Ultimate California Wine Blog

Garré Winery and Café is apparently a destination of sorts. Located on a main corner of Livermore, considerable traffic was streaming in to both the tasting room and the adjacent café. I am sorry I didn’t take pictures of the entrance. It is a tad misleading as the dirt entryway cuts right between two buildings. Initially, I parked my car under the shady tree, thinking that the building on the right was the tasting room. Nope — I figured out when I saw other folks driving towards the back that the entire action is at the back of the property; tasting room, café, and a bocce ball court.

The tasting room is a single large room with slanted ceilings. An old wall-installed air conditioner just barely keeps the room tepid. Not quite as hot as the 100+ temperature outside, but still a tad too warm to enjoy red wines. Besides the red, they offered a White Zinfandel, which I turned down when I heard another guess exclaim how sweet it was.

From what I could gather, the Molinaris are the proprietors and own the Pleasanton Transfer Station but have only been in the wine business for eight years. They have ten acres of vineyards from which they produce 2,500 cases. I have to add that I asked about prices while there and was told conflicting information. I was told the Cabernet Franc was $23.00 but their website indicates it is $18.00. With that discrepancy in mind, I’m leaving all the prices out of this report.

2002 Cabernet Franc – Seared bacon aromas present themselves immediately, but give way to produce light fruit. Even entry with a tangy, acidic mid-palate. The soft finish shows cocoa and muted, integrated spice.

2001 Cabernet Franc – Rich and jammy with dark blackberry, brambleberry, and strawberry. The jamminess subsides and hints of eucalyptus remains. Even mouth entry with smooth finish that pales a bit but still displays a tease of spice.

2000 Merlot – Spice is what comes out first, then dark plum and cherry tones. The entry is a bit dry with a taste of dried twigs and warm spice.

1997 Merlot – Dusty floral pairs with hints of blueberry in the nose. The entry is sweeter than anticipated. Very easy and well-balanced, but a tad more perfumey than I’d prefer.

2002 Cabernet Sauvignon – This was odd. I could have sworn the bottle from which I was poured was corked. I indicated as such to the lady behind the counter who didn’t seem to know what corked meant. Perhaps it was a description that she did not realize was bad. So I tried to explain that it was a bad bottle and she asked if I would like the next vintage. "No," I explained, "I’d like to try a new bottle." There was a young man behind the counter who seemed to understand and opened another one. It was similar, so either I tasted two corked wines in a row, or they are just mediocre. The color was pale red, almost Pinot-like with hints of green bell pepper behind the wet cardboard.

2001 Cabernet Sauvignon – A medium-body wine with a bit more color than its predecessor. Herby tones with layers of mint. Thin mouthfeel and unexciting.

Garré Winery & Café ~ 7986 Tesla Road ~ Livermore ~ CA ~ 94550 ~ 925-371-8200

White Crane Winery could be considered far off the beat-n-track, as far as Livermore is concerned. It is located at the very end of a long, straight street, through an agricultural area peppered with horses, grape vineyards, and a golf course. Nestled up against the edge of some small hills at the end of the road, there is a slight incline where the buildings are place, giving the winery an elegant view of the surrounding valley. White Crane has begun creating a second label entitled "Winery 21" to denote the fact that they were the 21st winery in the Livermore valley.

As you enter the dirt road driveway, you witness a small white house. Compared to the behemoths of the Napa valley, this is decidedly quaint and charming as you approach the building up through the winery’s grapevines.

The charm continues as you enter the tasting room, which I gather to be historic due to its low, sloped ceilings and aged wood interior. White twinkling Christmas lights and a large provide the illumination. Eager and convivial staff man the tasting bar; or bars — as they are actually nothing more than wine barrels which have been converted into tables. The prices given are estimates as the staff did not have a price list and only seemed to know a total if physically rung into a cash register. Quaint and charming seem to be the words which describe both the experience and the wines:

Winery 21 NV California Sparkling – Made from 100% Chardonnay, this estate-grown fizzy shows a bit of sweet wine stone fruit in the nose and a delightful semi-sweet entry. Clean and easy, I could throw one of these back with no problem on a sweltering afternoon. $17.00

2002 Chardonnay, Folkendt Estate – Clear, bright aromas of pear, apple, and butterscotch. Depth in the mid-palate and a long, creamy finish. $35.00

2003 Merlot, Perpendicular – Dark, purple core color with black plum and black brambleberry fruit showing in the nose. Very elegant and spicy mouth entry displays continual dark fruit and a spicy, engaging finish. $26-ish

2002 Cabernet Sauvignon, Folkendt Estate West Ridge – A touch of green bell pepper in the nose. Hot, mineral entry with an herbal finish. Surprising hotness, considering it is only 13.8% alcohol. $41.37.

2002 Cabernet Sauvignon, Folkendt Estate East Ridge – Slightly medicinal nose that subsides to show dark fruit. Even, smooth entry blossoms with a medium-bodied berry complexion. Smooth finish with a hint of cocoa. $49.66.

