2015 Château d’Esclans Rock Angel

2015 Château Sainte Marguerite Côtes de Provence La Symphonie

2015 Hecht & Bannier Côtes de Provence Rosé

2015 Domaine Saint Aix Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence Rosé

2015 Domaine de la Sangliere Côtes de Provence Cuvée Spéciale

 

(All wines were free samples provided for review purposes by Wines of Provence and Calhoun & Company.)

 

 

When I was approached to sample and review some rosé wines from Provence, I almost broke my fingers to respond too quickly.  This was an easy question, I love these wines.  I always have at least a case of Provence rosés in my cellar.  A nice rosé isn’t just for a hot summer day, they are outstanding the entire year.  If you are not familiar with the rosés from the area, I highly encourage you to check them out.  The wines below are a great starting point, but the fun is finding the one that will become your “house rosé”.

 

Don’t expect a sweet White Zinfandel style of wine, these are usually bone dry and are perfect with a lighter meal or a perfect to serve as guests arrive for a party or just conversation.

 

 

 

For centuries, dry rosé wine has been a staple in the south of France, where it is embraced as the best lunchtime, seaside, and all-occasion wine. Particularly in the coastal Provence region, the heart of the world’s dry rosé production, a passion for dry pink permeates the culture. Provençal citizens know from centuries of wine growing history that vin rosé pairs with all the foods they like, any time of year. In fact, French rosé outsells white wine in France.

 

Provence, the site of France’s oldest vineyards, is the world’s largest wine region specializing in rosé. The region has a rich rosé tradition, and winemakers today are the beneficiaries of the region’s collective knowledge and time-honored techniques. Since rosé is a delicate wine and one of the most difficult to produce with success, these long-established traditions remain entirely relevant. The area’s deep-rooted rosé culture goes a long way toward explaining why the world’s best rosés still come from Provence.

 

Much more information on the region, the wineries and their wines is available on their website.

 

See below for a link to a free download of a recipe book full of great food to serve with these wines.

 

 

Here is the line up of wines for this post:

 

2015 Château d’Esclans Rock Angel – SRP $35

This wine is a blend of Grenache and Vermentino (Rolle).  After a manual harvest the grapes go through a manual and optical sorting.  This wine is 50% stainless steel fermented 50% crafted in oak barrels. Temperature controlled.

 

The wine is a bright salmon pink color.  The crisp and clean nose has strawberries, cherries, crushed stone minerals, white peach, leafy herbs and orange blossoms.  This has medium body with crisp acidity.  On the palate bright bruit, minerals and leafy herbs jump out first with white peach and orange blossoms coming in later.  The finish has great length with juicy citrusy acidity.  This is a step or two above your normal Rosé.  This has 14.0% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (93 pts)

 

 

2015 Château Sainte Marguerite Côtes de Provence La Symphonie – SRP $18

This is a blend of 40% Grenache, 40% Cinsault and 20% Syrah.  The grapes were both mechanically and manually harvested, with the majority being harvested mechanically.  This organic wine went through a cold skin contact maceration before pressing and a temperature controlled vinification.  The wine was aged in vats on fine lees before being fined and filtered before bottling.

 

The wine is a bright salmon pink color.  The refreshing nose has strawberries, cherries, stony minerals, melon, orange blossoms and citrus zest.  This has light to medium body with crisp acidity.  This is dry on the palate with strawberries, minerals and cherries on the front end with melon and orange blossoms coming in later.  The finish has nice length with a touch of citrus zest leading you to grab another sip.  This would be great with a light meal on the deck or patio on a sunny day or as something to sip before a festive meal with friends.  This has 12.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a man made stopper.  (90 pts)

 

 

2015 Hecht & Bannier Côtes de Provence Rosé – SRP $18.00

This is a blend of 45% Grenache, 40% Cinsault and 15% Syrah.  The grapes are harvested between 3:00 AM and 9:00 AM to avoid oxidation and to preserve the fresh characteristics.  The grapes are kept below 50F° for sorting and destemming to preserve the light color.  Vinification is mainly in stainless steel with frequent batonnage until bottling.

 

The wine is a bright salmon pink color.  The fresh and inviting nose has cherries, strawberries, wet stone minerals, white peach, orange zest, fennel and anise.  This has light to medium body with good acidity and just a hint of lingering sweetness.  On the palate strawberry, cherry and minerals quickly take control with white peach and fennel coming in later.  The long finish adds orange zest and a hint of anise.  This is a crisp wine with just enough sweetness to add a bit of weight and make it extremely easy to sip.  This would be great on a sunny day sitting on the patio or deck.  This has 13.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a glass stopper.  (90 pts)

 

 

2015 Domaine Saint Aix Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence Rosé – SRP $15.00

This wine is a blend of 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 20% Cinsault.  Only the best grapes were harvested under optimal weather conditions to ensure perfect balance between the sugar and acidity.  When the grapes reached the cellar it was still the cool morning ensuring the retention of all the fruit flavors, minerality and freshness.

 

The wine is a light salmon color.  The nose reminds me of Spring full of strawberries, white flowers, white peach, crushed stones and a hint of leafy herb.  This has light to medium body with crisp acidity and perhaps just a touch of sweetness.  On the palate strawberries, minerals and white peach jump out immediately with a nice floral note and a touch of leafy herb coming in on the back end.  The finish has great length with nice, mouthwatering acidity leading you to grab another sip.  A wonderful rosé to pair with a light meal or to sip on its own on a sunny day.  This has 13.0% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a man made closure.  (91 pts)

 

 

2015 Domaine de la Sangliere Côtes de Provence Cuvée Spéciale – SRP $15.00

This wine is a blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Cinsault.

 

The wine is a light salmon pink color.  The enticing nose has cherries, strawberries, white peach, orange blossoms, sea breeze, stony minerals and a hint of leafy herbs.  This has medium body with good acidity and just of hint of lingering sweetness.  Nice red fruit, minerals, orange blossoms and a slight saline element quickly coat your palate with white peach coming in later.  The finish has very good length with a subtle herbal note providing depth.  This is extremely easy to drink and would be perfect with a lighter meal on a sunny day or as an aperitif before a festive dinner.  This has 13.0% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a man made “cork”.  (90 pts)

 

 

Conclusion

These wines are perfect for a nice sunny day but they are also without peer any time of the year.  These wines are very food friendly with a wide range of foods.  Any serious wine consumer should have a few stashed away for any special occasion, like a Tuesday evening.  The wines are available everywhere at very wallet friendly prices, some under $10.

 

Since you’ve read this far, I wanted to point out a download full of delicious recipes perfect with these wines from their website.  Click here to download.

 

 

 

Calhoun & Company enjoys a diverse portfolio of wine and spirits clients. From family owned to corporate managed, luxury to everyday priced, small lot wines to nationally distributed, Napa to Oporto, we thrive on the varied media opportunities each of these categories presents. We are exceptionally proud of the breadth and depth of our practice, as illustrated by this partial list of brands we have worked with over the past 13 years.  For more information, visit their website.

