Beauregard's Blog

In The Vineyard with Ryan Beauregard - A Coast Grade Vineyard Exclusive

Harvest is only a few weeks away and Ryan, our winemaker extraordinaire, is gearing up.  Today we walked off the winery property to Coast Grade Vineyard next door.  Coast Grade is our newest estate vineyard planted in 2008 with four clones of Pinot Noir.  2013 will be the second vintage of grapes we will have harvested from these vines.  Ryan is on a harvest preparation mission to collect sample clusters from each of the 4 blocks in the vineyard.

As we reach the vineyard gate Ryan spots a small bobcat running across the field at Coast Grade. It is too fast to catch a photo and we continue on. We begin our sampling in the top eastern corner of the vineyard along the rows of Pinot Noir, Pommard clone.  Ryan explains that we need to draw an imaginary graph and go through to select a fair sample of clusters throughout this grid.  “I do whole cluster samples, this gives a more accurate reading of the sugar and pH levels.”

The clusters have gone through vérasion and are now covered in netting to keep the birds out, but lucky this doesn’t stop Ryan from collecting samples.  Pinot Noir is a grape varietal that is known for its proclivity to mutate and has generated more clones, or genetically unique subtypes, than any other grape varietal.  The Pommard clone received its name from the place it was originally sourced and identified, Chateau de Pommard in Burgundy, France.  In our 2012 Pinot Noir from Coast Grade Vineyard the blend is Pommard driven to be a lush and earthy wine with dark fruit.

The next block we enter is the 828 clone as we head through the vineyard towards Smith Grade Road.  These clusters are big and lavish.  Ryan takes a moment to point out some key factors about how the vines were planted and are maintained.  

“The vineyard is planted in North to South rows.  This allows for even sun. On the eastern side of the vine the leaves are thinner and the fruit is more exposed to the early foggy sunlight and on the west side of the vines there is more leaf coverage to protect the grapes from the midday sun.”

The 828 clone is a Dijon clone, meaning it was identified by the University of Dijon in France.  We finish collecting samples in the lower blocks of our 115 clones and the 667 clones, which are two of the most popular Pinot Noir clones according to Jim Beauregard.  Both 115 and 667 are also Dijon clones which tend to have an earthiness, spices, red fruit and soft tannins. 

          

As we begin our return from our sunny late morning walk we are greeted by Ryan’s wife, Rachel and their girls.  The girls have been collecting quartz gemstones on the side of the vineyard and they are happy to show off their “crystals.”

Ryan continues to explain that he does not simply take a refratometer to measure the sugar/brix levels into the vineyard to sample from individual grapes.  

He points out that even on a single cluster there are size variations and other factors for each grape that could result in inaccuracies. Therefore, we all set down in the shade with the sample bags and pop grapes from the four separate blocks making a juice to sample sugar and pH readings. ​

In Ryan’s lab we test each of the clones.  The end result is:  Pommard 18.2 brix, 828 19.8 brix, 115 18.0 brix, and 667 17.2 brix with the pH’s ranging from 3.15 to 3.20.  We usually harvest at 23 to 25 brix - we are almost there.

Be sure to join us October 5th & 6th for our first release of the Pinot Noir clones from Coast Grade Vineyard!

The Beauregard Crew and Their Favorite Pairings

There’s not much better than when food and wine are paired together. At Beauregard Vineyards, one of our favorite aspects about pairings is that they allow us to manipulate our palate. There’s so many different ways to pair food and wine—sweet and savory, acidic and salty—the different ways that we can work with weight, richness, fruitiness, etc. is astounding. Our staff don’t miss a beat in taking advantage of the many ways to pair food and wine.  Here they have shared their fondest memories and a recipe or two!

My most memorable experience at Beauregard Vineyards was the day I met my future husband. I was a recent club member, and I came up to the tasting room with a group of friends for the 2009 fall Pickup Party. I was excited to taste the new wines paired with food from Blackboard Catering, the winners of the recent Santa Cruz Clam Chowder Cook-off, and was pleasantly surprised to meet the owners, Clint and Andy. Clint and I connect at once and spent a large part of the afternoon sipping wine together, eating chowder, and tasting Tabitha's wonderful goodies. Since that time we have had many wonderful memories here and strengthened many relationships including our own. This is a magical place where the quality of the wine is equaled only by the quality of the people that it attracts. As far a recipe, I don't think Clint is ready to pass on his award winning chowder.

