the wine steward’s the red...

The Wine Steward’s

The Red Collector W I N E C L U B

April 2015

What’s HE doing on a wine label?

We just learned an important message 2012 YAO MING CABERNET SAUVIGNON – Napa Valley

“Never close your mind all the way,” is the lesson of this unlikely wine club provision. As careful critics of the

actual juice in the bottle, The Wine Steward harbors a healthy amount of skepticism for labels such as this. As

if Marilyn Merlot wasn’t enough to keep us preachy, now there’s a proliferation in the market of wines

featuring celebrity names. Whether rock star or crooner, NFL coach or race car driver, you may now buy in to

the rarely valid idea that success in one high-profile career guarantees a quality wine happening under your

name.

Two weeks ago a vendor pulled 2011 Yao Ming Cabernet Sauvignon from her wine bag to pour for us. I nearly asked her to put it back unopened, but we like Jenna and her taste in wine. Muttering, “Fine, bring it

on,” we held out our glasses knowing this wine had THREE possible strikes against it:

Strike 1: Big and bold on the label, the name of former 7’6” Houston Rockets center Yao Ming, who came from China to block tons of baskets attempted by his shorter foes. Nothing against the guy, but when did he

ever go to UC Davis for a winemaking degree?

Strike 2: 2011, the vintage when the Cab successes were fewer. How would this one succeed in such a year?

Strike 3: This is meant to be a $150 bottle, as reported by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate and Wine

Spectator Magazine. We only occasionally buy at that level, and obviously can’t do so for your club.

This wine turned out to be one of those brilliant, unexpected exceptions. “Strike 2” was not an issue at all, as this 2011 was one of the rare SUCCESSFUL ones, like the Purlieu and Gemstone we’ve recently shown you.

“Strike 3” was quickly dismissed by a “secret” wholesale price offered to those of us buying multiple cases for wine clubs. – And those two resolutions got us over our “Strike 1” apprehensions about this “celebrity wine.” The wine was very good and we’d be able to sell it at a reasonable price. Fully satisfied, we told Jenna we’d

make a commitment within a few days.

Strike FOUR (perhaps I should be using basketball terms [fouling out?] instead?): I should never have hesitated: By the time we got back to Jenna she reported that some other buyer had swooped in and taken

the rest of the 2011 vintage. I was convinced that no Napa producer would sell their 2012 - a much better

year - at the same “secret” rate but Jenna said she’d go to bat for us. – And she scored: We’d get the same

sweet deal, at least once. Of course, we had to taste the ’12 to make sure, and upon doing so we signed up.

So here you have it: A theoretical $150 Cabernet supposedly made by a former basketball star. A very classy

Napa Cab using four of the five main Bordeaux grapes (omitting Malbec) and sourcing at least three different

Napa Valley sub-appellations. A Cab less “purple” than some but still quite generous and somewhat

referencing the refinement of great Bordeaux. Let’s just say our whole staff loved it.

One club member picked up his bottle on Friday, and was back on Saturday morning for three more. We hope

to have enough for all of you to make the same wise, open-minded move!

NOT $150 . . . 59.99 / 53.99!

The Revival of an old wine relationship . . . 2010 SCREENPLAY – Napa Valley

If the Yao Ming Cab is unexpectedly balanced and refined and perfectly built, here is it’s darker, rumbly-tumbly

alter ego, Screenplay. This is the work of Trent Moffett, part of the family with whom we worked over ten

years ago, represented by the “Livingston-Moffett” wine label. People like Trent who grew up in the Napa

Valley rarely leave the wine biz once they’re in. A label may not survive a lifetime, but a life tends to remain

committed to the place and the industry, and find a way to continue.

“Screenplay” answers assumptions about Napa Valley red by including good proportions of Cabernet

Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Malbec – four of the five classic Bordeaux grapes. Where it surprises

is with the inclusion of the Rhone red Syrah and – interestingly - the white Viognier. Most of these grapes

provide sturdiness, with the Syrah enriching with a dollop of dark roundness. The white grape addition (all of

2%) is for taking the cumulative scent up a notch. Pefumey Viognier makes a wine more nosy. Then there’s

the 2010 vintage which we’re appreciating more and more, nearly five years later, for providing sumptuous

sturdiness.

