2011 Sineann Pinot Noir Oregon

2008 Colognole Chianti Rùfina

2009 McPrice Myers Beautiful Earth

2004 Le Clos d’un Jour Cahors Un Jour

2004 Clarendon Hills Grenache Old Vines Blewitt Springs

 

 

 

2011 Sineann Pinot Noir Oregon – $31.99

In the winery’s words – The fruit for the 2011 Sineann Oregon Pinot Noir is grown on our best vineyard sites.  We were very selective in the barrels we blended to make this spicy, rich, very delicious Oregon Pinot Noir.  Another in a long string of excellent vintages, this wine will deliver much near-term enjoyment as well as reward patient aging.

 

I had been wanting to try a Sineann wine for a while.  Upon seeing a bottle on a wine store’s shelf, I had to grab a bottle.  This wine has 13.2% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a glass stopper, which I love.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright ruby color.  The nose is very inviting with cherries, raspberries, baking spices, forest floor and wild flowers.  This has a medium body with soft silky tannins and good acidity.  This has nice up front fruit and spice with some earthiness coming in on the back end.  The finish has very nice length full of sweet fruit and spice.  This isn’t the most complex pinot out there but it is very tasty.  This wine has nice balance but is not one to stash in the cellar, enjoy this over the next 3 to 4 years.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2008 Colognole Chianti Rùfina – $9.49

The local store offered this wine at a close out price via their e-mail list.  Since, like a lot of people, we love pizza and Italian food, I had to grab a six pack.

 

This has 13.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright red with a slight ruby tint.  The very inviting nose has black cherry, baking spices, vanilla, strawberry, earthy underbrush, minerals and dried flowers.  This has medium body, moderate ripe tannins and very nice acidity.  Cherries and spice jump out first on the palate with minerals and earthy elements coming in on the back end.  The finish has very nice length with the cherries and spice closing the show.  This was a steal at under $10.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2009 McPrice Myers Beautiful Earth – $30.40

I used to belong to the McPrice Myers mailing list.  Even though I like the wines, I have to be in the right mood.  The big, full bodied wines are not for everyday consumption.  This is a blend of 72% Syrah, 21% Grenache and 7% Mourvedre from Paso Robles.

 

This wine has 15.8% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is an inky purple color.  The deep and dark nose is full of blackberries, charcoal, minerals, blueberries, cedar, baking spices, worn leather and candied violets.  This has a very full body with solid ripe tannins and good acidity.  On the palate massive amounts of berries and spice take over immediately, eventually allowing some spicy oak and a floral note to slip in.  The finish is long and again loaded with fruit and spice.  Not a lot of subtlety or nuance here but it is still mighty tasty.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2004 Le Clos d’un Jour Cahors Un Jour – $13.92

This is another wine I grabbed off the Garagiste Wine e-mail list.  Jon Rimmerman’s flowery test can make any wine sound fantastic, so if you join think twice before hitting the “reply” button.  That said, their mailing list has been the source of some truly unique and enjoyable wines that are generally not available in too many locations.  I have enjoyed many more “winners” than “losers” in my purchases from them.  I consider this to be a winner.  A nice Cahors for under $15 is always a good change of pace from the normal rut we all invariably run into when talking about wine consumption.

 

This has 13.5% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

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 and highlighted by dark chocolate and earthy elements. Drinking nicely today but seems to be approaching a crossroads where the savory notes will totally override the remaining fruit. (88 pts)

 

 

 

2004 Clarendon Hills Grenache Old Vines Blewitt Springs – $25.00

In the winery’s words – Clarendon Hills is a small family run winery based in Clarendon, South Australia.  The company, founded by biochemist Roman Bratasiuk in 1990.  The story of Clarendon Hills is one of passion, dedication and commitment to exceptional wine.  It all began when the biochemist and wine lover decided to produce his own wine.  Though he’d never trained as a winemaker, Roman let himself be guided by his refined palette and scientific knowledge.  Following his favorite producers and preferred styles, Roman sought to make a version of the wines he loved.

 

A friend bought me a couple bottles of this wine when a local store offered it via their e-mail list.  The wine is an absolute steal at this price, which is less the half the release price of $70.

 

This wine has 14.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark purple color.  The impressive nose has kirsch, black raspberries, melted licorice, cherries, Asian spices, black pepper, blueberries, dark chocolate, candied violets and some earthy underbrush.  This has a full body, solid, ripe tannins, and good acidity.  Initially, the fruit and spice lays down an impenetrable coating on your palate that slowly fades allowing some licorice, black pepper and earthiness to break through.  The finish is very long and adds a very nice floral note.  This may lack subtlety but it more than makes up for it with the solid layers of flavor.  This has exceptional balance and is very easy to enjoy.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

Win an All-inclusive VIP Sonoma Winecation

 

 

 

Underground Cellar is offering you a chance to win an all-inclusive VIP weekend in Sonoma wine country.

 

The winner will get the following with a value of $6,500:

• Weekend getaway for 4 to California’s exclusive Sonoma wine country
• Stay at the luxurious 5,500 sq. ft. Villa Terra Nova Retreat
• Behind-the-scenes private tour of Iron Horse Vineyards, by winemaker David Munskgard
• VIP chef’s dinner at award-winning “the girl and the fig” restaurant
• Rountrip airfare, luxury transportation, and many other surprises!

Click here to enter.   If you win, you can even include me as one of your friends.

Even if you don’t win the grand prize, there is over $3,000 of gift cards with a value of up to $200 to be given away.

 

While you’re there, check out Underground Cellar unique wine selling model.  You can “buy” a lower cost wine and get upgraded to a much more expensive bottle for free.  For example, one of their current offers is $42 for a 2008 Balboa Brioso.  If you buy this wine, you could get “upgraded” to 2007 Stonestreet Monument Ridge Cabernet ($60 value), 2009 Caymus Napa Valley Cabernet ($85 value), 2007 Anderson’s Conn Valley Reserve Cabernet ($130 value), 1994 Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon ($150 value), or even a 1985 BR Cohn Cabernet Sauvignon Olive Hill (Helen Turley) with a value of $220.

 

The shipping is also incredible, at 6 bottles, shipping cost $5! Buy 6 more bottles and ship for FREE.

 

 

 

Connect with me

You can follow me on Twitter for more wine info, potential food pairings, and an occasional recipe or two.  Be warned, I’m also a sports fan and there are occasional Pittsburgh Penguins, Steelers, and Pirates tweets.  I attended the University of South Carolina, so during football season, there will also be some Gamecock posts.

 

If you like this post, consider joining Cliffs Wine Picks Wine Blog on Facebook and giving me a Like.

