Category Archives: Sauvignon Blanc

Presqu’ile Winery – Los Olivos, CA

Posted on September 12, 2012 | 1 Comment

Presqu’ile Wine – Los Olivos, CA

Every time I head up to Los Olivos, CA, I feel like the town just gets better and better.  With every trip, I seem to uncover an incredible new wine or a fun, new place to grab a bite.  This past weekend was certainly no exception.

Presqu’ile Wine – Los Olivos, CA

Presqu’ile Wine – Los Olivos, CA

I decided to try the wines of Presqu’ile and instantly fell in love.  The Presqu’ile Wine tasting room is located a couple of doors down from the recently opened Sides Hardware & Shoes restaurant.  The restaurant had a 45 minute wait, so we put down our names and headed to Presqu’ile.

Anna Murphy in the Presqu’ile Wine Tasting Room

We walked in the front door and I couldn’t help notice the incredibly cool decor.  The room was painted in a deep charcoal that was warmed with splashes of color, interesting art, and great lighting.  It was refreshing to see a tasting room with such a unique and contemporary design.

Proper pronunciation of Presqu’ile cleverly written on the tasting room wall

Colorful art on the wall at Presqu’ile

Presqu’ile Wine Tasting Room

I was also thrilled to see a doggy water bowl on the front porch when we arrived.  Our dog Booker was welcomed inside and instantly made friends with the tasting room dog, Hazel.

Booker and his new friend Hazel having a blast

While the dogs played, we sat at the bar and started our tasting.  They offer a Presqu’ile Flight for $10 which includes a Sauvignon Blanc, a Chardonnay, a Rose and a Pinot Noir.  They also offer a tasting flight of 3 Pinot Noirs for $15, or you can taste all 6 wines for $20.

Wine wall at Presqu’ile

Presqu’ile Wine Tasting Menu

We opted for the “taste them all” option, and tasting room manager Anna Murphy took us through the line up while she told us about the history of the winery.

We learned that the Murphy Family owns Presqu’ile and that the name means “almost an island” – an homage to a very special piece of land in the Gulf Coast that belonged to her family and was lost during Hurricane Katrina.  The family is working on a permanent Santa Maria winery/tasting room that will open Summer 2013.

Chandelier in the Presqu’ile tasting room

Back to the wine.  I thought the entire line up was pretty incredible and had a difficult time picking favorites.  Winemaker Dieter Cronje handcrafts the wines in a perfectly balanced, elegant, food friendly style which I really enjoyed – especially in an area with so many super-juicy Pinot Noirs and buttery Chardonnays.

Photo of winemaker Dieter Cronje

Presqu’ile Wine Tasting Room

Presqu’ile Wine Tasting Room

The hot day helped me narrow down my purchases to a 2010 Presqu’ile Chardonnay Santa Maria Valley ($35) and a 2011 Presqu’ile Rose of Pinot Noir Santa Maria Valley ($18).  I will definitely be back for several bottles of Pinot Noir on my next visit.

Overall, I was so happy we visited Presqu’ile.  Anna was such a pleasure to chat with, the vibe of the tasting room was so welcoming and fresh, Booker got a great workout playing with Hazel, and the wines were fantastic.  I can’t wait for my next visit.

Click here to visit the Presqu’ile Winery website.

PRESQU’ILE WINERY – TASTING ROOM
2369 Alamo Pintado Avenue
Los Olivos, CA  93441
Phone: (805) 688-2022
Email: info@presquilewine.com
Tasting room hours: 11AM – 5PM Thursday through Monday

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Posted in Burgundy, CALIFORNIA, Chardonnay, Los Olivos, Pinot Noir, Rosé, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Sauvignon Blanc, WINERY/VINEYARD

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Wrath Wines – Monterey County

Posted on September 2, 2012 | 2 Comments

Wrath Wines

Wrath Wines

The Santa Lucia Highlands in Monterey County was yet-to-be-explored wine country for me until a couple of weekends ago.  After spending two perfect days soaking up as much of the area as I could, I found it to be a unique and very special place.

The SLH AVA sits in the Salinas Valley between the Santa Lucia and Gabilan Mountain Ranges, and enjoys a true cool climate thanks to fog and breezes blowing in from the Monterey Bay.  This makes it absolutely ideal for growing Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah – varieties that dominate in the area.  As a serious fan of Pinot Noir, I couldn’t wait to taste some new wines.

Wrath Wines

We spent most of our time on the River Road Wine Trail, which is essentially the main artery through the Valley and home to approximately 13 tasting rooms. The area is covered by over 50 vineyards, but most of them are private and solely grow grapes to sell to wine makers. We stopped at many of the tasting rooms along the wine trail, but I absolutely fell in love with Wrath Wines.

Exterior of the Wrath Wines tasting room

Exterior of the Wrath Wines tasting room

Aside from the fact that it’s surrounded by gorgeous vineyards, the Wrath Wines tasting room was not an immediate stunner. That is, until we stepped inside. Once I walked through the front door, I felt like I had entered a hidden oasis.

