2010 Purple Hands Pinot Noir Stoller Vineyard

2006 Two Hands Brave Faces

2010 Isole e Olena Chianti Classico

2009 Novy Family Wines Four Mile Creek

2010 Purple Hands Pinot Noir Stoller Vineyard – $19.94

My comments

The owner/winemaker is Cody Wright, the son of well known and popular Oregon winemaker/owner Ken Wright.  This was a new winery to me when the local wine store had an e-mail special on the wine.  In my opinion, any time you can get hold of a good Pinot Noir for under $20, you buy.  This sat in the cellar for almost 2 whole days, so it’s time to try one.

Winery history

Purple Hands winery strives for the expression of genuine inherent terroir of soil and grape.  We search for ideal moments of ripeness and complexity balanced with authentic strength of soil character.

Our wines are windows into dynamic breadths of terroir, extracting and unlocking a code of sweet and savory from our rich Oregon soil.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright red color with a slight ruby tint.  The soft and nuanced nose has black cherries, raspberries, fresh flowers, and subtle earthiness.  This is medium body at most, with racy acidity, and soft but persistent tannins.  The silky palate has tart, juicy fruit, spice, and a bit of earthiness which carries through on the slightly short finish.  This is a nice, light weight style of Pinot with juicy acidity and a touch of earthiness and spice to balance out the fruit.  This is a nice change up from the broad shouldered California Pinots.  (90 pts)

2006 Two Hands Brave Faces – $17.09

My comments

Two Hands is one of my wife’s favorite wineries and ranks pretty high on my list.  This is a winery not afraid to allow their grapes to get fully ripe before picking.  Some of their wines get awfully close to the over ripe and syrupy side of the line, but most of the time they don’t cross that line.  Remember, ripe fruit is not a flaw in a bottle wine.

I was able to grab a case of this wine from my local wine store during a blow out sale a year or two ago.  To me, this was an absolute no brainer buy for a touch over $17 a bottle.  This is 65% Shiraz, 35% Grenache and 100% BarossaValley.  This is the type of wine that made Australia famous before the mass produced “critter wines” did their best to kill that reputation.

Winery history (Core Values)

Quality without compromise is central to the Two Hands philosophy, driving all the decisions from fruit and oak selection to packaging and promotion.

We strive to differentiate ourselves; to be unique, fun and innovative in our business approach while maintaining a high degree of professionalism and integrity.

Our wines are made by a process of barrel classification – selecting the very best barrels for the Flagship range followed by Garden Series then our Picture Series.  This is achieved by sourcing the best parcels of fruit available to us from six premium regions within Australia.

We handle every parcel of fruit, however small, separately from crushing through to fermentation and oak maturation to ensure complexity and personality in the finished wines.

Fruit will be the primary feature of all our wines, with oak playing a supporting role.

Much more information available at:  http://www.twohandswines.com/

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark maroon color.  The very outgoing and friendly nose features blackberries, Asian spices, black pepper, dying charcoal embers, cherry, vanilla, blueberries, and bittersweet chocolate.  This is fairly full bodied with ripe tannins and good acidity.  The palate is loaded with juicy berries, spice, and pepper.  The finish is fairly long with some dark chocolate adding a nice element to the spicy, peppery, berries.  This is drinking very nicely and should hold in the cellar for at least another year or two.  (92 pts)

2010 Isole e Olena Chianti Classico – $18.59

My comments

This wine made my “Best Buys” list for 2012, finishing at number 8.  To see the whole list see my post, Top 10 QPR Wines of 2012.

Even though I do like a “regular” Chinti, in my opinion, you need at least a Chianti Classico if you’re having pasta with a meat sauce, which is on our menu for this evening.

Winery history

Many of the wineries in the Chianti Region double as tourist attractions.  Not Paolo De Marchi’s Isole e Olena; when you turn right at the main gate and drive by the burnished steel fermentation tanks, you will come to a muddy square where you may find someone working on a wagon with an arc welder.

“We don’t have time for tourism,” says Paolo.  “It would distract us from our wines.”  His dedication is our gain; Isole e Olena’s wines are superb.  In addition to Chianti Classico, there is Cepparello, a pure Sangiovese of towering complexity and finesse, and a breathtaking Vinsanto.  The winery also produces a Cabernet Sauvignon, a Chardonnay, and L’Eremo, a Syrah.

Syrah is an ancient grape from the RhoneValley, which Paolo originally intended to use to add color and depth to his Chianti Classico (he feels that the Cabernet used in most Tuscan wineries can overwhelm Sangiovese).  However, he has since decided that the best way to improve Chianti is by careful selection of Sangiovese (Chianti’s principal grape), and is working to that end.  Meanwhile, L’Eremo placed fourth in a world-wide blind tasting of Syrah, after three wines from the RhoneValley.

Isole e Olena is also worth visiting if you like to talk wines.  Though Paolo has dropped out of the Consorzio del Marchio Storico (formerly Gallo Nero) for philosophical reasons, he firmly believes in the Chianti Classico region, and his opinions are the result of much thought.  For example, there is a movement to establish extra-high quality subzones within the Chianti Classico region.  “Since one of these zones includes Isole e Olena, it would be good for me,” he says with a grin.  “But so long as wineries can double their quality by hiring new enologists, I’m against it — it’s too soon.”

My Tasting Note

The wine is a nice ruby red color.  The very enjoyable nose has cherries, plums, baking spices, dried herbs, violets, and a touch of earthy underbrush.  This is barely medium body with ripe tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate the wine has nice tart red fruit and spice up front with some earthy elements coming in later adding depth and complexity.  The finish has good length with the tart fruit, spices, and earthiness held together nicely by the acidity.  If you can find this for under $20, stock up.  (91 pts)

2009 Novy Family Wines Four Mile Creek – $9.50

My comments

Perennially a value priced favorite.  In this vintage, it seems to have a bit more oomph than most vintages.  Perhaps there was a surplus of very good grapes from some of the better vineyards or some grapes headed for single vineyard wines were declassified.  Either way, we’re the winners.  This is a jammy, fruity blend of Zinfandel, Grenache, Syrah and Nebbiolo.

Winery history

Our winemaking goal is to produce wines that best capture the distinct flavor and character of a given vineyard site.  To that end, we focus on sites that provide us with exceptional fruit.  We are fanatical in our protection of the vineyard flavor and are determined not to let any overt winemaking components mute the personality of an individual site.

In the cellar, we vinifiy each wine separately by block, clone and barrel type in order to maximize the individual components and provide greater complexity to the final blend.  This approach also provides us with much more flexibility in crafting a wine using only the best and most harmonious lots.

Given that the majority of our wines are single vineyard offerings, it is critical for us to maintain the site’s individual character in order to provide you with a truly diverse offering of wines.  To that end:

• We believe in minimal intervention, “gentle” winemaking.  In other words, we let the wine make itself.  We do not want to do anything to the wine that isn’t absolutely necessary.
• We believe in bottling our wines unfiltered and unfined whenever possible, convinced as we are that fining and filtering strip wines of flavor and character.
• We believe that the best wines express their origins.  Our goal is not to produce the world’s best Syrah or Zinfandel but rather to produce the very best wine from a given site.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby red color.  The easy going nose has blackberries, black cherries, baking spices, vanilla, wild flowers, and a touch of earthiness.  This has medium body, soft, ripe tannins, and good acidity.  The wine provides a mouthful of jammy fruit with some earthiness and spicy oak coming in on the back end.  The finish has decent length with the spicy, earthy fruit.  Not a lot of complexity but a very tasty week night wine.  Offers an outstanding “quality to price ratio” if you can find it for under $10, like I did.  (88 pts)

***** Shameless Self Promotion Area *****

Here is a link to a YouTube video of me getting “coal” from Santa for being named the “Nicest Person in Social Media” in 2012.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOvQTeGR3-c

Breaking news from Klout:

Remember to support your local wine store!

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Notes – I use the “official” Cellar Tracker name for the wines.  I use Cellar Tracker to help manage and organize my cellar.  I highly recommend checking it out at www.cellartracker.com.  Loading you existing cellar is a lot less intimidating than it would first appear.  There is a good chance 99% of your wine is already in the system, so you generally only need to enter part of the wine’s name and the system will find it for you.

Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase.  I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but my local store is usually VERY competitive.  I generally get case discounts, and since I work there part time, I get a 5% discount.  Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges.  None of the prices include the sales tax.

All wines that were sent to me free of charge to sample will be noted and I will show suggested prices when available.

Cheers!

This is based on samples provided by the winey or an organization acting on their behalf.

Prices noted are the Suggested Retail Prices.

One note of caution in regards to my notes below.  The samples were in small, 50ml, bottles from TastingRoom.com.  Some of the wines seemed a touch soft or tired on the mid-palate and finish.  I like these small bottles for sampling purposes, but they are designed to be sampled fairly quickly.  The mini bottles are bottled from regular sized bottles in a “zero-oxygen chamber”, they are supposed to be consumed within four to six months.  My samples had been rebottled about 5 1/2 months earlier, and I really think this was making them appear a bit “tired”.  The more acidity driven whites seem to have held up much better than the reds.

Since the samples were fairly small and questionable quality, I will not post scores for the wines.  I will note, all the wines were well made with absolutely no flaws.  I feel every wine, from a pristine bottle, would merit a solid recommendation.  Do not pass on any of these wines based on my notes, I know I won’t.  I would be happy to have a bottle of any of these wines with my evening dinner.

For 35 harvests, for 35 Septembers, our family has carefully farmed and managed some of the finest grapes in Sonoma County. With painstaking devotion to the land, three generations –  Henry Trione, sons Mark and Vic, and Mark’s daughter Denise – have developed a reputation for producing premium grapes. Our wines are characteristic of the appellations in which they are grown: the cool, slow-ripening flavors of the Russian River Valley and the rich, dark-berry essence of the Alexander Valley.

Over these many harvest seasons, we have owned and managed more than 700 acres of the best grapes and soils in these highly respected Sonoma County appellations. We have learned to balance and blend the gifts of nature with state-of-the-art winemaking. Our grapes have been the foundation of many award-winning wines. Now we bring our grapes to you in wines bottled under our own label, Trione Vineyards & Winery.

We are passionate about family and tradition, especially traditions that include good food and good wine. Our vineyards, our wines – and our winery – have been a labor of love, the culmination of our family’s long tradition of dedication to Sonoma County. Please share a bottle of wine from the Trione Vineyards and Winery with your family and friends, and taste our commitment to excellence. Salute!

Much more information is available on their website.

Trione wines are distributed in about half the country and also available on their website.

The Trione Wine Club offers significant discounts on wine and other perks, information is available here.

The line up for the tasting:

2010 Trione Sauvignon Blanc River Road Ranch – $23.00

Wine Information

The grapes for this wine came from the Trione River Road Ranch in the heart of the Russian River Valley AVA.  Sauvignon Blanc thrives here in the well-drained gravel and clay loam soils.  The long and cool 2010 growing season extended into fall, allowing fruit flavors to develop fully.  The Sauvignon Blanc was harvested the last day of September.

2010 was yet another challenging year in SonomaCounty for grape growing.  In fact, rainfall and low temperature records for the month of July were set that had not been seen in 50 years.  Yields were down in all varieties and growers and winemakers were wondering if the fruit would ripen at all, given the cool summer growing season.  Then Mother Nature showed her fickle ways by sending late August temperatures rising to above 100°F and scorching any exposed fruit not protected by leaf coverage.  The temperature rise hastened ripening and the grapes were harvested about two weeks later than normal.

The 2010 Sauvignon Blanc was made in the traditional method of tank fermentation and barrel aging.  Neutral white French oak barrels were used for the barrel aging.

Total production was 1,054 cases and the final alcohol was 14%.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a very light yellow to straw color, just a touch more color than water.  The fresh and Spring-like nose has gooseberry, honeysuckle, melon, lime zest, fresh cut grass, minerals, sea breeze, and a touch of baking spices.  This has just a touch over light body, is dry, and has juicy, citrusy, acidity.  The mouthwatering palate has nice spice, gooseberries, melons, herbal notes, and lime.  The finish has nice length and again has a nice mix of citrus, spice, and herbal notes.  This is like Spring in a bottle.

2008 Trione Chardonnay River Road Ranch – $30.00

Wine Information

2008 by all accounts was a season of extremes.  It began as a dry winter with slightly early bud break, which was followed up by the most extreme frost events that the Russian River Valley had seen in years.  Full frost protection was needed as well as a lot of praying.  The summer was moderate with long warm days and cool nights.  With a small crop set and a heat spike in late August, the harvest was set in motion.  The heat sent sugars climbing and the vineyard crews scrambling to get the fruit in as quickly as possible.  The Chardonnay harvest was about one week ahead of the previous year.

Traditional winemaking is the focus with Chardonnay at Trione.  Like the great wine estates of Burgundy, the wines are made with grapes that are hand harvested, whole bunch pressed for gentle juice extraction with the resulting juice racked to barrels.  The barrels are 100% French oak with a mixture of new, one and two years of age.  The lees from the previous vintage are used to initiate fermentation.  The wine then spends the next few months fermenting with the completion happening sometime the following spring.

The wine was aged for 13 months in oak barrels, 40% new.

There were 1,252 cases produced and the final alcohol was 14.5%

My Tasting Note

The wine is a pale golden-yellow color with a slight greenish tint.  The nice nose has apples, pears, hazelnuts, baking spices, spicy oak, and a touch of lemon zest.  This has medium body and has good acidity.  On the palate there are baked apples, lemon zest, and a touch of nuttiness.  The finish is fairly long with tart apples and spice being joined by a slight herbal note.

2008 Trione Pinot Noir River Road Ranch – $35.00

Wine Information

2008 by all accounts was a season of extremes.  It began as a dry winter and slightly early bud break, which was followed up by the most extreme frost events that the RussianRiverValley had seen in years.  Full frost protection was needed as well as a lot of praying.  The summer was moderate with long warm days and cool nights.  With a small crop set and a heat spike in late August, the harvest was set in motion.  The heat sent sugars climbing and the vineyard crews scrambling to get the fruit in as quickly as possible.  The Pinot Noir harvest was about one week ahead of the previous year.

Traditional techniques such as such as open top fermentations and hand plunging the cap during primary fermentation were implemented.  To accentuate the fruit component, twenty percent of the grapes were added whole cluster to the bottom of the fermenter.

The wine was aged for 13 months in oak barrels, 45% new.

A total of 1,295 cases were produced.  The final alcohol was 14.3%.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light ruby red, considerably lighter at the edge.  The inviting nose has black cherries, earthy underbrush, baking spices, dried herbs, mushrooms, and a touch of cola.  This has medium body at most, soft but persistent tannins, and very good acidity.  The palate has earthy black cherries and spice carrying most of the load.  The finish has decent length but could use a touch more oomph.

2008 Trione Syrah River Road Ranch – $32.00

Wine Information

Trione Syrah grows in a single block planted with two clones, 470 and 877.  The mild 2008 growing season allowed slow ripening with full development of rich flavors and soft tannins.  Ten tons of grapes were hand harvested on October 8th and crushed the just-completed winery.

This Syrah was made with many of the small-batch techniques used with Pinot Noir:  fermentation in small, open-top fermenters with a larger portion of whole berries, hand plunging the cap four times daily for maximum flavor and color extraction.  The whole berries contributed deep blackberry fruit character and added complexity.

There were 678 cases produced and the final alcohol was 15.3%.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby red color.  The enticing nose has blackberries, plums, warm baking spices, white pepper, meat juices, violets, and earthy underbrush.  This has medium body, fairly solid tannins, and good acidity.  The palate has very nice spicy berries with white pepper, earthy elements, and a meaty quality.  The finish has very good length and again leans on the spicy, peppery, earthy berries.

2007 Trione Cabernet Sauvignon Block Twenty One – $64.00

Wine Information

The Block 21 Cabernet is a single vineyard selection from the Trione Cloverdale Ranch, situated on the western flank of the MayacamasMountains, in the northern portion of AlexanderValley.

This classic Bordeaux blend includes 10% Merlot from the Geyserville Ranch and 2.5% each Petite Verdot and Malbec, both from Cloverdale.  After a long, mild growing season, the grapes were harvested by hand, each variety separately fermented, then barrel aged for twelve months.  Once the final blend was determined, the wine was returned to barrel and aged for an additional twelve months to ‘marry’ the varietals.  The French oak barrels (45% new) used from coopers Taransaud, Vicard and Bossuet.

Only 733 cases of wine was produced and the alcohol is 14.5%.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a touch darker than a medium ruby red color.  The very appealing nose has cassis, cedar, baking spices, cherries, minerals, dried herbs, and some earthiness.  This is medium to full bodied with fairly solid, ripe tannins, and good acidity.  The palate has nice cassis and cherry up front with baking spices, dried herbs and some earthiness coming in late.  The finish has nice length and briefly leans on the fruity components before the savory notes take over.  I would have liked a touch more fullness on the palate which gets a bit lean.

2007 Trione Geyserville Ranch – $48.00

Wine Information

The “Red Wine” is a classic Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec.  This wine was blended to show the complexities that exist in the Alexander Valley Appellation. The wine is composed mainly of Cabernet Sauvignon from Nervo Ranch.  The Merlot is from the Geyserville Ranch, the Petite Verdot and Malbec are from Cloverdale Ranch.  The varietal breakdown is 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 4% Petite Verdot and 4% Malbec.  Each variety was fermented separately in small open top vessels.

A total of 2,435 six-packs were produced with a final alcohol of 14.9%.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby to maroon color.  the slightly subdued nose has cassis, warm baking spices, dark chocolate, dried herbs, black cherries, and a bit of earthiness.  This has a full body, fairly solid tannins, and decent acidity.  The palate has nice cassis and plum notes up front with dried herbs and some dark chocolate coming in on the back end and carrying on through the nice finish.  Nicely balanced but I’d have liked a touch more complexity.

***** Shameless Self Promotion Area *****

Here is a link to a YouTube video of me getting “coal” from Santa for being named the “Nicest Person in Social Media” in 2012.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOvQTeGR3-c

Breaking news from Klout:

Remember to support your local wine store!

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Notes – I use the “official” Cellar Tracker name for the wines.  I use Cellar Tracker to help manage and organize my cellar.  I highly recommend checking it out at www.cellartracker.com.  Loading you existing cellar is a lot less intimidating than it would first appear.  There is a good chance 99% of your wine is already in the system, so you generally only need to enter part of the wine’s name and the system will find it for you.

Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase.  I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but my local store is usually VERY competitive.  I generally get case discounts, and since I work there part time, I get a 5% discount.  Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges.  None of the prices include the sales tax.

All wines that were sent to me free of charge to sample will be noted and I will show suggested prices when available.

Cheers!

2005 Copain Syrah James Berry Vineyard

2004 Finca Villacreces Ribera del Duero

2007 K Vintners Syrah Morrison Lane

2005 Copain Syrah James Berry Vineyard – $60.00

My comments

I’m in the mood for something special tonight.  Dinner won’t be anything to out of the ordinary, so I decided to kick up the wine selection a few notches.

This is one of my favorite wineries, using one of my favorite grapes, from one of my favorite vineyards.  That sounds special, at it does to me.  It has been a couple years since I tried this wine, so it’s a perfect time to check in to see how it is progressing.

Winery history

Wells Guthrie discovered early on that his taste in wine gravitated toward Europe in general and France’s Rhône Valley in particular.  So much so, he picked up and moved with his new bride to the region to learn from the best.  For two years, Wells apprenticed for esteemed winemaker and living legend Michel Chapoutier in France’s Rhone Valley.  During that time, Wells was deeply inspired by the traditions and practices of French winemaking, not to mention the European attitude that wine is an essential part of life.  At Copain, he creates wines that are firmly rooted in California, yet with the sensibilities of the European wines that so moved him.  He is as committed to crafting these elegant, nuanced wines as he is to building a legacy that will be passed down to his daughters in the great tradition of European winemakers whose estates have been in the same family for generations.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark ruby color.  The big and bold nose has blackberries, smoked meat, minerals, blueberries, tar, black pepper, bittersweet chocolate, and some earthiness.  This has medium to full body, fairly solid tannins, and very nice acidity.  The wine isn’t as big on the palate as the nose lead me to expect, it’s actually very civilized.  The palate has nice rich fruit but equal amounts of savory elements to steer clear of getting too fruity and boring.  The tannins and acidity easily holds everything in place and maintains control.  The finish is fairly long with some dark chocolate and earthiness creeping in to add considerable interest.  I may have been in the minority, but I liked this style of Copain Syrah.  (93 pts)

2004 Finca Villacreces Ribera del Duero – $30.79

My comments

I’ve been a fan of the masculine wines coming out of Spain’s Ribera del Duero region for several years.  These tend to be on the rustic side with burly tannins in their youth but with plenty of acidity and fruit to evolve into something special with enough time in the cellar.  It’s been a few years since I tried this wine, so it’s time to check in again.

Winery history

One of the most sought-after pieces of land in Ribera del Duero, the estate of Villacreces sits next to Vega Sicilia, perhaps (historically) the most famous property in the Spanish region.  There is written evidence that the first vines were planted on the estate in the 13th Century.  During the 14th Century, it was run by Saint Pedro de Villacreces and, later on, with its perfect conditions for prayer and retreat, it became a monastery.  In the 20th Century, the property belonged to a wealthy aristocratic family from Valladolid, who used to spend their holidays and weekends there.  In the early 1970s, 100 acres of vineyard were planted, which has now been increased to 150. Including a 200-year-old forest, the estate comprises a total of 285 acres.

