Michel-Schlumberger: An Awesome Taste of France in a Corner of Sonoma

With my memory of my Sonoma trip from 6 weeks ago fading fast, I've decided to skip doing a negative review of Bella Winery (which used to produce stellar Zinfandel and has since declined in quality to a point that I can't even recommend going there for the awesome ambiance -- the tasting area is a in a beautiful cave) and spend the next week and a half sharing the last 5 amazing experiences MC Ice and I had at some kick ass wineries.

Today, I'll talk about a total gem that I'd heard about but had never tried or visited -- Michel-Schlumberger. It was highly recommended by some folks who worked in tasting rooms around Sonoma, which is, incidentally, a great way to plan your route if you aren't set on going to specific wineries before you arrive.

Before we go any further, this is how you pronounce this Winery:

Michelle Shlum-burr-ZHEY

Ok, with that out of the way, let's discuss this very French sounding place that is housed in a gorgeous, white, Spanish/Mission style building.


The Winery was actually started by a Swiss gentleman, Jean-Jacques Michel, in 1979. He loved the Dry Creek Valley, where he set up the estate, mostly because it was full of cool weather pockets and benchlands that could produce very unique flavors, especially in the red wines. In 1993, Jacques Pierre Schlumberger, whose family has a 400 year history of making wine in Alsace, France (Domaine Viticoles Schlumberger, if you were wondering), came on as a partner. (As an aside, no one mentioned while we were there and nothing is said on the Web site about what happened to Mr. Michel but I don't think he's part of the operation anymore...or maybe he's just not promoting himself because he's Swiss. You know how they love their neutrality!).

Given its ownership, it wasn't surprising to me that the Winery has a very French orientation about quality, grapes they grow, and wine style. These wines are amazing examples of what can be produced when you draw out the best from the vineyard and don't rely on winemaking to create flavor. The Domaine is really dedicated to this idea of terroir, as the French call all the natural elements of a vineyard that contribute to the flavor of the grapes. They have planted their main varieties -- Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, and Chardonnay -- on knolls and ridges that optimize the flavors of the grapes to give them complexity so the winemaker doesn't have to monkey around too much in the cellar.

Their philosophy is best summed up by this line on their site: "One can nudge a wine here and there in the cellar, but the quality and personality come from the vineyard."

The other HUGE bonus for me: The vineyards are 100% organically farmed and the estate is a Certified Wildlife Habitat. It was clear from speaking to their representatives that everyone at Michel-Schlumberger is very proud of this dedication to the environment. Kudos to them. Organic farming plows nutrients back into the soil and allows for the grapes to flourish in the way that nature intended. It's not cheap and it takes a lot of commitment. I'm a big supporter because I think ultimately it makes the wine taste better.

So now to the experience that M.C. Ice and I had there...although only producing 6,000 - 8,000 cases of wine a year (depending on the crop), this Winery was mega popular on the rainy day we got there. We pulled in to the parking lot (you have to keep your eyes peeled if you visit, it's nestled in a corner of the Dry Creek) and there were buses taking up all the parking, but we managed to squeeze in with our sweet Hyundai Elantra-with-no-power-steering regardless. Although it says on the sign that it's appointment only, we were able to weasel our way in.

Michel-Schlumberger doesn't do a tasting like you'd find in other places, they do a full education session. This place has a true interest in hospitality, in wine, and in teaching its visitors something about what they're drinking. If you're looking to get hammered, this isn't the place for you, and they make that clear -- which I just love.

We were assigned an educator, who, upon learning that I was a blogger, was completely turned off...and for this I love her! This was not Samantha's first rodeo with a wine blogger and although she was completely willing to do her job and explain the wines, she wanted nothing to do with me at first. I tried to explain to her that I wasn't a regular wine blogger and I was just there to try the wines and learn. M.C. Ice helped to back me up (the name of the blog didn't hurt either) and then Samantha confessed that her run-ins with many a blogger had been negative - mostly owing to snotty dispositions and an expectation that they would be getting free wine as they walked out of the winery. This shocked and amazed me (ok, so I'm naive I guess).

