VinoWeek - Episode 75 - Reflections on Gambero Rosso and Slow Wine

VinoWeek - Episode 76 - Back in the Saddle

Bill and I are back. Pardon our absence as family needs took a higher priority for both of us lately. On this podcast we offer up a quick summary of what we have been doing during our hiatus. While we may have been busy handling family affairs we still found time to have an adult beverage every now and then. We’ll share some of those discoveries on this show. Also I continue to post regularly on Twitter eerr X.

Having never participated in a “Dry January” I have found myself consuming less alcohol; more like a “Damp January and February’. I certainly sleep better on nights minus alcohol. Bill postulates that spirits especially vodka are easier for the body to digest. As with so many other things in our lives the key to a successful lifestyle is moderation.

We are having a wonderfully wet winter in Sonoma. The rainfall total are up to 123% of normal as of March 2nd and the consistent soakings show no signs of subsiding. If one could draw it up this winter cycle has been picture perfect. We’re getting all the precipitation we need without the drama of bomb cyclones or floods. Our fingers are crossed that this trend continues. If you’ve ever considered visiting Sonoma County, the springtime in my opinion is probably the best time to come and explore what wine country has to offer. Less crowds, moderate prices on lodging and a slower pace present an excellent opportunity to make some new discoveries.

Thanks to everyone for listening. Cheers!

VinoWeek - Episode 75 - Reflections on Gambero Rosso and Slow Wine

As we head into springtime this year more wine and food events are returning to the our calendars. On this podcast Bill and I discuss our recent experiences at the Gambero Rosso and Slow Wine events both held in San Francisco.

VinoWeek - Episode 74 - Good Eats in Sonoma

Bill and I recorded this podcast the morning of the Super Bowl so good eats and adult beverages were front and center of our discussion. We go on a jag about the lack of places to find good bread in Sonoma County and come up with a pretty good impromptu list of great places to eat in Sonoma County. So if you have any plans to come to wine county there are lots of good tips in this podcast. Thanks to everyone for listening. Cheers!

Our wine recommendation this week is the 2019 Poggio Scalette Chianti Classico. Poggio Scalette (hill of tiny steps) is a small property in the Greve municipality of Chianti Classico and is run by the Fiore family. Initially started by wine consultant Vittorio Fiore who’s name is prominently displayed on the front label the property is now run by his son Jurij. The top wine at Poggio Scalette is Il Carbonaione a 100% Sangiovese which sells for about $50 retail. Today we will be focusing on Il Carbonaione’s sibling or Scalette’s second wine a Chianti Classico.

The vineyards for this bottling sit at an average elevation of 1,500 feet and were planted between 1928 - 2003. The grapes are 100% Sangiovese di Lamole, an ancient clone of Sangiovese and are fermented in concrete vats and aged for ten months in concrete before bottling. Medium ruby color going clear to the edge in the glass. Pretty red fruit and floral aromas complement the cranberry, sour cherry profile on the palate. Medium bodied and mildly tannic with zippy acidity the wine is refreshing and laid back. It shows great drinkability and I immediately went digging into the wine stash to see how many I had on hand ( always a good sign ). I was delighted to discover that the Poggio Scalette Chianti Classico clocked in at 13% abv. Which means I can have more than two glasses in one sitting if I desire without having to worry about overindulging. The drinking window for this wine is short and its probably best enjoyed in the near term. It would pair well with a variety of appetizers, light main dishes, pasta and pizza. $19 Buy it here.

Show Links:

French government floats €160m fund to ease ‘wine crisis’

How product placement gets wine bottles into shows like ‘The Last of Us’

Gallo is laying off 355 employees

Why one of Sonoma’s best wineries hired a winemaker who'd never made wine before

Deadly Wildfires Devastate Vineyards in Chile’s Central and Southern Wine Regions

The Uncertain Future of Island Wines

Luca and Elena Currado Vietti say goodbye to the Vietti winery

VinoWeek - Episode 73

Esther Mobley of the San Francisco Chronicle reports on the sale of the Robert Sinskey Vineyard Winery, tasting room and vineyards. However billionaires Stewart and Lynda Resnick elected to not purchase the brand. For the moment the Sinskeys plan to lease back the facility and continue business as usual.

Press Democrat writer Sarah Doyle pens a piece on how Sonoma County winemakers are “passing the torch” and making plans to extend their family legacies.

Ingredient labeling for wine starts this year in the EU. The rest of the worlds wine markets will soon follow suit. Is ingredient labeling a win for consumers and producers?

Jess Lander uses an electric corkscrew regularly but she seems to think she may be in the minority. Do you own and electric corkscrew?

Jackson Family Wines has filed a lawsuit against their insurance company for failure to honor claims submitted due to fire damage from wildfires.

Bill and I discuss these items and more in this week's addition of VinoWeek. Thanks to everyone for listening. Cheers!

