The western side of Contra Costa County is home to several Wineries, including a couple of historically significant wine grape-growing/producing sites.
• Pat Paulsen Wines (Tasting Room in Livermore, Special Events Facility in Oakland, CA)
"Founded by Sonoma County vintner Pat Paulsen and his wife Jane in 1971, Pat Paulsen Vineyards garnered tremendous praise and a wide following. By 1976, Pat Paulsen Vineyards was featured prominently as a vineyard designate, with wineries such as Pedroncelli Winery and Chateau St. Jean. The flagship wine, an Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon earned many gold medals throughout the years, taking ‘Best of Show’ awards at prestigious competitions.
"After establishing the winery as a serious player in the premium wine field, Pat Paulsen Vineyards released some very successful fun wines playing on Pat’s dead pan humor, such as Refrigerator White, White House White, and American Gothic Red. Twenty years later, Pat’s son Montgomery (Monty) Paulsen, a graduate of the UC Davis School of Winemaking and Duke Fuqua School of Business, has revived the winery and the brand.
“The winery has moved to Napa, with private event space and offices in Oakland, and a tasting room in Livermore to continue the tradition of producing outstanding wines of great value and serious quality. Teaming with his partner in crime, Gigi Benson, they aim to top the legacy they’ve inherited with ‘each and every bottle.’”
[u]Wines[/u]:
Paulsen Vineyards “Rancho Las Juntas” Contra Costa 2013 Petite Sirah ($26.00)
“Black cherry fragrance with a rich, chewy texture and full bodied flavor. French oak barrel aging adds a nice mocha element and age-ability.”
Paulsen Vineyards “Rancho Las Juntas” Contra Costa 2013 Zinfandel ($26.00)
“Light strawberry aromas and a rich creamy finish – great on its own or a nice companion to delicate summer dishes of pasta or fresh vegetables.”
Paulsen Vineyards “Rancho Las Juntas” Contra Costa Late Harvest Zinfandel 375ml ($22.00)
"The 2013 Late Harvest Zinfandel from the ‘Rancho Las Juntas Vineyard’ is a special treat. The grapes for this wine were picked late in the season by a team of dedicated and hard-working friends, who persevered despite the cold weather and late hours. The results are worth it. Deep fruit flavors and a soft finish makes this great with dessert. The sugar level is a bit lower than many Late Harvest wines, making this easy to drink on its own or with semi-sweet desserts.
"This Late Harvest Zinfandel was a bit of a fluke. When we originally picked grapes intended for it, they turned out to be a lot less sweet than we needed, so we used those grapes for a 2nd lot of regular Zinfandel. Impending rains gave us no hope for a 3rd picking. But the weather subsided, and the grapes were perfect for the 3rd and final picking that season.
"We fermented the wine in a small open top vessel, which was kept cool indoors during the day, and then moved out into the cold autumn air at night. A yeast was selected that purposely dies out once it achieves moderate alcohol, leaving behind sugar. The 2013 ended up on the high end of the alcohol range, and a little lower in sugar, which makes it less of a dessert on its own, but just the right wine to serve with treats.
“This combination makes for a wine that is not excessively sweet, and bold and rich enough to work as a regular wine with spicy foods, or as something to sip with semi-sweet desserts. Try it with bitter chocolate, which will be enhanced by the texture of this wine, creating a moment to share and to delight.”
About the Grower: “Guest Vintner and grower Steve Welch, along with his wife Genene have been growing grapes for many years on their ranch in Martinez, which has been in the family for six generations. The ‘Rancho Las Juntas Vineyard’, named after the original Spanish land grant in 1844, benefits from warm days and cool nights and produces wines of excellent depth and structure.”
Paulsen Vineyards “Jesse’s Vineyard” Contra Costa Zinfandel Reserve (Sold out)
“Ripe and delicious this small lot reserve is loaded with fruit and bursting with vanilla oak. Stefanie Jackson (from Rosenblum Cellars) contributed to this effort from a world famous vineyard. The vines are celebrating their 124th birthday this year, and it looks like this vineyard will continue to supply wine lovers with beautiful wines for decades.”
Pat Paulsen Vineyards offers over 40 different wines from California to Texas; the above are those derived from vineyards in Contra Costa County.
• Virgo Cellars
"Stefanie Jackson is an award-winning winemaker with over ten years experience crafting ultra-premium boutique wines, as well as the founder of Virgo Cellars.
“The wines we produce exhibit Stefanie’s finely tuned sensory expertise coupled with her astute attention to detail and extensive working knowledge of the entire winemaking process.”
Ms. Jackson produced Paulsen Vineyards’ “Jesse’s Vineyard” Reserve Zinfandel.
Cuisine Noir
“Urban Winemaking with Virgo Cellars”
by V. Sheree Williams
June 31, 2014
More information about Stephanie Jackson and Virgo Cellars
• William Welch Wines (Martinez, CA)
“The Story of William Welch and Rancho Las Juntas”
[u]Wines[/u]:
William Welch 2013 “Rancho Las Juntas” Contra Costa Zinfandel ($26.00):
“California is known for its Zinfandel; rich and fruity, dark red in color, mid-range tannins, and higher alcohol content. ‘Rancho Las Juntas’ winegrapes possess the classic Zinfandel attributes, making it the perfect dinner wine. The William Welch 2013 Zinfandel begins with strawberry aromas and a hint of French oak vanilla, a smooth mid-palate, and a lingering spice finish.”
William Welch “Late Harvest” Zinfandel ($22.00)
William Welch “William’s Windfall” Port ($26.00)
“Rich Mocha-chocolate accents with deep dark cherry and raspberry flavors. Heavenly paired with a chocolate dessert.”
