Beyond Chardonnay

 

In the land of once-upon-a-time, there lived a man haunted by the beguiling flavors of a white wine. Much the same as Diogenes was obsessed with finding a truly “honest man”, our man searched and searched for a white wine to fulfill the captivating promises of Chardonnay. Lured by the prospect of savoring rich, creamy butterscotch and vanilla oak flavors he relentlessly pursued his quest.

Undaunted, his odyssey carried him to far away places that claimed to hold bottles and barrels of the prized Chardonnay. Searching, ever searching throughout the vineyards, wineries and countless tasting rooms in California, Washington State and Oregon, he wearily trekked. Tired and tattered he journeyed onward, first to the far-off wine growing regions in France, then to the Coonawarra in Australia and finally to the remote island of New Zealand—all to no avail.

“Dionysus, the god of fertility and wine must have cursed me.” He muttered aloud. Then, looking upward, drawing upon strength he did not know he still possessed, his eyes peering into the sky, he shouted. “How you mock me Dionysus, Oh how you mock me in my pursuit of the golden beauty that I seek. I have traveled far and I have tasted many wines, none of which is the Chardonnay that I crave. But, nevertheless, I have found wines that are better than Chardonnay! I have found wines from other grapes that are worthy of drinking with many dishes and…they delight my senses! I have found opulent wines…aromatic wines…and wines of singularity from other grapes. I have enjoyed many drinking pleasures that I longed for from Chardonnay in other white wines. I have reveled in the richness of Viognier, savored the maturity of Riesling and frolicked with the youthful crispness of Sauvignon Blanc. It is I who mock you Dionysus, from this day forth, with each sip of my “new” white wines.”

Now, the time has come for my confession. I am that man, who like Diogenes on his quest to find a truly honest man, have searched endlessly for a rich, creamy, and oaken Chardonnay with butterscotch and vanilla flavors. This has not been a trivial or whimsical pursuit on my part. For years, I have been trying to find a Chardonnay that would please my wife who prefers to drink good Scotch to my monomaniacal preference for wine. I have spent countless sums of money for Chardonnays that promise to meet her taste expectations of oak, vanilla and butterscotch flavors. To add to my dilemma she claims to have had such a Chardonnay in the past. As if this was not enough to compel me to satisfy her fancy, another man introduced it to her before she knew me. Now, not only is my knowledge of wine put to the test but also my male ego demands the discovery of that incomparable tasting Chardonnay.

Still another confession; I have yet to find this mythical tasting Chardonnay. In my vain search to match the taste of this other man’s Chardonnay, I have showered her with a collection of white wines that have all but dissolved her memory of “that” Chardonnay—or so she says.

Viognier, the Pearl of the Rhone Valley

This is my best find. It has nearly absolved my quest for Chardonnay. For many years the Viognier grape, blended with other grapes has been the hidden pearl of the luscious white wines from the Rhone Valley in France. On its own and unfettered by other grapes, Viognier coats the palate with the provocative, soothing texture of crème fraiche. Aromas of jasmine and honeysuckle waft from a glass full of this Rhone Valley jewel. A good and inexpensive example of Viognier from France is Viognier de Campuget.

In addition to the many French producers of white wines from the Rhone Valley, American producers known as the “Rhone Rangers” in Paso Robles California have unveiled Viognier as a grape of quality and distinction on its own. They too are also blending it with the other Rhone Valley grapes, Marsanne and Rousanne to produce lush white wines. Paso Robles producers to look for who are making sophisticated Rhone blends and Viognier varietals are; Tablas Creek, making a white Rhone blend with 59% Viognier called Cote de Tablas Blanc; also Anglim Winery, Clautier Vineyard and the Midnight Cellars Winery and Vineyards are producing Viogniers that are all full of flavors one hopes for in Chardonnay, with personalities of their own.

The Aristocratic Riesling

One of the four “noble grapes” Riesling deserves more attention than it receives as a versatile wine of distinction. It is one of the primary grapes of France and Germany’s common border area, once known as Alsace/Lorraine. They are age worthy wines, matured in wood barrels, tinting them with the color of pale dried straw. On the palate, Rieslings evoke the earthy flavors of stone fruits such as apricots and peaches. Always well balanced and comfortable with many lighter food dishes, this white wine can also age and reward your patience with uncommon flavors. From the French side of the Alsace border region, it is somewhat dry with medium body. The German versions tend toward the sweeter side.

