2013 King Estate Pinot Gris Signature Collection

2005 Villa Creek Mas de Maha

2016 Roessler Pinot Noir Black Pine Sonoma Coast

2012 Casey Flat Ranch Open Range

2009 World’s End Merlot Little Sister Reserve

2013 Turley Zinfandel Old Vines

 

 

 

2013 King Estate Pinot Gris Signature Collection – $12.69

This is a very popular white wine in my house.  This is usually a very easy to drink wine that works with a wide array of meals or on its own on a sunny day.

 

The wine is a light golden yellow color.  The vibrant nose has apples, honeysuckle, minerals, orange blossoms, white peach and lime zest.  This has medium body with nice acidity.  This has great front end fruit with minerals, honeysuckle and orange blossoms coming in later.  The finish has good length with a touch of mouthwatering lime zest.  This is very easy to sip on its own or with a light meal.  This has 13.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2005 Villa Creek Mas de Maha – $45

This is a blend of 60% Tempranillo, 25% Grenache and 15% Mourvedre from Paso Robles.

 

This wine is a deep maroon color.  The intoxicating nose is full of black raspberries, blueberries, violets, crushed stones, dry underbrush, licorice, Asian spices and white pepper.  This has a full body with moderate tannins and nice acidity.  This is full of rich and velvety fruit on the front end of the palate with minerals, spices, white pepper and underbrush coming in on the backend.  The finish has very nice length with the fruit and minerals lingering nicely.  This still tastes great and is holding up nicely but I wouldn’t hold onto it for too much longer.  This has 15% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off closure.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2016 Roessler Pinot Noir Black Pine Sonoma Coast – $16

This was another “steal” from Last Bottle wines, my favorite “flash” wine site.  If you use the provided link and sign up, you get an immediate $10 credit and I get a credit if/when you make a purchase.  Check them out, they have awesome deals and their Marathons are always something special.

 

This 100% Pinot Noir uses grapes mainly from a western Russian River Valley vineyard with additional grapes from the Carneros region and others from the western edge of the Petaluma gap.  After fermentation the wine was aged for 10 months sur lies in French oak with 20% being new.

 

This wine is a deep ruby red color.  The inviting nose has black cherries, earthy underbrush, crushed stone minerals, strawberries, wildflowers, baking spices, white pepper and vanilla bean.  This has medium body with soft to moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate cherries, baking spices and minerals come through on the front end with white pepper, earthy underbrush and vanilla bean coming in later.  The finish has good length with strawberry and a nice floral note providing depth.  For such a young wine, this is delicious with some air.  I wouldn’t stash this away in the back of the cellar, enjoy this one over the next few years.  This has great balance and the bright flavors make this a perfect dinner companion to a wide array of meals.  I can’t believe I bought this for only $16, I really should have loaded up.  If Last Bottle offers this again, I’ll be all in.  This has 14.2% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Casey Flat Ranch Open Range – $9.74

This was another “steal” from Last Bottle wines, my favorite “flash” wine site.  If you use the provided link and sign up, you get an immediate $10 credit and I get a credit if/when you make a purchase.  Check them out, they have awesome deals and their Marathons are always something special.

 

This is a blend of 52% Syrah, 33% Petite Sirah, 8% Merlot, 5% Mourvedre and 2% Cabernet Franc.

 

This was a house favorite when we wanted “something different”.  Unfortunately the winery closed so there won’t be more down the road.  Luckily, Last Bottle bought everything the winery had available and sold the wine at an incredible price.  Last Bottle didn’t just buy the winery’s finished wines but also bought barrels the winery had aging in their cellar.  When those wines were ready, they were bottled and released by Last Bottle.  I’ll have reviews of those wines down the road since I stocked up on those offers.

 

The wine is a dark ruby to maroon color.  The appealing nose has crushed berries, licorice, black peppercorns, dried wild flowers, dusty minerals, fresh ground espresso beans and dry earth.  This has medium to full body with soft to moderate tannins and good acidity.  On the palate berries, black pepper and minerals pop out first with dry earth and a nice dried floral note coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with espresso beans providing depth.  This is a nice, easy drinking everyday wine, especially at the price.  I’d enjoy this one over the next few years.  This has 14.8% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off cap.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2009 World’s End Merlot Little Sister Reserve – $19.48

This was another “steal” from Last Bottle wines, my favorite “flash” wine site.  If you use the provided link and sign up, you get an immediate $10 credit and I get a credit if/when you make a purchase.  Check them out, they have awesome deals and their Marathons are always something special.

 

This is a deep ruby red color.  The captivating nose has black cherries, charred wood, plums, crushed stone minerals, cocoa powder, dried herbs, vanilla bean and violets.  This has medium to full body with moderate tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate black cherries, cocoa powder, minerals and plums quickly jump out on the front end with charred wood and dried herbs coming in later.  The finish has nice length with vanilla bean and violets providing additional depth.  This is drinking very nicely right now and should hold for three to five more years.  This has 14.8% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2013 Turley Zinfandel Old Vines – $25

This is a perennial best buy.  This is a blend of grapes from vineyards to small to have a vineyard designated wine or vineyards that are “new” sources for Turley.  The vines for this wine are 45 to over 130 years old.

