Wine Club Newsletter - November 2018
Once Golf, Now Grapes
Couple’s vision for a vineyard on former Fallbrook course is in focus, and the community likes what it sees
By J. Harry Jones
FALLBROOK
Developers were showing interest and the residents of Fallbrook’s Gird Valley were scared.
The 56-year-old Fallbrook Golf Club closed for good in early 2016, another North County golf course that had been struggling financially for years due to high water costs and a diminishing pool of golfers.
A Beverly Hills speculator with ties to companies that specialize in buying distressed golf courses and then building houses on them had purchased the liens on the land.
“Then Jade and Julie stepped forward,” said Teresa Platt, whose home overlooks what was at the time the second and third fairways of the course which, by the end of that year, had gone brown and overgrown.
“This is in the heart of Gird Valley,” Platt said. “It’s what makes it incredibly special and Jade and Julie have committed to saving and preserving this open space forever.”
Julie and Jade Work bought the golf course at the end of 2016 for $4.1 million. A former professional golfer who made his fortune building golf courses across the United States, Jade Work knew that golf would not return to the valley.
Instead, Platte’s home and many others now overlook vineyards filled with varying types of Italian grape vines.
Jade Work’s vision was, and still is, to create a top-line winery operation.
Already more than a dozen varieties of grapes are growing on 15 of the former course’s 18 holes, plus the driving range — 90 acres of wine grapes in all.
During the planting, tens of thousands of old golf balls were found in the dirt. “How many golf balls can fit into a gunny sack?” Work asked. “We had 40 or 50 gunny sacks of balls.”
But not any longer. About nine months ago, three youthful thieves were caught on video one night stealing all the old balls.
“They took them out by wheelbarrows,” Work said. He didn’t report the crime.
“I was glad they took them.”
Next week, Work said, after more than 50 meetings with county planners and various county departments, he will be submitting an application for a major use permit that seeks permission to build a 56,000-square-foot facility that will house a restaurant, a commercial kitchen, a winemaking operation, a barrel room and two event centers for weddings and other gatherings.
It’s quite a change from the dilapidated, 10,000-square-foot clubhouse on the land off Gird Valley Road that was razed in 2017.
The business is called Monserate Winery, named after a nearby mountain.
Once built, hopefully by the end of 2020, the Works have committed to seeking conservation easements on the property, which will give them a tax break and guarantee the land will never be developed.
At a recent gathering of hundreds in Fallbrook who were there mainly to heatedly discuss some upcoming election issues, Jade Work gave a short presentation about his plans. He was applauded like a hero.
“It wasn’t my goal to be a hero, but I’m super happy that the neighborhood is excited and that their values are being preserved,” he said.
It’s been a long haul, requiring costly study after study, getting to the point of submitting the application. Work has been told it could take anywhere from four months to two years to win approval.
“I’m very optimistic,” he said. “I believe the county wants this to go forward and I believe we’ve cleared all the high hurdles to make sure it will.
“Ultimately I hope it’s profitable, but this is far and away the slowest way to get to profitability.”
The front nine of the golf course was the first to be planted.
It takes new vines three years to mature to a point where their fruit can be turned into wine. Because he won’t apply to get an alcohol license from the state until after the county issues a permit, the first harvest of usable grapes next year from the 45 acres growing on what once was the front nine holes will be sold to a different winery.
“We’ll then contract with them to make the wine in the style that we want. Then we’re hoping to buy the wine back under our issued license and sell it.”
Platt said the Gird Valley community, located a couple miles north of state Route 76, has been very supportive.
“It’s a big undertaking and a huge risk for them,” she said. Work has estimated the project will cost about $12 million.
“This is a big deal to them,” she said. “Getting through the county process is daunting. We’re really happy to support them. It’s the right thing for the neighborhood. We will never fight that development battle again.”
“What is that worth to the community? What is the value of that? When George Jetson is flying around in the sky, this place will be preserved.”
