2006 St. Supery Vineyards & Winery Napa Valley Syrah

Mission Codename: The Rhone Ranger

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Revisit our friends at St. Supery Vineyards & Winery, acquire their delicious Estate Grown Syrah

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: St. Supery Vineyards & Winery

Wine Subject: 2006 Syrah

Winemaker: Michael Beaulac

Winery Backgrounder: We love St. Supery Winery, and while we would love to show their wines more frequently, we are made happy by the fact that the wines they do share with our Operatives are universally fantastic. Today, Agent Red returns to St. Supery and returns with their Estate Grown Syrah, a delicious wine that is well worthy of your attention.

Varietal Backgrounder: The popularity of Syrah is undeniable. Big and bold in flavor and texture, it packs a concentrated punch of flavor that many people love. This Rhone varietal, although many believe that the grape originated in the Persia region, is 100% French in lineage. The Syrah grape is directly descendant from the Monduese Blanche and Dureza varietals and is grown worldwide with great success. Today’s delightful Syrah is a bold and balanced delight with deep flavors, dark aromatics and an intriguing mouth feel.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Deep and concentrated with dark purple plum hues, with a clear but darker core. Slim-width, wine-stained legs crawl down the glass after swirling.

Smell – Tart blackberry juice with black cherry, boysenberry and soft plum are in the lead. These are closely followed by cedar, tobacco leaf, truffle, smoky rose and black pepper.

Feel – Cool and light on the entry and then quickly grippy. Plush tannins and spicy minerals send a fast-spreading dryness across the entire palate.

Taste – Black licorice and jammy blackberry are out in front. These give way to black cherry, earthen bramble, black plum, truffle with dark minerals and black pepper at the very end.

Finish – Flavors last forever, with fruit that lingers on and on, eventually yielding to the spreading dryness. As flavors fade, flinty minerals and spicy black pepper appear and then fade away.

Conclusion – Delicious, flavorful and intriguing, this initially light Syrah grows and grows, both on the palate – and in our hearts. This wine is great, right on opening, but let it breathe and you’ll be rewarded with more blackfruit and a softer feel. This wine is bold, but well balanced with bright-tart flavors and a medium-bodied feel that is accentuated by the flint and black pepper that come at the end. Pair this wine with hard cheeses, spicy foods or anything that would benefit from a quick cleanse of the palate. This wine plays great, between bites. Its a big California Syrah that drinks like Cali/Rhone hybrid, bringing you the best of both Syrah worlds. At today’s price, we declare this wine an extraordinary value.

Mission Report:

WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

SUBJECT: Michael Scholz, Vice President Winemaker

WINE EDUCATION: BS in Enology at Roseworthy College, Adelaide, Australia

CALIFORNIA WINE JOB BRIEF: Ironhorse then St. Supery 1996-2001, Wattle Creek, returned to St. Supery in 2009

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: Make expressive wines, distinctive, fragrant, vibrant and delicious

WINEMAKER QUOTE: “No drama”

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WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

AGENT RED: Greetings, Michael. We are thrilled to be showing your 2006 Napa Valley Syrah today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

MICHAEL: So pleased to have St. Supery featured on Wine Spies – once again!

RED: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?

MICHAEL: I grew up on a family vineyard estate in the Barossa Valley in Australia, near Adelaide. The estate has been in my family for 5 generations, so I had the good fortune of growing up among the vineyards and wine on the table daily, of course.

RED: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?

MICHAEL: My big brother, Peter, but don’t tell him that and give him a big head.

RED: Who do you make wine for?

MICHAEL: People who love wine, food and good times.

RED: Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today.

MICHAEL: This is 89% Napa Valley Syrah, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Merlot. It’s a delicious and complex wine that we are all very proud of.

RED: What is your favorite pairing with today’s wine?

MICHAEL: Braised short ribs, whatever your favorite recipe, use the wine to help braise the beef, drink the wine while braising (this takes several hours) and then serve the ribs on a bed of mashed Yukon gold potatoes

RED: In your opinion, what makes the Napa Valley so special?

MICHAEL: the Napa Valley is a special place for wine grapes. Long, dry growing season, warm days, cool nights, fairly mild temperatures with good amount of sun and heat yields mature fruit, skins, seeds…when the grapes have time to hang in good conditions, the flavors and tannins become ideal.

RED: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?

MICHAEL: Blending all of St. Supery’s 2009 red wines – the individual wines are made 100% from our estate grown fruit

RED: How would you recommend people approach your wines and wine in general?

MICHAEL: With a glass in hand, that is best.

RED: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

MICHAEL: Please visit us at the winery in Rutherford, in the heart of Napa Valley. We have fun here, won’t you join us?

RED: Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you – and your wine. Keep up the great work, we are big fans!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the the St. Supery Vineyards and Winery can be seen in this satellite photo.

2009 Pure Cru Wines Couples & Co Chardonnay

Mission Codename: Hitting The Links

Operative: Agent White

Objective: Mitch Cosentino enjoys the distinction of being The Wine Spies’ top-selling winemaker of all time. Revisit Mitch’s winery, return with an ample allocation of Mitch’s latest Napa Valley Chardonnay.

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: pureCru by M. Cosentino

Wine Subject: 2009 Couples and Co Napa Valley Chardonnay

Winemaker: Mitch Cosentino

Winery Backgrounder: Mitch Cosentino’s wines enjoy the distinction of being one of our top-selling winemaker of all time. Mitch’s wines are varied, distinctive and always delicious.

Varietal Backgrounder: Chardonnay is arguably the greatest of all white grape varietals, showing its influence in the legendary sparkling wines of Champagne, the great whites of Burgundy and of course its expression as ’the’ white wine of California. Chardonnay represents over 50% of the planted white grapes in California with nearly 100,000 acres planted. With such a great number of wines made from this grape, it stands to reason that finding wines of immense quality would be hard, but look no further.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Pale straw yellow with subtle light golden hues through its heart when held to the light. Along the edges the color pales to clear and when swirled clusters of thin legs initially race down the side of the glass before slowing and thickening.

Smell – Bright with aromas of citrus fruit including grapefruit and tangerine with subtle complex hints of white and orange blossom flowers and just a touch of spice. Soft toast and vanilla from a restrained oak component keeps this wine fresh.

Feel – Light, crisp and initially cool, this medium-to-full bodied dry white has good weight, crisp minerality and lively acidity that lingers into the finish.

Taste – Racy flavors of citrus including grapefruit, lemon and tangerine blend with a touch of restrained oak with hints of vanilla and toast. A touch of orange blossom, both floral and honey along with hints of spice adds complexity.

Finish – Medium-long in length with the bright citrus fading first leaving behind this wine’s vibrant acidity, crisp minerality and spice as the other complex flavors fade.

Conclusion – The 2009 pureCru Couples and Co Napa Valley Chardonnay is a delicious, fresh and bright Chardonnay that, because it has no malolactic fermentation, showcases the bright and lively fruit from start to finish. Lovely citrus and other complex notes that are restrained in their appearance this wine is perfect to pair with light seafood, oysters on the half-shell or ripe cheeses. Enjoy now or for the next several years, when we expect the complexity of the fruit to fully evolve.