In 2003, the Anton family – owners of a Rioja bodega and one of Spain’s most famous Michelin starred restaurants in the Basque country – purchased the estate and invested in revitalizing both the estate and the vineyards.  The property is situated at 2,300 feet above sea level on poor soils comprised of lime, gravel, sand and quartz which naturally keep yields low (the estate averages 1.6 tons per acre).  The proximity to the Duero river helps protect the vines from and reduce the effects of the frosts that are common in the Ribera del Duero.

This is courtesy of Eric Solomon’s fantastic site, loads of fantastic information is available and is highly recommended.  Click here to visit the site.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby red color.  The very nice nose has blackberries, minerals, raspberries, dried herbs, orange zest, earthy underbrush, warm baking spices, dark roast coffee, and dark chocolate.  This has medium to full body, solid, ripe tannins, and very good acidity.  The palate has very nice fruit with loads of spice, minerals, and earthiness adding tons of depth.  An herbal note pops out on the back end and lingers on through the long finish.  Even though it is 9 years old, this is still on the young side and needs some air or preferably a few more years in the cellar.  (92 pts)

2007 K Vintners Syrah Morrison Lane – $43.69

My comments

I was in the mood for something different today.  I bought six bottles of this wine from the local store a couple years ago.  I opened one about a year ago, and it definitely fell into the “something different” category.  This wasn’t your typical, fruit driven wine.  At that time, the fruit was a bit player in the bigger picture.  It’s time to try my second bottle to see how this is progressing.

Winery history

Located at the base of the Blue Mountains in Walla Walla (Washington State), Charles Smith opened his first winery, K Vintners, in December of 2001.  The first release, 1999 K Syrah from Walla Walla Valley, initiated the style of winemaking that Charles continues today: small lots of single vineyard Syrahs and field blends of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Tempranillo and Viognier, all of which are hand-picked, foot-stomped, fermented with naturally occurring yeasts and basket pressed.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark purple color, almost black.  The deep and dark nose has blackberries, charred meat, smoky embers, dried flowers, black pepper, roasted herbs, vanilla, melted licorice, minerals, and dark bittersweet chocolate.  This is fairly full bodied with solid tannins and good acidity.  On the palate the charred meat, roasted herbs, and black pepper seize control before some fruit can finally break through.  The finish is long and again full of the savory elements with just enough fruit slipping through to add some sweetness before the dark chocolate eventually closes the show.  This is still on the young side and will reward some additional cellar time, but this will never be a fruit driven wine.  (93 pts)

***** Shameless Self Promotion *****

Here is a link to a YouTube video of me getting “coal” from Santa for being named the “Nicest Person in Social Media” in 2012.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOvQTeGR3-c

According to Klout:

Wines bought or received this week

I received a few bottles from a new winery in Argentina to sample.

2011 Fat Gaucho Torrontés

2011 Fat Gaucho Malbec

2010 Fat Gaucho Malbec Reserva

2010 Fat Gaucho Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva

These wines will be reviewed for Crave Local.

Remember to support your local wine store!

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Notes – I use the “official” Cellar Tracker name for the wines.  I use Cellar Tracker to help manage and organize my cellar.  I highly recommend checking it out at www.cellartracker.com.  Loading you existing cellar is a lot less intimidating than it would first appear.  There is a good chance 99% of your wine is already in the system, so you generally only need to enter part of the wine’s name and the system will find it for you.

Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase.  I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but my local store is usually VERY competitive.  I generally get case discounts, and since I work there part time, I get a 5% discount.  Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges.  None of the prices include the sales tax.

All wines that were sent to me free of charge to sample will be noted and I will show suggested prices when available.

Cheers!

2008 Elyse Le Corbeau Hudson Vineyard

(Suggested Retail Price $37.00)

This is based on a winery supplied sample.

Winemaking is cooking without a flame.  Our winemaking philosophy at Elyse in Napa Valley is similar to the approach of a great chef who carefully prepares artisan grown ingredients to bring each layer of flavor to the table.  Long term alliances with our growers form the cornerstone to our portfolio of vineyard driven wines that possess an unfaltering affinity for pairing with food.

“A meal with wine is dining – it’s a conversation, an event.  It’s what wine is all about.” – Ray Coursen, Winemaker & Owner

“This excellent winery continues to carve out a well-deserved reputation for its interesting red wine portfolio.” – Robert M. Parker Jr.

Elyse Winery was started in 1987 by Ray and his wife Nancy when they crushed 4.5 tons of Zinfandel from the Morisoli Vineyard in Rutherford to craft 286 cases of their first wine.  While the portfolio has grown over the last 25 years, the focus remains on creating vineyard driven wines that pair well with food.  Total production is currently 10,000 cases and the wines are nationally and internationally distributed.

Ray grew up on a dairy farm in northwest New Jersey and tended various crops before tiring of milk and leaving the roost.  After a two year stint in the army and extensive travel in Europe and Africa, he returned to the states and attended StockbridgeAgriculturalCollege at the University of Massachusetts.  While at school, he worked at a fine wine shop in Boston, and it was here that he discovered fine French wine.  With Coursen’s background in farming and his new appreciation for wine, the idea of making wine took hold.

Nancy is a third generation Californian and grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area.   Following her graduation from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in Occupational Therapy, she worked with special needs children in the educational systems of the Boston area.   It was in Boston in 1982 that Nancy met Ray and shortly thereafter his interest in the wine business brought them to the NapaValley.

Much more information and Ray, Nancy, Elyse, and her younger brother Jacob Franklin can be found at:  http://www.elysewinery.com/25.html

On your next visit to the NapaValley, I highly recommend a stop at Elyse.  They are about a mile south of Yountville just off Highway 29.  A reservation is required but the visit is well worth the phone call.  More information is available at:  http://www.elysewinery.com/visit.html

And finally onto the reason you are visiting this post, the wine.

My comments

“Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe” -from Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven”.

I’ve been a fan of the big, “hedonistic” California Rhone Ranger wines for several years, but I’m equally a fan of the “cool climate” style of these wines, like this one.  Wines like this one are made for the dinner table and shine in that environment.  The rich, jammy fruit of the wines from warmer locales is more than adequately replaced with spice, dried herbs (often noted as garrigue in reviews of French wines), pepper, and subtle earthiness.  If you are a fan of a French Chateauneuf du Pape, check out these Grenache and Syrah blends from California, like this one.

To get a bottle of this wine for yourself, visit your local wine store or order directly from Elyse on their website.

Wine Info

This is a blend of 90% Grenache and 10% Syrah from the Hudson Vineyard in California’s Carneros region.

The wine was aged 22 months in French oak, 20% of which were new.

The total production was 300 cases and the final alcohol is 14.4%.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium red color with just a touch of a ruby tint.  The friendly and inviting nose has raspberries, plums, dried herbs, white pepper, Asian spices, dried wild flowers, minerals, and hints of orange zest, vanilla, and some subtle earthiness.  This has a medium body, fairly solid, velvety tannins, and very nice acidity.  On the palate the wine has very nice fruit but the spices, dried herbs, and earthy elements steal the spotlight adding waves of flavor and considerable depth, before the fruit comes roaring back into the picture.  The finish is fairly long with nice plum and raspberry competing with the spice and earthy elements.  This could easily be slipped into a Chateauneuf du Pape tasting and not stick out as being from California.  This is still very young and could use a fair amount of air or preferably a year or two in the cellar.  (93 pts)

***** Shameless Self Promotion *****

Here is a link to a YouTube video of me getting “coal” from Santa for being named the “Nicest Person in Social Media” in 2012.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOvQTeGR3-c

Breaking news from Klout:

Remember to support your local wine store!

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Notes – I use the “official” Cellar Tracker name for the wines.  I use Cellar Tracker to help manage and organize my cellar.  I highly recommend checking it out at www.cellartracker.com.  Loading you existing cellar is a lot less intimidating than it would first appear.  There is a good chance 99% of your wine is already in the system, so you generally only need to enter part of the wine’s name and the system will find it for you.

Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase.  I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but my local store is usually VERY competitive.  I generally get case discounts, and since I work there part time, I get a 5% discount.  Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges.  None of the prices include the sales tax.

All wines that were sent to me free of charge to sample will be noted and I will show suggested prices when available.

Cheers!

2006 Sterling Vineyards Merlot Three Palms Vineyard

2004 Palmaz Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Cedar Knoll Vineyard

2009 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Clos Pepe Vineyard

2007 Scherrer Winery Zinfandel Scherrer Shale Terrace

2006 Sterling Vineyards Merlot Three Palms Vineyard – $20.89

My comments

This is a very consistent, single vineyard Merlot that used to be a “house favorite”.  Unfortunately, over the years the price increases took enough of a toll, that I felt it no longer offered enough quality to merit the price.  When the local store was able to secure enough of the wine to offer via an “end of vintage” e-mail offer for a touch over $20, I had to jump in.

Winery history

Sterling Vineyards is proud to be a certified Napa County Green Winery, a distinction we achieved in 2009 as one of the first 12 wineries to be included.  This certification is a result of our diligent efforts in conserving water and energy, as well as preventing pollution and landfill waste.

In addition, Sterling is also certified as Napa County Green for our land and vineyard practices, which include sustainable vineyard management, water conservation, and fish-friendly farming across 100% of our estate vineyards.

Every year we recycle approximately 1,400 tons of waste, resulting in a waste diversion rate of 95%.  This has resulted in awards in the Waste Reduction Awards Program from the California Integrated Waste Management Board for the past three years.  (Proceeds from the award have been donated to local charities each year.)

Finally, in December 2008 our iconic tram was converted to solar power.  The solar energy system produces more than 100,000 kilowatt-hours per year, which is equivalent to the energy required to power 5.5 homes for a full year.  This conversion also eliminates 65 tons of CO2 emitted into the environment annually.

From vineyard practices to winery operations to the daily activities at our world-famous tasting rooms, Sterling Vineyards is proud to act as a dedicated steward of our environmental riches.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to dark ruby red color.  The very nice nose has cherry, cedar, melted licorice, plums, baking spices, tobacco, dried herbs, dark roast espresso, and a touch of earthiness.  This has medium body, fairly solid tannins, and very nice acidity.  The palate shows no excess weight with nice balance between the fruit and savory elements.  The finish is a touch short and a bit lean but other wise this is a very sound and appealing wine.  A steal at $20 but questionable value at $60.  (90 pts)

2004 Palmaz Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Cedar Knoll Vineyard – $18.21

My comments

This wine’s normal price is in the $45 to $49 range, which I feel is WAY too high.  The community average price in CellarTracker for this wine is over $28, which is again pushing the limit.  Luckily I was able to grab half a case for well under $20.  That makes it a good Napa Valley Cab at a price that won’t break the bank when consumed on a week night, especially for an aged Cabernet is in its’ prime drinking window.

I’ve had a couple bottles that I liked and rated 89-90 points.

Winery history

Cedar Knoll Vineyard and Winery was founded in 1881 by Henry Hagen.  One of their wines won a Silver Medal at the Paris Exposition in 1889.  At that time, Cedar Knoll was one of Napa’s premier wineries.  The winery was a victim of Prohibition and was closed for close to 80 years.  Cedar Knoll is now owned by the Palmaz family.  They have resurrected the vineyards and restored the original Hagen house.  The vineyards occupy 55 acres and are located just northeast of the city of Napa.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly dark ruby red color, much lighter at the edge.  The very nice and appealing nose has cassis, cedar, dried herbs, cherry, smoke, tobacco, raspberry, baking spices, and a touch of well worn leather.  This has medium body, good acidity, and fairly integrated tannins.  On the palate the wine has silky smooth fruit up front with spices and dried herbs coming in on the back end.  The finish has decent length with some spicy oak adding an extra dimension.  Not a lot of complexity but this is in a nice place right now.  This probably should be consumed over the next year or two before the fruit starts to fade.  (89 pts)

2009 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Clos Pepe Vineyard – $45.00

My comments

Loring produces some of my favorite Pinot Noirs made in California and their wine from the Clos Pepe Vineyard is one of my favorite they produce.  To me, this wine always has the rich and lush fruit that is the “house style” for Loring wines and has plenty of acidity and tannins to support the body and depth usually in this wine.  For a wine of this quality, the price actually represents a nice value for a higher end, single vineyard, Pinot from California.

Winery history

My name is Brian Loring and my obsession is Pinot Noir.  OK, I’m also pretty crazy about Champagne, but that’s another story.  While in college, I worked at a wine shop in Hollywood (Victor’s), where one of the owners was a Burgundy fanatic.  So, my very first experiences with Pinot Noir were from producers like Domaine Dujac, Henri Jayer, and DRC.  Needless to say, I found subsequent tasting safaris into the domestic Pinot Noir jungle less than satisfying.  It wasn’t until I literally stumbled into Calera (I tripped over a case of their wine in the store room) that I found a California Pinot Noir that I could love.  But it would be quite a while before I found someone else that lived up to the standard that Josh Jensen had established.  I eventually came to understand and enjoy Pinots from Williams Selyem, Chalone, and Sanford, but I really got excited about California Pinot Noir when I met Norm Beko from Cottonwood Canyon at an Orange County Wine Society tasting.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to deep ruby red color.  The very nice nose has cherries, baking spices, raspberries, underbrush, and a touch of smoke.  This has medium to full body, fairly solid, ripe tannins, and good acidity.  On the palate the wine is rich and lush with juicy fruit but with plenty of savory elements adding considerable depth and complexity.  The finish is long and very flavorful with the fruit, spice, and subtle earthiness lingering seemingly forever.  This is outstanding today, but will last for at least a few years in the cellar.  (93 pts)

2007 Scherrer Winery Zinfandel Scherrer Shale Terrace – $17.50

My comments

The Scherrer Winery futures program for their Zinfandels is one of the best mailing lists to join.  The wines are ordered and paid for before they are bottled, several months later the wine is bottled and shipped.  Generally the winery holds their zins in the bottle for a year before releasing them to the restaurants, distribution, or the normal mailing list.  What’s the advantage of paying for wine and waiting for shipment?  How about a big discount, 40% to 50% off regular release price?  This top notch Zin cost me well under $20.

The Scherrer Zinfndels are built to age. These are well balanced zins with restrained alcohol levels that age marvelously.  With enough bottle age, these take on the nuances of an aged Claret.

Winery history

In the mid-1970’s, due to a normal teenage interest in alcoholic beverages, my family allowed me to make some wine from the family vineyard and beer at home (under adult supervision, of course).  This led to a UC Davis degree as well as concurrent work at a local winery doing the dirtiest and most menial jobs imaginable.  In the mid-1980’s good friends at Duxoup Wine Works (think Marx Brothers for the pronunciation) inspired me to try my hand at my own label so I negotiated cellar space in lieu of a raise by my then-current employer, Greenwood Ridge Vineyards in Anderson Valley (I got a raise anyway).  Greenwood Ridge was supportive of my project and decided to have some Scherrer Zinfandel produced for their label as well.  Unfortunately, I had a poor business plan and during the first year I realized I was not yet ready for this project.  Greenwood Ridge continues to make a small amount of Scherrer Vineyard Zinfandel to this day.

Much more information on this outstanding winery and a link to join the highly recommended mailing list available on their website.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium ruby color, much lighter than your normal zin, this actually looks like a Pinot Noir.  The very tempting nose has brambly berries, cherries, baking spices, minerals, smoke, white pepper, wild flowers, and some earthiness.  The wine has medium body with fairly solid tannins and very good acidity.  The palate leans a bit more to the red fruit than black with cherries, spices, minerals, and nice earthiness.  The finish is fairly silky and smooth and lingers nicely.  This is still on the young side and improved with air.  Don’t be in a hurry on this one.  (93 pts)

***** Shameless Self Promotion *****

Here is a link to a YouTube video of me getting “coal” from Santa for being named the “Nicest Person in Social Media” in 2012.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOvQTeGR3-c

Breaking news from Klout:

Remember to support your local wine store!

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Notes – I use the “official” Cellar Tracker name for the wines.  I use Cellar Tracker to help manage and organize my cellar.  I highly recommend checking it out at www.cellartracker.com.  Loading you existing cellar is a lot less intimidating than it would first appear.  There is a good chance 99% of your wine is already in the system, so you generally only need to enter part of the wine’s name and the system will find it for you.

Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase.  I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but my local store is usually VERY competitive.  I generally get case discounts, and since I work there part time, I get a 5% discount.  Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges.  None of the prices include the sales tax.

All wines that were sent to me free of charge to sample will be noted and I will show suggested prices when available.

Cheers!

2006 Carlisle Syrah Cardiac Hill

2006 Oliverhill Winery Shiraz Jimmy Section

2008 JC Cellars The Impostor

2003 Turley Petite Syrah Hayne Vineyard

2006 Carlisle Syrah Cardiac Hill – $37.00

My comments

This is probably my favorite Syrah in the Carlisle lineup.  This usually has that little something extra that propels it to the upper echelon.  I’ve never met a Bennett Valley Syrah I didn’t like and actively hunt them down.

Winery history

We are a small Sonoma County winery specializing in the production of old-vine, vineyard designated zinfandels and red Rhone varieties (syrah, grenache, mourvèdre, and petite sirah).  While we like our wines to be bold, rich, and intensely flavored, each reflecting a sense of place, its origins in the vineyard, we also strive to create wines of balance, complexity, and perhaps most importantly, pleasure.

Rich.  Lusty.  Hedonistic.  These are some of the descriptors we often hear applied to our wines.  However, we also hear the words elegant, balanced, complex.  Yes, through hard work in the vineyard and winery, we believe you can have it all, the best of both worlds.  Our approach to winemaking is simple, yet difficult.  We prefer to intervene in nature’s process as little as possible but we will leave no stone unturned in our quest to maximize the quality of each wine we produce.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep garnet to purple color.  The soothing nose has blackberries, minerals, smoky ashes, white pepper, dark chocolate, baking spices, dried flowers, meat juices, and licorice.  This has medium to full body, fairly solid tannins, and good acidity.  The palate has nice initial fruit but the more savory notes take over fairly quickly adding a lot of depth.  The finish is fairly long with nice spicy, mineral laden fruit.  This still seems to be on the young side and may be better a couple years down the road.  (92 pts)

2006 Oliverhill Winery Shiraz Jimmy Section – $19.00

My comments

One of my wife’s all time favorite wines.  How much does she like it?  Per Cellar Tracker I bought a total of 33 bottles, and his will be the 26^th bottle we’ve opened since December 2009.

I should add I like this wine as well.  I still do not understand how it was such a slow mover at the local wine store.  This is part of my last case which only cost me $19.00, a bottle.  A steal based on the $35 release price.

Winery history

Stuart Miller is the winemaker and caretaker of the vineyard: this is truly a hands-on winery where every step of production from vineyard to bottling is overseen by Stuart himself.  His family are involved in all stages of the process, picking grapes, pruning vines, bottling, packaging and more.

Oliverhill was established in the early 1970s and the Miller family moved in during the early 1990s.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark, inky purple color.  The sensuous nose has blackberries, black pepper, vanilla, dying coal embers, dark chocolate, violets, licorice, and some well worn leather.  This has a fairly full body, fairly solid, ripe tannins, and very nice acidity.  On the palate, juicy crushed berries hit first, immediately complimented by black pepper, vanilla, and dark chocolate.  The finish is fairly long and adds a dried herb element that blends well with the spicy, peppery berries and dark chocolate.  This is in a very nice drinking window and should hold for another few years at the minimum.  (92 pts)

2008 JC Cellars The Impostor – $25.73

My comments

Jeff Cohn just keeps cranking out the hits.  Since his earlier days making outstanding wines for Rosenblum, Jeff is now making the same style of wines for his own label.  These are generally full throttle, distinctive wines.

This wine is a blend of Zinfandel, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Tempranillo, Carignane, Grenache and Viognier.

Winery history

Jeff Cohn, the winemaker, president, and “JC” of JC Cellars got his start in the industry almost 20 years ago.  As an intern at Boordy Vineyards in Maryland, he drove an hour and half each way to prune vines in frigid weather, pick grapes in stifling heat, and scrub everything from barrels to floors.

Long before he began his winemaking career he received an associate degree in culinary arts from Johnson & Wales University, and a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management from Florida International University.

Cohn had always loved the hospitality industry, and as he worked through several high profile positions after college he found his passion for wine steadily growing.  The more he learned, the more he wanted to learn, until he realized that becoming a winemaker was his ultimate goal.  The job at Boordy was a deciding factor in the trajectory of his career — in spite of all the scrubbing.

With the encouragement and support of his family, Cohn moved to California in 1993 to follow his dream.  He earned his master’s degree in agriculture chemistry, with an emphasis on enology, from California State University, Fresno in 1996.  It was here that Cohn discovered French winemaking techniques and the concept of terroir.  “The flavor profile was so different than anything else I had ever tried,” he says of the first Chateauneuf-du-Pape he tried in school.  “It was a shocker.  To go from tasting only single varietals to a blend really opened my eyes.”

