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

 

 

 

 

Cline Cellars came into existence in 1982 after Fred Cline received an inheritance from his grandfather.  At the time, Fred founded Cline Cellars near Oakley, CA.  Using the knowledge he obtained in getting his Agriculture Management degree from U. C. Davis, Fred worked on preserving and restoring many ancient vine sites.

 

Several years later, in 1991, Fred and his wife Nancy relocated the winery to the Carneros region of Sonoma County.  At the time, most of the cool climate Carneros region was planted to Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Merlot.  Fred pioneered the movement in the region to Rhône varietals such as Syrah, Viognier, Marsanne and Roussane.

 

Over the years Cline Cellars has produced many well priced and noteworthy wines.  These wines have earned recognition and good scores from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, Wine Spectator, and the usual gang of wine publications.  Most importantly, the wines have been well received by the public who loves the distinctive wines and the wallet friendly prices.

 

Jacuzzi Family Vineyards was founded to make reserve styled wines that pay tribute to the winemaking heritage of the family.  Where Cline Cellars produces mainly wines based on the Rhône varietals and innovative blends, Jacuzzi leans more toward Italian varietals and a few other straight varietal wines.

 

For more information, wine club info, or to order their wine’s visit Cline’s website or Jacuzzi’s website.

 

 

I was given the opportunity to sample four wines from Cline Cellars and Jacuzzi Family Vineyards.  The wineries produce a vast array of wines with something for just about everyone.

 

 

My lineup included the following wines:

2010 Jacuzzi Family Vineyard Chardonnay Giuseppina

2010 Jacuzzi Family Vineyard Sagrantino Tracy Hills

2011 Cline Cellars Cashmere

2010 Cline Cellars Syrah Los Carneros

 

 

2010 Jacuzzi Family Vineyard Chardonnay Giuseppina – SRP $24.00

 

My comments

This 100% Chardonnay is made with grapes from the winery’s Sonoma Coast Vineyard.  This vineyard is cooled with the breeze off the Pacific Ocean and is covered with fog on many mornings.  These conditions allow for slower ripening providing extra “hang time” so the grapes can reach their full flavor potential.

 

After tank fermentation, the wine is barrel aged for five months.  The final alcohol is 12.5%.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright yellow to golden color.  The fresh and fruity nose has green apples, pears, vanilla, toast, minerals, and a touch of lemon and orange zest.  This has a medium body, decent acidity, and just enough sweetness to add a bit of richness.  The palate has crisp apples and pears up front with a touch of spicy oak and vanilla, some flinty minerality comes in on the back end.  The finish has nice length and closes with just a touch of mouthwatering acidity.  This has enough richness to drink on its own, but it also has enough acidity to stand up to a rich cream sauce, cheese, or seafood.  (88 pts)

 

 

 

2010 Jacuzzi Family Vineyard Sagrantino Tracy Hills – SRP $30.00

 

My comments

This is new grape for most people.  The Sagrantino grape is native to Italy but there are only about 250 acres of vineyards in that country.  The grapes for this wine is from one of the very few vineyards in this country where they are grown, in San Joaquin County’s Tracy Hills Vineyard.

 

After tank fermentation, 30% of the wine is moved into new French oak barrels with the remaining 70% moved into neutral barrels for 10 months of aging.  The final alcohol in the wine is 13.5%.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly deep ruby red color.  The relaxing and homey nose has warm blackberry pie, white pepper, tobacco, dried herbs, crushed stone minerals, and some wild flowers.  This has a medium to full body with fairly solid ripe tannins and decent acidity.  On the palate the wine again resembles warm blackberry pie with just enough savory notes to add depth and balance out the up front fruit.  The finish has nice length with the jammy berries, baking spices, and minerals lingering seemingly forever.  There is just enough acidity to keep the wine from getting too plodding.   (89 pts)

 

 

 

2011 Cline Cellars Cashmere – SRP $21.00

 

My comments

Cashmere is a blend of approximately 28% Mourvèdre, 25% Syrah, 23% Grenache, and 22% Petite Sirah, with  most of the grapes coming from Contra Costa County.

 

After tank fermentation, the wine was aged 8 months in oak barrels, 25% of which was new French oak.  The final alcohol level is 13.5%.

 

Over the years Cline has donated almost a quarter million dollars to breast cancer foundations with proceeds coming from the sell of Cashmere wine.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a ruby red color.  The rich and inviting nose has plums, earthy underbrush, baking spices, black pepper, dried herbs, blackberries, a touch of cherry and a floral note.  This has medium body, soft ripe tannins, and decent acidity.  This is rich and plush on the palate with the plums and berries taking center stage and allowing spices, herbs, and a touch of earthiness to join in from the sidelines.  The finish has nice length with plush fruit and spice stealing the show.  (87 pts)

 

 

 

2010 Cline Cellars Syrah Los Carneros – SRP $30.00

 

My comments

The grapes for this wine come from Cline’s 18 acre hillside estate vineyard in Sonoma’s Carneros region.

 

After tank fermentation, the wine was aged 12 months in 30% new French oak barrels.  The final alcohol level in the wine is 14.5%.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium violet color.  The slightly reserved nose has plums, black cherries, warm baking spices, smoke, dark bittersweet chocolate, and a touch of forest floor.  This has medium to full body, fairly solid tannins, and very good acidity.  On the palate ripe plums and spice are featured up front with some dark chocolate, cherries, and earthy elements coming in on the back end.  The finish is fairly long with tart cherries and spice lingering.  This was much better on the second day so I’d recommend plenty of air if opened in the next year.  (90 pts)

 

 

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

 

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

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 2013 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

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 Elyse Syrah Napa Valley

2007 Jean Edwards Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Stagecoach Vineyard

2008 Rhys Alesia Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

2009 Murphy-Goode Sauvignon Blanc The Fumé

2004 Château La Vieille Cure

 

 

 

2006 Elyse Syrah Napa Valley – $15.00

This is a blend of 92% Syrah, 6% Mourvère and 2% Viognier from the Souyoultzis, Delouise, Massa Ranch and Naggiar Vineyards in the Napa Valley.