 

The wine is a deep ruby color.  The comforting nose has briary berries, dry earth, baking spices, black pepper, black cherries, licorice and plums.  This has a full body with moderate tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate berries, pepper and dry earth power the front end with plums, black cherries and baking spices coming in later.  The finish has nice length with licorice and dry earth joining the berries.  This still seems to be on the young side so there is no hurry with one.  This is rich and lush with good fruit and plenty of structure.  This has 15.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

A few meals paired with a couple of the wines.

 

Other meals that were paired with all the wines for the week are usually posted on my Instagram account, Cliff’s Wine Picks Instagram.  If you want a specific recipe, send an e-mail to Cliff @ CliffsWinePicks . com.  Obviously, remove the spaces.

 

 

I paired the Villa Creek Mas de Maha with a Rack of Pork, my favorite potatoes and mixed peas from this Summer’s garden.

 

 

 

I made up a large batch of spicy Mexican Meatballs and served them with Chipotle Refried Beans with the Turley Old Vine Zinfandel.

 

 

 

Slow Cooked Beef Cubed Steak and mashed red skin potatoes covered in a thick, rich gravy was paired with the World’s End Merlot.

 

 

 

 

 

I am a big fan of the “Flash Wine Sale” site Last Bottle.  You probably noticed some of the wines in this post were purchased from the site.  All of these wines were purchased at a big discount.  I highly recommend getting on their e-mail list.  Like most of the flash sale sites, they offer one wine per day until it sells out.  They also have a couple two-day marathons during the year.  Last Bottle is a great site to buy special wines at prices low enough to open any day of the week.

 

If you sign up using this link you will get a $10 credit that can be used on your first purchase.  I will also get a credit if you make a purchase.

 

Other than getting a credit as explained above, I have no financial interest in the site.  After you are on the list, you can also get the same credit by introducing friends to Last Bottle.

 

 

 

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.

 

I post a lot more pictures and pairing suggestions on my Instagram account, consider joining me at https://www.instagram.com/cbbrown3/

 

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

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 2017 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

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

 

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

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase.  I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but always check out the sale and close out items when in a store.  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!

 

 

2012 Domaine de la Presidente Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Grands Classiques

2012 FTP Vinhos Douro Duvalley

2009 Turley Zinfandel Cedarman

2012 Casey Flat Ranch Open Range

2015 LangeTwins Sangiovese Rosé

2013 Scriani Ripasso della Valpolicella Classico Superiore

 

 

 

2012 Domaine de la Presidente Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Grands Classiques – $25.49

This wine is a blend of 50% Grenache Blanc, 20% Clairette, 20% Roussanne and 10% Bourboulenc. 10% was fermented and aged in barriques for 5 months.  The remainder was fermented and aged in stainless steel before blending.

 

The wine is a bright straw yellow color.  The intriguing nose has tart apples, flinty minerals, white peach, orange blossoms, white pepper, lemon zest and a hint of leafy herb.  This has medium body with very nice acidity.  On the palate tart apples, minerals and white pepper quickly jump out on the front end with orange blossoms and leafy herbs coming in on the back end.  The finish has very nice length with tart lemon zest providing some depth and nice zip.  This would be a welcome addition to any dinner table with seafood.  I liked this one.  This has 14.0% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2012 FTP Vinhos Douro Duvalley – $12.59

This white wine from the Duoro region in Portugal is a blend of 60% Viosinho and 40% Rabigato.  I was able to taste this wine as well as several others with the importer several months ago.  He specializes in small wineries mainly in Spain, Portugal and Chile.

 

The wine is a light yellow color.  The exotic nose has pineapple, apples, crushed stone minerals, orange blossoms and lime zest.  This has medium body and very nice acidity.  On the palate tart apples, minerals and pineapple jump out on the front end with orange blossoms coming in later.  The finish has nice length with lime zest and a touch of leafy herb providing good depth.  This is a nice wine for a lighter meal on the deck or patio on a sunny day.  For two unusual grape varieties, this tastes a touch familiar but is also a bit exotic.  I like it!  This has 13% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Turley Zinfandel Cedarman – $29.00

This wine is a blend of fruit from both Rattlesnake Ridge and Dragon Vineyards on Howell Mountain.  This wine is primarily Zinfandel with a small amount of Petite Syrah from the Rattlesnake vineyard.

 

The wine is a deep maroon color.  The open and outgoing nose is full of brambly berries, black pepper, licorice, Asian spice, minerals, dry earth and fresh ground espresso beans.  This has a full body with moderate tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate berries, black pepper, and minerals pop out on the front end with Asian spice and dry earth coming in later.  The finish has great length with dark chocolate and espresso beans adding considerable depth and interest.  This is drinking very nicely today and should hold through the end of the decade.  This has 16.2% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Casey Flat Ranch Open Range – $9.74

This was another “steal” from Last Bottle wines, my favorite “flash” wine site.  If you use the provided link and sign up, you get an immediate $10 credit and I get a credit if/when you make a purchase.  Check them out, they have awesome deals and their Marathons are always something special.

 

This is a blend of 52% Syrah, 33% Petite Sirah, 8% Merlot, 5% Mourvedre and 2% Cabernet Franc.

 

This is a house favorite when we want “something different”.  It was a sad day when the winery closed their doors for good.  At least I was able to stock up on several of the wines when Last Bottle cleared them out.

