Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/237615
PHOTO: JEREMY BALL Persuasive Petaluma Pinots I RECENTLY MET WITH ALEX GUARACHI and tasted some current vintages of his Pinot Noirs. Guarachi, owner of TGIC Importers, met winemaker Paul Hobbs in Argentina and the two became close friends; along with another legendary winemaker, Julian Gonzalez, they created Guarachi Family Wines. The focus is on two varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir, from Napa and Sonoma's top vineyards. Within Sonoma, Guarachi Family Wines sources Pinot Noir from vineyards in the Petaluma Gap, within the Sonoma Coast AVA. The region is defined by wind and fog, lending it a distinct micro-climate. A "wind tunnel" effect leads to low yields and later ripening, resulting in intense yet wellbalanced Pinot Noirs, a style that Guarachi has actively sought out. Meridith May visits Brian McClintic, MS, coowner of Les Marchands in Santa Barbara. SPIRITS SW4 London Dry Gin, United Kingdom ($30) Made in small batches in Clapham North, London SW4, and distilled five times from grain, this spearmint-and-pepper gin persuades the palate with a pinch and tickle. The pinch: a nip of pine and brine; the tickle, a tart lime that bends around a sweet mint and juniper finish. 90 LUXE VINTAGES Austin Cocktails "Paradise Found," USA ($16) Vodka is matched up with coconut water, stone and citrus fruits, basil and agave to form a cocktail in a bottle. At 20.6% proof, this low-calorie, light-hearted yet sweet and savory RTD is a likeable soul. The coconut on the nose gives way to prickly pear and herb flavors. 91 AUSTIN COCKTAILS Damoiseau VSOP Rhum Vieux, Guadeloupe ($ 42) Ripe oranges settle on the nose when a floral sugariness chimes in. A brilliant sunshine of honeyed tangerines and Valencia oranges are strengthened by the taste of white flower petals, jasmine and summer peaches. Complex 84 proof West Indies rhum agricole aged in barrels for a minimum of four years. Gorgeous. 94 Guarachi Family Wines 2011 Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast ($65) Soft and billowy, this small-production Pinot offers up just the right recipe of spice, cinnamon, red raspberries and cherries. Texturally, it is a pillowlike bubble of comfy. There's a distinct minerality one doesn't usually taste with this variety. Sourced from three vineyards on the Sonoma Coast—Gap's Crown, Sun Chase and Goldrock Ridge—this hand-picked and night-harvested red is aged 11 months in 100% French oak (55% new). Guarachi is the proud owner now of Sun Chase Vineyard, situated just above the famous (and expensive) Gap's Crown; at 1400 feet, it's about 100 feet higher in elevation. The 42 planted acres are mostly Pinot Noir and about one-third Chardonnay. 93 Guarachi Family Wines 2011 Pinot Noir, Gap's Crown Vineyard, Sonoma Coast ($75) Blue flowers and heather keep the lightness factor going as you travel deep into this concentrated well of roasted coffee and mocha cookie charm. The nose is sexy with that mysterious endless depth. It grabs you, and speaks of the richness of mountain fruit. 95 CLÉMENT USA january 2014 / the tasting panel / 71 TP0114_66-108.indd 71 12/19/13 9:47 PM