Put all those components together, blur your eyes, and forget the details. You have before you a dark,

muscular, and delicious drink by a guy who’s been in Napa long enough to know how to do it. Now get a

steak!

37.99 / 34.19 for all wine club members


World ClassWorld ClassWorld ClassWorld Class W I N E C L U B

April 2015

A Very Modern Spanish Red . . . 2012 BODEGAS VOLVER ‘Triga’ – Alicante, Spain

Prepare yourselves. Prepare the briquettes. Prepare the wine with a cellar temperature and a good

decanting. You’re in for a foreign wine as big as a Paso Robles red. Alicante, Spain is always warm and

always provides big fruit generosity, but in 2012 things were drier and warmer and emphasized this effect.

This is a blend of 85% Monastrell (Mourvedre from its homeland) and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. If you’ve

been following this kind of thing you know that recipe closely resembles another Spanish wine at about the

same price: El Nido ‘Clio’. Importer Jorge Ordanez USED TO purvey that Monastrell/Cab whopper from

nearby Jumilla. Clio was made by Australian winemaker Chris Ringland, who has earned at least four 100

point scores from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate for his Three Rivers Syrah. When the importer lost access

to Clio he asked the Aussie to make a replacement. Hence, “Triga”.

Anticipate a very powerful wine. I believe temperature, decanting, and/or some cellaring time will calm it a bit.

In the meantime, know that the Wine Advocate admired it with a 92 point rating, saying:

“You can feel the warmth and ripeness of the year in the aromas of prunes, blackberries, thyme and

rosemary accented with plenty of sweet spices and smoky notes from the barrel that might need a little

bit more time in bottle. The palate is full-bodied, with powerful tannins lifted by the alcohol on a warm

finish. I'd wait a little bit for the bottle to render the puppy fat and allow the oak to better integrate.”


The Bressias are very nice folks, Daughter and Father I’ll say it one more time 2012 BRESSIA ‘Monteagrelo’ CABERNET FRANC – Mendoza, Argentina Even though we’ve been featuring this in recent weekly e-mails, it easily doubles as a World Class Club

offering, so here goes:

I have long admired the wines of Bressia as a cut above and a breed apart from what we often see from

Mendoza, Argentina. Normally, when buying up from the impressive bargain level, your more pricey Argentine

selection delivers a higher “yum factor.” You pay more to get something bigger, darker, more voluptuous. –

And you’re usually getting Malbec, Argentina’s signature varietal. When reviewing Bressia’s whole line of

bottlings at its importer’s warehouse tasting in Virginia (in addition to visiting the actual winery about 8 years

back), I’ve always been impressed by the lift, balance, nerve, and varietal accuracy. This doesn’t necessarily

happen at the expense of “size,” but the emphasis is otherwise. – And Bressia’s offerings aren’t all Malbecs.

From this producer I have savored very good Cabernet, less likely Syrah, and the biggest surprise of all: Spot-

on Cabernet Franc.

Here you have it, a bottle which is not represented in California by anyone else right now: Bressia Cabernet

Franc. It brings you all the Loire-style varietal truth (rose petals, cracked pepper, graphite) and adds a layer

of New World generosity – but not so much that Cab Franc gets lost in the winemaking shuffle! Whether we

look for it in France or in California we cannot find you this kind of honest goodness at this price. If you want

both accuracy and a little comfort from Cabernet Franc you can hardly do better.



California Wine Lover’sCalifornia Wine Lover’sCalifornia Wine Lover’sCalifornia Wine Lover’s W I N E C L U B

April 2015 Encore . . . 2012 KOKOMO ‘Cuvee’ – Sonoma County

A reality of our current wine biz: We can sell you $20 Cabernet if you must see that grape name on the label,

but that won’t have as much character, filling, or “winemaking truth” as blends such as this. Perhaps less

exuberantly purple/blue than the “Cuadrilla” we’re about to describe but no less ripe, this Kokomo is an

easygoing, fruit forward bill-filler. It’s also another repeat performance for your club.

