San Francisco loses Crushpad

Crushpad, the business that allows people to make their own wine from high-quality grapes, is leaving San Francisco for Napa Valley.

This may be great for Crushpad and its widespread clientele, some of whom made wine from as far away as Japan -- choosing the grapes, deciding on the fermentation and aging regime, etc., and having Crushpad staff carry out their wishes. (In essence, Crushpad's clients make wine the same way Michel Rolland makes wine.)

Strictly for wine quality, the new location at Silverado Trail Wine Studio in the Oak Knoll District is better because the grapes won't have to travel as far after picking. There's also an outlet for microwineries who get a business license to sell their wines -- the biggest hurdle -- because Silverado Trail Wine Studio has a tasting room.

In fact, for adventurous wine geeks, this puts STWS on the Napa Valley wine map in a big way, as it will soon be possible to taste obscure wines that nobody else has heard of. It's an exciting crapshoot: You might discover the next Sean Thackrey, or you might discover the next Phineas T. Grickleschnuber (don't bother googling the name, I made it up.)

But as a San Francisco resident, I'm really sorry to see Crushpad go. Our city has long been a hub of California wine country, and prior to the great earthquake of 1906, much of the wine was actually made here for reasons that made sense in the pre-air conditioning era. Crushpad had a smart, urban feel, interesting wine events, and it brought us the unmistakable aroma of aging wine.

Crushpad not only brought an urban aesthetic to winemaking; it allowed software engineers in Mountain View to make Viognier as a hobby and check on their barrels with an easy trip to the city. I wonder if Crushpad's move to Napa will actually discourage winemaking wannabes because making wine in wine country, among the pros, is more intimidating than hanging around with a group of smart amateurs who also aren't afraid to admit they don't know what they're doing.

I suppose I'm supposed to feel like Susan Sarandon in Bull Durham, happy for Nuke LaLoosh as he moves up to the major leagues. Instead I feel a little used and discarded, like I spent 6 years rooting for somebody who was planning to move on from the start. But even though I'm depressed, I am NOT sleeping with Kevin Costner.

Are wines made by women different?

Wine Entre Femme: an international think tank of women in wine

That was the title of an event I more or less crashed last week, because Brigitte Rulier-Loussert, proprietor/winemaker of Chateau Dalem -- who makes, IMHO, the best wines I've tasted from Fronsac -- told me about it.

Are her wines "feminine"? Only if you consider ripe fruit and rich tannins "feminine." Not only are Brigitte's wines good, they're also on the New World side of the equation (which, considering the fierce tannins in old-style Fronsac, is not a bad thing.) I don't think they're overdone; not at all. But tasting them, I don't think I would guess a woman made them.

It's a popular media myth that women make more well-balanced, food-friendly wines than men. I can debunk that with two words: "Helen Turley." I also think fine winemakers of full-bodied wines -- like Heidi Peterson Barrett and Carol Shelton -- would be a little insulted if you told them they made "women's wines."

However, that doesn't mean there's not a place for this event, and it's because of something Brigitte said to me. Looking around the room at a dozen female American winemakers, another dozen female winery proprietors and a bunch of sales reps (many were daughters of women winery owners or winemakers), Brigitte said, "We don't have this in France. There I am unusual. To see this many women who make wine together, it is a great thing."

I looked for some unifying theme to the event, other than the gender of the people behind the table, but didn't find one. Some white wines were crisp and refreshing; others were blowsy and overoaked. I tasted some beautifully elegant red wines (most are listed below) and some clumsy ones, and some that were so tannic they were almost painful.

Then I went straight to my dentist's office, where I expected to get chastised for coming in with gums full of Sauternes. Unexpectedly, she didn't mind; I guess my breath was sweeter than usual.

