Mini Tastings

The Results Are In – Rhone Mini-Tasting

The March Rhone Wine Mini-Tasting was held at eight sites (members’ homes) across the county, with 125 people enjoying 10 Rhone-style wines paired with dishes prepared by the attendees. The wines were served in five blind flights of two wines each and the attendees judged each wine and voted for their favorites.

The featured wines started with two Rhone white blends – Carol Shelton’s Coquille Blanc and a French Rhone white blend. The Coquille Blanc came in 3rd overall and was the favorite wine at one site, second favorite at another and third favorite at three more sites. It is unusual for a white wine to be so well-liked since many of our members prefer red wines.

The next four flights were all reds, with three from California, three from the Rhone Valley in France, one from Australia, and one from Spain. The California wines did quite well overall, with one from Paso Robles being the overall favorite by a large margin (placing first at six of the eight sites, second at one, and fourth at the final site). The second place wine overall was in the top four selections at six of the eight sites. The three top wines also happened to be three of the least expensive (and one of the most expensive came in eighth, in spite of its 95 point rating by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate).

The four favorite wines across the seven host sites:

1st Place
2020 McPrice Myers
Rhone Red Blend
High on the Hog
Paso Robles, CA
$23.99
The 2020 High on the Hog has a deep ruby color and scents of tar, iron,
underbrush and cured meats with a core of red cherries and potpourri. The
medium-bodied palate is soft, supple
and alluring with a long, floral finish.
This is delicious and very easy to drink!
Best after 2023.
Blend: 48% Grenache, 26% Petite Sirah,
7% Syrah, 7% Zinfandel, 5% Mourvèdre,
5% Malbec and 2% Lagrein
Accolades: 93 RP (Wine Advocate)

2019 Christo
Marietta Cellars
Rhone Red Blend
North Coast, CA
$24.99
A blend of Syrah,
Grenache, Petite Sirah
and Viognier, the 2019 Christo has a
deep ruby-purple color and alluring
scents of blueberry jam and cassis with
accents of loamy earth, violet, coffee
beans and iron. The full-bodied palate
is powerful yet silky with seamless
acidity and gobs of pure violet perfume
on the long, layered finish. It’s easy to
drink now but offers a decade or more
of cellaring potential.
Accolades: 96 RP (Wine Advocate)

2021 Carol Shelton
Rhone Wine Blend
Coquille Blanc
Paso Robles, CA
$25.99
Enticing nose of spicy pears and
white peaches, almond paste/
marzipan, a touch of honeysuckle
perfume. Multi-dimensional
(many layers),
a hard-to-describe range of
aromatics, intriguing, almost
mysterious. In the mouth, it
is crisply dry yet creamy and
round and full-bodied with nice almond
paste on crisp-yet-juicy pear fruit.
Blend: 30% Grenache Blanc, 30%
Roussanne, 30% Viognier, 10%
Marsanne

4th Place
2021 John Duval
Plexus Red
Barossa, South Australia
$40
A classic Barossa blend crafted
from John Duval’s old vine Shiraz,
Grenache and Mourvèdre. Shiraz
provides rich, dark fruits and mid-palate
weight, whilst Grenache delivers
a bright flavor spectrum of red fruits
and spiced notes. Old vine Mourvèdre
is integral to the blend, ensuring
a good firm backbone
of savory tannin and a
long finish.
Blend: 45% Shiraz,
32% Grenache, 23%
Mourvèdre
Accolades: 96 RP (Wine
Advocate)

Chefs of the Evening

In addition to tasting fabulous wines, the March Rhone Wine Mini-Tasting attendees brought a delicious dish to share and then voted on a Chef of the Evening. The results of the Chef of the Evening at each host site are:

Hosts: Kathy Krieger & Lynda Edwards
Chef: Tamera Reddy—Chocolate Cassis Flourless Cake

