2006 Peter Lehmann Shiraz The Barossa – $11.39

 

My comments

I bought several bottles of this wine after trying a bottle.  This is a Barossa wine that breaks the mold of the big, fruit forward, syrupy Barossa Shiraz.  This wine, though ripe, is not out to grab your palate in a stranglehold.  This wine is, in my opinion, somewhere between your normal Shiraz and a French Rhone wine.  If you are down on Aussie Shiraz, look around, there are other examples like this one that will pull you in.

 

Winery history

In the face of a serious overproduction of grapes and the real possibility of growers facing financial ruin, Peter Lehmann found some investment partners, established a consortium and built the Peter Lehmann Wines winery.  It was 1979.

 

The first vintage was processed in 1980 and in 1982 the winery was formally named Peter Lehmann Wines.  From then on, its wines have been marketed under the Peter Lehmann Wines label.

 

As an experienced winemaker, Peter Lehmann was all too aware of the challenges facing a young winery in a competitive market.  Growth was well planned, slow and steady.

Initially, the winery facility was built to process fruit purchased from the local growers.  Carefully and strategically, the Peter Lehmann Wines operation moved on from the bulk wine market to become a producer of premium bottled wines with a well-deserved international reputation.

 

As well as purchasing grapes from about 185 local independent growers, Peter Lehmann Wines has its own vineyards, which produce about 2% of its requirements.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark maroon color.  The very nice nose has blackberries, cherries, tobacco, dried herbs, meat juices, dark chocolate, and a touch of earthiness.  This has medium body, soft, ripe tannins, and good acidity.  This is not a big, in your face Aussie Shiraz, it is actually on the subtle and nuanced side of the aisle.  Nice spicy, earthy fruit on the palate with some dried herbs coming in on the back end.  The finish has very nice length, again featuring the same elements from the palate.  This is very tasty and enjoyable.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2009 McPrice Myers Altas Vinas Alta Mesa Vineyard – $30.40

 

My comments

The wines made by McPrice Myers, aren’t light weight, timid, and subtle, these are big, bold, and in your face.  Are they made for every day consumption?  Probably not, but once in a while a bottle of these wines will make you say, WOW.

 

Tonight’s wine is a blend of 42% Grenache, 29% Mourvedre, and 29% Syrah.

 

Winery history

We work.  We work hard to make good wine.  You work.  You work hard and need good wine.  You might have money, but maybe you’re like us.  We make McPrice Myers wines for people like us.  If you work, and we mean work hard, and you need to drink good wine, and still make your mortgage payments, car payments, kid payments and pet payments, we’re here for you.  Our goal is to make wine that works hard at helping hard working America relax for a minute, take a load off, and remove the nose from the grindstone for a while.  We hope you enjoy them.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark violet color.  The intense nose has blackberries, cherries, earthy underbrush, plums, smoked meat, dried herbs, stony minerals, licorice, and black pepper.  This is very full bodied with sold tannins and decent acidity.  The palate features an overload of minerals, fruit, and spice that put a stranglehold on the taste buds.  Intense.  The finish is fairly long and adds a bit of dark chocolate to the mix.  This is still on the young side and could use another year or two in the cellar.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

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

 

My comments

I’ve been a big fan of the Pinot Noir wines being made by Brian Loring for several years.  These will never be confused with a French Burgundy, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.  Loring’s Pinots are ripe, fruity, and delicious.  That’s really all that should matter.

 

Winery history

My philosophy on making wine is that the fruit is EVERYTHING.  What happens in the vineyard determines the quality of the wine – I can’t make it better – I can only screw it up!  That’s why I’m extremely picky when choosing vineyards to buy grapes from.  Not only am I looking for the right soil, micro-climate, and clones, I’m also looking for a grower with the same passion and dedication to producing great wine that I have.  In other words, a total Pinot Freak!  My part in the vineyard equation is to throw heaping piles of money at the vineyard owners (so that they can limit yields and still make a profit) and then stay out of the way!  Since most, if not all of the growers keep some fruit to make their own wine, I tell them to farm my acre(s) the same way they do theirs – since they’ll obviously be doing whatever is necessary to get the best possible fruit.  One of the most important decisions made in the vineyard is when to pick.  Some people go by the numbers (brix, pH, TA, etc) and some go by taste.  Once again, I trust the decision to the vineyard people.  The day they pick the fruit for their wine is the day I’m there with a truck to pick mine.  Given this approach, the wine that I produce is as much a reflection of the vineyard owner as it is of my winemaking skills.  I figure that I’m extending the concept of terroir a bit to include the vineyard owner/manager… but it seems to make sense to me.  The added benefit is that I’ll be producing a wide variety of Pinots.  It’d be boring if everything I made tasted the same.

 

 

My Tasting Note

This is a fairly dark ruby color.  The very enticing nose has black cherries, baking spices, boysenberries, black tea, and some earthiness.  This is fairly full bodied with ripe tannins and good acidity.  The palate is full of mouth coating, rich and spicy fruit with a bit of earthiness coming in behind the fruit.  The finish is long and lingering with the earthy, spic, fruit.  Not the most complex wine made by Loring, but very tasty.  This will probably improve and gain some additional complexity with some additional time in the cellar.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2008 Hobo Wine Company Zinfandel Branham Vineyard Rockpile – $22.53

 

My comments

I’ve been a big fan of wines form the Rockpile region in the SonomaValley for a number of years.  I am not alone in my appreciation of the area.  A guy named Robert Parker once said this about the Rockpile region – “…One of the finest Zinfandel sites in Northern California…”

 

If you want to learn more about this up and coming AVA, check out:  http://rockpileappellation.com/viticulture.php

 

Winery history

The Hobo Wine Company is the brainchild, side job, menace to the wine industry, hedged bet, cash strain, mental anguish, late night musing, bruised hands, dirty t-shirts, and constant companion of Kenny Likitprakong.  Despite knowing better, he started his own label in 2002 with the simple idea to have some good fun.

 

Much more information including the origin of the name Hobo available at:  http://www.hobowines.com/about.html

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a dark ruby color.  The big and bold nose has brambly berries, freshly cracked black pepper, melted licorice, smoke, meat juices, vanilla, dark chocolate, and some dried leafy herbs.  This has medium body, fairly solid, ripe tannins, and very nice acidity.  The spicy, peppery, berries hit the palate first followed by dried herbs, chocolate, and a touch of black cherry.  The finish is fairly long with just a touch of earthiness adding a nice dimension with the flavors from the palate carrying over.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2010 Tamarack Cellars Firehouse Red – $13.37

 

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 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Syrah, 12% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 4% Malbec, 4% Sangiovese, 2% Zinfandel, 1% Petit Verdot, and 1% Carmenere, and a Partridge in a Pear Tree.  Oops, got a bit carried away there, have to kill the Christmas music for a bit.   🙂

 

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

This is a fairly deep ruby to maroon color.  The pleasant nose has blackberries, dark chocolate, minerals, cherries, baking spices, dried herbs, and earthy underbrush.  This has medium body with soft tannins and good acidity.  Nice, juicy, spicy fruit hits the palate first with some dark chocolate and earthiness coming in on the back end.  This has decent length on the finish which is showing a touch of excess oak.  This is tasty today, but could use a bit more cellar time to fully open up and help the oak integrate on the finish.  (88 pts)

 

 

 

2007 Villa Creek High Road The Long Path James Berry Vineyard – $44.00

 

My comments

I’ve been a fan of the wines coming out of Paso Robles’ Villa Creek for several years.  Most of the wines are very unique blends and all are of very high quality.

 

This is a “extended barrel aged” version of one of my favorite wines made by Villa Creek.  I’m very interested in seeing (tasting) what the extended time adds to the wine.

 

This is a blend of 50% Syrah, 30% Grenache, and 20% Mourvedre from the world renowned James Berry Vineyard in Paso Robles.

 

Winemaker notes:

High Road has historically been aged in barrel for 14-18 months.  With this vintage, I wanted to see how the wine would evolve with additional time in the barrel.  After the initial blend was assembled I held back four puncheons as an experiment.  The Long Path is two of those puncheons aged 34 months.  I tasted the wine with Josh Raynolds of Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar publications and thought his notes were spot on.

 

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.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark maroon color.  The nose on this wine is absolutely incredible with blackberries, intense stony minerals, violets, smoke, briny olives, blueberries, and dark, bittersweet chocolate with just a hint of earthiness.  This is medium to full body with fairly solid, ripe tannins and very nice acidity.  Like the nose, the palate on this wine is incredible, loaded with spicy, smoky, mineral laden berries with olives and dark chocolate in the background adding depth and complexity.  The finish is very long, never seeming to end with spicy berries and just a bit of earthiness seeming to last forever.  In a perfect world, this would be cellar worthy for a decade, but realistically it will be next to impossible to resist for more than a year or two in my cellar.  (96 pts)

 

Note:  I just checked the website to place a quick order for a lot more, but it is sold out.  I’ll have to make do with my couple of bottles.

 

I’d highly recommend joining the mailing list to get your hands on gems like this.  Visit http://www.villacreekstore.com/the-clubs to join a club like me, or browse around.  This is one of my top 5 wineries.

 

 

 

We paired the Villa Creek wine with a homey dinner.  I coated boneless pork loin chops with a mixture of mayo and grainy Dijon mustard and coated with Panko bread crumbs.  A quick sauté and finished in the oven.  Wife made some cheesy scalloped potatoes and quick sautéed asparagus.  Add some Asiago Cheese/Garlic bread and a Parmigianino-Garlic dipping sauce.

 

 

 

 Featured Recipe

 

Chicken Tortilla Soup (see my notes at end)

 

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast

2 cans (15 ounces each) diced tomatoes, undrained

1 can (4 ounces) chopped, mild green chiles, drained

1/2 to 1 cup chicken broth

1 yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Salt and black pepper, to taste

4 corn tortillas, sliced into 1/4-inch strips

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese

1 avocado, peeled, diced and tossed with lime juice to prevent browning

lime wedges

 

1 –        Place chicken in slow cooker.

Combine tomatoes with juice, chiles, 1/2 cup broth, onion, garlic, and cumin in a bowl.  Pour mixture over chicken.  Cover, cook on LOW 6 hours or on high 3 hours, or until chicken is tender

 

2 –        Remove chicken from slow cooker, shred with 2 forks.  Return to cooking liquid.  Adjust seasonings, adding salt, pepper and more broth, as desired.