Mission Report:

WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

SUBJECT: Mitch Cosentino

WINE EDUCATION: Self Taught – and 33 years of practical experience

CALIFORNIA WINE JOB BRIEF: Winemaker for Cosentino Winery from 1980 to 2010,
Consultant to various wineries and growers from 1989 to present.
Founder-Winemaker of pureCru Winery and Wines from 2009 to present

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: Flavor and balance

FIRST COMMERCIAL WINE RELEASE: 1980 Merlot and a 1980 Cabernet Sauvignon and a Blanc de Noir Sparkling wine all released in 1982 under the brand of Crystal Valley Cellars/Cosentino Wine Company.

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WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

AGENT RED: Greetings, Mitch. We are thrilled to be showing your 2009 Chardonnay today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

MITCH COSENTINO: No problem, I am always willing to help someone make a new discovery for the purposes of good over evil.

RED: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?

MITCH: No primarily “divine misguidence” telling me that I needed to learn about and pay attention to anything about wine.

RED: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?

MITCH: Several notable winemakers like Myron Nightingale and Ed Sbragia of the old Beringer days, John Parducci, John Daniels thru his old Inglenook Cabernets and others from the 60’s, and 70’s.

RED: Who do you make wine for?

MITCH: I won’t make a wine that I wouldn’t enjoy myself, but otherwise the wines are made for the pleasure of all with food primarily.

RED: Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today.

MITCH: is a red wine drinkers white wine. They will enjoy the intensity, structure and balance. Yet Chardonnay drinkers will enjoy the fruit center and concentration in a dry wine with great potential for aging much like a Premier Cru White Burgundy.

RED: In your opinion, what makes the grapes used in this wine so special?

MITCH: It is a wine made from two old clones not commonly grown in California any more. It is made from 75% old Chablis budwood and 25% old Meursault cuttings. The yield in these vineyards are tiny, less than two tons per acre. It is very versatile and and goes well with a wide range of cuisine.

RED: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?

MITCH: Making new blends and bottling.

RED: How would you recommend people approach your wines and wine in general?

MITCH: Have fun, experiment and explore the possibilities.

RED: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

MITCH: More exciting things to come!

RED: Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you – and your wine. Keep up the great work, we are big fans!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of Mitch Cosentino’s Couples & Co. winery can be seen in this satellite photo.

2008 Armida Winery Bacigalupi Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

Mission Codename: Kiss of the Wolf

Operative: Agent White

Objective: Infiltrate Armida Winery and secure a limited allocation of their newly released Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Armida Winery

Wine Subject: 2008 Bacigalupi Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

Winemaker: Brandon Lapides

Backgrounder:

The Russian River Valley, in Sonoma County, produces Pinot Noir of remarkable distinction. The cooler maritime conditions of the region make the Russian River Valley ideal for growing Pinot Noir. The Russian River Valley in Sonoma is particularly well suited to producing exceptional Pinot Noir. This AVA was officially designated in 1983, but many of the wines in the region used the designation as early as the 1970s (early in California’s wine history) with the many of the vines having been first planted in the early 1900s.

Today’s Pinot Noir comes hails from grapes grown by the world renown Bacigalupi family, whose vineyards in the Russian River Valley are legendary

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Bright ruby red in color with a clear light core that glistens when held to the light. Along the edges the color becomes a ruby-pink and when swirled evenly spaced thin legs ring the glass.

Smell – Rich, abundant and complex with notes of earthy red and black cherry and other rip red fruit layered over familiar aromas of baking spice, vanilla toast and floral violets. A touch of mushroom and black tea linger just under the fruit.

Feel – Smooth and dry, this full-bodied wine has vibrant acidity, dusty minerality and finely grained tannins that soften and evolve as the wine aerates.

Taste – Great complexity for a young Pinot with restrained red cherry, sweet raspberry and strawberry layered over baking spice and earthy notes that include forest and mushroom. Throw in some floral violets, black tea and cola all framed by toasted vanilla and oak for Pinot perfection.

Finish – Long and super clean with its red fruit and toasted oak gently fading as the spice and earthy notes linger with the dusty minerality and acidity.

Conclusion – The 2008 Armida Winery Bacigalupi Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir is a delicious wine that, despite its youth, shows great complexity on both the nose and palate with a sturdy but approachable structure and a long lingering finish. Reminiscent of a nice Burgundy. Perfect to enjoy by itself, this wine’s vibrant acidity also makes it a great food wine. Enjoy this wine with a selection of fresh goat, sheep and cow’s cheeses now or cellar for up the the next five years.

Mission Report:

WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

SUBJECT: Brandon Lapides

WINE EDUCATION: BS. Fermentation Science University of California at Davis

CALIFORNIA WINE JOB BRIEF: Internships: Testarossa Vineyards, RH Phillips, Brancott Cellars; Assistant Winemaker: Peachy Canyon Winery, Dutton Goldfield Winery

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: Lets bring back the old school philosophies, using as little new technology as possible.

WINEMAKER QUOTE: “Fill up my cup, Mazeltov.” – Black Eyed Peas.

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WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

Below is a transcript of Agent Red’s interview with winemaker Brandon Lapides when we featured Armida’s delicious 2008 PoiZin.

AGENT RED: Greetings, Brandon. We are thrilled to be showing your 2008 PoiZin today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

BRANDON LAPIDES: No problem, you caught me at a good time before things start getting crazy with harvest.

RED: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?

BRANDON: Growing up I was mystified that when our whole family would get together, there would be many lengthy discussions about different wines. My curiosity then led to my eventual love of wine.

RED: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?

BRANDON: ’61 Latour. My grandfather had enough foresight to start buying Bordeaux wines in the late 60’s. I have been fortunate enough to have a few bottles over a span of 10 years. The wine has been the only wine that I have tasted that has ever lived up to its hype. The balance and complexities in the ’61 Latour after 40+ years of aging influenced my winemaking to try to have as much longevity in my own wines.

RED: Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today.

BRANDON: This pinot noir is the essence of the Russian River Valley. Bright cherry acidity and silky tannins dominate the wine’s profile. Early morning picking and meticulous attention to the winemaking and barrel selections make this wine special and unique.

RED: What is your favorite pairing with today’s wine?

BRANDON: I love to pair this wine with summer-fresh bruschetta. The acidity of the tomato, along with the richness of the mozzarella and toastiness of the bread match many of the same flavor profiles of the wine.

RED: In your opinion, what makes Russian River Valley so special?

BRANDON: Russian River Valley is special for pinot noir. The cool, foggy nights and warm, bright sunny days allows for beautiful fruit flavors while retaining the fruits natural acidity.

RED: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?

BRANDON: These days we are evaluating barrel selections in our current 2010 wines. Once the barrels are evaluated we will rack the wine from barrel to tank and then return to our selected barrels.

RED: How would you recommend people approach your wines and wine in general?

BRANDON: I always recommend that consumers accompany our wines with food. Our wines pair well with a variety of foods and should be consumed with family and friends.

RED: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

BRANDON: I would love to invite any of your readers to come visit our vineyards, winery and tasting room right outside of Healdsburg. We have a beautiful patio with an incredible view overlooking our vineyards and manicured gardens. There is also a bocce ball court to test your skills after a glass of wine.

RED: Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you – and your wine. Keep up the great work, we are big fans!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Armida Winery can be seen in this satellite photo.

