August 2020

A NEW ‘OLD’ NAME IN CALIFORNIA BUBBLY

PAULA KORNELL BRUT

It has been a long time since we have found anything new and interesting to talk about regarding domestic bubbly.

This particular item comes along at just the right time in the marketplace. Part of the problem with domestic sparklers is that the players never change, the quality doesn’t seem to get much better and the prices keep edging up. For that reason the success of this launch is important for a number of reasons, not the least of which is to add a interesting new option to a somewhat unexciting cast of characters, and maybe a little quality improvement and price reductions to potentially liven up a static category.

That’s a lot of pent up hope to lay on one producer. We have chronicled a precious few new domestic sparkling wine sources over the years that have done a fine job with the bubbles themselves, but have priced themselves into competition with top French Champagne houses with the predictable result of not getting much lasting traction in the marketplace. Paula Kornell has the right idea in taking her talents to the public with a tasty, affordable sparkler.

As a number of you have figured out, Paula Kornell herself is something of an insider in the wine business. Hans Kornell, who’s sparkling wine cellar was highly visible in the Napa Valley until its closure in 1992, was her father. Paula herself spent time in both retail and hospitality before returning to the family estate in 1982. After a number of years on winery, and vintners boards, world traveling, and charitable work, she opened a consulting firm in 2014. Subsequently, the first sparkler was made in 2017 and the Paula Kornell brand was launched two years later.

As we often say, you never know if a label will stand the test of time. But she is off to one heck of a start. There are two bottlings, this one and a more ‘reserve’ level Napa Valley Blanc de Noir. It was this Paula Kornell California Brut that got our attention for a number of reasons, mostly for value performance in the category. Fine bead, the fruit component was fresh and engaging, and the wine was impeccably clean from start to finish and showed a bit of personality.

The hard part will be getting the word out that there’s a potentially important new player in the game if this first effort is any indication of where this project is going. Most of the reviewers don’t talk about California bubblies because there is little in the way of ‘news’. In all fairness, it’s the same producers making non-vintage ‘house style’ sparklers year in and year out. Someone new coming into this section of the marketplace, particularly with the kind of family history that Paula Kornell has, is definitely worth a few lines.

We did find some nice words in the Wine Enthusiast that did hit the key points here, “This inaugural release is stunning and incredibly impressive—a wine well worth stocking up on for the price and quality. A beautiful jasmine aroma leads to marzipan, peach and cherry flavors as lively acidity envelopes the palate. It’s a blend of 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir…94 Points.” A wine like this has a large potential audience available to them if subsequent efforts hit the same quality level. As to this one, if you are buying one of those ubiquitous California sparklers or widely distributed Spanish cavas, you definitely need to give this one a spin.

LOPEZ DOES IT AGAIN: CUBILLO 2011

We’ll skip the part about what huge fans of Rioja we are, and how they continue to be some of the most compelling values in the wine market. It’s not like we haven’t said it before…a lot! This time were going to get specific. About 2 years ago, we did an offer with the 2011 Cune Imperial, making the point that James Suckling chose to score the 2011 higher than the vaunted 2010. The 2010 vintage was epic in Rioja, while 2011 was very good but much warmer and not as ‘classic’ as 2010. We wondered what possessed him to ‘go against the grain’ and score the 2011 higher than the ’10. Then we tasted it.

There are lots of ways to look at a wine. The 2010 ‘checked all the boxes’, structure, balance, great fruit, it was all there. But any self-respecting hedonist would choose the 2011, a layered, gushing, fruit forward mouthful of joy that erred on the side of deliciousness. We recall that offer because when we saw the newest release of the Lopez de Heredia Rioja Viña Cubillo, the 2011, we were musing if it was going to be another such awakening. We had deified the 2010 Cubillo as the best we could recall among all of the vintages that we had tasted since we started selling this iconic Rioja producer many years ago. But the thought of a plusher, gushing Cubillo was certainly an enticing proposition.

As it turned out, here the proverbial ‘leopard’ did not change its spots, at least not very much anyway. Yes, this was a more outgoing Cubillo, relatively speaking. The great ripeness of the vintage showed itself primarily in the bluer toned fruit that was the focal point of the wine. There was more cassis and plum to the flavor spectrum, and perhaps a touch more evident spice with in that core of fruit. But the leather, earth, balsamic, structure and pedigree were not vastly altered by a rather different harvest.

