2008 Villa Creek Willow Creek Cuvée – $29.75

 

My comments

Villa Creek holds the number 1 position in my cellar with 85 bottles, 84 as soon as this one opens.  I love the very nice and varied blends coming out of their Paso Robles winery.  This wine is a blend of 50% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre, and 20% Syrah.

 

Winery history

In the spirit of the great wine producers of the southern Rhone and the bodegas of Rioja and Priorat, blending is what Villa Creek does best. The area’s finest Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre and Tempranillo Vineyards are just a stone’s throw from the west Paso Robles winery where these blends are lovingly produced by winemaker Cris Cherry and his wife JoAnn.

 

The grapes of the area’s most progressive vineyards, James Berry, Denner, Ohana and Booker, currently grace the wines of Villa Creek Cellars. Per acre contracts insure that the fruit comes off the same blocks each vintage. The Cherry’s own 70 acre estate on the west side of Paso Robles boasts elevations of 1400-1800 feet, calcareous soils, south facing slopes and ample water. In the spring of 2012, the Cherry’s finished planting their first grape vines, 3.5 acres of Grenache. They look forward to planting Mourvèdre and Carignan in the months to come.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly dark ruby color.  The sexy nose has blackberries, minerals, cherries, dried herbs, vanilla, earthy underbrush, smoke, licorice, and fresh wild flowers.  This is medium to full bodied with fairly solid, ripe tannins and very nice acidity.  Ripe, earthy, spicy fruit dominate the palate with dried herbs and just a touch of dark chocolate adding nice depth.  The nice acidity and tannins hold the wine together very nicely on the palate.  The finish is fairly long with a very nice mixture of the fruit and savory elements.  Very tasty today, but this will last in the cellar for several years.  (93 pts)

Label tears courtesy of my VinoTemp which doesn’t like the slightly larger bottles.

 

 

 

1988 Schloss Schönborn Erbacher Marcobrunn Riesling Spätlese – $34.81

 

My comments

A German Reisling with some (24 yrs is some, right?) cellar age is one of my greatest wine pleasures.  The sugary sweetness transforms into more of a richness in the wine as it melds with the acidity.  I can’t have enough of these wines in my cellar.

 

Winery history

Since the 12th century, the Counts von Schönborn have been part of the Rhenish knightage. Around 1349 their vineyards in Winkel in the Rheingau were registered documentary for the first time. Until the middle of the 17th century, the Counts von Schönborn were living in their area of origin in the Rheingau and in the Taunus. During this time, many vineyards were purchased in Rheingau boundaries. As of the middle of the 17th century, the brothers Johann Philipp and Philipp Erwein von Schönborn laid the foundation stone for the material prosperity and cultural wealth of the family.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright, golden yellow color.  The very pleasing nose has petrol, apples, white peaches, honey, minerals, citrus zest, lime, and some white pepper.  This has light to medium body with crisp acidity and nice sweetness.  Very rich and smooth on the palate with most of the overt sugar having been incorporated into the magical elixir.  The wine has a long, lingering finish full of peach, apples, honey, minerals, and lime.  This actually still tastes young.  (94 pts)

 

 

 

2005 Miller Wine Works Syrah Sage Canyon Vineyard – $17.99

 

My comments

I love a deep, dark syrah that highlights the non fruity aspects of the grape.  I consider this to be the polar opposite of the fruit bomb style of syrahs made in some parts of the wine world.

 

Winery history

Growing up in rural New YorkState, simple, fresh, homegrown food was an everyday experience. Our meats, milk, bread, fruit, and vegetables were from local farms. Many of my earliest memories are the tastes and smells of my mother’s kitchen – bread, Christmas cookies, apple pies, smoked ham, and Thanksgiving turkey. Just picked, juicy, finger-staining huckleberries were hard work, but memorable.

 

My first cooking job was a humble, short-order lunch cook but I was hooked. After attending the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY, I took advantage of numerous culinary opportunities at world class restaurants in White Sulphur Springs, Chicago and Aspen.

 

I always considered winemaking to be “cooking”. Through my entire time as a chef, I wanted to work with the flavors, textures, and aromas of grapes from the California coast. Finally I took the plunge and moved to NapaValley.

 

NapaValley is an amazing place, but not just for its history, natural beauty, and perfect conditions for winegrowing. The people are truly amazing, placing a premium on food, family, friends, and farming.

 

As a winemaker, it is my intent to make balanced, nuanced wines that speak clearly of their locations, and have affinity for carefully raised and prepared food.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a very dark maroon, almost black color.  The deep, dark, brooding nose features dark chocolate, smoked meat, blackberries, black pepper, dried herbs, A1 steak sauce, smoky embers, and some earthiness.  The wine fairly full bodied and has solid, ripe tannins and good acidity.  On the palate the wine shows some nice fruit but the savory elements are the stars.  Loads of charred, smoked meat, pepper, and dark chocolate take center stage.  The finish is fairly long with the dark chocolate and meaty elements slowly fading.  A really nice bottle of wine, in my opinion.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2007 Carlisle Petite Sirah Yorkville Highlands – $30.50

 

My comments

I’ve been a big fan of Carlisle for several years.  I still have a few bottles in the cellar from as far back as the 2003 vintage.  Mike Officer puts out a very high quality product at very consumer friendly prices.  This is why it is now next to impossible to get onto the mailing list.  A friend recently, after a few years on the waiting list, was offered a few bottles of wine.  If you have patience, check out the website and get on the waiting list, down the road you will be happy you did.

 

Winery history

We are a small SonomaCounty winery specializing in the production of old-vine, vineyard designated Zinfandels and red Rhone varieties (Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Petite Sirah). We have also recently added our first whites, both blends from historic, old-vine vineyards. While we like our wines to be bold and intensely flavored, each reflecting a sense of place, its origins in the vineyard, we also strive to create wines of balance, complexity, and nuance. Our goal is always the same – grow and source outstanding fruit, do as little as possible to it, and bottle outstanding, pleasurable wine.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, inky maroon color.  The very open and inviting nose has blackberries, cracked black peppercorns, road tar, blueberries, camphor, minerals, licorice, dried flowers, dark chocolate, and some earthiness.  The wine is full bodied with solid tannins and very nice acidity.  In my opinion the wine is still too young, and needs a few more years in the cellar.  This is still a bit ragged on the palate with scratchy oak and chalky tannins.  The finish is clipped when the tannins kick in.  The wine has all the necessary components for a long life but patience will be required.  (88 pts, potential to 92 down the road)

 

 

 

2006 Alma Rosa Pinot Blanc Santa Rita Hills – $4.75

 

My comments

This was on a super blow out sale at the local store.  I don’t know why there were still available after having been released at least a few years ago.  I didn’t have high expectations in a six year old, appellation Pinot Blanc, but had to try it out.  We sampled a bottle right off the shelf at room temperature.  I was blown away!  It still tasted young and fresh.  I grabbed six bottles, now it’s time to try one at the proper serving temperature from a good stem, at home.  It’s a perfect time to open one since the dish we’re making for dinner requires 2/3 cup of a dry white wine.

 

Winery history

Richard Sanford came to the Santa Ynez Valley 40 years ago with the desire to create wines that would rival the best of France.  First to recognize the potential of the Santa Rita Hills (now an officially accredited American Viticultural Area as Sta. Rita Hills), and first to plant Pinot Noir vines there, Richard is a pioneer with a well established reputation for excellence in winemaking.

 

Working in partnership for more than 30 years, Thekla and Richard Sanford founded multiple, successful winegrowing enterprises.  Their latest venture, Alma Rosa Winery & Vineyards, represents the culmination of a lifetime’s experience – an enterprise dedicated to creating high quality wines and setting a benchmark for organic farming, sustainable agriculture methods, and environment-friendly commerce.

 

The winery, owned by Richard Sanford, dubbed the father of Santa Barbara Pinot Noir and the first to plant the vine there, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on July 27.

 

After nearly a half-century of ups and downs in the wine business, Sanford admitted that he’d rather be riding off into the sunset than trying to save the family farm.  “It is true that I have been doing this for 44 years, and Thekla and I were looking forward to having some quiet time,” said Sanford.  “But that’s just not possible yet.”

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a clear light straw color.  The very light and refreshing nose has apples, lemon curd, minerals, orange zest, spring flowers, and a touch of pineapple.  This is a touch fuller than light body, has crisp, citrusy acidity, and is dry.  Nice apples and flinty minerality greets the palate first followed by bright lemon and orange citrus.  The finish has decent length ending with mouthwatering citrus and minerals.  This tastes young and fresh for a six year old white.  I don’t know what the release price was on this wine, but it was an absolute steal for under $5.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

 

2008 Melville Pinot Noir Carrie’s – $37.14

 

My comments

I have to admit, I bought this wine purely on the basis of a review given by one of the big time professional reviewers.  I’ve eyed the bottle several times over the two years it has been in the cellar.  I think a nice Pinot Noir should pair well with tonight’s dinner, so I finally get to sample it tonight.

 

Winery history

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby color.  An intoxicating nose with earthy underbrush, black cherry, raspberry, baking spices, vanilla, melted licorice, and violets.  This has medium body with ripe tannins and very good acidity.  Rich and plush on the palate with fantastic, earthy, spicy, fruit that slowly transforms to reveal a new nuance every couple of seconds.  The finish never really seems to dissipate, seemingly lingering forever.   One of the absolute best young California Pinot Noirs I have had the good fortune to enjoy.  Absolutely stunning!  (95 pts)

 

 

 

Mailing Lists

 

Turley Wine Cellars

The offer for the first Turley Cabernet offer couldn’t be ignored, so I ordered a few bottles.

 

 

 

Wines bought or received this week

It was a busy week receiving previously ordered wine.

