UNCORKED WINE TRAVELS

Musings Along The Wine Trails

Riding High In The Rhone Zone ~ Andrew Murray Vineyards

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Foxen Canyon’s Andrew Murray Vineyards is fresh and alive with small lot Syrahs and enticing Rhône blends.  Formerly Curtiss Winery, Andrew Murray has leased the vineyards  from long-time family friends, the Firestone family, and has tastefully remodeled the tasting room, making it a must-stop along the wine trail.

14770070654_9655c336c1_mAndrew Murray Vineyards‘ focus will remain on Rhône varieties, with an emphasis on Syrah, Mourvèdre, Viognier, Grenache Blanc and Roussanne.DSC_2990-240x159

“Come see what we can do in this new home with expanded winemaking capacity, and access to additional Estate Grown vineyards.”

Andrew Murray, Winemaker

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Santa Ynez Valley’s Sunstone Winery ~ C’est Tres Magique

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Reminiscent of a Provencal manor in Southern France,  Sunstone Winery features one of the grandest tasting rooms in the Santa Ynez Valley.

The south-facing vineyards sway in the breeze along the Santa Ynez River, creating an ideal microclimate for producing high quality Bordeaux and Rhone varietals.  French varietals planted on the 28 acre estate include Viognier, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Syrah.

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Founders Fred and Linda Rice had a grandiose vision for Sunstone Winery, scouring reclamation yards in Marseille and Provence for artifacts and furnishings for the 8.500 square foot villa.

sunstone_winery_kitchen“Reclaimed materials, such as French limestone, hand-formed roof tiles, a fireplace from the Bordeaux region of France, enormous hand-hewn pine beams from Queen Victoria’s lavender factory, a prison cell door from Normandy constructed during Napoleon’s reign, and a thousand-year old limestone kitchen sink were all incorporated into their dream building.”

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Paso Robles’ Niner Wine Estates is Actually a “Ten-er”!

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Driving down Highway 46 West outside of Paso Robles, it’s hard to miss the heart-shaped tree grove in the middle of the vineyard at Niner WIne Estates.  The Tuscan-styled stone building seems a little out of character for the sleepy Paso Robles AVA, but is worthy of a visit.

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Niner Wine Estates is the family-owned “dream child” of founder Richard Niner, a farmer from West Virginia.  Niner ventured west in the mid 1990s and followed his passion for wine, acquiring three separate vineyards ~ Bootjack Ranch, east of Paso Robles; Heart Hill Vineyard on the west side of Paso Robles and Jespersen Ranch in nearby Edna Valley.

NWE_tastingroom_interiorAll Niner Estate Wines are crafted from estate grapes from the three vineyards ~ Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Malbec, Petite Sirah, Barbara, Carmenere,  Syrah, Grenache, Cabernet Franc and smaller blocks of Petite Verdot, Merlot, Mourvedre, Semillion, Roussanne, and Grenache Blanc.  [Read more…]

Tuscany’s Top 10 Wine Trivia

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In many ways, Sangiovese is to Chianti as Cabernet Sauvignon is to Bordeaux. Both form the base of wines that blend beautifully with other varietals, yet alone, they share a distinctive elegance and complexity. To impress your fellow oenophiles at the next dinner party, read on:

  1. Tuscany has 9 DOCG appellations that date back to the Etruscans in the 8th century BC. Sangiovese, Tuscany’s most prominent grape, is derived from the Latin sanguis Jovis, which literally translates to the “blood of Jove”.   Sangiovese is the premier grape varietal in Italy, planted on over 247,000 acres with 14 separate and distinct clones. Sangiovese thrives in direct sunlight at altitudes of 500 to 1600 feet. The higher elevations increase the diurnal temperature variation, helping the grapes maintain their balance of sugars and acidity as well as their aromatic qualities. 3m26JPG
  1. The Chianti zone is the largest classified wine region and produces over eight million cases of wine each year. The region is split into two DOCGs – Chianti and Chianti Classico. The larger Chianti zone is further divided into eight DOC sub-zones and produces white, other Rosso reds and Vin Santo.
  1. To be considered a Chianti Classico, wines must be 75% to 100% Sangiovese and can contain up to 20% of international varietals such as Cabernet and Merlot. Chianti Classico covers approximately 100 square miles between Florence and Siena and includes the communes of Castellina, Gaiole, Greve and Radda and five other neighboring communes.   Chianti Classico is required to be aged for a minimum of three years.5mp30JPG
  1. All but one Tuscany DOCG is comprised of Sangiovese grapes.  Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG produces the only white grape called Vernaccia . Other white grapes planted in Tuscany are Trebbiano, Malvasia, Vermantino and Chardonnay and are frequently used in blending wines.
  1. Vin Santo, also known as “holy wine”, is made of Trebbiano which is harvested in late fall and air-dried on straw mats until the start of Holy Week before bottling. Vin Santo ages for 3 to 10 years in small barrels and is produced in small quantities. Vin Santo makes an excellent Italian dessert wine.

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SD Vintners Debut 2014 Barrel Samples At Fall Harvest Event

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San Diego wine aficionados were invited to the 2014 Fall Harvest Wine Symposium & Wine Tasting held at the prestigious rooftop Vintana Wine + Dine restaurant  in Escondido last weekend.

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IMG_8024The symposium, hosted by Cohn Restaurant Group Beverage Director Maurice DiMarino, featured a panel of seven San Diego County Winemakers and their 2014 barrel samples.

Each winemaker presented a barrel sample and discussed the particular wine presented for tasting with the specific challenges that were encountered in the 2014 growing and harvest season.

In addition to the 2014 barrel samples, the San Diego winemakers showcased previous vintages which were available for tasting and purchase.
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