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

 

 

2013 Charles Krug Winery (Peter Mondavi Family) Sauvignon Blanc Limited Release Charles Krug Vineyard Estate

2011 Charles Krug Winery (Peter Mondavi Family) Merlot

2011 Charles Krug Winery (Peter Mondavi Family) Family Reserve Generations

2011 Charles Krug Winery (Peter Mondavi Family) Cabernet Sauvignon Family Reserve Howell Mountain

 

 

 

Overview

I had the extreme honor of being selected to participate in an online tasting to celebrate Charles Krug’s 150^th vintage.  This tasting featured three red wines from this monumental vintage.  The tasting also included one white wine, a Sauvignon Blanc from the 2013 vintage.

 

The wines produced still carry the historical Charles Krug name, but also carry the moniker of Peter Mondavi Family.

 

If you would like to view the recorded webcast of the event, please click here.

 

 

 

 

The Winery

The Charles Krug Winery, Napa Valley’s oldest winery, was established by Prussian immigrant Charles Krug in 1861.  In 1943, Italian immigrants Cesare and Rosa Mondavi purchased the historic property, which remains a family-owned winery producing estate-driven Napa Valley wines.  Built on a foundation of family values, hard work and European winemaking tradition, the winery offers a portfolio of Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux-styled wines.  The winery is under the direction of Peter Mondavi Jr., who along with his brother Marc Mondavi, stewards the family business passed to them by their father, legendary Napa Valley wine icon Peter Mondavi Sr., who continues to serve as President and CEO.  The family is now proudly welcoming members of the fourth generation to the business, continuing a legacy started almost 70 years ago and setting a foundation for generations to come.

 

Above all else, Charles Krug Winery is a family winery.  Peter Sr. and his sons Marc and Peter Jr. continue their dedication to producing the finest Bordeaux style wines in the Napa Valley.  To achieve this, they initiated a nine-year, $22 million investment program completed in 2010.  Over 400 of the winery’s 850 prime acres in Napa Valley have been re-planted and state-of-the-art winemaking equipment is now in use.

 

Much more information on the winery, its history and wines is available by clicking here.

 

 

 

The wines for this event were provided to me by Charles Communications.

 

About Charles Communications Associates

CCA is an independent creative marketing firm that employs traditional public relations and new media strategies to assist companies, organizations and non-profits in the creation, development and marketing of interesting and compelling brands.  Recognized as one of the most effective PR firms in the wine industry, we have an exceptional track record of promoting products in the gourmet, natural and organic food and beverage categories, from wine and tea to top shelf spirits and luxury goods.  We consider ourselves fortunate to work with clients who share our philosophy of social responsibility in work and everyday life.

 

For more information, visit the CCA website.

 

 

 

 

The  Wines

Here was the line up for this tasting.

 

 

 

2013 Limited Release Estate Sauvignon Blanc – SRP $35

This wine is 100% Sauvignon Blanc from the winery’s Estate Vineyard.  This was the third release of this “Limited Release” wine.  The total production was only 340 cases.

 

This wine was fermented in stainless steel and aged Sur lie for seven months.

 

The wine has 13.6% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright yellow with a slight green tint.  The lively nose has grapefruit, mint, minerals, spice and a touch of smoke.  This has a medium body with crisp citrusy acidity and just a touch of creaminess.  On the palate tart grapefruit, mint and minerals hit up front with a touch of spice coming in later.  The finish has good length with the mouthwatering grapefruit leading the way.  This is a very nice and serious Sauvignon Blanc.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2011 Napa Valley Merlot – SRP $25

This wine is a blend of 84% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Sirah, 3% Malbec and 1% Petit Verdot.

 

Due to below average temperatures and late Spring rains the yield was down about 30% from usual and the grapes were harvested in early September instead of the usual mid-August.  The area received a few heat spikes to help ripening.  There was also some rain while the grapes were still on the vines.  The winery performed hand thinning of the leaves and adjusted shoot positioning to provide better sun exposure and to maximize air flow to deter the development of mold.

 

The wine was aged for 18 months in a mix of French and American oak.  The wine has 14.0% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby red color.  The enticing nose has crushed berries, plums, minerals, cocoa powder, vanilla, red currants and a touch of white pepper.  This has a medium body with soft to moderate tannins and good acidity.  On the palate berries, plums, mocha and vanilla hit first with some spicy cedar coming in on the back end.  The finish has good length with a nice kick of spice. One of the best Merlot wines I have tasted in a few years.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2011 Family Reserve ‘Generations’ – SRP $50

This wine is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot, 4% Malbec and 3% Merlot.

 

The first vintage of Generations in 1991 was a blend crafted by Marc Mondavi and was suspect by Peter Mondavi Sr. who was partial to single varietal wines.  Marc demonstrated to his father that a wine of this nature could hold its own against the growing popularity of Cabernet Sauvignon in the Napa Valley.

 

The wine was aged for 20 months in a new French oak.  The wine has 13.9% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby to purple color.  The nose has cassis, blackberries, baking spices, dark chocolate, minerals and jalapeno pepper.  This has medium body and moderate to solid tannins and good acidity.  Spicy berries, mocha and cedar coat the palate with minerals and jalapeno coming in on the back end.  The finish has good length but I wish the jalapeno wasn’t so prominent.  After a couple of hours the jalapeno notes were still present but pushed into the background.  This could use a couple of years in the cellar.  (87 pts)

 

 

 

2011 Family Reserve ‘Howell Mountain’ Cabernet Sauvignon – SRP $75

This wine is a blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Petit Verdot and 2% Malbec.

 

This is the inaugural release of the Family Reserve Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

The wine was aged for 19 months in a new French oak.  The wine has 13.7% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a dark ruby red to purple color.  The outstanding nose has cassis, cherries, cedar, mint, dried herbs, baking spices, dark chocolate, black pepper and vanilla.  This has medium body moderate to solid tannins and very nice acidity.  This is nicely layered on the palate with the fruit, spice, dried herbs and oak taking turns strutting their stuff.  The finish has very good length with “chewy” tannins kicking in.  This is a very serious wine that deserves a few years in the cellar.  Ignore this one until the end of the decade if possible.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

Closing comments

If I had to choose one word to describe this line up of wines, it would be “serious”.  These are not easy-drinking wines to open and sip, these are made to accompany a good meal.  Bravo to the Peter Mondavi Family for putting out such an outstanding group of wines.

 

 

 

Connect with me

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

 

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

 

Cheers!

 

 

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

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

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

 

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

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

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

 

 

 

2013 Domaine du Tariquet Côtes de Gascogne Classic

2012 Domaine Chiroulet Côtes de Gascogne Les Terres Blanches

2010 Producteurs Plaimont Côtes de Saint-Mont Les Bastions

2011 Producteurs Plaimont Côtes de Saint-Mont Tableaux

 

 

 

 

Overview

I was invited by Greg Dal Piaz to participate in a Snooth blogger roundtable tasting of the Wines of Southwest France.  Since this was a region I did not know a lot about, this received a pretty quick, “count me in.”

 

A few days before the tasting, I had to schedule a business trip to visit a couple facilities in Alabama.  I figured, no problem, I can catch the early flight and make it to the hotel in the early afternoon.  Not so fast, the early flight from Atlanta to Birmingham was full.  This meant I wouldn’t be able to make it into Birmingham until the tasting was starting.  Unfortunately, I still had to get my checked luggage, pick up the rental car and drive 45 minutes to the hotel.  Drats!  Once again, not so fast.  I still booked the early flight from Milwaukee to Atlanta, this would give me time to figure out my options during the 5 hour layover.  The problem was magically solved when some open seats on the early flight became available.  Some quick re-ticketing and I made it to the hotel in time to quickly chill my wines in time for the tasting.

 

 

I’m not sure if this will work for everyone or not but the link to a video of our “roundtable” is available by clicking here.  This didn’t work out as originally planned since we were all Google+ Hangout newbies.  The goal was to have everyone online via audio and video but instead we received mainly the “Greg Show” with guest star Fred Dexheimer.  That said, if you want to learn about this region and its wines, I highly recommend checking out the roundtable, it will be an hour well spent.

 

 

 

About the region

Southwest France is a lush, hilly wine region that occupies the corner bordered by the Atlantic Ocean on the west, and Spain and the Pyrenees Mountains on the south. The region is home to a string of more than two dozen winemaking appellations whose producers are united by a passion for place. Some of the world’s great grape varieties originated here and many of the area’s lesser-known varieties are grown nowhere else.

 

Inviting, authentic, and brimming with character, the quality wines of Southwest France await your discovery!

 

Tons of information on the region, the Appellations, grapes, etc. is available on their website by clicking here.

 

I highly recommend checking out the site and getting to know more about the region.

 

 

 

This presentation and the wines were provided by Greg Dal Piaz and Snooth.

 

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

 

Mission

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

 

Company Overview

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

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

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

 

Visit Snooth by by clicking here.

 

 

 

My Line Up

Here is my line up for this tasting:

 

 

 

2013 Domaine du Tariquet Côtes de Gascogne Classic

This wine is a blend of 45% Ugni Blanc, 35% Columbard, 10% Sauvignon Blanc and 10% Gros Manseng.

 

The wine has 10.5% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a twist off closure.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light, pale straw color.  The outstanding nose has apples, pineapples, flinty minerals, melon and a touch of spice.  This has light to medium body with good acidity and just a bit of sweetness.  On the palate rich fruit and minerals coat the palate with a touch of spice coming in later.  The finish has decent length and leaves a bit of lingering sweetness that is nicely balanced with tart, citrusy acidity.  This is an extremely easy drinking bottle of wine for a hot Summer evening.  (88 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Domaine Chiroulet Côtes de Gascogne Les Terres Blanches         

This wine is a blend of Gros Manseng, Sauvignon Blanc and Ugni Blanc.

