2005 Charles Creek Vineyards Las Pasiones Sonoma Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

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Mission Codename: Passion Runs Wild

Operative: Agent White

Objective: Return to our friends at Charles Creek Vineyards and retrieve an allocation of their much sought after Sonoma Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Charles Creek Cellars

Wine Subject: 2005 Las Pasiones Sonoma Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker: Kerry G. Damskey

Backgrounder: Our Operatives are crazy for Charles Creek wines. The first time we featured their excellent wines here, our Operatives snapped up our entire allocation before the one-day sale was over. Today, we return to Charles Creek to bring you their Las Pasiones, Sonoma Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Extremely dark purple with garnet hues and tiny streaks that barely shine through this wine’s dense but clear heart. Deep garnet shows along the edges. When swirled, widely-spaced, medium legs quickly descend, ringing the glass.

Smell – Ripe and rich aromas of black cherry, ripe plum, blackberry and other dark fruit lead the way, are framed by soft toasted and vanilla oak and spice notes. A touch of sweet black licorice and earthy undertones blend with a hint of cocoa that also emerges.

Feel – This dry wine is full-bodied and has well developed, finely grained, firmly structured mouth-drying tannins that expand to the far corners of the tongue. A touch of tangy acidity and textured minerality grasps the rich fruit and other flavors and holds tight into the finish.

Taste – Rich and plush with generous and almost jammy dark fruit including black cherry, blackberry and plum, along with a touch of cherry pit. All of the fruit is framed by a spiced and toasted oak component that lingers and lingers. Touches of vanilla and cocoa along with hints of hot spice, subtle herbal and pepper notes add depth and complexity.

Finish – Extremely long with the finely grained, sturdy tannins that last and last while the fruit and other complex flavors fade, leaving behind a textured and mouth-coating feel that invites another sip.

Conclusion – The 2005 Charles Creek Vineyards Las Pasiones Sonoma Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a classic Cab that is both sturdy in structure and generous in its aromas and flavors. Rich on the nose with plenty of black cherry to lead you in and a mouth feel that cuts right to the chase and lasts long into the finish. Drinking very well right now, please descant or let it breathe, or cellar for another seven to ten years. A real keeper. Pair this wine with a big juicy steak and pomme frites.

Mission Report:

WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

AGENT WHITE: Please tell us a little something about today’s featured 2005 Las Pasiones Sonoma Valley Cabernet Sauvignon?

KERRY: This is a mountain grown Cabernet Sauvignon. Two vineyards; both grown at 1800 feet. One is the Mountain Terraces Vineyard in Sonoma Valley. This constitutes 92% of the blend. The second is the famous Stagecoach Vyd in Napa Valley which is within the Atlas Peak sub appellation. Again, at 1800 feet.

WHITE: What is your favorite pairing with today’s wine?

KERRY: Meat man! Because these wines are of mountain origin, they have great tannic structure. Perfect for fatty and rich red meats. Lamb or beef.

WHITE: In your opinion, what makes these vineyards so special?

KERRY: Mountain Cabernet. Can’t beat it. Volcanic soils which are lean in organic material. Not very good water retention either. Because of this, we get great concentration from small berries and very low yielding vines.

WHITE: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?

KERRY: Always focusing on making great wines that have “the yummy factor”

WHITE: Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you and your wine. Keep up the great work, we are big fans!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The approximate location of the Charles Creek Vineyard tasting room can be seen in this satellite photo.

2009 Domaine La Combe Blanche 'La Chandeliere' Minervois La Liviniere

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Mission Codename: The Chandelière

Operative: Agent White

Objective: Visit the Languedoc-Roussillon and acquire a delicious Syrah-Grenache blend.

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Domaine La Combe Blanche

Wine Subject: 2009 ‘La Chandelière’ Minervois La Livinière

Backgrounder:

The Minervois AOC, located in the Languedoc-Roussillon is situated inland from the coast just north of the Corbieres and west of the Coteaux du Languedoc. The vineyards in the area are dominated by its rocky clay and limestone soil, dry arid climate.

Today’s selection is from the Cru La Livinière which was officially designated in 1999. The red wines form the region are a blend of local grapes and must be at least 40% of one or more of the following grapes: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre or Lladoner Pelut with the remainder being other local grapes. Known for its generally rustic style, good years can produce exceptional wines ranging from full designation to VDP. Today’s selection is 75% Syrah from 20 year old vines and 25% Grenache from vines that average 70 years old.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Dark garnet with its dense color that extends from its dense heart to the edge of the glass. Brighter garnet streaks shine through when held to the light and when swirled, this wine leaves widely and randomly spaced thin legs that descend at varying speeds to the wine below.

Smell – Rustic and earthy black cherry and blackberry lead the way with notes of spicy black pepper, black licorice and notes of cigar box and toasted oak that adds complexity.

Feel – Rich, full-bodied and dry, this wine has firm tannins that reach the far corners of the palate and dry the tongue, a touch of spice and lively acid blend with finely texture minerality that provide a smooth but rustic feel.

Taste – Lots of black cherry, blackberry, plum and cassis blend with earthy and spicy undertones. Classic Syrah black pepper and other spices blend with a touch of bittersweet chocolate, soft notes of licorice and graphite as well as a very subtle floral notes.

Finish – Long with the lingering fruit fading first with the spiced pepper oak and lastly minerality lasting and inviting another sip.

Conclusion – The 2009 Domaine La Combe Blanche ‘La Chandelière’ Minervois La Livinière is both a rich and classic Minervois old-world mouthfeel and minerality but plenty of rich and ripe fruit on the nose and palate to invite big sips. An array of classic Syrah aromas invites you in, well structured with rich rustic fruit are layered over other complex flavors. Give this wine some time to breathe to fully expose its full aromas and flavors. Drink now or cellar for three to five years and pair with anything from grilled burgers to herb crusted roast chicken.

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The approximate location of the Domaine La Combe Blanche in La Livinière, France can be seen in thissatellite photo.

2010 Ty Caton Carlton Brook Petit Verdot

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Mission Codename: Bold Elegance

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: For our Elite Operatives, return to Ty Caton Vineyards, and retrieve Ty’s stellar, limited-production, fantastically delicious, Petite Verdot

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Ty Caton Vineyards

Wine Subject: 2010 Carlton Brooke Petite Verdot – Sandy Brooke Vineyards

Winemaker: Ty Caton

Backgrounder: The Sonoma Valley AVA is one of the oldest wine growing regions in California with the first vines being planted in the early 1800s. The AVA is located along California Route 12 and its eastern boundary are the southern end of the Mayacamas mountains. The unique micro-climate with less rainfall and fog than other parts of the region along with its unique soil provides ideal growing conditions for red wine varietals.

