Chardonnay
has a long extensive history in Livermore Valley. In 1912 Ernest Wente
persuaded his father C.H. Wente to import Chardonnay cuttings from
France to plant in Livermore Valley. Over the next 30-40 years Wente
established the Wente Clone of Chardonnay and now nearly 80% of
California’s Chardonnay vines trace their genetic roots to the Livermore
Valley Wente clone and Chardonnay is the top selling white wine varietal in the USA.
So what is Chardonnay like now here in the home of Chardonnay in the USA? On July 25, as part of the Taste Our Terroir
events, the Livermore Valley Winegrowers Association hosted The
Chardonnay Collective at the Darcie Kent Winery in Livermore. Four
winemakers from small wineries in the area formed a panel group to
discuss the Terroir for Chardonnay in Livermore. The winemakers
included:
Each of these winemakers sources their Chardonnay grapes from
different vineyards in Livermore Valley, reflecting the unique Terroir
of that vineyard but also showing a constant factor of Livermore Valley
quality Chardonnay. Dane Stark sources his grapes from Chandler
Vineyard on the west end of Livermore in the area around Kalthoff
Common. This particular vineyard warms slowly during the growing
season, slowly producing the sugars leading to harvest. Dane states,
“The Chardonnay from this vineyard possesses a unique focus of character
within the appellation. While being in a warmer climate, the west end
is separated by the Bay influence by a double, low lying ridge line and
warms the most slowly during the growing season. This vineyard shows
great potential for producing well structured, complex Chardonnays.”
Fraser-Howard Vineyard is a small 1.2 acre vineyard with Wente Clone 4
vines that is consistently the first Chardonnay vineyard to get ripe.
It is located in the heart of Livermore Valley along Tesla Road. Collin
Cranor of Nottingham Cellars utilizes the grapes from Fraser-Howard
Vineyard to their Livermore Valley Chardonnay. As stated by Collin,
“The goal is to find the right vineyard and then honing in on their
specific attributes.” This Chardonnay is noted for its round firm body
with undertones of baked apple and tropical fruit, plus a nice acidity
and long finish.
Steve Burman, one of the three Steves who formed 3 Steves Winery is a
fan and user of grapes from Del Arroyo Vineyard, a large 150 acre
vineyard that happens to be near the 3 Steves Winery on Greenville Road.
Five acres of this vineyard are planted with the Wente Clone
Chardonnay. He let the audience sample two versions of this wine, one
of which was filtered and fined and one that was not. It was
interesting to note that the audience was split fairly equally between
which they liked. Some appreciated the raw flavors and aromas of the
unfiltered wine while others enjoyed the wine that reflected more
manipulation by the winemaker.
DeMayo Vineyard on the hills above Greenville Road is a 14 acre
vineyard of Chardonnay with two blocks used by Darcie Kent Vineyards,
the De Mayo block and the Hoffman block. It has warm days and a nightly
cooling breeze with seasonal cooling fog. This wine has nice tropical
aromas and flavors and a full mouthfeel leading to a long mineral
finish. Winemaker Julian Halasz gave the audience a chance to taste
Chardonnay that had different exposures to oak including one with
Stainless Steel and some neutral oak, one with American oak and one with
French oak
.
The audience at the Chardonnay Collective was impressed with the
Chardonnay from Livermore and has seen a dramatic improvement over the
years from the many wineries in the appellation.
Long
days, warm temperatures, fresco dinners, picnics, friends and the
outdoors are all symbolic of summers in California. Be prepared with
some nice fresh crisp summer white wines chilled waiting for friends
coming over, or just for some me-time at the end of a long day. Franciscan Estate
Winery in the heart of Napa Valley has two nice white wines for such
occasions, the 2014 Equilibrium Blend and the 2014 Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc.
Franciscan Estate has one of the longest histories of Napa Valley wineries.
It was founded in over 35 years ago when Justin Meyer and Raymond
Duncan planted the vineyard in what is now the Oakville region of Napa
Valley. Over the years this historic winery has not only introduced
many premium award winning wines to its portfolio but has also worked
hard to be a good neighbor in the valley. The new visitors center was
opened in 2001 to reflect the status of this winery in one of the
premium winegrowing regions of the world. In 2009 Franciscan was
awarded the Napa Green Certification reflecting on its care for the
soil.
