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 new or interesting.

 

 

 

Overview

This was a new winery for me.  A couple years ago, during an online Berserker Day on the Wine Berserkers Forum, an online friend, Beau Carufel, told me I should check out this winery.  I always like to acknowledge when a wine friend gives me great advice.  You can check out Beau’s blog site at Beau’s Barrel Room.

 

 

The Winery

Helioterra Wines is a small, artisan producer of Northwest wines made at the SE Wine Collective in SE Portland, Oregon.

 

Our wines are pretty, elegant and graceful in style. Winemaker Anne Ebenreiter Hubatch partners with exceptional regional vineyard growers to craft wines that demonstrate the best that the Northwest offers.

 

The name draws on geological inspirations, symbolizing Heliolite, the Oregon state gemstone (more commonly known as Sun Stone.)  Helio and Terra combine the Greek words for sun and earth, natural partners for grape growing.

 

For more information, I highly recommend checking out their website.

 

 

The Wine

The Vintner’s Select is just that.  The best barrel was selected from each vineyard site, and then blended to create a very special wine.  The flavors and aromatics are much richer and more mysterious than the Willamette Valley.  It demonstrates great depth and elegance with a touch more toast and a greater potential for aging.  The wine was aged for ten and a half months in French oak barrels and has 36% new oak influence.  The grapes were from Apolloni Vineyard (42%), Veeman Vineyard (42%) and Lia’s Vineyard (16%).

 

Just 49 cases were produced.  Wholesale $25.00 Magnums $53

 

The current release of this wine is the 2012 vintage.  More information on the current wines and the winery’s upcoming Sprint release is available on their website.

 

 

2010 Helioterra Pinot Noir Vintner’s Select

This was a new winery for me last year.  Since that time, I met the owner/wine maker Anne Ebenreiter Hubatch when she returned to her home state of Wisconsin.  After tasting through close to a dozen of her wines, I became convinced this is an up and coming winery to keep an eye on.

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a very light ruby red color.  The very enticing nose has cherries, strawberries, baking spices, some earthiness, and a nice herbal note.  This has light to medium body, great acidity, and some subtle tannins.  On the palate there is a very nice balance between the fruit and spice with the herbal note coming in late.  The finish has nice length and again shows very nice balance.  This isn’t a big, ultra ripe, highly extracted Pinot, this is much more feminine and nuanced.  This is tasting very nice but is still on the young side.  (92 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!

 

 

 

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

 

 

Momokawa Diamond

Momokawa Pearl

SakéMoto Junmai

 

 

I was invited to participate in an online saké tasting, which was very easy to accept.  I have enjoyed saké in the past, but my knowledge on the beverage is VERY limited.  I usually rely on the suggestions from the server and never remember which ones I have liked or the ones I could barely tolerate.  This will be a great opportunity to try three different examples and allow me to note differences and figure out what I like based on side by side comparisons.

 

Visit the SakéOne website.

 

 

 

The selections were provided by Charles Communications for the SakéOne brand tasting and participation was limited to around a dozen people.

 

Generally, saké is best served is a white wine glass.  For some reason, several of us opted for a stemless wine glass like the Riedel O line.  I chose the glass since it seemed to be a nice middle of the road melding of the small traditional saké glass and a larger, stemmed wine glass.

 

Though saké can be served slightly warmed, it is better served chilled; I had mine at slightly cooler than room temperature.

 

It was pointed out that the American saké producers prefer to be called “craft” saké, or American, but don’t call them “domestic”.

 

An open bottle of saké will last for weeks in the refrigerator since it is pasteurized.

 

 

SakéOne is one of six saké breweries in America and the only saké brewery in Oregon.  It has promoted quality saké in America for over two decades, both as an importer and as a domestic craft brewer, focusing on quality, heritage and innovation.  SakéOne imports a boutique portfolio of Japanese regional saké including the brands Murai Family, Yoshinogawa and SakéMoto, a premium Japanese saké developed specifically for the American market. Greg also produces award-winning saké for the Momokawa, G Saké, and the fruit-infused Moonstone brands at SakéOne’s own Kura in Forest Grove, Oregon.

