Loxton, 2006 Archer Vineyards, Russian River Valley

The Archer vineyard is a great site located in the rolling hills of Russian River, just south of Healdsburg.  A wine for richer dishes or the cellar.  The Loxton wines are made to showcase the varietal and vineyard site in which the grapes are grown. The vineyard is gently sloped for optimal sun exposure in this cool climate. Chris Loxton seeks to make wines of balance; the goal being to have fruit driven wines of complexity and depth of character without being heavy or unbalanced. The approach is deliberately low tech and non-interventionist in the belief that the ultimate wine character is determined in the vineyard for each given year, and that manipulation of the wine tends to decrease its given uniqueness.

"Chris founded Loxton Cellars in 1996 to specialize in the limited production of ultra-premium Syrah wines. Being Australian by birth, a country where the dominant red wine grape is Syrah (or Shiraz as Australians would say) and with both my father and grandfather growing Syrah, along with other Rhone varieties, Syrah was a natural focus. With California becoming an adopted home, it was a natural extension to also produce limited quantities of California’s “native” grape, Zinfandel. Indeed, both are favorite wines to drink."

Winemaking philosophy from the website and with Chris Loxton’s own words: “The Loxton wines are made to showcase the varietal and vineyard site in which the grapes are grown. I seek to make wines of balance; the goal being to have fruit driven wines of complexity and depth of character without being heavy or unbalanced. The approach is deliberately low tech and non-interventionist in the belief that the ultimate wine character is determined in the vineyard for each given year, and that manipulation of the wine tends to decrease its given uniqueness.

Strict attention is given in the vineyard, with vineyard location being of prime importance and the ability to work with the grower and have input on grape quality also being a factor. I work closely with each of the vineyard owners to obtain the highest possible grape quality and then work towards ensuring that from vineyard to bottle, the wine will reflect the very best of these individual vineyard sites. It is also important to pick at optimum ripeness, neither under- nor over- ripe.

Winemaking is directed towards extracting, then protecting, those characters that make the wine unique (includes gentle handling of grapes and wine, neither fining nor filtering where possible) without overcoming them with the winemaker’s choices (excessive extraction and oak).”

Varietal: Syrah

Vintage: 2006

Aroma: A floral aspect reminiscent of violets.

Body:  This wine shows uncommon richness and concentration, excellent soft tannins.

Cases produced: 198

2008 DEWN Ca’del Solo Grenache Blanc

Bonny Doon is Demeter Certified Bio-dynamic. They aspire to produce wines in a more unaffected, hands-off style, with minimal wine-making intervention or manipulation. The intent is to restore life and vitality to the soil and respect the farm as a complex and self-sustaining organism, which makes it a perfect fit on the girl & the fig’s wine menu.  

From the website: A wondrous California poppy-like wine full of zesty pear and spice extraordinaire made from Biodynamic Grenache blanc from our Ca’ del Solo vineyard in Monterey.  Subtly ripe fruit notes of quince, citrus rind and green melon lead to a lush lightly spiced palate of nutmeg and cinnamon with a long creamy finish.  

Winemaker Notes: This small lot, single vineyard, wine was hand harvested and sorted in late Fall, fermented in stainless steel and aged for 3 months in French oak puncheons, 20% of which were new. Ready to drink but able to develop for another 18-24 months. 

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.”

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.” 

Vintage: 2008

Varietal: 100% Grenache Blanc

Aromas: Wintergreen, hazelnut, pineapple salsa

Body: Full and lush

Vineyard: Ca’ del Solo, Monterey County

Alcohol by Volume: 14.5%

Serving Temperature: 45-55º F

Cellaring: 1-2 years

Production: 440 cases 

Villa Creek, 2007 Damas Noir, Paso Robles

the girl & the fig has a wine list newcomer that is 100% Mourvèdre.

In the spirit of the great wine producers of the southern Rhone and the bodegas of Rioja and Priorat, blending is what Villa Creek does best. The area’s finest Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Tempranillo Vineyards are just a stone’s throw from the west Paso Robles winery where these blends are produced by winemaker/owners Cris and JoAnn Cherry.  Delicious, complex, fruit forward wines that express the climate and terroir of Paso Robles are what Villa Creek is known for.

