Wednesday's Wines: Shafer Vineyards and Stone Cottage Cellars

Preface: The Napa Valley and the entire world lost two pillars of the wine community this week. Donn Chappellet and Molly Shafer both passed away recently. Both were instrumental in establishing the Napa Valley as the United States' preeminent wine region over the past half decade. Their family names are now firmly entrenched with American wine history. Their families and the greater wine community will no doubt miss them dearly.

Chardonnay often gets a bad rap. Sure, white Burgundy is said to be some of the finest wine in the world, but some of the Californian examples of the grape has also been labeled Cougar Juice. The cultivar has also given rise to the ABC – Anything But Chardonnay – crowd.

Share 2013 Red Shoulder Ranch

I'm not the world's biggest fan of Chardonnay because I find more pleasure in exploring other varieties – and Chardonnay is too often uninteresting. However, when produced with purpose and care. A few weeks ago, in celebration of Mothers' Day, we celebrated with a prime example of such a Chardonnay. Shafer Vineyards 2013 Red Shoulder Ranch Chardonnay (14.9% abv, Sample $52) is often cited as one of the top Napa Valley Chardonnays. It straddles the line of litheness and voluptuousness like few Chardonnay can. There is no doubt this is a rich wine from the nose. The aromas of baked apples, mango, and shortbread are complemented with flavors of pineapples, vanilla and smoke. The high alcohol comes through, but is not a distraction. Ample acidity balances the richness. This is a great wine for those that like big, rich California Chardonnays, but also enjoy a steely version of the grape.

Stone Cottage 2013 Chardonnay

Still in somewhat of a Chardonnay mood, the following night I decided to open a Colorado rendition of the grape. Stone Cottage Cellars' 2013 Chardonnay (14% abv, Purchased $22) is grown at 6300 feet about sea level in the West Elks AVA overlooking the quaint hamlet of Paonia. When I first opened it, the nose struck me as non-Chardonnay-like. It starts coy with steely aromas of lemon and limes. After being open for a while, the wine just blossoms and I like it more with each sniff and sip. The Chardonnay characteristics start to come to the forefront as the aromas and flavors build with baked apples, pears, brioche and a touch of cinnamon. The flavors and finish kept building all night until the bottle was gone and the wine could evolve no more. The acidity is so lovely and amazingly at about a pH of 3.1! I actually prefer this to the Shafer. At only $22 for a 25 case production, this is a screaming value and I'd suggest this would favorably out-compete with Grand Cru Chablis that cost more than 10 times what this humble little Colorado Chardonnay costs. Simply put: this is an amazing wine.

Crossing the Border Guards

Wine appellations fascinate me because my of my interest and background in geography. I often feel like the father in My Big Fat Greek Wedding because I think almost everything has its roots in geography (I mean, describing the phenomena of the Earth is what geography is...). In particular, American Viticultural Areas, or AVAs for short, really intrigue me. Not because they are great in and of themselves, but that they reveal the cultural and political aspects of wine appellations more readily than those in Europe. And yes, culture and politics are just as geographical at heart as soil and climate.

Drink It In (a review of the wine guide to Western Colorado)

I've been without Internet at CWP World Headquarters for the last 10 or so days, so I haven't been able to update the blog. By now, I'm sure everyone is already finished with their holiday shopping and has no need for a suggestion on another wine book to purchase for the wine lover in your life. Plus, there are lots of other book suggestions by every other wine writer out there (Eric Asimov, W. Blake Gray and Dave McIntyre fun the gamut).

But what the hell, I'm going to offer one recommendation that you will not find on any other list of wine books. I know you'll be shocked to hear that it is a book about Colorado wine. Two other books on the emerging industry have been published in the past two years, but neither of those offer the information, usefulness and aesthetics of the most recent addition. Granted, I haven't thoroughly read or reviewed either of those two, but I have skimmed through them enough to know that they don't intrigue me. Both of the other books were self-published and written by people unfamiliar with the wine industry, and it shows. They are filled with black and white text and not much more. One is nothing more than a colorless brochure; it is just a list of wineries and contact information with space for the reader to take tasting notes. The other seems to offer a bit more depth and information, but the first paged I opened to contained a factual error (claiming that Chateauneuf du Pape is known for its syrahs) and the author (who for some reason uses a pen name) argued with me about the federal labeling requirements for listing an appellation. That doesn't do a lot to convince me that the book is worth my time.

