Archive for the 'Wine News' Category

Santa Barbara Winery New Release

Published
by
Pierre
on July 1, 2009
in Wine News
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2008 Sauvignon Blanc
Stainless Steel Fermentation

Our second Stainless Steel Sauvignon Blanc is sourced entirely from La Presa Vineyard on the warm edges of the Santa Ynez River between Solvang and Santa Ynez.

Winemaker Bruce McGuire chose a small lot to ferment and age entirely in Stainless Steel, thus creating a wine showing exactly the bright fruit expression produced in the vineyard without the spice and rich nuances imparted by oak barrels.

Bruce’s success with this technique, which he last produced from our Lafond Vineyard in 2006, is immediately evident in the lively varietal aromas of yellow tropical fruits, Meyer lemons and citrus blossoms. Firm acidity tightens up the wine in the back of the mouth carrying on succulent notes of citrus and spice.

This is an ideal wine to pair with seafood made with a Pacific Rim mentality, from sushi to spicy Thai or Vietnamese to ceviche and grilled seabass. It will also complement higher-acid dishes including light summer salads and vinaigrette dressings.This highest quality small lot is hand crafted from a self rooted 35 year old block of Sauvignon Blanc in the vineyard.

Suggested retail: 19.00/750ml
To order: http://www.sbwinery.com/wines.html

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Chardonnay Article

Published
by
joanie
on June 13, 2009
in Wine News
. 0 Comments

Here is a relevant article on where Chardonnay stands today in many consumers minds… I found it interesting mainly because even when Chardonnay is unpopular in the mind of a specific consumer, it is still talked about and never forgotten.  For example, it seems that consumers tend to compare other white varietals a lot of times to Chardonnay even if it’s not a wine that they drink anymore.  It forever stays in the mind of the consumer…

Chardonnay vines thrive in most wine producing regions around the world due to their ability to adapt to various soils, weather and cultivation practices. The grape itself is delicate and is easily influenced by winemaking techniques and growing conditions. Chardonnay can have a range of flavors, from the typical California style that boasts flavors of butter and oak, to the un-oaked, where crisp flavors of green apple and citrus dominate. Due to the many different styles of Chardonnay, it has enjoyed international fame as both a cocktail wine and a food wine.

In the 1990s, California Chardonnay became the most popular white wine in the United States, and wine consumers grew accustomed to the rich, buttery, oaky style of Chardonnay that California winemakers were known to produce.

Over the past few years, with the popularity of Sauvignon Blanc and other crisp white wines, a trend started with white wine aficionados to drink ABC — Anything But Chardonnay. What many failed to realize was it wasn’t the Chardonnay grape that they didn’t like, it was the heavy, buttery flavors that the oak barrels impart to the wine. Winemakers responded to this trend, and many California producers began to use less oak in their winemaking, and white wine drinkers began to rediscover the world of Chardonnay.

As a wine drinker, I have been enjoying rediscovering Chardonnay. I was never a fan of heavy, over-the-top, oaky Chardonnay. I understood the popularity, appreciated the style, and tasted as many as I could to keep informed, but I wasn’t one to drink that specific style of Chardonnay. I like Chardonnay that has a hint of oak, but not enough to make the wine heavy and rich… Full Article

So, whether or not Chardonnay is a favorite or not so favorite wine of yours, make sure that you at least try a few different styles before you give up.

Joanie Hudson, Director National and International Marketing
Santa Barbara Winery/Lafond Winery & Vineyards

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Santa Barbara Winery New Release

Published
by
Pierre
on June 2, 2009
in Wine News
. 0 Comments

2007 Santa Ynez Valley Syrah

Winemaker Bruce McGuire is an early pioneer in blending Syrah grown throughout the west-east traverse of the Santa Ynez Valley. Because Syrah is proving to be the rare example of a varietal that can be grown in all the temperature zones found in our valley, blending vineyards becomes an intriguing endeavor.

This bottling of Syrah highlights both the cool climate white pepper and lavendar forward flavors and the jammier full fruitcharacter experienced in the back of the mouth courtesy of the warmer eastern Santa Ynez Valley. In 2007, Bruce crafted a blend of about three quarters cool climate Lafond Vineyard and neighboring Hill Top Ranch in the Santa Rita Hills with one quarter warm climate Joughin Vineyard near Los Olivos.

Most of the wine aged in small 60 gallon French and Hungarian barrels as Syrah benefits from ample barrel aging. A smaller than average crop from the our vineyard manager’s Santa Ynez Joughin Vineyard meant that a higher percentage of Santa Rita Hills fruit appears in the blend.

