Rebel Rose

Although Mat's winemaker notes state that the color is dark, I was still surprised by the intensely syrah color, very purple. I chilled it in the commercial fridge, and initially tasted it in the winery with the aircon running full tilt, but I was still able to pick out initial impressions of oak, smoke, and licorice--very unusual for a rose'-style wine. There's a definite tingle--a spritziness--which is surprising but not unpleasant. I looked for the cranberry and rhubarb character that Mat lists in his notes. Those flavors are there, but more subtle, I think, than upfront. I find the usual syrah flavors of various blue and black berries, but in more of a health food juice style than the heavy compote style of full on syrahs. The finish is slightly sweet, but not inappropriate for the style and flavor. I served this wine, along with a chilled Dover Canyon 2004 Roussanne, at ladies' book night (ahem, thinly disguised excuse to ditch the men and kids) with an antipasto platter, local olives cured with lime juice and lemon zest olive oil, a salad of greens, potatoes, and pine nuts prepared by Jolie from Willow Creek Olive Ranch, and a goat cheese tart with caramelized onions, roasted sweet corn, red and yellow peppers, and basil. The Garretson Celeidh (pronounced kay-leedh) sports a picnic-friendly screwtop, and a complex, femme label. 60% Syrah 22% Grenache 15% Mourvèdre 3% Roussanne

Here's a link to a previous discussion on terroir. Beware, it's not entirely civilized. (Which is why it should be resurrected.)

Good point. While "air drainage" might sound funny to some, north/south valleys will have different air movement patterns than east/west. In California, east slopes (facing away from ocean breezes) may or may not have room for air to drain away into adjacent valleys. Will hot days become humid and sticky with no air movement, resulting in disease and mildew? In early spring, will frost settle on the slopes without warmer Pacific air to wash it away? Another factor is sunlight. Although heat ripens grapes, plants also pace their growth and development according to the hours of sunlight in a day. Grapevines will begin to "shut down" late in the harvest season. Even if the soil is moderately moist, and temperatures benign, when days begin to shorten, grapevine leaves will redden, dry and fall. A stressed or overcropped vineyard will shut down earlier than most, but even so, one autumn could feel like spring, but the vines will still respond to the changing cycles of light. So latitude affects growing seasons and grape development, even outside of the related temperature patterns. Diurnal temperature swings also have a marked effect. In some areas, grapes are warmed by 80 degree days, but nights cool to only 60--in other regions, days may warm to 95, but the grapes are cooled by nights in the low 50s.

Chardonnays are definitely responsive to, and expressive of, their soils and microclimates. It's interesting to compare chardonnays from a single vintage and region, but also across appellations and microclimates. Maybe a good summer project for the Wine of the Week thread? In addition to wine tasting notes, we could pose theories on whether or not the area is suited to chardonnay production. Our interesting side discussion on climate regions, microclimates, and degree days has been moved here.

You guys really find this interesting? Cool. I found a little more information in my copy of General Viticulture. The data above is based on annual measurements that include the dormant season. GV sorts the areas below based on degree days from April to October: Climate Region I (very cool and vegetative): Aptos and Santa Cruz Peachland (Sonoma County) Salem and Roseburg, Oregon Trier, Germany Coonawarra, Austraila Region II: Contra Costa San Luis Obispo Santa Barbara Napa (Napa County) Santa Rosa, Mote Rosso Vd., and Sonoma (Sonoma County) Grants Pass, Oregon Yakima, Washington Asti, Italy Melbourne, Australia Region III: Oakville, Calistoga, St. Helena (Napa County) Pinnacles (San Benito County--home of Chalone) Paso Robles Milan, Italy Region IV: Escondido (San Diego County) Gallo Vyd (Merced County) Lodi San Miguel (warmer region in the north of Paso Robles) Sidney, Australia Florence and Venice, Italy Region V: Fresno and Bakersfield Palermo, Italy Perth, Australia Peking, China Shiraz, Iran Page 70: "Wines of best quality are usually produced in the hot years of the coolest regions, whereas in the warm regions the cool years produce the higher-quality wines."

Thank you for sharing your learning points, Maggie! That's always important.

Off topic for California, but if you haven't discovered this in the Oregon forum yet, you've got to check out Burgerville--Where You Go When You Know! There was an article on the Burgerville chain in a recent issue of Slow Food magazine. (And of course, being from the PacNW, I can tell you, there's nothin' makes kids and dads happier than a blackberry shake!)