—Jada
Beauergard Vineyards Accounting Specialist

Its funny. Im not exactly sure how Ryan and I met...but long long ago when the Beauregard tasting room was on the wharf, two people started a friendship that has lasted the test of both our personalities...it began with a Beauregard Chardonnay that contained hints of chartreuse glistening in the glass with a sparkle in its eye like a naughty boy with grass stains on his knees...a super nova of tropical fruit jumped in my lap after the first pass of my nose...then the banana bread promise grew as she opened  herself up. At the time, Ryan and I were noshing on some St Pats from Cowgirl Creamery, talking nonsense and dreams. Sitting on the couch looking over our bay I fell in love with Beauregard wines...and Ryan. As a winemaker, Ryan knows when to back off and knows when to intervene—a talent lost by many when it comes to the mighty grape.
Nine years later, I love Ryan’s wines more than ever, and have begun a jam company with him and his tribe as my test tasters. We have evolved together and realized our dreams on this little stretch of coast we call home.
Thats my story and I’m stickin’ to it.....
—Tabitha
Beauergard Vineyards Food Specialist & Owner of Friend In Cheeses Jam Company

Let’s be frank: Ryan makes great wine.  Although I enjoy all of his wines, I do have some preferences.  The 2011 Chardonnay from Bald Mountain Vineyard is my current favorite.  When I first sipped this wine, I thought it was French.  It blew my mind.  It is the most refreshing, vibrant, balanced and clean California Chardonnay I’ve ever tried.  I’m smitten.  I drink it by itself, but I cannot wait to pair it up with some delicious food.  I’m thinking dungeness crab and/or oysters?! 

—Stefano
Beauregard Vineyards Tasting Room Associate

I was always a fan of Chardonnays until the trend of big buttery, oaky Chardonnays dominated the market. Then about four years ago a friend of mine introduced me to a Beauregard Vineyards Bald Mountain Chardonnay, and my love of Chardonnays was rekindled. The beautiful, minimally-manipulated Chardonnays that Ryan makes allow for the true nuances of the fruit to come through in a way that make the wine very food friendly. Scallops are one of my favorite foods to pair with the 2009 Bald Mountain Vineyard Chardonnay.

—Suzanne
Beauregard Vineyards Direct to Consumer Manager

I love Rosé, and I’m captivated by the 2010 Rosé of Syrah from the Nelson Family Vineyard.  It is lush, refined and perfect for summer.  Nearly everyday I eat salad, and this Rosé goes with every incarnation of salad I consume from hippy salads topped with crunchy seaweed and kale, to heartier salads filled with grilled chicken, avocado and romaine.  Quite simply, it is a fantastic wine for summertime cuisine.  

—Pamala
Beauregard Vineyards Tasting Room Associate

 

 

Beauregard Vineyards is the place where I took my love of wine to a passion for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.  A favorite of mine and my friends was the 2006 Santa Cruz Mountain Chardonnay. We called it our “Sushi wine” and it went great with homemade sushi rolls and fresh Thai Spring rolls with peanut sauce!  These nights cooking with fresh ingredients and outstanding Chardonnay were priceless.  So grab some seaweed, a bamboo rolling mat, sticky rice and a bottle of Beauregard Chardonnay today!

—Heather
Beauregard Vineyards Online Media/eCommerce & Outreach Director

Perhaps my favorite simple, yet exceptional food and wine pairing here at Beauregard Vineyards was when my coworker Lonny brought a surprise for after work not long after the release the 2010 Beauregard Ranch Zinfandel. After we closed down the bar, Lonny poured us each a small glass of the Zin, and brought out a plate he’d hidden in the fridge. On the plate was a wedge of Humboldt Fog, one of my favorite cheeses. The pairing of the rich and herbal goat cheese with the cool-climate, earthy Zinfandel was breathtaking. In one bite it was as if I were sitting on the edge of a meadow, surrounded by dry brush and brambles, picnicking in another place and time. The best pairings have this ability I think, to capture our senses and to pull us out of the present. By choosing what to eat with what to drink we take gastronomy into our own hands, and by doing so we become the curators of an experience that extends beyond the boundaries we are normally confined to each day into the realm of Dionysian pleasure.

