Guest Post By Susan Cooper – Callaway Cellars Vintage Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2010: Wine

As some of you may be aware, I am fairly new to blogging and I recently came accross a group on Linkedin called Bloggers Helping Bloggers.  There is a section where bloggers are encouraged to share posts with the idea that they comment on as many other blogs as possible.

One of the bloggers, Susan Cooper from “Finding Our Way Now“, and I have been visiting and commenting on each other’s blog.  She came to me and suggested we swap posts.  Susan does weekly wine reviews and wanted to expand her section to include other drinks.  The cool thing is I originally wanted to do the same.  Susan’s wine posts are awesome.  I am not a fan of simple reviews that are nothing more than a tasting and a rating.  I want the whole story behind the wine.  Susan does just that which is why I agreed to swap posts.

After reading this post, I suggest you visit her blog  To call her blog dynamic is an  underststement.  To call Susan dynamic is an understatement.  Susan is passionate about her writing, and is quite diverse as you will see in her blog.  Wine, food, books, art, business, and life experiences.  She does it all.

So give it up to Susan Cooper from “Finding Our Way Now.”

Callaway Cellars Vintage Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

I had been given this bottle of wine as a gift. It has been in my wine chiller for quite awhile. To be honest, I had almost forgotten about it until I went in search of a w ine to taste and post for you. It was a pleasant wine and so I started my research. That was when it got interesting.

Callaway Cellars has such an interesting history. It all started in the 1960’s with Ely Reeves Callaway Jr. Ely originally came from the textile industry. After over 30 years in the textile industry, he made a decision to become a winemaker.

That’s when the story begins. Ely found himself in Temecula, California as a result of extensive research and the encouragement of John Moramaroc a veteran viticulturist. He strongly believed Temecula California was ideal for growing premium wine grapes. Temecula California is located roughly 50 miles east of the coast of California in what is known as the high desert. Temecula is next to California’s South Coastal Mountains. A break in the mountains to the west has allowed the cool morning fog to flow inland from the Pacific Ocean that will recede in the late morning. This cool coastal air combined with the warm air that comes from the east creates a microclimate that is ideal for producing wine grapes.

John Moramaroc believed he had located the perfect place to build a vineyard and from that the concept of the label was born stating;“Where the sun shines through the mist”. Ely Callaway and John made the land purchase to grow wine grapes, defying all the experts who long believed Southern California was unsuitable for that endeavor. Ultimately their efforts put Temecula on the map as a serious wine producing area. Temecula is now noted for being one of the great wine regions in California.

In the late 1980’s, Ely Callaway sold his operation to a UK based beverage conglomerate. By the early 1990’s, the original vineyard, in Temecula, ultimately was unable to produce all the wine grapes needed to make their wine. To accommodate their need for wine grapes, many of their grapes were being grown on California’s Central Coast and in the Central Valley.

So because many of the grapes where now being grown on the Central Coast it only made sense to add “Coastal” as a Callaway brand.  In time, Callaway Vineyards & Winery had successfully had become a nationally distributed wine.

Now is when you need to pay very close attention. In 2005, a French company absorbed the UK conglomerate that owned Callaway Vineyards & Winery. This resulted in the separation of Callaway Coastal from Callaway Winery & Vineyards as a different brand name altogether.  Callaway Coastal Wines was then relocated to Manteca, California. The Temecula Callaway Vineyard & Winery was then sold back to a new local Temecula operator.  Did you follow all of that?

Even though their origins are the same, they are, in fact, two separate wine producers with almost the same name and even similar labels. Callaway Coastal Wines has since dropped the Coast word from the label simply calling itself Callaway Cellars. The original Callaway Vineyard & Winery brand in Temecula remains a separate Southern California operation, limiting distribution in its own local marketplace.

To add more to confuse the wine buyer, Callaway Cellars has continued to call attention to its past origins on the back of its label saying:

“Introduced almost 40 years ago by Ely Callaway, inventor of the “Big Bertha” golf club, Callaway wines have always been known for their quality and style. Rooted in the fresh varietal character of coastal vineyards, Callaway wines offer fresh, fruit-forward flavors, full body and a crisp, clean finish. Careful winemaking under the guidance of acclaimed Wine consultant Robert Pepi, who pioneered the “Two Heart Canopy” trellising system, ensures wines that are the perfect compliment to today’s lighter yet flavorful cuisine.”

All of which continues to confuse all the wine buyers like me.

This is what the winemaker has to say about this wine:

“The aromas of this wine are reminiscent of baked apples. The smooth mouthfeel brings forward fruit flavors of apples, pineapple and lemon peel, which are highlighted by toasty oak and vanilla characteristics that lead to a silky finish.

 

Our Coastal Chardonnay is a wonderful companion to a wide variety of foods. Try it with stuffed pork chops, lemon herb chicken, pasta Alfredo or sea scallops prepared in just about any fashion.”

Callaway Cellars is an inexpensive wine and well worth the price. It was great as a casual drink with a light dinner of salad and lemon chicken breast. Would I buy it for myself? I do believe I would.

You can find the Callaway Cellars Vintage Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 at wine.com, totalwines.com, amazon.com, BevMo.com, and many grocery stores or wine markets.

What are some of your favorite wines? I would love to hear and showcase your suggestions.

Happy wineing…

Be sure to comment and let Susan know what you think and check out my review on “Dogfish Head Bitches Brew.”

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