2008 Soter Pinot Noir Mineral Springs Ranch – $48.00

 

My comments

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

 

Winery history (from the winery)

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

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

 

My comments

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

 

Winery history

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

2009 Cellers Can Blau Montsant Can Blau – $12.34

 

My comments

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

 

Winery history

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

2006 Turley Zinfandel Dogtown Vineyard – $34.99

 

My comments

Turley Winery, in my opinion, was one of the first, “cult wineries” in California.  Their wines were impossible to get, unless you were one of the lucky few on their mailing list.  Some of the luster has faded a bit due to competition from the likes of Carlisle and Bedrock, but the name Turley still commands attention from a LOT of people.

 

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

 

Winery history

In 1993, Turley Wine Cellars was founded by Larry Turley, brother of the well-known consulting winemaker Helen Turley.  Turley, had entered the wine business in 1981 as co-founder of the multi-varietal Frog’s Leap Winery, but soon realized that his interest lay in wines made from the Zinfandel grape.

 

Starting out with just one location in St. Helena, Turley Wine Cellars soon expanded to Templeton with the purchase of the historic Pesenti winery, where Zinfandel had been planted since 1923.

 

As of 2000, Turley Wine Cellars has had a two-year waiting list for new wine club customers.

 

In 2007, Turley Wine Cellars was producing approximately 14,000 cases a year of both single-vineyard and regional Zinfandel wines.

 

By 2011, Turley Wine Cellars is annually producing approximately 16,000 cases of award winning Zinfandel and Petite Sirah wines using multiple “small” vineyards located in Napa and Sonoma counties, and other Paso Robles locations.

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

Mailing Lists

Bedrock

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

 

 

 

Wines bought or received this week

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

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

1990 Schloss Schönborn Geisenheimer Schlossgarten Riesling Spätlese – $23.78

 

My comments

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

 

Winery history

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

2007 Two Hands Shiraz Gnarly Dudes – $20.00

 

My comments

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

 

Winery history

 

TWO HANDS WINES CORE VALUES

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

2009 Waterbrook Cabernet Sauvignon – $9.49

 

My comments

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

 

Winery history

 

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

Mailing Lists

 

Bedrock

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

 

 

 

Wines bought or received this week

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

 

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

2010 Franciscan Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

2011 Franciscan Estate Chardonnay

 

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

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

These reviews are based on samples provided by Taste-Vino.com or an organization representing them.

 

Taste-Vino.com’s world is centered around finding wines from South America and bringing them to your dinner table.  These wines aren’t just the usual Malbec from Argentina.  A quick review of their current offerings include everything from Pinot Noirs from Uruguay to Sauvignon Blancs from Chile, to sparkling wines also from Uruguay, and everything in between.  Looking for something different, very different?  How about a Tannat Rose?  That’s not something you’ll see listed on a typical website or on a store shelf.

Per the company’s website:

We search out and find the absolute best wines from the top producers and regions in South America and bring them home for you.  To be considered for TasteVino, each wine must be downright delicious, offer fantastic value and come from a family-owned winery practicing sustainable viticulture and fair trade.

 

More information is available at http://www.taste-vino.com/index.cfm

 

This post will center around two wines made from grapes you may not be familiar with, a white Torrontés and a red Bonarda both from Argentina.

 

 

 2009 Finca Algarve Torrontés Cinco Sentidos – SRP $15.00

 

Torrontés is THE white wine of Argentina.  This is the most widely planted white wine grape growing in Argentina.  Even though you may see wines labeled as Torrontés from Spain, these are genetically different grapes.

 

At its best, wines made from the Torrontés grape are fresh, aromatic wines with moderate acidity, smooth texture and mouth feel and have distinctive peach and apricot aromas on the nose.  Torrontés wines are generally made for early drinking.

 

 About the winery

Since 1955 our company has followed the noble tradition of high quality winemaking.  This path of history finds us today enjoying what we love best and know most about: making wines that can evoke thousands of moments and transmit numerous life experiences.

 

When virgin valleys are found untainted, everything unfolds as a great possibility…. Our ancestor came to these lands and made them the perfect place for growing vines.  Thus, they’ve worked bravely night and day to grow these varietals, which today bring out the best attributes these terroirs can offer.

 

Our vineyards are located towards the West of the Argentinean territory, in the province of Mendoza, a most privileged location at 850 meters above sea level.  Our lands sit at the banks of the MendozaRiver, bringing out a silty loam alluvial soil of deep character, in a dry region with little rainfall and clearly marked seasons.

