The Sarah Jane English Newsletter:  74th Edition
November 29, 2005



TOP PICKS OF THE MONTH (prices vary store to store) $Best Buy   

The happiest holidays include sparkling wines.  Select any from the following list for a lovely bubbly time: Champagne Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, Champagne G. H. Mumm, Champagne Perrier Jouët, Champagne Louis Roederer, Champagne Taittinger, and sparkling wines from American producers: Domaine Chandon, Gloria Ferrer, Handley, Iron Horse, "J", Korbel, Mumm Napa, Roederer Estates, Scharffenberger, Schramsberg.

In our tasting of Zinfandels during October, we consistently found that the higher priced bottles deserved the investment.  Wines are listed in no particular order. 

WINERY OF THE MONTH:SCHRAMSBERG CELEBRATES 40TH ANNIVERSARY: Hugh Davis invites readers to toast SCHRAMSBERG's next 40 years.  In a letter, he writes, " I was born one month after my parents set out to make California's first world-class sparkling wines here on Diamond Mountain.  At that time, 1965, very few California winemakers were producing chardonnay and pinot noir grapes for still wines, let alone sparkling wines.  The years between 1965 and now have been the most profounder ones of growth and development in American wine history.  Without familial heritage, corporate backing, or prior winemaking experience, my parents somehow pioneered the most significant developments in our domestic sparkling wine industry, employing Methode Champenoise, traditional varietals and the highest standards.  It is a quintessential American story.  Over the years we have remained focused on their original mission, steadily improving our vineyard sources and winemaking techniques.  Now, with our 41st harvest completed, we make as many as ten different sparkling wines.  Our intensely flavored, highly acidic fruit comes from 80 different vineyard blocks in the Carneros, Anderson Valley and Marin/Sonoma coast areas.  Cool sites dictate the planting of our sparkling wine varietals.  Our winemakers decide when to harvest according to taste and a perception of the optimal balance of sugar, acid and flavors.   This vintage we will produce 150 base wines utilizing stainless steel, barrel and malolactic fermentations.  Another 50 aged base wines are held in our cellars for blending and dosage applications.  Since our first vintage, fermentation and aging takes place in the ideal conditions of our mountain caves.  Weather also determined that we replant our estate vineyard to Bordeaux varietals.  We now have 30 blocks planted to specific clones of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot and Petit Verdot. 2001 produced our first estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignon and we named the brand J. Davies to honor my late father.  My mother and I and the entire Schramsberg team believe that American artisan sparkling wine has a true character and place in the market and we thank everyone for all the support.  Please join us in toasting another 40 years."   Hugh Davies  For more information: www.schramsberg.com  

SPLURGE WINE OF THE MONTH: SCHRAMSBERG 1999 J. Schram, California $80:"Aromas of glazed pineapple, orange marmalade and crisp green apples, just baked pastry and rich creamy notes of yeast, powerful sparkling wine showcases bright citrus, tangy tropical fruits,  with subtle red fruit aromas from Pinot Noir, creamy and refreshing with a long seamless finish"

