Paso Robles here I come! I’ve read a lot about these wines and was excited to get out there and see what all the hype is about. So I started my day a Peachy Canyon, a winery that has two wines that I’ve had before, the Westside Road Zinfandel and the Eastside Road Zinfandel. I was able to try a few of their other Zins including Old School House, Snow Vineyard, Mr. Wilson’s, Mustang Springs, and their Bordeaux blend Para Siempre. Out of all of these, I thought the Snow Vineyard was the best, but none made me say “I must have”.

I might have felt this way about Peachy Canyon because the next stop I went to was Turley….. yum Turley. Turley was pouring four wines: 2004 Mead Ranch Zin, 2004 Duarte Contra Costa Zin, 2004 Dusi Vineyard Zin, and the 2003 Pesenti Vineyard Zin. All four were great, but here is a quick breakdown. The Mead Ranch had dark fruit flavors and some spice, though I think you should age this a little for more complexity. The Duarte was a jammy, robust, and complex wine full of black cherries and spice, The Dusi was dark ruby in color with flavors of dark plums, black currants, and some Asian spices. The Pesenti, which was my favorite, had good tannins, fresh berry and chocolate flavors, crisp acidity, and a polished finish. I wasn’t surprised how good the wines were, come on their Turley, but I was taken aback at how cheap the prices were. Most of the wines where in the $30-$40 range with 2, the Juvenile and Old Vines, in the $20’s. I know back in NYC, Turley sells for more that so of course, I picked up a few bottles

It’s tough to follow Turley, but I believe Dover Canyon, which was my next stop, did a great job. I never heard of this winery before but all the locals recommended it. The tasting room is in a cool little house with barrels right adjacent to the tasting bar, which is good because it meant the room had to be cold (it was 100 degrees outside). Our pourer was Tyler, a cool ex-Upstate NYer, who discussed the wines, food pairings, and recipes with us. Dover was pouring their:
2004 Viognier Hansen Vineyard - Floral aromas with mango, peach and citrus on the palette
2001 Merlot Cougar Ridge Vineyard - Deep in color with aromas of blackberry and cherry, medium-high tannin, medium-high acidity
2001 Menage - Fruit forward Bordeaux blend with tastes of black cherry and spcie
2003 Cabernet Sauvignon Hansen Vineyard - Black cherry, anise, and oak flavors
2002 Syrah - Blueberry and chocolate aromas ans flavors are followed by the meaty finish
2000 Syrah - High acid and high alcohol are well integrated with flavors of blackberry and vanilla
2004 Old Vine Zinfandel Benito Dusi Vineyard - raspberries and white pepper aromas, having flavors of plum and cinnamon
2004 Cujo Zinfandel - Deep cherry and raspberry flavors, with high alcohol and hish acidity making a great wine
2003 Zinfandel Port - Sweet zin with black cherry and raspberry exploding flavors

I picked up a bottle of the 2000 Syrah and then headed to lunch…..

The Dude is back! I’m currently driving through the California Central Coast and stopping at all different wineries along the way. I plan to try some wines that I’ve had or heard of before, as well as some of the local favorites.

The first winery I hit on my trip was Gainey Vineyard. They were pouring 9 wines for $10. Quick side note. I pretty much stopped going to Napa because every tasting room charges for the tasting and they usually don’t waive the fee if you purchase a bottle. Sadly, this happened on my first experience in Santa Ynez

Gainey was pouring their 2005 Riesling and the 2004 Dry Riesling, 2003 Limited Selection Sauvignon Blanc, 2002 Limited Selection Chardonnay, 2005 Rose, 2004 Limited Selection Cabernet Franc, 2003 Merlot, 2001 Special Selection Merlot, Pinot Noir (not sure of the year), and their Syrah (again don’t know the year). The last 2 were special bottles usually not opened for tasting and cost $75 each. Though they were very good, they were $75 bottles and it was too early in my trip to start buying at that price point. I did pick up a bottle of the Riesling, which had good medium acidity and body with some pear notes.