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 2013 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

***** 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:

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

Here are posts, newsletters, blogs or other articles that either mention this site or that I have written:

 

Snooth

WHAT’S A GREAT GRENACHE? – Our Friendly Wine Experts Share Their Favorites!

http://www.snooth.com/articles/what-ys-a-great-grenache-5209/

 

Snooth

SPRING TIME IS FOR PAIRING – Our Favorite Wine Writers Share Their Picks

http://www.snooth.com/articles/spring-time-is-for-pairing/

 

Balzac

Balzac Communications & Marketing – News & Views

http://balzaccommunications.createsend1.com/t/ViewEmail/y/948F113D27729D90/DF475947E7F379DE2A1BF84ACBDD178B

 

Snooth

WHAT WE’VE BEEN DRINKING – News and Reviews from Around the Blogosphere

http://www.snooth.com/articles/what-we-yve-been-drinking/?viewall=1#ixzz2vy4idw7a

 

Snooth

WINES THAT RANG OUR BELL IN FEBRUARY 2014 – Our Favorite Wine Writers Share Their Picks

http://www.snooth.com/articles/wines-that-rang-our-bell-in-february-2014/?viewall=1#ixzz2vy4DCh5L

 

Crave Local

California Wine Reviews: Cline Cellars and Jacuzzi Family Vineyard

http://www.cravelocal.com/all-favorites/california-wine-reviews-cline-cellars-and-jacuzzi-family-vineyard/

 

Crave Local

Sample Boutique Wines at Affordable Prices with Tastingroom.com

http://www.cravelocal.com/all-favorites/sample-boutique-wines-at-affordable-prices-with-tastingroom-com/

 

 

 

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!

 

 

 

Each week I pick out one wine to highlight as my wine of the week.  This wine may be an outstanding wine, a great value or just something very interesting.

 

 

 

 

Overview

One Point Five takes its name from the term “a generation and a half,” coined by John and Doug Shafer to describe their long father-and-son partnership.  Since 1983 this family team has worked side by side to manage their Stags Leap District winery.

 

 

The Winery

Shafer Vineyards traces its beginnings to 1972 when John Shafer left a 23-year career in the publishing industry and, with his family, moved to the Napa Valley to pursue a second career in wine. After purchasing a 210-acre estate in Napa Valley’s Stags Leap District, the Shafer family faced the arduous task of replanting the existing vineyards, which dated to the 1920s, and terracing the steep and rocky hillsides, eventually expanding vineyard acreage to its current 50 acres.

 

Evolving from grape growers to vintners, the Shafers crushed their first Cabernet grapes in 1978 and began construction on their winery a year later.

 

The first Shafer Cabernet became a benchmark, winning the acclaimed San Francisco Vintners Club taste-off upon release and, over a decade later taking first place in an international blind tasting held in Germany, where it outranked such wines as Chateau Margaux, Chateau Latour and Chateau Palmer.

 

Doug Shafer became winemaker in 1983 after graduating from the University of California at Davis with a degree in enology and viticulture. A year later Elias Fernandez joined the winery as assistant winemaker. Together Doug and Elias have worked closely to forge the Shafer style of quality, consistency and elegance.

 

New vineyards have been added over the years, with acreage acquired in the Oak Knoll, Stags Leap and Carneros districts, bringing the total Shafer vineyard acreage to over 200 acres. Winery facilities have been expanded and extensive caves carved into the hillside for aging wine.

 

In 1994, Elias was appointed winemaker, and Doug took over the reins as president when John became chairman of the board.

 

From a modest beginning of 1,000 cases in 1978, the winery has grown steadily until reaching its present size of 32,000 cases of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, and Syrah. Today Shafer wines are available in major markets nationwide and in many foreign markets.

 

Much more information on the winery and its history is available on their website by clicking here.  I’d also recommend checking out the recipes from Annette Shafer by clicking here.

 

 

 

 

2010 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon One Point Five – $54.99

This vintage of wine is sold out at the winery, but I see several online retailers with it for around $70.

 

The suggested price for the current release of this wine, the 2011 vintage, is $75, and again I see several retailers with it available for around $70.

 

Based on these prices, you should be able to easily see why I had to grab a few bottles of this wine when the local wine store had it on sale.

 

While this wine is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon every vintage, the breakdown of the “supporting” grapes change every vintage.  In this vintage 1% Petit Verdot was added to the Cabernet.  The grapes for this wine come predominately from two Stags Leap District sites, Shafer’s hillside estate vineyard and the “Borderline” vineyard located about two miles south of the winery.

 

The alcohol is 15.3% by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a nice, deep ruby color.  The stunning nose has cassis, tobacco, minerals, dark chocolate, cedar, eucalyptus, violets and warm baking spices.  This has medium to full body, solid tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate the rich fruit and solid savory elements merge with the chewy tannins and acidity to yield a mouth full of pleasure.  This is very young but stunning with some air.  Is there a better bargain out there for a top end Napa Cabernet?  I’m glad I grabbed several for this price at the local store.  (94 pts)

 

 

 

Win an All-inclusive VIP Sonoma Winecation

 

 

Underground Cellar is offering you a chance to win an all-inclusive VIP weekend in Sonoma wine country.

 

The winner will get the following with a value of $6,500:

• Weekend getaway for 4 to California’s exclusive Sonoma wine country
• Stay at the luxurious 5,500 sq. ft. Villa Terra Nova Retreat
• Behind-the-scenes private tour of Iron Horse Vineyards, by winemaker David Munskgard
• VIP chef’s dinner at award-winning “the girl and the fig” restaurant
• Rountrip airfare, luxury transportation, and many other surprises!

Click here to enter.   If you win, you can even include me as one of your friends.

Even if you don’t win the grand prize, there is over $3,000 of gift cards with a value of up to $200 to be given away.

 

While you’re there, check out Underground Cellar unique wine selling model.  You can “buy” a lower cost wine and get upgraded to a much more expensive bottle for free.  For example, one of their current offers is $42 for a 2008 Balboa Brioso.  If you buy this wine, you could get “upgraded” to 2007 Stonestreet Monument Ridge Cabernet ($60 value), 2009 Caymus Napa Valley Cabernet ($85 value), 2007 Anderson’s Conn Valley Reserve Cabernet ($130 value), 1994 Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon ($150 value), or even a 1985 BR Cohn Cabernet Sauvignon Olive Hill (Helen Turley) with a value of $220.

 

The shipping is also incredible, at 6 bottles, shipping cost $5! Buy 6 more bottles and ship for FREE.

 

 

 

Connect with me

You can follow me on Twitter for more wine info, potential food pairings, and an occasional recipe or two.  Be warned, I’m also a sports fan and there are occasional Pittsburgh Penguins, Steelers, and Pirates tweets.  I attended the University of South Carolina, so during football season, there will also be some Gamecock posts.

 

If you like this post, consider joining Cliffs Wine Picks Wine Blog on Facebook and giving me a Like.