This is another complex blend including 24% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Syrah, 22% Malbec, 16% Merlot, 8%

Grenache, and 6% Petite Sirah. Its fruit sourcing encompasses much of Sonoma County, but emphasizes Dry

Creek Valley grapes not far from the actual winery.

Aromas: Freshly turned soil, damp tobacco, wild cherries, coffee, vanilla, and a touch of chocolate.

Flavors: Blackberries and juicy cherries.

Textures: Juicy; soft satin, yet brisk with meat loving acidity.

Use: When your mouth salivates after a sip, that’s the signal: “Quick, grill a ribeye!!”


The Cuadrilla profit-sharing party at Stolpman Vineyard

What, don’t you recognize the label?? 2013 STOLPMAN VINEYARDS “Cuadrilla” – Ballard Canyon, Santa Barbara County Here is at least our FOURTH club offering of this delicious blend from our friend Pete Stolpman and, just as

importantly, his family’s excellent site west of Los Olivos. If you don’t recognize the label we certainly can’t

blame you; they change the design with each vintage. This time around the local mineral feature of limestone

is in the spotlight.

Cuadrilla’s more consistent theme is its reason for being. Unlike many other winery situations, the Stolpman

family employs their staff (natives of Jalisco, Mexico) year-round. This job security is a big plus and certainly

engenders both loyalty and greater attention to quality. ... So the Stolpmans thank them again by setting

aside a section of the property for this particular wine project, a plot of vineyard the crew (“Cuadrilla”) works

to their own specifications to make this particular wine. Fittingly, a significant amount of the profit from its

sales go straight back to these guys and the circle of positive reciprocation remains unbroken.

The finisher of the wine is none other than Sashi Moorman, one of Santa Barbara County’s greatest

winemaking names. He’s involved with other projects in the area including his own Piedrasassi brand.

Incidentally, you should visit his own tasting room in Lompoc which features a bread oven, the product of

which uses wheat grown on the Stolpman property!

But I digress . . . Here is Santa Barbara fruit flamboyance at its most fun and rich, while the limestone-

cluttered soil keeps decadence under control with refreshing lift. Your grape ingredients include Syrah

(Stolpman’s specialty, almost militantly), Grenache, Petite Sirah, and Sangiovese (Stolpman’s other “raised

flag,” if you will). In this one wine you experience youthful exuberance, freshness, and jammy richness. Fruit

happens in a purple, even “blue” way. Wonderful sideshow aspects are fresh meat, white pepper, licorice, and

violets. Here is a lot of wine for the money, while it lasts!

$21.99 . . . and 19.79 for wine club members


Wine AdventurerWine AdventurerWine AdventurerWine Adventurer W I N E C L U B

April 2015

Thanks again, Rioja! 2007 VIÑA SANTURNIA RESERVA – Rioja, Spain

With your other club wine for this month we’ll be urging you to decant. Actually, we have the same mandate

for you here: PLEASE DECANT and/or BE PATIENT WITH THIS WINE. Same mandate, different reason:

While Rioja’s main ingredient Tempranillo does in fact have reductive tendencies, great Rioja doesn’t

necessarily “stink” immediately upon uncorking like your Mencia might. It’s simply far more “limited” in

aroma, flavor, and body than it will be after an oxidative treatment. In this case we want you decant to enjoy

more of the wine. Last week I had a bottle of this very Rioja open for several days and felt my final “Day 3”

glass might have been the best. What should that tell you? Buy some and keep it for another 6-8 years!

This is the same winery providing the “Deopbriga” Rioja you enjoyed a few months back. It is a textbook on

Rioja in one bottle, using all four of the traditional ingredients:

80% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano, 5% Mazuelo (Carignan), and 5% Garnacha (Grenache).

Playing the classic, it employs all American oak barrels for its semi-oxidative nap time. Yes, this is the one

European wine place which, until recently, almost universally favored the wood from our side of The Pond.

