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#RidgeSomms: Where The Ridge meets The Hill

May 19, 2013

Within the borders of Wine’s Metaphysical Country is a complexity of filigree and trellis; a latticework of weft and skein and weave; a many-tendril’d meshwork made of crossroad laid on crossroad, linked to crossroad.

Art meets science here
as the past crosses the future over there.
Tradition and experiment
triangulate and complement.
Data mining spreadsheets,
fingers spread, dirty nails,
the work of fingers, work of hands;
a braid of histories.
Instinct greeting training; dessucating;
pre- and post-industrial entwined.

~

Here is Paul Draper, and here is Dan Barber.

Here is Pre-Industrial Winemaking, and here is Farm-to-Table.

Here is Ridge Vineyards, and here is Blue Hill at Stone Barns.

~

And here is Charles Puglia.

CharlesPuglia_Headshot1

Charles Puglia, Wine Director, Blue Hill at Stone Barns

Facebook.com/CharlesPuglia
Twitter.com/CharlesPuglia

~

As when Paul Draper came to Monte Bello, as when Dan Barber came to Blue Hill, philosophy met land in the palm of a hand.

…an excitement that bespeaks

our shared lineage, the ancient

mammalian rite of recognition;

kindredity.

~

In Charles Puglia, we have an embodied ligature connecting The Ridge and The Hill.

Charles Puglia is the Wine Director at Blue Hill at Stone Barns, and he is coming to Ridge Vineyards.

The Ridge and The Hill.

As Michael Torino said:

“With the concept of Blue Hill at Stone Barns being a true farm-to-table restaurant,  focusing on growing and raising the best possible ingredients, and not so much cooking but handling the product properly, and not using t0o many ingredients in a dish, they may be one of the best fits for Ridge I can think of. Their viewpoint really mirrors our pre-industrial winemaking philosophy, and our decision to include ingredients on our labels.”

This line, I love: Not so much cooking, but handling …

~

About Charles Puglia

Charles Puglia has been a professional sommelier for the last 8 years. He currently works as the Wine Director at the highly acclaimed Blue Hill at Stone Barns restaurant in Pocantico Hills, New York. Charles manages all aspects of the beverage program for the restaurant.

Throughout his career, Charles has managed his own beverage programs as well as worked under the guidance of important professionals in the field, many of which have become mentors to him. Prior to working at Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Charles held positions that include sommelier at Jean Georges Restaurant in New York City, assistant wine director at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in New York, wine director at Palomino restaurant in Greenwich, CT, and sommelier at Gaia restaurant, also located in Greenwich, Connecticut.

Charles began his career as a sommelier with a simple interest in wine. He began learning through self-education. After spending some time in the field he decided to begin formal education. Charles received his advanced certificate from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust in 2009. He is currently a student of the Court of Master Sommeliers and recently earned his advanced sommelier certificate in August of 2011.

~

Charles is the real deal. Authentic, serious, and devotional. And he has a very kind face.

Charles is joining us for #RidgeSomms.

I find this to be so philosophically resonant, so metaphysically relevant, so metaphorically appropriate.

The Blue Hill at Stone Barns Wine List is 46 pages long. On page 26 there are 6 vintages of 90′s era Monte Bello.

~

In “Each Moment Is the Universe: Zen And The Way Of Being Time,” Dainin Katagiri says:

According to Dogen, everything that exists is time, so you are time. Dogen uses the phrase “the time has come” to say that time arises from conditions and appears as particular beings. Does that mean that everything appears by chance? No, in Buddhism “the time has come” is known as interdependent co-origination, or conditioned origination.

~

For Ridge Vineyards, for Blue Hill at Stone Barns, for Charles Puglia, the time has come.

~

The Time Has Come.

~

And with that, we invite you to join Charles Puglia, Michael Torino, and all the other luminaries that make up the cast of #RidgeSomms, for an extraordinary two days of all things Ridge, and wine, and food, and Ridge!

sympLogo-01

~

What:

Ridge Vineyards Sommelier Symposium, 2013

 

When:

May 20th & 21st, 2013

 

Where:

4488: A Ridge Blog

Ridge Vineyards on FacebookRidge Vineyards on Twitter
RidgeVineyards on YouTube

Just filter for #RidgeSomms, and you’re IN!

Tags:, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Business of Wine, Events & Photographs, Food & Wine Pairing, History, Monte Bello, Paul Draper, RIDGE Staff, Social Media, Special Offerings, Tasting Events/Opportunities, Vineyards and Oenology, Virtual Verticals, Viticultural Salmagundi, Wine & Art, Wine & Food Pairing, Wine & Literature, Wine & Philosophy, Wine & Poetry, Wine & Spirituality, Wine Quotes, Wine Tales, Winemaking | Leave a Comment »

#RidgeSomms: A Gentleman and an Expert

May 19, 2013

There are very many wine blogs.

