The 2009 Harvest Begins

The first grapes to be picked in the county make the news every year. Usually it seems to be Chardonnay or Pinot Noir meant for sparkling wine as these are picked earlier (less ripe). And usually it's from Carneros.

This year was a small Pinot Noir vineyard in Sonoma Valley near Glen Ellen--a little warm for Pinot. These grapes are meant for sparkling wine as usual. And it was a much larger crop than last year.

What was surprising is the size of the crop. Last year was a very small crop. Lots of winery folks are at least secretly hoping for another small crop this year as the demand for grapes isn't there. Like a lot of other fruit they cycle through small crops and big crops.

The harvest is predicted to be two-to-three weeks behind the average meaning things may not get into full swing until well into September. Is that a problem? No, as long as the autumn weather stays dry and warm.

Why California Wine Tastes the Way it Does

So, wines from Italy and France and ____(fill in the blank) taste different than California wines. Q: Which one is best?

A: It's a tie. Whatever works for you.

Current CA wine is not the same as it was 20 years ago. Is it better now? I dunno, it's certainly more popular.

What makes CA wine the way it is?

-- Winemaking, to include the education, mostly from UC Davis, to growing, to actually making it with all the stuff that goes into that: trellising, irrigation, abundant sunshine, etc. I'd say the two biggest reasons are UC Davis training of winemakers and the California climate which is nearly perfect for wine grapes.

-- Marketing to the American consumer. Or how do you get Americans who thought CA wine tasted like Thunderbird, who drink lots of Pepsi, and who actually like the taste of Wild Turkey to move to premium wines?

First CA imitated the French-style with lots of tannins, acid, not so much fruit, and a long wait for best drinking. Then came leaving a little sugar in to make it easier to drink now (good if you're sipping, bad if you're having a meal with it). Then fruit-forward wines easy to drink now, but usually lacking complexity.

So why is the fruit-forward style so popular? Because you can drink the wine now. Almost nobody takes wine home and puts it in a properly temp-controlled cellar for a few years.

The worst part of this trend is the high alcohol levels. This isn't necessary to make great wine. In fact, 12-13% alcohol is almost always better than 14-15%. So which is best--lower alcohol and fruit with higher tannins and acid or the fruit-bomb? I'm guessing somewhere in between. More is not always better.

This is what you call your full-bodied cabernet ...

Want to try a range of CA styles? Look for these and compare for yourself. Try these wines by themselves and with a meal. All of these are good wine; just different. I'm listing what I consider the most "new world" style second.

Dry Creek Vineyards and Mazzocco Zinfandel

Williams Selyem and Landmark Pinot Noir

(If you can't find a Williams Selyem or don't want to pay the price for an "old world" style Pinot from Sonoma then look for Carneros or Green Valley on the label or look for alcohol under 14%. This isn't a guarantee, of course).

Audelssa and Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay

(If you can't find Audelssa then look for anything saying "unoaked" or an appellation of Sonoma Coast).

Kenwood Jack London Ranch and Geyser Peak Cabernet

Winery architecture

Ledson's tasting room in Sonoma Valley was originally meant to be someone's home until one of the many California real estate busts.  Can't say I'd want to live in something this spooky.   Every time I drive by I start singing the theme song from the old Addams Family TV show, "They really are a scre-um. The Addams Family."

Darioush in Napa Valley. OK, the guy is from Syria. I suppose you could also say a French chateau is out-of-place in California, but not as wacky as this thing looks in the vineyards. I won't say it's not beautiful, maybe. You expect this from Napa (aka Disneyland for Adults) because if it'll draw tourists they'll allow it.

Artesa is southern Napa is how a high-end winery should be done. It's gorgeous inside and out, and it doesn't protrude on the environment.

And then there's your real winery building ...

Hall Winery, in Napa Valley, is in the process of building a new, "unique" facility. I've seen pictures of what it's supposed to look like ... and it doesn't look good. Appears they're framing it, not necessarily using 90 degree angles, then throwing a big burlap sack on it. OMG

Best of Sonoma County

OK, this is my Best of List. My tastes may not be yours, but what do you expect for free? :) Based on recent or semi-recent visits.

Best Wineries for a first (or second) visit

Buena Vista. The wine isn't great (but it isn't bad either) however the building and history are worth the trip. It will be crowded on in-season weekends.

