This is based on samples supplied by the winery or another organization on their behalf.

 

 

Murai Family Tokubetsu Honjozo

SakeMoto

Yoshinogawa Winter Warrior

G fifty

 

 

I was invited to participate in an online saké tasting, which was very easy to accept.  I have enjoyed saké in the past, but my knowledge on the beverage is VERY limited.  I usually rely on the suggestions from the server and never remember which ones I have liked or the ones I could barely tolerate.  This will be a great opportunity to try four different examples and allow me to note differences and figure out what I like based on side by side comparisons.

 

 

Visit the SakéOne website.

 

 

The selections were provided by Charles Communications for the SakéOne brand tasting and participation was limited to 12 people.

 

 

Generally, saké is best served is a white wine glass.  For some reason, several of us opted for a stemless wine glass like the Riedel O line.  I chose the glass since it seemed to be a nice middle of the road melding of the small traditional saké glass and a larger, stemmed wine glass.

Though saké can be served slightly warmed, it is better served chilled; I had mine at a cool room temperature.

 

It was pointed out that the American saké producers prefer to be called “craft” saké, or American, but don’t call them “domestic”.

An open bottle of saké will last for weeks in the refrigerator since it is pasteurized.

 

 

SakéOne is one of six saké breweries in America and the only saké brewery in Oregon. It has promoted quality saké in America for over two decades, both as an importer and as a domestic craft brewer, focusing on quality, heritage and innovation. SakéOne imports a boutique portfolio of Japanese regional saké including the brands Murai Family, Yoshinogawa and SakéMoto, a premium Japanese saké developed specifically for the American market. Greg also produces award-winning saké for the Momokawa, G Saké, and the fruit-infused Moonstone brands at SakéOne’s own Kura in Forest Grove, Oregon.

 

Saké’s presence in the American market is rapidly increasing; in the past ten years, saké has seen a 100% increase in the US Beverage alcohol market. However, most premium saké is still imported from Japan.

 

 

The video from the online tasting, graphics dealing with saké terminology and the brewing process, as well as the participant’s posts can be found here:

http://sakeone.yourbrandlive.com/c/sakeonenewreleasemay2013/

 

 

 

Here was our lineup for the evening:

 

 

 

 

The beverages are listed in the tasting sequence.

 

 

 

Murai Family Tokubetsu Honjozo (Imported) – SRP $25.00

 

Importer/Distributor comments

Tokubetsu means special, Honjozo defines that there is added alcohol in a saké.  This special brew has a little added alcohol used to highlight aromas and flavors that would otherwise more subtle.  This is a long time favorite of the SakéOne team.

 

Profile: Layered herbal notes with anise highlights set the tone for this dynamic honjozo.  This is clean and complex with an incredible amount of aroma and flavor to explore.  This is one of the all time favorites from Murai Family.  This took first place in the Japan National Saké Contest for the Honjozo category.

 

Enjoyment: Exceptional chilled where the aromas and flavors are maximized but also easy going when served warm.

 

Style: Special Honjozo

Rice: Miyamanishiki          Polish: 60%

Alc: 15.5%                         SMV: +2

Sulfites: 0                          Gluten: 0

 

Serve: Chilled or warm (up to 114 degrees F)

 

For more information or to order some for yourself.

 

 

My Tasting Note

This is very clear, as are “most” sakés.  The nose had smoky peat moss, mushrooms, earthy, lemongrass, apples, touch of tropical fruit, and a floral element.  On the palate this was slightly creamy with a touch of crispness.  On the palate there was some up front fruit with a load of earthy elements coming in quickly.  This had nice length on the finish, again leaning on the earthy elements especially mushrooms with just a touch of sweet apples.

 

 

 

SakeMoto Junmai (Imported) – SRP $11.00

 

Importer/Distributor comments

Imported from Japan and created by a brewer with over 270 years of experience, SakéMoto Junmai Saké delivers quality and value in a taste profile that is finely tuned to the American palate.

 

Profile: Upfront fruit in the nose, a rich texture, and a long, smooth finish that will appeal to both new and seasoned saké drinkers.

 

Enjoyment: Beautifully on its own, chilled and served in an all purpose white wine glass or pairs nicely with savory sensations, such as dried mushrooms, parmesan cheese, aged beef, tomatoes, and more.

 

Style: Junmai                   Polish: 70%

Alc: 14.7%                       SMV: +3.9

Sulfites: 0                       Gluten: 0            Serve: Chilled

 

For more information or to order some for yourself.

 

 

My Tasting Note

This has a slight yellow tint.  On the fruitier nose, tropical fruit, floral, fennel, apples, and pears. This has sweet fruit on the palate with fennel and some subtle earthiness that slowly builds.  This has nice length on the sweet finish with just a touch of a bitter element adding some depth and some complexity.

 

 

 

Yoshinogawa Winter Warrior (Imported) – SRP $27.00

 

Importer/Distributor comments

A fresh expression of Niigata style saké, Winter Warrior is crafted for today’s imbiber who seeks something refreshing, fruit-forward and overall elegantly decadent. The layered tropical aromas and lush fruit flavors of Winter Warrior make it an easy transition for wine enthusiasts and cocktail fans. Clean, complex and ready to lead your saké adventure. There are few, very few, Junmai sake imported with this depth of character.

 

Profile: Easy going, lush, fruit-forward with lots of tropical notes like guava, mango and fresh rain falling on a deep forest.

 

Enjoyment: Pour a glass and enjoy with fresh fruit, lightly spicy foods, and hearty sushi rolls and hearty Izakaya faire.

 

Style: Junmai Ginjo

Rice: Gohyakumangoku           Polish: 60%

Yeast: No. 18                            Acidity: 1.3

SMV: -1                                    Alc: 14%

Gluten: 0                                  Sulfites: 0                 Serve: Chilled

 

For more information or to order some for yourself.

 

 

My Tasting Note

This is very clean and clear and absolutely colorless.  The very intriguing nose has musky tropical melons, smoke, fennel, pears, flowers, mushrooms, and a touch of mint.  This has medium body and has a creamy mouth feel.  The long finish really highlights the minty note and toasty smoke.  This was my favorite of the event.

 

 

 

G fifty (American Craft) SRP $25.00

 

Importer/Distributor comments

This is a brand new saké that has not been released so there is no information on the website.

 

 

My Tasting Note

This has a clear and watery appearance.  The soft and fruity nose had pineapple, flowers, and mint.  On the palate this is big, fruity, and round.  The long finish is filled with mint and pineapple with just a hint of earthiness.  This was obviously produced for an American palate wanting a fuller body full of sweet, ripe fruit.  If he reviewed saké, I’m sure people would call this “Parkerized”.    🙂

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Notes – I use the “official” Cellar Tracker name for the wines.  I use Cellar Tracker to help manage and organize my cellar.  I highly recommend checking it out at www.cellartracker.com.  Loading you existing cellar is a lot less intimidating than it would first appear.  There is a good chance 99% of your wine is already in the system, so you generally only need to enter part of the wine’s name and the system will find it for you.

 

 

Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase.  I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but my local store is usually VERY competitive.  I generally get case discounts, and since I work there part time, I get a 5% discount.  Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges.  None of the prices include the sales tax.

 

 

All wines that were sent to me free of charge to sample will be noted and I will show suggested prices when available.

 

 

 

Cheers!  Or in this case Kanpai! 

 

 

This is based on samples provided by the winery.

 

 

 

 

Northwest Totem Cellars –  A name that pays respect to a life and people that once depended on, respected and revered their environment and the living world.  We and our children are committed ambassadors to this living world.  Our commitment to compassion runs broadly across many constituents; people, planet and, never to be overlooked, all other non-human living beings who share our world.  Our reverence for life securely encompasses the animals of our planet.  We share a view that they are their own communities, like that of our native ancestors, like us today.  They are their own nations.  The totem is our connection to life; old and new, human and non-human.