 

Direct from Bedrock (2 bottles each)

2010 Bedrock Wine Co. Syrah Griffin’s Lair

2011 Bedrock Wine Co. Heritage Wine Dolinsek Ranch

2011 Bedrock Wine Co. Zinfandel Papera Ranch

2011 Bedrock Wine Co. Zinfandel Saitone Ranch

2011 Bedrock Wine Co. Heritage Wine Evangelho Vineyard

2011 Bedrock Wine Co. Bedrock Heritage Wine

 

Direct from Herman Story via friend’s allocation (1 bottle each)

2010 Herman Story Casual Encounters

2010 Herman Story Syrah Nuts and Bolts

2010 R.P.F. Wines The Signmaker

 

Winery Samples

2011 Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Moscato

2011 One Time Spaceman MCA Rose

2009 One Time Spaceman Moon Duck

 

From local wine store

2009 One Time Spaceman Reserve Airspace James Berry Vineyard (2 bottles)

2009 Cellers Can Blau Montsant Can Blau (6 bottles)

2006 Alma Rosa Pinot Blanc SantaRitaHills – Sta.RitaHills (3 bottles)

 

From WineBid

2005 Turley Petite Syrah Hayne Vineyard (2 bottles)

 

 

 

 

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 post will be shorter than usual since I spent two days this week sampling some wines for my previously posted blog on some Robert Mondavi Private Selection wines.  If these every day wines interest you, please check out that post.

 

 

 

2009 Bodega Catena Zapata Malbec – $16.14

 

My comments

I knew I’d be facing potentially severe weather this week since I had a business trip to Virginia and everyone knew the Frankenstorm was headed this way.  I decided I wanted to bring a couple of fuller bodied red wines to keep me company in the hotel room in the evening.  I grabbed three bottles of this wine when the local store had a sale of the WS Top 100 wines, this was #58 on the 2011 list.  With a suggested retail price of $24, and a community average price of over $20, I felt I got a good deal.  The only way to know if you got a good deal though, is to drink the wine.  Tonight I’ll find out how good of a deal this was.

 

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 fairly dark purple color.  The nose is dark and brooding with earthy blackberries, dark chocolate, vanilla, raspberries, eucalyptus, minerals, spice box, and lavender.  This is medium to full bodied with fairly solid tannins and very nice acidity.  The palate is much brighter than the nose indicated with the fruit leaning more towards the cherry to raspberry side of the fruit spectrum.  There are nice spices and some dried herbs as well and earthy elements and dark chocolate.  The finish has decent length and shows a touch of excess oak.  This would be perfect with a hearty week night dinner on a cold evening or just sipping in front of a fire place.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2008 Treasure Hunter Wines Cabernet Franc Catch 22 Alexander Valley – $17.81

 

My comments

As I’ve mentioned here every time I open a bottle, generally the Treasure Hunter line of wines represent outstanding value.  My local wine store has to be one of the bigger sellers of the Treasure Hunter wines in the country.  It seems like they get just about everything they release.  Treasure Hunter isn’t really a winery, more of a wine business.  They buy excess grapes/juice/wine and sell it as is or blend different lots to create their wines.  These are generally very good to outstanding wines that sell for prices well below their level or quality.

 

I love the Cabernet Franc grape.  At its best it has nice dark berry fruit with some cherry and dried herbs.  If the grapes are over cropped and picked before fully ripe, the dried herbs become the much less pleasing green herbal elements.

 

Winery history

Treasure Hunter is a label under the 3 Finger Wine Company family of wines.

 

Each Treasure Hunter wine goes through a pain-staking process of examination from our panel of nine called The De-Vine Nine. Made up of top sommeliers, winemakers and restaurateurs, they are the best of the best and they pour through hundreds of wines before they are deemed worthy.

Each wine is a small one-time offering and represents an extraordinary opportunity to drink seminal wines of great importance.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep maroon color.  The very interesting and inviting nose has blackberries, dried herbs, licorice, black cherry, baking spices, cigar tobacco, dark chocolate, cedar, and some violets.  This has medium body with fairly solid tannins and good acidity.  On the palate the wine shows a fair amount of upfront berries and black cherry with dried herbs and spices, slowly a nice hit of dark chocolate creeps in on the backend.  The finish has decent length and leans more toward the dried herbs and dark chocolate with the fruit playing more of a supporting role in the background.  This is a fantastic, young wine for under $20.  I’m going to try and hold off opening another for a few months, but it will be tough.  (92 pts)

 

 

Mailing Lists

 

Turley Wine Cellars

I received a very friendly allocation of the new 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon being released by the winery.  The price, $40, seemed to be very consumer friendly.  The grapes are all from Turley’s Estate Vineyard in St. Helena.  I will be buying a few bottles but won’t be taking my entire over generous allocation.  If you are not on the list but would like to check out the wine, this may be a good time to sign up.

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

 

This is based on a sample provided by the winery or an organization representing them.

 

 

I received a real nice Sampler set from Robert Mondavi Winery.  The set included two bottles of their Central Coast Private Selection wines, the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2011 Chardonnay.  Also included were nicely prepared spec sheets, their “Guide to the Central Coast”, a recipe for “Penne alla Napoli with Prawns” from Carmel-by-the-Sea’s Little Napoli Restaurant, a couple of salumi from Paso Robles’ Allesina Fine Cured Meats, and a nice Moon Book on Santa Barbara and the Central Coast.

 

 

 

We didn’t try the recipe yet, but it looks tasty.  I’ll post the recipe and my “tasting note” when we make it in the next month or two.  The salumi was delicious.  We served one with some assorted cheeses and crackers during appetizers at a dinner party on Saturday and it disappeared VERY fast.  Highly recommended!

 

 

 

On to the reason you are reading this, the wines.

 

 

 

 

Winery history

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

 

The winery designated a few wines as “Private Selection” as far back as 1974.  There were a few offerings over the years until 1991.  With the 1993 vintage, the Private Selection label became an annual offering in Mondavi’s portfolio of wines.

 

 

(from the winery website)

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

My comments

I have to admit, I usually drink wines a step or two above this level.  There is a reason for this, I’ve had too many lower end wines that tasted manipulated, lacked any varietal character, and that were over ripe, syrupy, and off dry.  The third reason is the one that disagrees with my palate the most.  I don’t like a bit of residual sugar in my dry wine.

 

 

 

2010 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Private Selection Central Coast – Suggested Retail Price $11.00

 

This wine comes from cooler climate Central Coast vineyards.  Besides the Cabernet Sauvignon (88%), this contains small amounts of Syrah(5%), Merlot(3%), Petit Verdot(2%), Malbec(1%), and Cabernet Franc(1%).  The sources for the grapes used in this wine are Monterrey County (60%), Paso Robles (30%), Santa Barbara County (5%) and Valley South (5%).

 

The wine was aged in oak for 12 months.

 

The alcohol is a very respectable 13.5%.

 

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium ruby color, lighter at the edge.  The fairly straight forward nose has cassis, baking spices, white pepper, dried herbs, cherry, toasty oak, and a slight herbal note in the background.  This has medium body, nice acidity, and a bit of a tannic edge.  The wine is a bit brighter on the palate with cherry and baking spices leading the way.  The finish is a touch short with the herbal note from the nose making an appearance.  All in all, much better than most of the $11 and under Cabernets I have had over the years.  This is dry and would work well at a party with appetizers or would go well with a nice weeknight dinner of beef stew, meat loaf, or even a meaty pizza.  There are much worse ways to spend your wine money.

 

 

 

 2011 Robert Mondavi Winery Chardonnay Private Selection – Suggested Retail Price $11.00

 

This wine comes from cooler climate Central Coast vineyards.  Besides the Chardonnay (96%), this contains small amounts of Thompson Seedless(2%), White Riesling(1%), and Gewürztraminer (1%).  The sources for the grapes used in this wine is Monterrey County(89%), San Benito County(7%), Santa Clara County (2%) and Valley South (2%).

 

30% of the wine was barrel fermented and aged 10 months in oak.  The remaining 70% was tank fermented.  The wine was 100% aged on the lees for 10 months.  Thirty percent of the blend went through malolactic fermentation to foster a creamy mouthfeel.

 

The alcohol is a very respectable 13.5%.

 

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a nice golden straw color.  On the fresh smelling nose there are crisp apples, lemon zest, white peaches, toasty oak, fresh Spring flowers, and a bit of baking spices.  This has medium body and is a touch creamy with some citrusy acidity kicking in on the back end.  On the palate there is a big shot of spicy, tart apples and lemon zest with just a touch of oak adding depth.  This finish has good length with nice balance between the apples and lemon zest with just enough spicy oak to keep the wine in check.  This would be a nice wine to serve with a creamy, rich dish or chicken.  This wine could also be served on its own as a nice cocktail wine.

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

Watch for a special blog to be posted, hopefully on Tuesday  of the wines we served at a small dinner party we hosted on Saturday.  We opened four bottles and the worst one was still outstanding.

 

 

 

2008 Fetish Wines Playmates – $17.09

 

My comments

This is a GSM blend from the BarossaValley in Australia, the blend is 80% Shiraz, 10% Mourvedre, 10% Grenache.

 

In my opinion, the sexy label does a disservice to the quality wine in the bottle.  This is generally your typical Aussie wine, the ripeness is pushed to its limit, but it doesn’t cross the line to the point of no return.

 

Winery history

Fetish Wine was introduced with the release of the 2004 vintage “The Watcher”, a Barossa Valley Shiraz made by Rolf Binder at his acclaimed Veritas Winery. The brand combined high-quality wine, a prestigious appellation and a celebrity winemaker all wrapped up in cutting edge packaging.

 

Shortly after this initial release a new project came together, this time partnering with Wayne Dutschke to produce the “Field of Dreams” Barossa Moscato. This wine brought a new, and very different, facet of Australian winemaking into the Fetish portfolio. The distinctive blue bottle and colorful label contributed to the Fetish Wines theme of being consistently different.

