DRY CREEK VINEYARD

“Men are like wine – some turn to vinegar, but the best improve with age.”  Pope John XXIII

A dry creek is not fun for fishermen or sailors, but if you’re an oenophile, the Dry Creek Vineyard in Sonoma County California is a joy for the taste buds and offers you great value in both pricing and grape education.  My travels through Sonoma County required a trip to Dry Creek Vineyard, because  both guide books I used recommended their Fume Blanc (a.k.a. Sauvignon Blanc), Chenin Blanc and Zinfandel.  The guide books were correct, but didn’t go far enough. Dry Creek sails ahead of the pack with other wines too.

Owner David S. Stare graduated from MIT with an engineering degree.  But after travelling through the Loire Valley in France, Dave realized his true passion was wine. He began winemaking classes at the University of California (Davis) and founded Dry Creek in 1972.  It was the first vineyard established in Dry Creek Valley (now an AVA) since prohibition. In all, Dry Creek makes 24 wines including Chardonnay and several labels of Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel, Cabinet Sauvignon, as well as Merlot and red blends, a Petite Sirah, Pinot Noir and dessert wines.

It’s often said that winemaking involves precision (among so many other things) and an engineer’s discipline is evident in Dry Creek’s consistency. So is the influence of David Stare’s trip through the Loire Valley. This was especially evident to me with the 2011 (Clarksburg) Dry Chenin Blanc.  Like Rodney Dangerfield, the chenin grape “gets no respect”.  Call it, instead, Vouvray, Savennieres, Anjou or Samur and the perception changes, along with price. While I respect the influence of terroir (and I do), I have to remind people at times that all these wines are from the same grape. (France identifies wines by the region {appellation} while in the U.S. we identify wines by grape).

Joe Czesnakowiz showing me the grapes

There’s another problem:  in the late 70’s & early 80’s, Chenin was overproduced and often of poor quality. It became the “white Zin” of its time and not for “serious” wine drinkers. Thankfully, Dave made a courageous commitment to Chenin at Dry Creek from its start, knowing how great well made Chenin could be.  Dry Creek’s Dry Chenin Blanc has, over the last several years, earned more than 30 gold medals. A recent vintage earned seven top awards, including a Double Gold at the California State Fair and a Gold Medal at the international Wine Challenge in London.

This is a beautiful wine of pale straw with brilliantly clear edges and a lemon-citrus nose underlying a base of peach and pineapple. The wine offers rounded tastes of citrus and apple with chalky minerality that develops on the back taste. There are hints of white melon and fruit cocktail syrup without the sweetness. The mouth feel is clean and refreshing due to the wine’s perfect acid-fruit balance.  Having travelled to the Loire myself, I can’t sufficiently express my excitement over this delicious domestic offering from Dry Creek.  Apparently, neither can the French.  In 2004 Dry Creek Vineyard won the “Grandes Expressions de Chenin” award at the Loire Valley Wine Competition in France; the only American vineyard to do so.

I later enjoyed an additional bottle with a Panini of chicken and Havarti cheese on sourdough bread. But I can picture this wine against mildly spiced Mexican food or chilled oysters on the half shell, or mussels in garlic-wine sauce with crusty French bread. I can imagine this Chenin at a picnic with fried chicken and various salads. This is a remarkably versatile wine

Enough said?  ….. Not quite: the price for this elixir is $12.

My surprise continued with the 2011 Rose of Zinfandel. I don’t like rose wines. Then I had two roses in Sonoma that changed my mind. This wine was one of the mind-changers. A spice nose that develops more strongly into clove.  In the mouth, you taste lemon zest, rose, green apple and – if you can imagine it – the green grapes found in canned fruit cocktail.  90% of this juice is free run! $18.

2009 DCV-10 Chardonnay, Russian River AVA:  14 months French oak, 75% maloactic fermentation. I’m worried this will be a butter and oak bomb, but again, I’m surprised.  Beautifully balanced. Vanilla, caramel, pear & apple. A rich mouth feel with a nice finish of baked apple. $30.