From the website:

"VILLA CREEK Mourvèdre Paso Robles Damas Noir 2007 Score: 91
Rustic and earthy, with a rich core of graphite, pebble, dried currant and berry flavors. Full-bodied, deep and persistent, gaining a touch of road tar on the finish, where this ends with great traction and chewy tannins. Drink now through 2016. 205 cases made. —J.L."  The Wine Spectator, September 2010

"One of my favorite wineries from Paso Robles is Villa Creek Cellars, which fashions innovative Rhone Ranger blends."   Robert Parker Jr. The Wine Advocate

Villa Creek Cellars recognizes the traditions of the old world while embracing technological advances of the new. Sorting tables are used pre and post destemming to ensure that all wines begin with clean fruit. Whole cluster fermentations add texture and terroir with a nod to tradition. Fermentations are slow and natural. Careful blending insures the creation of complex, well rounded wines. Vines are carefully monitored at the end of the growing season. 

Those with patience are rewarded with cool nights and warm days that allow the grapes to slowly finish the ripening process, complex flavors and textures developing along the way.Villa Creek wines are produced in very limited quantities to maintain a hands on approach, with 3000 cases being the largest vintage to date.

Vintage: 2007

Varietal: Mourvèdre

Elevage: “Barrel fermented in new French 500 liter Puncheons, 100% whole cluster, basket pressed, racked once off gross lees, 18 months maturation.”

Aroma:  “Explosive notes of blackberries, white pepper, nutmeg, salt water, and fennel.”

Body:  “Rich and lush without being fat. Boysenberries, sexy Asian spices, sea salt carmels, new saddle leather, with hints of cured meats and blue violets.  Firm yet integrated tannins that provide a pure long finish.  It will be a pleasure to see this wine evolve over the next 8-10 years.”

Shane, 2009 Ma Fille, Sonoma Valley

Shane winery produces Rhône varietals exclusively, which plays right into the hand of the girl & the fig’s “Rhône alone” wine list.  This particular Rosé exhibits striking neon pink and ruby accented color.  Ma Fille means “my daughter” in French.

From the website:  “Our mission is to produce hand-crafted, small lot, terrior-specific Rhône varietal wines infused with the passion of their winemaker and the purity of their vineyards.  We work exclusively with growers committed to the highest expressions of their vineyards.  With such partnerships, we seek to create wines of nuance, balance and originality.”

SHANE FINLEY, in the summer of 2001, left New York City and his job with an insurance company to begin his winemaking career as a harvest intern. Without any formal training in wine, he started at the bottom and began to work his way up. Shane's first harvest was in Santa Rosa, CA at Copain Wines. He was given the opportunity to participate in all facets of winemaking and the experience galvanized his desire to continue his winemaking career. 

In 2002, Shane worked for Torbreck Vintners in South Australia's Barossa Valley as a harvest intern. After completing the vintage at Torbreck, Shane moved to the Northern Rhône to take a year internship at Domaine Pierre Gaillard. Unlike his previous posts, Shane worked in the vineyards as well as the cellar. Living in the small town of Malleval, Shane spent much of his time with Pierre and his family. It was at the Gaillard's dinner table where he built the foundation of his winemaking philosophy. Upon his return to California in July of 2003, Shane became the Cellar Master at Copain Custom Crush. He began working closely with clients such as Dumol, Carlisle, and Pisoni Estate as well as Copain Wines' winemaker Wells Guthrie. In 2005, Shane took the job as Assistant Winemaker at Paul Hobbs Winery. Here he began to cement his winemaking philosophy. 

In the spring of 2006, Shane accepted the position of Associate Winemaker at Kosta Browne Wines. Shane works closely with Michael Browne crafting their renowned pinot noirs.

In his spare time, Shane is the owner and winemaker of Shane Wine Cellars.

Varietal: Syrah

Aroma:  Watermelon, passion fruit, papaya, citrus, and pomegranate.        

