Caves - The 2021 Fall Shipment

Caves. There is something about a cave that draws you in: dark, damp, cool, anticipation, unknown. Pair that experience with a great winery and you know something great is about to occur. To find one just around the corner, well, that is just plain exciting.

Our first wine cave experience took place on our first trip to France a few years into our marriage. It was a trip where our eyes were opened to a wonderful culture where they appreciated food, wine, cheese & dessert unlike anything we had yet experienced in our young lives. Our travel agent booked us at the charming and historic Chateau de Chissay in the Loire Valley. Mary loves castles and this was a much-anticipated lodging choice. What we didn’t expect was how this experience would change our view of food, wine and travel. Dinners were dressed affairs with 5 course, wine paired meals - nothing like we had ever experienced before. The French staff took a shine to these two kids and walked us through our meals. Fromage cart? Sure! Which one? Uhhhh…Here sir, try these twenty! We were hooked on cheese for life! Would you like to visit the caves and see the wine? You bet! Natural limestone caves originally carved for safety, escape, cool food storage and wine. Lots of dusty bottles of wine! Not sure we could afford any of those bottles, but the idea was planted that something special was to be stored in the earth.

Jump forward a couple decades - a new life & business in wine country and remembrances of one thing that makes wine special - caves. We recently had the opportunity to partake in a special tasting at Star Lane Winery, located in the Eastern part of Santa Barbara wine country’s Happy Canyon AVA. It was a surprisingly storied piece of property that gained its name during prohibition when you could purchase a bottle of special “olive oil” which was code for booze or “hooch” as it was called. The winery is a magnificent multistory building that is a gateway to some wonderful, modern caves! When considering building their wine business, the owners, Jim and Mary Dierberg, set about a 250 year plan for their wines and that included proper cave storage. Diving deep into the San Rafael mountainside, these caves have only begun to store wonderful wines from the adjacent vineyards of Star Lane, some of which we will be including in your Fall shipment. The Dierberg tasting room and vineyards in the Sta. Rita Hills AVA are home to their Pinot Noir and Chardonnay varietals.

We start with a beautifully bright, balanced Sauvignon Blanc. In a white Bordeaux style, Tyler added a bit of Semillon to give the wine added dimension. I think this also increases the variety of food you can pair with it. Fresh, palate-cleansing citrus combines synergistically with clean minerality. This is one of our favorite Sauvignon Blancs from the Santa Ynez Valley!

Next up is a classic Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir from the Drum Canyon vineyard which is at the Dierberg tasting room, right off the 246 on the way to Lompoc. Due to the warm weather, a bit of stem inclusion was used to balance out the dark red fruit notes. This is followed by some nice earthy spiciness, wrapping up with a smooth, elegant finish.

We think Star Lane is producing some of the best Cabernet Sauvignon in Santa Barbara County – a thought echoed by our friends in the wine business. We really like how the Happy Canyon Cabs take a different approach to Napa Cabs, and let the grapes shine through without overwhelming oak notes. Tyler incorporated some minor quantities of Bordeaux varietals into the 2017 Star Lane Cabernet Sauvignon to increase the complexity, including Cabernet Franc (5%), Petite Verdot (5%), Merlot (4%), and Malbec (1%). Like the Pinot Noir, this vintage is a bit more fruit-forward given the warm 2017 season, and showcases red and blueberry fruit with “cool coastal sage” notes of complexity as well as elements of cocoa and some earthiness. With 35% new French oak, tannins are present just enough for that balanced, lasting finish. Tasting beautifully now with the power to last 10-15 years or more.

Please enjoy these wonderful wines with our best wishes!

Cheers,

Mike and Mary

2020 Revisit Wine Co. Spring Shipment

Greetings members and subscribers! We are pleased to bring you another offering of amazing boutique wines from the Central Coast. We are honored to be able to find hidden gems just for you, and it is so rewarding to learn more with every experience. If you have any favorites from previous shipments and want to “revisit” them, just let us know – we still have a few in stock!

Reminder – if you are looking for a great thank-you gift for your business clients, we can put together a nice wine package for you!