As of the last “official” count, there are over 1.2 million blogs that either self-define as wine blogs, or include enough content on wine to be classified as such.

~

Ok, that’s not actually true.

In fact, it’s a complete lie.

But in truth, there are over one thousand.

Which is actually a TREMENDOUS amount! Wine blogs? Over ONE THOUSAND? That’s incredible!

It really is.

If you don’t believe me, check this out: Complete List of Wine Blogs.

The number is actually just over 1400. 1400 blogs about ONE subject: Wine.

Which, when you think about it, makes NAMING your blog a real challenge.

You can be somewhat satirical and self-deprecating, à la 1WineDude; easily one of the most successful and familiar offerings out there.

You can be poetic and philosophical, along the lines of Simple Hedonisms, written by that very prolific arch-activist William Allen.

You can be ironic: The Hosemaster of Wine, for example. Which is actually written by a very serious and very  intelligent and very experienced individual.

You can be dual-themed; something like WineBookGirl.

Or self-referential, like RJonWine, by the legendarily comprehensive Richard Jennings.

But in the end, you’re writing about wine, and no matter how you dress it up, that’s what you’re writing about. And that’s what your blog is about.

Which is why Red Wine Lovers is so excellent and beautiful and perfect. It’s one of those titles where, as soon as you hear it, you can’t believe no one thought of it previously.

Except they did.

Red Wine Lovers thought of it.

~

Red Wine Lovers is based in Los Angeles, and as such, they have access to very many great restaurants and wine bars.

One such place is Industriel.

Twitter: @industriel609

Industriel Facebook: Industriel Urban Farm Cuisine

And at Industriel, there can be found one Augustus Miller.

Augustus Miller, in the words of Red Wine Lovers, is “a gentleman and an expert.”

This is the art and the grace and the beauty and the poetry of wine.

To be a wine lover is NOT to be a fighter. It is to be a gentleman. To be a wine lover is NOT to be an omnivorous jack-of-all trades. It is to be an expert.

To be a wine lover is NOT to be one hot mess. It is to be, in the words of Red Wine Lovers, “dedicated to a lifelong passion.”

~

I am not a mendicant at the altar of the young.

I do not subscribe to a cult of the young.

I believe in poetry; one of few artistic genres that tends to see its masters mature late. I believe in blues; a genre that depends on wisdom, maturity, and the gravitas of age. I believe in old people. Because if you make it to be old, you are something special.

But the more I learn of Augustus Miller, the more I believe in him.

And he is young.

~

I am not in Los Angeles, and I do not yet know Augustus Miller personally. But I read Red Wine Lovers, and I am a Red Wine Lover. And Augustus Miller is in Los Angeles. And Red Wine Lovers is in Los Angeles.

And I am listening, to the sound, of Los Angeles.

Red Wine Lovers has done #RidgeSomms a tremendous kindness. Red Wine Lovers has gone to Industriel, and Red Wine Lovers has met Augustus Miller. And Red Wine Lovers has dined at the table of Augustus Miller. And Red Wine Lovers has tasted from Augustus Miller’s Wine List. And Red Wine Lovers has written the story, and Red Wine Lovers has shared it with us. And for that, I am in debt, to Red Wine Lovers.

~

industriel-urban-farm-cuisine-los-angeles-54

Industriel
(photo courtesy of Red Wine Lovers, used by permission)

From Red Wine Lovers:

Sommelier Symposium 2013 – Augustus Miller’s journey to Ridge Vineyards

Meet Augustus Miller: Sommelier & Wine director at Industriel Restaurant in Los Angeles. He’s one of the most highly regarded sommeliers in the country, and has an acute understanding of wine at its deepest roots. He presents wine with the utmost confidence in his wine list, and in his palate. He pairs the unconventional. He blows you away with wines of exceptional quality at astounding values. He invites you to new appellations and varietals, and takes you on a journey through time. Most surprisingly, he’s 28 years old.

 To better comprehend that last sentence, Augustus has only been able to legally purchase wine for the last 7 years, but has quickly developed the expertise to stand toe-to-toe with some of the world’s most talented wine snobs and master sommeliers alike. He creates an unforgettable experience at the dinner table from the very moment you meet him, and everything pours out from there.

To read the rest of this very fine profile, please click here.

And please join me in thanking Red Wine Lovers for doing all the delectably fantastic wine tasting and earth-shatteringly gourmandesque fine dining for us, so that we could just sit at our computers later and read about it … wait a second!!!

Ah, I kid … Truly, a hearty toast to Red Wine Lovers for so adroitly sharing their experiences, so passionately expressing their passions, so engagingly telling their tales, and for so vividly rendering the sensorial splendors of their singularly immersive explorations of all things wine and food.

And as especial thank you to Red Wine Lovers for contributing to #RidgeSomms is such excellent fashion. As the excitement grows, my appreciation expands. As the drama increases, my humility deepens. As the experience nears, my gratitude grows.

