Grilled beefsteak Sauv Blanc and Cabernet Franc for Birthday Dinner

Grilled beefsteak Sauv Blanc and Cabernet Franc for Birthday Dinner

Son Alec and D-in-law Vivianna hosted us for Sunday dinner and (my) birthday recognition. Alec grilled flank steak marinated in a ginger and sesame chirizo sauce, served with roasted peppers and a medley of grilled squash, mushrooms, onions and cauliflower.

I brought from our home cellar a big round zesty Sauvignon Blanc which paired well with the ceasar salad, veggie and fruit plates, and the dinner course. This is another label from the producer of a California Cabernet Cuvee' Bordeaux Blend from Alec’s birthyear vintage, which we served at Alec and Vivianna’s wedding reception. It was a special limited release commemorative bottle, signed by Quivira Vineyards and Winery founders and then owners, Henry and Holly Wendt, packaged in its own OWC, Original Wood Case. I wrote about Quivira Vineyards and that bottle in a blogpost at the time - Wedding Wines - Birthyear and Big Bottle Extravaganza.

Quivira Dry Creek Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2022    

Quivira Vineyards was founded in 1981 by Holly and Henry Wendt in the Dry Creek Valley of Sonoma County to pursue their passion for winemaking and the natural beauty of the area. They also were dedicated to restoring Wine Creek, source to the namesake of their home ranch, Wine Creek Ranch. It is a vital waterway for Coho salmon and Steelhead trout that flows through their 110 acre estate and merges with Dry Creek. 

In addition to vineyards, the Quivera estate is a sanctuary for biodiversity with lush gardens, teeming with life. Over 100 raised beds grow heirloom produce that supply local Sonoma County restaurants and the local food bank. Farm-to-table dinners showcase their garden-grown produce, estate olive oil, jams, and spices.

There is also a landmark 150-year-old fig tree, a living testament to the vibrant ecosystem.

The estate vineyards terroir consists of gravelly and sandy loam soil deposited over thousands of years on the valley floor – deep, well drained and fertile dirt that produces good crops of flavorful grapes. Fifty-nine acres of the estate is planted to vines of Zinfandel, Sauvignon Blanc and Rhône varieties.

A representative of the Adcon weather station has stated that the Quivera Wine Creek Ranch is the coldest site in Dry Creek Valley, which is optimal for preserving acidity in the Sauvignon Blanc and Rhônes planted on the valley floor.

Wine Creek Ranch’s estate Zinfandel is grown on hillside sites which are principally Dibble Clay Loam and Clough Gravelly Loam which produce spicy red fruit that is distinctive and unique to Dry Creek.

The property’s Mediterranean climate and well-draining soils is also ideal for Rhône varieties producing a distinctive flavor profile in the mainly Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre. Quivira is at the forefront of blending Rhône varieties in Dry Creek and stands out from other New World producers.

Quivira sits five miles west of the town of Lytton and Hwy 101, five miles northwest of Healdsburg, and 35 miles north of Santa Rosa. 

Quivira Vineyards’ produces Zinfandel, Sauvignon Blanc and Rhône under the stewardship and handicraft of vineyard manager Ned Horton and winemaker Hugh Chappelle. 

This release is 99% Sauvignon Blanc and 1% Semillion. It was aged in mostly older 500L barrels, Acacia pun- cheons, which add texture with no aroma or flavor impact and helped buffer the typically high acidity. A very small inclusion of Semillon (1%) was used as a final finishing touch for overall wine balance.

Forty percent of the fruit came from Quivira Wine Creek Ranch, with the balance sourced from like-minded partner/growers.

This release was rated 93 points by Wine Spectator and 90 and ‘Best Buy’ by Wine Enthusiast. 

Cases produced: 4,010.

This release  was rated 93 points by Wine Spectator and  91 points by Wine Enthusiast.

Winemakers rating notes - Pale yellow in color and star bright with a slight green tinge. The nose is filled with floral notes of jasmine, hibiscus and white rose, with lingering aromas of classic lemongrass, nectarine and clementine. On the palate, the Quivira mark of high acidity is balanced out with minerality reminiscent of limestone, topped off by layered flavors of Meyer lemon, Key lime, orange flower water and spring herbs 

Pale straw-colored, light medium bodied, pleasantly acidic and crisp gooseberry, green apple, hints of grapefruit and peach, notes of lemon verbena and a touch of tangerine and lime with vibrant acidity and mineral on the pleasant dry finish.

RM 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?3092990

https://quivirawine.com/previous-vintages/

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2020/09/wedding-wines-birthyear-and-big-bottle.html

As we moved from the fresh veggies and fruits to the salad to the main course steak entree, Alec pulled and served from his cellar this Napa Valley Cabernet Franc. 