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 2013 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

***** 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:

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

Here are posts, newsletters, blogs or other articles that either mention this site or that I have written:

 

Snooth

WHAT’S A GREAT GRENACHE? – Our Friendly Wine Experts Share Their Favorites!

http://www.snooth.com/articles/what-ys-a-great-grenache-5209/

 

Snooth

SPRING TIME IS FOR PAIRING – Our Favorite Wine Writers Share Their Picks

http://www.snooth.com/articles/spring-time-is-for-pairing/

 

Balzac

Balzac Communications & Marketing – News & Views

http://balzaccommunications.createsend1.com/t/ViewEmail/y/948F113D27729D90/DF475947E7F379DE2A1BF84ACBDD178B

 

Snooth

WHAT WE’VE BEEN DRINKING – News and Reviews from Around the Blogosphere

http://www.snooth.com/articles/what-we-yve-been-drinking/?viewall=1#ixzz2vy4idw7a

 

Snooth

WINES THAT RANG OUR BELL IN FEBRUARY 2014 – Our Favorite Wine Writers Share Their Picks

http://www.snooth.com/articles/wines-that-rang-our-bell-in-february-2014/?viewall=1#ixzz2vy4DCh5L

 

Crave Local

California Wine Reviews: Cline Cellars and Jacuzzi Family Vineyard

http://www.cravelocal.com/all-favorites/california-wine-reviews-cline-cellars-and-jacuzzi-family-vineyard/

 

Crave Local

Sample Boutique Wines at Affordable Prices with Tastingroom.com

http://www.cravelocal.com/all-favorites/sample-boutique-wines-at-affordable-prices-with-tastingroom-com/

 

 

 

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 organization acting on their behalf.

 

 

2012 Ledge California Soul (Mother Hips) Rosé

2012 Ledge Catacombs Rosé

 

 

 

About the winery:

The Adams Ranch is in the Willow Creek region on the west side of Paso Robles and rests on a plateau with the Santa Lucia Mountains as a backdrop, with a steep drop to Vineyard Drive in the foreground.  The vineyard is almost entirely Syrah, with some Grenache and Mourvedre peppered in.  They expand every year at a snail’s pace, with 25 dry farmed acres as the ultimate goal.  The vines are own rooted and reared in the home nursery after pruning each year.  Once established, the vines are dry farmed, field-blended and co-fermented using only native yeasts and are aged in neutral oak barrels.

 

The winery’s site and mailing list sign up is available by clicking here.

 

If desired, you can order wine directly from the winery or just check out their current releases by clicking here.

 

 

 

About the winemaker:

Mark Adams – Paso Robles musician and Winemaker

Mark is mister do-it-all, farmer, winemaker, musician, husband, father and formerly a sound effects editor for Sony.  Mark is also the assistant winemaker for the renowned Saxum Winery with his childhood pal, Justin Smith.

 

“Adams offers a bridge between Paso’s lavish ways and a more cerebral effort”

Jon Bonné – THE NEW CALIFORNIA WINE – A Guide to the Producers and Wines Behind A Revolution in Taste

 

 

Much more information about Mark, both wine/beer and music related is available here.  I highly recommend giving a listen to some of Mark’s music available on this site.

 

There is an outstanding over view of Mark on the San Francisco Chronicle’s site in a story titled “Winemakers to Watch 2014: Mixing tradition and pioneering spirit by Jon Bonné.  The story is available here.

 

 

 

About the wines:

I received several bottles of wines to sample.  There were three different “labels”, California Soul (Mother Hips), Catacombs and Kazoo.  The first two labels included a white, a red and a rosé each.  Instead of trying to sample all seven wines at once I had to choose between sampling based on label or style.  I opted to sample the wines by style.  This post will cover the Rosé wines.  A later post will cover the whites and another will be coming for the red wines.

 

These wines may be available at your local wine store; I know my local store carries both of these wines.

 

Here is the line up for this evening’s online tasting:

 

 

 

2012 Ledge California Soul (Mother Hips) Rosé – SRP $15

The Mother Hips is a rock band that is known for a style of west coast music that came to be referred to as California Soul.  Upon their 20^th anniversary, Ledge paid tribute to them by blending 60 cases of wine, which to our surprise sold out in a few weeks.  This was never intended to be a “lasting” label, but the brand and the wines continue to attract new fans every day.  They expanded the line to include white and rose wines in addition to the red blends.

 

This is a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre from the James Berry Vineyard, but eventually the grapes will be sourced from select vineyards throughout the state.

 

This wine has 13.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

Even though this wine may be listed as sold out, Mark told me he still has a few cases available.  If the website shows sold out, send him an e-mail at wine@ledgevineyards.com and tell him I sent you.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright pink to light red color.  The nose forces you into a spring time mood with bright cherries, strawberries, minerals, spice and some subtle earthiness.  This has a light body with very crisp acidity and just a hint of sweetness.  On the palate the red fruits and minerals grab hold, slowly allowing some spice to slip into the picture.  The crisp and clean finish adds a touch of earthiness to the fruit and minerals.  This would rock on a sunny deck or patio.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Ledge Catacombs Rosé – SRP $20

The concept of Ledge Catacombs is simply that it is farmed in close proximity to the family estate. The vines are sustainably farmed and offer us some insight with regard to our planting decisions at the Adams Ranch.

 

This wine is a blend of 75% Grenache, 15% Syrah and 10% Mourvedre.  This comes from the James Berry Vineyard and was pulled from a co-fermented lot that spent 24 hours in a concrete tank. It was slowly fermented in a stainless steel tank over the course of three weeks.

 

This wine has 13.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a pink to salmon color.  The soft and enjoyable nose has cherries, watermelon, spice, white pepper, minerals and strawberries.  This has light to medium body with decent acidity and just a touch of sweetness.  On the palate this is soft and fruity up front with white pepper and minerals.  The finish has nice length with some spice joining the party.  This would be easy to sip on a warm, sunny day with or without a platter of cured meats and cheese.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

Connect with me

You can follow me on Twitter for more wine info, potential food pairings, and an occasional recipe or two.  Be warned, I’m also a sports fan and there are occasional Pittsburgh Penguins, Steelers, and Pirates tweets.  I attended the University of South Carolina, so during football season, there will also be some Gamecock posts.

 

If you like this post, consider joining Cliffs Wine Picks Wine Blog on Facebook and giving me a Like.

