity. Partly, this is because of a widening and maturing of consumer tastes. These days, the public is less reliant on two or three dominant wine critics who essentially share the same perspective. More important, though, a new wave of energetic California winemakers has helped to push stylistic boundaries while bringing more attention to older producers who had been considered behind the times or out of fashion.
These newer producers have been shaped by the same worldwide diversity of wines as their audience. They have been inspired not just by Bordeaux and Burgundy, Napa Valley and a neighboring producer whose wines received 100-point scores. Instead, they.ve looked to the traditions of northeastern Italy and the Jura, of Galicia and Sicily, of the Rh�ne Valley, Slovenia and many other lesser-known regions that make this moment so exciting for wine lovers. Their aim is not to slavishly copy these wines, but to be loyal to their inspirations while reflecting their California origins.
Some of these new-wave producers have been recognized as stars in their own right, like Arnot-Roberts, Copain, Scholium Project and Wind Gap. Many others are on the rise, gradually gaining attention as their wines are tasted and their names passed around. Few own land yet, and if they do it.s in less-acclaimed regions. Most buy grapes from trusted vineyard sources. Many, in fact, have full-time jobs in the wine industry and make their own wines on the side.
They exist, and excel, largely outside the realm of the familiar wine authorities whose scores in the past could have made or broken a winery. Most make small amounts of wine, and so particular bottles are often difficult to find. Here are 10 of them, in alphabetical order, all producers worth seeking out in case you spot them in a store or on a restaurant wine list.
Bedrock Wine Company specializes in intense wines made from very old vines, with the aim of capturing and expressing California.s wine heritage. Its zinfandels are simultaneously powerful, richly fruity yet agile and well balanced, perhaps not surprising since Bedrock was founded by Morgan Twain-Peterson, son of Joel Peterson, the founder of Ravenswood, a signature zinfandel producer. I especially like Bedrock.s Ode to Lulu ros�, made of old-vine mourv�dre in the Bandol style, fresh, vibrant and lightly floral with an underlying savory note and a steely spine of acidity.
Birichino, a new venture from alumni of Bonny Doon Vineyard, makes wines from Mediterranean grapes grown on the Central Coast and in Lodi. I.ve yet to have the ros� or the malvasia Bianca, but I loved its 2011 grenache from the Besson Vineyard; fresh, fragrant, sweetly fruity and deliciously spicy.
Broc Cellars makes excellent, nuanced, reasonably priced wines from a variety of sources, including zinfandel and Rh�ne-style grapes, but I especially enjoyed a spicy, gently fruity, slightly herbal cabernet franc from Paso Robles. Chris Brockway, the winemaker, is also involved in Broadside, which makes a terrific, reasonably priced cabernet sauvignon from Paso Robles that is a great value.
La Clarine Farm makes wines that are alive in the glass. Hank Beckmeyer and Caroline Hoel own land in the Sierra foothills, which they farm according to the principles of the Japanese agricultural philosopher Masanobu Fukuoka. They purchase grapes from like-minded farmers. I love their minimalist approach in the vineyard and the cellar, and I.ve loved all their wines, whether mourv�dre, ros� or the 2011 Piedi Grandi, a blend of nebbiolo, mourv�dre and syrah that is precise, savory, juicy and just plain delicious.
Dirty & Rowdy, a side project of two couples in the wine industry, makes the sort of wines you cannot mass-produce . naturalistic, hazy to the point of cloudy, with whites made somewhat in the style of reds so that you can feel the tannins. The 2011 s�millon, a grape with much untapped potential, was brilliant, with a lip-smacking texture and subtle aromas and flavors that kept me coming back for more. There.s also a mourv�dre, a grape that, like the s�millon, is rewarding renewed exploration.
Donkey & Goat winery has its own manifesto, and how can you not love a winery with a manifesto? This husband-and-wife team (don.t ask which is the donkey) does a fine job of abiding by its minimalist principles. I.ve enjoyed many of its Rh�ne-style wines, especially its Prospector mourv�dre . there.s that grape again . a powerful yet balanced wine with savage dark fruit and a refreshing, savory edge.
