UNCORKED WINE TRAVELS

Musings Along The Wine Trails

Ojai’s Spiritual Vortex (And Great Wine) Soothes The Soul

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Photo credit Melissa Curtin/Money Inc.

Believe what you may, but Ojai’s spiritual vortex is very real, super calming and guaranteed to soothe the soul.  A 14-mile trek up Highway 33 from Ventura connects nature and casts good vibes to all those who visit and live there.  The actual town of Ojai is nestled along a winding country road lined with old oaks and majestic redwoods in the Topatopa Mountains.  A known burial ground for the Chumash Indians,  the translation for Ojai is ‘moon’, which probably explains the immense spiritual energy present connecting nature and visitors alike.  Artsy shop owners in downtown’s Arcade warmly welcome visitors after a long year’s closure, and eclectic spiritual boutiques on the back streets wistfully display their colorful clothing and spiritual wares.

As a curious enophile though, Topa Mountain Winery was a natural point of interest.  Excited to experience Topa Mountain Winery’s wine tasting featuring Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo AVA wines, we settled in for a relaxing afternoon of sunshine and stellar wines.

The mixed flight kicked off with a 2019 Rosé of Grenache from Santa Barbara Highlands and the warmer Happy Canyon AVA.  Followed by a zesty oaked 2017 Viognier from Santa Barbara County’s White Hawk and Camp Four vineyards.

Topping the score sheet was the 2017 Blend 150, scoring 93 points from Wine Enthusiast, a Rhone blend of Grenache and Syrah from Demetria Vineyards in Santa Ynez.  Expertly paired, I might add, with the fig and olive tapenade and organic crackers.  And not to be overshadowed by the opulent 2016 Syrah Bien Nacido from Santa Maria AVA.

All of the wines along with the gracious service proved to be a memorable experience at Topa Mountain Winery.  Also noteworthy is, that the winery is dog-friendly and encourages a BYOPL (Bring Your Own Picnic Lunch) vibe.  An excellent way to while away the hours in sunny peaceful Ojai.

 

Hidden Gem Alert ~ Dry Creek’s Unti Vineyards Is A “10”

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One could easily imagine being in the heart of Tuscany or in the hills of the Languedoc when driving through Dry Creek Valley.  The scenery along the 16 mile long valley floor is absolutely stunning and reminiscent of the Mediterranean countryside. The undulating forested hills and thick vineyards are steeped in history dating back to the 1860’s when the first Italian immigrants settled there, planting the first Zinfandel vines.

Fast forward to 2018 where Zinfandel is still King here, although many other mediterranean varietals are now grown in this fertile valley ~ just ask Mick Unti, winemaker at Unti Vineyards.  Unti is a little gem of a winery hidden off Dry Creek Road, slightly past the historic Dry Creek General Store.  The tasting room is small and understated, however, the wines are stellar.

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Windsor’s Notre Vue Estate’s Unabashed Views Are Worth The Drive

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Always up for an adventure, I was curious about the seemingly bold name for a winery, Notre Vue, (translates to Our View), an off-the-beaten path winery situated a few miles east of the town of Windsor.   My directions were vague at best, so I proceeded up the lone dirt road, passing through the gates of the old Windsor Oaks vineyards, veering to the left, careening to the right, for what seemed a few miles, all the way to the end of the road.

All I can say is that the name Notre Vue is an understatement.  The expansive Notre Vue Estate sits high atop a ridge, surrounded by over 350 acres of wild preserved open space, with panoramic views stretching from the Russian River Valley all the way east to the Mayacama Mountains, with St. Helena as a backdrop.

Over 250 acres are planted to Bordeaux, Rhone and Italian varietals, allowing for small lot production. Notre Vue varietals include Dolcetto, Viognier, Chardonnay, Muscat, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Malbec, Mouvedre, Petite Verdot, Petit Syrah, Sangiovese, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Merlot and Grenache.  A second label, Balverne, produces a reserve Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, Rosé, Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon.   [Read more…]

Cheers To Russian River Valley’s “Uneventful” 2018 Harvest!

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By far, harvest is my favorite time of year in any wine country.  The sweet smell of ripe grapes fill the air as they wait their turn on the vines to be picked.  Night picking is the norm in Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley as the cool late summer nights provide a natural refrigeration, delaying oxidation and spoilage before the grapes get into the winery for processing.

Driving around the vineyards between sundown and sunrise can be a surreal sight as the fields are ablaze with spotlights, providing the ideal backdrop for the night workers.   (Photo courtesy of Jordan Vineyard & Winery).  The deafening din of the tractors and heavy harvest machinery can be heard for miles as the grapes are quickly harvested. Within hours, the vines are stripped and the grapes are loaded into large plastic bins and hauled off to the winery’s crush pad.

Upon arrival, the grapes travel down a vibrating conveyor belt where they are hand-sorted.  Undesirable grapes or under ripened grapes are removed by the sorters.  In larger winery operations, the grapes may be laser optically sorted instead. Depending on the varietal and wine style, grapes may be placed in a de-stemmer machine which effectively removes the stems to avoid bitterness, or in some cases, the grapes are placed in separate bins, with the stems to add tannin, for whole cluster fermentation.

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A Toast To The Emerging Wines Of Valle de Guadalupe (Baja California, Mexico)

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On a recent trek to Baja’s Valle de Guadalupe with foodie group Wine Pairs Events of San Diego, it was soon evident that Baja itself had not changed much in the past 30 years.  Sure, seeing the 1920’s Hollywood  resort aka, the classic Rosarita Beach Motel, now towering umpteen stories high with over 500 rooms, was a little bit of a shock, but the charm of the La Fonda Motel and little mercado storefronts along the way looked pretty much the same.  An hour later, we arrived at our destination.

Our group of 26 eager wine tasters were warmly welcomed at Vinedos Malagon, gently nestled in the crux of the valley floor.   Winemaker Alberto Rubio holds a degree in Enology and  has been at the helm since 2011 turning out small lots of handcrafted wines.  Rubio is ultra-passionate about  winemaking and also produces organic, dry-farmed wine from old vines for his private label, Fluxes.

Vinedos Malagon‘s field blend, 2014 Tinta Mexicana, beautifully marries Nebbiolo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Grenache and Petit Sirah together for an aromatic  immersion of dark berry fruit laced with black peppercorn.  Aged in 10% new French oak, this blend is one of the most popular value-driven wines in the lineup.

For purists, the 100% 2015 Grenache plays on the senses with the intoxicating aromas of  raspberry, tart cherry and sun-kissed strawberry, touched with hints of vanilla and cinnamon.  Very feminine and delicate, this wine is aged in 20% new French oak and will age well due to the higher acidity.

Another Grenache crowd-pleaser was the 2015 Grenache Rosé, a delicate salmon-colored dry rosé produced using the saignee method. www.vinedosmalagon.com

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