2005 Mas des Dames Coteaux du Languedoc

2004 Clarendon Hills Grenache Old Vines Blewitt Springs

2007 Long Shadows Wineries Cabernet Sauvignon Feather

 

 

 

2005 Mas des Dames Coteaux du Languedoc – $15.86

 

My comments

This is another wine I purchased from Garagiste Wines and Jon Rimmerman.  I bought three bottles of this wine but held off opening a bottle for a couple of years.  I had a bottle about a year ago and thought it was very nice, but felt it would improve with some additional cellar time.  It’s time to check in again.  This is a blend of 50% Grenache, 30% Carignan, and 20% Syrah.

 

Winery history

Mas des Dames is a former 18th century farmhouse surrounded by 14 hectares of vines located in the hills behind Béziers, Southern France.  Where the Languedoc is often a ‘sea’ of vineyards, in this hidden valley we were lucky to find an ancient structure of small plots, surrounded by a natural flora.  This ‘garrigue’ of oak, olive, and pine trees creates a natural balance in the vineyards, enabling us to work without any insecticides and just minimal treatments against illness.  We’ve never used chemical fertilizers and do not irrigate.  That is why our yields are low (about 35hl/ha). but have a nicely concentrated quality.  A certification for organic farming is pending.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a nice ruby red color.  The very nice nose has black cherries, red raspberries, plums, crushed stone minerality, smoke, roasted herbs, meat juices, warm baking spices, and a touch of earthiness.  This has medium body, fairly solid tannins, and very good acidity.  The palate has some nice up front fruit followed by roasted herbs, minerals, grilled meat, and a touch of dark chocolate.  The finish has nice length and leans more on the savory elements with the fruit adding a touch of sweetness.  This is in a nice place, but should hold for another year or two.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2004 Clarendon Hills Grenache Old Vines Blewitt Springs – $25.00

 

My comments

We had a “house favorite” for dinner, Lime-Cilantro Pork Tacos for dinner and I was in the mood for something “different”.  I knew the tacos would be well seasoned and have a bit of bite from a jalapeño so I wanted something big, rich, and fruit driven to pair.  It’s been a while since I had this wine, but knew it would meet my requirements.

 

Winery history

In 1990, Roman Bratasiuk embarked on a truly remarkable wine making journey.  His vision: to create single vineyard wines equal to anything in the world.  Quite simply.  Working with old, dry-grown vines and performing every step of the process by hand, Roman sought to redefine the Australian fine wine landscape by solely conveying the imprint a vineyard forges on the varietal expression.  Every year a pragmatic and calculated Clarendon Hills learns a little more about our vineyards and pushes a little further to propel each one of our 100% varietal wines to the pinacle of their capability.

 

Please join Roman and the Clarendon Hills family in celebrating our 19 single vineyard, 100% varietal wines.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep garnet to purple color.  The impressive and massive nose has kirsch, black raspberries, melted licorice, Asian spices, minerals, black pepper, blueberries, earthiness, and cherries.  This has a full body, solid, ripe tannins, and decent acidity.  This is a massive wine on the palate with a boat load of syrupy fruit with enough spice and black pepper to add some depth, but this is all about the fruit.  The finish seems to last forever with berry compote and black pepper slowly adding some dark chocolate and a touch of earthiness, but again, this is a fruit driven wine.  Not a lot of subtlety or finesse,  but every once in a while a solid kick in the head does you well.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2007 Long Shadows Wineries Cabernet Sauvignon Feather – $42.74

 

My comments

This is a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Columbia Valley in Washington.  The winery teamed up with a few “world renowned” vintners to establish individual wineries that would reflect the reputation of each wine maker.   In this case, the winemaker is Randy Dunn.  Randy started his wine making career at Caymus.  He has also assisted at Pahlmeyer, Livingston, La Jota and others.  He also owns his own winery, Dunn Vineyards, and has produced roughly 5,000 cases a year since 1979.

 

I bought a few bottles of this a while ago but knew it would take a few years before it would show well.  I’m sure this will be better in a few years, but I really want to check in to see how it is doing.

 

Winery history

After twenty years at the helm of the Stimson Lane wine group (Chateau Ste. Michelle, Columbia Crest and other wineries), Allen Shoup retired to pursue a personal dream.  For years he had envisioned a joint venture with highly acclaimed winemakers from different regions of the world.  His goal was to bring their expertise to Washington to create some of the most special wines ever crafted from the region’s top vineyards; wines that would stand shoulder to shoulder with the world’s best.

 

Encouraged by his associates, including long time friend and mentor, Robert G. Mondavi, Allen invited several of the world’s most talented and celebrated vintners to the sunny slopes of the ColumbiaValley.   Peering over steep cliffs into the valley where the Snake and YakimaRivers flow into the mighty Columbia, each vintner embraced Allen’s dream and agreed to lend their talents to create this tribute to the worldwide celebration of wine.

 

With their enthusiastic support and advice, Allen drew up plans to establish individual wineries that would reflect the reputation of each winemaker.  He named the venture Long Shadows Vintners in tribute to this select group of individuals who have shaped the industry with their benchmark wines and wineries.

 

His vision is now unfolding.  Long Shadows winemaker-partners are designing world-class wines comparable in stature to those they crafted in their native wine regions.  They are touring the land, running the soil through their fingers, and surveying with practiced eye the leafy trellises that spill down the hillsides of the ColumbiaValley.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a dark red color, verging onto purple.  The very nice nose has cassis, minerals, white pepper, licorice, violets, sun baked earth, dried herbs, red raspberries, baking spices, and some dark bittersweet chocolate, and a touch of cedar.  This has medium body, fairly solid tannins, and very good acidity.  The palate has a nice fruit component up front with a load of savory elements coning in on the back end adding depth and complexity.  The finish is fairly long with some sweet fruit joined by dried herbs, dark chocolate, and a touch of spicy oak.  This is a very classy wine that would cost twice this price if it had a Napa Valley appellation in its name.  This is a touch young, but tastes great none the less.  (93 pts)

 

 

***** 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 Avenger

2007 Copain Syrah Tous Ensemble

2007 Rhys Alesia Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

2009 Seghesio Family Vineyards Zinfandel Home Ranch

 

 

2008 Villa Creek Avenger – $29.75

 

My comments

The Avenger is my favorite wine from the Paso Robles based Villa Creek.  This is generally a full bodied, big boned, and brawny Rhone Ranger blend.  This vintage is a blend of 70% Syrah, 15% Mourvedre and 15% Grenache from the Booker Vineyard in Paso Robles.  I have been and probably will always be a big fan of this winery.  This is the last winery that I get an automatic shipment at every release and usually add on extra bottles.  In my house, there is no such thing as having too much Villa Creek in the cellar.

 

Winery history

In the spirit of the great wine producers of the southern Rhone and the bodegas of Rioja and Priorat, blending is what Villa Creek does best.  The area’s finest Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre and Tempranillo Vineyards are just a stone’s throw from the west Paso Robles winery where these blends are lovingly produced by winemaker Cris Cherry and his wife JoAnn.

 

The grapes of the area’s most progressive vineyards, James Berry, Denner, Ohana and Booker, currently grace the wines of Villa Creek Cellars.  Per acre contracts insure that the fruit comes off the same blocks each vintage.  The Cherry’s own 70 acre estate on the west side of Paso Robles boasts elevations of 1400-1800 feet, calcareous soils, south facing slopes and ample water.  In the spring of 2012, the Cherry’s finished planting their first grape vines, 3.5 acres of Grenache.  They look forward to planting Mourvèdre and Carignan in the months to come.

 

Much more information is available on their website.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark, ruby red color.  The sexy and inviting nose has black raspberries, graphite, incense, cherries, plums, fresh wild flowers, melted licorice, vanilla, dark chocolate, and some subtle earthiness.  This has a full body, fairly solid tannins, and very nice acidity.  On the palate, besides a load of nice fruit, there are abundant amounts of dark chocolate, pepper, vanilla, and a floral element.  The finish is very long and highlighted by juicy, crushed berries, dark chocolate, and a some earthiness.  This is still on the young side and improved greatly with some air.  No hurry on this one, enjoy it over the rest of the decade.  (94 pts)

 

 

 

2007 Copain Syrah Tous Ensemble Mendocino County – $25.00

 

My comments

This was Copain’s effort to put out a value priced, mid-level, appellation branded level of wines.  The Copain Tous Ensemble line up has grown to now include Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Roussanne, Viognier, and a Rosé.  In my opinion, the Copain Tous Ensemble lineup offers stunning quality for the price.  I’ve had and greatly enjoyed multiple vintages of the Syrah, Pinot Noir, and the Rosé.  I believe these wines have some distribution, I highly recommend grabbing a bottle to sample if you see one on your local wine store’s shelf.

 

This Syrah is a blend of grapes from Alder Springs, Eaglepoint Ranch, Hawks Butte and McDowell Valley vineyards in Mendocino County.

