Ultimate California Wine Blog

Throwing myself back into the reviewing of wines and wineries is going to be quite a process. While I used to be able to drive around the Napa and Sonoma counties, being a San Francisco-bound girl makes those trips a bit more cumbersome. To start, I will be relying on large tastings coming to the city and usually, to Fort Mason. This last weekend was Rhone Rangers, and while I did not get through nearly as many wineries as I would like, it was a great pleasure to meet new friends and taste through some lovely wines — not the least of which was Zaca Mesa. Eric Mohseni is the winemaker and with the exception of a Chardonnay, their website shows they are almost an exclusively Rhone varietal producer.

A few things that Eric told me during my tasting; he models a few wines after the Château-du-Pape legacy, they are all about sustainable practices in the vineyards, and Zaca Mesa does not source grapes, but grows it all themselves and have done so for over 25 years. They claim to have the oldest Syrah grapes in the Central Coast and are completely family-owned and operated.

2008 Viognier – Clean and lovely, elegant floral notes with a core of honey balances out bright stone fruit flavors.

2006 Roussanne – Eric was rattling off about the wine going into a tank first and then a neutral barrel, using 60% new oak, but I somewhat zoned out on the specifics as I became enraptured with hints of Turkish rose petals in the full-bodied, spicy offering. A touch of toasty on the finish, an elegant offering I could easily become attached to.

2006 Z Cuvée – Refuted to be the winery’s “quaffing wine,” this was a blend of Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah, and Cinsaut (this particular vintage, anyway), and shows a rich, warm nose of cherry, berry, and dried sage and tarragon.

2006 Z Three – An estate-bottled blend of Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvèdre, there is a rich unctuousness to this offering, with its dark, ripe tannins and liqueur-like berry fruit.

2006 Syrah – Aged in 25% new oak, this was the one wine which did not blow me away. A slightly tannic nose, there was a smokiness which I found a bit stronger than I care for and believe the inbalance is due entirely to its youth.

Zaca Mesa ~ 6905 Foxen Canyon Road ~ P.O. Box 899 ~ Los Olivos ~ 93441 ~ 805.688.9339

Open 10am-4pm daily.

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.

Château St. Jean ranks among the highest for quality Chardonnay. Just ask anyone who likes Chardonnay… Okay, I’m not a huge Chardonnay fan but I found many things to like at Château St. Jean. Perhaps it was the atmosphere or the congeniality. Perhaps it was because there is a sense of history or because I was weak and actually bought something from the gift shop. Whatever it was, I have a fine memory of my time at Château St. Jean.

Wine aside, the estate property is absolutely stunning. There are gardens that you have to walk through to get to the visitor’s center which offer many exceptional vantage points for photography or for simply relaxing by one of the several ponds. The “Château” itself was built by the Goff family in the 1920s and has been lovingly restored and is where some of the offices exist as well as the Reserve Room tasting area.

Apparently if you are part of the Reserve Club, you can have access to a private terraced seating area for individual, table-side service. This picture was taken through a window of the Château, as though I was a Peeping Tom, peering at two lucky recipients of a private tasting. I’ll be they also got to taste the wines I would have preferred to taste; Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Malbec, Viogner, and other Reserves…

The actual public tasting room is tremendously large and amply filled with a variety of products, much of the usual from clothing to wine-related gadgets. But I have to admit a confession. In my hundred-and-fifty-odd winery visits, this was the first time I actually bought something in a gift shop. In a corner, away from most of the expensive bounty, was a line of tin-and-enamelware kitchen gadgets. I purchased what looked like a pots de crème set, complete with rack (I say it looked like a pots de crème set, except that it wasn’t porcelain). It was $10.50 for the set and while not politically correct for real pots de crème, it will suit me just fine. Oh yeah, and I enjoyed the wine too.

2002 Robert Young Vineyard Chardonnay – Classic lemon and buttery aromas. Oily mouthfeel upon entry showing dark papaya and mango. Rich, with a hint of lemon peel on the finish. $35.00

2003 Sonoma Valley Pinot Noir – Dusty, exotic aromas of incense – akin to sandalwood with a core of red fruit. Red fruit dominates the mouth entry and brightens with acidity on the mid-palate. Smoky finish. $19.00

2002 California Merlot – Black plum and brambleberry display in the initial whiff but subside to demonstrate eucalyptus on the end. Chewy, tight mouth entry that is full bodied and thick. Tad harsh on finish.  $15.00

Château St. Jean ~ 8555 Sonoma Highway (Highway 12) ~ Kenwood ~ 95452 ~ 707-833-4134

Most people know the name of Fetzer as it is the sixth largest producer of wine in the United States. I was very fortunate to spend the weekend exploring the Mendocino Wine Affair and had some time to wander around the Fetzer grounds before the event.

