Courtesy of Campovida.

Campovida isn’t just a winery. It’s a 13-acre organic garden, a community supported agriculture program, a 10-room center for corporate retreats, a meeting space for “meaningful conversations.” Based in the small Mendocino County town of Hopland, the Campovida property was the former home of the Fetzer Valley Oaks Food and Wine Center. Today, the Campovida website is full of poetic musings about sustainable living, community, a sense of place.

One thing you won’t find is a way to buy the wines. Yep, Campovida is a different kind of outfit.

The folks behind this project are wife-husband duo Anna Beuselinck and Gary Breen. Originally from Oakland, the couple bought the closed facility in 2006 and got to work. They must’ve been very busy over the last few years.

Despite all the time I’ve spent in Mendocino County, I knew nothing about this project before I opened Campovida’s wines a few weeks ago. The wines (five whites and a rosé) were received as trade samples and I tasted all of them sighted. These wines were made by Sebastian Donoso. Born in Chile, Sebastian studied enology at Fresno State and made wine for Sacina before joining Campovida in 2012. (Click here for a Terroirist interview with Sebastian.)

As I tasted through the wines, I started to second-guess my senses. Was I really picking up all this freshness, acidity and minerality? After thoroughly swirling and tasting, the wines had won me over. Check out my tasting notes below the fold.

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From Wikipedia.

On the Wine Trail in Italy, Alfonso Cevola profiles Alessandro Masnaghetti’s effort to chart the greatest Barolo vineyards.

In the Wall Street Journal, Lettie Teague covers the American Wine Consumer Coalition’s report on the consumer friendliness of local wine laws.

Temperance Lives. In Utah, at least one state legislator says that his state’s poor showing in the AWCC’s report is a “badge of honor.”

In Wine-Searcher, Rebecca Gibb reports that “The Wine Advocate’s Italian reviewer has announced that she will omit the wines of Friuli’s Fulvio Bressan from the publication’s future tastings after he posted a racist rant on Facebook.”

Elsewhere in Wine-Searcher, “10 Things Every Wine Lover Should Know About Leoville Poyferre.”

On Tuesday, a fire at Bergström Wines “damaged an equipment barn and wine-storage facility beyond repair.”

In Napa Valley, Sauvignon Blanc is rolling in. Be sure to check out the Napa Valley Register’s latest harvest report.

“We are not gone, and, when we are, we will not be replaced by a generation of uncaring drinkers for whom wine has no story. No, the Millennials will be the new boomers. We were them, and they will be us.” In the Connoisseurs’ Guide, Stephen Eliot comments on the recent blog post from Silicon Valley Bank’s Rob McMillan about who actually drives the wine market.

If you find yourself in Bordeaux with a day set aside “to explore the best that the area’s 1,500-some odd wineries have to offer,” Forbes writer John Giuffo suggests you “set your GPS for the small hilltop town of Saint-Émilion.”

Steve Heimoff toasts “the role of the Jews in the history of wine.”

“He has decades to make the wines he envisions. He never wanted to go anywhere else. Finally, he knows he won’t have to.” In the New York Cork Report, Evan Dawson visits Kemmeter Wines, and the new home for winemaker Johannes Reinhardt. (For more on Reinhardt, be sure to purchase Evan Dawson’s Summer in a Glass.)

Later this week, “Christie’s will auction more than 720 lots from the wine collection of a leading Singapore kidney specialist, Dr. Gordon Ku.” The sale is expected to realize nearly $3 million. In Wine-Searcher, Diana Goodman chats with Dr. Ku.

“The renowned austerity of Napa terroir may be nothing more than tourist smog.” Elsewhere in Wine-Searcher, W. Blake Gray talks to Clark Smith about his new book, Postmodern Winemaking: Rethinking the Modern Science of an Ancient Craft.

Inspired by BuzzFeed, Wine Folly details “15 Frustrating Things About Being a Wine Lover.”

“There is one California Cabernet, based largely on very old vines, that has truly impressed me this year.” Richard Jennings praises Scarecrow.

In the Wall Street Journal, Jason Chow chats about counterfeit wine with Charles Curtis, a New York-based wine consultant who once headed up wine for Christie’s auction house in Asia and the Americas.

“No other vineyards are visible from the grounds, giving a feeling of self-determination to the Fogarty team — without the subtle pressure of seeing what the neighbor is up to, it is easier to decide based simply on the vineyard itself.” Lily-Elaine Hawk Wakawaka visits Thomas Fogarty Winery & Vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

W. Blake Gray reveals which country is America’s biggest source of wine.

“Since Labor Day is usually a gathering,” Tim Fish suggests nine affordable wines that work well with burgers.

Interested in writing for one of the world’s most popular wine blogs? Good news: we’re hiring!