That said, the Spanish are careful to make the actual barrels themselves and favor splitting rather than sawing

the wood. Apparently, this treatment has a flavor-moderating effect, perhaps “turning down” American oak’s

more blatant qualities.

We recommend you return to this bottle again and again over the course of at least two evenings. For the

price, this nearly-8-year-old red is a beautiful expression of my favorite Rioja quality: Suaveness. Want more

descriptors? Sniff it to discover sultry leather, tobacco, warm vanilla, and spicy plums. Sip it to encounter

bright citrus and cherry. Feel it to realize: “Wait, this is quite tangy, compared with the soft aromas! I guess

I’d better eat something fatty!” Yep, that’s the trick with Rioja: Jamon is the quick snack in a pinch, perhaps

with Manchego cheese on the side. If you’ve got one of those rare “nothing to do” days on your hands you

could roast lamb shanks while decanting this wine, and get the two introduced in the evening. Don’t we all

have that time on our hands?!


Bierzo, Spain . . . It actually rains in THIS part of Spain!

A Great Example of Green Spain’s Sniffy Red

2013 PAGO DE VALDONEJE MENCIA - Bierzo, Spain

When you first open and pour this you’ll almost certainly witness (and, without this warning, perhaps CRINGE

at) a quality called “reduction.” Few wine sellers talk about this, as they don’t really know how to explain it.

Folks, reduction is not a flaw. It’s actually a sign of protective winemaking. When a wine smells a little

“farty” at first sniff (yes, I just said that) all it usually means is the winemaker protected / perhaps over-

protected a wine from oxidation on your behalf, doing everything possible to keep air out of its early winery

experience. This Mencia, like so many Tempranillos, Syrahs, and Cabernet Francs besides, is reacting to its

first gulp of air in a while, perhaps ever. In a sense, you’re smelling a “birth” – which is kind of weird and cool

and funky – and then get to witness a rapid evolution to something else, something more acceptable.

This is the Mencia grape, grown nearly exclusively in “Green Spain,” the Galician northwest. Bierzo, with its black slate and red soil, is its biggest neighborhood. Some wine writers used to presume that Mencia was the

same as - or related to - Cabernet Franc. That fun and funky “sniffy” aspect and minerally Loire Valley feel

must have driven the rumor. You might also try to connect it to Gamay Beaujolais, but it has since been

shown that Mencia is its own unique thing, a truly SPANISH grape. Have you aired this out a little? If so,

you’re probably smelling an exciting gameyness along with fresh cherries, milk chocolate, and a hint of smoky,

wet leather. In the mouth there is a sense of liquid graphite or iron (from the red soil) along with plush and

juicy citrus-tinged, forest floored savory-ness. Steve would recommend paella with this if you wanted to

emphasize the fruit qualities. I’ll add that duck breast would also work, if you’re game. Either way, serve it

cool.

After tasting many Mencias and rejecting them as too “tweaked” for many of you, we chose this. Here’s an

effective version of a slightly eccentric red. We congratulate you on your inquiry, especially because many

Spaniards have never heard of such a thing. Then again, there’s no TWS in Madrid . . .



Here ‘n There WhitesHere ‘n There WhitesHere ‘n There WhitesHere ‘n There Whites W I N E C L U B

April 2015 Another Encore . . . 2014 TOMAS CUSINE ‘Auzells’ – Costers del Segre, Spain

I never would have heard of this place unless I’d been dragged there by the importer of this wine in summer

2012. East of Barcelona, north of the more famous Priorat and Monsant wine regions and virtually unheard of

by the American wine drinking public, Costers del Segre has at least one great reason to know more.

Tomas Cusine has an eye to both the future and the past. His winery inhabits a very old stone building,

somewhat modified and retrofitted to handle modern winemaking. On those stone walls you see a series of

prints - blown-up versions of his various wine labels - and that’s when you know this guy’s pretty worldly in his

awareness. Indeed, you can see it in the packaging for “Auzells,” the label before you.

This contrast of heritage and forward-looking is more importantly manifested in Tomas’ vineyard activity.