 

During the summer, skies are clear and bathed with warm sunlight, which bring about an optimum maturity in grapes and the character and personality that best describe our wines at Cinco Sentidos.

 

At present, laborious hands work our 100 hectares all along the year to get the most out of the soil and vineyards, and translate it into high quality product.

 

In this way, our past and present have blended with the sole purpose of working the land to awaken our five senses through our wines Cinco Sentidos, to transmit numerous experiences and evoke thousands of moments.

 

More information available at:

http://www.cinco-sentidos.com.ar/index.php

 

  

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light, glistening yellow color.  The very fresh and inviting nose features line, lemon zest, minerals, orange blossoms, lemon grass, and spice.  This is dry with a light body and crisp acidity.  On the palate lemon and lime with solid minerality take center stage with some nice spice and a slight herbal note in the background.  The finish has very nice length with the spicy citrus, minerals, and herbal note lingering very nicely.  If it was April, I would be grabbing a case of this wine to enjoy with lighter dinners on the deck.  Outstanding.  (91 pts)

 

 

2008 Serrera Bonarda – SRP $20.00 

 

Bonarda is the name for the grape variety known as Charbono in California.  The grape is from the Savoie region of France.  It is the second most commonly grown variety in Argentina.  The wine made from Charbono/Bonarda tends to be dark, with medium to high tannins and acidity.

 

  

About the winery – Their Philosophy

In winemaking, just like happens in life, there are no recipes.  Each wine is the expression of different ways and styles, different moments and opportunities, different dreams and ideals.  Many types of wines result from these combinations, they are as diverse as the women and men of this world.

 

The only, absolute and supreme norm for winemaking should be nobility.  That state which gives the chosen the ability of maintaining without alteration the principal virtues of its essence.  A quality that we try to cultivate in our lives just like in our wines, because it proves to be the only characteristic capable of maintaining the true virtue of grapes.

 

  

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep garnet color.  The deep and dark nose features plums, black raspberry, baking spices, eucalyptus, scorched earth, smoke, and cocoa powder.  This is medium to full body with rustic, slightly chalky tannins and good acidity.  The palate has earthy, spicy, red and black fruit, with some herbal tinged eucalyptus.  The finish has decent length with plums, raspberries, and minerals and slightly chalky tannins.  This wine needs a piece of juicy meat to help smooth out the tannins on the backend and finish.  (87 pts)

 

***** Special Offers *****

It sounds like the 2008 Serrera Bonarda is either sold out or very close to gone.  Taste-Vino has a special offer on the new 2009 vintage of their “Reserva”.   Buy a 6 pack for $120 and get free shipping.  Offer valid through December 13, 2012.  Additional information available at:

http://hosted-p0.vresp.com/356487/d9bf3f0897/ARCHIVE

 

 

Taste-Vino.com also has a wine club that gets you 20% off the listed prices and discounted shipping for orders over $200.  More information is available at:

http://bit.ly/WJKA31

 

 

One of the wineries the company deals with, Pueblo del Sol Wines from Uruguay has recently announced, “Globally renowned wine consultant Paul Hobbs has signed on to be the exclusive consulting winemaker”.

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

2005 Jaffurs Petite Sirah Thompson Vineyard – Gift from friend

 

My comments

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

 

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

 

Winery history

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

 

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

2008 Stefania Pinot Noir Santa Cruz Mountains – $45.00

 

My comments

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

 

Winery history

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

http://stefaniawine.com/

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

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

 

My comments

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

 

Winery history

 

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

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

 

 

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

2000 Château La Tour Carnet – $26.32

 

My comments

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

 

Winery history

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

 

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

 

Much more background and history available at:

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine was badly corked!  Backup bottle time.

 

 

 

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

 

My comments

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

 

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

 

Winery history

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

 

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

 

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

 

or via the wine club at:

http://elysewinery.com/club.html

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

 

Mailing Lists

 

Bedrock

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

 

 

 

Wines bought or received this week

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

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

2007 Beresan Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley – $16.99

 

My comments

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

 

Winery history

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

2007 Steltzner Vineyards Claret – $13.29

 

My comments

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

 

Winery history

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

 

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

2009 Melville Syrah Estate Verna’s – $19.37

 

My comments

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

 

Winery history

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

2007 Domaine de Piaugier Gigondas – $16.99

 

My comments

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

 

Winery history

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

 

 

Mailing Lists

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

 

 

 

Wines bought or received this week

 

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

2008 Serrera Bonarda

2009 Finca Algarve Torrontés Cinco Sentidos

 

 

 

 

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

 

I Love You, Eva!