2007 Orsianna Wines Mendocino County Cabernet Sauvignon

Mission Codename: Vino de Oso

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Send Agent Red back to Mendocino County, to scout out a delicious and approachable Cabernet Sauvignon

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Orsianna Winery

Wine Subject: 2007 Orsianna Cabernet Sauvignon Mendocino County

Winery Principal: Gary Marcaletti

Backgrounder: The Mendocino AVA, located along the Russian River and highway 101 north of Sonoma County is where the grapes for this delicious Cabernet Sauvignon were grown. The actual AVA is centered between Hopland and Ukiah in the southern third of the county and are heavily influenced by the climate which is regulated by the mountain ridges that surround the upper Russian River. The deep alluvial and gravelly loam soils also contribute to the flavor profile of the grapes grown in the region. While Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Chardonnay are the primary grapes grown in the region, Cabernet Franc, Barbera, Petite Sirah and many other secondary grapes thrive in the climate.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Dark burgundy with a ruby rim at the edge of the glass. The wine settles quickly, leaving a cascade of thin, wine-colored tears that rush down the glass.

Smell – Deep, layered aromas of dark cherry, stewed plum, and spice, sit over dark bakers chocolate, wild berry bramble, tobacco leaf and dried herbs.

Feel – Initially light and quick across the entry, the wine gradually becomes grippy as fine tannins are revealed. A solid, bright acidity and a soft chalky mineral feel carry the flavors into the finish.

Taste – Bright and bold, this wine leads with black cherry, tart plum skin, tart red cherry and pepper. These are tempered by blackberry, earthen bramble, cigar box and a hint of black licorice.

Finish – The fine tannins, bright acidity and minerals that are felt on the palate hold tight as red fruit give way to black fruit, gradually dwindling to a softly dry, mineral and black pepper ending.

Conclusion – The 2007 Orsinna Cabernet Sauvignon is a bright, juicy and delicious Mendocino Cabernet, through and through. If you are used to Cabernet from Napa or Sonoma, then you’ll find this wine to be somewhat brighter, but just as expressive. There are differences, to be sure, and this is one thing that makes this wine so appealing. With balanced, juicy fruit and earthen characteristics, a big nose and a fruity tart finish that ends with a distinct black pepper note. With bright acidity, this is a perfect wine to pair with rich foods, cleansing the palate between bites. Drinking well now, this wine will continue to progress for the next few years. Decant for best results, and enjoy the unique terroir of Mendocino County with this tasty Cabernet

Mission Report:

WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

SUBJECT: Gary Marcaletti, Winery Principal

WINE History: A San Francisco native and a wine merchant for over 30 years.

WINERY PHILOSOPHY: To make vibrant and balanced wines that shine with food.

WINEMAKER QUOTE: _”Go Giants!”

FIRST COMMERCIAL WINE RELEASE: The gold medal winning 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon!

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WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

AGENT RED: Greetings, Gary. We are thrilled to be showing your 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

GARY MARCALETTI: Thank you, it is exciting to kick off the 2007 Cabernet vintage release with The Wine Spies!

RED: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?

GARY: Being Italian we always had wine with the family meals, it is and has always been a natural part of my life.

RED: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?

GARY: The great wines of Burgundy and Bordeaux have always inspired me, wine that go great with food and that have fresh balance and life to them.

RED: Who do you make wine for?

GARY: Our Orsianna wines are for those celebrate food and wine in their everyday life. We focus on making wines in the traditional European way, but with our great fruit and clean winemaking in California.

RED: Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today.

GARY: Our 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon is still a baby with firm structure, but has lots of elegant layers and we think it is the best wine yet from our winery.

RED: What is your favorite pairing with today’s wine?

GARY: We really love the idea that our wines are made to be part of the whole meal, so we think it will go with everything, but a classic paring would be a nice rare Porter House steak or a Prime Rib.

RED: In your opinion, what makes the Mendocino region so special?

GARY: Mendocino is rustic and peaceful, and the terroir is unique, it is truly a special place.

RED: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?

GARY: Everything!

RED: How would you recommend people approach your wines and wine in general?

GARY: We want people to enjoy the wines and each other, we are all about getting the family together and being part of a great tradition.

RED: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

GARY: No, I don’t want to bore them any further, we just hope they love the wine!

RED: Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you – and your wine. Keep up the great work, we are big fans!

2006 Fattoria Le Fonti Fontissimo Toscano IGT ‘Super Tuscan’

Mission Codename: Papa’s Best!

Operative: Agent White

Objective: Acquire an exclusive allocation of an exceptional Tre Bicchiere Super Tuscan

Mission Status: Accomplished

Current Winery: Fattoria Le Fonti

Wine Subject: 2006 Fontissimo Toscano IGT Super Tuscan

Winemaker: Vicky Schmitt-Vitali

Backgrounder:

In just the last decade, Super Tuscans became the latest rage in Italian wine in the United States, however, their story goes back to the late 1940s when the famed Sassicaia wine was reportedly made by Incisa della Rochetta using Cabernet Sauvignon vines from Chateau Lafite-Rothschild, or so the legend goes. Now Super Tuscans are the ‘Bordeaux’ of West-Central Italy, expertly blended with Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and often Merlot, Colorino and other local grape varietals.

Today’s selection was awarded the Tre Bicchiere, one of the highest honors given to fine Italian wine. The 2006 vintage was also an exceptional year. This selection of 65% Sangiovese and 35% Cabernet Sauvignon is perfect for that special occasion, gift or to enjoy with the best of friends and family.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Dense and dark ruby with garnet hues and a dark and dense but clear heart. Dark ruby and garnet along the meniscus and when swirled this slightly more viscous wine leaves widely spaced legs that streak down the edge of the glass and are followed by slower legs that hang before creeping down the glass.

Smell – Rich aromas of zesty red and black fruit including Italian cherry, blackberry and red plum are balanced over a complex toasted oak component that shows creamy vanilla. Black licorice, hot spice a touch of smoke and dusty earthy notes blends with a hint of green herbaceousness.

Feel – Very smooth but also study, this well developed full-bodied wine is dry, expansive and warm in its attack, finely etched but firm tannins, vibrant zesty acidity and dusty textured minerality to add to its complexity.

Taste – Great balance between its tangy and zesty red (cherry and ripe plum) and ripe black fruits (blackberry) with toasted and smokey oak that is still present but doesn’t overpower along with a touch of hot exotic spice. Layers of vanilla, black licorice along with herbal and mineral components linger.

Finish – Extremely long and smooth and clean with its tannins, minerality and acidity tightly woven grasping the fruit, oak and spice for several minutes.

Conclusion – The 2006 Fattoria Le Fonti Fontissimo Toscano IGT Super Tuscan is an exceptionally delicious wine with great muscular structure and all the classic Italian aromas and flavors that you’d expect from a top shelf Super Tuscan. Sturdy but with great finesse, this is the kind of wine that can make any meal a special and elegant occasion. Pair with pan grilled ribeye seasoned with rosemary, garlic, seasalt and olive oil. Enjoy now (after decanting or letting open for at least 30 minutes) or cellar for ten years, perhaps longer.

Mission Report:

WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

SUBJECT: Vicky Schmitt-Vitali, born in Germany in June 1973, education in Switzerland, England and France before moving to Italy.

WINE EDUCATION: Mostly “learning by doing” paired with many courses on various subjects of winemaking & vineyards in different European countries and wine regions. – and a lot of tasting and listening to others.

