The Foothill Wine Review

A Weekend in Seattle, Who's Wining! (Not whining.)

noreply@blogger.com (Russ Reyes) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 03:54:00 +0000

I spent last weekend visiting my oldest son and his wife in Seattle. I was lucky because my daughter and her boyfriend came up too, so it was very cool to spend a long weekend visiting. I enjoyed many cups of fair trade coffee from Stumptown Coffee, uncounted pints of fantastic craft beers from Red Hook, Georgetown Brewery and Elysian Brewing Company and of course all the sights, sounds and tastes of Seattle including watching an urban dodge ball match at midnight followed by the spectacle of nude geriatric cyclists riding through the streets of Seattle just for the fun of it! Two of my favorite tastes however were the Steak Frites at Elysian Brewing Company (fresh cut fries smothered in thinly sliced sirloin steak covered in a chunky bleu cheese sauce!) and a sundae from a small ice cream shop. (Super rich chocolate ice cream, citrus infused olive oil, basil and salt!). I expected to see a very cool city with many tourist attractions, and I knew it was a college town, but I did not expect Seattle to be so hip, edgy and rel event! I love the late night Happy Hours! Anyway, knowing their Dad's passion for wine, we ended up driving the quick 30 minutes to Woodinville, which is the wine tasting region for the state.

Woodinville is a great concept, a huge number of Washington State wineries have production facilities and tasting rooms in Woodinville, but what is missing is the vineyards. Puget Sound AVA is the only growing region west of the Cascades, so the majority of the fruit grown in Washington state is HOURS away from the most populated city and the throngs of tourists that flock to Seattle each year. Woodinville is the answer. I had great expectations and I was looking forward to tasting some world class Rieslings and Gewurztraminer and seeing what other varietals were thriving in the state!

One of the first stops in Woodinville was the Village Wine Shop. Why would I stop at a wine shop when about 30 tasting rooms were so close? Because I did not know a lot about the local wine scene, and frankly had only heard of a handful of the wineries and I wanted to know what was what from someone who makes their living knowing what wines to sell from the region! I was greeted by a wonderful wine enthusiast named Lisa and her two young boys building Lego creations on one of the tall wine tables in the shop. We were the only ones in the shop, until her husband took the boys out on an adventure for the day. She poured us about 8 wines from the local area, some on her tasting list for the day. But I wanted something else, I was looking for that special wine! The list included many wines that you would find on any list here in California, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Chenin Blanc and Pinot Noirs. The list was clearly aimed at the showing off some of the local wines from Washington. She also poured a few wines not on the list, and all were very good wines I would serve to anyone I know, but I was not WOWED yet! I was looking for OUTSTANDING! So I asked her two questions. If she only had time to visit two wineries in this region, which two would they be and why? The answers I got were exactly what I was looking for. She could not just give 2, instead five wineries that were producing outstanding wines from knowledgeable winemakers from Washington State fruit! With big names like Chateau St. Michelle and Columbia Winery close by, but not on her list, we decided on to go see Brian Carter Cellars.

Now, let me rewind a few moments. We had actually stopped at a couple of wineries on the way in, and my shock at the tasting fees was comical! I was asked to pay $10 to taste the wines of a winery that I knew nothing about, and if I liked the wines they would apply the price to the bottle. Fair enough, but really? With some additional questioning and some gracious patience from the tasting room guy, he explained that ALL wineries in Washington charge a fee from $5 to $15, with most falling around $10. WHAT??? Actually is was more like WTF? This is not Napa Valley for Pete's sake! So I will save this topic for my next post because I think it is important enough to write about, especially as it applies to us here in the Foothills of California! So you can imagine, if I am paying you to taste your wine, regardless of your refund of the fee as it is applied to a bottle, your wine better be worthy of my hard earned cash! That is the point of tasting right? To see if I (the customer) believes your wine is something I would want to serve my family and friends! So, knowing the fees were coming, we walked in to Brian Carter Cellars.

Looking at his wineries description in the wine guide, I could tell he "Gets It". That fact that his winery was recommended by a wine enthusiast, was an even better sign. Brian Carter was a winemaker who blends, so he had no varietals on his list. I did not have to read about how many local awards his Cabernet Sauvignon won, or how great the Merlot is compared to Napa or how the latitude in Washington State is the same as the Bordeaux region is France. Brian Carter was taking the absolute best fruit he could get, which would probably be very good on their own, but nothing compared to Napa and France or even the Foothills, and making OUTSTANDING wines, that COULD compare to Napa, and France and the Foothills by blending them. The sum of the parts were better than the individuals! His super-tuscan, Bordeaux and Rhone blends were simply some of the best wines one could taste! Yes he charged $8 to taste his 4 wines, but if Lisa had told me how good his wines were going to be and that it would cost $20 to taste, I would not even blink at the fee! Priced at between $20 and $30 for all the wines except the L'Etalon, which is the premium Bordeaux for $58, the tasting charge is graciously applied to the cost of the bottle. What was surprisingly good was the super-tuscan and the Rhone blend. Honestly, it was so well balanced and delicious, it rivaled some of the great Rhones produced here in El Dorado County! I was excited! Now, I am not slighting any of the other wineries in the region. They produce and sell some great wines, and I know they exist, but I never did get to taste that outstanding Riesling! What I am saying is that like so many other young wine growing regions in the country, including the Foothills, the wineries try to grow everything and produce everything, because of the demand of the public! Could Rhone fruit grown in the Bordeaux or visa versa? Absolutely, but that does not mean they should! Every growing region has it unique characteristics and limits. Will a world class Cabernet Sauvignon every come out of Washington State? I am sure it may someday, because someone will find the perfect micro-climate where the fruit may thrive. But I have yet to taste it! Here in the Foothills, decades of vineyard planting and management are just now starting to show those small blocks of earth that will grow truly world class fruit to produce a world class Cabernet Sauvignon. What I am saying is I would like to see more Rhone blends and German wines coming out of Washington State. People will learn to love these outstanding varietals of fruit that thrive in the region as opposed to liking the good wines that are coming out of the region. But there must be more money in producing an OK Merlot than a truly epic Riesling! I don't know.