 

 

Tucked away on a private property, we are a small, family-owned winery producing hand-crafted wines in the heart of Woodinville Wine Country.  We share our love of wine and community with some of the best wineries in WashingtonState.  We’re proud to be a part of a growing wine region that is the most rapidly-increasing wine tasting area in the world!

 

The words “personal” and “warm” will define your experience at Northwest Totem Cellars.  As you walk through the front door, you realize this tasting experience will be one of your most memorable.  Pouring our wines from the “kitchen” private tasting room, Mike Sharadin, our winemaker, barrel washer, one-man show et al, will enlighten you on Washington wines, our own voyage as a small producer and will share with you the passion that has fueled our love of the grape.

 

 

Much more information as well as links to purchase wine is available on their website.

 

 “Enjoy our glass closure

Cut foil & give it a thumbs up”

 

 

My Information

Northwest Totem Cellars was a new winery for me.  I met the owner/winemaker, Mike Sharadin, on Twitter a couple years ago.  Even though he is a Philadelphia Flyers and Dallas Cowboys fan, which usually makes a person the “low man on the totem pole” to someone from Pittsburgh, we “tweeted” quite a bit.

 

As a fan of the wines coming out of the Pacific Northwest and Washington in particular, I became more intrigued and interested in learning more about Northwest Totem Cellars.  When Mike offered to send me a few samples to try, I jumped at the opportunity.

 

 

I like the fact the winery uses glass stoppers on their bottles.  To me, this is a fantastic alternative to cork and much classier than the “twist off” options.  I won’t even bring up the synthetic cork options which I despise.

 

 

 

I don’t know the exact status, but Mike is opening a new eatery (and drinkery) called Mike’s Wine Café in Friday Harbor, WA.  If all goes well, it could be open by June.  Good Luck in the new venture!  To keep up to date follow @MikesWineCafe on Twitter.

 

 

 

Enough with the words, onto the wines:

 

 

 

2008 Northwest Totem Cellars Qo-ne (SRP $35)

 

Qo-ne – “Friend” Haida (native American language)

 

This is a blend of 60% Cabernet Franc, 29% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Syrah, and 2% Petit Verdot from Washington’s ColumbiaValley.

 

14.2% ABV

 

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to deep ruby red color.  The very open and appealing nose has cassis, cherry, Asian spices, minerals, dried herbs, some cedar, eucalyptus, and a touch of licorice.  This has medium body, fairly solid but smooth tannins, and good acidity.  The palate has nice, bright fruit up front that gets joined by savory notes of dried herbs, spices, and minerals that add a ton of depth and complexity.  The finish is extremely long and full of sweet fruit, dried herbs, and minerals with a touch of dark bittersweet chocolate coming through at the end.  (94 pts)

 

On the second day, the fruit had retreated into the background on the nose with the dried herbs, minerals, and some earthiness dominating.  On the palate the fruit is still sweet and juicy up front with the savory notes quickly storming in and dominating.  The finish is full of the savory elements with the fruit a background note.  Good on day two, but much more enjoyable on the first day.

 

 

 

2008 Northwest Totem Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon (SRP $35)

 

YakimaValley

14.5% ABV

 

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly deep ruby red color.  The nose is a bit tight and shy initially but opens with some air, eventually showing cassis, spice box, tobacco, dried herbs, minerals, melted licorice, violets, and a touch of cherry.  This has medium body, fairly solid, slightly chalky tannins, and very nice acidity.  The palate has nice cherry and cassis up front with solid spice and dried herbs that quickly build.  The finish starts off very flavorful but gets clipped when then the tannins and acidity clamp down.

 

On the second day, the nose was much more open and accessible with the minerals, dried herbs, and spice box cranked up a notch or two.  On the palate the wine had added depth and the fruit was much richer.  The tannins had integrated to a point they were no longer clipping the finish, which now had great length with sweet fruit and a boat load of savory notes.  This was MUCH better on day two, almost like two totally different wines.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

I’d recommend enjoying the Qo-ne now and let the Cabernet sleep for a couple years, or at least give it plenty of air.

 

 

Even though Mike Sharidan, the owner/winemaker/barrel washer, a vegan, probably wouldn’t approve, here’s what we paired with these two wines.

 

Just to ensure the wines would work with a hearty dinner, we made a medium rare chuck-eye roast, oven fried potatoes with garlic, parsley, and Romano cheese, green beans, and a hot from the oven French baguette for dinner.  Everything was superb.

 

 

 

There are additional reviews of Northwest Totem Cellars wine available here.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Notes – I use the “official” Cellar Tracker name for the wines.  I use Cellar Tracker to help manage and organize my cellar.  I highly recommend checking it out at www.cellartracker.com.  Loading you existing cellar is a lot less intimidating than it would first appear.  There is a good chance 99% of your wine is already in the system, so you generally only need to enter part of the wine’s name and the system will find it for you.

 

 

Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase.  I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but my local store is usually VERY competitive.  I generally get case discounts, and since I work there part time, I get a 5% discount.  Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges.  None of the prices include the sales tax.

 

 

All wines that were sent to me free of charge to sample will be noted and I will show suggested prices when available.

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

This is based on samples provided by the winery or another organization working on their behalf.

 

 

 

 

Riverbench was a new winery for me.  I have been actively searching out wines and wineries that follow the sustainable practices laid out by the “Sustainability in Practice” (SIP) group.  During a Twitter based WineChat dealing with SIP Certified wines, Riverbench asked if I would sample their wines and give them my opinion.  Since I’m not stupid, though some may disagree with that self assessment, I took them up on their offer.

 

Winery Information

 

Riverbench Vineyard was established in 1973, when its first Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes were planted on the property.  For years since then, some of the most renowned wineries in Santa Barbara County have purchased the fruit for their own wines.  Over time Riverbench has become a prominent name for high quality Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in the Santa MariaValley.

 

In 2004, a group of local families purchased the property.  Wine drinkers themselves, the owners quickly became enamored with the wine industry and decided to start producing their own wine label using small quantities of their exceptional fruit.  Riverbench Winery was born.

 

The first vintage included both Estate and Reserve versions of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.  Since then, their portfolio has increased to include new interpretations of these noble varietals.  All Riverbench wines are made in limited quantities, and many are available exclusively through their tasting room.

 

Vineyard Information

 

Riverbench Vineyard is situated on the southeastern edge of the Santa Maria Valley, an appellation known for its diverse microclimates and ideal conditions for growing Burgundian varieties.  This distinct wine region is characterized by the valleys in the Pacific coastline which run east to west instead of the more common north to south.  Such a geographic peculiarity channels the cool ocean breezes inward, resulting in a mild and moderate climate where Pinot Noir and Chardonnay thrive.

 

The vineyard is situated on the Santa Maria Bench, which is land made up of alluvial soils.  These soils are formed of sediment deposited by flowing water thousands of years ago, and typically contain particles of clay, silt, sand and gravel.  They are extremely fertile because of their medium to fine textures; yet they are shallow in depth which allows for a great growing medium with a boundary that does not encourage the vines to become overly vigorous.  Since the benchland is of a rocky or gravelly nature, it provides excellent drainage and in turn allows vineyard growers to define growth without a large amount of outside input.

 

Riverbench Vineyard was planted in 1973 as one of the Santa Maria Valley’s first vineyards.  Originally, the vineyard consisted of 220 acres of Chardonnay and 55 acres of Pinot Noir, and in 2007, they added an additional 37 acres of Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and Viognier.  In the coming years these selections will be available through the tasting room.

 

 

Sustainable Winegrowing

 

Our goal remains to produce the highest quality grapes in our vineyards, resulting in unparalleled wine quality.  Riverbench is committed to sustainable winegrowing practices that are environmentally sound, socially equitable, and economically feasible.  Keeping these sustainable practices in mind, we not only produce a superior product, but we are able to help protect the environment, conserve natural resources, maintain the long-term viability of our vineyard, and support the economic and social well-being of our employees.

 

In addition to being SIP Certified, Riverbench is also a Santa Barbara Green Business.

