Mas Carlot, “Les Enfants Terribles” 2006

The Farmhouse Carlot is a Farmhouse Of Provence of 17th and 19th century and is located in the Twyers-side of Nimes, in the South of the Rhone valley.  Mas Carlot is situated in the south of the Rhône Valley, extending across 76 hectares of pebbly land southeast of Nîmes. Originally a 17th century farm, this beautiful estate was resurrected in the 1960's by the Blanc family—it is currently run by Natalie Blanc-Mares and her husband, Cyril Mares of the neigbouring and equally reputable property, Mas Bressades.  Nathalie took over the property from her father Paul-Antoine Blanc in 1998.

"The appellation of Costières de Nîmes used to be considered part of eastern Languedoc but the climate, soil, topography and wine are far closer to those just over the river in the Southern Côtes du Rhône. It is a region with an ancient and glorious viticultural past dating back to the Greeks, who planted the first vines there. The Romans then developed this into a burgeoning wine trade whilst building the Pont du Gard and the amphitheatres of Nîmes and Arles. Over the last ten years this region has undergone a transformation that has witnessed the emergence of a younger generation of innovative and modern wine growers who are generally producing smaller yields and far better quality wine. It is now a region very much on the up and is widely recognized as a great source of excellent value wine." from the vineyards direct website

"The vineyards were planted in the 1950’s and 1960’s to the current varietals. The vines are trained using a system called Cordon de Royat, which helps maintain lower fruit production. Mas Carlot limits yields to around 45hl/ha, which is one-third below what the appellation allows. Nathalie likes to wait during harvest - picking late to obtain the maximum maturity for each grape varietal.  This Cuvée was created for the first time with the 2003 vintage.  This is a selection of really good old vines Mourvèdre and Syrah. The Mourvèdre was aged in barrels for one year.

This excellent estate in the Costieres de Nimes continues to turn out some superb bargain-priced wines that consumers should seek out for relief from increasingly higher prices as well as the weak dollar. The 2006 red wines all reveal zesty acidity, beautiful pure fruit, perhaps not the structure of the 2005s, but they are more friendly."   The Importer's notes; Robert Kacher Selections

Winemaker Nathalie Blanc-Mares best describes her wine; "This special cuvee was inspired by the spirit of our children, Blanche, Eugene, Olympe & Alexander. Along with my husband Cyril Mares, winemaker of Mas des Bressades, and importer Bobby Katcher, we've created a wine that honors their individuality and the richness of their originality.  This blend of old-vines Mourvedres and Syrah was aged both in tank and in oak barrels. Like our children, the charm of this wine is found in its complexity."

Blend:  50% Mourvedre, 50% Syrah
Production:  Not much was made.
Body:  medium - full bodied
Aromas: blue fruit
Color: dark purple

Tasting Notes:  This is a hearty wine with lots of spice and elegance. It unites plum and berry preserves with a raw meat character for an unforgettable juxtaposition. there are hints of herbs, cocoa powder and vanilla.  It is round, yet compact in the mouth.

"Dark and brooding in character, with lots of underlying energy, this showcases the pure blue fruit aromas that seem to be part and parcel of both good quality Mourvedre (Boysenberry, black raspberry) and Syrah (freshly plucked blueberries, currants) in counterpoint with smoked meat, beef blood and wild herbs, tamed by a hint of oak-infused cocoa and vanilla. (If this wine at all resembles Nathalie, Cyril and Bobby’s children, they are an intense, serious, impactful lot!)"
excerpts from: WineSF.com Blog

Wine Advocate: “The 2006 Constieres de Nimes Les Enfants Terribles (a 50/50 blend of Mourvedre and Syrah) offers oodles of fruit along with superb purity and freshness and a medium-bodied, savory luscious personality. Enjoy it over the next 4-5 years. Score: 89.” – Robert Parker, February 2008.

Alban Vineyards 2006 Roussanne, Edna Valley

Known for Rhone obsession, Alban Vineyards was the first winery in the U.S. to focus only on Rhone varietals and owner John Alban was one of the first proponents of Rhone varietals in California. Located in the Edna Valley AVA in San Louis Obispo County. Alban specializes in Syrah, Grenache, Marsanne, Viognier and Roussanne.