 

Per the winery, “Our Syrah is styled in the tradition of the great wines of the Northern Rhone (Cote Roties).  Their delightful aromas, complexity, balance and  finesse make for one of the world’s greatest food wines.”  In my opinion, based of past bottles, they succeeded.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby color, starting to show a touch of brick at the edge.  The very inviting nose has blackberries, vanilla, smoked meat, dried herbs, black pepper, and a touch of chocolaty oak.  This has medium to full body, fairly solid tannins, and very nice acidity.  The savory notes of black pepper, smoked meat, and vanilla hit the palate first with the berries in the background supplying nice sweetness.  On the back end, dried herbs and dark chocolate make an appearance.  The finish has decent length but does thin out just a touch.  This is probably as good as it will get but should hold for another year, maybe two.  This is made in more of an old world style, so don’t expect a big, fruit forward, jammy wine.  I like this style a lot.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2007 Jean Edwards Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Stagecoach Vineyard – $38.75

I guess you can call this a Social Media relationship.  I learned of Jean Edwards Cellars via Twitter.  I read their Tweets and started following them, luckily they followed me back.  Over the last couple of years we have exchanged jokes and Tweets about just about everything.  I was finally able to order a few bottles of their wine, and after giving a bottle a good 15 minutes to recover from the trip half way across the country, I popped the cork.  I am now a big fan and I spread their name to anyone who will listen to me.  I highly encourage you to check out their website and join their mailing list.  These are two very nice people making some of the best wine in the Napa Valley.

 

I opened this bottle to share with a few friends so they could sample the wine and hear a bit of the history of the winery.  I think the winery gained a few new friends based on their reaction and the quickly emptied bottle.

 

Winery history

We are the owner/vintners of Jean Edwards Cellars – we share a passion for wine, a similar palate and a singular vision on the style of wines we produce.  We live by our motto that “you should only make wines you love to drink” and focus our production on artisan red wines that are full-bodied and classically styled.

 

Quality and heritage are important to us – our wines are reflective of their origins and are sourced some of the most prestigious vineyards (and vineyard blocks) throughout Napa Valley including Stagecoach Vineyard (on Pritchard Hill); vineyards on the valley floor in Rutherford, Oakville and Coombsville; and mountain vineyards on Howell and Spring Mountain.

 

Time really flies – we started producing commercial wines in 2004 but our dream of producing high quality NapaValley cabernet sauvignon wines started much earlier when we traveled to the valley in 1985.  During that trip, we developed a true appreciation for cabernet sauvignon wines and decided we would some day be a part of the business and produce a wine called Jean Edwards Cellars (our two middle names).  It was a goal worth waiting for and twenty plus years later we released our first wine in the Spring of 2006.

 

For more information, to order wine, or to join the Jean Edwards mailing list, visit their website.

 

I highly recommend at least joining their mailing list.  This would be a great time to join since their next release is just around the corner, just tell them Cliff sent you.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly deep ruby red color, a touch lighter at the edge.  The outstanding and very appealing nose has cassis, dried herbs, tobacco, melted licorice, minerals, warm baking spices, dark bittersweet chocolate, cedar, and a hint of eucalyptus.  This has medium to full body, fairly solid tannins, and very nice acidity.  The palate is rich and plush with spice and cassis stealing the show initially, as slowly building dried herbs, minerals, and toasty oak come in on the back end.  The finish is very long and full of fruit and spice.  This is still on the young side and will greatly reward some additional cellar time.  (95 pts)

 

 

 

2008 Rhys Alesia Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast – $28.00

I’ve been on the Rhys mailing list for a few years.  A lot of people knock the wines because they don’t taste great upon release.  Rhys wines require a few years in the cellar to smoothen out and open up.  That said, their Alesia wines, which are made from purchased grapes, though also needing some time in the cellar, seem to be ready to drink a couple years earlier.  I grabbed several bottles of this wine when it was offered on their e-mail release.  I’ve had a couple bottles and every bottle has been better than the previous bottle…always a good sign.  I’m glad I still have five bottles to follow over the next few years.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a nice ruby red color. The sexy nose has strawberries, raspberries, cola, baking spices, underbrush, minerals, cherries, dried flowers, and a slight herbal note. The wine has medium body with soft tannins and very good acidity. The very complex palate has layers of fruit, spice, and earthy elements that slowly reveal themselves with each sip, with the nice cleansing acidity evident at all times. The finish is fairly long and the mouthwatering acidity is ever present. This is very food friendly and civilized. There is no excess weight or overly extracted notes evident on the wine. This is still on the young side and can be enjoyed over the next several years.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

We paired the Rhys Alesia Pinot with a fairly quick and easy Saturday evening dinner of a grilled Veal Chop and some sautéed broccoli with garlic and a sprinkle of hot pepper flakes.  The acidity in the wine was able to cut right through the juicy chop.  We kicked back on the beautiful evening to enjoy a second glass of the wine and enjoy the peace and quiet.

 

 

 

2009 Murphy-Goode Sauvignon Blanc The Fumé – $7.13

This wine has a touch of Semillon blended in with the Sauvignon Blanc.  The grapes are mainly from Lake County and the Alexander Valley in Sonoma County.

 

I left this in the cellar for a year longer than I would have liked, but this will be a good experiment into how a “drink now”, fruit forward, Sauvignon Blanc will evolve with a bit of cellar time.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a pale yellow to straw color.  The clean and fresh nose has lemon zest, apples, lime, fresh cut grass, a nice floral note, and just a touch of baking spice and vanilla.  This has light to medium body with crisp acidity and just a hint of sweetness.  On the palate the sweet, juicy apples and citrus hit up front with a slight herbal note in the background.  There is decent length on the finish which also shows a touch of sweetness.  More of a nice, hot weather aperitif due to the off dry sweetness, but for $7 it works in that regard.  (87 pts)

 

 

 

2004 Château La Vieille Cure – $15.83

The local wine store brought this in as an e-mail offer to their mailing list.  I decided under $16 a bottle for a case was just too hard to pass, so I grabbed a case.  My first bottle had something wrong and just tasted horrible.  It didn’t have an easily identifiable flaw, it was just bad.  I opened a second bottle a couple weeks later, and it was perfect.  I don’t know the exact break down of the grapes in this vintage, but this wine has historically been around 74% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby to purple color.  The enjoyable nose has black cherries, dried herbs, cigar box, minerals, baking spices, dried flowers, cassis, a minty note, and a fair amount of earthiness.  This has medium body, fairly solid tannins, and very nice acidity.  Not as rich on the palate as I was expecting based on an earlier bottle.  This leaned very heavily on the savory elements with the fruit buried in the background, only showing itself on a few rare occasions.  The finish is again, a bit lean and does not show a lot of depth.  I’m not going to rate this bottle since it does not seem to be representative of how the wine tasted earlier.

 

I’ve now had three totally different bottles of this wine.  One was awful, the second was wonderful, this one was drinkable with no obvious flaws but wasn’t that enjoyable.

