Hawk Wakawaka Wine Reviews

Spending Time with Thomas Fogarty Vineyards + Wine in the Santa Cruz Mountains

California

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Aug 28, 2013

Visiting Thomas Fogarty

In July, I was able to spend time at Thomas Fogarty Winery & Vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The first trip focused on a Chardonnay Vineyard walk and 2011 Pinot Noir tasting with the Sommelier Journal “Terroir Experience” trip. Two weeks later, Nathan and Tommie invited me to return for a longer stay. Here are some photos and quick notes from the visits. I’ll be writing a longer profile on the history of the site, the wines, and the team later.

Thomas Fogarty Vineyards and Winery are located on a ridgeline of the Santa Cruz Mountains along Skyline Boulevard, the first to plant in that portion of the AVA.

In the late 1970s, Thomas Fogarty (left) and Michael Martella began developing the Thomas Fogarty Vineyards, with Martella becoming the label’s winemaker and viticulturist. At the time, Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello and Mt Eden had pioneered the region showing that the Santa Cruz Mountains had potential for making quality wines, but established their plantings in different portions of what would become the appellation. Thomas Fogarty’s first vintage release came in 1982.

looking up at the Fogarty Winery Buildings from Damiana Chardonnay Block

Fogarty was inspired by the wines of Burgundy to plant Pinot Noir, while also understanding he needed the right winemaker. Martella saw the raw ground as the opportunity for building a lifetime’s project.

“My brother is a viticulturist so we came out here and looked at the property. This is at the end of the 1970s. I told him, ‘You know, this is my lifetime project.’ I don’t think I actually believed it at the time but it’s kind of turned out that way. My goal was to have a really complete project, and it does feel that way. Now I am here just to help out. To help out Tommie. Whatever he needs.” — Michael Martella

When I look down at Michael’s hand I see he is wearing a small wrist band that reads, “I choose happiness.”

looking through the Langley Hill Wente Clone Chardonnay, though irrigation is in place it hasn’t been watered in over 6 years

Fogarty’s Skyline Blvd Estate property includes 23 acres planted to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay focusing on California heritage clones such as Wente, Calera, Swan, Mt Eden, and Rochioli. Most of the site was planted in the late 70s and early 80s, with one Pinot Noir block recently having been replanted.

The site features fractured shale and sandstone at 2000 ft elevation, 10 miles from the ocean on the Eastern side of the Ridge, readily generating lower vigor and higher acids.

Julio Deras has served as Thomas Fogarty Vineyard Manager since 1986, working first with founding winemaker Michael Martella, and now also with winemaker Nathan Kandler to bring the wines’ focus from the vines to the bottle. As the team has gotten to know the site they’ve also shifted their understanding of how best to manage the plantings.

Seven years ago Tommie Fogarty (Jr) returned to work at Thomas Fogarty assisting his father in management of the business. In the last year, after 35 years of development, Thomas Fogarty (Sr) and Michael Martella officially handed leadership of the winery to the next generation.

Nine years ago Martella hired Nathan Kandler as assistant winemaker, recruiting Kandler straight from a harvest at Torbreck in South Australia. As Kandler explains, Martella helped Kandler learn the site while also giving Kandler room on the side to experiment with methods and approach in making the wines. The approach allowed Kandler the ability to investigate how the cellar work best suits the location without simply mimicking what Martella had developed. Today Kandler acts as head winemaker, with Martella continuing to offer support.

looking East over San Francisco Bay

One of the unique aspects of the Thomas Fogarty Vineyards is its apparent isolation. No other vineyards are visible from the grounds, giving a feeling of self-determination to the Fogarty team — without the subtle pressure of seeing what the neighbor is up to, it is easier to decide based simply on the vineyard itself.

“When I first started at Fogarty, I thought it was a great opportunity. I thought it was a challenge where there was room to grow, and affect some change too. The longer I’ve been here I’ve realized it is less about me. This is a really special spot, and it shouldn’t be about who makes the wine. When it comes to winemaking, you have to be comfortable with making less impactful decisions. The farming and the place, that’s what’s interesting. That’s what I hope people will talk about.” -Nathan Kandler

Michael Martella, Nathan Kandler, Thomas Fogarty, Tommie Fogarty, me

There is a palpable warmth and generosity throughout the Thomas Fogarty Winery famiy and team. The afternoon was spent with the various generations all together, talking about the history of the project, and tasting through several decades of wine.

Before my second visit, Nathan asked me if there was anything I’d like to focus on in our tasting. I said I’d love to taste some older vintages of Chardonnay, if possible. We tasted Thomas Fogarty Chardonnay all the way back to 1995, and three Sparkling Chardonnays from 1989 and 1998, in addition to barrel tasting all of the 2012s. With dinner we enjoyed more of the Pinot Noirs, and some older vintages of Thomas Fogarty Cabernet Sauvignon, and Nebbiolo.

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Doing an Acid Tasting: Thinking briefly about tartaric and malic acids

Miscellany

Hawk Wakawaka

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Aug 20, 2013

13

Tasting Tartaric and Malic Acids

cilck on drawing to enlarge

Acidity in wine composes an important part of the wines’ overall structure, encouraging aging potential, and drinkability alongside food. Acids are present first in the grape, and the levels resulting in the final wine reflect picking decisions on the part of the winemaker, as well as vinification techniques.