Kesner Wines is the creation of Jason Kesner, who has quite the day job. He.s the assistant winemaker and vineyard overseer at Kistler Vineyards, a trailblazing Sonoma producer of chardonnays and pinot noirs. Under his own label, he makes excellent chardonnays and pinot noirs that are models of precision and restraint, as well as a grenache and a red blend.
Martian Ranch and Vineyard uses a variety of Spanish and French grapes to produce wines that are otherworldly in their calibration and deliciousness . fresh, refreshing, complex and intriguing. I have especially liked the lively albari�o and the beautifully fragrant grenache blanc. Why Martian? The proprietor, Nan Helgeland, named Martian Ranch after her sons, Martin and Ian. Disappointingly prosaic? Perhaps. As the Web site says, .The Martian seen occasionally on the premises is as much a mystery to her as it is to anyone else..
Massican makes a captivatingly refreshing white out of ribolla gialla, tocai friulano and chardonnay, as well as a chardonnay and a sauvignon blanc, which demonstrate that Napa can do crisp and lively as well as weighty and powerful. By day, Dan Petroski is the winemaker at Larkmead, a historic property that makes fine if conventional Napa Valley wines. At Massican, Mr. Petroski shows a fascinating alternative side of Napa.
Matthiasson is another example of the antithesis of Napa Valley.s glamorous side. Steve and Jill Klein Matthiasson are farmers, essentially . he is a leading vineyard consultant . and their wines bear an agricultural stamp, as fresh, lively and alive as the best produce from a farmers. market, made from grapes that they either grow themselves or monitor before they purchase. Their wines are a pleasure, whether Friulian varieties blended with s�millon and sauvignon blanc, straightforward chardonnay, an unusual refosco, a shapely merlot or a mouthwateringly tangy ros� made from syrah.
I haven.t even mentioned Anthill Farms or Ceritas, Los Pilares or Petrichor Vineyards, Natural Process Alliance or Lioco. Nor should old-timers be forgotten, like Edmunds St. John and Qup�, Porter Creek and Corison, Clos Saron and Ojai, Au Bon Climat and Littorai. California is an awfully big wine-producing world. It.s time to embrace it.
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* Dr. James Ellingson, jellings(a)me.umn.edu *
* mobile : 651/645-0753 *
* Great Lakes Brewing News, 5219 Elliot Ave. S, Minneapolis, MN 55417 *
* james(a)brewingnews.com James.Ellingson(a)StThomas.edu *
By Jon Bonn�
June 9, 2013
It feels like it's been years that we've been talking about the trials of the 2010 vintage. Now, finally, the wines, in the iconic form of Napa Cabernet, are upon us.
The controversy over 2010 in Napa Valley is diminished only by the fact that nail-biting 2011 is sitting out on the horizon, with wines that required even more diligence - or, in many cases, salvage work.
To 2010: Napa does not smile much when cooler vintages come along, and not only was this cool, but it was also what can best be described as "complicated."
Cold and wet early on, and cold through the summer, it was marked by several heat spikes that made for uneven ripening and a lot of sunburn (although thick-skinned Cabernet was better positioned to endure than most). Add to that more cool weather that prolonged harvest through the better part of October - with some dastardly rain to boot.
Who in this most scrutinized of California appellations stood to win in such a hope-dashing year? Those who picked on the early side of rain, and a few on hillsides who managed to tough it out until it was dry again.
More than that, it was those vintners who thought ahead and decided to adjust their expectations given the year - to pick early, perhaps, to trade their usual definition of ripeness for the security of fruit in the cellar. It has been a while since we've seen so many wines in the lineup under 14 percent alcohol.
Hence what shone in the tasting were more traditionally styled wines, bottles from those who picked slightly early and aimed for a sleeker, more subdued approach. That didn't mean the wines were shy; bottles from Dominus, Snowden and Larkmead have no shortage of amplitude. But even these show a relative restraint in their fruit, a focus that Napa doesn't always embrace.
