Top Wines of 2013 That Were Down Right Cool.

Can I really write about the top wines of 2013 in a single post?  I don’t think so.  There are too many wines which deserve recognition.  The problem is that I can’t remember them all.  Ha! You may ask, “if you can’t remember them, were they really the top wines of 2013?”   I guess the answer would be no.  However, I have to account for memory loss.  The wines might have been exceptional, but due to my genetics and college years, I may have forgotten some gems.  I can write a post about the wine that were down right cool in 2013.  Luckily, when I taste wines I take pretty good notes.  Looking back through my journals, I present to you my list of wines that were down right cool.  This is a better title anyways.

The Top Wines of 2013 that were down right cool in no particular order.  (Listed the way they popped into my mind…right now.)

1)  Vesper Vineyards Pinot Noir “El Nido Vineyard” Rancho Santa Fe San Diego, What?  A wine from San Diego?  What?! A Pinot Noir from San Diego!?  Yep.  How can a wine such as this not stand out?  Chris Broomell of Vesper Vineyards makes a Pinot Noir from a small vineyard in the back of someone’s home.  The vines, planted on sandstone and influenced by the cool fog from the Pacific Ocean, are true to Pinot’s typicity.  The wine is unfiltered and racked directly into bottle.  I think Chris only made 1 barrel, it was good!  Wines such as these are unforgettable.  You may also want to check out their Carignan and Carignan field blends.

2)  Sadie Family Treinspoor Tinta Barroca South Africa. Yeah, I’m a wine geek.  This wine is made with a Portuguese variety, Tinta Barocca, grown in the schist soils of South Africa by a naturalist, Eben Sadie.  The wine is light bodied, has high acid and emits interesting aromas of spices and mineral.  I remember driving the wine key into the wax seal, pulling out the cork and pouring it for my wife and friends.  At first the wine was, eh, okay.  However, as it sat in the glass and oxygen began to perk up the wine, the wine became wonderful.  Super complex yet light and elegant.  It reminded me of great Burgundy from a great year.

3)  Rancho de Philo Rancho Cucamonga Triple Cream Sherry.  I tasted this during the Sommelier Challenge Wine Competition.  This was the shocker that caused buzz among all the judges.  I tasted it at the end of the competition when we were voting for the best wine.  After tasting over 100 wines, the cream sherry really hit the spot.  It had oxidized caramel and nutty flavors with a complimentary sweetness and long finish.  Give me it with pecan pie,  a cigar or just the sherry on its own, and I will be completely satisfied.

4)  Sandhi Chardonnay “Rita’s Crown” Santa Rita Hills.   I always tell people, I am not much of a Chardonnay drinker, however; every one of my year-end lists always featured a Chardonnay.  Go figure, typical Sagittarius, so wishy-washy.  I came across this wine at the in Pursuit of Balance tasting where winemaker, Raj Parr shared his Chardonnay with the trade in a Chardonnay seminar.  It was the one Chardonnay that stood out from the rest.  Every winemaker there was talking about terroir and balance, but this wine walked the talk.  If we could cut Burgundy out of France and transport it here in California, this is what the wines would taste like.  Rich, yet linear with great acidity.

5)  Bracey Vineyards Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2006.  I also tell people, I don’t drink Cabernet Sauvignon.  Well here I am talking about Napa Cab as one of my more memorable wines of 2013.  I really like this story because I stumbled upon the wines blindly.  Literally, blind.  I first learned about Bracey while judging at the San Diego International Wine Competition where we awarded it the best wine of the show.  Since then, I have built a good relationship with winemaker, Robert Bracey.  On his last visit to San Diego we tasted through his wines.  All were very good, but the 2006 Howell Mountain really stood out.  The wine has the power of Napa, the backbone of the mountains and as it has aged it’s just drinking very nicely.  These wines are hard to find.  I am sure if you contact Robert, he will set you up. Well worth the search.

6)  Raventos Reserva de la Finca 2007 was one of the top bubbly wines of 2013.  These guys were the original Cava producers and today believe that their estate produces wines that deserve to stand out from Cava.  No longer will you see Cava on the label, but a place of origin, Sant Sandurni d’ Anoia.  All I can say is that there was so much complexity in this sparkling wine that I can still savor the honied, floral oxidative bubbles.  Oh my god, I just wet myself again.  And at $40 a bottle it blows Veuve out of the water.

7)  Jermann Pinot Nero “Red Angel on the Moonlight” Italy 2009.  I just love these wines.  There is nothing like northern Italian wine. They really understand wine!  Jermann strives to show the grape and how it relates to the place it came from.  While many wine makers take what they can get and then try to make repairs in the winery, the Northern Italians treat it as raising a child of their very own.  I know that as a parent, I would rather raise a child that I had control over in its infancy than raising someone else’s kid.  The Pinot Noir has a spiced cherry and blackberry aroma with flavors of rhubarb.  But what I really like about it is that I can taste iron and minerals.  This is how wine should be.

