Two and a half hours from the Central Valley is the ever expanding Central Coast wine region, located halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco. The region includes Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo and even as far south as Santa Barbara. Vines were planted by the Franciscan monks in the late 1790s and were tended to via the many California Missions that doted the region.
“Indiana rancher Andrew York began planting vineyards on his 240-acre homestead. Within a few years, he found that the vines were yielding more than he could market, prompting him in 1882 to establish Ascension Winery, known today as York Mountain Winery. The family planted some of the area’s earliest Zinfandel vines, making Paso Robles is famous for this variety. York initially sold his wines in San Luis Obispo and eventually as far away as San Francisco. Today, York Mountain Winery (located within the York Mountain AVA, adjacent to the Paso Robles AVA ) remains the oldest winery in continuous operation in the county.”
Throughout the Central Coast, the distinct soils and weather create unique, world class wines from Santa Barbara to Paso Robles.
Today, a wide variety of wines are grown on the Central Coast using grape varietals like Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Rhône varieties. The wines have received world class recognition with many wineries winning top awards. I believe that Robert M. Parker Jr.’s prediction in the June 30, 2005, issue of Wine Advocate has already come true: “There is no question that a decade from now, the top viticultural areas of Santa Barbara, Santa Rita Hills and the limestone hillsides west of Paso Robles will be as well-known as the glamorous vineyards of Napa Valley.”
Explore Tales of the Cork with me. Read about the growth and influence of California’s winemakers, merchants and chefs. My goal is to find and develop relationships with them; my hope is to uncover and retell their untold stories. Be sure to leave a comment after each story; share your wine, winemaker or food experience.
As my palate evolved, my interest in Californian wines has expanded, wanting to appreciate both the vintner and the production process. I am interested in sustainable wine practices and am thankful for the wide variety of wine choices. And now with wine regions’ climat changing, I am even more aware of how climate, terroir and winemakers may need to research new techniques in order to produce higher quality wines in the 200-mile long (Tehachapi Mountains south of Bakersfield, north to Fresno County and Madera Wine Trail and up the San Joaquin Valley to the city of Modesto in the north) Central Valley region.
According to the Fresno County Farm Bureau, Thompson grapes are the most common planted variety in vineyards across the Central Valley.
Additionally, Viticulturists in the Valley are exploring additional vine varietal opportunities which provide new options for regional growth. In fact, hot weather grape varieties have been planted similar to the ones in Portugal and Spain.
Hot Central Valley summers have produced wine grapes (Thompson) that are traditionally blended with other grape varietals. However, the Central Valley grown Muscat grape is becoming more popular with the 21-34 age group who enjoy sweet Muscato wine. Yet, some have doubts that this or other varieties can flourish in the inland valley’s hot temperatures. That being said, a 2011 UC-Davis Central Valley wine study shows how the Central Valley‘s value-priced wine production is projected to increase and has developed a niche in the marketplace, especially wines that are meant for blending. While jug wines and table grapes have carried the wine region through the 1980s, Zinfandel, Tempranillo and Viognier, Chardonnay and Merlot have also been planted in the last decade. In addition, the Central Valley has developedTawny port and dessert wines that have gained a reputation outside of the region.
The Central Valley is one of three California focus wine regions for Tales of the Cork. The other two are the Sierra Nevada Foothills Wine Region and the Central Coast Wine Region. All are within a day trip of my home base of Fresno, Calif. and account for many of America’s most promising wineries and winemakers.
Explore Tales of the Cork with me. Read about the growth and influence of California’s winemakers, merchants and chefs. My goal is to find and develop relationships with them; my hope is to uncover and retell their untold stories. Be sure to leave a comment after each story; share your wine, winemaker or food experience.
Actually it’s Fresno Restaurant Weeks, but whose counting.
Chef, Mike Shackelford, often visits with Trelio patrons each evening after serving the main dishes. Located in downtown Clovis, Trelio is one of 25 Fresno area restaurants participating in the two-week promotion.
In an effort to educate the area community about independent local restaurants, FRIBA along with six sponsors, have listed 25 eateries for the 2012 Fresno Restaurant Week, July 20-Aug. 3. Amy Huerta, who works for the City of Fresno as the Local Business Initiative Manager, says that FRIBA serves all kinds of local businesses; Fresno Restaurant Week is just one way to grow area commerce and provide traction to develop the organization.
