Cooper's Oak Winery and OAK Cooperage

Cooper's Oak Winery and OAK Cooperage, Duncan Family of Silver Oak, Visit and Tour

Heading to Kansas City for a family wedding, we decided to take a couple of extra days to drive and tour the backroads and byways traversing the state of Missouri. Our intent was to experience Missouri wine, visit several Missouri wine producers, tour the estates and vineyards, and see the wine regions to learn and understand their terroir, all things that exemplify Missouri wines. 

What we did not plan or anticipate, but what was one of the highlights of our entire trip, was a visit to, and tour of The Oak Cooperage in Higbee, Missouri. 

In retrospect, when one thinks of fine wines and the state of Missouri, what comes to mind, or should, is Missouri Oak, and its use in producing some of finest wine barrels for crafting and aging some of the finest wine labels from the world's best wine regions. 

We happened upon The Oak Cooperage (formerly known as A&K) passing through Higbee, Missouri. There, we met founder and artisan cooper Dale Kirby, who has produced handcrafted, American oak barrels for the wine, whiskey and bourbon industries since 1972. 

One of their largest and most prestigious customers, the well known Silver Oak, a leading Napa Valley producer of California Cabernet Sauvignon, purchased a 50 percent interest in the cooperage in 2000, after sourcing barrels from them for nearly 30 years. 

Silver Oak eventually acquired full ownership of the business in 2015, ensuring a continuous supply, based upon the philosophy of quality, excellence and continuous improvement in the time-honored craft of artisanal barrelmaking. The business was renamed OAK Cooperage, the confluence of the names, adding 'O' from Silver Oak, to the A and K of the original founders of the business.

Originally established as a keg business, the focus soon shifted to the production of 59-gallon American white oak wine barrels, sourced from the nearby forests of Central and Northern Missouri.

Building on the partnership with Silver Oak, they invested in sustainably forested Missouri timberland to maintain long-term barrel production. 

Silver Oak acquired full ownership, recognizing “an opportunity to maintain exacting barrel-making standards and secure a consistent supply of aged stave wood,” according to Tony LeBlanc, Silver Oak General Manager. “The flavors and textural components of American white oak from Central and Northern Missouri are the perfect balance of spice and vanilla flavors to complement the black fruit character of our wines.”

Silver Oak mural in the shop, handsigned by
Silver Oak founder, patriarch, Ray Duncan

OAK focuses on producing the highest quality classic 59-gallon American oak wine barrels for Silver Oak and other select producers. They also produce a small number of American and French Oak barrels for the whiskey and bourbon industries. Each barrel is handcrafted by a team of highly skilled, hard-working men and women who preserve and advance the time-honored craft of artisanal barrelmaking. The Higbee plant has several of the only fifty skilled coopers in the United States.

Finished barrels, the orderliness and conformity
of the bands an indication of quality
craftsmanship.

 

 

Dale now focuses on his other businesses, producing local sourced wines under the aptly named Cooper's Oak Winery label, Skullsplitter Distillery spirits, local philanthropies, and serving on the board of the regional electric cooperative. 

Dale Kirby's toolshop with extraordinary
extensive collection of handtools.

He was gracious with his time and took us on an extensive tour of the cooperage plant. Before we toured the plant he took us in his toolshop showing an amazing collection of hand tools used to produce barrels for decades (and centuries) before the mechanization with sophisticated automated power equipment. 

We then toured the plant and saw barrel assembly at each stage: a shipment of new oak arriving from a forestry/grower, the oak staves aging for three years outside so the rain can wash away the excess acids from the wood, the staves being cut and formed for barrel assembly, the initial stage assembled barrels being 'toasted' over an open flame for a precise amount of time according to the prescribed toast level (or char level in the case of whiskey/bourbon barrels), then the barrel being assembled and banded, then trimmed, finished and inspected.  

At each step, Dale had endless stories to tell and a joke or quip from a vast repertoire. 

 

The oak is aged for up to three years, ideally in the open to allow the elements
to wash away the acids in the wood. 

 

Founder and cooper, Dale Kirby, inspecting
the oak staves.

 

Partially assembled barrels staged to be 'toasted'. 

 

 

Toasting the wine barrels, charring in the case of whiskey
barrels, to exacting specifications, over open flames.

 

Rick and artisan cooper toasting the barrels.

 

See the video below of these processes ... 

Banding the barrel.

Trimming the barrel.

 

Finishing the barrels, testing and inspection.

Linda with Dale Kirby in barrel warehouse
and distribution center.

 
We then went back to the winery and distillery building and tasted the current offerings of Cooper's Oak wines, and Skullsplitter spirits and fruit drinks.

 Cooper's Oak wines and Skullsplitter spirits are packaged in re-usable Ball canning jars for utility and sustainability. 

What a fascinating and extraordinary opportunity to meet Dale Kirby, and see the Oak Cooperage, and to learn its history and place in putting Missouri Oak on the map, and in the ecco-system of notable fine wines.  

