The Cellar: First look at 2014 California

Friday, April 29, 2016

Steffen Rasch, GoLocalWorcester Wine Writer

Despite the continued influx of new and interesting wines from across the world, wines from California continue to dominate the domestic wine market with 60% of all wines sold in the US being from California. This week I have decided to head back to California to feature two readily available wines that for under $20 per bottle offer great value, as well as easy-drinking pleasure. Both of these wines are from the 2014 vintage which, with respect to grape growing, was near ideal; dry and warm with moderate precipitation at just the right times.

Along with Pinot Grigio Chardonnay remains the most popular white wines on the market and California produces a lot of it. If you’re a Chardonnay lover you know that the grape expresses itself very differently depending on where it is grown and how the wine is treated inside the winery. This week’s featured Chardonnay is the 2014 Napa Valley Chardonnay from Franciscan Estate. In making their Chard the folks at Franciscan look for richness and opulence. To achieve this they barrel fermented the juice and allowed the wine to sit in the barrels after fermentation for 7 months with the occasional lees stirring to add richness.

This wine also underwent a complete ‘malolactic fermentation’ which is a conversion of the acid structure. During this process the tart malic acids one would associate with a granny smith apple were converted into the much softer lactic acids that are found in milk. As one can imagine this procedure seriously changes the mouthfeel of the wine. And because 17% of the barrels the wine were aged in were new the wine also displays noticeable nuances of toasty oak to go along with the creamy mouthfeel. The fruit profile is ripe with notes of pear, vanilla and toasted caramel with a slightly tart apple lingering on the finish.

This week’s other featured Californian wine is a Pinot Noir. As with Chardonnay, Pinot also has many faces depending on where it comes from and how it is made. The Californian expression has typically been more fruit-forward, a result of a warmer and longer season, with more obvious oak. Some producers are even adding Syrah, Malbec or Zinfandel to their Pinot. While this does add color and (some would say) complexity to the wine, most wine nerds aren’t fond of that sort of manipulation – especially not when the wine still says ‘Pinot Noir’ on the label.

Thankfully Wild Horse Winery & Vineyards doesn’t blend anything into this delicious Pinot Noir which is made from 100% Central Coast fruit. During the open-top fermentation period winemakers punched down the tops twice daily to increase contact between the juice and skins (where all the color and flavor is). After settling, the wine was aged for 9 month in French oak barrels of which 20% were new. An interesting medley of dark and red fruit dominates the palate with hints of savory herbs and sweet oak and vanilla lingering in the background. The wine finishes with a nice and bright grip.

Cheers,

Steffen Rasch is a Certified Sommelier and Specialist of Wine. Follow him on Twitter at @SteffenRasch or learn about wine in person by signing up for one of his tastings at the Providence Wine Academy.

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