More About California Wines
SINCE WE’VE ALREADY covered the history and geography of California in Class Two, it might be a good idea to go back and review the main viticultural areas of California wine country, before you continue with the red wines of California. Then, consider the following question that inevitably comes up in my class at the Windows on the World Wine School.
Are Americans drinking more white wine or red?
The chart below shows you the trend of wine consumption in the United States over almost the last forty years. When I first began studying wines in 1970, people were more interested in red wine than white. From the mid-1970s, when I started teaching, into the mid-1990s, my students showed a definite preference for white wine. Fortunately for me (since I am a red wine drinker), the pendulum is surely swinging back to more red wine drinkers.6.1, 6.3, 6.5
RED VS. WHITE—CONSUMPTION IN THE UNITED STATES
| Year | White | Red |
| 1970 | 24% | 76% |
| 1980 | 53% | 47% |
| 1990 | 70% | 30% |
| 2000 | 55% | 45% |
| Present | 45% | 55% |
Why this change?
Looking back at the American obsession with health and fitness in the 1970s and 1980s, we see many people switching from meat and potatoes to fish and vegetables—a lighter diet that called more for white wine than red. “Chardonnay” became the new buzzword that replaced the call for “a glass of white wine.” Bars that never used to stock wine—nothing decent, anyway—began to carry an assortment of fine wines by the glass, with Chardonnay, by far, the best-selling wine. Today, steak is back and the new buzzwords are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah.
Another major reason for the dramatic upturn in red wine consumption is the power of the media. Television popularized the so-called French Paradox.
THE FRENCH PARADOX
In the early 1990s, the TV series 60 Minutes twice aired a report on a phenomenon known as the French Paradox—the fact that the French have a lower rate of heart disease than Americans, despite a diet that’s higher in fat. Since the one thing the American diet lacks, in comparison to the French diet, is red wine, some researchers were looking for a link between the consumption of red wine and a decreased rate of heart disease. Not surprisingly, in the year following this report, Americans increased their purchases of red wines by 39 percent.6.4, 6.6
Finally, perhaps the most important reason that red wine consumption has increased in the United States is that California is producing a much better quality red wine than ever before. One of the reasons for improved quality is the replanting of vines over the last twenty years due to the phylloxera problem. Some analysts thought the replanting would be financially devastating to the California wine industry, but in reality it may have been a blessing in disguise, especially with regard to quality.
The opportunity to replant allowed vineyard owners to increase their red-grape production. It enabled California grape growers to utilize the knowledge they have gained over the years with regard to soil, climate, microclimate, trellising, and other viticultural practices.
Bottom line: California reds are already some of the greatest in the world, with more and better to come.
What are the major red grapes in California?
There are five major red grapes grown in California.
Cabernet Sauvignon:6.8, 6.9 Considered the most successful red grape in California, it yields some of the greatest red wines in the world. Cabernet Sauvignon is the predominant variety used in the finest red Bordeaux wines, such as Château Lafite-Rothschild and Château Latour. Almost all California Cabernets are dry, and depending upon the producer and vintage, they range in style from light and ready to drink, to extremely full-bodied and long-lived. California Cabernet has become the benchmark for some of the best California wines.6.11
My favorite California Cabernet Sauvignons are:
ARROWOOD
BEAULIEU PRIVATE RESERVE
BERINGER PRIVATE RESERVE
CAKEBREAD
CAYMUS
CHAPPELLET
CHATEAU MONTELENA
CHATEAU ST. JEAN, CINQ CÉPAGES
CLOS DU VAL
DALLA VALLE
DIAMOND CREEK
DUCKHORN
DUNN HOWELL MOUNTAIN
GALLO OF SONOMA ESTATE
GROTH RESERVE
HEITZ
HESS COLLECTION
JORDAN
JOSEPH PHELPS
LA JOTA
LAUREL GLEN
MONDAVI RESERVE
OPUS ONE
PAUL HOBBS
PINE RIDGE
PRIDE MOUNTAIN
RIDGE MONTE BELLO
SCHRADER
SHAFER HILLSIDE SELECT
SILVER OAK
SPOTTSWOOD
STAGLIN
STAG’S LEAP CASK
TREFETHEN
WHITEHALL LANE
BEST BETS FOR CABERNET SAUVIGNON (NAPA VALLEY)6.10
1994*
1995*
1996*
1997*