 

The wine is a dark ruby to maroon color.  The appealing nose has crushed berries, licorice, black peppercorns, dried wild flowers, dusty minerals, fresh ground espresso beans and dry earth.  This has medium to full body with soft to moderate tannins and good acidity.  On the palate berries, black pepper and minerals pop out first with dry earth and a nice dried floral note coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with espresso beans providing depth.  This is a nice, easy drinking everyday wine, especially at the price.  I’d enjoy this one over the next 4 or 5 years.  This has 14.8% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off cap.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2015 LangeTwins Sangiovese Rosé – $12.00

This wine comes from the vineyard across Jahant Road from the winery.

 

The wine is a bright, saturated pink color.  The invigorating nose has cherries, strawberries, crushed stone minerals, dusty earth and orange blossoms.  This has light to medium body with very nice acidity.  On the palate bright red fruit, minerals and a touch of earthiness dominate with a touch of orange blossoms coming in later.  The finish has nice length with the bright red fruit and subtle minerality lingering nicely.  This is an easy wine to enjoy on a warm, sunny day.  This has 12% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off closure.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2013 Scriani Ripasso della Valpolicella Classico Superiore – $20.69

This is a blend of 60% Corvina, 20% Corvinone, 10% Rondinella, 7% Croatina and 3% Oseleta.

 

The wine is a deep maroon color.  The very inviting nose has blackberries, dusty minerals, baking spices, dried flowers, underbrush and a touch of licorice.  This has medium to full body with moderate tannins and good acidity.  On the palate crushed berries, spices and minerals jump out on the front end with underbrush coming in on the back end.  The finish has very nice length with a dried floral note providing some depth.  This is a classic, easy drinking Ripasso.  Nicely done!  This has 14.0% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

 

I am a big fan of the “Flash Wine Sale” site Last Bottle.  You probably noticed some of the wines in this post were purchased from the site.  All of these wines were purchased at a big discount.  I highly recommend getting on their e-mail list.  Like most of the flash sale sites, they offer one wine per day until it sells out.  They also have a couple two-day marathons during the year.  Last Bottle is a great site to buy special wines at prices low enough to open any day of the week.

 

If you sign up using this link you will get a $10 credit that can be used on your first purchase.  I will also get a credit if you make a purchase.

 

Other than getting a credit as explained above, I have no financial interest in the site.  After you are on the list, you can also get the same credit by introducing friends to Last Bottle.

 

 

 

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.

 

I post a lot more pictures and pairing suggestions on my Instagram account, consider joining me at https://www.instagram.com/cbbrown3/

 

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

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 2017 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

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

 

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

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase.  I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but always check out the sale and close out items when in a store.  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!

 

 

2011 Casey Flat Ranch Open Range

2008 Cosa Obra Proprietor’s Blend

2011 Helioterra Pinot Noir Vintner’s Select

2014 Christian Salmon Sancerre Rose Cuvee Vieilles Vignes

2007 Villa Creek High Road James Berry Vineyard

 

 

 

2011 Casey Flat Ranch Open Range – $8.70

Purchased from Last Bottle see info below on joining this wonderful site.

 

This wine is a blend of 68% Syrah, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Petite Sirah, 6% Mourvedre and 1% Merlot.  The grapes for this wine was bought from various North Coast growers combined with some from the estate vineyards.  A total of 2,954 cases were produced.

 

The wine is a deep purple color.  The inviting nose has blackberries, crushed stones, white pepper, cherries, cocoa powder and roasted leafy herbs.  This has medium to full body with soft to moderate tannins and nice acidity.  This is rich and velvety on the palate with crushed berries, cherries, white pepper and crushed stones hitting first followed by dark chocolate.  The finish has decent length with some roasted herbs coming into play.  This isn’t very complex and isn’t made to age but it is very tasty.  This is an easy drinker to enjoy with a week day meal of by itself with friends.  This has a twist off cap and has 14.8% alcohol.  (88 pts)

 

 

2008 Cosa Obra Proprietor’s Blend – $28.80

This is the initial release from this winery.  This wine is a blend of 90% Syrah and 10% Grenache and it is from Sonoma County.  This was aged for 20 months in 50% new French oak.

 

This wine has 15.2% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

Winery’s Story

We celebrate the artistic nature of winemaking by focusing on small vineyard parcels and blending these lots to create wines of seduction, power and grace.

 

The name Cosa Obra is comprised of two words, the word Cosa meaning “thing” and the word Obra “a hand-crafted body of work”.  This is our thing, this is what we do, this is our hand-crafted body of work.

 

Wine is a living thing.  It evolves and changes through time.  In this way, nature tells the story through the soil, weather and time.  High quality boutique wines require and hand-crafted approach and a team of artisans with a vision.  Owner Gregory Hayes, and Consulting Winemaker Kent Humphrey have come together to form a team with over two decades of experience in the wine industry and a passion for unique and outstanding wines.  Our winemaking goal is very simple; make a small amount of exceptional wine from carefully selected artisan vineyards from Sonoma County and share them at a reasonable price.

 

Through these efforts Cosa Obra produces a Proprietary Red Blend and a Sauvignon Blanc crafted from grapes purchased from small growers in the Russian River Valley, Dry Creek Valley and Bennett Valley.  Our limited production wines are released when they are ready to share and enjoy with friends & family.