 

2007 saw the second release of “The Watcher” Shiraz, which received an even greater reception in the USA marketplace than its initial release, and the introduction of “Playmates”. An additional wine made for Fetish by Rolf Binder, “Playmates” is a BarossaValley blend of Shiraz, Grenache, and Mataro with eye-catching black-and-white artwork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark garnet color.  The big and in your face nose has blackberries, smoke, dark chocolate, cherries, vanilla, earthy underbrush, plums, dried herbs, and a faint eucalyptus note.  This is fairly full bodied with fairly solid, ripe tannins and decent acidity.  On the palate the wine shows a load of juicy, spice, peppery berries with some plums, dark chocolate, and dried herbs in the background.  The finish has nice length and again highlights the spicy fruit, dried herbs, and dark chocolate.  This is fairly straight forward but nice, especially as a “cocktail wine”.  With extended air, the fruit did recede a bit allowing more spice, dried herbs, and dark chocolate to show through, but I still lean towards this being a very nice before or after dinner wine.  (88 pts)

 

 

 

2005 Copain Syrah Eaglepoint Ranch – $35.00

 

My comments

This was always one of my favorite Copain Syrahs.  I was disappointed then they stopped making this one.  Granted, this wine was generally fairly ripe which is one of the reasons it was phased out, but it always had nice minerality and maintained good acidity.  The style change at Copain which was either praised or cursed depending on your preferred style of wine caused Copain to lose some of their “buzz”, in my opinion.  I still drink Copain and buy a few bottles, but escalating prices and other buying options has resulted in them having a less prominent place in my cellar.

 

Winery history

Wells Guthrie discovered early on that his taste in wine gravitated toward Europe in general and France’s RhôneValley in particular. So much so, he picked up and moved with his new bride to the region to learn from the best. For two years, Wells apprenticed for esteemed winemaker and living legend Michel Chapoutier in France’s RhoneValley. During that time, Wells was deeply inspired by the traditions and practices of French winemaking, not to mention the European attitude that wine is an essential part of life. At Copain, he creates wines that are firmly rooted in California, yet with the sensibilities of the European wines that so moved him. He is as committed to crafting these elegant, nuanced wines as he is to building a legacy that will be passed down to his daughters in the great tradition of European winemakers whose estates have been in the same family for generations.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly deep ruby color, lighter at the edge.  The wine has blackberries, stony minerals, smoke, eucalyptus, wild flowers, black pepper, earthy elements, and a touch of licorice on the enticing nose.  This is medium to full body with ripe, fairly integrated tannins and good acidity.  On the palate the wine shows spicy, peppery berries, minerals, and some nice earthy elements.  Nice length on the finish which turns fairly savory after an initial jolt of peppery berries.  This wine is now in its prime drinking window and should hold for a couple of years.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2005 Terre del Marchesato Emilio Primo Toscana IGT – $18.83

 

My comments

This is a blend of Cabernet, Merlot and Syrah (with a small amount of Petit Verdot) from Tuscany.  I grabbed three of these from a Garagiste Wine offer a few years ago but never got around to opening one.  This should be in a good place by now, so it’s time to check it out.

 

Winery history

The following was translated from Italian to English by Google Chrome, so at places something gets lost in the translation.  🙂

 

It was 1954 when Emilio Fuselli, a farmer Marches, acquired a plot of land from the Marquis Incisa della Rocchetta essentially for agricultural production, but they are planted the first vineyards. After him, his son Aldo – with their children, Maurice and Giancarlo – continues the expansion of business with the introduction of oil production, but it is definitely that Mauritius becomes the destination, planting only screws. The great passion for the production of wines and high already well developed in the field allow Mauritius to hone their abilities and lead to the first vintage in 2003 and the construction of the cellar: small but innovative and functional, designed to combine the genuine tradition most advanced winemaking technique.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark maroon color.  The sensuous nose has black cherries, charcoal, minerals, dark chocolate, mint, cassis, dried herbs, and violets.  This has medium body with fairly solid tannins and very good acidity.  The wine is rich and plush on the palate with smooth red to black fruit and is loaded with dark chocolate and dried herbs, with just a touch of oak peeking in from around the edges.  The finish is fairly long and continues the fruit, chocolate, and spicy oak from the palate.  My first experience with this wine and I’m glad I still have a couple more to enjoy down the road.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2007 Saxum James Berry Vineyard – $67.00

 

My comments

I’m lucky enough to have been on Saxum’s mailing list since the 2004 vintage.  Since I’ve been a pretty big supporter of their wines, I was allocated three bottles of this wine, which as usual, I snapped up.  Then the scores started pouring in, the magical 100 from Robert Parker followed by it being named Wine of the Year by Wine Spectator.

 

My three bottles have been sleeping in the cellar since they arrived on my doorstep about 3 years ago.  I pulled this bottle to open at a dinner party last night, but we never got around to opening it.  Since it was already pulled and it will go with our planned dinner this evening, the decision to open it was very easy.

 

Winery history

Saxum Vineyards is focused on producing Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre based blends from the Templeton Gap/Willow Creek area of Paso Robles. We let our rocky calcareous soils, steep hillsides, sunny days, and cooling ocean breezes speak through our wines by keeping our yields low, picking the fruit at the peak of ripeness, and using a minimalist approach in the cellar. We respect our land and farm everything sustainably without chemical fertilizers, herbicides, or pesticides. Because our vine’s roots penetrate deep through the fissures in the calcareous soil irrigation is rarely needed. Production is kept at 3000-4000 cases a year divided between seven different cuvees, Broken Stones, James Berry Vineyard, Bone Rock, Booker Vineyards, Paderewski Vineyard, Heart Stone Vineyard and Terry Hoage Vineyard.

 

My Tasting Note

I decanted the wine for a couple hours before tasting.  The wine is a deep, dark ruby color.  The wine has an exotic nose full of blackberries, blueberries, Asian spices, smoky incense, potpourri, black cherries, minerals, cola, earthy underbrush and a touch of alcohol.  This is fairly full bodied with solid, ripe tannins and bright acidity.  On the palate the wine reveals itself in layers.  First there is a solid hit of fruit with slowly building Asian spices.  As the fruit begins to fade, some nice earthy elements slowly start to build, later a bit of dark chocolate starts to take over.  The alcohol note on the nose is not noticeable on the palate or the long finish.  100 pts?  Wine of the Year?  I don’t know if I’d go that far at this point in its evolution, but there is still considerable upside.  (95 pts)

 

 

 

Mailing Lists

 

 

Westerhold Family

I received the offer for their Extended Barrel Aged Syrah.  I have not responded yet but I am leaning towards passing on this offer.  I love their regular syrah and I’m not sure the extended barrel aging is actually worth the 50% uptick in the price.

 

 

 

Wines bought or received this week

It was a busy couple of days receiving wine.

 

Samples courtesy of Elyse:

2007 Elyse Cabernet Sauvignon Morisoli Vineyard

2008 Elyse Zinfandel Morisoli Vineyard

2010 Elyse Petite Sirah Barrel Select

 

Received from Garagiste Wine

(6) 2005 Frenchman Hills Syrah Sentinel Gap Vineyards for $7.99 a bottle

(This was one of their “Mystery Wines”)

(6) 1995 Weingut Franz-Joseph Justen-Schmitges Erdener Treppchen Riesling Auslese fuder 9 for $28.93 a bottle

 

From WineWoot

(3) 2007 Core Tempranillo C3 Reserve

(3) 2008 CoreGrenacheSanta BarbaraCounty

(3) 2008 Core Grenache Reserve Santa Barbara Highlands Vineyard

(3) 2007 Core Ground Around

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

 

2007 Alma Rosa Pinot Noir La Encantada Vineyard – $14.99

 

My comments

I grabbed a few bottles of this wine at a blow out price of $15, based on the wine’s reputation.  We opened a bottle in January 2011, but it was WAY too oaky for our tastes.  I decided to leave it in the cellar for another year or two to see if the oak would integrate, at least a little.

 

Winery history

Richard Sanford came to the Santa Ynez Valley 40 years ago with the desire to create wines that would rival the best of France.  First to recognize the potential of the Santa Rita Hills (now an officially accredited American Viticultural Area as Sta. Rita Hills), and first to plant Pinot Noir vines there, Richard is a pioneer with a well established reputation for excellence in winemaking.

 

Working in partnership for more than 30 years, Thekla and Richard Sanford founded multiple, successful winegrowing enterprises.  Their latest venture, Alma Rosa Winery & Vineyards, represents the culmination of a lifetime’s experience – an enterprise dedicated to creating high quality wines and setting a benchmark for organic farming, sustainable agriculture methods, and environment-friendly commerce.

 

The winery, owned by Richard Sanford, dubbed the father of Santa Barbara Pinot Noir and the first to plant the vine there, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on July 27.

 

After nearly a half-century of ups and downs in the wine business, Sanford admitted that he’d rather be riding off into the sunset than trying to save the family farm.  “It is true that I have been doing this for 44 years, and Thekla and I were looking forward to having some quiet time,” said Sanford.  “But that’s just not possible yet.”

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark ruby color.  The big and bold nose has cherries, black raspberries, baking spices, cedar, wild flowers, smoke, and some earthy underbrush.  This has medium to full body, fairly solid tannins, and tart acidity.  Tart cherries hit the palate first, followed by some spices and earthiness before the oak takes over, which it does in a big way.  The finish is fairly long but just about totally oak driven.  If you like oak dominated wine, you’ll like this a lot more than I do.  (86 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Trentadue Winery La Storia “Cuvée 32” – $17.04

 

My comments

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

 

Winery history

The Trentadue family arrived in SonomaCounty long before their region gained a reputation as the Wine Country. Life-long, hands-on agriculturists, Evelyn and Leo Trentadue contributed significantly to the advancement of their region over the years. In 1959, the Trentadues decided to flee the developers encroaching on their apricot and cherry orchards in Sunnyvale, the area known today around the world as Silicon Valley. To preserve their way of life, these hard-working Italian ranchers purchased 208 acres of land in SonomaCounty’s then remote AlexanderValley.

 

See more at:  http://www.trentadue.com/winery/heritage.asp

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to deep garnet color, much lighter at the edge.  On very enticing nose there are cherries, raspberries, earthy underbrush, dried herbs, baking spices, licorice, blackberries, black pepper, and violets.  The wine has medium body with fairly solid, ripe tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate the wine is full of tart, spicy, fruit with nice earthy elements and some pepper adding depth and complexity.  The finish is fairly long and features tart, juicy cherries, licorice, and some earthiness.  This is a very nice “Super Tuscan” from California.  Tastes fantastic today, but this will last in the cellar for up to five years.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2007 Carlisle Zinfandel Sonoma County – $17.50

 

My comments

This is one of my all time favorite QPR values.  This is a Zinfandel that is every bit as good as ones that are on shelves at $30 or more, and it cost me well under $20.

