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

 

 

2012 Montes Twins

2011 Montes Cabernet Sauvignon Alpha

 

 

 

About the winery:

Founded in 1988, Viña Montes is the brainchild of Aurelio Montes and Douglas Murray, both veterans of the wine industry.  Along with partners Alfredo Vidaurre and Pedro Grand, they created Viña Montes with the goal of elevating the quality and reputation of Chilean wines – both in Chile and around the world.  In the quarter century since, Viña Montes has played a pivotal role in enhancing awareness, affinity, and acclaim for Chilean wines in more than 100 countries worldwide.  In essence, Viña Montes has become the benchmark for premium Chilean wines.

 

The winery produces 950,000 cases of wine a year under the following “labels”:

Montes Alpha “M” – Ultra-premium Bordeaux-variety blend

Montes Folly – Super-premium, limited-production Syrah

Purple Angel – Super-premium Carménère

Montes Alpha – Label that pioneered Chile’s first “premium” wines

          This label includes Cabernet Sauvignon, Carménère, Chardonnay,   Malbec, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Syrah

Limited Selection – Small-lot wines, limited distribution

          This labels includes Cabernet Sauvignon / Carménère, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc

Montes Classic Series – Value wines, broad distribution

          This label includes Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Malbec, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc

Montes Cherub – Rosé of Syrah

Montes Twins – Cabernet Sauvignon/Malbec

Montes Late Harvest: Botrytised Gewurztraminer

 

 

 

These wines were provided to me by feast PR.  For more information, check out their site by clicking here.  As of this posting, the site was still under construction.  Information can also be received by e-mailing Jennifer O’Flanagan at jen.oflanagan@feastpr.com.

 

 

 

Here is the line up for this tasting:

 

 

 

2012 Montes Twins – SRP $17

This wine is a blend of 50% Malbec from the Marchigüe vineyard and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon Apalta vineyard.  The yields were 3.6 tons per acre.  After fermentation, 60% of the wine was aged for 10 months in new French oak barrels.

 

The wine has 14.0% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a twist off closure.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark ruby color.  The exotic nose has blackberries, earthy underbrush, fresh ground espresso, vanilla, tomato leaf, dark chocolate and dried wildflowers.  This has medium body with soft to moderate tannins and decent acidity.  On the palate berries, espresso and earthiness jump out first with dark chocolate coming in on the back end.  A slight dried floral note comes through on the decent length finish.  This is a touch soft and seems to have a hint of residual sweetness which means the wine would work in a party setting.  This could use a bit more structure and complexity to reach the next level.  (86 pts)

 

 

 

2011 Montes Cabernet Sauvignon Alpha – SRP $25

This wine is a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot.  After fermentation, the wine was aged for 12 months in a mix of new and used French oak barrels.  The total production was 109,000 cases.

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby red color.  The nose has cassis, dark chocolate, cedar, mint and a green herbal note.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and good acidity.  On the palate cassis and chocolaty oak grab hold, slowly allowing some earthiness and an herbal note to slip in.  The finish has good length with nice fruit and chocolate along with the lingering green pepper note.  If you don’t mind a green pepper note, you will like this more than I do.  (85 pts)

 

 

 

Closing Thoughts

These are two nicely priced wines that can be easily found for well under the suggested retail price.  The average price I saw for the Twins was under $12.  At that price this can be served at a party without breaking the bank.

 

 

 

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 2014 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 my local store is usually VERY competitive.  I generally get case discounts, and since I work there part time, I get a 5% discount.  Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges.  None of the prices include the sales tax.

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

Each week I pick out one wine to highlight as my wine of the week.  This wine may be an outstanding wine, a great value or just something very interesting.

 

 

It takes a village to raise a wine

 

 

Overview

I joined the Bedrock mailing list just about as soon as it was created.  Besides making several outstanding wines using grapes from some of the oldest vineyards in the region, they also produce some of the best wines currently coming out of California.

 

The Winery

Bedrock Wine Co. was founded in 2007 by Morgan Twain-Peterson in a 550 square-foot, former chicken coop with 8 foot ceilings and no fermentation space.  After six years of Bedrock being a one-man-show, Morgan was able to talk his best friend, Chris Cottrell, into moving to California from New York to join him.  They now happily have a little more space to move around in but share the same objectives that guided the winery at the start.

 

The winery’s objectives are:

 

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

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

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

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

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

To dream big but keep production low!

 

 

Photo courtesy of the Historic Vineyard Society – Click here to vist their site.

