Tres Sabores “Por Que No?” and a Petite Sirah

Posted on June 25, 2023 by thewineraconteur

We were coming up to the end of the end of a great tasting managed by Julie Johnson the winemaker and owner of Tres Sabores Winery while she was visiting The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan. The winery is only five minutes from Highway 29, but it is in a quiet almost idyllic setting within the valley abutting the Mayacamas mountains and surrounded by other vineyards and native vegetation. I just have a feeling that Julie Johnson likes the slower pace on her estate versus the agitation and noise encountered by wineries that are along the “wine strip” of the valley.  Also, as a side note, she produces her own olive oil from her grove, as well as a Pomegranate Vinaigrette from her orchard.  

The penultimate wine of the tasting session was Tres Sabores Por Que No? California Red Wine Blend 2020.  Por Que No? translates to English as “Why Not,” and that is her philosophy of ingenuity.  When she had two-thousand-cases of wine that were being stored in a warehouse that was damaged by arson, she took the damaged wine and created Por Que No? Fire-Roasted Zinfandel Marinade.  This also set her to create a “salsa” wine that is affordable and easy drinking.  The wine is a blend of forty-nine percent Petite Sirah, thirty-nine percent Zinfandel, eleven percent Cabernet Sauvignon and one percent Petit Verdot.  The fruit was harvested from Rutherford, Sierra Foothills, and Mendocino County; hence the California AVA. The wine is a deep purple-ruby color that offers notes of dark and red fruits, mocha, espresso, and spices.  On the palate a robust wine with tones of plums and black cherries, pepper and full tannins followed by a finish of some terroir and fruit.  

The final wine of the tasting was Tres Sabores Petite Sirah Calistoga, Napa Valley 2020 and Petite Sirah is called Durif, named after its discoverer, Dr. Francois Durif.  The vines were planted in 1972. Petite Sirah produces very dark and inky colored wines, because of the high skin to juice ratio from the small berries, and this also causes a large concentration of tannins which leads to big, earthy flavors.  This very deep purple with garnet highlights wine offered notes of dark fruit, violets, pepper, and tea.  On the palate a big wine that grips and had tones of blueberry and plums, chocolate, leather, and full tannins that were quite balanced to the wine.   

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Tres Sabores “Perspective” Wines

Posted on June 23, 2023 by thewineraconteur

Julie Johnson of Tres Sabores Winery in Rutherford, Napa Valley, California was having a grand old time pouring wines and answering questions at The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan.  The wine tastings at the shop are more casual and not like attending a lecture hall, so it is breezy and one cannot rely on a set patter or dialogue, especially when you may have six or eight people around a table, and not everyone is even on the same bottle tasting.  While it may appear to be anarchy or chaos, it really is a great way to learn, because you may have already tasted a wine, and something new was either questioned or brought up about the last wine, to let you absorb, and sometimes, you may even have to go back and retry a wine.

We then began trying the Tres Sabores Perspective Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford 2019.  This is an estate wine and pure Cabernet Sauvignon. The estate is certified organic and they practice dry-farm techniques.  In the Initial Fermentation they use fifty percent wild yeast in small bins, and hand punch-down. The wine is aged for twenty-two-months in French Oak, of which thirty percent is new.  They limit the production to their best ten barrel, which generally breaks down to about three-hundred-bottles per barrel, so three-thousand-bottles total.  When I was learning about wines, the descriptors would say “this is a classic Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon.” This is a classic Rutherford wine.  A pretty garnet-red offering notes of black and red fruits, cedar and oak, and plenty of spices.  On the palate blackberry, dark plums, and cherry fruit, and vanilla intermingle with fine tannins in a big wine that finishes with a nice long finish of fruit and terroir.  It was drinking very easily in its youth, give it about ten years of maturity and I think it will be awesome.  