2017 Arneis Demarie, Langhe
Growing Region: Piedmont, Italy
Varietal Composition: 100% Arneis
Fermentation: Stainless Steel
Alcohol Content: 13%
Suggested Retail: $22.00
WineSellar Club Price: $18.89
Broad Strokes:
Personally, I love a good Arneis, be it from Langhe, Roero or even California. It is sometimes referred to as the “White Barolo”. In traditional local culture, the name “Arneis” is given to someone who is an extrovert, a bit of a rebel, and original with certain charm. This wine certainly has those characteristics. For more than three generations, the Demarie family has been running their 50 acres worth of vineyards with great passion and wisdom.
Appearance:
The label and the packaging are somewhat simple in looks, even though there is an embossing of a horseman on the label. The back label has an interesting description of the Arneis grape, well-worth the read. The wine is clear and clean looking, with a yellow/greenish tint.
Nose:
The fragrance is lovely, vibrant, and memorable. You may notice white peach, perhaps apricot, pine nuts and Mandarin orange. What really stood out for me was white flowers, especially jasmine, and remarkably, sawdust. Yes, sawdust, which I later refined to a fresh scented pine aroma. Gaining complexity in short minutes, you may also experience chalk, as well as a touch of lemon/lime citrus.
Texture:
Lively, verve and youth are words that come to mind on first impressions in the mouth. It softens shortly thereafter, allowing for a more creamy, palate-filling richness, becoming increasingly expansive. The acid to fruit balance from this rich yet firm wine is nearly perfect, making it a totally agreeable beverage that makes one’s mouth water with delight.
Flavors:
Mandarin orange and apricot from the nose, as well as tangerine are the first flavors out of the gate. The middle palate segment shows white tree fruit, apple and pear and kumquat. The wine continues to feel even and smooth, with illustrations of cantaloupe, fresh dairy cream, Lychee nuts, and a bit of chalk that I associate with the perfect acid to fruit finish.
Serving Suggestions:
I want to drink this wine every day. OK, so I can’t get everything I want, but at least I can do my best. I will drink this often, on the patio, making dinner, lunching with a composed salad, having an appetizer before a meal, and sharing it with friends. I am a part of the “Arneis Army”!
2017 Rioja Vega
Growing Region: Rioja, Spain
Varietal Composition: 90% Tempranillo, 10% Garnacha
Fermentation: Wood Aging
Alcohol Content: 13.5%
Suggested Retail: $24.00
WineSellar Club Price: $21.59
Broad Strokes:
One hundred twenty-five years ago, French winemakers were fleeing their Phylloxera infested vines and began cultivating grapes in the Rioja region of Spain. They knew the barren soils, the proximity to rivers, and the exceptional climate would produce wonderful wine grapes. It is with this tradition and experience that Rioja Vega has become set apart from most wine producers today. A Gold Medal winner in European Wine Expo.
Appearance:
Good-looking yet simple package is straightforward with its message. The long neck, taller bottle is a nice touch. The wine has a garnet hue, with a bit of darkness at the core, bleeding out to a softer red coloring on the edges.
Nose:
The aromatics are agreeable, with a smooth, enveloping fragrance. Red bell pepper, balsamic, coffee, chocolate, Hershey’s cocoa, forest floor, earth and herbs provide a very fun nose. Also look for hints of raspberry jam.
Texture:
The wine is medium in weight, with a mild, even, lovely feeling entry to the palate. This mild beginning converts to a more expansive sensation, becoming broader and richer as it goes through the stages. It is nicely balanced in the fruit to acid genre, and leaves the palate with a clean and harmonious feel.
Flavors:
A beautiful note of sweet leather wraps the Bing cherry fruit, with hints of wood and vanilla. Complex, yet subtle, white and black pepper pop up, some raspberry, quince, sage, gooseberry, and some lovely floral/flower petals on the finish.
Serving Suggestions:
Like many of the old school European wines, the Rioja Vega excels with food. Seeing how this month is Thanksgiving, it would be perfect with roasted turkey and the trimmings. The wine is not meant to age in the bottle more than a couple years, so enjoy it now!