I left the wine valley of Woodinville really wishing I had time to taste more, and TRULY wishing I had time to travel to the Columbia Valley and other eastern appellations, because I was just not satisfied with the wines I found in Woodinville, except for Brian Carter Cellars and some of the wines and company at Lisa's shop - Village Wines. Oh yeah, we really enjoyed the Red Hook Brewery and "Tour", which is located in Woodinville! Ironically, that says something, when the Brewery in the wine growing region is one of the most popular placed to taste! Yes they charge too - $1 for five 4 oz beer tastes! Wineries take note!

How's it going?

noreply@blogger.com (Russ Reyes) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 02:16:00 +0000

So it has been a long time since I have been able to pay this blog some attention. There have been some big life changes to say the least, the past 10 months. As a family, we have experienced many of the headlines from the past year first hand, but throughout it all, the simple pleasures in life are what really matters. My boys are growing and healthy. My wife is my rock and my biggest fan, and enjoying a really good bottle of wine is still one of life's simple pleasures. I have still been able to maintain my monthly wine review in the Sierra Style magazines, however, this blog has really suffered. That needs to change!

Now, not all has been doom and gloom the past 10 months. I am working a dream job as the graphic artist at Red Hawk Casino, which is a full time job PLUS! But one of my responsibilities is keeping the massive Henry's wine list up to date, which is really great! Red Hawk is a huge supporter of locally produced wines, and there is a whole section devoted just to our local wines! The Food and Beverage V.P., Joe Diver is not only super versed in wines of the world, he is personally a great supporter of our local wines, so working with him is a great experience. Plus my job allows me to meet some pretty cool people. I've met Jim Belushi, Kevin Bacon, Eric Estrada, Linda Blair, Playboy's 50 Anniversary Playmate Colleen Shannon, Tommy TuTone, Little Texas, Marcy Playground and Captain Phil Harris from the "Deadliest Catch"!

Unfortunately, one my my most favorite stars in the whole world, I don't get to see as much anymore. Ravel Hanes, the owner and superstar of Dolce Vino in Cameron Park had to close the doors of the best little wine shop in the Foothills. It was a sudden and sad day, and she is truly missed here, but I hear she is doing well and still a part of many of her best customers lives. I sincerely hope that someday soon we will be able to work together on something to do with wine!

So, life is still coming at us fast and furious, and the winemakers of the foothills are still busily producing some of the best wines in the country. I will make sure that as I find the best this region has to offer, you hear about it first! I will make time to write about it here. Finally, I am hoping the new version of Foothill Wine Review will be unveiled before the end of the year. More on that later.

Cheers!

Russ

I'm Back and need some wine!

noreply@blogger.com (Russ Reyes) — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 21:17:00 +0000

For those of you who are loyal followers of this blog (all 2 of you! LOL) I apologize for the extended absence! It is not that I have NOT been drinking wine, but the last few weeks have been very crazy around the Reyes household, and honestly, I have not been drinking much wine, so it is hard to write about wine when you have not been drinking much!

Last weekend I spent the 3 days with 15 of my closest guy friends golfing in 35 degree temperatures in Reno, while wearing a kilt! (Pictures will follow shortly!) It is something that you have to experience once in your life! Waiting for the greens to thaw while drinking Irish coffee and Bloody Mary's in the clubhouse is fun, but golfing with a chilly wind blowing up your kilt is something the word FUN does not even begin to describe! All told, much beer and whiskey was consumed, but not much wine!

Last week I also started a new job, as a graphic designer for the new casino here in Shingle Springs - Red Hawk Casino. My first week was a blast and the casino is going to be a very cool experience for people who live here and who are traveling up to Lake Tahoe. But, a new job did not exactly lend itself to drinking some new wines each night and writing about them! But, it is the weekend and I have a couple of bottles of wine I want to try, and I have an article due at Sierra Style, so I need to taste some wines!

Finally, I have been planning a Gothic Halloween Party at Dolce Vino in Cameron Park. It starts around 8:00PM on Halloween. Check out the website at www.dolce-vino.com for tickets and info!

So, now I will pull out the corkscrew and start doing my job! "POP!"

Crush 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Russ Reyes) — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 16:04:00 +0000

There are some things in life that you just have to try once, and there are those things that become tradition after you do them a few times. Crush is probably going to be one of those things that become a fall tradition for my family, thanks to Robert and Missy at Van der Vijver Estate.

This past Sunday morning, I got the family out of bed by 6:00AM, so we could be out of the house by 7:00AM to head down to Fair Play. The moans and groans, including those coming from my wife were plenty, but once we got there, and started picking grapes, those moans had turned to laughter! Of course, giving a 3 1/2 year old and a 7 year old a very sharp, 4 inch knife to wield on their own may have had something to do with it! So after careful instruction on the proper use of the knife, the family hit the vineyard! We were one of a few other families working to harvest the Van der Vijver Estate Tempranillo.

