2003 Schug Carneros Estate Heritage Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Mission Codename: The Time Travelers Wine

Operative: Agent Red and Agent Sparkle

Objective: Visit with legendary Winemaster, Walter Schug, and together, hand select a special wine for our Operatives

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Schug Carneros Estate

Wine Subject: 2003 Heritage Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker: Mike Cox and Walter Schug

Backgrounder: To most wine aficionados,winemaster Walter Schug needs no introduction. Mr. Schug’s pioneering work with Joesph Phelps and Insignia is the stuff of wine legend. Today, Walter Schug’s own winery, Schug Carneros Estate, makes wines that are as good or better, but made for folks like you and us Wine Spies. Do Schug wines really stand up to the $200 per bottle for an Insignia Cabernet Sauvignon? Read Agent Red’s tasting notes and intriguing mission report befow for the full story

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Deep garnet with a heart of inky dark ruby. Slightly murky through the middle with deep concentration of color maintained all the way out to the edges of the glass. When swirled, the surface of this wine settles – but the center spins and spins, finally leaving behind legs of mixed size and spacing

Smell – Deeply aromatic and perfumy with bright blueberry, dark cherry, violets and cassis, tempered against licorice, mild spice, soft oak and dark chocolate

Feel – Initially wet and light at the front of the palate, then medium to full-bodied, drying and lush with mouth-coating and supple medium tannins that gradually give way to follow-on flavors

Taste – A balanced palate of dark mixed berries, cassis and cherry – against natural cola, Italian salt licorice and soft oak

Finish – An long and clean finish that eases downward slowly and smoothly, while revealing new flavors – with pronounced cherry – as flavors tapers off

Conclusion – Agent Sparkle and me reviewed this wine together. One sip had both of us swooning over it! With a rich boldness of dark flavor that is held in check by lighter fruits and earthen goodness, this wine is a beautifully balanced treat. This is a beautiful wine that is built for maximum enjoyment and easy drinking, without sacrificing any complexity or character. Mr. Schug’s lifetime of experience absolutely shines through in this superb Cabernet Sauvignon – a wine that gives its Napa rivals a true run for their money. And, speaking of money, given the choice between this wine and a bottle of Insignia, I’ll take this one – and still have enough money to buy several more bottles of today’s great wine

Mission Report:

I had the incredible great fortune to meet with one of the wine industry’s most respected and renowned wine craftsmen in California wine history.

Walter Schug, owner and winemaster at Schug Carneros Estate, was born into wine in Germany in 1936, where his father was winemaker for one of Germany’s top Pinot Noir Producers.

As a young manm Walter worked throughout Europe, honing his craft. In 1966 Julio Gallo asked Walter to oversee all grapegrowing and quality control for the company. Seven years later, after Walter’s reputation had grown, Joseph Phelps asked Walter to become Phelps’ winemaker at his new Napa Valley winery.

Walter helped to create the Insignia label and some of the finest and most sought after Bordeaux-style blends in the country. Walter crafted wines that set the high water mark for excellence in winemaking.

To this day, Walter Schug’s early influence on the industry lives on, with wineries across California and around the world emulating his winemaking style.

With Phelps, Walter Schug’s goal was to make the best Bordeaux-style blend possible. Today, Walter Schug’s philosophy remains largely unchanged. There is one big difference, however; Where a bottle of Insignia may cost you $200 or more, a Schug wine of comparable quality with cost you less than $60.

On arriving at the Schug winery last week, I am greeted by Axel Schug, Director of Marketing for the winery and the son of Walter Schug. Axel, with whom I had met previously, introduces me to his father, and then escorts me through the bowels of the winery, to a tasting room buried in a wine cave. The long table the stretches down the tunnel is surrounded on both sides by seemingly every vintage from Schug’s history.

As I am escorted to my seat, I notice several magnums of Insignia wine and I spot one bottle in a special wooden display. Walter Schug sees me looking at it and he takes it from the display and shows it to me. The bottle is from Joseph Phelps himself, and a touching tribute to Walter Schug, from Phelps, is engraved on the back.

What follows is a partial transcript of our conversation:

AGENT RED: Mr. Schug, thank you so much for making yourself available today. It is an honor to meet you!

WALTER SCHUG: Welcome, Agent Red.

AGENT RED: Let me first say that your wines blow me away. The winery is beautiful as well. I love Carneros and wines from the region. You are really a pioneer of the region. When it came time to build your own winery, how did you come to settle here?

WALTER SCHUG: When I was with Gallo, I sourced fruit from Carneros. I recognized the region as having great potential for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Given my passion for Pinot, settling in Carneros was a natural.

AGENT RED: And, when you did settle, you produced a fair amount of Chardonnay, did you not?

WALTER SCHUG: Yes, and it was excellent, too. It still is. Back then, Chardonnay subsidized my passion for Pinot Noir! It allowed me to perfect Pinot here.

AGENT RED: This Cabernet Sauvignon we are drinking [today’s 2003 Heritage CS] is incredible. How has your philosophy changed from your Insignia days?

WALTER SCHUG: Very little. The goal now, as it was with Phelps back then, is to create the very best wine that we possibly can. And, to do so without recipe orformula.

AGENT RED: Ahh. Whereas I have heard that Insignia is more formulaic in its approach to winemaking today. Instead, your proportions or even fruit sources may change a good deal – if it means making wines that are that much better. Am I correct?

WALTER SCHUG: Yes, this is true. This Cabernet isstreamlined and far more European in character. This is a wine that has elegance, delicacy, finesse – this is what I strive for in all of my wines!

AGENT RED: Again, this is a great wine and I am sure that our Operatives will love it. I also look forward to bringing them your Pinot Noir, during a future mission.

