Today I’d like to start my talk about a few wines you can buy for under $8. Let’s start with the least expensive. The 1st up is a Spanish wine called, Viña Decana 2008 Crianza. I was impressed by this red Tempranillo. This red wine has fruity aromas of raspberry and chocolate. I would say that it’s not a heavy wine, rather it has a medium body with a crisp, fruity, dryness to it.

When I tried it, the price was $4.99 and that was towards the end of 2011. The wine has a 12.5% alcohol volume and most likely found in your imported wine selection. We had our bottle with a very nice roast beef. I’m quite sure this wine would pair well with a variety of different foods, so if you’re on a budget, go on and give it a try!

Good luck and wine on!

Jakki from Temecula

It wasn’t all that long ago that I was up in the Santa Maria area for the Santa Barbara Vintner’s Festival. It was a wonderful event held at the grounds of the Firestone Winery with something like 90 wineries represented, and 60 chefs! Sounds like a wino-foodies dream, doesn’t it? And while we did enjoy the day immensely, we quickly learned there was something putting limits on our desire to indulge…and that was a lack of diversity. While some of the wine was amazing….it was nearly ALL Pinot Noir! There was a Cab here and there, and a splattering of other sips I have since forgotten, but for the most part Pinot ruled the day.

I mention my sad experience from about four years ago because although I have been visiting the lovely Santa Barbara area (the wine region is fairly huge, and includes but is not limited to Santa Maria, Los Olivos, and Santa Ynez valley) for its wine country since the early nineties, this experience made me all the more appreciative of the relatively tiny wine valley I now call home. One of the greatest things about Temecula’s wine country is what people in the know call “microclimates”. (We are talking about those folks who know a lot more about vines and soil and climate, and the sum of all the parts called “terroir” than little ol’ me. I am just passing on what I’ve gathered over the years from listening to them). I guess what that means is that we have out here in our valley many different diverse ecological sects, which apparently vary enough to support grapes that benefit from those differences. I am not saying that every type of varietal grows well here, but I will say that it seems this somewhat complex landscape does allow for some good stuff from many wine regions.

The big boys…the most well known and historically identifiable grapes, the most common of the Bordeaux berries, are the ones I honestly have the hardest time with out here. I am sure that some of the locals will hate me for saying that, but this is my personal truth. If you have a better story, bring it. So, anyway, good Cabernets, while possible, are what I have found the least of in Temecula. That goes for Merlots as well. That doesn’t mean you won’t find an outstanding Cabernet at the right winery if you are there at the right time. I have heard more than one senior winery associate say that Cabs are pretty hearty and do just fine in our arid little valley. I can only speak from what has hit my own palate, however, and the little bit of wisdom I have gleamed from quite a few years working in different wine houses. The Bordeaux region is damper and colder on average than So Cal….and that’s just how it is….

That said, some of the other lesser known or lesser produced wines from that region, such as Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot are quite often robust, interesting and all around impressive. I’m not sure why these varietals from the Bordeaux region handle heat and gravely, loam soil better than their more popular counterparts, but I will say when you get to Temecula and you see one on a tasting list don’t pass it up.

Then there are the varietals from many other regions that excite me and can be made into some of the best wines I have ever had the pleasure of consuming. No joke folks….the best….The Rhône’s love our soil, our climate, our everything. Syrahs are heavy, sometimes peppery, sometimes screaming out with vanilla but almost always jammy. I personally took one 2007 Temecula Syrah to a gathering with some Los Angeles wine snobs present ( I worked in the restaurant business in LA long enough to have residual friends who still work for high end joints that brag an impressive wine list). I didn’t tell anyone what I had in my brown bag, and waited until the first glass had been consumed for the most part. Then, casually, I moved about the room with bottle in hand, covertly covering the label with my palm. The nearly black elixir swirled and pooled in the bottom of glass after glass, and then, I waited. I didn’t have to wait long either, as the “m-mm’s”, and “oh, my’s” emanated from my guests. It was very satisfying to tell them it was a wine from Temecula…and not even a Reserve at that.

So, my “put that in your pipe and smoke it” Syrah was an example to my friends that we can make at least one kind of great wine. But there is so much more, and Grenache, Mourvedre (which actually hails originally from Spain), and Cinsault vines thrive and meet their true telos in good ol’ Temec. The Spanish ones love us as well….try finding a Tempranillo that isn’t brilliant in this town, unless she’s from out of town. The Mediterranean types…..well, those are amazing too.

I think that the best thing about this wine region, aside from its accessibility, might just be the huge selection of wines you will find here. Not that every winery knows what to do with them….which seems to be the biggest challenge. Maybe I need to tell you exactly where to go for what….so looks like there’s some research in my future!

Peace, love and vino!

Jakki from Temecula

It was one of those crazy Saturdays in wine country where in the tasting room required me to project my voice so much that I sounded like Betty Davis by day’s end. It was also a day when a few of us winos shared some wine and debated about random stuff. We had actually begun with a few wines from Monterey brought back by a coworker who had made a recent visit and done some swaps. (It’s pretty typical for us to send our wines with anyone heading to a wine region to trade them out so everyone gets a new experience from the deal. For the most part…I am finding that the wine industry is like one big extended happily dysfunctional family.) Anyhew, there was a great Chardonnay done my favorite way-50% aged in oak, 50% in stainless. I am not a big white wine drinker but the complexity of a heartier white grape done this way just turns me on. It had fruit…melon, apple….but it had some serious butter too. And the finish went on so long I couldn’t decide at first if I like it simply because it surprised me.