Crush is the time of year when the fruit is ready to yield its juice to the winemaker, and therefore, need to be harvested from the field. The name comes from the need to gently crush the fruit to extract the juice, allowing it to ferment, and in the case of reds, touch the skin to pick up some of the brilliant pigments. All small family wineries all over the world, whole clusters of gently crushed fruit are sitting in square, white bins, fermenting all the sugars in the juice and becoming very young wine. But first, the fruit needs to be taken from the vineyard!

That process starts with the curved knife in the vineyard! Once the clusters are cut from the vine, they are put into buckets at the grape pickers feet. The adults were using the 5 or 6 gallon size paint buckets, and the kids were using little pails. Once the bucket is full, it is hand carried through the narrow vineyard to the awaiting bin, which in this case was on the back of a pickup truck. Bucket after bucket is dumped into the bin, until it is full and tips the scales at about 1000 lbs of fruit. On this morning, the dozen or so people in the vineyard picked about 3 tons of fruit before lunch. Robert's family is from Holland and his mom and dad had just arrived the night before at 11:00PM, and both were up and in the vineyard, after that long flight by 7:00AM! Amazing!

By 10:00AM, the boys had had their fill of picking grapes, and were off exploring the vineyards and chasing dragonflies. My wife Lauren was really getting into it, and became quite proficient, but the long hikes with full buckets were really taking their toll on her, and she was getting sore bending down and stooping to get the low hanging fruit. We got an amazing feel for the families that actually do this to make ends meet in vineyards all over California, and left with much respect for the back-breaking labor involved with producing small batch, hand crafted wines.

Lunch rolled around about noon, and the group of hungry grape pickers were treated to a grand lunch prepared by Robert's wife Missey and his mom. A hearty meatball soup and a crisp egg fritata were served outside under the oak trees and the afternoon could not have been more complete! The wines were fantastic and the food was amazing, perfect for a working crew to get more energy before heading out onto the vineyard once more! Unfortunately for Lauren and I, our 3 1/3 year old was spent, and in need of a nap. The rest of the families and friends stayed behind and worked until sun down. I explained to the kids that next year, we will stay the entire day to help finish the vineyard. Jacob was fine with that, since he really enjoyed his day in the vineyard. I don't remember a moment of the day when he did not have a bunch of grapes in his hand and mouth!

As a side note, you may be wondering how you to can participate in a local winery crush. In most cases, you will have had to cultivate a relationship with the winery owner, and one of the best ways to do that is to join the wineries Wine Club, and come to the Wine Club only events and functions. Many times the winery will have a day set aside where wine club members can get into the vineyard and help pick grapes! Not all wineries allow this, but it is worth finding those that do! You will be tired at the end of the day, but the experience is well worth it!

Cowboys Win, Fall is Just Around The Corner!

noreply@blogger.com (Russ Reyes) — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 23:26:00 +0000

Ah, if it wasn't for this blasted heat, it would almost feel like Fall! There are signs of Fall all over. Many wine makers are knee deep in crush, as the taste the first fruits of the year coming off the vine. This time of year, it is hard to get an appointment with a wine maker unless you are somehow associated with the process of crush, as time is of the essence! Another sign Fall is almost here if of course the NFL is back on Sundays! YEAH! Now I will be the first to admit that when I watch the Cowboys pummeling their weekly opponents, I enjoy a frosty cold beer, at least early in the season. This Sunday I happened to be enjoying Mendocino Brewing Company's Seasonal White Ale, somewhat like a Belgium Wit Beer. As the Fall gives way to Winter and the leaves have all gone away, the temp outside gives me some more options, and I will most likely be enjoying something red. Also, by then, my Cowboys are making a run for the play-offs, and in case they choke (last two years!) I need something stronger than a beer!

So today the Cowboys won against a better than average Browns team, and so things around the house are good! Man, I really mope and pout when the Cowboys lose, but at the minute, I am HAPPY! The temp is still over 90 degrees outside, but I promised the boys I would go outside and be a Sith Lord to their Jedi Knights. Soon plastic light sabers will be crashing and clanging as they try to defeat me, but maybe this afternoon, the Siths are due a win. I am still jazzed from my Cowboys win, and today, there might be a Blue Star under that black Sith robe!

I love Fall, I just wish it would get here sooner!

Dinner with Friends

noreply@blogger.com (Russ Reyes) — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 19:33:00 +0000

Last night we had dinner over at the home of some friends. Our kids are classmates and they love hanging out! I always ask what we can bring, but the answer is usually wine! Knowing we were going to have John's home-made pasta sauce, I decided to bring a bottle of the 2006 Mount Aukum En Fuego to enjoy before dinner and the Van der Vijver Estate 2006 Sangiovese Brunello de Sierra Foothills to enjoy with dinner! What a pair of great wines!

The En Fuego is a fantastic Rhone blend of Grenache 40%, Syrah 32%, Mourvedre 22%, and Petite Sirah 6%. This makes for a fantastic, complex and smooth wine. We enjoyed it with some hearty puff pastry filled with a rich ham and cheese mixture.

The Van der Vijver Estate 2006 Sangiovese Brunello de Sierra Foothills is an awesome pasta wine! Robert has crafted this wine to be like the famed Brunello of Italy, and it definitely was the crowd favorite! John has prepared a rich, hearty meat sauce full of flavor and the wine paired so well! Sangiovese is the grape that the great chiantis are made from , but this wine was not full of tannin, and the acidity really balanced the rich meat sauce nicely! This is a wine you will want to have around for those fall spaghetti dinners!

