2010 Novy Family Wines Zinfandel Russian River Valley – $18.99

 

My comments

I’ve been a big fan of the Novy/Siduri wines from Adam Lee for several years.  For some reason, their Zinfandels seem to fly under the radar.  Their single vineyard offerings are some of the best values out there, grab one if you happen to see one sitting on a store shelf.

 

Winery history

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium ruby red color.  The soothing and inviting nose has brambly berries, black pepper, warm baking spices, licorice, dried herbs, tobacco, dark chocolate and some red raspberries.  This has medium to full body, fairly solid tannins, and tart acidity.  Spicy, peppery berries grab the palate initially with dried herbs and dark chocolate coming in on the mid palate.  The finish has decent length highlighted by tart red raspberries.  This has much brighter acidity than your usual California zin, which obscures any richness that may be present.  With the good tannins and abundant acidity, this should last in the cellar and improve for several years.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2004 Freemark Abbey Cabernet Sauvignon – $19.79

 

My comments

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

 

Winery history

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep maroon color.  The very open and inviting nose has cassis, cedar, Asian spices, dried herbs, tobacco, black cherries, minerals, and fresh wild flowers.  This has medium body, fairly solid, ripe tannins, and very nice acidity.  The palate is greeted by loads of sweet, juicy berries, spicy oak, and dried herbs, with some cherry coming in on the back end.  The finish is fairly long and full of spicy, sweet, cherries and berries, with a touch of excess oak peeking through.  The bit of excess oak on the finish is minor since there is plenty of sweet fruit.  This is pure Napa Valley and would never be mistaken as a French Bordeaux.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

I selected the Freemark Abbey Cabernet to pair with a pot roast.  I seared the meat and braised it low and slow for a few hours on Sunday.  I tightly wrapped the meat and reserved the broth.  On Tuesday, I skimmed the fat off the broth and brought it back to a boil.  I cooked the carrots, potatoes, and onions in the broth until they were tender.  After removing them, I cooked some egg noodles.  While everything else was cooking, I cut the roast into chunks and removed the larger clumps of fat.  Lastly, I put the meat into the hot broth to reheat it.  Here is the finished product:

 

 

 

2010 Helioterra Pinot Noir Willamette Valley – $18.56

 

My comments

This was a new winery for me last year.  Since that time, I met the owner/wine maker Anne Ebenretier Hubatch when she returned to her home state of Wisconsin.  After tasting through close to a dozen of her wines, I became convinced this is an up and coming winery to keep an eye on.

 

Winery history

Helioterra Wines is a small, artisan producer of Northwest wines made at an urban winery in SE Portland, Oregon.

 

Our wines are pretty, elegant and graceful in style.  Winemaker Anne Ebenretier Hubatch partners with exceptional regional vineyard growers to craft wines that demonstrate the best that the Northwest offers.

 

The name draws on geological inspirations, symbolizing Heliolite, the Oregon state gemstone (more commonly known as Sun Stone.)  Helio and Terra combine the Greek words for sun and earth, natural partners for grape growing.

 

For more information, I highly recommend checking out their website.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a very light ruby red color.  The soft and feminine nose has cherries, minerals, damp earth, underbrush, strawberry, baking spices, smoke, and a faint, pleasing herbal note.  This has light to medium body, soft, ripe tannins, and very nice acidity.  The palate features spicy, earthy, cherries with nice minerality.  The finish has very nice length with the cherries carrying the major load and the faint herbal note once again coming into play.  This is a lighter body, nuanced style of Pinot, leaning more towards Burgundy than California.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2002 Château Potensac – $18.99

 

My comments

This is a winery I generally turn to for a reasonably priced week night, Bordeaux.  The wines are generally very reflective of the vintage, and are usually well made and very enjoyable without breaking the bank.

 

Winery history

Chateau Potensac is owned by the Delon family.  They are better known for their famous property in St. Julien, Leoville Las Cases.  Located in the Haut Medoc appellation, and Chateau Nenin in Pomerol.  Chateau Potensac has been in the Delon family hands for several generations.  The grandfather of Jean Hubert Delon obtained the estate through marriage, when he married into the Liquard family.  From that time on, Chateau Potensac has been passed down from father to son.

 

The 53 hectare, Bordeaux wine vineyard of Chateau Potensac consists of gravel based soils with patches of clay.  The vineyard is planted to 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc with vines that are on average, 30 years of age.  The vineyard is planted to a vine density of 8,000 vines per hectare.  Over the past several years, in an effort to add softness to the wine, slowly but surely, more Merlot has been added to the vineyards of Chateau Potensac.  Chateau Potensac is vinified in a combination of temperature controlled, stainless steel vats and concrete tanks.  The wines are aged in barrels passed down from Clos du Marquis for between 14 and 16 months, depending on the character and style of the vintage.

 

There is a second wine, La Chapelle Potensac.

 

The wines of Potensac are structured, firm and often display an austere quality, especially in their youth.  Chateau Potensac is the perfect wine for fans of old school, classic Bordeaux wine making.

 

Winery info from the Wine Cellar Insider since the winery’s website is “under construction”.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly dark ruby, much lighter at the edge.  The seductive nose has cassis, cedar, melted licorice, dried herbs, warm baking spices, cherries, minerals, leather, and tobacco.  This has a medium body with moderate tannins and very good acidity.  The palate features nice fruit and dried herbs, with a healthy dollop of spicy oak.  The finish has decent length with the spicy oak laced fruit carrying most of the load.  Not a show stopper, but a nice wine for the vintage.  This can probably last another year or two in the cellar, but I’d be afraid this would become too oaky if much more fruit subsides.  As is, a nice week night Bordeaux.  (87 pts)

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Wines bought or received this week

I received a couple bottles from Riverbench and a sampler set from Trione.  Reviews of these wines will be posted when I sample them, probably in the next couple of weeks.

 

 

 

 

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 Groom Shiraz Barossa Valley – $18.05

 

My comments

This wine was offered as an e-mail special about two years ago.  I stopped in for a free taste of the wine and decided I could make some room in the cellar for a six pack.  The wine obviously was made for the long haul and needed some cellar time.  Today is the day to check in to see how it is progressing.

 

Winery history

Marschall Groom Cellars is a very small family winery situated in the famous BarossaValley region of South Australia.  The winery produces three varietals, Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz & Zinfandel – under the label GROOM.

 

Marschall Groom Cellars is the culmination of a dream, backed up by many years of talk and family discussion.  The proprietors are David & Jeanette Marschall and their six children, and Daryl & Lisa Groom and their four children.

 

The dream started to become reality with the purchase of 87 acres of bare land in the Kalimna appellation of the BarossaValley, directly adjacent to the renowned Penfolds Kalimna vineyard – the home of Grange.  In 1997 the first acres on our Kalimna Bush Block were planted to Shiraz, producing its first crop in the 1999 vintage.  To complement our young Shiraz fruit we source from one other very reputable high quality vineyard in the Barossa, the Fechner Vineyard which is home to 50 year-old vines.

 

The BarossaValley is too warm to grow world class Sauvignon Blanc.  This variety is ideally suited to much cooler, higher rainfall climates.  After thoroughly researching the climatic conditions within South Australia, a 20 acre vineyard in the Adelaide Hills appellation of Lenswood was planted to provide the perfect grapes for our Sauvignon Blanc.

 

In 2000, 8 acres of experimental Zinfandel vines were planted on the Kalimna Bush Block.  A very limited introductory wine release from these grapes was made from the 2003 vintage. The first Commercial release into the USA was the 2006 vintage.

 

Also working with the company to maintain and ensure our quality standards is Consultant Winemaker, Natasha Mooney; previously the winemaker for E&E Black Pepper Shiraz, and now working closely with Daryl to produce our stunning wines.  Our wines are hand-crafted and produced in limited quantities.

 

Our desire for the GROOM label is to let the vineyards and their fruit do the talking in producing the style and quality of our wines.  As proprietors, we have set the foundation in choosing the most ideal viticultural region needed to produce the highest quality for each of our chosen varieties. ENJOY!

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a dark ruby to maroon color.  The open and appealing nose has blackberries, plums, minerals, Asian spices, eucalyptus, black pepper, dried herbs, and some leather.  The is medium to full body, with fairly solid, ripe tannins and good acidity.  The palate has rich and velvety fruit with solid minerals and spices.  On the back end some dried herbs and a touch of eucalyptus add considerable depth.  The finish is fairly long with a touch of dark chocolate making an appearance.  This improved considerably with a couple hours of air, so let it sleep another year or let it breathe.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2005 Villa Creek Avenger – $35.00

 

My comments

Villa Creek is one of my favorite wineries and Avenger is my favorite wine they produce.  This is a blend of 65% Syrah, 25% Mourvedre, and 10% Grenache from Paso Robles.  Tis is, unfortunately my last bottle of this vintage, but I have plenty of 2006 through 2010 in the cellar.

