2010 The Lucky Country Shiraz

2009 Atalon Cabernet Sauvignon

2011 Uccelliera Rosso di Montalcino

2008 Long Shadows Wineries Chester-Kidder

 

 

 

2010 The Lucky Country Shiraz – $9.90

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

 

Winery history

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

2009 Atalon Cabernet Sauvignon – $22.79

This is a blend of 78.9% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13.3% Merlot, 5.2% Malbec and 2.6% Petite Verdot.  From these Napa Valley vineyards, 51.5% Round Pond-Rutherford, 21.5% Stagecoach-Atlas Peak, 13.3% Keyes-Howell Mountain, 5.2% Huichica-Napa Carneros, 4.1% Bosché-Rutherford, 2.9% Veeder Peak-Mt. Veeder, 1.5% Potelle-Mt. Veeder.

 

The wine has an alcohol level of 14.8% and is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby red color.  The slightly shy nose has cassis, baking spices, cherries, roasted leafy herbs, roses, licorice and a touch of mint.  This has medium body, moderate tannins and good acidity.  On the palate berries and cherries add nice sweetness and are balanced by roasted herbs and spice.  The finish has nice length with the fruit stepping into the background, allowing the savory elements to shine.  This is on the young side with a touch of oak poking through at times.  If you are not a fan of oak let this sleep for a couple years, other wise, open a bottle and enjoy it after it gets a bit of air.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2011 Uccelliera Rosso di Montalcino – $18.99

This 100% Sangiovese comes from vineyards in Castelnuovo dell’Abate, at elevations of 150-350 metres on well-exposed hillslopes south-east of Montalcino.  The wine was aged in a mix of Slavonian and French oak barrels for a minimum of 8 months followed by a minimum of 3 months of bottle aging before it is released.

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light ruby red color.  The intriguing nose has cherries, dusty minerals, dried thyme, baking spices, raspberry, leather and a touch of underbrush.  This is barely medium body with soft to moderate tannins and very good acidity.  Cherries, minerals and spice initially take hold on the palate with dried thyme and leather coming in on the back end.  The finish has good length with just a touch of earthiness entering the picture.  This is on the young side but already showing very nicely.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2008 Long Shadows Wineries Chester-Kidder – $28.49

The local wine store brought in a few of the Long Shadow wines from past vintages and offered them at close-out prices via their e-mail list.  With a suggested retail price around $50, the price was almost 50% off.  This vintage is a blend of 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Syrah, 6% Petit Verdot, and 4% Cabernet Franc from assorted vineyards in Washington.

 

This has 14.7% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby red color.  The comforting nose has cassis, minerals, cedar, blackberries, baking spices, tobacco, dark chocolate, leather, dried herbs and dried wildflowers.  This has a medium body with moderate to solid tannins and good acidity.  On the palate spicy cassis and minerals jump out first with cedar, dried herbs and a dried floral note coming in later.  The finish has very good length with dark chocolate and leather coming in to add even more complexity.  This is an outstanding effort from this unusual blend.  (94 pts)

 

 

 

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!

 

 

 

Each week I pick out one wine to highlight as my wine of the week.  This wine may be an outstanding wine, a great value or just something very interesting.

 

 

 

Overview

This wine has been a personal favorite for several years.  Relentless is generally a big, full bodied wine filled with berries and spice.  The availability of the wine at retail was generally spotty, at best, at least where I have lived.  Finding it at a discounted price was also like looking for a four leaf clover.  I’m sure it will be even harder to locate for a few years since the 2008 vintage was named Wine Spectator’s #1 Wine of the Year.

 

The family owned winery produces around 32,000 cases a year using mainly Chardonnay, Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

 

The Winery

John Shafer purchased the 210 acre estate in 1972 after leaving his 23 year career in the publishing industry.  After moving his family to the Napa Valley, John set out to begin his new career in wine.  The family replanted the existing vineyards which had been originally planted in the 1920s.  The family also terraced the steep and rocky hillsides for additional vineyards.  These hillside vineyards brought the family up to 50 acres of vineyards.

 

As the vines matured, the family transitioned from growers to vintners and crushed their first Cabernet Sauvignon grapes in 1978.  They began building their winery a year later.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

The Wine

Relentless is born on a remote ridgetop vineyard in the southern foothills of Napa Valley’s Vaca Mountain range.  The wine is a field blend of approximately 80 percent Syrah and 20 percent Petite Sirah, which means that these two grape varietals grow side by side, and are picked and crushed together.

 

In the first vintages of this wine the Petite Sirah dominated with its purple-midnight color and solid black-fruit, smoke, and black pepper flavors. In the more recent vintages the

Syrah has moved into the forefront with its flavors of spice and meatiness, bringing a touch of elegance to this otherwise bold, flamboyant wine.

 

The wine is named to honor long-time Shafer Winemaker Elias Fernandez and his relentless pursuit of quality in the vineyard and cellar.

 

 

There is a video, “The Spirit of Relentless” available on Shafer’s website by clicking here.

 

 

 

2006 Shafer Relentless – $42.74

This has been a personal favorite for several years.  The higher price and limited availability around here cut into my purchases.  When the local store secured a nice stash of the wine and put it on sale at a killer price, I had to stock up.  This vintage is a blend of 84% Syrah and 16% Petite Sirah.

 

This has 14.9% alcohol and is sealed with a natural cork.