—Jake
Beauregard Vineyards Tasting Room Associate

2010 Rosé of Syrah with Smoked Salmon and a dill creme fraiche

1/2 cup creme fraiche
1/2 bunch fresh dill from Farmers Market
1/2 lemon juiced 
4 cornichons finely chopped
Mix all ingredients in bowl 

1/2 pound of smoked salmon
Slice smoked salmon and serve with extra cornichons and 2010 Rosé of Syrah

—Stefano
Beauregard Vineyards Tasting Room Associate

In The Vineyard with Jim Beauregard - A Beauregard Ranch Exclusive

   Jim Beauregard and I walk up the dusty hillside of the Beauregard Ranch, first passing the lush lower rows of Pinot Noir. Jim tells me that this block is the Pommard Clone, which he planted in 2008 to replace Chardonnay vines. “Why”, I ask. “Because I enjoy the Pommard Clone. It's big, lush and full of black fruit and there is a high demand in the Santa Cruz mountains for Pinot Noir”, Jim replies with his kind smile. The Pinot Noir grapes are the only clusters currently in véraison, which is the stage when the fruit begins to ripen and the grapes change color.  

Jim remembers summers as a young boy playing among the vines at the Beauregard Ranch. He recalls when the family horse, Molly, was relieved of her plowing duties by the Ranch’s first vineyard tractor; Jim thought it was so much fun to drive the tractor through the vineyard that this became his summer job. This memory brings forth the question of if he always knew he would be the viticulturist for the Beauregard Ranch, tending to the vines? He replies that this is not his job, but rather a hobby that he keeps because he enjoys it. He also adds, "I like all the stuff that I do."  His primary occupations being the family grocery store, Shopper’s Corner, and the Chardonnay II.

Moving up the vineyard hillside, Jim and I pass Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon. Jim comments on the original  Beauregard Ranch Zinfandel vines being the first Zinfandel grapes planted in the Santa Cruz Mountains. “These vines are the Primitivo Clone”, which he thinks has more developed characteristics, “and the Cabernet vines are Dijon Clones.”

Jim has successfully replanted the Beauregard Ranch three times and has installed three-hundred acres of vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains.  At home Jim enjoys Beauregard wines regularly but his choice selection depends on what he is eating: "Lamb with Pinot Noir, and Cabernet or Zinfandel with steak."  

Jim believes 2013 is an exciting year for the Beauregard Ranch and the Santa Cruz Mountains. It has been a great growing season and he expects the harvest to begin seven to ten days early this year. The past fours years have been abnormal growing seasons. Cold and foggy summers resulted in low yields from those harvests. Jim notes that 2010 was the coldest year in the Santa Cruz Mountains since 1956.

Because of the cold weather and the low yields, Jim and Ryan decided to use the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from Bald Mountain Vineyard to make Beauregard Vineyards’ first sparkling wine, set to release in 2014.  Jim had experience producing sparkling wines in the 80’s for private labels.  With this, he believes Beauregard Vineyards’ first sparkling wine is, “delicious, have you tried it yet?”

Pick Me Up & Party Down - July 2013 Club Pick Party

Beauregard Vineyards has been working with a newly structured Pick Up Party for our members to enhance the individual experience.  We have changed from a one day fiesta to a fun-filled weekend of appointments to ensure everyone gets equal parts Beauregard Love.
We know RSVP’ing sounds scary but in reality it allows us to prepare and make sure your group is well taken care of.  Our day started early, taste testing Tabitha’s creations with the new club wine releases.  Once guests began to arrive was when the real fun for us begun.  Seeing our club members at our Pick Up Parties is a highlight for us.  It is a great opportunity to check in, get to know one another or catch up and enjoy!

Suzanne and Rachel greeted guests with a splash of Sauvignon Blanc to cleanse and cool the palate.  Then members joined Tabitha on the patio for some Pinot Gris, Melon Mint soup and Pinot Gris Orange Wine.  This chilled summer melon delight brought out the amazingly different characteristics of our two styles of Pinto Gris.

Our second station was out in the redwood grove with relaxing tunes from Al Frisby on Saturday, and on Sunday Vern, a solo musician who plays slack key guitar.  The 2011 Barbera, High Valley was showcased here for its premier pouring.  This wine is a summer delight.  Ryan sought out Barbera for a light bodied summertime red and he exceeded his expectations with this wine!  We have served it chilled and we can say, it is juicy and delicious! 

The Barbera grapes for this wine come from a vineyard that sits at an elevation of 1,960 to 2,260 feet, much like our estate vineyards in Bonny Doon.  The Clearlake influences combine with volcanic soils to produce a wine with depth and structured acidity.

Back in the barrel bar Heather was pouring the 2010 Syrah, Nelson Family Vineyard, which we double paired with a Tabitha creation followed by Sweet Cheeks Double Chocolate Sea Salt cookies.  Chocolate and Syrah—yum!  Tabitha whipped up some sheep’s milk Lebnah (at home cream cheese can be used as a substitute), the cheese was spread onto a cinnamon raisin bread crostini with Electric Beetroot Confit from Friend in Cheeses Jam Company.  The burst of flavors with the crostini was surprisingly harmonious, but not surprising was how well it went with our dark berry spice filled 2010 Syrah.