 

 

 

 

Connect with me

You can follow me on Twitter for more wine info, potential food pairings, and an occasional recipe or two.  Be warned, I’m also a sports fan and there are occasional Pittsburgh Penguins, Steelers, and Pirates tweets.  I attended the University of South Carolina, so during football season, there will also be some Gamecock posts.

 

I post a lot more pictures and pairing suggestions on my Instagram account, consider joining me at https://www.instagram.com/cbbrown3/

 

If you like this post, consider joining Cliffs Wine Picks Wine Blog on Facebook and giving me a Like.

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 2017 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

Here are posts, newsletters, blogs or other articles that either mention this site or that I have written:

 

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

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase.  I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but always check out the sale and close out items when in a store.  Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges.  None of the prices include the sales tax.

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

2015 Ehlers Estate Sauvignon Blanc

2013 Ehlers Estate Cabernet Franc St. Helena

2013 Ehlers Estate Cabernet Sauvignon “1886”

This is based on winery supplied samples.

 

 

 

Bernard Ehlers bought a small, dying vineyard in the late 1800s.  It was the lure of winemaking that led him on a quest to create a winery that today, still bears his name.  Bernard’s first tasks were to replant his 10 acre vineyard, plant a still existing Olive grove and to build a stone barn to be used in winemaking.  The construction of the stone barn was completed in 1886.  This should answer one of the biggest questions about Ehlers Estate, why is the Cabernet Sauvignon named 1886?

 

The property passed through several hands after Bernard’s wife dies in the 1920s.

 

Eventually Jean and Sylviane Leducq, realizing the potential of the area to produce the wines of style and power to rival Bordeaux, purchased the property.  The husband and wife team slowly increased their vineyards by buying local vineyards as they went up for sale.  The family now owns 42 acres and uses the original owner’s name on their label, Ehlers Estate.

 

Much more information on Ehlers Estate is available on their website by clicking here.

 

 

A view of the Ehlers Estate vineyard and stone barn (From winery’s website)

 

 

My line-up for this tasting:

 

 

2015 Ehlers Estate Sauvignon Blanc – SRP $28

This wine is 100% Sauvignon Blanc from the winery’s estate vineyard.  The vineyard was awarded organic certification from the California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) in July 2008.  The grapes for this wine were harvested on August 19-20.  After fermentation, the wine was aged in stainless steel barrels and neutral, used French barrels until bottling in February 2016.  There were 1170 cases produced.

 

The wine has 13.2% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

The wine is a pale yellow-straw color.  The exhilarating nose has tart apples, grapefruit, lemon zest, lime, crushed stone minerals, orange blossoms and a hint of nuttiness.  This has medium to full body with crisp acidity and just a hint of sweetness.  On the palate full blown citrus and minerals grab hold on the front end with a nice floral note coming in on the back end.  The mouthwatering finish adds a hint of nuttiness while the citrus leads you to take another taste.  This has very nice balance and will add appeal to any meal on the deck or patio on a warm, sunny day.  This is also very easy to sip on its’ own while enjoying some Summer sun.  This wine has 13.2% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (91 pts)

 

 

2013 Ehlers Estate Cabernet Franc St. Helena – SRP $60

This wine is 100% Cabernet Franc from the winery’s estate vineyard.  Like the Sauvignon Blanc above and the 1886 Cabernet Sauvignon below, the vineyard is certified organic in 2008.  The grapes for this wine were harvested in late September through early October.  After fermentation, the wine was aged 100% French oak (50% new) from various Coopers.  831 cases of wine were bottled on August 7, 2015.

 

The wine has 14.2% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

This wine is a deep ruby red color.  The very inviting nose has cassis, black cherries, dark chocolate, dried leafy herbs and dusty minerals.  This is medium to full body with moderate to solid tannins and good acidity.  Lush fruit and minerals greet you palate on the front end with dried herbs coming in later.  The finish is long and lingering with dark chocolate entering the picture.  This is rich and lush and full of power, it is easy to enjoy.  (92 pts)

 

 

2013 Ehlers Estate Cabernet Sauvignon “1886” – SRP $110

This wine is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot from the winery’s certified organic estate vineyard.  The grapes for this wine were harvested in late September through early October.  After fermentation, the wine was aged 100% French oak (70% new) from various Coopers.  There were 2733 cases produced and bottled on August 7, 2015.

 

The wine has 14.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork

 

This wine is a deep ruby color.  The intoxicating nose has cassis, raspberries, crushed stone minerals, tobacco, cedar, warm baking spices, dark chocolate and cherries.  This is medium to full body with medium to solid tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate cassis, minerals and dark chocolate grab your attention on the front end with baking spices and cherries coming in later.  The long finish has nice balance between the fruit and savory elements.  This is nice now with some air but give this one a couple years in the cellar to fully develop.  (94 pts)

 

 

Conclusion

All three of these wines were very good to outstanding.  Even though the two red wines are already very tasty, showing some patience by laying them down in your cellar will be greatly rewarded.  There is serious upside potential for the reds, especially the “1886” Cabernet.  The Sauvignon Blanc would be a very fitting wine to open with a lighter meal or to serve with a platter of appetizers at a holiday get-together with family or friends.  These wines were samples provided by the winery, but I have purchased these wines in the past, and will purchase again.

 

 

Connect with me

You can follow me on Twitter for more wine info, potential food pairings, and an occasional recipe or two.  Be warned, I’m also a sports fan and there are occasional Pittsburgh Penguins, Steelers, and Pirates tweets.  I attended the University of South Carolina, so during football season, there will also be some Gamecock posts.

 

If you like this post, consider joining Cliffs Wine Picks Wine Blog on Facebook and giving me a Like.

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 2016 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

Here are posts, newsletters, blogs or other articles that either mention this site or that I have written:

 

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

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase.  I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but always check out the sale and close out items when in a store.  Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges.  None of the prices include the sales tax.

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

These reviews are based on samples provided by the winery or organization acting on their behalf.

 

 

 

 

2015 Clos Dalian Terra Alta Garnacha Blanca

2013 Viñas del Vero Somontano Garnacha Blanca La Miranda de Secastilla

2015 Altovinum Evodia

2015 Castillo de Monséran Garnacha Cariñena

2014 Bodegas Aragonesas Garnacha Campo de Borja Coto de Hayas Centenaria

 

 

Overview

I was invited to participate in a #GarnachaDay online tasting with Snooth and Wines of Garnacha.  These wines were provided to me by the organizers.  A very informative online session hosted by Master Sommelier and Corkbuzz owner Laura Maniec and Master of Wine Christy Canterbury.  You can view the Virtual Tasting Chat Log and view the recorded video by clicking here.