For more info, visit http://www.jccellars.com/about-jeff-cohn.html

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep purple color.  The very open and nice nose has brambly berries, black pepper, vanilla, dark chocolate, violets, licorice, meat juices, and a touch of earthiness.  This has a full body, fairly solid, ripe tannins, and good acidity.  On the palate the wine is a mouth full of juicy, peppery, berries with dark chocolate and earthy elements coming in on the back end providing extra depth.  The finish is fairly long but a touch of excess oak does pop out.  This is a big and rich wine that is not sweet or syrupy and has no raisiny notes.  (90 pts)

2003 Turley Petite Syrah Hayne Vineyard – $51.75

My comments

Turley Winery, in my opinion, was one of the first, “cult wineries” in California.  Their wines were impossible to get, unless you were one of the lucky few on their mailing list.  Some of the luster has faded a bit due to competition from the likes of Carlisle and Bedrock, but the name Turley still commands attention from a LOT of people.

It vineyards in California were rated based on the quality and reputations of the grapes they produced, there wouldn’t be too many above the Hayne Vineyard.  The Petite Sirah and the Zinfandel produced from Hayne Vineyard are the top wines made by Turley.

Winery history

In 1993, Turley Wine Cellars was founded by Larry Turley, brother of the well-known consulting winemaker Helen Turley.  Turley, had entered the wine business in 1981 as co-founder of the multi-varietal Frog’s Leap Winery, but soon realized that his interest lay in wines made from the Zinfandel grape.

Starting out with just one location in St. Helena, Turley Wine Cellars soon expanded to Templeton with the purchase of the historic Pesenti winery, where Zinfandel had been planted since 1923.

As of 2000, Turley Wine Cellars has had a two-year waiting list for new wine club customers.

In 2007, Turley Wine Cellars was producing approximately 14,000 cases a year of both single-vineyard and regional Zinfandel wines.

By 2011, Turley Wine Cellars is annually producing approximately 16,000 cases of award winning Zinfandel and Petite Sirah wines using multiple “small” vineyards located in Napa and Sonoma counties, and other Paso Robles locations.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark, inky maroon color.  The intoxicating nose has blackberries, licorice, black pepper, baking spices, meat juices, dark chocolate, fresh ground dark roast coffee, blueberries, vanilla, wild flowers, and minerals.  This has full body, solid, ripe tannins, and very nice acidity.  On the palate the wine is rich and velvety with loads of spicy, juicy berries, black pepper, dark chocolate, and minerals.  The finish is very long and ever changing, highlighting different elements every second or two.  The blackberries, blueberries, dark chocolate, and dark roast coffee stand out the most.  This is absolutely delicious today but will hold for several years.  (95 pts)

***** Shameless Self Promotion *****

Here is a link to a YouTube video of me getting “coal” from Santa for being named the “Nicest Person in Social Media” in 2012.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOvQTeGR3-c

Breaking news from Klout:

Wines bought or received this week

I worked at the wine store yesterday, so I had to grab a few bottles.

(2) 2009 Lewis Cellars Syrah Ethan’s at a steal of a price, $33.24 each

(1) 2011 Calera Pinot Noir Central Coast for $24.69

Remember to support your local wine store!

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Notes – I use the “official” Cellar Tracker name for the wines.  I use Cellar Tracker to help manage and organize my cellar.  I highly recommend checking it out at www.cellartracker.com.  Loading you existing cellar is a lot less intimidating than it would first appear.  There is a good chance 99% of your wine is already in the system, so you generally only need to enter part of the wine’s name and the system will find it for you.

Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase.  I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but my local store is usually VERY competitive.  I generally get case discounts, and since I work there part time, I get a 5% discount.  Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges.  None of the prices include the sales tax.

All wines that were sent to me free of charge to sample will be noted and I will show suggested prices when available.

Cheers!

When bad things happen to good wine.

This is based on samples provided by the winery.

 “Enjoy our glass closure

Cut foil & give it a thumbs up”

Northwest Totem Cellars -  A name that pays respect to a life and people that once depended on, respected and revered their environment and the living world.  We and our children are committed ambassadors to this living world.  Our commitment to compassion runs broadly across many constituents; people, planet and, never to be overlooked, all other non-human living beings who share our world.  Our reverence for life securely encompasses the animals of our planet.  We share a view that they are their own communities, like that of our native ancestors, like us today.  They are their own nations.  The totem is our connection to life; old and new, human and non-human.

Tucked away on a private property, we are a small, family-owned winery producing hand-crafted wines in the heart of Woodinville Wine Country.  We share our love of wine and community with some of the best wineries in WashingtonState.  We’re proud to be a part of a growing wine region that is the most rapidly-increasing wine tasting area in the world!

The words “personal” and “warm” will define your experience at Northwest Totem Cellars.  As you walk through the front door, you realize this tasting experience will be one of your most memorable.  Pouring our wines from the “kitchen” private tasting room, Mike Sharadin, our winemaker, barrel washer, one-man show et al, will enlighten you on Washington wines, our own voyage as a small producer and will share with you the passion that has fueled our love of the grape.

Thank you for your interest in Northwest Totem Cellars.  We hope to meet you soon in the kitchen!

Much more information as well as links to purchase wine is available on their website.

My Information

Northwest Totem Cellars is a new winery for me.  I met the owner/winemaker, Mike Sharadin, on Twitter a couple years ago.  Even though he is a Philadelphia Flyers and Dallas Cowboys fan, which usually makes a person the “low man on the totem pole” to someone from Pittsburgh, we “tweeted” quite a bit.

As a fan of the wines coming out of the Pacific Northwest and Washington in particular, I became more intrigued and interested in learning more about Northwest Totem Cellars.  When Mike offered to send me a few samples to try, I jumped at the opportunity.

Mike sent me a few samples but a severe frigid spell and a weekend stop in the Dakotas or Northern Minnesota caused the wine to freeze.  When I received the bottles, a couple days later, they were still VERY cold and sweating.  On one bottle, the glass stopper had pushed through the capsule and was leaking.  Mike graciously offered to replace the “wine sickles” with good bottles once the weather cooperated.

This lead to the decision to do an “Ice and Nice” tasting.  I would open a pristine bottle from the second shipment and the frozen counterpart from the first shipment.  This would allow a review of the good bottle and a comparison to the changes that occur to wine when it freezes.

The lineup, first the “Nice”:

And the “Ice”:

I like the fact the winery uses glass stoppers on their bottles.  To me, this is a fantastic alternative to cork and much classier than the “twist off” options.  I won’t even bring up the synthetic cork options which I despise.

2008 Northwest Totem Cellars Cabernet Franc (SRP $35)

ColumbiaValley

14.2% ABV

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly deep ruby red color, lighter at the edge.  The very nice and open nose has cassis, Asian spices, minerals, black cherries, dried herbs, leather, tobacco, vanilla, and a touch of cedar.  This has medium body, fairly solid tannins, and very good acidity.  The palate has nice spicy fruit and vanilla with dried herbs providing considerable depth.  The finish is fairly long with the fruit, minerals, and dried herbs lingering nicely before a touch of dark chocolate closes the show.  This is a very nice, young, Cabernet Franc that will reward some time in the cellar.  This won’t be confused with a wine from California, which sets it in a very nice class.  This could turn into something special in a couple of years.  (93 pts)

Frozen Bottle:  The nose was very muted and shy with berries, dried herbs, and smoke.  The palate lacks any richness or depth and is hollow and very soft.  The finish is very short with very little fruit, mainly just toasty oak and dried herbs.  The wine has no obvious flaws but the fruit is virtually non-existent.

2009 Northwest Totem Cellars Low Man (SRP $35)

Columbia Valley

74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Cabernet Franc, 3% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot

14% ABV

My Tasting Note

The wine is a nice deep ruby red color.  The enticing nose has blackberries, cherries, warm baking spices, leather, white pepper, minerals, violets, vanilla, dried herbs, and just a touch of cedar.  This has medium body, fairly solid, ripe tannins, and good acidity.  This wine is delicious on the palate.  Nice berries and cherries start the show but are quickly joined with sweet vanilla, spices, and a touch of dried herbs.  The finish is long and nuanced with layers of fruit and savory notes finally giving way to a nice closing note of dried herbs and cherry.  For a very young Bordeaux blend it is stunning, with perfect balance.  I’m sure this will be better with some cellar time, but it will be hard to resist.  (95 pts)

Frozen bottle:  The very shy nose has black cherry, dried dill, toasty oak, and dry straw.  The palate has a quick hit of cherry but it is quickly overwhelmed by dried herbs and toasty oak.  This has very soft acidity and the tannins are also very soft and don’t stick around to add any body or structure.  The fruit disappears quickly on the finish leaving toasty oak and dried herbs.

2008 Northwest Totem Cellars Merlot (SRP $35)

(Note:  I didn’t have a good sample of this wine for comparison, so only the unrated frozen sample is detailed)

The wine is a shade darker than ruby red.  The nose has cherries, cedar, tobacco, and a touch of smoke.  Again, very soft with little to no acidity or tannins to give any support.  On the palate, a brief hit of sweet cherry is quickly over taken by oak.  The short finish features a mouth full of spicy oak with nothing holding the wine together.

Day 2:

The next day, the good bottles were even better, more integrated and expressive than on the first day.  The previously frozen bottles were nothing more than red oak juice with a hint of fruit on the nose.

Ice and Nice Conclusion:

It’s scary that there were no perceivable flaws with the bottles that had frozen during shipping.  These bottles “looked” pristine, I only knew they had frozen because they were very cold and sweating when I picked them up.  One bottle in the shipment had frozen enough that the glass stopper had pushed through the capsule and was leaking.

It’s generally pretty easy to note cooked/stewed fruit on a bottle of wine that was submitted to extreme heat, but extreme cold is much harder to notice.

A less than above board retailer could have put these bottles on their shelf and the winery could have potentially lost future business because of these damaged bottles of wine.

***** Shameless Self Promotion *****

Here is a link to a YouTube video of me getting “coal” from Santa for being named the “Nicest Person in Social Media” in 2012.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOvQTeGR3-c

Breaking news from Klout:

Remember to support your local wine store!

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Notes – I use the “official” Cellar Tracker name for the wines.  I use Cellar Tracker to help manage and organize my cellar.  I highly recommend checking it out at www.cellartracker.com.  Loading you existing cellar is a lot less intimidating than it would first appear.  There is a good chance 99% of your wine is already in the system, so you generally only need to enter part of the wine’s name and the system will find it for you.

Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase.  I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but my local store is usually VERY competitive.  I generally get case discounts, and since I work there part time, I get a 5% discount.  Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges.  None of the prices include the sales tax.

All wines that were sent to me free of charge to sample will be noted and I will show suggested prices when available.

Cheers!

2007 Freemark Abbey Cabernet Sauvignon

2009 Maipe Malbec Reserve

2009 Syncline Grenache-Carignan

2007 Jean Edwards Cellars Syrah Alder Springs Vineyard Mendocino County

2007 Freemark Abbey Cabernet Sauvignon – $19.00

My comments

Something I knew way back but forgot was that Freemark Abbey was the only winery to have two bottles of wine in the 1976 “Judgment in Paris” tasting that put California on the world’s wine map.  After a few lean years, I think the winery has righted the boat and are again producing very nice, bargain priced wines.

Winery history

In 1967, seven partners purchased Freemark Abbey, setting the stage for a new era of creativity.  The winery earned the nickname the “University of Freemark” due to the sheer number of innovations and significant winemakers that emerged from our cellars.

In 1976, wine expert Steven Spurrier conducted a legendary blind tasting in Paris – pitting the upstart wines of California against the establishment of France.  Of the 12 American wineries chosen to compete, only Freemark Abbey had two wines represented – a Chardonnay and a Cabernet Sauvignon.  In an upset that shocked the wine world, California wines won every category of the tasting, putting Napa Valley firmly on the world stage.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark, ruby red color.  The very comforting nose has cassis, warm baking spices, tobacco, dried herbs, plum, licorice, and a touch of smoke.  This has medium body, fairly solid, ripe tannins, and very nice acidity.  The palate features bright and juicy berries, baking spices, dried herbs and a touch of oak.  The finish has nice length with the berries and dried herbs joined by a touch of excess spicy oak.  I would be nice if the touch of extra oak would integrate, but I really don’t see that happening.  No hurry on this one, enjoy it over the next several years.  This was a steal for $19.  (90 pts)

2009 Maipe Malbec Reserve – $11.39

My comments

When we’re having a beef based dinner but I’m in the mood for something different, more times than not, I grab a Malbec from Argentina.  The Malbec grape is one of the Bordeaux grapes, but it found a home in Argentina.  As with most other grapes, Malbec wines run the spectrum from easy drinking week night wines to full blown special occasion wines.  These Malbecs from Argentina should not be passed if you had one that didn’t meet your tastes, shop around and you’ll find a great wine that won’t break the budget.

Winery history

At the time of the financial crisis in 2001 that caused the replacement of 4 presidents in a month, violent attacks on bank offices and devaluation of the Peso to a quarter of its worth, Juan Pelizzatti was a telecommunications marketing professional in his mid thirties with a passion for wine, thinking of a project where he could invest his soul and his dreams.

The crisis, for a short period of time, gave many Argentines the impression that there was not much left to loose and that only a radically new vision of the future could help them survive it.  Juan was one of them: armed with his family’s life savings and a legacy of winemaking from his Italian grandfather, he took a month’s vacation from his job and literally walked the province of Mendoza in search of a new land.

Luck and some good advice helped him find the perfect place in Agrelo, Lujan de Cuyo: 150 ha of almost bare land formerly planted with Malbec vines where only 30 hectares had survived the very bad years preceding the crisis.

Many years and a lot of work later, this estate has become one of the most promising new wine projects in Argentina, representing one of the most successful business models of the new wine landscape in Argentina.  In the meantime, Argentine exports have sustained double digit growth, whilst Malbec, once a rare local grape, has achieved the status of an internationally demanded variety.

Much more information on the winery’s website.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby red color.  The very nice nose has blackberries, licorice, fresh ground dark roast coffee, dark bittersweet chocolate, baking spices, and plums.  This has medium body, soft but persistent tannins, and good acidity.  The palate has nice juicy berries but the savory notes of dark chocolate and fresh ground coffee and a lot of depth.  The finish has nice length and is an extension of the palate.  This is drinking very nicely but isn’t really built for the long haul, drink this over the next year, maybe two.  (90 pts)

2009 Syncline Grenache-Carignan – $19.94

My comments

If you’ve been reading my posts for more than just a couple of weeks, you’ll see I love just about all wines.  That said, my heart belongs to the grapes from the Rhone in France.  I think these are some of the most versatile grapes in the world.  These grapes seem to be able to adapt to where ever they are planted and can produce many different styles of wine.  I found this specific wine when a  friend tweeted he had this in his glass one evening.  I was able to track down a few bottles from a store in Washington.  A few days later, they were in my cellar.

Winery history

Birth of Syncline Winery: James and Poppie Mantone.

Poppie and James met during the harvest of 1997 while working together in the cellar at LaVelle Vineyards (Willamette Valley, Oregon).  Shortly after, they had fallen madly in love, married and began plans for a new endeavor: a winery of our own.

Four years later they relocated their home to the Columbia Gorge; where passion for Rhône wines led them to explore the emerging potential of vineyards in the Columbia Valley, Washington.

Inspired by early efforts of Rhone and Burgundy varietals sampled from Washington wineries, Syncline’s first vintage consisted of 76 cases of Celilo Vineyards Pinot Noir from vines planted in 1972.  The next year, production was increased to include Columbia Valley Syrah and Grenache.  At the same time they began working with vineyards to plant Viognier, Mourvedre, Roussanne, Cinsault, Counoise and Carignan.

They have kept production under 6,000 cases annually to ensure intimacy with each barrel and every vine.

Much more information is available on the winery’s website.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a shade lighter than a medium ruby red color.  The bright and cheerful nose has raspberries, cherries, minerals, baking spices, licorice, wild flowers, and just a touch of underbrush.  This has medium body, fairly solid, ripe tannins, and very good acidity.  The palate has nice red fruits, spice, and some earthiness with no rough edges.  The finish has decent length and again features the red fruit, spice, and a touch of earthiness.  This should hold for a couple more years, but is very tasty today.  (90 pts)

2007 Jean Edwards Cellars Syrah Alder Springs Vineyard Mendocino County – $30.00

My comments

I guess you can call this a Social Media relationship.  I learned of Jean Edwards Cellars via Twitter.  I read their Tweets and started following them, luckily they followed me back.  Over the last couple of years we have exchanged jokes and Tweets about just about everything.  I was finally able to order a few bottles of their wine, and after giving a bottle a good 15 minutes to recover from the trip half way across the country, I popped the cork.  I am now a big fan and I spread their name to anyone who will listen to me.  I highly encourage you to check out their website and join their mailing list.  These are two very nice people making some of the best wine in the Napa Valley.

Winery history

We are the owner/vintners of Jean Edwards Cellars – we share a passion for wine, a similar palate and a singular vision on the style of wines we produce.  We live by our motto that “you should only make wines you love to drink” and focus our production on artisan red wines that are full-bodied and classically styled.

Quality and heritage are important to us – our wines are reflective of their origins and are sourced some of the most prestigious vineyards (and vineyard blocks) throughout Napa Valley including Stagecoach Vineyard (on Pritchard Hill); vineyards on the valley floor in Rutherford, Oakville and Coombsville; and mountain vineyards on Howell and Spring Mountain.

Time really flies – we started producing commercial wines in 2004 but our dream of producing high quality Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon wines started much earlier when we traveled to the valley in 1985.  During that trip, we developed a true appreciation for cabernet sauvignon wines and decided we would some day be a part of the business and produce a wine called Jean Edwards Cellars (our two middle names).  It was a goal worth waiting for and twenty plus years later we released our first wine in the Spring of 2006.

For more information, to order wine, or to join the Jean Edwards mailing list, visit their website.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark ruby color, almost purple.  The very nice nose has blackberries, charred meat, smoke, roasted herbs, licorice, black pepper, minerals, brined olives, wild flowers, and a touch of mint.  This has medium to full body with fairly solid tannins, and very good acidity.  The palate has a nice blend between the juicy, crushed berries, and the savory elements of black pepper, roasted herbs, and charred meat.  The finish is long and layered with nice juicy berries adding sweetness to the savory elements.  This is drinking nicely, but will reward some additional cellar time.  (93 pts)

***** Shameless Self Promotion *****

Here is a link to a YouTube video of me getting “coal” from Santa for being named the “Nicest Person in Social Media” in 2012.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOvQTeGR3-c

Breaking news from Klout:

Remember to support your local wine store!

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Notes – I use the “official” Cellar Tracker name for the wines.  I use Cellar Tracker to help manage and organize my cellar.  I highly recommend checking it out at www.cellartracker.com.  Loading you existing cellar is a lot less intimidating than it would first appear.  There is a good chance 99% of your wine is already in the system, so you generally only need to enter part of the wine’s name and the system will find it for you.

Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase.  I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but my local store is usually VERY competitive.  I generally get case discounts, and since I work there part time, I get a 5% discount.  Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges.  None of the prices include the sales tax.

All wines that were sent to me free of charge to sample will be noted and I will show suggested prices when available.

Cheers!

2008 Loring Wine Divergence

2009 Turley Zinfandel Old Vines

2008 Santi Ripasso della Valpolicella Classico Superiore Solane

1994 Theo Schmitz-Schwaab Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Spätlese #3

2006 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino

2008 Loring Wine Divergence – $99.67

My comments

This wine was Brian Loring’s attempt to produce a wine from California to emulate the style of Spanish wineries like Bodegas El Nido in Jumilla.  This is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Mourvedre from Paso Robles.

Winery history

My name is Brian Loring and my obsession is Pinot Noir.  OK, I’m also pretty crazy about Champagne, but that’s another story.  While in college, I worked at a wine shop in Hollywood (Victor’s), where one of the owners was a Burgundy fanatic.  So, my very first experiences with Pinot Noir were from producers like Domaine Dujac, Henri Jayer, and DRC.  Needless to say, I found subsequent tasting safaris into the domestic Pinot Noir jungle less than satisfying.  It wasn’t until I literally stumbled into Calera (I tripped over a case of their wine in the store room) that I found a California Pinot Noir that I could love.  But it would be quite a while before I found someone else that lived up to the standard that Josh Jensen had established.  I eventually came to understand and enjoy Pinots from Williams Selyem, Chalone, and Sanford, but I really got excited about California Pinot Noir when I met Norm Beko from Cottonwood Canyon at an Orange County Wine Society tasting.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark purple color.  The very impressive nose has blackberries, raspberries, baking spices, licorice, dark chocolate, dried herbs, earthy underbrush, vanilla, leather, and a touch of cedar.  This has full body, fairly solid ripe tannins, and decent acidity.  This wine delivers a mouth full of juicy crushed berries along with an equal measure of savory elements to keep this from getting boring and adding a ton of depth.  The finish is long and full of spicy fruit with some nice dark chocolate and earthiness coming in at the end.  Not a lot of subtlety but utterly delicious.  (93 pts)

2009 Turley Zinfandel Old Vines – $23.71

My comments

To me, one of the better values out there is the Turley Old Vines Zinfandel.  Along with the appellation wines from Carlisle and Bedrock, these prove you can get a great bottle of California Zinfandel for $25 or less.