 

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark, inky purple color.  The exotic and enticing nose has blackberries, fresh ground espresso beans, crushed stone minerals, dark chocolate, melted licorice, black pepper, smoke, black cherries, tar, and violets.  This is full bodied with solid tannins and good acidity.  On the palate there are layers of fruit and savory elements that thoroughly coat your mouth, like the wine’s name, the flavors are “relentless”.  The finish is fairly long and again is loaded with flavor.  Not a lot of subtlety here, just massive amounts of flavors that are held in check by the outstanding tannic backbone and acidity.  This is still a baby, but one that will swat you up side the head with their rattle.  This still has plenty of upside potential.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

Here in the upper Midwest, we cooled down very quickly over the last week or two.  This cool down was the perfect reason to make up a batch of slow cooked short ribs to pair with the wine.  This was a perfect pairing since the short ribs provided plenty of flavors to stand up to the burly Relentless.

 

 

Underground Cellars Contest

Want to win a $3,000 “Carbon Fiber” Champagne bottle or one of 100 other prizes?

 

They just announced that they raised $1,000,000 in seed funding from investors.  The most recent investment came from famous ‘Shark Tank’ investor Barbara Corcoran

 

Here is the press release announcing Barbara Corcoran’s new backing of the company.

 

If you are already a customer of the Underground Cellar, all you have to do is sign in and click the entry button.  To sign up with Underground Cellars and enter the drawing, click here, or the picture below.

 

 

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!

 

 

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

 

 

2012 Emiliana Sauvignon Blanc Novas Gran Reserva

2012 Emiliana Cabernet Sauvignon Natura

 

 

 

Overview:

These wines, while not produced by Banfi, were imported into the United States by the company.  Banfi is the importer/distributor of over 30 different labels from around the world.  While the majority of these labels are from Italy, they also work with wineries in Australia, Chile, Spain and even a couple of American wineries.

 

 

 

About the winery:

The Emiliana winery firmly believes that using sustainable, organic, and biodynamic agricultural practices results in better-balanced, healthier, and more productive vineyards, which in turn results in better quality grapes and therefore better wines.

 

Our mission is to provide our consumers with the highest quality wines with a unique expression of terroir achieved through the benefits of using organic and biodynamic agriculture.

 

To meet this objective, we at Emiliana base our work on two essential principles: care for the environment and respect for our workers and community.

 

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

 

There is a very informative interactive presentation on the winery’s website that shows the Organic & Biodynamic practices being utilized that I highly recommend checking out by clicking here.

 

 

 

About Banfi:

Banfi is a private concern, founded in New York in 1919 by John Mariani, Sr. and today owned and operated by his grandchildren.  The company is focused on the production and import of wine.

 

Banfi Vintners is the sole U.S. importer of the Mariani family’s internationally renowned wine estates in Italy: Castello Banfi of Montalcino, Tuscany, and Banfi Piemonte of Strevi, Piedmont.  Banfi also imports the wines of several other producers, including category leaders Bolla, Cecchi, Florio, Fontana Candida, Placido, Riunite, and Sartori from Italy, Concha y Toro and Emiliana from Chile, and Trivento from Argentina, Wisdom & Warter Sherries from Spain and Stone’s Ginger wine from England.  The company has ranked as North America’s leading wine importer for more than three decades.

 

Banfi’s success has enabled the company to play a broad philanthropic role through the Banfi Foundation.  The Foundation provided seed money to help Catholic Relief Services build a technical school and an orphanage as well as an 800-unit housing project in Potenza, Italy, where thousands were left homeless after a devastating earthquake in the early 1980s.  It also generously endows select charities and universities around the world, and sponsors annual scholastic tours to study the food and wine culture of Italy.

 

Banfi is led today by two grandchildren of the founder: James Mariani and Cristina Mariani-May, who share the title of co-CEO.  Their fathers, Chairman Emeritus Dr. John F. Mariani and President Emeritus Harry F. Mariani, continue as active counsel to the executive committee and are members of the firm’s advisory board. Banfi’s world headquarters is a 60-room Elizabethan manor located on a 127-acre estate and vineyard in Old Brookville, New York.

 

 

 

Here is the line up for this tasting:

 

 

2012 Emiliana Sauvignon Blanc Novas Gran Reserva

The grapes for this 100% Sauvignon Blanc comes from the Fundo Rosario Vineyard in Lagunilla.  The vineyard, located 250m above sea level, was planted from 1999 to 2005 primarily on the hillsides.

 

After chilling, the grapes were fermented in temperature controlled tanks using selected yeasts.  After fermentation, the wine was aged 4 months in stainless steel tanks before bottling.  There were 2,200 cases produced.

 

Organic Agriculture Certified by IMO, Switzerland.

 

The wine has 13.0% alcohol by volume and the bottle was sealed with a twist off closure.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light yellow with a green tint.  The fresh smelling nose has fresh cut grass, grapefruit zest, crushed stones, white pepper and a touch of smoke.  This has medium body with crisp acidity and just a hint of sweetness.  On the palate fresh cut grass and green herbs dominate initially until the grapefruit zest takes over.  The finish has nice length with crushed stone minerals entering the picture.  If you are looking for a Sauvignon Blanc loaded with grass and green herbs, look no further.  (88 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Emiliana Cabernet Sauvignon Natura

This wine is a blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot from vineyards in the Rapel Valley.

 

After fermentation, 20% of the wine was aged for 6 months in French oak barrels.

 

Organic Agriculture Certified – IMO, Switzerland.

Social Responsibility Certified – IMO, Switzerland.

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly deep ruby red color.  The pleasing nose has cassis, cherries, vanilla, chalky minerals and a slight herbal note.  This has medium body with soft to moderate tannins and decent acidity.  On the palate cherries and minerals jump out first with vanilla and herbs coming in on the back end.  The finish is a touch short but tasty.  This has a slight herbal note and could use some complexity but it will work as a week night or with friends over a platter of cheese.  (86 pts)

 

 

 

Closing Thoughts

The winery is very conscious and shows considerable respect for the planet and deserves the awards and recognition they have received.

 

 

 

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!

