October 24th - This Date in Wine History

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Léhon_(22)_Abbatiale_7_Magloire.jpg

Wine has a long established history of being our drink of choice for celebrating, entertaining, and savoring life; but it didn't start out that way. From the invention of the barrel to the designation of the separate viticultural areas, wine has a long and sorted history.  In our daily feature "This Date In Wine History," we share an event of critical importance in wine history.

  • Titus Flavius Domitianus, Roman Emperor known as Domitian, who banned planting of vineyards in order to increase grain production in the Empire was born in 51 CE.

  • Pierre-Cécile Puvis de Chavannes the French painter died in 1898.  He is known for his work, The Wine Press.

  • Cotes-de-Provence AOC was created in 1977.

  • California's Alexander Valley AVA was designated in 1984.

  • California's Central Coast AVA was designated in 1985.

  • The Vin Santo del Chianti Classico DOC classification was created in 1995.

  • The French have a saying, « Quand arrive la Saint-Magloire, vigneron sait ce qu'il peut boire. » or "When the Saint-Magloire arrives, the winemaker knows what he can drink. "

October 24th - This Date in Wine History

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25-manasses-chronicle_Domitian.jpg

Wine has a long established history of being our drink of choice for celebrating, entertaining, and savoring life; but it didn't start out that way. From the invention of the barrel to the designation of the separate viticultural areas, wine has a long and sorted history.  In our daily feature "This Date In Wine History," we share an event of critical importance in wine history.

  • Titus Flavius Domitianus, Roman Emperor known as Domitian, who banned planting of vineyards in order to increase grain production in the Empire was born in 51 CE.
  • Cotes-de-Provence AOC was created in 1977.
  • California's Alexander Valley AVA was designated in 1984.
  • California's Central Coast AVA was designated in 1985.
  • The Vin Santo del Chianti Classico DOC classification was created in 1995.
  • The French have a saying, « Quand arrive la Saint-Magloire, vigneron sait ce qu'il peut boire. » or "When the Saint-Magloire arrives, the winemaker knows what he can drink. "

Central Coast - Wine Region of the Day

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Central Coast

The Central Coast was designated as an AVA in 1985. Situated across 280 miles from San Francisco to Santa Barbara, the Central Coast is home to sub-appellations Arroyo Grande Valley, Arroyo Seco, Ballard Canyon, Ben Lomond Mountain, Carmel Valley, Chalone, Cienega Valley, Edna Valley, Hames Valley, Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara, Lime Kiln Valley, Livermore Valley, Monterey, Mt. Harlan, Pacheco Pass, Paicines, Paso Robles, San Antonio Valley, San Benito, San Bernabe, San Francisco Bay, San Lucas, San Ysidro District, Santa Clara Valley, Santa Cruz Mountains, Santa Lucia Highlands, Santa Maria Valley, Sta. Rita Hills, Santa Ynez Valley, and York Mountain. The Central Coast is so vast that it features a variety of soil types and microclimates across its sub-appellations. The most common vines planted across the Central Coast are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc.

2010 Coruce Syrah - Wine of the Day

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2010 Coruce Syrah

2010 Coruce Syrah

$24.95

2010 Coruce Syrah: This wine is comprised of 90% Syrah, 4% Petite Sirah, 3% Zinfandel and 3% Viognier. The grapes were hand harvested and table sorted and co-fermented for 14 days and pressed off into 3 & 4 year old French Oak barrels.

This wine has aromas and flavors of dark cherries, plum & lavender and blueberries with a lush jammy finish.

Open and decant for 30 minutes prior to serving.

Carmel Valley - Wine Region of the Day

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Carmel Valley

Upriver from the other Carmel, the one on the ocean that once had Clint Eastwood as a mayor is Carmel Valley.  Located in Monterey County,, southeast of that more famous Carmel is found in the Santa Lucia Range north of the Ventana Wilderness. The appellation was created in 1982 after a petition from David Armanasco of Durney Vineyard (now Heller Estate).  The Carmel River which runs through the valley was discovered in 1603 by Sebastian Vizcaino and was cited as the justification for using the name “Carmel”. 

The area has been home to viticulture since the late 1960s when Durney Vineyard was established. The defining qualities cited by the petitioner includes soil and climate.  The climate of the valley is characterized by Growing Degree Days of 2317  placing it in the Amerine-Winkler scale as a  Region I, cool climate growing area.  Most of the surrounding regions are warmer using the same scale.  The exception is the nearby Salinas Valley with 2148 GDD which is also a Region I growing area.  While slightly cooler than Carmel Valley it is lower in elevation allowing for more fog from the oceanfront to enter the valley.  Another result of that higher elevation is a higher level of rainfall.

Soil is the other defining characteristic of the AVA.  The petition for the AVA lists ten separate soil types in the area which to the uninformed may seem less that definitive.  The soils are largely loams which are mixtures of sand, silt and clay.  The soils also have another factor that separates them from soils in the other nearby appellations.  They are all found on hillsides with slopes (in a mathematical sense) over 30% making them quite steep.  As a result runoff and erosion potentials are high and the soils are well to excessively well drained. There are only 300 acres planted with vines, and those vines sit at an elevation above 1,000 feet on hillside terraces.