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 2013 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

***** 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:

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

Here are posts, newsletters, blogs or other articles that either mention this site or that I have written:

 

Snooth

WHAT’S A GREAT GRENACHE? – Our Friendly Wine Experts Share Their Favorites!

http://www.snooth.com/articles/what-ys-a-great-grenache-5209/

 

Snooth

SPRING TIME IS FOR PAIRING – Our Favorite Wine Writers Share Their Picks

http://www.snooth.com/articles/spring-time-is-for-pairing/

 

Balzac

Balzac Communications & Marketing – News & Views

http://balzaccommunications.createsend1.com/t/ViewEmail/y/948F113D27729D90/DF475947E7F379DE2A1BF84ACBDD178B

 

Snooth

WHAT WE’VE BEEN DRINKING – News and Reviews from Around the Blogosphere

http://www.snooth.com/articles/what-we-yve-been-drinking/?viewall=1#ixzz2vy4idw7a

 

Snooth

WINES THAT RANG OUR BELL IN FEBRUARY 2014 – Our Favorite Wine Writers Share Their Picks

http://www.snooth.com/articles/wines-that-rang-our-bell-in-february-2014/?viewall=1#ixzz2vy4DCh5L

 

Crave Local

California Wine Reviews: Cline Cellars and Jacuzzi Family Vineyard

http://www.cravelocal.com/all-favorites/california-wine-reviews-cline-cellars-and-jacuzzi-family-vineyard/

 

Crave Local

Sample Boutique Wines at Affordable Prices with Tastingroom.com

http://www.cravelocal.com/all-favorites/sample-boutique-wines-at-affordable-prices-with-tastingroom-com/

 

 

 

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!

 

 

 

2010 Two Hands Shiraz Gnarly Dudes

2011 Owen Roe Syrah Ex Umbris

2012 Meiomi Pinot Noir Meiomi

2010 Celler de Capçanes Montsant Mas Donís Barrica (Old Vines)

2010 Loring Wine Company Convergence Russell Family Vineyard

 

 

 

2010 Two Hands Shiraz Gnarly Dudes – $23.74

The Two Hands wines have been favorites in my house for several years.  The Garden series wines are usually excellent, but have escalated in price.  To me, the second level of the Two Hands wines are the real sweet spot in their lineup.  These level offer high quality wines at relatively bargain prices.

 

This wine has 14.8% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off closure.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a dark, inky, purple color. The burly nose has blackberries, smoke, dark chocolate, plums, meat juices, black pepper, Asian spices, minerals, melted licorice, charcoal, and fresh wild flowers. The wine is medium to full body with solid, ripe tannins, and good acidity. On the palate there are loads of spicy, smoky, meaty berries with plums and dark chocolate coming in on the back end to add even more depth. The finish is long, juicy, and flavorful. A seamless, balanced, full flavored Shiraz with no rough edges. Enjoyable now and for the next five years.  (94 pts)

 

 

2011 Owen Roe Syrah Ex Umbris – $29.99

This wine has 14.1% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep maroon color.  The awesome nose has blackberries, kirsch, dark chocolate, minerals, dark roast coffee, candied violets and a touch of underbrush.  This has medium body, moderate to solid tannins and good acidity.  This wine is loaded on the palate with up front fruit, minerals and dark chocolate with coffee and some earthiness coming in on the back end.  The finish is very long and again shows a nice blend of fruit and savory elements.  This wine has exceptional balance and is built to last in the cellar for several years.  This is very enjoyable today but will be even better in a few years.  (93 pts)

 

 

2012 Meiomi Pinot Noir Meiomi – $21.99

The grapes for this wine are from Monterey County (35%), Santa Barbara County (34%) and Sonoma County (31%).

 

This has 13.8% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off closure.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby to maroon color.  The ripe and giving nose has black cherries, warm baking spices, blueberries, mint, wild flowers and a slight earthiness.  This has medium body, silky smooth tannins and decent acidity.  On the palate this is full of rich fruit and spice with a touch of mint coming in on the back end.  The finish is fairly long with rich fruit carrying the load.  This has a touch of residual sweetness that makes the wine a nice stand alone glass of wine with friends.  (88 pts)

 

 

2010 Celler de Capçanes Montsant Mas Donís Barrica (Old Vines) – $12.82

This is a blend of 85% Garnacha from 70-year-old vines and 15% Syrah from Spain’s Montsant region.

 

This wine has 14.0% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a synthetic plastic stopper.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep purple color.  The enticing nose has black berries, cherries, baking spices, candied violets, white pepper, crushed stone minerality and some subtle earthiness.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate spicy berries grab your attention initially, slowly allowing minerals and white pepper to sneak in around the edges.  The finish has nice length with a nice candied floral note entering the picture.  This is a stunning bottle of wine for a touch over $10.  (92 pts)

 

 

2010 Loring Wine Company Convergence Russell Family Vineyard – $66.33

This is one of the non Pinot Noir wines Brian Loring has produced.  Thus far, every one I have tried has been outstanding.  This wine is 75% Grenache and 25% Mourvedre from Paso Robles.

 

This wine has 15.7% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off closure.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby red, much lighter at the edge.  The very pleasing nose has blackberries, cherries, earthy underbrush, minerals, plums, baking spices, mint and some dried herbs.  The wine has a full body, fairly solid, ripe tannins, and good acidity.  The palate is loaded with spicy, juicy berries, but it’s not all about the fruit, there is also nice minerality, dried herbs, and earthiness coming in on the back end adding depth and complexity.  The fairly long finish is a nice continuation of the palate with some additional baking spices, mint, licorice and dried herbs kicking into high gear.  This is on the young side, but absolutely delicious today.  (93 pts)

 

 

Connect with me

You can follow me on Twitter for more wine info, potential food pairings, and an occasional recipe or two.  Be warned, I’m also a sports fan and there are occasional Pittsburgh Penguins, Steelers, and Pirates tweets.  I attended the University of South Carolina, so during football season, there will also be some Gamecock posts.

 

If you like this post, consider joining Cliffs Wine Picks Wine Blog on Facebook and giving me a Like.

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 2013 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

***** 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:

 

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

Here are posts, newsletters, blogs or other articles that either mention this site or that I have written:

 

Snooth

SPRING TIME IS FOR PAIRING – Our Favorite Wine Writers Share Their Picks

http://www.snooth.com/articles/spring-time-is-for-pairing/

 

Balzac

Balzac Communications & Marketing – News & Views

http://balzaccommunications.createsend1.com/t/ViewEmail/y/948F113D27729D90/DF475947E7F379DE2A1BF84ACBDD178B

 

Snooth

WHAT WE’VE BEEN DRINKING – News and Reviews from Around the Blogosphere

http://www.snooth.com/articles/what-we-yve-been-drinking/?viewall=1#ixzz2vy4idw7a

 

Snooth

WINES THAT RANG OUR BELL IN FEBRUARY 2014 – Our Favorite Wine Writers Share Their Picks

http://www.snooth.com/articles/wines-that-rang-our-bell-in-february-2014/?viewall=1#ixzz2vy4DCh5L

 

Crave Local

California Wine Reviews: Cline Cellars and Jacuzzi Family Vineyard

http://www.cravelocal.com/all-favorites/california-wine-reviews-cline-cellars-and-jacuzzi-family-vineyard/

 

Crave Local

Sample Boutique Wines at Affordable Prices with Tastingroom.com

http://www.cravelocal.com/all-favorites/sample-boutique-wines-at-affordable-prices-with-tastingroom-com/

 

 

 

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!

