What's the first thing that pops into your head when you hear "Carneros"? Napa? Okay. Now, "Russian River"? Santa Lucia Highlands? Okay. How about "Mendocino"? Hmmm, not sure? You're not alone. That was one of the drivers behind the formation of Consortium Mendocino, the winemakers' group dedicated to creating a new blend that would showcase the unique flavors of Mendocino County.

Another driver was the increasing "anonymity" factor, where the best fruit Mendocino grows ends up in wines from Napa, Sonoma and elsewhere. And then there's that reputation for producing wines that are literally all over the map.

Clearly, Mendocino needed a direction, a unified voice, a new standard of excellence. And thus, in the winter of 2001, the first US consortium of its kind to develop a protocol for wine from a specific region was born. Not unlike Italy's Chianti or Spain's Rioja, the charter of the new blend, called "Coro Mendocino," is to distill the character and expression of this very Mediterranean soil and climate into a distinctive, declarative wine.

"Coro," Spanish and Italian for "chorus," may well become the new voice of Mendocino: the one that whispers in your ear whenever you see or hear the word "Mendocino." Whether or not its tune hits the charts, Coro is a voice that's as unmistakably Mendocino as the eclectic winemakers behind it.

The Vision Materializes

Coro Mendocino was a bold move spearheaded by Dennis Patton (consulting winemaker to Fetzer), and Paul Dolan (former president of Fetzer), and was partially inspired by a Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Syrah blend called "Comet" that Patton was hired to make as a flagship wine from Mendocino. They began talking with other winemakers about the idea of creating a uniquely Mendocino blend that would reflect the region's special history.

Getting more than two winemakers to agree on the what and the how would be a challenge, and skepticism abounded. Although all participants involved expressed doubts about the outcome of putting diverse egos in the same room, they all shared a sense of adventure and optimism. The respect they shared and developed for one another during the process would prove key to the chemistry, and would ultimately be reflected in the Coro wines.

Meet the Chorus

The founding members of the Coro committee include Sam Gabrielli of Gabrielli Winery, Greg Graziano of Graziano Family of Wines, Casey Hartlip of Eaglepoint Ranch, Fred Nickel of Brutocao Cellars, Sally Ottoson of Pacific Star, Dennis Patton of Fetzer (who also made a Coro for Golden Vineyards) and Bob Swain of Parducci. Others instrumental in establishing this first-of-its-kind blend in the US include Paul Dolan, former president of Fetzer and now owner of Parducci, and John Enquist, executive director of the Mendocino Winegrower's Alliance.

Bob Swain was in it from the beginning: he'd tried a Zinfandel-based blend with Rhône grapes called "Sorcery" at Hidden Cellars. As a board member of the Winegrowers Association, Swain remembers explaining the Coro concept to growers over three years ago. "They glazed over," he recalls with a chuckle.

Bob's extensive background at Clos du Val steeped him in the making of big, yet balanced blends, making him a strong believer in the blending concept. "Very few wines are 100 percent varietal anymore. Any vineyard, any variety, can be improved with diversity. Coro is a chance to really show what we can do best."

Dennis Patton was working on Coro before it existed. He was intrigued by the idea of following the European model of blending. He was also disappointed that Sonoma and Napa were spending millions to promote Cabernet Sauvignon. "Who were we to balkanize ourselves? We needed to cooperate and have a very focused attack." He approached Bob Swain, Greg Graziano and Fred Nickel with the notion of combining their 200-plus years of cumulative experience in winemaking to discern what would best showcase the region. "‘Let's start making our own mark,' I said. I didn't want to follow the Meritage model where you pay a lot of money to join and you essentially get a merit badge. Coro was about quality: it was totally quality-driven from the start," said Patton.

Sally Ottoson, winemaker and founder of Pacific Star in Fort Bragg, recalled, "I was thrilled to be asked to participate. Dennis Patton has such a great reputation as a real team player and a natural consultant--and he knew all the players. Showcasing our rich heritage in a new wine was a very appealing concept."

Casey Hartlip, partner and winemaker at Eaglepoint Ranch, confessed he was indeed skeptical at first. "How could you possibly get a group of winemakers to agree on anything? This is a business of strong egos. Personally, this was a huge challenge for me: blending was a new experience."

Greg Graziano, "Grazi" to his friends, is a legend in these parts, making wine under more labels than most winemakers have wines in their cellar. "I'm a Mendophile," he confessed. "I love this county, and we make some of the best wines in the world. We are very diverse and on the cutting-edge of technique. I saw Coro as a quest for overall quality that would be good for all of Mendocino."

Fred Nickel of Brutocao Cellars was an immediate convert. "Coro was an opportunity to create a wine that said, 'Hey, look what we can do!' We have bench lands built for old world varietals and a truly Mediterranean climate."

"Coro reflects the European model of winemaking, which is all about blending," said Sam Gabrielli, winemaker at Gabrielli Winery. "Have you ever heard a chef say 'I only use basil?' You blend what makes the best wine."

