Tag Archives: arizona

Wine Review | Robert Foley Vineyards | 2007 Petite Sirah, Napa

Posted on January 15, 2012 | Leave a comment
wine blog

2007 Robert Foley Petite Sirah

Robert Foley is  well known for his critically acclaimed Claret, a Bordeaux style red wine. Robert Foley’s Claret has received 94+ points every year since 2001 from both The Wine Advocate and Wine Spectator.  At $110 a bottle most people will find this too steep a price to pay for perfection.  Luckily Robert Foley does make other varietals, which are equally perfect and less than half the price.

The 2007 Petite Sirah from Napa Valley is one such wine.  At roughly $60 retail this wine can be enjoyed by a slightly bigger group of “wine enthusiasts”.

I say “wine enthusiasts” because this is a serious wine. By serious I mean powerful, full bodied, rich, opulent and dark.  This wine is a tannic monster with a minimum of 20 years aging potential.  Don’t let the word tannic fool you though, it’s not an overly acidic wine, in fact it is exceptionally smooth and supple.

The thing that blows me away the most about this wine is the 16.5% alcohol content!  I didn’t check the % before drinking the wine, I rarely do.  Near the end of the bottle on the 2nd night I check and was amazed.  There is no heat whatsoever and just a hint of ripeness.  An overly ripe almost raisin like flavor is the hallmark of overly alcoholic poorly made fruit bombs. The ripeness in this wine is so faint as to be barely noticeable and is perfectly balanced by the tannins.

Robert Foley vineyards produce relatively small quantities of wine (less than 100 cases of their Howell Mountain Cabernet are produced every year)  there is still some 2007 Petite Sirah available, my advice is:

If you are a wine nerd/enthusiast like me, you will want to have this wine in your collection.

Weekly Wine Journal rating: 98 points

2007 Robert Foley Petite Sirah

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Posted in Petite Sirah, Wine Review, Wines over $20

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2 Quick Video Interviews | Cellar Dwellers | Callaghan Vineyards

Posted on November 26, 2011 | Leave a comment

Flip cam interviews from the 3rd annual Arizona Wine Growers Association Festival on the Farm

Cellar Dwellers:

Callaghan Vineyards:

 

For more pictures visit facebook.com/weeklywinejournal

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Posted in Arizona Wine, wine maker interview, Wine Personality

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Arizona Wine Grower’s Association | 2011 awards banquet

Posted on November 21, 2011 | Leave a comment

November 21, 2010 Phoenix, Arizona

Quiessence Restaurant

2011 Arizona Wine Growers awards banquet at Quiessence

This past weekend the Arizona Wine Grower’s Association celebrated its 3rd annual awards banquet and festival.

The awards banquet was held at the AAA Four Diamond award winning Quiessence restaurant.  The cozy little farm house is nestled in the back end of the 10 acre urban Farm at South Mountain.  Executive Chef and owner Gregory La Prad created a stunning 5 course meal paired with the Gold medal winning wine in each category.  Guests paid $125 each to dine with the Arizona Republic Wine Competition winners.  The intimate evening was the culmination of 12 months of difficult work for the wine growers and makers, but made all the worthwhile by mixing with their biggest fans.  I was lucky enough to be invited thanks to Chris Fiscus at Moses Anshell, Patti King at the AZWGA and Peggy Fiandaca president of the AZWGA.

Watch this 2 minute video featuring scenes from the banquet:

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Posted in Arizona Wine, Wine Event, Wine Tasting

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Original Taste to benefit Arizona charities April 2nd 2011

Posted on March 27, 2011 | Leave a comment

Original taste scottsdaleThis Saturday night the Scottsdale Waterfront will play host to one of valley’s signature charity events.

“The Original Taste,” will be held on Saturday, April 2, 2011 from 7:00 to 10:00 pm. Proceeds from this event will benefit the Phoenix Children’s Hospital Foundation, The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale, and other children’s based charities supported by Executive Council Charities.

Attendees of “The Original Taste” will have the opportunity to discover flavors from around the globe that are available at some of Metropolitan Phoenix’s finest dining establishments. Over 40 of the Valley’s most recognizable restaurants will be showcasing their talents and over 70 varieties of wine and spirits from around the world will be available to sample.

Tickets are priced at $100 (General Admission) and $200 (VIP access) if purchased before March 1, or $150 (General Admission) and $250 (VIP access) between March 1 and the evening of the event.  Information regarding sponsorship opportunities is also available on “The Original Taste” website.

In addition, the after party, known as “Late Night” will be held immediately following “The Original Taste.”  Pricing for “Late Night” will be $25 (General Admission) or $100 (VIP access) and can also be purchased (independently of The Original Taste tickets) on The Original Taste website.

scottsdale wine tasting“We’re incredibly excited to hold this event on a Saturday night at the Scottsdale Waterfront as it allows us to draw from the thousands of individuals who head to Old Town Scottsdale each weekend,” said EC70’s Dane Fernandes, Chairman of The Original Taste.  “Those who would typically dine at a nearby restaurant can experience a vast array of food and beverage options.  Plus, ‘Late Night’ will present a unique, one-of-a-kind experience.  Ultimately, these events give us an opportunity to raise more money for the children of Arizona.”

For tickets and more information regarding “The Original Taste” and “Late Night,” visit the Original Taste WEBSITE

Updated LIST of participating restaurants

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Posted in Wine Event

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Devoured Culinary Classic ready to woo and wow!