 

 

The people behind the wine

 

Pictured below is part of the Riverbench team.  Clarissa Nagy, winemaker, Jim Stollberg, Vineyard Manager, and Laura Mohseni, General Manager.

 

Much more information on this outstanding winery is available on their website.

 

From their website, you can sign up for their mailing list, order wine, or join their wine club.  Riverbench wines are distributed in a dozen states, you can also check to see if Riverbench wines may be on your local wine store shelf.

 

 

 

Now, on to the main reason for this post, the wines.

 

 

 

2010 Riverbench Vineyard & Winery Chardonnay Estate – SRP $26

 

Wine information

This wine is 100% Estate Grown Chardonnay from the winery’s Santa MariaValley vineyard.

 

The grapes were harvested on October 2, 2010.  The wine was aged for 11 months in French Oak, 55% one year old.

 

The final alcohol is 14.5% and only 458 cases were produced.  The suggested retail price of the wine is $26.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright, shimmering yellow color with a touch of glistening gold.  The rich and inviting nose has apples, lemon curd, baking spices, pineapple, crushed stone, melons, flint, and just a hint of toasty oak.  This has a medium body and tart, citrusy acidity.  The exceptional palate has nice up front sweet, juicy apples and tart lemon zest followed by solid minerality and spice as well as a slowly building pineapple element.  The long, lingering finish has nice balance between sweet fruit, citrusy acidity, minerals, and just a touch of spicy oak.  This is delicious today but should last in the cellar for a few years.  (92 pts)

 

This would be outstanding with a rich dish, like the winery’s suggestion of Petite Creme cheese or lobster pot pie but my choice would be a skewer of spicy grilled shrimp on the deck on a bright, sunny day.

 

On the second day, the tart acidity had integrated providing more up front richness and allowing the fruit to shine through on the finish.  This was very nice on the first day, but I liked it even more on day two.

 

 

 

2010 Riverbench Vineyard & Winery Pinot Noir Estate – SRP $28

 

Wine  information

This wine is 100% Estate Grown Pinot Noir from the winery’s Santa Maria Valley vineyard.

 

The grapes were harvested on October 2, 2010.  The wine was aged for 9 months in French Oak, 4% new, 96% neutral oak.

 

The final alcohol is 14.6% and 599 cases were produced.  The suggested retail price of the wine is $28.

 

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light, transparent, ruby red color.  The enticing nose has strawberries, black raspberries, dusty minerals, warm baking spices, smoke, violets, white pepper, some subtle earthiness, and just a touch of roasted herbs.  This has a medium body, silky tannins, and very nice acidity.  On the palate, the rich fruit is joined by baking spices and white pepper with some earthiness coming in later.  The finish is fairly long and adds some roasted herbs to add a nice savory element to the sweet fruit and spices.  This is drinking nicely today but will hold and possibly add some additional complexity with a year or two in the cellar.  (93 pts)

 

The winery suggests barbecued ribs or braised beef shanks, but I’d like a glass of this with a piece of juicy, grilled chicken and a salad on a sunny deck or patio.

 

By day two, the tannins were fully integrated and smooth.  The palate had added a smoky element and the earthiness was a bit more pronounced pushing the fruit slightly into the background where it added very nice sweetness.  On the finish the roasted herb element was not to be found, but the smoky, spicy fruit and a touch of earthiness lingered very nicely.  Once again, I felt the wine had smoothened out and improved on the second day.  This bodes well if you would like to stash a bottle in the cellar for a few extra years.

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Notes – I use the “official” Cellar Tracker name for the wines.  I use Cellar Tracker to help manage and organize my cellar.  I highly recommend checking it out at www.cellartracker.com.  Loading you existing cellar is a lot less intimidating than it would first appear.  There is a good chance 99% of your wine is already in the system, so you generally only need to enter part of the wine’s name and the system will find it for you.

 

 

Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase.  I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but my local store is usually VERY competitive.  I generally get case discounts, and since I work there part time, I get a 5% discount.  Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges.  None of the prices include the sales tax.

 

 

All wines that were sent to me free of charge to sample will be noted and I will show suggested prices when available.

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

When bad things happen to good wine.

 

This is based on samples provided by the winery.

 

 

 

 

 “Enjoy our glass closure

Cut foil & give it a thumbs up”

 

 

 

Northwest Totem Cellars –  A name that pays respect to a life and people that once depended on, respected and revered their environment and the living world.  We and our children are committed ambassadors to this living world.  Our commitment to compassion runs broadly across many constituents; people, planet and, never to be overlooked, all other non-human living beings who share our world.  Our reverence for life securely encompasses the animals of our planet.  We share a view that they are their own communities, like that of our native ancestors, like us today.  They are their own nations.  The totem is our connection to life; old and new, human and non-human.

 

Tucked away on a private property, we are a small, family-owned winery producing hand-crafted wines in the heart of Woodinville Wine Country.  We share our love of wine and community with some of the best wineries in WashingtonState.  We’re proud to be a part of a growing wine region that is the most rapidly-increasing wine tasting area in the world!

 

The words “personal” and “warm” will define your experience at Northwest Totem Cellars.  As you walk through the front door, you realize this tasting experience will be one of your most memorable.  Pouring our wines from the “kitchen” private tasting room, Mike Sharadin, our winemaker, barrel washer, one-man show et al, will enlighten you on Washington wines, our own voyage as a small producer and will share with you the passion that has fueled our love of the grape.

 

Thank you for your interest in Northwest Totem Cellars.  We hope to meet you soon in the kitchen!

 

 

Much more information as well as links to purchase wine is available on their website.

 

 

 

My Information

Northwest Totem Cellars is a new winery for me.  I met the owner/winemaker, Mike Sharadin, on Twitter a couple years ago.  Even though he is a Philadelphia Flyers and Dallas Cowboys fan, which usually makes a person the “low man on the totem pole” to someone from Pittsburgh, we “tweeted” quite a bit.

 

As a fan of the wines coming out of the Pacific Northwest and Washington in particular, I became more intrigued and interested in learning more about Northwest Totem Cellars.  When Mike offered to send me a few samples to try, I jumped at the opportunity.

 

Mike sent me a few samples but a severe frigid spell and a weekend stop in the Dakotas or Northern Minnesota caused the wine to freeze.  When I received the bottles, a couple days later, they were still VERY cold and sweating.  On one bottle, the glass stopper had pushed through the capsule and was leaking.  Mike graciously offered to replace the “wine sickles” with good bottles once the weather cooperated.

 

This lead to the decision to do an “Ice and Nice” tasting.  I would open a pristine bottle from the second shipment and the frozen counterpart from the first shipment.  This would allow a review of the good bottle and a comparison to the changes that occur to wine when it freezes.

 

 

The lineup, first the “Nice”:

 

 

And the “Ice”:

 

 

I like the fact the winery uses glass stoppers on their bottles.  To me, this is a fantastic alternative to cork and much classier than the “twist off” options.  I won’t even bring up the synthetic cork options which I despise.

 

 

2008 Northwest Totem Cellars Cabernet Franc (SRP $35)

 

ColumbiaValley

14.2% ABV

 

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly deep ruby red color, lighter at the edge.  The very nice and open nose has cassis, Asian spices, minerals, black cherries, dried herbs, leather, tobacco, vanilla, and a touch of cedar.  This has medium body, fairly solid tannins, and very good acidity.  The palate has nice spicy fruit and vanilla with dried herbs providing considerable depth.  The finish is fairly long with the fruit, minerals, and dried herbs lingering nicely before a touch of dark chocolate closes the show.  This is a very nice, young, Cabernet Franc that will reward some time in the cellar.  This won’t be confused with a wine from California, which sets it in a very nice class.  This could turn into something special in a couple of years.  (93 pts)

 

Frozen Bottle:  The nose was very muted and shy with berries, dried herbs, and smoke.  The palate lacks any richness or depth and is hollow and very soft.  The finish is very short with very little fruit, mainly just toasty oak and dried herbs.  The wine has no obvious flaws but the fruit is virtually non-existent.