 

Skin maceration of the Ugni Blanc and the Sauvignon Blanc was utilized.  Long, direct pressing (as in the Champagne region) of the Gros Manseng, was used to extract as much minerality as possible.  Low-temperature fermentation was utilized to retain the wine’s floral taste.  The wine was aged 8 months on fine lees with regular stirring.

 

The wine has 12.5% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a very light, pale yellow color with flecks of green.  The inviting nose has apples, flinty minerals, citrus zest, cantaloupe and white flowers.  This has medium body, crisp acidity and seems totally dry.  On the palate apples and minerals hit first with lime zest coming in on the back end.  The finish has decent length with the minerals leading the way and the fruit providing nice background sweetness.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2011 Producteurs Plaimont Côtes de Saint-Mont Tableaux – $14

This wine is a blend of 80% Gros Manseng, 15% Petit Courbu and 5% Arrufiac.

 

The wine has 13.0% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright yellow with a slight green tint.  The nose has apples, minerals, roasted nuts, orange blossoms and a touch of smokiness.  The wine has medium body with crisp acidity and seems to be totally dry.  On the palate tart apples and minerals pop out first with a nutty quality coming in on the back end.  The finish has decent length with tart apples and citrus carrying the load until a touch of minerals come into the picture.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2010 Producteurs Plaimont Côtes de Saint-Mont Les Bastions

This wine is a blend of Arrufiac, Petit Courbu, and Gros Manseng.

 

The wine has 13.0% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a nice yellow color with a green tint.  The nose has apples, flinty minerals, melon, white flowers and roasted nuts.  This has medium body with good acidity and just a hint of sweetness.  Apple and minerals kick off the show on the palate with melons and a floral note coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with a roasted nut element coming into the picture.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

Conclusion

The specific grapes used in the production of these wines may sound odd and unusual, but the wines are far from odd.  These all had nice up front fruit with solid minerality and crisp, citrusy acidity.  These ranged from the easy drinking, off dry Domaine du Tariquet Côtes de Gascogne Classic to the much more serious Saint-Mont wines.  All the wines are priced well enough that you can grab a case to sip during the hot weather that lies ahead and not break the bank.  I believe all these wines are well under $15 and could be under $10 a bottle if you shop wisely.

 

 

 

Connect with me

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

 

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

 

Cheers!

 

 

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

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

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

 

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

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

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

 

 

New York’s Finger Lakes

North America’s premier cool-climate winegrowing region

 

 

 

2012 Red Newt Cellars Riesling Semi-Dry

2011 Heron Hill Vineyards Cabernet Franc

 

 

 

It was my good fortune to be able to participate in an online tasting of wines from the Finger Lakes region of New York.  The event was called the “Finger Lakes Wine Hour” but actually lasted 4 hours.  Unfortunately for me, we got a late start returning from a vacation in South Carolina and arrived home just after the event ended.  That didn’t stop me from kicking back after the long drive and sampling the wines.  Thanks to the “Save as a Stream” feature in HootSuite, I was able to bring up the entire chat session and read along as I sampled my wines.

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

About the region

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

My Line Up

This event revolved around the red wines of the Finger Lakes.  There were many different and varied wines opened for the event.  Here is my line up for the event:

 

 

2012 Red Newt Cellars Riesling Semi-Dry – SRP $15

Red Newt Cellars was founded in 1998 by David and the late Debra Whiting in the hamlet of Hector on the east side of Seneca Lake.

 

Wine production started with the 1998 vintage.  The total production was only 1,200 cases of Chardonnay, Riesling, Vidal, Cayuga, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.  The first white wines were released at the grand opening of the winery and restaurant in July of 1999.  Two years later, Red Newt Cellars was celebrated and honored with the Governor’s Cup for Riesling.  In 2011 the winery was a recipient of Wine & Spirits Magazine’s 2011 Winery of the Year.

 

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

 

The Wine

Riesling production at Red Newt Cellars is straightforward and elegant. Fermentation is in stainless steel, mostly with Epernay II yeast at moderate temperatures. Fermentation is stopped with some residual sweetness. The wine is then fine-tuned and finished using the traditional method of adding back small amounts of unfermented Riesling juice reserve to the wine after fermentation.

This wine has 10.3% alcohol by volume and 2.1% residual sugar.  The bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright golden yellow color.  The enticing nose has apples, honey, minerals, petrol and lime zest.  This barely has medium body with good acidity and nice lingering sweetness.  On the palate ripe apples, honey and minerals coat the palate with nice citrusy acidity coming in on the back end.  The finish has good length with nice balance between the sweetness and acidity.  This isn’t the most complex Riesling out there but that doesn’t detract from the overall “yum” factor.  (87 pts)

 

 

 

2011 Heron Hill Vineyards Cabernet Franc – SRP $15      

Heron Hill has grown from a 5,000 case, white wine only winery in 1977 to now producing 17,000 cases.  The days of white wines only is now in the distant past.  The winery now produces almost 20 different wine varieties.  The winery greets more than 50,000 visitors a year at its location on scenic Keuka Lake.

 

Heron Hill uses only careful processes and state of the art equipment in order to produce the best quality wines possible.  The vineyard is built into the side of a hill allowing Heron Hill’s team to gravity feed the juice instead of pumping, whenever possible.

 

Much more information about the winery and their wines is available by clicking here.  You can also buy wine and gifts on their website.

 

The Wine

This 100% Cabernet Franc uses grapes that were harvested over a week in late October.  After fermentation, the wine was aged for 13 months in French, Eastern European and American oak barrels.

 

The wine has 12.5% alcohol and .03% residual sugar. The bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light to medium ruby red color.  The appealing nose has cassis, minerals, white pepper, dried herbs, cherries, tobacco, candied violets and a touch of dark chocolate.  This is barely medium body with soft to moderate tannins and good acidity.  On the palate cassis and white pepper jump out first with dried herbs and candied violets coming in later.  The finish has good length with the fruit leaning more towards cherries and some nice minerality entering the picture.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

Conclusion

Once again New York’s Finger Lakes region showed that it produces world class wines that are sold for very consumer friendly prices.  Riesling is the star of the region but their red wines can also shine brightly.  I highly encourage readers to check out wines from this region.

 

 

 

Connect with me

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

 

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

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 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:

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

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

 

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

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

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

 

 

2012 Azienda Agricola Centanni Giacomo Offida Pecorino

2012 Azienda Agricola Centanni Giacomo Offida Rosso di Forca

2012 Rio Maggio Offida Pecorino Colle Monteverde

2010 Rio Maggio Rosso Piceno Vigneto Contrada Vallone

 

 

 

 

Culture You Can Feel, Quality You Can Taste

 

 

 

Opening comments

I had the good fortune to be part of a Twitter based #WineStudio, multi-week chat with Jonathan Zeigler of ZGR Imports.  Even though I did not know the company or the specific labels they imported, I’m always game for some quality Italian wines.  These are usually very informative (and tasty) events.  We generally spend the first week simply chatting and learning about the company, winery or region.  The following weeks are generally reserved to a more detailed conversation on the specific wines we are tasting.  I highly encourage everyone to check out the Protocol Wine Studio link a little later in this post.

 

 

 

 

About ZGR Imports

ZGR Imports is an importing and distribution company based in Dana Point, California.  We are here to bring the culture of Le Marche [mar-kay], Italy, to the United States.  Marche is a region rich in culture and production.  It’s people craft everything from fine wine and foods to leather goods and beauty products.  Here you will find a slew of beach towns, mountain and hilltop villages, medieval cities, ancient monuments and thousands of family farms and factories all in between.  Our goal is to connect consumers with quality products that reflect the people and the place they are sourced from.

 

The story starts in 2011, when owner Jonathan Zeiger traveled to the Marche for the first time to work at Lavanda Blu, a lavender farm and agriturismo, earning his keep in exchange for farm work.  Not knowing a soul and unable to speak the language, this was quite an adventure for a young graduate to embark on.  “I knew I wanted to work in the wine industry, and something about this place was just calling to me”, recalls Jonathan.

 

It was soon thereafter that, while out restocking wine for the farm, Jonathan was introduced to Giacomo Centanni, the young winemaker of Centanni Vini di Famiglia [chen-tawny].  They chatted for a while, and eventually Giacomo offered Jonathan the opportunity to become the U.S. importer for Centanni.  Thus were the roots of ZGR planted and the company’s journey across the region began.

 

Try our boutique wines that are enjoyed by both local families and traveling excursionists! Connect with the culture of beautiful Marche, this distillation of Italy, through ZGR.  To learn more about the region, sign up for our monthly newsletter!

 

Interested in visiting Marche? Contact us for information about traveling to the region.  Our suppliers have wonderful Bed & Breakfast accommodations that we’d be happy to arrange for you.  Imagine yourself sleeping amongst the vines of Centanni or the lavender fields of Lavanda Blu.  If it fancies you, we can help you find winery and gastronomic tours, truffle hunting, hiking, or just a place for relaxing in the sun, plus a multitude of other activities! Pristine beaches, rolling hills, cascading mountains – Marche has it all! We guarantee you will fall in love, as our founder did on his first journey.  Contact us at info@zgrimports.com for more information.

 

Much more information about ZGR Imports, the region, wineries and the wines is available by clicking here.

More information about the importing side of ZGR Imports is available by clicking here.

 

 

 

About WineStudio

#WineStudio PROTOCOL wine studio presents an online twitter-based educational program where we engage our brains and palates! It’s part instruction and wine tasting, with discussions on producers, grapes, tourism, terroir, regional culture, food and wine matching and what all this means to us as wine drinkers.