 

 

 

Each week I pick out one wine to highlight as my wine of the week.  This wine may be an outstanding wine, a great value or just something very interesting.

 

 

 

 

 

The Winery

Aalto is a joint project founded by Mariano García, chief winemarker of thirty years at perhaps the most famous Ribera del Duero brand, Vega Sicilia, and Javier Zaccagnini, former head of Consejo Regulador de Ribera del Duero.  The cooperation that started in 1998 has in the meantime received tremendous attention of the wine enthusiasts of the world and a multitude of praise from the experts.  Ribera del Duero, next to Rioja, is one of the distinguished wine appellations of Spain, specializing in producing excellent wines using the local variety called Tinto Fino (resembling Tempranillo).  Aalto manages over 40 hectares of old vineyards (between 50 and 100 years of age) in the at the altitude of 700 to 850 meters.

 

After 10 years, the winery is considered a leader in the Ribera del Duero and has obtained the highest reviews in many tastings.  Top scores include three 98 point-ratings from The Wine Advocate, and twice being named Best Wine of Spain, as selected by Michel Bettane and Thiery Dessauve’s book of the Best 100 Wineries of the World.

 

 

2004 Bodegas AAlto Ribera del Duero AAlto – $31.67

This wine is 100% Tempranillo from my favorite wine region in Spain, Ribera Del Duero.

 

This has 15.0% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep maroon, dark color.  The stunning nose has blackberry liqueur, melted licorice, warm baking spices, cedar, dark bittersweet chocolate, some earthy underbrush, and a nice floral note.  This has medium to full body, fairly solid tannins, and good acidity.  On the palate the wine is rich and plush with spicy berries, dark chocolate, and some earthiness.  The finish is long and loaded with spicy fruit and dark chocolate.  This tastes outstanding today, but may get even better with some additional cellar time.  (94 pts)

 

 

Connect with me

You can follow me on Twitter for more wine info, potential food pairings, and an occasional recipe or two.  Be warned, I’m also a sports fan and there are occasional Pittsburgh Penguins, Steelers, and Pirates tweets.  I attended the University of South Carolina, so during football season, there will also be some Gamecock posts.

 

If you like this post, consider joining Cliffs Wine Picks Wine Blog on Facebook and giving me a Like.

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 2013 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

***** 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 Villa Creek Willow Creek Cuvée

2011 Brandborg Pinot Noir Bench Lands

2010 Triumph Cellars by Calistoga Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon

2011 Klinker Brick Zinfandel Old Vine

 

 

 

Due to a death in the family, the wine descriptions are minimal this week.  Hopefully everything will return to normal in the next week or two.

 

 

2008 Villa Creek Willow Creek Cuvée – $29.75

This wine has 15.2% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off cap.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby to maroon color. The gorgeous nose is full of blackberries, minerals, licorice, dried herbs, cherries, vanilla, black pepper, smoke, dark chocolate, and earthy underbrush. This has medium to full body, fairly solid tannins, and very nice acidity. On the palate, mineral laden, peppery berries and some earthiness hit first followed by dark chocolate and a smoky, meaty element. The long, lingering finish leans more on the savory spectrum but the fruit provides some outstanding sweetness. This is in a very nice drinking window, which should last another 3 to 4 years.  (93 pts)

 

 

2011 Brandborg Pinot Noir Bench Lands – $18.99

This wine has 12.8% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a screw top.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light, semi-transparent red color.  The very inviting nose has cherries, baking spices, candied violets, crisp apples, subtle earthiness, and a touch of smoke.  This has a light body, soft tannins and good acidity.  On the palate sweet cherries and spice jump out first with a floral note and some earthiness coming in later.  The finish has good length with a touch of oak peeking through the fruit and earthiness.  This seems to have just a touch of residual sweetness that makes it very easy to drink.  This is a good deal for under $20.  (89 pts)

 

 

2010 Triumph Cellars by Calistoga Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon – $23.99

This wine has 14.9% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby color.  The intense nose is full of cassis, melted licorice, plums, tobacco, dark chocolate, smoke, mint and a touch of cedar.  This has medium to full body with moderate to solid tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate the wine provides nice up front fruit with solid savory notes of dark chocolate and mint coming in on the back end.  The finish has good length with a healthy dose of cedary oak kicking in.  Hopefully some cellar time will help tone down the oak laden finish.  This is nice now for those not turned off by oak but should be better in another year.  (89 pts)

 

 

2011 Klinker Brick Zinfandel Old Vine – $17.99

This wine has 15.8% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark maroon color.  The big and bold nose has brambly berries, roasted herbs, warm baking spices, road tar, dark bittersweet chocolate and vanilla bean.  This has a very full body with moderate tannins and decent acidity.  This is a rich and jammy style of zinfandel with spicy berries and chocolate up front with more spice and vanilla coming in on the back end.  The finish gets a touch muddled as the body and alcohol over powers the acidity that was trying to hold everything together.  This was better as an after dinner drink where it shined.  Not a lot of subtlety here.  Those who like a big and ripe wine will love it.  (88 pts)

 

 

Connect with me

You can follow me on Twitter for more wine info, potential food pairings, and an occasional recipe or two.  Be warned, I’m also a sports fan and there are occasional Pittsburgh Penguins, Steelers, and Pirates tweets.  I attended the University of South Carolina, so during football season, there will also be some Gamecock posts.

 

If you like this post, consider joining Cliffs Wine Picks Wine Blog on Facebook and giving me a Like.

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 2013 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

***** 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!

 

 

 

Each week I pick out one wine to highlight as my wine of the week.  This wine may be an outstanding wine, a great value or just something very interesting.

 

 

 

The Winery

In the winery’s words – 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.

 

In my words – This is the one mailing list you have to join.  Mike Officer makes some of the best wines coming out of California and sells them at incredibly reasonable prices.  I was lucky to be an early fan of the winery and was able to join the mailing list immediately.  For the unlucky people who were not able to jump on early, the mailing list is full.  The winery actually has a waiting list to get on the mailing list.  No one can accurately say how long it will actually take to move from the waiting list to the mailing list for one very good reason…no one, or probably more accurately, very few people drop off the list.  These are usually outstanding wines and with their pricing, these are some of the best QPR wines out there.

 

 

The Wine

Mother Nature blessed Papera Ranch with both quality and quantity in 2009, providing us with a wine that rivals our much-lauded 2007.  If you are a fan of what we have done with this vineyard the last few years, I encourage you to take advantage of the quantity available.  The grapes were picked October 10^th, fermented indigenously and bottled unfined and unfiltered.