 

 

 

2009 Northwest Totem Cellars Low Man (SRP $35)

 

Columbia Valley

74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Cabernet Franc, 3% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot

14% ABV

 

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a nice deep ruby red color.  The enticing nose has blackberries, cherries, warm baking spices, leather, white pepper, minerals, violets, vanilla, dried herbs, and just a touch of cedar.  This has medium body, fairly solid, ripe tannins, and good acidity.  This wine is delicious on the palate.  Nice berries and cherries start the show but are quickly joined with sweet vanilla, spices, and a touch of dried herbs.  The finish is long and nuanced with layers of fruit and savory notes finally giving way to a nice closing note of dried herbs and cherry.  For a very young Bordeaux blend it is stunning, with perfect balance.  I’m sure this will be better with some cellar time, but it will be hard to resist.  (95 pts)

 

Frozen bottle:  The very shy nose has black cherry, dried dill, toasty oak, and dry straw.  The palate has a quick hit of cherry but it is quickly overwhelmed by dried herbs and toasty oak.  This has very soft acidity and the tannins are also very soft and don’t stick around to add any body or structure.  The fruit disappears quickly on the finish leaving toasty oak and dried herbs.

 

 

 

2008 Northwest Totem Cellars Merlot (SRP $35)

 

(Note:  I didn’t have a good sample of this wine for comparison, so only the unrated frozen sample is detailed)

 

The wine is a shade darker than ruby red.  The nose has cherries, cedar, tobacco, and a touch of smoke.  Again, very soft with little to no acidity or tannins to give any support.  On the palate, a brief hit of sweet cherry is quickly over taken by oak.  The short finish features a mouth full of spicy oak with nothing holding the wine together.

 

 

Day 2:

The next day, the good bottles were even better, more integrated and expressive than on the first day.  The previously frozen bottles were nothing more than red oak juice with a hint of fruit on the nose.

 

 

 

Ice and Nice Conclusion:

It’s scary that there were no perceivable flaws with the bottles that had frozen during shipping.  These bottles “looked” pristine, I only knew they had frozen because they were very cold and sweating when I picked them up.  One bottle in the shipment had frozen enough that the glass stopper had pushed through the capsule and was leaking.

 

It’s generally pretty easy to note cooked/stewed fruit on a bottle of wine that was submitted to extreme heat, but extreme cold is much harder to notice.

 

A less than above board retailer could have put these bottles on their shelf and the winery could have potentially lost future business because of these damaged bottles of wine.

 

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Notes – I use the “official” Cellar Tracker name for the wines.  I use Cellar Tracker to help manage and organize my cellar.  I highly recommend checking it out at www.cellartracker.com.  Loading you existing cellar is a lot less intimidating than it would first appear.  There is a good chance 99% of your wine is already in the system, so you generally only need to enter part of the wine’s name and the system will find it for you.

 

 

Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase.  I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but my local store is usually VERY competitive.  I generally get case discounts, and since I work there part time, I get a 5% discount.  Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges.  None of the prices include the sales tax.

 

 

All wines that were sent to me free of charge to sample will be noted and I will show suggested prices when available.

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

2008 Elyse Le Corbeau Hudson Vineyard

(Suggested Retail Price $37.00)

 

This is based on a winery supplied sample.

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

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

 

Ray grew up on a dairy farm in northwest New Jersey and tended various crops before tiring of milk and leaving the roost.  After a two year stint in the army and extensive travel in Europe and Africa, he returned to the states and attended StockbridgeAgriculturalCollege at the University of Massachusetts.  While at school, he worked at a fine wine shop in Boston, and it was here that he discovered fine French wine.  With Coursen’s background in farming and his new appreciation for wine, the idea of making wine took hold.

 

Nancy is a third generation Californian and grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area.   Following her graduation from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in Occupational Therapy, she worked with special needs children in the educational systems of the Boston area.   It was in Boston in 1982 that Nancy met Ray and shortly thereafter his interest in the wine business brought them to the NapaValley.

 

 

Much more information and Ray, Nancy, Elyse, and her younger brother Jacob Franklin can be found at:  http://www.elysewinery.com/25.html

 

 

On your next visit to the NapaValley, I highly recommend a stop at Elyse.  They are about a mile south of Yountville just off Highway 29.  A reservation is required but the visit is well worth the phone call.  More information is available at:  http://www.elysewinery.com/visit.html

 

And finally onto the reason you are visiting this post, the wine.

 

 

My comments

 

“Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe” -from Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven”.

I’ve been a fan of the big, “hedonistic” California Rhone Ranger wines for several years, but I’m equally a fan of the “cool climate” style of these wines, like this one.  Wines like this one are made for the dinner table and shine in that environment.  The rich, jammy fruit of the wines from warmer locales is more than adequately replaced with spice, dried herbs (often noted as garrigue in reviews of French wines), pepper, and subtle earthiness.  If you are a fan of a French Chateauneuf du Pape, check out these Grenache and Syrah blends from California, like this one.

To get a bottle of this wine for yourself, visit your local wine store or order directly from Elyse on their website.

 

Wine Info

This is a blend of 90% Grenache and 10% Syrah from the Hudson Vineyard in California’s Carneros region.

 

The wine was aged 22 months in French oak, 20% of which were new.

 

The total production was 300 cases and the final alcohol is 14.4%.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium red color with just a touch of a ruby tint.  The friendly and inviting nose has raspberries, plums, dried herbs, white pepper, Asian spices, dried wild flowers, minerals, and hints of orange zest, vanilla, and some subtle earthiness.  This has a medium body, fairly solid, velvety tannins, and very nice acidity.  On the palate the wine has very nice fruit but the spices, dried herbs, and earthy elements steal the spotlight adding waves of flavor and considerable depth, before the fruit comes roaring back into the picture.  The finish is fairly long with nice plum and raspberry competing with the spice and earthy elements.  This could easily be slipped into a Chateauneuf du Pape tasting and not stick out as being from California.  This is still very young and could use a fair amount of air or preferably a year or two in the cellar.  (93 pts)

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

 

 

Notes – I use the “official” Cellar Tracker name for the wines.  I use Cellar Tracker to help manage and organize my cellar.  I highly recommend checking it out at www.cellartracker.com.  Loading you existing cellar is a lot less intimidating than it would first appear.  There is a good chance 99% of your wine is already in the system, so you generally only need to enter part of the wine’s name and the system will find it for you.

 

 

Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase.  I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but my local store is usually VERY competitive.  I generally get case discounts, and since I work there part time, I get a 5% discount.  Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges.  None of the prices include the sales tax.

 

 

All wines that were sent to me free of charge to sample will be noted and I will show suggested prices when available.

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

This is based on samples provided by the winey or an organization acting on their behalf.

 

Prices noted are the Suggested Retail Prices.

 

 

 

One note of caution in regards to my notes below.  The samples were in small, 50ml, bottles from TastingRoom.com.  Some of the wines seemed a touch soft or tired on the mid-palate and finish.  I like these small bottles for sampling purposes, but they are designed to be sampled fairly quickly.  The mini bottles are bottled from regular sized bottles in a “zero-oxygen chamber”, they are supposed to be consumed within four to six months.  My samples had been rebottled about 5 1/2 months earlier, and I really think this was making them appear a bit “tired”.  The more acidity driven whites seem to have held up much better than the reds.

 

Since the samples were fairly small and questionable quality, I will not post scores for the wines.  I will note, all the wines were well made with absolutely no flaws.  I feel every wine, from a pristine bottle, would merit a solid recommendation.  Do not pass on any of these wines based on my notes, I know I won’t.  I would be happy to have a bottle of any of these wines with my evening dinner.

 

 

 

 

 

For 35 harvests, for 35 Septembers, our family has carefully farmed and managed some of the finest grapes in Sonoma County. With painstaking devotion to the land, three generations –  Henry Trione, sons Mark and Vic, and Mark’s daughter Denise – have developed a reputation for producing premium grapes. Our wines are characteristic of the appellations in which they are grown: the cool, slow-ripening flavors of the Russian River Valley and the rich, dark-berry essence of the Alexander Valley.