Lopez being Lopez? Absolutely, and all the better for it. Had we not had the 2010, we might be inclined to say that this 2011 was something of a ‘best ever’ effort. The bottom line is that this is a spectacular, structured delicious bottle of Rioja that deserves it own time in the spotlight. Did this once again meet our expectations? You bet! Just not quite in the way we expected. They still do things the old-fashioned way. While Tempranillo is the dominant grape, Lopez still uses 10-15% Grenache in the mix with a little Graciano and Mazuelo. All from estate vineyards, this wine saw three years in barrel (more like a Gran Reserva), was racked twice a year, after which it is bottled unfiltered.

Once again, we were not alone in our praise. As for the critics, the reviews are pretty darn close to those for the esteemed 2010, as they should be. Luis Gutierrez from Wine Advocate put it this way, “It’s not easy to follow a 2010, but the 2011 Viña Cubillo Tinto Crianza improves with time in the glass, showing much better than expected. 2011 was a warmer year than the 2010, and the wine is a little riper but has great balance and very good harmony. It’s a noteworthy red for the price asked…92 points.” That’s one point under the 2010 and remember there are much bigger dogs in Lopez’ cellar that also get tasted

James Suckling’s score was the same as last year’s, “Cubillo spends three years in barrique and then in larger cask to await bottling, which happens two years before the expected release. This is very fresh on the nose with quite fresh, ripe blackberries and dark cherries, mahogany and dry, woody spices. The palate is very powerful, juicy and fresh with clear black cherries and plums in abundance. So fresh, fleshy and deep. The freshness is impressive. Long, shell-like tannins. Drink or hold…95 Points.”

As to Lopez de Heredia, there is little we need to say about this icon of traditional Spanish winemaking founded in 1892. We have tasted virtually every level of wine they produce, including some historic older bottlings, and have never been disappointed even given pretty high expectations. They do all the right things to create the wines they want to make and charge very attractive prices for the various levels offered. Even in these crazy times, where there are mad deals at every turn, and tariffs trying to spoil some wines’ positioning in the marketplace, this wine still shines as a refined, well made, attractively-priced, high quality choice.

RARE ‘LOCAL’ VIOGNIER VALUE

As we have said many times, Viognier is a cruel mistress to begin with, particularly here in California. There is a magic place where there’s just the right touch of acidity supporting expressive, layered, highly spiced, fleshy fruit. But most of the time, the varietal fails to hit that mark, either falling lean and short on the fruit end or, more often, coming out a flabby mass of overripe, directionless fruit. In all fairness to the winemakers, hitting that narrow ‘sweet spot’ in the varietal profile is extremely difficult. But when it does, it is a special treat.

If you had told us that one of the most striking Viognier buys to come along from California in many years came from Paso Robles, we ‘d have had a hard time believing it. But the proof was in the glass. The San Simeon Viognier Stefano Vineyard 2018 delivered beautifully nuanced, classically varietal, even bright varietal fruit. The nose was subtly infused with that floral, honeysuckle, and peach character that we associate with top flight efforts of this varietal from the northern Rhone. The fruit is tender and round, but has the required ‘sizzle’ to deliver that special character that makes people fans of the varietal in the first place.

A good part of the game here is location. The Stefano Vineyard is located in the El Pomar District AVA of Paso Robles. Yeah, it’s warm here, but there is great maritime influence via the cool afternoon breezes from the Templeton Gap. The area’s Arbuckle-Positas soils are filled with multicolored rocks of all shapes and sizes and there are steep hillsides that naturally control vine vigor. During 2018, the weather was ideal with a long growing season that provided great “hang time” for the grapes. That allows the flavors to develop slowly and steadily while maintaining the tension in the juice to keep everything lifted. It all came together in 2018.

The juice is fermented in stainless steel tanks at 55˚ F for several weeks. The long, cold fermentation process preserves the delicate flavors and aromas of this variety. Immediately after the fermentation, 12% of the wine was transferred

to neutral French oak barrels in which the lees were stirred for several months to add texture and depth. The result is this personality-filled, unfettered, expressive, unpretentiously joyful white.

Since we decided we were going to promote this tasty example, we jumped into our usual research. We were a little surprised to find a 92 point score from Wine Spectator only because Wine Spectator typically doesn’t hand out scores like that on domestic Viogniers (Sauvignon Blancs also have a upper limit on scores but that’s another story). We set our Spectator ratings query at ‘Viogniers that got 92 point scores and cost less than $30 over the last three years’. There were three…this one, one from Alban, and a French Collines Rhodaniennes from the Northern Rhone.

