WINE: Not Time to Skimp

By Gabe Saglie

NotTimetoSkimp

ELEVATE THE THANKSGIVING SPREAD WITH UNFORGETTABLE WINE.

True to its origins as a showing of gratitude for the harvest, Thanksgiving is a day of gustatory indulgence. So, when it comes to wine for the feast, it seems appropriate to splurge just a bit. The following bottles from Central Coast producers display exceptional, elevated quality to make this year’s meal at once delicious and memorable.

Rusack Vineyards 2020 “Icon” Sauvignon Blanc, Ballard Canyon ($75; rusack.com) The packaging tells the story: sturdy glass, wax dip, petite label. This sophisticated white from winemaker Steve Gerbac sets a standard for California sauvignon blancs, with brilliant tropical aromas and luscious citrus flavors. Eleven months of aging in neutral French oak gives it a seductively curvy mouthfeel, elevated by remarkable acidity and freshness. The fruit is sourced from the Rusack ranch in Santa Barbara’s Ballard Canyon AVA, and the wine’s very limited release—24 cases—makes it extra special.

Babcock 2019 “Top Cream” Chardonnay, Sta. Rita Hills ($55; babcockwinery.com) Bryan Babcock has been producing chardonnay in the coveted Sta. Rita Hills AVA for decades, and his knack

for distinguished, if not stunning, results continues. Sourced from Donnachadh Vineyard and aged in onethird new French oak barrels, this wine is both layered and complex, an evolving experience in the glass. Alluring aromas of graham cracker, baked bread, and vanilla give way to—as the name suggests—a wonderfully creamy mouthfeel. But acidity also prevails, and a pronounced minerality makes this wine fresh and alive.

Kaena Wine Co. 2019 Tierra Alta Reserve Grenache, Ballard Canyon ($55; kaenawine.com) As the self-proclaimed Grenache King, winemaker Mikael Sigouin takes the grenache grape very seriously. Tierra Alta Vineyard rests on limestone soils in Ballard Canyon, and fruit is sourced from the property’s oldest vines, at an elevation of 1,400 feet. The wine is aged in oak for almost two years before bottling. Luscious and splashy, this fruitbomb showcases raspberry jam aromas, ripe pomegranate and herb flavors, and lithe tannins.

Bien Nacido 2020 Estate Syrah, Santa Maria Valley ($60; biennacidoestate.com) Winemaker Anthony Avila sources fruit from one of the most revered grape growing sites in California, which straddles the Santa Barbara–San Luis Obispo County line. Grapes from the west-facing vines growing on rocky soils at an elevation of 700 feet become the estate syrah. Powerful, refined, and perfectly structured, it features fresh flavors of berry compote, with subtle truffle and fresh white pepper notes.

Thacher Winery 2019 Mourvèdre, Paso Robles ($52; thacherwinery.com) This wine exhibits a wild and raw spirit with delicious mushroom and wild berry flavors, along with enticing earthy notes. The soft, rounded tannins provide a lush, extended mouthfeel, and the acidity is accented with red, spicy fruitiness. Winemaker Sherman Thacher uses grapes from two top vineyards in Paso Robles— Hastings Ranch and Cass.

Kukkula 2018 Aatto, Adelaida District ($60; kukkulawine.com) This Rhône-inspired blend contains 45-35-20 percent of mourvèdre, counoise, and grenache, respectively. The blend creates an intense perfume and flavors of flowers, berry pie, and ripe red berries—all intertwined with tantalizing notes from the spice rack. The estate, located in Paso Robles’ Adelaida District AVA, is organic and dry-farmed. The names, “Kukkula” and “Aatto,” Finnish for “hill” and “eve,” respectively, pay tribute to owner and winemaker Kevin Jussila’s roots.

Herzog Winery Reserve Malbec 2018, Paso Robles ($52; herzogwine.com) Herzog wines are kosher, but the winemaking process— performed inside a remarkable state-of-the-art facility in Oxnard and led by director of winemaking David Galzignato—also conforms to industry tradition. Grapes from the warmer stretches of Paso Robles give this malbec a fleshy mouthfeel and forward flavors of charred berries, plums, and earth. This is a rich but very approachable wine, with tannins that are pronounced but rounded and refined.

Addendum 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley ($90; fessparker.com) The fruit may be from the Napa Valley, but this is very much an 805-area wine. The morning they’re picked, the grapes are driven in a temperature-controlled truck down to the Fess Parker winery in Los Olivos, where they’re crushed. Winemaker Blair Fox sources from a handful of vineyards in the Rutherford AVA, like Skellenger Lane and Stagecoach, which he also bottles as single-vineyard wines. This particular wine blends fruit from all of them to a deliciously dusty, earthy, and full-bodied result, elevated by ripe flavors of cherries and currants and a mouthfeel that’s downright luxurious. 