This is from Alec’s wineclub allocation collection from Hill Family Vineyards whom he and Vivianna discovered and visited during their Napa Valley honeymoon. 

Hill Family Estate Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Franc 2022 

We featured Hill Family Estate Vineyards in these pages in detail previously in this blogpost - Hill Family Estate Napa Cabernet 2018, excerpted here

We wrote about how As newlyweds, son Alec and Vivianna visited Hill Family Estate during their forest fire shortened honeymoon in Napa a year ago September. They visited the new Hill Family Estate winery, located just minutes south of Yountville just off Ste Helena Highway 29, the western main artery of Napa Valley. They tasted this wine there and since then have acquired wines as part of their wine club allocations. 

Doug Hill founded Hill Family estate vineyards back in 1977 when he acquired his first vineyards. Since then, eleven different vineyard locations have been added to the Hill Family Estate portfolio, mostly in Napa Valley and its environs now covering more than 100 acres in numerous significant sub-appellations within Napa Valley.

For nearly four decades, the fruit was sold to the likes of Far Niente Winery, Silver Oak Cellars, Duckhorn Vineyards, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Caymus Vineyards, Cakebread Cellars and a host of other winery luminaries. Hill Family grapes were considered among the finest grown in the prestigious Napa Valley. 

Around the turn of the century, Ryan and Carly Hill approached their father with the vision to establish the family winery with the family name on it. Hill Family Estate was born in 2001 with the first fruit that would become Hill Family Estate wines. A total of around 980 cases were produced and released in 2004. The new brand was immediately acclaimed and gained national prominence with numerous Awards and industry plaudits. 

Hill Family Estate winemaker Alison Doran joined the team and crafted the inaugural 2001 vintage. Alison was introduced to  Doug while he was growing grapes and she was making wine for Lewis Cellars, another one of our benchmark favorite producers, and the other estate visit tasting the kids attended during their shortened honeymoon. Alison  developed her skill while being mentored by renowned wine expert Andre Tchelistcheff, completing a degree in winemaking at UC Davis and spending time in the legendary  wine region of Alsace, France. Today, Doug and  Alison work closely together selecting the highest quality  grapes and producing ultra premium wines

Today, the Hill Family owns 120 acres of vineyards  with properties on Atlas Peak, in Carneros, Oak Knoll and American Canyon. They are 100% family-farmed, family-owned and  family-operated.Production ranges between 9,000 to 12,000 cases  annually sourced from 12 different estate vineyards allowing them to select the  highest quality fruit for their wines.  

The Hill Family portfolio has grown to over twenty five different labels across the broad range of varietals, blends, and single vineyard designated offerings.  

Producer Doug Hill enjoys producing Cabernet Franc, so he maintains a few rows in the Beau Terroir Vineyard. While Cabernet Franc is a delicate variety and tends to be a difficult grape to grow well, but it is somewhat virus resistant and is well suited to the site. 

Hill Family Vineyards’s 2022 Napa Valley Cabernet Franc is a polished, expressive take on a grape that often plays a supporting role in Napa blends but rarely gets this much attention on its own. 

Production was a mere 280 cases of this Bordeaux varietal blend that was 91% Cabernet Franc, 7% Malbec, 1% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Merlot. 

After a year, it was blended with a small amount of Malbec, then put it back to barrel for a total of 20 months in 50% new French oak (Trust, Treuil Terroir, Nadalier Alliers).

Winemaker Alison Doran’s tasting notes: The 2022 Cabernet Franc is dignified with aromas of mulberry and cool climate graphite. The wine is medium in body and has a soft balanced entry that expands out to a lively mid-palate filled with pomegranate, new saddle leather, ripe fruit and a smooth finish.

Fruit was sourced from the Hill Family Beau Terroir Vineyard in the Carneros-Napa Appellation

Producer’s tasting notes - “What stands out most is the balance. Many Napa Cabernet Francs lean heavily into extraction and oak, but this bottling preserves the grape’s hallmark freshness and aromatic lift. It feels confident without becoming heavy, making it versatile at the table.’

“While already approachable with a decant, this wine should evolve gracefully over the next 6–10 years, developing more earthy and cigar-box complexity with time. It delivers a thoughtful and distinctive expression of Napa Valley Cabernet Franc that will especially appeal to drinkers looking for something more nuanced than the region’s typical Cabernet Sauvignon powerhouse style.”

This was a perfect accompaniment to the grilled flank steak, thereby enhancing enjoyment of both the wine and the food. 

Dark garnet colored, full bodied, this was bold, bright and expressive, concentrated blackberry, plum and black currant fruits accented by sprites of spice, cocoa, tobacco leaf, graphite and cedar with supple tannins with a long, polished, and savory finish.