 

Thank you to those who came out for the July 2013 Pick Up Party.  We hope to see you at our next Club release celebration and look for the Melon soup recipe in the upcoming Newsletter!

Beat the Heat and Satisfy Your Senses

For the 24th annual Vintner’s Festival the Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers Association held the first ever Roots that Rock Santa Cruz Street Faire, which was a huge success June 2nd along Pacific Avenue. There was some amazing artwork, jewelry, craftwork, food and of course some fantastic wines made right here in the Santa Cruz Mountains. While people enjoyed all four of the wines we were pouring, our 2012 Sauvignon Blanc seemed to be a crowd favorite. The grapes for this wine came from the Margarita Vineyard, the southernmost vineyard in Paso Robles. Though the climate is a bit hotter than here in Santa Cruz, the vineyard receives similar marine influences due to its 14-mile proximity to the coast and an elevation of around 1,100 feet. One of my favorite things about this vineyard is that it is situated on an ancient oyster bed, and there are thousands of fossilized oyster shells scattered about the vineyard.

This lends a unique terroir to the wine made from the grapes grown there. Our Sauvignon Blanc was the first of our 2012 summer aromatic wines to be released. Joining this wonderful crisp, clean wine are a consortium of white, orange and rosé wines that are perfect for a hot summer day, sitting on the porch, lounging by the pool, or hanging out by the grill. Here’s the list of our summer aromatic lineup:

2012 Sauvignon Blanc
2012 Pinot Gris
2012 Pinot Gris ‘Orange Wine’
2012 Riesling
2012 Saignée

The human tongue is limited to the primary taste receptors—picking up on acidity, saltiness, sweetness, and umami (or savoriness)—so it is through our olfactory receptors (our sense of smell) that the full expression of a wine is tasted. While red wines tend to strive for depth, white wines tend to aim for complexity of aromas. When grapes ferment, yeast consumes the natural sugars found in the grapes; the byproduct of this reaction is carbon dioxide, alcohol, and (potentially) over 200 aromatic esters. An ester is essentially a specific aromatic aroma. When we say that a wine has the scent of a rose, it is because both possess an identical chemical compound, or ester. When we taste a wine we smell the aromas created during the fermentation combined with the taste and tactile elements specific to that grape variety. I love to pair wines with the seasons: heavy red wine or complex Chardonnay during cold winter days, and light, aromatic whites during the summer months. Besides pairing wine with weather, it’s always fun to pair wine with an activity and a meal. Here are some suggestions for food pairings with our summer aromatic flight:

 
2012 Sauvignon Blanc paired with Fresh Fish and Grilled Summer Vegetables
2012 Pinot Gris paired with Sushi
2012 Pinot Gris ‘Orange Wine’ paired with Korean Barbecue
2012 Riesling paired with Caribbean Spiced Ribs **recipe below
2012 Saignée paired with Asian Chicken Salad

**Recipe for Caribbean Spiced Ribs
2 Tbs brown sugar
2 tsp fresh ginger root, grated
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp ground clove
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
2 limes, zested and juiced
1 cup orange juice
1 rack pork spareribs, cut in half

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Mix together the brown sugar, ginger, cayenne, clove, cinnamon, paprika, oregano, pepper, salt, and lime zest; set aside. Squeeze the limes, and add the juice to the orange juice. Rub the ribs well with the spice mixture. Place into a glass baking dish, and pour in the juice.
3. Cover the dish, and bake in preheated oven for 90 minutes. Uncover, then continue cooking until nicely colored, 20 to 30 minutes more. Brush the ribs with the pan juices a few times while they are cooking.

Enjoy!

Sailing Away with Beauregard Wines

While the wonderful wines of Beauregard Vineyards go well with just about anything, they do seem to go particularly well with a sparkling ocean view. This past Monday, I had the opportunity to take part in a Beauregard Wine Club Sail aboard the stunning 70-foot Chardonnay II sailing yacht. This event (taking place monthly through October) brings together a diverse crowd of wine club members and their guests for an unforgettable sunset sail out of the Santa Cruz Harbor. The views are spectacular and they're accompanied by some equally delightful wine selections and appetizers. 

We departed the yacht harbor at 6:30 pm - a boat full of happy faces looking forward to an evening of conversation and wine. Of course, we were all particularly interested in the cases of wine being loaded onto the magnificent Chardonnay II.