2009 Heritage Zinfandel:  Again, the “French” influence is evident. At 13.5% alcohol, this is a softer, more seductive wine than many Zins. A blend of Russian River and Dry Creek Valley fruit, aged 10 months in medium toast American & French oak, (40% new). Raspberry develops into blackberry with traditional black pepper and anise. Smooth finish. Wine Spectator says, “Best of the West for $25 or less” but it is only $19.

2009 Spencer’s Hill Zinfandel (Dry Creek Valley AVA): Fermented for 20 days in steel, aged 19 months in French, American & Hungarian Oak, this wine offers a finessed, “old world” balance: (10% Syrah?). Ripe blackberry and plum with cherry tones. Spicy clove finish. This is an ageable wine, but sells out quickly.  $38.

THE BEST PART, tasting! Joe, host extraordinaire, and the "Mizer"   

2008 “The Mariner” (red blend: 48% Cab Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot, 6% Malbec, 3% Cab Franc). 100% Dry Creek Valley AVA.  The juice spends 20 days being fermented with twice daily pump-overs, then it’s off to 26 months in 100% French oak (52% new). Other than the 6% Malbec, my first impression is that this is a classic Medoc wine. The tannins are smooth. The nose elegant with black fruit and mocha. It offers plum, mocha, black cherry all in wondrous balance. $40.

2005 “Soleil” (62% Semillon, 38% Sauvignon Blanc) 100% barrel fermented in French oak for 14 months. (An American Sauternes-style wine). And the 10% residual sugar spells dessert wine. It presents a sweet mix of apricot and pineapple with a rich and full mouth feel that finishes cleanly. Have it with freshly ground Ethiopian Harrar coffee. $35.

The Mizer wholeheartedly recommends that you put Dry Creek Vineyard on your “must visit” list of wineries. But if you can’t make the trip to California soon enough, you can still visit them via the web. Dry Creek has the best web site of any I visited. You’ll find information on the winery and their vineyards and, of course, descriptions of the wines they produce. There seems to be a trend forming among some wineries to attract interest in their wines with semi-crude, self-perceived humorous but useless descriptions. Thankfully, Dry Creek has not joined in that effort. Their descriptions are useable and helpful. They accurately detail the flavor profile of the wines. On their web site, you may also enjoy the food & wine pairing recommendations, and the “Wine 101” section for those newer to wine drinking. Both provide useable information.

Of course, the best part on their site is the tab that allows you to order wine. A tasting at the winery is always my first choice, but if you can’t make the visit right away, consider a visit via the web. Look at it as pre-trip planning. 

    

Cheers!

…………………… Jim     

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DryCreekVineyard.com

3770 Lambert Rd

Healdsburg CA 95448

(707) 433-1000

CLINE CELLARS

“The flavor of wine is like delicate poetry.”… Louis Pasteur

I usually avoid group tours like trying to avoid a bee sting. The tour host needs to be entertaining because many among the group will know little about wine and, surprisingly, not be interested in learning much more.  It’s a day out in beautiful surroundings and everyone gets wine.  So you’re going to hear “funny” stories about many things un-wine as part of the entertainment obligation the host feels.

 I made an exception when visiting Cline Cellars, and took the “Syrah Hill” tour, and was happy that I did. Sure, there were several in the group whose only interest in wine was being able to get to it.  But the stories that were non-wine were, thankfully, historical. Cline has a museum of early California missions, in fact, replicas of all 21 California missions that were constructed for the 1939 World’s Fair.

A view toward one of Cline's vineyards

The Mizer at Syrah Hill

The grounds are lovely. The views from Syrah Hill are spectacular, and the hilltop tasting room is a joy. But every view on Cline’s is a picture postcard including those views near the patio tasting room.  The vineyard practices sustainable agriculture with organic cover crops, compost teas, crushed volcanic rock and oyster shells. Sheep graze the property eliminating the need for weed killer (in fact, Cline even resorts to hand picking when needed) and the sheep add natural fertilizer when composted. Solar panels installed in 2005 provide 100% of the winery’s energy consumption. But it’s not just that Cline Cellars practices “green” methods.  It’s my belief that people that respect the land respect people and respect what goes into what people consume. That brings us to the wine. Here are some of those I tasted:

The 2010 Marsanne (71%) Roussanne (29%) white blend offers nice minerality along with enjoyable citrus.  Rousanne contributes to the floral nose. This classic “ying/yang” blend is available for $22.