Franciscan Estate Napa Valley 2014 Equilibrium White Blend
starts with a base of Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc for a crisp and
citrusy core. Then Napa Valley Chardonnay is added for body and a
creamy mouthfeel and Napa Valley Muscat for lovely aromatics and floral
notes. The result is a beautiful crisp and clean wine
with aromas and flavors of jasmine, orange blossom and honeysuckle with
notes of passion fruit and lychee, leading to a nice long finish.
Janet Myers, winemaker, states, “Our Equilibrium white blend is a rich,
fun, and unique wine that’s easy to enjoy. The name Equilibrium means
‘to come together in a state of harmonic balance.’ With this in mind
our winemakers crafted a unique expression of artisanal blending. The
perception of sweetness enables it to pair beautifully with a range of
foods, from spicy barbeque to Thai and other Asian cuisines.” The price
is $23 per bottle.
The Franciscan Estate 2014 Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc is
carefully crafted to marry the minerality and steeliness found in Loire
Valley Sauvignon Blanc with the opulence and fruit intensity of New
Zealand, but still bringing out the bright fruit of California wines.
The result is a refreshing summer wine that delivers aromas of lime,
grapefruit and lychee coupled with the flavors of fresh fruit, juicy
lime, Meyer lemon and lychee, leading to a long finish with crisp
minerality. Janet Myers, the winemaker, states, “In our quest to
produce a rich, supple, and vibrantly acidic Sauvignon Blanc, we took
this wine on a little trip: the Loire meets New Zealand by way of Napa
Valley.” The price is $17 per bottle.
For more information: Franciscan Estate
Kim
and Todd Engelhardt are following their dream of owning a winery. On
July 18-19 they opened their new Lion Ranch Vineyards and Winery tasting room
at 645 W. San Martin Avenue in San Martin. Club members, family and
friends came by to celebrate this major step, wish them luck and enjoy
their fine wines.
Lion Ranch started as a dream when they were living in San Francisco.
A trip to France took them to the Rhone River valley where they fell
in love with Viognier and other white Rhone varietals.
They then realized that their dream would focus on the delicious wines
made from Rhone varietals.
Moving to a property along Santa Teresa
Road in San Martin, they planted 3.5 acres in white Rhone varietals,
including Viognier, Grenache Blanc, Roussanne and Marsanne. Their 4000
grape vines were treated with hands-on care and they learned that
vineyards are definitely hard, hot,
dusty, dirty work for them and some
family and friends they convinced to give them a hand.
While tending to their new vineyard, Todd continued his career as an
Emergency Room doctor at night as he read up on viticulture and
winemaking information, getting his hands on blogs, textbooks and
articles. In the meanwhile Kim went to work for a local winery to pick
up hand-on skills in both grape growing and winemaking.
By 2013 another property just down the road from their home became
available and they moved the winery operation into their new home in
this location, while Todd’s sister moved to the older home to watch over
their white grape vineyard. This new site was once part of the large
land tract known as Lion Ranch so they had a name for their new winery.
The year 2013 also marked their first vintage from their white wine vineyard and they were introducing this remarkable wine throughout the valley at wine festivals and events.
After negotiating the winding path of building regulations and
permits, they were able to open their new tasting pavilion this past
weekend. If El Nino and the weather permits, they will be planting 4000
red wine grapes in this location later this year.
Kim and Todd focus on producing high quality wines. Since Rhone
varietals tend to be susceptible to oxidation, they have invested in a
screw cap bottling capability. They believe that screw caps provide
superior oxidation protection and will enable their wines to maintain
their quality over the years. They are the only winery in the valley
that only uses screw-cap bottles.
Their current release consists of three wines. The 2013 Grenache Blanc
is a unique wine that is relatively rare in California with only about
330 acres planted in the state. This white version of the traditional
red Grenache has been aged in stainless steel tanks with a mile mixing
of the fine lees to give it a nice round body and refreshing acidity. On
the nose you will detect bright green apple and mandarin orange. On the
palate the apple and mandarin orange continue with a nice touch of
minerality leading to a medium plus finish. Here in the South Bay Asian
foods are enjoyed in homes and restaurants and this wine pairs
particularly well with Asian foods. The price is $27 per bottle.
Kim and Todd are great admirers of Viognier and their 2013 Viognier
shows their love of this grape. They try to emulate the Viognier found
in the premium Condrieu region of France. This grape has only been
grown in California since the 1980s. It is a very floral wine known for
its aromas and flavors of violets, apricots and peaches. Lion Ranch
allows the wine to undergo malolactic fermentation and aged sur lie with
mild mixing of fine lees in new French oak barrels giving the wine a
nice texture, long finish and great mouthfeel. The price is $25 per
bottle.