Petit Verdot is perhaps most famous as a secondary blending grape for the great wines of Bordeaux. Its intrinsic value is that it adds balance, mid palate structure and acidity to its blending brethren. When made into a 100% varietal wine, the late ripening Petit Verdot presents its own unique quality and character, producing wines of exceptional aroma, structure and flavor.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Intense and inky dark burgundy, in the glass, this wine shows deep and even coloration from core to edge. Swirl the wine and it glints with bright purple as light shines through. As the wine settles, tall columns of thin, wine-stained tears move slowly down the glass wall.

Smell – Deeply aromatic, with layer upon layer of lush fragrances that leap from the glass. This wine exudes dark cherry cordial, jammy blueberry, blackberry, dried flowers, and soft lavender. Just behind these, cigar box, earth, black cherry and hard leather follow.

Feel – Voluptuous and full, this wine instantly fills the palate, coating the tongue and spreading to the lips and cheeks. True to varietal character, plush tannins move a pleasing, slowly spreading dryness around the palate.

Taste – Ripe blackberry, cherry cordial and blueberry take the lead, quickly followed by dark cranberry, bramble, dried black rose petals, soft spice, supple leather, subtle anise and a tender hint of black pepper.

Finish – Ultra-long and very flavorful, with long-lingering black fruit that very gradually gives way to earthy flavors, soft minerals and softer pepper.

Conclusion – Prepare to be blown away! Today’s 2010 Carlton Brooke Petite Verdot, from our friend Ty Caton, is an extraordinary P.V. In fact, I declare this wine to be the best Petite Verdot I have personally reviewed for these pages. This big, bold, beauty has its own finesse and poise, delivering an elegant drinking experience. Bold Elegance may seem contradictory, but this wine pulls it off. Bold, delicious flavors are delivered onto the palate with a suppleness that will surprise you. Yes, there is plenty of tannin from the fruit (with just a hint from the toasty oak), but there is also so much genuine fruit flavor. If you love great Petite Verdot, you really love today’s exceptional offering from Ty Caton.

Mission Report:

WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

SUBJECT: Ty Caton

WINE EDUCATION: Various classes at UC Davis, most importantly on the job training.

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: Minimal intervention – our goal is to let the grapes tell their own story without intervening

WINEMAKER QUOTE: Actively Seeking Excellence

FIRST COMMERCIAL WINE RELEASE: December, 2002



WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

AGENT RED: Greetings, Ty. We are thrilled to be showing your 2010 Carlton Brooke Petit Verdot today. We always really love your wines, Ty, and today’s is really pretty spectacular.

TY: Thanks, Agent Red!

RED: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?

TY: Wine tasting in Napa with my cousins.

RED: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?

TY: Peter Mathis of Ravenswood

RED: Who do you make wine for?

TY: I’m a pleaser by nature – I enjoy entertaining people and wine is intricate part of the socialization process, which I love!

RED: Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today.

TY: This wine is made from a 2 acre vineyard behind my parents’ house. It’s the 3rd vintage from the property. Due to the extreme heat wave experienced in the late summer, coupled with the small young canopy, we only crushed 1.5 tons of grapes which yielded 117 cases of Petit Verdot.

RED: What is your favorite pairing with today’s wine?

TY: Anything, this is a great wine with food or sipped by itself.

RED: In your opinion, what makes the Sonoma Valley such a special place for Petit Verdot?

TY: When I said I wanted to plant Petit Verdot, some said it wasn’t hot enough. I did it anyways, and we’ve had great success. Each vintage gets better. You can grow just about anything in Sonoma Valley, depending on the micro-climates.

RED: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?

TY: We just completed our first analysis and tasting of the 2011 wines and are topping the barrels right now. It was the most challenging year of my career, but we’ll be able to make very good wine from the 2011 vintage. We made the right decisions.

RED: How would you recommend people approach your wines and wine in general?

TY: These wines are somewhat of a cross over – they can be sipped by themselves or enjoyed with a meal.

RED: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

TY: Our vineyard grapes are grown certified sustainable through Farming For Flavors grape growing program.

RED: Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you – and your wine. Keep up the great work, we are big fans!

TY: Thanks Red, for the opportunity!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Ty Caton Vineyards & winery can be seen in this satellite photo.

2008 Portalupi Wine Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel

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Mission Codename: Piemonte Progeny

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Place Portalupi Wines under surveillance. Send Agent Red in, undercover, to taste through their wines. Select their best Zinfndel and secure an ample allocation.

Mission Status: Accomplished

Current Winery: Portalupi Wines

Winemaker: Tim Borges

Backgrounder: Sonoma County’s Dry Creek Valley is a treasure trove of great wines. Arguably, the region is best known for producing some of the finest Zinfandel in the country. For today’s wine Agent Red infiltrated Portalupi Wines, whose tasting room is located in downtown Healdsburg. There, he sampled Portalupi’s fantastic 2008 Dry Creek Zinfandel. Excited by his discovery, Agent Red was able secure every last bottle of this wine for our Zin-loving Operatives.

Zinfandel is related to the Italian Primitivo grape, tracing its origin to the Croatian grape Crljenak Kastelanski. Zinfandel is one of the most versatile varietals with the ability to make wines, both rich to fruity, dark to light, and dry to sweet. The Dry Creek Valley, where this Zinfandel’s grapes are are grown are characterized by their bright and balanced flavors, distinct minerality and spice are quite in popularity with our Operatives.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Intense ruby red hues – from edge to core. When spun, the wine shows off beautiful magenta reflections. After the wine settles, tall, widely-spaced tears form high on the glass wall, before running steadily downward.

Smell – Bold blackberry, black cherry and plum rush from the glass. Just behind these, additional aromas of dark leather, spice, dark dried leaves, bramble and black pepper round out the varied nose.

Feel – Plush and grippy across the tip of the tongue, this wine settles onto the mid-plate, where it takes on added dimension. This mouth-filling wine coats the entire palate, while medium tannins play against a lively acidity.

Taste – Absolutely bursting with dark flavors, blackberry, black cherry and dried cranberry present a juicy beginning. As the wine opens up, it softens and reveals more red fruits and earthen character. These follow-on flavors include raspberry, red plum, dried violets, dark dried fall leaves, brown spice, black pepper and just a hint of star anise.

Finish – Very long and flavor-filled, this wine starts with dark fruit that slowly yields to red fruit, dried flowers, spice and pepper.

