Lake County's Steele Wines Keeps Delivering the Goods

Jed Steele. Credit: Steele Wines

Long-time readers may have seen me focus on Steele Wines in the past. And that’s because there’s something about this producer’s old-school aesthetic, budget friendly appeal, and diverse and delicious portfolio, that I think deserves attention. Owner/winemaker Jed Steele has been vinifying grapes for 50 years; this year Steele Wines marked its 28th anniversary.

This old school Lake County producer puts out a staggering array of wines. There are different brands, price-points, and lots of different sources of fruit from around California. Thing is, from entry-level to their upper tier wines, these wines are reliably well-made, delicious, and frequently complex, offering a lot of bang for the buck.

I recently tasted a batch of new releases and found a lot of wines that I would recommend for those looking to try something yummy and a bit off-the-beaten path without spending a lot of money.

These wines were received as trade samples and tasted sighted.

White wines

2019 Steele Wines Sauvignon Blanc "Shooting Star" - USA, California, North Coast, Lake County
SRP: $15
Light yellow color. Interesting notes of lemon verbena, clover and honeysuckle, on top of grapefruit and white peach. Plush texture, medium/full body, with zippy acidity, this has a real sense of precision and balance that is rare for the price point. Lemons, peaches, with minty, chalky, steely, mineral tones. From 30-year-old vines in Kelseyville, Lake County, this is fermented and aged in stainless steel. Really solid value here. (88 points)

2018 Steele Wines Cuvée Chardonnay - USA, California
SRP: $24
Light yellow color. Fresh aromas of green apples and kiwi, with hay, sea spray and honeysuckle. The palate is fresh and vibrant with zippy acidity, but solid depth and texture as well. A bright, accessible style with flavors of green apples, limes, white peach. Notes of white tea, honeysuckle, raw almond and floral perfume add complexity. Solid value here, especially for fans of brighter, less heavy styles. Blended from five vineyards in Sonoma, Santa Barbara and Lake Counties, aged eight months in 20% new French oak. (87 points)

2018 Steele Wines Chardonnay Parmelee-Hill Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley
SRP: $36
Medium yellow color. Gorgeous nose of honey, ginger, almond, toasted nuts, but also these brighter, sea breeze tones, all on top of juicy yellow pears. Plump and lovely texture on the palate but vibrant acidity, matched with pure, deep fruit (honeydew, lemon, yellow pear. Nuanced notes of nougat, honeycomb and ginger snap contrast with these crushed shells, sea salt and mineral elements really well. This is Sonoma Valley Chardonnay goodness at a great price, aged 12 months in 30% new French oak. (91 points)





2018 Steele Wines Chardonnay Durell Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Carneros
SRP: $38
Medium yellow color. Creamy nose with salted almond, dried straw, shaved ginger, over top of juicy yellow apples and pears. Lively acidity frames the wine well, supported with a creamy texture and ripe but lively fruit (yellow apples, lemon curd, white peach). Complex, racy elements of minerals, crushed seashells, rocky stream add lip-smacking elements while notes of graham cracker and honeycomb add depth. Balanced, serious, age-worthy stuff here. Aged 12 months in 30% new French oak. (92 points)

Red wines

2017 Steele Wines Merlot - USA, California, North Coast, Lake County
SRP: $20
Deep purple color. Nose of currants and juicy plums, fig paste, with anise, violets, toffee and cedar. Full and suave with fresh acidity, this has chunks of plum, crunchy blackberries, suave but fresh fruit. Pepper, tobacco, cedar and coffee grounds, this has a lot of nuance and freshness for a Zinfandel at this price point. Serious Zinfandel from the Kelsey Bench AVA, this spends 14 months in 30% new French and American oak. (89 points)

