Italy - Tedeschi
California - Jackson Family Wines, Paul Hobbs
France - Château de Nages, Halos de Jupiter
Chile - Emiliana
Spain - Valenciso
Okanagan - Sperling

There is no Shortage of Good Wine in the World

You don't have to be a connoisseur  to enjoy them.
Actually, connoisseur is an outdated word. It refers to a person who has discriminating tastes or a great knowledge of things such as art, wine, food, coffee... (insert your favourite noun).
In my mind, the term reeks of snobbism.

Saying that, there truly is no shortage of good wine in the world, but there are also producers and winemakers whose goal is to make their wines stand out.
These folks seek the best vineyard sites, place great focus on vineyard management and sustainability and really get their hands dirty.
They strive to make wines with a pure expression of their soils and where they are grown.
It's called a sense of place. You've probably heard the term used on many occasions.

June has been filled with such producers, rolling into town and sharing their passion.
Making real wines for real people.

Italy

Tedeschi

Riccardo Tedeschi (right) is a sixth generation member of a family that has worked the vineyards of Valpolicella, in the Veneto region of Italy, since 1630. 
The Tedeschi family has made great strides in selecting the best vineyard sites for their finest wines. By observing variations in soil types and the influence of climactic conditions they've been able to achieve a better quality of fruit, resulting in superior wines, clean, with fantastic fruit expression. 

Key Vineyards

Monte Olmi is a 2.5-hectare vineyard outside the village of Pedemonte. Purchased in 1918, it is a steep vineyard resting at 130 meters above sea level.
The vines here are 25 to 45-year-old Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, Oseleta and Dindarella (classic varieties for the region), which go into making the single vineyard DOCG Amarone, Capitel Monte Olmi ($99).

La Fabriseria is a very steep  7-hectare vineyard with an average elevation of 450 meters. It is a dry vineyard with layers of limestone and has significant diurnal shifts in temperature from
day to night - a perfect scenario for grapes to achieve ripeness yet maintain acidity.
The grapes Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella and Oseleta go into La Fabriseria Amarone della Valpolicella  DOCG Classico and La Fabriseria  DOC Classico Superiore.

Maternigo (photo: right) is a 3-hectare vineyard in the Valpolicella DOC area with an elevation between 270-370 meters heavy in clay. Corvina, Corvinone and Rondinella become wines for the Maternigo DOC Valpolicella Superiore.

Tedeschi makes more than a dozen wines including Soave (Garganega grape) and grappa (Corvina, Corvionne and Rondinella).

Wines 

Tedeschi Corasco Appassimento Breve, 2010 - A blend of Corvina, Refosco and Rabaso. Made in the traditional Veronese method of drying drying the grapes to raisin-like. In a month they lose 8-10% of their weight. This enriches the sugar content in the grape and gives them intensity. It has a spicy, earthy quality on the nose with black cherry, coffee, dried berries. It has a supple texture and generous sweet fruit alongside mocha and vanilla. Great structure and freshness with good persistence. ($25)

Tedeschi Capitel San Rocco Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore, 2011- Made from Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, Oseleta and Dindarella. Again intensity from partially-dried grapes lends richness. It's an expressive wine with sweet spices cherries and purple fruits layered with espresso, dried flowers and cigarbox. Wonderful freshness here, the fruit shines in this wine.
Very clean. ($30 Private wine stores in BC)

Tedeschi Amarone della Valpolicella DOC, 2009 - Made of Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, Oseleta, Rossignola, Negrara and Dindarella from an assortment of Valpolicella DOC vineyards. Smoky, exotic spicy, sweet fruit, mineral, chocolate and vanilla with savoury, meaty notes throughout. It has it all, balance, structure, freshness and purity of fruit with a long espresso finish. ($55)
 

California

A Pinot Posse

Although I'm familiar with the portfolio of the Jackson Family (I wrote about Jackson Family Wines and Chief Winemaker Randy Ullom in Vines Magazine in late 2013) there was one winery I was quite taken by, one I'd never heard of before, Champ de Rêves. Located in the wild west of Mendocino County (a land of draft dodgers and gun-toting er... gardeners), Anderson Valley is not one many are familiar with. Located north of the much more well-known Russian River Valley appellation, Jess Jackson purchased 1000-acres of land (most of it unsuitable for vines) here 20 years ago. Nonetheless, the remote Champ de Rêves has 85-acres of vines planted, high above the valley floor, above the fog line and an impressive 1400-1800 feet above sea level only 18 miles from the coast. The rugged terrain is home to well-drained Franciscan sandstone soils and although the vines are young, these wines show amazing focus and elegance.
The site provides a pristine character and muscular Pinot Noirs.