In considering acids levels, one can look at both titratable acidity levels, that is, a measure of the total acidity in the wine itself, and also at the pH, or the intensity (or strength). In addition, however, the types of acid present in the wine can also be considered. Different types of acid create different tasting experiences as they affect the palate in differing ways.

While there are more than a handful of acid types that can be present in a grape or wine, two are the most common and have the most apparent impact on the palate–tartaric and malic acids. Different vineyard sites tend to generate differing levels of each due to both climate and soil distinctions, with irrigation also impacting final levels. However, it is also possible to do acid adds during vinification.

Recognizing the apparent acidity level of a wine is one of the primary elements of a formalized wine tasting regimen. Parsing the two primary acid types adds a further layer of recognition in the wine experience, as well as insight into other aspects of a wine.

Tasting the Actual Acid Solutions

I was able to do a tartaric and malic acid tasting recently. Though the sheer taste experience wasn’t exactly obviously pleasurable, it was one of the funnest ‘wine’ tastings I’ve done recently. I’d already developed plenty of knowledge about acid types found in wine from study and conversation, including their apparent effect on the palate. As a result, I’d been able to track that information in wines tasted as well. But to then have a purely focused singular acid tasting where all that information EXACTLY lined up to the pure phenomenon experience struck me as hilarious. It was a weird form of pleasure to have intellectual knowledge click directly into place with experience. I don’t know how else to put it than to say that the precision of the tartaric acid doing to my mouth EXACTLY what I knew it was supposed to do was joyful. It was a joyful experience.

These types of acid concoctions are used in the production of candies like Fun Dip, Sweettarts, or Candy Necklaces and both the tartaric and malic acids offered a kind of powdery candy aspect without the sweetness. I had Junior taste both acids solutions as well. She remarked that the tartaric acid tasted like the inside of a Gobstopper, where as the malic was like a Candy Necklace. (She also hated it finding the malic acid especially hard to take.)

The two acids hit on markedly different parts of the tongue with tartaric acid at the tip or front quarter, and malic acid directly behind in the front portion of the mid-tongue. Both made the mouth water but tartaric acid gave that classic overt mouth watering-jaw clenching experience often described as acidity in wine (and that I consistently find in a vibrant blanc de blancs), and the malic acid had a less overt and more focused (to the particular area of the tongue rather than overall) watering effect.

In tasting the tartaric acid, it felt immediately salty with lime and lemon flavors floating to the surface after. The malic acid, on the other hand, gave a light green apple (without sweetness) flavor followed by an ultra long silvery metallic sensation.

In terms of sensation, the tartaric acid lit up my whole head like a light bulb in bright sunshine yellow light and a high note pitch of energy. The malic acid by comparison was a much deeper frequency feeling, with a more muted tone to it.

For bullet point notes on the acid distinctions, please see the above drawing. Enjoy!

***

As a quick note: perception of acidity can be impacted by temperature of the wine, as well as other factors — so if it’s a warm day, cool your wine a bit to get it back to better drinking temperatures. Also, perception of wine does not translate directly to actual measurable acid levels in the wine itself, but nevertheless improving one’s recognition abilities over time is a valuable tool in formalized wine tasting.

***

Thank you to Jason Lett.

Pikes Clare Valley Riesling: Traditionale and The Merle Reserve, Vertical Tastings

Hawk Wakawaka

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Aug 19, 2013

4

Tasting Pikes Rieslings with Neil Pike

Chuck Hayward organized a small party vertical tasting of Pikes Clare Valley Rieslings with Neil Pike a few weeks ago. Around 10 of us got together to learn more about Pikes history, Riesling vintages from the region, and Neil Pikes own family history.

Understanding Clare Valley

Clare Valley produces some of the top Rieslings of Australia, showing nice aging potential, with distinctive aromatics from the variety compared to other locations around the world. Growing conditions are unique in the region, but Australian wine culture also carries its own view of appropriate style for the grape (partially due to how fruit does grow there). As Pike explained, petrol notes are seen as a fault in Australian Riesling as the country tends to look instead to pristine fruit expression as the ideal. In his view, canopy management plays into how the flavor and aroma profile arises, with too much sun exposure the skins toughen generating bitter phenolics.

One of the cooler zones of South Australia, Clare Valley offers a cool and wet winter, followed by a very dry spring. The combination gives vines a good dormant period followed by healthy growing conditions that allow for generally no need for humidity intervention (little to no mold or mildew). Clare Valley is one of the latest harvesting regions on the continent.

Pikes sits around 500 meters/1640 feet elevation, with 650 m/2132 f at its highest point. Clare Valley is a small region producing only 2% of the wine in Australia, but 15% of the country’s premium wine. The Valley’s Mediterranean climate carry cooling breezes of the Spencer Gulf, balancing the warmer day time temperatures with cooling breezes and a diurnal shift that keep acid levels up.