After the Cab, we followed with Tres Sabores Perspective Zinfandel Rutherford 2020.  This was a very interesting wine, but alas, I didn’t ask enough questions on this wine. This is another estate wine, actually Julie says the wine came from the vineyard in her front yard.  The entire estate is certified organic and they practice dry-farm techniques. This plot is hand harvested over a three-week period, as the clusters have to be inspected for ripeness.  The vines are forty-eight-years old.  I will venture to say that this wine undergoes Initial Fermentation in small bins with partial wild yeasts, especially since the fruit is harvest over three weeks.  Aged in oak, probably for nine months.  To me this was a very tasty wine, as it wasn’t a typical California Zin that is big and jammy, this was an elegant, almost genteel Zin.  This deep purple wine offered notes of red fruits, smoke, cedar, and pepper.  On the palate there were notes of raspberry and strawberry, pepper and spices, with tight tannins and excellent balance.  The wine finished with a nice medium count of terroir.  I think some aging would also expose more layers of supple fruit and spices.

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Tres Sabores Rosé and Cabernet Franc

Posted on June 21, 2023 by thewineraconteur

It is always a pleasure watching a winemaker pour their wines and work a crowd, and Julie Johnson of Tres Sabores was working her magic enthralling all the eager wine devotees at The Fine Source in Livonia, Michigan.  The theme that day was “Women Winemakers.”  You could definitely tell that this was not the first rodeo for either of the two ladies, as they were pouring wines and relating stories and enjoying the moment, and wine should always enhance the moment or raconteurs may be out of a job.

Julie Johnson poured us tastes of Tres Sabores “Ingrid & Julia” Rosé Napa Valley 2022.  The label looks out of focus, but that is the front label, the back label has all the information. The wine is named after two “named” roses; Ingrid Bergman and Julia Child.  This wine has a Napa Valley appellation and is a blend of two-thirds Rutherford Zinfandel and one-third Calistoga Petite Sirah.  The Zinfandel is from the estate and is dry-farmed, organic and sustainable.  The Petite Sirah is from the Guarino Vineyard.  Domenic Guarino, retired and purchase eight acres and the vineyard is planted predominately in Petite Sirah, his favorite grape, and his sons have maintained that growth. The fruit is picked early and whole cluster-pressed to capture just a tinge of skin color.  I am sure that Fermentation and aging are done in Stainless-Steel and maybe six months of aging (just my guess).  There were six-hundred-cases made of this wine.  A very pale-pink wine offering notes of fresh strawberries.  On the palate there are tones of ripe peaches and watermelon and a tinge of grapefruit to balance the sweetness, a refreshing dry wine with perfect acidity and reminds me of a beautiful wine from Provence.

We followed the Rosé wine with Tres Sabores Cabernet Franc North Coast 2020.  This wine carries a North Coast appellation as the fruit comes from two distinct mountain districts, and mountain wines have a different feel and taste that is all their own. At about 700 feet, on MountVeeder AVA the vineyards are planted on rocky, clay-rich, ancient seabeds, that require hand-harvesting. Mount Veeder is in Napa Valley, but it seperates Napa from Sonoma. Further north and further up, at 2,400 feet on Pine Mountain AVA is a very vertical series of vineyards and it is the apex of Sonoma, Lake, and Mendocino Counties.  Both sets of vineyards are sustainably farmed.  The wine is aged for twenty-two months in French Oak.  This deep ruby wine offered notes of dark cherry, leather, and spice.  On the palate this medium-bodied wine offered tones of black cherry, cranberry and some licorice and had a nice medium count finish with some terroir.

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Julie Johnson and Tres Sabores Winery

Posted on June 19, 2023 by thewineraconteur

My local wine shop, the Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan was having a special event of a wine tasting, featuring two female winemakers and I will discuss each of the women, their winery, and their wines in sequence.  As always in the shop they like to feature Old World and New World and now it was time to meet a female owner and winemaker of the New World.  Julie Johnson represents her Tre Sabores Winery, nestled into the western Rutherford bench land of Napa Valley. Tres Sabores (“three tastes”) was founded in 1999 to explore “three savory flavors” in every glass of wine; the taste of the vine, the terroir and the good company at the table. Besides grapes, in her words; she also grows pomegranates, lemons, olives, her children, Golden Retrievers, Guinea Hens, and sheep.