 

The wine is a deep, dark, maroon color.  This smells like a fall day with blackberries, charcoal, smoked meat, hot asphalt, minerals, licorice, toasty oak, vanilla, white pepper, and a bit of cherry.  This is fairly full bodied with solid, ripe tannins and very nice acidity.  Big, bold, and ripe on the palate but everything holds together in perfect balance.  Nice meaty, spicy, fruit kick in immediately on the palate with just a touch of earthiness in the background.  A fairly long finish completes the package showcasing the fruit and savory elements with a bit of oak peeking in.  A touch of alcohol is present on the nose and the finish but not enough to downgrade the wine.   (93 pts)

 

 

2011 Helioterra Pinot Noir Vintner’s Select – $25.00

This wine has 12.4% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

The wine is a light, bright ruby color.  The enjoyable nose has cherries, white pepper, crushed stones, dry underbrush and wildflowers.  This has a medium body with soft to moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  Cherries, crushed stones and white pepper jump out immediately on the palate with some dried earthy elements coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with more minerals and a floral note providing nice depth.  This is a keeper.  (90 pts)

 

 

2014 Christian Salmon Sancerre Rose Cuvee Vieilles Vignes – $17.47

The wine is a bright salmon pink color.  The refreshing nose has cherries, dusty minerals, watermelon, orange blossoms and lime zest.  This is barely medium body with crisp acidity and just a hint of lingering sweetness.  On the palate bright cherries, watermelon and minerals quickly jump out with orange blossoms coming in on the back end.  The finish has good length with mouthwatering lime zest entering the picture.  This is a very nice bottle to accompany a light meal or to sip on its own.  (89 pts)

 

 

2007 Villa Creek High Road James Berry Vineyard – $42.50

This wine is a blend of 45% Syrah, 35% Grenache and 20% Mourvedre.  The wine has 15.1% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a Stelvin twist off cap.

 

The wine is a deep purple color.  The enticing nose has raspberries, cherry, chalky minerals, charred meat, violets, dark bittersweet chocolate and dried underbrush.  This has a full body with moderate tannins and good acidity.  On the palate the fruit and chalky minerals take control early with dark chocolate and charred meat coming in on the back end.  The finish has great length with dried earth providing additional depth.  This is drinking very nicely right now but it should hold for at least a few more years.  (93 pts)

 

 

I am a big fan of the “Flash Wine Sale” site Last Bottle.  One of the wines in this post was purchased from the site, Casey Flat Ranch Open Range.  This wine was purchased at a big discount.  I highly recommend getting on their e-mail list.  Like most of the flash sale sites, they offer one wine per day until it sells out.  They also have a couple two-day marathons during the year that must be seen to believe.  Last Bottle is a great site to buy special wines at prices low enough to open any day of the week.

 

If you sign up using this link you will get a $10 credit that can be used on your first purchase.  I will also get a credit if you make a purchase.

 

Other than getting a credit as explained above, I have no financial interest in the site.  After you are on the list, you can also get the same credit by introducing friends to Last Bottle.

 

 

 

Connect with me

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

 

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

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 2016 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

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

 

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

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase.  I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but always check out the sale and close out items when in a store.  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!

 

 

 

2014 Mastro Scheidt Sangiovese

2011 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands

2012 Casey Flat Ranch Open Range

2013 Charles Krug Winery (Peter Mondavi Family) Cabernet Sauvignon

2012 Robert Hunter Pinot Noir Reserve Hunter Farms

2010 Jaffe Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Metamorphosis

2013 Turley Zinfandel Juvenile

2013 Bogle Vineyards Phantom

2010 Carlisle The Derivative White

2009 Soter Pinot Noir Mineral Springs

 

 

 

2014 Mastro Scheidt Sangiovese – $14.71

This wine was purchased from Last Bottle at a big discount so the price listed is not a usual price.  Information on Last Bottle is at the end of this post.

 

This wine was aged 10 months in 30% new American oak and 70% neutral French oak.

 

According to the winery:

2013 was a drought year in all of Sonoma County and California, with warm, consistent sunshine and zero precipitation for nearly the entire growing season.  Yields looked good, similar to 2012 … until August arrived. The consistently dry weather began to stress the vines a bit too much,  specially in the dry farmed vineyards, resulting in lower yields in many vineyards. Meticulous pre-sorting in each and every vineyard was crucial in 2013. We harvested Sangiovese in the Lake Block Vineyard on September 23. Overall, 2013 yielded rich concentration of flavor, color and vineyard source.

 

This is from Sonoma County’s Dry Creek Valley.  The wine is a bright ruby red color.  The appealing nose has cherries, raspberries, dry underbrush, dusty minerals, dried violets, baking spices and a hint of cedar.  This has medium body with good acidity and soft tannins.  On the palate bright cherries, raspberries and minerals grab hold on the front end with underbrush and baking spices coming in later.  The finish has very good length with a dried floral note and a touch of cedar providing depth.  This is a very tasty, food friendly alternative to a Chianti Riserva for pizza or pasta.  This has 13.9% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

 

2011 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands – $24.92

The Loring appellation Pinots are our “go to” wines on week nights.  The wines offer outstanding quality for the price.

 

The wine is a medium to deep ruby color.  The inviting nose has black cherries, scorched earth, dusty minerals, wild flowers, blackberries, vanilla, roasted leafy herbs and warm baking spices.  This has medium to full body with soft to moderate ripe tannins and very nice acidity.  This is much lighter on the palate then the nose would lead you to expect.  Nice bright fruit and dried earth quickly take control on the palate with spices, minerals and vanilla coming in on the back end.  The long finish showcases tart cherries, vanilla and wild flower.  This is a bargain at the mailing list price of under $25.  The wine has 14.7% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off cap.  (90 pts)

 

 

2012 Casey Flat Ranch Open Range – $9.74

This wine was purchased from Last Bottle at a big discount so the price listed is not a usual price.  Information on Last Bottle is at the end of this post.

