2015年12月31日 星期四

Horst Sauer

Total 37 acres, there are two plots with the name of Escherndorfer Lump and Escherndorfer Furstenberg of shell limestone soil. Escherndorfer Lump has steep slopes opening to the south like a parabolic reflector, collecting every sunbeam all year long and protecting the vines from the cold northern and eastern winds of winter.

A range of grape varieties are planted, including Silvaner, Muller-Thurgau, Riesling, Bacchus, Scheurebe, Spatburgunder, Domina, Weiburgunder. Annual production is about 140,000 bottles. Different quality levels are also produced, including Kabinett from Bacchus and Domina, which are fruity and aromatic. Grosse Lage, which are the German system distinguishing the best vineyards, with the dry wines labelled as GG, Grosses Gewachs.


Erste Lage are labelled as Qualitatswein “S”, of powerful, complex with compact range of aromas where only the first class sites with their own unique characters of consistently high quality could receive the accolade.

Gutswein which are “good from the ground up” form the basis of Pradikatwein is the hierarchy of the terroir, with the wines originating from the estate’s own holdings and meeting stringent standards prescribed by VDP. Sehnsucht is the special “yearning” of their perfect wine, which is of extreme complexity and balance, which is for special moment and long cellaring.

I have recently tasted the 2012 Escherndorfer Lump Silvaner Beerenauslese and below is my tasting note:

Appearance
Bright and clear, it has medium gold color, with watery rims and legs.

Nose
Clean, with pronounced intensity of citrus fruit of lemon, green fruit of pear, maturity notes of beeswax and honey, dairy notes of cream, some herbaceous notes of grass, floral notes of linden. The wine is developing.

Palate
Sweet with high acidity, the wine has low alcohol and full body, demonstrating pronounced intensity flavors of citrus fruit of lemon, tropical fruit of pineapple, maturity notes of beeswax and honey, floral notes of linden. The wine has a long finish.

Conclusion

Very good quality German Silvaner BA showing a very intense nose of decent complexity for the varietal, on the palate it has a strong acidity to balance the sweetness to make it refreshing and not cloying, with strong concentration and a long finish. Ready to drink now though the wine can further develop for another 8-10 years.

2015年12月29日 星期二

Greenock Creek Wines

History


While working on an adjacent property in Seppeltsfield, Michael Waugh found an old uninhibited cottage next to Greenock Creek, and decided to purchase it in 1975 with the intention of developing a vineyard and making wines.

In 1985 the first wine was made, and Michael began working on the cellar door in 1988. The next year Michael started taking out the patchwork of vines in front of the cottage and planted the Seppeltsfield Cabernet Sauvignon, with first vintage in 1991.

In 1990 the Seven Acre Shiraz was planted, with the first vintage in 1993. In 1994 they began to clear the old apricot orchard on Roennfeldt Road property and planted the Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. The first Apricot Block Shiraz was released in 1997.

A new winery was built in 1998 and began operations in 1999. The first vintage of Alices Shiraz was produced in 2000. A second barrel shed was built in 2002. Michael was named Vigneron of the Year in 2006.

Range of Wines:

·         Roennfeldt Road Cabernet Sauvignon
·         Roennfeldt Road Shiraz
·         Seven Acre Shiraz
·         Apricot Block Shiraz
·         Alices Shiraz
·         Cabernet Sauvignon
·         Cornerstone Grenache

I have recently tasted the 1999 Roennfeldt Road Cabernet Sauvignon and below is my tasting note:

Appearance
Bright and clear, it has deep ruby color, with fading rims and legs.

Nose
Clean, with medium (+) intensity of black fruit of blackcurrant, blackberry and plum, dried fruit of prune, oak notes of cedar, maturity notes of savory, herbal notes of Chinese medicine, kernel notes of mocha, pungent spice of licorice. The wine is developing.  

Palate
Dry, with medium (+) acidity, the wine has medium (+) tannin of ripe and silky texture, showing medium alcohol and medium body, demonstrating medium (+) intensity flavors of black fruit of blackcurrant, blackberry and plum, dried fruit of prune, oak notes of cedar, kernel notes of mocha, pungent spice of licorice. The wine has a medium (+) finish.

Conclusion

Excellent quality Cabernet Sauvignon from Australia, on the nose showing intense fruity characters and a freshness which is surprising given its age, highlighting the ripeness and quality of the grapes, with also good complexity. The palate is silky smooth on tannin, with a finesse which is difficult to find in the region. The good concentration and finish makes it one of the best wine on the palate I have ever tasted. Overall a very balanced and fruity wine that can still be further develop for another 4-6 years. 

