A taste of CA in NY

My cousins and I went to a Sonoma wine tasting in New York comprising 20 vintners. Though I am American, it’s probably the region in the U.S. that I am least familiar with, falling behind even Oregon and Washington State.

I often discount a restaurant’s offerings of California’s wines assuming they are over-oaked, and over-priced. This particular tasting was not without a few of those stereotypical oaky Chardonnays, and even a few woody reds.  As my cousin said about one of the wines at the tasting, “I feel like a termite.”

When we walked in to the Ana Tzarev Gallery, where the event was held, I recognized a few vineyards I had previously and had enjoyed, including Gary Farrell and Ferrari-Carano Vineyards, and I was excited to try their selections and share these with my cousins who had not tasted from these producers before. There were also plenty of the other representatives that are commonly found on store shelves and that we initially misinterpreted as capable of only producing low-end, jug wine.

Still, we were determined to keep open minds and unbiased palates for each vintner. Good thing because the true surprises came where we least expected.

My first lesson came in understanding the classic California Meritage.  I’ve always enjoyed the blend, but I never fully comprehended what constitutes one. I quickly learned that a Meritage from California must comprise a mix of up-to seven varietals, only five of which grow in California. Those include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. No single varietal may compose more than 90% of the wine. For a wine to compose those varietals and be labeled as a Cabernet Sauvignon, rather than a Meritage, it must contain a minimum of 75% of the grape.

Among our favorite expressions of the Meritage was the Ferrari-Carano Vineyards 2006 Trésor. Rodney Strong also poured a delightful blend, which is sold under the Symmetry label. The wine we tasted was a 2006. The Cyrus from Alexander Valley Vineyards was another Meritage that we enjoyed quite a lot. Bottles sell for around $75, $45 and $55, respectively.

Zinfandel was the next favorite of the group. Several producers showed some very solid examples, with the wines emanating notes of vanilla and tobacco. Acorn Winery showed a fantastic value in its 2007 selection, which sells for around $35. D’Argenzio Winery poured a 2004 Zin that was made from 100+ year-old vines and was quite enjoyable, while Deerfield Ranch poured two variations. One was under the Red Rex label and was mellow with little indication that it was aged in oak for 28 months. The second was made from old vines and was more bold, yet well balanced.

Our favorite value wine was from Alexander Valley Vineyards and was the 2007 Cabernet that sells for $20. 50,000 cases are made per year and the wine sees about 15 months in oak, though you would never know it from tasting it.

Yet, the most surprising wine of the night was consumed at Ravenswood’s table. There was a 2007 Icon, which comprises Carignan, Petit Verdot, Syrah, Zinfandel, and Mixed Blacks. The wine was amazing, and quite unexpected from a producer that we normally associate with under-$20 Zinfandel. The Icon sells for around $70.

There’s still much more I want to learn about this west coast region’s wines, but I walked out of the tasting more educated, and yes, more intoxicated, than when I walked in.

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Natural goodness

The concept of drinking biodynamic wine is often met by two differing views. On one side, there is a growing movement among those who believe the fewer synthetic chemicals consumed the better. The other side consists of those who believe the addition of fining agents, preservatives, and other enzymes in the vinification and fermentation processes will produce a more pure and perfect wine.

As our culture seeks sustainability, there’s more acceptance to allow the grapes to grow without human manipulation. Sure, winemakers have employed these tactics for years, such as Ales Kristancic of Movia in Slovenia. Still, more farmers are turning towards a natural approach in the vineyard, avoiding man-made chemicals and instead opting for naturally occurring compounds, as well as herbal remedies to treat ailing vines, or no treatment at all but to let nature take its course.

For wines to be considered natural, a few criteria include use of hand-picked, organically or biodynamically grown grapes from low yielding vines, no added sugars, foreign yeasts or sulfites, no fining or filtering, and no acidity adjustments.

Ultimately, it all comes down to taste. Yesterday, I attended the Natural Wine Event at the Astor Center. There were no clear indications on the palate that any of these wines were organic or unfiltered. On a subconscious level, it was nice to know that the wines I tasted were among the most pure I could consume. Yet, just like any other large tasting event, there were some more pleasing than others.

My favorite in the tasting was the 2005 Minervois “La Mere Grand” from Le Loup Blanc in the Languedoc-Roussillon, France. The wine is composed of 60% grenache and 40% syrah. A bottle retails for roughly $23.99.  Also from the winemaker, Alain Rochard, was a 2006 “Les Trois Petits C” Vin de Pays. This wine blended some Spanish varietals with the typical French grapes, and comprised tempranillo, grenache, carignan and alicante. It retails for around $21.99.

One other standout for the day was the 2007 Colombaia Rosso Toscano IGT from winemakers Dante and Helena Lomazzi. It is 100% sangiovese, aged in a steel tank, with no oak. It is a very easy drinking, well balanced wine, with good fruit and light tannins. The bottle goes for $22.99.

Each of the winemakers showcased were present and available to pour their wines and discuss their individual production methods. There were 25 wines to sample in all.

Biodynamic or not, after that much wine it was time to drink water and get something to eat. Of course, I never did ask whether my skirt steak was from grass-fed cow or if the arugula was pesticide-free.

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