It’s not so often that I taste a succession of wines that not only impress but reaffirm my faith in the quality you can come across here on the Central Coast. The
Garagiste Festival, which was launched November 18th at
Windfall Farms, are trying something new…they are gathering winemakers with a production of less than 1500 cases, in other words smaller producers, micro-château, the little guy.
Windfall Farms - site of the 2011 Garagiste Festival
Sadly, I didn’t have enough time to try all forty odd winemakers at the festival, but I did succeed at about half that amount … I had an inclination this would be a good tasting, mostly because I hold the belief that when made in small quantities, wine tends to be at its best, by no means a revelation, just something to think about.
So here is my best of show (of what I tried)
Ambyth Wine Estates
Ambyth was the discovery of the show. It was such a delight to find a winery that was not only biodynamic (in both the vineyard and winery!) but also natural (ie no added sulphur). Natural wines are few and far between here in California so discovering this producer was a real treat.
Phillip Hart & Mary Morwood Hart of Ambyth Estate
There range is comprised of Rhône varietals and they make a pretty damn good Zinfandel too.
Since finding them I’ve told just about everyone I come across about them…you see, there’s obvious debate about natural wine, myself I’m pro-the stuff, and a lot of the promblem people have is stability,or rather lack of…
Ambyth had about thirteen or fourteen wine on offer and each one was fresh, full of flavor and lacking in those very tell-tale signs of degradation a lot of these wines can have. The stand out wine for me was their Grenache dominated blend – a very crisp, juicy blend with bowls of mixed berry fruit, but their Syrah and Zinfandel were both impressive as well.
Ambyth Estate 2009 Grenache
Piedrasassi
If you have a ‘one to watch’ file put Piedrasassi in it…with a star next to it…and add some sort of reminder on your mobile.
I’ve mentioned them before with the New Vineland labeled Viognier. This was the first time I saw their new label and bottle design, very classy indeed.
Piedrasassi
Melissa Moorman of Piedrasassi. Pouring Rim Rock 2008 while giving a master class in jazz hands
The 2008 Rim Rock, sourced from a vineyard in Nipomo, is an impressive wine. Chewy, dense, multi-layered, dark berry fruit, with so much time to evolve…decant the beast if you open it now but it’s got until 2020 to drink, probably a bit longer. I’ve tried 2009 in barrel and think that’s even better.
Another wine to note from these guys is their absolutely ridiculous Sauvignon Blanc – think Condrieu/Didier Dagueneau/a touch of Te Koko, extreme doesn’t begin to explain it.
Ranchero Cellars
Amy Jean - you had me at 'Carignan'
Much like Don King, Amy Jean woke up one morning and had an epiphany…luckily for her wine career it wasn’t changing her hair style. Rather it was to make wines from her heart (yes, I can hear those tear drops splashing the keyboard now) this is how Ranchero Cellars started… Amy Jean is a Davis graduate, and I must applaud her for leaving the Stormtrooperesque style that plagues many a Davis alum and decided to go freestyle with feeling, with gut, that and she had a Carignan on offer. That’s like crack to me.
I’ll finish my Garagiste Festival round up next week
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