Hosts: Kathy Nalty
Chef: Adrienne & Ray Davis—Pork Sliders

Hosts: Elee & Don Phillips
Chef: Beth & Craig Stark—Tri-Tip

Hosts: Greg & Cathy Risling
Chef: Magda El Zarki—Endive & Apple Salad

Hosts: Rob & Germaine Romano
Chef: Wendy & Stacey Taylor—Cassoulet

Hosts: Frank & Pat Solis
Chef: Jim Burk—Short Ribs Braised in Wine

Hosts: Beverly Genis & Bob Topham
Chef: Beverly Genis—Honey Baked Ham & Split Pea Soup

Hosts: Dave & Barb White
Chef: Deborah Webber—Balsamic Roasted Tomato & Mushroom Tartines

Congratulations to all the winners and a big thank you to
the Mini-Tasting hosts! Look for recipes at ocws.org.

—George Cravens, OCWS Director

Mini-Tastings – The Results are In

The December mini-tasting featured a range of red wines intended to pair nicely with a wide range of comfort food. Each of the seven mini-tasting sites voted on a “Chef of the Evening,” and the winning dishes included meatloaf, short ribs, lasagna and pecan pie (recipe at left).
The three favorite wines across the seven host sites:

1st Place
2020 Austin Hope
Cabernet Sauvignon
Hope Family Wines
Paso Robles, CA
$49.95

Deep ruby in color, it expresses aromas of freshly picked black currants, ripe black cherries and blackberries, with subtle notes of violets, mocha, and dried spices. On the palate, it’s a big, powerful, modern-styled wine layered with heaps of juicy blackberry and cherry fruit, while nuances of cedar, clove, nutmeg and vanilla bean round out the long smooth finish It’s full-bodied and rich, balanced by fresh acidity and firm, polished tannins.
Accolades: 95 points, Wine Enthusiast. Named No. 7 in the Enthusiast Top 100 wines of 2020.

2nd Place
2021 Mischevious
Old Vine Zinfandel
Macchia
Lodi, CA
$28

This Mischievous blend uses multiple Old Vine Zinfandel vineyards that, when combined, produce the classic, fruit-forward characteristics that are the centerpiece of all great Lodi wines. Just a touch of Petite Sirah adds structure and increases its complexity. Aging in small oak barrels creates a soft vanilla finish making it a very food-friendly wine that can be enjoyed daily with everything from rich pasta to a juicy barbecued steak.
Accolades: 95 points, 2022 OCFair Best in Class.

3rd Place
2021 8 Years in the Desert
Zinfandel Blend
Orin Swift Cellars
Saint Helena, CA
$44.95

Deep maroon core with a ruby rim. It opens with aromas of wild blackberry, pepper, oatmeal raisin cookies, Sequoia forest floor, bay leaf and spices. The entry is broad and opulent with a mid-palate of brambly raspberry, black cherry, ripe blueberry and a hint of cacao.
Accolades: 91 points Robert Parker.

 

Winning Recipe

Eric Williamson’s delicious pecan pie recipe garnered first place at one of last month’s OCWS mini-tastings.
“This is the pecan pie that my grandmother has cooked as long as any of the family can remember (and we all love it),” says Williams, an OCWS member since 2018. “As she was getting older we asked, ‘Grandma, what’s your secret recipe?’”
Her response?
“Oh, it’s no secret, it’s on the back of the Karo syrup bottle!”

Pecan Pie
1 cup light corn syrup
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (16 oz.) pecans plus
1/4 cup for top of pie
1 9-inch deep dish pie crust
STIR the first 5 ingredients thoroughly using a spoon.
POUR into pie crust.
BAKE on center of oven for 60-70 minutes (until center reaches 200 degrees). Cool for 2 hours. Store pie in refrigerator.
SPRINKLE top of pie with finely chopped pecans.

Congratulations to all of the winners! A big thank you to the hosts. Please send your recipes to George Cravens at george@ocws.org for possible publication on the OCWS website.

August 2022 Gold Medal Mini-Tasting Recap

The August Gold Medal Mini-Tasting featured five different varietals, two wines each. All ten wines were Double Gold winners in the 2022 Commercial Wine Competition. There were ten  host sites and 155 members and guests spread throughout the county.

