Ultimate California Wine Blog

Frequent readers will recall how impressed I was with Mayo and their sumptuous food pairing. Working hard at experimenting and learning about good food and wine pairings, I am becoming more and more impressed with those wineries that go the extra step to showcase their wines with a savory morsel or two. And I’m not talking just a glorified cheese plate. Cheese plates are good and all that, but can actually detract from a wine by virtue of the fact that cheese coats your tongue and can conflict with a wine’s taste. And I’m a huge cheese proponent.

But arriving at J, which shares a large entrance way with Rodney Strong, I had no idea that food was what lay in store for me. I was simply impressed with the entrance; a bridge over a small creek leading to the front door. The building itself is partially overgrown with vines and while the landscaping seems wild and unkempt, actually alludes to a state of elegance and artistry that await within.

There are a number of levels of tastings available at J and all of them involve food pairings. Not having an appointment for a sit-down tasting, the main retail room and bar is the beginning of what is a truly exciting experience. Of course the artist in me could not help but excited by the massive wall which stands behind the bar. Produced by Gordon Heuther, the giant wall is a seemingly constructed slab of brushed copper. Irregular and jagged holes exist through which protrude sharp, icy slabs of clear glass. Trying to concentrate on my wine, I was drawn to the wall and realized later that it was Heuther’s work at Artesa Winery that had first drawn me to his work.

While gazing at the wall, a nice young man behind the counter started the tasting service. This was where the pairings came into play and surprised and enticed. Starting with their signature sparkling wine, the 1999 J Vintage Brut ($30.00) was served with small, crispy cups filled with shrimp ceviche. The wine is a cuvée of Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay grapes. The wine had hints of white stonefruit on the nose. White pear presents itself more in the mouth with a rich, creamy mouthfeel that sweetens when paired with the slightly spicy ceviche. A brilliant pairing.

While a more substantial pairing is available in a sit-down setting in the adjacent, Bubble Room, I continued with our progress. The second food and wine combination was a miniature cherry tomato, its top third sliced off to accommodate a dollop of rich, creamy hummus made with McEvoy Ranch olive oil paired with a 2004 J. Viognier, Alexander Valley ($30.00). Yet another inspiration. I somewhat suspected that the Viognier would be too sweet for the acidity of the tomato.  The Viognier is slightly viscous with a light peachy color, providing sweet, crisp aromas of orange blossoms, peach, and white flowers. The mouth entry was initially exotic with a touch of sweetness. What surprised me was how the hummus killed the sweetness and expanded the wine’s richer flavors. Alternately, the wine tamed the smokiness in the hummus.

The next step in our tasting involved walking upstairs to a small, dark alcove that overlooks the production area. The third in our tasting series was a 2003 J Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley ($28.00) paired with small ovals of creamy polenta topped with sautéed crimini mushrooms which were cooked in a Pinot Noir reduction. The polenta had been prepared with a bit of jack cheese and the earthiness of the mushrooms was the perfect complement to the Pinot. The wine itself was a classic offering showing dark cherry and a hint of floral. The fruit flavors seemed more concentrated with the initial mouth entry and the earthiness expanded with the mushroom flavors from the polenta.

The last of our four-part tasting was a soon-to-be-discontinued 2003 J Zinfandel, Russian River Valley ($35.00). It seems this was the third production of a Zinfandel and each time, the fruit had to be sourced from different growers and that a consistent supplier never materialized. The Zinfandel was served with small crostini of Fromage Fort, a very creamy, strong-tasting cheese that had been piped onto the toasts, topped with thin slivers of Coppa salami. The wine is delightfully spicy with white pepper and cinnamon with a medium bodied core of dark red fruit. The finish showed a hint of smokiness and all the rich flavors, well integrated and balanced, paired perfectly with the strong, spicy bite of the cheese; the saltiness of the salami counter-balancing the pepper in the wine.

Truly a grand adventure to be had for a mere $12.00. The Bubble Room tastings are slightly more expensive; $35.00 for the sparkling vertical or $25.00 for the Pinot Noir vertical. Must go back often, as the menu changes seasonally, to try the others.

J Vineyards & Winery ~ 11447 Old Redwood Highway ~ Healdsburg ~ CA ~ 95448 ~ 707-431-3646

Rodney Strong Vineyards‘ facilities shares a sweeping roundabout driveway with J Vineyards. I wasn’t exactly sure if they shared corporate ownership or not, but the folks in both facilities assure me that they are separate companies and all they share is a grandiose driveway.  I’m sorry that my photographs of the interior were so dark and fuzzy. It is a very impressive complex with the tasting room centered around a walk-way of historical and wine-making information.