A view of the outdoors from inside the Wrath Wines tasting room

Wrath Wines tasting room

Wrath Wines

Inside, the tasting room was modern, simple & bright. We had our dog, Booker, with us and he was immediately welcomed to join us indoors. He quickly became friends with a winery dog named Penny and the two of them chased each other through the vines the entire time we tasted.  We decided to grab our first taste and join the doggies outside.

Sip Certified Wrath Wines

Wrath Wines

Wrath tasting menu

We enjoyed an outstanding line up of Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs, and Syrahs while relaxing by the pond. We also ordered a plate of crackers with local, hand crafted Monterey Jack cheese from Schoch Family Farmstead.

The cheese is hand-made just down the road from the winery by the Schoch family who have owned and operated their small dairy since 1944.  It was so yummy and paired so nicely with the wine that I hunted it down at The Cheese Shop in Carmel – right next to Wrath’s smaller Carmel tasting room.

Stunning views at Wrath Wines

Penny showing our dog Booker around the property…

Wrath Wines

Pond at the Wrath Wines tasting room

Outdoor seating at Wrath Wines

Outdoor seating at Wrath Wines

Wrath Wine & Schoch Family Farmstead Cheese

Wrath’s adorable winery dog, Penny

An incredible old building that sits next to the vineyards and can be seen on the label of every bottle of Wrath wine.

Even after spending a couple of hours at Wrath Wines, I didn’t want to leave.  The stunning scenery, amazing wine, and friendly people made the whole experience unforgettable.  I can’t think of a better place to lose track of an afternoon.  Wrath is not to be missed.

Click here to visit the Wrath Wines website.

WRATH WINES
35801 Foothill Road
Soledad, CA 93960
Phone: (831) 678-2212
Email: info@wrathwines.com
Tasting room hours: 11AM – 5PM Friday through Monday

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Posted in CALIFORNIA, Central Coast / Monterey, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, WINERY/VINEYARD

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Foxen Vineyard & Winery…Again.

Posted on March 7, 2012 | 3 Comments

I realize this is the third time (at least) I’ve written about Foxen Vineyard & Winery, but as I sit here opening up my latest wine club shipment, I feel like a quick post is definitely in order.

Foxen Wine Club Open House

I patiently waited for three long years to be accepted into Foxen’s Anchor Wine Club.  Due to the relatively small production at Foxen, wine club membership is limited and waiting lists are often long.  But now that I’m a member, I can say without hesitation that the wait was 100% worth it.

As a member of the Foxen Anchor Club, I’ve been enjoying great discounts at the winery and feel like a kid on Christmas every time I receive one of my regular quarterly wine shipments (many of which are wine club exclusives).  However, one of my best club experiences thus far happened on February 25th at Foxen’s first ever Wine Club Open House.

Heading into the barrel room at Foxen's Wine Club Open House

We started our day of tasting at the Foxen shack where we tried a few wines before heading up to the newer, larger winery for the private event.  When we arrived, we were led directly into the barrel room – a place that I’ve been dying to see ever since it was built.

Inside the Foxen Vineyard & Winery barrel room...

We signed in, were given name tags and wine glasses, and started our tasting on the east side of the barrel room.  As we walked past neatly stacked barrels towards the folding table where a small crowd was gathered, I realized the man pouring was winemaker Bill Wathen.

Foxen's winemaker Bill "Billy" Wathen

Bill “Billy” Wathen has been lovingly hand-crafting the wines at Foxen from day one.  As I walked up to Billy, I have to admit I felt a bit starstruck.  I’ve been hearing about the “Foxen Boys” Bill and Dick for years, but I had never met them in the flesh.

I introduced myself to Billy and he poured us tastes of his latest offerings, including a 2010 Sauvignon Blanc – Vogelzang Vineyard, a 2010 Chardonnay – Tinaquaic Vineyard, a 2010 Pinot Noir – Santa Maria Valley, and a 2010 Pinot Noir – John Sebastiano Vineyard.

More views from inside the Foxen barrel room

I truly have never tried a wine at Foxen that I didn’t like and I feel like the Pinot Noir’s that come out of Foxen are unparalleled.  Such was the case during this visit.  It was such a wonderful opportunity to have the winemaker walk us through his creations.  I’m sure I drove Billy a bit crazy with my questions, but I loved every moment of the experience.

After we tried the first four wines, we headed to the snack table where we grabbed a selection of cheeses, almonds, olives, meats and chocolates – all of which were a nice complement to the wine.   Then we moved on to the west side of the barrel room to finish our tasting.

More views from inside the Foxen barrel room...

On the way to the west end of the room, we bumped into Dick Dore – Bill Wathen’s partner at Foxen and the man behind the slogan “if you don’t know Foxen, you don’t know Dick”.  We got a chance to speak to Dick about some of the dinners and events Foxen has coming up – some of which were happening in my hometown just outside of Chicago.  Yes, yet another starstruck moment.

We found that Billy had moved to the west side tasting table, so we were fortunate enough to have him pour our last three tastes – a 2009 Pinot Noir – La Encantada Vineyard, a 2008 Volpino – Santa Ynez Valley, and a 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon – Vogelzang Vineyard.