"John Alban of Alban Vineyards is by any and all measures a pioneer of Rhône-styled wines in California, particularly Viognier. He established his Alban Vineyards brand, the first in America to specialize in Rhône varietals, in 1989... Almost none of the Rhône varieties he wanted to plant existed in California. Alban spent years propagating vines and then planting them in Edna Valley, a cool appellation just outside of San Luis Obispo. He felt it was a great site, especially for Viognier. John Alban the pioneer, has become John Alban, the spiritual leader, and even the “Johnny Appleseed” of the movement. Rhône varieties are now flourishing in California, thanks in great part to a man who wouldn’t settle for only chocolate and vanilla...." Gregory Walter   See more from WineCountry.com

Nearly all Roussanne cuttings in California, Washington and Oregon are descendents of those brought in by John Alban or Tablas Creek.... Roussanne (in the words of John Alban) "tends to be a rollercoaster". It varies often widely depending on where it's grown and where it is in its life cycle. And it's a polarizing wine; different people will love and hate the same wine. This makes it more of a challenge.... The first large tasting of American Roussannes, in 1998 at the Hospice du Rhone, was notable ... as the wines were "as different as they were fascinating". Read more from the 2008 Roussanne Symposium
Varietal Roussanne is a much rarer beast; it is more typically an ingredient in a southern French blend. Chateau de Beaucastel in Chateauneuf-du-Pape has long favoured it and pioneered it as a varietal in a stunning oaked version from some particularly old vines. Roussanne is also scented, with something more akin to lime and blossom than richer fruits, but usually has much less body than Viognier. Blending it with the much plumper Marsanne, as has long been common in Hermitage, gives it ballast.
Roussanne, Viognier and Marsanne all come from the Rhône Valley, but until the late 1980s Viognier was grown almost exclusively around the village of Condrieu in the northern Rhône. Roussanne is grown in the northern but especially southern Rhône and Provence.jancisrobinson.com

In 1989, John Alban began planting vineyards on his 250 acre property. From this fruit, John Alban makes aromatically complex and explosively rich wines. He works entirely with fruit from his own material planted on chalk-rich hillside vineyards open to cooling sea breezes. The wines have exotic yet varietaly accurate character and and creamy sweetness to provide immediate pleasure, but have the balance and structure to age.

Body:  Full 
Blend:  75% Roussanne, 25% Viognier
Case Production:  450 cases

POINTS
91 points Robert Parker: "The 2006 Roussanne Estate, which includes 25% Viognier in the blend, is a heavier, more waxy style of white wine that appears to possess some tannin. As this varietal often does, this full-bodied effort comes across as a “love it or leave it” wine. I happen to adore this style, but their aging curve is almost impossible to predict. I recommend drinking these Roussannes on the earlier rather than later side. This offering would drink beautifully with fatty fish or grilled chicken dishes as it almost has the weight, richness, and structure of a dry red wine. Alban’s decision to add 25% Viognier to the blend has given the wine more complexity as well as a slightly uplifting character." (06/08)

91 points Wine Spectator: "Wonderfully fragrant, with cedar and pine notes to the passion fruit, marmalade and floral honeysuckle flavors. Full-bodied and nicely juicy, with fantastic intensity. Drink now through 2012." (4.30.09)

Eat with: pan-roasted black cod, yellow corn, fingerling potatoes, savoy cabbage & black truffle emulsion.

Margerum 2006 M5, Santa Ynez Valley

Doug Margerum (right), one of the early pioneers of the Santa Barbara wine scene in the 1980’s, was also a restaurateur, with his well known and very popular Wine Cask restaurant. So he, above all knows the importance of the balance a wine must have to be able to compliment and enhance the dining experience.

M5 is a Chateauneuf-du-Pape style blend using five grape varieties from twelve of the highest quality vineyards in Santa Barbara County.

Is it a Varietal Blend or a Vineyard Blend - OR BOTH?
50% Syrah -  (24% Alisos Vineyard, 24% Vogelzang Vineyard, 15% Great Oak Ranch Vineyard, 20% Black Oak Vineyard, 7% Alondra de los Prados Vineyard, 7% Purisima Mountain Vineyard, and 3% Colson Canyon Vineyard)
26% Grenache - (58% Zaca Mesa Vineyard, 15% Vogelzang Vineyard, 10% Purisima Mountain Vineyard, 11% Crossroads Vineyard and 5% Watch Hill Vineyard)
9% Mouvedre - (78% Zaca Mesa Vineyard and 22% Vogelzang Vineyard)
4% Counoise- (Stolpman Vineyard)
4% Cinsault- (Stolpman Vineyard)

Case Production: 2,200 cases

This carefully crafted blend brings together the black, deep licorice richness of syrah and melds it with the bright raspberry-cherry flavors of the Grenache. The mouvedre, counoise and cinsault add bright acidity, tannins and aromatic notes of spice and fruit. The result is a full bodied yet delightfully well balanced and lively blend.