 

Over these many harvest seasons, we have owned and managed more than 700 acres of the best grapes and soils in these highly respected Sonoma County appellations. We have learned to balance and blend the gifts of nature with state-of-the-art winemaking. Our grapes have been the foundation of many award-winning wines. Now we bring our grapes to you in wines bottled under our own label, Trione Vineyards & Winery.

 

We are passionate about family and tradition, especially traditions that include good food and good wine. Our vineyards, our wines – and our winery – have been a labor of love, the culmination of our family’s long tradition of dedication to Sonoma County. Please share a bottle of wine from the Trione Vineyards and Winery with your family and friends, and taste our commitment to excellence. Salute!

 

 

 

Much more information is available on their website.

 

Trione wines are distributed in about half the country and also available on their website.

 

The Trione Wine Club offers significant discounts on wine and other perks, information is available here.

 

 

 

The line up for the tasting:

 

 

 

2010 Trione Sauvignon Blanc River Road Ranch – $23.00

 

Wine Information

The grapes for this wine came from the Trione River Road Ranch in the heart of the Russian River Valley AVA.  Sauvignon Blanc thrives here in the well-drained gravel and clay loam soils.  The long and cool 2010 growing season extended into fall, allowing fruit flavors to develop fully.  The Sauvignon Blanc was harvested the last day of September.

 

2010 was yet another challenging year in SonomaCounty for grape growing.  In fact, rainfall and low temperature records for the month of July were set that had not been seen in 50 years.  Yields were down in all varieties and growers and winemakers were wondering if the fruit would ripen at all, given the cool summer growing season.  Then Mother Nature showed her fickle ways by sending late August temperatures rising to above 100°F and scorching any exposed fruit not protected by leaf coverage.  The temperature rise hastened ripening and the grapes were harvested about two weeks later than normal.

 

The 2010 Sauvignon Blanc was made in the traditional method of tank fermentation and barrel aging.  Neutral white French oak barrels were used for the barrel aging.

 

Total production was 1,054 cases and the final alcohol was 14%.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a very light yellow to straw color, just a touch more color than water.  The fresh and Spring-like nose has gooseberry, honeysuckle, melon, lime zest, fresh cut grass, minerals, sea breeze, and a touch of baking spices.  This has just a touch over light body, is dry, and has juicy, citrusy, acidity.  The mouthwatering palate has nice spice, gooseberries, melons, herbal notes, and lime.  The finish has nice length and again has a nice mix of citrus, spice, and herbal notes.  This is like Spring in a bottle.

 

 

 

2008 Trione Chardonnay River Road Ranch – $30.00

 

Wine Information

2008 by all accounts was a season of extremes.  It began as a dry winter with slightly early bud break, which was followed up by the most extreme frost events that the Russian River Valley had seen in years.  Full frost protection was needed as well as a lot of praying.  The summer was moderate with long warm days and cool nights.  With a small crop set and a heat spike in late August, the harvest was set in motion.  The heat sent sugars climbing and the vineyard crews scrambling to get the fruit in as quickly as possible.  The Chardonnay harvest was about one week ahead of the previous year.

 

Traditional winemaking is the focus with Chardonnay at Trione.  Like the great wine estates of Burgundy, the wines are made with grapes that are hand harvested, whole bunch pressed for gentle juice extraction with the resulting juice racked to barrels.  The barrels are 100% French oak with a mixture of new, one and two years of age.  The lees from the previous vintage are used to initiate fermentation.  The wine then spends the next few months fermenting with the completion happening sometime the following spring.

 

The wine was aged for 13 months in oak barrels, 40% new.

 

There were 1,252 cases produced and the final alcohol was 14.5%

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a pale golden-yellow color with a slight greenish tint.  The nice nose has apples, pears, hazelnuts, baking spices, spicy oak, and a touch of lemon zest.  This has medium body and has good acidity.  On the palate there are baked apples, lemon zest, and a touch of nuttiness.  The finish is fairly long with tart apples and spice being joined by a slight herbal note.

 

 

 

2008 Trione Pinot Noir River Road Ranch – $35.00

 

Wine Information

2008 by all accounts was a season of extremes.  It began as a dry winter and slightly early bud break, which was followed up by the most extreme frost events that the RussianRiverValley had seen in years.  Full frost protection was needed as well as a lot of praying.  The summer was moderate with long warm days and cool nights.  With a small crop set and a heat spike in late August, the harvest was set in motion.  The heat sent sugars climbing and the vineyard crews scrambling to get the fruit in as quickly as possible.  The Pinot Noir harvest was about one week ahead of the previous year.

 

Traditional techniques such as such as open top fermentations and hand plunging the cap during primary fermentation were implemented.  To accentuate the fruit component, twenty percent of the grapes were added whole cluster to the bottom of the fermenter.

 

The wine was aged for 13 months in oak barrels, 45% new.

 

A total of 1,295 cases were produced.  The final alcohol was 14.3%.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light ruby red, considerably lighter at the edge.  The inviting nose has black cherries, earthy underbrush, baking spices, dried herbs, mushrooms, and a touch of cola.  This has medium body at most, soft but persistent tannins, and very good acidity.  The palate has earthy black cherries and spice carrying most of the load.  The finish has decent length but could use a touch more oomph.

 

 

 

2008 Trione Syrah River Road Ranch – $32.00

 

Wine Information

Trione Syrah grows in a single block planted with two clones, 470 and 877.  The mild 2008 growing season allowed slow ripening with full development of rich flavors and soft tannins.  Ten tons of grapes were hand harvested on October 8th and crushed the just-completed winery.

 

This Syrah was made with many of the small-batch techniques used with Pinot Noir:  fermentation in small, open-top fermenters with a larger portion of whole berries, hand plunging the cap four times daily for maximum flavor and color extraction.  The whole berries contributed deep blackberry fruit character and added complexity.

 

There were 678 cases produced and the final alcohol was 15.3%.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby red color.  The enticing nose has blackberries, plums, warm baking spices, white pepper, meat juices, violets, and earthy underbrush.  This has medium body, fairly solid tannins, and good acidity.  The palate has very nice spicy berries with white pepper, earthy elements, and a meaty quality.  The finish has very good length and again leans on the spicy, peppery, earthy berries.

 

 

 

2007 Trione Cabernet Sauvignon Block Twenty One – $64.00

 

Wine Information

The Block 21 Cabernet is a single vineyard selection from the Trione Cloverdale Ranch, situated on the western flank of the MayacamasMountains, in the northern portion of AlexanderValley.

 

This classic Bordeaux blend includes 10% Merlot from the Geyserville Ranch and 2.5% each Petite Verdot and Malbec, both from Cloverdale.  After a long, mild growing season, the grapes were harvested by hand, each variety separately fermented, then barrel aged for twelve months.  Once the final blend was determined, the wine was returned to barrel and aged for an additional twelve months to ‘marry’ the varietals.  The French oak barrels (45% new) used from coopers Taransaud, Vicard and Bossuet.

 

Only 733 cases of wine was produced and the alcohol is 14.5%.

 

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a touch darker than a medium ruby red color.  The very appealing nose has cassis, cedar, baking spices, cherries, minerals, dried herbs, and some earthiness.  This is medium to full bodied with fairly solid, ripe tannins, and good acidity.  The palate has nice cassis and cherry up front with baking spices, dried herbs and some earthiness coming in late.  The finish has nice length and briefly leans on the fruity components before the savory notes take over.  I would have liked a touch more fullness on the palate which gets a bit lean.

 

 

 

2007 Trione Geyserville Ranch – $48.00

 

Wine Information

The “Red Wine” is a classic Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec.  This wine was blended to show the complexities that exist in the Alexander Valley Appellation. The wine is composed mainly of Cabernet Sauvignon from Nervo Ranch.  The Merlot is from the Geyserville Ranch, the Petite Verdot and Malbec are from Cloverdale Ranch.  The varietal breakdown is 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 4% Petite Verdot and 4% Malbec.  Each variety was fermented separately in small open top vessels.

