California Family Winemakers Event 2017

It is spring time, and that means the annual return of the California Family Winemakers event in Southern California. This year, it was once again hosted at the Del Mar Fairgrounds.  The event is both a trade and consumer tasting, with an opportunity to not only meet the owners, winemakers, and distributors, but an opportunity to taste their wines. The gathering is also an opportunity to meet some of the smaller production wineries, alongside larger producers. This year seemed like there were less wineries participating. By my count there were 79 wineries in attendance, as well as cheese and bread stations sponsored by Kerrygold and LaBrea Bakery. 

The focus of the California Winemakers Event is to highlight family-owned wine producers from across the state. This year, there were a lot of the same wineries as in the past, but there were also eight first time attendees. 

As in my past attendance, there is no way to get to every winery, so I had a list of certain wineries I wanted to meet with. With my recent wine tasting trip to the Sierra Foothills, I wanted to meet with those wineries, as well as the newest wineries to join the event. 

As some of you are aware, for the last 13 months, I have been working with some business partners to acquire a restaurant. My original intent was to attend this event for the purpose of developing our wine list. Unfortunately, somethings just don’t work out. Our restaurant purchase fell through at the last minute (real disappointment after such a long process). So, once again, this year I attended as a media representative. As such, I was able to enter two hours before the general public.

My first stop was a C.G. D’Arie winery. I had visited their winery in the Shenandoah Valley last fall, and really enjoyed their wines. I was hoping to meet Chaim Gur-Arieh, in person, but he was attending another event. I did have a good conversation with his Southern California distributor, and tasted some wonderful wines. My favorites are still their Zinfandels, but they make very nice Barbera, Tempranillo and Syrah. Based on their recommendation, my next stop was with Vino Noceto winery.

Vino Noceto is also located in the Shenandoah Valley, of Amador County. The winemaker, Rusty Folena, was pouring wines. His tasting consisted of Barbera, Zinfandel, and Sangiovese. The focus here is on Sangiovese.  They even call themselves “California’s Sangiovese Specialists”. They produce seven different Sangiovese wines, from different clones of the grape. Each wine was distinct. This winery is definitely on my list for the next visit to the Sierra Foothills.

We wandered around, and tried a few wineries that seemed to be gathering a lot of tasters. But, nothing really stood out. We then stumbled upon Englemann Cellars. Bret Engelmann, the owner/winemaker was a first time attendee. What caught my eye was where his winery is located: Fresno, Ca. When I think of this area, I think Thompson Seedless, and raisin production. I guess I’ll have to rethink this area. Bret was pouring Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, and his Bordeaux style blend (Cab Franc, Cab Sauv, and Malbec). His Malbec had a spiciness to it, that was more reminiscent of a French Cahors, but without the same earthiness. His Clark Ranch Zinfandel was nice and jammy.

Hawk and Horse Vineyards, from Calistoga presented a couple Cabernet Sauvignons, but what excited my palate was their dessert wine.  This was a dark, concentrated wine with aromas of chocolate, cassis and cherries. Nicely balanced.

My favorite Pinot Noirs of the tasting came from another first time attendee: O’Connor Vineyards. Here we tried three different vintages from the Green River area of the Russian River Valley. They are extremely small production, only about 300-400 cases per year. Their wines are more Burgundian in style, versus most California Pinot Noir. They are light, with nice acidity. The nose has some nice notes of cherry, spice and a bit of earth. For me, the 2014 vintage was the favorite.

We bounced around to a few other wineries, and then met Herve Brukert, owner of De Novo Wines, out of Oakland, CA.  Unlike some of the other winemakers in attendance, they do not own any vineyards. They purchase all their grapes. We tried a mix of Cabernets, and Pinot Noirs. We learned that Herve has a cousin in Alsace, France, and he imports wines for his cousin. Because this was a California wine tasting, he wasn’t allowed to pour the Riesling….but somehow, I was able to get a taste. Pretty nice.

We ventured around some more and tried the huge wines of Keenan. If you like big Cabs, and Merlots, this is your winery.  Another was Greyscale Wines. Here we met Jean and Larry Rowe, the owners.  If you like the “dusty” flavors of Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon, then try their 2014 Cab. Very nice wine, and nice people too.