 

 

 

 

2008 Rosenblum Cellars Zinfandel Rockpile Road Vineyard

2011 Delas Frères Côtes du Rhône Saint-Esprit

N.V. Locations F-2

2010 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills

2009 Waterbrook Cabernet Sauvignon

2011 Villa Creek “White”

2007 Villa Creek Avenger

N.V. Moët & Chandon Champagne Brut Impérial

 

 

 

2008 Rosenblum Cellars Zinfandel Rockpile Road Vineyard – $15.04

Like a lot of people, Rosenblum was my favorite Zinfandel producer for several years.  After the sale of the winery, the wines have suffered.  I don’t know if this was due to loss of the main people in the operation, bad luck, or more likely the desire of the purchases to cash in on the name quickly and recoup the cost of their investment.

 

I’ve really enjoyed wines produced from the Rockpile area for a few years and actively hunted them down.  The local wine store brought this wine in and offered it at a great price via their weekly e-mail offers.  I grabbed a case.  Unfortunately, the wine has been a disappointment the few times I’ve tried it.  One last chance to see if another years in the cellar has helped.

 

This has 14.5% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep maroon color.  The fairly straight forward nose has brambly berries, vanilla, black pepper, dark bittersweet chocolate, camphor, and spicy oak.  This has medium to full body, moderate tannins, and good acidity.  On the palate the wine seems a touch thin and driven by the oak related elements with sweet berries coming in from the sides providing needed sweetness.  The finish is a touch short and again highlights the spicy oak and sweet berries.  For a Rosenblum wine, especially one from Rockpile, this could use a bit more extraction and depth.  A decent week night Zin to be consumed over the next couple of years.  (87 pts)

 

 

 

2011 Delas Frères Côtes du Rhône Saint-Esprit – $10.99

This is a 50/50 blend of Syrah and Grenache.

 

This has 14% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby color.  The inviting nose has crushed berries, stony minerals, smoke, cherry pits, licorice and dried flowers.  This has medium body, moderate silky tannins and good acidity.  Crushed berries and minerals coat the palate on the front end with smoke and cherry pits coming in later.  The finish has nice length with more smoke and a dried floral note adding depth.  Not as rustic as some Côtes du Rhône wines, much smoother and easy going.  Probably not one to sit on for too long, enjoy this one over the next year or two.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

N.V. Locations F-2 – $15.38

Even though this is labeled as non vintage, all the grapes are from 2012. This is a blend of Grenache, Syrah and assorted Bordeaux varietals from various regions in France.

 

This has 14.5% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep dark ruby to purple color.  The very open nose has blackberries, currants, dried herbs, licorice, charred wood and dried flowers.  This has a fairly full body with moderate ripe tannins and decent acidity.  On the palate an overload of ripe fruit and spicy oak jump out first with licorice and dried herbs slipping into the picture on the back end.  The finish has good length and is very fruit driven.  This doesn’t offer much complexity but that doesn’t make it any less tasty.  This would be a big hit at a party with a platter of meats and cheeses.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2010 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills – $25.00

In my opinion, the Loring appellation wines are some of the best bargains out there when it comes to quality California Pinot Noir.  The Loring appellation wines are, at least to me, dialed down a notch compared to their single vineyard siblings.  This and the lower prices, under $25 make them a nice way to kick up a week night dinner several notches without breaking the bank.

 

This has 14.8% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a twist off closure.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly deep ruby red color.  The very enticing nose has raspberries, cherries, baking spices, cola, and some nice earthiness.  This has medium body, moderate tannins, and good acidity.  On the palate the wine is rich but reigned in and it stays in focus.  The finish is fairly long with a nice blend of fruit and savory elements.  This shows nice balance and the closing acidity provides very nice lift.  This is a great value for the price.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Waterbrook Cabernet Sauvignon – $9.49

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

 

This has 13.5% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.

 

Winery history

 

Waterbrook Winery was founded in 1984 by Eric and Janet Rindal and is located in Washington State’s lovely Walla Walla Valley.

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

2011 Villa Creek “White” – $20.80

This is one of my favorite White California Rhone Ranger wines.  This is a blend of 70% stainless steel fermented Grenache Blanc and 30% James Berry Vineyard Roussanne that was fermented in concrete and neutral oak.

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light golden yellow color.  The light and summery nose has melon, peach pit, minerals, white flowers, orange zest and a touch of spice.  This dry wine has medium body and very nice acidity.  On the palate melon and apricot flavors occupy the front end with some building minerality and citrus coming in on the back end.  The finish has very nice length with minerals and some spice seeming to linger forever.  This tastes very good now and will last in the cellar for a couple more years.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2007 Villa Creek Avenger – $35.00

As anyone who has followed me on Twitter or read this blog for very long knows, Villa Creek is one on my top 5 favorite wineries.  Of all the wines offered by the winery, vintage after vintage, The Avenger is my favorite wine they produce.  This is a blend of 75% Syrah, 15% Mourvedre and 10% Grenache.

 

This has 14.7% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a twist off closure.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark maroon color.  The absolutely stunning nose has blackberries, cherries, minerals, eucalyptus, violets, Asian spices, licorice, and a touch of earthiness.  This has medium to full body, moderate ripe tannins, and good acidity.  This delivers a mouthful of juicy berries and spice up front with minerals, eucalyptus, and some earthiness kicking in on the back end.  The finish is fairly long with nice lingering sweet fruit, spice, and minerals.  (92 pts)

 

 

We paired the Avenger with a personal favorite meal from our prior life living in Texas, Chicken Fried Steak.  If properly prepared, the meat is tender and juicy with a the breading adding nice flavor and texture.  The cream gravy provides nice richness.

