We went to a Wine Maker dinner at the Five Vines Wine Bar, of which we are members, on March 15th. It was hosted by the owners Randy and Suzy in their private events space above the wine bar, Roots. Five Vines is unique in that they search out “family-owned and operated winemakers who have been making amazing wine for generations, but do not have enough cases for distribution.” They do a great job of finding wines that might get overlooked.
The winery highlighted this night was no exception. Brutocao Family Vineyards makes some excellent, well-priced wines that do not disappoint.
We were fortunate to have Steve Brutocao, the CEO and grandson of the Founder of Brutocao, Irv Bliss, give the presentation. Steve dropped by every table, answered questions, and was a gracious host. You could feel his passion for the wines as he spoke about each one in great detail.
So let’s talk about the wines. We loved them all, and that never happens. We ended up buying two of each at the end of the night, and look forward to making a trip to their winery in Hopland, CA – about an hour and a half north of Napa.
The first wine we tasted was the 2019 Sauvignon Blanc, Feliz Vineyard. A solid wine that at $20 a bottle should have cost twice as much. (Which is the case with all of their wines.) This single-vineyard Estate Sauvignon Blanc is aged 12 months in Stainless Steel and shows green apple on the palate with a hint of citrus on the finish.
Next up was the 2019 Chardonnay – Bliss Vineyard. This $24 gem is 100% barrel fermented for 9 months in French Oak. On the nose, you will pick up pear, and tropical fruit with a long finish on the palate. (This was a very good pairing with the soup.)
Next up was the 2017 Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. $36. 18 Months, 100% French Oak. A nice wine at a good price. Earthy on the nose, dark fruit on the palate, and a nice “longish” finish.
The 4th wine was the star of the show, a 2018 Quadriga, Hopland Ranches, Estate Bottled, this big Italian Red is a proprietary blend of Sangiovese, Primitivo, Barbera, and Dolcetto. And at $42 is a steal. Wine Enthusiast gave it 91 points, and we would agree, maybe even 92 or 93 would be about right. Big dark fruits, nice tannins, and a long finish. This was paired with a New York strip and the two, as would be expected, worked very well together.
And to end the evening we had the 2012 Port, Zinfandel. $25. And we have to agree with the Wine Maker Notes on this one:
“The combination of well-ripened fruit from our Bliss Vineyard block #3 and Feliz Vineyard block #62 brings the best from both Hopland Ranches to our popular Zinfandel Port. Black cherry, currant, and chocolate spice make this an after-dinner treat to pair with daring decadent desserts and lively conversation.”
And while the term “Port” refers to a style of wine from Portugal. In 2006, a deal was made with the EU that prohibits US winemakers from using the name Port, but wineries already making fortified wine and calling it Port were grandfathered in. (Thanks to Steve Brutocao for sharing that bit of information.)
All in all a great night, and we look forward to future winemaker dinners with the team from Five Vines.
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