The great thing about wine tastings at a wine shop or wine bar is the opportunity it gives you to taste several wines side by side. Most people don’t usually open up three to five bottles at home to try at one sitting. Wednesday night’s wine tasting with Timothy at neighborhood wine shop, Planet Wine, gave customers the opportunity to travel around the world with the Pinot Noir grape tasting what this varietal can be like coming from France (Loire Valley and Burgundy), New Zealand and the United States (Oregon and California).

The similarities and difference you discover through these kinds of tastings are always fun! Pinot Noir is a light grape overall but coming from each region you get different aromas and tastes from it. As we moved around the world, the wines got more body and spice but each is lovely in its own way showing you the beauty of each wine region around the world.

Domaine Naudet Jean & Michel 2008 Sancerre Rouge

• Grape Variety: Pinot Noir from the Loire Valley, France
• Aroma: Bright berry
• Taste: Tart cranberry and cherry with mineral and herbal tones
• Price: $22.00
• Thoughts: The first in the line up was the brightest in color of the wines, almost rosé looking, and brightest in taste. France does not allow vine irrigation in any wine region and this definitely impacts the grape depending on the year’s weather. Here you have a lighter Pinot Noir. I love Sancerre in a white wine so neat to try a rouge.

Domaine Maillard Pére et Fils 2009 Bourgogne

• Grape Variety: Pinot Noir from Burgundy, France
• Aroma: Round cherry
• Taste: Cherry with hints of chocolate, vanilla and earthy
• Price: $22.99
• Thoughts: Second in the line up and also in France, this wine has more body, slightly more red color in the wine and more complexity of flavors with cherry, chocolate and vanilla.

Saint Clair Family Estate 2010 Vicar’s Choice

• Grape Variety: Pinot Noir from Willamette Valley, Oregon, U.S.
• Aroma: Ripe cherry and strawberry
• Taste: Cherry, strawberry with spice and earthiness
• Price: $26.99
• Thoughts: Fourth in the line up, we moved to the U.S. Willamette Valley in Oregon known for Pinot Noir and Burgundian in style (like the Domaine Maillard Pére above although this wine has more body and is more round). I love Willamette Valley Pinot Noirs!

Ampelos Cellars 2007 Pinot Noir-Lamda

• Grape Variety: Pinot Noir from Sta. Rita Hills, Santa Barbara, California, U.S.
• Aroma: Deep cherry
• Taste: Cherry, herbal, licorice
• Price: $26.99
• Thoughts: Last in the line up, we moved south in the U.S. to California. The Sta. Rita Hills are known for Pinot Noir. This wine was the fullest in body and darkest in color but still great clarity. Really nice wine and neat winery worth checking out (they also have a bed and breakfast in Greece…thus the Greek influence on their wine names).

Cheers to Pinot Noir!

On the second day of our Sonoma Wine Country Weekend, after an exhilarating early morning hot air balloon ride over Sonoma County vineyards, we visited wineries in the Russian River Valley and Sonoma Valley…Martinelli Vineyards and Winery, VJB Vineyards & Cellars and Muscardini Cellars.

Martinelli Vineyards and Winery

Our first stop was in the Russian River Valley just off River Road at Martinelli’s historic old red hops barn home to their tasting room and winemaking facilities. Now in the families fifth generation of winemakers, it all started in 1860 when Giuseppe and Luisa Martinelli came to California from Tuscany, Italy where Guiseppe had been a winemaker. After two years of working in Forestville they purchased their own land on a 60 degree slope planting Zinfandel and Muscat Alexandria Vines. This slope became known as Jackass Hill Vineyard, when in the early 1900′s the family told son Leno, who had taken over the farming when Guiseppe passed away, that only a jackass would farm a hill that steep. Today this land remains the steepest non-terraced vineyard in Sonoma County and is home to some of the region’s best single vineyard designate Zinfandel.