8)  Marichal Tannat Canelones Uruguay 2011.  This wine reminds me of my trip to Brazil a few years ago.  I am impressed with what is coming out of the region.  I have tried several Tannats from Uruguay and I have never been impressed.  What I learned about Brazilian Tannat was that they were best when left un-oaked.  The Marichal Tannat is also unoaked.   I got flavors of licorice, raisins, figs and boysenberries.  MMM, MMM…sounds like a nice winter cookie.  I am not telling people to go out and drink Uruguay Tannat, because most do not taste like this.  But what I am saying is go and try Marichal’s Tannat because this is the potential of Tannat and hopefully we’ll see more like this in the future.

9)  Kuleto “India Ink” Napa 2010.  Good old Bob Foley has gone and done it again.  He has purchased another winery, this time an under estimated property of Napa, Kuleto.  What I am really digging are their red blends.  The are not the fruity-tuttie red blends others are producing.  These wines are deep, dark and intense.  They also make a wine called “Native Son” which is Cabernet, Sangiovese and Zinfandel.  Although it too is good, I prefer the India Ink.  India Ink is a blend of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon.  It has aromas of purple flowers, coconut and red berries.  This wine stood out so much that I put it on the core wine list for the Cohn Restaurant Group.

10)  RdV Vineyards “Lost Mountain” Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot Virginia.  Yes, Virginia in the United States.  If you haven’t caught on already, I like wines from strange places.  Well to most Virginians, wines from Virginia are not strange.  But to the rest of the world, “duh, What!”  It was not very strange for me for two reasons.  One being that while I was on a bus travelling through Washington State’s wine regions, there was a fellow sommelier who could not stop talking about Virginia wines, Andrew Stover.  Secondly, when you judge wine competitions you are bound to come across several wines from Virginia.  But what we do not come across are wines such as the RdV “Lost Mountian”, delicious and mind-blowing.  The wines are made by Eric Boissenot , who trained at Chateau Latour.  What brings a man of such stature to Virginia?  The soil!  The granite hills of Virginia were calling him to bring Bordeaux to Virginia.  When I tasted the wines I was literally dumbfounded to hear that they were not from Napa.  I presume these wines would have pleased Thomas Jefferson, a devout lover of Bordeaux & Virginia.  I think of these wines being similar to what Opus was like back in the day when it was first produced.  If you ever stumble upon this little secret, buy it, buy a lot of it!

Centennial Cabernet Sauvignon & Baily Winery

A few months ago David Cohn, owner of the Cohn Restaurant Group  asked me to meet with Phil Baily of Baily vineyards, one of the first wineries in Temecula.  David had met Phil at the Family Winemakers tasting in Del Mar.  The two were talking about potentially bottling a special wine for the Cohn Restaurant Group, a Centennial Cabernet Sauvignon.   David was interested in creating a wine that would commemorate the 100 year anniversary of Balboa Park in 2015 along with the Cohn Restaurant’s Group 30 year anniversary.  David wanted to create a wine that would stay true to San Diego, so we obviously chose to look for a winery in Temecula.

First I had to meet with Phil and his daughter Kim, to make sure that they had juice that would be worthy of this venture.  There are  many wineries in Temecula, and so few good wineries in Temecula.  I was at first skeptical that the Baily’s would have juice that would be worthy of bottling for such an important wine.  When I sat with Phil and Kim I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of their Cabernet Sauvignon.  Phil explained that when he purchased the 20 acre Berenda vineyard, planted by Joan Handley in 1968 when UC Davis was experimenting in Temecula.  The vineyard’s soil is composed of decomposed granite, clay and sandy top soil.  It is at 1500 ft altitude and yields about 2.75 tons per acre.  Phil believes that the vines were planted with the Wente clone 7.  He says  the wine is a lot darker in color than any other Cabernet Sauvignon in Temecula and expresses a minty character.  It has never been affected by phylloxera, so these old vines produce concentrated fruit.

The Berenda Vineyard, 50-year-old vines

The 2010 vintage was a perfect vintage for the Bailys.  It did not rain, which allowed for longer hang times.  The vineyard is located in an area where the Rainbow Gap brings a steady breeze in from Camp Pendleton on the coast.  This ocean breeze contributes to the longer growing season for the 50-year-old vines.

I was impressed when I tasted the wines.  Phil asked me to come to the winery and help  him blend the wine.  Phil also uses Cabernet from his estate vineyard, La Sirena.  The La Sirena bears fruit which is more typical of Temecula, lighter colored and fruity.  I was pleased with the wines and decided to move forward and create the Centennial Cabernet Sauvignon.