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

This is based on a sample supplied to me by the winery

 

 

This is your chance to get in on the ground floor of what may be the next big thing to come out of Paso Robles.  I’ve been a big fan of Mark Adams’ wines for a couple years and they are getting better every vintage.  Between this label, One Time Spaceman, and his other label (with his wife) Ledge, he is just one big score from one of the major wine publications from being a rock star.  Well, his music is very good, but in this case, I’m talking about a wine making rock star.  Jump aboard before this is another one of those wines that is unobtainable, ala Saxum, Carlisle, SQN…etc.

 

The One Time Spaceman wines are available mainly via the retail chain, but I highly recommend checking out Ledge and getting in on the mailing list.

 

Check out Ledge at:

http://ledgevineyards.com/index.php

 

 

More information on the One Time Spaceman wines is available at:

http://spacemanvineyards.com

 

 

 

2009 One Time Spaceman Moon Duck – SRP $28.99

 

My comments

The illustrious winemaker/rocker for this is Mark Adams.  This is just one of the many hats worn by Mark.  For those in Paso Robles, he is equally well know for his music.

 

The Moon duck is a blend of Mourvedre, Syrah, Grenache blend with a splash of Tempranillo, all from small vineyards in the Paso Robles area.  The wine was aged in 100% oak, 50% new French oak, the remainder in neutral oak barriques.  The alcohol is a very well hidden 15.5%, which surprised me, it doesn’t show any heat nor does it show any overly ripe notes.

 

If you’re into scores, Steve Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar gave the previous vintage 90 points.  The current release of Mark’s 2010 Ledge Syrah Adams Ranch Vineyard just received a stellar 92 score from IWC.  It is my understanding, the 2010 Ledge is in short supply and I’d recommend checking them out at http://ledgevineyards.com/index.php.  I can say this since I put my money where my mouth is by grabbing a 6 pack when it was released.

 

 

Winery Tasting Note (Gotta love it)

This wine is a complex, fruit forward GSM Rhone blend crafted in the style that has made Paso Robles famous.  Aged in both new and neutral French oak this wine is out of this world.  The color of this wine is reminiscent of a Red Giant Star in its last phase.  On the nose it shows explosive Astro Berry, Plasma Spice and Cosmic Flower.  On the palate the bright arrogant fruit is held together perfectly by complex Interstellar Dust and a rich Nebula Core.  One Time Spaceman wines are unique, dramatic and boutique blends from some of the best sites in Paso Robles.  Each one is different, produced in small lots and represents an opportunity to try cult wines without the cult wine price.  Get it now before it is gone!  Appellation: Paso Robles  Production: 644 cases

 

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep maroon color.  The very inviting nose features blackberries, dark chocolate, fresh ground espresso, earthy underbrush, baking spices, cherries and dried herbs.  This has medium to full body, solid, ripe tannins, and very good acidity.  On the palate the wine shows spicy, earthy fruit up front with dried herbs, chocolate, and espresso in the background adding considerable depth.  The finish is fairly long with dark chocolate and espresso melding nicely with the spicy berries.  This is still very young and some cellar time will be greatly rewarded.  (92 pts)

 

 

You have to love the fact the wine is 100% Dolphin Safe:

 

 

 

It may not be Rosé weather right now in a lot of the country, but I have had several bottles of the 2011 One Time Spaceman MCA Rosé and it was a very nice fruity wine.  There are a couple reviews of the wine in other postings here.

 

 

An example of some of Mark’s music:

http://www.markadamsusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/1.-Bus-Argument-final1.mp3

 

 

More music selections and additional information available at:

http://www.markadamsusa.com/

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

2010 Bedrock Wine Co. Heirloom Compagni Portis – $24.00

 

My comments

This wine is a field blend consisting of about a dozen different varietals from a vineyard planted in 1954.  This is how wines used to be made before people wanted to see a specific grape on the label.

 

I joined the Bedrock mailing list to get my hands on their red wines, but with every bottle of white wine I open, I am more convinced they are making some of the best white wines coming out of California.