Chateau St Jean. A beautiful spot, a large corp-owned winery, but they usually do things right. Pay the extra for the reserve room tastings.

Korbel. Historical tours, deli, over a dozen bubbly wines to chose from.

Sebastiani. They've been here forever, but have gone through some changes. You can always find a couple great value wines. Avoid the weekend crowds.

In Napa: South end Artesa for the view, architecture and wines. At the north end of the valley Shramsberg for the great tour and bubbly (appt required).

Best Smaller Wineries

These don't require reservations, because why spoil your trip with plans?

Armida. The Party Winery of Dry Creek.

Arrowood. Cabs and Syrah.

Audelssa. Chardonnay and Syrah blends.

David Coffaro. Easy-drinking, well-balanced, robust reds. And easy on the wallet.

Preston. Been making good Zinfandel since ... forever.

Russian Hill. Pinot Noir and Syrah.

Best Winery Views

Paradise Ridge. In Santa Rosa.

Sbragia. At the north end of Dry Creek Valley at Lake Sonoma.

Stryker. In the northern part of Alexander Valley. Great wines and views.

Favorite Restaurants

None of these will break the bank

Bear Republic Brew Pub. Red Rocket and a burger. Mmmm

Hanks Creekside. For breakfast.

La Vera. Pizza!

Ravenous. Kind of high-end comfort food.

Rosso. Pizza and you can get wines that are not from California! Don't miss Gnocchi Night.

Union Hotel. Pizza & pasta.

Other things besides eating and drinking

Armstrong Woods redwood preserve

Bodega Bay and Bodega Head. Bring your jacket!

Charles Schultz Museum. For kids from four to 70 years old.

Mmmmm, beer

What the heck is a beer post doing in a wine blog? Why? Cuz it's summer. Sometimes it's just too warm for wine.

I have standard beers that I compare all others to; not that these are absolutely the best of a style. None of these are really rare beers and should be at least semi-easy to find.

Pale Ale - Sierra Nevada. A bit hoppier than a traditional ale, but that's why it's so damn good. There's a reason this company went from a garage operation to getting so big as to make every other specialty brewery jealous and it's because of this beer.

IPA - Lagunitas. This one is definitely hoppy and is it good. They make a number of small batch beers. Most are really good. Bear Republic's Racer 5 also a top-of-the-line IPA.

Brown Ale - Downtown Brown from Lost Coast Brewery. A bit nutty, a bit malty. A great winter beer, but light enough to work in the summer. 

Amber Ale - Red Tale Ale from Mendocino Brewing. I usually don't like Amber Ale because they can be caramelly. It's a rich beer, but not syrupy. This beer put these guys on the map. 

Lager - Longboard from Kona Brewing. I'm not much for Lagers, but this one is pretty nice. ("Pretty nice" is about the best I can say about a Lager). When you want something on the lighter, less hoppy side this is good. I wouldn't call it a typical Lager. Also, I won't turn down a cold Pacifico.

By the way, 25% of beer bought in America is either Bud Light or Miller Lite.

A new find in Sonoma Valley

New for me anyway. Audelssa Winery has a tasting room in "downtown" Glen Ellen. It's a funky-looking little storefront from the outside, but done up really nice on the inside, and the host was great.

Their estate fruit is not grown on the valley floor giving the wines a mountain fruit flavor. Not sure I can exactly describe what that tastes like, but I know it when I have it.  Kind of a wildness or brambly flavor.  The wines seem fairly priced for what you get.

The Chardonnay fruit is from Mendocino County and has actual fruit and mineral flavors rather than oak!  It would be great if more people would stop using new french oak barrels for their Chard, but then where do you use the barrel the first time? (Can't be on a red wine). If there were more Chardonnay made like this I might actually drink Chardonnay! (Well, maybe).

The Zinfandel was from Calistoga in northern Napa Valley (the hot part) and tastes like, well, a Napa Zin lacking complexity and showing the heat of alcohol over an indescribable fruit with none of the spices that make up a great Zinfandel. The wine was actually well-made, just not my style. I've had Zins from this same part of Napa before and they are all similar. Other than the Howell Mountain area Zins from Napa just don't compare to Dry Creek and Russian River Valleys in Sonoma.