 

Winery history

Carlisle is a winery that started as a classic “garage winery” for Owner/Winemaker Mike Officer.  His first foray into wine making was making 5 gallons of Zinfandel in his kitchen.  Over the next several years, with the help of his wife Kendall (Carlisle), and some friends, he produced a barrel of wine each vintage.  During this period, he also has a “real job” as a software developer.  To make a long story short, eventually the software developer title was left in the rear view mirror and Owner/Winemaker became his new title.  I highly recommend checking out the complete story at http://www.carlislewinery.com/about.html

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep maroon color.  On the big but civilized nose there are brambly berries, black pepper, dark chocolate, vanilla, licorice, dried herbs, smoke, wild flowers, and a touch of earthiness.  This is medium to full bodied with solid, ripe tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate the wine shows a load of peppery berries with licorice, dried herbs and a bit of earthiness adding depth and complexity.  The finish is long and features the peppery berries.  An incredible wine and an absolute steal for under $20.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2007 Novy Family Wines Grenache Judge Family Vineyard – $19.00

 

My comments

I really like wines from California made with grapes native to France’s RhoneValley.  The thing I most like is what frustrates a lot of people, the variety.  There are soft and fruity wines, full bodied and bold wines, and medium bodied versions full of black pepper and spice.  I like the wines made by Novy because they are usually in the third category, medium bodied and full of spice.  This style is the closest to the styles made in France and also the most food friendly.

 

Winery history

We met Dianna Lee at an in store wine tasting here in the Milwaukee area a couple years ago.  While we talked she mentioned going to college in East Texas.  After talking a bit more, it turned out she was in college about a mile from our house while we were living in Nacogdoches, TX.  We were able to talk about having Margaritas in a local Mexican Restaurant.  There’s a good chance we were all enjoying happy hour together, a few tables apart.  Who knows, maybe La Hacienda closed down because they lost all our business when we moved to Milwaukee and Dianna met Adam and moved to wine country.  Truly a small world.

 

For us, the beauty of making our own wine is the total freedom to do it our way, without compromise. Although it is necessary to be able to adapt to new circumstances with each and every vintage, we have found that these principles hold true year after year.

 

We believe that great wine is made in the vineyard. Only with great grapes can we produce great wines. To this end, we purchase the majority of our fruit by the acre rather than by the ton.

We believe in minimal intervention winemaking that promotes, rather than overshadows the work we do in the vineyard.

Most importantly, we believe that wine should be a pleasure to drink. If you don’t like the way a wine tastes, what’s the point? Novy Family wines are made to be enjoyed with good friends and good food.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light to medium ruby color, much lighter at the edge.  The very interesting and unique nose has raspberries, earthy underbrush, black pepper, dried herbs, baking spices, smoke, licorice, cherries, and a touch of eucalyptus.  This has medium body with fairly solid, ripe tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate a nice hit of cherry and raspberry precedes a blast of savory elements including black pepper, dried herbs, and nice earthy notes.   The finish is fairly long and leans towards the savory spectrum with nice cherry and raspberry in the background adding subtle sweetness.  Not a fruit forward, fruit bomb, very food friendly.  I like this a lot and feel it should last in the cellar for another year, maybe two.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

Nice delivery of samples from Elyse for me to review arrived today.  I look forward to sampling them in the next couple of weeks.  The reviews will be in a special edition of Cliff’s Wine Picks.  Selections include 2008 Morisoli Zinfandel, 2010 Barrel SelectNapa Valley Petite Sirah, and the 2007 Morisoli Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

 

 

 

Mailing Lists

The Loring e-mail with their non Pinot Noir wine hit and I immediately grabbed several bottles.  My main buys were the Grenache and the Convergence wines.

 

 

 

Wines bought or received this week

I received the samples noted above from Elyse, but that is all, so far.  If everything gets delivered tomorrow that is due, I’ll receive wine from Core (WineWoot), Garagiste Wine, and from a new favorite, Ledge.

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

If you want me to review your wines, see my Sample Policy or e-mail me at Cliff@CliffsWinePicks.com

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

2006 Oliverhill Winery Shiraz Jimmy Section – $19.00

 

My comments

One of my wife’s all time favorite wines.  How much does she like it?  Per Cellar Tracker I bought a total of 33 bottles, and his will be the 24^th bottle we’ve opened since December 2009.

 

I should add I like this wine as well.  I still do not understand how it was such a slow mover at the local wine store.  This is part of my last case which only cost me $19.00, a bottle.  A steal based on the $35 release price.

 

Winery history

Stuart Miller is the winemaker and caretaker of the vineyard: this is truly a hands-on winery where every step of production from vineyard to bottling is overseen by Stuart himself.  His family are involved in all stages of the process, picking grapes, pruning vines, bottling, packaging and more.

 

Oliverhill was established in the early 1970s and the Miller family moved in during the early 1990s.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, inky purple color.  The very inviting nose is full of blackberries, black pepper, vanilla, smoldering charcoal, licorice, leather, wild flowers, and dark chocolate.  This is fairly full bodied with solid, ripe tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate the wine gives a big blast of ripe, juicy berries with spicy oak and black pepper adding nice savory elements.  This is a big, bold, and ripe wine that pushes the ripeness but does not cross over into the sweet or syrupy level.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2011 Villa Creek Pink – $12.80

 

My comments

Having a little Rosé tasting with a friend today, so my contributions are this wine and the Bedrock listed below.  These two along with the One Time Spaceman MCA Rosé were the work horse wines this Summer in my house.

 

Winery history

In the spirit of the great wine producers of the southern Rhone and the bodegas of Rioja and Priorat, blending is what Villa Creek does best. The area’s finest Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre and Tempranillo Vineyards are just a stone’s throw from the west Paso Robles winery where these blends are lovingly produced by winemaker Cris Cherry and his wife JoAnn.

 

The grapes of the area’s most progressive vineyards, James Berry, Denner, Ohana and Booker, currently grace the wines of Villa Creek Cellars. Per acre contracts insure that the fruit comes off the same blocks each vintage. The Cherry’s own 70 acre estate on the west side of Paso Robles boasts elevations of 1400-1800 feet, calcareous soils, south facing slopes and ample water. In the spring of 2012, the Cherry’s finished planting their first grape vines, 3.5 acres of Grenache. They look forward to planting Mourvèdre and Carignan in the months to come.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a very nice looking pinkish salmon color.  The very crisp and clean nose has strawberries, white peaches, cherries, Asian spices, citrus zest, and a touch of earthiness.  Light to medium body with crisp acidity and just a touch of sweetness makes for a very nice, easy drinking wine on a warm evening.  The palate has nice crisp, sweet fruit and spices with some earthiness lurking in the background.  The finish shows nice length with the fruit and spice slowly giving way to a touch of mouthwatering, citrusy acidity.  A very nice Rose with or without food.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2011 Bedrock Wine Co. Mourvedre Ode to Lulu Rosé – $18.00

 

My comments

Having a little Rosé tasting with a friend today, so my contributions are this wine and the Villa Creek listed above.  These two along with the One Time Spaceman MCA Rosé were the work horse wines this Summer in my house.

 

 

Winery history

Bedrock is an itsy-bitsy winery making wine in a converted chicken coop. Fruit from only the most excellent vineyard sites is hand pitch-forked into the destemmer, fermented in open top redwood and stainless vats using only native yeasts, and are manually basket pressed by winemaker Morgan Twain-Peterson into the sexiest oak from the coldest French forests.

 

The winery’s objectives are:

.  To channel the fruit of ancient vines into powerful, elegant, and distinctly Californian wines.

.  To spread the gospel of Syrah in California by sourcing fruit from great terroirs throughout the NorthCoast.

.  To proclaim the greatness of Sonoma Valley Cabernet Sauvignon by sparing no expense on wines of uniqueness and personality.

.  To reclaim rose’ from the excesses of saignee and focus on precision, delicacy, aromatics, and food friendliness.

.  To make fascinating and quixotic white wines from unique sites and interesting varietals.

.  To make California Pinot Noir that ages as well as ’74 Swan.

.  To dream big but keep production low!

 

My Tasting Note

A nice, light, pinkish salmon color. Minerals, strawberry, white pepper, melons, orange zest, and a bit of dusty earthiness on the very appealing nose.  Light body with crisp acidity.  A very dry rose with nice minerality and fruit with the white pepper and citrus making an appearance on the back end.  Nice, lingering, mouthwatering finish.  The real deal.  Even those who like a crisp French Rose will find pleasure in this wine.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2005 Tenuta Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino – $26.91

 

My comments

I’ve been wanting to check in on this wine again.  We had a bottle about a year and a half ago and though it was enjoyable, I felt it needed some additional cellar time.

 

Winery history

The “Caparzo” name seems to originate from Ca’ Pazzo, as seen in several ancient maps.

The vineyards, cellars and all wine-making equipment were developed towards the end of the 1960s, with progressive adaptation and constant up-dating of both the land and the cellars.

Innovative cultivation systems and, in particular, several clones are still experimented today on the estates – extending over an area of 200 hectares (470 acres), comprising 90 hectares of vineyards, 4 of olive groves, 87 of woodlands and 19 of sowable land.

 

Caparzo aims to ensure top quality products through meticulous, craftsmanlike techniques while equally taking a modern approach to management, efficiency and business relationships.

More than forty years have passed from the first rows of vines and from the first wine-shop experiences.

Caparzo has since grown while keeping faith with the traditions of Brunello and the various local terroirs, at the same time as enhancing its wines with creative spirit and dedication to innovation as a means of ensuring the highest possible quality.

This is why Caparzo wines are served by the most famous restaurants in the world, as well as at international meetings and on official State occasions.

 

My Tasting Note

This was decanted for about two hours.  The wine is a ruby to garnet color, much lighter at the edge.  On the very nice nose there is cherry, raspberry, well worn leather, cedar, sautéed mushrooms, baking spices, dried herbs, wild flowers, and earthy underbrush.  This is medium body with moderate, ripe tannins and good acidity.  The wine has a nice initial attack on the palate but the oak eventually takes over.  The finish had nice length but the oak once again dominates.  A bit of excess oak can be over looked, but this is a couple steps beyond just excess.  Hopefully I’m just catching it at a bad time and the other elements will show up, but for now, let this one sleep unless an abundance of oak is not a problem for you.  Checking an earlier tasting note, I didn’t list excess oak as being a problem.  I’m leaning towards catching the wine at a bad point in its evolution.  If that is the case, my score will be dreadfully low.  (86 pts)

 

 

 

We had the Brunello with some Tortellini in Marinara Sauce with Italian Sausage, Mozzarella, and fresh Basil.  A fantastic pairing!