 

Winery history

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark purple color, almost black.  The dark and inviting nose has blackberries, dark chocolate, licorice, black pepper, charred meat, Asian spices, dried herbs, minerals, and some wild flowers as well as a touch of earthiness.  This has a fairly full body, still shows some ripe tannins and has good acidity.  This is not a big, brash, in your face, type of wine at this point in its evolution.  On the palate there are nice dark berries, minerals, spice, with some dried herbs coming in on the back end.  The finish is fairly long highlighting the spice and dried herbs with a touch of earthiness coming into the picture.  This is in a nice drinking window with no rough edges.  This should still last in the cellar for at least two years, but why wait?   (93 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Vincent Arroyo Tempranillo Napa Valley – $25.20

 

My comments

I’ve been on the Vincent Arroyo mailing list since the 2000 vintage.  I was hooked after our first visit to the winery.  I was fortunate enough to get in on a sale of their library wines so I have had the wines from as far back as the 1995 vintage.  If you ever make it to the Calistoga area, I highly recommend a stop at Vincent Arroyo.  They generally have a couple bottles open but the highlight is the barrel tasting.  You have the opportunity to pre-order the exact wines you sample from the barrel.

 

Winery history

Walking into the Vincent Arroyo Winery, one gets the sense that it has been here forever.  Is it just the comfortable atmosphere of a big barn full of oak wine barrels that lends to the sense of permanence?  Vincent Arroyo, himself, may feel like he has been here forever, as well.  He left behind a career as a mechanical engineer in the Silicon Valley during the early 70’s and headed to Calistoga, at the northern tip of the NapaValley.  He felt much more at home close to the land, being able to see and taste the fruits of his labors.

 

The purchase of the 23 acres of the Greenwood Ranch property in 1974 began the evolution of what is seen today, 85 acres cultivating 9 different wine grape varietals.  Vince has always been a farmer at heart, taking care of the land to produce the best that it can.  He began to transform the Greenwood Ranch by ripping out existing prune trees and unhealthy vines and planting new vineyards.  For many years, he did it all alone, the tractor work, cellar work and a one-man sales force.  Originally he made just a few hundred cases of his favorites, Petite Sirah and Cabernet, selling the majority of the grape tonnage to other Napa wineries.  Today, he produces over 8,000 cases of seven different varietals.

 

More information is available at: http://www.vincentarroyo.com/

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly dark ruby red color.  The slightly reserved nose has black cherries, warm baking spices, licorice, earthy underbrush, wild flowers, dried herbs, and cedar.  This has medium body, fairly solid tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate the wine shows cherries with a touch of spicy oak up front with some dried herbs and earthiness coming in on the back end.  The finish is a touch short but again has nice spicy cherries.  I think this is still on the young side.  Hopefully it will add a bit of weight and fill out on the palate and finish with some additional cellar time.  (86 pts)

 

 

 

2000 Château Cantenac St. Émilion – $23.99

 

My comments

When I was stocking up on this “vintage of the century”, I was concentrating mainly on wines in the $20 to $40 range.  This, at the time totally unknown to me winery, ended up in my cellar.  I think it’s time to see what mystery lurks in the bottle.  This is a blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet.

 

Winery history

The vineyard of Château Cantenac stretches over a continuation of the sand-gravel plateau, to the West of the medieval town of Saint-Emilion, surrounding the charming 18th century manor house.  Château Cantenac has a long family tradition and Nicole Roskam-Brunot and her children are continuing to make history, with the passion they bring to their work.

 

If you understand French or can tolerate web based translation better than I can, visit Chateau Catenac’s Website for more information.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright ruby red color with absolutely no brick in sight.  The very nice nose has cherries, cassis, dried herbs, cigar box, baking spices, fresh ground espresso, and dried flowers.  This has medium body, fairly integrated tannins, and very good acidity.  The palate has nice, spicy, cherries with some dried herbs coming in late.  The finish has good length with the fruit and spice lingering nicely.  This is in a perfect drinking window right now but should hold for a year or two.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

I made a pork tenderloin to serve with the Bordeaux.

 

I made a paste out of olive oil, garlic, and fresh chopped rosemary.  Smeared this on the meat and let it sit for a few hours in the fridge wrapped in plastic.  I then wrapped the tenderloin in bacon.  I know it looks dull and boring, at this point.

 

After some time on the grill on indirect heat and a final blast over the hot coals, this is the finished product.  Looks better, doesn’t it?  Add some sautéed veggies from my wife and we are set for a nice dinner for two.

 

 

 

 

***** 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

 

 

 

 

Music Corner – A new addition

Some favorite songs/videos (known to pair with good wine)

 

Evanescence – Bring Me To Life

 

Kansas – Carry On My Wayward Son

 

Kiss – Beth

 

Moody Blues – I’m Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band)

 

The Hooters – All You Zombies

 

 

 

 

Mailing Lists

 

I think every mailing list imaginable has hit in the last couple of weeks.

 

 

 

Wines bought or received this week

 

Received a sample bottle of 2008 Elyse Le Corbeau Hudson Vineyard.

This will be in the blog in the next couple of weeks.

 

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

2006 Bodegas San Alejandro Garnacha Calatayud Las Rocas Viñas Viejas – $9.50

 

My comments

This 100% Garnacha (Grenache) from Spain is a perennial favorite in my house.  This wine generally leans heavily on the fruity component with the savory elements in the background providing depth and “seasoning”.  This wine is well distributed and generally available for less than the suggested retail price if you shop around or have a good, value oriented, local wine store in the area.

 

Winery history

BODEGAS SAN ALEJANDRO it is a cooperative founded in 1962, formed nowadays by 350 associates and 1100 hectares with a total average production of 4.600.000 Kilos.  It is located in Miedes, place of the province of Saragossa placed to 88 km from the capital, in the valley of the Perejiles, to 758 m. of altitude and with a population of 530 inhabitants.

 

Belonging to the community of Calatayud from the re-conquest of Alfonso I until 1834.  At the centre of its urban neighbourhood rises the church of San Pedro Apóstol made in the mudejar style, which it lies next to the exceptional communal Tower in the gothic style and built using cut-stone masonry.

 

At the beginning of the 17th century, the mudejar-style Convent of the Reverendas Concepcionistas Franciscanas was built, where the remainders of San Alejandro currently remain in honour of whom the main town festivities are held from the 12th to the 16th of May.

 

Finally in 1962 was founded our winery, which logo is inspired in the reliquary venerated by the confraternity more ancient of the village, which is kept in the altar of San Blas’s Church.

 

A great appreciation one´s own part of the country and know-how came together to make the dream of its people possible.  Our insignia is a product of the history of our people, thereby reflecting moderness without distancing ourselves from the roots that allowed us to grow.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby color.  The intoxicating nose has cherries, black raspberries, minerals, smoke, dried herbs, Asian spices, cedar, white pepper, and some licorice.  This has medium body, fully integrated tannins, and good acidity.  This is rich and velvety on the palate with a good blend of fruity and savory elements.  The finish is fairly long with the fruit and spice slowly giving way to some dried herbs and subtle earthiness.  This is about as good as it gets at this price point.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Caldora Sangiovese Terre di Chieti IGT – $6.02

 

My comments

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

 

Winery history (from the Winery)

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

(Note copied from December 2012 since they were similar)

 

 

 

2010 Claiborne and Churchill Pinot Gris – SRP $18.00

 

My comments

This wine was supplied to me by the SIP Certified organization for me to comment on during an online, Twitter based WineChat.  For more information on the outstanding efforts of SIP (Sustainability in Practice) please visit them at:  SIP Certified

 

This bottle was my introduction to Claiborne & Churchill Vintners.  We are big fans of the dry, Oregon Pinot Gris based wines as well as the ones from the Alsace region in France.  I’m looking forward to trying this one from California’s CentralCoast.

 

Winery history

Claiborne & Churchill is a small, family-owned winery founded in 1983 by Claiborne (Clay) Thompson and Fredericka Churchill.  Former teachers at the University of Michigan (Clay specialized in Old Norse Languages and Literatures and Fredericka taught German), the couple left the “Groves of Academe” for the vineyards of California in 1981 in order to start a new life in the wine industry.  Clay began as a “cellar rat” in a local winery, learning the business from the ground up (actually underground), and soon the two were encouraged to start their own wine production in that host facility.

 

With its first crush in 1983 Claiborne & Churchill announced its special focus, producing 565 cases of Dry Gewürztraminer and Dry Riesling, modeled on the fruity but dry dinner wines of the French province of Alsace.  Claiborne & Churchill now produces about 10,000 cases of wine a year, purchasing grapes from vineyards in the cool maritime valleys of California’s CentralCoast.  About two-thirds of these wines remain our signature wines, the Dry Riesling and Dry Gewürztraminer, which are sold all over the country (and abroad) by a network of brokers and distributors.  A variety of other wines, including Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as other wines in the Alsatian style (Pinot Gris, Dry Muscat, and an Edelzwicker), are produced in small lots and can be ordered directly from the winery.

