In this article, we’ll journey together with Jody Bogle, the Vice President of Consumer Relations at Bogle, to the CEO Meat Rotterdam event. This event, organized by Hosman Vines, spotlights the pairing of Bogle wines with culinary delights. We’ll delve into the history of Bogle Vineyards, explore the specific Bogle wines presented at this gourmet winemaker’s lunch, and describe the delicious dishes paired with them. Whether you’re a fan of a vintage Zinfandel’s oak-rich undertones or a Petite Sirah’s complex body, this recount will surely spark your interest. Join me as we uncover the essence of Bogle at this unique gathering, highlighting not just the wines, but also the stories and people behind them. Let’s Bogle!
History of Bogle Vineyards
Captain AJ Bogle, a Civil War veteran, ventured to California in the late 1870s, laying the foundation for Bogle Vineyards. Initially farming cherries, peaches, and pears, his family expanded their efforts to meet the needs of Gold Rush-era San Francisco. Despite hardships like the Great Depression, Warren Bogle, a WWII veteran, renewed the family business by buying land and diversifying crops. The first wine grapes were planted in 1968 by Warren and his son Chris, marking Bogle Vineyards’ birth. They launched their label in 1978, building a winery that is still in use today. The vineyard, under Chris and his wife Patty, grew to 1,000 acres before Chris died in 1997. The next generation has continued expanding and innovating, rooted in the family’s values and passion for winemaking. Today, Bogle Vineyards is a testament to family bonds, sustainability, and quality in the wine industry. They still see themselves as farmers because, as Jody Bogle says, winemaking starts in the vineyards.
The story behind the bottle of Bogle
At this event, I spoke with Jody Bogle and heard fascinating stories directly from her. She takes great pride in Bogle wines remaining a family business. They own approximately 2100 acres, or 850 hectares, of vineyards spread across Clarksburg, Lodi, and the Sierra Foothills. They collaborate with their grower partners throughout the season to maintain the quality of their wines. Their winemaking process is artisanal, treating each block of grapes separately to preserve its unique character and ensure quality.
Jody shared about their unique barrel program, which involves 95,000 barrels. Bogle believes that aging and sometimes fermenting wines in barrels improves their quality. They primarily use American oak, but for some special wines, they use French oak. They are the region’s largest consumer of wood.
Sustainable Winemaking
Bogle is committed to sustainable practices in their own vineyards as well as those of their growing partners. While full organic certification is currently out of reach due to their large scale of production and regulatory constraints, they’re making significant strides in green practices. In 2021, 96% of all grapes crushed at the winery were certified green under the California Rules for Sustainability program. Since 2022, Bogle has been using bottles that are 10% lighter and continues to investigate further ways to reduce bottle weight. As of 2024, they also offer 75 cl aluminum bottles for some of their white wines. Currently, these are only available in the US, but they have been very well received.
Jody Bogle
Ruben van Dam
The Event Setting: CEO Meat Rotterdam
CEO Meat Rotterdam, known for exquisite culinary experiences, provided a sophisticated yet straightforward ambiance for a wine-tasting event. The venue’s warm, elegant decor mirrored the essence of Bogle wines, creating an immersive experience. The strategically placed seating encouraged networking and lively discussions among wine writers and enthusiasts, enhancing the communal experience. The atmosphere blended professionalism and camaraderie, a testament to the unifying power of well-paired wine and food. This event wasn’t just about tasting Bogle wines; it was about experiencing a shared passion in a perfectly chosen venue. As for the food? As owner Mario Ridder says, it’s not about complex dishes with foams and drips. It’s about high-quality food to enjoy, and they really work as a complete team together.
Jody and the team of CEO meat Rotterdam
Bogle Wines Featured at the Lunch
At the gourmet winemaker’s lunch at CEO Meat Rotterdam, we enjoyed exploring various Bogle wines, each offering a unique taste and stories by Jody Bogle. Here’s a closer look at the featured wines, highlighting perfect wine pairings:
Blanc de Blancs 2021
This is a pleasant, fine sparkling wine made of 100% Chardonnay using the traditional method. It has apple and pear undertones and a lot of tropical fruit flavors, similar to pineapple, but it could use a bit more depth. It’s an uncomplicated, excellent sparkling aperitif with medium acidity and a soft taste, and a medium finish. It was aged for 5 months on the lees to preserve its fruity character.
Albariño 2022
This wine has an appealing color and pleasant aromas of blossoms and floral hints, complemented by notes of violets, apples, and lime peel. It has a soft body and is an uncomplicated wine, perfect for enjoying in the sunlight. It pairs excellently with Pata Negra, enhancing the flavors of both the sparkling and Albariño.
Viognier 2021
The wine has a nice minerality with a round mouthfeel. The nose is typical of Viognier, featuring beautiful blossoms and lime notes. On the pallet, there are lots of peaches, nectarines, apricots, and some lemons.
