Tag: California

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WineSnobTV: Off The Beaten Path – Bumgarner Winery

Today Off The Beaten Path we are looking back in retrospect. We pay a visit to one of my all-time-favorite winemakers. I have been following Brian Bumgarner’s work for well over a decade now. His wines are some of the longest lived, oldest vintages in my cellar.

I spent the day chatting with Brian at their Estate, getting caught up and filling in the blanks on his story and journey up to that point. It was an honor, distinct pleasure and I am thrilled to take you with me.

This is a long form, free-flowing conversation. I recommend opening a bottle (I recommend, Bumgarner wine), kicking back and following along. I have added time-stamps below to help you navigate or skip ahead:

00:15 – Intro and background
03:58 – The beginning, chat with Brian Bumgarner
13:40 – Bumgarner Estate
17:08 – Winery dog Figgy
17:20 – A family business
19:09 – Greece and the journey through Europe
21:46 – What I love about Bumgarner Wines
22:26 – A look at 2018 Alicante Bouschet
23:56 – The story of Alicante
25:50 – Tasting notes
27:14 – Bumgarner Apple Cider
28:55 – Bumgarner Bumbly
30:28 – Always relishing the New
31:50 – 2020 Harvest
33:05 – The Pandemic and aftermath
34:49 – Reinventing and adapting to adversity
37:54 – Artisanal production
39:49 – Winemaking is challenging
40:46 – Exploring older vintages
46:54 – Walking the Semilion
51:00 – Walking the Sauvignon Blanc
51:30 – New graftings
52:50 – Aerial views of the Estate
53:25 – Sunset views with Brian Bumgarner
53:35 – My thoughts in closing
55:03 – A look at the 2016 Tempranillo

For more reviews, exploits and content on Bumgarner Winery, you can visit the following link:
https://winesnob.blog/tag/bumgarner/

Visit Bumgarner Winery official website here:
https://www.bumgarnerwinery.com/

Check out some of my favorite wines from the Sierra Foothills here:
https://winesnob.blog/tag/sierra-foothills/

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2019 Pinot Noir (Pomarium) by Peay Vineyards

Tonight’s Occasion: 2019 Pinot Noir (Pomarium) by Peay Vineyards, Sonoma Coast, CA

A burst of Rose petals hits the nose. Oh my! Beautiful floral aromas. Soft sweet cherry cola. Faint leather and red vines licorice lingers in the background. Bright, translucent ruby color.

Silky smooth body shows good balance with a touch of acid on the attack. Dark cherry skins lay down a paper thin structure over which a light, thin, soft almost silky body of cola, subtle blackberries and crisp (neutral) oak. This act quickly vanishes leaving the palate dry, crisp, and slightly grippy with a faint spice tingle. As it opens up, the cola intensifies. This wine is dry but this does not become evident until the finish.

A gift from my little boy. I have never heard of this winemaker before. I think they’ve done a great job with this wine. I like it and will have to pay them a visit. Nicely done Peay!

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Bumbly (Carbonated Wine) by Bumgarner Winery

Tonight’s Occasion: Bumbly (Carbonated Wine) by Bumgarner Winery, Fair Play, CA

Clear light ruby color if not slightly dark. Not surprising as I believe this is primarily Merlot after all. Think part Rosé of Merlot, part Black Bubbles. Crisp bright albeit shy nose with subtle berries, slight sweet cherry cola. With a little strain you’ll pick up a wet woody granite.

Body goes straight to a weighty, slightly viscous mouth feel. A touch of bubbles makes light of an otherwise fairly serious expression featuring restrained tart dark cherries, blackberries and crisp caramel reminiscent of neutral oak. As it opens up a slightly leathery granite emerges. Finish is defined by crisp tannins, caramel and a palate moistening minerality. Every note is but a suggestion.

This is a playful side of a winemaker whose wines otherwise take a more serious expression. I have been following his wines for well over a decade and love his versatility, creativity and pursuit of the craft. Be sure to save your Bumgarner pop tops for a credit on your next purchase.

Nicely done Brian and Jennifer Bumgarner! Love you guys!

Read more about Bumgarner Wines on WineSnob

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2014 Zinfandel (Salvador Vineyard) by Turley

Tonight’s Occasion:  2014 Zinfandel (Salvador Vineyard – Contra Costa County) by Turley Wine Cellars, Plymouth CA

Dark opaque color. For a Zin this big, nose is a bit shy out of the bottle. Up front, lots of red berry, touch of sweet cherry cola, hints of red vines licorice over a backdrop of damp sandy soil. As it breathes, the wet sand develops a leathery quality. I like it!

