ULTIMATE ‘INSIDER’ RIOJA FROM LA RIOJA ALTA

We see ‘wine clubs’ operating in California all the time.  The direct-to-consumer programs are the life blood of a number of domestic producers.  But wine selling in Europe seems to generally work rather differently.  In most top chateaux in Bordeaux, for example, there are no gifts shops or trinkets, and you can’t even buy a bottle of wine.  So the idea of direct-to-consumer/wine club type programs doesn’t even cross our minds when we’re over the ‘pond’.  That’s why when Kyle saw a bunch of wines displayed at one of our favorite Spanish wineries, La Rioja Alta, that he had never seen before, he posed a question. 

“What are these?” he asked.  The Bodega answered that these wines, designated Reserva Club de Cosecheros (loosely translated ‘vintage reserve club’), were specially selected barrels for wine club members of the bodega that committed to about a half barrel per year (roughly twelve cases) and received a yearly allocation of the wines.  The wines were not available for sale in any other fashion, but the seed was planted.  If these were specially selected for ‘members only’ from one of our long-time favorite Spanish bodegas, what’s the downside?  Answer, there isn’t one.

That impression was pretty much burned into the memory banks and the search was on.  Recently, one of our purveyors, the one who has been the source of the lion’s share of the great old Riojas we have been proffering over the last six or seven years, presented us with a list that included several bottlings of Reserva Club de Cosecheros.  We bought every bottle they had of the six best vintages without hesitation. We opened a bottle of each literally right offf the truck. It was Kyle’s gift to himself for his 50th birthday and the tasting was fascinating for Rioja-heads like us. 

It was a memorable showing of classic Spanish Rioja, with the general style falling somewhere between Las Rioja Alta’s refined, lifted Vina Ardanza and the more fruit forward, though still unmistakably Rioja ‘904’ Gran Reserva.  Tasting them side-by-side, it was a fantastic demonstration of the differences between these outstanding vintages, with the youngest (the 2004) starting to really open up and the oldest (the 1989) showing some resolved tannins and more tender edges but still with, as Clive Coates used to say, ‘bags of life’ left at 30 years of age.  Sadly, the 1994 was a solo bottle but we’ve got reasonable quantities of the other (3 to 5 cases each).

Don’t bother looking for scores.  The press doesn’t see these, and what would be the point anyway since they are only for club members.  These likely came from restaurant ‘members’ or private collections in Spain.  In fact, almost no one sees these outside of the winery and their club.  We’re pretty confident in saying that these are probably the only bottles in the country.  If you are a Rioja lover, these are a must…classic old school elegance, bright fruit, ageless demeanors.  These are special, insider wines. 

We’re not the least bit pressed to sell them but feel obligated to give the folks who support our expansive Spanish program a chance at something you don’t see every day, or in this case ever.  We’d suggest nibbling on a variety of vintages instead of focusing on just one as we think that will provide the most fulfilling experience. In any case, give these a serious look soon.  Prices range from $69.98-79.98, certainly great prices for one-of-a-kind reservas with this kind of bottle age. Since we have never sold them before, we have no idea how long they might be around.  Then again, we might come to our senses and decide to keep them. Salud.

La Rioja Alta Rioja Reserva Club de Cosecheros 2004

La Rioja Alta Rioja Reserva Club de Cosecheros 2001

La Rioja Alta Rioja Reserva Club de Cosecheros 1995

La Rioja Alta Rioja Reserva Club de Cosecheros 1991

La Rioja Alta Rioja Reserva Club de Cosecheros 1989

NEW PARKER RELEASES DEFINITELY NOT ‘OLD HAT’

Some of us are old enough to remember back in the beginning, when the first editions of this new (at the time) project from actor/real estate tycoon Fess Parker hit the market.  Some of us even saw the original Disney versions of Davey Crockett and the Alamo on television.  Somehow, given Fess’s history, those early labels with the small ‘coonskin’ cap were both familiar and comforting, and the wines from this emerging Santa Barbara/Santa Maria area source were solid go-to wines.  The winery still uses Fess as the ‘front man’ on their website even though he has been gone since 2010.  That’s the kind of unique persona on which the brand was founded.

