WINE ADVENTURES IN CROATIA – PART 3!
THE STORY
OK, one more post about our spring trip to Croatia. Today’s post is about the Idle Hour wines from California which were generously shared with us by our traveling host, winemaker and co-owner Anna Marie Dos Remedios, throughout our trip. We were able to taste these wines at restaurants and on the boat. We were personally grateful to experience more recent vintages of wines we know, as well as some new ones sourced in the Santa Ynez AVA in Santa Barbara County. For those of us with California palates, these were a welcome break from the still strange yet wonderful Croatian wines.
I waited for Anna Marie to send me her winery notes for these wines, as they are no longer available online. And I am sure glad I did! Also, as with my other posts about our trip in Croatia, my reviews have at times been colorfully supplemented by our traveling partners, whom I have named the Decanting-Monterey-in-Croatia Wine Pod. 😊 The Malbec review was also assisted earlier by Erin of tèr·ra·ve·nos.
I have written about Idle Hour Winery several times before, with the last major post here: Idle Hour Pop Up Tasting Room Event – A Better Way to Spend a Rainy Day.
IDLE HOUR WINERY
“In our winery, we focus on single-varietal, single vineyard designated wines from select California vineyards and make our wines with minimal intervention in the cellar. In our kitchen, we are a scratch kitchen, with house made dishes using only the freshest, local ingredients we can source from small purveyors from around California. Our food and wines are inspired by the Mediterranean with a focus on using healthier cooking methods and fresh, organic ingredients.”
Anna Marie shared this about her new Santa Barbara County wines:
“My first vintage from Santa Barbara County’s Santa Ynez Valley did not disappoint. I chose three Rhône varieties to work with from the La Presa Vineyard: Roussanne, Grenache Blanc and Grenache Noir.”
IDLE HOUR WINES
2019 Idle Hour Malbec, Madera, 13.8% ABV, $32 (#915)
Winemaker’s Notes: “Bright blueberry and violet with a deep garnet color and the perfect bing cherry finish to pair with a pork tenderloin and cherry gastrique.”
My Review assisted by Erin: Inky in the glass. Violets, blueberry, cherry and raspberry with green pepper, smoke and dusty notes on the nose. Super bright and fruit forward. Medium ripe tannins, a tiny bit grippy. Slightly tart and savory, similar to one of the blueberry blend fruit juices we had in the Croatian hotel – in a good way. Pair with risotto and skirt steak. I liked this wine. December 2022 and May 2024
2021 Idle Hour Old Vine Carignan, Madera County, 13.6% ABV (#1340)
Winemaker’s Notes: ““As an homage to the beauty of the 50 years aged bush vines in Madera bearing these grapes, I wanted the purity of this fruit to shine, using only neutral barrels and picking with balance with a lighter style in mind. Red fruits of bing cherry and raspberry pay tribute to the inherent acidity of this variety with smooth tannins and a woodsy back end. Definitely a food wine! A perfect Summer wine to pair with a meal off the bbq of meats and veggies.”
AWARDS: Gold 92, 2024 Los Angeles Invitational Wine Challenge; Bronze, 2024 SF Chronicle International Wine Competition.
My Review: Red fruit reminiscent of macerated strawberry on the nose. Darker fruit on the full bodied, jammy palate. Jam packed with more of a plum vs blackberry. Cherry on the finish. I liked this wine – we took one home. May 2024
2021 Idle Hour Cuvée Rouge, $32 (#1341) 60 % Petite Sirah, 40% Carignan
Winemaker’s Notes: “Once in awhile, I blend a few barrels of wines. The fruit in the Carignan tamed the structure of the Petite Sirah, giving a balance and length to the blend while still preserving the bright red fruits and smooth mid palate of the Carignan. This Petite Sirah from Madera was not overly tannic, it lends the more savory notes from aging in newer oak to the blend: cedar and an earthiness from the sur lie aging.”
My Review: Purple in color. Sweet blueberry and cranberry on the nose. Very dark fruit like blueberry and dried plums, with a tangy finish. May 2024
2022 Idle Hour Rousanne, Santa Ynez AVA, Santa Barbara County, 13.8% ABV, (#1342)
Winemaker’s Notes: “I haven’t made Roussanne since 2012. I love the variety for the long and smooth mid palate, it is like the Petit Verdot of the white wines, most often used in blends to lengthen the body of a blend. I love mine as a single varietal wine. This vintage did not disappoint, with a full body and an herbal aromatic, think pears and honey with black tea and ample acidity tempered by the mouthfeel.”
This is the only white wine allowed in the Rhône. It’s the “Petit Verdot of white wine.”
My Review: Sweet nose of apricot, honey and elderflower – very St Germaine. Viscous in the glass. Grapefruit and honey on the palate with a pear finish. May 2024
2022 Idle Hour Grenache Blanc, Santa Ynez, Santa Barbara AVA, 14.2% ABV, $34 (#1343)
Winemaker’s Notes: “This, my second vintage of Grenache Blanc from the Central Coast, boasted a succulent mouthfeel, with floral notes of rose petals, vanilla from a tempered short aging in oak and citrusy notes. With only a short aging of 6 months for the malolactic fermentation to complete before bottling, this wine showed beautifully and sold out quickly after winning the 2023 Sunset Int’l Wine Competition Best of Class. I wish I would have made more!” SOLD OUT!
AWARDS: Best of Class 94 Gold 94 2023 Sunset International Wine Competition; Silver, 2023 International Women’s Wine Competition
My Review: Floral notes like orange blossom on the nose. A round, oaky quality is balanced by crisp acidity and minerality on the palate. June 2024
2022 Idle Hour Grenache Noir, Santa Ynez AVA, Santa Barbara County, 13.9% ABV, $ (#1344)
Winemaker’s Notes: “This wine is everything I love of California Grenache! Woodsy aromatics, a lightness to the mouthfeel and cherry all day! This was a tiny lot of 1 ton producing only 48 cases of wine!”
AWARDS: Silver, 2024 SF Chronicle International Wine Competition.
My Review: I did not capture detailed tasting notes on this wine. It was interesting and tasty, with some cherry notes on the palate. I recall liking this one better than most Central Coast Grenache wines, which can sometimes seem boring. June 2024
THE TASTING ROOM
“COME VISIT OAKHURST’S FIRST WINERY & TASTE OUR MEDITERRANEAN-INFLUENCED AND HANDCRAFTED FOOD & WINE”
“We are open for wine tasting Thursday-Saturdays from 11am until 5pm, and Sundays, 10am until 2 pm. Our Kitchen is open for lunch service as well, Thursdays-Saturdays, 12pm-4 pm, Dinner service Thursdays-Saturdays, 5pm-8pm and Sunday Brunch from 10am-2pm. Call (559) 760-9090 for more information.”
Check their Facebook page @IdleHourWine for the latest info!
© Decanting Monterey 2024
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