Left Bend rolls out version 7 of its Mashup Signature Solera Blend
Former Ridge winemaker now with Gali Vineyards in Los Gatos.
Left Bend owners Richard Hanke and Gary Robinson, who formerly had a tasting room in downtown Los Gatos in the space now occupied by Saison Cellars, just released their Mashup Version 7, done in the Solera style. It’s a riff on the way sherry is made, with multiple vintages and varietals. A small amount is bottled each year and the barrels are refilled with the current vintage.
There are notes of dried cherry, leather and sandalwood, along with a tangy pomegranate core in Version 7, which is comprised of 47 percent cabernet sauvignon, 40 percent syrah, 7 percent tempranillo, 4 percent petit verdot and 2 percent cab franc. Mashup Version 6, made of 54 percent cabernet sauvignon, 34 percent syrah and 3 percent cab franc, is peppery, toasty, meaty, plummy and large of mouthfeel. Hanke, who remained in California after Robinson moved to Colorado, holds tastings by appointment and during Santa Cruz Mountain Winery Association events at the vineyard he purchased on Mt. Madonna.
A long and dangling harvest persists for many local winemakers, including Los Gatos residents Janice and Joseph Gali. While their estate chardonnay and pinot noir have all been picked for vintage 2023, including some pinot noir being made into base wine for sparkling and rosé, their tempranillo and syrah are still hanging at their Watsonville vineyard. This year’s harvest included their first pick of estate albarino, being made by their new winemaker, Eric Baugher.
If his name seems familiar, Baugher spent 27 years at Ridge before leaving for Merus, a Foley company, in 2020. He met the Galis when he was buying fruit from them for his Santa Cruz Mountains program, prior to his departing Ridge.
Baugher made the 2022 Gali wines, of which two releases are available at their tasting room on West Main Street. The 2022 Gali Estate Rosé of Pinot Noir is beautifully floral and redolent of tangerine, apple and mandarin, with a crisp but weighty palate. The 2022 Pinot Noir Cuvée is a rich and fruit-froward rendition from a very hot harvest, with plenty of backbone to stand up to dark meat turkey and hearty stuffing.
Testarossa offers compelling gift sets for the holidays, available with a personalized card in newly upgraded packaging. The holiday gift set includes the 2020 Fogstone Vineyard Chardonnay (94 points) and 2021 Sanford and Benedict Vineyard Pinot Noir (95-plus points), along with a Testarossa-branded Vin-Aire wine aerator, wine bottle thermometer and Lulu’s Chocolates. The set is discounted from $190 to $142.50 for members. The reserve gift set contains 2021 Diana’s Chardonnay (94 points) and 2021 Niclaire Pinot Noir (96 points) for $195. The concierge at Testarossa can assist with all your wine gifting needs.
David Bruce Winery raised its head from the proverbial tomb and sent an email out to their ancient mailing list, of which I happen to be a member, with an invitation to come and celebrate harvest. Local viticulturist Ken Swegles who farms Ascona Vineyard on Skyline, says he provided a crew to help his former employer harvest their estate fruit, including a small plot of Riesling he installed while working there as an intern back in the old days. He’d sure like to get his hands on that fruit now.
Alamitos Vineyards near the Almaden Reservoir in San Jose plans to be open every weekend this fall and winter. Reservations are required; 21 and over, please. They offer ample outdoor seating with gorgeous views, but during inclement weather, inside space is very limited. Plan accordingly and make reservations well in advance to https://www.alamitosvineyards.com/visit.
Wrights Station is holding a Friendsgiving Food, Fun and Case Sale on Sunday, Nov. 19, with 50% off whites and 25% off reds. Free for members, $20 non-members; includes a glass of wine. Make reservations at https://www.exploretock.com/wrightsstation. Orders can also be placed online with the code FRIENDSGIVING.