At dinner at Gourmet Italia the other night, owner Alex suggested we try a bottle of La Serenissima Cabernet Sauvignon. I wasn’t familiar with John Tiso Vineyard and the four of us were pleasantly surprised by how good this wine was. I did a bit of research, found their website and decided to pay them a visit. It turns out that was easier said than done.

Warner Springs is about a 45 minute drive from home. When I reached the address, there was a grocery store and gas station but no sign of a winery. I decided to head a bit further and found Shadow Mountain Winery. It turns out that Alex, who owns Shadow Mountain is the wine-maker for John Tiso Vineyard. He told they are open by appointment only and gave me Tony Tiso’s contact information. Shadow Mountain is full of charm. Look for a post about their winery soon.

I called Tony the next morning and told him I wanted to visit his winery. We made plans for a 2:00 visit. Laura and I found the vineyards and winery down a dirt road, with no signs posted whatsoever. Tony’s dad John started the winery in 1999. When John first told Tony of his plans, he thought dad was having a senior moment and should see a doctor. John wound up building a magnificent home on the property and planted about ten acres of grapes – Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Syrah.

The first vintage was released in 2001 and the wine continues to improve. Their production runs 1200-1500 cases annually with three wines so far – Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and a Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot blend. There’s no tasting room, so Tony grabbed a bottle of each and we went through the home to the bar. He explained his wines really need to breathe, so he suggested we try a bit of each and then come back after a tour of the property and see how the wines changed after being open for a while.

Tony uses no pesticides on the property. He believes in producing a “natural” product; unfiltered and with an emphasis on freshness. His philosophy is that there should be no delay from harvest to crush to barrel. The juice changes rapidly, and the sooner you can get it into a barrel, the fresher it will taste. He wants to “capture every bit of freshness, bounty and personality of the fruit”.

John Tiso likes big, European style reds, as does Tony, but Tony has now planted Arneis and will be planting Vermentino. He has also planted some Tempranillo.

After touring the vineyards, we went into the barrel room, and then down into the cellar. Tony has got a very small quantity of Syrah (three barrels) that he will be releasing, and he gave us a barrel sample. It impressed me enough that I pre-ordered a case.

The dedication to quality is clearly evident at La Serenissima. Tony uses bottles that cost about twice what normal bottles do because light and oxygen are wine’s biggest enemies. His corks are from Sardinia and are far denser than most others. They’re 2″ long and also cost at least twice as much as a regular cork.

When went went back to see how the wines had changed while we were out, we were amazed by how much smoother they were. The Cabernet Sauvignon spends three years on oak. It’s a big wine.

Tony and John Tiso hail from Venice. La Serenissima was the original name for Venice. it means the most serene. I sincerely hope you get the opportunity to visit.

Thornton Winery is no stranger to the landscape of the Temecula Wine Country. John Thornton started the winery in 1988, but he didn’t run the business until years later. Today it is very much a family operation, with son Steve running the day to day operations.

I met with wine-maker Don Reha, who guided me on a full tour of the operation. Don’s been at Thornton since 2003, with a background at Fetzer Vineyards, Cline Cellars and Renwood Winery. Don has a true passion for what he does, as do the Thorntons.

We started outside by the fermentation tanks, then paid a visit to the labeling facility. Each bottle of their sparkling wine is labeled by hand, and they still use the traditional Methode Champenoise for making their sparkling wines.

We visited the caves and I discovered Don’s attention to detail is astonishing. He has his barrels custom crafted to match each vineyard.

When he first arrived at Thornton, he had not made sparkling wine, but he took on the challenge with gusto. He loves making still wines and is very proud of his 2005 Estate Syrah in particular. Don is a founding member of the Temecula Valley Quality Wine Alliance and believes the area wineries need to be held to high standards.

We went to the tasting room where John and Steve Thornton were there to greet us. The Thorntons are gracious hosts and are clearly proud of the wines Don is producing. We tasted Cuvee Rouge, a red sparkling wine made from Syrah grapes. It’s dry and refreshing and has a gorgeous color. I also tried the Viognier, just a beautiful wine with a beautiful scent of tangerine peel and tropical fruit. The Gewürztraminer is neither sweet nor dry, it lies somewhere in between, with true Gewurtz characteristics.