Pikes Riesling “Traditionale”

click on drawing to enlarge

Pikes Riesling “Traditionale” comes in as the labels annual, more accessible style wine. The fruit is sourced from two locations with 75-80% brought from their Polish Hill Vineyards on the Easter side of the Valley. There is always some Watervale fruit as well, as it lends a softer and more opulent presentation to the wine. The Polish Hill Vineyard, on the other hand, grows in blue slate giving a needle tension. When coupled with the Watervale, the pair dance with long juicy lines and a friendly lightness of flavor.

Pike explains that the region offers high acidity. The house focuses on picking to preserve that juiciness. He also recognizes, however, that the type of acidity impacts the mouth experience with tartaric acid, in his view, giving a softer overall feel when compared to higher malic acid numbers, which he views as sharper and harder to drink (this will be explored more directly in a post tomorrow looking specifically at acids found in wine). As such, Pikes likes to maintain high TA with a lower focus on MA.

Pikes Riesling Reserve “The Merle”

click on drawing to enlarge – (each vintage came in at 12%)

Only in the best years, Pikes also produces a reserve style Riesling that is meant to age and offer greater intensity in its youth. The wine is held back slightly longer by the winery too as a result. Named for Pike’s mother, “The Merle” offers a pure Polish Hill expression, the vineyard growing in blue slate with some iron stone spotted throughout generating a light ferris element mixed into all that tension. In Pike’s view, the Merle is their more challenging and austere Riesling, as it is meant to drink after some time in bottle and is more loved by Riesling devotees.

The Wines

Both flights offered lovely aging characteristics with the older vintages giving a nice combination of fruit-flower expression and secondary deepening. The middle years tended to be pretty while light in comparison to either the seering acidity of the new wines or the thickening plushness of the older. The line drive intensity of the Merle was impressive giving too a rich textural experience. It had a lot of energetic focus while being a wine to slow down with. The Traditionale, on the other hand, came in all about pep, verve, dance and lift with tons of energy certain it was meant to wake the palate up.

***
Thank you to Neil Pike.

Thank you to Chuck Hayward, Peter Bentley and Kat Luna.

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To read Blake Gray’s write-up of this same tasting: http://www.winereviewonline.com/Blake_Gray_on_Aussie_Riesling.cfm

***

How to live Alaska with Forlorn Hope + Dirty + Rowdy

Hawk Wakawaka

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Aug 14, 2013

3

Living Alaska

Growing up in Alaska I could only run or ski so long. A group of us would leave the house and run several miles across town to the cross country ski trails where a truck with our equipment would have driven to meet us. Then we’d nordic relay around the course in preparation for upcoming races. Still, even after several hours of training, we’d be out of something to do.

Besides one year with a late hour coffee shop in town, mostly there was nothing to do if you were underage. Then, even when drinking became an option most of the bars were too sketchy to waste time in. As a result, my friends and I had to get creative on what to do to pass the time. Mostly we spent our time driving, getting to know all the streets of neighborhoods all over town. Or, we’d come up with ridiculous games specific only to that evening’s mood then race around in the dark fulfilling the task we’d made up.

Last night, my sister Melanie, our friend Robin, and I decided to reprise Alaska ridiculousness with a new game. We had to on-the-fly design a photo series of iconic Anchorage moments showcasing a bottle of Forlorn Hope San Hercurmer Delle Necce, and Dirty and Rowdy Semillon.

Here are the photos from the series.

The Alaskan Athletes Hall of Fame

Susan Butcher, 4-time winner of the Iditarod, was the baddest bad ass athlete the world has ever known. For real.

The Wild Animals Almost Got Us

That Musk Ox was totally sniffing out our wine. Melanie even set off an alarm trying to save us.

Dude. The bear almost got the bottles.

Oh shit dog.

One in Three People in Alaska Has a Pilot’s License

One in three people in Alaska has a pilot’s license, and the state is covered in lakes. So, there are lots and lots of float planes.

Melanie took off her shoes and braved the waters of a leach filled float plane lake. She brave woman.

When traveling you are likely to meet bear.

Bring wine.

Totem Poles are so Alaska

Totem poles are from Southeast Alaska but in Anchorage even Taco King “Real Mexican Food” has its own Totem Pole. #TacoKing

Tourists Run the State

The Alaska Railroad only moves tourists. Through town. The tourist train crosses the middle of town then up to Denali National Park and on to Fairbanks. We showed those tourists what’s what.

The Mortal Coil

In downtown Anchorage, a block from the courthouse, in front of an office building full of lawyers there is a sculpture of the whale of mortality, whose waves threaten ships and tempt hunters (but the whale dives for wine). (Incidentally, one of the lawyers in this building helped me secure custody of Jr. Thank you, lawyer.)

The Inlet View

The city is surrounded on three sides by the mountains. The fourth side by Cook Inlet.

The sun finally sets this time of year for just a few hours.

Captain James Cook conquered the New Worlds, including Alaska, until the New World conquered then ate him. Go Hawaii!

Junior High is to Embarrass You

In Junior High I was a Trojan. We were all embarrassed even though we barely understood what it even meant.

Photos from a 50th Wedding Anniversary

Alaska

Hawk Wakawaka

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Aug 12, 2013

5

As some of you know, my parents’ celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary this summer. I flew to Alaska to be with my whole family for the event. This weekend we held a get together with many long term friends. It was a wonderful time.

