2006 Mitolo Shiraz Savitar

2011 Calera Pinot Noir

2010 Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc

2010 Ladera Cabernet Sauvignon Stile Blocks

 

 

 

2006 Mitolo Shiraz Savitar – $29.99

Mitolo is one of the premiere wineries in Australia.  The wine maker, Ben Glaetzer, is one of the Australia superstars in the wine business.  I’m a big fan of their lower priced Reiver Shiraz but jumped on an opportunity to take a few bottles of this wine off a friend’s hands after they bought a case at a very special price.  This wine had a release price of $65 but I was able to grab a few at less than half that price.  That’s only a win if you like the wine.  Based on a bottle I had several months ago, this is a win!

 

This wine is a blend of only the best barrels of Shiraz and will provide serious enjoyment for anyone that is a fan of big, rich, Aussie Shiraz.

 

Winery history

For such a young winery, Mitolo’s history is rich.  It’s one studded with success, wide acclaim, and – most importantly – truly memorable wines.  But that’s only to be expected from a winery which, since the very first day, has been motivated by three potent words:

 

Purity. Elegance. Power.

 

Those were the guiding principles Frank Mitolo wrote down when he created the winery in 1999.  With his Italian heritage and a family history of working the land, Frank was only interested in pursuing excellence.  And the results were there immediately in the release of the first Mitolo wine – the 2000 G.A.M. – named after Frank’s children Gemma, Alexander and Marco.

 

Attracted by this commitment to only create wines of outstanding quality, acclaimed winemaker Ben Glaetzer joined Mitolo as a partner in 2001.  With grapes sourced from two of Australia’s premier wine regions, McLaren Vale and the Barossa Valley, Frank and Ben now work tirelessly to surpass their already impressive achievements.  Mitolo Wines, praised by some of the world’s toughest critics, are now enjoyed in more than 20 countries around the world.

 

And that is just the start.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark, inky purple color. The rich and luxurious nose has blackberries, blueberries, dark chocolate, vanilla, smoked meat, dried herbs, warm baking spices and some earthiness. This has a full body, fairly solid, ripe tannins, and good acidity. This is a massive wine on the palate with loads of spicy, peppery berries with a nice smoked meat element followed by spicy oak and dried herbs. The finish is very long and like the palate, packed with flavor. No subtlety and not the most complex wine out there, but very balanced and tasty. Not a wine for everyone nor an everyday wine, but on occasion, this one will rock.  This is still on the young side, it should improve with additional cellar time.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2011 Calera Pinot Noir – $24.69

I’m a big fan of the single vineyard offerings of Calera Pinot Noir wines.  Unfortunately, most of these single vineyard offerings are a bit pricey to open on a week night.  That’s where their appellation wines come into play.  These are generally very nice, varietally correct Pinots, that can be found for south of $25.

 

This wine is made of fruit purchased from over a dozen vineyard sources in California’s Central Coast region.  In this vintage, grapes from seven different vineyards were blended for the final product.

 

Winery history

Calera is a vision, and Calera’s wines truly express the sense of place.  Rather than follow the recommended path, Josh Jensen became a pioneer in search of the perfect spot on the globe to grow grapes.  Taking his cue from the great domaines of Burgundy which have grown grapes in limestone soil for centuries, he set out in search of the perfect spot in California to create wines unique to the world but in the style of the greatest wines of France.  Site selection was vital as he ventured off the grid to plant on the site of an old limekiln in the Gavilan Mountains of California.  Today Calera wines still express that pioneer spirit and are revered the world over.  We are proud to report that even Robert Parker is convinced: “Calera is one of the most compelling Pinot Noir specialists of not only the New World, but of Planet Earth.”

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light to medium ruby red color, much lighter at the rim. The fresh smelling nose has cherries, flowers, baking spice, eucalyptus, crushed stone minerals, and a touch of forest floor. This has medium body, soft tannins, and nice acidity. Nice red fruit on the palate with spice and just a touch of earthiness. The finish has nice length with the eucalyptus and minerals making an appearance to go with the sweet fruit. A very nice, easy drinking, under $25 Pinot Noir.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2010 Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc – $15.19

Cloudy Bay has been my favorite New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc for several years.  Obviously that opinion is shared by a lot of wine drinkers.  This is not the lowest priced Sauvignon Blanc in the marketplace, at times it is a challenge to find it for under $25.  A couple years ago, when my local store had it on sale for under $16, I loaded up.  Unfortunately, this is my last bottle from that buy.

 

If you are a fan of Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc and want to find a lower priced alternative, try to source some Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc.  The owner/winemaker for Greywacke is Kevin Judd, the founding winemaker for Cloudy Bay.  After 25 vintages at Cloudy Bay, Kevin set out on his own.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light, pale yellow to straw color.  The fresh and tropical nose has lime, grapefruit, minerals, fresh cut grass, and orange blossoms.  This has light body with tart, citrusy acidity.  On the palate the crisp fruit and minerals steal the show with the grapefruit notes giving way to lime with a nice herbal edge.  The finish has very good length with the lime and grapefruit allowing minerals and herbal elements to poke through.  As usual, another outstanding offering from Cloudy Bay.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2010 Ladera Cabernet Sauvignon Stile Blocks – $39.99

I’ve had and loved the Ladera Howell Mountain Cabernet for a number of years.  This is the first vintage of this specific wine.  This wine was actually created mainly for restaurants to have on their wine list as an earlier drinking, Howell Mountain cab, that could be listed for under $100.  Since this is a new wine and I bought it without tasting it, I didn’t know if it needed a bit of cellar time.  Luckily, the local store had a big wine tasting yesterday and this was one of the wines being poured.  I was lucky enough to grab a taste and decided it was good to go now.

 

This is a blend of 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Petit Verdot from Napa Valley’s Howell Mountain.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly deep maroon color.  The big and fully open nose is full of cassis, licorice, warm baking spices, black pepper, leather, dried herbs, and a touch of cedar.  This has medium to full body with soft, ripe tannins, and decent acidity.  On the palate this is soft and jammy for a Howell Mountain wine.  Big, ripe, juicy, berries and spice hit the front end of the palate coating it in flavor with dried herbs and spicy oak coming in on the back end.  The finish has good length and shows jammy fruit and spice with an oaky over lay but could use some additional complexity.  This is an easier drinking wine than I expected, this isn’t one to stash in the cellar for an extended time.  (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 2013 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

2009 Bodega Catena Zapata Malbec

2011 Wine By Joe Pinot Gris Really Good

2007 Big Basin Vineyards Mandala

2009 Domaine Roche Côtes du Rhône Villages Cairanne

 

 

It was a nice first part of the week both weather and wine wise.  We were able to have dinner on the deck a couple days but Wednesday was hot and a bit too humid to eat outside.  We were able to relax on the deck with a glass of wine after dishes were cleaned up and a coming storm brought a nice breeze.

