Have you ever seen anything like this before? This wine is alive! It is a sparkling Chardonnay from the Jura. As a pétillant naturel it is bottled before the first fermentation is complete. It is a favorite of ours, and Eric Asimov for NYTimes considers this a “Memorable Bottle for $20!”
Many people have that A-HA moment where something happens and everything becomes clear. A-HA moments can be little and about a project due at work or huge and change your whole life path. A philosophy major in college, Jay Somers’ A-Ha moment (of J. Christopher Wines) was triggered by a song! I must admit I believe music has that power; the few lines about wine and grapes in the song “California Stars” by Wilco brightens my mood and makes me feel as though I’m on the right path.
Somers felt his soul’s path when he heard Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Heard It Through the Grapevine.” He knew he loved the guitar and that his destiny was to work with wine. (Other moments in his life did indeed solidify his path, but it all started with the A-HA!) Winemaking and music; he has been able to harmonize both passions successfully for 20 years. Listen to Jay Somers play guitar with his assistant winemaker Tim Malone at his winery in Newberg. Beautiful expression of harmony, just like his Pinot Noirs!
We are happy to have The Scholium Project wines in our portfolio. They represent the essence of a vineyard and the fact that microbes can do amazing things to grapes. Some taste like the varietal while others do not; but all are exciting on the palate. There are more videos on our YouTube page where Abe goes through his wines explaining SO2, Yeast, Aging, Malo and more.
The Irish lad is Casey McClellan, owner of and winemaker for Seven Hills Winery. Photo was taken while working the market with Kurt Yost.
When one thinks of Walla Walla, Washington, it is a good chance Seven Hills Winery pops into the head. Ranked #7 by TripAdvisor.com of 32 attractions in Walla Walla, this winery is located in the middle of the town and has helped put the town and Walla Walla Valley AVA on the map for wine production. (Fun Fact: Seven Hills Winery was the fifth winery in Walla Walla Valley AVA.)
Casey McClellan has been making wine since the first 1988 vintage. He has played an important role in both the viticulture and winemaking history of the Walla Walla community. He sources fruit from his own McClellan Estate Vineyard along with top vineyard sources in Walla Walla Valley, Red Mountain and Columbia Valley. The McClellan Estate Vineyard is directly adjacent to Seven Hills Vineyard (the vineyard Casey’s family used to own). As part of the vision that guides McClellan Estate, the vineyard is LIVE and Salmon Safe certified, and also meets the criteria for VINEA sustainable growing. These estate grapes contribute powerful aromatics, elegant structure, and intense fruit notes to our Pentad blend and Columbia Valley Cabernet.
by Andy Pates
Thursday April 26
After an hour delay from a dented cargo door inspection, Mick Swain, Mike Kreissl and I flew into San Jose late Thursday night and drove straight to Santa Cruz. After signing the No Party Contract at the Holiday Inn Express, we headed out for last call at The Asti, a local watering hole that, much to our chagrin and amazement, did not serve any Piedmontese wines by the glass. It would later be confirmed that this was a legendary Santa Cruz dive bar. Think slacker college bar meets The Hell’s Angels with a sprinkle of skater punk Goth. Another Lagunitas please.
Friday April 27
The next day, or rather later that morning, we had an inspiring visit to the Dooniverse with Barbara Smith, Randall Grahm and assistant winemaker Jaime “JJ” Dowell. Randall was very excited to show us his demijohn project. This is an elevage technique inspired in part by Emidio Pepe of Abruzzo (who we will soon be importing). Bacially, after the final Cigare de Volant Rouge and Blanc blends are assembled and then aged in fudre (large oak casks) most of the wine is bottled. However, a small portion of a great vintage is designated for reserve or “bonbonne” and not bottled, but rather further aged for an additional year in glass demijohn (5 gallon carboys or glass water bottles). There was an enormous rack of them covering an entire wall at the winery complete with a gigantic curtain to protect against light. Inside each demijohm were metal rods that they periodically move with magnets for battonage (stirring of the lees). Proof was definitely in the pudding when we tasted the already delicious 2008 Cigare Volant next to the 2008 Cigare Volant Reseve “Bonbonne.” Randall equates this discovery to splitting the atom. And, that the innovation can be used for good or evil. After tasting the 2008 Reserve “Bonbonne” I can assure you that this “technology” is being used for good. It is “dee bomb” and not the A bomb. Other highlights of the comprehensive tasting included Riesling to Live 2006 Methode Champenoise (which we have a few last cases) and 2009 & 2010 Le Pousser Syrah. This wine keeps getting better and better. The original Rhone Ranger sure knows Syrah. After some delicious tacos (official food of the California wine industry), we said our goodbyes and all headed to Paso. Randall left earlier for the event wearing his “If you don’t like Riesling you’re a fucking idiot” t-shirt.
