Sipping and Slipping Through The Mountains

February 3, 2023 – This crazy winter weather has been a surreal experience for many vineyard and winery owners in the mountains. Many lost power and pretty much all the roads were closed in the Summit area, meaning nobody could get to Burrell School, Loma Prieta, Regale or Wrights Station at all last weekend.  

In Bonny Doon, Ryan Beauregard told us, “I took a hike through Beauregard Ranch to take photographs of the vines covered in snow and I could hear tree after tree falling: they are not accustomed to holding up several tons of snow, especially the oaks and bays, which have leaves year round.  It was an intense experience out in the vineyard that day.  After my hike, I took a short drive around the mountain to see the extremities that the weather had delivered. Next, I went to pick up my daughters for some sledding in the vineyard on Boogie Boards. The memories they will have from that day will last a lifetime for them and for me also.” 

He continues to prune in this bitter cold because if not, they could lose the entire crop if the vines bud out too early. So they are leaving extra buds on the cordons, and in case of frost, they will be able to cut the outermost ones off as they will burst first and are most likely to be damaged. 

Ken Swegles got almost a foot of snow at the Ascona Vineyard on Skyline Boulevard, just about 15 minutes from where we live. He enjoyed snowboarding through the vines: there are some steep sections that I have stood on and thought about doing just that. He sent me a video of the tractor going through the deep snow through the blue white serenity.  It’s utterly surreal and beautiful: except for all the trees that fell and damaged the fences all around the vineyard.  Just a few days before the snowfall, he posted a shot of budbreak at a vineyard on Rider Ridge. Those precocious Chardonnay vines are doubtless quite sorry their exuberance landed them exposed to the coldest weather we’ve had in February in years. Last year, we were sunning ourselves on the deck: the last few days, we’ve been watching the snow melt. 

Personally, my husband and I woke up last Friday morning to the unmistakable silence of snow interrupted only by the disheartening sounds of trees breaking apart everywhere. The heavy wet snow literally twisted the tops of trees off, hurtling them down all over our yard. One narrowly missed our propane tank, which was also covered with pine boughs, but at least those were smaller and did no damage. We cut our way through dozens of small trees that lined our driveway preventing any vehicular access. And then we arrived at the Armageddon at the bottom of the drive: it was completely obliterated by the massive jumble of oaks, madrones and redwoods that had crashed down the steep hill. We were trapped for four days until our chainsaw hero neighbors could cut their way out of their own driveways and even more challenging, cut their way through the hundreds of branches and trees that littered and obstructed our road. 

So, you’ll forgive me for not being able to make the winery visits I had intended, but with the snow and all the trees down, it’s been impossible to get anywhere. Fortunately, I had wine that I wanted to taste and I hereby share some of these gems with you. 

Wrights Station proprietor and winemaker, Dan Lokteff, is not someone you associate with ornate Tuscan castles. But he does take inspiration from Super Tuscan wines that contain Sangiovese, especially those from Antinori, an ancient wine family in Chianti. They make Tignanello, largely comprised of Sangiovese, as well as Solaia, a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Sangiovese, and 5% Cabernet Franc. Also playing muse is the famed — and famously expensive — Sassicaia, which set the world ablaze in 1971 as the first “Super Tuscan.” Named for the stony soil in the vineyards where it originates, it is to this day a blend of predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon with a modicum of Cabernet Franc. This wine now goes for around $300/bottle, depending on the vintage: cheap by Napa standards. 

Lokteff recently released his latest version of Semaphore, a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Franc and 10% Zinfandel. Aged for 22 months in mostly seasoned French oak, with only 17% new, this is a riot of ripe fruit, featuring dark plum, blackberry pie and lots of chocolate, with a tinge of espresso. At a relatively modest $48, it’s mouthfilling and leans towards the sweet side of ripe, without the big tannins associated with old world wines.  It’s Wine of the month at present, and priced at $38.40, about 10% of the going price of 2018 Solaia. 

Another excellent taste of Italy right here in our backyard is the 2021 Soquel Vineyards Nebbiolo from Lago Lomita Vineyard, where Dan sourced the Sangiovese for Semaphore. Another Gold medal winner at the SF Chronicle, this is really quite enjoyable, although much riper and more fleshy than any Neb you’d find from Italy. 