 

In 1995 Clay and Fredericka completed construction on their new and permanent winery building.  This structure, a noteworthy example of environmental architecture, is a “straw bale building,” the first of its kind in California.  With sixteen-inch thick walls made of bales of rice straw, the winery is so well insulated that it maintains a constant cellar temperature, without the need for mechanical cooling or heating.

 

At Claiborne & Churchill traditional European winemaking techniques prevail, including extensive use of barrel-fermentation and barrel-aging (even with Riesling and Gewürztraminer), minimal manipulation of juice and wine, “natural” or spontaneous fermentation using indigenous yeast, and limited use of SO2, all in the belief that the winemaker’s task is to bring out the flavor and character that is latent in the grape.  Our aim is to create pleasurable dinner wines in which there is a harmonious balance of fruit and oak, structure and texture.

 

For much more information, visit:  Claiborne & Churchill Website

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a pale yellow with a golden tint.  The fresh smelling nose has apples, spices, melon, citrus zest, fresh Spring flowers, and a healthy dollop of minerals.  The wine is dry with a light to medium body and very good acidity.  On the palate the wine is dry but shows nice ripe and rich fruit with good citrusy acidity.  The long finish is full of nice fruit and spice.  This is a very nicely balanced wine.  Don’t serve this one too cold, cool room temperature is best.  One of the better Pinot Gris wines I’ve had the pleasure to enjoy.  This is a SIP Certified wine, which stands for “Sustainability in Practice”.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2007 Stolpman Syrah Estate Grown – $19.99

 

My comments

I’m always in the mood for a good Syrah, and the ones from Stolpman definitely fall in that category.  The Stolpman Estate Syrah is consistently very good to outstanding, generally offering high quality at a very reasonable price.  This is generally a wine that greatly rewards a couple ears in the cellar.  I’m looking forward to checking in to see how this wine is progressing.

 

Winery history

Tom and Marilyn Stolpman founded Stolpman Vineyards in 1990 after making the decision that Marilyn’s dream of an “investment we can enjoy” could include finding the perfect piece of property that could grow world-class wine grapes.  Tom was seeking out Limestone hills in a cool, maritime climate.  Until 1997, when Stolpman produced its first wines, all of the grapes were sold to other wineries including the cult hits of Sine Qua Non & Ojai Vineyards.  In 2001 winemaker Sashi Moorman came aboard and began working closely with Vineyard Manager Ruben Solorzano to increase the quality of the fruit going to the winery, including experimentation with dry-farming & high density plantings.

 

After decades of careful development, Stolpman Vineyards now bottles wine from approximately 90% of the 152 acres under vine.  Through extensive experimentation with many varietals, the team has perfected its offerings of Syrah, Roussanne, Sangiovese and Sauvignon Blanc.  Limited plantings of Grenache, Viognier, Petite Sirah, and Chardonnay serve as blending grapes.  The very best limited production wines including Angeli, La Croce, and Ruben’s Block are generally only available to the Stolpman Vineyards Wine Club.

 

Today, Tom’s son Peter Stolpman manages the tightly knit family operation dedicated to making world-class wines.  The team never rests in pushing the envelope of quality through organic dry farming and the meticulous work of Stolpman’s vineyard crew, “La Cuadrilla”.

 

Much more information is available at Stolpman Vineyards website.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly deep maroon color.  The very open and inviting nose has blackberries, minerals, Freshly ground espresso, smoked meat, black pepper, baking spices, licorice, dark chocolate, and violets, with just a touch of earthiness.  This is fairly full bodied with fairly solid tannins and good acidity.  The palate features spicy berries with dark chocolate and spicy oak coming in on the back end.  The finish is fairly long with fresh ground espresso and dark chocolate lingering on after the spicy fruit fades away.  This is entering a nice drinking window and should hold for a few years.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2003 Domaine du Gros’ Noré Bandol – $19.99

 

My comments

I bought a bottle of this wine as soon as it hit the shelf at the local wine store.  I liked it so much I grabbed a case.  Unfortunately, we liked it so much, this is my last bottle.  Every bottle has been very good, so I have high expectations for this one.

 

Winery history

Owner Alain Pascal has 16 ha of vines in the prime sector of Cadiere d’Azur.  They have an average age of 30 years.  The first official vintage released was 1997.  Prior to this, Alain’s father, Honore (his name is shortened to ‘Nore to give the name of the Domaine as Gros Noré = Fat Honore) worked the vineyards but never made his own wine.  Instead he sold the grapes to another leading Bandol producer at that time, Chateau de Pibarnon.

 

Bandol is regarded as the First Growth of Provence producing the most serious, and well known, wines of Provence.  The Mourvèdre grape variety is the basis of great Bandol with appellation laws requiring a minimum of 50% for the red wines (though many use up to 100% for some cuvees).  As well as Mourvèdre (80%), the Gros’ Noré red also has a dash of Grenache (15%), and old vine Cinsault (5%).  The wine is aged for 18 months in old 60 hl wooden barrels (foudres).  There are no new barriques used.  Only one cuvee of red wine is produced, and it is bottled without fining or filtration.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to dark ruby with a touch of brick especially at the edge.  The stunning nose has plums, minerals, cherries, worn leather, Asian spices, dried herbs, earthy underbrush, eucalyptus, dark chocolate, and a touch of smoke.  This has medium body with ripe, integrated tannins and good acidity.  On the palate the wine shows spicy, mineral laden, fruit with dried herbs up front, on the back end a touch of mint and dark chocolate enter the picture.  The mint, dark chocolate, and a touch of earthiness linger nicely on the fairly long finish.  This is in a nice drinking window and I don’t envision much improvement with additional cellar time.  Enjoy over the next year, maybe two.  (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

 

 

 

Music Corner – A new addition

Some favorite songs/videos (known to pair with good wine)

 

The Hollies – Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress

 

Procol Harum – A Whiter Shade Of Pale

 

The Moody Blues – Nights In White Satin

 

Emerson Lake & Palmer – Lucky Man (live)

 

Greg Lake – Still You Turn Me On

 

 

 

 

Mailing Lists

 

It seems like every winery sent out their offers at the same time this year.  It’s time for me to cut back, so a few offers have already found their way into the “deleted” folder.  If you are on any waiting lists, I’m dong my part to get you an allocation.

 

 

Wines bought or received this week

It’s been a quiet week, but I am expecting a delivery tomorrow unless our impending snow storm causes a delay.

 

 

 

 

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!

 

 

 

2006 Myriad Cellars Syrah Las Madres Vineyard – $38.00

 

My comments

This is a mailing list I jumped on based on the top flight labels Mike Smith had worked with in his brief career.  Even though I have several vintages in the cellar, this will be my first Myriad Syrah.  I have had and greatly enjoyed their Cabernet Sauvignon wines over the past year or two.

 

Winery history

“Sometimes success is as simple as hearing your inner voice.”

 

Mike started his winemaking career under the direction of Thomas Brown in 2001.   Traveling from PortlandOregon, Mike worked each crush “free of charge” to learn his craft.  Following his 3rd harvest, Mike accepted a full-time assistant position from Thomas and moved his family to St. Helena.  Today, Mike continues to work with Thomas on several labels (i.e. Schrader, Rivers-Marie, Maybach & Tamber Bey).  The Myriad wines are custom crushed along side these greats…  showcasing Mike’s talents and stylistic “purist” approach to winemaking.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly deep ruby color, lighter at the edge.  The outstanding nose has blackberries, black olives, charred meat, roasted herbs, dark chocolate, minerals, plums, black pepper, with some road tar and earthiness.  This has medium body, fairly solid tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate the fruit takes a back seat to the savory elements, adding a nice crushed berry element on the mid palate before some savory roasted herbs and meat juices take over.  The long finish is again highlighted by the meat juices, olives and roasted herbs with the fruit adding nice sweetness.  An excellent example of a wine that puts the fruit in the back seat and allows the savory elements to drive.  My style of wine.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2010 Treasure Hunter Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Panjanatan Paso Robles – $19.79

 

My comments

I grabbed several bottles of this wine, since a social media friend, Mark Adams, was the wine maker.  I’m glad I loaded up since the past few bottles have all be very good.  It’s always nice to get a good Cabernet for under $20.

 

Winery history

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark ruby to maroon color.  The deep and dark nose has blackberries, cassis, cedar, dried herbs, minerals, smoke, licorice, baking spices, and violets.  This has medium to full body with fairly solid, ripe tannins and good acidity.  The wine is rich and velvety on the palate with spicy fruit, dried herbs, and minerals leading the way.  The finish is fairly long with nice spicy fruit, dried herbs, and a touch of earthiness slowly fading away.  A nice, rich, but not over the top Cabernet from Paso Robles.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2005 Saxum Broken Stones – $45.00

 

My comments

I was a big fan of Saxum wines long before a certain wine publication brought them to everyone’s attention by naming one of their wines the Wine of the Year a couple years ago.  This wine was always a steal at the release price of $45.  Eventually the winery also noted this and the wine now is released for about $90.  The wine is usually outstanding, but my purchases have been cut back a bit because I just don’t need a boat load of $100 wine in the cellar.