Thank's Frank for all you did!

noreply@blogger.com (Russ Reyes) — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 20:22:00 +0000

The Sierra Foothills lost one of it's winemaking pioneers a few days ago, and we will all surely miss Frank Latcham. Since 1981 Frank has been a part of the history, culture and a driving force in the El Dorado County wine scene. As more details become known, I will try and share them with you. El Dorado County is fast becoming one of the premier wine producing regions in the United States and our wine history can be traced directly back to Frank Latcham and his family. I would like to toast his vision and leadership over the years and thank him for the legacy he leaves for us to enjoy at Latcham Vineyards and Granite Springs Winery. I would also like to extend our sympathies and prayers to the Latcham family.

Cheers and Thank You Frank!

Wilderotter Vineyard 2006 Barbera

noreply@blogger.com (Russ Reyes) — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 03:16:00 +0000

Barbera (bar-BEAR-ah) is one of my favorite wines. I love the deep color, full body and acidity that pairs well with tomato based sauces. Therefore, I love a barbera with pasta! Wildrotter (like wilderness) is a relatively new winery in the California Shenandoah in Amador. It's small tasting room is near the giant producer of Bella Piazza, but the wines are small batch and very elegant. I actually had this wine for the first time, however, not at the tasting room, but at a local wine shop. The first sip was all it took for me to realize this was a wine I wanted to enjoy with a big plate of pasta and friends!

At first this wine may come across as BIG! It has a huge fruit nose of cherry and other fresh ripe red fruits. I can also get a hint of chocolate, but I am always looking for that in my barbera! The first sip bursts with a sort of tart chocolate covered cherry flavor that I find really cool! You will notice the acid immediately but you will not find it very high in tannin, so it drinks well right now! It is getting towards the end of summer, so I made a nice quick pasta sauce with heirloom tomatoes, fresh farm onions, olive oil, garlic and herbs and poured it over some cheese tortellini. It was a great pairing!

If you have not yet tried a barbera, this is a good one to start with. Fortunately for us, living in the Sierra Foothills affords us the opportunity to drink some truly world class barbera. Some wineries produce wine made from barbera fruit, and some wineries produce Barbera, made in the style such as the delicious Barbera d' Alba or Barbera d'Asti. I suggest if you like our local barbera wines to seek out these two Italian produced wines to compare. You will be glad you did!

Primus Vineyards is now ParaVi! Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Russ Reyes) — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:13:00 +0000

So I posed the question in Part 1 of this story "What would happen if Primus Vineyards ceased to exist?" and "What would that mean to the Sierra Foothills?" I asked that question because as I was sitting with Tom in his tasting room, he dropped that bombshell on me, that as of August 23rd, 2008, Primus will no longer be Primus! I was one of the first to know, and frankly I was shocked! After all the work Tom has put into the brand Primus Vineyads, and now, it is lost. So now what?

ParaVi is what! Although Primus Vineyards, the name, is no longer associated with the winery that Tom Brown owns, the winemaker, the wine, the winery, the beautiful grounds, and the vision and drive that has made Primus what it is today is ALL still there. Except now the name is ParaVi! So I have to ask myself what this all means to the Sierra Foothills, because I think there is more to this than meets the eye.

First we have to look at why the name change is happening, and I will prefae this by the disclaimer that this is my own observation. The back story to why Primus Vineyards has to become ParaVi originated thousands of miles from EL Dorado County, in the South American country of Chile. Tom did his due diligence when he opened the winery, and believe me, Tom is a very savy business man. About a year after starting operations, he found that there was a small winery in Chile that had the name Primus for one of its blended wines. It was used as the name of one of the blends, but it was not the winery name. He did not give it a second thought. Fast forward to 2007 when Primus Vineyards has achieved all those things I wrote about in Part 1, most importantly, Primus is recognized as a premium wine, and for lack of any other word, Primus had become famous! Fame brings it own brand of reward and peril. All you have to do is look at the celebrities in the news and see what happens when someone goes from obscure to well known. In many cases, the celebrity becomes a target. So, this is my opinion, but the fame and notoriety that Primus Vineyards enjoyed made it a target. This is proof that El Dorado County and the Sierra Foothills is gaining attention, and people are noticing what is being produced here.

So the little winery in Chile who owned the name Primus was bought by a larger corporation, thats when the trouble started. Not good to have two wines with the same name on the market as it causes confusion to the public, so one had to go. Big wine corporation vs. Tom Brown's small, family owned business. Small family owned business had established the name Primus to a level never dreamed possible by the Big Corporation, so it was to their benefit to drive the small family owned winery out of the Primus market. Done! I know this is an abbreviated accounting, but it is my own theory. So on August 23rd, 2008, ParaVi Vineyards will be introduced to the world, and I expect that Tom Brown will hardly miss a stride. But change of this magnitude is costly!

The fact that Primus is changing to ParaVi is not insignificant, but will most likely go un-noticed in the wine literary world because the press doesn't look to closely at the Sierra Foothills. I would be shocked if you read about this story in Wine Spectator or Advocate. Shocked! But make no mistake, the wine making world will notice! Wineries like what Primus Vineyards was are few and far between. Many have worked years to attain the status that Primus enjoyed and have long histories. Chateau Montelena is an example of a cutting edge winery who once made waves. You can see her story in the movie "Bottle Shock", but know it took 93 years for Chateau Montelena to make history in 1976 when it won the Paris wine competition. Primus had achieved its "cult like status" in about 5 years!