I took my General Manager, Jon Boyle with me to aid in the blending.  Together we met Phil and Kim at their medieval inspired winery off Rancho California road.  We took a tour through the vineyards to see the thick “tree trunk” vines of the Berenda vineyard.  We later drove to the wine making facility on Pauba Road where we had barrel samples waiting for us.  Our task was to come up with a wine for the Centennial Cabernet Sauvignon that would be worthy of commemorating two San Diego institutions.

The blending of the Centennial Cabernet Sauvignon

We had barrel samples of Cabernet from the Berenda vineyard and La Sirena vineyard, Cabernet Franc and Malbec.  As we started the blending, we quickly realized that the slightest adjustment of any of the four wines really affected the wine.  We immediately decided not to use Malbec.  The Malbec dulled the wine.  The Cabernet Franc on its own was delicious.  In the blend is was important because it contributed in lifting the aroma and giving the wine a floral character.

The two Cabernet Sauvignons were miles apart.  At first I thought if I used more Berenda Cabernet I would have a better wine.  The Berenda Cabernet had the structure, the tannin and acidity.  However, too much left an unbalanced wine.  The La Sirena Cabernet added the red fruitiness the juiciness to an already structured base, the Berenda.  The final blend consisted of 50% Berenda Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% La Sirena and 10% Cabernet Franc.  We all felt that we made a great wine.

The wine has a minty aroma with other aromas of violets, blackberry and raspberry.  On the palate, it is full-bodied, with a heavy mid palate of more blackberry fruit, plum skins and black cherry.  The tannins are firm and the acidity is lively.  The alcohol came in at 14.2%, however it is not burning and is well-integrated.

We are excited to share this wine with all of San Diego.  The wine will be available at the Cohn Restaurant Group restaurants for $10 by the glass and $40 a bottle.  We will also be offering it retail for $20.15 (the anniversary year for Balboa Park).  If you want to know when this special bottling will be released, sign up for PRIME CRU WINE CLUB and get the newsletter for its release.

Below is a short video about the making and bottling of the Centennial Cabernet Sauvignon at the Baily Winery

Best Kept Secret… Amapola Creek

Amapola Creek  Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma Valley ‘07

The title says it all, this is the best kept secret in California. Are you still in search of the most prized vintage of the decade, 2007?  If so, then Amapola Creek is the wine for you.  If you are a Cabernet lover, then I presume you love wines with lush fruits, a generous mouth-feel and a full body. It would also be safe to say that you are still in search of the most prized vintage of the decade, 2007.  If all of this is true, then Amapola Creek is the wine for you.

This luscious Cabernet is a product of one of California’s greatest wine makers, Richard Arrowood.  The vineyard sits on the border of the famous Monte Rosso vineyard, along the steep slopes of the Macayamus range reaching a 600 ft elevation. (more…)

Two go hand in hand… Trione Vineyards Chardonnay and Pinot Noir

Two go hand in hand…Trione Chardonnay and Pinot Noir

Trione Vineyards has always been a staple in Sonoma, just ask any local.  Whether they are making Zinfandel or Syrah, Trione farms from the best Sonoma locations for each varieties.  The Russian River Valley with its well-drained soil provides the perfect place for growing world-class Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.  Both wines go through a strict 3-year barrel program, using the best French oak available.

The Trione Vineyards Chardonnay is silky with flavors of baked tree fruit and crème brulee.  It has a vibrant acidity that only this Russian River can create.  The oak is used perfectly to add just enough spice to the delicious fruit. (more…)

Altes de Herencia Cheap does not mean Cheap!

Altes de Herencia Granatxa Negra Terra de Alta

I am a huge fan of Altes de Herencia wines, so much that I included their Grenache Blanc in my top 10 wines of 2012. The Altes de Herencia wines are a product of wine maker Nuria Altes, whose family has a deep ancestry as wine makers.  Tucked away in the south-eastern corner of Catalonia in Spain, the vineyard is full of Grenache bush vines. The old bush vines give the wine intensity and structure, while the younger vines supply the lift.

It’s all about roots. Like Nuria’s deep ancestral roots, the grapes too have deep roots in this land’s clay and sandy soil.  After years of being exposed to the sun and this terrain, the Grenache has reached perfection.

Altes Herencia has flavors of red cherries, boysenberries and minerals.  The wine is bright on the palate and has an herbal edge with flavors of raisins and figs. The price may be inexpensive, but this wine delivers and is a perfect example of why the wines of Spain are growing in the US wine market.

Prime Cru prices are unpublished and reserved for Prime Cru Members. To buy wines you must live in the San Diego area and JOIN PRIME CRU.  When you join an email will be sent featuring the Prime Cru Newsletter showing the price of the wines.  To place an order you can either fill out the form below or contact the email on your Prime Cru Newsletter.  Once your order has been confirmed, the wines will be available for pick up at Island Prime Restaurant 880 Harbor Island Drive 92101 San Diego.