 |
Hospice du Rhone is held at the fairgrounds just outside of downtown Paso Robles. This year marked the 20th year anniversary. Dan Fullick has been attending and volunteering at Hospice du Rhone for the past several years. He is Cream’s Champion of Paso Robles as well as Rhone varieties from the Central Coast and beyond. He definitely has his purple finger on the pulse of what’s hot in the category. Cream and our growers are thankful for his passion for this special part of the world. The Big Rendezvous tasting Friday afternoon definitely brought the thunder with some special library releases and big bottles. Stand outs for me included Qupe Los Olivos 1989, Domaine de Pegau 2009 and Linne Calodo Slacker 2010. Speaking of which, Matt Trevisan of Linne invited us back after the tasting to tour his vineyards on the Westside, visit the winery and barrel taste. What a treat! He is such a righteous dude. With daylight fleeting we flew around famed Vineyard Road and up the hill of his gorgeous new 40-acre property. This is a sweet piece. We then went on through Willow Creek Road and saw some of the top vineyards in the region including, Linne Calodo, Booker, Cherry, Leona’s, Uebberoth, Turley (fka Pisenti) and James Berry. The Linne Calodo winery is just a functional as it is beautiful. Complete with a ping pong table and man cave with all bells and whistles. Xbox anyone?
 |
 |
Then it was on to an evening party at Booker. We arrived later than late and they were out of tacos. Thank God for In N Out Burger. It literally says that on the bottom of the cups.
Saturday April 28
Eric Jensen of Booker is an interesting cat. To quote Cris Cherry of Villa Creek, every compliment is followed by a kick in the balls. Youngest of nine, this brash self-made man from Southern California came to Paso to create something special. And with the consulting and friendship of Cris and Justin Smith of Saxum, his Booker Vineyard is now easily considered one of the top sites in the appellations. When it comes to his wines, Eric is surprisingly humble and repeatedly says it’s farming, farming, farming. They strive for perfection and it shows in spades at the 72 acre / 35 acre planted estate. Pictures and words do not do it justice.
If Paso has an honorary mayor, it is most definitely Cris Cherry. Everybody and I mean everybody in Paso knows Cris. Owner of the deservedly famous restaurant Villa Creek just off the downtown square, he moved to Paso from Colorado with the hope of someday making wine. He said that in the beginning he started making wine to please other people. Now he is happy to say that he is making wines to please himself. The new releases are very good and should be here soon. Cris and his wife Joanne, will be planting an estate vineyard this week to compliment his current top sources, complete the circle and better control quality and consistency.
Justin Smith of Saxum was mobbed at both tastings. (Bone) Rock Star to be sure. He “poured out” in less than an hour at each of the big tastings. His table was easily 50 people deep. When the smoke cleared, I was glad we were able to talk for a bit and catch up. He is such a great guy. Considering all his well earned fame, he remains grounded and real. Just wish we could, as with the rest of our other Paso rock stars, get larger allocations!
Photos of Booker and Saxum Harvest 2011
Sunday April 29
Breakfast at the Paso Robles Inn, where Marilyn Monroe once stayed. If it is good enough for Marilyn, it is good enough for the Cream Team. We then took a scenic and leisurely 3 hour drive up Highway 101 back up to San Jose Airport to head back. A quick but great trip to experience the cream of the Central Coast.
Cow horns used for biodynamic fertilizers
Earth Day Thoughts From Tori Berdelle
Today, I saw an advertisement for 100% electric Nissan.
I could be cynical and say how the car really isn’t saving the earth because we are still using coal for power and not windmills. But since it is Earth Day this Sunday, April 22, I think I should stop being cynical and appreciate that people are trying to do their part to help save the environment and subsequently us. Was it just me or did the February and March weather in Chicago freak you out a bit?!
While working at Cream, I witness everyday the momentum towards a more natural world, where humans don’t overtake the land and sea but coexist with it. Winemakers and grape farmers all over the world are choosing to take a more natural approach to viticulture and viniculture. As an agricultural product, one would think this would be difficult to maintain…but let’s remind ourselves that humans have been farming without chemical fertilizers and pesticides for thousands of years (the population was smaller back then, but soil and nature are miraculous with endless possibilities). Treat the soil right and all other things will follow.
The time is now while the energy is abuzz. This isn’t a fad but a change in the way of life with the wine industry leading by example. If these winemakers can survive in this economy without using chemical fertilizers and pesticides, then why can’t other agricultural product producers do the same? (Perhaps it is a whole different ballgame now that there are GMO seeds containing fertilizer and pesticide components–the battle is far from over!)
Thank you to those in our industry that show their appreciation for this earth everyday and not just when Earth Day comes around. You are an inspiration for us all.
Earth Day Thoughts From Shane Salois
The movement of natural wine (growing and making) is a burgeoning one. Defining what this movement or these wines are has been a hot topic; one of much debate. We at Cream welcome this fervor. This is when wine can become an interactive experience, rather than cause and effect; action/reaction. Boundaries are still being delineated; terroir vs. intervention discussed. It’s been nice to speak about something other than the price, ne c’est pas?
Andy and I have had some first hand experience of this phenomenon (and debate) recently on our trip to Europe, starting off at Domaine Les Faverelles, a Burgundy producer located in the unique terroir of Vezelay. The small 5 hectare estate has been farming organically since 1998. The Bringer family makes and grows both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and the nature of the Yonne is apparent in the high acid, low alcohol style where even in hot vintages like ’09 the wines are merely 12.5% in alcohol, retaining all of the freshness and delicacy that the appellation has to offer.
