The Wines of Amador County

California’s Gold Rush of the 1850s included the western foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. As fortune seekers flocked to the Sierras to prospect for gold, small wineries also began to appear. But the decline of gold mining in the late 1800s, followed by the start of Prohibition, brought devastation to this small wine community. But, some of the vineyards planted during that era survived and today are once again fueling the wineries of Amador County.

With some forty wineries in the region, there are some excellent wines being produced. Wineries such as Amador Cellars, Sobon, Turley, Helwig, Terra d’Oro (Montevina), Dillian and Renwood are just a few of the wonderful wineries producing great wines, some of which are distributed to wine sellers for your enjoyment.

Amador County wineries are focused on producing red wines including Zinfandel, Barbera, Syrah, and Petite Sirah, but you’ll also find a few whites and rosé wines being produced.

My ah-ha wine moment came years ago when I experienced an Amador County varietal that I’d heard of before my visit to Northern California. Upon learning it was a Barbera from Amador Cellars, my eyes were opened to more than just California Cab. And while finding a variety of Barberas continues to be a challenge outside of this region, you’ll “strike gold” in Amador County.

I’ll be featured a few of my favorites on Instagram (@EverWonderWine) in the coming days. But, if you are in Northern California, near Sacramento or Lake Tahoe, it’s worth a visit to Amador County, and it neighboring El Dorado County wineries. You’ll be pleasantly surprised with the wines of these regions. Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Wine of the Week

2010 Viñas Del Vero Secastilla Garnacha ($40)

The vineyards in the Secastilla valley are located in the north-eastern part of the Somontano region in Aragon Spain. The name Somontano means "under the mountains" which is appropriate since the region sits in the foothills of the central Pyrenees mountains. This region is located just 35 miles south of France.

The grapes are selected from old vines in the Guardia Miranda vineyard, de-stemmed before fermentation. It underwent malolactic conversion in French oak barrels and remained there for 10 months.

The vineyard’s elevation leads to the fruit ripening slowly, leading to it fresh features.

This Secastilla Garnacha exhibits nice cherry and black berry flavors, is wonderfully gentle mid-palate with distinct tannin and has a nice long finish.

The SRP is outside of the typical wines featured in Behind the Cork™ - Wine of the Week, but hunting around turned up some very nice prices on this wine. So, indeed, it fits as an affordable, attainable wine that’s well worth seeking out.

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Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this wine at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sample Provided by Rebekah Polster of Donna White Communications

This wine is imported by Gonzalez Byass.

Ever Had a Peppery Zinfandel?

Zinfandel is a very popular California wine. One that can take on two very different flavor personalities.

Zinfandel that is grown in warm places usually results in grapes that get very ripe and produce big jammy “fruit bomb” flavors. High alcohol levels are usually included in these wines. But, Zinfandel that is grown in cooler climates can result in wines with lots of herbal flavors.

While Zinfandel can have a variety of herbal flavors, the primary one is usually described as “peppery.” A recent article in Wine Spectator (June 2018) featured California Zinfandels with descriptions that included “…pepper…savory cracked pepper…green peppercorn…white pepper aromas…fresh pepper aromas…cracked pepper notes…white pepper flavors…loaded with pepper…smoky pepper flavors.”

The reason for these peppery flavors in wine is a bit technical, but let’s give it a try. It has to do with physical chemical compounds. And, the compound rotundone is responsible for contributing the spice qualities similar to the experience of cracked peppercorns. Now, just to take this one step further down the technical path, rotundone is part of a larger class of aromatic terpenes called sesquiterpenes, which is the primary compound found in black or white peppercorns.

But, there is no where near the quantity of rotundone found in the skins of wine grapes than in peppercorns. They are so few that they are not perceivable in the grape off the vine (that would be a bit weird to bite into a peppery grape!). But the tiny amounts of this compound often become perceivable in the taste of wines following the process of fermentation. And, yes, there’s a lot of chemistry going on there too.

Now, this peppercorn flavor from rotundone is not to be confused with bell peppers. This is also a flavor that is commonly found in wines. These are due to methoxypyrazines which are commonly occurring compounds that result in subtle vegetable or herb-like aromas and flavors, such as bell peppers, asparagus or mint. Methoxypyrazines (usually referred to as pyrazines) are found in numerous wines, including Zinfandels, when the grapes are picked slightly underripe or “green,” or when the grapes are fermented with grape stems, which are high in methoxypyrazines. So, it is not uncommon to find lighter, earlier picked or stem-fermented styles of Zinfandel that are also slightly herbal due to pyrazines.

So, bell pepper and black pepper flavor compounds are not the same but they can appear in wines for different reasons. Nonetheless, next time you get to enjoy a Zinfandel, try to determine which of the two flavor personalities it has — jammy or peppery. And, which peppery flavors you are experiencing.

Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Wine of the Week

2013 Beronia Rioja Reserva ($20)

This Rioja from Beronia is produced with 95% Tempranillo, 4% Graciano (known as Morrastel in Languedoc) and 1% Mazuelo (a.k.a. Carignan).

Being a ‘Reserva’ in Rioja means that this wine is required to be aged for at least one year in oak and then spend two years in the bottle before being sold. This Beronia Rioja Reserva spent 20 months in oak barrels with American staves and French caps.

In the Rioja region, the Consejo Regulador DOCa Rioja, ensures that these quality requirements are met.

While the nice fruit flavors of black cherry and blackberry are notable from the Tempranillo, the oak aging adds nuances of smokiness and vanilla. The Graciano adds tannin and colored, while the tiny splash of Mazuelo also adds tannin and a hint of acidity.

This is a really nice Rioja from Beronia that pairs well with red meats, game and roasts. When looking for a Rioja, keep your eyes out for a ‘Reserva.’ It’s well worth it! And, this Beronia Rioja Reserva is another fine example of a Behind the Cork™ - Wine of the Week that’s attainable and affordable. Cheers and Salud!

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Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this wine at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sample Provided by Rebekah Polster of Donna White Communications

This wine is imported by Gonzalez Byass.

The Various Types of Rioja Wine

Rioja is maybe the best known Spanish wine, but did you know there are various styles of Rioja?

First, let’s review a bit about Rioja. It is a region in North-Central Spain that’s known for its wine. And, like most Old-World wines, the wine label identifies the wine region, not the grape varietal.

Rioja wine is made from Tempranillo grapes but is usually a blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha and Mazuelo (a.k.a. Carignan).

But, have you’ve ever noticed that a Rioja wine is made in various styles?

The most basic Rioja wine is usually labeled simply as “Rioja.” Makes sense, right? It is aged for a matter of months, bottled and sold. It’s bright and fruity with big cherry flavors.

Then there is “Crianza.” You may not have noticed this word on the label since it doesn’t immediately mean anything to an English speaker. But, one of its translations means ‘aging.’ And, indeed, this style of Rioja is required to be aged for one year in oak and spend one year in the bottle before being sold. The controlling board in Rioja, the Consejo Regulador DOCa Rioja, ensures that these quality requirements are met.

Next is “Reserva.” Now this is a term that appears on a lot of wines, but in Rioja it actually means something. A Rioja Reserva is required to be aged for one year in oak and then spend two years in the bottle before being sold.

Finally, there is “Gran Reserva.” This wine must spend a minimum of two years in oak and three years in the bottle before being sold. But, often these wines are closer to ten years old when sold. This wine is produced from the best grapes and ends up with the best tannin structure.

So, when buying a Rioja, pay attention to the label and turn the bottle around to the backside to look for one of the identifying stickers. Then, you’ll know exactly what you are getting.

Cheers! Or in Spanish “iSalud!”