 

Wine Studio events generally last multiple weeks and can border on “information overload” at times.  These events provide a complete picture of all elements involved in the event’s theme.

 

Description

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

 

You don’t have to have the wines that are being discussed to become much more knowledgeable in the subject matter but having them will make the event a lot tastier.  Check out the Protocol Wine Studio site for information on upcoming events and information on purchasing the packages that will be discussed.

 

Grab a glass and join in!

 

If you are in San Diego, Protocol Wine Studio hosts a lot of events onsite.  Again, check out their site for information.

 

 

 

The line up for the three week long #WineStudio series.

 

 

 

The first week of Wine Studio did not include imbibing in specific wines.  This week was an introduction into the world of ZGR Wines.

 

 

 

The second week of WineStudio included these two wines from Centanni, a white Pecorino and a red Montepulciano-Sangiovese blend.

 

 

 

2012 Azienda Agricola Centanni Giacomo Offida Pecorino – SRP $28.99

This wine was 100% Pecorino from Offida.  Offida is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Ascoli Piceno in the Italian region Marche.

 

This wine has 14.5% alcohol by volume, the bottle is sealed with a glass stopper.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright golden yellow color.  The stunning nose has ripe pears, honey, lemon zest, orange blossoms, stony minerals, anise and a hint of spice.  This is barely medium body with crisp acidity and just a hint of sweetness.  On the palate the ripe pears and hint of honey are quickly balanced and offset by tart citrusy acidity with minerals and a touch of spice coming in on the back end.  The finish has good length with a touch of anise joining the party.  This is a very nice bottle of wine to enjoy on a warm evening with a light dinner on the deck or patio.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Azienda Agricola Centanni Giacomo Offida Rosso di Forca – SRP $17

This wine is a blend of 50% Montepulciano and 50% Sangiovese.

 

The wine has 13.5% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a glass stopper.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to deep ruby color.  The intoxicating nose has crushed berries, vanilla, chalky minerals, black cherries, dark bittersweet chocolate, baking spices, licorice and earthy underbrush.  This has medium body soft to moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate spices and berries pop out first quickly followed by minerals and dark chocolate.  The finish has very nice length with cherries and a touch of earthiness coming into focus.  This is a well balanced wine that is full of flavor but that carries no excess weight or overly ripe notes.  Great job.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

The third week line up included another Pecorino and Montepulciano-Sangiovese blend.

 

 

2012 Rio Maggio Offida Pecorino Colle Monteverde – SRP $24

This wine is 100% Pecorino and is from Offida.

 

This wine has 13.0% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright yellow to straw color.  The captivating nose has apples, pears, orange blossoms, stony minerals, baking spices, smoke, lemon zest and melon.  This has medium body with crisp acidity and just a hint of sweetness.  On the palate apples, pears and minerals lead off with spice and toasty notes coming in on the back end.  The finish has decent length with a healthy dose of citrus kicking in.  (88 pts)

 

 

 

2010 Rio Maggio Rosso Piceno Vigneto Contrada Vallone – SRP $24

This wine is a blend of 70% Montepuciano and 30% Sangiovese.

 

The wine has 13.5% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium ruby color, much lighter at the edge.  The enticing nose has black cherries, raspberries, dusty minerals, licorice, vanilla bean, baking spices and violets.  This has a medium body with moderate tannins and very good acidity.  The mineral laden red fruit and spice coat the palate with a bit of spicy oak coming in late.  The finish has decent length with a bit of earthiness joining the spicy oak with a touch of fruit in the background providing some sweetness.   (89 pts)

 

 

Conclusion

The first two wines from Centanni are more “new world” styled where as the Rio Maggio are more “old world”.  The Centanni wines were a little riper, more fruit forward.  The Rio Maggio have lower alcohol and show their mineral/savory sides.  Both styles have their own devoted followers.

 

For the record, I was more of a fan of the New world styled Centanni wines.

 

I recommend grabbing a bottle of each and conducting your own “taste test” comparison.

 

 

 

Connect with me

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

 

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

 

Cheers!

 

 

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

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

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

 

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

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

2010 Cairdean Estate Merlot

2010 Cairdean Estate Malbec

 

 

Cairdean – Scottish Gaelic for friends

 

Overview

This #winechat was a little different than all the previous ones.  For this week’s version, I was allowed to select two wines from a list of 6 that I’d like to sample during the chat.  Even though the Unoaked Napa Valley Chardonnay and Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon caught my eye and initial interest, I decided to slip “outside the box” for my choices.

 

Even though I have a reputation for not liking Merlot, I do like “good” Merlot.  Most of my negative comments on Merlot deal mainly with the once available for a Tuesday evening dinner at home, in the $12 to $20 range, Merlot wines leave me feeling like Miles from Sideways.  A good Merlot from Napa Valley fruit and a small, up and coming winery sounded perfect.  There, the first wine was selected.

 

The next wine that caught my eye was a Napa Valley Malbec.  I’ve had Napa Valley wines with some Malbec in the blend, but I don’t think I’ve ever had a Napa Valley wine starring the Malbec grape.  There, the hard part was over, I had made my choices.

 

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

2011 Napa Valley Unoaked Chardonnay

2010 Russian River Valley Chardonnay

2010 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

2010 Napa Valley Merlot

2010 Napa Valley Malbec

2012 Haley Margaret

 

 

 

 

The Winery – Their Story

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

 

About Winechat

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

 

Mission

What is #WineChat?  Click here to learn more.

 

Description

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

 

Grab a glass and join in!

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

2010 Cairdean Estate Merlot – SRP $42.00

This is a blend of 81% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1.5% Malbec and .5% Petite Verdot

 

Perfectly placed on a south facing slope in Carneros~Napa Valley from a family-run vineyard, this wine comes from a block that consistently produces stellar wines.  The naturally low pH and higher acid from this site makes for a winemaker’s dream in the cellar, and a wine that is both food-friendly and age-worthy.  After blending with some lower acid wines to balance the palate, this wine was bottled without filtration.

 

The wine was aged in 40% new French oak barrels.  There were 492 cases of this wine produced.  This has 14.9% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly deep ruby color.  The sexy and inviting nose has cherries, crushed stone minerals, crushed berries, dark bittersweet chocolate, licorice, mint and blueberry.  This has medium to full body with moderate to solid tannins and very good acidity.  Cherries, berries and minerals coat the palate, eventually allowing dark chocolate and mint to slip into the picture.  The finish is very long and nicely layered with fruit and savory notes taking turns grabbing the spotlight.  This has outstanding balance and will be even better down the road.  This one can easily rest in the cellar for a decade, maybe more.  This is easily one of the better Merlots that I have had in several years.  (94 pts)

 

 

 

2010 Cairdean Estate Malbec – SRP $40.00

This wine is a blend of 87% Malbec and 13% Petite Sirah.

 

This Malbec comes from the Browns Valley area of the Napa Valley from a very small family-owned vineyard.  Only 6 barrels were produced from this site.  This wonderfully fruity varietal is so often overlooked as a single bottling, so it is always a pleasure when one is good enough to make the cut.  A light amount of new oak helps hang on to that fruit and really lets the fruit take center stage.  By blending in a little Petite Sirah we were able to bring more structure to the wine and balance the fruit with present, but not overpowering tannins.

 

The wine was aged in 20% new French oak barrels.  Production was only 173 cases.  The final alcohol is 14.2% by volume, the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to deep ruby red color.  The enticing nose has raspberries, blackberries, dusty minerals, mint, scorched earth, licorice and dried violets.  This has a medium body with soft to moderate tannins and good acidity.  On the palate the red fruits and mint jump out initially with minerals and some darker fruit coming in on the backend.  The finish has good length and isn’t quite as intense as the palate with the flavors leaning a bit more on the savory elements with the fruit providing nice back ground sweetness.  Probably not one to stash in the cellar for the long term, but this will provide a lot of enjoyment over the next 4 to 6 years.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

Closing comments

Even though I only tried the two wines listed above, all of the wines were sampled by other participants.  For other’s descriptions it sounded like every wine in the lineup was outstanding.  I can state for a fact that I was very impressed by this young winery.  The Cairdean Merlot I tasted was truly a world-class wine.  I highly recommend checking out this winery.  If they keep up the quality, they will become a shining star of the Napa Valley.

 

 

 

Connect with me

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

 

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

 

Cheers!

 

 

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

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

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

 

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

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

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

 

 

2012 Cline Cellars Marsanne Roussanne

2013 Cline Cellars Mourvedre Rosé

2012 Cline Cellars Pinot Noir Cool Climate

 

 

 

Overview

Cline was the guest of honor for the Twitter based #winechat on April 30^th.  I was lucky to be sent the three bottles we will be discussing during the event.  I’ve been a fan of the wines made by Cline for a number of years.  Their wines are generally very reasonably priced and they have great distribution around the country.

 

 

 

The Winery

In the latter part of the 1800s, Oakley, Contra Costa County was a booming farming community with thousands of acres of orchards and healthy vineyards.  Fred Cline’s maternal grandfather, Valeriano Jacuzzi of pump and spa fame, called this place home.  On summer visits to his grandparents, Fred learned both the love of agricultural life and the mysteries of vinifying grapes into wine.  These lessons led Fred to obtain a degree in Agriculture Management from U.C. Davis.  In 1982, with an inheritance from his grandfather, Fred founded Cline Cellars near Oakley, California.  Here, he preserved and restored many ancient vine sites to their rightful reign as premier California wine lands.

 

In 1991, Fred and his wife Nancy relocated the winery from Oakley to the Carneros region of Sonoma County on a historic 350-acre estate with new vineyards and facilities.  While much of the cool Carneros region is planted to Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Merlot, Fred pioneered the planting of Rhône varietals including Syrah, Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne.

