Santa Maria Valley Archives - The People's Palate with Rich Mauro

All American Wines For Your Holiday Meal

Every year I spend almost as much time deciding which wines to serve with our holiday dinner, whether it’s Thanksgiving or Christmas, as the rest of my family does preparing the meal. Part of the reason for this is the simple fact that I know good wine dramatically enhances enjoyment of the meal.

The other more practical reason is that most holiday dinners, whether the traditional “turkey with all the fixins” or something more creative, present such a wide variety of flavors that it truly is challenging to pick a wine to drink throughout the dinner. And there usually are a lot of people at the table, so we need multiple bottles anyway.

So, the question is how to match all that variety. My solution? Quite simply, use different wines with each course. Incidentally, I generally prefer all American wines for these holiday meals.

For instance, a Riesling or a Gewürztraminer are great to start, whether as aperitifs or to pair with appetizers and soup, especially one with a vegetable or chicken base. But both wines provide good acidity and lively fruit to accommodate a wide variety of foods.

A good Riesling is enticingly aromatic with bracing acidity and typically green apple, citrus and stone fruit flavors. Most intriguing, there often is a distinctive mineral component. I especially have been enjoying Washington State Riesling these days. All are slightly sweet unless otherwise indicated.

2010 Chateau St. Michelle Dry ($9), Riesling ($9), Harvest Select (sweet, $10)
2010 Snoqualmie Winemaker’s Select (sweet, $10)
2010 Pacific Rim Dry ($10), Riesling ($10), Sweet ($10)
2009 Hogue Cellars Columbia Valley Riesling ($10)
2010 Columbia Crest Grand Estates ($11)

I especially like Gewürztraminer because the grape’s typical spiciness adds complexity that helps the wine match with earthy, autumn flavors. Also look for lychee, grapefruit, apricot, and peach aromas and flavors. The wines below are just slightly sweet and each is an exceptional value.

2009 Hogue Columbia Valley ($10)
2010 Chateau Ste. Michelle Columbia Valley ($9)
2010 Snoqualmie “Naked” ($12) organic grapes
2010 Columbia Crest “Two Vines” ($8)

The zesty green fruits and distinctive herbaceousness of Sauvignon Blanc enable this wine to pair with multiple courses. These two are perennial favorites.

2010 Grgich Hills “Fumé Blanc” Napa Valley ($30)
2010 Matanzas Creek Sonoma County ($20)

For the reds, I like Pinot noir for its versatility. Its most common flavors – cherry, plum, cranberry, blueberry, brown spices, and earthy/mushroom notes – are much like the various flavors on the typical Thanksgiving table. Also, many tend to be on the light side, making them more food friendly. Pinot Noir definitely is pricey but each of these wines delivers fine quality within its price range.

2009 Carmel Road Monterey ($20) smooth texture, firm palate
2009 Alta Maria Santa Maria Valley ($28) elegant, complex
2009 Saintsbury Carneros ($28) bright fruit, nice acidity
2009 La Crema Russian River Valley ($40) dark fruit, structured
2009 Cherry Pie “Stanly Ranch” Carneros ($50) intense fruit, full body

If you prefer more outgoing, strongly flavored reds, I suggest Zinfandel, the so-called All-American wine. It is a European immigrant that has fully adapted to California’s hospitable wine growing regions. The grape’s bright raspberry blackberry, and black cherry fruit, peppery spice and brash, generous character should hold up well to the challenge presented by all those different flavors on the plate.

2009 Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve ($16) excellent quality for the price
2009 Edmeades Mendocino County ($20) a lot of power
2008 Montelena Estate Napa Valley ($30) elegant, Bordeaux-style
2008 Dashe Florence Vineyard ($32) spicy, structured and full flavored
2009 Frank Family Napa Valley ($37) lots of fruit with fine spice
2008 Dutcher Crossing Bernier-Sibary Vineyard ($39) intense and powerful

Holiday Wine Gift Ideas

It is also time to start looking for a special wine to give that wine lover in your life. With ongoing economic uncertainty, it is more important than ever to be extra careful in our purchases, to find those little gems that can make an extra special gift. Well, I’m here to help, suggesting some exciting wines to make your decision easier.

As much as I am an advocate for lesser-known wines, you can’t go wrong with California Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. These are still the most popular red and white wines in America, making them reliable choices for a gift. And they also carry a certain cache; that something that says you cared enough to select a special wine.

For Cabernet Lovers:

2007 Stonestreet Monument Ridge ($45) demonstrates why many swear by the quality possible from mountain vineyards; really impressive character and complexity throughout; strong tannins and highly structured; intense blackberry, currant, licorice, and dried herb aromas and flavors; this is one to cellar for at least a decade

2007 Hess Collection Mount Veeder ($48) another impressive mountain vineyard; beautiful blackberry, currant and earthy flavors; dry, yet balanced and complex with cedar, and tobacco notes

2007 Freemark Abbey Napa Valley ($40) classic Napa Cab; noticeable oak, concentrated dark berries, black currant, chocolate, and spices; somewhat tough tannins right now but lots of potential for development

2007 Jordan Alexander Valley ($52) elegant and dry, with seductive blackberry and black currant fruit offset with herbal, and tobacco notes; dare I say “Bordeaux-like?”

