Ultimate California Wine Blog

Southern California is having a renaissance in the wine industry, but mostly due to the growth of the Temecula area. However, eighty years ago, when Napa was just getting started, the largest concentration of wineries (over 130 by many accounts!) was in a small community north of San Diego, in a town called Escondido. Now if we play with Mr. Peabody’s Way-Back Machine, we can literally step into a winery that was built in 1932 and experience a winery, as though it was 1932. Much of the oddity of going to Ferrara is its location; set now in an entirely residential area of 1950’s-style bungalows, the locale was once entirely agricultural with Ferrara being the last remnant of those days gone by.

Sadly, even those last vestiges of agriculture are being plowed under. The bulk of the wine produced by Ferrara these days are from grapes purchased from growers in Temecula and Rancho Cucamonga. Construction is underway adjacent to the grounds where yet another house is being built on a plot of land which just a few weeks prior, was home to wine grapes. There is one small plot of vineyard left next to the buildings, but these are more decorative than anything.

Walking into the tasting room is also a transformation — a low ceiling with a heavy wrought-iron candelabra casts dim light on the dark wood shelves, laden with screw-top jug bottles. The back of the room had an abandoned kitchen area, complete with a refrigerator display unit, a meat slicer, and counter. The story I was told that when Grandfather George passed away, only a few years ago, they shut down the food service. Now, with health department regulations the way they are, it would be impossible to re-open without substantial renovation. Had they stayed open, the grandfather laws would have been in affect and the health department could say little about their operation.

The dichotomy of Ferrara is two-fold; there is a vast array of the large-format jug wine that is on display and sold, but not offered for tasting. These include bulk Chablis, Kellermeister, Weis Wine, and Mellow Vin Rosé. When I queried what some of these were (being unfamiliar with the term Weis Wine, for example), I was basically told the bulk wine was made from "any grape the owner can buy…" Then there is also the selling of grape juice in jugs — a variety of grape juices including Chardonnay and others which are never made very apparent.

Much of the wine that IS tasted is in the standard 750ml-sized bottle with actual pull corks. There are a variety of labels, both recreations of the historic label dating back to the 1930s and a more austere, classic label with the winery name and the varietal. In general, the wines are not of a quality that would justify aging or even proper cellaring. It is generally common plonk but with an occasional surprise. The prices are affordable with the downside that tastings are done with plastic sample cups (you know, the size that pills are dispensed in when at a hospital). Considering the expansive list of what is being made and the years they have been in business, they must be doing something right!

2000 Chardonnay – Like a fino sherry, aromas of apple cider or an off martini. Very, very dry. $9.85

NV Chardo Cat – 60% Chardonnay and 40% Muscat de Alexandria. Intensely sweet nose or orange blossom and flowers. Clean and sweet, but not sickly syrupy in its sugar. $9.53

NV White Zinfandel – Only 11% alcohol. Pale, salmon colored. Sweetish entry with heightened acidity. Not as harsh as a more famous Napa offering of the same… $5.50

NV Carignane Rouge – Clear garnet, looking all the while like a Pinot Noir. Overtly sweet strawberry aromas. Candy sweet entry that, like a Beaujolais, is served well chilled, but does not diminish its sugar. $9.25

NV Muscat of Alexandria – 11% alcohol, made in a demi-sac style. Sweet, floral tones of backed honey buns and candied orange. Surprisingly clean, but turns harsh at the end. Not unengaging, surprisingly. $12.50

NV Vino Rosso – "A classic Chianti of Carignane, Merlot, and Zinfandel." [sic] Faint, woodsy aromas with a tinny entry, flabby, fruit, and no finish. $9.53

NV Red Zinfandel – Painfully sweet bouquet. Harsh entry that goes no where. $10.50

Nonie Gino, Vino di Caspano – Same red make-up as the Vino Rosso, but in different proportion (never told what those were!)  Not nearly as flabby as the Vino Rosso, but softer and sweeter with a thin, flaccid, metallic grapey finish. $9.53

Generation III Tawny Port - Here’s where I was shocked and awed. Entitled Generation III as this is a true tawny, made in the classic style with some of Grandpa’s circa 1930s port contained within the current offering. A dark, golden brown color, the aromas were sweet and very nutty, showing hazelnut, caramel, toffee, and butterscotch. The toffee and caramel flavors continued into the mouthfeel and were enhanced by a subtle, erotic coffee tone. Shockingly good at $32.95.