Watch this video ... barrel production in process .... 

Italian Village Wine & Dine Chicago

 Italian Village Wine & Dine Chicago

With members of my leadership team gathered in Chicago at headquarters for some important meetings, I hosted a team business dinner at Italian Village Chicago. 

IV Wine Director Jared Gelband (right) served up a duo of Italian varietal wines to showcase our dinner selections.

As is our custom, we dined in one of the private tables/rooms in the Village, one of the three restaurants on the premises, a perfect setting for an intimate or business dinner.

In an earlier blogpost about earlier wine and dinners, I wrote about Italian Village, Chicago's oldest, longest running continuously family operated Italian restaurant in Chicago. 

Tonight, several of our group selected the beefsteak entrees so Jared served a couple Bordeaux varietal wines from the extensive Italian Village wine cellar and wine list, as ideal complement pairings with our dinners. 

Baron Ricasoli Cassalferro Chianti Classico

Ricasoli is the most representative wine producer in the Chianti Classico area Italian wine region. The estate covers the 1,200 hectares of property include almost 240 hectares of vineyards and 26 of olive groves covering rolling hills and picturesque valleys with thick woodlands of oaks and chestnuts.

The estate and its Brolio Castle are located within the town limits of Gaiole in Chianti. 

 

Since taking over in 1993, Baron Francesco Ricasoli has been guiding this central Tuscan company according to the principles of his renowned ancestors, producing wines that showcase the distinctive terroir of the soil types, the climate and clonal selections of the Brolio Sangiovese. He has also totally renovated and completely mapped the vineyards.

The history of the estate and the Brolio Castle has been linked to the Ricasoli family and wine back to 1141. In the family tree is reproduced a print from 1584, one of the first images of the Chianti area as a wine producing region.

 

Estate documents report exports to Amsterdam and England back as early as the late 1600s. Since the early 1900s, the wines from Brolio have gained recognition and appreciation as they have been  exported the world over, from China to Saudi Arabia, from South Africa to the Americas. 

In 1872 Baron Bettino Ricasoli (1809 – 1880), visionary wine entrepreneur, originated the formula for Chianti wine, now called Chianti Classico and the family has worked to refine and expand the brand ever since.

Today, Ricasoli produce a portfolio of a dozen labels  of premium wines, some only in prime years, several labels of Grappa, and a line of Olive Oils, sourced and crafted from the the Broglio Chianti Classico estate. 

Barone Ricasoli Casalferro 2015 from Tuscany, Italy

This label, Casalferro,  was  first  produced  in  1993  when  Francesco  Ricasoli  became  president  of  the company. This is 100% Merlot produced only during the best years. Casalferro is sourced from the
vineyard  of  the  same  name  located  at  400  meters  above  sea  level  and  facing  south.  The  
brown  clay  loam  soil  with  little  organic  content  contributes  to  the  exclusive  personality  of  this  
great Chianti Merlot.

This release was awarded 95 points by James Suckling, 93 points by Wine Spectator, and 92 points by Robert Parker Wine Advocate.  

Bright Ruby colored, medium bodied, black berry and black cherry fruits with tones of leather, anise licorice and dark cocoa and herbs, medium plus acidity and medium plus tannins on a long finish. One review wrote that this tastes more like a Sangiovese than a Merlot from the New World, or the Right Bank.

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2869770

https://www.ricasoli.com/en/product/casalferro-2015/

https://twitter.com/ricasoli_1141 

@ricasoli_1141

 

 Gaja Ca'Marcanda 2003

This is from the legendary Italian producer, Angelo Gaja, whom are most notably known for their Barbaresco wines and some Bordeaux varietals under the ultra-premium Gaja brand. 

I had the privilege of meeting the patriarch Angelo Gaja and tasting the complete line-up of flagship labels at a tasting in Chicago hosted by Binny's and Paterno Imports back in 2004. This also included a horizontal flight of the flagship Gaja Barbaresco - 1978, 1989, 1999, and 2000 vintages.

This premium label is from their other branding in their broad portfolio.

At eighteen years, this is likely at the apex of its drinking profile and not likely to improve further with more aging. 

 This release was awarded 92 points by Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar: 

This is a blend of 50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Ssauvignon and 10% Cabernet Franc.

Dark garnet colored, medium bodied, complex but elegant and nicely integrated black berry, black cherry and plum fruits with notes of exotic spices and soy, hints of mocha, leather and tobacco leaf with plush tannins and nicely balanced tannins on the long lingering finish. 

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=270115

 

 

Napa Valley Atlas Peak Cabernet duo

Father Son Dinner features Napa Atlas Peak Cab duo

The ladies were gathered in the city for a baby shower for expecting daughter-in-law Michelle, so son Alec and I were bach'ing it and grilled out a tomahawk ribeye steak and tasted a pair of Napa Valley Atlas Peak Cabernets. 