The really interesting wines were various blends--a couple Rhone-style Syrah-based wines and a Bordeaux-style. These wines had an acid backbone that wasn't overwhelming, moderate fruitiness and the tannins are under control. Balanced, they call it. These wines are a great find.

I also stopped by Ty Caton, Arrowood, Kenwood, and Chateau St. Jean.

Ty Caton is a very small producer and makes interesting wines such as Syrah, Barbera, and Sangiovese. Well-made and they win awards. The bad news is the high prices for most. The best deal is the "Field Blend."

Arrowood still makes very good Cabernet and Syrah. The Cabs ran $50, $75, and $110. I guess they think they're in Napa! Dick Arrowood's namesake has gone through a number of owners in the past years and is now in the hands of Kendall-Jackson. The staff showed great hospitality as they always do at Arrowood.

Kenwood makes over two dozen wines. Most people have seen the white labeled Sonoma County wines such as the Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet. Most of these, except for the Pinot Noir, aren't very good. The Pinot is a great deal. Also, the Red and White Table Wines are good deals. The reserves and Jack London Ranch wines are their best, but require patience as they need aging.

At Chateau St. Jean I sampled the "standard" wines and several reserves and found the best deal to be the Sonoma County Pinot Noir that sells for about $18. St. Jean is one of the most beautiful wineries in Sonoma County.

Celebrity Wine

Anyone on the production / ownership end of a winery will tell you if you're looking for a place to sink all your time and money a winery is one way and certainly more exciting than many small business opportunities (like, say a Denny's franchise).


Tommy Smothers was one of the first in Sonoma County, and at least, is a down-to-earth guy. The "memory of" Raymond Burr is still here. You can also hear about Mario Andretti, Mick Fleetwood, Francis Ford Coppola, and various ex-ball players. You've got Madonna wine, Marilyn Merlot, and a Jeff Bridges meritage (Jeff Bridges??).


Everyone wants to be part of the life-style, but not the work. I suppose it's the same with being a famous actor, singer, or ballplayer -- sounds like fun because you don't know how much work is involved to get there.


There are "dead celebrity" wineries too, such as MacMurray Ranch. Fred MacMurrary owned land in Sonoma County for decades before his death. Now that he's gone Gallo produces MacMurray Ranch wines.


There is even a Celebrity Cellars "winery" getting juice from God-knows-where and putting labels of your favorite star on the bottle. How about a Celine Dion Chardonnay?


Francis Ford Coppola is probably the most successful. He started with buying the old Ingelnook facility in the heart of Napa. He sunk a ton of money into the place and displayed items from his movies. When crowd control became an issue he instituted a high parking fee on the property and opened a second operation at the old Souverain facility in northern Sonoma County.

Couple nice wines

At a small wine event last night I found two reds that stood out.

Trione Syrah - It says "BBQ" to me as a good Syrah should. Not all fruity and round, but some edge to it; some thickness. The Trione family has been in the local wine biz for awhile. They owned Geyser Peak for awhile so they're not your typical farmers, but more what I'd call "extremely rich." Geyser Peak improved quite a bit during the time they owned it.

Trentadue La Storia Meritage - On first sip my eyes got wide and I uttered something like, "Oh, #%$@, this is good!" One of the best wines I've had in awhile. I checked their website and it retails for $32. I've always loved their La Storia line. They're usually great wines.

The evening finished with dinner--pork ribs and Zinfandel. As Rachael would say, "Yummo!"

Touring Sonoma County

Geography

To the west is the Pacific, to the east Napa County, north is Mendocino County, south is Marin County then San Francisco.

Planning a wine trip

If you've been to Napa forget what you know about visiting the wine country. Sonoma County is more spread out and less crowded. If you have certain areas you wish to visit you should plan where you stay accordingly.

The Big City: Santa Rosa, pop. 140,000.

"Cute" small towns: Sonoma to the south; Healdsburg to the north. Both will be more expensive to stay and eat it because you have to pay for cuteness.

Wine appellations: Carneros to the south known for sparkling, chardonnay and pinot. Just north of Carneros is Sonoma Valley. The town of Sonoma is between. The Russian River area is west of Santa Rosa. Dry Creek and Alexander Valleys are near Healdsburg.

