|
Dear Wine Lover,
Celebrate the wines of Mendocino!
In this month’s issue, we’re featuring the wines of Mendocino County. As the northernmost of California’s major vineyard areas, Mendocino has the cool climate that wine grapes love.
The area is mostly rural; its rugged hillsides are separated by isolated valleys, and timber remains its most important industry. But the rolling terrain with its varying exposures creates ideal growing conditions for a variety of grapes. And unlike the gentlemen farmers of neighboring Napa and Sonoma, Mendocino’s grape growers have the weathered look of ranchers who work the land to produce some of the most delightful wines in California.
Leaf through this issue, and you’ll also learn more about the art of describing the aromas and flavors of wines. And we’ll show you which are the best wines to enjoy with any breezy summer brunch.
John Davis
Founder & Chairman
|
 |
 |
|
|
This month’s featured varietal: Zinfandel
Zinfandel's origins have long been shrouded in mystery. A varietal's origin is encoded within its DNA, and vine researchers have finally established that Zinfandel is the protégé of a grape from Croatia called Crljenak Kastelanski (sirl-YEN-ack kastel-AN-ski).
Over 50,000 acres of Zinfandel grapes are planted in California. They produce a range of wines from blush to late-harvest dessert wines, so there is something for everyone from this one grape. Unlike other grapes, there are no rigid dictates as to how Zinfandel wine is made. Light, spicy, berry-flavored red wines are produced from less mature red Zin grapes with little barrel aging. Bigger, richer Zins are normally produced from very ripe grapes. They are full of fruit bouquet and flavor.
The most usual characteristics are aromas and flavors of blackberry, raspberry, boysenberry and cherry, laced with black pepper, cloves, anise and herbs. Rich styles of Zin might have several layers of flavors, from raspberry to cedar to chocolate.
Zin requires a long growing season, and ripening is carefully monitored to ensure the balance of acid, tannin and sugar.
Zin pairs well with a variety of foods, from a traditional leg of lamb to chocolate and everywhere in between. Zinfandels are perfect for summertime, especially with grilled foods.
|
|
|
|
Discover the natural characters of Fife Vineyards wines
The inland valleys of Mendocino County hold some of the most precious treasures of the North Coast Wine Country. Redwood Valley hides between the western hills to the west and the Mayacamas Range on the east.
The Fife Vineyards winery and vineyards sit on the ruddy, decomposed sandstone soils-the Redvine Series-of the Ricetti bench, forming the southern slope of the Redwood Valley. When Italian immigrants arrived two generations ago, they looked around and saw green hills that reminded them of home. They stayed and planted red grapes that have flourished to this day.
In a long and varied fine-wine career, Fife Vineyards founder Dennis Fife has been president of Inglenook Napa Valley, vice president of sales and marketing for Beaulieu Vineyards and consigliari at Stags' Leap Winery-all legendary estates in California wine history.
Co-owner Karen MacNeil is a widely published food and wine writer, author of the award-winning book "The Wine Bible", chairman for Professional Wine Studies Program at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, and host of the 13-part "Wine, Food, and Friends with Karen MacNeil" public television series.
Together, they work to produce exceptional wines that focus on the natural characteristics of the grapes. Fife Vineyards' winemaking philosophy is simple: Obtain grapes with personality, handle them minimally, then focus on blending to bring out nuance and character in the wine. They depend upon the vineyard to create the fruit, the density and the concentration. In the winemaking they simply seek to assure balance, elegance, texture and length of flavor.
|
 |
|
|
|
Johanna Bernstein loves sharing the joy of wine
Born in New York, Johanna Bernstein grew up in Los Angeles. She has lived in San Francisco-just down the road from California's celebrated wine country-since she moved there to go to school in 1988.
Johanna started her career in visual merchandising for Williams-Sonoma, which gave her a solid foundation for pursuing her true passion: selling wine. Johanna soon found a job promoting private-label wines for a national wine-marketing firm. She eventually broke off and started working on her own as a wine-marketing consultant.
Along the way, Johanna has chaired numerous events for Women in WineSense, a networking organization for female wine professionals that also works to promote the responsible enjoyment of wine.
Johanna's current position as the sales and marketing director for a small California winery-along with her work on the Wine Insiders tasting panel-is keeping her busy enough that she's not taking on any new consulting clients. But she always has time to help people discover and enjoy the world's greatest wines.
|
 |
|
|
America's top wine spots
Discover the charms of Mendocino Wine Country
As soon as you enter Mendocino, you'll experience a feeling of traveling back in time. You won't see any buildings or storefronts that resemble modern-day commerce: no McDonald's, no Pottery Barn, no giant "box" retailers. Like the old days, the pace of life in Mendocino is slow and easy. The air is clean and fresh. The surrounding beauty of the ocean and rugged coast brings a feeling of solitude and peace of mind. This is truly a spot to rejuvenate the spirit.
Mendocino is best known for its spectacular scenery and distinctive wineries. Mendocino Wine Country begins about 90 miles north of San Francisco in the inland valleys of Mendocino County. Due to the varied terrain and expansive range of microclimates, Mendocino is able to produce an impressive variety of grapes that create superior wines.
In Mendocino, natural wonders abound, from the smallest to the tallest trees in the world to glass-bottom beaches and the only oceanfront botanical gardens in the USA. Nearly 40 wineries are located in three regions of Mendocino County: Redwood Valley, Hopland and Anderson Valley.
|
 |
|
|
Brunch-friendly wines: Is noon too soon?
By Karen MacNeil-Fife
Many of us - even the most steadfast wine lovers - never drink wine at brunch. Is noon just too soon for a grown-up beverage? Well, if so, how do you explain that unofficial queen of brunchtime beverages, the Bloody Mary (which, it should be noted, packs a much bigger wallop than the fruit of the vine)?
Great brunch wines are like great brunches - light and lighthearted. Anything fussy, complicated, very serious or really expensive is simply out of place. Moreover, a satisfying brunch wine is flexible with food, because everything from scones to smoked salmon might be on the table.
|
|
 |
| My short list for wines that fit the bill
Muscats. A delicious, exotic wine for daytime sipping. In Italy (where it's known as
Moscato), it's the traditional wine drunk on Christmas. All light and fresh, Muscats may
be dry or slightly sweet (the label will indicate which). Many are also low in alcohol.
Rieslings. Light as a feather on the palate and crisp enough to go with a broad range
of dishes. German Rieslings are the lightest (and most aren’t sweet — only the very
cheap ones are).
Gewürztraminers. Pretty sassy and exotic as wines go, these are the ones for a wild,
fun-packed affair. The best are from Alsace, where there are a score of great producers.
Sparklers. Bubbles are a brunchtime no-brainer. Their crisp tingle is a palate-exciting
backdrop for dozens of typical dishes, including foods that are traditionally hard on wine,
like eggs and smoked salmon. If until now you’ve considered sparkling wine only an aperitif
or a celebration beverage, have one with brunch and prove yourself deliciously wrong. |
|
|
