FINCH'S WINE BAR AND BISTRO

7644 Girard Ave, La Jolla
Open Tuesday-Saturday 11:30-10
858.456.4056

We didn't quite know what to make of a wine bar without any wine on its website, but were very pleasantly surprised on a recent visit to Finch's. There are 29 wines by the glass; our server knew them and was happy to pour a few tastes. The selections come from all over the map, but there's clearly a palate here, and one we liked. Thoughtfully assembled three-wine flights are also an option.


Behind the bar at Finch's

Guests can enjoy a full meal or just snack. In the latter category, the musroom paté is excellent. Next time we'll sit at the bar - a pleasant spot totally hidden from the street. There's also a very nice patio.

ALTIPIANO VINEYARD

Denise and Peter Clarke moved onto their Highland Valley property in 1997. In Denise's words, Altipiano ("high plain" in Italian) was "a diamond in the rough" - good sun, some elevation, a little house... They make light of their creative efforts and hours of sweaty toil, but the Clarkes clearly worked hard to create what's now a very polished gem: so beautiful, so classy, and so real. Their estate is a working farm and their exquisite home is a welcoming place for all to enjoy. It's a labor of love and a reaffirmation of farming community values.

One of the llamas

Why wine? The short answer is the the Clarkes' avocado trees burned in the 2007 wildfires and they seized the moment to plant vines - lots of them. Favoring Brunello in the afterglow of a trip to Italy, they soon found themselves with 2600 plants. According to Peter, this was a "classic example of failing to consider the endgame." What were they going to do with roughly 24 barrels of wine each year?

Vines...

Neighbor Jerry Cordiano looms large in this account as a good friend who's been generous with his knowledge of viticulture.  We see seeds of a cooperative emerging among the growers in this community, who often share eggs and produce as well as winemaking equipment and expertise. And we certainly look forward to tasting Altipiano’s estate wines next year. The Clarkes are working with Ramona winemaker John York, and will at first specialize in (of course) Brunello. Peter’s rightfully optimistic about this: “Good Brunello grapes can have a high tannin content, which makes possible improvement with age up to 30 or so years. If we are wildly successful at growing the grape and making the wine, I’ll be around 105 when I taste our best wine. Some have said that with tasting wine all those years, I just might make it to 105” (Ramona Valley Wine Region Magazine).

Part of Altipiano's expansive patio

At present, visitors to the tasting room can sample five wines,  mostly from Paso Robles-area grapes: Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, and Cabernet Franc. We especially liked the full-bodied, spicy Cabernet Sauvignon. Soon guests will be able to compliment their wines with artisanal cheeses and fine chocolates. The Clarkes also welcome picnickers.

Altipiano's wine club offers quarterly 3-bottle shipments at a 20% discount, which applies to other purchases as well. Members are invited to exclusive wine club events. They're encouraged to schedule private winery tours and may reserve the facilities for private events at a reduced cost.

Tasting Room

The Altipiano Vineyard tasting room is open weekends 11-sunset. 760.839.7900

BELLE MARIE WINERY

A lot is new at Belle Marie and Chateau Dragoo. Summer-like weather obligated us to taste two crispy whites: 2010 Chenin Blanc and 2009 Chardonnay, both from Northern California grapes. The winery’s team has come up with some tantalizing spice blends to tickle the senses; we were especially impressed by how their secret “Chardonnay spice,” sprinkled on a sliver of cheese, enhanced the flavor of the wine.

Moving on to reds, we encountered a well-balanced 2009 Pinot Noir (Santa Barbara grapes) and some old favorites with roots in the Guadalupe Valley: 2006 Commemorativo (Grenache, Mourvèdre, Cabernet Sauvignon), 2008 Tempranillo, and 2006 Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Mick Dragoo treated us to a taste of his yet-to-be-released Super Tuscan, a full-bodied, fruit-forward blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Our quarterly Vintage Club selections included a 2005 Barolo – which prompted us to drink the 2003 we’d been hoarding with dinner - quite a treat.

Belle Marie's tasting room is open daily 11:00-5:00. 760.796.7557

Link to first Belle Marie post...

LENORA WINERY

Lenora Winery, in operation since 1999, has 7 acres of vines including Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Muscat, Grenache, Sangiovese, Zinfandel, Merlot, and Caberenet Sauvignon. The wines derive from estate, Ramona Valley and other California grapes. There is something for every palate here, though only a limited number of bottles are open for tasting on any given day. We enjoyed the lightly tannic “Dos Rojos” blend of Merlot and Sangiovese.

Eric Metz pouring in the tasting room

Eric Metz bought Lenora in 2008. He's planted Nebbiolo and Syrah and will soon introduce estate wines under the Metz Winery label.

Picnic area with BBQ

Lenora's wine club members get two personally selected bottles per month at a price not to exceed $20. 10-20% discounts apply at the winery.

Lenora Winery is open for tasting weekends 10:00-6:00. 760.788.1388

MILAGRO FARM VINEYARDS AND WINERY

Beaming with pleasure, owners Kit and Karen Sickels hosted Milagro’s first wine club event on February 25. Winemaker Jim Hart charmed the crowd with a spirited and effortlessly detailed narrative of the process behind each of the featured Estate wines: 2010 Chardonnay, 2009 Meritage, and 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon. Jim has been involved with the winery since 2006, when he answered an ad in the San Diego Reader for a “part-time winemaker.” We’re not sure if the Sickels knew what they were getting into when they brought Jim on board, but it’s clear that they (and we wine club members!) are happy with the results.

Jim Hart leading a winery tour

We learned more about why white wines are scarce in San Diego County. Micro-climates and ocean breezes play a role, but success also involves a large investment in equipment to maintain a relatively long, temperature-controlled fermentation process.



Next month Milargro will be bottling lots of new wine. Look forward to a Cabernet Franc Rosé, 2011 Sauvignon Blanc, 2010 Sangiovese, and 2010 Barbera… among others.

Link to first Milagro post...