Castoro Cellars 2015 Zinfandel, Paso Robles

This California winery takes its earth-friendly commitment to the next level.

Castoro In California

Paso Robles, the fastest-growing wine region in California, is known for Rhone-style blends and big, bombastic reds. So I was intrigued when we received this bottle of 2015 Estate Zinfandel from Castoro Cellars. It would be my first taste of a Zin from Paso.

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Zinfandel styles can range all over the map. There are jammy fruit bombs, often with catchy names playing on “Zin” and on the other end you have sublime Old Vines Zinfandels with nuanced and delicate flavors. Where would Castoro weigh in?

I liked Castoro even before opening the bottle. The winery was established in 1983 by Niels and Bim­mer Udsen. It has more than 1,400 acres of estate vineyards which are certified organic and also SIP certified (which evaluates a vineyard’s sustainability practices). In fact, Castoro is Paso Robles’ first 100% certified sustainable vineyards and winery

The sustainability commitment includes solar power. The winery has 42 solar panels at their Cobble Creek vineyard and even more on the roof of their events room. The coolest aspect of their environmental program is the Sun Powered Summer Concert Series. The con­certs are run com­plete­ly on solar pow­er pro­vid­ed by a mobile solar gen­er­a­tor.

Tale of The Glass

As strongly as we support care for the environment, the wine still must be good. We poured the Castoro and our glasses were filled with a deep midnight purple.

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The wine is 77% Zinfandel, 19% Petite Sirah and 4% Barbera. Petite Sirah adds an inky depth to the wine color. The addition of Barbera makes this an uncommon blend, adding an Italian grape to a mix of Bordeaux and what is thought of as the “most American” grape – although Italy’s Primitivo and Zinfandel are in reality the same.

Only 400 cases of this Zin were produced, a very small production run. The taste, however, is quite big. At 14.5% ABV, it is on par with the alcohol content of some very big Napa Cabs.

In order to allow the wine to settle down, we decanted it. There is plenty of fruit in the glass with jammy flavors of black cherry and earthiness. Although a big wine, it is smooth and the tannins provide support in the background.

At $16 to $20, this is a Zinfandel to savor. You can rest easy knowing your sip is SIP certified.

Technorati Tags: zinfandel,California wine,wine tasting

North Carolina Wines Highlighted During National Tasting Event

NC Wine Country – Almost Heaven

John Denver had a different state in mind when he sang “almost heaven.” While that’s true, wine lovers in North Carolina feel they have a slice of heaven considering  the abundance of great wineries and wine in the state.

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North Carolina has more than 400 vineyards and 200 wineries that spread from the eastern coastal region to the mountains in the west. Wineries include well-known names, like the Biltmore Winery -- the most visited winery in the US -- to lesser known names like Fern Crest Winery in Andrews. The wines are surprisingly good, with a style to please any palate.

September is North Carolina wine month and wine writers in the state and around the country recently participated in an online tasting event highlighting wines from the Old North State. The event was hosted by Joe Brock and Matt Kemberling, also known as the NC Wine Guys.

Eleven wineries took part in the chat by providing samples. We had the opportunity to taste the 2015 GPS from Junius Lindsay Vineyard and the Guilty Red Blend from Windsor Run Cellars.

Grape-To-Glass Winemaking

Windsor Run Cellars is a grape-to-glass estate winery in Hamptonville. It's a popular stop on the Swan Creek Wine Trail. Although capturing awards for their estate-grown red and white wines, the offerings are seemingly boundless, with fortified wines, mead, and a distillery that produces 80 to 90 proof spirits.

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The non-vintage Guilty, which retails for $20,  combines Chambourcin and Cabernet Sauvignon into a dry red blend. Chambourcin is a French Hybrid grape that’s become a favorite of ours.

Partnering with Cabernet elevates the wine, which pops with flowing raspberry flavors wrapped in smoky notes. Do we like it? “Guilty” as charged!

I wasn’t familiar with Junius Lindsay Vineyard before our tasting. JLV is located in Lexington, which humbly calls itself the Barbecue Capital of the World. The winery is owned by Michael Zimmerman, who named the vineyard after his grandfather, who started the family farm in 1894.

JLV is unique for their focus on Rhone grape varieties. These grapes are not a focus in North Carolina, in fact, Junius Lindsay is one of only two growers of Grenache in the state and is the only winery that produces a single varietal bottling.

The 2015 GPS is a blend of Grenache, Petite Sirah, and Syrah from the Yadkin Valley AVA. The structure of this wine is impressive, with fine-grained tannins. Grenache has the lead in this blend and the cherry notes come through. There is a bit of spice on the end to lend complexity. This is a great wine to discover and one of the best wines I’ve tasted in North Carolina.

September is North Carolina Wine Month, so there is no better time to seek out, sip and savor NC wine.

