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Central Coast Wines at CostcoWednesday, February 22, 2006Shoppers perusing the wine selection at Costco see lots of familiar labels. But what about this modestly priced Cameron Hughes wine?Taking advantage of a wine and grape surplus in California, Hughes started his San Francisco-based business in 2001. His first wines were good-value blends he called Synergy. As he made more contacts, Hughes refined his business model. He wanted to scour the landscape for good-quality wine that was left over or didn't fit into a particular winery's blend -- wines that weren't rejects, but that the winery didn't have a good use for. And he wanted to align himself with a big retailer that would sell most of the wine. Costco was the first one to bite on the concept. Hughes has a mailing list to notify customers when the wines hit Costco; sign up at his Web site, www.chwine.com. The Cameron Hughes wines are also sold by the case or half-case through the Web site. Prices are higher online -- the Lot 8 pinot, for example, is $13 -- but the wines usually are available for longer. (Enter the word ''oscar'' in the coupon code box for a 20 percent discount.) The chardonnays and pinot noirs of Talley Vineyards in Arroyo Grande are undeniably delicious but, at $26 and up, they're not exactly everyday wines for most people. But the winery also has a brand of well-made, more affordably priced wines called Bishop's Peak. The name comes from the tallest of the peaks known as the Seven Sisters that dominate the landscape around San Luis Obispo. The wines are made from mostly purchased fruit from various parts of San Luis Obispo County. The 2004 Bishop's Peak Chardonnay ($14) is an Edna Valley wine that's bright and a little tropical, with some creamy and toasty notes. It's nicely balanced and easy to drink. The tasty 2003 Central Coast pinot noir ($16) has flavors of cherry and raspberry, a hint of tomato and supple texture. The 2003 Rock Solid Red ($12), a blend of mostly cabernet and syrah from Paso Robles, is a tremendous value, with ripe black cherry and just enough tannin for structure. A great pizza wine. One of my favorite Bishop's Peak wines is the 2003 Edna Valley syrah ($16), a savory rather than jammy syrah, with notes of white pepper and roasted meat and a smooth finish. The 2003 Paso Robles cabernet sauvignon ($16) displays bright cherry flavors, a note of black olive and medium tannins. Source: Laurie Daniel, The Mercury News Tags: San Luis Obispo Central Coast Wine |
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