 

3 –        Just before serving, add tortillas and cilantro to slow cooker.  Stir to blend.  Serve in soup bowls, topping each serving with cheese, avocado and a squeeze of lime    juice.

 

Makes 4 servings

 

NOTES – I cut the chicken breasts in half for more even cooking and to make the shredding a bit easier.  This will need a fair amount of salt and pepper if you use low sodium broth.  We generally add additional cumin and the extra broth in step 2.  We also like to add a bit of onion powder and garlic powder in step 2.  Depending on your tastes, we prefer medium or hot chiles.

 

Regular corn tortillas pretty much disintegrate in the soup, so we prefer to use crunchy tortilla strips from the store.  These are generally either with the Mexican foods or in the salad area.  We just add them to the bowls with the cheese.  If you use these, they are a bit salty, so cut back on salt a bit.  You can use regular tortillas, but I’d recommend spraying them with some cooking spray and putting in a hot oven for a few minutes to make them crispy after cutting into strips.

 

 

***** 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!

 

 

 

 

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

 

Here is a link to a YouTube video of me getting “coal” from Santa for being the “Nicest Person in Social Media” in 2012.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOvQTeGR3-c

 

 

 

 2007 Terrabianca Campaccio Toscana IGT – $24.69

 

My comments

This wine was #36 on the Wine Spectator Top 100 list for 2011.

 

This wine has been a favorite Italian wine in my house for several years.  This is generally a blend of 70% Sangiovese and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

Winery history

In the medieval times Podere Terrabianca found itself in the ambiguous situation of being situated in the part of the countryside under the rule of Florence and, at the same time, also in the diocese of the Bishop of Siena.  The very first documents mentioning its presence, dated 1085, describe it as being a country estate as, in fact, its name clearly implies.

 

Today the winery Terrabianca is located at the heart of the Chianti Classico region, in the middle of Tuscany, 12 km from Siena and 50 km from Florence.

 

The soil which consists of layers of chalk, sand and clay from the palaeozoic and mesozoic ages has the ideal composition to grow grapes of highest quality.  On the 124 ha, 307 acres, there are vineyards surrounded by olive groves and woods.

 

They are in the best position, south and southeast exposure, at 250 to 500 mt. above sea level.  The grape variety are Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Canaiolo, Chardonnay, Malvasia and Trebbiano Toscano are grown to produce a total of 350.000 bottles a year.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly dark ruby color.  The deep and exotic nose has blackberries, cherries, cocoa powder, licorice, underbrush, dried herbs, minerals, and some well worn leather.  This has a medium body with fairly solid tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate the wine has loads of spicy, earthy fruit with dried herbs, and cocoa powder adding considerable depth.  The finish has nice length, but a bit of oak pops out and gets a touch intrusive.  This tastes very nice now but should be better in another year.  Hopefully by then the excess oak on the finish will smoothen out or integrate.  This is a blend of 70% Sangiovese and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2008 Core Grenache Santa Barbara County – $11.76

 

My comments

This wine was part of an absolute steal offered on WineWoot a couple months ago.  I immediately jumped on the offer for two sets of the 4 bottle packs.

 

I am a big fan of wines made from the Grenache grape, and an equally big fan of the wines being made by Dave Corey.  This appears to be one of the “entry” level wines offered by Core, but I have high expectations.

 

Winery history

Dave Corey’s educational background includes a bachelor’s degree in Biology from San JoseStateUniversity and a master’s degree in Entomology and Plant Physiology from KansasStateUniversity, which was completed in 1995.

 

Prior to entering the wine industry in 1996, Dave worked in Salinas and the Central Valley in agricultural fields including cole crops, cotton, almonds, citrus, walnuts, kiwi, table grapes, apples and stone fruit.  His first position in the wine industry was as a Pest Control Advisor with Cambria Winery and Vineyards and later at Kendall-Jackson Vineyards of Santa Barbara County.

 

Dave left Kendall Jackson Vineyards in 1999 to begin Vital Vines, a viticultural company providing technical support for vineyard property owners, vineyard managers and winemaking personnel in the promotion of sustainable agriculture.  He has worked with clients that include Laetitia, Barnwood, Beckman, Melville, Stolpman, Gainey, Zaca Mesa, Sea Smoke, Le Bon Climat, Sine Qua Non, Rideau, Carhartt, Rusack, Westerly, Fiddlestix, Vogelzang, Andrew Murray, Evergreen, Arita Hills and Royal Oaks.

 

With a major commitment and a second mortgage, Dave gradually decreased his vineyard consulting work to focus on vineyard sourcing, winemaking duties and winery direct sales for CORE wine company which he started in 2001 with his wife, Becky.  Dave passionately continues working in the same capacity today in addition to several new wine projects with family members.  He can also be found pouring wine for customers at the CORE wine company tasting room in Old Orcutt, California.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a garnet red color.  The very intriguing nose has cherries, Asian spices, plums, dried leafy herbs, meat juices, leather, white pepper, and a touch of earthiness.  This has medium body, moderate, ripe tannins, and very good acidity.  This has solid fruit and spice on the plush and velvety palate.  The palate leans heavily on the tart cherries and Asian spices, but the pepper, plums, and pepper spread out to totally envelope the palate in flavor.  The long, lingering finish echoes the palate with the spicy, cherries and a touch of earthiness seeming to never totally fade.  This is a fantastic value that should find a place in your cellar.  This can be enjoyed over the next 4 to 5 years.    (91 pts)

 

 

 

2006 Rosenblum Cellars Petite Sirah Heritage Clones – $12.99

 

My comments

I may be in the minority, but in my opinion, this winery has fallen off the cliff since Kent Rosenblum sold his namesake winery and Jeff Cohn left as the winemaker.  This bottle is from the days when Rosenblum on the label meant you were getting some powerhouse juice in the bottle.  It looks like this wine has been dropped from the Rosenblum portfolio since the 2008 vintage is the last one I can see in existence.  One can hope, at some point the owners will attempt to bring the label back into prominence, but every passing vintage is diluting its value to long time fans.

 

Winery history

In 1978, Rosenblum Cellars opened its now-legendary home in Alameda, California; a place known more for its docks and shipyards than for winemaking. But then again, Kent Rosenblum, “The King of Zin,” always did things a little differently from the status quo.

 

When most of the established wineries in California were focused on their estate-grown wines, Kent chose to explore some of the unrecognized and underappreciated grape-growing areas of Northern California. He met families who had been growing grapes for generations; dedicated growers passionate about their vineyards, who worked tirelessly to grow the best grapes possible from old vines their families had planted years before.

 

Their efforts showcased the difference between mountainside and valley floor grapes, the importance of soil types and their influence on the taste of a wine. Kent was fascinated by the character and complexity of the Zin grapes produced by these old vines, and was determined to capture this spirit in a bottle.

 

Kent took grapes back to Alameda and began to make wines, acknowledging the contributions of his friends by placing the vineyard’s name on the bottle. Working out of a factory building near the docks, Kent and his crew looked more like longshoremen than winemakers. But the wine they made spoke for itself.

 

Rosenblum Cellars has become one the most-awarded and highly rated California Zinfandel portfolios. Our head winemaker, John Kane, and his team still travel all over California to find exceptional grapes – working to make bold, delicious wines. And if you’re ever in the neighborhood, we invite you to come visit us next to the docks in Alameda.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark purple color.  The very appealing nose has blackberries, smoked meat, black pepper, leather, dark chocolate, plums, with lesser notes of cedar, earthy underbrush, and violets.  This is medium to full bodied with fairly solid, ripe tannins and good acidity.  Mouth filling berries and spice coat the palate with pepper, spicy oak, and some earthiness adding nice depth.  The finish has decent length with the fruit and spice slowly giving way to a touch of excess oak.  All in all, a very nice, middle aged Petite Sirah that may be starting on a down hill curve.  Probably best over the next two, maybe three years.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2007 Elyse Zinfandel A.K.A. – $20.00

 

My comments

Elyse has been one of my favorite wineries since my first visit there in 2001.  I was talking to an employee at Merryvale about the style of wines I liked and that I was on the lookout for leads to some nice Petite Sirah based wines.  All he said was, “You have to checkout Elyse”.  As soon as we got back in the car, I pulled out my guidebook of wineries, and looked them up.  According to the guide, they required a reservation so I called them.  About 30 minutes later we were met by a very gracious and inviting tasting room employee.  We spent the next hour trying just about everything they made.  We left with several bottles for the week and ordered a case to be shipped back home.

 

Since that day, Elyse has always been the first winery we visit when we make it to Napa.  I always have several bottles of Elyse wine in my cellar.  A quick check of my cellar on Cellar Tracker shows I currently have 22 bottles of Elyse wines and 12 from their other label, Jacob Franklin in stock.

 

Winery history

In 1983, Nancy and Ray arrived in California from Cape Cod to fulfill Ray’s dream of making wine and Nancy’s taste for adventure.  After working harvest at Mt. Eden Winery in Saratoga, they moved to NapaValley and became innkeepers for a bed &breakfast. Ray then spent formative time at Tonella Vineyard Management, where he gained philosophical perspective and practical knowledge working in the vineyards.  Ray’s nine year tenure at Whitehall Lane Winery under the tutelage of Art Finkelstein first as a cellar worker and then as head winemaker honed his skills in the art of blending and was the inspiration for Ray’s winemaking style today.

