purely domestic wine report

2009 Corison Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley, 13.6% alcohol, $70. 1500 cases

Vibrant nose of cherry, plum, lilac and violet with underlying graphite, loam and gravel. The palate has a delicate, floral feel along with blue fruit; berries and plum, in a cut-velvet texture. The emphasis is on restraint and balance through the mid palate, where it develops some supple underlying flavors through the finish of bright red pomegranate, brilliantly polished. Drink 2012 - 2022.

When it comes to discussing Pinot Noir in California it doesn’t take long before somebody mentions the initials ‘KB’. This acronym is insider shorthand for what is to their fans, sommeliers and critics one of the most consistently high quality yet diversified wineries of its type.

The winery is Kosta Browne, founded in 2000 by Dan Kosta and Michael Browne. 

I spent an afternoon at the winery recently where I tasted through the 2009 vintage comprising 11 Pinot Noir and followed that up with an efficient sampling of 2010 barrel samples with winemaker, Shane Finley. 

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I know this may sound a bit over the top but when I think of Morgan and his wines, I find his wisdom and humility when combined with his approach to winemaking is exceptionally rare for someone who is still thirty years old. I keep pushing the concepts of “Chosen One” and “Golden Child” out of my mind, but it isn’t long before those images return as a frame of reference with Morgan as the ultimate force of good in a “B” kung-fu movie. Then there is the whole Master of Wine action, where he only needs to complete his disertation before becoming the youngest American MW. Wine is in his DNA, he made his first wine before the second grade. As a critic I maintain my objectivity when it comes to wine, yet I am among the growing throng who appreciates him on many levels.

First of all, I don’t think of Morgan as the nouveau Ravenswood, even though both father and son created their brands through bottling under designated vineyards. Morgan has been an even more active proponent of bringing esoteric  varietals (through field blends) to the atention of the market. His 2010 Heirloom White, from Compagni-Portis Vineyard is a great example. Over the last generation, craft winemaking has continued to evolve in California, Twain Peterson represents the future of that, not just as a winemaker, but also as one of the founders of Historic Vineyard Society, a non-profit, creating a registry of ‘old vine’ vineyards in California and raising awareness of the importance of preserving and understanding the heritage of this unique resource. When your philosophy on winemaking is so connected to old-vine material, it makes sense to also be part ofthe vanguard in preserving it. I reviewed thirteen different examples of 2010 Bedrock in issue two of www.pdwr.co and include a link to the page The file dowloads outside of pdwr.co (in honor of Morgan’s birthday).

purely domestic wine report is a fan of Historic Vineyard Society and provides a web page for them on this site. 

During our meeting, Morgan tasted me on several wines and I shot them in 8mm: Please enjoy.

The impetus of this trip was to attend the Salud Auction. My attendance as a writer to this event was graciously provided by the event organizers. Salud helps provide healthcare and other vital services to the farm workers in the Willamette Valley. In 2010, the total number of the community served was in excess of 3500, with nearly $700K in payments for coverage disbursed. It is estimated that only 40% of the farmworker community in the Willamette Valley is part of the programs administered by Salud. 

I first learned of the event when I attended Oregon Pinot Camp in 2007 and I decided then that I wanted to attend someday. With the new self-imposed mandate to go to the places I write about iit seemed like the perfect excuse. The event begings this afternoon at Domaine Drouhin Oregon (DDO) for a big board auction and tasting with the vintners (all 42 of them). I know most of the brands, but will be meeting some of the vintners for the first time. 

Tomorrow morning I begin my day with a private tasting at Penner Ash, followed by visits at Stoller and Antica Terra, with Maggie Harrison. In the evening, I will attend the Salud Auction gala dinner and live auction in Portland. Sunday morning starts early again with visits to Belle Pente, and Ayoub on tap. I am giving myself enough time to drop into the tasting rooms for informal tastings and introductions on Sunday, and Monday which begins at Bethel Heights.  In the future, I anticipate that I will merge Willamette trips with visits to Walla Walla and Columbia Valley, and stretch my time on the ground to nine or ten days at a time. 

Stay tuned for issue two of purely domestic wine report that will include wines from this trip.

During the time I worked retail in Napa Valley I met my fair share of visitors who were enraptured with the whole idea of living the vintner lifestyle but few had the depth of passion and financial means to pull it off. 

There are three notable exceptions to that list though; people who pushed past the ‘pipe dream’ stage and are leaving their mark in the business. 

Paul Lato, a Sommelier from Warsaw by way of Toronto who told me he was going to Santa Barbara to make wine in the early ’00s. Paul Lato is now considered one of the top producers of wine in the central coast. 

Tom Futo, a Wichita businessman and former client who enjoyed all of the wines I ever recommended to him (except the one he won’t let me forget), and then one day in 2004 asked me if I thought he should buy Oakford… the winery, not the wine. That property is now Futo.

The last guy is Jim Foley, a businessman from Central California I met in 2000 who I am happy to say was one of my most solid clients for years always providing great, thoughtful feedback on the wines I recommended. I started seeing Jim a lot more in the valley around 2004 when he told me he had moved to Sonoma. After that we would bump into each other periodically at wine events in the area. Last week I received an email from him inviting me to a small group tasting of his new estate-grown wine made by Duncan Arnot Meyers. I let him know that I couldn’t make it to the event but was able to arrange to meet him that afternoon to taste his wines;  the 2009 and 2010 vintages of Petrichor Les Trois; a Syrah (877 and 470 clones) and Grenache (Alban) blend. The vineyard was planted in 2003 and comprises 3.5 acres. 

2009 Petrichor Les Trois Sonoma County $48.00 DW92 premiere release

13.6% alcohol, 169 cases produced, 47SR877|39SR470|14GR

The nose provides an alluring mix of well developed, concentrated, balanced and complex aromas; olive, lavender, grilled meat, black plum, asian spice, cola, lilac and soy. Bright cherry flavors, with a mid-palate of licorice, lilac and black fruits are well integrated into a mineral-backed framework. Drink 2011 - 2018

2010 Petrichor Les Trois Sonoma County 

I tasted this wine simply for context. I agreed to not formally review it because it would be premature to do so. I however can say that it has many of the same elements as the 2009. I look forward to reviewing it next year.

If you are looking for new producers of top-level Syrah from the North Coast, this is an admirable newcomer, made by one of the top talents in the business. Production will grow gradually to the 450 case level, with the tantalizing possibility of a varietal Grenache bottling at some point.

Find the wine at Petrichor

Again, thanks for your interest!

Doug Wilder

publisher

purely domestic wine report