Following are photos of the celebration.

my mom still fits her wedding dress 50 years later

nephew Oliver with uncle Kevin and cousin Emily

niece Mariana with long term family friend Ethel

mom’s (left) grandma held Violet (right) when she was baptized in Bristol Bay

cousins

Jr outgrew Ethel

Elaine (middle) is also from Unalakleet, my dad’s home in Norton Sound

long term friends Eva and Mom

mom and Rosie grew up together in Naknek

Sean and Dad worked together on the North Slope, Sean’s wife Tammy, and commercial fish together

Pastor Max from my parents’ church

Dad and Bill, high school and college basketball buddies

sister Paula

Tim (Melanie’s husband) and sister Melanie

Fort Ross-Seaview AVA Pinot Tasting: West of the West 2013

Hawk Wakawaka

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Aug 5, 2013

4

The Fort Ross-Seaview AVA Characteristics

click on comic to enlarge

After a decade of wrangling to establish the appropriate boundaries of this mountain top-and-side, coastal AVA, Fort Ross-Seaview was officially established as a sub-appellation of the Sonoma Coast in January 2012.

The appellation stands entirely above 800 feet in elevation on mountains that reach to 1600 feet over a small section of the San Andreas fault. Thanks to the seismic activity, the soils are the result of the movement of the plates giving deep earthen rock and very little topsoil for plants to grow.

As David Hirsch, of Hirsch Vineyards, explained, the AVA cannot properly be understood as a cool climate due to its mixed set of characteristics–what he names “the confluence of 4 unique ecosystems.” As he describes, the sub-region receives ocean influence including fog and coastal breezes, while also river effect from the floor far below. Drainages are numerous and plant and animal life reflect the movement of water through the area. But the region stands predominately above where the fog settles thus receiving exposure to warm sun influences through the day in summer months, as well as warming aspects from inland temperatures. Finally, the range is dominated by conifer forests, effectively giving a rainforest effect. As Hirsch explains, then, between the soils, the moisture, the sun exposure and heat, and the winds, the confluence of factors determining the high elevation appellation are near impossible as one climate type.

looking through the gully-ridges of Fort Ross-Seaview AVA from the second ridge towards the third, July 31 2013. The furthest ridge in the center frame has multiple vineyards growing from the ridge top down the side towards camera.

History tells us vines were planted in the coastal mountains more than 100 years ago, with Zinfandel being primary, but in the small population through the region grapes were not a priority. Most land holdings through the ridges were large parcels, with much of the property being difficult to use both because of its extreme slopes and gullies, and also because of the challenge in travel between ridges. Still today, the road system through the area is intensely windy as it descends one hilltop, then climbs another.

In the late-middle of the last century several large parcels were subdivided into 40 acres plots leading to a move-in of new small family owners, some of whom remain today still growing the new vineyards they established. Plantings are still far from dense in Fort Ross-Seaview, and with the complexity of land shapes it seems unlikely for such a phenomenon to develop, though there have been some attempts at closer-to-bulk.

looking through rows of Pinot Noir at Campbell Ranch Vineyard, surrounded entirely by conifer forest, Fort Ross-Seaview AVA, July 31, 2013.

Fort Ross-Seaview is still quite early in its development, but as Sr Editor of the SF Chronicle, Jon Bonné explains, the appellation already has shown a consistency of wine quality. Saturday, August 3 the West of the West Festival offered a Fort Ross-Seaview Pinot Noir panel discussion facilitated by Bonné, with Lee Martinelli, Sr, of Martinelli Wines, and David Hirsch. Having extensive experience with his own family vineyards through Russian River Valley, Martinelli became established in the coastal mountains in the 1950s. His wife’s family kept a ranch and lived there for generations. David Hirsch established his site in 1980, helping to usher in (along with already established farming families like the Martinellis) a new interest in true-coastal grapes.

We tasted through 7 site-specific Pinot Noir examples from the appellation out of the 2010 and 2011 vintages. The wines showed a range of styles, but within each there was a clear thread of crushed dark rock flavor and throat tightening tension, pulled forth by bright red fruits and lifted by the fresh aromatics of conifer forest. During discussion, Bonné confirmed that in his tastings through other vintages these characteristics are consistent to wines of the region.

Following are notes on the 7 wines. Each come from vineyards within the Fort Ross-Seaview AVA but some are named as Sonoma Coast.

Fort Ross-Seaview AVA Pinot Noir Tasting

looking through Pinot Noir clusters in Fort Ross-Seaview AVA July 31 2013–note the small cluster size, how early in veraison the fruit still is, and the conifer silhouettes in the distance; Campbell Ranch Vineyard visited with Gros Ventre

* North Appellation

2011 Red Car Estate Vineyard, Fort Ross-Seaview

The Red Car offers delicate aromatics with red berry and light dusty accents moving into crushed rock in the palate with touches of cracked pepper on the finish. The wine is juicy, with smooth easy tannin, and a touch of bread dough on the medium-long finish.

* Central Appellation

2011 Flowers Camp Meeting Ridge Estate, Sonoma Coast

Bringing lightly perfumed aromatics that carries into the palate, the Flowers Meeting Ridge shows cherry blossom and red cherry, with accents of dark rock tension and light conifer. The tannin is lightly textural falling in balance with the acidity as a light grip on the palate.