And thank you, Augustus Miller, for joining us. I am so very eager to meet you. Tomorrow!

~

From the Olive Garden at 18, to the Court of Master Sommeliers at 23, to Industriel at 28. The path of Augustus Miller is quite extraordinary.

We asked him to send us a bio, and he did. It concludes with the following quote, from the legendary Gerard Basset:

“You must give back as much as you take”

If the hospitality shown our friends at Red Wine Lovers is any indication, Augustus Miller is a young man who is not only adhering to Mr. Basset’s tenets, but is tipping the scales in favor of giving back.

~

And with that, we invite you to join Augustus Miller, and all the other luminaries that make up the cast of #RidgeSomms, for an extraordinary two days of all things Ridge, and wine, and food, and Ridge!

sympLogo-01

~

What:

Ridge Vineyards Sommelier Symposium, 2013

 

When:

May 20th & 21st, 2013

 

Where:

4488: A Ridge Blog

Ridge Vineyards on FacebookRidge Vineyards on Twitter
RidgeVineyards on YouTube

Just filter for #RidgeSomms, and you’re IN!

Tags:, , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Business of Wine, Events & Photographs, Food & Wine Pairing, History, Press Reviews, Social Media, Special Offerings, Tasting Events/Opportunities, Virtual Verticals, Viticultural Salmagundi, Wine & Food Pairing, Wine Blogs, Wine Quotes, Wine Tales | 1 Comment »

#RidgeSomms: I Cover The Waterfront

May 18, 2013

How about a Monte Bello vertical going back to 1977?

How about a Monte Bello vertical going back to 1977?

How about a Monte Bello vertical going back to 1977?

~

Michael Torino said it, and I haven’t forgotten it.

We were discussing Strega Waterfront, in the Seaport District of Boston, and I asked him about the Ridge presence on the Strega winelist.

And Michael Torino said: How about a Monte Bello vertical going back to 1977?

And I said, yes!

~

Bruno Marini, the very esteemed General Manager & Wine Director of Strega Waterfront, is coming to #RidgeSomms, and thus, I Cover The Waterfront.

~

If you know Boston’s food & wine scene, you know Bruno Marini. And if you love Boston’s food & wine scene, you love Bruno Marini. Because he’s been an integral part of a great many restaurants that you love. The Federalist, Ambrosia on Huntington, Biba, Pignoli, Davios, and more.

And then along came Nick Varano, and Strega Waterfront. An opportunity unlike any other. Cue Bruno Marini.

Bruno Bio Photo

Bruno Marini, General Manager & Wine Director, Strega Waterfront

Cue a wine list 1200 selections strong, and a 10,000-bottle cellar.

Cue delicious.

Cue success.

Cue Bruno Marini.

How about a Monte Bello vertical going back to 1977?

~

In a previous post on another of our cherished #RidgeSomms guests (June Rodil, profiled here), I wrote in praise of homegrown talent, and of my appreciation for the extent to which local boys and girls are growing up to be local somms and chefs and retaurateurs.

Bruno Marini has been in Massachusetts restaurants for over 20 years.

Bruno Marini was born in Newton, Massachusetts.

Frank Sinatra sang:

I cover the waterfront
I’m watching the sea
Will the one I love be coming back to me?

Frank, when she comes, take her to Strega.

Ask for Bruno.

~

When I talk restaurants with Michael Torino, this is my favorite question: If you went to dinner there, what would you order?

Why do I like this question? Because I like the way Mr. Torino does his job. He’s no Ivory Tower RSM (click here for RSM definition!), nor are his passions disingenuous; if he’s building a relationship with a restaurant, he’s eating at the restaurant. He’s meeting, greeting, tasting, and talking; he’s glass in the left, and he’s fork in the right.

So I asked him, if you went to dinner at Strega Waterfront, what would you order?

PAPPARDELLE EMILIANA (Homemade pasta served with tenderloin meat sauce and porcini mushrooms)
&
COSTATA RIPIENA – 20 oz. veal chop stuffed with prosciutto Fontina cheese in white wine demi-glaze

How about a Monte Bello vertical going back to 1977?

77cmb1

~

How about something called a “Floating Wine Wall?”

I don’t even know what this is!

But when Michael described to me his first dinner at Strega Waterfront, he said:

“The private room we were in that afternoon is surrounded by a ‘floating’ wine wall; really incredible.”

I don’t know what that is, but I wish to be another brick in it.