Meet the Winemaker: Jenne Baldwin-Eaton (Plum Creek Winery)

Jenne Baldwin-Eaton

The modern Colorado wine industry is still relatively young, especially when compared to the likes of California. Twenty years ago, only five wineries were licensed in Colorado, but they had the foresight to encourage the Colorado General Assembly to create the Colorado Wine Industry Development Board (full disclosure - I am employed part-time by the CWIDB). Founded by Doug and Sue Phillips (sadly, Doug is no longer with us), Plum Creek Winery, in Palisade, was one of these pioneering wineries and has a been a leader in the industry ever since. In fact, Sue currently is a board member on the CWIDB. While neither Doug or Sue were winemakers, they have been able to employ some very talented people to produce excellent wine. I enjoy Plum Creek's wines so much that I have put them in lineups containing more exalted wines to be tasted blind. The 'lowly' Colorado wine, of course, was preferred over the other wines in the tasting. I always find it amazing that regional wines are still under appreciated, especially when these results happen time after time. As regional wineries grow and are able to employ winemakers like Plum Creek's Jenne Baldwin-Eaton I predict they will garner more of the respect they deserve. With that, please enjoy our interview with Jenne.

5 ways to improve Colorado wine

On Sunday, Jon Bonné suggested five ways to improve California wine in the San Francisco Chronicle. While most American wineries not in California try to emulate their Golden State counterparts, all wine regions could use suggestions for improvement. A few weeks ago, I made a similar list directed at Colorado's wine consumers. While I make no assumptions that I have the same credibility as Bonné, I would like to replicate his recommendations to wineries with a Centennial State twist. Here are five ways that Colorado's vintners can carve a better path to the future.

1. Become students of the wine world. I was surprised during a conversation with a winemaker who produces tempranillo that he was unaware of the specific wine regions in Spain that grow the grape. Other winemakers only drink what they make and nothing else. However, to make the best wine possible, winemakers need to taste as much wine as possible from around the world. Everyone associated with Colorado wine needs to learn as much about wine as they can. I don't mean that everyone should strive to be Masters of Wine or Helen Turley-esque winemakers, but understanding the history and geography of the wine world will give credibility to the Colorado wine industry. That is why I do not limit myself to only Colorado wines. There is a whole world of wine out there that shouldn't be ignored.

2. Make fewer wines. I've had this discussion with more than a few winemakers; Colorado wineries make too many wines. Almost every winery produces a cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, merlot, syrah, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, riesling, a sweet rosé and a dessert/fortified wine. Most wineries in France and the boutique California wineries produce just a handful of wines if not only one or two. While I do believe that Colorado wineries can produce all of those wines well, one winery cannot. Wineries should specialize and go for depth instead of breadth. Certain wineries should focus on making Bordeaux-style wines whereas others should concentrate on Rhône varieties. While they may not be able to please every group of tourists that want to try a cabernet, a sweet rosé and a chardonnay, wineries should be producing better overall quality wines.

3. Embrace Hybrids and non-traditional grape cultivars. I know that I just suggested making fewer wines, but Colorado wineries need to consider using hybrids and other non-traditional grapes. If wineries are afraid of consumers not accepting oddly named grapes, then they need to be more creative! Using fanciful names for wines instead of varietally labeled wines could prove a boon to get new wine drinkers drinking Colorado wine. In fact, one of the most popular Colorado wines, Tyranosaurus Red, is made from the uncommon Lemberger. Also, using these types of grapes could greatly increase the productive vineyard acreage allowing even more wine to be made.