WALTER SCHUG: If they appreciate wines that are made for the best enjoyment, they will love this wine. In the end this wine is not made by going to the vineyard and knowing what you are going to get. Rather, it is the result of meticulous blending of wines made from the best fruit. Again, it is my mission to create wines that are the best expressions of place. It is my mission to make wines that are to be enjoyed.

AGENT RED: Mission accomplished, Mr. Schug, Mission accomplished!

WALTER SCHUG: Thank you, Agent Red.

We talked a great deal about Walter Schug’s history and his influence and impact on the wine industry. While I was certainly impressed by his incredible history, I must say that what impressed me the most – what seemed to matter to me the most – was what the Schug Carneros Estate winery was doing today. Today, Schug is crafting remarkably beautiful wines that are a true delight to drink and enjoy!

Pairing Recommendation:

ROASTED SALMON FILLET WITH CRISPY MEDITERRANEAN TOPPING

6 six ounce salmon fillets
1/4 cup melted butter
2 cups fine toasted bread crumbs
1/2 cup pureed roasted red bell peppers
2 Tb. finely chopped sun dried tomatoes
2 Tb. finely chopped kalamata olives
1 tsp. each: finely chopped fresh rosemary, thyme, parsley and basil
1/3 cup chopped cooked bacon
2 Tb. minced onion
Cabernet Sauce (recipe below)

Place a piece of aluminum foil onto a baking sheet. Arrange salmon fillets onto foil, skin side down. Now mix all remaining ingredients together in a large bowl. Keep mixing until topping is evenly distributed and clings together when a handful is squeezed together. (If mixture is too dry, try adding a little more melted butter. Add more bread crumbs if too wet.) Now squeeze a small amount of topping in your hand and place it on top of a piece of salmon. Add more topping until the top of the fillet is completely covered with about 1/3 of an inch of topping mix. Cover remaining pieces of salmon the same way. Place salmon fillets in a preheated 425 degrees F oven for approximately 15 minutes or until fillets are cooked. With a spatula lift each piece of fish from the foil (the skin should stick to the foil) and place onto a hot serving plate. Drizzle a spoonful of sauce over each piece and serve immediately. Serves 6 delightfully when paired with Schug Cabernet Sauvignon!

Cabernet Sauce

1/2 cup beef stock
1/2 cup Schug Heritage Cabernet Sauvignon
1 Tb. butter
salt and pepper, to taste
1 Tb. chopped fresh rosemary

In a small saucepan, bring stock and red wine to a boil. Lower heat and reduce volume by two-thirds. Whisk in butter, salt and pepper and chopped rosemary. Use within 30 minutes or butter will separate.

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the gorgeous Schug Estate winery can be seen in this satellite photo.

2009 Gioia Wines DAX Ryder Red

Mission Codename: Diogenes Alejandro Xenos

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Revisit Teri Love, owner and winemistress extraordinaire at Gioia Winery, procure her unique Paso Red Blend, the delicious 2009 DAX, a perfect blend of Sangiovese an Petit Sirah

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Gioia Winery

Wine Subject: 2009 DAX Ryder Red – Paso Robles

Winemaker: Teri Love

Regional Backgrounder:

Paso Robles, in California’s Southern Central Coast region (San Luis Obisbo County) is one of California’s oldest and fastest-evolving wine growing regions. The first vines were planted in the late 1700s by the Spanish missionaries. Paso’s unique climate, perhaps influences its vine more than any other area in California. The hot, dry weather that is only minimally effected by coastal fog and wine results in grapes that are more concentrated in flavor and intensity. This climate makes Paso uniquely suited to grow the big red varietals. Today’s delicious wine is a perfect blend of 86% Sangiovese and 14% Petit Sirah, making it an intriguing, delightful wine that earns our strong recommendation.

Varietal Backgrounder:

The most widely planted grape in all of Italy, Sangiovese, is used in everything from blended inexpensive table wines like Chianti, to the finest Super Tuscans. Italian immigrants introduced this varietal to the U.S. in the 1800’s. First plantings of this grape in the Atlas Peak region of the Napa Valley were legendary and today, some of the most exciting California Sangiovese are found there.

In California, Petite Sirah dates back to a time when it was believed to be a close relative of the Syrah grape. Later, it would be found to be genetically identical to the Durif, named for its after French discoverer, François Durif, who found that the varietal was a Syrah grape pollinated with Peloursin flowers. Petit Sirah’s smaller berries have a higher skin to pulp ratio, which leads to more intense flavors.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Deepest ruby with perfectly consistent coloration, from core to the very edge of the glass. After swirling, tall, skinny, wine-stained tears move quickly down the glass.

Smell – Bold, fresh cherry, warm wild strawberry, wild blueberry and soft leather all rush up to greet the nose. Just behind these, black pepper, brown spice, dried red rose petals, soft smoked meats and faint cigar box follow on.

Feel – Ultra soft, on entry. Then, the wine takes on a sexy, plush feel as a slowly spreading dryness spreads from the edges of the palate, inward. Then, uniquely, the dryness spreads back outward, eventually drying the lips and cheeks.

Taste – Ripe, complex and delicious, with bold black cherry, blackberry, tart dried cranberry and soft brown spice out in front. As the wine opens up, it also reveals dried leather, smoked meats, cedar, dried rose petals and black pepper.

Finish – Very long and packed with red and black fruit flavors that gradually give way to dried flowers, cedar and spice. At the very end, an intriguing warmth can be felt along the gumline.

Conclusion – A very impressive wine from one of our very favorite small producers, today’s 2009 Gioia DAX - Red Ryder red blend earns our heartiest recommendation! Aromatics are bold and rich, which lead one member of our tasting panel to declare, “Sniffing this wine is like eating a rich meal!” Flavors are perfectly balanced between rich & savory, and sweetly fruit-driven. The finish is long and intriguing, taking the drinker’s palate through something of a journey along the way. Kudos to Teri Love for crafting another remarkable, delicious, intriguing red blend. Don’t miss out on this one, dear Operative!