* 2010 Hirsch Vineyards San Andreas Fault Estate, Sonoma Coast

The stand out of the tasting for me, Hirsch’s San Andreas Fault accents a vibrant, lively nose with musky hints leading into cherry blossom, a feral musk, very light cocoa + espresso, and a touch of black pepper on the palate all together in a dancey frame. There is a nice crushed rock mineral length and good tension here. The acidity carries this wine all the way home.

2010 Martinelli Three Sisters Vineyard, Sonoma Coast

The Three Sisters is a light and pleasing wine giving a light touch overall presentation. The cherry blossom and conifer with red notes on the nose carry over into darker, slightly brooding aspects on the palate. This wine has a lean focus with a very light musk dancing with floral aspects. The wine drinks now as though it is still private and will open more with age.

* South Appellation

2011 Failla Estate Vineyard, Sonoma Coast

Another stand out, the Failla Estate gives darker, and more bramble aspects than the other wines of the tasting. Dark berry shows here on the nose alongside an animal poise moving into coniferous notes on the palate. The mouth gives cherry with cherry leaf and bramble, a touch of cocoa, and dark rock. The wine is lightly brooding with still bright lift and long lines of tension.

2011 Fort Ross Vineyard Sea Slopes, Fort Ross-Seaview

Red cherry with cherry blossom carry over dark bands of crushed rock and conifer forest. This Sea Slopes drinks currently as though its flavors are still very much uncurling from its generally balanced structure. The wine is currently tight and needs time in bottle as well as air upon opening.

2010 Wild Hog Vineyard, Sonoma Coast

The most feral of the wines presented, the Wild Hog gave sweat and running horses with lightly candied aspects of red cherry pushed onto moist tobacco and light cigar box. The finish is long and tart with crushed rock and slowly appearing oregano oil and thyme. The various elements of this wine seem to still be finding their balance in the bottle showing currently as a little disjointed.

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Thank you to Amelia Weir for your work on West of the West.

Thank you to Chris and Sarah Pittenger of Gros Ventre for taking me on a tour of multiple vineyards through the Fort Ross-Seaview appellation prior to the tasting.

Thank you to Jon Bonné, Lee Martinelli, Sr, and David Hirsch for the excellent panel.

***

To read more on why sub-dividing the Sonoma Coast matters, check out this previous article by Jon Bonné: http://www.sfgate.com/wine/thirst/article/Drawing-new-lines-for-wine-on-the-Sonoma-Coast-2376315.php

and his brief announcement for when the Fort Ross-Seaview AVA was established: http://insidescoopsf.sfgate.com/blog/2011/12/15/three-new-appellations-as-a-holiday-gift/

Visiting Kelly Fleming Vineyards + Winery: Simmons Canyon, Calistoga

California

Hawk Wakawaka

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Jul 26, 2013

3

Kelly Fleming Vineyards & Winery

approaching Kelly Fleming winery

In the Northern portion of Napa Valley, East of Calistoga, Simmons Canyon holds 12 acres planted to Cabernet at Kelly Fleming Vineyards & Winery. In 1998, Fleming purchased the then-undeveloped property selecting the blocks appropriate for planting. As she explains, she’d considered Oregon as well but she loves Cabernet, and both she and Cabernet love sun. North Napa Valley was the spot.

By 2003, Fleming was able to relocate to Simmons Canyon, also releasing their first vintage.

The Kelly Fleming label focuses on Cabernet, sourced from the estate vineyards, but also makes Sauvignon Blanc from the Oakville region in a lighter, more mineral focused style. The 2011 offers a balance of textural interest with crispness and good juicy length. As of 2011, the label has also started producing a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon rosé captured during production of the red wine. The 2012 gave a smooth palate presentation with a fresh light focus on dried rose, and herbal touches. Pleasant.

Alongside the 100% Cabernet program, the label produces a red blend meant to offer wine in a fun, flavorful style. To preserve brand clarity, the blend is offered under the Big Pour label. BIg Pour also offers the winery the opportunity to preserve the quality of the Cabernet program by selecting the best quality barrels, then integrating other barrels into Big Pour program. The Cabernet comes entirely from the Simmons Canyon property, and as a result has offered new insight into previously undeveloped ground. Fleming participates in blending trials and enjoys the shifts in vine maturity reflected through vertical tastings. As the vines have aged, the wines have shown more sophistication and age-ability. In 2012, the label made their first reserve wine.

As Becky George, assistant winemaker, explained, 2012 was a unique vintage in terms of growing conditions, but some of the blocks simply showed a new level of maturity and prettiness they didn’t want to blend away into the Estate. The expectation is to find a similar effect with 2013, but they will decide on producing a Reserve once the wines have begun to show later in they year. Tasting through the wines in bottle and out of barrel, the character of the house maintains a focus on pretty while earthy elegance, a balance of plush flavors with graphite lines.

I was charmed by this little Martian tank fermenter. We’re going to hang out later.

The vineyards are organized into 4 blocks with 6 Cabernet clones on 5 different rootstocks, all surrounded by the walls of Simmons Canyon.

