The Corkdork - Wine and Food Musing

Tasting in Paso Robles 2007: Hug Cellars

On my way back to the Bay Area from my SoCal wine journey, I was set up with a timely visit with Augie Hug, of Hug Cellars in Paso Robles. Timely because it both fit my schedule and because his 2006s were ready to be tasted in barrel. If you read no further, know that I couldn't leave without buying a half a case of their expressive, carefully made Pinot Noir and Syrahs.

Hug's output is around 1200 cases a year, which makes it likely that the winery has flown under your radar, but I hope I can change that. Hug works with some of the finest fruit from Ontiveros Ranch, Paso Robles, and San Luis Obispo along with getting guidance from some of the areas best; Paul Wilkins of Native9/Alta Maria, and  John Alban of Alban Vineyards. Augie made a name for himself early on with Syrahs, but his Pinots are also really special. If you're lucky enough to see a Hug wine on a wine list, or in your favorite wine boutique shelf, grab it. Chances are you'll find it full of character and a great sense of terroir.

Tasting Notes:

2006 Hug Cellars Cedar Lane Vineyard Arroyo Seco Pinot Noir (barrel taste)

Remarkable wines come from this old granite riverbed property in Arroyo Seco, Monterey County. The '06 Pinot is still tight, with a pretty closed nose, but the dark fruit finish goes on and on. This is a lighter style Pinot, so don't mistake it for a chewy blockbuster. This should be a winner though, like the sold-out 2005.

2006 Hug Cellars Rancho Ontiveros Pinot Noir (barrel taste)

This is made in a very elegant style, a little lighter than the Native9 treatment of the same fruit, but still has the burst of red fruits and earthy minerality that marks Santa Maria Valley Pinots. Highly recommended.

2006 Hug Cellars El Pape - Central Coast Blend (barrel taste)

Augie's homage to the Rhone Valley. Grenache, Mouvedre, and Syrah. Like a big and fruity Chateauneuf. I'm not sure what the price of this will be, but it should be a very good value.

2006 Hug Cellars Cedar Lane Sauvignon Blanc, Arroyo Seco

Big, grassy and a bit tart. Done in New Zealand style, but with fruit that got more heat. Not my favorite, but still a quality SB. I think this is only available locally and at the tasting room.

2006 Hug Cellars Cedar Lane Viognier, Arroyo Seco

I immediately said "creamsickle" when I tasted this, and apparently this is exactly what Augie's wife, Raquel said too. Unfiltered and 100% mild new oak, the wine shines with huge perfume of citrus and cream along with mineral qualities. Recommended.

2005 Hug Cellars Cedar Lane Pinot Noir, Arroyo Seco (Sold out)

Fresh raspbeiires, a little dried citrus, and a beautiful balance and roundness that the 2006 didn't have quite yet. It makes me think everyone should get their hands on the 2006s as soon as they come out if they transform into this after a year more bottle age.

2005 Hug Cellars Syrah Paso Robles

A bit of the Paso jammyness on this one, mostly reminiscent of boyesenberries. Ripe and pretty tanic.

2005 Hug Cellars Syrah Cedar Lane, Arroyo Seco

The cooler clime of Monterey County brings out more pepper than jam, with nice floral undertones. Recommended.

2003 Hug Cellars Syrah Bassetti Vineyards, San Luis Obispo (Cambria)

Cocoa, licorice,  and white pepper with a little dried fruit. Smells a little like the sea (in a good way). Great to see what some age does for Augie's bigger wines. Age mellows out the tannins and brings out more earthy chewiness.

2005 Hug Cellars Bassetti Vineyard "Rena Block" Syrah
This is the blockbuster, 50% whole cluster syrah that is meant to age. New, it's a huge mouthful and very heady. Grippy tannins give it a wild feel to it that begs for 5 more years in the cellar to round everything off. So glad I left with one to age! Recommended.

WBW #37 Go Native: Charphony and Picpoul de Pineau

I know it's Thursday. I did get a day grace period from the good Dr. Vino, host of Wine Blogging Wednesday this month, and originator of this month's theme, Go Native. Grapes from whence they originated. I dug out two curiosities from my cellar for this one.