 

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.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a nice garnet color.  The easy going nose has blackberries, red raspberries, minerals, warm baking spices, black pepper, smoked meat, vanilla, and fresh wild flowers.  This has medium body, fairly well integrated tannins, and very nice acidity.  The palate is lead by mineral laden fruit, black pepper, and a meaty element.  The finish has nice length and adds a touch of dark chocolate.  This is in its prime drinking window and I’d recommend opening this one over the next year, maybe two.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2007 Rhys Alesia Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast – $35.00

 

My comments

I’ve been on the Rhys mailing list for a few years.  A lot of people knock the wines because they don’t taste great upon release.  Rhys wines require a few years in the cellar to smoothen out and open up.  That said, their Alesia wines, which are made from purchased grapes, though also needing some time in the cellar, seem to be ready to drink a couple years earlier.  I grabbed several bottles of this wine when it was offered on their e-mail release.  I’ve had a couple bottles and every bottle has been better than the previous bottle…always a good sign.

 

Winery history

While much of our focus is on winegrowing for our Rhys estate-managed vineyards, we also enjoy exploring distinctive California locations outside the Santa Cruz Mountains.  In particular we love the seductive beauty of Pinot Noir and Syrah from the Sonoma Coast and the utterly unique expression of Syrah from the Santa Lucia Highlands.  We call these wines made from purchased grapes “Alesia.”

 

Each Alesia wine is made with the same philosophy as our estate grown wines – concentration from low yields and pure, fresh fruit flavors.

 

More information on Rhys and Alesia is available at:  http://www.rhysvineyards.com/index.html

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright, ruby red color.  The very open and appealing nose has cherries, baking spices, minerals, smoke, white pepper, underbrush, raspberries, wild flowers, and earth.  This has medium body, fairly solid tannins, and very good acidity.  The palate has tart cherries, juicy raspberries, loads of minerals, white pepper, and just enough earthiness to add a lot of appeal.  The finish has decent length with nice spicy, earth driven fruit, but it would have been nice if it was a touch fuller and a little longer, but those are minor quibbles.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Seghesio Family Vineyards Zinfandel Home Ranch – $32.29

 

My comments

I’m not really a point chaser since I buy a lot of my wine from smaller wineries who don’t even submit their wines for review by the big publications.  A lot of the “big name” wineries I buy from are the ones I “found” before they started getting the big scores.  That said, even though I have been a fan of Seghesio wines for several years, I bought this specific wine simply because it received a high score and was listed as the number 12 wine on the Wine Spectator “Top 100 Wines of 2011”.

 

Winery history

The Seghesio story begins in 1886, when Edoardo Seghesio departed his family’s vineyards in Piedmont, Italy, for a new life in America.  Like so many immigrants, he was drawn to Northern Sonoma County and the Italian Swiss Colony to follow his passion for winemaking.  The “Colony,” as it was known, hired immigrants for three-year stints, providing room and board, and a lump sum at the end of those three years enabling employees to buy land or set up a business in their new homeland.

 

Edoardo quickly rose through the ranks to winemaker, yet he yearned for home.  The Colony’s manager repeatedly encouraged him to stay, and finally, it was the manager’s niece and the opportunity to purchase land that convinced Edoardo to remain.  That young girl, Angela Vasconi, and Edoardo were married in 1893.  In 1895, they purchased a modest home in northern Alexander Valley, more for the surrounding 56 acres Edoardo recognized as ideal vineyard land than for the home itself.  They planted the Home Ranch that year to what became the family’s lifeline—Zinfandel.

 

Much more information is available on their website.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a couple notches darker than a medium ruby red.  The stunning nose has cherries, baking spices, vanilla, black peppercorns, black raspberries, violets, and a touch of road tar and dark chocolate.  This has a medium to full body, fairly solid tannins, and very good acidity.  The palate has a nice fruity base but plenty of savory elements to steer well clear of being called a fruit bomb.  The finish is long and lingering with cherries, vanilla, black pepper, and a touch of dark chocolate.  This is a touch on the young side, but absolutely delicious.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

Winery Owners:

If any smaller domestic wineries are looking for distribution in MN, IA, IL and WI, shoot me an e-mail to cliff@CliffsWinePicks.com.  I know a smaller wholesaler with divisions in those states looking to expand.

 

 

 

***** 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:

 

 

Wines bought or received this week

It has been a busy week receiving wine.  Shipments from Carlisle and Jean Edwards arrived.

 

 

 

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 Loring Wine Divergence

2009 Turley Zinfandel Old Vines

2008 Santi Ripasso della Valpolicella Classico Superiore Solane

1994 Theo Schmitz-Schwaab Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Spätlese #3

2006 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino

 

 

 

2008 Loring Wine Divergence – $99.67

 

My comments

This wine was Brian Loring’s attempt to produce a wine from California to emulate the style of Spanish wineries like Bodegas El Nido in Jumilla.  This is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Mourvedre from Paso Robles.

 

Winery history

My name is Brian Loring and my obsession is Pinot Noir.  OK, I’m also pretty crazy about Champagne, but that’s another story.  While in college, I worked at a wine shop in Hollywood (Victor’s), where one of the owners was a Burgundy fanatic.  So, my very first experiences with Pinot Noir were from producers like Domaine Dujac, Henri Jayer, and DRC.  Needless to say, I found subsequent tasting safaris into the domestic Pinot Noir jungle less than satisfying.  It wasn’t until I literally stumbled into Calera (I tripped over a case of their wine in the store room) that I found a California Pinot Noir that I could love.  But it would be quite a while before I found someone else that lived up to the standard that Josh Jensen had established.  I eventually came to understand and enjoy Pinots from Williams Selyem, Chalone, and Sanford, but I really got excited about California Pinot Noir when I met Norm Beko from Cottonwood Canyon at an Orange County Wine Society tasting.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark purple color.  The very impressive nose has blackberries, raspberries, baking spices, licorice, dark chocolate, dried herbs, earthy underbrush, vanilla, leather, and a touch of cedar.  This has full body, fairly solid ripe tannins, and decent acidity.  This wine delivers a mouth full of juicy crushed berries along with an equal measure of savory elements to keep this from getting boring and adding a ton of depth.  The finish is long and full of spicy fruit with some nice dark chocolate and earthiness coming in at the end.  Not a lot of subtlety but utterly delicious.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Turley Zinfandel Old Vines – $23.71

 

My comments

To me, one of the better values out there is the Turley Old Vines Zinfandel.  Along with the appellation wines from Carlisle and Bedrock, these prove you can get a great bottle of California Zinfandel for $25 or less.

 

This is a blend of Zinfandel grapes from some of the older vineyards in California that don’t produce enough wine to allow for a single vineyard bottling.

 

Winery history

In 1993, Turley Wine Cellars was founded by Larry Turley, brother of the well-known consulting winemaker Helen Turley.  Turley, had entered the wine business in 1981 as co-founder of the multi-varietal Frog’s Leap Winery, but soon realized that his interest lay in wines made from the Zinfandel grape.

 

Starting out with just one location in St. Helena, Turley Wine Cellars soon expanded to Templeton with the purchase of the historic Pesenti winery, where Zinfandel had been planted since 1923.

 

As of 2000, Turley Wine Cellars has had a two-year waiting list for new wine club customers.

 

In 2007, Turley Wine Cellars was producing approximately 14,000 cases a year of both single-vineyard and regional Zinfandel wines.

 

By 2011, Turley Wine Cellars is annually producing approximately 16,000 cases of award winning Zinfandel and Petite Sirah wines using multiple “small” vineyards located in Napa and Sonoma counties, and other Paso Robles locations.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly dark ruby red color.  The very nice and inviting nose has brambly berries, black pepper, vanilla, warm baking spices, dark chocolate, incense, and some subtle earthiness.  This has medium body, fairly solid tannins, and very good acidity.  On the well behaved palate the spicy berries and black pepper take charge with some dark chocolate, vanilla, and earthy elements coming in later.  The finish has nice length and again highlights the spicy berries and earthiness.  If you think Turley zins are all overblown, you should give this one a try, it will change your opinion.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2008 Santi Ripasso della Valpolicella Classico Superiore Solane – $11.37

 

My comments

I love a nice, smooth, rich Italian Ripasso wine, as long as they don’t get too heavy and plodding.  This value priced Ripasso has enough richness to be smooth and velvety but retains enough acidity to be very food friendly.

 

To make a Ripasso wine, the grapes are allowed to dry out slightly on straw mats to concentrate the sugars and flavors.  After fermentation, the resulting wines is then blended with standard Valpolicella wine and re-fermented.  This yields a wine with the extra richness from the dried grapes but the acidity and lighter body from the “fresh” Valpolicella grapes.

 

Winery history

Gruppo Italiano Vini is the number one wine grower-producer in Italy and a global leader in the production and sales of excellent wines.  The Group owns 14 historic cellars with celebrated brands that are distributed worldwide.  These properties are surrounded by their own vineyards, beautiful expanses of territory totaling 1,340 hectares and lying within Italy’s most prestigious wine-producing areas.  Founded in 1986, the Group has its headquarters in the eighteenth-century Villa Belvedere on Lake Garda in the province of Verona.  Gruppo Italiano Vini is unique within the international wine-producing world for its ability to combine the advantages of a small structure with those of a big company.