The next winery we went to was a small shack off Fox Canyon Road called Foxen. “Shack” in this case was a cool thing. It was rustic, fun, and initmate, though the wines were polished and tasty. I can’t seem to find my tasting sheet, but I did buy a bottle of their 2002 Santa Barbara County Syrah, which I’m drinking right now. This is a full body wine with dark fruit characteristics, spice and chocolate. I get some alcohol on the palette but not overly severe.

We then drove up to Shell Beach and went to our hotel, The Cliffs. I’d recommend this hotel, though it is 30 minutes from the wine regions. Tomorrow will be the first full day in Paso Robles and should be a total treat.

Hidden Treasure
DaVinci Code is wringing in ticket sales. NBC is about to launch Treasure Hunters. Even the wine world is experiencing this hidden treasure phenomenon. Christies just sold an exceptional collection which had been hidden since World War II - when the owners stored it to avoid Nazi theft. These bottles of Bordeaux included Margaux 1928 and 1929, Haut Brion and Mouton Rothschild 1926, Yquem 1924 and Climens 1919. The historical significance is amazing, in addition to the value of the wine itself. I wonder where I can dig up some 80 year old Bordeaux. (Decanter)

A Winter Wonder Land
The Aspen Food & Wine Festival kicks-off tonight. This party is the place to be for any serious Foodie or wine lover. If you are in town, keep an eye out for every food TV personality. They will be there, along with Harold from Bravo’s Top Chef, to cook at the event.

World Wine Cup
Japan, not performing particularly well early in the World Cup, needs something to toast. The country has reported a huge increase in demand for German white wine, presumably related to Germany’s hosting the World Cup. If you are watching soccer this week, grab a bottle of German wine too! (IOL)

Militant Winemakers of Another Ilk
Recall how Decanter referred to the disallusioned and rioting Bordeaux winemakers as “militant winemakers”? They may have been bested by the new generation of wine militants - the Australians. An Australian grape grower, amidst the glut in grapes, was caught plotting to bomb a winery. He figured he could make the attack look like a terrorist target. Luckily they caught him, although he didn’t sound so bright - a terrorits attack? (The Age)

East Coast Celebration
The New York Wine and Culinary Center, similar to Napa’s famed “Copia”, opens on Friday. At a cost of $7.5 million, the center is in the Finger Lakes wine region in a town called Canandaigua. It promises to be a fun destination and it is relatively close to our fair New York City. (Decanter)

Australia’s Plan
Yesterday, I mentioned that while the EU would distill surplus table wine into ethanol, Australia was refusing to adopt that strategy. Today, reports are surfacing that Australia will attempt to unload the excess table wine at rock bottom cost to China. The goal is for Australia to build wine enthusiasts out of the Chinese middle class. With growth in consumption and population, the Chinese market may be a great idea. (Australian)

Wine Writers Block
What is it to be wine writer? We now have generation of ‘wine writers’ who have established the niche and built their careers in evaluation and analysis of wine. In the process, some of these wine writers have alienated the big companies, trade groups, regions, or personalities of the industry. Bloomberg.com explores the wine writer phenomenon.

Parker At It Again
In a critique of Bordeaux prices, Parker used his message board to criticize Medoc. He said their prices were a function of ‘pride, provincial jealousies, and greed.’ So he is making more friends in Medoc these days…(Decanter)

Energy and Wine Crises
There are parallel crises in Europe and Australia. An oversupply of grapes and wine, generally lower quality, has flooded the French, Italian, and Australian markets. At the same time, these countries (as well as America) is suffering a oil crisis with rising gas prices. The EU solution is to distill excess wine into ethanol for gas. But the Australians are not as enthusiastic about the alternative. (The Australian)

You know how I am sucker for celebs who cross-over into the world of wine. And, this celeb is such a reminder of my youth that it demands some coverage. Did you watch Beverly Hills 90210? Don’t pretend like you were too cool or too young or too old. It epitomized cool, was watched by all, and is still in syndication for you youngsters. Jason Priestly is a big oenophile! And, he is doing a wine tv show this year. Read the article here (Wine Enthusiast.)

