This is based on a winery supplied sample.

 

 

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

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

 

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

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

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

Everyone knows great wines start in the vineyards, and the Morisoli Vineyard lies in the heart of the famed Rutherford region in Napa Valley.

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

My comments

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

 

Since that day, Elyse has always been the first winery we visit when we make it to Napa.  I always have several bottles of Elyse wine in my cellar.

 

 

Wine Info

This wine is 96% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Petit Verdot.

 

After a 15 day fermentation using native yeast, the wine was aged 30 months in French oak, 60% of which was new.

 

The alcohol is 14.8%, and the production was 1,190 12-pack 750ml cases and 20 cases of 1.5L magnums.

 

 

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly deep, dark ruby color almost purple.  The enticing nose features cassis, melted licorice, dried herbs, cedar, dark chocolate, minerals, black cherries, and baking spices.  The wine has medium body, solid, ripe tannins, and very good acidity.  The outstanding palate has a good fruit base with plenty of spice, dried herbs, and a touch of earthiness and minerals adding considerable depth and complexity.  The long, lingering finish seems to go on forever, showcasing the spicy fruit, dried herbs, and a touch of dark chocolate.  A very powerful and elegant wine that should be left in the cellar for a few years to allow it to reach it’s full potential.  (94 pts)

 

 

We paired the Elyse Cabernet with our Christmas dinner of prime rib, mashed potatoes casserole with onions and cheddar cheese, Prosciutto wrapped asparagus, and some Asiago Cheese and garlic bread.

 

 

***** 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 Big Basin Vineyards Syrah Fairview Ranch – $35.00

 

My comments

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

 

Winery history

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark ruby to maroon color.  The impressive nose has blackberries, charcoal, smoke, blueberries, dark chocolate, minerals, freshly ground dark roast coffee, and a touch of wild flowers.  This is full bodied with fairly solid, ripe tannins, and good acidity.  This is a big and ripe wine on the palate, but the tannins and acidity hold it in check.  The elevated (15.5%) alcohol is also nice concealed behind the solid wall of fruit, spice, and dark chocolate.  The lingering finish has nice berries, earth, minerals, and some dark chocolate.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

1992 Theo Schmitz-Schwaab Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Auslese Fuder #8 – $38.61

 

My comments

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

 

Winery history

As is usual for a lot of the smaller, European wineries, not a lot of information seems to be available on the internet.  I can recite Jon Rimmerman’s (from Garagiste Wine) silky prose, but I don’t want this to sound like a sales pitch.  All I will say is, if you like older German Rieslings that have generally been in perfect condition, at really nice prices, check out http://garagiste.com/ and sign up for the list.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium golden yellow color.  The fresh smelling nose has apples, pears, honey, petrol, minerals, Spring flowers, pineapple, lemon zest, and a touch of spice.  This has light to medium body with very nice acidity and a ton of richness.  The sugar and acidity have melded into a very nice, rich, silky wine.  On the palate the rich, honey dipped apples and pineapple are joined with minerals and a touch of spice with a bit oc citrusy acidity coming in on the back end. The finish has nice length and ends with a touch of flinty minerality and citrus zest.  Very nice and at a peak drinking window.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2006 Clarendon Hills Syrah Liandra – $37.00

 

My comments

Even though I have a few bottles of this wine in my cellar, this one was from a friend’s cellar that he graciously opened for a small holiday event.  Clarendon Hills wines are generally not timid wines, these pack a wallop with their massive flavor profiles.

 

Winery history

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark ruby to maroon color.  The intense nose has blackberries, earth, smoke, meat juices, black pepper, dark chocolate, charred meat, and dying charcoal embers.  This is full bodied, fairly solid tannins, and good acidity.  The palate is greeted by deep, dark fruit and spice with solid earthiness and considerable smokiness.  The finish adds a solid dark chocolate element.  This is a massive wine that at times seemed a touch muddled, I think it could use some additional cellar time or a quick decant to pull all the elements together.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Sea Smoke Pinot Noir Southing – $49.87

 

My comments

I knw I’m probably in the minority, but I’ve never had a Sea Smoke wine.  For a long time these were generally only available via the mailing list, but probably due to the economy I’ve actually seen them on retailer’s shelves.  My favorite local wine store received a nice stash of Sea Smoke wines a while ago, so I had to grab a couple.  Besides this wine, I also grabbed some of the Sea Smoke Ten.  This wine has been asleep in the cellar for over a year, it’s now time for me to try one.

 

Winery history

For years, vintners have coveted a stretch of land in the western end of Santa Barbara’s Santa Rita Hills AVA known to have the perfect microclimate, soils, and exposure to grow world-class Pinot Noir.  In 1999, fulfilling a long-held dream of owner Bob Davids, this sought-after stretch of land became Sea Smoke Vineyard.