The 2013 Lion’s Share is their blend of white Rhone
varietals including 50% Viognier, an equal mixture of Roussanne and
Marsanne and 5% Grenache Blanc. The Viognier provides that floral
aromatics, Marsanne for the minerality and elegance, Roussanne for the
rich complexity and texture and Grenache Blanc for acidity. This is an
excellent food wine that can enhance many different dishes. The price
is $23 per bottle.
Lion Ranch is a welcome addition to the Santa Clara Valley winery
family. Their focus on Rhone varietals makes them a pleasant addition
to the Valley of the Heart’s Delight.
For more information: Lion Ranch Vineyards and Winery
Dante Robere Vineyards opened their new tasting room
at 1200 Wetmore Road in Livermore over the weekend of July 18-19.
This, the newest tasting room in Livermore, is a beautiful structure
along the Livermore Valley wine trail, across from the entrance to the Sycamore Grove Park on one side and surrounded by Syrah vineyards on the other. There is plenty of room around the U-shaped
wine bar in the center of the building plus an expansive outdoor patio
facing the park. There is also a quiet patio behind the building
exclusively for Cellar Dwellers Wine Club Members.
Dan Rosenberg and Bob Bossi have been friends for over three decades
as well as fans of great wine. After Dan moved to Livermore Valley in
2003 the passion for wine grew with visits to small family-run wineries.
Soon this passion took the next step as Dan planted a small Zinfandel
vineyard in his backyard and they became home winemakers. As the
passion developed the worked with other local winemakers to expand their
skills in winemaking and began to consider turning this passion into a
second career. In 2012 they purchased a six acre Syrah vineyard on
Wetmore Road where the tasting room is now located and started their own
bonded winery. Dante Robere Vineyards came from their names, Dan and
Bob. For several years they shared space at Eagle Ridge Vineyard on
Tesla Road developing their wine portfolio while facing the daunting
task of constructing their winery and weaving through the labyrinth of
city and county regulations.
This weekend marks a peak in their long term plans to turn their wine
passion into a successful wine business. Bob Bossi states, "This is a
great location and a great structure," Their goal is to make wine from
Livermore Valley grapes when possible but also seek quality grapes from
other areas to produce wines that fit into their wine portfolio. Today
they produce a Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Estate Syrah, Estate
Zinfandel, Grenache, Barbera, Mourvedre and more.
The 2013 Syrah Rose is produced from grapes grown
just outside the doors of the new winery/tasting room. While it
delivers the fresh, light acidity of a Rose, you also will enjoy the
distinctive Syrah flavors of fresh strawberry and a touch of spice and
pepper. This is a perfect wine for a relaxing summer afternoon.
Two Cellar Rats II is a blend of Syrah, Mourvedre,
Zinfandel and Albarino. This is another tasty refreshing summer wine
with jammy red fruit flavors and aromas, yet a creamy long finish.
Dante Robere 2012 Syrah uses grapes from their
estate vineyard and aged in 100% Hungarian oak barrels for 18 months.
It is a distinctive Syrah with a rich purple color and aromas of red and
black fruit, smoke and vanilla. As you taste the wine you will enjoy
the Syrah flavors of blackberry, black cherry and vanilla with nice
spicy overtones.
The 2012 Estate Reserve Syrah takes it to the higher
level with aging in French oak barrels for 22 months. The aromas and
flavors are dark fruit such as blackberry and plum with a nice overlay
of smoke and various spices coming together to a wonderful balance
finish with great tannin, fruit and spice.
Stop by the new Dante Robere Vineyards tasting room and meet Dan and
Bob and enjoy their wines in their relaxing cool tasting room at 1200
Wetmore Road.
For more information: Dante Robere Vineyards
The California State Fair 2015 Commercial Wine
Competition saw over 2800 wine entries received from almost 750
participating winery brands. Seventy-two judges on 18 panels awarded 57
Double Golds and 254 Golds, and the top winners showed the diversity of
California wine, coming from around the state and from wineries of every
size.
The first State Fair Wine Competition was held in 1855. The
competition is the oldest and one of the most prestigious wine events in
the country. Top wines including Best of Region and Best of California
winners will be featured at the State Fair in the Save Mart Supermarkets
Wine Garden for visitors to enjoy July 10-26.
