First a little background.  Grenache is Spain's second most widely planted grape, commonly blended to soften up the harsher Tempranillo grape. Alone, Spanish Grenache is rustic and if extensively pruned and planted in the poorest soils can produce seriously dense reds that require decades of cellaring. In El Dorado County the results are quite different.

Grenache vines a very vigorous and ideal for drought. The plant produces large clusters with large grapes giving a high juice to skin ratio. That means a lighter body delicate palate feel, like what non-fat milk is to whole milk. The bouquets are often red raspberries, some are candied, and most have a slight nutty spice in the finish. It's very versatile food wine with light tannins and good acidity to pair with lamb or beef. There are so many great producers here in the foothills while Pinot Noir is common but difficult to find consistent quality. Crystal Basin Cellars, Bechard, David Girard, Cedarville, and Holly's Hill just to name a few. I've been pairing Bechard's '05 Grenache with our Gorgonzola stuffed Lamb Meat balls.

                The business plan was simple, have just enough for two to maintain. In 1995 Cedarville Vineyard was born as the eighth winery in Fair Play. Slowly taking their time to plant and raise 15 acres of grapes, there were no short cuts. They waited to produce only 100% estate wines and will continue to do just that. They carefully prune, manage leaf canopy, occasionally dry farming, and harvesting at maturity to ensure certain purity in the end product.  

You may ask yourself," Doesn't everybody do this?" Yes, every grape grower does do this, and it is not the glamorous part of the job. Tying and pruning vines with a hyper focused attention of a Zen Master trimming a bonsai tree. They hire a team of experienced pruners and work alongside them to ensure the work is done correctly over their 15-acre vineyard. It's when I first spoke with Jonathan and Susan and saw the wide-eyed enthusiasm they shared for this work  and their nurturing attitude toward their vines; these people are passionate and exacting about their wine. 

Certain measures can be taken at harvest and during the fermentation process to manipulate a wine's character and outcome. Wine makers in California most certainly try to emulate popular market trends. None of those tricks are employed at Cedarville, and never will be. Jonathan admits that their unwillingness to make their wines like other popular producers may have been compromising at first, but it is how they're helping to put Fair Play on the world stage of great wine regions. The work is done in the vineyard and the rest is simply fate. The outcome is a purity that establishes a definite sense of place from any of the neighboring regions in the Sierra. The 100% decomposed granite soils and 2,500 foot elevation are reflected by their wine in a way that cannot be duplicated outside of Fair Play. Cannot be duplicated in the same sense as a good Bordeaux can only come from Bordeaux.

                You can taste in their wines how they've nurtured each vine according to its personality.  Their Syrah, for instance, is supple with dark berries and round feminine tannins, while their Zinfandel is bold and robust with vibrant raspberries and peppery spice -  which tickles the palate. But don't take my word for it, go see for yourself. Click this Link to their info, the Tasting room is By Appointment Only.     

To illustrate with items in every kitchen, take a timeless combo like coffee and scrambled eggs with cheese. Most people take for granted why the combination is so good. Eggs and cheese are rich super-foods that nature intended as essential nourishment. The rich flavors require an earthy and acidic contrast to cleanse the palate, such as hot coffee. The combination awakens the senses instantly! As if the marriage of flavors isn't satisfying enough, with 140 mg of caffeine per 8 oz of coffee to invigorate the experience--it's no wonder breakfast is the most important meal of the day!

Now to apply this technique to wine pairing, let's look at a house favorite at the Redbud Café, the grilled Hanger Steak: smothered in gorgonzola butter and caramelized shallots accompanied by a pile of pommes frites and tomatoes Provencal. This cut of meat from the short loin is very rich in flavor with subtle liverish qualities. With the tangy component of the gorgonzola butter and the sweet crunch of caramelized shallots, this dish demands a magnanimous wine of refined character. The 2005 Holly's Hill Patriarche (El Dorado County) is a blend of classic Rhone varitals (40% Mourvedre, 36% Syrah, 15% Grenache, 9% Counoise) that exhibits dark berries and a great earth and gamely flavors contributed by the Mourvedre and syrah with light aromatic cherry and mouth watering tannins. Balanced acidity is a key component contributed by the Grenache and Counoise that cleanses the palate and marries flavor. This classic "Chateauneuf du Pape" style wine accents the steak's rich flavors, balances the gorgonzola with caramelized shallots, and inspires the next savory bite.