One of the major tricks of getting any type or style of wine known is developing a "schtick" or a unique selling characteristic that will set it apart from all others. The Meritage Association did it very successfully in 1988 by actually creating a new word ("Meritage" is merely a conjunction of the words merit and heritage) so that folks would know that a mere Red Table Wine was something special, something different. In fact a Meritage IS just a blend of Bordeaux varietals and if John-Q-Winemaker wants to put that special word on his bottle, then he basically agrees to give the association a dollar a case (up to a certain amount) for the marketing honor. Some folks don't want to bother with fancy monikers and end up using some of the age-old terms like Claret or Cuvée to denote their blends. Other wineries make up their own special names for their blends; Duckhorn has its Paraduxx, Gundlach Bundschu has its Bearitage (with tongue firmly in cheek in reference to the Meritage Association), and Franciscan has its Magnificat, just to name a few.

So it was with tremendous interest that I accepted an invitation by the Mendocino Winegrowers Alliance to learn about Coro Mendocino, a new blend and a new breed of wine. The press release is pretty straightforward: "Coro Mendocino is a unique collaborative effort by Mendocino winemakers to create a class of ultra-premium wines that showcase the rich heritage and unique characteristics of Mendocino County."

Yeah, well... what the heck did all that mean? What ARE the unique characteristics of Mendocino County and who knew there was a rich heritage up there?

Obviously there were many who realized what a significant goldmine Mendocino had the potential to become. Wine production goes back to the 19th century when failed gold prospectors started planting grapes to produce the wines they knew well from their European roots. An added advantage was the fact that the spread of phylloxera at the end of the 19th century did not travel as far north as Mendocino, sparing the bulk of vineyards. Then, in the 1950s, Fetzer Vineyards put the county on the modern wine map, starting with just over 700 acres and ultimately becoming the sixth larger producer of wines in the United States.

Coro comes from the Italian and Spanish word for "chorus." And while not noted on their website, Coro was really the brainchild of Paul Dolan (left), a fourth generation vintner who is an icon in the wine world, not only for putting Fetzer on the map, but also for much of his environmental philosophies, which are changing the industry ecologically for the better by spearheading organic systems. It was while Dolan was president of Fetzer Vineyards that he considered the fact that the Mendocino wine community was in need of a draw. He and a handful of other local winemakers had some brainstorming sessions and took stock of what they were already doing that was great, what asset they all held in common, and how they could marry these facets together into a promotable commodity.

The asset in common? Zinfandel, the ubiquitous California grape. There is no doubt that Zinfandel is the varietal that put California on the wine-making map (way back in 1889, bottles of California Zinfandel wine were winning awards at the Paris exposition, long before the now famous 1976 Judgment of Paris!), and with its 18,000-plus acres of vineyards, Mendocino County is certainly contributing its fair share of Zinfandel to the marketplace. The next question was what could be done with Zinfandel that was both remarkably different in the marketplace, and would also provide the winemakers their freedom in creation? (Publisher's Note: George Taber's personal account of the tasting in Paris will be published in Sept., 2005.  Order your advance copy by clicking on the link at the left.)

The decision (after much debate and discussion) is Coro Mendocino. Having Zinfandel as their base, each participating winery has the freedom to create a blend of their own design. There are, of course, guidelines; only Mendocino fruit can be used, Zinfandel must comprise 40% to 70% of the final blend, and the wines must pass a severe tasting panel of five judges (other fellow wine-makers). There are other considerations as well - the wines can only be produced by Mendocino County bonded wineries, the finished product sells for $35.00, and they all share the same size and shaped bottle and label design, with each winery's logo as part and winemaker's name as part of the artistry. At its inception with the 2001 vintage, only five wineries participated, then seven, and now, in 2005, there are nine wineries producing a Coro blends with more local producers showing interest.

The varietals used and production amounts are one of the differing factors in Coro's development. Some wineries specialize in Rhone varietals like Grenache, Carignane, and Syrah while other wineries are growing mostly Italian grapes like Dolcetto, Sangiovese, or Barbera. These are considered the Second Tier varietals and the percentage of any one of these grapes must not exceed that of the Zinfandel, which must remain the wine's major component. Other Second Tier varietals that are considered acceptable include Petite Sirah, Charbono, and Primitivo. What about Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot? Well, the winemakers are given a 10% leeway in developing their blends and some might introduce those flavors into their wine, but the general consensus is that "these grapes don't really play well and can overwhelm" those in the Second Tier profile. For a small winery like Golden Eagle, their production level of the Coro blend was only 76 cases while the Fetzer behemoth was able to produce 500 cases.