 

Much more informative information is available at the Wines of Garnacha site.

 

Old Garnacha Vines of Bodegas Alto Moncayo.

Picture courtesy of Foods & Wines of Spain

 

 

My Line Up

Here is my line up for this online tasting event:

 

 

2015 Clos Dalian Terra Alta Garnacha Blanca

This wine is 100% Garnacha Blanca (White Grenache) from the Terra Alta region in Spain.  The wine does not see oak.

 

The wine has 12.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off closure.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a very light straw yellow color.  The very inviting nose has ripe apples, pears, white pepper, crushed stone minerals, lemon zest, orange blossoms, lime zest, white peaches and beeswax.  This has medium body with nice crisp acidity.  On the palate apples, pears, lemon zest and crushed stones jump out quickly with orange blossoms and beeswax coming in on the back end.  The lingering finish adds mouthwatering lime zest.  The bright fruit and crisp acidity makes this a perfect choice for a light meal or an aperitif on a warm, sunny day.  (89 pts)

 

 

2013 Viñas del Vero Somontano Garnacha Blanca La Miranda de Secastilla

This 100% Garnacha Blanca was aged 4 months in French oak.

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright yellow color.  The fresh and bright nose has apples, white peaches, crushed stones, pears, orange blossoms and a touch of Spanish peanuts.  The palate has nice white fruit and crushed stones on the front end with white peaches and orange blossoms coming in later.  The crisp finish adds a nutty element and just enough citrus leaving your mouth watering for another sip.  This would be a very nice companion for a light meal or appetizers on a sunny day.  (91 pts)

 

 

2015 Altovinum Evodia

This wine is a custom cuvee for Eric Soloman and comes from high altitude (2400 to 3000 feet) vineyards that were planted up to 100 years ago. The wine was fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks and did not spend any time in oak barrels.

 

This wine has 15% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork closure.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep garnet color.  The sensuous nose has black cherries, flinty minerals, plums, warm baking spices, dry earth, dried violets, white pepper and melted licorice.  This has a full body with moderate ripe tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate cherries, plums, flint and baking spices quickly take control on the front end with white pepper and licorice coming in later.  The finish has good length with a dried floral note providing nice depth.  This is a smooth, velvety wine with no rough edges.  (91 pts)

 

 

2015 Castillo de Monséran Garnacha Cariñena

This wine is 100% Garnacha from the Cariñena region in Spain.  This wine is fermented and aged for under 12 months in stainless steel tanks.  This wine is produced to be enjoyed early.

 

This wine has 13% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off closure.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby red color.  The hypnotic nose has blackberries, crushed stones, white pepper, cherries, dry underbrush, violets and warm baking spices.  This has medium to full body with moderate tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate blackberries, crushed stones and baking spices jump out quickly on the front end with white pepper and tart cherries coming in later.  The finish has nice length with dry underbrush and a floral note providing extra depth.  This is a wine that would satisfy both casual and more serious wine drinkers.  (90 pts)

 

 

2014 Bodegas Aragonesas Garnacha Campo de Borja Coto de Hayas Centenaria

This 100% Grenache comes from vineyards planted over 100 years ago.  The wine was aged for 4 months in French oak.

 

The wine has 14% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to dark ruby red color.  The enticing nose has blackberries, cocoa beans, black cherries, baking spices, scorched earth, dusty minerals and a hint of mint.  This has medium to full body with moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  Blackberries, cocoa beans and dusty minerals jump out quickly on the palate with black cherries and scorched earth coming in later.  The finish has very nice length with baking spices providing additional depth.  This is a very tasty wine with solid structure.  (91 pts)

 

 

Conclusion

Spanish Garnacha is generally a crowd pleasing wine.  There is usually nice up front fruit that will appeal to the casual wine drinker but these wines generally have the structure and savory/mineral notes that appeal to the more “serious” wine lover.  If these wines are new to you or it’s been a while since you enjoyed a bottle, grab one on your next wine shopping trip.

 

 

 

 

This presentation and the wines were provided by Snooth.

 

Snooth is the world’s most comprehensive wine site, hosts the largest online wine community & features reviews & local prices for millions of wines.

 

Mission

Snooth is a revolutionary web-based social shopping experience that is simplifying how people select, learn about, and purchase their favorite wines.

 

Company Overview

Philip James launched Snooth in 2007 with one goal: to make wine info clear, accessible, and freely available.

The idea for Snooth first came to Philip when he began working in the wine industry and realized just how complex wine was — if even the most seasoned wine collectors could become confused, what hope was there for the casual wine lover?

He realized that the wine industry was hopelessly fragmented — with neither a standardized naming system nor a centralized repository of information — and created Snooth to change all of that.

 

Visit Snooth by by clicking here.

 

 

 

Connect with me

You can follow me on Twitter for more wine info, potential food pairings, and an occasional recipe or two.  Be warned, I’m also a sports fan and there are occasional Pittsburgh Penguins, Steelers, and Pirates tweets.  I attended the University of South Carolina, so during football season, there will also be some Gamecock posts.

 

If you like this post, consider joining Cliffs Wine Picks Wine Blog on Facebook and giving me a Like.

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 2016 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

Here are posts, newsletters, blogs or other articles that either mention this site or that I have written:

 

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

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase.  I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but always check out the sale and close out items when in a store.  Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges.  None of the prices include the sales tax.

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

2012 Flora Springs Trilogy

 

 

 

 

Overview:

Over the years Flora Springs was always one of our stops when we visited Napa Valley.  We took the two pictures below of the stained glass and wall murals during a visit in late August 2001, a couple weeks before 9/11.  When I was offered samples from them, I was excited to reacquaint myself with these wines.

 

One of my favorite “Super Tuscan” style red wines from California is the Flora Springs Poggio del Papa.  Even though this wine is not part of this post, I had to give it a “shout out”.  The current vintage, 2012, is a blend of 69% Sangiovese, 16% Syrah, 10% Petite Verdot and 5% Malbec, all from the Napa Valley.  This wine is available only at the winery or via their website.

 

 

 

 

About the winery:

Flora Springs, located in the Northwest corner of the Rutherford appellation at the base of the Mayacamas Mountains, was founded in 1978.  The stone cellar of Flora Springs is a once abandoned “ghost winery”.  It was Flora Komes who along with her husband Jerry that found the area while looking for a place to “kick off their boots”.  Flora was the one who saw the possibilities hidden behind decades of neglect, over-grown ivy, and shifting rock walls.  The property’s winemaking roots go back to the 19^th century but if was the work of Flora and Jerry’s children, John Komes and his wife Carrie, and Julie Garvey and her husband Pat Garvey, that have etched the legacy of Flora Springs.