It is no surprise that some wines we often look forward to tasting, such as those from Cathy Corison, only recently made it to the bottling line. Here was a year that nodded back to the aging beliefs of old - that a proper Napa Cabernet might require an extra stay in the cellar before its debut.
Mastering the year
Now for the grand "but."
California winemaking being as programmatic as it can be, I also encountered a number of wines that hinted at nature overwhelming a vintner's savvy. Wines that displayed the jam- and raisin-like characters to which we've grown familiar, along with a thin or hollow texture that hinted at plans gone awry. Wines that displayed both overripe characteristics and the green tinge of under-ripeness - a mix not inherently unpleasant, but a hard one to master and in many cases, one not mastered. Wines that seemed to jam the square peg of a cold year into the round hole of Napa Valley abundance.
This isn't to throw water on the 2010s across the board. Among the top wines there was a deliberate effort to sort out successful lots. At that top level, it's worth noting that some of the best wines are absolutely ravishing - including bottles long since sold, like the 2010 Kapcsandy Estate Cuvee.
Uneven playing field
But looking broadly, it is an uneven playing field, which is why my recommendations include a balance of affordable and successful choices, in the interest of crediting good work at modest prices.
The battle over Napa's preferred style, and its approach to ripeness, has always begun among its elites - but it can no longer be that way. Is Napa bound to the lavish style that has brought it recent fame and spiraling prices? Or can it be more nimble in its approach?
This is why 2010, and 2011 as well, was a decisive year for the valley, one that stood to define how Napa represents itself to the world. The best wines are exceptional, and they offer lessons to the valley as a whole.
2010 Dominus Estate Napanook Yountville Red ($59, 14.5% alcohol): Dominus' second wine was almost entirely Cabernet Sauvignon (98 percent) in this vintage, and with just 20 percent new oak, it's a great snapshot of mid-valley Cabernet. (The regular Dominus has yet to arrive.) Fully fleshed and complex, with green olive and wet stone and a sleekness of blackberry fruit. Particularly focused for the Napanook style, and worthy of a cellar stay.
2010 Larkmead Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($75, 14.7%): In the cellar, Andy Smith and Dan Petroski managed a true success for the vintage at this historic Calistoga property. It's big, dense, surprisingly lush for a 2010, with almost chewy black fruit and a deep, burnt-herb complexity matched by just enough savory oak. The tannins are forward enough to require time, but it's got that mix of tension and opulence that marks Larkmead's ability to bridge classic and modern styles.
2010 Spring Mountain Vineyard Elivette Spring Mountain District Red ($125, 13.8%): Although this historic property has kept a low profile, the 2010 vintage brought a number of shifts, including more Cabernet Franc (up to 36 percent) and a consulting hand to winemaker Jac Cole not usually in the Napa roster: Patrick Leon, ex of Mouton-Rothschild. (Bernard Hervet of Burgundy's Faiveley is also helping.) Their work yielded an Elivette, available later this summer, markedly different than recent vintages, one that nods to an earlier Napa style without giving up its Californian bones. Great ancho chile and pencil-lead aromas underscore the pleasure of the fruit. It's a great modern Napa expression, as is the fragrant, nutmeg-scented 2010 Spring Mountain District Cabernet Sauvignon ($75, 13.6%).
2010 Snowden The Ranch Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($42, 15%): Diana Snowden Seysses brings her talents with another grape (she also works with her husband at Burgundy's Domaine Dujac) to her family's longtime Napa property. Their second wine may not have the tannic depth of the 2010 Snowden Reserve ($80, 15.5%) but it manages to be similarly spicy and robust without losing the freshness to its black currant flavors. Its suppleness shows a very thoughtful eye toward finessing tannins.
2010 Stony Hill Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($60, 13.5%): The McCrea family's second vintage in the Cabernet realm, after 60 years in Napa, delivers beautifully. Set for release in a few months, and again grown from a dry-farmed parcel on their Spring Mountain site, it's subtle and pleasingly leafy, with eucalyptus and roast-coffee accents to vibrant red currant fruit.