When I launched Terroirist in the fall of 2010, I hoped to revolutionize the wine blogosphere by covering everything in the wine world, daily.

Since then, Terroirist has garnered quite a bit of acclaim. It was named the “Best Overall Wine Blog” at the 2013 Wine Blog Awards and the “Best New Wine Blog” at the 2011 Wine Blog Awards. And it’s one of the most highly trafficked wine blogs in the world, reaching about 25,000 readers each month.

But we’d like more content. So we’re looking for writers to cover emerging wine regions, conduct interviews, review books, and write about auctions and investing. But that’s not it; we’re interested in all things wine. Just remember that none of the terroirists have any financial stake in any wine store, winery, wine distributor, or wine importer, and we’d like to keep it that way.

While we can’t afford to pay our writers, there are some pretty cool perks. Terroirist contributors are regularly invited to attend industry tastings, meet with winemakers, and visit wineries. Blogging for Terroirist can serve as a great launching point for other writing gigs. Plus, I host an annual wine dinner for contributors where we raid my cellar.

Writers are expected to generate at least one article each month. After six posts, you’ll get business cards and your biography will be posted on the site.

If you’re interested in joining the team, please send an introductory email, three writing samples, and three story ideas to david (at) terroirist (dot) com by Friday, September 13.

In “recent rounds of wine venture capital in apps and gadgets,” Coravin is at the top. Tyler Colman breaks down the numbers.

“The law in New York that prohibits consumers there from having wine shipped to them directly from out-of-state wine stores is arbitrary and protectionist.” Tom Wark isn’t happy about New York’s apparent decision to crack down on its law against retailer shipping.

“It’s been a long time coming, but Burgundy is now giving Bordeaux a serious run for its money in Asia.” So declares Jeannie Cho Lee in her latest Wine-Searcher column.

“Wine magnate Bill Foley is buying a stake in a wine distribution company, a move that gives him more control over where his wines are sold.” In the Santa Rosa Press Democrat, Cathy Bussewitz has the details.

“I refuse to drink Bressan’s wines, no matter how f*cking good they might be, because we live in a world where context and character do matter.” Joe Roberts reacts to winemaker Fulvio Bressan’s offensive Facebook rant against Italy’s first African-Italian government minister, Cécile Kyenge.

“Wineries need to adopt the mindset that every single customer interaction is the most important one.” Some sage advice from Kyle Schlachter.

In Wine-Searcher, “10 Things Every Wine Lover Should Know About Vieux Chateau Certan.

“Get out there and explore. Just don’t forget to pay attention.” Dave McIntyre offers some advice to budding wine enthusiasts.

In Forbes, the magazine’s Travel Guide editors embark on a “five-day, four-night excursion through Sonoma and Napa Valley” designed by Thomas Keller.

“I was pleased to give her the chef’s special: no check and an escort through the dining room towards the exit sign.” In Food Republic, Boston-based chef Tony Maws writes a great essay on “mastering the difficult guest.”

Fulvio Bressan.

“What is a wine lover to do in the face of such outrageous behavior? Can we separate the wines from their maker?” Alder Yarrow asks an important question in light of winemaker Fulvio Bressan’s offensive Facebook rant against Italy’s first African-Italian government minister, Cécile Kyenge.

“‘The ultimate loser is going to be the wine consumers of New York. That’s the bottom line, and consumers aren’t aware.'” In Wine Spectator, Robert Taylor chats with Daniel Posner, owner of Grapes the Wine Co. and president of the National Association of Wine Retailers, about New York’s apparent decision to crack down on its law against retailer shipping.

In the Wall Street Journal Europe, Will Lyons contends that “Rhône wines shouldn’t be over-intellectualized but enjoyed.”

“In pure terroir terms, then, Napa may possess even more complex mechanisms than either Bordeaux or Burgundy.” In the Financial Times, Andrew Jefford profiles the Napa Valley.

“Buyers of anything have to have the willingness and the capacity to buy.” Some sage advice from Silicon Valley Bank’s Rob McMillan.

“It’s All about Knowing How to Begin.” Tim Gaiser MS writes a wonderful essay on wine evaluation.

On Tim Atkin’s blog, The Secret Wine Merchant wonders if “the customer always right.”

Club W chats with one of the greatest winemakers I know, Birk O’Halloran of Iconic Wine. (As regular readers know, I profiled Birk back in May.)

“Despite its minor ups and downs, this will be the 19th year of consecutive growth for California’s wine industry.” John Gillespie, president of the Wine Market Council, “credits the changes to what he calls ‘the casualization’ of wine, demystifying what many considered an intimidating drink meant for sophisticated palates.

In the North Bay Business Journal, Jeff Quackenbush chats with Tony Correia, “a go-to expert” for those in California who want to know how much their wineries and vineyards are worth.

In the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Bill Ward urges his readers to let the back label “do the work for you.”