Posted on March 10, 2011 | Leave a comment

Calgary PhotographerDevoured (www.phxart.org/devoured).  Independently edible award-winning culinary event, a showcase of Arizona’s finest local restaurants, chefs, wineries and industry purveyors in a distinctly Phoenix setting.  Hosted by Phoenix Art Museum, benefiting Local First Arizona and Phoenix Art Museum, and produced by R Entertainment Co.

WHERE

Phoenix Art Museum (1625 N. Central Ave) Central Avenue and McDowell Rd.

Dorrance Sculpture Garden and Great Hall

  • FREE Parking
  • METRO Lightrail: McDowell Rd/Central Ave stop

WHEN

Friday Saturday & Sunday, March 11, 12 & 13

Fri., March 11, Devoured *Palette to Palate, 7:30pm (limited to 250 guests)

New this year at Devoured. Phoenix Art Museum Great Hall

An adventurous pairing of artists & chefs – developed by Local First Arizona & the Men’s Arts Council of Phoenix Art Museum. Integrating harmonious styles of food & art – and exploring the results! Featuring St. Francis Chef Aaron Chamberlin & painter James Angel; Petite Maison Chef James Porter & painter Randy Slack; Caffé Boa Chef Payton Curry & painter Geoffrey Gersten; Barrio Café Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza & painter Lalo Cota

*heavy hors d’oeuvres & Arizona wines

Sat. & Sun., March 12 & 13, Devoured Culinary Classic, 11am-4pm

A grand tour of Arizona’s finest culinary talents & pioneering winemakers…Taste, discover & meet them – up close & personal.

TICKETS

Devoured, a grand culinary experience…at a remarkable value

Tickets & Information at www.PhxArt.org/Devoured

Tickets via www.ProTix.com or call 1.866.977.6849

Daily Tickets.  $59 through March 11; $69 at the door.

Two-day Tickets.  $90 in advance through March 11. $118 at the door.

Weekend Pass. (3days). $118 through March 11

Museum Members.  2-days $90. Members call 602.257.2124

HIGHLIGHTS

SubZero/Wolf Ferguson’s Chef Demonstration Stage

Saturday

11:30 – Jacques Qualin, J&G Steakhouse

12:30 – Silvana Salcido Esparza, Barrio Café

1:30 – Anthony Dias Blue – James Beard Award winner & among world’s leading wine experts…Mr. Blue talk Arizona Wine scene

2:30 – Julia Baker, Julia Baker Confections

3:30 – Aaron May, Vitamin T

Sunday

11:30 – Payton Curry, Guerrilla Gourmet

12:30 – Bernie Kantak, Citizen Public House, with mixologist Richie Moe

1:30 – Matt Smith, Boa Bistro/Caffé Boa, with Empty Glass Wines

2:30 – Justin Beckett, Beckett’s Table

*each chef’s dish featured with a suggested wine pairing

AJ’S Fine Foods Dessert Lounge. A new feature inside Phoenix Art Museum’s Great Hall featuring AJ’s bakery specialties; Urban Cookies, Delicious Dishes and Espressions Coffee Roastery.

Musical Entertainment

Saturday

11:00am – What Laura Says

1:30pm – Hot Birds and the Chili Sauce

Sunday

11:00am – Steve Ansel & The Jackson Street Band

12:15pm – Roger Clyne (& promoting his new tequila, Mexican Moonshine)

1:30pm – Calumet

AWARDS & ACCOLADES

In its debut year, Devoured was named 2010 Critic’s Choice for culinary events by The Arizona Republic. Additionally…

  • Named Best Culinary Festival 2010 by Phoenix New Times
  • Named one of 5 Best Dining Developments of 2010 by The Arizona Republic’s food & restaurant critic Howard Seftel, (second only to reopening of Nobuo at Teeter House).
  • “Here’s the excuse you were looking for to put your diet on hiatus…” - Jess Harter, East Valley Tribune
  • “Tasty treats can be found at just about any festival, but true foodies should seek out Devoured Phoenix…” WHERE Magazine

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Posted in Arizona Wine, Food, News, Wine Event, Wine News, Wine Tasting

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Central Coast Chardonnay roundup #1 | Mer Soleil | Layer Cake | Chalone

Posted on March 8, 2011 | 1 Comment

Wines reviewed in this article:  Mer Soleil Silver 2008|Layer Cake 2009 Virgin Chardonnay|Chalone 2009 Monterey

Photo courtesy of Ben Ladouceur

While many parts of North America are still in the grip of winter I have been preparing for spring and summer by tasting Chardonnay.  That way, when everyone else finally thaws out ( I live in Phoenix ) they will already have some Chardonnay “inception” on the brain.  Let’s get started!

The vast Central Coast region of California  stretches 250 miles from Santa Barbara County all the way up to San Francisco .  The massive region encompasses 6 Counties and 26 different sub A.V.A’s (American Viticultural Area).  There are more than 90,000 acres of vines planted in the Central Coast and about half those acres are Chardonnay.  One of those sub AVA’s is The Santa Lucia Highlands which is located  about 30 miles east of Monterey, California overlooking  the Salinas valley, the same Salinas valley made famous in many of John Steinbeck’s novels.

2008 Mer Soleil Silver

Mer Soleil Vineyard is located on the southern end of the AVA and is named after the influences of the Ocean (Mer) and the Sun (Soleil). The Mer Soleil vineyard is actually part of the Wagner family of wines.  The Wagner family has a very long history of wine making in California, and just in case you still don’t know who they are…have you heard of Caymus? Now we’re talking!