~

If you too wish to Cover The Waterfront, go social, and dig Bruno & Co. on Facebook & Twitter. Here’s how:

https://www.facebook.com/StregaWaterfront

https://twitter.com/stregabos

And with that, we invite you to join Bruno Marini, Michael Torino, and all the other luminaries that make up the cast of #RidgeSomms, for an extraordinary two days of all things Ridge, and wine, and food, and Ridge!

sympLogo-01

~

What:

Ridge Vineyards Sommelier Symposium, 2013

 

When:

May 20th & 21st, 2013

 

Where:

4488: A Ridge Blog

Ridge Vineyards on FacebookRidge Vineyards on Twitter
RidgeVineyards on YouTube

Just filter for #RidgeSomms, and you’re IN!

Tags:, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Business of Wine, Events & Photographs, Food & Wine Pairing, History, Monte Bello, RIDGE Questionnaire, RIDGE Staff, Social Media, Special Offerings, Tasting Events/Opportunities, Virtual Verticals, Wine & Food Pairing, Wine Quotes, Wine Tales | Leave a Comment »

#RidgeSomms: Jackets Are Preferred

May 17, 2013

If there is one thing I get teased about above all else, it is the fact that I always wear a sportcoat.

In fact, it wouldn’t be far from the truth to say, that literally not a day goes by without someone remarking on my constant penchant for appearing so encoated.

But to borrow a favorite colloquialism: That’s just the kind of guy what I’m.

Which is why I am now very fond of Chef Frank Stitt.

Mind you, I’ve never met Frank Stitt, but I’m going to very soon, because he’s coming to #RidgeSomms. And that makes me very happy.

It makes me very happy for a great many reasons, not the least of which is that, on his restaurant’s website (the very legendary Highland’s Bar & Grill in Birmingham, Alabama), is the following:

Jackets are preferred for gentlemen.

I am now very fond of Chef Frank Stitt.

~

As is Dan Buckler.

Dan Buckler, Regional Sales Manager, Ridge Vineyards

Dan Buckler is the Third Jewel in the Ridge Vineyards Triple Crown of Regional Sales Managers.

Like Michael Torino, and like Christina Donley, he is a tireless representative for Ridge, and he too travels a a great many miles.

Behold:

Dan Buckler – Regional Sales Manager (SoCal, KY, TN, AL, MS, LA, TX, AR, MO, KS, OK, NM, AZ, NV, UT, HI)

From Kentucky to Kansas, Utah to Hawaii, L.A. to LA, that’s a full-bore itinerary.

But for Dan, it’s all worth it, in no small part because of something he learned at Chef Frank Stitt’s table.

~

When I first began preparing for #RidgeSomms, I talked to Dan about his invitees; I wanted to know the backstory behind why these particular individuals had been singled out for invitations. Sure, the bios are amazing, sure the cred is through the roof, but knowing Dan, I knew there had to be personal stories there too. Dan’s like that; a narrative kind of cat.

Here’s what he told me about Frank Stitt:

“I first had dinner at Highland’s in 2002, and Chef Stitt came by the table during the evening.  It was a revelation, one of the 2-3 great meals that prompted me to say “I should be selling wine to restaurants instead of shoes to shoe stores”.  Highland’s remains one of my favorite restaurants in the USA.”

That’s the Poetry of Buckler; a Carver-esque reconciliation of humility and pride, a Levine-like understanding of work, a Fante-esque sense of one’s own destinies, and a dry Matthews-ian wit.

Dan Buckler is very fond of Chef Frank Stitt.

~

Consider these degrees of separation (otherwise knows as The Wine Bone Connects To The Kitchen Bone):

Dan Buckler is connected to Frank Stitt.

Frank Stitt is connected to Richard Olney.

Richard Olney is connected to John Olney.

John Olney is connected to Ridge Vineyards.

So OF COURSE Frank Stitt is coming to #RidgeSomms!

How’s it all work? Like this!

1. re: Dan’s connection to Frank, see above.

2. re: Frank’s connection to Richard, dig this from Frank’s official bio:

“…Stitt’s culinary journey began to take shape when he moved to San Francisco and, as a philosophy student, noticed that beloved cookbooks were taking precedence over the works of Plato and Kierkegaard. He honed his kitchen skills at various Bay Area restaurants, including the kitchen of Alice Waters at her now legendary restaurant, Chez Panisse. Waters introduced him to Richard Olney, who at the time was working on the Good Cook series for Time-Life Books and needed an assistant…”

3. re: Richard’s connection to John; John is/was Richard’s nephew.

4. re: John’s connection to Ridge; John is the winemaker at our Lytton Springs estate!

(as an aside, check the following, from Richard’ Olney’s New York Times Obituary: To his great delight, one of Mr. Olney’s nephews, John, went into the wine business in California, working at Ridge Vineyards in Cupertino.)

So really, it’s truly destiny that brings Frank Stitt to Ridge Vineyars for #RidgeSomms.