2008 Treana Red Paso Robles ($35) from Paso Robles pioneer Austin Hope; blended with 30% syrah; ripe, juicy dark fruits and black licorice; hints of tobacco and spice; luscious and graceful

2007 J. Lohr Carol’s Vineyard ($40) St. Helena vineyard; admirable depth and complexity; toasty oak, elegant but concentrated blackberry and cherry; firm tannins; immediately enjoyable

2008 Justin Isosceles Paso Robles ($62) all five Bordeaux varietals in this intriguing blend; dried berries with earthy tones; scents of iron and herbs; well structured

For Chardonnay Devotees:

2009 Stonestreet Bear Point ($55) smoky oak and buttery notes overlay complex citrus, peach and tropical fruit with stony notes; creamy texture but very brisk, so much so it is the rare Chardonnay that needs a few years to open up but will reward patience

2009 Alta Maria Santa Maria Valley ($25) just a really delightful wine; juicy tangerine and citrus with a ribbon of lively acidity; honey and cinnamon add complexity

2009 Landmark Overlook Sonoma County ($28) another delightful, great value; fairly full-bodied with a complex of aromas and flavors including honey, citrus, nectarine, and peach

2009 Patz & Hall Chardonnays: This Pinot Noir and Chardonnay specialist produces a wide array of wines from many of the best vineyards in California. Three new releases, though pricey, really deliver the goods:

2009 Sonoma Coast ($35) focused tropical fruit, creamy texture with a mineral edge and a refreshing finish
2009 Russian River Valley Dutton Ranch ($39) rich, oaky style bursting with pineapple, citrus, and pear
2009 Carneros Hudson Vineyard ($55) oaky, buttery, with a lush palate; vibrant pear and tangerine

A final thought. Whichever wines you ultimately choose, and any of these would make a wonderful choice, be sure to take time this holiday season to raise a glass with friends or family and appreciate the goodness in your glass, on the table, and in each other.

There is something about pinot noir that seems to inspire an almost mad passion about the grape and its wine. It probably has to do with the grape’s notoriously temperamental nature, as well as its legendary ability to reflect the characteristics of the soil, climate and environment in which it is grown (what the French call ”terroir”).

Winemakers seem to be drawn to the dual challenge of making good wine from such a difficult grape that is also a uniquely expressive wine. Unfortunately, most winemakers fail at one or both of these challenges more often than they succeed. But when they do succeed, for winemakers and consumers, it’s like finding the Holy Grail.

The Burgundy region of France has long been prized as the source of the most spectacular Pinot Noir in the world. Pinot Noir from Oregon (which I reviewed in my last post) is now considered by many to be the second best place in the world to grow the grape. However, knowledgeable wine consumers know that California can produce Pinot Noir that rivals and even exceeds that of Burgundy and Oregon.

With producers identifying more appropriate growing sites (namely cooler climates with longer growing seasons that enable the grapes to ripen while retaining good acidity), matching better quality clones to particular sites, cultivating with extra care, and employing improved vinification techniques, there are countless good to outstanding wines now available for consumers. Yet my recent tastings of California pinot noirs from the 2007, 2008 and 2009 vintages demonstrated the quixotic nature of the quest for the Pinot Noir grail.

California Pinot Noir producers still have a challenge in getting the price/quality relationship right. Certainly, California Pinots are good in their own right and are (often significantly) less expensive than Burgundy. It’s just that Pinot Noir generally is not the wine to choose if you are looking for a good price/quality ratio. Still, my tastings did turn up more good values than the last time I did a major review of California Pinot Noir.

Style wise, most California Pinot Noir is vinified darker, fruitier, more concentrated and larger scaled than Burgundy’s reference point. But I think I detected the beginnings of a stylistic shift among winemakers. The best wines in the tasting delivered more elegance, finesse and earthy complexity than I’ve tasted previously, while still containing mouthfilling flavors and intense perfume.

My recent tastings included a representative sampling of California’s major pinot noir growing regions. Recommendations are presented moving from north to south. My favorites are in bold but all wines are recommended in their price range.

First, I found two wines labeled with just a “California” designation. Such wines are most likely to sport an every day price. The 2008 Murphy-Goode ($14) and 2009 Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve ($18) of good varietal character for the money.

Mendocino County is best known to this palate for fine Zinfandel and Gewurztraminer but in recent years has taken its place among the top sources of Pinot Noir, especially from the Anderson Valley. The 2007 Paul Dolan, made from organic grapes, ($30) was the only Mendocino wine in my tastings but it showed admirable depth, richness and balance.

Sonoma County contains arguably the most abundant sources for Pinot Noir in the state. Combined, the Russian River Valley, Sonoma Coast and western part of Carneros account for probably more outstanding Pinot Noir than anywhere else in the state.

The Russian River Valley, which stretches through central Sonoma County, produces many of California’s most celebrated and expensive Pinot Noirs.