 

 

 

N.V. Moët & Chandon Champagne Brut Impérial – $36.99

This is roughly a blend of 40% Pinot Noir, 35% Pinot Meunier and 25% Chardonnay.

 

This has 12% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork Champagne stopper.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light golden straw color with very persistent, pinpoint bubbles.  The very inviting nose has baked apples, pears, lemon zest, fresh baked bread and a touch or nuttiness.  This has a light body with considerable effervescence, tart citrusy acidity and is just about bone dry.  On the palate baked apple with nutmeg and cinnamon pops out first with yeasty notes and lemon zest coming in later.  The finish is crisp with a touch of nuttiness joining the yeasty notes and lemon zest.  This is very easy to sip while just sitting back and relaxing.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

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!

 

 

 

Each week I pick out one wine to highlight as my wine of the week.  This wine may be an outstanding wine, a great value or just something very interesting.

 

 

 

Overview

This wine is the “second label” of Chateau Pontet-Canet.  After attending a tasting and being blown away by the 2003 Pontet-Canet and buying several bottles, I decided to grab several bottles of the Les Hauts de Pontet-Canet.  With the outstanding quality of the main wine, the second label had to be very good and at a MUCH lower price.  Well, that wasn’t a given, but thankfully I was right.  Is the Pontet-Canet better?  Yes, but this wine costs 1/3 the price.

 

 

The Winery

Jean-François de Pontet, royal governor of the Médoc, combined several vineyard plots in Pauillac in the early 18th century. Years later, his descendants added neighbouring vines in a place named Canet. This was the beginning of one of the largest estates in the Médoc, which quite naturally added the name of its founder to that of the land registry reference.

A century later, Pontet-Canet was included in the famous 1855 classification, thereby confirming its membership among the elite of the Médoc. This privileged position did not go unnoticed by one of the most important Bordeaux shippers of the time, Herman Cruse, who bought the estate in 1865. He built new cellars, modernised the winemaking facilities, and established the wine’s reputation around the world. The Cruse family owned Pontet-Canet for 110 years, until another shipper (from Cognac this time), Guy Tesseron, acquired it in 1975.

 

 

The Vineyard

Château Pontet-Canet is located in the heart of the Pauillac appellation, just south of châteaux Mouton Rothschild and d’Armailhac. It has the poor gravelly soil typical of the greatest vineyards. In fact, the soil has so much gravel and sand that it is difficult to imagine that anything could grow there at all. The 80-hectare (200 acres) estate is predominately planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, the signature variety for the great wines of Pauillac. This demanding grape is perfectly adapted to Pauillac’s climate and soil. It produces full-bodied, well-structured, long-lived wines famous for their finesse and elegance. In keeping with a longstanding Médoc tradition, it is blended with Merlot and Cabernet Franc, which add a touch of smoothness and charm. In certain vintages, Petit Verdot can also be counted on to contribute complexity.

 

Pontet-Canet’s terroir features rises of Garonne gravel on limestone bedrock. The soil is lean, warm, and well-drained. In order to make the most of this terrroir, Alfred Tesseron instituted a plot-by-plot vineyard management system.

 

Careful observation year after year has led to an intimate familiarity with practically every vine. The château’s winegrowing philosophy is to intervene as little as possible and as naturally as possible in the vineyard. Only traditional viticultural and cultivation practices are used. Chemical weed killers are banned in keeping with environmental protection, and priority is given to the vine’s long-term health.

 

 

 

2003 Hauts de Pontet-Canet

This vintage of the wine is a blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc.

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium ruby red color.  The enticing nose has cassis, spice box, dusty minerals, black cherries, tobacco, dried herbs, well worn leather and dried violets.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and good acidity.  On the palate bright fruit, cedar and spice jump out first with minerals and tobacco coming in fairly quickly.  The finish has good length with leather and dried herbs adding depth and even more complexity.  This seems to be in a peak drinking window but should hold and maybe even improve over the next few years.  One of the better “second label” Bordeaux I’ve had in several years.  (92 pts)

 

 

Closing thoughts

In good vintages, I highly recommend the second labels of the top châteaux.  These wines are usually considerably less expensive but are better than the first wines of the lower level estates.

 

 

 

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!

 

 

 

2010 Isole e Olena Chianti Classico

2006 Jean Edwards Cellars Syrah Carneros

2009 Sandler Wine Company Zinfandel Buck Hill Vineyard

2007 Wild Hog Vineyard Petite Sirah Cache Creek

2006 Carlisle Syrah Papa’s Block

 

 

 

2010 Isole e Olena Chianti Classico – $18.59

This has been a favorite since a friend suggested I give it a try.

 

80% Sangiovese, 15% Canaiolo and 5% Syrah in the 2010 vintage, Isole e Olena’s Chianti Classico is probably the wine (along with the 100% Sangiovese Isole e Olena “Cepparello”) for which the Isole e Olena winery has become best known.  Fermented in stainless steel tanks, this 2010 Isole e Olena Chianti was then matured for one year in primarily older oak (the typical capacity of the barrels used was 4000 litres).

 

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 very enjoyable nose has cherries, plums, baking spices, dried herbs, violets, and a touch of earthy underbrush. This wine has medium body with ripe tannins and very good acidity. On the palate the wine has nice tart red fruit and spice up front with some earthy elements coming in later adding depth and complexity. The finish has good length with the tart fruit, spices, and earthiness held together nicely by the acidity. If you can find this for under $20, stock up.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2006 Jean Edwards Cellars Syrah Carneros

I opened this bottle to sip during Karen’s visit to host #winechat on Twitter.  This is a blend of 85% Las Madres Syrah, 10% White Hawk Syrah and 5% Eaglepoint Ranch Petite Sirah.

