ON THE VINE: The San Benito Wine Trail {Edible Monterey Bay}

This piece was published in the Summer 2015 issue of Edible Monterey Bay. You may read it on their website: here. Or below...

  

ON THE VINE: The San Benito Wine Trail

One of the Monterey Bay’s best-kept secrets is there for the exploring

Story by Camilla M. Mann

Highway 156 is a road well traveled by people heading between the coast and the Central Valley, where Interstate 5 provides an artery the length of the state. For years, I’ve driven the road without looking beyond the patchwork of fields along the often-congested, yet picturesque two-lane road.

But venturing off 156 onto Union Road just south of Hollister, I’ve made several recent detours onto the San Benito County Wine Trail, which is less of a straight path than a lattice crisscrossing the valley between the Gavilan and the Quien Sabe Ranges. The vineyards that dot the region include both some of California’s oldest and youngest grapevines, grown by some of its most intrepid vintners, such as Calera Wine’s Josh Jensen and Bonny Doon’s Randall Grahm, and a number of lesser known yet equally interesting personalities.

What San Benito’s dozens of viticulturists and winemakers have in common is an attraction to the limestone-rich soils and moderating ocean breezes that make the area an extremely favorable one for growing wine grapes. But the similarities end there. Like the fault lines that interlace the area—the San Andreas Fault that flanks it to the west, the Quien Sabe Fault to the east, and the Sargent, Calaveras and Tres Pinos fault lines that it straddles—the group’s members like to shake things up. And because of that, they offer a diverse array of unique wines that make their tasting rooms well worth the trip.

Turning from Union onto Cienega Road, where most of the tasting rooms are situated, you enter a world of bucolic hills, hardy wildflowers and not much else. Especially—until now—there was not much in the way of food to match the fine local wines.

But that will likely change soon, when exciting, seasonal, farm-to- table foods prepared by exceptional chefs are expected to be offered at both DeRose Vineyards and Bonny Doon’s Popelouchum.

When I first started exploring San Benito’s wines, I contacted Ian Brand, a vintner known for his Salinas-based Le P’tit Paysan label. One of Wine Enthusiast magazine’s “40 Under 40: American Tastemakers” in 2013, Brand has broad experience with grapes from across our region through making wine for more than a dozen other Central Coast winery owners.

We discussed Napa and Cabernets, Paso Robles and Syrahs, and Sonoma Pinot Noirs. When I observed that there didn’t seem to be a definitive varietal coming out of San Benito, Brand concurred.

“San Benito is a younger region, so folks are planting a wide variety of grapes to see what works. The area is a county full of possibilities.” In essence, he says, the wines coming out of San Benito are a mixture of heritage and discovery.

On the heritage side of things you have DeRose Vineyards, which occupies a site established by French immigrant Theophile Vaché in the 1850s, making its vines some of the oldest in the state. The winery has changed hands several times and, for a spell, its vineyards—like others in much of the county—were almost the exclusive domain of former wine industry giant, Almaden.

“There’s a lot of great history here,” says vintner Pat DeRose, whose family in 1988 took over the winery after a period of neglect and rescued some 100 acres of abandoned vines from the clutches of weeds and thistles.

The winery now offers a handful of unique wines, and I was instantly enamored by the exotic, century-old Négrette, whose name means “little black one.” Called Pinot St. George before 1997, legend says Négrette, descended from Mavro rootstock, was transported to France by Knights Templar returning from Cyprus. DeRose’s Négrette is inky and aromatic with stone fruit bursting out of the glass and some spicy nuance.

Just down the road is another vineyard that dates back to the 1850s, the stunning red-brick Pietra Santa Winery. Pietra Santa means “sacred stone” in Italian, a reference to its limestone-laden soil, which has helped its Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese win numerous medals in the San Francisco Chronicle wine competition.

The 450-acre estate also produces organic and infused olive oils from its five varieties of trees, and offers picnic tables next to its vineyards. Further into the valley is Josh Jensen’s Calera Wine. The best known of the region’s established wineries, its pinot noirs, chardonnays and viogniers are perennial award winners.

