Month: September 2015

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Graziano, “Enotria”, Barbera 2006

A Barbera from Northern California! The glory of wine!

New vintage of this wine has just arrived, February 2014 and I shall be posting some tasting notes on it soon. Its Greg’s 2010 vintage of the wonderful grape

WInemakers notes:

“ Enotria, part of the Graziano family of wines, is what the ancients called Italy. We produce wines from Italian grape varieties that are native to the Piemonte region of Northwest Italy. We utilise the best methods, both modern and ancient, to create wines that are distinctly Californian yet evocative. This grape is the most widely planted and the workhorse grape of the Piemonte, Barbera is known for its lively acidity. Our version, which is grown in the foothills and bench lands of Mendocino County, has been aged in a combination of French Burgundy and American Oak barrels for over 24 months. This long ageing helps to bring a harmonious balance of sweet fruit flavours, rich earthy complexity and softer tannins and acidity. “

Mr Whirly says:

“Barbera from Northern California and in particular Mendocino arrived here in the 19th Century with immigrant Italians and took well to the coastal Volcanic soils of this Northern part of this wonderful state. This is Graziano’s 15th vintage of this grape. Once again not young, this wine shows well now and for time to come with soft textured tannins and black cherries on the palate, almost Cherry Clafoutis in its makeup, which we love!

It has a little hint of coconut and toasty oak too. I am really proud of this wine:  I hope you find the point of difference with some Italian wines you might know, really exciting. This is what wine is all about: tasting the same grapes made in different regions of the world and seeing how indeed they have their own identity. “

Alcohol: 15.0%

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Montevolpe, Primo Rosso 2007

Primo Rosso: “ First red “

This is the second vintage of the wine for my wine business and the first was a fabulous success so I expect this to be too.

A blend of six grapes but don’t be put off if you are, like me, a fan of single varietals on their tod! This is a wonderful example of how grapes can be blended really attractively and shows off Greg Graziano’s winemaking skills very well indeed. It also fit’s really well into that very large void, of wines being available from the United States that have some quality and panache but are not too expensive. 65% Zinfandel, 15% Carignane, 10% Petite Sirah, 5% Sangiovese, 3% Negroamaro, 2% Nebbiolo. Some lovely bottle age means this wine is soft with tannins of maturity and grace: medium to dark purple-garnet in colour with some flavours of plums and blackberries in a pie with the addition of a little Marzipan, Almonds and Moraschino Cherries. This wine does not fade away but remains strong and even when opened will taste well after 3 days of opening, so has the potential to be an interesting pourer in 2011 and in the years ahead.

Alcohol: 14.5%

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Montevolpe, Primo Bianco 2009

Primo Bianco: “ First white”

New Vintage just arrived, February 2014: tasting notes for the 2011 vintage will follow shortly

Following the undoubted  success of the Primo Rosso in 2010 I decided it would be a good idea  to import it’s sister. So here  it is!

Primo Bianco means “ First white”. This is Greg Graziano’s complex blend of six different grapes! Six! Wow, I said to myself before I tried it for the first time, that must me a difficult job blending six grapes! He’s done a very good job which means he’s a very clever winemaker!

Mr Whirly says

“It’s a very complex wine, quite herbaceous with a touch of fennel and dill on the nose.  Great concentraion. I recently tasted this with Tom and Lisa Lewis at the lovely Monachyle Mhor with a vegetarian risotto with fennel and other strong flavours and it was quite a special match.”

Winemakers notes:

Winemaking: We hand-harvested the grapes at an average 23.5 degrees brix through the months of September and October, 2009. The grapes were crushed, pressed, cold settled and then racked into neutral French Burgundy oak barrels.  All of the lots were 100% barrel-fermented and “sur-lie” aged for 5 months with no malolactic fermentation.

Winemaker Comments: This is a blend of 6 different varietals: Tocai Friulano, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Arneis, Pinot Grigio and Cortese. The grapes are from hillside vineyards in the Redwood and Ukiah Valleys. The wine is rich and intensely fruity with appealing aromas and flavours of spicy melon, ruby red grapefruit, anise, and mineral. The wine is nicely balanced by crisp acidity and a long, lingering finish.

Alcohol: 14.0%

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Mendocino County & Greg Graziano family of wines….

Mendocino County

Whenever I think about driving through Mendocino county in my Saab, (which I adore even though its battered and bruised) I think of two things now.

That lovely song by Willie Nelson and Lee Ann Womack called “Mendocino County Line”, full of tranquility and which evokes thoughts and feelings of wanting to be behind the wheel and driving through the quiet and peaceful roads up here. Secondly, my thoughts go back to a little journey in my Saab when I first came up to this wine area in November 2004 to source wines and I drove along the Anderson valley to visit Husch and Navarro and Handley and other delectable wineries, then cut across to Jepson in the Ukiah valley.  In the summer of 2005 I returned and I was asked the question on more than one occasion

“ Heh Buddy, have you seen Sideways?”

What is Sideways!!” I said to my bewildered self as I left each tasting room.

It was only a few months later that I was so intrigued by this film that I watched it and realised why they were asking me this question, since the star of the film, a lover of Pinot Noir, Paul Giamatti also drives around in a beaten up old Saab convertible.