 

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

 

 

 

 

About Winechat

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

 

Mission

What is #WineChat?  Click here to learn more.

 

Description

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

 

Grab a glass and join in!

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

My line up for this event looked like this:

 

 

 

2012 Cline Cellars Marsanne Roussanne – SRP $22

This wine is a blend of 66% Marsanne and 34% Roussanne.  The Marsanne comes from Cline’s estate vineyard in Sonoma Carneros, the Roussanne comes from their Sonoma Coast vineyard.

 

The grapes were hand-picked and destemmed.  After pressing in a tank press the juice is pumped into a settling tank and chilled at 55 degrees.  The next day the juice is racked to another tank and fermented.  This wine does not receive any oak aging to preserve the fresh and lively fruit character.

 

This wine is not distributed.  It is only available at the winery or via their website.

 

The wine has 14.5% alcohol by volume.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light straw color.  The fresh smelling nose has ripe apples, peaches, orange zest, minerals, honey, lime zest and white flowers.  The wine has a medium body with decent acidity and just a hint of sweetness.  Rich and ripe fruit quickly coats the palate with a jolt of citrus, spice and minerals grabbing hold on the mid-palate.  The finish has good length with spice, minerals and citrus closing the show.  (88 pts)

 

 

 

2013 Cline Cellars Mourvedre Rosé – SRP $14

This wine is made from 100% Mourvedre grapes from the winery’s Oakley vineyard in Contra Costa County.  The vines in this vineyard are over a century old.

 

This wine is made as a Blanc de Noir or “white of a red grape” in style.  Just after fermentation begins, the wine is pressed to remove the skins.  A small amount of color, flavor and astringent tannins are retained in the juice.  The juice is fermented slowly at a cold temperature to preserve the bright fruit flavors.  Fermentation is halted just before the wine is fully dry to add a touch of sweetness.

 

The wine has 13.5% alcohol by volume and there is .81% residual sugar.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a vivid pink to red color.  The lively nose has cherries, plums, underbrush, minerals and a touch of spice.  This has a medium body with good acidity and a bit of lingering sweetness.  On the palate sweet fruit and minerals pop out first with some earthiness coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with the fruit and earthiness closing the show.  This leaves a pleasant, lingering sweetness.  (87 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Cline Cellars Pinot Noir Cool Climate – SRP $18

This 100% Pinot Noir uses grapes from the estate’s vineyards in the Sonoma Coast appellation.  This region is often covered by coastal fog which helps mitigate daytime heat during the growing season.

 

For this wine, the grapes are hand harvested, destemmed and pumped directly into stainless steel fermentation tanks.  The wine is pumped over the cap of grape solids three times a day to help extract additional flavor and color.  After fermentation completes, the wine is pressed off the solids and moved into settling tanks.  After settling, the wine is racked into 35% new French oak barrels for 9 months of aging.

 

The wine has 14.5% alcohol by volume.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright ruby red color.  The very inviting nose has cherries, eucalyptus, vanilla bean, baking spices, earthy underbrush and a nice floral note.  This has medium body with soft to moderate tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate the bright red fruit and spice lead off with eucalyptus and an earthy note coming in later.  The finish has good length with a floral note closing the show.  This is a very good value for under $20.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

Closing comments

Cline always offers wines that are tasty and value priced.  Any time you grab a bottle with Cline on the label you are guaranteed to not be disappointed.

 

 

 

Connect with me

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

 

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

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 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:

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

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

 

Snooth

WINES THAT RANG OUR BELL IN MARCH 2014 – Our Favorite Wine Writers Share Their Picks – White wines for spring.

http://www.snooth.com/articles/wines-that-rang-our-bell-in-february-2014-5296/?viewall=1#ixzz2z411esZO

 

Snooth

WINES WE’VE LOVED!  Our Favorite Wine Writers Share Their Picks

http://www.snooth.com/articles/wines-we-yve-loved/?viewall=1#ixzz2yOsinkhN

 

Snooth

OUR FAVORITE REDS FOR SPRING – The Wine Cognoscenti Recommend

http://www.snooth.com/articles/our-favorite-reds-for-spring/?viewall=1#ixzz2xkH0dfSj

 

Snooth

WHAT’S A GREAT GRENACHE? – Our Friendly Wine Experts Share Their Favorites!

http://www.snooth.com/articles/what-ys-a-great-grenache-5209/

 

Snooth

SPRING TIME IS FOR PAIRING – Our Favorite Wine Writers Share Their Picks

http://www.snooth.com/articles/spring-time-is-for-pairing/

 

Balzac

Balzac Communications & Marketing – News & Views

http://balzaccommunications.createsend1.com/t/ViewEmail/y/948F113D27729D90/DF475947E7F379DE2A1BF84ACBDD178B

 

Snooth

WHAT WE’VE BEEN DRINKING – News and Reviews from Around the Blogosphere

http://www.snooth.com/articles/what-we-yve-been-drinking/?viewall=1#ixzz2vy4idw7a

 

Snooth

WINES THAT RANG OUR BELL IN FEBRUARY 2014 – Our Favorite Wine Writers Share Their Picks

http://www.snooth.com/articles/wines-that-rang-our-bell-in-february-2014/?viewall=1#ixzz2vy4DCh5L

 

Crave Local

California Wine Reviews: Cline Cellars and Jacuzzi Family Vineyard

http://www.cravelocal.com/all-favorites/california-wine-reviews-cline-cellars-and-jacuzzi-family-vineyard/

 

Crave Local

Sample Boutique Wines at Affordable Prices with Tastingroom.com

http://www.cravelocal.com/all-favorites/sample-boutique-wines-at-affordable-prices-with-tastingroom-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!

 

 

 

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

 

 

2013 Casey Flat Ranch Sauvignon Blanc

2013 Casey Flat Ranch Viognier

2013 Casey Flat Ranch Syrah Rosé

2010 Casey Flat Ranch Estate

 

 

 

Overview

I was extremely fortunate to get an invite to an online chat with a winery that was new to me from an area that was equally unknown.  The winery was Casey Flat Ranch from California’s Capay Valley.  This online chat had the added bonus of also featuring streaming video which is always more enjoyable than just reading Tweets.

 

 

The Winery

Casey Flat Ranch a 5,000 acre ranch, is based in the Capay Valley AVA, bordering the Vaca Mountains on the eastern side of Napa County (22 miles due east of St. Helena).  The ranch is about 90 minutes north of San Francisco.  The family has owned the ranch for 30 years.  The vineyard is defined by its award-winning Rhone and Bordeaux-style blends, stunningly rugged location, the purebred Longhorn cattle that roam the estate, and a rich homesteading heritage that dates back to California’s Gold Rush era.  With its unique history and stunning high-elevation mountain vineyards, Casey Flat Ranch produces deep, concentrated wines that evoke the raw natural beauty of the land, aided by the earnest, discriminating and pioneering team behind each bottle.

 

The first vines were planted in 2004 and the vineyard is sustainably cultivated, using materials and farming techniques that emphasize water and soil conservation.  The growing season brings warm days and cool nights, creating climate conditions similar to the St. Helena appellation, just 22 miles to the West.

 

In addition to the vineyards, the family has maintained a Longhorn Cattle operation on the property for 11 years.  Current estimates have the herd numbering between 140 and 170 head, with 30 to 40 heifers as annual replacement.  Registered Bulls, purchased out of Texas from the Bass Brothers Ranch have been used as the basis for the line breeding program.

 

More information about the winery, ranch and Capay Valley is available on their website by clicking here.

 

 

The Capay Valley

In Yolo County, just across the border from Napa Valley, sits the secluded and little-known Capay Valley.  It was established as an AVA in 2002.  Originally part of the Berryessa Spanish land grant, the area was settled in the 1850’s during the California Gold Rush. Vines were planted a decade later, making it one of the pioneer winegrowing regions in California.

 

The Capay Valley features warm days, mild nights and plenty of sunshine perfect weather for both Bordeaux and Rhone varieties.  The appellation’s best sites are situated in the higher elevations where the temperatures are cooler and the soils are more complex.

 

Casey Flat Ranch’s vineyards are the highest in the AVA, roughly 2,000 feet above sea level.  This creates growing conditions that are radically different from the rest of the appellation.  The soils here range from sandy to rocky with a sub-layer of fractured sandstone.  The climate is similar to northern St. Helena with diurnal temperature fluctuations of up to 40 degrees.

To capitalize on its remarkable mountain terroir, Casey Flat Ranch uses the same low-yielding (three tons per acre), sustainable, vine-by-vine viticultural techniques employed at many of the top wineries in Napa Valley.  The resulting wines are deep, rich, concentrated and positively different than anything else produced in California.

 

 

 

About Charles Communications Associates

CCA is an independent creative marketing firm that employs traditional public relations and new media strategies to assist companies, organizations and non-profits in the creation, development and marketing of interesting and compelling brands.  Recognized as one of the most effective PR firms in the wine industry, we have an exceptional track record of promoting products in the gourmet, natural and organic food and beverage categories, from wine and tea to top shelf spirits and luxury goods.  We consider ourselves fortunate to work with clients who share our philosophy of social responsibility in work and everyday life.

 

For more information, visit the CCA website.

 

 

 

 

 

Alison Morey Garrett, Managing Partner and Laura Barrett, Winemaker, provided background on Casey Flat Ranch, the property and the wines, while also leading the audience through a tasting of the following wines:

– 2013 Sauvignon Blanc – SRP $18

– 2013 Viognier – SRP $20

– 2013 Rosé of Syrah – SRP $18

– 2010 CFR Estate Red Blend – SRP $35

 

Here was the line up for this tasting.