Grimm’s Bluff 2015 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
• Owner: Rick Grimm
• Winemaker: Paul Lato
• Happy Canyon AVA

Grimm’s Bluff 2016 Reserve Sauvignon Blanc

• Owner: Rick Grimm
• Winemaker: Paul Lato
• Happy Canyon AVA

Flying Goat 2013 Pinot Noir, Bassi Ranch Vineyard
• Owner: Norm Yost and Kate Griffith
• Winemaker: Norm Yost
• San Luis Obispo AVA

Happy Canyon is an up and coming AVA in Santa Barbara County. You may remember our Fall 2019 Shipment of Grassini Vineyard? We heard so much great feedback from you about those wines that we decided to feature a neighbor of theirs, Grimm’s Bluff! We were lucky enough to spend a few hours with Rick Grimm and Jeff Chaney out at the breathtaking ranch (just check out the photos!) So many things about this vineyard impressed us. The Grimms bought a beautiful piece of land and wanted to do everything top-notch. They have a top French biodynamic consultant, Phillipe Coderey, who not only ensures that their grapes are planted to perfection, but also helped them create an organic, certified biodynamic estate vineyard, with no chemicals used on their vines. I’ll explain more about this in a future blog post. They also hired Paul Lato as their winemaker, who has a stellar reputation in California winemaking. You can really see, smell, and taste this attention to detail in these wonderful wines. They are still very small production, so we were really lucky to get these for you.

The Estate Cabernet Sauvignon received 92 pts. from Matt Kettemen, who specializes in Central Coast wines at Wine Enthusiast. His tasting notes: “Rich but subtle aromas of red fruit are lifted by ample baking spice and a rocky minerality on the nose of this bottling. There is solid grip to the sip, where more lush purple and red-fruit flavors meet with touches of crushed graphite, roasted coffee bean and fine oak. Chalky tannins carry into the finish.”

Winemaker Notes on the 2016 Sauvignon Blanc: “Light straw yellow with a greenish hue. Now is complex and nuanced, with notes of grapefruit, melon, and gooseberry. Evolving after a little time in the glass, it is clean, refreshing and delicious on the palate. The wine is fine and complex, with gentle notes of lemon grass, lime zest and a touch of flintiness. The wine finishes clean and long, asking you to have another sip.”

Our third wine features a producer from the Lompoc Wine Ghetto. Have you heard of it? Lompoc is of course home to the famous Sta. Rita Hills, and the “Ghetto” is an industrial park full of great winery tasting rooms! Many of these are very small producers you will not have heard of.

One of these special producers is Flying Goat Cellars. Flying Goat specializes in Pinot Noir and Sparkling Wine (sparkling wine is rare in Santa Barbara!) and when a winery puts all their efforts into just a couple varietals, the result is delicious! Norm Yost is one of the pioneers of Sta. Rita Hills winemaking, launching Flying Goat Cellars in 2000. Norm sources his grapes from a variety of excellent vineyards to create many different Pinots. The grapes for this wine were sourced from Bassi Ranch Vineyard near Avila Beach in San Luis Obispo County, where the coastal climate and conditions are very similar to the Sta. Rita Hills. We found this wine to have a delicious balance of smooth, rich fruit with gentle tannins and some nice complexity. For food pairing, Norm suggests, “The texture with layers of this wine pairs well with pork and a Pinot reduction sauce or turkey with homemade cranberry sauce. Enjoy the flavors that linger on the palate with this full-bodied wine.”

Thank you for your support, and we wish you the best in 2020!

Cheers! Mike and Mary

Holiday Tasting Guide

As we are in the thick of the holiday season, many of you may be thinking about what wine you’ll serve for your special holiday meals, so I wanted to provide you with some suggestions to help you on the wine-pairing side. One of the fun things about wine is that everyone’s palate is different. But that also makes it more challenging as a host! I recommend having a couple different options available.

You typically can’t go wrong starting with a sparkling wine or Champagne. Handing a guest a glass of bubbly gets the celebration off to a great start and sets the tone for a festive occasion! If you choose, you can continue with sparkling wine throughout the meal. The bubbles and acidity balance out the rich flavors of a meal without overpowering them. If you are going to pair with a meal, I recommend a sparkling wine made with Pinot Noir (as many of the best champagnes are) or a Rose’ because it has more structure to stand up to a holiday dinner than an Blanc de Blanc made with only Chardonnay.

If you’d like to serve a white wine with your meal, I recommend a fuller-bodied wine – a Chardonnay. Why? Because that is style of white wine that will stand up to some of the richer flavors of a holiday meal. If you’re adventurous, you could try a dry Riesling or an Albarino.