2005 Charphony, Thomas Coyne, Livermore Valley

First up, is a blend. I know that may be stretching the rule, but hear me out on this one. Livermore mainstay, Thomas Coyne, had one bottle of this left last time I visited, and I had to buy it. The blend is 75% Symphony (from Lodi) and 25% Chardonnay (from Livermore). Yes, Symphony is a grape and this particular lot of grapes came from a vineyard only 49 miles from the wine alchemists at U.C. Davis that created it, so I would certainly consider it a native. Every grape was once something else, no? Vignerons have been cross-breeding grapes for thousands of years.

Symphony is a cross of Grenache Gris and Muscat of Alexandria. According to Jancis' "Guide to Wine Grapes" it had a brief period of being vogue as an off-dry wine in the 1990s. I guess I missed those  in-vogue parties.  It's not 100% Symphony because it is such a heady Muscat-like wine that it would just be too much if it wasn't blended with something. The scent is like fresh orange peels and newly cut golden delicious apples, mixed with beeswax. It's fully dry, and not unpleasant, but really more of a novelty.

2005 Chateau Saint Martin de la Garrigue Picpoul de Pinet

Made from an ancient grape in the Languedoc, Picpoul Blanc, Picpoul de Pinet is full-bodied and oily, much like your average Marsanne or Rousanne from the area, but doesn't have any of the beautiful floral characters of those two noble grapes. Picpoul means "lip-stinger" in French, and it does have a bit of a bite. The main scents are of gunpowder, flint, and petrol so along with the high alcohol content, you would think it would have an explosion of flavor. Unfortunately, this is another novelty wine, this time imported from Kermit Lynch (never one to shy from being able to sell the weird by his prose). The flavors are super-minerally and a little lemony, sort of like a Greco de Tuffo or Falanghina. Repeat buy? Nope not this one.

Special Breakfast: Vegetarian Spanish Hash and Eggs

Just a quick recipe, as I haven't posted one in a while. I intended to make a nice Spanish-style omelette but I had too much filling. It dawned on me that it would make a really nice bed for poached eggs instead. I love Corned Beef Hash, but we're trying a vegetarian challenge until Thanksgiving. Wish me luck --so glad I had one of the best steaks ever at the Hitching Post II last week before we started!

Spanish-style Vegetarian Hash and Poached Eggs

Serves 2

4 large eggs
1 small zucchini - cut into small dice
1/2 med. red bell pepper - cut into small dice
3 large or 5 small scallions, minced
2 tsp. fresh thyme, minced
1 tsp. fresh parsley, minced
big pinch of hot paprika
3/4 tsp. Spanish Piri-Piri Sauce
2 Tbsp. grated very sharp cheddar (I used 7 year old Wisconsin)
 Olive Oil
1 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
Cider Vinegar
Salt & Pepper
Great buttered toast

Heat olive oil and butter until the butter foams up. Sauté zucchini, pepper, scallions, thyme, and parsley for 5 or 6 minutes over medium heat until pretty tender. Add paprika and Piri-piri sauce (or your favorite vinegary hot sauce). Adjust salt and Pepper and and set aside.

Bring small pan of water to a boil and add 2 Tbsp. vinegar. Adjust to a simmer. Start the toast!
Gently crack the eggs in to the pan and keep simmering 3 -1/2 or 4 minutes. Get your plates ready: Divide up the filling between the 2 plates. Sprinkle with cheese. Pull out the eggs, one-by-one, and rinse with hot water. Dry gently on a paper towel and place on top of the hash. Top with a nice grind of pepper.

Epiphany Cellars Goes Oakless

Eli Parker has just released his first whites that have never seen wood --Purité. Chosen from two great locations in Southern California, these are both extremely clean and food friendly.  Even the label design has been revamped to give a cleaner, dare I say pure, look to it.

I unfortunately missed a local Fess Parker Group tasting with Eli last week, but because I was in Santa Ynez valley, I stopped by the tasting room in Los Olivos and tried these both. Both are table-worthy.

2006 Purité Chardonnay  Santa Rita Hills
This is a huge fruity Chardonnay, very round and complete in the mouth, with lemony tart freshness. Made with fruit from Ashley's Vineyard in the Santa Rita Hills (known for excellent Pinot Noir), the wine is ripe and expressive already very round, so it's lack of oak makes it a refreshing change and very food friendly.

