1994 Schloss Schönborn Hochheimer Hölle Riesling Spätlese

2012 Folk Machine Pinot Noir

2005 Copain Syrah Brosseau Vineyard

2009 Carlisle Zinfandel Gold Mine Ranch

2007 Bonny Doon Vineyard Le Cigare Blanc

 

 

 

1994 Schloss Schönborn Hochheimer Hölle Riesling Spätlese – $16.99

We’re real big fans of off-dry German Riesling wines with some age on them.  The overt sweetness and tingly acidity mellow and integrate over time leaving a delicious, food friendly elixir.  These wines are better defined as rich instead of sweet.  Try an aged Riesling with a spicy dish and you will become a fan.

 

The wine has 9.5% alcohol by volume and the bottle was sealed with a natural cork.

 

Winery history

Schloss Schönborn – famous wines with a long tradition.  Located in the heart of the Rheingau valley, the Domänenweingut Schloss Schönborn has long stood for premium wine culture.

 

Many of the vineyards along the slopes bordering the Rhine River have been part of the Schönborn family estate since 1349, which has been added to continuously since then.  Several top sites were acquired in the 17th and 18th centuries, giving the estate a real boost.  The estate now covers 50 ha, of which 90% are planted with Riesling.  The remaining vineyards feature Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc.  The Schloss Schönborn wine estate is one of the founder members of the Association of German Prädikat Wine Estates (VDP) and has for many years been managing its valuable vineyards in tune with nature.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a vibrant yellow with golden highlights.  The exciting nose has apples, orange blossoms, lime zest, petrol and stony minerals.  This has medium body, crisp citrus acidity and more richness than sweetness.  Tart apples, lime and minerals coat the palate with an outstanding balance of richness and lime acidity.  The finish has very good length with a floral note joining the lime and rich honey notes.  I can’t believe this is 20 years old, it still tastes very vibrant and compelling.  This could use a touch more complexity but that is a minor quibble for such a delicious elixir.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Folk Machine Pinot Noir – $18.99

This was a new one on me when I saw it sitting on the local store’s shelf a couple weeks ago.  It turns out Folk Machine is owned by Hobo Wine Company.  Since I really like the Hobo Zinfandels, especially their Rockpile one, I had to grab a bottle.  I’m always on the lookout for good, under $20 Pinot Noirs.

 

Even though 98% of the grapes for this wine come from two Monterey vineyards, the winery is using the broad “Central Coast” appellation.  I guess this means the grape sources can change over the vintages without having to “create” a new wine.

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light to medium ruby red color.  The inviting nose has cherries, baking spices, crushed stone minerals, violets and some subtle earthiness.  This is barely medium body with silky tannins and good acidity.  On the palate cherries and spice jump out first followed by minerals with some earthiness coming in on the backend.  The finish has decent length with a smoky element joining the earthiness and fruit.  This doesn’t offer a lot of complexity but it is still very tasty and a good deal at under $20.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2005 Copain Syrah Brosseau Vineyard – $45

A few years ago, Copain had a change in their wine making philosophy away from big, full bodied, overly ripe wines to ones with lower alcohol and more finesse.  This vineyard was one of the few Syrah vineyards that survived the change.

 

This has 14.4% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

Winery history

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

 

For more information on Copain, visit their website by clicking here.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark purple color.  The stunning nose has blackberries, charred meat, minerals, licorice, raspberry liqueur, dark chocolate, dried herbs, fresh ground espresso beans and dried flowers.  This is rich and sexy on the palate with spicy berries and minerals up front with dried herbs and dark chocolate coming in on the backend.  The finish has very good length with some espresso grounds and a floral note popping out.  This is drinking very nicely but should hold for another 4 to 6 years.  (94 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Carlisle Zinfandel Gold Mine Ranch – $31.00

If you are on the Carlisle mailing list, congratulations, you are on one of the best lists out there.  If you are not on their mailing list, I highly recommend you upgrade your circle of friends to include someone on the list that shares their good stuff.

 

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

 

This wine has 15.2% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

The Vineyard

Planted in 1914 by Charlie Derrick, just before riding off to join the Cavalry of World War I, this gorgeous property is tucked amongst the redwoods in the hills of the southwest corner of Dry Creek Valley.  While Charlie’s gold mine on the property is no longer productive (he used to produce jewelry from the gold and silver he found), his vines certainly are.  Organically and dry farmed, this is usually one of our first Zinfandel vineyards to be picked.

 

Winery history

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark ruby to purple color.  The very enticing nose has brambly berries, black peppercorns, melted licorice, Asian spices, minerals, dried violets, black cherries, earthy underbrush and charred meat.  This has a fairly full body with moderate silky tannins and good acidity.  This coats the palate with rich berries, black pepper and Asian spices up front with nice earthiness and a floral note coming in on the back end.  The finish has very good length with the spicy fruit seeming to last forever.  This is an outstanding wine in a very good drinking window.  Enjoy this one over the next two to three years.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2007 Bonny Doon Vineyard Le Cigare Blanc – $6.64

I grabbed a few of these on close out at the local wine store last January.  I wanted to try one to see if I should grab some more to last through the upcoming Spring/Summer seasons.  I was a more than a bit leery about buying a six year old wine of unknown provenance.  Those fears were put to rest as soon as I had my first sip.  This is a blend of 64.3% Roussanne and 35.7% Grenache Blanc from the Beeswax Vineyard in Arroyo Seco.  Somehow one of the bottles survived last Summer, it won’t be around to see this Memorial Day.

 

This has 14.6% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a twist off cap.

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

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 2014 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:

 

Click here or on the “Cliff’s Wine Picks On Other Sites” link in the top right corner to see links to other sites that either have my reviews, my thoughts or other posts I have written.

 

 

 

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!