Alec brought a feature selection from his wine club allocation of Hill Family Estates Atlas Peak Napa Cabernet. To match and compare, I pulled another Atlas Peak Cabernet from what appears to be the vineyard location in closest geographic proximity to the Hill Family Estate vineyard, the Elan Vineyards Atlas Peak site. They paired ideally with the grilled tomahawk beefsteak, but also with an aged gouda cheese before dinner.

This proved to be a fun, worthwhile, interesting comparison of two different wines, with similar terroir  and profiles, yet reflecting individual craftmanship and vintage characteristics. 

Hill Family Napa Valley Atlas Peak Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 

This is from Alec's collection - one of the few wineries he and Vivianna were able to visit in their fire shortened honeymoon trip to Napa Valley last year. 

This is from the Hill Family Baker Vineyard high atop Atlas Peak at 1,500 ft. elevation. The vineyard has a series of different volcanic soil types carved out of heavy chaparral in Foss Valley with a southwestern exposure, featuring several clones and rootstalks selected for their suitability to the thin, rocky soil. 

The 2016 Napa Valley cabernets are showing to a top vintage with its early year resulting in a long growing season, with bloom in mid-May, and veraison in the last week of July, and harvest the second week in October. 

Winemaker notes for this label release: "The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon had big color and big tannins and showed off the potential of the site and to create elegance and complexity. The 2016 Atlas Peak Cabernet Sauvignon aromas burst out, with many layers of mountain spices such as sage and curry leaf, but the real focus is on the blackberry and black currant. The palate is very deep and serious, with plenty of structure, but still showing the finesse that comes from 74 days of hang time at high altitude after veraison. Black currant and elderberry fruit lead to a long rich finish."

This was dark blackish garnet colored, medium full bodied with blackberry and black currant fruits accented by spices and black tea and tobacco. 

RM 89 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3333307

https://hillfamilyestate.com/vineyards/

https://twitter.com/HFEWine

@HFEWine

Elan Vineyards Napa Valley Atlas Peak Cabernet Sauvignon 2001

For comparison with the Hill Family Atlas Peak peak cab, we pulled from the cellar this aged vintage release of another Atlas Peak Cabernet. As per a replay of an earlier wineblog post below, we visited Elan producers Patrick Elliott-Smith and wife Linda at Monticello Winery back in the late nineties. During that time, over the ensuing years, we acquired a decade of vintages including this 2001 which I thought might be showing best from the half dozen vintages we still hold in our cell.

Elan Vineyards Napa Valley Atlas Peak Cabernet Sauvignon 2001

Linda and Rick with Patrick and Linda Elliott Smith
of Elan, with Phil and AJ back in '98

We discovered this label from French inspired producer Patrick and wife Linda Elliott-Smith from the Wine Spectator feature of the 'Undiscoverd Dozen' after their 1995 opening and release of their inaugural 1992 vintage. 

We first tasted their wine during a winery visit during our 1998 Napa Wine Experience (shown left). We have a vertical collection of this label dating back to their 1992 vintage.

Wine Spectator acclaimed Elan Vineyards as one of the " New names in Cabernet to try before they are too hot!" which helped launch Elan and put them on the map! That article also showcased Robert Craig, Del Dotto, Clark Claudon and several other producers which we started following and continue to collect to this day.

Elan Vineyards' owner and winemaker, Patrick Elliott-Smith, was born in the US to a French mother and an American father. He acquired his appreciate for fine wines at a young age from his grandfather Rene´ who had an extensive wine cellar, with many pre World War II Bordeaux wines.

In 1979, Patrick found his dream parcel high up Atlas Peak Road at approximately 2,100 feet elevation. Patrick perfected his viticulture craft working developing vineyards for wineries such as Hess Collection, Liparita, Dominus, and Beaulieu Vineyards. He planted Cabernet Sauvignon on a French-style trellis, uncommon in California at the time. For the first seven years Patrick sold the fruit to Caymus Vineyards.

Over the years, Patrick planted additional acreage and currently farms eleven acres of Cabernet Sauvignon, one acre of Merlot, and half an acre of Petit Verdot and Malbec. Patrick believes that great wines are made in the vineyards.

When he made a small amount of wine in 1991 for family and friends, met rave reviews that he decided to launch the Elan Vineyards label.

There was tremendous irony in the artwork on the Elan label (shown left). We were visiting Patrick and Linda at their Napa crush facility of the time with dear friends Andy (AJ) and Liat whose Vinehill estate and wine cellar have been featured in my wine writings.

As I recall, Liat recognized the artwork on the label from artglass that hung in their home. When inquiring how it ended up on the Elan label, they found the photograph of the artwork was taken at the source, in the artist studio in Brazil. Indeed Liat had acquired the art piece from that studio a couple years earlier.

I worked with Patrick and Linda to set up their first website back in those early days of the internet and received some wine for the effort. I recall purchasing a couple cases over the ensuing years at the Wine Stop in Burlingame near SFO and the price tags on the bottles show I paid $38 at the time.