The Rieslings from Washington State and Oregon are in-between the French and German offerings, not as dry as the French version and not as sweet as the German styles. Hogue Cellars in Washington State produces a delightful, young Riesling that coats the mouth with a patina of sugar that quickly dissolves from its mild apricot and peach fruit acids. It is a perfect compliment for that hard to pair curry dish as well as a friendly companion for summer greens with fruit or tuna fish salad. Discovering the many different variations of this noble grape will open up new vistas for food and wine pairings to anyone who makes the voyage.

Likeably Crisp Sauvignon Blanc

There is always something to like in Sauvignon Blanc. It is a light, young, crisp wine with an inner presence of lingering green apples. Good examples of a Sauvignon Blanc will be lean and trim, not fettered with too many aromas or taste sensations.

The producing countries of origin normally follow a stylistic pattern of how dry or how crisp the wine will be on the palate. The Sauvignon Blanc from Sancerre in France, for example will have a smooth finish and still maintain a crispness that will flatter fish dishes. The American version will be a little lighter in body and drier to taste. New Zealand’s versions tend to be lighter and drier still. All of these wines will still possess the basic underlying characteristics of green apple but some, other than the French, will also exhibit tropical fruit flavors similar to pineapple.

No matter which country of origin, Sauvignon Blanc is a perfectly refreshing summer wine with or without food. It also makes a great aperitif called, “Kir”. Just add one or two ounces of Crème de Cassis to a glass of Sauvignon Blanc and enjoy the wonderful fruity acids of the wine mingling with the rich creamy texture of the Crème de Cassis.

Like Diogenes and haunted by the specter of “that” Chardonnay I will remain in the land of once-upon-a-time, forever searching for that incomparable taste. Until then I take heart in the delightful pleasures of other white wines.

The Road Less Traveled - Part One - Not-Your-Typical Winemakers

    For us desert-dwellers, the allure of moderate temperatures in the nearby Central Coast of California is greater during the high heat of the summer season than it is at any other time of the year. The cool sensation of the moist ocean mist spraying on our face and the undulating, verdant hillsides dotted with vineyards and wineries are too much to resist. Come with me on a chimerical get-away, to where the cool ocean breeze is calling; winemakers are enticing our taste buds with red wines, white wines, rosés and fresh savory seafood is waiting for us on a dock of a bay that is kissed by the sun and cooled by ocean air.

      In the central coast wine region of Paso Robles there are daily bus tours traveling country roads to the tasting rooms of many of the major wineries, such as the Robert Hall Winery, J. Lohr, Edward Sellers Vineyards and Wines to name just a few. Turning away from the well-worn routes of these frequented roads, we depart the ordinary and navigate “the road less traveled”. On our journey, we will encounter the obscure, the unique and a new style of wine. In “not-your-typical winemakers”, we will meet people who traveled odd paths to make wine; in part two, we will taste the wines of the “rule-breakers” and ending our sojourn from the desert, we will discover the new “California-French” wine.

The Environmentalist

From environmental engineering and environmental law, to organic and sustainable farming Jeff Pipes, owner of Pipestone Vineyards cultivates his land using a team of draft horses. For Jeff the road to becoming a “not-your-typical winemaker” started in the Midwest. Now after three degrees and twenty-two years of schooling, unrelated to winemaking, he is cultivating his love for winemaking and the environment in Paso Robles. His wife, Florence Wong arrived via Hong Kong and a career in fashion to work hand and hand with him in their vineyard. Together they are combining western environmentally sustainable farming techniques and eastern feng shui principles to live in concert with nature, farming and making wine.

Jeff Pipes and Bernard

In the rustic, farm-like setting of Pipestone Vineyards tasting room, off Highway 46 in Paso Robles, Jeff shared his winemaking philosophy and demonstrable passion for protecting the environment, while pouring his wines. All of Pipestone’s wines are hand picked from estate-grown grapes. My favorites were the 2005 Syrah, with an earthy nose and white pepper finish and the Grenache Rose that was fruity and well balanced with a clean, smooth finish.