 

The nice weather allowed me to open a nice variety of wines, everything from a lighter bodied Oregon Pinot Gris to a burly Syrah-Cabernet blend from California.

 

 

 

2009 Bodega Catena Zapata Malbec – $16.14

When I’m in the mood for something “different”, my mind generally gravitates to either a Spanish Ribera del Duero or, as in this case, a Malbec from Argentina.  These are two wines I just don’t open often enough.

 

Malbecs from Argentina are still very value priced based on the quality they put in the bottle.  You need to be a little selective when choosing one of these wines because they are made in vastly different styles.  Some are fruit forward, easy drinking wines but others, like this one are more serious and need some hearty food.  If you’ve never had a Malbec from Argentina, you owe it to yourself, and wallet, to check them out. 

 

This wine was bestowed the number 58 rating on the Wine Spectator Top 100 Wines of 2011.

 

Winery history

It is part of our family’s folklore that our forefather Nicola Catena, who sailed from Italy to Argentina in 1898, celebrated leaving the famine in Europe for this plentiful new land by eating a piece of virtually raw steak for breakfast each morning.  Best described as a tireless optimist, he firmly believed that he had found the promised land in Mendoza, where he planted his first Malbec vineyard in 1902.  Malbec had been a blending grape in Bordeaux.  But Nicola suspected it would find its hidden splendour in the Argentine Andes.  Domingo, his son, inherited that dream and took the family winery to the next level, becoming one of the largest vineyard holders in Mendoza.

 

By the 1960s, however, Familia Catena was struggling.  The Argentine economy was in shambles and inflation rates were soaring.  One year, Domingo realized that it would cost him more to harvest than to leave the fruit on the vines.  He asked his twenty-two year old son Nicolás, a recent PhD graduate in economics, what to do about such a dilemma.  Nicolás advised him not to harvest.  Domingo could not follow his son’s advice with a clear conscience and picked anyway. Nicolás still remembers the sadness he felt for his father that year.

 

Much more information available at:  http://www.catenawines.com/eng/family.html

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark purple color.  The nose is dark and brooding with earthy blackberries, dark chocolate, vanilla, raspberries, eucalyptus, minerals, spice box, fresh ground dark roast coffee, and lavender.  This is medium to full bodied with fairly solid tannins and very nice acidity.  This is big and bold on the palate with spicy, peppery berries up front and more spice, chocolate, and coffee on the back end along with some slowly building earthiness.  The finish is fairly long with a bit of cherry joining the party.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

 

2011 Wine By Joe Pinot Gris Really Good – $9.49

Pinot Gris wines, especially those from Oregon are a Summer staple in my house.  These are usually fresh and rich enough to enjoy chilled on the deck while something is on the grill cooking or to just kick back and enjoy on its own while relaxing.  These wines also usually have plenty of closing acidity to pair up nicely with warm weather, leisurely meals.

 

This was a new one for me.  Samples of this were being poured at the local wine store and for under $10, this was a winner.  I had to grab a few bottles for the upcoming “deck season”.

 

Winery history

Joe Dobbes, owner and winemaker at Dobbes Family Estate, is a pretty laid-back guy, but he couldn’t be more serious about making really excellent wine. This bodes well for the world as we know it, because these dueling demeanors bring forth a true gem: Wine By Joe.

 

This is your go-to wine. Delicious, but never pretentious. A high-quality bottle at a no-nonsense price, meant to be shared with people who make you happy.

 

See, it’s smooth and “drinkable,” as they say. But it’s rich and complex, too. Wine By Joe, priced at less than 20 bucks, is as comfortable at a dinner party as it is on a Thursday evening in your backyard. And its consistency from bottle to bottle ensures you’re going to be happy every time you pour it.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright yellow color. The fresh smelling nose has apples, pears, lemon zest, honeysuckle, and a hint of white pepper. This has light to medium body, crisp acidity, just a touch of sweetness. The palate has nice, tart green apples, pears, and lemon zest. The crisp, mouthwatering finish has nice length from the juicy apples and lemon zest.  (88 pts)

 

 

 

 

2007 Big Basin Vineyards Mandala – $35.00

I opened this wine to participate in an online winechat about the wines of the Santa Cruz Mountains of California.  Everyone has heard of Ridge, but there are loads of other wineries in the region making outstanding wines.

 

As I’ve said in the past, I think Big Basin is one big score from one of the major wine reviewing periodicals away from appearing everyone’s radar.  I’ve been a big fan of Big Basin’s Syrah wines and blends for a few years.  I would highly recommend checking them out.  This is mainly Syrah with a small percentage of Cabernet in the blend. I believe I read this is made up of 6.5 barrels of Syrah and 1 barrel of Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

Winery history

Big Basin Vineyards was founded in 1998 in the Santa Cruz Mountains next to Big Basin Redwoods State Park, with a new winery building completed in 2003.  Proprietor and wine maker Bradley Brown sources his wines from three Estate Vineyards – Rattlesnake Rock, Old Corral Block and Homestead Block.  All of the Estate vineyards are planted to Alban Selections on steep hillsides with mudstone and shale soils – 7 acres of Syrah, 2 acres of Grenache and 1 acre of Roussanne – and are farmed organically.  Additionally, Bradley works closely with Coastview Vineyard located at 2400 ft on a mountain top in the Gabilan Mountains overlooking the Salinas Valley and Monterey Bay (several miles due south of Mt. Harlan).  He has contracted with the vineyard to purchase Syrah planted in 1998 and to bud over certain sections of the vineyard to Pinot Noir and Grenache (in 2008) and plant a new block to an Alban selection of Syrah.  This vineyard is also farmed organically and managed according to Bradley’s direction.  Beginning in 2006, BigBasin started making Pinot Noir sourced from the Santa Cruz Mountains.  As of 2009, Big Basin is making three different single vineyard Pinots from the Santa Cruz Mountains (Alfaro Family, Lester Family and Woodruff Family Vineyards), plus the Pinot from Coastview Vineyard in the Gabilan Mountains.

