The Clarksburg AVA is not on the radar screens of many wine consumers, but perhaps it should be. Located in the Sacramento River valley, it features rich river delta soils cooled by breezes from San Francisco Bay in the afternoon and evening. Although the AVA was recognized more than 20 years ago, it has historically been more of a bridesmaid rather than a bride. Published statistics show that about 90% of the roughly 40,000 tons of grapes produced here get crushed outside the appellation, many of them in Napa and Sonoma.
From a brand perspective, it is probably best known as the home of the fairly ubiquitous Bogle. However, not one of Bogle's current lineup of wines carry the Clarksburg AVA on the label (most bearing the California state AVA) and, based on the information contained on their website, a few contain no fruit sourced from the Clarksburg AVA at all. Another well-known producer, Echelon, does have at least one wine that proudly displays “Clarksburg.”
As the appellation is home to at least 20 different grape varieties, the opportunities for self-expression in a bottle are vast. A number of small producers are really starting to step up and, by virtue of their efforts, begin to get Clarksburg into the minds of wine consumers. One of these is Dancing Coyote. Although their name and label make them part of the “critter label” phenomenon, they are making some very interesting, unique and tasty wines at very attractive prices.
From a brand perspective, it is probably best known as the home of the fairly ubiquitous Bogle. However, not one of Bogle's current lineup of wines carry the Clarksburg AVA on the label (most bearing the California state AVA) and, based on the information contained on their website, a few contain no fruit sourced from the Clarksburg AVA at all. Another well-known producer, Echelon, does have at least one wine that proudly displays “Clarksburg.”
As the appellation is home to at least 20 different grape varieties, the opportunities for self-expression in a bottle are vast. A number of small producers are really starting to step up and, by virtue of their efforts, begin to get Clarksburg into the minds of wine consumers. One of these is Dancing Coyote. Although their name and label make them part of the “critter label” phenomenon, they are making some very interesting, unique and tasty wines at very attractive prices.
Celia McCormack, Sales and Marketing Director for Dancing Coyote
alongside Patrick Bouculat, owner of Wine Cellars of Annapolis
alongside Patrick Bouculat, owner of Wine Cellars of Annapolis
On February 23, I had the opportunity to try their wines at Wine Cellars of Annapolis as well as meet with Celia McCormack, Sales and Marketing Director for Dancing Coyote and daughter of the founder. She was also nice enough to humor me with a short interview.
One thing that is immediately noticeable about the wines listed on the vendor-supplied tasting list was that exact percentages of every grape used in the wines is provided, even on those wines that are varietally-labeled.
2006 Albariño – 93.3% Albariño, 3.9% Orange Muscat, 2.8% Gewurztraminer. Citrusy on the nose with mineral notes. Brings a nice mixture of peach and pear spiked with minerals and assertive acidity. Nice finish. ~$12.
2006 Cha Cha - 75.3% Chardonnay, 18.3% Chenin Blanc, 6.4% Orange Muscat. They would be legally entitled to label this as a varietal Chardonnay but it is a good thing they did not as this wine bears very little resemblance to your typical Cali Chard. It attacks with very original and very tropical aromas that are, frankly, hard to describe. The flavor that lingers is of tropical fruits mixed with spiced honey. ~$12.
2006 Pinot Grigio – 76.4% Pinot Grigio, 15.8% Riesling, 7.8% Chenin Blanc. Rich peach and melon nose. Peach and green apple with a touch of minerality on the tongue. Very pleasant. ~$12.
2006 Rhumba – 51% Gewurztraminer, 26% Riesling, 15% Orange Muscat, 8% Chenin Blanc. A Gewurz-esque nose but with the grape's normally more assertive edges smoothed out. Explosive fruit on the tongue. Lower in acidity so this might be better as a sipper than a food wine, although it would certainly go well with spicier cuisine a la a varietal Gewurz or a later harvest Riesling. ~$12.
2006 Verdelho – 93.5% Verdelho, 6.5% Chardonnay. Rounded, smooth honeysuckle nose. Apple and potpourri on the tongue. I have limited experience with Verdelho so I cannot comment on its varietal typicity. ~$12.
2005 Petite Syrah – 99.8% Petite Syrah, 0.2% Zinfandel. Medium-bodied and quite approachable. This wine is a huge agitated tub of cherry jam with some red flower petals sprinkled on top. ~$13.
2005 Tango – 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc, 25% Tempranillo. Bold black cherry, smoke and cassis on the nose along with massive roasted coffee. Moderate tannins and finish. ~$13.
One thing that is immediately noticeable about the wines listed on the vendor-supplied tasting list was that exact percentages of every grape used in the wines is provided, even on those wines that are varietally-labeled.
2006 Albariño – 93.3% Albariño, 3.9% Orange Muscat, 2.8% Gewurztraminer. Citrusy on the nose with mineral notes. Brings a nice mixture of peach and pear spiked with minerals and assertive acidity. Nice finish. ~$12.