Here are the stars from the tasting:

Corison Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 ($70): Cathy Corison (in the photo above) has never adapted her style to the ultra-rich Cabs favored by Robert Parker, which has kept her price from going stratospheric. Given the dead market for $150 cult Cabs these days, that's probably a good thing. This beautifully restrained wine reminds you of how delicious and food-friendly Cab can be: Black cherry and raspberry fruit, some fresh herbs, solid acidity, elegant structure. You could drink it now, but the 2000 she was pouring beside it showed that it will reward waiting. I'm not an anti-Parker guy, but if you are, you really need to try this, it's what you're looking for. 95

Chateau Dalem Fronsac 2005 (NA): Pretty cherry and black currant fruit with lovely floral notes, well-managed tannins and great balance. This is as good as Fronsac gets, from an excellent vintage. 93

Chateau Dalem Fronsac 2007 (NA): Ripe blackberry with well-managed tannins. Should cellar a little while to develop its secondary characteristics, but a very well-made wine. 91

Dalla Valle Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 ($150): Nice cherry and raspberry fruit with excellent acidity. An elegant wine that should age well. 92

Grace Wine Hishiyama Vineyard Koshu 2008 (NA): Koshu is a large, thick-skinned, bland-tasting grape that is well-adapted to Japan's challenging weather, which includes nearly a month of muggy rain in the middle of summer. This might be the best Koshu wine I've ever had: crisp, fresh and refreshing lime with some apricot. A good food wine. From Yamanashi prefecture, the home of Japan's wine industry, where most wineries stubbornly grow Bordeaux varietals even though they can't handle the weather. Let this wine be a lesson as to what they should try. 90

Haskell Vineyards Aeon Stellenbosch Shiraz 2007 ($40): Ripe and wild wine that makes you think of the jungle, even though this part of South Africa is as European as Africa gets. Blackberry, black cherry and raw meat. 91

Haskell Vineyards Pillars Stellenbosch Shiraz 2007 ($60): Winemaker Rianie Strydom says that after winning a 3-way wine competition with Australia and New Zealand, this wine will all be allocated soon, and I believe her. This is even gamier than the Aeon, with nice cherry fruit, good structure and fine acidity. Might be a wild ride for Americans, but I saw a few French women -- accustomed to Syrah from Hermitage -- go gaga for it, and I'm on their side. 91

Lail Vineyards J. Daniel Cuvee Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 ($125): After corporations bought out the historic Inglenook estate and destroyed the name's reputation, Robin Lail wound up with one of the original vineyards, and has been proving ever since that it's one of the great pieces of terroir in California. This was the best wine I tasted all day: potent black cherry initially, with some cocoa and dried herbs and coffee on the long finish. Great balance and elegance. Yum. 97

La Sirena Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 ($150): Heidi Peterson Barrett is starting to get a little cynical with her marketing. She's making a red blend called Pirate Treasured, in a squat rum-like bottle with a cool case, that I think is a nice version of Red Truck at $50 a bottle. I prefer her wines when she's serious, as she is here: Black cherry and cocoa with noticeable tannins that give it an edge and some violet on the finish. 92

La Sirena Barrett Vineyards Calistoga Syrah 2005 ($80): An elegant wine with blackberry fruit, ripe tannins and notes of cocoa and coffee. 91

Chateau Sigalas Rabaud Sauternes Premier Cru Classe 2001 (NA): Rich honeycomb and apricot. Great mouthfeel. Though very rich, only moderate sweetness and good acidity keep it from being cloying. 92

Spottswoode Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 ($130): A tannic wine with good dark cherry fruit, some leafy fresh herb and a hint of dark chocolate on the finish. This is an old-school Cab that will take at least 5 years to approach, and more likely 10. I'd like to be able to taste it then, when riper Napa Cabs have fallen apart. 92

Tierra Roja Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 ($115): Named for the red dirt in the vineyard, this is a well-balanced wine with black cherry fruit and a distinctive black olive note. 91

Free tickets to Dark and Delicious!

This contest was closer than the game, with Andrew nudging Jennifer by a single point. Sorry, Jennifer. Andrew, can you drop me a line to identify yourself? You might want to make your blogger profile public briefly so I can verify it.

Thanks to everyone for participating, and congratulations New Orleans. Whodat!

I've got two free $60 tickets to give away to Dark and Delicious -- and I'm going to give them to you!

(At least, one of you).

Here's the scoop. Dark and Delicious is an annual event pairing Petite Sirah -- the teeth-staining, nearly-black wine beloved by fans of the full-bodied -- with food made by local purveyors.

