Savor the grapes of Wrath

"...and in the eyes of the hungry there is a growing wrath.  In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." (Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck)

John Steinbeck's iconic novel of the Joad family's migration west to California depicts the plight of poor Americans during the Great Depression and the ensuing economic and social hardship that trapped millions of people throughout the country.  It's also an appropriate quote to highlight the plight of wine drinkers from monolithic wines to truly hand-crafted wines that represent the best of the terroir, varietal and vintage.

On June 3, 2012, the Rhône Rangers provided the backdrop for my wine epiphany and introduction to Wrath Wines of Monterey County.  The Rhône Rangers Los Angeles Tasting Event featured dozens of wineries from all across California.  It was easy to overlook the table near the entrance to the event at the historic Vibiana when there were some many other familiar wineries in the room.  However, there was a buzz among some of the trade that a winery with a fierce name and edgy label was pouring some of the best Syrah wines at the event.

The epiphany occurred after just one sip.  If there weren't ABC rules prohibiting more than one ounce from being poured in a glass at one time, I would bogart every bottle of wine until my desire for more is satisfied, at which point you might want to call an ambulance.  After experiencing Wrath's Syrah wines, I decided to plan a visit to the winery following my trip to Sonoma County.  I could not delay another week or month the opportunity to experience Wrath Wines.

On a late summer afternoon, I traveled south on River Road and veered right onto Foothill Road to the winery in the Santa Lucia Highlands.  Wrath Wines and the SIP-certified San Saba Vineyard is set on a nook below the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA overlooking the Salinas Valley. For a course refresher (including this wine blogger), the Santa Lucia Highlands is situated along the Santa Lucia Range above the Salinas Valley and across from the Gabilan Range to the east. This cooler climate growing region benefits from its close proximity to the cold waters of Monterey Bay. On the westside of the property sits a late 19th century home moved from Salinas to the vineyard in Soledad.  This bare structure, which is the perfect setting for a horror novel or a Halloween party, is the backdrop for Wrath Wines' label (see picture above and below).

The color version of the Wrath Wines label

San Saba Vineyard

The formal tasting room is spacious and entertaining with large windows and doors that afford spectacular views of the estate San Saba Vineyard.  Outside lies a patio that wraps around the tasting room and overlooks the irrigation pond.  If you were looking for a solitary location to entertain friends and family with superbly crafted wines, then you found the right place.  There isn't much around here, but within the confines of the property, your desire for solitude is complimented with a glass of great wine and scenic views of the agricultural epicenter of California's Central Coast.

Wrath Wines Tasting Room

Wrath Wines Tasting Room

The daring name of Wrath Wines reveals an attitude, passion and inherent respect for producing authentic wine specific to the terroir.  Wrath produces over a dozen clone-specific, estate sourced and/or single-vineyard wines from the Santa Lucia Highlands including Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Syrah and Sauvignon Blanc. The quality and craftsmanship of their wines borders on perfection, at least for my palate. When you drink Wrath Wines, you think of the following words: aromatic, complex, layered, opulent, structured and well-integrated.  For the most recent vintage, my favorites include the McIntyre Vineyard Chardonnay, Ex Vite Pinot Noir, Doctor's Vineyard Syrah and Moscato.

Wrath's Single Vineyard Pinot Noir & Syrah Wines

There is no hype about Wrath Wines' growing acclaim.  There is a new mecca for great wine in California's Central Coast and its called Wrath Wines.  Savor the grapes of Wrath...

Wrath Wines
35801 Foothill Road, Soledad
(831) 678-2212
Open Fri-Mon, 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Email: info@wrathwines.com
Facebook: Wrath Wines
Twitter: @WrathWines

Carmel Tasting Room
Ocean Ave. and Mission St., Carmel (located on ground floor)
Open Mon-Sat, 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. and Sun 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
(831) 620-1909

"Balls-to-the-Wall Wine" Flows at Herman Story Wines

Hedonistic.  Voluptuous.  Masculine.  Age worthy.  These are words most often used to describe winemaker Russell P. From, but they also best describe the opulent and robust Rhône varietal wines bottled under his Herman Story wine label.  Have you ever met Russell?  Doesn't he look like Grizzly Adams?  Come on, maybe just a little?