Thankfully, after showing us two wines, I think we won her over and made her realize that we weren't trying to get anything out of her except a taste of some of the yummy wine and the great stuff that was in her brain about it! She confessed that we were normal and not typical, which did my heart good. If you're reading this, Samantha, we loved you and were so happy to have you as our guide to these delicious wines! You're officially a Normal Wine Person too -- not snotty, just passionate, and very down-to-earth. You're the best!

To the lineup. We tried 5 wines, all that I seemed to have written the same comment about -- "would be great with food." Such a French attribute, and a real asset in my opinion, since wine that isn't enhanced by food is a snack on its own and not always the most versatile drink!
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Wine 1: La Brume Chardonnay
Where It's From: Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County, California
The Grapes: 100% Chardonnay
Vintage: 2007
Price: $32

Color: The wine was a rich color. I wrote down "golden banana color." It was pretty dark owing to the ripeness of the fruit and the 8 months of aging in new French oak barrels.

Smell: I thought it was interesting that I didn't pick up anything that the wine notes described in this wine. I expected, given that they use a clone from Burgundy, and not the traditional California Chardonnay clone (called the Wente clone after that Winery's successful development of it), that the wine would be citrusy and full of mineral notes. The wine notes promised that but I got a big whiff of tropical fruit -- piña colada, coconut, and white flowers with a good dose of oak to boot.

Taste: It was a well-balanced wine but much more California in style than I expected. The flavors were like candied pineapple with a little bit of sweet apple. The acidity was on the low side and the wine was creamy, but not overly so.

Drink or down the sink. Although not my ideal Chardonnay profile (I like very little oak and big mineral and citrus flavors), I think this is a well made wine. It had good balance and although I wouldn't choose to sip it alone, I think it would be amazing with food. A buttery scallop with this wine would be outstanding. If you like the more tropical flavors but not wines that are over-oaked, this wine will be dreamy for you! ______________________________________________________________________


Wine 2: La Sage Merlot
Where It's From: Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County, California
The Grapes: 84% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, 3% Malbec
Vintage: 2006
Price: $25

Color: In Bordeaux, Malbec is frequently used to give color to a wine and I have a feeling that it was used in this case for that purpose. The wine was darker colored than the lighter Merlot or Cabernet Franc -- it was a rich crimson, that seemed influenced by the more purple color that Malbec carries. Very pretty!

Smell: What a great smell! Black sour cherry was the predominant fruit note with a rich savory herb smell (like herbs sauteed in butter!) -- it has a tarragon note. There was a tobacco-like smell too, but like pipe tobacco, which I really like because it reminds me of my grandfather's pipe (before he ditched it because he realized it could kill him and all of us sucking in the air around him!). The cinnamon and nutmeg sprinkled in between all these savory scents completed the mix and made my mouth water for this wine.

Taste: The taste was completely different from the smell, but still solid. It was more like sour cherry and sweet strawberry flavors playing off each other. It had a little touch of green pepper flavor to it, which is often found in Cabernet Franc. My favorite thing about this wine though, was the feeling in my mouth. It was lean, but still perfectly medium in every way -- medium bodied, medium alcohol, medium acid -- nothing sharp or pointy in the texture. This is how I think Merlot should be.

Drink or down the sink. We bought some of this to try at home because this is an ideal food wine. I could imagine it going very well with a mushroom-based sauce or soup and grilled meat and vegetables. The wine was great on its own but the texture and the harmonious flavors kind of screamed for food. I'm excited to taste it with a meal. Oh, and did I mention that this is an unbelievable value for $25? Needless to say, DRINK.

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Wine 3: La Cime Cabernet Sauvignon
Where It's From: Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County, California
The Grapes: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage: 2007
Price: $40

Color: This wine was DARK! It was an opaque, dark, dark red. Samantha told us that 2007 was one of the richest Cabernet Sauvignon vintages in Sonoma in a long time. The fruit got a great balance of ripeness and earthiness, according to her....

Smell: And from the nose, it seems that she was right! There were black currant and blackberry fruit aromas with a light scent of violets and dried roses, and then this salty, dark earth smell that was so natural and delicious that I felt like I was in the vineyard inhaling the earthy goodness.