NV Nectar de Luz – A sweet wine made from the Muscat de Alexander. Dark amber color showing toasted sweet honey in the nose. Tad harsh entry with dark, rustic toffee tones. $20.49

NV Cream Sherry – Very, very sickly sweet. $20.49

Almond de Luz – White wine-based liqueur with natural almond flavoring and fortified with brandy. $12.50

Ferrara Winery ~ 1120 W. 15th Street ~ Escondido ~ CA ~ 92025 ~ 760-745-7632

Shame on me for not posting this one last week as part of my other Livermore adventures. It was the last stop of the day, and the palate was getting a tad weary. But L.V.C. is a winery worth looking for and one I am definitely looking forward to going back to soon.

L.V.C. stands for Livermore Valley Cellars. The funny part is that to find it, one has to drive through an enclave of burgeoning track homes. It is somewhat odd to be driving through construction of brand new single-family homes and then quite suddenly stumble upon cluster of older shacks, barely standing, with kids running around, setting up a lemonade stand, a dog or two, and some seemingly-abandoned trash.

But step inside the tasting room and prepare to be surprised. As a limited production winery, the offerings are limited but engaging. Mostly producing Zinfandel, L.V.C. has an interesting offering of French varietals and blends that… well, let’s just say are quite intriguing. It is obvious they have their tongue firmly planted in cheek and for that I am grateful. Again, I regret my tired palate in these notes. It certainly does not due justice to the quality of the wines and the fact that I want to go back when there is a Petite Sirah being poured:

2001 Livermore – "Not a varietal, but a concept." A white Bordeaux blend of 60% Semillon and 40% Sauvignon. $14.50

2003 Chardonnay, Sblendorio Vineyard – Clean, clear apple toned, so akin to a French Cider or beer as to be misleading, but for me, in a good way. Not too hot, very little (if any) malo. Just crisp fruit and engaging flavors. $14.00

2004 Syrahnade, Syrah Rosé – 88% Syrah, 12% Chardonnay. Lovely, clean offering despite the odd blend. I am becoming more of a fan of the rosé but to have the Syrah grape and Chardonnay grape come together like this could seem scary — it isn’t! $12.00

1999 Alicante Bouschet, Lodi, "Profundo" – Immediate chocolate qualities but flavors that seemed harsh and tinny. Sold out.

2000 Arcanum – A Bordeaux blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon from Thatcher Bay and 48% Merlot from One Oak Vineyard. $23.50

2002 Syrah – Medium color, nice fruity nose. Not huge or chewy or too inky. Very balanced fruit that is easy to drink — and easy to drink a lot of. Cherry and dark plum, some faint whisper of roasted meat and a finish that shows a touch of floral qualities. Sold out.

2002 Livermore Zinfandel – Medium color. This is like a Zinfandel on training wheels, but not in a bad way. For those folks who find Zinfandel too overwhelming a wine due to overt spice or fruit, this would be a great starter. It has all the classic zinfandel flavors and tastes, but simply in a more subtle, almost repressed style. $13.95

2002 Sblendorio Zinfandel – Medium ruby color and a medium-bodied zinfandel. Berry tones that were not overt but simple and easy to drink. Hints of spice on the end. $16.00

2003 Left Behind Zinfandel – "The next Big Ass Zin." Syrah-like nose with bacon and soy sauce. 1/4% residual sugar. 60% DeMayo Zinfandel, 12% Kestrel Ridge, 12% Sblendorio, 12% Syrah, and 4% Chardonnay. Faint, sweet entry from that hint of residual sugar, but blossoms with roasted meat and barbecue sauce. Integrated dark fruit and brown sugar. $17.00

L.V.C. ~ 1508 Wetmore Road ~ Livermore ~ CA ~ 94550 ~ 925-454-9463

I had been waiting to blog Gloria Ferrer. I was waiting because every year the sparkling wine producer holds a large Catalan Festival around the third weekend of July every year. So this is not just a blog of a Spanish-heritage winery, but also of a pretty spectacular event that sells out early every year.