Ante Up!

Many winemakers expressed interest in the Coro project but when it came time to deal the cards, the $500 stake required of each player to develop the brand, labels and marketing materials left some on the sidelines. So, the game began with seven winemakers, and John Enquist of the Mendocino Winegrower's Alliance as the dealer and rule keeper. How did it go? Let's hear it from the chorus:

Ottoson: "We all had to check our egos at the door. Taking your fierce independence into a room and having to moderate that for the common good is the antithesis of what you do as a winemaker. We learned to compromise and make quick decisions. We made very democratic decisions using a very democratic process. I am amazed at how well we all got along. Our love, devotion and passion for winemaking really came through."

Swain: "This is a group of reasonably harmonious personalities. Actually, most of the debates were short, and consensus was arrived at easily."

Graziano: "I strive to be different, and I want to rule my domain. But it is nice to compromise and develop relationships. The camaraderie was great."

Gabrielli: "I was the communist radical of the group. I didn't want judges, just rules. I lost that argument."

Patton: "Getting iconoclastic personalities together was really interesting. We tend to be so individualistic. Meetings would go on and on. Then, someone would have the right idea, and we'd agree in 10 minutes. New and better ideas came forward because of this process."

Nickel: "The whole experience of Coro was a cross between first kiss giddiness and 'we're never going to get this done!' But the whole process has been very enjoyable--a lot more fun than I ever expected."

Hartlip: "Working with this great group of people and seeing it grow is incredibly rewarding. This is about doing something for everyone in Mendocino. We all live here for a reason, and this is a great way to give back to the county."

The Protocol: Finding the Right Key

The main theme instantly agreed on was "Mendocino grown, Mendocino made." But which varieties would be showcased? Although Merlot is the most abundantly grown red in Redwood Valley, it was nixed in favor of a real Mendocino standout: Zinfandel. The panel decided to showcase all the Mediterranean climate-loving grapes. In capping the Zinfandel base at 70 percent max, they made sure people didn't hedge their bets by thinking they could bottle a failed Coro as a Zinfandel. They also vigorously discussed the trend towards high-alcohol wines and agreed they needed to draw the line. They capped alcohol levels at 16 percent and hoped not to come close.

The Coro Protocol

Blend: Forty to 70 percent Zinfandel; second-tier varietals can include Barbera, Carignane, Charbono, Grenache, Dolcetto, Primitivo, Petite Sirah and Syrah.
Restriction: No second-tier varietal can exceed the percentage of Zinfandel.
Free Play: Up to 10 percent of any variety the winemaker chooses

The Battle Over the Bottle

Agreeing on the brand name and logo proved relatively painless: all immediately liked the ideas presented by designer Rick Roese of Fetzer. "We all loved the logo. We thought it would make a great tattoo," said Nickel.

But when the idea was proposed that all wines should have the same label and the same identity, there was dissension in the ranks.

Gabrielli explained, "Greg and I were adamant that we should not all have the same label. We had to be convinced otherwise. I didn't want to be like that old Mac [Apple] ad from 1984 with all the IBM lemmings in suits walking off a cliff. In the end, we agreed on a common label distinguished by our names. Greg, as always, further differentiates his with a necker booklet."

Off to the Cellar

Armed with the new recipe, each winemaker set out to make the most of what they already had in barrels or to seek out the most interesting varieties they could find. Some stuck close to formulas they'd tried before. Others had a field day.

Ottoson is one of the latter. "We have 300 growers in this area, with more old vines than any other county in the state. I love the character of old vine fruit, so my blend is 80 percent to 90 percent from old vines. Old vine Zin always shines in a blend. It has so much character it is easy to tweak without losing any. I used Petite Sirah for color and richness in the background, and Pinot Noir for perfume and spice. Barbera adds complex acid, plus bright and lively character. Charbono is a fabulous blending grape. It's the magic that pulls out flavors from the other grapes. Blending tends to smooth out the difference between varieties, which the French have known for centuries."

Sally also chose to use 100 percent French oak, matching her wide selection of toasts to each variety. Unlike fellow Coro winemakers, who all chose a mix of French and American wood, she does not like aging Zinfandel in American oak.

Hartlip: "I used Syrah and Petite Sirah because that's what I make best. I wasn't sure about this blending thing. In fact, it's work for me. Some, like Grazi, are just hip to it. Sally is a cook: she just keeps adding things. I didn't like my initial result. In fact, I was completely depressed about it. But right now, I have to say the '01 is the pinnacle of my short winemaking career."

Patton: "I basically reconstituted the Fetzer blend to bring it into balance. It was a chance to work out the kinks."

Gabrielli: "I started with great Zin from Oakwood Vineyards as well as my estate Sangiovese and Syrah. The Sangiovese makes things racier and fruiter, and the Syrah and the Petite Sirah add depth, smoothness and silkiness."