 

 

 

2013 Casey Flat Ranch Sauvignon Blanc – SRP $18

The grapes for this wine were whole cluster crushed.  This was aged 75% stainless and 25% neutral oak.  The grapes harvested extremely early for this wine, August 8th.  The total production of this 100% Sauvignon Blanc was just under 700 cases.

 

The wine has 14.1% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a pale yellow with a slight greenish tint.  The crisp and very Spring like nose has apples, fresh cut grass, peach, lime zest, stony minerals and pineapple.  This has light to medium body with crisp acidity and just a hint of sweetness.  On the palate tart apples and grass slip in first, quickly followed by minerals and lime.  The finish has very good length with a hint of peach and pineapple adding nice complexity.  This has nice balance and closes with a jolt of citrusy acidity.  This is a very nice Sauvignon Blanc and could stand up to one from anywhere.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2013 Casey Flat Ranch Viognier – SRP $20

The winery only has about 1/2 acre planted of Viognier.  It was originally planted to be used in blends, but they decided it could stand on its’ own.  This was sged in 50/50 stainless and neutral oak.  There were 220 cases of this 100% Viognier produced.

 

This wine has 14.1% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a pale straw to yellow color.  The inviting nose has peaches, ripe apples, baking spices, white flowers, orange zest, minerals and melon.  This has medium body with soft acidity and an oily texture.  On the palate ripe fruit and spice grab hold until minerals and orange zest swoop in and take charge.  The finish has nice length with a nice jolt of closing citrus.  This gets a touch heavy on the front end until the citrus kicks in, a bit of cellar time will help it balance out.  (88 pts)

 

 

 

2013 Casey Flat Ranch Syrah Rosé – SRP $18

There was a touch over 200 cases produced of this wine.  The Alban clone Syrah grapes were whole cluster pressed with minimal skin contact.

 

This wine has 14.1% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright salmon pink color.  The alluring nose has strawberries, spice, cherries, minerals and orange blossoms.  This has a light to medium body with crisp acidity and just a hint of sweetness.  On the palate the spice and fruit jump out first but allow minerals and some orange zest to gracefully slip into the picture.  The finish has good length with fruit and spice slowly giving way to some nice mouthwatering citrus.  This would be nice with a light meal on a sunny day or on its own with friends.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2010 Casey Flat Ranch Estate – SRP $35

The first vintage of this wine was 2008, there were only 100 cases produced.  The winemaker and her team spends 3 to 6 months with the blending process of this wine.  The final blend was 44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Syrah, 19% Cabernet Franc and 4% Mourvedre.  There were 2266 6-packs produced of this wine.

 

This wine has 14.8% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby to purple color.  The inviting nose has blackberries, dried herbs, cassis, minerals, cedar, tobacco and dried violets.  This has medium to full body with moderate tannins and good acidity.  The berries and dried herbs coat the palate slowly allowing cedar and minerals to come into focus.  The finish has good length with the spicy oak and a floral note joining dried herbs.  This cries out for a piece of juicy meat hot off the grill.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

Closing comments

The Casey Flat Ranch Sauvignon Blanc is a world class wine and their Estate Red wine cries out for a piece of juicy meat, hot off the grill.  I would highly recommend hunting down these two wines.  I think we’ll be hearing more from Casey Flat Ranch in the next few years as their vines grow a bit older.

 

If you would like to hear a LOT more about the winery and these wines in particular, the video for the event is available by clicking here.

 

 

 

Connect with me

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

 

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

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 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:

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

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

 

Snooth

WINES THAT RANG OUR BELL IN MARCH 2014 – Our Favorite Wine Writers Share Their Picks – White wines for spring.

http://www.snooth.com/articles/wines-that-rang-our-bell-in-february-2014-5296/?viewall=1#ixzz2z411esZO

 

Snooth

WINES WE’VE LOVED!  Our Favorite Wine Writers Share Their Picks

http://www.snooth.com/articles/wines-we-yve-loved/?viewall=1#ixzz2yOsinkhN

 

Snooth

OUR FAVORITE REDS FOR SPRING – The Wine Cognoscenti Recommend

http://www.snooth.com/articles/our-favorite-reds-for-spring/?viewall=1#ixzz2xkH0dfSj

 

Snooth

WHAT’S A GREAT GRENACHE? – Our Friendly Wine Experts Share Their Favorites!

http://www.snooth.com/articles/what-ys-a-great-grenache-5209/

 

Snooth

SPRING TIME IS FOR PAIRING – Our Favorite Wine Writers Share Their Picks

http://www.snooth.com/articles/spring-time-is-for-pairing/

 

Balzac

Balzac Communications & Marketing – News & Views

http://balzaccommunications.createsend1.com/t/ViewEmail/y/948F113D27729D90/DF475947E7F379DE2A1BF84ACBDD178B

 

Snooth

WHAT WE’VE BEEN DRINKING – News and Reviews from Around the Blogosphere

http://www.snooth.com/articles/what-we-yve-been-drinking/?viewall=1#ixzz2vy4idw7a

 

Snooth

WINES THAT RANG OUR BELL IN FEBRUARY 2014 – Our Favorite Wine Writers Share Their Picks

http://www.snooth.com/articles/wines-that-rang-our-bell-in-february-2014/?viewall=1#ixzz2vy4DCh5L

 

Crave Local

California Wine Reviews: Cline Cellars and Jacuzzi Family Vineyard

http://www.cravelocal.com/all-favorites/california-wine-reviews-cline-cellars-and-jacuzzi-family-vineyard/

 

Crave Local

Sample Boutique Wines at Affordable Prices with Tastingroom.com

http://www.cravelocal.com/all-favorites/sample-boutique-wines-at-affordable-prices-with-tastingroom-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!

 

 

 

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

 

 

2012 Lodi Native Zinfandel Wegat Vineyard – (Maley Brothers)

2012 Lodi Native Zinfandel Soucie Vineyard – (m2)

2012 Lodi Native Zinfandel Trulux Vineyard – (McCay Cellars)

2012 Lodi Native Zinfandel Marian’s Vineyard – (St.Amant)

2012 Lodi Native Zinfandel Century Block Vineyard – (Fields Family)

2012 Lodi Native Zinfandel Noma Ranch – (Macchia)

 

(The wine name is the “official” Lodi Native name; I have listed the producing winery in parenthesis.

 

 

 

Overview

I was invited to participate in a wine tasting of 2012 Zinfandels from Lodi.  These were not going to be your ordinary, everyday Zins, these were going to be special.  Each 2012 bottling benefitted from native yeast fermentation, zero new oak, and minimal interference in the vineyards and cellar, allowing the terroir-driven fruit to speak for itself.  It’s a project that any Zinfandel (or wine!) purist can and should get behind.  It’s going to be a great tasting, giving prelude to Earth Day 2014!

 

Lodi Native™ is a collaborative project by six winegrowers of like mind, living and working in the historic Lodi American Viticultural Area.  Their mission: To turn the spotlight on the region’s heritage plantings – many of them dating back to the late 1800s – through sensible viticulture and minimalist winemaking practices, beginning with native yeast fermentation and use of no new oak.  The focus is on Zinfandel, but on the taste of vineyards rather than varietal character or brand.

 

 

 

The Lodi Native Mission

To demonstrate to more sophisticated consumers, media (print and blogosphere) and gatekeepers (such as specialty retailers and sommeliers/restaurateurs) that distinguished, distinctly identifiable vineyards exist in Lodi, similar to other great wine regions of the world.

To encourage preservation and appreciation of old vine plantings – well as of Lodi’s long tradition of grower/custodians – by focusing more attention on vineyard sites, vis-à-vis real and tangible sensory expressions in each bottling.

To build professional camaraderie, a culture of information sharing, and new challenges for Lodi’s Zinfandel specialists.

 

 

Commitments

That anything worth doing should entail fairly strict protocols in order to be meaningful.

That no protocol should run contrary to the project’s primary purpose, which is to highlight terroir, and Lodi’s heritage Zinfandel plantings and growers.

That each participating producer faithfully applies “best efforts,” while being willing to sacrifice personal or brand style in order to achieve the project’s mission.

 

 

Winemaking Protocols

100% Zinfandel bottlings from a single contiguous vineyard (exception:  old vine plantings with long established field mixes) located within the Lodi AVA.

Preference for established “old vine” plantings (i.e. pre-1962), with exceptions made for distinctive younger plantings.

Native yeast (non-inoculated) fermentations only.

No use of oak chips, dust or similar amendments.

No acidification or de-acidification.

No new oak or use of innerstaves in aging process.

No water addition or de-alcoholizing measures.

No tannin additions.

No inoculation for malolactic fermentation.

No use of Mega-Purple or other concentrate products.

No filtering or fining.

No must concentration, Flash Détente or similar extraction measures

Proposed cuvées are to be submitted by each producer for sensory evaluation and subsequent approval of entire group.

Preference for vineyards certified by Lodi Rules for Sustainable Winegrowing and/or CCOF.

 

 

For more information or to purchase the wines, visit the Lodi Native site by clicking here.

 

 

 

 

Lodi Information

Lodi is just east of San Francisco and has provided grapes for producers all over the world since the 1800’s.  The Lodi area has provided grapes for producers all over the world for decades, and many families in Lodi have been growing grapes for six and seven generations.  Today, there are approximately 85 wineries and tasting rooms, over 750 growers and more than 100,000 acres planted to vineyards.  The wines we tasted commemorate the heritage of Lodi and are not only exquisite, but tell a narrative.

 

It is a well-known fact that Lodi is predominantly a red wine region, proudly holding the self-proclaimed title of “Zinfandel Capital of the World”.  What is lesser known is that Lodi’s unique Mediterranean climate allows for over 75 different varietals to thrive.