Winemaker Eric Johannsen visited Vancouver with the traveling Pinot posse and shared the Champ de Rêves wines.

Not all wines are available but those who are are probably best found in private wine stores.

Champ de Rêves 2011 Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley, Mendocino County - Expect robust colour for a Pinot but the nose is a pristine bouquet of crunchy red current and blueberry, cedar chips, violets and marzipan with earthy undertones. More savoury on the palate than the nose it also features intense red fruits, cocoa and savoury spice. It has a mineral texture to the palate with some fine but firm tannic structure. Very fresh and juicy. ($40 coming soon)

Champ de Rêves 2012 Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley, Mendocino County - A younger vintage, which is still holding tight to its charms - the nose is muted but leans toward earthy and is highlighted by blueberry, raspberry and red currents. A muscular and still quite tight palate shows similar mineral texture and firm but sweet tannins. ($40 coming soon)

Hartford Court 2011 'Far Coast Vineyard' Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast - Hartford Court was established in 1994 with the goal to produce single varietal wines. The vineyard sits above the famous Sonoma fog line and offers sweet bright fruit, velvety and feminine aromas with floral notes and cola spices. It has impressive structure and amazing acidity with layers of crunchy red fruits, pipe tobacco and mineral. Great structure and wonderful length. A very satisfying and chic wine. ($60 2012 arriving soon)

Cambria 'Barbara's Clone 667' Pinot Noir 2011, Santa Maria Valley, Santa Barbara County - A rare east-west running valley, it opens up to the Pacific on the far west side of the valley. It's a windy region due to its exposure and is quite cool with an average of 22-23 degrees Celsius but its exposition also lends it a longer growing season, needed to ripen the fruit. The wine offers lavender pastilles, raspberry, blueberry and cherry alongside cola spices. It has a supple weight and plush texture with peppery spices, some herbal hints and trails blueberry and sweet spices. It has wonderful freshness and excellent structure with a lengthy finish. ($100 sadly, N/A)

Other Jackson Family Wines Pinot Noirs worth seeking:

La Crema 2012 Pinot Noir, Carneros, Sonoma County - Smoky, savoury saddle leather and red currents with tart red cherry and some herbal notes. ($50+)
La Crema 2012 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon - An exciting new venture for the California-based La Crema. Expect lively red fruit, pretty floral tones, with raspberry and pomegranate and blueberry tea. Sweet fruit, juicy acidity and an earthy undertone. ($40+ available soon)
Hartford Court 2012 Russian River Valley, Sonoma County - A riper style with blueberry, blackberry and black cherry, dark earth and leather. A sweet and supple palate with bright acidity to lift. ($33)

Paul Hobbs Winery

Paul Hobbs Winery 2012 Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley - Grapes from various Russian River Vineyards this delicious wine offers smoke, plush black raspberry, sarsaparilla and a supple texture to suit the expressive pristine fruit. ($70+)

Paul Hobbs Winery 2012 'Hyde Vineyard' Pinot Noir, Carneros, Napa Valley - Succulent cherries and raspberry, cocoa, spicy and sweet spices. It's like sunshine in a glass and has a plush, silky texture. ($103+)

Paul Hobbs Winery 2011 'Ross Station Estate' Chardonnay, Russian River Valley - Hitting it out of the park on the inaugural vintage of this wine. It boasts opulent tropical and orchard fruits, sweet spiced oak, exotic citrus and mineral flavours are carried on a creamy palate. Expressive and chic with caramel-type notes (in a good way) and wonderful acidity. ($103+)

Paul Hobbs Winery 2011 'Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard' Cabernet Sauvignon, St. Helena, Napa Valley - Resplendent with wild purple briary fruits, spice and flowers with a firm but finessed palate, fantastic acidity and a tight finish that will open with time. Elegant and truly exceptional. ($240+)
 

France

Château de Nages, Costières de Nîmes

Southern France, where vineyards meet the Mediterranean, is home to the oldest winemaking in France. It is also where you can follow the Via Domitia, the road built by Romans from Gaul to Spain via Nîmes  and Montpellier in 118BC.
I met Michel Gassier, owner of and winemaker for Château de Nages, in Nîmes several years ago during a visit to the Rhône Valley.
I had a brief revisit with him recently in Vancouver and he shared his Château de Nages wines.