 

As both artisan winemakers and growers, the family is committed to the traditions of fine winemaking and responsible stewardship of its 650 acres of vineyard land for future generations to savor and uphold. Today, ninety percent of Flora Springs’ red wines are sourced from its organically-farmed estate vineyards, and all of these wines are crafted in their solar-powered 19th-century stone winery and caves.

 

Much more about the winery, the family and the wines is available on their website by clicking here.  I highly recommend checking out their “Working with Nature” and “Farming Responsibly” sections to read about their dedication to sustainability.

 

 

 

 

This bottle was supplied by the winery and Mora Cronin of Cronin Communications.

Cronin Communications is a marketing communications and public relations agency based in St. Helena, California.  Specializing in the wine industry, the firm provides services including strategic positioning and brand messaging, copy writing and media relations.  For more information, contact moracronin@comcast.net.

 

 

 

2012 Flora Springs Trilogy – SRP $75

The Flora Springs Trilogy story began in 1984.  The family wanted to create the best wine possible by selecting the highest quality wine lots from our estate vineyards.  This “Meritage” is one of the original ones from the Napa Valley.  A Meritage is a wine produced by blending the grapes traditional to France’s Bordeaux region.

 

In this vintage the blend was 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, 6% Malbec and 6% Petite Verdot.  The wine was aged for 22 months in 100% French oak, 60% new and 40% one year old.

 

The wine has 14.2% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a traditional natural cork.  There were 4,882 cases produced.

 

If you want to read more about the blending process for this wine please click here.

 

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby to garnet color.  The sexy nose has cassis, violets, cedar, baking spices, tobacco, dried leafy herbs, dusty minerals, cherries, plums and touch of cocoa powder.  The wine has medium to full body, moderate ripe tannins and decent acidity.  The wine is rich and velvety on the palate with fruit and spice on the front end and minerals, cedar and cherries coming in later.  The finish has very nice length with dried herbs and cocoa powder entering the picture adding good depth.  This is on the young side but already delicious.  This wine has great balance and will reward some cellar time.  (92 pts)

 

 

Closing Thoughts

The Flora Springs Trilogy is one of the flagship wines from the winery and is a very reasonably priced cabernet based blend to serve at a special occasion.  This wine compares favorably with other much more expensive wines produced in the Napa Valley.  This vintage already tastes delicious but will gracefully age and be even better down the road.  This should drink well through at least the middle of the next decade.

 

 

 

Connect with me

You can follow me on Twitter for more wine info, potential food pairings, and an occasional recipe or two.  Be warned, I’m also a sports fan and there are occasional Pittsburgh Penguins, Steelers, and Pirates tweets.  I attended the University of South Carolina, so during football season, there will also be some Gamecock posts.

 

If you like this post, consider joining Cliffs Wine Picks Wine Blog on Facebook and giving me a Like.

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 2015 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

Here are posts, newsletters, blogs or other articles that either mention this site or that I have written:

 

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

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase.  I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but always check out the sale and close out items when in a store.  Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges.  None of the prices include the sales tax.

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

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

 

 

2012 Faust Cabernet Sauvignon

 

 

 

Overview:

Faust is owned by Agustin Huneeus, the person that created Quintessa.  When I was offered a sample of the latest Faust Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, I almost dislocated my fingers replying to the e-mail offer.

 

I’ve had and enjoyed previous vintages of Faust and I wanted to see what they produced in this stellar vintage.

 

 

About the company:

Faust, the wine, celebrates a legend which has inspired many great minds, among them the German poet Goethe, from whose masterpiece we draw our inspiration.  In Goethe’s most famous work, the aging scholar Dr. Faust barters his soul in the afterlife in exchange for another chance at youth.  He gets his chance, yet ultimately his soul is saved by love.

 

Faust is indeed the fruit of renewed passion for Agustin Huneeus, though Mephistopheles has not yet appeared to claim his soul.  The underlying premise for all of the wines he has ever produced has been that great wines must be a reflection of a great vineyard.  Faust is not.  Instead, Faust is a tribute to Napa Valley’s noblest grape – full-bodied, decadently rich and unctuous Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

Much more information on Agustin and the winery is available on their website by clicking here.

 

 

 

About Agustin Huneeus:

Behind every great wine stands a passionate vintner.  Faust Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is the creation of Agustin Huneeus and it continues to satisfy his long held desire to produce a wine that embodies the most seductive characteristics of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

Born in Santiago, Chile, Agustin is one of the few vintners who has dedicated his entire professional life to wine.  With a career spanning 50 years, he has produced wine in more than 15 countries.  Perhaps best known today for creating Quintessa, the stunning biodynamic vineyard and winery estate he and his wife Valeria own in Rutherford, Napa Valley, Agustin is recognized as a driving force in how fine wine is produced, recognized, sold and marketed in the United States.  The philosophy that great vineyards make great wine is his guiding principle.

 

Agustin Huneeus has been discovering great vineyards of the world throughout a career spanning five decades and 15 countries.  In addition to owning the Quintessa estate in the renowned Rutherford District of Napa Valley, his current vineyard and winery projects include Illumination Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc, Veramonte winery in Chile’s Casablanca and Colchagua Valley’s, Neyen winery in Chile’s Apalta Valley and Washington’s Longshadows Vintners where he is a partner.  In 2009, the Huneeus family forged a partnership with Joan and Walt Flowers of Flowers Vineyards & Winery, pioneering vintners who in 1989, established two extraordinary vineyards dedicated to world-class Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in the extreme Sonoma Coast.  In 2010, the Huneeus family purchased two edgy wines, The Prisoner, a Napa Valley red blend, and Saldo, a Zinfandel from some of California’s most revered vineyards.

 

 

This sample was provided by the winery and Fineman PR.

 

Fineman PR unites large-agency talent, small-agency responsiveness and internationally recognized strategic direction. We are a full-service agency specializing in Brand PR and crisis communications, creating and executing award-winning public relations programs.

 

For more information, please visit their website by clicking here.

 

 

 

2012 Faust Cabernet Sauvignon – SRP $60

2012 was an ideal vintage with bud break in early spring and perfect weather at bloom.  A classic Napa summer followed with warm days and cool nights, leading to a long even harvest with no pressure from rain for the Cabernet Sauvignon.  Extensive selective picking and sorting ensured that the grapes that reached the tanks were in optimal condition, fully ripe and full of flavor. The grapes were hand-picked, double-sorted and crushed, then cold-soaked and fermented in both French oak and stainless steel tanks.  After an extended maceration and malolactic fermentation in barrel, Faust was aged for 19 months in 100% French oak, 30% new.

 

The wine is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc.  Most of the grapes come from Agustin’s family vineyards in Rutherford and Coombsville with small lots from vineyards in Yountville, Mount Veeder, Atlas Peak, St. Helena and Rutherford.  These purchased grapes from spectacular mountain and valley terroirs are used to round out the wine.