Taste: At first there was a taste of fresh red beets -- a real earthy quality that I loved. Then the wine mellowed into a black currant and blackberry aroma along with that dark soil component. There was a bitter chocolate note and then a warmth that followed (most likely from the alcohol, which is 14.7%).

Drink or down the sink. Drink. I just loved this wine. It tasted very much un-tampered with -- this Cabernet reflected the vineyard in a way that was completely refreshing and so unlike many of the California Cabernets that I've tasted. This is a very unique style for Sonoma and was much more like a Right Bank Bordeaux than a Cali Cab. Again, another wine that would be stellar with food (you could do big flavors -- meats, hearty mushroom dishes, stews) and it would be an ideal complement without overpowering the dish. Michel-Schlumberger's French heritage is apparent here. ______________________________________________________________________

Wine 4: Deux Terres Cabernet Sauvignon
Where It's From: Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County, California
The Grapes: 90% Cab Sauv, 5% Malbec, 5% Merlot
Vintage: 2006
Price: $100

Why is it called Deux Terres? Because it comes from two different soils with two different Cabernet Sauvignon clones. The grapes are grown at a higher elevation and they are handled with kid gloves in the Winery. Fermented and transported in small bins, the grapes are hand-pressed to make sure the skins don't bruise or crush until it's time. There were only 250 cases of this vintage made!

Color: The wine was blood red and it just stained the glass when I swirled it around. Pigment, pigment, and more pigment from contact with the skins.

Smell: The wine had a beautiful floral perfume and also a rich black fruit smell -- like black currant and blackberry. It had this heady smell like a coffee shop too -- roasted coffee beans. Yum!

Taste: Wow. Chocolate, mocha, black currant, and sour cherry deliciousness. If you've ever had natural sugar cane cola (like Whole Food's brand or Boylan's) -- it had something reminiscent of that. There was this incredible baked bread and warm, soft pretzel taste too. The wine had a little pucker, but the tannin was balanced.

Drink or down the sink. Drink. What a great wine! This was MC Ice's favorite and I can see why. Michel-Schlumberger is known for its Bordeaux style wines and this wine is a perfect example. You don't get flavors like this from just anywhere -- this wine shows the Winery's commitment to picking the right site for the right grapes. What a gem.

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Wine 5: La Source Syrah
Where It's From: Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County, California
The Grapes: 97% Syrah, 3% Viognier
Vintage: 2006
Price: $32

Why did they add Viognier to the wine? Often in the Rhone Valley, the home of Syrah, a touch of Viognier is blended to soften the wine and add wonderful floral aromatics to the dark fruit and leather smells of the Syrah.

Color: Syrah is generally pretty dark and this was no exception -- maroon with a brick red rim.

Smell: Maybe I'm really keyed into it, but the first and strongest note for me was from the Viognier (even though only 3% contributed!). A honeyed floral note, which is so typical of that grape came through loud and clear and mingled with a touch of dark plum and a ton of black pepper to make this nose unreal. I couldn't stop sniffing this wine.

Taste: If I thought it was aromatic, that was only the beginning of the story. The flavors were so layered. That Viognier honeysuckle was present but then there were fruit notes -- blackberry and a musky cantaloupe flavor came through. Then the traditional Syrah flavors that I personally know and love so well came out -- black pepper, lavender, savory thyme, earth, and tanned leather. There was a slight fresh dill note too -- probably from the fact that the winemaker used a small percentage of American oak for aging, which can bring out bold dill and musk flavors. The wine was tannic and acidic and complex.

Drink or down the sink. Drink. This was my favorite of the tasting, which says a lot since I really enjoyed everything. This wine was nothing short of stunning. It was a beautiful example of Syrah. The winemaker, Mike Brunson, did an amazing job of letting the fruit shine and then used the right barrel combination and winemaking techniques to make everything fuse together in perfect harmony. For $32, this is a treasure.

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Thanks to Michel-Schlumberger for hosting us and to Samantha for being NORMAL, cool, and smart! We'll certainly be back on future trips to Sonoma!