 

In 1987, Ray & Nancy started Elyse Winery with 286 cases of Zinfandel from the Morisoli Vineyard, which is still a cornerstone vineyard source for the winery. After a decade of nomadic winemaking at various custom crush facilities, in 1997 they purchased a small winery and vineyard on Hoffman Lane, the home of Elyse Winery and tasting room.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly dark maroon color.  The captivating nose features brambly berries, black pepper, smoke, meat juices, baking spices, and a touch of vanilla and leather.  This has medium to full body, fairly solid, ripe tannins, and very nice acidity.  On the palate, this has lost some of the “baby fat” and is now structured like a nice claret.  The peppery berries and spice dominate the palate but there are good earthy and savory notes coming in on the back end that add considerable depth.  The finish has good length and the fruit turns to more of a cherry element with the spice and earthy notes in the background.  This is in a very nice, food friendly place.  (91 pts)

 

 

Mailing Lists

 

Saxum

The next Offer from Saxum, their 2013 Winter Release, should hit the inbox on January 14^th.  This release will include the following wines:

2010 Broken Stones

2010 Booker Vineyard

2010 Heart Stone Vineyard

2010 Bone Rock

 

Quivet

The next release for Mike Smith’s Quivet label will hit on January 8th.  This release will include:

2011 Quivet Cellars Syrah, Kenefick Ranch Vineyard   $38

2011 Quivet Cellars Syrah, Las Madres Vineyard Hulda Block  $40

2012 Quivet Cellars Sauvignon Blanc, Tench Vineyard   $25

 

 

 

Wines bought or received this week

I’ll have some wine to report here in my next post on Sunday.  Hopefully my Bedrock wine will arrive if FedEx can figure out where it is.  According to the tracking info, it arrived in Sacramento on Sunday afternoon but never left the facility.

 

I also have some wine to pickup at the local store and I received a nice Pinot from Tolosa that arrive earlier in the week.

 

 

 

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 JC Cellars Smoke and Mirrors – $15.19

 

My comments

I grabbed a few bottles of this wine at the local store when they had it on sale.  The blend of Petite Sirah, Syrah, and Zinfandel sounded right up my alley and the $15 price sealed the deal.  The first few bottles were consistent, really big wines that could use a jolt of acidity to help hold them together.  This is my last bottle from the purchase and since we went out for dinner and were just looking for a bottle to relax at home, this seemed like a good one to pull, since to me, this falls into the category of a cocktail wine.

 

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 & WalesUniversity, and a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management from FloridaInternationalUniversity.

 

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 CaliforniaStateUniversity, 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 an inky maroon color.  The deep and dark nose has blackberries, blueberries, smoke, charcoal, baking spices, black pepper, vanilla, plums, smoked meat, and some earthiness.  This is fairly full bodied with solid tannins and decent acidity.  On the palate the tannins struggle to hold the wine together and could use a bit more acidity to be successful.  The wine gets a bit too big an unwieldy at times but is loaded with fruit and spice.  This is more of a cocktail wine than something to serve with dinner.  (86 pts)

 

 

 

2010 Two Hands Cabernet Sauvignon Sexy Beast – $28.49

 

My comments

The Two Hands line of wines are a favorite in my house.  This will be my first Two Hands Cabernet since all past bottles have been Shiraz, Grenache, or blends.  I was able to grab a couple bottles of this at a close out sale at the local wine store.  I’m looking forward to seeing (tasting) what Michael Twelftree can do with Cabernet.

 

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 outstanding nose features blackberries, black plums, Asian spices, black pepper, melted licorice, eucalyptus, earthy elements, and vanilla.  This is medium to full bodied with fairly solid, ripe tannins, and very nice acidity.  On the mouth filling palate, loads of fruit and spice fill the mouth with a solid wall of unrelenting flavor right through the long, lingering finish.  This is a big, flavor filled wine that has enough tannin and acidity to deftly hold everything together.  Not a delicate and nuanced wine.  This is a love it or hate it wine, I’m on the love it side.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2007 Big Basin Vineyards Syrah Rattlesnake Rock – $49.00

 

My comments

I’ve been a big fan of BigBasin for a few years now.  I should say up front, I have only had their non Pinot Noir wines.  Their big reds are generally fairly full bodied but very balanced.  I think they are one big score from a major wine publication away from hitting the big time.

 

Winery history

Our mission is to create wines that reveal the complex nuances of the vineyards that inspire them – cool climate, ocean-influenced, mountain vineyards.  To this end, we spend long hours in our vineyard to insure that the grapes we grow represent the fullest expression of the vineyard and vintage.  We believe in and employ sustainable and organic farming practices.  The steep hillsides, cooling ocean breezes and fog, and mountain soils promote the development of color and complex flavors.  By keeping the yields very low and harvesting small sections of the vineyard at perfect ripeness, we strive to achieve the most important part of winemaking – great fruit.

 

Much more information available at:  http://bigbasinvineyards.com/

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark maroon color, almost black.  The very appealing nose has blackberries, plums, minerals, dying charcoal embers, smoked meat, black pepper, dark chocolate, vanilla, and violets.  This is full bodied with solid, ripe tannins and very good acidity.  The palate is highlighted by nice, mineral laden, spicy, fruit with a touch of earthiness.  The long finish has the fruit slowly giving way to the minerals, spice, and a touch of dark chocolate.  This will probably be better in a few years, but it is delicious today, as long as solid, ripe tannins don’t bother you.  (94 pts)

 

 

 

*** Breaking News ***

I was honored a couple days ago by being named “The Nicest Person in Social Media”.  This was a promotion sponsored by Kingsford Charcoal.  They worked with Sysomos Monitoring to find the “nicest” person and present them with “coal” for Christmas.

 

Here is a shot of me getting my “coal” from Santa as well as a new grill and accessories.

 

The promotion includes a way to enter yourself or a friend into a drawing to also win “coal”.

 

The story and more information is available at:  http://www.grilling.com/benicegetcoal/

 

 

 

Mailing Lists

 

Nothing new to report in this area.  This is generally the quiet time.  Activity will pick up in early January.

 

 

 

Wines bought or received this week

 

The following winery direct wines arrived this week:

2010 Loring Wine Company Cabernet Sauvignon Russell Family Vineyard

2011 Loring Wine Company Grenache Russell Family Vineyard

2010 Sandler Wine Company Grenache Chalone Boer Vineyard

2010 Sandler Wine Company Syrah Connell Vineyard

2010 Saxum James Berry Vineyard

 

This one was a gift from a friend:

2008 Westerhold Family Vineyards Syrah White Label (extended barrel age) Westerhold Vineyard

 

Purchased from a local wine store:

2006 Clarendon Hills Syrah Liandra

 

 

 

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!

 

 

 

2003 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley – $14.99

 

My comments

I remember back when the Mondavi Napa Valley Cabernet was one of the most consistent, affordably priced, quality wines from the region.  For a while, due to turmoil and struggles at the winery, the quality fell off.  We’ll have to see if the current owners strive to bring the label back to mean a quality bottle of wine.  For now, I’ll enjoy my few remaining bottles from the glory days of the past.

 

Winery history

With its legacy of more than 40 years of fine winemaking, the Robert Mondavi Winery is a shining symbol of NapaValley.  Founded in 1966, the winery’s beautiful architecture by Cliff May reflects the missions of early California history.  When you come to visit us at Robert Mondavi Winery, you will experience our commitment to education and the arts, pursuit of innovation, and dedication to producing fine wines that stand in the company of the great wines of the world.  Come learn about the history of winemaking in California and share in our philosophy of integrating wine, food and the arts into gracious living.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a nice ruby red color with just a touch of lightening at the edge.  The slightly subdued nose shows cassis, leather, dried herbs, baking spices, tobacco, and hints of cedar and cherry.  This has medium body with mostly integrated tannins and very good acidity.  The palate is very smooth and polished with a nice blend of fruit, spices, and dried herbs.  The finish has medium length and again is very smooth.  This is a Napa cab at a perfect drinking window with no rough edges or stray, unexpected elements.  This is very food friendly and enjoyable.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Pali Wine Co. Pinot Noir Riviera – $19.45

 

My comments

This wine has turned out to be a nice week night Pinot Noir that can be found for around $20.  This isn’t a typical big, lush, California Pinot, but instead a lighter bodied, very tasty, food friendly version.

 

Winery history

In 2005, entrepreneurs Tim Perr and Scott Knight pooled their resources and their passions to found a winery dedicated to producing small lots of artisan Pinot Noir that they loved to drink.

 

We established a state-of-the-art winery and tasting room in the town of Lompoc, CA and named the winery “Pali,” after our hometown Pacific Palisades on the coast just west of Los Angeles.  Today, Pali Wine Co. produces a Cuvee series of wines defined by their appellation of origin and named for different neighborhoods in the Pacific Palisades.  We also produce a very limited amount of vineyard-designate wines.

 

Our goal is to make wines that speak well of their origin and their varietal, and to bring those wines to the consumer at the best price we can without compromising quality.  While Pinot Noir remains our first love and a significant part of our production, we also produce a few other varietals when we have the opportunity to make a wine we think is worthy of sharing.

 

More information available at:  http://www.paliwineco.com/

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium ruby red color, much lighter at the edge.  The very appealing nose has cherries, raspberries, baking spices, white pepper, underbrush, smoke, and a bit of licorice.  This is barely medium body with silky tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate there are spicy, tart cherries with just a touch of earthiness and some raspberries coming in on the back end.  The finish has decent length but does show a touch of excess oak, but not enough to be too bothersome.  A very nice Sonoma Coast Pinot, especially for around $20.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2005 Jean-Luc Colombo Côtes du Rhône Les Abeilles – $15.99

 

My comments

I’m continuing my trend of drinking wines that kept being the runner-up when picking a wine for dinner.  I grabbed a few bottles of from a tasting at a local store.  We enjoyed a couple bottles, but for some reason never got around to opening another one.  From memory, the wine was well made and good, but was left in the cellar for a few years.

 

Winery history

Jean-Luc Colombo is a man of warmth, energy, passion, and an insatiable appetite for the Good Things in Life.  His dedication to the “plaisirs de la table” (pleasures of the table) took root early, stemming from many long and happy hours spent as a small boy, assisting his mother, a talented restaurateur in Marseille, in the kitchen.  Jean-Luc’s subsequent decision to pursue the study of oenology was inevitable, in order to create wines which would match his mother’s cuisine!  With his wife Anne, Jean-Luc created the “Centre Oenologique des Côtes du Rhône” in Cornas, and for the past 25 years, he has been a consulting winemaker for some of the best domaines in the Rhône Valley, Provence and Bordeaux.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is just a shade lighter than a medium ruby red color.  The slightly subdued nose has cherries, dried herbs, baking spices, a touch of earthiness, and just a hint of eucalyptus.  This has medium body with soft, mainly integrated tannins and very nice acidity.  The palate has the spicy, red fruit with a shot of earthiness coming in on the back end.  The finish is a touch short but the spicy fruit and earthiness are good while they last.  Probably starting to fade a touch but very enjoyable.  (87 pts)

 

 

 

2005 Treasure Hunter Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain – $18.21

 

My comments

This wine was one of my first purchases for the Treasure Hunter line of wines.  The company buys excess juice from wineries, blends as needed, bottles the wine, and blows through them at bargain prices.  These wines generally sell for 33% to 50% of comparable wines from the regions.  Most of the wines have very low production numbers, only a couple hundred cases at most.