 

Much more information is available on their website.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark ruby to purple color.  The explosive nose is full of blackberries, cassis, smoke, dark bittersweet chocolate, charred meat, melted licorice, vanilla, warm baking spices, and violets.  This is full bodied with moderate to solid ripe tannins and good acidity.  The wine grabs hold of your palate unleashing wave after wave of lush fruit, spice, and savory notes in unrelenting layers.  The finish is very long, almost seeming to never end with very nice fruit slowly giving way to dark chocolate and then nice meaty elements and earthiness.  The extra time in the cellar has been rewarded in this case.  There is no hurry on this one, it should hold for at least a few more years.  (95 pts)

 

 

 

 

2009 Domaine Roche Côtes du Rhône Villages Cairanne – $16.14

There’s nothing, in my opinion, better than a nice Côtes du Rhône when you want something interesting without dropping a load of money.  Any time I put a piece of pork on the grill, my first thought is something from France’s Southern Rhone region.  These wines generally have an abundance of spice and dried herbs (garrigue), as well as great acidity.  This specific wine is a step up from a basic Côtes du Rhône since the grapes come from a specific village in the region.  A wine labeled simply as Côtes du Rhône can be a blend of grapes from different parts of the region.  In California terms, compare this to a Cabernet from Rutherford instead of the generic Napa Valley.  This is a blend of 70% Grenache and 30% Syrah that aged in mostly cement, with a small portion in older barrels. 

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby to garnet color.  The interesting and inviting nose has cherries, dried herbs, minerals, meat juices, black pepper, raspberries, baking spices, and some scorched earth.  This has medium body, moderate tannins, and good acidity.  On the palate fruit, spice and minerals hit first with dried herbs and pepper on the back end with some slowly building earthiness coming into play.  The finish is fairly long with the savory notes of minerals and dried herbs leading the way with the fruit providing nice sweetness in the background.  Tastes wonderful today but will last in the cellar for a few more years.  (91 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 2013 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

  

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

 

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

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

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

2012 Acquiesce Belle Blanc

2012 Watts Winery “Upstream” Chardonnay

2012 Borra Intuition White

2011 St. Jorge Winery Verdelho Seco Silvaspoons Vineyard

 

Lodi Information

Lodi is just east of San Francisco and has provided grapes for producers all over the world since the 1800’s.  Today, there are approximately 80 wineries and tasting rooms, but more than 750 growers and over 100,000 acres planted to vineyards!

 

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, including unique white varieties like Albariño, Kerner, Roussane, Vermentino, Symphony, Verdelho and Viognier.  Over the past decade, creative, new vintners have begun to experiment with Lodi’s many white varieties, resulting in today’s production of exceptional varietal wines and intriguing blends.

 

 

Lodi Links

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.

 

 

Lodi Road Trip Passport

September is the month long celebration of California wine in Lodi.  This is the second annual Lodi Road Tip Passport.  Your purchase of a Passport gets you exclusive discounts toward activities, wine tastings and bottle or case purchases from over 45 Lodi wineries. Get your passport stamped at each winery and be entered to win a Lodi Wine Weekend Getaway!

 

More information is available by clicking here.

 

 

My observations

This was my second opportunity to sample some of the wines coming out of Lodi.  In an earlier post I reviewed four rosé wines from the region.  To check out that post click here.

 

These two tastings were a revelation to me.  Most of the Lodi red wines I’ve had over the years were big, ripe and bold red wines.  I didn’t know how the region would do producing lighter, crisp white and rosé wines.  Based on these two events, you can now count me in as a fan in these two categories.  For the most part, these wines were crisp wines with nice fruit and minerality.  These are exactly the wines we open from late Spring through early Fall in my house and probably yours.  I would proudly open these wines to pour for even the most discriminating wine lovers.

 

As an added bonus, these wines offer tremendous value of your money.  If these wines were produced in other parts of the state, the prices would two to three times higher.

 

If you are not a fan of the big red wines of Lodi, don’t let that stop you from sampling the very impressive whites and rosé wines being produced in the region.

 

 

Here is the line up for this tasting event:

 

 

 

2012 Acquiesce Belle Blanc – SRP $24

 

About the winery

Acquiesce Winery is Lodi’s only winery that is dedicated to white wines, though they do produce an occasional rosé.  If you visit their website and check out the wines they produce, the first thing you’ll notice is that all their wines are made with the traditional Rhone grapes.  No chardonnay or sauvignon blanc wines here.  Instead, you will find Roussanne, Viognier, Picpoul Blanc, Grenache Blanc, and this wine, a blend of a few of the varietals.  The second thing you’ll notice is their bottles.  Again, they are different and distinctive.

 

There is nothing wrong about being predictable other than being predictable and boring.  I love wineries that think outside the box and are distinctive.  Being different and distinctive is only a good thing if you are good at it, and Acquiesce excels at what they do.

 

Much more information is available on the winery’s website.  Click here to visit.

 

About this wine

The Belle Blanc is a blend of 60% Grenache Blanc, 30% Roussanne, and 10% Viognier from estate vineyards.  The grapes for this wine were harvested in the Mokelumne River AVA of the Lodi Appellation.  The clones used are from Tablas Creek cuttings from the famous French winery, Chateau de Beaucastel.  All grapes were hand harvested in the morning to preserve acidity and whole cluster pressed to capture the fresh, flavorful character.  The wine was cool fermented in stainless steel tanks.  There were 150 cases produced of this 13.5% alcohol wine.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a very light straw color.  The sensuous nose is full of honeysuckle, pear, spice, orange blossom, honey, apricot, pineapple, and stony minerals.  This has light to medium body, is dry, and has crisp acidity.  On the palate spicy pears, honey and minerals can be found up front with pineapples and citrus on back end.  This has nice length on the finish with a nice floral note closing the show.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Watts Winery “Upstream” Chardonnay – SRP $15

 

About the winery

Watts Winery is a small “mom and pop” winery in Lodi.  If you visit their tasting room, you will be dealing with the owners, Craig and Sherri Watts.  For four generations the Watts family sold their grapes to the larger, well known, bulk wineries.  Those grapes were used to produce some of the inexpensive, non-distinct wines a lot of us consumed to start us on our vinous journey.  Eventually the family decided it was time to take the next step and produce their own wine.  Their first wine was a 1999 Old Vine Zinfandel.

 

The winery now produces several award winning wines and recently added this label, Upstream.

 

For more information on the winery, including the story behind their Butterfly wines, please click here to visit their site.