 

 

 

I grilled up a thick NY Strip Steak , made some thick cut onion rings and tomato bread for dinner.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 2013 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

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

 

 

2011 Fat Gaucho Torrontés

2011 Fat Gaucho Malbec

2010 Fat Gaucho Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva

2010 Fat Gaucho Malbec Reserva

 

 

 

Winery History / background

About the Founder

Fat Gaucho Wines, LLC was created by Carlos Candal, esq., an American Argentinean attorney based in New Haven, CT.  His passion for wine and strong family ties to Argentina allowed him to experience the many amazing wines that Argentina has to offer.  Carlos was inspired to share the tastes of Argentina and continue a family tradition of selling wines from Mendoza which dates back to the turn of the century when his great-grandfather Vincente Candal, a successful merchant who first discovered the exceptional wines from that region and sold them in Buenos Aires.

 

Introducing Fat Gaucho Wines:

Specializing in wines from Argentina, Fat Gaucho has successfully located the region’s most enticing and full flavored wines at incredibly reasonable prices.  The aim is to affordably unveil to wine consumers the tastes that make Argentina’s wines special and unique.  Fat Gaucho has an assorted collection of wines from Argentina and has included some reserves for the purpose of engaging wine consumers with a more refined palette.  Taking care to select the flavors that allow any consumer to fully experience the aromas and zests that are the essence of Argentina, it is very clear why Fat Gaucho Wines represent the pride of The Pampas.

 

The wines themselves are produced at one of Uco Valley’s most established and respected vineyards.  Having been in operation for over 100 years, the vineyard is known for its reliability in producing superior wines as well as for infusing state-of-the-art technology into the traditional art of wine making.  The vineyard rests at the foot of the Andes Mountains, making it the perfect terroir to obtain the high quality grapes, rich with tannins and robust aromas.  Our Malbec Reserva and Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva are both aged in French and American Oak barrels, while our Torrontes originates in the Salta and La Rioja Regions where the best Torrontes grapes are grown.

Winery links

Much more information can be found on the winery’s website.

 

 

 

I’ve been a fan of Argentinean wines for several years.  The Malbecs coming out of Argentina, at the top end, can challenge the best wines in the world.  At the lower end of the spectrum, these can be great every day wines and with the low price points, they are an easy choice as a “party wine”.

 

On the white side, the Torrontés grape is showing great promise, if the production can be ramped up with no loss of quality, it is sure to gain a foot hold in this country.  Who doesn’t love a crisp, fresh smelling white wine on a warm, sunny day?

 

Here is the line up of wines for this tasting:

 

 

 

2011 Fat Gaucho Torrontés – SRP $9.99

 

Wine information

This wine is 100% Torrontés from the Salta region in Argentina and was fermented in steel tanks.  There was no Malolactic fermentation to preserve the crisp acidity.  20% of the wine was aged 3 months in acacia barrels.  The final alcohol is 12.5%.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light yellow to gold color.  The fresh and crisp smelling nose has apples, flinty minerals, lemon zest, pineapple, and honeysuckle and orange blossoms.  This has light body, and crisp citrus driven acidity.  On the palate the orchard fruit and lemon zest take center stage with some minerality coming in on the sidelines.  The finish has nice length and closes with some mouthwatering lemony acidity.  This would be a nice summer sipper on a warm day with or without a light meal.

 

Pairing suggestions

The tart acidity would allow this wine to pair nicely with a rich and creamy shrimp or chicken salad but it would also work nicely with some hot off the grill shrimp or scallops.  This would be a wonderful aperitif on a warm sunny day on the deck or patio.

 

2011 Fat Gaucho Malbec – SRP $9.99

 

Wine information

This wine is 100% Malbec from the Uco Valley in Mendoza.  50% of the wine was aged in French and American oak (50% each) for 6 to 9 months.  The final alcohol is 12.5%.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light to medium ruby red color.  The inviting nose has raspberries, candied cherries, baking spices, smoke, and forest floor.  This has medium body, very soft tannins, soft acidity, and a touch of residual sugar.  The palate is full of sweet berries and cherries with just a touch of spice and earthiness.  The finish is a bit short and closes on the sweet side.  This would be a good party wine.

 

Pairing Suggestions

This would be great with a party platter with mixed meat and cheese or on its own over good conversation.

 

2010 Fat Gaucho Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva – $12.99

 

Wine information

This is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Uco Valley in Mendoza.  50% of the wine was aged in French and American oak (50% each) for 6 to 9 months.  This is 13.5% alcohol.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium ruby red color.  The classic nose has cassis, cedar, dried herbs, warm baking spices, and a bit of forest floor.  This has medium body, soft ripe tannins, and soft acidity, and a touch of residual sweetness.  The palate has sweet berries, spice, and dried herbs.  The finish has decent length and leaves a sweet impression.

 

Pairing Suggestions

This would be a nice match with something hot off the grill like a sirloin steak or lamb chop sprinkled with some mixed, minced fresh herbs.

 

2010 Fat Gaucho Malbec Reserva – SRP $12.99

 

Wine information

This is 100% Malbec from the Uco Valley in Mendoza and was fermented in 10,000 liter tanks, with controlled temperature.  70% of the wine was aged in 70% French and 30% American oak for 12 months (30% new).  The final alcohol content of the wine is 13.5%.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to dark ruby red color.  The elegant nose has blackberries, melted licorice, baking spices, minerals, dark chocolate, smoke, and subtle earthiness.  This has medium body, soft tannins, and decent acidity.  The palate has nice earthy, crushed berries up front with spicy oak coming in on the back end.  The finish has decent length with berries and spicy oak stealing the show.  This leaves a lingering sweetness.

 

Pairing Suggestions

This is another wine that would pair nicely with a casual dinner featuring something off the grill.  The smoky elements and earthy elements will pair nicely with some beef or lamb.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 2013 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

 

 

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 King Estate Pinot Gris Signature Collection

2011 Bedrock Wine Co. Sauvignon Blanc Kick Ranch

2008 New Harbor Pinot Noir

 

 

2010 King Estate Pinot Gris Signature Collection – $12.82

The King Estate Pinot Gris is a warm weather favorite in our house.  This wine usually has enough richness to sip on its own on a warm day but also has enough acidity to easily stand up to some of the lighter fare we eat on a warm Summer evening.  With production in the neighborhood of 100,000 cases, this wine can be found just about everywhere.  If you’ve never tried this wine, give it a shot, you’ll be happy you did.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light, golden straw color with a slight greenish tint. The fresh and inviting nose has apples, minerals, citrus zest, pears, white peaches, and orange blossoms. This has light to medium body and crisp acidity. On the palate this is like apples and pears tossed with citrus zest with some minerals sprinkled on top. The mouthwatering finish has good length and closes with a nice spritz of lime and minerals.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2011 Bedrock Wine Co. Sauvignon Blanc Kick Ranch – $22.00