Body:  “The acidity is focused and zippy. The Ma Fille packs impressive depth for a rosé – especially one with sub-fourteen percent alcohol. This is a wine of well-defined edges, refreshing flavors, and a juicy finish.” - Shane Finley

Cases produced: 250

Appellation: Sonoma County

Sine Qua Non, 2007 Labels, Central Coast

“Sine Qua Non” is latin for “without which, one cannot.”  It may also be interpreted as an essential element, a prerequisite, or a requirement.  Browsing through the general public's comments about the wine, you come across adjectives and nouns such as “outstanding”, “a masterpiece”, “a superstar”, “amazing” and “explosive”.  It’s no wonder, then, how Manfred Krankl came to name it.

From the Wine Advocate:   “A blend of 89% Syrah, 7% Grenache, and 4% Viognier from four separate vineyards (the estate vineyards – 11 Confessions and Cumulus, and the two vineyards where Krankl purchases fruit – Whitehawk and Bien Nacido), this dense purple-hued offering displays a beautiful bouquet of graphite, spring flowers, blueberries, blackberries, and wood spice. It possesses fabulous fruit, layers of silky tannin, and good acidity – all seamlessly melded into the wine’s structure. Already delicious, it should put on weight and add additional nuances after bottling.”

Ventura County, home of Krankl’s  Sin Qua Non winery, publishes Ventana Monthly, a magazine that in 2007 illuminated Krankl’s rise to wine stardom: “Manfred Krankl’s path to the Westside and winemaking begins in his homeland of Austria, which accounts for his affable accent…he met an American girl in Mikonos, Greece, and after less than a year back in Austria he headed to California and never looked back. .. Krankl and his wife, Elaine, had moved to an unincorporated part of West Ventura—a rural plot at the edge of Lake Casitas—to get away from it all. But he was still driving to L.A. everyday, and that’s how Ventura became home to what would become his celebrated Sine Qua Non Winery. He wanted a place between his new property and L.A. where he could focus on making wine as a hobby. But his friends liked it so much they encouraged him to make wine to sell…So in 1994, he made about 100 cases—it sold out immediately, and somehow Robert Parker of The Wine Advocate got a hold of one. A critic whose approval is priceless in the industry, Parker rated it an amazing 95 points, a number unheard of for first-timers and most lifelong vintners alike. “

Vintage: 2007

Varietal: Syrah

Aroma: Graphite, spring flowers, blueberries, blackberries, and wood spice.

Body:  Fruit, layered with silky tannin, and good acidity, seamlessly melded into the wine's structure.

Lioco, 2008 Indica, Carignan, Mendocino

Matt Licklider and Kevin O’Connor’s 2008 Indica is an interesting blend of old-vine carignan (66%), mourvedre (25%), and petite sirah (9%).  At the girl & the fig it’s sold by the glass and goes nicely with our fromage tower.

From the website: “The fruit was hand harvested, sorted and then fermented in stainless steel tanks using a wild yeast. Malolactic fermentation occurred naturally and finished completely. The wine remained in neutral French oak on fine-lees for 10-months and bottled without fining or filtration.” 

“A selection of benchland vineyards in Mendocino’s redwood valley compose this wine. The fruit comes from predominately old-vines which are dry-farmed and head-pruned. This cool, upland valley supports gradual (and often late) ripening. The soil is red clay strewn with fist sized rocks. The combination of vine age, an extended growing season, and tougher soil conspires to produce complex, intense wines.”

About the proprietors:

Matt

Matt Licklider-

A late bloomer, Matt had his wine epiphany during the winter of 1995 while waiting tables in Aspen, Colorado to support a ski habit. It was a blind taste of Chambolle Musigny and the eloquent comments of Master Sommelier Damon Ornowski that sent him reeling. In short order Matt went to work for Boulder-based, boutique wine distributor, The Maxwell Company where he soon became the leading sales person. In August of 2005, Matt co-founded LIOCO with friend and colleague, Kevin O'Connor. Matt lives in San Francisco with his wife, Anneka. Wine aside, his passions include yoga, surfing, skiing, and cooking dinner with friends.

