2005 Poetic Cellars Syrah Livermore Valley - $28

Deep and rich garnet color – some very pretty ripe, ripe Southern Rhone style Syrah aromas – in the mouth the wine shows ripeness and firm acid structure, but upfront wood tannins interrupt the flavors and coat the front of the palate. Time may help. Find this wine

2005 Poetic Cellars Petite Sirah Livermore Valley - $26

Dense ruby color – rich, forward purple and black plum aromatics – in the mouth, and typical of all these Livermore sourced wines, there is a firm acid backbone - friendly attack of ripe PS fruit, but lacks a bit in the midpalate – judgment reserved, but hopefully some time will help with the tannins and textures. Find this wine

 An interesting lineup from Poetic Cellars.

Just a few feet away, Bonny Doon was pouring, so I tasted a wine I had overlooked during my visit to their tasting room in Santa Cruz last week.

2008 Ca’ del Solo Albarino Estate Monterey County - 75% Albariño, 21% Loureiro, 4% Treixadura 12.8% alcohol 2500 cases produced $20 Biodynamically produced

Pale straw color – very lovely herbal and wildflower aromas – bright acid attack – bone dry with a crisp, refreshing finish. An excellent rendition of the variety and far closer to the Spanish versions than most of the Californians I’ve tasted. Who’s got the oysters?? Find this wine

Cordon Creek produces 800 – 1000 cases a year, mostly from fruit sourced in Amador and El Dorado Counties in the Sierra Foothills. Matt Buchanan (right) and Roger Biringer have been winemaking partners since their home winemaking days more than a decade ago.

2003 Cordon Creek Cabernet Franc – 85% Cabernet Franc (O’Brien Vineyard – El Dorado) 10% Merlot (De Casabel Vineyard – El Dorado) 5% Cabernet Sauvignon (Sutter Creek Vineyard – Amador) 14.5% alcohol 70 cases produced $21

Pretty garnet color – slightly shy, but sweet dusty and ripe plum fruit in the nose – while the fruit is attractive and the structure is good, at six years of age there are still some significant tannin issues, so I wonder if the fruit will outlast the tannins. Find this wine

2001 Cordon Creek Cabernet Sauvignon El Dorado O’Brien Vineyard – very attractive Cabernet fruit in the nose with some added spice.  Find this wine

2002 Cordon Creek Cabernet Sauvignon El Dorado O’Brien Vineyard – 14.3% alcohol 110 cases produced $21

Deep ruby color – rich plumy fruit in the nose – nice entry and mouthfeel with friendly acids, but once again, this seven year old wine is asking for additional patience to resolve some significant front end tannins. Find this wine

2002 Cordon Creek Meritage – 43% Cabernet Sauvignon (Sutter Creek Vineyard – Amador) 35% Cabernet Franc (Sauber Vineyard - El Dorado) 22% Merlot (De Casabel Vineyard – El Dorado) 14.7% 242 cases produced $24

Very pretty Bordeaux aromas without a predominant variety – soft and drinkable in the mouth – a pleasant medium weight package – still has just a touch of astringency up front, but should show well with a little air. Find this wine

2002 Cordon Creek Syrah El Dorado Sauber Vineyard – 100 % Syrah 15.2% alcohol 197 cases produced $22

Very nice dusty Syrah aromas with a touch of caramel. Find this wine

I inquired of the winemaker and many of my questions regarding these wines were answered: American oak.  I think this displays some of the difficult decisions small winery owners have to make – with the exchange rate being what it is and fine French oak barrels costing more than twice that of American oak, it’s understandable. However, if you’re going to put yourself in the company of fine artisan producers, you should not be surprised if the result of those decisions shows up in the glass.

Richly endowed with California winemaking heritage, the estate of Savannah – Chanelle Vineyards is a short drive south out of Saratoga. Their Estate plantings of Chardonnay were brought from Corton-Charlemagne by Paul Masson. Little did he know that he was preserving the only examples of those pre-phylloxera vines – the original vineyard died out long ago. Michael and Kellie Ballard purchased the estate in 1996 – Tony Craig is winemaker.

2008 Savannah – Chanelle Pinot Noir Rosé Russian River - $16

Pale strawberry color – pleasant, but faint wild strawberry aromas – refreshing and pleasantly sweet in the mouth with enough acid to give the wine backbone and structure – one of the better pinks I’ve tasted recently. Find this wine

2007 Savannah – Chanelle Chardonnay Estate - $36 not much technical information available at the tasting room, and the website is being rebuilt.