The canyon gives an old alluvial fan, with boulders mixed throughout. In block-3 an old oak marries a large rock outcropping the team planted around.

Colleen and Kelly Fleming with their pups, Lesko and Sally (I love this photo)

Colleen has been working with her mom directing hospitality for the winery the last two years. The overall winery team is small, keeping the focus on a handful of people managing the operations.

After visiting some of the vineyards, I asked if Kelly would show me her gardens, and bees. The hives are protected from canyon bears by a little electric fence-house and rests near a mix of forage acclimated to the site (rather than heavily watered). The honey from the site arises from a rotation of seasonal blossoms–almond and apple trees, Manzanita and Madrones, plus the vegetable garden. When we visited the bees were dancing through the flowers surrounding the vegetables as well, lavender and sunflower. Kelly harvests honey once during the year in Fall to ensure the bees have enough for winter. Here Kelly explains almond blossoms to almond fruit. It turns out the green husk is edible (dude) though the almonds were not yet ready.

***

Thank you to Kelly Fleming, Colleen Fleming, and Becky George.

Thank you to Julie Ann Kodmur.

Looking back: Ronco delle Bettulle, Colli Orientali del Friuli

Italy

Hawk Wakawaka

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Jul 24, 2013

1

Visiting Ronco delle Bettulle

In April 2012 six of us–Jeremy Parzen, Whitney Adams, Talia Baiocchi, Stuart George, JC Reid and myself–traveled together to Friuli, Italy to tour Colli Orientali del Friuli. We saw a large majority of the producers of the appellation, and visited beautiful vineyards as well. Before the trip we were invited to request wineries we wanted to be sure and have more time with. Stuart George suggested Ronco delle Bettulle. It’s a wine imported to the UK, that barely arrives into the United States currently.

We met the owner winemaker, Simone Secchi, in the midst of an especially beautiful day through the region. He and his mother Ivana Adami together own and operate their vineyards and winery.

Our visit to Bettulle focused primarily on grapes local to the region, with a few International varieties, including the lesser known Franconia (known as Blaufrankisch in Austria).

Simone expressed enjoyment in exploring the preferences of particular grapes. Their Ribolla Gialla sees a small portion of the overall pick left on skins for a month, then blended back with the straight to press juice. The Refosco he leaves on the vine till it is almost falling from its stems. The Franconia he gives a gentler touch to avoid any phenolic bitterness. The red blend, their richest wine with the most heft, he gives oak, explaining, “it is a wine that is proud of itself. It has big structure for aging.”

I managed to return to the states with two bottles of their Franconia. Simone explained he is “fond of this wine because it is the oldest vine we have on the property.” About a month after the trip I shared one of the bottles with my close friends Fred and Hillary. This morning I woke up thinking of the other one.

Though I enjoyed the visit at the time, in the midst of so much travel I never wrote about Bettulle. Here are a few photos from the stop along with notes from Simone. All quotations below are from Simone Secchi, April 2012.

the Betulle winery

“We have birch here on a hill. When we started there were butterflies everywhere on top the vineyard. Thus, the logo.”

Simone Secchi

There is an old monastery on the hill that hosts Betulle. “Where the monks go you can always be sure it is the best area for agriculture. They always know where to go. We are in Rosazzo. Rosazzo is cru. This is a unique microclimate. It is a bit warmer [than other parts of the region]. There is rarely hail but it one of the rainiest parts of Europe.”

vineyard at Ronco delle Bettulle

“Yeast for us is not where the wine is made. We are focused in the vineyards not the cellar. We have very little technology, only temperature controlled fermentation. I love to work with little elements of the wine that make it special. For me, drinkability is very important.”

Bettulle is a 15 hectare (37 acres) estate, with 11.5 hectares (27 acres) planted. “We want to stay in a human dimension. We do not want to get to where we have managers. We want to be able to control everything.”

Whit and Talia getting ready to taste with Simone

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In the US: Riahi Selections.

Jamie Goode’s thoughts on Bettulle wines (he likes them): http://www.wineanorak.com/roncodellebetulle.htm

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Thank you to Jeremy Parzen and Stuart George.

Thank you to Simone Secchi, and Ivana Adami.

26 Hours in El Dorado: Visiting La Clarine Farm, Skinner + Gros Ventre

California

Hawk Wakawaka

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Jul 22, 2013

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An Overnight in El Dorado

This weekend I was lucky enough to spend an overnight in the Sierra Foothills exploring vineyards and a few of the wines of El Dorado county. The stay began with Hank Beckmeyer and Caroline Hoel of La Clarine Farm, then ventured over to the predominately Rhone program of Skinner Wine. The next morning we did a tour of some of the interesting vineyards of El Dorado. Finally, I was able to taste through a beautiful collection of North Coast Pinots from Sonoma and Mendocino counties with Gros Ventre Cellars. I’ll be writing up profiles later but in the meantime, here are photos from the weekend.