 

Every estate in the Group’s portfolio adheres scrupulously to each steps of the production process: cultivation of the vines, harvesting, vinification, maturing and bottling under the expert and professional guidance of agronomists, oenologists and cellar managers.

 

The Group excels in sales and service; its extensive sales organization is specialized by channel and supported by structured marketing strategies and modern, efficient integrated logistics services.

 

This is a major advantage for the Group’s clients, who can choose from a vast selection of superb Italian wines via a simple system: one order, one delivery, one invoice.  The Group’s extensive international experience makes it extremely versatile and able to respond to the demands of a constantly changing market.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby red color.  The very nice nose has cherries, baking spices, earthy underbrush, black raspberries, wild flowers, and some dried herbs.  This has medium body, soft ripe tannins, and good acidity.  The palate has spicy fruit, earthy elements, and a dash of toasty oak as well as some dried herbs.  The finish has nice length with the spicy, earthy, fruit.  Not the biggest or richest Ripasso out there, but this is very food friendly and costs south of $15.  (88 pts)

 

 

 

1994 Theo Schmitz-Schwaab Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Spätlese #3 – $23.74

 

My comments

We are BIG fans of nicely aged German Rieslings.  The sugary sweetness these wines show in their youth melds with the citrusy acidity over the years to form a magical elixir that becomes a rich wine with just enough acidity on the back end to leave you grabbing the glass for another sip.

 

Winery history

As is usual for a lot of the smaller, European wineries, not a lot of information seems to be available on the internet.  I also can’t find anything on CellarTracker for this winery since the 1995 vintage.  This leads me to think it no longer exists.  I can recite Jon Rimmerman’s (from Garagiste Wine) silky prose, but I don’t want this to sound like a sales pitch.  All I will say is, if you like older German Rieslings that have generally been in perfect condition, at really nice prices, check out http://garagiste.com/ and sign up for the list.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright yellow color with a slight golden tint.  The rich and inviting nose has apples, white peaches, stony minerals, petrol, white pepper, honey, lime zest, and a touch of pineapple.  This has a light to medium body, nice residual sweetness, and good citrus driven acidity to keep it in perfect balance.  The finish is very long with the initial sweetness slowly giving way to a nice blast of mouthwatering lemon-lime acidity.  At 19 years of age, this still seems to be on the young side.  I look forward to enjoying my remaining bottles on the wine’s evolution over the next decade.  (94 pts)

 

 

 

2006 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino – $32.00

 

My comments

This is a new winery for me, but it came with a high recommendation from a friend that knows his Italian wines.  I love a big Brunello, especially with beef that has been seasoned with Italian herbs and spices.

 

Winery history

Altesino is a leader in various, important innovations in the production of Sangiovese from Montalcino, causing it to stand out and become a reference point for the entire territory.

 

Some of the positive contributions putting Montalcino on the world map are: the introduction of the “Cru” (Montosoli) concept in 1975, the first experiments with barriques in ’79, the production in ’77 of the first Grappa from a winery and the first Futures (purchasing wine before its release) for Brunello 1985.

 

Over the last forty years an intense relationship has been developed with the land full of history, with its almost sensual beauty that is physically perceived and its subtle charm that reaches the body and soul.

 

This is the philosophy that inspires Altesino to produce wine and maintain its culture.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium ruby red, with a much lighter meniscus.  The very inviting nose has raspberries, cherries, warm baking spices, eucalyptus, wild flowers, dark chocolate, earthy underbrush, and some spicy oak.  This has medium body, fairly solid tannins, and very good acidity.  The palate leads off with tart, juicy, red fruit but nice spice, oak, and a touch of eucalyptus come into the picture adding depth.  The long finish is full of spicy fruit, oak, and some nice earthiness.  Tasty today but this should add some complexity with additional cellar time.  (92 pts)

 

 

***** 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:

 

 

Wines bought or received this week

 

Bedrock shipment arrived:

(6) 2012 Bedrock Wine Co. Mourvedre Ode to Lulu Rosé

(6) 2012 Bedrock Wine Co. Sauvignon Blanc Kick Ranch

(6) 2012 Bedrock Wine Co. Albariño Abrente

(2) 2011 Bedrock Wine Co. Syrah T ‘n’ S Hudson Vineyard South

(2) 2011 Bedrock Wine Co. Syrah Griffin’s Lair

(2) 2011 BedrockWineCo.SyrahNorthCoast

(1) 2011 Bedrock Wine Co. Zinfandel Puccini Vineyard

 

I also picked up an e-mail offer from the local wine store:

(6) 2009 Borgo Scopeto (Tenuta Caparzo) Borgonero Toscana IGT

 

 

 

 

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!

 

 

 

 

2007 Freemark Abbey Cabernet Sauvignon

2009 Maipe Malbec Reserve

2009 Syncline Grenache-Carignan

2007 Jean Edwards Cellars Syrah Alder Springs Vineyard Mendocino County

 

 

 

2007 Freemark Abbey Cabernet Sauvignon – $19.00

 

My comments

Something I knew way back but forgot was that Freemark Abbey was the only winery to have two bottles of wine in the 1976 “Judgment in Paris” tasting that put California on the world’s wine map.  After a few lean years, I think the winery has righted the boat and are again producing very nice, bargain priced wines.

 

Winery history

In 1967, seven partners purchased Freemark Abbey, setting the stage for a new era of creativity.  The winery earned the nickname the “University of Freemark” due to the sheer number of innovations and significant winemakers that emerged from our cellars.

 

In 1976, wine expert Steven Spurrier conducted a legendary blind tasting in Paris – pitting the upstart wines of California against the establishment of France.  Of the 12 American wineries chosen to compete, only Freemark Abbey had two wines represented – a Chardonnay and a Cabernet Sauvignon.  In an upset that shocked the wine world, California wines won every category of the tasting, putting Napa Valley firmly on the world stage.

 

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.  I 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)

 

 

 

2009 Maipe Malbec Reserve – $11.39

 

My comments

When we’re having a beef based dinner but I’m in the mood for something different, more times than not, I grab a Malbec from Argentina.  The Malbec grape is one of the Bordeaux grapes, but it found a home in Argentina.  As with most other grapes, Malbec wines run the spectrum from easy drinking week night wines to full blown special occasion wines.  These Malbecs from Argentina should not be passed if you had one that didn’t meet your tastes, shop around and you’ll find a great wine that won’t break the budget.

 

Winery history

At the time of the financial crisis in 2001 that caused the replacement of 4 presidents in a month, violent attacks on bank offices and devaluation of the Peso to a quarter of its worth, Juan Pelizzatti was a telecommunications marketing professional in his mid thirties with a passion for wine, thinking of a project where he could invest his soul and his dreams.

 

The crisis, for a short period of time, gave many Argentines the impression that there was not much left to loose and that only a radically new vision of the future could help them survive it.  Juan was one of them: armed with his family’s life savings and a legacy of winemaking from his Italian grandfather, he took a month’s vacation from his job and literally walked the province of Mendoza in search of a new land.

 

Luck and some good advice helped him find the perfect place in Agrelo, Lujan de Cuyo: 150 ha of almost bare land formerly planted with Malbec vines where only 30 hectares had survived the very bad years preceding the crisis.

 

Many years and a lot of work later, this estate has become one of the most promising new wine projects in Argentina, representing one of the most successful business models of the new wine landscape in Argentina.  In the meantime, Argentine exports have sustained double digit growth, whilst Malbec, once a rare local grape, has achieved the status of an internationally demanded variety.

 

Much more information on the winery’s website.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby red color.  The very nice nose has blackberries, licorice, fresh ground dark roast coffee, dark bittersweet chocolate, baking spices, and plums.  This has medium body, soft but persistent tannins, and good acidity.  The palate has nice juicy berries but the savory notes of dark chocolate and fresh ground coffee and a lot of depth.  The finish has nice length and is an extension of the palate.  This is drinking very nicely but isn’t really built for the long haul, drink this over the next year, maybe two.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Syncline Grenache-Carignan – $19.94

 

My comments

If you’ve been reading my posts for more than just a couple of weeks, you’ll see I love just about all wines.  That said, my heart belongs to the grapes from the Rhone in France.  I think these are some of the most versatile grapes in the world.  These grapes seem to be able to adapt to where ever they are planted and can produce many different styles of wine.  I found this specific wine when a  friend tweeted he had this in his glass one evening.  I was able to track down a few bottles from a store in Washington.  A few days later, they were in my cellar.

 

Winery history

Birth of Syncline Winery: James and Poppie Mantone.

Poppie and James met during the harvest of 1997 while working together in the cellar at LaVelle Vineyards (Willamette Valley, Oregon).  Shortly after, they had fallen madly in love, married and began plans for a new endeavor: a winery of our own.