 

This wine has 14.2% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby to maroon color.  The captivating nose has blackberries, cherries, freshly cracked black peppercorns, cedar, dark chocolate, dried herbs, dusty minerals and dried wildflowers.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate blackberries, black pepper and minerals jump out first with cedar and dried herbs coming in on the back end.  The finish has very nice length with dark chocolate and tart cherries adding nice depth and complexity.  This is a very nice cooler climate, Syrah that seems to be just entering a nice drinking window.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Sandler Wine Company Zinfandel Buck Hill Vineyard – $30.00

I grab a few bottles from just about every Sandler release.  They produce several very good, nicely priced wines; I highly recommend checking them out.

 

This wine has 15.0% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light to medium ruby red color.  The inviting nose has cherries, raspberries, white pepper, smoke, dried herbs and a touch of cedar.  This has a medium body with soft to moderate tannins and tart acidity.  On the palate bright red fruit and white pepper grab hold immediately with some dried herbs coming in on the back end.  The finish has good length with cedar and a touch of dark chocolate entering the picture.  This isn’t your typical zinfandel with ripe fruit and black pepper; this is more subtle and layered.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2007 Wild Hog Vineyard Petite Sirah Cache Creek – $9.50

A few years ago the local wine store ran this wine as an e-mail special.  It was a pretty easy decision to grab a case for well under $10 a bottle.  How often can you find a single vineyard Petite at that price?  I don’t know the specifics but according to the winery’s website this was the last vintage for the wine.  I know for a fact they made some in the 2008 vintage, since I have a case in my cellar.  At least I bought a case but I have opened a few bottles.

 

This has 15.0% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark, inky purple color.  The very masculine nose is loaded with blackberries, fresh ground black pepper, smoke, vanilla, eucalyptus, cherries, and wild flowers.  This has a fairly full body, moderate to solid tannins, and very nice acidity.  On the palate the peppery berries kick off the show with some smoke and vanilla coming in on the back end. A faint herbal note peaks out on the fairly long finish as well as some earthiness.  This tastes marvelous today and should hold for at least a couple more years.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2006 Carlisle Syrah Papa’s Block – $37.00

The grapes for this wine were picked late in the season, October 31^st.  The wine included 40% whole clusters and used indigenous fermentation.  The total production was only 110 cases of wine.

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark purple color.  The exotic nose has black plums, blackberries, olive tapenade, Asian spices, charcoal, bacon fat, dark chocolate, charred meat and candied violets.  This has a full body with moderate to solid tannins and good acidity.  On the palate dark fruit, olive and charred meat jump out first with spices and dark chocolate coming in on the back end.  The finish is very long and nicely layered.  This is in a prime drinking window and should hold for a few more years.  (94 pts)

 

 

 

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!

 

 

Each week I pick out one wine to highlight as my wine of the week.  This wine may be an outstanding wine, a great value or just something very interesting.

 

 

 

Overview

A little over a year ago the local wine store brought in the 2010 vintage of this wine and offered it as an e-mail special.  I grabbed a six pack even though I had never had the wine.  After opening and enjoying a bottle, I had to grab six more bottles.  When the store offered the newest vintage a couple weeks ago, grabbing a six pack was a no-brainer.

 

 

The Winery

The owner/winemaker is Cody Wright, the son of well-known and popular Oregon winemaker/owner Ken Wright.

Purple Hands winery strives for the expression of genuine inherent terroir of soil and grape.  We search for ideal moments of ripeness and complexity balanced with authentic strength of soil character.

Our wines are windows into dynamic breadths of terroir, extracting and unlocking a code of sweet and savory from our rich Oregon soil.

 

It was all but inevitable that we’d make our living from the earth.  Cody Wright, our founder and winemaker, was raised by esteemed pioneers of the Oregon wine industry.  He spent childhood days wandering between vineyard rows and moving fermenters with forklifts.  And his wife, Marque Wright, who assists in managing winery business, grew up in southern Oregon amidst timber operations and cattle farms.  Together, they are the soul of Purple Hands.

 

Cody’s official foray into winemaking took off after he completed a degree in environmental science at the University of Oregon.  He worked in various vineyard management and winemaking roles at Argyle, Ken Wright Cellars, and ROCO.  Abroad, he further honed his craft at Knappstein Winery in Claire Valley, South Australia and Ata Rangi in Martinborough, New Zealand.  In 2005, Cody established Purple Hands as a small boutique winery.  And in ten years’ time—with no small help from Marque—the winery transformed into a cult favorite that produces several thousand cases a year of critically acclaimed wine.

Our winery’s name speaks to a juxtaposition we love: the earthen processes and exquisite products of winemaking.  The toils and stains of working vineyards and crushing grapes lead to the shining bottle on your living room table.  We hope you’ll share our wines with friends and family—and be uplifted by the power of place!

 

 

The Vineyard

Stoller Vineyard is situated on the southern flank of the Dundee Hills, with an optimal winegrowing aspect.  The vines are planted on a narrow elevation band—from 300 to 650 feet—on ancient Jory soils, the fertile and well-drained red soils that define the Dundee Hills.  The vineyard is surrounded by protective mountain ranges that provide a slightly warmer microclimate, which ensures consistent ripening from vintage to vintage.

 

Bill and Cathy Stoller, owners of Stoller Vineyard, bought the former turkey farmland from a cousin in 1993.  In 1995, they planted their first acres in the rocky soil: 10 acres each of pinot noir and chardonnay.  Today, the vineyard is the largest vineyard site in the Dundee Hills—with nearly 200 acres planted to many different varietals and clones.

 

 

 

2012 Purple Hands Pinot Noir Stoller Vineyard – $24.69

There were 700 cases of this 100% Pinot Noir produced.  This is a blend of the 777 and Wädenswil clones.

