Merlot Makers: Ed & Adam Sbragia

Roast pork is best served with Merlot, at any time of year.  Francophiles could choose a Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and those favoring Iberia might uncork a bottle of Spain’s Tempranillo, but my choice is always a full-bodied, oak-aged Merlot, a wine that balances soft textures and subtle flavors with the richness of bigger red wines – a perfect match for the mouthfilling pleasures of the pork.

The following list recommends full-bodied Merlots first as the best accompaniment, but adds some lighter styles for those who prefer it.

Martin Ray Angeline 2008 Merlot (Sonoma Co., $13)

Sbragia Family Vineyard 2007 Merlot Home Ranch (Dry Creek Valley, $25)

Stags’ Leap Wine Cellars 2006 Merlot (Napa Valley, $45

Grgich Hills 2006 Merlot (Napa Valley, $42)

Lighter styles:

Macari 2005 Merlot (North Fork, Long Island, $19)

Andeluna Cellars 2005 Merlot Reserve (Tupungato, Argentina, $20)

Pennywise 2008 Merlot (California, $10)

Running With Scissors 2007 Merlot (Central Coast, California, $10)

Little Black Dress 2008 Merlot (California, $11)

Dick Rosano has offered his insights on wine in many publications and radio shows, and is a regular contributor to WeeklyWinePick.com.

Winemaker Aaron Pott notes:  ”This seductive rosé of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc exhibits a youthful, pink color.   On the nose, cherry and red currant aromas complement enticing notes of strawberry, peach, and pear.  The 2009 Arriviste displays a mid-palate that is rich and creamy and carries a bright acidity on to the lingering strawberry finish…”

The Balboa Bay Resort is the only waterfront resort in Newport Beach, featuring 160 guest rooms and award-winning fine dining.  The First Cabin Restaurant won Wine Spectator’s “Best of Award of Excellence” in 2009.

Like me, they had the delight of visiting the winery. The Artesa facility itself is a sight to see, one of Napa’s most unique. Indeed, it is almost all located underground with a grass roof. The ultra modern interior includes original artwork of the artist in residence, and the tasting room staff and tour guides are unpretentious and friendly.

Artesa stands for “craftsman,” which is appropriate for a winery that crafts its wine with great care under the leadership of their winemaker, Mark Beringer. Artesa achieves a different, softer style because they do not crush any red grapes (they do crush white grapes releasing juice to be fermented without skins). They leave red wine grapes to begin fermentation inside the skins, which break open on their own and release juice. When making red wines most winemakers gently crush the grapes to release the juice. Crushing is perfectly fine and makes wonderful wines, but just a different style.

Aresta’s no-crush approach makes wines that are softer and fruitier because fewer bitter flavors from skins and seeds are released into the wines. Their wines are rich and velvety with a softer style than many “big” Napa Valley reds, yet they are still wonderfully flavorful and complex.

Artesa’s Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are grown in its Napa Valley Carneros-based winery, while some of the other red grapes are grown in warmer areas in Sonoma and Napa. Carneros has a surprisingly cooler climate than the rest of Napa. At a visit during one of the hottest  weeks this summer (while it was well over 100 degrees just an hour away in Sacramento), Carneros was down-right chilly by comparison, with cool breezes coming off the San Pablo Bay. Meanwhile, that week, unbearably hot weather plagued Pinot Noir grapes at Oregon vineyards, which are considered some of the best sites for Pinot Noir in the country because their usually cooler climate. Carneros is indeed a particularly unique place. In addition to cool breezes fog blankets vineyards in the morning, keeping grapes cool before it is burned off by bright sunlight. These factors produce good ripening of grapes with a relatively long-hang time on the vine.  They can then develop complex, fruity flavors and sugar, while maintaining enough acid to make balanced wines.

Not surprisingly, Artesa produces fantastic Pinot Noir wines, at all price points. Their value-priced Pinot Noir has a delicate profile–as Pinot Noir should–but it is still packed with fruit flavors and spice with complexity. You can get the 2006 Pinot Noir Carneros for $20-$25.

Artesa Chardonnay is a particularly nice, balanced wine, in contrast to other California Chardonnay wines that some say receive excessive oak or other treatments. Fifty percent of the wine is fermented in oak barrels, is aged with the yeast (aged “on its lees”), and receives malolactic fermentation. The other half is fermented in stainless steel and does not undergo malolactic fermentation. In addition, the French oak barrels are 34 percent new (which extracts more intense flavor) and 66 percent used (which exacts subtle if any flavor). French oak imparts flavors that are less intense than American oak, which is commonly used in California Chardonnay.

Also worth hunting down are Artesa Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot wines. If you visit you can taste some of them at the winery in Carneros, but the grapes are sourced from their vineyards in warmer areas—one in Napa’s Atlas Peak area and the other in Alexander Valley in Sonoma. These reds offer opulently rich and velvety flavor and texture with deep, dark fruit flavors. Try the 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa/Sonoma made with 55 percent Napa grapes and 45 percent Sonoma-sourced grapes.  It is aged in French oak barrels for 24 months. It is available for $20-$25.  Total Wine has a Napa Valley only Cabernet for $29.99, worth trying.