 

A total of 2,435 six-packs were produced with a final alcohol of 14.9%.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby to maroon color.  the slightly subdued nose has cassis, warm baking spices, dark chocolate, dried herbs, black cherries, and a bit of earthiness.  This has a full body, fairly solid tannins, and decent acidity.  The palate has nice cassis and plum notes up front with dried herbs and some dark chocolate coming in on the back end and carrying on through the nice finish.  Nicely balanced but I’d have liked a touch more complexity.

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Notes – I use the “official” Cellar Tracker name for the wines.  I use Cellar Tracker to help manage and organize my cellar.  I highly recommend checking it out at www.cellartracker.com.  Loading you existing cellar is a lot less intimidating than it would first appear.  There is a good chance 99% of your wine is already in the system, so you generally only need to enter part of the wine’s name and the system will find it for you.

 

 

Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase.  I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but my local store is usually VERY competitive.  I generally get case discounts, and since I work there part time, I get a 5% discount.  Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges.  None of the prices include the sales tax.

 

 

All wines that were sent to me free of charge to sample will be noted and I will show suggested prices when available.

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

These reviews are based on samples provided by the winery or another company acting on their behalf.  Prices noted are the Suggested Retail Prices.

 

Over the last month, I have had the extreme pleasure of tasting through a dozen different wines from the Steven Kent and La Rochelle wineries.  Every wine has been outstanding and distinctive.  These aren’t the cookie-cutter wines being offered by some of the larger wineries in the world.  Every wine shows the distinct terroir of the vintage, region, and vineyard from where they originated.  Generally these are wines that taste good now with some aeration, but have the balance and all the key ingredients to age and improve with extended cellar time.

 

The wines, though above some people’s normal price points, are reasonably priced based on their level of quality.  These are small, limited production wines, most are produced in quantities under 100 cases.

 

I highly recommend these wines.  The winery also has a number of wine clubs that can guarantee you an allocation of the wines at discounted prices and offer other benefits.  Visit the website for more information.

 

 

 

The Steven Kent Winery Was Born.

In 2005, Steven joined forces with the Ghielmetti family who owned a spectacular vineyard site about three miles east of the winery.  The site was planted to Bordeaux and Rhône varieties, many of which he used to make small-lot releases for his burgeoning wine clubs.  Steven realized in 2007, though, that the farther he went down this path, the further away he’d be from the vision with which he started in the business – to make a single, great, statement wine.

 

Lineage—our Livermore Valley Red Wine—then, is the renaissance of that need to have the effort mean something; for the wine to be a symbol of the passion to create something of great quality, an emblem of one family’s generations-long commitment to the grape.

 

Also in 2005, Steven found an opportunity to close a circle.  His cousins, who had earlier sold the Mirassou brand to Gallo, had started a brand called La Rochelle, named for the town north of Bordeaux from which their progenitor had come to America in 1854.  La Rochelle had an amazingly talented winemaker, Tom Stutz, and a portfolio of wines whose only focus was family vineyard fruit from Monterey.  Steven acquired the brand and brought it and Tom up to Livermore with a new focus on Pinot Noir.  Seven years later, La Rochelle is making some of the best Pinot Noirs (and a newly released, small-lot production focus on Chardonnay) in California.

 

Much more information, links to the wineries, and purchasing information is available at their website.

 

 

Steven has a very nice blog here – Steven’s Blog.

 

 

 

Steven Kent Winery Info

“Steven Kent is producing today’s greatest Livermore Cabernets, wines that hearken back to the valley’s roots as one of California’s best wine regions.” – Wine Enthusiast

 

The Steven Kent Winery was started in 1996 with one mission: to make Cabernet here in the Livermore Valley that rivals in quality the greatest red wines made anywhere in the world.

 

Livermore Valley has a long, dedicated history of growing the “Bordeaux” varietals, and in particular Cabernet Sauvignon.  In the 1880s, pioneering winegrowers began to discover the potential of the Livermore Valley region.  Then, as today, L.V.’s climate and soils closely resemble those of Bordeaux’s famed left bank of the Gironde.  By the turn of the last century, Livermore Valley was already far ahead of its Napa Valley neighbor in specializing in the Bordeaux varieties.  Our goal at Steven Kent is to carry on that tradition.

 

“We have worked joyously and strenuously to know our vineyards; to learn how our fruit expresses itself from those sites; to discover the best winemaking and barrel regimens that translates those grapes into world-class vintages.  We’re very gratified that customers, critics, and collectors alike consider our “historic Cabernet” to be an essential addition to their table, their “best of lists,” and their cellars”.  – Steven Kent Mirassou

 

More information is available at their website.

 

 

La Rochelle Info

Our mission at La Rochelle is a simple one:  to make California’s best, most interesting, most collectable Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

 

My family introduced the Pinot Noir grape to California in the 1850s.  Today, we partner with the state’s most renowned Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vineyards – Garys’. Sleepy Hollow. Rosella’s. Londer. Paraiso. Tondre. Ferrington. Deer Park.  We craft Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grown on these famed estates that let the individual vineyard’s terroir, its special sense of place, shine through.

 

My great-great-great grandfather left the French port of La Rochelle one hundred and sixty years ago on a voyage of possibilities.  Our journey at La Rochelle Winery is an equally exciting one:  to discover the best vineyards and translate those exceptional estates into limited releases worthy of our heritage.

 

Steven Kent Mirassou

 

 

La Rochelle Winemaker, Tom Stutz also has a blog – Tom’s Blog.

 

 

Much more information is available on La Rochelle wine at their website.

 

 

 

 

To check availability or to purchase any of these wine or other wines offered by the wineries in the Steven Kent Portfolio, visit their website.

 

 

 

The lineup:

 

 

2009 La Rochelle Pinot Noir Sleepy Hollow Block A – $48.00

 

Wine Information

This 100% Pinot Noir was aged 26 months in 45% new oak and 55% second use.  The barrels were 74% French and 26% American.

 

The vineyard is one of the most northerly sites in the Santa Lucia Highlands.  The vineyard has been a source of fruit to La Rochelle since 2003, and provided fruit to the family’s Mirassou Vineyards label for close to 20 years before that time.  This is generally one of the “bigger” Pinot Noirs produced by the winery.

 

The final alcohol is 14.7% and production was 11 barrels.

 

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium ruby red color.  The very inviting nose has black cherries, raspberries, warmed baking spices, earthy underbrush, a nice smoky element, cola, minerals, fresh wild flowers, and a touch of pine needles.  This has medium body, soft, ripe tannins, and very good acidity.  The palate has a nice helping of darker fruit, spice, and good earthiness.  The wine thins a touch on the finish which is flavorful with nice length.  I think with additional cellar time, the finish will fill out and the wine will develop additional complexity.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Steven Kent Cabernet Sauvignon Livermore Valley – $48.00

 

Wine Information

This is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Home Ranch, Ghielmetti Estate, and Folkendt vineyards, as well as a few percent each of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot.

 

The lots were made and aged separately before being blended about six months prior to release.  The wine spent a total of 24 months in 75% new oak barrels.  The barrels were 52% French, 43% American, and 5% Hungarian.

 

The final alcohol is 14.4%

 

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to deep ruby red color.  The interesting nose has cassis, cedar, Asian spices, tobacco, black olives, dark chocolate, dried herbs, black cherries, and a touch of earthiness.  This has medium to full body, fairly solid tannins, and good acidity.  The palate has nice fruit and spice up front with olives and earthiness coming in on the back end adding nice depth.  The finish has nice length and leans heavily on the savory elements.  This improved a lot with air; initially there was a green bell pepper element that after a couple hours integrated nicely.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Steven Kent Cabernet Sauvignon Folkendt Vineyard – $65.00

 

Wine Information

There were 82 cases produced of this 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.  The 4.5 acre vineyard was planted in 1992.