WINE JOB BRIEF: Everything – we are a small family winery. And everything needs to be done by ourselves (and by everything I mean everything – office, cellar, vineyard, bottling, tasting with tourists…)

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: Winemaking needs passion and love and some room for trial and error to find out exactly what you want and how you are going to get there.

WINEMAKER QUOTE: “Life is too short to drink bad wine”

FIRST COMMERCIAL WINE RELEASE: March 2001

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WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

AGENT WHITE: Greetings, Vicky. We are thrilled to be showing your 2006 Fontissimo Toscano IGT Super Tuscan today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

VICKY: My pleasure – it is always wonderful for a tiny winery like ours to get noticed abroad.

WHITE: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your
love of wine?

VICKY: My father was and still is greatly passionate about wines and taught all of us children from an early age about wines from all over the world, but I did not quite understand how difficult it could be in fact to make really good wine. Winemaking I only really started to understand and learn about when my father started living out his dream of making his own wine in the early 90s’ here in Italy. At first I only joined him for harvest and wine fairs, but then something clicked and the puzzle fell into place.

WHITE: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?

VICKY: There is a collection of wines from different countries that really move me and get me excited every time I try them. But I also know that I never will be able to make a great Pinot Noir or white wine here in my area with this soil, so I stick to those that grow best on my terrain. Sangiovese can be quite difficult and at the same time can give you so much satisfaction and different tastes that it is quite wonderful to work with. For Sangiovese I like the opposites one can get from this great grape – the hint of spices to the fruity blackberries and cherries all paired with the necessary acidity to make you ask for more. For Sangiovese wines from our area I admire many styles like the almost pale, elegant Chianti Classico of Paolo de Marchi (Isole Olena) compared to the still elegant but powerful big Sangiovese in Giovanni Mannetti’s Flaccianello (Fontodi).

WHITE: Who do you make wine for?

VICKY: My family & friends – and anyone who loves great Chianti’s.

WHITE: Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today.

VICKY: The wine you feature today, Fontissimo 2006, we (my husband Guido and I) make especially for my father who started the winery and in the beginning only made Fontissimo and Riserva Chianti Classico. Anything under that quality level he did not bottle but sold in bulk – he really followed his dream of making HIS wine and the style he wanted. Fontissimo we call ”Papa’s Best” and in fact over the years that title has stuck with clients and many come back or email asking for Papa’s Best instead of Fontissimo. It is an elegant Supertuscan blend made with our best Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot all grown sustainable in our own vineyards. The Fontissimo ages for nearly 2 years in french oak barriques before being ​bottled and left for another year to age in the bottle and then finally released to the market. It is full bodied, balanced with elegance and finesse and with ripe dark fruit in the taste. Perfect for a special evening or to meditate over.

WHITE: What is your favorite pairing with today’s wine?

VICKY: Personally I love a good roast or steak with the Fontissimo. Wild boar stew and many game dishes also taste incredibly well with it. If you like cheeses, try a selection of young and aged Pecorino cheeses or some Gorgonzola with it – quite delicious.

WHITE: In your opinion, what makes the Fontissimoso from the Chianti region special?

VICKY: The Chianti Classico region is one of the oldest winemaking regions in Italy but for a long time had been neglected and degraded to low quality wines. In the past 20 years, the region has seen a huge revival and new plantings and better winemaking have brought the wines back from the dead. Still there is a huge variety of wines even in my own neighborhood, but nowhere else does Sangiovese taste like in Tuscany and especially Super Tuscans and Chianti Classico.

We are about 300 Chianti Classico wineries, big and small, in this region all making a wine based on Sangiovese. But each of us makes it slightly different, if 100% Sangiovese or with other grapes added (be it Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah or one of the old indigenous ones like Canaiolo, Ciliegino, etc) or using different barrels for the aging. – there is such a wide variety out there that there is a wine for everyone and it is always exciting to taste the new vintages again the year afterwards since no year is ever the same. And no matter what style or quality – you will always be able to tell that it is a Sangiovese from the Chianti Classico area.

WHITE: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?

VICKY: We just finished all our 2010 blends which are getting their aging spots now in the various barrels. And we are preparing for the bottling of our Rosato 2010 which is being released at the end of the month in Europe.

WHITE: How would you recommend people approach your wines and wine in
general?

VICKY: There is no right or wrong – just drink what you like! The saying “Life is too short to drink bad wine” is so true but most people don’t adhere to it. They don’t eat food they don’t like, but with wine most people are scared or think they don’t know enough and often drink something they don’t really like just because they bought it or got influenced by scores. As with food tastes vary and so be bold and try as much as you possibly can and enjoy those that you really like and don’t drink up the ones you did not like – life is really too short for bad stuff.

WHITE: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

VICKY: just enjoy wine – don’t make it a stressful enterprise with which vintage is right or wrong, just try and enjoy when you find something you like. And don’t always wait for a special occasion – every day is special in itself!

WHITE: Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you – and your wine. Keep up the great work, we are big fans!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Fattoria Le Fonti can be seen in this satellite photo.

2008 Fortress Vineyards Novateur White Blend

Mission Codename: Golden Slumber

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Return to sustainably farmed Fortress Vineyards, secure their night-harvested Novateur, a unique white blend from the Red Hill region of California’s Lake County – for our eager Operatives.

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Fortress Vineyards

Wine Subject: 2008 Novateur Red Hills White Blend

Winemaker: Nils Venge

Backgrounder: The Red Hills Lake County AVA is distinguished by red volcanic gravelly soils and a distinctive lake-land effect breeze/wind that moderates temperatures. The Fortress Vineyard has one of, if not the highest, elevations in the Red Hills. The Fortress Vineyard is located on the northwestern boundary of the Red Hills appellation directly overlooking Clear Lake and the town of Kelseyville. Positioned very close to the Lake on the ridge of the mountain, the vineyard benefits from a direct daily breeze that keeps the individual vine environment 6 to 8 degrees cooler on any day than the areas below the vineyard. The Red Hills Lake County AVA is a part of the larger, multi-county North Coast AVA comprised of four counties: Lake, Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino.

Semillon, made famous in France’s Bordeaux region has a history that is much more difficult to determine with records dating back to the 1800s. Today, it thrives in Australia, South Africa and Chile. In California, Semillon is regularly used as a blending component with Sauvignon Blanc.

Sauvignon Blanc originally hails from the Loire Valley in France, but has found new homes in other parts of France (Bordeaux, where it is blended with Sauternes); New Zealand, and specifically the Marlborough region as well as California. It is generally dry and crisp with flavors of apples, pears and tropical fruit and tends to have bright acidity that lends itself well to pairing with spicy foods. Sauvignon Blanc Musqué. The term Musqué is usually suffixed to the name of certain grape varieties to indicate a clone with musky or Muscat-like properties.

This blend of 70% Semillon and 30% Sauvignon Blanc Musqué turns the conventional blending of mostly Sauvignon Blanc on its ear. The result is the delicious treat this is today’s fantastic wine.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – This wine shows the deepest golden yellow that we have ever seen on a table wine.Perfect clarity and perfect color concentration give the wine a solid-looking body. When swirled, the wine moves quickly and settles quickly. After a moment, chubby tears form high on the glass, then take a long time to reach the surface, reveling clues its weight on the palate.

Smell – Deeply fragrant and rich on the nose, this wine gives off big fruit, creamed honey, vanilla and sweet white flowers. Distinctive honeysuckle, acacia, pear and white peach leap from the glass. As the wine warms slightly, hints of soapstone, flint and soft Meyer lemon appear, rounding out the wonderfully fragrant nose.