This year there are 42 wineries taking part, and 27 food companies. A full list is here on the event website, but be sure to try out Petite Sirah veterans like Rosenblum Cellars and Stags' Leap Winery and East Bay foodie favorites like Wood Tavern and Yoshi's.

The last time I ran one of these contests, I asked people to write something. This time, all I want are some numbers.

Predict the final score of the upcoming Super Bowl, and you and a friend can nosh and drink Petite Sirah until you pass out or the event ends, whichever comes first. You don't have to know anything about football -- just pick a common score like 28-17, and maybe you'll get lucky. You do, however, have to tell me which team you expect to win by that score.

The details:
Dark and Delicious
Friday, Feb. 19, 2010, 6-9 p.m.
Rock Wall Wine Company
2301 Monarch St., Alameda, CA

Unlimited wine and food tasting is included.
Parking is free. But consider taking public transport.
I am NOT RESPONSIBLE for you drinking too much Petite Sirah, getting behind the wheel and becoming a burden on the state legal system. Click here to learn how to drink like a pro.

Contest details:
Put your predicted final Super Bowl score in the comment section below; i.e., New Orleans 14, Indianapolis 10. If more than one person picks the final score correctly, I'm going to award the tickets to whoever posted first, so take a look at the previous posts before making your choice. Only one entry per person. If you post more than one score, only the first one counts.

If nobody gets it exactly right, the winner will be the person off by the fewest total points. Ties will go to the first person to post. So don't think too long -- make your prediction now!

You don't have to register for anything to enter, but if you're not logged into gmail or blogger to ID yourself, I leave it up to you to let me know some way to identify you if you win.

Deadline for entries is noon Alameda time on Feb. 7, Super Bowl Sunday.

Good luck, and remember, nothing goes with football like a nice glass of hearty red wine -- and it doesn't get heartier than Petite Sirah.

Valentine's Day alternative: Sparkling red

Looking for a sexy, unique wine for Valentine's Day?

How about a sparkling red? It's dark and sensuous, bubbly and delicious, and it's probably a special experience your mate has never had before.

I'm not talking about cheaply made Cold Duck. I'm talking about -- for the most part -- Australian sparkling Shiraz, high-quality wine that's taken seriously by winemakers down under.

Fine restaurants all over Australia stock sparkling reds. The Aussies like to have it with turkey, and it is a perfect Thanksgiving wine, mainly because it's so food-friendly. Because it's full-bodied, it's great with red meat, but because it's sparkling, it won't overpower fish and even plays nicely with shellfish.

The best of these wines are all from Australia, and there's really only one good place to order them in the US: the Internet shop JJ Buckley Fine Wines, which is where wine buyer Chuck Hayward went after leaving the Jug Shop in San Francisco. Best known for his sparse patch of long red hair flying in all directions, Chuck actually looks like a sparkling red. He's this country's biggest advocate of these wines, so fans of the genre have to follow wherever he goes.

Looking at JJ Buckley's list, the Fox Creek Vixen is always good value at $17.99, but it might not ship in time for Valentine's Day. The Majella is generally a big, ripe, fruity style, and good value at $22.99. Consider splurging $39.99 for the 2001 Galah; compared to Champagne prices, that's not expensive, and the last vintage I tasted of it was very impressive.

There is only one domestic producer of decent sparkling Shiraz that I know of: Geyser Peak Winery. You can also order this over the Internet.

You need to order now so you can get one in time for a Valentine's Day surprise. I'm a big fan, and I put my wallet where my palate is: Recently, with a few minutes in a Sydney wine shop on a stopover, I bought only four wines, and three were sparkling reds unavailable in the US. I won't tongue-tease you by describing the deliciousness of the one you can't have. Instead, I urge you to make sweet love to the one you're with.

Posh online auction for Napa Valley wine fans

The Young School is a Montesorri elementary school in St. Helena where the kids of winery owners and other left-leaners who've struck it rich and moved to Wine Country study.

Like all schools, it needs fundraisers to help pay for -- well, I'm not sure, because they're too young for field hockey trips.