 

The wine was aged 24 months in 100% new French oak barrels.  As with all their red wines, this was bottled without fining or filtration.

 

The final alcohol is 14.6%.

 

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to dark ruby red color.  The sexy nose has cassis, cedar, melted licorice, dried herbs, black plums, baking spices, dark chocolate, and some black cherry.  This has medium to full body, solid tannins, and very good acidity.  The palate has solid dark fruit and spice with some dark chocolate and spicy oak in the background.  The finish is long and full of spicy fruit and chocolaty oak.  This really needs a couple years in the cellar to strut its stuff, but tastes nice now with several hours of air.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Steven Kent Malbec Ghielmetti – $50.00

 

Wine Information

The Ghielmetti Vineyard is a touch under 65 acres and is planted to 11 different grapes on 20 distinct blocks.  This Malbec comes from Block 13, which is comprised of 66 rows and 5,940 vines that were grafted over from Petite Sirah in 2006.  This is the only block of Malbec in the vineyard.

 

The four barrels used in this offering were aged in 100% new oak and yielded a total of only 98 cases of wine.

 

The final alcohol is 14.1%.

 

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to dark ruby red color.  The exotic nose had plums, blackberries, stony minerals, Asian spices, licorice, cedar, charred meat, cherries, dark chocolate, and a touch of vanilla.  The wine has medium to full body, solid tannins, and good acidity.  The palate has big, bold, spicy fruit up front with very nice savory notes coming in on the back end adding considerable depth.  The finish is long and very flavorful with the spicy fruit, cedar, and a touch of dark chocolate slowly adding some cherry.  Very tasty today with some air, but this could use at least a year or two in the cellar.  This was much better on day two.  (94 pts)

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

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!

 

 

 

These wines were provided by Balzac Communications acting on behalf of Steven Kent and La Rochelle Wineries.

 

 

 

 

These wines were tasted as part of the Steven Kent Wines online Twitter tasting on Friday, February 15th.  The notes that follow were compiled first during the event but modified as needed after retasting the bottles again on Saturday.  As expected a few of the larger red wines showed the most improvement on the second day.  Since these wines are priced on the higher side (but very reasonably, in my opinion) it would be best to allow the big reds considerable air or preferably a few years in the cellar.

 

 

Steven Kent Winery and La Rochelle Winery are part of the Steven Kent Portfolio.  Information is available online for Steven Kent Portfolio, Steven Kent Winery, and La Rochelle Winery.

 

 

 

2011 Steven Kent Lola Ghielmetti Vineyard (SRP $24)

 

This is a blend of 65% Sauvignon Blanc and 35% Semillon from the Ghielmetti Vineyard in Livermore.

 

Each variety was fermented separately in stainless steel tanks after whole cluster pressing.  After four months in tanks, the final blending was performed and aged a few more months in tanks to help marry the flavors.  The wine did not go through malo-lactic fermentation to help maintain the crisp acidity.

 

The final alcohol is 13.9%.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a golden yellow color with a slight green tint.  The fresh and full of Spring nose has apples, citrus zest, minerals, straw, and some spice.  This has a medium body with crisp acidity.  On the palate the tart apples, lime zest, and a touch of white pepper grab center stage.  Even though it is only 35% of the blend it seems to stand out a bit.  This would be perfect for dinner on the deck or patio on a warm day.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2010 La Rochelle Chardonnay Morelli Lane Dutton Ranch (SRP $65)

 

This 100% Chardonnay was pressed off into stainless steel tanks and allowed to settle for a day or two.  It was then transferred to French oak barrels, 40% new, for fermentation.  The wine underwent malo-lactic fermentation and was aged sur-lie for 18 months in the 40% new French oak.

 

The final alcohol is 14.8%.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep yellow with a slight golden tint.  The very appealing nose has apples, hazelnuts, fresh bread, baking spices, citrus zest, minerals, and a touch of pineapple.  This has medium body and nice acidity.  On the palate the ripe apples, citrus zest, minerals, and spice steal the show.  Watch the serving temperature on this one, it was too bright when a couple degrees cold but became a bit too soft and out of balance when it warmed a bit too much.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2009 La Rochelle Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands (SRP $38)

 

This wine is 100% Pinot Noir.  The vineyards used are Paraiso (31.3%), Sarmento (31.2%), White Sage (12.5%), Tondre Grapefield (12.5%), and Mission Ranch (12.5%).

 

The wine was aged 31 months in 100% French oak, 40% new and 60% second use.

 

The alcohol is 15.2%.

 

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright ruby red color.  The dark and enticing nose has cherries, earthy underbrush, wood smoke, cola, minerals, warm baking spices, black raspberries, dark chocolate, and a touch orange zest.  This has medium body, ripe, velvety tannins, and very good acidity.  Earthy cherries, baking spices, and minerals grab the palate initially, slowly allowing some cola, black raspberries, and spicy oak to add considerable depth.  The finish has very nice length with earthy fruit and spice slowly fading away.  This is very young and deserves some cellar time to open and fill out.  This improved greatly on the second day.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2009 La Rochelle Pinot Noir Donum Estate Vineyard – (SRP $75)

 

This 100% Pinot Noir from Donum Ranch in the Carneros region was aged 19 months in 100% French oak, 40% new, for 19 months after being destemmed and crushed into 1 3/4 ton open top bins for fermentation.

 

The final alcohol is 14.6%.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a touch lighter than a medium ruby red color.  The very enticing nose has raspberries, dried sage, eucalyptus, cherries, and some earthiness.  This is barely medium body with soft, ripe tannins, and very good acidity.  The palate is dominated by the cherries, raspberries, and spice, but a touch of earthiness creeps in on the back end.  The finish has nice length but it seemed to get a touch thin.  Drinkable now, but I’m sure some time in the cellar will add some complexity and help fill out the finish a bit.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Steven Kent Petit Verdot Ghielmetti – (SRP $50)

 

Petit Verdot is generally used as a blending grape to help add tannins and color to Cabernet Sauvignon wines.  As an experiment, the winery selected their five “best” barrels to bottle and release as a “small lot” offering.  In my opinion, their experiment was a glowing success.

 

This 100% Petit Verdot from the Livermore Valley was aged 18 months in 60% new and 40% second use oak barrels from America and Hungary.  To the winery, the wine aged in the American oak  provided the “most pleasurable combination of structuring elements, flavor/aroma contribution, and forwardness of fruit”.  Total production was only 98 cases.

 

The final alcohol was 14.1%.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark maroon color.  The dark and manly nose has blackberries, cocoa, vanilla, warm baking spices, and some nice earthiness.  This is medium to full body with fairly solid tannins and good acidity.  The velvety palate is headed by dark, spicy, earthy berries, with some cocoa coming in on the back end.  The finish is fairly long and a nice continuation of the palate.  The best straight Petit Verdot I have ever had the pleasure to drink.  This wine was very good on the first day but even better on day two.  Some cellar time will be greatly rewarded.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Steven Kent Cabernet Sauvignon Home Ranch Vineyard – (SRP $65)

 

The Home Ranch in the Livermore Valley was planted in 1996 and is 2.8 acres.

 

This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon was destemmed and crushed into open top fermenters.  After fermentation, the wine was moved into 100% new American and French oak barrels for 24 months of aging.

 

The final alcohol is 14.2%.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine was a dark ruby to maroon color.  The exotic and very inviting nose has a quick hit of mint accompanied by cassis, dried herbs, smoke, baking spices, minerals, fresh ground espresso, and dark chocolate.  This has medium to full body, solid tannins and good acidity.  The palate was just as inviting as the nose lead me to expect with spicy cassis, mint, and a touch of earthiness leading the way.  The finish was fairly long with a very nice dark, bittersweet chocolate note lingering seemingly forever.  This improved greatly on the second day and deserves some time in the cellar.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Notes – I use the “official” Cellar Tracker name for the wines.  I use Cellar Tracker to help manage and organize my cellar.  I highly recommend checking it out at www.cellartracker.com.  Loading you existing cellar is a lot less intimidating than it would first appear.  There is a good chance 99% of your wine is already in the system, so you generally only need to enter part of the wine’s name and the system will find it for you.