 

Four years later they relocated their home to the Columbia Gorge; where passion for Rhône wines led them to explore the emerging potential of vineyards in the Columbia Valley, Washington.

 

Inspired by early efforts of Rhone and Burgundy varietals sampled from Washington wineries, Syncline’s first vintage consisted of 76 cases of Celilo Vineyards Pinot Noir from vines planted in 1972.  The next year, production was increased to include Columbia Valley Syrah and Grenache.  At the same time they began working with vineyards to plant Viognier, Mourvedre, Roussanne, Cinsault, Counoise and Carignan.

 

They have kept production under 6,000 cases annually to ensure intimacy with each barrel and every vine.

 

Much more information is available on the winery’s website.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a shade lighter than a medium ruby red color.  The bright and cheerful nose has raspberries, cherries, minerals, baking spices, licorice, wild flowers, and just a touch of underbrush.  This has medium body, fairly solid, ripe tannins, and very good acidity.  The palate has nice red fruits, spice, and some earthiness with no rough edges.  The finish has decent length and again features the red fruit, spice, and a touch of earthiness.  This should hold for a couple more years, but is very tasty today.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2007 Jean Edwards Cellars Syrah Alder Springs Vineyard Mendocino County – $30.00

 

My comments

I guess you can call this a Social Media relationship.  I learned of Jean Edwards Cellars via Twitter.  I read their Tweets and started following them, luckily they followed me back.  Over the last couple of years we have exchanged jokes and Tweets about just about everything.  I was finally able to order a few bottles of their wine, and after giving a bottle a good 15 minutes to recover from the trip half way across the country, I popped the cork.  I am now a big fan and I spread their name to anyone who will listen to me.  I highly encourage you to check out their website and join their mailing list.  These are two very nice people making some of the best wine in the Napa Valley.

 

Winery history

We are the owner/vintners of Jean Edwards Cellars – we share a passion for wine, a similar palate and a singular vision on the style of wines we produce.  We live by our motto that “you should only make wines you love to drink” and focus our production on artisan red wines that are full-bodied and classically styled.

 

Quality and heritage are important to us – our wines are reflective of their origins and are sourced some of the most prestigious vineyards (and vineyard blocks) throughout Napa Valley including Stagecoach Vineyard (on Pritchard Hill); vineyards on the valley floor in Rutherford, Oakville and Coombsville; and mountain vineyards on Howell and Spring Mountain.

 

Time really flies – we started producing commercial wines in 2004 but our dream of producing high quality Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon wines started much earlier when we traveled to the valley in 1985.  During that trip, we developed a true appreciation for cabernet sauvignon wines and decided we would some day be a part of the business and produce a wine called Jean Edwards Cellars (our two middle names).  It was a goal worth waiting for and twenty plus years later we released our first wine in the Spring of 2006.

 

For more information, to order wine, or to join the Jean Edwards mailing list, visit their website.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark ruby color, almost purple.  The very nice nose has blackberries, charred meat, smoke, roasted herbs, licorice, black pepper, minerals, brined olives, wild flowers, and a touch of mint.  This has medium to full body with fairly solid tannins, and very good acidity.  The palate has a nice blend between the juicy, crushed berries, and the savory elements of black pepper, roasted herbs, and charred meat.  The finish is long and layered with nice juicy berries adding sweetness to the savory elements.  This is drinking nicely, but will reward some additional cellar time.  (93 pts)

 

 

***** 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 Carlisle Syrah Cardiac Hill

2006 Oliverhill Winery Shiraz Jimmy Section

2008 JC Cellars The Impostor

2003 Turley Petite Syrah Hayne Vineyard

 

 

 

2006 Carlisle Syrah Cardiac Hill – $37.00

 

My comments

This is probably my favorite Syrah in the Carlisle lineup.  This usually has that little something extra that propels it to the upper echelon.  I’ve never met a Bennett Valley Syrah I didn’t like and actively hunt them down.

 

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 garnet to purple color.  The soothing nose has blackberries, minerals, smoky ashes, white pepper, dark chocolate, baking spices, dried flowers, meat juices, and licorice.  This has medium to full body, fairly solid tannins, and good acidity.  The palate has nice initial fruit but the more savory notes take over fairly quickly adding a lot of depth.  The finish is fairly long with nice spicy, mineral laden fruit.  This still seems to be on the young side and may be better a couple years down the road.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2006 Oliverhill Winery Shiraz Jimmy Section – $19.00

 

My comments

One of my wife’s all time favorite wines.  How much does she like it?  Per Cellar Tracker I bought a total of 33 bottles, and his will be the 26^th bottle we’ve opened since December 2009.

 

I should add I like this wine as well.  I still do not understand how it was such a slow mover at the local wine store.  This is part of my last case which only cost me $19.00, a bottle.  A steal based on the $35 release price.

 

Winery history

Stuart Miller is the winemaker and caretaker of the vineyard: this is truly a hands-on winery where every step of production from vineyard to bottling is overseen by Stuart himself.  His family are involved in all stages of the process, picking grapes, pruning vines, bottling, packaging and more.

 

Oliverhill was established in the early 1970s and the Miller family moved in during the early 1990s.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark, inky purple color.  The sensuous nose has blackberries, black pepper, vanilla, dying coal embers, dark chocolate, violets, licorice, and some well worn leather.  This has a fairly full body, fairly solid, ripe tannins, and very nice acidity.  On the palate, juicy crushed berries hit first, immediately complimented by black pepper, vanilla, and dark chocolate.  The finish is fairly long and adds a dried herb element that blends well with the spicy, peppery berries and dark chocolate.  This is in a very nice drinking window and should hold for another few years at the minimum.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2008 JC Cellars The Impostor – $25.73

 

My comments

Jeff Cohn just keeps cranking out the hits.  Since his earlier days making outstanding wines for Rosenblum, Jeff is now making the same style of wines for his own label.  These are generally full throttle, distinctive wines.

 

This wine is a blend of Zinfandel, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Tempranillo, Carignane, Grenache and Viognier.

 

Winery history

Jeff Cohn, the winemaker, president, and “JC” of JC Cellars got his start in the industry almost 20 years ago.  As an intern at Boordy Vineyards in Maryland, he drove an hour and half each way to prune vines in frigid weather, pick grapes in stifling heat, and scrub everything from barrels to floors.

 

Long before he began his winemaking career he received an associate degree in culinary arts from Johnson & Wales University, and a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management from Florida International University.

 

Cohn had always loved the hospitality industry, and as he worked through several high profile positions after college he found his passion for wine steadily growing.  The more he learned, the more he wanted to learn, until he realized that becoming a winemaker was his ultimate goal.  The job at Boordy was a deciding factor in the trajectory of his career — in spite of all the scrubbing.

 

With the encouragement and support of his family, Cohn moved to California in 1993 to follow his dream.  He earned his master’s degree in agriculture chemistry, with an emphasis on enology, from California State University, Fresno in 1996.  It was here that Cohn discovered French winemaking techniques and the concept of terroir.  “The flavor profile was so different than anything else I had ever tried,” he says of the first Chateauneuf-du-Pape he tried in school.  “It was a shocker.  To go from tasting only single varietals to a blend really opened my eyes.”

 

For more info, visit http://www.jccellars.com/about-jeff-cohn.html

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep purple color.  The very open and nice nose has brambly berries, black pepper, vanilla, dark chocolate, violets, licorice, meat juices, and a touch of earthiness.  This has a full body, fairly solid, ripe tannins, and good acidity.  On the palate the wine is a mouth full of juicy, peppery, berries with dark chocolate and earthy elements coming in on the back end providing extra depth.  The finish is fairly long but a touch of excess oak does pop out.  This is a big and rich wine that is not sweet or syrupy and has no raisiny notes.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2003 Turley Petite Syrah Hayne Vineyard – $51.75

 

My comments

Turley Winery, in my opinion, was one of the first, “cult wineries” in California.  Their wines were impossible to get, unless you were one of the lucky few on their mailing list.  Some of the luster has faded a bit due to competition from the likes of Carlisle and Bedrock, but the name Turley still commands attention from a LOT of people.

 

It vineyards in California were rated based on the quality and reputations of the grapes they produced, there wouldn’t be too many above the Hayne Vineyard.  The Petite Sirah and the Zinfandel produced from Hayne Vineyard are the top wines made by Turley.

 

Winery history

In 1993, Turley Wine Cellars was founded by Larry Turley, brother of the well-known consulting winemaker Helen Turley.  Turley, had entered the wine business in 1981 as co-founder of the multi-varietal Frog’s Leap Winery, but soon realized that his interest lay in wines made from the Zinfandel grape.

 

Starting out with just one location in St. Helena, Turley Wine Cellars soon expanded to Templeton with the purchase of the historic Pesenti winery, where Zinfandel had been planted since 1923.

 

As of 2000, Turley Wine Cellars has had a two-year waiting list for new wine club customers.

 

In 2007, Turley Wine Cellars was producing approximately 14,000 cases a year of both single-vineyard and regional Zinfandel wines.