The winery most closely resembling the potential of Tom Brown's Primus/ParaVi Vineyards is Screaming Eagle Winery. I know many of you just rolled your eyes and said I am crazy for suggesting this, but it is true! Screaming Eagle only sells wines to its current customer list, and has a waiting list miles long to purchase the wines! Of course you could buy a bottle that has been sold by one of the members, as in the case of this 1992 Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon at Santa Rosa Fine Wines for $8,750.00 for ONE BOTTLE! But Tom sells out of his wines every vintage, and he is not going to produce anymore than his small lot each year. Connect the dots, because sooner rather than later, the demand for ParaVi wines will far exceed the production.

ParaVi comes screaming out of the block with a healthy pedigree and the same team Primus had. It is like a Super Bowl champion team returning the next year without a change in personnel. ParaVi is only a name change, and I think it will only add to the mystique that surrounds this winery. I suggest buying ParaVi wines while you still can, better yet, become a Wine Society member. They always will get their ParaVi wines, and someday, we may not!

The Foothill Wine Review wishes Tom Brown and ParaVi Vineyards much success in the transition period and in the future. We are glad you are still here!

Perry Creek 2005 El Dorado Primitivo

noreply@blogger.com (Russ Reyes) — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 05:23:00 +0000

Have you ever been in the mood for a red wine, but did not want a big red like a Cabernet Sauvignon or a Syrah, but also did not want something light and complex like a Pinot Noir? Well I am in one of those moods. I have a nice CAO cigar calling my name, and it is about 75 degrees outside with a big bright moon asking for some company. I did a quick once through my small wine cellar and nothing caught my eye at first, then I almost reached for a Zinfandel, but I was not in the mood for the spice either, it might conflict with the cigar. Then I saw it, almost at the bottom of my little wine rack - a bottle of Perry Creek 2005 Primitivo.

From what I remembered, I really liked this wine. So out came the cork. I cut the end off of my CAO and put it in my mouth as I poured the first splash of Primitivo into my glass. I wish my wife was still up, but now that she is teaching, she is wiped out when she gets home, so I'll have to enjoy this bottle by myself! I have to tell you how amazing the nose of this wine is. I get bright red fruit, and some butter toffee and vanilla, which must have come from the time in the barrel. The color is about the same as a Zinfandel, ruby red, but not so deep you can't see through it. I take a sip and instantly remember why I loved this wine. It is slightly fruity, but the buttery smoothness comes through in a well balanced, slightly tart way. It is not a high tannin wine, and it has enough acidity to be able to pair well with something rich and fatty! Now I am wishing I had a slab of prime rib I could devour with a glass of this wine! Oh well, I think my cigar will do just fine.

One note about Primitivo. Depending on who you talk to, it is either exactly the same DNA as Zinfandel, or it is a cousin. It is very similar, but this Primitivo lacks the spicy and jammy character of the Zinfandel. To me it is a more refined wine, and of course that could be due to the wine maker's stylistic approach to this Primitivo. The major difference is that foods are not normally easy to pair with a spicy, jammy zinfandel, but this Perry Creek 2005 Primitivo could easily pair with meats or pastas. You cannot get this wine anywhere except the tasting room, which just happens to have a great Picnic area, so bring some food if you visit!

One final note about Perry Creek. It changed owners a couple of years back, and there is a new wine making team. If you have not visited Perry Creek in a few years, you are really missing some exciting wines. They are not just about Zinman anymore, although he can still be found dancing on the shelves at the winery!

Cheers!

Where's the Cheese? Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Russ Reyes) — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 18:24:00 +0000

I recently had an email conversation with a gentleman named Randy Carpadus of Bright Hope Designs. His firm provides website solutions to small business, and ag business throughout the foothills. I came upon him through the Farm Trails Guide, and little did I know he would provide some valuable insight into the state of the artisan food movement in the foothills.

Randy was born and raised in Sonoma Valley on a dairy farm that provided milk to the Sonoma Cheese Factory. By dumb luck I found him! Anyway, I put him on the spot and asked him on the record why he believes there is a lack of artisan foods, particularly cheese in the Sierra Foothills, and specifically El Dorado County. I was looking for concrete reasons and he did not disappoint. Truth be known, I was also looking to see if there was any road blocks from the county, but that turned out not to be the case, at least for cheeses.

The main reason there is no artisan cheese being produced in the foothills, specifically El Dorado County is simple. Artisan cheeses are predominately produced in dairy counties, which El Dorado County and I suspect Amador as well are not! Timber was the main source of ag in El Dorado County for at least a century, but certainly not dairy. That plain and simple answer makes sense to me. You need milk to make cheese and we don't have much milk here, or do we?
Randy points out there is a large number of goat farms in El Dorado County, but they can hardly be sufficient to produce cheeses as there are strict state codes to abide by when you are producing foods on site. I am sure the cost to upgrade these farms to a cheese making facility would be quite an investment, and risk at that. Furthermore, Randy explained that our pastures are more suited to beef than to dairy, which have a different requirement.

