I still can't get out of the funk. I don't have the enthusiasm I use to and I'm having trouble finding it. It was a very slow start to the day. I thought that a special breakfast and a stop at an old favorite winery might get me to change my attitude, so we got up early and went into Sonoma for breakfast at the Community Cafe. It's one of those special finds that, if whether you're a foodie or not, is worth the extra effort, time, and distance.
Buena Vista (off the Wine Road)
Sadly, however, the wines have lost the character and charm from years past. Let it be said that piss-poor management can ruin, not just the present day business, but future business, as well. In a chat with some of the staff, I learned that the previous owners (prior to JCB) ran the vineyards they were pulling from into the ground. As a consequence, all of the old standards for chardonnays are no longer under contract (e.g. Swan Selection, Robert Young Clone 17, Pommard Clone, Dijon Clones, etc.). Now it's new vineyards and, also sadly, a new style when it comes to chards. Given JCB's French heritage, you can expect that the chards are more acidic and minerally.
We did manage to leave with a mixed case, but at the end of the stop, I was deeply disappointed and have subsequently withdrawn from the club.
Inspiration Vineyards
Last year, this little winery (out in the warehouse district of the Santa Rosa, around the corner from my wine locker) gave us a couple of interesting surprises. Their zins are light-bodied and a bit acidic, but their whites have some appeal. In this little warehouse location there are three winemakers and Inspiration (with their small volume, but broad offering) is the largest. I do like a good viognier and these guys do a nice one - even better at the futures price of $18/bottle.
The cabernet was another surprise and exceptionally valued at $30 a bottle on futures.
I tasted the Inspriacio last year (a viognier blend, of sorts) and was intrigued but not compelled. This year, the blend is slightly different and just enough to tip the scales in favor of a half case of futures. As a white wine with a sexy mouthfeel, I'm actually looking forward to its release.
Of course, our satisfaction with the 2013 vintage of the viognier translated to the 2014 vintage which really rounded out our experience here.
Pickup:
2013 Inspiration Vineyards Viognier Russian River Valley (6) / $18 ea.
Futures:
2011 Inspiration Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon (6) / $30
2014 Inspiration Vineyards Inspiracio (6) / $17
2014 Inspiration Vineyards Viognier Russian River Valley (6) / $17 ea.
Premonition Cellars
Well, since an old favorite didn't inspire me, I made my way to a new favorite. Anthony has been making Pinot's for a few years, now, and he's starting to receive the recognition he deserves. His 2012 Pinot Noir won Best of Class at the Sonoma County Harvest Fair, last year. Emblematic of my decision-making prowess, I was there to pickup a split case of futures from last year. Of course, that's not where the story ends, though.
As is usual, he was tasting the 2011 next to the 2012 and the 2013 (futures). As it happens, I'm actually a bigger fan of the 2011 than the 2012, (which I also bought futures of, in years past) and as a consequence of this tasting restocked with another case of the 2011. ...but that's not where the story ends.
Upon tasting the 2013 vintage of his Pinot Noir, I absolutely lost my mind! Not only is this the best vintage he's produced, this is probably the best pinot I've tasted in recent memory! Now, for the sake of economy, I often split a case of his futures with a friend of mine. This year, I was flying solo, but had his proxy to procure in his name. After tasting this wine though, I had to make a call (literally... I had to call him). First, you should know that Anthony is "an artist" and, as such, lacks a little business acumen. In this case, he has historically (and stubbornly) underpriced his pinots. He's marketing a premier wine that would easily retail for $40-$48 a bottle for $22 a bottle on futures ($38 retail)! Every year, he and I have this discussion (and his wife supports my position) - he's dramatically underpricing his wine and he needs to fix that. This is like buying Apple @ $70/share when you know it's worth $100/share. For some, it can be off-putting because they think, "Hey, why is this priced so cheap? It must be crap." People make judgments (right or wrong) based upon the price of things, so in a way he's hurting himself by being under-priced. All that said, we greedily bought 3 cases of futures (2 for me and 1 for my friend) and wondered if we might be making a mistake not buying him out and selling the final product ourselves at the price it warrants.
In a nod to his ability to branch out, expand, and diversify his offering, he's tasting his latest creation of a full-bodied, full-fruit zinfandel. He's really on to something with it and I think the only thing he needs to bring it home is a little aging in American oak (which he revealed he's doing with his next vintage). His first attempt is good, but with his natural talent, his next vintage will be great!
The Haul:
2011 Premonition Cellars Pinot Noir Russian River Valley (12) / $36 ea. (Way less than it should be)
Pickup:
Split case of 2012 Premonition Cellars Pinot Noir
Futures:
2013 Premonition Cellars Pinot Noir Russian River Valley (24) / $22 ea. (Way, way less than it should be)
Bacigalupi Vineyards (off the Wine Road)
I'm regularly compelled by my "passenger" to try new places, but my general malaise on this trip made me a bit of a pain in the ass. ...But, my absentee wine partners mentioned a winery whose name I was familiar with but didn't know that they'd started making their own wine. So, on a whim, we finished the day at Bacigalupi Vineyards.
