Lucia vineyards "Lucy" Rose of Pinot Noir 2005

I was at Vintage Wine and Spirits not too long ago looking for some summer wine and was introduced to Lucy. Now Lucy, from Lucia Vineyards in ..... ah ..... Cloverdale, California(?) (according to the label). Not the Santa Lucia Highlands somewhere mid-state. The website says Gonzales, California, which is closer to the mark. But you will need to contact them to sort this out. If you care.

What is notable are the participants. Gary Pisoni and Gary Franscioni of Gary's Vineyard fame, and the Pisoni family of similar fame. Do a google search for both and you get the idea... (Links provided.) Ok. If you looked these up you see that Pisoni is owned by one of the two Gary's, and Gary's is owned by two Gary's, and the first Gary, Gary Franscioni, makes Roar Wines, (no you can't have any, it's mine, all mine) and the other Gary, Gary Pisoni, makes Pisoni and Lucia Vineyards wines (this review). Got it? Just to confuse matters more, there are a bunch more Pisoni's involved and if memory serves Gary Francioni is married to Rosella Franscioni who has some connection to the other Garys.

Just when you put these connections together, you find out that Adam & Dianna Lee of Siduri Wines, makes Gary's Roar wine, and someone else makes Gary's wines. Ok. My head just exploded, but I am fairly confident that no incest is going on here.

And yes, all of them make vineyard labeled wines not only from the above named Pisoni and Gary's vineyards, but also the lovely Rosella's vineyard. As do many other wineries. They grow good fruit. Pay attention. GOOD FRUIT!

This Rose is from Pinot Noir, but like many Roses is not vineyard specific. Roses are often from the early pressings that spend less time with the skins and have less color. The wine can be dry and acidic or semi-sweet. Lucy is the former. And this is what I expect out of a good Rose. Dry, fruity, and complementary to many foods. Slightly chilled it is a nice beverage for a summer party day or night. And please; do not confuse these Roses with white Zinfandel or some cheap Rose you drank in college. This is Rose as high art. But fortunately not as expensive as a full blown Pinot. (It's $17.99 at Vintage Wine & Spirits)

Lucy is light, fresh, smells good, and lightly chilled is nicely refreshing. (Hmmmm. Nope not touching that!)

Not all Rose is Pinot. It can be made from just about any red grape so go out and try some. You'll like it. I promise!

Saxum - James Berry Vineyard - Bone Rock Syrah 2000

Not to be confused with Saxum Brown Winery in Sonoma, (a fine wine also) Saxum winery led by Justin Smith is in Paso Robles, California. Sometime in the late 90's Justin started making the Bone Rock using the facilities in the Garretson Wine Company, also of Paso Robles. And while Mat Garretson has shown a flair for making a whole bunch of different wines from whites to reds and back, Mr. Smith seems content to work with his beloved Syrah.

The 350 cases of the 2000 Bone Rock Syrah was produced at the Garretson Wine Company and shipped in 2002. It was $48 a bottle. The 2000 was purported to be a stunning wine and got 93 points from the Wine Spectator's James Laube. From the acre and a half of vines at 1300 feet, the Bone Rock vineyard, one of three currently in production, seems to have exactly what it takes to grow fruit that is both wonderfully rich and complex, yet smooth and elegant. This wine does not hit your palette with an oak hammer but with a smooth dreamy complexity unlike most other Syrah.

The nose is all Syrah, and swirling the glass, the wine tries to look more like oil than like grape juice fermented and bottled. But there it is. Six years after being born and bottled, Justin Smith's work is consistent with nectar. A combination of heaven and earth shown the way to Sausalito from a master's hands. This is one of the best Syrahs you can taste. If you can get it. And that's the catch, isn't it?

If you make a wine that is spectacular in all it's gentile loveliness, then you have a line to your door. And the waiting list to get some direct, I suspect, is long. I was once on the list myself....

Now it can be found in some restaurants for a fortune or marked up in better wine stores. The '03 Bone Rock is currently garnering 95 points from Robert Parker, and is for sale at Vintage Wine for $90. If it's still there.

Saxum is currently producing no more than 2800 cases consisting of six different cuvees including some Grenache, and Mourvedre being used in the blends.

