Homage a Philippe Cambie: Grenache Guru Made Great Wines

Grenache heads unite: Sonoma organic vineyard leader Phil Coturri with
Philippe Cambie, Grenache guru and winemaker at A Deux Tetes

This week wine lovers around the world mourned the loss of the renowned Rhone winemaker and consultant Philippe Cambie who died at 59 after a storied career.  He had a hand in making 15 wines rated 100 points by Parker, et. al.  

Cambie was also an advocate for growing wine grapes organically.

The last tasting 

Locally he worked with Phil Coturri (yes, they were two Phils and both PCs), on the pair's tiny label, making incomparable Grenache wines. Named A Deux Tetes, the label is a suitable description for two grand hommes.

Here are a few articles commemorating Cambie:

Sonoma Index-Tribute

Wine Spectator 

Listen to a podcast featuring Cambie and Coturri here. 

Here are my tasting notes on the current release wines from A Deux Tetes tasted this summer. While the wines seem pricier than most Grenache based wines, there is a reason - they are stellar wines in a class by themselves.

Isabel Gassier, a southern Rhone native whose father and Cambie were good friends, was the boots on the ground winemaker in Sonoma making the wines working with Cambie's quite complex protocols. 

All of the wines were farmed by Phil Coturri on properties where he is the vineyard manager. Coturri is a huge fan of Grenache, evangelizing it for its fine sensory qualities as well as for being a wine of resilience-an optimal choice for growing wine in a warmer climate. 

NAPA WINES 

Napa Valley Miller Vineyard Rosé 2019 (100 cases, $49): Aromatic, textured and intensely flavorful with peach and citrus notes. A delicate, distinctive licorice note–essential for Grenache rosé, Cambie says–persists from the nose through to the finish. Show's rosés potential to achieve great heights. 

Oakville Ranch Grenache 2018 ($88): A blend with 7 percent Mourvedre, it offers deep cherry notes coupled with red fruits, exhibiting impressive concentration and depth. 

SONOMA WINES

Sonoma Valley Rossi Ranch Grenache 2018 ($88): More feminine, compared to the Oakville, this impresses with its floral nose before developing into cherry and blackberry notes and a long finish.

Thanks to Sam Coturri for the photos.

You can read more about Cambie here.

What You Read: Top 10 Posts of the Year

 

Observations:

1. Importance/impact of being retweeted or reposted: WineFuture 2021 post must have been reposted. (But maybe it was worth reposting).

2. Wineries getting new certifications: Donum getting organic certified was just one of many. Others this year included Hanzell, Opus One, and Crane vineyard at Salvestrin. In Argentina, Domaine Bousquet announced it is going biodynamic and seeking B-Corp certification. Plus Napa's expanding organic sector with Quintessa and Hoopes joining its ranks.

3. Women in Wine: Batonnage tasting and Mini Banks' acquisition of southern Oregon superstar Cowhorn. (She also just bought Johan Vineyards in the Willamette). 

4. Pesticides: Paraquat and Chlorpyrifos, some of the top "baddies" on the decline. Chlorpyrifos IS gone, finally, but paraquat still remains in a shocking 1 in 8 vineyard acres. Remember that when you buy those supermarket wines from the Central Valley. Is it time to change those habits?

5. Fetzer and Bonterra - is its behavior ethical? Fetzer is making brand claims that purposefully drive consumer confusion. 

6. Organic Wine - can it be profitable? A question no one should have to ask, but like many wine myths, people often believe it is not profitable. It clearly is profitable in California and Oregon (and Washington), where there is a Mediterranean climate (and it does not rain at harvest time), but it requires a certain skillset. Consumer demand for organic is still growing, according to Wine Intelligence and other market reporting sources. It is especially going strong in Europe. 

Wishing you a happy holiday and a fun filled new year. Let's drink some great wines!

Interview with New French Wine and Climate Book Author, Jeremy Cukierman MW, On "What Wine for Tomorrow?"

The end of the 2021 is in sight and what does the future hold? 

Before you make any predictions, read my interview with MW Jeremy Cukierman on his new book on the future of wine amid the challenge of climate change. 

It's on WineBusiness.com.

Oregon's Biodynamic Cooper Mountain Vineyards Doubling in Size

One of my favorite Oregon wineries for value priced wines (many priced from $25-30) as well as for its outstanding no added sulfite LIFE Pinot Noir, Cooper Mountain Vineyards, has recently expanded, acquiring new vineyards in the Willamette Valley. This is the type of winery everyone likes to see more of. 

An early adopter of organic practices, it was the first Oregon winery to be certified biodynamic. 

The newly purchased vineyards, which are being converted to organic and biodynamic certification now (expected to be completed in 2022), increase the winery's planted acreage from 102 to 200 acres, making it the fourth largest organic and biodynamic vineyard owner in Oregon. A worthy way to celebrate its 40th year!

For details of their new direction, click here.