This is a blend of Zinfandel grapes from some of the older vineyards in California that don’t produce enough wine to allow for a single vineyard bottling.

Winery history

In 1993, Turley Wine Cellars was founded by Larry Turley, brother of the well-known consulting winemaker Helen Turley.  Turley, had entered the wine business in 1981 as co-founder of the multi-varietal Frog’s Leap Winery, but soon realized that his interest lay in wines made from the Zinfandel grape.

Starting out with just one location in St. Helena, Turley Wine Cellars soon expanded to Templeton with the purchase of the historic Pesenti winery, where Zinfandel had been planted since 1923.

As of 2000, Turley Wine Cellars has had a two-year waiting list for new wine club customers.

In 2007, Turley Wine Cellars was producing approximately 14,000 cases a year of both single-vineyard and regional Zinfandel wines.

By 2011, Turley Wine Cellars is annually producing approximately 16,000 cases of award winning Zinfandel and Petite Sirah wines using multiple “small” vineyards located in Napa and Sonoma counties, and other Paso Robles locations.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly dark ruby red color.  The very nice and inviting nose has brambly berries, black pepper, vanilla, warm baking spices, dark chocolate, incense, and some subtle earthiness.  This has medium body, fairly solid tannins, and very good acidity.  On the well behaved palate the spicy berries and black pepper take charge with some dark chocolate, vanilla, and earthy elements coming in later.  The finish has nice length and again highlights the spicy berries and earthiness.  If you think Turley zins are all overblown, you should give this one a try, it will change your opinion.  (92 pts)

2008 Santi Ripasso della Valpolicella Classico Superiore Solane – $11.37

My comments

I love a nice, smooth, rich Italian Ripasso wine, as long as they don’t get too heavy and plodding.  This value priced Ripasso has enough richness to be smooth and velvety but retains enough acidity to be very food friendly.

To make a Ripasso wine, the grapes are allowed to dry out slightly on straw mats to concentrate the sugars and flavors.  After fermentation, the resulting wines is then blended with standard Valpolicella wine and re-fermented.  This yields a wine with the extra richness from the dried grapes but the acidity and lighter body from the “fresh” Valpolicella grapes.

Winery history

Gruppo Italiano Vini is the number one wine grower-producer in Italy and a global leader in the production and sales of excellent wines.  The Group owns 14 historic cellars with celebrated brands that are distributed worldwide.  These properties are surrounded by their own vineyards, beautiful expanses of territory totaling 1,340 hectares and lying within Italy’s most prestigious wine-producing areas.  Founded in 1986, the Group has its headquarters in the eighteenth-century Villa Belvedere on Lake Garda in the province of Verona.  Gruppo Italiano Vini is unique within the international wine-producing world for its ability to combine the advantages of a small structure with those of a big company.

Every estate in the Group’s portfolio adheres scrupulously to each steps of the production process: cultivation of the vines, harvesting, vinification, maturing and bottling under the expert and professional guidance of agronomists, oenologists and cellar managers.

The Group excels in sales and service; its extensive sales organization is specialized by channel and supported by structured marketing strategies and modern, efficient integrated logistics services.

This is a major advantage for the Group’s clients, who can choose from a vast selection of superb Italian wines via a simple system: one order, one delivery, one invoice.  The Group’s extensive international experience makes it extremely versatile and able to respond to the demands of a constantly changing market.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby red color.  The very nice nose has cherries, baking spices, earthy underbrush, black raspberries, wild flowers, and some dried herbs.  This has medium body, soft ripe tannins, and good acidity.  The palate has spicy fruit, earthy elements, and a dash of toasty oak as well as some dried herbs.  The finish has nice length with the spicy, earthy, fruit.  Not the biggest or richest Ripasso out there, but this is very food friendly and costs south of $15.  (88 pts)

1994 Theo Schmitz-Schwaab Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Spätlese #3 – $23.74

My comments

We are BIG fans of nicely aged German Rieslings.  The sugary sweetness these wines show in their youth melds with the citrusy acidity over the years to form a magical elixir that becomes a rich wine with just enough acidity on the back end to leave you grabbing the glass for another sip.

Winery history

As is usual for a lot of the smaller, European wineries, not a lot of information seems to be available on the internet.  I also can’t find anything on CellarTracker for this winery since the 1995 vintage.  This leads me to think it no longer exists.  I can recite Jon Rimmerman’s (from Garagiste Wine) silky prose, but I don’t want this to sound like a sales pitch.  All I will say is, if you like older German Rieslings that have generally been in perfect condition, at really nice prices, check out http://garagiste.com/ and sign up for the list.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright yellow color with a slight golden tint.  The rich and inviting nose has apples, white peaches, stony minerals, petrol, white pepper, honey, lime zest, and a touch of pineapple.  This has a light to medium body, nice residual sweetness, and good citrus driven acidity to keep it in perfect balance.  The finish is very long with the initial sweetness slowly giving way to a nice blast of mouthwatering lemon-lime acidity.  At 19 years of age, this still seems to be on the young side.  I look forward to enjoying my remaining bottles on the wine’s evolution over the next decade.  (94 pts)

2006 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino – $32.00

My comments

This is a new winery for me, but it came with a high recommendation from a friend that knows his Italian wines.  I love a big Brunello, especially with beef that has been seasoned with Italian herbs and spices.

Winery history

Altesino is a leader in various, important innovations in the production of Sangiovese from Montalcino, causing it to stand out and become a reference point for the entire territory.

Some of the positive contributions putting Montalcino on the world map are: the introduction of the “Cru” (Montosoli) concept in 1975, the first experiments with barriques in ’79, the production in ’77 of the first Grappa from a winery and the first Futures (purchasing wine before its release) for Brunello 1985.

Over the last forty years an intense relationship has been developed with the land full of history, with its almost sensual beauty that is physically perceived and its subtle charm that reaches the body and soul.

This is the philosophy that inspires Altesino to produce wine and maintain its culture.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium ruby red, with a much lighter meniscus.  The very inviting nose has raspberries, cherries, warm baking spices, eucalyptus, wild flowers, dark chocolate, earthy underbrush, and some spicy oak.  This has medium body, fairly solid tannins, and very good acidity.  The palate leads off with tart, juicy, red fruit but nice spice, oak, and a touch of eucalyptus come into the picture adding depth.  The long finish is full of spicy fruit, oak, and some nice earthiness.  Tasty today but this should add some complexity with additional cellar time.  (92 pts)

***** Shameless Self Promotion *****

Here is a link to a YouTube video of me getting “coal” from Santa for being named the “Nicest Person in Social Media” in 2012.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOvQTeGR3-c

Breaking news from Klout:

Wines bought or received this week

Bedrock shipment arrived:

(6) 2012 Bedrock Wine Co. Mourvedre Ode to Lulu Rosé

(6) 2012 Bedrock Wine Co. Sauvignon Blanc Kick Ranch

(6) 2012 Bedrock Wine Co. Albariño Abrente

(2) 2011 Bedrock Wine Co. Syrah T ‘n’ S Hudson Vineyard South

(2) 2011 Bedrock Wine Co. Syrah Griffin’s Lair

(2) 2011 BedrockWineCo.SyrahNorthCoast

(1) 2011 Bedrock Wine Co. Zinfandel Puccini Vineyard

I also picked up an e-mail offer from the local wine store:

(6) 2009 Borgo Scopeto (Tenuta Caparzo) Borgonero Toscana IGT

Remember to support your local wine store!

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Notes – I use the “official” Cellar Tracker name for the wines.  I use Cellar Tracker to help manage and organize my cellar.  I highly recommend checking it out at www.cellartracker.com.  Loading you existing cellar is a lot less intimidating than it would first appear.  There is a good chance 99% of your wine is already in the system, so you generally only need to enter part of the wine’s name and the system will find it for you.

Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase.  I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but my local store is usually VERY competitive.  I generally get case discounts, and since I work there part time, I get a 5% discount.  Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges.  None of the prices include the sales tax.

All wines that were sent to me free of charge to sample will be noted and I will show suggested prices when available.

Cheers!

2008 Villa Creek Avenger

2007 Copain Syrah Tous Ensemble

2007 Rhys Alesia Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

2009 Seghesio Family Vineyards Zinfandel Home Ranch

2008 Villa Creek Avenger – $29.75

My comments

The Avenger is my favorite wine from the Paso Robles based Villa Creek.  This is generally a full bodied, big boned, and brawny Rhone Ranger blend.  This vintage is a blend of 70% Syrah, 15% Mourvedre and 15% Grenache from the Booker Vineyard in Paso Robles.  I have been and probably will always be a big fan of this winery.  This is the last winery that I get an automatic shipment at every release and usually add on extra bottles.  In my house, there is no such thing as having too much Villa Creek in the cellar.

Winery history

In the spirit of the great wine producers of the southern Rhone and the bodegas of Rioja and Priorat, blending is what Villa Creek does best.  The area’s finest Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre and Tempranillo Vineyards are just a stone’s throw from the west Paso Robles winery where these blends are lovingly produced by winemaker Cris Cherry and his wife JoAnn.

The grapes of the area’s most progressive vineyards, James Berry, Denner, Ohana and Booker, currently grace the wines of Villa Creek Cellars.  Per acre contracts insure that the fruit comes off the same blocks each vintage.  The Cherry’s own 70 acre estate on the west side of Paso Robles boasts elevations of 1400-1800 feet, calcareous soils, south facing slopes and ample water.  In the spring of 2012, the Cherry’s finished planting their first grape vines, 3.5 acres of Grenache.  They look forward to planting Mourvèdre and Carignan in the months to come.

Much more information is available on their website.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark, ruby red color.  The sexy and inviting nose has black raspberries, graphite, incense, cherries, plums, fresh wild flowers, melted licorice, vanilla, dark chocolate, and some subtle earthiness.  This has a full body, fairly solid tannins, and very nice acidity.  On the palate, besides a load of nice fruit, there are abundant amounts of dark chocolate, pepper, vanilla, and a floral element.  The finish is very long and highlighted by juicy, crushed berries, dark chocolate, and a some earthiness.  This is still on the young side and improved greatly with some air.  No hurry on this one, enjoy it over the rest of the decade.  (94 pts)

2007 Copain Syrah Tous Ensemble Mendocino County – $25.00

My comments

This was Copain’s effort to put out a value priced, mid-level, appellation branded level of wines.  The Copain Tous Ensemble line up has grown to now include Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Roussanne, Viognier, and a Rosé.  In my opinion, the Copain Tous Ensemble lineup offers stunning quality for the price.  I’ve had and greatly enjoyed multiple vintages of the Syrah, Pinot Noir, and the Rosé.  I believe these wines have some distribution, I highly recommend grabbing a bottle to sample if you see one on your local wine store’s shelf.

This Syrah is a blend of grapes from Alder Springs, Eaglepoint Ranch, Hawks Butte and McDowell Valley vineyards in Mendocino County.

Winery history

Wells Guthrie discovered early on that his taste in wine gravitated toward Europe in general and France’s Rhône Valley in particular.  So much so, he picked up and moved with his new bride to the region to learn from the best.  For two years, Wells apprenticed for esteemed winemaker and living legend Michel Chapoutier in France’s Rhone Valley.  During that time, Wells was deeply inspired by the traditions and practices of French winemaking, not to mention the European attitude that wine is an essential part of life. At Copain, he creates wines that are firmly rooted in California, yet with the sensibilities of the European wines that so moved him.  He is as committed to crafting these elegant, nuanced wines as he is to building a legacy that will be passed down to his daughters in the great tradition of European winemakers whose estates have been in the same family for generations.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a nice garnet color.  The easy going nose has blackberries, red raspberries, minerals, warm baking spices, black pepper, smoked meat, vanilla, and fresh wild flowers.  This has medium body, fairly well integrated tannins, and very nice acidity.  The palate is lead by mineral laden fruit, black pepper, and a meaty element.  The finish has nice length and adds a touch of dark chocolate.  This is in its prime drinking window and I’d recommend opening this one over the next year, maybe two.  (90 pts)

2007 Rhys Alesia Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast – $35.00

My comments

I’ve been on the Rhys mailing list for a few years.  A lot of people knock the wines because they don’t taste great upon release.  Rhys wines require a few years in the cellar to smoothen out and open up.  That said, their Alesia wines, which are made from purchased grapes, though also needing some time in the cellar, seem to be ready to drink a couple years earlier.  I grabbed several bottles of this wine when it was offered on their e-mail release.  I’ve had a couple bottles and every bottle has been better than the previous bottle…always a good sign.

Winery history

While much of our focus is on winegrowing for our Rhys estate-managed vineyards, we also enjoy exploring distinctive California locations outside the Santa Cruz Mountains.  In particular we love the seductive beauty of Pinot Noir and Syrah from the Sonoma Coast and the utterly unique expression of Syrah from the Santa Lucia Highlands.  We call these wines made from purchased grapes “Alesia.”

Each Alesia wine is made with the same philosophy as our estate grown wines – concentration from low yields and pure, fresh fruit flavors.

More information on Rhys and Alesia is available at:  http://www.rhysvineyards.com/index.html

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright, ruby red color.  The very open and appealing nose has cherries, baking spices, minerals, smoke, white pepper, underbrush, raspberries, wild flowers, and earth.  This has medium body, fairly solid tannins, and very good acidity.  The palate has tart cherries, juicy raspberries, loads of minerals, white pepper, and just enough earthiness to add a lot of appeal.  The finish has decent length with nice spicy, earth driven fruit, but it would have been nice if it was a touch fuller and a little longer, but those are minor quibbles.  (90 pts)

2009 Seghesio Family Vineyards Zinfandel Home Ranch – $32.29

My comments

I’m not really a point chaser since I buy a lot of my wine from smaller wineries who don’t even submit their wines for review by the big publications.  A lot of the “big name” wineries I buy from are the ones I “found” before they started getting the big scores.  That said, even though I have been a fan of Seghesio wines for several years, I bought this specific wine simply because it received a high score and was listed as the number 12 wine on the Wine Spectator “Top 100 Wines of 2011”.

Winery history

The Seghesio story begins in 1886, when Edoardo Seghesio departed his family’s vineyards in Piedmont, Italy, for a new life in America.  Like so many immigrants, he was drawn to Northern Sonoma County and the Italian Swiss Colony to follow his passion for winemaking.  The “Colony,” as it was known, hired immigrants for three-year stints, providing room and board, and a lump sum at the end of those three years enabling employees to buy land or set up a business in their new homeland.

Edoardo quickly rose through the ranks to winemaker, yet he yearned for home.  The Colony’s manager repeatedly encouraged him to stay, and finally, it was the manager’s niece and the opportunity to purchase land that convinced Edoardo to remain.  That young girl, Angela Vasconi, and Edoardo were married in 1893.  In 1895, they purchased a modest home in northern Alexander Valley, more for the surrounding 56 acres Edoardo recognized as ideal vineyard land than for the home itself.  They planted the Home Ranch that year to what became the family’s lifeline—Zinfandel.

Much more information is available on their website.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a couple notches darker than a medium ruby red.  The stunning nose has cherries, baking spices, vanilla, black peppercorns, black raspberries, violets, and a touch of road tar and dark chocolate.  This has a medium to full body, fairly solid tannins, and very good acidity.  The palate has a nice fruity base but plenty of savory elements to steer well clear of being called a fruit bomb.  The finish is long and lingering with cherries, vanilla, black pepper, and a touch of dark chocolate.  This is a touch on the young side, but absolutely delicious.  (93 pts)

Winery Owners:

If any smaller domestic wineries are looking for distribution in MN, IA, IL and WI, shoot me an e-mail to cliff@CliffsWinePicks.com.  I know a smaller wholesaler with divisions in those states looking to expand.

***** Shameless Self Promotion *****

Here is a link to a YouTube video of me getting “coal” from Santa for being named the “Nicest Person in Social Media” in 2012.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOvQTeGR3-c

Breaking news from Klout:

Wines bought or received this week

It has been a busy week receiving wine.  Shipments from Carlisle and Jean Edwards arrived.

Remember to support your local wine store!

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Notes – I use the “official” Cellar Tracker name for the wines.  I use Cellar Tracker to help manage and organize my cellar.  I highly recommend checking it out at www.cellartracker.com.  Loading you existing cellar is a lot less intimidating than it would first appear.  There is a good chance 99% of your wine is already in the system, so you generally only need to enter part of the wine’s name and the system will find it for you.

Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase.  I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but my local store is usually VERY competitive.  I generally get case discounts, and since I work there part time, I get a 5% discount.  Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges.  None of the prices include the sales tax.

All wines that were sent to me free of charge to sample will be noted and I will show suggested prices when available.

Cheers!

2005 Mas des Dames Coteaux du Languedoc

2004 Clarendon Hills Grenache Old Vines Blewitt Springs

2007 Long Shadows Wineries Cabernet Sauvignon Feather

2005 Mas des Dames Coteaux du Languedoc – $15.86

My comments

This is another wine I purchased from Garagiste Wines and Jon Rimmerman.  I bought three bottles of this wine but held off opening a bottle for a couple of years.  I had a bottle about a year ago and thought it was very nice, but felt it would improve with some additional cellar time.  It’s time to check in again.  This is a blend of 50% Grenache, 30% Carignan, and 20% Syrah.

Winery history

Mas des Dames is a former 18th century farmhouse surrounded by 14 hectares of vines located in the hills behind Béziers, Southern France.  Where the Languedoc is often a ‘sea’ of vineyards, in this hidden valley we were lucky to find an ancient structure of small plots, surrounded by a natural flora.  This ‘garrigue’ of oak, olive, and pine trees creates a natural balance in the vineyards, enabling us to work without any insecticides and just minimal treatments against illness.  We’ve never used chemical fertilizers and do not irrigate.  That is why our yields are low (about 35hl/ha). but have a nicely concentrated quality.  A certification for organic farming is pending.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a nice ruby red color.  The very nice nose has black cherries, red raspberries, plums, crushed stone minerality, smoke, roasted herbs, meat juices, warm baking spices, and a touch of earthiness.  This has medium body, fairly solid tannins, and very good acidity.  The palate has some nice up front fruit followed by roasted herbs, minerals, grilled meat, and a touch of dark chocolate.  The finish has nice length and leans more on the savory elements with the fruit adding a touch of sweetness.  This is in a nice place, but should hold for another year or two.  (91 pts)

2004 Clarendon Hills Grenache Old Vines Blewitt Springs – $25.00

My comments

We had a “house favorite” for dinner, Lime-Cilantro Pork Tacos for dinner and I was in the mood for something “different”.  I knew the tacos would be well seasoned and have a bit of bite from a jalapeño so I wanted something big, rich, and fruit driven to pair.  It’s been a while since I had this wine, but knew it would meet my requirements.

Winery history

In 1990, Roman Bratasiuk embarked on a truly remarkable wine making journey.  His vision: to create single vineyard wines equal to anything in the world.  Quite simply.  Working with old, dry-grown vines and performing every step of the process by hand, Roman sought to redefine the Australian fine wine landscape by solely conveying the imprint a vineyard forges on the varietal expression.  Every year a pragmatic and calculated Clarendon Hills learns a little more about our vineyards and pushes a little further to propel each one of our 100% varietal wines to the pinacle of their capability.

Please join Roman and the Clarendon Hills family in celebrating our 19 single vineyard, 100% varietal wines.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep garnet to purple color.  The impressive and massive nose has kirsch, black raspberries, melted licorice, Asian spices, minerals, black pepper, blueberries, earthiness, and cherries.  This has a full body, solid, ripe tannins, and decent acidity.  This is a massive wine on the palate with a boat load of syrupy fruit with enough spice and black pepper to add some depth, but this is all about the fruit.  The finish seems to last forever with berry compote and black pepper slowly adding some dark chocolate and a touch of earthiness, but again, this is a fruit driven wine.  Not a lot of subtlety or finesse,  but every once in a while a solid kick in the head does you well.  (92 pts)

2007 Long Shadows Wineries Cabernet Sauvignon Feather – $42.74

My comments

This is a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Columbia Valley in Washington.  The winery teamed up with a few “world renowned” vintners to establish individual wineries that would reflect the reputation of each wine maker.   In this case, the winemaker is Randy Dunn.  Randy started his wine making career at Caymus.  He has also assisted at Pahlmeyer, Livingston, La Jota and others.  He also owns his own winery, Dunn Vineyards, and has produced roughly 5,000 cases a year since 1979.

I bought a few bottles of this a while ago but knew it would take a few years before it would show well.  I’m sure this will be better in a few years, but I really want to check in to see how it is doing.

Winery history

After twenty years at the helm of the Stimson Lane wine group (Chateau Ste. Michelle, Columbia Crest and other wineries), Allen Shoup retired to pursue a personal dream.  For years he had envisioned a joint venture with highly acclaimed winemakers from different regions of the world.  His goal was to bring their expertise to Washington to create some of the most special wines ever crafted from the region’s top vineyards; wines that would stand shoulder to shoulder with the world’s best.

Encouraged by his associates, including long time friend and mentor, Robert G. Mondavi, Allen invited several of the world’s most talented and celebrated vintners to the sunny slopes of the ColumbiaValley.   Peering over steep cliffs into the valley where the Snake and YakimaRivers flow into the mighty Columbia, each vintner embraced Allen’s dream and agreed to lend their talents to create this tribute to the worldwide celebration of wine.