 

Papera Ranch® (Formerly Carlo’s Ranch) – RussianRiverValley

Just a stone’s throw from Carlisle Vineyard, this “grand dame” of the Russian River Valley was planted in 1934 by Charley (Carlo) Papera.  Given its cool location, this vineyard is typically picked in late October.

 

If you would like to join the waiting list to get on the Carlisle mailing list, click here.

 

 

Here is what an “old vine” Zinfandel looks like:

 

 

2009 Carlisle Zinfandel Papera Ranch – $37.00

Papera, Montafi and the Carlisle Vineyards are my favorite sources of Carlisle Zinfandels.  This vineyard was planted in 1934 and is unusual for an old vineyard in that it is planted to over 95% Zinfandel.  Most old vineyards have a much higher percentage of other grapes planted.

 

This 100% Zinfandel has 15.4% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  There were 779 cases of the wine produced.

 

There is no need to try and find the 2010 vintage of this wine.  After a few months of cool weather, a day of sweltering heat on August 24^th wiped out the entire crop.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark, opaque purple color.  The nose is absolutely stunning on this wine, it’s full of brambly berries, warm baking spices, licorice, minerals, roasted herbs, dried wild flowers, plums, well worn leather and freshly cracked black peppercorns.  This has a full body, moderate ripe tannins and good acidity.  On the palate this is balanced, dense, rich and full of layers that slowly fade so the next one can take over.  The flavor profile is loaded on this wine with a very nice mixture of fruit and savory elements.  The finish is very long and again full of flavor.  There are absolutely no rough edges or over powering elements on this wine.  It is drinking wonderfully today and will continue to do so for a few more years.  Stunning!  (95 pts)

 

 

We paired the Carlisle Zin with a fairly simple meal, grilled barbecue chicken, potato salad and at my insistence, deviled eggs.

 

 

 

Connect with me

You can follow me on Twitter for more wine info, potential food pairings, and an occasional recipe or two.  Be warned, I’m also a sports fan and there are occasional Pittsburgh Penguins, Steelers, and Pirates tweets.  I attended the University of South Carolina, so during football season, there will also be some Gamecock posts.

 

If you like this post, consider joining Cliffs Wine Picks Wine Blog on Facebook and giving me a Like.

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 2013 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

***** 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!

 

 

2009 La Rochelle Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

2012 La Rochelle Pinot Meunier Saralee’s Vineyard

2010 La Rochelle Pinot Noir Deer Meadows Vineyard

 

 

(Based on bottles supplied by the winery or organization acting on their behalf)

 

 

 

 

La Rochelle is part of the Steven Kent Portfolio of wine.

 

Our mission at La Rochelle is a simple one:  to make California’s best, most interesting, most collectable Pinot Noir.

 

My family introduced the Pinot Noir grape to California in the 1850s.  Today, we partner with the state’s most renowned Pinot Noir vineyards – Garys’. Sleepy Hollow. Rosella’s. Londer. Paraiso. Tondre. Ferrington. Deer Park.  We craft Pinot Noir grown on these famed estates that let the individual vineyard’s terroir, its special sense of place, shine through.

 

My great-great-great grandfather left the French port of La Rochelle one hundred and sixty years ago on a voyage of possibilities.  Our journey at La Rochelle Winery is an equally exciting one:  to discover the best Pinot Noir vineyards and translate those exceptional estates into limited releases worthy of our heritage.

 

 

If your passion is Pinot, then your journey has led you to the right place… –  Steven Kent Mirassou

 

 

Sign up for the La Rochelle Mailing List

 

 

More Winery Information

 

The wines for this tasting:

 

 

2009 La Rochelle Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast (SRP $38.00)

This 100% Pinot Noir uses grapes sourced from two vineyards, Spring Hill Vineyard (located on the West side of the Petaluma River) and La Cruz Vineyard (located on the East side).  In the past both vineyards were sources for single vineyard Pinot Noirs exclusively for members of the winery’s Pinot Noir Program.

 

Technical info

After destemming and crushing the fruit was allowed to cold soak for four days.  After barrel fermentation, the wine was barrel aged for 18 months.  The barrels were 88% French oak, 12% American; 50% new, 36% second-use, 14% third use.

 

Total production was 326 cases and the final alcohol is 14.9%.

 

Tasting note

The wine is a light to medium ruby red color.  The enchanting nose has cherries, warm baking spices, raspberries, minerals, vanilla, spicy oak and a touch of earthiness.  This has medium body, soft ripe tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate the baking spices and cherries jump out first with vanilla and minerals coming in on the back end.  The finish has very nice length with raspberries and a touch of toasty oak entering the picture.  This tastes wonderful today but can easily last in the cellar for a few more years.  (92 pts)

 

 

2012 La Rochelle Pinot Meunier Saralee’s Vineyard (SRP $38.00)

Pinot Meunier is part of the Pinot family of grapes.    Pinot Meunier thrives in its home region of Champagne in France.  It is thought the Pinot Meunier grape is a genetic mutation of Pinot Noir.  Besides France, the grape is grown in Germany and Australia as well as small quantities in California.  This wine is 100% Pinot Meunier.

 

Technical info

After destemming and crushing the fruit was cold soaked and barrel fermented.  The wine was barrel aged for 8 months.  The barrels were 29.5% new oak, 38% second use, 32.5 third-use or neutral, 50% American oak from Virginia.

 

Total production was 866 cases and the final alcohol is 13.9%.

 

Tasting note

The wine is a light ruby red color.  The enticing nose has cherries, earthy underbrush, strawberries, warm baking spices, vanilla and dusty minerals.  This is barely medium body with good acidity and is silky smooth.  On the palate this has nice fruit up front with spice and minerals coming in around the sides.  On the backend some nice earthiness and vanilla enter the picture.  The finish has nice length with a slight and pleasing herbal note coming into focus.  This is smooth and delicious with no rough edges but probably not one to hold onto long term.   Enjoy this one over the next couple of years.  (91 pts)

 

 

2010 La Rochelle Pinot Noir Deer Meadows Vineyard (SRP $75.00)

This wine is part of La Rochelle’s Grand Cru Collection.  These extremely limited wines are sourced only from the finest vineyards in California.  These wines represent the winery’s greatest winemaking achievement each vintage.  This is the winery’s first use of grapes from this Anderson Valley vineyard.

 

Technical info

After destemming and crushing the fruit was allowed to cold soak for four days.  After barrel fermentation, the wine was barrel aged for 18 months in 100% French oak.  There were 5 barrels of wine produced, 3 barrels were new and the other 2 were second use.

 

Total production was 235 six-packs and the final alcohol is 14.3%.