2015年12月28日 星期一

Herdade do Mouchao

History

In the early 19th century, Thomas Reynolds moved to Alentejo from Oporto, to become involved in the cork business. Three generations later, his grandson John purchased a 900 hectare property with two small rivers running through it – Herdade do Mouchao, and began making wines.

Vineyards were planted in 1901 and he also built a winery (or adega) with whitewashed walls and a traditional red-tiled roof. A distillery was added in 1929 where until today the estate’s pomace brandy is produced.

During the 1950s the estate continued to produce cork, olives, cereals, as well as rearing pigs and sheep, while the wine business expanded. Following the 1974 revolution, the property was expropriated and only returned to the family in 1985, and continued to be run by the descendants of the original family. The grape varieties are local, picked by hand and foot-trodden.

Vineyards

The 38 hectares of vines are made up of several vineyards, with the earliest planting taking place on the flat, low-lying ground near the winery, best suited for the Alicante Bouschet, adapting to the clay soil and intense summer heat.

Other vineyards are on higher and well-drained ground, planted with red varieties like Trincadeira, Aragones, Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca and Syrah. A limited number of white varieties are also planted, including Antao Vaz, Arinto and Perrum.

Winery

The adega is shaded by tall eucalyptus trees, first built in 1901, and electricity was only installed in 1991. At 6am in the height of summer the cellar master would arrive to open the windows and let in fresh air, to be shut again by 9am to keep out the heat.

The interior is cool and dark with beamed ceilings reaching 15 metres in height, housing 9 stone-treading tanks. The walls are lined with vats from 2500 to 5500 litres, pipes of 550 litres and barrels of 225 to 300 litres. In the distillery there is a pot still and a column still, both heated by wood furnace. Every wine is estate bottled.

Winemaking

The pickers select the grapes into 20 kilo boxes for transporting to the adega. For the red wine, the grapes are lightly crushed, without prior destalking, in one of the nine stone treading tanks. For the white, the grapes are destalked, crushed and fermented at low temperature in stainless steel tanks. Traditional foot-treading is done twice a day, to encourage fermentation and color extraction without crushing the pips, and would continue for 5-8 days.

The juice is then racked off into wooden vats and barrels for secondary fermentation and settling, with the residual skins lightly pressed using the original press from 1901. In Feb or Mar the following year the lotted wines are assessed to determine which brand they go into.

Mouchao

It is the most important label and flagship wine, first sold in 1954, made predominantly from Alicante Bouschet with a small amount of Trincadeira, aged in oak and mahogany vats for 24 months and only released after another 24-36 months in bottle.

I have recently tasted the 2014 Dom Rafael Branco and below is my tasting note:

Appearance
Bright and clear, it has medium lemon color, with wide watery rims and legs.

Nose
Clean, with medium (+) intensity of citrus fruit of lemon, green fruit of custard apple, mineral notes of smoke, stony and petrol, autolytic aromas of yeast, some maturity notes of truffle. The wine is developing. 

Palate
Dry, with medium (+) acidity, the wine has medium alcohol and light body, demonstrating medium (+) intensity flavors of citrus fruit of lemon, green fruit of apple, autolytic notes of biscuit, mineral notes of stony and smoke. The wine has a short finish.

Conclusion

Good quality Portuguese white with an intense nose of decent complexity, the wine has plenty of acidity, and a lightness on the palate that is refreshing and crisp. The flavors are concentrated with also reasonable complexity, though the finish is a bit too short. Ready to drink now, it is not intended for further ageing. 

2015年12月26日 星期六

Yalumba

The Heritage


With five generations and 160 years of history, Yalumba is Australia’s oldest family-owned winery. In 1849 Samuel Smith departed his hometown of Wareham, Dorset with his wife Mary and four children to Port Adelaide, and after a short time there, settled north in a small town called Angaston.

Samuel worked as a gardener for the Angas family and planted his own vineyard with son Sidney. In 1852 Samuel went for the goldfields of NSW and Victoria, returning four months later with £300 of gold, and purchased 80 acres of land, two horses and a harness, and a year later Yalumba’s first wine was released.

By 1858 Samuel was dominating the local wine shows. In 1908 brothers Walter and Percy Smith built the Yalumba Clocktower, which took two years to construct. In 1929 Yalumba’s Port was enjoyed by Sir Douglas Mawson’s Antarctic Research Expedition.

