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(From left to right) Carruth Cellars event manager Carlotta Addante, enologist Ryan Hart, and regional tasting room manager Brandon Martin. Photo by Rico Cassoni
(From left to right) Carruth Cellars event manager Carlotta Addante, enologist Ryan Hart, and regional tasting room manager Brandon Martin. Photo by Rico Cassoni
ColumnsFood & WineTaste of Wine

Carruth Cellars ushers in spring with barrel tasting celebration

Carruth Cellars’ 13th annual Celebration of Barrel Tasting is a highlight of spring. Led by owner and operator Adam Carruth and enologist Ryan Hart — whose family boasts a long tradition of winemaking — the award-winning wine produced by Carruth Cellars has gained a reputation for excellence.

Carruth servers are knowledgeable and eager to share tasting notes and pairing advice, adding to the experience.

As an urban winery, Carruth sources fruit from across the West Coast, offering a unique opportunity to support locally with its workforce and charity efforts, including its “Pay it Forward” program, with the benefit of obtaining fruit from diverse regions.

Additionally, Adam has expanded his Oceanside Tasting Room and production facility to create a bustling culinary hub with Tipping Pint Brewery, Pizza Stoaked, and Javelina BBQ as a shared multi-tenant space.

The recent barrel-tasting event showcased 12 different wines across five stations. The winery’s investment in an oak barrel program has enhanced the flavor, depth, and structure of their wines, guided by Adam Hart. Station 1 featured a Russian River Chardonnay and two pinot noirs — one from the Russian River and one from Sonoma Coast.

For me, the Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir stood out, offering notes of fruit and earth on the palate and a vanilla finish thanks in part to its 25% new French oak.

There was a European vibe at Station 2 with grenache, zinfandel, and tempranillo being poured. The 2022 grenache and tempranillo fruit was sourced from Lake County, a high-altitude region with heights up to 2500 feet and volcanic soil creating high acidity and brightness that both shared.

Guests enjoying Carruth Cellars Barrel Tasting at Station 2. Photo by Rico Cassoni
Guests enjoying Carruth Cellars’ Celebration of Barrel Tasting at Station 2. Photo by Rico Cassoni

The 2021 Zinfandel was obtained from Dry Creek and aged in 25% American oak imparting notes of coconut and chocolate on the finish making the zinfandel in my Station 2 favorite.

The Station 3 tasting featured the 2021 Alexander Valley Petit Verdot and Knights Valley Malbec. With its warm climate, Knights Valley produced a ripe and structured Malbec with fruity notes and 25% new French oak.

The Bordeaux showdown at Station 3 included the 2021 Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and North Coast BDX, with the former edging out the latter in black fruit notes and a slight tartness.

“The BDX will receive an additional 20% bump of new French oak through late summer,” Hart said.

Perhaps, if I tried again in September, the BDX would triumph.

Eric Geisee, Carruth production assistant, poured the 2021 Alexander Valley (AV) Syrah and Rockpile Petite Sirah at Station 5. The AV Syrah was sourced from the same vineyard as the award-winning 2018 AV Syrah and was aged in 20% new French and 10% American oak, resulting in medium tannins with notes of red and black fruit and a subtle spice finish.

Meanwhile, the petite sirah had a full body with a blueberry palate and coconut and cocoa finish, thanks to 25% American oak, like the zinfandel.

Admission also included a freshly made wood-fired pizza by Scuderie Italia’s Master Pizzailo Johncarlo Ferraiuolo. The pizza made with fresh dough, mozzarella cheese, and toppings was a perfect complement to the barrel samples. Johncarlo was assisted by Eszter Szatmary, owner of Café California Poppy.

Charcuterie platter with Humboldt Fog, Drunken Goat, and Midnight Moon cheeses paired with 2019 Sonoma County Claret. Photo by Rico Casson
Charcuterie platter with Humboldt Fog, Drunken Goat, and Midnight Moon cheeses paired with 2019 Sonoma County Claret. Photo by Rico Cassoni

Speaking with Liberty Station Tasting Room lead Jen Dredla at the barrel event, we learned about Carruth’s new cheese program. The expanded kitchen at Liberty Station, along with the outdoor patio, were key reasons Adam purchased this location.

We were able to visit the Liberty Station location a few weeks after the barrel event. Dredla and Carlotta Addante, Events Manager, took us through their cheese program led by the kitchen manager, Gissell Calixto.

Calixto scours the globe to source cheeses. This past month, the Humboldt Fog and Midnight Moon cheeses came from Humboldt County, CA and the Drunken Goat cheese from Madrid, Spain.

The new Little Italy, Solano Beach, and Carlsbad tasting rooms also benefit from the cheese program. Calixto and her staff create prepacked charcuterie that guests can purchase at these locations.

There is an accompanying cheese club that complements the wine club. Dredla and Addante create pairings so that Carruth club members can enjoy the perfect pairings. Last month, 2021 Sonoma County Claret, a 50% merlot, 45% cab sauv, 5% petit verdot blend was simpatico with the Humboldt Fog, Drunken Goat, and Midnight Moon cheeses that we tried with our charcuterie board.

The creamed honey tied the cheese and wine together. For those interested in tasting their cheese, the Liberty Station location offers cheese samples on the first Saturday of each month.

Lots of great things are going on at Carruth Cellars locations. Congrats Adam, Ryan, and Team! Learn more about their wine and cheese at carruthcellars.com.

— Story by Rico Cassoni 

Wine Bytes

Wine enthusiasts are invited to the 11th annual San Diego County Fair “Toast of the Coast” on Sat. June 17th in the flower and garden show area. Attendees can enjoy unlimited wine tastings from over 100 wines worldwide and taste award-winning wines from local wineries Carruth and Solterra. General admission tickets include free entry to the Fair, while VIP tickets offer early access with winemakers and specialty food pairings. Visit ticketmaster.com for details.

Rico Cassoni is the executive producer for Taste of Wine and Food and founder/advisor Frank Mangio is a renowned wine connoisseur certified by Wine Spectator. They are the leading wine reviewers on the web. View their columns at tasteofwineandfood.com. Reach them at info@tasteofwineandfood.

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