Pinot Noir 2008

The story goes that the Spanish explorers named the area Lucia when they came to the area around the time of the feast day of St. Lucia, celebrated in December. And now we have something else to celebrate—Lucia Highlands’ wine.

I came across Lucia Highlands’ Pinot Noir at Seascape Sports Club at the Comerica Challenger tennis tournament in July in Aptos. Local winery owners Carol and Bret Sisney had donated a couple of cases for a function at the tournament—one of Pinot Noir and another of Chardonnay—the two wines they are making right now.

The Sisneys, with their partner Gary Filizetti, purchased the vineyard in 2001, and the first bottling that same year produced 120 cases of Chardonnay. Now, with the assistance of consulting winemaker Steve Passagno, the 2009 bottling produced 400 cases of Chardonnay and 600 cases of Pinot.

Chardonnay 2009

I had this empty bottle of Ghostwriter Chardonnay sitting on my desk for some time—intending to write about it. I had chosen this particular bottle at Soif when some friends and I headed there after a concert at The Civic—and we all enjoyed this interesting wine along with a couple of plates of hors d’oeuvres. I carried the bottle home so that I could take in the label—a study in pale minimalism—featuring an old manual typewriter. And there’s not much else, really, except this strange verse (copied from the label verbatim):

Merlot 2004

The previous owners of Vinocruz were selling off most of their wine before heading to New York so I bought a few bottles to write about—and the Perrucci Merlot was one of them. As it happens, J-P Correa, co-owner of the wine shop, needn’t have rushed into getting rid of his inventory because the business eventually sold and we can now look forward to the whole wine shop being restocked with good local wines.

The 2004 Merlot is quite exceptional. Smooth, rich and full-bodied with hints of caramel, vanilla and dark berries, it fills the senses with its lovely complexities. It certainly aged well in the bottle. I would imagine that the 2004 is hard to come by now, but the good news is that this month sees the release of Perrucci’s 2009 Merlot. Both wines retail for around $25.

Hunter Hill’s new release of their Old Vine Zinfandel 2009 ($25) is a bold and luscious wine that has been aged for one year in American oak. Grapes to make this fruit-forward wine come from the ancient Mohr-Fry Ranches’ vineyards in the Lodi appellation, resulting in a rich and full-bodied elixir. Zinfandel lovers will truly appreciate the complexities, aromas and flavors captured inside every bottle – and the full-bodied, jammy rich finish only leaves you wanting more. Fortunately, 250 cases were produced, so the winery is not going to run out any time soon.

Hunter Hill is a gorgeous place to visit. Owners Christine and Vann Slatter are justly proud of their property – now complete with stunning pond and water feature. Vines heavy with fruit extend up the hillside, and at this time of year everything is green and lush.