Super Bowl Day Deserves Super Wine

Terry Hoage at his Paso Robles Vineyard

I keep a number of wines in two storage units where some are snuggled away for aging but most for special occasions. I always treat myself to one of those prizes on Super Bowl Sunday. On top of that, it's my birthday week. I'm only going to say it's a BIG one! Ha! I've been thinking of opening this wine for a few months and today could not be more perfect.

What better than to open a wine from a winery owned by a former All-American at the University of Georgia and finished in the Heisman Trophy top-five voting his senior year? He not only won a Super Bowl in 1992 with the Philadephia Eagles but had a 13-year NFL career.

Terry Hoage Vineyards has become a landmark Paso Robles winery producing the kind of big,b right and smooth wines Paso has become known for in recent years.

Hoage's 2007  "The 46" is a 50-50 blend of Syrah and Grenache. The wine has rich plum and bright fruit flavors. Sure, the Syrah comes through with wonderful spice and earthiness but the often-sweeter-on-the palate Grenache provides perfect balance. If you've ever read a wine review, shelf talker, or blogger who talked about "velvety tannins" on the finish and thought "huh?" - you need to taste this wine.

For the football fans, the "46" is a salute to the style of defense Hoage played under colorful NFL coordinator and head coach Buddy Ryan.

The critics loved this wine. Wine Advocate gave it an outstanding 93 points. Cellartracker members rated it 90.3.

I had the chance to meet Hoage during a wine press trip in the fall of 2010. We had a "Rhone Rangers" tasting seminar at his winery. A couple of us scooted to the tasting room before leaving to buy a bottle.

I don't collect much wine memorabilia or trinkets, but I do collect signed bottles. Hoage signed this one for me as you can see above!

Terry Hoage Vineyards "The 46," $50, Very Highly Recommended. UPDATE: I had originally posted this particular vintage was sold out but heard from the winery they do have a very limited amount available but only at or directly from the winery. The Hoage website linked above also has a 2010 vintage listed for $55.

Send comment or questions to: hewitthoward@gmail.com

A Great White & A Solid Value Cab

Two more wine reviews and I'm caught up on recent bottles for review. If you want an all-purpose white wine great with food or alone, I've got one for you. Or, how about an affordable Central Coast California Cabernet?

Domaine du Bourdieu Entre-Deux-Mers 2010 - This Sainte Anne white Bordeaux represents what many people will tell you - white Bordeaux is one of the world's great value buys.

The wine is Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Muscadelle. Then 10 percent of the juice sees a bit of oak. This wine stands alone with its smooth palate feel but has enough body to pair nicely with seafood. 

Entre-Deux-Mers is a wonderful region just to the southwest of the city of Bordeaux.

Sainte Anne Entre-Deux-Mers White Bordeaux, these wines generally available under $20, (I bought this bottle as a package buy so don't have SRP), Highly recommended. If you can't find this one, try some white Bordeaux.

Clayhouse 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon - Clayhouse is one of the great value labels out of California's Central Coast. You get the wonderfully bold flavors of Paso Robles for an average of $15.

This is not a smack-you-in-the-face like many California Cabs, but it has real Cab characteristics in the flavor with a smooth feel in the mouth. This wine will be a bit bigger than many Cabs at this price point.

It's nice dry red wine with the dark fruit, some spice, and moderate tannins. It's highly drinkable, affordable, and should be easy to find.

Clayhouse 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon, SRP $15, Trade Sample, Recommended.

Send comment or questions to: hewitthoward@gmail.com

Some Really Nice Recent Wines for Review

Time to finish catching up on wine reviews with a few more notes from the desk, bottles on the kitchen counter, and memories before they fade.

All of these are value wines which aren't that tough to find. So here we go!

Clayhouse 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon - I'm always looking for a nice drinkable Cab under $20 and now I've found another! An under-$20 Cab isn't going to have huge tannins and big fruit but I don't want that at this price point - and/or it's not going to be well made.

Clayhouse Adobe is a great value line of wines from Clayhouse owned by Middleton Family Wines. I've had several of their wines but never the Cabernet. I opened their Malbec recently and was a bit underwhelmed considering how good their other wines have been. The Cab was a good bounce-back for one of my favorite value Paso Robles labels.

This was rich and drinkable Cabernet. It had beautiful dark fruit, some herbal hints and enough acidity to balance the tannins enough for ribeye (which I consumed with it) but still smooth enough to sip with chocolate or some snacks. This does see a reasonable amount of oak, spending 12 months in American and French oak before bottling.

