(BTM) A spirited guide to California's world-class wines

[AKR]

A spirited guide to California's world-class wines
2021-06-22 06:03:21.318 GMT


June 22 (Business Times) -- It's no secret that some of the
best wines in the world come from California. As the fourth
largest wine-producing region in the world, the Golden State is
home to over 4,200 wineries and over 110 winegrape varieties,
with regions like Napa Valley and Sonoma County practically
synonymous with high-quality vintages.
But what makes California such a great place for
winegrowing?
The state's ideal weather and diverse terroir play a large
part, but the wineries' continued commitment to sustainable
viticulture and their ceaseless spirit of innovation have an
equally vital role to play in ensuring the longevity of vineyards
– and, ultimately, the quality of the wines we get to savour.
As part of Wine Institute's new Golden State of Mind
campaign launched early this year, California's winemakers and
wine experts share what makes California wines so special and
recommend top bottles from the state you can purchase here in
Singapore.
Known for its abundant sunshine and cool coastal breezes,
the Golden State's diverse terroir also supports more than 110
grape varieties. Photo: California Wine Institute
Place-focused wines that champion sustainability
For excellently crafted wines that showcase the best of a
particular region, top establishments such as Rodney Strong
specialise in producing place-focused wines, including their
highly-acclaimed single vineyard Cabernets and Reserve tier wines
that are "as pure to the form of the terroir as you can get",
says director of winemaking Justin Seidenfeld.
Situated in Sonoma County, the region's microclimates make
it a unique place for growing grapes in almost every varietal you
can imagine. "We have cooler climate wine-growing regions like
Russian River Valley, where we grow exceptional Pinot Noir and
Chardonnay varietals, while warmer, higher-elevation areas like
Alexander Valley are great for growing Bordeaux varietals,"
explains Mr Seidenfeld.
As a Certified Level 2 Sustainable Winery – the highest
level certification – Rodney Strong aims to simplify the
winemaking process, whether by sourcing their fruit from small
family farmers within the county, or utilising automatic
irrigation technology to produce better quality wines.
"The most important way to improve vineyard quality is
through irrigation practices," he says. "By achieving the
regulated deficit that we need [through automatic irrigation], we
can get our grapes to become more concentrated in flavour, and
develop tannin more precisely to get richer, denser textures."
Available in Singapore: Rodney Strong Russian River Pinot
Noir 2017, $75 (RRP), a medium-bodied wine made with grape
strategically sourced from the Russian River Valley. Available at
Le Rouge. Photo: Rodney Strong
Over in Paso Robles, one of the state's oldest wine regions,
Tablas Creek Vineyard produces some of the finest Rhone-style
organic wines made without the addition of any chemical
herbicides, pesticides or fertilisers. This, as well as their
emphasis on responsible farming, have made them the world's first
Regenerative Organic Certified vineyard in 2020.
Second generation proprietor Jason Haas says: "The same
things that make a vineyard and winery more sustainable also are
critical to making wines of character and place. So, the
elimination of chemicals in the vineyard and winery, along with
the reduction or elimination of irrigation [by dry farming], make
more intense grapes that taste more distinctively of our own
terroir."
To keep their estate vineyards in prime condition for
grape-growing and minimise stress on the environment, the winery
employs biodynamic practices to foster biodiversity. This
includes planting over 200 fruit trees and employing a flock of
200 ewes, instead of using tractors, to work the land.
"With many of our neighbours having to replant vineyards due
to vine exhaustion around 20 years old, if we can keep our older,
almost 30-year-old blocks in production for additional decades,
the higher percentage of old vine fruit in our wines will have
significant payoffs," says Mr Haas.

Available in Singapore: Tablas Creek Esprit de Tables Blanc
2017, from $88 (RRP), a blend of five estate-grown varietals with
notes of honey, spice, green apple, anise and pineapple.
Available at Grandcruwines.com and Park90.com. Photo: Tablas
Creek
Unique, bold cult wines driven by innovation
The Golden State's flourishing wine industry is also powered
by dynamic winemakers and exciting cult labels that bring fun and
creativity to the table, such as The Prisoner Wine Company.
Ever since the introduction of its revolutionary red blend
20 years ago, the brand has continued to push the boundaries of
Napa Valley zinfandels with ever more complex, thought-provoking
flavour profiles.
"The blend for our wines differs each year, depending on
what nuance and balance that particular vintage provides," says
Ms Chrissy Wittmann, director of winemaking.
"When innovating and creating new blends, our main goal is
to blend what works, not what is typical or expected. We look to
traditional practices only to build from them and make something
entirely new that embodies our audacious personality."
Their rich, lush red blends comprise highly unusual grape
varieties, carefully sourced from over 100 grape-growers across
the state "which allows us to be very selective in our fruit
quality and gives us the opportunity to use more uncommon
varietals like Charbono and Roussanne, creating unexpected
flavours," adds Ms Wittmann.
Available in Singapore The Prisoner Red Blend 2018, $98
(RRP), a smooth and luscious wine with notes of Bing cherry, dark
chocolate, clove and roasted fig. Available at 1855 The Bottle
Shop. Photo: The Prisoner Wine Company
When it comes to creating memorable and iconic wines, Orin
Swift's founder and winemaker Dave Phinney believes what's on the
outside is as important as what goes into each bottle. The
result: quirky labels with bold imagery designed to complement
the brand's characteristic cutting-edge blends.
The 12 different labels of Orin Swift's Machete Petite Syrah
California red wine, each depicting the woman in a position of
power. Photo: Orin Swift
Says Mr Bill McMorran, vice-president and general manager
Asia/Pacific of E&J Gallo, which owns Orin Swift: "For Dave, if
an idea isn't crazy enough, it's not worth doing. If you ask what
his favourite wine is, he'll say he never has one because he
always wants to make a better wine."
For instance, an encounter with an old police car while on
the road with the word 'killers' keyed into its side sparked
inspiration for an evocative new label, which was eventually
embodied in the Machete Petite Syrah California Red Wine.
"Every case of 12 bottles has a unique label, each showing a
woman in a position of power. [As such,] Dave wanted to make a
wine that would also be powerful, so he used darker grapes and
used black-blending to make the colour even darker," Mr McMorran
explains.
This inventive attitude translates into their sustainable
practices as well, as the brand strives to innovate new ways to
lower their carbon footprint and continue making stellar wine.
"Being family-owned, we believe in preserving the land and
passing it on to future generations, not just the next quarter,"
he adds.
"The fun of experimentation is where it gets exciting for
the wine community. For instance, if I can only use 75 per cent
of the water I had before, how can I still make the wine just as
good?"

[stefan]

Great article. I like people to spend their money on CA wines and avoid Bordeaux and Burgundy.

[Tom In DC]

Great article. I like people to spend their money on CA wines and avoid Bordeaux and Burgundy.

Indeed.