This post has been brought to you by Knotty Wines. All opinions expressed are my own. The following message is intended for those 21+. Please enjoy responsibly.

Today we’re featuring a four bottles from California-based Knotty Vines. We’ll be reviewing the bottles themselves, covering a little of what makes California so special when it comes to wine production, and of course I’ll be suggesting some food pairings that will really help make today’s bottles shine.

The Where Region – Sonoma, California

Despite only having produced wine commercially since the 19th century, California has become one of world’s most prestigious and profitable wine regions. Indeed, California as whole has come to produce more than 84% of all American wine, while all but monopolizing America’s premier wine producing talent.

I’ve had California described to me – rightly or wrongly – as “Combine the best terroirs of Greece and Argentina, and you have an idea of what makes wine production in California such a delight.” However, given how Greek wine toils in relative obscurity, and how Argentinian wine production and profitability has yet to even begin to approach that of California, one can only fairly reach the conclusion that there ‘must’ be something more to the story than good terroir.

One might point to that fateful 1976 blind tasting in Paris, where Californian wines, Napa in particular, beat out a host of then-revered French labels to secure what can even now only be described as a reversal of monumental proportions, which overnight thrust California wine onto the world stage. Fair enough. However, even with that in mind, there must be something ‘more,’ as many, many wine regions and little-known labels have had their share of ‘upstart’ awards and recognitions, only to fade back into obscurity.

In truth, it was how California capitalized on that resounding 1976 Paris win. Ever since, select California wine regions have been on the receiving end of a well-funded decades’ long marketing campaign whose brilliance, reach, and effect has been positively Napoleonic. That, combined with the strategic production of what’s popular among the consumer-class as opposed to the critic class, along with local producers being guided, winnowed, and whipped by quality enforcement standards that rival or exceed even the very best French AOCs (protected wine regions), has all resulted in the modern Californian phenomenon – a combination that other wine regions around world, including the Old World, would do well to learn from.

Today, we’re sampling bottles from Sonoma County, which itself is divided into the sub-regions of Northern Sonoma, Sonoma Valley, and the Sonoma Coast, with each of these areas having their own AVA title and sub-AVAs (American Vinicultural Area).

A relative newcomer to the vinicultural scene, even by New World standards, the Sonoma Coast AVA was only created in in 1987, and is notable in that much of the area covered by this AVA is not actually coastal. In fact, if you’re at all familiar with the microclimates of the area, you’ll see that it straddles a fair number of different local terroirs or microclimates – one local grower described the AVA thusly, “We’re mostly maritime in terms of climate, but definitely not strictly so.”

Being a ‘mostly’ maritime climate, the Sonoma Coast is noticeably cooler and damper than its counterparts, while the areas bordering the Pacific are foggy in the extreme. These attributes have led to varietals such as Pinot Noir and Chardonnay comprising the large majority of the grapes grown in the AVA, accounting for around seventy to eighty percent of all grapes in the region. However, praiseworthy incarnations of Syrah and Zinfandel also make an appearance.

The Bottles – A Showcase

First up, we’ll be taking a look at their 2019 Chardonnay:

Next, we’ll be sampling their 2019 Pinot Noir:

After that, we’ll be tasting their 2019 Red Blend:

Finally, we’ll be ending off on Knotty Vines’ 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon. Yes, every bottle is from “The Year Before.”

Tasting and Aromatics – The Review

The Knotty Vines Chardonnay introduces itself with notes of juicy white fruit, with just a touch of mild citrus. Think sliced pear mixed with apricot. Wild flowers, oak, and ‘buttery toast’ manifest deeper into the glass, intensifying on second whiffs. On the palate, the white fruit carries over quite nicely, punctuated by hints of oak. A very pleasant chardonnay.

The Pinot Noir introduces itself with alternating notes of cherry and raspberry. Wet gravel and minerals finish out the bouquet. On the palate, chocolate it up front, think cocoa dusted over red berries. The finish is brief, but pleasant.

The Red Blend opens with notes of blackberries and vanilla, laced over dark fruit notes. The bouquet is bone dry to the point of being astringent in nature. On the palate, the wine is a textbook example of what you would call “jammy,” with the dark fruits carrying over in abundance from the bouquet.

The Cabernet Sauvignon greets with earthy notes off the top of the glass, along with freshly cut tobacco leaf. On second whiff, cracked leather, vanilla and red fruit take shape. On the palate, dark fruits dominate. Think black cherries, plum, and ripe red fruits. Oak and just a hint of cocoa make themselves known towards the end.

What to Eat – The Pairings

With the Knotty Vines Chardonnay. Stick to ‘by the book’ chardonnay pairings, which means light and festive starters, such as a lush charcuterie board, featuring things like Coppa Italiana, Panino Al Prosciutto, Salame di Parma, crusty bread, garlic butter, dried fruit, and crostini. Conversely, you might also consider a cod fish stew prepared with capers, sweet onions, plenty of garlic and Italian parsley.

With Knotty Vines Pinot Noir. This bottle will pair decently with any of the ‘usual’ Pinot Noir pairings. Think of things like grilled salmon, roast chicken, and hardy stews. Pinot Noir and beef bourguignon are match made in heaven, and today’s bottle can surely stand up to such hardy beef stews. For me, the combination of braised beef simmered in a rich burgundy stew with copious herbs, whole onions, and butter roasted mushrooms with a glass of quality pinot noir is hard to resist. See here for my recipe to prepare precisely that.

With the Red Blend and Cabernet Sauvignon. In general, with both bottles you want to think hardy and substantial. Ribs, steaks, and red sauces are all candidates. Something like a braised rib stew set over pasta would pair beautifully. You might also consider something like a prime rib prepared with a curry and cayenne-based rub with garlic, coriander and cumin would also pair deliciously. A roasted rack of lamb crusted with plenty of herbs and garlic, would also pair deliciously. Beyond meat, think hardy red sauces over pasta, or meaty fish such as grilled shark, or baked eggplant parmigiana. Think heavy, think rich, think substantial.