If you have a bigger budget and are willing to do mail order, Aresta’s single vineyard and limited release wines are nothing short of fantastic. Artesa also markets wines under the label of Ridgeline, which are quite delicious. I recently mail-ordered from the winery half a case to enjoy this summer. You might also locate some on on Wine Searcher. Check out the others available on their website.

“But my two days of celebrations of Ridge’s half-century in California last week left me with, if anything, even more admiration for this distinctive producer of claret-style wines (and some increasingly impressive Chardonnay) and I have just published a set of tasting notes on many Ridge vintages on my Purple Pages.

“Here is a wine I think is a terrific price, especially in the US, where so many retailers are discounting like crazy, and one that is not too difficult to find at all.

“It is hardly original to claim that Ridge’s top Bordeaux blend Monte Bello is the equivalent of a first growth. The rerun of the Judgment of Paris established that. But Ridge Santa Cruz Mountains Estate 2006 is the equivalent of a particularly good first-growth second wine, except that it is, conveniently, much more forward than any 2006 first-growth second wine I know in Bordeaux. We also tasted the Santa Cruz Mountains 2007 last week. This is a very fine wine but is still pretty tight while the 2006 is almost ready to drink, tasting like a super-ripe, super-polished top-quality red Bordeaux. I gave it 17.5 points out of 20 (super-generous for me) and thought it would drink beautifully throughout the decade to come. This is very sophisticated wine by any measure.

“Thanks to Ridge’s blessedly explicit and apposite labels, I can tell you that this wine is 13.7% alcohol and is made up of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot and 2% the Petit Verdot that was planted way back at CEO Paul Draper’s instigation. After painstaking blind tasting and re-tasting of over 30 lots of wine made from old, some very old, vines high above the Pacific and Silicon Valley, the Ridge team decide what goes into the grand vin, Monte Bello. Most of the remaining lots, varying between 40 and 60% of the total, makes up this blend labeled simply Santa Cruz Mountains Estate.”

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Jancis Robinson

Danny’s selection for the Weekly Wine Pick is Argiano NC Confunditor 2007 Rosso Toscano, a Tuscan blend of 40 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 20 percent Merlot, 20 percent Sangiovese and 20 percent Syrah.

“[It’s] a balance of red fruits, smoke and meat with a full body and pronounced—but integrated—tannins and acidity,” he says. “This one has Syrah thrown into the blend which is different and cool.”

Rated 91 points by Wine Spectator, 89 points by The Wine Advocate and retailing for about $25, Danny says this young wine is already great drinking, but he also has cellared a few bottles and is interested in seeing how it ages. (We Define Wine suggests a lifespan through 2016.)

Its fruit and smoke make it a good match for a strong cheese, such as Gorgonzola or Livarot. Danny also suggests pairing it with a good ribeye or lamb.

“I like to call these types of wine ‘Baby Super Tuscans,’” he says.

This “Super Tuscan” comes from Argiano S.r.l. Società Agricola, located just southwest of Montalcino. Its vineyards cover about 120 acres and receive “year- round south exposure during midday.” Countess Noemi Marone Cinzano acquired the winery in 1992.

Distributed by Vias Imports Ltd., Argiano NC Confunditor 2007 Rosso Toscano is one of seven Argiano varieties available stateside.

The wine for this pairing is Château Côte Montpezat 2000 from Côtes de Castillon in Bordeaux, which Cavanaugh featured at a recent tasting in Wegmans. For $14.99, at Wegmans, this wine is a “great value for a stellar vintage that is drinking very well,” Cavanaugh points out. Specifically, it offers “dark fruits, ripe cherry and chocolate flavors, silky smooth tannins and just a hint of mint on the finish.” The 2000 blend includes 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Cavenaugh enjoyed it with Irish cheddar, another great match.

Adventure wine specializes in wine marketing/public relations and private, educational wine tasting events. As the owner and founder of this company, Cavanaugh’s credentials include certifications from the Windows on the World Wine Academy in New York, The Wine and Spirits Education Trust of London (WSET), The Court of Master Sommeliers, and Le Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux. Cavanaugh’s background also includes serving as former Director of Beverage and Sommelier for Ritz Carlton Hotels in New York City and Palm Beach, Fla.

Other wine pros apparently agree with Cavanaugh recommendation of this wine. Gary Vaynerchuk rates it 91-92, noting that it “rocked our socks” when he a colleague tried it. It was on sale at Wine Library for $18.98, but is now sold out. The Wine Spectator rates it 86, noting: “Pretty aromas and flavors of blackberries and spices. Medium-bodied, with firm tannins and a medium finish. Better than from barrel. Best after 2005.”

Franciscan wine highlights the importance of mesoclimates—relatively small areas with unique climatic conditions. Sometimes these are called microclimates, but that term a actually refers to even smaller areas within the vine canopy. Franciscan’s winemakers recognize that every plot of land has different attributes—from soil to sun to temperature—that produce grapes with characteristics unique to the site.  Accordingly, Franciscan works unusually hard to employ the unique attributes of each site to make the best quality grapes from that site.