 

Tons of great and useful information is available on the Wines of Lodi, LOCA website.  I highly encourage you to read about the area by clicking here.  You can also follow Lodi on Twitter at @Lodi_Wine.

 

 

Lodi Green Program

The Lodi Rules for Sustainable Winegrowing is California’s first 3rd party-certified sustainable winegrowing program.  Originally launched in 2005, over the past two years the program went through and extensive review to update and make standards more rigorous.

 

The Lodi Rules takes a comprehensive approach to farming that goes beyond just pest management to promote practices that enhance biodiversity, water and air quality, soil health, and employee and community well-being.  This allows us to produce higher quality wines more reflective of the places and people that grow them.  It gives you the opportunity to promote responsible farming by enjoying the great wines from these vineyards.

 

When you drink a certified sustainably grown Lodi wine, you are supporting a farmer, a vintner, and a community that embraces its responsibility to take care of the environment.

 

Visit the Lodi Certified Green site for more information on the region’s sustainable winegrowing.

 

 

 

 

About Charles Communications Associates

CCA is an independent creative marketing firm that employs traditional public relations and new media strategies to assist companies, organizations and non-profits in the creation, development and marketing of interesting and compelling brands.  Recognized as one of the most effective PR firms in the wine industry, we have an exceptional track record of promoting products in the gourmet, natural and organic food and beverage categories, from wine and tea to top shelf spirits and luxury goods.  We consider ourselves fortunate to work with clients who share our philosophy of social responsibility in work and everyday life.

 

For more information, visit the CCA website.

 

 

 

Lodi Native Winemakers (Clockwise from left): Layne Montgomery (M2); Stuart Spencer (St. Amant); Ryan Sherman (Fields Family); Michael McCay (McCay Cellars); Tim Holdener (Macchia); Chad Joseph (Maley Brothers)

 

 

If you would like to see the recorded video of the tasting with the wineries, please visit the Brandlive site by clicking here.  I highly recommend checking out the video for the wealth of information and insight that was provided.

 

You can order the wines by clicking here.

The six-packs ($180 each) are only being sold at the Lodi Wine & Visitor Center and come packaged in a commemorative wooden box. You may also call the Visitor Center directly at (209) 365-0621.

 

 

 

Here was the line up for this tasting. Tasting order was from west to east based on the location of vineyard.

 

 

 

2012 Lodi Native Zinfandel Wegat Vineyard (Maley Brothers)

The Wegat Vineyard is a 21-acre planting of head trained vines, field budded on St. George rootstock by the Maley family in 1958.  It is a quintessential “west side” Lodi vineyard:  planted in fine sandy loam, yielding less than 3 tons/acre, from a  unique clonal selection characterized by consistently loose clusters – all contributing to the round, lush, boysenberry/blueberry qualities long associated with Wegat.

 

The wine has 14.9% ABV and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

For more information on Maley Brothers, please click here.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly deep ruby color.  The enticing nose has brambly berries, pepper, minerals, eucalyptus, roasted herbs, dried flowers and some earthy underbrush.  This has medium to full body with moderate tannins and good acidity.  On the palate the brambly berries jump out with minerals and eucalyptus coming in on the back end.  The finish has very good length with minerals and roasted herbs hanging on.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Lodi Native Zinfandel Soucie Vineyard (m2)

m2′s Lodi Native Zinfandel is sourced from the oldest block of Soucie Vineyard; planted in 1916 and farmed by fifth generation Lodi native Kevin Soucie.  The vines are own-rooted and head trained, and the soil – an extremely fine silt with the consistency of talcum powder – is a variation of the series found in Lodi’s Mokelumne River AVA’s far western edge, identified as Devries sandy loam.  The site is also the closest to the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta’s cooling breezes in Lodi, resulting in distinctively lush, pungently earthy, terroir driven styles of Zinfandel.

 

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

 

For more information on m2 Wines, please click here.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is bright red to ruby color.  The very inviting nose has brambly berries, pepper, minerals, eucalyptus and dried flowers.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and good acidity.  On the palate juicy crushed berries and pepper hit first with a touch of eucalyptus coming in on the back end.  The finish has good length with some earthiness coming in.  This is a nice middle of the road style of Zinfandel.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Lodi Native Zinfandel TruLux Vineyard (McCay Cellars)

TruLux is a west side Lodi – Mokelumne River AVA vineyard, originally planted in the 1940s on St. George rootstock.  It is distinguished by unusually tall head trained vines (topping 6 feet) and a clonal selection producing atypically loose, elongated clusters.  This, and loamy sand, yields dark, meaty fruit qualities with a perceptible earthy, loamy complexity.

 

The 2012 was picked earlier in the season (September 17) at moderate sugar (24.4° Brix).

 

The wine has 14.6% ABV and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

For more information on McCay Cellars, please click here.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium ruby red color with an amber tint.  The inviting nose has brambly berries, white pepper, minerals, roasted herbs and dried flowers.  This has medium body with moderate to solid tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate brambly berries and pepper jump out first with minerals and subtle earthiness coming in on the back end.  The finish has good length with some roasted herbs and a floral note coming in.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Lodi Native Zinfandel Marian’s Vineyard (St.Amant)

Marian’s Vineyard is a revered 8.3-acre own-rooted Mokelumne River AVA growth, located south of the town of Lodi.  It was originally planted in 1901 by a branch of the Mettler family on present-day Mohr-Fry Ranch; and today it is farmed by father-and-son Jerry and Bruce Fry.  It is named for Marian Mohr Fry Zimmerman, the Fry family matriarch who passed away in 2007 at the age of 94.  Marian’s deep sandy loam is extremely well drained (in many years, yielding less than 2 tons/acre); but in 2012 the vineyard produced over 30 tons of bold, concentrated fruit – a testament to how well it is farmed today, in accordance with Lodi Rules for Sustainable Winegrowing.  The entirety of Marian’s goes to St. Amant Winery, founded by the late Tim Spencer (a Lodi icon).

 

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

 

For more information on St.Amant Winery, please click here.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright ruby red color.  The appealing nose has brambly berries, black pepper, minerals, dried herbs and lavender.  This has medium to full body with solid tannins and good acidity.  On the palate mineral laden, peppery berries coat your palate with dried herbs and some earthiness coming in on the back end.  The finish has good length with a big dried herb note lingering seemingly forever.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Lodi Native Zinfandel The Century Block Vineyard (Fields Family)

The Century Block Vineyard is a 3-acre patch of own-rooted Zinfandel (typical of old vines in Lodi) planted in 1905; standing defiantly in a sea of more recently planted trellised vineyards, on the east side of Lodi’s Mokelumne River AVA.  The 2012 is the first vineyard designate on record for this growth, and shows what maximum attention in the field and minimal intervention in the cellar can do.

 

The wine has 14.0% ABV and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

For more information on Fields Family Wines, please click here.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright red to ruby color.  The sexy nose has cherries, brambly berries, white pepper, stony minerals, underbrush and violets.  This has medium body with moderate to solid tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate bright red fruit and pepper jump out first, slowly allowing minerals and some earthiness to come into focus.  The finish has very good length with a nice floral note adding to the complexity.  This is a nice example of a restrained, civilized Zinfandel that could use some time in the cellar.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Lodi Native Zinfandel Noma Vineyard (Macchia)

Noma Ranch, farmed by second generation Lodi grower Leland Noma, is a 15-acre vineyard of small, stunted, own-rooted, head trained vines dating back to the early 1900s, located on the east side of Lodi’s Mokelumne River AVA.  It is 100% dry farmed; typically yielding close to 1 ton per acre.  These tiny clusters of high skin to juice ratio grapes produces a unique Zinfandel:  of all of Lodi’s heritage plantings, Noma is consistently among the most concentrated and highest in natural acidity.

 

Noma Ranch, farmed by Leland Noma is a 15-acre vineyard with vines dating back to the early 1900s, located on the east side of Lodi’s Mokelumne River AVA.  The 2012 Lodi Native Noma Ranch Zinfandel was produced and bottled by Macchia Wines; by owner/winemaker Tim Holdener

 

This wine has 15.8% ABV and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

For more information on Macchia Wines, please click here.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a touch lighter than ruby red.  The big and bold nose has brambly berries, dark chocolate, black pepper, minerals, eucalyptus and violets.  This has a full body with moderate tannins and decent acidity.  On the palate spicy, jammy berries and pepper coat the palate with subtle earthiness coming in on the back end.  The finish has good length with the peppery, jammy fruit lingering nicely.  This is a big and bold style of Zin.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

Closing comments

These wines made for a very enjoyable evening (actually a few evenings).  The wines were not slathered in new oak and only one of the six had an alcohol level over 15%.  This was an eye opening project not only for us lucky enough to taste the wines, but also for the wineries.  Several of the wineries said they would be looking to incorporate some aspects of the Lodi Native project in their normal winery operations.

 

If you ever make it to the region, I highly recommend visiting these wineries and other small, family owned ones in the region.

