2007 UNTI Barbera

Well, seems as if I have a bromance goin' with Mick Unti of UNTI Vineyards

We met Mick at Nectar Wine Bar in Burlingame last night (09 Mar 09). His wines were the feature for the Monday evening tasting and he brought some excellent representations of his family-owned, craft-oriented vineyard. (That's code for he gives a shit about the wine more than capturing the $$ following the latest trend.)

We talked about our preferences in styles of wine and how overdone things are and we just seemed to be agreeing. Santa Lucia Highlands is not really Pinot but rather Zin and Rombauer ...well, you get the idea...it's about the wine, not the winemaker. We're a perfect match.

Mick graciously presented the flight of the four featured wines. First, the 2007 Cuvee Blanc, a clean mineral rich Grenache Blanc blend with Picpoul. Nice. Shale, green olive finish. Next, my friend, the 2006 Petit Frere. See previous blog for review. 3rd for the evening was the 2006 Zinfandel. Pleasant, not your average Dry Creek Zin. Very personable and understated. Reserved. Nice! Finally, the 2005 Syrah Benchland. Sourced from their own acreage on the East Dry Creek Bench. Well, OK. Syrah's not really my favorite, but it's certainly showing of it's character. Good. Ok.....Time to go home.

Now, I think I know what you're thinking..."tell us more about the bromance, Jase." Ok, Ok...well, this is where he sealed the deal.

See, while I was plenty excited on the drive up to catch up with the latest Unti news and "brews", I didn't have any idea what was in store for me. I though she'd stayed at home, at least that's what the rumors were, but no, thankfully the rumor mill was blowin' smoke and Barbera was there to show me what's what!

Mick brought down a single bottle of the yet to be released 2007 Unti Barbera and was generous enough to not only share a taste with several of us, but several tastes for a few lucky souls. This delightful, honest ruby toned delight brought with her a celebration. She's Piemontes for sure, but with a tad more soft fruit, perhaps a slight bit richer than her Italian cousins, but with a more vivacious and youthful aire about her. 

In a word, she's "glorious!"

Earlier in the evening, I asked Mick for his thoughts on veracity, that is, how truthful a wine can or should be, and that's where the connection was hooked. Mick's style is to let the wine be. Let it show itself, be itself, and alter very, very little, if at all. 

Mick, I love you, man!

This Barbera shows great young character, and her glory is her truth. 2007 Unti Barbera releases shortly. Keep an eye out for it. Remember, it's NEVER at Whole Foods in San Mateo, so don't look there.

2007 Unti Barbera

$ TBD (estimated $25-28)

91 Points

2006 UNTI Petit Frere

I took this up to Lee and Nancy's for the 2009 rendition of "Pumpkin Festival.... North." On deck for dinner were simple thin pies (think Roman style) from Mezza Luna in town. 

This nice, dry Grenache, Mouvedre & Syrah blend, while called "little brother", really just isn't. It's a nicely bodied Rhone blend with enough blackberry fruit up front to balance the Rhone sensibility on the back and providing a pleasant balance for everyday southern European inspired cuisine.

Mick Unti is doing a great job of very reasonable, drinkable and well-paired juice for food. 

2006 Unti Sonoma County Petit Frere

~$20

89 points

2006 Summers Napa Valley Estate Charbono

..she said..."Rambo, what means "Charbono?"

He said "huhhhh?" in his most Scooby-Doo like inflection.

Now, although Bill got all in my face and called me full of $h*t and a wine snob at the Rains' luau and it was all the zen master I could muster to not break his finger as it dented my chest, I really don't think I am, especially since I'd never heard of Charbono. Accordingly, in my geekdom, I did some research before I tackled this and stumbled across some really interesting info.

While there's too much to post here, I do recommend taking a look into several of the links in this search as it's kinda fascinating.

So, here's the reader's digest version....

* Only 80 acres grown in the USA. 100% in California.