Feel – Voluptuous and full, pure silk and cloudy softness, on entry. When the wine is on the colder side, it shows a bit of grippy dryness at the mid-palate. This becomes far less pronounces as the wine warms, even slightly. At any temperature, there is an eventual dryness that appears at the lips, cheeks and the edges of the tongue – where a flinty minerality appears.

Taste – Very sweet and very delicious, this wine pours on the flavors, lead by sweet orange blossom, creamed orange honey, pear flesh, peach skin. Under these, soft spice, white minerals and bright acids carry the fruit flavors and sweetness to a long finish.

Finish – Mouth-coating at first, this wine has a clean, medium-long finish that begins with bright white fruit and tails off to citrus, a hint of spice and a flinty minerality.

Conclusion – Made by one of our favorite winemakers, Nils Venge, this is a gorgeous, super-sweet, delicious wine that we want to have on hand as a compliment to hard, strong cheeses, scallops, dried meats or spicy Asian cuisine. The night-harvested mountain fruit in this wine shines through and, even at 28 Brix, the wine has great structure and complex flavors. The Sauvignon Blanc Musque clone is something to experience, delivering flavors that you many never have tasted before. Kudos to out friends at Fortress Vineyards for crafting a wine that breaks from the norm, and delivers a sweet and exciting experience.

Mission Report:

Subject: Nils Venge

Wine Education: UC Davis – BS in Viticulture and Enology. I have over 40 years of winemaking experience in Napa including Villa Mt. Eden, Groth, my own labels – Saddleback Cellars, Envy Wines and Cougar’s Leap/Black Rock – and as consultant for several boutique wineries in Napa, including Fortress Vineyards.

California Wine Job In Brief: As noted, I make wine under my own labels and am the consulting winemaker for several other boutique wineries including Fortress Vineyards.

Winemaking Philosophy: First and foremost, I always strive to capture as much of the true varietal character and the character of the particular site or terroir in each wine. I also work to make each wine balanced, smooth and one that will age well.

First Commercial Wine Release: 1974 – Villa Mt. Eden Cabernet Sauvignon.

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WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

AGENT RED: Greetings, Nils. We are thrilled to be showing your 2008 Fortress Vineyards Novateur today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

NILS VENGE: Thank you, I am delighted to be here.

RED: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?

NILS: Yes, my parents were Distributors in Los Angeles and represented many high quality suppliers. I was introduced to the best quality wines at an early age. I looked forward every Christmas to see what special wines my father would pour for the dinner. Most years the selection would include a wonderful Chateau Latour and Chateau D’Yquem.

RED: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?

NILS: Definitely Chateau Latour inspired me from the start. For a domestic wine, I have always looked to Ed Sbragia’s Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon as a standard.

RED: Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today.

NILS: Novateur is a unique blend of Semillon (70%) and Sauvignon Blanc Musque Clone (30%). The Musque Clone is the Bordeaux clone of Sauvignon Blanc and expresses true Sauvignon Blanc flavors. Novateur should not be considered as only a dessert wine, it’s also excellent as an appetizer wine. It’s on the borderline at 3% residual sugar but has good acidity to balance the sugar and with the alcohol being lower it fits being an aperitif style wine. This wine is not cloying and is extremely food friendly. This wine is easy drinking and a nice touch of honey comes through on pallet which makes it appealing. This wine is best served in the afternoon or early in the evening instead of late evening at a nice, chilled temperature.

RED: What is your favorite pairing with today’s wine?

NILS: Assorted cheese plate with dried fruit and roasted nuts.

RED: In your opinion, what makes the Fortress Vineyard so special?

NILS: The Red Hills Lake County AVA is one of the four counties making up what is known as the North Coast AVA (Napa, Sonoma, Lake and Mendocino counties). The Red Hills is quickly gaining a reputation for producing excellent, high quality wines. The entire area is generally of a higher elevation which brings intense ultraviolet light efficiently to the leaves for optimal photosynthesis and ripening of the fruit. The Fortress Vineyard is a particularly high altitude mountain vineyard planted on the ridge of Mt. Konocti volcanic mountain itself. Fortress Vineyard ranges in elevation from 2000 to 2400 feet which is quite high for North Coast vineyards. Because the Fortress Vineyard is located on the volcanic mountain itself, it has very complex soils which add complexity to the wines. And because the ridge on which the vineyard is located directly overlooks the large Clear Lake below, the vineyard experiences a daily “Lake Effect” wind coming from the lake and cooling the soil and grapes helping to maintain the all important acidity while the grapes ripen.

RED: Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you – and your wine. Keep up the great work, we are big fans!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the VINEYARD can be seen in this satellite photo.

2007 Real McCoy Wines Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Mission Codename: 8 Seconds

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Infiltrate Voces Wine of Napa Valley, and secure their fabled 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Real McCoy Wines

Wine Subject: 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

Winemaker: Robert Mueller

Backgrounder: Winemaker, Robert Meuller, whose 40 year career has seen him work at Robert Mondavi, Opus One and McKenzie-Mueller, is revered as one of Napa’s best.

2007 was a banner year for California Cabernet Sauvignon, earning a stellar 96 Points from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate. Some of the best Cabernet Sauvignon in the world come from Napa Valley. A delicious and elegant example of the varietal, today’s wine is a Classic Napa Cabernet. Approachable, richly flavorful and deeply delicious, this wine shows off the winemaking skills of Fernando Candelario – at a price that is difficult to resist. Read Agent Red’s tasting notes and winemaker interview to learn more about this fantastic Napa Cab

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Bold hues that remind us of dark red plum skin, this wine has a dark and inky core with light burgundy hues at the edges of the glass. When swirled, the wine shows a springy surface. When the wine settles, it leaves behind skinny, wine-stained legs that move quickly down the glass.

Smell – Dark and layered, this wine leads with big blackberry and dark cherry. These combine with red plum, dark cherry, black plum, dried cranberry and cassis. Beneath these, emerging as the wine breathes, are subtle aromas of cedar, mocha, clove and a hint of black pepper.

Feel – Medium-bold on the attack, with a lush up-front feel. Solid tannins add a bold grip that slowly adds a soft dryness that spreads inward from the edges of the palate, eventually drying the lips and cheeks.

Taste – Bold black fruit is followed by dark red fruit, dried cranberry, tobacco, light oak, mixed dark spices and soft white pepper.

Finish – Extra long, with integrated black and red fruits lingering a long time, before yielding the palate to oak, mixed spice and pepper.

Conclusion – This is a bold wine that delivers depth and expressive dark fruit. Built big, this is a wine to pair with a grilled steak, a pulled pork sandwich or a plate of spaghetti with spicy sausages in a marinara sauce. This wine evolves as you spend time with it, so swirl away and give it ample time to really open up. Patience and swirling will result in softer flavors, more authentic fruit character and softer oak. Pair this wine with a great meal, or enjoy it all on its own. Built for aging, it can be enjoyed now – or for the next 7 to 10 years.

Mission Report:

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the XXX can be seen in this satellite photo.