Conclusion – The 2008 Portalupi Zinfandel is the sort of wine that we found ourselves taking large gulps of, rather than dainty sips! The wine is juicy and bursting with authentic fruit flavors, balanced against earthen elements of dried leaves, flower petals and just the right amounts of subtle pepper and dark spice. 2008 is turning out to be a great vintage for Dry Creek Zins and we give today’s special example our heartiest recommendation. We just wish that this food-friendly wine came in 1.5 liter bottles, because these ‘small’ bottles empty out so quickly!

Mission Report:

WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

SUBJECT: Tim Borges

WINE EDUCATION: Self-taught. Audited enology classes at Santa Rosa, Junior College

CALIFORNIA WINE JOB BRIEF: 1977-1985 self-employed wine retailer (Two Street Wine &Cheese); Self-employed wholesale wine broker (Western Wine Marketing); Amateur winemaker, 1986-2002; General manager site developer (Cosentino Winery, Russian Hill Estate Winery);
2002-present owner/winemaker, Portalupi Winery

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: Avoid being a (J.A.W.) just another winery

WINEMAKER QUOTE: “If the wine you’re having causes you to do more thinking than drinking then it’s probably not for you.

FIRST COMMERCIAL WINE RELEASE: 1987


WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

AGENT RED: Greetings, Tim. We are thrilled to be showing your 2006 Portalupi Zinfandel – Dry Creek Valley today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

TIM BORGES: Great to be here with you and yourOperatives, Agent Red!

RED: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?

TIM: Sharing a glass of Almaden French Colombard with my mother when I was a teenager

RED: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?

TIM: 3 wines inspired me, including a 1969 Chalone Pinot Noir Pinnacles Monterey County, a 1976 Montevina Barbera Special Selection Amador County, 1976 Carneros Creek Zinfandel Esola Vineyard Shenendoah Valley. As for winemakers, Mitch Cosentino, old Ying and Derek Irwin, young Yang.

RED: Who do you make wine for?

TIM: For my friends!

RED: Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today.

TIM: Our 2008 Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel is a medium bodied, claret style wine, with hints of lite raspberry, coconut, vanilla and white pepper. This wine is bright and drinkable now and over the next 2-4 years.

RED: What is your favorite pairing with today’s wine?

TIM: What else? A traditional Italian staple, spaghetti Bolognese!

RED: In your opinion, what makes the Dry Creek Valley such a special place for Zinfandel?

TIM: Above average warmth during the growing season with minimal cooling in the evenings, along with red volcanic soil that gives the wine a mineral/spice character which balances off the rich fruit of the zinfandel grape – and adds complexity.

RED: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?

TIM: Right now, I’m peparing for the bottling of our 2010 reds along with bringing in new barrels for the 2012 harvest.

RED: How would you recommend people approach your wines and wine in general?

TIM: Think about a food that fits the wine, our wines are crafted to be enjoyed with all types of foods from Cheetos to braised lamb shank.

RED: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

TIM: remember there’s no right or wrong to what wine you should drink. It’s all about what works for you. Also, remember the best wines come from great grape growers who deliver their grapes to great winemakers – who in turn make great wines.

RED: Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you – and your wine. Keep up the great work, we are big fans!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Portalupi Wines tasting room can be seen in this satellite photo.

2007 Maloy O'Neill Vineyards Paso Robles Lagrein

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Mission Codename: Scion of Teroldego

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Return to Wine Spies favorite, Maloy O’Neill, in Paso Robles. Abscond with an ample allotment of Shannon O’Neill’s 2007 Lagrein, a wine that is extremely popular among Maloy’s own wine club members

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Maloy O’Neill

Wine Subject: 2008 Hillside Zinfandel – Paso Robles

Winemaker: Shannon O’Neill

Backgrounder: Paso Robles has long been established as a wine producing region that give other California regions a run for their money. With a climate and soils that make for perfect growing conditions for grapes, it is no wonder. Winemakers in Paso are a somewhat unique breed, often declaring themselves to be the renegades of Cali wine. A meeting with Shannon O’Neill, winemaker and owner of Maloy O’Neill affirms this sentiment. A warm, excited and deeply passionate man, Shannon makes wines that reflect his personality. Join Agent Red as he visits Shannon – and returns with an ample cache of Shannon’s signature 2007 Lagrein – for our O’Neill-lovingOperatives.

Lagrein is a Northern Italian varietal that is known, in Europe, for producing wines that are often described asastringent, highly tannic and mineral laden. The grape, though only grown in very limited volumes, thrives in Paso Robles – especially under the care of Shannon O’Neill. Today’s wine enjoys better ripening, allowing the fruit to bring forth more flavor – while still maintaining a high acidity. The result is a delicious, food friendly wine with unique flavors. If you are looking for a very approachable wine that break out of the norm, you’ll love today’s Lagrein.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Perfect ruby red, with even coloration, from core to the very edge of the wine. The wine is perfectly clear which, for no good reason, took us by surprise. See below for more on this. After spinning the wine, tall legs fall very quickly from high up on the glass wall.

Smell – Mixed red berry fruit jumps from the glass. Aromas include Bing cherry, raspberry and cranberry. These sit atop spiced cherry candy (is there such a thing?), sweet cedar, dark chocolate, bramble bush and exotic mixed spice.

Feel – Smooth and round, and then almost immediately grippy, with a drying, crushed velvet feel that quickly spreads throughout the palate. This dryness spreads to the lips and cheeks, making you pucker as firm tannins and a distinct chewiness set in.

Taste – Black cherry, young strawberry and raspberry are the forbears of purple plum skin, tobacco, tart cherry, dried cranberry, leather and black pepper.

Finish – Ultra long, and filled with sweet, sour, dark fruit flavors that are eventually replaced by wild mushroom, leather and pepper.

Conclusion – Congratulations to Maloy O’Neill for today earning the distinction of being our most often-run winery! We could not have chosen a more exciting wine for today’s special offering. Today’s 2007 Maloy O’Neill Lagrein is extraordinarily popular among Maloy’s own wine club members. It is also one of Shannon O’Neill’s favorite wine to craft. His love for the unusual varietal shines through, as today’s wine is a delicious delight. Lagrein has a reputation for being a big, brash, brawler of a wine so we were surprised by the beauty and clarity of the wine, and also by its freshness of flavor. With a beautifully balanced acidity, this wine is an obvious companion to most meals. Pair the wine as you would a Merlot or even a Zinfandel. This unusual but completely accessible and approachable wine gets our big Wine Spies recommendation!