But in any case, where most elementary schools would hold a cupcake sale, the Young School can call on parents and alumni to donate a 3 liter bottle of some unattainable wine, or dinner at a Wine Country restaurant, or a trip to a Giants game on a yacht.

Moreover, since it's a tech-savvy elementary school, you can bid online from anywhere for these prizes. Bidding ends Saturday, so act soon.

While I don't know what I'd do with 6 liters of Harlan Cabernet (force feed myself like a foie gras duck?), there's always something worth picking up at this auction. At the time of this posting, the Howell Mountain collection was looking like a good bargain, and the Lang & Reed dinner at my favorite St. Helena restaurant, Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen, was pretty good value as well.

If you buy the Giants game package, wave to me -- I'll be out behind the center-field bleachers, waiting in line for a Cha Cha Bowl.

Burgundy 2008: A sneak preview

Burgundy had a challenging year in 2008, with lots of rain all summer. Fortunately for vignerons, dry and sunny weather in late September rescued grapes that, according to Jancis Robinson, many were thinking of not even bothering to pick.

The cool temperatures throughout the year meant high acid levels, which might actually boost longevity. However, red wine producers in particular had a tough time getting their grapes ripe enough to deliver good fruit flavors.

Frederick Wildman & Sons, one of the top Burgundy importers in the U.S., brought barrel samples from 8 Burgundy producers to San Francisco this week for a preview tasting. Few of the wines are available right now, but they give a good snapshot of the vintage.

A few observations:

* Whites are generally better from '08 than reds.

* In particular, whites that are usually fleshy -- Puligny-Montrachets and Meursaults -- seem to benefit from the intense acidity. These wines are drinking well enough now but might continue to develop for a decade or more.

* The producer really, really matters in '08. Wines from Maison Olivier Leflaive in particular were strong across the board.

* Fabien Moreau (Domaine Christian Moreau winemaker) thinks Chablis actually had a good year in '08, with plenty of richness and good minerality. I didn't taste enough Chablis wines to comment, but I will stipulate that he knows more about it than I do.

* Some producers were able to make good village wines, but the ones I liked weren't cheap.

* Despite the world wine economy, '08 does not seem like a good year for bargain-hunting in Burgundy. I'll see if I can find a few at a much larger tasting next month, but in the meantime, if you're pre-ordering, don't stock up on the cheaper ones.

Before the tasting notes, a note on pricing: I only have the wholesale price in California, not suggested retail. I'm going to assume that wines will sell for about 1.5 times wholesale bottle (not case) price. Please be advised the prices I'm listing are estimates based on that.

Domaine Olivier Leflaive
This is winemaker Franck Grux's 19th vintage at Leflaive, and he is much more involved than the usual negociant. Rather than buying finished wines, Grux vinifies grapes himself from many appellations. The winery also owns 30 acres of vineyard in Puligny, Chassagne and other areas, giving them an unusual amount of control. In 2008, this was a huge advantage.

Domaine Olivier Leflaive "Les Setilles" Bourgogne Blanc 2008 ($20): Toasty with nice lime fruit and a short finish. Solid Tuesday night roast-chicken wine, if this is your price range. 89

Domaine Olivier Leflaive "Les Deux Rives" Chablis 2008 ($23): Lime fruit with scratchy minerality; a little sweet on the finish. 88

Domaine Olivier Leflaive "Rabource" Rully 1er Cru 2008 ($30): An interesting spice blend (white pepper, star anise) enlivens the lime fruit of this wine. I'd like to try it again in 2 or 3 years. 91

Domaine Olivier Leflaive "En Remilly" Saint Aubin 1er Cru 2008 ($37): Lime fruit but a little funky on the nose. Short finish. 87

Domaine Olivier Leflaive Chassagne-Montrachet 2008 ($49): Toasty and a little boozy, surprising for this vintage. 86

Domaine Olivier Leflaive "Clos Saint Marc" Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru 2008 ($80): Intense wine with lime fruit, eyewatering acidity, some peach notes and minerality on the long finish. Needs time to settle down, but very promising. 92