RM 92 points. 

https://go.cellartracker.com/wine/5210616

https://hillfamilyestate.com/knowledge-base/2022-cabernet-franc/

https://hillfamilyestate.com/

Tensley Santa Barbara County Shiraz 2022

Tensley Santa Barbara County Shiraz 2022

We received our wine club allocation shipment of (2024) Tensley Santa Barbara County wines. So, I pulled from the cellar an older vintage bottle of the just received label, as part of cellar inventory management, to try. 

We enjoyed this with leftover ravioli and bolognese sauce, and the remains of my veal saltimbocca from our Wine & Dinner at Bruna’s in Chicago’s Little Italy, the other evening. 

Tensley Santa Barbara County Shiraz 2022

We discovered this producer and acquired their wines, and joined their wine club, during our visit to the Santa Maria Valley Foxen Canyon Wine Trail back in 2022. We saw their vineyards and then their tasting room in downtown Los Olivos, during our Wine Experience, chronicled in this blogpost at the time, excerpted here - Tensley Santa Barbara County Wines.

Tensley Santa Maria Valley, Santa Barbara County Wines

During our Santa Barbara County, Santa Maria Valley Wine Experience, we drove the Foxen Canyon wine trail. On one of our stops, we were referred by one producer to check out Tensley Wines, which was near the estate we were visiting. 

We drove by the Tensley vineyards on Alisos Canyon Road, (shown left) which was closed, so we stopped in the Tensley Vineyards hospitality tasting room in downtown Los Olivos.

We first visited a central location serving as the confluence of many producers in Woodinville, Washington, during our Seattle/Woodinville Wine Experience, where over a hundred wineries have retail tasting facilities. 

The town of Los Olivos is all about winery tasting rooms with forty different producers having public retail facilities there. It is the anchor for the Santa Ynez Valley wine appellation, situated on State Road 154 just off the major Route 101, about thirty five miles north, inland, from Santa Barbara.

One of the great surprises of our Santa Barbara County, Santa Maria Valley wine experience was the revelation of Syrah being one of the lead varietals in the area. 

We were expecting to see Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, which are predominant taking advantage of the cool climate being close to the coastal maritime effects. The cool coastal breezes run up the valleys of the mountains that run perpendicular to the coast. 

We were delighted to find several producers featuring or even specializing in Syrah, Tensley included. 

We taste a flight of their wines during our visit to the producer's hospitality tasting room downtown Los Olivos, where we were able to taste a flight of their Rhône varietals centered on their Syrahs.  

Readers of these pages know we're huge fans of Syrah as one of our favorite varietals for big fruit filled every day sipping as well as serious wine pairing with robust foods such as BBQ.

Joey Tensley launched Tensley Wines in 1998 with the goal to produce well-priced, Syrah-driven wines, by "sourcing the best fruit possible and let the unique vineyards of Santa Barbara County speak for themselves." 

The first release of Tensley totaled just 100 cases. By 2015, production had grown to 5,000 cases and included five single-vineyard Syrahs, the most in Santa Barbara County. Tensley Syrah’s have made the Wine Spectator’s Top 100, scored 99 points with Robert Parker, and won Food and Wine Magazine’s award for the “Top Syrah in America over $20.”

Joey’s first experience with wine took place when he was just twelve-years-old, when his soccer team toured a winery while taking part in a tournament in France. He vividly recalls the chill of the old caves and the aromas of wines fermenting in barrel. From that moment on he knew he wanted to be a winemaker. “Which pretty much made me the only kid in Bakersfield with that particular dream,” Joey says.

Joey got his start in the wine business working as a “cellar rat” for Fess Parker Winery in Santa Barbara County in 1993. Three years later, he became assistant winemaker at Babcock Vineyards. There, he came to appreciate the importance of the vineyard and the grower. 

Over time, Tensley also came to appreciate the uniqueness of Santa Barbara County as a growing region. “We’re one of the only places in the world with a mountain range that runs east-west. That gives us many different, unique micro-climates, so a Syrah grown in one place is so different from a Syrah grown in another. It’s an exciting place to make wine.”

In 1998, Joey became assistant winemaker at Beckmen Vineyards where he was also offered the chance to produce his own label. There, he developed his love for Rhône varietals and decided Tensley would produce only Rhône varietal wines, sourced solely from Santa Barbara County.

Tensley wines gained the attention of the wine press in 2001 when Matt Kramer of Wine Spectator named two of Tensley’s 2001 Syrah’s to his list of the Top Ten Wines in the World, and, Robert Parker scored all the ‘01’s in the high 90’s, calling them “serious, hand-crafted efforts.”

