Ultimate California Wine Blog

One of the difficulties of finding and tasting the wines of very small producers is that a large percentage of them don’t have tasting rooms or visitor facilities. They rely on custom crush wineries to help them make their wine and I have to carefully monitor local pouring events to see if they are offering tastes… This was how I stumbled on yet another elusive producer from the Napa valley, Spencer Roloson Winery, at the latest Copia tasting…

I was first drawn to the Mondrian-style design on the bottles, but then by the actual varietals. No standard Chard or Cab here! Nope – unusual and intriguing grapes are the norm. It is a small operation; Sam Spencer is the winemaker and has a varied background having started in the wine industry in New Zealand. Sam is the technician in the project, crafting the wine from grapes grown in what can only be considered extremist vineyards (a Clear Lake Tempranillo?). Wendy Roloson is his partner and it is she who is responsible for the design of the bottles and the marketing of the brand. Swan Day is the third leg in the tripod and it was she whom I met and was able to learn about this impressive wine. There were three available for me to taste, but five wines are in their book and I will look forward to acquiring and tasting the rest!

2004 Viognier, Noble Vineyard, Knights Valley – Fabulously rich nose of yellow and white stone fruit; peach, apricot, and yellow plum with layers of exotic, spicy flowers. Expressive, complex flavors that mirror the bouquet with a clean, bright acidity that heightens with a slightly mineral finish. $30.00

2003 Tempranillo, Madder Lake Vineyard, Clear Lake – What can I say? I adore Tempranillo and there are so few California wineries producing one that I am hard-pressed to not be thrilled… I find many Spanish Tempranillos medium-bodied so discovering a California version that is hefty and full-bodied is doubly more exciting. Dark and plummy, the hefty nose shows also displays vanilla, chocolate, and dark exotic earthy tones. Smooth and velvety in the mouth, black fruits dominate and show a hint of tobacco and rustic earth. $30.00

2003 Syrah, La Herrandura Vineyard, Napa Valley – These vineyards are located in Conn Valley which is just over the hill from the Meadowood resort. Inky black in color, with spicy exotic liqueur aromas of blackberry, blueberry, and clove. It is illusive and powerful showing concentrated flavors of black fruit with whispers of mineral and a defined herbal finish. $38.00

Spencer Roloson Winery ~ 1207 Randolph Street ~ Napa ~ CA ~ 94559 ~ 707-257-5880
No public tasting facility.

When you go to Benziger, be prepared for a long visit as there is lots to do here. For starters, this is a winery that is far off the main drag from other Sonoma wineries so getting there is a journey. It is located up a small, windy mountain road surrounded by secluded mountain residences. Dozens of buildings greet the visitor after passing through the white picket fence in a theme park-like atmosphere of gingerbread houses, passenger trams,and directional signs.

It is hard to not be charmed with an outhouse and as a winery, Offering charm, instruction, and great fun, I arrived too late in the date, but apparently the multi-passenger trams run several times a day and offer a 45-minute vineyard, garden, and wildlife sanctuary tour. Self-guided walking tours exist in adjacent gardens to show off what makes Benziger really special: Certified Organic and Biodynamic wines.

These are big buzzwords in the industry these days and I’m not going to provide an entire dissertation, but will give you a link: here. Suffice to say I have a growing appreciation for wineries promoting organic growing practices producing biodynamic wine. There are many doing it on a small scale, but here is an opportunity to see it on a large scale and taste multiple examples. Benziger is large, producing 176,000 cases of wine (not ALL biodynamic) and several dozen varietals including Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, multiple blends, and a sweet wine. I was selective in my tasting:

2000 Reserve Pinot Noir – 65% of the grapes come from the Bien Nacido Vineyards in the Santa Maria area of Santa Barbara and 35% from the Bodega area; Sterling Little Vineyards.. Huge, spicy nose with core of raspberry and cherry. Even and balanced, the smooth mouthfeel is defined and balanced. Predominately berry in its presentation. $37.00

2002 Bien Nacido Syrah – Medium-bodied, a dichotomy of aromas of boysenberry and a touch of hospital do not prepare for the intensely smooth, integrated mouth entry. Integrated and complex with a touch of sage on the finish. $37.00

2002 Petite Sirah, McNab Ranch, Mendocino – Spicy, dark blueberry liqueur in the small-production wine (380 cases). Surprisingly easy to drink, where many this young are bombs, this medium-bodied wine starts a little sweet, intensifies in the mid-palate, and finishes with a happy little bite of spice. $35.00

2003 Estate Sonoma Mountain Red – 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc. Dark cherry, cocoa, and tobacco aromas. Warm, soft entry shows deep, integrated terroir-driven notes with defined earthy components. $49.00

2001 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma County – This wine has been blended from grapes that come from four different vineyards throughout Sonoma. Immediate bouquet of cedar and eucalyptus complements with dark fruit flavors. Smooth and velvety, easy tannins are supple and expressive. $42.00

2002 Tribute – Their flagship wine dedicated to Helen and Bruno Benziger, this wine is darkly intense with black cherry and tobacco. Smooth erotic with earthy qualities. The feelings in the mouth are redolent with smooth tannins and hints of smoke. The finish is long and supple. $75.00

Benziger ~ 1883 London Ranch Road ~ Sonoma ~ Ca ~ 95442 ~ 707-935-3000
Three different tasting menus available, five tastes each;
$5.00 for their large production family wines
$10.00 for reserve and single vineyard wines
$10.00 for biodynamic and premiere wines

Emilio’s Terrace is a very small vineyard located in Oakville between Harlan and Staglin. Pretty nice neighborhood, huh? I had the opportunity to taste the wine at the latest Copia had another one of its lovely in-house tastings which frequently gives me access to wineries with no public facilities or tasting rooms. That is the case with Emilio’s Terrace, which is owned by Phil Schlein. The wine is made by Joe Cafaro and only 400 to 700 cases are ever made each year. The certified organic vineyard are 650 feet up above Robert Mondavi’s To-Kolan vineyard. While they grow both Cabernet and Merlot, A large portion of their Merlot is reserved and blended with some purchased grapes for a second label, by-the-glass restaurant wine. The good stuff is kept for the Emilio’s Terrace.