On the red side, the best choice will depend on what you are serving. If you are serving something on the lighter side such as poultry or pork, choose a lighter wine. One of the common turkey-pairing recommendations is a French Nouveau (young) Beaujolais – a bright, fruity option. However, I prefer something which balances the fruit with a bit more interest and substance. I think the perfect choice is a Pinot Noir with some nice earthiness which should blend well with savory sides like stuffing, and turkey gravy. Some people don’t realize that there is a broad spectrum of Pinot Noirs, from light to full-bodied. If you’re not a Pinot Noir fan, you could also choose a Zinfandel, but I think an even better choice is a Rhone-style wine. A Grenache, which is a lighter Rhone varietal, would be a great choice, but it’s harder to find a good one. For those who prefer a full-bodied red, I recommend a Rhone blend, like a GSM (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre). Something heavier will often overpower the subtle flavor of poultry or pork, but the blend with Grenache (with the Syrah) softens it. The gold standard in Rhone blends is a Chateauneuf du Pape from the French Rhone region, but there are also some excellent options from the Santa Barbara or Paso Robles area.

If you are serving a heavier meat, such as roast beef, steak, or any type of beef, choose a full-bodied wine. Again, a GSM is a great universal choice. A Syrah can be a great option for grilled meat and can also pair with beef. Of course, a Cabernet Sauvignon or Bordeaux blend is a classic choice for beef.

We have some excellent choices for your holiday celebrations:

• Classic Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir from Clos Pepe, Storm, Lafond and Ground Truth
• Smooth, rich Cabernet Sauvignon from Grassini, Storm, and J. Wilkes
• Beautifully balanced Chardonnay from Clos Pepe

And more! Contact us at mary@revisitmarketing.com to find your perfect pairing!

In the end, there is no bad decision, as long as you and your guests enjoy it! Isn’t that one of the great things about wine? Whatever wine you choose, it will bring that special touch to your meal which melds all of the wonderful flavors and personalities of the holiday!

2019 Fall Shipment - Rare Opportunity

Greetings members and subscribers! We hope that you have had a wonderful summer and enjoyed some delicious wines! We’ve been hard at work figuring out our Fall shipment and have some amazing selections for you. We’re working on some great info for you, including a “Locals’ Guide to Wine-Tasting in the Santa Ynez Valley” which you will all receive when it is complete. If there is any other wine-related topic you’re interested in, let us know – we are here as a resource for you!

Reminders – If you would like to buy a particular wine varietal from us outside of our club shipments, let us know and we’ll see if we can source a great wine at a value for you!

Grassini Family Sauvignon Blanc
• Owner: Grassini Family, Winemaker: Bradley Long
• Happy Canyon AVA
Grassini Family 2015 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
• Owner: Grassini Family, Winemaker: Bradley Long
• Happy Canyon AVA
Lumen Wines 2015 Pinot Noir – Santa Barbara County
• Owners: Lane Tanner/Will Henry; Winemaker: Lane Tanner
• Sierra Madre Vineyard (61%), Santa Maria Valley (39%)

We are honored that two renown families in Santa Barbara have partnered with us to bring you fabulous wines for the Fall Season. The first is the Grassini Family – and it is a true family business. The Grassini Vineyard and Winery is one of the most beautiful settings in the County, with acres of vineyards, a pond and a world-class wine facility. Although they are probably best known for their Happy Canyon Sauvignon Blanc, they generously offered to share their Reserve SB with Revisit Wine Club members. Happy Canyon is an up-and-coming AVA for Cab – it is one of the few places that gets hot enough to ripen Cabernet grapes – and the Grassinis were one of the first to realize the potential. Bradley Long, winemaker, came to Grassini after spending time at Nickel & Nickel and Fantesca in Napa Valley.

• Winemaker Notes: The Grassini 2016 Reserve Sauvignon Blanc matured for in a combination of new and neutral French Oak. The bright acid helps showcase flavors of pineapple and stone fruit, which are varietally "Sauvignon Blanc," while the barrel aging adds complexities of caramel and toasted coconut. The finish is soft and round, yet clean and refreshing, inviting another sip. While the oak influence is subtler in this 2016 Reserve Sauvignon Blanc than in previous vintages, the signature notes of crème brûlée will still shine through. 406 cases produced.

• Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Winemaker Notes: Bold, balanced and refined, this wine opens with aromas of dark fruit, cinnamon, and green tea, followed by a touch of smoke and espresso. Notes of blackberry and black currant greet the palate, along with a hint of cocoa. Flavors of rich dark chocolate, caramel, and vanilla are prominent in the smooth, lingering finish. 690 cases produced. 93 Points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous.

We also have the great pleasure of meeting and working with Lane Tanner, aka the “Czarina” of Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir. Lane started making wine in SBC in and has worked with a number of wineries before focusing on her own label, Lumen Wines. She co-owns the label with Will Henry, who is also well know in the wine business with his restaurant “Pico” in Los Alamos, and his wine business, “Henry Wine Group”. Lane specializes in handcrafted Pinot Noir and carefully selects her grapes from the best certified sustainably-farmed and biodynamic vineyards in the area, using the minimal amount of sulfites possible. They also pick their grapes earlier in the harvest season, resulting in wine that is livelier on the palate, deeper in complexity, and lower in alcohol. We have so enjoyed getting to know Lane and her husband Riki (winemaker, Labyrinth Wines). Note: 1% of Lumen Wine sales are donated to environmental causes.

Winemaker Tasting Notes: Wonderfully vibrant and energetic, with penetrating raspberry and rose petal on the nose, followed by undulating flavors of strawberry, thyme and sandalwood on the palate – all wrapped in a firm yet velvety texture. Long, vibrant finish with lingering fruit and minerality, accented by cardamom and anise notes. Well-matched with any wild game, salmon or bird dish, with power enough to cut through any hot curry or Szechuan fare. 1300 cases produced.

Cheers!
Mike and Mary

Revisit Wine Co Spring 2019 Shipment

Storm Wines 2015 Pinot Noir – Duvarita Vineyards

· Sta. Rita Hills AVA

· Owner and Winemaker: Ernst Storm

Notary Public 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon

· Happy Canyon AVA

· Winemaker: Ernst Storm

J. Wilkes 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon

· Paso Robles Highlands AVA

· Winemaker/Brand Ambassador: Wes Hagen

A special note to our members: "I am Wes Hagen, Winemaker for J Wilkes Wines (and the Cabernet in your current shipment). To me, wine is about keeping friends at table so we can have a great, live conversation with our eyes and mouths--not our thumbs and phones. When I met the owners of the Revisit Wine Club last year, I was excited that our local culture was starting to create small businesses that support our local products in Santa Barbara County, and really wanted J. Wilkes Wines to be part of that. I hope you enjoy the Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles Highlands District, and you will send me your thoughts at whagen@jwilkes.com. I love hearing from those who enjoy my wine, and I hope the wine takes you to the time and place it was grown. Wine is a 'visit' in a glass, and with every sip you can 'Revisit'. Thanks to the Nash family and to you for supporting J. Wilkes!"

Wes Hagen, WSET 2, SWE, AWS, J. Wilkes Winemaker, Brand Ambassador, Raconteur

(805) 450-2324 Voice/Text @weshagen (social media) whagen@jwilkes.com, http://millerfamilywinecompany.com

Greetings members!

We hope you’ve been enjoying your Winter Shipment! Thanks for all the positive comments about the wines. That is why we started this business…to bring you wines that you love, that will be fun to share with friends and family, creating memorable experiences.

For the “Spring” Shipment, it’s more like a second Winter shipment because it’s still cold in most places, so we’ve chose to send you a shipment of all red wines. One of the fun things about a wine club should be to explore new wine regions and new wines. For this shipment, we’re featuring two Cabernet Sauvignons: one is from the Happy Canyon area of the Santa Ynez Valley, a small up-and-coming AVA, and the other is from grapes sourced from Paso Robles, which is more established for bolder wines but still in the process of becoming a globally-recognized region. We have several members who like Cabs and bold wines. Remember for the optimal experience, open bigger wines at least an hour before you will drink them – it will smooth out any rough edges, especially with younger wines. Finally, we’re including a beautiful Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir which truly typifies the area.

Two of the wines, one Pinot Noir and one Cab, are made by winemaker Ernst Storm. We are so lucky to have met Ernst and his family as he has such a great attitude about life, and about making wine. He is featured in one of our first blogs. His philosophy is to source from the best vineyards the area has to offer, and to guide the wine-making process to produce wines that truly reflect the area. His roots are in South Africa where he and his brother still make wine under a different label. Now he’s enjoying the unique climate of California’s Central Coast. You may see his Sauvignon Blanc on some restaurant menus as it’s become very popular. His other wines are very small production, so you are one of the few that get to enjoy them!