ButiNages 2011 is made from Grenache and Syrah and offers a fresh and youthful bouquet of purple fruits and a mix of sweet and peppery spices. Very approachable with fine, dry tannins and juicy character. ($20)

Château de Nages 2012 Vieilles Vigne Blanc - A sensational blend of Clairette, Roussanne, Bourboulenc and Grenache Blanc with expressive tropical and stone fruits, citrus, garrigue, beeswax, honey and wild flowers. Great acidity and rounded palate. ($28+)

Château de Nages 2011 Vieilles Vigne Rouge  - Grenache dominated and rounded out with Syrah, it has classic Southern France expressions of affluent fruit - raspberry, wild blackberry, baking spices and garrigue. Great structure and freshness that will have you longing for more. ($28+)

Cuvee JT 2012 Blanc - Barrel fermented Roussanne and Viognier give this wine a more obvious spicy oak character alongside honey, stone fruits and beeswax. The palate is very focused it has a spicy character and a phenolic finish with good length. ($33+)

Cuvee JT 2011 Rouge - Syrah co-fermented with Viognier. A more savoury, Northern Rhone-style red with smoke, meat, blackberries and black raspberries, garrigue, peppery spices and dark earthy tones. A powerful wine with firm tannins and succulent palate. ($33+)

Halos de Jupiter by Philippe Cambie, Southern Rhône (a partnership with Michel Gassier)

Halos de Jupiter 2012 Costières de Nîmes Blanc - Dominated by Grenache Blanc and Roussanne it has a potency many are unfamiliar with in white wines they may typically drink. Classic to the Rhone and Mediterranean vineyards is has spice, lanolin, mineral, citrus peel, stone fruits and honey with floral components. Spice carried the palate but acidity keeps the weight and concentration in check. A powerful white with a long phenolic finish. ($25+)

Halos de Jupiter 2011 Côtes du Rhône read review here 

Halos de Jupiter 2010 Côtes du Rhône Villages Rasteau - Comprised of Grenache with 20% Syrah it is deeply hued with meaty and savoury aromas alongside dark chocolate, tobacco, black fruit and peppery spices. It has impressive power and a muscular character. (+30+)

Halos de Jupiter 2009 Gigondas - Grenache with Mourvedre. Leather, sausage, sunbaked earth, peppery spices with dried fruits and cigar. Another obviously savoury style, which is showing some age. ($45+)

Halos de Jupiter 2011 Châteauneuf-du-Pape 'Adrastée' - Made from 100+ year-old Grenache vines. Grenache is Cambie's favourite variety and is always front and center. Tasted beside the 2010 and 2011 it has more initial restraint on the nose. Red fruits are layered with black alongside garrigue, and baking spice. Sweet fruit pops on the palate it has a chocolaty character and plush but firm finish with impressive length. Powerful but with finesse and balanced acidity and sweet fine tannin makes it a chic wine.

Halos de Jupiter

Chile

Emiliana

It's hard not find passionate people engaging. Especially if it's something you are equally passionate about. 
Several years ago I was standing in a large biodynamic vineyard in Colchagua, Chile, on a excruciatingly hot spring day with sweat trickling down my back. Despite the hat the winery had so graciously presented me with, I really wish I'd gotten the memo about shorts day.
An in spite of my overall interest in biodynamic preparations and viticulture, I was quickly losing focus as my brain started to swell.
The winemaker seemed oblivious to the heat and he pointed out the vines, soil and the charming wheeled coop - home to the vineyard's chickens. 

Fast-forward to 2014 and I'm sitting in an air-conditioned restaurant in Vancouver, with Emiliana's General Manager, Jose Guilisasti Gana. Guilisasti Gana boasts an impressive resume in total and has been a part of Emiliana for its nearly 30 years. His visit proved the passion of the team at Emiliana has not dimmed one bit.
For us, in the wine industry, sustainability is a common buzzword. Some countries such as Chile and New Zealand seem to lead the pack, sharing common ground.
Sustainability means different things to different people but in essence it is an effort to reduce, reuse and recycle, to lower the carbon footprint and make sure there are not only the resources for future generations but that there is a future generation of employees. This type of social responsibility means taking care of employees, not only their safety but education, stability, housing and access to medical attention. For many, like Emiliana it's about supporting the family of the workers and much as the workers themselves. 

