Ridiculous.

A couple of months ago I logged into the Winethropology Blogger interface to add to my collection of largely unread/unreadable snippets when I saw something absolutely ridiculous.  I have no idea how long this feature has been staring me in the face (and I haven't checked site statistics on Google Analytics in years), but right there in front is a handy little summary of pageviews and posts:

 

Since there's no comma in that number and this font is so small, I'll tell you that's over 100k pageviews.  Really?  Here's my theory - three things are converging to create this outlier:

1. Blogger uses a random prime number multiplier for daily pageviews and on a few days they used 3571.  Internally they call this feature the EgoBoostNumber.  Thanks, guys!
2. Web-trolling bots from China and Ukraine have been misdirected and are automatically hitting the site over and over and over again.  This will prove to be the downfall of their respective societies.
3. You people have way too much time on your hands!

Whatever the reason, here's wishing you all a safe and relaxing Memorial Day Weekend.

Cheers!

$12 Italian Kicks Ass With Burgers

Looking for a grill-friendly red to ride shotgun with your Memorial Day fare?  Sure, it's tempting to revert to all American bottlings, but this is one that deserves your attention for its exceptional value and all around friendliness.  Cheers! 

2009 Millefiori Appassimento Rosso Delle Venezie $12
First things first. If you don't know what a ripasso is, check this out. While technically this is an appassimento (not a ripasso from Valpolicella), now that you know the animal, you understand how a "common" country wine from northern Italy can achieve the heft and depth burgers demand. This particular specimen has all the fruit and extraction contemporary American palates find appealing without losing its Veronese acidity. For lovers of Amarone without the platinum card budget, keep an eye out for these little gems made by similar means from neighboring appellations. Pow, people, pow!

Chacewater- Warm Weather Winner

Hailing from Kelseyville, CA (a stone's throw from Clear Lake and a crow's flight north of Calistoga), Chacewater is a small organic winery, olive/soap mill that has only recently begun making their own wines.  Run by the Manuel family, they produce an eye-popping dozen different wines and eight olive oils.  Given their limited production, this was a new name to me, though the Red Hills - where Chacewater sources some of its grapes - is home to some incredible (and underrated) wines.  Definitely a region to keep an eye on. 

Anyway, Paul Manuel sent a hodge-podge of samples for review; three reds, two whites, and a rose.  All are serviceable, respectable examples of their varieties,m particularly given how new the winemaking endeavor is to these folks.  The standout here, however, was the Sauvignon Blanc. 

2012 Chacewater Sauvignon Blanc Lake County $14
Soft, full, supple, yet with a mellow-pitched zing. Not what you expect from Sauvignon Blanc, but a lovely rendition nonetheless. Hard not to wonder if the Red Hills' calling isn't Sauvignons given this terrific example and the many lovely noble variety bottlings from this vastly under-appreciated appellation. But back to this bottle, now regrettably empty (even after being opened just a short Friday evening hour ago)... It fills a void.  Where so many SB's are pure green fruit and citrus - and consequently often quick and vapid - this is a languid stroll of a wine with round edges, lingering mid-palate, and a restful finish.  Lively, lovely, and worth seeking out.

Significantly Improved: Fusion Revisited

Back in December we reviewed the 2007 Borra Vineyards Red Wine Lodi  "Fusion" ($19).  It's always helpful to get a second pass at a wine as the first impression doesn't necessarily allow for a full appreciation.  So, it was fortuitous that the good people at Borra Vineyards sent two bottles of the Fusion red blend.  Revisiting this wine five months later showed that a little time provided the space it needed to shed some of its baby-fat extroversion in exchange for substantial structure and a compelling complexity that hadn't been there before.  Still present is its grip and vigor, so, when served with BBQ grilled meats, it was a real head-turner at the table.  Reminiscent of Dry Creek Zins and Petites from the early 90's, but at a fraction of the cost.  You'd be hard pressed to find a package like this at a price like this.  Yum.

2011 Ventisquero Queulat Pinot Noir $15

Walking a swaggering line between taut and generous. Fleet footed but not at all lacking in flavor energy. Fruit crackles with high toned Pinot bombast, though Its soft spot is in the mid gut where, were it to pack some fortitude, this could easily be thrice the price. Overall a lighter endowed Pinot and comparable to a lot of Burgundies at a fraction of the cost. Drink on opening.