Like a number of wineries, Fess Parker had their ups and downs over the years.  They were always a viable choice, but perhaps never really emerged from the pack as far as reputation.  They had the occasional ‘hit’ (we had a nice little run with their ‘Prisoner’ look-alike Big Easy a while back), but in general they were a solid, dependable, but arguably yeoman choice.  Current winemaker Blair Fox has been in place since 2005 and the winery is still in family hands.  What seems to be different, at least according to a set of recent releases that we were presented, is that the winery clearly has higher aspirations. 

The pair of wines we are highlighting today, the Fess Parker Chardonnay Parker West 2018 and Fess Parker Pinot Fiddlestix 2018, are clearly a step up from anything we recall from this Foxen Canyon producer.  Both show the classic lines of where they come from, as do all of the Parker wines.  But there is more definition and delineation of flavor, more ‘pop’ if you will, that clearly make these more impressive, inspired bottlings that deserve another level of critical acclaim.  Yeah the whole idea of ‘Frontier Red’ may be good for the tourists, but this is the kind of juice that will get them talked about in serious wine circles.

The Fess Parker Chardonnay Parker West 2018 is sourced from two specific blocks in the Parker West vineyard located in the Santa Rita Hills.  The juice is entirely barrel fermented and sees nine months in French oak, 42% new.  Simple put, the wine has another gear.  There is a fresh, bright entry of slightly toasty apple, pear and citrus fruit that is vigorous and broad but sits high on the palate, and seems to have more left to push through to the finish. 

The Antoino Galloni review and score will turn a few heads, “The 2018 Chardonnay Parker West is laced with the essence of crushed rocks, lemon peel, white flowers and white pepper. This is an especially taut style, but there is also plenty of fruit depth to keep things in balance. This is such a gorgeous wine and also a terrific example of the style that comes so natural on the western edge of the Sta. Rita Hills…95 points.”

The Fiddlestix Vineyard has a reputation all its own thanks to other bottlings particularly from Kathy Joseph’s Fiddlehead Cellars.  This stylish Fess Parker Pinot Noir Fiddlestix Vineyard 2017 bottling hits all the high notes yet has a juicy, forward demeanor that makes for a fine hedonistic choice as well.  Like the Chardonnay, this comes from specific blocks of the vineyard and sees 17 months in 100% French oak (35% new), which it seems to absorb with no issues.

Again the Galloni notes and score will raise a few eyebrows for this winery, “The 2017 Pinot Noir Fiddlestix Vineyard is a bold, powerful wine, with all of the raw energy that is so typical of this site. Bright red fruit, flowers, game and licorice are all pushed forward. The Fiddlestix is a big, brooding Pinot, but it is also very nicely balanced, with tons of sheer allure, something that young Fiddlestix Pinots don’t always offer….93 points.”  Our comment as we were tasting was that this was downright user-friendly for this part of ‘the Hills’ and the fruit had much more of a tender edge than we typically expect from here. 

Epiphany Grenache in four-pack cans notwithstanding (yes they make that, too), it is clear from these wines, and a new series of reds sourced from Napa called Addendum, that the folks at Fess Parker are making every effort to raise their game.  This Pinot and Chardonnay aren’t the first efforts in their respective series, but they both qualify as ‘best yet’ in their respective series and should cause folks to look in on what they’re doing more often.