Regarded as one of California’s top producers of Rhone style wines, Doug and his winemaker Doug Scott are masters at sourcing out the best fruit from some of the region’s most renowned growers. Names such as Volgang, Purisima Mountain, Alisos and Colson Canyon are a few of vineyards chosen by these two talented vinters to make their wine.

"The M5 mission statement: M5 is a wine that is from a thought - a blend that is an amalgamation of memories, both distant and recent, of wines I've tasted and loved the past thirty-three years.  As always, this multi-vineyard, multi-varietal cuvee illustrates the benefits inherent in a blended wine." 

From the Winelover's Page
"In Santa Barbara County winemaking circles, Doug Margerum is nearly legendary.  ... While running the Wine Cask complex, he also made wine under the tutelage of and with Jim Clendenen (ABC), Bob Lindquist (Qupe), Fred Brander (Brander) and others. Many of these wines were Wine Cask labeled bottlings to serve as house wines for the restaurant; others were made under the MWC label and sold at retail. When Margerum left the restaurant business behind, he had plenty of winemaking experience and was finally able to devote his full time and attention to winemaking at Margerum Wine Company, where he focuses on Rhone style red wines and eclectic whites, assisted by production winemaker, Doug "Scotty" Scott....  ... Sweet ripe fruit, both red (raspberry and cherry) and black, combine for a bombastic, high tempered, full bodied red wine in a Chateauneuf du Pape style that, like I said, will kick out the jams and give you immediate flavor gratification.

5 STARS - From Steve Tanzer of San Francisco, California on 9/17/2008.
Medium, bright-rimmed red. Sexy raspberry and white pepper on the nose, with a subtle anise quality adding complexity. Bright raspberry and cherry flavors offer impressive depth and urgency, fleshing out with air but maintaining verve. There's an impressive delicacy and understatement here that reminded me of pinot noir. It should be noted that Margerum's winery boasts an impressive set of racks filled with some of the greatest Burgundies and Rhones-and even some Bordeaux too.

A popular wine at the girl and the fig, it is a perfect compliment to any meat dish such as our butcher steak or roast lamb but is delicate enough to pair with our quiche or duck confit.

Truchard 2007 Roussanne, Carneros

Truchard Vineyards is a small, family-owned winery in the Carneros region of Napa Valley. Proprietors Tony and Jo Ann Truchard have managed a successful vineyard and grown exceptional grapes for over 30 years. Through their hard work and devotion to this unique property, they helped pioneer grape growing in the Carneros. In 1989, the Truchards established a winery and began producing wines using only their estate-grown fruit.

Truchard Vineyards, located it Sonoma’s Carneros District has been producing grapes for over 30 years on the site of an old prune orchard. While well known for many varietals, one of the most unusual is the 3 acre parcel planted to a the not so common Roussanne. Growing in soils composed of volcanic rock and ash, the vines benefit from the gently sloped terrain and cooler Carneros temperatures.

Roussanne, one of the white grape varietals of the Rhone is most often blended with Marsanne and rarely seen on it’s own. Truchard believes this challenging grape can achieve greatness when grown in the correct area and allowed to ripen to perfect maturity.

Rich flavors of green apple, honeydew melon and lychee are balanced by sweet aromas of nectarine, pears and pineapple all brought together with a citrus-mineral acidity which makes for an unctuous yet clean bright palate.


WINEMAKING: All of the fruit was whole cluster pressed and fermented in French oak barrels (20%) new. After fermentation the wine remains in barrel on the lees (sur lie) for 6 months. A partial malolactic fermentation (30% complete) allows the wine to retain its natural acidity, while regular stirring of the lees (battonage) gives added complexity and richness. 
This wine was bottled in May 2006.
Case Production: 969 cases

This wine lends itself to a number of dishes but has a special affinity to richer style fish preparations such as our local black cod with a black truffle emulsion.

Bonny Doon 2004 Le Cigare Volant, California

Le Cigare Volante is French for The Flying Cigar. (There is or was a particularly strange ordinance on the books of the village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, adopted in 1954, prohibiting the landing of “flying saucers” and “flying cigars” in its vineyards.) Le Cigare Volante is Randall Grahm's homage to the wines of  Châteauneuf-du-Pape, though typically less alcoholic or tannic than the originals.