 

At Sea Smoke, we produce Pinot Noir grown exclusively on the south-facing hillsides of our estate vineyards.  On summer evenings, the Santa Ynez River canyon funnels a cool maritime fog layer (sea “smoke”) across our hillsides, slowing the ripening process and providing the extended maturation period essential to the development of top-quality Pinot Noir.

 

Our shallow clay soils are planted to French clones on vigor-reducing rootstocks, resulting in fewer grape clusters of intense flavor, and our artisanal approach to winemaking results in wines that are a reflection of the unique land on which they are grown.

 

We believe that Sea Smoke’s rare geography and commitment to quality have produced wines of exceptional complexity and grace.  We hope that you agree and welcome your comments.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby to violet color.  The sexy nose has black raspberries, cherries, Asian spices, wood smoke, violets, vanilla, minerals and some earthiness.  This has medium body, moderate, ripe tannins, and very nice acidity.  The palate shows nice, rich, smoky, spicy, dark berries and cherry flavors with some subtle earthiness adding depth.  The finish is fairly long with the fruit giving way to the more savory elements.  This is still on the young side and improved with air, but is very satisfying and enjoyable.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2006 Pasanau Priorat Ceps Nous – $18.99

 

My comments

This is another wine I grabbed from a Garagiste Wine offer a few years ago.  This is a blend of 60% Grenache, 23% Manzuelo(Carignane), 9% Syrah, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon from the estate’s younger vines.  The Priorat and Rioja are the only regions in Spain that merit the highest wine region rating in Spain, Denominació d’Origen Qualificada or DOCa.  The Priorat is a harsh region for grapes.  The “soil” is very rocky which does not allow for the retention of water, the Summers are extremely hot and the Winters get very cold. These extreme conditions mean most of the wines produced in the region are generally powerful and rugged.  After my first day back in the office after being off for five days, a powerful and rugged wine sounds perfect.

 

Winery history (An online translator was used to translate from Spanish to English)

Our family has cultivated vines for centuries in the priory of Scala Dei.  Written references date back to the thirteenth century, when the first settlers, under the tutelage of the prior of the Carthusian monastery, landowner, settled in the area.  In the late nineteenth century phylloxera devastated the vineyards and all of the family moved to the city to survive.

 

He was the grandfather Juan Pasanau who after his liaison with Maria Estrems Cornadó early twentieth century, recovered the family land and planted new vineyards.  The grape was used for the cooperative, keeping the wine needed for consumption and leaving the rest for sale.

 

In the decade of the eighties his grandson Richard, master in viticulture from the University of Barcelona, ​​took over land and other properties acquired.  Introduced new varieties and new farming systems.  In 1995, one hundred years after the attack of phylloxera, Pasanau siblings, with the encouragement of his father John, decided to build a winery where the wines develop.  The address was commissioned Ricardo Pasanau I had already experienced several years in winemaking.

 

At the time the firm has tripled its initial production.  Right now want to consolidate their production around 50,000 bottles a year, of which 50% goes to the domestic market and the rest to the main world markets.

 

If you would like to read more and are fluent in Spanish, visit http://www.cellerpasanau.com/es/index.html

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep garnet color.  The sensuous nose has black cherries, minerals, dried herbs, raspberries, vanilla, wildflowers, blueberries, black pepper, and a slight hit of eucalyptus.  This has medium body, moderate, very ripe tannins, and very good acidity.  The wine is rich and velvety on the palate with lush fruit up front and minerals, dried herbs, spicy oak, and pepper kicking in on the backend and carrying through the long finish.  This is an outstanding bottle of wine, not as rough and tumble as I was expecting.  This can be enjoyed over the next half decade, perhaps longer.  (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

 

 

 

 

Wines bought or received this week

 

The long delayed case from Bedrock finally landed:

(2) 2011 Bedrock Wine Co. Heritage Wine Pagani Ranch

(2) 2010 Bedrock Wine Co. Cabernet Sauvignon Bedrock Vineyard

(2) 2011 Bedrock Wine Co. Zinfandel Monte Rosso Vineyard

(2) 2011 BedrockWineCo.SyrahNorthCoast

(4) 2011 Bedrock Wine Co. Zinfandel Old Vine

 

Winery Sample:

2009 Elyse C’est Si Bon Naggiar 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!

 

 

This is based on a winery supplied sample.

 

 

 

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

 

 

I guess a good way to get started is by meeting Elyse.  Here she is with Ray Coursen, her dad.

 

 

 

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

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

 

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

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

 

 

 

My comments

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

 

Since that day, Elyse has always been the first winery we visit when we make it to Napa.  I always have several bottles of Elyse wine in my cellar.