GREAT ‘EVERYDAY’ BARBERA FROM AN ELITE SOURCE

Scavino is a big time label that is currently performing at the top of their game.  They have an expansive list of ‘cru’ bottlings that collectors should be looking for, in particular the 2016s.  But often lost in the breadth of their bottlings are the’ little’ wines.  Something like a Barbera, within the context of Scavino’s high powered lineup, often gets lost in the shuffle.  Also, to be fair, the folks looking over the Scavino lineup aren’t necessarily looking for Barbera.  But this wine’s performance should merit its own set of fans and part of our job is to point stuff like that out.  A delicious, supple, serviceable Barbera for well under $20 deserves a lot of attention on its own.

In a world that seems rather focused on ratings, and offers touting something as a best ever, this is just a really pleasing, food-friendly red wine, at an attractive price, that you can enjoy every day.  Critics are people, too, and this delightful Barbera got pushed out of the 90s (it was an ‘89’) probably because it was tasted alongside an impressive battery of Barolos.  But the words hold true for the Scavino Barbera d’Alba 2017, “The 2017 Barbera d’Alba is another tasty, entry-level offering from Scavino. Dark cherry, plum, mocha, licorice and dark spice all flesh out in this supple, juicy Barbera. All the elements are in the right place.” Indeed they are, and at $14.98, its an easy choice on the wallet as well.

ONE OF A KIND CALI WHITE

Wine is an industry that casts a broad net, from extreme traditionalists to incurable tinkerers, and all points in between.  On the more experimental end of the biz, there are plenty of ‘thrills of victory’ and even more ‘agonies of defeat’.  But it is through this process of innovation and experimentation that new ideas are born.  Take for example Dave Phinney, who essentially turned a stuck fermentation into one of the most important new faces in the wine industry years ago, The Prisoner, via clever blending and creative marketing.  There are dozens of wineries now trying to reproduce the success of that wine with a variety of ‘Prisoner look-alikes’.

Today’s story isn’t about Prisoner, or even a widely imitated bottling.  We’ll get to that shortly.  Wine Exchange and Qupe Winery connected in the early 80’s when both were pretty new on the scene.  With all of the fuss about the California ‘Rhone Rangers’ years back, a lot of folks credit Randall Grahm with founding the movement.  But the first winery we ever tasted that hung their hat on Syrah, circa 1982-83, was Qupe.  Even today those early, breakthrough Syrah bottlings still have a place in how we see California wine history.

Qupe owner at the time, Bob Lindquist, worked in a spot affectionately known as ‘the Shed’ along with Au Bon Climat and, over the years, a number of other aspiring winemakers in Santa Maria.  Besides his Syrah lineup, and a consistently good Chardonnay from Sierra Madre Vineyard, we credit Bob with creating a wine that was both innovative and delightful, a 50-50 blend of Viognier and Chardonnay.  Fresh, bright, and floral from the Viognier, with the midpalate thrust and structure provided by the Chardonny, it was a winner and we sold buckets of the stuff.

Our key point is that we had never seen anything like it before, nor effectively since (yeah there was one Viognier- Chardonnay from southern France some years later, but that was it).  Bob visited the store not long ago with his newest efforts from his current project, Lindquist Wines (he sold Qupe in part to Terroir Wines who sold it to Vintage Wine Estates).  Among the wines he presented was a 50-50 blend of Viognier and Chardonnay under the Lindquist label.  This was once again as exciting as the first efforts we tasted way back when.

The harmony and interplay between the floral, honeysuckle, and peach aspects of Vioginer and the punch of the apple/pear core of the early harvest Chardonnay through the midpalate made for a delightful mouthful, with layers of varied flavors, plenty of weight and lift, and uncanny freshness for a wine of that composition.  To us, the Quoe was a breakthrough blend back in the day, and the Lindquist Family Viognier-Chardonnay Bland Edna Valley 2019 still is.  Bob was quick to give credit for the idea to mutual favorite Mas Dumas Gassac. But in that wine, Viognier and Chardonnay account for only about half the blend, the balance being Petit Manseng, Chenin Blanc, and ‘other’.  This is a delicious, truly one-of-a-kind white. 