Santa Clara Valley brought home several awards from the California State Fair including several Best of Class of Region awards.
- Cooper-Garrod Estate Vineyards
– Best of Class of Region for the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Santa Cruz
Mountains Estate and a Silver for the 2010 Syrah and Bronze award for
the 2012 Chardonnay
- Fortino Winery – won the Best of Class of Region for the 2012 Charbono from Santa Clara Valley plus a Bronze for the 2013 Sangiovese.
- Guglielmo Winery – captured a Bronze for the 2012 Barbera and Silver for the 2012 Petite Sirah
- J. Lohr Vineyards and Wines
– picked up Best of Class of Region awards for the 2011 St. E Paso
Robles Bordeaux blend, 2013 Los Osos Merlot and 2012 Fog’s Reach Arroyo
Seco Pinot Noir, plus other Gold, Silver and Bronze medals for a total
of 19 awards
- Martin Ranch Vineyards
– brought home the Best of Class of Region award for the 2012 Therese
Vineyards Dos Ninas Vineyards Malbec, plus five other Silver and 3
Bronze awards.
Top wines including Best of Region and Best of California winners
will be featured at the State Fair in the Save Mart Supermarkets Wine
Garden for visitors to enjoy July 10-26.
A complete listing of
award-winning wines can be found at castatefair.org.
The California State Fair 2015 Commercial Wine
Competition saw over 2800 wine entries received from almost 750
participating winery brands. Seventy-two judges on 18 panels awarded 57
Double Golds and 254 Golds, and the top winners showed the diversity of
California wine, coming from around the state and from wineries of every
size.
The first State Fair Wine Competition was held in 1855. The
competition is the oldest and one of the most prestigious wine events in
the country. Top wines including Best of Region and Best of California
winners will be featured at the State Fair in the Save Mart Supermarkets
Wine Garden for visitors to enjoy July 10-26.
“California's 78,000 farms and ranches produce roughly half of all
the fruits, nuts and vegetables grown in the United States; and our
grape industry accounts for 90 percent of all wine consumed in America.
As one of the oldest professional wine competitions in the nation, we
are extremely pleased that for the second year in a row the State Fair
has seen increased participation in our prestigious wine competition,”
said Rick Pickering, CEO of the California State Fair. “The State Fair
continues to be an enormous showcase of the Best of California."
Livermore Valley took home several awards from the California State Fair including several top awards.
Best of Greater Bay Red
Gold 94 points, Mitchell Katz Winery 2012 Crackerbox Vineyard Sangiovese, Livermore Valley
Best of Greater Bay White
Double Gold 98 points, Murrieta’s Well 2013 “The Whip”, Livermore Valley
Best of North Central Coast White
Gold 94 points, Wente Vineyards 2013 Riva Ranch Chardonnay, Arroyo Seco
Best Other Dry White Varietal Blend
Double Gold 98 points, Murrieta’s Well 2013 The Whip, Livermore Valley
Best Sangiovese
Gold 94 points, Mitchell Katz Winery 2012 Crackerbox Vineyard Sangiovese, Livermore Valley
Best Tempranillo
Double Gold 98 points, Fenestra Winery 2010 Tempranillo, Lodi
Many Livermore Valley wineries brought home individual awards showcasing the quality of their wines.
- Bent Creek Wines – captured 3 Bronze and 1 Silver award
- Concannon Vineyard
– brought home 2 Bronze and 5 Silver awards, including Best of Class of
the Region for the 2012 Livermore Valley Reserve Petite Sirah and Best
of Class of Region for the 2013 Chardonnay Reserve.
- Crooked Vine Winery – enjoyed two Bronze and two Silver awards, including Best of Class of the Region for the 2012 Moxie.