 

Winery history

Saxum Vineyards is focused on producing Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre based blends from the Templeton Gap/Willow Creek area of Paso Robles.  We let our rocky calcareous soils, steep hillsides, sunny days, and cooling ocean breezes speak through our wines by keeping our yields low, picking the fruit at the peak of ripeness, and using a minimalist approach in the cellar.  We respect our land and farm everything sustainably without chemical fertilizers, herbicides, or pesticides.  Because our vine’s roots penetrate deep through the fissures in the calcareous soil irrigation is rarely needed.  Production is kept at 3000-4000 cases a year divided between seven different cuvees, Broken Stones, James Berry Vineyard, Bone Rock, Booker Vineyards, Paderewski Vineyard, Heart Stone Vineyard and Terry Hoage Vineyard.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep violet color.  The very enticing nose has blackberries, minerals, earthy underbrush, roasted herbs, meat juices, cherries, licorice, dark chocolate, warm baking spices, black peppercorns, and smoke.  This has a fairly full body with solid, ripe tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate this is big and ripe but held together perfectly by the acidity and well supported by the tannins, providing a well balanced wine.  The flavors reveal themselves layer by layer.  The finish is very long and loaded with complexity, the closing notes of dark chocolate and spicy, earthy, cherries seem to never fully fade.  (95 pts)

 

 

 

2007 Bonny Doon Vineyard Le Cigare Blanc – $6.64

 

My comments

I grabbed a few of these on close out at the local wine store.  I wanted to try one to see if I should grab some more to last through the upcoming Spring/Summer seasons.  This is a blend of 64.3% Roussanne and 35.7% Grenache Blanc from the Beeswax Vineyard in Arroyo Seco.

 

Winery history

With his family’s assistance, Randall purchased property in the Santa CruzMountains in a magically quaint area known as Bonny Doon, intent on producing the Great American Pinot Noir.  The GAPN proved to be systematically elusive, but he was greatly encouraged by experimental batches of Rhône varieties.  The late, great Bonny Doon Estate Vineyard (1981 – 1994, a tragic victim to Pierce’s Disease) was eventually planted to Syrah, “Roussanne,” Marsanne, and Viognier and produced achingly beautiful wines, confirming that California’s temperate climate is well suited to the sun-loving grapes of the Mediterranean. In 1986, Bonny Doon Vineyard released the inaugural vintage (1984) of Le Cigare Volant, an homage to Châteauneuf-duPape

 

My Tasting Note

A very nice looking light yellow to golden color.  The fresh smelling nose has honeysuckle, beeswax, apples, minerals, spices, pears, lemon zest, peaches, orange blossoms, and a touch of honey.  This is light to medium body, is dry, and has good acidity.  Nice tart fruit, minerals, and spice take center stage on the palate with lemon zest and peaches coming in on the back end.  The finish is fairly long with a big streak of minerality hanging on seemingly forever.  Don’t serve this too cold, it’s much better at a cool room temperature.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2005 Honig Cabernet Sauvignon Bartolucci – $37.99

 

My comments

Another wine that was purchased locally at a close out sale.  See, you can get great deals if you become friendly with a local wine store.  I am lucky enough to have a local store that scours the distributors close out lists for gems like this to offer at great prices.  I paid well under $40 a bottle for this wine, the average cost on Cellar Tracker for this is about $70.

 

Winery history

In 1964, Louis Honig purchased a 68-acre ranch in the heart of the NapaValley and planted it with Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes.  He sold the fruit to neighboring wineries with the dream of retiring one day from his San Francisco advertising business and making wine from his vineyard in Rutherford.  Before he could realize his dream, Louis passed away, leaving the estate to his children and grandchildren.  In 1981, as a tribute to his legacy, the family rallied together to produce several hundred cases of Louis Honig Sauvignon Blanc in the vineyard’s old tractor barn.  The wine won a Gold Medal at the Orange County Fair, and thus, the winery was born.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby to maroon color.  The very pleasing and soothing nose has cassis, cherry, cedar, baking spices, smoke, dried herbs, leather, and violets.  This has a medium body, fairly solid, ripe tannins, and good acidity.  On the palate the wine has nice spicy fruit and dried herbs with no notes from overly ripe fruit or aggressive, over extraction.  The finish has very nice length.  This is in a prime drinking window and is one of the better 2005 Cabernets from the NapaValley.  (92 pts)

 

Sorry for the low quality picture, this has to be one of the worst labels out there to try and photograph.

 

 

 

Super Sunday in Wisconsin, fire up the grill even in 12 degree temperatures on a snow covered deck.

 

 

 

 

***** 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!

 

 

 

2008 Core Grenache Reserve Santa Barbara Highlands Vineyard – $20.59

 

My comments

I had a bottle of the outstanding 2008 Core Grenache Santa Barbara County in December, so I decided it was time to try this reserve wine.  The regular Grenache found a spot on my Top 10 QPR Wines of 2012.

 

Winery history

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light to medium ruby red, much lighter at the edge.  The very nice nose has cherries, dried herbs, black raspberries, baking spices, black pepper, and a touch of licorice.  This has a medium body with fairly solid, ripe tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate this initially tastes like cherry pie, then the dried herbs and more spice kick in adding depth and balancing out the fruity elements.  This has very nice length with the spicy cherries and dried herbs very slowly fading.  This is a very nice California Grenache that may not appeal to someone looking for a Southern Rhone styled wine, but for the rest, this will have considerable appeal.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2008 McPrice Myers Beautiful Earth – $28.80

 

My comments

A blend of 79% Syrah, 16% Grenache, and 5% Mourvedre from Paso Robles.

 

Winery history

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

 

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark, ruby color.  The deep and dark nose has blackberries, dark chocolate, vanilla, black pepper, blueberries, cherries, dried herbs, wood smoke, earthy underbrush, dried flowers, and baking spices.  This has a very full body, big, solid tannins and decent acidity.  This is a massive wine on the palate loaded with spicy crushed berries, black pepper, dark chocolate, and dried herbs.  The long finish is a reflection of the palate with some earthiness also popping out.  Nothing timid about this in your face wine.  European, old world, palates should just move along.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2008 Wine Guerrilla Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley – $15.19

 

My comments

We went through a half case of the 2007 vintage of this wine.  Every bottle rated in the low 90 point range, a great rating for a sub $13 Dry Creek Zin.  This will be my first bottle of this vintage.  I’m not expecting it to be up to the level of the 2007, but who know.

 

Winery history

Wine Guerrilla – The Art and Soul of Zinfandel

 

Snooth.com calls Wine Guerrilla the Defender of Old Vine Zinfandel

 

“Wine Guerrilla is a specialist operation run by Bruce Patch who is intent on sourcing great fruit from some of Sonoma’s best vineyards to create wines that are true to their origins and that express the intensity and richness that Zinfandel is famous for.”

 

Our single vineyard wines are sourced from renowned small Dry Creek, RussianRiver, AlexanderValley and SonomaValley vineyards.

 

Open a bottle today and join the Revolution!

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to dark ruby red color.  The bright nose features cherries, brambly berries, earthy underbrush, black pepper, dried herbs, and a touch of dark chocolate.  This is fairly full bodied with sold tannins and tart acidity.  The palate shows tart cherries and berries with some pepper and spice.  The finish has decent length with some dried herbs adding a nice element to the tart fruit.  This is a tough wine to judge, it just doesn’t taste like a zinfandel.  The acidity is much brighter than I expected and even with the elevated (15.7%) alcohol the wine isn’t as rich as expected.  Served blind I could have easily guessed this was a Grenache from a cooler region.  (86 pts)

 

 

 

2007 Bouchaine Pinot Noir Carneros – $14.24

 

My comments

The local store was having a blow out sale and this was one of their wines on sale for a big discount.  This was the last bottle they had, so I had to grab it.  Let’s see…nice winery, good region, great vintage, about half off of release price… how could I pass.

 

Winery history

Bouchaine Vineyards inhabits the oldest continually operated winery in the Carneros wine region.  The site was first planted to vines and orchards in the mid-1800s by pioneer Boon Fly.  In 1927, before the end of Prohibition, the property was purchased by Italian immigrant, Johnny Garetto.  After the Repeal he operated perhaps the first winery with a tasting room in the region.

 

Garetto shipped his wine to San Francisco and elsewhere from Buchli Station, a historic railway station located at the end of the road of the same name and the address of the Bouchaine property.

 

Garetto sold the ranch to Beringer Brothers in 1951.  Beringer used the winemaking facility for the next thirty years making upgrades along the way.  In 1981 Gerret and Tatiana Copeland, residents of Wilmington Delaware and long time admirers of the wines of Burgundy, purchased the facility from Beringer and established Bouchaine Vineyards.  A massive renovation was completed in 1995 updating the winemaking facility with new technology and refurbishing the entire facility in a rustic style that garnered numerous awards from historic and architectural organizations.

