2015 Bieler Père et Fils Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence Rosé Sabine

2011 Elyse Zinfandel Morisoli Vineyard

2014 St. Amant Winery Zinfandel Old Vines Mohr-Fry Ranch Vineyard

2013 Michael-David Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Freakshow

2013 Klinker Brick Zinfandel Old Vine

2008 Ridge Lytton Springs

 

 

 

2015 Bieler Père et Fils Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence Rosé Sabine – $11.04

I received several bottle of Provence Rosé wines to sample from Wines of Provence, so to get my palate ready, I pulled one from my cellar.  I think Provence produces some of the best Rosé wines in the world.

 

This wine is a blend of 40% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cinsault and 3% Rolle.  The wine is a light salmon pink color.  The clean and fresh nose has strawberries, cherries, dusty minerals, orange zest and white flowers.  This dry wine has medium body and crist acidity.  On the palate tart strawberries, minerals and cherries quickly provide ice up front flavor with mouth watering orange zest coming in on the back end.  The nice finish adds a pleasing floral note.  This is perfect on a sunny day.  This has 13.0% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off cap.  (91 pts)

 

 

2011 Elyse Zinfandel Morisoli Vineyard – $16.01

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

 

The wine is a deep maroon color.  The captivating nose has brambly berries, black peppercorns, dusty minerals, scorched earth, baking spices, dark chocolate, cherries, violets and just a hint of roasted leafy herbs.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate brambly berries, baking spices and dusty minerals immediately jump out with spicy oak, black pepper and cherries coming in later.  The finish has nice length with some subtle earthiness joining a floral note and dark chocolate to add solid depth.  This is a well balanced, food friendly Zinfandel to enjoy over the remainder of the decade.  (91 pts)

 

 

2014 St. Amant Winery Zinfandel Old Vines Mohr-Fry Ranch Vineyard – $16.71

I’ve been a fan of St Amant Winery zinfandels for several years.  It was great visiting with the Stuart Spencer, the winemaker for St Amant as well as Jerry Fry, the owner/grower at this vineyard during a recent trip to Lodi.  Even though I’ve loved past vintages of this wine, I think this is their best effort to date.

 

The wine is a bright ruby red color.  The very appealing nose has brambly berries, dusty minerals, licorice, black pepper, cherries, charred underbrush, violets and a hint of mint.  This has medium to full body with moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate brambly berries, minerals and black pepper quickly take control with underbrush and cherries slipping through on the back end.  The finish has very good length with a nice floral note and just a hint of mint adding good depth.  This is drinking very nicely now with some air but some cellar time will be rewarded.  This has great balance and is easy to enjoy.  A great effort.  This has 15.5% alcohol, which was a gigantic surprise to me, not a trace shows through any where.  The bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (93 pts)

 

 

2013 Michael-David Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Freakshow – $15.99

This is another winery I visited during my recent Lodi trip.  This is a first class operation and their wines deserve a try, especially their mid to upper end wines.

 

The wine is a deep maroon color.  The intoxicating nose has cassis, vanilla, eucalyptus, tobacco, wild flowers, dark chocolate and baking spices.  This has a full body with soft to moderate ripe tannins and decent acidity.  On the palate cassis, vanilla and baking spices jump out on the front end with wild flowers and dark chocolate coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with a hint of eucalyptus coming through.  Not a lot of complexity or subtlety but very tasty.  This has 14.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (88 pts)

 

 

2013 Klinker Brick Zinfandel Old Vine – $13.78

We didn’t get the opportunity to visit Klinker Brick on the Lodi trip, but their full throttle zins have always been welcomed in my house.

 

The wine is a deep purple color.  The big and bold nose has brambly berries, dark chocolate, black peppercorns, dry earth, wild flowers and baking spices.  This has a full body with soft to moderate ripe tannins and decent acidity.  Crushed berries, baking spices and dark chocolate take control of the palate on the front end with dry earth and black pepper coming in later.  The finish has nice length with berries, pepper and spice carrying the load.  This has 15.8% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (89 pts)

 

 

2008 Ridge Lytton Springs – $29.99

Ridge is one of the torch-bearers for consistently good wines every vintage.  My favorites are their two blends, this one and Geyserville.  The two seem to alternate which is my favorite every vintage.  Either one would be a welcome addition to my dinner table.

 

This wine is a blend of 74% Zinfandel, 21% Petite Sirah and 5% Carignane.  The wine is a deep garnet color.  The incredible nose is full of brambly berries, minerals, vanilla, black peppercorns, cherries, plums, dry earth, underbrush, dead wood embers and violets.  This has medium to full body with moderate tannins and nice acidity.  On the plush palate the brambly berries, black peppercorns and minerals take control early with vanilla, cherries and plums coming in later.  The finish has great length with wood embers, subtle earthiness and a nice floral note seeming to linger forever.  This tastes fabulous now and should hold nicely for at least a few more years.  This wine has greatly improved over the last couple of years.  The wine has 14.4% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (94 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, the Elyse Morisoli Zinfandel.  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 can’t be missed.  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/when 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 Louis Latour Chassagne-Montrachet Rouge

2014 Château Martinat Blanc Côtes de Bourg

2013 Michael-David Vineyards Syrah 6th Sense

2012 Murrieta’s Well The Spur

2009 Anthill Farms Syrah Peters Vineyard

2012 Sandler Wine Company Pinot Noir Keefer Ranch

 

 

 

2012 Louis Latour Chassagne-Montrachet Rouge – $41.99

This wine comes from vines with an average age of 30 years planted in chalk and clay soil.  The hand-picked grapes are fermented in traditional open vats and aged 10 to 12 months in French oak barrels, 35% new.

 

The wine is a light to medium ruby red color.  The inviting nose has black cherries, baking spices, earthy underbrush, dusty minerals and dried wildflowers.  This has medium body with soft to moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate cherries, minerals and baking spices come through on the front end with earthy underbrush coming in later.  The finish has good length with a nice dried floral note entering the picture.  This is drinking very nicely with a bit of air and should last in the cellar for several years.  This has 13.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (92 pts)

 

 

2014 Château Martinat Blanc Côtes de Bourg – $19.80

This is a blend of 80% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Sauvignon Gris from the commune of Teuillac.  The vines have an average age of 20 years.  The total production was a meager 5,000 bottles.

 

The wine is a very light yellow color with a slight green tint.  The fresh and appealing nose has apples, lemon zest, a spritz of grapefruit, crushed stones and white flowers.  This is barely medium body with great acidity and seems to be totally dry.  Tart apples, lemon zest and crushed stones greet the palate on the front end with grapefruit coming in on the backend.  The long finish leaves your mouth watering for another sip.  A superb bottle of wine.  (92 pts)  This has 13.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

 

2013 Michael-David Vineyards Syrah 6th Sense – $12.99

This wine is mostly Syrah with a touch of Petite Sirah.  The winery likes to add a bit of Petite Sirah to most of their wines.  I was jokingly told they would add it to their Chardonnay if they could.  This wine was aged 12 months in French oak barrels.

 

From the winery:

The Phillips brothers planted one of the first Syrah vineyards in California in 1982. With Michael’s son Kevin continuing the Phillips grape growing tradition into the 6th generation, this Syrah vineyard was one of the first he tended to as our Vineyard Manager. If you turn the bottle around you will see Kevin’s eye looking out from the inside of the bottle, making sure the wine is being enjoyed!

 

The wine is a deep purple color.  The intoxicating nose has blackberries, blueberries, asphalt, dark chocolate, fresh ground espresso beans, dry underbrush, licorice, violets and black pepper.  This has a full body with moderate ripe tannins and nice acidity.  This has massive berries and ground espresso beans on the front end with underbrush, dark chocolate and a big floral note coming in on the back end.  The finish is long and lingering with black pepper coming into play.  Not a lot of subtlety here but the big fruit and nice structure makes for a worthy companion for something hot off the grill.  This has 15.0% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  This is a steal for the price.  (89 pts)

 

 

2012 Murrieta’s Well The Spur – $16.99

For this wine, each varietal was fermented separately in upright stainless steel tanks with twice a day pump over.  Each varietal is then aged for 14 months in a mix of American, French, Eastern European and neutral barrels before being blended into the final product.

