Carmen Miranda's Hat

Remember Carmen and her fantastically fruit-festooned hat—all pineapples and grapes and tropical fruit you don’t even know the names for? That’s the 2010 Sauvignon Blanc. In spades.

The aromas aren’t embarrassed at all to be fruit driven. Pomelo and grapefruit are overlaid with a tropical flair—passion fruit, guava, and pineapple are apparent with a hint of grass.

The tropicals are the lead flavors followed by grapefruit and pear. Nothing sweet, but very rich. The mouthfeel is soft and plush with a midpalate coating that just doesn’t stop; there’s nothing austere about this Sauvignon. There’s a lemon on the finish plus some lingering minerality—just a little flintiness makes it interesting.

This Sauv pairs with so many wonderful things—rich cheeses, shellfish, white pizzas with cheese, egg, and pancetta, grilled chicken with spices, and black olives shine. Good baguette and a little salted butter or soft brie makes a simple satisfying snack. It’s killer with spicy Asian food.

David Weiss grows Sauvignon Blanc in a small, certified organic vineyard just north of Kelseyville, part way up Clear Lake. In a challenging cool year where the October 3 harvest was a month later than we expected, he brought us extraordinary fruit—as always. We’re incredibly fortunate to work with some of the best growers around.

The family who owns the land still lives right in the middle of the vineyard. At harvest, the air is full of citrus and tropical fruit, and the tiny block where our particular fruit grows is even more aromatic. On the misty fall mornings when Sauvignon Blanc is harvested, perhaps Carmen’s spirit slips through the vines. We can certainly smell her hat.

Technical Data:

Appellation: Lake County, vineyard certified organic
Blend: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Alcohol: 13.8%
Acidity: 0.6 g/100 mL
Residual Sugar: < 0.1%
pH: 3.45
Malolactic Fermentation: None
Barrels: 80% Stainless, 20% barrel fermented in neutral French oak
Harvest Date: October 3, 2010
Bottling Date: February 18, 2011
Release Date: April 15, 2011
Total Production: 252 cases
Price: $18

What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet."

Romeo and Juliet (II, ii, 1-2)

What if two completely different wines—so different that there was NO possibility that ANYONE could confuse them—had names that sounded alike? Would you:
a. Teach consumers about the difference?
b. Revel in the confusion?
c. Issue a government edict that forbade the use of the name to protect one of the interested parties?

If you were the European Union, you’d select “c”—in spite of the fact that even more confusion would ensue, because none of the rest of the world was following you. So begins the story of Tocai Friulano.

"What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits"

The Doobie Brothers

We all have our guilty pleasures—romance novels and soap operas for example, or motorcycle racing and trashy sci-fi (ours). For some of us, it’s sweeter wine. Wine lovers can be dismissive of them. For that reason, many of us are reluctant to admit that we enjoy wines with even a hint of sweetness, and such wines are often branded as unsuitable for any food.

Dismiss Riesling at your peril. Often branded a cloying confection, Rieslings are made in a myriad of styles that offer just a hint of sweetness to balance bracing acids or are nectar-like in their richness. An aged Riesling—and, yes, this is absolutely an age-worthy white—can become complex with candle wax and petrol aromas that complement blossoms and other floral notes.

Our Riesling is medium dry and in the Alsatian style. Aromas are floral with a heady mix of orange blossom overlaying stone fruit—apricot and peach. There’s a whiff of candle wax, too, which hints of growing complexity with age. Flavors begin with lush apricot and finish with citrus.

Dryer Rieslings are wonderful with piquant Asian food to cool the fire and clear the palate, particularly spicy, citrusy, Thai cuisine. This Riesling also can make an appearance with lighter desserts: tangerines or a creamy Meyer lemon tart with candied orange peel finish well.

Sweeter wines are not necessarily for beginners, whether you’re the winemaker or the consumer. Sweetness can be left on the wine by fermenting it to dryness then adding concentrated grape juice back in to the appropriate level—a common production method. We, instead, taste the wine frequently during fermentation. When it reaches the best flavor balance of acid and sweetness, we chill the wine to stop fermentation—sort of like catching a falling knife and not for the fainthearted. We’re not guilty at all when we say it’s worth it.

Technical Data:

Appellation: Lake County, grown using organic farming methods
Blend: 100% Riesling
Alcohol: 12.5%
Acidity: 0.7 g/100 mL
Residual Sugar: 1.3%
pH: 3.3
Malolactic Fermentation: None
Barrels: None
Harvest Date: October 3, 2010
Bottling Date: February 18, 2011
Release Date: April 15, 2011
Total Production: 100 Cases
Price: $18

Pink Flamingos

Whether it’s thinking about the movie or just the birds the wine’s color resembles, the ’10 Rosato di Barbera is like them both: distinctive. So many people have (ahem) strong feelings about rosé, so we had fun making a wine that surprises them. No, it’s not a blush.

