How about differences within regions? In some parts of France different "terroirs" produce demonstrably different wines from vineyard to vineyard. So does it not follow that wines from Santa Barbara County might differ from Sonoma County or Amador County? or Santa Cruz? Apparently the leading wine review publications think so. They have historically given the best marks to wines originating in Napa and Sonoma Counties, forcing all other California wine regions to play second fiddle. Is it "terroir?" Better winemaking? Politics?
An amateur wine study group in San Luis Obispo recently opted to test the waters by putting comparable North Coast and Central Coast wines into blind comparison. The results of this small sample were interesting enough to report to you.
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THE WINES
Sauvignon Blanc:
1998 Groth Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley
1998 Babcock Sauvignon Blanc Santa Ynez Valley Eleven Oaks
Chardonnay:
1997 Ferrari-Carano Chardonnay Sonoma County Alexander Valley
1996 Gainey Chardonnay Santa Barbara County, Limited Selection
Pinot Noir:
1997 Robert Sinskey Vineyards Pinot Noir Los Carneros
1994 Cheval Sauvage Pinot Noir Central Coast (Wild Horse Reserve)
Zinfandel:
1996 Grgich Hills Zinfandel Sonoma County
1997 Eberle Zinfandel Paso Robles Sauret Vineyard
Cabernet Sauvignon:
1991 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Stag's Leap District Hillside Select
1991 Eberle Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles Reserve
THE RESULTS
The Sauvignon Blancs were vastly different. The Groth was crisp, clean, fruity and well balanced. The Babcock was rich and serious stuff, due in part to barrel fermentation and vinification methods more often associated with Chardonnay. The group liked both, concluding that the Groth was more varietally typical, the Babcock more distinctive.
The Chardonnays reflected a similar trend. The Ferrari-Carano was splendid and perfectly balanced, with just enough oak and acid to complement the fruit. The Gainey was, again, richer and slightly more oakey. It was also slightly more extracted, as evidenced in its slightly darker color. Both drank very well. The group was divided along the lines of personal preference.
Of the Pinot Noirs, the Central Coast example benefitted from a little bottle age and was more integrated. The Sinskey was clearly a young wine with good potential. It was clean drinking, free from extraneous aromas and flavors, moderately extracted, and quite delicious. The Cheval Sauvage (the reserve label of Wild Horse Winery) was, like the preceding Central Coast examples, more heavily extracted and characterized by jammy rather than fresh fruit flavors, due at least in part to its age. The group preferred it.
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