With their enthusiastic support and advice, Allen drew up plans to establish individual wineries that would reflect the reputation of each winemaker.  He named the venture Long Shadows Vintners in tribute to this select group of individuals who have shaped the industry with their benchmark wines and wineries.

His vision is now unfolding.  Long Shadows winemaker-partners are designing world-class wines comparable in stature to those they crafted in their native wine regions.  They are touring the land, running the soil through their fingers, and surveying with practiced eye the leafy trellises that spill down the hillsides of the ColumbiaValley.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a dark red color, verging onto purple.  The very nice nose has cassis, minerals, white pepper, licorice, violets, sun baked earth, dried herbs, red raspberries, baking spices, and some dark bittersweet chocolate, and a touch of cedar.  This has medium body, fairly solid tannins, and very good acidity.  The palate has a nice fruit component up front with a load of savory elements coning in on the back end adding depth and complexity.  The finish is fairly long with some sweet fruit joined by dried herbs, dark chocolate, and a touch of spicy oak.  This is a very classy wine that would cost twice this price if it had a Napa Valley appellation in its name.  This is a touch young, but tastes great none the less.  (93 pts)

***** Shameless Self Promotion *****

Here is a link to a YouTube video of me getting “coal” from Santa for being named the “Nicest Person in Social Media” in 2012.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOvQTeGR3-c

Breaking news from Klout:

Remember to support your local wine store!

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Notes – I use the “official” Cellar Tracker name for the wines.  I use Cellar Tracker to help manage and organize my cellar.  I highly recommend checking it out at www.cellartracker.com.  Loading you existing cellar is a lot less intimidating than it would first appear.  There is a good chance 99% of your wine is already in the system, so you generally only need to enter part of the wine’s name and the system will find it for you.

Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase.  I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but my local store is usually VERY competitive.  I generally get case discounts, and since I work there part time, I get a 5% discount.  Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges.  None of the prices include the sales tax.

All wines that were sent to me free of charge to sample will be noted and I will show suggested prices when available.

Cheers!

This is based on samples provided by the winery or another organization working on their behalf.

Riverbench was a new winery for me.  I have been actively searching out wines and wineries that follow the sustainable practices laid out by the “Sustainability in Practice” (SIP) group.  During a Twitter based WineChat dealing with SIP Certified wines, Riverbench asked if I would sample their wines and give them my opinion.  Since I’m not stupid, though some may disagree with that self assessment, I took them up on their offer.

Winery Information

Riverbench Vineyard was established in 1973, when its first Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes were planted on the property.  For years since then, some of the most renowned wineries in Santa Barbara County have purchased the fruit for their own wines.  Over time Riverbench has become a prominent name for high quality Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in the Santa MariaValley.

In 2004, a group of local families purchased the property.  Wine drinkers themselves, the owners quickly became enamored with the wine industry and decided to start producing their own wine label using small quantities of their exceptional fruit.  Riverbench Winery was born.

The first vintage included both Estate and Reserve versions of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.  Since then, their portfolio has increased to include new interpretations of these noble varietals.  All Riverbench wines are made in limited quantities, and many are available exclusively through their tasting room.

Vineyard Information

Riverbench Vineyard is situated on the southeastern edge of the Santa Maria Valley, an appellation known for its diverse microclimates and ideal conditions for growing Burgundian varieties.  This distinct wine region is characterized by the valleys in the Pacific coastline which run east to west instead of the more common north to south.  Such a geographic peculiarity channels the cool ocean breezes inward, resulting in a mild and moderate climate where Pinot Noir and Chardonnay thrive.

The vineyard is situated on the Santa Maria Bench, which is land made up of alluvial soils.  These soils are formed of sediment deposited by flowing water thousands of years ago, and typically contain particles of clay, silt, sand and gravel.  They are extremely fertile because of their medium to fine textures; yet they are shallow in depth which allows for a great growing medium with a boundary that does not encourage the vines to become overly vigorous.  Since the benchland is of a rocky or gravelly nature, it provides excellent drainage and in turn allows vineyard growers to define growth without a large amount of outside input.

Riverbench Vineyard was planted in 1973 as one of the Santa Maria Valley’s first vineyards.  Originally, the vineyard consisted of 220 acres of Chardonnay and 55 acres of Pinot Noir, and in 2007, they added an additional 37 acres of Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and Viognier.  In the coming years these selections will be available through the tasting room.

Sustainable Winegrowing

Our goal remains to produce the highest quality grapes in our vineyards, resulting in unparalleled wine quality.  Riverbench is committed to sustainable winegrowing practices that are environmentally sound, socially equitable, and economically feasible.  Keeping these sustainable practices in mind, we not only produce a superior product, but we are able to help protect the environment, conserve natural resources, maintain the long-term viability of our vineyard, and support the economic and social well-being of our employees.

In addition to being SIP Certified, Riverbench is also a Santa Barbara Green Business.

The people behind the wine

Pictured below is part of the Riverbench team.  Clarissa Nagy, winemaker, Jim Stollberg, Vineyard Manager, and Laura Mohseni, General Manager.

Much more information on this outstanding winery is available on their website.

From their website, you can sign up for their mailing list, order wine, or join their wine club.  Riverbench wines are distributed in a dozen states, you can also check to see if Riverbench wines may be on your local wine store shelf.

Now, on to the main reason for this post, the wines.

2010 Riverbench Vineyard & Winery Chardonnay Estate – SRP $26

Wine information

This wine is 100% Estate Grown Chardonnay from the winery’s Santa MariaValley vineyard.

The grapes were harvested on October 2, 2010.  The wine was aged for 11 months in French Oak, 55% one year old.

The final alcohol is 14.5% and only 458 cases were produced.  The suggested retail price of the wine is $26.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright, shimmering yellow color with a touch of glistening gold.  The rich and inviting nose has apples, lemon curd, baking spices, pineapple, crushed stone, melons, flint, and just a hint of toasty oak.  This has a medium body and tart, citrusy acidity.  The exceptional palate has nice up front sweet, juicy apples and tart lemon zest followed by solid minerality and spice as well as a slowly building pineapple element.  The long, lingering finish has nice balance between sweet fruit, citrusy acidity, minerals, and just a touch of spicy oak.  This is delicious today but should last in the cellar for a few years.  (92 pts)

This would be outstanding with a rich dish, like the winery’s suggestion of Petite Creme cheese or lobster pot pie but my choice would be a skewer of spicy grilled shrimp on the deck on a bright, sunny day.

On the second day, the tart acidity had integrated providing more up front richness and allowing the fruit to shine through on the finish.  This was very nice on the first day, but I liked it even more on day two.

2010 Riverbench Vineyard & Winery Pinot Noir Estate – SRP $28

Wine  information

This wine is 100% Estate Grown Pinot Noir from the winery’s Santa Maria Valley vineyard.

The grapes were harvested on October 2, 2010.  The wine was aged for 9 months in French Oak, 4% new, 96% neutral oak.

The final alcohol is 14.6% and 599 cases were produced.  The suggested retail price of the wine is $28.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light, transparent, ruby red color.  The enticing nose has strawberries, black raspberries, dusty minerals, warm baking spices, smoke, violets, white pepper, some subtle earthiness, and just a touch of roasted herbs.  This has a medium body, silky tannins, and very nice acidity.  On the palate, the rich fruit is joined by baking spices and white pepper with some earthiness coming in later.  The finish is fairly long and adds some roasted herbs to add a nice savory element to the sweet fruit and spices.  This is drinking nicely today but will hold and possibly add some additional complexity with a year or two in the cellar.  (93 pts)

The winery suggests barbecued ribs or braised beef shanks, but I’d like a glass of this with a piece of juicy, grilled chicken and a salad on a sunny deck or patio.

By day two, the tannins were fully integrated and smooth.  The palate had added a smoky element and the earthiness was a bit more pronounced pushing the fruit slightly into the background where it added very nice sweetness.  On the finish the roasted herb element was not to be found, but the smoky, spicy fruit and a touch of earthiness lingered very nicely.  Once again, I felt the wine had smoothened out and improved on the second day.  This bodes well if you would like to stash a bottle in the cellar for a few extra years.

***** Shameless Self Promotion *****

Here is a link to a YouTube video of me getting “coal” from Santa for being named the “Nicest Person in Social Media” in 2012.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOvQTeGR3-c

Breaking news from Klout:

Remember to support your local wine store!

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Notes – I use the “official” Cellar Tracker name for the wines.  I use Cellar Tracker to help manage and organize my cellar.  I highly recommend checking it out at www.cellartracker.com.  Loading you existing cellar is a lot less intimidating than it would first appear.  There is a good chance 99% of your wine is already in the system, so you generally only need to enter part of the wine’s name and the system will find it for you.

Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase.  I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but my local store is usually VERY competitive.  I generally get case discounts, and since I work there part time, I get a 5% discount.  Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges.  None of the prices include the sales tax.

All wines that were sent to me free of charge to sample will be noted and I will show suggested prices when available.

Cheers!

2005 MillerWineWorksSyrahSageCanyon Vineyard

2009 Brassfield Estate Winery Eruption Volcano Ridge

2008 Turley Zinfandel Cedarman

2007 BeresanWineryCabernetSauvignonWalla WallaValley

2005 Miller Wine Works Syrah Sage Canyon Vineyard – $17.99

My comments

I like a nice, rich, fruity Syrah as much as the next person, but at times I want one that highlights the more savory elements of the grape.  This wine has a nice fruit element up front, but layer after layer of savory notes kick into gear and steals the show.  This is one of the reason I love Syrah based wines.  They can be made into an enormous range of styles from fruit bombs to wines where the fruit takes the backseat.

Winery history

Growing up in rural New York State, simple, fresh, homegrown food was an everyday experience.  Our meats, milk, bread, fruit, and vegetables were from local farms.  Many of my earliest memories are the tastes and smells of my mother’s kitchen – bread, Christmas cookies, apple pies, smoked ham, and Thanksgiving turkey.  Just picked, juicy, finger-staining huckleberries were hard work, but memorable.

My first cooking job was a humble, short-order lunch cook but I was hooked.  After attending the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY, I took advantage of numerous culinary opportunities at world class restaurants in White Sulphur Springs, Chicago and Aspen.

I always considered winemaking to be “cooking”.  Through my entire time as a chef, I wanted to work with the flavors, textures, and aromas of grapes from the California coast.  Finally I took the plunge and moved to NapaValley.

NapaValley is an amazing place, but not just for its history, natural beauty, and perfect conditions for winegrowing.  The people are truly amazing, placing a premium on food, family, friends, and farming.

As a winemaker, it is my intent to make balanced, nuanced wines that speak clearly of their locations, and have affinity for carefully raised and prepared food.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark, inky purple to black color.  The dark and inviting nose has black berries, black pepper, smoked meat, dark bittersweet chocolate, melted licorice, Asian spices, dried herbs, and a touch of earthiness.  This has a fairly full body, fairly solid, ripe tannins, and good acidity.  The palate has some nice up front berries, but loads of smoked meat, black pepper, dark chocolate, and earthiness take over fairly quickly.  The finish has nice length and again features the savory elements with the fruit adding a nice jolt of sweetness.  This is in a real nice place but should last another couple of years in the cellar.  (90 pts)

2009 Brassfield Estate Winery Eruption Volcano Ridge – $14.24

My comments

This is a blend of 37% Syrah, 30% Mourvedre, 14% Grenache, 10% Petite Sirah and 9% Malbec, from the High Valley AVA in the eastern part of LakeCounty in California.  I took a flier on a couple of bottles a few months ago at the local wine store.  We opened one that night and thought enough to grab six more bottles ASAP.  This was made from obviously very ripe grapes, but showed no raisin or syrupy notes.  I’m looking forward to trying it again.

Winery History

Brassfield Estate Winery & Vineyard is located in the western section of High Valley at High Serenity Ranch on a truly distinctive and remarkable winegrowing property.  Our valley floor vineyards sit at 1800 ft elevation.  The higher vineyard blocks rise to nearly 3000 ft.  The temperatures of some parts of this unique vineyard are some of the coldest in CA, giving Brassfield a heat summation equivalent to a Region 3 or less in some vintages.

In 1973, Jerry Brassfield purchased the original 1,600 acres here as a cattle ranch and wildlife reserve.  Over the next three decades Jerry acquired additional property.  Today, the LakeCounty estate includes 2,500 acres across both the eastern and the western sections of HighValley, as well as the Round Mountain Volcano.

The Vineyards were investigated for their potential to produce world-class estate-grown wines in 1998.  Vineyard planting began in 2001.  As the vineyards matured, the winery has grown with a state-of-the-art winemaking facility.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark maroon color.  The sexy nose has blackberries, Asian spices, black pepper, smoked meat, dark bittersweet chocolate, plums, some eucalyptus, and a hit of earthiness.  This has a fairly full body, solid ripe tannins, and decent acidity.  The palate has a nice initial hit of fruit and dark chocolate that is joined by some building spice and earthiness.  The finish has nice length and is joined by a touch of spicy oak.  The oak has started to integrate and will probably be even better integrated with some air or a little more cellar time.  This is very tasty today if a touch of oak doesn’t bother you too much.  (90 pts)

2008 Turley Zinfandel Cedarman – $26.29

My comments

I’ve been a big fan of the Turley Cedarman Zinfandels for a number of years.  The mountain grown fruit always gives this wine a bit more backbone and a gritty edge.  The mountain grown fruit also generally highlights the savory, peppery elements of the zinfandel grape.

Winery history

In 1993, Turley Wine Cellars was founded by Larry Turley, brother of the well-known consulting winemaker Helen Turley.  Turley, had entered the wine business in 1981 as co-founder of the multi-varietal Frog’s Leap Winery, but soon realized that his interest lay in wines made from the Zinfandel grape.

Starting out with just one location in St. Helena, Turley Wine Cellars soon expanded to Templeton with the purchase of the historic Pesenti winery, where Zinfandel had been planted since 1923.

As of 2000, Turley Wine Cellars has had a two-year waiting list for new wine club customers.

In 2007, Turley Wine Cellars was producing approximately 14,000 cases a year of both single-vineyard and regional Zinfandel wines.

By 2011, Turley Wine Cellars is annually producing approximately 16,000 cases of award winning Zinfandel and Petite Sirah wines using multiple “small” vineyards located in Napa and Sonoma counties, and other Paso Robles locations.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly deep ruby color.  The very inviting nose has raspberries, black pepper, melted licorice, crushed stones, wild flowers, dark bittersweet chocolate, smoke, and some earthiness.  This has full body, fairly solid tannins, and very nice acidity.  On the palate the sweet berries provide a nice counter balance to the savory notes of black pepper, minerals, and dark chocolate.  The finish is long and very flavorful with some nice earthiness coming into the picture.  The tannins and acidity provide a solid backbone that ensures this will last in the cellar through the end of the decade.  Enjoy this now or let it sleep for a few more years, either way you’ll enjoy this one.  (93 pts)

2007 Beresan Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley – $16.99

My comments

This was one of the Garagiste Mystery wines.  In this case, this was the anonymous Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon that was offered for $16.99 lat March.  I wasn’t familiar with the winery which left me even more intrigued.  I opened a bottle of this not long after it was delivered and enjoyed it a lot.  It’s time to try another bottle to see how it is coming along.

Winery history

Located in the world-renowned Walla Walla Valley appellation, Beresan has 27 acres of estate vineyards that we carefully manage to produce premium fruit, and in turn, great wine.  The geologic distinctiveness of our vineyards, combined with fine winemaking, is reflected in the unique character of our exclusive, limited production wines.

Owned and operated by the Waliser family, our mission at Beresan Winery is not only to make outstanding wine and satisfied wine consumers, but to live a dream of having a fun, successful and enduring experience with friends and family at our winery.

We invite you to enjoy our wines and come see us at our winery in the beautiful Walla WallaValley.

For more information, visit http://beresanwines.com/

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly dark ruby to garnet color.  The classic nose has cassis, cedar, dried herbs, minerals, tobacco, Asian spices, wild flowers, dark chocolate, and a solid hit of earthy underbrush.  This has a medium to full body, fairly solid tannins, and very nice acidity.  The palate has nice fruit on the front end then the dried herbs, minerals, earthiness, and spice kick into high gear dominating the mid palate and backend.  The finish has decent length and again leans on the savory elements with the fruit providing a touch of needed sweetness.  This is in a nice place today, but should last in the cellar for a few more years.  (89 pts)

***** Shameless Self Promotion *****

Here is a link to a YouTube video of me getting “coal” from Santa for being named the “Nicest Person in Social Media” in 2012.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOvQTeGR3-c

Breaking news from Klout:

Remember to support your local wine store!

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Notes – I use the “official” Cellar Tracker name for the wines.  I use Cellar Tracker to help manage and organize my cellar.  I highly recommend checking it out at www.cellartracker.com.  Loading you existing cellar is a lot less intimidating than it would first appear.  There is a good chance 99% of your wine is already in the system, so you generally only need to enter part of the wine’s name and the system will find it for you.

Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase.  I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but my local store is usually VERY competitive.  I generally get case discounts, and since I work there part time, I get a 5% discount.  Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges.  None of the prices include the sales tax.

All wines that were sent to me free of charge to sample will be noted and I will show suggested prices when available.

Cheers!

2006 The Colonial Estate Emigré

2007 Core Ground Around

2008 Belle Pente Pinot Noir Estate Reserve

2006 The Colonial Estate Emigré – $29.88

My comments

Emigré is a blend of Grenache, Shiraz, Mourvedre, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, and Muscadelle harvested from four vineyards, two in cool climates, Greenock and EdenValley, and the other two from the northern BarossaValley.  Wines from The Colonial Estate don’t come cheap.  Their lower end wines start at $30.  This is one of their higher end wines and has a release price around $90.  I’ve been lucky in the past (and this time too) to find their wines either on a clearance sale or via Garagiste for under $30.  If you ever have the chance to get a bottle of this wine or either the Exile Cabernet or Shiraz at a great price, grab a bottle, it will bring a smile to your face.

Winery history

The Colonial Estate is a range of limited-production Australian wines with an old world approach.  The fruit is hand picked and carefully selected; the reds receive cold pre-maceration, fermentation, pressing and maceration on skins prior to ageing in French oak; whilst the whites get whole-bunch pressing, lees stirring and are fermented with naturally occurring yeasts.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep maroon color.  The fully open and inviting nose has cherries, blackberries, minerals, Asian spices, fresh ground dark roast coffee, dark bittersweet chocolate, charred meat, dried herbs, wild flowers, and scorched earth.  This has medium to full body, fairly solid ripe tannins, and good acidity.  On the palate the big fruit component is matched stride for stride by dusty minerals, dark chocolate, dried herbs, and dark roast coffee, with a meaty element coming in on the back end.  The finish is long with minerals, charred meat, and dried herbs adding a great dimension to the mixed fruits.  This is on the young side but absolutely delicious.  This is big and bold but not an overly ripe, syrupy style of wine.  (94 pts)

2007 Core Ground Around – $23.11

My comments

Core is quickly becoming one of my “go to” wineries when I want something a little different.  Dave Corey is making several straight varietal wines that are outstanding, but he shines with his blends, like this one.  This is a blend of 65% Tempranillo, 25% Grenache and 10% Syrah.

Winery history

Dave Corey’s educational background includes a bachelor’s degree in Biology from San Jose State University and a master’s degree in Entomology and Plant Physiology from Kansas State University, which was completed in 1995.

Prior to entering the wine industry in 1996, Dave worked in Salinas and the Central Valley in agricultural fields including cole crops, cotton, almonds, citrus, walnuts, kiwi, table grapes, apples and stone fruit.  His first position in the wine industry was as a Pest Control Advisor with Cambria Winery and Vineyards and later at Kendall-Jackson Vineyards of Santa Barbara County.

Dave left Kendall Jackson Vineyards in 1999 to begin Vital Vines, a viticultural company providing technical support for vineyard property owners, vineyard managers and winemaking personnel in the promotion of sustainable agriculture.  He has worked with clients that include Laetitia, Barnwood, Beckman, Melville, Stolpman, Gainey, Zaca Mesa, Sea Smoke, Le Bon Climat, Sine Qua Non, Rideau, Carhartt, Rusack, Westerly, Fiddlestix, Vogelzang, Andrew Murray, Evergreen, Arita Hills and Royal Oaks.

With a major commitment and a second mortgage, Dave gradually decreased his vineyard consulting work to focus on vineyard sourcing, winemaking duties and winery direct sales for CORE wine company which he started in 2001 with his wife, Becky.  Dave passionately continues working in the same capacity today in addition to several new wine projects with family members.  He can also be found pouring wine for customers at the CORE wine company tasting room in Old Orcutt, California.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep garnet color.  The inviting nose has blackberries, dried cherries, dusty minerals, warm baking spices, licorice, dried herbs, fresh ground espresso, eucalyptus, and some subtle earthiness.  This has medium to full body, fairly solid tannins, and tart acidity.  On the palate nice blackberry and cherry supply good sweetness up front with the minerals, spice, licorice, and coffee adding depth and complexity.  The finish is fairly long with the fruit and spice carrying the load with the eucalyptus making a nice closing appearance.  This is still very young and will improve as the acidity better integrates.  (91 pts)

2008 Belle Pente Pinot Noir Estate Reserve – $38.25

My comments

Belle Pente is on my short list of favorite Oregon Pinot Noir producers.  I was introduced to the winery by a friend who is really into Oregon Pinots.  As usual, when you listen to someone “into” specific types of wines, you can come up with gems.  We split a case of this one and I’ve been semi-successful letting it lay in the cellar, but it is time to check in again to see how it’s doing.