The Jury Process

It was agreed that five of the group would be chosen arbitrarily to make the final judgment on which blends would be accepted and which would get the thumbs down. Judges were chosen based on the first five hands in the air. All were nervous. There were two rounds of trials. The first was an open session where samples were submitted one-by-one and passed around the table for comment.

Ottoson of Pacific Star recalled, "We went around the table and talked about techniques, oak and length of time in barrel. We actually shared secrets, which is not commonly done. We talked about fermentation tricks: do you cold soak or not, do you fine or not. You are really exposing yourself. What really came through in the critique was the kindness, the respect. We kept the big picture in mind. In this business, you typically try to stand out: you accentuate your differences. In the Coro project, though, we had to find our similarities. We wanted a family feel."

The second round was a bit tougher. The wines--refined and hopefully more polished--were ready for blind inspection. All were tasted in relationship to each other, and the jury voted yes or no on each. The yeas went on to become the first Coro blends that would eventually be bottled.

Patton: "We instituted real integrity into the review process. I voted against my own wine. We gave each other input so we could make it better and come back. The last two rounds of chemistry were done by an outside firm to keep everything to formula."

Swain: "The jury process was invaluable. All the wines changed a lot from beginning to end. I blind-tasted my own wine and didn't like it. I knew it wasn't there. Getting feedback from fellow winemakers helped everyone."

The Coro Experience: In Perspective

The Coro launch in early June was met with such great enthusiasm that the winemakers were universally unprepared to deliver. In fact, they barely managed to bottle the set of eight to pour at the launch and at Mendocino's 2004 Wine Affair. They quickly found themselves in a position they had never before experienced: taking orders for wine that had not yet found its way into the bottle.

"We underestimated the response," said Nickel. "We were not prepared for the reaction. We've really developed a whole new category here. We've laid the groundwork for a long-term project. The DOCs didn't get it right for a long time. It's like watching kids grow up."

Patton: "When we tasted all the wines right before Wine Affair, we hadn't sampled them for about a year. We were a bit nervous. But we discovered there is a there there. The family resemblance is very obvious. Coro is already having the effect of making other winemakers focus on Mendocino. We're setting a new standard."

Gabrielli: "We have to take the long-term view here: It took 60 years for Chianti and Brunello to get it right from a quality issue. I think we're on the right track."

Swain: "It was a self-realization for me. Tasting by myself as a winemaker is very dangerous. We all do it too much. It really helps to get feedback and perspective outside of the 'house vacuum.' Wineries tend to develop house styles over time. We need to get away from 'in-house group think.'"

Hartlip: "As a winemaker, this was one of the hardest things I've ever done. But it was the most fun I've had in a really long time. Frankly, I'm enjoying this whole new category of wine: it doesn't taste like anything else. I didn't think we could achieve this so quickly."

Ottoson: "I'd like to see less emphasis on Zin. I think we should branch out and really showcase our breadth of old-vine varieties."

Graziano: "This will be some of the best wine we will all ever make. The 2002 is even better than the 2001. I think the 2003 may be tougher. What we must do is establish a consistency of quality, not necessarily of style. This was a really fun experience. We should never make it too serious or too heavy. The key is to have fun and create quality while doing it."

Round #2: The Next Vintages

"I'm letting the wine take me this time," said Casey Hartlip. "I think I've got the first Coro with Grenache. It adds a prettiness, a 'fun factor.' It really softens the complexion of a bold wine."

Ottoson: "The 2002 is more elegant and subtle, with more aromatics. I'm trying to get more complexity from each variety."

Swain: "The 2001 started out with less Zin, but when I added the Syrah and Petite Sirah, they were really 'loud.' For 2002, I've got more Petit Sirah, less Syrah and less Zin. It's big, yet balanced."

Gabrielli: "The 2002 is very similar, with high acidity, but there is less Zin and more Petite, more Sangiovese. I'm looking for consistency, juiciness, and elegance."

Patten: "I think all the 2002s are more refined and defined. The family resemblance is strong. It shows we can achieve the top echelon of quality in this county."

Nickel: "I felt I wasn't really able to manipulate the 2001 and 2002 vintages. It was more like touchy-feely making out in the back seat. But with the '2003, I'm making Syrah a bigger player, as well as Primitivo, and I'm adding Sangiovese. I'm tailoring specific lots for Coro, paying attention to vine balance and crop load. I'm steering the wine in a more focused direction. Of course, the best wine everyone has ever made is the one they're going to make next year."

Wearing the Brand

The Coro logo is showing up, not just on wine bottles, but on hats, shirts and body parts.

A case in point is Hartlip, the first winemaker to get a Coro brand tattoo, which now adorns his biceps. It seems this group will do anything to make Coro a magnet for Mendocino.

"Someone asked me, 'What if this bombs? Won't you feel silly wearing that tattoo in 10 years?'" confessed Hartlip. "I answered that even if it does fail, which I believe it won't, it is a part of history and one I'm proud as heck to be part of it. Plus, it's a cool tattoo!"

Time will tell how this new chapter in Mendocino winemaking history will play out. One thing is for sure, though: Wines from this region,