NEWS

WINE INSTITUTE reports "CALIFORNIA WINE FACTS & FIGURES": Wine knowledge to amuse and peruse.  California is the leading wine producing state — making more than 90 percent of all U.S. wine — and also ranks first in wine consumption. Californians enjoy nearly one in five (18 percent) of the bottles consumed in the United States.  If California were a nation, it would be the fourth leading wine-producing country in the world behind France, Italy and Spain. With this great culture of wine, there is significant interest in all aspects of the grape. As the voice for California wine, Wine Institute offers the following fun wine facts:   Good news for the waistline!  Wine is fat free and contains no cholesterol. A 4-ounce glass of table wine has about 80-100 calories.  Just how many grapes are in that bottle of wine? It takes about six to eight clusters, or approximately 600 to 800 wine grapes (2.4 lbs), to make a bottle of wine.   One barrel of wine contains 740 lbs of grapes, equivalent to 59 gallons or 24.6 cases of wine.    And how many bubbles in a bottle of bubbly?  It is theorized there are approximately 44 million bubbles in a bottle of sparkling wine/champagne.    What’s on top in 2004? Chardonnay, with 96,500 acres, is the wine type variety with the most acreage planted in California.  Cabernet Sauvignon was the second most planted winegrape in California with 74,900 total acres. For the first time in recent history, the red wine category edged out white wine by volume in food stores in 2004. Red held a 40.5 percent market share; white, a 40.4 percent share; and blush accounted for 19.1 percent share of case volume, according to ACNielsen. Chardonnay remained the leading varietal wine, followed by Merlot, White Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon. Together these four varietals made up over half (55 percent) of the wine sales in food stores.    Variety is the spice of life in the Golden State Wine-type grapes are grown in 46 of California’s 58 counties, covering 513,000 acres in 2004.  There are more than 93 American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) in California (distinct winegrape growing areas recognized by the U.S. government), a testament to the variety of microclimates in the state.  California has 93 of the 165 AVAs established in the U.S.   California wines have benefited from the unique and varied mix of cultures that found new homes in the Golden State.  From Spanish missionaries who established the state’s first vineyards and wineries beginning in 1769, to the German, Italian and other European immigrants who founded California’s pioneer wineries, and to the farmers, researchers and entrepreneurs who helped create the modern California wine industry.   The highest vineyard in California is the Shadow Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard located at an elevation of 4,400 feet above sea level in the mountains of San Diego.   California’s 1,300 bricks and mortar commercial wineries are predominantly family-owned and operated.  There are more than 60,000 registered California wine labels.     Sustainable wine practices take root  The trend in sustainable winegrowing and winemaking practices is growing quickly in California. Vintners and growers who represent 40 percent of the annual wine case production and one quarter (125,000 acres) of the state’s wine acreage currently participate in the Code of Sustainable Wine Growing Practices program.      California wine is good for the bottom line: California wines represented 64% of the 668 million gallons (foreign and domestic)  consumed in the U.S. in 2004, or roughly two out of every three bottles sold in the country.   California winery shipments were about $15 billion of the $23 billion estimated retail value of all wine sold in the U.S. in 2004.   Wine is California’s most valuable finished agricultural product.  The economic impact of the wine industry on the economy of California exceeds $45.4 billion.   The expansion of exports of California wine over the last decade has dramatically increased from $196 million in 1994 to $794 million in 2004.     Second only to Disneyland: Wineries and vineyards are the second most popular tourist destination in California after Disneyland.  A total of 14.8 million tourists visit the state’s wine regions each year.      Wine Gains Momentum: In a recent Gallup Poll, Americans named wine as the alcoholic beverage they drink most often for the first time. Wine consumption among U.S. adults 21 years and older is 3.06 gallons (about fifteen 750 ml. bottles) per person per year.

RODNEY STRONG VINEYARDS Wins twelve medals including three gold, Sonoma County Harvest Fair:  Gold medals went to the 2003 Chalk Hill Chardonnay, 2000 Symmetry (Meritage), and 2001 Sonoma County Merlot.   Winemaker Rick Sayre commented “I’m pleased with the recognition, it speaks volumes about the quality of our vineyards.  Each year we look forward to this event as it truly illuminates the best of Sonoma County and brings the region’s producers together in friendly competition."

 

VINEYARD & WINERY Management magazine presents "Wine Club Summit ... East," a daylong conference to be held November 3 at Belhurst Castle in Geneva, New York.   With stiff competition from large domestic producers and shrewd importers, small wineries everywhere in the U.S. are turning to wine clubs as a means of fortifying their bottom lines.  According to a 2004 direct sales survey by the accounting firm MKF, "direct sales impact on gross profit may nearly double that of equal sales through the three tier system."
 

FOLEY ESTATES WINERY hosts "A Celebration of Santa Rita Hills:"  Vintners Pay Tribute to Santa Barbara terroir.   A movie has cast a spotlight on the Pinot Noirs of Santa Barbara County’s Santa Rita Hills appellation, revealing what local winemakers have known all along: Santa Rita Hills is among a handful of top Pinot Noir producing regions.  Foley Estates Vineyard & Winery will host the inaugural “Celebration of Santa Rita Hills” weekend-long tribute to the Santa Rita Hills appellation on Friday and Saturday, October 28th and 29th, 2005 at Foley’s Rancho Santa Rosa estate.   The event will lavish guests with the Pinot Noirs of the 31 participating Santa Rita Hills wineries while explaining what exactly makes the wine so magnificent; education through celebration.    An all-access weekend pass is $600 and tickets to portions of the weekend may also be purchased, with a Saturday all-day pass available for $450, the Richard Sanford Tribute Dinner for $200, the symposiums for $125 each and the Grand Tasting, Auction and Rancho Santa Rosa Hacienda BBQ for $200.    For information: contact Muse Management at (805) 686-0911 or sao@musemanagement.com or visit the event webpage at http://www.celebrationsrh.net/.  