Kevin

Kevin O’Connor- 

Kevin cut his teeth on the "Old World" white wines his parents use to put on the dinner table. They drank white Bordeaux and Alsatian Riesling, and in particular white Burgundies with revered village names like Chablis, Pouilly Fuisse and Rully.

After a series of high-profile sommelier positions, Kevin was hired as wine director at Spago-Beverly Hills in 2001. His experience as a sommelier and wine director inevitably drew him towards winemaking. In 2000, Kevin harvested four tons of Sauvignon Blanc grapes from Rancho Sisquoc in Santa Maria valley and under the tutelage of friendly wine-making veterans Seth Kunin (Kunin Wines) and Steve Clifton (Brewer-Clifton/Palmina) made his first cuvee of stainless- steel wine. The idea of making wine without the use of oak vessels was immediately intriguing to Kevin because it allowed the grape to express itself unmasked and unflavored. The non-reactive ability of stainless-steel seemed to suit this desire.

“Lioco is a fusion of our last names, Licklider and O'Connor. LI-cklider + OCO-nnor = LIOCO.”

Aroma: Cassis, graphite, kalamata olive Flavors of plum, baking spice, violet

Body: Medium

Cases produced: 2300

Black Sheep, 2008 Cinsault, Dusty Lane, California

At the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains in Calaveras county, the gold-seeking 49ers were responsible for introducing wine making techniques and bringing grape cuttings from the old country.  Steve and Liz Millier, who own Black Sheep winery in Calaveras county, have made an exclusive 2008 Cinsault that by all accounts is quite enjoyable to the palate.  

Review:

Ken Zinns, a wine aficionado and assistant winemaker for 2 bay area wineries, attended 2010’s Rhone Rangers and wrote the following:  

“Black Sheep 2008 Cinsualt, Dusty Lane, California. Medium-light color, wild berry on the nose, lighter-bodied, fruit-forward, and with lower acidity, this doesn’t aim for anything complex, but it’s a pleasantly smooth and tasty wine.”

Steve Miller

History from their website:

Black Sheep Winery arrived in Murphys with the 1984 harvest. 
Our founders Janis and David Olson crushed their first Zinfandel, with assistance from current owner and winemaker, Steve Millier. The wine was styled in a big, bold way like nobody else could do. That's what makes us Black Sheep; we're different from the rest of the flock.


In 2007 David and Janis decided to retire and ride their bicycles into the sunset, they decided to turn over the Black Sheep legacy to their good friends Steve and Liz Millier. We are very familiar with the Black Sheep style, and are excited to carry on the tradition.


Steve Millier has had a very distinguished career for over 30 years. He began his journey at the David Bruce Winery in 1975, and has continued to make award winning wines at Stevenot, Ironstone and Milliaire.

Over the years we have expanded our offerings to include Cinsault, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and Shiraz.

“Our Cinsault is similar to Merlot, but much more elegant,” said Liz Millier, owner of Black Sheep Winery. “It is incredibly smooth with deep, dark fruit and a whisper of spice in the finish.”

Awards:
Double Gold - San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
Silver - Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Tasting


Appellation: Sierra Foothills
Varietal: Cinsault
Vintage: 2008
Aroma: Plum, wild berry, spicy zing, slight muskiness
Body: Light
Alcohol content: 14.5%
Cases produced: 200

Atmosphere, 2009 White Blend, La Prenda Vineyard, Sonoma Valley

Paul Hoffman, winemaker and proprietor of Atmosphere, has always loved the wine business and fine wines.  The magic of wine, he believes, stems from your surroundings while enjoying a bottle. Hence the unique name Atmosphere.  Atmosphere is a nice white blend of Marsanne and Roussanne.

Hoffman had nice things to say about the 09’ harvest: “The La Prenda Vineyard really did not want to let go of its fruit, but the Marsanne and Roussanne came in with great acidity and with decent weight - different than most.”  

From their website: Paul Hoffman has always had a passion for fine wines and the wine business. Having over sixteen years experience in hospitality, sales & marketing, distribution, winemaking/production, and business ownership, he has experienced the world of wine through many facets. 