 

Winery history

Treasure Hunter is a label under the 3 Finger Wine Company family of wines.

 

Each Treasure Hunter wine goes through a pain-staking process of examination from our panel of nine called The De-Vine Nine. Made up of top sommeliers, winemakers and restaurateurs, they are the best of the best and they pour through hundreds of wines before they are deemed worthy.

 

Each wine is a small one-time offering and represents an extraordinary opportunity to drink seminal wines of great importance.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly deep ruby red color.  The outstanding nose features cassis, dried herbs, and cigar box, with less prominent notes of cherry, vanilla, and white pepper.  The wine has medium body with fairly solid, ripe tannins and very good acidity.  This is very refined and polished on the palate with no excess weight or ripeness.  The palate shows nice cassis and cherry with spice, dried herbs, and a touch of earthiness adding considerable depth, which lingers through the fairly long finish.  This is a very nice Howell Mountain Cabernet that seems to be just entering a nice drinking window.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

BREAKING NEWS:

 

I have been notified that I have won the title of “Nicest Person in Social Media”.

 

Sysomos, a social media analyzing company, was contracted by Kingsford Charcoal to find them the nicest person.  They analyzed over 100 billion tweets from the United States and Canada and determined I was the nicest.

 

I will be receiving coal for Christmas.

 

Actually, a years supply of Kingsford Charcoal, a new grill, and assorted grilling tools.

 

I’m sure there are some Merlot produces out there who don’t think I’m very nice…

 

I’ll probably have a better link in my next posting on Sunday.

 

 

 

Mailing Lists

 

Nothing new to report

 

 

 

Wines bought or received this week

I received a delivery from Loring and have a couple more shipments that are due to hit.  I’ll list the wines in my next post on Sunday.

 

 

 

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 Villa Creek Garnacha Denner Vineyard – $35.00

 

My comments

This is perennially one of my favorite Grenache wines from California.  This is usually a nice ripe, but not overly ripe, spicy Grenache full of red fruit, and nice acidic “bite” when young.  I generally have a hard time keeping my hands off this wine, but I was able to keep a bottle in the cellar for close to 5 years to see how well it aged.  This should be a nice way to kick off a weekend in style.

 

If you’ve never had a bottle of wine from Villa Creek, I highly recommend trying a bottle.

 

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.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly deep ruby color.  The very inviting nose has raspberries, black cherries, baking spices, dried herbs, strawberries, and hints of vanilla and earthy elements.  This has medium body with soft, ripe tannins and very nice acidity.  Tart, juicy fruit highlights the palate with nice spiciness, dried herbs, and earthy notes coming in from the sidelines adding considerable depth.  The finish is fairly long with a solid wall of fruit, spice, and dried herbs very slowly fading away.  This is in its prime drinking window now, but should hold for at least a couple more years.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

 2003 Georges Dubœuf Moulin-à-Vent Prestige – $12.74

 

My comments

I had a bottle of this wine a couple months ago and it was wonderful.  I decided to take a bottle for a couple of wine friends to sample.  Conventional wisdom says this wine should be dead.  I keep my cellar pretty cold, generally 50 to 52 degrees, which usually adds some time to a wine’s life.  I bought and drank a ton of the 2003 Beaujolais wines but purposely saved a few bottles to experiment with how they would age.  This wine was aged in 100% new oak, so I felt it would have the best shot at outlasting the normal life span.

 

Winery history

For over 40 years Georges Duboeuf has been the Beaujolais region’s most renowned négociant and is today regarded in the wine world as the “King of Beaujolais.” Born in 1933 in Pouilly-Fuissé, the son of a winegrower, Georges began selling his family’s wines from the back of his bicycle to now-legendary local chefs such as Paul Bocuse and Paul Blanc. In 1964, Georges realized his dream and founded his own company: Les Vins Georges Duboeuf.

Over the years, Georges has developed long-standing relationships with the region’s top growers and winemakers. Georges is involved in every aspect of his enterprise and is known for his passion and his legendary palate. In 2003, the Duboeuf family opened a new, modern winery in Romanéche-Thorins. The following year, the Duboeuf and Deutsch families jointly purchased Château des Capitans in Juliénas. With annual sales of 30 million bottles, Georges Duboeuf is one of the world’s best-known French brands.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine was a dull, light to medium ruby color with a fair amount of brick.  The exotic nose had raspberries, black cherries, sandalwood, warm baking spices, dried flowers, and just a touch of underbrush.  This is barely medium body with fully integrated tannins and good acidity.  On the palate the wine gives a quick burst of red to black fruit then slowly transforms to the more savory elements.  The finish is the opposite of the palate, the savory elements slowly fade leaving some candied cherry and spice.  This is a wonderful, 9 year old Beaujolais, and based on this bottle, I have no fear letting a bottle lay for a couple extra years.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2000 Azienda Pier Barbaresco Riserva Vila – $26.99

 

My comments

I absolutely love a nice, well aged, Barbaresco.  I actually prefer a Barbaresco over the more highly regarded Barolo.  Both wines are made with the Nebbiolo grapes in the Piedmont region in Italy.

 

Winery history (from the winery, could use some clean up on their end)

The date ’78 marks the history of the Grasso’s family.  1878 was born the grandfather Pietro and after exactly one hundred years his grandson Pier Paolo.  The conduction of the activity is therefore domestic and based on skills handed down first by the grandfather Pietro, then by the father Giuseppe.  On the footsteps of his forefathers is now the son Pier Paolo who decided to continue and to boost an activity which was until now only aimed to the selling of the grapes to some prestigious wine cellars in the area.

 

During the last years the family thought therefore more seriously to make a dream come true and thanks to their spirit of self-sacrifice the Grassos built their own wine cellar.

 

Although in the present circumstances the Company can already produce 30.000 bottles of wine in all different wine categories, everything is now ready to reach in a short time the production of 80.000 units per year and this will be possible by making wine out of the whole today’s possible production, thanks also to the vines planted out in 1997 on the new owned vineyards.

 

The Company is situated about seven kilometres from Alba, the Langhe’s capital, and more precisely in Treiso, a village with a great wine vocation.  The wines produced here come from renowned vineyards which have always been property of the Grasso’s family.  The grapes grow and ripen in the prestigious suri of this region situated in the immediate vicinity of the Grassos’ wine cellar, from where you can even enjoy the beautiful landscape of the hillsides crowned by the Alpes – where the Monviso stands out majestically – all way down to Alba.

 

Everybody who is longing for the savours and scents of the good old days cannot therefore but come to visit us: the Grasso’s family is any time glad and disposed to bring such emotions to life again through guided visits and also by hosting you in a typical “tasting room” where rich wines’ sampling will express by themselves their capacity of producing a traditional Barbaresco accompanied by other valuable wines like Dolcetto and Barbera.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is medium to deep ruby color with considerable bricking.  On the very appealing nose there are cherries, roses, tree bark, leather, tobacco, smoke, and some earthy dustiness.  This has medium body with fairly solid, ripe tannins and very good acidity.  Nice earthy, spicy, red fruit on the palate with the tannins and acidity providing ample support.  Decent length on the finish but the tannins and acidity clip it a bit when they kick in. Tastes very nice now, but no hurry on remaining bottles. This could still improve as the tannins more fully integrate.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2007 Rhys Pinot Noir Family Farm Vineyard – $45.00

 

My comments

Rhys wines have a cult like following.  I am a big fan, but not really a member of the “cult”.  Rhys Pinots are usually a bit rough and tumble in their youth, and require a fair amount of cellar time to come together and show well.  These are not your typical, jammy, fruit driven, California Pinot Noir wines.

 

Winery history

Our winemaking is focused on accomplishing the following goals:

 

Pure, silky concentration that can only be achieved through low yields

Beautiful balance with no component revealing itself separate from the whole

Fruit that tastes fresh-picked and perfectly ripe, not jammy

Capturing complex aromatics

Ability to age and improve in the bottle. Nothing compares to the aromatic beauty of aged wine!

Thrilling complexity and beguiling interest that never leaves you bored

Wines with a strong sense of somewhereness (rather than someoneness)

 

Consistent with our organic/biodynamic approach to viticulture, we believe that hands-off winemaking provides for enhanced vineyard expression and complexity.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby red color.  The exotic and sexy nose features cherries, black raspberries, crushed stones, white pepper, Asian spices, fresh cut flowers and a touch of earthiness.  This has medium body with fairly stiff tannins and outstanding acidity.  On the palate spicy red and black fruit dominate with white pepper and some earthiness in the background.  The wine has a long, lingering finish with tart, spicy cherries and some earthiness lingering seemingly forever.  This is still very young and could use a couple more years in the cellar to fully reveal itself.  As is, this is very good with considerable upside.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2000 Smith Woodhouse Porto Late Bottled Vintage

 

My comments

I’m generally not a big fan of sweet, dessert wines.  But I have to admit, at times a nice Port or a PX Sherry can help make a night special.  The local wine store I frequent had a tasting of Port wines one evening, and I was able to grab about a half bottle of the “left overs”.

 

Winery history

Christopher Smith, Member of The British Parliament and Lord Mayor of London, founded a small company to ship Port from the Douro in 1784.  Some years later the Woodhouse brothers joined him.  Since 1970, Smith Woodhouse has been owned by the Symington family, Port producers since the 19th century.

 

For more information about the Symington family please visit the

Symington Family Estates website.  http://www.symington.com/

 

Through the last two hundred years, this small Port company has built a reputation for outstanding Vintage Ports.  In frequent blind tastings, Smith Woodhouse earns top marks.

 

The Company’s 1977 Vintage was awarded 99 points by the Wine Spectator and judged as the finest VintagePort of this year.  Decanter magazine also judged the Smith Woodhouse 1977: A classic of all times and the best of the Vintage (Nov. 1992).