The first flight was a Viognier and a Viognier/Grenache Blanc/Roussanne blend. The second was a pair of Barbaras, followed by a pair of Syrahs, two Zinfandels, and a pair of Cabernet Sauvignons. One of the Zinfandels (Macchia’s Mischevious) was awarded Best in Class.

This group tends to favor red wines, and each of the eight red wines were selected as a top three wine at one or more of the sites.

The four favorite wines across the ten host sites:

Place Wine & Winery Year Price DESCRIPTION
1st Macchia Mischevious

Old Vine Zinfandel,

Lodi

Best of Class

95 pt. Double Gold

Top 3 at 8 of 10 sites

2020 $23 This Mischievous blend uses multiple Old Vine Zinfandel vineyards that when combined, produce the classic, fruit-forward characteristics that are the centerpiece of all great Lodi wines. Just a touch of Petite Sirah adds structure, as well as, increasing its complexity. Aging in small oak barrels creates a soft vanilla finish making it a very food-friendly wine that can be enjoyed daily with everything from rich pasta to a juicy barbecued steak.
2nd Macchia Infamous

Barbera

Amador County AVA

Lodi

95 pt. Double Gold

Top 3 at 6 of 10 sites

2020 $28 Barbera arrived in California along with the early Italian immigrants. It is celebrated around the world as an extremely food-friendly wine with refined tannins and lively acidity. At Macchia, 100% of our Barbera is aged in oak barrels for increased complexity which serves to highlight the vibrant red fruit and what makes Amador Barbera grapes famous. The Infamous head-trained Cooper Vineyard yields grapes with intense fruit, deep color, and soft tannin levels.
3rd Volatus G-LOC

Zinfandel

Willow Creek AVA

Paso Robles

93 pt. Double Gold

Top 3 at 5 of 10 sites

2020 $42 100% Zinfandel from the Willow Creek District. This is the biggest, baddest, most balanced Paso Zin you can find. Back Label: The pain cave of High G, WVR combat is a cruel mistress, but you have to learn to love her.

Alcohol 16.60%

4th J. Lohr Hilltop

Cabernet Sauvignon

Paso Robles

94 pt. Double Gold

Top 3 at 4 of 10 sites

2020 $29.99 The 2020 J. Lohr Hilltop Cabernet Sauvignon displays trademark aromas of blackberry, black currant, and toasted pastry crust. Dense and soft on the palate. Elegant layers of black and red currants leave a bright finish, accented by spice and pastry notes from extended oak aging.

Blend: 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot, 3% Malbec, 2% Cabernet Franc

In addition, attendees brought a delicious dish to share and then voted on a Chef of the Evening. The results of the Chef of the Evening at each host site are:

Hosts Rob and Germaine Romano: Bill Forsch – Beef Brisket

Host Bob Topham and Beverly Genis: Mark Godleski – Salmon

Hosts Don and Elee Phillips: Carolyn & Damian Christian – Smoked Pork

Hosts Craig and Ronna Rowe:  Marybeth Ackerman – Mushroom Dip

Hosts Betty Jo and Jay Newell: Rod White – Asparagus Soup

Hosts Pam and Bill Oneida: Linda Crawford – Meatballs with Cranberry Sauce

Hosts Marcia and James Vaughan: Cathy Painter – Nanaimo (Coconut Bars)

Hosts Fred and Cheryl Heinecke: Cheryl Heinecke – Bananas Foster

Hosts Dave and Barb White: Donna Hisey – Pulled Pork Sliders

Hosts John Molina and Courtney: Ed and Kim Meier – Baked Ziti

Congratulations to all the winners!  A big Thank You to the Hosts! Please send your recipes to George Cravens at George@ocws.org for possible publication on the website.

– George Cravens, Mini-Tasting Event Chair

May 2022 Rhône Wine Mini-Tasting Wrap Up

The May Mini-Tasting featured four varietals and one blend. There were four host sites throughout the county.