By 1938 Wyndham Hill-Smith, the fourth generation, was called back to manage his family business after both his father and elder brother died in the year. In 1966 The Signature, a Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz blend, was released, in recognition of all the people contributing to the success of Yalumba.

By 1977, in view of the changing tastes of Australian drinkers, Yalumba renovated its old brandy bond store into a Wine Room and also held its first Museum Library Tasting. In 1985 Robert Hill-Smith took over the helm as Managing Director at the age of 34, instigating a complete buy-out of all other family shareholders, and insisted on growing varietals matched to terroir, plus building a team of talented young individuals.

By 1998, after two decades of experimentation with Viognier, Yalumba released its first vintage of The Virgilius Viognier, by the young winemaker Louisa Rose, who is now the most influential maker of Viognier in the world.

In 2009 a group of 12 family owned wineries collaborated to create Australia’s First Families of Wine, a multi-generational group of exceptional Australian winemakers, and to showcase to the world the quality of Australian wines.

By 2015, Nick Waterman becomes the only second non-family member to take on the role of Managing Director after 12 years overseeing the company’s distribution in ANZ.

The Region

Yalumba has vineyards in many regions, including Barossa, Barossa Valley, Eden Valley, Coonawarra, Wrattonbully and South Australia, producing different wines in a range of styles. Barossa is arguably the most famous wine region in Australia, including both Barossa Valley and Eden Valley, making it one of the only areas to have neighboring warm and cool climate.

Yalumba also has access to some of the oldest vineyards in the world. In the prized Coonawarra region lies Yalumba’s Menzies Vineyard, producing premium quality Cabernet Sauvignon.

Sustainability

Yalumba has been developing its sustainable viticulture program since mid-1990s, starting in the vineyard and extending to every aspect of winemaking, production, packaging and distribution. All the wines are announced vegetarian and vegan friendly as of 2011, and Yalumba is also the first wine company in the world to receive the Climate Protection Award from the US Environmental Protection Agency in 2007.

The estate has set aside hundreds of hectares of land for conservation management, and for every hectare of vineyard they own, there is at least a hectare of natural vegetation, and thousands of trees are planted. Biodiversity is also encouraged through the reduction of chemicals used, integrated pest management system and encouragement of biodiversity of vegetation in vineyards.

Winemaker

Louisa Rose is the chief winemaker since 2006, and during her 20-year career in Yalumba has become one of the world’s most respected winemakers, particularly in forging an identity for Australian Viognier. Kevin Glastonbury joined Yalumba in 1999, now being Senior Red Winemaker, with deep knowledge of Barossa through hands-on approach, as well as sourcing and purchasing of oak for the barrels.

Peter Gambetta joined in 2002 and is responsible for making the Rare & Fine collection from Coonawarra, focusing on every details in the winemaking process. Sam Wigan plays an integral part in the emerging varieties such as Vermentino, Tempranillo, Verdejo and Garganega. Natalie Cleghorn joined in 1999, with experience in small and large volume production and a love for the noble varieties, in particular Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache.

Heather Fraser started working in Yalumba’s laboratory in 1999, and then quickly moved into the Trainee Winemaker programme, and recently taken the responsibility for the organic collection. Jane Ferrari is the wine communicator at large, helping to bring to life the Yalumba story and the philosophies on viticulture, winemaking and the environment.

Cooperage

Yalumba crafted their own barrels and is the only winery in the southern hemisphere having its own cooperage. Kevin Glastonbury selects the oak himself to ensure an abundance of flavor, importing staves from the best forests in the world, then fashion into oak barrels that are fired to toast the wood to a long, medium, slow toast. Shaun Gibson is the master cooper.

Nursery

The Nursery at Yalumba is a specialist varietal, clonal and rootstock provider to Australian wine growers, researching vine health, sustainability and future of wine community. One of the proud and significant creation is the Viognier.

I have recently tasted the 2006 Octavius and below is my tasting note:

Appearance
Bright and clear, it has deep ruby color, with fading rims and legs.

Nose
Clean, with medium (+) intensity of black fruit of black fruit such as blackberry and blackcurrant, pungent spice of black pepper, kernel notes of chocolate, mineral notes of earthy, herbal notes of eucalyptus, oak notes of vanilla, animal notes of game. The wine is developing.

Palate
Dry, with medium acidity, medium (+) tannin of ripe and velvety texture, the wine has medium alcohol and full body, demonstrating medium (+) intensity flavors of black fruit of blackcurrant and blackberry, oak notes of vanilla, pungent spice of black pepper. The wine has a medium finish.