 

This is a house favorite when we want “something different”.

 

This is a blend of 52% Syrah, 33% Petite Sirah, 8% Merlot, 5% Mourvedre and 2% Cabernet Franc.  The wine is a dark ruby to maroon color.  The appealing nose has crushed berries, licorice, black peppercorns, dried wild flowers, dusty minerals, fresh ground espresso beans and dry earth.  This has medium to full body with moderate tannins and good acidity.  On the palate berries, black pepper and minerals pop out first with dry earth and a nice dried floral note coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with espresso beans providing depth.  This is a nice, easy drinking everyday wine, especially at the price.  I’d enjoy this one over the next 5 or 6 years.  (89 pts)  This has 14.8% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off cap.

 

 

2013 Charles Krug Winery (Peter Mondavi Family) Cabernet Sauvignon – $17.99

This Napa Valley wine icon celebrated their 150th anniversary a few years ago.  To me, the quality of their wines have greatly improved over the last few years.

 

This wine is a blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc that was aged 17 months in French and American oak.  The wine is a deep violet color.  The inviting nose has cassis, dried herbs, tobacco, cedar, baking spices, scorched earth and wild flowers.  This has medium to full body with moderate tannins and good acidity.  Cassis, dried herbs and cedar take control of the palate on the front end with baking spices and dried earth coming in later.  The finish has nice length with a nice floral note providing depth.  This is drinking very nicely now with some air but some cellar time will be rewarded.  (91 pts)  This has 14.7% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

 

2012 Robert Hunter Pinot Noir Reserve Hunter Farms – $14.75

This wine was purchased from Last Bottle at a big discount so the price listed is not a usual price.  Information on Last Bottle is at the end of this post.

 

This wine is a medium ruby red color.  The sexy nose has cherries, warm baking spices, damp earth, roasted leafy herbs, dusty minerals and dried wild flowers.  This has medium body with soft tannins and good acidity.  On the palate tart cherries, baking spices and damp earth jump out on the front end with roasted herbs and minerals coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with a nice dried floral note adding some depth.  This is a tasty wine to drink over the next couple of years.  (90 pts)  This has 13.7% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

 

2010 Jaffe Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Metamorphosis – $40.82

This wine was purchased from Last Bottle at a big discount so the price listed is not a usual price.  Information on Last Bottle is at the end of this post.

 

I’ve been a big fan of Jaffe Estate for a few years.  I had not heard of the winery until they sent me a couple samples a couple years ago.  I like the wines enough that I now keep multiple vintages of their wines in my cellar.

 

The wine is a violet red color.  The appealing nose has cassis, roasted leafy herbs, baking spices, tobacco, dusty minerals, dark chocolate, vanilla and violets.  This has medium to full body with moderate tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate cassis, tart cherries, roasted herbs and dusty minerals quickly take control with dark chocolate coming in later.  The finish has nice length with vanilla and a floral note as well as a slight green herbal note.  This tastes very nice with a piece of hot and juicy meat.  I’m not sure about the aging potential for this wine, I’d probably advise drinking this one over the next few years.  (90 pts)  This has 14.9% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

 

2013 Turley Zinfandel Juvenile – $20.00

To me, this is one of the biggest bargains out there.  Other than Lodi, where can you get a consistently top quality Zinfandel for $20?

 

The wine is a deep maroon color.  The inviting nose has brambly berries, dark chocolate, black peppercorns, baking spices and black cherries.  This has a full body with moderate ripe tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate waves of berries and black cherries with baking spices take over immediately with black pepper coming in later.  The finish has great length with some dark chocolate providing extra depth.  This is a big and rich style of zin with enough structure to hold everything together.  I wouldn’t sit on this one for more than a couple of years.  This is a QPR superstar for $20.  This has 15.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (92 pts)

 

 

2013 Bogle Vineyards Phantom – $16.99

This is another “red blend” that is a palate-pleaser when you want to try “something different”.

 

This is a blend of 39% Zinfandel, 38% Petite Sirah and 23% Cabernet Sauvignon from vineyards in Lodi, Clarksburg and Amador.  The wine is a dark ruby color.  The outgoing nose has crushed berries, mint, cherries, baking spices, white pepper, toasty oak and dried violets.  This has a full body with moderate ripe tannins and decent acidity.  Waves of fruit and spice immediately grabs your attention on the palate with white pepper and a touch of mint coming in later.  The finish has nice length with the fruit and spice joined by toasty oak.  This is a take no prisoner style of wine loaded with flavor.  (88 pts) This has 14.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

 

2010 Carlisle The Derivative White – $24.50

I love the Zinfandels, Syrahs and red blends that Mike Officer has produced over the last several years.  When this white wine was offered, I had to grab a few bottles.