First, like most premium winemakers, Franciscan grows various grape varieties in several locations to optimize lands best suited for each varietal. Cabernet Sauvignon is grown in the warm Oakville area of Napa, and Merlot is grown in cooler areas between Yountville and Carneros. Franciscan grows its Chardonnay grapes in the cool Carneros region.

Unlike many other winemakers, Franciscan also practices what it calls small-lot winemaking, which takes advantage of each lot’s special mesoclimate. Other wineries tend to pick all the grapes from various lots at one time and then crush and ferment them together. Franciscan crushes and ferments each lot separately. Once wines are made from each the 400 lots, the winemaker blends wines from the various lots to produce the finished product. Not all wines from the lots are used in the blend. Franciscan notes on its website that its winemaker, Janet Myers, only uses the best ones to ensure that final wine for that year meets the winery’s high standard of quality.

Franciscan’s approach means that the winery can pick each lot exactly when its grapes are ready, rather than picking everything at once and mixing grapes at various levels of ripeness.  According to Franciscan, this approach essentially produces many “limited production” wines that when blended are more complex and interesting.

To top off their careful viticulture, Franciscan also employs some sophisticated winemaking techniques. For example, Franciscan uses a cold soaking approach for its Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, and Petite Verdot grapes. Cold soaking involves letting the crushed grapes and skin sit in a cold environment (to prevent fermentation from beginning) to allow the juice to extract flavor and color from the skins before fermentation. The result is richer, deeper fruit flavors.

The best news is these wines are more affordable and more widely available than most limited production wines of the same quality.  Indeed, try any Franciscan wine and see if you agree. On the high end of the spectrum is the Magnificat, which is a Bordeaux style blend of several varietals including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc. The winery describes it as having an: “Elegant, well-structured mouthfeel, with cherries, rich chocolate, black pepper and vibrant plum flavors filling the palate. Very supple, with fine texture and firm structure, giving an immediately approachable richness. The finish is a seamless continuation of fruit and cocoa-like tannins.” This one is available for about $40-$50.

Fortunately, you do not have to spend that much to get a taste of Franciscan’s glory. Try their Merlot, which is particularly pleasant an approachable. Aged and both French and American oak, Franciscan describes its 2005 Merlot as “Round, full-bodied palate with vibrant dark cherry fruit, sweet herbs and silky mouthfeel. Very supple and elegant, the finely knit tannins highlight bold fruit and sweet tobacco notes, giving a velvety finish.” For a fuller bodied red, try Franciscan’s Cabernet Sauvignon and pair it with a juicy steak.

Franciscan Chardonnay is an extra special treat offered at a great price. Costco has offered it for about $13, while many other places charge closer to $20.  Franciscan describes it as: “Layered flavors of lemon and Golden Delicious apple, pineapple and toasted oak. The round mid-palate extends to a lingering crisp finish with bright citrus flavors, minerals and sweet oak.” This is one of the best values of Chardonnay on the market, better than many higher-priced Chardonnay wines. It should also put to rest fears of buying an over-oaked or otherwise over-done Chardonnay. It manages to be both crisp and round, with a juicy, fruity flavor that is smooth rather than tart. It is a personal favorite and should be a stable for anyone looking for a reliably delicious Chardonnay to drink at home or to share with friends.

Grill 23 or, “The Grill” might be Boston’s best steakhouse.  It has won almost every restaurant award there is multiple times, including Wine Spectator’s Best of Award of Excellence.  Their wine list is a short novel, but Morgan and her boss, Alex DeWinter, know it like the back of their hands and will make sure you are satisfied.  Worth noting is the service:  Lots of changes occur at your table at exactly the right time, which is one of the reasons Grill 23 is a haven for visiting pro athletes.

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You can hear more comments and watch Michael pair this red with dry-rubbed and grilled chicken on his website, windycitywineguy.com. A Chicago sommelier, Michael Bottigliero consults on wine lists and provides seminars and tastings for groups and events of all sizes. Michael possesses certifications from the International Sommelier Guild and the Court of Master Sommeliers, and manages the wine program at the Eno Wine Room at Chicago ‘s Intercontinental Hotel.

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  The wine’s principal varietal is Garnacha (Grenache), which is blended with Merlot and Tempranillo.  The wine is aged in a combination of American and French oak barrels for a minimum of ten months, a process which imparts the smooth tannins.

  This bottle retails between $11 and $16, a price that Taylan remarked, “shouldn’t make someone feel guilty about drinking it as their Monday-Friday house wine.”  Taylan operates an impressive program at Stonehedge, maintaining New England’s largest wine collection of over 100,000 bottles and offering over 2000 selections on The Left Bank (Stonehedge’s fine dining restaurant, formerly Silks) wine list.  Taylan’s father, Levant, was quoted in a 2004 Food & Wine article as wanting “to see a bottle on every table.”  To that end, wine prices at Stonehedge are extraordinarily low.  Guests may also notice that recent releases are hard to come by on Taylan’s wine list, as he endeavors to offer wines at their peak drinkability.

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