Christian Brothers Wine

ON WINE: Three major firms make church wine

nMont La Salle Altar Wine Company in Napa ( www.montlasallealtarwines.com ). Originally part of Christian Brothers, a Catholic religious community, Mont La Salle became a not-for-profit company after the brothers decided to get out of the alcohol business in late 1980s.

n Cribari Quality Reserve Altar Wines, Fresno, CA ( www.altarwine.com ). Cribari's roots trace to 19th century, their altar wine production to 1917. Cribari produced consumer wines until 1991 when it sold its consumer division to Constellation Brands, the world's largest wine company. The Cribaris kept sacramental division for the family, and fifth generation Cribaris operate the winery today. Mont La Salle and Cribari account for 90 percent of U.S. sacramental sales.

n O-Neh-Da Vineyard, founded in 1872 in New York State by Catholic Bishop Bernard McQuaid, is the oldest wine producer still in its original location ( www.onehda.com ). O-Neh-Da does not sell west of the Mississippi; its main market is New York and Pennsylvania.

All three companies make a variety of wines, from dark red to pale gold. Typical alcohol content either is 18 percent or 12 percent, but there is a minimum alcohol (0.5 percent) wine (Mustum). High alcohol Angelica is the best seller. Not only does Angelica taste good, the alcohol works as a preservative, a consideration since many churches purchase only once or twice a year. Because of taxes, laws, and other rules, the general consumer cannot buy sacramental wines. More on that next week.

Tasting notes on some sacramental wines used in San Angelo area:

* Mont La Salle Angelica. Pale gold, fruity, rich bouquet; 18 percent alcohol. Cathedral Church of the Sacred Heart, Holy Angels, St. Mary Star of the Sea (Ballinger).

* Cribari Light Red. Dark pink, lightly sweet; 12 percent alcohol. St. Joseph's (San Angelo).

Email Gus Clemens at wine@cwadv.com . Follow his tasting notes on Twitter@gusclemens.

History And Development Of Mount Veeder In Napa Valley

The weather in Mount Veeder tends to be rainier than the rest of Napa Valley. This is because of the Redwood and Round Creek watersheds. The great majority of the vineyards in Mount Veeder are situated near either Round Creek or Redwood Creek. Due to the abundance of large redwood and oak trees, in this region it is one of the most picturesque in Napa Valley. The startling elevation of the Mount Veeder AVA also contributes to its stunning beauty. The mountainside slopes of Mount Veeder ranges between 400 feet above sea le vel to 2,600 feet above sea level. While a number of regions in Napa Valley receive some protection from the winds of San Pablo Bay, Mount Veeder is more exposed to the winds. As a result, the afternoons tend to be very breezy and far cooler than other areas. This lends well to a long growing season. When you tour the wineries in Mount Veeder you will discover that a very small percentage of the land in Mount Veeder is planted with grape vines. The actual area of Mount Veeder covers some 25 square miles; however. Still, the area that is planted is ideal for the growth of mountain grapes that are rustic in nature. The roots of the vines in this are are able to extend deeply into the ground. The terrain and climate of Mount Veeder is particularly well suited for Rhone varietals. Jade Mountain became the first winery in the area to take advantage of these elements for the production of Rhone varietals. The Paras Vineyard Syrah is considered to be one of the best Rhone varietal wines produced in Mount Veeder.

In addition to Rhone varietals, you will also find that a number of red Bordeaux varietals are also planted in Mount Veeder including Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Many vineyards in the area produce grapes in low quantities. Most of these grapes are thick skinned and have an intense flavor concentration. In fact, the wines produced from Mount Veeder are known to be among the most flavorful wines in the entire Napa Valley region. As a result, most of the vintners in Mount Veeder find it necessary to balance that flavor with other elements. Historically, the vintners in this area have been able to achieve this with remarkable aplomb. A significant portion of the development of Mount Veeder as a wine region is due to European mountain vineyard production. The first wines were produced in Mount Veeder as early as the 1860s. By the 1870s, German immigrants had begun to settle in the area and by the end of 1889 Mayacamas Vineyards had been firmly established. The owner of the vineyard had a broad range of commercial interests; however, and he went bankrupt at the turn of the century. Rumors persist that while other vineyards in Napa Valley were shut down during Prohibition, Mayacamas was used by bootleggers. Regardless, the vineyards were eventually purchased and restored in the late 1960s.

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