Articles

Wine contest pays homage to the northern region
BY J.D. HILLARD

Martin Bargetto of Bargetto Winery holds a

glass of the gold medal winning

2005 Pinot Grigio at Soquel's tasting room.

Wondering where to begin your next tasting tour of Santa Cruz Mountain wineries? A group of judges selected from local restaurateurs and professional wine judges has offered some opinions that could help your planning.

The Santa Cruz Mountains Commercial Wine Competition gave its top honors to two wineries this month at the northern end of the growing region. Some regular winners from the south also placed. Winners will be featured in the Santa Cruz County Fair, which will run Sept. 12 -17.

A 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon made by Ahlgren Vineyards on Highway 9 near Highway 236 tied for the 2006 Best in Show award with a 2003 Pinot Noir made by Savannah-Chanelle in Saratoga.

While the drive is probably worthwhile, closer wineries also placed high. Aromas-based River Run’s 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon and Aptos-based Salamandre’s 2004 Pinot Noir earned gold medals, as did Soquel-based Bargetto Winery’s 2005 Pinot Grigio.

If there’s any theme to this year’s gold medal winners, it may be localism. Out of 11 gold medals, seven were made from Santa Cruz Mountains grapes, noted Shannon Flynn of the Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers Association.

River Run’s 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon was made from grapes harvested by Harvest Moon Vineyard, east of Mount Madonna. The Cabernet had the advantage of a cooler climate, which gave the vineyard a lot of leeway in deciding when to harvest, said River Run vintner J.P Pawloski. The cooler climate also gives the grapes more time to develop the cedar, spice and black cherry characteristics the variety is known for, he said.

Pawloski said his role in making the wine involved highlighting the character of the variety and the particular vineyard. “My objective was to squeeze that fruit into the bottle and have it reflect what that particular vineyard can do,” he said.

Few wineries make tasting easier or more comfortable than Bargetto. A minute or two outside of Soquel village, with daily tasting from noon to 5 p.m., Bargetto Winery earned a gold medal with its 2005 Pinot Grigio.

This was the eighth consecutive Bargetto Pinot Grigio to win a gold medal in the competition. During those eight years, the variety has come to be the winery’s second seller after Pinot Noir, said Bargetto Winery president Martin Bargetto.

The wine has a berry or honey-like aroma — Bargetto describes it as honeysuckle — and a balance between body and tangy, fruity acids. There’s no caramel or vanilla flavors as the wine was not stored in oak.

“We’re not trying to make another Chardonnay,” Bargetto said.

The target for the wine is to present the body and fruit of the French style of Pinot Grigio, while also including the mineral and tart character of the Italian style, he said.

The wine includes grapes from Bargetto’s Corralitos vineyard along with some Monterrey, Santa Barbara and Lodi grapes, Bargetto said. Again, the key to the wine is the Santa Cruz Mountains’ cool climate. That coolness means the grapes retain the flavorful acids to give the wine its fruity tang, he said.

“That’s what sets this region apart,” Bargetto said.

Bargetto Winery has been making wine since prohibition ended. The winery made 5,500 cases of 2005 Pinot Grigio, available at Nob Hill or the Cork and Bottle on Main Street, Seascape Wine and Spirits or Deluxe Foods in Aptos.

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For a complete list of Santa Cruz Mountain wineries, including contact information and tasting hours, visit SCMWA’s Web site, www.scmwa.com.

(Published in 9/5/06 edition)