2002 Emilio’s Terrace Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve – 96% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Merlot. Dark purple in color, this intensely complex wine shows black fruit aromas of currant and black cherry. Hints of vanilla waft near the back of the nose. The mouth entry is rich and defined, showing layers of supple spice, brambleberry, and hefty tannins. Absolutely spendid. $50.00

Emilio’s Terrace ~ P.O. Box 88 ~ Oakville ~ CA ~ 94562 ~ 707-257-6761
No tastings available.

Simon Levi Cellars is located on the main road that stretches between Santa Rosa and Sonoma in a community known as Kenwood. It is a small, two-lane road peppered with small tasting rooms, tiny restaurants, and an occasional shop or two. One of the main draws for me, after driving past a number of times, was a sign that said Champagne.   Now I know darn well that Champagne is made in France and that California makes sparkling wine, but vernacular aside, wine with bubbles is a really great thing, whether it is sparkling from California, Prosecco from Italy, Champagne from France, or Cava from Spain. I also tend to forget that there are more and more wineries producing sparkling wine, getting into my own rut of drinking from my personal Big 5 (Chandon, Mumm, Taittinger, J, and Schramsburg).

The building is very reminiscent of an old-style school house; probably because it was red and shingled and quaint. A few picnic tables on the surrounding wooden deck invite guests to relax and stay a while. While there, taste from four different labels. The three made under the Simon Levi auspices is SLC (Simon Levi Cellars), Cuttings Wharf, and Pour la Vie. (The fourth label will be its own blog entry.)

The Pour la Vie label is the name given to the sparkling wines and is made in three flavors; a Grand Cuvee, Almondine, and Framboise. I wanted to get a good cross reference to all the offerings and did not bother tasting the almond or raspberry sparkling, although others in the tasting room seemed to enjoyed it. The tasting room has some lovely things as well — take a look at the suspended model train that runs above the pouring station! Open and spacious with some wonderful discoveries to be had.

2003 Cuttings Wharf Chardonnay – From Carneros fruit. Creamy tropical, kiwi nose with a bright, crisp entry. Not overly buttery or oaky, this fruity, balanced wine is easy to drink. $25.00

2002 Cuttings Wharf Pinot Noir – Light red color belies with intense, fruit-forward, fresh aromas of cherry and strawberry. Substantially more body and structure in the mouth with a defined, sculpted mineral mid-palate. $25.00

2003 Simon Levi Dry Creek Syrah – Dark, plummy colored wine. Smoke and candy dominate the nose. A tad hot on the mouth entry, flavors of spice and earthy mint tease until the slightly dry finish. $28.00

NV Pour la Via Grand Cuvee – 100% Chardonnay. Nutty, creamy, and slightly sweet on entry (probably because I was tasting it after the reds). Hints of light kiwi. $18.00

Simon Levi Cellars ~ 9380 Sonoma Highway ~ Kenwood ~ CA ~ 95452 ~ 707-833-5070
No charge to taste.

When it comes to historical pedigree, there is a little bit of hair-splitting as to who is the oldest winery in America. It is often touted that Agoston Haraszthy is father of modern viticulture and in 1857 purchased a hunk of property in Sonoma to start Buena Vista Winery. Jacob Gundlach also bought some property in 1857 to open Gundlach Bundschu but apparently it was technically a few months after Agostin started his winery.

To make all this that much more confusing, the original property that Agoston purchased is now home to Bartholomew Park Winery (still the site of Agoston’s home) and the current Buena Vista site was a secondary wine-making facility that was constructed in the 1870s. The modern grounds are stunning and well worth the visit. Guided tours and picnic grounds are available, allowing visitors to sit amidst stately old trees.

The tasting room is a stately affair; two stories with the second floor full of historical displays showing some fabulous pictures of Haraszthy’s family, some stunning scenes of the early Chinese workforce. The room is beautifully bedecked in dark wood, hearkening to the stately gradeur of its legacy. The pouring staff are friendly and extremely helpful. While I had a bit of wait before being noticed, the nice man who assisted me insisted on delaying his break to make sure seamless service was proffered.

2004 Pinot Gris – Light and fruity, a sweet nose of honey suckle and white flowers. Clean entry with more sweetness than I usual care for. Crisp acidity comes after the sugar in the medium-bodied wine. $19.00

2003 Carneros Reserve Pinot Noir – Some initial green aromas; leaves or underripe fruit. Light body, red fruit and green olive display in the sharp entry. Young. $25.00

2003 Estate Carneros Pinot Noir, Clone 4 Pommard – Rich, terroir-driven wine. Supple nose shows a whisper of green olive with a core of red cherry. Soft mouth entry showing red fruit and floral qualities. $38.00

2002 Tres – 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Sangiovese, 6% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petite Verdot, 2% Syrah. Aromas of green tobacco and herbs. Medium-bodied red fruit is fuller than the nose implies. Textured, but young. $29.00

2003 Syrah – Rich, smoky nose showing youth. Blackberry liqueur flavors in the initial taste. Thin on the intial entry which expands to a chewier middle, showing richer brambleberry on the finish. Medium bodied and even texture. $38.00

Buena Vista ~ 18000 Old Winery Road ~ Sonoma ~ CA ~ 95476 ~ 800-926-1266