* Imported by Italian immigrants in the 1800s

* Is a Piedmontese varietal - possibly related to Charbonneau (fr.)

* Is the 2nd most popular varietal grown in Argentina

Ok..Cool. Now what? Well, try some.

I know. Too far out of the box, too difficult to find, blah-blah-blah-blah. 

No? Good...actually, Great!

So this Charbono has wonderful mouthfeel that's extremely soft and delicate, but with significant bright fruit, mainly dark berries, but not a Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot type of berry. When I say significant, I mean subtle. Huh?

How can that be? Yeah, I know, but I don't know any other way to describe it.

I had this with a hearty fall soup, but it would also play well with most meats (non-beef), fowl (particularly Duck or Ostrich), and several other fall-style vegetable dishes.

2006 Summers Napa Valley Estate Charbono

~$25

90 points

2006 Seghesio Sonoma Coast Arneis

Arneis. Yes, Arneis. I know what you're thinkin'..."WTF is Arneis?" Well, it's a white Italian, specifically, Piedmontese, varietal that's more challenging to grow than Pinot Noir.

Again, I know what you're thinkin' "WTF could be more difficult to grow than Pinot?"

Arneis. Translates to "Little Rascal." One more time, I know what you're thinkin" " WTF...isn't that a TV show from the 30's?". Well, yes, but that's a whole different thing.

THIS Arneis is a really great find in our challenge. It's very Italian in style. Not as restrained as a white Cote d'Or, and not nearly laid back as Bordeaux's Sauv Blanc or Semillon, this Sonoma Coast grown wine is far more exciting, challenging, fiery and fun than its frog cousins. It appeals to your visual senses with a deep straw hue and to your nasal senses with it's stealthy anise aroma, taunting you to just taste a bit.

OK. So I did.   ....and now I'm hooked!

Chrysann came over for dinner on Sunday and we had this with our melon and jamon salad. It proved to be a great complement, providing further sweetness to play off the saltiness of the lovely Spanish cure as well as bright citrus notes and a very subtle anise tone to sharpen the effect of the sweet Galia melon.

....So before Summer turned to Spring, I turned to Arneis for one last summer fling.  We'll have to do this again...and soon.

2006 Seghesio Family Sonoma Coast Arneis

~$18

92 Points

2007 Abacela Garnacha Rosado

From Abacela in southern Oregon, this bright rose is an nice example of the recent, well deserved popularity being attached to wines of Southern Oregon. Garnacha is one of my favorite varietals, and by doing a rose with it, winemaker Andrew Wenzl takes the bold to the beautiful.

The grapes are estate-grown on south-facing slopes in the Umpqua Valley, were pressed with limited time on the skins and fermented and aged in stainless.

Raspberry, roses and strawberries are all present in the nose. With a very bright acidity on the front end and pomegrates & candied cherries filling the mouth, it finishes very dry and mineraly.

Retail ~$15

89 Points

2006 La Bastide Saint Dominique Cotes-du-Rhone

OK, OK...stop gettin' your knickers in a twist. I finally had a decent red to review, so here you go. Pulled this little bottle out last night for something to pair with boneless pork ribs on the grill. They'd been in a salt brine with herbs de provence and a bit of pimenton for a day and I thought the Cotes du Rhone would make a super pairing. Bra-Vo!

I found this wine at the local wine shop in HMB and have had it aside for a few months, waiting for the typical summer HMB weather to arrive...well, it finally has and last night was a perfect time for a sultry glass.

It's mostly Grenache with 5% each of Syrah, Mouvedre & Cinsault and took some time to open up; about 15 mins did the trick. I was patient and was successful at taking something that was tightly tannin-ed up, to a nice relaxed, drinkable glass, or two....or the whole damn bottle. 

If you enjoy a deep inky-hued Cotes Du Rhone with a decent base structure, moderate tannin with a raisined nose and notes of blackberries and currants, then this is your ticket!

