Trick or Treat: The Witch Creek Winery

As I’m writing this on Halloween, it seemed apropos to cover the Witch Creek Winery in Carlsbad, California. The winery and tasting room are located on Highway 1/101, which changes names in just about every coastal town you come to in southern California. I thought I’d be tricked into another tourist-trap winery, but instead discovered a real treat.

My apprehension dissolved with a plop, much like the dough boy in The Ghostbusters, when I saw the list of wines they offered. Three full pages of varietals and blends, which change frequently, Rich Koziell said when I enquired. Really? I took a peek behind me at the operation. Standard bottler, modest sized crusher, how do they do this, I wondered.

Rich is the owner/VP of Witch Creek, and, luckily for me, was on hand to talk about his winery. He introduced me to some of the people that keep it humming, including Ryan Baker. Ryan is billed as the associate wine maker, and I found him to be an enthusiastic member of the Witch Creek team – and very opinionated when it comes to types of oak, and which ones worked best for various varietals.

One thing is for sure, you won’t be bored with the same old choices found in many other California wineries. I really needed a scorecard to keep track of all the different and delightful wines they offered for tasting on the day before Halloween. Maybe I should drive past today, just to make sure it hasn’t disappeared.

The playful names of some of the blends suggest non-elitist wine lovers are at work here, such as the 2008 Château Neuf Du Cat, a classic Rhone blend that sports a don’t-mess-with-me black cat on the label. The 2007 Zinzilla is an equilateral triangle blend of Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petite Sirah, that I had to grab for tonight’s eerie dinner.

The wines have character and wonderful flavors of the grape, and no bludgeoning from the American and European oak barrels used for ageing. Witch Creek Winery sources their grapes from numerous locations including the Valle de Guadalupe just over the border in Mexico, Clarksburg, the Central Coast, and as far north as Lodi.

The Sangiovese-Brunello, which uses the Brunello clone of the Sangiovese grape, was very authentic. Old world flavors of tobacco and spice wrapped around a new world interpretation with rich cherry made this one a delight. Perhaps that’s why the Tuscany lawyers complained to Rich about using their name on his wine. He patiently pointed out that it nowhere stated Brunello de Montalcino so what was the problem? Yeah, with lawyers, there’s always a problem, isn’t there?

The 2007 Due Pastore blend of Montepulciano and Sangiovese grapes suggests some of the uniqueness of their wines, as does the 2007 Mourvedre, a principal Rhone varietal that requires some skilled handling to stand alone. This one stands out with a more complex nose and palate that others I‘ve tried recently. At $22 and $23 per bottle, respectively, you aren’t paying a premium for Witch Creek’s magic, either.

The 2006 Reserve Merlot, a gold medal winner at the SF Chronicle Wine Competition, uses Guadalupe fruit. The rich cinnamon nose backed by black pepper was enticing, and the palate rewarded me with red berries and earthy spices. At $30, this is a no brainer for Merlot lovers. In fact, that would be true of all the wines I sampled. Prices that would keep me coming back for more, knowing I’d be in for a few surprises along the way. Witch Creek Winery: no tricked out wines, only treats.

Bartholomew Park Winery

Here is a winery that provides beautiful scenery and organic grapes, with entertaining and informative wine pourers behind the counter. It is the wines; however, that make Bartholomew Park a must stop. Nestled in the Mayacamas Mountains of Sonoma, just east of the town of Sonoma, the vineyards behind the elegant chateau are organic-certified. In the past the land supported a nudist colony with celebrants stretched out naked under the sun, but now only the grapes have that opportunity. I did look in vain for before and after images of the site.

The special attention given to the land and the artisan wine making of small production wines should command high prices, but Bartholomew Park has somehow managed to keep the cost within reason. Good news, as the wines are well-crafted, complex, balanced, but still very approachable. Approachable is a fancy way of saying, anyone would enjoy these wines. Besides the estate vineyards surrounding the chateau, two other Sonoma vineyards lie at 700 feet, which is above the fog line, and contribute good fruit for the Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot-based wines.

The 2008 Bartholomew Park Sauvignon Blanc is an excellent food wine with good acidity and fruit-forward flavors of citrus and tropical fruit. The 2006 Bartholomew Park Syrah spreads black cherry and blueberry across the palate with a meaty enticing mouthfeel. The 2006 Bartholomew Park Zinfandel has flavors that harkens back to the days of my early explorations of Sonoma Zins. This vineyard, founded by Agoston Haraszthy in the late 1850s, has a substantial pedigree, being one of the first sites at which the Zinfandel grape was planted. As it happens, class still tells.