Mer Soleil makes two styles of Chardonnay, oaked, and unoaked (Silver).  Mer Soleil Silver is fermented in cement and stainless steel tanks and does not undergo Malolactic fermentation.  The vineyard subscribes to the agricultural practice of crop rotation and according to the vineyard  nearby lemon orchards is impart their flavor profile of the wines.

Mer Soleil’s website has little to offer in terms of technicals on their wine, so I have no information on total production, brix ect.  But it does let us know a little about the style.  A mix of Chablis like minerality and tropical fruit.   I found the wine to be rich, with solid acidity, and slightly riper than I expected, which was pleasant.  Think lemon and grapefruit.  The wine is dry and has a  nice big mouthfeel.  The alcohol weighs in at a hefty 14.8% but don’t let that scare you, its really well balanced with the fruit and I didn’t detect any off putting “heat” from it.  Mer Soleil Silver retails for around $20 a bottle.

Virgin Chardonnay label Layer Cake

Are you tempted by the cake??

You might have seen Layer Cake’s eye catching label, a nice big slice of layer cake, and you might have been tempted to buy the wine purely on that association and I forgive you for that because I bought their wines for the same reason!  Laker Cake’s 2009 Central Coast “Virgin” Chardonnay’s fruit is sourced from two vineyards within the Central Coast AVA; Monterey and Santa Barbara.

Layer Cake’s  Chardonnay is quite different than Mer Soleil’s Silver even though both are unoaked.  The first thing you will notice is the difference in alcohol content, with the Virgin Chardonnay coming in at a refreshingly light 13.5%.  The wine is lighter on the palate, with less minerality though it still retains enough to make it interesting.  The fruit is more lime and pineapple than grapefruit.  This wine retails for $13.99 and was provided to me as a sample for review

Chalone Chardonnay bottleChalone Vineyard 2009 Monterey Chardonnay.  Chalone Vineyard Estate is the oldest winery in Monterey County, and is the only winery in the Chalone AVA.  Chalone received international critical acclaim in the Judgment of Paris, 1976 earning 3rd spot out of 10.   As different as Layer Cake was to Mer Soleil, Chalone is to both of those wines.  Chalone makes wine very much in the French, Burgundian style.  The grapes are sourced from the northern portion of the Salinas Valley, in the Arroyo Seco AVA.  The soil consists largely of limestone which gives us a clue to the Burgundian connection.  By “Burgundian” I mean terroir or specific place driven wine as apposed to producer driven wine such as Bordeaux.  Chalone’s Monterey Chardonnay is also relatively light when compared to the typical Chardonnays of Napa Valley, the alcohol comes in at 13.5%   This wine, in contrast to the other two, saw 6 months in a combination of French, American and European oak.  Light on the oak, but enough to soften the crispness of the mountain fruit a little, as well as add another layer of complexity not found in the other two wines.  This wine retails for around $10 which is actually an amazing deal.

These three wines should keep you busy with variety for at least a weekend.  Next week I will have 3 more Chardonnays for your consideration

Cheers!

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Posted in Chardonnay, Wine Review, Wines under $20

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My First Wine

Posted on March 7, 2011 | 8 Comments

Does everyone remember their first kiss?  Their first girlfriend? Their first car?  Of course you do.

Now, how about your first wine?  I don’t mean the first wine you ever consumed, but rather the first wine that opened the door into the world of wine.  A decent wine that took you beyond $4 swill.  I mean the first wine you bought as an adult, a wine that you actually put an effort into buying and a wine that launched your love of wine.
Ahhh, I remember it well (sort of). It was the Fall of 1993. Nirvana’s “In Utero” had just been released. Heart Shaped Box, All Apologies – I was rockin’ (all music references, for those who aren’t 90’s rock savvy)!  Wow, has it really been almost 17 years?
the big log vancouver

My favorite spot

I had just turned 21 and was playing in a band, working part-time as a courier, going to college part-time, and having a good time long before blogging, Twitter and Facebook were household terms.  I lived above a bar in Vancouver, British Columbia, only 15 minutes from Lollapalooza ‘93.  Good times.

Anyways, I digress. Back to the wine.  I was in the government-run liquor store and instead of buying my usual 12 pack of malt liquor or “Old Style” Pilsner I wandered into the wine section.  After a few minutes, something caught my eye.  I’m not sure what it was, but there was something about its simple label.
It read: Wyndham Estates Bin 555 Shiraz.
I bought it but can’t for the life of me remember what I paid, but it was somewhere in the wheelhouse of $20.  I was so poor that this was really a big expenditure, and I drank the wine out of a coffee mug!  I remember it being rich and fruit forward, much smoother than the home-made Portuguese wine of my teenage years, and without all the sediment to go with it. As much as I liked it, I couldn’t afford it as a daily drinker.  Malt liquor or cheap vodka was still the best option when considering the “bang for your buck” effect.  Yeah, “It’s a long way to the top (if you wanna Rock ‘n Roll…)

Another one of my favourite spots

This became my go-to special occasion adult beverage. Eventually I began exploring other Australian Shiraz’s. Rosemont Estate, Penfold’s, and others. As my palate evolved, I began drinking Wolf Blass Yellow Label.