Mission Report:

WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

SUBJECT: Shannon O’Neill

WINE EDUCATION: B.S. Fermentation Science, U.C.Davis

CALIFORNIA WINE JOB BRIEF: 1982-Present, Vice President, Vineyard Operations, O’Neill Vineyards, Paso Robles, CA; 1999-Present, President, Winemaker, Maloy O’Neill Vineyards, Paso Robles, CA; 2005- Present, Wine Production Consultant For Various Start Up Wineries on the Central Coast of California.

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: Making great wine while developing one on one customer relationships.

WINEMAKER QUOTE: “I love making big, extracted, intense varietal character wines, and lots of them”

FIRST COMMERCIAL WINE RELEASE: 1999


WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

AGENT RED: Greetings, Shannon. We are thrilled to be showing your 2007 Lagrein today. Every time we feature your wines, our Operatives love them. You’ve become very popular among our covert wine lovers. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

SHANNON: It is fantastic to be with you, once again. Thanks for loving our wines as much as you do!

RED: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?

SHANNON: I think my horticulture class in the 5th grade, started my love for growing things. That developed into growing grapes when my family purchased 180 acres in Paso Robles in 1980. My sister convinced me to go to UCDavis because they needed winemakers for the new developing wine industry in the early 1980’s. She was in her 2nd year as a Viticulture major and I had just graduated high school and had plans to take over my father’s medical practice. My efforts to get into a premed university were daunting despite my great GPA and SATscores. My sister suggested I sign up for the Fermentation Science Program at Davis which was the exact same first two years curriculum as a premed Biology major consisting of basically, lots of math and science. She told after your second year, transferring to a pre-med school would be very easy at that point. She was right, because there were only 13 students that signed up that year, and I slid right in. The only thing she was wrong about was, once I found out how cool being a winemaker was, med school was out!

RED: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?

SHANNON: Making Cabernet Sauvignon is the Holy Grail of winemaking. Cabernet has always been the backbone of my winemaking style and the history of my wines. Thank god, O’Neill Vineyards has been a never ending supply of high quality fruit for this endeavor!

RED: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?

SHANNON: Making Cabernet Sauvignon is the Holy Grail of winemaking. Cabernet has always been the backbone of my winemaking style and the history of my wines. Our two estate vineyards has always been a source of high quality fruit for this endeavor!

RED: Who do you make wine for?

SHANNON: I am the winemaker for our two estate brands, Maloy O’Neill Vineyards and O’Neill Vineyards and have been a production consultant and have done custom crush work for many small startup wineries on the central coast.

RED: Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today.

SHANNON: Of all the wines I make every year, the Lagrein might be my favorite. It is a very uncommon varietal that comes (originally) from the foothills of North Eastern Italy, the Alto Adige region. I believe there are less than 40 acres of Lagrien planted in California, and I’ve been making wines with it, both monovarietaly and blends, since 2002. The 2007 Lagrein is a dark, full-bodied version of this mountain grape.

RED: What is your favorite pairing with today’s wine?

SHANNON: Lagrien, like most other Italian varietals is most definitely a food wine. The wines a perfect match for the food one would associate with the mountains of Alto Adige; stews, meats, sausage, root vegetables, lamb, venison etc…

RED: In your opinion, what makes the Paso Region so special?

SHANNON: Paso, because of its very cool nights is a most unique appellation. We get these incredible fluctuations between day and night, sometimes over 50 degrees. So the vines get plenty of heat (or degree days) yet the cool nights maintain the grapes acidity which you need to grow the most premium fruit. 2007 was an amazing vintage for us (as it was for many in California).

RED: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?

SHANNON: We just got done doing a major reorganization of the winery. The place looks beautiful, and now it’s time to get back and bottle up some of the great new wines we have coming down the pipe!

RED: How would you recommend people approach your wines and wine in general?

SHANNON: I make 36 different wines a year so I have a huge portfolio of many different styles and varietals to choose from. There is literally something for everyone. But if your one of those wine drinkers that like big, huge, extracted, intense varietal character reds, than you’re going to love my wines, because that is what I specialize in, and that is where my passion is! The Fremere is delicate dinner wine, that goes good with most foods, but I have many wines that are quaffing wines only, that can be served as the meal, so whatever style you like, go through the list on our website, and I promise you will find what you’re looking for!

RED: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

SHANNON: I would just like to thank all of you for your unending support, and also the wine spies who do a wonderful job at picking wines that are unique and of interest to people who are looking for something more than what is available on the supermarket shelves. The Spies have consistently choose wines from all the different wineries they feature, that are worth checking out, and they also expose wineries who do not have worldwide distribution to and audience that might never get a chance to try new and exciting wines from small mom and pop wineries from many different regions! I welcome all of you to come to Paso Robles to see all the great things going on here, and if you do! Please visit us and say hello. For all of those who take me up on my offer, just mention you’re from the Spies and we will give you an extra discount on all wines and waive your tasting fees! Thank you again, and hope to see you soon!

RED: Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you and your wine. Keep up the great work, we are big fans!

SHANNON: Thank you and all your customers for your loyal support over the years and enjoy Maloy O’Neill wines.

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Maloy O’Neill Winery can be seen in this satellite photo.

2009 DaVero Sonoma Falco Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

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Mission Codename: The Pinnacle

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Send Agent Red in search of a delicious, budget-minded Pinot Noir, for our exacting, Pinot-loving Operatives.

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: DaVero Farms & Winery

Wine Subject: 2009 Falco Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

Winemaker: Ridgely Evers

Backgrounder: The Sonoma Coast AVA is the 750 square mile area with the Pacific ocean on its western boundary, the San Pablo Bay to the south and Mendocino County to the north, headed inland to the other designated AVAs in Sonoma County. The region is heavily influenced by the cooler ocean climate, increased rainfall and fog that lingers long on the coastal mountains. The specific climate suits the demanding Burgundian varietals of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay very well.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Beautiful light ruby red, with even coloration from core on out to the pink edges of the wine. The wine spins and spins after a hearty swirl. When it settles, it leaves behind tall columns of wine-stained tears that move swiftly down the glass.

Smell – Bing cherry, raspberry, soft leather and brown spice mingle with young strawberry, bramble, subtle gunpowder and a hint of oak.

Feel – Soft and supple, the wine has a soft entry. Then, plush tannins and a bright acidity frame a mid-palate roundness that give the wine a voluptuous feel. As the fruit fades, soft spice makes a brief appearance.

Taste – Fresh black cherry juice, flinty raspberry and young strawberry gradually give way to spiced blackberry juice, dried cranberry, Bing cherry, dried violet petals and a hint of green tobacco leaf.

