Meet the Winemaker: Debra Ray (Desert Moon Vineyards)

Debra Ray

One of the common misconceptions about the Colorado Wine industry is that all of the wineries are located on the western slope of the Rockies. Yes, most of the vineyards are located in the Grand Valley and West Elks AVAs, but 60% of the wineries are actually located east of the Continental Divide. The major reason for this is the customer base is located along the Front Range. This fact was motivation enough for one winery to relocate from Palisade to Centennial. Desert Moon Vineyards was founded by Paul Hilbink and Debra Ray in 2002 with the first vintage released in 2004. Last year, they decided to move the production facilities (i.e., winery) to the Front Range to better meet consumer demand while maintaining the vineyard in Palisade. Debra designed a stylish tasting room where they host events, including wine education seminars, business meetings, weddings, dinners, & social get-togethers. Keep your eye on Groupon and Living Social to take advantage of great deals on their selection of educational, yet entertaining classes. And with that, this week we welcome Debra Ray from Desert Moon Vineyards in this edition of Meet the Winemaker.

Nothing beats Champagne for sparkling wine

It is that time of year again when all of the newspapers start publishing their Champagne stories in time for the New Year celebrations. Both the New York Times and San Francisco Chronicle have gotten in on the action. The NYT piece focused on how the big négociants (they buy grapes from independent growers) are dealing with the push for terroir-driven wine, whereas the Chronicle described how grower-producers have gained ground in the Champagne conversation. Several weeks ago, I was lucky enough to attend a tasting of importer Terry Theise's grower-producer Champagne selections. I think these wines offer some of the best value (not necessarily inexpensive) for sparkling wine from around the world, and I wanted to share the highlights of this tasting with you.

There is a lot of sparkling wine in the world. Unfortunately, only a small portion of it is Champagne. Champagne is sparkling wine from the Champagne region in northeast France. True Champagne is made predominantly from three grapes (chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier) though up to seven cultivars are permissible (more on that later). Sparkling wine from other regions can be made from any number of grapes, and while the style may be similar to Champagne, it is not Champagne. If you're drinking sparkling wine from Germany, it is called Sekt, Spanish bubbly is called Cava, and the most predominant Italian sparkling wine is called Prosecco. Even in other French regions, the term Champagne may not be used. One of the main reasons for the seemingly strict semantics is terroir. Champagne's distinctive natural characteristics are based on its exceptionally northerly location (it is France's most northern viticultural area) and its location in a geologic formation known as the Paris Basin. Here, the grapes take root in Cretaceous chalk, which is key to true Champagne. While the method of production may be duplicated elsewhere, the terroir is unique.

Despite this uniqueness, there is an increasing dichotomy of Champagne. Most of the Champagne that you and I see on retail shelves or on restaurant wine lists is dominated by a few brands. The big luxury négociants produce millions of bottles of wine each year in an industrial process that rivals the biggest wine factories of Modesto, California. These négociants own very little of the vineyards and buy most of their grapes from grape growers and blend grapes from all over the region. Only 3.8% of the Champagne sold in the United States is made by small growers that handcraft their Champagne from individual vineyards and villages. Terry Theise is one of the main U.S. importers of this "farmer fizz," and sells some of the best Champagne that money can buy. After tasting over 50 different wines, I found 6 that should be purchased when spotted on store shelves. I used to think that most bubbly was the same (and still do to some extent), but these 6 wines are well worth their cost and will open your eyes to what Champagne really means.

Ben's Bubbly: Francis Ford Coppola Winery, Sofia Mini

Ben has really started to discover his voice. Rarely is there a quite moment in our house anymore. While he has babbled for quite some, he is learning how to adjust his volume. When mom and dad are talking and Ben is not included in the conversation, we usually are notified of the injustice by very loud baby noises. When we recognize Ben's presence (and usually pick him up), we get a smile and quiet from the little man. He also lets us know when he wants our attention by cruising the furniture and attempting to pull himself up our legs. He definitely makes sure that we don't ever forget about him!

Our sparkling wine (or at least the packaging) this week is also trying to insert itself in the wine conversation. Canned wine has been around for almost 75 years, but is recently seeing a resurgence. Last week, The New York Times, Palate Press: the online wine magazine (written by yours truly) and The San Francisco Examiner all published articles about the revitalization of putting wine into aluminum cans. Just as with Ben, canned wines are starting to discover their voice. I predict that we will start to see more wines in cans in the near future.

Francis Ford Coppola Winery, Sofia, Blanc de Blancs, California

This funky little can should fool you about what is inside. With less than 1% residual sugar, this is true sparkling wine and not a gimmick. This fruit forward bubbly also comes in a tradition glass bottle, but the straw-adorned travel-size cans add a bit of zestiness to the boring row of bottles on the liquor store shelf. This blanc de blancs (82% Pinot Blanc, 10% Riesling, 8% Muscat) is very aromatic with pear and flowers tempting your nose. The bombardment of fruit continues in the mouth with pears dominating the show, but golden apples and zesty lemons make a cameo. We drank it with the straw, from the can and poured into a flute. I definitely recommend using a glass. But, when you’re in the mood for something different, yet familiar, grab a can from this reputable produce and try drinking from a straw. You might have more fun than you think you can with wine. 11.5% abv Purchase $5 (187 mL) Good

‘Can’ Packaging from Beer World Work with Wine Too?

