Hello Prince Albert! When you think of wines of the world, each region seems to have its own specialty and signature style. Some excellent examples are Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand (as discussed last week), Champagne (from Champagne, France), Malbec (Argentina), Bordeaux blends (Bordeaux, France) and Riesling which reaches its fullest potential in countries like Germany, Austria and France. Among the amazing selection that consumers have to choose from, one of the most popular regions and most-visited wine sections are the wines of California; specifically Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. With so many options to look through, how do you choose which ones to take home and which to leave behind?
First of all, if you are the type of wine drinker that enjoys full-bodied, fruit-forward wines, then California is the place to be. As most people can’t simply hop on a plane or race down to the vineyards of California, tasting the wines of this huge AVA (American Viticultural Area) will allow you to temporarily escape reality and experience the flavors of some truly fantastic wines. While California produces a huge variety of grape varietals, it is most famous for its wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. Wines generally listed or displayed as “California” can come from any area of this massive AVA so with these type of wines, the flavors also tend to be more general and less focused.
For higher-quality wines, look for specific regions or zones inside of California like the regions listed on this week’s Chardonnay: Ghost Pines (Mendocino, Sonoma and Napa) or in wines like the Liberty School Cabernet Sauvignon (from the Paso Robles AVA in Southern California). The red this week is certainly focused if not simple since it comes from the Paso Robles AVA with its intensely flavorful fruity core and round, full body. The white this week, however, brings a great combination of creamy/fruity drinkability and complex layering with its unique composition of wines pulled from its three AVAs. Just because one wine is more complex than the other doesn’t necessarily make it better as both wines were highly enjoyable.
What does blending three different AVAs result in, and why does it make a difference in the final blend? The label provides some excellent information in the case of the Ghost Pines Chardonnay: it is composed of wine from three sources including 50% from Mendocino County, 40% from Sonoma Country and 10% from Napa. Mendocino is known for making excellent Pinot Noir and Gewurztraminer due to its proximity near the Pacific Ocean (cool climate). This results in producing Chardonnay with citrus notes and medium to medium-plus acidity. The addition of 40% Sonoma Chard adds much of the stone fruit flavor base as well as creamy citrus while the 10% Napa portion brings concentration, weight (fuller body) and often, tropical fruit.
The coconut, vanilla and spice flavors in Chard are created by barrel-aging in oak or adding oak staves and the creamy, buttery flavors are made by transforming the wine with bacteria in a process called MLF (Malolactic Fermentation) which is similar in some ways to the production method used to make cheese.
Blending is one of the most important tools in a winemaker’s arsenal and most wines on the shelf will be a blend of some kind (even single varietal wines). Unless a specific vineyard or estate is listed on the label, the wine found inside the bottle can come from a staggering array of vineyards across the listed AVA or region, i.e. California. I think you’ll be happy trying either of these wines this week, especially if you’re firing up the BBQ. Here are my wine picks of the week!
Ghost Pines Chardonnay 2021: (California, USA). Off-dry white, pale lemon color. There are some interesting layers of aroma to discover here including peaches, nectarines, pears, lemony yeast, buttered rolls, baked lemon bars, animal notes (barn funk), caramel apples/butterscotch, fruity cream candies and toasted biscuits. On the palate, the wine opens with a fruity, medium-plus body, medium acidity and soft fruity flavors of apple, peach, savory toast and creamy cheese. Some mineral bitterness comes in after the mid palate (chalk, sandy soil/rock) which adds a bit of balance and flavors from the mid palate begin to mix with the long finish, bringing the taste of savory fruit crumble, lemon-flavored buttercream and warm baking spices (vanilla, cloves, nutmeg). I’m impressed by the complex layers of flavor which develop as the wine warms and the round, silky texture of the wine leaves an impression of luxury on the senses. For an affordable low-key pairing, try this wine with Laughing Cow cheese spread on crispy Melba toast or for those with finer tastes, pair with crab cakes and lemon-infused crème fraiche or pear cheesecake with a salty graham cracker crust and sliced sweet wine-poached pears on top. Very good! $30, 14% ABV
Liberty School Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon 2021: Off-dry to medium-dry red, deep purple color. The nose of this high-intensity red carries across the room with ripe blackberries, black currants, cherries and vanilla spiced cream. The first sip brings deeply concentrated flavors of dark fruits (black cherries, brambleberry pie, blackberries) with a satisfyingly full body and fuzzy, velvety high tannins. The flavors are lush, full and smooth with a fruity kick of Welch’s grape juice, red/black grapes and hot rocks on a summer day all balanced by medium acidity. Some smooth pepper bite moves in on the medium-length finish which compliments the mouth-coating tannins and lingering flavors of ripe dark fruits and spice (vanilla, pepper). You get exactly what you expect from a full California wine with this Cab Sauv and the intense fruit flavors really satisfy. This is a great wine to start the night with, pair with BBQ or to savor and enjoy once the other wines have been consumed as it brings a ton of concentration and intensity. Very good! $34, 14.5% ABV
Cheers and thanks for reading!