Paul joined the Robert Mondavi Corporation in 2000. He moved up quickly through the organization assuming responsibility for wine education programs, developing a new sales function for private label wine, and enhancing and developing worldwide sales, marketing and educational programs for fine wine accounts. His organizational contributions in wine education resulted in his selection of the prestigious Michael Mondavi “Inspiration and Leadership” award.

In 2006, Paul had the opportunity to partner with a few outstanding winegrowers and harvest grapes from their vineyards to make wine of his own. These wines represent unique parcels of pristine vineyards in Sonoma County farmed with A+ quality in mind.

Located in western Sonoma Valley, bordering Carneros, the La Prenda Vineyard lives up to its English translation as “jewel” or “gift.” The site is very heavy, Montmorillonite clay that has a very high shrink/swell capacity. The vines are pruned cane with no spur and every other shoot is removed during suckering to immediately decrease the crop. We used a combination of Stainless, New and Neutral French Oak and aged the wine in those vessels as well. This method allowed us to capture the bright acidity and fresh fruit flavors of both varietals while weaving a small amount of oak to round out the finish.

50% Marsanne 50% Roussanne

Aroma: Apricots, pears, star fruit, spice, hint of oak

Body: Medium

150 cases produced

website

Yalumba, 2009 Viognier, Eden Valley

Yalumba’s 2009 Viognier is an exotic specialty from down under.  Australia’s Eden Valley meets the girl & the fig and pairs biodynamic viticulture with a biodynamic food menu!

                  

From the website: Yalumba was founded in 1849 by Samuel Smith, British migrant and English brewer, who had brought his family to Angaston seeking a new life…Samuel named his patch "Yalumba" – aboriginal for "all the land around". Five generations and 160 years later Yalumba, Australia's oldest family owned winery, has grown in size and stature, embodying all that has made the Australian wine success story the envy of winemakers the world over.


"Viognier is incredibly challenging and demands handling with kid gloves," says Yalumba winemaker, Louisa Rose. "It's unpredictable, difficult to grow and the yields are low. The variety always has the ability to surprise you - one day the grapes on the vine are dull and flavourless yet the very next day there'll be the explosion of musky apricot characters that make it so appealing."


Yalumba is also dedicated, much like the girl & the fig, to use the environment in a very beneficial way and without harming it.  "We are convinced that our efforts in protecting our natural resource base have reflected in the quality of the wines we share with the world. Quite simply, excellence in winemaking required excellence in environmental management – the two are inseparable. Our wines now celebrate this fact."

Robert Hill Smith, Proprietor

K & L wine merchants published this critique of Yalumba’s viognier:

"The Yalumba Eden Valley Viognier is rich and opulent with intense varietal flavour - classic apricot and white peach flavours combined with citrus freshness and a hint of spice. Partial barrel fermentation in French oak has contributed the complexity essential in creating a truly intriguing wine." 

89 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar: "Bright, greenish gold. High-pitched aromas of lime, orange peel, pear and dusty minerals. Seductively fragrant but less exotic than most New World viogniers, offering spicy citrus fruit flavors and a subtle floral quality. Dry and firm on the finish, leaving behind spice and lime notes." (Jul/Aug 10) 

According to Wine Spectator: "Extra spicy, with more pepper and flower stem character than fruit. Yet this holds together, with the pear flavors coming through on the finish. Drink now." (06/10)

Aroma: white peach, apricots, citrus and spice

Body:  Full

Vintage: 2009

Varietal: Viognier

Appellation: Eden Valley, south Australia

Skylark Grenache 2007, Mendocino

The winemakers and owners at the Skylark Wine Company are good friends and together have made an exuberant Grenache.  

From the website: “Charlie Sawyer’s Grenache Vineyard sits above Ukiah at just under 1000 feet elevation.  This gently sloping, southwest facing block is 2.64 acres planted to the Tablas Creek clone of Grenache.  This is our first release from Charlie’s vineyard, and we definitely believe we have found our home with Grenache.  