 

 

 

2008 Wild Hog Vineyard Petite Sirah Cache Creek – $9.97

 

My comments

The 2007 vintage of this wine was a show stopper for under $10.  When the local received a small cache of the 2008 vintage and made it available for $10 via an e-mail offer, I had to grab a case.  My first bottle wasn’t up to the level of the 2007, but it showed considerable promise.  I don’t know the story behind this vintage since the winery’s website says the 2007 was the last one produced.

 

Winery history

At Wild Hog Vineyard it is difficult to separate the wine from the winemaker. Daniel Schoenfeld began making wine as a home winemaker in 1977. He loved good food and wine and wanted to share his enjoyment with friends. He and Marion, his wife and co-owner, are both gardeners with a passionate belief in sustainable living. Marion tends a three acre organic garden which produces the vegetables and fruits that the family consumes. Daniel farms the five acre vineyard above the house. Together with their two children, Iris and Ariel, they harvest the bounty from the land. They take from the land only what they give in return.

 

As a winemaker, Daniel has a very simple view-allow the fruit to speak for itself. All Wild Hog wines are unfiltered allowing the full flavor to be extracted. The grapes are picked ripe and crushed (or de-stemmed) into open top fermentors-1 to 4 ton size. Yeast is added and the must will ferment 10 to 21 days, until dry. The must is then pressed and the juice held in American oak barrels. After 12 months in the barrel for Pinot Noir and 18 months for Zinfandel, the wine is bottled at the winery, using our own equipment. Since we do no filtering, the wine is racked two or three times during its time in the barrel. The winery produces between 3000 to 4000 cases per year, depending on harvest and availability of good fruit.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby color.  The intriguing nose has blackberries, black pepper, minerals, eucalyptus, licorice, violets, dried herbs, and some earthy underbrush.  This is barely medium body with fairly solid tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate the wine shows peppery, crushed berries, some earthiness and minerality, and the eucalyptus note on the back end.  The finish has very nice fruit and savory elements, and has decent length.  I really like the mint/eucalyptus note that carries through from the nose to the finish.  The label says 15% alcohol, but it seems much lower.  This is not a big, ripe, fruit forward wine like the 2007.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2001 Elyse Cabernet Sauvignon Morisoli Vineyard – $30.00

 

My comments

The Elyse Morisoli Vineyard Cabernets have been a personal favorite for several years.  The Mosisoli Cabernet, like a lot of the great Napa Valley Cabs taste very nice upon release, but some time in the cellar helps bring out the nuances and terrior, transforming them into something special.

 

Winery history

NapaValley’s Elyse Winery has two causes for celebration this harvest. In addition to a stellar looking 2012 vintage in NapaValley, it is the 25th harvest for the winery.

 

It was back in 1987 that Ray and Nancy Coursen crushed 4.5 tons of Zinfandel from the Morisoli Vineyard in Rutherford to craft 286 cases of their first wine. While the portfolio has grown over the last 25 years, the focus remains on creating vineyard driven wines that pair well with food. Total production is currently 10,000 cases and the wines are nationally and internationally distributed.

 

Winemaking is cooking without a flame. Our winemaking philosophy at Elyse in NapaValley is similar to the approach of a great chef who carefully prepares artisan grown ingredients to bring each layer of flavor to the table. Long term alliances with our growers form the cornerstone to our portfolio of vineyard driven wines that possess an unfaltering affinity for pairing with food.

 

“A meal with wine is dining – it’s a conversation, an event. It’s what wine is all about.” – Ray Coursen, Winemaker & Owner

 

“This excellent winery continues to carve out a well-deserved reputation for its interesting red wine portfolio.” – Robert M. Parker Jr.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a very nice, deep ruby color, showing absolutely no sign of age.  The outstanding nose has cassis, smoke, well worn leather, fresh ground coffee, dark chocolate, dried herbs, tobacco, and a faint hint of cedar.  This is medium bodied with nice, ripe, integrated tannins and very nice acidity.  The wine is very civilized and refined on the palate with a nice fruit to savory balance.  The finish is long and full of cassis, dried herbs, and dark chocolate.  Very food friendly, but I’m very much enjoying a post dinner glass.  This can easily rest in the cellar for a few more years, but it is stunning today.  (94 pts)

 

 

 

Mailing Lists

 

Loring Wine Company

This could get costly.  Loring is one of our favorite wineries.  They are mainly into making big and ripe Pinot Noirs, but have branched out a bit.  Now they are going about three steps beyond just branching out.  In their next release on October 24^th, they will be releasing five wines, none of which is Pinot Noir based.  This release will include the following:

 

2011 Grenache

Amazingly pure high notes of blackberry, plum, and red and black cherry. Plush and rich, but the acidity keeps it bright and focused. Concentrated but not heavy. Spice and minerality round out the finish.

 

2011 Mourvedre

A symphony of blackberry, coffee, dark chocolate, and vanilla. Great intensity and precision, with depth and richness. Once again, great acidity holds everything together in one seamless chorus of deliciousness.

 

2010 Cabernet Sauvignon

A dizzying array of blackberry, red and black cherry aromas and flavors, along with deep crème de cassis. Nice elements of baking spice and toasty oak. Muscular, dense, and concentrated on the palate, but still bright with a surprisingly elegant finish due to great acidity.

 

2010 Convergence (75% Grenache / 25% Mourvedre)

Super intense with layers of ripe raspberry, blackberry, baking spice, and vanilla that jump out of the glass. Deep and concentrated on the palate, with additional notes of smoked meat and minerality in the finish. An immense wine that’s still light on its feet.

 

2010 Divergence

The 2010 is a little less crazy than our past two vintages, but it’s still one of the biggest, baddest wines you’ll ever come across. Massive in every way, but still amazingly balanced. Blackberry, Chocolate, and Vanilla cascade over your palate. Insanely concentrated and mouth-coating, but with stunning acidity that keeps the finish bright and focused.

 

Visit http://loringwinecompany.com/ for more information or even better, to sign up for the mailing list.

 

 

 

 

Wines bought or received this week

Direct from the winery:

(6) 2007 Graeser Cabernet Franc Estate Grown DiamondMountain

(4) Villa Creek Mas de Maha

(3) Vila Creek Avenger

(2) Villa Creek High Road James Berry Vineyard

 

From local wine store:

(6) 2006 Alma Rosa Pinot Blanc SantaRitaHills – Sta.RitaHills

(3) 2007 Tenuta Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino

(2) 2009 Trentadue Winery La Storia “Cuvée 32”

(1) 2009 Pali Wine Co. Pinot Noir Riviera

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

 

2007 Ridge Geyserville – $26.59

 

My comments

I’d be hard pressed to pick my favorite Zinfandel based blend coming out of California between Ridge’s Geyserville and their Lytton Springs.  These are both wines that taste pretty good upon release, but transform into something magical with some cellar time.  These are generally not the type of zins that grab you by the throat and club you over the head.  These are much more refined and elegant.

 

Winery history

The history of Ridge Vineyards begins in 1885, when Osea Perrone, a doctor who became a prominent member of San Francisco’s Italian community, bought 180 acres near the top of Monte Bello Ridge. He terraced the slopes and planted vineyards; using native limestone, he constructed the Monte Bello Winery, producing the first vintage under that name in 1892. This unique cellar, built into the mountainside on three levels, is Ridge’s production facility. At 2600′, it is surrounded by the “upper vineyard.”

 

In the 1940s, William Short, a theologian, bought the abandoned winery and vineyard just below the Perrone property; he replanted several parcels to cabernet sauvignon in the late 1940s. From these vines — now the “middle vineyard”— new owners Dave Bennion and his three partners, all Stanford Research Institute engineers, made a quarter-barrel of “estate” cabernet. That Monte Bello Cabernet was among California’s finest wines of the era. Its quality and distinctive character, and the wines produced from these same vines in 1960 and ’61, convinced the partners to re-bond the winery in time for the 1962 vintage.

 

The first zinfandel was made in 1964, from a small nineteenth-century vineyard farther down the ridge. This was followed in 1966 by the first Geyserville zinfandel. The founding families reclaimed the Monte Bello terraces, increasing vineyard size from fifteen to forty-five acres. Working on weekends, they made wines of regional character and unprecedented intensity. By 1968, production had increased to just under three thousand cases per year, and in 1969, Paul Draper joined the partnership. A Stanford graduate in philosophy—recently returned from setting up a winery in Chile’s coast range—he was a practical winemaker, not an enologist. His knowledge of fine wines and traditional methods complemented the straightforward “hands off” approach pioneered at Ridge. Under his guidance the old Perrone winery (acquired the previous year) was restored, the finest vineyard lands leased or purchased, the consistent quality and international reputation of the wines established. Cabernet and Zinfandel account for most of the production; Syrah, Grenache, Carignane, and Petite Sirah constitute a small percentage. Known primarily for its red wines, Ridge has also made limited amounts of chardonnay since 1962.

 

My Tasting Note

This was decanted for about an hour.  The wine is a deep ruby to maroon color.  The wonderful and fully open nose has brambly berries, freshly cracked black peppercorns, licorice, baking spices, black cherries, with hints of underbrush, vanilla, grilled meat, and just a touch of earthiness.  This has medium body with fairly solid, ripe tannins and very nice acidity.  The finish is fairly long with nice fruit giving way fairly quickly to the more savory elements.  There is a touch of excess oak peeking through towards the end, but it should better integrate with a bit more cellar time.  This is an outstanding Geyserville that will drink nicely through the end of the decade.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2008 JC Cellars The Impostor – $25.73

 

My comments

This is a blend of  Zinfandel, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Tempranillo, Carignane, Grenache and Viognier.

 

Winery history

Jeff Cohn, the winemaker, president, and “JC” of JC Cellars got his start in the industry almost 20 years ago. As an intern at Boordy Vineyards in Maryland, he drove an hour and half each way to prune vines in frigid weather, pick grapes in stifling heat, and scrub everything from barrels to floors.