 

By 2011, Turley Wine Cellars is annually producing approximately 16,000 cases of award winning Zinfandel and Petite Sirah wines using multiple “small” vineyards located in Napa and Sonoma counties, and other Paso Robles locations.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark, inky maroon color.  The intoxicating nose has blackberries, licorice, black pepper, baking spices, meat juices, dark chocolate, fresh ground dark roast coffee, blueberries, vanilla, wild flowers, and minerals.  This has full body, solid, ripe tannins, and very nice acidity.  On the palate the wine is rich and velvety with loads of spicy, juicy berries, black pepper, dark chocolate, and minerals.  The finish is very long and ever changing, highlighting different elements every second or two.  The blackberries, blueberries, dark chocolate, and dark roast coffee stand out the most.  This is absolutely delicious today but will hold for several years.  (95 pts)

 

 

***** 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:

 

 

 

Wines bought or received this week

 

I worked at the wine store yesterday, so I had to grab a few bottles.

(2) 2009 Lewis Cellars Syrah Ethan’s at a steal of a price, $33.24 each

(1) 2011 Calera Pinot Noir Central Coast for $24.69

 

 

 

 

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 Sterling Vineyards Merlot Three Palms Vineyard

2004 Palmaz Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Cedar Knoll Vineyard

2009 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Clos Pepe Vineyard

2007 Scherrer Winery Zinfandel Scherrer Shale Terrace

 

 

 

2006 Sterling Vineyards Merlot Three Palms Vineyard – $20.89

 

My comments

This is a very consistent, single vineyard Merlot that used to be a “house favorite”.  Unfortunately, over the years the price increases took enough of a toll, that I felt it no longer offered enough quality to merit the price.  When the local store was able to secure enough of the wine to offer via an “end of vintage” e-mail offer for a touch over $20, I had to jump in.

 

Winery history

Sterling Vineyards is proud to be a certified Napa County Green Winery, a distinction we achieved in 2009 as one of the first 12 wineries to be included.  This certification is a result of our diligent efforts in conserving water and energy, as well as preventing pollution and landfill waste.

 

In addition, Sterling is also certified as Napa County Green for our land and vineyard practices, which include sustainable vineyard management, water conservation, and fish-friendly farming across 100% of our estate vineyards.

 

Every year we recycle approximately 1,400 tons of waste, resulting in a waste diversion rate of 95%.  This has resulted in awards in the Waste Reduction Awards Program from the California Integrated Waste Management Board for the past three years.  (Proceeds from the award have been donated to local charities each year.)

 

Finally, in December 2008 our iconic tram was converted to solar power.  The solar energy system produces more than 100,000 kilowatt-hours per year, which is equivalent to the energy required to power 5.5 homes for a full year.  This conversion also eliminates 65 tons of CO2 emitted into the environment annually.

 

From vineyard practices to winery operations to the daily activities at our world-famous tasting rooms, Sterling Vineyards is proud to act as a dedicated steward of our environmental riches.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to dark ruby red color.  The very nice nose has cherry, cedar, melted licorice, plums, baking spices, tobacco, dried herbs, dark roast espresso, and a touch of earthiness.  This has medium body, fairly solid tannins, and very nice acidity.  The palate shows no excess weight with nice balance between the fruit and savory elements.  The finish is a touch short and a bit lean but other wise this is a very sound and appealing wine.  A steal at $20 but questionable value at $60.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2004 Palmaz Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Cedar Knoll Vineyard – $18.21

 

My comments

This wine’s normal price is in the $45 to $49 range, which I feel is WAY too high.  The community average price in CellarTracker for this wine is over $28, which is again pushing the limit.  Luckily I was able to grab half a case for well under $20.  That makes it a good Napa Valley Cab at a price that won’t break the bank when consumed on a week night, especially for an aged Cabernet is in its’ prime drinking window.

 

I’ve had a couple bottles that I liked and rated 89-90 points.

 

Winery history

Cedar Knoll Vineyard and Winery was founded in 1881 by Henry Hagen.  One of their wines won a Silver Medal at the Paris Exposition in 1889.  At that time, Cedar Knoll was one of Napa’s premier wineries.  The winery was a victim of Prohibition and was closed for close to 80 years.  Cedar Knoll is now owned by the Palmaz family.  They have resurrected the vineyards and restored the original Hagen house.  The vineyards occupy 55 acres and are located just northeast of the city of Napa.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly dark ruby red color, much lighter at the edge.  The very nice and appealing nose has cassis, cedar, dried herbs, cherry, smoke, tobacco, raspberry, baking spices, and a touch of well worn leather.  This has medium body, good acidity, and fairly integrated tannins.  On the palate the wine has silky smooth fruit up front with spices and dried herbs coming in on the back end.  The finish has decent length with some spicy oak adding an extra dimension.  Not a lot of complexity but this is in a nice place right now.  This probably should be consumed over the next year or two before the fruit starts to fade.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Clos Pepe Vineyard – $45.00

 

My comments

Loring produces some of my favorite Pinot Noirs made in California and their wine from the Clos Pepe Vineyard is one of my favorite they produce.  To me, this wine always has the rich and lush fruit that is the “house style” for Loring wines and has plenty of acidity and tannins to support the body and depth usually in this wine.  For a wine of this quality, the price actually represents a nice value for a higher end, single vineyard, Pinot from California.

 

Winery history

My name is Brian Loring and my obsession is Pinot Noir.  OK, I’m also pretty crazy about Champagne, but that’s another story.  While in college, I worked at a wine shop in Hollywood (Victor’s), where one of the owners was a Burgundy fanatic.  So, my very first experiences with Pinot Noir were from producers like Domaine Dujac, Henri Jayer, and DRC.  Needless to say, I found subsequent tasting safaris into the domestic Pinot Noir jungle less than satisfying.  It wasn’t until I literally stumbled into Calera (I tripped over a case of their wine in the store room) that I found a California Pinot Noir that I could love.  But it would be quite a while before I found someone else that lived up to the standard that Josh Jensen had established.  I eventually came to understand and enjoy Pinots from Williams Selyem, Chalone, and Sanford, but I really got excited about California Pinot Noir when I met Norm Beko from Cottonwood Canyon at an Orange County Wine Society tasting.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to deep ruby red color.  The very nice nose has cherries, baking spices, raspberries, underbrush, and a touch of smoke.  This has medium to full body, fairly solid, ripe tannins, and good acidity.  On the palate the wine is rich and lush with juicy fruit but with plenty of savory elements adding considerable depth and complexity.  The finish is long and very flavorful with the fruit, spice, and subtle earthiness lingering seemingly forever.  This is outstanding today, but will last for at least a few years in the cellar.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2007 Scherrer Winery Zinfandel Scherrer Shale Terrace – $17.50

 

My comments

The Scherrer Winery futures program for their Zinfandels is one of the best mailing lists to join.  The wines are ordered and paid for before they are bottled, several months later the wine is bottled and shipped.  Generally the winery holds their zins in the bottle for a year before releasing them to the restaurants, distribution, or the normal mailing list.  What’s the advantage of paying for wine and waiting for shipment?  How about a big discount, 40% to 50% off regular release price?  This top notch Zin cost me well under $20.

 

The Scherrer Zinfndels are built to age. These are well balanced zins with restrained alcohol levels that age marvelously.  With enough bottle age, these take on the nuances of an aged Claret.

 

Winery history

In the mid-1970’s, due to a normal teenage interest in alcoholic beverages, my family allowed me to make some wine from the family vineyard and beer at home (under adult supervision, of course).  This led to a UC Davis degree as well as concurrent work at a local winery doing the dirtiest and most menial jobs imaginable.  In the mid-1980’s good friends at Duxoup Wine Works (think Marx Brothers for the pronunciation) inspired me to try my hand at my own label so I negotiated cellar space in lieu of a raise by my then-current employer, Greenwood Ridge Vineyards in Anderson Valley (I got a raise anyway).  Greenwood Ridge was supportive of my project and decided to have some Scherrer Zinfandel produced for their label as well.  Unfortunately, I had a poor business plan and during the first year I realized I was not yet ready for this project.  Greenwood Ridge continues to make a small amount of Scherrer Vineyard Zinfandel to this day.

 

Much more information on this outstanding winery and a link to join the highly recommended mailing list available on their website.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium ruby color, much lighter than your normal zin, this actually looks like a Pinot Noir.  The very tempting nose has brambly berries, cherries, baking spices, minerals, smoke, white pepper, wild flowers, and some earthiness.  The wine has medium body with fairly solid tannins and very good acidity.  The palate leans a bit more to the red fruit than black with cherries, spices, minerals, and nice earthiness.  The finish is fairly silky and smooth and lingers nicely.  This is still on the young side and improved with air.  Don’t be in a hurry on this one.  (93 pts)

 

 

***** 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!

 

 

 

2005 Copain Syrah James Berry Vineyard

2004 Finca Villacreces Ribera del Duero

2007 K Vintners Syrah Morrison Lane

 

 

 

2005 Copain Syrah James Berry Vineyard – $60.00

 

My comments

I’m in the mood for something special tonight.  Dinner won’t be anything to out of the ordinary, so I decided to kick up the wine selection a few notches.