“I work for the City of Fresno, promoting independent businesses,” Huerta said, “and while I am not paid by the city to assist FRIBA, I do work with local business owners on how to develop the organization. My role is to help strategize Fresno Restaurant Week, including managing the promotion and media. I also partner with the organization to find innovative ways to educate our community.”
All 25 restaurants have paid a $500 fee in a cooperative marketing action plan. Huerta believes FRIBA not only has tremendous growth potential for the sponsors and businesses who participate, but also sees the organization developing and expanding to include other smaller cafes, bistros or restaurants who could not afford this year’s promotion.
“The impact of events like Fresno Restaurant Week are so important to understand. It’s an example of local businesses banding together in order to promote each other, and by doing so, improve the local community.” –Amy Huerta, City of Fresno’s Local Business Initiative Manager.
“We are only a start-up organization,” Huerta said. “While we sent cards of ‘Save The Date’ to over 200 restaurants and actually visited many of those, not all could participate. We hope to expand Fresno Restaurant Week to twice a year. Hopefully more will be able to participate and the cost per business should go down. Our hope is to include even more smaller independent owners.”
According to Huerta, the $500 fee the 25 restaurants paid is projected to provide about $12,000 in advertising. Each participating restaurant posts a poster listing all participating eateries. They all put aside competition for the power of group marketing.
The auto industry learned a piece of this strategy years ago when they banded together and now can be located in auto centers rather than spaced miles apart.
Piazza Del Pane has a $22 pre-fix dinner menu which includes an appetizer, choice of entree, dessert, and a glass of wine.
FRIBA is not just for restaurants. According to their FRIBA’s web site, “Research shows that when a dollar is spent at a locally owned and independent business, on average that dollar will re-circulate three times the amount of money back into our local economy when compared to that same dollar spent at a chain business.”
This is true whether purchases are made from one of the local farmer’s markets to the guy who repairs shoes. A list of the FRIBA membership is on their web site; each pays $150 annual fee.
“The impact of events like Fresno Restaurant Week are so important to understand,” Huerta said. “It’s an example of local businesses banding together in order to promote each other, and by doing so, improve the local community. This is a great, innovative way for the people of Fresno and Clovis to try restaurants they wouldn’t normally visit and try new things. And it is good for the restaurants to try new price fix menus.”
So Fresno County, while the chain restaurants like Denny’s, Outback Steakhouse or Olive Garden might be your favorite, consider opening up your wallet or purse for one of the locally owned independent diners, bistros, restaurants or cafes. Invite a friend or couple to join up for a night on the town. Most of the Fresno Restaurant Week participants have their special menus posted online. Scroll down to review each one, choose a place to eat and make a reservation. The coffers of Fresno County will be glad you did.
Salut!
In an effort to educate the area community about independent local restaurants, FRIBA along with six sponsors, have listed 25 eateries for the 2012 Fresno Restaurant Week, July 20-Aug. 3. (Illustration used by permission)
A trip to France is not complete without a food and wine experience. I don’t just mean a lunch or dinner at a village or Parisian cafe, bistro or brasserie, enjoying local cuisine and wine. While that is a large part of the equation, I wanted to meet and learn more about the winemakers and their passion to create the bottles of juice the world has on their tables.
So in June I traveled to Burgundy, France, for a week and spent three days wine tasting, talking with vignerons and wine merchants. I decided to hire Burgundy Discovery’s Robert and Joy Pygott to reacquaint me with the area. My visit five years ago gave me a wonderful overview to the Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits, but I wanted the perspective of someone who lived in the region to reeducate me with the Burgundian appellations and regions.
After studying adult handicap education, Parisian-born Ulrich Dujardin became a respected Burgundy winemaker through personal courage, fortitude and vision. His new wine label broke new ground into the often closed community.
During my 2007 visit to Burgundy, my wife and I met Ulrich Dujardin at Domain Bouzerand-Dujardin. This winemaker exuded excitement and passion for his craft and I was moved by his story. He was not a local landowner nor did his family’s history include winemaking. But Ulrich’s enthusiasm and vision for the craft sparked a cord within me. I wanted to meet Ulrich again and learn more about the outsider who became a winemaker in the tiny village of Monthelie, 5 km or 3.5 miles from Beaune.