Emiliana is not a small producer. There have vineyards in Casablanca, Maipo, Colchagua, Cachapoal and Bio-Bio. They work in conjunction with Alvaro Espinoza, the famous Chilean winemaker and biodynamic specialist. Together they converted Emiliana into 100% organic and biodynamic. Emiliana has been a leader in Chile, forging a path for many others to follow.
But it really comes down to the wine. If it's not good, people won't buy it. Emiliana, specifically Coyam, has continued to win awards and accolades since it's inaugural 2001 vintage release, in 2003.

Emiliana Signos de Origin 2013 'La Vanilla' Casablanca Valley - This fantastic blend of Chardonnay, Roussanne, Viognier, Marsanne offers a  delightful display of exotic flowers, stone fruits, citrus and tropical fruits, spice, honey and lanolin. Powerful (as expected from the addition of the Rhone varieties) and nicely weighted and creamy with wonderful concentration and acidity. (Organic)

Emiliana 'Novas Gran Reserva' 2012 Garnacha-Syrah, Cachapoal Valley - Spice, raspberry and purple berries, mocha and pepper  with hints of smoke. High-toned fruit follows through on the palate. It is fresh and youthful and a perfect food wine for tomato pastas, sausage, strong cheeses and grilled spicy dishes. (Organic)

Emiliana 'Coyam' 2011, Colchagua Valley - Syrah, Carmenere, Merlot, Cabernet, Mourvedre and Malbec comprise this substantial biodynamic wine.
It is very fruit-forward on the nose with fragrant blackberry, blueberry, raspberry and black cherry alongside roasted bell peppers and savoury spices. The palate is bright and clean with firm but sweet tannins. Focused, great finesse and an age-worthy wine for only $30. (Tasted alongside the 2001, 2004 and 2007 Coyam which was a great experience as Emiliana lost much of their wine library in the 2010 earthquake).

 

Spain

Valenciso

In the north of Spain lay the most famous of the country's winemaking regions, Rioja.
It is located in the Ebro River Valley and is protected by mountains on both sides. There is some influence from the Atlantic, but mainly in the northern portion, known as Rioja Alta.
I was in Rioja Alta visiting Beronia and winemaker Mattias Calleja just weeks before the Vancouver visit from Valenciso's Diego Santana (right), so I had a a good sense of the landscape, the Riojan generosity and some of the influencing Basque food. 

Valenciso is a younger and smaller winery (they refer to it as boutique and produce 100,000 bottles per vintage) than Beronia, which came about as a combined effort between Luis Valentin and Carmen Enciso (hence Valenciso), in 1998.
Valensico makes one red wine, a Reserva solely from Spain's most famous Tempranillo variety. In addition, they produce a white wine made of Rioja's favourite Viura grape and blend it with White Garnacha as well as a dry saignée-method Tempranillo rosé (aka rosado).
Valenciso's vineyards in the villages of Ollauri, Briones, Haro, Rodezno and Villalba, they are sustainably managed with some assistance from biodynamic practices. These old vineyards are on clay-calcarious soils, are dry farmed (no irrigation) and are influenced by The North wind, sweeping down into the valley and cooling the grapes in the evening.
Although each vintage they trial one barrel each of American and Russian oak, French oak barrels are the only style the winery uses for its red wine, based solely on the results they desire. 
Export Director, Diego Santana, is one of only four who works at the winery. He brought with him not only a sample of the soon to be released 2007, but some back vintages and one example each of the 2007 vintage in American oak, Russian oak and French oak to compare.
It was a fantastic lesson to see how the more popular (in Rioja 80-85%) American oak added strong vanilla influences and how the more delicate Russian oak barely showed up - it was lost in the wine. Ultimately, Valenciso's choice of French oak let the Tempranillo fruit shine and produced the best overall wine.

Valenciso 2011/2012 Rioja White - Only 15 barrels of this Viura and White Garnacha (aka Macabeo) blend are made. The white is aged in the more delicate and far more pricey, Russian oak.
The 2011: Lemony notes are woven with chalky mineral, white fruit, white blossoms and leesy tones. The palate is fine, quite lovely and fresh with lively acidity an oily weight, creamy texture and flavours of beeswax/honey, lanolin and lemon oil. Very good length. The 2012 showed more oak dominance, spicy and plush but without the same current finesse as the 2011.(2013 vintage $40 private wine stores).