Then I stepped away from Australia and into France. My discovery of Vin de Pays allowed my young palate to drink high quality, affordable wines. Why had I been subjecting myself to all that torturous vodka and malt liquor?
Fast forward to the year 2000.  Having just moved to Phoenix, Arizona, I found myself in the grocery store looking at all the wines for sale. Wyndham Estates Bin 555 wasn’t to be had.  The wine steward asked me if I needed any help and I asked about the missing wine.  He looked it up in “the book” and  said he would try to find the distributor and put in a special order for me! Great! Nothing like moving to a new city and having something to remind you of your old home.
Well the wine never arrived.  Apparently it was not being distributed by anyone in Arizona.  Maybe a year later I was in a different grocery store and I saw Bin 555!  I was excited and reached for the bottle on the shelf, and then I saw the price… $6.99!
What?! I was stunned!  I’ve been in love with really cheap wine all this time?  Oh No! But then I started to chuckle…the other wine steward  had been sent on an expedition to find this apparently very good “must have” wine and probably eventually discovered the price and slammed his book shut in disgust!
Why the big price difference?  In British Columbia wine, beer and spirits are regulated by the government.  Wine and beer can only be purchased outside of a restaurant setting in special “Cold Beer and Wine” stores, or specialty wine boutiques.  Spirits can only be purchased from government owned liquor stores, which also sell wine and beer.
The dramatic price difference is specifically due to taxes. Canada implements taxes on things like alcohol and cigarettes, known as a “Sin Tax” and in general, Canadian taxes are higher in order to promote the social systems programs, including things like health care. If wine is a wrongful sin, then I don’t wanna be right. As a Canadian and resident of British Columbia I was long subjected to higher mark ups and limited government selection. My move to the United States and Phoenix specifically allowed me access to a  wider range of wines. Phoenix is actually a key market for many Californian producers.  I was no longer restricted to a handful of producers from each country, known for quantity rather than quality.  Case in point: Every year I make a trip back to Vancouver and make a point of visiting the BC Liquor stores and I always see almost an entire isle devoted to the usual suspects of Auzie fruit bombs and hidden around the corner or behind the apple cider is US and French section. But I digress, that is a subject for another post.
What was your first “real” wine? Was it a single bottle that opened your eyes and made you realize your love? Or was it a single experience or series of experiences that forced you to realize your love for this crazy juice?
edited by Jon Troutman

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Posted in Humor, Wine Education

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Blind tasting Wine | Almost as Delicious as Humble Pie

Posted on March 6, 2011 | 1 Comment

Sometimes we all need a thick slice of humble pie to chew on. If you find yourself routinely puffing your chest out or staring for long periods in the mirror at your handsome reflection, I suggest a blind tasting.

wine tasting at FnB Scottsdale

Lots of wines, no labels

Not only are they grounding, but blind tastings are also a great way to test your “wine chops”.  A while back, I attended a blind tasting at a local wine bar.   There were 4 wines, 2 whites and 2 reds.  We did not know the varietals or where they came from– known as a “Double Blind” tasting. We were given only one clue: The wines were single varietals, not blends.

When blind tasting, every part of the wine tasting process needs to be intricately analyzed. Is the wine pale in color, like water? Or is it a deep, honey golden color? When it’s swirled, how viscous does it appear – thin and watery, or cloying and thick? Are the aromas more earthy and woody, or sweet and fruity? When tasting, is the wine heavy with mouth drying tannins or more light and silky? Each identifiable characteristic will act like a piece to a puzzle, helping you more accurately label a wine a certain way.
To make it even more interesting, the wine bar was offering a $25 gift certificate to anyone who could guess all 4 wines correctly.  After all the eager contestants had arrived, we got down to business.
weekly wine journal wine blogThe first white wine was placed before us like a microorganism beneath a microscope. Guests put their noses in the glasses, taking notes, swirling and gazing into the distance searching for analogies. This was repeated several times, as gazes turned to puzzled, contorted facial expressions.
I found the first wine tasted like lemon Theraflu – not exactly appealing. The second white wine was marginally better with a sort of buttery chardonnay mixed with grassy Sauvignon Blanc taste, a somewhat confusing flavor profile for me.  Halfway through the competition and my confidence had already taken a harder beating than BP Oil.
weekly wine journal wine blogNext came the reds. The first red wine had me completely stumped.  It was unlike any red wine I had ever tasted before, and not in an amazingly good way either.  I found it to be one of the single worst tasting wines I have ever tasted and I couldn’t finish it.  The other guests finished theirs, and the girl next to me remarked that she really like it. I thought to myself, “if you like flavors of nail polish and forest fire with a muddy dirty mouth feel and very little in the way of fruit, this is right up your alley.”
The second red wine I liked a lot more; smooth, with decent fruit, light acidity and tannins. My mind went straight to Merlot. Without a doubt, no questions asked.
It turned out to be a Cabernet.  Then the moment we had all been waiting for – the results. While the $25 gift certificate would be nice, it was our pride that we were all hoping to walk away with.
The first white: Pinot Grigio. I could have sworn it was blended with Theraflu.
The second white: a Sauvignon Blanc – I was almost there!
The third of our flight turned out to be a Zinfandel (a poor excuse for Zinfandel, if you ask me).
And finally, the fourth and final wine… a Cabernet Sauvignon. I would have bet good money it had been a Merlot. Maybe they had poured me the wrong stuff?
We looked around the room to find that a few had 3 out of the 4 pegged correctly, but nobody got them all right. No cash prizes, but there were plenty of defeated wine aficionados.
Blind tasting is a learning experience to say the least. Analyzing wine without knowing the brand, varietal, or price point really puts your palate to the test and is the single most honest way to evaluate a wine.  It’s an interesting and fun way to add mystery and intrigue to a wine tasting or wine party, especially if you venture out of the more well known grape, wine regions and flavor profiles.
Have you ever put your palate to the test in a blind setting?  If so, what were the results? Were you pleasantly surprised with your wine wherewithal? Or did you leave with a bruised palate ego?
Edited by Jon Troutman

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Posted in Wine Education, Wine Event, Wine Tasting

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New President of the Arizona Wine Grower’s Association | Peggy Fiandaca

Posted on February 28, 2011 | Leave a comment

Here is a quick 5 minute video with Peggy Fiandaca, the new President of the Arizona Wine Grower’s Association (2011).  Peggy brings many unique and valuable skill sets to the table and in this interview she explains a few of them.