Winery history

Belle Pente (bell-pont’) means “beautiful slope” – a perfect description for our hillside vineyard site in the Yamhill-Carlton District  of Oregon’s WillametteValley.  Our inspiration comes from the exquisite wines of Burgundy and Alsace, and follows the guiding principle that great wine is made in the vineyard and merely nurtured in the winery.  Our standard practices include organic & biodynamic viticulture, carefully managing vineyard quality and yields, and meticulously hand sorting the grapes that arrive at the winery to remove all underripe or damaged fruit.  Our 3-level, gravity-flow winery is designed for gentle, natural winemaking in small lots, with minimal handling and manipulation, to produce premium wines of character and distinction.

Belle Pente is owned and operated by Jill & Brian O’Donnell.  The 70 acre property is located on a historic farm 2 miles east of the town of Carlton in the new Yamhill-Carlton American Viticultural Area.  The vineyard site rises from 240′ to 500′ with south, south-east, and south-west exposures.  The first vineyard was planted in 1994, and now includes 16 acres of Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and Chardonnay.  Our estate vineyard is supplemented with high quality fruit grown to our specifications in partnership with carefully selected independent YamhillCounty vineyards.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a nice red to ruby red color.  The very nice nose has cherries, baking spices (think cherry pie), some earthiness, fresh wild flowers, minerals, smoke, and a touch of dark chocolate.  This has medium body, fairly solid  ripe tannins, and good acidity.  Fresh and lively on the palate with the cherries and spice carrying the load until some earthy elements come into the picture on the backend adding depth.  The finish is long and easy going with the bright cherries and spice again doing the heavy lifting.  This may be on the young side but it is very approachable and enjoyable, which really is all that counts.  (94 pts)

***** Shameless Self Promotion *****

Here is a link to a YouTube video of me getting “coal” from Santa for being named the “Nicest Person in Social Media” in 2012.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOvQTeGR3-c

Breaking news from Klout:

Wines bought or received this week

It was a busy week.  I received in an order from Villa Creek, a couple deliveries of wine samples, and a stop at the local wine store.

2011 Villa Creek Garnacha Denner Vineyard (2)

2011 Villa Creek Willow Creek Cuvee (2)

2010 Villa Creek Gathers No Moss Red James Berry Vineyard (2)

Wine Samples:

2010 Jacuzzi Family Vineyard Chardonnay Giuseppina

2010 JacuzziFamilyVineyardSagrantinoTracyHills

2011 Cline Cellars Cashmere

2010 Cline Cellars Syrah Los Carneros

2011 Woodbridge Riesling

2011 Woodbridge Merlot

Local wine store:

2011 Domaine Lafage Vin de Pays des Cotes Catalanes Bastide Miraflors Vieilles Vignes

2011 Herencia Altes Terra Alta Garnatxa Negra

2010 John Duval Wines Shiraz Entity

2009 Betts & Scholl Shiraz Black Betty (6)

2009 Bodegas El Nido Jumilla Clio

Remember to support your local wine store!

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Notes – I use the “official” Cellar Tracker name for the wines.  I use Cellar Tracker to help manage and organize my cellar.  I highly recommend checking it out at www.cellartracker.com.  Loading you existing cellar is a lot less intimidating than it would first appear.  There is a good chance 99% of your wine is already in the system, so you generally only need to enter part of the wine’s name and the system will find it for you.

Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase.  I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but my local store is usually VERY competitive.  I generally get case discounts, and since I work there part time, I get a 5% discount.  Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges.  None of the prices include the sales tax.

All wines that were sent to me free of charge to sample will be noted and I will show suggested prices when available.

Cheers!

2008 Carlisle Zinfandel Sonoma County

2007 Treasure Hunter Wines Petite Sirah The Sweet Trade

2004 Stephane Azemar Cahors Clos d’un Jour

2009 Copain Pinot Noir Tous Ensemble

2008 Carlisle Zinfandel Sonoma County – $17.50

My comments

In my opinion, this is one of the greatest wine values in the world.  When it comes to California Zinfandels, I dare anyone to name a better one that costs less.  Wine like this is the reason the Carlisle mailing list is closed and very few people get moved off of the ever expanding waiting list onto the allocation list.  I guess if I was forced to give a negative comment about the winery it would be that they make an incredibly large list of wines, well over two dozen.  If anyone wanted to grab a few bottles of every wine, their cellar size would have to be increased.

Winery history

We are a small Sonoma County winery specializing in the production of old-vine, vineyard designated zinfandels and red Rhone varieties (syrah, grenache, mourvèdre, and petite sirah).  While we like our wines to be bold, rich, and intensely flavored, each reflecting a sense of place, its origins in the vineyard, we also strive to create wines of balance, complexity, and perhaps most importantly, pleasure.

Rich.  Lusty.  Hedonistic.  These are some of the descriptors we often hear applied to our wines.  However, we also hear the words elegant, balanced, complex.  Yes, through hard work in the vineyard and winery, we believe you can have it all, the best of both worlds.  Our approach to winemaking is simple, yet difficult.  We prefer to intervene in nature’s process as little as possible but we will leave no stone unturned in our quest to maximize the quality of each wine we produce.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark, ruby color.  The sexy and inviting nose has black raspberries, white pepper, melted licorice, violets, dried herbs, and lesser notes of baking spice, dark bittersweet chocolate, and underbrush.  This has fairly full body, moderate ripe tannins, and outstanding acidity.  The palate starts off with solid black raspberries and pepper with the dried herbs and dark chocolate building quickly, on the back end a floral note and some earthiness come into the picture adding even more depth and complexity.  The long, lingering finish showcases the juicy berries, chocolate, and earthiness with the acidity giving a lot of lift and brightness.  This is just entering a nice drinking window, and the tannins and acidity will keep this alive and kicking through most of the decade.  (92 pts)

2007 Treasure Hunter Wines Petite Sirah The Sweet Trade – $16.90

My comments

I’ve been a big fan of the wines being churned out by this Négociant winery.  This winery owns no vineyards and actually isn’t really a winery, in the normal sense.  They buy “wine” from other wineries that have excess.  Usually the wine is in barrels, but on occasion they buy the wine after it has been bottled.  The winery generally does some blending if needed, bottle the wine, and send it on its way to customers around the country.  For the wine lovers, this generally means getting a quality bottle of wine for far less than it would have cost if it was sold by the original winery.

Winery history

Each Treasure Hunter wine goes through a pain-staking process of examination from our panel of nine called The De-Vine Nine.  Made up of top sommeliers, winemakers and restaurateurs, they are the best of the best and they pour through hundreds of wines before they are deemed worthy.

Each wine is a small one-time offering and represents an extraordinary opportunity to drink seminal wines of great importance.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark purple color.  The soft and friendly nose has blackberry jam, baking spices, licorice, violets, dark bittersweet chocolate, white pepper, and a touch of forest floor.  This has medium body, moderate ripe tannins, and nice acidity.  The palate has jammy fruit and spice with a bit of earthiness and oak creeping in on the backend.  The finish has decent length with a touch of dark chocolate entering the picture.  I don’t think this is one to keep for several years in the cellar, open this one over the next few years and enjoy the rich fruit.  (88 pts)

2004 Stephane Azemar Cahors Clos d’un Jour – $13.92

My comments

This was another “find” by Jon Rimmerman of Garagiste Wine from Washington.  In my opinion, Jon provides two great services to wine consumers, he can hunt down perfectly aged German Rieslings and can help find occasional gems that you never heard of let alone tried.  This falls into the second category.

Winery history

As usual for small “old world” wineries, there is not a lot of background available on the internet.  I did find a write up about the owners Véronique and Stéphane Azémar and the winery on  La Revue du Vin de France.  You can check it out if you can read French or tolerate the web based translation programs.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark purple color.  The relaxing nose has blackberries, forest floor, dark chocolate, fresh ground dark roast coffee, roasted herbs, and just a touch of charred meat.  This has medium body, mostly integrated tannins, and nice acidity.  The palate has a quick hit of berries followed by a blast of dark chocolate, meat, and earthy elements.  The finish is fairly long again highlighted by dark chocolate and berries.  Drinking nicely today but seems to be approaching a crossroads where the savory notes will totally override the remaining fruit.  (88 pts)

2009 Copain Pinot Noir Tous Ensemble – $25.00

My comments

I’ve slowed down my Copain purchases over the last couple of years, but I’m still a big fan of their “Tous Ensemble” wines.  To me, the Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Rosé all have quality that greatly exceeds their price points.  This has been a consistently good $25 Anderson Valley Pinot that is comparable to $40 or higher wines from the area.

This was Copain’s effort to put out a value priced, mid-level, appellation branded level of wines.  The Copain Tous Ensemble line up has grown to now include Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Roussanne, Viognier, and a Rosé.  In my opinion, the Copain Tous Ensemble lineup offers stunning quality for the price.  I’ve had and greatly enjoyed multiple vintages of the Syrah, Pinot Noir, and the Rosé.  I believe these wines have some distribution, I highly recommend grabbing a bottle to sample if you see one on your local wine store’s shelf.

Winery history

Wells Guthrie discovered early on that his taste in wine gravitated toward Europe in general and France’s RhôneValley in particular.  So much so, he picked up and moved with his new bride to the region to learn from the best.  For two years, Wells apprenticed for esteemed winemaker and living legend Michel Chapoutier in France’s RhoneValley.  During that time, Wells was deeply inspired by the traditions and practices of French winemaking, not to mention the European attitude that wine is an essential part of life.  At Copain, he creates wines that are firmly rooted in California, yet with the sensibilities of the European wines that so moved him.  He is as committed to crafting these elegant, nuanced wines as he is to building a legacy that will be passed down to his daughters in the great tradition of European winemakers whose estates have been in the same family for generations.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light to medium ruby red color.  The slightly shy nose eventually has earthy raspberries, baking spices, cherries, and a faint herbal note.  This is barely medium body with soft, silky tannins and good acidity.  Much more open on the palate than the nose with sweet, juicy cherries and baking spices, some earthiness comes in on the backend.  The finish has decent length with a slight herbal note again making an appearance.  A bit more complexity would be nice but this is an outstanding week night Pinot.  (89 pts)

***** Shameless Self Promotion *****

Here is a link to a YouTube video of me getting “coal” from Santa for being named the “Nicest Person in Social Media” in 2012.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOvQTeGR3-c

Breaking news from Klout:

Music Corner 

Some favorite songs/videos (known to pair with good wine)

Gimme Shelter – U2, Mick Jagger, Fergie

Stairway to Heaven – Heart (Kennedy Center Honors)

Comfortably Numb Live – Pink Floyd

That Smell – Lynyrd Skynyrd

ZZ Top – La Grange

Mailing Lists

Nothing new to report in this area this week.  The Villa Creek Summer offer came out last week which is a buy event for me.  I have to stock up on their White and Rose for the summer season.

Wines bought or received this week

Nothing new so far, but I have a couple shipments scheduled to be delivered tomorrow.

Remember to support your local wine store!

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Notes – I use the “official” Cellar Tracker name for the wines.  I use Cellar Tracker to help manage and organize my cellar.  I highly recommend checking it out at www.cellartracker.com.  Loading you existing cellar is a lot less intimidating than it would first appear.  There is a good chance 99% of your wine is already in the system, so you generally only need to enter part of the wine’s name and the system will find it for you.

Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase.  I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but my local store is usually VERY competitive.  I generally get case discounts, and since I work there part time, I get a 5% discount.  Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges.  None of the prices include the sales tax.

All wines that were sent to me free of charge to sample will be noted and I will show suggested prices when available.

Cheers!

2008 Viña Robles RED4 Huerhuero

2011 Loring Wine Company Grenache Russell Family Vineyard

2006 Two Hands Brave Faces

2007 Jean Edwards Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Stagecoach Vineyard

2008 Viña Robles RED4 Huerhuero – $9.49

My comments

I bought a bottle of this soon after it arrived in the local wine store.  I took it home and we promptly removed the screw cap.  After a couple quick swirls in the glass, I took a smell.  Good so far but now comes the important moment, a taste.  Wow!  I bought this for under $10?  Time to shoot off a quick e-mail to the store owner and friend, stash me a case.

This is my last bottle from the case and it’s still an outstanding bottle of wine.  Though it may not have the complexity of agability of its more expensive counterparts from Paso Robles, it is delicious.  This is a blend of 62% syrah, 34% petite sirah and 2% each of grenache and mourvedre.

Winery history

We craft wines that represent a stylistic bridge between the Old and New worlds, capturing the finesse associated with European wines while celebrating the bold natural flavors of our estate vineyards in Paso Robles.

Here, proprietor Hans Nef and managing partner Hans – R. Michel bring their Swiss heritage to California’s Central Coast, where they aim to unite the best of both experiences.

“I want Vina Robles to express a unique balance of European heritage and American opportunity.  As individuals, we are rooted in the Old World.  As winemakers, we are empowered by the New World.  But both worlds bring value to what we do, and we endeavor to capture this distinction in our wines.”

-Proprietor Hans Nef

We first discovered Paso Robles in the early 1980s and became enamored with this emerging wine country.  Along golden slopes, where the Pacific coastline unfolds into rugged ranchlands and cowboy ambiance, a new generation of California winemakers was turning Paso Robles into one of the world’s most dynamic winegrowing regions.

In the mid 1990s we planted our first estate vineyard and established Vina Robles as a family winery specializing in varieties that excel in the region’s diverse terroir.  The vision for Vina Robles is summed up by our motto: European Inspiration – California Character.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark maroon color.  The very open and inviting nose has blackberries, vanilla, baking spices, white pepper, smoke, dark chocolate, licorice, cherry, and a bit of earthy underbrush.  This has medium to full body, fairly solid ripe tannins, and decent acidity.  On the palate you get a mouthful of spicy berries and dark chocolate up front with pepper and some earthiness coming in on the backend.  The finish has nice length but gets a bit muddled and soft.  A nice week night wine if you can find it for around $10.  This is one to drink in the next year, two at most.  (87 pts)

2011 Loring Wine Company Grenache Russell Family Vineyard – $39.67

My comments

This was a no-brainer buy for me.  I love Brian Loring’s wines and Grenache is one of my favorite grapes.  The price of admission was a touch steep for a total unknown, but I had to grab some.

Winery history

My philosophy on making wine is that the fruit is EVERYTHING.  What happens in the vineyard determines the quality of the wine – I can’t make it better – I can only screw it up!  That’s why I’m extremely picky when choosing vineyards to buy grapes from.  Not only am I looking for the right soil, micro-climate, and clones, I’m also looking for a grower with the same passion and dedication to producing great wine that I have.  In other words, a total Pinot Freak!  My part in the vineyard equation is to throw heaping piles of money at the vineyard owners (so that they can limit yields and still make a profit) and then stay out of the way!  Since most, if not all of the growers keep some fruit to make their own wine, I tell them to farm my acre(s) the same way they do theirs – since they’ll obviously be doing whatever is necessary to get the best possible fruit.  One of the most important decisions made in the vineyard is when to pick.  Some people go by the numbers (brix, pH, TA, etc) and some go by taste.  Once again, I trust the decision to the vineyard people.  The day they pick the fruit for their wine is the day I’m there with a truck to pick mine.  Given this approach, the wine that I produce is as much a reflection of the vineyard owner as it is of my winemaking skills.  I figure that I’m extending the concept of terroir a bit to include the vineyard owner/manager… but it seems to make sense to me.  The added benefit is that I’ll be producing a wide variety of Pinots.  It’d be boring if everything I made tasted the same.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep garnet color.  The exotic and inviting nose has black cherries, black raspberries, white pepper, chocolate, crushed rocks, dried herbs, Asian spices, forest floor, and a touch of eucalyptus.  This has medium to full body, moderate ripe tannins, and good acidity.  The palate features ripe, juicy cherries and berries, minerals, spice, chocolate and some earthiness.  The finish has nice length with dried herbs and white pepper adding some kick to the chocolate and fruit.  This is a ripe and rich style of wine but it doesn’t carry excess weight and is not syrupy.  This will never be mistaken as a Rhone wine, but it is outstanding in its own right.  (92 pts)

2006 Two Hands Brave Faces – $17.09

My comments

Two Hands is one of my wife’s favorite wineries and ranks pretty high on my list.  This is a winery not afraid to allow their grapes to get fully ripe before picking.  Some of their wines get awfully close to the over ripe and syrupy side of the line, but most of the time they don’t cross that line.  Remember, ripe fruit is not a flaw in a bottle wine.

I was able to grab a case of this wine from my local wine store during a blow out sale a year or two ago.  To me, this was an absolute no brainer buy for a touch over $17 a bottle.  This is 65% Shiraz, 35% Grenache and 100% BarossaValley.  This is the type of wine that made Australia famous before the mass produced “critter wines” did their best to kill that reputation.

Winery history (Core Values)

Quality without compromise is central to the Two Hands philosophy, driving all the decisions from fruit and oak selection to packaging and promotion.

We strive to differentiate ourselves; to be unique, fun and innovative in our business approach while maintaining a high degree of professionalism and integrity.

Our wines are made by a process of barrel classification – selecting the very best barrels for the Flagship range followed by Garden Series then our Picture Series.  This is achieved by sourcing the best parcels of fruit available to us from six premium regions within Australia.

We handle every parcel of fruit, however small, separately from crushing through to fermentation and oak maturation to ensure complexity and personality in the finished wines.

Fruit will be the primary feature of all our wines, with oak playing a supporting role.

Much more information available at:  http://www.twohandswines.com/

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark maroon color. The very outgoing and friendly nose features blackberries, Asian spices, black pepper, dying charcoal embers, cherry, vanilla, blueberries, and bittersweet chocolate. This is fairly full bodied with ripe tannins and good acidity. The palate is loaded with juicy berries, spice, and pepper. The finish is fairly long with some dark chocolate adding a nice element to the spicy, peppery, berries. This is drinking very nicely and should hold in the cellar for at least another year or two.  (92 pts)

2007 Jean Edwards Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Stagecoach Vineyard – $38.75

My comments

I guess you can call this a Social Media relationship.  I learned of Jean Edwards Cellars via Twitter.  I read their Tweets and started following them, luckily they followed me back.  Over the last couple of years we have exchanged jokes and Tweets about just about everything.  I was finally able to order a few bottles of their wine, and after giving a bottle a good 15 minutes to recover from the trip half way across the country, I popped the cork.  I am now a big fan and I spread their name to anyone who will listen to me.  I highly encourage you to check out their website and join their mailing list.  These are two very nice people making some of the best wine in the NapaValley.

Winery history

We are the owner/vintners of Jean Edwards Cellars – we share a passion for wine, a similar palate and a singular vision on the style of wines we produce.  We live by our motto that “you should only make wines you love to drink” and focus our production on artisan red wines that are full-bodied and classically styled.

Quality and heritage are important to us – our wines are reflective of their origins and are sourced some of the most prestigious vineyards (and vineyard blocks) throughout Napa Valley including Stagecoach Vineyard (on Pritchard Hill); vineyards on the valley floor in Rutherford, Oakville and Coombsville; and mountain vineyards on Howell and Spring Mountain.

Time really flies – we started producing commercial wines in 2004 but our dream of producing high quality NapaValley cabernet sauvignon wines started much earlier when we traveled to the valley in 1985.  During that trip, we developed a true appreciation for cabernet sauvignon wines and decided we would some day be a part of the business and produce a wine called Jean Edwards Cellars (our two middle names).  It was a goal worth waiting for and twenty plus years later we released our first wine in the Spring of 2006.

For more information, to order wine, or to join the Jean Edwards mailing list, visit their website.

I highly recommend at least joining their mailing list.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly deep ruby red color.  The absolutely stunning nose has cassis, melted licorice, dried herbs, cedar, wild flowers, tobacco, and warm baking spices.  This has medium body, fairly solid silky tannins, and very nice acidity.  This is rich and plush on the palate with cassis and baking spices up front with dried herbs and spicy oak coming in on the back end.  The finish is very long, seeming to never totally disappear and full of rich fruit and spice.  This has the balance to age gracefully for several years but it is absolutely irresistible today.  (96 pts)

If you’re interested in this wine, the 2007 vintage is sold out, but the 2009 vintage which I reviewed here is still available.

***** Shameless Self Promotion *****

Here is a link to a YouTube video of me getting “coal” from Santa for being named the “Nicest Person in Social Media” in 2012.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOvQTeGR3-c

Breaking news from Klout:

Wines bought or received this week

Picked these up at the local wine store:

(2) 2010 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon One Point Five

(3) 2009 AtalonCabernetSauvignonNapaValley

(2) 2010 John Duval Wines Shiraz Entity

I also have wine from Villa Creek and Helioterra sitting in Milwaukee waiting for me to pick them up tomorrow.

Remember to support your local wine store!