2009 Rodney Strong ($20). This pioneering Sonoma winery is making the best wines in its 40+ year history, up and down its extensive portfolio.
2009 Davis Bynum ($35). Making Pinot in the valley since 1973, now part of the Jess Jackson empire.
2008 Sequana Dutton Ranch ($40). This winery is anther successful venture from the owners of the Hess Collection in Napa Valley.
2007 Patz & Hall Chenoweth ($55) This 20 year-old Chardonnay and Pinot Noir specialist sources fruit from around the state to make almost exclusively single-vineyard bottlings.

The Sonoma Coast is California’s newest “hot” region for Pinot Noir. It is a large area but already contains several of the state’s most respected vineyards.

2009 La Crema ($24). This thirty year Pinot and Chardonnay specialist continues to craft fine examples of the grape.
2008 MacRostie ($30)
2007 MacRostie Wildcat Mountain ($40). Winemaker Steve MacRostie, who established his own operation in 1987 in Carneros, now is making impressive wines from this new vineyard.
2007 Patz & Hall ($42)

Carneros straddles southern Napa andSonoma and has become a popular source of chardonnay and pinot noir, thanks to the moderating influence of the San Pablo Bay.

2008 Domaine Carneros ($35). This excellent sparkling wine producer has fashioned this wine from organic grapes.
2007 Patz & Hall Hyde ($60)

California’s Central Coast also has emerged as a wellspring of outstanding, though often outstandingly expensive Pinot Noir. Several regions deserve attention.

Certain microclimates of Monterey County have been cultivated successfully by small, quality minded producers. Two wines crafted from selected vineyards within Monterey – 2009 La Crema ($24) and 2008 Pali “Summit” (Monterey and Santa Barbara blend, $29), from a fairly new negociant and Brian Loring, one of the state’s most respected pinot winemakers – are a good introduction to the region.

The Arroyo Seco region in the southwestern corner of the county has produced some good Pinots, like the 2008 J. Lohr “Fog’s Reach” ($35), a fine single vineyard wine from one of the state’s larger wineries. But its the Santa Lucia Highlands overlooking the Salinas Valley that especially has emerged as prime Pinot country, producing some of the state’s most dramatic and sought after Pinot Noirs.

2008 Kali Hart ($21). This is a second label for Talbott Vineyards, one of the stat’s most prestigious Chardonnay producers. Named after the owner’s youngest daughter, this Pinot is made in an approachable style using estate fruit.
2008 Alta Maria ($25)
2008 Sequana “Sarmento” ($32)
2008 Highflyer “Doctor’s” ($38). This comes from the same group that is producing exciting wines under the Sommerston and Priest Ranch labels.
2008 Talbott “Sleepy Hollow” ($40). The is the signature vineyard from this Monterey winemaking pioneer and fine clothing purveyor.
2007 Patz & Hall “Pisoni” ($80)

Farther south, in San Louis Obispo County, the Arroyo Grande Valley and the Edna Valley often are overlooked but produce some fine Pinot Noir. Unfortunately, none were included in my tasting.

Next to Sonoma, Santa Barbara County has emerged as one of the state’s premier Pinot Noir regions, with two great Pinot Noir AVAs. The 2009 Byron Santa Barbara County ($17) offers a good preview of the structure concentration, and ripe flavors typical of the area.

At the northern end of the county, the Santa Maria Valley is home to the famous Bien Nacido Vineyard and a growing number of impressive vineyards. The valley also sources a growing number of wineries. My tastings revealed an impressive portfolio from Byron, one of the pioneers of the area. Byron planted the first vineyard to vinifera grapes in Santa Barbara County in 1964 and has been in the forefront of winemaking achievement in the area ever since.

2008 Santa Maria Valley ($26)
2008 Nielson ($34)
2008 Bien Nacido ($40)
2008 Sierra Madre ($40)
2008 Julia’s Vineyard ($40)
2008 Monument ($60)

Santa Barbara County not surprisingly has experienced the Sideways effect more than any other region, not surprising given that the movie was set there. But the Santa Ynez Valley and the Santa Maria Valley in particular had become recognized for some of the state’s best Pinot Noirs long before the movie. Certain growing areas within Santa Barbara County recently have produced such quality that the county can now contend with Sonoma as California’s best Pinot Noir region.

At the northern end of the county, the Santa Maria Valley benchlands are home to the famous Bien Nacido Vineyard and a growing number of pinot noir vineyards.

From a narrow opening near the Pacific Ocean, the Santa Ynez Valley broadens inland encompassing the vineyards and wineries that inspired the movie “Sideways.” The Santa Rita Hills in the western end of the valley, the home of the celebrated Sanford & Benedict vineyard, has garnered special attention in recent years. The ten-year-old hillside vineyard of Sea Smoke is producing some of the area’s best grapes. Rather than focusing on bottlings of individual blocks, Sea Smoke crafts different expressions of the site. These two new releases, while different (Southing is more elegant and seductive; Ten is more powerful and extracted) are both breathtaking.

2008 Sea Smoke Southing ($52)
2008 Sea Smoke Ten ($80)

Tag: Santa Maria Valley

WINES FOR HOLIDAY MEALS AND GIFTS

CALIFORNIA PINOT NOIR CONTINUES ITS EVOLUTION