Blend: Grenache 38%, Syrah 35%, Mouvedre 12%, Carignane 8% and Cinsault 7%
Body: med-bodied,
Color: nice red color and - darker and richer than the previous vintages
Aromas: smells like berries
Alcohol:  13.5%
Case Production: 3,500 cases and interestingly getting smaller

Lots of dark berries flavor at first, very smooth but has a grenache bite at the end. Recommended to drink now.

Bonny Doon was founded in 1983 by Randall Grahm who is the winemaker and President. Bonny Doon is based in Santa Cruz.  Bonny Doon became known for using grapes from less known varietals and is considered a pioneer of their work with Rhone varietals.  Randall Grahm wanted to return to his roots and “focus on making the most soulful wines we can muster” and decided to start bio dynamic farming in 2004.

From UC Santa Cruz Alumni Files:
Randall Grahm (early ’70s, German Literature).
Internationally renowned in the wine and food world for the award-winning wines he produces as the owner of Bonny Doon Vineyards, and erudite, humorous and unorthodox wine labels and newsletters. Described by Sunset magazine as “one part Baron Philippe de Rothschild, one part Monty Python.” Grahm won the Wine and Spirits Professional of the Year award in 1994 (nominated by the James Beard Foundation) and the Bon Appétit magazine 1999 Wine and Spirits Professional of the Year award (though, he writes, “that distinction is still subject to a recount in New York State”). In 1992, the “Rhoneranger” asteroid was named in his honor. Grahm describes himself as “a vitizen of the world.”  Photo by Hillary Schalit 

from the Feedbag ...
Grahm, best known for being the man who introduced Rhone grapes to America, is especially adored by the more morally-minded wine people for his strongly principled stances and aphoristic pronouncements, like this one; “BY SOUL I MEAN SOIL, AND BY SOIL I MEAN TERROIR,” and “MINERALITY = LIFE FORCE.”


DOON to Earth - Randall's Comic Strip 
"Deep red. Smoky aromas of raspberry, cherry, herbs and flowers are complemented by minerality. Mid-weight red berry and sweet cherry flavors are given spine by gentle acidity and silky tannins. The red fruit takes a darker turn on the finish, which leaves black raspberry and succulent herbs behind. Reminds me of an easygoing Gigondas; this is ready to drink." (Nov/Dec '08) Bonny Doon's Châteauneuf-du-Pape impersonator-it's hard to believe it's not the real thing. First released in 1984, this blend of grenache, syrah, mourvèdre and cinsault pushed the boundaries of what was available at the time. Named for the storied cigar-shaped UFOs seen over the vineyards of Châteauneuf, this wine is an homage to the region and to mystery. Jammy raspberry, floral, anise and garrigue aromas give way to bright red fruit highlighted by meaty syrah and mourvèdre undertones and a streak of minerals.  ... From Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

2006 Prospect 772 Sierra Foothills "The Brat"

Founders Ron Pieretti and Wendy Sanda bought a 25-acre parcel in Calaveras County in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, where land is still reasonably priced. Their focus is Rhône varietals, and winemaker Jeff Cohn crafts two wines — The Brat, a Grenache-based blend, and The Brawler, a blend of Syrah and Viognier.

Made from Grenache and Syrah, this Rhône-style blend has pronounced flavors of cherries, accented with sweet, vanilla-tinged new oak. It’s bone dry, and the tannins are pronounced, making the palate long for a bite of well-marbled, grilled steak. Best now for freshness.

Winemaker Jeff Cohn supplies his expertise on the Rhône-inspired wines of Prospect 772, located in the Sierra Foothills just outside of Angels Camp.
It is a blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah.

Sierra Foothills/El Dorado - This sweeping inland territory (an AVA on its own right), encompassing El Dorado, Fiddletown, Shenandoah and Amador, has been on the grape-growing map since the Gold Rush. With the exception of high-altitude El Dorado, the vineyards here are sun-baked and hot—in other words, best suited to old-vine zinfandel, petit sirah and Rhône varietals. The cooler climes of El Dorado are ideal for cabernet, chardonnay and merlot.

