Where the hell is Harvest 2011?

First Grapes @ Old World Winery, Pinot gris

What can I say? It’s now the last week of September and I hardly remember there is wine waiting to ferment, just two little lots of delicious Zinfandel waiting, waiting…just like us. This year, harvest has taken on a personality of its own or lack there of. Pinot and Chardonnay in the Russian River is wrapping up, Zinfandel in Alexander Valley and Dry Creek is hit or miss, and Bordeaux Varietals? Well who knows!? I’ve heard some blocks are sitting at around 22-23 brix! Now yes I know this is a generalization and if you go around and ask specific wineries you are going to get many different answers. Folks like Old World Winery have JUST started harvest in the last 48 hrs.

First Grapes @ Stryker Sonoma, Chardonnay

Stryker Sonoma (where I call home) is finished with whites, and just warming up with Zinfandel. What does this all mean? If you look at the papers and large growers it’s another lousy year in Northern California. But there is a golden lining to this so called “Crap”. The little guy, the winery that produced less than 20,000 cases is going to produce some of the most incredible wines of the decade in my opinion. Folks that care more about quality then yield. The producers who revel in grape tonnage of 1-2 tons an acre are giddy! Low yields are exactly what those artisan winemakers crave. Want proof? Head to Artisano mid November, get it straight from the horses mouth. Winemakers will be pouring those small lot wines. My guess is these winemakers are going to be a little exhausted, but starry eyed as they talk about this years harvest. Mother Nature has done some incredible work for us this year, lets hope this rain next week is more of a drizzle. ~ Vino Votary

Precipitation Probability - Tuesday

2009 Martín Códax Albariño & SSU Wine Students, a winning combo!

It’s not all that often that you get to introduce a new grape varietal to someone here in Sonoma County. It seems like everyone has tried everything at least once. I had just that opportunity a few nights ago, and it was great to listen and discuss reactions to Albariño from the Sonoma State Wine Business Club’s board of directors. The club is made up of some serious wine lovers in Sonoma State’s Wine Business program. The students on the board are all under 30 and work at local wineries and love wine. So when I showed up with a bottle of 2009 Martín Códax Albariño the glasses tipped towards me even before I had the chance to unscrew the cap.

I’ve personally have had quite handful of Albariños in the past, and actually prefer the grape over the likes of California Sauvignon blanc and Chardonnay. The Rias Baixas Denominacion de Origen is located in what many call “Green Spain” the region of Galicia is on the northwest tip of the Iberian Peninsula. The cool Atlantic climate helps to produce exceptional white wines full of bright acid and crisp character. Want to impress your friends with your random wine knowledge? Rias Baixas is the only white wine (DO) in Spain! Enjoy that little tid-bit.

The 09 Martín Códax did not disappoint. As business students the conversation around the wine trended towards the topics of label design, case production and vineyard characteristics. The students all found the label to be intriguing and well thought out, while most felt the foil color should match the writing on the label to help with shelf visibility. Everyone loved the transition from cork to screw top, “ease of use”. The common vineyard layout in Galicia is that of a “Pergola”, 9 feet high granite posts supporting an overhead trellis keeps the clusters well off the wet ground of the Galician hillsides. Most of Galicia is a Co-Op in which growers bring their harvest in together, a style much like the small villages of Italy.

Answering all these questions and critiques slowed my pouring, but I’ve never seen so many doe eyes at once when the group got their first whiff of the floral and vibrant nose of the wine. Albariño is considered to be one of the aromatic white grapes and the 2009 Martín Códax came across with wonderful notes of peach and apricot on the nose, followed by a slight vanilla. These characteristics actually surprised me a bit at first. I’m used to a straight stainless fermented Albariño that comes across with a more citrus character to it. Cameron the club president pointed out that the wine had a viscosity similar to Chardonnay when she tasted it, and upon further research we learned that the wine had seen some sur lie aging after

fermentation along with partial Malo. The wine caught them all off guard, no one could really place the wine in a distinct “California” category. Here we are so used to either Chardonnay or Sauvignon blanc with a tweak here and there. Experiencing a whole new varietal perked some interest in what would pair well with this wine. Gianna the clubs culinary director nailed it in my opinion. “Thai basil and seared scallops” the bright acid, showing as orange zest, low alcohol along with the slight effervesance play perfectly with the simple dish bringing out the best of both.

It wasn’t long ago that I was in the same place as many of these students. These are the wine professionals of the future, and having a chance to broaden their horizons is always a blast! Albariño from Spain and Martín Códax is a great alternative to the everyday varietals we are used to. Many stores have the 2008 in stock and it generally is a fantastic buy under $10. But keep a look out for the 2009, I believe it is going to impress!