My records show we last tasted this vintage release back in 2010. Incredibly, tonight at twenty years of age, this was showing little diminution from aging, a testament to Napa Valley mountain fruit cabs, and this winemaker's craftsmanship, and the provenance of our wine cellar. 

This wine showed it is aging gracefully and is drinking very well as at twenty years of age. Dark purple and garnet colored, medium bodied, it shows moderate complex almost brambly black berry fruits with tones of earthy spice and leather, a layer of cedar and hints caramel and black tea on a silky smooth tannin finish - somewhat akin to an aged Bordeaux.

RM 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=80690

http://www.elanvineyards.com/

https://twitter.com/elanvineyards

@elanvineyards 

 

 

 

 

 

Herman Story Casual Encounters GSM 2017 with BBQ Rib Dinner

Herman Story Casual Encounters GSM 2017 with BBQ Rib Dinner

Following our gala dinner last week with a spectacular wine and food combination pairing of duck and GSM, we pulled another GSM to pair with BBQ ribs.

This is one of our favorite pairing combinations, BBQ with a hearty Syrah or Syrah blend. 

Proprietor and winemaker Russell P. From began Herman Story Wines in 2001 with 7 barrels stashed in his employer’s cellar. This has grown to a broad portfolio of big, opulent, structured, bold wines primarily based on Rhone varietals Syrah and Grenache. The branding pays homage to his grandfather with every label offering the tribute: "Herman Story was a Rancher, Logger, Swapper, Banker,  Philanthropist, a Teller of Tales and my grandfather." 

The range of labels are sourced from 30 top-tier vineyards from seven different growing regions along the Central California coast between Santa Barbara and Paso Robles. He sourced fruit from Vineyards Bien Nacido, Slide Hill, Larner, Shadow Canyon, Chelle Mountain, Luna Matta and White Hawk. 

All Herman Story wines are big, bold, crafted in a forward opulent style not for the faint of heart. Each label features a whimsical name and a front label photograph depicting imagery somewhat related to or depicting the name. Examples of other Herman Story wine label names are: Nuts and Bolts, Bolt Cutter, Milk & Honey, After Hours, First Time Caller, and Smash City.

According to Russel, "Casual Encounters takes its name from the orgiastic nature of its origins as a blend of small cofermented lots."

Herman Story Casual Encounters Paso Robles GSM Blend 2017

This is a a classic Rhone River Blend that the French, and in the new World, the Australians, call GSM, for the blend of the three Rhone varietals, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre. 

The 2017 Herman Story "Casual Encounters" is a Blend of 40% Syrah, 35% Mourvedre, 19% Grenache, with small amounts of the Rhone varietals Carignane, 4%, and 2% Tannat. 

Fruit for this particular label is sourced from several vineyards throughout the Central California coastal region of Paso Robles - Chelle Mountain, Bien Nacido, Paderewski, White Cliffs, Lunda Matta and Jespersen. 

This release was awarded 96 points by Jeb Dunnuck and 95 points by Wine Enthusiast.

Dark inky garnet colored, full bodied, concentrated sweet black fruits are accented by a layer of charcoal, smoke, smoked meats, pepper and what Wine Enthusiast describes as Gingerbread Spice, caramel and root beer.

 

RM 92 points. 

 

https://www.cellartracker.com/barcode.asp?iWine=3367652

https://www.hermanstorywines.com/ 

https://twitter.com/HermanStoryWine

@HermanStoryWine

 

Duck Inn Chicago unique dining experience

Duck Inn Chicago for a classic Chicago neighborhood unique dining experience

Fellow Pour Boy wine buddy Dr Dan arranged a Pour Boys (Wine Group) dinner at The Duck Inn Chicago, a neighborhood gastro-tavern and dining room, located at Loomis Street and the Chicago River, on the border of Chicago’s booming Pilsen and Bridgeport neighborhoods. 

Duck Inn is housed in a pre-Prohibition era tavern with a cozy retro design aesthetic that has continuously operated for almost a century. 

Patron Chef Kevin Hickey was born and raised in Chicago’s iconic south side neighborhood, Bridgeport; historically  home to the best meat-packers and butchers in the world. His family has been a part of the Bridgeport business, political and social community for over five generations. 

Kevin began his professional career in the restaurant business at his uncle’s restaurant on the Gold Coast while in high school at De La Salle Institute in Bronzeville, Chicago. This led to a 35-year career working for Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts in Beverly Hills and eventually with Four Seasons in Dublin, London and Atlanta.

He returned to Chicago in 2004 — first at The Ritz Carlton as Executive Chef and eventually the Four Seasons as Executive Chef & Restaurant Director where he led his team to two consecutive Michelin Stars, the only Four Seasons Chef to receive Michelin Stars in North America and AAA Five Diamond status with the restaurant Seasons. He eventually opened the acclaimed restaurant, Allium.