Fred Swan reviews the Coravin.

Refosco Pairing from Aroma Kitchen & Wine Bar at the Italian Culinary Experience

Learning about Italian wine is really hard. I frequently find myself at Italian wine bars or restaurants with friends, who are all looking at me to pick out a wine. Meanwhile, I look at the menu and curse/pray/beg for help.

So, I take every chance I get to taste more Italian wines, especially when the tasting includes mysterious indigenous grapes. To that end, I recently attended the Italian Culinary Experience here in NYC.

The Italian Culinary Experience is a delectable series of events, each of which highlights a different region of Italy, its wines, and carefully paired dishes from a restaurant partner. The concept, launched by the Italian powerhouse Zonin, started in Miami and has now been repeated three times in New York. Restaurant participants in NYC have included Le Cirque, SD26, and Aroma Kitchen & Wine Bar. Other partners include Delverde Pasta, a company that makes insanely tasty pappardelle and bucatini.

Aside from leaving these events totally stuffed and maybe a little buzzed, I also left with a few discoveries, shared below:

1) Prosecco is made a few times a year. Unlike most wines that are made and released annually, the grapes harvested for Zonin Prosecco are kept as a must and then put into stainless steel tanks to undergo fermentation in the Charmat method 2-3 times per year. This progressive and ongoing release is done in an effort to maintain the freshness of the wine. Does anyone know if this is common with other Prosecco producers?

2) Refosco is great! So, I tried Refosco for the first time. Did everyone else already know about it? And just not tell me? Since tasting, I keep seeing Refosco pop up in wine coverage, especially about the one produced at Napa’s Matthiasson.

Anyway, when the wine was first poured in our glasses, my friend, Seema, and I were trying to place it. She guessed Sangiovese. I got more plummy, rich fruits and guessed a Sangiovese + Merlot. Humbled and way wrong. The wine was the Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso 2011 by Tenuta Ca’Bolani from the Friuli region. It was a rich violet ruby color with overwhelming notes of wild berries, sweet spices, and black stone fruit. I’ll continue seeking this varietal out.

3) Inzolia exists. There are so many white grapes from Italy. Profound thought of the day.

Inzolia is from Sicily, but I didn’t get the fresh minerality I often get from other Sicilian wines. Perhaps it was masked by the 3-4 months this wine had spent on the lees? The most prominent and interesting characteristics were tropical and citrusy, a blend of round & rich with tartness. Medium-low acidity. I thought this wine was OK, but with the breadth of Italian whites (yes, my profound thought of the day again), I’ll definitely keep exploring.

“In a staggering change of direction, the New York State Liquor Authority” has decided to enforce its law prohibiting “wine shipments from New Jersey retailers to NYS residents.”

“A new generation of winemakers and grape growers is rewriting the modern story of California wine — discovering new places to farm and new grapes that thrive.” In the San Francisco Chronicle, Jon Bonné celebrates California’s “less-traveled areas.”

“The challenges they face — employee safety, operational disruptions, and a long history of local turmoil — shed new light on the lengths winemakers in warzones will go to.” In the Atlantic, Cathy Huyghe highlights those winemakers in Syria and Lebanon who continue to work despite war “raging at their doorsteps.”

In the Wall Street Journal, Lettie Teague contends that “quality Muscadet is actually one of the world’s best, if most obscure, bargains.”

“Even so, the wines we liked best were deep and resonant, with energy to spare, all with a firm core of… mineral flavors.” In the New York Times, Eric Asimov tastes through Germany’s dry Rieslings from 2011.

“No one wants to exalt these figures. It’s just business.” Elsewhere in the New York Times, Elisabetta Povoledo profiles Vini Lunardelli, the producer behind the “wine labels that portray Hitler and sundry members of the Nazi hierarchy.”

In Wine-Searcher, Rebecca Gibb chats with James Conaway, the author of “Nose.” (As regular readers know, I reviewed Nose this past May.)

Elsewhere in Wine-Searcher, Rebecca Gibb reports that Christie’s is slated to be the first auction house to hold a sale in mainland China.

In California, “a new generation of winemakers has rediscovered… [Semillion] and is using it to produce some of the best white wines in the state.”

“If anyone’s asking, I might steer them toward Spain and a crisp, bone-dry, slightly saline Txakoli… from the Basque country on the northern coast of Spain.” In the Los Angeles Times, S. Irene Virbila explains why Txakoli is “the perfect summer wine.”

“Don’t be mistaken — it’s a serious winery, albeit in an urban setting.” In the New York Cork Report, Katie Myers profiles Brooklyn Oenology.

The diversity of Italian wine regions, the seemingly endless amount of native grape varieties, the different styles and winemaking methods, it’s all a bit daunting. But you don’t have to be an expert to enjoy Italian wine. You just need a glass, an open mind, and, preferably, some delicious food.