The 2005 Desnudos Vineyard Merlot is a combination of two blocks of grapes that provide a complex lush wine with silky tannins, dark fruit, and dark chocolate. At $32 I’d rate this one a best buy, along with the 2005 Kasper Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon at $40. The Cab comes on strong with blackberry and other dark fruit, and notes of espresso with a dollop of cocoa. Gee, I must have been really hungry when I wrote that description.

The limited production of these quality wines means you’ll have to go online to order them, but you will love what the brown truck delivers to your door. Salud!

How Does Climate Change Affect Grape Growing?

Yesterday was Blog Action Day for Climate, so I thought I’d add some much needed information on the impact of warmer weather on wine making to the debate. And there is much debate over this issue, even if the media is slow to recognize it.

Obviously changes in climate are of prime interest to wine makers and grape growers. The shifting of temperatures can have some impact on the growing cycle and even the choice of grape varieties best suited to these changes. Since there has actually been a gradual cooling over the past several years, no immediate changes need to be made, but what about long range plans?

We do have one historical example to draw upon, and that is found in the Medieval Warm Period (MWP) from approximately 900 AD to 1300 AD. The MWP was warmer than our warmest years in the late 20th century, so it provides a good basis of comparison. During that warming period grape growing and wine making was common in England, along with a longer growing season in France. The added warmth was also increasing the amount of rainfall. There was more rainfall in the Middle East including North Africa than can be observed now.

In fact, during this period the great cathedrals were being built, commerce and trade flourished, and fewer people died from extreme cold conditions, which historically are harder on humans than warmer periods. The enrichment of CO2 from the warmer weather would also benefit plants, crops, and vines. The higher concentration of CO2 is a result of warmer temperatures gradually heating the oceans which release more CO2 as a result.

Although the general circulation models (GCM) used in climate studies had predicted warmer temperatures, the observable record from weather balloons and satellite data suggests otherwise, casting doubt on the reliability of computer-generated projections. While there is much dispute over the amount of warming, what causes it, and how much warming we might see, the prospects for wine making and grape growing in the foreseeable future appear to be bright.

California Wining and Dining

September 16, 2009

My latest California trip combined meeting old friends with sharing good food and wine. Since I also do restaurant reviews for the Albuquerque Arts magazine, my comments will include where I dined. As it happens, I have much good news to report. The following travelogue is a moveable feast that began with lunch, followed by a trek to two wineries just outside the town of Sonoma, and ended at dinner in Point Reyes on a fog-shrouded evening.

The day started with a trip to the town of Sonoma, which lies at the foot of two mountain ranges above San Pablo Bay. The town has charm to spare, with a number of tasting rooms and restaurants. The plaza, a wide expanse of lush green grass and trees in the heart of town, showed up easily in the arterial view of MapQuest. Although I have been led astray at times by this popular application, this time it was dead on. The plaza was to be our meeting spot.

When my wife and I arrived our friends, Ernie and Shirley Levasseur, talked us around the plaza to their location by cell phone. When we rounded the corner there was Shirley with phone to ear waving us over. Remember how challenging this was before cell phones? We also met Stan Schuler and Mila Caceres who own the bed & breakfast where we’d spend the night.

Ernie, a retired Army colonel, had recently reunited with his buddy, Stan. They had last been together in Viet Nam, and that’s a long time ago. We had lunch at The Girl & the Fig, just off the plaza. Yes, you read that name right. Who could resist dining there? The backyard patio was perfect. Our group had a cozy, vine-canopied area all to ourselves where good wines, wine flights, and excellent food pairings soon covered the table.

I had the Viognier wine flight paired with a selection of cheeses and meats. Since I’d focus on red wines later, I didn’t want to overload my palate at lunch. The wines were from France, Chile, and California, and each was a unique interpretation of this increasingly popular grape. The setting was perfect, the conversation free-flowing, and the food and wine luscious.

Departing from the restaurant, we followed the white sign posts with faded black lettering guiding us to a long winding country road that terminated at the Buena Vista winery entrance. A huge stump of a Live Oak tree arrested my attention before entering the cool interior. This is one of the oldest wineries in California, established in 1857. The tasting notes on this winery can be found here.

Our next stop was only a few miles away on another country road that climbed a rounded ridge to a beautiful chateau that fronted what was once a nudist retreat. Now the only thing lying naked in the sun is the grapes. The Bartholomew Park Winery is a boutique winery with excellent hand-crafted wines that will be covered in as future post.

