Sep 29, 2016
Me and the boys slashin out some sketch at @ryeairfield last night #bmx #mainestream @mainestreambmx
seen from Sri Lanka
seen from Maldives
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United Kingdom
seen from United States
seen from United Kingdom
seen from Spain
seen from Japan
seen from Canada
seen from France
seen from Nigeria
seen from United Kingdom
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Bangladesh
seen from China
seen from United States
Me and the boys slashin out some sketch at @ryeairfield last night #bmx #mainestream @mainestreambmx
He forgot to pack a tie! #mainestream (at Southport Island , ME)
#teammitchell #mainestream (at Southport Island , ME)
#mainestream (at Southport Island , ME)
#mainestream part clip
Wine Spotlight: Chronic Cellars
I first came across Chronic Cellars about a year and a half ago. We had just added one of their most popular wines, "Sofa King Bueno," to our wine list at the restaurant where I work. I was instantly attracted to their unique wine labels, which all feature colorful Dia de los Muertos themed woodcuts created by artist Joe Kalionzes. I had never seen such wild, eye-catching labels on bottles of wine.
"Sofa King Bueno," an unbelievabley declicious blend of syrah, petit sirah, mourvedre, grenache, and tannat.
I have to admit, I was a little put off by the name Chronic Cellars chose for this wine at first. I wasn't exactly sure how to pitch this bottle to my clientele in an upscale restaurant setting without offending someone. Chronic Cellars clearly had a sense of humor, and after recently rediscovering "Sofa King Bueno," I decided to investigate to gain a better understanding of the guys behind this energetic, unique brand.
Chronic Cellars was founded by brothers Josh and Jake Beckett with the vision of creating wines targeted toward a casual lifestyle. Josh and Jake are total lifers, and they enjoy spending their free time surfing and riding dirt bikes. They're two down-to-earth California bros who love having fun, enjoying life, and just so happen to know how to make fantastic wine.
The minds behind Chronic Cellars. Jake, left, and Josh Beckett on the right.
Josh and Jake were raised in the heart of Paso Robles wine country by Doug and Nancy Beckett, ex-school teachers who founded Peachy Canyon Winery in 1982. Peachy Canyon's first wines were zinfandels, which were enthusiastically received by the public. After going to college, Josh and Jake returned to Peachy Canyon to help their mom and dad make amazing wine. One night during mid-harvest, Josh and Jake were having a few beers and fantasizing about running their own vineyard/winery. Josh threw a name out there, and just like that, "Chronic Cellars" was born. The boys worked tirelessly on their concept for four years, and the brand went live in 2008.
Josh is the winemaker and Jake is the grower and marketing/business guru, but I'd be wrong to say each brother's work responsibilities were isolated. There is a constant overlap of responsibilities on the vineyard, and both brothers are hands-on guys, directly involved in all aspects of Chronic Cellars. You can often find the brothers pouring wine for guests in the Chronic Cellars tasting room, drinking "Sofa King Bueno" on their giant sofa, or challenging customers to a game of horseshoes.
"Sofa King Bueno" established a unique marketing model for Chronic Cellars, which Jake Beckett alludes to in the video above: it’s fun to name your wines with a sense of humor. This casual, fun-loving approach to business, combined with other key pieces to the puzzle- one brother who is a gifted wine maker, one brother who is a skilled grower with a unique marketing vision, a talented artist buddy who specializes in woodcuts, and parents living right down the street who built a vineyard from scratch, is a fantastic recipe for success in a competitive industry.
2012 "Sofa King Bueno" Rhone-Style Blend
"Sofa King Bueno" is 43% syrah, 32% petit sirah, 11% mouvedre, 8% grenache, and 6% tannat. This cepage led me to have a few expectations about this wine. Comprised of your classic GSM rhone blend varietals, plus the addition of 1/3 petit sirah and a small amount of tannat, I expected this to be a bigger, more masculine rhone blend.
The first thing I notice about this wine is its intensity of color in the glass. It’s almost deeper than ruby, more like a blood red. The nose of this wine absolutely blows me away! I am intoxicated with aggressive aromas of ripe berries and violets. On the palate, explosions of juicy cherry and raspberry make me smile. This wine is silky smooth and velvety, which surprises me. Petit sirah and tannat are two grape varietals known for presenting significant amounts of tannin in wine. "Sofa King Bueno" has medium tannins, which makes this wine extremely versatile and easy to drink. It isn't a "bigger, more masculine rhone blend," it is a more fun rhone blend. This wine is a party in a glass! I'm tasting a rhone that is completely delicious, bright, and alive. The Beckett brothers' personality really comes through here. It tastes the way the art on the label looks. It's exciting wine that likes having a good time. "Sofa King Bueno" really is just that. I could visualize Josh and Jake yelling this after tasting the wine for the first time. All of these qualities combined make "Sofa King Bueno" a great everyday drinker. It would pair well with pretty much anything. I'd happily buy a case of this wine.
You can find Chronic Cellars “Sofa King Bueno” at The Bier Cellar on Forest Avenue in Portland.
2013 "Purple Paradise" Zinfandel
Recently, a close friend gave me a bottle of Chronic Cellars "Purple Paradise" that she purchased in upstate New York . I was extremely excited about this wine because it's currently not available in Maine. "Purple Paradise" is 70% zinfandel, 14% syrah, 11% petit sirah, and 5% grenache. I knew I could expect big jammy ripe fruit in this wine, with nice tannin structure from the syrah and petit sirah, and brightness from the grenache.