Full disclosure: These wines were provided as marketing samples.

Technorati Tags: North Carolina wine,Yadkin Valley,Swan Creek,Grenache,wine,winetasting

German Wines: An Iconic White Plus A Surprising Red

We’re about to burst the bubble of some German wine myths…

In The Land Of Whites And Reds

When you think of German wines, you probably think of whites. That’s understandable. Germany produces world-class Riesling and a variety of white wines including Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and wines using native grapes.

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What you may not know is that about 34% of the country’s vineyard acreage is dedicated to red grapes. the leading red also might surprise you – it is Spätburgunder.

You might be more familiar with its better known name – Pinot Noir. Germany ranks third worldwide in area devoted to the grape, with almost 12% of its vineyards planted with Pinot Noir.

Pinot Noir thrives in cool climates, which helps retain acidity and allows flavors to fully develop. Spätburgunder is also ideal for making  rosé.

A Surprise With White Wine Too

While you are fumbling with your corkscrew as you ponder the above facts about German Pinot Noir, consider this. Germany’s wine regions are also well suited for the production of crisp, high-quality sparkling wine. In Germany it is called Sekt and is usually done in a sweet or semi-sweet style. Surprisingly, Germans drink more sparkling wine than any other country.

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What’s no surprise is the amazing quality of German Riesling. It is fruit-forward, but balanced with acidity. Overall, German wines have been trending drier to match the modern international palate.

We tasted a German Pinot Noir and Riesling, the 2016 Neiss Riesling Trocken, Pfalz, and the 2014 Günther Steinmetz Kestener Paulinsberg Pinot Noir, Mosel. Each was outstanding.

Neiss is a fifth-generation family winery with plantings in the northern, cool-climate region of Pfalz, where  vines grow deep roots in mineral-rich soils, with large amounts of chalk. For us, minerality is the element that often makes the difference between an outstanding Riesling and a ho-hum affair. Platinum color in the glass, the Neiss Riesling has notes of peach and wet stone along with lime zest. This is a perfectly balanced glass that has the refreshing minerality we crave.

Complex, Rewarding Pinot Noir

I was surprised by the sophistication of the 2014 Steinmetz Pinot Noir. My previous tastes of Spätburgunder were young and fresh with vibrant flavors – wholly satisfying, but without the complexity that can make the Pinot Noir grape a star.

Steinmetz wines use wild fermentation and are grown organically.The Steinmetz is an elegant glass, its body and texture enhanced by the lack of filtering. It has dusky notes of flowers and spice. In short, this is a bottle that would capture the attention of any Pinot-phile. Its craftsmanship and complexity would not be out of place in cooler climate California AVAs.

Germany offers a range of styles that is surprising. In a good way. Prost!

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Muscardini 2014 Cassata Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley

This big, bold red shows that all cult Cabernet Sauvignon doesn’t come from Napa.

An Italian Twist

We liked Muscardini Cellars before, but after our visit to Sonoma, we now love this winery. The winery’s Italian heritage and penchant for hospitality comes shining through at its Sonoma tasting room in Kenwood.

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We had a ball tasting their range of wines in the laid back atmosphere of the former schoolhouse a couple years ago. The Italian grape Sangiovese plays a prominent role in their wines, which include single varietal bottlings plus their flagship Tesoro, a Sangiovese-driven blend.

Big bold reds rule the roost. That’s the case with their 2014 Cassata Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon.

Loaded For Bear

Muscardini wines are small production, artisan wines. Their reds are undeniably lush and robust.

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The phrase “loaded for bear” comes to mind, perhaps because of our recent visit to Tennessee where we saw a black bear lumbering through the woods. When you are hunting bear, you bring your most powerful gun and ammunition you have to take down that hairy monster.

The Cassata Vineyard Cab is certainly no monster, but it is huge and maybe a bit hairy. At 15.6% ABV, it comes charging out of the bottle. We decanted for maybe 30 minutes and clearly, it would have benefitted from more time.

In the glass the wine is a deep ruby with long legs visible after a swirl or two. The aroma was closed at first, cloaked in an astringent, liquor odor.

It took a while for the wine to unwind. As it did, we enjoyed the full-bodied flavors of violet and red fruit. Intense flavors of brambles and spice crescendoed to an everlasting finish. This is a big red experience all the way.

Only 340 cases were made and just a handful of bottles are left. The price is now $85, about $30 more than I paid, but still a nice value. This is a wine that can age for another decade and as the flavors integrate, its greatness will only ascend.

If “go big or go home” is your motto, Muscardini’s Cassata Vineyard Cab is a perfect match.

Technorati Tags: cabernet sauvignon,wine,wine tasting,Sonoma,California wine

Knoxville Offers Best Of Tennessee Sights And Flavors

Known as the Gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains, Knoxville offers visitors plenty of outstanding eats and attractions.