While the afternoon was overcast and cool, the waters on the Monterey Bay were remarkably calm. As we cruised along, we  had the opportunity to enjoy the sights of Santa Cruz landmarks and wildlife. We caught glimpses of sea otters, sea lions, pelicans, harbor seals and even some porpoises as we cruised along. The Chardonnay II took a leisurely route to the Santa Cruz Wharf before turning around. Along the way, we admired the postcard-perfect views of Seabright Beach, the iconic Santa Cruz Boardwalk, Main Beach and West Cliff. Overall, the views were nothing short of magical.

As to the highlight of the sail, Beauregard's wines did not disappoint. On the list for the evening were:

· 2009 Chardonnay Bald Mountain - Bright green apple highlights with floral notes on the nose give way to pineapple, cream & honeydew. A finish of lingering oak, cinnamon, crisp and clean. The grapes hail from the Bald Mountain vineyard. Planted in 1900, this vineyard boasts rare sandy soils, imparting a striking minerality to the wines.
· 2012 Saignee of Pinot Noir - This vibrant salmon-colored wine is the perfect pick for warm summer evenings. The saline essence on the palate of the wine  imparted from the coastal fog as well as the redwood duff on the nose, make it an incredibly site expressive wine. The wine offers aromas of strawberry, raspberry, minerals and floral tones. Flavors of watermelon, honey and stone fruits are the highlights. 
· 2010 Syrah Nelson - This robust wine offers a sophisticated palette with hints of peppercorn, anise and oak. This is an intensely rich and aromatic wine.

As we sipped our spectacular wines (accompanied by cheese, bread and other appetizers), the conversation flowed, new friends were made and connections were discovered. It truly is a small world...and wine always seems to make it even more intimate.  The soft sounds of music and laughter floated on the ocean breeze as we watched the sun go down and nestled back into the harbor.

 

 

Pinot Gris & Orange Wine

Pinot Gris (also known as Pinot Grigio in Italy) is a white grape that is thought to be a genetic mutation of Pinot noir. Most winemakers today treat red and white grape varietals very differently during the winemaking process. Typically, red grapes are left on the skins during fermentation, while there is no skin contact when making white wines. However, sometimes a winemaker will choose to let macerated white grapes ferment on the skins. The result of this process is known as an orange wine. While no oranges are used to make orange wines, they often possess citrus characteristics, but more importantly, the skin contact allows for absorption of tannins. The result is a wine with the flavor profile of a white wine, but the texture of a red wine.

The origin of orange wines dates back at least 5,000 years, when winemakers often made little distinction between white and red grapes, with evidence of orange wine found in amphora from the area that is now Amenia and the republic of Georgia. Orange wine later became popular in the northeastern par of Italy and Slovenia, where winemakers frequently left white grapes on the skins from around 1300 until as late as 1960, when modern winemaking techniques and practices displaced many traditional methods of winemaking. However, orange wines have recently made a comeback thanks to vintners who have combined old traditions with modern winemaking techniques, producing high-quality orange wines.

Here at Beauregard vineyard, we are pleased to announce the release of our second vintage of orange wine made from Pinot gris from the Regan Vineyard. We have also made a white wine Pinot gris as well, with grapes from the same vineyard. Located in the Corallitos area of the Santa Cruz Mountains, Regan Vineyards is situated atop a hilly knoll with loamy soil, and receives plenty cool breezes off the Monterey Bay. The soil and marine influences lend a crisp, refreshing acidity to these new wines, which are perfect for the summer. Our orange wine had 21 days of skin contact, and is reminiscent of (insert tasting notes here), with a slight astringency on the finish because of the tannins. This wine is great with barbecued chicken or sausages!

Here's a few reasons why we like orange wine, and why you should too:

• Because of the tannins that result from the skin contact, orange wines have more body and structure than a normal white wine
• The flavors are complex, salient and unusual.
• Orange wines combine old traditions with new innovations
• Though made to drink upon release, orange wines often age more gracefully than your average white wine.
• Opening a bottle of orange wine is a good way to impress your wine-loving friends.
• A chilled bottle of orange wine is refreshing and tastes great!

Stop by our tasting room this weekend and try our Pinot Gris and Pinot Gris 'Orange Wine' for yourself!

A glass of Orange wine makes Stefano VERY happy!

Pinot Gris "Orange Wine" on the bottling line.

Nora showing her dad Ryan Beauregard proper labeling techniques for the Pinot Gris (white wine) here in Bonny Doon!