I joined the Bedrock mailing list a few years ago to get access to the red wines they were producing.  Even though I really like those reds, I love their white wines.  In my opinion, Morgan Twain-Peterson is currently producing some of the best white wines coming out of California and selling them at killer prices.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright straw color with glints of green and gold. The nose is a fresh and refreshing, full of apples, white peaches, stony minerals, citrus zest, eucalyptus, fresh cut grass, with a nice floral note. This is light to medium body with crisp, citrusy, acidity. This is bright and very lively with the fruit, citrus, and herbal notes taking turns enticing the palate. The finish is fairly long with the eucalyptus making an appearance to lend a savory element to the fruit and citrus. This is in a real nice place right now, but should hold for another year, maybe longer.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2008 New Harbor Pinot Noir – $5.70

It’s another hot and humid day in the upper Midwest.  After a few days of white wines, I was in the mood for a lighter bodied red wine.  I remembered I still had a couple bottles of this wine, and it should be perfect.  In the past this inexpensive gem has been a nice week night Pinot Noir.  We aren’t talking about anything earth moving or monumental, after all, it cost me just a touch over $5.  This is a light bodied, easy drinking, Pinot Noir from New Zealand.  It has a touch of residual sweetness which does nothing more than add a touch of richness on the back end and finish.  The best part is, it works nicely with a slight chill.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a very light ruby red color.  The soft, delicate, and alluring nose has cherries, baking spices, a bit of earthiness, and some plum.  This has light to medium body, soft silky tannins, nice acidity, and a touch of residual sweetness.  On the palate, sweet fruit and spice dominate with just a touch of earthiness coming in on the back end.  The finish is a touch short, but the touch of sweetness adds some nice richness.  This is fairly straight forward, but it still makes a nice week night Pinot Noir for under $6.  This works  nicely with a slight chill, which works out perfectly on a warm day.  (86 pts)

 

 

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

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

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 2013 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

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

 

 

An online tasting for the Ninth Annual Wine Industry Symposium.

 

 

2012 Wente Vineyards Chardonnay Morning Fog Livermore Valley

2011 Garnet Pinot Noir Monterey County

2010 Renwood Zinfandel Premier Old Vine

 

 

This online tasting was presented in conjunction with the 9^th annual WITS, Wine Industry Technology Symposium that was going on in Napa.  Stephen Gilberg (@WineTwits) organized the tasting.  I am very thankful and lucky to have been chosen to participate in the tasting.  More information on WineTwits is available on their website.

 

For more information on WITS, visit their website or Facebook page.

 

This line up for the tasting included three wines from areas in California not named Napa or Sonoma.

 

 

 

2012 Wente Vineyards Chardonnay Morning Fog Livermore Valley – SRP $13.00

Every time I sample a wine from the Livermore Valley, I become a bigger fan of the region.  The Livermore Valley is about 35 miles east of San Francisco, north of San Jose.  The region’s proximity to the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay allows cool breezes and coastal fog to cool the area.  The combination of warm days and cool nights help provide ripe fruit with good natural acidity.

 

Half of this wine was barrel fermented in French oak, the rest was fermented in stainless steel tanks.  The wines were aged for 7 months on lees before blending and bottling.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly bright yellow with a slight golden tint.  The very appealing nose has apples, pineapple, creme brulee, baking spices, and orange blossoms.  This has medium body with nice citrusy acidity, and a touch of residual sweetness.  On the palate the apples and spice jump out first with pineapples, vanilla, and a bit of creaminess coming in later and some zippy citrus bringing up the back end.  The finish has nice length with very nice balance between the rich pineapple and crisp citrus driven acidity.

 

This is a nice wine to serve with a light meal on a warm evening or to enjoy on its own with good friends over conversation.

 

More information is available on the winery’s website.

 

 

2011 Garnet Pinot Noir Monterey County Pinot Noir – SRP $14.99

Over the last few years I’m had and enjoyed the very reasonably priced Pinot Noirs coming out of Monterey County.  The better examples have shown ripe fruit and spice with enough acidity to provide ample support.

 

This wine is made from estate grown fruit from the winery’s vineyards near the Santa Lucia Highlands.  The wine was aged for 11 months in 100% French oak, 60% new.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light to medium ruby red color.  The inviting nose has cherry, baking spices, subtle earthiness, smoke, strawberries, and a hint of pine.  This has medium body, soft silky tannins, and very nice acidity.  On the palate the fruit hits first with a nice spice component.  Some nice earthiness, smoke, and strawberry come in on the back end adding nice depth.  The finish has very good length and a nice pine note adds interest.

 

This is a slightly larger, brawnier style of Pinot Noir with nice fruit and spice but it also has the acidity to make it very food friendly.  This paired nicely with some grilled chicken and pork.  This would also make a nice wine to sip with friends alone or with some appetizers.  This wine is closed with a twist-off cap.

 

Much more information is available on the winery’s website.

 

 

2010 Renwood Zinfandel Premier Old Vine – SRP $19.99

Amador County, which is located in California’s Sierra Foothills, generally produces wines that are full bodied with robust fruit and spice.  These are generally higher alcohol offerings but with the body and acidity to remain balanced.

 

This wine is composed of 92.5% Zinfandel, 5.8% Syrah, and 1.7% Souzao.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a nice ruby red color.  The big and outgoing nose is full of crushed berries, warm baking spices, black pepper, dark chocolate, fresh ground dark roast coffee, and some nice earthiness.  This full bodied wine has moderate to solid ripe tannins and good acidity.  On the palate this is a rich blend of berries and spice with a bit of pepper and earthiness coming in on the back end.  For a full bodied zinfandel, this is actually well mannered.  This ripe wine is rich and smooth enough to call for some good, spicy bbq ribs.  This should drink well for the next three to four years.

 

For whatever reason, it’s been a while since I last had a Renwood Zinfandel, but this bottle will put the winery back on my radar.  This was a big, full bodied wine with a solid wall of fruit and spice that concealed the 15.5% alcohol.  The back and was eich and smooth.  This went well with a piece of grilled steak, but the richness calls out for some smoky barbecue.

 

More information is available on the winery’s website.