Straw color – restrained melon and white stone fruit aromas (which I’m finding is typical of the SCM Chards) and a hint of sweet, but unobtrusive oak – friendly entry with good balance and firm acidity and noticeable minerality on the follow. Find this wine

2006 Savannah – Chanelle Pinot Noir Russian River –

Pretty garnet color – slightly muted, but unmistakably Russian River Bing cherry fruit in the nose, which, unfortunately, faded in the glass rather quickly (how odd!) – in the mouth there is a hit of sweet fruit which is overwhelmed by structure, tannin and density of fruit that lacks focus – perhaps the wine is shutting down and needs some bottle age. Find this wine

2007 Savannah – Chanelle Pinot Noir Russian River – 14.5% alcohol

Slightly deeper color – muted, but pretty cherry aromas – a bit more successful in the mouth with a firm acid structure and tart cherry flavors – but what should be an outstanding wine is pleasant, but not special. Find this wine

2006 Savannah – Chanelle Syrah Monterey County –

Deep and dense ruby color – significant VA in the nose – the fruit is stylistically Southern Rhone, but retains some of the features that marred Monterey County reds two or three decades ago – a hint of stewed/cooked/canned vegetable flavor that is off-putting. Second sip better than the first. Find this wine

2006 Savannah – Chanelle Monmartre - a proprietary blend of 30% Zinfandel 30% Carignane 30% Cabernet Franc 10% Syrah $45

Deep ruby color – rather attractive mélange of red and purple stone fruits in the nose – very friendly in the mouth with pretty and ripe fruit flavors – well structured with a clean finish, but hardly worth the asking price. Find this wine

Frankly, I was disappointed with this visit. The folks in the tasting room were pleasant enough, but nobody seemed to have any knowledge of the wines, which, all in all, did not show particularly well. After hearing quite a bit of buzz about them a decade ago, they’ve fallen off my radar. With the website down and a lineup of wines that were thoroughly unimpressive, I wonder if this is an operation in transition.

My disappointment was quickly washed away when I doubled back through Saratoga to taste with Cinnabar Winery at their tasting room right in town. Cinnabar was founded in 1981 by Tom Mudd, who planted 22 acres of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in the hills above Saratoga in 1984 and 85. The winery and caves were completed in 1987, but with Tom Mudd’s death in 2007, the estate was sold. The brand, however, survives under the care of Suzanne Frontz (President) and George Troquato (winemaker).

2007 Cinnabar Chardonnay Santa Cruz Mountains – not yet released

Golden straw color in the glass – buttery, almost butterscotch-like character in the nose, but no noticeable oak - quite interesting - with some underlying pear and sweet apple fruit – absolutely lovely in the mouth with ripe pear, apple and melon flavors and underlying minerality and good acid structure. Very successful in the mouth and certainly has the architecture for short term aging. Very well done. Find this wine

2006 Cinnabar Pinot Noir Santa Cruz Mountains – from Corralitos fruit 14.3% alcohol 400 cases produced $36

Pretty garnet color – shy, but attractive dusty Pinot fruit in the nose – what the wine lacks aromatically is certainly compensated for in the mouth – lots of rich, but focused cherry fruit with that reflects the dusty component in the nose – there are some smooth tannins that coat the front of the palate that will need some time to resolve, but it is a very successful wine that should only improve with a year or two in the bottle. Very nice. Find this wine

2006 Cinnabar Mercury Rising – a proprietary blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon 28% Merlot 13% Cabernet Franc 4% Petite Verdot $20

Pretty ruby color – pleasant Merlot and Cab fruit with interesting spice in the nose – very friendly in the mouth with rich and not-too-ripe flavors – cleanly made and well focused – an excellent food wine and very attractively priced. A perfect ‘wine by the glass’ candidate. Find this wine

2006 Cinnabar Chardonnay Late Harvest – non-Botrytis - the fruit just hung. 179 gms/ltr residual sugar $32 375ml.

Lovely golden color and obvious viscosity in the glass – beautiful ultra-ripe apricot and peach in the nose – glorious in the mouth – the fruit promised in the nose follows on the palate – despite the high sugar level, the almost perfect balance of acid/fruit/sugar prevents the wine from being cloying – simply wonderful. Find this wine

This was everything a tasting room visit should be: friendly and courteous staff, appealing surroundings and wines that were a pleasure to taste and to drink. Thanks to Sami Hernandez, Aaron Hughes (tasting room manager, right) and the rest of the staff for their extraordinary hospitality – it is much appreciated.

I wound my way back to the freeways, headed north, planning to visit a couple of small operations on the Peninsula. I opted, however, to finally seek out a winery that I have neglected to visit for a long time.

Ignoring the small voice of common sense that murmured softly, I once again trusted the event map supplied by my hosts and found myself on yet another slow, winding and seemingly interminable drive from the Interstate up to Skyline Drive – one of the most picturesque roadways in all the Bay Area. My gruff mood was soon assuaged by the extraordinary panorama of San Francisco Bay as viewed from the Drive – actually, quite worth seeking out and enjoying.

A rather small and unassuming sign marks the entrance to Thomas Fogarty. What lay beyond the entrance are well tended vineyard blocks, beautifully manicured grounds and an exceptional complex of buildings housing the production facilities, hospitality, private residences and special event facilities that are top of the line.

Thomas Fogarty is an extraordinary individual, a Stanford Cardiovascular Surgeon and inventor of vascular devices, the most noted of which is a vascular balloon designed to remove clots from arteries without invasive surgery. He holds patents for 63 different surgical instrument designs and continues to practice.