Greg Graziano, Redwood Valley, Mendocino

Greg Graziano, as one can tell from his name, is a man of Italian heritage who has been making wine here, high up in the Redwood forests of Northern California for over 30 years. His vineyard is as far north as one can go in the Mendocino wine region on route 101 that heads north from Ukiah to the Oregon border. It took me about 3 years to track him down after first tasting his wines in November 2004 but after much persistence I eventually managed to get hold of his home number and phoned him there. We met, tasted a number of wines and it kicked off from there.

Greg offers great wines, a stunning array of varietals over four different branded labels, with a strong influence from Italian grapes ( Dolcetto, Nebbiolo, Sangiovese, Montepluciano and Peppolino to name  five) and they are cleverly priced too. Please click on the wines below to see tasting notes:

Please click on the link below to see the vineyard website as well as individual tasting notes and bottle shots for each wine:

Monetvolpe Label:

Primo Bianco 2009

Primo Rosso 2007

Enotria label

Barbera 2006

Graziano label

Chenin Blanc 2011

Zinfandel 2006

Petite Sirah 2004

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Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2008

“ Willamette Valley”, Pinot Noir 2008

Mr Whirly says:

“ I tasted this wine when it was in its very early stages of development in September 2009, when I was in the vineyard. I was very impressed then by it. Its a very classical Pinot in terms of its makeup. But its still very much a Pinot Noir from Oregon and the new world though, which is important. It has its own identity. A real delight and proved to be a big seller. This wine is now made by Ben, the son of Marilyn Webb and Terry Casteel and he’s doing a pretty good job of following in his father’s footsteps. One to lay down for while, which is a positive sign.”

Alcohol: 13.5%

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Chardonnay 2005-06

Chardonnay 2005 and 2006 vintages

These wines have had an incredible rise in stature and following in their homeland, so ordering this wine has been impossible over the last 3 years since they have sold out of recent vintages. This means that the price has risen for the stock of older wines but I have managed to secure some stock of  the 2011 vintage which will be priced a little more “conservatively”, shall we put it that way, and I expect the wine to be here in the April-May 2014

2005

Mr Whirly Says

“Soft oak with a vanilla mouth feel, flat peaches and a little yeast and honey. Cool climate USA Chardonnay at its best. Only 28 cases secured so be warned, it won’t be around for too long.”

Alcohol: 13.5%

2006 Chardonnay

Mr Whirly says

“ It’s rather like the 1998 Cabernet from Willespie situation a few years ago. How does the 2006 follow the 2005? It’s really opening up now ( July 2012) and developing some lovely mineral and dried stoned fruit layers. ”

Alcohol: 14.0%

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Pinot Gris 2008

Sadly sold out now and trying to get hold of more but the winemakers have told me they are making less of this varietal, which means I can’t get hold of anymore for the time being…….

Mr  Whirly Says

” It’s wonderful to see a really exciting Pinot Gris from somewhere outside of Alsace and New Zealand.  The 2006 was a runaway success so I am pleased to be following up with another great vintage. This wine has a waxy feel to it, with a floral nose and hints of honey and citrus. So far in tasting’s, everyone has been completely overawed by this wine. Only 20 cases secured for the UK Market so don’t hesitate and give this a whirl. “

Alcohol: 12.5%

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Bethel Heights, Salem

Bethel Heights are a vineyard perched on the side of a hill about 6 miles south of Amity vineyards in the stand still country of the Willamette. Like most things I was drawn to the name and visited the vineyard in November 2004 and I fell in love with the place and the people working here straight away. Then of course there are the wines!

These guys make premier uno wines. Cool climate Chardonnay at its best, the 2005 vintage is probably one of the most sublime wines I have ever had the joy of tasting. Top end Pinot Noir and Gris too. Run by the wonderful Marilyn Webb, and her son Ben is the winemaker, having taken over from Terry Casteel ( Marilyn’s husband) a few years ago once he had retired.  If you ever get the chance visit this vineyard. Its quite amazing.

Please click on the links below to see the vineyard website as well as individual tasting notes and bottle shots for each wine.

www.bethelheights.com

Pinot Gris 2008

Chardonnay 2005-06

“Willamette Valley” Pinot Noir 2008

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“Late Harvest” Riesling 2007

Mr Whirly says:

This “ Oh so delicate wine” arrived in  November 2009 to take over from the very successful 2002 LH Riesling.  Its an incredibly delicate wine with a smokey feel and again hints of Lychee and Elderflower. Very much a wine for the Spring and Summer with Acidic puddings. Not at all sticky which is a plus in so many ways.”

Winemakers tasting notes:

“The 2007 Late Harvest Riesling shows both aromas and flavours consisting of lime and lemon zest, ripe stone fruits such as apricots and nectarines, mineral notes of wet rock and flint, with hints of honey, petrol, and savoury spices like tarragon and lemon thyme.”

Alcohol: 9.0%

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Amity “ Willamette Valley” Pinot Noir 2008

2008 “ Willamette Valley” Pinot noir 2008

Mr Whirly says:

“ I tasted this wine in March 2012, having felt it needed a little time in the bottle and its full of Kirsch and marinated cherries, which I first found in the 2002 Schouten single vineyard wine. Yet its also very subtle and refined. I think this wine is just at the beginning of it’s life and ascendancy.”

Alcohol: 13.0%