If you’ve lived in California then you probably know how much the Pacific Ocean affects the air temperature. Coastal towns and cities can experience temperatures that are routinely 15-20 degrees cooler than locations just a few miles inland, and this juxtaposition is at its starkest in the summer. [Top Photo: Cathleen Evangelista]

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“Thanksgiving Wines” has become an annual favorite of mine to write. I enjoy the challenge of trying to find wines that pair well with a Thanksgiving meal—not as easy of a task as one might think.

 

I definitely favor white wines over red wines for this once-a-year meal, but the type of white wine you choose is key. The amount of oak is always something I wrestle with. On the one hand, the wine needs to be “big” enough to stand up to the richer aspects of the meal. Dark meat turkey, gravy and even a green bean caserole all call for bigger style whites. This usually means white wines with ample oak that have gone through some malolactic fermentation. As such, California Chardonnays can be a wonderful pairing for this meal, however I lean towards the less oaky ones with ample acidity to cut through the fattiness of the meal. For 2022, I have two Chardonnays listed (both from California).

 

Versatility and minerality are equally if not more important. Thanksgiving is a motley group of foods with a lot of different dishes serving as supporting cast to the main actor, turkey with gravy. This means you need a wine that can go with myriad flavors (sweet, salty, savory), with plenty of minerality and acidity to pair with the fattier apsects of the meal.

 

Alas, here are my 2022 “Thanksgiving Wines” selections, with a variety of price points (ordered by least – most expensive) from a variety of regions.

 

Chapoutier ‘Bila-Haut’ Cotes du Roussillon Blanc 2020 (SRP $15)

 

 

A blend of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Macabeu, Vermentino and Marsanne, this Cotes du Roussillon Blanc from world-class Rhone Valley producer M. Chapoutier, is round and rich, yet balanced with good minerality, ample acidity and tons of bright flavors. Alluring white peach, quince and lemon zest give way to saline and limestone notes on the finish.

 

A versatile wine for food pairing, you can serve this with your Thanksgiving meal or with hors d’oeuvres before. With an average SRP of $15 (even lower at some discount stores) this is also a wine you should consider buying a case of for Thanksgiving and the Holiday season.

 

 2021 Garofoli Supèra Verdicchio Di Matelica DOC (SRP $16)

 

 

Dating back to 1871, Garofoli is the oldest family-owned winery in the Marche region of Italy. While Garofoli may be an old winery, the Supèra is relatively new and the winery’s first foray into Verdicchio di Matelica.

 

The grapes for this Verdicchio are from the higher elevation Matelica Valley where the Garofoli family is working with a young and innovative grape grower. Referred to as a “mountain wine” by Garofoli, this Verdicchio teams bright and tangy notes of lemon peel and tangerine with mellower notes of pine nuts and bread pudding.

 

 2021 La Valentina Pecorino Colline Pescaresi IGT (SRP $18)

 

Established in 1990, La Valentina is a good example of the modern winemaking renaissance happening in Abruzzo, a region long undervalued for its quality wine production. A true believer in sustainability, the winery avoids the use of artificial or chemical products and estate vineyards are farmed organically (or in transition towards organic).

 

The Pecorino grape thrives in the rocky slopes and maritime climate of Abruzzo—the areas clay, limestone, and gravel soils and microclimates a great mix for a grape that is known for being difficult. but more than worth the effort.

 

The light hue of this wine (very pale yellow) is misleading. Citrus, stone fruits, minerals and acidity literally explode out of the glass, with very little oak presence—which I love. Like the ‘Bila-Haut,’ this is a versatile wine that will match with your smorgasbord of Thanksgiving spoils, but can also be served as a cocktail wine beforehand.

 

2020 Trivento Golden Reserve Malbec (SRP $20)

 

I have always liked Malbec as a plush, soft tannin, mellow alternative to bigger Bordeaux varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon. However, I have always felt there was a ceiling to its quality. That is before I met Germán di Cesare, chief winemaker at Bodega Trivento—one of Argentina’s top Malbec producers, in the foothills of the Andes Mountains. Both of the reserve Malbecs I tried were extrememly approachable, complex and paired beautifully with our lunch at mid-town Manhattan’s L’ Amico restaurant.