Following an afternoon of tasting, we headed down to San Diego, where we had dinner overlooking the ocean. Not a bad way to spend a rainy spring Sunday.

If you have never attended the California Family Winemakers Event, I would highly recommend it. They conduct tastings twice a year: one is Southern California and a second in Northern California. It is an easy way to taste a number of different wineries in a short time. The key word is “taste”, not “drink”.

The Wines of the Family Winemaker Tasting

The Family Winemakers of California were once again back in Del Mar. This is the signature winemaker event for trade and consumers in the San Diego area. It is an opportunity for family-owned wine operations to present their wines, and for me, and opportunity to discover a new outstanding winery. My reviews, and pick of the day follow.

This year, the number of wineries seemed less than in the past, but there were still 88 wineries in attendance. Twenty wineries were pouring for the first time. The doors opened at 1:00pm on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Trade and media were let in an hour before the consumers. 

Prior to arriving, I had downloaded the program, which contained details on each winery: who their owners are; where they are located; what they were pouring; and how many cases they produced. While you cannot take wine out of the event, the winemakers were taking orders from the trade.

All the wineries were set up on long tables, and arranged in alphabetical order. Large signs were located above each tasting location, identifying the winery. Many wineries just had their bottles on the table, and were pouring, while others had decorated their spots with all types of wine related paraphernalia and informational brochures.

As I do every year, my focus was to find one or two standout wineries that I had never heard of. Additionally, I wanted to concentrate on central coast wineries along with the Sierra Foothills, and Lodi. That doesn’t mean I didn’t try some wines from Napa and Sonoma…of course I did.

In four hours, I met with 18 winemakers, and probably tasted around 60 to 70 different wines. I can assure you that I actually tasted, not drank, that number of wines. It is terrible to see so much wine being poured into a spit bucket, but when you have to drive away from the event, it is the only safe thing to do. Luckily there was fresh baked bread from La Brea Bakery, and cheese plates from Kerrygold set up throughout the venue. Palate cleansing was a fairly easy task.

Some highlights in the tasting:

With Greg Barr of Barr Estates

Barr Estates continues to make one of the best valued Petite Verdots’ on the market. Greg Barr, and his winemaker, Signa Zoller continue to create tasting wines that are all under the $30 mark. This Paso Robles winery is doing it right. My wife enjoyed their Rose of Malbec, and they also presented a couple blends: Dane Head and Jubilado, which were interesting.

I tried numerous Chardonnays and Viogniers, and one that stood out was from Admirable Family Vineyards. This winery is located in Malibu, and is run by a French family. The Viognier was a blend of Viognier and Chardonnay. No oak and about $45 retail. Brophy Clark Cellars, out of Santa Maria had a very nice Chardonnay, at about half the price. Both are worth seeking.

In the past, I have shied away from Temecula wines. I decided to stop by the Falkner Winery, and talked with Ray Falkner about what they are doing down there. I think the wineries are seeing that success will come with the “right” grapes being planted. Falkner had a very nice Sangiovese, and their version of a “super Tuscan” will probably last 10 to 15 years in the cellar. This is the second Sangiovese I have tried from Temecula, and both have been impressive. The other was from Baily.

From the Sierra Foothills, Frog’s Tooth Vineyards had a zesty Barbera (would be great with any tomato based dish) and an interesting Tempranillo. All their wines were reasonably priced between $15 and $40.

Ken Brown Wines had a very familiar nose and palate to them. I tried their Sauvignon Blanc and three of their Pinot Noirs. The Sauvignon Blanc came from the Vogelzang vineyard in Happy Canyon AVA. Personally, this is the way I think Sauvignon Blanc should taste. It has a unmistakable nose to it. One of my favorites is made by Dragonette Cellars, who sources their grapes from the same vineyard. The three Pinot Noirs were from different vineyards in the Santa Rita Hills. One being the Radian Vineyard (again, the same as Dragonette Cellars).

One of the few Pinot Gris’ we tried was from Manzoni EstateVineyards in the Santa Lucia Highlands. This Pinot Gris had nice acidity, due to its’ cooler climate location. The nose was green apple, stone fruit and pear. The wine had more body than if you were drinking something from Italy. Much more Alsatian in style.