Lawrence Dunham Vineyards WEBSITE

Partners for Strategic Action WEBSITE

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Posted in Arizona Wine, News, Wine News, Wine Personality, Women in Wine

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Affordable California Cult Wines | Venge Vineyards

Posted on February 21, 2011 | Leave a comment

“California Cult Wines” usually connote images of big wigs spending massive amounts of money, bidding on wines at auction. I was lucky enough to attend a tasting that made me rethink the definition of Cult Wine. This is the second installment of a five part series, where I profile wineries making small amounts of incredible quality wines, at very reasonable prices.

Venge Vineyards was founded in 1992 by Nils Venge, who is known as “The King of Cabernet”.  After graduating UC Davis with a Bachelor of Science in Grape Vine Viticulture, Nils took a job at well known Sterling Vineyards. In 1971 he was hired by Villa Mount Eden as their first wine maker.  While there he made the 1974 and 1978 vintages of Cabernet which put Villa Mount Eden on the map. While at Villa Mount Eden, Nils and his father in law bought a 17 acre Cabernet Vineyard right in the heart of Oakville.  The vineyard supplied Villa Mount Eden with its grapes and is now surrounded by other big names such as Silver Oak, Opus One and Groth.  In 1982 Nils Venge became a minority partner with Dennis Groth, and helped form Groth Vineyard.  His skills as a wine maker became well known while he was at Groth, and in 1985 the Cabernet Sauvignon received a 100 point rating from Robert Parker, making it the first Californian wine to receive 100 points. In 1992, Nils took his amazing track record and formed his namesake vineyard, Venge Vineyards.
In 2008 Venge moved operations to the newly acquired Rossini Ranch, a 12 acre cabernet ranch.  Over the years Venge Vineyards has consistently attained amazing ratings.  Check the last 3 vintages of the Family Reserve Cabernet for example:
2005: 94 points, Wine Enthusiast,
2006: 95 points, Robert Parker
2007: 95-98 points Robert Parker.
Only 150 six-bottle cases of the 2007 vintage were produced and at $125 it would seem like a good investment. Not everyone can afford to drop 100+ dollars on a bottle of wine, and luckily Venge produces much more affordable, Cult-quality wines. These are some labels to look out for.
2009 Venge, Champs de Fleur Proprietary White:
The name comes from the French term “field of flowers”, which is what the aromatics of this wine are like.  There are slight lemon grass accents and solid tropical fruit flavors on the palate.  A little bit of passion fruit and lemon drop in the mix, and you’re in for a treat.
The blend is 55% Sauvignon Blanc, 34% Chardonnay, and 11% Viognier, with the alcohol weighing in at 14.5%. This wine was whole cluster pressed and each varietal was fermented in separate stainless steel tanks before being moved to neutral French oak for 8 months. 25% of the wine underwent Malolactic fermentation which adds a nice softness to the finish. With only 675 cases produced and retail price of $25 a bottle, this certainly constitutes as a California Cult wine.
The second extremely good value Venge has to offer is called “Scout’s Honor’ named after Nils’ his dog.  Robert Parker raves about this wine calling it a “superb value” and states that the 2007 vintage is the best yet, awarding it 92 points. The 2008 vintage is currently in pre-release and you can only buy 2 bottles at a time from the website. Again, if this isn’t cult wine, I don’t know what is.
The 2008 Scout’s Honor blend is 66% Zinfandel, 15% Petite Sirah, 15% Charbono, and 4% Syrah. Charbono is not common in California, however it is the 2nd most popular varietal in Argentina where it is called Bonarda.  It was aged for 16 months in 60% new American Oak from Missouri. The alcohol is a knock you on your butt 15.2% – wow!  The beauty of this wine is that there is absolutely no heat present; the alcohol is very well integrated. The nose is full of red cherry and licorice while the palate is rich and very ripe with peppery accents. There is also a bit of minerality from the Charbono; very interesting, complex with a nice long finish.  Just over 1,000 cases were produced, and it’s priced at $38 on the Venge website. Thankfully, my favorite local wine merchant has it for $23.99!  If you like the more ripe, Lodi style of Zinfandel but want something with more complexity, you will definitely want to get your hands on a case of this wine.
Stay tuned for three more names to watch for, producing Cult-like quality at prices that won’t break the bank.

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Posted in Cabernet Sauvignon, Wine Personality

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Affordable California Cult Wines, part 1 | Robert Young

Posted on February 20, 2011 | 1 Comment

wine labelA while back I attended a wine tasting billed as “5 Affordable California Cult Wines”.  Affordable and Cult?  This I had to see. Below is the first of a five part article series reviewing these Cult California labels that I was impressed by.