2008 Fess Parker Winery Ashley’s Pinot Noir

Mission Codename: The Lady Ashley

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Return to Fess Parker Winery, procure the latest vintage of their always stunning Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir – for our Fess-loving Operatives

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Fess Parker Winery

Wine Subject: 2008 “Ashley’s” Pinot Noir Sta Rita Hills

Winemaker: Blair Fox

Backgrounder: The Wine Spies have been featuring some really incredible Pinot Noir of late, but we are quite taken by Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir – so we sent Agent Red back to Fess Parker Winery, to retrieve their high-scoring, award-winning, attention-grabbing, Ashley’s Pinot Noir.

California’s Central Coast region, and specifically Santa Barbara and San Luis Obisbo County has become one of the state’s premier regions for Pinot Noir. The generally warmer climate, moderated by the coastal fog, its sandy and clay loam soil, and broad exposure results in Pinot of exceptional purity.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Striking beautiful ruby hues, right through the perfectly clear heart of the wine. Color is concentrated, right out the the very edge of the glass, where the wine shows off a soft pink hue. A flood of the thickest legs we have seen on a Pinot, go gushing gown the glass.

Smell – Arousing and foreboding, with dark earthen cherry, raspberry, strawberry and vanilla. As the wine stretches out after some good swirling, brown spice, India tea leaf, flint, soft cedar and the slightest hint of eucalyptus emerge.

Feel – Mid-weight on entry, then silky across the mid-palate, this wine quickly becomes more weighty as fine tannins and a bright acidity combine to drive a mouth-coating, flavor-filled experience. Slowly, an easy dryness begins to spread, starting at the tip of the tongue, eventually drying the entire palate.

Taste – A bounty of flavors, this wine drinks somewhere between a French Burgundy and high-end Cali Pinot. Lush flavors red cherry, dusky strawberry, cassis, flint and dried purple flowers lead the charge. These are balanced against more subtle flavors earthy black cherry, tea leaf, brown spice and hint of hard leather.

Finish – Extra-long, with flavors that evolve and change before they diminish. Red fruit easily yields to earthen characteristics, dark fruit, minerals and soft spice. At the very end, a subtle minerality and black pepper hang around with black cherry until, eventually, the flavors tail off.

Conclusion – This delicious wine has the longest finish of any Pinot Noir we have tasted this year. For such a youthful wine, we were thrilled to find that it is absolutely raring to go – and ready to drink. We featured the previous vintage of this wine, from our good friends at Fess Parker Winery, and we love to see how successive vintages progress – and improve. Kudos to winemaker, Blair Fox, for crafting another high-scoring – but more importantly – delicious and exciting Pinot Noir. Built for aging, but ready to drink now, be sure to pick enough bottles for both instances. Enjoy!

Mission Report:

With bottling underway, we were unable to spend time with winemaker, Blair Fox. Here for your information, is our previous interview, in which Blair discusses the 2007 vintage of this great wine:

WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

SUBJECT: Blair Fox

DATE OF BIRTH: 10/74

PLACE OF BIRTH: Santa Barbara, CA

WINE EDUCATION: B.S. Viticulture and Enology, UC Davis

CALIFORNIA WINE JOB BRIEF: Enologist for Fess Parker Winery ‘99, Winemaker Sunstone Winery 99-02, Consultant winemaker fess Parker Winery 02, Vintage Winemaker- Haselgrove Winery- McLaren Vale South Australia 03, Associate Winemaker in charge of the Rhone Varietal programs at Fess Parker 03-05, Head Winemaker for Fess Parker Winery 05-present

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: I spend a lot of time in the vineyard because I feel that wines are truly made in the vineyard. I try to show the different qualities of the different vineyards and create wines with distinct varietal character.

SIGNATURE VARIETAL: I have always been particularly fond of Syrah.

CAREER HIGHLIGHT: Travelling throughout the Rhone Valley in France and tasting some of the best examples of Syrah and other Rhone varietals the world has to offer.

WINEMAKER QUOTE: I feel privileged to work with some of the best vineyards and fruit in Santa Barbara County.

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WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

AGENT RED: Greetings, Blair. We are thrilled to be showing your 2007 Ashley’s Pinot Noir today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

BLAIR: Thank you for showing my wine today.

RED: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?

BLAIR: My parents were always traveling the globe and bringing home wines to be drunk around the dinner table. I was planning on going to medical school to become a doctor but was lured into the Viticulture and Enology program at UC Davis.

RED: And where did you learn the most about winemaking?

BLAIR: I really enjoyed the viticulture side of the program, but then fell in love with the enology courses and being able to see the conversion of grapes to a final wine.

RED: What is your winemaking style or philosophy?

BLAIR: I feel the best wines are made in the vineyard. You have to be diligent with your vineyard practices to grow grapes worthy of making great wine. It is all about fruit quality, canopy management and managing your yields to produce the most exciting wines possible.

RED: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?

BLAIR: I am impressed by all great wines made around the world. I have gained experience making wines in two different hemispheres and like a sponge have absorbed as much knowledge from every winemaker I have ever worked with.

RED: How long have you been making wine?

BLAIR: This will be my 14th vintage.

RED: Who do you make wine for?

BLAIR: I make wines to be enjoyed by all. At Fess Parker Winery we specialize in the production of Burgundian and Rhone Varietal wines. I create these wines to be balanced with intense fruit character, rich mouthfeel and beautiful aromatics.

RED: Tell me, what makes the Santa Barbara so special?

BLAIR: Santa Barbara is a very unique region. We have very cool areas such as the Santa Rita Hills, which is the ultimate place to grow high quality Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and we have the more interior Santa Ynez Valley where some of the most exciting Rhone varietals in the world are grown.

RED: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?

BLAIR: We are in the middle of racking and blending a lot of our wines right now. I taste every barrel for quality and defects to make sure only the best wines are produced.

RED: Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today

BLAIR: It is our 2007 Ashley’s Pinot Noir sourced entirely from the cool, Santa Rita Hills AVA in Santa Barbara County. This vineyard was planted over 10 years ago and produced an average of less than 2 tons per acre in 2007. Six different clones of Pinot Noir were hand-picked, hand-sorted, fermented in small tanks, basket pressed and aged in French Oak for sixteen months before being bottled.

RED: What is your favorite pairing with today’s wine?

BLAIR: Blackened Salmon

RED: How would you recommend that people approach your wines, or wine in general?

BLAIR: I am very casual about my approach to wine. I feel wines are best drunk with food, but are also great as an aperitif or after dinner. I feel you should drink what you enjoy regardless of price or region. It is fun to be adventurous with wine and see what else is out there.

RED: If you could choose any one wine to drink (regardless of price or availability), what would it be?

BLAIR: I love Syrah and would choose something like an old Grange from Penfolds or Cote Rotie from the Northern Rhone.

RED: Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you – and about your wine. Keep up the great work, we are big fans!

BLAIR: Thanks!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Fess Parker Winery in Santa Barbara’s famous Foxen Canyon can be seen in this satellite photo.

2008 Jacuzzi Family Vineyards Tracy Hills Sagrantino

Mission Codename: Mature Beyond its Age

Operative: Agent White

Objective: Return to Jacuzzi Family Vineyards, and secure a limited allocation of their unique and delicious Sagrantino, a wine that is rare to America

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Jacuzzi Family Vineyards

Wine Subject: 2008 Sagrantino – Tracy Hills

Winemaker: Charlie Tsegeletos

Backgrounder:

Sagrantino is an Italian grape variety that is indigenous to the region of Umbria in Central Italy. It is grown primarily in the village of Montefalco and its surrounding areas, with only 250 acres dedicated to the grape in the hands of about 25 producers. With such small production, the wine is not widely known outside of Italy, even though it was granted DOCG status in 1991. Here in California, an even smaller number of producers grow this grape. Our friends at Jacuzzi Family Vineyards have crafted a uniquely delicious Sagrantino that is very worthy of your attention.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Beautiful ruby hues with perfectly concentrated color, from its core, right out to the edge of the glass. After swirling, skinny wine stain tears streak quickly down the glass.