- Eagle Ridge Vineyard – earned two Silver awards for their Petite Sirah and Raptor
- Ehrenberg Cellars – captured four Silver awards including Best of Class of Region for the 2012 Contra Costa County Favalora Vineyards Zinfandel
- Fenestra Winery–
in addition to the Best of California award for the 2010 Tempranillo,
Fenestra also got a Double Gold, Silver and four Bronze awards
- Las Positas Vineyards
- got 7 Silver and one Gold award in addition to Best of Class of
Region awards for the 2012 Barbera, 2012 Coccineous, 2014 Syrah and 2012
Tempranillo
- Longevity Wines – won two Silver awards plus Best of Class of Region for the 2011 Mourvedre
- Mitchell Katz Winery–
in addition to the top awards for Best of Region Red and Best of
California for the 2012 Crackerbox Vineyard Sangiovese, they also got
Gold and two Silver awards
- Murrieta’s Well–
with the Best of Region White and Best of California special awards for
the 2013 The Whip, they also got a Double Gold and a Silver award
- Wente Vineyards–
along with the Best of Region White for the 2013 Riva Ranch Chardonnay
from Arroyo Seco, they also brought back Gold, two Silver and four
Bronze awards
Top wines including Best of Region and Best of California winners
will be featured at the State Fair in the Save Mart Supermarkets Wine
Garden for visitors to enjoy July 10-26. A complete listing of
award-winning wines can be found at castatefair.org.
In
addition to the Best of Show and Best of Region awards, the California
State Fair also selects the Best of California wines awarded for the
best of specific varietals throughout California. With wine
entries coming from around the state and from wineries of every size,
the judges had to select the best wines of each of 26 varietals.
“California's 78,000 farms and ranches produce roughly half of all
the fruits, nuts and vegetables grown in the United States; and our
grape industry accounts for 90 percent of all wine consumed in America.
As one of the oldest professional wine competitions in the nation, we
are extremely pleased that for the second year in a row the State Fair
has seen increased participation in our prestigious wine competition,”
said Rick Pickering, CEO of the California State Fair. “With more than
2,800 wine entries from 700 plus wineries, the State Fair continues to
be an enormous showcase of the Best of California."
For more than 160 years, the California State Fair has showcased the
best of the Golden State. During the 2014 State Fair at Cal Expo more
than 750,000 people experienced the best and made memories that will
last a lifetime. Cal Expo was dedicated as a place to celebrate
California’s achievements, industries, agriculture, diversity of its
people, traditions and trends that shape the Golden State’s future. The
2015 California State Fair will take place July 10 - 26, 2015.
Best of California Wines
Best Chardonnay
Double Gold 98 points, Sean Minor Four Bears 2013 Chardonnay, Central Coast
Best Pinot Grigio
Gold 94 points, Wine Cube 2014 Pinot Grigio, California
Best Riesling
Double Gold 98 points, Mirassou Sun Winery 2013 Riesling California
Best Sauvignon Blanc
Double Gold 98 points, Fancy Pants 2013 Sauvignon Blanc, California
Best Viognier
Double Gold 98 points, Robert Hall Winery 2014 Viognier, Paso Robles
Best Other White Varietal
Gold 94, Wise Villa Winery 2014 Torrontes, Alta Mesa
Best Other Dry White Varietal Blend
Double Gold 98 points, Murrieta’s Well 2013 The Whip, Livermore Valley
Best Cabernet Sauvignon
Double Gold 98 points, Lewis Grace 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate, El Dorado County
Best Cabernet Franc
Gold 95 points, Michael David Inkblot 2013 Cabernet Franc, Lodi
Best Pinot Noir
Double Gold 98 points, Woodenhead 2012 Clone 115 Pinot Noir Buena Tierra Vineyard, E Block, Russian River Valley
Best Merlot
Double Gold 98 points, Solis Winery 2011 Merlot, Santa Clara Valley
Best Malbec
Gold 94 points, Wise Villa Winery 2013 Malbec Alta Mesa
Best Sangiovese
Gold 94 points, Mitchell Katz Winery 2012 Crackerbox Vineyard Sangiovese, Livermore Valley
Best Syrah
Double Gold 98 points, Cinquain Cellars 2011 Syrah, Paso Robles
Best Tempranillo
Double Gold 98 points, Fenestra Winery 2010 Tempranillo, Lodi
Best Barbera
Double Gold 98 points, McManis Family Vineyards 2013 Jamie Lynn Vineyards Barbera, California
Best Petite Sirah
Double Gold 98, Trentadue Winery 2013 La Storia Petite Sirah, Alexander Valley, Sonoma County
Best Zinfandel
Double Gold 98 points, Torn Winery 2013 Old Vine Zinfandel, Lodi
Best Muscat
Gold 94 points, Robert Hall Winery 2014 Orange Muscat Margaret’s Vineyard, Paso Robles
Best Bordeaux Red Varietal Blend
Gold 94 points, Stonehedge Winery 2014 Meritage Reserve, Napa Valley
Best Italian Red Varietal Blend
Gold 94 points, Nello Olivo 2012 Toscanello, El Dorado County
Best Other Red Varietal Blend
Double Gold 98 points, Gen 7 2011 Road to Singapore, Knights Valley
Best Other Red Varietal
Double Gold 98 points, Bokisch Vineyards 2012 Graciano, Lodi
Best Red Generic
Double Gold 98 points, Zucca Mountain Vineyards 2013 Sorprendere, Sierra Foothills
Best Rhone Red Varietal Blend
Gold 94 points, Hearst Ranch Winery 2012 Three Sisters Cuvée, Paso Robles
Best Traditional Vintage Port
Double Gold 98 points, St. Amant Winery 2013 Bootleg Port, Amador County
The first State Fair Wine Competition was held in 1855. The
competition is the oldest and one of the most prestigious wine events in
the country. Top wines including Best of Region and Best of California
winners will be featured at the State Fair in the Save Mart Supermarkets
Wine Garden for visitors to enjoy July 10-26.