The wine is 80 percent Cab with the remaining 20 percent Petit Verdot to give a fruit kick and color! Oh, it comes with a screw cap too! There are a handful of good Cabs at this price point in your neighborhood grocery or liquor store but few are better than this one for the price!

Clayhouse 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon, SRP $15, Trade Sample, Highly Recommended for the price.

Chateau de Segries 2011 Tavel -  For years the Tavel region of the Rhone Valley has been known for the world's best Rose wines. Provence, the southern Rhone, and the Languedoc now hold equal footing in some folks eyes but the Tavel Rose wines are well worth seeking out.

The first thing you'll notice is the deeper red color of Tavel Rose. For the most part, they are often in the hues of a cranberry or even deep red raspberry color. This wine was a blend of Grenache, Cinsault, and Syrah. This is a dry Rose with a bit more punch to the flavor than the delightfully more delicate Provence Rose with the salmon pink color.

This wine has bright cherries, raspberries and very restrained acidity. The Segries Rose has been generally well regarded garnering 91 points from Robert Parker for the 2010 vintage.

I love Rose and this was a nice change of pace. I sipped it alone and with some simple salad shrimp on a hot day. If nothing else, see out a Tavel Rose at your wine shop to compare to the other style Rose wines of France.

Chateau de Segries 2011 Tavel, $14.99, Grape Vine Cottage, Zionsville, Recommended.


Obra Prima 2007 Reserva Malbec - Malbec was the 'next great thing' for what seemed like the better part of a decade. If you read wine trade publications, that time has come and gone. But Malbec often delivers better wine for an affordable price point than other varieties.

I liked this big red wine with a grilled steak a lot! The wine had big red fruit  like black raspberry or blackberry and maybe even a hint of really dark chocolate. The acid and tannins were smooth and held up nicely to a New York strip I had prepared on the grill.

This is not a wine for wimps, it's big red for big red meat. It's available in Indiana and perfect for that beef sizzling on the grill. This was one of better Malbecs I've tasted in a long time.

Obra Prima 2007 Reserva Malbec, $16.99, Grapevine Cottage, Zionsville, Highly Recommended.


Sineann 2010 Red Table Wine - This was probably one of my top finds thus far this year. Sineann is a very well-known Oregon Pinot Noir producer. So when I saw the wine was a blend of Pinot Noir, Cabernet, Zinfandel, and "dashes" of Cab Franc and Melot .... let's just say I was skeptical. You just don't blend Oregon Pinot Noir with ANYthing! In most years the blend is approximately 50 percent Pinot.

I was wrong with my preconceived notions. I didn't want to like it because I'm one of those wine geeks that believe great Pinot doesn't belong in any blend. But most wine drinkers will find this to be one of the most enjoyable and drinkable reds you'll come across in 2012.

This is clearly a 'kitchen sink' wine. They throw everything in it and it works remarkably well. It's drinkable, sippable, quaffable, and more. If you find it buy it.

Sineann 2010 Red Table Wine, $17.99, Cork & Cracker, Indianapolis, Highly Recommended.

Send comment or questions to: hewitthoward@gmail.com

Catching Up on a Bunch of Good Wines

Whenever I'm looking for something on my desk and keep stumbling across notes on wines I've tasted, it's time to write some reviews.

Some of these wines span back a few weeks but I always make a few notes on what I thought. I'm not ever excited about reviewing wines and not sure how important it is to readers. But I do figure if someone reads the blog regularly and finds my recommendations favorable to their palate, then it's worth doing.

So let's catch up ...

Clayhouse 2010 Syrah  - I'm a Clayhouse fan and have written that before. This value line under the Adobe label rocks and is widely available. I don't drink Syrah often but when I do I drink Paso Robles. Hmmm, sounds familiar?

This wine has the stereotypical dark berry and fruit flavors of plum and caramel. I liked the full mouth feel and nice long finish. This juice gets just 10 month in oak making that long finish smooth instead of tannic. It's a relatively low 13.8 percent alcohol wine.

Clayhouse 2010 Syrah, SRP $15, Trade Sample, Recommended

Valdubon 2003 Crianza - Beautiful red wine from the Ribera del Duero region of Spain which always rocks my juice palate.

I tasted pronounced black raspberry and vanilla with that wonderful silkiness you get with well-made and aged Tempranillo-driven wines. But this 100 percent Tempranillo was bolder than some. It was beautiful wine.

Even with additional press in recent years, Spanish wines remain a great value delivering superior quality for the price.

Valdubon 2003 Crianza, Around $20, Trade Sample, Highly Recommended

Jigar 2009 Pinot Noir - This Sonoma Pinot Noir is a California keeper. It comes from the Pinot-rich region of the Russian River Valley.