Mission Report:

WINERY INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

SUBJECT: Teri Love, Proprietress

WINE EDUCATION: Real-life experience – tasting wines all over the world; Apprenticing under Jim Porter of KLJ Cellars.

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: The fruit speaks for itself.

WINEMAKER QUOTE: “In wine there is truth”, Latin proverb

FIRST COMMERCIAL WINE RELEASE: September 2009


WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

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

TERI: Always a pleasure to show off our wines to your savvy Operatives, Agent Red!

RED: Tell me, was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?

TERI: Wine makes the most wonderful occasion even better.

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

TERI: Jim Porter – his palate and talent are enviable.

RED: Who do you make wine for?

TERI: Myself – if I am loving the taste chances are good that others will as well

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

TERI: DAX’s nose is of faded roses, a touch of cedar & rich berries. The color is a bright garnet. Fresh fruity flavors of strawberry, raspberry, black pepper, nutmeg, clove & boysenberry jam – All contributing to the soft round mouth feel with a lingering flavor of vanilla. We have blended the Sangiovese with Petit Sirah. It has added more complexity and quality to the flavor of the wine. The small berries of the Petit Sirah with their high skin-to-juice ratio, blackberry fruity character mixed with black pepper notes, add deep color and body to the Sangiovese.

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

TERI: It is impossible to pick just one favorite pairing because DAX pairs beautifully with all types of dishes and personal tastes. Roasted meats, chicken, mesquite grilled steak, fish, lamb, pork, stews, tomato based pasta, pizza, well-aged cheese, veggies grilled or roasted with extra virgin olive oil, herbs, & garlic. Herb seasonings such as basil, thyme & sage play off the herbal notes in DAX in a delicious dance on the palate.

RED: In your opinion, what makes Paso Robles region so special?

TERI: The Sangiovese grape thrives in the Central Coast Region of California. A dryer climate along with the acidity naturally occurring in the grape, less watering = more concentration & intensity in the finished wine.

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

TERI: We are getting ready for our next wine to be bottled while sourcing other interesting varieties to merge together in new and exciting blends as well as continuing on our tradition of producing premium Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

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

TERI: With an open mind and an empty glass

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

TERI: Enjoy and share the Gioia!

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!

2007 Maroon Wines Maroon Vineyard Zinfandel

Mission Codename: Mister Valiant

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Send Agent Red back to Maroon Wines, where he has been granted exclusive access to their wine cache. Sample their secret selections and choose the finest one for our deserving Operatives.

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Maroon wines

Wine Subject: 2007 Maroon wines Napa Valley Zinfandel

Winemaker: Plau Maroon

Backgrounder: The Chiles Valley AVA is a very distinctive grape growing region the northeastern part of the Napa Valley. It is a small, narrow and very steep growing region that sits between St. Helena to the west and Lake Berryessa to the east. The region warm climate and well drained soils provide great growing conditions for Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon. The grapes for today’s Gold Medal-winning wine was grown at 1000 feet above the valley floor.

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.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Beautiful dark garnet hues, with a darker core. Viewed from the top, the wine takes on an almost iridescent magenta color, from edge to core. After swirling, tall, thin, wine-stained tears move very slowly downward.

Smell – Sweet, softly spiced Bing cherry, jammy blackberry and blueberry are the first to greet your nose with a heady fullness that encourages a deep inhalation. These sweet aromas are closely followed by warm brown spice, cigar box, black pepper and cassis.

Feel – Voluptuous and soft at the tip of the tongue and then quickly grippy and plush as the wine moves further along the palate. At the edges of the tongue, a soft warmth adds a lovely, subtle pepper-spiced heat. Bright acids add the right amount of balance.

Taste – Juicy, jammy and delicious, with bold black cherry, blackberry, blueberry, cassis and dried cranberry. These are closely followed by dark plum, leather, dried brown tobacco leaf, dried mushroom, soft spice and black pepper.

Finish – Very long and evolving, the wine leads with jammy, juicy dark fruit. As these tail off, the edges of the palate warm, just slightly, as spice and black pepper take over. Then, as the palate drys, this subtle heat fades gradually.

Conclusion – Delicious. Delightful. Divine. Today’s 2007 Maroon Wines Zinfandel is a truly fantastic Zinfandel. Maroon has always impressed us with their wines and when the winery offered us their coveted 2007 Zin, we leaped at the chance. We had tasted the wine, last year, and we loved it. When we tasted it again, this month, we were blown away. This wine has progressed so beautifully. While it is very aromatic and bursting with juicy flavor, this wine does have great balance. With spice and earthen characteristics to round it out, this wine is a true delight to sip and discuss. Drinking beautifully, now, this wine will continue to progress over the next several years. Pair with your favorite Summertime BBQ, or enjoy it all on its own.

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

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

2009 Peterson Winery 25th Anniversary Ltd. Edition Forchini Vineyard Carignane

Mission Codename: 1987

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Send Agent Red to Peterson Winery, who has given The Wine Spies exclusive access to its special 25th Anniversary Carignane – in advance of the public release of the wine.

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Peterson Winery

Wine Subject: 2009 Peterson Family Winery Carignane 25th Anniversary – Limited Edition

Winemaker: Jamie Peterson

Backgrounder: Our Operatives know just how much we love Peterson Winery, its people and its fantastic wines. Truly, this winery has become a Wine Spies favorite. The father and son team of Fred and Jamie Peterson have been making wines in the Dry Creek Valley for, well, forever.

Varietal Backgrounder: Carignane is the most widely planted red grape varietal in France. The grape thrives in arid climates that have long growing seasons. It develops late in the season and it requires a long time to come to full ripeness. The grape is sensitive and difficult to harvest – but it usually develops high yields, making it a very attractive grape to grow.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Mark magenta with a darker heart. Color is perfectly even, from core to edge. A beautiful ring of ruby runs around the glass. After swirling, thin legs form high up on the glass, before moving swiftly down the glass.