The first of the wines sampled was the 2006 Robert Young Reserve Chardonnay. According to the label, Robert Young Estate Winery, “Is a tribute to our heritage as fourth generation farmers deeply rooted in the Alexander Valley since 1858″.
I needed to dig a little deeper.  According to Susan Young Sheehy, Robert’s daughter, the history of her family in the Alexander Valley started with her great grandfather, Peter Young, who moved to California from upstate New York in the 1800’s and bought a farm. Robert Young was born two generations later in 1919. After The Great Depression which almost saw the family to lose the farm, the Young family eventually hit its stride. In 1963 Robert Young planted the very first Cabernet Sauvignon grapes in the now well known wine region of Sonoma’s Alexander Valley.  The first crops were more successful than anticipated and Robert began tearing out the prune orchards.  By 1967 he had planted Chardonnay. In 1976 Chateau St. Jean put the Robert Young name on their label, making the specific vineyard designation a first in American wine. Today, the vineyard produces 14 premium varieties, producing nearly 2,000 tons of grapes. Only 75 tons of these grapes are reserved for the Robert Young Estate Chardonnay, sourced from the very best vines. Their 130 acres of Chardonnay consist of two clones (#17 and #26) which were sourced from Burgundy vines and developed by Robert Young in collaboration with UC Davis.  Many people consider the #17 clone (or the “Robert Young Clone”) to be the very best American Chardonnay.  In 2008 Robert and his son Jim were recognised for their significant contributions to Sonoma County Viticulture and were awarded the Viticulture Award of Excellence by the Sonoma County Wine Grape Commission. Robert Young passed away on June 19th, 2009 at age 90.  What an incredible life! Something to think about while sipping this fantastic Chardonnay:
2006 Robert Young Reserve Chardonnay.  100% Estate grown in Alexander Valley, Sonoma County.  This wine saw 14 months in 40% new French oak, 100% barrel fermented with full malolactic fermentation.  Alcohol weighs in at 14.3% and production was 3,285 cases.  At my favorite wine shop it is selling for $23.99.  This wine was rated 90 points by Wine Spectator and 92 points by Wine Enthusiast. Most of the previous vintages have scored 92-93 points, the exception being the 02 vintage which scored 89 points from Wine Spectator.  However, the 01 vintage received 96 points, Editors Choice and best White Wine of the Year from Wine Enthusiast.
Fans of  rich, full bodied, dry and oaky Chardonnay will love this, with its multi-layered mid palate displaying a nutty and fig like component with a creamy finish.
If you are looking for something a little more “cultish” you could try to track down a bottle of the Robert Young Cabernet “Big Block”, with only 145 cases produced.  If that is still not cultish enough you could try their 2007 Barrel Select Chardonnay which was aged in 2 Seguin Moreau French oak barrels, only enough to make 48 cases.
Though it sounds like an oxy-moron, the small production and long history behind this label make Robert Young a contender as an afforable, California Cult wine. Do you have any personally crowned, affordable California “Cult” wines?
Edited by Jon Troutman

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Paso Robles Grand Tasting Tour visits Arizona

Posted on February 13, 2011 | Leave a comment
Wine tasting

Guests at the Grand Tasting

This past week the Paso Robles Grand Tasting Tour visited El Chorro Lodge in Paradise Valley.  The Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance and their local partners put on a week long celebration of the Paso Robles wine region.  In all 34 wineries and vineyards were represented. For a list of the vineyards scroll to the bottom of the page.

The week of wine started off on Monday, February 7th with wine maker dinners at Petite Maison and Ranchot Pinot.  The very next night saw more wine maker dinners at 5th and Wine, Cowboy Ciao and Big Daddy’s BBQ.  There were some after hours events held at Kazimierz Wine Bar in Scottsdale, as well as a special “Staff Meal” at Petite Maison and a walk through wine tasting at AZ Wine Company.

Seminar scottsdale

Industry seminar

The big day for wine tasting was Wednesday February 9th.  Starting at 1pm there was an educational seminar held for about 40 local distributors, retailers and restauranteurs . Executive Director of the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance, Stacie Jacob started out by introducing us to the wine makers and letting us know where exactly the Paso Robles AVA is.  Paso Robles is about a one hour flight and a half hour drive from San Luis Obispo.  People in the metro Phoenix area would find this to be a very convenient weekend getaway.

Stacie then handed the seminar over to the wine makers.  Ted Plemons of Cass Winery, Doug Beckett of Peach Canyon, JC Diefenderfer of Hope Family Wines and

Steve Peck

Steve Peck red wine maker for J. Lohr

Steve Peck of J. Lohr talked for about an hour.  Each wine maker talked about the uniqueness of the Paso Robles AVA and especially the value.  They really stressed the value, and Steve Peck put it succinctly stating that their neighbors to the north might say “Well if so and so is getting $50 a bottle then I should get $60, well in Paso Robles it’s not like that”.   In Paso Robles the pricing is very closely related to the direct costs rather than who has the “best” Cabernet or what other people are charging.

Peachy Canyon Wine

Doug Becket from Peachy Canyon

I sat at a table with Doug Beckett, proprietor of Peachy Canyon Winery.  Doug spoke passionately about the region and sustainable practices versus organic certification.  He received a warm round of applause when he stated boldly that organic farming “Is Crap”,  he explained why by saying “You may have heard of something called WIND. Well even if you are certified organic, if your neighbor is spraying chemicals then it blows onto your property”  He went on to explain how much more comprehensive sustainable farming is than organic certification.

wine tasting

Tasting the wines

While we were listening to each gentleman speak, we were also enjoying examples of their wines.  In all their were 8 wines to taste.  These wines were presented as value driven wines, ready to drink now, primarily for use in a restaurant setting.  There’s no use pouring a wine for a customer and then telling them that it will be great in 5 years.  It needs to be great right now.  We tasted a wide variety of styles and price points from a Viognier Marsanne blend from Cass Winery with a retail of $20 to a Cabernet Syrah blend from Hope Family Wines retailing for $50.  One of the wines that I found to be particularly good was J. Lohr Hilltop Vineyard Cabernet which is actually a blend of 80% Cabernet, 6% Petite Sirah, 4% Malbec, 4% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc.  I managed to get a little interview with Steve Peck the following night at a special wine tasting at AZ Wine Company.

wine tasting outside

Sun setting on El Chorro Lodge

After the trade seminar there was a media tasting between 2 and 5pm.  Guests tasted wines from the 30+ wineries that made the trip out to Arizona.  I tasted A LOT of wine.  I carried around my own spittoon as ingesting all of this wine in the middle of the afternoon would have had a rather unpleasant result!  By four o’ clock I had overloaded my palate, but a few wines managed to stand out for me.  Derby Wine Estates Reserve Pinot Noir and Kenneth Volk Vineyards Touriga Nacional.