I particularly enjoyed Cline’s easy drinking 2011 North Coast Viognier. It offered rich texture with tastes of lemon-citrus edges on a base of peach and apricot with floral notes. At $12, this wine is a bargain.

The 2011 Ancient Vines Zinfadel presents without the typical Zinfandel nose (for me that’s a good thing in that it peaks interest). It’s more refined and subtle. The wine is luscious in the mouth, fruity without the pepper overdose of lesser Zins. Lots of black raspberry with a hint of coffee.   $18.  An excellent value.

The 2009 Heritage Zinfandel is a blend of three Cline single vineyard Contra Costa Zins.  Beautiful nose. At 15.5% alcohol the mouth feel is rich and luscious. Lots of ripe plum with a hint of coffee. Available only at the winery. $38.

The 2009 Los Carneros Sryah: deep plum and black cherry, but I also picked up chocolate in the nose. $30. Great wine to enjoy as temperatures drop in winter. 

The 2010 Bridgehead Zinfandel: From old vines in the Oakley area, this wine has layered flavors of blackberry, black pepper and notes of vanilla. $32.

Want something different and unusual? Cline makes a 2010 Small Berry Mourvedre.  This is not a Mourvedre as you would expect. Bing cherry with a strong taste of anise. Truly unique.  $40.

 I opted for the 2011 Late Harvest Mourvedre, a good after-dinner port-like wine to enjoy with dessert or a cigar. $32. My companion prefers the dessert idea.

The Ancient Vine Carignane (Conta Costa County) begs to accompany grilled meats or braised short ribs. Its rich mouth feel (15.5%) is loaded with ripe plum, and hints of cocoa powder with clove.  $18.00

Cline has been making Rhone style wines (and Zinfandel) before Rhone style wines became popular in the U.S.  In all, they make 22 wines from Chardonnay and Pinot Gris, Roussanne, white and red blends, rose, and a sparkling wine in addition to other Zinfandels, Mourvedre, Pinot Noir, Syrah and Carignane. The Oakley ranch (40 miles east of San Francisco) is home to the “Ancient Vines” label, with vines ranging in age from 80 to 120 years old. Wine and Spirits referred to Cline’s Ancient Vines Mourvedre as “one of the top 100 values.”   Robert Parker, Jr. said last year:  “This is the finest portfolio of value-priced wines from Cline Cellars I have tasted to date.” 

One of the many beautiful areas near the patio tasting room 

If you opt for any of the group tours at Cline – or any winery – the Mizer recommends you stop in at the tasting room afterwards and, if possible, re-taste the wines when the pace allows more time and thought between sips. Use the dump bucket, bring a notebook and take notes on your impressions. Ask to see the bottle and ask questions. If you visit during off-peak times, you may be able to enjoy more personalized attention.

While not sharing palette or pocketbook, I share Parker’s impression about Cline’s value:  Cline Cellars offers several varietals and blends that will go a long way in furthering your wine education and helping you develop a profile of your taste preferences.  Why is that important?  Because you’ll have fun tasting grapes that have been so popular in the Rhone, but which may be new to you.   Cline wines remain true to the inherent flavor of the grapes they were made from.  And with Cline, you can enjoy this education on a budget.  You might even say their wines are “tuition” friendly.

Cheers!

…………………  Jim

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ClineCellars.com

2473  Arnold Dr.

Sonoma CA 95476

(707) 94-4030

Prices shown do not reflect club member discounts (approx 20%).

MAZZOCCO SONOMA WINERY

“A bottle of wine begs to be shared. I have never met a miserly wine lover.”…Clinton Fadiman

Everyone knows that Zinfandel (or “Zin”) is an American grape. But people in the know, know it’s related to “Primitivo” from Italy. And people that really know, know that the grape’s origins go back to Croatia. But I’m telling you to forget all that one upmanship.  Zinfandel has become an American grape. And it’s not just for barbecue anymore.   It’s wily and charming and nuanced and can be complex in the skilled hands of a competent winemaker.  A visit to two different vineyards in Sonoma County, California convinced me of just how balanced, sophisticated and complex Zinfandel can be.