After the wine tasting we took back roads to Point Reyes in Marin County. The Point Reyes National Seashore is one of the most picturesque on the California coast. Nearly cleaved from the mainland by Tomales Bay to the north and Olema creek to the south, Point Reyes forms an elongated triangle with the longest side clinging to the coast, and the southern end curving over Drakes Bay, while the shortest side forms a foot with outstretched toe testing the waters of the Pacific. Drakes Bay was named after Sir Francis Drake, privateer to some, pirate to others.

The national seashore encloses marshes, bird sanctuaries, sandy beaches, verdant grasslands, and wave-splashed rocky cliffs and ledges. We refreshed at One Mesa, Stan and Mila’s B & B in the One Mesa cottage, which was beautifully appointed with a skylight over the king-size bed, a porch overlooking the garden, deep-set tub, and full coffee self-service. The scents of flowers and eucalyptus and ocean-scented breezes made this cottage hard to leave the next morning.

We had dinner at Nick’s Cove on Tamales Bay. Great views and our own glass-enclosed alcove where quiet conversation was possible helped make this a fabulous dining experience. I had brought a bottle of a Buena Vista Pinot Noir from our earlier tasting, but found a complete wine list that I read with relish. Considering that this is a Pat Kuleto-owned restaurant, I shouldn’t have been surprised. I previously wrote about his wine here.

I began with Oysters “Nick- erfeller” with tarragon, butter, spinach, and breadcrumbs. Unlike the bacon that can overpower the Rockefeller version, this one allowed me to savor the fresh-caught oysters right from Tomales Bay. The Scottish Salmon and the Pinot didn’t quite match, but the 22 oz. Ribeye alla Fiorentina that would pair required a heavier commitment than I could muster. Next time I’ll use their wine list.

The last drive back around the bay in the gathering dusk was one of contentment after the many culinary pleasures of the day. It’s just a good thing I don’t do this every day. I’d never be able to get back on the bike. Salud!

Buena Vista: Good Views, Good Wine

September 16, 2009

The entrance to Buena Vista is preceded by the huge stump of a Live Oak that must have been awesome in its prime. Bleached almost white from the unsheltered sun, it stands as rooted to the spot as the winery itself. Buena Vista was founded in 1857 by Agoston Haraszthy. Now there’s a name that falls trippingly from the tongue. It is California’s oldest premium winery and still one of the best for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Their vineyards near San Pablo Bay in the Carneros region yield high quality fruit for these wines. The terroir permits a long growing season which combined with the stressing of the vines produce smaller, more intense grapes for making great wines. Buena Vista established these large blocks of vines in 1969, one of the first wineries to recognize the potential of what is now one of the best wine producing regions for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. They also have smaller blocks of Merlot and Syrah that benefit from the longer growing season.

Joe Trude, the knowledgeable counterman, was gracious even though I had neglected to call ahead that the Southwestern Wine Guy was coming. I’d been remiss in alerting the winery, but Joe was unstinting in the welcome we received. This always bodes well when visiting a tasting room.

The tasting included Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, representing their Carneros series and a new series featuring limited-production, clone specific wines also from Carneros. The 2006 Ramal Vineyard Chardonnay – Dijon clone definitely displayed the flavors of its native origins in Burgundy. There are actually a number of Dijon clones, numbers 75, 76, 95, 96 at my last count, which have been used in California and also with great success in Oregon where the shorter growing season produced harder, acidic wines before Dijon cuttings were tried.

This wine had the same wonderful minerality of their French cousins, or is that siblings? I never can tell about grape relationships. The Carneros terroir also contributed to the elegance of this selection. The tasting notes were interesting to read if a bit overwrought, which is often the case. The notes mentioned a bouquet that included subtle matchstick. So would that be like a match that doesn’t ignite when struck?

The 2005 Ramal Vineyard Pinot Noir, which uses the Clone-5 Pommard, was so good I bought a bottle to go. Earthy red and dark fruit and wondrously soft palate and long finish made this one irresistible. The notes mentioned that this one was ripe and explosive. I guess that means no subtle matchstick. I put the Pinot to the test later when we had dinner at Nick’s Cove on Tamales Bay, Point Reyes. I’ll have more to say about that in another blog.

The last wine I tried was a selection from the Atlas Peak Elevation Club. The club is entrée to some of the best Napa Cabs around. The one my eye locked on was the 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain. Even the copious wine notes could not do justice to this Cab. In my less knowledgeable wine life, I only thought of Howell Mountain as a good bicycle climb. But it is also where some of the best cult wines originate.

I gave Joe my most pleading look as I asked for a taste. “I knew you’d do that,” he said. What, he knows my mind better than me? Hmm, good guy to have around. Do visit them when you’re next in Sonoma, or check out the excellent website if you can’t wait that long. Salut!