Randall Grahm and his Bonny Doon Vineyards are most often associated with Santa Cruz County, where Grahm lives and established his first vineyard. His current tasting room is also in Davenport.

But early in his career, Grahm borrowed winemaking space at Calera, and in 2011 he returned to San Benito County to embark on what is arguably the most daring move of his career.

He purchased a 280-acre ranch in San Juan Bautista, which he calls Popelouchum, the native Mutsun word for “paradise,” and launched an effort to hybridize from seed 10,000 entirely new vinifera grape varietals. The ultimate aim: to make a true vin de terroir, a unique American wine that offers the fullest expression of place possible.

Thus far, just three-quarters of an acre of the estate is planted with well-established vines, and Grahm admits it may take many years to see the project through. “There’s a possibility I may not be around to know if it’s a success or failure,” Grahm says.

But the continuing drought and quickening climate change have made the need for new grape varieties better suited to the region— and to changed weather patterns in general—all the more urgent.

So as this issue of EMB was going to press, Grahm was preparing to launch a multi-platform crowdfunding campaign to raise $750,000 or more to finish the research needed to create the rest of the vines. He was expecting to offer to the campaign’s donors wine, naming rights and even early access to the plants.

Grahm is encouraged by the barrel of wine he made from Grenache harvested from the estate last year.

“I’m extremely happy with it,” says Grahm, noting that he “lives” for minerality in wines, and the deep-colored Grenache’s qualities include “really intense perfume, wonderful acidity, great body, this wonderful, earthy mineral aspect.”

Popelouchum is only open to the public during special events, of which Grahm plans a few for this fall.

Also engaged in notable new discoveries in San Benito’s wine country are two young winemakers—Ryan Kobza, founder of Kobza Wines, and Nicole Walsh, who has made wine for Bonny Doon for 14 years, and just last year bottled wine for the first time under her own Ser Wine Co. label.

Both are using an old-vine grape from the Wirz Vineyard in Cienega Valley called Cabernet Pfeffer.

Kobza and Walsh admit they were intrigued by the grape because it’s different.

“I love this wine. It’s distinctive and unique, layered with floral, fruit and spice. It’s delicate, but has structured tannin,” Walsh says. Walsh knows of less 10 acres of this extremely rare grape in the entire state of California—all of them in San Benito County.

Adding to the intrigue, the grape’s origin had been a matter of controversy until last year. A DNA study of the Wirz grapes conducted by UC Davis solved the mystery, finding that they are the French Mourtaou, which in France is sometimes called Pfeffer. The term “Cabernet Pfeffer” is used only in California, for both Mourtaou and Gros Verdot.

If there is a commonality I found in my travels to San Benito County’s tasting rooms and my encounters with its winemakers, it’s that the area’s vintners tend to be mavericks. They’re a highly varied group, but together they create a body of wines that honor the area’s heritage with distinct and delicious expressions of the region’s terroir. In short, it’s just what you’d want from a new wine discovery.

Camilla M. Mann is a food writer, photographer, adventurer and passionate cook. She blogs at culinary-adventures-with-cam.blogspot.com and lives in Seaside.

Edible Events {Edible Monterey Bay, Fall 2012}

 A Pop-Up Brunch and Hike at Ventana Inn & Spa

Photo and Story by Camilla M. Mann

Edible Monterey Bay’s third pop-up brought me to the Ventana Inn and Spa for a hike and a brunch. Gathering in front of The Restaurant at Ventana, our group of culinary adventurers chatted amicably before heading out, led by long-time Big Sur resident and owner of Big Sur Guides. Part naturalist and part local historian, Stephen Copeland regaled us with stories of Hatfield and McCoy-style feuds between Big Sur landowners and reminisced about Lolly Fassett who started the Nepenthe Restaurant after nurturing the local community nightly with her roasted chicken and stuffing.