 

Their Eolo Malbec is the best Malbec I have ever tried, but at $100 it is very expensive for a Malbec—especially for Americans who typically think of Malbec as a relative value. At $20 though, their “Golden Reserve” is VERY good and a great value. This wine reminds me of a Napa Valley Boardeaux-style blend, with dark red fruits, anise, tobacco and spice box wafting out of the glass. This wine is very structured for a Malbec, with soft, yet prevalent tannins and complex flavors shaping it the whole way through.

 

2020 Inama “Carbonare” Soave DOC Classico (SRP $30)

Inama’s vineyards cover 70 acres throughout Soave Classico, mainly on and around the dormant Monte Foscarino volcano.

 

The region’s soil owes its characteristic to a stream of water that flows underground in the region. According to Inama, “the basalt, which characterizes the ground in most of the Soave Classico area, has great chromatic complexity…the strong character of the vineyard is evident in the grapes.”

 

Aromas of citrus and fresh cut flowers greet you with this Soave, followed by effervescent acidity, strong minerality and a little bit of limestone salinity on the finish—which I love! This Soave can easily stand up to your turkey and gravy while also complimenting your sides, from sweet potatoes to green bean casserole.

 

2021 Frank Family Carneros Chardonnay (SRP $40)

 

I’ve written about Frank Family wines before and for good reason—they are very good, VERY consistent and generally available Napa Valley wines at reasonable prices.

 

The grapes for this wine were sourced from some very reputable vineyards—primarily their estate Lewis Vineyard as well as neighboring Beckstoffer Vineyards (Napa-Carneros) and Sangiacomo Vineyards (Sonoma-Carneros).

 

This wine has a rich bouquet of baking spices, apple pie and Meyer lemon upfront. While only seeing partial malolactic fermentation, this prototypical Carneros chardonnay is full bodied, with pineapple, peach, and brioche bread notes upfront. Plenty of bright acidity and subtle hints of oak are revealed on the long finish. Frank Family’s “Lewis Vineyard” Chardonnay is also worth seeking out if you can find it and don’t mind the higher price point. Pineapple, pear, tangerine and vanilla custard notes are shaped by impeccable structure, ample acidity and a super long finish.  This is one of the better California Chardonnays I have tried but you might need to order it directly from the winery.

 

 Fiddlehead “Oldsville” Willamette Valley Pinot Noir (SRP $54)

 

 

Founded in 1989 by winemaker Kathy Joseph, Fiddlehead Cellars stands out as one of California’s pioneering producers dedicated to terror-driven and age-worthy wines tied to great vineyard sites. Running the winery 30-plus years, Kathy is one of Santa Barbara County’s first leading female winemakers to own both her own winery and vineyard, with a hands-on role in the farming, winemaking, and other aspects of the business.

 

While Fiddlehead is famous for their Santa Barbra County wines, they have also been producing outstanding Pinot Noir in the Willamette Valley for nearly 30 years. Their Oldsville Pinot Noir is indicative of Kathy’s attention to making wines that are an expression of their vineyard sites—in this case terrior driven, Burgundian-style Willamette Valley Pinot Noir.

 

This classic Willamette Valley Pinot is packed full of blueberries and pomegranates with undercurrents of strawberries and lavender and complimented by earth, leather and smoked meat notes. The wine finishes with tobacco, spice box and just a hint of vanilla oak—with great structure and a long, lingering finish. This Pinot Noir is a perfect match for lamb chops but will also work well with your Thanksgiving feast.

 

Lynmar 2018 Quail Hill Vineyard Chardonnay (SRP $63)

 

 

At the heart of Lynmar Estate is its original site, the 47-acre Quail Hill Vineyard, one of the foremost vineyard sites within the Russian River Valley. Planted in 1974, proprietor Lynn Fritz acquired the site in 1980 as a rural retreat from running an international corporation in San Francisco. Upon tasting some of the original wines sourced from Quail Hill, made by Merry Edwards at Matanzas Creek and Tony Soter at Étude, Lynn began to fully understand the site’s rare qualities. Today it remains one of the top vineyards in Russian River for world-class Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

 

This wine is quintessential, top-tier, Russian River Chardonnay. Tropical and citrus fruits give way to peach, pear and crème brulee, with bright acidity and limestone minerality on the finish.