 

 

Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase.  I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but my local store is usually VERY competitive.  I generally get case discounts, and since I work there part time, I get a 5% discount.  Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges.  None of the prices include the sales tax.

 

 

All wines that were sent to me free of charge to sample will be noted and I will show suggested prices when available.

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

2010 La Rochelle Chardonnay Ferrington Vineyard (SRP $65.00)

2009 La Rochelle Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands (SRP $38.00)

 

(Based on bottles supplied by the winery)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

La Rochelle is part of the Steven Kent Portfolio of wine.

 

Our mission at La Rochelle is a simple one:  to make California’s best, most interesting, most collectable Pinot Noir.

 

My family introduced the Pinot Noir grape to California in the 1850s.  Today, we partner with the state’s most renowned Pinot Noir vineyards – Garys’. Sleepy Hollow. Rosella’s. Londer. Paraiso. Tondre. Ferrington. Deer Park.  We craft Pinot Noir grown on these famed estates that let the individual vineyard’s terroir, its special sense of place, shine through.

 

My great-great-great grandfather left the French port of La Rochelle one hundred and sixty years ago on a voyage of possibilities.  Our journey at La Rochelle Winery is an equally exciting one:  to discover the best Pinot Noir vineyards and translate those exceptional estates into limited releases worthy of our heritage.

 

If your passion is Pinot, then your journey has led you to the right place… –  Steven Kent Mirassou

 

 

 

Sign up for the La Rochelle Mailing List

 

 

More Winery Information

 

 

 

2010 La Rochelle Chardonnay Ferrington Vineyard (SRP $65.00)

 

 

Ferrington Vineyard

 

Ferrington Vineyard is home to our only Anderson Valley Chardonnay site as of 2012.  Located near Boonville, on the same side of Hwy 128 as Deer Meadow, Ferrington was originally planted in the late 1960s.  The 70 acre site is planted to Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc, and Gewurztraminer on decomposed sandstone and clay soils.  In 2010 we entered into a contract to purchase about two tons of Robert Young clone of Chardonnay, and the first vintage yielded just over 100 cases.  Ferrington was purchased by the Schoeneman family in 1997 and it has since become one of the most sought after sites in AndersonValley.  We gained access to Pinot Noir from this site starting in 2012.

 

 

Technical info

The grapes were harvested for this 100% Chardonnay on October 18, 2010.  This was barrel fermented and aged sur-lie for 14 months in 100% French oak barrels, 40% new.

 

The final alcohol is 14.6%.

 

 

Tasting note

The wine is a very light yellow to golden color.  The very exotic and inviting nose has apples, flinty minerals, lemon curd, lime zest, Asian spices, hazelnuts, and a touch of toast.  This has medium body and tart, citrusy acidity.  Bright apples and citrus greet the palate with minerals, spice, hazelnuts pouring in over the top and from all sides.  The finish is very long with the spicy, citrus driven, fruit and spice seeming to never totally fade away, leaving a nutty, lemony note.  This is incredibly young at this time and will improve with some cellar time.  One of the best California Chardonnay wines I’ve ever had the pleasure to drink.  This is stunning.  (95 pts)

 

 

2009 La Rochelle Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands (SRP $38.00)

 

Santa Lucia Highlands

 

One of the most exciting Pinot Noir appellations in the world, this slender hillside growing area extends roughly 18 miles northwest to southeast in MontereyCounty.  Cooled by wind from the Pacific ocean just a mountain chain to the west and gaining ripening sun from its elevated exposures, the Santa Lucia Highlands is home to some of the most profound Pinots now being made.  La Rochelle works with a number of vineyards spanning the entire length of the appellation.  Each wine we produce has its own special site-driven notes.  They all share, however, the passion of the people who farm them.

 

 

Technical info

This wine is 100% Pinot Noir.  The vineyards used are Paraiso (31.3%), Sarmento (31.2%), White Sage (12.5%), Tondre Grapefield (12.5%), and Mission Ranch (12.5%).

 

The wine was aged 31 months in 100% French oak, 40% new and 60% second use.

 

The alcohol is 15.2%.

 

Tasting note

The wine is a bright ruby red color.  The dark and enticing nose has cherries, earthy underbrush, wood smoke, cola, minerals, warm baking spices, black raspberries, dark chocolate, and a touch orange zest.  This has medium body, ripe, velvety tannins, and very good acidity.  Earthy cherries, baking spices, and minerals grab the palate initially, slowly allowing some cola, black raspberries, and spicy oak to add considerable depth.  The finish has very nice length with earthy fruit and spice slowly fading away.  This is very young and deserves some cellar time to open up and fill out.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

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!

 

 

(Suggested Retail Price $28.00)

 

 

 

This is based on a winery supplied sample.

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

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

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

 

 

 

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

 

 

Ray grew up on a dairy farm in northwest New Jersey and tended various crops before tiring of milk and leaving the roost.  After a two year stint in the army and extensive travel in Europe and Africa, he returned to the states and attended StockbridgeAgriculturalCollege at the University of Massachusetts.  While at school, he worked at a fine wine shop in Boston, and it was here that he discovered fine French wine.  With Coursen’s background in farming and his new appreciation for wine, the idea of making wine took hold.

 

Nancy is a third generation Californian and grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area.   Following her graduation from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in Occupational Therapy, she worked with special needs children in the educational systems of the Boston area.   It was in Boston in 1982 that Nancy met Ray and shortly thereafter his interest in the wine business brought them to the NapaValley.

 

 

Much more information and Ray, Nancy, Elyse, and her younger brother Jacob Franklin can be found at:  http://www.elysewinery.com/25.html

 

 

On your next visit to the NapaValley, I highly recommend a stop at Elyse.  They are about a mile south of Yountville just off Highway 29.  A reservation is required but the visit is well worth the phone call.  More information is available at:  http://www.elysewinery.com/visit.html

 

 

 

 

 

And finally onto the reason you are visiting this post, the wine.

 

 

 

 

My comments

C’est si bon is French for “It’s so good”.  Read on to see I think the wine lives up to its name.

 

In case you didn’t notice, even though I love the Bordeaux grapes and a Pinot Noir can be an excellent accompaniment with a meal, my heart lies with the grapes from the Rhone region in France.  I love a nice Grenache or a Syrah but to me, these grapes seem to hit their zenith when used in a blend, such as this one.  The grapes compliment each other so well, some add dark berry flavors, some cherry, or spice, or black pepper, or earthiness or dried herbs…you get the point, to me the blend is usually greater than the sum of its parts.

 

 

Wine Info

This is a blend of 39% Grenache, 33% Mourvedre, 12% Syrah, 8% Cinsault, 5% Counoise, and 3% Viognier from the Naggiar Vineyard in GrassValley in the Sierra Foothills.

 

After a 15 day native yeast fermentation, the wine was aged 22 months in French oak Puncheons, 10% new.

 

Total production was 1,594 cases and the final alcohol level was 14.4%.

 

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium ruby red color.  The intense and inviting nose has black raspberries, licorice, dried herbs, earthiness, orange zest, dark chocolate, cassis, plums, grilled meat, and Asian spices.  The wine has medium to full body, solid tannins, and very good acidity.  On the palate there is nice spicy fruit with dried herbs, on the back end chocolate, earthiness, and orange zest sneak in adding depth and complexity.  The finish is long and lingering, with a nice fruit and savory balance.  This is very young, give it some air if drinking in the next six months to a year.  The wine is very balanced with no rough edges, very food friendly, no over the top ripeness, think CdP not Paso Robles.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

The wine was a very nice partner with a grilled Strip Steak, sautéed mushrooms, baked potato with butter and cheese, and a salad.

 

 

 

***** 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!