UNCORKED WINE TRAVELS

Musings Along The Wine Trails

Best Kept Secret in Sta. Rita Hills ~ Spear Vineyards & Winery

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Quite by happenstance, the highlight of my recent wine trek to Sta. Rita Hills AVA was discovering Spear Vineyards & Winery off Highway 246 in Lompoc.  While tasting at a neighboring winery, it was suggested that I make an appointment at Spear for “a true vineyard tasting experience.”

Much to my delight, I was welcomed to the newly opened tasting room for a private seated tasting. Unobstructed views of the vibrant Chardonnay vineyard surround the eclectic tasting room, formerly a 1920’s dairy barn and creamery, complete with towering silo.  Needless to say, the views were nothing less than spectacular.

Even more of a surprise, was meeting the young and upcoming Winemaker, Kat Gaffney.  Instantly, Kat’s laid-back, unpretentious manner put me at ease and led to many questions about her burgeoning wine path.

Kat started as a harvest intern in 2011 in San Luis Obispo, later working as a “flying winemaker.” Chasing harvests from the northern hemisphere to the southern hemisphere led her to cellar ventures in New Zealand, Oregon and Santa Barbara County.

Ego aside, Kat’s elegant Old World-style winemaking philosophy is simply to allow the pure expression of the fruit to present itself, with minimal intervention.  The small lot wines are artfully handcrafted via small cluster fermentation.  Grapes are carefully processed via gravity flow rather than traditional mechanical pumps, which can damage and bruise the fruit.  Wines are then aged in neutral French oak barrels to retain the varietal characteristics.

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Discover the Hidden Wine Caves in Sonoma Wine Country

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Looking for something different on your next wine trip to Sonoma County?  Start at the far end of Sonoma Valley at Buena Vista Winery, California’s first commercial winery established in 1857 by Count Agoston Haraszthy.

Steeped in history, legend has it that migrant Chinese workers were trapped alive while digging the caves for the Count.  Hence, ghost sightings have been reported in the tasting room and in the cave after hours.

Tucked away in the Chalk Hill AVA, east of Windsor, Roth Estates Winery features a more modern cave setting.  Specializing in Bordeaux varietals, Roth offers a unique property tour ending with a reserve tasting in the cave itself.

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Vin Santo Reigns In Chianti’s Medieval Hamlet of Castello di Volpaia

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On a recent trip to Tuscany, I had the good fortune to revisit the medieval hamlet of Castello di Volpaia, rising five miles atop the Tuscan hills near Radda in Chianti  The fortified borgo (village) dates back to the 11th century and is most well-known for it famous resident clockmaker and namesake, Lorenzo della Volpaia, and of course, its Vin Santo.

Vin Santo translates to “Holy Wine”, and is a type of Italian dessert wine.  One theory on the origin of  the “Holy Wine” is referenced in the historic use in the Catholic mass, where sweet wine was preferred.  Another claim dates back to the Renaissance era when wine merchants peddled the sweet nectar on the streets of Rome.

Interestingly, Vin Santo can be made sweet or bone dry, depending on how the wine is finished. Typically, Malvasia or Trebbiano grapes are used to craft a white Vin Santo and in Chianti, the flagship Sangiovese grape is used to make the red or rose Vin Santo.

Grapes destined for the dessert wine production are harvested in September or October and are hung to dry in the warm rafters or laid on straw mats in attics for several months, allowing the moisture to evaporate and the sugars to concentrate.  Sometimes these wines are also called “straw wines”.

The longer the wines are dried, the higher the residual sugar content, and the sweeter the wine. It is not uncommon to let the grapes dry naturally and hang in the rafters until March before crushing and fermenting the grapes.

Vin Santo is aged and stored in small oak barrels, for a minimum of 3 years and often aged up to 10 years.  The color of Vin Santo can range from pale to dark amber, even neon orange.

Vin Santo’s flavor profile has nutty or raisin notes with honey and cream attributes.  In Italy, Vin Santo is traditionally served with biscotti for dunking.

 

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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…]