Conclusion

Very good quality Australian Shiraz with a surprisingly elegant style, on the nose it has good intensity and complexity, while on the palate it did not show any of the overpowering alcohol or flavors that are so typical in many of the region’s wines. The good concentration and elegance makes the wine highly enjoyable, and if only the length could be longer this wine would be a candidate to go into the excellent category. Ready to drink now, it can benefit from further ageing of another 4-6 years.

Chateau Beaumont

The History


Cleared in 1772 from the moorlands and heather, the estate became the property of Henri Labarthe, who drained it to grow vines. From 1830 to 1847 the estate belonged to Marquis d’Aligre, one of France’s richest men, who tripled the area of the vineyards.

In 1849 the estate passed into the hands of the Bonnin brothers, who had the chateau built in 1854. In 1860 the Comte de Gennes bought the property and then sold it in 1872 to Jean-Victor Herran, Minister for Honduras.

Then the Parisian industrialist Joseph Germain succeeded him in 1890 and raised the wines to the status of one of the leaders in the Cru Bourgeois Superieurs of Medoc, and he also constructed the vat-house in 1894.

From 1925 to 1986 the estate passed successively from the Della Grazia company of Milan to Lieutenant Colonel Ignacio Andrade, to the former Venezuelan senator Dionisio Ramon Bolivar Carvajal, and then to Bernard Soulas, who entirely redeveloped the vineyard and restored the chateau.

In 1986 the Groupe GMF arrived and joined together by Japanese group Suntory to create the Societe Grands Millesimes de France, which also owned Chateau Beychevelle and wine-trading company Barriere Freres. Now GMF is owned by Castel and Suntory Groups.

The Vineyard

Positioned on the left bank of the Garonne, between St-Julien and Margaux, it has deep gravel and the best soils in Haut-Medoc. The estate has chosen to produce wines using Integrated Farming, aiming to produce quality grapes with greatest respect for the environment.

Total area is 114 hectares, a single stretch of Gunzian gravel with sand, with average vine age of 20 years. Planting density at 6666 vines per hectare, 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot, the wines are aged for 12-14 months in oak barrels, one third is renewed every year. Average annual production is 600,000 bottles.

Integrated Farming

According to the specifications of Terra Vitis, it is necessary to comply with the requirements of two relatively complementary specifications. Chateau Beaumont has obtained the qualification of Integrated Farming from the 2004 vintage onwards, and is the fifth estate in Medoc to obtain the two distinctions.

Since 2002 the estate has been using HACCP for quality control.

I have recently tasted the 2010 vintage and below is my tasting note:

Appearance
Bright and clear, it has deep ruby color, with fading rims and legs.

Nose
Clean, with medium intensity of black fruit of blackberry, dark cherry and plum, pungent spice of licorice, animal notes of leather, mineral notes of earth, kernel notes of coffee. The wine is youthful.

Palate
Dry, with medium acidity, medium (+) tannin of ripe and velvety texture but got some bitterness, the wine has medium (+) alcohol and medium (+) body, demonstrating medium intensity flavors of black fruit of dark cherries and plum, some herbaceous notes of blackcurrant leaf, pungent spice of licorice, oak notes of vanilla. The wine has a short finish.

Conclusion

Acceptable quality Bordeaux left bank with a reasonably intense nose showing nice complexity, the wine shows some typical regional characteristics though the tannin is a bit too bitter, while the concentration of palate is decent. My biggest disappointment comes in the finish with the wine only offering a short length. It is ready to drink now and can benefit from further ageing of another 2-3 years. 

2015年12月25日 星期五

Wineshark Home Cooking - 64. Stir Fry Spiced Salt Ribs

Ingredients (for 4):

  • Spare ribs - 400 g, chopped
  • Oil - 4 tsp
  • Shallot - 4
  • Garlic - 2 cloves
  • Red chili - 1
Seasonings:
  • Black pepper corn - 1/2 tbsp
  • Sea salt - 1/2 tsp full
  • Sugar - 1 tsp
Procedures:

1. Wash the spare ribs and drip dry.

2. Chop the shallots finely, as well as garlic and red chili.

3. Put the wok on high heat and add 2 tsp of oil, stir fry the spare ribs continuously until the texture tightened and color changed.