In a little over thirty years, Carmel Valley has grown from one winery to twelve, not including those wineries that source fruit from the region. Carmel Valley is best known for its production of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Merlot, and Syrah.

Santa Maria Valley - Wine Region of the Day

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Santa Maria Valley

The Santa Maria Valley of the Central Coast is a natural funnel-shaped valley opening west to the Pacific Ocean. The elevation of the area ranges from approximately 200 feet at the intersection of Highway 101 and Santa Maria River to approximately 3,200 feet at Tepusquet Peak. The grapes that are grown within the area are on the valley floor at an approximate elevation of 300 feet on the slopes and rolling hillsides up to an elevation of 800 feet. The soils within the area range in texture from sandy loam to clay loam and are free from adverse salts.

Since the valley opens to the ocean, there is no opposition to the sea fog that moves in overnight, engulfing lower-lying vineyards, and often lingering into mid-day. This creates a cool growing environment that features a long growing season and very little rainfall, meaning grapes have extensive time to build flavor on the vine. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Sauvignon Blanc make up the majority of the Santa Maria Valley crops.

2010 Coruce Syrah - Wine of the Day

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2010 Coruce Syrah

$24.95

2010 Coruce Syrah: This wine is comprised of 90% Syrah, 4% Petite Sirah, 3% Zinfandel and 3% Viognier. The grapes were hand harvested and table sorted and co-fermented for 14 days and pressed off into 3 & 4 year old French Oak barrels.

This wine has aromas and flavors of dark cherries, plum & lavender and blueberries with a lush jammy finish.

Open and decant for 30 minutes prior to serving.

Santa Maria Valley - Wine Region of the Day

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Photo of Santa Maria Valley by David Toomey for Qorkz.

The Santa Maria Valley of the Central Coast is a natural funnel-shaped valley opening west to the Pacific Ocean. The elevation of the area ranges from approximately 200 feet at the intersection of Highway 101 and Santa Maria River to approximately 3,200 feet at Tepusquet Peak. The grapes that are grown within the area are on the valley floor at an approximate elevation of 300 feet on the slopes and rolling hillsides up to an elevation of 800 feet. The soils within the area range in texture from sandy loam to clay loam and are free from adverse salts.

Since the valley opens to the ocean, there is no opposition to the sea fog that moves in overnight, engulfing lower-lying vineyards, and often lingering into mid-day. This creates a cool growing environment that features a long growing season and very little rainfall, meaning grapes have extensive time to build flavor on the vine. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Sauvignon Blanc make up the majority of the Santa Maria Valley crops.

Arroyo Grande Valley - Wine Region of the Day

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Photo of Arroyo Grande Valley by David Toomey for Qorkz.

Located in the southeastern portion of San Luis Obispo county, the Arroyo Grande Valley is a study in opposites.  The land is largely made of marine sediments that are part of the Franciscan formation but is crisscrossed with volcanic intrusions and faults.  The weather is largely warm and dry but marked with a fog line that separates cooler and wetter microclimates from those that are warmer and drier.  Naturally this carries over into their wine making, with part of the valley producing Bordeaux and Mediterranean varietals being produced at the far end of the valley and Pinot Noir,  Chardonnay and Riesling. 

Central Coast - Wine Region of the Day

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Central Coast

Photo of the Central Coast by David Toomey for Qorkz.

Photo of the Central Coast by David Toomey for Qorkz.

The Central Coast was designated as an AVA in 1985. Situated across 280 miles from San Francisco to Santa Barbara, the Central Coast is home to sub-appellations Arroyo Grande Valley, Arroyo Seco, Ballard Canyon, Ben Lomond Mountain, Carmel Valley, Chalone, Cienega Valley, Edna Valley, Hames Valley, Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara, Lime Kiln Valley, Livermore Valley, Monterey, Mt. Harlan, Pacheco Pass, Paicines, Paso Robles, San Antonio Valley, San Benito, San Bernabe, San Francisco Bay, San Lucas, San Ysidro District, Santa Clara Valley, Santa Cruz Mountains, Santa Lucia Highlands, Santa Maria Valley, Sta. Rita Hills, Santa Ynez Valley, and York Mountain. The Central Coast is so vast that it features a variety of soil types and microclimates across its sub-appellations. The most common vines planted across the Central Coast are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc.

Carmel Valley - Wine Region of the Day

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CARMEL VALLEY

Photo of the Carmel Valley by David Toomey for Qorkz.

The Carmel Valley received its designation as an AVA in 1982. Sitting on 19,200 acres in the larger Central Coast, the region is located in Monterey County, centered around Carmel Valley Village. The soil of the region is primarily gravely sand loam. There are only 300 acres planted with vines, and those vines sit at an elevation above 1,000 feet on hillside terraces. Due to its proximity to the Pacific Ocean, the Valley is cooler with coastal breezes and fog, but the elevated growing regions protect the vines from the cooler weather. Carmel Valley is best known for its production of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Merlot, and Syrah.