It's a more full-bodied Pinot than many you'll pick up but with good balance. It's rich with nice minerality and acidity on the finish. There is some dark cherry on the palate. It's really delightful wine.

Jigar 2002 Pinot Noir, Retails around $30, I got a buy under $20 at Zionsville's Grapevine Cottage. Recommended.

NOTE: I have a few more reviews to post as well and hope to get those up Tuesday night.



Send comment or questions to: hewitthoward@gmail.com

Summer Drinking - Two Whites & a Rose'

Summer time is lighter wine time for most of us and I've definitely been going down that path in recent weeks.

The more wine I've consumed in recent years, the more I've come to appreciate really well-made whites. I might argue the learning curve is accelerated because of the red wine dominance on my wine rack. Many will disagree, but for me it's a little easier to identify the characteristics of red wine. White and Rose' is more nuanced.

Enough of the geeky stuff. Here are three easy-to-find wines I purchased in Central Indiana - all under $20.

Clayhouse Adobe White - The Adobe line of Clayhouse wines from California's Paso Robles are really great value wines. I just received samples of the 2011 vintage with a couple bottles I've not previously sampled. These wines clearly taste above the price point, are nicely balanced, and are available at great prices. The suggested retail on the entire line is $14 or $15.

The tasty blend is 49 percent Viognier, 26 percent Sauvignon Blanc, 19 percent Grenache Blanc, and 6 percent Princess. Princess is often called a table grape and is said to resemble Muscat in flavor. It was a new one for me. I have found Viognier I've loved and hated - it's very floral and fruity normally. I remember last year's Adobe White and was put off just a bit by the Viognier. The 2011 blend is a perfect mix.

The wine has floral, identifiable orange, peach, and honey flavors. Portions of this wine are barrel fermented, but not aged, resulting in a real creamy feel on the palate. The alcohol comes in at 12.8 percent.

Simply, this is a great summer sipper or white for lighter meals.

Clayhouse Adobe White, SRP $14, Trade Sample, Highly Recommended

Arona 2010 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc - Sauv Blanc from New Zealand often takes a hit for the big acid, over-the-top fruit, and that 'grassy thing" many wine drinkers don't like.

Check out Arona Sauv Blanc if you are one of those folks. I tried this wine at a tasting conducted by Derek Gray of Graybull Wines. I loved it.

This wine is much lighter on the palate than many NZ Sauv Blancs. It still had the crisp acidity which would make it perfect for lighter seafood dishes, particularly white fish. Think passion fruit, pineapple, and aroma-pleasing citrus.

If you like NZ and California Sauvignon Blanc but want a bit lighter mouth feel, grab a bottle of Arona.

Arona 2010 Sauvignon Blanc, $13.99, I bought this wine at Mass. Ave. Wine Shop in Indy. Highly Recommended.


Gerard Bertrand 2010 Gris Blanc Rose' - I've been on a real Rose' kick and this one is different as they come. First, Gerard Bertand is one of the most respected winemakers in Southern France. His wines offer great value for the price point.

This wine is a blend of Grenache Blanc and Grenache Gris. Most notably, is the very - very pale - salmon color often associated with Provence's fine Rose' wines.

I got peach and maybe hint of a red raspberry. The wine is lighter on the palate than many but it does have pretty serious acidity. It's also seriously dry Rose'. It would be another choice for white fish, shell fish, or a summer salad.

I picked up this unique Rose' at Vine and Table in Carmel.

Gerard Bertrand 2010 Gris Blanc Rose, $13.99, Recommended.

Send comment or questions to: hewitthoward@gmail.com

Winemakers: Too Much Bad Syrah Hurt Sales

There is a joke in the wine world that goes something like this: ‘What’s the difference between a case of Syrah and a case of pneumonia?’

‘You can get rid of a case of pneumonia!’

Syrah sales have stagnated or dropped in the U.S. in recent years depending on how the research numbers are crunched. But everyone agrees Syrah never lived up to its ‘next-best thing’ potential.

Steve Cass

“Supermarket sales are down and you look and see Syrah sales are down,” said Steve Cass, Cass Winery, Paso Robles, CA. “But also take a look and you see Australian sales are down. There is a massive amount of Syrah or Shiraz (same grape) in this country going out at a fairly low price point. It’s not going out as premium wine.

“Our Syrah is our number-one selling red wine. I don’t think people are turned off by Syrah, maybe they’re turned off to cheap Syrah.”

