Layne’s Wine Gig Presents
RINGERS
By Layne V. Witherell
They come in all price ranges, types, and sizes. But they all do one thing: they amaze you.
Napa Estates Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California, 2022, DNA, 14.9 % Alc. $10
If it says Napa Valley on the back label, then somebody just hauled a bunch of grapes or juice from anywhere and bottled it there. But on the front label, “Napa Valley” really means something. The grapes were grown in that hallowed ground. Gutsy, grounded, serious bang for the buck and then some. Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon doesn’t ever happen at this price, and it is available at Trader Joe’s.
How did this miracle happen? One of the mysteries of private label wines is that no one is supposed to know, especially in Trader Joe’s world. Managers and crew don’t know. But every now and then they hire a wine ringer. That’s a person who has spent decades in the wine business, and lots of it doing private labels. That was me.
The research was a bit tricky on this one as it involved looking up bonded winery numbers on cases which led to a code on the back label: DNA cellars. This led me to Denis Patton and his remarkable range of wines for lots of retailers. He even has a YouTube video. His work isn’t exclusive to Trader Joe’s, but he has been a busy guy. As I have said many times, “Nothing beats knowledge and having the right person to source the wine.”
Foxglove Zinfandel, Paso Robles, 2022, $15.49
This wine, along with its companions, a 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon from the Coastal Region and a 2019 Chardonnay “that requires a viticultural logistical dance” (Jon Bonne), all at $15.49 per bottle are pure ringers.
We discovered the Cabernet during a happy hour at the Bread and Olive wine bar in the West End and took a picture for further reference. Judy and I knew it was good but didn’t pursue it.
I was researching through the book “The New California Wine,” by Jon Bonne, for an upcoming gig at Blue (BPM), when there it was. That simple, cheesy, terrible label – Denis Patton should have helped them out – is the second wine of the highly esteemed Varner Estates. “The brothers were conversant with European vintner’s moral expectations that wine must serve thirsts great and humble,” wrote Bonne.
Frankly, I don’t think that you can beat these three wines for money. The elegance of the Cabernet, the bring on the rib’s bramble of the Zinfandel, and the ethereal European balance of the Chardonnay. We ordered all three from our local wine merchant and while they were sensational, I worry about the age of the Chardonnay. It is peaking now, but what a peak.
Roots Crosshairs Cuvee, Racine Wine Company, Yamhill – Carlton Ava, Oregon, 2024, $22.99
The word Oregon on a label is good, but when you want to dig into the best regions, hence best flavor experiences, you must look toward those subregions like Yamhill-Carleton.
I kind of threw a dart at a distributor’s wine list for an on-stage gig at Blue (BPM) not ever having tasted this wine. It was a total ringer, especially with a crowd who was as amazed as I was.
Their motto at the winery is “Soil Yourself”! This makes a lot of sense in a place that treats vineyard placement and the land like a religion. This is Oregon after all.
All the politically correct wine terms exist in this wine like sustainable, indigenous yeasts, etc. But what struck me beside the usual flavors of black cherries or strawberries found in most Oregon Pinot Noirs is that there are meat and earth. These elusive qualities that Oregon Pinot Noir has tried to accomplish put this wine solidly in the hallowed world of the flavors of Burgundy.
They offer several different vineyard designations, and as for me I think that they are all worth a look.
Jaffelin Meursault, 2020, $100
You can’t sum it up any better than a book titled, “Burgundy from Maddening to Marvelous in 59 Wine Tales,” edited by Susan Kevill. The authorities on the region and its wines lay it all out from the best to the worst.
The ringer part here is simple. The village of Meursault in Burgundy, France contains 1,250 acres of some of the world’s greatest white wine vineyards. They are divided amongst an excruciating fragmented number of growers — some artisans, others not so much — all selling at the same ridiculously high price.
How do you know? You simply plunk down your money and hope for the best and do some research along the way.
Jaffelin is a solid producer and the year 2020 in Burgundy is a very good one. They are prone to real bummer years in that part of the world, so keep your vintage chart handy just in case.
The other great source is “Making Sense of Burgundy,” by Matt Kramer. He lists the number of families who own miniscule pieces of vineyards. It makes you wonder why anyone would hope for that ringer in their glass.
“But the luxuriance of a good Meursault can make you think that if gold were a flavor, it would taste like Meursault… It offers a combination of flavors found in few Chardonnays anywhere: honey, coffee, hazelnuts, minerals, butter, spices, and cinnamon- delivered in abundance, yet somehow softly so,” writes Matt Kramer.
No one writes this stuff any better than Matt.
And remember there is always a ringer out there.
Layne’s Wine Gigs are live wine tastings with yours truly. Now for groups or individuals. Name the place, choose the topic. I’ll do the rest. Email: Lvwitherell@gmail.com.