2003 Zinfandel – Dark magenta color with a jammy aroma. Port-like blackberry mouth entry with a sweet spice on the back end. Curious if there is any residual sugar in this wine and it is not necessarily a bad thing; I tend to like my Zins a tad on the sweet side with the spicy integration. Not syrupy, but medium-bodied that makes it easy to drink.  No price.

2003 Zinfandel Port – Apparently the fortifying agent in this wine is a zinfandel brandy. I got to sniff a bit from a bottle they had behind the counter. The port is inky dark and goes where the previous Zin began; liqueur and spice and everything nice. No price.

2004 Chardonnay Port – Odd to have finished the tasting with a white sticky and I was a tad sorry that it was served at room temperature. The girls behind the counter were nice enough to pull out a platter of Stilton which improves the wine. A tad hot, I could detect some elegant white peach and honey, but would like to try it again slightly chilled. No price.

White Crane Winery ~ 5405 Greenville Road ~ Livermore ~ CA ~ 94550 ~ 925-455-8085

Gundlach Bundschu has always prided itself on being the oldest family-owned winery in North America. However, the Bundschu family had to shut down their winery during Prohibition so the next in line for claim to fame goes to Wente, who is the oldest family-owned continually operating winery, dating back to 1883. Right in the middle of Livermore!

There are actually two separate places to visit and taste Wente wines in Livermore. I stumbled on to the one on Tesla, but only later learned there was a "visitor center" on Arroyo Road. From the looks of their website, the Arroyo Road location also provides wine tastings but might be the prettier of the two, as it is available for wedding rentals. There are also signs around for a concert series so I imagine the other location has significantly bigger facilities. This was not an eyesore by any means, however.

The Tesla Road set of buildings includes a tasting room that is actually two small octagonal buildings; one being a bar-in-the-round and the other the gift shop. The tasting area is surrounded by stone walls on which artworks are displayed, with exhibits changing in rotation. The folks pouring are pleasant and informative, but choose wisely. This is one of those companies that almost produce too much to taste in one sitting. I cherry-picked my tastings, thus:

NV Reserve Brut, Arroyo Seco and Monterey – 48% Pinot Noir and 52% Pinot Blanc. Hint of yeast and citrus that produced both a clean, dry entry. Easy, but unexceptional. $14.95

2003 Riesling, Vineyard Selection, 78% Arroyo Seco, 22% Monterey – At 2.20% residual sugar, this wine has been tempered with 24% Gewurztraminer. Initial overt aroma of orange blossom which anticipated a sweetness that did not reveal itself in the mouth entry, to my delight. With as much residual sugar as this wine had, this wine had the potential to be a sugar bomb. Instead, while it was definitely sweet, the hint of spiciness and integrated melon, peach, and honeysuckle flavors were quite pleasant. $8.95

2003 The Nth Degree Chardonnay – Clear, bright lemony yellow color. Butter and lemon predominate with a layer of lemon peel and kiwi. Surprisingly sweet entry in the mouth that touches on sweet apple, dairy butter, and a hint of toast. $35.00

2002 Pinot Noir, Reliz Creek Reserve, Arroyo Seco, Monterey – Great fruity nose of raspberry, dark cherry, and a hint of smoky earth. Unfortunately, the bright engaging nose was lost on the mouth entry which was harsh and metallic with a strident finish. $17.95

2002 Merlot, Crane Ridge Reserve – 79% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Barbera. Liqueur-like  aromas of dark, elegant plum, exotic wood, and heady spice. Clean, smooth mouth entry with a balanced finish. $17.95

2002 Syrah, Vineyard Selection – 75% Syrah, 19% Barbera, and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon. Stunning pomegranate aromas just barely concealing dark cherry and hints of earth. Port-like entry that was a bit sweet but blossomed to show integration of roasted coffee and black strawberries. $12.95

2002 Small-Lot Cabernet Sauvignon/Syrah – 54% Cabernet Sauvignon and 46% Syrah. Dark, clear purple color with bouquet of dark brambleberry and subtle tones of spice. Very smooth entry that was a tad hot in the mid-palate. I’m confident the heat will subside with aging. Vanilla finish is rich and clean. $45.00

Wente Vineyards Tasting Room ~ 5565 Tesla Road ~ Livermore ~ CA ~ 94550 ~ 925-456-2305
Wente Vineyards Visitor’s Center ~ 5050 Arroyo Road ~ Livermore ~ CA ~ 94550 ~ 925-456-2405

Rios-Lovell Estate Winery marks the beginning of my investigation of the Livermore Appellation. This was one of those enigma appellations which I knew very little. I know there are these pockets of profuse wine-making throughout California, but I had no idea that the Livermore valley dated back to the 1880s. While I barely scratched the surface of the neighborhood, I am anxious to go back when the thermometer is somewhere south of three digits…

Max Rios and Katie Lovell were married when they established the winery. Divorced in 2004, it is Katie who is the winemaker and driving force behind the winery. Apparently Max still lives on the property and works as a cabinet maker while Katie commutes from the Saratoga area a few days a week.

