2007 Terrabianca Campaccio Toscana IGT
2006 Alma Rosa Pinot Blanc Sta. Rita Hills
2006 The Colonial Estate Emigré
2011 Januik Cabernet Sauvignon
2008 Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon
2007 Terrabianca Campaccio Toscana IGT – $19.94
This wine has been a favorite Italian wine in my house for several years. This is a blend of 70% Sangiovese and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine was #36 on the Wine Spectator Top 100 list for 2011.
This wine has 13.5% alcohol and the bottle us sealed with a natural cork.
Winery history
In the medieval times Podere Terrabianca found itself in the ambiguous situation of being situated in the part of the countryside under the rule of Florence and, at the same time, also in the diocese of the Bishop of Siena. The very first documents mentioning its presence, dated 1085, describe it as being a country estate as, in fact, its name clearly implies.
Today the winery Terrabianca is located at the heart of the Chianti Classico region, in the middle of Tuscany, 12 km from Siena and 50 km from Florence.
The soil which consists of layers of chalk, sand and clay from the palaeozoic and mesozoic ages has the ideal composition to grow grapes of highest quality. On the 124 ha, 307 acres, there are vineyards surrounded by olive groves and woods.
They are in the best position, south and southeast exposure, at 250 to 500 mt. above sea level. The grape variety are Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Canaiolo, Chardonnay, Malvasia and Trebbiano Toscano are grown to produce a total of 350.000 bottles a year.
My Tasting Note
The wine is a fairly dark ruby color. The deep and exotic nose has blackberries, cherries, cocoa powder, licorice, underbrush, dried herbs, minerals, and some well worn leather. This has a medium body with fairly solid tannins and very good acidity. On the palate the wine has loads of spicy, earthy fruit with dried herbs, and cocoa powder adding considerable depth. The finish has nice length, but a bit of oak pops out. This tastes very nice now but should be even better in another year. Hopefully by then the excess oak on the finish will smoothen out or integrate. (92 pts)
2007 Terrabianca Campaccio Toscana IGT
2006 Alma Rosa Pinot Blanc Sta. Rita Hills – $4.75
I bought a large stash of this wine when it was on a blow out sale at the local wine store about a year ago. Unfortunately after this bottle I’ll only have one left in the cellar. I don’t know why this wine was still available in a distributor’s warehouse a few years after it was released, but I’m glad the local store took all they had and blew it out at a give away price.
The bottle is sealed with a twist off cap and the alcohol is 13.8%.
My Tasting Note
The wine is a bright yellow to straw color. The light and refreshing nose has lemon curd, apples, stony/flinty minerals, orange blossoms, a touch of spice and a bit of pineapple. This has light to medium body, is dry and has crisp, citrusy acidity. This is very bright and lively on the palate with crisp apples, lemon zest, and flinty minerals, on the backend a touch of spice and orange zest add some depth. The finish has nice length with the citrus, apples, and minerals holding on nicely. This was an absolute steal on closeout for under $5. (90 pts)
2006 Alma Rosa Pinot Blanc Sta Rita Hills
2006 The Colonial Estate Emigré – $29.88
Emigré is a blend of Grenache, Shiraz, Mourvedre, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, and Muscadelle harvested from four vineyards, two in cool climates, Greenock and Eden Valley, and the other two from the northern Barossa Valley. Wines from The Colonial Estate don’t come cheap. Their lower end wines start at $30. This is one of their higher end wines and has a release price around $90. I’ve been lucky in the past (and this time too) to find their wines either on a clearance sale or via Garagiste for under $30. If you ever have the chance to get a bottle of this wine or either the Exile Cabernet or Shiraz at a great price, grab a bottle, it will bring a smile to your face.
This wine has 14.5% alcohol and is closed with a natural cork.
Winery history
The Colonial Estate is a range of limited-production Australian wines with an old world approach. The fruit is hand picked and carefully selected; the reds receive cold pre-maceration, fermentation, pressing and maceration on skins prior to ageing in French oak; whilst the whites get whole-bunch pressing, lees stirring and are fermented with naturally occurring yeasts.
