Winery Watch: Alma Rosa Winery and Vineyards

An ongoing series of Friday posts highlighting California family wineries. You might not be familiar with all of these vineyards and winemakers--yet--but they produce wines that speak with the voices of this state's people, places, and history. They are worth seeking out. These posts will be longer than most posts on the blog, but I hope you will find them perfect for leisurely weekend reading and internet browsing. To read previous posts in the series, click here.

Sometimes, old friends can be hiding behind new names. Take Alma Rosa Winery. Ring any bells?

OK, how about Sanford? As in Pinot Noir? As in Sideways?

There is a new/old family winery in the Santa Rita Hills. Owned by Richard and Thekla Sanford (that's the old part) and named Alma Rosa (the new part), this winery is producing some great wines (the best part!). The first Santa Barbara Pinot Noir I ever had was back in the late 90s--and it was made by the Sanfords. I'm so glad that I get to enjoy wines that they've crafted once again. (photo of Thekla and Richard from the Alma Rosa Winery and Vineyards website).

The Sanfords are inextricably bound to the history of the Santa Barbara wine region, and deservedly so. In 1970, Richard Sanford planted the very first pinot noir grapes in the Santa Rita Hills in what would become the legendary Sanford and Benedict Vineyard. At the time, most were skeptical about pinot noir's chances in this region. But the vines thrived, and in 1981, Richard and his wife, Thekla, started a little winery called Sanford and set up their tasting room in a tin-roofed shack. There, the Sanfords began to turn the wine world on its head with their pinot. A little movie called Sideways, some of which was shot in their very own tin-roofed shack, didn't hurt either. No merlot here, thank you very much. They grow Pinot Noir in them there hills.

In 2005 the Sanfords left the company that had been their namesake, and began Alma Rosa Winery and Vineyards. With Alma Rosa, the Sanfords have rededicated themselves to the practice of organic, sustainable agriculture in the vineyard. Over 100 acres of vineyards are under certified, organic cultivation, and the Sanfords are also supporters of efforts to reintroduce Peregrine falcons into the wild. Recovered falcons find their wings again in the La Encantada Vineyard, and do their bit to keep pests out of there without chemical pesticides. (photo of Thekla Sanford from the Alma Rosa website)

This fall, I got a chance to visit the new/old tasting room for Alma Rosa Winery and Vineyards, which is once again located in that old tin-roofed barn down the gravel path and over the winter creek just past the El Jabali vineyard. They took up residence there again in July 2007 after a brief hiatus. The tasting room staff is friendly and welcoming, the wines are superb, and the atmosphere is laid-back. If you find yourself in the Santa Rita Hills one day, make sure you stop in there.

What follows are my notes and impressions of the wines I enjoyed at Alma Rosa Winery this fall. The prices indicated here are the suggested retail prices at the winery; as always the price you pay may be higher or lower at your local merchant. Clicking on a wine's name takes you either to a list of merchants who stock the wine, or to the online order form that will enable you to get some of the wine into your own private tasting room.

2006 Alma Rosa Pinot Gris ($16). Juicy white peach and citrus aromas and flavors, with a note of almond on the palate that extends into the finish. This excellent wine was perfectly balanced between the flavorful fruit and the bright acidity. A versatile, food-friendly wine with excellent QPR.

2005 Alma Rosa Pinot Noir Vin Gris El Jabali Vineyard ($20). This is not a rosy rose. Pale salmon in color, this dry wine tends slightly towards copper. The aromas were of field-fresh, slightly under-ripe strawberries, or those little French wild strawberries called frais des bois. Tart strawberry flavors, too, with no hint of watermelon. Very distinctive, and very good QPR.

2005 Alma Rosa Pinot Blanc ($18). This creamy pinot blanc spent seven months in neutral oak barrels, which produced rich aromas of melon and pear. Very nice, and a good wine for richer fish and chicken dishes. Very good QPR.

2005 Alma Rosa Pinot Noir La Encantada Vineyard ($49). This was fantastic. Aromas and flavors of brown sugar, cherry, eucalyptus, and pine. Lots of complexity in the finish, with earth and spice notes added. Expensive, but good QPR nevertheless for a classic Santa Barbara pinot noir.