Lookout Ridge Winery Looks Out for Kids

Tuesday, September 15

This article comes from the Wine/Winery-of-the-Month feature section of my newsletter, but I thought the story important enough to redo here. If you don’t currently get my newsletter, and don’t want to miss the next one, click here to enter my website.

I’m not sure what most took my breath away, the views from Lookout Ridge, the wines crafted by cult winemakers, or the Wine for Wheels program instituted by the founder, Gordon Holmes. Well, this time it wasn’t the wine as much as the wheelchair program that grabbed my attention. Gordon began it years ago after his wife was diagnosed with MS and confined to a wheelchair. Together, this story and these wines make Lookout Ridge my winery of the month.

I know a little about the feeling of helplessness when a loved one contracts a major disease and the intense desire to do something, anything, to expunge that feeling. Gordon has brought joy – and mobility -- to many people that might have otherwise been confined to bed. I’ll relate just one story that touched me greatly.

Constrained by the Bolivian government to bring in only one wheelchair, Gordon came to a hospital where fifty children were housed who had lost or amputated limbs. The decision on which child was most worthy was heartbreaking. The child that was awarded the wheelchair was asked what he would do first. “I want to go outside,” he said. Without mobility, outside was as remote to these children as it was to a prisoner in jail. Yup, that one got to me, too.

To build his business, Gordon took a different tack on wine production – he invited cult winemakers to craft wines from his quality grapes, and then marketed them as winemaker-labeled wines. You have probably heard of vineyard labeled wines, but how about winemaker labeled wines? Exactly.

The Greg La Follette 2006 Pinot Noir we tasted was rich, earthy, and more Burgundian than Californian, with spice and leather and dark fruit. After savoring this wine Gordon said, “Would you like some more?” I said, “Was that in the form of a question?” I slid my glass over for a refill.

Taking wine in hand, he led us to the cave he’d had cut into the side of the mountaintop. On the Sonoma-side of the cave, burnished copper doors framed by a fallen redwood giant provided access to the cool interior. At first I thought I was in an abandoned missile silo, as the winery equipment has not been installed yet. On the cave’s other side, huge glass doors gave way to stunning views of Napa Valley. When we exited and I went to the rail of the curved balcony that overlooked the Napa side, I was as much in awe as when the Wizard of Oz switched to color.

When we returned to the deck outside the tasting room, with its huge mahogany table and cushioned benches along the side, Gordon brought out the 2001 Gabriella Vineyards Sangiovese I’d requested. This one was also a knockout with a wonderful mouthfeel, spicy cherry and earth-laden dark fruit, and a long finish.

At $100 each, these cult-style wines are reasonably priced, particularly when you consider that each bottle purchased provides a wheelchair and blessed mobility for children, teens and adults the world over. Lookout Ridge; savor the wine and watch the wheels turn.

State Fair Wine Competition Winners

Monday, September 14

This year due to scheduling conflicts, I was unable to judge the State Fair wine competition, held by the NM Vine & Wine Society, of which I’m a member. Instead I helped set up the display of the winners in the agriculture building at the fairgrounds. It would have been more fun if the bottles used in the display weren’t all empty. Apparently, I missed that event as well. Darn!

The numerous multiple award winners included Ponderosa Valley, Luna Rossa, Black Mesa, and Southwest wines (St. Clair/DH Lescombes/San Felipe). The entire list of winners is available at the NMSU website. It was fun draping medals around the bottles and affixing ribbons to Best-of-Show winners, but now I’ll actually have to go out and buy the wines that most interested me. As Dickens once said, “It was the best of times; it was the worst of times” . . . sigh!

Now is a good time to visit New Mexico’s wineries, even though grape harvesting and crushing may still be going on. In the Deming area, the St. Clair and Luna Rossa tasting rooms are “must stops”. In the Albuquerque area, Ponderosa Valley in the heart of the Jemez Mountains is a wonderful fall destination. The St. Clair Bistro near Albuquerque’s Old Town will have their medal winners on display, with tasty snacks and cheese plates to go with them.

In the Velarde/Dixon area south of Taos, Black Mesa, Vivac, and La Chiripada are all within miles of each other amid breathtaking views of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. In Corrales, Corrales Winery and Milagro Vineyards continue to win my personal awards for quality NM wines.

Visit a winery, make some new friends, and take home your own “wines of enchantment”. Oops, was that a subtle plug? Maybe so. You can learn more about our fantastic New Mexico wines and wine history by ordering a copy of my book, “Wines of Enchantment”, by clicking here.