It looks to be a beautiful Friday. What is going on in the world of wine?

Swedish Wine - Part 2
Yesterday I mentioned the “systembolaget” EU lawsuit against Sweden. Sure, I decided to bring it up again because I like the word. But, Sweden is in the news again today. This time, the concern is labeling wine from Israel’s Golan Heights. For some reason, Sweden decided to play geopolitical arbiter. First, the Systembolaget yielded to calls to change labels for Golan Heights to say “Made in Syrian Occupied Territory.” Clearly that pissed off Israelis. This Systembolaget just keeps getting into trouble. (Decanter)

British Drama
I have no idea who these famous Brits are, but I liked the story. Gordon Ramsay exchanged words with Sir Richard Cliff. Clearly this is more compelling if you know the participants. Still, it is amusing that Sir Richard Cliff, owner of Vida Nova wines in Portugal, called his own wine “trash” during a blind tasting. He then, reportedly, lost it on Gordon Ramsay, telling him to “F-off”. The Brits are astonished - Sir Richard Cliff shouldn’t use such language. I can think of a few ‘Sirs’ who frequently let loose, but it seems Cliff shouldn’t be one to indulge. (ITV)

Future Visions
The Fetzer guy, along with some other industry pros, recognize the changing challenges facing wine. Namely, demographic shifts pose new marketing paradigms for wineries - Australia is winning that battle. So a group of American wineries is joining forces to create Wine Vision, a industry group to promote wine in this new world. Sure, their website is stale and not at all reaching their mission. But, I admire their resolve; and, WineFetch will do whatever we can do to promote wine in this brand new world. (brand, new…it’s a pun). (East Bay Business Journal)

Swedish Monopoly
Sweden will face a legal challenge this summer, as the EU charges Sweden’s wine and spirits distribution system is a monopoly. Part of the EU since 1995, the government has the Systembolaget, a practice that outlaws wine purchasing from indepedent intermediaries. The EU will certainly make a strong case for free markets. But, how could you decide against something called the “systembolaget”. (Decanter)

Body Politic
The US Congress passed a resolution to honor the 1976 Paris Tasting. First, I am surprised that it took 30 years. Second, couldn’t Congress get it done on the actual anniversary last week? Third, this carries the same weight as “Freedom Fries”, perhaps an insult to our neighbors across the pond, but simply words. Still, it is nice to see recognition for the event that many claim exploded the US wine industry. The winning American wines are worth the praise. (Reuters)

Hollywood Tasting
There are reports that Hollywood is taking on George Taber’s book, The Judgement of Paris. Yes, they are going to make a movie out of the famous 1976 Paris Tasting. Steven Spurrier couldn’t be happier - the production company is discussing Hugh Grant or Jude Law to play him. (Decanter)

Magic Wine
There have been articles about powerful magnets to shape your wine, but today’s story was particularly compelling. The BevWizard uses magnets to alter the molecular structure of tannins, in order to make wines smoother and easier to drink. The founder took his prototype to Vinexpo, and he surprised some wine experts with the tool. But the jury is still out on the BevWizard. I’ll let you judge for yourself…(LA Times)

Screw Caps and Surveys
The experts have spoken. Skalli and Rein has published a report on wine closures. In the end, the industry varies in its thoughts about closures - the New World vs. Old World division is evident. (Skalli & Rein)

Guiraud Sale Complete
Chateau Guiraud, one of the great houses of Sauternes, was sold last week for $20 milloin. The reasonable price was paid by a group, including the owner of Peugeot, the owner of Château Canon La Gaffelière, the owner of Domaine de Chevalier, and the current winemaker at Guiraud. (Decanter)