Upon arrival, two large figures loomed above the crowd. There were people inside them that could lift them up and walk around with them, despite the heat of the day. Very, very impressive. A demonstration tent was set-up outside the building where music performances and cooking demos occurred throughout the festival. I saw Flamenco dancers, heard lovely Spanish guitar, and

But it is upstairs, in the main room of the winery where most of the action takes place – the food! A number of fabulous vendors participate in the event; restaurants, bakeries, and stores. Upon your arrival and check-in, each guest is given a handful of color-coded tickets, red for food and yellow for drinks. The various food purveyors have pre-established how much ‘their’ dish is worth (usually two red tickets, although some dishes cost only one ticket to consume).

The food sampled was of exceptional quality, as the restaurants serving and promoting themselves included B-44, Wild Thyme, Destino, and Avance (to name only a few). Some of the food we sampled included cod cakes, roast pork loin with dried figs, classically-prepared sardines, Spanish cheeses, a fascinating and savory version of cassoulet, stuffed peppers, and bacalao.

Of course, one can’t forget Paella, which along with the sparkling and still wine served, was a fabulous offering. The rice had the perfect level of spice from the saffron and delicacy of smoke from the paprika. The seafood was fresh and chicken tender. Those ‘tending bar’ certainly had their hands full as the hundred-plus degree heat certainly warranted the flowing of well-chilled bubbly. However, I was pleased that numerous still red wines were also being served as their Syrah was an especially nice accompaniment to the paella. Overall, a delightful experience:

NV Sonoma Brut – A hint of pear and a touch of toast makes this bubbly clean and easy to drink with both tacos and quail. $20.00

NV Blanc de Blancs – 100% Chardonnay. Slightly yeasty nose which shows a whisper of clean, white fruit. A hint of floral provides a crisp, even mouthfeel. $24.00

NV Blanc de Noir – 92% Pinot Noir, 8% Chardonnay. My personal favorite, a bit more complex with a tease of strawberry and brambleberry. Ever so slightly peachy in color, a creamy entry that blossoms with integrated spice. $18.00

2002 Pinot Noir – Liqueur-like berry in the nose and dark, ebullient berry in the initial taste. Sweeter than anticipated, silky and smooth. $26.00

2002 Syrah – Inky dark red, rich and complex in nose. Very full-bodied mouth feel showing dark blackberry and black plum with a hint of herb and exotic spice. Price unknown.

Gloria Ferrer ~ 23555 Carneros Highway (121) ~ Sonoma ~ CA ~ 707-996-7256

Socrates Nicholson purchased a small cattle ranch in Sonoma in 1961, thinking it would be a better place to raise his family. Years later, it was daughter, Ramona (along with her husband Deepak Gulrajani) who made the ranch that she had grown up Nicholson Ranch.

I watched the construction of the winery building when it began in 2002 and visited briefly right before it opened. It is an impressive gravity-method winery and on any given day, tours of the facilities are offered. These are hardly formal and are not at set times.

The tour guide is great at relaying the family history and pointing out much of Socrates’ influence. There is a small chapel that was built for Ramona’s christening that can be seen from only a few vantage points on the property. Socrates has also personally constructed a stacked-rock waterfall and a classic outdoor pillar-bedecked amphitheater for performances.

Most impressive on the tour is the great room with a continuation of the Greek-themed pillars and inset stained glass windows that depict the four seasons of a grape’s life. This room, along with much of the winery’s facilities are often utilized for events and weddings. During my first visit, the winery was producing just barely 1,500 cases of wine. On this visit, I was told they are now at 5,000 cases with aspirations towards 10,000 cases.

I will give the winery much credit in its growth. During my first visit, the Pinot I tasted was downright cloudy. Perhaps I received a single questionable glass from a single questionable bottle, but it was exactly that: questionable. The wines have improved greatly and the tasting room is now elegantly decorated and the staff warm and inviting.

