Page 16 - Sonoma County Gazette November 2018

A vertical tasting of Kellermann Wines Pinot Noir Gunsalus Vineyard, Green Valley
The 2014 was produced in very low numbers, just over 200 cases. The vintage is an excellent barometer of the 2014 vintage overall, smooth characteristics
of red berry, firm acidity and a well comingled oak which is the result of extended barrel-aging and, making this wine very approachable and ready
to drink. This pinot noir will age for another seven years if properly cellared and will make a great companion to dishes such as a Waldorf salad. It has the capacity to stand up to the blue cheese and walnuts, or, your favorite seafood dish, perhaps a paella. No decanting necessary.
2015, with much smaller yields throughout Sonoma County due to extended years of drought, made this wine the one I was most excited about tasting
and it did not disappoint. With only three barrels produced, once again we’re talking about a very limited production and an exceptional wine. If you’re looking for a wine you’d like to cellar for ten years, this is definitely one to consider.
Upon tasting the 2015, I found bright red raspberries, a bit angular, however, a quintessential food wine. The acids were wrapped in a distinct menthol eucalyptus. The 2015 makes for a food-driven wine. Consider things like Copper River king salmon, one of my favorites or an Alaskan wild sockeye, pan-seared or oven roasted – it’s time to pull out your favorite recipes and start pairing. A bit of decanting goes a long way with this vintage – perhaps two to four hours and, remember, when cellaring wines, keep them cool and dark. While the best temperature for serving all red wine is 68 Fahrenheit as a high temperature, cellaring at 58 will slow the aging process.
The last of the vertical I tasted was the 2016 vintage, from Gunsalus vineyard. This wine was tasted over a two-day period and I found it to be a little tight and in need of 18 to 20 months more cellaring before the red berry characteristics, oak and acids have an opportunity to really come together. Think about decanting this wine for several hours, in fact, upon tasting it I waited a full twelve hours before tasting it again, and then four and six hours afterwards. Once again you have another incredible food wine, your patience and cellaring will reward you. For more information visit kellermannwines. com.
16 - www.sonomacountygazette.com - 11/18
This wine, with an alcohol content of 14.9% has a nose of cherry and vanilla. The palate leads with dusty plum skin and there is a quality of dry red
berry preserve. The acidities are bright and full throughout the palate and really make me long for a pulled pork and red cabbage sandwich. Of course, everything pork is going to go with this zinfandel. It’s not too late to pull the barbeque out and grill some country pork ribs. If you know of a family recipe, grab a bottle, this zinfandel for its quality is very affordable retailing at $28. For more information visit kokomowinery.com.
Thanksgiving ~ It’s that time of year again... when planning your Thanksgiving Dinner there are a few wines that are natural pairings, the
dry low-alcohol roses currently available make a stunning pairing with not only the bird but also the cranberry sauce, the stuffing and baked squash. Sauvignon Blancs ought not be over-looked and, of course, my favorite, pinot noir. If your leanings are more towards that of standing rib roast or prime rib, it’s time to start thinking about the big reds from jammy zinfandels to robust cabernet sauvignon and Bordeaux blends. Happy Thanksgiving!
Upcoming Events:
It’s Wine Road’s 20th Anniversary Wine & Food Affair. A weekend of wine and food pairing in the Alexander, Dry Creek and Russian River Valleys. Participating wineries prepare their favorite recipe to sample too. Nov 3&4, 11am – 4pm each day. For more information, visit wineroad.com.
John Haggard is owner of Sophie’s Cellars, Sonoma Wine Tasting in Duncans Mills, California. Sophie’s Cellars is open Wed, Thu, Sat, Sun: 11am – 5pm, Fri: 11am- 7pm (Local’s Night, Friday, 4-7pm, and you don’t have to be a local to join us). www. sophiescellars.com
Kokomo Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley 2017