~

Frank Stitt is the real deal. Check this: (more…)

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Posted in Business of Wine, Events & Photographs, Food & Wine Pairing, History, Lytton Springs, RIDGE Staff, Social Media, Special Offerings, Viticultural Salmagundi, Wine & Food Pairing, Wine & Literature, Wine Quotes, Wine Tales | 3 Comments »

10 Years of the Geyserville: Celebrating 2011, Tasting 2001

May 16, 2013

We’ve been fortunate to have great cause for discussion of late, as regards the 2011 Geyserville, courtesy of  a recent honorific bestowed by the Quarterly Review of Wines:

CO-BEST OF SHOW

2011 Ridge Geyserville, Sonoma County

2011 Ridge Geyserville, Sonoma County $38. Soft, spicy, textured, concentrated, with strawberry-cherry flavors and elegant finish. Delicious! CO-BEST OF SHOW

The Show in question was the 29th Annual Best of The Best, the category was California Zinfandel, and the Geyserville was in receipt of the rather lovely nod noted above.

Thanks QRW!!!

~

And because of all this, I’ve been thinking about the Geyserville.

And when I think about the Geyserville, I think about zinfandel.

And when I think about zinfandel, I think about how it means so many different things to so many different people.

And how what it often doesn’t mean to people is cellarable.

And by cellarable, I don’t simply mean that something can be aged. Many wines can be aged, but few actually should. Just lasting is not enough. It has to develop. And just developing is not enough. It has to improve. It has to develop finesse, and character, and nuance, and subtlety. It has to integrate, and complexicate, and delicify. It has to gain the full measure of its soul.

To say a wine is cellarable is to note the embryosis of its soul.

~

Many wines do not have soul.

Some have some soul, but they arrive with as much soul as they’re ever going to have. They can play one beat, and that’s that. No more grooves to dance to after that.

Zinfandel has soul, but it’s often fully-formed upon arrival. It arrives, it counts to four, it hits the dance floor.

To me, the Geyserville has deep soul. Growing soul. A nascent soul. A full-measure soul. It has funky drummer soul, and house soul, and swing soul, and waltz soul, and two-step soul, and second-line soul, and shuffle soul.

So when I think of Geyserville, I think of cellarable.

And when I think cellarable, I close my eyes and count to ten.

Which brings me to 2001, and the 2001 Geyserville.

01zgy1_StillLife_AhSo

Tasted recently, and enjoyed immensely …

01zgy1_StillLife_Remington

The Remington in action …

2001 Ridge Vineyards Geyserville

Going garnet as the core spreads outward, but limned with clarity, and nicely glowing tones throughout … lots of elegant secondary on the nose: cedar, spice; very autumnal, with a slight herbality, and hints of candied Japanese plum coming through … touch of blackberry jam undergirding the aromatics, and possibly even a trace of higher-tone strawberry in there as well, though it’s tonally mostly lower … incredible mouthfeel, very velvety and smooth, with perfectly integrated tannins and the acidity very much in balance … fruit is smooth and sweet and very pretty … touch of black pepper and clove showing through, maybe even a strain of maple syrup and pine sap; just incredibly decadent without being overpowering … Good Lord, where is Mt. Tam when I need it?

01zgy1_RemingtonNotes

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Posted in Food & Wine Pairing, Geyserville, History, Press Reviews, Tasting Notes, Varietals & Blends, Video, Zinfandel | 2 Comments »

#RidgeSomms: Christina Donley Is A Moth to St. Elmo’s Flame!

May 15, 2013

For some, St. Elmo conjures images of luminous plasma. For others, Rob Lowe’s crisp jawline, and a song by John Parr.

But for Christina Donley, St. Elmo means one thing, and one thing only: Ribeye mid-rare and a half bottle of Ridge.

You may recall Christina Donley from a recent post about Chicago, but one should bear in mind that Chi’s are not the only rails The Donley rides.

ChristinaDonley

Christina Donley, Regional Sales Manager, Ridge Vineyards

As with Michael Torino, Christina Donley is a Regional Sales Manager for Ridge Vineyards, and as with Michael Torino, she covers a great deal of ground.

Behold:

Christina Donley – Regional Sales Manager (NorCal, OR, WA, AK, ID, MT, CO, ND, SD, WY, IA, IL, IN, OH, MI)

That’s hardcore.

~

StElmo-Logo_BW

The St. Elmo Steak House has been in downtown Indianapolis since 1902.

That’s hardcore too.

And, guess who’s dined there? Check this:

Jon Bon Jovi, Neil Diamond, Sammy Hagar, Daryl Hall, Waylon Jennings, Billy Joel, Lyle Lovett, Johnny Mathis, John Mellencamp, Lou Rawls, Paul Shaffer, Brian Setzer, Gene Simmons, Stephen Stills, Michael Stipe, Ann & Nancy Wilson, Neil Young, The Black Crowes, Dave Matthews Band, Foo Fighters, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Rolling Stones, U2, AC/DC, and Little Feat.

Just to name a few.