Our third wine is made by the same winemaker, Wes Hagen, who wrote the note to you above. He also made the Clos Pepe wines that many of you have really liked in our first shipment. Note: we still have those limited-edition wines available if you’d like to order them while they last! He is now working for J. Wilkes as Winemaker and Brand Ambassador, working his magic with those wines. Wes is truly dedicated to the wine industry and spends most of his time traveling around the country educating people about this special wine region. He knows more about wine that anyone else I’ve met!

As always, we appreciate your membership, and would truly appreciate any referrals to other wine-lovers who would enjoy the Club! And if you have any questions, suggestions, or need any information, please don’t hesitate to ask!

Cheers!

Mike and Mary

THE DETAILS

2015 Storm Wines Pinot Noir – Duvarita Vineyard:

Ernst Storm produces a few Pinot Noirs from different vineyards, all great, but this is our favorite. Duvarita Vineyard is six miles from the Pacific Ocean, in the renown Sta Rita Hills AVA, making it one of the closest to the ocean in Santa Barbara County. Biodynamically grown grapes, meticulous winemaking and a combination of three Dijon clones create a wine that captures both vintage and site. When a vineyard is biodynamic, it is free of pesticides and other chemicals and the focus is creating a self-sustaining ecosystem to produce the best organic fruit possible. It takes a very hands-on approach to make it work. The evidence is in the wonderful aromas of dark fruit, forest floor and spice, with delicate dark fruit and fine tannin filling out the rich palate.

2012 Notary Public Cabernet Sauvignon – Star Lane Vineyard:

Ernst is also a partner and winemaker in another venture, Notary Public Wines. Notary Public was created with a desire to explore the diversity and potential within Santa Barbara County as a wine growing region. Santa Barbara County is blessed with various climates and soil diversity due to the unique East-West Mountain Ranges that open to the Pacific Ocean. The focus at Notary Public is Cabernet Sauvignon and Chenin Blanc, grown in areas where they can craft wines with personality of both vintage and site, with the goal of making wines that are approachable, elegant and yet structured. This Cab is more balanced than some of the big Cabs you might associate with Paso Robles or Napa Valley, offering delicious ripe flavors, textured tannins and fresh acidity. You’ll have more pairing options with this Cab since it is not overly oaked, so you can drink it with lighter meats as well as the traditional beef pairings. No fining or filtration was used to make the wine.

2016 J. Wilkes Cabernet Sauvignon – Paso Robles Highlands

Many of you may be familiar with Paso Robles as a rapidly growing and recognized wine region. It has had a surge of growth of Cabernet Sauvignon wines as the climate works well for the varietal. We will be researching additional Paso Robles wines so that we can share the wines of this special region. It’s also a fantastic place to visit! This J. Wilkes Cab sources grapes from Paso Robles Highlands, where it is quite hot, and the vines must struggle to survive. This is actually good for the grapes because the roots must create a broad infrastructure, and the vines do not have so much water that it dilutes the fruit (think table grapes). I’ll talk more about this another time.

Winemaker Notes: Classic Cab aromas of blackberry, cherry, currant, clean earth, hint of toasted oak - enticing and complex. Fruity, dense and luscious with vicious and ripe berry flavors; shows great depth of flavor and admirable structure. Plenty of baby fat to make Paso and Napa Cab fans very happy. This wine will pair with traditional Cab pairing foods. Wes suggests Ribeye or New York Steak grilled over red oak or pecan wood, highly flavored/aged cheeses such as Gouda, Tomme or Cheddar, or polenta with lamb or pork shoulder ragout. Yum! In terms of when to drink, it is delicious now, and will shed some baby fat over the next 5-7 years, showing more earthy and complex notes. What, you may ask, is “baby fat” in a wine? The term “baby fat” is a metaphor sometimes used to describe characteristics that a wine will outgrow as it matures. These will vary from wine to wine, typically the juicy qualities and fresh fruit flavors. Depending on the context, a wine’s “baby fat” might also refer to a lush or rich texture, or a showy quality. These notes will fade as a wine ages, and with a good wine, secondary characteristics will emerge, such as toast, baking spices, forest floor, earth, etc.