Julie Johnson, a graduate of Bowdoin College and the Columbia University School of Nursing and Public Health, was originally a mother of three, a nurse and a successful wine marketer, when she arrived in Napa Valley.  With her first husband John Williams, and partner Larry Turley, she founded and owned Frog’s Leap Winery.  In partnership with Mihaela Rodeno, founding CEO at St. Supery Winery, she founded “Women for Wine Sense.” And now she is owner and winemaker at Tres Sabores, not to mention the leading publicist for the winery at tastings where ever they are being held.

The first wine of the tasting with Julie Johnson was her Tres Sabores Farina Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc Sonoma Mountain/Sonoma County 2022.  She has had a long history with the Farina Family and their vineyard in Sonoma County and they practice organic viticulture.  Sonoma Mountain was designated in 1985 and the soils are mostly volcanic, made up from old lava flows and ash from millions of years ago and largely devoid of organic materials and perfectly suited for vines.  There are sixteen rows of Sauvignon Blanc planted in the Farina Vineyard on a sun-swept hillside.  This was such a refreshing wine, I am sure that I can state that the juice went through Initial Fermentation, Maceration, Malolactic Fermentation, and aging in Stainless-Steel; and three-hundred-fifty cases were produced.  The pale straw yellow wine offered notes of stone fruit and white florals.  On the palate a crisp and fresh wine offering tones of apples and nectarines and lemongrass, supple and well-balanced with a creamy finish.        

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Wine Club Selections – June 2023

Posted on June 17, 2023 by thewineraconteur

I know that you will be surprised to find out that I stopped at The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan for two reasons.  We bought a case of wine, that I haven’t even wrote about and at two different events, the wine was a hit, so I thought I better get another case.  I promise that I will reveal the wine soon.  The other is that I thought that I better get a head start on picking up the June Wine Club Selections.  I tend to write articles ahead, so if the muse doesn’t show up, I am not behind, my self-imposed quota of articles; so, I had to make sure that June was covered, before it was July.

The first wine for the month and representing the Old World is Chateau La Gabarre Rosé Bordeaux 2021 from Vignobles Gabard and is a Michael Corso Selections.  Stephane and Paola Gabard took over the family estate in 1999.  The Chateau is located in the canton of Fronsac, dates back to 1791, and has been passed on for several generations.  The vineyard consists of forty-two hectares, located at a place called Queynac, of the heights of the commune of Galgon, where the remains of an ancient Knights Templar church resided.  This estate has been with the family since the 1800’s and is on the Right Bank, just north-west of Lalande-de-Pomerol. They practice sustainable farming and the vineyard is a mix of gravel, clay, and sand.  The wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc; and the age of the vines are from fifteen to thirty-five-years of age. The wine is aged for nine months in Stainless-Steel and a production of eight-hundred-fifty-cases.  The wine is described as a soft pink wine with notes of strawberries and raspberries.  On the palate tones of watermelon and strawberries with good minerality, and a pleasant texture and a long clean finish.

The wine representing the New World is Harken Barrel Fermented Chardonnay California 2020.  Jeff O’Neil was trying in his mind to come up with a way to create the classic California Chardonnay, but make it affordable.  He sourced his Chardonnay grapes from Monterey, Clarksburg, and Paso Robles; all respected areas for that varietal.  The other big expense was French or American Oak, and both are expensive propositions for a winemaker.  He came up with his own solution, the Harken Fusion Barrel, a hybrid that has alternating staves of French and American Oak.  All of the juices go through Initial Fermentation, Maceration, Malolactic Fermentation and aging in his special barrels for over eight months, with stirring every two weeks, until all the wine is ready to be blended and bottled.  A pretty golden-yellow wine that offers notes of grilled bread, charred wood, butter, and spices.   On the palate tones of ripe pear, vanilla and toasted almonds in a big-bodied wine.

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Le Puy Rolland and Cuvee Hercule

Posted on June 15, 2023 by thewineraconteur

As were going to enjoy the last two wines poured by Anne Charlotte Melia Bachas of Chateau de la Font, du Loup where she is both owner and winemaker, at my local wine shop, The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan.  I have had the pleasure of tasting many fine wines since I became a club member at the wine shop, but this was a first to try several wines from the historic Chateauneuf-du-Pape district.  Anne Charlotte also has put an emphasis on environmental stewardship at the vineyard.  The soils are fertilized with organic composted sheep manure and grape pomace.  Where possible she also likes to leave vegetation between vines to improve soil structure and resist erosion.