But none of that compares to the following testimonial, from The Donley herself:

Every time I go to Indianapolis, I find myself drawn to the bar at St. Elmo’s.  Like a moth to a flame.  I sit down and order the same thing every single time.  Ribeye mid-rare and a half bottle of Ridge. All the bartenders know me by name and treat me like family.

That should be just about all you need to know.

But, just in case you need to know more, it’s worth noting that the St. Elmo Steak House was named a 2012 America’s Classic by the James Beard Foundation. And that Wine Spectator bestowed upon them a Best of Award of Excellence.

But really, all you really need to do is remember what The Donley said. Like a moth to a flame.

~

So are we, at Ridge Vineyards, excited that Dave Poore — Manager & Cellar Steward at the St. Elmo Steak House — will be joining us for #RidgeSomms?

You bet yer boots we are! And we hope you are too!

#RidgeSomms will be a great way for you to get to know more about Dave and St. Elmo, but in the meantime, check ‘em out on Facebook and Twitter:

https://www.facebook.com/stelmosteakhouse

https://twitter.com/stelmo

~

And with that, we invite you to join Dave, Christina, and all the other luminaries that make up the cast of #RidgeSomms, for an extraordinary two days of all things Ridge, and wine, and food, and Ridge!

sympLogo-01

~

What:

Ridge Vineyards Sommelier Symposium, 2013

 

When:

May 20th & 21st, 2013

 

Where:

4488: A Ridge Blog

Ridge Vineyards on FacebookRidge Vineyards on Twitter
RidgeVineyards on YouTube

Just filter for #RidgeSomms, and you’re IN!

Tags:, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Business of Wine, Events & Photographs, Food & Wine Pairing, History, Press Reviews, RIDGE Staff, Social Media, Special Offerings, Tasting Events/Opportunities, Wine & Food Pairing, Wine & Music, Wine Blogs, Wine Quotes, Wine Tales | Leave a Comment »

#VineWatch13: Week 18! Oh, What A Difference The Sun Makes!

May 14, 2013

Sun? Check.

Heat? Check.

Canopy? Check!!!

Man, what a week it’s been; it’s been all KIND of hot up in here …

And given the striking changes we’re seeing in our vines right now, I thought this might be a good time to indulge in a bit of temptation; the temptation to look back, as we look forward … so behold, a lil’ bit o’ the ol’ then-and now …

First, Lytton Springs. Then …

VineWatch13_2_LS

And now!

#VineWatch13_XVIII_LS

And how about Monte Bello? Then …

VineWatch13_1

And now!

#VineWatch13_XVIII_MBg

Ah, what a difference a canopy makes!

And speaking of canopies, please enjoy a lil’ ol’ canopy slideshow, if’n ya will do …

~

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

~

Please stay tuned as we follow our lovely vines through the 2013 vintage!

We’re eighteen weeks in to-date, and for a quick look back, please enjoy the links below:

Week 17

Week 16

Week 15

Week 14

Week 13

Week 12

Week 11

Week 10

Week 9

Week 8

Week 7

Week 6

Week 5

Week 4

Week 3

Week 2-Lytton Springs / Week 2-Monte Bello

Week 1

(if you’re following #RidgeVineyards on Twitter, you can also track VineWatch 2013 by specifically filtering for the following hashtag: #VineWatch13)

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Posted in Cabernet Sauvignon, History, Lytton Springs, Monte Bello, Social Media, Varietals & Blends, Vineyards and Oenology, Winemaking, Zinfandel | Leave a Comment »

Sommelier Symposium: Paul Draper, Twelve Top Somms, and You!

May 13, 2013

The 2013 Ridge Vineyards Sommelier Symposium:

Paul Draper, Twelve Top Somms, & You!

(please scroll to the end of this post
for an updated list of #RidgeSomms posts!)

The Annual Ridge Vineyards Sommelier Symposium takes place over two intensive days, and this year, we are inviting you IN!

Please join us, and enjoy unprecedented behind-the-scenes virtual access to one of our most exceptional, yet heretofore private, annual events.

You can friend it on Facebook, follow it on Twitter, read it on our Blog, or watch it on YouTube, but no matter which channel is your go-to tune-in for all things wine, these sessions are sure to swing, and we want you in the club!

Join Paul Draper and a winemaker’s dozen of the best Sommeliers from around the country for two days of winery tours, barrel tastings, library verticals, wine dinners, and more.

You’ll tour Monte Bello’s century-old barrel rooms with winemaker Eric Baugher, and walk Geyserville’s rows of century-old vines with vineyard manager David Gates; you’ll experience eco-sustainable Lytton Springs with winemaker John Olney, and tour the famed Radoux Cooperage with Paul Draper. From barrel to bottle, Santa Cruz to Sonoma, you’ll follow our Sommeliers as they enjoy two intensive days of all things Ridge.