 

This is one of my favorite wineries, using one of my favorite grapes, from one of my favorite vineyards.  That sounds special, at it does to me.  It has been a couple years since I tried this wine, so it’s a perfect time to check in to see how it is progressing.

 

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.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark ruby color.  The big and bold nose has blackberries, smoked meat, minerals, blueberries, tar, black pepper, bittersweet chocolate, and some earthiness.  This has medium to full body, fairly solid tannins, and very nice acidity.  The wine isn’t as big on the palate as the nose lead me to expect, it’s actually very civilized.  The palate has nice rich fruit but equal amounts of savory elements to steer clear of getting too fruity and boring.  The tannins and acidity easily holds everything in place and maintains control.  The finish is fairly long with some dark chocolate and earthiness creeping in to add considerable interest.  I may have been in the minority, but I liked this style of Copain Syrah.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2004 Finca Villacreces Ribera del Duero – $30.79

 

My comments

I’ve been a fan of the masculine wines coming out of Spain’s Ribera del Duero region for several years.  These tend to be on the rustic side with burly tannins in their youth but with plenty of acidity and fruit to evolve into something special with enough time in the cellar.  It’s been a few years since I tried this wine, so it’s time to check in again.

 

Winery history

One of the most sought-after pieces of land in Ribera del Duero, the estate of Villacreces sits next to Vega Sicilia, perhaps (historically) the most famous property in the Spanish region.  There is written evidence that the first vines were planted on the estate in the 13th Century.  During the 14th Century, it was run by Saint Pedro de Villacreces and, later on, with its perfect conditions for prayer and retreat, it became a monastery.  In the 20th Century, the property belonged to a wealthy aristocratic family from Valladolid, who used to spend their holidays and weekends there.  In the early 1970s, 100 acres of vineyard were planted, which has now been increased to 150. Including a 200-year-old forest, the estate comprises a total of 285 acres.

 

In 2003, the Anton family – owners of a Rioja bodega and one of Spain’s most famous Michelin starred restaurants in the Basque country – purchased the estate and invested in revitalizing both the estate and the vineyards.  The property is situated at 2,300 feet above sea level on poor soils comprised of lime, gravel, sand and quartz which naturally keep yields low (the estate averages 1.6 tons per acre).  The proximity to the Duero river helps protect the vines from and reduce the effects of the frosts that are common in the Ribera del Duero.

 

This is courtesy of Eric Solomon’s fantastic site, loads of fantastic information is available and is highly recommended.  Click here to visit the site.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby red color.  The very nice nose has blackberries, minerals, raspberries, dried herbs, orange zest, earthy underbrush, warm baking spices, dark roast coffee, and dark chocolate.  This has medium to full body, solid, ripe tannins, and very good acidity.  The palate has very nice fruit with loads of spice, minerals, and earthiness adding tons of depth.  An herbal note pops out on the back end and lingers on through the long finish.  Even though it is 9 years old, this is still on the young side and needs some air or preferably a few more years in the cellar.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2007 K Vintners Syrah Morrison Lane – $43.69

 

My comments

I was in the mood for something different today.  I bought six bottles of this wine from the local store a couple years ago.  I opened one about a year ago, and it definitely fell into the “something different” category.  This wasn’t your typical, fruit driven wine.  At that time, the fruit was a bit player in the bigger picture.  It’s time to try my second bottle to see how this is progressing.

 

Winery history

Located at the base of the Blue Mountains in Walla Walla (Washington State), Charles Smith opened his first winery, K Vintners, in December of 2001.  The first release, 1999 K Syrah from Walla Walla Valley, initiated the style of winemaking that Charles continues today: small lots of single vineyard Syrahs and field blends of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Tempranillo and Viognier, all of which are hand-picked, foot-stomped, fermented with naturally occurring yeasts and basket pressed.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark purple color, almost black.  The deep and dark nose has blackberries, charred meat, smoky embers, dried flowers, black pepper, roasted herbs, vanilla, melted licorice, minerals, and dark bittersweet chocolate.  This is fairly full bodied with solid tannins and good acidity.  On the palate the charred meat, roasted herbs, and black pepper seize control before some fruit can finally break through.  The finish is long and again full of the savory elements with just enough fruit slipping through to add some sweetness before the dark chocolate eventually closes the show.  This is still on the young side and will reward some additional cellar time, but this will never be a fruit driven wine.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

 

***** 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

 

 

 

According to Klout:

 

 

 

 

Wines bought or received this week

 

I received a few bottles from a new winery in Argentina to sample.

2011 Fat Gaucho Torrontés

2011 Fat Gaucho Malbec

2010 Fat Gaucho Malbec Reserva

2010 Fat Gaucho Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva

These wines will be reviewed for Crave Local.

 

 

 

 

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 Purple Hands Pinot Noir Stoller Vineyard

2006 Two Hands Brave Faces

2010 Isole e Olena Chianti Classico

2009 Novy Family Wines Four Mile Creek

 

 

 

 

2010 Purple Hands Pinot Noir Stoller Vineyard – $19.94

 

My comments

The owner/winemaker is Cody Wright, the son of well known and popular Oregon winemaker/owner Ken Wright.  This was a new winery to me when the local wine store had an e-mail special on the wine.  In my opinion, any time you can get hold of a good Pinot Noir for under $20, you buy.  This sat in the cellar for almost 2 whole days, so it’s time to try one.

 

Winery history

Purple Hands winery strives for the expression of genuine inherent terroir of soil and grape.  We search for ideal moments of ripeness and complexity balanced with authentic strength of soil character.

 

Our wines are windows into dynamic breadths of terroir, extracting and unlocking a code of sweet and savory from our rich Oregon soil.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright red color with a slight ruby tint.  The soft and nuanced nose has black cherries, raspberries, fresh flowers, and subtle earthiness.  This is medium body at most, with racy acidity, and soft but persistent tannins.  The silky palate has tart, juicy fruit, spice, and a bit of earthiness which carries through on the slightly short finish.  This is a nice, light weight style of Pinot with juicy acidity and a touch of earthiness and spice to balance out the fruit.  This is a nice change up from the broad shouldered California Pinots.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2006 Two Hands Brave Faces – $17.09

 

My comments

Two Hands is one of my wife’s favorite wineries and ranks pretty high on my list.  This is a winery not afraid to allow their grapes to get fully ripe before picking.  Some of their wines get awfully close to the over ripe and syrupy side of the line, but most of the time they don’t cross that line.  Remember, ripe fruit is not a flaw in a bottle wine.

 

I was able to grab a case of this wine from my local wine store during a blow out sale a year or two ago.  To me, this was an absolute no brainer buy for a touch over $17 a bottle.  This is 65% Shiraz, 35% Grenache and 100% BarossaValley.  This is the type of wine that made Australia famous before the mass produced “critter wines” did their best to kill that reputation.

 

Winery history (Core Values)

Quality without compromise is central to the Two Hands philosophy, driving all the decisions from fruit and oak selection to packaging and promotion.

 

We strive to differentiate ourselves; to be unique, fun and innovative in our business approach while maintaining a high degree of professionalism and integrity.

 

Our wines are made by a process of barrel classification – selecting the very best barrels for the Flagship range followed by Garden Series then our Picture Series.  This is achieved by sourcing the best parcels of fruit available to us from six premium regions within Australia.

 

We handle every parcel of fruit, however small, separately from crushing through to fermentation and oak maturation to ensure complexity and personality in the finished wines.

 

Fruit will be the primary feature of all our wines, with oak playing a supporting role.

 

Much more information available at:  http://www.twohandswines.com/

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark maroon color.  The very outgoing and friendly nose features blackberries, Asian spices, black pepper, dying charcoal embers, cherry, vanilla, blueberries, and bittersweet chocolate.  This is fairly full bodied with ripe tannins and good acidity.  The palate is loaded with juicy berries, spice, and pepper.  The finish is fairly long with some dark chocolate adding a nice element to the spicy, peppery, berries.  This is drinking very nicely and should hold in the cellar for at least another year or two.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2010 Isole e Olena Chianti Classico – $18.59

 

My comments

This wine made my “Best Buys” list for 2012, finishing at number 8.  To see the whole list see my post, Top 10 QPR Wines of 2012.

 

Even though I do like a “regular” Chinti, in my opinion, you need at least a Chianti Classico if you’re having pasta with a meat sauce, which is on our menu for this evening.

 

Winery history

Many of the wineries in the Chianti Region double as tourist attractions.  Not Paolo De Marchi’s Isole e Olena; when you turn right at the main gate and drive by the burnished steel fermentation tanks, you will come to a muddy square where you may find someone working on a wagon with an arc welder.

 

“We don’t have time for tourism,” says Paolo.  “It would distract us from our wines.”  His dedication is our gain; Isole e Olena’s wines are superb.  In addition to Chianti Classico, there is Cepparello, a pure Sangiovese of towering complexity and finesse, and a breathtaking Vinsanto.  The winery also produces a Cabernet Sauvignon, a Chardonnay, and L’Eremo, a Syrah.