 

KENDALL-JACKSON Wine Center offers Reserve Wine and Food Pairings: K-J's Executive Chef Justin Wangler has created special reserve wine and food tasting focusing on the upper-tier Highland Estates and Stature wines.   The K-J Wine Center in Santa Rosa offers the newest vintages of these wines paired with an array of tasty foods served tapa style.  Four wine and food pairings are offered for $18.  For information: 707/571-8100 or http://www.kj.com/.    KENDALL-JACKSON Wine Club Hosts "Vines to Wines":  Kendall-Jackson Wine Club members will learn firsthand how oak influences wine during a tour of the Tonnellerie Radoux cooperage on Saturday, November 12.  The tour is part of an ongoing Kendall-Jackson Wine Club "Vines to Wine" education program.  The tour includes meeting skilled coopers,  barrel construction, as well as wood selection, drying, and seasoning.  In addition, there will be a barrel toasting demonstration to explain how and why wines acquire their toasty, vanilla character.   Cost for members is  $35,  $45 per non-wine club member and includes the tour, lunch and wine. The tour begins at the Kendall-Jackson Wine Center at 10 a.m.  There is a short shuttle ride to the cooperage which is located near the Wine Center. The event is limited to 25 guests.  The Kendall-Jackson Wine Center, located at 5007 Fulton Road in Santa Rosa, is easily accessed from Highway 101 by using the River Road (northbound) or Fulton Road (southbound) exits.   For more information, please call (800) 769-3649, or go to http://www.kj.com/.

SCHRAMSBERG Celebrates 40th Anniversary:  Hugh Davis invites readers to toast SCHRAMSBERG's next 40 years.  In a letter, he writes, " I born one month after my parents set out to make California's first world-class sparkling wines here on Diamond Mountain.  At that time, 1965, very few California winemakers were producing chardonnay and pinot noir grapes for still wines, let alone sparkling wines.  The years between 1965 and now have been the most profound ones of growth and development in American wine history.  Without familial heritage, corporate backing, or prior winemaking experience, my parents somehow pioneered the most significant developments in our domestic sparkling wine industry, employing Methode Champenoise, traditional varietals and highest standards.  It is a quintessential American story."  For more information: http://www.schransberg.com/  

GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK Offers Winter discounts: Xanterra, operator of facilities in Grand Canyon has announced rates and packages at the South Rim for the 2005-06 winter season.     Please see http://www.grandcanyonlodges.com/ or call 1-888-297-2757   Outdoor educational programs Nov. 4 2005 through March 13, 2006 had packages and low-season rates.  Please call 928/638-2525

WINE INSTITUTE Reports California Wine Growth: "The so-called 'bricks and mortar' wineries have grown from 850 in 1998 to 1,300 more recently with winemakers taking the center stage--whether born into a winemaking family or by sheer will or change, winemakers have earned their title through hard work and dedication to the grapes."  For information http://www.wineinstitute.com/

RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY AVA Boundary Approval: The expansion of the Russian River Valley American Viticultural Area will formally become law according to a ruling by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau . This expansion will increase the AVA total acreage by 30,200 acres to 126,600, of which approximately 15,000 total acres are planted to premium winegrape vineyards. The expansion has been endorsed by the Sonoma County Grape Growers Association and culminates over ten years of effort by the Russian River Valley Winegrowers (RRVW).

ALASKA MARINE HIGHWAY has been named an "All-American" Road.  It traces Alaska's scenic coastline, traversing through fjords, alongside towering glaciers and with stops at historic towns.  The road is on a list of 27 designated National Scenic Byways that have achieved "All-American Road" status.  It  is the first marine-based highway to receive the honor and recognizes it as a "destination unto itself."   This exceptional traveling experience travels along the Byway. For information http://www.ferryalaska.co/ or www,byways.org or contact John Manly, Alaska Depart. of Transportation, 907/465-994 or john_manly@dot.state.ak.us 

 

RODNEY STRONG HARVEST REPORT:  "Ceaseless intermittent rains during 2004 spring were a threat.  Still, grape berry set depends on reasonably warm weather, not typically associated with rain.  Since varieties flower at different times, and as it turned out between the rainy periods, the fruiting weather was excellent, and most RODNEY STRONG vineyards got through the variable weather setting full clusters.  That led to expectations for a good crop, and hopes for a great vintage.  Vineyard practices resulted in a crop size larger than average, which led to cluster thinning during the summer.  Cluster size is determined the prior spring when bud differentiation occurs and spring 2004 was quite warm, leading to relatively large clusters in 2005.  In addition, the late rain led to a persistent water table that rendered our strategy to use deficit irrigation in order to stress vines and reduce berry size ineffective.   The other major factor during this growing season was a generally cool summer, which delays and lengthens a harvest and leads to longer “hang time” for fruit, which invariably leads to concentrated flavors and greater ripeness.   Mid-harvest,  Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc, and most Zinfandel are in.  Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon are arriving.  Grapes are tasting ripe and are ready for picking at a lower sugar than is typical, which is resulting in generally lower alcohols and fine balance.   This extended autumn harvest for cabernet sauvignon will go down as one of the longest 'hang times' anyone can remember, and everyone is excited about the above average size of the crop and the high quality of the young wines so far.   Our new equipment and staff are taking full advantage of our 'ultra selection' concept, with individual rows in our best blocks being isolated for quality, and hand picked at dawn or even at night under lights.  Further hand cluster sorting in our 'winery within a winery' with an additional post-destemmer sort, again by hand, are creating a truly phenomenal quality micro-lots, destined for our Reserve and Symmetry programs.   This will be a year to remember!"