Earlier this year, From opened a new tasting room in a commercial area on the eastside of the 101 Freeway only a few blocks from Downtown Paso Robles.  Prior to opening the tasting room, his wines were available at various wine shops, restaurants and the Barrel 27 Wine Co. tasting room in Paso Robles.  One of the great things about the Herman Story tasting room is its location.  You can get your car repaired, pick up building materials for a new shed and taste Rhône varietal wines from one of the region's notable winemakers - all on one block!  Russell may even through in an oil change or tire rotation with a case purchase.

Right now you are probably wondering who in the world is Herman Story?  If you look at the blown up photos in the tasting room and winery, you get the sense that Russell's grandfather was a renaissance man from an era were tales and figures loomed large as did the man himself.  As Russell describes him, "Herman Story was a rancher, logger, swapper, banker, philanthropist, a teller of tales, and my grandfather."

Herman Story

Herman Story Wines sources grapes from vineyards in Santa Barbara County, Arroyo Grande and Paso Robles, such as the Larner Vineyard, White Hawk Vineyard, Luna Matta Vineyard, Santa Barbara Highlands and Laetitia Vineyard.  Over the years, Herman Story Wines has received wide acclaim for its wines, which often sell out before the scores are released.  For several years, I have been collecting the Nuts & Bolts Syrah.  It'll knock your socks off and I can't wait to pour a vertical of the '06-'08 vintage in the near future.  So make it a point to drop into the tasting room on your next trip to Paso Robles Wine Country.

Wine Selections
-- Larner Vineyard Grenache
-- On the Road Grenache
-- Larner Vineyard Syrah
-- White Hawk Vineyard Syrah
-- Nuts & Bolts Syrah
-- 239 Days Syrah
-- Casual Encounters Red Rhône-style blend
-- Tomboy White Wine

Herman Story Wines
1227 Paso Robles Street, Paso Robles
(805) 237-2400
Open Thursday-Sunday, 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Email: thirsty@hermanstorywines.com
Facebook: Herman Story Wines

Herman Story Wines Tasting Room & Winery

Old Glory looms large over the Herman Story Tasting Room

Bottling Day 2011, Jaffurs Wine Cellars

Under relatively clear skies and with a cool ocean breeze to their backs, the team at Jaffurs Wine Cellars, along with dedicated wine club members and volunteers, got to work bottling hundreds of cases of Santa Barbara County Syrah, Grenache and Pinot Noir.

The Mission Bottling truck was set up in the driveway of the winery while volunteers were busy loading and packaging thousands of bottles of Jaffurs' reserve wines, including the 2009 vintage of the widely popular and award-winning Upslope, Thompson Vineyard Syrah, Bien Nacido Vineyard Syrah, Ampelos Vineyard Syrah and Santa Barbara County Grenache, as well as a Jaffurs side project from Dave Yates called "Mistress," which is exclusively Pinot Noir from Santa Barbara County.

Jaffurs Wine Cellars is one of the most acclaimed wineries and Rhône varietal wine producers in Santa Barbara County.  Under the helm of Craig Jaffurs, Dave Yates and Matt Brady, Jaffurs Wine Cellars continues to impress wine critics, wine enthusiasts and wine novices with their handcrafted wines using grapes from the finest vineyards in Santa Barbara County including Ampelos Vineyard, Thompson Vineyard, Bien Nacido Vineyard, and Larner Vineyard.  Jaffurs produces a range of single-varietal Rhône wines such as Viognier, Roussanne, Grenache Blanc, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Grenache and Mourvèdre.