Chef Hickey opened this Bridgeport venture, The Duck Inn in 2014. In November 2015, The Duck Inn was named one of the “Best New Restaurants in America” by Esquire Magazine, named as one of the Top 10 restaurants in America by USA Today and chosen as Restaurant of the Year by Eater Chicago. 

The Chicago Tribune named Kevin Hickey, 'Chef of The Year for 2015'. To date, The Duck Inn has been awarded the coveted Bib Gourmand by Michelin for six consecutive years. 

We dined outside on the Duck Inn Patio which was ideal for the beautiful late summer evening, adjacent the gardens of wild flowers.

We were served our wine service by Brandon Phillips who has spent the last half-decade perfecting his craft behind the bar, earning the title of Master Bartender. Phillips and Hickey together, open Bottlefork, a stylish New American concept in Chicago that was almost immediately heralded by Wine Spectator & GQ Magazine as having some of the most innovative cocktails in the city. 

Building on the success of their first partnership, Phillips & Hickey opened The Duck Inn in 2014, which would later be named one of the “10 hottest Bars in Chicago”, as well as given numerous “Best Restaurant” accolades from publications such as Eater Chicago, Esquire Magazine and USA Today. Included in Zagat’s prestigious annual 30 Under 30 roundup, Phillips was honored by The Chicago Tribune which named him “Bartender of the Year” in 2016.

The Duck Inn's signature dish is a simple yet elegantly-prepared whole rotisserie duck. The legs and thighs are slow-roasted for three hours and the breasts are pan-roasted medium-rare to order. The carved duck is served over greens tossed with duck fat dripping potatoes and seasonal fruits. The final component is a duck jus reduction served at the table.  

As an appetizer course we feasted on Duck Inn signature Duck Wings in Japanese BBQ Sauce (shown below) which I might argue was one of the highlights of the meal. 

As crazy as it sounds, we also feasted on another Duck Inn signature dish, the Duck Inn Dog, their tribute to the classic Chicago Hot Dog. Made with all-natural beef and duck fat in a hog casing and grilled to a perfection, it is topped with the classic ingredients of a Chicago dog, homemade mustard & relish combined with pickled hot peppers and pickle, tomatoes, onions and celery salt, all in a, one of a kind, brioche poppy seed bun.

The Duck Inn Dog has received numerous local and national accolades, including being named Top Dog by Food Network and Best Hot Dogs in Chicago by Food & Wine magazine.

From the daily specials, Dan ordered for another main course selection to be shared by the group, the 38 ounce rib-eye steak, that we shared family style. 

To accompany the different dinner courses, each of the three Pour Boys provided a bottle for a flight of three red wines. Lyle brought BYOB from his cellar a Willammette Valley Pinot Noir. Dan ordered from the winelist a California Central Valley Cabernet Franc, and I brought BYOB from our cellar a Columbia Valley Rhone varietal blend. 

 

I. Brand & Family Paicines, California Bayly Ranch Cabernet Franc 2018

Ian and Heather Brand founded I Brand Family Wines in from the Central Coast California in 2008. Ian’s first winery job was with Bonny Doon Winery; he then went to work for Big Basin Vineyards for four years before he and Heather decided to begin their own project. 

I Brand uses organic and sustainable farming practices to produce 11,000 cases annually from 20+ year old vines. 

Ian devotes much time to selecting vineyard sites with shallow, rocky soils and proper varietal match with soil and climate in the often-overlooked Monterey Bay area, which has a wide range of undiscovered or underappreciated vineyards.

Named one of Wine & Spirits Magazine's "40 Under 40 Tastemakers", and the San Francisco Chronicle's '2018 Winemaker of the Year', Ian Brand has emerged as one of the premier names in California winemaking today. 

Brand adheres to organic farming and progressive style from his time at Bonny Doon where he was the assistant winemaker to Randall Grahm. Working primarily with vineyards in Monterey and San Benito counties, Brand has the chance to champion both regions and their unique terroir, a confluence of Pacific wind and most of California's otherwise rare limestone escarpments. 

This 100% Cabernet Franc is produced from vineyards located in Tres Pinot Creek, (along the San Andreas Fault Line), at only 800 foot elevation. A great locale for Cabernet Franc, this exhibits Loire-like structure overlaid with the bright fruit befitting California sunshine.

Cabernet Franc can exist in two styles; the more elegant central Loire style, or the more muscular style found in Bordeaux. The Bayly Ranch Cab Franc is more akin to the Loire Valley reds of Chinon, Saumur, and Bourgueil. 

Somewhat opaque, garnet colored, medium weight, an Old World style with bright black berry and plum fruits accented by black tea, tobacco, dusty leather and hints of spice, with a long savory finish of tangy acidity and chalky tannins. K&L in the Bay Area say "It’s no wonder this has become of one of our best sellers."

RM 89 points.   

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3673494

https://www.ibrandwinery.com/

Alexana Terroir Series Willammette Valley Pinot Noir 2016

Alexana’s Terroir Series Pinot was created from a diverse selection of clones and encompasses fruit from five of Willamette Valley’s top AVA’s which lends to this wine's complexity. 