 

This is a blend of 76% Semillon and 24% Muscadelle from vines planted between 1886 and 1920.  The wine is a bright golden yellow color.  The intriguing nose has pears, mint, crushed stone minerals, toast, lemon zest, orange blossoms and a touch of baking spice.  This has medium body with crisp acidity and seems to be totally dry.  On the palate juicy pears, minerals and orange blossoms quickly grab hold slowly allowing mint and lemon zest to grab hold on the back end.  The finish has good length with nice fruit and spice slowly giving way to mouthwatering lemon zest.  I’d be hard pressed to give a drinking window since Semillon can improve with extended aging.  If it was me, I’d probably open this one over the next couple of years and err on the side of caution..  (91 pts)  This has 13.8% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

 

2009 Soter Pinot Noir Mineral Springs – $45.00

One of my go-to Oregon Pinot Noirs for a nice, special occasion, dinner.

 

The wine is a touch lighter than medium ruby red.  The sexy nose has plums, blackberries, warm baking spices, chalky minerals, roasted leafy herbs, wild flowers, dry underbrush and a touch of white pepper.  This has medium body with soft to moderate ripe tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate nice fruit, baking spices and minerals grab your attention on the front end with underbrush and wild flowers coming in later.  The finish has great length with roasted herbs providing extra depth and interest.  This is drinking very nicely right now but it will last in your cellar for a few more years.  A great effort.  (94 pts) This has 14.1% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

 

 

I am a big fan of the “Flash Wine Sale” site Last Bottle.  Four of the wines in this post were purchased from the site, Mastro Scheidt Sangiovese, Casey Flat Ranch Open Range, Robert Hunter Pinot Noir Reserve Hunter Farms and Jaffe Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Metamorphosis.  All of these wines were purchased at a big discount.  I highly recommend getting on their e-mail list.  Like most of the flash sale sites, they offer one wine per day until it sells out.  They also have a couple two-day marathons during the year.  Last Bottle is a great site to buy special wines at prices low enough to open any day of the week.

 

If you sign up using this link you will get a $10 credit that can be used on your first purchase.  I will also get a credit if you make a purchase.

 

Other than getting a credit as explained above, I have no financial interest in the site.  After you are on the list, you can also get the same credit by introducing friends to Last Bottle.

 

 

 

Connect with me

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

 

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

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 2016 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

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

 

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

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase.  I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but always check out the sale and close out items when in a store.  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!

 

 

2012 Casey Flat Ranch Open Range

2011 Bedrock Wine Co Zinfandel Old Vine

2010 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands

2011 Waters Interlude

2009 Agharta Wines Cabernet Sauvignon White Label Mountain Terraces Vineyard

2011 Evening Land Vineyards Pinot Noir La Source Seven Springs Vineyard

2010 John Duval Wines Shiraz Entity

2012 Sojourn Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

 

 

 

2012 Casey Flat Ranch Open Range – $9.74

This was another purchase from Last Bottle wines, one of my favorite “flash” wine sites.  If you use the provided link and sign up, we both get a credit to our accounts after your first purchase.  Check them out, they have awesome deals and their Marathons are always something special.

 

This has been a personal value priced favorite over the last few years. This wine, as most blends, change every vintage.  This vintage is a blend of 52% Syrah, 33% Petite Sirah, 8% Merlot, 5% Mourvedre and 2% Cabernet Franc.  This wine always offers great QPR (Quality to Price Ratio).

 

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

 

The wine is a deep ruby to purple color.  The very open and giving nose is full of black cherries, licorice, black peppercorns, blackberries, baking spices, dry earth, underbrush, dried herbs and violets.  This has medium to full body with moderate to solid tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate black cherries, black pepper, spice and blackberries pop out on the front end with dried herbs, dry earth and underbrush coming in later.  The finish has nice length with licorice and spice adding nice depth to the fruit.  This could easily pass for a much more expensive bottle of wine.  This can be enjoyed over the remainder of the decade.  (89 pts)

 

 

2011 Bedrock Wine Co Zinfandel Old Vine – $22.00

The Bedrock Old Vine Zinfandel is always a bargain.  This wine uses grapes from several older zinfandel vineyards in Sonoma County such as Stellwagen, Casa Santinamaria, Los Chamizal, Rossi Ranch in Kenwood and Monte Rosso.  This also contains a bit of Carignane and Mourvedre from the estate’s Bedrock Vineyard.

 

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

 

The wine is a deep ruby color.  The inviting nose has brambly berries, warm baking spices, cherries, black peppercorns, licorice, tobacco, dried violets and dark chocolate.  This has medium to full body with moderate to solid ripe tannins and good acidity.  Juicy, crushed berries, cherries, baking spice and black peppercorns coat the palate on the front end with dark chocolate coming in later.  The finish has very good length with a nice floral note entering the picture.  This is a lighter, livelier style of zinfandel that is a perfect companion to a hearty meat dish.  This is in a very nice drinking window and it should hold for a few more years.  (92 pts)

 

 

2010 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands – $25.00

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

 

This has 14.7% alcohol and is closed via a Stelvin+ screw cap.

 

Winery history

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

 

For more information, to buy wine, or to join the mailing list, visit their website.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a ruby red color.  The alluring nose has raspberries, warm baring spices, cola, cherries, wild flowers, plums, eucalyptus, and some earthiness.  This has medium body, soft tannins, and decent acidity.  On the palate the baking spices and fruit jump out and take hold slowly allowing a touch of eucalyptus and earthiness to break through on the back end.  The finish has good length and adds some minerality to the fruit and spice.  I’d drink this one over the next year before the acidity slides a bit more.  (91 pts)

 

 

2011 Waters Interlude – $16.98

The grapes for this wine come from Stone Tree, Seven Hills, Cold Creek and Old Stones vineyards.  The wine was aged in 20% new French oak and 80% neutral French oak.  There were 1,550 cases of wine produced.  I should note, I bought the wine at a great price from Garagiste Wine, the suggested price for the wine is $28.