The Sierra Foothills, southeast of Sacramento, are now making some of California's most exciting Rhone-style wines. Four Vines, with an Amador Bailey Vineyard Syrah, is joined by Prospect 772 among those excellent Rhone variety-based wines from the Sierra Foothills. Prospect 772 is a new label from Ron and Wendy Pieretti with Jeff Cohn, of J.C. Cellars (and formerly of Rosenblum), overseeing winemaking. Prospect 772's two wines are The Brawler (Syrah and Viognier) and The Brat (Syrah and Grenache), and their prices are excellent.

Calveras County is a picturesque and remote area in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Popular with outdoorsmen, the region also serves as a northern entrance into Yosemite National Park. In 1865, Mark Twain immortalized the area in his tale of “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County”. 

Through the 1850s and ‘60s, this was the heart of the Gold Rush. Prospectors of many national origins arrived in the area afflicted with Gold Fever. Those who stayed, notably the French and the Italians, quickly established vineyards and a reputation for producing the best wines in California. Many of these vineyards would long outlive the boom and bust of the Gold Rush and a century and a half later, the red clay and gravelly slopes of Calaveras County are yielding another kind of Mother Lode – the gold medal winning wines of the region. Calaveras County forms the southern third of the broad Sierra Foothills AVA which also covers much of El Dorado and Amador counties to the north. Vineyards here generally lie between 1500 and 2400 ft in elevation – higher and cooler than those in Amador.

According to Wine Spectator: "Ripe, fleshy and full-bodied, with tasty plum and black cherry fruit that has a slight candied edge, ending with a crisp berry aftertaste. Grenache and Syrah. Drink now through 2013. 153 cases made."

Submitted by James Cross

Schulz 2006 Fortunati Vineyard Syrah

THE FORTUNATI VINEYARD was planted by Gary Luchtel of Surh Luchtel Cellars. John Schulz and Gary grew up together in a small town in Iowa and through that relationship Schulz Cellars was fortunate enough to secure a contract on a 2 acre block of Syrah. The Fortunati Vineyard is situated in the heart of the Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley. Syrah has become an important part of the Oak Knoll AVA due to the ideally suited deep clay loam soils, which produce wines that are rich and complex.

Tasting Notes: Rich but not too fat with a solid core of tannins. Bright and vibrant red cherry fruit with a rich, round mouth feel ending with a hint of anise and cloves.

Varietal Make up:
100% Syrah 
Appellation:  Oak Knoll District

Cooperage: 50% French Oak, 50% American Oak,
50% new barrels
18 months in barrel 

Release Date: June 2007 

Production: 200 cases

Schulz “Fortunati” Syrah is a classically styled Napa Valley wine showing rich, smooth flavors with a firm structure giving it depth and complexity. Beginning with deep, dark fruit aromas that are followed by layers of rich, dense black berry and black cherry flavors leading to a very round texture in the mouth with structure enough to give a long lingering finish.

90 points - Wine Spectator
 "Serves up a complex mix of dark berry, blue, boysenberry and huckleberry all show prominently displayed, joined by spice, leather, cedar and herbal scents. Supple textured."
Drink now through 2013.
The name alone of Napa Valley’s Oak Knoll AVA, with its ideal climate and soil for bold red grapes, inspires taste buds around the globe, so when we had the chance to sample John and Michelle’s Fortunati Vineyard Syrah we were obviously excited. John Schulz is a big shot over at von Strasser, one of our favorite Napa Wineries, and thus we were able to get the inside scoop on his own labor of love. Once you taste this Syrah, you’ll fall in love too.

More info from the Wine Spies Tasting Profile:
Look – Dark purple, inky and almost black in color with deep dark garnet edges and clusters of fast thin legs that streak down the edge of the glass when swirled.
Smell– Big, bold and complex in its nose with aromas of wild blackberry and bilberry over a base of black pepper, fresh cut cedar and hints of floral lavender, mocha and an earthy quality.
Feel – Full-bodied, dry and rich with a smooth supple tannins and a touch of spice on the edge of the palate. Its balanced acidity provides a creamy round texture for the bold flavors to come.
Taste – Extremely well integrated for a relatively youthful wine, with flavors of ripe black fruit, ripe plum, mild black pepper and hints of cedar, leather, wild fennel and cocoa.
Finish – This wine finishes long with lingering flavors of its ripe fruit and complex earth, wood and spice components.
Conclusion – The 2006 Fortunati Vineyard Syrah is a delicious wine that is perfect for cozying up to a warm fire with your favorite secret agent. Well integrated and complete with classic aromas and flavors, this is a Syrah that is drinking beautifully now but will also continue to develop over the coming years.

Submitted by James Cross