 

The most noteworthy change in winemaking style has occurred recently with the hiring of Michael Richmond as winemaker and general manager.  Mike Richmond has over 30 years experience in Chardonnay and Pinot Noir production in the Carneros including his founding Acacia Winery.  He and the Bouchaine winemaking team have updated both farming and winemaking to bring the wines to a new standard of excellence.

 

My Tasting Note

Removing the capsule revealed a red stain covering most he the top of the cork, never a good sign.  The wine is a medium ruby red with a some bricking especially at the edge.  The slightly reserved nose has cherries, baking spices, subtle earthiness, plum, and tobacco.  This is barely medium body with silky tannins and very good acidity.  Much more open and lively than the nose lead me to expect with bright, spicy cherries with a nice earthy streak.  Decent length on the palate which closes with just a slight herbal note.  Not a lot of complexity, but this was a steal on the close out rack for under $15.  I wish I had a few more to get me through the remainder of the year.  (88 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!

 

 

 

2007 Anthill Farms Cabernet Sauvignon Timber Crest Farms Vineyard – $25.00

 

My comments

Anthill Farms is much more known for their Pinot Noirs, but they usually make a couple of non Pinots each year.  Like their Pinot Noirs, their other wines have the ripeness toned down and are more finesse driven wines.  With their low production levels, I think everything sells out via the mailing list.

 

Winery history

This new producer has burst on the scene with startling good Pinot Noirs made from purchased grapes.  This project is one of many that has ties with Williams Selyem.  Three young Pinot amigos, who had worked together as cellar hands at the distinguished winery on Westside Road launched their own winery with three Pinot Noir releases in 2004.

 

Anthony Filiberti grew up in SonomaCounty and was lured to wine at an early age.  He learned winemaking at Bergstrom Winery in Newberg, Oregon, Hafner Vineyards in the AlexanderValley, and Williams Selyem.  David Low grew up in Kansas but got hooked on wine while attending University of California Berkeley.  A short stint as a computer programmer was followed by a change of heart and he later worked at both Williams Selyem and Papapietro Perry.  Low is now an assistant winemaker at Papapietro Perry Winery.  Webster Marquez grew up on the East Coast and attended college in Virginia.  Here he began working as an assistant winemaker at Jefferson Vineyards.  He then moved to SonomaCounty where he joined Williams Selyem.  Currently he is the winemaker at C. Donatiello Winery in Healdsburg.

 

The trio’s goal is to craft Pinot Noirs that “express the growing site and the characteristics of the vintage, and above all else, taste good.”  They disdain the riper style of Pinot Noir, looking more for freshness of flavor and acidity.  Some whole clusters are included in the winemaking.  New oak is limited to about 30%.  Racking, fining and filtering is avoided.

 

The emphasis at Anthill Farms is on the vineyards and have named their winery Anthill Farms to emphasize the many tiny individual vineyards that form “the link between place and product.”  The trio avoid calling attention to themselves, preferring to bring notoriety to their winegrowers.  Their grape sources are NorthCoast vineyards in Sonoma and Mendocino counties.  They also farm a small vineyard named Abbey-Harris high above Boonville in the AndersonValley.

 

The annual production of 1,400 cases is quickly snapped up by a mailing list.  Anthill Farms Winery is located at 4791 Dry Creek Road, #3-4, Healdsburg (in the Papapietro Perry winery).  Tasting by appointment – phone Dave at 707-490-5191 or e-mail Webster at webster@anthillfarms.com.

 

This winery background is from The Prince of Pinot  Check them out!

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium ruby red color.  The outstanding nose has cassis, plums, licorice, dried herbs, spice box, minerals, tobacco, and dried wild flowers.  This has a medium body, fairly solid tannins and very good acidity.  This is not a big, overly ripe, heavily extracted style of cabernet, this is much more restrained and nuanced.  Nice fruit and spice take center stage on the palate with minerals, spicy oak, and dried herbs coming in on the sides.  The finish has good length and also showcases the fruit, spicy oak, and dried herbs.  Very food friendly, this could easily be mistaken for a Bordeaux.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2006 Mitolo Shiraz Savitar – $32.50

 

My comments

This is one of the premiere wineries in Australia.  This will be my first time trying this specific wine, but we go through rivers of their Reiver Shiraz every year.  Savitar is created from only the best barrels of their Shiraz.

 

Winery history

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

 

Purity. Elegance. Power.

 

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

 

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

 

And that is just the start.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark, inky purple color.  The rich and luxurious nose has blackberries, blueberries, dark chocolate, vanilla, smoked meat, dried herbs, and some earthiness.  This has a full body, fairly solid, ripe tannins, and good acidity.  This is a massive wine on the palate with loads of spicy, peppery berries with a nice smoked meat element followed by spicy oak and dried herbs.  The finish is very long and like the palate, packed with flavor.  No subtlety and not the most complex wine out there, but very tasty.  Not an everyday wine, but on occasion, this one will rock.  This is still on the young side and will improve with another couple years in the cellar.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2008 Ridge Lytton Springs – $29.99

 

My comments

I always have a hard time choosing a favorite between the Ridge Lytton Springs and the Ridge Geyserville wines.  Both are zinfandel based blends but since Zinfandel generally constitutes less than 75% of the blend, they can’t be labeled as a Zinfandel.  This vintage is a blend of 74% Zinfandel, 21% Petite Sirah, and 5% Carignan.

 

Winery history

The history of Ridge Vineyards begins in 1885, when Osea Perrone, a doctor who became a prominent member of San Francisco’s Italian community, bought 180 acres near the top of Monte Bello Ridge.  He terraced the slopes and planted vineyards; using native limestone, he constructed the Monte Bello Winery, producing the first vintage under that name in 1892.  This unique cellar, built into the mountainside on three levels, is Ridge’s production facility.  At 2600′, it is surrounded by the “upper vineyard.”

 

In the 1940s, William Short, a theologian, bought the abandoned winery and vineyard just below the Perrone property; he replanted several parcels to cabernet sauvignon in the late 1940s.  From these vines — now the “middle vineyard”— new owners Dave Bennion and his three partners, all Stanford Research Institute engineers, made a quarter-barrel of “estate” cabernet.  That Monte Bello Cabernet was among California’s finest wines of the era.  Its quality and distinctive character, and the wines produced from these same vines in 1960 and ’61, convinced the partners to re-bond the winery in time for the 1962 vintage.

 

The first zinfandel was made in 1964, from a small nineteenth-century vineyard farther down the ridge.  This was followed in 1966 by the first Geyserville zinfandel.  The founding families reclaimed the Monte Bello terraces, increasing vineyard size from fifteen to forty-five acres.  Working on weekends, they made wines of regional character and unprecedented intensity.  By 1968, production had increased to just under three thousand cases per year, and in 1969, Paul Draper joined the partnership.  A Stanford graduate in philosophy—recently returned from setting up a winery in Chile’s coast range—he was a practical winemaker, not an enologist.  His knowledge of fine wines and traditional methods complemented the straightforward “hands off” approach pioneered at Ridge.  Under his guidance the old Perrone winery (acquired the previous year) was restored, the finest vineyard lands leased or purchased, the consistent quality and international reputation of the wines established.  Cabernet and Zinfandel account for most of the production; Syrah, Grenache, Carignane, and Petite Sirah constitute a small percentage.  Known primarily for its red wines, Ridge has also made limited amounts of chardonnay since 1962.

 

Lytton Springs, in SonomaCounty, became part of the Ridge estate in 1991.  A quarter century’s experience with this vineyard had convinced us that it was an exceptional piece of ground.  Forty consecutive vintages of Geyserville attest to yet another stunning combination of location and varietals.  Though born in the early sixties to the post-Prohibition world of modern California winemaking, Ridge relies on nature and tradition rather than technology.  Our approach is straightforward: find intense, flavorful grapes; intrude upon the process only when necessary; draw the fruit’s distinctive character and richness into the wine.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark ruby color.  The very appealing nose has brambly berries, minerals, black pepper, Asian spices, cherries, vanilla, potpourri, and some earthy underbrush.  This has a medium body, fairly solid tannins, and very good acidity.  On the palate the wine shows great balance with no rough edges or overly showy elements.  The finish has very nice length but seems to be a touch clipped when the tannins and acidity kick in.  I think this will improve with another year or two in the cellar but it is enjoyable today with some air.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2008 Villa Creek Willow Creek Cuvée – $29.75

 

My comments

I’ve been a fan of the wines coming out of Paso Robles’ Villa Creek for several years.  Most of the wines are very unique blends and all are of very high quality.  This wine is a blend of 50% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 30% Mourvèdre from the Denner and James Berry Vineyards in Paso Robles.

 

Winery history

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly dark ruby color. The sexy nose has blackberries, minerals, cherries, dried herbs, vanilla, earthy underbrush, smoke, licorice, and fresh wild flowers. This is medium to full bodied with fairly solid, ripe tannins and very nice acidity. Ripe, earthy, spicy fruit dominate the palate with dried herbs and just a touch of dark chocolate adding nice depth. The nice acidity and tannins hold the wine together very nicely on the palate. The finish is fairly long with a very nice mixture of the fruit and savory elements. Very tasty today, but this will last in the cellar for several years.  (93 pts)

Note copied from 11/2/2012 since they were very similar.