Finish – Long, bright and mouthwatering, with delicious fruit flavors that yield to earthy flavors of spice, minerals and flower petals.

Conclusion – Today’s 2009 Falco Pinot Noir from our new friends at DaVero Farms & Winery, is a bright, delicious, juicy, easily approachable wine. Easy drinking and lively, this wine shows great balance, on the palate and on the nose, delivering bright fruit and darker elements in near equal proportion. This is a very food-friendly wine that is as flexible as it is tasty. We paired our review bottles with fresh linguine with a fresh marinara sauce, steamed artichokes and spicy Italian sausages. The combination was divine!

Mission Report:

WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

SUBJECT: Ridgely Evers

WINE EDUCATION: Self-taught

CALIFORNIA WINE JOB BRIEF: Started helping to make wine in the Napa Valley in 1978; have directed DaVero’s winemaking since 2006.

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: let Nature do her thing: natural yeasts, neutral oak, zero manipulation.

WINEMAKER QUOTE: ”Nature bats last”

FIRST COMMERCIAL WINE RELEASE: 2006


WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

AGENT RED: Greetings, Ridge. We are thrilled to be showing your 2009 Falco Pinot Noir today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

RIDGELY EVERS: Great to be here—I think you guys are on to something.

RED: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?

RIDGE: Two wines have been forks in the road of my life. In 1979 I had a 1961 Chateau Petrus, and it was a revelation; I thought to myself, “so THIS is what all the fuss is about!”

Then, in 1998 I was having dinner with Chef Mario Batali at his then-new restaurant in NYC, Babbo. He introduced me to a varietal I’d never had before, in the form of a 1994 Paolo Be a Sagrantino di Montefalco. We were having dinner at the bar, and I literally turned to him and said, “I’m going to plant this grape and make this wine.”

RED: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?

RIDGE: Paolo Bea. His wines are earthy, sexy, alive, and entirely natural. And I think we’re almost there with our Sangiovese and Sagrantino!

RED: Who do you make wine for?

RIDGE: We always make wine for ourselves and our friends, wines we love to drink. We don’t ever make wine for the “market” or for reviewers (in fact, we never submit our wines for reviews).

RED: Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today.

RIDGE: This is an absolutely classic Sonoma Coast pinot, in the lighter style. Bright bright color, lovely nose, and that incredible cherry character that pinot produces at its best.

RED: What is your favorite pairing with today’s wine?

RIDGE: As a lighter pinot, it’s best paired with dishes of the same “weight.” This is the wine I reach for with salmon and asparagus, which is just starting to come on. I love it with a light pasta—say a primavera. And it’s delicious pre-dinner as an aperitif.

RED: In your opinion, what makes the Sonoma Coast such a special place for Pinot Noir?

RIDGE: Nature does the work there. It’s cooler than it is inland, which makes the vines struggle a bit more to get their fruit ripe. This leads to that touch of austerity that I like in a wine, because it makes the wine much better with food.

RED: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?

RIDGE: This is the time we focus on getting ready for the season to come. We just finished up a new, low-water frost system for our valley-floor vineyard, planted a hedgerow and insectory to improve the over vitality of the ecosystem, and finished pruning our 5,000 olive trees. I’d say 95% of what we do overall is in the field, not in the winery.

RED: How would you recommend people approach your wines and wine in general?

RIDGE: To me, life is all about the dinner table. The most important ingredient is the people there with you, then the food and wine. Wine is an ingredient in a meal, and needs to be thought of in that context. You don’t want to be that loud guy at the bar; you want to be a delightful dinner companion that everyone remembers fondly.

We strive to make those wines.

RED: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

RIDGE: Seek out wines made from grapes that “want” to be where they’re grown; we can grow anything here in the wine country, but the varietals that are generally best suited for our climates are mostly Italian and Spanish (that’s good news, because there are some outstanding wines being made in Italy and Spain). And always taste wine with food, because your palate will taste that wine entirely differently than when you taste it by itself.

RED: Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you – and your wine. Keep up the great work, we are big fans!

RIDGE: Thanks!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the DaVero Farms & Winery can be seen in this satellite photo.

2007 Stryker Sonoma Alegria Vineyard Russian River Valley Zinfandel

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Mission Codename: Bottled Happiness

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Return to Stryker Sonoma, a Wine Spies favorite, and return with their much sought-after, limited-availability, single-vineyard, Russian River Valley Zinfandel.

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Stryker Sonoma Winery

Wine Subject: 2007 Alegria Vineyard Zinfandel – Russian River Valley

Winemaker: Tim Hardin

Backgrounder: Agent Red first discovered the Stryker Sonoma Winery in 2007. He loved the wines, and he placed the winery under immediate surveillance. Despite his best efforts at infiltration, the winery held tight to their precious wines – making them available exclusively to customers that buy the wines, directly, and those that are smart wine club members. This changed earlier this year, when Agent Red was able to infiltrate the winery.

Zinfandel is related to the Italian Primitivo grape, tracing its origin to the Croatian grape Crljenak Kastelanski. Zinfandel is one of the most versatile varietals with the ability to make wines, both rich to fruity, dark to light, and dry to sweet. The Russian River Valley is ideally suited for red grape varietals. Its early morning fog and coastal breezes result in a cooler climate than the neighboring wine growing regions. Read Agent Red’s tasting notes and mission report below.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Dark garnet, with a clear but darker core. At the edge of the wine, a wide band of magenta encircles the wine. When swirled, wine-colored legs form high up on the glass wall. These take a little while to appear before they run slowly down the glass.

Smell – Sweet, jammy mixed berries with blackberry, raspberry, and strawberry. The more you swirl, the more aromas are revealed, including black cherry, sweet mixed brown spice, cigar box, darkest chocolate and black pepper.

Feel – Medium-weight, soft and round across the front palate. Then, as the wine passes the mid-palate, it gains some weightiness and dimension, revealing softly grippy and plush tannins. A soft mineral-infused dryness spreads from the center of the palate, outward, eventually drying the lips and cheeks.

Taste – Blackberry, black cherry, bakers chocolate, bramble bush and brown spice of subtle cinnamon and clove provide the initial burst of dark flavors. Close behind, smoky blueberry, tobacco leaf, cedar and dark dried flower petals make a delicious appearance.

Finish – Very long on flavor, this wine finishes with dark berry fruit. This fades to spice, minerals, tobacco and subtle black pepper at the softly dry end.