Scottsdale wine tasting

The evening festivities

At 6 p.m. the public event got underway.  Guests were treated to the wines and a very nice catered dinner on the patio while the sun was setting on an absolutely perfect Arizona winter day.  The next night  I attended a wine tasting at AZ Wine company featuring Justin, Opolo, J. Lohr, Ancient Peaks, L’Aventure and Sextant, see more pictures of the weeks events on Facebook.

Wineries List:

Adelaida Cellars

Alta Colina Vineyard and Winery

Ancient Peaks Winery

Caliza Winery

Cass Winery

Clavo Cellars

Clayhouse Wines

Derby Wine Estates

Eberle Winery

Grey Wolf Vineyards and Cellars

Halter Ranch Vineyard

Hansen Winery

Hearst Ranch Winery

J & J Cellars

J. Lohr Vineyards and Wines

Justin Vineyards and Winery

Kenneth Volk Vineyards

L’Aventure Winery

Le Vigne

Lone Madrone

Midnight Cellars

Niner Wine Estates

Opolo Vineyards

Peachy Canyon Winery

Robert Hall Winery

Sextant Wines

Silver Horse Winery

Thacher Winery

Treana and Hope Family Wines

Ventuex Vineyards

Victor Hugo Winery

Vina Robles

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Cameron Hughes | Wine Tasting | Scottsdale Phoenix January 2011

Posted on January 31, 2011 | 2 Comments

Cameron Hughes ScottsdaleFree wine tastings can be a great way for wine companies to get exposure in the market place.  For Cameron Hughes Wine Company, however, the free wine tasting held in Scottsdale, Arizona last Thursday night,  was a way to say thanks to their customers.   The private, invite only event was a “customer appreciation” wine tasting held to say thanks to their loyal supporters and early adopters of the Cameron Hughes Wine concept. Cameron Hughes Wine Co-Founder Jessica Hughes flew out from San Francisco to personally thank the 100 or so VIP guests  who gathered at North Scottsdale’s Hodson Jewellery Gallery.  The evening featured 12 new releases from one of America’s most successful wine negociants, and even a few unreleased small lots.  Guests were also treated to the culinary creations of Hashana Baker from I Love it Gourmet.

Row of wine bottles

An impressive selection

The wine list was impressive, even by Cameron Hughes standards.  California was well represented, and in particular the sub appellations of Napa including Atlas Peak, Stag’s Leap, Oakville, Rutherford.  There were also wines from Alexander Valley, both sides of Carneros and there were also some interesting lots from Chile and Washington State. Here is a quick list of the Lots that were sampled: Lot 182, Lot 189, Lot 190, Lot 191, Lot 197, Lot 200, Lot 208, Lot 216, Lot 222, Lot 225, Lot 227

Wine labelI found Lot 182 particularly approachable, and I learned that this particular Lot is labeled as a Meritage, but is actually a blend of 90% Cabernet, 5% Cab Franc, and 5% Petite Verdot.  This wine is a 2005 vintage and has over 4 years in the bottle and it is drinking amazing right now.  With only 1,700 cases produced and selling for $15 a bottle this wine won’t be around for long. See my complete review of Lot 182 here.

wine labelI also found Lot 197, a 2008 Napa Valley Merlot to be quite interesting.  I am not normally a big Merlot drinker, but this Merlot was more like a big powerful and ripe Cabernet.  This lot has yet to be released and should sell out very quickly as only 518 cases are available.  I was talking with Jessica Hughes and I remarked that I was really enjoying Lot 197 and she said “Oh that is reeeeallly nice, it’s from…” and she just barely managed to cut herself short.  Everyone who knows the way Cameron Hughes Wines work, knows that the sources of the wines are a closely guarded and legally protected secret.  The wines are often purchased with lengthy Non Disclosure agreements to protect the brands that are selling pretty much the same juice for $100+ a bottle. See my complete review of Lot 197 here

Co Founder

Jessica Hughes

In my conversation with Jessica I also asked her about the dynamic between her and Cameron.  I asked her whether they were like two peas in a pod, or more like a Ying and a Yang.  She said the latter.  Jessica said that Cameron has an absolutely amazing palate and actually writes most of the wine descriptions himself,  Jessica on the other hand is a natural promoter.  This is evidenced by the fact that she mingled and chatted enthusiastically and non-stop with customers for close to 3 hours.

As the event wound down you could tell the guests were so enjoying themselves that they didn’t want to leave!  Most guests placed orders for multiple cases and I got thinking that this was actually an interesting way to set up a new channel of sales. Pouring chardonnay Cameron Hughes has been relying heavily on sales through Costco, but it can be quite difficult to sell when you are not allowed to taste, and don’t have time to interact on a personal level with your customers.  Cameron Hughes Wines plan to set up more of these types of private tastings across the country.   How do you get invited?  If you’ve bought a significant amount of wine from their website, you will most likely get an invite.