 

 

 

It was a cold, snowy day today.  We even encountered some “thunder sleet”, so we went the “comfort food” route for dinner.  I channeled the years we lived in Texas to make some Chicken Fried Steak for dinner.  It may not be fancy or healthy, but it was delicious.  We both had seconds.  It was a very nice pairing with the Villa Creek wine.

 

 

Is there a better way to kick back and relax on a Sunday afternoon?

 

 

 

 

***** 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!

 

 

 

2007 Cosentino Winery Sangiovese Il Chiaretto – $9.49

 

My comments

This was a winery I really liked several years ago.  We used to love stopping at the winery because they always had a ton of different wines available to taste.  Unfortunately, they probably had too many.  Eventually the winery got into financial trouble and had to be sold off.  Part of the problem may have been related to trying to grow too big, too fast.

 

This used to be a nice wine that far exceeded its price point in some vintages.  This was generally mostly Sangiovese with other grapes blended in.  In some vintages the tart and acidic Sangiovese had a dollop of Petite Sirah that added just enough heft and body to take it to the next level.  This was a very nice, under $10, “Super Tuscan” styled wine.

 

Winery history

Led by the spirit of creativity and innovation, Cosentino Winery was founded in 1980 with a commitment to making only the highest quality wines from California’s greatest vineyards.  Because these same ideals ring as true today as they did in the beginning, Cosentino wines have steadily grown in quality and reputation over the years and are considered by many to be among the finest wines made in the world.

 

Cosentino Winery made its first wines in 1980 with its inaugural vintage released in 1981 under the labels of Cosentino Wine Company and Crystal Valley Cellars.  The first several wines produced and released by Cosentino in the early 1980s were made from small lots of grapes acquired from some of the leading growers of California’s NorthCoast counties including Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, Lake, and SacramentoCounties.

 

Cosentino rapidly gained recognition for innovative winemaking and uniquely crafted wines.  Its commitment to high quality winemaking practices has resulted in numerous awards from well respected wine critics and publications worldwide.  Cosentino is recognized as a pioneer in introducing new varietals into the California wine market and as a leader in creating new wine blends that would eventually become commonplace in the industry.  In fact, Cosentino Winery is widely recognized for its role in the development of California’s Meritage style wine, a Bordeaux inspired blend that is now a staple throughout the NapaValley.  In 1989 Cosentino’s release of “The Poet” (1986 vintage), was one of America’s first designated and licensed Meritage wines.  Today, there are over 200 other wineries producing Meritage style wines.

 

In 1990 Cosentino Winery moved into its newly constructed winery in Yountville, California and began its quest to establish long term relationships with Napa’s top vineyards.  These relationships allowed Cosentino to control the farming and harvesting of the grapes used to craft its wines.  Today, many of these same growers work with Cosentino to produce exceptional high quality wines respected worldwide.

 

Throughout the 1990s and 2000s Cosentino Winery has grown in quality and reputation with a focus on Meritage, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Chardonnay.  After over 30 years of winemaking, our commitment to the future is still focused on producing quality ultra-premium wines.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium ruby red color.  The fairly straight forward nose has cherries, black raspberries, spicy oak, earthy underbrush, vanilla, and a touch of eucalyptus.  This has medium body, fully integrated tannins, and good acidity.  The palate has spicy, earthy cherries and berries with just a hint of eucalyptus.  The finish is fairly short but shows nice, tart cherries and a touch of earthiness.  Probably nearing the end of the line but still enjoyable with a week night Italian dish with a tomato based sauce.  (86 pts)

 

 

 

2007 Von Hövel Scharzhofberger Riesling Spätlese – $13.29

 

My comments

I blindly grabbed six bottles of this at the local store during an “end of vintage” blow out sale.  How could I go wrong with a German Spätlese that is probably just approaching a good drinking window?  It’s time to open one to see if I should have passed or kick myself for not grabbing a whole case.

 

Winery history

Eberhard von Kunow is proprietor of an estate at Oberemmel that has been in the same family for six generations.  He and his wife Hildegard reside in the old manor house which many visitors liken to an old castle.

 

The manor house, completed in the 12th century, was initially an added retreat for the famous wine-monastery of St. Maximin in Trier.  Over the years many things have changed above the foundation, but the cellar is today just as it was 800 years ago.

 

Twice the building burned to the ground and it was last rebuilt in 1732.  Johann E. Grach, an ancestor of the present proprietor, purchased the estate in 1806, after secularization forced the church to give up the property.  He had also acquired the Kanzemer Berg and the Wawerner Herrenberg, which today are in the hands of his other descendants, Mrs. Maximilian von Othegraven and Dr. Fischer, respectively.

 

The von Kunows, even though respectful of tradition, use the latest methods in their vineyards and in marketing their wines.  As a cellarmaster Eberhard, who is also the auctioneer for the wine auctions at Trier and Bernkastel, uses the old tried and true methods.  All wine is fermented and matured in 100% German oak until bottled.

 

Though some dry (trocken) wines are produced, fruity style Riesling wines predominate.  The estate owns about 27.5 acres of vineyards and has a production of about 5,000 cases.  The Oberemmeler Hütte is the largest holding with 12,5 acres and is wholly owned by the von Kunow family.  A portion of the Oberemmeler Balduinsberg (6,25 acres) and of the famous Scharzhofberg (7.5 acres) round out the estate.  All vineyards are planted to 100% Riesling.

 

1971 Oberemmeler Hütte Spätlese tasted in October 1981, exhibited great fruit, counterbalanced by a very lively acidity and steely backbone, all of which suggested many years of additional life.

 

A founding member of Der Grosse Ring, the von Hövel Estate is a member of the VDP Mosel-Saar-Ruwer.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a clear, pale yellow with a very slight green tint.  The very fresh and inviting nose has apples, minerals, lime, orange zest, peaches, and a touch of petrol and white pepper.  This has light to medium body with nice residual sweetness and very good balancing acidity.  This is rich and luscious on the palate with juicy fruit, minerals, citrus, and nice sweetness.  The finish is fairly long and very flavorful.  This has the complete package and is very nicely balanced.  This is enjoyable now but will last in the cellar for at least another decade and improve along the way.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2008 C.G. di Arie Petite Sirah Estate Grown – $15.19

 

My comments

My local store had these on close out sale, so I had to grab a bottle to see how it tastes.  I’ve liked a lot of the value priced C. G. di Arie wines I’ve had, and there’s always room in my cellar for a good $15 Petite Sirah.  It’s time to try one and decide if I want to stock up this weekend if the store has any left.

 

Winery history

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, inky purple color.  The enticing nose has blackberries, dark chocolate, road tar, warm baking spices, melted licorice, dried herbs, and some fresh cracked black peppercorns.  This has medium to full body with fairly solid tannins and very good acidity.  The palate features tart, spicy, peppery berries with some dried herbs coming in on the backend.  The finish has decent length and is quite flavorful ending with some dark chocolate.  Not an overly ripe, full bodied style of Petite Sirah, this is actually nicely balanced and very food friendly.  This should last for several years with the tannins and tart acidity, but it is tasty today with some red meat.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2007 Carlisle Zinfandel Sonoma County – $17.50

 

My comments

This will sadly be my last bottle of this outstanding, under $20 Zinfandel.  Mike Officer makes great wines and sells them at fantastic prices.  No wonder his mailing list is closed and the waiting list just keeps getting longer and longer.  I placed my order recently and noticed I’ve been on the mailing list since early 2005.  This is one of the few mailing lists I will never drop.

 

Winery history

We are a small SonomaCounty winery specializing in the production of old-vine, vineyard designated zinfandels and red Rhone varieties (syrah, grenache, mourvèdre, and petite sirah).  While we like our wines to be bold, rich, and intensely flavored, each reflecting a sense of place, its origins in the vineyard, we also strive to create wines of balance, complexity, and perhaps most importantly, pleasure.

 

Rich.  Lusty.  Hedonistic.  These are some of the descriptors we often hear applied to our wines.  However, we also hear the words elegant, balanced, complex.  Yes, through hard work in the vineyard and winery, we believe you can have it all, the best of both worlds.  Our approach to winemaking is simple, yet difficult.  We prefer to intervene in nature’s process as little as possible but we will leave no stone unturned in our quest to maximize the quality of each wine we produce.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark maroon color.  The very promising nose has brambly berries, black pepper, vanilla, underbrush, dried herbs, licorice, violets, wood smoke, and dark chocolate.  This has a medium to full body, fairly solid, ripe tannins, and good acidity.  The palate has nice peppery berries, spicy oak, and vanilla up front with dried herbs and some earthiness coming in on the back end.  The finish is fairly long with the peppery berries, spicy oak, and earthiness lingering nicely.  This was a steal at only $17.50.  (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

 

 

 

 

 

Music Corner – A new addition

Some favorite songs/videos (known to pair with good wine)

 

Bob Seger – Mainstreet

 

The Outlaws – Green Grass and High Tides

 

Meatloaf – I Would Do Anything for Love

 

The Band – The Weight

 

Iron City Houserockers – Hideaway

 

 

 

 

Mailing Lists

 

Too many to list, they all seem to be hitting.