1999*
2001*
2002*
2003
2004
2005*
2006*
2007**
2008
Note: * signifies exceptional vintage
** signifies extraordinary vintage
Pinot Noir: Known as the “headache” grape because of its fragile quality, Pinot Noir is temperamental, high maintenance, expensive, and difficult to grow and make into wine.6.14 The great grape of the Burgundy region of France—responsible for such famous wines as Pommard, Nuits-St-Georges, and Gevrey-Chambertin—is also one of the principal grapes in French Champagne. In California, many years of experimentation in finding the right location to plant the Pinot Noir and to perfect the fermentation techniques have elevated some of the Pinot Noirs to the status of great wines. Pinot Noir is usually less tannic than Cabernet and matures more quickly, generally in two to five years.6.15 Because of the extra expense involved in growing this grape, the best examples of Pinot Noirs from California may cost more than other varietals. The three top counties for Pinot Noir are Sonoma (11,000 acres), Monterey (6,204 acres), and Santa Barbara (3,401 acres).A6.5, 6.16, 6.17
My favorite California Pinot Noirs are:
ACACIA
ARTESA
AU BON CLIMAT
CALERA
CLINE
DEHLINGER
ETUDE
FLOWERS
GARY FARRELL
J. ROCHIOLI
KOSTA BROWNE
LITTORAI
MARCASSIN
MERRY EDWARDS
MORGAN
PATZ & HALL
PAUL HOBBS
ROBERT MONDAVI
ROBERT SINSKEY
SAINTSBURY
SANFORD
SEA SMOKE
SIDURI
WILLIAMS SELYEM
BEST BETS FOR PINOT NOIR
Sonoma (Carneros)
2001*
2002*
2003*
2004*
2005*
2006
2007*
2008
Santa Barbara
2003*
2004*
2005
2007
2008
Monterey
2002*
2003*
2004*
2005*
2006
2007
2008
Note: * signifies exceptional vintage
Zinfandel: The surprise grape of California, Zinfandel was used to make “generic” or “jug” wines in the early years of California winemaking.6.18 Over the past thirty years, however, it has developed into one of the best red varietal grapes. The only problem in choosing a Zinfandel wine is that so many different styles are made. Depending on the producer, the wines can range from a big, rich, ripe, high-alcohol6.20, spicy, smoky, concentrated, intensely flavored style with substantial tannin, to a very light, fruity wine.6.21 And let’s not forget white Zinfandel!6.19
My favorite Zinfandels are:
CARLISLE
CLINE
DRY CREEK WINERY
FIFE
MARTINELLI
MAZZOCCO
MERRY EDWARDS
RAFANELLI
RAVENSWOOD
J. ROCHIOLI
ROSENBLUM
ROSHAMBO
SEGHESIO
SIGNORELLO
ST. FRANCIS
TURLEY
RIDGE
A6.6
A6.7
BEST BETS FOR ZINFANDEL (NORTH COAST)
1994*
2001*
2002
2003*
2007
Note: * signifies exceptional vintage
Merlot: For many years Merlot was thought of as a grape only to be blended with Cabernet Sauvignon, because Merlot’s tannins are softer and its texture is more supple.6.22 Merlot has now achieved its own identity as a super-premium varietal. Of red-grape varietals in California, Merlot saw the fastest rate of new plantings over the last twenty years. It produces a soft, round wine that generally does not need the same aging as a Cabernet Sauvignon.6.23 It is a top seller at restaurants, where its early maturation and compatibility with food make it a frequent choice by consumers.
My favorite North Coast Merlots are:
BERINGER HOWELL MOUNTAIN
CHIMNEY ROCK
CLOS DU BOIS
DUCKHORN
FRANCISCAN
HAVENS
LEWIS CELLARS
LUNA
MARKHAM
MATANZAS CREEK
NEWTON
PALAMO
PINE RIDGE
PRIDE
PROVENANCE
SHAFER
ST. FRANCIS
WHITEHALL LANE
A6.8
BEST BETS FOR MERLOT (NORTH COAST)
2002*
2003
2004*
2005*
2006
2007*
2008
Note: * signifies exceptional vintage
Syrah: The up-and-coming red grape in California is definitely Syrah. I don’t know why it’s taken so long, since Syrah has always been one of the major grapes of the Rhône Valley in France, making some of the best and most long-lived wines in the world. Further, the sales of Australian Syrah (which they call Shiraz) have been phenomenal in the United States. Americans like the spicy, robust flavor of this grape. It’s a perfect grape for California because it thrives in sunny, warm weather.6.24
My favorite Syrahs are:
ALBAN
CAKEBREAD
CLOS DU BOIS
DUMOL
EDMUNDS ST. JOHN
FESS PARKER
FOXEN
GEYSER PEAK
JUSTIN
LAGIER MEREDITH
LEWIS
NEYERS
OJAI
PAX
PEAY
PHELPS
QUPE
TABLAS CREEK
VIADER
WILD HORSE
ZACA MESA
A6.9
BEST BETS FOR SYRAH
South Central Coast
2002*
2003*
2004*
2005
2006
North Coast
2003
2004*
2005
2006*
Note: * signifies exceptional vintage
RED-GRAPE BOOM
Look at the chart below to see how many acres of the major red grapes were planted in California in 1970, and how those numbers have increased. Rapid expansion has been the characteristic of the California wine industry!