 

Tasting note

The wine is a light to medium ruby red color.  The stunning nose has cherries, baking spices, peach pit, vanilla, strawberries, earthy underbrush, stony minerals and candied violets.  This has medium body with moderate ripe tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate the cherries and spice grab hold initially, slowly allowing some minerals and earthy elements to slip through.  On the back end a nice floral note comes into focus.  The finish has very good length with a touch of peach joining the spice and cherries.  This is on the young side, a year or two in the cellar will be rewarded.   (94 pts)

 

 

Pairing Suggestion

We decided to pair these very food friendly wines with a recipe I found on MyRecipes.com via Cooking Light.

 

Penne and Chicken Tenderloins with Spiced Tomato Sauce

 

Ingredients

1 teaspoon ground fennel seed

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 pound chicken breast tenders, cut into (1-inch) pieces

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

4 cups canned diced tomatoes, undrained

1 cup white wine

8 ounces uncooked penne

1/4 cup (1 ounce) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

 

Preparation

Combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl; rub over chicken.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 4 minutes, turning once. Remove from heat; set aside.

Reduce heat to medium. Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds or until garlic is soft. Add tomatoes and wine, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. Add chicken, and simmer 5 minutes.

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain. Toss pasta with sauce in a large bowl. Sprinkle with cheese and basil.

Note:

Any small pasta will work in this quick, easy entree. Ground fennel and coriander bring a welcome complexity to the chicken and impart their flavor to the sauce.

 

 

Connect with me

You can follow me on Twitter for more wine info, potential food pairings, and an occasional recipe or two.  Be warned, I’m also a sports fan and there are occasional Pittsburgh Penguins, Steelers, and Pirates tweets.  I attended the University of South Carolina, so during football season, there will also be some Gamecock posts.

 

If you like this post, consider joining Cliffs Wine Picks Wine Blog on Facebook and giving me a Like.

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 2013 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

***** 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 Chateau Ste. Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon Indian Wells

2009 Benovia Pinot Noir Bella Una

2007 Freemark Abbey Cabernet Sauvignon

2011 Château Pesquié Côtes du Ventoux Terrasses

2009 Bodega Numanthia Termes Toro Termes

2011 Austin Hope Grenache Hope Family Vineyard

2000 Château Gloria

 

 

 

2008 Chateau Ste. Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon Indian Wells – $12.99

I’m always on the look out for good, under $15 wines for week night dinners.  I’ve had this in the past and it was always drinkable but lacked anything approaching must buy status.

 

This has 14.5% alcohol by volume and is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep maroon color.  The inviting nose has cassis, tobacco, cedar, vanilla, eucalyptus and wild flowers.  This has medium body, soft tannins and good acidity.  This has nice up front fruit with spicy oak and a touch of vanilla coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with a some eucalyptus coming into the picture.  An acceptable week night Cabernet for south of $15.  (88 pts)

 

 

2009 Benovia Pinot Noir Bella Una – $40.84

The local store brought time in and put it on the shelf at a great price.  On Cellar Tracker, the average cost for this wine was close to $55.  Not one to question great values, I grabbed a few bottles.

 

This has 14.2% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright ruby red color.  The very approachable nose has cherry, raspberry, baking spices, licorice, violets, minerals and a touch of earthiness.  This has medium body, soft to moderate tannins and good acidity.  This offers up nice juicy red fruit and spice up front with  minerals and some subtle earthiness coming in on the back end.  The finish has very good length with tart cherries seeming to last forever.  (93 pts)

 

 

2007 Freemark Abbey Cabernet Sauvignon – $19.00

Here’s another wine that was purchased at the local store for an outstanding price.  You don’t see too many Napa cabs on a store’s shelf for under $20.  I grabbed 6 bottles and unfortunately this is my last bottle.

 

This has 14.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

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.  It 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)

 

 

2011 Château Pesquié Côtes du Ventoux Terrasses – $12.82

I haven’t had this particular wine in a couple vintages but it used to be one of my go-to values priced wines.  This is a lend of 70% Grenache and 30% Syrah.

 

This wine has 14.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark ruby color.  The very outgoing nose has raspberries, cherry, warm baking spices, cocoa powder, minerals, white pepper and dried flowers.  This has medium body, soft to moderate tannins and decent acidity.  On the palate jammy fruit and spice pops out first with minerals and white pepper kicking in on the back end.  The finish has decent length with a touch of dark chocolate joining the party.  Not one to hold onto for too long, open this one over the next few years.  (89 pts)

 

 

2009 Bodega Numanthia Termes Toro Termes – $18.99

This is a wine that I generally like in almost all vintages but it’s not a wine I hunt down.  If I can find it at a good price I’ll grab a few bottles.

 

This has 15% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is an inky ruby red.  The sexy nose has black cherries, tobacco, blackberries, white pepper, dried flowers, mocha, vanilla and a touch of earthy underbrush.  This has a fairly full body, moderate to solid tannins and very good acidity.  Intense red and black fruit grabs your palate slowly allowing pepper and mocha to slip in.  On the back end vanilla and some building earthiness enter the picture.  The finish has good length and veers solidly into the earthy spectrum with just a touch of an herbal note coming into play.  (90 pts)

 

 

2011 Austin Hope Grenache Hope Family Vineyard – $28.49

I’ve had the Austin Hope Syrah a few times in the past, so when I saw their Grenache on a local wine store shelf, I had to grab a bottle.  I’m generally a pretty big fan of the Rhone Ranger wines coming out of Paso Robles.

 

This wine has 15.0% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light to medium ruby red color.  The slightly reserved nose has cherries, raspberries, baking spices, white pepper and wild flowers.  This has a fairly full body, moderate tannins and decent acidity.  On the palate spicy red fruit hits first with some white pepper and a touch of earthiness coming in on the back end.  The finish has decent length but loses a bit of its intensity and focus.  (88 pts)

 

 

2000 Château Gloria – $33.24

This was one of my first “go to” bottles of Bordeaux.  I feel they produce a very nice bottle of wine at very consumer friendly prices.  I bought this wine just as it was released, so it has been sleeping untouched in my cellar for over 10 years.

 

This has 12.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly deep ruby red color.  The classic nose has cassis, cedar, baking spices, dried herbs, tobacco and a touch of smoke.  This has medium body, mostly integrated tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate spicy fruit leads off with dried herbs and spicy oak coming in on the mid-palate.  The finish has very good length with the sweet fruit and spicy oak sharing the spotlight.  I was hoping for a bit more complexity, but this tastes outstanding.  (92 pts)

 

We didn’t make anything fancy to pair with the Austin Hope Grenache and Château Gloria, but Chicken Fried Steak with mashed potatoes and cream gravy is always welcomed on our dinner table.

