On September 20 Ursula's Wine Bar & Cafe started their 2009-2010 season of wine classes. The class was an introduction to wine tasting. The best way to understand wine is to taste wine, make notes of what your tasting and eventually your palate will mature and you will get a better handle of what you like or don't like. If you missed the class and want to replicate what we did, get the wines and try them at home. The class focused on California varietals (a wine that uses the name of the dominant grape from which it is made) to give an overview of some of the more popular wines people drink on a regular basis. Start with whites and taste from driest to sweetest.
The first wine was the 2008 Geyser Peak Sauvignon Blanc. Sauvignon blanc is all about clarity of flavor. There are different styles of sauv blanc globally with Bordeaux, Loire, New Zealand and California showing the best. Sauvignon blanc is aromatic and high in acid, it is light to medium bodied and refreshing. The Geyser Peak had lemon, lime, gooseberry and passion fruit on the nose with flavors of lime, grapefruit and tangerine balanced by bright, crisp acidity. I love this wine, it speaks to me of summer but holds it's own with fish and pasta dishes into the fall.
The next wine on the list was the 2006 Buena Vista Chardonnay. Chardonnay is all about wine making. This versatile grape grows all over the world in all soil types. It can be made in many styles and offers a myriad of flavors. It is naturally high in extract (the substances that contribute to the body, flavor and character of the wine). It is high in sugar when ripe which translates to high alcohol but it can be low in acid which throws the wine out of balance. The Buena Vista uses Carneros fruit and the nose has wonderful vanilla, mango and pineapple notes on a toasty background. The palate exhibited flavors of citrus, honeydew and pear with a creamy, toasty finish. Buena Vista makes a nice chardonnay, not too oaky with just enough wood to compliment the fruit.
Pinot grigio followed with the Big House Birdman. Refreshment defines pinot grigio. It shows it's best in Italy, Germany and California. Grigio is light, crisp, clean and has high acid. The Big House tasted of green apple and citrus fruit. It is easy to drink and goes down nice.
The last white of the day was Wente Riesling. Rieslings are all about balance. They do very well in cool climates (i.e. Germany where they thrive). They have high acid, high sugar and are low in alcohol. They can be made bone dry to sweet. The Wente had honeysuckle, lychee and fresh cut red apple on the nose. On the palate it was a wonderful combination of red apple and spice. This wine would be perfect with sea food and Pacific Rim cuisine.
Now it is time to move on to the reds. Taste from lightest to heaviest in body weight. First up was pinot noir. Pinot noir is all about aroma and texture. It is native to Burgundy, it is fickle, likes cool climates, matures quickly and dies young as a vine. Pinot noir has low to moderate tannins, good acidity and a broad expansive bouquet. Pinot noirs tend to lean toward two different styles, either fruity or earthy. We tasted a fruity pinot, the Fleur de Carneros which showed cherry, dried cranberry and hints of pepper and spice on the nose. The cherry and cranberry dominated the palate but it was soft, supple and elegant.
Zinfandel is next. Zin is all about impact. It grows mostly in California and does well in cooler climates. It ripens unevenly, has dense pigment, is very tannic, high in alcohol and has good acid. A great example of zin is the Four Vines Old Vine Cuvee. The nose has layers of berry fruit with hints of anise and spice and on the palate we get blackberry and spicy plum fruit with a nice mouth feel. I love this zin, it's always been a favorite.
Merlot is up next. Merlot is about softness and sensuality. In the mouth, merlot should feel soft. Merlots have moderate tannins, high alcohol, low acid and are deep and dense. It is the most widely planted grape in Bordeaux. Serenity Merlot is a small producer whose wine showed bright cherry fruit and the flavors repeated the cherry with hints of black currant and a lush, long vanilla finish.
We finished with cabernet sauvignon. Cab is all about structure and power. It grows and shows well in Bordeaux, Tuscany, California, Chile and Australia. It is high in tannin, acid and pigment. Well made cab is a marvelous thing to behold. The Castle Rock Napa Valley Cab was opened and the nose showed dark cherry and molasses. On the palate flavors of dark cherry, ripe plum and hints of oak awakened the palate. The Castle Rock Napa Cab is a great bargain.
All the wines are tasting wonderfully. It is hard to pick a favorite but the Castle Rock Cab wins by a small margin of victory over the Four Vines Zin.
A recap of the wines tried were:
Geyser Peak California Sauvignon Blanc 2008
Buena Vista Carneros Chardonnay 2006
Big House Birdman Central Coast Pinot Grigio 2008
Wente Riverbank Arroyo Seco Riesling 2008
Fleur de California Central Coast Pinot Noir 2007
Four Vines Old Vine Cuvee California Zinfandel 2006
Serenity Monterey County Merlot 2005
Castle Rock Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
Try them yourself at home, make notes about what you like. Enjoy and discuss with friends.
Check Ursula's Wine Bar & Cafe's website for future wine classes at ursulaswb.com.