Upon leaving his last winemaking gig and starting his own, Tomas planted no fewer than 20 different grape

varieties in this arid, high-elevation place. Some, such as Tempranillo and Macabeo, were traditional choices

for Catalonia or Spain at large. Others like Riesling were more daring, unusual choices. He knew right off the

bat that after a few trials some of these would be pulled out or grafted over to something else, but his open-

mindedness told him to at least try a lot to isolate a few, unexpected successes. So, since his project is still

but a few years old, we are all helping him figure it out.

“Auzells,” this year, is a very unusual and original composite of Macabeu (best known for its role in Cava

bubbly), Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling, Albariño and Moscatell. You’re not supposed to identify each

grape when you smell and taste, and would be hard-pressed to do so. Instead, marvel at the winemaker’s art

of fusion; of taking all those attributes and exploiting them . . . sometimes taming, sometimes accentuating.

This has vibrancy and generosity, clarity and a certain quality of richness. We recommend a fish dish!


2014 DOMAINE le CLOS des LUMIERES GRENACHE ROSÉ – Pays d’Oc, France We think you’re up for this!

We acknowledge with only a little trepidation: We’ve handed you something not quite white in color. Let’s

just say we’re confident enough in the “quality” of our White Wine Club membership to take this cute little

risk; to give you a DRY rosé from the south of France, a category of wine The Wine Steward has come to treat

as something of a cult – and a valid one at that. Any constant customer of TWS has witnessed the seasonal

shrinkage and subsequent, renewed burst of pale pink bottles near the front of the store, whimsically flanked

by plastic flamingos and silly sayings such as:

“Insecure Men: We are happy to wrap your dry pink purchase in a brown paper bag.”

The idea there is to describe the rosé state of mind: Carelessness, summer weather sippin’, and a friendly

little jab at the few who aren’t “into this” yet. But let’s speak to the product. As delicately-colored as it is, we

consider rosé (not the sweet White Zin stuff, please!) to be one of the great categories of wine. That barely-

there coral aspect you’re viewing took a lot of nervous work to achieve. The southern French have been

nailing it for a while, having had a lot of practice. Californian vintners are only beginning to get it, with only a

small crop of serious domestic pink producers figuring out how to keep the color and alcohol in check while

expressing wonderfully evasive scents of tangerine, fennel, and stone fruits. While darker, more cranberry-

colored wines are to be found here and abroad, the color (or lack thereof) in this bottle is the ideal for this

wine buyer and the TWS staff in general. We like ‘em more lightly colored; more “white,” if you will.

You can make a dry rosé out of any red grape or (horrors!) by combining red wine with a certain amount of

white. The truly classy Mediterranean stuffe, however, happens when you work with a short list involving

Cinsault, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Carignan, and Grenache. That last grape is the only one featured here, a 100%

Grenache batch picked not-too-ripe and fermented at low and controlled temperatures. Oxidation prevention

and a short storage in inert vats happened before bottling and – Presto! – a lovely dry rosé.

Perhaps you are as new to this wine type as you are to its perfect food pairing: Salade Nicoise. Well, immerse

yourself in the Provencal state of mind and gather the ingredients: Haricots Verts (skinny little string beans),

mini potatoes, hard boiled eggs, butter lettuce (- or Romaine, preferences vary), fresh tomatoes, coarse salt,

fresh ground pepper, exceptional olive oil, and – most importantly – truly good and not inexpensive canned or

jarred tuna (we sell some!). Look up a preparation method while you chill this wine – on a warm afternoon or

evening, preferably. Get the dish and the bottle together and prepare to be initiated . . . unless you’re already

“one of us,” that is!

A not-quite-white/more-than-white for just 9.99 / 8.99 for all wine club members


Tuesday Night W I N E C L U B

April 2015

The Best in Years 2014 MAIPE MALBEC – Mendoza, Argentina

Was it about ten years ago? The sensation of dark, black-berried, espresso-y Argentine Malbec landed on

North America’s collective palate with a pleasing “plop”. Satisfaction – for nine bucks and sometimes less –

was virtually guaranteed. This was the best thing since Australian bargain Shiraz; perhaps even better

because now we could cozy up to a more familiar, Cabernet-like BORDEAUX varietal.