These wine regions are spread out so that it's best to concentrate on one area of the county in a given day. For instance, the driving time between a winery in Carneros and one in Dry Creek is well over an hour.

The wineries

Most of the ones open to the public are open daily from late morning to late afternoon. There are a few in urban areas in Sonoma, Santa Rosa and especially Healdsburg. There are over a dozen tasting rooms within an easy walk in Healdsburg.

Non-wine stuff to do

The Pacific Coast. The water is cold, and dangerous in many places. It can be quite windy and cold at the coast regardless of how warm it may be inland.

Armstrong Redwoods. An old growth redwood forest near Gureneville (it's pronounced "gurn-vil" not "gurnie-vil." If you've never been in an old redwood forest you should go.

Shopping: Healdsburg and Sonoma.

Beer (hey, you can't drink wine all the time): One brewpub in Healdsburg; one in Sebastopol; two in Santa Rosa.

Fairs: If you time it right there's the Sonoma-Marin Fair, the Sonoma County Fair and the Sonoma County Harvest Fair.

Charles Schultz Museum, Santa Rosa: The life works of the guy who wrote the Peanuts comic strip.

The World is All A-twitter

Social Media they call it. I'm now seeing jobs that include, or are mainly, doing real time Internet stuff aimed directly at customers. It's advertising by the winery. Two questions:

-- Is there enough time for someone in a smaller winery to do this?
-- Is there anything interesting for them to say?

It seems like a lot of work for the size of the audience. More importantly, what will you say that will make people want to bother reading? Sure, if the winemaker would twitter from his phone during harvest people would love to read what his/her long day is all about. There isn't any way that is going to happen with current technology.

Most wineries getting into this are looking for a marketing or retail-type person to this. Not sure I care about following along something like that. Why should I spend my time going out to pull in advertising?

There may be a bit of desperation with the economy and sales decreasing. This may be seen as a free way to spread the word.

Blogging is much better. :)

How to taste wine in public

Snobby wine tasting

Are you planning to visit a tasting room? Over to a friends for some wine? Going to a wine event?

First, you don't have to be any kind of expert. We can't all be Robert Parker -- and if you don't know who he is all the better. :)

A little more casual wine tasting

Most importantly it's whatever you like, not what one of the "experts" says you should like.

Almost all you get out of a wine is via your nose, not your mouth. If you have a cold or your sinuses are otherwise not up to the task you can't make good choices. Likewise, if you have some overriding "flavor" in your mouth like something spicy or even toothpaste you'll have the same judgement problem.

Palate fatigue is real after too much wine. By the time your on your 20th wine of the day you can't make sound judgements.

Don't get drunk.

The temperature of the wine makes a huge difference. If a wine is too cold you won't get much flavor. It's best to taste any wine, red or white, close to a cool room temp. to get the full flavors.

Ask how long a bottle has been open. If it was just opened give it a good swirl to aerate. If it's been open awhile smell for oxidation (a bit of a vinegar or sherry-like smell).

Put a wine in it's place. That is, in what setting are you likely to serve a wine like this if you were to buy it? Big reds are probably going with a meal; soft whites might be by a before dinner drink. Age you going to let the wine set for a year or drink in the coming weeks like most?

A Pinot Gris and a Cabernet Sauvignon are not used the same way. Think of other shopping you do. If you're buying clothes do you just pick whatever you like best, do you just pick what is cheapest, or are you shopping for some specific event--like for work, do gardening, jog, weekend casual, etc? Shop for wine the same way. I've had people say things like, "Whenever I go wine tasting I always buy reds. Then when I get home and want a white I have to go to the grocery store."

Last, but not least, I can't say this enough: It's up to your nose and palate as to what you'll like.

A new kind of tasting room

Winery tasting room and their wine sales are big business in much of CA. No news there.

An underground business in the Northern California coastal areas is marijuana production; in much of the same areas as are known for wine grape production. There's a new move on to legalize pot. This time the advocates are using tax revenue as a reason to legalize in cash-strapped CA.

At this point the state gov't would do almost anything for money.

The best quote from one of the legalization advocates was that she "could see marijuana tasting rooms much as there are for wine to boost tourism." Our salvation is at hand! I can envision the buses hitting a couple of these "tasting rooms" then raiding the nearest 7-11 of every hot dog, Oreo and Slurpy in stock. Economic spillover at its best.