VinoWeek - Episode 72 - Holiday Wines

With Christmas around the corner we put together a list of some of our favorite wines for the holidays. The Federal Reserve’s aggressive interest rate hikes hasn’t slowed the uptick in wine prices. It can be fairly easy to blow up your wine budget with just one or two bottles of splurge purchases. Most of the wines on our list can all be had for under $35. Searching for one wine that pleases everybody is a fools errand. It’s invariably better to select a variety of wines, open them all at once and let your guest choose what they would like to drink. There are plenty of wines here to please even your most finnicky guests. Thanks for listening to our podcast and Happy Holidays.

2019 Château Vitallis Pouilly-Fuissé Vielles Vignes - Father and son team Denis and Maxime Dutron use Chardonnay from their oldest parcels, some as old as 85 years of age to craft this beautiful White Burgundy. 100% Chardonnay, natural fermentation, left on the lees for a year, 70% stainless steel the rest in barrel. Taut and mineral, with green apple and grapefruit. A distinctive Macon that may bring the ABC (anything but Chardonnay) crowd back into the fold. $27

2019 Ramey Russian River Valley Chardonnay - In contrast to the former old world Chardonnay the Ramey’s make a 100% Chardonnay using a plethora of the old world techniques. Whole cluster pressing, native yeast barrel fermentation, lees aging, malolactic fermentation and light fining sans filtering. Baked apple and pear notes complement the layers of savory oak and baking spice. Beautifully textured and balanced. $38

2021 Joel Gott Sauvignon Blanc - A perennial crowd pleaser the grapes for this Sauvignon Blanc are sourced from all over California. Its style remains remarkably consistent from year to year. Ripe melon and white peach aromas jump out of the glass. Lemon and lime flavors work well with the clean mineral finish. $12

2020 Michel Delhommeau “Harmonie” Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie - Michel and Nathalie Delhommeau farm the Melon de Bourgogne grapes for their Muscadet in the volcanic rich soils of the Loire Valley in northwest France. After fermentation the wine spends 5 months “Sur Lie” (in the tank on the lees). Lemon, apple, fresh and vibrant with a bracing minerality and tingling acidity on the finish. This Muscadet calls out for fresh oysters on the half shell and other light seafood dishes. $17

2021 Quivira Rosé Wine Creek Ranch - Cranberries, rhubarb and strawberries aromas compliment the zippy acidity of this 70% Grenache, 11%Counoise, 9% Mourvèdre, 5% Petite Sirah blend. Made with organically grown grapes. $20

2020 Concerto Reggiano Lambrusco - Most of us have never served a dry red sparkling wine. Here’s your chance to wow your guests. Concerto, made from 100% Lambrusco Salamino comes in an attractive bottle that is shaped like a bowling pin. The grapes are organically farmed. When poured into a glass you get a beautiful purple froth. Dark ruby red in color the wine taste of raspberry and strawberries with hints of licorice. It’s completely dry on the palate with a fresh zippy clean finish. Serve it slightly chilled not cold. $30

Frederic Magnien Crémant De Bourgongne Blanc De Noir - If you love Champagne but you need to watch your coins a bit more closely try exploring sparkling wines from other regions of France. French sparkling wines that use the traditional method and are made outside of the Champagne region are called Crémant. This 100% Pinot Noir from the Burgundy area can be served as an aperitif and also has the body and weight to be served throughout a meal. A light amber color, very fine bubbles, aromas of bing cherries and strawberry. Champagne quality without the sticker shock. $20

2019 Siduri Russian River Valley Pinot Noir - The consistency of the Siduri brand which was acquired by Jackson Family Wines several years ago continues unabated. Adam Lee may no longer be the winemaker but the assertive and beautiful Pinot Noir style he pioneered continues. Black cherry and spicy raspberry flavors on the palate, medium in length with good acidity. A very attractive entry level Pinot Noir. $30

2020 Bedrock Wine Co. Old Vine Zinfandel - Morgan Twain-Peterson crafts this deep ruby colored wine from old vineyards (some 100+ years old) throughout Sonoma County. Made with native yeast fermentation and aged in French and Austrian oak puncheons and foudres. In the glass black and red fruit, lavender and pepper aromas. On the palate black plums, a round texture with good acidity and length. Drink and enjoy this youthful Zinfandel now and do yourself a favor and save a few bottles for the next few years. $22

2019 Hess Collection Allomi Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon - This 79% Cabernet Sauvignon 9% Petite Sirah 5%Malbec 4% Merlot 3% Petit Verdot blend comes from the Allomi vineyard in Pope Valley of northeast Napa Valley. Black and blue fruit, tobacco and oak lead the way for this seemlessly integrated full bodied red. A cushy textured mouthfeel with a long finish. $30

2019 Obsidian Ridge Lake County Cabernet Sauvignon - 94% Cabernet Sauvignon 2% Petit Verdot 2%Malbec 1% Petite Sirah 1% Syrah. Grown in the volcanic rich soils of the Red Hills of Lake County the wine is aged for 18 months in Hungarian oak barrels. Black fruit, black cherry and vanilla, full bodied and tannic. $35

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https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/wine/article/carlo-trinchero-arrest-17584624.php