In 2008 Food and Wine Magazine named the Tensley 2006 Colson Canyon Syrah “Top Syrah in America Over $20.” Two years later, Robert Parker gave the 2008 Anniversary Series Colson Canyon Syrah 99 points, and The Wine Spectator named the 2008 Colson Canyon Syrah #17 of its Top 100 Wines in the World. The 2007 Colson Canyon Syrah was ranked #22 the year before

More recently Tensley received high praise and high scores from wine critics Josh Raynolds, James Laube, and Jeb Dunnuck. Dunnuck gave Tensley’s 2008 Syrah Noir 99 points and named Joey, “one of the rising superstars in California.”

I was not aware of this brand prior to this trip. It was a top discovery and revelation and may certainly be one of our go-to boutique labels going forward. We joined their wine club to obtain a supply of their labels from these tasted and going forward. 

After we returned to OC, we visited the two top wine shops, Total Wines and High Time in Cosa Mesa, the top independent merchant in the area. We were surprised and delighted to find Tensley wines on the shelves in both outlets.  

Three years later, more recently, we now are delighted to find Tensley at Total Wine and Binny’s Beverage Depot, our two ‘home’ wine superstores. 

Our Tensley tasting flight in Los Olivos included: 

• Laird Vineyard Marsanne 2021
• 'All Blocks' Estate Blend 2020 
• Colson Canyon Syrah 2020, and,
• Santa Barbara County Syrah 2020 - the then current release of this just received, and tasted wine.   

Tensley Santa Barbara County Syrah 2020

Winemaker Notes: "Every year the vineyard percentages change, yet the style remains the same. In 2020 we introduced Laird Vineyard to the blend. By adding this vineyard we continue to work with sandy cool sites to add freshness and savory notes to the final blend.' 

"We add complexity and power by including all of our single vineyard Syrah sources. At the end of the day, this wine is both powerful and fresh. It beams with bright acidy and saline notes, rounding out with blue and black fruits to make it generous, juicy and easy to drink. It will age 7-10 years, but do not hesitate to open and enjoy its freshness today." 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4091582

Tonight, we tasted the 2022 release of this label. 

Tensley Wines Santa Barbara County Syrah 2022

This release was awarded 94 points and"Top Buy: America's 30 Best Syrahs," by Decanter, 92-94 points by Jeb Dunnuck, 93 points by Erin Brooks of the Wine Advocate, and 92 points by Wine Spectator.

This label is 100% Syrah sourced from five different vineyard sites across the appellation with a diversity of terroir, providing a broad, bold and complex tasting profile. 2,100 cases were made.

Deep inky purple garnet colored, full-bodied, concentrated, dense, almost intense, full round, complex rich ripe blackberry and black raspberry fruits with savory layers of black olive, black pepper, cassis, black tea and sage with full approachable tannins on a moderately acidic finish. 

RM 92

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4747493

https://tensleywines.com/

https://twitter.com/tensleywine

@tensleywine 

Drouhin Chardonnay and Artisan Cheeses …

Drouhin Chardonnay and Artisan Cheeses … 

Watching ‘The Voice, Blind Auditions’ has become one of our enjoyable pursuits spending time together. We pulled out remains of the artisan cheeses we opened the other evening to enjoy. We featured that tasting in this blogpost - Pour Boys tasting red wines with blue cheese assortment.

Linda prepared some Brioche toast points with Shiraz Blackberry preserve/jam and olive oil with shaved parmigiana, and havarti cheese, along with a selection of crackers. 

I pulled from the cellar a rich round Oregon Chardonnay to enjoy for the occasion as wine pairing accompaniment. 

Drouhin Rose Rock Vineyard, Eola-Amity Hills Oreon Chardonnay 2022 

This is the American venture of legendary Burgundian producer Maison Joseph Drouhin, whose family have amassed and operated over 250 acres of some of the most prestigious ‘climats’ of Burgundy since 1880, combining the roles of négociant, producer, and above all, owner.

In 1921, Maurice Drouhin purchased his first plot in the terroir known as "Clos des Mouches," located at the southernmost tip of the Beaune appellation area, halfway between Corton-Charlemagne and Montrachet. 

Joseph Drouhin took over a long-established business in the historic heart of Beaune in 1918 at the age of 22 and progressed developing and expanding the estate with the ‘finest terroir’ in the region over the following forty years. 

In the 1950s, Joseph’s son Robert Drouhin studied Law in Paris and then pursued Literature in Heidelberg. He returned to Beaune to succeed Maurice, who was unwell, and became the president of Maison Joseph Drouhin at in 1957, at the young age of 24. Following in his father's footsteps, Robert Drouhin took over and continued to expand the family Domaine acquiring numerous Premier and Grand Crus Chablis vineyards, particularly in the Côte de Nuits. 

In the late 1960s, he expanded Drouhin’s presence there, acquiring nearly over 100 acres in the historic heart of the appellation including the XVIII-century Moulin de Vaudon. He established the House's oenology laboratory with one of Burgundy's first woman oenologists, Laurence Jobard. 

