Cliff's Wine Picks

 

2013 Cosa Obra Pinot Noir

2008 Big Basin Vineyards Mandala

2014 Klinker Brick Zinfandel Old Vine

2001 Boroli Barolo

2012 Terre di Talamo Morellino di Scansano Tempo Riserva

2010 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Rosella’s Vineyard

 

 

 

2013 Cosa Obra Pinot Noir – $22.40

This 100% Pinot Noir is a blend of 56% Carneros and 44% Russian River Valley.  The wine was aged for 12 months in 100% French oak, 30% new.

 

The wine is a bright ruby red color.  The slightly shy nose has cherries, baking spices, white pepper, tobacco and dry underbrush.  This has medium body with soft to moderate tannins and good acidity.  This is much more open on the palate with cherries, white pepper and minerals on the front end with tobacco and baking spices coming in later.  The finish has decent length with cranberries and dry underbrush entering the picture.  This wine has 14.2% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2008 Big Basin Vineyards Mandala – $35

Total production was 8 barrels.  This is a blend of 88% Syrah, 8% Grenache and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

The wine is a deep ruby to maroon color.  The big and bold nose is full of blackberries, blueberries, baking spices, dying wood embers, dark chocolate, dried violets and dusty minerals.  This has a full body with moderate to solid tannins and good acidity.  On the palate layers of fruit, spice and minerals jump out on the front end with wood embers and dark chocolate coming in later.  The finish has great length with a nice dried floral note adding some depth.  This is a big, bold and rich wine that needs a hearty meal.  This is now in a prime drinking window that should last another 4 or 5 years.  What this wine lacks in subtlety it makes up for in taste.  This has 15.8% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2014 Klinker Brick Zinfandel Old Vine – $14.84

This wine is a blend of Zinfandel from 16 different vineyard blocks.  The vines have an average age of 86 years.

 

The wine is a deep purple color.  The inviting nose has brambly berries, licorice, plums, black pepper, dry earth and a touch of spicy oak.  This has a full body with moderate tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate brambly berries, black pepper and dry earth jump out on the front end with plums and licorice coming in later.  The finish has nice length with some spicy oak providing depth.  A textbook big zinfandel with sweet fruit and peppery spice that is easy to drink but doesn’t offer much complexity.  This has 15.4% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2001 Boroli Barolo – $32.99

This 100% Nebbiolo comes from vineyards in the territory of Castiglione Falletto, in the heart of the Langhe and the Barolo area.

 

The wine is a deep ruby color with some bricking at the edge.  The sensuous nose has black cherries, eucalyptus, cedar, tobacco, leather, dusty minerals, dry underbrush, dried roses, road tar and baking spices.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate black cherries, cedar, tobacco and dried underbrush come through on the front end with spices, tar and leather coming in later.  The finish has very good length with a dried floral note and a hint of eucalyptus providing depth.  This is drinking marvelously today and should hold for a few more years.  This has 14.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Terre di Talamo Morellino di Scansano Tempo Riserva – $15.09

This wine is a blend of 85% Sangiovese, 10% Alicante and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon.  The vines are an average of 10 years old.

 

The wine is a medium ruby red color.  The appealing nose has cherries, scorched earth, underbrush, white pepper, mushrooms and dried flowers.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate cherries, underbrush and dry earth jump out on the front end with white pepper and roasted mushrooms coming in later.  The finish has nice length with a dried floral note providing some depth.  This tastes very nice today but some cellar time will be rewarded.  This has 14% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2010 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Rosella’s Vineyard – $46.00

If you follow this blog, you already know I’m a big fan of Brian Loring’s wines.  His Rosella’s Vineyard is generally my second favorite wine behind the Clos Pepe wines.  These are generally made in a bigger riper style, very Californian.  If you’re looking for a Burgundian style of wine, look elsewhere.  If you are looking for a rich and flavorful Pinot Noir, welcome home.

 

The wine is a nice deep garnet red color.  The easy to enjoy nose has black raspberries, black cherries, crushed stone minerals, wild flowers, baking spices, earthy underbrush and a touch of mint.  This has medium to full body, soft to moderate ripe tannins and good acidity.  On the palate spicy dark fruit and some earthiness hit first, followed by minerals and a hint of mint.  The finish has great length and full of nicely layered fruit, spice and earthiness.  This wine is in its’ prime drinking window now and should hold for a couple years.  This has 14.9% alcohol by volume and is closed with a twist off cap.  (94 pts)

 

 

 

 

I am a big fan of the “Flash Wine Sale” site Last Bottle.  I highly recommend getting on their e-mail list.  Like most of the flash sale sites, they offer one wine per day until it sells out.  They also have a couple two-day marathons during the year.  Last Bottle is a great site to buy special wines at prices low enough to open any day of the week.

 

If you sign up using this link you will get a $10 credit that can be used on your first purchase.  I will also get a credit if you make a purchase.

 

Other than getting a credit as explained above, I have no financial interest in the site.  After you are on the list, you can also get the same credit by introducing friends to Last Bottle.

 

 

 

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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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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 always check out the sale and close out items when in a store.  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!