Tag Archive for 'Negrette'

Thanksgiving Wines

Published on November 10, 2009 in Joanie Hudson, Nebbiolo, Riesling, Santa Barbara Winery and Wine and Food Pairing. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , .

Thanksgiving has always been one of my absolute favorite holidays.  The entire month of November is spent in anticipation of this amazing meal that brings friends and family together from all across the world, just to sit around the dinner table together for this special night.  This drawing factor of Thanksgiving is one of the things I love most about wine as well.  I am so greatful for any event or beverage that has the ability to bring people together to relax at the end of their day, and reflect on what matters most in this world, the company that we surround ourselves with and close friends and family.  Thanksgiving is a North American Harvest Festival, and it pretty much signals the end of a vintage for our winemakers, just in time to get everything in barrel to be home with family for the holiday. 

That being said, Thanksgiving dinner is always a very interesting topic in the realm of food pairings.  The reason that there will never be a single answer for what wine goes well with Thanksgiving dinner (a question I get asked repeatedly) is that my Thanksgiving dinner is likely very different from my neighbors, whose dinner is very different than their neighbors.  We all have our traditions and special Thanksgiving recipes and ingredients, and there are so many different wines that work well with each aspect of the plate.  So when you’re thinking about what wines to serve at Thanksgiving, put some thought into the different flavors, textures, and weights that will be put together in the kitchen.  Think about your guests, think about what you like to drink, and then make your decision from there.  There are some general rules that can serve as a guideline, but that’s all it is, a basic guideline, you as a consumer are responsible for finding out what you like and don’t like, and that just comes from tasting lots of different wines!  I personally love Rieslings and Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir with Turkey, Grenache and Nebbiolo are also generally hits at the table as well.  The jamminess of our Negrette is another nice pairing with Cranberry sauce and stuffing. 

Our tasting room is a nice venue to taste through a few different options and see what might work best with your meal.  We are open daily from 10am-5pm, and are closed only on Thanksgiving Day.

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

2009 Vintners’ Festival Recap

Published on April 19, 2009 in Joanie Hudson and Vintners Festival. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , .

I think that my favorite part about being on the pouring side of the table at the Vintners’ Festival is hearing peoples’ “tasting strategies” for navigating through the tremendous amounts of wines available to sample.  An intimidating venue? Maybe. But those who stuck with a strategic plan seemed to be pleased with their journies. 

While Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah are grown most successfully in Santa Barbara County, the variety beyond these wines is impressive.  Winemakers are growing these grapes while also experimenting with lesser known varietals, and this was evident at the festival. 

We had a range of wines to please different palates from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay to Negrette, Primitivo, Riesling, and a wax sealed magnum of golden Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc.  A few tasters were only tasting Pinot Noirs, a few only Chardonnay, and a few were seeking out the small number of tables who were pouring a dessert wine or two.  And then there were the smirking faces of those who only wanted to taste the winemaker’s favorite, or flagship wine. 

The Lompoc event, held at River Park, was heavily attended, and the grass park venue was a perfect stomping ground for a beautiful (and unlike last year, warm) day.  The Santa Barbara County Vintners’ Association hosts bi-annual gatherings like this for all of the member wineries to come together and proudly pour their wines for industry friends and guests.  The Vintners’ Festival (Spring) and the Harvest Festival (Fall) should not be missed by Central Coast wine lovers trying to keep up with what’s fresh, new, and delicious. 

I did get a chance to get out there and taste a couple of favorites (Palmina and Flying Goat Pinot Noirs).

Joanie Hudson, Assistant Tasting Room Manager, Santa Barbara Winery

Vintners’ Festival Wines

Published on April 15, 2009 in Joanie Hudson, Santa Barbara Winery and Special Events. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , .

Here are the wines that we will be pouring for the Santa Barbara Winery label at the Vintners’ Festival this Saturday, April 18.

2007 Chardonnay

Our Santa Barbara County Chardonnay is a lightly oaked, multi-vineyard blend.  45% barrel fermentation with the remainder done in stainless steel tanks produces a bright intensity of fruit and round mouthfeel.

2007 Pinot Noir

Velvety flavor and aromatic concentration jump out of the glass of our 2007 Pinot Noir.  Yields from our estate Lafond Vineyard and neighbor vineyard Arita Hills were low in this particular vintage due to a late frost.  These sites combine the juiciest berries from select vineyard rows, producing a classically soft textured Pinot Noir.

2006 Negrette Joughin Vineyard

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.  Fans of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon usually are the most pleased when tasting this wine and are always intrigued by its obscure presence in the wine world.

2006 Primitivo Joughin Vineyard

Primitivo has recently been shown to be genetically identical to Zinfandel. Growing well in warmer climates, it has a more “sun kissed” quality than wines that come from cooler areas in Italy, such as Tuscany or Piedmont.  Primitivo is dark red with bold fruity flavors and an intense essence of sweetness while being bone dry.

2007 Riesling 7.3

The “7.3″ represents the amount of residual sugar in this Riesling.  On the sweeter side, its medium body is buoyed by sleek acidity and crisp ripe fruit and honeysuckle.  Very harmonious and leaves a lasting impression.

It’s not too late to purchase tickets for the Vintners’ Festival!

Joanie Hudson, Assistant Tasting Room Manager, Santa Barbara Winery

Santa Barbara Winery New Release

Published on February 12, 2009 in Negrette and Wine News. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

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:

What is Lagrein?

Published on January 4, 2009 in Joanie Hudson and Lagrein. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

Glancing through our current wine releases there are a handful of varietals whose obscurity can be daunting to even those with an advanced wine knowledge.  All of the questions that I receive about these wines from the Negrette to the Lagrein has prompted me to write a series of short articles to explain each of these grapes and discuss their history and place in the wine world.

Lagrein is a varietal that comes from Northern Italy, bordering the Austrian Alps, just north of the city of Bolzano in the Trentino-Alto Adige region.  The area has been one of political turmoil throughout the years, bouncing between Austrian, Italian, and briefly German rule.  Before World War I, Bolzano was part of the Austro-Hungarian county of Tyrol, but it was annexed by Italy in the post-war treaties (Treaty of Saint-Germain).  It was seized by Germany during World War II, but returned shortly thereafter when Germany fell.  Today it is part of Italy.

Lagrein is an intense and deeply garnet hued wine whose rich fruit and naturally bright acidity make it a delicious match for big flavors on the dinner plate.  It is saturated, thick, and juicy – a definite “lip stain.” As a red it is also known as Lagrein Dunkel and as a rose it is sometimes referred to as Lagrein Kretzer. 

The four acres we have planted at Joughin Vineyard in the Santa Ynez Valley are part of the small acreage that is planted to Lagrein in the Central Coast.  Aside from its native Trentino-Alto Adige, it can also be found in limited quantities in Australia and Oregon’s Umpqua Valley appellation. 

2005 Santa Barbara Winery Lagrein

30.00 per bottle

Joanie Hudson, Assistant Tasting Room Manager, Santa Barbara Winery