Gary Eberle

California’s Syrah pioneer Gary Eberle agreed. “I think everybody is always looking for the new hot wine. When Merlot died I think everybody started looking for the next hot red wine and everybody jumped on Syrah. I just don’t think the consumer was ready for that much Syrah.”

Jason Hass of Tablas Creek Winery put numbers to the perception. “If you look at the planted acreage of Syrah over the course of the 1990s, 1992-2002, Syrah acreage went from just under 900 to more than 15,000 acres in California. Even though sales were growing really fast throughout that period there was just no way the market was going to absorb that much new Syrah.

“I don’t think you should confuse the fact there is extra Syrah on the market with the fact Syrah is not a varietal gaining popularity. It’s just a case of supply growing so fast it was going to overwhelm whatever demand was there any way.”

J.C. Diesenderfer

J.C. Diesenderfer, Hope Vineyards, said Syrah never found its market niche’. “We’re all really passionate about Syrah. We always felt Syrah was the next king of California. But it never found its spot. Syrah can be bright, mineral, soft and elegant. It can be a big bruiser. It can be anything in between.”

If you are a regular wine drinker you might recall grocery and liquor store shelves with plenty of Syrah. In recent months, you see far less Syrah or Shiraz. These prominent winemakers hit the nail right on the head during a seminar I attended last fall. The market was just flooded with cheap Shiraz, largely from Australia.

“I think Syrah does beautifully in Paso Robles,” Eberle said. “But I think Syrah does beautifully in a whole lot of different areas as well. In our tasting rooms we sell 1,000 cases of Syrah a year. There are people in this area making spectacular Syrah.

Terry Hoage

Then there is former NFL safety turned winemaker Terry Hoage who said Syrah sells when consumers are educated and they taste good Syrah. “I think it is a matter of education because it’s difficult for people to know what they’re getting. The largest hurdle we have to overcome in our industry is not dumbing down for the audience but making the audience feel comfortable that’s its ok to try new things. Push the envelope; just don’t go for a safe Cabernet. That is probably our biggest challenge.”

Howard’s Picks:

Central Coast Syrah is some of the best I’ve consumed. The winemakers quoted above all make incredible Syrah but at a higher price point ($20 and up) than I normally include in this column. There is plenty of Central Coast Syrah below $20 from makers like Qupe’. Washington State Syrah is often found at very reasonable prices with soft and balanced fruit.

Send comment or questions to: hewitthoward@gmail.com

Summertime and The Sipping is Easy

With apologies to George Gershwin, summer is the time living is easy and we all look for light summer wines.

Here are some of my latest summer whites and a rose' I've been checking out.

Cristobal 1492 Verdelho - This wine and the Rose' below were easily the big winners of the past week.

I had picked up a bottle of Cristobal Bonarda at Cork + Cracker in Indy and really liked it a lot. I saw this bottle of Portugal's Verdelho grape from Mendoza in Argentina and knew I had to try it.

I loved this wine a lot. It had nice melon, foral and spicy flavors that were simply delicious. It's not a wine to ponder and evaluate - it's a wine to enjoy.

It picked up 90 points from one of the big wine publications and it's not hard to see why. And for $10???? You've got to be kidding me!

(Cristobal 1492 Verdelho, $9.99, Grapevine Cottage, Zionsville, Highly Recommended)

Clayhouse 2010 Adobe Pink - Sometimes I wish wineries producing really great Rose' wouldn't call them "Pink" only because it would be easier for me to get people to try Rose'.

But Clayhouse can call this really nice pink wine any color it wishes and I'd still recommend it. I haven't consumed much Rose yet this summer but I have several waiting in the wine racks. The Clayhouse has set the bar pretty high.

The Adobe pink gets a head start with my heart and head because it's such an interesting blend of 38 percent Mourvedre, 32 percent Syrah, and 30 percent Cabernet Sauvignon. Clayhouse is a Paso Robles winery that benefits from the rich flavors grapes give after a summer of hot days and cool nights.

Indeed, the wine is pink or maybe salmon is a better choice of words if you'd like a little more sophistication and avoid the "P" word. On the palate it delivered strawbertry and nice spice along with a dry finish. It was one of the most drinkable and well-made Rose' wines I've had in several summers. I loved it.

(Clayhouse 2010 Adobe Pink, SGR $14, Trade Sample, Highly Recommended)

By the way, Clayhouse now has an Indiana distributor so you Hoosier wine drinkers should seek out the "Adobe" line of wines - they're a great bang for the buck!

Cucao 2009 PX - Here is a new one for me and probably most of you. The PX in the wine's name means Pedro Ximénez. Yes, that's a grape kids! The grape has mostly been used for Spanish Sherry or even brandy.