Body is fairly restrained, balanced, very well integrated for a Zin, monolithic in expression. You are greeted with soft tannins. Hints of berry tell you this is Zinfandel without overpowering the experience. A light vanilla cherry cola follows. Shortly after all fruit vanishes leaving behind as it takes a more serious note leaving the palate bone dry with a bitter cola and firm dusty tannic grip. At this point we are well into the finish. The third act begins as an intensifying spice heat slowly consumes the palate from back to front, reminding you, this is in fact a California Zinfandel.

I think of Turley as a Zin House. If you like Zinfandel, I think you should pay them a visit. They were gracious enough to make this Library wine available on my last visit. It is a masterful representation of the quintessential California Zin without completely altering its expression.

Nicely done Turley!

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2017 Tempranillo by Polynesian Girl

Tonight’s Occasion: 2017 Tempranillo by Polynesian Girl, Sierra Foothills, CA

Big, bold, beautiful nose out of the bottle. Ripe plums and dark cherries. A slight vanilla cola intermingled with anise, an all too familiar characteristic of this region. As it settles, a layer of dusty granite forms and lingers just above the surface of the wine. Very nice! Very nice! Swirling vigorously sharpens the anise into more of an absinthe-like expression. Okay I like what you did there Tatiana!

Body greets immediately with an infusion of tart plum skins, a weighty, slightly viscous mouth feel. It is drier than the nose leads you to believe. Oak is almost unnoticeable and highly complementary. Dark cherries carry through. It has bold, prominent tannic structure that permeates the entire fabric of the body with very little separation. I would venture to say this wine can and probably should be aged at least a decade, probably more. The whole melange dissipates leaving a firm dry tannic grip, black currants and anise amid a sharp but moderate spice.

I love how this varietal expresses itself in this region and this Winemaker’s execution is one I think you should look at. It’s different. Interesting.

Explore more Polynesian Girl wines on WineSnob.

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Bottling Day at Bumgarner Winery

Sharing a moment with Brian Bumgarner

This past week I had the distinct pleasure of joining bottling efforts at Bumgarner Winery in Fair Play, CA.

I have been following winemaker’s work for well over a decade and have been collecting some of his oldest vintages. Brian Bumgarner’s style is more traditional. His are best described as dry, terroir-driven and age-worthy.

On this day we bottled the Many Hands Cuvee, his award winning Bordeaux style blend. You can read my review of the Many Hands Cuvee here. A a reward for helping out, the Winemaker grilled sausages and prepared a delicious charcuterie board for us.

Winemaking is not a glamorous affair. It is real. It is raw. It takes lots of hard work, patience, tenacity and diligence. It also takes family and community, both of which Brian has in relative abundance around him. This shows through his work. Brian’s wines have been the perfect punctuation to many moments over the years. Thank you for sharing your amazing wines with us all these years. I very much look forward to all your future vintages. This was definitely a moment to cherish.

Read more about Bumgarner Wines on WineSnob

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2014 Pinot Noir (3BBL) by Roger Roessler Wines

Tonight’s Occasion: 2014 Pinot Noir (3BBL) by Roger Roessler Wines, Sonoma CA.

Clear ruby color. Gentle, plush, aromatic nose. Earthy notes take center stage with wet wood, damp forest floor, a touch of that all too familiar Sonoma Dirt and Mushroom. As it breathes, slightly ripened cherries creep forward. Swirling vigorously intensifies, fruit and floral notes. A sweet cola makes an appearance. Beautiful!

Body is nicely balanced, greeting with a gentle touch of acidity which is quickly replaced with a smooth, silky, slightly viscous body. Paper thin layers of crisp tannin are laid down beneath layers of thin wisps of cherry cola, faint crisp caramel and viscous leathery essence. Transition to finish is characterized by the emergence of a gentle but firm spice towards the back. Body vanishes, leaving behind slightly bitter cola as crisp, clean tannins assert themselves amidst a gentle warmth.

This 3BBL is a blend of this vintner’s top Pinot from that vintage. Each vintage unique in its own expression. This vintage is a beautiful representation of the greater Sonoma region. It preserves this identity very well in an all around classy expression. If you haven’t explored Roger Roessler wines, I highly recommend them. They make for a great study, a compendium of Pinot Noir from up and down the Pacific Coast. I have been following their wines for well over a decade now.

Explore more Roger Roessler Wines on WineSnob.

