NEWSLETTER
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WINTER 2014/15
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
WINTER 2014/15
3. . . . . . . . . A Note From Hans Nef 4. . . . . . . . . Featured Wine 5. . . . . . . . . New Release 6. . . . . . . . . Behind The Vine 7. . . . . . . . . Petit Verdot Finds The Spotlight 8. . . . . . . . . Recipe 10. . . . . . . . Happenings
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Dear Friends, Another vintage is now in the barrel, and once again the holidays are upon us. By all accounts, the 2014 wines will be worth the wait. This year, the conditions were dry, and the yields were low, resulting in small, intensely flavored grapes that will translate to equally flavorful wines. We also have another reason to celebrate right now, and that is because 11 new American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) have now been officially established as sub-appellations of the Paso Robles AVA. We have always been an estate-driven winery with several vineyards in varying locations that reflect the diversity of Paso Robles. The new AVAs now allow us to better communicate the site-specific conditions that are unique to the different areas of Paso Robles (our viticulturist, Sukhy Sran, provides further details on this topic later in this newsletter). At the same time, we continue to embrace the Paso Robles message. Our labels will always lead with Paso Robles, and the new AVAs will always be united by the commonalities of the Paso Robles region. All of us at Vina Robles would like to wish you a magnificent holiday season, filled with good wine and food in the company of family and friends. We look forward to seeing you in the new year.
Best regards,
Hans Nef
WINTER 2014/15
FEATURED WINE 2011 SUENDERO The 2011 Suendero (swen-dé-ro; derived from “Sueño Sendero” or the “Dream Path”) comes from our estate Adelaida Springs Ranch Vineyard, which is located in the rugged coastal mountains west of Paso Robles, just 12 miles from the Pacific Ocean at an elevation of 1,700 feet. The unique growing conditions of this area were recently recognized with the establishment of the Adelaida District American Viticultural Area (AVA), a new sub-appellation of the Paso Robles AVA. Here, the pronounced marine influence and shallow limestone soils combine to yield outstanding growing conditions for classic Bordeaux varieties, making Adelaida Springs Ranch the ideal source for the 2011 Suendero, which is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (70%) and Petit Verdot (30%). The result is a nuanced wine, traditional in composition, but showing the sleek elegance of a modern style blend.
Tasting Notes The 2011 Suendero offers toasty aromas of boysenberry and cedar with hints of licorice and mocha spice. Smooth, rounded flavors of cherry, plum and black currant reveal hints of black coffee. The finish is elegantly weighted and impeccably balanced, concluding with long, plush tannins.
Pairing Recommendations The 2011 Suendero is a perfect match for warming fare on a cold winter’s evening. Suggested pairings include pan-seared filet mignon, braised lamb shank, winter beef stew, and mushroom risotto.
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NEW RELEASE 2011 PETIT VERDOT – Huerhuero We are excited to present the 2011 Petit Verdot as our first stand-alone release of this classic Bordeaux variety. In keeping with Bordeaux tradition, we typically blend a small percentage of Petit Verdot into our Cabernet Sauvignons for added color and structure. Over the years, however, we have found the Petit Verdot from our estate Huerhuero Vineyard to be particularly compelling, ultimately inspiring us to release this rare taste 100-percent Petit Verdot. The 2011 Petit Verdot presents aromas of cherry rhubarb cobbler with hints of nutmeg and fine tobacco. The palate is round and supple, offering elegantly poised flavors of cherry and boysenberry with hints of black olive and cedar. A bright finish lingers with fine, minerally tannins.
AGING: 18 MONTHS IN FRENCH OAK BARRELS BOTTLING DATE: 06.05.13 RELEASE DATE: 12.05.14 ALCOHOL: 13.7%
WINTER 2014/15
BEHIND THE VINE Behind The Vine with Viticulturist Sukhy Sran Since I last wrote, we have had some big news here in Paso Robles wine country with the recent establishment of 11 new American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) within the larger Paso Robles AVA. In other words, the distinct growing areas within Paso Robles have now been officially recognized, much in the way that Oakville, Rutherford and other sub-appellations have carved out their own identities within the Napa Valley AVA. The new AVAs in Paso Robles really just reinforce something that we have already known, which is that the growing conditions of Paso Robles are varied and diverse. We have experienced this firsthand at Vina Robles for many years now, as we maintain estate vineyards that now occupy five separate AVAs within Paso Robles: El Pomar District (Huerhuero Vineyard), Geneseo District (Huerhuero Vineyard), Creston District (Creston Valley Vineyard), Estrella District (Pleasant Valley and Jardine Vineyards), and Adelaida District (Adelaida Springs Ranch). Based on my experience with these vineyards, I can assure you that the new AVA distinctions are legitimate, as the differences in weather and soil from one area to another can be quite vast. For example, the Adelaida District is located in the mountains west of Paso Robles, closer to the ocean where the soil is rich in limestone. You get more of a pronounced marine influence, which translates to a more moderate climate. We really have to work to control yields in Adelaida, because it just does not get warm enough to fully ripen the fruit if you have too much of it on the vine. The fruit tends to have a firm structure and high flavor intensity. As you travel to the other side of Paso Robles and out to the Creston District, the weather gets warmer and the soils become sandier. Then, as you head up to the Estrella District, you get bigger daily temperature extremes, with hotter days and colder nights. In these places, we actually need to maintain a heavier crop load to create a balanced vine, and the fruit tends to have softer, rounder tannins as a result of the warmer conditions.