A small amount of Grenache (4%) was added to enhance the aromatics of the finished wine. In the bottle, 2010 to 2013 will be the prime drinking window for this wine. Pair with rustic fare, slightly charred grilled meats, and washed rind cheeses.

Retail: 20.00(750ml)
To order: Santa Barbara Winery

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Santa Barbara Winery New Release

Published
by
Pierre
on May 27, 2009
in Wine News
. 0 Comments

Orange Muscat

Winemaker Bruce McGuire looked to a cool climate pocket west of Los Alamos as a source for this captivatingly aromatic varietal. The ancient Muscat grape umbrellas over a family of varieties, three of the most common in California being Orange Muscat, Muscat Canelli, and Black Muscat.

Also known as Moscato Fior d’Arancio in Italy, Orange Muscat is not nearly as widely planted as the better known Muscat Canelli. Orange Muscat has been known to produce delicious dessert wines that play off of the wine’s inherently floral nose and orange tint in the glass.

Our Muscat was fermented dry in stainless steel tanks at cool temperatures to produce a very aromatic and crisp wine. The small vineyard site near Alisos Canyon Road where the fruit was sourced provided
cool temperatures to nurture the varietal’s complex perfumed aromatics to full potential. This wine is a pleasant apertif with its pronouced sweet floral and orange blossom nose.

It has a refreshing crispness on the palate that lends itself to pair with seafood dishes and soft ripe cheeses. Also a nice match with spicy Asian cuisine and Thai Basil.

Retail: 16.00
To Order: Santa Barbara Winery

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Santa Barbara Winery New Release

Published
by
Pierre
on April 28, 2009
in Riesling and Wine News
. 0 Comments

2007 Dry Riesling

Riesling’s allure over that of other white wines is the necessary precision and attention to detail that goes into making this wonderfully versatile noble grape maintain its racy acidity and interestingly complex flavor profile.

In Alsace and Austria, Riesling is traditionally made into a very dry wine. Winemaker Bruce McGuire has experimented over the years with different levels of sweetness, measured by residual sugar from dry to late harvest style Rieslings. This, our dry style, shows off the body and complex flavors highlighting peach and nectarine backed by a firm, mineral finish to make for a very food friendly wine.

Aging in two neutral French barrels sur lie adds to the fleshy and full weight of the wine. Bright and aromatic, this wine should age beautifully. Often described as a “sipping wine” we recommend trying this Riesling with Asian Cuisine or white meats such as glazed Pork and roasted Turkey. It is also in good company with a greater variety of cheeses than most wines are comfortable with.
Suggested retail: 20.00
To order:

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March in the Vineyard

Published
by
Pierre
on March 8, 2009
in Vineyard and Wine News
. 0 Comments

These are photos taken last Saturday March 7. The Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are beginning to bud – just barely. The cover crop has grown, in spite of the very low rainfall, and needs to be cut. In some areas, where it is very sandy, it is cut and left to keep the soil in place, in others it will be cut and disked and turned into the soil so that it does not harbor harmful insects. The rows are narrow – 6 feet,  the tractor 4 feet and the ground is uneven. The driver in the photo is Enrique, our foreman. The last photo is a view form our upper vineyard looking south. The Lafond Winery is accross the river at the foot of the mountains.

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Santa Barbara Winery New Release

Published
by
Pierre
on February 12, 2009
in Negrette and Wine News
. 0 Comments

Joughin Vineyard 2006 Negrette

Attention Joughin Vineyard Negrette fans and interested bystanders! This is the last vintage of Negrette to be produced as Mr. Joughin tired of seeing his labors not be rewarded by fruit.

Truth be told, we are also big fans of the delicious dark berry character found in this wine, but with misfortune ranging from extreme deer predation to frost susceptibly we could not fault the decision to yank these particular vines.

Negrette traces its origins to the warm climate area north of Toulouse in southwestern France where it is known for its dark color and fragrant berry aroma and flavor. The warmer climate around Los Olivos combined with a relatively long growing season yields a Negrette with interesting flavor and a touch more complexity than one usually finds with this grape.

Bruce made 12 barrels of this wine utilzing a mix of American and Hungarian oak of which 25% was new Hungarian barrels. The barrel aging added a little spice and body to further compliment food.

Another easy wine to pair with washed rind cheeses; it would also be a good choice for hearty Mexican cuisine or Bistro style fare. Paring with food is highly recommended to cut the firm acid, bottle aging will most likely be rewarded in 2011.
Suggested retail: 24.00/750ml
To Order:

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