If you’re looking for a knockout Super Tuscan-esque blend for under $20, go for “Blissful Red” from Mendocino, at $18, a combo of Cab Sauv, Barbera, Sangiovese and Primitivo. Mendocino is a sure bet for good value red blends with big ripe fruit and decent acid to balance.  We just got back from a visit there and were delighted to taste some lovely sparkling from Lichen Estate, one of several wineries making bubbly from Anderson Valley Chardonnay. 

But back to local developments. Scheid just released its Grandeur line, made from organic grapes grown in Monterey County. The Grandeur 2021 Red Blend ($22.99) combines Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah,fermented separately with organic yeast, then aged on French oak for 10 months, before bringing the final blend together. Tempting aromas of Mission fig and blackberry pie lead to flavors of elderberry, plum, tart blackberry and vanilla. Pair with grilled boar sausage, eggplant caponata or bourbon-coffee rubbed ribs. They also have a 2022 Grandeur Rosé of Petite Sirah, but it’s in my garage, and with the power outage that’s been going on for over a week now, I can’t find it. So, will report on that another time. 

Grandeur wines should be available at Whole Foods, Natural Grocers and Total Wine & More by early March. grandeurwines.com.

Dawn’s Dream just released 2021 Cuvée Zain, a Pinot Noir created to benefit young Zain, who has been suffering from pediatric leukemia since October 2022. $5 of every bottle will be donated to help the family pay medical expenses. This wine comes from the Tondre Grapefield in the Santa Lucia Highlands. 

John Benedetti is stoked to have a wee bit of Split Rail back on the menu with the 2021 vintage, but it won’t last long, as he just shipped it to the rapidly growing wine club. While supplies last, the 2021 Split Rail Pinot Noir is available online and at both of the Sante Arcangeli tasting rooms. With only 2.5 acres of Pinot planted there, it may become a club exclusive: something to ponder. Benedetti, who aspires to wear overalls like a big lumberjack, reminds us that the 2018 vintage landed on Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate list of the top 100 discoveries in the world. He feels the 2021 vintage is very similar to 2018, having come out of a long, even-tempered cool growing season, and is one of the best vintages to date. 

Similarly, Ryan Beauregard is offering the 95-point scoring 2021 Bald Mountain Chardonnay ($65) at a celebratory price of 4 for $200. This is definitely his best Chard yet. 

Chesebro is quite stoked to have been awarded 92 points for their 2021 Chesebro Sauvignon Blanc by Wine Enthusiast, a nice honor for this Cedar Lane Vineyard beauty that marries the feral wildness of New Zealand with the tropical notes of Arroyo Seco. It’s polished and slightly weighty, lending a touch of gravitas. Wine Enthusiast called it “…a benchmark Sauvignon Blanc for Arroyo Seco, representing the hallmark elements of the windswept region” and listing it as a “Best Buy.” It is the highest scoring 2021 Sauvignon Blanc in the entire region (Arroyo Seco) according to Wine Enthusiast, outscoring the likes of Bernardus Griva Sauvignon Blanc, Morgan, and J Lohr. I keep saying it’s the best one Chesebro has made yet.  

The Wine Enthusiast also loved the 2021 Chesebro Albariño, which was awarded 91 points.  

That said, a quick shout out to the excellent 2022 Flume Crossing Sauv Blanc from Winemaker Kristen Barnhisel of J.Lohr, who says that this has been one of the most successful wines in their portfolio. As a result, they have doubled the size of their Arroyo Seco program, planting new blocks in 2002, 2015 and 2020. The clone is Sauvignon Musque, prized for its passionfruit and key lime aromatics. Done in stainless steel tanks and barrels as well as 132-gallon Rousseau acacia puncheons from France, this vintage displays a long streak of juicy lime and rosemary, along with the guava, white fig and grapefruit, making for a mouthwatering experience. A touch of white vermouth herbs really makes this one different. Definitely a fine pairing with chimichurri. And only $14. 

And yes, the generator is still running, and the sound of chainsaws echoes through the canyons as I write this. If we get power restored by next Tuesday, I will be surprised and grateful. It will mark the longest stretch we’ve been without power since living in the Santa Cruz Mountains for 40 years. This is without doubt the most incredible winter storm we’ve witnessed, although the winter of 1990 in Boulder Creek, when all the pipes froze, was unforgettable. But, like vines, we survive. We rise to the occasion, and we grab the corkscrew and search for something special to commemorate the precipitation we’ve been anticipating so long. 

Get ready for more winter!!