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is an intense ruby color.  The spellbinding nose has blackberries, black cherries, Asian spice, candied violets, stony minerals and dried wildflowers with just a hint of smoke and forest floor.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate this kicks it up a notch with intense dark fruit and spice up front with minerals and dried flowers coming in later.  The finish is very long with some earthiness and a touch of dark chocolate adding even more depth and complexity.  This is very young but already is a showstopper.  This will improve with some additional time in the cellar.  Load up if you can find this at a good price and savor it over the next decade and a half.  (93 pts)

 

 

Closing thoughts

If you have not tried a Pinot Noir from Oregon, I highly recommend grabbing a few bottles to try.  Purple Hands is a great winery to start your journey but if you can’t find one of their wines, ask for suggestions or just grab a bottle or two.  Oregon Pinot Noirs generally are less expensive than their California counterparts.  Grab a bottle and enjoy the ride!

 

 

 

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!

 

 

2010 Purple Hands Pinot Noir Stoller Vineyard

2010 Carlisle Zinfandel Sonoma County

2007 Villa Creek Avenger

2009 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Clos Pepe Vineyard

2007 Core Ground Around

N.V. Nicolas Maillart Champagne Marie-Hanze Eaux Belle Brut

2011 Bedrock Wine Co. Zinfandel Monte Rosso Vineyard

2011 Bedrock Wine Co. Sauvignon Blanc Kick Ranch

 

 

 

2010 Purple Hands Pinot Noir Stoller Vineyard – $19.94

The owner/winemaker is Cody Wright, the son of well known and popular Oregon winemaker/owner Ken Wright.  This was a new winery to me when the local wine store had an e-mail special on the wine.  In my opinion, any time you can get hold of a good Pinot Noir for under $20, you buy.

 

The wine has 13.5% alcohol and is sealed with a twist off closure.

 

Winery history

Purple Hands winery strives for the expression of genuine inherent terroir of soil and grape.  We search for ideal moments of ripeness and complexity balanced with authentic strength of soil character.

 

Our wines are windows into dynamic breadths of terroir, extracting and unlocking a code of sweet and savory from our rich Oregon soil.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright red color with a slight ruby tint.  The soft and nuanced nose has black cherries, raspberries, fresh flowers, baking spices and subtle earthiness.  This is medium body at most, with racy acidity, and soft but persistent tannins.  The silky palate has tart, juicy fruit, spice, and a bit of earthiness which carries through on the slightly short finish.  This is a nice, light weight style of Pinot with juicy acidity and a touch of earthiness and spice to balance out the fruit.  This is a nice change up from the broad shouldered California Pinots.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2010 Carlisle Zinfandel Sonoma County – $18.00

This vintage uses Zinfandel grapes from Russian River Valley 44%, Sonoma Valley 24% Dry Creek Valley 17%.  15% Petite Sirah was blended in for structure and complexity.  There were 390 cases produced.

 

This has 15.5% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep purple color.  The deep and dark nose has brambly berries, black pepper, melted licorice, dried herbs, cedar, tobacco, earthy underbrush, dried flowers and dark chocolate.  This has a full body with solid tannins and good acidity.  Spicy, peppery berries coat the palate with dried herbs and earthy elements coming in on the back end.  The finish has good length with more black pepper and berries seeming to linger forever.  This does show a touch of alcohol on the nose and on the finish but it is barely noticeable and does not detract from the overall experience.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2007 Villa Creek Avenger – $35.00

As anyone who has followed me on Twitter or read this blog for very long knows, Villa Creek is one on my top 5 favorite wineries.  Of all the wines offered by the winery, vintage after vintage, The Avenger is my favorite wine they produce.  This is a blend of 75% Syrah, 15% Mourvedre and 10% Grenache.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark maroon color.  The absolutely stunning nose has blackberries, cherries, minerals, eucalyptus, violets, Asian spices, licorice, and a touch of earthiness.  This has medium to full body, moderate ripe tannins, and good acidity.  This delivers a mouthful of juicy berries and spice up front with minerals, eucalyptus, and some earthiness kicking in on the back end.  The finish is fairly long with nice lingering sweet fruit, spice, and minerals.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Clos Pepe Vineyard – $45.00

Loring produces some of my favorite Pinot Noirs made in California and their wine from the Clos Pepe Vineyard is one of my favorite they produce.  To me, this wine always has the rich and lush fruit that is the “house style” for Loring wines and has plenty of acidity and tannins to support the body and depth usually in this wine.  For a wine of this quality, the price actually represents a nice value for a higher end, single vineyard, Pinot from California.

 

Winery history

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to deep ruby red color.  The very nice nose has cherries, baking spices, raspberries, underbrush, minerals, licorice and a touch of smoke.  This has medium to full body, moderate, ripe tannins, and good acidity.  On the palate the wine is rich and lush with juicy fruit but with plenty of savory elements adding considerable depth and complexity.  The finish is long and very flavorful with the fruit, spice, and subtle earthiness lingering seemingly forever.  This is outstanding today, but will last at least a few more years in the cellar.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2007 Core Ground Around – $20.59

Core is quickly becoming one of my “go to” wineries when I want something a little different.  Dave Corey is making several straight varietal wines that are outstanding, but he shines with his blends, like this one.  Most of these blends are along the standard lines like Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre, but they also make unique and distinctive blends.  This wine is a blend of predominantly Tempranillo with Grenache and Syrah.  Even the Tempranillo isn’t from one single vineyard; it comes from two separate vineyards, Santa Barbara Highlands and Laetitia Vineyards.

 

This is a blend of 41% Tempranillo from Santa Barbara Highlands Vineyard, 23% Tempranillo from Laetitia Vineyard, 18% Grenache from Alta Mesa Vineyard and 18% Syrah from Santa Barbara Highlands Vineyard.