 

 

Wine Info

Elyse has been making Zinfandel wines from the Morisoli Vineyard since 1986 and have been the only producer working with the grapes since 1988.

 

Though this wine is mainly Zinfandel (87%) it also contains 13% other varietals including a combination of Alicante Bouschet, Carignane, Durif, Grand Noir, MuscatHamburg, Negrette, Syrah, and Valdiguie.

 

The total production was 2,077 cases.

 

After a 16 day fermentation with native yeast, the wine was aged 10 ½ months in American oak, 25% of which was new.

 

The final alcohol is 14.4%.

 

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep garnet color, almost purple.  The very inviting nose features brambly berries, licorice, eucalyptus, Asian spices, violets, dark chocolate, black pepper, with hints of cherry, dark roast coffee, smoky bacon, and a touch of earthiness.  This has a medium body with fairly solid, ripe tannins, and very good acidity.  The wine is very rich and spicy on the palate with the fruit and savory notes delivering a very tasty mouthful of pleasure.  The finish is long and very flavorful with the spicy berries, pepper and a touch of earthiness slowly adding a touch of eucalyptus.  This is an outstanding, young Zinfandel that has several years of good drinking ahead.  (94 pts)

 

 

 

 

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 Peter Lehmann Shiraz The Barossa – $11.39

 

My comments

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

 

Winery history

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

 

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

 

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

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

2009 McPrice Myers Altas Vinas Alta Mesa Vineyard – $30.40

 

My comments

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

 

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

 

Winery history

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

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

 

My comments

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

 

Winery history

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

 

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

2008 Hobo Wine Company Zinfandel Branham Vineyard Rockpile – $22.53

 

My comments

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

 

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

 

Winery history

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

2010 Tamarack Cellars Firehouse Red – $13.37

 

My comments

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

 

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

 

Winery history

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

 

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

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

 

My comments

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

 

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

 

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

 

Winemaker notes:

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

 

Winery history

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 Featured Recipe

 

Chicken Tortilla Soup (see my notes at end)

 

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast

2 cans (15 ounces each) diced tomatoes, undrained

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

1/2 to 1 cup chicken broth

1 yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Salt and black pepper, to taste

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

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese

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

lime wedges

 

1 –        Place chicken in slow cooker.

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

 

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

 

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

 

Makes 4 servings

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

 

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

 

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

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

 

 

 

 2007 Terrabianca Campaccio Toscana IGT – $24.69

 

My comments

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

 

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

 

Winery history

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

2008 Core Grenache Santa Barbara County – $11.76

 

My comments

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

 

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

 

Winery history

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

2006 Rosenblum Cellars Petite Sirah Heritage Clones – $12.99

 

My comments

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

 

Winery history

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

2007 Elyse Zinfandel A.K.A. – $20.00

 

My comments

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

 

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

 

Winery history

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

Mailing Lists

 

Saxum

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

2010 Broken Stones

2010 Booker Vineyard

2010 Heart Stone Vineyard

2010 Bone Rock

 

Quivet

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

2011 Quivet Cellars Syrah, Kenefick Ranch Vineyard   $38

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

2012 Quivet Cellars Sauvignon Blanc, Tench Vineyard   $25

 

 

 

Wines bought or received this week

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

 

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

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

This is based on a sample provided by the winery or a company representing them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

My comments

I’ve been a fan of the Cabernet Sauvignons and Cabernet based blends from Franciscan Estates for many years.  There were a few years the wines were good, but I felt they could have been a bit better.  The last few years, the overall quality has been improving, in my opinion.  This improvement seems to parallel the movement of Janet Myers to Director of Winemaking in August 2005.

 

This will actually be my first Chardonnay from the winery.  My favorite Chardonnay wines have little to no oak and I run away from the full blown, buttery ones that were in vogue not that long ago.

 

 

Winery History

Founded in 1972, and purchased in 1975 by industry revolutionaries Justin Meyer and Raymond Duncan, Franciscan Estate’s rich history was born out of a strong devotion to small-lot winemaking and a pioneering spirit. These ideals have been a hallmark for who we are and guide us as we continue to craft world-class NapaValley wines.

 

Much more information is available at:  http://www.franciscan.com/

 

 

 

Wine info

Total production – 74,000 cases

Suggested retail price – $18.00

 

This is 100% Chardonnay that was barrel fermented  It then spent seven months sur lie in small French and American oak barrels, 20% of which were new.

 

Much of the fruit comes from the estate owned Larsen Vineyard in Carneros.