Mazzocco grapes (C) James McMillan

Today, we’ll talk about Mazzocco where they make 22 (not a typo) Zins.  Mazzocco is a family owned winery located in Healdsburg between Alexander and Dry Creek Valleys (both A.V.A).  The pride the Wilson family takes in their wines is evident in the facility and the product. And winemaker Antoine Favero is a maestro, combining tradition with an open mind toward considering techniques that affect the finished product.    The result of this environment is wines of distinct character.  Mazzocco’s Dry Creek Valley vineyard is dry farmed, vines are head-trained, and grapes handpicked. Wines are aged 18 months in French oak. Winemaker Favero uses native yeasts which contribute to each wine’s unique personality. 

I should mention Mazzocco produces more than Zin. Their wines include Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, Rose and Red Blends. They make Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah and Petite Sirah. But it was the Zinfandels that captured and elevated me.  I wanted to know, “How could one grape produce so many wines of truly varying character?”

Taking Notes In the Vineyard

Meeting with owners and hosts at two and three vineyards a day while in Sonoma County precluded me from tasting all 22 Mazzocco Zins. That alone is a good excuse for a return visit. In the meantime, I’ll share some notes on a few I did taste.

2010 Briar (Dry Creek Valley) 15.4% (600 cases) $29.

 Light color for a Zin, but color is a fooler with this wine that tastes of dark cherry and hazelnut with soft tannins and jammy fruit notes. Long finish.

2010 Maria (Dry Creek Valley) 15.5% (600 cases) $36.

Darker & more complex. Ripe cherry, lush fruit, vanilla, cola, oak sheaths and cinnamon stick.

2010 Sonoma County Reserve (Dry Creek Valley) 15.2% $29

This one is sensual. The nose is pure romance; the texture silky. 18 months aging smoothes and balances the cherry vs. black pepper finish.  Love this wine and it proves out to be a value.

2010 Smith Orchard Reserve 16.4% (550 cases) $52.

18 months in oak balances the pepper. The nose is pure Zin, but the taste is Bordeaux-like.  It’s hard to believe this balanced nectar is actually a Zin.

2009 Juan Rodriguez Reserve (Dry Creek Valley) 16.1% (75 cases) $100.

OK, my favorite. The nose is complex and subtle.  The wine looks like a Merlot in the glass.  Ripe plum & jam without the black pepper of Zin. This ethereal, balanced wine glides easily into you with a silky yet textured mouth feel, and seduces all your senses. When it’s done, it evaporates off the tongue with a whisper that haunts you.  It’s very hard to believe that this is a Zinfandel.

2010 Maple (Dry Creek Valley) 16.2% $42.

Faint cherry that builds in the mouth then develops blueberry, juicy blackberry and cooked fruit.  Slight pepper finish.  Lush mouth feel.

Under the demands of a schedule, I didn’t have time to ask all the questions that later I wished I would have. I know several of these wines are unfined and it wouldn’t surprise me to learn that all the Zins are unfined. I suspect that the Reserve and Special Selection Zins will continue to improve in the bottle though all are enjoyably drinkable now. Unless you buy several of each, you may find it difficult to be able to put off drinking them.

(L to R) Dave Press, Wine Educator & Host Extraordinaire, Antoine Favero, Genius Winemaker, The "WineMizer"

It‘s time to give Zinfandel more respect.  Yes, it can be bold and powerful and a compliment to barbecue  That’s fun, and certainly has its place. But in the hands of winemakers with vision and craft, it can also become more like a well balanced American blend; more mysterious and harder to define because of its subtlety, and more entertaining because of the surprise Zinfandel can offer us in our wine education -- and Mazzacco Sonoma Winery can be a good educator.

Cheers!