Grapes do not grow effectively below 50º, so degree-days have been defined as the total summation of average degrees above 50º. The regions are defined as Region I, the coolest areas, which are areas exhibiting 2,500 or fewer degree-days. These areas also tend to be attractive for vegetable production. Region II is defined as 2,500 to 3,000, Region III as 3,000 to 3,500, IV as 3,500 to 4,000, and V, the warmest region, are those areas above 4,000-degree days. In the Central Coast, Region I locations include Bonny Doon, Santa Cruz, and Santa Maria. Region II locations are Atascadero, Soledad, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Hollister. Napa is also a Region II location. Region III locations are Paso Robles, Santa Margarita, and the Pinnacles (Chalone). Region IV locations are Nacimmiento and San Miguel. Region V locations are typically Central Valley or other interior regions. Taken from an article at California Wineland: This information is a little out of date, as the western part of Paso Robles is more Region II, with highs around 88 and winter lows in the 20s. This year is a little extraordinary in terms of precipitation. The Vineyard Drive/Adelaida Hills area has already received 43" of rain.

I have this morbid premonition that one day soon the entire produce aisle will be draped and papered with verbose warnings, and I won't be able to see the fruit and vegetables unless I grope my way past festoons of skulls and crossbones. Even then, as I examine say, a bunch of fresh romaine, I will wonder what hidden poisons it contains. Perhaps the state will also hand out free stickers that I can stick on my forehead that read "Contains Hydrochloric Acid" and in my case, "Contains Alcohol."

You did great, Maggie! I hope your family enjoys the chipotle mayo. Let us know what they think. Here's one: Penzey's Spices

I have always found chardonnays from Monterey, Santa Barbara and Edna Valley to be distinctly different in basic fruit character than Napa and Sonoma. Crisper, more green apple fruit, and usually styled with less oak.

On giving this passage a little more thought, I believe it's just meant to be a sub-part that makes the rules excessively clear for wineries--with their large inventories they would be more apt to overstep the legal parameters than a retail wine shop.

It could be that this is one of these experiences that one must warm up to through similar experiences. And if you haven't yet found a dessert wine (or two) that you love, perhaps you will still enjoy the discovery of drinking the right dessert wine at the right moment. Don't let your confidence quaver. Your review was very well thought out and tactile. I find your honesty refreshing! Acknowledging your own tastes is important when recommending wines to others. Years ago, when Opus One was all the rage, I was invited to several annual blind tastings of top-rated California cabernets with at least one French ringer. The Opus One was always around number nine out of twelve. I simply preferred a different style, and I still do. A professor from Florida called me all in a dither because he had acquired a case of Opus (I've forgotten the vintage). He wanted to know when he should drink it. I couldn't tell him I would rather sit on a case of duck eggs than Opie, so I gently asked him what flavors he discerned in the wine. He hadn't tried it; he had bought the case on the recommendation of a wine retailer. So I told him I not tried that particular vintage (which was true) and referred him back to the retailer, and to the winery--someone who could, or at least should be, more passionate about the wine. Sometimes a highly regarded wine is just not our 'cup of tea.'

From the San Francisco Chronicle: This is the text of the proposed warning: Boxes of shredded wheat might be forgiven because "people need fiber."

Has anyone been to Chez TJ lately? I've been hearing a lot of buzz about it, but haven't been there yet.

From the actual text of SB 118: And: However, I just noticed this: But then at the bottom it says: It appears the language restricts shipping rights only to winegrowers, but in the list of requirements, it could be interpreted that anyone with an ABC license could apply. I suspect the language is simply not completely tweaked yet. I can't imagine California turning up its nose at the related taxes and fees. If only 500,000 people order 1 case of wine from California retailers at $200, that's (at 7.25% sales tax here) revenue of over $7 million. Edited because I'm getting confused. . .

Here is the actual text of SB 118. It says, in essence, that states which already offer California reciprocal shipping privileges may ship wine--up to two cases per person, per month. Producers or retailers in non-reciprocal states may apply for a shippers' permit for a whopping $10 a year. It looks pretty innocuous to me, except for this one thing: I don't recall that previously there was a maximum shipment to residents of California. However, that's a pretty standard clause for some other states. Two cases a month is nearly a bottle a day. So I would assume that this clause is merely intended to prevent retailers from "secretly" ordering inventory direct from the winery. Who was this wine merchant?? Where did they get their information? Why would they print something so alarmist?

In latest industry news, Napa growers, led by Andy Beckstoffer, hired the new Internet research firm Wine Opinions (www.wineopinions.com) to conduct a detailed national survey of 307 regular wine drinkers (those who drink wine on at least one occasion per week) and to analyze their responses and wine-purchasing behavior. The goal of the study is to see whether consumers actually prefer the kinds of flavors and ripeness achieved through longer hang time. The results were presented May 12 at a "Hangtime II" seminar in St. Helena. Christian Miller of Wine Opinions says that while winemakers and others in the wine trade may conceive of wine tastes in a linear fashion--with austere, low alcohol wines at one end and full-flavored, tannic jammy wines at the other end of the spectrum--the survey is showing that the wine consumer doesn't look at their taste preferences that way. (The survey has only 307 participants, which I think is rather low. Heck, our private wine club has xxx that number.) For the rest of the details, they want $295.