The estate is stunning and worthy of setting aside several hours, especially if you are into gardens. I regret that this was about the time my camera failed as we were given a tour of the gardens by their resident Gardner, Kate Frey (this is admitting that I swiped her picture from their website, even though I liked mine better…) She has worked on the grounds for almost twenty years and is a tremendous wealth of knowledge. She somehow reminded me of Katherine Hepburn, as I imagined Kate in her large straw hat, wandering her gardens in New England…

Besides the gardens, the estate holds several tasting rooms (both private and public), a small retail market, and a cafe which is just perfect to rest weary feet or gain some much-needed refreshment from the day’s tastings. One word of warning, I’m not much of a shopper but due to a spill earlier in the day, I was considering buying a shirt for Shawn to change into – $75.00 for a short-sleeve polo shirt seemed a tad excessive.

There are a number of different tastings available, from a simple four taste selection of Fetzer wines for $3.00 (which includes a glass!) to a more premium sampling of Bonterra wines, Fetzer’s Reserve Collection, for $5.00 (which includes a glass). There also exists two different styles of food and wine pairing for $15, most of the food being a variety of cheeses, meats, and dips, with four different wines.

I opted for a combination of Bonterra and Fetzer wines to taste as the Bonterra are organically grown grapes and is a second label for Fetzer.

2003 Bonterra Viognier – Kiwi and grapefruit blossomed in the nose with a delightful crisp, fruity entry. $18.00

2004 Rousanne – Unusual to find this French grape. Very clean, crisp aromas and flavors of apple blossom. Bright acidity and a slightly sweet finish. $22.00

2002 Fetzer Reserve Pinot Noir - Fresh raspberry and strawberry flavors are rather forward in their ripeness. Slightly compressed, mineral tones in the mid-palate with an herbal, metallic finish. $40.00

2002 Bonterra Merlot – Intense dark berry with blackberry, brambleberry, and loganberry aromas and flavors. Slightly mineral mid-palate which subsides and demonstrates dusty floral notes. Sweetens a tad on the finish. $18.00

2001 Bonterra Syrah – Medium garnet red and medium body over all. Hints of raspberry liqueur with teasings of spice. Not as thick and jammy as I normally prefer, but an easy-drinking Syrah. No price obtained.

Fetzer ~ 13601 Old River Road ~ Hopland ~ CA 95449

When driving into Mendocino county, if you stay on Highway 101, Hopland is the first town that shows signs of civilization. Ukiah is the next town on the map, a little less than fifteen miles north of Hopland and while a single-lane, vineyard-flanked narrow passage, it is has a few roadside wineries worth visiting which sit in between the two hamlets. Jepson, on the west side of the road, is worthy of such a visit.

The large, industrial building is set far off the edge of the road, at the end of a dusty, unpaved road. The road belies the number of guests that are apparently expected as a surprisingly large number of parking spots await you — but those could be for the wine-making facilities moreso than for a simple tasting room.

Not badgering the poor bloke behind the counter with too many historical questions, a quick perusal through their website provides some of the more intriguing bits of information about Jepson; they practice sustainable agriculture which is a tremendous plus for me, and they are one of the few wineries I have yet stumbled upon that along with a large array of still wine, also produces a sparkling and a brandy.

2002 Sauvignon Musque – An unusual grape to be sure — a clone of Sauvignon Blanc not often seen as a 100% varietal, their limited 300 case production is fashionably light and easy with integrated aromas of lemon and grapefruit with white melon showing on the mouth entry with expands to a creamy finish. $13.00

2001 Viognier – Very engaging offering with white stone fruit and honey in the nose. A very smooth entry provides honeysuckle, pineapple, and a hint of spice in the mid-palate. A crisp, tangy finish proves quite delightful.

2003 Chateau d’Alicia – With 1.4% residual sugar, I would anticipate this 100% French Colombard to be sweeter than it was. Very pale straw tone, distinct green apple in aromas and flavors. Clean. Very, very clean feeling. $7.00

2001 Carignane – It is always a joy to find wineries bottling this unexpected Rhone varietal as a 100% offering. It was a tad sad then, that I found this wine to be oxidized, quite probably from having been open for more than a day. I could detect some light berry tones just revealing some dried floral qualities. Would love to try a fresh bottle. $14.00

2001 Syrah – Surprisingly dusty in aromas and flavors, this syrah shows earthy sensibilities in its initial aromas. Spicy entry gives way to some smokiness in the mid-palate with dusty cocoa near the end. $20.00

2003 Petite Sirah – Intense combinations of sweet soy sauce and barbecue meat intertwines in its aromas. The flavors open up to show smokiness, integrated behind the richness with a brambleberry finish. $24.00

Viognier Mistel – A non-vintage dessert wine made with 20% brandy, this golden straw essence enters the mouth with bright fruit of pears and honey but shows a finish that is both elegant but redolent with hazelnuts and cream. $18.00

Zinfandel Mistel – Another sweet wine that is orangey in color had a bit of oxidized aromas, with creamy creme brulee flavors and it slight bite on the finish. $18.00

Jepson Winery ~ 10400 South Highway 101 ~ Ukiah ~ CA ~ 95482 ~ 800-516-7342