2006 Cha Cha - 75.3% Chardonnay, 18.3% Chenin Blanc, 6.4% Orange Muscat. They would be legally entitled to label this as a varietal Chardonnay but it is a good thing they did not as this wine bears very little resemblance to your typical Cali Chard. It attacks with very original and very tropical aromas that are, frankly, hard to describe. The flavor that lingers is of tropical fruits mixed with spiced honey. ~$12.
2006 Pinot Grigio – 76.4% Pinot Grigio, 15.8% Riesling, 7.8% Chenin Blanc. Rich peach and melon nose. Peach and green apple with a touch of minerality on the tongue. Very pleasant. ~$12.
2006 Rhumba – 51% Gewurztraminer, 26% Riesling, 15% Orange Muscat, 8% Chenin Blanc. A Gewurz-esque nose but with the grape's normally more assertive edges smoothed out. Explosive fruit on the tongue. Lower in acidity so this might be better as a sipper than a food wine, although it would certainly go well with spicier cuisine a la a varietal Gewurz or a later harvest Riesling. ~$12.
2006 Verdelho – 93.5% Verdelho, 6.5% Chardonnay. Rounded, smooth honeysuckle nose. Apple and potpourri on the tongue. I have limited experience with Verdelho so I cannot comment on its varietal typicity. ~$12.
2005 Petite Syrah – 99.8% Petite Syrah, 0.2% Zinfandel. Medium-bodied and quite approachable. This wine is a huge agitated tub of cherry jam with some red flower petals sprinkled on top. ~$13.
2005 Tango – 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc, 25% Tempranillo. Bold black cherry, smoke and cassis on the nose along with massive roasted coffee. Moderate tannins and finish. ~$13.
In a California wine market where the vast majority of entries in the $10-$15 price range tend to either be often inferior emulations of more expensive California wines or of such a “fun” or whimsical style as to be difficult to take seriously, Dancing Coyote has created an array of wines that falls into a much less populated but very interesting niche. They are fresh, different and attractively priced.
Later on, Ms. McCormack was nice enough to field some questions about their winery and the Clarksburg AVA. Here is the text of the interview:
GLT: So where did the name "Dancing Coyote" originate?
CM: The name originated from the fact that we have coyotes that come into our vineyards and chew on the irrigation lines. My father thought if we paid homage to them, they may quit being such a nuisance. No such luck, but it’s a good story. You can actually read about the Dancing Coyote legend on our website and the back of our labels.
GLT: What is the Dancing Coyote philosophy in terms of the grapes it grows and the wines it sells?
CM: Quality is our number one priority at Dancing Coyote. Because our grapes are estate grown, we have control over the quality of our product from start to finish. The growing conditions do make a lot of difference in the final product. Our philosophy is to always over deliver on quality and under deliver on price. Our goal is to make great wines at great prices. Our focus has been new and different varietals and blends. And we will continue to raise the bar on that.
GLT: Statistics show that more than 90% of grapes grown in the Clarksburg AVA are crushed outside the appellation, much of it ending up in Sonoma and Napa. Obviously, the area is well-established as a great place to grow wine grapes. Yet, the Clarksburg name is not yet one that resonates in the minds of many wine consumers. Is the amount of wine produced under the Clarksburg AVA on the increase?
CM: The Clarksburg AVA has been an agricultural area for many, many years. My great, great grandfather came here from Scotland and began farming in the area. My father was the first one to plant grapes in our family about 25 years ago. Many of the grape growers have been growing for a long time and have always sold their grapes to bigger wineries. There are a few that have ventured into the wine making business, but most are not interested. The largest winery from our area is Bogle. Bogle now produces over 1 million cases a year. But ironically, most of their wine now carries a California appellation, rather than a Clarksburg appellation as they’ve had to source more of their grapes to keep up with their production. I have been seeing more Napa and other area wineries now carrying the Clarksburg appellation on their label. Pine Ride has a Chenin blend, Dry Creek makes a Chenin and Vinum has a Chard No Way, all of which are Clarksburg fruit. My guess is that you will see more wineries with the Clarksburg appellation on it. At a recent Wine and Grape Symposium I attended in Sacramento, one of the speakers (Joe Ciatti, a prominent wine industry figure) said his number one choice for buying grapes or vineyards right now is Clarksburg, because of the quality, the price, the micro-climate and the availability of water.
GLT: What unique character does the Clarksburg AVA offer to the diverse array of California wines?
CM: Clarksburg’s micro-climate is one if its major advantages. We are located along the Sacramento River, so the summer days are very warm, which produces very aromatic wines. But we also get cool evenings as the breeze comes up the river from the San Francisco Bay, giving a nice acidity to all the wines. Therefore our wines are very well-balanced. Many white varietals do well in the area. We are pioneers in planting Albarino and Verdelho in Clarksburg (and actually among only a handful of growers in all of California). Part of why we chose those varietals is our weather and the similarities in climate to the regions in Spain and Portugal where they originate from.
GLT: Within the tasting notes from the tasting I attended as well as on your winery's website, very specific data in terms of the grapes used and in what percentages is provided, even for varietal wines. Why is that?
CM: As I wine drinker, I enjoy knowing what wines are in a blend or a varietal. It’s certainly not a secret recipe that we want to keep from everyone.