 

This is a blend of 33% Petite Sirah, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Petit Verdot, 4% Malbec and 3% Merlot from the Livermore Valley.  The wine is a medium ruby color.  The inviting nose has blackberries, cherries, baking spices, forest floor, dark roast coffee, violets and vanilla.  This has medium to full body with moderate tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate berries, cherries and baking spices jump out on the front end with nice earthiness and dark roast coffee coming in later.  The finish has nice length with a nice floral note entering the picture.  This has 13.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off cap.  (89 pts)

 

 

2009 Anthill Farms Syrah Peters Vineyard – $28.00

From the winery:

Randy Peters and his father-in-law, Tom Mukaida, farm this vineyard outside of Sebastopol in western Sonoma County. The southern slopes of these hills form the northern edge of the Petaluma Gap, which rushes cool, marine air from the Pacific Ocean inland. These Syrah and Viognier vines, which Randy planted for us just a few years ago, occupy less than an acre at the lowest edge of this cool, foggy vineyard.

 

Even though Anthill Farms is more well known for their Pinot Noir wines, I love their cool-climate Syrahs.

 

The wine is a deep, dark maroon color.  The stimulating nose has blackberries, blueberries, white pepper, scorched earth, violets, roasted meat and crushed stone minerals.  This has medium body with moderate to solid tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate nice fruit, white pepper and minerals quickly jump out with scorched earth, meat and violets coming through on the back end.  The finish has very good length with fruit, minerals, dry earth and white pepper seeming to hang on forever.  This still tastes very young, additional cellar time will be rewarded.  This wouldn’t be too out of place in a tasting of higher end Northern Rhone wines.  This has 13.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (93 pts)

 

 

2012 Sandler Wine Company Pinot Noir Keefer Ranch – $25.00

This wine is 100% destemmed Pinot Noir that was aged 11 months in used French oak.

 

The wine is a nice ruby red color.  The sexy nose has cherries, earthy underbrush, warm baking spices, raspberries, dusty minerals, dried herbs and cocoa powder.  This has medium body with soft to moderate tanins and very good acidity.  On the palate nice fruit, spice and earthiness jump out on the front end with minerals coming in later.  The finish has good length with a hint of dried herbs providing depth.  This is a well balanced Pinot that is in a nice drinking window.  This will provide drinking pleasure for at least a few more years.  Very tasty stuff!  This has 14.4% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.  (92 pts)

 

 

I am a big fan of the “Flash Wine Sale” site Last Bottle.  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.

 

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

 

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!

 

 

 

2013 La Fortuna Rosso di Montalcino

2008 Quinta do Crasto Douro Reserva Old Vines

2007 Anthill Farms Cabernet Sauvignon Timber Crest Farms Vineyard

2007 Carlisle Syrah Pelkan Ranch

2013 Domaine Loubejac Pinot Noir

2004 Dupéré Barrera Bandol

 

 

 

2013 La Fortuna Rosso di Montalcino – $14.91

Purchased from Last Bottle see info below on joining the site.

 

La Fortuna is one of the oldest wineries in Montalcino.  The Zannoni family has been running the winery of 5 generations, over 100 years.

 

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

 

The wine is ruby red in color.  The very inviting nose has black cherries, dusty minerals, roasted leafy herbs, scorched earth, underbrush, well worn leather, tobacco and dried wildflowers.  This has medium body with soft to moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate cherries, dusty minerals and roasted herbs jump out quickly on the front end with scorched earth, tobacco and leather coming in later.  The finish has nice length with dried flowers and underbrush entering the picture.  A really nice Rosso di Montalcino.  This one will last in the cellar for at least a couple years.  (91 pts)

 

 

2008 Quinta do Crasto Douro Reserva Old Vines – $33.24

This is a blend of 25 to 30 grape varieties from at least 70 year old vines.  This wine has 14.0% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

The wine is a deep ruby to purple color.  The exotic nose has blackberries, cocoa beans, cherries, tobacco, warm baking spices, vanilla bean, dried flowers and crushed stone minerals.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate ripe berries, spice and minerals jump out first with cocoa beans and vanilla coming in later.  The finish has very nice length with dried flowers and tobacco entering the picture.  This is drinking very nicely now and should hold for at least a couple more years.  (92 pts)

 

 

2007 Anthill Farms Cabernet Sauvignon Timber Crest Farms Vineyard – $25.00

Every year the winery produces a “one off” wine.  In 2007, this was the wine that was produced.  This was the only vintage of this wine that was ever produced.  This wine was produced from a clutch of gnarled, diseased vines that surround the winery in the middle of Dry Creek Valley.  As far as they know, these vines are (were?) the oldest existing Cabernet in Dry Creek Valley, planted in 1962. The vines produced only a few clusters per vine, which gives the fruit exceptional concentration.

 

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

 

The wine is a medium to deep ruby red color.  The outstanding nose has cassis, plums, licorice, dried herbs, spice box, crushed stone minerals, tobacco and dried wild flowers.  This has a medium body, fairly solid tannins and very good acidity.  This is not a big, overly ripe, heavily extracted style of cabernet, this is much more restrained and nuanced.  Nice fruit and spice take center stage on the palate with minerals, spicy oak and dried herbs coming in on the sides.  The finish has good length and also showcases the fruit, spicy oak and dried herbs.  This has outstanding balance and it is very food friendly.  (92 pts)

 

 

2007 Carlisle Syrah Pelkan Ranch – $32.50

The grapes for this wine are from a vineyard on a rocky ridge top (1000′ elevation) in the Knights Valley.  There were only 260 cases produced.

 

The wine is a deep garnet color.  The enticing nose has blackberries, minerals, black pepper, dark chocolate, road tar and dried wildflowers.  This has medium to full body with moderate tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate peppery, berries and minerals quickly jump out with dark chocolate coming in on the back end.  The finish has very nice length with a nice dried floral note entering the picture.  A touch of alcohol shows on the nose and makes another appearance on the finish.  I’d advise drinking before the alcohol takes over.  As is, this is still very tasty.  (91 pts)

 

 

2013 Domaine Loubejac Pinot Noir – $15.29

The winery is named for the historical town of Loubejac, in the south of France.  The vineyards are seventy miles south of Portland and forty miles east of the pacific coastline, which produces fruit with a new world style flavor profile through consistent ripening of fruit.

 

The wine is a light to medium ruby red color.  The inviting nose has cherries, earthy underbrush, white pepper, roasted leafy herbs, minerals and dried violets.  This has medium body with soft tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate earthy cherries and white pepper come through on the front end with minerals and roasted herbs coming in later.  The finish has nice length with a dried floral note popping out.  This doesn’t offer much complexity but is still tasty.  (87 pts)

 

 

2004 Dupéré Barrera Bandol – $24.81

I’ve been a fan of the Mourvedre based wines from France’s Bandol region for quite a while.  To me, these wines fall into the “something different” category.  Like most people, we fall into a bit of a rut having slightly different styles of essentially the same wine, these wines are my “rut busters”.  If you’ve never had a nice Bandol, check one out some time.

 

About the wine

Bandol “Cuvée India” :

• Blend is almost entirely comprised of Mourvèdre
• East, south-east, and northern sun exposure
• Harvested at the beginning of October
• 90% of harvest is de-stemmed
• Long fermentations of 4-6 weeks, with punch-downs, regular pump-overs, and gentle, slowmoving pump-overs
• Wine ages for 36 months (18 months in foudres and 18 months in old, oak fûts from Domaine de la Romanée Conti and Domaine de Beauséjour Bécot
• Yields range between 25-30 hl/ha
• Bottled manually by gravity under a waning moon, unfined and unfiltered

 

The wine is a shade lighter than maroon.  The intoxicating nose has crushed berries, stony minerals, warm baking spices, vanilla, melted licorice, earthy underbrush, garrigue and violets.  This has medium body, moderate tannins and good acidity.  The palate has nice focus and outstanding intensity with berries and minerals grabbing hold, slowly allowing the spices and dried herbs to slip through the cracks.  The finish is long and nicely layered with a touch of vanilla and some subtle earthiness adding considerable interest.  This is perfectly balanced and a joy to drink.  An absolutely stunning wine from the under appreciated Bandol region.  (94 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, La Fortuna Rosso di Montalcino.  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.  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!

