Hello and welcome to my weekly dig through the pile of wine samples that show up asking to be tasted. I’m pleased to bring you the latest installment of Vinography Unboxed, where I highlight some of the better bottles that have crossed my doorstep recently.
This week included a bunch of really excellent white wines, including quite notably, one of the best Chenin Blancs I’ve had from California in recent memory. Not that there are a lot of Chenin Blancs in California, mind you. This one hails from the calcareous terroir of the Sta. Rita Hills appellation of Santa Barbara, where the Pali Wine Co. has ensured that the region’s chilly, mineral qualities really shine in this wine.
Sticking with the topic of crackling acidity and minerality, I’ve got a standing ovation for the latest vintage of Vermentino from Troon Vineyard in Southern Oregon. Their version of this grape is one of my favorites in the US, and I think the 2023 vintage might be their best yet. It’s vivacious, snappy, and oh-so-gulpable.
Most of the time, when we think about Pinot Grigio from Alto Adige, we think about crisp, lean, and straightforwardly steely. And while the venerable Alois Lageder certainly makes their share of those wines, they also apparently make a skin-contact version that has a lovely complex character in addition to being refreshing. It also happens to be Demeter-certified Biodynamic, for those interested in such things.
Next, I’ve got two single-vineyard Chardonnays from The DONUM Estate, graced with a slice of the Ai Wei-Wei Zodiac artwork that represents one of the estate’s many pieces of environmental art. Of these two Chardonnays, I prefer the Carneros version by only a slim margin. Both are tasty expressions of the grape.
Winemaker Kenneth Juhasz and his wife Laura founded Auteur Wines in 2003. I remember tasting their wines at public tastings like Pinot Days in the late 2000s, but then they seemed to drop off the radar a bit. Getting a couple of bottles in the mail recently was like seeing an old acquaintance again after a long while. Both their Sonoma Coast Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are worth seeking out as classic expressions of their type.
Smith-Story Wines is the passion-turned-livelihood of Alison and her husband Eric Story. I first knew Ali as a wine blogger from Texas, and have watched her journey as she and her husband moved to California, started their Smith Story brand, and continue to push it and themselves towards excellence. With the addition of Katy Wilson as winemaker over the last decade, their wines have really started to sing. The two Pinot Noirs I got this week, their Filigreen Farm and The Boonies are both great expressions of the Anderson Valley.
Ryan Beauregard’s great-grandparents were among the pioneers of modern winegrowing in the Santa Cruz Mountains, establishing Beauregard Vineyards in 1945 in the area that (thanks to Ryan’s dad, Jim) would become the Ben Lomond Mountain AVA, the only sub-AVA of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Today, Ryan oversees the family estate and makes the wine, including the two estate wines I tasted this week, his Beauregard Ranch Pinot Noir and the Beauregard Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon. Of the two, I prefer the Pinot, which has a classic cranberry character.
Last but not least I’ve got a couple of really delicious wines to recommend from Delfino Farms, who make wine under the Edio Vineyards brand in El Dorado County amongst the Sierra Foothills. I’ve really enjoyed the work of this family-run operation, and these latest wines are no exception. The “Frank’s Blend” of Mourvèdre and Syrah has a wonderful boysenberry character, and their “Estate Blend” straight Mourvèdre, has the kind of mouthwatering savory and saline character that makes it almost impossible to put down. If you’re unfamiliar with the brand I suggest you check out these high-elevation wines.
Notes on all these below.
Tasting Notes
2023 Pali Wine Co….
Source : https://www.vinography.com/2024/11/vinography-unboxed-week-of-11-10-24