2017 Steele Wines Pinot Noir “Shooting Star” - USA, California, North Coast, Lake County
SRP: $15
Light ruby color. Spicy rhubarb and pepper on the nose with rose petals, red currants and wild raspberries. Medium-bodied with silky-light tannins, fresh acidity, this is zippy and crushable, which is great, whole sporting some fun flavors. Wild strawberries and raspberries, crunchy red apples, with cinnamon sticks, pepper, tobacco and clove. Fun, fresh, vibrant, this has a lot of appeal for a Pinot at this price point, which is rare. Aged nine months in French and Hungarian oak. (86 points)

2018 Steele Wines Zinfandel “Shooting Star” - USA, California, North Coast, Lake County
SRP: $15
Deep ruby color. Smells of jammy cherries and raspberries with smoky earth, chewing tobacco, mocha and root beer. Full-bodied on the palate with chewy texture, light tannins, rich, ripe and summer-friendly stuff. Jammy black cherries and plum sauce fruit mixed with cola, toffee and vanilla. Fun, grill-friendly stuff. Aged eight months in American and Hungarian oak. (86 points)

2017 Steele Wines Zinfandel Old Vines Pacini Vineyard - USA, California, North Coast, Mendocino County
SRP: $20
Light purple color. Aromas of cherries, wild blueberries, raspberries, with integrated notes of mesquite, anise cookie, scorched earth. Full-bodied, chewy texture, velvety tannins, but stays lively and fresh with some moderating acidity. Black cherries, tart plums, wild raspberries, with bold notes of earth, tobacco, roasted chestnut, along with vanilla, coffee and dark chocolate Forward and packed with fruit but this shows a lot of complexity as well. Aged 12 months in 30% new American oak. (89 points)

2016 Steele Wines Zinfandel Century Old Vines Catfish Vineyard - USA, California, North Coast, Clear Lake
SRP: $25
Bright purple color. Nose shows jammy raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, with violets, coffee and vanilla. Vibrant acidity makes this a pleasure to drink from start to finish, the smooth tannins have some structure, but the wine feels accessible with tart black cherry and blueberry fruit. Notes of scorched earth, pepper, graphite, loamy earth. Deep but fresh, showing mineral tones, this is just entering a good drinking phase, and I’d love to see this in two or three years. Seriously impressive Zin for this price point. Originally planted in 1901, own-rooted, head pruned vines that include small amounts of Carignan, Alicante, and others. (91 points)

This post first appeared on the daily wine blog Terroirist.

Wine Reviews: International Grab Bag

I’m back this week with another round-up of some recent samples from around the world.

This week, Umberto Cesari delivers two interesting wines from Emilia-Romagna’s Rubicone region.

For years now, I’ve been very impressed with Troon’s wines, and they continue to keep their stride. These wines are biodynamic, lower-alcohol, made with native yeasts, and they show tremendous depth and complexity. The U.S. wine scene is lucky to have Troon, an outfit that always maintains quality and focus while constantly branching out and experimenting. And, apparently, now they make one of the only Piquettes I’ve tasted that I can honestly recommend.

And there’s also Post Malone’s Maison No. 9 French pink – hey, I review what I get!

These wines were received as trade samples and tasted sighted.

2019 Maison No. 9 Mediterranée Rosé - France, Provence, Mediterranée
SRP: $22
Medium copper color. Juicy aromas of sweet white peach, juicy watermelon, with honey, sweet white flowers. On the palate, this has a light and crunchy feel with white peach, McIntosh apple, lemon peel. Notes of celery seed, white pepper and mint. Fun, light, stuff but shows some interesting elements – not just celebrity plonk. A blend of Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah and Merlot. (86 points)

2019 Benvolio Pinot Grigio - Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Friuli Grave
$10
Pale copper color. Aromas of white peaches, honey, pineapple, with white flowers, fresh laundry and clover. Peaches and green melons lead the way on the palate, a creamy texture with bright acidity works nicely, and the wine has this interesting chalky, flinty aspect. White tea, verbena and mint, even some minerality showing through, this has a lot going on for a budget-friendly Pinot Grigio. (87 points)

