$5 Biodynamic Cab and Syrah! Shopping the Bargain Bins - 2007 Mendocino Farms Cab at Grocery Outlet

A rich friend who's good at stretching his funds told me the secrets of his wine cellar last night - Grocery Outlet's wine department. This super budget grocery chain has stores in both Berkeley and Oakland (and elsewhere), so today I was anxious to check it out, based on my friend's advice, and see if there could possibly be any organically grown wine for sale.

Boy oh boy - what a doozey. Right there - with a giant endcap display - was all the 2007 Mendocino Farms Cabernet you could imagine - for $5 a bottle. $5. This is at least a $25 bottle of wine...and it still sells on the internet for as much as $40 a bottle.

This wine, dear readers, was lovingly grown at several of Mendocino's most beautiful, precious, Biodynamic  vineyards - Heart Arrow Ranch and Fairbairn.

The famous Morry's wine store in Los Angeles, waxed enthusiastically about these wines, just a short while ago.

And they sell online at 1000corks.com for $488 a case.

But you can get it for $60 for 12 bottles at Grocery Outlet. Hurry!

The selection includes the 2005 and 2007 Cabernet and a 2007 Syrah. Unbelievable. I can't wait to open my three bottles to sample and then head back for more.

Grocery Outlet is open throughout California and a few nearby states. See the map here for store locations.

Dessert Wine for Your Valentine - Part 1

Got dessert wine? I've just returned from Europe where they are so much more common, and am trying to get into thinking about them as part of a meal once a week.

Surprisingly, there are quite of few of them out there from the organic vintners. Here are some of my favorites:

1. For the Lover Who Likes Pretty Labels with Grapes 
*Frey Vineyards - Late Harvest Zinfandel ($24)

I don't write that much about Frey Vineyards' wine as they are no added sulfite, a category that is not of very much interest to me as the wines can be unstable. On the other hand, when it comes to dessert wines (where stability is not such an issue), Frey Vineyards has a lovely Late Harvest Zinfandel that is a sweet dessert wine.

It's grown in beautiful Redwood Valley (Mendocino County).

It comes in an elegant bottle and I think any Valentine would be happy to receive this along with some chocolate.







2. For the Lover Who Likes Strange Bottle Art
Bonny Doon - Vinferno ($20/$216)

Zinferno is a white dessert wine from Bonny Doon's biodynamic vineyards in Arroyo Seco. Made from grenache blanc and roussanne (two white Rhone varietals) it's certified biodynamic.











3. For the Lover Who Has Everything or For the Wine Geek
Wilridge Winery Estate Vintage Dessert Red ($20/$216)




For something really different, varietal wise, turn to Northwest producer Wilridge for a port made from Portuguese varietals Zweigeist, Tourega Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Cao and Souzao.









4. Ceago Soul of Syrah Port ($28)

This is a combination of Syrah, Colombard, and Viognier from a biodynamic vintner in Lake County who is one of the Fetzer clan.

Ceago sits on the shores of Clear Lake. It's a beautiful destination winery with a gorgeous tasting area, beautiful estate, and stunning lakeside views - well worth a visit.

They used to also have a Late Harvest Semillon dessert wine but I couldn't find it any more.

5. Yorkville Cellars Sweet Malbec ($22)

This was invented in Mendocino by this iconoclastic, wonderful winery where they grow all seven of the noble varieties of Bordeaux, including Malbec, and sell them as Bordeaux blends but also as single varietals, so you can get to know each one.

This is a semi sweet effervescent rose and should be served chilled. (Personally I think it's sweet.) Previous vintages won Double Gold at the Mendocino Wine Competition.

6. Bonterra Muscat ($14)

Mendo organic powerhouse Bonterra makes a pretty sweet Muscat which can serve as an aperitif or with dessert. It's not a dessert wine per se, so it's not in the "contemplation wine" category, but it is a sweet way to end a meal.

*7. McFadden Vineyard is coming out with a new dessert wine this year - a late harvest Riesling which did very well at the SF Chronicle Competition, getting Best in Class last month. I'll post more about it when I receive a bottle (coming soon). If you want to go ahead and order it yourself, get in touch with McFadden Vineyards where John Cesano will get you all connected.

* = Pam's picks

LA Times Wine of the Week: Cowhorn's Biodynamically Grown Syrah!

Congratulations to Cowhorn for getting a Wine of the Week pick from the LA Times (where my former, when-we-lived-in-Rockridge next door neighbor S. Irene Virbilia is the wine critic) for its Syrah.

This biodynamically certified vineyard and its excellent winery, which grows only Rhone varietals, are favored by many, including Wine Spectator's Matt Kramer. Robert Parker's rated their higher priced reserve Syrah 91 pts.

It's a fabulous place - see these photos from my trip there.

And savor the moment! This is a very impressive kudo.

Winemaker ("I'm not a winemaker") Bill and Barbara Steele have been long time financial experts helping organic farms manage the business side of their operations.   Former Marin County residents, they moved to southern Oregon to start their vineyard and were biodynamic from the start - and now, in a quiet way, have become a poster child for biodynamic practices in an area (southern Oregon) where they are the only organic winery around.

So there's all the more reason to celebrate their success!

Superlative growing practices can yield attention-getting results.

Cabot Vineyards - SALE!

Cabot Vineyards is having a wine sale...it's put three and six packs on sale with $10 shipping on orders...

The northern, cool climate vineyard located in Humboldt County got a little love from tasters at a recent Hospice du Rhone, the central California Rhone wine event, for its Syrahs. See my earlier post here.

The winery calls it "St. Joseph" in style. (This is a favorite Syrah region in France.)

To get it on the sale, visit their site.

The sale is good through in a few days.

Cabot Vineyard's Syrah: High on Praise from Hospice du Rhone Tasting

Jennings' rate the Cabot Syrah 91-94 pts.
It sells for $28.

Humboldt's Cabot Vineyard, one of the northernmost vintners in the state, is happy to pass along the word that Richard Jennings, voted one of the 100 Most Influential People in Wine, rated their wines 91 to 94 points at the recent Hospice du Rhone in Paso Robles.

Wrote Jennings, "John Cabot continues to do a great job with his flavorful, cooler climate Syrahs. The prices are very reasonable, too." Read the full review here.