Geyser Peak Well Groom-ed

Geyser Peak began the journey back in 1989 when Australian and former Penfolds winemaker Daryl Groom was brought on-board. While other California properties were forging alliances with traditional French wineries and winemakers, Geyser Peak opted for the bold, new-wave Oz techniques that were making a splash in the international arena. Groom immediately lifted the fruit component and intensity of all the wines at Geyser Peak and started exploring Shiraz plantings long before Rhône wines were all the rage in North America. In 1993 Groom imported another Penfolds wine guy, Mick Schroeter, and charged him with becoming the winery's chief of experiments. Schroeter's incessant testing has included extensive work with various species of oak, 14 coopers or barrel makers, new methods of fermentation, different strains of yeast, emerging varietals and... well, you name it, Schroeter has probably tried it. UC Davis graduate Chris Munsell joined Geyser Peak in 1995 after a stint at Chateau Lafite-Rothschild and quickly found his niche as a master blender. According to Groom, "Munsell boasts an amazing ability to evaluate wine during fermentation, allowing him to see into the future." That permits the winery to blend its various vineyards early in the winemaking process and to age the wine as a blend. "It's the only way to make world-class wine," says Groom. In 1999 Ondine Chattan arrived after stops at Cline Cellars and Ridge Vineyards, to join what surely must be one of the brightest winemaking teams on the planet. Today we look a series of Geyser Peak products including three introductory style wines sold under the Canyon Road label. You'll find most labels in government liquor stores with a smattering of the higher priced wines also appearing in private wine shops. The sauvignons turned out to be a get-what-you-pay-for scenario, with the main Geyser Peak label overshadowing the normally solid Canyon Road. The Geyser Peak 2000 Sauvignon Blanc has a zippy lemon and grapefruit zest nose with gooseberry, lees and lemon oil in the background. The fruit is quiet on the palate with mineral and citrus zest dominating. It's very well-balanced and clean with tasty melon peach characters in the finish. Good value. The Canyon Road 2001 Sauvignon Blanc has always been aggressive in that Marlborough, New Zealand-style, but this one comes with some very intense bell-pepper and jalapeno aromas that jump out of the glass. Big lemon-lime flavours with lots of grapefruit. There are fewer vegetal aspects in the flavour, but it remains fairly aggressive and probably not to the taste of your average sauvignon blanc fan. Try it with some David Wood B.C. goat cheese. The first red of the tasting is Canyon Road 2000 Merlot, with its somewhat uncharacteristic leafy/veggie, cool, merlot nose. It's soft and round with all the right velvety textures and it's fun to sip but you have to be a fan of the herbal, sour cherry/compost flavoured fruit to really enjoy this one. Something off the barbecue is needed here to tame some of the wild flavours. The cabernet taste-off of Canyon Road versus Geyser Peak offered similar results to the sauvignon pairing. The Canyon Road 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon opens with a sweaty, weedy, cassis and spice nose followed by tight, blackcurrant fruit flavours and a dry, acidic finish. Simple grilled meats will help to round out the edges but there's far better value to be had in Chile or Australia. The Geyser Peak 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon comes with a much deeper and darker colour. Dusty earth and cassis mixed to give it a warm almost port-like aroma. It's round and smooth on entry with toasted oak and cassis fruit flavours and a dry earthy finish. The acidity is firm and it will require a well aged and marbled piece of beef to shine. The best of the bunch is the Geyser Peak 1999 Shiraz with its open barnyard, gamey aromas streaked with ripe, rich blackberry and licorice fruit aromas. The flavour is an enticing mix of ripe blackberries and sour cherries with a strong undercurrent of acidity and tannin. The structure is firm tight (now clearly part of the Geyser Peak style) and it will need more time to age in bottle and blossom. Although not originally included in the tasting, you may want pick up a bottle or two of Geyser Peak 1997 Meritage Reserve Alexandre ($47.30; #570598) grown in the Alexander valley. You'll love the cedar tobacco and pepper that mark the nose and the soft, ripe of cherry cola, mocha/chocolate, vanilla and plum flavours. You can lay this one away in the cellar for another three to five years. WEEKEND WINE TASTING Geyser Peak/Canyon Road, California Geyser Peak 2000 Sauvignon Blanc Price: $19.95 Stock No.: 340208 Score: 15.5/20 Remarks: Well-balanced gooseberry and melon flavours. Canyon Road 2001 Sauvignon Blanc Price: $12.95 Stock No.: 439026 Score: 13.5/20 Remarks: Aggressive jalapeno/Kiwi style. Canyon Road 2000 Merlot Price: $13.95 Stock No.: 439000 Score: 14/20 Remarks: Herbal cool soft-textured red. Canyon Road 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon Price: $13.95 Stock No.: 430018 Score: 13/20 Remarks: Tight young firm cabernet. Geyser Peak 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon Price: $24.95 Stock No.: 343467 Score: 15/20 Remarks: Dusty earthy cassis flavoured red. Geyser Peak 1999 Shiraz Price: $24.95 Stock No.: 561795 Score: 16.5/20 Remarks: Licorice and blackberries.