Winemaker Helen Keplinger: One to Follow
People will tell you that much of winemaking takes place in the vineyard. They say that 80% of what goes into a wine’s quality is produced in how that vine is grown and nurtured. I buy that in many ways. That leaves at least 20% to the skills, abilities and palate of the winemaker. That 20% really matters. Helen Keplinger is one winemaker to follow – no matter where she is or what grapes she is working with, her wine is of remarkable quality. (See this recent post called California Women of the Rhone, which highlights Helen and three other winemakers who focus on Rhone varietals.)
I first tasted one of Helen’s early wines back in 2008. The bottle was a full throttle Grenache named Red Slope. The vintage was 2006, and I remember it well. Rich, fleshy and deep fruit flavors. I immediately went back to buy more and immediately joined the Keplinger mailing list. I have been buying her wine ever since and watching as her career and reputation have taken off. She has worked with many of the best in Napa Valley and been the winemaker for several different labels.
Spelletich Family Winery: A Tasting with the Winemaker
Wine tasting, in and of itself, is a wonderful experience. Exploring the aromas, sorting through the flavors, the weight of the wine, and, oh yes, the finish. How long does it linger? Does the wine call you back for more? That alone is a pleasure.
What about having a thoughtful, established, well-educated, experienced winemaker to taste through the wines with, as well? What about that opportunity? That is a very cool scenario. That is just what it is to taste wine at Spelletich Family Winery.
California Women of the Rhone
I want to share with you a video from Wine Spectator, which presents some of my favorite winemakers known for making Rhone varietals with grapes sourced from various regions in California: Paso Robles, Sonoma Coast, Knights Valley, and Amador County. In this video, Helen Keplinger, Annie Favia, Anne-Marie Failla, and Jordan Fiorentini share their perspective on Rhone varietals and talk about their California sources. Their wine is wonderful!
Washington Wines: A Real Value
A few years ago, I tasted a red blend from Washington State called Ursa. It was produced by a small winery named Baer Winery in Woodinville, WA. Interestingly, Ursa is Latin for the animal bear. The wine itself was a blend and a pure pleasure to drink. In fact, that year this wine was Wine Spectator’s #6 wine of the year. The price, at that time, was a mere $35 a bottle for an outstanding wine.
More recently, I purchased their 2010 Ursa for about the same price, and it scored 91 points. When Wine Spectator released their top 100 list again this year, Baer’s 2012 Ursa ranked at the #28 spot. I suspect there is a trend here. This is a consistently well-crafted wine that delivers year after year. Here is the best part – it is still available from the winery for shipment to most states. (Sorry, to my friends in PA!) I just searched their website to confirm, and they still have wine to sell and ship. Now is a great time as the weather is cool, and there is no concern regarding temperature.
To Our Health!
I still remember the slide show presented by the cardiologist that night. He compared the impact of beer, white wine and red wine on blood lipids. His slide depicted a clear advantage for red wine. That was over 25 years ago and that information still resonates for me to this day. It opened the door for greater reading and seeking to understand the effects of drinking red wine – both positive and negative. Disclaimer: I’m not a doctor and not making any recommendations here, just sharing what I’ve read!
Add Some Sparkle to Your Holidays!
The holiday season is the perfect time to share a glass (or two) of Champagne with family and friends. It is a tradition to ring in the New Year with and serves as a festive apéritif at dinner.
True Champagne comes from only one region, which is 90 miles north of Paris. Yes, it is the Champagne region. The complex process by which Champagne is made involves a secondary fermentation during which carbon dioxide is trapped inside each bottle. The trapped CO2 will eventually become Champagne bubbles.
Party Time: Excellent Red for $12!
This 2013 Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon hails from Columbia Crest in Washington state. Several months ago, I posted about their ’12 Red Blend, and the ’13 is again a noteworthy buy. This is Cabernet that is approachable when young with deep fruit flavors, round dusty tannins and a smooth finish that lasts. In fact, it was surprising how long the finish was given the price per bottle.
This is the wine’s description from the winery’s website: “This bold Cabernet opens with flavors of black cherries and blackberries with a touch of currants and vanilla, complemented by earth and mineral notes. Deep berry flavors lead to a soft tannin cocoa finish.”
Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines of the Year for 2015
It’s that time of the year when lists are compiled and outstanding results are recognized. In the film industry, we are getting close to the Academy Awards being announced. In the sports arena (shout out here to the Kansas City Royals!), MVPs are called out and recognized. As you well know, the same is true for wine. Right now, Wine Spectator is revealing their top 100 wines of 2015. They started the roll-out the week of November 9th starting with the Top 10 wines – working down to #1.
This year, that top spot went to a Napa Valley wine. It is Peter Michael’s Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville Au Paradis. The score from Wine Spectator is 96 points, and the price per bottle is $195. This is only the 5th time that a Napa Valley Cabernet has owned that #1 ranking.
Seghesio: A Bright and Fruity Wine at a Nice Price
The primary flavors of Zinfandel are jam, blackberry, black pepper, cherry and plum. You can even find boysenberry, cranberry and licorice in bottles as well. Sounds to me like a great party wine, and that season is just around the corner.
Seghesio is a great buy with a huge production that should not be missed. I have drunk many bottles of this wine. Seghesio has a tasting room in Healdsburg; and, if you ever get to that city, stop in and enjoy the tasting. If you can’t get to Healdsburg, you should you should be able to find this wine in several outlets. For the price, it is quite a delicious bottle.
A Great Value: “The Paring Wines”
A big challenge for wine lovers is to find excellent wine to enjoy at a great price. This is the “Holy Grail” for wine enthusiasts. One of the producers that fits that bill for me is “The Paring.” This is a label out of the Central Coast of California close to Santa Barbara. I found this wine when visiting Jonata in that same area. The Paring is Jonata’s second label and really worth every penny. How many pennies you ask? The Paring wines sell for $25 a bottle. Given what is in the bottle, this is remarkable!