 

About this wine

After harvesting the grapes are pressed into stainless steel vats and cold fermented.  The wine is slowly fermented and cold filtered over the winter.  This unoaked Chardonnay is from the Delta, about 60 miles from San Francisco Bay.  The warm to hot days are offset by the cool nightly delta breezes to ensure the grapes ripen and maintain their natural acidity.  The final alcohol is 13.6%.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly bright yellow color with some straw.  The clean and fresh nose has green apple, pear, lemon zest, spice, stony minerality, white peach, and a touch of tropical pineapple.  This has medium body, is dry, and has nice citrusy acidity.  On the palate, nice up front apples, pears and minerals hit first with lemon zest kicking in on the back end.  This has decent length on the finish with apples, minerals, and closing tart lemon zest with just a hint of pineapple.  This could use a touch more complexity, which may develop over time.  (89 pts)

 

 

2012 Borra Intuition White – SRP $22

 

And now for something totally different.

 

About the winery

After making wine for his family for almost a decade, Steve Borra stepped out on his own to start Borra Vineyards.  The winery was started in 1975 and Steve produced Barbera and Carignane wines from his vineyards in Lodi.  In 1992 the family purchased 200 acres of land along the north bank of the Mokelumne River.  The property is now called the Gill Creek Ranch.  The vineyard is now home to Viognier, Chardonnay, Merlot, Zinfandel, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes.

 

Much more information on Borra Vineyards and its history is available on their website.  Click here to visit.

 

About this wine

This wine is different and is nothing like any wine you’ve had in the past.  Winemaker Markus Niggli, from Switzerland, set out to do something different by breaking all the rules.  He took cool climate German grapes, heavily reduced yields to one ton an acre and allowed them to fully ripen in the warm Lodi climate.  Next Markus barrel fermented the grapes with no added acidity until it was dry and aged the wine 9 months in 50% new American oak and 50% once used French oak.  To most people this is a recipe for disaster or at least a wine oddity.  In the end, this blend of 60% Kerner, 20% Riesling, and 20% Gewürztraminer is a racy success.  Did you notice the predominant grape in the blend?  Kerner was a new one for me too.

 

There are 200 cases of this wine and it has an alcohol level of 13.3%.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light straw to yellow color.  The exotic nose has butterscotch, coconut, apples, white peaches, white pepper, minerals, white flowers, mint, spice, pineapple, and citrus zest.  This has a medium body, is dry, and has good acidity.  This is luscious on the palate with apples and white peaches sprinkled with coconut and a few drops of butterscotch on the front end.  The back end introduces minerals, spice, and a floral note.  This has nice length on the finish with the addition of a minty note.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2011 St. Jorge Winery Verdelho Seco Silvaspoons Vineyard – SRP $18

 

About the winery

This will be a little sketchy; there isn’t a lot of information on the winery’s website.

 

St. Jorge Winery is owned by a Portuguese family that has been growing food and making wine for hundreds of years.  The family tree has its roots on the Azores Island of St. Jorge.  The growing winery planted five additional acres of grapes in 2012.

 

Some additional information on the winery is available on their website.  Click here to visit.

 

About this wine

The Verdelho Seco (dry) joins the off dry Verdehlo in the winery’s portfolio.  Verdehlo is a white grape native to Portugal.  The grapes come from the Silverspoons Vineyard in the Alta Mesa region of the Lodi Appellation.

 

The wine was supposedly aged for 6 months in “neutral” oak barrels but I picked up considerable oak influences in the wine.  The final alcohol is 14.8%.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light straw to yellow color.  The nose has apples, vanilla, spicy oak, white peaches, citrus zest, and some minerality.  This has medium to full body and decent acidity.  On the palate there is some nice up front fruit and minerals then some oak kicks in adding layers of spice and vanilla that slightly obscures the bright fruit.  There is nice length on the finish where a touch of citrus zest breaks through the oak influences.  This is very well made, just not my preferred style.  If you prefer a creamy, oak influenced, fuller body white wine, this will exceed your expectations.  (86 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 2013 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

2001 Zilliken (Forstmeister Geltz) Saarburger Rausch Riesling Kabinett

2012 Bedrock Wine Co. Mourvedre Ode to Lulu Rosé

2010 Bedrock Wine Co. Zinfandel Monte Rosso Vineyard

2008 Foris Gewürztraminer

2004 Bodegas y Viñedos Montecastro y Llanahermosa Ribera delDuero

 

 

 

2001 Zilliken (Forstmeister Geltz) Saarburger Rausch Riesling Kabinett – $21.83

We’re big fans of German Rieslings with a bit of age on them.  We’ve been know to open 20 to 25 year old ones, so at only 12 years old, this one is on the young side.  I bought a few bottles of this wine several years ago, and this is our last bottle.  To me, a good Riesling is a revelation.  Unencumbered by oak, the fruit and minerality are allowed to grab the spotlight and shine.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light golden yellow to straw color.  The slightly shy nose has apples, honey, minerals, orange blossoms, and a hint of petrol.  This has medium body, crisp acidity, and some nice closing sweetness.  On the palate apples and pineapples hit first with a nice streak of minerality and orange zest coming in on the back end.  The finish has very nice length with very nice balance between the acidity and sweetness.  This is drinking wonderfully today and could last in the cellar for a few years, but why wait?  (91 pts)

 

 

 

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

This rosé from Bedrock as well as Villa Creek’s offering, form the nucleus of my warm weather  rosé wines.  I mix in a few others I buy at the local store, but these two make up well over 50% of the rosés we drink during the year.  If you aren’t on the Bedrock mailing list, I highly recommend getting on their waiting list.  They are producing some of the best white wines coming out of California and their reds, after some cellar time are outstanding.  This rosé completes the loop making Bedrock one of the better wineries making a wide variety of wines.  As a bonus, their pricing is very consumer friendly with a lot of wines under $25.

 

For more information on the winery or to get on their mailing list, visit their website here.