My Tasting Note
The wine is a deep maroon color. The fully open and inviting nose has cherries, blackberries, minerals, Asian spices, fresh ground dark roast coffee, dark bittersweet chocolate, charred meat, dried herbs, wild flowers, and scorched earth. This has medium to full body, fairly solid ripe tannins, and good acidity. On the palate the big fruit component is matched stride for stride by dusty minerals, dark chocolate, dried herbs, and dark roast coffee, with a meaty element coming in on the back end. The finish is long with minerals, charred meat, and dried herbs adding a great dimension to the mixed fruits. This seems to be entering its prime time drinking window. This is big and bold but not an overly ripe, syrupy style of wine. (94 pts)
2006 The Colonial Estate Emigré
2011 Januik Cabernet Sauvignon – $25.00
I enjoyed a bottle of the 2008 vintage of this wine at a friend’s house in October over dinner. A few days later, Invino had this at a great price, so we split a case.
This vintage is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Malbec. The grapes are sourced from a short list of vineyards the winery considers to be among the best in the state including Ciel du Cheval, Red Heaven, Red Mountain, Weinbau and Shaw vineyards.
This has 14.4% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.
My Tasting Note
The wine is a nice ruby red color. The very appealing nose has cassis, dried herbs, minerals, cedar, baking spices, cherries and a hint of dark bittersweet chocolate. This has a medium body with moderate tannins and very good acidity. On the palate rich fruit and spice leads off with minerals and dried herbs coming in on the back end. The finish has good length with cherries, spice and a touch of dark chocolate lingering nicely. This is on the young side but that doesn’t stop it from still being delicious. This was a steal for $25. (91 pts)
2011 Januik Cabernet Sauvignon
2008 Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon – $48.00
This is a mailing list I jumped on based on the top flight labels Mike Smith had worked with in his brief career. I have never been let down by any wine Mike has been involved with including his Cabernets, Syrah and even an outstanding Sémillon.
This wine has 15.1% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.
Winery history
“Sometimes success is as simple as hearing your inner voice.”
Mike started his winemaking career under the direction of Thomas Brown in 2001. Traveling from Portland Oregon, Mike worked each crush “free of charge” to learn his craft. Following his 3rd harvest, Mike accepted a full-time assistant position from Thomas and moved his family to St. Helena. Today, Mike continues to work with Thomas on several labels (i.e. Schrader, Rivers-Marie, Maybach & Tamber Bey). The Myriad wines are custom crushed along side these greats… showcasing Mike’s talents and stylistic “purist” approach to winemaking.
My Tasting Note
The wine is a deep, dark ruby to purple color. The very open and expressive nose has cassis, plum, fresh ground espresso, Rutherford dust, cedar, licorice, dark chocolate, dried herbs and baking spices. This has a fairly full body with solid, ripe tannins and very good acidity. This has a long finish with spicy fruit and dried herbs dominating. This is still on the young side but stunning with an hour or two of air. (94 pts)
2008 Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon
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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.
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Cheers!
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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
WINES WE’VE LOVED! Our Favorite Wine Writers Share Their Picks
http://www.snooth.com/articles/wines-we-yve-loved/?viewall=1#ixzz2yOsinkhN
Snooth
OUR FAVORITE REDS FOR SPRING – The Wine Cognoscenti Recommend
http://www.snooth.com/articles/our-favorite-reds-for-spring/?viewall=1#ixzz2xkH0dfSj
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
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
Crave Local
Sample Boutique Wines at Affordable Prices with Tastingroom.com
Remember to support your local wine store!
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Notes – I use the “official” Cellar Tracker name for the wines. I use Cellar Tracker to help manage and organize my cellar. I highly recommend checking it out at www.cellartracker.com. Loading you existing cellar is a lot less intimidating than it would first appear. There is a good chance 99% of your wine is already in the system, so you generally only need to enter part of the wine’s name and the system will find it for you.
Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase. I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but my local store is usually VERY competitive. I generally get case discounts, and since I work there part time, I get a 5% discount. Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges. None of the prices include the sales tax.
All wines that were sent to me free of charge to sample will be noted and I will show suggested prices when available.
Cheers!
April 13, 2014
Cliff
Cliff's Wine Picks 