 

The Vineyard

Monte Rosso, nestled on the southwest slopes of the Mayacamas Mountains, near the town of Agua Caliente, was originally planted by the Emanuel Goldstein in the early 1880s.  The vineyard fell victim to phylloxera and was replanted in 1890.  Some of his original plantings (Zin, Semillon) still remain.  Louis Martini purchased the property in 1938 and replanted some of the ranch with what is today some of the oldest cabernet sauvignon in the North America.  Martini renamed the vineyard “Monte Rosso” for its mountaintop setting and bright red, volcanic soils.

 

 

 

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

The grapes for this wine actually come from the exact block Morgan’s father, Joel Peterson, used to create his Ravenswood Monte Rosso Zinfandel many years ago.

 

For more information on the winery or to join their mailing list, please click here.

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

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 2014 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 my local store is usually VERY competitive.  I generally get case discounts, and since I work there part time, I get a 5% discount.  Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges.  None of the prices include the sales tax.

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

2013 Villa Creek Pink

2012 Carol Shelton Wines Zinfandel Monga Zin Lopez Vineyard

2012 Michael Pozzan Winery Pinot Noir Annabella Special Selection Carneros

2009 Melville Syrah Estate Verna’s

2012 Verum Pinot Noir

N.V. Taittinger Champagne Brut Réserve

 

 

 

2013 Villa Creek Pink – $12.80

This wine, as well as the Bedrock Ode to Lulu Rosé are my main pink wines from California for the warm weather.  I supplement these two with purchases from Southern France and Spain so we have plenty of variety.

 

This wine has a suggested retail price of $16 is a steal for under $13 off their e-mail list.  It looks like they still have some available on their site, if you’re interested, check out their site to order, join their e-mail list or for more information by clicking here.

 

This wine is a blend of Grenache, Carignan and Mourvèdre,

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a gorgeous bright salmon color.  The fresh and crisp nose has cherries, minerals, spice, strawberries, orange zest and ripe peaches.  This wine is barely medium body with crisp acidity and just a hint of sweetness.  On the palate tart cherries, spice and minerals quickly take over slowly allowing some orange zest to slip through.  The finish has good length with a touch of peach joining the orange zest.  The wine leaves a touch of lingering sweetness, minerals and mouthwatering orange zest.  This is a very nice rose and a steal at the mailing list price of under $13.  (88 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Carol Shelton Wines Zinfandel Monga Zin Lopez Vineyard – $20.51

Carol poured a tasting of her wines at the local wine store a month or two ago.  Even though I could not attend the tasting, I was able to get the signed bottle from the picture.  Up to this point, I had not had the opportunity to try any of the “Zin Master’s” wines from her label.

 

There is loads of great information available on her site by clicking here.

 

This wine has 14.9% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a shade lighter than ruby red.  The inviting nose has brambly berries, white pepper, cherries, baking spices, dusty minerals and vanilla.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and good acidity.  This is fairly bright and juicy on the palate with cherries and baking spices up front with minerals and a touch of peppery berries.  The finish has good length with a touch of vanilla coming into focus.  This leaves a very slight lingering sweetness.  This is an easy to drink wine without the excess weight and the high octane of most zinfandels.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Michael Pozzan Winery Pinot Noir Annabella Special Selection Carneros – $12.82

I’m always on the look out for $15 Pinot Noirs for week nights.  This is a tough category but there are a few gems out there.  I grabbed this wine as well as the winery’s slightly higher cost Russian River Valley Pinot Noir.  Even though this wine cost a couple dollars less, I think I liked it a touch more.

 

Much more information on the winery and the four labels of wine produced is available by clicking here.

 

This wine has 14.1% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is barely a medium ruby color.  The appealing nose has black cherries, warm baking spices, vanilla bean, minerals, subtle earthiness and wildflowers.  This is barely medium body with soft to moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate black cherries and spice lead off with minerals and some earthiness coming in later.  The finish has decent length with a touch of vanilla coming into the picture.  This is a very nice week night Pinot Noir that was a steal for under $13.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Melville Syrah Estate Verna’s – $20.46

I’m a big fan of Melville’s Pinot Noirs, but when I saw this at the local store, I had to grab a several bottles.  I had a bottle not long after purchase and it left me a bit underwhelmed.  I decided to give it a year in the cellar to see how it would come around.  I waited about a year and a half and it was better but still seemed to need more time.  It’s now been another year and a half, so it’s time to check in again.

 

This has 14.7% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.