 

This wine has 14.9% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

The Winery

Dave Corey’s educational background includes a bachelor’s degree in Biology from San Jose State University and a master’s degree in Entomology and Plant Physiology from Kansas State University, which was completed in 1995. Prior to entering the wine industry in 1996 , Dave worked in Salinas and the Central Valley in agricultural fields including cole crops, cotton, almonds, citrus, walnuts, kiwi, table grapes, apples and stone fruit. His first position in the wine industry was as a Pest Control Advisor with Cambria Winery and Vineyards and later at Kendall-Jackson Vineyards of Santa Barbara County.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep garnet color.  The inviting nose has blackberries, dried cherries, dusty minerals, warm baking spices, licorice, dried herbs, fresh ground espresso, dark chocolate, eucalyptus and some subtle earthiness.  This has medium to full body, moderate to solid tannins and good acidity.  On the palate nice blackberry and cherry supply good sweetness up front with the minerals, spice, licorice and coffee coming in later, adding depth and complexity.  The finish is fairly long with the fruit and spice carrying the load with the eucalyptus making a nice closing appearance.  This still tastes young and may improve down the road.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

N.V. Nicolas Maillart Champagne Marie-Hanze Eaux Belle Brut – $29.99

Over the last year we’ve gone from not really being big bubbly fans to actively building a nice collection in the cellar.  This wine is a total unknown, I grabbed a couple bottles from a Garagiste Wine offer but there are no Cellar Tracker notes on the wine.

 

This wine is a blend of 60% Pinot Meunier, 20% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay.

 

This has 12.5% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with the usual sparkling wine natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright yellow to straw color with abundant persistent pinpoint bubbles.  The very enticing nose has green apples, freshly baked biscuits, minerals, lemon zest and orange blossoms.  Tart apples, minerals and lemon zest grab hold initially, slowly allowing yeasty notes and a floral element to slip into the picture.  The finish has good length and leaves your mouth watering for another sip.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2011 Bedrock Wine Co. Zinfandel Monte Rosso Vineyard – $39.00

Morgan sources the grapes for this wine from the same block his father used for his sought after Ravenswood Monte Rosso Zin.  This famous vineyard on the Sonoma side of Mt Veeder was planted in 1886.

 

This wine was fermented via native yeasts and was aged in 35% new French oak from four Burgundian coopers.

 

This wine has 14.4% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep purple color.  The intoxicating nose has brambly berries, plums, dark chocolate, dusty minerals, black pepper, dried herbs, dried wildflowers and a hint of eucalyptus.  This has full body, moderate to solid tannins, a creamy texture and good acidity.  Berries, plums and minerals thoroughly coat your palate slowly allowing black pepper and dried herbs to enter the picture.  The long, lingering finish adds a dried floral note as well as a touch of eucalyptus.  For such a young wine, this is drinking marvelously right now.  This one can be opened now or left in the cellar for a decade.  (94 pts)

 

 

 

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

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

 

The wine has 13.4% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

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!

 

 

Each week I pick out one wine to highlight as my wine of the week.  This wine may be an outstanding wine, a great value or just something very interesting.

 

 

 

Overview

I’ve been actively buying and trying every Oregon Pinot Noir that shows up on the local wine store’s shelf.  This was a new one for me when it showed up a few weeks ago.  With a price of just a touch over $20, this was also an easy purchase. Oregon Pinot Noirs are a great alternative to the bigger bodied versions coming out of California.

 

 

The Winery

When you don’t have a chateau or castello or even a babbling brook, it can be hard to name your winery. We tossed around a few catchy names, but none of them were as timeless as the single thing we started with — our name.

 

It was good enough for the dairy owned by our family for three generations and it suited us just fine. When we started thinking about the label, we knew we wanted a design crafted with classic elements. And in looking for an image to anchor the label we were intrigued by a cigar box that had belonged to Tyson’s grandfather, Kelly. While it now held photographs rather than cigars, there was this keyhole. So we took the box over to our friend Ben Burch, an animator and fine artist, and he whipped up a few sketches.

 

We had found our crest.

 

 

We make the wines at the August Cellars coop winemaking facility, and we get this question all the time: what’s a winemaking coop?

 

Our winemaking coop is a state-of-the-art gravity flow winery. We even have a wind turbine (the first in Oregon wine country) that provides about 65% of the power needed at the winery. We “share” the winemaking equipment (hoppers, destemmer, bottling line, labeler, forklifts, etc.) with five other wineries.

 

All winemaking is done independently and we have separate underground barrel rooms where we age all the wines. We’d love to show you around, so be sure to make an appointment and visit us at the winery!

 

 

 

2012 Crowley Pinot Noir – $21.37

This wine uses grapes from four dry-farms vineyards, Tuckwilla Vineyard (44%), Four Winds Vineyard (35%), Gehrts Vineyard (10.5%) and Laurel Hood Vineyard (10.5%).  The Gehrts and Tuckwilla vineyards are in the Dundee Hill AVA, Four Winds is in McMinnville and Laurel Hood is in the Chehalem Mountains AVA.

 

The grapes were harvested from October 5 to October 10.  Most grapes were de-stemmed but about 5% whole cluster were used.  After a 10 day cold soak, the wine was underwent a “native fermentation” in tank for 20 days.  The finished wine was aged in oak barrels, 10% to 15% new, for 15 months.  Some barrels were racked once the others were not racked.

 

The total production was 400 cases.  The wine has a suggested retail price of $24.