At the winery, the fruit is triple-hand-sorted allowing only the best berries through.  The Alexana Pinot Noir 2016 was crafted by Bryan Weil who previously worked at Domaine Serene, one of our favorite Oregon Pinot Noir producers. 

This is from the producers of its sister winery, Revana in St. Helena, and like Revana, Alexana is quickly building a reputation of excellence.  In 2013 their Dundee Hills Pinot earned the #17 spot on the Wine Spectator Top 100 list. 

This was rated 94 points and was Highly Recommended by Wine Spectator and 91 points by Wine Enthusiast.

Ruby colored, medium bodied, cherry and boysenberry fruits give way to tones of floral, smoke, anise and dark chocolate with smooth polished tannins on the moderate finish. 

RM 90 points.  

Force Majeure Parvata Red Blend 2015 

We discovered and acquired this wine during our visit to Force Majeure in Walla Walla back in 2018. We just this week processed our allocation order to replace this bottle with the current release!   

This is from their Red Mountain Vineyard site in the central Columbia Valley. The Red Mountain site was the very first vineyard on the steep, rocky upper slopes of Red Mountain. Developing the Red Mountain estate vineyards involved carefully matching varietal and clonal selections and vineyard trellising and irrigation to the eight distinct soil types in the vineyard.

Parvata means “mountain” in sanskrit, and hence is the name for Force Majeure's southern Rhône style blend, grown in the sandy, loamy soils of the lower section of the Red Mountain vineyard.

This is a a classic Rhone River Blend that the French, and in the new World, the Australians, call GSM, for the blend of the three Rhone varietals, (20%) Grenache, (34%) Syrah, and (46%) Mourvedre.

This is the style we love, with its dark blackish garnet purple colored, full bodied, rich unctuous concentrated black and blue fruits accented by white pepper and tones of dried herbs with bright lively acidity.

RM 93 points.

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2018/10/force-majeure-vineyards-site-visit-and.html

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2659538

https://forcemajeurevineyards.com/ 

@ForceMVineyards

To close out the dinner with desserts, the Pure Chocolate Beignet and the creme glaces - salted caramel truffle and the maple butter pecan were all delectable - to die for. 

All in all, a spectacular, delightful, fun evening in a classic Chicago neighborhood setting.

https://theduckinnchicago.com/

https://twitter.com/DuckInnChicago

@DuckInnChicago

Stoutridge Winery Marlboro, NY

Our third winery visit along the Shawangunk Wine Trail was Stoutridge Vineyards and Winery in Ulster County's Marlboro, NY. Stoutridge is a member of the Shawangunk Wine Trail as well as the Meet Me in Marlborough Farm Trail.

The farmhouse at Stoutridge Vineyard dates back to the mid-1800s and was built by pioneering Italian immigrants. Sometime around the American Civil War, the farm became a part of the historic 80+ acre McCourt fruit farm. In 1895, Hannah McCourt sold off a 14-acre parcel to Moses McMullen, the majority of what is now Stoutridge Vineyard. 

Moses farmed the land for seven years until he, in turn, sold it to Vincenzo Marino in 1902. Vincenzo converted his barn into a winery and began producing wine commercially, doing so until his death in 1919. Prohibition was ratified later that spring and the Vincenzo’s eventually lost the farm.

In 1923, the farm was purchased by Joseph Noto of Miami, Florida. He immediately dismantled Marono’s winery and built a pig barn and automobile garage. He and his family farmed the fruit orchards and grapevines until his death in 1944. To this day people in Marlboro refer to the land as "The old Noto Farm."

In 1945 Joseph Olivo bought the farm and sold it in 1952 to Philippa Turrigiano who used the farmhouse as a consolidation warehouse for illegal brandy production, a popular activity on farms throughout Marlboro at the time. Philippa was arrested by federal agents in 1956 and the land was confiscated and sold at government auction to Dominic Pagnotta II.

Dominic and his family kept up the fruit trees and grapevines until his death in 1969. (Dominic III became a teacher and used the land for hunting and as a training ground for pistol and rifle use with the New York State Hunter Safety Program. In 2006 at age 70, Dominic became the champion of the Amateur Trap Shooting Association’s annual event, "The Empire Grand American.")
​
Stoutridge is Born. The century-old farmhouse was burned down by vandals in 1988 although the foundation remained intact. The current owners of Stoutridge Vineyards, Stephen Osborn and Kimberly Wagner, bought the farm from Dominic and JoAnn Pagnotta in 2001. They set about the restoration of the farmhouse, vineyards, and the old Marono Winery. 

In restoring this property, Stoutridge took great care to plant native trees and shrubs. Over 100 trees have been planted on the property since 2008. They even utilized recycled materials for the driveways and roadways, constructing them with recycled NY highway tailings — the part of the road that gets scraped up before a new blacktop is applied. 