2015 Domingo Molina Malbec Estate
Growing Region: Valle Calchaquie Salta, Argentina
Varietal Composition: 100% Malbec
Fermentation: Some barrel Fermentation
Alcohol Content: 14.5%
Suggested Retail: $33.00
WineSellar Club Price: $29.69
Broad Strokes:
The winery is located in the North Yacochua, the Cafayate Valley, in the Province of Salta. This is significantly north of Mendoza area, and much higher in altitude. Elevations range from 5,000 to over 7,000 feet high, which results in a wide off daily temperatures. It is also vet sunny there, with scarce amounts of rainfall. These are excellent conditions for producing some very fine wine grapes.
Appearance:
I really like the looks of the bottle: simple, easy to read label, yet distinctive, and it’s even embossed! E back label is informative and a good read. The wine is nearly black all the way through, yielding to a dark crimson edge.
Nose:
The nose is dense with dark fruits, and doesn’t reveal a lot to start. It’s a teaser, because we know thee is a lot more lurking in what appears to be a giant of a wine. An hour later, still somewhat muted aromatics, starting to display some dried fruit and wood character, as it becomes more interesting and complex. Took nearly 3 hours to show itself aromatically.
Texture:
Seriously rich, with an even more serious backbone to hold this baby’s texture in check. Decadent, powerful, strong, musclebound lined with a pomegranate and cranberry acid. Although ink-like in density, it is not hard on the palate. The finish is long, lingering, and once again, kept in check with the even lines of acid.
Flavor:
Like the nose, the wine is hiding itself behind a mask of massive structure and not to yielding dense fruit. But, we know it won’t hide forever, and eventually the big guy starts to tell his story. Very dark black and purple fruits, both ripe and dried fruits, with notes of wood-mahogany, vanilla, saddle leather, grains and brioche. One taste I really find in a wine is fresh beet juice, which is here, and I really enjoyed that as well.
Serving Suggestions:
This Malbec has many years to go in the bottle, and will continue to gain complexity and enjoyment as the years go by. I would suggest putting it away for three to six years, monitoring its evolution. If you drink it now, grill some lamb or steaks and spread some aioli over them.
2012 Cabernet Sauvignon, Kieu Hoang
Growing Region: Napa Valley, California
Varietal Composition: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Fermentation: Barrel Aging
Alcohol Content: 14.1
Suggested Retail: $60
WineSellar Club Price: $53.99
Broad Strokes:
Owner Kieu Hoang immigrated to the United States in the mid 1970’s from Vietnam Nam. He founded and built two successful pharmaceutical companies (focusing on blood plasma) and then became interested in wine – especially how it relates to wellness. Mr. Hoang bought Michael Mondavi’s vineyard property in the Carneros region, and later added additional vineyard property in Spring Mount appellation.
Appearance:
Uh, can we say bold? Unique? Attention getting? Striking! The big, heavy bottle is coated with what looks something like bubbles. Mr. Hoang uses these images to represent what blood plasma cells look like under the microscope. The images also look similar to grapes, so the bubbles work is done two-fold. The wine is medium dark garnet, with a tiny bit of amber on the edges.
Texture:
Medium full in body, this wine is not one of those fruit bombs we sometimes get from heavy bottles. The wine is even keeled, with ripe yet well balanced fruit. The wine is a sleeper, almost tame, with drying tannins, that leave the mouth feeling clean and wanting more.
Nose:
Assertive with the fruit of dark berry, blackberry, boysenberry and plum. Vanilla, pie dough, clove, nutmeg black pepper and even more spices come forward. Really lovely, a compelling fragrance that gives promos in what’s to follow.
Flavors:
Right from the promising nose, you are satisfied and rewarded with dark berry, blackberry and boysenberry fruit. Reminds me of the old Knott’s Berry Farm jellies that were so wonderful back in the day. Clove, nutmeg, roasted nuts, toasty vanilla oak, spiced apple, plum, mahogany and cherry are wrapped by a balsamic like richness.