The penultimate wine of the tasting was Chateau de la Font, du Loup Cuvée Hercule (Hommage) Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2019.  As the label shows, this wine is an Homage to Hercule, and Hercule is a French name for the local shipper’s father, who was the first in America to represent her wines.  Anne actually shipped bottles of the unfished individual varietal wines to the son, who has taken over the business from his father.  He and Anne, then began the unique work of creating a special blend for the cuvée during a Zoom session, talk about fun. While eighteen varietals are allowed for this wine, the winery used their four varietals: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre and Cinsault.  The vines are all about forty-five years of age, the blend may be proprietary, but we know that each variety was fermented separately and processed in the same manner as her Chateauneuf-du-Pape.  A garnet-colored wine offering notes of red and black fruits, herbs and spices, and florals.  On the palate tones of cherries and plums, spices, a tinge of mint in a medium-bodied wine with ripe tannins, balanced with a nice finish of terroir and fruit.

The final wine for the tasting was Chateau de la Font, du Loup Chateauneuf-du-Pape Le Puy Rolland 2020.  In 1992, the estate purchased a four-hectare plot of one-hundred-year-old Grenache vines, and these vines are used to produce Le Puy Rolland.  The soil is predominately sand with stones, on high elevation sloping vineyards with north-facing plots, that require an additional two weeks ripening period compared to the basic appellation wines.  The soil, elevation, and varietal are also found in the legendary Chateau Rayas in Chateauneuf-du-Pape.  The Initial Fermentation using indigenous yeasts and Maceration occur in Concrete tanks.  The juice is then aged for eighteen months in large French Oak barriques; one-thousand-two-hundred-cases are produced.  A garnet-ruby colored wine that offers notes of Kirsch, orange peel, cloves, and tobacco.  On the palate, a big, fresh wine tones of brandied cherries, strawberries, black fruit, cloves, licorice, silky tannins, an elegant wine that ends with a long finish of Kirsch.   

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Chateauneuf-du-Pape and Les Demoiselles

Posted on June 13, 2023 by thewineraconteur

The Gods were smiling down on us, a we were enjoying wines from Chateau de la Font, du Loup along with winemaker and owner Anne Charlotte at my local wine shop, The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan.  Over the years, I have had the pleasure of enjoying Chateauneuf-du-Pape wines, but never multiples in a tasting, it was such a treat.  While the name is drenched in history, up until the early Twentieth Century, the wines were usually lumped into a general Avignon wine.  Baron Le Roy of Chateau Fortia, drafted a document centering on quality wine production conditions, and this document became the precursor of France’s appellation system.  Originally thirteen varieties were approved for production and after a 2009 review, eighteen varieties are now approved. The other unique proviso about Chateauneuf-du-Pape is that they drafted a law forbidding flying saucers from taking off, landing, or flying over the vineyards and it is still enforced to this day.

We then tasted Chateau de la Font, du Loup Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2020 and an estate wine.  The estate is located on one of the highest points in the area, and the soil is mostly sand with rocks.  While sand is not good for the vines normally, because it won’t keep enough water, the land is naturally hydrated by the natural spring on the property that it is named for.  It is also one of coolest places in the appellation and hence slow ripening grapes.  The wine is a blend of sixty-five percent Grenache, twenty percent Syrah, ten percent Mourvedre and five percent Cinsault, and these vines average about forty-five-years of age. The fruit is hand-harvested, destemmed, and meticulously inspected.  The grapes are fermented separately.  Initial Fermentation and Maceration lasts for three weeks in Concrete tanks with daily pumping for soft extraction and they use indigenous yeasts.  The grapes are fermented separately: the Grenache is aged in a combination of tanks and foudres, the Syrah is aged in used French Oak barrels and half-muids, and the Mourvedre is aged in demi-muids (and not cataloguing for the Cinsault).  The different wines are aged for sixteen to eighteen months, then racked and blended in concrete tanks for an additional six months. They average two-thousand cases annually of this wine.  A nice garnet colored wine offering notes of red fruits, herbs, and florals.  On the palate a good medium bodied wine offering tones of cherries, spices, a tinge of mint with ripe tannins and very well balanced with a medium length finish with a bit of terroir.     