Domaine Olivier Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet 2008 ($53): Ripe and fleshy, but balanced. Lime, peach and apricot fruit with intense acidity and minerality on the finish. Also needs some time, but could be a long-haul keeper. 94

Domaine Olivier Leflaive "Champ Gain" Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru 2008 ($92): Intense peach and lime fruit with pretty floral notes. Great acidity. The minerality feels like sand at the end of the finish. A wine that makes you pay attention. 96

Domaine Olivier Leflaive Meursault 2008 ($45): I know it's hard to see a $45 wine as a bargain, but this one is. It's mouthfilling, full-bodied and intense, with lemon-lime fruit and some peach, yet the great acidity of the vintage keeps it balanced. Wonderful wine, my favorite of the day. Should get even better with a little bottle age. 97

Domaine Olivier Leflaive Corton-Charlemagne 2008 ($150): Lime fruit with a floral note that intensifies. Soft finish. You can do better in this price range. 89

Domaine Armand Rousseau Pere & Fils
These are highly allocated wines, and this truly was a sneak preview as they won't be sold to retailers and restaurants until 2011. They're worth noting because as a group, these were the best red Burgundies I tried.

Domaine Armand Rousseau Gevrey Chambertin (NA): Dense cherry and raspberry fruit with a nice layer of spiciness, yet light-bodied and lively. 92

Domaine Armand Rousseau Clos de la Roche Grand Cru (NA): Cherry fruit with a leafy, herbal note and hits of spearmint. Light body, chewy tannins. 90

Domaine Armand Rousseau "Clos des Ruchottes" Ruchottes Chambertin Grand Cru (NA): Lovely cherry and pomegranate fruit with a black olive note; savory on the finish. Light-bodied and interesting already; who knows what flavors might develop over the next year? 94

Domaine Armand Rousseau Chambertin Clos de Beze Grand Cru (NA): Beautiful cherry fruit with some raspberry. Noticeable but well-managed tannins and a long finish. 93

Domaine Jacques Prieur
In 1997, winemaker Nadine Gublin (that's her in the photo) was the first woman elected Winemaker of the Year by the Revue du Vin de France. She believes that organic viticulture -- as well as the late warm spell -- helped save her crop in '08, because she watched the sugars rise before the flavors ripened. When she finally started picking on Sept. 28, she ordered the crews to finish in a hurry, and they did, picking the Pinot Noir first and the Chardonnay after -- which might account for the fact that at this point the whites are ahead of the reds.

Domaine Jacques Prieur "Champs Pimont" Beaune 1er Cru Blanc ($70): Tight, tingly acidity gives an edginess to the lime and white pepper flavors. 90

Domaine Jacques Prieur "Clos de Mazeray" Meursault ($85): Very toasty wine with nice lime fruit and lovely floral notes on the finish. 93

Domaine Jacques Prieur "Les Combettes" Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru ($133): Toasty, yet with plenty of lime fruit and acidity. Well-balanced. 90

Domaine Jacques Prieur "Champs Pimont" Beaune 1er Cru ($61): Cherry and raspberry fruit with floral hints. On the light side. 89

Domaine Jacques Prieur "Santenots" Volnay 1er Cru ($102): Tastes like Christmas, with cherry and red plum fruit and plenty of Christmas spices (allspice, clove, cinnamon). 92

Domaine Jacques Prieur Clos de Vougeot ($185): Strong, tannic, medium-bodied wine with decent cherry fruit, but hard to see it as value in this price range. 88

Domaine Jacques Prieur "Les Bressandes" Corton ($208): Pleasant enough raspberry fruit but it seems a little watery, especially for this price. 89

Domaine Christian Moreau Pere & Fils
Winemaker Fabien Moreau told both Stephen Tanzer and Allen Meadows that '08 was excellent for Chablis, with concentrated sugars and acidities for great richness and minerality. If he's right, and he might be, I might be scoring these wines a little on the low side, because good Chablis will definitely taste better 5 years from now. One thing is for sure -- these wines are not models of restraint.

