(First posted on November 6, 2012 on www.tastingpanelmag.com)
In September, six top Dry Creek producers — Paul Draper (Ridge), Erik Miller (Kokomo), Clay Mauritson (Mauritson and Rockpile), Doug Nalle (Nalle), Hugh Chappelle (Quivira) and Julie Pedroncelli (Pedoncelli) — participated in a panel discussion at Ridge Winery, "Debunking Zinfandel Myths," led by journalist Patrick Comiskey.
Left to right: Hugh Chappelle, Erik Miller, Paul Draper, Clay Mauritson, Patrick Comiskey, Doug Nalle and Judy Pedroncelli.
With vines dating to pre-Prohibition, Zinfandel is the grape most uniquely associated with California viticulture and was the first variety to create a wine craze in California; it is still known as "as the wine of the people." Today there is a renewed interest in this varietal as Zinfandel is being rediscovered and re-appreciated.
But do we want Old World or New World style Zin?
"It's a troublesome question to address," Comiskey explained. "Dry Creek really is a place of effortless naturalness for American Zinfandel. It is in a climate range that guarantees ripeness, and Dry Creek seems ideally suited for getting Zinfandel ripe in a balanced way."
High-school sweethearts Randy and Cheryl Phillips began growing grapes in Paso Robles in 1991. With two hundred acres of wine grapes, half are on the west side of Paso on the winery property...
Napa, Australia and New Zealand. What do they have in common? All three are beautiful destination spots; all three are in the "new world"; all three are wine producing regions; and recently three producers from the three regions came together for a wine lunch.
Ludovic Dervin, Chief Winemaker from Mumm Napa, Bernard Hickin, Chief Winemaker from Jacob's Creek and Jim Robertson, Global Brand Ambassador from Brancott Estate shared their thoughts about making wine in their respective regions.
Left to right: Hugh Chappelle, Erik Miller, Paul Draper, Clay Mauritson, Patrick Comiskey, Doug Nalle and Judy Pedroncelli.
