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

 

 

2011 Andis Wines Primitivo

2010 Andis Wines Painted Fields

 

 

 

 

 

About Winestyr

Winestyr is a new way to buy wine.  The company finds the best wines from the wineries that are too small for the big distributors to handle.

 

Our online marketplace helps wine lovers discover amazing lesser, known wines, while also helping small wineries reach new customers. Here’s a quick rundown of how it works:

Curation – We taste every wine we put on our site and turn down wines that are overpriced or poorly made.

Cost – There are no upfront costs or monthly fees. You learn about new wines and buy the ones you want.

 

BUY

We’ve curated over 300 wines from over 50 of the best craft wine producers in the country. We’ve tasted every wine and stand behind their quality so you can buy with confidence. We’re adding new wines and vintages all the time and continue to be blown away by the range of style and beauty of these wines.

 

DRINK

When you pop the cork, make sure to take the time to truly enjoy every sip. Focus on the experience – from the intensity of color in the glass, the aromas emanating from the rim, and the flavors and textures of the wine from the moment it hits your lips, through your palate, and after you’ve swallowed.

 

RATE

This is the fun part. We’ll automatically keep track of every wine you purchase through Winestyr and make it easy for you to keep track of wines you’ve liked and disliked along with your tasting notes. It’s like a virtual wine journal.

 

RECOMMENDATIONS

We’ll look at your ratings and help you learn your palate and preferences over time. Along with making expert recommendations based on your palate, we’ll also tell you why we’ve made our suggestions so you can learn about wine in the process. It’s like having a wine expert at your fingertips.

 

Some of the wineries available through Winestyr

Lucas & Lewellen Vineyards, McGah Family Cellars, Hand of God Wines, Desert Wind Winery, Outcast Wines, Joullian Vineyards, Old Shore Vineyards, Deep Sea Wines, Nichelini Family Winery, David Family Wines, Frisby Cellars, Naked Winery, Piccola Wine Company, Sojourn Cellars, Buoncristiani Family Winery, White Oak Vineyards & Winery, McFadden Vineyard, Wine Guerrilla, H-G Vineyards, Mill Creek Vineyards & Winery, Anaba Wines, Windsor Oaks Vineyards, Colcanyon Estate, Andis Wines, Charles Creek Vineyard, Rocca Family Vineyards, Lacuna Wines, Toccata Wines, Ground Effect Wine Co., Fore Family Vineyards, Reid Family Vineyards, Jim Ball Vineyards, Ehret Family Winery, Tallulah Wines, Big Fish Wines, Optima Winery

 

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

 

If you are interested in trying out Winestyr, use code “TRYWINESTYR” to take $10 off your next Winestyr purchase.

 

 

  

 

 

About Andis Wines

Opened in November of 2010, Andis Wines is a modern boutique winery located in historic Amador County in the heart of California’s beautiful Sierra Foothills.  Our focus: seeking out the best vineyards in the Sierra Foothills to craft delicious wines with balance, character and complexity.  All of our fruit is hand sorted and fermented in small lots to promote diversity of style and varietal correctness.  Using both traditional and innovative winemaking approaches, Andis Wines have quickly garnered 90+ point scores in Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast, glowing reviews in print and online media, and placements in some of the finest restaurants in Northern California and Hawaii.

 

Our building is a state-of-the-art winemaking facility built with a “green” design.  The spacious tasting room offers picturesque vineyard views of surrounding Amador wine country with comfortable picnic areas to spend time with family and friends.  Our contemporary design, gracious staff, and commitment to making superior wines make Andis a must-stop on your Amador wine tasting adventure.

 

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

 

 

 

The lineup for this tasting:

 

 

2011 Andis Wines Primitivo – SRP $25

While recent research has indicated Primitivo is genetically identical to Zinfandel, what we see in the winemaking process is a grape that behaves like Zinfandel’s more mature and sophisticated cousin.  Rich with all the attributes we love about Zin, dense fruit, big structure, complex finish, it also consistently has spectacular color and very silky tannins.  Quickly becoming one of our favorites, we’ve found there are few occasions or pairings where this Primitivo doesn’t shine.  The 2011 vintage was sourced from the wonderful Shenandoah Valley vineyard farmed by Art Toy.  It possesses aromas of blueberry and black cherry, accented by a hint of mint and cedar.  Medium bodied with a core of jammy fruit and soft silky tannins, it finishes with just a touch of pepper and spice.  Best decanted prior to serving.

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep red color.  The appealing nose has brambly berries, cherries, baking spices, cedar, white pepper, minerals, roasted herbs, earthy underbrush, eucalyptus, vanilla and dried flowers.  This has medium body, moderate to solid tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate the juicy, tart fruit gets spiced up with a small dollop of spicy oak on the front end, with a touch of eucalyptus, roasted herbs and subtle earthiness coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with some pepper and a floral note entering the picture.  If you like a restrained, balanced Zinfandel, grab a bottle of this wine, it will make you smile.  This is one to hunt down.  (91 pts)

 

 

2010 Andis Wines Painted Fields – SRP $28

Each season we harvest a few extra tons from some of our favorite fields and pull in some grapes from vineyards we think might be promising with the intent of finding just the right mix for Painted Fields.  As we set worthy lots aside, we begin experimenting with various blends until we find just the right mix for that vintage.  By not limiting ourselves to a specific varietal or predetermined blend, we allow tremendous latitude to make a simply delicious red wine.

 

This is a blend of 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Syrah and 10% Petite Sirah.

 

This has 14.5% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium ruby red color.  The nose is a touch reserved and shy but eventually has black cherry, baking spices, minerals, dark chocolate and a touch of vanilla.  This has medium body, moderate to solid tannins and very nice acidity.  This is much more open and giving on the palate with layers of fruit and spice upfront with minerals and dark chocolate coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with a touch of earthiness coming into play.  This may be one to sit on for another year or two.  (90 pts)

 

 

Connect with me

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

 

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Cheers!

 

 

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

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

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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!