Smell – Dark fruit and spice leap from the glass. Overripe blackberry, smoky blueberry, black currant and warm brown spice leap from the glass. Black cherry, plum, sweetwood, dark chocolate and dark dried flower petals round out the lush nose.

Feel – Soft and round at the tip of the tongue. As the wine moves across the mid-palate, it introduces a bright acidity and a plush, crushed velvet gripiness. Integrated tannins provide the perfect frame to the bright fruit and spice.

Taste – Intriguing and complex, with bold flavors overripe blackberry, black cherry, wild strawberry, dried violets, spiced cranberry and toasted oak. As the wine opens up, flavors of tobacco leaf, sweet spice, anise, plum and black pepper appear.

Finish – Dark and juicy, fruit flavors sustain for an extra long time. As dark fruits fade, red fruits come to the forefront. As these red fruits fade, sweet brown spice, oak and black pepper remain, tailing off very slowly.

Conclusion – This 25th Anniversary wine is a fitting tribute to the masterworks that the wonderful Peterson Winery produces. Darkly juicy, sweetly spicy and ultra-delicious, this 2009 Peterson Winery Carignane is a truly fantastic wine. Delicious, right out of the bottle, this wine really springs to life after an hour or two of decanting. Flavors deepen, with rich, dark fruits that become more authentic the longer it breaths. This wine is a delicious, expressive, spicy, fruit-driven, complex treat that we are truly crazy about. With only 74 cases of this limited-edition, 25th Anniversary wine produced, this is likely the only opportunity that you’ll have to pick some up.

Mission Report:

WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

SUBJECT: Jamie Peterson

DATE OF BIRTH: 03/20/1981

PLACE OF BIRTH: Saratoga, CA (Mt. Eden Vineyards)

WINE EDUCATION: Ongoing, on-the-job. UC Davis Extension chemistry/lab analysis/viticulture classes.

CALIFORNIA WINE JOB BRIEF: Grew up in Peterson Winery, helping with odd jobs in the winery and vineyard as a teenager. Worked first harvest at 19, and then traveled to Australia and New Zealand to work harvest in 2001. took over as Assistant Winemaker at Peterson Winery in 2002. Given full Winemaker responsibility in 2006.

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: “Zero Manipulation”/Minimal intervention, letting the vineyard and vintage show through in each bottling. No fining, no filtration. Minimal new oak usage, minimal additions and SO2 use.

SIGNATURE VARIETAL: Dry Creek valley Zinfandel.


WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

AGENT RED: Greetings, Jamie. We are thrilled to be showing your 25th Anniversary Limited Edition 2009 Forchini Vineyard Carignane today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

JAMIE: Thanks, Red. This is a very special wine and we are pleased to be able to make a limited number of cases available to you and your Operatives, today.

RED: We appreciate that, Jamie. Tell me, was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?

JAMIE: It’d be hard to pick one. Growing up with the sights, sounds, and smells of the winery and vineyards, there were many inspirational moments. But I didn’t think I’d be getting into the life of wine as deeply as I have until I worked harvests in 2001 in Australia and New Zealand. Seeing the international wine community and how it ties people together made me decide to come back to the family winery and join full time in 2002.

RED: And where did you learn the most about winemaking?

JAMIE: From my father, growing up in the winery, and being able to learn on the job.

RED: What is your winemaking style or philosophy?

JAMIE: I believe that vineyard and vintage driven wines are the only reason for small wineries to exist. I prefer wines from different vintages to reflect the growing season (otherwise why put the vintage on the bottle?) rather than use additives (acid, tannins, enzymes, gum arabic, overblown new oak) or technological processes (filtration, alcohol removal, micro-oxygenation) to create wines that taste the same each year. I don’t filter or fine our wines, and I predominantly use native yeast fermentations and malo-lactics, so we have to keep things clean and monitor closely, as we don’t choose to use the tools for fixing mistakes that some wineries do. We source from the same vineyards each year, so there is a thread of continuity running through vintages. Our vineyards are sustainably farmed, with a few certified organic, and a number of others dry-farmed.

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

JAMIE: I’m inspired by European vintners who have made wines from the same places for generations, and haven’t succumbed to commercialism.

RED: How long have you been making wine?

JAMIE: 2002 was my first full year of working with wines from grape to bottle. 2000 was the first full harvest I worked with my father. At 28, I have 12 harvests under my belt (including working in both Australia and New Zealand in 2001).

RED: Who do you make wine for?

JAMIE: I make wines for my own tastes, and then we find enough people that share our ideas to buy it. We don’t submit our wines for scoring or competitions.

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

JAMIE: It’s a wine with a little extra something, both inside and outside the bottle. The Forchini Vineyard Old Vine Carignane comes from a block over 60 years old next door to our winery on the Eastern Bench of the Dry Creek Valley. Originally we purchased the fruit with the intent of blending to add some spice and backbone to our Zinfandel. We’ve come to realize that the vineyard produces a wine that is the rare Carignane more than worthy to bottle as a stand alone, with enough structure to carry the complex of fruit and earth flavors. We only do two or three barrels a year, and decided to give this unique wine a unique package. Each and every bottle is painstakingly hand painted, hand dipped in wax, and tissue wrapped, honors usually reserved for wines that sell at ridiculous prices. In honor of our 25th, or silver, anniversary this year, we’ve gone with a silver color for the theme of the packaging.

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

JAMIE: This wine is fantastic on its own, but also is versatile pairing. After a long day of painting and waxing with friends, we opened one of the first of these bottles with some homemade BBQ pizzas topped with pears, caramelized onions, and arugula, and the freshness of the wine matched the ingredients perfectly. BBQ foods would be a fun companion as well.

RED: In your opinion, what makes the Forchini vineyard such a special place for Carignane?