 

ALPHA DOMUS WINERY is a family-owned winery named by the first letter of the first name of each family member, Alpha, and Domus is Latin for home.  The Dutch family moved to New Zealand to start a vegetable seedling business and eventually branched out into wine.   The Alpha Domus vineyards and winery are located in the Hawke's Bay region of the North island; known for a warm climate, long sunshine hours and a variety of soil types.  The region is one of the few in N. Z. well suited for growing Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Malbec.    Wine has been made in the region since the 1800s. Winemaker Kate Galloway and I tasted her delicious New Zealand wines with luncheon at the Four Seasons Cafe in Austin.  She tells me that all the fruit is estate grown with 90 acres planted, the first vines in 1991.  "We have one foot of silt loam over gravel soils that very drain well," she says.  "There is still enough organic matter in the soil to ensure the production of fleshy wines with good longevity.   We use New World technology with traditional French winemaking techniques: hand: picking grapes, traditional wooden cuvées and open top fermenters,  delestage and remontage, traditional basket pressing of reds, maturation on barrel, lees stirring, inert gas cover of juice and must, fully automated temperature control.  We produce 20,000 cases in the Hawke's Bay region," she says.  Decanter Magazine named Navigator--their Meritage wine--"Best New World Red."  Hawke's Bay is considered the best in New Zealand for Bordeaux and Rhone varietals."

KENDALL-JACKSON 2005 HARVEST UPDATE RECORD HARVEST:  Despite three weeks of unusually cool September weather in which California's 2005 harvest slowed to a crawl, vintners across the state have become considerably more optimistic about crushing the late and bountiful crop before the fall rains arrive.    "With more than 65% of our harvest complete, our concerns over potential problems in the vineyards failed to materialize, leading us to bump up earlier grape harvest estimates," says Kendall-Jackson Winemaster Randy Ullom.  "With the quality and quantity levels we're seeing from the Central Coast, and with our harvest in Sonoma and Napa counties in full swing, we're projecting a 15%-plus increase in tonnage. This harvest makes 1997 seem like a walk in the park."     Even the conservative grape crush report provided by the State of California has revised its crop estimates upwards, and those close to the numbers are expecting 2005 to be one of the largest harvest in history.  Early projections had placed the grape harvest at 2.95 million tons. The State now expects growers to bring in a record 3.2 million tons.     In late September, several days of electrical storms generated from tropical moisture flowing north across Mexico forced harvest crews indoors.  In October, several winter-like storms originating in the Gulf of Alaska threatened California, but glanced northward, unleashing their fury in Oregon instead.  Despite some close calls, the rains stayed away, and high 80- to 90-degree temperatures during the first three weeks in October kicked sugar levels to their optimum levels across the state.   Throughout much of September, doom and gloom reports quick to write-off California's 2005 harvest began to surface.  The angst was primarily focused on dozens of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay producers who farm in the colder climes of California's North Coast.  Reeling from the effects of a cold, wet spring, and an oddly cool summer, these growers knowingly push the agricultural envelope even in the best of weather circumstances.    In those affected areas of Coastal Sonoma County and Mendocino County's Anderson Valley, crop levels could be off this year by as much as 50%.  However, the opposite is true nearly everywhere else, particularly for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in the Arroyo Seco and Los Alamos regions of Monterey and Santa Barbara counties.   "2005 will be Monterey and Santa Barbara's shining vintage," says Ullom.  "The crop levels and fruit ripeness throughout our estate vineyards are exceptional.  Due to the long, cool growing season, we are seeing lower sugars that are in perfect balance with naturally high acidity levels and great flavors.  I stand by my earlier statement made in September: I compare this vintage overall to 1997 in terms of quality and tonnage.  Furthermore, 2005 may actually surpass '97 in terms of quality."    To beat the inevitable fall rains, Kendall-Jackson's crushing facilities in Napa, Sonoma, Monterey and Santa Barbara have been running at full capacity, twenty-four hours each day, seven days a week.  The winery has even reopened its Lake County facility to help handle the juice capacity.  Kendall-Jackson hopes to have all its grapes into winery storage by November 4, the company's historical record date for the last day of harvest.
FALL CREEK VINEYARDS Has Holiday Solutions: Enjoy the Texas Hill Country autumn at Fall Creek Vineyards for Holiday Festivities on Saturdays, November 19th ,  November 26th and December 3rd. Visit with Winery Chef, Elisabeth Miller, for tips on festive treats and wine pairings.  Watch cooking demonstrations of the season’s tastiest pies while sipping award winning wines:  Coffee Toffee Pie, Apple Walnut Pie, Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie, and Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie. Cooking demonstrations will be held at 12:00, 1:30 and 3:00 pm.  For information:  www.fcv.com ( 325)379-5361 / 1820 C R 2241/222 off Hwy 29 at Tow, Texas / Hours:  Mon – Fri, 11:00am – 4:00pm; Sat , 11:00am - 5:00pm; Sun, 12:00 noon – 4:00pm  Group tours & private events welcome.