 

 

Here are the grilled skewers of shrimp, steak, pork, and chicken we had while sampling these wines.  Not shown are grilled mushrooms, squash, and zucchini we also served.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

2011 La Crema Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

2010 Margarethenhof Ayler Kupp Riesling Spätlese

2010 Sandler Wine Company Grenache Boer Vineyard

2009 Borgo Scopeto (Tenuta Caparzo) Borgonero Toscana IGT

2012 Bedrock Wine Co. Mourvedre Ode to Lulu Rosé

2009 Villa Creek Willow Creek Cuvée

 

 

2011 La Crema Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast – $18.99

We had a couple glasses of this wine a few weeks ago at a local restaurant.  When I saw it on the shelf at the local wines store, I had to grab a couple bottles.  I didn’t take notes on the wine at the restaurant, but I remembered it having nice red fruit and some subtle earthiness.  It will be nice spending a bit of time with a bottle to see how it performs over the course of an evening.  This is a nice, middle of the road, California Pinot Noir.  It’s not a big, overly ripe style of Pinot, but it’s also not a delicate, nuanced version either. 

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright red to ruby color. The very enjoyable nose has cherries, baking spices, strawberry, lilac flowers, and a touch of earthy underbrush. This has medium body, moderate ripe tannins, and very good acidity. Spicy red fruit kicks off the palate with more spice and some earthiness coming in afterwards adding depth. The bright fruit carries no excess weight or overly ripe notes. The finish has decent length and again highlights the spice laden red fruit. This very nice week night Pinot Noir offers great QPR if you can find it for under $20.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

 

2010 Margarethenhof Ayler Kupp Riesling Spätlese – $7.92

This wine was offered by the local wine store via a weekly e-mail offer.  It’s hard for me to pass on a German Riesling, especially one I can get for under $8.00.  As expected, I grabbed a case without even trying it.  I worked at the store for a few hours yesterday, and there was still about a half bottle sitting under the wine bar that had been opened for over 24 hours.  The wine was room temperature so I wasn’t expecting too much when I tried a taste.  I was very pleasantly surprised the wine was outstanding.  I took the bottle home so I could sample it at a better serving temperature.  I also happily took my case home and stashed it in my wine cellar.

 

My Tasting Note

This note is from a bottle that had been opened for over a day and left over night on the counter with the cork stuck back in the bottle.  The wine is a bright golden yellow color.  The very appealing and inviting nose has apples, honey, orange zest, Spring flowers, and a touch of petrol.  This has medium body, a fair amount of residual sugar and very nice, crisp acidity that keeps the sweetness in line.  On the palate the honeyed apples and citrus zest coat the palate but is kept from getting cloying by the citrusy acidity.  The finish is long and again full of apples, honey, and citrus.  If you like an off dry Riesling, this is top notch.  This has marvelous balance that will allow it to easily cellar for several years.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

 

2010 Sandler Wine Company Grenache Boer Vineyard – $25.00

Sandler Wine Company is the personal label of ever-present consulting winemaker, Ed Kurtzman.  Sandler Wine Company is devoted to small bottlings of Pinot Noir, Syrah, Zinfandel and Grenache, from some of Ed’s favorite vineyard and grower sources.  Production of most wines very seldom exceeds 100 cases and in some cases don’t even reach 25 cases.  This is a highly recommended mailing list to check out if you want very reasonably priced, small production wines. 

 

For more information, checkout their website.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a nice, bright ruby red color.  The civilized and refined nose has raspberries, minerals, warm baking spices, mint, cherries, wild flowers, and a touch of earthiness.  This has medium body, fairly solid tannins, and very good acidity.  On the palate the fruit and spice grab hold initially, eventually allowing a touch of mint, earthiness, and a floral note to come through.  The finish has nice length but gets a touch thin.  This needs some cellar time which should allow the back end to flesh out.  This is very good now, but will be much better in another year or two.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

 

2009 Borgo Scopeto (Tenuta Caparzo) Borgonero Toscana IGT – $16.62

I grabbed a six pack of this wine from an e-mail offer by the local wine store based on a very positive recommendation by an Italian wine loving friend.  This “Super Tuscan” is a blend of 60% Sangiovese, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Syrah. 

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to deep ruby red color, lighter at the edge. The appealing nose has cherries, warm baking spices, blackberries, white pepper, earthy underbrush, dried herbs, and a touch of dark chocolate. This has medium body, moderate tannins, and very good acidity. Tart, spicy, earthy fruit dominate the palate with dried herbs and some chocolate coming in on the back end. The finish has nice length and is an extension of the palate with just a touch of spicy oak creeping into the picture. For a very young wine, this is drinking very nicely today. This should improve with another year in the cellar and drink well for a few additional years.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

We made up a platter of assorted breaded and fried ravioli with fresh basil and grated parmigiana with some marinara sauce for dipping to go with the  Borgo Scopeto Borgonero.  A salad completed the dinner.  The food and wine pairing was perfect.  The wine has enough acidity to cut through the fried ravioli especially the ones that were stuffed with cheese.  The wine also had enough oomph to stand up to the ones that were stuffed with beef and sausage. 

 

 

 

 

2012 Bedrock Wine Co. Mourvedre Ode to Lulu Rosé – $19.00

This rosé from Bedrock as well as Villa Creek’s offering, form the nucleus of my warm weather  rosé wines.  I mix in a few others I buy at the local store, but these two make up well over 50% of the rosés we drink during the year.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light pink to salmon color. The fresh and clean nose has strawberries, minerals, white peaches, cherries, and some subtle earthiness. This has light body with crisp acidity and maybe just a touch of residual sugar. Crisp, juicy fruit and minerals dominate the palate with a touch of earthiness in the background. The finish has nice length and leaves a very slightly sweet and crisp final impression. The perfect wine to enjoy on a warm Summer afternoon with or without food.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

 

2009 Villa Creek Willow Creek Cuvée – $33.60

If you check out this blog very often or follow me on Twitter, you already know I’m a big fan of Paso Robles based Villa Creek.  Vintage after vintage produce outstanding blends revolving around the grapes from France’s RhoneValley.  The Willow Creek Cuvée as well as their Avenger are two of my favorite VC wines.  This wine is a blend of 50% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre and 20% Syrah sourced from the Denner and James Berry vineyards.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby color.  The big and bold nose has raspberries, blackberries, minerals, licorice, dried herbs, warm baking spices, cherries, wood smoke, and a bit of earthiness.  This full bodied gem has moderate to solid tannins and good acidity.  On the palate the spicy fruit kicks off the show with minerals and some earthiness waiting in the wings.  The finish is long and layered with nice fruit and savory elements taking turns stealing the show.  This is a touch young but still drinking very nicely with some air.  (92 pts)

 

  

 

I grilled up some beef and chicken fajitas to pair with the Willow Creek.  The wine was able to stand up to the big, bold flavors from the meat.  The only problem was that the mixed peppers had one pepper that was quite hot that clashed with the wine.  Luckily that particular pepper was fairly small and did not appear in too many bites of the fajitas.