The Sailor

It is hard to imagine twenty-eight years in the US Navy qualifying anyone to be a winemaker, let alone one with the skill of Leon Tackitt of Tackitt Family Wines. Yet such is the case with Leon. Nearing retirement from the U.S. Navy in 1998, Leon and his wife Cindy decided to start a new life on his grandparent’s vineyard in San Miguel and make wine! Luckily for us they did. After several years of hard work, trial and error and much effort Leon and Cindy are on their way to establishing a winery of note and great promise.

Leon Tackitt and his Dad

Their 2007 Gewürztraminer is a wine of exceptional quality. The grapes are estate grown with aromas of just picked fresh peaches and hints of honey on the nose. To the taste, the fruit is leaning towards apricots with hints of apple. The mild acids on the finish nicely compliments cheese and cured meats. This wine achieves a very delicate balance of sugar and mouth-watering acids on the palate, allowing us to enjoy it before, during or after dinner. Capitalizing on his obvious knack for making white wine Leon has recently released a Riesling that I can hardly wait to taste.

Newark New Jersey Musicians

Carmine Rubino and John D’Andrea of D’Anbino Vineyards and Cellars are another example of not-your-typical winemakers flourishing in Paso Robles. Carmine and John grew up like “brothers” in an Italian neighborhood in Newark, New Jersey. Each pursued separate careers in music, recording, film and television in New York City and Los Angeles.

Reunited again, they are making wine worthy of their Italian heritage and continue to pursue their love for music. Located in “downtown” Paso Robles their tasting room is a mini cabaret, equipped with a professional sound system, stage, bar, tables and chairs that hosts musical events, shows and—oh yes, their wines.

All of the D’Anbino Vineyards and Cellars wines are estate grown and bottled on their vineyard in the Estralla Range, east of Highway 101 in Paso Robles, except the Sauvignon Blanc. Their Syrah is the wine that stands out and shows off their true winemaking skills. The 2002 Syrah I tasted had wonderful earth tones on the nose, mild tannins and acid, with hints of black tea and pepper on the palate. For dessert lovers their “Portamento”, a port styled wine, the taste of which still lingers in my memory as I write this article is dessert by itself. On the nose, there are aromas of yeast and dough that whet the appetite for something sweet; on the palate the taste of cinnamon cake and “hot cross buns” lingers on the finish. This is a perfect wine for chocolates and other sweets.

Barry Kinnman-Bear CaveCellars

These are just a few of the not-your-typical winemakers we uncovered on our get-away to California’s Central Coast wine region. There was also a duo of practicing attorneys, Barry Kinnman and his wife Marilyn Curry, owners of Bear Cave Cellars; a one time major leaguer, Tom Hinkle, of Rio Seco Vineyard and Winery; Stephen Lock a former educational publishing executive and now owner and winemaker of Ecluse Wines, plus others who have transcended their previous professions to be not-your-typical winemakers.

Our journey ends with seafood on a bay presided over by the “Morro Rock”, a 176-meter high, volcanic plug looming over the entrance to a harbor and a causeway that connects it to the shore. Traveling from Paso Robles, on US highway 1 south, the glamorous and sometimes notorious Pacific Coast Highway, past the quaint town of Cambria, we work our way down to the lazy fishing village of Morro Bay. On the northern end of the Embarcadero, on the bay, adjacent to rolling fishing boats and trawlers docked at the pier, there is Tognazzini’ Dockside Restaurant and Fish Market. Sitting on a sun drenched wooden deck, dotted with plastic tables and chairs that are shaded by large beach umbrellas one can enjoy heaping platters of deep fried fresh fish or my favorite “barbequed oysters”. These oysters are the largest and best I have ever had. Cooked to perfection on an open flame grill in their shells, served on the half-shell smothered in melted butter and garlic for more savory opulence, they are an uncommon delight. The oysters are pump, tender and juicy, perfectly seasoned by the richness of the melted butter and the tangy garlic. Add a loaf of bread to sop up the oyster juices and the garlic butter then wash it down with a chilled glass of Chardonnay or a pitcher of cold beer and the hot desert sun of Arizona will be but a faint memory.

Next month, in part two of The Road Less Traveled series we will meet - The Rule-Breakers.

Happy trails!