KARLY WINERY in Amador County's Sierra Foothills, Stanley Hock writes, hunts for customers in unlikely places.  "Karly Winery is one of 4,000 American vintners competing with each other and thousands of imported brands for space on store shelves and restaurant wine lists.  While most of its competitors target affluent, sophisticated wine enthusiasts in major cities throughout the U.S., where the bulk of premium wine is sold, Karly takes a different tack: fishing for customers in places more accustomed to the Marlboro Man than a sommelier.   Of course, to a wine family whose founders are an ex- jet fighter pilot and a former dancer/singer/model, and whose slogans include "Hard to Find, Harder to Forget" and "More Guts than Brains," such a counter- intuitive approach makes perfect sense.   "We’ve never done things the conventional way," says Buck Cobb, owner, with his wife Karly, of the 11,000-case winery they founded in 1980.  "I guess you could say we have a contrarian streak."  So the contrarian Cobbs to built a winery down a dirt road in a rustic wine region two hours from the San Francisco Bay Area; repeatedly replant their 23-acre estate vineyard to enhance grape quality; eschew mainstream varieties like Merlot, Chardonnay, and Cabernet Sauvignon in favor of niche varieties like Zinfandel, Syrah, Mourvedre, Sauvignon Blanc and Roussanne; and refuse to romance wine writers and the urban sophisticates who are the natural audience for the superb, attractively priced wines Karly has been crafting for 25 years.  "When we’re out in the country hunting, fishing or skiing, we present our wines to local retailers and restaurateurs. Not many winemakers venture to these places, so people are usually happy to see us and, more often than not, they buy our wines, because they’re good and reasonably priced."  (www.karlywines.com)

KOBRAND announced awards for its wines: Fortant 2003 Chardonnay was rated one of the 100 Best Values of the Year by Wine & Spirits Annual Buying Guide.  Wine & Spirits chose Taylor Fladgate "Best Winery of the Year 2005" feature in the Annual Buying Guide.   Sunset Magazine lists Lincourt 2003 Pinot Noir as one of The West’s Best Pinot Noirs.  Joseph Phelps was one of the winners of Best Winery of the Year 2005, awarded by Wine & Spirits in its Annual Buying Guide.  Craggy Range was chosen for the Best Winery of the Year feature in Wine & Spirits Annual Buying Guide.   This is the seventh year that Louis Jadot has won Wine & Spirits Best Winery of the Year award.

PARADUXX winery opens in Napa Valley.   DUCKHORN Wine Company opened its new winery for PARADUXX, its proprietary red wine made frompairing Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon.  This opening concludes the three-year project.  The winery is located on a 45-acre parcel of creek-side vineyard along Silverado Trail in Yountville.  Founded in 1994, PARADUXX was created as a separate brand to allow DUCKHORN creative winemaking opportunities.  The tasting room is also on the property.  www.paraduxx.com

ICON Estates, a Constellation Company, is a portfolio of wineries, vineyards and estates that represents icons of the fine wine world, including Robert Mondavi, Franciscan, Mount Veeder, Simi, Columbia Winery, Estancia, Ravenswood, Drylands, Ruffino, Tintara, and  Veramonte.

SEQUOIA GROVE Vineyards celebrates its 25th anniversary.  (Please see below)

NEW RELEASES (quotes are winemakers' comments)

HERZOG WINE CELLARS marked its 21st year in 2005 by opening a new facility in Oxnard, California, 60 miles northwest of Los Angeles.         “If you are selling premium wines and you are growing you need a larger home,” said David Herzog, CEO of Herzog Wine Cellars.  The new facility will give Herzog more production space and let visitors watch the winemaking process through strategically placed windows.   HERZOG has several releases from its new winery.  These elegant wines will add a delicious touch to your dining experience. Enjoy all of them!