Valensico 2013 Rosado - A fresh pale cherry colour with strawberry, chalky mineral and earthy aromas. It has impressive structure and flavours of cocoa nibs, cedar, garrigue, peppery spices and tart red fruit.
(Not currently available but it may arrive later this summer)

Valenciso 2006 Rioja Reserva - Some still available in British Columbia and Alberta, this wine is a steal at $40. Aged 16 months in oak it offers sweet integrated cherry, violets, vanilla, exotic spices. mocha and leather woven into a stunning and chic wine.

Valenciso 2007 Rioja Reserva - Lovely fresh cherry, brown spices, mineral cocoa, vanilla and leather. It's a powerful yet fine-boned wine with polished sweet tannins. Aged 16 months in oak. Classic Rioja but with a clean, modern edge. ($40)

* Vertical Vintage Case Reserva. Two each of 2000, 2004, 2007 to be released in very limited quantity ($70+) 
My recommendation if you do get your paws on a mixed case: Drink the 2000, hold the 2004 for a year or two and either save the 2007 for up to a decade or consume now if you like your wines younger and the fruit more dominant.

Okanagan Valley

Sperling Vineyards

In a region best described as a toddler in the world of wine, the Okanagan Valley is still extremely young compared to countries with hundreds or thousands of years of viticulture and winemaking.
One family has been doing it longer than others.
It began in the late 1800s when Giovanni Corsoso made his way to the Okanagan from Italy. His wife and children followed and became large investors in Calona Wines. The family began planting their own vineyards in 1925 and to this day have some of the oldest vines in the Okanagan on their 45-acre estate vineyards on the outskirts of Kelowna.

Ann Sperling grew up in Kelowna but lives in Niagara, Ontario as a winemaker (or winegrower) for Southbrook Vineyards. She has an impressive resume, which includes CedarCreek (previous), Clos du Soleil (current) as well as Malivoire in Niagara where I first met her when I was studying for my International Sommelier Guild Sommelier Diploma, in 2000.
Ann has made wine in South Africa and she and her husband Peter Gamble (also a winemaker) have an old vine Malbec vineyard in Mendoza from which they make Versado.
 Sperling Vineyards wines have a classic style - very clean with wonderful finesse and bright acidity. Straightforward (not in a simplistic way) but in a way that lets the wine express itself without a lot of winemaker intervention or fudging about.
 
The wines are made solely from organic estate fruit although the estate does sell off some of their excess grapes.
The estate is run by Ann's niece, Jill and her husband, Ricard who is the vineyard manager under Ann's direction.


Sperling Vineyards 2013 Pinot Gris - Youthful and fresh nose with stone fruits, candied citrus peel and crisp pear. It is blessedly dry and very lively with a slightly phenolic finish due to extra hang-time in the 2013 vintage. ($19)

Sperling Vineyards 2013 Pinot Noir Rosé - Expect more of a Tavel hue than Provence in this coppery pink due to 24 hours of skin contact. Smoked cherries, dried herbs and wild strawberry on the nose lead to a palate of crunchy red fruits, smoke and some savoury bacon fat notes. Fresh and juicy. ($19)

Sperling Vineyards 2013 'The Market White' - A fragrant blend of Pinot Blanc, Gewurztraminer and Bacchus which really shows the Gew this vintage. Lychee, rose-scented cream, orange blossoms and exotic spice. Nice depth with peachy flavours. Racy acidity cleanses the palate and it has great length.($17)

Sperling Vineyards 2012 Pinot Noir - Classic Pinot Noir expressions - smoked Maraschino cherries, dried violets, cedar chips and forest floor. A silky palate offers savoury flavours atop red fruit, cocoa, cigar and fine spice. Chic and supple. ($26)

Versado 2010 Reserva Malbec - Made from old vines planted in the 1920s, the first vintage for Sperling and Gamble was in 2009. The 2010 offers plush wild blackberry notes, spiced mochas and purple flowers. It has a succulent palate that is concentrated and supple with some mineral and saline flavours followed by cocoa on the finish. ($60 in several provinces in Canada - coming soon to BC)
Versado 2012 Malbec - Not yet tasted. ($26 in several provinces in Canada - coming soon to BC)

More of Ann Sperling's wines reviewed here

~Daenna Van Mulligen