We moved to Cafe Champagne for lunch and a few more wines, starting with the ‘05 Old Vine Old Clone Zinfandel. This is an excellent Zin with a bright nose and a smooth finish. We had a Tapas Plate to start. I had lamb in a pita with red onions. The food was delicious and the presentation was gorgeous. Credit Executive Chef Steve Pickell for that. Steve is a graduate of Washington D.C.’s Culinary School. He also studied with Nora Pouillon at Restaurant Nora in D.C. His resume also includes some of the finer restaurants in New York, San Francisco and San Diego. Steve believes freshness is key, and he incorporates fresh herbs from their garden in many of his dishes.

Our last wine was the ‘05 Estate Syrah. This is a classic Syrah, and John Thornton raves about how much he loves it. I can’t blame him. It is an exceptional wine.

I have to say after this visit that no visit to the Temecula Wine Country would be complete without a visit to Thornton Winery. If you’re around this summer, check out their Champagne Jazz Concert Series featuring renowned smooth jazz artists including Al Jarreau, Dave Koz, Fourplay and David Sanborn.

When we launched WINEormous, I honestly had no idea just how many stories were right in our back yard. Last Friday, after a stop at The Wine Company in Temecula, Laura and I joined our friends for dinner at Gourmet Italia in Temecula. It had been a while since I had been there, and I got a chance to re-aquaint myself with owner Alex Prestifilippo. Our dinner was excellent, Alex helped us select some great wines including a Malbec from Briar Rose and the ‘05 John Tiso Vineyards La Serenissima Cabernet.

After dinner, Alex invited Laura and me to attend his cooking class at Gourmet Italia North in Murrieta. We went Tuesday night and left thoroughly impressed. What I’ve been discovering on this journey is the passion that great winemakers and chefs share. You’ve either got it or you don’t, and Alex has it.

Starting with fresh ingredients is essential. On the menu was Crostini con favelle al sapore di pancetta (crostini with fava beans and pancetta), Insalata di arance, finocchio e fichi in profumo di agrumi di Sicilia (salad with oranges, fennel, figs and mint), Maccu di fave fresche saporite con olio nuovo di produzione locale (fresh fava been soup with garlic, olive oil and fennel), Baccala’ alla siracusana servito con cipolle in agrodolce (cod over sauteed onion with sweet and sour) and Ananas fresca bagnata con malvasia de Wiens Winery (Fresh pineapple with strawberries with a Malvasia wine sauce).

Alex is a wonderful teacher, and the fact that head chef Fabrizio was there to help was certainly a plus. We took copious notes and look forward to trying our hand at making this delicious meal.

I’ve paid several visits to Briar Rose Winery and have enjoyed their wine on many occasions, but it wasn’t until I spent some time with co-owner Dorian Linkogle that I discovered what a fascinating history this unique winery has.

In the 1980s, Dorian and her husband Les lived in Orange County. They were looking for property in a remote area where their son could ride his motorcycle. They got a phone call from their REALTOR telling them she had found the perfect place for them. The owner was ready to sell and they needed to meet her at 8:30 the next morning. The problem was, they were in Seattle with their son for a motorcycle event. They wound up driving all night and went to see the property on Calle Cabrillo that next morning. They found it charming, straight out of Disney’s Snow White. The problem was, they couldn’t get the key to work. They peered in the windows, walked around, loved what they saw and made a full price offer on the spot.

Dorian came back and met the caretaker. She told them they had made an offer on the property, but hadn’t been able to get in to see it. He offered to show them around. He told them the owner, Beldon Fields, worked for Walt Disney and had built Snow White’s cottage on the Temecula property as a labor of love for his wife. He said that whoever purchased the property had to make a commitment to Mr. Fields to leave the property as it was as long as he remained alive.

Dorian told the caretaker she could promise him they would do that. It turns out the caretaker was indeed Beldon Fields, who agreed to sell the property to Les and Dorian. Mr. Fields passed away recently, but true to their word, the Linkogles haven’t changed a thing.

Their fairy tale cottage became the first home showcased on the Temecula Valley Women’s Holiday Home Tour in 1984. Les had heard that grapes grew well there so he planted Viognier, Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel. When the grapes matured, he began selling them to local wineries. Carl Keys of Keyways Wineries told Les he was growing good fruit and should start making his own wine. Les heeded his advice and he and Dorian went to the County of Riverside in June, 2002 to begin the process of applying for a license to operate a winery.