With 250 acres, Domaine Joseph Drouhin is currently one of the largest estates in the entire Burgundy wine region with estates spread across Chablis, Côte de Nuits, Côte de Beaune, Côte Chalonnaise, and Mâconnais. The estate comprises mainly Grand Crus and Premier Crus, planted with the two iconic Burgundian grape varieties: Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

In 1987, Robert establish Domaine Drouhin in the Willamette Valley of Oregon with his daughter Véronique. In 1988, fourth generation Philippe Drouhin, the eldest son of Robert, took over leadership of the Drouhin estate. 

Today, three generations continue the legacy of Maison Joseph Drouhin, led by the four great-grandchildren of Joseph Drouhin. Philippe, Véronique, Laurent, and Frédéric, each holding key positions in the operations. Having grown in the vineyards alongside their father, they hold deep understanding of wine. The fifth generation is also beginning to emerge, with Laurène, the eldest daughter of Véronique, joined the House in 2020.

Through judicious acquisitions and family agreements, Domaine Drouhin produce a portfolio of Oregon Chardonnay and Pinot Noir; Domaine Drouhin Oregon Arthur Chardonnay, and this Drouhin Oregon Roserock Chardonnay Eola-Amity Hills.

Their Pinot Noirs include Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir Dundee Hills, Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir Laurène, Drouhin Oregon RoseRock Pinot Noir Eola-Amity Hills, and Drouhin Oregon Roserock Pinot Noir Zéphirine.

In 2003, Drouhin purchased the Rose Rock Vineyard at the southern part of the Eola-Amity Hills AVA, in the southern Willamette Valley of Oregon. The soils are volcanic, ancient, with an elevation between 120 and 260 meters above sea level. The ideal terroir benefits from a rather unique cooling effect called the Van Duzer corridor and which makes it possible to produce classic Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, typical of cool climates. 

Drouhin Rose Rock Eola-Amity Hills Chardonnay 2022

This single vineyard designated label is from three select blocks of the Drouhin estate Rose Rock Vineyard.

Tasting Notes by winemaker Véronique Boss-Drouhin - “Nice bouquet with intense floral notes and a discreet touch of hazelnuts. Nice dynamics in the mouth. A wine that has a generous breadth and an attractive finish.“

This label release was awarded 94 points by James Suckling, 93 points by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast and 92 points by Vinous. 

Pale golden straw colored, light to medium bodied, rich, round, vibrant savory notes of Asian pear, green apples, spiced cinnamon, nut and hints of quince, ginger and rosemary spice on a bright expressive acidic finish. 

RM 92 points

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?4815383

https://www.drouhin.com/en_US/wine/drouhin-oregon-roserock-chardonnay-eola-amity-hills/2022

Tensely Santa Barbara County Shiraz 2022

Tensely Santa Barbara County Shiraz 2022

We received our wine club allocation shipment of (2024) Tensley Santa Barbara County wines. So, I pulled from the cellar an older vintage bottle of the just received label, as part of cellar inventory management, to try. 

We enjoyed this with leftover ravioli and bolognese sauce, and the remains of my veal saltimbocca from our Wine & Dinner at Bruna’s in Chicago’s Little Italy, the other evening. 

Tensely Santa Barbara County Shiraz 2022

We discovered this producer and acquired their wines, and joined their wine club, during our visit to the Santa Maria Valley Foxen Canyon Wine Trail back in 2022. We saw their vineyards and then their tasting room in downtown Los Olivos, during our Wine Experience, chronicled in this blogpost at the time, excerpted here - Tensley Santa Barbara County Wines.

Tensley Santa Maria Valley, Santa Barbara County Wines

During our Santa Barbara County, Santa Maria Valley Wine Experience, we drove the Foxen Canyon wine trail. On one of our stops, we were referred by one producer to check out Tensley Wines, which was near the estate we were visiting. 

We drove by the Tensley vineyards on Alisos Canyon Road, (shown left) which was closed, so we stopped in the Tensley Vineyards hospitality tasting room in downtown Los Olivos.

The town of Los Olivos is all about winery tasting rooms with forty different producers having public retail facilities there. It is the anchor for the Santa Ynez Valley wine appellation, situated on State Road 154 just off the major Route 101, about thirty five miles north, inland, from Santa Barbara.

One of the great surprises of our Santa Barbara County, Santa Maria Valley wine experience was the revelation of Syrah being one of the lead varietals in the area. 

We were expecting to see Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, which are predominant taking advantage of the cool climate being close to the coastal maritime effects. The cool coastal breezes run up the valleys of the mountains that run perpendicular to the coast. 

We were delighted to find several producers featuring or even specializing in Syrah, Tensley included. 

We taste a flight of their wines during our visit to the producer's hospitality tasting room downtown Los Olivos, where we were able to taste a flight of their Rhône varietals centered on their Syrahs.  