 

This is a blend of 61% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Malbec and 11% Petit Verdot from Washington.  The wine is a deep ruby to maroon color.  The very expressive nose has cherries, cassis, stony minerals, eucalyptus, licorice, freshly ground espresso beans, dried leafy herbs, cocoa powder and dried earth.  This has medium to full body with moderate tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate ripe cherries and berries hit first with minerals and espresso beans quickly joining in.  The finish has nice length with dried herbs, cocoa powder, dried earth and a hint of eucalyptus entering the picture.  This may be a bit on the young side but it tastes delicious.  I wouldn’t want to stash this in the back of the cellar, enjoy this one over the next couple of years.  This has 14.1% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (90 pts)

 

 

2009 Agharta Wines Cabernet Sauvignon White Label Mountain Terraces Vineyard – $38.60

Agharta is also commonly known as a mystical place on earth where the hills are made of gold and the rivers run with wine…sounds like a great place to me.  Pax Mahle

 

This wine is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Mountain Terraces Vineyard located high above Sonoma Valley and was crafted by Pax Mahle.

I was able to snag a few bottles at a great price from the Garagiste Wine e-mail list about a year ago.  Even though I think this will be on the young side, I wanted to check in on it to decide when to start opening my remaining bottles in their prime.

 

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

 

The wine is a deep ruby red color.  The inviting nose has cassis, plums, cedar, white pepper, crushed stones, tobacco, dried herbs, licorice and warm baking spices.  This has medium body with solid tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate dark fruit, white pepper and crushed stones quickly take control, slowly allowing dried herbs and cedar to come into play.  The finish has good length with licorice and baking spices adding nice depth.  The tannins are solid and a touch rough at this time, enjoy this with a piece of juicy grilled meat now or let it sleep for a few years.  This has the depth and balance to last in the cellar for another decade or longer.  (92 pts)

 

 

2011 Evening Land Vineyards Pinot Noir La Source Seven Springs Vineyard – $28.71

This was another purchase from Garagiste Wine.  My purchases from them have declined over the last couple of years but I still end up receiving a case when shipping season rolls around.

 

The wine has 12.9% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

The wine is a bright ruby red color.  The enticing nose has cherries, baking spices, earthy underbrush, white pepper, wild flowers, wet stone minerals, black raspberries and roasted leafy herbs.  This is barely medium body with soft to moderate silky tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate tart cherries, baking spices and wet stones quickly take hold with white pepper and earthy underbrush coming in on the back end.  The finish has very good length with roasted herbs and black raspberries entering the picture.  This tastes great now with some air but will be better in a year or two.  (93 pts)

 

 

2010 John Duval Wines Shiraz Entity – $33.24

This vintage of Entity includes some Eden Valley Shiraz to help maintain the elegance and style of Entity.  The wine was aged in 100% French oak for 18 months, 36% of which was new.

 

This wine has 14.5% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a twist off cap.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a dark, inky purple color.  The very open and powerful nose has blackberries, baking spices, dark chocolate, vanilla bean, blueberries, white pepper, candied violets and a touch of cedar.  This has medium to full body with moderate to solid tannins and good acidity.  This is a beast on the palate, full of dark berries and spice up front with vanilla bean and dark chocolate coming in later.  The finish is very long with white pepper, candied violets and spicy oak adding considerable depth.  This is drinking very nicely but will improve with some time in the cellar.  Outstanding!  (94 pts)

 

 

2012 Sojourn Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast – $28.17

I had a fair amount of credits in my account at Underground Cellar when a Sojourn Pinot offer popped up.  I quickly grabbed a 6 pack knowing the lowest priced wine I would get was this wine, their Sonoma Coast wine.  By a freak of luck, I only received one bottle of this one, and 5 bottles of their much more expensive single vineyard wines.  That’s how Underground Cellars offers work, you pay the x bottles of the lowest priced wine in the group and some of your bottles get upgraded for free.  Who knows, you may order a mid level California Cabernet and get the steal of the century and get a bottle of the coveted Screaming Eagle.  Check them out by clicking here.  If you sign up via the link I provided we both get a $20 credit when you make your first purchase.

 

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

 

The wine is a medium to deep ruby red color.  The very appealing nose has cherries, licorice, warm baking spices, cola, dry earth, violets, cranberries and a touch of cedar.  This has medium body with moderate silky tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate spicy cherries, cola and dry earth jump out first with cedar and cranberries coming in later.  The finish has nice length with a nice floral note joining the cherries and baking spices.  This improved greatly with air so let it sleep in your cellar for another year of give it an hour in the decanter.  (91 pts)

 

 

Connect with me

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

 

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

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 2015 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

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

 

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

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase.  I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but always check out the sale and close out items when in a store.  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!

 

 

2011 Lacuna Wines Proprietary Red Blend

2004 Bodegas y Viñedos Montecastro y Llanahermosa Ribera del Duero

2011 Elyse Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2011 Casey Flat Ranch Open Range

2014 Château de Campuget Costières-de-Nîmes Rosé Tradition de Campuget

2007 Westerhold Family Vineyards Syrah Westerhold Vineyard

 

 

 

2011 Lacuna Wines Proprietary Red Blend – $28.99

Most people probably have not heard of this winery.  I was lucky to hear about it only because the winemaker is Morgan Twain-Peterson from Bedrock Winery.