Here's an idea--how do you think this will work? * The chosen wine of the week is just a starting point for discussion. This week's wine is a Paso Robles rose' (for the simple reason that I want it anyway.) But the discussion can veer towards rose's, Paso Robles Rhone-style rose's, and wines to pair with antipasto plates. * It's perfectly okay to ask questions about the wine, the winery, the style, etc. without feeling committed to try the wine. * Suggestions for wines can be PM'd to me or to Brad Ballinger. Members can either ask to start a WOW thread or simply send a suggestion and ask one of us to start it. There have also been good suggestions to try thematic tastings, like, say 2004 Alsatians, where we all find something and chip in. That might work out best, as availability is so variable. I would like everyone to feel that they can participate in a Wine of the Week, even if they are not necessarily drinking the wine. Perhaps after the Garretson Celeidh, we could do a specific vintage & region? Any suggestions?

All this vineyard work is making me very, very thirsty. And while I mostly drink water and Sprite while working, there's just nothing better at the end of the day than taking a shower, putting on a flimsy sundress, and kicking back with a chilled rose'. So I'm off to Garretson Wine Company to stock up on the 2004 Celeidh. Anyone care to join me? From the website: At 14.4% alcohol and $18, it might be a bit much for some people, but I like rose's with some grip and personality. Not so much for quaffing as for pairing with a nice antipasto plate of goodies like the coppa ham-stuffed salami from A. G. Ferrari, a selection of olives and baby corn from Santa Barbara Olive Co., and later this summer, some stuffed cherry peppers from the garden.

At the Saturday Templeton market, in addition to a flat of Chandler strawberries, a mixed box of cherries, and a bag of perfectly ripe yet firm apricots, I found these beauties: Hmm, I should have put a ruler or something up for scale. The heads were at least six inches wide. They were incredibly tender and flavorful, and had HUGE hearts. My significanto ate two in less time than it took me to eat one, then he leaned over and whined plaintively, "Can I have your heart? Mine didn't have one." I also bought a few baby purple artichokes, and as my SO had a poker party that night and I was by myself for the evening, I experimented. I blanched them, spiced them up with various seasonings, and grilled them. The outer leaves were still tough, but the insides were great, and I managed to eat them by inverting the outer leaves and popping the tender insides into my mouth. Next time, I will peel off more of the outer leaves and maybe blanch them just a little longer. Anyone have any tips for the perfect grilled baby artichokes?

Since April, the syrah shoots have been growing 2 inches a day. So the shoots that were tidy, well-behaved, and upward-pointing in April are now a sprawl of fiercely tangled 12 foot vines, loaded with green clusters. If you look closely you can see shoots that have just been trimmed off, lying on the ground. We should have had everything tucked and tied by now, but Dan came down with a moderately severe case of West Nile Virus and was bedridden for over two weeks. Sooooo . . . we're a little behind. Clusters of syrah grapes, just begging to be thinned. Let's see, which one should I pick? Since we're a little behind on everything, Dan and I work the rows together, one on each side. We untangle the vines, select healthy upward-pointing shoots, trim shoots that are sickly or growing too close together, count clusters and trim them back to two clusters per shoot, tie cordons when they need training, kick off suckers from the vine base, pull some weeds, and tuck the remaining shoots up into the second tier of trellis. What was a disorderly yet abundantly healthy sprawl becomes, one row at a time, a tidy row of upward pointing green shoots, with evenly spaced clusters of berries hanging in a row at chest height. Our unusually long, wet spring has resulted in voluptuous growth everywhere. We are hoping for another high yield and high quality vintage like 1997. However, in order to protect the vines' ability to also ripen the fruit, growers are cutting off excess clusters of grapes.

I usually make the chipotle mayo for slow-roasted tenderloin sandwiches. I use sourdough buns, mustard, and the sun-dried tomato catsup, and serve them with a spicy au jus (just boxed beef broth, but with slivers of garlic and jalapeno floating in it). Quite the hit with cellar crews and winemakers during harvest days. Then I keep using any chipotle mayo left as dips for artichokes, more sandwiches, in devilled eggs, and I've even used a spoonful as a base for a quick salad dressing.

Congratulations, slacker! Keep us posted! Have a great summer season.

I'm not familiar with Lodi producers (a regrettable gap), but here is a link to the Lodi Woodbridge Winegrape Commission, their official website. I hear their Winery Plaza is a beautiful building, with over a dozen different producers available for tasting.