Readers of these pages know we're huge fans of Syrah as one of our favorite varietals for big fruit filled every day sipping as well as serious wine pairing with robust foods such as BBQ.

Joey Tensley launched Tensley Wines in 1998 with the goal to produce well-priced, Syrah-driven wines, by "sourcing the best fruit possible and let the unique vineyards of Santa Barbara County speak for themselves." 

The first release of Tensley totaled just 100 cases. By 2015, production had grown to 5,000 cases and included five single-vineyard Syrahs, the most in Santa Barbara County. Tensley Syrah’s have made the Wine Spectator’s Top 100, scored 99 points with Robert Parker, and won Food and Wine Magazine’s award for the “Top Syrah in America over $20.”

Joey’s first experience with wine took place when he was just twelve-years-old, when his soccer team toured a winery while taking part in a tournament in France. He vividly recalls the chill of the old caves and the aromas of wines fermenting in barrel. From that moment on he knew he wanted to be a winemaker. “Which pretty much made me the only kid in Bakersfield with that particular dream,” Joey says.

Joey got his start in the wine business working as a “cellar rat” for Fess Parker Winery in Santa Barbara County in 1993. Three years later, he became assistant winemaker at Babcock Vineyards. There, he came to appreciate the importance of the vineyard and the grower. 

Over time, Tensley also came to appreciate the uniqueness of Santa Barbara County as a growing region. “We’re one of the only places in the world with a mountain range that runs east-west. That gives us many different, unique micro-climates, so a Syrah grown in one place is so different from a Syrah grown in another. It’s an exciting place to make wine.”

In 1998, Joey became assistant winemaker at Beckmen Vineyards where he was also offered the chance to produce his own label. There, he developed his love for Rhône varietals and decided Tensley would produce only Rhône varietal wines, sourced solely from Santa Barbara County.

Tensley wines gained the attention of the wine press in 2001 when Matt Kramer of Wine Spectator named two of Tensley’s 2001 Syrah’s to his list of the Top Ten Wines in the World, and, Robert Parker scored all the ‘01’s in the high 90’s, calling them “serious, hand-crafted efforts.”

In 2008 Food and Wine Magazine named the Tensley 2006 Colson Canyon Syrah “Top Syrah in America Over $20.” Two years later, Robert Parker gave the 2008 Anniversary Series Colson Canyon Syrah 99 points, and The Wine Spectator named the 2008 Colson Canyon Syrah #17 of its Top 100 Wines in the World. The 2007 Colson Canyon Syrah was ranked #22 the year before

More recently Tensley received high praise and high scores from wine critics Josh Raynolds, James Laube, and Jeb Dunnuck. Dunnuck gave Tensley’s 2008 Syrah Noir 99 points and named Joey, “one of the rising superstars in California.”

Tensley Santa Barbara County Syrah 2022

This release was awarded 94 points and"Top Buy: America's 30 Best Syrahs," by Decanter, 92-94 points by Jeb Dunnuck, 93 points by Erin Brooks of the Wine Advocate, and 92 points by Wine Spectator. 

Winemaker Notes: "Every year the vineyard percentages change, yet the style remains the same. In 2020 we introduced Laird Vineyard to the blend. By adding this vineyard we continue to work with sandy cool sites to add freshness and savory notes to the final blend.' 

"We add complexity and power by including all of our single vineyard Syrah sources. At the end of the day, this wine is both powerful and fresh. It beams with bright acidy and saline notes, rounding out with blue and black fruits to make it generous, juicy and easy to drink. It will age 7-10 years, but do not hesitate to open and enjoy its freshness today." 

This label is sourced from five vineyard sites. 2100 cases were produced

This is the classic big bold Syrah style that we love. Deep dark inky purple colored, full bodied, rich, round, concentrated black currant fruits with notes of anise, menthol, clove spice and wet earth with firm tannins and tangy acidity on the lingering finish. 

RM 93 points.  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4140592

https://tensleywines.com/

https://twitter.com/tensleywine

@tensleywine 

Blue Eye’d Boy with Flank Steak

Blue Eye’d Boy Shiraz with Grilled Flank Steak

Our last night hosting Linda’s sororiety sister Pat at our Destin (FL) vacation rental home, we grilled flank steak and served with baked potatoes and haricot verts. 

Pat picked up one of our shared favorite wines at Chan’s Wine World, Destin, for the occasion, for pairing with the grilled beefsteak.

Mollydooker Blue Eye’d Boy McLaren Vale Shiraz 2022 

This is one of our favorite big bold Aussie Shiraz’s and whimsically shares the Blue Eye’d Boy moniker designation between the producer and us with our son Alec, hence this being one of our family signature wines we keep and have fun commemorating our son.