 

Long before he began his winemaking career he received an associate degree in culinary arts from Johnson & WalesUniversity, and a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management from FloridaInternationalUniversity.

 

Cohn had always loved the hospitality industry, and as he worked through several high profile positions after college he found his passion for wine steadily growing. The more he learned, the more he wanted to learn, until he realized that becoming a winemaker was his ultimate goal. The job at Boordy was a deciding factor in the trajectory of his career — in spite of all the scrubbing.

 

With the encouragement and support of his family, Cohn moved to California in 1993 to follow his dream. He earned his master’s degree in agriculture chemistry, with an emphasis on enology, from CaliforniaStateUniversity, Fresno in 1996. It was here that Cohn discovered French winemaking techniques and the concept of terroir. “The flavor profile was so different than anything else I had ever tried,” he says of the first Chateauneuf-du-Pape he tried in school. “It was a shocker. To go from tasting only single varietals to a blend really opened my eyes.”

 

For more info, visit http://www.jccellars.com/about-jeff-cohn.html

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep purple color.  The big and bold nose has brambly berries, black pepper, smoked meat, licorice, vanilla, dark chocolate, and violets.  This is fairly full bodied with big, solid tannins and good acidity.  On the palate the juicy, ripe, peppery berries lead the full throttle charge with nice savory elements providing depth and help to balance out the fruit.  The finish has nice length, again with a nice fruit to savory mix.  This is big and ultra ripe, but does not come across as overly alcoholic, sweet, or raisiny.  A very nice and successful balancing act.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Bedrock Wine Co. Syrah Sonoma Coast – $20.00

 

My comments

To me, Morgan Twain-Peterson from Bedrock is trying to follow playbook written by Mike Officer at Carlisle.  The playbook is fairly simple, offer outstanding, personality filled wine at good prices.  Though relatively new to the game, Bedrock is following the playbook to perfection.  Bedrock has one upped Carlisle in one regard, besides their outstanding red wines, they put out some of the best white wines being produced at reasonable prices in the state.

 

Winery history

Bedrock is an itsy-bitsy winery making wine in a converted chicken coop. Fruit from only the most excellent vineyard sites is hand pitch-forked into the destemmer, fermented in open top redwood and stainless vats using only native yeasts, and are manually basket pressed by winemaker Morgan Twain-Peterson into the sexiest oak from the coldest French forests.

 

The winery’s objectives are:

 

.  To channel the fruit of ancient vines into powerful, elegant, and distinctly Californian wines.

.  To spread the gospel of Syrah in California by sourcing fruit from great terroirs throughout the NorthCoast.

.  To proclaim the greatness of Sonoma Valley Cabernet Sauvignon by sparing no expense on wines of uniqueness and personality.

.  To reclaim rose’ from the excesses of saignee and focus on precision, delicacy, aromatics, and food friendliness.

.  To make fascinating and quixotic white wines from unique sites and interesting varietals.

.  To make California Pinot Noir that ages as well as ’74 Swan.

.  To dream big but keep production low!

 

My Tasting Note

This was decanted for about an hour.  The wine is a deep, dark ruby to purple color.  The very open and inviting nose has blackberries, smoke, charcoal, cocoa powder, grilled meat, black pepper, roasted herbs, leather, and some blueberry.  This is medium to full bodied with sold tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate the wine shows a big fruit and spice component with grilled meat, dried herbs, dark chocolate, and baking spice adding depth and loads of complexity.  The finish is fairly long and leans heavily on the savory elements with the fruit in the background.  This is still young and evolving but very tasty.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2004 Palmaz Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Cedar Knoll Vineyard Co. – $18.21

 

My comments

This wine’s normal price is in the $45 to $49 range, which I feel is WAY too high.  The community average price in CellarTracker for this wine is over $28, which is again pushing the limit.  Luckily I was able to grab half a case for well under $20.  That makes it a good Napa Valley Cab at a price that won’t break the bank when consumed on a week night, especially for an aged Cabernet is in its’ prime drinking window.

 

I’ve had a couple bottles that I liked and rated 89-90 points.

 

Winery history

Cedar Knoll Vineyard and Winery was founded in 1881 by Henry Hagen. One of their wines won a Silver Medal at the Paris Exposition in 1889. At that time, Cedar Knoll was one of Napa’s premier wineries. The winery was a victim of Prohibition and was closed for close to 80 years. Cedar Knoll is now owned by the Palmaz family. They have resurrected the vineyards and restored the original Hagen house. The vineyards occupy 55 acres and are located just northeast of the city of Napa.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly deep ruby color, much lighter at the edge.  On the fairly straight forward nose there is cassis, cedar, dried herbs, tobacco, raspberries, smoke and a touch of cherry and leather.  This is medium body with soft, integrated tannins and good acidity.  Nice sweet fruit on the palate with dried herbs and spicy oak coming through on the backend.  Nice length on the finish which shows more of the savory side with the fruit just providing a touch of sweetness.  Drinking nicely now, but I’d probably lean towards drinking over the next year or two before the fruit fades and leaves the oak component as the dominant element.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

Mailing Lists

 

It’s shipping season so most mailing lists have already been completed.

 

 

 

Wines bought or received this week

I received a 5 bottle sampler pack from The Seeker Wines.

 

Set included:

2010 California Chardonnay (unoaked!)

2011 New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc

2011 French Pinot Noir

2010 Argentina Malbec

2011 Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon

 

These will be sampled in the next couple of weeks.  They will be the subject of their own blog posting.  I’m looking forward to giving these a try.

 

 

 

 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 Anthill Farms Syrah Sonoma Coast – $18.00

 

My comments

Though mostly noted as a Pinot Noir producer, I have been loving their cool climate Syrahs the last could of vintages.  Though ripe as often happens with California fruit, these normally don’t push the envelope when it comes to ripeness.  These have the nice California fruit flavors, but generally maintain the savory elements that are sometimes lost when the fruit is picked at higher brix levels.

 

Winery history

In 2011 Anthill Farms was named one of the top 100 wineries in the world by Wine & Spirits magazine.

 

Founded in 2004, this new producer with the quirky name and unique label has burst on the scene with startling good Pinot Noirs made from purchased grapes. This project is one of many that has ties with the Williams Selyem winery. Three young Pinot amigos, who had worked together as cellar hands at the distinguished winery on Westside Road launched their own winery with three Pinot Noir releases in 2004. Anthony Filiberti grew up in SonomaCounty and was lured to wine at an early age. He learned winemaking at Bergstrom Winery in Newberg, Oregon, Hafner Vineyards in the AlexanderValley, and Williams Selyem. David Low grew up in Kansas but got hooked on wine while attending University of California Berkeley. A short stint as a computer programmer was followed by a change of heart and he later worked at both Williams Selyem and Papapietro Perry. Webster Marquez grew up on the East Coast and attended college in Virginia. Here he began working as an assistant winemaker at Jefferson Vineyards. He then moved to SonomaCounty where he joined Williams Selyem. Currently he is the assistant winemaker at Belvedere Winery in Healdsburg. The trio’s goal is to craft Pinot Noirs which “express the growing site and the characteristics of the vintage, and above all else, taste good.” Their emphasis is on the vineyards and have named their winery Anthill Farms to emphasize the many tiny individual vineyards that form “the link between place and product.” Their grape sources are NorthCoast vineyards in Sonoma and Mendocino counties.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep maroon color.  The deep and dark nose has smoked meat, blackberries, minerals, fresh cracked black pepper, baking spices, licorice, and dried flowers.  This has a medium body with fairly solid, ripe tannins and very nice acidity.  Like the nose, this is deep and dark on the palate with the blackberries, minerals, pepper, and a meaty element.  The fruit brightens a bit on the lengthy finish, adding some raspberry and even a touch of cherry to go with the meaty notes.  Still on the young side, but already stunning.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2007 Westerhold Family Vineyards Syrah Westerhold Vineyard – $42.00

 

My comments

This is a wine I tried due to Russell Bevan being the winemaker.  It absolutely blew me away.  I quickly ordered more and put the word out on Twitter.  I suggested to Jeb Dunnuck that he should track down a bottle to try, he then gave it 95+ on his The Rhone Report.  A wine store owner friend from Napa (yes, you Carrie) bought some for the store based on my recommendation, and had to restock since it became very popular.  I’m not sure the status of the winery’s mailing list, but I’d recommend checking to see if it is still open.

 

Winery history

Not much history, but I was able to get this from their website:

Westerhold Family Vineyards is located southeast of Santa Rosa in the Bennett Valley AVA of Sonoma County. We are a small winery dedicated to the production of estate grown Syrah, and in 2013 we will release our inaugural estate grown Pinot Noir.

 

If you would like to be added to our mailing list or would like more information, please send an email to info@westerholdwines.com.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep maroon color.  The irresistible nose has blackberries, smoked meat, black pepper, charcoal, dried herbs, melted licorice, baking spices, and a hint of violets.  This is fairly full body with solid, ripe tannins and very good acidity.  This is lush and ripe on the palate but not really pushing the ripeness to the edge.  The palate shows nice peppery berries, licorice, and some smoked meat with baking spices and dried herbs in the background.  The finish is very long and highlights the fruit initially but as the fruit slowly fades, the savory elements keep going.  Still extremely young but already outstanding.  (95 pts)

 

 

 

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

 

My comments

I’ve said many times in the past, I really like the Loring Pinot Noirs.  I’d have a hard time choosing my favorite vineyard though between Garys’ and Clos Pepe.  I’ll just have to say, I stock up on both when they are offered.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly deep ruby color.  The very nice nose has cherries, raspberries, baking spices, a bit of earthy underbrush, white pepper, wild flowers, and a hint of cola.  This is medium to full body with fairly solid, ripe tannins and good acidity.  This is rich and lush on the palate with the spicy berries leading the charge with nice earthiness and white pepper adding depth.  The finish is long and full of the spicy fruit with the earthy underbrush coming in on the close.  This is in a very nice place right now, but should hold for a few years.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2003 Celler de Capçanes Montsant Mas Donís Barrica – $11.96

 

My comments

This was an old favorite that I purposely saved one bottle to see how it would age.  I felt it had the stuffing to last and potentially improve with some extended cellar time.  This bottle has sat untouched in the cellar for about 7 years.