 

 

 

Bella Grace Brut Sparkling Wine

2013 Bella Grace Montagñaro

2012 BellaGrace Vineyards Grenache

2012 Bella Grace Petite Sirah Reserve

2013 Bella Grace Zinfandel

 

 

 

 

 

This post highlights a few wines from Bella Grace Vineyards from California’s Amador County.  I am noting the Suggested Retail Price of the wines even though only the Montagñaro was a sample, the other bottles were purchased by me.  Some of the vintages I reviewed may no longer be available.

 

The winery was named for the owner’s two grandmother’s, Bella and Grace.

 

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

 

 

Bella Grace Brut Sparkling Wine – SRP $24

This wine is from Mendocino County and was bottled at Roederrer Estates.  It is a blend of 73% Chardonnay and 27% Pinot Noir.  This wine has 12.5% alcohol.

 

The wine is a light golden straw color with abundant pinpoint sized bubbles.  The fresh smelling nose has apples, light toast, lemon curd, lime zest, chalky minerals and white flowers.  This is light and crisp on the palate with tart lemon, creamy apples, minerals and closing lime zest.  The finish has nice length with mouthwatering citrus prompting you to reach for another sip.  (90 pts)

 

 

2013 Bella Grace Montagñaro – SRP $23

This unique Amador County wine is a blend of 50% Zinfandel and 50% Barbera.  This wine has 14.5% alcohol.  This wine was a “sample” added to a case I purchased from the winery.

 

The wine is a medium garnet color.  The exotic nose has blackberries, scorched earth, black cherries, dusty minerals, licorice, white pepper, dried violets and a hint of eucalyptus.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and good acidity.  On the palate dusty, earthy fruit and spice jump out quickly with white pepper and dried flowers coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with the savory elements in the front with fruit supplying nice background sweetness.  This intriguing blend has very nice balance.  (91 pts)

 

 

2012 Bella Grace Vineyards Grenache – SRP $30

The wine is a light garnet red color.  The inviting nose has cherries, white pepper, dusty minerals, licorice, baking spices, scorched earth and dried herbs.  This has medium body with moderate to solid tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate mineral laden cherries, white pepper and baking spices grab hold immediately with scorched earth coming in on the back end.  The finish has decent length with dried herbs, white pepper and minerals pushing the fruit into the background…in a good way.  I think this will improve with a bit of cellar time but it’s a worthy companion today with something hot and juicy off the grill.  (90 pts)

 

 

2012 Bella Grace Petite Sirah Reserve – $33.00

This wine uses grapes from the estate’s BellaGrace Vineyard in Amador County.  The wine has 13.8% alcohol.

The wine is a deep maroon color.  The exuberant nose has blackberries, dusty minerals, cocoa powder, iron shavings, black pepper, scorched earth, dried leafy herbs, road tar, warm baking spices and dried violets.  This has medium body with solid tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate blackberries, dusty minerals, cocoa powder and black pepper grab hold on the front end, slowly allowing scorched earth and dried herbs to slip through.  The finish has good length with iron shavings and baking spices entering the picture adding nice complexity and depth.  This is young, I’ll hold off a few years before opening another bottle.  The additional cellar time will be rewarded.  (91 pts)

 

 

2013 Bella Grace Zinfandel – $20.00

This wine has 14.3% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off cap.

 

The wine is a deep garnet color.  The inviting nose has brambly berries, plums, stony minerals, scorched earth, baking spices, white pepper, cherries and dried flowers.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and good acidity.  Berries, plums and minerals coat the palate on the front end with white pepper and scorched earth coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with a dried floral note and a touch of dark chocolate adding nice depth.  This is on the young side but very tasty and easy to enjoy.  This is a winery that deserves some attention.  (90 pts)

 

 

Conclusion

I have never been disappointed by a Bella Grace wine.  They have been consistently balanced and very tasty.  I highly recommend checking them out, I’m glad I did.

 

 

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!

 

 

 

2008 Turley Zinfandel Cedarman

2012 Buoncristiani Malbec Napa Valley

2013 Cosa Obra Pinot Noir

2013 Domaine La Millière Côtes du Rhône Cuvée Unique Vieilles Vignes

2014 Jean Edwards Cellars Sauvignon Blanc Dalla Gasperina Vineyard

2010 Turley Zinfandel Rattlesnake Ridge

2009 Jaffe Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Metamorphosis

 

 

 

2008 Turley Zinfandel Cedarman – $26.29

I’ve been a big fan of the Turley Cedarman Zinfandels for a number of years.  Cedarman is a blend of fruit from both Rattlesnake Ridge and Dragon Vineyards, located at the top of Howell Mountain in Napa Valley.  Although primarily Zinfandel, a small amount of Petite Syrah from the Rattlesnake vineyard is used as well.  This has 15.6% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

The wine is a fairly deep ruby color.  The very inviting nose has raspberries, black pepper, melted licorice, crushed stones, wild flowers, dark bittersweet chocolate, smoke, and some earthiness.  This has full body, fairly solid tannins, and very nice acidity.  On the palate the sweet berries provide a nice counter balance to the savory notes of black pepper, minerals, and dark chocolate.  The finish is long and very flavorful with some nice earthiness coming into the picture.  The tannins and acidity provide a solid backbone that ensures this will last in the cellar through the end of the decade.  Enjoy this now or let it sleep for a few more years, either way you’ll enjoy this one.  (93 pts)

 

 

2012 Buoncristiani Malbec Napa Valley – $46.67

This wine is 100% Malbec and was aged for 20 months in 100% French oak with 75% of the barrels being new.  This wine has a suggested retail price of $75.  This was the fifth vintage of this wine the winery produced.  The grapes come from small lots harvested exclusively from ultra premium Hillside blocks in the Eastern Vaca Mountain range.  Total production was 250 cases.

 

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

 

The wine is a deep, dark, opaque purple color.  The show-stopping nose has blackberries, blueberries, licorice, white pepper, vanilla, baking spices, freshly ground espresso beans and violets.  This full bodied wine has soft to moderate tannins and nice acidity.  This wine is rich and plush on the palate with crushed berries, white pepper, vanilla and baking spices grabbing your attention on the front end with espresso beans and a nice floral note coming in later.  The finish has nice length with the fruit, white pepper and spices carrying the major load.  This may be a bit on the young side, but it still is very easy to drink and more importantly easy to enjoy.  (92 pts)

 

 

2013 Cosa Obra Pinot Noir – $22.40

This 100% Pinot Noir is a blend of 56% Carneros and 44% Russian River Valley.  The wine was aged for 12 months in 100% French oak, 30% new.

 

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

 

The wine is a bright ruby red color.  The slightly shy nose has cherries, baking spices, white pepper, tobacco and dry underbrush.  This has medium body with soft to moderate tannins and good acidity.  This is much more open on the palate with cherries, white pepper and minerals on the front end with tobacco and baking spices coming in later.  The finish has decent length with cranberries and dry underbrush entering the picture.  (89 pts)

 

 

2013 Domaine La Millière Côtes du Rhône Cuvée Unique Vieilles Vignes – $11.73

This wine is roughly a 50/50 blend of Grenache and Syrah from 50 to 100 years old vines.  The wine has 13.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

The wine is a light ruby red color.  The appealing nose has blackberries, baking spices, tobacco, cherries, crushed stone minerals, dried herbs, wild flowers and dry underbrush.  This has medium body with soft to moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate tart fruit, stony minerals and spice grab hold quickly with dried herbs and underbrush coming in later.  The finish has nice length with a floral note adding depth.  This is very easy to drink and enjoy.  (91 pts)

 

 

2014 Jean Edwards Cellars Sauvignon Blanc Dalla Gasperina Vineyard

This is the first white wine produced by Jean Edwards Cellars.  This is a blend of 92% Sauvignon Blanc and 8% Semillon.