 

Alcohol – 13.5%

 

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light, pale straw to yellow color.  The fresh and vibrant nose shows apples, baking spices, vanilla, minerals, lemon zest, melon, and a spritz of lime.  This has medium body with tart, citrusy acidity with just a touch of creaminess.  On the palate the wine features nice, mineral laden, apples, juicy lemon/lime citrus, with vanilla, melon, and baking spices adding additional depth.  The crisp and clean finish has good length showcasing the spicy apples, minerals, and citrus notes that slowly fade leaving a nice vanilla note.  (90 pts)

 

This is a very balanced wine with just enough oak to add “seasoning” and interest, but it never attempts to take center stage from the fruit.  This has enough fruit and spice to drink well on its own, but the crisp acidity makes it perfect to go with a rich meal.  This would be perfect with a juicy roasted chicken or my choice, a skewer of large, grilled shrimp on the deck or patio on a warm day.

 

I would recommend drinking this over the next 4 to 5 years to enjoy the vibrant fruit, spice, and juicy citrus.  That said, with the balance and good acidity, it could last longer with the proper cellar conditions.

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

2007 JC Cellars Smoke and Mirrors – $15.19

 

My comments

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

 

Winery history

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

2010 Two Hands Cabernet Sauvignon Sexy Beast – $28.49

 

My comments

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

 

Winery history (Core Values)

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

2007 Big Basin Vineyards Syrah Rattlesnake Rock – $49.00

 

My comments

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

 

Winery history

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

*** Breaking News ***

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Mailing Lists

 

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

 

 

 

Wines bought or received this week

 

The following winery direct wines arrived this week:

2010 Loring Wine Company Cabernet Sauvignon Russell Family Vineyard

2011 Loring Wine Company Grenache Russell Family Vineyard

2010 Sandler Wine Company Grenache Chalone Boer Vineyard

2010 Sandler Wine Company Syrah Connell Vineyard

2010 Saxum James Berry Vineyard

 

This one was a gift from a friend:

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

 

Purchased from a local wine store:

2006 Clarendon Hills Syrah Liandra

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

2003 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley – $14.99

 

My comments

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

 

Winery history

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

2009 Pali Wine Co. Pinot Noir Riviera – $19.45

 

My comments

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

 

Winery history

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

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

 

My comments

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

 

Winery history

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

2005 Treasure Hunter Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain – $18.21

 

My comments

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

 

Winery history

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

 

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

BREAKING NEWS:

 

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

 

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

 

I will be receiving coal for Christmas.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Mailing Lists

 

Nothing new to report

 

 

 

Wines bought or received this week

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

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

2006 Villa Creek Garnacha Denner Vineyard – $35.00

 

My comments

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

 

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

 

Winery history

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

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

 

My comments

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

 

Winery history

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

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

2000 Azienda Pier Barbaresco Riserva Vila – $26.99

 

My comments

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

 

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

2007 Rhys Pinot Noir Family Farm Vineyard – $45.00

 

My comments

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

 

Winery history

Our winemaking is focused on accomplishing the following goals:

 

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

Beautiful balance with no component revealing itself separate from the whole

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

Capturing complex aromatics

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

Thrilling complexity and beguiling interest that never leaves you bored

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

2000 Smith Woodhouse Porto Late Bottled Vintage

 

My comments

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

 

Winery history

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

 

For more information about the Symington family please visit the

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

2002 Chalone Vineyard Syrah Chalone – $19.99

 

My comments

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

 

Winery history

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

 

1919: The first planting

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

 

1946: Expansion

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

 

1960: Chalone label introduced

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

2001 Domaine Giraud Châteauneuf-du-Pape – $14.99

 

My comments

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

 

Winery history

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

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

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

 

 

 

Mailing Lists

 

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

 

 

 

Wines bought or received this week

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

 

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

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

2007 Scherrer Winery Pinot Noir Russian River Valley – $0.00

 

My comments

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

 

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

 

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

 

Winery history – Philosophy

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

2007 Red Car Syrah Boxcar – $16.63

 

My comments

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

 

Winery history

Winemaking Style

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

 

History

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

2009 Caldora Sangiovese Terre di Chieti IGT – $6.02

 

My comments

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

 

Winery history (from the Winery)

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

2006 The Colonial Estate Emigré – $29.88

 

My comments

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

 

Winery history

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

Mailing Lists

 

Sandler Wine Co

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

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

(3) 2010 Boer Vineyard Grenache at $25 each

Two other wines were offered, but I passed:

2010 SantaLuciaHighlands Pinot Noir and

2010 Buck Hill Vineyard Zinfandel

 

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

 

To sign up for the list, visit:

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

 

 

 

Wines bought or received this week

 

The following bottles arrived this week direct from the winery.

(4) 2010 Turley Cabernet Sauvignon The Label

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

(1) 2011 Loring Wine Company Chardonnay Durell Vineyard

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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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!