It is a facilities that sees a lot of guests and the layout is conducive to a high-traffic pattern. The walls that surround the tasting room not includes history of the Rodney Strong empire (extensive), but also information about the various appellations, and direct view of the expansive two-story high barrels. A worthy visit for one of the larger wineries in Sonoma County.

2004 Charlotte’s Home Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma County – Lighter and more crisp than most with clean white melon aromas. Tight entry of grass and herbs with a lemony finish that is slightly acidic. $14.00

2003 Russian River Pinot Noir, Jane’s Vineyard, Russian River Valley – Medium-bodied berry aromas effusive with freshness and a tease orange rind. Deeper mouth entry than the aromas portend with a few hints of chocolate. $19.00

2002 Reserve Pinot Noir, Jane’s Vineyard, Russian River Valley – Decidedly earthier and more substantial than its predecessor. Rich dark berries and integrated earth aromas with a soft, supple mouth entry. Heightened mineral tones in the mid-palate and luscious, dark fruit finish. $35.00

2000 Symmetry Red Meritage, Alexander Valley – 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merot, 11% Cabernet Franc. Dark, black brambleberry with a layer of green bell pepper and dusty leafy twig aromas. Tight mouth feel, with some oak and plum, but needing more time. $55.00

Rodney Strong Vineyards ~ 11455 Old Redwood Highway ~ Healdsburg ~ CA ~ 95448 ~ 800-678-4763

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

So I’m driving around the Kenwood area and stumble on Kaz Winery which, oddly enough, has Landmark Winery as their landmark. Okay, that was pretty lame, I know… Landmark actually has quite a reputation and is one of those select few wineries who specialize making FIVE different Chardonnays, three different Pinot Noir, and — oh yes — a Syrah.

The entrance toward the Spanish-style mission building structure is elegant and rather perfectly manicured. It lies right on the main thoroughfare between the town of Sonoma and the city of Santa Rosa. Known as the community of Kenwood, it is home to a handful of some of the most prestigious Chardonnay producers in wine country.

The Landmark estate has some stunning landscaping features. The entrance itself is an archway of amethyst morning glories. Leading to the tasting room, a few steps beyond that brings visitors to a tiled outdoor fountain, hidden walkways, and a small, private picnic area.

The tasting room is itself a work of art – or at least the wall behind the tasting bar is a work of art. The Chardonnay grapevine mural truly takes one’s breath away.

2002 "Courtyard" Chardonnay – 100% malo usually tells me to prepare for butter bombs. Instead, this medium-bodied, pale straw colored wine showed light tropical aromas. The mouth feel showed bright acidity and a bit of mineral on the mid-palate. $15.00

2003 Overlook Chardonnay – Their flagship white, also 100% malo, this one a bit darker in its golden hue and heftier in the nose. Butter lemon and clean aromas provided balanced, well-integrated fruit with a touch of cream. $25.00

2002 Damaris Reserve Chardonnay – Almost cloyingly rich bouquet of marshmallow and toffee. Not over oaked or buttery displaying distinct layers of mineral and defined fruit. $34.00

2002 Lorenzo Chardonnay – The richest and most full-bodied of the lot. Spicy white peach and honey framed minerals and toasted nuts. $45.00

2001 Grand Detour Pinot Noir – Warm, rich cherry aromas anticipate the complex cherry mouth entrance. Spice appears in the middle and the finish is a touch sweet. $70.00/1.5L

2002 Grand Detour Pinot Noir – Rather classic medium-bodied offering, giving well-developed red fruit flavors seamlessly integrated with earthiness that ends a bit dry. $30.00

2001 Kastania Pinot Noir – Mushroom predominates plummy fruit. The entry was a tad thin but expands into darker spice characteristics and more bright red fruit on the finish. $100.00/1.5L

2003 Steel Plow Syrah – Floral, blossomy aromas expand into spicy black liqueur. Fabulously rich, sweet nose, even though it was a bit tight. A swirl or two brought out some spice. Dark, heady mouth feel giving a hint of sweet black licorice on the back-palate with heightened acidity. Complex and caressing. $24.00

Landmark Winery ~ 101 Adobe Canyon Road ~ Kenwood ~ CA ~ 95452 ~ 707-833-0053

I love it when wineries are slightly off-kilter. Favorites in the past have included Gundlach-Bundschu, Bonny Doon, and Roshambo. Now I can add Kaz Winery to that list. Several weeks ago the folks at Kaz dropped me an e-mail. Seems they had been reading the blog and wanted me to give them a visit the next time I was in the Kenwood neighborhood. Well, I am pleased to say that I stumbled on them quite by accident and while I always appreciate a personal invite to a winery, sometimes I have much more fun sneaking in under the radar.