4. Change to medium heat and remove the extra oil, continue to stir fry the spare ribs until it turns golden brown. 

5. Remove the oil again and take out the spare ribs.

6. Clean the wok and put on medium heat, then add 2 tsp of oil and shallot.

7. Saute until it turns semi-translucent and then add garlic and shortly black pepper corn.

8. Stir fry until fragrant and then add the spare ribs. 

9. Season with salt and sugar, then add the red chili. Stir well and serve.

Wineshark Home Cooking - 63. Four Season Round

Ingredients (for 4):

  • Pork lean meat - 200 g
  • Pork fat meat - 50 g
  • Chicken stock - 2 tbsp
  • Shiitake mushroom - 4
  • Dried shrimps - 1/4 cup
  • White spring onion - 4 pcs
  • Oil - 1 tbsp
  • Chicken stock - 1 cup
  • Corn starch - 1/4 cup
  • Sea cucumber - 1
  • Baby pak choy - 450 g
  • Salt - 1 tsp
  • Corn starch - 1 tsp full + water 1/4 cup
  • Dark soy sauce - 1 tsp
  • Sesame oil - 1 tsp
To braise the sea cucumber:
  • Oil - 2 tsp
  • Chinese yellow wine - 2 tsp
  • Ginger - 4 slices
  • Garlic - 1 clove
  • Chicken stock - 1/2 cup
  • Salt - dashes
Seasoning:
  • Soy sauce - 1 tbsp
  • Salt - 1/4 tsp full
  • Egg - 1
  • Ginger juice - 2 tsp
  • Chinese yellow wine - 1 tsp
  • Sesame oil - 1 tsp
  • Sugar - 1/2 tsp
  • Corn starch - 2 tsp
Procedures:

1. Soak the shiitake mushroom and dried shrimps in small bowls with water just covering till softened.

2. Cut the mushroom and dried shrimps to small pieces about 0.3cm, keep the soaking water.

3. Cut the pork lean and fat meat into small pieces about the size of green beans.

4. Remove the old leaves of the baby pak choy, wash thoroughly and then blanch for a short while. 

5. Put the lean meat in a large bowl, then add soy sauce and salt, stirring until sticky.

6. Add the chicken stock and stir until the stock is fully absorbed, then add the egg.

7. Stir in one direction until mixed well, then add ginger juice, Chinese yellow wine, sesame oil, sugar and white pepper powder. Finally add the corn starch. 

8. Add the chopped shiitake and dried shrimp, then add the fat meat and mix well.

9. Add the white spring onion, knead and hit it several times to sticky. Cover with plastic wrap and put in fridge.

10. Defrost the sea cucumber and remove the inside. 

11. Blanch with spring onion and ginger.

12. Saute the ginger with oil, then add garlic, Chinese yellow wine and chicken stock. Braise the sea cucumber until the sauce is all evaporated.

13. Divide the pork into four portions, then roll it into a ball and coat with some corn starch. Then throw between hands to form a disk and place on a plate coated with corn starch.

14. Heat a pan and add 1 tbsp of oil, pan-fry the meat disk until golden brown then flip over and pan-fry.

15.Coat the inside of the sea cucumber with corn starch, then put one on top of each meat disk. 

16. Place the meat disk in a bowl and add chicken stock, soaking water for shiitake and dried shrimps, and then simmer for one hour.

17. Remove the meat disk and put the baby pak choy in the sauce, then put the meat disk back on top. Simmer for another 15 minutes. 

18. Place the baby pak choy on the serving plate, and the meat disk in the middle.

19. Reheat the sauce and then add the corn starch mixed with water and dark soy sauce, stirring in until thickened, then add sesame oil and pour on top of the meat disk before serving.  

2015年12月24日 星期四

Wineshark Home Cooking - 62. Salmone con Capperi e Aceto

Ingredients (for 4):

  • Fresh salmon - 4 pcs
  • Olive oil - 1 oz
  • Butter - 1.5 oz
  • Onion finely - 3 oz
  • Celery finely - 1 pc
  • Flour - 2.5 oz
  • Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
  • Capers - 1 tbsp
  • Balsamic vinegar - 1 tbsp
  • Salt - 1/2 tsp
  • White pepper powder - dashes
Procedures:

1. Marinate the salmon with salt and white pepper powder. 

2. Coat the salmon with flour and panfry until golden.

3. Saute the onion and celery with olive oil and butter until softened and slightly brown.

4. Add fennel seeds, capers, balsamic vinegar to cook for 2 minutes.

5. Pour the sauce on top of the salmon.

Wineshark Home Cooking - 61. Cozze al Fono

Ingredients (for 4):