JAMIE: These gnarly old vines on the justly famous Dry Creek Valley Bench soil are dry farmed, bringing into check the inherent vigor of the variety, resulting in smaller and more concentrated berries. The farmers know that these vines keep themselves in check, and is farmed sustainably, with no inputs. The combination of site and weather makes for an intense, deep wine that is not heavy or rough.

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

JAMIE: We have been bottling most of the 2010 red wines, which is a very exciting time. We are about half way complete with our blending trials on the 2011 wines, and are happy with the results so far, with a few of the bolder blends still to tackle( Cabernet and Petite Sirah types). In the vineyard, fruit has set and we’re planning ahead to what we hope will be a great 2012 harvest in a few months.

RED: What is one piece of advice that you would give to someone that is considering a career as a winemaker?

JAMIE: Realize that winemaking is both simple and complicated. It’s all just fermented grape juice, but it’s all about the details; every minute little thing you do or don’t do to the grapes or wine will affect how it turns out.

RED: Please share one thing about yourself that few people know

JAMIE: I like to go mushroom hunting (for chanterelles and porcini), even though as a teenager I accidently picked and ate Death Cap mushrooms.

RED:What is your favorite ‘everyday’ or table wine?

JAMIE: Zinfandel is the wine I seem to open the most often of our own, but I also drink a lot of Rhone wines, and wines from the Ventoux.

RED: How would you recommend that people approach your wines, or wine in general?

JAMIE: So many people look for the “best” wine. I always ask them “best for what?” Every wine has a place and time for appreciating (unless it just is a wine that really sucks…), and it’s more important for people to figure out what types of wine they like, and why, than what others think is the best. Trust your own palate rather than what a critic or others say.

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

JAMIE: Thanks for having me, and for appreciating and selling our wines!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Peterson Winery can be seen in this satellite photo.

2008 Maloy O'Neill Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve

Mission Codename: The King of Paso

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Revisit our good friends at Maloy O’Neill Vineyards and acquire their exclusive, limited-production, Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Maloy O’Neill Vineyards

Wine Subject: 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon – Private Reserve

Winemaker: Shannon O’Neill

Backgrounder:

Paso Robles, in California’s Southern Central Coast region (San Luis Obisbo County) is one of California’s oldest and also newest wine growing regions. The first vines were planted in the late 1700s by the Spanish missionaries.

Paso’s unique climate, perhaps influences its vine more than any other area in California. The hot, dry weather that is only minimally effected by coastal fog and wine results in grapes that are more concentrated in flavor and intensity. This climate makes Paso uniquely suited to grow the big red varietals including Zinfandel, Syrah and as in this wine, Cabernet Sauvignon.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Deep, dark magenta, with red edging and a solid, darker, burgundy core. After swirling this heavy-looking wine, tall, wine-stained tears take a very long time to emerge up high on the glass. After they do appear, they slide very slowly downward.

Smell – Bold and sweet with juicy red fruit and spice, this wine leads with warm cherry, blackberry, braised fig and sweet brown spice. These are rounded out by black cherry, plum and cigar box that appears as the wine opens up.

Feel – Initially soft, the wine becomes quickly grippy as plush tannins take hold at the front of the palate. Bright acids transport fruit to the far corners of the palate as a darkly mineral-laden dryness follows closely behind.

Taste – Dark and bold, with layer upon layer of dark fruit, earthen characteristics and spice. At first, the wine leads with spiced blackberry juice, black cherry and dried black fig. Notes of tobacco, sweet spice, dried fall leaves, cigar box, toasted oak, black plum and dusty dark chocolate round out the palate as the wine opens up.

Finish – Ultra-long and very complex, lead by black fruit that very slowly yields to earthy flavors and dark minerals. At the very end, a hint of flint, oak and black pepper remain, long after the fruit and earthen flavors have faded.

Conclusion – We’ve always been really crazy about Shannon O’Neill’s Cabernet Sauvignon, but today marks our first try of his Private Reserve Cab. We really love this exceptional wine. Like all of Shannon’s wines, this Cabernet is rich, dark and extracted. This wine, though, also enjoys layers of flavor and complexity. Aromatics, too, are deep and complex. In fact, our entire tasting panel found itself inhaling this wine for a long time before ever taking that first delicious sip. We give this wine our very strong recommendation. Enjoy now or cellar a case or two for the next decade. Pair this delicious wine with a garlic rubbed New York steak on the grill.

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 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve 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 UC Davis 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 SAT scores. 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: The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon PR is one of the best Private Reserve Cabs produced from Maloy O’Neill Vineyards. The grapes are grown on my Hillside vineyard, hand manicured and farmed to produce high quality low yielding fruit.

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

SHANNON: Any red meat. The soft tannins meet up beautifully with the richness of good quality beef.

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: Between summer maintenance around the property and preparing for this years harvest there are not enough hours in the day!

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.

2008 Maloy O'Neill Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve

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Mission Codename: Vino Ipsa loquitor

Operative: Agent White

Objective: Return to Peters Family Winery’s to retrieve their delicious Sonoma Stage Vineyard Pinot Noir

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Peters Family Winery

Wine Subject: 2008 Sonoma Stage Vineyard Pinot Noir

Winemaker: Douglas Peters

Backgrounder: Our Operatives loved the last Peter’s Family Pinot Noir that we featured, that we kept the winery under close surveillance to acquire their very special single vineyard Sonoma Stage Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir.

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 varietal of Pinot Noir very well.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look: Deep ruby red with a clear and dense heart of dark ruby red. Along the edges the color lightens ever so slightly to reveal red and ruby tints and when swirled fast evenly spaced thick legs are followed by slower color stained tears that hang on the side of the glass.

Smell – Deep and complex with bright red and black fruit including red and black cherry, raspberry and other red berries that are layered with notes of soft earth, vanilla toasted oak, exotic spice, and cola notes. Hints of floral violets, green herbs and mocha coffee adds further complexity.