Five years later on June 23, 2007 after four public hearings and an appeal, they were granted a full certificate of occupancy with major conditions of approval. They say behind every cloud there’s a silver lining, and the five year delay gave Les a chance to hone his wine making skills. When they finally did open the doors, critical acclaim soon followed.When Kate Linder from The Young & The Restless got her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Briar Rose wine was served. Word spread and celebrities, like Jay Leno, Lucho Gatica and others soon found their way to Briar Rose.

Briar Rose is a reservation only winery. You are escorted into a beautiful tasting room, where your pourer, (Annabelle, in our case) gives you an education about the wine, the vintage and what to look for in each wine. It’s an unhurried experience. The wines are exceptional, and there are two tasting menus to choose from. The higher end menu offers library and cellar selections. Les’ wines are gaining national and international acclaim. Dick Cheney served it in the Vice Presidential mansion and their wines have won numerous awards, including a Best-of-Appellation award for their 2005 Sangiovese.

Dorian was doing research last year on the history of wine in California when she read about the Mission grapes brought to California from Spain via Mexico in the 1700s. Father Junipero Serra planted the grapes in 1769 at Mission San Diego de Alcala for their sacramental wines and brought cuttings with him to the other five missions he founded in California. The Linkogles were amazed to learn that there were Mission grapes just down the road at the Pechanga Indian Reservation. The varietal is known as Palomino Negro. Les got a hold of some of the grapes, produced some wine from it and is now waiting for the labels. He also planted some cuttings and will eventually be producing estate-grown Mission Wine. I had a taste of the Mission wine in the barrel room and it is strikingly similar to Pinot Noir in color and taste. Les says it has an extremely short shelf life and the wine has changed dramatically since the beginning of the year.

Down the road, Les and Dorian will be producing television shows from  their barrel room. He has added a complete, state-of-the-art kitchen and will bring in marquee chefs for a series called Intoxicating Cuisine with Steve Spitz. This fall they’re planning a Founders Event to honor the founders of the Temecula Valley wine making region. Call for a reservation. When you visit, ask Les if you can taste his Talking Frog wine lager. If you wonder where they came up the name Briar Rose, that was the name of the princess in the original story of Sleeping Beauty.

I only recently heard of Orfila Vineyards and Winery in Escondido, but they have a rich history. In 1973, the San Pasqual Winery started growing grapes and producing wine there. The winery was later purchased by Thomas Yaeger Winery. In 1994, Alejandro Orfila bought the winery, retaining Yaeger’s winemaker Leon Santoro who had been their winemaker since 1991.

Executive winemaker Don Reha welcomed me to Orfila. Don took over as winemaker six months ago after the passing of Leon Santoro. Reha has an extensive resume in the wine industry, having started at Fetzer Winery in 1988. He has also spent time making wine at Renwood and Cline and is still making wine at Thornton Winery in Temecula.

This is a great opportunity for Don and he is excited about it. He inherits approximately 50 acres of grapes – Syrah, Petite Sirah, Merlot, Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Viognier, Marsanne and Rousanne. Orfila makes quality wines. I thought their “Lotus” Viognier with small amounts of Marsanne and Rousanne was wonderful. They are perhaps best known for their estate grown Merlot, and have been selling Merlot futures for many years. I also enjoyed their estate grown Syrah.

Don looks forward to putting his stamp on Orfila wines. He won’t tinker too much with what is already a quality product, but the wines will show his devotion to the craft. He also plans on “cleaning up” several of the lengthy wine names, some of which are quite a mouthful.

I toured the grounds and was struck by how lovely the property is. There’s a huge grill and brick oven outside, and while I was there they were setting up for a wedding. There’s somewhat of a mystical feeling to Orfila. I hope you get the opportunity to experience it.

Fallbrook Winery sign

I paid a visit to Fallbrook Winery in Fallbrook. This charming winery is located about twenty minutes south of the Temecula Wine Country. Upon my arrival I was introduced to owner Ira Gourvitz, who moved to Fallbrook from Sonoma in the ‘90s. Ira took his wine-making skills with him and began producing his first Fallbrook Wines in 1998.

Fallbrook Winery

He hired winemaker Duncan Williams as head winemaker in 2001 and added winemaker Vern Kindred about a year and a half ago.  Together they are making some amazing wine.