He has planted twenty five acres on the 325 acre estate, mostly Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with small blocks of Merlot and Sangiovese. Michael Martella has been in charge of winemaking and viticulture since the operation’s inception in 1981.

The tasting for the SCM Vintner’s Festival was held in the special events room, apart from their tasting room.

2007 Thomas Fogerty Gewürztraminer Monterey County Viento Vineyard – 14.2% alcohol 2806 cases produced 0.4% residual sugar $18

Requisite spice in the nose – refreshing in the mouth with barely perceptible sweetness (just above my threshold) – good focus with a clean finish – one of the few versions of this variety that I find appealing. Find this wine

2008 Thomas Fogerty Skyline Riesling Monterey County Viento Vineyard – 14.1% alcohol 271 cases produced 0.25% residual sugar $15

Pale brass color – slightly shy but pleasant and light Riesling aromas with wildflower highlights – very pleasant in the mouth with interesting minerality - matched with high toned fruit and crisp acidity – it makes for a very focused and refreshing, palate cleansing wine. Find this wine

2005 Thomas Fogerty Chardonnay Santa Cruz Mountains Estate – 14.5% alcohol 529 cases produced $35

Pale clear straw color – attractive butteryness over shy fruit in the nose – even though the aromatics might suggest a heavy hand with the oak, this is not the case on the palate – this has a striking minerality with a firm acid backbone, reflecting the profile of SCM Chard. Crisp and refreshing - I have the sense that there is more fruit to this wine than it is showing right now and it would not surprise me if the wine fleshes out a bit with time and shows more of it. Not your average mudflat overoaked underfruited Chardonnay. Find this wine

2007 Thomas Fogerty Pinot Noir Santa Cruz Mountains – a blended wine containing all the Estate fruit and additional lots from four other sources – 14.5% alcohol 2109 cases produced $25

Ruby color – reticent aromas of high toned cherry fruit – friendly entry with some tart Bing cherry up front – again, the firm acid profile is quite apparent – some smooth, but significant tannins will need some time to resolve – showing more structure than fruit right now. Find this wine

2005 Thomas Fogerty Barbara Fiddletown – sourced from the Oleta Vineyard, owned by the winemaker’s brother – 14.1% alcohol 253 cases produced $36

Pretty garnet color – shy aromas, showing hints of tart cherry and a wisp of smoke – smooth entry with medium weight, tart cherry flavors with firm acids and a smooth tannic backbone. Tastes rather “non-interventional”. An interesting California Barbera. Find this wine

2003 Thomas Fogerty Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Yountville Vallerga Vineyard – located at the foot of Mount Veeder – 13.9% alcohol 842 cases produced $50

Pleasantly deep and clear garnet color – lovely varietal aromas suggestive of its Napa Valley floor origin – there is some added spice as well, which makes for an entertaining olfactory package – smooth entry with good structure but still needs some tannin time – at six years of age, one has to wonder if the wine will develop textural appeal. Find this wine

I then strolled over to the tasting room, hoping to do some additional tasting to augment the wines offered for the Festival participants.

Fogarty Special Events Room - Click to enlarge

2008 Thomas Fogerty Pinot Gris Santa Cruz Mountains Estate – a new release – little tech information available – 36 cases produced

Shy in the nose, but leans toward high toned fruit, mostly in the citric realm – the acids are firm, bright and at this point overpower the flavors of the wine. Find this wine

2006 Martella Grenache Fiddletown – sourced from the Oleta Vineyard – 14.8% alcohol 185 cases $26 This is the label of Fogerty’s winemaker, Michael Martella. One of the Martella wines is poured in the Fogerty tasting room each month.

Garnet color – pretty plum fruit with some reductive notes that blow off with swirling – focused in the mouth with some astringent tannins up front that will need a couple of years to integrate. Find this wine

2004 Thomas Fogerty Cabernet Sauvignon Santa Cruz Mountain Gist Ranch Estate Vineyard – located some 14 miles southeast of the winery – 87% Cabernet Sauvignon 13% Merlot 15.5% alcohol 127 cases produced $65

Rich ruby color – very attractive mineral driven purple plum aromas – bright and pretty fruit that opens nicely before the significant astringent tannins clamp down on the flavors – yet the pedigree of the fruit is undeniable and wonderfully attractive. Their tasting notes suggest a ten to fifteen year window for this wine, and I tend to agree. This wine will require time and patience to come into its own. Find this wine

I thought about my tasting as I got back on the road, and with no disrespect intended toward Mr. Martella, (who I learned is highly regarded in the industry) I find it hard to believe that so many of these wines, sourced from a variety of locations, and in different vintages, would come across with such prominent acids. I suspect these wines are acidulated in the winery, and in my opinion, to their detriment.

Making a snappy wine is one thing, but having that profile as the structural theme for an entire line of wines is something quite different.

I had time to reflect on my experiences on the long drive back to the alluvial plains. I grilled up a simple supper and got to bed early. After all the driving and all the tasting, I expected to sleep deeply – and I did for the most part. I was, however, awakened from time to time by distant barking that somehow seemed eerily familiar…

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