Feel – Soft, smooth with a touch of spice that softens as this dry wine breathes. Full-bodied with finely textured tannins, balanced acidity and earthy minerality grasps the fruit and other flavors long into the finish.

Taste – Great red and black fruit flavors of black cherry, currants and raspberry lead off are immediately followed by vanilla toast and cola notes, exotic and peppery spice and earthy flavors and hints of tea as hints of oak and this wine’s floral and herbal notes linger.

Finish – This wine finishes medium-long and clean with its rich fruit, toasted vanilla, earth and spice fading gently and inviting another sip.

Conclusion – Once again we are impressed with this latest vintage from Douglas Peters. The 2008 Peters Family Winery Sonoma Stage Vineyard Pinot Noir is a delicious California Pinot that bridges the gap with a touch French Burgundy character. Great red fruit is framed by a solid but warm and generous texture. Pleasantly complex on the nose and palate and very approachable. Its acidity lends itself to to pairing with food, but to just sip and enjoy on its own. Enjoy it now or for the next three to five years. Let this wine open up for a bit to reveal all its great aromas and flavors.

Mission Report:

WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

SUBJECT: Douglas Peters

WINE EDUCATION: Stanford University, BA

CALIFORNIA WINE JOB BRIEF: Domaine Carneros, Trefethen Vineyards

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: Make great wine!...by respecting and nurturing the natural processes at work in the vineyard and the winery.

WINEMAKER QUOTE: “Vino ipsa loquitor”

FIRST COMMERCIAL WINE RELEASE: 2003


WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

AGENT WHITE: Welcome back, Douglas. It is wonderful to continue to get to know you and your great wines. And, we are thrilled to be showing your Sonoma Stage Vineyard Pinot Noir today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

DOUG PETERS: You are welcome! I am happy to share this special pinot noir with your operatives.

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

DOUG: Not a specific experience, but an accumulation of experiences tasting and sharing wines from around the world, which made me aware how wines, particularly great ones, can truly be a celebration of life and nature.

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

DOUG: I always admired Baron Mouton Rothschild, Robert Mondavi, and many others who came after…

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

DOUG: I love this Pinot Noir’s wonderful expression of classic pinot noir varietal character, and the terroir of the single vineyard site. The wine is a blend of the two clonal selections, Swan and Calera, planted in Sonoma Stage Vineyard. The grapes from each clone were separately hand-picked, fermented, and barrel aged for over two years before assemblage of the final blend. Due to the distinct differences between the clones, the grapes from each clone produce pinot noirs with distinctly different flavor and aroma profiles. As a result the final blend containing wines from both vineyard clones is very complex, yet beautifully balanced. It is lovely now in its youth, and I think it will evolve into an even more special wine in the cellar for many years to come.

WHITE: In your opinion, what makes the Sonoma Coast growing region so special?

DOUG: The Sonoma Coast appellation is ideally suited for pinot noir and chardonnay production, because of its proximity to the coast, and the beneficial effects of marine cooling, combined with ample sunny weather to achieve full ripeness. However, the Sonoma Coast appellation is very large, with numerous micro-climates, so it is important to note that the grapes for the PFW Pinot Noir are grown in the Petaluma Gap sub-appellation of the Sonoma Coast appellation. Located at the eastern edge of the Sonoma Coast appellation bordering Napa, the Petaluma Gap shares some of the best attributes of the neighboring Russian River and Carneros appellations as well as characteristics of the larger Sonoma Coast appellation..

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

DOUG: With an empty glass!...and an open mind.

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

DOUG: Cheers!

WHITE: Well said… 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 Peters Family Winery can be seen in this satellite photo.

Alberto Quacquarini Vernaccia di Serrapetrona Dolce

Mission Codename: La Vida Dolce

Operative: Agent Sparkle

Objective: Secure an exclusive Italian sparkler for our operatives

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Alberto Quacquarini

Wine Subject: Vernaccia di Serrapetrona Dolce DOCG

Backgrounder:

Produced in the Marche province of Macerata,Vernaccia di Serrapetrona Dolce DOCG is primarily made from Vernaccia Nero grapes and sometimes has some Sangiovese and Ciliegiolo added. These rare and unique red sparkling wines can be made in form drysecco or semisweet to sweet dolce as is the case with this wine. These wines undergo three fermentations that result in its spumante

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Dark ruby red with some garnet is graced with brighter ruby streaks that glisten though this wine’s clear and effervescent core when held to the light. Moderately persistent ruby tinged mouse when initially poured that descends to a slow stream of steady very small bubbles. Ruby along the edges and when swirled, slow medium legs hand on the side of the glass.

Smell – Fresh, bright and youthful on the nose with aromas of red fruit including cherry and raspberry blend with subtle dried and fresh green herbal and soft earthy notes along with floral violets, powdery minerals and toasted vanilla notes as well.

Feel – This demi-to-sweet (closer to demi) wine has exceptionally crisp minerality that balances over residual sugar and finely textured tannins. Fresh acidity blends with this wines effervescence to a vibrant and fresh feel. Medium-to-full bodied, clean and crisp with its spumante and delicate sweetness lingering on into the finish.

Taste – Sweet, fresh and tart flavors of fresh red fruit including red Italian cherry, raspberry and red plum meld with this wine’s soft earthy and herbal undertones. Slate minerality and the floral violet notes found on the nose also linger on the back of the palate along with some exotic spice adding complexity to this unique wine.

Finish – In spite of is dolce residual sugar, this wine remains crisp and clean with a lingering minerality that supports its fresh red fruit flavors as the soft earthy, herbal, spice and minerality persist and invite another sip.