Leno’s son Lee Sr. took over and in 1973 expanded the vineyards to include Uncle Tony Bondi’s apple orchards replanting with grapes. Lee and his wife Carolyn started the winery on its current site in 1987. In 1993 they brought in the county’s most talented winemaker Helen Turley, Winemaker of the Year from Food & Wine in 1999. She still consults with current winemaker Bryan Kvamme while Lee Sr and his two sons farm, own and operate the business. The family sells 90% of the fruit they grow keeping the best 10% for their wines producing X cases.

Judy greeted us on a rather quiet morning and took us through an incredible tasting of their wines along with the journey of the Russian River Valley. Judy has worked with the Martinelli’s for thirteen years and is extremely knowledgable. All Martinelli wines are 100% varietal from their vineyards and made the same way…handcrafted, un-fined, un-filtered, neither cold nor heat stabilized. So what you taste is the terroir, the land and soil. It was an incredible tasting… ’07 Martinelli Road Chardonnay, ’08 Zio Tony Ranch Chardonnay, ’08 Lolita Ranch Pinot Noir, ’08 Moonshine Ranch Pinot Noir, ’08 Zio Tony Ranch Pinot Noir, ’07 Terra Felice Syrah, ’08 Vigneto di Evo Zinfandel and ’09 Jackass Hill Muscat Alexandria. My favorites…

Pinot Noir Tasting

• ’08 Lolita Ranch Pinot Noir, ’08 Moonshine Ranch Pinot Noir, ’08 Zio Tony Ranch Pinot Noir
• Grape Variety: 100% Pinot Noir
• Aroma & Taste: Lolita Ranch was blueberry and spicy. Moonshine Ranch was dark berry and smoky. Zio Tony Ranch was molasses, cherry, vanilla.
• Price: $60 each
• My thoughts: Tasting these three side by side was extremely educational in illustrating the terroir impact on the grapes. As Judy said Pinot Noir “is a grape that talks!” All Pinot Noir grapes from their vineyards in the Russian River Valley, all made the same way but all taste different and unique.

2008 Vigneto de Evo Zinfandel

• Grape Variety: 100% Zinfandel
• Aroma: Caramel
• Taste: Blackberry, fig, apricot
• Price: $30
• My thoughts: I loved the way Judy described this wine, “a friendly pizza zin with a long finish so it goes with food.” I’m usually not a Zin drinker but this one is excellent. Comes from vineyards directly below Jackass Hill. Bought a bottle of this to bring home.

We also bought the 2009 Bondi Home Ranch Pinot Noir which comes from the Green Valley AVA, an area great for Burgundian varietals. Judy highly recommended it. And we liked the 2009 Jackass Hill Muscat Alexandria, made from 100 year old vines on Jackass Hill, a sweet honeysuckle floral wine that as Judy said “you gulp down like a shot. It turns lumpy people alive again after a big Thanksgiving dinner.”

The tasting room is open 10am to 5pm daily with a $5 tasting fee.

VJB Vineyards & Cellars 

Next we headed south into the Sonoma Valley. Just off Sonoma Highway in Kenwood, we found one of our favorites of the trip, VJB! Stepping into their tasting room was like stepping into a little Italian cafe. They were on my list of stops as their focus is old style Italian wines. They grow classic Italian varietals in Sonoma like Sangiovese, Barbera, Primitivo, Aglianico (only one to grow in the U.S.) as well as Sonoma varietals, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Chardonnay.

VJB is a small family owned winery run by father Vittorio and his son Henry Belmonte. Vittorio and his wife Maria came to the U.S. in 1963 from their hometown of Bonito, Italy south of Naples where Vittorio worked on the family vineyard since age eight. After settling on the east coast they moved to Kenwood in 1976. Maria opened a small cafe and then a restaurant in Santa Rosa in 1987. The family made wines for home and their restaurant. Then in 1999 brothers Victor and Henry evolved that wine making into VJB Vineyards & Cellars. In 2003, they closed the restaurant and opened their current tasting room.