 

The wine has 14.5% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby to maroon color.  The rich and opulent nose has cassis, melted licorice, dark chocolate, fresh ground dark roasted coffee beans, vanilla beans, wildflowers and subtle earthiness.  This has a fairly full body with soft to moderate tannins and decent acidity.  The wine is plush on the palate with ripe cassis, dark chocolate and licorice up front with vanilla, wildflowers and some earthiness coming in later.  The long, lingering finish features the ripe fruit with vanilla and earthiness also joining in.  Even though the wine is very tasty now, it will be even better with a bit of time in the cellar, give it a year and enjoy over the next couple of years.  (91 pts)

 

 

Closing Thoughts

If you are looking for a rich, full bodied Cabernet Sauvignon from the Napa Valley, Faust would be a wonderful choice.  This wine has very good balance and complexity to appeal to wine lovers and the rich, velvety fruit to appeal to people who just want something good to drink.  At $60 a bottle, I would tend to steer guests in the second category to another selection, unless they are very good friends, and keep this one only for true wine lovers.  This is more of a wine to enjoy over its first several years and not one to stash in the cellar for a decade.  Enjoy it while the fruit is young and vibrant.

 

 

 

Connect with me

You can follow me on Twitter for more wine info, potential food pairings, and an occasional recipe or two.  Be warned, I’m also a sports fan and there are occasional Pittsburgh Penguins, Steelers, and Pirates tweets.  I attended the University of South Carolina, so during football season, there will also be some Gamecock posts.

 

If you like this post, consider joining Cliffs Wine Picks Wine Blog on Facebook and giving me a Like.

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 2014 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

Here are posts, newsletters, blogs or other articles that either mention this site or that I have written:

 

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

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

2014 Steven Kent Lola Ghielmetti Vineyard

 

This sample was provided by the winery.

 

 

Overview

Over the last couple of years, receiving samples from Steven Kent Winery (and La Rochelle) has always been a high point.  Steven Kent Winery produces some of the best Bordeaux varietal based wines coming out of California.  La Rochelle is at the other end of the varietal spectrum producing outstanding wines from the grapes of Burgundy.  This shipment was of one of my favorite warm weather wines, the new vintage of Steven Kent Winery Lola.  This is usually an outstanding blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, the white grapes of Bordeaux.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

2014 Steven Kent Lola Ghielmetti Vineyard – SRP $24.00

The fruit for both varietals was fermented separately in stainless tanks.  The Semillon was aged in neutral oak barrels for about three months then blended with the stainless steel aged Sauvignon Blanc.  To maintain as much of the racy fruit as possible Lola did not go through malolactic fermentation and was thus filtered before bottling.

 

This wine is a blend of 75% Sauvignon Blanc and 25% Semillon from the Ghielmetti Estate Vineyard located in the foothills 3.4 miles east of the Winery.  The wine has 13.6% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off cap.  There was 500 cases of this wine produced.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a clear light straw yellow with a slight green tint.  The fresh and sexy nose has lemon zest, honey suckle, orange blossoms, crushed stone minerals, apples, cut grass, lime zest and a touch of spice.  This has light to medium body with crisp acidity.  On the palate tart apples and lemon zest jump out quickly with minerals and white flowers coming in later.  The finish has very good length with lime zest and a slight grassy note coming in adding nice depth.  This is a killer bottle of wine for a nice au fresco meal on the deck or patio or to sip on its own on a warm day at the pool.  Count me in as a big fan.  (91 pts)

 

 

Connect with me

You can follow me on Twitter for more wine info, potential food pairings, and an occasional recipe or two.  Be warned, I’m also a sports fan and there are occasional Pittsburgh Penguins, Steelers, and Pirates tweets.  I attended the University of South Carolina, so during football season, there will also be some Gamecock posts.

 

If you like this post, consider joining Cliffs Wine Picks Wine Blog on Facebook and giving me a Like.

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 2015 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

Here are posts, newsletters, blogs or other articles that either mention this site or that I have written:

 

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

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase.  I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but always check out the sale and close out items when in a store.  Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges.  None of the prices include the sales tax.

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

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

 

 

2013 Murrieta’s Well the Whip (White Blend)

2011 Murrieta’s Well the Spur (Red Blend)

 

 

 

Overview

I tried the previous vintage of these wines and enjoyed them, I’m looking forward to trying the new vintages.  These are both blends that will be different from most of your everyday wines.  Sometimes thinking (or drinking) outside the box can be a rewarding experience.

 

 

Murrieta’s Well History

Murrieta’s Well was named after the legendary bandito Joaquin Murrieta.  Joaquin roamed California during the Gold Rush era rounding up wild cattle and horses.  He would then “drive” them down to Mexico to sell to the Mexican Army.  The bubbling artesian well on the site that now is the winery was one of his popular watering spots on his journeys.  More information on this historical location is available on the Historical Marker database.

 

With a deeply rooted history, unsurpassed terroir and rich winemaking heritage, Murrieta’s Well is one of California’s original treasures.  The 92-acre Estate was originally propagated by Louis Mel in 1883 with vineyard cuttings from Chateau d’Yquem and Chateau Margaux.  During the same era, he built a gravity-flow winery into the hillside adjacent to the property’s artesian well.  In 1990, Philip Wente and Sergio Traverso realized a lifelong dream to revive the historic property, and since then, the two have been crafting Estate blends that highlight the best attributes of the terroir.

 

Murrieta’s Well is part of Wente Family Estates along with Wente Vineyards and Tamás Estates.  The winery produces approximately 12,000 cases a vintage.

 

Much more of the winery’s history and additional information on these wines and others are available on their website.   The winery also has a Wine Club with nice discounts and other benefits.  Additional information is available here.

 

 

These bottles were provided by Balzac Communications & Marketing.

About Balzac

BALZAC is a marketing communications agency with a no-nonsense approach to combining the strategies and tactics of marketing, public relations, advertising and graphic design to achieve the marketing goals of our clients.

 

The experience, creativity and determination of our staff distinguish BALZAC from our competition. We use these assets to develop and execute cost-effective campaigns which have won international communications awards.

The results speak for themselves.

The agency is located in Napa, California, and provides services to national, regional, and local companies based in Northern California and throughout the world.

 

For more information on Balzac, please click here.

 

 

The lineup for this tasting:

 

 

 

2013 Murrieta’s Well the Whip (White Blend) – SRP $22

This wine is an unusual blend of 28% Semillon, 24%  Chardonnay, 14% Sauvignon Blanc, 11% Orange Muscat, 11% Viognier, 11% Gewurztraminer and 1% White Riesling from California’s Livermore Valley.

 

All the varieties were cold fermented to preserve the natural fruit character of the grapes.  A small percentage of the Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier were aged in neutral oak barrels to round out the wines and add complexity, the rest of the components were aged in stainless steel tanks.