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

2010 Bedrock Wine Co. Zinfandel Monte Rosso Vineyard – $38.00

I decided to make this an all Bedrock day.  This will by my first bottle of wine from the winery using grapes from the outstanding Monte Rosso Vineyard.  Owner/wine maker, Morgan Twain-Peterson was able to secure grapes from the same block his father Joel used to create the outstanding wines for his old winery, Ravenswood.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep purple color.  The stunning nose is full of brambly berries, minerals, violets, fresh ground black pepper, toasty oak, vanilla, melted licorice, freshly ground dark roast coffee, and a touch of dark bittersweet chocolate.  This full bodied gem has moderate to solid tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate, layers of fruit, spice, and savory elements take turns engulfing the taste buds, trying to out do each other.  The finish is extremely long and again reveals new layers every few seconds.  This is obviously on the young side and even though it will last in the cellar through the end of the decade, it is absolutely stunning right now.  (95 pts)

 

 

 

2008 Foris Gewürztraminer – $13.29

It’s a nice Summer day that calls for a light lunch on the deck and a crisp, white wine.  I haven’t had one of these for a several months but prior bottles have been very nice.  Even though it is labeled as being dry, it does seem to have just a hint of sweetness which adds a touch of body and depth.  I would have preferred to have consumed this bottle last year, but as always, a bottle or two gets missed before the weather deteriorates with the changing seasons.  I remember this wine having such nice acidity and balance that I’m not even considering chilling off a back up bottle.  Let’s see how well this bottle survived some extended cellar time.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a pale yellowish straw color.  The fresh and exotic smelling nose has lychee, apple, pineapple, orange zest, nice spice, and rose petals.  This is light to medium body with crisp acidity and just a hint of sweetness, even though it is labeled as dry.  An almost oily texture on the palate accompanies nice spicy, fruit laced, lychee with come citrus in the background.  The finish shows nice length with the spicy citrus hanging on and slowly dissipating.  This is as good as this one will get, so I’d advise drinking up before the colder seasons roll around since this started fading after a couple hours.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2004 Bodegas y Viñedos Montecastro y Llanahermosa Ribera del Duero – $28.73

I was in the mood for something a little different today.  It hasn’t been all that long since I opened an Aalto Ribera del Duero, but that bottle just “primed the pump” causing me to want another.  A lot of people prefer a Rioja from Spain, but to me the Ribera del Duero is THE destination for outstanding Spanish wines.

 

I bought several of these a number of years ago and opened one WAY too young.  It was enjoyable but needed a couple more years in the cellar.  It’s time to see if I was able to keep my hands off it long enough.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark ruby color.  The open and inviting nose is full of black cherries, dark bittersweet chocolate, smoke, well worn leather, blackberries, warm baking spices, and violets.  This has medium body, fairly solid tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate spicy berries and cherries fly out of the gate with some building dark chocolate coming in on the back end.  The finish is very long and full of spicy cherries and dark chocolate.  Very tasty today but absolutely no hurry on this one.  (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 2013 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

2006 Novy Family Wines Syrah Sonoma County

2005 Meritxell Palleja Priorat Nita

2008 Carlisle Three Birds

 

 

 

2006 Novy Family Wines Syrah Sonoma County – $16.14

Novy Wines is the non Pinot Noir wing of Adam Lee’s winery empire.  I think Novy is much underrated as a Syrah producer.  Generally Novy Syrahs lean more towards the savory side of the spectrum, which to me, is where most of the better Syrahs reside.  Novy’s single vineyard offerings are generally very good to outstanding.  The appellation wines like this one are generally very good and offer outstanding value.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly dark ruby to maroon color.  The very nice nose has blackberries, smoked meat, black pepper, baking spices, charcoal, vanilla, forest floor, and a touch of stems.  This has medium body, moderate tannins, and good acidity.  On the palate the spicy, peppery berries hit first followed by smoked meat and vanilla.  The finish has good length but does show a touch of stems that sticks out a touch too prominently.  This would merit a higher score if the stems didn’t leave a lingering greenish note.  (88 pts)

 

 

 

2005 Meritxell Palleja Priorat Nita – $16.74

I’m a pretty big fan of wines from the Priorat region in Spain.  These wines are generally, like the region, on the rugged and rustic side.  You will just about never hear one of these wines described as smooth and subtle.

 

This is a blend of 45% Garnacha, 35% Carinena, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Syrah.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark ruby color, almost purple.  The very nice nose is full of minerals, cherries, blackberries, dried herbs, dried earth, well worn leather, vanilla, black pepper, licorice, and wild flowers.  This has medium body, fairly solid tannins, and very good acidity.  On the palate the cherries and minerals hit first, followed by dried herbs, crushed berries, and black pepper.  On the back end and finish dried earth elements emerge and take center stage, especially on the fairly long finish.  This is drinking very nicely, but should last for at least a few more years in the cellar.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2008 Carlisle Three Birds – $23.00

This wine is Mike Officer’s “homage to Châteauneuf-du-Pape”.  This is a blend of 78% Grenache, 16% Mourvèdre and 6% Syrah, with most of the fruit coming from the Rossi Ranch in the Sonoma Valley.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a nice ruby red color.  The very interesting and inviting nose had cherries, kirsch, minerals, black pepper, dry earth, underbrush, violets, and baking spices.  This has medium body, moderate tannins, and very good acidity.  On the palate the spicy cherries and minerals hit first, quickly followed by black pepper and a nice earthy edge.  The wine has a fairly long finish leaning on the spices and minerals with the fruit providing some background sweetness.  Not a big and rich wine like most of the Carlisle offerings, this has very little excess weight.  This tastes outstanding today and should and potentially improve over the next several years.  (91 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 2013 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

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

 

 

2011 Four Vines Naked Chardonnay

2010 Four Vines Truant Old Vine

2011 Alto Cinco Garnacha Cariñena

 

About the company:

Purple Wine Company was founded in 2002 by Derek Benham and is based in Graton, California.  Its mission is to create high quality wines that offer outstanding value and are consistent in style from vintage to vintage.  The wines made via its sister production company, Sonoma Wine Company, are produced using water and energy conservation practices, while reducing Green House Gas emissions.

 

The Purple Wine Company portfolio includes Avalon, BEX, Four Vines, Cryptic and the newest addition to the PWC family, Alto Cinco.  While distinctly different, all brands maintain committed to producing the best possible wine in an environmentally conscious way.

 

More information about Purple Wine Company and their portfolio of wines is available on their website.

 

 

The PWC Green Initiative

The Purple Wine Company has a successful “Green Initiative” that includes just about every facet of their business from growing grapes to distributing their wines.  Much more information and details of their model is available here.

 

The Purple Wine Company maintains a social media presence on Twitter and Facebook.

 

Here is the line up for this evening’s online tasting:

 

 

 

2011 Four Vines Naked Chardonnay – SRP $12.00

The Naked Chardonnay is from the El Camino, Los Alamos, and Loma Verde vineyards in the Cat Canyon of Santa Barbara County.

 

This wine was fermented and aged in 100% stainless steel tanks.  A small percentage (4%) was allowed to go through malolactic fermentation.  This as well as sur lies aging added a slight creaminess to the front end on the palate.