There was a weirdly heavy Tempranillo, and a somewhat forgettable Cabernet. Then we sipped a taste of our wineries currently barreled Reserve Tempranillo/Petit Syrah (the barrel is currently tapped to sell some futures on this amazing blend), and that’s when things got interesting. Once again, I personally was blown away by our wine when positioned next to another wine regions “best” wines. The reds we just tried, while fairly good, did nothing to make my taste buds dance the way this humble locally grown number did. So I commented on how sad it is that many local wineries made such crap when this kind of stuff was obviously not only possible, but consistently made by our winemaker, Doug. There are quite a few other craftsmen (wish I could say I knew of a female winemaker out here but I don’t!) making some great elixirs….but there are at least as many helping perpetuate our bad reputation.

So I comment that it’s a shame that many local places were kind of forced to “water down” their wines to stay in business. You see, it has been my understanding that because of the party crews that started coming to Temecula by the busloads (literally) it was not lucrative to manage a vineyard in the way necessary to make some truly drinkable wines. Good wine ALWAYS starts in the vineyard. You cannot make good wine from less than good grapes. But it’s costlier, and requires a knowledgeable and creative hand with a commitment to caring for the entire process. I know this because I have worked in both kinds of wineries, and the wines are dramatically different. Point is, I thought that the bad wines came about as a reaction to the massive numbers of people within an hour’s drive that saw us as nothing more but a place to go for bachelorette parties.

So, then my fearless leader who knows more about wine, the history of wine, the history of Temecula, and is a virtual walking wine encyclopedia who hails from England and has been everywhere, says the bad wine actually came first. He says that although there were always a few winemakers that were making good stuff, its mostly been in recent years we are seeing a lot more winemakers who know what they are doing and that the proof is in the pudding, or well, the wine. I usually defer everything to Bob, and my first instinct is to take his word as law. He’s my wine mentor, and one of the neatest people you will ever meet. But I am still not convinced…which came first? Was the crappy wine in our beloved valley the beginning of our history or a reflex to the lack of wine buyers that would make producing good wines feasible, if not extremely lucrative?

And then someone said what I guess may be obvious to you….who really cares? For me, it’s an important point to ponder because I want to see “us” succeed as a wine region. I want us to not repeat any part of a history that earned us a sketchy rep. I plan on doing more “research” on the subject, and hopefully will find some answers and some good wines along the way. There is great wine out here…and more to be made. So next up, lets talk varietals…we got ‘em.

Elizabeh White

This weekend our mission was clear: navigating grey skies and a slippery highway with the ultimate intention of pleasing our palates. Cautiously traipsing through the torrential downpour hammering San Luis Obispo County, a fellow wino and foodie friend and I arrived safely at our Paso Robles destination. Rain-spattered, we slogged our way through the parking lot of an industrial center to the home of Barrel 27 Wine Company, welcomed by blustery winds and the pungent scent of fermenting grapes emanating from 800 barrels of their ageing wine.

Entering the tasting room, beset by a high backdrop of round wooden vats, one of Barrel 27’s partners, Jason Carter, soon greeted us in the cool 56?F cellar atmosphere. Over the course of the next hour, not only did he guide us through a flight of several lovely wines, but also graciously allowed us to explore their barrel room, adorned with stainless steel fermentation tanks and splendid French oak casks stacked loftily to the ceiling. Our expectations for their wine already high (as we had both recently stumbled upon some of Barrel 27’s well-balanced creations), we earnestly sipped, swirled and unlocked the nuances of more of their fragrant wines.

Some of the highlights included their beautiful white Rhone blend, 2008 High on the Hog ($15), a balanced blend of creamy Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Roussane, and splash of Marsanne. Possessing a light golden touch and fresh floral and citrus nose, this silky white left splendid traces of honey and lemon zest, and finished with a hint of mineral essence. Their caramel-blushed 2005 Central Coast Rosé of Syrah ($13) exuded light berry aromas. Our first sip produced a dense acid feel, soon toning down to allow the spicy layers to unfold. Smoky orange and berry undertones brought this food friendly wine to a balanced close.

Our next splash brought us their 2007 Rock and a Hard Place Grenache ($23). With captivating fresh garnet and violet affects and a dense blueberry nose, the flavors changed as our hands warmed up the glasses in this cellar-like temperature. Alluring notes of chocolate, blueberry, and charcoal warmed our palates, leaving a rich finish of orange rind and citrus. Their complex 2006 Right Hand Man, Central Coast Syrah ($18), exuded a deep, luscious plum tone and wafted of dried cherries. Possessing smooth notes of toasted vanilla, plums, currants and mocha, their signature wine left a light peppery and raspberry finish.

The nuances of their 2007 Hand Over Fist ($30), a sophisticated Rhone-style blend of 52% Syrah, 29% Grenache, and 19% Mourvedre, resulted in a beautiful shade of intense black plums, with a light jammy nose hinting of lavender and plum. This lovely fruit medley boasted currants, cherries, orange and chocolate, with a lasting mineral finish. This new release of their first Rhone-style blend proved dense and bold. Their 2006 Bull by the Horns ($32) also attested to Barrel 27’s ability to construct unified, intense blends. This concoction of well-tamed Petite Verdot, Syrah, and Tempranillo grabbed us with its concentrated dark cherry tones, its spicy nose of currants and cocoa, and its perfectly blended layers of chocolate, blueberry, cloves, and vanilla yet peppery finish.
At the end of the day, my fellow wino (who happens to be a former Southern Wine and Spirits executive and has been involved in the wine industry for twenty years) declared Barrel 27’s wines stunning. I couldn’t agree more. In spite of the ghastly weather and feeling stuck between a rock and hard place, we found our right hand man, sipped hand over fist, rode high on the hog, grabbed the bull by the horns and discovered more outstanding well-crafted SLO County wines. Mission accomplished.

Visit http://barrel27.com for more information about their own mission.