 

 

 

 

Wines bought or received this week

 

Some winery samples for review:

2009 Steven Kent Cabernet Sauvignon

2009 Steven Kent Cabernet Sauvignon Folkendt Vineyard

2009 La Rochelle Pinot NoirSantaLuciaHighlands

2009 La Rochelle Pinot Noir Sleepy Hollow Block A

2009 Steven Kent Malbec Ghielmetti

2009 La Rochelle Chardonnay Ferrington Vineyard

 

Wine for a Twitter wine tasting in February:

2011 Steven Kent Lola Ghielmetti Vineyard

2010 La Rochelle Chardonnay Morelli Lane Dutton Ranch

2009 La Rochelle Pinot NoirSantaLuciaHighlands

2009 La Rochelle Pinot Noir Donum Estate Vineyard

2009 Steven Kent Petit Verdot Ghielmetti

2009 Steven Kent Cabernet Sauvignon Home Ranch Vineyard

 

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

2004 Carlisle Two Acres – $32.50

 

My comments

I decided it was time to open a Carlisle to celebrate their newest offer hitting the inbox earlier in the week.  I’ve been a big fan of this wine for several years.  This is a blend of 85% Mourvèdre, 12% Petite Sirah, 2% Carignane, and 1% Alicante Bouschet from Sonoma’s Russian River Valley.

 

Winery history

We are a small Sonoma County winery specializing in the production of old-vine, vineyard designated zinfandels and red Rhone varieties (syrah, grenache, mourvèdre, and petite sirah).  While we like our wines to be bold, rich, and intensely flavored, each reflecting a sense of place, its origins in the vineyard, we also strive to create wines of balance, complexity, and perhaps most importantly, pleasure.

 

Rich.  Lusty.  Hedonistic.  These are some of the descriptors we often hear applied to our wines.  However, we also hear the words elegant, balanced, complex.  Yes, through hard work in the vineyard and winery, we believe you can have it all, the best of both worlds.  Our approach to winemaking is simple, yet difficult.  We prefer to intervene in nature’s process as little as possible but we will leave no stone unturned in our quest to maximize the quality of each wine we produce.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to dark ruby color.  The intoxicating nose has cherries, plums, earthy underbrush, violets, leather, smoke, tobacco, dark chocolate, and a touch of licorice.  This has a medium to full body with fairly solid tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate the earthy cherries and plums lead the way with dried herbs and spice providing the follow up.  The finish has decent length but is losing some of the richness and oomph and a touch of alcohol is beginning to poke through.  This still tasted very nice, but I think is has started on the downhill path.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2008 Tre Donne Barbera d’Alba d’Arc – $14.24

 

My comments

This was a new wine for me.  This was one of several wines the local wine store brought in just for a blow out sale.  I’ve been a big fan of Italian Barbera wines for a number of years.  These wines generally have nice, bright, red fruit with some spicy earthiness and a boat load of acidity.  These are generally one of the most food friendly wines around.

 

Winery history

As much as Alessandro Lequio loved his daughters, in staying with Italian traditions, there was no way he was going to hand over the family vineyard to women.  (According to his wife, Donna Bruna, Alessandro actually cried for half-an-hour when their third and final child, Daniela, was born!)  Four generations of fathers had handed the estate down to their sons, and even though he hadn’t had a boy, Alessandro would be damned if the family business was going to be run by the fairer sex.  “Marry a good winemaker,” he would tell them.  Just as stubborn as their father, the sisters all staunchly refuted this notion, and assured him that he would be handing the estate over to them one day… In the end (and presumably tired of arguing), everyone agreed to a “do-or-die” wager, and literally bet the ranch; deciding he could trick them into failure, Alessandro agreed to give the gals everything if they could pass three years of his rigorous tests, culminating in a single vintage of wine which he, himself would judge.  To everyone’s surprise, the Sisters never gave up, and moreover, they actually won more awards in their first year of production than Alessandro had in his entire career!   True to his word, their papa changed his tune and turned the estate over to his daughters.  He was so deeply impressed, he even allowed them to change the name to “Tre Donne”–which means “Three Women.”

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a touch darker than ruby red.  The elegant nose has black raspberries, melted licorice, warm baking spices, dark chocolate, a touch of mint, minerals, and some subtle earthiness.  This has medium body, soft, ripe tannins, and good acidity.  The palate has rich, spicy berries up front with more spice, mint and earthiness coming in on the back end.  The finish has decent length with the fruit turning a bit more tart and a faint herbal note coming into the picture.  A bit fuller body and darker fruit than your usual Barbera.  This would be good with a big, meaty pasta sauce, but may be too big and have too little acidity for a lighter marinara sauce.  Different, but enjoyable.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Pierre Amadieu Côtes du Rhône Roulepierre – $8.95

 

My comments

I grabbed a six pack of this wine after having a sip at a tasting.  At the time, I noted it needed a year in the cellar.  Well, it’s been 13 months, time to pop one.  This is a blend of 75% Grenache and 25% Syrah.

 

Winery history

Our history begins in 1929 when my grand father decides to bottle and trade under the signature Pierre Amadieu his wine coming from the 7 hectares (17 acres) of vineyard in Gigondas passed on by generation to generation.  He is then one of the firsts to print the name of the appellation on his bottles and obtains from 1932 a golden medal in the National Agricultural Concours of Paris.

 

I am presently on the head of the company and I am in charge of winemaking and maturing.  I work with my uncle Claude who runs the vineyard.  Together we follow the familial way of thinking by respecting soils and traditions in order to make you share wines faithful to the quality ambition of our grandfather and by adding a note of modernity in order to delight the most demanding and the most curious palates.

 

I am not a follower of over-extracted wines and often “heavy” to taste; my ambition is rather to obtain well-balanced wines with a Burgundy fineness.  Through the maturing I try to reveal all the elegance and the richness of our protected terroirs located on the heights of the appellation Gigondas.  From vines to the bottling patience and observation are required.  Today appreciated all over the world, every vintage reserves its subtleties which I am happy to subject to your appreciation.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a ruby red color.  The open and inviting nose has blackberries, black cherries, minerals, dried herbs, spices, black pepper, and a bit of earthiness.  This has medium body, fairly solid tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate spicy, peppery, mineral laden fruit takes center stage with dried herbs and some earthiness coming in on the back end.  The finish is a touch short but very flavorful.  A bit of additional cellar time may help the finish fill out a bit.  This was an absolute steal for the $9 I paid.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2003 Corison Cabernet Sauvignon – $34.50

 

My comments

One of my favorite, value priced, Napa Cabernets.  Every vintage Cathy Corison seems to put out a wine that is a lot better than the competition at the same price point.  The winery never seemed to be a media darling, but the changes at the Wine Advocate lead to a new person reviewing the wines, and he seems to appreciate the wines a lot more.  These aren’t wines meant for immediate enjoyment, they need a few years in the cellar to help them transform into something magical.

 

Winery history

Winegrower Cathy Corison produces artisanal Cabernet Sauvignon that speaks of place, sourcing great benchland vineyards between Rutherford and St. Helena in the NapaValley.

 

The Corison Winery, in its timeless Victorian-style barn, is situated in the heart of Cathy’s beloved Kronos Vineyard.  With eight acres planted exclusively to St. Georges rootstock, Kronos is a historic treasure.  As one of the last old Cabernet Vineyards in the NapaValley, it is one of the few vineyards to have produced world class fruit continuously for more than four decades.  Farmed organically and growing on gravelly loam soils, the gnarly old veterans produce scant yields that result in wines of rare concentration and refinement.  They are juicy with blackberry and plum fruit and complex with a mineral note and exquisite violet perfume.

 

Cathy Corison’s wines are noted for their consistency and impeccable balance.  Powerful and elegant at the same time, they grace the table and enjoy a long, distinguished life.  The 2012 harvest marks Cathy’s 26th vintage of Corison Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly deep ruby red color.  The nose is one of those I can sit and just smell and be happy, at least for a little while then I have to take a taste.  The rich and sophisticated nose has cassis, cherry, melted licorice, dried herbs, well worn leather, spice box, tobacco, minerals, and just a bit of smoke.  This has a medium body, ripe, mostly integrated tannins, and very good acidity.  This has nice, rich and spicy fruit on the palate with dried herbs, tea leaves, and a touch of earthiness adding considerable depth and complexity.  The finish is very long and lingering with the spicy fruit and dried herbs seeming to last forever.  This was a killer bottle of wine that is in its prime drinking window.  This should last for at least a couple more years in the cellar, but if you have multiple bottles, give one a try now.  (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

 

 

 

Music Corner – A new addition

Some favorite songs/videos (known to pair with good wine)

 

Eric Burdon & War – Spill The Wine

 

Canned Heat – On The Road Again

 

Steppenwolf – Born to be Wild

 

Marshall Tucker Band – Can’t You See

 

Neil Young – Imagine

 

 

 

 

Mailing Lists

 

It was busy earlier in the week with Saxum, Loring, and Carlisle hitting the inbox.  The mailing list action is just starting to heat up. 

