CleverRoot

4 2 | t h e c l e v e r r o o t to expose the clusters to as much light as pos- sible because I want them to ripen past citrus and into the stone fruit and tropical flavors. I'm looking for sunshine in a glass." If that's the mission, consider it accom- plished. The Sauvignon Blanc is both easy to drink and food-friendly. The summery scent of cut grass overlays more subtle elderflower aromas, and on the palate, key lime citrus on the finish keeps the tropical pineapple flavors from turning into a Piña Colada. At lunch, the citrusy ending gives enough oomph to stand up to the Meyer lemon dressing on the roasted organic chicken and balances the unctuous creaminess in the divine tarragon, mustard seed and chive deviled eggs. Tom Gore Vineyards has two tiers of wines. The Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay are line-priced at $15. Two Reserve wines in the $40 range, a Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and a Reserve Field Blend red wine, are 100-percent Alexander Valley–sourced. As we turn to the Cabernet Sauvignon, Gore puts its provenance in both a historical and farming perspective. "There were more vines planted in Sonoma County pre-Prohibition than there were until about five years ago," he says. "It's not like France where they've had centuries to figure out what grows best where. We've only been doing this post-Prohibition since the late 1960s, and it's only when we have to replant, every 20 years or so, that we can apply what we've learned." For Cabernet Sauvignon, Gore looks for fruit-driven clones and rootstock. "Cabernet is the one variety that will taste in the bottle exactly like it did when you walked down the rows during harvest," he explains. "So, you want something that tastes true to the variety but that you can drink while it's young." The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon is a wine ver- sion of James Dean: youthful, with a touch of leathery sultriness. The Reserve Field Blend more resembles the full lips and bedroom eyes of a young Marlon Brando. As the name suggests, the 2014 Reserve Field Blend's 52% Petit Verdot, 28% Malbec, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Tempranillo and 3% Carignane are all sourced from the same Alexander Valley vineyard. It's a sexy, inky, deep blueberry and cigar box ooh la la of a wine. The Cabernet Sauvignon can go solo by the glass, but the Re- serve Field Blend proves a better protagonist against our beet salad with pistachio dukkah and roasted sirloin with horseradish. As Hurley the Labrador precociously vies for attention, the conversation turns to "getting wine to the consumer." Gore's trips around the country on behalf of his wines have exposed him to a segment of the wine business dislocat- ed from farm agronomics. He's astounded at the deluge of wine choices confronting consumers. Shaking his head in disbelief, he recalls, "One store I went into had 9,000 different wines. The store was big and beautiful and amazing . . . And at the same time, intimidating." Tom Gore Vineyards wines can be purchased in all 50 states, and that will soon prove to be a boon to the fight against hunger. Beginning in September, Tom Gore Vineyards will donate $1 for every bottle sold, up to $50,000, to the Nourishing Neighbors initiative. That's not surprising considering something Gore learned from his father, which he reiter- ates several times during our conversation: "I can still hear him tell me, 'The best wine is the one you want to drink.' I want these wines to deliver value." Through the partnership with the Nourishing Neighbors program, Tom Gore Vineyards wines are not only delivering value, but values as well. The Tom Gore 2015 Sauvignon Blanc is the perfect balance to the creaminess in SHED's tarragon, mustard seed and chive deviled eggs. The Sauvignon Blanc is both easy to drink and food-friendly. The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon is a wine version of James Dean: youthful, with a touch of leathery sultriness. The Reserve Field Blend more resembles the full lips and bedroom eyes of a young Marlon Brando. ■cr

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