June 29 2009
It’s too bad about a certain movie that had a certain impact on a certain varietal that helped ignite the wine industry (and the Central Coast) to its current heights in the wine consumer renaissance.
Unfortunately, It seems almost cliché to make a reference to said movie for fear of being labeled as “That Guy”— the one that drops cultural references to movies that stopped being cultural touchstones four years ago. Doing so would be an indignity in the same realm of egregious faux pas as wearing all white sneakers and pulling out a travel map on the corner of 54th and Broadway when the world is right in front of you, with neatly marked street signs to boot, as multi-cultural, trend-forward, non white shoe-wearing “natives” jostle you out of the middle of the sidewalk.
That said, Sanford Winery is featured in a certain movie, it’s located equidistant between Lompoc and Buellton on a lonely, dusty stretch of pavement called Santa Rosa Road, and visiting Sanford is a nice companion to a dinner stop at a certain restaurant (that serves a tasty Santa Maria tri-tip) that figured as a minor player in this major movie.
Sanford is also a good introduction to what equity partners can do when they endeavor to raise the stakes—Sanford Pinot, in the past, has always being a nice, well-made wine, but it never quite transcended to the top of the vista in between the twin peaks of delicious and reliable. The Terlato Family have added much to quality in the bottle.
Vague introductions and sideways (ahem!) acknowledgements aside, the thing you should know is simple: Sanford Winery makes some killer Pinot and Chardonnay.
So good, in fact, they have now been inducted into my brand ambassador hall of fame alongside other favorites like A. Rafanelli and Dry Creek Vineyards.
To my palate, both the Pinot and the Chardonnay typify what is great about California wine —wines that are wrought with a deft touch and speak to a fruit-driven California sensibility that is unmistakable, while also being food-friendly.
The 2007 vintage is currently available; I would urge you to try both the Pinot and the Chard—K&L Wine Merchants has the Pinot and the Chard is in good distribution nationally found by searching Wine-Searcher.com
Posted in, Good Grape Wine Reviews. Permalink | Comments (9) |
Being the insider that you are, I’m sure you know the story of how Richard Sanford was forced out of his own winery by those Italians from Chicago that now own the whole thing. I would have excluded giving them the free promotion like this on that basis alone, but that’s just me….
PK
Ah, Phil, sarcasm noted. I don’t pretend to be an insider on everything ... but I think we’re probably coming from two different sets of baselines.
And, I’ve been a part of two small businesses where the founder was forced out. That’s business.
Perhaps our threshold for such things are different based on experience.
And, the fact of the matter is, based on my palate, the Pinot is better these days.
thanks for commenting and reading, I appreciate it!
The feeble excuse of “that’s business,” is always used to excuse reprehensible behavior. Maybe you do like the Terlato wines more that Dick Sanford’s, but with the plethora of struggling independent wineries making great juice, does Terlato really need/deserve the plug? Actually, having read your blog, your position on this does not surprise me.
Hi Richard,
Thanks for the comment.
I’m not sure what your veiled comment really means, but in all matters I approach things pragmatically, as opposed to idealistically -meaning, I live in the world as it is, and within the gray area, not dogmatically black and white.
I write 5-6 times a week with an average word count per post of about 750 words—on an annual basis I write about 234,000 words or the equivalent of almost three books a year if you estimate a trade hardback at 80,000 words.
You’re not going to please everybody all of the time, particularly when you take a stance on most issues.
That said, I really appreciate counter thoughts because it keeps my mind sharp.
And, of course, I appreciate everybody that take the time to read this site!
Jeff
While we’re appreciating things I just want to say I appreciate the Menu for the Hitching Post. If you’ve never had roasted garlic, it is an experience enduring in its pleasantness. The cloves literally melt into a spreadable topping. Caramelized to perfection, garlic takes on a new, complex quality. Full disclosure: I’m a fan of garlic.
I appreciate the Menu for the Hitching Post. If you’ve never had roasted garlic, it is an experience enduring in its pleasantness. The cloves literally melt into a spreadable topping. Caramelized to perfection, garlic takes on a new, complex quality. Full disclosure: I’m a fan of garlic.
in all matters I approach things pragmatically, as opposed to idealistically -meaning, I live in the world as it is, and within the gray area, not dogmatically black and white.
thoughts because it keeps my mind sharp.
And, of course, I appreciate everybody that take the time to read this site!
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Nothing wrong with cliches, my friend, we all use them all the time and they come in very handy.
What’s more, Sideways isn’t a wine movie. It’s a buddy movie, and a very good one at that. Wines and vines (and places like Sanford) merely add a beautiful backdrop.