Today, Stoutridge Vineyard exemplifies natural winemaking and environmentally responsible operations. 

In addition to the winery, since 2017, the property is also a working distillery. Stoutridge is outfitted with two five plate Christian Carl Stills and an impressive 30 plate pot still for vodka production.

One of the most unique aspects of Stoutridge is their malting and kilning floors, one of only eight distilleries in America to do its own malting and the only US distillery with a kilning floor.

Ninety percent of Stoutridge wines are produced from grapes sourced from local vineyards. Using local grapes reduces the amount of fuel used for transportation to the crush pad. One of the goals at Stoutridge is to capture the local flavor. Many of the wines are farm-centric, wine bottled 100% from the vines of Hudson Valley farms to capture regional and local authenticity.

Stoutridge focus on natural winemaking with fermentation being the sole processing step believing their wines retain more of the balance, flavor and complexity found in nature. Careful control over fermentation is key to making wines with no chemical intervention  with fermentation conditions maximized for the natural effects desired.

Stoutridge have a barrel room that houses large barrels that can hold up to 700 gallons, and smaller barrels that can hold 375 gallons. The barrels are made from Hungarian oak which is quite similar to French oak, but at a significantly lower cost. They estimate their barrels lasting over 100 years, which is considered sustainable since a new oak forest can be grown to harvest wood to replace the barrel. 

Stoutridge strive to make wines that reflect the flavor of the grape and vineyard. Their Hungarian oak barrels are perfect because they do not impart any oak flavor to the wines. Their winemaking techniques are focused entirely on making the best wine for our region of the Hudson Valley with no need or desire for speed, but rather as nature intended. Stoutridge avoid, pumping, filtering and fining processes that speed up winemaking striving for the most natural produce. 

Kimberly Wagner, co-proprietor served us in the tasting room and explained their emphasis on natural wine production resulting in natural wines that are un-like traditional wines we typically encounter.

She exclaimed they may taste like cider or even have tones of beer in some cases, and that many that would otherwise prefer red wines may lean towards their whites, and vice versa. So, we were warned, and somewhat inquisitive as we dove into tasting our flight of wines. 

The tasting notes provided with the wine samples stated: "Our award winning wines are processed without pumps or filters and without the addition of any chemicals(including sulfites). The wines are made on-site from local grapes and are unfiltered or unfined (so cloudiness and sediment is normal). When you pour the samples into the glass, notice they smeill different than they taste!"

I inquired about how much of the wines are 'estate', meaning they are produced from proprietor grown grapes, asking many acres were under vines and producing grapes that are used in their wines. She intimated that many of their twenty acres are being replanted due to an infestation of an invasive Chinese louse akin to the stink-bug that attacks and saps the energy from the stems. Hence only two acres were currently producing grapes for wine. The rest of the wines are crafted from grapes sourced from growers throughout the Hudson River Valley.  

The wine flight was packaged with a couple of branded wine glasses, tasting notes and some promo materials. 

We tasted our wines on the patio in front of the estate chateau.

Stoutridge Winery Ridge White

Winemaker notes: Fresh vibrant wine with the unmistakable fruitiness of American native grapes and the soft smooth finish of European varietals. A great wine for lunch and light dinners that will remind you of our Hudson Valley vineyards. Best served ice cold. Unfiltered and unfined.

The day's tasting notes specified a 50:50 blend while the current bottle on offer specifies 60% Seyval and 40%g Niagra grapes in the blend. 

Tasting notes indicate this won the following awards:

• Finger Lakes Intl. Wine Comp. Bronze
• NY Wine & Food Classic Silver
• Finger Lakes Intl. Wine Comp. Silver Finger Lakes Intl. Wine Comp. Silver

RM 84 points.

Stoutridge Winery Seyval / Riesling 2016

Winemaker notes: "Refreshing crisp wine with flavors of fresh cut lemon and grapefruit. It is medium bodied and bone dry with vivacious acidity and inviting finish. Great with fresh chees or pairs perfectly with any seafood or shelfish. This is a blend of 60% Seyval and 40% Riesling. 

RM 85 points.

Stoutridge Winery Ridge Rose 2008

Winemaker notes: "The Ridge designation is one that the winemaker uses on the most artistic creations out of the cellar. This dry wine has powerful aromas but also is nuanced and subtle. Deep smoky and nutty flavors wrapped around a plum and black cherry core of ripe fruit. Astoundingly good wine with hard cheeses and fresh fruit. Decant 30 minutes for best flavor. Unfiltered and unfined."

Atributed to NY Wine: 85% Lemberger, 10% Chancellor, and 5% Noiret

RM 85 points.

Stoutridge Winery Merlot 2010

Producer Notes: "This wine has outstanding vibrancy as well as the notable silkiness which makes the Merlot grape so prized. Of all of our wines, this one tastes most like the vineyard. From top-quality Long Island fruit. Pairs well with veal, chicken, and game birds. Or a wonderful sipping wine without a dry tannic edge. Unfiltered and unfined."