Smell – Bold in intensity with aromas of black cherry, candied cherry, fragrant red flowers and red plum. Beneath these, brown spice, earth, dried meats, anise and bay laurel.

Feel – Fast and light on entry, then as soon as the wine hits the mid palate, firm tannins and a bright acidity give the wine a solid structure.

Taste – Bright cherry, brambly blackberry and wild raspberry coat the palate. These are rounded out by bright flavors of young red plum, tart cherry and earthy young strawberry. under, soft oak and a mineral-driven black pepper.

Finish – Medium long in length with lingering flavors of spice and fruit that are supported by its fresh and youthful structure.

Conclusion – The 2008Jacuzzi Family Vineyards Sagrantino is a really intriguing and delicious wine that we really are enamored with! With bright fruit on the nose and palate, this wine delivers a fresh experience that will delight you – and inspire you. This wine will have you sipping and discussing, as you keep pulling out a mixture of flavors and aromas that are unique to this wine. Bright acidity, bold flavors and a full mouthfeel make this wine an obvious pairing companion for a spicy pasta dish, bold herb chicken or even a pepper rubbed t-bone.

Mission Report:
WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

SUBJECT: Charlie Tsegeletos

WINE EDUCATION: 30 years of working with winemakers and growers that know what they are doing and what it takes to make good wine. BS Ag Sci and Management and Plant Science from UCD.

CALIFORNIA WINE JOB BRIEF: Apprentice Winemaker with tiny Pendleton Winery in San Jose; Assistant Winemaker with family owned Hacienda Winery in Sonoma; Winemaker for historic D’Agostini Winery in Amador County; Senior Director of Winemaking for ground breaking Glen Ellen Winery in Glen Ellen; Winemaker for fun-loving Cline Cellars and Jacuzzi Family Vineyards in Sonoma

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: Balance is everything. Make big flavorful red wines that have sharp edges and make crisp, fresh white wines that tantalize.

WINEMAKER QUOTE: ”Put ten of your favorite wines in a brown paper bags and taste them blind with your friends. I think you’ll like our wines.”

FIRST COMMERCIAL WINE RELEASE: 1981 Pendleton Monterey Chardonnay released in early ’82.

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WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

AGENT RED: Greetings, Charlie. We are thrilled to be showing your 2008 Jacuzzi Family Vineyards Sagrantino today. This is a unique wine, and we thank you for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

CHARLIE: Thanks for having me, again!

RED: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?

CHARLIE: A bottle of 1974 Charles Krug Reserve Cab spun my head around and I wanted to have a go at making something like that.

RED: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?

CHARLIE: I’ve had a chance to work with a lot of winemakers over the years and each has his “special” winemaking secrets and some of them even work. Joel Aiken who had been the Beaulieu Vineyards winemaker for years once asked me what my wine stood for and that really made me think that each wine I make should stand for something – in other words it should have it’s own signature and not just taste like something else in the lineup.

RED: Who do you make wine for?

CHARLIE: I make it according to my sense of balance and that seems to work out okay for the consumers, sales folks and reviewers. I do listen to what folks say about the wine and then try and refine the wine each vintage.

RED: Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today.

CHARLIE: This is a very rare red wine you are featuring today. There are less than 25 acres of this Italian variety remaining in Italy and far less than that in California. The Italian planting is North of Rome and South of Florence in the Provence of Umbria. We get the grapes from a very adventurous grower in the Tracy Hills AVA between Livermore and Manteca.

RED: What is your favorite pairing with today’s wine?

CHARLIE: To me the wine tastes like savory blackberries, it is “chewy” and has great body so I would pair it with a medium to big bodied food like Teriyaki Chicken or Ribs or just sip it on a cold night. This is our first vintage of this wine and I am very happy with how it turned out.

RED: In your opinion, what makes the Tracy Hill appellation so special?

CHARLIE: The Tracy Hills appellation is special for a few reasons. First the area warms up pretty well during the day because it is part of the Central Valley but it gets a steady wind coming through the Altamont Pass and over the hills keeps the heat reasonable. The vines are planted on fairly rich, well drained alluvial soils deposited by the creeks that come out of the foothills on the west side of the valley. And this region gets very little rainfall – on a par with the Mojave Desert – so managing the

RED: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?

CHARLIE: We are bottling up a storm and I am working on our grape needs for the future which means I am writing up grape contracts and hanging out with my buddies that own tractors.

RED: How would you recommend people approach your wines and wine in general?

CHARLIE: Pour it, ponder it and drink it. You’ll know if you like it and if my sense of balance works for you too.

RED: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

CHARLIE: Don’t take it too seriously – remember it started out as a grape.

RED: Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you – and your wine. Keep up the great work, we are big fans!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Jacuzzi Family Vineyards can be seen in this satellite photo.

2009 Miro Cellars Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

Mission Codename: Reflections of Beauty

Operative: Agent White

Objective: Re-infiltrate Miro Cellars and acquire their newly released Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Miro Cellars

Wine Subject: 2009 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

Winemaker: Miro Tcholakov

Backgrounder:

The Russian River Valley, in Sonoma County, produces Pinot Noir of remarkable distinction. The cooler maritime conditions of the region make the Russian River Valley ideal for growing Pinot Noir. The Russian River Valley in Sonoma is particularly well suited to producing exceptional Pinot Noir. This AVA was officially designated in 1983, but many of the wines in the region used the designation as early as the 1970s (early in California’s wine history) with the many of the vines having been first planted in the early 1900s.

The grapes for today’s wine comes from the famous Windsor Oaks Vineyards, in Sonoma County’s Chalk Hill appellation. The Chalk Hill AVA (American Viticultural Appellation) is technically a sup-appellation of Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley AVA. Most of the vineyards in the Chalk Hill AVA are located on the western slopes of the Mayacamas Mountains, near the town of Windsor. Vineyards here, which are host to a wide range of grape varietals, are characterized by their volcanic soils that have a chalky appearance.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Dark ruby red with brighter ruby streaks though its clear core. Along the edges, this wine shows brighter ruby and garnet hues and when swirled, widely spaced slow chubby legs cling to the glass before descending to the wine below.

Smell – Bright and fresh aromas of red fruit including red cherry, strawberry and rip raspberry. Soft earthy aromas blend with black tea, exotic baking spice, vanilla toast and caramel.

Feel – Initially tangy and bright but softening and evolving quickly in the glass, this full-bodied wine is dry with youthful tannins, vibrant acidity and a touch of dusty minerality.

Taste – Rich and ripe flavors of red and black cherry blend with ripe strawberry and raspberry. The fruit is then layered over vanilla toast and spice notes making this wine both inviting and complex. A touch of earthy forest and black tea linger just a hint of smokey oak.

Finish – Plush and long with lingering red fruit notes giving way to the subtle complexity of toasted vanilla oak, earth, spice and dusty minerals.