2002 Estate Chardonnay – Clean aromas of kiwi and tropical fruit. Mouth feel is creamy with well-integrated stone fruit qualities. $26.00

2004 Ramona Rosé – A rosé of Pinot Noir. Pinky garnet-toned color. Sweet nose of candy apple with a touch of cream. Soft entry that heightens in the mid-palate with a slight tang of cotton candy. A tad hotter in alcohol than anticipated. $18.00

2001 Estate Pinot Noir – Light bodied wine with cherry, strawberry, and some candy. A bit murky (not nearly as cloudy as the first time I tasted the wine two years ago). Thin entry expands a bit to fuller, mostly sweet mineral tones. Strawberry predominates and finishes hot. $24.00

2002 Estate Pinot Noir – Dark ruby color with magenta hue. Great, rich berry nose. Dark candy and some mint. Initial taste of marshmallow which subsides to show layers of strawberry, zinfandel-like pepper, and muted herbs. $30.00

2002 Carneros Syrah – 20 months in French oak with medium toast. Dark, inky color with aromas of bacon, soy sauce, and smoky blueberry. Medium body in taste that was a bit astringent. Long herbal finish smooths out. $25.00

2002 Estate Syrah – Fruit-forward dark berry that is inky black with purple tinge on the edge. A bit more balanced than its predecessor. Behind the jammy fruit is a hint of eucalyptus. Surprisingly less fruit in the mouth than its jammy nose portends. Definitely showing more structure with an even touch of wood in the finish. $40.00

Nicholson Ranch ~
           4200 Napa Road ~
           Sonoma ~ CA ~ 95476 ~
           707-938-8822

Tamás Estates shares its location (and signage) with Steven Kent. When you enter the driveway of the wineries’ location, Steven Kent’s large, Spanish adobe is the first building you see. But as you drive around to the back, is the smaller, more horizontal Tamás building.

On the day of my visit, Steven Kent’s facility was closed for a private wine event, but the Tamás folks were accommodating to all the visiting guests. It made it slightly confusing about who was pouring what, but over-all the service was exceptional (despite the heat) and everyone seemed happy.

My friend, Walt, indicated that Tamás used to be owned by Iván Tamás and Steve Mirassou. Several years ago they were acquired and are now part of the "Wente portfolio" of wines. Despite its corporate enclave, overall I was impressed with the wines:

NV Brut Sparkling Wine – Made from both Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc grapes. Some yeasty aromas up front with a clean, citrus tone. Toasty mouth entry that diminishes to produce a touch of lemon peel. $18.95

2003 Pinot Grigio – Almost perfectly clear with a bare shimmer of color. Sweet aromas of young flowers and bright citrus. The citrus continues in the mouth feel and is coupled with fresh apple. Heightened, clean acidity in the mid-palate makes this a very refreshing offering. $11.95

2003 Chardonnay – Intense ripe citrus shows up front; grapefruit, lemon peel, and a touch of lime. Crisp, easy entry is balanced and shows a touch of oak on the finish. $10.95

2002 Barbera – 100% Barbera. Jammy bouquet of bramblefruit, some dark cherry, and a tease of vanilla. Character and depth show immediately on the first taste. Bright acidity and structure easily impress. $16.95

2001 Cabernet Sauvignon – 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Dark, fruity cherry and oak predominate the nose. Considering the quality of the previous tastes, the harsh entry of this wine was a sad surprise. It didn’t go anywhere after that. $11.95

2002 Zinfandel – Rich aromas of complex spices and dark fruit including black plum and some black pepper. Surprisingly sweet entry that makes me wonder if there was any residual sugar in the wine. Decent entry that gets a tad hot in the mid-palate. The heat will probably subside with a bit of aging. $14.95

2003 "Prima" Riserva Limitata – A blend of 76% Barbera, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Syrah. I don’t get it. Unimpressive blend of undetectable flavors. $24.95

Tamás Estates ~ 5443 Tesla Road ~ Livermore ~ CA ~ 94550 ~ 925-456-2380