As we wound along the trails, Copeland discussed how younger redwood trees create tight rings around their parents. He explained how the Native Americans viewed the redwood rings as sacred, circles of life. At one point, our group stood in the center of one of these circles. Surrounded by sixteen giants, we inhaled the citrusy scent from the duff beneath our shoes, listening to the energetic chirps of the wood sparrow.

With stomachs rumbling, Kara Stout, Ventana’s Food and Beverage Head, guided us to an arbor embraced by gnarled honeysuckle vines whose heady scent is stronger than you would expect from such wiry blossoms.

First task: select one of their unique libations. There was the de rigueur bellini and ubiquitous mimosa, but it was the more innovative offerings that intrigued me. I vacillated between the St. Germain Royal – Roederer Brut with St. Germain elderflower liqueur, and a lime wheel – and the Hair of the Dog Punsch – lemon-infused Zaya rum with spiced black tea. 

I opted for the latter; punsch – with its seemingly errant ‘s’ –  is not actually a typo. It derives from a northern European spelling of this cocktail that is served hot. Though I was initially reluctant to order it because rum cocktails are notoriously syrupy, the name was irresistible. The concoction was spicy and slightly bitter, a vivid contrast to the chilled, effervescent St. Germain that I sampled by sneaking a sip from my friend’s champagne flute.

Clinking our glasses amid celebratory toasts, we considered the entrée offerings. Chef Truman Jones had fashioned a generous menu with everything from chicken enchiladas to a classic Caesar salad and homemade granola to a Big Sur burger.

Eggs benedict is my favorite, so the choice was simple. Toasted English muffins were topped with steamed spinach and pillows of perfectly poached eggs. The applewood smoked pork loin was crispy enough to lend texture to the mouthfeel yet soft enough to complement the silky eggs. And I was grateful that the hollandaise sauce added lemony flavor without drowning the dish.

While I didn’t taste any of the other entrées, our table lined with empty plates indicate that all were delectable.

Table chatter ran the gamut from local food events to recipes or culinary processes. We imagined how we could use the sprigs of California sage that Copeland had plucked for us. I’m considering a roasted chicken with stuffing in Lolly Fassett’s honor. Leeks, celery, rye bread, California sage, and lots of butter.

Edible Notables {Edible Monterey Bay, Fall 2012}

Local Food on Foot: Two Unexpectedly Intriguing and Delicious Adventures

Photos and Story by Camilla M. Mann, July 2012

Some people are tour people, relying on a resident expert to cart them from one location to the next while pointing out spots of interest along the way. I am not a tour person. In fact, it wouldn’t be hyperbolic to characterize myself as tour-averse. When I travel, I typically rent a house with a kitchen, frequent neighborhood grocers, seek out farmers’ markets, stop at roadside fruit stands, cook with local produce, and steer clear of anything that could possibly be called a tour.

Before three weeks ago, I didn’t know what a food tour was. Now, I’ve been on two of the three food tours offered around the Monterey Bay: the Santa Cruz Food Tour, run by Brion Sprinsock and Kristine Albrecht, and the Carmel Food Tour, led by Staci Giovino. I have to admit – I’m smitten. Food tours offer a culinary and cultural adventure, guiding locals and visitors alike to exceptional eateries and introducing them to artisan foodsmiths.

Searching for unique outing for my family, I stumbled across the Santa Cruz Food Tour. Walking, eating, drinking. Three of our favorites. I expected an almost two-mile walk and insider information about the stops we were making. I didn’t expect lessons in California history and Victorian architecture and – even after living in this area for almost three decades – to place some new-to-me culinary gems on my food-radar. It was the same with the Carmel Food Tour that I took with a friend a couple of weeks later. We followed our guide through geranium-scented passageways that I had never seen much less explored. Collectively my friend and I have lived here for forty years; and at almost every stop, our whispers began with “Wow, I’ve never….”