La Clarine Farm with Hank and Caroline

Hank Beckmeyer and Caroline Hoel grow 2 acres of head trained, low to the ground vines in a melange of grape types including Tannat, Tempranillo, Grenache, Syrah, and Cabernet. In their Home Vineyard blend, the grapes are cofermented into a wonderfully ambiguous red. Their other wines are sourced from grapes grown within a 5 mile range of their own property from sites whose farming practices the pair can get behind.

view from the top–Hank Beckmeyer at the top of La Clarine Farm

The smaller vine profile of their home property means less water need, and less overall tending — a practice inline with their overall philosophy of “stripped to the bare essentials” farming. The two have drawn inspiration from a wealth of interests ranging from their background in music, passion for cheese making, and study of a range of cultural influences. Ultimately, their goal with La Clarine Farm wines has been to make wine they’d enjoy drinking themselves.

Hank Beckmeyer and Caroline Hoel

Beckmeyer and Hoel both worked in the music industry and took root, for a time, in Germany as a result. Eventually they desired to set out on their own with a parcel that they could develop in a series of projects. The Sierra Foothills offered affordable access to such property, so in 2001 they relocated to California, beginning too to plant vines in El Dorado in 2002.

The pair’s label is driven by Beckmeyer’s love for experimentation. The overall approach includes ambient yeast without additives. The labels motivations include exploration of what grapes do well in the region — a fairly new path of discovery for the Foothills in general. Documentation shows that vines were planted in the region during the Goldrush of the 1800s, but even so, what vines do best in the unique soils and microclimates is a newer question.

In listening to Beckmeyer describe his own winemaking, it is clear that a sense of playfulness also drives his choices. Such verve shows through as the wines seem to match the character of the couple — quietly jovial with an easy going whole lot of interest.

The pair have also kept goats on the property, tending over a hundred head at the height of the venture. For three years Caroline made La Clarine Farm cheeses as well. No longer focused on producing artisanal cheese, today the herd is smaller

Ghost Face deciding if I’m okay to visit

the youngest of the herd, Number 1

Tasting at Skinner Wine with Chris Pittenger

Skinner Wines carries legacy to winemaking in the gold rush. The family ventured into the area seeking gold and eventually planted vines and made wine in the region as well. Carey and Mike Skinner established their vineyard and winery property in 2007 with the help of winemaker, Chris Pittenger. The project has supported the view that the region holds a talent for Rhone varieties, as well as Petite Sirah.

Skinner’s wine program focuses centrally on Rhone varieties, including whites. Grapes come primarily from two Skinner vineyard locations but also source fruit from a few choice vineyards through El Dorado county.

Chris Pittenger had worked in wine in Australia and throughout Napa and Sonoma counties when he was recruited to help establish the Skinner project. When purchased, the property was already planted to Syrah and Viognier, and has since expanded to include vines of Grenache, Mourvedre, Counoise, Petite Sirah, Grenache blanc, Picpoul and others.

Tasting through the Skinner Rhone reds collection there is a beautiful consistency of quality, with vintage variation. The winemaking utilizes natural yeast with no additives, with a focus on picking to retain acidity. Pittenger is especially excited about the Grenache they are producing from the region.

I fell in love with the Mourvedre, especially the 2010 Estate.

One of the nice surprises was the Skinner 2010 Petite Sirah. This wine carries the burly-shoulder heft of Petite Sirah with gracefulness. It’s a grape that is easily, and often over done, but Skinner’s version marries a delicate touch with the stoutness of the grape. I like it.

Touring El Dorado Vineyards with Chris Pittenger and Hardy Wallace

Our first stop was Fenaughty Vineyard at 2600 ft elevation. The morning sun is more intense through the region than the afternoon sun. With East-West oriented rows, leaf thinning is done to shade the morning sun, and open up the afternoon, the reverse of canopy maintenance in many other locations.

Many of the vineyards through this portion of El Dorado circle the American River Canyon, and are managed or owned by Ron Mansfield.

At the edge of the American River Canyon Ron Mansfield farms Grenache (among others) in a unique vertical cordone method — the plants appear head trained yet branch in a circular pattern around the stock in a sort of coat tree pattern that is a rotating version of a ladder cordon. The effect gives dappled light throughout the canopy with tons of airflow.

Chris and Hardy standing in the Grenache

The site hosts an intense red volcanic dusty loam.

The #1 Vineyard* in America stands at 2000 ft where Hardy Wallace began sourcing Pinot Blanc in 2013 for an exciting new venture from Dirty & Rowdy.

Hardy and Chris checking the Pinot Blanc

Hardy psyched about his Pinot Blanc

Across the street grows another excellent spot — some of the only Gamay in California, Barsotti Vineyard — one of two locations that RPM Wines (yummy) draw from. The vines grow over the crest of a hill and down to the edge of the American River Canyon with only blackberry bushes marking the bounds of the last step before Hill Tumble-down. Here: Chris and Hardy stand in the Gamay on the side of the slope.

Looking from above — Chris takes a pic of me standing in the Gamay in the last row before the Canyon edge

Standing around 2000 ft, ElenRidge Vineyard provides Rhone varieties for a number of yummy California labels including Skinner and Donkey & Goat .

