Charbono

[DAVID_GIBBS]

@Leonard Maran

Charbono is of no interest to me. The variety used to have a cult following in California. I find Aglianico, Sagrantino,Nero d’Avola, and Negrello Mascalese, all from Italy, to be of more interest. To say nothing of some of the interesting varieties coming from Greece and the rest of the world. Charbono and Petite Sirah can age but they do not become more complex IMO.

Next time you’re in LA, stop by Covell and try the '69 Freemark Abbey Petite Sirah and let me know if you change your mind re: complexity;)
A stunning wine that is only now hitting it’s peak.

[doug_johnson]

2011 Calder Wine Company Charbono - USA, California, Napa Valley (10/5/2014)
A delight. Big nose of ripe red fruit, smells like bojo to me. The body is lacy and vibrant. The palate has crunchy red fruit and mouth-watering acidity. Almost drinks like a steely white but there’s that red fruit and a touch of tannin on the finish. (91 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

[Jay_Miller]

@TomHill

My recollect is that the basis for the old BV SpecialBurgundy, which was a terrific wine, was Charbono.
Tom

That had a whole bunch of odd grapes including “early Burgundy”.

[Sean_Devaney]

Duxoup Wine Works makes a fine Charbono from Frediani Vineyard fruit. Fife (RIP) use to make a few different Charbono’s and may be worth taking a flyer on if you come across some.

[Roberto_Rogness]

We blew up a pallet of Chameleon 2003 Charbonno from Mendocino in February of this year. Might have been the fastest selling Cali wine we’ve ever offered. Insane color and deep black fruit with smoke and earth overtones…

[Paul_Jaouen]

For me, it sucks as much as any other Charbono I’ve had.

[Roberto_Rogness]

Fife…those were the days. I used to constantly tell Dennis that he needed to differentiate the myriad bottlings with different colored labels at LEAST. He had $10 Zins and $40 Syrahs that looked almost exactly the same. Lots of good juice and we sold a lot of it. Cuvée Max was the shit!

[Ken_Zinns]

@Jay Miller

@TomHill

My recollect is that the basis for the old BV SpecialBurgundy, which was a terrific wine, was Charbono.
Tom

That had a whole bunch of odd grapes including “early Burgundy”.

Early Burgundy is otherwise known as Abouriou - a variety found in a number of old California field blend vineyards. I’ve seen it as a component of blends from old vineyards in Sonoma and Mendocino Counties.

[Chad_Richardson]

@JoeD

I got a 6’er of the Shypoke (forget the vintage) a few years ago on closeout deal, and it was pretty good for the $. Might be worth checking out a bottle or two if come across it.

Shypoke is a great choice. This is Peter Heitz’ (winemaker for Turnbull) personal label. He makes killer wines under both banners.

[mmoyer]

Not out (and maybe never will be), we had the pleasure of tasting a barrel sample of a Charbono made by Benoit Touquette a few weeks back. The nose and the flavors were unbelievable for such a new wine. Kept coming back to it. Hope it gets bottled and hope it gets released…could make me a Charbono lover.

[Sean_Devaney]

@Ken Zinns

@Jay Miller

@TomHill

My recollect is that the basis for the old BV SpecialBurgundy, which was a terrific wine, was Charbono.
Tom

That had a whole bunch of odd grapes including “early Burgundy”.

Early Burgundy is otherwise known as Abouriou - a variety found in a number of old California field blend vineyards. I’ve seen it as a component of blends from old vineyards in Sonoma and Mendocino Counties.

Old World Winery produces a Abourious (as they spell it) along with several blends containing Abourious. Woodenhead use to produce a red table wine Redwood Red that was ~70% Abouriou from Mendocino that was very tasty.

[PeterH]

@John Morris

Didn’t Louis Martini used to produce one?

You may be thinking of Parducci. Not a wine that inspired me to seek other Charbono.

P Hickner

[Ken_Zinns]

@Sean Devaney

@Ken Zinns

@Jay Miller

That had a whole bunch of odd grapes including “early Burgundy”.

Early Burgundy is otherwise known as Abouriou - a variety found in a number of old California field blend vineyards. I’ve seen it as a component of blends from old vineyards in Sonoma and Mendocino Counties.

Old World Winery produces a Abourious (as they spell it) along with several blends containing Abourious. Woodenhead use to produce a red table wine Redwood Red that was ~70% Abouriou from Mendocino that was very tasty.