 

The wine has 13.0% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a twist off cap.  There were 338 cases produced.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright golden yellow color.  The very enticing nose has apples, orange blossoms, melon, cantaloupe, crushed stones, peach, lychee, cantaloupe, spice, and lemon zest.  The wine has medium to full body, a creamy texture and very nice acidity.  On the palate ripe fruit and nice spice hit first with tart citrus zest popping out on the back end.  This has a long finish with nice tangy citrus making you want to grab another sip.  This is an outstanding change of pace wine if you want to try something a bit outside your normal comfort zone.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2011 Murrieta’s Well the Spur (Red Blend) – SRP $25.00

This wine is a blend of 31% Petite Sirah, 29% Petit Verdot, 27% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Malbec, and 5% Cabernet Franc.  Like the Whip, the Spur is closed with a screw cap.

 

Each varietal was fermented in stainless steel tanks and aged for 14 months in a combination of American, French, Eastern European, and neutral oak barrels.

 

There were 425 barrels of the wine produced and the final alcohol level is 13.5%.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a nice ruby red color.  The nose is big, dark, and serious with smoke, loamy earth, berries, black cherries, minerals, plums, black pepper, licorice, dried herbs, and some underbrush.  This has medium body, soft to moderate tannins, and good acidity.  On the palate the berries, smoke, and earthy elements hit first with plums and dried herbs coming in on the back end.  The finish has decent length and closes with a big dash of black pepper.  This wine screams for something hot and juicy right off the grill.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

Connect with me

You can follow me on Twitter for more wine info, potential food pairings, and an occasional recipe or two.  Be warned, I’m also a sports fan and there are occasional Pittsburgh Penguins, Steelers, and Pirates tweets.  I attended the University of South Carolina, so during football season, there will also be some Gamecock posts.

 

If you like this post, consider joining Cliffs Wine Picks Wine Blog on Facebook and giving me a Like.

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 2014 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

Here are posts, newsletters, blogs or other articles that either mention this site or that I have written:

 

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

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

This is based on wine provided by the winery or organization acting on their behalf.

 

 

2013 Bolla Chianti

2012 Castello Banfi Chianti Classico

2010 Castello Banfi Chianti Classico Riserva

 

 

 

These samples were sent in conjunction with an online promotion to educate casual wine drinkers about the Chianti region and its different types of wines.

 

 

 

About Chianti

The first time Chianti was recognized as a wine was in 1398.  At that time Chianti was a white wine, not red as it is today.  The first “official” borders for the Chianti region were drawn up in 1716.  In 1872, Baron Bettino Ricasoli, the second Prime Minister of Italy, created the “recipe” for Chianti.  This original recipe called for Chianti to be a blend of 70% Sangiovese, 15% Canaiolo and 15% Malvasia.  Prior to this, Canaiolo had been the dominant grape in the blend.

 

In the 1970s, most people’s idea of Chianti was a wine in a fiasco, the straw-covered bottle you’d find at inexpensive Italian restaurants and pizza parlors.  At that time, with the growing popularity of Chianti, many producers were unfortunately more focused on increasing production instead of increasing quality.

 

The biggest change in the region occurred in 1996, when due to the increased popularity and quality of the so-called Super Tuscans, the Chianti laws were changed to eliminate the minimum amount of white grapes that had to be used and to allow up to 15% “international” grapes.  In 2006, the laws were again changed prohibiting the use of white grapes in the production of Chianti Classico wines.

 

 

About Banfi

Banfi is a private concern, founded in New York in 1919 by John Mariani, Sr. and today owned and operated by his grandchildren.  The company is focused on the production and import of wine.

 

Banfi Vintners is the sole U.S. importer of the Mariani family’s internationally renowned wine estates in Italy: Castello Banfi of Montalcino, Tuscany, and Banfi Piemonte of Strevi, Piedmont.  Banfi also imports the wines of several other producers, including category leaders Bolla, Cecchi, Florio, Fontana Candida, Placido, Riunite, and Sartori from Italy, Concha y Toro and Emiliana from Chile, and Trivento from Argentina, Wisdom & Warter Sherries from Spain and Stone’s Ginger wine from England.  The company has ranked as North America’s leading wine importer for more than three decades.

 

 

Additional references

The Race of the Rooster: How Chianti earned its famous emblem by Arianna Armstrong on Palate Press.

Visit the Crazy for Chianti page on Facebook.

The Crazy for Chianti organization also has a nice website.

 

 

This line up for this tasting:

 

 

 

2013 Bolla Chianti – SRP $9

Bolla Chianti wines are more of an every day wine.  This wine is available just about everywhere for under $10 a bottle.

 

The Bolla Chianti is generally a blend of 90% Sangiovese and 10% Canaiolo and other indigenous varieties.  The grapes are crushed and fermented at controlled temperatures in stainless steel for 10 to 12 days.

 

This wine has 13.0% alcohol.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light, bright, ruby red color.  The very appealing nose has cherries, wild flowers, scorched earth, dried herbs, and spice.  This is barely medium body with soft tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate the tart, red cherries steal the show with some earthiness and spice in the background.  The finish has decent length and again is dominated by the tart cherries.  This is a nice Chianti for weeknight pizza, pasta, or lighter meat dishes.  This would also do well with a cheese/salami platter.  (86 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Castello Banfi Chianti Classico – SRP $15

The Castello Banfi Chianti Classico is a step up from the Bolla Chianti both in quality and price.  This wine has very good distribution and is usually available for under $15.

 

This wine is mainly Sangiovese with small amounts of Canaiolo Nero and Cabernet Sauvignon.  The wine is fermented with traditional skin contact of 8 to 10 days.  The wine is aged for a short time in large French oak casks and is bottled the summer following harvest.

 

The wine is 13.0% alcohol by volume.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a nice ruby red color.  The soothing nose is cherries, violets, warm baking spices, earthy underbrush and a touch of licorice.  This has medium body, soft tannins and good acidity.  On the palate this is rich and plush with cherries, baking spices with some building earthiness on the back end.  The finish has nice length with cherries giving way to some lingering earthiness.  This will pair well with the usual pizza and pasta but would be nice with lighter meat and poultry dishes.  (88 pts)

 

 

 

2010 Castello Banfi Chianti Classico Riserva – SRP $19

This Chianti Classico Riserva is the next step up in price and quality.  This wine also enjoys good distribution and is usually available for well under $20.

 

This wine typically is predominantly Sangiovese with small amounts of Canaiolo Nero and Cabernet Sauvignon.  After maceration and fermentation, the wine is aged for at least 2 years, with at least 12 months in Slavonian oak.  After bottling, the wine receives at least 6 months of bottle aging before release.