In short, when they’re here, you’re here!

sympLogo-01

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What:

Ridge Vineyards Sommelier Symposium, 2013

 

When:

May 20th & 21st, 2013

 

Where:

4488: A Ridge Blog

Ridge Vineyards on FacebookRidge Vineyards on Twitter
RidgeVineyards on YouTube

Just filter for #RidgeSomms, and you’re IN!

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To read additional #RidgeSomms posts,
please check out the selections below!

#RidgeSomms: Where The Ridge Meets The Hill (5.20.13)

#RidgeSomms: A Gentleman And An Expert (5.19.13)

#RidgeSomms: I Cover The Waterfront (5.18.13)

#RidgeSomms: To Dine In The Valleys (5.17.13)

#RidgeSomms: Jackets Are Preferred (5.17.13)

#RidgeSomms: One Mile High And Rising! (5.16.13)

#RidgeSomms: The Powers of Austin! (5.15.13)

#RidgeSomms: Christina Donley Is A Moth To St. Elmo’s Flame! (5.15.13)

#RidgeSomms: Michael Torino Sees “Red!” (5.14.13)

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Posted in Business of Wine, Events & Photographs, Food & Wine Pairing, Geyserville, History, Lytton Springs, Monte Bello, Paul Draper, Ridge Memorabilia, RIDGE Staff, Social Media, Special Offerings, Tasting Events/Opportunities, Tasting Flights, Tasting Notes, Tasting Rooms, Video, Vineyards and Oenology, Virtual Verticals, Viticultural Salmagundi, Wine & Food Pairing, Wine Blogs, Wine Quotes, Wine Tales, Winemaking | Leave a Comment »

Building The 2012 Monte Bello: Part II

May 10, 2013

We’ve just completed the second round of the Monte Bello Assemblage Tasting, and the blend is in!

It was quite a remarkable tasting; somewhat unique in its architecture, as compared to some past editions, in that it was essentially divided into three distinct phases: Audition, Assemblage, and Vertical.

For those of you not familiar with the process by which the Monte Bello is created, I humbly direct you to the following posts:

Beauty Is A Rare Thing: Building The 2012 Monte Bello

Building Monte Bello: The 2011 Assemblage

A Seat At The Table: A Day In Which I Am Invited To Participate In The 2010 Assemblage Tasting!

The Second Assemblage Tasting was held in The Old Torre Winery Barn, and in attendance were the following:

Paul Draper
Eric Baugher
John Olney
Shun Ishikubo
David Gates
Kyle Theriot
Shinji Kurokawa
Amy Monroe
Christopher Watkins (me)

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As the warm spring sun began to wend its subtle tides through the warming window panes, Eric inaugurated his singular oeno-alchemy…

Eric_Preparing

… as, one by one, we sought our seats and prepared our palates.

Thebeginning

We began with an auditioning of sorts; a blind tasting, 5 glasses …

5glasses_I 5glasses_II

… no explanation, no context, only the instructions: taste, assess, write, vote; 2 plusses, 2 minuses, 1 neutral.

MoleskineNotes

When the veils were lifted, we were found to have been auditioning 4 blocks’ worth of possible inclusion candidates (three different cab lots, and a merlot option); snuck into the line-up was the First Assemblage, crafted back in April. Two of the lots received majority votes. Then it was on to Round II.

Five glasses again, blind tasted again. And again, the directive: taste, assess, write, vote; 2 plusses, 2 minuses, 1 neutral. 4 of the 5 lots fared very well; one block fell by the wayside for showing a bit too ripe.

With Round III came the “proper” assemblage process: two glasses; one with the “control” (in this case, the First Assemblage), one with an “addition.” A and B. Taste, assess, write, vote. Plus or Minus.

Eric&Shun_Pouring

Eric Baugher & Shun Ishikubo

“A” took it by a nose, 5 to 4. A 7% addition of South Slope South Cabernet (S3).

Round IV. Two glasses again. A and B. Control (now including S3) and Addition.  “B” essentially sweeps; a 7-2 majority. A blend of Camp and Back Hills falls by the side of the vineyard road.

Paul_Tasting

Paul Draper

Round V, an override! I am on the right side of history for this one; I alone voted with Paul and Eric in favor of a 10% addition of 10-acre cab, and as is his right, Paul opted for the addition. None complained, it had been a tough vote.

David Gates

David Gates

Round VI, we would find out later, found us debating the future of a block I’d loved on its own; my colleague Amy as well, joined by David Gates; however, David, a veteran of the assemblages, predicted it would not, in the end, be “assembled.” He was right, it lost out to a 6-3 majority in favor of the control. But I am holding out for a solo bottling; on its own, the block is beautiful.

Paul&John_Talking

Paul Draper & John Olney

Round VII, the final round of the Assemblage. “A” took the majority, which was the control, but Paul and John came out swinging in favor of the addition; a small block of stressed Merlot. To be continued …

And then came the final round. A 6-wine blind vertical of Monte Bello; the preceding 5 vintages, plus the “new” 2012.