There is an interesting ante-chamber before the tasting room that is amazingly painted with a number of murals, giving a bistro-like, old-world feel. The facilities are known in the area for hosting weddings and the grounds include a separate building for receptions as well as a garden arbor.

2002 Reserve Estate Chardonnay – Somewhat standard offering, classic Asian pear and tropical fruit aromas. Creamy, butterscotch entry that has an easy mouthfeel. $16.00

2003 Reserve Estate Chardonnay – Warm, fruity nose showing similar tropical tones as the first, but with a tad more depth. Cream and butter. $16.00

2001 Estate Petite Sirah – A dark wine with a core of purple, blueberry is predominant in the nose, giving way to show some black cherry. Effusively dark berry aromas with hints of vanilla. Terrific mouthfeel that is elegant and opulent. Dry in the mid-palate with a lingering, cherry finish. $22.00

2003 Estate Sangiovese – A medium-bodied offering showing bright strawberry bouquet with hints of tin. Red cherry predominates the mouth with moderate acidity that sadly turns a bit harsh on the end. $19.00

2000 Ramiro’s Red – A blend of 50% Barbera, 35% Sangiovese, 10% Petite Sirah, and 5% Zinfandel. Great jammy nose of dark berry and bright black cherry. Heightened acidity shows on the entry with more cherry tones. Mint shows in the middle and end for a fun, easy wine. $19.00

2002 Reserve Port – An odd port offering blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese fortified with brandy. Sadly painful aromas of petrol and pine tar. A sickly sweet entry shows strawberry with a sugary finish. $38.00

Rios-Lovell Estate Winery ~ 6500 Tesla Road ~ Livermore~ CA ~ 94550 ~ 925-443-0434

Earlier this year, I documented a Beringer Blass side-product, TwoTone Farms. I was approached to comment on yet another Beringer product, White Lie Early Season Chardonnay. The public relations kit that accompanied the product is chock-full of incredibly pretty documents explaining that this product is a “premium wine tailor-made for women, [and] by women.” The all-female team is Tracey Mason (Director of Global Innocation), Jane Robichaud (Winemaker), and Bettina Ferrando (New Product Development Manager). There is kitchy comments on the types of lies that women say (“I never got the message,” “I was stuck in traffic,” “It’s not you, it’s me”) and other offensive phrases.

The occasion to blog the Livermore valley over the weekend was also occasion to meet up with my good friends, April and Walt. Walt suggested grilling up some salmon after the day’s blogging and knowing the 100+ degree heat of the area, a low-alcohol, low-calorie white wine might work perfectly with Walt’s salmon.  What I did not anticipate was the great joy to be had in sharing a new-concept wine with scientists…

Part of the product’s selling points is that it is lower in alcohol, 9.8%, versus a typical 13.5% chardonnay and that the calorie content is 97 calories per five fluid ounces versus a normal 129 calorie glass. How can this be developed? Well, Beringer Blass has trademarked a technique where the grapes picked earlier in the season, which have a lower sugar content (brix), are fermented all the way to dryness before blending. The assertion is that the resulting wine “tastes crisp and fruity but is also low in sugar, naturally making it low in alcohol and calories.” Yes, it is true the wine is crisp, but almost too much so.

The crisp entry is harsh with tart acidity. There are faint aromas of lemon peel, but not much bouquet beyond that. The mouth entry is almost painfully strident. What this lead to in our discussion over dinner was Walt’s brilliant question; Would the wine taste better if it were, in fact, a 13% alcohol wine? Here is where the scientists took off and I sat back and marvelled…

April is a chemist and Walt a programmer/analyst. Over a flurry of discussion that was more than Greek to me, the two of them debated the amount of neutral alcohol that would have to be added to the existing wine to make a 13% alcoholic wine. A book was pulled from the shelf and calculations were configured; 7 grams of Vodka would be added to 98 grams of the White Lie to produce a wine at 13%. I thought it a brilliant experiment.

The final result? We tasted both wines a second time — the original 9.8% and the newly-created 13% version. The new wine was a tad more palatable. It definitely had more body, but was still flabby and lacking depth or balance. Much the ensuing discussion revolved around why White Lie was created. It has been established that while men purchase wine to collect, women make up the bulk of the wine-buying market for immediately consumption. But I know of no women that would drink this wine. I do marvel at Beringer Blass’s gumption in breaking new ground and the regard I have for the Two Tone product is an example. But in the case of the White Lie, perhaps there is poetic justice when being asked what I thought and a “little white lie” comes to mind…

With sincerest thanks to April and Walt for a charming and illuminating evening, delightful company, and a fabulous dinner! Hope you don’t mind the pics….