Conclusion – The very rare and unique Quacquarini Vernaccia di Serrapetrona Dolce DOCG is a clean, bright and very fresh with red demi to full sweet dessert spumante wine. Fresh red fruit, soft earth, floral violets, subtle green herbs and fantastic minerality on the nose and palate and into the finish. This is a great wine to serve at the conclusion of any great meal as you linger with good friends_. Enjoy this wine right now as there is no reason to cellar this lovely fresh sparkler.

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Macerata in Italy can be seen in this satellite photo.

2011 DEFINE Wines Napa Valley Rose

Mission Codename: Of Love and Meaning

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Respond to reports of a new, ultra-premium Rosé producer in the Napa Valley. If the wine is as great as reports suggest, procure an ample allotment for our thirsty Operatives.

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current WineryDEFINE Wines

Wine Subject: 2011 Rosé

Winemaker: David James

Backgrounder:

The Wine Spies are always on the hunt for the best wines that we can find. When it comes to Rosé , we are extraordinarily difficult to please. Today’s wine is a new Wine Spies favorite, DEFINE Wines, whose remarkable Rosé offers an exquisite, ultra-premium Summertime drinking experience.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Dark salmon hues, with perfect clarity. Coloration is perfectly even, from core to glinting pink edge. After swirling the wine, tall clusters of skinny, slow moving legs saunter down the glass.

Smell – Lush and complex for a rosé, with darker aromas than the color might suggest. The wine leads with dark cherry, fresh young strawberry, dried French herbs and subtle pink grapefruit. As the wine warms, additional aromas of white peach, subtle slate and dried pink flower petals follow on.

Feel -Right out of the chiller, the wine shows a soft effervescence at the tip of the tongue. As it warms, even slightly, it becomes soft and round on the initial attack. Then, as the wine crosses the mid-palate, it becomes softly grippy. This grippy feeling becomes more pronounced as the wine warms, contributing to a wonderful complexity. A mineral-laden dryness spreads from the tip of the tongue to the rear of the palate, the lips and the cheeks.

Taste – Sweet pink grapefruit and young strawberry mingle with tart cherry, fresh lime, dried rose petals, subtle dried herbs and flint.

Finish Very long and filled with sweet and tar flavors, the fruit take a long time to tail off. As it does, a flinty dryness slowly spreads around the palate. At the very end, an intriguing flash of subtle white spice appears, hanging around for a long time.

Conclusion – This is a truly remarkable Rosé that our tasting panel went absolutely crazy for. Out of the chiller, this wine is fresh and bright and filled with classic, delicious California flavors. As the wine warms, though, it takes on new character and complexity. Each successive sip becomes more flavorful and more elegant than the last. Each sip becomes more fun. Overall, this wine is intriguing, delicious and very interesting. Kudos to David James on his inaugural rose release. We’ll be keeping an eye on this very promising young winemaker. You should, too. Stock up on this wonderful Summertime sipper!

Mission Report:

2004 Random Ridge Cabernets - Cab Sauv/Cab Franc Blend

Mission Codename: Graciously Generous & Bold

Operative: Agent White

Objective: Visit our friends at Random Ridge and secure a library raid allocation of their delicious 2004 Cabernets, an amazing Mt. Veeder Cabernet Franc/Cabernet Sauvignon blend

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Random Ridge

Wine Subject: 2004 Mount Veeder Cabernets – Cab Sauv / Cab Franc Blend

Winemaker: Bill Hawley

Backgrounder:

Mt. Veeder, located on the eastern slopes of the Mayacamas range has a climate that is cooler than the valley floor below. This climate and the more difficult (less fertile) volcanic mountain soil influence the flavors of the wines from this region. Best known for Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, Mt. Veeder vineyards produce grapes of exceptional character and intensity.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Deep, dark and dense garnet purple with a intense but clear heart that shows just hints of garnet reflections when tilted into the light. Along the edges, the color becomes more ruby red and when swirled, tightly spaced thin but color stained legs hang on the side of the glass.

Smell – Rich and redolent with aromas of earthy mineral laced black and red fruit including black cherry, currants, black raspberry and other intense berries. Cedar cigar box and a little sandalwood blend with exotic and black pepper spice. Hints of dried herbs and floral notes adds complexity under the rich fruit.

Feel – Warm, spicy and expansive on the palate, this dry full-bodied wine has finely grained tannins and amble acidity that hits mid palate along with highly textured minerality and some spice heat.

Taste – Tightly woven flavors of dark fruit blend with woody notes of cedar and oak, spiced black pepper, dark earthy minerals, wild anise, dried green herbs and even hints of bittersweet chocolate. Bold and powerful, needing time, so be patient so reveal all its depth and complexity on the palate.

Finish – Medium-long with the dark fruit fading first and followed by the spicy pepper heat and textured mineral notes. As the fruit and spice fades the palate dries leaving behind dried herbal and floral hints and notes of the cedar and oak found on the nose.

Conclusion – The 2004 Random Ridge Mount Veeder Cabernets is a fantastic and complex wine with great depth of aromas. Its highly textured minerality and acidity makes this a great blend to pair with rich meats (especially grass fed beef). Tightly woven and focused with classic cab flavors are packed in and a finish that is both tasted and felt. Give this wine plenty of time to open up. Enjoy tonight or cellar for another seven to ten years.

Mission Report:

WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

WINE EDUCATION: Bill graduated with honors with a degree in poetry from Sonoma State College in 1974. His senior project focused on the influence of Zen Buddhism on the poetry of the San Francisco renaissance and the Beats.

He met Phil Coturri studying poetry at college and was inspired by him and his brother Tony in the cult of winemaking and grapegrowing. He has taken courses in winemaking and viticulture at UC Davis extension, Napa College, and Santa Rosa Junior College. He has traveled to many wine regions to study winemaking and surfing, including France (Burgundy, Bordeaux, Rhone, Languedoc, Champagne), Spain (Rioja), Portugal, Madeira, Chile, Baja Mexico, New Zealand, and Australia (Margaret River).