 

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

 

The wine is a pale straw yellow color.  The enticing nose has apples, lemon zest, white pepper, leafy herbs, pineapple, dusty minerals, apricot, orange blossoms and anise.  This has medium body with mouthwatering acidity.  On the palate tart apples, white pepper, lemon zest and an herbal streak immediately take control on the front end with apricot and orange blossoms coming in later.  The finish has very nice length with anise and dusty minerals joining the tropical fruit and white pepper.  The crisp acidity will leave your mouthwatering for another sip.  A great initial white wine effort from this formerly red wine only winery.  This is very drinkable now but will last for at least two or three years, maybe longer.  (92 pts)

 

 

2010 Turley Zinfandel Rattlesnake Ridge – $37.99

The mountain grown fruit always gives this wine a bit more backbone and a gritty edge.  The mountain grown fruit also generally highlights the savory, peppery elements of the zinfandel grape.  This wine has 16.1% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

The wine is a deep garnet red color.  The inviting nose has brambly berries, black pepper, crushed stone minerals, baking spices, cherries, asphalt and dried violets.  This has a full body with moderate to solid tannins and good acidity.  On the palate brambly berries, crushed stones and black pepper take control immediately with cherries and baking spices coming in later.  The finish has very good length with asphalt and dried violets adding depth.  This is very tasty today but will last in the cellar through the end of the decade.  Even though this has over 16% alcohol it is not noticeable under all the fruit and spice.  (93 pts)

 

 

2009 Jaffe Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Metamorphosis – $32.85

This wine is 100% Estate grown Cabernet Sauvignon from the vineyards in St. Helena.    This wine has 14.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

The wine is a deep garnet color.  The enticing nose has cassis, cedar, dusty minerals, baking spices, licorice,  plums, cocoa powder and dried violets.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and nice acidity.  Cassis, cocoa powder, dusty minerals and cedar coat the palate on the front end with plums and licorice coming in later.  The finish has very good length with a dried floral note and plums joining the cassis, cedar and minerals.  This has very nice balance and is very easy to enjoy.  This will drink well through at least the end of the decade.  (93 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 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!

 

 

 

2013 Michael-David Vineyards Petit Verdot Inkblot

2012 Bedrock Wine Co. Zinfandel Kirschenmann

2015 McCay Cellars Rosé

2014 Ironstone Vineyards Cabernet Franc

2014 McCay Cellars Viognier

2015 Acquiesce Grenache Blanc

2015 LangeTwins Sangiovese Rosé

2013 Macchia Zinfandel Mischievous Old Vine

2013 St. Amant Winery Zinfandel Old Vines Mohr-Fry Ranch Vineyard

2012 Harney Lane Zinfandel Old Vine Lizzy James Vineyard

 

 

These are all wines I purchased, none are samples that were provided to me.  Some were from my cellar, some were purchased during my recent tour of Lodi and some were purchased after I returned home.  I may write about wines but I am also a collector and wine consumer.  I may write about some wines that are provided to me but I buy the wines I want to drink.  Here are some of the wines from Lodi that are now part of my cellar.  The prices noted are what I paid without tax or shipping.  Most of the wines were discounted due to case or multi-case purchases, or store related percentage off coupons from Total Wine.

 

Some of the bloggers have already posted blogs on our visit to the area.  I’m sure there will be more posted in the coming weeks, a few will be from me.  For this post, I wanted to highlight a few of the world class wines bearing the Lodi name on the label.

 

 

2013 Michael-David Vineyards Petit Verdot Inkblot – $33.24

This is a wine I tasted during a visit to the winery as part of a group of bloggers with Snooth and the Lodi Wine organization.  I liked it enough to include a few bottles in a case of Lodi wines purchased when I returned back home.  For more information, visit the Michael-David Winery website.

 

This wine has a “touch” of Petite Sirah included with the Petit Verdot.  The grapes for this wine came from Jon Wetmore’s vineyard on the northeast side of Lodi.  This wine is always put into new barrels early in the harvest season due to the high level of tannin, color and concentration.  The wine was aged 19 months in French oak.  This is the first varietal bottling of Petit Verdot by the winery, there are very few other Lodi wineries producing Petit Verdot labeled wines.

 

The wine is a deep, dark maroon color.  The impressive nose has crushed berries, baking spices, licorice, black cherries, dusty minerals, dark chocolate, scorched earth and a touch of cedar.  This full bodied wine has moderate ripe tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate loads of crushed berries, baking spices and dusty minerals grab control on the front end with licorice, black cherries and scorched earth coming in later.  The long finish is full of berries, spice and a touch of cedar.  This is an impressive Petit Verdot.  The wine has 14.8% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (91 pts)

 

 

2012 Bedrock Wine Co. Zinfandel Kirschenmann – $28.00

I have been on the Bedrock mailing list since the inception several years ago.  Bedrock is owned by Morgan Twain-Peterson, son of former Ravenswood owner and Zinfandel visionary, Joel Peterson.

 

This is from a vineyard now owned by Tegan Passalacqua (Turley winemaker) and his wife Olivia.  This is an “own rooted” Zinfandel vineyard that was planted in 1915.  The “own rooted” vines had survived because the soil is very sandy which is a natural deterant to pests and diseases they plague vines in other soil conditions.  The wine is a deep ruby color.  The very inviting nose has brambly berries, cherries, warm baking spices, dusty minerals, black peppercorns, dried leafy herbs, licorice and violets.  This has a medium to full body with moderate ripe tannins and nice acidity.  This is rich and voluptuous on the palate with juicy fruit, minerals, black pepper and dusty minerals on the front end with dried herbs and dry earth coming in later.  The spicy finish has nice length.  This is a very easy Zinfandel to sip and enjoy.  The wine has 14.6% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (94 pts)

 

2015 McCay Cellars Rosé – $16.20

We met Michael MaCay and his Syrah grower Phil Abba and had a “side of the road” tasting at Phil’s Abba Vineyard.  Just like every grower we met you could “feel” Phil’s dedication and pride in the grapes that come out of his vineyard.  I bought this wine as well as McCay Cellars’ Syrah and Grenache wines make from the fruit from Abba Vineyard.  This was fantastic on the side of the hot, dry and dusty road and I could not wait to open a bottle to sip at home.

 

McCay Cellars is owned by Michael McCay.  McCay moved to Lodi in the mid 1980s and started to grow grapes.  He started making wine in 1994 and launched McCay Cellars in 2007.  Much more information is available on the winery, history and most importantly their wines by visiting the McCay Cellars webpage.

 

This wine is mainly Carignane (from 102 year old vines) with Grenache.  The wine was produced with a “native fermentation” in stainless steel.  The wine is a bright salmon color.  The fresh smelling nose has strawberries, peaches, dusty minerals and lime zest.  This has a medium body with good acidity and just a hint of sweetness.  On the palate strawberries and minerals immediately grab your attention with peaches in the background.  The finish has nice length with a hint of lime zest leading you to grab another sip.  This has just a hint of sweetness making it an easy to enjoy companion to a warm day in the sun.  (90 pts)  This has 12.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off cap.

 

 

2014 Ironstone Vineyards Cabernet Franc – $9.49

Ironstone Vineyards is a family owned winery that we visited during our Lodi excursion.  The Kautz family were gracious hosts during the visit.  I enjoyed their entire line-up of value priced wines.  The quality of the wines far exceeded the “low price of admission”.  To me, their Petite Sirah and this Cabernet Franc were the standouts.  I like the wine enough to include a few bottles in the case I bought soon after returning home.  Visit the Ironstone Vineyards website for a ton more information on the winery, family and the wines.