 

Winery history

In 2009 I took this vineyard not really knowing what to expect.  Yes, I had tried the excellent wines made by my friend Will Bucklin, and  yes, I was besotted (as I often am by plants from California’s viticultural antiquity) with the nearly 60-year-old, dry-farmed, vines of varieties of many different hues and shades:  However, I was not expecting to fall in love.  For me, the odd combination of field-blended whites yields a wine that offers a glimpse at the white wines of yore in California.  Rose, lychee, and spice come from the Gewurtzraminer, while brightness and enough backbone are given by the Trousseau Gris, Riesling, Berger, Green Hungarian, and whatever else is out there.  For me it has exactly what I am looking for when it comes to an heirloom wine — it is a sporadic, seemingly random, assemblage of varieties that can only be found together here in California’s oldest vineyards and makes a wine more indicative of place than variety, spacing, farming, or anything else.   That said, farming is important, and this winter I decided, as many men do when their emotions get in the way of their better senses, to lavish the vineyard with some viticultural bling.  Decades of minimal farming (and who can farm when getting $1200 a ton!) had rendered a vineyard full of blackberries and poison oak, dead vine limbs fraught with eutypa and bot canker, missing vine positions, and limited vigor.  This winter vineyard manager Phil Coturri, the Compagni Portis family, and I, started a rejuvenation project.  Gone are the blackberries and poison oak stealing the vines water and causing pricks and rashes.  A pyre of the fungus ridden vine arms slowly killing the plants was set ablaze.  In their stead are a set of new wires, a full conversion to cane pruning to increase the number of spur positions and potential clusters (I love concentrated fruit but .9 tons per acre is simply economically unsustainable), and in the fall the first set of cover crops will be put down to add nutrients back to soil and increase friability and tilth.  What does this mean?  It means that Bedrock dropped some serious coin, but that we have taken the first step in making sure the vineyard will be around for another sixty years.  I say this as preamble to the raise in price from $20 to $24 dollars per bottle for the wine so you will know that I am not simply trying to line my pockets — in reality, selling all six barrels of the wine at this new price will only pay for half of the improvements.  Rather, I am hoping you will be willing to join me in preserving this one-of-a-kind vineyard from a bygone age.  As for the winemaking, this is a vineyard where I believe simplicity is key.  The wine was whole-cluster pressed and then fermented in stainless-steel and neutral oak barrels with native yeasts.  The richness of fruit and spice in 2010 prompted me to halt malolactic conversion to retain brightness to leaven the opulence of the fruit.  I am unquestionably pleased with the results.  Six barrels produced.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright golden yellow color.  The wine has an outstanding nose with beeswax, fresh flowers, peaches, apples, pineapple, flint, stony minerals, and spices.  This has light to medium body with crisp acidity.  On the palate the wine displays layers of fruit and spice with some nice minerality in the background adding considerable depth.  There is a long, lingering, flavor filled finish.  This is an outstanding effort and a big bargain at $24.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2006 Shafer Relentless – $42.74

 

My comments

I decided to open a Relentless to honor the fact the 2008 vintage of this wine was named Wine Spectator’s Wine of the Year.  I had a bottle about a year and a half ago just to check it out before giving it some cellar time.  I’ll probably open a bottle every year and a half over the next several years.

 

Winery history

Shafer Vineyards traces its beginnings to 1972 when John Shafer left a 23-year career in the publishing industry and, with his family, moved to the NapaValley to pursue a second career in wine.  After purchasing a 210-acre estate in NapaValley’s Stags Leap District, the Shafer family faced the arduous task of replanting the existing vineyards, which dated to the 1920s, and terracing the steep and rocky hillsides, eventually expanding vineyard acreage to its current 50 acres.

 

Evolving from grape growers to vintners, the Shafers crushed their first Cabernet grapes in 1978 and began construction on their winery a year later.

 

The first Shafer Cabernet became a benchmark, winning the acclaimed San Francisco Vintners Club taste-off upon release and, over a decade later taking first place in an international blind tasting held in Germany, where it outranked such wines as Chateau Margaux, Chateau Latour and Chateau Palmer.

 

Doug Shafer became winemaker in 1983 after graduating from the University of California at Davis with a degree in enology and viticulture.  A year later Elias Fernandez joined the winery as assistant winemaker.  Together Doug and Elias have worked closely to forge the Shafer style of quality, consistency and elegance.

 

New vineyards have been added over the years, with acreage acquired in the Oak Knoll, Stags Leap and Carneros districts, bringing the total Shafer vineyard acreage to over 200 acres.  Winery facilities have been expanded and extensive caves carved into the hillside for aging wine.

 

In 1994, Elias was appointed winemaker, and Doug took over the reins as president when John became chairman of the board.