 

Smith Woodhouse Ports have outstanding length and structure and are drier than most.  Its Vintage Ports show a characteristic opulent rich style, balanced by firm hard tannins.  Ageing gives these wines an unmatched elegance.

 

My Tasting Note

This is a deep, dark maroon color.  The warm and friendly nose has blackberries, plums, dark chocolate, baking spices, licorice, and a touch of cherry.  This had a full body with ripe tannins, good acidity, and more on the rich side than overtly sweet.  On the palate this is like a warm berry pie with nice jammy berries and spices.  The finish is fairly long and echoes the warm pie from the palate.  Not as sweet as some Port wines, but very tasty.  A nice wine to sip while watching the snow fall from the sky…like I am right now.   (90 pts)

 

 

 

2002 Chalone Vineyard Syrah Chalone – $19.99

 

My comments

Ever find a bottle of wine that some how always got bypassed when you were selecting a bottle for dinner?  That was the case with this wine.  I bought a couple from the local store a few (several?) years ago and drank all but one.  I liked the wine, but for some reason the last, solitary bottle was never pulled.  I decided to rectify that situation today.  Hopefully I didn’t wait too long and it’s dead, but I don’t think that should be the case.  Checking my old notes, this should still be good, perhaps even better than it was years ago when I opened my previous bottle.

 

Winery history

The oldest producing vineyard in MontereyCounty, Chalone Vineyard Estate rests on the Gavilan Mountain Range on the north slope of ChalonePeak.  At 1,800 feet, the quiet splendor of the vineyards overlooks spectacular views of the wide-open SalinasValley, made famous by local author John Steinbeck.  The vineyard’s name comes from the peak, which derives its name from the indigenous Costanoan Native American tribe, the Chalone, or Chollen.

 

1919: The first planting

The first viticultural activity began shortly after the turn of the 20th century when Charles Tamm, wandering California in search of soil similar to that of his native Burgundy, stumbled upon the property that is now Chalone Vineyard.  In 1919 Tamm planted what is today the oldest producing Chenin Blanc in MontereyCounty.  During Prohibition, the grapes were sold to wineries making sacramental wines.

 

1946: Expansion

In 1946 the vineyard now called “The Lower Vineyard,” was planted by Will Silvear with more Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc, and he added Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir.  Silvear made some wine in Watsonville (we have an empty bottle of “Silvear’s Light Wine,” that was found in a rubble pile).  He also sold grapes to the Wente family and Georges de Latour at Beaulieu in Napa.  Mr. Silvear died in 1955 and his wife continued to operate the vineyard for a while, finally selling it to Dr. Liska and Mr. Sigman.  They operated the vineyard for several years.

 

1960: Chalone label introduced

The first wine produced under the Chalone label was made in 1960 by Philip Togni, in what had been a brooding shed for chickens.  Daily trips to Salinas for ice, which at that time was an hour and a half away, provided the cooling needed for the wine cellar.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly deep ruby color.  The slightly reserved nose has blackberries, cherries, leather, dried herbs, tobacco, white pepper, earthy elements, and some dark chocolate.  This has medium body at best with fully integrated tannins and very nice acidity.  The wine is much more outgoing on the palate than the nose lead me to expect.  The palate features solid cherry and dried herbs components with blackberry, white pepper, and a touch of earthiness adding considerable depth.  This finish has decent length with peppery, spicy, cherries slowly giving way to a touch of dark chocolate.  A very nice California Syrah that is approaching drink up time.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2001 Domaine Giraud Châteauneuf-du-Pape – $14.99

 

My comments

This is another bottle that slipped through the cracks over the years.  I always seemed to find a bottle I wanted to open just a little bit more.  I grabbed several bottles during a Sam’s Wine Warehouse sale several years ago.  Magically all but this one disappeared fairly quickly.  I decided I wanted to hold one for a couple years but then didn’t get around to opening it.  Today is the day.

 

Winery history

Owned by François and Marie Giraud the 19 hectare Domaine Giraud is now rated among the best producers in Chateauneuf du Pape.  François is responsible for the vineyards and Marie for the vinification and together with Philippe Cambié, one of the Rhone’s most exceptional consultant wine makers, they have come up with a string of excellent vintages.  The 19 hectares are split between an 8 hectare plot in the ‘Gallimardes’ area in the south, which includes parcels of hundred-year old Grenache, and further sites in the Crau, the sandy soils near Chateau Rayas on the Pignan plateau, and the white rocky soils of the highest points of the appellation, and these too include vines over a hundred years old.

 

Much more information available at:  http://www.domainegiraud.fr/domaineen.html

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly deep ruby color with just a touch of lightening at the edge.  The enticing nose has blackberries, dried herbs, black pepper, cherries, leather, and minerals.  This has medium body, a nice tannic backbone and very good acidity.  On the palate there are spicy, peppery berries with dried herbs and minerals adding nice depth and complexity.  The finish had decent length with the berries and dried herbs carrying most of the load.  A very mild mannered, food friendly CdP that is in a prime drinking window.  (92 pts)

 

 

For dinner with the Domaine Giraud, I made a Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin, seasoned with fresh picked Rosemary and Thyme.  My wife made some Macaroni and Cheese and fresh green beans.

I more or less followed a recipe from Robert Mondavi Winery for the tenderloin.  The recipe is available at:  http://bit.ly/12g3s9R

 

 

 

Mailing Lists

 

Nothing new to report.  I mentioned receiving an offer from Sandler in my last post.  I grabbed six bottles, and as noted below, they should arrive next week.

 

 

 

Wines bought or received this week

I received some wines from Turley and Loring earlier in the week that I listed in my previous post.  The end of the week was pretty quiet.

 

This week will be pretty busy, I’ll be receiving wines from Sandler, Saxum, and more from Loring.

 

 

 

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 Scherrer Winery Pinot Noir Russian River Valley – $0.00

 

My comments

This wine was a gift from a friend.  I don’t know the actual release price, but the average cost for 50 Cellar Tracker users was $38.24.

 

I’ve been a big fan of Scherrer’s Zinfandels for several years.  A couple years ago, I bought 5 half bottles of this wine for my wife to enjoy while I was traveling.  Obviously she loved the wine since all the bottles are gone.  Unfortunately, since I was traveling when the bottles were opened, I have not had the opportunity to try the wine.

 

Needless to say, I am looking forward to trying this bottle.

 

Winery history – Philosophy

Everyone seems to believe in doing minimal manipulation with the goal of letting the vineyard site speak.  Additionally, I try to make good tasting wine that will age well.

 

Since grapes do not walk off the vines and into the winery, let alone into barrels and bottles, we must actually do something with the grapes and wine along the way from time to time.  Rest assured that I do try to get in the way as little as possible while trying to achieve the desired outcome.  Most of our work is done and choices are made during the harvest season.  Afterward, there is little reason to touch a wine on a wonderful trajectory.  With the exception of our Dry Rosé, all our wines are bottled without fining or filtration.

 

Sometimes we bottle wines from single vineyards, or even blocks within a vineyard.  Usually, these vineyard designates are the synthesis of multiple sub-sites within a given vineyard.  Sometimes we bottle ‘Appellation wines’ that are also single vineyard sourced but happen not to have unusually special personality beyond being delicious examples of their appellation.  Other times, these Appellation wines are the result of blending carefully selected vineyard sites.  Occasionally, with our Zinfandoodle we blend between two vintages to achieve balance and harmony.  If any parcels are left over that are not assets to these wines, they find a home in someone else’s program, rather than ours.

 

I regularly underplay the wines’ provenance rather than overplay it.  This causes some confusion and frustrates merchants who sell our wines.  For this, I offer my apologies.  I am, however, unlikely to change this deeply engrained habit.

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to dark ruby red color.  The very refined and elegant nose features black cherries, baking spices, plums, violets, and a touch of earthiness.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate the spicy, tart fruit adds a touch of earthiness on the backend which continues through the moderately long finish.  Very tasty now, but this will hold and potentially improve with additional cellar time.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2007 Red Car Syrah Boxcar – $16.63

 

My comments

One of the mysteries of life, how could I get this wine for under $17 on a blow out sale?  My only guess is people weren’t expecting a wine that demanded considerable time in a decanter or a few years in the cellar for $25.  Someone took a beating on the bottom line, but it wasn’t me…this time.

 

Winery history

Winemaking Style

Red Car uses meticulous viticulture and transparent winemaking to craft wines with authentic character and originality.  Combining old and new world techniques, we minimize manipulation so the fruit can faithfully express the cool climate personality of the SonomaCoast.

 

History

Red Car was founded by Carroll Kemp and Mark Estrin in 2000 with 50 cases of Syrah from a single ton of grapes.  Besides an enthusiasm for wine, they also shared a Hollywood background – Carroll as producer, Mark as screenwriter.  Their intent was simple: source great grapes, make great wine and market it in an inventive, original way.

 

The winery name is a tribute to the electric trolley cars that ran throughout Los Angeles from the late 19th century through the early 1960’s.  These “red cars” provided transportation in a romanticized time and place.  We strive to make wines that are similarly memorable and transportive.

 

If you find yourself in wine country, the Red Car tasting room is open from 10am to 5pm, seven days a week.

 

More information available at:  http://www.redcarwine.com/

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep purple color.  The very appealing and exotic nose features blackberries, dying wood embers, bacon, black pepper, licorice, dried herbs, wild flowers, and some subtle earthiness.  This has medium to full body with fairly solid, ripe tannins and good acidity.  The savory elements are in the forefront on the palate with crushed berries coming in underneath.  The finish has nice length with the peppery, earthy berries slowly giving way to dried herbs.  This is in a prime drinking window, but should hold for a couple years.  Solid, but not really for anyone looking for a fruit forward easy drinker.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Caldora Sangiovese Terre di Chieti IGT – $6.02

 

My comments

Although this wine is nothing too special, this Italian Sangiovese is perfect for some week night pizza or pasta.  Nice red fruit with some earthiness and tart acidity is a perfect companion for an informal dinner at home.  What more could you ask from a $6 wine.