Destination Knoxville

I didn’t know much about Knoxville before our visit over the Labor Day weekend. After three days of exploring this dynamic eastern Tennessee city of about 180,000, I now wonder why it took us so long to visit.

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For those in the Raleigh area, Knoxville is a “straight shot,” about five-and-a-half hours of driving due west on I-40. The drive itself is enjoyable, as we passed through the scenic areas of Asheville, NC, and the Great Smoky Mountains on our way.

We stayed at the Holiday Inn Knoxville Downtown, which is in a prime location, just a few blocks from downtown’s Market Square and only a 15-minute walk from the University of Tennessee’s Neyland Stadium. Our trip was planned to spend time with Diane, a classmate of my wife’s, and her husband John. On John’s bucket list was to see a major college football game. As luck would have it, the UT Volunteers opened the season that Saturday.

UT Vols Excitement

Getting to the stadium involves an enjoyable stroll through the World’s Fair Park. Knoxville hosted the World’s Fair in 1982 and it sparked a revitalization of the city. The most visible reminder is the Sunsphere, the iconic 266-foot golden tower that stands above surrounding fountains, waterways and festival grounds.

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Neyland Stadium is the fifth largest in the US with a capacity of 102,455. It trails only Michigan, Penn State, Ohio State and Texas A&M in stadium size. The Vols fans are fanatical and the stadium was filled with a sea of orange and ringed with enthusiastic tailgaters. Each touchdown was accompanied by fireworks, a rousing chorus of Rocky Top, waving flags and an appearance of the old blue tick hound mascot.

The stadium is located on the Tennessee River and the Vols Navy, an assortment of fancy yachts decked out in UT colors, was out in force. Unfortunately one caught fire and sank on Friday night. That disaster was only a foreshadowing of the one coming the next day as the Vols were upset by Georgia State, a 25-point underdog.

Market Square Munching

Downtown Knoxville is highly walkable, with plenty of interesting shops, restaurants and outdoor art. Two main areas of interest are Market Square and Gay Street. Market Square is a tree-line square with a variety of restaurants and shops. The farmer’s market, held there Wednesday and Saturday, is huge and adds a festive atmosphere.

Gay Street is home to Knoxville’s theater district. The historic Tennessee Theater and Bijou Theater are two of the finest regional performance centers. The street is vibrant with shops, restaurants and Cruze Farm Ice Cream. The ice cream, served up by Farm Girls in red checked uniforms, is a delicious treat. The variety of flavors and toppings is seemingly endless.

There are many dining options on Market Square. For vegetarian or vegan diners, we suggest Tomato Head, which has a bevy of salads, sandwiches and pizzas in a bright and casual setting. Tupelo Honey is a popular spot for scratch-made Southern comfort food. The biscuits alone are worth the trip.

The gastronomic highlight of our trip was Oliver Royale, which dubs its food as comfort food with a cultural kick. I opted for the Kurobuta Porkchop with parmesan polenta, braised apples, crispy brussel sprouts, hoguera chorizo, and plantain chip. The rest of our party ordered the Petite Filet, Sous Vide Swordfish and the Spaghetti Pesto.

Every dish was presented artfully and each bite was an explosion of flavor. I opted for the 2016 Santa Rita 120 Reserva Especial Carmenere to accompany our meal. This is a light bodied red from Chile that blended nicely with the wide range of our meals.

There was no letdown with the desserts. The flourless chocolate torte was a deconstructed masterwork. The lemon bar dessert included a nice dollop of ice cream.

Great Smoky Beauty

A trip to Knoxville would fall flat without enjoying the spectacular scenery. On the way into town, we detoured to Gatlinburg (about an hour away). Note to self: Don’t visit one of America’s top tourist sites during Labor Day weekend. Once we battled through the traffic and pedestrians, we took off on the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. My wife was determined to see a black bear. We had visited here a few years ago and spotted a few. Guess what? We saw another bear, but I learned that a bear frolicking through the woods is faster than me getting my camera ready to take a shot.

The mountain vistas are fantastic. The Roaring Fork is picturesque and there are plenty of pull-offs to enjoy the sights.

For a destination closer to downtown Knoxville, try the Ijams Nature Center. Ijams has 315 acres of hiking, biking, paddling and climbing. It is one of Knoxville’s top attractions. We enjoyed a hearty hike along the Tower Trail to the River Trail Boardwalk. The nature center itself has several interesting displays.

Following a buffet breakfast at the Holiday Inn, we were set to leave on the trip back. Honestly, we didn’t want to leave. Knoxville is a city loaded with delectable food, world class attractions and fun activities. We’re already planning our next visit.

Technorati Tags: Tennessee,Great Smoky Mountains,Tennessee Vols,restaurants,dining,travel,parks