 

 

 

  

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

2009 Domaine André Brunel Côtes du Rhône Villages Cuvée Sabrine

2008 Carlisle Syrah Sonoma County

2007 Elyse Petite Sirah Barrel Select

 

 

2009 Domaine André Brunel Côtes du Rhône Villages Cuvée Sabrine – $9.49

The local store brought some of this in when the distributor was looking to clear out some wines.  I was able to get several bottles of this gem for under $10 a bottle.  I’m glad I grabbed several bottle because this is going to be an outstanding Côtes du Rhône down the road if I can keep my hands off of it.

 

This is a blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Mourvedre.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep violet color. The dark and meaty nose has black cherries, minerals, charred meat, blackberries, licorice, potpourri, and earthy underbrush. This has medium to full body, fairly solid tannins, and good acidity. On the palate the minerals, earth, and fruit flavors slowly give way to meaty elements. The finish has nice length but gets a touch thin. This is still very young and will reward another year or two in the cellar. The time in the cellar should add some complexity and help fill out the finish.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2008 Carlisle Syrah Sonoma County – $19.50

This wine is one of the main reasons the Carlisle mailing list if full, outstanding wines at incredible prices.  I have a feeling I’m opening this on the young side, but I wanted to get a reference point on how the wine is evolving.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep purple color.  The intoxicating nose has crushed blackberries, charred meat, black pepper, potpourri, eucalyptus, and Asian spices.  This has medium to full body, fairly solid tannins, and very nice acidity.  The wine is a bit more restrained on the palate with blackberries, pepper, and spice taking center stage with some dark chocolate and a minty note coming in on the back end.  The finish has decent length but does leave you wanting a bit more.  This is still on the young side and the finish may flesh out a bit more with some cellar time.  For under $20 this is a steal.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2007 Elyse Petite Sirah Barrel Select – $20.83

This appears to be a wine that is not produced every year.  I can only see evidence of it being produced in the 1996, 2006, 2007, and 2010 vintages.  I’ve had the 2006 and 2010 vintages in the past but this will be my first time opening the 2007 vintage.  I bought several bottles direct from the winery in early 2009, but decided to let them sleep for a few years.  I’m looking forward to seeing what is in the bottle.  This has 9% Zinfandel blended in with the Petite Sirah.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a dark, inky maroon color, almost black.  The very expressive nose is full of crushed blackberries, minerals, blueberries, fresh ground dark roast coffee, dark bittersweet chocolate, warm baking spices, and vanilla.  This has medium to full body, solid tannins, and very nice acidity.  On the palate the spicy blackberries and minerals hit first and slowly allow some coffee and chocolate to peak through.  The finish is long and full of berries and dark chocolate with nice spice and coffee adding depth.  This is on the young side but is starting to show some impressive complexity.  I’m sure this will be even better in another couple of years.  This isn’t made in a massively ripe style, the alcohol is a manageable 14.7%.  This will easily last another decade.  (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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

2011 Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc

2005 Jacob Franklin Cabernet Sauvignon Hoffman Lane

2009 Trentadue Winery Cuvée 32 40th Anniversary Collector’s Edition

2007 Bonny Doon Vineyard Le Cigare Blanc

2005 Clot de l’Oum Côtes du Roussillon Villages Caramany Saint Bart Vieilles Vignes

 

 

2011 Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc – $15.78

CloudyBay has been my favorite New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc for several years.  When I saw this wine on my local wine store’s shelf and found out the owner/wine maker is Kevin Judd, a decision to grab a few bottles was easy.  Kevin Judd, was the founding wine maker for CloudyBay.  After directing 25 vintages at CloudyBay, Kevin decided it was time to fulfill his life long dream and set his own course.  Greywacke, which opened in 2009, is the culmination of that dream.  After trying a bottle, I had to go back to the store while it was still on sale and stock up.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a very light, pale, straw color. The crisp and clean nose has grapefruit, minerals, lime, lemon zest, white pepper, gooseberry, and a touch of an herbal note. This has a light body with tart citrusy acidity. On the palate tart grapefruit and white pepper lead off with lime and lemon kicking in on the back end. The finish is long and mouthwatering with minerals and an herbal note joining the citrus and white pepper. A stunning wine for a warm afternoon with or without food.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2005 Jacob Franklin Cabernet Sauvignon Hoffman Lane – $35.00

I’ve always felt, even though most wineries make wine with grapes from multiple vineyards, the estate owned vineyard around the tasting room and winery are special.  In most cases, this is the first impression a visitor gets when visiting a winery for the first time.  Wineries spend a little extra time to ensure these grapes look special.  Generally the wines made from these grapes show the extra care that went into the grapes.  To me, this is one of those wines.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep maroon color.  The very appealing nose has cassis, licorice, warm baking spices, eucalyptus, dried herbs, cedar, tobacco, and a touch of smoke.  This has a fairly full body, moderate to solid tannins, and very nice acidity.  On the palate this has a solid wall of fruit and spice up front with dried herbs, toasty oak, and some eucalyptus coming in on the back end.  The finish is fairly long and has a very nice blend of fruit and savory elements.  This has superb balance with no out of place or dominant element.  This is still on the young side and will show well for at least the next several years.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Trentadue Winery Cuvée 32 40th Anniversary Collector’s Edition – $16.90

We have visited the Alexander Valley based Trentadue Winery a few times in the past and always had a good time and an even better tasting.  This is a long time favorite wine in my house.  The blend varies each vintage, this one is 49% Sangiovese, 27% Merlot, 8% Montepulciano, 8% Malbec, 7% Petite Sirah, and 1% Syrah.  This wine has enough acidity from the Sangiovese to stand up to dishes with tomatoes but the other grapes lend enough body and oomph to stand up to meat.  We like this wine with everything from pasta with meat sauce to Veal Parmesan and baked ziti.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to dark garnet color.  The very inviting nose has cherries, warm baking spices, dried herbs, raspberries, black pepper, wild flowers, some licorice, and a bit of earthiness.  This has medium body, moderate to solid tannins, and good acidity.  On the palate the spicy, peppery fruit jumps out first with dried herbs and earthiness coming in later.  The finish has very nice length with good balance between the fruity and savory elements.  This California version of a “Super Tuscan” is one of the better ones currently being produced.  Enjoy this now or stash it away for a few years.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2007 Bonny Doon Vineyard Le Cigare Blanc – $6.64