2018 Umberto Cesari Liano Bianco - Italy, Emilia-Romagna, Rubicone
SRP: $26
Light yellow color. Inviting nose of creamy pears, guava, orange peel, along with honeysuckle, daisies, dandelion – ripe but fresh. Plump texture on the palate, vibrant acidity, this is fruity but fresh, with a medley of guava, orange, papaya and lime. Creamy and juicy but balanced, too, accented with notes of honeycomb, chamomile tea, minerals and sea salt. Focused and bright on the finish, this is lovely. Chardonnay with 30% Sauvignon Blanc, aged three months in oak. (90 points)

2017 Umberto Cesari Liano - Italy, Emilia-Romagna, Rubicone
SRP: $35
Light purple color. Nose shows smoky earth, tobacco and charcoal on top of black tea, oregano, with juicy black cherries and currant jam. On the palate, this shows silky tannins, medium acidity, and a chewy, approachable presence with black cherries and raspberry jam. Notes of green herbs, glazed mushroom and cocoa add complexity. Fun, spicy, juicy style that offers lots of food pairing options. Sangiovese with 30% Cabernet, aged 18 months in barrel. (88 points)

2019 Troon Vineyard Kubli Bench Rosé - USA, Oregon, Southern Oregon, Applegate Valley
SRP: $25
Pale copper color. Aromas pop with daisies, baby’s breath, dandelion and mint, over white cherries, watermelon rind and chalk dust. Zesty and clean on the palate, this light-bodied rose has such focus and precision. Tangy white cherries and strawberry, watermelon rind, mixing with gorgeous rose petals, dandelion, wild clover, hay and white tea. Really pretty and complex, this is serious pink, here. A co-fermented blend of Tinta Roriz, Primitivo and Grenache, 11.7% alcohol. (91 points)

2019 Troon Vineyard Kubli Bench Amber - USA, Oregon, Southern Oregon, Applegate Valley
SRP: $30
Beautiful light amber color. Aromas of salty, briny goodness, with orange peel, candied lemon, and some wild herbs, spiced tea, clay and musk – a lot going on. Such clarity and focus on the palate, medium-bodied, a deeply texture wine but it’s so bright throughout. Candied lemon, orange peel, apricot, the fruit mixes with ginger, mint, fennel, mineral, clay. So complex but it goes down so easily. Not too wild or out there, this would be a great way to introduce folks to orange/amber wines, but it has enough to get orange wine geeks excited, too. Exceptional stuff. 74% Riesling, 16% Vermentino and 10% Marsanne, fermented separately then aged in old French oak. (93 points)

2019 Troon Vineyard Kubli Bench Piquette - USA, Oregon, Southern Oregon, Applegate Valley
SRP: $25
Light watermelon color. Aromas of wild strawberry, tart cranberry, with watermelon rind, white pepper, musk and bay leaf. Light and zippy on the palate with fine bubbles and crunchy tart white cherries and wild raspberries. Notes of mint, bay leaf, musk, spiced tea. Crushable but interesting, funky and spicy, but fun. Made from the pomace of whole-cluster-pressed white grapes (Marsanne and Vermentino) and from red grapes for rosé or pét nat (TInta Roriz, Primitivo and Tannat), with no added sugar. (88 points)

2019 Troon Vineyard Pét tanNat - USA, Oregon, Southern Oregon, Applegate Valley
SRP: $30
Deep yellow color. Bright and zesty aromas of white pepper, white flowers, sea salt and chalk on top of apricot and tart yellow plum fruit. So crisp on the palate, this is chalky, dry, bright but sports delightful creaminess and fine bubbles. Tart yellow plum and lemon fruit mix well with talc, chalk, limestone notes, even some cucumber and tobacco leaf elements. This is brisk and light-bodied but shows a lot of depth. It’s also really versatile and a really hard wine not to love. Nothing but praise for this effort from Troon. Made from 100% estate Tannat. (91 points)

This post first appeared on the daily wine blog Terroirist.