So if you can get your hands on some of Justin Smith's wonderful wine, you are a mighty lucky person. I'm having mine with Moroccan seasoned flank steak. mmmmmmmmm

Solune Winegrowers Cinq Etoiles 2004

I went to the beautiful area known as Grass Valley this weekend. An old friend is working at leaving the city for country living, and I thought the nice weather called for a road trip. On the way up I was surprised to pass a sign to a winery just a mile or two from his place, so naturally, once I arrived at the house I disclosed my plans to go wine tasting! What else? Commune with nature? Not with new wines to taste...

Solune is a lovely small winery on what must be at least 40 acres of the Sierra foothills on Highway 174. The grow some of the fruit used in the wines and the tasting room, located in the storage and winemaking building leave any question about whether or not they do the whole process completely answered. Cases of wine, barrels aging, corking machine, and labeler, coexist nicely with the counter for tasting.

Four of us showed up simultaneously on Saturday (note that they are open only weekends without an appointment)to enjoy the wines and cool temperature afforded by the tasting room. One of the owners, Andrea Hamer, was on duty and was both congenial and knowledgeable about their wine and the winegrowing region located in Nevada and Amador counties. She had six wines to taste, all of which are of a similar style. In fact the styles, while ranging from Bordeaux to port-like, all have similar qualities which are a combination of the region the fruit is grown in, (terroir) and the winemakers personal goals and tastes.

What I have had in the past from the area is nothing like what Solune is producing. Typically the regional wines can be hit or miss. Compounding the problem for the area is the use of what I would consider poorer fruit making it's way to the big producers and being labeled "Amador County", not giving a proper reflection of the winemakers and growers that produce small quantities of hand made product, that while more expensive then the supermarket varieties, show the care and consideration of what people that love wine and their area can create.

This is not Napa, nor Sonoma. It is not central California. The Sierra Foothills have long very warm summers and cold winters. At 2500 feet where Solune is located they also get some snow and signs located along the backroads are posted for those days when chains or snow tires might be needed. It is rural and the pioneer spirit is still strong. Along side the ubiquitous fast food places are many home grown business and restaurants, and the main streets look like they did in gold rush days.

Solune's winemaker, Jacques Mercier, has decided to use grapes not normally seen in California. Tempranillo, Barbera, Muscat, Malbec, and others to produce both blended wines and single grape bottles.

Today I decided to open the 2004 Cinq Etoiles, one of two different wines I purchased on my visit ($18 at the winery). I leave the pronunciation to those that speak French... The Cinq Etoiles (five stars) is called a "Bordeaux" style (their label) blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec. This combination is similar to those of Beringer and others when talking about blended wines. You could also say Meritage, but Bordeaux is so much more European.

When I think meritage I normally think lighter style of wines with good body, moderate alcohol, and perfumed nose. What Solune creates is much more highly concentrated, viscous, and carries a much more noticeable aroma then anything with the term "Bordeaux" in it that I have tasted in the past.

The Cinq Etoiles is a bold statement. To prove it they won a Silver medal at the Orange County Fair this year. (I am still trying to confirm it. Seems the fair and wine club keep this info under wraps...) It is definitely fruit forward, big, slightly tannic, and definitely drinkable now or for several years hence. At 14.1% alcohol, it is lower than many big wines today. They tend acquire greater concentrations of sugar found in the riper fruit needed to get the richness people demand these days. Including the God of all things wine Robert Parker. (Well and me too...)

All the wines from Solune reminded me of Paso Robles, and to some extent Lodi, where big flavor is had from the fruit left to ripen in high temperatures. The petite Syrah from 2004 is what has to be the extreme end of this winemaking style, coming mighty close in sweetness and flavor found in some California "ports" made most often from over-ripe Zinfandel. I'd go so far as to call it an after dinner wine. Not that this is a bad thing. It just was so far beyond what I would expect. (Yes, I know Petit Syrah is big, dark, tooth staining, normally.)

All in all a pleasant surprise on a day when tasting was not planed. If you have a chance, try Solune's wines. And especially take some time to visit the area and it's other sights. If you want to try the Solune, give them a call. They ship to all the usual states.