Over the years, we've reveled in vineyard designated wines from various wineries: pinots from Armida, zinfandels from Williams Selyem, to name a couple. In fact, recently (just after the New Year) we had a party at the house where I opened a 5L bottle of 2005 Williams Selyem Bacigalupi Vineyard Zinfandel. A modest group of nine of us consumed the magical elixir in 2.5 hours. It was awesome!
That said, naturally I was intrigued by what they might be able to do on their own. The vineyards had been in the family for decades, so they already had great stock to work with. Could they outperform the wineries they sell their grapes to? Inquiring minds want to know...
While I can say it's a shame they're not a part of barrel tasting, I don't really think it matters that much. The wines they have to offer, while narrow in breadth, are really fantastic. We started with a signature chardonnay, as most wineries do...and that's when I lost my mind. This was it...the chardonnay for which I've been searching for years! Rich, full-bodied with a creamy butter finish that I'd long since believed the valley had stopped producing. So many wineries these days will blend 60/40 oak-aged and stainless steel. This was all oak, baby and a perfect blend of new and 1-year old oak, but without the kind of toast that leaves splinters on your tongue. This was the bomb! I immediately set my guilt-free bottle price at about $48, but alas...I was to be denied. Retail, this gorgeous chardonnay sells for $56 a bottle. Sigh...ppbbbbb... my ballon deflates.Next on their list was a nice little pinot and while I found it to be delicious and competent, remember that I had just been spoiled by three spectacular vintages at Premonition Cellars, where I procured several cases for under $30 a bottle. There as a new standard by which pinots would be measured for the rest of the weekend and no one will measure up.
And then it happened...my mind was blown again. This 2010 zinfandel was incredible. Medium-to-full bodied, complex fruits of blackberry, cassis, with hints of tobacco and a touch of a peppery spice to balance it out. It easily exceeded my guilt-free price, so we put a pin in that one.
As petite sirahs go, there are those that have a bold tannic backbone that leaves an earthy, velvety finish in your mouth and there are those that are little more than dried dark fruits in their flavors with no tannins to balance, and certainly nothing that would pair with a blackened steak for which most petite sirahs are ideal. This one, however, was the best balanced I think I've ever had. A close second is a wine by Jessup Cellars grown out of Yolo, and the Freemark Abbey offering, right after that. If you're not a lover of petite sirahs then I can understand your disinterest, but know this... If you're ever open to knowing what a PS should taste like, this is where it's at. That said, I was in for quite a shock when I learned the bottle price and immediately I felt like someone had just put me on an emotional roller coaster. A PS at $44 a bottle is definitely on the pricey side.
Now is a good time to mention that this vineyard has quite a legacy. It dates back to 1956 when Charles and Helen Bacigalupi bought the land and began planting vineyards. In 1973, 40% of the chardonnay grapes used in the award winning Chateau Montelena Chardonnay was purchased from Baciglaupi (made famous to the masses by the movie Bottle Shock). Their son John married Pam Heck (of the Korbel family) and their twin daughters Katey and Nicole are both in the industry. Nicole, in fact, (of the third generation of Bacigalupis) is a key figure in the operation of the retail side. As I would later discover, that day there were 2.5 generations of Bacigalupis in the tasting room; Pam (Nicole's mother), Nicole, and the next generation growing inside of her. Believe me when I say the pleasure was all mine as we were graced with having Nicole as our server, that day. "Server" doesn't do it justice, really, but I'm at a loss for another label. She was bright, engaging, witty, with a Kristen Chenoweth quality about her and she personally introduced us to her family's legacy. How do you label that...?
So, as we wrapping up the tasting and I'm considering what to purchase, in my mind I'm trying to find a way to justify the cost of the chardonnay that I really, really wanted. I was torn. I was seriously considering breaking my rule and dealing with the consequences of the guilt I might feel when I opened the $56 bottle in the future when I thought to inquire about their wine club.
Hazzah!! And there before me in the folds of the brochure was the answer! One case, twice a year would yield me a 20% discount, which brought my chard into my guilt-free price, did the same for the petite sirah, and made the zinfandel an absolute steal! But then I saw it... On the menu, but not open for tasting, the 2012 vintage of their zinfandel. With a composite look of forlorn and wanton desire, I somehow charmed Nicole into opening the 2012 for us. I was so happy she did, too! It's just as delicious as the 2010 with just a bit more complexity. It'll age for years to come, but will still impress your most stubborn zin-hater with its complexity and accessibility.
While the day started with the death of an old favorite (and the resignation from the wine club), it concluded with a new old favorite and a corresponding wine club relationship. Nature does seek equilibrium...
The Haul:
2013 Bacigalupi Vineyards Chardonnay (3) / $48 ea.
2012 Bacigalupi Vineyards Zinfandel (3) / $41 ea.
2010 Bacigalupi Vineyards Zinfandel (4) / $33 ea.
2012 Bacigalupi Vineyard Petite Sirah (2) / $37 ea.
At this point, it's time to call it a day... Mel's Fish and Chips for dinner and a couple of movies on my laptop means we've quit while we're ahead.
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