But the second factor is what Randy called the NIMBY factor. "Not In My Back Yard". The Sonoma of Randy's childhood was ripe for small artisans and craftsmen selling their products from their farms. He describes a Sonoma where people sold hay from their driveways, and produce from road side stands. It was not a big deal because that was normal. The example in El Dorado County is Apple Hill, where small, family owned farms sell apples, Christmas trees and pies from their barns. People who move to Apple Hill expect this to be a part of life. But what about the people who move to Fair Play, or Pleasant Valley or Coloma? People move here for the beauty and rural nature of our county, they love the trees, the wineries and the rivers, but they want to escape the traffic and urban lifestyles they left behind. So when a neighbor, say a farm, one of the reasons they chose to live in this rural environment, wants to start producing cheese to sell to the public, they are not allowed to because of the Not In My Back Yard mentality! I can almost here these people saying "Go make your cheese somewhere else, but not on YOUR FARM!" I can say as a fact that this is propagated by the county of El Dorado because I have heard how winery owners, even in Apple Hill cannot open a restaurant on their property so that their guest can have a meal with the wine they purchase because the county simply does not allow that! As one wine maker told me that his answer from the county was "Well if we let you sell food, we would have to let all the wineries sell food!" To which he answered "So? And your point is?" So El Dorado county does not want you to eat while you are drinking. Plain and simple!

So I ask where is the logic in that? There is a double standard which is this. An apple grower who owns a orchards and a large farm stand can sell his apples, sell his pies made from his apples, sell his cider made from his apples, and sell a tri-tip sandwich, chips and hot dogs, and that are NOT made from his apples out of his commercial, county approved kitchen. But a winery right down the street, can only sell the wine made from HIS grapes and pre-packaged gifts and foods stuffs such as sauces and dips, but NO tri-tip to serve with his wines! How can that be?

This is something I will begin to investigate more, this NIMBY and how the county supports NIMBY to the point of being illogical. But in the meantime, we need to figure out how we can get some local artisan cheese makers some milk to make cheese from!!

NOTE: Today I sent a request to the Larry Lohman, Deputy Director/Building Services and Larry Appel, Deputy Director/Planning of El Dorado County to discuss the lack of artisan foods and the percieved opposition to wineries serving food in El Dorado County.

Primus Vineyards Part 1.

noreply@blogger.com (Russ Reyes) — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 19:46:00 +0000

Primus Vineyards is an enigma. It is at once one of the most sought after wines in El Dorado County, yet not much is known about it outside of the Primus Wine Society and those lucky ones who have had a chance to taste the wines. I say lucky because the wines tend to sell out within three weeks of release, so they can be hard to find. A bottle of the Primus 2005 Merlot recently sold for $1700 at a charity auction!

I recently sat down with owner/founder Tom Brown. He had allowed me a great privilege, to be the first wine writer to ever write about his wines! I am doing something Mike Dunn or even Robert Parker have never done! I was honored and overwhelmed, because his wines deserve to be showcased and if this is the only time a writer will ever get to review the wines, the reviewer should be stellar!

Tom is an engaging man. He is intense and driven by excellence, yet you feel comfortable sitting across the table with him just chatting about wine. He is also one of the hardest working winemakers I know! On this day we sat down, he was taking a break in doing "yard" work, which means planting dozens of shrubs, cutting acres of grass and finishing up a stone retaining wall which he has laid stone by stone! He is working the grounds of his amphitheatre for an outdoor wedding the following day. No expense has been spared, which is a theme at Primus.

When Tom opened Primus over 5 years ago, he had but one word in mind - quality. His standards of quality were intentionally high, and required the attitude that money would not be a hindrance to the quality of his wines. So no detail is overlooked in the entire production of the wines. For example, all his barrels are French Oak, new French Oak! Although more expensive than American Oak barrels, he prefers the lighter oak nuances that are imparted by these barrels. The barrels are only used twice, and always only for the same varietal, Merlot will never touch a zinfandel barrel. His wines are also always 100% single varietal, so this makes getting the flavor profiles he is seeking in the wines just that much more challenging! Instead of adding 2% of this variety or 6% of that variety, his winemaker must achieve perfection with the fruit he has to work with. For example, it is common for winemakers to add some Petite Sirah to their zinfandel to get a slight pepper nose or taste on the palette. Usually in quantities smaller than 5%, the wine consumer will never know that this was part of the production of that wine. The result of this "spare no expense" philosophy has been this. Primus Vineyards first two vintage years sold out in just three weeks! This meant Tom had his tasting room doors closed for an awfully long time each year! Now, he has ramped up production and held some vintages back on order to have a little more to offer in the tasting room, yet his production will never exceed 3000 cases. Boutique winery size, and perfect for a "cult wine" which Primus has certainly achieved. Considering that Primus wines have never entered a wine competition, nor has he ever advertised his wines in any publication, how did Primus achieve this amazing status?

Tom says it is his quality. Sure, there are a some very high quality wines being produced in the Sierra Foothills, and i have written about many of them here, but the Primus phenomenon is different. No other winery I know of outside of Napa or Santa Barbara enjoys the status of Primus. I recently had a conversation with another local winemaker who took a bottle of that 2005 Merlot to a dinner, along with two other high quality wines, including the Napa Silver Oak which sells for $100 a bottle and his own bottle. He said that the Primus Merlot was the best bottle they drank that night, hands down. The 2005 Primus Vineyards Merlot sells for $52, which is another exception to the Sierra Foothills. Price.