Brion Sprinsock started the Santa Cruz Food Tour – and his new Capitola Food Tour – because the tours dovetail his interest in local history and architecture with his desire to shine the spotlight on some of the locals who serve up something exceptional. Staci Giovino fell into culinary tourism via interior design. She shared that her career in designing commercial spaces was about creating an experience. Food tours are much the same. Both Brion and Staci’s passions and knowledge come through in their tours. Though the tours were very different, each successfully captured the personality of its city.

It’s difficult to distill the almost seven hours I spent on the food tours - three and a half hours in Santa Cruz and three hours in Carmel - into a few paragraphs. I’d love to delve into why the Mission Hill tunnel, a 900-foot long narrow gauge railroad tunnel, was built by immigrants from Cornwall versus the Chinese laborers who laid a majority of the lines in California. I would recount the tale Brion wove about Sebastian Vizcaino discovering Monterey Bay. I could detail how the dairy industry shaped downtown Carmel and describe, as Staci explained, how a milk shrine worked. But as I’m short of space, I’ll give you a few tasty tidbits and share a bunch of photos. Here’s my journey to food tour-junkie through a series of “I’ve never…”

…eaten peppercorn ice cream. The Penny Ice Creamery makes small batches of ice cream completely from scratch, in-house everyday. Their flavors change with the seasons, featuring locally farmed and organic ingredients. I love that they utilize a professional forager. As seasons shift, they create ice creams with what can be readily found on a day-hike. We missed their candy cap mushroom by a month. Next year!

…known that ‘cheddar’ can be a verb. To cheddar. Cheddaring is the process of cutting, stacking, and expressing the whey from curds to temper them into a denser, more cohesive mass. Kurt Torrey, of the Cheese Shop, has a motto I can get behind: "Eat cheese. Drink wine. Live life happy!" We ate cheeses from three continents. We sampled a cheddar from the English village of Cheddar; an Argentinean Reggianito, whose name is the Spanish diminutive of ‘Reggiano’, a granular cows' milk cheese from Italian immigrants who wished to make a cheese reminiscent of their native Parmigiano but in smaller wheels; and a hand-crafted raw milk Swiss ‘Junipero’, named for Father Serra, out of the family-run Schoch Dairy in Salinas. The Schochs also make an East of Edam in homage to Salinas-born author John Steinbeck.

...shot olive oil. To really taste the oils, Brion explained – and demonstrated – you should shoot the oil to the back of your throat. Like a shot. It was a proud moment for me to watch my 8 and 10-year-old foodies-in-training throwing back shots of olive oils, sipping on vinegars, and commenting on what they tasted and how they would use them. At both the True Olive Connection, in Santa Cruz, and the Bountiful Basket, in Carmel, we tried a variety of olive oils and balsamic vinegars. The oils ranged from light and buttery to leafy and peppery and everything in between; the vinegars ran from a traditional 18-year-old balsamic vinegar to 6-year-old flavored balsamics such as pomegranate, ripe peach, dark chocolate, espresso, and blueberry.

…known how salumi – Italian-style cured meat products – is made. Salumi has at its root ‘sal’, Latin for salt, and is predominantly made from pork. While we sipped a big Tuscan red, Grant Dobbie, Salumeria Luca’s manager, explained the process of making salami and mortadella: grind the meat, season and salt, then stuff into a casing. From there, it might be baked or steamed under pressure. I learned the difference between speck, which comes specifically from the Alto Adige region in Italy, and prosciutto. While both speck and prosciutto are salt-cured hind-quarters of the pig, only speck is smoked.

On both tours, the groups were small and intimate. Ages varied, from elementary school-aged to retirees, and we hailed from all over the country, from having traveled less than 40 miles to traveling more than 3000 miles to get there. The common thread: we were ready for an off-the-beaten-path adventure punctuated with delicious foods and interesting libations. So, if that’s what you’re after, you just might be a food tour person. I discovered that I am.

Santa Cruz Food Tour: (800) 838-3006 santacruzfoodtour.com

Carmel Food Tours: (800) 979-3370 carmelfoodtour.com