The first flight was a pair of Grenache Blancs, one from California and one from Rhône France. This was followed by three flights featuring the primary varietals of a classic Rhone blend, the GSM. Each of these flights featured a California wine against an “old world” wine. The GSM flight had a California GSM against one from Chateaneuf du Pape, and the California wine was preferred by most of the attendees. The four favorite wines across the four host sites:

Place Wine & Winery YR PRICE DESCRIPTION
1st Morcha Garnacha

Bodegas Morca

Campo de Borja,

Aragon, Spain

2018 $39.98 VINOUS 94 POINTS—”Deep, lurid violet. Ripe dark berries, cherry cola, vanilla and pungent flowers on the deeply perfumed nose. Smooth, broad and sweet on entry, then tighter in the midpalate, offering impressively concentrated cherry and blackberry flavors and hints of vanilla, licorice and spicecake. A smoky nuance builds with air and carries through a very long, gently tannic finish that repeats the floral and
licorice notes.”
2nd Mourvèdre

(Monastrell)

Bodegas Sierra

Salinas

Mira Salinas

Allicante, Spain

2017 $17.99 Deep ruby/plum color is followed by a Bandol-like bouquet of smoked black fruits, earth, meat, and spice. It’s rich, medium to full-bodied, has beautiful fruit, good acidity, and plenty of tannins, and it’s a classic, balanced Monastrell that more than over-delivers at the price. These are custom cuvées for Jorge Ordóñez that are only brought into the US.
3rd GSM

Fundamental

Central Coast, CA

2019 $17.96 JEB DUNNUCK 91 POINTS—”The 2019 Red Wine checks in as 50% Syrah, 35% Grenache, 12% Mourvèdre, and the balance Viognier, all of which was 85% destemmed, and it spent 10 months in neutral oak. Lots of red, blue, and black fruits as well as peppery and spice dominate the nose, and it’s medium to full-bodied, with plenty of fruit, surprising complexity, and good overall freshness. It’s a smoking good red as well as a value.”
4th Grenache Blanc

LAFAGE 2019 CUVEE CENTENAIRE

Rhône, France

 

 

2019 $13.95 JEB DUNNUCK 93 POINTS—Based on 60% Grenache Blanc and 20% each Grenache Gris and Roussanne, from very old vines, the 2019 Côtes Catalanes Cuvée Centenaire is another thrilling white from Jean-Marc Lafage. Caramelized grapefruit, crushed citrus, mint, white flowers, and lots of salty minerality emerge from this medium-bodied white that has both richness and freshness.

NOTE: The Garnacha, GSM, and Grenache Blanc are all available at Hi-Times Wine Cellars in Costa Mesa.

In addition, attendees brought a delicious dish to share and then voted on a Chef of the Evening. The results of the Chef of the Evening at each Host site are:

  • Hosts Mike and Cathy MacKenzie: Katie Leary – Mushroom Appetizer
  • Host Kathy Nalty: Linda Shepard – Strawberry Dream Cake
  • Hosts Greg and Cathy Risling: Denise Casad/Dan Weddell – Charcuterie Board
  • Hosts Wendy and Stacey Taylor: Kevin Donnelly – Key Lime Pie

The detail scores by site will be posted on the OCWS website.

Congratulations to all the winners!  A big Thank You to the Hosts!

Please send your recipes to me at George@ocws.org for possible publication on the website.

– George Cravens, Director

NOTE:  The Gold Medal Mini-Tasting will be held in August after the OC Fair (like last year). Many of the wines entered in the Commercial Wine Competition are not released in time for a July Mini-Tasting, and we’d like to feature as many Double Gold winners as possible. Look for more details in the July Wine Press.

2022 Syrah/Petite Sirah Mini-Tasting Wrap Up

The March Mini-Tasting featured six Syrahs, three from California and one each from France, Australia, and Chile, along with four Petite Sirahs from California. There were seven host sites throughout the county.

The Macchia Rebellious Petite Sirah from Lodi, CA was the overwhelming favorite, placing First at four sites, Second at two, and Third at the final site. Second place was Bellante’s Watch Hill Vineyard Syrah from Santa Barbara County. Third was Chronic Cellars Suite Petite Petite Sirah from Paso Robles, Ca.