I grabbed a few of these on close out at the local wine store in January.  I wanted to try one to see if I should grab some more to last through the upcoming Spring/Summer seasons.  I was a more than a bit leery about buying a six year old wine of unknown provenance.  Those fears were put to rest as soon as I had my first sip.  This is a blend of 64.3% Roussanne and 35.7% Grenache Blanc from the Beeswax Vineyard in Arroyo Seco.  Now that warmer weather has finally settled into the upper Midwest, I’m looking forward to enjoying the half case I was able to grab before it sold out.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a glistening yellow to gold color. The Spring breeze like nose has honeysuckle, beeswax, minerals, apples, lemon zest, white peaches, orange blossoms, and spice. This has light to medium body and very good acidity. On the palate tart apples and pears loaded with stony minerals hit first followed by nice citrusy acidity. The finish is fairly long with a touch of juicy peach adding a little something extra.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2005 Clot de l’Oum Côtes du Roussillon Villages Caramany Saint Bart Vieilles Vignes – $24.87

I bought this wine from Garagiste Wine in late 2007.  As usual, I didn’t receive the wine until early to mid 2008.  Again, as usual, the slow shipping wasn’t an issue for me since most of the wines I buy from them aren’t purchased for early consumption.  I had a bottle of this early last year and felt it wasn’t really ready to drink.  The longer the bottle was opened, the better the wine drank.  It’s been a years and a half, so I’m eager to see how the passing time has helped this impressive wine.

 

This is an organically grown blend of high altitude old-vine Syrah, Grenache and Carignan.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep violet color.  The nose on this wine is absolutely stunning, probably the best of the year, so far.  The nose is full of black raspberries, cherries, minerals, garrigue, game, mint, dried flowers, licorice, and some earthiness.  This has medium body, moderate to solid tannins, and very good acidity.  The palate has multiple layers of fruit and savory elements that take turns stealing the show.  The finish has very nice length and leans more on the savory elements with the fruit providing some nice background sweetness.  This still seems to be on the young side so I’d give it some air or preferably let it sleep for another couple of years.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

2011 Myriad Cellars Sémillon McGah Family Vineyard

2011 Treasure Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2009 Copain Pinot Noir Tous Ensemble

2011 One Time Spaceman MCA Rosé

2008 Turley Zinfandel Ueberroth Vineyard

 

 

2011 Myriad Cellars Sémillon McGah Family Vineyard – $24.00

When Mike Smith, the owner/wine maker of Myriad Cellars sent out an e-mail offer for this wine as well as three others with a total combined production of well under 200 total cases, I was lucky enough to get a small allocation.  This was one of those offers you couldn’t refuse.  There was a total production of only 48 cases of this wine.  How can you pass on a single vineyard, Rutherford Sémillon for $24?  I couldn’t!  In the same offer, I had to also grab a few bottles of their Rutherford sourced Petit Verdot, which had an even lower production of only 22 cases.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright yellow with a golden tint.  The crisp and clean nose has melon, pineapple, lemon zest, toasted almonds, minerals, spices, honey, and a very slight herbal note.  This has medium body, tart citrusy acidity, and a touch of tannins.  On the palate this has rich fruit and minerals up front with a big jolt of citrus coming in to hold everything together very nicely on the midpalate.  The finish has nice length with a touch of an herbal element coming into the picture.  This is drinking nicely, but seems to be on the young end of the drinking window.  This can be enjoyed now or over the next 4 years.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2011 Treasure Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley – $28.49

This is a new purchase from this “négociant’ label.  The “winery” buys excess wine from traditional wineries, bottles it, and turns over their inventory fairly quickly.  The wineries are generally eager to sell off their unwanted wines so Treasure Hunter gets the juice at a VERY big discount.  One of the usual stipulations is that the source of the grapes/wine remains anonymous.  In this case, the name of the original winery was “accidentally” slipped, so I know who supposedly made the wine, but I’m sworn to secrecy.

 

Here is the info from Treasure Hunter’s website:

Occasionally we find a wine that is so special, it deserves it’s own label. This is one of those wines. It is a cult wine from a cult winery it just happens to cost a whole lot less. Lucky you.

 

If the source is accurate, the winery produces two cabernet sauvignons, the least expensive costs north of $100 a bottle.  The other cabernet produced by the winery has a community average cost on Cellar Tracker of well over $300 a bottle.

 

This wine is available for sell on the Treasure Cellars website for $45.00 a bottle, click here for more info.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright ruby red color.  The very inviting nose has cassis, dark bittersweet chocolate, dried herbs, eucalyptus, cherries, minerals, cigar box, and some “Rutherford Dust” (if this is from Rutherford).  This has medium body, fairly solid tannins, and very good acidity.  On the palate big cassis and eucalyptus grab hold eventually allowing cherries, dark chocolate, and some dried herbs enter into the mix.  The finish has very good length with a very slight green herbaceous element creeping in on the back end.  This is extremely young and has a very bright future.  Even at this early stage in its development, the wine has impeccable balance.  I’m sure with some cellar time the slight green element will integrate.  This rating is totally out the window in another couple years.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Copain Pinot Noir Tous Ensemble – $25.00

I’ve slowed down my Copain purchases over the last couple of years, but I’m still a big fan of their “Tous Ensemble” wines.  To me, the Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Rosé all have quality that greatly exceeds their price points.  This has been a consistently good $25 Anderson Valley Pinot that is comparable to $40 or higher wines from the area.

 

This was Copain’s effort to put out a value priced, mid-level, appellation branded level of wines.  The Copain Tous Ensemble line up has grown to now include Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Roussanne, Viognier, and a Rosé.  In my opinion, the Copain Tous Ensemble lineup offers stunning quality for the price.  I’ve had and greatly enjoyed multiple vintages of the Syrah, Pinot Noir, and the Rosé.  I believe these wines have some distribution, I highly recommend grabbing a bottle to sample if you see one on your local wine store’s shelf.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light to medium ruby red color.  The slightly reserved nose has cherries, baking spices, raspberries, orange zest, minerals, and a bit of earthiness and smoke.  This is barely medium body with soft, silky tannins, and very good acidity.  Much more open and robust on the palate with tart cherries, juicy raspberries, spice and some earthiness taking turns leading the charge.  The finish has decent length with a touch of orange zest and spice lingering nicely.  This is a very nice, nuanced, California Pinot with very good balance.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2011 One Time Spaceman MCA Rosé – $15.21

This bottle is a leftover from last Summer.  I’ve had this several times and it’s a very nice, easy drinking, fruity Rosé.  This is just a touch soft and shows a touch of sweetness, making it a great, easy drinker on a nice, sunny day.  This is a Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre blend from Paso Robles.  The winemaker, Mark Adams, is a rising star in my opinion.  Besides the One Time Spaceman label, he has another label called Ledge.  I recommend doing a Google search for them and joining the mailing list.  Mark is also the assistant winemaker for a small Paso Robles winery you may have heard of, Saxum.  In his spare time, he is also a musician.  Check out his latest offering, Panjanatan, I know it’s available on Amazon, that’s where I bought it, and probably other places as well.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright pinkish salmon color.  The fresh smelling nose has watermelon, strawberries, cherries, white peaches, white pepper, orange zest, and just a hint of earthiness.  This has medium body with nice acidity and just a touch of sweetness.  On the palate, nice red fruit and spice steal the show with a touch of white pepper and orange zest coming in on the back end.  The finish is crisp and clean and has nice length.  This is an easy drinking rosé, perfect for a warm, sunny afternoon.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2008 Turley Zinfandel Ueberroth Vineyard – $48.00