  • Mussel - 12 pcs
  • Olive oil - 1 tbsp
  • Garlic finely - 1 tsp
  • Chopped parsley - 1 tbsp
  • Salt - 1/2 tsp
  • Breadcrumbs - 1/2 oz
  • White pepper powder - dashes
  • Chopped tomato peeled - 3 oz
  • Basil leaves - 1 tsp


Procedures:

1. Wash the mussles and remove the flesh. Drip dry and retain the shell.

2. Marinate the mussels with the other ingredients for 30 minutes.

3. Place the mussels back on the shell and sprinkle with breadcrumbs.

4. Put the mussels in pre-heated oven for 5 minutes until it turns golden.


2015年12月21日 星期一

Sula Vineyards

Our Story

This estate is located 180km northeast of Mumbai, in India’s largest grape-growing region of Nashik. Rajeev Samant, believing that Nashik offered the perfect climate for vines and on par with other regions in Spain, California, or Australia, decided to quit his job in Silicon Valley to dedicate to the idea.

In Sonoma County he found Kerry Damskey, an eminent Californian winemaker, to help start a winery on Rajeev’s 30 acre family estate. In 1997 they took the revolutionary step of planting Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc, both varieties had never been planted in India.

The first Sula wines were released in 2000, widely acclaimed as India’s best white wines. It sparked a wine revolution which saw consumption grew at 25% annually, with several new wineries set up. A second winery with three times the capacity was completed in late 2004 to keep up with demand, and a third also started operations in 2006.

Now covering 1800 acres with owned and contracted vineyards, in both Nashik and nearby Dindori, planted with different varieties including Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Zinfandel and Merlot, along with Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier and Riesling.

Apart from selling locally Sula also exported the wines internationally, as well as importing and distributing wines from leading producers worldwide. In 2005 Sula launched its first reserve wine, Dindori Reserve Shiraz, and the first dessert wine in India, Late Harvest Chenin Blanc.

The winery and vineyards are open to public, as well as accommodation for visitors to spend a few nights.

Rajeev Samant

He was born and raised in Mumbai, and after graduating from Stanford University, worked briefly in Oracle in Silicon Valley but quitted in 1993. After backpacking for a year, Rajeev returned to India and started farming mangoes at his family’s 20 acre plot in Nashik.

He also tried other crops but unsuccessful but in 1996 he realized that Nashik had the perfect climate for grapes but no one was making it. So in 1999 he established Sula Vineyards, Nashik’s first winery, with the help of Kerry Damskey, paving the way for Nashik to become India’s wine capital.

Sula is also recognized as India’s premier quality producer, introducing first time varietals and techniques to India. In 2002 Sula became the first Indian winery to feature in Wine Spectator. With the initial sale of 50,000 bottles in the first year, Sula is now India’s largest wine producer with over 60% market share and sales of over 7 million bottles.

Sula’s import arm, Sula Selections, is one of the leading importers of wines and spirits into India. Rajeev also is a pioneer in wine tourism and opened the first tasting room at Sula in 2005, with restaurants and recently a 30-room vineyard resort.

Kerry Damskey

Kerry’s philosophy is that of a gem cutter, to start with the high quality raw materials, identify and then to show what’s inside and highlight it. Growing in San Francisco, Kerry’s visits with his family to winegrowing regions around the Bay Area whetted his thirst for the craft.

After graduating from high school, he enrolled in the enology and viticulture program at the University of California at Davis. Afterwards he worked for wineries in Lodi to San Diego, and in 1986 he was appointed winemaker for the old Zellerbach Winery in Chalk Hill.

The Vineyards

The wines are made from grapes harvested from Nashik and Dindori estates as well as from local contract farmers.

I have recently tasted the 2014 Sauvignon Blanc and below is my tasting note:

Appearance
Bright and clear, it has light lemon-green color, with wide watery rims and legs.

Nose
Clean, with medium (-) intensity of herbaceous notes of grass and bell pepper, green fruit of green apple and pear, tropical fruit of pineapple, citrus fruit of lemon. The wine is youthful.

Palate
Dry, with medium (+) acidity, the wine has medium alcohol and medium (-) body, demonstrating medium (-) intensity flavors of green fruit of green apple and pear, citrus fruit of lemon, herbaceous notes of grass and bell pepper. The wine has a medium (-) finish.

Conclusion

Acceptable quality Sauvignon Blanc, the wine has a fairly light intensity on the nose showing the typical varietal characters, youthful and simple. On the palate it shows good acidity and a light body and concentration, also simple but a good wine to enjoy with simple salad on a summer day, with a fairly short finish. Ready to drink now and not intend for further ageing.