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SEQUOIA GROVE Vineyards celebrates its 25th year with the release of its 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon.  It heralds a new chapter in the winemaking.    Winemaker Michael Trujillo says, "I began working for SEQUOIA GROVE in 1982 and throughout the years have witnessed and shared the landmark event, accolades and wines of this excellent winery.  Joim allen encouraggead me, supported my winemaking education intellecturall and financially and gave me the opportunity to work alongside Andre Tchelicheff for more tha a decade.  I am grateful for these opportunities and now as president and Head Winemaker, I have set the highest expectations for Sequoia Grove."

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HECK ESTATE is twelfth among the top 30 U.S. wine companies of 2004, reported Wine Business Monthly.   Heck Estates includes Korbel Champagne, Kenwood Vineyards, Korbel Brandy, Valley of the Moon Winery and Lake Sonoma Winery.  Korbel accounted for 1.16 million cases in 2004, a dominant market position, Wine Business Monthly reported.   Korbel Champagne Cellars, established in 1882, has been owned and managed by the Heck family since 1954.  Gary Heck said it's been a year of growth for Kenwood, Valley of the Moon and Lake Sonoma with the company continuing to invest in advertising and promotion and adding new point of sale and marketing programs.   Heck sees consumers showing new interest in Pinot Noir and becoming responsive to innovative packaging, especially with single servings.   Korbel's sales of 187ml sparking wines doubled last year. 

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BRONCO WINE COMPANY has a large portfolio of good value wines.

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KENDALL-JACKSON Artisan & Estates includes several fine wines and vineyards.  Among them are MATANZAS CREEK, STONESTREET and AVALON.  Look for these excellent Cabernet Sauvignons currently on the market.

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FRANK FAMILY VINEYARDS: Frank Family Vineyards owner Rich Frank in the late 80s was a long-time Disney executive.  He and wife Connie  couldn’t find the time to get away for long vacations, so they went to Napa on the weekends, a short plane flight away from Los Angeles.  In 1990, they purchased their home in the Eastern hills of Napa in Rutherford.   A special wine at dinner one night led to an  introduction to Koerner Rombauer.  And so began a decade plus long friendship and business partnership between Rich Frank and Koerner Rombauer.  In 1992, Frank learned from Koerner that the Kornell Champagne Cellars  was for sale.   In less than 24 hours the showbiz man and the Napa winery owner were co-owners of the Calistoga winery, now the Frank Family Vineyards.  In 1996, the duo purchased Napa Cellars with a prominent Oakville tasting room location.   In April 2003, Rich stepped out of semi-retirement and founded Integrated Entertainment Partners (IEP), a brand, advertising and marketing strategy company. So the former adman turned Hollywood film and TV exec has stepped into his new role pioneering the future of marketing in America, and in his “free time” runs two of Napa’s most notable and profitable limited production wineries, Frank Family Vineyards and Napa Cellars.

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DYNAMITE VINEYARDS 2004 Chardonnay, Mendocino $15: " . . .  full of  flavors, ripe apple to a delicate nutty nuances, balances and adds complexity . . .  nose notes of pineapple,  touch of vanilla from oak, and soft rich  palate with a long full-flavored finish.   American oak adds vanilla-pine and herbal, drink with grilled tuna, or even a steak, good with pastas made with a cream sauce, or ripe, buttery cheeses like Camembert, Mt. Tam triple cream or Tilsit.
VINTAGE: 2004 season began cool, with no spring frost.  Heavy rains of previous year meant lower crop levels. Extreme heat in early September brought everything to a rapid climax. The fruit arrived in beautiful condition, with lots of very rich, ripe flavors.

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GALLO OF SONOMA has lots of new releases.  I remind you that granddaughter Gina Gallo makes the wine and her brother Matt takes care of the vineyards in northern California, predominantly in Sonoma County.  Matt gives Gina great grapes from vineyards the company has bought through the years as part of the Gallo legacy.   Many revered wineries are now under the GALLO umbrella.

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KUMALA is a new wine from South Africa.  "KUMALA (which means 'slightly different') invites consumers to rediscover a sense of adventure and try something new.  Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz are offerred for $9 each.  The grapes are sourced across the Western Cape of South Africa, allowing wine drinkers to fully explore one of the oldest and finest winegrowing regions in the world.   Winemaker Ben Jordaan selects each varietal from where it grows best, including the Olifants River, Paar, Stellenbosch and Worcester."  www.kumalausa.com