We then had Les Demoiselles de la Font, du Loup Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2020 another estate wine. Since they are located on one of the highest points of the appellation, the soil is sandy with stones.  The fruit is hand-harvested, destemmed, meticulously inspected, and it is eighty percent Grenache and twenty percent Syrah.  Initial Fermentation and Maceration for three weeks using indigenous yeasts in a Concrete tank.  The wine is then aged for nine months in Concrete tanks.  The wine is called Les Demoiselles, or in English, The Ladies and I concur, as this is the most elegant and feminine wine of the tasting; and when I say feminine, it goes back to my earliest years of learning about wines, when wines that were delicate and with finesse were described as feminine, as compared to in-your-face big jammy wines.  This garnet-red wine with violet accents offered an excellent nose that required a couple of pauses as it offered notes of cherries and strawberries, orange zest, some smokiness and dried tobacco.  On the palate, a medium-bodied wine with cherries and strawberries, soft tannins and a nice finish of fruit and smoky herbs.  A very pleasant and pleasurable wine to have with friends and a good jovial chat.

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Signature by la Font, du Loup

Posted on June 11, 2023 by thewineraconteur

A great time for us to try some new and interesting wines at my local wine shop, The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan.  We were enjoying a tasting session with Anne Charlotte Melia Bachas, the grand-daughter of the founder of Chateau de La Font, du Loup.  Her enthusiasm is wonderful, but she downplays her part and mentions that her vineyards are at the top of a hill, facing north, and all similar attributes to the legendary Chateau Rayas; her philosophy is to never over-extracted, cool temperature vinification and no new oak.  

They offer two wines under the label “Signature by” as the properties are leased and not owned by the winery.  Signature by la Font, du Loup Cotes du Rhone Blanc 2021 comes from a one-hectare parcel of forty-year-old vines on sandy soil.  The vines are tended and nurtured per the Chateau’s requests of responsible farming, hand-harvesting and meticulous selection of the grapes.  The wine is a mix of fifty percent Grenache Blanc, twenty-five percent Viognier, and twenty-five percent Clairette. The fruit is fully destemmed, and grapes are vinified separately and blended just before bottling.  The juice was aged in a mix of Concrete tanks and Stainless-Steel tanks.  Malolactic Fermentation is prevented during aging.  A very pale straw-yellow wine offering notes of exotic fruits, white flowers, and a touch of mint. On the palate tones of ripe pear and apple, a little spice, and a little honey in a fresh wholesome wine with a great mineral (terroir) finish.

We then had Signature by la Font, du Loup Cotes du Rhone Rouge 2021 which is from a rented one-hectare parcel of fifty-year-old Grenache and Syrah grown on the same sandy soil.  The vines are once again tended and nurtured per the Chateau’s request of responsible farming, hand-harvesting and meticulous selection of grapes.  The wine is ninety percent Grenache and ten percent Syrah.  The fruit is fully destemmed and grapes are vinified separately and blended just before bottling.  Initial Fermentation and Maceration last for three weeks in concrete tanks, with daily pumping over for a soft extraction.  Then the juice is aged further in a mix of Concrete tanks and Stainless-Steel tanks.  A nice garnet-red wine that offers notes of red cherries and black currants and lavender flowers.  On the palate a medium-bodied wine that offers fresh tones of black cherry, black plum and black raspberry mixed with strawberry, pepper, mocha and silky tannins and medium acidity. A very pretty Cotes du Rhone wine.       

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Anne Charlotte and Chateau de la Font, du Loup

Posted on June 9, 2023 by thewineraconteur

My local wine shop, the Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan was having a special event of a wine tasting, featuring two female winemakers and I will discuss each of the women, their winery, and their wines in sequence.  I find the concept of women winemakers as just part of the natural process.  I automatically think of the Grande Dame of Champagne, the pioneering lady who overcame hurdles in her day and made her wine international is Veuve Clicquot (Widow Clicquot).  In my fifty years of wine enjoyment, I have discovered many women in the trade, so I guess it has become normal.

