No, it’s not because I’m an angry person by nature.
Actually it’s almost the opposite as I’m usually a Type B personality. Though I
do enjoy seeing red… red in my wine glass that is. But because I reside in the
50th where only two seasons are usually experienced, a very hot
summer running from October through May and an unbearable summer running from
June through September, the red wines usually remain in storage. So I often
reach for that chilled bottle of Champagne, Rose or white wine to experience
the chill. Just because a massive, fruit driven, alcoholic Zinfandel, Cabernet
Sauvignon or Syrah is definitely not what the doctor ordered. It’s like wearing
plush wool on your palate in the dead of summer!
But for the past couple of weeks, we’ve experienced
several cold fronts passing over the islands which made it a prime opportunity
to uncork those cold weather wines.
Red Wines of the
Rhone
You’ve probably seen these red wines either bottled as
individual varietals such as Syrah (Shiraz), Grenache or Mourvedre or bottled
as blends also including Cinsault, Counoise and Carignan. In the US and
Australia, they are usually labelled by the grape varietal whereas in France,
they are labelled by the region such as Cote Rotie, Hermitage or Cornas or in
the south as Chateauneuf du Pape, Vacqueyras and Gigondas. But all of these
wines originate from the same red grape varietals and especially in the US and
Australia, tend to produce very fruit forward wines usually with higher alcohol
levels. Which usually isn’t a desired beverage when the mercury is well above
90 degrees in the shade. But with the recent cooling in the 50th, I
found it an ideal time to “re-visit” some of my favorite reds from the Golden
State.
Keplinger
I first sampled the wines of Helen Keplinger at a private
tasting at 750 Wines located at the northern end of St Helena town just off of
the main highway. 750 Wines is run by David and Monica Stevens and seems more
artist’s loft than wine store where private tastings are arranged by the couple
that entail much more than sampling what they sell. Before your tasting
appointment is scheduled, along with asking you what grape varietals you
prefer, they also inquire what you normally drink, what price point you normally
purchase down to the specific genre of music you prefer. So when you sit down
for your tasting, it is a total wine tasting experience. And that’s where I
first sampled the Keplinger Lithic which is a blend of Syrah, Grenache and
Mourvedre grown high in the Sierra Foothills and what captivated me was the
nose which included violets, lavender and sweet tea along with earth and dark
red and black fruit.
Since that first encounter several years ago, I signed up
for the Keplinger mailing list and have continued to purchase their newest
releases twice a year. Keplinger currently produces about 16 different wines
though most of them are from blended red Rhone varietals. None of the Keplinger
wines have disappointed including their one white wine, the Eldorado which is a
Viognier blend. The Keplinger wines are perfect for slow roasted proteins and
braised lamb or beef which is compatible under our current climatic conditions.
Linne Calodo
Started almost 20 years ago by Matt and Maureen Trevisan
in Paso Robles, Linne Calodo produces about 14 different wines usually with
traditional red Rhone varietals though they do make one white wine along with
several Zinfandel based wines. They even have one label that includes American,
Rhone and Spanish red varietals. What is shared by all of the Linne Calodo
wines is the presence of dried spices that you get in the nose and on the
palate framed by ripe fruit. After first tasting the wines, I intended on
immediately signing up on the mailing list but since most of the line-up is now
available in the 50th, I prefer having my local wine shop “store”
the wine for me (until I purchase it) and also pay for the shipping costs. My
current favorites – which can change with the Linne Calodo line-up because the
blends aren’t exactly the same every vintage is the Overthinker which is a
typical Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre blend and the almost impossible to find
Martyr since it’s not produced every year and even when it is produced, only
about 6 barrels are created.
Because of the abundance of dried spices in their
line-up, I find that the Linne Calodo wines work particularly well with braised
beef and lamb dishes that include spice like cinnamon, star anise and five
spice.
The Golden State
Bad Boy
Yes, it’s that one grape varietal that fetches the most
dollars per acre or ton that put Napa Valley on the map during the Judgement of
Paris tasting in 1976. When Stag’s Leap Wine Cellar’s 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon beat
the likes of 1970 Chateau Mouton-Rothschild, 1970 Chateau Montrose, 1970
Chateau Haut-Brion and 1971 Chateau Leoville Las Cases, the Golden State didn’t
just enter the international wine world, it blew the doors off. Since that
time, Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon has commanded top dollar often fetching
$300 per bottle directly out of the winery and double that on the secondary
market. And for the longest time, what was in vogue was ultra-ripe,
ultra-concentrated, fully extracted high alcohol wines that almost needed
chewing. Definitely not hot weather wines. And forget about pairing any foods
with these wines short of 14 hour smoked brisket liberally slathered with gooey
barbecue sauce.
But there are still winemakers out there focused on
restraint creating Cabernet that balances the natural tendency for ripeness in
the Golden State with terroir that’s desired in the Old World. And once again,
I had my first taste of Detert Cabernet Franc at 750 Wines.
Detert Family Vineyards tucked away behind the famous To-Kalon
vineyard started in 1954 and initially simply sold grapes to Charles Krug and
Robert Mondavi. In 2000, the three great-grandsons of original owner Hedwig
Detert started their own label which today only includes three different wines,
a Cabernet Franc, a Cabernet Sauvignon and a high end East Block Cabernet Franc.
And again what captivated me was the nose of the Cabernet Franc which usually
just has notes of green pepper in basic renditions. Detert also had notes of
violets and cassis and the pepper notes were more charred green chili notes than
bell pepper. So I also signed up for their mailing list and continue to
purchase their wines. And though Cabernet Franc is one of the parents of
Cabernet Sauvignon, its subdued aroma and flavors can even pair with roasted
pork and poultry especially when a hearty sauce is employed.
Uncork those Bold
Reds
So while I’ll continue to uncork those big, bold reds for
the next month or so as long as the mercury remains less than 80, all of you in
the Golden State can do the same almost all year long. And as an added benefit,
you can also make that hour long drive to St Helena to schedule your private
wine tasting at 750 Wines all year long. Life’s too short just to enjoy just
one single grape varietal or a single brand. I have about a dozen favorites…
and that’s just with the bold reds…
And on a final note, with the next bottle of vino I uncork, I’ll pour a second glass for a fellow Nichi Bei columnist whom I met just once but forged a friendship from that solitary meeting. To the Kaeru Kid, Glenn Nakadate, may you rest in peace my friend. Namu amida butsu.
Comments