Savory, Sensational Syrah

2007 Bonny Doon Syrah Bien Nacido $25
People, smoke em if you got em. Not quite sure how or why a 5+ year old vineyard specific Santa Barbara county Syrah ends up on the shelf for $25, let alone why it's just barely coming into its own, but damn is it a gift. Savory and sinewy and complicated, this intricate drink is in all ways faith restoring that there is indeed intelligent life in them there hills.

Fantastic Chardonnay - Really

2009 Gallo Chardonnay Russian River Valley Signature Series $20
Swooning over the suppleness of this immensely enjoyable Chardonnay, I am reminded of the fact that though wine is often marketed by large corporations, it is made by people.  This well-crafted example is more proof that there are dedicated folks doing wonderful things behind the scenes at even the largest of brands.  Though normally retailing in the neighborhood of $30, I found this on a closeout shelf for $20 - and would scoop up as much as I could find at this price.  With Wianno oysters, it was sublime.

MacMurray Magic

2010 MacMurray Ranch Russian River Valley Pinot Noir Reserve $35
If a wine can be summed up in a word, CLEAR is one that rises to the top for this Pinot.  Despite the difficulties of the 2010 vintage, this example speaks in a voice possessed of surprising and undiluted clarity.  Neither full-frontal nor overly-handed, there's an appealing truth to it.  Smoke and spice come across in a tinge rather than a flourish, making for a leaner, welcome, rendition.  Adds to the track record of this label.  Memorable.

Quite Likely The Best Albariño Ever

2012 Bokisch Cineyards Albariño Terra Alta Vineyard Lodi $16
And certainly the best all around white yet this year. Forget that its not even from Spain. Crisp, taut, refreshing, and absolutely brimming with sophisticated flavors. But what's most overt about this Albariño is the enormous roundness of its fruit - soaring and arching like the domed interior of the Pantheon. All of this is backed up by a silken thread of acidity that makes it just lovely.  Outstanding, if perhaps difficult to find. And with an SRP of $16, irresistible. 411 cases made.

Ukiah!

Easily confused with Eureka, especially at $10! Single vineyard Cabernet from the excellent 2007 vintage for $10? Definitely over delivers. Grass fed burgers and a hearty salad - already delicious- were made all sorts of superlative by this well rounded complement. Find some.

Nature's Vengeance and Merlot

Much of the country is enduring late seasonal snow and sleet at present, though some fortunate climes are enjoying the earliest signs of irrepressible spring. For those on the chillier end of this stick, think of spring as nature's vengeance against winter - the birds and trees and grass and streams all share our fatigue with frost and biting cold. In this moment, nature and its inhabitants are briefly, if fleetingly, united in spirit. You might not be able to taste it just yet, but spring's riot of exploding life is coming. Just listen to the birds at dawn; cheerleaders for the cause.

In this, the tipping point of seasons, we, too, go through not-so-subtle changes. Drawer contents are swapped out, we start sucking in our guts in dreadful anticipation of pool season, and our palates salivate for the tenderness of the year's first bounty. Breathing becomes deliberate and meaningful. What to drink in this shoulder moment? Perhaps something which embodies the pent -up energy of possibility kineticizing around us.

Though lamentably unpopular in the US, Merlot embodies this ideal. Full of verve and unapologetic life, it's a grape that delivers fruit the way a Golden Retriever delivers a ball - with enthusiasm and often spastic energy. Taken at face value, it can be a light-hearted pleasure. Taken seriously - and given the right treatment - Merlot can be a faith-restoring wine. Sitting someplace between these two ends of the pendulum is the readily available...

2010 Ghost Pines Merlot Sonoma/Napa $20
Inviting, medium-bodied, and as easy going as your long time next door neighbor. With enough traction and acid to keep things food friendly, it doesn't so much as confront as sneak up on you. One of the sweethearts of grocery stores' selections. Look out for it on sales closer to $14.

Don't Knock It Til You Try It

Yup. It's Turkish. And better than you want to think it is.