I remember that Woodenhead wine, Sean. It had some Carignane, Zin, and Barbera in the field blend too, and agree that it was nice. Other than that wine, which was from an old Mendocino vineyard, I think all the other references I’ve seen to the Abouriou in California are from sites in Russian River Valley. After a little research, it sounds like there’s actually much less of it around than I thought. Looks like there is some in Mike & Kendall Officer’s Carlisle Vineyard and some in one of the Martinellis’ vineyards just below Jackass Hill (the source for the Old World Winery bottlings). I imagine there must be more Abouriou than that in California but perhaps not that much. Maybe Mike Officer or Morgan Twain-Peterson can enlighten us if they happen to see this.

[Jeff_Vaughan]

• 1 on Shypoke.

[Ron_Erickson]

@Roberto Rogness

Fife…those were the days. I used to constantly tell Dennis that he needed to differentiate the myriad bottlings with different colored labels at LEAST. He had $10 Zins and $40 Syrahs that looked almost exactly the same. Lots of good juice and we sold a lot of it. Cuvée Max was the shit!

Who ended up with the vineyards he pulled from? The guy was making some good stuff in the late 90’s. The 97 Max Cuvee was an absolute bomb.

[scott_davis]

OnThEdge Winery makes a charbono which I believe is also Frediani Vineyard fruit.

[Merrill_Lindquist]

@scott davis

OnThEdge Winery makes a charbono which I believe is also Frediani Vineyard fruit.

Owners of that label are Mary-Sue Frediani and her husband Paul Smith. So a giant “yes” to the origin of the fruit .

[Ken_Zinns]

@Merrill Lindquist

@scott davis

OnThEdge Winery makes a charbono which I believe is also Frediani Vineyard fruit.

Owners of that label are Mary-Sue Frediani and her husband Paul Smith. So a giant “yes” to the origin of the fruit .

Tasted a very nice Valdiguié from Frediani Vineyard made by Matthew Rorick of Forlorn Hope Wines. Great to see Napa vineyards such as Frediani that are preserving these older varieties even though they don’t fetch nearly as much money as Cabernet.

[Merrill_Lindquist]

@Ken Zinns

@Merrill Lindquist

@scott davis

OnThEdge Winery makes a charbono which I believe is also Frediani Vineyard fruit.

Owners of that label are Mary-Sue Frediani and her husband Paul Smith. So a giant “yes” to the origin of the fruit .

Tasted a very nice Valdiguié from Frediani Vineyard made by Matthew Rorick of Forlorn Hope Wines. Great to see Napa vineyards such as Frediani that are preserving these older varieties even though they don’t fetch nearly as much money as Cabernet.

Ken - Frediani grows plenty of Cabernet. Many, many rootstocks and many clones. All types of trellising and irrigation techniques. About 190 acres of vines surrounding my tiny place.

These people are great farmers, and wonderful neighbors and friends. Jim Frediani told me, shortly after I purchased my place, that his dad told him to always replant and grow many varieties in many forms. Don’t follow the trends, but keep it all moving as preferences in the marketplace change. They sell Cabernet - one row and many more over from mine - to everyone from Gallo to Caymus. A great business model and sensibility.

[Ken_Zinns]

@Merrill Lindquist

@Ken Zinns

@scott davis

OnThEdge Winery makes a charbono which I believe is also Frediani Vineyard fruit.

Tasted a very nice Valdiguié from Frediani Vineyard made by Matthew Rorick of Forlorn Hope Wines. Great to see Napa vineyards such as Frediani that are preserving these older varieties even though they don’t fetch nearly as much money as Cabernet.

Ken - Frediani grows plenty of Cabernet. Many, many rootstocks and many clones. All types of trellising and irrigation techniques. About 190 acres of vines surrounding my tiny place.

These people are great farmers, and wonderful neighbors and friends. Jim Frediani told me, shortly after I purchased my place, that his dad told him to always replant and grow many varieties in many forms. Don’t follow the trends, but keep it all moving as preferences in the marketplace change. They sell Cabernet - one row and many more over from mine - to everyone from Gallo to Caymus. A great business model and sensibility.

Thanks for the info, Merrill. I assumed that they must grow Cabernet too (have to pay the bills!) but good to hear that they are continuing to grow other varieties like Valdiguié and Charbono as well.