 

This wine is 85% Cabernet Franc and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Alta Mesa and Sloughhouse AVAs in Lodi.  The wine gets a brief 2 month aging in new French oak.  The wine is a medium to dark ruby color.  The very approachable nose has crushed berries, stony minerals, dried leafy herbs, vanilla, cedar and wild flowers.  This has medium body with soft tannins and good acidity.  On the palate juicy berries, vanilla and dried herbs dominate the front end with toasty cedar coming in on the back end.  The fruit laden finish has nice length.  This isn’t a wine to lay down, I’d drink this one on the younger side while the fruit is crisp and fresh.  Open this one with a juicy burger hot off the grill or even better with a platter of cheeses and meats with a few friends.  This wine is a steal if you can find it for around $10.  (90 pts)  This has 13.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with an artificial cork.

 

 

 

2014 McCay Cellars Viognier

Information and links dealing with McCay Cellars is above with my review of their rosé.

 

The wine is a golden straw color.  The inviting nose has apples, peach pits, honey, orange blossoms, dusty minerals, lime zest and lemongrass.  This has medium body with nice acidity and just a hint of lingering sweetness.  Apples, lime zest and peach pits immediately coat your palate with richness, on the back end minerals and lemongrass enter the picture.  The finish has nice length with honey and orange blossoms adding depth.  This is an easy drinking wine that would be a hit with friends.  (90 pts)  This wine has 14.1% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

 

2015 Acquiesce Grenache Blanc – $19.20

I was already familiar with Acquiesce wines before the Lodi trip from earlier tastings.  Acquiesce Winery was not visited on this trip but one of their wines, the 2015 Belle Blanc, was included in an online Snooth Tasting and chat while we were there.  If you want to see the session, it is available online.  I bought this wine as well as their Roussanne while in Lodi and had them shipped back home to me.

 

The wine is a very light golden yellow color.  The fresh and lively nose has green apples, white peach, flinty minerals, pineapple, lemon zest and a hint of spice.  This has medium body with great acidity and it seems to be totally dry.  On the palate tart apples and flinty minerals take control quickly with white peaches, pineapples and spice coming in on the back end.  The finish has good length with mouthwatering lemon zest leaving you reaching for another sip.  Another great example of the white wines made from Rhone grapes that excel in Lodi.  (92 pts)  This has 13.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.

 

 

 

2015 LangeTwins Sangiovese Rosé – $12.00

LangeTwins is another winery we did not visit.  The winery was still well represented, this wine was included in our “Welcome” dinner the day we arrive in Lodi.  I tried a small taste of the wine, took a sip and wanted more.  Needless to say, with a large table full of people, the bottle was empty.  I bought a few bottles of the wine while in Lodi and had them shipped to me back in South Carolina.  More information on LangeTwins Winery is available on their website.

 

This wine is a bright salmon color, a bit darker than a typical rosé.  The refreshing nose has strawberry, cherry, dry earth, stony minerals, orange blossoms and a touch of lime zest.  This has light to medium body with nice acidity and just a hint of sweetness.  On the palate nice fruit and minerals hit first with orange blossoms and a touch of dry earth coming in later.  The finish has nice length with mouthwatering lemon zest providing nice balance to the slight sweetness.  This is not sweet but there is just enough residual sweetness to add some body and keep the fruit at the front.  This is VERY easy to sip while relaxing.  This has 12.0% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off cap.  (90 pts)

 

 

2013 Macchia Zinfandel Mischievous Old Vine – $16.99

This is a bottle from my cellar.  I am fortunate enough to have a local Total Wines and More that carries several Lodi wines.  This wine and the St. Amant covered later in this post are almost always in my cellar.

 

In Italian, Macchia, means “the spot”.  The owner/winemaker for Macchia is ever dapper, Tim Holdener.  I’ll post a picture of Tim in his “tuxedo” shirt in a later post.  We had a great visit to the winery which included tastes of several barrel samples.  Time hosted a “Barbera tasting” that included several wineries in his outdoor tasting area which would be better called a “man cave”.  The area was outstanding.  Again, pictures and tasting notes will be included in a later post.  During the event, when asked about the aging potential of Lodi Barbera wines, Time grabbed a bottle of his 2003 Barbera from his personal stash.  Spoiler alert – it was outstanding.  Much more information is available on the Macchia website.

 

The wine is a deep garnet to maroon color.  The open and inviting nose has brambly berries, warm baking spices, vanilla bean, black cherries, chalky minerals, black peppercorns and dried violets.  This has a fairly full body with moderate tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate brambly berries, spices, black pepper and cherries jump out quickly with vanilla and minerals coming in later.  The finish has good length with a dried floral note providing nice depth.  This is on the young side but already drinking very nicely with some air.  Load up if you can find this one.  The wine has 15.8% alcohol that is well concealed and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (91 pts)

 

 

2013 St. Amant Winery Zinfandel Old Vines Mohr-Fry Ranch Vineyard – $16.99

This is a wine I always have in my cellar from the local Total Wine.

 

During the trip, we had a marvelous tasting of St. Amant wines in Marian’s Vineyard which is part of the Mohr-Fry Ranch with grower Jerry Fry and Stuart Spencer, the winemaker for St. Amant.  The vineyard is well over 100 years old and produces wonderfully rich and concentrated fruit.  I highly recommend visiting St. Amant’s website and reading about the people and wine, but especially about the vineyards that are used by the winery.

 

The wine is a deep purple color.  The enticing nose has brambly berries, charred wood, crushed stone minerals, cracked black peppercorns, baking spices, black cherries, tobacco, earthy underbrush and dried wildflowers.  This has a full body with moderate tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate brambly berries, baking spices, crushed stones and black pepper jump out quickly with black cherries and subtle charred wood coming in on the back end.  The finish has very nice length with a pleasing dried floral note entering the picture.  This could use a bit of time in the cellar but with a bit of air it is already stunning.  Stock up on this one.  (93 pts)  This wine has 14.7% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

 

2012 Harney Lane Zinfandel Old Vine Lizzy James Vineyard

This is another bottle from my personal cellar.

 

We visited Harney Lane Winery during our trip.  The Mettler family has been farming the vineyards for over 100 years.  After many decades selling the grapes, in 2006 the family decided to start making wine.  The grapes for this wine come from the Lizzy James Vineyard that was planted in 1904, making this truly an “old vine” Zinfandel.

 

Our visit to Harney Lane provided us a nice tasting of their wines including barrel samples.  We had to “work” for the samples by doing “punch downs” of their fermenting Petite Sirah.  Thankfully there was no mishaps for those wearing light colored clothes.  Pictures of a few of us doing the punch-downs will be provided in a later post.  Much more information on the winery’s history, family and wines is available on the Harney Lane website.

 

The wine is a deep ruby to maroon color.  The inviting nose has blackberry compote, black peppercorns, crushed stone minerals, warm baking spices, scorched earth, ripe plums and vanilla bean.  This has a full body with moderate ripe tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate jammy berries, black peppercorns, baking spices and crushed stones jump out first with plums and scorched earth coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with dark roast coffee entering the picture.  This wine has 15.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (92 pts)

 

 

Conclusion and recommendations

 

Some other wineries that merit your consideration are Bokisch Vineyards, m2 Wines, Borra Vineyards, Markus Wines a sub venture of Borra Vineyards, Oak Farm Vineyards and Mettler Family Vineyards.

 

 

If you want to plan a trip to Lodi, which I highly recommend, your first step should be to visit the Lodi Wine Site.  If you find yourself in Lodi and want to sip some wine, buy some wine or look for recommendations, I encourage you to visit them at:

Lodi Wine & Visitor Center

2545 West Turner Road

Lodi, CA 95242

Phone: (209) 367-4727

Email: lwwc@lodiwine.com

 

This is also a great place to buy Lodi wines.  They have an extensive inventory of wines that you can have shipped to your home.

 

 

 

I was included as part of this blogger trip by Snooth, one of the top wine related sites on the internet.  I highly recommend visiting their site.

