2005-04-20 17:14:45Selavvy
[研究]Santa Cruz 產區的紅酒(English version finished)
Well, I got some free time today, so I thought why not do some research and try summarizing my wine-tasting experience in Santa Cruz Mountains last weekend.
To begin with, Santa Cruz Mountains is an area between San Jose and Monterey, extending to the Pacific coastline. Before I go on the tasting, the only winery I know from the area is Boony Doon, which produces many creative if not eccentric wines (you can see their Big House Red and Sin Zin in most of our local grocery stores). But last weekend happend to be one of the 4 "passport weekends" of the Santa Cruz Wineries. This was basically a promotion event that, with a tasting passport ($25), during the 3rd weekends of January, April, July and Novermber, you can go tasting in all the particuipating wineries (60+ of them) sans tasting fee. Sounds good? Yes, it was very good indeed.
The first step of research: take out my brick-sized Wine Bible and put on my eyeglasses. Alright, it says basically the following about the Santa Cruz appellation:
(1) The landscape is hilly and close to the ocean, and this creates a lot of micro-climates. So other than the major varietal they grow here (Chardonnay and Pinot Noir), you can also find grapes that are normally grown in warmer areas (Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah).
(2) It is a naturally difficult landscape for the vines to grow well. So the vinters residing in this area are mostly smaller and advanturous. Their products tend to have very expressive characters.
So how do these match with my tasting? We went to 3 wineries that day, Bruell School, Silver Mountain and Hunter Hill.
Bruell School had a great tasting area on top of the hill, but maybe due to the weather (hot), the outdoor tasting turned out to be very bad. The wines (Chardonnay, Pinot, Zinfindale and Syrah) seemed over-oxidized if not spoiled.
Silver Mountain has only a small tasting room but they carry the most complete line of products (Chardonnay, Pinot, Merlot, Zinfindale, Alloy). Their Chardonnay is very pleasing with lots of fruit flavors, and their reds are very expressive. My feeling is that they are earthy with very good taste -- spicy but also good aftertates. Anyways, I like their products in general so I bought 3 bottles =)
Hunter Hill has only reds (Hunter Hill Blend -- pinot + zin, Zin, Syrah). I only remember their Syrah is extremely good (intense, one-two punch type of thing ^0^ ), but it is also pricey ($30). Their Blend felt like it is going to be a sure growd pleaser in parties because it is fragarant and smooth. Anyhow, I got 2 bottles of the blend. Excellent thing about here is that they had a BBQ going on and the tri-tip was extremely good.
These are my 2 cents as an amatuer taster. After all, I am just here to drink.
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啊, 今天比較有時間, 所以花了些精神查資料, 想把上禮拜六去Santa Cruz品酒的經驗整裡一下.
好, 第一步是戴起眼鏡, 拿出我那一本大大的Wine Bible. Hmmm, 作者Karen MacNeil小姐說, Santa Cruz Mountains 因為是山區, 所以有以下的特點:
(1) 丘陵地又靠近海, 有很多micro-climate, 所以可以種的葡萄種類很多, 雖然以Chardonnay 和 Pinot Noir為主, 也可以種平常種在比較熱的地方的Cabernet Sauvignon和Syrah.
(2) 因為葡萄很難在這裡的地形生長, 所以有耐心來這裡種葡萄做酒的都是怪咖型的小型製酒家. 所以可以喝到許多有個性的酒.
To begin with, Santa Cruz Mountains is an area between San Jose and Monterey, extending to the Pacific coastline. Before I go on the tasting, the only winery I know from the area is Boony Doon, which produces many creative if not eccentric wines (you can see their Big House Red and Sin Zin in most of our local grocery stores). But last weekend happend to be one of the 4 "passport weekends" of the Santa Cruz Wineries. This was basically a promotion event that, with a tasting passport ($25), during the 3rd weekends of January, April, July and Novermber, you can go tasting in all the particuipating wineries (60+ of them) sans tasting fee. Sounds good? Yes, it was very good indeed.
The first step of research: take out my brick-sized Wine Bible and put on my eyeglasses. Alright, it says basically the following about the Santa Cruz appellation:
(1) The landscape is hilly and close to the ocean, and this creates a lot of micro-climates. So other than the major varietal they grow here (Chardonnay and Pinot Noir), you can also find grapes that are normally grown in warmer areas (Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah).
(2) It is a naturally difficult landscape for the vines to grow well. So the vinters residing in this area are mostly smaller and advanturous. Their products tend to have very expressive characters.
So how do these match with my tasting? We went to 3 wineries that day, Bruell School, Silver Mountain and Hunter Hill.
Bruell School had a great tasting area on top of the hill, but maybe due to the weather (hot), the outdoor tasting turned out to be very bad. The wines (Chardonnay, Pinot, Zinfindale and Syrah) seemed over-oxidized if not spoiled.
Silver Mountain has only a small tasting room but they carry the most complete line of products (Chardonnay, Pinot, Merlot, Zinfindale, Alloy). Their Chardonnay is very pleasing with lots of fruit flavors, and their reds are very expressive. My feeling is that they are earthy with very good taste -- spicy but also good aftertates. Anyways, I like their products in general so I bought 3 bottles =)
Hunter Hill has only reds (Hunter Hill Blend -- pinot + zin, Zin, Syrah). I only remember their Syrah is extremely good (intense, one-two punch type of thing ^0^ ), but it is also pricey ($30). Their Blend felt like it is going to be a sure growd pleaser in parties because it is fragarant and smooth. Anyhow, I got 2 bottles of the blend. Excellent thing about here is that they had a BBQ going on and the tri-tip was extremely good.
These are my 2 cents as an amatuer taster. After all, I am just here to drink.
======================================================
啊, 今天比較有時間, 所以花了些精神查資料, 想把上禮拜六去Santa Cruz品酒的經驗整裡一下.
好, 第一步是戴起眼鏡, 拿出我那一本大大的Wine Bible. Hmmm, 作者Karen MacNeil小姐說, Santa Cruz Mountains 因為是山區, 所以有以下的特點:
(1) 丘陵地又靠近海, 有很多micro-climate, 所以可以種的葡萄種類很多, 雖然以Chardonnay 和 Pinot Noir為主, 也可以種平常種在比較熱的地方的Cabernet Sauvignon和Syrah.
(2) 因為葡萄很難在這裡的地形生長, 所以有耐心來這裡種葡萄做酒的都是怪咖型的小型製酒家. 所以可以喝到許多有個性的酒.