Finding Kaz takes a little bit of work. They are located on a small side road behind the Landmark Vineyard and took some hunting. There is a small metal sign (picture above) at the base of the vineyards which surround their winery. But it is small and a relatively drab color which, on an overcast day, somewhat melded into the surrounding grey atmosphere. But a few feet further at the base of the entrance, flies this bright yellow flag which, when the wind dies down enough to read what seems to be hand-drawn glyphs, reads Kaz! There was some local community tasting (having to do with Chardonnays and Pinots, I think) on the day of my visit, but despite the fact that I did not have the appropriate color bracelet on during my visit, I was still treated with the same acerbic wit as everyone else in the tasting room.

As near as I can tell, the entire business complex — tasting room and wine-making facilities — are all located within a single a-frame barn. Getting to the building means driving through some vineyards, past a small rural home or two, and parking on an adjacent gravel lot.

The tasting room is small and cozy and has many interesting touches. The counters are course with patterns of leaves inset deep within the rich, textured surface. "Oh, my husband, Rick, made that." the ebullient blond exclaimed. As it turns out, Rick makes a lot of things around the winery, like the wine!

Rick Kasmier and wife, Sandi, are the proprietors and with tongue firmly planted in cheek, are not only producing organic wines, but also hilarious ad campaigns, artistically enticing labels, and a line of fascinatingly flavored mustards! My only complaint lies in the information on their website; their story (and names!) are only found within a Sunset article and not readily available through their site. One other point – as these are 100% organic wines, they tend to be slightly higher in acidity. I realized that much of the adjectives that continually crept up in my notes was bright. All of the wines, overall, are bright with heightened acidity.

2004 Blusche Trachet – Made from Nebbiolo Rosso, this rosé had a sweet aroma but not overtly candy-shop sweet. With 1% residual sugar, the hint of sweetness is well-sculpted. Layered exotic spice that is subtle and smooth. Clean and bright. $15.00

2004 Trixie’s Secret – Another rosé of Nebbiolo Rosso, but this one is bone dry. Still a hint of sweetness but deeper and more integrated and balanced. Clean and deep with a long developed finish. Great fun and easy to drink. $15.00

2003 Hoi Polloi Pinot Noir – Bouquet of fresh raspberry and cherry with undertones of earth and spice. Sweetish entry and a candy mid-palate. Brightens on this finish with a touch of minerality. $35.00

2000 Somwein – A blend of 60% Zinfandel, 25% Alicante Bouchet, and 15% Petite Sirah. Dusty floral aroma with some funk in the back of the nose. Sweet on the initial mouth entry but not deep. A light-bodied zinfandel blend. $30.00

2001 Flying Star – 67% Cabernet Sauvignon and 33% Merlot. Tremendously clean eucalyptus under which displays heaps of red fruit. Mostly floral on the tongue and more of those heightened acids on the finish. $32.00

2000 Klinch – 92% Syrah and 8% Alicante Bouchet. Some mint and then full, round candied dark fruit. Light thin entry and a decidedly tangy finish. $34.00

2003 Bravura, Barbera - More sweet red candy fruit on the nose. Bright, thin entry showing some candied red cinnamon with a bit of thin tin on the end. $30.00

White Port – Made from a Chardonnay. Sweet white flowers, blooming and exuding throughout a field on a hot afternoon leaving a longing, rustic spice in the back of the throat. Stunningly well-integrated and smooth. $25.00

2001 Syrah Port – Purple hyacinth flowers covered in dust. Sweet on the tongue with plummy tones. Tangy and acidic with a tease of cardamom. $30.00

Tawny Port – Made from the classic Portuguese grapes grown in Amador. Surprisingly ruby color, considering it is a tawny. Deep, dark spice with layers of nuts. Sweet entry showing jammy fruits in the mid-palate and a long finish teasing between provincial fruit and roasted hazelnut. $40.00

Kaz Winery ~ 233 Adobe Canyon Road ~ Kenwood ~ CA ~ 95452 ~ 707-833-2536