 

Winery history

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

 

Additional information available at http://www.melvillevineyards.com/index2.html

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright ruby red color.  The very nice nose features black raspberries, cherries, Asian spices, smoke, white pepper, spicy oak, dark chocolate, violets and a touch of earthiness.  This has a medium body with fairly solid tannins and good acidity.  The palate has nice spicy red and black fruit with a bit of oak and some earthiness.  The finish has nice length but does show a touch of excess oak.  This is a nice, slightly restrained style of California Syrah that will probably show a bit of oak on the back end and finish.  This is drinking nicely now but will hold for at least a few years.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Verum Pinot Noir – $17.09

I participated in an online tasting of Argentine Pinot Noir wines a while ago and was impressed enough that I had to grab a few bottles.  My post on that event is available by clicking here.

 

Verum (Bodega Del Rio Elorza) is a boutique, family winery with 45 acres of high-density vineyards in the Alto Valle del Rio Negro, Patagonia.

 

The grapes for this 100% Pinot Noir are grown in 100% sustainably farmed vineyards.  The grapes are hand picked and double sorted by hand to ensure only the best grapes make it into the bottle.  The wine is fermentated using indigenous yeasts.  The wine is aged 6-12 months in 50% 1st and 50% 2nd use French oak barrels.

 

The wine has 13.9% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright, semi-transparent ruby red color.  The inviting nose has black cherries, white pepper, minerals, baking spices, earthy underbrush and candied violets.  Cherries, minerals and spices coat your palate, eventually allowing white pepper and a touch of spicy oak to join the party.  The finish has nice length with some subtle earthiness joining coming into focus to join the fruit and oak.  This is a nice Pinot Noir that is well mannered but does show a touch of oak at times.  Enjoy over the next couple of years.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

N.V. Taittinger Champagne Brut Réserve – $24.99

We had a bottle of this wine while at a friend’s home several months ago.  He told me Costco had the wine in a special box with 4 bottles of the Champagne and for glasses for under $100.  As soon as we could we made our way to the local Costco and a box found its way into my cellar.  This was a killer bottle of bubbles for $25 a bottle.  I’m thankful I have a few more bottles to savor over the warm months ahead.

 

This has 12.0% alcohol by volume.

 

My Tasting Note

This is a yellow to light straw color with an abundance of small, pinpoint sized bubbles.  The enticing nose has apples. pears, minerals, fresh baked yeasty bread, lemon zest and white flowers.  This has a light, delicate body with crisp acidity.  On the palate this has nice tart apples, pears and minerals up front with bread and citrus coming in on the back end.  This has good length on the dry, crisp finish.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

Connect with me

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

 

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

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 2014 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 my local store is usually VERY competitive.  I generally get case discounts, and since I work there part time, I get a 5% discount.  Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges.  None of the prices include the sales tax.

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

These reviews are based on samples provided by the winery or organization acting on their behalf.

 

 

New York’s Finger Lakes

North America’s premier cool-climate winegrowing region

 

 

 

2012 Red Newt Cellars Riesling Semi-Dry

2011 Heron Hill Vineyards Cabernet Franc

 

 

 

It was my good fortune to be able to participate in an online tasting of wines from the Finger Lakes region of New York.  The event was called the “Finger Lakes Wine Hour” but actually lasted 4 hours.  Unfortunately for me, we got a late start returning from a vacation in South Carolina and arrived home just after the event ended.  That didn’t stop me from kicking back after the long drive and sampling the wines.  Thanks to the “Save as a Stream” feature in HootSuite, I was able to bring up the entire chat session and read along as I sampled my wines.

 

To follow ongoing conversations on the wines from the Finger Lakes region, check out the hashtag #FLXWine or follow @FLXwine on Twitter or give a “Like” to Finger Lakes Wine on Facebook.

 

 

I want to thank the Finger Lakes Wine Alliance and the wineries for providing these wines for me to sample.

 

 

About the region

The Finger Lakes became an official American Viticultural Area (AVA) in 1982 but its history goes back much further.  The first vineyard in the region was planted by Reverend William Bostwick in his rectory garden in Hammondsport, NY in 1829.

 

The region is now home to over 115 wineries with about 9,200 acres of vineyards.  The region produces about 220,000 cases of Riesling wine from the 848 acres of Riesling grapes.

 

In 1998 the region was brought to the forefront in the wine world when Semi-Dry Rieslings from Dr. Konstantin Frank’s and Fox Run Vineyards each won a Gold medal in Strasbourg’s Rieslings of the World Competition in Alsace.

 

The major varieties of grapes planted in the region are Riesling, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir and Gewurztraminer.  Each of these has over 100 acres of vines in the AVA.

 

Much more information about the region is available on the Finger Lakes Wine Alliance website.