A complete listing of award-winning wines can be found at castatefair.org.
The Japantown Business Association (JBA) sponsored the First Season Wine
Walk in June to attract visitors to this unique area of San Jose
enabling visitors to check out the various shops and boutiques in
Japantown while sampling some fine local wines.
Participants strolled along the charming streets of Taylor and
Jackson Streets in the intimate downtown area with their own
complimentary wine glass and sample wines from multiple local wineries
set up inside delightful downtown retail shops and restaurants. Guests
of the Wine Walk were able to chat with the actual winemakers about
their wine making process, check out which of their wines they
recommend, and learned how to place orders for your favorite wines!
Participating shops were open late for shopping. A few of the interesting shops included Nichi Bei Bussan
which has been the premier Asian goods store for over 100 years,
providing martial arts wear, fabrics, home décor, crafts and more. Tank House Winery
was in the shop serving their 2010 Syrah, 2011 Zinfandel, 2011 Cabernet
Sauvignon and the 2010 Barrel 24, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon,
Zinfandel and Syrah.
Zonkey is an amazing toy store in Japantown offering a variety of toys that you will not easily find elsewhere. MJA Vineyards was serving their 2013 Serene Sauvignon Blanc and the 2011 DaVine Melage de Rouge Bordeaux blend.
Kogura Company is the place to go for a wide selection of Japanese goods, including home décor, kitchenware, dinnerware, art and more. Villa del Monte Winery, an award-winning, family-owned boutique winery in Los Gatos, set up their tasting table at Kogura serving a wide variety of wines.
Island Moves
brings a bit of Hawaii to San Jose offering Aloha wear, collectables,
Hula classes and more. As many watched a Hula class, the visitors also
sampled wines from Roudon Smith Winery in Santa Cruz Mountains.
Other wineries participating include:
Japantown is home to the San Jose Beerwalks and the past Sake San
Jose and now the Japantown Wine Walk will be bringing a nice
sophisticated summer event where guests can participate by trying the
local flavors of wineries in the area. Paid guests will have a
commemorative glass and wristband to participate in the tasting.
Cloudy
Bay, the iconic New Zealand winery that put Sauvignon Blanc on the map
celebrates its 30th anniversary this year as it continues to grow,
expand and innovate – now turning their focus towards reinventing the Pinot Noir
category. The winery is expanding into the famous Central Otago region
on the southern end of the South Island of New Zealand (it was formerly
only based in the Marlborough region) – to utilize terroir that it most
amenable to producing the highest quality Pinot.
Central Otago is the southernmost winegrowing region in New Zealand and one of the southernmost wine
regions in the world. This area has abundant sunshine during the
growing season with hot, dry summers and higher elevation than anywhere
else in New Zealand. These hot days, cool nights mineral soils give
Central Otago wines a complex structure that stands out in the world of
Pinot Noir. Cloudy Bay has always been committed to producing “wines of
region” and that is the reason for selecting the Central Otago region
for its Pinot Noir.
The 2013 growing season was ideal with good winter rains followed by
desired spring conditions. Flowering was warm and sunny leading to
average crops with great vine balance. In the winery, the grapes were
de-stemmed and placed in stainless steel tanks and after a cold soak of
several days, the fermentation commenced with naturally occurring yeasts
at a maximum temperature of 90oF. After three weeks on the skins, each
batch was transferred to French oak barrels (about 40% new) for 12
months of maturation.