Domaine Christian Moreau Chablis 2008 ($28): Surprisingly toasty for Chablis, with sharp initial acidity and lemon-lime fruit. Softer on the finish. 89

Domaine Christian Moreau "Vaillon" Chablis 1er Cru 2008 ($40): My favorite of this lineup, making it quite good value. Crisp, taut wine with lime fruit and limestone acidity, and a little peach and spice on the finish. 92

Domaine Christian Moreau "Vaudesir" Chablis Grand Cru 2008 ($75): Intense lime fruit is impressive, but the hot finish is a turnoff. 87

Domaine Christian Moreau "Valmur" Chablis Grand Cru 2008 ($75): Eyewatering acidity with plenty of bright lime fruit and a long finish. Put this away for 5 years at least. 91

Domaine Christian Moreau "Les Clos" Chablis Grand Cru 2008 ($75): Riper, fleshier lime fruit that's softer than the others. 88

Domaine Des Perdrix
One of the best properties of the Antonin Rodet empire, Perdrix has 25 acres of holdings in the Cote de Nuits.

Domaine Des Perdrix Nuits-St.-Georges 2008 ($80): Nice raspberry fruit with pleasant spiciness, but it fades rather quickly. 89

Domaine Des Perdrix "Aux Perdrix" Nuits-St.-Georges 1er Cru 2008 ($100): Again, nice cherry and raspberry fruit and spiciness, but a short finish for this price range. 90

Domaine Des Perdrix Echezaux 2008 ($208): Solid cherry fruit, medium body, with noticeable tannins. Fairly long finish. Should reward a few years in the cellar. 91

Chateau de Chamirey
The largest producer of white Mercurey has plenty of vineyards to choose from, and that's an advantage in a troublesome year like 2008.

Chateau de Chamirey Blanc 2008 ($34): This wine is all about the minerality and the balance, as the fruit is in the background to flavors of toast, anise and chalk, with floral notes on the finish. 91

Chateau de Chamirey "La Mission" Mercurey 1er Cru Blanc 2008 ($52): Initially toasty, then turns minerally and chalky, with some lime fruit. A model of restraint and balance. 90

Chateau de Chamirey Rouge 2008 ($34): Very bright and ripe raspberry, though a little sweet. 88

Potel-Aviron Cru Beaujolais
Unlike much of Beaujolais, winemaker Stephane Aviron eschews carbonic maceration in favor of traditional fermentation, just like the rest of Burgundy. He takes his wines seriously and you should too.

Potel-Aviron Beaujolais-Villages 2008 ($14): Lively raspberry and red currant flavors with savory notes on the finish. Very good value in a red that will go with fish and other typical white-wine foods. 89

Potel-Aviron Cote de Brouilly Vielles Vignes 2008 ($17): Very nice wine with raspberry fruit, floral notes and good tannic structure. 91

Potel-Aviron Julienas Vielles Vignes 2008 ($17): Red currant fruit, salty and tarry. 87

Potel-Aviron Fleurie Vielles Vignes 2008 ($22): Ripe red plum with some red currant and a hint of tar. Sticky tannins feel (but don't taste) like peanut butter on your tongue. 89

Potel-Aviron Morgon Cote du Py Vielles Vignes 2008 ($22): Spicy wine with nice lavender note, but tastes a bit leathery and prematurely old. 88

Potel-Aviron Moulin-a-Vent Vielles Vignes 2008 ($22): Excellent food-friendly wine with red plum and cherry fruit, some allspice and pepper. The medium body seems to lighten on the peppery finish. 91

Chateau Fuisse
Most wines from Pouilly-Fuisse are blends from different areas, but owner/winemaker Jean-Jacques Vincent prefers to highlight the terroir of individual regions. Even though I didn't love all of the wines, they are all very different, and that's interesting.