Benjamin Silver of Silver Wines

There were a lot of other wineries that I tasted. Some good, some very good, but there could only be one “find” of the event. That winery was Silver Wines. Benjamin Silver is basically a one man show. He is the winemaker and owner, since 1996, when he left Zaca Mesa. Silver Wines produces small bottlings of: Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Nebbiolo, and two extraordinary blends:  Saviezza & I Tre Figli. The I Tre Figli was the best wine of the day. He had both a vintage and non-vintage verson of the wine. I actually preferred the non-vintage. It was a proprietary blend of Cabernet Sauvingon, Sangiovese and Cabernet Franc. It was silky, smooth, complex and had the ability to age. Find this wine, and buy it now, as the production is only about 350 cases.

I don’t know where the Family Winemakers of California event will be next year, but you can always go to their website to learn about upcoming events. Try to attend, and maybe you will also make sme new discoveries.

See you next year at the tasting!

2014 Family Winemakers Follow up

On Sunday, March 9 2014, I had the opportunity to attend the FamilyWinemakers of California event at the Pasadena Convention center. This year, there were 158 wineries pouring some of their best wines. The doors opened at 1:00 for trade and media attendees, then opened at 3:30 for the general public. Most wineries continued to pour wine right up to closing time at 6:00. During my five hours walking the aisles, I was able to taste over 50 wines, met with numerous winemakers and owners, and even caught up with one of my Sommelier students, who was just hired as a Somm for a yet unopened restaurant in Los Angeles.

As in prior years, I had received a list of all the wineries that would be in attendance. I put most of my attention on the Central Coast, and wineries that I had either not heard of, or had not visited. I also focused on Zinfandels this year, in particular old vine Zins from the Sierra Foothills.

Le Belge Chocolatiers

The doors opened a little before 1:00, and we picked up our tasting glass. The convention hall was set up with long rows of wine tasting tables. Above each table was a sign, indicating the winery.  Along the outside edges of the hallway were water stations, and large platters of cheese and crackers. The south wall had a large display of fine chocolates. The back wall was set up with the iSip (or VIP) tasting area.

Dawn Wilson, Martian Ranch & Vineyard

We walked the rows of wine tasting tables, to get the “lay of the land”, and see who we knew. We stopped by Ampelos Cellars and talked briefly with Rebecca and Peter Work). I have known these winemakers for a long time, and have always enjoyed their wines. This time we only tasted their Rose of Syrah, and I am convinced, they make one of the finest roses in California. All their wines are biodynamically produced. Along the same lines, one of my new favorites is Martian Ranch & Vineyard. Nan Helgeland, the owner, and her wine club manager Dawn Wilson, both spent a lot of time filling me in on some activity at their property. Craig and Mike (the two winemakers) have moved on to another property, but their new winemaker, Graham Tatomer, stepped right in, and things are looking very good for this up and comer. They were pouring their 2013 Rose of Syrah which had just been bottled the prior week. Only 437 cases were produced, and already 25% of the total production has been sold. Keep an eye on Martian Ranch & Vineyard (and taste their wines too).

Some of the "picks" of the day:

Janell Dusi

I tasted a lot of Zinfandels during the day, but there were some standout wineries that you may want to check out. The old vine Zins at Sobon Estate were very jammy. The 2011 Rocky Top Zin is produced from 85 year old vines, and had a deep dark berry nose and taste. For those that like fruit, this is one to try. I am more of a lighter style Zin person, and like a bit of spice, and lower alcohol levels. My favorite Zinfandel of the day (and I went back for a second pour) was J. Dusi from Paso Robles. The 2011 Dante Dusi Vineyard Zinfandel was my pick of the day.

One of the surprise finds was a Pinot Noir from a Paso Robles winery.  Derby Wine Estates has vineyards in both Paso Robles and some coastal vineyards around San Simeon. Their 2010  Coastal Vineyard Pinot Noir had the crisp acidity you expect from a cooler growing region, and had an almost Burgudian quality to it. On top of that, Ray Derby is just one of those guys that you like talking to. Down to earth, and loves what he does.

For those that like to collect wines, and look for a wine that will hold and age, check out The Farm Winery. This is a small production winery, making less than 700 cases a year. They don’t have a wine club, or a tasting room. You can purchase the wine at select wine shops, or through their website. The wine for collectors to look at is the 2010 Cardinale, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec. This wine can hold for another 20 years.