Primus has four of its six current releases priced at over $40 a bottle, with the highly sought after 2005 Cabernet Franc going for $62 a bottle. In a region where wine sells for $12 to $26 a bottle with the exception of a dozen or so wines at over $30 a bottle how is this possible? Again, Tom goes back to quality and the cost of production. His wines cost more to produce, and they sell out because people realize the quality when they uncork the bottle, so there is really no thought to the cost when someone buys a bottle of Primus Vineyards wine. It is the same thought process when you compare a high end domestic auto to a BMW or Mercedes. If you have made the decision that the BMW or Mercedes is more to your standards, then you buy it. I think what Tom Brown has done at Primus Vineyards is important to the Sierra Foothills region, because it shows that we are capable of producing very high quality wines and pricing them in line with other better known wine growing regions. Of course every winery is not going to be a Primus Vineyards here in the foothills. But there is a perception that wines priced at over $35 a bottle may not sell here in the foothills. I say if the wine is outstanding, sell it for what it is worth! Van Der Vijver Estate has a bottle of dessert wine that is over 8 years old and sells for $65, because it was only made once, and because once it is gone, it is gone forever! Did I mention it is OUTSTANDING! OK, back to Primus Vineyards!

So Primus Vineyards has achieved this status by word of mouth only. People like my winemaker friend try the wine and then tell people about it. They try the wine and then tell people about it too! Word of mouth was so successful, and the mystique about the wines so intense before Tom ever sold his first bottle that the first vintage sold out in three weeks, as I mentioned before! That is an amazing feat for a new winery. Now, his wines are offered to his very exclusive Primus Wine Society members first, and then what is left is sold out of the tasting room. His wine society members are a who's who of celebrities, athletes and politicians, none of which he would name, but if you want to find out for yourself, you have to join. He treats his wine society members like royalty, and the events hosted for them are nothing short of Hollywood caliber! He has flown in bands and singers to entertain the guests, since many of them fly in to attend these ultra-private events! Primus Wine Society members live all over the United States and the world, and he ships them their wine when it is released.

Tom has worked so hard to cultivate this loyal following, and to keep the Primus Vineyards label something extravagant, limited and in a way, not very well known outside of the Primus circle. He risked his entire livelihood on this theory that if he was to produce truly world class wines not worrying about the cost of bottles (gold leaf silk screened!) or barrels or even his very talented winemaker Brian, the wine would sell itself, and it has. The Primus Vineyards brand speaks to ultra premium quality which does sell itself, no matter the cost of the bottle. But what would happen if all of a sudden, the brand Primus Vineyards disappeared? What impact would that have on the Sierra Foothills? We will explore that in Primus Vineyards, Part 2.

What's Happening This Weekend!

noreply@blogger.com (Russ Reyes) — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 19:53:00 +0000

It's Friday and I have some events to share with you!

I spoke about how popular farmers markets are becoming in the last post, so it is no surprise that a local winery would want to have their own. Miraflores Winery is having their farmers market on Sunday, August 10th from 11AM to 1PM. Be sure to taste 2005 Zinfandel which Wine Spectator recently awarded a 90!

I really like what David Girard Vineyards is doing with bringing in some great entertainment to their local venue. This Saturday night is no exception with the appearance of Shana Morrison, Van Morrison's daughter. Seating is provided and you can purchase food and their outstanding wine selections to enjoy during the concert.

Finally, release parties are held almost every weekend throughout the wine country, but there is one of note I want to point out. Holly's Hill Vineyards 2007 Patriarche is available to sample in the barrel. The 2005 Patriarche, Mike Dunne of the Sacramento Bee called one of the years top 10 wines "so far". I truly feel this wine is an outstanding ambassador of the quality and legacy that we want to show in the Sierra Foothills. It is a shining Chateauneuf de Paup inspired wine that should be in every one's wine cellar, it is that good!

There you go! A few things to see and do this weekend in the wine country. If you are a winery in the Amador, El Dorado, Placer or Calaveras county wine regions, please send me your events a week in advance.

Where's the cheese?

noreply@blogger.com (Russ Reyes) — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 17:22:00 +0000

Hello my wine loving friends! How many of you enjoy a nice cheese plate with your wine from time to time? I love sitting down to a simple lunch of cheese, fruit and a glass of wine. That is as pure a meal as you can get. If the items all happen to be locally grown and produced, that just makes it SO much better! Very Old World, but buying local produce, wine, meats and cheeses has been a normal part of peoples lives all over the world for centuries. Why this phenomenom is just now becoming popular in our culture is beyond me. I am sure the instant gratification of the local Bel Air, Safeway or Nugget has a lot to do with our current food buying culture, but would we as consumers buy local food, wine, meats and cheeses if the price was competitive and the access easier?

Just look at the popularity of local farmers markets to get the answer. They are now poping up almost in every little town, and on a regular schedule. Here in the Folsom, El Dorado Hills, Cameron Park area, you will find mostly produce and baked goods, and some locally prepared foods. What you do not see is a wide variety of local meats or cheeses. You might find some wineries, but only in the Sacramento and Davis markets. Why is that?

Well, I think for our local farmers markets, the wineries are simply just too close. How hard is it for a person to drive 40 minutes once a week to buy some outstanding local wines? So where are the cheeses and the meats? There is none! I know there are local ranchers who sell beef, excellent beef that is free range. I have tasted it and it is better than anything you can buy at the high end grocers. But for some reason, they can't or will not sell at the markets. And where are the local cheeses? With the number of small farms in El Dorado County, and the abundant land dedicated to agriculture here, why are there no farmstand cheeses, or even artisan cheeses made from milk sourced from other dairies? California has a great orginization dedicated to helping these small business thrive, it is called the California Artisan Cheese Guild . Wouldn't you love to pick up some fresh mozzerella with your heirloom tomatoes at the farmers market?