2005 Alma Rosa Pinot Noir ($36). Fresh raspberry, rhubarb, and spice aromas are all found in the flavors, which turn a touch candied on the finish. Nice balance and complexity, and it would be great with food (especially mushroom dishes). Good QPR.

2005 Alma Rosa Chardonnay El Jabali Vineyard ($30) This is one wild chardonnay, which is full and round despite the fact that the wine didn't go through malolactic fermentation. The aromas and flavors are reminiscent of a freshly cut pineapple, and there is a twist of lime on the finish. Another distinctive wine, with good QPR.

When you spot a new label, like Alma Rosa, be sure to look behind it and find the people who are making that wine. They may be old friends, and when you open up your "new" bottle you may feel like you've come home.

I've Been Bloggerviewed!

Morning, folks! Today Tom Wark of Fermentation posts an interview of--me. This comes complete with a picture of myself, two dogs, and a glass of Navarro Edelzwicker!

We talk about how I got started, what I've learned along the way and who I'd invite to dinner if I got a chance.

It's quite an honor to be included in a lineup of interviews that includes good friends like Tyler Colman, Russ Beebe the Winehiker, Lenn Thompson from Lenndevours, Tim Elliot of Winecast and Ryan and Gabriella from Catavino as well as bloggers I admire like Terry Hughes from Mondosapore and Eric Asimov from the NYT. If you haven't been reading these interviews, head over there and check them out.

Holiday Food and Wine Strategy #3: Takeout

Holidays are full of traditions. Eggnog. Mistletoe. Dreidels. Latkes. Takeout.

Takeout is a tradition that goes back at least as far as ancient Rome. But during the holidays, there is no happier tradition in my opinion. To fully enjoy it, it's imperative that you stock up on specific kinds of wine and have them in the cabinet and waiting for your next needy moment. In my house, we don't like to spend more on the takeout wine than on the takeout itself--despite Dean & Deluca's latest and best efforts to get me to spend $395 on six bottles of wine because "nobody drinks fancy wine every day." Well, I think we can do a lot better than that, don't you? For far less than $395, here are some wines that go great with your takeout, and will leave you lots left of dosh left over for holiday shopping.

Riesling--This is what you need for incendiary takeout, such as hot Thai curries, vindaloo, and raging Szechuan cuisine. Go for something dry or off-dry for best results. There are lots made in the US and Australia that are not terribly expensive, or you can splurge slightly and get a bona fide German riesling kabinett like the 2005 Max Ferd. Richter Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett($16.95, Chronicle Wine Cellar; available elsewhere for between $15 and 27) It had full aromas of peach, peach blossom, and apple with a silky texture and flavors of apple, citrus, peach, and flowers that were distinctly off-dry.

Viognier--This is what you need for everything Asian that is not searingly hot, or spicy little chicken wings. If you like noodle bowls, pad thai, and mu shu, this is the wine to have on hand. Try the 2005 Domaine de Gournier Viognier, a producer recommended to me by Dr. Weingolb. (I got this as a sample from domaine547, and you can get it there for just $10.99). It was drier than most domestic viognier, with subdued citrus and apple aromas, and a predominantly apple palate.

Red Blends--These are vital for your pizza delivery nights, or for coming home to after driving through In-N-Out Burger. Blending several red varieties helps to keep the wine soft, affordable, and relatively inexpensive. There are lots of earlier reviews for red blends on the site, but we just enjoyed the 2004 Peterson "Zero Manipulation" red blend and highly recommend it for your house red this holiday season. ($12.49, WineQ) It is a carignane-based blend with additions of zinfandel and mourvedre, and it tastes a bit like an Italian red. High-toned red fruits (cranberry, pomegranate) are present in both the aromas and flavors. A bit of black raspberry is in there, too, if you reach for it. Nice acidity, not too much tannin--in short, a great food wine.