 

This vintage is the first “official” release for the winery, but I was luck to also be able to get a couple bottles of their 2010 vintage.  It looks like the earlier vintage was pretty much gobbled up by restaurants.

 

This vintage is a blend of 85% Syrah, 4% Petite Sirah, 3% Carignan, 2% Zinfandel, 6% Viognier from old vine and cooler sites in Sonoma County.

 

This has 14.3% alcohol and is sealed with a natural cork.

 

The Winery

Lacuna is a collaborative venture between four partners Aaron, Nick, Pete and Morgan.  Our collective and longstanding passion for wine and food enticed us into the industry.

 

Now, after years of experience in many facets of the business we are happy and excited to offer a wine of our own.  Drawing from elements that have shaped our philosophy and preferences for wines that have origins both near and far we aspired to create a wine that is characteristic of California but also connected to a European tradition of balance and harmony.

 

Our vision took almost ten years to realize as we were engaged in our professions as wine importers, consultants, sommeliers and brand managers.  The process included endless speculation and, at times, utter confusion on how to get there.  Fortunately, the picture came into focus when we met our fourth partner and gifted winemaker, Morgan Twain Peterson.

 

For much more information or to join their mailing list, visit their website.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep garnet to purple color.  The enticing nose has blackberries, crushed stone minerals, smoked meat, dried herbs, dark roast espresso, dying wood embers, bacon fat and violets.  This has medium to full body, moderate to solid tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate the berries and smoked meat hit first with nice dried herbs, cherries, crushed stones and some earthiness coming in later.  The finish is fairly long and nicely layered with the fruit, wood embers and dried herbs seeming to last forever.  For such a young wine, this is drinking very nicely today but it has the balance to last in the cellar for many years.  An outstanding first release.  (94 pts)

 

 

 

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

I was in the mood for something a little different today.  A lot of people prefer a Rioja from Spain, but to me the Ribera del Duero is THE destination for outstanding Spanish wines.

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark ruby color.  The open and inviting nose is full of black cherries, dark bittersweet chocolate, smoke, well worn leather, blackberries, warm baking spices, and violets.  This has medium body, fairly solid tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate spicy berries and cherries fly out of the gate with some building dark chocolate coming in on the back end.  The finish is very long and full of spicy cherries and dark chocolate.  Very tasty today but absolutely no hurry on this one.  (92 pts)

 

 

2011 Elyse Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley – $29.99

This wine is a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc, 6% Malbec, 5% Petite Sirah, 3% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot from Mitchell, York Creek, Camusi and Lynch Vineyards.  The wine was aged for 18 months in American and French oak (40% new).

 

The wine is a deep ruby red color.  The tempting nose has cassis, baking spices, cedar, dusty minerals, vanilla, raspberries, violets, tobacco and just a hint of an herbal note.  This has medium to full body with moderate to solid tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate spicy cassis, cedar and dusty minerals come on hard on the front end with vanilla and raspberries coming in on the back end.  The finish add a pleasant herbal note and more spice.  This is on the young side and it has the balance to age gracefully but that doesn’t stop it from being very tasty today.  This has 13.8% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (91 pts)

 

 

2011 Casey Flat Ranch Open Range – $8.70

This wine is a blend of 68% Syrah, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Petite Sirah, 6% Mourvedre and 1% Merlot.  The grapes for this wine was bought from various North Coast growers combined with some from the estate vineyards.  A total of 2,954 cases were produced.

 

The wine is a deep purple color.  The inviting nose has blackberries, crushed stones, white pepper, cherries, cocoa powder and roasted leafy herbs.  This has medium to full body with soft to moderate tannins and nice acidity.  This is rich and velvety on the palate with crushed berries, cherries, white pepper and crushed stones hitting first followed by dark chocolate.  The finish has decent length with some roasted herbs coming into play.  This isn’t very complex and isn’t made to age but it is very tasty.  This is an easy drinker to enjoy with a week day meal of by itself with friends.  This has a twist off cap and has 14.8% alcohol.  (88 pts)

 

 

 

2014 Château de Campuget Costières-de-Nîmes Rosé Tradition de Campuget – $12.59

This wine is a blend of 70% Syrah and 30% Grenache Noir.

 

The wine is a bright salmon pink color.  The sexy and inviting nose has cherries, strawberries, dusty minerals, orange blossoms, lemon zest, white pepper and a hint of dry earth.  This has light to medium body with crisp acidity and just a hint of sweetness.  On the palate bright fruit and minerals jump out first, followed by white pepper and orange blossoms.  The long finish adds some subtle earthiness and a cleansing twist of lemon.  This is the essence of Spring in a bottle.  Load up on this one if you see it at a good price.  This has 13.0% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off cap.  (90 pts)

 

 

2007 Westerhold Family Vineyards Syrah Westerhold Vineyard – $42.00

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.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark maroon color.  The intense nose has blackberries, smoked meat, black pepper, charcoal, dark bittersweet chocolate, dried herbs, minerals, melted licorice, baking spices, and a nice floral note.  This has a fairly full body, 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)

 

 

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!

 

 

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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 always check out the sale and close out items when in a store.  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!