……………..  Jim

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Mazzocco Sonoma Winery

Mazzocco.com

1400 Lytton Springs Rd.

Healdsburg CA 95448

(707) 433-3399

Club Member prices are 15% less than shown. Discounts are available for case orders.

KRUTZ FAMILY CELLARS

“A man cannot make him laugh - but that's no marvel; he drinks no wine”. …

William Shakespeare

You may not know that many vineyards, domestic and foreign, sell grapes to other vineyards and wineries.  And there are vineyards that do not make wine. They grow grapes in order to sell them to other producers.  So unless a bottle indicates that the grapes used to make the wine were from the same vineyard that made the wine, as “Sportin’ Life” sang in Porgy & Bess”:  “It ain’t necessarily so.”

The Urban Winery

For believers that terroir is everything that can be a problem.  And while I support that terroir is very important (growing Pinot Noir in Florida, after all, would just not be a good undertaking), a visit to an urban winery in Sonoma County reinforced my understanding that winemaking is an art in its own right.  You might compare it to fine art photography wherein the photographer has a vision, but the printer is no less essential to the final result.

Patrick Krutz of Krutz Family Cellars is such a printer; a grape magician concocting wonderful wines from carefully sourced grapes.  The winery is in a strip mall of such wineries in Santa Rosa.  But growing up and watching a neighbor make wine in the family garage prepared me for this years ago. Krutz, of course, has modern equipment and blends its use with classical technique. His 2009 “Sleepy Hollow Vineyard” Chardonnay (sold out) with its deep color in the glass makes one prepare for an overload of oak. But not so!  Its fruit is fresh, the finish crisp but lingering and inviting another sip. I learn the juice spends 6 month on the lees; the wine enjoys 40% new French oak.  Krutz has gone to some expense to make this wine, and for a micro-winery that’s a bold undertaking. (The 2010 is sourced from Martinelli Road, Russian River Valley).

Patrick Krutz: Winemaker, Fork-Lift Operator, Business Planner, Marketing Mgr., Public Relations,etc.

But his wine sells fast. And he’s been collecting awards since making wine commercially in 2006. The Chardonnay was awarded 93 points from Wine Enthusiast.  And 91 points (Editor’s Choice) went to his full stainless, no lees, neutral oak, no maloactic “Ceja Vineyards” Chardonnay – illustrating Krutz’s versatility.

Patrick Krutz (L) and the "WineMizer" (R)

His classical technique comes to your taste buds again with the 2009 “Stagecoach Vineyard” (Napa Valley) Syrah: co-fermented in Northern Rhone style with 10% Viognier (350 cases).  This is silk in the glass with a finish that is romantic. 94 points Editor’s Choice. But you don’t need the points. You need your taste buds. Taste his 2009 “Akins Vineyard” Pinot Noir:  14 months in the barrel, 40% new French Oak.  Unfiltered.  Black cherry, wisps of cedar, mocha and black tea.  I have to admit, I am preferenced toward 667 and 777 Dijon clones, and this Pinot has them (and 115). I am also preferenced toward deliciousness, and this wine is that.  For a micro winery (2000 cases total, 425 cases this wine) to make this available at $38 (at the winery) is a bargain.

Stagecoach Vineyard (I did say careful sourcing. He’s been sourcing his Syrah there since 2007) surfaces again in Krutz’s 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon. It has 10% Malbec, spends 20 months in 70% new French oak. For a wine that can be cellared for ten years, I found it drinking now with lush fruit and soft tannins. Again, the wine is neither filtered nor fined, and I expect it to just keep getting better in the bottle.

Krutz had thoughts of entering law, took the LSAT, passed, fell into a love affair with wine and acquired an amazing volume of skill in a short time.  I’m very grateful he did and that his passion is for winemaking. Were Shakespeare alive today, I’m sure he would still have something to say about lawyers and winemakers, but for legal reasons, I won’t even hint at what he might say about lawyers.  

Cheers........................
                                        Jim

* Visit facebook.com/winemizer for mini-tips on wine & food

KrutzFamilyCellars.com

1301 Cleveland Ave.

Santa Rosa, CA 95401

(707)536-1532