 

From a modest beginning of 1,000 cases in 1978, the winery has grown steadily until reaching its present size of 32,000 cases of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, and Syrah.  Today Shafer wines are available in major markets nationwide and in many foreign markets.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark, inky purple color.  The exotic and enticing nose has blackberries, fresh ground dark roasted coffee beans, dark chocolate, melted licorice, black pepper, smoke, black cherries, tar, and violets.  This is full bodied with solid, ripe tannins and good acidity.  On the palate there are layers of fruit and savory elements that thoroughly coat your  mouth.  The finish is fairly long and again is loaded with flavor.  Not a lot of subtlety here, just massive amounts of flavor, that are held in check by the outstanding tannic backbone and acidity.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2005 Meritxell Palleja Priorat Nita – $16.74

 

My comments

I’ve been a big fan of the rugged, rough and tumble wines coming out of the Priorat for a number of years.  Generally these are not fruit forward wines, in a lot of cases they aren’t even fruit driven.  These are generally loaded with spice, dried herbs, minerals, and earthy elements.

 

Winery history

Following the family tradition, Meritxell Pallejà started off in the world of viticulture by studying oenology and assisting at wineries both in the region (Vilella de la Cartoixa, the Cooperativa Agrícola de Capçanes and Álvaro Palacios) and also in the Napa Valley and the French Burgundy (on that occasion at a biodynamic winery that would influence her own way of working).  NITA is her first wine (brought out in 2004 and called Cal Nita, named after her grandmother’s house in Falset).  It saw the beginnings of her biodynamic project that takes into account the lunar calendar not only in the production process but also in recommending the most opportune moment for drinking the wine.

 

The lunar calendar shows the relationship between various activities, such as the grape harvest, racking, bottling and even trying and tasting the wine, and the differing positions of the sun, planets, constellations and signs of the zodiac.  This means that it can be ascertained when wines are at a more or less active stage (a waxing or waning moon) or how a plant’s general health is being affected, which will come through in changes to colour, potency of aromas, flavours and essential properties.  For example, the wine will display its floral and fruity attributes to better effect if we drink it on “flower” or “fruit” days on the lunar calendar, and that is precisely when Meritxell suggests we open a bottle of her Nita.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a ruby red color, much lighter at the edge.  The old school nose features crushed rocks, blackberries, scorched earth, dried herbs, licorice, leather, tobacco, underbrush, and dried flowers.  This has medium body with sold tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate the initial fruitiness is quickly brushed out of the way by solid minerality, dried herbs, and earthy elements.  The long finish leans on the savory elements with the fruit in the background.  The finish is like a mouthful of crushed stones and dried herbs with one solitary blackberry providing some sweetness.  This is still on the young side but if you don’t mind solid tannins, it’s in a great place right now.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2004 Adriano Marco e Vittorio Barbaresco Basarin – $34.80

 

My comments

I’ve had three bottles of this wine in the cellar for close to 4 years.  Every time I check my inventory for an Italian wine, this is the first wine I see, since my inventory is sorted in alphabetical order on the wine name.  It’s probably still on the young side, but it’s time to check in to see how the wine is coming along.

 

Winery history

The Azienda Agricola Adriano Marco e Vittorio farm is located in the heart of the Langhe, at Frazione San Rocco Seno d’Elvio, over the beautiful Alba, producing wines with the unique characteristics of the territory. It is a family run company, who has been producing wine from its own grapes for generations. At the beginning of the 20th century, Giuseppe, the grandfather, who was share-farmer, started his activity of growing grapes. Later on, he purchased a small farm and together with his son Aldo, expanded the family property planting new vines. The grandsons, Marco e Vittorio, continued this expansion, introducing big changes as the wine-making and the bottling of their own production. The farm has currently an extension of 22 hectares of vineyards of NEBBIOLO for BARBARESCO, BARBERA, DOLCETTO, FREISA, SAUVIGNON and MOSCATO; 8 hectares are dedicated to the hazelnuts, typical from the Langhe region and 10 hectares are divided in meadows, fallow land and forests where the famous White Truffle from Alba can be found.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to dark ruby red color.  The very enticing nose has cherries, earthy underbrush, baking spices, fresh ground espresso, dark chocolate, dried herbs, and fresh flowers.  This had medium body with fairly solid tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate the earthy, savory notes command center stage with dried herbs and fruit on the sidelines.  The finish has nice length and again highlights the savory elements.  This is still very young but tasty.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

 

Mailing Lists

Getting a few random offers with Holiday offers, mainly for wines I either already have or passed on earlier.

 

 

 

Wines bought or received this week

It was a busy receiving week.