 

Syrah is an ancient grape from the RhoneValley, which Paolo originally intended to use to add color and depth to his Chianti Classico (he feels that the Cabernet used in most Tuscan wineries can overwhelm Sangiovese).  However, he has since decided that the best way to improve Chianti is by careful selection of Sangiovese (Chianti’s principal grape), and is working to that end.  Meanwhile, L’Eremo placed fourth in a world-wide blind tasting of Syrah, after three wines from the RhoneValley.

 

Isole e Olena is also worth visiting if you like to talk wines.  Though Paolo has dropped out of the Consorzio del Marchio Storico (formerly Gallo Nero) for philosophical reasons, he firmly believes in the Chianti Classico region, and his opinions are the result of much thought.  For example, there is a movement to establish extra-high quality subzones within the Chianti Classico region.  “Since one of these zones includes Isole e Olena, it would be good for me,” he says with a grin.  “But so long as wineries can double their quality by hiring new enologists, I’m against it — it’s too soon.”

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a nice ruby red color.  The very enjoyable nose has cherries, plums, baking spices, dried herbs, violets, and a touch of earthy underbrush.  This is barely medium body with ripe tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate the wine has nice tart red fruit and spice up front with some earthy elements coming in later adding depth and complexity.  The finish has good length with the tart fruit, spices, and earthiness held together nicely by the acidity.  If you can find this for under $20, stock up.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Novy Family Wines Four Mile Creek – $9.50

 

My comments

Perennially a value priced favorite.  In this vintage, it seems to have a bit more oomph than most vintages.  Perhaps there was a surplus of very good grapes from some of the better vineyards or some grapes headed for single vineyard wines were declassified.  Either way, we’re the winners.  This is a jammy, fruity blend of Zinfandel, Grenache, Syrah and Nebbiolo.

 

Winery history

Our winemaking goal is to produce wines that best capture the distinct flavor and character of a given vineyard site.  To that end, we focus on sites that provide us with exceptional fruit.  We are fanatical in our protection of the vineyard flavor and are determined not to let any overt winemaking components mute the personality of an individual site.

 

In the cellar, we vinifiy each wine separately by block, clone and barrel type in order to maximize the individual components and provide greater complexity to the final blend.  This approach also provides us with much more flexibility in crafting a wine using only the best and most harmonious lots.

 

Given that the majority of our wines are single vineyard offerings, it is critical for us to maintain the site’s individual character in order to provide you with a truly diverse offering of wines.  To that end:

 

• We believe in minimal intervention, “gentle” winemaking.  In other words, we let the wine make itself.  We do not want to do anything to the wine that isn’t absolutely necessary.
• We believe in bottling our wines unfiltered and unfined whenever possible, convinced as we are that fining and filtering strip wines of flavor and character.
• We believe that the best wines express their origins.  Our goal is not to produce the world’s best Syrah or Zinfandel but rather to produce the very best wine from a given site.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby red color.  The easy going nose has blackberries, black cherries, baking spices, vanilla, wild flowers, and a touch of earthiness.  This has medium body, soft, ripe tannins, and good acidity.  The wine provides a mouthful of jammy fruit with some earthiness and spicy oak coming in on the back end.  The finish has decent length with the spicy, earthy fruit.  Not a lot of complexity but a very tasty week night wine.  Offers an outstanding “quality to price ratio” if you can find it for under $10, like I did.  (88 pts)

 

 

 

 

 

***** Shameless Self Promotion Area *****

 

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 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Garys’ Vineyard

2010 Domaine La Garrigue Vacqueyras

2002 Elyse Cabernet Sauvignon Morisoli Vineyard

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

 

2009 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Garys’ Vineyard – $45.00

 

My comments

My wife just returned from a 10 day business trip, so I wanted to open something really good.  Since Loring is one of both of our favorite wineries, this was an easy choice.  Brian’s Pinot from Garys’ Vineyard is also one of out two favorite vineyard sources he uses.

 

Winery history

My name is Brian Loring and my obsession is Pinot Noir.  OK, I’m also pretty crazy about Champagne, but that’s another story.  While in college, I worked at a wine shop in Hollywood (Victor’s), where one of the owners was a Burgundy fanatic.  So, my very first experiences with Pinot Noir were from producers like Domaine Dujac, Henri Jayer, and DRC.  Needless to say, I found subsequent tasting safaris into the domestic Pinot Noir jungle less than satisfying.  It wasn’t until I literally stumbled into Calera (I tripped over a case of their wine in the store room) that I found a California Pinot Noir that I could love.  But it would be quite a while before I found someone else that lived up to the standard that Josh Jensen had established.  I eventually came to understand and enjoy Pinots from Williams Selyem, Chalone, and Sanford, but I really got excited about California Pinot Noir when I met Norm Beko from Cottonwood Canyon at an Orange County Wine Society tasting.

 

I’d made about 3 trips around the booths at the tasting without finding a single good Pinot Noir.  So, being the open minded person that I am (remember I passed him up 3 times), I stopped at the Cottonwood booth.  I was BLOWN away by Norm’s 1990 Santa Maria Pinot Noir.  After a few years of attending every Cottonwood event and asking Norm 10,000 questions about winemaking, he offered to let come learn the process during the ’97 crush.  I checked sugar levels, picked, crushed, punched down, pressed, filled barrels, and generally moved a bunch of stuff around with fork lifts and pallet jacks!  It was the time of my life… I was totally hooked.  And even though I hadn’t planned it, I ended up making two barrels of Pinot Noir.  That was the start of the Loring Wine Company.  What had started out as a dream 15 years earlier was now a reality – I was a winemaker!

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to dark ruby red color.  The open and inviting nose has black cherries, warm baking spices, black tea leaves, white pepper, raspberries, dried flowers, minerals, and some earthiness.  This has medium to full body with fairly solid, ripe tannins, and very good acidity.  The palate has a nice blend of tart cherries, sweet raspberries, spices, and subtle earthiness.  The finish is fairly long and again, very flavorful with nice closing acidity holding everything together.  Very tasty today, but no hurry on this one.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2010 Domaine La Garrigue Vacqueyras – $16.62

 

My comments

The local wine store recently put this one on the shelf.  A friend who works there insisted I give this one a try.  Since I generally agree with his palate, I grabbed three bottles.  Even though I think it’s still a bit young, it’s a perfect night to try one in case I want to stock up before the store sells out.

 

Winery history

Domaine La Garrigue is set in the heart of the Vacqueyras appellation area (Southern Côtes du Rhône), in the Vaucluse department of France.  The estate buildings are just 2.5 km from the main village, on a plateau called Les Garrigues.

 

The estate was created in 1850, and has always been worked by the same family, spanning 6 generations.  The Bernard family has always worked in respect of tradition, crafting authentic natural wines that are typical of the terroirs they came from.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep maroon color.  The warm and relaxing nose has black cherries, blackberries, red raspberries, dried herbs, brined green olives, licorice, minerals, earthy elements, and wild flowers.  This has medium body, fairly solid tannins, and very good acidity.  The palate has nice, spicy fruit and olives with a touch of earthiness coming in on the back end.  The finish is a touch clipped when the tannins and acidity kick in.  Let this one sleep for at least a year, preferably two.  This has a lot of upside potential.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2002 Elyse Cabernet Sauvignon Morisoli Vineyard – $30.00

 

My comments

In my opinion, this is perennially one of the best Napa Cabernets for the price.  This is a cabernet that generally needs a few years of bottle age to fully reach its potential and show its best.  If you get the opportunity to try this wine, jump on it, you can thank me later.

 

Winery history

Napa Valley’s Elyse Winery has two causes for celebration this harvest.  In addition to a stellar looking 2012 vintage in NapaValley, it is the 25th harvest for the winery.

 

It was back in 1987 that Ray and Nancy Coursen crushed 4.5 tons of Zinfandel from the Morisoli Vineyard in Rutherford to craft 286 cases of their first wine.  While the portfolio has grown over the last 25 years, the focus remains on creating vineyard driven wines that pair well with food.  Total production is currently 10,000 cases and the wines are nationally and internationally distributed.

 

Winemaking is cooking without a flame.  Our winemaking philosophy at Elyse in NapaValley is similar to the approach of a great chef who carefully prepares artisan grown ingredients to bring each layer of flavor to the table.  Long term alliances with our growers form the cornerstone to our portfolio of vineyard driven wines that possess an unfaltering affinity for pairing with food.