Lightly Oaked Chardonnay--Good with any bucket of fried chicken, or the rotisserie chickens from the supermarket, a lightly oaked chardonnay imparts enough richness to stand up to the bird, whether fried or roasted. One that we liked recently was the 2005 Egret Chardonnay. ($14.99, WineQ) This wine had rich aromas of vanilla and pear, with touches of white flowers. There were flavors of creme fraiche, apple, and pear with a touch of Mandarin orange at the very end. This was a creamy, slightly oaky chardonnay that paired well with food.

Sparklers--With everything else, from subs to salads, why not open an inexpensive sparkling wine? We had the NV Zonin Prosecco the other week, and it was a terrific bargain. ($5.99, Trader Joe's; between $5 and $9 from other merchants). This was the color of pale toast, and had aromas of lemon, bread dough, and apple. Lemon and white grapefruit dominate the flavors and produce a very light, refreshing wine that is great value.

Remember, this is supposed to be the season of joy. Put that cookbook down and get some takeout. There's plenty of time to make fricasee and beef daube later. After the packages are wrapped.

Looking for Wine? Try Vinquire

I develop crushes on wine sites. Some of them last only a few weeks, but others stick with me. I got hooked on CellarTracker! a few years ago and visit it compulsively every day. Ditto Chateau Petrogasm. My new crush is on Vinquire, the wine-searching site that delivers a whole lot more than its competitors in my opinion.

First, it aims to provide you with information on where to find the wine you want for the price you want without charging you to see all the search results. Second, it has wine 2.0 built into it in the form of customer reviews and recommendations. Third, it has a blog built into it (the latest post was "how to spit with style," for instance).

But the best feature you won't see anywhere else is that you can find recommended wines by store chains. Albertsons, BevMo, Costco, Kroger/Ralph's, Safeway/Von's, and Trader Joe's are currently online, and it's great to check out what folks are finding there before you step out to the store and wonder how the wine you've never heard of actually tastes.

In exchange for an email and password you can set up an account that lets you submit reviews and thereby fully participate in the sites features. This account also makes it possible for you to access all your reviews in one place, so that the site can function as an electronic tasting journal if you are interested.

Two thumbs up to the folks at Vinquire for providing for free what other folks are charging for, and for adding features bound to make wine lovers even more happy. Now that it's the holidays, you are surely looking for some special wines. Check out Vinquire and see if they can help you find it!

Smoke and Mirrors: The Story of Fume Blanc

1968 has a lot to answer for: the assassination of Martin Luther King; the musical Hair; "Up, Up and Away" winning Song of the Year at the Grammy Awards; the Tet Offensive; the invasion of Czechoslovakia by the Russians; and Fume Blanc.

Once upon a time in 1968 a California winemaker named Robert Mondavi decided to buy a load of sauvignon grapes from a local grower. California sauvignon blanc didn't sell well in those days; it was too grassy for most palates. In a game of smoke and mirrors, Mondavi decided to barrel-age the juice (hence fume, or smoked, to refer to the oak influence), and give it a French name that might conjure up images of Pouilly-Fume in the minds of customers.

It worked. Sauvignon blanc sales shot up. And the legacy of confusing American wine drinkers with made-up names instead of proper varietal ones continued, so that today many in the US still don't know that Fume Blanc is made with sauvignon blanc grapes at all. Both CellarTracker and the ATF recognize Fume Blanc as a synonym for sauvignon blanc, which is incomprehensible to me.

Given my feelings about this dubious historical development, I opened the 2004 Hannah Nicole Vineyards Fume Blanc with some trepidation ($14.99, Wine Q) Just like Mondavi's 1968 version, this fume blanc is aged in oak barrels to give take off sauvignon blanc's more assertive edges. Unlike Mondavi's original Fume, however, this wine is is blended with 12% viognier. This accounts for the perfumed aromas of citrus with a floral overlay. The flavors in this wine were less zingy than zingy than most New Zealand sauvignon blancs, and not as rich as most California viogniers. There were flavors of pink grapefruit and Meyer lemon, with some floral notes on the finish. Despite its oak aging, I didn't detect much discernible oak in this wine, but felt instead that most of the roundness in the flavors was coming from the viognier.

All in all I felt this wine had good QPR, and it provided an opportunity to think about wine trends and fashions and the role that marketing plays in telling us what we are--and are not--drinking.