TOTAL BEARING ACREAGE OF RED-WINE GRAPES PLANTED
GRAPE-BY-GRAPE COMPARISON
| GRAPE | 1970 | 1980 | 1990 | 2009 |
| Cabernet Sauvignon | 3,200 | 21,800 | 24,100 | 74,643 |
| Zinfandel | 19,200 | 27,700 | 28,000 | 49,061 |
| Merlot | 100 | 2,600 | 4,000 | 48,648 |
| Pinot Noir | 2,100 | 9,200 | 8,600 | 24,427 |
| Syrah | 400 | 18,085 |
What are Meritage wines?
Meritage (which rhymes with heritage) is the name for red and white wines made in America from a blend of the classic Bordeaux wine-grape varieties. This category was created because many winemakers felt stifled by the required minimum amount (75 percent) of a grape that must go into a bottle for it to be named for that variety. Some winemakers knew they could make a better wine with a blend of, say, 60 percent of the major grape and 40 percent of secondary grapes. This blending of grapes allows producers of Meritage wines the same freedom that Bordeaux winemakers have in making their wines.
For red wine, the varieties include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec. For white wine, the varieties include Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon.6.25, A6.10, A6.11, A6.12, SB6.2, A6.13
When I buy a Cabernet, Zinfandel, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Syrah, or Meritage wine, how do I know which style I’m getting? Is the style of the wine indicated on the label?
Unless you just happen to be familiar with a particular vineyard’s wine, you’re stuck with trial-and-error tastings. You’re one step ahead, though, just by knowing that you’ll find drastically different styles from the same grape variety.
With some 2,200 wineries in California and more than half of them producing red wines, it is virtually impossible to keep up with the ever-changing styles that are being produced. One of the recent improvements in labeling is that more wineries are adding important information to the back label indicating when the wine is ready to drink, if it should be aged, and many even offer food suggestions.
OPUS ONE
Amid grand hoopla in the wine world, Robert Mondavi and the late Baron Philippe de Rothschild released Opus One. “It isn’t Mouton and it isn’t Mondavi,” said Robert Mondavi. Opus One is a Bordeaux-style blend made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc grapes grown in the Napa Valley. It was originally produced at the Robert Mondavi Winery in the Napa Valley, but is now produced across Highway 29 in its own spectacular winery.
To avoid any unpleasant surprises, I can’t emphasize enough the importance of an educated wine retailer. One of the strongest recommendations I give—especially to a new wine drinker—is to find the right retailer, one who understands wine and your taste.6.26
Do California red wines age well?
Absolutely, especially from the best wineries that produce Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel. I have been fortunate to taste some early examples of Cabernet Sauvignon going back to the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, which for the most part were drinking well—some of them were outstanding—proving to me the longevity of certain Cabernets. Zinfandels and Cabernet Sauvignons from the best wineries in great vintages will need a minimum of five years before you drink them, and they will get better over the next ten years. That’s at least fifteen years of great enjoyment.A6.14, 6.27
However, one of the things I have noticed in the last ten years, not only tasting as many California wines as I have, but also tasting so many European wines, is that California wines seem to be more accessible when young, as opposed to, say, a Bordeaux. I believe this is one of the reasons California wines sell so well in the United States, especially in restaurants.
What have been the trends in the red wines of California over the last twenty-five years?
One trend has been the association of a specific grape variety with a region (AVA): Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are Napa Valley, Pinot Noir is Carneros, Sonoma, Santa Barbara, and Monterey. Syrah is best in the South Central Coast (San Luis Obispo).