Fermented in small, open top tank with 8% while clusters, it spent sixteen days on the skins with alternating punch downs and pump-overs, then racked to all used French cooperage.”

About the winemakers: “ John Lancaster, co-proprietor of Skylark Wine Company, is a graduate of Washington State University in Pullman, Washington. His passion for wine grew while working in the restaurant industry and brought him to the culinary destination of San Francisco. As the Wine Director of the wildly eclectic Cypress Club, he was recognized by the Wine Spectator for his wine list. For the past eleven years, John has been the Wine Director at the James Beard award winning Boulevard Restaurant. During his tenure at Boulevard, John has traveled extensively throughout the world's wine regions studying wine production. In addition to his professional duties at Boulevard, John is also a professional wine judge and consultant.”

“Robert Perkins, co-proprietor of Skylark Wine Company, is a graduate of Fine Art Painting from the San Francisco Art Institute. His designs are featured on every Skylark Wine label. When Robert is not in his studio in San Francisco, he is pursuing his other creative outlet, wine. With his expertise in the wine industry, Robert has been a wine consultant for several Bay Area restaurants. He has also worked hands-on in production at several small wineries including Nalle, Scherrer and Sean Thackrey.”

Sondra and John have known John Lancaster and Robert Perkins for at least 8 years seeing them off and on at Hospice du Rhone in Paso Robles.

Aroma: Red cherry, kirsch, raspberry, plum.

Palate: juicy, ripe cherry, balanced tannins and structure

Vintage: 2007
Varietal: Grenache
Appellation: Mendocino

Consilience 2007 Grenache Blanc, Santa Barbara

Consilience winery has been making wine since 1997, but was formally founded in 1999. They have been making wines "loosely focused around the typical Rhône varietals" (most of which are sourced from the Fess Parker estate) ever since. Their winemaking philosophy is to create wine with distinct expression of regional characteristics. Brett Escalera is the winemaker from Consilience. He brings experience from his ongoing tenure at Fess Parker Winery where he has been making wine since 1996. His position at Fess Parker's Winery also allows Consilience to source much of its fruit from that estate.


The admirable goals of Consilience wines are straightforward:  "To make the most expressive and reliably high quality wines possible, and to share them with an unsurpassed level of customer service.”  

Winemaker’s Comments: Grenache Blanc is the white berried form of Grenache, and also has its origins in the northeast of Spain where it is found in the blends from the Rioja.

Located in the wine country town of Los Olivos, Consilience winery’s grapes come from the Camp4 Vineyard, known for cool mornings, long warm days, and cool nights; perfect for maximum ripeness for Grenache Blanc, maintaining the necessary acidity. 

The cycle of cool mornings, warm days and return to cool evenings are what make this a prime growing area for the typical Rhone grape varieties. All factors make for a long growing season and maximal flavor development. Barrel fermented in older French and American oak, this Grenache Blanc proudly exhibits well rounded aromatics of caramel apple with that fresh from the orchard scent and crispness on the palate.

Aromas:  fresh green apples, bathed in rich, gooey caramel

Body:  smooth and luscious on the palate
Vintage: 2007
Varietal: Grenache Blanc
Appellation: Santa Barbara
Case Production: 447 cases

About the winemaker: Brett Escalera’s roots in winemaking can be traced back to his grandfathers who were both home winemakers, but his passion was inspired thru courses taught by Dr. Marian Baldy, author of The University Wine Course, while attending California State University, Chico as an undergraduate business major.In 1992 he enrolled as a graduate student at California State University, Fresno where he completed the course requirements for a second major in Enology, a minor in Viticulture, and a Masters of Science in Agricultural Chemistry. His thesis project work was on the trellising, training, and pruning of Chardonnay grapevines in Santa Barbara County to improve yield, fruit composition, and wine quality. 

After a very brief stint in 2005 as the Director of Winemaking for Central Coast Wine Services in Santa Maria, Brett returned to the Fess Parker organization in 2005 as the Head Winemaker for the Parker Station line of wines and more recently as the Director of Winemaking for the Parker Wine Center.