MonteBelloVertical

I wrote “proper” tasting notes on each, and was able to spot almost all of them as what they were, though much to my surprise, I confused the 2009 and the 2007 (which, I would say, says a great deal for how the 2007 is currently showing, given the overwhelmingly positive critical response we’ve received for the 2009 of late –Wine Advocate: 98 points, International Wine Report: 97 points, International Wine Cellar: 96 points, Wine Spectator: 95 points–given that we’re currently offering the 2007 in our tasting rooms, perhaps a good time to visit!)

But anyhow, in addition to my “proper” notes, I also wrote a spontaneous Haiku in response to each:

2009 Monte Bello
A walk through the trees;
wet, the path, twilit, the leaves.
Into the green mist.

2008 Monte Bello
The red blushes of
beauty; luxuriant youth,
serene  age; timeless.

2007 Monte Bello
As a great trunk’s broad
shoulders grow, ask yourself: Which
is stronger? Roots? Limbs?

2011 Monte Bello
Sweet soul perfection
of campground wisdom; as with
smoke, so with memories.

2012 Monte Bello (2nd Assemblage)
There is strength to fear
and strength to love; run from one,
run to the other.

2010 Monte Bello
Elegance within
a corset; beauty of denial,
of promise: a dream

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When all was said and done, a new Assemblage had been born: The 2nd Assemblage. The new details are as follows:

62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc 7% Petit Verdot, 13.6% ABV

Welcome.

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As we do every year, we continue to invite our Monte Bello Collector Members to experience firsthand the burgeoning development of the vintage that will one day be theirs; they have now seen the 2012 Monte Bello in its Component state (for more, please click here), in its 1st Assemblage incarnation (for more, please click here), and next weekend, they’ll sample that which we have just created, the 2nd Assemblage. And if history repeats itself, it’s quite likely this will be the Final Assemblage, meaning this will be the last opportunity to taste this wine before it goes into bottle for its long hibernation; not to awaken again until its release in 2015. For more information about this very special event, please see below:

Final Monte Bello Tasting
Saturday & Sunday, May 18th & 19th
11-5pm each day
Cupertino, CA

This event is for Monte Bello Collector members only (a total of 4 attendees per membership), there is no fee to attend, and an RSVP is required. We look forward to seeing you!

Eventbrite - Monte Bello Final Assemblage Tasting - May 18th & 19th, 11am-5pm

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Posted in Bordeaux varietals, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Events & Photographs, History, Merlot, Monte Bello, Paul Draper, Petit Verdot, RIDGE Staff, Tasting Events/Opportunities, Tasting Flights, Tasting Notes, Varietals & Blends, Vineyards and Oenology, Vintage Wine Labels, Virtual Verticals, Viticultural Salmagundi, Wine & Poetry, Wine Clubs, Wine Tales | 2 Comments »

A Mazzoni Island of the Mind ~or~ First Friday at Monte Bello!

May 3, 2013

Greetings!

It’s May 3rd, and it’s First Friday at Monte Bello!

IMG_0010

For our May edition of this very special monthly event, we will be celebrating the release of the new 2009 Mazzoni Home Ranch Zinfandel! The 2009 is one of the most notably zinfandel-forward Mazzoni offerings in recent years, and while it shows all the compact rusticity and culinarily companionable spice and acidity we’ve come to expect from this old-vine vineyard, it does so in a comparatively lusher, more fruit-driven fashion, and as such, is already showing beautifully with just two years in the bottle.

09ZMZ1-front

And dig this!

We’ll be pouring the 2009 in a two-vintage vertical with its predecessor, the 2008 Mazzoni!

08ZMZ-front-01

This is the last chance we’ll have the ’08 on hand as a current release, making this an especially rarefied tasting opportunity.

Making today, a good day to be a member.

So remember, if you’re a member, remember:

First Friday!

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First Friday at Monte Bello
Date: 5/3/2013

May 3rd ~ 4-7pm

Please join us on the first Friday of each month for an evening affair of delicious wines and small bites. While this is a Member Event, we are more than happy to host guests of our members as well! We’ll have some delicious small bites on offer for your enjoyment.

Members with shipments available for pick up at this event:
ATP – Monthly
ATP – Consolidated
(be sure to note that you are picking up on your RSVP)

Eventbrite - First Friday at Monte Bello - May 2013

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For a bit of history on the Mazzoni Home Ranch:

zmz

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Posted in Carignane, Events & Photographs, Food & Wine Pairing, History, Monte Bello, Special Offerings, Tasting Events/Opportunities, Tasting Flights, Tasting Notes, Tasting Rooms, Varietals & Blends, Vintage Wine Labels, Wine & Food Pairing, Wine Clubs, Zinfandel | 1 Comment »

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