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet, but does an aluminum can always signal a low brow beverage? Less than ten years ago, canned beers were limited to low-flavor, mass-produced macrobrews. A small craft brewer decided to change that stigma. In November 2002, Oskar Blues Brewery in Lyons, Colorado launched its “Canned Beer Apocalypse.” Dale Katechis decided to can an assertive and flavorful Pale Ale, one can at a time. With an expanded lineup of bold and critically acclaimed canned brews, great canned beer is no longer an oxymoron. Now, over 130 craft breweries can beer, including Oskar Blues’ much larger neighbor to the south, New Belgium Brewery.

The company that helped Oskar Blues break the mold, Broomfield, CO-based Ball Corporation, thinks that they can (pun intended) do the same for the wine market that they did for craft beer. Dan Vorlage, Director of Business for Ball’s Beverage Packaging Division thinks, “canned wine offers an elegant way to deliver wine and ultimately allows consumers to have a ready-to-drink package that can go places where glass bottles can’t go.”

Continue reading at Palate Press: the online wine magazine.

Meet the Winemaker: John Garlich (Bookcliff Vineyards)

John Garlich

Well, after a week without a winemaker interview, we are back with one of Colorado's elite winemakers. Last year, Bookcliff Vineyards won Colorado's second ever Jefferson Cup for their 2009 Petite Sirah (their Ensemble red blend was also a Jefferson Cup Nominee). They continued to rack up top honors as they won two best of category awards at this year's Colorado Governor's Cup. While starting to gain a national reputation for producing excellent wines (see Daily Grape #77), they remain a local favorite. They produce a argosy of wines, their robust reds and luscious muscat-based dessert wines are some of my favorite in Colorado.

One of only four Boulder wineries, Bookcliff Vineyards has sort of a split personality. The winery is located in an urban industrial park in North Boulder next to Upslope Brewering Company, but they also own and manage 24 acres of vineyard in Palisade, CO, growing ten different varieties. If you haven't tried a wine from Bookcliff, I urge you to go get a bottle and come back to read our interview with owner and winemaker, John Garlich.

Ben's Bubbly: Humberto Canale Extra Brut

Each week, Ben is developing new traits. During the past few weeks, he had four top teeth come in, and he's developed a funny face where he opens his jaws with his lips tightly pulled over top and bottom teeth. We call it his turtle face. We assume that he is doing it because of the odd sensation of teeth against his lips, but either way it is still funny. The other new thing that Ben has started is pointing, but in a style that is truly his own. Instead of using the traditional pointer finger, he uses his whole arm with this hand open, palm side up a la Vanna White. Mom likes to think that he is channeling his inner Steve Carrel from when Michael Scott (The Office) meets Holly and realizes that they have a lot in common, raises his arm and says, "Acting!" (sorry, can't find a video to link).

Humberto Canale, Extra Brut, Patagonia, Argentina

I always keep my eyes out for interesting wines, so when I saw this bottle on clearance at local retailer I didn't hesitate. This blend of 50% semillon, 30% pinot noir, 10% merlot, 10% sauvignon blanc comes from one of the southernmost wine regions in the world. It is pale yellow with greenish tint. The nose is very floral and full of fresh peach and apple aromas. White peaches and tart pineapple flavors dominate the palate. Overall, this unique bubbly is very dry (too much so for my wife at first taste), yet very smooth. I quite enjoyed it and would definitely recommend it as an unusual blend of grapes.

12.6% abv Purchased $12 Good/Very Good

2009 J Vineyards and Winery Pinot Noir, RRV

2009 pinot noir from California and Oregon are slowly being released. The past few months have seen several reviews of 2009 pinot noir from Jon Bonné, in the SF Chronicle and Allen Meadows just released Burghound #44 (subscription required) with his reviews of CA and OR 2009 pinot noir. Consensus among most pundits has been that following the smoke-tainted 2008 vintage (I was in the Russian River Valley during the fires) the 2009 vintage offers some spectacular wines. Sad to say that I haven't had many. However, I did have the pleasure of drinking a 2009 pinot noir from J Vineyards and Winery several months before its January 2012 release date. I know that it is inappropriate to judge an entire vintage based on one sample, but given that this wine is produced under the broad, and newly expanded, Russian River Valley appellation when most wineries save their best grapes for vineyard-designate and special cuveé releases, I would think consumers should be on the lookout for well-priced 2009 California (and Sonoma-based producers in particular) pinot noir.

2009 J Vineyards & Winery Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley

The first thing you notice in this medium red elixir is the complex aromas of cherries, cedar, cloves,  raspberries. Only a slight bit of alcohol noticed on the nose causes pause. Luckily, the alcohol is nowhere to be found on the palate. Lots of red fruit (cherries, raspberries, dark strawberries) are complemented by hints of spice and black tea. This basic pinot noir offers an excellent value from a producer with pedigree. Look for it to be on store shelves come February. 14.3% abv Sample $35. Very Good