The four favorite wines across the seven host sites:

In addition, attendees brought a delicious dish to share and then voted on a Chef of the Evening. The results of the Chef of the Evening at each host site are:

  • Hosts Tina & B.J. Fornadley: Tina Fornadley – Asian Style Pulled Pork
  • Hosts Julie Good: Julie Good – Ribs
  • Hosts Pam & Bill Oneida: Alice Polser – BBQ Beans
  • Hosts Greg & Cathy Risling: Elee & Don Phillips –  Pork Loin with Red Wine and Plum Sauce (with Poached Plums)
  • Hosts Pat & Frank Solis: Jim Burk – Boeuf Bourguignon
  • Hosts Beverly Genis & Bob Topham: Barbara Greenfield – Pork Loin
  • Hosts Barb & Dave White: Kim & Sam Clark – Slow Cooker Pumpkin Pecan Pudding with Whisky Sauce

The detail scores by site will be posted on the OCWS website. Congratulations to all the winners! A big Thank You to the Hosts! Please send your recipes to George Cravens at George@ocws.org for possible publications the website.

– George Cravens, Director

Gold Medal Mini-Tasting

It’s been quite a long time since we’ve been able to hold a Mini-Tasting, and the Gold Medal Mini-Tasting is traditionally the most popular one of the year. This year, since we’re still working towards opening up from the pandemic, we are planning to schedule the Gold Medal Mini-Tasting after the OC Fair. This will allow time to arrange for a larger number of host sites, each with a smaller guest list so that everyone will be comfortable and safe.

Tentatively, we are thinking about Saturday, September 11 (the week after Labor Day). We hope to be able to have as many sites as possible host the tasting outdoors, so smaller groups will make this easier to facilitate. If you are interested in hosting the mini-tasting, please contact George Cravens at George@ocws.org. We plan to have the details worked out in time for the July Newsletter, with sign-ups starting in August. Thank you for your patience. We are all looking forward to getting back together again. Cheers!

– George Cravens, Mini-Tasting Committee Chair

Mini-Tasting: Rhône Wines

The Rhone Mini-Tasting event scheduled for Saturday, May 2, is officially cancelled, and we are working on processing refunds for those members that had already signed up.

We are exploring ideas for Mini-Tastings that might be possible once we are able to hold at least small events. Please look for updates in future newsletters. Stay safe.

– George Cravens, Director

Mini-Tasting: Big Reds Recap

On Saturday, November 23, over 102 members and guests attended the November Big Reds Mini-Tasting at seven host sites.

The blind tasting included five flights of two wines each. The flights covered Proprietary Reds, Petite Sirah, Syrah, Zinfandel, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Six of the ten wines finished in the top three at one or more sites. The three favorite wines are listed below:

  • 1st Place: 2015 Mount Peak Zinfandel Rattlesnake Vineyard, Sonoma—three first, one second, and two third place finishes—$39.95
  • 2nd Place: NV Locations CA-7 Red Blends—two first, one second, and three third place finishes—$17.95
  • 3rd Place: 2016 Jaffurs Petite Sirah, Santa Barbara County—two first and two second place finishes—$31.99

In addition, attendees brought a delicious dish to share and then voted on a Chef of the Evening. The results of the Chef of the Evening at each host site are:

  • Hosts Chris & Hank Bruce: Mary Mulcahey “Brownies”
  • Host Virginia & Karl Kawai: Dino Amico “Chicken Scarpariello with Pickled Peppers”
  • Hosts Judy & Bob Koeblitz: June & Vince Porto “BBQ Pepper Flank Steak”
  • Hosts Greg & Cathy Risling: Laurie Preus “Thai Pumpkin Soup”
  • Hosts John & Denise Scandura: Rich Skoczylas “Peach Bread Pudding with Amaretto Sauce”
  • Hosts Shelly & Ed Trainor: Mary Giedzinski “Zinfandel Braised Short Ribs”
  • Hosts Dave & Barbara White: Barbara White “Short Rib & Mushroom Lasagna”

Congratulations to all the winners! A big thank you to the hosts!

– George Cravens, Director