Dining / Cooking

THE WINE GUYS: Sonoma County winery known for its zinfandel

By Tom Marquardt and Patrick Darr / RELISH | Wednesday, May 14, 2008 | () comments

The De Loach family has been farming grapes in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County for more than 30 years, earning critical accolades for its chardonnay, pinot noir and zinfandel.

Originally, the family marketed its wines under the De Loach Vineyards brand. The brand was sold in 2003, and, as of the past three years, the family now makes and sells wines under the Hook and Ladder Vineyards and Winery banner.

The name denotes the 16 years founder Cecil De Loach spent working as a San Francisco firefighter.

We recently met Cecil’s son, Michael De Loach, to talk about the new venture and sample his family’s wines. We asked about zinfandel — not commonly grown in the cooler region of the Russian River Valley known for its chardonnay and pinot noir. Michael told us that, contrary to many growers who try to maximize ripeness and sugar levels, the grapes at Hook and Ladder are picked at a moderate 22.5 to 23.5 brix before acid levels in the fruit begin to drop. That works well for growing their style of zinfandel and allows their finished wines to retain natural acidity, leaving them refreshing and food-friendly.

Here are our favorites from the wines that we tasted:

* Hook and Ladder Chardonnay Estate Russian River Valley 2006 ($20). A very nice medium-bodied chardonnay that is 50 percent fermented in stainless steel and 50 percent in two- to five-year-old oak barrels with nine months on its lees. Clean in the mouth with good apple and citrus notes, and a hint of vanilla in a mildly creamy finish.

* Hook and Ladder Pinot Noir Estate Russian River Valley 2006 ($31). Thirty percent of this wine is aged in new oak, which adds a nice elegance. Great nose and flavors of cherry and cola. The oak aging adds a delicious spicy, cinnamon finish. Good now or hold for three to five years.

* Hook and Ladder Zinfandel Estate Russian River Valley 2004 ($30). Very well-balanced with berry fruit in the nose and on the palate. Some of these cool-climate grapes are from vines planted in the 1890s. Wonderful structure, and acidity.

* Hook and Ladder Merlot Russian River Valley 2005 ($31). This may have been our favorite wine of the tasting — “Sideways” be damned! The nose exhibited a very, very rich nose of very ripe cherries. Real deep, cherry and chocolate flavors with a lengthy finish. Awesome.

Absinthe returns

Winner of the comeback kid award for this year has to be absinthe, the storied, vilified and, until recently, banned liquor. Absinthe was the darling of the Belle Epoch from the late 1880s until World War I in Europe. Artists Manet and van Gogh, and writer Ernest Hemingway all were fans of the drink sometimes referred to as “The Green Fairy.” Originally created in the late 18th century in Switzerland, the anise-flavored, light-green liquor is made up of a potent mixture of high-proof alcohol, herbs, and the leaves and flowers of the wormwood plant.

Wormwood is the culprit for most of the bad press that absinthe has suffered. In addition, modern science has discounted the rumored effects of thujone — a psychoactive ingredient in absinthe — and given it a clean bill of health in small to moderate amounts.

Researchers now think that the cause of the reputed addictive and hallucinatory effects of absinthe were caused by the high alcohol levels — 45 percent to 75 percent or 90-150 proof — present in most versions of the liquor. Interestingly, the phylloxera infestation of European vineyards and decimation of the grapes during the late 1800s caused a severe shortage of wine on the continent, opening the door for alcohol substitutes such as absinthe.

Part of the appeal of absinthe is the ritual associated with serving the strong green liquor. Traditionally, cold water is drawn from an ornate urn and flows over a sugar cube on a small slotted spoon into a glass that contains the clear liquor. As the water is added, the absinthe clouds in the glass.

We recently had the opportunity to taste two of the absinthe brands that are currently available in the United States. Kubler Absinthe 106 proof and about $60/liter will be familiar to drinkers of products such as Pernod or Ricard from France. Very distinctive and penetrating black licorice nose. Smooth in the mouth with licorice elements along with a hint of herbs. Very nice and enticing.

* Lucid Absinthe 124 proof $68/750 milliliters. A bit stronger in alcohol than the Kubler, but you don’t sense the increased strength. The label features fierce, distinctive panther eyes. Black licorice and herbal in the nose and mouth, along with a lovely taste of lemon oil in the finish. A bit more complex than the Kubler, this was our favorite.