Ueberroth is my favorite vineyard source for Turley grapes that is not named Hayne.  This vineyard generally yields a big, full bodied wine with loads of pepper and spice.  In a nutshell, this is the type of old vine Zinfandel that put Turley on the map.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark garnet color.  The classic zin nose is full of crushed briary berries, black pepper, minerals, wild flowers, and warm baking spices.  This full bodied wine has moderate ripe tannins and good acidity.  On the palate the pepper dusted berries steal the show with nice building minerality on the back end.  The long, lingering finish again shows a boat load of minerals and peppery berries with a bit of earthiness also coming into the picture.  This carries its 15.9% alcohol and keeps it under wraps with only slight glimpses peaking out every once in a while.  (94 pts)

 

 

 

The evolution of our holiday dinner:

 

A rack of ribs and a beef brisket:

 

Apply a nice coating of a personally prepared dry rub:

 

Wrap the meat in plastic wrap and pop in the fridge for at least 12 hours.

 

Remove meat from the fridge and unwrap.  The dry rub will have drawn out some of the juices in the meat, broken down, and will have soaked into the meat.  Ready for the smoke.

 

After about 7 hours of smoke at about 250 degrees, I wrap the meat in some foil for about 45 minutes to an hour.  This helps the meat “pull back” a bit on the bone.  This makes the ribs a bit easier to handle and admit it, it just looks cool.

 

Here’s a picture of the finished beef brisket:

 

The Turley Zinfandel paired perfectly with this meat.  The big, bold flavors of the zin held up well against the equally big flavors from the meat, dry rub, and smoke.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

2008 Treasure Hunter Wines Helen’s Helm

2007 Graeser Cabernet Franc Estate Grown

2004 Bodegas AAlto Ribera delDuero AAlto

 

 

2008 Treasure Hunter Wines Helen’s Helm – $17.52

Treasure Hunter is a “négociant’ label.  The “winery” doesn’t own any vineyards or even a winery.  They buy excess wine from other wineries and either bottle it as is or do some blending and then bottle the finished product.  In most cases Treasure Hunter wines are identical to another, much more expensive, wine in the market place.  During the recent “economic downturn” when a lot of wineries were cutting back on their production, Treasure Hunter was the recipients of some great juice that they sold at killer prices.

 

My Tasting Note

This is a deep, dark maroon color.  The very nice nose has blackberries, minerals, baking spices, charred meat, vanilla, cherries, dark bittersweet chocolate, and some earthiness.  This has a fairly full body, fairly solid tannins, and very good acidity.  On the palate a loads of juicy berries, tart cherries, and minerals hit first with nice spice and a meaty element coming in on the back end.  The finish is long and lingering with some dark chocolate joining the spice and berries.  This is a very impressive wine that drinks several notches above its price point.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2007 Graeser Cabernet Franc Estate Grown – $33.33

There’s a story behind this bottle of wine.  This is (was) a very small winery on Diamond Mountain in Calistoga.  We had visited the winery several times and enjoyed their wines, especially the Cabernet Franc.  I received an e-mail in January 2010 offering this wine at a nice discount on a case purchase.  The wine wasn’t bottles yet, but was to be bottled in early May and shipped as soon as possible after that time.  Mid May rolled around, and I sent them an e-mail asking if the wine would ship before it got too hot and didn’t receive a response.  I e-mailed and called the winery several times over the next few months with no response.  In September or October, their phone was disconnected and e-mails started bouncing.  A Google search confirmed my worst fears, the winery had entered into bankruptcy.

 

Over the next two years, I continued attempting to track down anyone associated with the winery or whoever purchased their “assets”.

 

Finally in late 2012, I heard back from the former owner, he had finally checked the old e-mail accounts.  After several phone calls and dozens of e-mails, he agreed he owed me my case of wine.  All of the wine at the winery had been seized, but he had been able to slip a few cases out.  He sent me a case from this “private stash”.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium ruby red color.  The classic nose has cedar, cassis, tobacco, well worn leather, dried herbs, baking spices, a touch of cherry and some earthiness.  This has medium body, moderate tannins, and very bright acidity.  On the palate the cassis and spicy oak jump to the forefront with dried herbs and some earthiness in the background.  The finish has decent length with cherries and dried herbs coming into the picture.  This lacks a bit of the richness of some earlier vintages and the acidity is fairly prominent at this point in the wine’s development.  Maybe another year or two may help integrate the acidity, but this will never live up to their stunning 1992 and 2002 vintages.  This will appeal more to those with an old world palate than those expecting a big and rich California wine.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

We paired the Cabernet Franc with a lighter dinner on the deck since it was a very nice but slightly cool evening.  We made an herb rubbed pork tenderloin with a creamy tarragon sauce that gets a bit of a kick from grainy Dijon mustard.  We also made one of my favorite Summer sides dishes, a salad made from fresh corn and lima beans.  Maybe not a classic pairing, but it worked very nicely on this occasion.  If you would like either recipe, leave a comment or shoot me an e-mail to cliff@CliffsWinePicks.com.

 

 

 

2004 Bodegas AAlto Ribera del Duero AAlto – $31.67

I have several “friends” who had the great fortune of spending the last week touring parts of Spain on someone else’s dime.  After seeing their pictures, reading their tweets and Facebook posts, and checking out their blogs, I’m in the mood for something from Spain.  I don’t think they visited the Ribera del Duero region, but I wanted something big and burly to go with grilled rib-eyes, so this was the winner.

 

I’ve enjoyed this wine many times over the years.  I have a few older vintages in the cellar, but since I have a nice stash of this vintage, I decided it was time to check in to see how it is coming along.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep maroon, dark color.  The stunning nose has blackberry liqueur, melted licorice, warm baking spices, cedar, dark bittersweet chocolate, some earthy underbrush, and a nice floral note.  This has medium to full body, fairly solid tannins, and good acidity.  On the palate the wine is rich and plush with spicy berries, dark chocolate, and some earthiness.  The finish is long and loaded with spicy fruit and dark chocolate.  This tastes outstanding today, but may get even better with some additional cellar time.  (94 pts)

 

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!