Chateau Fuisse "Les Combettes" Pouilly-Fuisse 2008 ($53): Chunky lemon fruit that's a little sweet. 87

Chateau Fuisse "Le Clos" Pouilly-Fuisse 2008 ($53): A little fat, this wine has lemon fruit but seems ungainly. 87

Chateau Fuisse "Les Brules" Pouilly-Fuisse 2008 ($53): Best of the lineup this year, this wine has strong minerality, restrained lime fruit and a focused finish. 91

Chateau Fuisse Pouilly-Fuisse Vielles Vignes 2008 ($53): Nice initial lime fruit and good minerality on the midpalate, but I don't love the sharp finish. Might soften with a year of bottle age. 88

Vincent Selections
A joint project of Antoine and Jean-Jacques Vincent, affordable wines made from purchased fruit -- but with control over the vinification that probably saved them in 2008. Good value.

JJ Bourgogne Blanc 2008 ($14): Simple lemon fruit with good acidity. Nice food wine at a good price. 88

"Marie Antoinette" Pouilly-Fuisse 2008 ($23): Well-balanced, restrained wine with nice lime fruit and good acidity. Good value. 89

A story nobody tells

I love this story: A longtime grapegrower decides to stop selling their grapes to a winery because they're not getting enough to make ends meet. So they go into the winemaking business and start bottling it themselves.

I have written this story in various publications. It has all the elements foodies love: Farmers fighting to keep their farm. Little guy getting out from under the heel of big company. A wine with a sense of place, made from grapes nurtured by committed owners.

Whenever I get a whiff of this story, I try the wine. It's like boy-meets-girl, they fall in love, end happily ever after. I never get tired of it.

At ZAP last weekend, I finally realized that the other side of the story is far more common (boy meets girl, they divorce and fight over custody). A grapegrower stops selling their grapes and makes their own wine -- except their wine is nowhere near as good as it was when handled by an outsider. And there's no market for it because nobody's heard of it, and who wants an obscure $25 wine that's not any good?

There's a subset of this story, which I think particularly applies to Zinfandel. Pioneers like Kent Rosenblum crisscrossed the state, finding particular vineyards in previously unheralded areas (Contra Costa County, Mendocino County) where the grapes were so spectacular that they became great single-vineyard wines. So because a great single-vineyard wine can come from anywhere, vineyard owners tend to think any vineyard can produce a great single-vineyard wine.

Unfortunately, that's a logical fallacy that is responsible for one disappointing Zin after another. I have lost track of the number of times I've heard a small Zinfandel grower say, "We used to sell our grapes to Ravenswood, but now we're making our own wine." If Ravenswood winemaker Joel Peterson didn't think it was worth making a single-vineyard wine from, the vineyard owners should have listened. Very often, grapes that make a nice element in a blended wine aren't that interesting on their own.

Think about it this way -- Petit Verdot, a Bordeaux varietal, is in some of the world's most expensive and best wines. But when was the last time you had a good Petit Verdot?

There's also the problem of winemaking. Even if their names aren't known, never underestimate the skills and training of the winemaking team at a place like Gallo. If a grapegrower can actually line up an established, superb winemaker for its grapes, fine. But often they just get a neighboring winery's winemaker (or assistant winemaker) to do it. Just because somebody makes wine at small wineries doesn't mean he's going to have the talent of the big boys. They might get lucky, or they might not.

There's a reason nobody ever tells this side of the story. It's sad. And it's not a solution to the farmer's original problem. If Constellation or Gallo isn't paying enough money for grapes, and they're not good enough to make a single-vineyard wine from, then what?

My best advice is to shop the grapes around to a different large winery, preferably one in the area. After successfully turning themselves from grapegrowers into a winery, Michael-David Winery started 7 Deadly Zins in part to help their neighbors in Lodi sell their grapes, and that's now one of the most popular Zinfandels in the country. If you have blending grapes, find somebody to blend them.

I'm sorry to write a depressing post. But after ZAP, I feel guilty for all the times I've written the happy version of this story, because I (as one tiny part of the wine media) probably helped play some tiny role in convincing some grapegrowers that they should strike out on their own as wineries. It's akin to a sportswriter suddenly realizing that high-school basketball players are not studying because they're sure they're going to make it to the NBA.

Some grapegrowers DO make it as wineries, and I will continue to celebrate them. But please keep in mind that for every one that does, there are dozens sitting quietly behind tables at trade shows like ZAP, hoping somebody will spot the hidden brilliance in their wine that they themselves see.