A resurgence of the “classics” continues to percolate through US cocktail lounges and I am fully onboard with this trend. Continue reading →

Cinco de Mayo—the Mexican holiday to commemorate their victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla, on May 5, 1862—and the Kentucky Derby—the most famous horse race of the year at Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY—are always in the same week. In case you are not aware, Cinco de Mayo is always on May 5th, while the Kentucky Derby is always on the first Saturday of May.
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Miami is known for its hotels—dating back to the 60’s when Sinatra, Martin and the rest of the Rat Pack frequented town. Not much has changed as many of the choice bars in town still remain inside Miami’s posh hotels. While caribbean themed bars may emanate throughout other parts of the sunshine state, Miami’s bar scene is much more sophisticated. Continue reading →

After being one of the most popular kids at the party in the 90’s, Napa Valley Merlot took a hit to its reputation in the 2000’s. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly the reason as the quality did not suffer. If anything it got better.

 

The 2004 movie Sideways certainly did not help. In perhaps its most famous scene, the main character Miles, who adores Pinot Noir and seemingly loathes Merlot declares before a double date evening with his best friend Jack, “I’m not drinking any f—ing Merlot.” After that Pinot Noir sales went up and Merlot went down in the US and that remained the trend for many years. Yet in reality Merlot was already stumbling. I know because I spent many a Saturday or Sunday in Napa during this time and could see with my own eyes that the interest in Merlot among the wine tasting crowd was waning.

 

Some will point to the fact that California Merlots used to be too one dimensional, intended for blending or for making a very quaffable wine that appealed to a wide range of people albeit in a simplistic if not monolithic fashion. My personal theory is that Merlot took a back seat to Cabernet from a perception standpoint during the late 90’s and early 2000’s—a unique period in US history when a lot of money was being made (and later lost) and people based their opinions more on what they read or heard versus what they actually experienced or tasted. From expensive technology stocks to expensive wine, perception played a big role during these hifalutin times. Commanding higher prices and receiving higher scores from the critics (namely Robert Parker and Wine Spectator), Cabernet was king in California.

 

This superficial period also happened to conveniently coincide with some stellar Cabernet vintages coming out of Napa and Sonoma, thanks in part to favorable weather and a mini winemaking renaissance of sorts which further helped solidify Napa Valley on the worldwide stage—along with its most high profile varietal—Cabernet. Combine these factors with the advent of the Internet—which allowed wine geeks like me to keep tabs on exactly which wines were getting the top scores—and it’s no surprise that Napa Cabernet, the most expensive and highest scoring in California, took off in popularity.

 

But Napa Valley Merlot—which has been thriving in the valley for as long as Cabernet—never faltered in quality during this time. In fact, while not a lot of people were paying attention it just better. And people are starting to take notice. At least I am.

 

I recently tried a Merlot from Sullivan Winery in Rutherford (Napa) and it blew me away. I can easily say it is one of the best wines I have had from Napa, of any varietal. It’s important to also point out that I tried this wine without knowing the price. No matter how unbiased a wine writer or critic attempts to be, it is inherently impossible not to have the knowledge of price effect our thinking or judging. In this case I was not surprised to find out after I had relished in a glass for twenty minutes that it commanded a hefty price. It’s justified in my humble opinion.

 

2018 J.O. Sullivan Founder’s Reserve Merlot ($250)

 

Consisting of 80% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Petit Verdot, the 2018 J.O. Sullivan Founder’s Reserve Merlot is actually more of a “right bank” Bordeaux style than a straight up merlot. And I love that. Aromatically, this wine has distinguished earthy qualities rooted in the typical notes synonymous with “Rutherford Dust” leading with notes of graphite, tobacco leaf and cocoa, along with an unforgettable fruitful essence that emerges from the glass. On the palate, the seriousness of the wine becomes apparent. Broad, structured and coating, the wine maintains an old-world finesse, with freshness and bright acidity. Layered, nuanced and complex, flavors of raspberries, rhubarb, crushed herbs and wet stone minerality meld together seamlessly, leaving a prolonged and satisfying finish. The polished, yet complex tannin structure gives the wine an invitation to cellar.