Retail ~$17

88 points

2006 A to Z Pinot Blanc - Oregon

Ok, so don't get on me 'cause I'm doin' another white review. It's been hot here...STUPID hot. Of course, for me stupid hot = anything north of 85 degrees, but anyways, it's still hot and I just can't think of anything better than Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris or Sauvignon Blanc these days. 

Get over it, will ya?

So, for those of you who DON'T know, Tina and I are going to Stockholm for vacation this summer. Luckily,  I reconnected with a great friend from Stockholm recently and last night, we had dinner with Henrik and Ylva @ Pizza Antica in Mill Valley. They're in the middle of a 3 week journey driving from Chicago to Seattle, via the Dakotas, Wyo, all the other stuff in the middle, Yosemite, and SFO.

We ended up with a couple of great appetizers including house made mozzarella and antipasti and the A to Z Pinot Blanc did a great job of keeping up with the varying notes and textures.

The winemaker notes mention:

" ...walks a taut line between the Old World mineral driven aromatics (talc, wet stones, chalk) and New World fruit (melons, nectarines, tangerine, and white grapes overlaid with honey, lime blossoms, and hazelnuts)." and "The wine's richness and weight is held in place and balanced by crisp ripe acidity that gives focus and integrity" 

I have to disagree with the first and agree with the second. Don't get me wrong, I liked this wine, but the fruit forward sweet nose and tongue drive it over any mineral aromatics that might be involved in the party. To the second point, it IS quite rich and the crisp acidity provides a platform for the weight of the richness. 

I'd definitely order this again with seafood that wasn't rich (ie: lobster in butter or anything with bernaise), or with spicy Asian such as Vietnamese or Thai.

Also, A to Z is big in the "wine for the rest of us" game. That's they're mantra. Check them out!

Retail ~$15

88 points

2007 Sineann Pinot Gris - Oregon

Since I saw that a friend is in Oregon this week, I thought we'd start with a recent find from the PNW.

I first ran into this nice Pinot Gris at my local wine shop, HMB Wine & Cheese at a "Look Ma, No Cork" themed tasting. No, not a screwtop or silly pseudo-cork, but a glass stopper known as a "vino-lok selection" tops this Alsace-style green bottle. Retailing at around $18, this is a fine value for an Oregon Pinot Gris.

Sourced from the Wy'east Vineyard in Hood River Valley, the fruit provides a structured, but not overloaded base for the clean high notes of green apple, citrus and pear to stand out. I'd hesitate to call this Peter Rosback produced wine understated, but it's certainly not the typical Oregon Pinot Gris we've been accustomed to in recent times. I'd argue it's more similar to a Southern Hemisphere Sauvignon Blanc with its solid base, but certainly brings the Pinot notes forward.

I enjoyed a bottle of this with a little linguini & prawns fra diavolo with an heirloom tomato & avocado salad. Its high notes were a great balance for both the creaminess of the avocado and the heat of the pasta dish.

90 Points

..and On With The Show. Wine for the Rest of Us.

Before getting too into the wine discussion, I wanted to chat briefly about what I'm trying to do with the wine blog. I've found, thru several years of my interest in wine, that there's a gap, that is, a place that retailers, and many wineries, have neglected to address. 

Sure, it's really easy to go to Bev-Mo or your local bottleshop/grocery store and pick up some mass produced, mediocre at-best wine. Also easy is to pop into your local wineshop and pick up a >$50 bottle of Cabernet or Pinot. It will be great and if your "Wine Monger" has done their job, then you'll have a great meal.

...but what about the rest of us? There seems to be an obvious hole there between mediocre at-best and a bottle of Grand Cru Burgundy, and that's what we'll try to share. REALLY good wine for a really reasonable price.

Remember, we're not talking cheap here, but if your budget is in the gap, then you're looking for wine for the rest of us.

Welcome!