4. Get on more restaurant lists. To date, only one winery has been successful with this arduous endeavor. Sure, some restaurants have a token Colorado wine on their list, but The Infinite Monkey Theorem is on more wine lists than any other winery. Wine drinkers often find new wines on restaurant wine lists and go to retailers to purchase these wines. Wineries don't necessarily make money from restaurants, and in fact most have to lower their wholesale cost to get onto restaurant lists. Wineries need to consider restaurant wine lists as marketing expenses rather than revenue generating opportunities. When consumers see that restaurant sommeliers accept local vino, they may be more apt to as well.

5. Apply for more AVAs. Other states ahead of Colorado in the production and quality curve are also ahead of us in the AVA curve. McElmo Canyon in the Four Corners region, Redlands Mesa and Orchard City west of the West Elks AVA and the vineyards along the Arkansas River near Cañon City all would make ideal candidates for federal designation as viticultural areas. Avid wine drinkers tend to give more respect to wines from specific AVAs rather than broad state designations. Most oenophiles would pick an Oakville cabernet sauvignon over a generic California cabernet or a Dundee Hills pinot noir over a simple Oregon pinot. It is unlikely that most consumers even know about the two AVAs we have, but when a state has more than a handful of designated viticultural areas you know that there is a strong quality wine industry (or savvy politicians if you're from Italy).

If even a few wineries heed these suggestions, I believe that the Colorado wine industry will be well on its way to winning the hearts and minds of Colorado residents and competing with the bigger and more famous wine regions.

More than 15 minutes of fame...

With the first-ever Colorado Wine week over, you might think that Colorado wine will return to the back shelf of the wine shop between the boxed Franzia and the mop closet. It need not be this way. With your help, we can keep Colorado wine in the spotlight. On his The Wine Spectator blog, Matt Kramer asks why doesn't eating local translate to drinking local. Colorado wine sales account for less than 2.0% of all wine sales in the state, yet countless restaurants and grocery stores actively promote their local food products. As thousands of people discovered this week, Colorado produces quality juice, so why don't more people drink it? Well, here are five ways to make Colorado wine matter in the next 51 weeks that will not be proclaimed in its honor:

1. Ask for Colorado wine in restaurants. Restaurants drive the food and beverage trends. If restaurateurs and sommeliers see the demand for local wines, they will put it on theirs lists.

2. Buy Colorado Wine. Most liquor stores have a token Colorado wine or two on their shelves, but they are usually relegated to a shelf at the back of the store. Most people don't want to buy the disgraced product that retailers won't support. If a liquor store doesn't have a Colorado wine that interests you, don't cave in and by that California Cabernet. Go to a different shop that supports our local wineries. Let your wallet speak for you and all of our local vintners.

3. Serve Colorado Wine to your friends and family. Don't just drink Colorado wine at home by yourself. When you go to dinner parties, bring a bottle of the local stuff. I've been a part of a local wine group for almost a year and each time I go, I bring a bottle (or more) of Colorado wine. These guys drink some good (and expensive) juice, but each time they are pleasantly surprised with the quality that the bottle of Colorado provides. Don't be surprised if your favorite Colorado wine is preferred over more expensive and prestigious wines. Perhaps have some fun and don't let your friends know what they're drinking. Blind tasting can remove the local wine bias some oenophiles have while training their palates. They might just be surprised when the brown bag is removed.

4. Visit a winery. Colorado Wine country is a lot closer than Napa or Bordeaux. 3.5 hours west of Denver on I-70 and you can be amongst the vines and wineries of the Grand Valley. Feeling adventurous? Visit Colorado's other American Viticultural Area around the towns of Paonia and Hotchkiss along the North Fork of the Gunnison River. If you aren't feeling up to a long drive (from the Front Range) there are almost as many wineries on this side of the mountains as the western slope. While not surrounded by vines, the urban wineries of Boulder, Denver and other Front Range cities produce quality wines.

5. Go to Winefest next year. Wine festivals come and go. If you really want to support the industry and try lots of great wines, buy a ticket as soon as they are released and help drive the number of attendees into the thousands. This support will go a long way to keeping Colorado wine in the hearts and minds of wine lovers across the state and the country!

What grape did you say?

