The Wind Beneath Their Wings

When Bette Midler sang "The Wind Beneath My Wings," there was the philosophical conflict raging between the gorgeous melody and its execution and the frail lyrics of codependence. We all need support; none of us need to be wholly supported.

The folks at Anaba, on the other hand, use the wind as metaphor and, in the practical sense, as a means of obtaining optimally mature fruit.  It's a win-win situation, as you'll see below from the wines themselves, the final arbiter in all such discussions. Good wines trump all arguments of method and metaphor.

"An anabatic wind is one that moves upward, and we see those regularly here in the afternoons during the growing season," says Chicago-born John Sweazey, one of the multitude of Stanford University refugees (the Mondavis, the Wentes) inexplicably drawn to the wine business. "Those winds allow the fruit to ripen more slowly, more evenly."

Which is music to the ears of winemaker Jennifer Marion, who wholeheartedly subscribes to the legendary Andre Tchelistcheff's admonition that "the most important sign in a vineyard is the footprint of the winemaker." Marion, a UC Davis grad who worked for both Crop Care (the noted Napa viticultural outfit) and MacRostie Winery (Steve MacRostie is known for his dedication to details), says that both experiences gave her good values. "At Crop Care I learned what a meticulously farmed vineyard should look like, and Steve set equally high standards in the cellar. My feeling is that you cannot trust a winemaker with clean shoes and soft hands.  You have to pay the same attention to the vineyard as you do in the winery.  As director of both winemaking and vineyard operations here, I can make sure that things are done with close attention to detail in both places.  Hey, this is a dream job. I have access to the fruit from great vineyards - Gaps Crown, Windsor Oaks, Bacigalupi, Ferguson Ranch - and John has given me state-of-the-art tools to work with here in the winery."

Sweazey used to sell computers (IBM); he later had a real estate finance company before putting his love for wine into play. "I remember going up to the Napa Valley with my fraternity brothers one weekend after the Big Game [Stanford vs. Cal]," he says with a laconic laugh. "I toasted my friends with a glass of Charles Krug Vin Rose, the very height of sophistication!"

Later, in London, at the Berkeley Hotel, a friend poured him a glass of 1964 Musigny.  "When you taste a great red Burgundy like that, it makes an instant impression," says Sweazey. "It's that sensation of, 'Oh, this is what they're trying to do!' We later discovered that the folks in the Rhône Valley had a lot in common with the folks in Burgundy - very tied to the earth, not pretentious in any way.  That's what we want to be like."

He admits that the windmill photo on Anaba's web site is of a neighbor's, but quickly points out that he's installing a 2.4Kw wind turbine that will supply electricity to the tasting room, case goods storage and vineyard irrigation system. "We believe in the power of the wind. When we named the winery - mistral was already taken and sirocco didn't quite work - we wanted a word that spoke to the constant nature of the afternoon winds that we benefit from."

Coriol 2007 Sonoma Valley White ($28):  The color is deep straw, while the nose is a lovely combination of lilac, straw, grain, walnut and nectarine. The texture is oily, and that is that alluring French bakery quality that decidedly incites one's appetite.  This is a Rhône-styled blend of Viognier (69%), Roussanne, Marsanne and Grenache Blanc.

Chardonnay 2007 Sonoma Coast ($26): Yeasty cream aromas up front, with a thick, fleshy texture and lots of dried peach and graham oakiness. You like chicken in a cream sauce?  So will this wine.

Coriol 2007 Sonoma Valley Red ($28): This red Rhône version has all the qualities you like in that style of wine, from the smoky plum nose to the richly layered texture that invites the sharpest of cheddar cheeses.  This is your basic "fireplace" wine: serve with roasted game (or mastodon). Or that postprandial cigar. This is just the wine.  (The blend, in case you absolutely need to know, is near equal parts Grenache, Mourvedre and Petite Sirah, with ten percent of the rarely-seen Counoise thrown in for good measure.

Pinot Noir 2007 Sonoma Coast ($28):  Solidly-built, with cassis, fig and black cherry fruit and a savory hint of pine needles and leather in the finish. Hangar steak would be good.

You will find Anaba Wines at 60 Bonneau Road, Sonoma.  The tasting room is open daily 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., the phone number is (707) 996-4188 and the website may be accessed at AnabaWines.com.

[A long-time pilot, Hinkle has flown sailplanes and has great respect for anabatic winds.  "Once, flying over Fremont, a hawk came up beside us, and flew along in formation with us closer than the tip of our wing!" His latest book is Clos Pegase: The Architecture of Wine, just out. Visit his website at RichardPaulHinkle.com.]