Buck-a-roo brew

by Darryl Beeson

Parducci's Petite Sirah is rightfully named "True Grit." The producer shows some true grit by growing grapes in a sustainable fashion, that being a quality harvest without causing irreversible damage to the ecosystem. They even use tree-free papers, inks made from soy, biodiesel fueled tractors as well as being off the grid due to solar. This compliments their organic inspired approach. Partner Paul Dolan is a Mendocino/Ukiah legend for this philosophy in wine.

Parducci's carbon foot print is exceedingly smaller than that of Paris Hilton's stilleto heels. They care about both good winemaking and environmental stewardship.

How can a winery so gently sensitive make one of the most powerfully flavored red wines in California? "My wife summed it up when she described this red as a velvet hammer," explains winery partner (or should that be pardner?) Tim Thornhill. "The intensity and soft tannins are perfect for winemaker Bob Swain's 30-year tasting palate as well as a palate like mine with merely a few years."

Flavors of intense fruit and cocoa powder lead the way with this concentrated, complex red, looking like ink in the glass. Pair the Parducci "True Grit" Petite Sirah ($24) with flame grilled meats, especially duck or maybe thick pork chops.

The Charles Portis novel, "True Grit," introduced Reuben J. "Rooster" Cogburn, a fictional American Old West character in 1968 The novel was adapted into the 1969 Oscar-winning western "True Grit." John Wayne personified "Rooster" and he was tough, yet tender-hearted. Sort of like the Parducci Petite Sirah. Learn more about this side-winder' of a wine at www.parducci.com.

Easton meets west

The Sierra Foothills were once famous for the California's Mother Lode of precious gold. Now wine, horses and cattle hold importance.

Terre Rouge and Easton Wines are located on the Western slope of the Sierra Nevada in Amador County’s Shenandoah Valley. Both wineries have scored numerous highly rated scores and are owned by Bill and Jane Easton. Jane describes herself as a "cow girl," keeping some horses at a ranch across the road from the winery.

Easton Zinfandel, Fiddletown (Eschen-Rinaldi Vineyard $25) is deep wine history with some of the vineyard's vines dating back to 1865. "Some of the vines have trunks like trees," says Bill Easton. The vineyard may be old, but the flavors renew within the sip. Predict concentrated black fruit, a dash of pepper and exotic spice elements. Their Fiddletown Zinfandel is always 100% sourced from the historic Rinaldi-Eschen Vineyard and it shows.

Terre Rouge Mourvèdre, Sierra Foothills ($24) may be a challenging grape to pronounce, but it is easy to consume being inky with dark fruit and powerfully concentrated. Mourvèdre rhymes with "mo better." This grape really works in the South of France. "The soil here in Amador County is not unlike France's Northern Rhone and is perfect for this grape," says Bill Easton. "We let it hang on the vine for more ripeness." This wine is a perfect match for lamb, wild game, and even wilder salmon.

The rest of the story is both at www.eastonwines.com and www.terrerougewines.com.

Darryl Beeson teaches professional certification for www.internationalsommelier.com. Says writer Roy Blount, Jr.,"Wine is tough, but I know Darryl can do it."