Check out the video below for all the action that goes into bottling the 2009 vintage.  Thanks to Craig, Dave, and Matt for allowing me to film and photograph all the activities and to Phil C. for giving me a good excuse to visit Downtown Santa Barbara.  Cheers!

IF YOU GO

Jaffurs Wine Cellars
819 E. Montecito St., Santa Barbara (west of N. Milpas St.)
(805) 962-7003
Friday-Monday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Open daily during summer months).  Tasting Fee: $10
Facebook: Jaffurs Wine Cellars

Dave Yates loading bottles

Bottles lining up to be filled with the '09 Grenache

Jaffurs' volunteers hustling to load and package bottles

Matt Brady (left) and Craig Jaffurs (right) sampling the '09 Grenache

'09 Thompson Vineyard Syrah on the bottling line

You Had Me at Syrah...

Tucked away near the end of Alamo Pintado Avenue in Downtown Los Olivos lies one of the newest tasting rooms in a sea of wine purveyors. Blair Fox Cellars exemplifies the phenomenal success of a handful of winemakers focused on producing handcrafted, Rhône varietal wines from Santa Barbara County, particularly Viognier and Syrah.

Blair and Sarah Fox have brought a unique charm to this quaint town that has seen a proliferation of tasting rooms in the last few years. What makes them stand apart from some of the others is the standout quality and characteristics of their award-winning wines and the intimate charm of their small tasting room.  If not tending to his own label, Blair Fox heads the winemaking team at Fess Parker Winery and Epiphany Cellars, which includes Larry Schaffer (Tercero Wines) and Dave Potter (Municipal Winemakers).  It's apparent that if you're looking to make a mark in the wine world and producing award-winning wines, you need to join this winemaking team.

Blair Fox Cellars sources fruit from the Paradise Road Vineyard, Tierra Alta Vineyard, Purisima Mountain Vineyard, Thompson Vineyard and the Fox Family Vineyard.  Although Blair focuses on producing some of the best Syrah varietal wines in Santa Barbara County, he also produces a superb Vermentino varietal wine from the Fox Family Vineyard in the Santa Ynez Valley.  With the help of some well-deserved praise from Robert Parker and other wine critics, Blair Fox Cellars is sure to sell out of their limited case production of wines much sooner than anticipated.  So be sure to add Blair Fox Cellars to your wine tasting itinerary the next time you plan a trip to Santa Barbara County Wine Country!

Blair Fox Cellars
2902 San Marcos Ave., Suite B, Los Olivos (map)
(Front door located on Alamo Pintado Ave.)
(805) 691-1678
Open Friday-Sunday, 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Email: Info@BlairFoxCellars.com
Twitter: @BlairFoxCellars
Facebook: Blair Fox Cellars

Blair Fox Cellars Tasting Room, Alamo Pintado Ave., Los Olivos

Blair Fox Cellars Tasting Room, Los Olivos

Blair Fox Cellars, Tasting Menu

Ojai Vineyard 2004 White Hawk Syrah (Santa Barbara County)

Background: Honestly, you can't go wrong with Ojai Vineyard.  There's a wine for every palate among the dozen or more wines produced each year (6,000 cases) by owner/winemaker Adam Tolmach.  Ojai Vineyard sources fruit from the finest Central Coast vineyards (Fe Ciega, Bien Nacido, Thompson, Melville, Clos Pepe, Solomon Hills).  Ojai produces Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Grenache, and Syrah, as well as Red and White blends from barrels that did not make the selection for the single vineyard bottlings.

Stats: Syrah grapes sourced from White Hawk Vineyard in Santa Barbara County.  14.5% alcohol by volume.  Retails for $47, purchased for $26.99 at the Woodland Hills Wine Company.  93 points Wine Enthusiast, 92 points Robert Parker, 92 points Wine Spectator, and 91 points Josh Reynolds (IWC).