2010 Antica Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($55, 14%): It was the sort of vintage to favor skilled hands like the Antinori family and Antica's manager, Napa veteran Glenn Salva. A precise, mineral-edged effort, with rosemary accents, inky plum flavors and tea-like tannins. Still young, but an excellent example of a focused higher-elevation expression from their Atlas Peak site.
2010 Chateau Montelena Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($50, 13.9%): For those who view Montelena in the "stalwart" category, here was a year to reward Bo Barrett's long experience. This larger-production blend is tight-knit and spicy, with fleshy cherry fruit, nutmeg and a dusty tannic aspect. It might not hit the highs of a more even vintage, but those classic Cabernet bones are on full display.
2010 Hess Allomi Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($30, 13.7%): Hess' large planting near Howell Mountain remains a great source for affordable Napa bottles, and no different this year. The wood tannin (25 percent new American oak) shows through, but it's perfumed and sleek, with black currant and peony.
2010 Quintessa Rutherford Red ($145, 14.5%): A true success of the year, with the Huneeus family and winemaker Charles Thomas finding perfumed, almost delicate overtones to a wine that's still lush with Rutherford fruit. Cassia, dried thyme, violets and subtle, silken cherry flavors that brighten up toward the finish. Beautifully stylish, with 85 percent new oak that's deftly integrated.
2010 Turley Wine Cellars The Label Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($42, 14.5%): The famed Zinfandel house has tossed its hat into the ring with a more traditional approach to Napa. Made from an organically farmed parcel near Larry Turley's estate north of St. Helena, this is a tribute to the more modest 1970s Napa Cabs - even if its label is an exploration in sans-serif modernity. It's Cabernet without pretense, full of dried-mint brushiness, fresh flowers and dried cherries. There's a dryness to the tannins, too (hence the '70s homage) and a chicory-like bite. If not the most complex of the lot, it serves its purpose precisely.
2010 Terra Valentine Spring Mountain District Cabernet Sauvignon ($45, 14.9%): Another win from Spring Mountain. There's ample mountain tannin, but also a fantastic definition and relatively little (20 percent) new oak, which allows a distinct graphite aspect and tarry undertone to match fresh blue fruit and raspberry flavors.
2010 Cliff Lede Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon ($70, 14.8%): Lede taps one of those all-star Napa teams - Philippe Melka and David Abreu - in addition to winemaker Chris Tynan for a robust, fashionable effort that balances jammy fruit with warm oak (54 percent new), pencil lead and black tea accents. A kirsch-like warmth fills the end, and ties the style together deftly.
2010 Buehler Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($25, 14.1%): The Buehlers and winemaker David Cronin continue to defy the wonders of Napa economics. This latest effort, mixing 30 percent estate fruit with valley floor grapes, has enough body to be full and complete, with a slightly forward oak presence but also great black currant flavors and chewy tannins that rival its Estate ($36, 14.1%) bottling.
2010 Charles Krug Yountville Cabernet Sauvignon ($29, 14.5%): The Peter Mondavi side of the Mondavi family certainly has the long know-how in Napa to finesse a vintage like 2010. The Yountville entry from their appellation series is ripe and plummy, a no-pretense Napa Cab accented by mace, dried juniper and a winning valley-floor dustiness.
2010 Stags' Leap Winery Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($53, 13.9%): This longtime name now owned by Treasury Wine Estates used a mix of estate and purchased fruit for its latest effort, which shows a focused approach for the vintage: lots of plum, and a black-olive aspect, and dusty if slightly rough-edged tannins. Give it a year.
Panelists: Jon Bonn�, Chronicle wine editor; Joshua Haberman, wine director, Harris' Restaurant; Kelli White, sommelier, Press.
Jon Bonn� is The San Francisco Chronicle's wine editor. Find more of his coverage at sfchronicle.com/food/wine. E-mail: jbonne(a)sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jbonne
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* Dr. James Ellingson, jellings(a)me.umn.edu *
* mobile : 651/645-0753 *
* Great Lakes Brewing News, 5219 Elliot Ave. S, Minneapolis, MN 55417 *
* james(a)brewingnews.com James.Ellingson(a)StThomas.edu *