I recently had the pleasure of tasting through a few Italian wines. A drop in the bucket for sure, but it was an enjoyable and educational experience. All wines were received as trade samples and tasted blind.

2011 Attems Pinot Grigio “Cupra Ramato”
Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Venezia Giulia IGT
SRP: $19
Pretty gold-pink color, like honey mixed with grapefruit juice. Aromas of honeycomb, honeydew melon, ruby red grapefruit and sweet flowers. The palate shows high acid and medium body, with flavors of honeydew melon, white peach and grapefruit. Notes of quinine and minerals add a racy component. Long finish. A really unique and punchy Pinot Grigio. The must remains in contact with the grape skins for 12 hours, which gives this wine that nice coppery color and maybe some of the depth and complex flavors. (89 points IJB)

2008 Valturio “Solco” Marche IGT
Italy, Marche, Marche IGT
SRP: $34
Aromas of violets, mixed dark berries, cranberry sauce, pencil shavings. The palate is wonderfully fresh, as the acid sets the stage for the cranberry, strawberry and fig paste. Notes of coffee, leather, musk and charcoal add layers of complexity. There’s an underlying earthiness that pervades this wine, just like the acid, which starts and finishes. 100% Rebo, which is a hybrid of Merlot and Teroldego, aged 12 months in 50% new French barriques. An elegant yet serious wine that deserves a homemade Italian meal and some time in the decanter. (90 points IJB)

2010 Bersano Dolcetto d’Alba “Coldelfosso”
Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Dolcetto d’Alba
SRP: $20
Sour cherries, raspberries and dusty earth on the nose. Tart acid, soft tannins, the fruit tastes like tangy cherries and raspberries. Some earth and charcoal flavors add complexity. That said, it’s more of a simple wine for easy drinking. Medium finish. Seems to me like a drink-me-now kind of wine. (85 points IJB)

2006 Castelnuovo Dell’Abate Brunello di Montalcino Riserva “La Fiorita”
Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
SRP: $95
A beautiful mix of earth and fruit flavors on the nose, raspberries, figs, green olive, lamb hide and soy. Medium-to-high acid kicks off the palate along with fine-grained but firm tannins. The raspberry and red currant fruit is pure and complex and mixed with notes of coffee, sage, soy, chewing tobacco, rounded out with some toast. Tasted blind, this screamed Tuscany. A very pretty wine, but there’s no rush because this could use some time in the cellar. (90 points IJB)

2008 Arnaldo-Caprai Sagrantino di Montefalco “Collepiano”
Italy, Umbria, Montefalco, Sagrantino di Montefalco
SRP: $60
A bold purple-magenta color. The plum and blackberry fruit smells roasted and inky, and I get notes of violet and dark chocolate as well. The tannins are seriously grippy, and medium acid tries to fight back. The plum and currant fruit tastes deep and compact. Really smoky, like a steak on a charcoal grill. The toasty oak mixes with notes of roasted coffee, herbal liqueur and incense. This 100% Sagrantino is aged for two years in French oak, then six more months in bottle. A bold, gritty wine, I think cellaring this for five to eight years might be a good idea. (90 points IJB)

Wines Scoring <85 points

2011 Arnaldo-Caprai Grechetto Colli Martani “Grecante”
Italy, Umbria, Colli Martani
SRP: $20
Medium gold color. Interesting nose of honeycomb, dried pineapple, apricot and hazelnut. On the palate, this wine has an oily texture and medium acid. The flavors of yellow apple and apricot are light and easy, and the nutty-honeycomb aspect adds a bit of punch. A hint of green herbs carries the finish, which isn’t long. While it has some attractive components, overall this isn’t a thought-provoking wine. 100% Grechetto.

2009 Piccini Chianti Classico
Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG
SRP: $16
A little reticent on the nose, faint red plum, rose petals, dusty earth and a bit of dried tobacco. Medium-bodied on the palate, moderate acid and fine tannins. Flavors of sour cherry, red plum and raspberry jam, along with notes of cocoa powder and chewing tobacco. The wine falls off a bit on the finish. A simple, easy-sipping wine.

Each week, as regular readers know, we pose a series of questions to a winemaker. This week, we’re featuring Scott Hawley, one of Paso Robles’ top winemakers. In addition to several consulting positions, he’s the chief winemaker at Law Estate Wines and the owner of his own label, Torrin Vineyard.

Law Estate’s first wines will be released this fall, and they’re already generating quite a bit of buzz — Jeb Dunnuck gave each of the first four releases stellar reviews. Hawley’s own label, Torrin, is a small vineyard landlocked between two of Paso Robles’ benchmarks, L’Aventure and Booker Vineyards. While production is miniscule, the wines receive rave reviews.

Check out our interview with Scott below the fold. Read the rest of this entry »