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2012 Napa Cab (Atlas Peak) by Gustavo Wine

Tonight’s Occasion: 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon (Atlas Peak) by Gustavo Wine (@gustavowine), Napa Valley, CA

Dark semi opaque color. Out of the bottle, intense dry plums. As it breathes, it develops a fine, dusty, sandy leather essence, almost granite in nature. Hints of berries pop in and out of the back, eventually turning to dark, slightly sweet cherries. Notes of herbs and eucalyptus emerge. It’s a bit rustic. I feel like the nose will continue to evolve for hours if left alone. Very nice.

Oh wow. Okay! So the body is unexpectedly smooth. Balanced, front to back. There is little to no attack. Fairly light for a Napa Cab. It leans more on the delicate side. It is dry. Plums carry over with a measured amount of tannins quickly arriving at a harmonious compromise. A soft old wood, leathery mushroom essence tempers the stage, adds a little weight as the body slowly develops. Plums ripen slightly and tannins develop a dusty, fine grained texture. This marks the transition to finish as the palate slowly begins to dry, leaving behind gentle but firm tannic grip, leather and a touch of warmth.

I love the story behind this winemaker and even more that he continues to make wine. His generation were the ones who’s craft put Napa on world stage. These are the kind of winemakers I seek out, off the beaten path.

Bien hecho Gustavo! I had a blast visiting the tasting room!

I’m reminiscing about my last visit to their tasting room downtown Napa at the beginning of last year with my friend (2020, right before the pandemic hit). We had a blast tasting and handing out with Gustavo’s wife at their understated tasting room. I highly recommend a visit whenever you’re in Napa.

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2016 Pinot Noir by Reichwage Winery, Sonoma Coast

Tonight’s Occasion: 2016 Pinot Noir by Reichwage Winery, Sebastopol CA.

Big bold intense color for a Pinot. Nose is shy out of the bottle. You can definitely pick up hints of that all too familiar Sonoma dirt. Nose develops a little more weight, berries and ripe cherries as it opens up. Damp woody dirt and red vines licorice move forward. Nose is very subtle and gentle.

Body is not as big as the color suggests but very much in line with the nose. Subtle, gentle, smooth expression. Ripe cherries greet the palate with a hint of acidity more in the form of a sweet citrus that is quickly smothered by a full, plush, soft mouth feel. Transition to finish is seamless leaving the palate slightly dry under an enduring spice warmth.

This Pinot is showing nicely right now. It is clean, well executed. It feels like a classic Pinot Noir, subtle, nuanced, smooth and balanced. It channels the terroir very subtly, gracefully retaining it’s sense of place. Now I’m curious to see how the 2018 vintage is showing now. That should be an interesting vintage right about now. Stay tuned!

Nicely done Max Reichwage 🍷😁👌🏽

You can read more from my exploring of Max Reichwage’s wines here.

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2011 Syrah (Monarch Mine) by Terre Rouge Easton Wines

Tonight’s Occasion: 2011 Syrah (Monarch Mine Vineyard, Sierra Foothills) by Terre Rouge * Easton Wines, Plymouth CA Dark semi opaque color. Looks unfiltered. Out of the bottle nose is warm and weighted. This wine is all terroir up front. Reminds me of Beaujolais Gamay or Loire Cab Franc in its expression. Big leather up front with unmistakable wet wood and dusty granite. This wine asserts its origins with a keen sense of place. Within minutes it’s full identity reveals itself in the form of a rich, creamy anise. An unmistakable hallmark expression of the Sierra Foothills. Just beautiful. As it settles, ripe dark cherries, sweet berries and plum reveal themselves with hints of herbs I can’t pinpoint, a sort of eucalyptus. There is no attack. You are greeted by a long, wide and fairly deep body from start to finish. Dry dusty tannins provide a thick chassis upon which a well integrated melange of leathery notes, dark plum, blackberries and hints of mushroom slowly play. As it finally transitions to finish, the stage clears, leaving black currants and anise and warm gentle spice. The palate is rendered slightly dry and tingling with spice and the chest warms. There are many reasons why Terre Rouge * Easton was our first inaugural Winemaker of the Year for 2019. This bottle reminds me of all of them. A fine example of what is possible in this region, California and the world at large with a relentless commitment to the art form and excellence. I am just tickled every time I open one of these wines. Nicely done Bill, Jane and the entire crew at Terre Rouge Easton Wines! Explore more Terre Rouge Easton wines on WineSnob.
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