Tasting Notes: Dark, elegant, muscular and dense.  A bouquet of blackberry, minerals and jalapeño aromas tingle the nose, while blackberry, dark chocolate and black pepper coax the mid-palate, finishing with a lingering dark fruit finish.  It starts with a bang and ends with an elegant boom.  

The Ojai Vineyard 2004 White Hawk Syrah strikes me as a wine that required very little coaxing in the barrel or bottle.  It seems to have developed its own split personality - monstrous and well-balanced.  Don't get me wrong; this is not a big, bold tannin bomb of a wine.  As far as I'm concerned, this wine offers an abundance of elegance, depth and balance, while leaving a statement. Don't worry; I bought a second bottle of the Ojai Vineyard 2004 White Hawk Syrah.  

The Ojai Vineyard

P.O. Box 952, Oak View, CA 93022

(805) 649-1674

No tours or tasting room

Winemaker Ken Brown (Ken Brown Wines)

Ken Brown (Byron Kent Brown) is recognized as one of Santa Barbara County’s pioneering winemakers and innovators. He was among the first vintners to realize the great promise for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in this cool-climate appellation in the mid-1970’s. He was also the first winemaker to introduce the Syrah grape, as well as Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc, to Santa Barbara County. Ken was one of a handful of winemakers to catapult Santa Barbara County into an established appellation.

Ken Brown began his career as the first winemaker at Zaca Mesa Winery in 1977. He followed up this opportunity by forming Byron Vineyard with his wife, Deborah, and business partners, and embarked on an extensive experimental vineyard program featuring various rootstocks, clones and planting densities and built a state-of-the art gravity winery in 1996.

Ken Brown launched his label in 2003 which reinvigorated his excitement about the vineyards and the wines that brought him to Santa Barbara County in the first place 30 years ago. Ken continues to craft the most subperb Pinot Noir's in Santa Barbara County by cultivating grapes from the premier vineyards in the region such as Clos Pepe Vineyard, Cargasacchi Vineyard, Sanford and Benedict Vineyard, and Bien Nacido Vineyard among others.

Although Ken doesn't operate a winery, he opens his doors to the public for free tastings of his entire selection of wines once a month. Once you taste Ken Brown Wines, you will become a believer and loyal follower of this ingenuous winemaker from Santa Barbara County. To discover Ken's handcrafted wines visit www.kenbrownwines.com.

Current Central Coast Uncorked Review: 2006 Duncan's Cuvée Pinot Noir

Current Offerings (as of 12/09):

2008 Santa Barbara County Rosie's Rose ($20)
A delightful Syrah rosé featuring fresh aromas of peach, plum and floral. Goes with any food and great with turkey.

2007 Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir ($32)
Blends fruit from 3 of Santa Barbara County's top Pinot Noir vineyards: Garey, Clos Pepe and Rancho La Viña. Lush fruit aromas on the nose and velvety richness on the palate. 378 cases made.

2007 Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir ($35)
A blend from two of Santa Maria Valley's finest vineyards—Nielson and Garey—that truly showcases the depth, complexity and unique expression of Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir.

2007 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir ($38) -- TOP PICK
New Release. A classic expression of Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir. Richly extracted with a luxurious texture and silky finish.

2006 Cargassachi Vineyard Pinot Noir ($50)
This Pinot Noir from the remarkable Cargasacchi Vineyard is all about complexity. Silky, elegant and seamless. Only 240 cases made.

2004 Bien Nacido Vineyard Syrah ($35) -- TOP PICK
One of California’s most sought-after cool climate vineyards. Rich and extracted with aromas of blackberry, plum and black pepper. A mirror image of the fabulous 2003 vintage.
Only 227 cases made.

2005 "A" Cuvée Syrah ($30)
A blend from Bien Nacido and Watch Hill vineyards. A velvety and elegant wine, which makes it Deb's favorite Syrah to date. Only 272 cases made.

Ken Brown Wines
70 Industrial Way, Buellton (Terravant Wine Center)
(805) 688-4482
Wine tasting by appointment or during open houses