Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/637107
{ SOMMjournal.com } 87 fruit," "mildly green, almost eucalyptus- like note," and "pastrami-like meatiness." Chesebro noted its "juicy, mouth-watering acid impressions," while Rodems cited "smoky, aged meat plus attractive Earl Grey bergamot tea–like notes." Ventana Estate 2013 Pinot Noir—This was a tightly wound wine with a sense of ripeness to its pomegranate/cherry fruit; easy entry, finishing with a tart edginess. Sommelier comments included "wild brushy terroir—sagebrush and manzanita," "similar to the first wine [the Chesebro from Cedar Lane Vineyard]," "not overly complex, but geeky in its lean acid structure," and "not a commercial style of Pinot." Peck found the wine "similar to Santa Lucia Highlands, with a denser core of fruit." Chesebro noted its' "river influenced minerality, and the sweet/ tart spiced berry you often get with fruit grown in the Arroyo Seco wind." Rodems loved its "sharp, dried-fruit qualities, like sucking on a Popsicle stick . . . Gotta love this riverbed style of Pinot, which also shows all the devigorating effects of the wind, which locals call damn wind." Thus concluded our Arroyo Seco dis - covery. While most of our sommeliers departed immediately after this tasting, some of us remained to attend a dinner at nearby Paraiso Vineyards, which is located in Santa Lucia Highlands, but owned and farmed by Arroyo Seco Winegrowers board member Rich Smith—one of Monterey County's pioneering grape growers, and great champion of sustain - ability. Smith, sadly, passed away shortly thereafter (on December 27, 2015) at the age of 69. But not before a few of us were lucky enough to hear him wax eloquent on the significance of this appellation: Arroyo Seco isn't cut from the same cloth as Santa Lucia Highlands. It was among the first appellations in California—it stands on its own. We know it's taken a while to become better known. The recent regime of smaller, artisanal producers is helping the original growers and producers put it back on the map. Going forward, our goal will be to encourage the smaller-scale winemakers—especially those making less than a thousand cases. We want them to work with the fruit to bring out the nuances of individual vineyards and sub-areas. We're finally attracting more people willing to approach this appellation artistically, and they are helping us all understand the little things that make this region special. Rachel Macalisang of The Bazaar by José Andrés in Beverly Hills summarizes our own sentiments: "If you are looking for locally grown, sustainably farmed wines, grown by family-owned vineyards, Arroyo Seco is the place. It is home to some of the most sincere and dedicated growers we've met in California. Their commitment to their craft is undeniable, and the resulting wines express a terroir unlike any other— exactly what we look for as sommeliers! ARROYO SECO SOMM CAMP SOMMELIERS Karine Adolphe, Kuleto's Italian Restaurant (San Francisco) Jienna Basaldu, CS, CSW, Sutter Club (Sacramento) Aleksandr Berry, Café Stella (Los Angeles) Paige Bindel, CS, Pèppoli at Pebble Beach Resorts (Pebble Beach) Joel Caruso, Pizzeria Ortica (Los Angeles) Patrick Davila, Meadowood Napa Valley (St. Helena) Jesus Evangelista III, CS—Scarpetta Beverly Hills (Beverly Hills) Francesco Ferrario, The Lobster (Santa Monica) Jerry Garbus, Manhattan Beach Post (Manhattan Beach) David Kristiansen, The Lodge at Pebble Beach (Pebble Beach) James La Mar, Chez TJ Restaurant (Mountain View) Patrick Le Bras, CS, CSW, Newport Harbor Yacht Club (Newport Beach) James Lechner, Bastille Café & Bar (Seattle, WA) Albert Letizia, The Bazaar by José Andrés (Beverly Hills) Sur Lucero, MS, Jackson Family Wines Rachel Macalisang, The Bazaar by José Andrés (Beverly Hills) Scott Reesman, AIS, CMS,The Lobster (Santa Monica) Corrina Strauss, La Folie (San Francisco) J. M. Woody Van Horn, Bracero Cocina (San Diego) PARTICIPATING ARROYO SECO WINEGROWERS MEMBERS Arroyo Seco Vineyards (arroyosecovineyrds.com) Blair Estate (blairwines.com) Cedar Lane Vineyard Chesebro Wines (chesebrowines.com) F&G Vineyard–Griva (grivavineyard.com) Jackson Family Wines (jacksonfamilywines.com) J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines (jlohr.com) Mercy Vineyards (mercywines.com) Mission Ranch Vineyard Scott Family Estate (rutherfordwine.com) Ventana Vineyards (ventanawines.com) Wente Vineyards (wentevineyards.com) Zabala Vineyards (zabalavineyards.com) Mike Kohne, Sabrine Rodems, Mark Chesebro and Steve Peck lead the Pinot Noir Perspective at Ventana Vineyards. The late Rich Smith (left) and Michael Griva, current Board President of Arroyo Seco Winegrowers, at Paraiso Vineyards.