Vittorio welcomed us as he stood behind the big wooden bar pouring wines on this Sunday afternoon. He had me at “buon giorno”! We tasted through their ’10 Gabriella Ranch Chardonnay, ’08 Estate Sangiovese, ’09 Mendocino Barbera (won Gold Medal at 2011 Denver International Wine Competition), ’06 V’Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, ’09 Sonoma Valley Primitivo, ’08 Dante (85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Sangiovese), ’09 Nero d’Avola, ’08 Estate Anglianico and ’08 Chardonnay Port. My favorites…it was so tough to decide so we joined the club and shipped home a case including their Prosecco they import directly from Italy! But if I had to pick out of what we tasted that day…

2008 Estate Sangiovese 

• Grape Variety: 100% Sangiovese
• Aroma: Red fruit and cedar
• Taste: Soft, strawberry and black cherry
• Price: $28 (sold out)
• My thoughts: I love this grape, a classic in Tuscany. Was very cool to try it grown in Sonoma and tasted just like the ones I love!

2009 Primitivo 

• Grape Variety: 100% Primitivo
• Aroma: Blackberry, baking spices
• Taste: Smooth jammy blackberry
• Price: $26
• My thoughts: I got to know this grape in Puglia, Italy last summer. Excellent example of what this grape gives you in a wine and its grown in the U.S.!

Overall their wines are very smooth, easy and approachable with great price points. They produce only 5,000 cases per year, sold through their tasting room, wine club, online and a few restaurants. Their Club Enoteca wine club is free to join and you chose from three bottles a quarter, one case in May and November, or one case a quarter. It also gives you access to their small productions and 20% savings on all wines.

The tasting room is open daily from 10am to 5pm with a $5 tasting fee. Just next door their NEW Tasting Room & Marketplace is under construction and looks just like an Enoteca you’d find in Italy.  Opening is planned for spring so mark your calendars!

Muscardini Cellars 

Our last stop of the day was just down Sonoma Highway at Muscardini Cellars tasting room, shared with Ty Caton Vineyards. There was quite the party going on with a large group when we arrived, but it broke up shortly after and we had a nice visit with Randall as his last customers of the day.

Michael Muscardini is owner and winemaker for this very small production winery, approximately 1,500 case per year. Michael’s grandfather came to San Francisco from Italy in 1892 and eventually started St. Helena Napa Valley Wine Co., where he sold specialty bulk wines. In 2000, Michael came back to his roots and planted his first Sangiovese vines. While they grew he learned winemaking.

We tasted the ’10 Barbera, ’09 Sangiovese, ’10 Rosato Sangiovese, ’09 Zinfandel and ’08 Fortuna. My favorite…

2010 Rosato di Sangiovese

• Grape Variety: 100% Sangiovese
• Aroma & Taste: Classic crisp strawberry, grapefruit finish
• Price: $19
• My thoughts: Was great to try not only a rose wine from Sonoma but one made from Sangiovese!

Tasting room is open daily 11am to 6pm with a $10 fee (covers Muscardini and Ty Caton wines).

Next I’ll take you on our final day at the wineries…Jordan Winery, Unti Vineyards and Michel-Sclumberger.

Visit the gallery for more great photos from the trip.

Last weekend we spent three fabulous autumn days venturing around Sonoma Wine Country. It was my first trip to this wine rich area (over 450 wineries latest figure I found). I know… as a wine and travel writer how could this be my first trip? Truth is I spend most of my time exploring Virginia, Washington, Oregon, Italy and France wines. California wines are written about and drank a lot in the U.S. BUT after meeting some great Sonoma folks at this year’s Wine Bloggers Conference and doing some research, I thought it was time to dive into a little California wine country.

It was a special weekend for me (included a big birthday) with so many highlights …

• Drive North: It all started out in our rented convertible from San Francisco airport driving north on Hwy 101 on a 70+ degree day. Shortly after crossing the beautiful Golden Gate Bridge we stopped at In-n-Out for burgers! Love that place and it had been too long. The scenery on the hour and forty minute drive was spectacular!
• Farmhouse Inn & Spa: First stop once in wine country was our home for the weekend, the incredible Farmhouse Inn, Restaurant & Spa in the Russian River Valley. WOW! What a place to stay!

• Wine, Wineries and more Wine: We hit 9 wineries over three days…Iron Horse Vineyards, Pellegrini Family Vineyards, Seghesio Family Vineyards, Martinelli Winery, VJB Vineyard & Cellars, Muscardini Cellars, Jordan Winery, Unti Vineyards, and Michel-Schlumberger… and sampled over 75 wines. There were some great ones and fabulous experiences!