Conclusion – Absolutely worth the wait, today’s winery took me nearly five years to infiltrate! Unfortunately, the winery didn’t have very much of this wine available for our Operatives. If you appreciate a rich, complex, balanced, flavor-packed Zinfandel, you’ll love this wine. 2007 was a fantastic vintage for Northern California red wines, and this wine shows off the best that the vintage had to offer. Just be sure to act quickly, as this 2007 Stryker Sonoma Alegria Vineyard Zinfandel will likely sell out. Pair with braised shortribs and cheesy polenta for an exquisite dining delight.

Mission Report:

WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

SUBJECT: Tim Hardin

WINE EDUCATION: Viticulture at Santa Rosa Junior College – and the School of Hard Knox.

CALIFORNIA WINE JOB BRIEF: 1994 – 1995 Zmoore, Gewirtz, Position: “Cellar Monkey”; 1996 – 1999 Lynmar, Pinot Noir, Position: “Everything Monkey”; 1999 – Present Stryker Sonoma, Bordeaux House, Position: “Wine Whisperer”

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: Let the terroir speak for itself, focus on the varietals and style that lend themselves to the soil and climate of the location of the vineyard.

FIRST COMMERCIAL WINE RELEASE: 1999 Two Moon Vineyard Cuvee, Dry Creek Valley, This wine was a Merlot based blend with a splash of Cabernet Sauvignon



WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

AGENT RED: Greetings, Tim. We are thrilled to be showing your 2007 Alegria Vineyard Zinfandel today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

TIM HARDIN: Thank you, Agent Red. It is great to be back with you and your Operatives.

RED: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?

TIM: I can’t tell you specifically who it was, but there was a chef that catered an event at Lynmar and the way the wines and plates complemented each other brought both harmonious level. Looking back, I was a young beer drinking Cellar Monkey who would enjoy a glass of wine after work. This event really opened my eyes to what is possible when everything is in balance. Since then it’s been damn hard NOT to have a glass of wine with a killer meal. Think about it, “here’s an incredible Osso Bucco and a glass of milk” nope, that’s not going to work!

RED: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?

TIM: My winemaking style is influenced by the effort and work that is put into producing incredible Pinot Noir. Handling the fruit delicately and nurturing the grapes through crush and fermentation produces incredible wines. Moving from the Russian River to Alexander Valley I realized that applying this style of winemaking to our Bordeaux varietals here could produce wines of balance and fruit forward character that is rarely seen. Using open top fermentors, and hand punch downs are just a few of the techniques we apply to our wines.

RED: Who do you make wine for?

TIM: I make wine for myself, wines that fit into the style and character that I love to drink and share with those around me.

RED: Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today.

TIM: The Alegría Vineyard Zinfandel really shows the classic expression you should expect from a Russian River Zinfandel. I’ve been enjoying this wine as of late for its subdued character and elegance that warm days and cooler nights in the vineyard allowed me to achieve in 2007. This isn’t your monster Zin and folks tend to be surprised to learn that a Zinfandel doesn’t have to always be a fruit bomb.

RED: What is your favorite pairing with today’s wine?

TIM: Treat this wine with respect and you will find that it compliments all sorts of great meals. I’ve tried to steer clear of BBQ and BIG meals with this one. Its an elegant wine with subtle notes of fruit and spice. A ragu, or heavier pasta sauce would be the ticket here, think pork cheek or lamb, something with plenty of flavor for the wine to work with.

RED: In your opinion, what makes the Russian River Valley so special?

TIM: A lot of folks forget that Russian River Valley is not just Pinot and Chardonnay. Don’t get me wrong some of the finest examples of those wines come from this region. What amazes me is how much history there is in the Valley, Alegría Vineyard was originally planted in the 1890’s and there are a handful of unique old vine Zinfandel vineyards scattered throughout the valley. These are the real gems, you aren’t going to see any old vine Pinot noir, but if you see a Zinfandel from this valley it’s no doubt something special.

RED: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?

TIM: You might think that it’s vacation time in the cellar these days, but in reality we are busy keeping an eye on the 2010 and 2011 vintages, topping barrels, racking wines and sampling to help me visualize what the vintage will gradually become in the coming months and years.RED: How would you recommend people approach your wines and wine in general?

TIM: Our wines, we hope embody our hard work, attention to detail and the joy we take in making them. We are young, and passionate about wine and strive to express this through balanced wines rich in fruit and deep in character. I always say that folks should enjoy our wines the way we do, decanted and surrounded by friends and family.

RED: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

TIM: Feel free to stop on by the winery anytime, our wines are an extension of our terroir and having an opportunity to stand at our tasting room bar, sip on a glass of Cabernet and enjoy the view is something I enjoy just about every day.

RED: Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you – and your wine. Keep up the great work, we are big fans!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The approximate location of the Stryker Sonoma can be seen in this satellite photo.

2009 Tallulah Wines Farina Vineyard Chardonnay

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Mission Codename: Nobody can be exactly me

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Infiltrate Tallulah Wines, a winery that was founded by our old friend, winemaker, Mike Drash. Sample his wines and select the perfect Springtime treat for our thirsty Operatives.

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Tallulah Wines

Wine Subject: 2009 Chardonnay – Farina Vineyard – Sonoma Mountain

Winemaker: Mike Drash

Backgrounder: Chardonnay is arguably the greatest of all white grape varietals, showing its influence in the legendary sparkling wines of Champagne, the great whites of Burgundy and of course its expression as ’the’white wine of California. Chardonnay represents over 50% of the planted white grapes in California with nearly 100,000 acres planted. With such a great number of wines made from this grape, it stands to reason that finding wines of great quality would be hard, but look no further. In this wine, we have a truly original – and delicious – expression of California Chardonnay.

Regional Backgrounder: The Sonoma mountain AVAwas shaped by ancient volcanic activity. The mountain, which consists of obsidian, marine deposits and ash, rises high above the Sonoma Valley. Vineyards on Sonoma Mountain benefit from being above the fog line. This allows for even, slow ripening – resulting in complex character.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Dark yellow hues, with perfectly even concentration of color, from edge to core. A fine ring of white gold encircles the wine at the edge of the glass. After swirling, tall tears begin high up on the glass, thinning as they streak downward.

Smell – Balanced sweet, softly spiced, floral and woody, this wine exudes lemon zest, green apple, toasted oak, vanilla, dried white flower petals and pineapple.

Feel – Round and smooth on entry. As the wine passes the mid-palate it takes on a softly complex, grippy feel that gradually spreads throughout the entire mouth.

Taste – Rich, bold and complex, leading with bright citrus and pineapple. These fruits are followed by dried flowers, slate mineral, orange peel, green melon and soft white spice. A hint of sweetness at the end persists long into the bold finish.