 

Winery history

CAPÇANES, a village hidden away in the Priorato hills inland from Tarragona is the source of many fine wines today but has a long wine growing history.

 

Prior to Phylloxera at the turn of the 19th century  was very densely planted but after the devastation caused by this insect only about 1/5th of the original vineyards was replanted predominantly with Garnacha which was the popular grape variety. Some of those vineyards, approaching 100 years old, still exist and are in production although yields are low.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium ruby color with a fair amount of brick at the edge.  The elegant and refined nose had soft black raspberry, leather, dried herbs, black pepper, cherry, and just a touch of licorice.  This has medium body, soft, integrated tannins, and very nice acidity.  As with the nose, the palate can be defined as elegant.  There are no sharp or harsh edges and the flavors are subtle.  By subtle, I do not mean they are weak, they are just toned down and not “in your face”.  Nice cherry and raspberry flavors intermix with savory notes of dried herbs and black pepper with just a touch of earthiness in the background.  The finish has nice length and lean more towards the savory side.  This wine is in a wonderful place right now and with the subtle flavors, I wouldn’t hold for too much longer.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2004 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley – $49.99

 

My comments

I’ve never really been a big fan of the Silver Oak style of wines, but when a local store was blowing these out for $50, I had to grab a bottle.  At that price, this was a no brainer to revisit the wine.

 

Winery history

Silver Oak is single-minded in the pursuit of exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon. For 40 years, we have produced delicious and distinctive Cabernets from our NapaValley and AlexanderValley wineries. Each Cabernet is food-friendly, extensively aged to be drinkable upon release, and perfect for enjoying with friends or family.

 

 

When Raymond T. Duncan first visited the NapaValley in the late 1960s, he was taken by the region’s rugged beauty. He was also wise enough to understand the potential of the fledgling wine industry. He began to buy land in both Napa and AlexanderValleys with the goal of planting vineyards. But with his home and business in Colorado and no viticulture expertise of his own, Ray approached Justin Meyer, whom he’d met through mutual friends, and asked him to plant and manage the vineyards. Then working at Christian Brothers, Justin agreed with one condition: in addition to managing the vineyards, he wanted to create a winery that would forever raise the standards of California wine. The year was 1972, and Silver Oak Cellars began.

 

Ray and Justin had a bold and unconventional vision for their winery. Rather than producing six or seven varietals, they would devote all their resources to producing a single wine – Cabernet Sauvignon. What’s more, their wine would be a new style of Cabernet Sauvignon, rich and complex, deliciously drinkable from the day it was released, yet worthy of cellaring for years to come. To achieve this end, they committed to an extensive aging program of approximately 25 months in American oak barrels, and 15–20 months of cellaring in bottle.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine was decanted for about an hour.  This is a medium ruby color, much lighter at the edge.  The fairly typical Silver Oak nose has cedar, cassis, dried herbs, plums, mocha, vanilla, fresh ground espresso, and just a touch of eucalyptus.  The wine is medium body with fairly solid tannins and good acidity.  On the palate the wine shows a nice balance between the fruit and savory elements, but as usual there is a lot of oak influence.  The finish is fairly long with the fruit grudgingly giving way to the spicy oak.  Not my preferred style, but this is a solid, well made bottle of wine.  If you like the style, you’ll love it, it you don’t like oak taking center stage at times, you’ll hate it.  I’m more in the middle of the road.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

Mailing Lists

 

It’s the joyous time of the year called “Shipping Season”.  I think the mailing season is done for the year, but there could still be a early mailer this Winter for Spring shipping.

 

 

 

Wines bought or received this week

 

(From Garagiste Wine)

(3) 1994 Theo Schmitz-Schwaab Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese

(6) 1994 Theo Schmitz-Schwaab Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Spätlese #3

(3) 1992 Theo Schmitz-Schwaab Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Auslese Fuder #8

(6) 2006 The Colonial Estate Emigré

(6) 1988 Schloss Schönborn Erbacher Marcobrunn Riesling Spätlese

(6) 2007 Domaine de Piaugier Gigondas

(6) 2007 BeresanWineryCabernetSauvignonWalla WallaValley

 

(From Vincent Arroyo winery)

(3) 2010 Vincent Arroyo Petite Sirah

(4) 2010 Vincent Arroyo Tempranillo

(2) 2010 Vincent Arroyo Mélange Reserve

 

 

 

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!

 

 

 

 

2003 Georges Dubœuf Moulin-à-Vent Prestige – $12.74

 

My comments

Conventional wisdom says this wine should be dead.  I keep my cellar pretty cold, generally 50 to 52 degrees, which usually adds some time to a wine’s life.  I bought and drank a ton of the 2003 Beaujolais wines but purposely saved a few bottles to experiment with how they would age.  This wine was aged in 100% new oak, so I felt it would have the best shot at outlasting the normal life span.

 

Winery history (courtesy of wine.com)

For over 40 years Georges Duboeuf has been the Beaujolais region’s most renowned négociant and is today regarded in the wine world as the “King of Beaujolais.” Born in 1933 in Pouilly-Fuissé, the son of a winegrower, Georges began selling his family’s wines from the back of his bicycle to now-legendary local chefs such as Paul Bocuse and Paul Blanc. In 1964, Georges realized his dream and founded his own company: Les Vins Georges Duboeuf.

Over the years, Georges has developed long-standing relationships with the region’s top growers and winemakers. Georges is involved in every aspect of his enterprise and is known for his passion and his legendary palate. In 2003, the Duboeuf family opened a new, modern winery in Romanéche-Thorins. The following year, the Duboeuf and Deutsch families jointly purchased Château des Capitans in Juliénas. With annual sales of 30 million bottles, Georges Duboeuf is one of the world’s best-known French brands.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine was a dull, light to medium ruby color with a fair amount of brick.  The exotic nose had raspberries, black cherries, sandalwood, warm baking spices, dried flowers, and just a touch of underbrush.  This is barely medium body with fully integrated tannins and good acidity.  On the palate the wine gives a quick burst of red to black fruit then slowly transforms to the more savory elements.  The finish is the opposite of the palate, the savory elements slowly fade leaving some nice black cherry and spice.  Have to say this is the first time I’ve had a 9 year old Beaujolais, but based on this bottle, I have no fear letting a few bottle lay for a couple extra years.  (91 pts)

 

 

2007 Nine Stones Shiraz Hilltops – $12.34

 

My comments

We generally like a nice, civilized Australian Shiraz.  We generally avoid the ones that are off dry,  have raisiny notes, or very soft acidity.  I grabbed a couple bottles of this wine since, based on some notes I had ready, it didn’t fall into any of the categories to avoid.

 

Winery history

Both the winery principals are of Celtic origin and deeply interested in their heritage. When the opportunity to create a wine brand based on this common ancestry presented itself, they named it “Nine Stones”. The Celts left many groups of standing stones including Stonehenge. These standing stones or Druids Circles are believed to have been tribal meeting places. They are circular in aspect for amongst all the Celtic tribes the wheel is the symbol of the Sky-God. Nine is the number of planets thus nine and its derivatives are “lucky” numbers. The stones were also thought to shimmer or dance in the heat on noon and hence “noon” or nine stones. Groups of nine standing stones exist in Devon, Derbyshire, Dorset and Cornwall, as well as at Aberdeenshire in Scotland and Count Carlow in Ireland.

 

This regional range of wines is made from grapes grown in the highest quality regions of South Eastern Australia. Since Colonial Times most grapes were used to make fortified wine, such plantings being principally in hot climates. A renewed interest in table wines began in the 1980’s and has accelerated since, resulting in increased planting in cooler climate areas. Provided careful site selection is practiced, wines from cool climate wines have more interesting flavours and are better structured than those made from grapes grown in hot regions.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to dark maroon color.  The inviting nose has cherries, baking spices, blackberries, licorice, with lesser amounts of vanilla and dried herbs and a touch of earthiness.  This is medium bodied with soft, ripe tannins and good acidity.  The palate has nice jammy fruit with spices and a touch of black pepper.  The finish had nice length and again is fruit driven with spices, pepper, and just a touch of earthiness.  Not the most complex Shiraz out there but it is a tasty week night Shiraz.  (88 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Copain Pinot Noir Tous Ensemble – $25.00

 

My comments

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

 

Winery history

Wells Guthrie discovered early on that his taste in wine gravitated toward Europe in general and France’s RhôneValley in particular. So much so, he picked up and moved with his new bride to the region to learn from the best. For two years, Wells apprenticed for esteemed winemaker and living legend Michel Chapoutier in France’s RhoneValley. During that time, Wells was deeply inspired by the traditions and practices of French winemaking, not to mention the European attitude that wine is an essential part of life. At Copain, he creates wines that are firmly rooted in California, yet with the sensibilities of the European wines that so moved him. He is as committed to crafting these elegant, nuanced wines as he is to building a legacy that will be passed down to his daughters in the great tradition of European winemakers whose estates have been in the same family for generations.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light to medium ruby color.  The sexy nose has cherries, baking spices, raspberry, with a touch or earthiness and a slight herbal note.  This is medium body with soft, ripe tannins and good acidity.  The palate has nice, sweet, juicy cherries complimented by spices, earthiness, and the herbal elements.  The finish has decent length and shows a touch of spicy oak.  A very nice everyday Pinot that could use a bit more complexity to reach the next level.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2010 Novy Family Wines Zinfandel Russian River Valley – $18.99

 

My comments

I think Novy is greatly under rated as a source of great, value priced Zinfandels.  I love all their wines, but the zins always seem to have that little something extra that is usually found in much more expensive bottles from other producers.  I was able to grab a six pack of this wine for about $19 a bottle.  I had one bottle not long after receiving the wine and though it was good, as expected, it needed some cellar time.  Time to check in again since it has been 8 months.

 

Winery history

We met Dianna Lee at an in store wine tasting here in the Milwaukee area a couple years ago.  While we talked she mentioned going to college in East Texas.  After talking a bit more, it turned out she was in college about a mile from our house while we were living in Nacogdoches, TX.  We were able to talk about having Margaritas in a local Mexican Restaurant.  There’s a good chance we were all enjoying happy hour together, a few tables apart.  Who knows, maybe La Hacienda closed down because they lost all our business when we moved to Milwaukee and Dianna met Adam and moved to wine country.  Truly a small world.