 

 

 

Lodi Information

Lodi is just east of San Francisco and has provided grapes for producers all over the world since the 1800’s.  The Lodi area has provided grapes for producers all over the world for decades, and many families in Lodi have been growing grapes for six and seven generations.  Today, there are approximately 85 wineries and tasting rooms, over 750 growers and more than 100,000 acres planted to vineyards.  The wines we tasted commemorate the heritage of Lodi and are not only exquisite, but tell a narrative.

 

It is a well-known fact that Lodi is predominantly a red wine region, proudly holding the self-proclaimed title of “Zinfandel Capital of the World”.  What is lesser known is that Lodi’s unique Mediterranean climate allows for over 75 different varietals to thrive.

 

Tons of great and useful information is available on the Wines of Lodi, LOCA website.  I highly encourage you to read about the area by clicking here.  You can also follow Lodi on Twitter at @Lodi_Wine.

 

 

Lodi Green Program

The Lodi Rules for Sustainable Winegrowing is California’s first 3rd party-certified sustainable winegrowing program.  Originally launched in 2005, over the past two years the program went through and extensive review to update and make standards more rigorous.

 

The Lodi Rules takes a comprehensive approach to farming that goes beyond just pest management to promote practices that enhance biodiversity, water and air quality, soil health, and employee and community well-being.  This allows us to produce higher quality wines more reflective of the places and people that grow them.  It gives you the opportunity to promote responsible farming by enjoying the great wines from these vineyards.

 

When you drink a certified sustainably grown Lodi wine, you are supporting a farmer, a vintner, and a community that embraces its responsibility to take care of the environment.

 

Visit the Lodi Certified Green site for more information on the region’s sustainable winegrowing.

 

 

 

Whether one is just a beginner, or a total pro, Snooth offers its 1 million+ users countless opportunities to learn, taste, share and shop in the world of wine.

 

Members are able to interact with wineries, stores, fellow wine lovers, and wine professionals from all over the globe with Snooth’s daily newsletters, wine search, social forums and interactive media tools.

 

Since its launch in June 2007, Snooth has become one of the world’s largest and most comprehensive online wine destinations, featuring millions of price listings and wine reviews. Snooth also powers wine & food pairings for major sites including Epicurious.com (Conde Nast) and myRecipes.com (Time Inc).

 

Visit Snooth by by clicking here.

 

 

 

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!

 

 

 

 

2015 Ehlers Estate Sauvignon Blanc

2013 Ehlers Estate Cabernet Franc St. Helena

2013 Ehlers Estate Cabernet Sauvignon “1886”

This is based on winery supplied samples.

 

 

 

Bernard Ehlers bought a small, dying vineyard in the late 1800s.  It was the lure of winemaking that led him on a quest to create a winery that today, still bears his name.  Bernard’s first tasks were to replant his 10 acre vineyard, plant a still existing Olive grove and to build a stone barn to be used in winemaking.  The construction of the stone barn was completed in 1886.  This should answer one of the biggest questions about Ehlers Estate, why is the Cabernet Sauvignon named 1886?

 

The property passed through several hands after Bernard’s wife dies in the 1920s.

 

Eventually Jean and Sylviane Leducq, realizing the potential of the area to produce the wines of style and power to rival Bordeaux, purchased the property.  The husband and wife team slowly increased their vineyards by buying local vineyards as they went up for sale.  The family now owns 42 acres and uses the original owner’s name on their label, Ehlers Estate.

 

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

 

 

A view of the Ehlers Estate vineyard and stone barn (From winery’s website)

 

 

My line-up for this tasting:

 

 

2015 Ehlers Estate Sauvignon Blanc – SRP $28

This wine is 100% Sauvignon Blanc from the winery’s estate vineyard.  The vineyard was awarded organic certification from the California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) in July 2008.  The grapes for this wine were harvested on August 19-20.  After fermentation, the wine was aged in stainless steel barrels and neutral, used French barrels until bottling in February 2016.  There were 1170 cases produced.

 

The wine has 13.2% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

The wine is a pale yellow-straw color.  The exhilarating nose has tart apples, grapefruit, lemon zest, lime, crushed stone minerals, orange blossoms and a hint of nuttiness.  This has medium to full body with crisp acidity and just a hint of sweetness.  On the palate full blown citrus and minerals grab hold on the front end with a nice floral note coming in on the back end.  The mouthwatering finish adds a hint of nuttiness while the citrus leads you to take another taste.  This has very nice balance and will add appeal to any meal on the deck or patio on a warm, sunny day.  This is also very easy to sip on its’ own while enjoying some Summer sun.  This wine has 13.2% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (91 pts)

 

 

2013 Ehlers Estate Cabernet Franc St. Helena – SRP $60

This wine is 100% Cabernet Franc from the winery’s estate vineyard.  Like the Sauvignon Blanc above and the 1886 Cabernet Sauvignon below, the vineyard is certified organic in 2008.  The grapes for this wine were harvested in late September through early October.  After fermentation, the wine was aged 100% French oak (50% new) from various Coopers.  831 cases of wine were bottled on August 7, 2015.

 

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

 

This wine is a deep ruby red color.  The very inviting nose has cassis, black cherries, dark chocolate, dried leafy herbs and dusty minerals.  This is medium to full body with moderate to solid tannins and good acidity.  Lush fruit and minerals greet you palate on the front end with dried herbs coming in later.  The finish is long and lingering with dark chocolate entering the picture.  This is rich and lush and full of power, it is easy to enjoy.  (92 pts)

 

 

2013 Ehlers Estate Cabernet Sauvignon “1886” – SRP $110

This wine is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot from the winery’s certified organic estate vineyard.  The grapes for this wine were harvested in late September through early October.  After fermentation, the wine was aged 100% French oak (70% new) from various Coopers.  There were 2733 cases produced and bottled on August 7, 2015.

 

The wine has 14.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork

 

This wine is a deep ruby color.  The intoxicating nose has cassis, raspberries, crushed stone minerals, tobacco, cedar, warm baking spices, dark chocolate and cherries.  This is medium to full body with medium to solid tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate cassis, minerals and dark chocolate grab your attention on the front end with baking spices and cherries coming in later.  The long finish has nice balance between the fruit and savory elements.  This is nice now with some air but give this one a couple years in the cellar to fully develop.  (94 pts)

 

 

Conclusion

All three of these wines were very good to outstanding.  Even though the two red wines are already very tasty, showing some patience by laying them down in your cellar will be greatly rewarded.  There is serious upside potential for the reds, especially the “1886” Cabernet.  The Sauvignon Blanc would be a very fitting wine to open with a lighter meal or to serve with a platter of appetizers at a holiday get-together with family or friends.  These wines were samples provided by the winery, but I have purchased these wines in the past, and will purchase again.

 

 

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!

 

2011 Elyse Zinfandel Korte Ranch

2008 Stefania Haut Tubee

2012 Cosa Obra Proprietor’s Blend

2009 Big Basin Vineyards Homestead

2010 Jacob Franklin Petite Sirah Hayne Vineyard

2014 Diora Pinot Noir La Petite Grace

2008 Westerhold Family Vineyards Syrah Westerhold Vineyard

2009 Girard Petite Sirah

2011 Cornerstone Cellars Pinot Noir

2007 Copain Syrah Brosseau Vineyard

 

 

 

2011 Elyse Zinfandel Korte Ranch – $15.82

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

 

The wine is a deep ruby color.  The inviting nose has blackberries, cracked black peppercorns, dusty minerals, cherries, espresso beans, dark chocolate, dry underbrush, eucalyptus and wild flowers.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate berries, minerals and black peppercorns take control on the front end with dark chocolate and espresso beans coming in on the back end.  The finish has decent length with a touch of eucalyptus and a floral note adding depth.  This isn’t a big, overly rips style of Zin, this is actually very well mannered and nuanced.  This has nice balance and should drink well through the end of the decade.  (91 pts)

 

 

2008 Stefania Haut Tubee – $20.00

This is a blend of 37% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Syrah, 15% Merlot, 10% Zinfandel, 2% Grenache and trace amounts of Mourvedre, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Pinot Gris.  The wine is named after the owner’s hot tub in their back yard.  There were 108 cases of the wine produced.  The grapes used in this red blend change dramatically every vintage based on what is available to make this tasty blend.