Gracie Hill is Ira's Granddaughter

Vineyards

Ira is a gracious host. We strolled through the vineyards, and you can see how the Sangiovese grapes thrive in this micro-climate. The winery and vineyards are eleven miles east of the coast, and you can feel the ocean breezes.

Young Sangiovese

Rosato Sangiovese Rose

We visited the barrel rooms and Ira’s pride in the equipment he uses, the fruit he grows and the wine he produces shines though. He took me to his tasting room to show me the end result of his efforts. We started with his ‘08 Monterey Sauvignon Blanc, crisp and dry with a beautiful nose. It was a Gold Medal and Sweepstakes winner at this year’s Monterey International Wine Competition and at the Grand Harvest Awards. He opened their ‘08 Rosato Sangiovese Rosée. This is an extremely dry wine with wild strawberries on the nose. I could spend all day smelling it. It was a pleasure to the palate as well.

Tasting Room

Next up was the ‘07 Monterey County Sleepy Hollow Vineyard Chardonnay, aged in French oak for a year. It’s smooth as silk with a buttery finish. We moved on the the ‘07 Sangiovese. The vines are less than five years old and the wine tastes young, but the nose is tremendous and I think it will turn into a delightful wine.

Fallbrook Winery’s Bordeaux wines are outstanding. The ‘06 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is 83% Cab with a 17% blend of Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Merlot. 33Ëš North is a Bordeaux blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc, 100% estate grown and aged 21 months in French and American oak. Last up was  the ‘06 Central Coast Syrah with 89.5% Syrah grapes from the Paso Robles area and 10.5% Merlot from the Los Olivos area. These wines have won multiple medals and are excellent.

It was a beautiful warm afternoon and we grabbed a couple of bottles of wine and headed for the deck, overlooking avocado trees and vineyards with a spectacular panoramic view. Vern Kindred sat down and visited with us. He told me he had been making wine in Idaho, and how the conditions in Fallbrook are ideal for winemaking. Neighbor and fellow winemaker Bob Howard of Broquer Vineyards dropped by. Life is good in Fallbrook.

Panoramic View From Deck

Tasting is by appointment only. Give them a call at (760) 728-0156. Feel free to bring a picnic lunch. You’ll be hard pressed to find a more idyllic setting.

Ira Gourvitz

Vern Kindred

Fallbrook Barrels

Topping Juice

Alessio and Francesca Di Sabatino have been bringing in some incredible winemakers to Francesca’s lately. It’s been their good fortune that Wine Spectator has been holding their 2009 Grand Tour, bringing more than 200 of the world’s finest winemakers on a three city tour.

Lilly LoCascio from Tasca d’Almerita was the special guest last night for a wine dinner featuring five of her wines with Francesca’s exquisite food. Lilly is a charming woman, who told us about Sicily and their 1200 acre property in the middle of the island. The winery dates back to the 19th century and is also host to a cooking school.

Lilly shared five wines with us last night, beginning with the Regaleali Bianco, a blend of three Sicilian white grapes – Inzolia, Catarotto and Grecanico. This was a lovely dry, crisp wine. That was followed by the Nozze d’Oro Contea di Sclafani (Golden Wedding Anniversary), a blend of Inzolia and Sauvignon Tasca. This was an excellent white with a great nose and plenty of fruit.

The whites were paired with Lattuga Romana, grilled romaine lettuce with ham and Fontina in a light cream sauce. After that it was Fettuccine Con Pesce with clams, mussels and shrimp in a marinara sauce.

The reds were up next, beginning with Regaleali Nero d’Avola, a 100% Nero d’Avola, a Sicilian varietal, followed by the Lamuri Nero d’Avola, from 10 to 15 year old vines. Both wines showed lots of character, with berries and vanilla on the nose and soft tannins.

I chose the lamb chops in a cherry wine rosemary sauce for my entree while Laura had wild salmon picatta, with lemon and capers in white wine.

Lilly saved the best for last, opening a Rosso del Conte Contea di Sclafani, a blend of Nero d’Avola and Perricone. This was a show stopper, with a deep ruby color, some cherry on the nose and a velvet finish.

For dessert we had cannoli and tiramisu. This was another outstanding evening at Francesca’s. We look forward to our next experience there.

Alessio & Lilly

Lilly & Alessio

The Wines of Tasca d'Almerita