Winemaker Ryan Kobza, of Kobza Wines, has become especially fond of one particular hillside at Pat Wirz’s vineyards in Hollister. The vines, primarily Mourvedre and Zinfandel, along with Rose of Peru, Mourtaou and Palomino, are over 110 years old and represent some of the great and unique historical varietals grown in the earliest years of winemaking in San Benito County.
The animals in the area are the best bellwethers of when the fruit is ripe. The moment they start taking an interest in the grapes, it is time to pick them, with the entire hillside harvested to create his Red Field Blend.
“It’s not like any other vineyard that I’ve dealt with,” he said. “Year after year, it’s just different. We are at the mercy of mother nature, and there is nothing you can do about it. It can go from extremely expressive, absolutely spicy and aromatic, to ‘what’s wrong with this wine?’”
This unpredictability is enhanced by the last few years of erratic weather and drought, but Kobza simply looks at it as part of the evolution of the vineyard.
“I’ve learned to trust it,” he said. “I’m not going to try to take it and mold it and squeeze it and squish it into what it was last year. You have to realize that this isn’t last year. This is what we have this year. Let’s do the best that we can with it.”
Kobza is known for his love of old vine wines and appreciates the survival of wines that have, for the most part, disappeared from the common vineyard vocabulary.
“I don’t have anything to back it up,” he said, “but my theory is that when phylloxera spread through Europe and destroyed the vineyards in the 19th century, wine producers had a chance to replant their vineyards to whatever they wanted. They looked around, and they thought, ‘What makes us the most money?’ rather than ‘What makes us the best wine?’”
His interest in the history of winemaking has taken him on a foray into sparkling wines based on the Piquette process, which dates back to Ancient Greece. Though sourced from grapes, Piquette technically isn’t really a wine since there is little to no grape juice used in the process. Kobza’s 2021 Pequette Blanc and 2021 Pequette Naturel are expected to be released in April.
“We take riesling grapes and press them off,” he said. “Then we put a lot of water back in and press it off again the next day, extracting more of the leftover sugar. It is a bit funky, but it is just an interesting option and a nice excuse for me not to press the delicate riesling grapes that hard because I can recoup something in the second press.”
The result is an interesting combination of the familiar aspects of sparkling wine with more earthy tones from the crushed and nearly exhausted grape skins—Kobza said he softens people into trying it by describing it as being like a sour beer.
While keeping his day job working with winemaker Ian Brand and Chualar Canyon Winery, working with old vine varietals and ancient techniques gives Kobza a chance to do some things he wants to do that present challenges other winemakers might avoid.
“Winemaking still holds a little bit of mystique for me,” he said. “There’s plenty to be learned in everything we do, and I think there’s a lot of room for me personally to grow. And here, in this county, have a chance to embrace these old vines as part of the heritage and history of the area.”
Selections from Kobza Wines
2021 Piquette Blanc – Soon to be available in 375 ml cans, part of the charm of this unique sparkling wine is its chameleon-like ability to drift into mimicking a light ale. An aroma of fresh-baked pastry spread with lemon curd leads to an initially sharp quinine-like bite of carbonation that gives way to a deep and sweet raspberry bubble gum flavor with floral undertones as if it was blended with a hoppy ale. The finish is tart with acidic flinty crispness. Originally made for workers in the field, it is a perfect choice for an outdoor meal on a spring day, with some crusty french bread and aged cheese.
2021 Pequette Naturel – “Pét-Nat is Pét-Nat,” Kobza said. “A secondary fermentation is done in the bottle but is not disgorged, so the level of carbonation is a little bit lower than your traditional sparkling wines. These wines are not made to be overly serious and are intended to be fun. You can have one glass and then move on.” This version is slightly different than the Blanc, with an aroma of dried orange peel and a light, enjoyable, almost creamy, flavor. It is less bubbly than a standard sparkling wine and would work very well as an aperitif.
2020 Mourtaou – “I really like the uniqueness of this wine,” he said. “I think most winemakers get tired of doing the same thing day in and day out, and I’m no different. I really like finding the weird and the wonderful, and this one is completely unique to this area. And also, it’s just freaking good.” Sometimes known as Cabernet Pfeffer, there are very few areas outside of San Benito County where this varietal is grown. The hallmarks of Kobza wines are remarkable restraint and elegant balance, qualities exemplified by this evolution of this wine, which he finds himself tweaking a little bit every year. The fruit is a subtle sweet cherry that blends relaxedly with an iron minerality. It is a great wine for sipping on its own but would go with just about anything you want to serve.
2020 Red Field Blend – I have had a couple of different vintages of this wine, which is always remarkable and eminently drinkable. With an aroma of chocolate and dark fruit, this is a brighter wine than the Mourtaou, fruit-forward with lush tones of dried plums, cherries and strawberries mingling on your taste buds. The tannins are just present enough to have an astringent effect that pulls all the notes together, then vanishes in a clean finish. It is exceptionally smooth, almost as if you were absorbing the wine rather than drinking it. This is the third review of versions of this blend, and it is always the standout wine of the tasting. There is a marvelous narrative to the wine as you drink it that takes you back in time, and it is a story that only this county can tell. My favorite of this group and a must-try. I can assure you that when the first bottle you have tried is gone, you will wish you had another.
Kobza Wines are available at Crave Wine Company in Hollister.
Recommendations for future Eat, Drink, Savor articles can be emailed to roberteliason@benitolink.com.
BenitoLink thanks our underwriters, Hollister Super and Windmill Market, for helping to expand the Eat, Drink, Savor series and give our readers the stories that interest them. Hollister Super (two stores in Hollister) and Windmill Market (in San Juan Bautista) support reporting on the inspired and creative people behind the many delicious food and drink products made in San Benito County. All editorial decisions are made by BenitoLink.
You must be logged in to post a comment.