A short video of the event and Jessica speaking:

See more pictures from this event on my Facebook Page

Cameron Hughes Wine Homepage

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Wine Review | Cameron Hughes Lot 197, 2008 Merlot, Napa Valley

Posted on January 30, 2011 | Leave a comment

Disclaimer:  I was given a signed bottle as a gift, by Jessica Hughes, who clearly states that I ROCK!

Alrighty then, with that technical matter out of the way lets get down to business.

Napa Valley Merlot

It's official: I rock

Lot 197 hails from the Carneros area of Napa Valley, although it does not state this on the label, Cameron mentions it on his website.  Production for this wine is a miniscule 518 cases and the wine retails for $12 a bottle.

Though I would not call myself a big Merlot drinker, this is definitely a Merlot I could get used to.  It is a big monster of a Merlot, with alcohol coming in at a whopping 15.3%.   A big whiff reveals a bit of an alcoholic burn in the nostrils, but that is nicely evened out by the aromas of red berry fruit.  On the palate this wine is ripe, which has more to do with the alcohol % than sugar.  The palate consists of ripe black cherry and chocolate.   The alcohol content is certainly going to be an issue for some people, and it usually is for me, but this wine is an exception.  The fruit and the smooth tannins, really play well with the alcohol which enhances the aromatics as well.  And for $12 it’s definitely a deal.  I paired this wine with a tomato based pasta sauce seasoned with cayenne.  The heat of the sauce really played well against the ripeness of the wine.

Rating: 89 points

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Arizona Wine Grower’s reception|Quiessence restaurant|2010

Posted on November 9, 2010 | 2 Comments

Every once in a while I am lucky enough to attend a truly remarkable wine event.  Not that the other events are not remarkable.

Arizona wine awards banquet 2010

Quiessence Restaurant

It’s just that some events are so special that they really give you that feeling that you are in the midst of or witness to the start of something exceptional.  The 2nd annual Arizona Wine Grower’s Association Awards reception 2010 was one of those events.

The banquet was held at Quiessence restaurant at The Farm at South Mountain.  First a little background about the Farm:  Originally developed by Dwight Heard of the Heard museum, in the 1920′s the 10 acre parcel was planted with over 100 pecan trees.  These trees still stand today and provide a wonderful, lush and serene setting for Quiessence restaurant which is nestled way in the back of the property. Quiessence has accumulated an impressive list of awards but even more impressive were the culinary creations of executive chef Gregory LaPrad and Chef du Cuisine Anthony Adiario that were paired with the gold medal winning wines

The food and wine pairings were set up at 7 different stations around the restaurant and out in the garden. Here is a list of the menu and wine pairings:

House Cured Meats & Salumi – Arizona Stronghold Vineyards “Dayden” 2009

Winter Squash Soup – Caduceus “Dos Ladrones” 2009

Handmade pasta: Capunti with tomato, eggplant, fennel and sardines – Caduceus “Kitsune” Sangiovese 2008

Potato & Cheese Francobolli with Black Trumpet Mushroom Cream Sauce – ASV Bonita Springs Chardonnay 2009

Housemade Boudin Blanc Sausage with “El Norte” Braised Crimson Gold Apples & Fried Sage – Dos Cabezas “El Norte” 2008

“Frito Misto” Crispy Fried Shrimp, Calamari & Alaskan Halibut – Merkin “The Diddler” 2009

Braised Beef Wellington with Roasted Vegetable Compote – Alcantara Cabernet Sauvignon 2007-Paso Robles

Desserts: Petit Fours, Truffles & Confections – Sonoita Sparkles Peach

Quiessence Restaurant phoenix

Chef du Cuisine Anthony Adiario

Also out in the garden were a cellist and a violinist playing contemporary music accompanied by an Macbook back up band which really added a nice touch to the ambience.

I was introduced to a man named Bob Webb, who founded the first winery in Arizona back in 1980.  I had a very interesting discussion with Mr. Webb.  One of my dreams is to buy some land and plant a vineyard and start a winery, which is quite unlike any other wine bloggers dreams!   Mr Webb was actually retired out of the wine business but recently came out of retirement when he decided to plant vines in the spring of 2010.  He said it’s in his blood, he cant stop.  Mr Webb planted multiple varieties on 13 acres high in the Sierra Madre mountain range.  At elevations above 7,000 feet these could possibly be the highest vineyards in North America.  He says he will only make wine from those vines if the fruit is exceptional, otherwise he will just scrap the idea.  I will be writing more on this project in the future.

Later on I  met legendary Arizona wine maker Kent Callaghan (pronounced Calla Gan).  We were talking inside in a small hallway and I told him I had grown up in British Columbia and suddenly he became animated.  Kent is actually a shy and humble guy – not very comfortable with the limelight. But with the B.C. connection he became a bit more animated.  He told me that his parents had owned property on Galiano Island  and  he had learned how to grow grapes from his father there.  Then he said “Hey, you like wine? Come with me.”  This is where an event like this becomes truly interesting… we went outside and he reached under one of the tables and pulled a couple of bottles of wine out of a box.  I sat with Mr Callaghan and Todd Bostock and drank some truly remarkable wine which shall remain nameless.

This event was a very nice and  intimate conclusion to a year of hard work by the Arizona wine industry.  It was really nice to see all of the people I have interviewed and met over the past year all in one place.

Visit the Weekly Wine Journal’s Facebook page for more PHOTOS

Here is a short video of some scenes from the evening:

List of Award Winners HERE

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