 

 

Wines bought or received this week

 

Picked these up at the local wine store:

(6) 2007 Bonny Doon Vineyard Le Cigare Blanc @ $6.44

(3) 2006 Sterling Vineyards Merlot Three Palms Vineyard @ $20.89

(1) 2005 Falesco Montiano Lazio IGT @ $28.49

(1) 2008 Tre Donne Barbera d’Alba d’Arc @ $14.24

(1) 2008 C.G. di Arie Petite Sirah Estate Grown @ $15.19

 

 

 

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 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Russian River Valley – $25.00

 

My comments

I am a big fan of the Loring appellation wines.  These wines are blends of grapes from different vineyards in the region.  These wines may lack some of the uniqueness of the single vineyard wines, but to me they seem to highlight the best features from each vineyard.  The best part is these wines are about half the price of the single vineyard wines so they can be enjoyed without too much guilt any day of the week.

 

Winery history

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to dark ruby red color.  The rich and inviting nose has black raspberries, Asian spices, cola, black cherry, wild flowers, white pepper, and a touch of earthy underbrush.  This has a medium body, moderate, ripe tannins, and good acidity.  On the palate the wine has rich, velvety fruit and spice up front with some subtle earthiness and white pepper coming in late.  The finish is fairly long and full of spicy, earthy fruit.  May not be the most complex Pinot out there, but it is delicious and a steal at the mailing list price of $25.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Buehler Vineyards Zinfandel – $15.19

 

My comments

I’ve been a fan of the Buehler Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon for many years.  It had been a few years since I tried one of their zinfandels.  The local store brought this one in and had it at a great price, so I grabbed a couple bottles.  I sat on my bottles for a few months figuring I could try one and stock up if it was good.  That theory blew up when the wine ended up at #68 on Wine Spectator’s Top 100 list.  As usually happens, the wine disappeared for store’s shelves.

 

Winery history

Buehler Vineyards is a small, family-owned winery located in the mountains east of St. Helena in NapaValley.  Situated north of Pritchard Hill and Conn Valley, near the base of Howell Mountain, our hillside vineyards are planted primarily to Cabernet Sauvignon, with smaller blocks of old-vine Zinfandel.

 

Our family has been farming this beautiful estate for thirty-six years.  We combine that experience and the unique terroir of our hillside vineyards with low yields, meticulous vineyard management, and minimalist winemaking techniques to create wines of uncommon complexity and depth, and to present these wines to wine lovers at reasonable prices.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to dark ruby red color.  The refined and elegant nose has brambly berries, dried sage, vanilla, black cherries, dried wild flowers, underbrush, and a touch of black pepper.  This has a medium body with fairly solid tannins and very good acidity.  The palate has peppery, berries with spicy oak, dried herbs, and a touch of earthiness.  The finish is a touch short and the tannins turn a bit chalky.  This has very nice balance but it may be going through a slight bump in its development.  If the slight chalkiness on the finish resolves with a touch of cellar time, which I think they will, this will be very good for a few more years.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2007 John Duval Wines Shiraz Entity – $20.27

 

My comments

It may not be “cool” to admit, but I am still a fan of Australian Shiraz.  Once you get beyond the sea of over ripe, syrupy, raisiny Shiraz, there are some true, bargain priced gems out there.

 

Winery history

Welcome to John Duval Wines.  After 29 years as a winemaker with Penfolds, one of Australia’s most famous wineries, I started my own wine label in 2003.  I have had a fortunate career, graduating in agriculture and winemaking in 1973 at AdelaideUniversity and then following in the footsteps of some of the greats of Australian winemaking such as Max Schubert, the creator of Penfolds Grange and Don Ditter, another famous Penfolds winemaker of the 1970s and early ’80s.

 

I guess there was a family precedent to all of this – the Duval family had for many years run a world famous sheep stud and quality vineyards south of Adelaide, coincidentally supplying Shiraz grapes and vine cuttings to Penfolds.  So I wasn’t exactly a newcomer to wine.

 

I was appointed Chief Winemaker at Penfolds in 1986 and was lucky enough to oversee one of the most dynamic periods of change in the Australian wine industry.  With the support of my team in the Barossa I secured a number of awards for the company – Winemaker of the Year at the International Wine and Spirit Competition in London in 1989; Red Winemaker of the Year at the International Wine Challenge in London in 1991 and again in 2000; and seeing the 1990 Penfolds Grange named the Wine of the Year by the prestigious US magazine Wine Spectator in 1995.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark, inky, purple color.  The deep, dark, and inviting nose has blackberries, dark chocolate, smoked meat, baking spices, black pepper, licorice, dried herbs, and wild flowers.  This has a fairly full body with big, ripe tannins and good acidity.  On the palate there are cocoa powder dusted berries, black pepper, and meaty elements up front with dried herbs, spice, and some earthiness coming in on the back end.  The long, lingering finish has the fruit giving way to the dark chocolate and dried herbs.  This is a fairly big wine but it does not push the ripeness to anything extreme.  This tastes wonderful today, but it can easily be cellared through the end of the decade.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2008 Allegrini Palazzo della Torre Veronese IGT – $14.24

 

My comments

This was recently on my list of the Top Value Wines of 2012.  This is still a favorite with week night Italian fare, like tonight’s Veal Parmesan.  I like the extra body imparted by the drying of the grapes but the wine generally retains enough acidity to stand up to the tomato based sauces.  This is also a personal favorite with a nice, meaty pizza.

 

Winery history

Palazzo della Torre comes from the plot of land that encircles Villa della Torre, a veritable jewel of the Italian Renaissance.  The wine is made using an innovative take on the ‘ripasso’ technique.  Most of the grapes are vinified at harvest time, while the rest are set aside to partially dry.  In January, the wine blended with the juice from the raisined grapes undergoes a second fermentation.

 

Allegrini is the leading producer in the Valpolicella Classico area and one of the most highly acclaimed wineries in Italy and throughout the world.  The family’s roots in Valpolicella date back to the 16th century.  Today the winery consists of more than 100 hectares (247 acres) set amongst the rolling hills of the “Classico” appellation.  All wines made under the Allegrini label are produced exclusively from these estate vineyards.  Through research and experimentation over the years, Allegrini has introduced radical innovations in the vineyards, in the grape drying process and in the cellar, with the objective of enhancing the intrinsic quality of Valpolicella.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep maroon color.  The very appealing nose has blackberries, smoke, dried herbs, plums, warm baking spices, minerals, vanilla, and dried flowers.  The wine has a medium body with soft, ripe tannins and good acidity.  The wine is rich and plush on the palate with the spicy berries and dried herbs up front and some earthiness and dark chocolate coming in later.  The finish has very nice length with the spicy berries and dried herbs carrying the load.  If you can find this for $15 or less, load up, I did.  (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

 

 

 

 

Music Corner – A new addition

Some favorite songs/videos (known to pair with good wine)

 

Gimme Shelter – U2, Mick Jagger, Fergie

 

Stairway to Heaven – Heart (Kennedy Center Honors)

 

Comfortably Numb Live – Pink Floyd

 

That Smell – Lynyrd Skynyrd

 

ZZ Top – La Grange

 

 

 

 

Mailing Lists

 

Loring Wine Company

This offer included the following wines:

Russell Family Vineyard Pinot Noir

Aubaine Vineyard Pinot Noir

Clos Pepe Vineyard Pinot Noir

Cargasacchi Vineyard Pinot Noir

Parmelee-Hill Vineyard Chardonnay

Sierra Mar Vineyard Chardonnay

 

 

Carlisle

The current offer includes:

2011 SonomaMountain “Steiner Vineyard” Grüner Veltliner

2011 RussianRiverValley “Papa’s Block” Syrah

2011 SantaLuciaHighlands “Sierra Mar Vineyard” Syrah

2011 Sonoma County “Three Birds” Red Wine

2011 SonomaValley “Compagni Portis” White Wine

2011 DryCreekValley Zinfandel

2011 Mendocino Ridge “DuPratt Vineyard” Zinfandel

2011 NapaValley “Hayne Vineyard” Zinfandel

2011 RussianRiverValley “Montafi Ranch” Zinfandel

2011 SonomaCounty Zinfandel

2011 SonomaValley “Bedrock Vineyard” Zinfandel

2011 SonomaValley “Monte Rosso Vineyard” Zinfandel

2011 SonomaValley “Rossi Ranch” Zinfandel

 

Wines bought or received this week

Nothing to report now, but I will be picking up some wine this weekend.

 

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!