Finish – Very long and packed with flavorful, this wine shows bold flavors or fruit, oak and subtle spice. As the primary flavors fade, a touch of sweetness seem to increase.

Conclusion – This is one bold and delicious Chardonnay, from a vineyard that neighbors vineyards where $100 Chardonnay’s are born. Winemaker, Mike Drash, cleverly conducted his own infiltration to secure the fruit for today’s wine. His 2009 Tallaluah Chardonay – Farina Vineyard is a big, robust wine that lovers of complex Chardonnay will fall in love with. This fun wine is a wonderful wine to sip and discuss, calling out an endless stream of flavors and aromas. As the wine warms, it opens up, softening slightly as it brings forth even more character. Pair with a broiled, spice-rubbed chicken or zesty BBQ ribs.

Mission Report:

WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

SUBJECT: Mike Drash

WINE EDUCATION: School of hard knocks. I have a degree in Anthropology/Sociology with a Minor in Media and Theatre, go figure!

CALIFORNIA WINE JOB BRIEF: I’ve been making wine for 20 years in Sonoma and Napa. 3 years ago I left my day job to focus on my own wines named after my daughter, Tallulah.

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: I make wine from sustainably farmed vineyards with minimal intervention in the cellar. WINEMAKER QUOTE: ”Like bull riding, you are never fully ready…it’s just your turn. If you a passion for something, go for it!”

FIRST COMMERCIAL WINE RELEASE: (DATE) 2006



WINEMAKER INTERVIEW 

AGENT RED: Greetings, Mike. We are thrilled to be showing your 2009 Tallulah Chardonnay today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

 

 MIKE DRASH: No problem, looking forward to answering some questions!

 

 RED: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?

 

 MIKE: It was a 1987 Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon that I had in Memphis in 1992. It was the first wine that made me realize what a great wine could taste like. Ironically, I ended up working for them in 1996.

 

 RED: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?

 

 MIKE: Probably Abe Schoener at Luna. He completely thinks outside the box and brought a lot of ideas I still use today. He makes his own wine, Scholium Project, now.

 

 RED: Who do you make wine for?

 

 MIKE: I make wines from exquisite vineyard sites. Whether it is a Syrah, Cab, or Chardonnay vineyard it has to have something unique about it. From there I try to sculpt the wine from what the vineyard gives me. I don’t filter or fine my wines to help protect the character of the vineyard.

 

 RED: Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today.

 

 MIKE: The 2009 Farina Chardonnay is one of those big time “WOW” sites. Situated at 800 ft elevation on Sonoma Mountain in almost pure rock, the vines are late to ripen. It is the Wente Clone which I love. The fruit comes in with Natural high acidity so I put it through partial ML to soften the acid a bit. It spent 18 months in French Oak barrels from Burgundy to help flesh out the mid palate. The wine will age for 5 to 7 years. Oh yeah and the Wine Spectator gave it 92 points last week!

 

RED: What is your favorite pairing with today’s wine?

MIKE: Linguine and clams, without a doubt. I actually had it last night. My wife makes the best linguine and clams around and the wine really stands up nicely to it.

RED: In your opinion, what makes the Farina Vineyard such a special place for Chardonnay?

MIKE: Location, Location, Location. On one side of the vineyard is the Dinner Vineyard (Paul Hobbs) and the other is Pickberry (Ravenswood), Kistler’s McCrea Vineyard is around the corner, as well. Super site for Chardonnay.

RED: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?

MIKE: The wines from 2011 are just finishing up ML so we will be racking the wines this month and making in barrel tweaks we need. We’ve got a little bottling coming up so we are finalizing some blends.

RED: How would you recommend people approach your wines and wine in general?

MIKE: My wines are site specific so people should expect the wines to be unique from vineyard to vineyard. I make 2 Napa Cabs from 2009 and they are both great in their own ways. The common thread with my wines is personality. I try to not get in the way of the vineyard and final wine.

RED: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

MIKE: If you are ever in the Napa Valley be sure to give us a call, tweet, or e-mail and I’ll be sure to show you around. Thanks!

RED:* Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you – and your wine. Keep up the great work, we are big fans!

2009 Maroon Wines Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

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Mission Codename: Et tu, Maroon

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: For our special Elite Operative Saturday, infiltrate Maroon wines, in the Napa Valley. Extract their Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon – a true Napa Valley gem – and make it available at a Top Secret price.

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Maroon wines

Wine Subject: 2009 Napa Valley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon – Maroon Vineyard

Winemaker:

Backgrounder: Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon continues to dominate as the leader in California red wine. For good reason, too, as Napa produces some of the richest and most delicious examples on the planet. Today’s wine is a delicious treat from the Coombsville region of the Napa Valley. This region is best-known for producing extraordinary Cabernet Sauvignon.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Darkest burgundy, with magenta hues at the edge and when swirled. When the wine settles, tall, skinny, widely-spaced legs descend from high up on the glass wall.

Smell – A heady rush of ripe blackberry, blueberry preserves and stewed plum leap from the glass. These gorgeous aromas are underpinned by candied cherry, Bing cherry, spice, fresh red flowers and subtle leather – with a very subtle hint of eucalyptus.

Feel – Soft and silky on the attack. Then, the wine digs in at the tip of the tongue, spreading a softly peppery and mineral-rich dryness throughout the palate. Plush tannins gradually give the wine a very plush feel, while balanced acids propel the fruit long into the lingering finish.

Taste – Juicy and ripe, with generous mixed berry fruit, plum and black currant in the lead. Flavors then turn to braised black fig, subtle mushroom, leather, flower petals, minerals, pepper and softest spice.

Finish – Juicy and delicious at first, with red and black berry lingering long into the slightly dry, slightly mineral-pepper conclusion.

Conclusion – The Maroon Wines Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a delicious, vivacious, approachable and balanced drinking experience. Layers of aromas and flavors are exuded from the wine and the more you swirl, the more you are rewarded with the fullness that this wine has to offer. This wine is clean and elegant, but also complex enough to be very interesting. Pair this elegant, juicy, flavor-filled wine as you would with a less robust California red. Enjoy now, but cellar a few bottles for the next decade and beyond.

Mission Report:

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Maroon Wines own Maroon vineyard can be seen in this satellite photo.