Take it from this wine buyer: You don’t get that wine for eight or nine bucks any more. Oh, you can PAY that

but the Malbec you get will be a shadow of its former self: Something thinner in texture, more artificially

flavored, and strangely oaked – perhaps with unpredictable wood chips rather than a good ol’ oak barrel.

Some consumers have perceived the difference only gradually, maybe even subconsciously, but we’ve seen

the impulsive grab for bottles of inexpensive Malbec becoming a bit more hesitant and calculated.

Our message to you: You’re going to have to buy up a buck or three to enjoy what you loved for cheaper ten

years ago, at least with respect to Argentine Malbec. – And even then you should trust a good shop like The

Wine Steward to pick the winners.

HERE is a Malbec we’ve often carried over the years: Maipe. It used to cost a couple dollars less. It has always had nice fruit impact but it, too, sometimes succumbed to the trend toward artificiality. Having tasted

this wine year in and year out for nearly a decade I can tell you this 2014 is a return to the original, delicious

idea; one of the best two vintages I’ve had – and it may be the best of those. If Maipe’s quality slipped for a

few vintages, maybe to cut winemaking costs and stay at ten bucks, I’m now gladly paying a little more for a

much better product this time. Here is the generosity we always get from Maipe, with more substance and

flavor truth than perhaps ever before; worth an extra buck or two for me!

11.99 / 10.79 for Malbec Guzzlin’ Wine Club Members

May, 2005: The Cooperative in the pueblo Villarroyo de la Sierra where this wine was made.

Yes, I still have the shirt.

Garnacha . . . Can’t Get Enough! 2012 YASA GARNACHA – Calatayud, Spain

Garnacha, native to Spain, may the world’s most planted red grape. Known more often to us by the French

name “Grenache” and called “Cannonau” in Sardinia, its older plantings are most often trained as independent

“bush” vines with just a stake for support (unnecessary once the vine is established). This hardy plant gives

the most expressive wine when water is less plentiful and cropping thereby naturally limited. Its needs in the

winery are minimal, as long as you keep it protected from oxidation. The best way to preserve its cheerful

fruit is in volumes larger than the standard barrel; an oversized cask (foudre, puncheons, etc) is great for this,

and a stainless steel tank will also do. Spending a lot of money on new oak barrels is not only unnecessary;

it’s a flavor-covering affront to the charming and preferably-unfettered, inherent character of Garnacha.

Garnacha happens all over the warmer parts of Spain, and your best values come from Cariñena, Campo de

Borja, and a few other places. However, quality and value collide most perfectly in Calatayud. While other

locations are equally blessed with the “raw material” of dry-farmed and rain-starved ancient Garnacha vines,

the Calatayud Difference is another several hundred meters of elevation. The diurnal shift (temperature swing

between day and night) is greater here, promoting somewhat jammier fruit while retaining the acidic,

refreshing juiciness.

Yasa doesn’t come to California through the normal distribution channels. Its importer, who took me to this

winery on our 2005 trip, is based in Virginia and doesn’t get all his goodies to the west. So it comes here by

special request and a little creativity: We and The Spanish Table went in on a pallet and got it out here

“creatively”.

Observe the Spanish Garnacha difference, as accentuated by the Calatayud region: Color: Grenache is often a bit weak in tint. Not here. Aroma: Was there ever a more jammy scent? Who needs an oak barrel when dry-farmed, high elevation

Garnacha gives you violets, blackberries, mocha, tobacco, and black pepper without any help?

Mouth: Easy, juicy, long, playful, gulpable, bbq-friendly, party-priced . . .

- All from a dusty little pueblo ten or so kilometers west of Calatayud, from old and thirsty vines, from really

nice and very real people who do more with less, and a wine shop that happens to know about it . . .

Virtually Exclusive in California: 10.99 / 9.89 for all wine club members

Want even better value? Grow our numbers!

Tell a friend about TWS and its 6 Wine Clubs! And thank you for your support, J Malcolm Denham

the wine steward’s the red...

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