Sea Smokin’

Steve Woodward in Santa Barbara County, Calif.

Let it be known that HinsdaleCellars.com represents a collaboration by two “formers”. Co-founder and merchant extraordinaire Sean Chaudhry is a former executive from the ranks of corporate America. I am a “reformed journalist”, although it seems I might never entirely liberate myself from excessive typing.

The point of this explanation is that for as much as I cherish premium wine and its inspiring qualities, I am equally fascinated by the people working behind the scenes in this business, as well as their passion for it and the stories of how they came to it. That is why we were thrilled late last month when Sea Smoke general manager Victor Gallegos (below right, explaining the region’s geography) agreed to show us around the magical vineyards and practical production facilities where some of the most coveted Central Coast Pinot Noir is created.

This was only days before he learned that the 2004 proprietary blend red wine he makes under the Melis label in Torroja del Priorat, Spain, merited 94 points in Wine Advocate’s comprehensive Feb. 28 Spanish wine tasting release. “A splendid example of what can be achieved in Priorat,” wrote the Advocate’s Jay Miller.

Gallegos is a splendid example of what can be achieved by a human being. He is supremely confident — you ought to see how he maneuvers his Range Rover through the muddy vineyard paths — but also grounded by a keen sense of humor and, we’d guess, humbled a bit by knowing he has a job a lot of people would kill for.

We invite you to watch (below) Gallegos’ “insider” explanation of the philosophies and processes behind his Sea Smoke Pinot Noir, captured exclusively here on video (the background noise is caused by 2005 Botella being bottled nearby), but we also want to mention a few other headlines from our visit:

- Sea Smoke, planted on 100 acres (across a gorgeous 350-acre footprint) and 10 miles from the hamlet of Lompoc, is approaching its output capacity of 16,000 cases annually. “We’re almost there,” Gallegos said.

- Two of the 25 vineyards blocks on the property (P and Q, occupying about 12 acres) are 18 months into being designated as a biodynamic experimental area. Victor and celebrated winemaker Kris Curran are not by any means yet biodynamic farming converts. But they are willing to explore the upside. “Success,” he told us, “means we don’t take a step back in the quality of our wines.”

- Gallegos travels three times a year to Priorat to oversee his operations there, and harvest seasons coincide. So his comings and goings to Spain are often entirely Mother Nature driven. This is a dramatically different lifestyle than Gallegos might have had in mind when he enrolled at Cal-Davis back when to study … veterinary medicine.

Spain Reigns

In mid-February, influential wine importer Eric Solomon did something during a Chicago tasting event that not everyone in his position would be inclined to do. We know. We were there.

He ventured a prediction about a yet unreleased vintage (2004) from Spain. As reported in our February 19 Vintelligence blog post, Solomon declared, “You will see the first 100-point wines from Spain.” Solomon, like many, was anticipating this week’s latest issue of Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate that includes reports from a historic series of tastings in Spain by Parker field expert Jay Miller between September 2006 and January 2007.

The suspense has ended. Now we know that Spain’s 2004 premium red wines have something in common with Hollywood director Martin Scorsese. After years of unrewarded excellence they have been rightly handed the “Oscar”. In the case of Spain’s wine artisans the reward is critical acclaim and the all-important “100″.

Four epic 2004 Spanish wines were deemed worthy of 100 points (96 and higher is considered epic territory), including Bodegas Artadi El Pison from Rioja, a 100% Tempranillo we tasted with Solomon, the operator of Charlotte, N.C.-based European Cellars. He is the importer of El Pison, as well as Artadi’s Pagos Viejos. Wine Advocate rates Pagos Viejos, also a 100% Tempranillo, a 97-pointer. In other words, beyond excellent. Solomon was delighted the Pagos Viejos (which will retail around $93) had been open for several hours when we tasted it in Chicago. The result? “It’s justing singing right now!” he declared.

Solomon’s portfolio also includes the 100-point Clos Erasmus, a Garnacha blend (Priorat). These 100-pointers will be strictly allocated, of course, and priced accordingly as will a 99-point Bodegas El Nido El Nido (a Jumilla Cabernet blend so nice they named it twice) handled by major importer Jorge Ordonez.

So these are exciting and potentially frantic times for determined collectors of ultra-premiums. Those who have been singing the praises of Spain’s winemakers (and in the case of El Nido, Australia’s makers, as the consulant is Aussie Chris Ringland) will recognize that this is a defining moment and the slow to react will miss out. A few years ago, Spanish wines were in ample supply among their growing legions of fans. No longer. As confirmed by this landmark vintage (and 2001 Reserves being released this year), the vineyard talent pool across Spain is deep and formidable. “If I were a budding wine collector with limited discretionary income,” writes Miller for Wine Advocate, “I would be (cellaring) cases of 2001s and 2004s …”

As these and other spectacular premium releases from Spain begin arriving through the top importers, look to Hinsdale Cellars as your source for acquiring the best of the best.

Two from the 2003 vintage that were quickly acquired by our well informed clients are better than ever among the 2004s — Bodegas El Nido Clio (Jumilla), a premium red blend, and Numanthia Tinta de Toro (Toro).

The ‘04 Numanthia (projected to be around $60/bottle) garners a 98 from the Advocate (the ‘03 was a 96), while the ‘04 Clio is perhaps the most appealing of them all in the 96+ club. Dominated by the indigenous Monastrell grape, Clio merits a 97 but will retail in the U.S. for just north of $40/bottle. So it is the ideal premium find — celebrated and well priced. Oh, and “totally hedonistic,” Miller concludes. 

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