All of our managers and wine staff travel at least once a year to a wine-growing region somewhere throughout the world. Traveling is one of the many aspects of Joe Canal’s that sets us apart from other wine shops. We know that by meeting the winemakers, walking the vineyards and tasting new wine from the barrel, we can see first-hand the passion that goes into each bottle. We can then convey this commitment to quality to our customers. Rather than having you just looking at a label and a score, we believe it is our responsibility to bring you closer to how the wine was made and the people who made it. We'll be sharing their trip reports with you here on the BottleBlog.
In October 2011, members of our staff including Shannon Spare from our internet department, had the privilege of traveling to California wine country! Here is the next installment of the trip, as told by Shannon.
Day 2
Benziger Family Winery
Our next winery was Benziger. This was, without question, the highlight of my trip. The beauty of the grounds, the passion of the winemakers, the welcoming atmosphere, and of course the amazing wines were all just awe-inspiring.
Our tour guide was the dynamic Kathy Benziger, one of seven Benziger siblings that own and operate Benziger family winery. She greeted us with warm handshakes and hugs, and she and I exchanged some “girl power.” (I was the only woman in our band of travelers, so it was good to hang out with a woman for a while!) She led us into a dining room, where the table was set and salads were laid out, that we shared, family-style. We chatted about our stores, and she gave us a brief history of their family as we passed around roasted chicken, string beans and red-skinned potatoes and drank wonderful Benziger Wine. The meal was topped off with the best chocolate dessert I have ever had in my life – richness that melted in the mouth.
Our tummies full, we loaded into our tour bus and took a tour of the winery. Kathy explained the lay of their land and how it differs from other wineries. Benziger takes pride in their respect for the natural order of things, planting things that go far beyond grapevines on their property. Little coves of flowering plants, fruits, vegetables and trees called “insectaries” were alive with thousands of different species. We walked through one large insectary with our glasses of Signaterra Sauvignon Blanc, and ducked as hummingbirds flew by us, protecting their “turf.” We listened to the symphony of bees and other insects in the bushes. We shared fresh figs right off the tree – delicious!
We stopped at a hill’s peak and surveyed the land. The rolling layout of the property was spectacular. It sat in a “hole” at the base of a volcano, and there were so many different levels of vegetation. Truly a sight to behold.
Next, we drove to meet Kathy’s brother Mike, who was leading his team in the crush of their Syrah harvest. We were lucky enough to watch the process! They treat their fruit with such respect, utilizing gently vibrating tables to destem the grapes and sort out the “jacks” (stem remnants). We tasted the fresh grape juice, and let me tell you… Mott’s don’t have anything on Benziger!
After we watched the crush for a while, Kathy brought us down into what they call the “Earth Womb,” the man-made caves where they store their barrels. Another blast of that awesome damp aroma – I will never forget it!
After our eye-opening tour, we returned to where we had our lunch, and we tasted through various Benziger wines, including their Merlot, Sangiacomo Vineyard Chardonnay, a few from their Signaterra series, and the absolutely incredible Tribute Meritage, which was the “Wine of the Week” for me. The Benziger siblings use the best grapes from each year to make their “Tribute” wine, which is a “Tribute” to their mother and father, as well as a Tribute to their land. To see the family’s pride represented in such a fine wine was a really beautiful experience.
Sadly, it was time to say our goodbyes to Kathy, and we were on our way.
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