December 15, 2023 – Would it surprise you to learn that the global combined consumption of white wine and rosés now exceeds that of red wines? This trend began in 2000 and continues unabated, as red production falls, with white and rosé taking up the slack, in part fueled by the popularity of Prosecco and sparkling wine in general.
Leading the way in whites is the US, followed by Germany, Italy, France and the UK. That’s not to say red wines are completely falling off the truck. Demand for reds continues strong in China, the US, Russia and South America, but has fallen in France, Germany, Italy and Spain. The increase in popularity of rosé as an all-year-round category has helped expand white production as well.
With that in mind, here are some recommendations for outstanding whites, rosés and reds, available from our local vintners, along with a couple of special sparklings from some of my favorite producers. And a few books worth a read as well.
2020 Caraccioli Escolle Vineyard Chardonnay – This site seems suited to wines that showcase a reserved, understated, elegant, white glove style, as opposed to the sunny side of California. Mineral-driven instead of fruit driven, one of the hallmarks of Caraccioli’s Escolle Chardonnay has always been its emphasis on citrus and stone, and this is no exception.
Domaine Carneros Sumptuous Sampler – This handsome blue gift box ($238) contains three of this sparkling house’s best examples: the 2015 Le Rêve Blanc de Blancs, with its silky lemon meringue mousse; the lovely pale pink 2019 Brut Rosé that gleams like a holiday ornament, and the 2018 Ultra Brut, with briny lemon and brisk key lime. If you seek to impress, this will do nicely.
2012 Fogarty Estate Blanc de Blancs Sparkling – Make haste as there is not much of this to be had, and rumor has it that winemaker Nata Kandler doesn’t have any more sparkling in the pipeline. Made of 100% Chardonnay, sourced from 51% Portola Springs and 49% Langley Hill, this spent 2 years and 9 months en tirage, and was disgorged in February 2016. It’s ethereal and focused at the same time, with heavenly tiny bubbles and a midpalate that hovers and sparkles like aurora borealis.
Talbott Sparkling Wine Brut NV – Made from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier from vineyards in the Suisun Valley, Russian River Valley and Monterey County, the dosage was comprised of oak-aged Sleepy Hollow Vineyard Chardonnay. This adds a bit of Talbott’s signature baked apple and butterscotch depth. This is dry, dry, dry, with a kiss of oak.
2021 Fogarty Winery Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay – Bearing the distinctive 40th anniversary stripe, this blend orchestrated by winemaker Nathan Kandler, represents a chorus of vineyard voices from the Fogarty portfolio in the northern reaches of the Santa Cruz Mountains. The cool lemony crispness of Portola Springs lifts the pear and apple of Langley, finishing with the depth and decadence of Damiana. Aromas of honeycomb, lemon pound cake, butter biscuits, white fig, candied pineapple and apple fritters lead to mouthwatering flavors of creamy pear tart, apple strudel and pineapple carrot cake. Underlined by perfect acidity, this is the epitome of what makes the Santa Cruz Mountains a treasure trove of Chardonnay.
2022 Odonata Boekenoogen Vineyard Chardonnay, SLH – Oozing warm Meyer lemon shortbread in an opulent goblet of oak, this speaks to what made this varietal synonymous with the Boekenoogen brand when it began. In the hands of Denis Hoey, it ferments in barriques, and the gentler lactone infusion is a good match to the heady peachy flavors that are just dying to emerge. You must have a Chardonnay for the holidays, so make it one that catches your guests off guard. Fantastic with goat cheese and leek tartlets, or cornbread and chestnut stuffing.
Santa Cruz Mountains Vineyard, Grand Cru Cabernet Gift Collections – Long hinted at, and mentioned here before, winemaker Jeff Emery has officially launched his long awaited “Grand Cru” Cabernets project, including the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc from Bates Ranch, and Cabernet Sauvignon from P & M Staiger in Boulder Creek, just in time for the holidays. Emery thought having gift boxes would be appropriate to present these beauties, aged in barrels specially made for this project. Learn more at GrandCruCabs
Says Emery, “We made very limited quantities of these wines and have gone to great effort to showcase the unique character of these historic sites. We are excited to share these special wines from these historic vineyards in our region.”
2002 Kings Mountain Vineyards Estate Meritage, Woodside – Now 21 years of age, this classically Bordeaux style blend has incredible freshness of fruit. With not a hint of oxidation or that damp cellar or old attic aroma you might expect from two decades of bottle aging, you’ll instead find vibrant fruit, plenty of acid and broadly appealing savory elements. Built for prime rib, London broil with mushrooms or even eggplant lasagna, it holds plenty of promise for further aging.
Ferrari Ranch 3-pack for $110 – Speaking of gift packs, here’s one sure to please, with a bottle each of 2021 Estate Pinot Noir, 2021 Estate Chardonnay and 2022 Estate Rose. It includes a handwritten holiday card with your custom gift message for a personal touch.
The Language of Yes! 2021 Rancho Réal Syrah – Our longtime eno hero Randall Grahm is stoked about this incredibly fun and versatile Syrah from his latest project that gets big thumbs up from Syrah lovers. This exuberant wine is bountifully blessed with the chemical that presents as white pepper. It’s called rotundone, which really dominates during cool vintages with extended hang time, which bodes really well for Syrah’s and other aromatic wines in vintage 2023. The 2021 is not just endowed with white pepper, but black pepper as well. It is also nicely savory, and meaty, infused with bacon fat. For those who love Côte-Rôtie, this casts similarly sinewy and energetic shadows on the wall. Offered in 4-packs for $180, ground shipping is free if you order by Dec. 18. And get this: Wine Enthusiast bestowed 94 points upon it.
Books for Wine Lovers
Wine People, by Michelle Wildgren, weaves a smart, compelling and rater intoxicating story around the lives of two young, competitive women drowning in the copious challenges of the wine import business. Thrown into the politics, sexism, pigeonholing, stereotyping and backstabbing quagmire of high stakes wine, they discover the true power of cooperation. Their complex and volatile friendship helps them navigate the disappointments of a business that constantly defies and thwarts plans and expectations, and illuminates the importance of being there for each other no matter what.
Gather: Casual Cooking from Wine Country Gardens, by Janet Fletcher – Renowned cheese expert Janet Fletcher brings you an inside look at how wine country chefs assemble creative and beautiful meals from their gardens and larders. It’s part story book, part cookbook, part glorious photo essay, plus a bit of plating technique, and really brings the edible beauty of California to anyone who yearns to live here, or eat like they do.
Behind the Barrels: The Women of Ridge, by Sue Crane, as told to Helen Park Bigelow – One of the true “Mothers of Ridge,” in so many ways, Sue Crane recounts the early years of Ridge, when she and her husband Hew, along with Fran and Dave Bennion, and Blanche and Charlie Rosen, risked life, limb and poison oak to reclaim a scrappy vineyard remnant on Monte Bello Road in Cupertino. Their friendship, children, faith in their fellowman and their love of this wildly attractive land, from which they bathed in the moonlight while listening to the broadcast of Apollo 11 landing on the lunar surface in 1969, helped them turn it into an iconic and well-known brand worldwide. This truly insightful memoir is available from the online store at RidgeBook.
About the author
Laura Ness is a longtime wine journalist, columnist and judge who contributes regularly to Edible Monterey Bay, Spirited, WineOh.Tv, Los Gatos Magazine and Wine Industry Network, and a variety of consumer publications. Her passion is telling stories about the intriguing characters who inhabit the fascinating world of wine and food.