 

The wine has 13.8% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

The wine is a medium to dark ruby red color with some lightening at the edge.  The nose is open and inviting with cassis, cedar, cherries, white pepper, plums, candied violets, dark chocolate, dried herbs, vanilla, and some earthiness.  This has medium body, soft to moderate tannins and good acidity.  This is much brighter on the palate than I expected with tart cherries, plums and white pepper up front.  On the back end spicy oak, dried herbs and plums come into focus.  The finish has decent length with dark chocolate and some earthiness creeping into the picture.  This is just about as good as it gets for a $20 California blend.  Drink over the next year, maybe two.  (90 pts)

 

 

2012 Cosa Obra Proprietor’s Blend – $25.60

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

 

This is a deep garnet color.  The slightly shy nose has blackberries, cherries, bacon fat, potpourri, licorice and scorched earth.  This has medium to full body with moderate tannins and nice acidity.  This is much more open and expressive on the palate with spicy berries, grilled meat, cherries and stony minerals taking control on the front end with licorice and scorched earth coming in later.  The finish has nice length with the fruit and meaty elements co-mingling nicely.  This tastes nice now but will improve with some cellar time allowing the “baby fat” to integrate and become a bit less prominent.  (90 pts)

 

 

2009 Big Basin Vineyards Homestead – $29.00

As I’ve said in the past, I think Big Basin is one big score from one of the big wine reviewing periodicals away from appearing everyone’s radar.  I’ve been a big fan of Big Basin’s Syrah wines and blends for a few years.  I would highly recommend checking them out.  This is a blend of 46% Grenache, 43% Syrah, and 11% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Santa Cruz Mountains in California.

 

Winery history

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

 

Best known for Syrah, but also makes Pinot Noirs and blends.

 

Much more information is available at:  http://bigbasinvineyards.com/

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby to maroon color.  The open and inviting nose has cherries, black raspberries, roasted herbs, dusty minerals, licorice, earthy underbrush, violets, white pepper and a touch of wood smoke.  This has medium to full body, fairly solid, ripe tannins and good acidity.  The palate shows nice spicy fruit with roasted herbs, pepper, with spicy oak adding depth and filling out the palate.  The finish is fairly long with smoky, roasted herbs and fruit slowly fading.  One of the more “civilized” wines I’ve had from Bradley Brown’s Big Basin.  I’m glad I have a few more to enjoy over the next few years.  (92 pts)

 

 

2010 Jacob Franklin Petite Sirah Hayne Vineyard – $32.00

This wine has 13.6% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep purple color.  The inviting nose is full of crushed blackberries, dusty minerals, violets, blueberries, white pepper, road tar, dried violets and vanilla bean.  This has medium to full body with moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  For a Hayne Vineyard Petite Sirah this is bright and lively on your palate with crushed berries, minerals and white pepper hitting on the front end and blueberries, vanilla and dried violets coming in later.  The finish has very nice length with berries and white pepper seeming to linger forever.  This is on the young side but very easy to enjoy even at this stage in its development.  (93 pts)

 

 

2014 Diora Pinot Noir La Petite Grace – $31.99

The wine has 14.5% alcohol.  The bottle is sealed with a natural cork with a thick was coating the cork and next of the bottle.  The wax may look nice but it was tough cutting it off to pull the cork.

 

The wine is a deep garnet to maroon color.  The sensuous nose has black cherries, underbrush, baking spices, crushed stones, eucalyptus and violets.  This has medium body with soft to moderate ripe tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate black berries, underbrush and crushed stones steal the show on the front end with a nice floral note coming in later.  The finish has nice length with cherries and minerals carrying the load.  Not much complexity at this time but some time in the cellar may help, nonetheless this already easy to drink and is very tasty.  (89 pts)

 

 

2008 Westerhold Family Vineyards Syrah Westerhold Vineyard – $42.00

This is a wine I originally 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.  The winery now also produces a Pinot Noir.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark purple color.  The spellbinding nose has blackberries, licorice, baking spices, cedar, black pepper, road tar, dried wildflowers, crushed stone minerals and scorched earth.  This has a full body with moderate to solid tannins and good acidity.  This has nice tart berries, black pepper, spicy oak and minerals up front with a dried floral note and some scorched earth coming in on the back end.  The has very nice length on the finish until the tannins and acidity kick in.  This is tasty but really could use some additional cellar time to help the finish open up and fill out.  (93 pts)

 

 

2009 Girard Petite Sirah – $17.09

This has been a long time favorite of mine.  My consumption has declined over the last few vintages as the price escalated.  My local store loaded up and offered the wine at a killer price via their e-mail list, so I had to “back up the truck”.

 

This has 14.5% alcohol and is sealed with an agglomerated cork

 

Winery History

Thirty years after first planting its vineyards, Girard continues to produce wines reflecting the quality that has made Napa Valley the most famous New World wine-growing region in the world. Napa Valley’s rise to fame was punctuated by a renaissance that began at the same time Girard was setting down its own roots.

 

As it has been in the past, Girard’s goal is to highlight the flavors of Napa Valley and its rich, ripe grapes. A small portion of the winery’s portfolio also comes from grapes grown in Sonoma’s upscale Russian River Valley, where cool weather offers ideal conditions for Chardonnay.

 

With the right grapes from the right locations, Girard offers a lineup that features both power and finesse–key words in California wine.

 

For more information, check out their website by clicking here.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark purple color.  The outstanding nose has blackberries, black pepper, smoke, caramel, wild flowers, cherries, dark chocolate, earthy underbrush, and vanilla.  This has medium to full body, moderate to solid tannins and good acidity.  On the palate the berries, pepper and vanilla leap out first with some nice earthiness and a floral element coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with some dark bittersweet chocolate entering the picture.  (90 pts)

 

 

2011 Cornerstone Cellars Pinot Noir – $16.87

The wine has 13.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

The wine is a bright ruby red color.  The appealing nose has cherries, raspberries, warm baking spices, white pepper, dry underbrush, wild flowers and vanilla.  This has medium body with soft to moderate tannins and good acidity.  On the palate cherries, baking spices and white pepper take charge early with dry underbrush and raspberries coming in later.  The finish has nice length with vanilla joining the spices and cherries.  This was better after being opened for an hour or two.  Drink now with some air or let it sleep another year and drink it through the end of the decade.  (91 pts)

 

 

2007 Copain Syrah Brosseau Vineyard – $45.00

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

 

The wine is a dark ruby red color.  The intriguing nose has blackberries, mint, black peppercorns, dusty minerals, dark roast coffee beans, licorice and dried violets.  This has medium to full body with moderate tannins and good acidity.  On the palate the berries, minerals and dark roast coffee immediately take control, slowly allowing black pepper and a minty note to slip through on the back end.  The finish has very nice length with a dried floral note providing depth.  This is drinking very nicely today and should hold for at least another couple of years.  (92 pts)

 

 

Connect with me

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

 

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

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 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!

 

2002 Weingut Eduard Hauth Kerpen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett

2009 Cameron Hughes Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford Lot 282

2011 Bokisch Vineyards Garnacha Terra Alta Vineyard

2008 Anthill Farms Syrah Peters Vineyard

2008 Turley Zinfandel Mead Ranch

2009 Jaffe Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Metamorphosis

2013 Bella Grace Zinfandel

2014 Caleo Nero d’Avola

2010 Sandler Wine Company Syrah Connell Vineyard

2010 Purple Hands Pinot Noir Stoller Vineyard

2008 Jean Edwards Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Seventy Four – Forty One Napa Valley

 

 

 

2002 Weingut Eduard Hauth Kerpen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett – $14.75

This was another “steal” from Last Bottle wines, my favorite “flash” wine site.  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 8.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  My cork was a nasty, disgusting black on the exposed end but the important part was perfect.  Remember to clean the bottle well when opening these older bottles.