2004 Hawley Winery and Vineyards Dry Creek Valley Merlot

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Mission Codename: The Salt of the Earth

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Return to Hawley Winery and raid their secret archive. Retrieve their exceptional and much sought-after Library Merlot, a wine known for its elegance and food-friendliness

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Hawley Winery

Wine Subject: 2004 Merlot – Dry Creek Valley

Winemaker: John Hawley

Backgrounder: Winemaker John Hawley has been making wine for some of the most prestigeous wine brands in industry. In 1996 he built his own winery in the hills above the fabled Dry Creek Valley in Sonoma County. Today, John and his two sons handcraft small lots of exceptional wines that express the unique character of their region.

Varietal Backgrounder: To true wine lovers, Merlot is one of the finest wine varietals in the world. Today, Merlot continues to sell in record numbers across the US, outpacing most other varietals. Merlot is a sincere, food-fabulous wine for serious wine drinkers, and today’s wine raises the bar for Napa Merlot by delivering a delicious, complex, fruit-forward wine with plenty of complexity.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Deep magenta hues, with a darker, clear core. Give the wine a hearty swirl, and watch as thin legs form high on the glass. The legs retain the dark color of the wine as they run slowly downward.

Smell – Dark and rich, with stewed dark plum and black cherry out in front. These mix with black salt licorice, salted dried meats, dusty bramble, dark sweetwood, dark leather, wet soil, star anise, brown spice and dried fall leaves.

Feel – Soft on entry, light across the mid-palate. Plush tannins introduce a crushed velvet feel that spreads from the center of the palate, outward. Bright acids provide clues to the wine’s food-friendliness.

Taste – Smoky black cherry, wine-braised mission fig, dried cranberry and black plum. As the wine opens up, it reveals dark bakers chocolate, dried black flower petals and soft spice.

Finish – Long and dark, with mixed dark fruits gently fading to earthen flavors, soft minerals and spice.

Conclusion – Today’s 2004 Hawley Winery Merlot is a wine in its prime. Rich, layered, dark and delicious, this Merlot is tender on the palate, and long on dark flavors of fruit and earthy elements. Balanced, bright acids make this wine an easy companion for most meals, but we recommend serving with a thick, rare cut of meat, like a steak or a juicy prime rib. Enjoy this delicious wine now, and be sure to cellar a couple of bottles for the next few years.

Mission Report:

WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

SUBJECT: John Hawley

WINE EDUCATION: UC Davis, Fermentation Science 1980

CALIFORNIA WINE JOB BRIEF: 1980 Preston Vineyards- Assistant Winemaker; 1981-1989 Clos du Bois- Winemaker; 1990-1996 Kendall-Jackson- Chief Winemaker; 1996-Present Hawley Winery- Winemaker

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: Wine is more than the sum of its parts. It is an interaction between the people, the farming, the fruit and the processes that makes it something more than just fermented grape juice.

WINEMAKER QUOTE: ”No guts, no glory. That’s what I said last harvest when everyone was worried about the weather and picking grapes early. Grape growing is farming and you have to have a little faith that it’s all going to turn out alright, even if there is a rainstorm on the horizon and your Chardonnay still has two weeks to go.”

FIRST COMMERCIAL WINE RELEASE: My first release under my own label was 1995 Merlot and 1996 Viognier released in 1997.



WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

AGENT RED: Greetings, John. We are thrilled to be showing your 2004 Dry Creek Valley Merlot today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

JOHN HAWLEY: My pleasure.

RED: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?

JOHN: I grew up in a wine drinking family and started appreciating wines very young. My dad has always been a passionate wine enthusiast. On my 25th birthday he took me out to dinner and told me it was about time I decided what I was going to do with my life. I was a carpenter at the time and was ceramics major at university of Oregon. I told him I was considering transferring to UC Davis to study winemaking. I was interested in the science of fermentation; the chemistry and micro-biology. He said “Great! Let’s decide it right now then. You are going to be a winemaker.”

RED: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?

JOHN: There are a number of French winemakers that I admire. Their wines fit my palate. I enjoy wines that are made to age and made to go well with food. Of all the greatest wines I have ever tasted, none of them were young wines. There are a lot of new wine style trends and technology, but the French figured it all out a long time ago and their techniques still make some of the best wines. I have always looked to adapt old French winemaking techniques to California fruit.

RED: Who do you make wine for?

JOHN: I make wines to sell. I can’t drink that much wine myself. But I also make wines that I like. I feel that I have a pretty main-stream palate and wines that appeal to me tend to please most people’s palate. That is one of the reasons I was successful at Clos du Bois and Kendall-Jackson.

RED: Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today.

JOHN: This 2004 Merlot is from our Estate on West Dry Creek Rd. in Sonoma County’s Dry Creek Valley. My winery and vineyard is on the East facing slope of Bradford Mountain. The soil is weak and rocky, producing fruit that is concentrated in flavor and color. We started growing organic in 2002 and don’t use chemical fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides. We also blended 8% of our Cabernet into the Merlot to length and depth to the finish. The 2004 vintage really captures the terroir of Bradford Mountain; with complex earthy notes along with plumb, raspberry and floral violet with hints of tobacco and butterscotch.

RED: What is your favorite pairing with today’s wine?

JOHN: My favorite pairing for our Merlot is a slightly gamey meat like lamb. Our Merlot is always pretty structured and with a nice acidity and is made to be enjoyed with food.

RED: In your opinion, what makes the Dry Creek Valley so special?

JOHN: I moved to Dry Creek Valley in 1977 and wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. The area has changed a lot since then. Healdsburg was pretty much a one horse town back then and now it is an international destination. What I think is special is that even with the development and hotels and four star restaurants, the area is still an agricultural based community and the town hasn’t lost its small town charm.

RED: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?

JOHN: I just finished bottling so things are slowing down a little bit. I still have a few wines that are finishing Malolactic fermentation. I ‘m the owner/winemaker, but I‘m also the main cellar worker so I am knee deep in wine work every day. I’m also a falconer, so I have been training my red tailed hawk, Breeze, out in the vineyard.

RED: How would you recommend people approach your wines and wine in general?

JOHN: I guess I just hope people approach wine with an interest and an open mind. If you like it, it’s good wine; and if you don’t, it’s not.

RED: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

JOHN: It is important to know that my Bordeaux-style wines are extremely age-worthy and are meant to be bottle aged. Older bordereaux-style wines benefit from decanting. The 2004 is still improving but is tasting great right now. It can be aged for another five years. Part of the fun of wine is experiencing how they develop over time.
I also want to mention that although I’m the winemaker, I work closely with my two sons, Paul and Austin. They have been working with me for about five years now and they’re proving to be pretty good winemakers. I may even be able to retire someday.

RED: Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you – and your wine. Keep up the great work, we are big fans!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Hawley Winery tasting room, in downtown Healdsburg, can be seen in this satellite photo.