 

Winery history (from the Winery)

Not all our partners’ vineyards are fit to become Caldora’s vineyards; in fact, after a careful selection based on over 1,000 total hectares of land, we have chosen less than 200 hectares of very aged vineyards, with the best clones, located on the best lands.  The working rules of our vineyards are very strict, with a very low yield and rapid working time to face the changes of the climatic conditions.  Then, when the time is best, harvest is carried out by handpicking within only 3 working days to avoid dangerous climatic changes.  To keep the yield low, our partners are paid according to the size of the vineyard, not to the amount of grapes, this radically changes the concept of “co-operative” aiming directly to the final quality of our wines.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby color.  On the fairly straight forward nose there are cherries, earthy elements, baking spices, violets, licorice, and just a touch of raisin.  This has a medium body with soft, ripe tannins and very nice acidity.  The palate shows nice tart cherries with some earthiness and spices in the background.  The finish has decent length.  This is a very straight forward, no frills, Italian Sangiovese with little complexity.  That said, for $6, this is fine with some pizza or pasta at home on a week night.  (85 pts)

 

 

 

2006 The Colonial Estate Emigré – $29.88

 

My comments

Emigré is a blend of Grenache, Shiraz, Mourvedre, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, and Muscadelle harvested from four vineyards, two in cool climates, Greenock and EdenValley, and the other two from the northern BarossaValley.  Wines from The Colonial Estate don’t come cheap.  Their lower end wines start at $30.  This is one of their higher end wines and has a release price around $90.  I’ve been lucky in the past (and this time too) to find their wines either on a clearance sale or via Garagiste for under $30.  If you ever have the chance to get a bottle of this wine or either the Exile Cabernet or Shiraz at a great price, grab a bottle, it will bring a smile to your face.

 

Winery history

The Colonial Estate is a range of limited-production Australian wines with an old world approach.  The fruit is hand picked and carefully selected; the reds receive cold pre-maceration, fermentation, pressing and maceration on skins prior to ageing in French oak; whilst the whites get whole-bunch pressing, lees stirring and are fermented with naturally occurring yeasts.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly deep ruby, but is much lighter at the edge.  The very sexy and inviting nose has cherries, blackberries, minerals, Asian spices, dark chocolate, fresh ground espresso, dried herbs, blueberries, black pepper, wild flowers, and a dusty, earthy element.  This is medium to full bodied with fairly solid, ripe tannins and very nice acidity.   On the palate the dusty, mineral laden fruit shares the top billing with dried herbs and espresso.  The finish has great length and adds a touch of dark chocolate.  This is still quite young but promises a long, flavorful life.  This is not a big, overly ripe, Australian fruit bomb.  (94 pts)

 

 

 

Mailing Lists

 

Sandler Wine Co

Ed Kurtzman’s Sandler offer hit the inbox.  Generally very nice wines for unbelievable prices, I had to grab:

(3) 2010 Connell Vineyard (BennettValley) Syrah at $20 each

(3) 2010 Boer Vineyard Grenache at $25 each

Two other wines were offered, but I passed:

2010 SantaLuciaHighlands Pinot Noir and

2010 Buck Hill Vineyard Zinfandel

 

As per the winery’s usual policy, the shipping was free.

 

To sign up for the list, visit:

https://www.sandlerwine.com/index.cfm?method=memberCreateAccount.signup

 

 

 

Wines bought or received this week

 

The following bottles arrived this week direct from the winery.

(4) 2010 Turley Cabernet Sauvignon The Label

(3) 2010 Loring Wine Company Cabernet Sauvignon Russell Family Vineyard

(1) 2011 Loring Wine Company Chardonnay Durell Vineyard

 

 

 

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 Soter Pinot Noir Mineral Springs Ranch – $48.00

 

My comments

I’ve been eyeing this wine for quite a while but have been able to successfully resist the temptation…until tonight.  I love the Pinot Noirs coming out of Soter, even their lower end NorthValley.  Generally their Minerals Springs Ranch wines are a definite step up.  Tonight I’ll see how they did with the 2008 vintage.

 

Winery history (from the winery)

Mineral Springs Ranch is a 240-acre savanna-like oak woodland and grazing land.  It is the home of our Estate vineyard, planted to 15 acres of Pinot Noir in 2002 and 2003 as well as an additional 15 acres in 2006.  Two acres of Chardonnay were included in the 2006 plantings and are devoted entirely to our sparkling wine production.  Located just east of the town of Carlton, the ranch is perched on a mesa with gentle slopes and commanding views of the surrounding Yamhill-Carlton District.  Our production facilities and hospitality buildings are here as well, allowing us complete control of all operations.

 

As a vineyard site, Mineral Springs has an extremely compelling confluence of prime exposure, and uniform, well-drained, pale sedimentary soils.  The primary slope faces due south.  It is here that the vines absorb the sun from an ideal aspect, from morning through twilight.  Unlike many vineyards with small depressions and moist swales, this is a gentle, highly uniform slope.  Mineral Springs Vineyard is planted between 380 and 440 feet in elevation.  Exposure ranges from southeast to west, with most acreage facing south and southwest.  Our soils are crumbly, loamy, pale marine Keasey series sediments (such as sandstone and fractured siltstone) mixed with clay.  The topsoil layer is rather shallow in many places, and drainage is excellent.

 

The clonal selections Tony has made for this vineyard are dwarfed by the inherent suitability of this land for viticulture.  It is a very special vineyard site; not only does its prime exposure and drainage enable our grapes to ripen reliably in advance of the fall rains, these very old marine sediments imbue the wines with a subtle exoticism and spiciness that announces itself before the new wine comes near a barrel.  The 2005 vintage represented the inaugural release from this vineyard and featured notes of blackberry, black cherries, white pepper, floral notes that recall freesias and roses, and a distinctively exotic personality.  Subsequent bottlings have consistently expressed this exotic flare with a solid core of pure, supple fruit and lovely acid balance.

 

More information available at http://www.sotervineyards.com/

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bit lighter than a medium ruby red color.  The very inviting nose features mineral laden cherries, raspberries, and plums, with some dried herbs, smoke, baking spices, and earthy underbrush.  This is barely medium body with ripe tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate the sweet, juicy fruit is counter balanced with a nice savory streak of dried herbs, spices, and earthy elements.  The finish is fairly long with a nice mix of the fruit and savory notes.  This is still a bit on the young side, but drinking very nicely.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2006 Fattoria di Fèlsina Berardenga Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia – $28.49

 

My comments

This is a long time favorite from Italy.  This wine generally takes your usual Chianti Classico Riserva and kicks it up a few notches.  These “extra notches” do come at a price, the release price of this wine was around $50, which is very high for a wine in this category.  Is it worth the extra cost?  Well that one is up to the purchaser, I bought all of mine when they were marked down to where it blew away everything else at the price point.

 

Winery history

It was 1966 when Dominic Poggiali Fèlsina took the courageous leap and bought the estate at a time when Italian viticulture was struggling.  He chose to invest in the quality of the wine and the expertise of a young team.

 

Their passion for wine united with the skills of businessmen, and under their guidance, they injected modernity into their business plan, without however, abandoning the spirit of tradition.  In the space of a few years, the vineyards grew to more than forty hectares, and the soul and organization of the company changed, as well.

 

My Tasting Note

Opened for an hour and then decanted for an hour.  The wine is a medium to dark ruby red color.  The tempting nose has cherries, minerals, earthy underbrush, baking spices, licorice, road tar, dried herbs, fresh ground espresso, and violets.  This has a medium body with solid, ripe tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate, tart cherries are quickly joined by nice savory notes of dried herbs and earthy elements.  The finish has nice length but is clipped a bit when the tannins and acidity kick in.  Give this one another year in the cellar.  Outstanding now, better down the road.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Cellers Can Blau Montsant Can Blau – $12.34

 

My comments

This is consistently a very nice, affordably priced blend from the Montsant region of Spain.  This is a blend of  40% Mazuelo(Carignan), 40% Syrah, and 20% Garnacha.

 

Winery history

Cellers Can Blau was founded in 2003.  The winery produces about 300 barrels of wine a year from their 34 hectares of vineyards.  70% of the wine they produce is exported.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep maroon color.  The very tempting nose features plums, cherries, wood smoke, baking spices, wild flowers, and some dried herbs and cedar.  This has a medium body with fairly solid tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate tart cherries and dried herbs grab the initial spotlight with some spicy oak and baking spices adding nice depth in the background.  The finish has nice length and highlights the savory elements with the fruit in the background.  A very nice, value priced “baby Priorat”.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2006 Turley Zinfandel Dogtown Vineyard – $34.99

 

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.

 

Dogtown, generally isn’t one of my favorite Turley sources.  In the past some of the wines were too big and ripe and at times showed raisin notes and lacked enough depth to successfully conceal their high alcohol levels.  That said, when my local wine store source was able to get this wine in, with a couple years of age at a good price, I had to grab a couple bottles.

 

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 medium to dark ruby color.  The very comforting nose has brambly berries, black pepper, earthy elements, tobacco, dried herbs, cherries, spice box, and a bit of alcohol.  This is medium to full bodied with integrated, velvety tannins and good acidity.  The palate is highlighted by the spicy, peppery berries but some nice earthiness and dried herbs add some depth.  The finish has nice length but shows some alcohol and a touch of raisin.  Overall, a very nice zinfandel in a good drinking window.  (90 pts)

 

 

Mailing Lists

Bedrock

I placed my order for Bedrock today.  This is always a hard decision since all the wines are outstanding but there is no way I can afford to go “all in”.

 

 

 

Wines bought or received this week

Nothing new to report in this area, but next week could be busy if I get expected deliveries from Loring, Turley, and Saxum.

 

 

 

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!

 

 

 

1990 Schloss Schönborn Geisenheimer Schlossgarten Riesling Spätlese – $23.78

 

My comments

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

 

Winery history

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright, golden yellow color.  The very fresh smelling nose has lime zest, apples, honey, petrol, orange blossoms, and a touch of white pepper.  This is light to medium body with very nice, juicy, acidity and is nicely off dry, but not sugary sweet.  Juicy, honey drenched fruit and key lime greet the palate with just a touch of spice in the background.  The finish is very tasty but a bit short, with the key lime and honey carrying the major load.  Not my favorite from the Garagiste Riesling fest a few years ago, but still very enjoyable.  The wine lacks some complexity and length on the finish, but it still tastes marvelous.  This still tastes young and fresh for a 22 year old wine.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2007 Two Hands Shiraz Gnarly Dudes – $20.00

 

My comments

If you are a fan of a big, ripe, structured wine, you should know Two Hands.  Their wines are generally not for someone looking for subtly or nuance, they are bold, brash, and in your face.  Their take no prisoners style of wines have MANY fans including the wine related magazines that bestow high ratings and awards on them annually.  These wines are not ones you will want to have every day or even weekly, but once a month or so, these are very enjoyable.