 

 

For whatever reason, when talking about Italian wines many people think of red wines—Barolo, Brunello, Barbaresco, Super Tuscan. Yet Italy produces 17 different white wine varietals—more than any other country—with a variety of styles and characteristics that can work with almost any cuisine. One of these varietals, which tends to fly a bit under the radar, is Vermentino. Considered to be one of the most important white wines produced in Italy, Vermentino, if done right, can be one of the great food wines. It’s perfumed nose and rich minerality make it a great match for light summer meals from fresh fish and produce, to light pasta dishes with olive oil and herbs to a simple burrata salad.  It can also stand up to heavier dishes such as Gnocchi with mushroom sauce, Bouillabaisse or even a classic Chicken Piccata.

 

Produced mostly on the island of Sardinia, Vermentino is generally light in body yet is quite complex with alluring aromas of peach, white pepper and lemon zest. On the palate, Vermentino can have a slight oiliness to it but is otherwise dry and crisp. What I love most about a good Vermentino is the mineral and saline characteristics. Wine, after all, is made from fruit off a vine that is grown from the earth’s soil. And while a wine’s bouquet may greet you, and its mid palate may strike up conversation, it is the earthiness, the soil, the terrior of the wine that lingers on the finish, leaving an indelible mark in your wine memory bank. Subsequently, it is also what makes a good food wine.

 

2020 Surrau “Limizzani” Vermentino Di Gallura DOCG (SRP: $16)

 

Located fifteen minutes from the stunning Costa Smeralda in the northeastern corner of Sardinia, Vigne Surrau is home to the only DOCG on the island of Sardinia—Vermentino di Gallura DOCG.

 

This 100% Vermentino is a blend of fruit from all of Surrau’s estate vineyards and was fermented and aged in stainless steel. The 2020 Limizzani is quintessential Vermentino with a bouquet of spice, crushed flowers, white peaches and apricots that lift up out of the glass. The perfumed nose leads to more stone fruits, pepper and lemon zinger, followed by crushed stones and a viscousness on the palate that is typical of Vermentino. The round, supple mid palate finishes crisp and clean.

 

Surrau’s 2019 “Sciala” Vermentino di Gallura Superiore DOCG (SRP: $27) is wonderful as well with similar characteristics, but I actually preferred the lower priced Limizzani, without knowing the price difference. At $16 a bottle the Limmizzani is a great wine to buy several bottles of or even a case of and enjoy throughout the summer with fresh seafood, pasta and other summer fresh dishes.

 

Bordeaux style blends from Napa Valley have always been a favorite of mine. Whether it’s a left bank style (heavier on the Cabernet Sauvignon), a right bank style (heavier on the Merlot and Cab Franc) or somewhere in the middle, the concept of blending varietals together to make a more rounded, complex wine has been around for a long time. The French championed the style a couple centuries ago in Bordeaux—more out of necessity than preference, since their climate does not always yield ripe enough fruit. Thus blending was needed to smooth out the edges and soften the tannins. Napa’s trailblazer vintners were initially reticent to blend because they did not want to copy the French—nor did they need to. Thanks to its warm climate and consistently sunny days during most of the growing season, a lack of ripeness is rarely a problem in Napa. But the practice eventually took hold nonetheless. Joseph Phelps is considered by many to be the first winery in Napa Valley to practice the technique, back in the 1970’s. Their flagship wine “Insignia,” considered the first Bordeaux-style blend in Napa, remains one of my favorite wines.

 

Of course, many producers in Napa Valley still prefer to make 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and excel at it. Caymus Special Selection and Shafer Hillside Select are two of the most revered Napa cabs on the market, with international name recognition and cult-like status. Thanks in part to ideal vineyards plots, perfect soil and a long growing season—these producers can make world-class red wines that consist of 100% Cabernet, yet with decidedly soft, plush tannins and layers of complexity that might easily be mistaken for a blend. While most Napa wineries tend to concentrate and excel at one or the other, a few excel at both.