• Hot Air Balloon Ride: Sunday morning we were up early for this AMAZING experience with Up and Away! It was my first time in a hot air balloon and a MUST!

• Good Eats: Sonoma has so many good restaurants to chose from so it was hard to narrow down. We ate at Scopa (right on Healdsburg Square, good vibes, great pasta and pizza, Scopa is an Italian card game!), Zazu (LOVED this place, KK our waitress was fab and the meal was best from start to finish!), Rosso (great stop in Santa Rosa for pizza, salad & wine) and Farmhouse Restaurant (my fancy birthday dinner).

• Snoopy & Charlie Brown: Driving into Sonoma I saw the name of the airport and wondered is it named after THE Snoopy and Charlie Brown Charles M. Schulz?? It is and there’s a great museum and research center in Santa Rosa you must visit while you’re there! It was so cute and only took us about an hour including a quick bite at The Warm Puppy Cafe…awwww!

• Sonoma Hospitality: This was an overarching theme of the entire weekend! What a warm place with so many welcoming and friendly people that made every stop a pleasure.

More to come on all of the MUST GOs and wines from our weekend…The Farmhouse Inn, The Wine Region, First Day at the Wineries, Day Two at the Wineries, Day Three at the Wineries, Hot Air Ballooning Over the Vineyards. Visit the gallery for great photos from the trip.

Cheers to Sonoma!

This growing season’s crazy weather conditions with extreme frosts, early summers and no summers have created quite a mixed bag for wine region harvests from California to Champagne to Chianti.

Many spots in Europe are already half way through their harvest creating the earliest harvest season many can remember. Reports from Greece last week showed several regions already underway. In France, due to a sunnier and warmer than usual spring, Champagne started on 19 August, their earliest harvest since 1822. Bordeaux also got underway in August due to high temperatures which advance the ripening.

Italian wine producers are predicting a great year although the temperatures could lead to volume down by 5%. Last year Italy surpassed France as the world’s leading wine producer with 49.6 million hectolitres produced vs. 46.2 million in France. For many Italian regions September weather will still be a factor. Cool temperatures at night will produce fragrant whites and well-structured reds.

The U.S. West Coast has dealt with a late short summer which will find some harvest seasons stretch into late November. California and the Northwest’s cold, wet early summer conditions mean a later than usual harvest. Oregon will have one of its coldest vintages in years. Eastern Washington’s late November frost could mean volumes are down 15-20% this year. Central California also had one of its worst frosts in years this growing season.

While those on the U.S. East Coast with last week’s crazy forces, an earthquake and Hurricane Irene, are reporting little impact. Virginia’s ideal conditions of a warm, dry summer should mean a great harvest.

As the grapes get picked and the wine starts production, we’ll see what all this means in the bottle in the coming months.

*Sources Wine Spectator, ANSA

The Climber Pouch… from Clif Family Winery, the family that makes Clif Bars and my favorite Luna Bars. Started in 2004, Clif Family Winery and Farm in St. Helena, California ‘extended their passion for all things delicious and natural into the realm of wine and gourmet food.’ And they are now producing five wines including The Climber White Wine and Red Wine.

Then on Earth Day this year, they launched this clever new packaging for The Climber wines, The Climber Pouch. The packaging itself is very cool… perfect to take camping, hiking or picnicking, and its 80% lower carbon footprint and 90% less waste than the glass equivalent. All that and the wine is good too!

I tried The Climber Pouch at last month’s Wine Bloggers Conference during the Live Wine Blogging sessions.

• The Climber Pouch Cabernet Sauvignon: Full of blackberry jam and black currant flavors with a nice soft finish.
• The Climber Pouch Chardonnay: Unoaked, tropical, melon, grapefruit flavors that are quite lively.

Retail price is $16.99 with 1% of sales going to 1% for the Planet. The product is hot…it sold out in two months so more had to be produced. You can order directly on line before your next outdoor adventure.

Cheers to good wine for on the go!