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SHAFER, a 32,000-case winery in Napa Valley, released three vintages in September, now on shelves at your favorite wine shops.  Doug Shafer says he's still learning after all these years--good for him!!  "I released my first Merlot 20 years ago (1983 vintage) in an era when it was still used predominently as a blending varietal."  That initial wine was welcomed by critics and consumers alike and Doug has been building on that first Merlot to learn more and more about cultivating this often difficult grape.  "Drinking a silky Merlot, you wouldn't know what a ridiculously tough time that grape can give us in the vineyard."  Doug named the Syrah blend "Relentless" to honor the winemaker Elias Fernandez for his relentless pursuit of vineyard and winemaking quality.  "Relentless is a field blend of 80% Syrah and 20% Petite Sirah," Doug says.  These two varieties are cultivated side by side in the same rocky, wind-swept, ridge-top vineyard."   This year is the 19th release of Doug's Hillside Select, a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced entirely from small vineyard blocks on the rugged estate surrounding the Shafer winery in Stags Leap District (SLD).  "This site is tough to grow anything on, even grapes," Doug says.  "With its quick drainage and lack of plant nutrients, the vines struggle in this soil to produce clusters with small berries, about half the typical Cabernet berry size."

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CHATEAU ST. JEAN Winemaker Margo Van Staaveren believes that every wine deserves to be blended.  "Whether I am blending with another varietal or with multiple lots from the same vineyard, I love the game of blending.  It offers me a challenge and a thrill to make the best wine possible."

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LINDEMANS--following its famous quote that "the one purpose of wine is to bring happiness to man" has introduced three new blends.

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MASON 2004 Sauvignon Blanc $16: "Winemaker Randy Mason says he used 15% barrel fermentation with all new barrels, French and American oak.  The remeaing 85% was cold tank fermented to accentuate the fruit.  Fragrant grapefruit, peach and floral aromas, crisp and clean, rich core of citrus, pineapple and melon, a balanced and smooth wine.

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RAYMOND has introduced its latest Generations 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon, $70.  RAYMOND President Roy Raymond says, "This wine epitomizes the Raymond family's five generations of dedication to winemaking in the Napa Valley.  The blend is 100% Cabernet Sauviginon.  The grapes come from our estate vineyard on Zinfandel Lane and other hand selected vineyards in the Rutherford and St. Helena appellations of Napa Valley.  The 2001 was aged for 24 months in neew Nevers French oak barrels and bottled in 2004 to give it a full year of bottle age before its release.  It has aromas and flavors of dark chocolate, black cherries, plums, black pepper, vanilla bean and bay leaves, warm spice, tooasty oak and an exceptional structure and complexity."

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TRUCHARD has released several new wines. 

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The HOUSE of ADRIANA RAMOS-PINTO has long been admired for its ports.   In honor its founder, the House has produced a red wine called ADRIANO.  It celebrates tge still wines of Portugal and showcases the Bell Epoque artwork that was part of his progressive advertising and marketing campaign duirng the 1920s and 1930s.   Winemaker Joao Nicolau de Almeida, great-nephew of Adriano Ramos-Pinto, created ADRIANO by blending several traditinal varietals, creating a wine that has smooth tannins, finesse and notes of ripe fruit.  Enjoy it with grilled meats, pizza, tapas, hamburgers and roasted vegetables.   ADRIANO 2003 Red, Douro River Valley, $15

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FRANCOISE CHAUVENET, a historical Burgundy house, has introduced a sparkling wine, Silver Cap, $10.  SILVER CAP Blanc de Blancs Brut offers value with contemporary packaging.  Following the Francoise Chauvenet house style, it reflects the character of the soil and the grape varieties.  Silver Cap is fermented in vats and aged sur lees for complexity, body, and longer-lasting bubbles.  Varietals include ugni blanc (citrus notes), colombard (acidity and floral aromas) and chardonnay (finesse and smoothness).     

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FOUR EMUS is a new wine from Western Australia--the most isolated state in the world's most isolated continent.   Four Emus was developed to pay homage to the quirky, dynamic nature of Western Australia and the creatures that call it home.   No rugged outback scene would be complete without spotting an emu in a high-speed chase, zig-zagging along, or kicking its feet in defense.   Such lively behavior demands personality, which is just what FOUR EMUS wines offer, which is featuring quintessentially Western Australia varietals and their blends.  The winemaking philosphy is produce wines with heaps of fruit flavor, generosity and a distinct stamp of Western Australian vibrance.  All wines sell for $10.

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ZACA MESA 2004 Viognier, Estate Bottled, Santa Inez Valley $15: "We're one of the pioneers in Santa Barbara County, edeicated the Rhone varietals.   We've planted Viognier since 1993 and 22 acres on our estate.  There are only 186 bearing acares in Santa Barbara.  The 2004 is our 11th release, representing the replanting of the right clones and our nwere style.  It has beautiful aromamtics, rich stone frutis and hints of lychee."