 

From Garagiste

(6) 2005 Frenchman Hills Red Wine Sentinel Gap Vineyards

(6) 2001 Weinhofgut Anton Zimmermann Bernkastel-Kueser Weisenstein Riesling Auslese

(6) 1998 Weinhofgut Anton Zimmermann Bernkastel-Kueser Weisenstein Riesling Auslese

(3) 2010 Domaine du Colombier Crozes-Hermitage

 

From Loring

(4) 2011 LoringWineCompanyPinotNoirRussianRiverValley

(4) 2011 Loring Wine Company Pinot NoirSantaLuciaHighlands

(4) 2011 LoringWineCompanyPinotNoirStaRitaHills

(3) 2011 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Rosella’s Vineyard

(3) 2011 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Keefer Ranch Vineyard (375 ml)

(6) 2011 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Garys’ Vineyard (375 ml)

 

 

 

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!

 

 

Your Holiday Moscato

 

 

 

This review is based on a sample supplied by the winery or another organization acting on their behalf.

 

 

 

 

 

2011 Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Moscato – SRP $7.99

 

My comments

It’s getting to be the time of the year where any holiday party or family gathering will require a bottle of an off dry, fruity wine to satisfy your guests.  In this area, nothing really fills that hole better than a Moscato.  A Moscato is like a fruit salad in a glass.  They generally have a very appealing nose full of fruit ranging from apples and pears to peaches and apricots and everything in between.  Moscato wines range from just barely off dry to very sweet and sugary.  Some Moscato wines have a slight effervescence that helps keep them light on the palate and adds to the festive atmosphere.

 

I was a bit surprised when I noticed the grapes for this wine are actually from the Western Cape of South Africa.  It’s nice to see a winery search all over the world for grapes that may otherwise not find a route to a table in the United States.

 

This wine is a blend of 94% Muscat Alexander and 6% Chardonnay that has 4.4% residual sugar and an alcohol level of 11.5%.

 

 

Winery history

In 1930 the Cherokee Vineyard Association was established near the town of Woodbridge.

 

In 1979 the Robert Mondavi family bought the Cherokee Vineyard Association and renamed it Woodbridge.

 

Over thirty years ago, Robert Mondavi set out to establish a wine culture in America by putting great California wine on every table. In 1979 he established the Woodbridge Winery near his childhood home of Lodi, California. His name is on the bottle. His story is in it.

 

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a pale, clear, yellow to straw color.   The fresh and fruity nose features apples, peaches, apricots, minerals, orange zest, and fresh flowers.  The wine is light to medium body with light sweetness, soft acidity, and just a touch of effervescence.  The wine is lightly sweet but not cloying.  On the palate the sweet, juicy peaches take center stage with apples, minerals, and orange zest in the background.  The finish is fairly long with the sweet fruit very slowly fading away.  I can see this being a big hit at a family gathering or party over the upcoming holiday season.

 

 

 

 

 

Here is a recipe from the winery using the wine.

 

 

Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Moscato Tips & Tricks

By Candice Kumai

 

 

 Sweet Peach and Moscato Preserves

 

Ingredients

8  Ripe peaches, sliced 1/2 inch thick

3 Cups sugar

2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Rind of 1 lemon, peeled into large pieces using vegetable peeler

1 cup of 2011 Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Moscato

1 and a half -3oz packages liquid sure gel pectin

1 Tablespoon mint, sliced into thin ribbons

6-7 Sterile ½ pint mason jars with lids

 

Instructions

1. In a medium stockpot, combine peaches, sugar, lemon juice, lemon rind and Moscato, bringing to a boil.

 

2. Stirring gently, reduce to a slow simmer over medium heat. Cook 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

 

3. Some foam may appear at the top of the pot, using a spider or a slotted spoon skim off the foam and discard. Remove lemon rind with a fork.

 

4. Add mint and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.

 

5. Remove from the heat and add the liquid pectin stirring constantly. Return to a full rolling boil and cook for 1 minute. Quickly and very carefully ladle the preserves into sterilized jars, leaving 1/2 in head space at the top.

 

6. Place the lids on top of the jam jars. Carefully twist on the tops.

 

7. To Seal: Gently, place the jars in a large stockpot full of boiling water. Make sure that the jars are fully submerged in the boiling water. Let it sit in the simmering water for 10-15 minutes to set. Jars should seal by then. If not, they will seal while cooling.

 

8. Remove jars after 10-15 minutes, set aside to cool and set. You will hear a “pop” noise when jars are sealed.

 

9. Allow jars to set for 24 hours before opening.

 

 

 

 

 

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 review is based on a sample supplied by the winery or another organization working on their behalf.