 

Cliff Lede

Located in the Stag’s Leap district of Napa Valley, Cliff Lede Vineyards is one of these producers that has mastered both. They make blends—namely their “Claret” and “High Fidelity” labels. And they make Cabernet—though depending on the label and the vintage it could be anywhere from 85% to 100% Cabernet, give or take a few percentage points. All of their wines, even their Sauvignon Blanc, are extraordinary in my opinion. Before I delve more into their wines, let’s take a quick look at the winery itself and it’s rather short, yet successful history in Napa Valley.

 

 

Cliff Lede Vineyards was established in 2002 by Canadian born Bordeaux enthusiast, Cliff Lede, following the acquisition of a sixty acre estate in the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley. With a focus on producing wines from estate vineyards, Lede tapped David Abreu, considered the best viticulturist in Napa Valley, to replant the vineyards. Lede decided to name each vineyard block after some of his favorite rock songs and albums—from “My Generation” to “Dark Side of the Moon,” creating what is known today as the Cliff Lede Vineyards “Rock Blocks.” In 2005, a state of the art, 25,000 square foot winery and cave system was etched into a hillside overlooking the estate vineyards. Winemaker Christopher Tynan crafts Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc, with the flagship, Poetry Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced from the steep eastern hillside portion of the estate.

 

Stag’s Leap District

Ok, so what makes these wines special? After all, Napa Valley is home to a lot of great producers. For me, it’s the balance, complexity and polish of their wines. And while winemaker Christopher Tynan deserves a lot of credit, even he would probably agree that the vineyard plots Cliff Lede lays claim to in the Stag’s Leap District play a major role in the final product.  There are 16 AVAs in total in Napa Valley and each one has different characteristics. Yet, while the differentiating characteristics of these AVAs can be debated, it is hard to argue against the notion that Stag’s Leap District Cabernets have distinctively softer, silkier tannins than their neighboring AVAs. This is what SLD Cabernets are known for. Power and elegance.

 

Situated in southeastern Napa Valley, along the Silverado Trail, about five miles north of the city of Napa, the Stags Leap District is only about a mile wide and three miles in length. This makes it is one of the smallest AVAs in Napa Valley. And given its southern location in Napa Valley, it is also one of the cooler AVAs, resulting in a more subdued style of Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

Micro climate

Often referred to as a “valley within a valley,” the district is bounded on the east by the towering Stags Leap Palisades, to the west by the rolling hills and Napa River, to the north by the Yountville Cross Road, and to the south by low-lying flatlands. These landscape features lend the district its clear physical identity while a unique set of topographical characteristics make it ideal climate for growing Cabernet.

 

Says the Stag’s Leap District Winegrowers Association, “The rock facades of the palisades reflect the heat of the sun onto the vineyards below, causing temperatures to rise more quickly than in neighboring vineyards. As afternoon draws to a close, the hills funnel the cool, marine air flowing north from the San Pablo Bay through the Stags Leap District corridor. The cooling effect of this breeze, coupled with nighttime air drainage off the mountains and hills, means lower nighttime temperatures. This allows the grapes to achieve an excellent balance of acid and sugar and also minimizes the threat of frost. The end result is a longer growing season of warm days and cool nights—perfect for late-maturing varietals such as Cabernet.”

 

Cliff Lede currently produces a total of 10 Cabernet and Bordeaux-style blends. While all of them are muscular enough to stand up to a steak or lamb chops in the heart of winter they are also very elegant wines that can be enjoyed anytime of year with a wide array of cuisines. Below are my notes for the three wines I tried.

 

2017 Cliff Lede Cabernet Sauvignon, Stag’s Leap District

The fruit for this Cabernet (88% Cabernet Sauvignon,5% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc) was sourced from the hillside terraces of Cliff Lede’s Poetry Vineyard, Twin Peaks Vineyard estate which surrounds the winery, and a few neighboring vineyards in the Stags Leap District. The wine is composed of small lots from their best blocks, representing a diverse range of carefully selected clones and rootstocks. This wine is also rich in soil diversity ranging from Poetry’s volcanic origins, to the ancient riverbed alluvial soils of Twin Peaks, further contributing to the wine’s complexity. Great wines are indeed “made in the vineyard.”