 

There were 56,000 cases of this wine produced.  The final alcohol is 13.9%

 

Even though unoaked Chardonnay wines are growing in popularity, especially in my house, it is a long shot it will ever over throw the Chardonnay wines that are aged in oak.  That category of wine is still one of the most popular out there with a ton of devoted followers.  I’m just thankful there are a growing number of wineries thinking outside of the norm and producing wines that highlight the nice fruit, minerality, and tangy acidity the Chardonnay grape has to offer.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright straw to yellow color.  The impressive and inviting nose has apples, stony minerals, white peach, lemon zest, lime, and a touch of almond from the sur lies aging.  This dry white has light to medium body, and tart acidity.  On the palate crisp apples, minerals and a touch of creaminess hit first with citrusy acidity kicking in on the back end.  This has a nice finish, featuring minerals, lime, and mouthwatering acidity.  (89 pts)

 

This is a real value for the money.  If you like wines like a Sauvignon Blanc, you should give an unoaked Chardonnay a shot.

 

 

 

2010 Four Vines Truant Old Vine – SRP $12.00

The Truant Old Vine is a blend of 77% Zinfandel, 13% Syrah, 5% Petite Sirah, 3% Barbera, and 2% Sangiovese from vineyards in Paso Robles, Mendocino County, Cucamonga Valley, Lodi, Amador County and Sonoma’s Russian River Valley.

 

There were 50,000 cases of this 14.5% alcohol wine produced.

 

Even though there is enough Zinfandel in the wine to be labeled as a Zin, the winery simply lists the wines as being Old Vine.  This is a smart move, in upcoming vintages the percentages may change and leave Zinfandel with a low enough percentage to not allow it to be listed on the front label.  Not listing a specific grape on the front of the bottle does not mean a lower quality wine, it just allows the winery to adjust the blend each vintage allowing them to produce the best blend possible.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly dark ruby red color.  The deep and dark nose has earthy, blackberries, black pepper, warm baking spices, plums, earthiness, and meaty notes.  This has medium to full body, light to moderate ripe tannins, and decent acidity.  The palate features nice berries, spice and earthiness.  The finish has decent length.  (86 pts)

 

This tasty, value priced gem is a rich but not jammy style of wine with good spice, perfect with something off the grill or sipping on its own.

 

 

 

2011 Alto Cinco Garnacha Cariñena – SRP $16.00

The Alto Cinco is a blend of 94% Garnacha and 6% Tempranillo from the Cariñena region in Spain.  The grapes used in this wine were harvested from vineyards both in higher and lower elevations.  The elevation of the vineyards imparts different characteristics to the finished wine.  In this case the grapes from the lower elevations added increased aromatics and berry flavors while the grapes from higher elevations added intensity and old vine spice to the blend.

 

The wine was aged for 6 months in a mix of French and American oak barrels.  The final alcohol level is 14%.

 

Wines from Spain, especially Garnacha, which is known as Grenache in other parts of the world, is a growing category, gaining devotees every day.  The Grenache grape is grown all over the world and produces varying styles of wines depending on where it is grown.  I’d advise everyone to check out wines made from this versatile grape.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium ruby red color.  The inviting nose has black cherry, raspberry, spice, minerals, licorice, dried herbs, plums, and a bit of earthiness.  This has medium body, moderate tannins, and good acidity.  On the palate, cherries, berries, loads of spice dominate with a bit of earthiness slowly building on the back end.  This has good length on the finish with nice balance between fruit and savory elements, nice closing acidity invites another sip.  (90 pts)

 

This wine would be wonderful paired with something hot off the grill, especially some chicken or pork.

 

 

 

 

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:

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

2009 Cellers Can Blau Montsant Can Blau

2007 McPrice Myers Syrah Les Galets

2001 Castello di Verduno Barbaresco Faset

2009 Clayhouse Vineyard Cuvée Blanc Red Cedar Vineyard

2005 Turley Petite Syrah Hayne Vineyard

 

 

 

2009 Cellers Can Blau Montsant Can Blau – $12.34

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

 

Winery history

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep maroon color.  The very intriguing nose has plums, minerals, dying wood embers, blackberries, cherry, baking spices, melted licorice, and dried herbs.  This has medium body, moderate to solid tannins, and very good acidity.  On the palate spicy plums and berries lead the show with dried herbs and spicy oak coming in on the back end.  The finish is fairly long with some nice minerality coming into the picture and ends with a smoky note that just seems to hang on forever.  This is now in a very nice drinking window and it should hold for a few years.  A steal for south of $15.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2007 McPrice Myers Syrah Les Galets – $34.50

I don’t think McPrice Myers makes a wine that isn’t pedal to the metal.  These are generally massive, distinctive wines.  Before opening a bottle of their wine, you have to be in the mood to get hit over the head.  I have moved away from this style of wines and left the McPrice Myers mailing list, but I have enough in the cellar that I can open one to share or just want something big and rich that requires no contemplation.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark purple color.  The massive nose is full of blackberries, blueberries, minerals, dark chocolate, black pepper, charred meat, hot asphalt, vanilla, and violets.  This has a very full body, solid tannins, and good acidity.  On the palate there is a load of peppery, crushed berries and stony minerals up front with some meaty elements and vanilla coming in on the back end.  The finish is long and lush with some dark chocolate entering the picture as well as a touch of alcohol.  This is a big boy with little in the way of subtlety or nuance.  (94 pts)

 

 

 

2001 Castello di Verduno Barbaresco Faset – $28.74

I’m a big fan of Italian Barbaresco.  I’m probably in the minority, but I prefer a nice Barbaresco over a Barolo.  Both wines are made with the same grape, the Nebbiolo, but are totally different styles of wine.  If you’ve never had either wine, I highly encourage you to try both and let me know your favorite.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light to medium ruby red color with a fair amount of brick, mainly at the rim.  The inviting nose has earthy underbrush, cherries, fresh ground espresso, road tar, baking spices, rose water, and a soft herbal note.  This has medium body, moderate tannins, and very good acidity.  Tart, earthy cherries hit the palate first, quickly followed by espresso grounds and spices.  The finish has nice length and has a slight, interesting, herbal note.  This is drinking very nicely today.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Clayhouse Vineyard Cuvée Blanc Red Cedar Vineyard – SRP $23.00

About a year ago, I received a sampler set from TastingRoom.com to review.  Of the six wines that were included, this was my favorite.  As part of the sampler set, I was able to select two full sized bottles of wine for free.  I liked this wine enough that I elected to get two bottles of this instead of selecting two different bottles.  This is a white Rhone style blend from Paso Robles made from Grenache Blanc, Roussanne and Viognier.