The nose is all about fruit—strawberries, pears, maybe a white peach and a grapefruit, all topped off with a black cherry. It doesn’t take itself terribly seriously; in our opinion, it shouldn’t have to.

The flavor is all about strawberries. It’s not sweet but not too tart with a surprisingly silky feel. There’s a little bit of lemonade on the finish that keeps it incredibly refreshing..

Rosato di Barbera complements Asian food nicely. It’s great with barbecue (particularly barbecued chicken) or grilled food. It works well with salmon—enough acidity to stand up to its richness but delicate enough not to overwhelm it; the same goes for creamy, stuffed eggs. It’s refreshing—the perfect summer aperitif. We wouldn’t tell if you put an ice cube in it.

Rosé is a labor of love. It takes a lot of hand labor (and hand wringing) up front. It’s always a roll of the dice whether you’ve left the juice on the skins too long and made the wine bitter or not long enough so the wine is pale. Whether the yeast you use will enhance the flavors you taste in the grapes or just blast them into oblivion, whether it’s too dry and tart—it can be trying. But from the first time we tasted a lovely Provençal Rose and fell for pink wine, we knew we had to make it ourselves. Whether you like it, or not (and we think you will).

Technical Data:

Appellation: Clarksburg, vineyard certified sustainable
Blend: 100% Barbera
Alcohol: 13.9%
Acidity: 0.7 g/100 mL
Residual Sugar: Dry
pH: 3.25
Malolactic Fermentation: None
Barrels: None
Harvest Date: October 13, 2010
Bottling Date: February 18, 2011
Release Date: April 15, 2011
Total Production: 140 Cases
Price: $18

The Blood of Jove

That’s right, sanguis Jovis, or Sangiovese. There’s your Latin lesson for today, but let’s not over think this too much. There’s too much about Sangiovese to just enjoy.

First, the color. Sangiovese wears a number of coats, but it will typically have more of a garnet rather than purple hue. It’s certainly the case for the ’08.

Second, the aroma. It’s garnet, too (if aromas had color), with red fruit—cherry plus a little strawberry—and a bit of an orange overlay. There’s a whiff of spice, too—maybe some nutmeg or one of the other brown spices.

The Calico Cat

When we were garage winemakers, we collected the leftover bits and pieces of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre into a blend we called “Calico Cat” for its uncertain formulation. It was well selected, because a great, fluffy, calico—Lola—effectively ruled the household. When we made the formal G-S-M blend, we named it for her, too. It stuck.

Lola came to us in 1994 after being rescued from the highway with two broken legs and a whole lot of attitude. She kept order with her two “brothers” with a powerful right paw—the “bonk”—right to the top of their heads. Steve was definitely her preferred human, but she would accept tribute from others, albeit on her terms.

No Animals Were Harmed in the Production of this Wine…

In fact, we don’t use animal products in our winemaking; yeast are actually more closely related to plants. And, wherever possible, we source certified organic components and keep winemaking pretty simple—grapes, yeast, and not much more.

We offer the disclaimer above, instead, as a preface to discussing the Dog Strangler. We didn’t hurt any puppies (they’re welcome visitors at the winery). We’re talking wine here. Mataró. Monastrell. Mourvèdre and, colloquially, "estrangle chien" in some parts of France.

Grapefiti

”Vote for Pedro.”

Napoleon Dynamite

Give a bunch of kids spray paint and a blank wall—you’ll get graffiti. Give a bunch of winemakers and a wine-loving bottling crew a collection of red wines to blend—you’ll get Grapefiti. It’s an absolutely unique representation of terroir, variety, and style. We couldn’t recreate it if we tried.

Our February, 2010 bottling crew created this blend from some odds and ends of wines that were bottled that day. We were impressed from the start with how easy it was to drink—the perfect wine for any casual situation.

Aromas are oriented toward berries—blue and blackberries, in particular—and lead on the palate with contributions from a black cherry or two. Tannins are firm but not dry and finish with mocha and a little spice. There’s plenty of weight, so this wine can take on your heartiest pizza without breaking a sweat.

So, what’s the Grapefiti label all about? At the end of the blend, we asked all the participants to leave some of their own graffiti on the label’s “wall”—except for Chompers, of course, who wasn’t available to leave her own paw print (our favorite Daschihuahua) and had her staff take care of it (she has people for her Facebook page, too). More that’s one-of-a-kind about the wine, and a great memory of a great crew. Thanks, guys!