 

 

The 2017 Stags Leap Cabernet has vibrant aromas of crushed flowers and dark fruits (blackberry, dark cherries) intertwined with chocolate, spice box and cassis. The wine has tremendous depth and layers of flavors that build into a long opulent finish that is framed with great minerality and loamy soil that personifies the SLD terrior.

 

 

2017 Dancing Heart Cabernet Sauvignon, Stag’s Leap District (Rockpile Vineyard)

89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot, 3% Merlot, and 1% Malbec. The fruit for this one is sourced from Lede’s Poetry and Twin Peaks Vineyards. The Cabernet Sauvignon is planted in shallow volcanic soil and farmed to low yields, resulting in good structure with plush tannins and tremendous concentration.

 

This wine announces itself a bit more on the nose than the Stag’s Leap Cabernet, wafting with a bouquet of dark berry fruits, lavender and cocoa. Wonderfully complex with minerals and slate/graphite on the finish.

 

2017 Poetry Cabernet Sauvignon, Stag’s Leap District

 

The Poetry Vineyard, carved into a steep west-facing hillside, reaches from the highest elevations of the Stags Leap District appellation to the valley floor. This vineyard, designed by David Abreu specifically for Cabernet, draws its uniqueness from shallow, volcanic soils atop fractured shale. Due to the stressful nature of the site, planted with high vine density and farmed to very low yields, the vines develop slowly and produce small flavorful berries.

 

A blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 1% Merlot, and 4% Petit Verdot the bouquet on this one is loaded with black currants, crushed flowers, stone and cherry liquor. On the palate it has a complex medley of spices, tobacco, licorice, currant, dark cherries and even hoisin. The long finish includes cigar, dried cherries and warm slate.

 

“Thanksgiving wines” has become an annual piece for me. I enjoy coming up with a list of food friendly wines that pair nicely with turkey and gravy and stuffing and sweet potatoes and green bean casserole (insert traditional sides) because, quite frankly, not many do. My general rule is, don’t overthink it…and stick to white wines.

 

What do I mean by don’t overthink it? When you have family and friends over (though this year may be different) and you are in charge of the wines it’s perfectly normal to want to offer some different choices, including something that may not be on your guest’s radar. Albarino or Riesling for example. But do these wines really match well with turkey? Not in my book. Sometimes the obvious choice is the best. Who’s buried in Grant’s tomb? Not Stonewall Jackson.

 

So what is the obvious choice? I always favor American Chardonnay. Why? Well, first off, because it’s American. This is our holiday after all. Yet ironically, it pairs nicely with Thanksgiving cuisine. Why do I say ironically? Because I don’t think Chardonnay pairs all that well with much. And yet it pairs well with a meal that doesn’t pair well with much. Go figure. But there are other reliable choices other than Chardonnay. Plenty in fact. Here is is my 2020 lineup:

 

Gary Farrell “Ritchie Vineyard” Chardonnay 2017 ($60)

Simply put, this is one of the best chardonnays I have tried in a long time. And being 2020, of course I tried it on a virtual wine tasting session via zoom call. A wine writer on the call made what I thought was a very astute comment about this wine, saying that it had a “lean mid-palate.” But he meant it in a complimentary way. And I knew right away what he meant. In addition to the wonderful stone fruits, lemon curd and limestone minerality that this wines exhibits, the lean mid-palate creates a sense of even-flow and gracefulness that allows the fruit to fully shine as the wine slowly unleashes all its splendor right up through the long finish.  This is a wine you can certainly enjoy on its own but it is a food wine through and through.  It’s California fruit meets Burgundian acidity and minerality. It’s opulent yet practices restraint. It’s a Chardonnay that people who aren’t particularly fond of Chardonnay will still like.