The wine world revolves around a few well-known grape varieties. Most people know the grapes cabernet sauvignon, merlot, syrah, pinot noir, riesling and chardonnay. When one thinks of the world's most famous wine regions, they usually produce one or more of these grapes. Colorado is no different. Merlot, riesling, cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay are Colorado's most widely planted grapes, closely followed by syrah and cabernet franc. While many excellent wines are produced from these traditional vinifera cultivars, Colorado also produces interesting wines from lesser-known grapes. Two that I have enjoyed this past week used some of these lesser-known grape varieties.

Among these lesser-known varieties include Vitis vinifera and French-American hybrids. While most people know the names of the top few grape cultivars, there are hundreds of other varieties of the traditional winemaking grape species. Usually limited to the regions in which they are native, these grapes often yield  unique and high-quality wines but remain difficult to sell due to their hard to pronounce names. On the other hand, hybrid grape varieties have a bastardized reputation. Vinifera cultivars have been crossbred with other grapes species that have traits which allow them to be cultivated in cold or other marginal grape-growing regions. While they often have a poor reputation, Cornell University and other viticultural research institutions have experimented with and released cultivars that lack the negative enological characteristics and highlight the positive viticultural traits that make these grapes interesting options for wineries.

Lemberger, the vinifera grape cultivar also known as Blaufränkisch in Austria, has found a home in Colorado. The German name (Lemberger) for this grape is derived from its importation from Lemberg, in what was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire but is now Slovenia. While it is the second-most planted red grape in Austria today, Lemberger is also found in small amounts in Germany, Washington State and New York State, in addition to Colorado.

Even less common than elusive vinifera grapes, hybrids have been bred by viticulturalists to combine the pleasing flavors of Vitis vinifera with the climate-hardy and disease-resistant native American and Asiatic grape species. Hybrids such as Baco Noir, Marechal Foch and Vidal Blanc have been a part of the northeastern U.S. wine industry for decades. Foch is a inter-specific hybrid containing Vitis vinifera, Vitis raparia and Vitis rupestris heritages, that is starting to find its place in Colorado. Foch was developed in Alsace, France by Ferdinand Foch. Another hybrid found in Colorado, Corot Noir (formerly NY70) was developed by Bruce Reisch at Cornell University. While consumers may be hesitant to buy wines with lesser-known grapes, some wineries have gotten past this preconception by giving these wines fanciful names.

Carlson Vineyards of Palisade, CO opened their doors in 1988. Situated in the Grand Valley AVA, Carlson Vineyards holds the fourth-oldest winery license in the state. Carlson has fun giving their wines names inspired by local themes – like Tyrannosaurus Red and Prairie Dog Blush. The T-Red Lemberger refers to the discovery of dinosaur bones in the Grand Valley in the early 1900s. While people may not know what Lemberger is, they can easily recognize the short-armed dinosaur raising his glass on the colorful label.

Jack Rabbit Hill is another winery making use of non-traditional grapes. Located just west of the West Elks AVA on Redlands Mesa at 6200 feet above sea level, Jack Rabbit Hill makes organic and biodynamic wines from their 70-acre farm. All of their estate wines are Demeter-certified biodynamic and organic, and their non-estate wines are single-vineyard bottlings made from certified organic grapes. While most of their wines are varietally labeled, their amalgamation of estate vinifera and hybrid grapes is simply called Barn Red. The name evokes images rolling farmland and red barns with fresh and pure ingredients

2009 Carlson Vineyards Tyrannosaurus Red, Grand Valley, Colorado

This unique wine is crafted from 100% Colorado-grown Lemberger from the Grand Valley AVA. This quaffable red is almost Beaujolais-like with very fruity and bubblegum-like aromas. Showing a light-bodied fruitiness, with light tannins and a slight pepperiness, this wine is an interesting, easy-drinking wine that that should be added to your summer drinking list. 14.4% abv Gift from family $13. Good (tasted 3/5/11)

