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{ SOMMjournal.com } 87 Winemaker Robert Varner. "For us, there's no separation between growing and winemaking: we've always seen it as one process. When I'm growing the grapes, I'm thinking about what the wine will be like. At harvest, I move the operation from outdoors to indoors." with food was impossible. This helped push me to Burgundy wines, with finesse, freshness and elegance. I forgot about California for interesting, food-friendly wines. IPOB New York was a revelation in the overall quality of the wines and in showcasing smaller wineries whose work is on par with prestigious labels like Hanzell, Failla, Flowers and Littorai. Notably, the number of vineyards in emerging areas (Anderson Valley, Mendocino Ridge, Santa Cruz Mountains, Yorkville Highlands, Fort Ross-Seaview) equaled those in established AVAs (Carneros, Russian River Valley, Sonoma Coast and Sta. Rita Hills), confirming the importance of cool- climate sites. Robert Varner's 2011 Amphitheatre Block, Home Block and Bee Block Chardonnays are grown in parcels separated by less than 150 feet, yet each wine is distinctive. Gorgeous, pure, fresh, mineral and structured, these easily recall top- level Chablis, if not Chassagne-Montrachet. Neely "Hidden Block," "Picnic Block," and "Upper Picnic" Pinot Noirs display aromatic precision and red-fruit depth similar to Côte de Beaune Pinots. Drew Family Cellars showed Gatekeepers, Weir Vineyard and Valenti Vineyard Pinot Noirs. Expressive aromas, profound flavors and palate presence showed a mineral-driven, brambly, spice-pepper edge quite like wines from Gevrey-Chambertin or Nuits-Saint-Georges. Winemaker Jason Drew noted, "The winemakers here can make balanced wines, but that's really just the beginning. The wines today show that the next level is precision, wines with an alignment of structural characters and fruit weight." Steve Matthiasson's Linda Vista and Michael Mara Chardonnays were racy, mineral, delicately nuanced wines, much like Puligny-Montrachets. On IPOB, Steve explained, "It's absolutely exciting; it really feels like a community is devel- oping. I began with an Old World palate and a desire to make wines that I define as balanced. Then, most winemakers had the goal not to make the most balanced wine possible, but to make the best wine possible, which meant a richer style. Back then, I didn't know of similarly minded winemakers or what they were doing. Now, we see each other as kindred spirits and it feels like we're part of something. You're not fighting it out all by yourself. We're not competing with each other; we're working for acceptance of what we're doing. Starting out as a Napa Valley winemaker making more Old World style, balanced wines, I had lots of doors slammed in my face. Now, we're trying to show there are true age-worthy, world- class, balanced wines being made in California. By banding together and getting the word out, we can get people to take us seriously, look at what we're doing without pigeonholing us, and judge the wines on their merits." Chris Fleming is a journalist who has been published in The World of Fine Wine, The Wine Spectator, The New York Times, Spain Gourmetour, Robb Report, Sommelier Journal and others. As educator, he has taught wine classes at the International Culinary Center–French Culinary Institute and the Institute of Culinary Education, and he has led tastings at Columbia Law School. As wine marketing consultant, Chris has worked for Frederick Wildman & Sons and Kobrand Corp. In 2008, Chris was Technical Advisor on a Rioja DVD produced for the Vibrant Rioja campaign by the Culinary Institute of America. Sommelier Joe Campanale (center) speaks with other attendees. Winemaker Steve Matthiasson. "Starting out as a Napa Valley winemaker making more Old World style, balanced wines, I had lots of doors slammed in my face. Now, we're trying to show there are true age-worthy, world-class, balanced wines being made in California." Somm Journal June/July.indd 87 5/9/14 12:12 PM