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Notes – I use the “official” Cellar Tracker name for the wines.  I use Cellar Tracker to help manage and organize my cellar.  I highly recommend checking it out at www.cellartracker.com.  Loading you existing cellar is a lot less intimidating than it would first appear.  There is a good chance 99% of your wine is already in the system, so you generally only need to enter part of the wine’s name and the system will find it for you.

Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase.  I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but my local store is usually VERY competitive.  I generally get case discounts, and since I work there part time, I get a 5% discount.  Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges.  None of the prices include the sales tax.

All wines that were sent to me free of charge to sample will be noted and I will show suggested prices when available.

Cheers!

2002 Jacob Franklin Petite Sirah Howell Mountain

2009 Borgo Scopeto (Tenuta Caparzo) Borgonero Toscana IGT

2009 Betts & Scholl Shiraz Black Betty

2010 Vincent Arroyo Mélange Reserve

2002 Jacob Franklin Petite Sirah Howell Mountain – $36.00

My comments

This is my last bottle of four I bought at the winery in June 2005.  After killing off a couple fairly quickly, I’m glad I was able to stash one so I could check it out with some bottle age.  In its youth, this was big and brash, full of big fruit, pepper, and spice and equally big tannins.

This is actually a blend of 85% Petite Sirah from the Dunn Vineyard and 15% Black-Sears Vineyard Zinfandel.  This was the last vintage for this wine, Randy Dunn pulled the grapes from Elyse so he could supply his son Mike’s new project.

Winery history

As many of you know, when we started making our own wines in 1987, we named the tiny, 200 case operation after our daughter, Elyse.  Not wanting to leave our son, Jake, out of loop, we eventually named our Rhone blend after him – anyone remember “Jake’s Cuvee”?  It wasn’t enough, because at the ripe age of eight Jake asked, “When do I get my own label without her name on it?”  Good point!  And as parents not wanting to show favoritism, why not create a namesake label for him as well?

Jacob Franklin Cellars debut bottling was in 1998 and we fondly and literally refer to it as the brother label of Elyse Winery.  By this time, we had gained access to small quantities of extremely allocated fruit from some highly desirable vineyards in the valley and this label was the perfect place to showcase them along with our only estate wine, Hoffman Lane Cabernet Sauvignon.

Jacob Franklin Cellars is focused on small production, low yield, vineyard designate wines from NapaValley.  Due to the extremely limited production, these wines are available exclusively through the winery, website, and wine club.

Oh Brother!

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to dark ruby red color, much lighter at the edge.  The smooth and sophisticated nose has blackberries, plums, white pepper, forest floor, dried herbs, dark chocolate, baking spices, tobacco, smoke, and a touch of eucalyptus.  This has medium body, fairly integrated tannins, and very good acidity.  On the palate spicy, earthy berries steal the show with dried herbs and dark chocolate adding depth and complexity.  The finish is fairly long with chocolate dusted berries and dried herbs hanging on for quite a while.  This is drinking very nicely now, but could last in the cellar for a few more years.  Don’t expect a big and brutish Petite Sirah, this has mellowed into something smooth and sophisticated. (94 pts)

2009 Borgo Scopeto (Tenuta Caparzo) Borgonero Toscana IGT – $16.62

My comments

I bought 6 bottles of this wine from a local wine store e-mail offer based on a solid recommendation from a fellow wine lover.  This “Super Tuscan” is a blend of 60% Sangiovese, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Syrah.  It’s a cool, rainy, Midwestern day in mid April, a perfect time for some pasta and my wife’s meat sauce.  This seems to be a good occasion to sample a bottle.

Winery history

The wine cellar of Borgo Scopeto renewed and enlarged over the last few years, is equipped with the most modern technology for vinification.

The cellar is composed of 50 stainless steal tanks with capacities that ranges from 11 to 260 hectolitres, for a total of 7000 hectolitres.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to deep ruby red color, lighter at the edge.  The appealing nose has cherries, warm baking spices, blackberries, white pepper, earthy underbrush, dried herbs, and a touch of dark chocolate.  This has medium body, moderate tannins, and very good acidity.  Tart, spicy, earthy fruit dominate the palate with dried herbs and some chocolate coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length and is an extension of the palate with just a touch of spicy oak creeping into the picture.  For a very young wine, this is drinking very nicely today.  This should improve with another year in the cellar and drink well for a few additional years.  (91 pts)

2009 Betts & Scholl Shiraz Black Betty – $16.62

My comments

This is another wine I bought based on a local wine store’s e-mail offer.  We generally like Aussie Shiraz as long as it doesn’t cross the line and end up on the sweet and syrupy side.  Based on reviews of previous vintages, this was worth grabbing a six pack.  It’s time to open one and see what I have.

Winery history

Betts & Scholl is a cooperative effort between Richard Betts, Master Sommelier & winemaker and Dennis Scholl, contemporary art collector and joyous wine drinker, who typically finds himself either in Aspen or Miami Beach.  Together, they created special relationships with star growers and winemakers from around the world to share in the Betts & Scholl vision.

This partnership is totally dedicated to making great wine as Richard & Dennis see it, which is, ultimately, wine that they like to drink.  No trophies, no wine for competition, just wine for the table – wine made to be enjoyed in the spirit of those wines that got Richard hooked on the whole deal in the first place.  This is to say wine you can drink everyday – a grocery, if you will – something that is on the table at lunch, at dinner, in harmony with food, an essential part of the meal.  This notion is fundamental to great living all over Europe, and it’s one that Betts & Scholl aims to bring back and live every day.

So Betts & Scholl chose to make the good stuff! Richard & Dennis’ shared aesthetic spoke for elegant, complex, balanced wines of great perfume and finesse with the power to seduce.  The object of the B&S fancy is neither the obvious nor the forceful.  Instead it is those wines that transport: They taste only of the place from where they’ve come.  Come take the trip.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby to maroon color.  The very outgoing nose has blackberries, baking spices, underbrush, black pepper, cherries, licorice, and wild flowers.  This has a full body, moderate tannins, and good acidity.  On the palate there are ripe, juicy crushed berries and baking spice up front then the acidity kicks in and tart cherries and a bit of earthiness takes over.  The finish is fairly long and leans on spicy, earthy cherries.  This is a bit disjointed at this time showing distinct, different “personalities” on the palate.  This needs some cellar time for the acidity to better integrate or a couple hours of air.  (88 pts)

2010 Vincent Arroyo Mélange Reserve – $15.30

My comments

This is a nice everyday wine from one of my favorite small Napa Valley wineries.  If you make it to wine country, pay a visit to the Calistoga based Vincent Arroyo Winery.  Their tastings usually lead to a trip into the barrel storage area and some barrel tastes.

This popular blend combines Estate grown Gamay with our Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petite Sirah.  Always blended to taste, our goal is to create a wine that can be opened “any time” — from the get-me-to-dinner glass to the perfect complement for pasta or steak salad.  The wine usually doesn’t last long in anyone’s cellar (or closet!) but ages very well as the Burgundy characteristics begin to emerge after several years introducing a new dynamic to what many might think of as an easy-drinking wine.

Winery history

Walking into the Vincent Arroyo Winery, one gets the sense that it has been here forever.  Is it just the comfortable atmosphere of a big barn full of oak wine barrels that lends to the sense of permanence?  Vincent Arroyo, himself, may feel like he has been here forever, as well.  He left behind a career as a mechanical engineer in the Silicon Valley during the early 70’s and headed to Calistoga, at the northern tip of the NapaValley.  He felt much more at home close to the land, being able to see and taste the fruits of his labors.

The purchase of the 23 acres of the Greenwood Ranch property in 1974 began the evolution of what is seen today, 85 acres cultivating 9 different wine grape varietals.  Vince has always been a farmer at heart, taking care of the land to produce the best that it can.  He began to transform the Greenwood Ranch by ripping out existing prune trees and unhealthy vines and planting new vineyards.  For many years, he did it all alone, the tractor work, cellar work and a one-man sales force.  Originally he made just a few hundred cases of his favorites, Petite Sirah and Cabernet, selling the majority of the grape tonnage to other Napa wineries.  Today, he produces over 8,000 cases of seven different varietals.

More information is available at: http://www.vincentarroyo.com/

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to dark ruby red color.  The nice but slightly shy nose has black raspberries, plums, baking spices, fresh wild flowers, and a touch of licorice.  This has medium body, soft tannins, and nice acidity.  The palate has nice, spicy fruit, with a bit of toasty oak.  The finish has decent length with just a touch of earthiness entering the picture.  This is a very nice “change of pace” wine and something very unique.  This is mainly estate grown Gamay with some Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petite Sirah.  (88 pts)

***** Shameless Self Promotion *****

Here is a link to a YouTube video of me getting “coal” from Santa for being named the “Nicest Person in Social Media” in 2012.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOvQTeGR3-c

Breaking news from Klout:

Wines bought or received this week

Received my last couple of deliveries for the Spring shipping season:

(3) 2011 HelioterraPinotNoirWillametteValley

(3) 2011 Helioterra Pinot Noir Vintner’s Select

(6) 2012 Villa Creek Pink

(6) 2012 Villa Creek “White”

Remember to support your local wine store!

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Notes – I use the “official” Cellar Tracker name for the wines.  I use Cellar Tracker to help manage and organize my cellar.  I highly recommend checking it out at www.cellartracker.com.  Loading you existing cellar is a lot less intimidating than it would first appear.  There is a good chance 99% of your wine is already in the system, so you generally only need to enter part of the wine’s name and the system will find it for you.

Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase.  I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but my local store is usually VERY competitive.  I generally get case discounts, and since I work there part time, I get a 5% discount.  Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges.  None of the prices include the sales tax.

All wines that were sent to me free of charge to sample will be noted and I will show suggested prices when available.

Cheers!

2009 Novy Family Wines Grenache Simpson Vineyard

2011 Wine By Joe Pinot Gris Really Good

2008 Stefania Pinot Noir Santa Cruz Mountains

2011 Villa Creek Pink

2007 Carlisle Zinfandel Carlisle Vineyard

2009 Novy Family Wines Grenache Simpson Vineyard – $14.25

My comments

I’ve been a big fan of the wines Adam Lee has been producing under his Novy and Siduri labels for several years.  Vintage after vintage, no matter the grape used his wines are very good to outstanding, and are sold for a very fair price.  Buying this wine was a no brainer.  This was part of an “open house” e-mail offer for those not lucky enough to visit in person.  I was able to get this at a sale price and then received another big discount based on the three cases I purchased from the offer.  Where else can you get a single vineyard, low production, Grenache from an outstanding winery for under $15?

Winery history

Our winemaking goal is to produce wines that best capture the distinct flavor and character of a given vineyard site.  To that end, we focus on sites that provide us with exceptional fruit.  We are fanatical in our protection of the vineyard flavor and are determined not to let any overt winemaking components mute the personality of an individual site.

In the cellar, we vinifiy each wine separately by block, clone and barrel type in order to maximize the individual components and provide greater complexity to the final blend.  This approach also provides us with much more flexibility in crafting a wine using only the best and most harmonious lots.

Given that the majority of our wines are single vineyard offerings, it is critical for us to maintain the site’s individual character in order to provide you with a truly diverse offering of wines.  To that end:

• We believe in minimal intervention, “gentle” winemaking.  In other words, we let the wine make itself.  We do not want to do anything to the wine that isn’t absolutely necessary.
• We believe in bottling our wines unfiltered and unfined whenever possible, convinced as we are that fining and filtering strip wines of flavor and character.
• We believe that the best wines express their origins.  Our goal is not to produce the world’s best Syrah or Zinfandel but rather to produce the very best wine from a given site.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright red to ruby color.  The very appealing nose has cherries, raspberries, white pepper, dried herbs, baking spices, minerals, and just hints of smoke and licorice.  This has medium body, fairly solid tannins, and very good acidity.  The palate has pepper laced red fruit with dried herbs and a touch of toast oak adding depth.  The finish has nice length with no rough edges.  This is drinking very nicely but should last in the cellar for a few more years.  This is not a typical all fruit California Grenache.  (90 pts)

2011 Wine By Joe Pinot Gris Really Good – $9.49

My comments

Pinot Gris wines, especially those from Oregon are a Summer staple in my house.  These are usually fresh and rich enough to enjoy chilled on the deck while something on the grill is cooking or to just kick back and enjoy on its own while relaxing.  These wines also usually have plenty of closing acidity to pair up nicely with warm weather, leisurely meals.

This was a new one for me.  Samples of this were being poured at the local wine store and for under $10, this was a winner.  I had to grab a few bottles for the upcoming “deck season”.

Winery history

Joe Dobbes, owner and winemaker at Dobbes Family Estate, is a pretty laid-back guy, but he couldn’t be more serious about making really excellent wine. This bodes well for the world as we know it, because these dueling demeanors bring forth a true gem: Wine By Joe.

This is your go-to wine. Delicious, but never pretentious. A high-quality bottle at a no-nonsense price, meant to be shared with people who make you happy.

See, it’s smooth and “drinkable,” as they say. But it’s rich and complex, too. Wine By Joe, priced at less than 20 bucks, is as comfortable at a dinner party as it is on a Thursday evening in your backyard. And its consistency from bottle to bottle ensures you’re going to be happy every time you pour it.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright yellow color.  The fresh smelling nose has apples, pears, lemon zest, honeysuckle, and a hint of white pepper.  This has light to medium body, crisp acidity, just a touch of sweetness.  The palate has nice, tart green apples, pears, and lemon zest.  The crisp, mouthwatering finish has nice length from the juicy apples and lemon zest.  (88 pts)

2008 Stefania Pinot Noir Santa Cruz Mountains – $45.00

My comments

I’ve been a fan of Stefania winery for a few years.  As typical in California, they make a full range of wines from Chardonnay to Cabernet Sauvignon and everything in between.  They produce one of the better red blends being made in California, called Haut Tubee.  Most of their wines sell out via their mailing list and I highly recommend checking them out on their website at http://stefaniawine.com/?page_id=10.

Winery history

Stefania was born in Minnesota.  Her father was an officer in the U.S. Army and she grew up in California, Nevada and Santiago, Chile.  She uses her background in accounting to run the day to day business of a small winery as well as handling wine making duties, vineyard construction management, purchasing, and of course vineyard work.  She loves to entertain friends at home or in the winery.  She painted the art work used on our labels and takes most of the photos used in our blogs and website.

Paul is a California native who has lived in San Jose for over 40 years.  He has worked at various high tech companies in Silicon Valley for 20 years specializing in Technical Support Management.  He handles wine making duties, planning, vineyard design, vineyard management, and acts as the official tour guide.  He loves to cook and host visitors to the winery or home.

Stefania and Paul were married in Jackson Square in the the French Quarter of New Orleans in 2003.  They return every year to celebrate their anniversary with friends in New Orleans.  They began  making wine in 2005 and were most interested in finding a business that would combine their love of food, wine and entertaining.  They are hands on in all parts of the grape growing and wine making process. One of their greatest joys has been the growing number of friends across the country who enjoy their wine.

Stefania Wine is supported by a small group of part time employees, family members and close friends who volunteer to help with labor intensive tasks.   We are lucky to have such great friends who are always willing to trade a day of hard work for a good meal and an ample supply of wine.

Much more information and their interesting blog can be found at:

http://stefaniawine.com/

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright ruby red color.  The appealing nose has cherries, earthy underbrush, raspberries, warm baking spices, violets, and a touch of vanilla.  This has medium body, moderate tannins, and very nice acidity.  The palate is full of earthy, spice laden, juicy red fruit.  The finish is fairly long with tart cherries and earthy elements seeming to hang on forever.  This tastes great today but will last in the cellar and possibly improve over the next several years.  (93 pts)

We used some of the Pinot Gris on Saturday to make this delicious dish for dinner on Saturday.  The leftover Pinot Gris and the Stefania Pinot Noir both went well with the dish.

The recipe for this Shrimp Scampi with Angel Hair Pasta is available on the Comfy Cuisine website.

We added a bit extra cayenne to the “breading” since we wanted a little extra kick.

2011 Villa Creek Pink – $12.80

My comments

This wine as well as the one from Bedrock are our go-to Summer rosés.  I usually supplement my supply of rosés with other labels from the local wine store, but these two are our most consumed ones.  This is a “leftover” from last year and I want to consume these before dipping into my stash of 2012s.  This is a blend of 70% Grenache, 20% Mourvèdre, 10% Carignan from Paso Robles.

Winery history

In the spirit of the great wine producers of the southern Rhone and the bodegas of Rioja and Priorat, blending is what Villa Creek does best.  The area’s finest Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre and Tempranillo Vineyards are just a stone’s throw from the west Paso Robles winery where these blends are lovingly produced by winemaker Cris Cherry and his wife JoAnn.

The grapes of the area’s most progressive vineyards, James Berry, Denner, Ohana and Booker, currently grace the wines of Villa Creek Cellars.  Per acre contracts insure that the fruit comes off the same blocks each vintage.  The Cherry’s own 70 acre estate on the west side of Paso Robles boasts elevations of 1400-1800 feet, calcareous soils, south facing slopes and ample water.  In the spring of 2012, the Cherry’s finished planting their first grape vines, 3.5 acres of Grenache.  They look forward to planting Mourvèdre and Carignan in the months to come.

Much more information is available on their website.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright salmon color with just a touch of a pink tint.  The fresh and relaxing nose has strawberries, white peaches, crushed stones, citrus zest, and some cherries.  This has light body, crisp acidity, and just a touch of lingering sweetness.  The palates features juicy fruit and minerals with lemon zest coming in on the back end.  The finish is long and full of sweet fruit and minerals with just enough citrusy acidity to leave your mouth watering for another sip.  (90 pts)

2007 Carlisle Zinfandel Carlisle Vineyard – $34.00

My comments

In my opinion, the Zinfandels Mike Officer makes from his “home vineyard” are always one of the top California zinfandels produced in just about every vintage.  This bottling always has that Carlisle richness and power but plenty of backbone to support the full bodied flavors.

Now that Carlisle has their own winery and won’t be using outside crush facilities, I look forward to even greater things coming from them in the upcoming years.

Winery history

We are a small Sonoma County winery specializing in the production of old-vine, vineyard designated zinfandels and red Rhone varieties (syrah, grenache, mourvèdre, and petite sirah).  While we like our wines to be bold, rich, and intensely flavored, each reflecting a sense of place, its origins in the vineyard, we also strive to create wines of balance, complexity, and perhaps most importantly, pleasure.

Rich.  Lusty.  Hedonistic.  These are some of the descriptors we often hear applied to our wines.  However, we also hear the words elegant, balanced, complex.  Yes, through hard work in the vineyard and winery, we believe you can have it all, the best of both worlds.  Our approach to winemaking is simple, yet difficult.  We prefer to intervene in nature’s process as little as possible but we will leave no stone unturned in our quest to maximize the quality of each wine we produce.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly deep ruby red color.  The enticing nose has brambly berries, black pepper, smoke, licorice, violets, a touch of earthiness, and a slight note of eucalyptus.  This is fairly full bodied with fairly solid ripe tannins and good acidity.  The finish is very long and flavorful.  This is in a prime drinking window but should last a few more years in the cellar.  (93 pts)

We’re finally getting some Spring like weather here in the upper Midwest.  It has been quite a while, so we decided to have some BBQ Chicken with potato salad and deviled eggs.

I don’t know about you, but this looked (and tasted) great to me.  Nothing fancy, but top not “comfort food” in my book.

***** Shameless Self Promotion *****

Here is a link to a YouTube video of me getting “coal” from Santa for being named the “Nicest Person in Social Media” in 2012.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOvQTeGR3-c

Breaking news from Klout:

Wines bought or received this week

Worked at the local wine store and had to grab a few bottles.

(4) 2011 Wine By Joe Pinot Gris Really Good

(1) 2010 Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir Santa Barbara County

(2) 2011 La Crema Pinot Noir

(1) 2011 Calera Pinot Noir

Remember to support your local wine store!

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Notes – I use the “official” Cellar Tracker name for the wines.  I use Cellar Tracker to help manage and organize my cellar.  I highly recommend checking it out at www.cellartracker.com.  Loading you existing cellar is a lot less intimidating than it would first appear.  There is a good chance 99% of your wine is already in the system, so you generally only need to enter part of the wine’s name and the system will find it for you.

Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase.  I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but my local store is usually VERY competitive.  I generally get case discounts, and since I work there part time, I get a 5% discount.  Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges.  None of the prices include the sales tax.

All wines that were sent to me free of charge to sample will be noted and I will show suggested prices when available.

Cheers!

2007 cc: Cabernet Sauvignon

2007 Jacob Franklin Mon Chou #50 Napa Valley

2007 Domaine de Piaugier Gigondas

2005 Consilience Syrah Camp 4 Vineyard

2007 cc: Cabernet Sauvignon – $17.09

My comments

This was offered as an e-mail special at the local wine store.  I had to grab a few bottles, how bad could a 2007 Napa Cabernet be when you can get it for well under $20.  I figured this would be a good Cabernet for week day evenings.  According to the producer, “In 2007 we have found ourselves with the unique opportunity to work with one of the world’s most special vineyards and wineries. We are not allowed to tell you exactly who, but we can say it comes from the world-class hillsides above one of those quaint little towns along highway 29 in the Napa.”  I have no idea the source they used, but in the past the wine met my goal of being a decent week night cab.