Serving Suggestions:
What a beautiful, noteworthy sipper this wine is! It is very versatile, and is great with grilled meats, BBQ, and ripe cheese, chocolate. This would also serve your turkey dinner well at Thanksgiving, as the wine is food friendly and will complement the bird and its trimmings.
2012 Livio Voghera Barbaresco
Growing Region: Piedmont, Italy
Varietal Composition: 100% Nebbiolo
Fermentation: 2 years French oak maturation
Alcohol Content: 14.5%
Suggested Retail: $45
Broad Strokes:
The winery is located in Neive, one of the most famous area for the production of great Barbaresco, surrounded by numerous hills almost exclusively planted with vines. It is such a beautiful region to make wine! Luigi Voghera and his wife Pinuccia own the land and have been making wine here since 1974 in these 22 hectares of paradise. They supervise everything, from the vineyard to the bottle. Their vineyards are planted on calcareous marls and sandy soils, with a southwest exposure, at an altitude of 200 meters (600 ft).
Appearance:
Great looking Albeisa bottle with a classy black white and gold label picturing the winery and surrounding vineyards. The DOCG label on the bottleneck guarantees the provenance and quality of the wine. The letters ALBEISA in relief on the glass tie the bottle to the Langhe territory (for more information: https://www.albeisa.it/en/the-history-albeisa-bottle/ ).The wine is clear and has a pale to medium garnet color with orange hue on the rim.
Nose:
Beautiful aromatic nose with notes of red cherry and violet, followed by cigar leaves, tobacco and leather. A hint of spice comes into play. The aromas are evolving gracefully in the glass, with mahogany and a touch of chocolate indicating a well-integrated oak maturation. This complex nose is very inviting, and I can’t wait to taste the wine!
Texture:
Smooth entry in the mouth, velvety texture. The wine is medium in body with a great balance between the fine-grained tannins, the medium alcohol and a relatively high acidity. It is a delicate wine, but full of character. This is a classic example of old-world wines, definitely tailored for food.
Flavors:
Reminiscent of the nose with red cherry wrapped in leather, fresh tobacco notes, and a touch of cloves. The palate does not disappoint! Very appealing and mouthwatering long finish with chocolate notes and touch of palate-pleasing bitterness.
Serving suggestions:
This wine is a delight to drink now, but could also be laid down in the cellar for a few years. I would personally open a bottle right now and enjoy with a great meal (it would be amazing with wild game, duck breast, a nice roast or even dry aged cheese!), and keep a few down for later (if you can wait). Enjoy!
Chickpea Soup with Cured Cod, Spinach and Poached Egg
Here is a wonderful recipe from Spain, perfect for our upcoming cooler months.
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces skinless cod filet
- 4 tablespoons of salt
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion sliced thin
- 2 garlic cloves sliced
- 2 fifteen-ounce cans of chickpeas rinsed
- 8 ounces of de stemmed baby spinach
- 4 chicken eggs
- Ground pepper to taste
- Chopped parsley or other herb for garnish
Method:
- Spread two tablespoons of salt on the bottom of a large plate, place cod filets on plate
- Pat two tablespoons of salt over the top of the cod filets
- Cover with another large plate and weigh it down.
- Set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes and then rinse with water
- In a skillet, add 4 cups of water, the cod, bay leaf and peppercorns and simmer slowly until cod is barely cooked
- Transfer cod to a bowl and set aside, and lightly shred the fish
- Pour the remaining liquid through a sieve into a bowl and set aside
- In a saucepan, add the oil, onion and garlic and cook until softened.
- Add the chickpeas and 3 cups of water, and let simmer about 30 minutes
- After slightly cooling, blend the mixture until very smooth, and then return it to the pan
- Poach 4 eggs for about 3 minutes, so yolks are runny but the whites are firm
- Place spinach at bottom of each of the four bowls.
- Get soup hot, pour into bowls, add the cod and top with poached egg.
- Garnish