Antonio Galloni apparently shares our enthusiasm for this very special blend, “The 2019 Viognier 50%/Chardonnay 50% is another terrific wine in this range from Bob Lindquist. Interestingly, the blend of Viognier and Chardonnay yields a wine that is crisp and steely. Viognier aromatics add an intriguing layer of florality to the citrus peel, crushed rock and white pepper flavors. I would prefer to drink this steely white over the next few years, while the flavors remain bright. The 2019 is incredibly distinctive…93 points.”

There don’t appear to be many (any?) folks trying to imitate this gem, but that’s fine as long as this one performs at this level.  There is, literally, nothing like it.  As for comparisons, Mas Dumas white also costs nearly twice as much.  For under $20, the Lindquist Family is a particularly compelling choice.

A TRIO OF INTRIGUING CALIFORNIA WHITES

NORIA SAUVIGNON BLANC BEVILL FAMILY VINEYARD RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY 2017-There are many approaches to wine, and those approaches can vary based on a number of factors, not the least of which is orientation based on where someone is from.  Nori Nakamura first learned about fine wine at his uncle’s Italian restaurant in Tokyo. After college he visited Italy and tasted a phenomenal 1981 Barbaresco that clarified his life’s goal of being a winemaker.   He earned a Japan Sommelier Certification in Tokyo and transferred to the Hotel Nikko in San Francisco where he religiously visited wine country every weekend for two years.

He decided winemaking was his ultimate passion and graduated from U.C. Davis in 2002.  He went on to become assistant winemaker at Koves-Newlan, Pine Ridge Vineyards and Artesa and head winemaker at Jamison Ranch and is currently at Larson Family Winery. Noria, Spanish for ‘waterwheel’, is his own project, the term symbolic of a ‘circle of life’ state of mind. But his ideal involves sake as much as wine, referring to this as inspired by daiginjo sake (junmai daiginjo is the top level of sake indicating the smallest percentage of a rice kernel, polished down to less than 60% of the original…it’s a long story).

In any case a top daiginjo is the finest, most refined level of sake and the Noria Sauvignon Blanc Bevill Family Vineyard Russian River Valley 2017 reflects that ethereal presence and light-on-its-feet nature of a fine sake in personality but reflects it in this distinctive varietal bottling.  The owner of Bevill Vineyard was the uncle of one of Nori’s Japanese friends who made the introduction and Nori decided the higher pitched expressive fruit of Russian River Sauvignon Blanc would be a stylistic complement to what he intended for this wine.

Made from 97% Sauvignon Blanc and 3% Gewurztraminer, which gently spikes the aromatics in an engaging way, this Sauv. Blanc expresses fruit components of lime, pear, lemon grass and orange as well as stones, bay and a whiff of honey.  The flavor is important, but equally so is the texture which is ample but also extremely delicate and one that sits airily atop the palate.  Not aggressive in any aspect, this succinctly proportioned, refreshing wine that will make both a polite aperitif or a sensational foil for lighter fare.  A cool, off-the-beaten-path find.

FOXEN CHENIN BLANC OLD VINES ERNESTO WICKENDEN VINEYARD 2018-We know that it says ‘old vines’, but honestly there aren’t a lot of new vines of the varietal being planted these days, and not a lot of practitioners either.  Perhaps even more pertinent is the fact that even among the few, experienced folks that regularly produce a Chenin Blanc in California, sensational examples are relatively rare and many of those are priced near the epic examples from the Loire Valley.  We wrote about a stunning offering from Chalone a couple of years back but it has been pretty quiet otherwise. 

We have tasted many vintages of the Foxen with the hopes that they would have one of those ‘home run’ moments but, previously, we have not been moved.  This, however, is the one!  The Foxen Chenin Blanc Old Vines Ernesto Wickenden Vineyard 2018 showcases everything we love about Chenin Blanc, and we dare say if there were more examples like this of beautifully honed, dry styled Chenin Blanc, the varietally would be considerably more popular with consumers.  The complexity of the peach, orange zest, baking spice and floral aspects like this one exhibits make for a very engaging drink.  There simply haven’t been enough examples like this in California to make a lasting impression.