CALIFORNIA WINE JOB BRIEF: Bill lived and worked at BR Cohn Vineyards in 1975, spending a full season on the Cohn ranch in the heart of the Sonoma Valley. He worked at Kenwood Winery in 1977 and In 1978 helped build a winery in Sonoma for Walter Benson that later became Haywood and is now Ravenswood. He then worked as vineyard manager for Chalone at Carmenet Vineyards from 1982-1988, and at the same time planted the first vines at Random Ridge.

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: Wine is made in the vineyard. It’s all about this place on earth.

WINEMAKER QUOTE: “Grow good grapes and get out of the way.”

FIRST COMMERCIAL WINE RELEASE: 1988


WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

AGENT WHITE: Greetings, Bill. We are thrilled to be showing your 2004 Mount Veeder Cabernets today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

BILL HAWLEY: It’s always great to be on another mission with you, Agent White!

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

BILL: In grapegrowing, Joe Miami, the longtime manager at Louis Martini’s Monte Rosso. In winemaking, I was very intrigued by Martin Ray at Mt. Eden and Adre Tchelistcheff at Beaulieu. Later, Dick Graff from Chalone opened my eyes wide to the pleasure of food and wine combinations.

WHITE: Who do you make wine for?

BILL: I make wines to suit my palate. I am not making wines for review, I am making wine for myself, my family, and my friends and I hope to reach out to kindred souls who appreciate a rich man’s wine at a poor man’s price.

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

BILL: A perfect growing season with extended hang time led to a leisurely and bountiful harvest of luscious ripe grapes from a single vineyard, meticulously farmed at 2200’ on the edge of an ancient caldera. With a minimalist & gentle hand in the cellar, the synergistic typicité of Bordeaux varietals show a wine vibrant with personality & well endowed, powerful, intense, effusive, balanced, persistent & focused terroir driven – a true expression of a special spot on earth. Dark extracted and generous in flavor, fleshy, hedonistic, plush, engaging, redolent in red currant, plum, spice, licorice, cocoa, cedar & garrique with an explosion of pure fruit properly bottle conditioned & good to go.

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

BILL: I like it paired with meats grilled over a wood fire of manzanita or seasoned oak barrel staves. Rack of lamb with potato risotto is also a perfect accompaniment. This wine also works well with rustic crusty bread and local goat cheese.

WHITE: In your opinion, what makes the Mr. Veeder appellation so special?

BILL: It’s the elevation, inclination, climate, rocks, and volcanic soil. What’s not often talked about with grapegrowing in the mountains is that we are above the fog, and the intensity of the sunlight influences the flavors and colors of the grapes. Growing grapes up here takes a certain maverick spirit and tenacity—this is labor-intensive viticulture. We have a long growing season and the vines struggle to survive. All farming up here is a hand job.

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

BILL: Vineyard has just moved through bloom, looks good, vigorous & healthy. Winery-wise, figuring out the blends preparatory to bottling the 2010s.

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

BILL: With a meal or without, in crystal or a mason jar, but definitely with friends and by candlelight.

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 location of the Mt. Veeder Appellation in Napa can be seen in this satellite photo.

2010 Fritz Underground Winery Russian River Valley Chardonnay

Mission Codename: The 70-30

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: In time for Summertime enjoyment, return to Fritz Underground Winery and procure the newest vintage of their delicious Russian River Valley Chardonnay.

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Fritz Underground Winery

Wine Subject: 2010 Russian River Valley Chardonnay

Winemaker: Brad Longton

Backgrounder: We first discovered the Fritz Underground Winery in 2008. Back then, we were lucky to get our hands on an a small allotment of their spectacular wines. We now enjoy a special relationship with Fritz, who allows us special access to limited quantities of their wines.

The Russian River Valley, in Sonoma County, produces Chardonnay (as well as Pinot Noir and Old Vine Zinfandel) of remarkable distinction. The cooler maritime conditions of the region make the RRV ideal for growing Burgundian varietals. This AVA was officially designated in 1983, but many of the wines in the region used the designation as early as the 1970s (early in California’s wine history) with the many of the vines having been first planted in the early 1900s.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Pale golden yellow with perfect clarity and perfectly even coloration, from core to the very edge. When swirled, tight clusters of thin, fast-moving tears form quickly and then move slowly to the wine below.

Smell – Medium to bold in intensity with aromatic white peach, mixed citrus, green apple and white flowers in the lead. After some swirling, the wine warms just slightly, revealing almond, white minerals, yeasty pastry crust and sauteed pear.

Feel – Smooth and very soft on entry, the wine glides quickly across the front-palate. When it lands at the mid, it takes on a more plush, gently gripply feel. Integrated tanins and a lively acidity combine to frame the bright fruit flavors.

Taste – Bright and very flavorful, this wine bursts with white pear, mixed citrus, green apple, white peach, soft white spice and chalky minerals. Once the wine warms, slightly, it reveals hints of almond, braised pear, and pastry dough.

Finish – Clean, lively, crisp and refreshing, this wine delivers plenty of long-lasting fruit. As the fruit flavors fade, soft white spice, white minerals and a hint of almond skin (yes, almond skin) persist for even longer.

Conclusion – Today’s 2010 Fritz Russian River Valley Chardonnay is a delicious wine that is bursting with flavor. Tender on the palate, with delicious fruits that lead to a long, intriguing finish, this wine is sheer joy to drink. We enjoyed our perfectly-chilled review bottles on a hot pre-summer afternoon. Each sip hit the spot and each sip became better than the last. We found that this wine really comes alive as it warms just slightly in the glass, revealing flavors and aromas that were not present on opening. Enjoy this very highty recommended Chardonnay with a roasted chicken – or all on its own.

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The approximate location of the Fritz Underground Winery can be seen in this satellite photo.