"Purple Paradise" has a deep purple hue in the glass, making it much darker than "Sofa King Bueno." On the nose, I get dark raspberry, some floral action, and a little bit of vanilla and smoke. I experience gentle waves of berry and flowers. On the palate, "Purple Paradise" has dark juicy fruit and a hint of spice and pepper. This is a delicious zinfandel. Tannin is medium, but noticeably more pronounced than in "Sofa King Bueno." This surprises me because "Purple Paradise" is primarily zinfandel, with less syrah and petit sirah. "Purple Paradise" is the grillmaster's best friend; it would pair excellently with a big juicy ribeye or New York sirloin. Break this bottle out next summer at a barbecue with friends, and you'll please the crowd with this festive zinfandel.
Image Sources:
"Sofa King Bueno" Label: www.cellartracker.com
Beckett Brothers: www.sanluisobispo.com
"Purple Paradise" Label: www.shopwinedirect.com
Wine Spotlight: A Tribute to Grace 2012 Grenache
Over the past few years, I've become increasingly interested in wine. Working in a restaurant downtown with a fantastic wine list has given me exposure not only to great wines, but to a vast body of knowledge.
When I first started exploring wine, I quickly realized that French reds from the southern Rhone were the wines for me. I just couldn't get over the dark, luscious fruit, structured tannins, decadent finish, and savory aspects that I kept discovering in each Cotes du Rhone and Chateauneuf-du-Pape I tasted. Syrah, I decided, was my varietal soulmate. Each wine I purchased that was primarily syrah blew me away with its savory, meaty, earthy, and juicy qualities.
Recently, I've strayed from the dark side, and begun to explore the brighter, juicier, more graceful grape grenache. Grenache is a key varietal in most French reds from the southern Rhone, and it is noted for the juicy notes of bright cherry and spice/ baking spice that it typically adds to a cepage (blend of different varietals).
Angela Osbourne, a New Zeland-born winemaker now growing grenache in California, has been producing 100% grenache wines under her company's label A Tribute To Grace (named after her grandmother) since 2007. Angela's fascination with grenache seems rare in California, a state known for world-class cabernet, pinot noir, and zinfandel. After searching far and wide for the perfect site to grow grenache, Angela discovered the Santa Barbara Highlands Vineyard, located 33 miles east from Santa Barbara in the Sierra Madre mountains. The vineyard is planted on a secluded desert at an elevation of 3,200 ft. This is a land of sand, rocks, and dingos, and just so happens to also be grenache heaven. Unlike its slightly more temperamental brother syrah, grenache thrives in both cooler, coastal climates and hot, arid climates.
Angela Osbourne with the fruits of her labor.
Angela Osbourne pressing grapes by foot.
Angela leases three rows from the Santa Barbara Highlands Vineyard, which allows her to grow perfect grenache in a perfect setting without having to worry about owning a large vineyard. Leasing vineyard space is a growing trend in the wine industry, for it allows skilled winemakers to select the locations best suited for the particular varietals they are interested in growing, grow and successfully harvest grapes there, and move on without ever purchasing expensive property. Kenny Likitaprong (owner of Hobo Wine Company, MakeWork, and Folk Machine), and Pax Mahle (owner of PAX and Wind Gap) are two other noteworthy winemakers who embody this approach to producing wine.
The first time I tried A Tribute to Grace 2012 Grenache ($45 retail), I was amazed and wanted to jump for joy! I couldn't believe what I was tasting. It seemed this wine was the wine to transform any nonbeliever into a wine enthusiast! The 2012 vintage of the Santa Barbara Highlands Vineyard A Tribute to Grace just hit the market this past September, so having only been available for 6 months, most people outside of California haven't tried or heard of this wine yet. I've now been fortunate enough to try A Tribute to Grace on three separate occasions, and I believe Angela Osbourne has successfully produced the holy grail of grenache.
On the nose, A Tribute to Grace overwhelms you with intoxicating floral perfumes and a hint of spice. It smells seductive. On the palate, your mouth is quenched with never-ending waterfalls of ripe, luscious fruit. The mind-blowing, jaw-dropping fruit is balanced by the perfect amount of tannins. It's bright, luscious, seductive, and floral. It's the sunlit woman in a red dress standing in a field of flowers. It's...graceful. It's the prettiest wine I've ever tasted.
Angela Osbourne's tireless search for the ideal grow site, and acute attention to detail throughout the wine-making, has produced something perfect. A Tribute to Grace would pair well with so many foods, but it's so delicious that I'd rather drink it on its own. Grace is a diamond in the rough in the expanding world of grenache. Try this wine and you may just find a new varietal soulmate.
You can find Grace at Rosemont (Yarmouth), or special order it from Browne Trading Company (Commercial St.) or RSVP Liquors (Forest Ave.). The Grill Room on Exchange St. in Portland also offers A Tribute to Grace on their wine list.
If you're interested in reading more about the grenache in California, check out this interesting article written by famed wine writer Jon Bonne.
Image Sources:
Angela and her wine (sacabee.com)
A Tribute to Grace 2012 Grenache label (domainela.com)
Hummingbird cork (losolivoswinemerchant.files.wordpress.com)
Pressing Grapes (/ww1.hdnux.com)
Vertical Tasting Drawing (wakawakawinereviews.com)
via Pinterest