Chardonnay 2022
This Chardonnay is smooth as butter, with hints of vanilla, apple, lime, toasted wood, and a good dose of butterscotch. It’s a top-notch pairing, the buttery flavors blending perfectly with the light dressing and soft flavors of the Vitello, Artisjok, and soy sauce. The Viognier, on the other hand, is a bit too floral and overpowering, but it does an excellent job of cleaning the palate.
Phantom Chardonnay 2021
It’s a lovely dark yellow color and full-bodied, with apple, pear, sultry toast, vanilla butter, and apple baked in butter. It’s made with specially selected grapes and more attention to making the wine, fermenting in oak, aging in new French oak, stirring the lees, batonnage twice a month, which gives it a severe and full-flavored fruity and caramel vibe.
Merlot 2020
This Merlot is not your typical easy rider Merlot. It’s robust with spices, violets, roses, bay leaves, robust tannins, and moderate acidity. The toast and tabaco hints accent this wine very well.
It was interesting to try a white and a red wine with the ravioli with veal cheek, truffle, and morels, finding the best match. The sweet hint of the Chardonnay contrasts nicely with the saltiness of the dish, and the truffle flavors come together beautifully. At first, I thought that this ravioli would be better with a red wine than a white, but I was wrong. I always love to learn new things.
Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
This is a lovely Cabernet with aromas of forest soil, wild fruits, sage, bay leaf, spicy chili, tomatoes, tomato leaf, and salty toast. These spicy flavors pair well with the dish but not as good as the Zinfandel.
Zinfandel 2021
This wine comes from old vines, like 40-60 years old, and it’s farmed dry from Lodi and Amador Counties. It’s got very concentrated, rich aromas and flavors, raspberry, strawberry, cherries, plus a hint of sage and forest soil and leaves. The toastiness, medium-plus acidity, and balanced tannins give it an elegant style, not like your typical robust wine. It’s fantastic when paired with the robust flavors of the short rib and spicy eggplant with burrata. The wine’s soft flavors melt beautifully with them. It’s really a dance in your mouth that wants to continue all night long.
Reserve Chardonnay 2021
This Chardonnay features green apple and pear, complemented by hints of vanilla, a bit of spice notes, and butterscotch. It has been fermented and aged in American oak, with the lees being stirred twice a month. It offers a soft aroma and taste, exuding richness and sophistication.
Pinot Noir 2021
This Pinot Noir is elegant, made with French oak, light and fresh, with rich tannins and soft acidity. It’s bursting with raspberry, strawberry, and cherry flavors, with a spicy kick of cinnamon, cardamom, and bay leaf. These 2 wines are a classic combination that both pair very well with the Sucade, sweetbread, red onion, and chicory. The Chardonnay went perfectly with the sweetbread, red onion, and chicory, and the Pinot Noir was outstanding with the Sucade.
Essential Red 2020
This is a typical wine for wine lovers who enjoy big, rich, and juicy wines. Warm cherry, ripe strawberry, chocolate, licorice, black pepper, toast, spices and sage. Its a blend of Petite Sirah, Syrah, Teroldego and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Phantom Proprietary Red Blend 2020
This delightful blend of 60% Petite Sirah and 40% Zinfandel features an abundance of spices, raspberry, and strawberry notes. Aged for 24 months in oak, it offers hints of toasted, scorched wood. With its super rich and elegant profile, this wine exudes a laid-back, chilled vibe.
Reserve Malbec 2019
Warm Malbec vibes, full of spice and toast, totally rich and bold—it’s all super intense! This is really what you expect and want from a Californian Malbec: full, rich, spiced, and warm.
It was very interesting and intense to explore the best pairing with the Entrecôte, asparagus, and hollandaise. I was glad that I didn’t have to pick a winner because all the wines went very well with the dish. Personally, I found the Phantom Proprietary Red Blend 2020 the best combination.
Petite Sirah 2021
Wow, what a great wine! It has rich raspberry, blackberry, black currant, and blueberry flavors, high tannins, medium-plus acidity, jammy, rich, and all in a beautiful purple glow. This is really one of the favorites of this tasting.
Petite Sirah Port 2018
A sweet port-style wine, deep and creamy, with jammy raspberry and strawberry flavors, a bit spicy, and incredibly elegant and smooth, both paired excellently with the cheese. My favorite was the Petite Shiraz. Its dry, rich, and jammy character worked better for me than the sweeter, port-style wine.
Conclusion
At the CEO Meat Rotterdam’s winemaker’s lunch, I learned about Bogle Vineyards’ commitment to sustainable winemaking through food and wine pairings. It wasn’t just a tasting event. It showcased how pairing techniques can enhance the dining experience. The event highlighted Bogle Vineyards’ dedication to quality, the variety of their wines, and the power of food and wine to bring people together. It sparked curiosity about exploring more wine pairings. Jody Bogle’s stories enriched the experience. Thanks to Ruben van Dam, owner of Hosman Vines, for the invitation and event organization, and to Jody Bogle for her engaging stories and patience with my questions.
I highly recommend trying the wines of Bogle yourself; they are of excellent value for money.
More information about Bogle wines: https://boglewinery.com/
More information about Hosman vines: https://hosmanvins.nl/
Ruben van Dam and Jody Bogle
