Moderators: Jenise, Robin Garr, David M. Bueker
Jenise
FLDG Dishwasher
42664
Tue Mar 21, 2006 2:45 pm
The Pacific Northest Westest
I expected the Bonny Doon winery to be up there, but lo and behold instead there is a town called Bonny Doon and that is where we found ourselves.
Jenise wrote:Best joke of the day: "Maybe we should have gone to Temecula."
Brian K Miller
Passionate Arboisphile
9340
Fri Aug 25, 2006 1:05 am
Northern California
Jenise
FLDG Dishwasher
42664
Tue Mar 21, 2006 2:45 pm
The Pacific Northest Westest
wnissen wrote:There are definitely a number of wineries in that area run by people who would be better off making the kits from a store.
The one that really suprised me was Hecker Pass, where I once had a petite sirah at 20 years that was spectacular. One of the best wines I've had. The kids are making the wine now, so it's hard to know if lightning will strike twice, but I have several bottles squirreled away to see. Clearly varietal choice is very important in such a warm area, and petite sirah does well in the heat. The white wines I've had from a number of places in the area have been more or less uniformly terrible. To be fair, the same is true of my area as well.
Ironically, I found Rhys was the one that was overpriced. When your entry-level wines are $45, they'd better be spectacular. Not sure I'm going to keep my spot on the list.
Jenise
FLDG Dishwasher
42664
Tue Mar 21, 2006 2:45 pm
The Pacific Northest Westest
Brian K Miller wrote:Sounds like fun, Jenise, even with the bad wines!...And Ridge....I have already raved about the lean but delicious 2011 Montebello!
Jenise
FLDG Dishwasher
42664
Tue Mar 21, 2006 2:45 pm
The Pacific Northest Westest
Jenise wrote:wnissen wrote:There are definitely a number of wineries in that area run by people who would be better off making the kits from a store.
The one that really suprised me was Hecker Pass, where I once had a petite sirah at 20 years that was spectacular. One of the best wines I've had. The kids are making the wine now, so it's hard to know if lightning will strike twice, but I have several bottles squirreled away to see. Clearly varietal choice is very important in such a warm area, and petite sirah does well in the heat. The white wines I've had from a number of places in the area have been more or less uniformly terrible. To be fair, the same is true of my area as well.
Ironically, I found Rhys was the one that was overpriced. When your entry-level wines are $45, they'd better be spectacular. Not sure I'm going to keep my spot on the list.
Walt, guess what. The winery above described as "a winery by another Italian family where the adult granddaughter was pouring eight 2008 vintage wines made by her grandpapa. Four were "a sweeter style" and four were "our full-bodied dry reds." I only tasted the second four, and all were maderized and excessively sweet for 'dry' wine." That was Hecker Pass.
Jenise
FLDG Dishwasher
42664
Tue Mar 21, 2006 2:45 pm
The Pacific Northest Westest
wnissen wrote:Jenise wrote:wnissen wrote:There are definitely a number of wineries in that area run by people who would be better off making the kits from a store.
The one that really suprised me was Hecker Pass, where I once had a petite sirah at 20 years that was spectacular. One of the best wines I've had. The kids are making the wine now, so it's hard to know if lightning will strike twice, but I have several bottles squirreled away to see. Clearly varietal choice is very important in such a warm area, and petite sirah does well in the heat. The white wines I've had from a number of places in the area have been more or less uniformly terrible. To be fair, the same is true of my area as well.
Ironically, I found Rhys was the one that was overpriced. When your entry-level wines are $45, they'd better be spectacular. Not sure I'm going to keep my spot on the list.
Walt, guess what. The winery above described as "a winery by another Italian family where the adult granddaughter was pouring eight 2008 vintage wines made by her grandpapa. Four were "a sweeter style" and four were "our full-bodied dry reds." I only tasted the second four, and all were maderized and excessively sweet for 'dry' wine." That was Hecker Pass.
Hah! Well, there you go. I'll be the first to tell you that when my palate gets burned out, I can't detect sub-1% residual sugar, even in reds. Some petite sirahs have a bit to reduce the impact of the tannins, but I have been surprised sometimes to come back to a wine when my palate is fresh and discover the sugar. Hecker Pass has quite a few dogs, as well. I described their "Dry Sherry" as having "the volatility of sherry with none of the attractive nuttiness." The most you can hope for in that area, generally, is not too much VA and a rustic quality to the warm-climate reds.
The first time I visited the south Santa Clara County wineries I literally got my hand rapped when I asked if their sparkling wine was available to taste. Talk about a negative experience.
Jenise wrote:Mirrassou--there's a blast from the past. Haven't seen their name in a long time--are they still a winery? OH, and Tom, San Martin. That clangs bells in my head--when I was a kid growing up in L.A., there was a winery called San-something, I'm pretty sure, that had a few tasting rooms spread out around the greater Los Angeles area where one could buy wine in half gallon jugs. I was too young to know or care where the wine came from, or even taste it, but sometimes we'd stop at one when I went with my pal and her doctor father to do house calls on weekends. (A fond memory--Dr. Mieras rewarded us handsomely for not telling anyone about this extra stop.) Would that be San Martin?
Brian K Miller
Passionate Arboisphile
9340
Fri Aug 25, 2006 1:05 am
Northern California
Jenise
FLDG Dishwasher
42664
Tue Mar 21, 2006 2:45 pm
The Pacific Northest Westest
TomHill wrote:Jenise wrote:Mirrassou--there's a blast from the past. Haven't seen their name in a long time--are they still a winery? OH, and Tom, San Martin. That clangs bells in my head--when I was a kid growing up in L.A., there was a winery called San-something, I'm pretty sure, that had a few tasting rooms spread out around the greater Los Angeles area where one could buy wine in half gallon jugs. I was too young to know or care where the wine came from, or even taste it, but sometimes we'd stop at one when I went with my pal and her doctor father to do house calls on weekends. (A fond memory--Dr. Mieras rewarded us handsomely for not telling anyone about this extra stop.) Would that be San Martin?
Well, Jenise.....I think Mirrassou still exists as a label....but not as an actual wnry. Owned by Constellation or some such other conglomerate. There is still some involvement w/ some of the Mirrassou family. http://www.mirassou.com/
I met EdmundMirrassou one time back in the early '70's. I remember him well because of this beautiful/old-time
handlebar mustache he sported. I think one of the Mirrassous is owner of StephenKentWnry in Livermore. And I seem to recall there's a Mirrassou in the biz up in Oregon.
The wnry you are thinking of in the LA area w/ a bunch of tasting rooms was SanAntonioWnry. It started out in
Cucamonga I believe. They still exist as a bunch of tasting rooms. http://sanantoniowinery.com/
When I was last in Paso, I remember driving by the old MartinBros/Martin&Wyrich tasting room and seeing
SanAntoniaWnry on the sign. I thought at the time that name sounded sorta familiar.
Tom
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