 

This wine had 13.5% alcohol.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a shade darker than medium ruby red.  The very open and inviting nose has cherries, plums, leather, earthy underbrush, wild flowers, dusty minerals, and a touch of licorice.  This has medium body, soft to moderate tannins, and good acidity.  On the palate there is a nice balance between the fruit, spice, and earthiness with none of the elements trying to overwhelm the others.  The finish has very nice length and again shows nice balance.  This could be slipped into a “Super Tuscan” line up and not stick out as a weak link.  This would stand up well to a meat dish, like roast beef, especially if it was finished with some nice Italian herbs.  This would rock with a pizza loaded with sausage or pasta with meat sauce.  (89 pts)

 

 

What would be better to pair with these three Chianti wines than pizza?  I picked up a pizza at the local pizzeria with a thin “cracker crust” that was loaded with pepperoni, sausage, and gooey cheese.  I added an order of Fried Mozzarella Sticks to make it a complete meal  🙂

 

 

Connect with me

You can follow me on Twitter for more wine info, potential food pairings, and an occasional recipe or two.  Be warned, I’m also a sports fan and there are occasional Pittsburgh Penguins, Steelers, and Pirates tweets.  I attended the University of South Carolina, so during football season, there will also be some Gamecock posts.

 

If you like this post, consider joining Cliffs Wine Picks Wine Blog on Facebook and giving me a Like.

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 2014 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

Here are posts, newsletters, blogs or other articles that either mention this site or that I have written:

 

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

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

 

These reviews are based on samples provided by the winery or organization acting on their behalf.

 

 

2013 Villa Bellangelo Riesling Dry

2013 Fox Run Vineyards Riesling Dry

2013 Lamoreaux Landing Riesling Red Oak Vineyard

 

 

New York’s Finger Lakes

North America’s premier cool-climate winegrowing region

 

 

It was my good fortune to be able to participate in an online tasting of Riesling wines from the Finger Lakes region of New York.  The event was the final online event celebrating the release of the 2013 Rieslings from the area.  The event was dubbed “Riesling Hour”, even though the event lasted for a couple of hours.

 

To follow ongoing conversations on the wines from the Finger Lakes region, check out the hashtag #FLXWine or follow @FLXwine on Twitter or give a “Like” to Finger Lakes Wine on Facebook.

 

I want to thank the Finger Lakes Wine Alliance and the wineries for providing these wines for me to sample.

 

 

About the region

The Finger Lakes became an official American Viticultural Area (AVA) in 1982 but its history goes back much further.  The first vineyard in the region was planted by Reverend William Bostwick in his rectory garden in Hammondsport, NY in 1829.

 

The region is now home to over 115 wineries with about 9,200 acres of vineyards.  The region produces about 220,000 cases of Riesling wine from the 848 acres of Riesling grapes.

 

In 1998 the region was brought to the forefront in the wine world when Semi-Dry Rieslings from Dr. Konstantin Frank’s and Fox Run Vineyards each won a Gold medal in Strasbourg’s Rieslings of the World Competition in Alsace.

 

The major varieties of grapes planted in the region are Riesling, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir and Gewurztraminer.  Each of these has over 100 acres of vines in the AVA.

 

 

Much more information about the region is available on the Finger Lakes Wine Alliance website.

 

 

My Line Up

There were a lot of different wines opened for the event; my line up included two dry Rieslings and one “medium dry”.

 

 

 

2013 Villa Bellangelo Riesling Dry

 

The Winery

Villa Bellangelo was founded in 2002 by Michael Litterio as a Finger Lakes winery with a vision of the future.  The Missick family recently acquired Villa Bellangelo from Mr. Litterio and looks forward to continuing to offer Finger Lakes wine country visitors and customers premier service and a perfect product for many years to come.

 

Villa Bellangelo is situated in a magnificent location atop a hill overlooking central Seneca Lake.  Our tasting room has offered visitors breathtaking views for decades, but these historic landshave been a part of the heart of Finger Lakes agriculture and grape growing for centuries.

 

Much more information on the winery and their wines is available by clicking here.

 

The Wine

This 100% Riesling uses grapes from (Gibson Vineyard (63%), Morris Vineyard (30%) and Tuller Vineyard (7%).    The wine was fermented in stainless steel (93%) and neutral oak (7%).  After fermentation, the wine was aged for 3 months in 100% French oak barrels that were 4 to 10 years old.

 

The wine has 11.3% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a very light straw color.  The appealing nose has apples, honey, orange blossoms, lemon zest, flint and white peaches.  This has medium body with crisp acidity and just a hint of lingering sweetness.  On the palate ripe apples and flinty minerals jump out first with orange blossoms and lemon zest coming in later.  The finish has good length with mouthwatering citrus balancing out the sweetness.  (88 pts)

 

 

 

2013 Fox Run Vineyards Riesling Dry

 

The Winery

The winery is located high on Torrey Ridge, overlooking one of the deepest parts of Seneca Lake.  Fox Run owns 55 acres of vineyards.  For over a century the land was a dairy farm.  Grapes were first planted in 1984 and the Civil War era dairy barn was converted into a modern wine making facility in 1993.  A new facility was built in 1996 with a picturesque view of Seneca Lake.

 

More information about the winery, their wines and their online store is available on their site by clicking here.

 

The Wine

This 100% Riesling comes from three blocks in the estate vineyard.  The blocks were established between 1989 and 1998 at elevations between 590 and 660 feet.  The wine was fermented at moderate temperatures using three different yeast strains.  The wines were chilled to stop fermentation just before reaching total dryness to leave a small amount of residual sugar in the finished wine.

 

The wine has 11.5% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light golden straw color.  The very inviting nose has apples, petrol, orange zest, flinty minerals, honey and white flowers.  This has medium body with decent acidity and a fair amount of lingering sweetness.  On the palate ripe apples and orange zest initially grab hold with minerals and a floral note coming in on the back end.  The finish has decent length with the citrusy acidity to hold the sweetness in check.  (86 pts)

 

 

 

2013 Lamoreaux Landing Riesling Red Oak Vineyard

 

The Winery

For three generations our family has been growing wine grapes on the shores of Seneca Lake using only sustainable viticultural practices.  So it’s not just a fad for us, it’s who we are.  These “green” decisions not only protect the health of our employees, consumers, and neighbors, but also insure our continued ability to grow and deliver the best possible wine for generations to come.

 

Much more about the winery, their wines and their commitment to the planet is available by clicking here.

 

The Wine

This wine is 100% Riesling from the estate’s sustainably farmed Red Oak Vineyard.  The wine was fermented in stainless steel tanks and is considered to be “Medium dry”.

 

This wine has 12.8% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a very light, clear straw color.  The slightly shy nose has apples, honey, candied orange zest, flinty minerals and white flowers.  This has medium body with decent acidity and some lingering sweetness.  On the palate, apples and orange zest jump out first with a nice lime note coming in on the back end.  The finish has good length with ripe apples and lime closing the show.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

Conclusion

This was another very nice showing of the quality wines being produced in New York’s Finger Lakes region.  Even though this tasting was centered around the release of the new Riesling vintage, many other varietals are being used and are worthy of your attention.

