Classic varietals and crafted brews provide a contrast to their more light-hearted fruit white wines
Tourists on Hwy 156 may be drawn into Casa de Fruta to check out the fruit stand and maybe pick up some of their popular fruit red wines, but they would be well served by trying the red wines and custom-brewed beers that commemorate its history: Casa de Fruta 1940 Pilsner, Casa de Fruta 1940 Session IPA, Clara’s Rosé, and “Dr. Zanger” Dornfelder.
The two beers are both produced for Casa de Fruta by San Jose’s Gordon Biersch Brewing Business. The date on the label is considerable– 1940 is when George, Joseph and Eugene Zanger, the sons of Dr. Henry Zanger and Clara Bisceglia Cribari Zanger, opened their very first fruit base on Pacheco Pass.
The very first beer, the 1940 pilsner, was presented five years earlier, around the time the company was developing a special brew called “Chum” for the San Jose Sharks. Casa de Fruta co-owner Joe Zanger dealt with Dan Gordon on the crafting of the beer and knew what he desired.
“Henry was German-Swiss, and he liked his pilsners,” Joe said. “So that was the first one we made. I like the pilsner– it’s more like a Mexican beer, a little more robust and hoppy with a real taste. Some porters and darker IPAs are not extremely smooth going down, and I do not really look after them.”
The Session IPA is a more recent addition to Casa de Fruta’s product line, being very first introduced a year ago.
“It’s got the Indian Pale Ale method about it, but it’s a little softer,” he said. “It is smoother and lower in IBUs than a routine IPA. It is simply a great sipping beer.” (IBUs are Global Bitterness Units. The Casa de Fruta IPA is rated at 41 IBUs, lower than the standard variety for IPAs of 50-70 IBUs.)
While the two beers salute the early days of Casa de Fruta, which lies in Santa Clara County, the 2 red wines honor Joe’s grandparents.
“We made Clara’s Rosé for my grandma,” Joe stated. “Being southern Italian, Clara liked a hearty rose. She was a remarkable business girl– she began the very first ambulance service in San Jose because her hubby remained in medicine there. Then she imported bottled liquors and started Western Alcohols. She worked at the peach and tomato cannery for her uncles and, by the age of 18, was running the 200-person crew. And when her kids started the fruit stands, she did all the books for them.”
After calling one wine after his grandmother, he looked for a German varietal to use for a red wine named for his grandfather, Dr. Zanger Dornfelder.
“I encountered the Dornfelder, which has a quite good deep red,” he said. “It is big in Germany, and they initially planted it to mix into their reds to give them a richer color due to the fact that a lot of German wines are much lighter. It’s kind of a surprise for individuals who generally don’t drink German red wines.”
I spent a long time tasting white wine with Desiree Castillo, who puts at the Casa de Fruta tasting bar, and we focused on red wines I had actually not tried in an earlier review, in addition to the 2 beers.
The wines and beers of Casa de Fruta
1940 Pilsner Beer (5.0%– $9.99/ six-pack) The darker of the two beers, the fragrance is more dark fruit than hops, but that does not carry into the taste of the beer, which is much lighter than you would anticipate from the appearance of the beer. There is some bitterness at the front and a smooth flavor that well reveals the floral aspects of hops with a surface that simply drifts away.
1940 Session IPA Beer (4.9%– $9.99/ six-pack) The low alcohol and clean taste make it a terrific year-round sipping beer it is brilliant and airy with a flower scent and an in advance sweet taste of the hops that centers the beer and after that drifts away with notes of dried fruit, leaving a casual bite of bitterness in the finish. Hard to select in between the two, however I think I prefer this one for how relaxed and light it is.
2020 Clara’s Rosé ($19.99) Growing up, rosés were indeed the natural choice to serve Grandmother at the household dinner. This one is a welcoming blend of Dornfelder and Malbec grapes that produces an extremely fruity and moderately sweet rosé, with tips of tart raspberries and blackberries. “We tried to make this as close as we might to the red wine Clara consumed,” Joe stated. “She preferred something that was a little simpler drinking.” This is a best warm-weather picnic red wine to choose sourdough and chèvre or to function as a sophisticated accompaniment to cheesecake. It’s enjoyable and definitely worth a try.
2018 “Dr. Zanger” Dornfelder ($27.99) The very first time I did a tasting at Casa de Fruta, this was my instant favorite, a full-bodied red wine with a smooth mouthfeel, a rich taste, and a well balanced acidity, and swirling with dark fruits and cloves. The Dornfelder is a little bit of a chameleon as far as the flavor notes– the grape is a cross of several varietals, including pinot noir and Trollinger, which offers it a little bit of German bluntness mixed with the familiar oak tones of the Cienega Valley reds. “I like our reds,” said Castillo. “And for me, it is either this one or our Malbec. Ii actually lihe the great dark cherry note at the end. It tosses individuals off from what they expect.” This stays my favorite of their white wines and is a nice supper option.
Sole of the Boot ($27.99) This is one of the wines served at the Casa de Fruta restaurant, which is where I initially tried it. An uncommon mix of 35% cabernet, 35% Malbec, 25% Merlot, and 5% zinfandel, this white wine is called for the Calabria region of Italy, the pointer of Italy’s geographical boot. “This one has a good sweetness at the end,” said Castillo, “it has light tannins and makes a great red wine to have in between dinner and dessert.” It is a good, abundant white wine that can stand up to hearty Italian fare or be sipped on its own. Grilled, packed eggplant? Bring it on. Family barbecue? Perfect. Dark chocolate by the fire while enjoying “Casablanca”? No much better option.
2020 Monterey County Pinot Grigio ($18.99) Aged in stainless-steel barrels, this pinot grigio has a light scent, sharp green apple tones and a tidy surface. “I enjoy this white wine since you can consume it throughout the day without having to combine it to anything,” said Castillo. “It is tidy and decreases smooth without any type of aftertaste.”
Pomegranate Champagne ($19.99) The holiday is over, however if you can’t figure out a reason to keep commemorating, you simply are not trying. And this champagne, infused with Casa de Fruta’s signature pomegranates, is an ideal one to celebrate with. “After people attempt our pomegranate wine, I inquire if they wish to attempt the bubbly version,” Castillo stated. “It makes a good comparison to our brut champagne as well. This one is like a premade Mimosa with simply the correct amount of sweet taste that develops into tartness.” There is simply enough fruit to enhance the taste without challenging the clarity of the grape. This would make a good surprise at breakfast, served with eggs and bacon, or at lunch with a salad and freshly baked bread. It would likewise be fantastic for dessert, with some buttery shortbread cookies.
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