I am going to spend some time looking into this topic, and see where the logjam is. I cannot believe it is because we have a lack of entrepreneurs in El Dorado County, since this county's backbone is made up of small business owners. I do not think it is because of the lack of available land, this county is mostly agriculture outside of El Dorado Hills. So what is it? I have heard rumblings that it is the very county itself. So if it is, I want to know why? We have an election coming up very soon with new county supervisors trying to gain a seat. If the county is the problem, will they be the solution? I am going to find out.

I have heard many horror stories of how the county of El Dorado has made it difficult for new wineries to open their doors. I know a lot has to do with the "NO Growth" contigent here in the county, but aside from the new casino being built in Shingle Springs, what is going to attract more tourist dollars to this county? The wine industry! But it needs infrastructure such as small hotels, more restaraunts in the wine country and other, local food products that compliment the wine industry - such as cheese! Look to Sonoma County for an example of how these businesses work hand in hand.

Let's do some digging, and hopefully, we can find some cheese!

Cheese Guy Image is from the California Artisan Cheese Guild

A Nice Day and Van Der Vijver 2000 Chardonnay!

noreply@blogger.com (Russ Reyes) — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 01:51:00 +0000

This was a great day in the Sierra Foothills. I had a chance to spend a few moments with my good friend Kevin Brown at Breaker Glass in Placerville. He just returned from a 59 mile backpack trip with the Boy Scouts! He was craving a nice cigar so I made time to oblige! This afternoon, my wife and kids and I went swimming at a friends house who lives in El Dorado Hills. She is a good friend of my wife and so gracious, we all had a blast. She has only lived here about 4 or 5 years, but she said something that I hear all the time, from people who have lived here much longer. We were talking about wine, (shocker!) and I my wife mentioned that I write for a few publications and the Fair Play Winery Association. She had no idea where Fair Play was!!! She knew where the Amador wineries are, and of course she had been to Napa many times, but she had no idea of the bounty of wineries we have here in the foothills. Naturally, the question I am most frequently asked after a person finds out about the El Dorado County wine scene is "Well, are they any good?"

So, the sun is setting, the kids are watching Star Wars Return of the Jedi and I am beginning to catch up on this new blog space. (I use to have about 50 posts here before the switch!) I felt compelled to open a Fair Play wine since our dear friend had never heard of it before. Now, she is not here to enjoy it, actually, no one is besides me, but what a treat! I am drinking my last bottle of Van Der Vijver Estate, 2000 El Dorado Chardonnay! Wow, Robert hit a home run with this one. I know he sold out of this vintage a couple of years ago, but he does tend to age his wines for quite a while before he releases them. He is an old world style winemaker, and his wines do very well in the bottle when kept for a while. The oak is mellow, and the buttery rich flavor really seems refreshing on this warm evening! Usually, I like an un-oaked chardonnay on such a warm day, but this wine seems perfect right now! Too bad I don't have a big ol' slab of salmon grilling over some wood chips because it would sure taste pretty nice right now! Too bad I don't have a friend to share this wine with too, because the profile is legendary!! I saw my friend Robert Van Der Vijver yesterday, which was a treat, since it has been a while. Life keeps us very busy! So I'll raise a glass to his artistry and toast him with this wine! Salud!

Back to my rant! I cannot believe how many people I come across that live here in Cameron Park, where I live, and in El Dorado Hills and Folsom who only know of a few El Dorado Wineries. They go to Boeger, Lava Cap and Madrona. Now I love all those wineries, and they do get a lion's share of visitors to the county, but they are far from the whole story here, and there is a lot more to taste in the foothills. That is a major challenge to our wineries, how to get the word out. Sure, millions of dollars of advertising would do the trick, but the majority of these wineries are small, artisan and family owned and operated. Many you will find the winemaker pouring the wine in the tasting room! Of course winning medals helps too. Kudos to Perry Creek for their Best Of California and Double Gold for the 2005 El Dorado Petite Syrah!

Come on people, take the 45 minute drive from El Dorado Hills out to Pleasant Valley Road to taste some of the best Rhone wines in California! Miraflores, Holly's Hill and Narrow Gate await you! Hop on up to Coloma to see another Rhone master at David Girard Vineyards! They're scarcely 30 minutes from here! Venture down to Fair Play and see the NEW Perry Creek with their award winning wines, say hello to the wooden shoe wearing Robert Van Der Vijver at Van Der Vijver Estate for me, or visit dkcellars and taste the prestigious 2008 Herbert Award winning Zinfandel. Yeah, I only mention 3 wineries at a time for a reason. That is the max you should visit in a day, otherwise, you are not out to taste, your out to get wasted! Besides, your pallete is done by three wineries and all this good stuff will start to taste the same!

OK, now I can enjoy my 8 year old chardonnay and feel like I have accomplished something! Wow, wish you were here to drink this with me!

Cheers!

We're Back!

noreply@blogger.com (Russ Reyes) — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 06:30:00 +0000

Wow, talk about an ordeal getting the blog back up! I will not bore you with details, but The Foothill Wine Review has switched hosts, and I am hoping this one will be much better! Please give us a few days to settle into our new surroundings before we start our ranting on how superior the wines of the Sierra Foothills are to some other regions in the west!

Thanks for your patience! The usual commentary will be back soon!