Dear Cellar Society Members,
Spring is in the air here at 1850 Wine Cellars and the winery and tasting room are buzzing with activity.
We are currently tasting through the 2023 vintage wines in barrel, assessing each individual wine now that they have had a few months to mature in the oak barrels that I chose for each specific lot. It’s exciting to see these wines come into their own and I am looking forward to monitoring them as they age.
We are also currently preparing to bottle the 2023 Chardonnay. I mentioned my excitement about this wine in the Fall 2023 newsletter as it was finishing primary barrel fermentation. Let me tell you, I’m really looking forward to presenting this chardonnay to you all. As it has had time to age on its lees and integrate its oak profile, it has really turned out to be a stellar chardonnay with a complex balance of crisp fruit with a delicious oak profile and a round finish.
As the weather becomes nicer, we are also looking forward to re-opening our outdoor tasting bar at Myka Estates. Weather permitting, we plan to do that on April 19th, and will also be releasing a new food menu on that date and featuring a storewide spring sale that weekend. We really appreciate everyone who has come to visit us in what I’ve been calling “The Bear Den” inside the Myka Estates tasting room during the cold winter months, but I am excited for us to come out of “hibernation” and enjoy our beautiful outdoor space again.
For our Spring Club release, we will be introducing you to our 2021 Late Harvest Tempranillo. This fun take on tempranillo is a great example of our “Old world meets New world” approach you’ve come to expect from 1850 Wine Cellars. The savory and rustic aromas of dried herbs, leather, and fig in this wine honor typical varietal characteristics of tempranillo, while a juicy mid-palate of ripe fruit and round tannins all come together to showcase a rich and infinitely drinkable tempranillo. Tempranillo has always been one of my favorite wines to make and drink, so bringing this wine to life was truly a privilege.
This club release also features a re-release of our 2022 Rosé. This zinfandel-based rosé is the perfect accompaniment to spring activities, brunches, and is showing itself beautifully right now. The fruit that was used to create this wine is a rosé-specific clone of zinfandel that I picked early to retain a lively and refreshing acid structure.
We fermented it at cool temperatures to achieve the beautiful fruitiness of this wine and then blended in about 5% sauvignon blanc to elevate the floral and fruity aromas this rosé offers. I love the label that our graphic artist extraordinaire, Dominic, designed for this wine; it looks great juxtaposed against the beautiful pale pink color of this rosé. Everything about this wine screams “Springtime in California”!
Aside from life in the winery, my goals this spring include spending more time enjoying the outdoors hiking and camping as well as meeting more of you at 1850 Wine Cellars at some of the fun events that we have planned this year. I hope that visiting us at the Tasting Room is a part of your plans this spring as well.
All the best,
Brian Darwazeh, Winemaker
2022 Rosé
Blue Oaks Vineyard, California
Blue Oaks Vineyard, California
TASTING NOTES: This rosé is a pale pink, dried rose petal, color that is so pretty with our new label design! It is ready for spring and summer sipping, with aromas of ripe summer strawberry, fresh squeezed citrus, and Thai basil. Lemony flavors with mouthwatering acidity lead the way upon first taste, smoothing out as it hits the middle and back of your mouth where it lingers with nostalgic orangesicle flavors.
WINEMAKING NOTES: The Blue Oaks vineyard is usually one of the earliest we harvest each year, as we farm this Zinfandel primarily for rosé and therefore pick it at a low brix (indicator of ripeness) for a bright and aromatic rosé. This harvest was entirely whole cluster pressed for rosé, with six hours of skin contact lending it its beautiful pink hue. It underwent a slow, cold fermentation in stainless steel tank for several weeks. We use Rhône 4600 yeast which encourages the profile we’re looking for. We stopped fermentation just a bit early for a kiss of natural residual sugar to balance the vibrant acidity of this wine. The small addition of Sauvignon Blanc from the same vineyard just further accentuates the bright aromas and flavors of this wine.
FOOD PAIRING: Thai food will pair beautifully with this flavorful wine. We also think you should try it with Paella! Seared Ahi Tuna, Niçoise salad, ham, summer salads, chicken salad, brunch, and salmon, including salmon burgers with wasabi aioli, are all great choices for pairing. When in doubt enjoy it with soft cheeses and fresh fruit!
WINE SPECS
95% Zinfandel,
5% Sauvignon Blanc
12% alcohol
126 cases produced
$28 per bottle
2021 Late Harvest Tempranillo
Saureel Vineyard, El Dorado
Saureel Vineyard, El Dorado
TASTING NOTES: Classic tempranillo aromas of dried fig, leather and cedar layer with subtle maple and graham cracker and lead to flavors of cherry and chocolate. Juicy sweetness, medium body, and smooth tannins make this wine almost too easy to enjoy.
WINEMAKING NOTES: We had a bit of uneven ripeness on this late harvest fruit, so we sorted at crush to remove overly raisined and dried out clusters. This wine fermented at 80˚F to maximize extraction from skins. Fermentation arrested at 1.8% residual sugar.
AGING: Aged in a mix of used and new American Oak barrels for 18 months.
This wine is very drinkable now. The residual sugar and complex tannin structure will also continue to integrate in this wine over time and develop more nuance. Compare a bottle now to two years from now to find an intriguingly different wine.
FOOD PAIRING: This wine will surprise you and pair with savory, spicy, and sweet dishes! A rich, hearty chili balances this wine’s juicy sweetness perfectly. Barbecue slathered in BBQ sauce is certain to hit just right. Try s’mores with roasted strawberries to bring out all the best flavors with this wine, or just chocolate in general.
WINE SPECS
100% Tempranillo
13.6% alcohol
120 cases produced
$34 per bottle