2006 Purité Viognier
Another all-steel tank wonder, the Viognier is oily, floral, with medium exotic perfume. Cleaner and slightly lighter body than your average Viognier from Santa Barbara, but still a good expression of the grape. Try this on its own for sipping before dinner or with some good cheese.

Tasting in Santa Ynez Valley Part 3: Native9 and Alta Maria

You may remember that Native9's 2004 offering was on my "top pick" list from Pinot Days 2007. I had a chance to meet partners James Ontiveros and Paul Wilkins to revisit their Pinots and experience their excellent Alta Maria wines. I also got a chance to taste the not-yet-released 2006 Rancho Ontiveros at their production facility the following day.

As an introduction, it's hard to overestimate the contribution that James Ontiveros' family has had in the region. The very name Native9 celebrates the fact that James is a 9th generation steward of the land in the Santa Maria Valley, with family roots defining Southern California history. Instead of resting on the laurels of his ancestors, James has energetically made his own mark on many of the  mainstays of Central Coast winemaking: Bien Nacido (his ancestral home), Solomon Hills, French Camp, Central Coast Wine Services (custom crush facility), and Paso Robles Wine Services.

Consulting winemaker, Paul Wilkins, is originally a friend from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. He runs Wilkins Vinotech Winery and Vineyard Consulting, and was formerly associated with Alban. (where I assume he leaned his gift for Rhone varietals). He is committed to deliver a what he and James feel is the essence of the Rancho Ontiveros fruit, and the care really shows in the result. The 2005s are sadly sold out, but the 2006s are just about to be bottled, so get yours now...there's precious little to go around.

Tasting Notes:

Native 9 Vineyards
2004 Pinot Noir Santa Maria Valley Rancho Ontiveros

This Pinot has grown in the six months since I last tasted it --into an Earth Mama. Full of Pommard-like forest floor flavors with a real chewiness. It is a bit more angular than the 2005, but if it's a distinctive Pinot you crave, give this one a shot.  I really love this wine.

Native 9 Vineyards
2005 Pinot Noir Santa Maria Valley Rancho Ontiveros

The 2005 is more balanced and round than the 2004, but possessing the same core of delicious fruit with restrained high perfume on the nose (by that I mean that it isn't over-the-top fruity). I thought this was maybe a bit more food friendly and would be an obvious choice in a fine restaurant if you can find it.

Native9 Vineyards
2006 Pinot Noir Santa Maria Valley Rancho Ontiveros (Tank Sample)

This is shockingly complete as a not-yet-released wine. It is round and elegant, already possessing some of the forest-floor character previous releases acquire after years in the bottle. Hugely perfumed and a spot-on representative of the best of what Santa Maria Valley has to offer. Buy this.

Alta Maria Vineyards
2005 Syrah San Luis Obispo County

Massive and deep, with a central focus of ripe-but-not-pruney fruit. My first reaction was blackberry cobbler, complete with the cinnamon. Not sticky with canned pie filling flavors, but something like my sweetie would make from the blackberries in our back yard. As James Ontiveros says, it's different each time you lift the glass. Very highly recommended.

Alta Maria Vineyards
2005 Grenache Santa Maria Valley Nelson Vineyard

At first pour the first thing you notice is the incredible deep color. Winemaker Paul Wilkins' addition of a bit of Syrah to the wine added both to the body and the deep purple color, but the scent and flavor is all Grenache. It reminds me of the earthy wines of Gigondas or Sablet in the Rhone, without the funk. While not pure Grenache, it's like a very clean clear expression of what Grenache is all about. Highly recommended.

Full disclosure: these wines were poured as samples during an excellent lunch at Chef Rick's in Orcutt --THE place to eat in the area, and apparently the place winemakers eat (Lane Tanner was at the next table and I thought I heard some of the Fess Parker family was outside). We had some starters of Chef Rick's famous coconut shrimp and little empanadas, then some inventive raviolis with shitake mushrooms and beautiful fresh broth. Then I had the towering tostada of BBQ chicken and black beans - huge and delicious. Next time I'll try the BLT with shrimp and guacamole. Everything coming out of the kitchen had flair and innovation. A must visit if you're in the area.