2008 Jack Rabbit Hill Barn Red, Colorado Red Wine



This blend of malbec, marechal foch, petit verdot, cabernet franc and NY70 (corot noir) uses two French-American hybrids; Marechal Foch and Corot Noir. Grown on Jack Rabbit Hill, at approximately 6200 ft of elevation, near the small town of Hotchkiss, this collection of grapes leads to an inky purple wine that yield interesting aromas that include dark fruit and a slight pepperiness. On the palate, the wine is lighter than one would guess based on the color. It is earthy, but with black and blue fruit flavors combined with smooth tannins and a long finish. All I can say is yum! 13.5% abv Purchased $16. Good/Very Good (tasted 3/8/11)

The uniqueness of local wines

A great tasting local product. A small carbon footprint. Supporting a local business and investing in the local economy. These are all good enough reasons by themselves to become a locapour (drinkers of local and regional wines). However, local wines all too often get stuck with a stigma being of poor quality, too expensive or not being salient in the wine world. While quality is an issue with local wines, established wine regions are not immune. I've had plenty of terrible wines from California and France. However, all too often wines produced in the better known regions lack personality. Another great reason to drink local wine, which is often overlooked by wine consumers and media, is the unique characteristics that make local wines pertinent in this global industry. Sure, most European wine regions have distinct attributes that make them special but they've had hundreds, if not thousands, of years to tease out their identities.

While the wine industry in the U.S. did not begin in California, it is certainly centered there now. Most of the Californian wine regions are located in "perfect" viticultural conditions. Undoubtedly, they have distinctive soils, topography and climatic conditions but very few regions provide the unique or extreme conditions that would make them thought-provoking. Across the globe, these types of places give a breath of life to intriguing wines. Sweden offers the most northerly vineyards. Australia has vineyards planted on some of the world's oldest soils. Chile and other wine regions have vines growing on their own roots because of the lack of the devastating louse, Phylloxera (Viteus vitifoliae).

Domestically, grapevines are grown in all 50 states and while some are more interesting than others, each region has a story to tell. Having an established, yet small, wine industry with approximately 100 wineries, Colorado is home to the highest vineyards in North America. In fact, the vineyards of Colorado are second in elevation globally only to a select few locations in South America. The world's highest commercial vineyards are at an extreme 10,206 ft in the Salta region in northern Argentina. Colorado's West Elks AVA extends upwards to about 7,000 ft. In comparison, Europe's highest vineyards are at 4,300 ft in northern Italy. Most of the vineyards in Argentina's famed Mendoza wine region are planted at around 3,000 ft. 2,000 ft is considered high elevation in much of the rest of the wine world!

The West Elks AVA is located in western Colorado along the North Fork of the Gunnison River around the towns of Hotchkiss and Paonia and was approved as an AVA by the Federal government in 2001. The area encompasses approximately 75 square miles of land ranging in elevation from 5,300 ft to just under 7,000 ft. The elevations of the surrounding mesas and mountains help protect the vineyards from severe storms that often injure or destroy grapes. This cool-climate growing region is starting to become known for Alsatian and Burgundian grape varieties. The farm-fresh food, the nearby Black Canyon of Gunnison National Park and the extreme elevation make this local wine region a must visit on wine tourists' lists. At the very least, seek out one of the many great-tasting wines from Colorado and the West Elks AVA to experience a story that can be told nowhere else in the United States!

2004 Chardonnay, Terror Creek Winery, West Elks AVA, Colorado

This aged Chardonnay is not your typical Chardonnay. Unoaked and produced in what the winery calls an Alsatian style. If I had to compare it to any other Chardonnay region Chablis would be the closest in style. Don't get me wrong, this is a uniquely Colorado Chardonnay and is no Chablis. Grown above 6,400 ft on Garvin Mesa in the West Elks AVA, this pale yellow wine smells like applesauce! Hints of green apple and cinnamon (and perhaps a dash of nutmeg) meld perfectly together to be reminiscent of making applesauce with my grandmother when I was a child. The acidity is still fresh in the mouth but much of the fruit has disappeared and left the wine a bit flat. I still tasted apples and spices at the beginning but they quickly washed away to leave the taste of a slightly bitter, yet crisp, cantaloupe (like the flesh nearest the rind) on my tongue. This bottle seems to be fading a bit, so good thing the 2005 vintage is the current release. 13.5% abv Purchased $14. Average/Good (tasted 10/14/10)