Antonio Galloni tells the story beautifully and covers all the bases, though we could easily spew substantial rhetoric ourselves given our enthusiasm for this particular bottling, “The 2018 Chenin Blanc Ernesto Wickenden Vineyard Old Vines is a dense, powerful wine that shows the more savory side of Chenin off to great effect. Dried flowers, herb, almonds and mineral inflections give the Chenin its super distinctive personality. There is plenty of texture and depth, but the fruit is pushed into the background. The Foxen Chenin is one of the most distinctive wines in Santa Barbara. It is also an insane value… 94 Points.”

Our experience with this wine over the years is perhaps less enthusiastic based on our extensive familiarity with the top efforts in the Loire.  But this one can play with those big boys, and that is high praise from us.  “All we are saying (clap) is give Chenin a chance (clap).”

This one will change a lot of people’s existing notions on Chenin Blanc.

ALMA DE CATTLEYA SAUVIGNON BLANC SONOMA COUNTY 2019–Bibiana González Rave Pisoni seems to be a consistent source of news.  Her credentials are nothing short of amazing.  This is a Colombian born lady that decided in her teens that wine was her calling and she proceeded to get herself to France where she worked with luminaries like Ogier and Clusel-Roch in the Rhone and Haut Brion and La Dominique in Bordeaux (there was a stint in South Africa as well).  She didn’t slow down when she got to California in 2007, working at La Crema, Peay Vineyards, Au Bon Climat and Qupé before Lynmar, where she was winemaker from 2009 through 2011. 

She married Jeff Pisoni, of the Pisoni Vineyard family, formed a winery with him called Shared Notes (they make a $60 Sauvignon that’s pretty special), secured new grape sources for her own wines and signed on as winemaker for Jayson Pahlmeyer’s Sonoma Coast Pinot and Chardonnay project called Wayfarer Ranch.  Her premium label is called Cattelaya (named for the national flower of Columbia, an orchid) and, along the way she created a value-focused label called Alma de Cattleya (alma is the Spanish word for ‘soul’) that may be discreetly one of the best value labels in California.

She has displayed ‘touch’ in a way that only the best winemakers seem to possess, and to be able to experience her style at the modest fares that the Alma de Cattleya wines sell for is a bonafied opportunity. The girl has remarkable chops and we have been particular fans of the work she does with Sauvignon Blanc under her value label.  We’ll get the review out of the way first.   Wine Spectator bestowed a 90 point score on the Alma de Cattleya Sauvignon Blanc Sonoma County 2019, with comments “Shows terrific intensity, opening with honeysuckle, pear and melon flavors, revealing a tangy side of Meyer lemon juice. Refreshing and fragrant through the finish. Drink now.”

To us that way undersells this Sauv. Blanc and we will respectfully suggest that, in some tasting flight of who knows how many wines, the Cattleya’s precise and delicate nature may have been lost a little bit in the crowd.  The review suggests this is a ‘nice little wine’.  It has way more character and dimension than that. 

One on one, the way most people drink wine, this wine’s florality, harmony and presence make a much greater impression.  This is a lovely example that highlights the fruit notes of pear, melon, and fig elements that are round, lifted and fresh and one should take the opportunity to experience this lady’s particular skill at this kind of price.   Most domestic Sauvignons in this kind of price don’t have anywhere near the ‘alma’ this one does.

A BURGUNDY ‘FAMILY AFFAIR’

The working title of this piece is ‘the kids are alright’.  It starts with one of the historic domains of Burgundy.  Georges Noëllat was the nephew of Charles Noëllat, who was once the proprietor of one of Vosne’s greatest domains. We recall when Domaine Leroy purchased a chunk of the top holdings of the estate and we sold some of the library  Charles Noellat wines as they were liquidating the cellar around 1990. 