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a dark ruby color, considerably darker than most Oregon Pinot Noirs.  The spellbinding nose has black cherries, white pepper, crushed stone minerals, mint, baking spices, raspberries, candied violets, with hints of licorice, dried herbs and underbrush.  This has medium body with moderate to solid tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate minerals and white pepper are joined with darker fruit on the front end with spices, dried herbs and subtle earthiness coming in later.  The finish has very nice length with line balance between the fruit and savory elements.  I’d love to stash a few bottles of this in the cellar for a couple years, it could be a real stunner with some cellar time.  For now, give it some air and taste the potential.  (92 pts)

 

 

Closing thoughts

Obviously, since this is my wine of the week, I highly recommend tracking down this wine.  The great price would make this a good candidate to buy a few bottles so you can follow its evolution over the next few years.

 

 

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!

 

 

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

 

 

2011 Faust Cabernet Sauvignon

 

 

 

Overview:

Faust is owned by Agustin Huneeus, the person that created Quintessa.  When I was offered a sample of the latest Faust Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, I almost dislocated my fingers replying to the e-mail offer.

 

I’ve had and enjoyed previous vintages of Faust and I wanted to see what they produced is a less than stellar vintage.

 

 

 

About the company:

Faust, the wine, celebrates a legend which has inspired many great minds, among them the German poet Goethe, from whose masterpiece we draw our inspiration.  In Goethe’s most famous work, the aging scholar Dr. Faust barters his soul in the afterlife in exchange for another chance at youth.  He gets his chance, yet ultimately his soul is saved by love.

 

Faust is indeed the fruit of renewed passion for Agustin Huneeus, though Mephistopheles has not yet appeared to claim his soul.  The underlying premise for all of the wines he has ever produced has been that great wines must be a reflection of a great vineyard.  Faust is not.  Instead, Faust is a tribute to Napa Valley’s noblest grape – full-bodied, decadently rich and unctuous Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

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

 

 

About Agustin Huneeus:

Behind every great wine stands a passionate vintner.  Faust Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is the creation of Agustin Huneeus and it continues to satisfy his long held desire to produce a wine that embodies the most seductive characteristics of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

Born in Santiago, Chile, Agustin is one of the few vintners who has dedicated his entire professional life to wine.  With a career spanning 50 years, he has produced wine in more than 15 countries.  Perhaps best known today for creating Quintessa, the stunning biodynamic vineyard and winery estate he and his wife Valeria own in Rutherford, Napa Valley, Agustin is recognized as a driving force in how fine wine is produced, recognized, sold and marketed in the United States.  The philosophy that great vineyards make great wine is his guiding principle.

 

Agustin Huneeus has been discovering great vineyards of the world throughout a career spanning five decades and 15 countries.  In addition to owning the Quintessa estate in the renowned Rutherford District of Napa Valley, his current vineyard and winery projects include Illumination Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc, Veramonte winery in Chile’s Casablanca and Colchagua Valley’s, Neyen winery in Chile’s Apalta Valley and Washington’s Longshadows Vintners where he is a partner.  In 2009, the Huneeus family forged a partnership with Joan and Walt Flowers of Flowers Vineyards & Winery, pioneering vintners who in 1989, established two extraordinary vineyards dedicated to world-class Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in the extreme Sonoma Coast.  In 2010, the Huneeus family purchased two edgy wines, The Prisoner, a Napa Valley red blend, and Saldo, a Zinfandel from some of California’s most revered vineyards.

 

 

This sample was provided by the winery and Fineman PR.

Fineman PR unites large-agency talent, small-agency responsiveness and internationally recognized strategic direction. We are a full-service agency specializing in Brand PR and crisis communications, creating and executing award-winning public relations programs.

For more information, please visit their website by clicking here.

 

 

 

2011 Faust Cabernet Sauvignon – SRP $60

The 2011 vintage saw cool spring temperatures and moderate rainfall that pushed bud break, flowering, and fruit-set back two weeks.  The cooler temperatures continued into summer, making canopy management essential.  A warm September month allowed the grapes to ripen and mature.  However, this was followed by an early October rain which challenged the skills of our viticulturists who responded with careful canopy management, crop removal where warranted, and a lot of patience.  The four weeks of Indian summer that followed the rain allowed the remaining grapes to ripen evenly.  Extensive selective picking and sorting was employed to ensure that the grapes that reached the tanks were in optimal condition.   All grapes were hand-picked, double-sorted and crushed, then cold-soaked and fermented in both French oak and stainless steel tanks.  After an extended maceration, Faust was aged for 19 months in 100% French oak, 30% new.

 

The wine is a blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot, 1% Malbec and 1% Cabernet Franc.  Most of the grapes come from Agustin’s family vineyards in Rutherford and Coombsville with small lots from vineyards in Yountville, Mount Veeder, Atlas Peak, St. Helena and Rutherford.  These purchased grapes from spectacular mountain and valley terroirs are used to round out the wine.

 

The wine has 14.2% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep violet color.  The sexy nose has cassis, cedar, warm baking spices, dusty minerals, dark bittersweet chocolate, vanilla bean and subtle earthiness.  This has medium to full body with moderate to solid tannins and good acidity.  Rich berries and cedar envelope the palate initially with baking spices and minerals coming in on the back end.  The finish has very nice length with dark chocolate, some earthiness and a slight herbal note adding depth.  This is drinking nicely today but some time in the cellar will be rewarded.  (92 pts)

 

 

Closing Thoughts

If you are looking for a rich, full bodied Cabernet Sauvignon from the Napa Valley, Faust would be a wonderful choice.  This wine has very good balance and the complexity to appeal to wine lovers and the rich, velvety fruit to appeal to people who just want something good to drink.  At $60 a bottle, I would tend to steer guests in the second category to another selection, unless they are very good friends, and keep this one only for true wine lovers.  This is more of a wine to enjoy over its first several years and not one to stash in the cellar for a decade.  Enjoy it while the fruit is young and vibrant.

 

 

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!