 

 

Connect with me

You can follow me on Twitter for more wine info, potential food pairings, and an occasional recipe or two.  Be warned, I’m also a sports fan and there are occasional Pittsburgh Penguins, Steelers, and Pirates tweets.  I attended the University of South Carolina, so during football season, there will also be some Gamecock posts.

 

If you like this post, consider joining Cliffs Wine Picks Wine Blog on Facebook and giving me a Like.

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 2013 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

***** 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 wine provided by the winery or organization acting on their behalf.

 

 

2011 Andis Wines Primitivo

2010 Andis Wines Painted Fields

 

 

 

 

 

About Winestyr

Winestyr is a new way to buy wine.  The company finds the best wines from the wineries that are too small for the big distributors to handle.

 

Our online marketplace helps wine lovers discover amazing lesser, known wines, while also helping small wineries reach new customers. Here’s a quick rundown of how it works:

Curation – We taste every wine we put on our site and turn down wines that are overpriced or poorly made.

Cost – There are no upfront costs or monthly fees. You learn about new wines and buy the ones you want.

 

BUY

We’ve curated over 300 wines from over 50 of the best craft wine producers in the country. We’ve tasted every wine and stand behind their quality so you can buy with confidence. We’re adding new wines and vintages all the time and continue to be blown away by the range of style and beauty of these wines.

 

DRINK

When you pop the cork, make sure to take the time to truly enjoy every sip. Focus on the experience – from the intensity of color in the glass, the aromas emanating from the rim, and the flavors and textures of the wine from the moment it hits your lips, through your palate, and after you’ve swallowed.

 

RATE

This is the fun part. We’ll automatically keep track of every wine you purchase through Winestyr and make it easy for you to keep track of wines you’ve liked and disliked along with your tasting notes. It’s like a virtual wine journal.

 

RECOMMENDATIONS

We’ll look at your ratings and help you learn your palate and preferences over time. Along with making expert recommendations based on your palate, we’ll also tell you why we’ve made our suggestions so you can learn about wine in the process. It’s like having a wine expert at your fingertips.

 

Some of the wineries available through Winestyr

Lucas & Lewellen Vineyards, McGah Family Cellars, Hand of God Wines, Desert Wind Winery, Outcast Wines, Joullian Vineyards, Old Shore Vineyards, Deep Sea Wines, Nichelini Family Winery, David Family Wines, Frisby Cellars, Naked Winery, Piccola Wine Company, Sojourn Cellars, Buoncristiani Family Winery, White Oak Vineyards & Winery, McFadden Vineyard, Wine Guerrilla, H-G Vineyards, Mill Creek Vineyards & Winery, Anaba Wines, Windsor Oaks Vineyards, Colcanyon Estate, Andis Wines, Charles Creek Vineyard, Rocca Family Vineyards, Lacuna Wines, Toccata Wines, Ground Effect Wine Co., Fore Family Vineyards, Reid Family Vineyards, Jim Ball Vineyards, Ehret Family Winery, Tallulah Wines, Big Fish Wines, Optima Winery

 

Much more information is available on their website by clicking here.

 

If you are interested in trying out Winestyr, use code “TRYWINESTYR” to take $10 off your next Winestyr purchase.

 

 

  

 

 

About Andis Wines

Opened in November of 2010, Andis Wines is a modern boutique winery located in historic Amador County in the heart of California’s beautiful Sierra Foothills.  Our focus: seeking out the best vineyards in the Sierra Foothills to craft delicious wines with balance, character and complexity.  All of our fruit is hand sorted and fermented in small lots to promote diversity of style and varietal correctness.  Using both traditional and innovative winemaking approaches, Andis Wines have quickly garnered 90+ point scores in Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast, glowing reviews in print and online media, and placements in some of the finest restaurants in Northern California and Hawaii.

 

Our building is a state-of-the-art winemaking facility built with a “green” design.  The spacious tasting room offers picturesque vineyard views of surrounding Amador wine country with comfortable picnic areas to spend time with family and friends.  Our contemporary design, gracious staff, and commitment to making superior wines make Andis a must-stop on your Amador wine tasting adventure.

 

Much more information on Andis Wines is available on their website by clicking here.

 

 

 

The lineup for this tasting:

 

 

2011 Andis Wines Primitivo – SRP $25

While recent research has indicated Primitivo is genetically identical to Zinfandel, what we see in the winemaking process is a grape that behaves like Zinfandel’s more mature and sophisticated cousin.  Rich with all the attributes we love about Zin, dense fruit, big structure, complex finish, it also consistently has spectacular color and very silky tannins.  Quickly becoming one of our favorites, we’ve found there are few occasions or pairings where this Primitivo doesn’t shine.  The 2011 vintage was sourced from the wonderful Shenandoah Valley vineyard farmed by Art Toy.  It possesses aromas of blueberry and black cherry, accented by a hint of mint and cedar.  Medium bodied with a core of jammy fruit and soft silky tannins, it finishes with just a touch of pepper and spice.  Best decanted prior to serving.

 

This wine has 13.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep red color.  The appealing nose has brambly berries, cherries, baking spices, cedar, white pepper, minerals, roasted herbs, earthy underbrush, eucalyptus, vanilla and dried flowers.  This has medium body, moderate to solid tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate the juicy, tart fruit gets spiced up with a small dollop of spicy oak on the front end, with a touch of eucalyptus, roasted herbs and subtle earthiness coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with some pepper and a floral note entering the picture.  If you like a restrained, balanced Zinfandel, grab a bottle of this wine, it will make you smile.  This is one to hunt down.  (91 pts)

 

 

2010 Andis Wines Painted Fields – SRP $28

Each season we harvest a few extra tons from some of our favorite fields and pull in some grapes from vineyards we think might be promising with the intent of finding just the right mix for Painted Fields.  As we set worthy lots aside, we begin experimenting with various blends until we find just the right mix for that vintage.  By not limiting ourselves to a specific varietal or predetermined blend, we allow tremendous latitude to make a simply delicious red wine.

 

This is a blend of 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Syrah and 10% Petite Sirah.

 

This has 14.5% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium ruby red color.  The nose is a touch reserved and shy but eventually has black cherry, baking spices, minerals, dark chocolate and a touch of vanilla.  This has medium body, moderate to solid tannins and very nice acidity.  This is much more open and giving on the palate with layers of fruit and spice upfront with minerals and dark chocolate coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with a touch of earthiness coming into play.  This may be one to sit on for another year or two.  (90 pts)

 

 

Connect with me

You can follow me on Twitter for more wine info, potential food pairings, and an occasional recipe or two.  Be warned, I’m also a sports fan and there are occasional Pittsburgh Penguins, Steelers, and Pirates tweets.  I attended the University of South Carolina, so during football season, there will also be some Gamecock posts.

 

If you like this post, consider joining Cliffs Wine Picks Wine Blog on Facebook and giving me a Like.

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 2013 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

***** 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!