 

“A meal with wine is dining – it’s a conversation, an event.  It’s what wine is all about.” – Ray Coursen, Winemaker & Owner

 

“This excellent winery continues to carve out a well-deserved reputation for its interesting red wine portfolio.” – Robert M. Parker Jr.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly deep ruby red color, with no signs of it being eleven years old.  The very elegant and powerful nose has cassis, dried herbs, tobacco, dusty minerals, melted licorice, warm baking spices, violets, black cherries, and lesser notes of cedar, vanilla, and earthiness.  This has medium body with fairly solid, ripe tannins and very nice acidity.  The palate is loaded with rich, juicy berries, dried herbs, and just the right amount of spicy oak.  The very flavorful finish is very long, seeming to linger forever.  The wine is perfectly balanced and in a wonderful place.  It is velvety with no rough edges or out of place or excessive elements.  (94 pts)

 

 

 

***** 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

 

 

 

 

Wines bought or received this week

 

Grabbed a mixed case at the local wine store.

(3) 2010 Domaine La Garrigue Vacqueyras @ $16.62

(1) 2009 Atalon Cabernet Sauvignon @ $25.36

(6) 2010 Purple Hands Pinot Noir Stoller Vineyard @ $19.94

(2) 2010 Isole e Olena Chianti Classico @ $18.59

 

 

 

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 Tamarack Cellars Firehouse Red

2008 C.G. di Arie Primitivo Block 4 Estate Grown

2006 Powers Syrah Reserve Cougar Vineyard Wahluke Slope

2007 Mitolo Shiraz Jester

 

 

2008 Tamarack Cellars Firehouse Red – $13.29

 

My comments

This is a perennial house favorite and best buy.  The blend changes every vintage, but the quality is always in the bottle.  This is always a blend of several grapes that always seems to work.

 

This vintage is a blend of 37% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Syrah, 16% Merlot, 7% Cab Franc, 3% Malbec, 3% Sangiovese, 3% Petite Verdot, and 1% Carmenere.

 

Winery history

Whether it’s our highly acclaimed Firehouse Red or one of our limited-production single vineyard reserve blends, Tamarack’s wines offer a delicious expression of Washington vineyards’ style and elegance.

 

When you visit the winery, you won’t find us in a fancy chateau.  Instead you’ll find yourself immersed in the everyday workings of a family-owned winery, racking, blending and bottling wine, in a renovated firehouse located in a World War II Army Air Base.

 

Founded in 1998 by Ron and Jamie Coleman, Tamarack’s first vintage consisted of 300 cases of Merlot.  The goal was to make elegant, balanced, delicious wines and offer them at a fair price.  Years later, and now up to 20,000 cases each year, the focus remains the same. Tamarack Cellars hand-crafts consistently outstanding wines for a great price.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly dark ruby to maroon color.  The enticing nose has blackberries, smoldering charcoal, vanilla, meat juices, dried herbs, baking spices, licorice, and a bit of earthiness.  This has medium body, fairly solid tannins, and very nice acidity.  The palate has a nice mix of fruity and savory elements that play well off of each other.  The finish has decent length leaning a bit more on the savory elements.  This is in a very nice drinking window and is a nice change of pace from the bigger, riper California wines.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2008 C.G. di Arie Primitivo Block 4 Estate Grown – $14.24

 

My comments

The local wine store brought this in as part of a sale promotion.  I grabbed several bottles of a few other C. G. di Arie wines, namely their Petite Sirah and red blend called Interlude.  I decided to grab a bottle of this one to fill the case.  This will be my first bottle of this specific wine, but a nice Primitivo for under $15 can take up some space in my cellar anytime.

 

Winery history

As an inventor and new food product developer, Chaim Gur-Arieh spent 35 years preparing himself for the role of winemaker at C.G. Di Arie Vineyard & Winery.

 

Born in Istanbul, Turkey, Chaim immigrated to Israel as a teenager.  After completing his military service as an officer in a tank division, Chaim studied at the Technion, Israel Institute of Technology and received his B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering.  Soon after, Chaim moved to the United States to continue his education at the University of Illinois where he earned a Masters and a Ph.D. in Food Science with minors in Biochemistry and Chemical Engineering.

 

Chaim then joined the Quaker Oats company where he helped develop the breakfast Cereal Cap’n Crunch.  He moved to California to become Director of New Products at Del Monte Corporation where he created an array of new products including “Pudding Cups”, “Gel Cups”, “Yogurt Cups”, etc.  In 1974 Chaim married Elisheva and founded Food Development Corporation, where he developed numerous new products including Hidden Valley Ranch Salad Dressing, Power Bars and Wine Coolers.   In 1980, Chaim merged Food Development Corporation with California Brands Flavors, his newly created flavor company.  Over the next 18 years Chaim transformed California Brands Flavors into a major West Coast flavor company.

 

In 1998, Chaim and Elisheva sold their flavor company to Mane & Fils, an international flavor company and went on to pursue their life-long dream of creating world class wines.   In his new role as Winemaker, Chaim developed his innovative “Dual Compartment Submerged Cap Fermentation Tank” (patent pending) which he uses to craft his delicious red wines.  Chaim’s wines are highly extracted, soft and elegant – a perfect match to fine cuisine.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a touch lighter than ruby red.  The comforting nose had brambly berries, baking spices, black pepper, cherries, dark chocolate, fresh wild flowers, and a bit of earthiness.  The wine has medium body, light tannins, and very nice acidity.  The palate has tart cherries, spicy, peppery, berries and some earthiness.  The finish is a touch short but shows nice red fruit and spice.  Not a big, bold, style of wine, but very enjoyable on a week night.  (87 pts)

 

 

 

2006 Powers Syrah Reserve Cougar Vineyard Wahluke Slope – $14.24

 

My comments

This is another wine the local wine store brought in as part of an end-of-vintage sale.  My thought process to decide to buy this wine was something along the lines of, “Washington state, single vineyard, Syrah, for under $15”.  Into my case went a few bottles very quickly.

 

Winery history

Second generation winemaker Greg Powers has a deep affinity for the Columbia Valley and its viticulture.  He grew up in the region’s spectacular farm country and helped his father Bill plant and manage Badger Mountain Vineyard.  Today, Greg carries on the family traditions of sustainable farming and the passionate production of exceptional wines.  Under Greg’s leadership, Powers Winery has been recognized as a “rising star” by Wine Spectator, and as one of the “50 Great U.S. Cabernet Producers” by Wine Enthusiast.

 

Powers wines are creatively blended and crafted to showcase Washington state’s distinctive vineyards and robust and diverse microclimates.  Deeply rooted in long term relationships with premium Washington state growers, Powers sources a variety of the highest quality fruit to consistently produce compelling wines of uncommon depth, complexity and harmony.  Our Reserve Meritage is an excellent example of blending premiere vineyards, while our other Reserve selections spotlight wines from a single expressive vineyard.  All Powers wines reflect a devotion, experience and integrity that result in wines worthy to carry the family name.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly deep maroon color.  The slightly different nose has blackberries, smoke, earthy underbrush, dried herbs, minerals, roasted game, and licorice.  The earthy elements and roasted game push right up to barnyardy but stop before crossing the line, which isn’t a problem to me, but buyer beware.  This has medium body, mostly integrated tannins, and good acidity.  On the palate the fruit comes across more like raspberry to cherry instead of the blackberries that were on the nose.  The palate also has nice minerals, spice, and earthy elements.  The finish is a touch short with tart cherries, dried herbs, minerals, and earthy elements carrying the weight.  A nice change of pace, somewhere in the middle of a French Rhone wine and a cooler climate CA Syrah.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2007 Mitolo Shiraz Jester – $12.74

 

My comments

I was in the mood for something easy drinking and tasty to sip on this evening.  This made the choice easy, an Australian Shiraz.  This Ben Glaetzer made wine is usually full of ripe, juicy fruit.

 

Winery history

For such a young winery, Mitolo’s history is rich.  It’s one studded with success, wide acclaim, and – most importantly – truly memorable wines.  But that’s only to be expected from a winery which, since the very first day, has been motivated by three potent words:

 

Purity.  Elegance.  Power.

 

Those were the guiding principles Frank Mitolo wrote down when he created the winery in 1999.  With his Italian heritage and a family history of working the land, Frank was only interested in pursuing excellence.  And the results were there immediately in the release of the first Mitolo wine – the 2000 G.A.M. – named after Frank’s children Gemma, Alexander and Marco.

 

Attracted by this commitment to only create wines of outstanding quality, acclaimed winemaker Ben Glaetzer joined Mitolo as a partner in 2001.  With grapes sourced from two of Australia’s premier wine regions, Mclaren Vale and the Barossa Valley, Frank and Ben now work tirelessly to surpass their already impressive achievements.  Mitolo Wines, praised by some of the world’s toughest critics, are now enjoyed in more than 20 countries around the world.

 

And that is just the start.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby red color.  The very open and easy going nose has blackberries, cherries, vanilla, black pepper, baking spices, brined olives, and wild flowers.  This has medium body, fairly solid, ripe tannins, and good acidity.  The spicy, peppery, sweet cherries and berries coat the palate with some vanilla and brined olives coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length and mirrors the palate.  If you’re looking for a Northern Rhone Syrah, look elsewhere, if you want a mouthful of sweet, spicy, peppery cherries and berries, you found your wine.  It’s not very complex, but what do you expect for around $15?  (89 pts)

 

 

 

 

***** 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

 

 

 

 

 

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!