The wine list from the Foxen Wine Club Open House

We chatted a bit more and enjoyed our last tastes on a picture-perfect Santa Maria afternoon.  I walked away with a couple extra bottles of the 2010 John Sebastiano Vineyard and the 2009 La Encantada Vineyard Pinot Noir’s – both of which were too good for words.  If you can get your hands on either bottle, you’ll be very pleased you did.  They’re heavenly.

Dick Dore outside the Foxen Vineyard & Winery barrel room

I absolutely loved being part of this wine club event and hope it’s something Foxen does more regularly.  I’ve been to several other wine club events, but I’ve never been to one that felt quite so relaxed and personal.  It was so nice to meet Billy, Dick, Allyson, Lee and the rest of the crew.

As I open my wine club shipment, I feel like I have an even deeper connection to what is inside and know a bit more about how each wine came to be.  I look forward to the next one…

Click here to visit the Foxen Vineyard website.

FOXEN WINERY & VINEYARD
(business address & tasting room)
7600 Foxen Canyon Road
Santa Maria, CA 93454
Phone: (805) 937-4251
Fax: (805) 937-0415
Tasting room hours: 11AM – 4PM Daily

(foxen 7200 “the shack”)
7200 Foxen Canyon Road
Santa Maria, CA 93454
Phone: (805) 937-4251
Fax: (805) 937-0415

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Posted in Burgundy, Cabernet Sauvignon, CALIFORNIA, Chardonnay, Foxen Canyon Wine Trail, Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Santa Rita Hills, Santa Ynez Valley, Sauvignon Blanc, WINERY/VINEYARD

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Alta Maria Vineyards

Posted on February 5, 2012 | 2 Comments

Alta Maria Vineyards

It seems like every time I visit the Santa Maria Valley north of Santa Barbara, I discover an incredible wine that I’ve never tried before.  On a recent visit, I not only found some new wines, but I discovered one of my new favorite wineries in the area.

Alta Maria Vineyards Tasting Room

Alta Maria Vineyards Tasting Room

Tucked away in the charming town of Los Olivos sits the new Alta Maria Vineyards tasting room.  Although the tasting room is less than one year old, wine makers Paul Wilkins and James Ontiveros have been making wine for years.  In fact, the Ontiveros family has a long ranching and farming history in the area.  They drove thousands of heads of cattle into the Santa Maria Valley in the early 1800′s, finally settling there on the Rancho Tepusquet Land Grant of 1837.

With a rich farming history, a shared love of the land in the Santa Maria Valley, and a mutual passion for wine running through their blood, college friends Paul and James decided to turn their passions into careers.  James’ expertise lies in viticulture while Paul serves as winemaker.

Pinot Noir label from Alta Maria Vineyards

Before stopping in the tasting room, I had heard about Alta Maria Vineyards and had seen their unmistakable bottles at specialty wine stores around CA.

The artwork on Alta Maria’s wines features hand-hewn iron nails used by homesteaders in Santa Maria before the Industrial Revolution.  Each nail was essentially a one-of-a-kind based on the conditions in which it was made along with the expertise of the craftsman.  This same idea of uniqueness and authentic, artisan craftsmanship carries seamlessly through to the wines of Alta Maria Vineyards.

Inside the Alta Maria Vineyards tasting room

Inside the Alta Maria Vineyards tasting room

When we walked into the gorgeous tasting room, we had our dog with us and assumed we would be sitting outside with him.  On the contrary, he was welcomed inside with open arms and sat by us at the bar while we did our tasting.

Inside the Alta Maria Vineyards tasting room

Inside, the tasting room was warm and comfortable with natural stone floors, aged leather chairs, and a great cowhide rug.  Our tasting consisted of four Alta Maria Vineyards wines: a 2010 Sauvignon Blanc, a 2009 Chardonnay, a 2009 Pinot Noir, and a 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon.

Our dog Booker napping on the nice, cool floor

We also tried a 2008 and 2009 Native9 Pinot Noir, and a 2008 Autonom Rhone Cuvee.  Native9 (strictly Pinot Noir) and Autonom (focused on Rhone varietals) are labels Paul and James produce in limited quantities along with the Alta Maria wines.

The wines of Alta Maria Vineyards

I truly loved all the wines we tried and could taste the attention to detail in each glass.  I took home a few bottles of the crisp Alta Maria Sauvignon Blanc, the Alta Maria Pinot Noir, and the lush Autonom Rhone Cuvee – all of which I thought were really exceptional.

Alta Maria Vineyards

I’m so glad to have found Alta Maria Vineyards and recommend it to anyone visiting Los Olivos.  It is officially on my list of regular go-to spots in the area.

Click here to visit the Alta Maria Vineyards website.

ALTA MARIA VINEYARDS
2933 Grand Avenue
Suite A
Los Olivos, CA  93441
Phone:   (805) 686-1144
Email: aminfo@altamaria.com
Tasting room hours:  11AM – 5PM Daily

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Posted in Cabernet Sauvignon, CALIFORNIA, Chardonnay, Foxen Canyon Wine Trail, Los Olivos, Pinot Noir, Rhone, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Sauvignon Blanc, WINERY/VINEYARD

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