 

 

2011 Robert Mondavi Private Selection Coastal Crush – SRP $11.00

 

 

My comments

This is a blend of 67% Syrah, 24% Merlot, and 9% Malbec.

The grapes are from MontereyCounty(57%), San BenitoCounty(20%), Paso Robles(13%), and Valley South(10%),

The wine was aged in French and American oak for 10 months.  The alcohol by volume is 13.5% and there is 8g/L of residual sugar.

 

This wine was sampled as part of a ToastCentralCoast WineChat on Twitter hosted by the winery.

 

 

Winery history

I think most readers of my blog know the sometimes turbulent history of the iconic Robert Mondavi Winery.  Since the scope of this piece is their “Private Selection” line of wines, I’ll showcase that part of the winery’s history.

 

 

(from the winery website)

Robert Mondavi developed a deep appreciation for the distinctive vineyards of California’s coast during the course of decades sourcing fruit from the region.  In 1994, Robert Mondavi Private Selection wines was founded with this appreciation in mind, and a mission to exclusively draw from North and Central Coast appellations, showcasing the high quality and varied character of these grapes.

 

The allure of the California coast is simple: it is a region of tremendous varietal quality and versatility that can be used by a winemaker much as an artist uses a broad palette to blend color and create a remarkable finished piece.  In this case, the result is a high quality, affordable fine wine born of the best of California’s diverse growing regions.

 

Robert Mondavi Private Selection produces Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Fume Blanc, Syrah, Zinfandel and Riesling. These wines – from light and lively to full-bodied and concentrated – have approachable bright fruit expression and exceptional balance, as well as great depth and texture.  All are crafted to be enjoyed upon release.

 

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to dark ruby color.  The very fruity nose has strawberries, black cherries, spice, licorice, chocolate, and some black pepper.  This has medium body with soft, ripe tannins, decent acidity, and just a touch of residual sugar.  This has big, sweet, juicy fruit on the palate but with some air, licorice, spice and chocolate join in making it an easy drinking wine.  The finish has nice length with a bit extra spice adding some depth.  This is an easy drinking wine that would be perfect to share with friends or relatives over the upcoming holiday season.

 

 

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 Zaca Mesa Syrah – $15.67

 

My comments

This is generally a good California Syrah at a wallet friendly price.  In some vintages it seems to have that little something extra that propels it to the next level.  In my opinion, 2006 was one of those years.  I bought a half case of this from my local store and after killing two bottles fairly quickly, I’ve been showing some unusual restraint.  Even with the restraint, I’ll only have one bottle left after popping this one.  I have the 2007 in the cellar, but based on the one bottle I had upon release, it dropped back into the merely good category.

 

Winery history

The original property was purchased in 1972 by a group of friends and they started planting the vineyard in 1973.  With few other vineyards in the area to learn from, the vineyard was originally planted with numerous varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, Riesling, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Grenache, Chardonnay, and Syrah to see what would work.

 

As the vineyard came into production, a winery was built on the property in 1978 and later expanded in 1981.  1978 was another milestone for Zaca Mesa, planting the first Syrah in Santa BarbaraCounty.

 

By the early-1990’s, we had determined based on our farming experience that the Rhône varieties (Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Viognier, and Roussanne) grew best on our property.

 

As one of the pioneers in the Santa BarbaraCounty, Zaca Mesa was a training ground for many.  Ken Brown was our first winemaker and later started Byron in Santa MariaValley.  Adam Tolmach, Jim Clendenen and Bob Lindquist worked at Zaca Mesa before venturing out on their own to start Ojai, Au Bon Climat and Qupé, respectively.

 

Zaca Mesa was the first CentralCoast winery to appear in Wine Spectator’s Top 10 back in 1995.  A year later, our Syrah was served by President Clinton to French President Jacque Chirac at a White House State Dinner.  To show that we are not leaning one direction, our wines were also served at President Reagan’s 80th birthday party at the Beverly Hilton.

 

Since 1997, we have focused on growing the best Syrah, Viognier, and other Rhône varieties.  We have ripped up over half the original vines, replacing them with high-density planting of new rootstock and clone combinations that has significantly improved our quality.  We now have 9 clones of syrah and the most high density vineyard acres in the county.