Winery history

We have our own opinions on the way to make great wine.  Great land – excellent start.  Great juice – pretty essential.  Great weather – yes, please.  And trust us, we have all of the above going on – but we believe that one of the most important parts of making wine is the blending.  This is the part where you either shoot the stars and realize all the splendor of your vinous dreams or, alternatively, you can take some amazing ingredients and just muck it all up.  It is actually not unlike cooking.  How much fun is a dry-aged rib eye steak cooked till it’s grey? You like soggy pasta? How about that last fusion dish of blueberries and lobster? Well winemaking is no different.  Once the different pieces are made, they need to be put together in the right way to realize their true potential as one.  One where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts and not some put-it-all-together preponderance of confusion.

This is where we get off in the creation of our new wines CC: Chardonnay and Cabernet.

This is an amazing time in the wine world – never has there been more great wine and never has there been more interest on our shores in drinking the good stuff.  Given that we spend our lives immersed in said stuff and manage to fly a few hundred thousand miles a year chasing it, one might assume that we’d have bumped in to some very special pieces along the way.

After having seen some really compelling possibilities and fueled by our motto of wine as a grocery, not a luxury we have decided to go for it.

So, we’re taking on two icons, two California classics; Chardonnay and Cabernet.  Long the standard bearers of quality in Cali, these two have become perhaps a bit big for their britches, a tad expensive and those oaky, heavy styles even a bit long in the tooth.  We want to be the opposite of all that is wrong with most of these wines and instead do right by Chardonnay and Cabernet in the GoldenState.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright ruby red color.  The very appealing nose has cassis, dried herbs, cedar, baking spices, smoke, a touch of licorice, and some cherry.  This had medium body, fairly integrated tannins, and good acidity.  Smooth fruit and spice on the palate with a bit of dried herbs coming in on the back end.  Nice length on the finish but some spicy oak pops out.  A nice week night cabernet.  Not a lot of complexity, but tasty.  I’d drink this up before the fruit fades a bit and makes the oak even more prominent.  (87 pts)

2007 Jacob Franklin Mon Chou #50 Napa Valley – $30.00

My comments

This is quickly turning into one of my favorite wines.  I bought a case and this is the third bottle I have opened.  This is a blend of 50% Cabernet Franc, 20% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Malbec, and 6% Petit Verdot.  The number in the wine name indicates the percentage of Cabernet Franc in the blend.

Winery history

As many of you know, when we started making our own wines in 1987, we named the tiny, 200 case operation after our daughter, Elyse.  Not wanting to leave our son, Jake, out of loop, we eventually named our Rhone blend after him – anyone remember “Jake’s Cuvee”?  It wasn’t enough, because at the ripe age of eight Jake asked, “When do I get my own label without her name on it?”  Good point!  And as parents not wanting to show favoritism, why not create a namesake label for him as well?

Jacob Franklin Cellars debut bottling was in 1998 and we fondly and literally refer to it as the brother label of Elyse Winery.  By this time, we had gained access to small quantities of extremely allocated fruit from some highly desirable vineyards in the valley and this label was the perfect place to showcase them along with our only estate wine, Hoffman Lane Cabernet Sauvignon.

Jacob Franklin Cellars is focused on small production, low yield, vineyard designate wines from NapaValley.  Due to the extremely limited production, these wines are available exclusively through the winery, website, and wine club.

Oh Brother!

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly deep ruby to maroon color.  The outstanding nose has cassis, cedar, dried herbs, licorice, baking spices, smoke, tobacco, minerals, dark bittersweet chocolate, and cherries.  This had medium body with fairly solid, ripe tannins and very nice acidity.  The palate has a wonderful blend of fruit and savory elements with everything in balance and harmonious.  The long, lingering finish has nice spicy cassis and dried herbs with just the right amount of spicy oak adding to the profile without being too obtrusive.  I love this wine.  (95 pts)

2007 Domaine de Piaugier Gigondas – $16.99

My comments

I ordered this in late 2008 from Garagiste.  By the time it arrived in their Washington warehouse all my other wines had shipped.  I cut down on my Garagiste purchases, so I received free storage for a couple of years.  I figured the wine was approaching a nice drinking window, so I made sure to order enough wine that these bottles would fill a case and be shipped.  This is my second of 6 bottles I purchased.  To me, Gigondas is a very unheralded area in the Rhone region of France.  These wines usually have a bit more richness than a Cotes du Rhone but in a lot of cases, they only cost a few dollars more.

Winery history

Alphonse Vautour, Jean-Marc Autran’s great-grandfather, made his wine in a cellar at the top of a little hill called Les Briguières, to the south of Sablet where he owned six hectares of vines.  The winery was named Ténébi, after the previous owner of the house.

Alphonse had to go down the hill, his mules loaded with barrels, to wait for the wine merchant to come by.  If the merchant didn’t come, or didn’t buy his wine, he had to climb back up with his reluctant mules.  So, in 1947 he decided to build a new winery on the road below, where the Piaugier cellars are to this day.

Jean-Marc Autran, Alphonse’s great-grandson, took over the winery from his father Marc in 1985.  He acquired more vineyards and, with the assistance of his wife Sophie, started bottling and developed sales.  The winery soon became too small and they extended it in 1995 to enable them to age and store the wines in the best possible conditions.

In homage to this family history, Jean-Marc has dedicated a wine to his ancestor, the Réserve Alphonse Vautour, which is made from grapes grown in his original fields.

Today, Piaugier wines are sold as far away as the United States, Japan and Brazil.

Much more information is available at http://www.domainedepiaugier.com/en_index.htm

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bit darker than a medium ruby color.  The very appealing nose has raspberries, baking spices, cherries, white pepper, dried herbs, fresh wild flowers, smoke, and a touch of earthy underbrush.  This has medium body, fairly solid tannins, and good acidity.  Spicy fruit hits the palate first, followed by nice dried herbs, pepper, and a touch of scorched earth.  The finish has good length and leans more on the savory elements with the fruit providing nice background sweetness.  This is drinking very nicely today but can be enjoyed over the next few years.  (91 pts)

I like pairing grilled pork chops with a nice wine from France’s Rhone region.  Tonight we grilled pork chops and asparagus and had a little potato salad.   The smoke from the grilled meat brought out the smoky element in the wine.

2005 Consilience Syrah Camp 4 Vineyard – $14.24

My comments

When it comes to big, brawny, take no prisoner wines, this 16.5% ABV wine, is a heavy weight.  If it’s at all possible, the massive wine actually conceals most of the alcohol but a touch does peak out from around the corners.  I was able to snag a case of this for under $15 a bottle and it is an enjoyable bottle of wine, every once in a while.  There is absolutely nothing subtle about this wine and a lot of people will hate it even without trying it.

Winery history

We are fortunate to source our grapes from many of the most desirable vineyards in Santa BarbaraCounty and work with some of the most reputable growers in the area to help showcase the unique qualities of each these special vineyards.

Winemaker and co-owner, Brett Escalera works closely with the growers and in the vineyards to produce beautiful wines with a richness and elegance we hope to share all around the world.  While Consilience focuses loosely on Rhone varietals and few others we couldn’t resist, Consilience’s sister winery, Tre Anelli wines is inspired by the traditions of Italy and Spain with a Santa BarbaraCounty flare.

Whether you’re a fan of rich Rhone style wines or have a liking for Italian and Spanish style wines we hope both Consilience and Tre Anelli wines capture your attention!

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep purple color with a touch of bricking at the edge.  The dark and inviting nose has blackberries, dying wood embers, black pepper, blueberries, melted licorice, smoked meat, forest floor, dark bittersweet chocolate, and vanilla.  This has a full body, fairly solid ripe tannins, and decent acidity.  This is so big on the palate, you almost instinctively start to chew it.  On the palate there are layer upon layer of fruit, dark chocolate, and meaty elements with more alcohol poking through than I remember from past bottles.  The finish has decent length but could use a bit more acidity to help support the massive flavors.  Based on this bottle the wine has peaked and may be starting its long, gradual decline.  Probably needs consumed over the next two years.  (88 pts)

***** Shameless Self Promotion *****

Here is a link to a YouTube video of me getting “coal” from Santa for being named the “Nicest Person in Social Media” in 2012.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOvQTeGR3-c

Breaking news from Klout:

Remember to support your local wine store!

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Notes – I use the “official” Cellar Tracker name for the wines.  I use Cellar Tracker to help manage and organize my cellar.  I highly recommend checking it out at www.cellartracker.com.  Loading you existing cellar is a lot less intimidating than it would first appear.  There is a good chance 99% of your wine is already in the system, so you generally only need to enter part of the wine’s name and the system will find it for you.

Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase.  I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but my local store is usually VERY competitive.  I generally get case discounts, and since I work there part time, I get a 5% discount.  Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges.  None of the prices include the sales tax.

All wines that were sent to me free of charge to sample will be noted and I will show suggested prices when available.

Cheers!

2007 Ridge Geyserville

2006 Copain Syrah Madder Lake

1998 Bert Simon Serriger Würtzberg Riesling Spätlese

2007 Bonny Doon Vineyard Le Cigare Blanc

2008 Big Basin Vineyards Grenache/Syrah Booker Vineyard

2007 Ridge Geyserville – $26.59

My comments

I always have a hard time choosing a favorite between the Ridge Lytton Springs and the Ridge Geyserville wines.  Both are zinfandel based blends but since Zinfandel generally constitutes less than 75% of the blend, they aren’t labeled as a Zinfandel.  This vintage is a blend of 58% Zinfandel, 22% Carignane, 18% Petite Sirah, 2% Mataro (Mourvedre).  This wine is disappearing from my cellar at a fairly fast rate of speed, of the 15 bottles I bought, I now have less than half remaining.

Winery history

The history of Ridge Vineyards begins in 1885, when Osea Perrone, a doctor who became a prominent member of San Francisco’s Italian community, bought 180 acres near the top of Monte Bello Ridge.  He terraced the slopes and planted vineyards; using native limestone, he constructed the Monte Bello Winery, producing the first vintage under that name in 1892.  This unique cellar, built into the mountainside on three levels, is Ridge’s production facility.  At 2600′, it is surrounded by the “upper vineyard.”

In the 1940s, William Short, a theologian, bought the abandoned winery and vineyard just below the Perrone property; he replanted several parcels to Cabernet Sauvignon in the late 1940s.  From these vines — now the “middle vineyard”— new owners Dave Bennion and his three partners, all Stanford Research Institute engineers, made a quarter-barrel of “estate” cabernet.  That Monte Bello Cabernet was among California’s finest wines of the era.  Its quality and distinctive character, and the wines produced from these same vines in 1960 and ’61, convinced the partners to re-bond the winery in time for the 1962 vintage.

The first zinfandel was made in 1964, from a small nineteenth-century vineyard farther down the ridge.  This was followed in 1966 by the first Geyserville zinfandel.  The founding families reclaimed the Monte Bello terraces, increasing vineyard size from fifteen to forty-five acres.  Working on weekends, they made wines of regional character and unprecedented intensity.  By 1968, production had increased to just under three thousand cases per year, and in 1969, Paul Draper joined the partnership.  A Stanford graduate in philosophy—recently returned from setting up a winery in Chile’s coast range—he was a practical winemaker, not an enologist.  His knowledge of fine wines and traditional methods complemented the straightforward “hands off” approach pioneered at Ridge.  Under his guidance the old Perrone winery (acquired the previous year) was restored, the finest vineyard lands leased or purchased, the consistent quality and international reputation of the wines established.  Cabernet and Zinfandel account for most of the production; Syrah, Grenache, Carignane, and Petite Sirah constitute a small percentage.  Known primarily for its red wines, Ridge has also made limited amounts of chardonnay since 1962.

Lytton Springs, in SonomaCounty, became part of the Ridge estate in 1991.  A quarter century’s experience with this vineyard had convinced us that it was an exceptional piece of ground.  Forty consecutive vintages of Geyserville attest to yet another stunning combination of location and varietals.  Though born in the early sixties to the post-Prohibition world of modern California winemaking, Ridge relies on nature and tradition rather than technology.  Our approach is straightforward: find intense, flavorful grapes; intrude upon the process only when necessary; draw the fruit’s distinctive character and richness into the wine.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby to maroon color.  The very enticing nose has brambly berries, cherry, black pepper, licorice, warm baking spices, charred meat, forest floor, and a touch of vanilla.  This has medium body, fairly solid tannins, and very nice acidity.  The palate has nice up front fruit and spice with more spice, licorice, and meaty elements coming in on the back end.  The finish is long with spice laden fruit slowly giving way to more earthy elements that seem to linger forever.  This still seems to be on the young side but is still very enjoyable.  (92 pts)

2006 Copain Syrah Madder Lake – $25.00

My comments

Until they moved into their “Tous Ensemble” line of appellation based wines, this was always the lowest priced wine offered by Copain, which made it a real easy wine to grab when it was offered.  This has been a frustrating wine over the years, every bottle was always enjoyable but seemed to need another year in the cellar, no matter how long you waited.  This was usually the most restrained offering from Copain’s Syrah program.

Winery history

Wells Guthrie discovered early on that his taste in wine gravitated toward Europe in general and France’s Rhône Valley in particular.  So much so, he picked up and moved with his new bride to the region to learn from the best.  For two years, Wells apprenticed for esteemed winemaker and living legend Michel Chapoutier in France’s Rhone Valley.  During that time, Wells was deeply inspired by the traditions and practices of French winemaking, not to mention the European attitude that wine is an essential part of life.  At Copain, he creates wines that are firmly rooted in California, yet with the sensibilities of the European wines that so moved him.  He is as committed to crafting these elegant, nuanced wines as he is to building a legacy that will be passed down to his daughters in the great tradition of European winemakers whose estates have been in the same family for generations.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly deep purple color.  The enjoyable nose has blackberries, smoked meat, black pepper, roasted herbs, dark chocolate, vanilla, and a nice floral note.  This has medium to full body, fairly solid ripe tannins, and good acidity.  On the palate smoky, meaty berries grab hold first, eventually allowing roasted herbs and dark chocolate to slip into the picture.  The finish has nice length and closes with a touch of spicy oak that gets a touch too prominent.  A very nice wine from the Copain mailing list for $25, but I wish the oak would integrate a little better on the finish.  (90 pts)

1998 Bert Simon Serriger Würtzberg Riesling Spätlese – $19.99

My comments

For a die hard fan of well aged Rieslings, Garagiste Wine out of Washington is a blessing.  They are able to source and sell wines with a decade or more of time in the bottle for less than the current vintages are selling for in the marketplace.

Winery history

In the years 1900 through 1905 the Prussian Minister of Agriculture Baron von Schorlemer acquired the vineyards at Serrig for 197,000 gold marks.  Striving to elevate the quality level of the estate to his demanding standards, the Baron spent additional money on improvements, including reinforcement of the steep vineyards with over 6,500 cubic yards of rock walls.  Always focused on quality, the von Schorlemer estate was a founding member of Der Grosse Ring.

The present owner, Bert Simon, whose family was for many years involved in viticulture in the village of Mertesdorf on the Ruwer, has continued this tradition of constant improvement.  In 1968, as a young enologist, Bert Simon acquired the von Schorlemer vineyards Serriger Herrenberg and Serriger Würtzberg.  Both vineyard sites are monopole sites of the estate and almost all the vines are planted on steeply sloping hillsides.  A total of 16ha or about 40 acres are under vines.

The Würtzberg has an incline of up to 75 degrees and its soil consists also of red and blue slate, but has larger amounts of sandstone and clay mixed in.  This results in weightier, broader, more full bodied wines.  They tend to be ready to drink at an earlier age and have a well integrated acidity.

The estate produces approximately 12,000 cases in an average year.

My Tasting Note

Not a good sign, the cork was wet under the capsule.  Upon slow extraction, the cork was soft and very soggy, another bad sign.  As soon as the cork popped free, the room was filled with honey, apples, and petrol, now that was a great sign!  The wine is a light golden yellow color.  The wine was not sparkling, but there were a lot of bubbles clinging to the inside of the glass.  The fresh and lively nose has apples, honey, petrol, orange blossoms, minerals, juicy pears, lemon zest, and a touch of white peach.  This has light to medium body, crisp acidity, and a nice sweet richness.  Loads of sweet fruit and minerals engulf the palate until the slow building orange and lemon acidity kicks in to balance everything out.  The finish is fairly long with the minerals and citrus carrying the load and the fruit providing nice sweetness in the background.  This 15 year old Riesling is still very fresh on the nose and palate, this can easily last for another decade in the cellar.  (94 pts)

2007 Bonny Doon Vineyard Le Cigare Blanc – $6.64

My comments

I grabbed a few of these on close out at the local wine store in January.  I wanted to try one to see if I should grab some more to last through the upcoming Spring/Summer seasons.  I was a more than a bit leery about buying a six year old wine of unknown provenance.  Those fears were put to rest as soon as I had my first sip.  This is a blend of 64.3% Roussanne and 35.7% Grenache Blanc from the Beeswax Vineyard in Arroyo Seco.

Winery history

With his family’s assistance, Randall purchased property in the Santa Cruz Mountains in a magically quaint area known as Bonny Doon, intent on producing the Great American Pinot Noir.  The GAPN proved to be systematically elusive, but he was greatly encouraged by experimental batches of Rhône varieties.  The late, great Bonny Doon Estate Vineyard (1981 – 1994, a tragic victim to Pierce’s Disease) was eventually planted to Syrah, “Roussanne,” Marsanne, and Viognier and produced achingly beautiful wines, confirming that California’s temperate climate is well suited to the sun-loving grapes of the Mediterranean. In 1986, Bonny Doon Vineyard released the inaugural vintage (1984) of Le Cigare Volant, an homage to Châteauneuf-duPape

My Tasting Note

The wine is a glistening yellow to gold color.  The Spring breeze like nose has honeysuckle, beeswax, minerals, apples, lemon zest, white peaches, orange blossoms, and spice.  This has light to medium body and very good acidity.  On the palate tart apples and pears loaded with stony minerals hit first followed by nice citrusy acidity.  The finish is fairly long with a touch of juicy peach adding a little something extra.  (91 pts)

2008 Big Basin Vineyards Grenache/Syrah Booker Vineyard – $43.00

My comments

As I’ve said in the past, I think Big Basin is one big score from one of the major wine reviewing periodicals away from appearing everyone’s radar.  I’ve been a big fan of Big Basin’s Syrah wines and blends for a few years.  I would highly recommend checking them out.  This is a blend of 70% Grenache and 30% Syrah from the Booker Vineyard in Paso Robles.

Winery history

Big Basin Vineyards was founded in 1998 in the Santa Cruz Mountains next to Big Basin Redwoods State Park, with a new winery building completed in 2003.  Proprietor and wine maker Bradley Brown sources his wines from three Estate Vineyards – Rattlesnake Rock, Old Corral Block and Homestead Block.  All of the Estate vineyards are planted to Alban Selections on steep hillsides with mudstone and shale soils – 7 acres of Syrah, 2 acres of Grenache and 1 acre of Roussanne – and are farmed organically.  Additionally, Bradley works closely with Coastview Vineyard located at 2400 ft on a mountain top in the Gabilan Mountains overlooking the Salinas Valley and Monterey Bay (several miles due south of Mt. Harlan).  He has contracted with the vineyard to purchase Syrah planted in 1998 and to bud over certain sections of the vineyard to Pinot Noir and Grenache (in 2008) and plant a new block to an Alban selection of Syrah.  This vineyard is also farmed organically and managed according to Bradley’s direction.  Beginning in 2006, Big Basin started making Pinot Noir sourced from the Santa Cruz Mountains.  As of 2009, Big Basin is making three different single vineyard Pinots from the Santa Cruz Mountains (Alfaro Family, Lester Family and Woodruff Family Vineyards), plus the Pinot from Coastview Vineyard in the Gabilan Mountains.

Best known for Syrah, but also makes Pinot Noirs and blends.

Much more information is available on their website.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to dark ruby red color.  The outstanding nose has blackberries, blueberries, Asian spices, licorice, freshly cracked black peppercorns, dark bittersweet chocolate, with some nice earthiness.  This has full body, fairly solid ripe tannins, and nice acidity.  On the palate there are loads of berries and spice up front with dark chocolate and earthiness coming in on the back end.  The finish is very long with black pepper and a touch of sweet cherries and a floral note coming into the picture.  This is in a nice drinking window and will be enjoyable over the remainder of the decade.  (93 pts)

We relived our time in Texas for dinner, even though that was a lifetime ago.  Chicken Fried Steak, mashed potatoes, cream gravy, and some sautéed green beans.  The meal was actually a nice pairing with the Big Basin wine.

***** Shameless Self Promotion *****

Here is a link to a YouTube video of me getting “coal” from Santa for being named the “Nicest Person in Social Media” in 2012.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOvQTeGR3-c

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Notes – I use the “official” Cellar Tracker name for the wines.  I use Cellar Tracker to help manage and organize my cellar.  I highly recommend checking it out at www.cellartracker.com.  Loading you existing cellar is a lot less intimidating than it would first appear.  There is a good chance 99% of your wine is already in the system, so you generally only need to enter part of the wine’s name and the system will find it for you.

Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase.  I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but my local store is usually VERY competitive.  I generally get case discounts, and since I work there part time, I get a 5% discount.  Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges.  None of the prices include the sales tax.

All wines that were sent to me free of charge to sample will be noted and I will show suggested prices when available.

Cheers!