 

Winery history

 

TWO HANDS WINES 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.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark purple color.  The outstanding nose features blackberry, licorice, blueberries, dark chocolate, black pepper, dried herbs, fresh violets, and a bit of vanilla.  This is fairly full bodied with fairly solid, ripe tannins and very nice acidity.  Loads of spicy, juicy berries greets the palate with some pepper and dried herbs in the background adding nice depth.  The finish is fairly long with the fruit slowly giving way to dried herbs and some chocolate.  This is big and rich but with the tannins and acidity to hold it all together.  This isn’t for everyone, but it tasted great to me tonight.  (92 pts)

 

 

2009 Waterbrook Cabernet Sauvignon – $9.49

 

My comments

This is one of the better, value priced, Cabernets out there.  This won’t rock your world, but it is generally a very nice, varietally correct, dry, structured, Cabernet that can be found for under $10.

 

Winery history

 

Waterbrook Winery was founded in 1984 by Eric and Janet Rindal and is located in WashingtonState’s lovely Walla WallaValley.

 

Waterbrook continues to be one of the Walla WallaValley’s largest producers of premium Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Melange wines.  Production is around 35,000 cases a year.  Waterbrook was selected by the editors of Wine Spectator as one of 50 great producers every wine lover should know for smart buys.  The tasting room in downtown Walla Walla pairs fine wine with fine art, providing a destination point of distinctive style.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to deep ruby red color.  The very nice nose features plums, cassis, dried herbs, earthy elements, baking spices, minerals, and cherries.  This has a medium body with soft tannins and good acidity.  There is a nice mix of savory and fruity elements on the palate with the savory elements up front and the fruit coming in on the back end.  Decent length on the finish which again has nice fruit, but the savory elements carry the load.  A very nice change of pace if you are tired of fruit forward California Cabernets.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

Mailing Lists

 

Bedrock

As expected, the Winter offer from Bedrock hit the inbox this week.  Morgan is making growing number of wines that is making it hard to decide what to buy.  For instance, this offer included eight different wines but one was a VERY low production wine with limited availability.  These are generally very nice wines at customer friendly prices.  It’s no wonder the Bedrock mailing list is now full.  I would highly recommend joining the waiting list, your time will come.

 

 

 

Wines bought or received this week

It’s been a quiet week so far.  I received an e-mail from Turley that my “The Label” cabs will be shipping soon, but the supplied tracking number shows the wine has not been picked up yet.

 

I did receive a sampler package from Franciscan Estates with the following:

2010 Franciscan Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

2011 Franciscan Estate Chardonnay

 

I’ve already had and reviewed the Cabernet, but I’ll try the Chardonnay soon and post my review.

 

 

 

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 Jaffurs Petite Sirah Thompson Vineyard – Gift from friend

 

My comments

This was a birthday gift from a friend a few years ago.  I don’t know the release price, but the average cost on Cellar Tracker is about $30.

 

I’ve been a big fan of Jaffurs for close to a decade.  In my opinion, the winery has hit the right formula for success.  Their wines are impressive across the board.  I’m really looking forward to trying this wine.

 

Winery history

Jaffurs Wine Cellars is dedicated to producing great Rhone varietal wines with a new-world independence.  Our wines -Syrah, Grenache, Petite Sirah, Viognier, and Roussanne – are among the best in the county.  Owner/winemaker Craig Jaffurs, produced his first professional wines during the 1994 harvest.  All our wines are carefully made in small lots.  Only about 3500 cases are produced each year – production is limited.  We work closely with our growers in the Santa Ynez, Santa Rita, Los Alamos, and the Santa Maria growing regions.  We limit vineyard yields and require that optimal farming practices are observed.  All our wines are crushed, pressed, cellared and bottled in our Santa Barbara facility.  Visit us for a glimpse of world class winemaking in the heart of the city.  2007 is our 14th harvest!

 

In September of 2001 we completed construction of our new winery facility in the city of Santa Barbara.  This modern, climate controlled facility allows us to make wine at a natural and careful pace.  (Plus, it is only seven minutes from home!)  We process all the fruit for our harvest here and the resulting wines show the benefits of this improved process.

 

For more information, visit http://www.jaffurswine.com/index.html

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a very dark purple color, almost black.  The very inviting nose has blackberries, blueberries, white pepper, baking spices, melted licorice, violets, and some dark chocolate.  This is medium to full bodied with solid, ripe tannins and very good acidity.  Ripe, juicy, spicy berries dominate the palate with some very nice licorice and dark chocolate coming through on the backend.  The bright acidity and tannins keep the wine in check and actually makes it seem a bit lighter in body than the 15.8% alcohol lead me to expect.  The wine has a long finish with the juicy berries and spices slowly fading.  The alcohol is surprisingly well hidden with just a touch peeking through on the finish.  An outstanding Petite Sirah that is drinking perfectly today but with enough acidity and tannins to easily cellar for several more years.  (94 pts)

 

 

 

2008 Stefania Pinot Noir Santa Cruz Mountains – $45.00

 

My comments

I’ve been a fan of Stefania winery for a few years.  As typical in California, they make a full range of wines from Chardonnay to Cabernet Sauvignon and everything in between.  They produce one of the better red blends being made in California, called Haut Tubee.  Most of their wines sell out via their mailing list, but on occasion, there may be a few leftovers available on their website at http://stefaniawine.com/?page_id=10

 

Winery history

Stefania was born in Minnesota.  Her father was an officer in the U.S. Army and she grew up in California, Nevada and Santiago, Chile.  She uses her background in accounting to run the day to day business of a small winery as well as handling wine making duties, vineyard construction management, purchasing, and of course vineyard work.  She loves to entertain friends at home or in the winery.  She painted the art work used on our labels and takes most of the photos used in our blogs and website.

 

Paul is a California native who has lived in San Jose for over 40 years.  He has worked at various high tech companies in Silicon Valley for 20 years specializing in Technical Support Management.  He handles wine making duties, planning, vineyard design, vineyard management, and acts as the official tour guide.  He loves to cook and host visitors to the winery or home.

 

Stefania and Paul were married in Jackson Square in the the French Quarter of New Orleans in 2003.  They return every year to celebrate their anniversary with friends in New Orleans.  They began  making wine in 2005 and were most interested in finding a business that would combine their love of food, wine and entertaining.  They are hands on in all parts of the grape growing and wine making process. One of their greatest joys has been the growing number of friends across the country who enjoy their wine.

 

Stefania Wine is supported by a small group of part time employees, family members and close friends who volunteer to help with labor intensive tasks.   We are lucky to have such great friends who are always willing to trade a day of hard work for a good meal and an ample supply of wine.

 

Much more information and their interesting blog can be found at:

http://stefaniawine.com/

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright ruby red color.  The appealing nose has cherries, raspberries, baking spices, forest floor, vanilla, and some violets.  This has a medium body with fairly solid, ripe tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate the wine had juicy, spicy, red fruit with some earthiness adding depth and complexity.  The finish is fairly long with the spicy oak adding to the core of earthy, red fruit.  This is very tasty today but will reward another year or two in the cellar.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2005 Viñas del Cenit Vino de la Tierra de Zamora Venta Mazarrón – $13.99

 

My comments

I bought this bottle a few years ago at the local wine store, but for some reason I haven’t gotten around to opening it.  It’s time to rectify that situation.  I’m a big fan of Spanish Tempranillo wines, so I’m looking forward to trying this one.

 

Winery history

 

I could not find a website for the winery, the following was courtesy of wine.com at

http://www.wine.com/v6/Vinas-del-Cenit/learnabout.aspx?winery=17680

 

 

Tierra del Vino de Zamora is a historic region that goes back much further than other regions which posses DO status.  No other wine-producing region in Spain has a similar title, and in fact some of the 56 towns that are located within the area include ‘del vino’ in their title: Morales del Vino, Corrales del Vino, El Cubo del vino…

The Tierra del Vino is dissected by the famous Vía de la Plata, which dates back to the Roman Empire.  It originally ran through the cities of Mérida and Astorga, serving as a route used by Roman troops and merchants.  The region’s climate is unique within the northern plateau, its temperature being the highest on average in Castilla y León.

 

Viñas del Cénit’s vineyards are organized in small parcels of land planted with a substantial amount of old Tempranillo vines, some of which are over a hundred years old and ungrafted.  The soil is calcareous, gravel and sand-based, with a layer of red clay underneath.

 

The young oenologist Almudena Alberca from Salamanca has had ties to Viñas del Cénit since its inception in 2003. She is in charge of supervising the vineyards and also of the vinification processes.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a dark garnet color.  The very nice nose has black cherries, vanilla, earthy underbrush, dried herbs, and hints of dark chocolate, fresh ground espresso, and wild flowers.  This has medium body with fairly solid tannins and very nice acidity.  Nice spicy, earthy fruit on the palate with dried herbs, espresso, and dark chocolate adding nice depth and complexity.  The finish is very tasty but a touch short.  A pretty nice lower end Tempranillo that will not disappoint.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2000 Château La Tour Carnet – $26.32

 

My comments

I grabbed a couple bottles of this wine upon release as part of the purchase of a few cases of the “vintage of the century”.  The last couple bottles of 2000 Bordeaux wines have seemed to be entering a nice drinking window.  Hopefully this one will keep the good drinking streak going.

 

Winery history

Ongoing efforts since 1962 have brought the wines of Château La Tour Carnet to a point of perfect expression of the qualities of its unique terroir.  This drive for quality has accelerated since April 2000 thanks to the new owner, Bernard Magrez.

 

The cohesion of a team dedicated to perfectionism, plot-by-plot management, and respect for tradition associated with the most advanced techniques, are the guarantee of a new objective: to reveal the full potential of the terroir.