Technical Data:
Appellation: California
Blend: Tempranillo, Syrah, Dolcetto, Petit Verdot, Barbera, Mourvedre, Grenache, Sangiovese, Malbec
Alcohol: 13.8%
Malolactic Fermentation: Complete
Barrels: 1, 2, and 3 year old French oak
Bottling Date: August 23, 2010
Release Date: October 31, 2010
Total Production: 27 cases
Price: $24

It’s Not Sweet. Really.

Even though its name suggests it, Dolcetto, Italy’s “little sweet one” is NOT a dessert wine. Possibly, the name derives from the shape of the nearby Piemontese hills (little “sugar loafs”), but, more likely, refers to a key characteristic of the wine: it’s much less acidic than the other Piemontese wine we love, Barbera. It has a reputation for early release and easy drinking, and, of course, complementing food well.

“I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse.”

Don Corleone in The Godfather

We’re often asked how we find the growers and vineyards we work with. There’s word of mouth from other winemakers about good fruit available. Sometimes, we pursue grower advertisements. Many times, however, we fall in love with a particular group of wines and find that they have a grower in common. That was the case with Sierra foothills Barbera.  If there’s a “Godfather” of Barbera, it’s Dick Cooper. The Cooper ranches grow some of the best around, and it makes deep, dark, mouth-watering wine. We had a Cooper-grown Barbera shortly after making our first wine as garagistes and knew that we absolutely, positively, had to have some of his fruit. We were fortunate enough to meet Dick at another vineyard he managed, and were even more impressed by the viticultural wisdom of the man himself. Of course, all his Barbera was contracted for. Unobtanium.  So, when we received a call from Dick’s daughter, Chrissy, (like all good Godfathers, he’s surrounded by family in his business) that Barbera was available, we jumped on it like the much quoted offer we couldn’t refuse. There was simply no question, even if we were already completely over our heads in our first crush in a new winery. We have no regrets. At all.

This Barbera is loaded with bright cherry and cassis aromas with a sprinkling of clove. In the mouth it’s full of darker cherry and cola flavors with nutmeg on the finish. Flavors are deepening as the wine bottle ages; with firm acidity and moderate tannin, it just keeps improving with time.  Pair this wine’s lush fruit with something savory, rich, or a little salty. Herbed pork roast is one of our favorites with it, and it’s  delightful with creamy pasta—the wine’s fruit and acid is a perfect foil for rich food.

Technical Data:
Appellation: Amador, Shenandoah Valley
Blend: 100% Barbera
Alcohol: 15.2%
Acidity: 0.6 g/100 mL
Residual Sugar: Dry
pH: 3.5
Malolactic Fermentation: Complete
Barrels: 15% new plus 1, 2, and 3 year old French Oak
Harvest Date: October 5, 2009
August 23, 2010
Release Date: To be determined
Total Production: 150 cases
Price: $26
Awards: Silver Medal, Florida State Fair International Wine Competition

Uptown

“The uptown neighborhood, separated from the city's lower or central business district, may often have particularly upscale or fashionable connotations.” Wikipedia

Or, maybe it’s just the one word description for the area that encompasses the roots of Oakland’s renaissance with hot new spots for food, art, and entertainment. In any event, it’s our second “neighborhood” blend and the first to only be available in refillable containers.

Deep Purple

Our approach to winemaking is a bit like a Renaissance painter’s strategy for painting. First, he would grind pigments to prepare a selection of paints. Then, he’d begin to create. Typically, the combination of paints created art more powerful than just one color alone; occasionally, however, one color was so pure and perfect it was destined to make a statement on its own.

Every crush, we build our “paint box” by making small lots of a number of different wines. Before bottling, we taste them and begin to “paint”, combining two or more varieties in varying ratios to see what makes the most flavorful “picture”. If making wine is science, blending assuredly is art.

"Don't cry for me, Argentina…"

Evita

Malbec, though often associated with Argentina, has its roots in the great wines of France’s Bordeaux region. It’s no slouch in California, but it can be almost as big a diva as Eva Perón to grow.

“Twin Sons of Different Mothers”

Dan Fogelberg

Syrah, perhaps more than any other grape we make wine with, suffers from (or is blessed by, depending on your perspective) multiple personality disorder. Depending on where it’s grown and how, plus its  handling in the winery, Syrah can emerge as a plush, jammy glass of black velvet or a complicated thoughtprovoking glass of pepper and leather with a berry or two on top. We think ours is a balance of the best of both.