 

For us, the beauty of making our own wine is the total freedom to do it our way, without compromise. Although it is necessary to be able to adapt to new circumstances with each and every vintage, we have found that these principles hold true year after year.

 

We believe that great wine is made in the vineyard. Only with great grapes can we produce great wines. To this end, we purchase the majority of our fruit by the acre rather than by the ton.

We believe in minimal intervention winemaking that promotes, rather than overshadows the work we do in the vineyard.

Most importantly, we believe that wine should be a pleasure to drink. If you don’t like the way a wine tastes, what’s the point? Novy Family wines are made to be enjoyed with good friends and good food.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium ruby color.  The classic zinfandel nose has brambly berries, black pepper, licorice, baking spices, and a touch of dark chocolate.  This is medium to full bodied with fairly solid, ripe tannins and great acidity.  On the palate the wine shows nice, juicy, peppery berries and spice with a touch of chocolaty oak in the background.  Nice length on the finish with the pepper and berries slowly giving way to a touch of spicy oak.  Not the most complex zinfandel out there, but this is not a fruit forward, easy drinker.  With the great acidity and tannins, this may age for a few years, but it is delicious today.  (91 pts)

 

 

Mailing Lists

 

Nothing new hit my inbox this week, other than a few tracking notices and reminder of upcoming shipping dates.

 

 

 

Wines bought or received this week

I had to grab three of the WineWoot 4 bottle packs from Core Winery earlier in the week.

 

 

 

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!

 

 

 

 

2004 Elyse Petite Sirah Rutherford – $26.99

 

My comments

Elyse is one of my favorite wineries when it comes to reasonably priced, larger framed, red wines.  Elyse is usually our first stop when we visit wine Napa, and we have been known to stop again before we head home.  We love all their red wines and their Petite Sirahs have always been top notch.  I highly recommend stopping by if you ever find yourself in Napa and want to avoid the usual high traffic areas.  The winery is not far off of Highway 29 just north of the city of Napa before you get to Yountville.   You’ll thank me later.

 

Winery history

NapaValley’s Elyse Winery has two causes for celebration this harvest. In addition to a stellar looking 2012 vintage in NapaValley, it is the 25th harvest for the winery.

 

It was back in 1987 that Ray and Nancy Coursen crushed 4.5 tons of Zinfandel from the Morisoli Vineyard in Rutherford to craft 286 cases of their first wine. While the portfolio has grown over the last 25 years, the focus remains on creating vineyard driven wines that pair well with food. Total production is currently 10,000 cases and the wines are nationally and internationally distributed.

 

My Tasting Note

This was decanted for about an hour.  The wine is a deep, dark, inky purple color.  The big and bold nose has blackberries, fresh ground black pepper, dying embers, licorice, dark chocolate, violets, and a touch of vanilla.  This is full bodied with solid, slightly rustic, mouth coating tannins and good acidity.  The berries, dark chocolate, and pepper grab the palate almost immediately and then the slightly drying tannins kick in, clipping the finish fairly severely.  This still needs some time in the cellar for the tannins to integrate.  If you open a bottle now, give it plenty of air, probably a few hours.  My remaining bottles will sleep for at least another two years, probably longer.  (90 pts, this wine is hard to rate at this point, but I feel it will be 92-94 pts in a couple years)

 

 

 

A quick stop at the local UPS Depot netted me a couple wine samples from Mondavi, a book, salami, recipes and other swag.  These bottles will be featured in a future blog posting, but I don’t think the salami will make it through the weekend, it looks good!

 

 

 

1996 Klein aux Vieux Remparts Riesling Burgreben Alsace – $18.93

 

My comments

Another bottle from my stash of aged Rieslings.  This one is from the Alsace region in France.  I had a bottle several months ago and with a touch of air and warming up a bit, it was outstanding.  I may give it a quick decant to help it shake off the cobwebs and warm it up a touch since that helped last bottle.  We love older Rieslings, but I have far more experience with ones from Germany.

 

Winery history

I couldn’t find too much information on the winery to do with their history.

 

For your reading pleasure, here is a write up from Jon Rimmerman of Garagiste on this wine:

 

When we get a chance to acquire a wine with this age and this level of provenance we jump in head first.

 

It’s not often you get the opportunity to acquire cellar stock from a decade ago, nearing its peak drinking window – especially from Alsace. This wine is going to blow people out of their socks (well, not literally but you know what I mean)…

 

I originally inquired about this wine after tasting it at a dinner last winter in Strasbourg where a local collector was trying to showcase the best unknown producers in Alsace. I couldn’t find any at the winery but I found a few bottles at a local retailer and was told he had access to three more cases that were lying in the winery cellar as a library release. I inquired again at the winery and due to persistence was told there were “a few cases” but no more. I visited, tasted the wine again and walked through the cellar where I found a stash of this, unlabeled and full of the typical dust and mold one finds in decade-old bottles resting in a cave. I asked if indeed there were more than “a few” cases available and indeed there were (remember, this started as “nothing available”, “a few” and now “more than a few” – such is the nature of my job, gentle prodding that can seem determined to many Europeans but the results are in your cellar).

 

Hand-picked and hand made, this is an esoteric bottle of wine that contains a mystery of flavor and stony but honeyed Riesling fruit that is strong but medium in weight and beautifully balanced. It is just starting to mature and open and its best days are well ahead of it. Klein is known to have some of the longest-lived examples in Alsace (even the Trimbachs are fans) and 1980s examples are still going strong (even an early 1990s Muscat tasted was magical). The Klein Burgreben reminds me of a junior version of Boxler’s Riesling “Brand” from the 1996 vintage (or even Tempe’s 1998 Burgreben which is quite close) and I liken this offer to one of the Schloss Schonborn deals we had over the winter – cellar stock that is in absolutely pristine condition.

 

While we have the opportunity, I urge you to partake of this shimmering, lightly golden elixir – it’s just a great bottle of terroir-focussed Riesling (this time dry), directly from the winery cellar and never moved since bottling. The wine was just labeled on your behalf a week ago and sent on its way to us. For this price it makes a mockery of many of the world’s current Riesling release offers.

 

My Tasting Note

This is much better at a slightly warmer temperature.  This is a light golden yellow color.  The fresh smelling nose has apples, lime zest, pears, petrol, minerals, and orange blossoms.  This is dry with light body and tart, citrusy acidity.  The wine’s finish has very good length with loads of minerals and citrus zest.  Drinking very nicely today, but no real hurry on this one, it should hold a few more years in the cellar.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2007 Keplinger Grenache Red Slope Knights Valley – $50.00

 

My comments

This is another mailing list only wine that I was fortunate to join before they started getting high scores from the wine publications.  The “rock star” winemaker, Helen Keplinger is now the winemaker for the “cult” winery, Bryant Family, which appeared to be a bit outside of her normal “comfort zone” since she made her name and honed her talents working mainly with the Rhone varietals.  I bought several bottles of this wine, but have been patient long enough, one gets popped tonight.

 

Winery history (actually Winemaker background)

I always had an intense curiosity for science, a huge appreciation of art, and a gravitation toward and revitalization in nature – all which dynamically come together in winemaking. In 1998, I moved to California to attend the MS program in Enology at UCDavis.

 

After Davis, I worked with Heidi Barrett, Kathy Joseph, consultant Claude Gros, and David Abreu. Since 2004, I have been the winemaker for some exciting projects, including Cellers Melis (Priorat), Kenzo Estate, FortRoss, Sarocka, Scully, and Arrow & Branch. I am currently focused solely on Keplinger Wines and Bryant Family Vineyards.

 

My Tasting Note

This is a medium to dark violet color.  The wine has an enticing nose with raspberry, strawberry, olives, minerals, wild flowers, roasted meat, fresh brewed tea, dried herbs and spices.  This is fairly full bodied with solid, slightly drying tannins and very nice acidity.  The palate features nice, savory tinged fruit in the front with dried herbs and a touch of spicy oak in the background.  Very nice length on the finish which leans very heavily on the dried herbs and spices.  Don’t open this looking for an easy drinking, fruit forward wine.  This is very serious and in need of a couple more years in the cellar.  (93 pts)

 

About a half bottle was recorked and left on the counter.  The next day the tannins had integrated and lost the dryness.  The fruit has also come to the forefront and has pushed the still present savory notes into the background.  The wine is now much smoother and polished.  Leave these in the cellar of give them a ton of air.

 

 

 

2003 Les Hauts de Pontet-Canet – $29.99

 

My comments

I’m in the mood for a nice Bordeaux.  I saw my stack of 2003 Pontet-Canet but decided it was WAY too early to open one of them.  Then I remembered I grabbed a few of this, their second wine.  This should be at least getting close to a nice drinking window, so one get opened later today.  I’ll probably open the bottle later and decide if it needs decanted or if it’s ready to rock.

 

Winery history

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.

 

Over two centuries Pontet-Canet has been owned by three different families. Today it is run by Alfred Tesseron with his niece Melanie (daughter of Gerard Tesseron) who is the descendant of Guy Tesseron. Thirty years after their arrival in Pauillac the Tesseron have the satisfaction of knowing that they have gradually replanted some of the vineyard and renovated the buildings and the wine making facilities.

 

My Tasting Note

This was decanted for about an hour and a half.  The wine is a medium ruby color, much lighter at the edge.  The very nice nose has cassis, spice box, minerals, dried herbs, graphite, leather, some earthy underbrush, and a touch of cherry.  This is medium bodied with fairly solid, ripe tannins and very nice acidity.  Nice length on the finish which features the dried herbs, and spices, with the fruit leaning more towards cherry than cassis.  Still a bit young, but outstanding for a second label.  (91 pts)

 

 

 Mailing Lists

 

The mailing list season is just about over.  There may be a few stragglers or lists that are looking to move a few less popular bottles, but for most of us, it’s “Shipping Season”.  Shipping Season is that glorious time of the year where generic cardboard boxes arrive, and like kids at Christmas, we rip into the boxes.

 

 

 

Wines bought or received this week

 

 

 

 

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!