 

Over time the ownership group diminished to one of the original partners. Zaca Mesa has been family owned for almost 25 years.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark maroon color.  The outstanding nose has blackberries, licorice, smoked meat, black pepper, vanilla, plums, violets, dried herbs, and a bit of dark chocolate.  This is fairly full bodied with solid tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate the peppery berries lead the way with some chocolaty oak and dried herbs in the background adding depth and complexity.  The finish features nice fruit leading to dark chocolate and dried herbs, but it could be a touch longer.  An outstanding week night Syrah for well under $20.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2005 Frenchman Hills Syrah Sentinel Gap Vineyards – $7.99

 

My comments

This was a blind purchase, which I usually avoid.  This was one of the infamous Garagiste Mystery Wines from an offer at the end of August.  For those keeping score, this was Mystery Wine #50, a Washington State Syrah for $7.99 a bottle.

 

My expectations were low, this was ordered just to fill one last case before shipping season.  After receiving the wine, my expectations were raised considerably.  The average price paid on CellarTracker was close to $30 and the two notes didn’t sound too bad.

 

Winery history

Not much information available on the internet about the winery.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep maroon color.  The nose is a bit shy but reveals blackberry, licorice, dried herbs, black pepper, and a touch of dark chocolate.  This has medium to full body with fairly solid tannins and very nice acidity.  Nice spicy, peppery berries greet the palate in a laid back style.  This is not a big, ripe, fruit forward, fruit bomb,  This is fairly elegant and nuanced, perfectly concealing its 15% alcohol.  The finish has nice length and shows a bit more fruit than the savory elements.  A solid bottle of wine for those who jumped on the Garagiste Mystery Wine offer.  A steal at $8.  (88 pts)

 

 

 

2006 Vincent Arroyo Bodega – $19.99

 

My comments

I’ve been a long time supporter and buyer of the wines from Vincent Arroyo.  This wine is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Malbec, 6% Petit Verdot, and 4% Merlot.

 

Winery history

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

 

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

 

The wines produced at the Vincent Arroyo Winery have put a star on many NapaValley maps as a place that shouldn’t be missed.  His signature wine, still Petite Sirah, has become so popular that it often sells out before it is bottled every year.  Once you have tasted the wines, you’ll know why.  The winery also makes a Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sangiovese, Zinfandel and several red blends.

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to dark garnet color.  The very appealing nose features blackberries, baking spices, cedar, tobacco, cherry, vanilla, and a bit of earthiness.  This has medium body with fairly solid tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate the spicy fruit hits first with some cedar and earthiness in the background adding depth.  The finish has nice length with cherries and spice carrying the load.  A very nice Bordeaux style blend from Napa.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2010 The Lucky Country Shiraz – $9.90

 

My comments

It’s been a while since I opened a bottle of this wine.  I opened one not long after picking up a case at my local store.  The wine was decent, but seemed to be a bit below the previous vintage.  I felt a bit of cellar time should help the wine settle down a bit.  It’s time to check in to see how it is doing.  This is made by the team behind Two Hands, and the general thought is this is the declassified fruit from Two Hands.

 

Winery history

The Lucky Country Wines offers quality wines packaged with iconic Australian photography, representing the lively spirit of Australia.

 

The name is taken from the 1964 book, The Lucky Country, written by social critic Donald Horne and was originally written to be ironic, as an indictment of 1960’s Australia.  Donald believed that the economic success of 60’s Australia was derived from luck rather than skill.

 

But over the years, this phrase has taken on new meaning and is now proudly used by many to describe what is great about Australia.

 

The Lucky Country Wines is the result of hard work combined with vision, creative acumen and business ‘smarts’, and maybe just a little bit of luck to help bring it all together.  The wines are already proving a hit, available in several markets around the world and with the brand continuing to grow every day.

 

The Lucky Country Wines were created to deliver great value, stylish wines to drinkers at a reasonable price.  People everywhere can now share and enjoy the experience of what makes Australia the Lucky Country.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep purple color.  The very Australian nose features blackberries, blueberries, black pepper, vanilla, baking spices, and wild flowers.  This has a medium body with soft, ripe tannins and decent acidity.  On the palate the big fruit and peppery spice carries the load with a touch or chocolate and earthiness in the background.  The finish has decent length with sweet berries and spice.  This seems to carry a touch of residual sugar but not enough to really stick out.  This would be a nice holiday party wine.  (87 pts)

 

 

 Wines bought or received this week

It was a busy receiving week so far.  I received a couple cases from Garagiste and have a couple cases due in tomorrow from Loring.  I’ll list all the wines received in my weekend blog, to be posted on Sunday evening.

 

 

 

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!