 

Saké’s presence in the American market is rapidly increasing; in the past ten years, saké has seen a 100% increase in the US Beverage alcohol market.  However, most premium saké is still imported from Japan.

 

 

The video from the online tasting, graphics dealing with saké terminology and the brewing process, as well as the participant’s posts can be found here:

http://sakeone.yourbrandlive.com/c/whitedaytasting/

 

The lineup for this tasting:

 

 

 

Momokawa Diamond – SRP $13

This saké is classified as a Junmai Ginjo.  Among other things, this means the rice was “polished” down to 60%.

 

This is considered to be a “starting point” sake, meaning it not too dry but also not overly “fruity”.  The final alcohol is 14.8%.

 

My Tasting Note

This is totally clear and colorless.  On the nose this offers an herbal note, earthy mushrooms, peat moss, apples, cherries and white flowers.  On the palate this is slightly creamy with chalky minerality, spice, apples and cherry skin.  This has decent length on the finish.

 

 

Momokawa Pearl – SRP $13

This saké is classified as a Junmai Ginjo Nigori Genhu.  Among other things, this means the rice was “polished” down to 60%.  This sake is undiluted so it retains the base alcohol of 18%.  It is also not filtered so it contains rice “sediment”.  Before drinking, the bottle must be turned over multiple times to allow for this sediment to be redistributed in the liquid.

 

This was originally produced even though they were told it would never be popular because “no one drinks nigori.” More than fourteen years later it is their most popular saké and one that they must take to festivals and tastings everywhere they go.

 

My Tasting Note

This is a cloudy white color, like low fat milk.  The nose offers apples, tropical fruit, and earthy peat moss.  This is creamy and slightly sweet on the palate.  The finish is fairly long.  This one was very different in looks and the creaminess.

 

 

SakéMoto Junmai – SRP $11

This saké is classified as a Junmai.  Among other things, this means the rice was “polished” down to 70%.  This was the one imported sake included in the tasting.

 

This comes from a brewer that has been producing sake for over 270 years and was produced with the American palate in mind, which makes it a bit richer and fruitier.  This has a final alcohol of 14.7%.

 

My Tasting Note

This is a very light yellow to straw color.  The nose has melon, peat moss, earthy, apples, white flowers and tropical fruit.  On the palate this is crisp and clean with good acidity and just a touch of sweetness.  This has good length with an herbal note coming in.  This was my favorite of the tasting.

 

 

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!

 

 

 

2006 Copain Syrah Thompson Vineyard

2008 Rosenblum Cellars Zinfandel Rockpile Road Vineyard

2009 August Kesseler Riesling R

2009 Bedrock Wine Co. Lorenzo’s Heirloom

2010 Ladera Cabernet Sauvignon Stile Blocks

2007 Scherrer Winery Chardonnay Helfer Vineyard

 

 

 

2006 Copain Syrah Thompson Vineyard – $40.00

It would be hard for me to pick a favorite vineyard source for Copain Syrahs, but Thompson would be in my top three.

 

This has 14.7% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep dark purple color.  The very open and giving nose has blackberries, dying wood embers, smoked meat, vanilla, dried herbs, black olives and earthy underbrush.  This has medium to full body, moderate to solid tannins and good acidity.  On the palate the wine is a bit brighter than the nose lead me to expect with cherries and dark chocolate joining the blackberries, meat and vanilla.  The finish has good length with some dried herbs and earthiness coming into the picture.  This still has years of life ahead of it.  (92 pts)

 

 

2008 Rosenblum Cellars Zinfandel Rockpile Road Vineyard – $15.04

Like a lot of people, Rosenblum was my favorite Zinfandel producer for several years.  After the sale of the winery, the wines have suffered.  I don’t know if this was due to loss of the main people in the operation, bad luck, or more likely the desire of the purchases to cash in on the name quickly and recoup the cost of their investment.

 

I’ve really enjoyed wines produced from the Rockpile area for a few years and actively hunted them down.  The local wine store brought this wine in and offered it at a great price via their weekly e-mail offers.  I grabbed a case.  Unfortunately, the wine has been a disappointment the few times I’ve tried it.  One last chance to see if another years in the cellar has helped.