 

Much more background and history available at:

http://www.latour-carnet.com/reveler-le-potentiel-du-terroir-us

 

My Tasting Note

The wine was badly corked!  Backup bottle time.

 

 

 

2007 Jacob Franklin Mon Chou #50 Napa Valley – $30.00

 

My comments

My original choice to go with dinner was badly corked, so I needed to grab a last minute replacement bottle.  I’ve had a few bottles of this wine in the past and though it does improve with some air, it’s generally good to go.

 

This is a blend of 50% Cabernet Franc, 20% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Malbec, and 6% Petit Verdot.

 

Winery history

As many of you know, when we started making our own wines in 1987, we named the tiny, 200 case operation after our daughter, Elyse.  Not wanting to leave our son, Jake, out of loop, we eventually named our Rhone blend after him – anyone remember “Jake’s Cuvee”?  It wasn’t enough, because at the ripe age of eight Jake asked, “When do I get my own label without her name on it?”  Good point!  And as parents not wanting to show favoritism, why not create a namesake label for him as well?

 

Jacob Franklin Cellars debut bottling was in 1998 and we fondly and literally refer to it as the brother label of Elyse Winery.  By this time, we had gained access to small quantities of extremely allocated fruit from some highly desirable vineyards in the valley and this label was the perfect place to showcase them along with our only estate wine, Hoffman Lane Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

Jacob Franklin Cellars is focused on small production, low yield, vineyard designate wines from NapaValley. Due to the extremely limited production, these wines are available exclusively through the winery at: https://www.net10.net/ShoppingCart/buy/ProductList.asp?sid=64&xs=Y&pcids=548

 

or via the wine club at:

http://elysewinery.com/club.html

 

My Tasting Note

Pretty much pop and pour due to a different wine being corked.  The wine is a deep ruby to maroon color.  The fantastic nose has cassis, dried herbs, licorice, baking spices, cherries, cigar box, smoke, and minerals.  This had medium body with fairly solid, ripe tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate the wine shows very nice spicy fruit full of dried herbs and a touch of licorice.  The wine has a long, lingering finish full of sweet berries, spices, and the dried herbs.  This is the real deal, with no rough edges.  This wine is very highly recommended.  (94 pts)

 

 

 

 

Mailing Lists

 

Bedrock

It sounds like the Bedrock Winter release may hit the inbox this week.  The vast array of wines being made by the winery always makes it tough to select a case of wine.  This is one winery where it is too easy to get carried away and have multiple cases show up on your door step.

 

 

 

Wines bought or received this week

The short week due to the holiday meant no shipments coming in from California.  Even though I stopped in the local wine store, I held off on any purchases until their big tasting event next weekend.

 

 

 

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 Beresan Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley – $16.99

 

My comments

This was one of the Garagiste Mystery wines.  In this case, this was the anonymous Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon that was offered for $16.99 in March of this year.  I wasn’t familiar with the winery which left me even more intrigued.  This was delivered last month, so it’s time to open one.

 

Winery history

Located in the world-renowned Walla WallaValley appellation, Beresan has 27 acres of estate vineyards that we carefully manage to produce premium fruit, and in turn, great wine.  The geologic distinctiveness of our vineyards, combined with fine winemaking, is reflected in the unique character of our exclusive, limited production wines.

 

Owned and operated by the Waliser family, our mission at Beresan Winery is not only to make outstanding wine and satisfied wine consumers, but to live a dream of having a fun, successful and enduring experience with friends and family at our winery.

 

We invite you to enjoy our wines and come see us at our winery in the beautiful Walla WallaValley.

 

For more information, visit http://beresanwines.com/

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly dark garnet color.  The very pleasant nose has cassis, cedar, minerals, dried herbs, Asian spices, violets, some earthiness, and a touch of dark chocolate.  This has medium to full body with fairly solid, ripe tannins and very nice acidity.  The fruit is a bit brighter on the palate than the nose lead me to expect, leaning more towards the cherry and raspberry spectrum.  Besides the nice fruit on the palate, the spices, minerals, and dried herbs provide considerable depth.  The finish has decent length and highlights the spicy oak, dried herbs, and dark chocolate with the fruit in the background.  The bright acidity and nice tannins tell me this can comfortably stay in the cellar for several years, but it’s very tasty today.  A bit more length and complexity would be nice, but for under $20, this is a keeper.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2007 Steltzner Vineyards Claret – $13.29

 

My comments

A long time favorite in the week night Bordeaux style blend category.  The blend changes every year, in this vintage it is 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, and 12% Cabernet Franc.

 

Winery history

Richard Steltzner established his first Stags Leap District Vineyards in 1965 while concurrently engaging in vineyards management.  Steltzner Vineyards’ first commercial release was in 1977, and the Steltzner Family established their own modest facility in 1983, with a 3,000 case capacity here in the Stags Leap District.

 

Today at Steltzner Vineyards you will find Dick’s children working with him to carry on his legacy here in the NapaValley.  Allison Steltzner began working with her father full-time in 2002 after completing her Bachelor of Sciences Degree at ChicoState, majoring in business administration, with a minor in marketing.  Allison is uniquely suited for her post as General Manager and National Sales Director for Steltzner Vineyards.  Today, she is joined by Justin, as the second generation Steltzner family to work full time in the winery.  Justin carries on his father’s farming traditions and works side by side with Dick to manage the ranch and produce optimal fruit from our estate.  Their sister Laura makes her home in Casablanca, Morocco with her husband working in the cosmetics business.

 

For more information, please visit http://www.steltzner.com/

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly dark ruby color.  The nice nose features blackberries, cedar, dried herbs, cherries, vanilla, and some smoke.  This has medium body, fairly solid tannins and good acidity.  The wine is a touch lean on the palate with the spicy oak and dried herbs providing most of the flavor with the berries in the background.  The finish has nice length with the fruit coming back into the picture.  The wine has a bit too much oak for the fruit to conceal.  This probably needs to be consumed over the next year before the fruit fades leaving just the oak elements.  (86 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Melville Syrah Estate Verna’s – $19.37

 

My comments

I’m a big fan of Melville’s Pinot Noirs, but when I saw this at the local store, I had to grab a couple bottles.  I had a bottle not long after purchase and it left me a bit underwhelmed.  I decided to give it a year in the cellar to see how it would come around.  It’s now been about a year and a half, so it’s time to check in.

 

Winery history

In 1989, Melville Vineyards, a family owned and operated enterprise was founded in SonomaCounty’s KnightsValley, where Ron Melville grew high quality, much sought after Chardonnay, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon.  In 1996, Ron’s desire to grow Pinot Noir and Chardonnay brought Melville Vineyards to Lompoc’s Sta.RitaHills, located in the western Santa Ynez Valley of Santa Barbara County, California.  The Sta.RitaHills appellation is where Ron Melville and his sons Brent and Chad Melville decided to develop their estate vineyards and winery.  Since then, they have also developed an interest in Rhone varietals, particularly Northern Rhone Syrah and Viognier.  The Melville estate achieves quality through the integrity of its farming practice and its respect to the microclimate.

 

Additional information available at http://www.melvillevineyards.com/index2.html

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright ruby red color.  The very nice nose features black raspberries, cherries, Asian spices, smoke, white pepper, spicy oak, and a touch of earthiness.  This has a medium body with fairly solid tannins and good acidity.  The palate has nice spicy red and black fruit with a bit of oak and some earthiness.  The finish has decent length but does show a touch of excess oak and a bit of stems.  With some air the excess oak and stems integrate and the wine adds a bit of weight.  The fruit also becomes a bit more prominent especially on the backend and finish.  I’d advise to decant for an hour or two or even better let it sleep for another year or two.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2007 Domaine de Piaugier Gigondas – $16.99

 

My comments

I ordered this in late 2008 from Garagiste.  By the time it arrived in their Washington warehouse all my other wines had shipped.  I cut down on my Garagiste purchases, so I received free storage for a couple of years.  I figured the wine was approaching a nice drinking window, so I made sure to order enough wine that these bottles would fill a case and be shipped.  They’ve been in the cellar for a month, so it’s time to try one out.

 

Winery history

Alphonse Vautour, Jean-Marc Autran’s great-grandfather, made his wine in a cellar at the top of a little hill called Les Briguières, to the south of Sablet where he owned six hectares of vines.  The winery was named Ténébi, after the previous owner of the house.

 

Alphonse had to go down the hill, his mules loaded with barrels, to wait for the wine merchant to come by.  If the merchant didn’t come, or didn’t buy his wine, he had to climb back up with his reluctant mules.  So, in 1947 he decided to build a new winery on the road below, where the Piaugier cellars are to this day.

 

Jean-Marc Autran, Alphonse’s great-grandson, took over the winery from his father Marc in 1985.  He acquired more vineyards and, with the assistance of his wife Sophie, started bottling and developed sales.  The winery soon became too small and they extended it in 1995 to enable them to age and store the wines in the best possible conditions.

 

In homage to this family history, Jean-Marc has dedicated a wine to his ancestor, the Réserve Alphonse Vautour, which is made from grapes grown in his original fields.

 

Today, Piaugier wines are sold as far away as the United States, Japan and Brazil.

 

Much more information is available at http://www.domainedepiaugier.com/en_index.htm

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to dark ruby color.  The very inviting nose has cherries, raspberries, baking spices, white pepper, fresh wild flowers, and lesser amounts of smoke, earthy elements, and dried herbs.  This has medium body with fairly solid tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate the spicy fruit commands center stage with the dried herbs and a touch of earthiness coming in on the edges.  The finish has decent length and leans heavily on the savory elements with the fruit just adding a touch of sweetness in the background.  A very nice Gigondas that is just entering a nice drinking window.  Enjoy over the next couple of years.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

 

 

Mailing Lists

Not much happening in the mailer arena right now but I’m sure there will be a few Winter releases hitting the inbox soon.

 

 

 

Wines bought or received this week

 

I received a couple of samples from Argentina that I am looking forward to trying.

2008 Serrera Bonarda

2009 Finca Algarve Torrontés Cinco Sentidos

 

 

 

 

Not wine related, but November 21 was my 25th Wedding Anniversary.  I just wanted to say these last 25 years have been fantastic and hope for 25 more.

 

I Love You, Eva!

 

 

 

My beautiful bride.  She is still just as amazing and beautiful.

 

 

 

 

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!