 

The wine is a bright straw yellow color.  The inviting nose has apples, orange blossoms, lemon zest, petrol, honey, minerals, white pepper and juicy peaches.  This has medium body with tart acidity and nice sweetness.  Apples, peaches, stony minerals and honey take control of the palate on the front end with orange blossoms and lemon zest coming in later.  The finish has very nice length with a hint of white pepper coming into the picture.  This is drinking very nicely right now but there is no hurry.  (91 pts)

 

 

2009 Cameron Hughes Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford Lot 282 – $24.00

This wine was purchased in bulk from the winery when the economy was at a very low point.  As the economy started to rebound, the winery actually bought some back.

 

Here is part of the e-mail pitch from Cameron Hughes:

 

Lot 282 2009 Rutherford Cabernet is perfectly suited for the task with impeccable provenance from one of Napa Valley’s flagship Cabernet producers.  Sourced from the well-drained alluvial soils of the west side of Rutherford appellation, this wine explodes with rich and ripe, yet elegant, fruit.  Classically proportioned one would say.  The source winery approached us last fall and we contracted quite a few different 2009 Cabernet’s that they then barreled down for us until we removed them last summer for bottling.  The best of them is this 2009 Rutherford Cabernet (their $80 Rutherford appellation Cabernet being their consistently best rated wine with the 2008 scoring 93+ from Parker).  Lot 282 is the exact same wine they bottled for the 2009 vintage under their own label.  How do I know this?  Not only because they told us as much but because they sold us the entire production at first and then asked very nicely last spring with the economy looking better if they couldn’t have some back.

 

As a side note, based on a few clues, this appears to be the wine also labeled and sold as the 2009 Pine Ridge Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon.  As soon as I figured this out, I was in for a case at only $24 a bottle.

 

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

 

The wine is a deep ruby red color.  The very appealing nose has cassis, cedar, licorice, warm baking spices, dusty minerals, cherries, tobacco and wild flowers.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate cassis, baking spices, dusty minerals and cedar immediately take control with cherries coming in on the back end.  The finish has very good length with tobacco and a nice floral note adding depth.  This has very nice balance and will last in the cellar for several more years.  This was a steal for the price.  (93 pts)

 

 

2011 Bokisch Vineyards Garnacha Terra Alta Vineyard – $14.85

This was another “steal” from Last Bottle wines, my favorite “flash” wine site.  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 wine has 14.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

The wine is a bright red color.  The enticing nose has cherries, white pepper, crushed stone minerals, dried violets and dry underbrush.  This has medium body with soft to moderate ripe tannins and decent acidity.  On the palate ripe cherries and white pepper come through on the front end with dried flowers and minerals coming in later.  The finish has decent length with cherries and dry underbrush carrying the load.  Not a wine to stash away for extended aging, open this one and enjoy an easy drinking glass of wine.  (89 pts)

 

 

2008 Anthill Farms Syrah Peters Vineyard – $28.00

I haven’t had one of these for a couple of years so it’s time to check in again.  I felt it needed another year or two back then, let’s see how my guess held up.

 

This wine has 13.6% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

The wine is a deep ruby red color.  The very inviting nose has blackberries, raspberries, smoke, crushed stones, black pepper, smoked meat, licorice, roasted herbs, scorched earth and violets.  This has medium body with moderate to solid tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate crushed berries, crushed stones and black pepper grab your attention immediately with smoked meat and licorice coming in later.  The finish has great length with smoked meat and roasted herbs adding great depth.  This has outstanding balance and still has several years of life ahead of it.  (91 pts)

 

 

2008 Turley Zinfandel Mead Ranch – $35.00

This has 16.1% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

The wine is a deep maroon color.  The sexy nose is full of black cherries, crushed stones, white pepper, licorice, brambly berries, warm baking spices, underbrush, dried wild flowers and a touch of dark chocolate.  This has medium to full body with moderate tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate black cherries, baking spices, crushed stones and dark chocolate immediately tack control with white pepper and brambly berries coming in later.  The finish has great length with subtle underbrush and dried flowers entering the picture.  For a wine with over 16% alcohol the acidity keeps it lively on your palate.  This will easily last in your cellar through the end of the decade, perhaps longer.  A great job!  (94 pts)

 

 

2009 Jaffe Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Metamorphosis – $32.85

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

 

The wine is a deep garnet color.  The enticing nose has cassis, cedar, dusty minerals, baking spices, licorice,  plums, cocoa powder and dried violets.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and nice acidity.  Cassis, cocoa powder, dusty minerals and cedar coat the palate on the front end with plums and licorice coming in later.  The finish has very good length with a dried floral note and plums joining the cassis, cedar and minerals.  This has very nice balance and is very easy to enjoy.  This will drink well through at least the end of the decade.  (93 pts)

 

 

2013 Bella Grace Zinfandel – $14.00

The winery was named for the owner’s two grandmother’s, Bella and Grace.  This wine has 14.3% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off cap.

 

The wine is a deep garnet color.  The inviting nose has brambly berries, plums, stony minerals, scorched earth, baking spices, white pepper, cherries and dried flowers.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and good acidity.  Berries, plums and minerals coat the palate on the front end with white pepper and scorched earth coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with a dried floral note and a touch of dark chocolate adding nice depth.  This is on the young side but very tasty and easy to enjoy.  This is a winery that deserves some attention.  (90 pts)

 

 

2014 Caleo Nero d’Avola – $8.99

This has 13% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with an artificial plastic stopper.

 

The wine is a violet red color.  The slightly subdued nose has cherries, stony minerals, raspberries, dark roasted coffee beans, roasted herbs and wild flowers.  This is barely medium body with soft tannins and good acidity.  On the palate cherries and minerals jump out first with raspberries and dark roasted coffee coming in later.  The finish is a bit short with roasted herbs coming in.  Not a great example of a Nero d”Avola.  This could use a bit more oomph and depth.  (85 pts)

 

 

2010 Sandler Wine Company Syrah Connell Vineyard – $20.00

This has 11.6% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

The wine is a garnet red color.  The slightly shy nose has cherries, black raspberries, baking spices, crushed stones, dried wild flowers, licorice, smoked meat and roasted herbs.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and crisp acidity.  On the palate red and black fruit, baking spices and crushed stone take control on the front end with smoked meat and licorice coming in later.  The finish has nice length with dried flowers adding depth.  This is a nice, low alcohol Syrah that could a bit more stuffing, as is, this is a food friendly wine that will accompany a meal without wowing anyone or over shadowing the food.  (88 pts)

 

 

2010 Purple Hands Pinot Noir Stoller Vineyard – $18.16

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

 

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

 

Winery history

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

2008 Jean Edwards Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Seventy Four – Forty One Napa Valley – $60

I’ve been a fan and customer of the winery for a few years and love opening bottles of their wines for friends to sample.  These are extremely high quality wines sourced from some of the best vineyards in the Napa Valley.  The fact the wines are also sold at very consumer friendly prices is a great bonus.  This is one of the winery’s higher end offerings.

 

This 100% Cabernet is a blend of grapes from a few vineyards in the Napa Valley.  Even though the vineyard names cannot be used for contractual reasons, they can disclose some geographical information.  The major component of this wine is from a Howell Mountain vineyard.  This is combined with grapes from a vineyard in Rutherford and one in Coombsville.

 

The wine was aged 24 months in French oak, 50% new and 50% one year old.

 

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

 

The wine is a deep ruby red to maroon color.  The enticing nose has cassis, cedar, dried herbs, tobacco, mint, dusty minerals, warm baking spices, licorice and dried flowers.  This has medium body to full body with  moderate to solid tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate the cassis, mint and dusty minerals quickly take control, with baking spices, dried herbs and licorice coming in later.  On the back end some spicy oak shines through in the background.  The finish has very good length with a nice mix of fruit and savory elements.  This seems to have settled into a nice drinking window and it should hold for several years.  (93 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 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!