 

Ram’s Gate “Hyde Vineyard” Chardonnay 2018 ($70)

Usually when I think of famous vineyards in Napa and Sonoma I think of vineyards planted for Cabernet. There are many. But Chardonnay has a few too. And the Hyde Vineyard in Carneros—who’s soils its namesake Hyde family has been working since the late ’70s—is one of them. The cool Carneros winds here lead to slow and steady ripening allowing for complex and exquisite flavor development, with more of a Burgundian framework. The Ram’s Gate Hyde Vineyard Chardonnay is no exception.

A medley of the two clones—Robert Young and Musqué—produce a mineral-driven, austerely elegant chardonnay (similar to the Gary Farrell Ritchie Vineyard Chardonnay in this sense) with white peach, apricot and lemon zest. Partial malolactic gives lovely texture in the mid-palate while the chalky soils drive saline and minerals on the finish.

Says winemaker Joe Nielson, “Hyde Vineyard is one of those cherished places in California where heritage, hard work and terroir come together to produce a wine that has incredible depth, richness and precision—hallmarks of not just a complex wine, but a delicious addition to your favorite meals.”

 

Gamble Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley 2019 ($28)

Sauvignon Blanc, sometimes to people’s surprise, actually thrives in Napa Valley (the chardonnay on the tasting list at a Napa Valley winery is likely from Carneros or Sonoma and not from their actual estate). Yet for a long time, it played the role of warm up wine—a palate cleanser or amuse bouche—before the featured wines. Not anymore. Across the board, vintners are no longer making Sauvignon Blanc for a little extra cash flow. They are investing it in big time—from farming, to specific clones, to barrels and concrete eggs.

 

One such producer is Gamble Family Vineyards. While their “Heart Block” is a benchmark for Napa Valley Sauvignon block (and commands a $95 price tag) their regular Sauvignon Blanc at a more palatable $28 is a wonderful wine, composed of four distinct Sauvignon Blanc clones:, Sauvignon Musque and 530, which originate from the Loire region, and Preston and 316, which originate from Bordeaux.

 

Truchard Vineyards Roussanne 2018 ($28)

This white varietal has been traditionally associated with the Northern Rhône, where it is blended with Marsanne to make white Hermitage wines. Like a lot of varietals that originated in France, it can also thrive in California, provided the right soils and microclimates are present. Carneros has exactly this, with cool (enough) temps, volcanic rock and ash soils and gently sloping vineyards—like it’s Northern Rhône brethren.

 

Floral aromas of pineapple, honeysuckle, and jasmine, with highlights of brioche and vanilla. The mouth is crisp, with clean flavors of fresh pear, honeydew melon, and lychee. Bright acidity provides a lengthy finish of citrus, mineral, and spice.

 

Robert Sinskey Pinot Blanc Los Carneros 2016 ($92 1.5 L Magnum)

 

 

This one might seem like a bit of a wild card. And yes, it’s only available in 1.5L Magnum format (and .375L split) but that shouldn’t be a problem for a Thanksgiving feast. I say wildcard, because at first glance a Pinot Blanc may seem a bit light for your average Thanksgiving meal. On the contrary, Pinot Blancs from California tend to be a bit “bigger” than those from Alsace or Italy. And not everyone’s turkey lunch or dinner is dominated by heavy gravy and buttery mashed potatoes. If your Thanksgiving meal is on the lighter side, this could be a perfect match.

 

Truthfully, when it comes to white wine, Robert Sinskey is more known for their “Abraxas” white blend, which includes Pinot Blanc but also Riesling, Pinot Gris and Gewurtz. I like the straight Pinot Blanc more though. It has been one of my favorite white wines from the sunshine state since I first tried it about 15 years ago.

 

The bouquet on this wine never disappoints. Aromas of fresh cut flowers, honeydew melon and even a little allspice jump out of the glass. Stone fruits (peach and apricot) and Meyer lemon are joined with white pepper and crème brule on the long finish—framed by great minerality.

