Florida Jim, Cellar Rat

[Florida Jim]

Steve Edmunds, of Edmunds Saint John Wines (ESJ), asked for help with crush this year as his back was hurting. I volunteered.

On September 7th, I got in my car and started the drive to Berkeley, CA. On October the 8th, I got out of my car back at my place in Linville, NC. Six thousand miles of memories, tastes and experiences; here are a few brief thoughts:

This is a beautiful country, even from the driver’s seat on I-40. I urge you to go see it.

Being a cellar rat (or winemaker) at crush is about as physically demanding and mentally difficult as being a full-time roofer in Florida during the summer – yep, I’ve done both, the last, never again.

The number of generous, helpful, hard working people around small wineries is remarkable and one of the most heartening experiences of my trip.

Even though I have seen a tendency on the wine boards of folks getting away from extremely big, heavily extracted, high alcohol, oaky red wines, I think many, if not most, of the winemakers in CA are still interested in making them. Whether it is for the sake of reviewers who seem to favor them or their perception that the public loves them, I see very few people interested in making food friendly, elegant wines that age.

Maybe that’s a comment on how small and impotent the on-line wine community is or maybe it reinforces the power of wine critics over the market. Maybe it’s just the way the market is. But one way or the other, the niche for people like Steve and Kevin Harvey is pretty narrow. These guys need our support.

The number of CA wines that are now pushing the 15%, 16%, 17%, alcohol levels is increasing regardless of varietal. I even tasted some hovering near 18%. Why aren’t these things labeled as “fortified?” (Or does that term have a legal definition? Maybe “amplified” will do.)

There are too many people in coastal CA with way too many cars. But everything grows there, the weather is quite nice and the amenities are second to none. Oh yes, and the cost is damnable.

I tasted a lot of good wine over the last month; here are some of the ones that caught my attention:

1997 ESJ, Sangiovese Matagrano: Without peer among this variety in CA and the equal to almost any sangio. I have had from anywhere. Not the ‘best’ wine I tasted but certainly the biggest surprise. Beautifully pure, character driven, varietally accurate sangio. that was positively delicious.

2004 Tenuta delle Terre Nere, Etna Rosso Calderara Sottana: made from the nerello mascalese grape from vineyards on Mt. Etna in Sicily. An amazing wine (that I immediately bought a case of) with pinot like elegance and nebbiolo like textures. Although my last bottle indicated that this is starting to close down, a little decanter time helped. A unique wine of finesse with a world of promise. About $23.

2005 Tevenet, Morgon VV: If this is any indication of the vintage in Beaujolais, I may go broke. Very Burgundian with more of a pinot profile than gamay. Still, juicy and fresh but quite structured. About $26.

2005 Colle Stefano, Verdicchio di Matelica: Lively and fresh with good depth, lots of spice and perfect balance. Drink now and not too cold. About $14.

N/V Bodega Dios Baco, Sherry Amontillo: At Cesar, in Berkeley; superb with tapas, as was the Fino from the same producer. About $18.

1993 Chave, Hermitage: Bacon, soil and clear red fruit; one of those wines where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

2005 Ferrando, Erbaluce di Caluso: bright, crisp, peachy juice with focus and maybe a slight bit of dissolved CO2 (which just made it that much more fun).

2005 Denis Jamin, Reuilly Pinot Gris Rose: weightless, clean, refreshing, 12.5% and $11. Yummy.

1993 ESJ, Syrah Durrell Vnyd.: secondary bottle bouquet, immense complexity, tremendous flavor and great length. Could still age further but a truly great wine. Also had the 1994 which could be described exactly the same but seemed a little closer to peak.

2005 ESJ, Rocks and Gravel: way too young but wonderful aromatics and big tannins.

2001 ESJ, Los Robles Viejos (red): light on its feet but packed with flavor and drinking beautifully now.

1994 Togni, Cabernet Sauvignon: I have never cared for the herbal tones in the wines from this house, but this one has developed into a lovely, well-balanced wine where the herbal element is only an accent. ‘Nice to be surprised.

And very nice to be home.

Best, Jim

[Rebel Rose]

Jim, what was your daily routine as a cellar rat? Any fun/quirky/disastrous moments? Where did you stay during your visit? Did you miss Diane's cooking?

[Florida Jim]

Jim, what was your daily routine as a cellar rat?

Without sounding flip, whatever came next. Steve's operation is small and he had cut production this year so we just waited for the grapes and then did everything that was required. Crush is pretty much controlled by the influx of fruit - that and the endless cleaning.

  Any fun/quirky/disastrous moments?

Well, we came pretty close to dropping a barrel of wine off a truck but, thankfully, caught it in time. Otherwise we were a well-oiled machine.

Where did you stay during your visit?

Steve's house; I was on call 24/7.

  Did you miss Diane's cooking?

Among other things.

Best, Jim

[Rebel Rose]

Is it true that Edmund St. John cut its production by nearly half this year? What varietals or vineyards didn't make the cut, and which did? Is there a new focus for the winery?

Oh yes, and it's time for my annual crush beer roundup, so I have to ask, what's the favorite beer for the ESJ crew?

[Florida Jim]

Is it true that Edmund St. John cut its production by nearly half this year?  What varietals or vineyards didn't make the cut, and which did?  Is there a new focus for the winery?

I think ESJ has always tended to Rhone varietals and will continue to. This year there will be syrahs, grenache-syrah blends, and possibly a straight grenache. Also the gamay and pinot grigio. But alot less wine overall.

Oh yes, and it's time for my annual crush beer roundup, so I have to ask, what's the favorite beer for the ESJ crew?

Cold.

Best, Jim