Also visited – Domaine de l’Octavin from Jura. They work on less than 5 hectares of vineyards in Arbois. Beginning in 2005 with just 50 hectoliters of wine farmed on about 2 hectares of vineyards they have bought small bits of property each year. They have also slowly changed their process throughout the years to a more and more natural production, and are now Demeter certified biodynamic. Since 2009 they also have made all of their wines completely without sulfur, fining, or filtration. Exceptional wines; pure and clean.
Not visited (yet), but certainly tasted were the wines of Frank Cornelissen which are truly singular wines from the slopes of Mt. Etna, showcasing the potential of Nerello Mascalese. He uses amphorae for maturation and feet for crushing, and he works without SO2 or any other treatments. These wines express the absolutely unique land of Mt. Etna in a way that no other wine has. You really have to taste the wines and watch the color and flavor evolve in your glass to understand them. The surface area of the estate is 12 hectares, of which 8.5 are vines in the classic freestanding alberello training system (aka Gobelet, or bush-vine). The remainder is olive, fruit and nut trees, and brush. In abandoning monoculture to avoid classic diseases, they have interplanted various local fruit varieties and keep bees to regain a complex ecosystem.
So this Earth day we celebrate those who celebrate it every day!
Earth Day Thoughts from Andy Pates
With the green movement and its many marketing machines screaming out of control, the topic of so-called natural wine has certainly been given more attention, debate and cynicism. As an importer, distributor and consumer of many of these wines I can tell you that my official position on the subject is that I have no official position. Cream would be better off starting a food, wine and music blog telling people that this band is cooler than that band. Or that people should only eat pork belly that has been weaned on white whiskey. Sounds ridiculous doesn’t it?
1. Naturally farmed grapes – organic, biodynamic, either certified, in conversion or practicing. Basically no chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, etc. are used in the vineyards. Biodynamics endeavor to create balanced micro ecosystems while channeling the earth and cosmic energy. I am not going to address “sustainable” at this time. I am not really sure what that means. My definition of sustainable is that if you purchase the wine, my lifestyle is sustained.
For me (and Jules from Pulp Fiction), natural wine, like life, is all about best intentions. At the heart of the natural wine movement are many good people. They care for the environment and what they put into the ground as well as their bodies. What many people don’t seem to get is that there is natural grape growing and natural wine making. And then there are both.
2. Naturally made wines – nothing added or taken away in the cellar. Native fermentation, no acidification or chaptalization (adding sugar), no filtration, minimal to zero sulfur used in winemaking or at bottling. I have been told often from many a vigneron that this is easier to do with grapes grown in a cooler climate that have a higher, “natural” acidity. But, health, balance and harmony of the fruit remains just as important.
Just because you can do something, doesn’t mean you should. All too often there is too much back patting, masturbation and smoke blowing about the winemaker and his craft. C’mon guys, don’t get high on your own supply. More often than not, many wines of this extreme or super natural genre can be volatile, out of balance, cloudy and conflicted. Also, don’t confuse winemaking with grape growing. There is a scary trend of natural winemakers who are more interested in showcasing their skill as a winemaker than authenticity, typicity and sense of place. These science experiments can almost get in the way of the soul of the wine or the sense of place or terroir. Similar to the way that namazake (unpasteurized sake) can sometimes cloud or veil the true essence of a fine ginjo sake.
3. Naturally made wines from naturally farmed grapes – now we’re talking! This is more rare. It is very difficult to have it both ways. The challenging paradox is that the cooler climate grapes are easier to make naturally, but more difficult to grow naturally because of more disease and pest pressure. Conversely, because of the absence of these pressures, warmer or dessert climates can be easier to grow wines naturally. However, they become more difficult to make naturally because of the lower natural acidity.
It should also be said that it is much easier to be natural and take on all those growing and production risks if your wife is a successful fashion designer in Paris and you work with 1.5 hectares of your trust fund on the weekends. But if your family owns 20 hectares and employs half of the village, you might be less likely to take risks in the vineyard and cellar. It is easy to point out fictional extremes, but you get the gist.
4. Natural wine Holy Grail – naturally made wines from naturally farmed grapes that taste good, are balanced and stable, distinct and represent variety and terroir. This is rare occurrence, but they do exist. And yes, many can be found in our portfolio. When wines like this are discovered, they should be revered, cherished and celebrated. Best way to do this is to drink it with as many friend and family as possible.
Here’s to drinking real wine made by nice people with those you love.
Cheers,
Andy
PS – The older I get, the more I enjoy fresh, low alcohol, high acid wines with texture and mineral. Is that minerality “terroir” or sulfur. That can be the topic for another time.
Cream supports many biodyamic, organic and sustainable wine producers who make absolutely delicious wines. In fact most of the new imports use those natural viticulture practices and some go a step further to engage in natural winemaking. Click for a list of these producers.