This is one of several labels from this prolific producer that we collect. Producer Mollydooker offer a brand and portfolio of whimsical labels, each featuring a cartoonish character on the label. Even the brand name, Mollydooker, which is Australian lingo for a left-handed person, is a comical play on words, named for the two left handed owner/producers/founders Sarah and Sparky Marquis. I chronicled the Mollydooker brand and their portfolio of wines in this earlier blogpost. 

I wrote about Mollydooker and the Blue Eye’d Boy label in more detail last year in the blogpost - Blue Eye’d Boy McLaren Vale Shiraz 2020. 

Here’s a compendium of various posts in these pages about the fun we have with this label and the rest of the Mollydooker portfolio of wines. Here is a selection of several previous posts on the subject:

September 10, 2022 - Blue Eye'd Boy & Brunier Racines for BBQ Rib Dinner 

March 11, 2022 - Blue Eye'd Boy and CDP for Italian Beef Dinner

May 5, 2012 - Graduation celebration wine tasting flight

February 7, 2014 - Mollydooker 'Carnival of Love' Shiraz 2011

July 4, 2023 - Lede To Kalon and Greywacke showcase 4th of July Celebration

February 3, 2022 - Mollydooker "Scooter" Merlot

We hold more than a half dozen vintages of this label and this is the newest, latest release which we're trying here for the first time, since we customarily will open the oldest vintage in our cellar as part of cellar inventory management. 

The Blue Eyed Boy on the label is Luke, son of producer winemaker Sarah Marquis, shown stomping grapes as a kid. Today Luke heads up the Mollydooker Sales Team.

Winemaker tasting notes - “The 2022 Blue Eyed Boy is impressively deep in colour, displaying vibrant dark purple hues. Its aromatic profile is both intricate and inviting, with scents of blueberry, fresh plum, and subtle hints of mocha cream bursting from the glass. This wine is a balance of strength and finesse, delivering layers of lush, fresh berries and a touch of aniseed spice, culminating in a final note of creamy chocolate. With generous and dynamic layers, the wine allows the gentle tannins to craft a smooth and enduring finish, ensuring a truly memorable experience.’ 

The grapes for this release were sourced from the Coppermine Road, Gateway, Long Gully Road and Mollydooker Home vineyards in McLaren Vale, and Joppich vineyard in Langhorne Creek. 

This wine was barrel fermented and matured in 100% American oak, using 54% new and 46% one year old barrels. 

Mollydooker have developed a metric they call “The Marquis Fruit Weight” that they use to measure the quality of their wines. The Fruit Weight is the percentage of your palate (from the tip to the very back of your tongue) that’s covered by the velvety sensation of fruit that occurs when a wine’s tannins, alcohol, and acid are all perfectly balanced.

During the growing season through vinification, they continuously assess & record Fruit Weight throughout the entire growing & winemaking process. In the vineyard, they’re looking for the perfect intersection of the increasing flavour curve and the decreasing acidity curve.

During the growing season, as the grapes mature on the vine, acidity begins to drop and flavour and sugars dramatically increase. In a span of about 4 weeks, they reach the ‘Sweet Spot’ that they’re seeking for each target wine. When the grapes reach that level, they are harvested.

The Actual Fruit Weight for 2022 Blue Eyed Boy is 79%, within the designated target range for the required Marquis Fruit Weight™ for the Family Series which is 75% – 85%. 

This release was rated 92 points by Wine Spectator.

Dark deep inky purple colored, full bodied, almost a bit angular and obtuse, rich concentrated forward super ripe sweet blueberry black raspberry and plum fruits with notes of mocha chocolate, coffee, anise and spice with moderate tannins on the smooth lingering finish.

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=5065016

https://mollydookerwines.com.au/

https://twitter.com/MollydookerWine

https://twitter.com/unwindwine

Ciao Isabella Italian Dining Bensenville, IL

We drove through Bensenville (IL) on the southwest corner of Chicago O’hare Airport last summer and happened upon Ciao Isabella Cucina Italiano Restaurant. We made a point to dine there and had a spontaneous occasion to do so this week after attending grand-daughter Lucy’s HS sporting event in the area. 

Ciao Isabello is in a new freestanding modern building with convenient on-site parking, a modern dining room with white table cloth tables and fashionable chandeliers opposite the bar, an outdoor patio for alfresco dining, and high-top tables in the street-side courtyard out front for casual sipping and dining.  

Ciao Isabella Italian Dining Bensenville, IL 

The restaurant is in the heart of the picturesque charming downtown Bensenville, immediately opposite the Metra Communter Rail Station and Parking lot, and adjacent City Park. What fun to enjoy the quaint cozy neighborhood trattoria, and on a night they happened to have ‘Music in the Park’, a community concert, car show and food vendor event. 