 

 

 

Connect with me

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

 

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

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 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:

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

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

 

Snooth

WINES THAT RANG OUR BELL IN MARCH 2014 – Our Favorite Wine Writers Share Their Picks – White wines for spring.

http://www.snooth.com/articles/wines-that-rang-our-bell-in-february-2014-5296/?viewall=1#ixzz2z411esZO

 

Snooth

WINES WE’VE LOVED!  Our Favorite Wine Writers Share Their Picks

http://www.snooth.com/articles/wines-we-yve-loved/?viewall=1#ixzz2yOsinkhN

 

Snooth

OUR FAVORITE REDS FOR SPRING – The Wine Cognoscenti Recommend

http://www.snooth.com/articles/our-favorite-reds-for-spring/?viewall=1#ixzz2xkH0dfSj

 

Snooth

WHAT’S A GREAT GRENACHE? – Our Friendly Wine Experts Share Their Favorites!

http://www.snooth.com/articles/what-ys-a-great-grenache-5209/

 

Snooth

SPRING TIME IS FOR PAIRING – Our Favorite Wine Writers Share Their Picks

http://www.snooth.com/articles/spring-time-is-for-pairing/

 

Balzac

Balzac Communications & Marketing – News & Views

http://balzaccommunications.createsend1.com/t/ViewEmail/y/948F113D27729D90/DF475947E7F379DE2A1BF84ACBDD178B

 

Snooth

WHAT WE’VE BEEN DRINKING – News and Reviews from Around the Blogosphere

http://www.snooth.com/articles/what-we-yve-been-drinking/?viewall=1#ixzz2vy4idw7a

 

Snooth

WINES THAT RANG OUR BELL IN FEBRUARY 2014 – Our Favorite Wine Writers Share Their Picks

http://www.snooth.com/articles/wines-that-rang-our-bell-in-february-2014/?viewall=1#ixzz2vy4DCh5L

 

Crave Local

California Wine Reviews: Cline Cellars and Jacuzzi Family Vineyard

http://www.cravelocal.com/all-favorites/california-wine-reviews-cline-cellars-and-jacuzzi-family-vineyard/

 

Crave Local

Sample Boutique Wines at Affordable Prices with Tastingroom.com

http://www.cravelocal.com/all-favorites/sample-boutique-wines-at-affordable-prices-with-tastingroom-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!

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

Overview

This was the third straight week the Twitter based #winechat had an Oregon winery and one of their Pinot Noirs front and center.  The first two from Lenne Estate and Youngberg Hill were polar opposites.  The Lenne was full of juicy darker fruit and ready to rock whereas the Youngberg Hill was tight with red fruit, spice and minerals and needs some cellar time.  A quick review of the technical aspects of the wine and winery lead me to expect this wine to be somewhere in the middle between the two previous wines.

 

 

The Winery

The Wrigley Family purchased 200 acres of land in 2006 with about 80 acres being suitable for vineyards.  They planted their first Pinot Noir (6 acres), Chardonnay (1+ acres), Riesling (1 acre) and Pinot Gris (1 acre) vines beginning in October of 2008. The first vintage release was 2009, with the “MAC” Cuvée Pinot Noir, McMinnville.

 

J Wrigley Vineyards is an estate vineyard located in the McMinnville AVA of Yamhill County Oregon.  McMinnville is the home of the International Pinot Noir Festival, distinguishing Yamhill County as a contender in the global marketplace for award winning wines.

 

The preferred spelling is J Wrigley, with no period after “J”. As John Wrigley explains, “All our family’s names begin with ‘J’” – John, Jody, Jordan (6), and John Hayes (4). – “That’s our family”.

Regarding the Wrigley name:  As far as he can determine, John Wrigley is not related to the Wrigley gum family.  “They don’t send me Christmas cards,” he quips. “But I’d have to go back to genealogy charts to definitively determine that.”

 

If you are into the geological aspects of vineyards and the terroir, I highly recommend checking out the winery’s website by clicking here.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

About Winechat

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

 

Mission

What is #WineChat?  Click here to learn more.

 

Description

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

 

Grab a glass and join in!

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

 

2012 J Wrigley Pinot Noir Proposal Block Estate – SRP $45

There were 250 cases produced of this 100% Pinot Noir.  The wine was aged for 10 months in new French oak barrels before bottling.  This wine has 14.0% alcohol by volume.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright, brilliant red to ruby color.  The sexy nose has raspberries, dusty flint minerals, white pepper, baking spices, cherries, earthy underbrush and mocha.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate the raspberries and minerals grab hold initially, slowly allowing white pepper, spices and cherries to slip in with some earthiness coming in on the back end.  The finish is long and nicely layered with bright fruit, minerals and some subtle earthiness.  This is very tasty now but will be better with some cellar time.  This could turn into a real gem in a year or two.  (93 pts)

 

 

Closing comments

This was a very impressive Pinot Noir.  I was very impressed by the streak of minerals that extended from the nose right through the long finish.  This was my first exposure to J Wrigley and I look forward to checking out their other offerings in the future.  Based on the wine chat conversation, I would highly recommend checking out the winery if you ever make it to Oregon wine country.  John loves to talk about the soils in the area and the “terroir” they provide to the finished wine.

 

 

 

Connect with me

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

 

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

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 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:

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

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

 

Snooth

WINES THAT RANG OUR BELL IN MARCH 2014 – Our Favorite Wine Writers Share Their Picks – White wines for spring.

http://www.snooth.com/articles/wines-that-rang-our-bell-in-february-2014-5296/?viewall=1#ixzz2z411esZO

 

Snooth

WINES WE’VE LOVED!  Our Favorite Wine Writers Share Their Picks

http://www.snooth.com/articles/wines-we-yve-loved/?viewall=1#ixzz2yOsinkhN

 

Snooth

OUR FAVORITE REDS FOR SPRING – The Wine Cognoscenti Recommend

http://www.snooth.com/articles/our-favorite-reds-for-spring/?viewall=1#ixzz2xkH0dfSj

 

Snooth

WHAT’S A GREAT GRENACHE? – Our Friendly Wine Experts Share Their Favorites!

http://www.snooth.com/articles/what-ys-a-great-grenache-5209/

 

Snooth

SPRING TIME IS FOR PAIRING – Our Favorite Wine Writers Share Their Picks

http://www.snooth.com/articles/spring-time-is-for-pairing/

 

Balzac

Balzac Communications & Marketing – News & Views

http://balzaccommunications.createsend1.com/t/ViewEmail/y/948F113D27729D90/DF475947E7F379DE2A1BF84ACBDD178B

 

Snooth

WHAT WE’VE BEEN DRINKING – News and Reviews from Around the Blogosphere

http://www.snooth.com/articles/what-we-yve-been-drinking/?viewall=1#ixzz2vy4idw7a

 

Snooth

WINES THAT RANG OUR BELL IN FEBRUARY 2014 – Our Favorite Wine Writers Share Their Picks

http://www.snooth.com/articles/wines-that-rang-our-bell-in-february-2014/?viewall=1#ixzz2vy4DCh5L

 

Crave Local

California Wine Reviews: Cline Cellars and Jacuzzi Family Vineyard

http://www.cravelocal.com/all-favorites/california-wine-reviews-cline-cellars-and-jacuzzi-family-vineyard/

 

Crave Local

Sample Boutique Wines at Affordable Prices with Tastingroom.com

http://www.cravelocal.com/all-favorites/sample-boutique-wines-at-affordable-prices-with-tastingroom-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!

 

 

 

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

 

 

2013 Bodega del Fin del Mundo Malbec Postales

2012 Familia Zuccardi Malbec Serie A Valle de Uco

2012 Argento Malbec

2012 Alamos Malbec

2012 Familia Zuccardi Malbec Santa Julia Reserva

2011 Bodega del Fin del Mundo Malbec Reserva

2011 Bodegas Escorihuela Gascón Malbec Don Miguel Gascón Reserva

2011 Bodega Norton Malbec Privada Mendoza

 

 

Overview

Malbec World Day (MWD) took place for the first time on April 17, 2011, with more than 72 events being held in 45 cities, across 36 countries.

 

The huge international significance which Malbec World Day has accomplished in each of its editions is also thanks to the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & International Trade of Argentina.Every year, around the world, more than 40 representatives of Argentina play a major role in the impact of Malbec World Day in the international media.

 

On April 17, 2012, in its second year, there were more than 142 events in 68 cities across 43 countries around the world. The key celebrations were held in New York, Washington, Los Angeles and Seattle in USA, Ottawa, Toronto, Victoria and Vancouver in Canada, United Kingdom, Holland, Colombia, Peru, Mexico, Brazil, Costa Rica and Buenos Aires (Argentina).

 

In 2013, 106 events were held in 76 cities across 50 countries. The whole world honored our country’s signature grape.

 

The fourth edition of Malbec World Day, an international celebration dedicated exclusively to the Argentine grape par excellence. The festivities of 2014 praise the musical culture under the slogan: “To the sound of Malbec” (or “Music for Malbec”). From their ancient origins, Bacchanalian parties appealed to the liberation of the senses through sensuality and movement. Therefore, this year we are to through music to enhance the rhythmic quality of our wine. The tempo of Malbec is like your taste: untamed, intense and vigorous.

 

Much more information on the event is available on the Wines of Argentina site by clicking here.

 

 

Malbec – The Grape

While acreage of the Malbec is declining in France, in Argentina the grape is surging and has become a “national variety” of a sort that is uniquely identified with Argentine wine.  The grape was first introduced to the region in the mid 19th century when provincial governor Domingo Faustino Sarmiento instructed the French agronomist Miguel Pouget to bring grapevine cuttings from France to Argentina.  Of the vines that Pouget brought were the very first Malbec vines to be planted in the country.  During the economic turmoil of the 20th century, some plantings of Malbec were pulled out to make way for the jug wine producing varieties of Criolla Grande and Cereza.  But the grape was rediscovered in the late 20th century as the Argentine wine industry shifted its focus to premium wine production for export.  As the Argentine wine industry discovered the unique quality of wine that could be made from the grape, Malbec arose to greater prominence and is today the most widely planted red grape variety in the country.  As of 2003 there were over 50,000 acres (20,000 hectares) of Malbec in Argentina.