 

 

 

Connect with me

You can follow me on Twitter for more wine info, potential food pairings, and an occasional recipe or two.  Be warned, I’m also a sports fan and there are occasional Pittsburgh Penguins, Steelers, and Pirates tweets.  I attended the University of South Carolina, so during football season, there will also be some Gamecock posts.

 

If you like this post, consider joining Cliffs Wine Picks Wine Blog on Facebook and giving me a Like.

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 2014 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

Here are posts, newsletters, blogs or other articles that either mention this site or that I have written:

 

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

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

These reviews are based on samples provided by the winery or organization acting on their behalf.

 

 

2009 Cairdean Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon

2011 Cairdean Vineyards Pinot Noir

 

Cairdean – Scottish Gaelic for friends

 

 

Overview

This was Cairdean Estate’s second venture into the #winechat experience.  My post on their first session is available by ckicking here.

 

This #winechat was like Cairdean’s first, well received effort.  For this week’s version, I was allowed to select two wines from a list of 5 I’d like to sample during the chat.  The previous time, I opted for wines outside of the usual Napa Valley wines and selected a Malbec and a Merlot.  This time I went a bit more main stream and selected a Cabernet Sauvignon and a Pinot Noir.

 

For the record, here were the wines I had to choose from:

2010 Russian River Valley Chardonnay

2009 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

2011 Carneros Pinot Noir

2011 Oak Knoll Merlot

2011 Napa Valley Rosé

 

 

 

 

The Winery – Their Story

Cairdean Estate is the vision of husband and wife Edwin and Stacia Williams.

 

While working in the software industry on the East Coast outside of Boston, Massachusetts, Stacia developed a strong appreciation and passion for wine.  She made her first vintage in harvest of 2000, shipping in winegrapes from California through a local beer and wine hobby shop.  She met Edwin, an aerospace engineer, shortly after her first vintage.  Edwin being from Fresno, California was immensely interested in her winemaking project and educated her about the world-renowned Enology and Viticulture program at Fresno State.  After years of planning, Edwin and Stacia moved to Fresno with their two children so that Stacia could go back to school and earn a degree in Enology & Viticulture from Fresno State.

 

During Stacia’s time at Fresno State, she and Edwin planned their future together and knew that they wanted to work together and build a family business managing vineyards and making wine.  They had travelled the world together with their children in search of where they would land, but their hearts always belonged to Napa Valley – the first wine country they ever visited as a couple back in the year 2001.

 

After much searching for their home in Napa Valley, it was their elder son Kyle that led them to the quaint town of St. Helena.  He was entering high school and very much wanted to attend the public high school there.  In their searches for land that would allow a quintessential wine country lifestyle, they settled on a beautiful 50 acre parcel right on highway 29 in Saint Helena just north of downtown.

 

After relocating from Fresno to St. Helena in 2010, Edwin and Stacia embraced their vision and created Cairdean Vineyards.  Cairdean is Scottish Gaelic for friends, which reflects their belief that wine is meant to be shared by those held close to your heart.  The Cairdean symbol is a representation of that belief with the four hearts always present and brought together in the center by friendship.

 

Much more information is available on their website by clicking here.

 

 

 

About Winechat

#winechat is a weekly, Twitter based discussion about something dealing with the world of wine.  Generally, each week’s chat session deals with a specific theme and is lead by an “expert” in that area.  This is generally a nice way to learn about a region, winery, type of wine, etc.

 

Mission

What is #WineChat?  Click here to learn more.

 

Description

How do you join #winechat? Using a tool such as Hootsuite, log into your twitter account & follow the #winechat stream. Be sure to include #winechat at the end of each tweet so everyone in the stream can see you!

 

Grab a glass and join in!

 

The #winechat schedule is available on their Facebook page by clicking here.

 

#winechat is hosted by Protocol Wine Studio.  For more information on them, click here.

 

 

There has been a change at the help of #winechat.  Since this chat was organized by Protocol Wine Studio, they are still getting the thanks.  Future #winechat sessions will be hosted by Just the Bottle.

 

 

 

My line up for this event included these two wines I mentioned earlier:

 

 

 

2009 Cairdean Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon – SRP $68.00

This is a true Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon blend.  The fruit came from four very different vineyards and regions in the Napa Valley.  Grapes from Calistoga, Rutherford, Oak Knoll and Coombsville were used in the final blend.  This wine is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, 3% Syrah and 2% Malbec.

 

After fermentation in stainless steel tanks, the wine was aged in French oak barrels, with 50% being new.  The total production was 948 cases.

 

This wine has 14.0% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby color.  The intoxicating nose has cassis, eucalyptus, warm baking spices, cedar, dried herbs, dusty minerals, licorice, tobacco and violets.  This has medium body with moderate to solid tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate tart cassis and dried herbs hit first with minerals and cedar not far behind.  The finish has very good length with violets and spice entering the picture.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2011 Cairdean Vineyards Pinot Noir – SRP $52.00

This 100% Pinot Noir comes from vineyards in the coolest section of the Napa Valley, Carneros.  Two clones of the Pinot Noir grape was utilized, Martini and 115.  The grapes were harvested at the same time and were whole berry fermented together in an open top stainless steel fermentation tank.  There was a combination of daily pumpovers and punchdowns.  The wine was pressed just prior to dryness and barrel aged sur-lie for seven months.  The wine was then racked and barrel aged for an additional 4 months.  All French oak barrels were used with 50% being new.  There were 408 cases produced.

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright ruby red color.  The inviting nose has cherries, smoke, minerals, cranberries, peat moss, dried violets and scorched earth.  This has medium to full body with moderate tannins and good acidity.  Tart, mineral laden fruit jumps out first on the palate with charred wood and cranberries coming in later.  The finish has good length with a floral note and dry earth entering the picture.  This is tasty now but could use some time in the cellar.  (94 pts)

 

 

 

Closing comments

This makes four wines I have very much enjoyed from Cairdean Estate.  I can see a very bright future for this young winery.  If your travels take you to the Napa Valley, I heartily recommend a visit to Cairdean Estate.  After checking out their menu, I would recommend a stop later in the day combined with a meal at their restaurant, The Farmer & The Fox.  The winery tasting room is open until 8:00, so a post tasting meal would work perfectly.

 

 

 

Connect with me

You can follow me on Twitter for more wine info, potential food pairings, and an occasional recipe or two.  Be warned, I’m also a sports fan and there are occasional Pittsburgh Penguins, Steelers, and Pirates tweets.  I attended the University of South Carolina, so during football season, there will also be some Gamecock posts.

 

If you like this post, consider joining Cliffs Wine Picks Wine Blog on Facebook and giving me a Like.

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 2014 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

Here are posts, newsletters, blogs or other articles that either mention this site or that I have written:

 

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

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!