Tonight, there was a car show, vendor stalls, and a concert in the park bandstand - part of the summer Municipal sponsored Music in the Park Series.  The park was filling when we arrived and by the time we finished dining, it was full as the music program started. Amazingly, the front street side seating and patio courtyard dining were only partially filled with the music concert going on just across the street. The front window main dining tables were all filled with their front row views of the activities, but unlikely able to hear the live music. 

It will be fun to dine on the patio again during a Music on the Park outing - upcoming are Country Music night followed by Yacht Rock! 

Tonight’s show featured “Simply Elton”, a Tribute to Elton John Band. 

For our impromptu dinner, we ordered from the menu two staple signature pasta dishes, benchmark selections to compare with other restaurants - Fetuccini Alfredo and Eggplant Parmagiana. Both were delicious with ample portions, thoughtfully prepared and presented. 

I ordered the Fettuccini Alfredo - Fettuccini Pasta with Chicken, Peas, Spinach and Alfredo Sauce

Linda had the Eggplant Parmigiana - Baked Eggplant, Spaghetti Vodka Sauce

We each ordered from the limited but basically sufficient carefully selected Italian based wine list a WBTG - Wine By The Glass for an appropriate pairing accompaniment. 

With the Fettuccini - Poggio Morino, Tuscany DOC Chianti 2022

Poggio Morino is the name for a hill, or knoll, and the place where Chianti wine was born. The 90 acre estate is located near the medieval town of Grosetto in the Maremma area of Tuscany in the Chianti DOCG zone. They are known for producing rich, ripe velvety wines that reflect the terroir of their select vineyards.

Winemaker’s Notes - This 100% Sangiovese is dry with hints of raspberries, cherries and violets. Ruby-red in color, well-balanced acidity and tannins.

This provides great QPR - Quality Price Ratio for affordable, pleasant casual sipping with dinner.

Bright Ruby colored, medium bodied, raspberry and cherry fruits with notes of leather and tar with crisp acidity on a moderate tannin finish.  

RM 87 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=5494487

With the Eggplant Parmagiana Linda had the Super Tuscan - Greppicante, Super Tuscan

Azienda I Greppi Bolgheri Greppicante 2023 

This is from I Greppi Estate in Bolgheri, the small but extraordinary wine region, situated on the Tuscan coast, 100 km southwest of Florence, 70 km south of Pisa. The estate spans the central and northern sections of the DOC area between the historic hilltop villages of Bolgheri and Castagneto Carducci.

I Greppi was founded in Bolgheri in 2001 by Alessandro Landini who already had a winery in Chianti Classico called Fattoria Viticcio. 

In 2017, the estate was acquired by Dr. Neil McMahon, an Irish geologist, geophysicist, and entrepreneur, who was looking for land in Bolgheri to set up a winery. Joining McMahon was Dale Heathley, a Welshman who works as Director of the company.

The vineyards cover 37 hectares, with 26 planted under vine. The distinctive Bolgheri terroir consists primarily of sandy soils, offering excellent drainage, and clay-rich soils that contribute to greater complexity and balance in the wines.

Just 5 km from the sea, the vineyards are framed by the Colline Metallifere to the east and the Tyrrhenian Sea to the west, the landscape forming a natural amphitheater that captures the coastal Mediterranean climate providing ideal conditions for cultivating international varieties that are cultivated to produce the renowned “Super-Tuscan” style of red wines. 

The I Greppi winemaker is Elisa Rosetti who joined in March 2023 after 17 years as the Assistant Winemaker at Tenuta di Biserno. Prior, she studied viticulture and enology at the University of Pisa. She is aided by consulting Winemaker Emiliano Falsini.

I Greppi are involved in a partnership with the Department of Viticulture and Enology at the University of California, Davis, helping to facilitate research projects between the Bolgheri Consortium and UC Davis

.

This I Greppi Greppicante label is a Tuscan Blend of traditional Bordeaux varietals - 60% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, 13% Petit Verdot, and 14% Cabernet Sauvignon grown on the estate's diverse soils near the Tuscan coast that reflect the region's exceptional terroir. It was aged for 12 months in 2 and 3 year old French oak barrels followed by 6 months in bottles. 

Winemaker’s Note - “This elegant red offers inviting aromas of blackcurrant, plum, and subtle cedar notes. The palate is smooth and well-structured with refined tannins, revealing flavors of dark fruit, spice, and a hint of Mediterranean herbs.”

This was rated 94 Points by Raffaele Vecchione, International Wine Cellars and 92 points by James Suckling.

Garnet colored, medium to full bodied, round, blackberry and black currant fruits with notes of floral, rosemary and dark spices juniper berries with moderate soft tannins on the finish. 

RM 90 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=5296120

https://www.igreppi.com/en/home.html

https://www.ciaoisabellarestaurant.com/