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DALLAS CONTE 2003 Maipo Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Chile $10: "intense and complex aromas and flavors of ripe red berries, eucalyptus, tobacco, vanilla and hint black pepper, rich and full bodied"

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CAMPO VIEJO: "All Campo Viejo wines are produced in the heart of La Rioja, Spain's premier appellation.  Our process is a delicate blend of traditional technique and modern science, resulting in smooth, medium-bodied wines with ample fruit concentration and perfect balance. Easy–drinking, round and similar in many respects to Californian Merlot or Australian Shiraz, these delicious wines pair well with a variety of foods due to their firm acidity and moderate alcohol content. We invite you to try them all.  In addition to a 400 acre Estate vineyard, the Bodega Juan Alcorta sources grapes from an area of almost 4700 acres. Most of the vineyards consist of old vines, over 25 years old, and mainly of the Tempranillo variety. The vines are arranged in plots, and are carefully selected for each wine. The vine growth cycle is carefully monitored and a series of growing guidelines are laid down for each estate.  Winemaker Elena Adell, has been involved in the project for the new Bodega Juan Alcorta from the very beginning, in which an ideal setting has been created for elaborating and enjoying wine."

RODNEY STRONG 2004 Charlotte's Home Sauvignon Blanc $14: "The warmer climate Alexander Valley fruit gives the wine ripe pear and melon character, while the ocean cooled Russian River fruit offers citrus, mineral and traditioal herbaceousness."

ALPHA DOMUS WINERY is a family-owned winery named by the first letter of the first name of each family member, Alpha, and Domus is Latin for home.  The Dutch family moved to New Zealanad to start a vegetable seedling business and eventually branched out into wine.   The Alpha Domus vineyards and winery are located in the Hawke's Bay region of the North island; known for a warm climate, long sunshine hours and a variety of soil types.  The region is one of the few in N. Z. well suitied for growing Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Malbec.    Wine has been made in the region since the 1800s. Winemaker Kate Galloway and I tasted her delicious New Zealand wines with luncheon at the Four Seasons Cafe in Austin.  She tells me that all the fruit is estate grown with 90 acres planted, the first vines in 1991.  "We have one foot of silt loam over gravel soils that very drain well," she says.  "There is still enough organic matter in the soil to ensure the production of fleshy wines with good longevity.   We use New World technology with traditional French winemaking techniques: hand: picking grapes, traditional wooden cuvées and open top fermenters,  delestage and remontage, traditional basket pressing of reds, maturation on barrel, lees stirring, inert gas cover of juice and must, fully automated temperature control.  We produce 20,000 cases in the Hawke's Bay region," she says.  Decanter Magazine named Navigator--their Meritage wine--"Best New World Red."  Hawke's Bay is considered the best in New Zealand for Bordeaux and Rhone varietals."

BOOK REVIEWS: The Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia, 4th edition by Tom Stevenson, and The Wines of the Northern Rhone by John Livingston-Learmonth make worthy gifts for the holidays for that someone special.

The Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia, 4th edition by Tom Stevenson is touted as a classic.  With  664 pages, this internatinal wine reference spans the globe.   It is the only singnle volume that maps and presents exhaustive information on every wine-growing area from the Old World to the New World--including emerging regions and producers of note.  The author anlayzes the factors affecting the taste and quality of each region's wines before assessing its appellations, individual wine producerss, and the wines.  A star-rating system identifies the finest producers and highlights those offering the best value.  An author's choice chart lists the vest best wines at the end of each section.  This comprehensive and illustrated guide is thorough and up to date and may well be an unrivaled source of information for lovers of wine.  Published by Dorling Kindersley (DK) London and produced for DK by Cooling Brown LTD, $50 USA and $65 Canada www.dk.com

The Wines of the Northern Rhône by John Livingston-Learmonth is for anyone who wants to understand the full story that lies within a glass of wine.  This book opens up the inner secrets of the geology, the vineyards, the wines and the growers of northern Rhône Valley in France.   Home to the spicy Syrah and the floral Viognier, the northern Rhône Valley is one of France's oldest wine-growing regions.  Its appellations include Hermitage, Côte-Rôtie, Condrieu, Crozes-Hermitage, St.-Joseph, and Cháteau-Grillet.  The author's descriptions and insights culminate more than 30 years of his followoing the Rhône and it is a comprehensive and authoritative survey of the various estates, winemakers and their wines.  This book of  776 pages (7 x 10") is published by the University of California Press, contact Amy Cleary (510/642-4701) amy.cleary@ucpress.edu $55.
 

© 2005 Sarah Jane English

Sarah Jane: sarahjaneenglish@sbcglobal.net

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