 

 

 

 

How do you make a million dollars in the wine business? You start with five million. That’s an old saying in the wine business—and probably a dozen other businesses that people dream of making a living in (the restaurant and hospitality businesses to name a couple). Continue reading →

It’s easy to crave simple and refreshing white wines in the summertime as the mercury rises. In fact, I am all about crisp, clean and refreshing wines this time of year—especially as a cocktail or apéritif before dinner. There is nothing like that $15 bottle of Sancerre that you discover at your local wine shop and stockpile, by the case, for the rest of the summer. But then there are times when you want something a little more complex Continue reading →

Cucumbers are a summer staple for their refreshing flavor, high water content and hydrating capabilities. Of course, salads and fresh summer vegetable plates are not the only place you will find them. The cucumber is a classic cocktail compliment (and garnish), particularly for gin. Continue reading →

It will likely never have the allure—or tourist traffic—of Tuscany or Piedmont. But Sicily’s reputation as a rising star among Italian wine regions cannot be denied. Continue reading →

Much like its still wine cousin (rose),  sparkling rose and rose Champagne strike a soft and delectable balance between sweet, dry and earthiness that sets it apart. And of course the color only adds to the allure—especially on a certain day in Mid-February when the red and pink color spectrum reigns supreme. 

Here are five rose sparklers I love this Valentines Day:

Roederer Estate Brut Rose, NV—$28

This 56% Pinot Noir, 44% Chardonnay blend, produced by the renowned French Champagne house Louis Roederer but in California (Anderson Valley), has been a favorite value wine of mine for years. In fact, I actually used to sell it when I briefly worked for a wine distributor many moons ago. It was so popular it had to be allocated, or bundled with the higher-end offerings that Roederer produced—a little trick that distributors and suppliers (in this case Maisons Marques and Domains) like to use when they know they have a winner. Mouth filling, elegant and sweet—but not too sweet—this festive sparkler has a beautiful red hue and comes in at a great price point considering the producer (Louis Roederer also produces Cristal).

Schramsberg Brut Rosé, 2017—$45

Another great value from Northern California, driven by bright, flavorful Pinot Noir grown in Carneros, Anderson Valley, and the Sonoma and Marin coastal areas (a few small lots of Pinot Noir are fermented in contact with their skins to add depth and subtle color to this unique sparkling wine). Aromas of strawberry and orange peel dominate the nose while grapefruit, darker berries and a little toast lead to good structure on the palette. This versatile sparkling wine has a bright, clean finish and can be enjoyed any time of year with a variety of foods.

Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Rosé—$45

Blended with 90% red grapes (45% pinot noir /45% meunier) and 10% chardonnay, this sparkler is on the sweeter side for a Brut yet very well balanced. Think strawberries and cream; this light, salmon colored rose is perfect with desert—or as desert.

Frank Family Brut Rose, 2016—$55

Frank Family quietly has four sparkling wines offerings. And while it may not be a core competency I think it’s a testament to the diversity and willingness to experiment with new ideas that is prevalent in Napa and Sonoma today.  While all four of their sparkling wines—Blanc de Blancs, Rose, Rouge and the Lady Edythe Reserve Brut—are all delicious, the Brut Rose is my favorite.  Made in the traditional French method where the secondary fermentation occurs in the bottle, the wine then rests on the spent yeast cells for two and a half years before disgorgement. The 2014 Brut Rosé is lively yet balanced, with alluring flavors of strawberry and orange creamsicle and framed with just enough toasty oak notes. Side note: Frank Family has been recognized in national publications for leading the effort of “grower-champagnes” in the United States—Marylin Monroe used visit the winery from time to time to get her fill of bubbles.

Veuve Clicquot Brut Rosé—$60

Madame Clicquot created the first blended Rosé in 1818 by adding some red wine to Yellow Label champagne. The result was Veuve Clicquot Rosé, a fruity and full-bodied expression of the Veuve Clicquot style. If you love their yellow label it’s time to try the Rosé. Made using 50 to 60 different crus, the cuvee is based on Brut Yellow Label’s traditional blend, 44-48% Pinot Noir, 13-1 % Meunier, 25-29 % Chardonnay. This wine has classic Rosé Champagne aromas of ripe strawberries integrated with more vibrant notes of grapefruit and lemon singer. Perfectly quaffable with desert it is also a great wine to have as a cocktail or aperitif before dinner.