When we narrowed the Spectator search to the last 12 months, the San Simeon Viognier was an ‘army of one’. How’s that for rarity? The words were inviting as well as Spectator clearly had the same impression we did. They wrote, “Powerful and elegant, featuring peach cobbler, ripe melon and dried apricot flavors that are rich and concentrated, set on a light and lithe frame, with bright and juicy acidity. Finishes with details of white flowers. Drink now.”

We’re all about that last part, ‘drink now’. This is bright enough to enjoy with the lighter fare of the season or entertain a broad audience as an aperitif all by itself. For our part, with a little help from the current times, we were able to work a bit with the $24 list price. Like we said, it’s hard enough to find a really engaging Viognier at all, let alone for less than $15!

CLASSY, AGED ITALIAN SAUVIGNON

We’ve never been afraid to swim outside the mainstream. We just realize when we do, the wines have to be a little more than just a cut above. This is actually our first go-round with Vigne del Malina Sauvignon but we have had their wines before. Aged Sauvignon Blanc is an oddity in most parts of the world, but in northeastern Italy and Slovenia it’s practiced by a few talented producers.

We’ll start by saying that the Vigne del Malina Sauvignon Blanc 2013 is the current release. These folks lke to put some tank and bottle age their Sauvignon Blanc in their own cellars until they deem it ready. The immediate concern would be that Sauvignon would sacrifice some of its freshness to achieve the nuance developed with aging but there is more than enough lift here to pull it off beautifully. Sauvignon Blanc from this part of the world has its own, rather unique profile.

Aromas of tomato leaf, a certain florality to the citrus aspects of lime and grapefruit and a less aggressive ‘Sauvignon’ demeanor in general is sort of the thread running through a lot of the best efforts from around these parts (Friuli, Alto Adige, etc.). The bottle time tones down the sometimes sharp edges this varietal can have and highlights more the mineral elements in these alluvial gravels.

Fermatation is done in open vats with some maceration of grape skins and frequent punch-downs. Malolactic fermentation and aging is done in older oak barrels for one year, then it sits reclined in bottles for fifteen months at a constant temperature.

The result is a very elegant and stylish approach to Sauvignon Blanc that one could compare to some of the more avant garde Slovenian practitioners, but this bottling comes off a little fresher and more to our taste. Stylistically a little off the beaten path, but in a good way.

‘OLD’ CHABLIS LABEL IS NEW TO US

There is always room for another classy Chablis around here, and this one has all the right stuff. The 2018 vintage has been an interesting one for white Burgundies in general. There was plenty of ripe fruit like 2015, a vintage where the wines generally suffered a lack of acidity and focus. But unlike 2015, you can’t make sweeping generalizations about 2018s. Sure we have run across some of those. But there are also many that have just barely enough acidity to hold them together and, because they do, are enormously pleasurable to drink, if a little atypical.

The Domaine de la Meuliere is different yet again. You would describe it as a slightly riper version of ‘classic’ Chablis, with all of the traditional trapping of green apple and citrus fruit foiled succinctly by a more restrained version of the chalky, flinty salinity that makes Chablis what it is. The slightly more tender palate feel makes this an ideal example to serve folks who aren’t as experienced with the genre, yet there is plenty to love for hardcore Chablis fans like us.

This Laroche family (there are others) has been producing in Chablis from their 24-hectare property since 1780. Claude Laroche was the one that got the inspiration to create a domaine in 1984. Now sons Nicolas and Vincent are running the show, updating the prior seven generations’ knowledge with more modern takes on winemaking. The soils of the vineyard are classic Kimmerigeon with vines averaging 25 years of age.

The grapes are harvested by hand, sorted, and done completely in stainless steel where the wine subsequently rests for nine months. This is our first ‘dance’ with Meuliere, but the delicacy, purity and authenticity of this wine compelled us to add it to the lineup, and the relative tenderness of the 2018 vintage gives it a broader appeal while still being true to type.

‘NEW’ OREGON CHARD FROM AN OLD HAND

They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. But Ponzi, certainly among the oldest ‘dogs’ in Oregon viticulture, has clearly learned a lot more about Chardonnay. A lot of folks in Oregon have. Early on, tasting Chardonnay was something that a buyer did to be polite. For the most part, the wines were narrow, acidic and many smelled like pine needles. Eventually, vintners reexamined the clones they were using and decided they weren’t the best for their cooler region, as well as adjusting winemaking practices.

