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.
"Sofa King Bueno" Label: www.cellartracker.com
Beckett Brothers: www.sanluisobispo.com
"Purple Paradise" Label: www.shopwinedirect.com