100% Merlot

Awards cited: 

• Finger Lakes Intl. Wine Comp. Bronze
• NY Wine & Food Classic Bronze

Stoutridge Winery Merlot-Frontenac 2010

Producer Notes: "Very complete flavor profile from the deepest, richest purple fruits on the Frontenac side to the bright red zestiness of the Merlot side. Fermentation comes through with a savoriness that finishes the wine and makes it very food-friendly. Nothing heavy or jammy here. The 14.4 alcohol is completely buried in the fruit and the wine remains cool and juicy. Unfiltered and unfined."

Award cited: Finger Lakes Intl. Wine Comp. Bronze

RM 86 points. 

https://www.stoutridge.com/

​

Benmarl Vineyards, Marlborough-on-Hudson

Benmarl Vineyards, Marlborough-on-Hudson

Our Hudson River Valley wine experience included a visit to Benmarl Vineyards, the oldest vineyard in America, boasting New York Farm Winery license no.1. Nestled in the lush green hills of the western riverbank of the Hudson River in the village of Marlboro sits the historic Benmarl Winery's 37 acre estate, vineyards, and hospitality center tasting rooms, deck and lawn.

 
Benmarl produce small batch wines that capture the unique character of each vineyard from which they are sourced. They have tripled estate production in the past six years showing faith and commitment to the wines that the Hudson River Region can produce. 

 

The 37 acre estate overlooking the historic Hudson River Valley has the "Oldest Vineyard in America,”  the winery and cellars, and a hospitality center with tasting rooms indoors, on the deck and lawn overlooking the vineyards and the river valley. Just off the main Route 9 along the west bank of the Hudson, they are set up for large bustling crowds on weekends with ample parking, multiple tastings settings and a well oiled process for service.

The Benmarl portfolio consists of eighteen different labels on offer by the bottle, they produces two dry wines, an Estate Red and Estate White, several specialty wines and a sparkling Verdelet and Seyval Blanc blend. 

They provide a design your own tasting flight of four wines from the broad selection. We each selected a flight of four wines to our liking from the menu that offered 2 sparkling, five whites, six reds and three sweets. 

I will typically ask a producer what they consider their signature wine, their best representation of their terroir and artcraft. The Benmarl server cited the Estate grown Baco Noir, sourced from sixty year old vines, as one of their signature labels.

Benmarl Winery New York Baco Noir 2019

I selected their featured 2019 Baco Noir vintage release that is supposed to be from estate sixty year old vines, however they admitted most of the vines have been or are being replanted in the vineyard adjacent the tasting deck as shown in these photos. 

Dark blackish garnet colored, medium-full bodied, black berry fruits were overtaken by notes of charcoal, smoke, leather and dust with some spice tones. 

RM 86 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4027227

 

Benmarl Winery New York Proprietor's Reserve 2019

Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, black berry fruits offset by notes of smoke, tobacco, some dark mocha chocolate and some spice on a moderate finish. Not as balanced or integrated as it might be, perhaps it will become moreso with some bottle aging, noting its youth. 

RM 87 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4082963

 

Benmarl Winery New York North Fork Long Island Syrah 2020

Being huge fans of Syrah, we were hoping this would be notable but it did not meet our lofty expectations, but then we appropriately recalibrated for New York wines rather than compare to the California, Rhone and Aussie Syrahs we're so accustomed to drinking. 

Dark ruby colored, medium-full bodied, black berry fruits are accented by black cherry, herbs and smoke with a moderate finish. 

RM 86 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4074530

 

Benmarl Winery New York Cabernet Franc 2019

This is what I here-to-fore would consider the signature wine, or the benchmark wine for New York, having found it to be 'best of' in our tastings on Long Island and the Finger Lakes region. So it was that it was probably a standard bearer and met expectations accordingly. 

Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, slightly more complex black berry fruits with notes of pepper, spice with hints of vanilla and a layer of cedar on the finish. 

RM 87 points.   

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4085073

 

Benmarl Winery New York Slate Hill Red Wine 2019

This is a Bordeaux Blend made from Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon, all sourced in New York State. 

Dark garnet colored, medium-bodied blackberry with notes of cassis, leather and a touch of oak and moderate tannins on the finish. 

RM 87 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4074157

 

Benmarl Winery New York Malbec, Petit Verdot, Riesling, Petillant 2019

An interesting blend of a couple of Bordeaux varietals, a German / Washington State / New York varietal and a unique New York grape. The diversity of the grapes resulted in a bit of a cacophony of flavors, lacking seamless integration or elegance, or depth and breadth of a blend. Perhaps several years of bottle aging may transform this into a more harmonious sipper. Clearly a blend unique to this producer or region. 

Garnet colored, medium bodied, black berry, black raspberry fruits with notes of tobacco, cherry sprites, spice and tangy acidity. 

RM 86 points. 

Visit the Benmarl Vineyards website.