Delicious Fermented Grapes
So today we’re going to divert from the usual conversation on beer, hard liquor, and Moe’s boxer briefs fetish. Today we’re going to discuss wine.
As some of you know, I’ve spent the last week in California, roaming the central valley, tasting dozens of wines a day, and buying the most delicious and interesting. Yes, I suffer so that I may write for you, dear reader. How I suffer.
I’m going to discuss a few wineries and the more awesome things they brought forth. Be warned: some of these places get spendy. If you can’t see dropping $40 or so on a really awesome bottle, that’s fine. I invite you to return to your box wine and white zinfandel now with the knowledge that if you should ever meet me and make the mistake of touching my wine glass with either of these things I will murder you with a hammer.
They will never find the body.
That aside, let’s discuss a few delicious wineries:
Eos: Location: Paso Robles, CA. Pricing $-$$
Eos Website
Great wine and a fantastic price range on the selection. The guys at Eos make a ton of excellent wine. The Lost Angel label is their budget label, and is quite tasty. The Lost Angel Mischief stands out as a tasty, fruity blend with great legs that can hold up to a heavy pizza, etc. At $14 (site listing) you won’t mind popping this open for a cheap meal or around people you don’t like that much. The private reserve has a lot of tastiness for a bit more money. Another personal favorite is the “Tears of Dew” Late Harvest. Very sweet and fairly complex for a dessert wine, this guy is also really reasonably priced.
Herman Story/Barrel 27/McPrice Myers
Location: Paso Robles, CA. Pricing $-$$
Barrel 27 homepage
McPrice Myers homepage
Herman Story Hompeage
These three wineries are the work of two guys. Russell P. From is the genius behind Herman Story. McPrice Myers is run by, oddly enough, Mr. Myers. Finally, Barrel 27 is a joint effort by both winemakers.
Barrel 27 is your budget label here. The Head Honcho is there big boy at $28, and is a very impressive Syrah. The Right Hand Man is the second red down for $10 less, and is an absolutely fantastic bottle for that price. This stuff will blow your mind for the money.
McPrice Myers makes some more expensive wine, but also very tasty bottles. L’Ange Rouge is a very nice wine. Unfortunately as of this posting it looks like Beautiful Earth, my far and away favorite, is sold out (Note: The 2007 is still available, but not for long).
Herman Story itself is your head banging, death metal, kickass wine. This shit is phenomenal all around. The Nuts and Bolts advertised on the home page is delicious, as is their Viognier, Cab, and just about anything else. Herman Story has a wine club (as do pretty much all of these guys), and it would behoove you to become a part of it before Mr. From makes fuck you money and ignores all further requests to be a member in delicious.
Sea Smoke
Location: Santa Barbara County, CA. Price:$$-$$$
Website Here
Now we’ve gone off the end of the world. Sea Smoke is expensive, exclusive, and mind-boggling. How expensive? Double the pricing on the stuff I’ve been touting so far, and you’ll have an idea. How exclusive? They sell more than 70% of their production through the wine club, which currently has a three year waiting list. How mind-boggling? I’m still talking about them here.
Going to Sea Smoke was an experience itself. We had to condense to the 4wd car and take a steep, swerving path up a smallish mountain. This is the middle of the Sea Smoke vineyard, where many a grape vine grows at a 45-degree angle out of the slope. The top of the rock face is where we stopped, looking out over the 160,000-odd vines (that have to be hand-cared for eight times a year) and sampling the new Gratis Chardonnay.
For me, a white like this is a touchy experience. I like big heavy red wines, but am not as much of a fan of whites. This bottle has changed my opinion on the Chardonnay. It was subtle, light citrus from the first slip to the last drop, with a smooth, easy finish.
I have never had so much as a mediocre bottle from Sea Smoke, let alone a bad one. I say this because you’re likely to only see these bottles on an ebay-style reseller or in a restaurant (or 3 years from now if you follow my advice and get on the waiting list now) and you need to understand that the price point on this bottle is worth it. As much as an import copy of Mother 3 or Do Don Pachi or a good pile of Trappist beer. Drink it. Love it.
That covers the majority of my drinking experience in central valley. A final standout includes the Turley cellars, for a nice, mid-priced wine. their Juvenile is pretty awesome, and would be a great wine for a big fatty meal (ie, anything Moe consumes).
Many of these will be available in February in Nebraska, for those interested in a gigantic tasting. More details to follow.
I think that about wraps it up for wine from the week. I shall bring more glorious information to you unwashed masses at my leisure.
Toodles.
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Tags: wine
August 17th, 2009 at 9:44 am
nice article, I haven’t been much into wines, but maybe I’ll try!
Phneri, have you been able to try a wine from Maynard Keenan’s orchard in Arizona? http://www.caduceus.org/ I’ve looked around here in Massachusetts for it, but nobody seems to carry it. I hear it’s crazy expensive though.
August 18th, 2009 at 5:27 pm
Phenri was in the central calley of CA and didn’t think to contact The Married Gamers? We would have loved to have treated you to dinner.
August 18th, 2009 at 7:14 pm
lefty, if I had ever been in any condition to drive after 1 in the afternoon any day that week, I would have totally taken you up on that.
August 20th, 2009 at 9:34 pm
Back before I was a beer nerd, I was a wine snob. Then I had kids and didn’t want to risk $20+ on a bottle of so-so wine. This make me want to get some of these… damn you, Phneri.