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep maroon color.  The fairly straight forward nose has brambly berries, vanilla, black pepper, dark bittersweet chocolate, camphor, and spicy oak.  This has medium to full body, moderate tannins, and good acidity.  On the palate the wine seems a touch thin and driven by the oak related elements with sweet berries coming in from the sides providing needed sweetness.  The finish is a touch short and again highlights the spicy oak and sweet berries.  For a Rosenblum wine, especially one from Rockpile, this could use a bit more extraction and depth.  A decent week night Zin to be consumed over the next couple of years.  (87 pts)

 

 

2009 August Kesseler Riesling R – $11.39

Riesling is our favorite white wine, by a wide margin.  When the local wine store brought this one in and had it on the shelf for a touch over $11, I had to grab a few bottles.  This is a Kabinett from the Rheingau region in Germany.

 

This has 10.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off cap.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light yellow to straw color.  The fresh smelling nose has apples, juicy peaches, minerals, orange blossoms, lemon zest and a touch of petrol.  This has light to medium body, crisp acidity and just a bit of residual sweetness.  On the palate the apples and peaches jump out first with minerals coming into the picture followed by some nice tart citrus zest.  The finish is very tasty but a touch short.  This does not offer a lot of complexity but is still very tasty.  A nice German Riesling for just a touch over $10.  (88 pts)

 

 

2009 Bedrock Wine Co. Lorenzo’s Heirloom – $35.00

Bedrock is becoming best known for their “field blends” from some of the oldest vineyards in California.  This wine is a blend of 50% Zinfandel 25% Carignane, 20% Petite Sirah, and 5% Alicante Bouschet, Cinsault, and Valdigue.  This Dry Creek vineyard is over 100 years old.

 

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 deep and powerful nose has brambly berries, cherries, black pepper, earthy underbrush, minerals, warm baking spices, dried herbs and violets.  This has medium body, fairly solid tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate berries, spice and minerals jump out first with cherries and earthy elements coming in on the back end.  The finish has good length with dried herbs and black pepper coming into the picture.  This seems to still be on the young side.  I’d let this one sleep for a couple more years so we can see what is hidden behind the cloak of tannins and acidity.  (92 pts)

 

 

2010 Ladera Cabernet Sauvignon Stile Blocks – $39.99

I bought a few bottles of this wine hoping it was going to be a nice Cabernet for weekend dinners.  My first bottle was a bit disappointing since the wine lacked everything that makes a Howell Mountain Cab distinctive and interesting.  I’m hoping the first bottle was a bit off but based on a couple other notes, I’m afraid my initial opinion was right.  I guess I’ll see this evening.

 

This has 13.6% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly deep maroon color.  The big and fully open nose is full of cassis, licorice, warm baking spices, black pepper, leather, dried herbs, and a touch of cedar.  This has medium to full body with soft, ripe tannins, and decent acidity.  On the palate this is soft and jammy for a Howell Mountain wine.  Big, ripe, juicy, berries and spice hit the front end of the palate coating it in flavor with dried herbs and spicy oak coming in on the backend.  The finish has good length and shows jammy fruit and spice with an oaky overlay but could use some additional complexity.  This is an easier drinking wine than I expected, this isn’t one to stash in the cellar for an extended time.  (89 pts)

 

 

2007 Scherrer Winery Chardonnay Helfer Vineyard – $17.10

This is a 375ml half bottle.

 

I needed a cup of wine for a recipe and decided to use my last half bottle of this wine.  This will leave me a bit for the cook to sample.

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a golden straw color.  The very inviting nose has apples, pears, flinty minerality, baking spices, citrus zest, and buttered popcorn.  This has medium body and crisp acidity.  On the palate the apples, spice, and lemon zest grab the thunder with nice minerality slowly building on the back end.  The fairly long finish leans more on the spice and minerals with just a touch of oak coming into the picture.  This is a very nice Chardonnay in its prime.  This was from a 375ml bottle.  (92 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!