The result was a nice balanced Pinot Noir with a nose of black
cherry, plum and a touch of smoke. On the palate you will enjoy flavors
of black fruit, plum, spice and a touch of leather. This leads to a
long intense finish that will result in a very enjoyable wine that will
pair well with foods.
For more information: Cloudy Bay Wines
Every wine is a product of a variety of factors. In some cases it is the terroir,
a French term indicating the influence of geography, geology and
climate of a certain place on the wine. In other cases it can be the
product of the style of the winemaker, where they learned their craft
and how they put those skills into practice. And in some situations it
is a complex history of growth, discovery and ambition that winemakers
call upon to create a unique and exciting wine.
This is the case of Truvée Wine, two sisters, Robin and Andrea
McBride, with the same father but raised separately by different
mothers, growing up on two continents, separated by the Pacific Ocean,
yet drawn together later in life by a desire to learn about each other
and to follow their father’s wish to become a family. They were unknown
to each other for most of their lives.
Robin grew up in Monterey, in the heart of this Central Coast wine
growing region. Andrea grew up in her mother’s homeland in Marlborough,
New Zealand, where she learned firsthand about the art of grape farming
from her uncle. After their father passed away a relative helped the
sisters unite for the first time in 1999 at the ages of 16 and 25.
After connecting the McBride sisters formed a deep and lasting
friendship and discovered their mutual interest in the wine business.
This mutual passion drove them into the negociant business in 2008.
Traditionally a negociant is a French term for merchants who purchase
grapes, bulk wine or juice from small farmers. The negociant then
produces, bottles and markets the wine on a larger scale under the
negociant’s label. Robin and Andrea McBride first efforts lead to the
creation of “eco.love” wines in 2010 from Andrea’s home area of
Marlborough New Zealand. The sisters were the first African American
sisters to found a wine company and to launch on a digital platform, and
the wines were made in the first CarbonNZero certified winery in the
world.
In 2015 the McBride Sisters opened their new wine adventure in
California, Truvée Winery. The name is derived from the French verb “To
Find”, bringing together their story of finding each other after their
years of separation and now they wanted a wine that matters.
Truvée bridges the old world and new world, showcasing the terroir of
the area where Robin grew up, the California Central Coast. “Truvée
embodies the spirit of our story, while naturally reflecting our
signature winemaking style. We’ve created a high-quality wine that is
approachable and sophisticated,” said Robin McBride. “Truvée
stylistically combines old world and new world winemaking philosophies
to bring affordable luxury to contemporary wine drinkers, and creates
the foundation of our wine company.”
They have selected grapes from some other premium winegrowing regions
in the Central Coast including Chalone, Monterey, Edna Valley, San
Benito and Paso Robles regions. “We believe our story of empowerment
will resonate with women worldwide as they discover the delicious
flavors of the Central Coast grapes in their glass of wine. Truvée
appeals to the wine lover intrigued by undiscovered and high quality
wine, “ stated Andrea McBride. “We’re excited to share our story and
amazing wines with wine lovers across the country. And we hope you’ll
share a bottle with those who matter to you most.”
With this first release the McBride sisters are partnering with
Diageo Chateau & Estate Wines. They have already won silver awards
from the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition and the San Diego
International Wine Competition.
The 2013 Central Coast Chardonnay
is produced from grapes grown in Edna Ranch, Bien Nacido and Chalone
winegrowing regions. It is lightly oaked to let the aromas and the
flavors of the grapes shine through. You will enjoy the aromas and
flavors with a tropical touch of pineapple, pear, citrus and green apple
that leads to a long crisp finish with excellent acidity. The price is
$15.99 per bottle.
The Truvée 2013 Red Blend is
also from the Central Coast and is a blend of Grenache and Syrah. The
grapes are from sustainably farmed vineyards in the San Benito, Chalone,
Monterey and Paso Robles regions. This is a beautiful, complex with
aromas and flavors of dark fruit including blackberry, blueberry, and
red cherry with a nice touch of spice and cocoa. The wine has a nice
full body and light soft tannins leading to a long, smooth finish. The
price is $15.99 per bottle.
These wines can be found in many wine stores throughout California.
Ten percent of those in the wine industry are female winemakers and
less than one percent are people of color, two percent of those are
women of color. There aren’t a lot women of color, which makes the
McBride’s Sisters story even more exceptional.
For more information: Truvée Wines