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The only downside to the new AVAs is that it may encourage some people to wonder which is “better” than the other. I do not buy into that discussion. If you want to produce a wine with a lot of intensity and tannin, you might look toward Adelaida. If you are looking for something softer and rounder, then El Pomar would fit the bill. As they say, variety is the spice of life, and it has now been confirmed that we have plenty of it here in Paso Robles.
PETIT VERDOT FINDS THE SPOTLIGHT From the Cellar with Winemaker Kevin Willenborg If wine were a movie, Petit Verdot would be a bit player, always ready to star in an important supporting role, but rarely allowed to stand on center stage. Indeed, Petit Verdot has historically been known as a mere blending variety, used in small percentages to enhance Bordeaux-style blends. But at Vina Robles, we are becoming increasingly bullish on Petit Verdot, to the point of now releasing our first stand-alone bottling of the variety from the 2011 vintage. So what inspired us to take this step? “We’ve found that Petit Verdot excels in Paso Robles, more so than in most regions,” says Winemaker Kevin Willenborg. “It’s always done really well for us, and we felt that it finally merited its own bottling.” Kevin explains that in cooler climates, including its native Bordeaux, Petit Verdot is known for making tight, tannic wines. For that reason, it has earned a reputation as a perfect blending variety. Used in small quantities, it enhances the color and tannin of a given blend, but it is rarely ready for prime time on its own. “Petit Verdot is a late-ripening variety, and if it doesn’t get enough time to ripen adequately, you get underdeveloped tannins that create astringency,” Kevin says. “In Bordeaux, the growing season is more compact and you typically don’t get the same sustained warmth into the fall, so it can be difficult to adequately ripen Petit Verdot there in many years. Even in Napa Valley, the growing season is somewhat shorter than ours. In Paso Robles, because we have such a long, warm growing season, the Petit Verdot fruit consistently develops smoother, rounder tannins.” Such conditions are found at our estate Huerhuero Vineyard in the heart of Paso continued page 9...
WINTER 2014/15
RECIPE About the Chef – Eric Viedt In his own words, Eric Viedt specializes in “comfortably robust American cuisine with a southwestern edge.” Fittingly, this chef and co-owner of the Margarita at Pine Creek restaurant in Colorado Springs has an easygoing manner that makes him an ideal match for this artful and community-oriented establishment. The restaurant’s large patio plays host to live music, movie nights and a coffee house as well as the Colorado Farm and Art Market, which features a variety of artisan goods for sale. Meanwhile, the ever-changing menu features such dishes as “48-hour ‘Red’ Braised Sous Vide Pork Belly with Apples, White Cheddar and Mustard” as well as “Parsnip Cake.” The restaurant even cures its own duck breast and smokes its own salmon. For more information, visit www.margaritaatpinecreek.com.
Chef Eric’s Wild Mushroom Bolognese with Pappardelle pasta, Ricotta and Butternut Squash Purée Enjoy with Vina Robles 2012 RED4 Bolognese Ingredients (Serves 4) 3 tbsp. Butter 3 tbsp. Olive oil 1/4 cup Onion, chopped 1/4 cup Carrots, chopped 1/4 cup Celery, chopped 8 Garlic cloves, minced 1/2 lb. Portobello mushrooms, chopped 1/2 lb. Button mushrooms, sliced
2 tbsp. Tomato paste 1 tbsp. Marjoram, dried 1 tbsp. Oregano, dried 1 tbsp. Basil, dried 1/2 cup Red wine 1/2 cup Vegetable stock 12 oz. Roasted canned tomatoes, chopped Salt and pepper
Method Heat butter with olive oil in a large sauce pot. Cook and stir the onion, carrot, garlic and celery until the vegetables are softened and beginning to brown. Add mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and herbs and cook for another 2 minutes. Deglaze with wine and bring to a simmer, dissolving any browned flavor bits from the bottom of the pot. Allow the wine to cook for about 2 minutes. Stir in stock and tomatoes and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and cook for 20 minutes. Purée with a stick blender or food processor. Season to taste with salt and pepper and keep warm.
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Butternut Squash Purée 1 Butternut Squash
2 tbsp. Butter
Salt and pepper
Split squash and deseed. Wrap each half in foil and roast in oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Scoop out pulp and purée in food processor with salt, pepper and butter.