 

To see my post on the TastingRoom.com sampler set, see the post here.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light, pale, straw to yellow color.  The very appealing nose has apples, minerals, white peaches, white pepper, pears, orange blossoms, and a touch of lime zest.  This has medium body with mouthwatering acidity.  On the palate the wine is creamy and supple with apples, white peach and spice on the front end, on the back end, the acidity kicks in and wipes the palate clean leaving mouthwatering citrus.  The finish has nice length with some spice and white pepper peaking through the lemon/lime citrus.  This is a very nice white Rhone style blend from California.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2005 Turley Petite Syrah Hayne Vineyard – $40.25

This is a long time personal favorite, unfortunately at the current price of over $70, I don’t get to partake very often.  I lucked into getting a couple bottles last year on WineBid for a touch over $40 a bottle.  Someone must have not liked the wine to dump it at that price.  I’m still shocked my low ball bid won the lot.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark, inky purple color.  The stunning nose has blackberries, smoky wood embers, black pepper, dark bittersweet chocolate, well worn leather, warm baking spices, and a touch of cedar.  This has a full body, solid tannins, and very nice acidity.  On the palate this has big, juicy berries, chocolate, spices, and nice oak and possesses excellent balance between the richness and power.  The long, lingering finish is again very rich and plush with a nice blend of fruit and savory elements.  This is drinking very nicely right now but this has the backbone and stuffing to last in the cellar for a long time.  (94 pts)

 

 

 

Something new and exciting

Fellow wine lover and social media friend, Dan Goderis, started a Blog Talk Radio show.  Dan’s first guest was another friend, Karen Troisi from Jean Edwards Cellars.  The first “episode” is available here.  I highly recommend checking out this entertaining new venture for Dan.  This episode was sponsored by Carrie and Randy Bowman from Napa Valley Wine and Cigar.  Everyone involved is a friend, so check it out!

 

 

 

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:

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

2009 Turley Zinfandel Juvenile

2010 Villa Creek “White”

2010 Helioterra Pinot Noir Vintner’s Select

 

 

 

2009 Turley Zinfandel Juvenile – $16.00

I think this is one of the better bargains out there for a top notch California Zinfandel.  For this vintage, I was able to grab a few extra bottles from the local wine store when they had a special promotion on Turley wines.  For the winery’s $20 release price, this is an incredible bargain, at the $16 I paid, this is an absolute steal.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly deep ruby red color. The very appealing nose has brambly berries, black pepper, warm baking spices, cherries, caramel, and a touch of earthiness. This has a full body, moderate ripe tannins, and nice acidity. One the palate the jammy fruit, spice and pepper grab hold and grudgingly give way to some cherry. The finish has nice length and leans on the savory notes with the fruit providing nice background sweetness. This does show a touch of alcohol but not really enough to be a distraction, at least to me. Seems to be hitting its stride.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2010 Villa Creek “White” – $20.80

Year after year this is one of my favorite white Rhone style blends coming out of California.  Every Spring I grab a mixed case of this wine and the Villa Creek Pink when the winery puts out their e-mail offer.  To me, this wine is drinkable upon release, but with a year or two in the cellar, it shows much more complexity and richness.

 

This is a blend of 65% Grenache Blanc, 30% Roussane from the James Berry Vineyard, and 5% Picpoul Blanc.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a pale yellow color with golden highlights.  The crisp and clean nose has apples, minerals, white peach, orange blossoms, lemon zest, and pineapple.  This has medium body with crisp, citrusy, acidity.  A big mineral component hits the palate first, quickly followed by crisp apples and creamy white peaches.  On the backend, a jolt of citrus driven acidity clears away the creaminess, leaving your mouth watering for another sip.  The finish is loaded with citrus and minerals and has very nice length.  This is in a very nice place right now, but should hold for another year or two.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2010 Helioterra Pinot Noir Vintner’s Select – $23.11

This was a new winery for me last year.  Since that time, I met the owner/wine maker Anne Hubatch when she returned to her home state of Wisconsin.  After tasting through close to a dozen of her wines, I became convinced this is an up and coming winery to keep an eye on.

 

Winery history

Helioterra Wines is a small, artisan producer of Northwest wines made at an urban winery in SE Portland, Oregon.

 

Our wines are pretty, elegant and graceful in style.  Winemaker Anne Ebenretier Hubatch partners with exceptional regional vineyard growers to craft wines that demonstrate the best that the Northwest offers.

 

The name draws on geological inspirations, symbolizing Heliolite, the Oregon state gemstone (more commonly known as Sun Stone.)  Helio and Terra combine the Greek words for sun and earth, natural partners for grape growing.

 

For more information, I highly recommend checking out their website.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light ruby red color.  The very enticing nose has cherries, strawberries, baking spices, some earthiness, and a nice herbal note.  This has light to medium body, great acidity, and some subtle tannins.  On the palate there is a very nice balance between the fruit and savory elements.  The finish has nice length and again shows very nice balance.  This isn’t a big, ripe, highly extracted Pinot, this is much more feminine and nuanced.  This is tasting very nice but is still on the young side.  (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 2013 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

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

 

 

2011 Wente Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc Louis Mel Livermore Valley

2011 Wente Vineyards Riesling Riverbank Arroyo Seco

2012 Wente Vineyards Chardonnay Eric’s Small Lot

2010 Wente Vineyards Merlot Sandstone

 

 

This is from an online wine tasting in conjunction with an upcoming Front Porch Music Series concert.  More information on Wente Vineyards and their concerts is available on their website.

 

 

Wente Vineyards History

Wente Vineyards, founded 130 years ago, is the oldest, continuously operated family owned winery in the country.  The Livermore Valley based facility is owned and managed by the fourth and fifth generations of the family.  The family has approximately 3,000 acres of sustainably farmed vineyards at their disposal.  These grapes are used to create the single grape wines and unique blends the winery has in their diverse portfolio.

 

 

In addition to being a world class winemaker, Karl Wente is also a serious musician.  For this special tasting, Karl will be pairing the wines with up and coming indie bands performing during his Front Porch Music Series.  In a way to support emerging talent, Wente Vineyards holds 3 performances at their property every summer featuring local and up and coming bands.  As a prelude to the second concert on August 3rd, Karl will team up with one of the members of the rockin’ Stone Foxes to discuss music and wine pairings.

 

Note about Stone Foxes: they performed at last year’s music series and based in the region, are big supporters of “homegrown” bands from the Bay Area.  They’ve also performed at the Wente Foundation for Arts Educations Auction.