 

The grape clusters of Argentine Malbec are different from its French relatives, having smaller berries in tighter, smaller clusters.  This suggests that the cuttings brought over by Pouget and later French immigrants were a unique clone that may have gone extinct in France due to frost and the phylloxera epidemic.  Argentine Malbec wine is characterized by its deep color and intense fruity flavors with a velvety texture.  While it doesn’t have the tannic structure of a French Malbec, being more plush in texture, Argentine Malbecs have shown aging potential similar to their French counterparts.  The Mendoza region is the leading producer of Malbec in Argentina with plantings found throughout the country in places such as La Rioja, Salta, San Juan, Catamarca and Buenos Aires.

(Courtesy of Wikipedia)

 

 

Argentina – The Country

The Argentine wine industry is the fifth largest producer of wine in the world.  Argentine wine, as with some aspects of Argentine cuisine, has its roots in Spain.  During the Spanish colonization of the Americas, vine cuttings were brought to Santiago del Estero in 1557, and the cultivation of the grape and wine production stretched first to neighboring regions, and then to other parts of the country.

 

Historically, Argentine winemakers were traditionally more interested in quantity than quality with the country consuming 90% of the wine it produces (12 gallons/45 liters a year per capita according to 2006 figures).  Until the early 1990s, Argentina produced more wine than any other country outside Europe, though the majority of it was considered unexportable.  However, the desire to increase exports fueled significant advances in quality.  Argentine wines started being exported during the 1990s, and are currently growing in popularity, making it now the largest wine exporter in South America.  The devaluation of the Argentine peso in 2002 further fueled the industry as production costs decreased and tourism significantly increased, giving way to a whole new concept of enotourism in Argentina.

(Courtesy of Wikipedia)

 

 

 

About Winechat

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

 

Mission

What is #WineChat?  Click here to learn more.

 

Description

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

 

Grab a glass and join in!

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

My lineup for the tasting:

 

 

 

2013 Bodega del Fin del Mundo Malbec Postales

The wine has 14.0% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a plastic stopper.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright ruby red color.  The very appealing nose has blackberries, raspberries, plums, fresh ground coffee, baking spices, candied violets, and earthy underbrush.  This has medium body with soft tannins and decent acidity.  On the palate sweet, juicy berries and spice grab hold and slowly allows a floral note to slip into the picture.  The finish has decent length with a bit of dark chocolate and earthiness coming into play.  This is an easy drinking wine with just a touch of sweetness that would appeal to a lot of wine drinkers especially in a party setting.  (86 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Familia Zuccardi Malbec Serie A Valle de Uco

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium ruby to violet color.  The soothing nose has crushed berries, black cherries, plums, licorice, chocolate, vanilla and wild flowers.  This has medium body with soft tannins and decent acidity.  On the palate sweet, juicy fruit and vanilla jump out first with some dark chocolate coming in later.  The finish has good length with a floral note adding some depth.  This wine leaves a sweet final impression which would make it a good choice for a friendly gathering.  (86 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Argento Malbec

This has 13.9% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a twist off cap.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a violet red color.  The open and appealing nose has currants, plums, Asian spices, dark chocolate, underbrush, dried flowers and a touch of smoke.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and good acidity.  The palate has a nice mix of fruit and savory notes with an earthy edge coming in on the back end.  The finish has good length with a solid dark chocolate element and earthiness balancing out the fruit.  This has nice depth.  (88 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Alamos Malbec

The wine has 13.7% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to deep ruby color.  The nose has plums, blackberries, fresh ground espresso and toasty oak.  On the palate the plums jump out first and grudgingly allows some ground espresso to slip through.  The finish is a touch short and is dominated by toasty oak with a touch of fruit in the background providing some needed sweetness.  (85 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Familia Zuccardi Malbec Santa Julia Reserva

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to dark ruby red.  The slightly shy nose eventually offers up black cherry, baking spice, toasted oak and violets.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and good acidity.  This is much more giving on the palate with cherries and spicy oak up front with more spice and nice earthiness coming in on the back end.  The finish has good length with the savory elements carrying the load with the fruit in the background.  This is not a fruit forward wine, the fruit is a supporting character adding nice sweetness.  (88 pts)

 

 

 

2011 Bodega del Fin del Mundo Malbec Reserva

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a nice ruby red color.  The exotic nose has blackberries, flinty minerals, roasted herbs, dark bittersweet chocolate, toasty oak and dried wild flowers.  This has medium body with moderate to full tannins and good acidity.  On the palate mineral laden berries and roasted herbs hit first with dark chocolate and toasty oak coming in later.  The finish has good length with the toasty oak and berries carrying the load.  This would be nice with a piece of juicy meat, hot off the grill.  (88 pts)

 

 

 

2011 Bodegas Escorihuela Gascón Malbec Don Miguel Gascón Reserva

This wine has 14.8% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to dark ruby color.  The slightly different nose has an adhesive tape element to go with crushed blackberries, dark chocolate, minerals and earthy underbrush.  This has a medium to full body with moderate to solid tannins and good acidity.  On the palate the crushed berries and minerals initially take hold with dark chocolate and earthy elements coming in on the back end.  The finish has decent length with a reappearance of the adhesive tape (bret).  The apparent bret element will turn a lot of people off but it’s not that distracting for those of us who thinks it can add an element to a wine in small doses.  That said, this is pushing the limits of my bret tolerance.  (85 pts)

 

I should note, no one else noticed anything wrong with this wine, so the bret issue I encountered could be related to the dreaded “bottle variation”.

 

 

 

2011 Bodega Norton Malbec Privada Mendoza

This wine has 14.8% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to dark ruby color.  The bold nose has crushed berries, game, dark roasted coffee, mocha, vanilla, cherries and potpourri.  This has medium to full body with fairly solid tannins and good acidity.  On the palate spicy oak and fruit grab hold up front with coffee and mocha coming in later.  The finish is fairly long with vanilla and a gamy note coming in.  A solid wine that would go well with a hearty meat dish.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

Closing comments

These wines showed the range of Malbec wines being produced in Argentina.  Some were soft, fruity, easy drinking wines perfect for non-critical sipping with friends.  Other samples were perfect for casual week night dining with family and friends.  Still others were serious wines with a savory edge that would be perfect for the “wine geek” in your life or yourself.

 

 

 

Win an All-inclusive VIP Sonoma Winecation

 

 

 

Underground Cellar is offering you a chance to win an all-inclusive VIP weekend in Sonoma wine country.

 

The winner will get the following with a value of $6,500:

• Weekend getaway for 4 to California’s exclusive Sonoma wine country
• Stay at the luxurious 5,500 sq. ft. Villa Terra Nova Retreat
• Behind-the-scenes private tour of Iron Horse Vineyards, by winemaker David Munskgard
• VIP chef’s dinner at award-winning “the girl and the fig” restaurant
• Rountrip airfare, luxury transportation, and many other surprises!

Click here to enter.   If you win, you can even include me as one of your friends.

Even if you don’t win the grand prize, there is over $3,000 of gift cards with a value of up to $200 to be given away.

 

While you’re there, check out Underground Cellar unique wine selling model.  You can “buy” a lower cost wine and get upgraded to a much more expensive bottle for free.  For example, one of their current offers is $42 for a 2008 Balboa Brioso.  If you buy this wine, you could get “upgraded” to 2007 Stonestreet Monument Ridge Cabernet ($60 value), 2009 Caymus Napa Valley Cabernet ($85 value), 2007 Anderson’s Conn Valley Reserve Cabernet ($130 value), 1994 Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon ($150 value), or even a 1985 BR Cohn Cabernet Sauvignon Olive Hill (Helen Turley) with a value of $220.

 

The shipping is also incredible, at 6 bottles, shipping cost $5! Buy 6 more bottles and ship for FREE.

 

 

 

Connect with me

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

 

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

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 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:

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

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

 

Snooth

WINES THAT RANG OUR BELL IN MARCH 2014 – Our Favorite Wine Writers Share Their Picks – White wines for spring.

http://www.snooth.com/articles/wines-that-rang-our-bell-in-february-2014-5296/?viewall=1#ixzz2z411esZO

 

Snooth

WINES WE’VE LOVED!  Our Favorite Wine Writers Share Their Picks

http://www.snooth.com/articles/wines-we-yve-loved/?viewall=1#ixzz2yOsinkhN

 

Snooth

OUR FAVORITE REDS FOR SPRING – The Wine Cognoscenti Recommend

http://www.snooth.com/articles/our-favorite-reds-for-spring/?viewall=1#ixzz2xkH0dfSj

 

Snooth

WHAT’S A GREAT GRENACHE? – Our Friendly Wine Experts Share Their Favorites!

http://www.snooth.com/articles/what-ys-a-great-grenache-5209/

 

Snooth

SPRING TIME IS FOR PAIRING – Our Favorite Wine Writers Share Their Picks

http://www.snooth.com/articles/spring-time-is-for-pairing/

 

Balzac

Balzac Communications & Marketing – News & Views

http://balzaccommunications.createsend1.com/t/ViewEmail/y/948F113D27729D90/DF475947E7F379DE2A1BF84ACBDD178B

 

Snooth

WHAT WE’VE BEEN DRINKING – News and Reviews from Around the Blogosphere

http://www.snooth.com/articles/what-we-yve-been-drinking/?viewall=1#ixzz2vy4idw7a

 

Snooth

WINES THAT RANG OUR BELL IN FEBRUARY 2014 – Our Favorite Wine Writers Share Their Picks

http://www.snooth.com/articles/wines-that-rang-our-bell-in-february-2014/?viewall=1#ixzz2vy4DCh5L

 

Crave Local

California Wine Reviews: Cline Cellars and Jacuzzi Family Vineyard

http://www.cravelocal.com/all-favorites/california-wine-reviews-cline-cellars-and-jacuzzi-family-vineyard/

 

Crave Local

Sample Boutique Wines at Affordable Prices with Tastingroom.com

http://www.cravelocal.com/all-favorites/sample-boutique-wines-at-affordable-prices-with-tastingroom-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!