Cal’s ’01, ’02
vintages are great

Hawaii Uncorked

The last spectacular California vintage was in 1997. Even today, memories of stellar wines from that year echo on our palates.

The vintages of 1998, 1999 and 2000, on the other hand, have been anything but a California dream. Winemakers faced numerous challenges in those years, as they patiently waited and honed their craft. It proved to be time well spent. The 2001 and 2002 vintages have proven spectacular.

The year 2001 was one of the finest for the cabernet sauvignon and merlot grapes since 1991 and 1994. A long, cool growing season was followed by radiantly warm weather in September and October. The resulting wines have fabulous ripeness, sweet tannin, outstanding texture and structure. This is a tremendous vintage with terrific aging potential!

CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARBULLETIN.COM
King Food Service has brought in a wide selection of California-made foods to match the wines at "Hawaii Uncorked." They include Humboldt Fog goat cheese from Cypress Grove, blue cheese from Point Reyes, cheddar from Modesto, and premium salami, fresh mozzarella and paté -- all from Hayward.

In contrast, 2002 experienced a shorter, hotter, growing season, which produced very rich, concentrated, robust wines. An exciting vintage, 2002 yielded wines of forward ripeness and expressive personality. The cabernets and merlots are similar to those of 1997, with looser structure.

For chardonnay and especially pinot noir lovers, 2002 is a dream vintage. The wines are exciting, with wonderful purity, a dimension of richness, concentration and finesse.

From north to south, the regions of Sonoma Coast, Russian River Valley, Monterey, Santa Rita Hills, Santa Barbara and Santa Lucia Highlands stand out. The movie "Sideways" could not have come out at a better time -- chardonnay and especially pinot noir are awesome right now!

To taste what I'm talking about, mark your calendar for "Hawaii Uncorked: California Dreamin'" Hawaii Public Radio's annual wine auction and tasting, May 1 at Ko'olau Golf Club in Kaneohe.

More than 150 wines from around the world will be featured in the Grand Tasting, with a focus on California wines from the dream years. Among them:

Chardonnay

Samantha Star Monterey 2002 ($11.69): Clean and elegant with pretty pear and apple tones.
CF Wines 2003 ($18.99): Crisp and textured with harmonious flow.
Kuleto 2002 ($26.19): A Wine Spectator 91-pointer with sleek, elegant fruit.
Jordan 2002 ($28.99): Forward, ripe, with crisp apple and pear tones.

Pinot Noir

Castle Rock Monterey 2003 ($11.19): An outstanding value with supple berry tones and a long finish.
Samantha Star Monterey 2002 ($11.69): Another fine value.
Morgan "Twelve Clones" 2002 ($23.99): Textured, layered with sweet berry, cherry and spice.
Patz & Hall Winery Sonoma Coast 2002 ($32.79): Rich, lengthy and textured, with firm, succulent mineral tones.

Zinfandel

Ravenswood Lodi 2002 ($14.69): Tasty, with rich, fleshy fruit.
Zoom Winery Contra Costa County 2002 ($23.99): Rich, bright and lip-smacking, from 108 year-old-vines.
Geyser Peak, Sandy Lane Vineyard 2002 ($24.39): Full-flavored Contra Costa County zin with richness, power and spice.

Merlot

Castle Rock Napa Valley 2001 ($11.19): Plump and forward, with great fruit.
Blackstone Sonoma 2002 ($14.99): Rich and supple in an easy-drinking style.
Clos Pegase "Mitsuko's Vineyard" 2001 ($24.19): Classic American merlot, woven with power and richness.

Cabernet sauvignon

CF Wines 2002 ($18.99): Soft and supple, with elegance and flavor.
Murphy Goode Alexander Valley '02 ($20.99): Rich, elegant and rewarding.
BR Cohn "Olive Hill Vineyard" 2001 ($42.19): A Wine Spectator 90-pointer, full-flavored, with rich, ripe fruit and a firm structure for aging.
Whitehall Lane Napa Valley 2001 ($39.69): A quintessential Napa cabernet with dark, dense fruit. Wine Spectator gave it 91 points.

Maybe this is corny, but I can imagine a winemaker humming a little tune from the Mamas & the Papas as he surveyed the end of the 2000 harvest to see that "all the leaves were brown and the sky was gray. He went for a walk on that winter's day. Stopped into a church, he passed along the way. Got down on his knees and began to pray." Poetic malarkey, global warming, whatever the case, it's all about great wine!

Kevin Toyama is manager of the Beretania R. Field Wine Co. and an advanced certificate holder from the Court of Master Sommeliers.

Hawaii Uncorked: California Dreamin'

A benefit for Hawaii Public radio:

When: May 1, with the Grand Tasting and silent auction from noon to 3 p.m.; live auction from 3 to 5 p.m.
Place: Ko'olau Golf Club, Kaneohe
Tickets: $100; $85 for HPR members and those using American Express
Reservations: Call 955-8821 or visit the Web site, www.hawaiipublicradio.org

Special events

Wine Cellar: Private tasting of unique wines and hors d'oeuvres and chance to talk to tasting experts. Cost is $200, which includes access to Grand Tasting.
Private tastings: A few tickets remain only for a blind tasting of California chardonnays at 11:30 a.m. Cost is $150. Call 955-8821 (no on-line reservations).

Now, about the food ...

Given the focus on California wines, the food tables at "Uncorked" will showcase a wide selection of California-made cheeses and other munchies.

King Foods and Y. Hata's Island Epicure have made the geographically proper selections. For example: cured meats from Columbus Salame Co., which at age 88 has a heritage as old as many of the featured wineries. Or a paté made of chicken livers, truffles and porcini, marinated in sherry; produced by Fabrique Delices in Hayward, Calif.

Hot dishes to match the wines will be served by Kham Tanhchaleun of Ko'olau Catering and Keoni Chang, Foodland's corporate chef.

This column is a weekly lesson in wine pairing written by a rotating panel of wine professionals. Write to features@starbulletin.com

Cal’s ’01, ’02 vintages are great