 

 

The line up of wines for this tasting:

 

 

 

2011 Wente Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc Louis Mel Livermore Valley – SRP $15

This is a tank fermented and aged Sauvignon Blanc from the Estate owned vineyards in the Livermore Valley.  The alcohol in this win is 13%.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light straw color.  The fresh and crisp nose has nice apple, melon, citrus, minerals, and a slight herbal note.  This has light to medium body with crisp, citrusy acidity.  On the palate the orchard fruit and minerals hit first with a nice grassy component and tart citrus kicking in on the back end.  The juicy finish leans on the minerals, herbal notes, and mouthwatering citrus.  This is a very nice, food friendly glass of wine.  The minerality on the nose is like cold rain hitting hot rocks. (89 pts)

 

 

2011 Wente Vineyards Riesling Riverbank Arroyo Seco – SRP $15

This wine was cold fermented in stainless steel tanks to help highlight the natural fruit flavors in the Riesling grape.  The wine was aged in stainless tanks and there was no malolactic fermentation to help retain the crisp acidity.  The final alcohol is 12%.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a very light straw color with some yellow highlights.  The nose smells like a tropical fruit salad with honey dipped apples, orange blossoms, pineapple, lime zest, grapefruit, minerals, and a nice floral note.  This has medium body, decent acidity, and nice residual sweetness.  On the palate the apples, honey, and lime zest kick off the show with minerals and a touch of mouthwatering grapefruit coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length and closes with some nice lime and good sweetness.  This would work well with spicy food, but would shine on its own on a warm evening.  (88 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Wente Vineyards Chardonnay Eric’s Small Lot – SRP $25

I’m a big fan of stainless steel tank fermented and aged Chardonnay wines that also did not go through malolactic fermentation.  This process lets the fruit and minerality shine through without oak and buttery notes getting in the way and maintains the food friendly acidity.  The final alcohol level in this wine is 13.7%.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light yellow to straw color.  The Spring time like nose has apples, pineapples, minerals, orange blossoms, pears, and white peaches.  This has medium body with good acidity.  On the palate the orchard fruit hits first with building minerality and pineapple coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length and closes with mouthwatering lemon zest.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2010 Wente Vineyards Merlot Sandstone – SRP $18

This Merlot is from the gently sloping vineyards in the southeastern corner of Livermore Valley.  The area generally has warm days and cool nights due to its proximity to the San Francisco Bay.  The wine was fermented in stainless steel tanks before being aged for 16 months in a mix of American, French, Eastern European, and neutral oak barrels.  The final alcohol is 13.5%.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium ruby red color.  The very appealing nose had plums, berries, baking spices, vanilla, minerals, and a bit of earthiness.  This has medium body, soft to moderate tannins, and good acidity.  On the palate the wine has a nice mix of fruit and savory elements with some building minerality kicking in on the back end.  The finish has good length with the fruit slowly giving way to minerals and a solid earthiness.  This is a very nice, food friendly, week night Merlot.  (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 2013 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

2010 Two Hands Shiraz Angels Share

2012 Bedrock Wine Co. Albariño Abrente

2010 Treasure Hunter Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Panjanatan Paso Robles

2012 Bedrock Wine Co. Mourvedre Ode to Lulu Rosé

2010 Turley Cabernet Sauvignon The Label

 

 

 

2010 Two Hands Shiraz Angels Share – $23.74

Two Hands wines are a “house favorite” around here.  Unfortunately the prices have rapidly increased, almost to the point the “Garden Series” wines are now special occasion wines.  This wine is still fairly reasonably priced as log as you shop around.  The price I paid is several dollars below the usual price for this wine.  Its a good value at this price, but for over $30 the value starts to get a bit iffy.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark ruby to purple color.  The very inviting nose has blackberry, smoldering charcoal, minerals, vanilla, white pepper, road tar, and a slight herbal note.  This has fairly full body, moderate to solid tannins, and good acidity.  On the palate the berries, minerals, and white pepper hit first with a nice herbal note coming in on the back end.  The finish has good length with some building smokiness and dark chocolate.  This is on the young side and will probably improve with another year in the cellar.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Bedrock Wine Co. Albariño Abrente – $22.00

Though this wine is offered on the Bedrock mailing list (and listed in Cellar Tracker) as made by Bedrock, the wine is actually the result of a partnership between winemakers Michael Havens (the first person to make Albariño in the New World) and Morgan Twain-Peterson.

 

Like I noted above this is not really made by Bedrock, but is actually a “side project” for Morgan Twain-Peterson.  I think this is the only wine being made by this partnership, but I, for one, would love to see them expand the portfolio.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright and vibrant yellow to light gold color.  The crisp and refreshing nose has apples, lime, lemon zest, orange blossoms, minerals, melon, and a very slight herbal note.  This has light to medium body, crisp acidity, and just a touch of residual sweetness.  The orchard fruit and citrus play off each other very nicely on the palate with a streak of minerals coming in on the back end.  The finish is fairly long with a mouthwatering lime note and minerals slowly fading away leaving you to grab the glass for another sip.  This will really shine on a warm Summer evening over a light meal.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2010 Treasure Hunter Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Panjanatan Paso Robles – $19.79

I grabbed several bottles of this wine, since a social media friend, Mark Adams, was the wine maker.  I’m glad I loaded up since the past few bottles have all be very good.  It’s always nice to get a good Cabernet for around $20.  Mark Adams is also the owner/wine maker of Ledge Vineyards.  He is also the Assistant Wine Maker for Saxum.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark ruby to maroon color. The deep and dark nose has blackberries, cassis, cedar, dried herbs, minerals, smoke, licorice, baking spices, and violets. This has medium to full body with fairly solid, ripe tannins and good acidity. The wine is rich and velvety on the palate with spicy fruit, dried herbs, and minerals leading the way. The finish is fairly long with nice spicy fruit, dried herbs, and a touch of earthiness. A nice, rich, but not over the top Cabernet from Paso Robles.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

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

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

2010 Turley Cabernet Sauvignon The Label – $40.00

When I received the offer from Turley for this Cabernet, I had to grab a few bottles.  I’ve read some mixed reviews on this wine so it seems like a perfect time give it a try.  I’m hoping the negative reviews are from the people that were expecting a big, ripe, overly rich wine.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep garnet color.  The very nice nose has cassis, baking spices, violets, cherry, dried herbs, and a touch of dark bittersweet chocolate.  This has medium body moderate tannins, and good acidity.  The creamy palate has nice up front berries, cherries, and spice with dried herbs and some building dark chocolate coming in on the back end.  The finish has decent length with a touch of earthiness joining the components from the palate.  This may not have a ton of complexity but is an enjoyable wine and seems to be in a very nice drinking window.  The QPR at $40 open for debate, but I’m glad I have more in the cellar.  (91 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 2013 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!