Conclusion – The 2009 Miro Cellars Russian River Valley Pinot Noir is remarkably delicious for such a young wine! We cannot wait for this one to get a little development in the bottle as it is already showing great promise in its youth. Lovely complexity on the nose with great red fruit, a lively palate that is food friendly, great flavors and a long clean finish. What else would you want? We paired this with avocado ‘boats’ stuffed with aged Queso Manchego cheese cubes tossed in grape-seed oil, Celtic sea-salt, crushed red pepper flakes and fresh basil.

Mission Report:

MIRO INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

SUBJECT: Miro Tcholakov

DATE OF BIRTH: February 4, 1966

PLACE OF BIRTH: Trojan, Bulgaria

WINE EDUCATION: Higher Institute of Agriculture, Plovdiv, Bulgaria, UC Davis, SRJC

CALIFORNIA WINE JOB BRIEF: Dry Creek Vineyards-1990-1999 as Assistant Winemaker/Cellar Master, Trentadue Winery-1999-present-Winemaker/VP of Production, Miro Cellars-2001-present. Also consulted and continue to consult for a few other small projects domestically and abroad. Currently serving on the Board of Directors for ZAP and “PS I Love you” organizations

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: “Freedom of Expression”- meaning for Miro wines I source only vineyards that are interesting to me in regard of geology, soil types, location, grape growing styles, grape grower…etc. Not being confined to an “Estate” vineyard gives me the freedom of choice. If the vineyard does not deliver I move on. Great wines can be made without blue blooded heritage and a Chateau in the foreground.

SIGNATURE VARIETAL: So far I made my mark with Petite sirah for the Miro brand, with my other jobs I have done very well with other varieties and blends. In general I’m very fond of perhaps the only two varieties that California has claim to fame as truly “heritage” –Petite Sirah and Zinfandel. But, I am so pleased with my inaugural Pinot Noir! It turned out beautifully.

CAREER HIGHLIGHT: Well I’m not sure what do you consider Highlight but if you mean wine scores I have a few 90 points and above from Wine Enthusiast, Parker, Wine Spectator, Connoisseur Guide, California Grapevine, top picks in New York Times, USA Today, and hundreds of Gold medals and Best of Class and a few Sweepstakes from wine competitions that matter.

I have met and tasted my wines one on one with Michelle Rolland (without paying for it) if that is considered an event but I found that to be very interesting. I have been on the pages of few wine publications. Once Dan Burger put me on the top 20 winemakers in the country…
There is probably more that I don’t remember…

MIRO QUOTE: Just drink it-it is only wine!

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AGENT RED: Greetings, Miro. We are thrilled to be showing your 2009 Pinot Noir today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

MIRO TCHOLAKOV: A pleasure!

RED: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?

MIRO: I don’t think that there was any specific event-wine has always been part of our life back in Bulgaria. We made every year about 1000 liters and manage to drink most of it before the next harvest. Wine has always been part of the life circle, just like making cheese or jam or tomato sauces. We also made grappa every year. My grandfather Mariano was the initial inspiration and the first hand source of winemaking knowledge.

RED: And where did you learn the most about winemaking?

MIRO: The real winemaking I learned during my first years at Dry Creek. I’m not done with the learning by any means yet. Back in Bulgaria we made the wine in the most pure way possible. We rarely used even sulfur! No additives and none of the modern gadgets-just grapes and barrels.

RED: What is your winemaking style or philosophy?

MIRO: Don’t play with the wine just because you know how. Only intervene when you absolutely have to and you are sure of the outcome. Always pay attention to the details all the time. Everything you do to the wine-matters!

RED: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?

MIRO: Well I don’t think there is just one person-it is more of a collective of people and styles. I do not believe that I have a particular style per say-I just try to get out of the grapes the most from every vintage-and that would be different every year.

RED: How long have you been making wine?

MIRO: Legally? Commercially –this harvest was my number 20!

RED: Who do you make wine for?

MIRO: I guess I can say that first I want to be satisfied with the wines I make and of course it will be great if a lot of people including media like them as well. Otherwise I’ll have a lot of wine to drink by myself…

RED: Tell me, what makes the Russian River Valley so special?

MIRO: As you know Pinot is very sensitive to the terroir. At cooler climate it may develop kind of a cola aromas that I’m not too excited about, also it can be very light and overly acidic and that is not my stile. Some clones can be so dark that resemble more Syrah than Pinot… So I wanted to make wine that is varietally correct, fruity but with some weight and balance that makes it easy to drink and enjoy young, so a bit warmer side of the valley is needed for that kind of style. The wine is an equal blend of three clones-each contributing its own character that works great in a blend. The grapes were harvested at perfect time-no additions or “corrections” were needed.

RED: What is one piece of advice that you would give to someone that is considering a career as a winemaker?

MIRO: You have to love the job. If you are in it just 8 to 5 don’t even think about it. If the love and passion are not there you will be just a booze maker. Also you have to be willing to sacrifice a lot of time and long days and hours away from the family.

RED: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?

MIRO: Bottling and more bottling and all the “fun” things involved with it. Also I have a lot of business traveling coming up soon.

RED: Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today

MIRO: The wine is my 2009 Pinot Noir and it is the first Pinot under Miro label. As you may know it is hard to find good vineyards that produce excellent Pinot at reasonable price from Russian River Valley. This one is from Windsor Oaks Vineyard, located on the relatively warmer hills above the valley. The vineyard was meticulously farmed with a lot of attention to details that is absolute a must for Pinot. I did not want to make wine that looks and taste like anything else but Pinot-so this is a varietaly correct wine but with a very lush and viscous mouthfeel, without being heavy and tanic. Also there is the right amount of new oak that is there but you can taste and smell the fruit. It is delicate wine (for a Petite Sirah and Zin maker!) but it does have a lot of character and it is very enjoyable.

RED: What is your favorite pairing with today’s wine?

MIRO: Lets see… This Pinot is very forgiving as far as food pairing. I’m a fish lover-so anything that is not deep fried will taste great-specially tuna and salmon. Recently I had the wine with grilled sword fish lightly brushed with olive oil and a few leaves of rosemary, oven roasted young red potatoes and beets with onions, garlic and black olives-and that was it-almost finished the entire bottle!

RED: Please share one thing about yourself that few people know

MIRO: I wanted to be a MD back in Bulgaria but my girlfriend talked me out of it

RED: Thank goodness for us fans of your wines! What is your favorite ‘everyday’ or table wine?

MIRO: Rhone wines for sure. I even make one for a winemaker called Cuvee Sasha a GSM-simply delicious without all the pretence.

RED: How would you recommend that people approach your wines, or wine in general?

MIRO: Think of them as $100 bottle of wines and you will not be disappointed. I hate the cliché but they are “affordable luxury”

RED: If you could choose any one wine to drink (regardless of price or availability), what would it be?

MIRO: I would like to try again the 1927 Château D’yquem

RED: What is the one question that I should have asked you, and what is your answer to that question?

MIRO: Have I been connected to KGB? The answer is –perhaps!

RED: Our intel reports were correct, then! Thank you so much for your time, Miro. We learned a lot about you – and about your wine. Keep up the great work, we are big fans!

MIRO: Thank you! Wine Spies days are always very exciting around here. Your customers are well-informed – and they know good wine.

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Miro Cellars can be seen in this satellite photo.