The changes have been remarkable. A number of the newer Chardonnay bottlings from Oregon have weight, texture, and complexity, while still walking a tighter line because of the cooler growing seasons in this part of the world. Ten years ago we rarely had any inclination to talk up an Oregon Chardonnay. Today we are regularly finding engaging examples. The Ponzi Chardonnay Reserve 2016 is the latest, a blend of various vineyards including the winery’s own LIVE Certiﬁed Sustainable Avellana and Aurora Vineyards, fermented in 15% new French oak.

Texture is the biggest thing you may notice in the new Oregon Chardonnays like this one. While far from fat and blowsy, there’s fruit and weight in the mid-palate, quince, pear, and peach fruit with some toast, floral, and spice notes to the finish. They definitely deserve attention these days.

James Suckling found a lot to like here as well writing, “This is a complex chardonnay with a wealth of ripe peaches and pears, framed in attractive, grilled-cashew and praline nuances. The palate has very composed texture and freshness and delivers a sturdy, concentrated impression with pears, lemons and grilled hazelnuts to close…93 points.”

It seems that, thus far, the public has seemingly not caught on to the changes in Oregon Chardonnay. Or maybe it’s the pandemic. In any case, that makes it better for you as we can offer out this list $44 reserve bottling for a mere $19.99!

AN ASSYRTIKO FOR THE AGES

The title is a little tongue-in-cheek, though we are completely serious about this remarkable effort. Years ago someone trying to hustle up business for a company that was a essentially Greek grocery wholesaler rolled in and showed us a few Greek wines. We were surprised at how good some of them were and were particularly taken with one in particular, a Santorini Assyrtiko from a winery called Sigalas. The grape was unfamiliar to us, as was the island appellation of Santorini, and this crisp white from Sigalas (which we sold for like $14-15 back then) became a regular item that sort of ‘anchored’ our Greek wine section, such as it was. Clearly there was more to Greek wine than Retsina.

Fast forward probably a decade and a half, and Sigalas now sells for around $40, and has been on the Wine Spectator Top 100. Not only that, from being an addendum to a Greek grocery company’s line, several wine importers have made commitments to an extensive Greek wine program. Given our love of these unique varietal, which comes off like a crisp white from, say, Alto Adige with even more minerality and aromas of the sea, we have been very receptive to being presented such wines and have found some real definitive beauties.

That said, the Santo Assyrtiko Santorini Selection Cuvee 2018 took us aback in a way that few examples ever have. Super intense on the palate, with bright white stone fruit, citrus, and pineapple center stage, but vivid acidity and penetrating minerality and salinity balancing it perfectly, this was a sizable white that was light on its feet but carried big flavors all woven together harmoniously. As we were doing some research for information on this breakthrough wine, we ran across a review from a source that we don’t regularly follow.

The piece, from Wine & Spirits, tells the story eloquently and provides some key details as well as a ‘quotable’ 95 point score. “Founded in 1947, this cooperative has some 1,200 grower-members, giving winemaker Nikos Varvarigos access to a wide variety of terroirs. For this cuvee, he prioritized fruit from Pirgos and Imerovigli, two of the highest points on the island, where the grapes ripen more slowly. This was particularly relevant in 2018, the earliest harvest he’d ever seen in his 33 years of winemaking. Vinified in stainless steel and left for 14 months on its lees, it’s a lush, expansive Santorini from its sunny lemon scents to its mouthfilling texture.

“The flavors are ripe, from pineapple to golden raisin, yet they’re balanced by a strong mineral impression, like the scent of hot sand. It holds its form and flavors for days after the bottle is opened, the powerful structure promising that this will just get more complex with age. Whenever you open it, make sure you have some lamb or meaty fish on hand.”

We doubt there will be a lot written about this wine as there wasn’t a lot of it, and that’s too bad. It is special. As to the article, a couple of comments. True or not, the purveyor told us that the 14 months time on lees was something of an error, a forgotten tank that was discovered later on and, once they tasted it, created a special cuvee bottling. Either way, this is an epic example of this distinctive varietal and terroir that should not be missed!

We don’t see it going with lamb necessarily as it is a crisp, high-toned white. A plate of fresh things from the sea would be our ideal match, or all by itself to appreciate all that is going on in the glass. We cannot comment on the assertion that it will “hold its form and flavor for days”. It would never be around “for days”(or even hours) at our house. It’s simply too good.