The judging aspect is another factor that is decidedly unusual. Hearkening back to that Meritage, just remember that any winery that wants to pay for the privilege and uses the correct grapes can use the Meritage word. Not so with the Coro moniker; the Panel of Five (three of which MUST be from participating wineries), taste the wines throughout their production and thus carefully scheduled tastings occur. Around the First of June, an initial tasting of a winemaker's blend is done. It is here that first impressions are made and suggestions given. A winemaker might go back and tweak his or her blend to enhance or subdue flavors for optimum quality. Two weeks later, after some fine-tuning, a second tasting is done and final blends might be established.

Six months later (after the wines have seen 14 months in the barrel), a second thorough review and tasting is done, but this time a chemical analysis is also performed. Very specific parameters have also been established regarding alcohol, pH, and total acidity (TA) levels are also part of the strict guidelines and it is the winemaker's responsibility to keep within the framework. Casey Hartlip (left, with Peewee) of Eaglepoint Ranch Winery sat on the 2002 vintage panel, and recalls, "In a blind tasting, I rejected my own wine and had to go back and do some re-blending to bring it up to the quality that was being produced by everyone else." (photo courtesy of Eaglepoint Ranch Winery)

Hartlip is one of Coro Mendocino's more enthusiastic winemakers. He, along with Fred Nickel of Brutocao Cellars have gone to the extreme of getting tattoos in devotion to the Coro brand; Fred, with a more benign Coro logo, but Casey's with the logo, an outline of the Mendocino county boundaries, and subsequent years that his wines are accepted. What happens if the panel rejects his blend? "I haven't decided what I'll do then," Hartlip explained. "Maybe have the year tattooed and then crossed off... But I don't want to think about that!"

During my weekend with these Mendocino winemakers, there was one other astonishing trait that is rarely seen, a true camaraderie amongst professionals. The Coro blends are scheduled for release each year during the annual Mendocino Wine Affair, held this year on the weekend of June 12th. A magnum of each Coro blend was put into a specially designed wooden case and along with the collection, the auction item included a tattoo session with Hartlip and Nickel. But to sell their particular auction lot, these Brothers of Zin wrote and performed a special song, encouraging an increase in bidding and the general goodwill of the community. It was something I wish their Napa counterparts could have witnessed...

Golden Vineyards 2002 - 42% Zinfandel, 40% Syrah, 18% Petite Sirah
Inky red with spicy dark plum and fresh violet tones, layered with some dried twig. Initial mouth entry was lighter than the aromas indicated, displaying red plum and cherry with an herbal finish.

Brutucao Cellars 2002 - 48% Zinfandel, 32% Syrah, 16% Primitivo, and 4% Sangiovese. Dried floral aromas with a smooth mouth entry; the mid-palate showed slight dry characteristics, but brightened on the finish to show some enticing cherry qualities.

Fetzer Vineyards 2002 - 40.7% Zinfandel, 33.3% Syrah, 21.3% Petite Sirah, and 4.7% Grenache Noir. Decidedly fruit-forward with an easy cherry front and developed, dark raspberry both on the end of the aromas and in the finish.

Pacific Star Winery 2002 - 40% Zinfandel, 30% Petite Sirah, 15% Syrah, 5% Charbono, 5% Barbera, and 5% Pinot Noir. Intensely elegant fruity nose with floral tones that tease and entice. The fruit continues with the first taste and expands to demonstrate dried roses and cherry blossom with a lingering spicy finish.

Dunnewood Vineyards 2002 - 44% Zinfandel, 22.4% Charbono, 7.3% Cabernet Sauvignon. A bit darker and more rustic than the previous tastings with black plum and dark spice. Drier in the middle, and showing a hint of dusty twigs on the finish.

Eaglepoint Ranch - 41% Zinfandel, 37% Syrah, 19% Petite Sirah, and 3% Grenache. Exotic dried roses and other dried floral qualities. Depth and balance shows immediately on entry with the berry qualities playing with dried flowers to provide an almost erotic sensation.

Graziano Family Wines 2002 - 53% Zinfandel, 14% Petite Sirah, 11% Sangiovese, 11% Dolceto, and 11% Barbera. Dried floral tones dominate, then showing a base of dark raspberry with the faintest whiff of eucalyptus. Fresh dark fruit flavors begin showing developing a rich mouthfeel, showing cedar and a vanilla finish that is a tad dry.

McDowell Valley Vineyards 2002 - 60% Zinfandel, 35% Syrah, and 5% Petite Sirah. Dried cherry and dried violet. Hotter than most and a tad chewy on the end.

Parducci Wine Estate 2002 - 58% Zinfandel, 22.5% Petite Sirah, and 19.5% Syrah. Dried flowers coupled with anise and woodsy twigs. Cherry and blueberry couple with a continuing flowery sense and spicy black licorice on the finish.
 

Previously from Carolyn Tillie:

Scott Tracy's Half Bottle Party at Taylor's Refresher

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