Hardy and Chris walk in to inspect Mourvedre at ElenRidge Vineyard

Chris stands within Skinner’s Roussanne rows, with their Mourvedre rows on the Western facing slope in the background

Tasting the Northern Coast: Gros Ventre Coastal Pinots

Chris and Sarah Pittenger started their Pinot Noir label, Gros Ventre Cellars, in 2009 sourcing fruit from a few choice vineyards on the North Coast from Sonoma and Mendocino counties. Here: a vertical 2009-2011 of Cerise Vineyard Pinot (especially enjoyed the 2009)

A number of their vineyard sites count within the “West of the West” profile, clutching the rim of the Pacific on the Western reach of Sonoma county. Here: a 2011 horizontal — Cambell Ranch Vineyard, Sonoma Coast, and First Born.

The Baranoff Vineyard (here: 2009 and 2010) sits at the Western stretch of the Russian River Valley.

Chris Pittenger

The Gros Ventre Pinots offer a beautiful delicacy with great structure and tension. The wines tasted consistently gave a beautiful center of focus with light touch winemaking, and flavor variation based on location. Beautiful.

Chris and Sarah Pittenger

Sarah Pittenger

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* claim substantiated only by the personal opinion of a handful of very good people.

***
Thank you to Chris and Sarah Pittenger for extending the invitation.

Thank you to Hank Beckmeyer and Caroline Hoel for sharing time and having me.

Thank you to Carey and Mike Skinner for hosting such a wonderful dinner.

The Glimmer of a Life: Briefly, why I write about wine

Hawk Wakawaka

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Jul 18, 2013

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Winters ate more than half the year. In Spring, ice floats would form in the streets. I would play by making a leap in my silver moon boots from ice-island to ice-island the half mile walk from school to home. Across the street from the house there was a yard that grew pussy willows, a tree that bloomed fuzz blossoms with the first sun of spring. The rest of the world was wet from winter melt. Each day in March, I would stop the way home from school and pet the tiny bloom with my thumb, then return home.

Opening the front door, my mom would often be at the top of the stairs making food, the light still low that time of year. Sun would rush through the kitchen window and her silhouette would greet me, lit from behind with the light that would lift more for summer.

Growing up in Alaska offered a life of finding richness in deprivation. Produce in my childhood consisted only of dried up oranges, the firmest apples, and pears picked long before they were ripe. In summer, we lived on the western coast and survived mostly on canned mushrooms and frozen vegetables to accent fresh fish and wild meats. The salmon straight from water was so vibrant, its flavor made up for limp broccoli.

The ground of Alaska is barren. It offers open vistas of dramatic landscape, the tallest mountain in North America (Mt Denali) in the distance, but so far across the valley its size by contrast rests a comfortable peak, not so obviously the one that people fall from or freeze upon with regularity. The distances between such great objects make them smaller by perspective.

The earth there is made of tundra. Herbs, berry bushes, and tea grow in peat, bound together through miniaturized roots growing into miniaturized plants. In summer, walking across the tundra it is easy to overlook plantlife, leaving it unseen because of its tiny size until the leaves and bramble break beneath your feet and your world becomes awash in scents. Summers in Alaska for me were like the blind developing their other senses–walks across tundra are so rich in scent, so bare in visual appeal. It is this overwhelming flush of smells I now know drove me into wine. Leaving the Northern climes for anywhere else, I find myself in what might as well be (by comparison) city life. In such a life, there are no scents as rich as home except in a glass of wine.

The strongest lesson of growing up within Alaska, however, is the incredible mark one person makes. The land of Alaska, with all that tundra-peat, swallows history. What is built sinks into that moistened land. Untended, buildings disappear within a generation. My first trip to Boston, with all its Revolution era graveyards, and people buried four deep atop each other shook me to the core. Nothing stands so old in my frontier. That something could last so long, occur in layers and remain, moved me. In Alaska, a cut to the land shakes the landscape. Roadways appear as stark contrast to the raw earth surrounding. In a land that swallows buildings, your choices will be lost in a generation. But, because history does not own the landscape around you as it does in older cities, the choices of your generation echo much more strongly. One man’s choices change the world.

In Summer 2012, I came to Napa Valley only to meet a few men in wine. I had two days to give for a handful of meetings. In the midst of those meetings, however, I also connected unexpectedly with George Vare. He’s a man that now, in his final project — planting a small vineyard of Ribolla gialla in Napa Valley — has come to symbolize the pinnacle of wine geek accomplishment. After meeting a few Italian winemakers whose choices he believed in, he rescued cuttings of their vines in Italy and snuck them into the United States. From those he began what would be 2 1/2 acres in the town of Napa, leading now to plantings in Carneros, and the Russian River Valley. But he would also go on to impact a generation of winemakers younger than himself. How? to seek unusual varieties, to make wines under the influence of obscure talents from regions barely heard of, to experiment in wine making, measuring standards on a more global rather than simply market scale.

Interestingly, he planted his Ribolla vineyard at the same time he also dove deep into his practices of spiritual growth. The Ribolla was a commitment not of economic capital–he made no money from it–but of giving one self to a project bigger than yourself, to something you simply cannot predict and yet believe in.

Somehow in the midst of all of this, I was lucky enough to spend time with George Vare. He is only one man. He made simple, while brilliant choices. I write about wine because in the midst of all of this, if I pay enough attention, I am sometimes gifted with the glimmer of a life.

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Inspired by Stevie Stacionis, Matthew Rorick, and Katherine Yelle; and as in all things, my mom.

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