GLT: Four of the six white wines I sampled have some amount of Orange Muscat within the blend. What characteristics does Dancing Coyote feel this grape brings to their wines?
CM: Orange Muscat is a great blender as it is very aromatic. It adds aromas of orange blossoms and tropical fruit. It also helps to give a little more complexity to the wines. In fact, we love our Orange Muscat so much that we will be bottling a Moscato in April. It will be in a 375 ml bottle with a little different label. It is only 10.75% alcohol and 10% Residual Sugar. I just tasted the final bottling blend today and it is delicious!
GLT: Is your current wine lineup reflective of the wines you will be offering in the foreseeable future or is there an additional wine or wines that Dancing Coyote is seeking to develop for market?
CM: As to our future, we have Gruner Veltliner planted (first harvest will be 2009), as well as Pinot Noir (first harvest is 2008). So depending on how we feel the quality of the juice is, you may see both under a DC label sometime down the line.
Later on, Ms. McCormack was nice enough to field some questions about their winery and the Clarksburg AVA. Here is the text of the interview:
GLT: So where did the name "Dancing Coyote" originate?
CM: The name originated from the fact that we have coyotes that come into our vineyards and chew on the irrigation lines. My father thought if we paid homage to them, they may quit being such a nuisance. No such luck, but it’s a good story. You can actually read about the Dancing Coyote legend on our website and the back of our labels.
GLT: What is the Dancing Coyote philosophy in terms of the grapes it grows and the wines it sells?
CM: Quality is our number one priority at Dancing Coyote. Because our grapes are estate grown, we have control over the quality of our product from start to finish. The growing conditions do make a lot of difference in the final product. Our philosophy is to always over deliver on quality and under deliver on price. Our goal is to make great wines at great prices. Our focus has been new and different varietals and blends. And we will continue to raise the bar on that.
GLT: Statistics show that more than 90% of grapes grown in the Clarksburg AVA are crushed outside the appellation, much of it ending up in Sonoma and Napa. Obviously, the area is well-established as a great place to grow wine grapes. Yet, the Clarksburg name is not yet one that resonates in the minds of many wine consumers. Is the amount of wine produced under the Clarksburg AVA on the increase?
CM: The Clarksburg AVA has been an agricultural area for many, many years. My great, great grandfather came here from Scotland and began farming in the area. My father was the first one to plant grapes in our family about 25 years ago. Many of the grape growers have been growing for a long time and have always sold their grapes to bigger wineries. There are a few that have ventured into the wine making business, but most are not interested. The largest winery from our area is Bogle. Bogle now produces over 1 million cases a year. But ironically, most of their wine now carries a California appellation, rather than a Clarksburg appellation as they’ve had to source more of their grapes to keep up with their production. I have been seeing more Napa and other area wineries now carrying the Clarksburg appellation on their label. Pine Ride has a Chenin blend, Dry Creek makes a Chenin and Vinum has a Chard No Way, all of which are Clarksburg fruit. My guess is that you will see more wineries with the Clarksburg appellation on it. At a recent Wine and Grape Symposium I attended in Sacramento, one of the speakers (Joe Ciatti, a prominent wine industry figure) said his number one choice for buying grapes or vineyards right now is Clarksburg, because of the quality, the price, the micro-climate and the availability of water.
GLT: What unique character does the Clarksburg AVA offer to the diverse array of California wines?
CM: Clarksburg’s micro-climate is one if its major advantages. We are located along the Sacramento River, so the summer days are very warm, which produces very aromatic wines. But we also get cool evenings as the breeze comes up the river from the San Francisco Bay, giving a nice acidity to all the wines. Therefore our wines are very well-balanced. Many white varietals do well in the area. We are pioneers in planting Albarino and Verdelho in Clarksburg (and actually among only a handful of growers in all of California). Part of why we chose those varietals is our weather and the similarities in climate to the regions in Spain and Portugal where they originate from.
GLT: Within the tasting notes from the tasting I attended as well as on your winery's website, very specific data in terms of the grapes used and in what percentages is provided, even for varietal wines. Why is that?
CM: As I wine drinker, I enjoy knowing what wines are in a blend or a varietal. It’s certainly not a secret recipe that we want to keep from everyone.
GLT: Four of the six white wines I sampled have some amount of Orange Muscat within the blend. What characteristics does Dancing Coyote feel this grape brings to their wines?
CM: Orange Muscat is a great blender as it is very aromatic. It adds aromas of orange blossoms and tropical fruit. It also helps to give a little more complexity to the wines. In fact, we love our Orange Muscat so much that we will be bottling a Moscato in April. It will be in a 375 ml bottle with a little different label. It is only 10.75% alcohol and 10% Residual Sugar. I just tasted the final bottling blend today and it is delicious!
GLT: Is your current wine lineup reflective of the wines you will be offering in the foreseeable future or is there an additional wine or wines that Dancing Coyote is seeking to develop for market?
CM: As to our future, we have Gruner Veltliner planted (first harvest will be 2009), as well as Pinot Noir (first harvest is 2008). So depending on how we feel the quality of the juice is, you may see both under a DC label sometime down the line.
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