For Dish 1 lb. Pappadelle pasta, cooked and warm 1/4 cup Ricotta cheese
2 tbsp. Basil chiffonade, fresh
2 tbsp. Parmesan Toss hot pasta with 3/4 cup of butternut squash purée and ricotta cheese. Plate and ladle mushroom sauce over the top, finish with parmesan and basil. Enjoy with a glass of Vina Robles RED4.
PETIT VERDOT FINDS THE SPOTLIGHT cont. Robles, the source for our 2011 Petit Verdot. “The Petit Verdot fruit from Huerhuero has naturally softer tannins,” Kevin explains. “Often with Petit Verdot, you really have to limit the skin contact during fermentation, because it can become aggressively astringent pretty quickly. But with our Huerhuero fruit, that just doesn’t happen.” Not surprisingly, the Petit Verdot fruit from our estate Adelaida Springs Ranch in the moderately cooler, coastal mountains west of Paso Robles can yield a more traditional, tannic expression of Petit Verdot. “We have to often limit the Adelaida fruit’s skin contact during fermentation to balance the tannin extraction in the finished wine.” For this reason, the Petit Verdot from Adelaida Springs Ranch tends to be used in a traditional blending role at Vina Robles, while the Petit Verdot from Huerhuero Vineyard is now being bottled on its own, though still in limited quantities. “We’re not producing a lot of Petit Verdot yet, because it’s still more of a niche wine right now,” Kevin says. “But because it does so well in Paso Robles, I think you’ll begin to see more of it here in the years ahead.”
WINTER 2014/15
HAPPENINGS Shopping is a Joy at Vina Robles
Here is a chance to make Christmas shopping an enjoyable and easy experience while delighting everyone on your gift list. Indeed, we invite you to check out our Holiday Gift Catalogue online at VinaRobles.com. With a few easy clicks you can peruse items such as our large format bottle specials, including a 3-liter hand-etched bottle of 2005 Signature as well as magnums of our 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon – Estate. Also up for grabs is a special on our Brut NV sparkling wine that is exclusively sold during the month of December. Our very limited library vertical collections are another unique and rare gift that features multiple vintages of our Cabernet Sauvignon – Estate and Fore – Petite Sirah releases. And, of course, do not forget stocking stuffers like our Segredo Filled Truffles or a nice beechwood corkscrew. The Vina Robles Gift Catalogue is a sure way to make everyone’s season bright!
Merry Moments at Saturday Live “Saturday Live” concerts are the perfect prescription for slowing down and soaking up the spirit of the season. Kick back in our luxurious Tasting Room while savoring awardwinning Vina Robles wines and charcuterie plates that are available for purchase. No
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reservations are required for these complimentary events. Following is our Saturday Live December schedule: Dawn Lambeth on December 13 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Jazz vocalist Dawn Lambeth will carry you away to a classic “supper club” scene as she shares her stylish renditions of songs ranging from the 1920s to favorites of the Big Band era. Eddie Cancel on December 27 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Instrumental rock guitarist and composer Eddie Cancel shares his “soulfully aggressive” folk sounds and melodies. Trained originally on piano and drums, he offers a range of emotions through his distinctive style.
Valentine’s at Vina Robles Do not let Cupid pass you by! Book now for our popular Valentine’s Day Dinner happening on February 14 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Rich candlelight ambiance and romantic strains from “The Wind in the Reeds” by the SLO Winds Clarinet Choir are reasons enough to come. Add to that a decadent multi-course meal and it is a moment not to be missed! Tickets are $95/pp; $85/Signature Wine Club members. To purchase tickets and for more information visit VinaRobles.com
SIGNATURE WINE CLUB EVENTS ‘Tis the Season for a Pick-Up Party! Yuletide cheer will be aplenty at our December Signature Club Pick-up parties on December 12 and December 13 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. We invite members to choose one of the dates that works best for their busy holiday schedules.
Come and celebrate the season in the Signature Room, Wine Club Lounge and
Jardine Court as you are serenaded by Opera San Luis Obispo’s “OperaSLO-2-Go” carolers dressed in Dickensian attire. Enjoy the wines in this month’s shipment with a selection of artisanal cheese. Guests dressed in their most festive holiday garb may enter to win a Vina Robles gift basket. This event is complimentary for Signature Wine Club members; $15/pp for guests.
3700 MILL ROAD, PASO ROBLES, CA OPEN DAILY 10-6 SUMMER / 10-5 WINTER
ABOUT VINA ROBLES We craft wines that represent a stylistic bridge between the Old and New worlds, capturing the finesse associated with European wines while celebrating the bold natural flavors of our estate vineyards in Paso Robles. Here, proprietor Hans Nef and managing partner Hans—R. Michel bring their Swiss heritage to California’s Central Coast, where they aim to unite the best of both experiences. Our wines are available across the United States and overseas, and can be enjoyed at our hospitality center in the heart of the Paso Robles wine country. Please visit us soon to taste the Vina Robles difference.
P.O. Box 699 Paso Robles, CA 93447 tel: 805-227-4812 fax: 805-227-4816
www.VinaRobles.com