Anne Charlotte Melia Bachas likes to claim that she was born under a foudre (a large wine cask).  The Melia family acquired Chateau de la Font, du Loup (the fountain of the wolf) in 1942, is the name of a natural spring in the center of the estate, and legend held that wolves from Mount Ventoux would stop to drink from the spring.  Today Anne Charlotte the grand-daughter of the founder and her husband oversee the estate and the winemaking. The estate is within the commune of Courthezon and part of the legendary Chateauneuf-du-Pape, or the “the Pope’s new castle;” when Pope Clement V moved his papacy to Avignon in 1308.  In 1936 Chateauneuf-du-Pape was the first AOC in the Rhone, as well as one of the first in France.  A unique wine that can be made using up to thirteen grape varieties, though the main grape is Grenache, followed by Syrah, Mourvedre, and Cinsaut.

We started off with Chateau de la Font, du Loup Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc 2019, which is a bit rarer, at least to me.  The estate is one of the highest points of the region.  The estate is basically on sand, but because of the natural spring, the vines stay hydrated naturally and some of the vines on the estate are at least a hundred-years old.  The wine is a blend of thirty-five percent Grenache Blanc, thirty-five percent Roussanne, twenty percent Clairette, and ten percent Bourboulenc.  Hand-harvested, the grapes are vinified separately and blended just before bottling.  Malolactic Fermentation is prevented.  Clairette and Bourboulenc are aged on lees for nine months in epoxy resin vats; while the Grenache Blanc and Roussanne spend time in once-used barrique seasoned by a single vintage at Chateau d’Yquem and in demi-muids (600 Liter) from Burgundy.  A very light-straw-yellow wine that offers notes of white fruit, toasted almonds, and flowers.  On the palate a fresh and delicate taste offering tones of subtle fruit, almonds, and butter, with fuller texture and a medium finish.  A very delicate and expressive wine with its own panache.     

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Julia Child at The Henry Ford Museum

Posted on June 7, 2023 by thewineraconteur

We went and made a day of it, but especially to see the new Julia Child exhibit at The Henry Ford Museum.  I don’t know what genius came up with the idea of calling The Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village “The Henry,” but I find it odious and demeaning.  We maintain yearly passes to the estate, as it is a great way to get our daily walk in and see or learn something new at the same time.  When I was a boy, some of us, would ride our bikes from Detroit to the grounds to spend a Saturday; and I still find it a fun place to visit.

The Julia Child is a new travelling exhibit and from what I understand, this is the debut of its appearances.  There was some great photos and history of Julia that is not usually covered in articles and even documentaries.  There were oversized editions of cookbooks for people to take selfies with, or use as backdrops.  And then they even had a claw foot bathtub with a cut out, to make getting into the tub easier, if people wanted to duplicate the Valentine’s Day card that the Childs mailed to their friends one year.  One of the restaurants in the Henry Ford Museum is managed by Plum Market and they took advantage of the exhibit by offering their versions of some of Julia’s dishes for the term of the exhibit.  My Bride had the “All Natural” Coq au Vin with a Beet Salad and Haricot Verts and Garlic.  I had the Cassoulet of Pork with Orecchiette con Broccoli di Rapa (Broccolini) and Haricot Verts and Garlic.  My Bride had the better choice, as my dish was almost as much fat as meat.

We both had glasses of Black Star Farms Arcturos Sur Lie Chardonnay Old Mission Peninsula 2021, to remind people that Michigan has a fine wine industry.  Afterall, Michigan is the seventh largest producer of table wine in the United States of America.  This is a non-oaked style wine, which I presume to mean that it is produced using Stainless Steel vats.  The wine had a beautiful soft-gold color with lush floral notes.  On the palate tones of citrus, apple, and pear in a medium bodied wine with a short finish with a subtle mineral tinge.  I am sure that Julia would have preferred a Bourgogne Blanc, but I went with what was available.      

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