Our Syrah is fruit-driven but definitely not jammy. Dried blueberry and black raspberry flavors do predominate, but they’re bright and juicy. There’s a layer of cocoa following the fruit that ends with a dash of  black pepper. What we love the most about the wine, however, is the lovely floral notes that come through in the aroma. Lavender is prominent, but other more savory herbs finish.

When we “walked” the vineyard at Corinne Moore’s Wine Tree Farm, we sampled fruit grown from two Syrah clones—one Australian, the other, French. We found that the Australian fruit was very ripe and lush,  but the French was tarter and had more “bite” in the skin tannins—more to our style—so we used 100% French clone fruit. All the varieties at Wine Tree seem to have a floral note, so we think that this is a  classic example of terroir—the vineyard shines through the wine.

Pair this Syrah with anything savory. Big soups and stews with lots of herb and spice work well with it, whether they’re meaty or vegetarian. Be sure to save some for dessert; dark, bittersweet chocolate is a  natural for it.

Technical Data:
Appellation: Amador
Blend: 96% Syrah, 4% Grenache
Alcohol: 14.9%
Acidity: 0.55 g/100 mL
Residual Sugar: Dry
pH: 3.6
Malolactic Fermentation: Complete
Barrels: 2 and 3 year old French Oak
Harvest Date: September 9, 2009
Bottling Date: August 23, 2010
Release Date: October 31, 2010
Total Production: 111 Cases
Price: $21
Awards: Gold Medal, Florida State Fair International Wine Competition
Silver Medal, SF Chronicle Wine Competition
Silver Medal, Consumer Wine Awards
Silver Medal, Grand Harvest Awards

"I wanna see it painted, painted, painted,
painted black"

Mick Jagger and Keith Richards

Everything about Teroldego is deep and dark. The stains on the bins the fruit it picked into and fermented in. The stains on our hands as we work with the fermenting must. The barrels after the wine is aged. The wine in glass is the deepest purple around.

Aromas start dark, too, with freshly-picked blackberries and black raspberries. A whiff of lavender and, maybe, a bit of thyme follow.

Rich blackberry flavors lead followed by black figs and a sprinkle of black pepper. There’s plenty of tannin but it’s smooth and supple and only getting more so as the wine ages. The finish hints of minerality—nice, but not too intense.

Steve, Duke, and Mike Heringer grow just a few acres of Teroldego in their Clarksburg Holland Landing vineyard; there’s just 120 acres or so grown in all of California, so it’s a rare and precious gem. They told us in 2008, “just try some—you’ll fall in love”. We did, head over heels.

And, by the way, it’s pronounced teh-RAWL-deh-go. Just so you know…

Technical Data:

Appellation: Clarksburg, vineyard certified sustainable
Blend: 100% Teroldego
Alcohol: 14.2%
Acidity: 0.6 g/100 mL
Residual Sugar: < 0.1%
pH: 3.65
Malolactic Fermentation: Complete
Barrels: 2 and 3 year old French Oak
Harvest Date: October 12, 2009
Bottling Date: February 18, 2011
Release Date: July 16, 2011
Total Production: 119 Cases
Price: $26

SOLD OUT!

“I wanna see it painted, painted, painted, painted black.” Mick Jagger and Keith Richards

Everything about Teroldego is deep and dark. The stains on the bins the fruit it picked into and fermented in. The stains on our hands as we work with the fermenting must. The barrels after the wine is aged. The wine in glass is the deepest purple around.

SOLD OUT!

“Pink Flamingos.”

Whether it’s thinking about the movie or just the birds the wine’s color resembles, the ’09 Rosato di Barbera is like them both: distinctive. So many people have (ahem) strong feelings about rosé, so we had fun making a wine that surprises them. No, it’s not a blush.

“Carmen Miranda’s hat.”

Remember Carmen and her fantastically fruit-festooned hat—all pineapples and grapes and tropical fruit you don’t even know the names for? That’s the ’09 Sauvignon Blanc. In spades.

On the nose, pineapple sambas ahead of grapefruit, passion fruit, and guava

“I get no respect.”

Rodney Dangerfield

When documenting the great wines of Italy’s Piemonte—the Barolo’s, and Barbaresco’s in particular—Barbera never seems to make the list. We think it’s time that this Cinderella of a grape gets its due, particularly when comes to selecting a wine that makes good food better.

“Unique. Handcrafted. Artisan. Red.”

Do you ever feel like someone is using a checklist when they write tasting notes? If you check off all the boxes, then you’ll have a winner—sort of like Bingo.

i r o n w o r k s is the first of our neighborhood blends, named for our Oakland neighborhood. Around the turn of the century, ours was the part of town where metalworkers crafted goods