For those of you looking for something different, here you go. This wine had a unique tartness on my palate. The taste was some cross between apricot, raisin, and lime, and definitely some minerality and pretty strong acid. I could see this wine with cold appetizers or maybe a salad. It is certainly on the dry side and you will notice the acid.

It's worth a try. I really had trouble deciding whether I even liked it or not. On the first night, I didn't care for it at all but on the second evening the acid had calmed down a bit and I found it sort of "intersting." Definitely a wine for the adventurous.

(Cucao PX, $9.99 at Cork + Cracker, Indianapolis, No Recommendation)

Gazela Vinho Verde - Here is an Albarino wine that is definitely different than others I've tasted. This is almost like a sparkling wine or at least a white with effervesence some would consider nearing carbonation. I found it a little odd.

It had bright flavors of grapefruit and a nice tangy citrus flavor that lingered on the palate.

If you like a little effervesence in your wine you're going to like this one. Serve it chilled on a hot summer day and your guests will be impressed with your adventurous spirit.

(Gazelo Vinho Verde, $7.99, Cork + Cracker, Indianapolis, Recommended)

Send comment or questions to: hewitthoward@gmail.com

Have a Plan For Your Trip to Wine Country

Planning a trip to wine country doesn’t require a tour guide, limousine, or a lot advance planning.

Many travelers are including day trips into wine country as they visit regions around the world. Then there are the real wine geeks among us who plan most of their vacation time around wine.

Newspaper Columns like Grape Sense and many internet bloggers seek to demystify wine. Making wine travel simple and enjoyable can be a similar challenge. My wine travel includes two trips to Napa and Sonoma. I’ve made pre-planned trips to Paso Robles and Mendocino County. I’ve done three-day trips into Michigan and Wisconsin wine regions and a single day in Tuscany, Italy.

I’ll be making my third trip to Oregon’s Willamette Valley in mid-July.
While not claiming expertise, I’ve certainly learned some things you should and should not do!

- You should spend time on the internet and read about the wineries you’re going to visit. Double check hours, tasting fees, and tours.

- Do take a full vineyard tour at one stop. If you want to learn more about wine there is nothing better than a vineyard to winery and then tasting tour. One is enough; tours usually last 1-2 hours and cost double or more the cost of a tasting. Tasting fees range from $5 to $20 depending on the wine region. Some wineries will deduct tasting fees from a purchase and some will not.

(In photo above right, I joined a group of wine writers in January touring Mendocino County, California. Here we are tasting the wines of Jeriko Vineyards. Copyright photo, Tom Liden 2011)

- Do ask a lot of questions. Anyone serving in the tasting room should be able to tell you the basics about the winery and each wine. If the servers can’t answer the basics – the type of grapes and how the wine is made – leave and go to another winery.

- Don’t over-plan your visit. I always plan on going to two or three wineries a day. I have done my internet research so I know others in the area I might like to visit. It allows some spontaneity. Three to four winery visits a day is plenty.

- Do not think of winery visits as drinking. It’s tasting wine. If you can, learn to spit – it’s how the real pros can taste so many wines in a day. If you can’t fully appreciate a wine without swallowing it, learn to stop after a sip or two and pour the remainder in the dump container on the counter.

- Do think outside the box. Sure, if you’re in Napa Valley visit Mondavi. But ask people in the tasting room, other visitors, your motel clerk, the waitress about the smaller wineries that don’t have tour buses in the parking lot. Such wineries will often be your fondest memories.

- Don’t assume all wine vacations start and end with Napa/Sonoma, Paso Robles, Mendocino, Oregon, Virginia, Michigan, and Washington state. Check out wine trails in your state and states nearby. A great start is the Uplands Wine Trail in Southern Indiana. Or, get that internet map out and make your own wine trail!

- Do not drink and drive. Many wineries will offer designated drivers some bottled water or a soft drink.

- Do not try to taste everything at each winery. I ask the tasting room personnel to pour their biggest selling red and white, maybe something that interests my wine palate, and always end with, 'Is there something else you would have me taste?'

- Do have bottled water and some crackers or snacks to balance the alcohol throughout the day.

(In the photo above, our traveling group takes a vineyard tour with Chris Nelson of Nelson Family Vineyards. Copyright photo, Tom Liden 2011)

I will be in Oregon’s Willamette Valley July 19-22 tasting some of the world’s very best Pinot Noir. I will post a lot of photos and write about the experience here each day.

Get in the car this summer and try some new wines!

Send comment or questions to: hewitthoward@gmail.com