 I enjoyed the 2012 Grassini Family Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc. I must admit, while I hadn’t had this particular Sauvignon Blanc, I have been enjoying fruit from their vineyards for years, as they supply grapes to Dragonette Cellars, and I love their Sauvignon Blanc. So naturally, this wine tastes “familiar”. The Happy Canyon AVA is producing some excellent fruit!

In five hours, I was able to visit 20 wineries. Every winery had wines worth writing about, but I really wanted to focus on the stand outs. I won’t write reviews of them all, but want to give “honorable mention to:  Beaucanon Estate (nice Cabernet Franc), Benovia Winery (2011 La Pommeraie Pinot Noir), Black Sears (2006 Howell Mtn Cabernet Sauvignon). Center of Effort (Pinot Noirs), D’Anbino Vineyard & Cellars (nice people, and an interesting fortified Cabernet Sauvignon, called Portamento),  Field Vineyards (2004 Katarina Cabernet Sauvignon), Frogs Tooth Vineyards (2010 Petit Sirah), ONXWines (2011 CRUX), Venteux Vineyards (2010 Tache le Verre Santa Barbara Syrah), The Price Book, Hiatus Cellars, and Hearst Ranch Winery.

So, check out the wines I mentioned above, and also go the Family Winemakers of California website, to check out all the members. Also watch for their next event, and block out the time to attend. It is well worth the expense!

Wine Tasting Opportunity

It’s that time of year again! No, not the end of winter, but the time to start thinking about attending the Family Winemakers of California event.  This year, it will be held in Pasadena, on  March 9^th. It is your opportunity to taste some of the best wines in California, and meet the winemakers and owner. There will be about 175 wineries, and around 750 different wines, from Napa, Sonoma, Paso Robles, Santa Ynez, Temecula....well you get the picture.

This will be the 11^th tasting of small, family-owned wineries from across California.  The Pasadena Tasting is open to trade and wine media, as well as consumers.  Also featured for the first time will be the iSip Lounge for specially ticketed consumer who want to taste wine retailing for $75 or more.

Last year, I attended the event at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, in San Diego, and tasted about 130 different wines. Note that I said “tasted”, not “drank”…big difference! These events are normally open only to those in the trade, and mainly meant as a buying opportunity for wine shops and restaurants. BUT... this is the 2^nd year that they are open it to the public for a few hours.

The past president of the organization, Paul Kronenberg said, “As the region’s largest tasting of California wines, the event gives members of the trade and wine enthusiasts alike the opportunity to taste hundreds of wines coming from California’s small production, family-owned wineries.  It’s a great opportunity to taste and discover exceptional and hard-to-find wines while getting to meet the passion-driven winery owners and winemakers behind it, who are committed to the craft of producing quality wines.”. Kronenberg continued, “The Family Winemakers tasting introduces attendees to California’s small, family-owned wineries, the varietals being produced by California wine growers, and the state’s many rich and diverse wine regions.  With such a vast selection of wines, I am positive that each person who attends will discover a new favorite.”

According to their website, the Family Winemakers of California Association was established in 1991 in response to a need for public policy involvement for the small wine producers of California.  The Association has become a strong force in the wine industry, lobbying for wine producer rights, and has an active membership of over 550 California wineries.  Family Winemakers draws its membership from all the wine producing areas of the state, with the largest concentration coming from Napa and Sonoma Counties.

Doors open for the Trade at 1:00pm, then to the general public at 3:30. The tastings run until 6:00pm. The cost of the event, for the general public, is $70 at the door, but I am going to share a way to get in at a lower cost. If you register before March 8th, you can get in for only $60. Tickets are on sale right now, and can be purchased online at the family winemakers website at the advance ticket prices. This year’s tasting will also offer a new iSip Lounge, only open to consumers.  There will be 25 wineries pouring wines that sell for $75.00 or more at retail.  Limited tickets for this area.  First come first served at $80/person (which includes your general admission). There is also a limited offer for admission during the trade segment plus iSip Lounge Reserve area on Sunday (1:00 on), 100 tickets only, first come first served, $100.

Those of you, who can't make the event, can also look for my recap on this blog site, the week after the event. But, who wants to read about it, when you have the opportunity to attend? If you see me walking around (and most likely tasting and talking) introduce yourself, and say, "hi".