Though California winemakers have settled down, they have not given up experimentation altogether, if you consider the many new grape varieties coming out of California these days. I expect to see more wines made with grapes such as the Mourvé dre, Grenache, Sangiovese, and especially Syrah, continuing the trend toward diversity in California red wines.
I personally have an issue with the change in alcohol levels over the past twenty-five years, especially in the red wines. Many winemakers are producing wines with over 15 percent alcohol, which for my own taste changes the balance as the elegance and varietal characteristics are replaced with overpowering alcohols. The reality is most wines around the world have increased in alcohol content but not to the extent that they have in California.
FOR FURTHER READING
I recommend The Wine Atlas of California by James Halliday; Making Sense of California Wine and New California Wine by Matt Kramer; Wine Spectator’s California Wine by James Laube; and The Wine Atlas of California and the Pacific Northwest by Bob Thompson.
WINE AND FOOD
MARGRIT BIEVER AND ROBERT MONDAVI: With Cabernet Sauvignon: lamb, or wild game such as grouse and caribou. With Pinot Noir: pork loin, milder game such as domestic pheasant, coq au vin.
TOM JORDAN: “Roast lamb is wonderful with the flavor and complexity of Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine also pairs nicely with sliced breast of duck, and grilled squab with wild mushrooms. For a cheese course with mature Cabernet, milder cheeses such as young goat cheeses, St. André and Taleggio, are best so the subtle flavors of the wine can be enjoyed.”
MARGARET AND DAN DUCKHORN: “With a young Merlot, we recommend lamb shanks with crispy polenta, or grilled duck with wild rice in Port sauce. One of our favorites is barbecued leg of lamb with a mild, spicy, fruit-based sauce. With older Merlots at the end of the meal, we like to serve Cambazzola cheese and warm walnuts.”
JANET TREFETHEN: With Cabernet Sauvignon: prime cut of well-aged grilled beef; also—believe it or not—with chocolate and chocolate-chip cookies. With Pinot Noir: roasted quail stuffed with peeled kiwi fruit in a Madeira sauce. Also with pork tenderloin in a fruity sauce.
PAUL DRAPER (Ridge Vineyards): With Zinfandel: a well-made risotto of Petaluma duck. With aged Cabernet Sauvignon: Moroccan lamb with figs.
WARREN WINIARSKI (Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars): With Cabernet Sauvignon: lamb or veal with a light sauce.
JOSH JENSEN (Calera Wine Co.): “Pinot Noir is so versatile, but I like it best with fowl of all sorts—chicken, turkey, duck, pheasant, and quail, preferably roasted or mesquite grilled. It’s also great with fish such as salmon, tuna, and snapper.”
RICHARD ARROWOOD:With Cabernet Sauvignon: Sonoma County spring lamb or lamb chops prepared in a rosemary herb sauce.
DAVID STARE (Dry Creek Vineyard): “My favorite food combination with Zinfandel is marinated, butterflied leg of lamb. Have the butcher butterfly the leg, then place it in a plastic bag. Pour in half a bottle of Dry Creek Zinfandel, a cup of olive oil, six mashed garlic cloves, salt and pepper to taste. Marinate for several hours or overnight in the refrigerator. Barbecue until medium rare. While the lamb is cooking, take the marinade, reduce it, and whisk in several pats of butter for thickness. Yummy!”
BO BARRETT (Chateau Montelena Winery): With Cabernet Sauvignon: a good rib eye, barbecued with a teriyaki-soy-ginger-sesame marinade; venison or even roast beef prepared with olive oil and tapenade with rosemary, or even lamb. But when it comes to a good Cabernet Sauvignon, Bo is happy to enjoy a glass with “nothing at all—just a good book.”
PATRICK CAMPBELL (owner/winemaker, Laurel Glen Vineyard): “With Cabernet Sauvignon, try a rich risotto topped with wild mushrooms.”
A6.16
JACK CAKEBREAD: “I enjoy my 1994 Cakebread Cellars Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon with farm-raised salmon with a crispy potato crust or an herb-crusted Napa Valley rack of lamb, with mashed potatoes and a red-wine sauce.”
ED SBRAGIA (winemaker, Beringer Vineyards): “I like my Cabernet Sauvignon with rack of lamb, beef, or rare duck.”
TOM MACKEY (winemaker, St. Francis Merlot): With St. Francis Merlot Sonoma County: Dungeness crab cakes, rack of lamb, pork roast, or tortellini. With St. Francis Merlot Reserve: hearty minestrone or lentil soup, venison, or filet mignon, or even a Caesar salad.