Around that time, Domaine Georges Noëllat went forward selling its production to Jadot and Drouhin for the next 20 years. In 2010, 20-year-old Maxime Cheurlin took over the management of the estate from his grandmother.  Cheurlin grew up in Champagne, but it seems Burgundy wine is truly in his blood.  He is related to Burgundy ‘royalty’ as he is a nephew of the Jayer family and Emmanuel Rouget’s sons are his cousins. Thus, he complemented his winemaking studies at the Lycée du Viticole in Beaune with stages at Emmanuel Rouget and Gros Frère et Soeur in 2009. 

The ‘kid’ has shown true talent from ‘day one’ and has a clear, well defined winemaking regimen.  Genetics? Maybe. The focus is on purity of fruit and reflection of terroir.  A lot of vignerons say that, but Maxine takes it to another level.  They will never be the biggest, blowsiest wines on the table.  But they have an uncanny clarity of flavor and definition.  Grapes are hand-harvested, 100% de-stemmed (except in a few rare cases where up to 30% of stems may be included), and cool macerated for a few days before fermentation begins (native yeasts only). Maxime prefers the term “infusion” to extraction, so punch downs are rare and gentle.

Deeming that the intensity of his terroirs can stand up to new oak, he uses 30-100% depending on the appellation and vintage. Aging lasts 14 to 20 months, and the wines are bottled generally without fining or filtration.  Yet the wines are not ‘oaky’ by any means.  Allen Meadows (aka Burghound) commented, “As to the style of the wines, they are understated and impressively crafted wines that emphasize purity of fruit and refinement, indeed they could well be described as delicate. One might wish for a bit more body and weight but that is more of a stylistic comment because the wines are beautifully well-balanced and speak clearly of their underlying terroirs.”

Delicate is not a dirty word.  It is rather a word that will be very appealing to true lovers of Burgundy, along with other words like clarity, purity, elegance, and harmony.  In our tastings, the terroirs were all evident, but exhibited themselves within the context of shimmering, inviting, tender dark cherry fruit.  If you want to contemplate the vineyard, it’s there for you.  But if you are in a more hedonistic mood, there’s plenty of engaging, perfectly ripened midpalate fruit to consume with gusto and no sharp edges to get in the way.  There is a definite ‘family resemblance’ between his wines and his cousin’s (they apparently spend a lot of time together), though Maxime’s are perhaps a touch more lifted.

The Georges Noellat Nuits-St-Georges 2016 comes from a tiny plot of .6 hectare of 50-year-old vines.   The delicate but ethereal nose delivers beautifully ripened dark cherry fruit laced with spice.  In the mouth the purity of the fruit is clear and the cherry and spice is joined by the traditional iron-like minerality of the village but it is subtly woven into the fabric of the wine rather than dominating. 

Good barrel notes from Steve Tanzer and Alan Meadows, both tough scorers (88-90).  Tanzer’s notes, “(mostly from Au Bas de Combe): Deep red-ruby. Aromas of blackberry, violet and licorice pastille complicated by a hint of coffee torrefaction. Still a touch of reduction to its youthfully bound-up flavors of black fruits, licorice and spices. Finishes with noteworthy length and a firm tannic backbone for village wine.”

The ‘firm tannic backbone’ seems to resolved itself in the subsequent two and a half years since the notes were written.  This refined Burgundy was also tasted alongside big time Grand and Premier Crus, a subject we have spoken on at length about how the ‘lesser’ climats are always at a disadvantage.  On its own the Nuits-St.-Georges is a beautiful, true bottle of Burgundy.  We’d also encourage you explore some of the upper cuvees.  We think this producer has great touch and is clearly one to watch.  This is an important name for a variety of reasons and his 2016’s are très, très bien.

See all 2016 Noellat red Burgundies

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.