This year’s visit included an hour presentation of Domain Dujardin’s winemaking process from beginning to end, including Ulrich’s personal attention to an all hand-harvest and natural wine process. But as he spoke about his passion for winemaking, I heard something I did not catch when I spent an hour with him in 2007. Ulrich’s passionate presentation invigorated me because he obviously cared about the process. But I almost missed his side comments on how he hires disabled or handicapped people to help him in the vineyards. And when I checked on his family heritage, it did not include winemaking.
How did an outsider become a winemaker in a region which favors tradition and heritage over the new and upstart?
I planned my first visit to Lompoc, California, and its Ghetto: The Wine Ghetto. I had heard of this industrial park housing 15-20 wineries but couldn’t imagine how or why such a place would be possible. And when my son-in-law moved to Santa Ynez, CA, I had to go see for myself.
Sure enough, no amazing gardens, trees or fountains. No fantastic stone buildings or quaint villages to meander through. At first glance, The Wine Ghettos’ door fronts looked business park-esk without a bunch of semi-trucks parked in front of the bays. How could this be legit?
While my purpose and original intent was to find out how an industrial complex could house world class wineries, I met and was welcomed by Palmina Winery’s owner, Steve Clifton, left. This Wine Ghetto business park is no slum.
The trip from Santa Ynez to Lompoc was only 26 miles. The bonus: A couple of winery visits on the way over. My most notable stop was the Babcock Winery on Highway 246, but that visit will have to be in another post.
So I sighed and parked on the street just down from Palmina Winery. I knew of its owner, Steve Clifton, from his other winery projects, including Brewer-Clifton. In fact, I have six of those pinot bottles in my wine cooler right now. But I was still skeptical… until I walked through the door.
While Palmina’s wine tasting room was small, the familiar sights settled my fears immediately. His staff smiled and seemed genuinely glad I arrived; the smells of fine woods, wine and the familiarity of snacks, (including salami and bread sticks) soon gave way to the excitement of tasting Palmina’s Italian list of reds. I have to admit, I am a red fan.
I researched and became web familiar with Clifton’s Nebbiolo line. My wife is Italian and I spent many evenings at her Grandma Bruno’s house early in our marriage, enjoying the essence of Italia. She proudly plated rich, meaty and savory courses with fresh pasta dishes, including her favorite: gnocchi. Chianti often was served in a carafe. Today, now a young 50-something, I wanted a more substantial wine to take home for special home cooked dinners. The tasting included a lists of 2006 bottles: Nebbiolo Stolpman Vineyard, Sisquoc Vineyard, and Honea Vineyard. I couldn’t resist and bought a Stolpman and Sisquoc. While the tasting showed wonderful aromas of orange peel and cinnamon in the Sisquoc, the rosemary, lavender and pomegranate teased me in the Stolpman-pour. I plan on laying these down for a couple more years…maybe.
The Wine Ghetto in Lompoc, CA, houses 16 wineries representing 20 different brands, including Stolpman Vineyards. While the industrial look may feel cold and uninviting, it is the inside of both the building and the wine bottle that will bring me back again.
Steve Clifton was kind enough to hang out with me after he wandered through the tasting room to say hi to some of the other visitors. If his smile and warm personality and enthusiasm to greet strangers is any indication of his love for his family and winery, I am sold on his product. The whole social time was about 30 minutes. He spoke about his passion for creating wine, his kids and why he loves setting up shop at The Wine Ghetto. In fact, he cited fellow winemakers within The Ghetto as worthy competitors for my business.
This short blog post is to encourage a closer web look at wineries and vignerons who create masterpieces we can enjoy today but will even be better tomorrow. Maybe you will risk a drive out to Lompoc. Find out for yourself that excellent wine is being crafted in a business park.
While the goal of TasteoftheCork.com and myself is to broaden wine awareness, my desire is to go beyond that and tell winemakers’ tales not yet told. I plan to return and revisit The Wine Ghetto and the winemakers. This time I will document our discussion and shape a story of passion, struggle, and encouragement to those who find them.
Salut!
P.S. If you get to The Wine Ghetto before I do, tell Steve Clifton that Greg Stobbe at TalesoftheCork will visit soon.
The Palmina Winery is located at 1520 E. Chestnut Ct. Lompoc, Ca 93436. The tasting room can be reached at 1-805-735-2030 or tastingroom@palminawines.com.
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