 

 

My Line Up

This event revolved around the red wines of the Finger Lakes.  There were many different and varied wines opened for the event.  Here is my line up for the event:

 

 

2012 Red Newt Cellars Riesling Semi-Dry – SRP $15

Red Newt Cellars was founded in 1998 by David and the late Debra Whiting in the hamlet of Hector on the east side of Seneca Lake.

 

Wine production started with the 1998 vintage.  The total production was only 1,200 cases of Chardonnay, Riesling, Vidal, Cayuga, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.  The first white wines were released at the grand opening of the winery and restaurant in July of 1999.  Two years later, Red Newt Cellars was celebrated and honored with the Governor’s Cup for Riesling.  In 2011 the winery was a recipient of Wine & Spirits Magazine’s 2011 Winery of the Year.

 

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

 

The Wine

Riesling production at Red Newt Cellars is straightforward and elegant. Fermentation is in stainless steel, mostly with Epernay II yeast at moderate temperatures. Fermentation is stopped with some residual sweetness. The wine is then fine-tuned and finished using the traditional method of adding back small amounts of unfermented Riesling juice reserve to the wine after fermentation.

This wine has 10.3% alcohol by volume and 2.1% residual sugar.  The bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright golden yellow color.  The enticing nose has apples, honey, minerals, petrol and lime zest.  This barely has medium body with good acidity and nice lingering sweetness.  On the palate ripe apples, honey and minerals coat the palate with nice citrusy acidity coming in on the back end.  The finish has good length with nice balance between the sweetness and acidity.  This isn’t the most complex Riesling out there but that doesn’t detract from the overall “yum” factor.  (87 pts)

 

 

 

2011 Heron Hill Vineyards Cabernet Franc – SRP $15      

Heron Hill has grown from a 5,000 case, white wine only winery in 1977 to now producing 17,000 cases.  The days of white wines only is now in the distant past.  The winery now produces almost 20 different wine varieties.  The winery greets more than 50,000 visitors a year at its location on scenic Keuka Lake.

 

Heron Hill uses only careful processes and state of the art equipment in order to produce the best quality wines possible.  The vineyard is built into the side of a hill allowing Heron Hill’s team to gravity feed the juice instead of pumping, whenever possible.

 

Much more information about the winery and their wines is available by clicking here.  You can also buy wine and gifts on their website.

 

The Wine

This 100% Cabernet Franc uses grapes that were harvested over a week in late October.  After fermentation, the wine was aged for 13 months in French, Eastern European and American oak barrels.

 

The wine has 12.5% alcohol and .03% residual sugar. The bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light to medium ruby red color.  The appealing nose has cassis, minerals, white pepper, dried herbs, cherries, tobacco, candied violets and a touch of dark chocolate.  This is barely medium body with soft to moderate tannins and good acidity.  On the palate cassis and white pepper jump out first with dried herbs and candied violets coming in later.  The finish has good length with the fruit leaning more towards cherries and some nice minerality entering the picture.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

Conclusion

Once again New York’s Finger Lakes region showed that it produces world class wines that are sold for very consumer friendly prices.  Riesling is the star of the region but their red wines can also shine brightly.  I highly encourage readers to check out wines from this region.

 

 

 

Connect with me

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

 

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

 

Cheers!

 

 

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

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

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 my local store is usually VERY competitive.  I generally get case discounts, and since I work there part time, I get a 5% discount.  Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges.  None of the prices include the sales tax.

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

Each week I pick out one wine to highlight as my wine of the week.  This wine may be an outstanding wine, a great value or just something very interesting.

 

 

“There are no shortcuts in the vineyard.  Our wine’s best friend is time,

with patience being a gift you give to yourself.”  William A. Seavey

 

 

Overview

I saw this wine sitting on the local wine store’s shelf for a few weeks.  There were several time I almost grabbed a bottle but for some reason purchased other wines.  One day I saw the store had the wine on sale and finally just pulled the trigger and grabbed a bottle.  I just had to wait for a nice day to grill up a steak and enjoy the wine on the deck.  That day has finally arrived.

 

The current vintage of this wine, the 2011, has a suggested retail price of $55.  The 2009 vintage which is covered in this post is available direct from the winery’s “Wine Library” for $65.  I don’t know how much of this vintage is still on store’s shelves, but obviously at least one store was still selling it in April.  I see the wine is available from at least a few internet based stores for around the original release price.

 

To order this wine direct from the winery, please click here.

To find the wine on Wine-Searcher, click here.

 

 

The Winery

In 1979, William and Mary Seavey purchased the historic estate originally founded by the Franco-Swiss Farming Company in 1881.  One century after the first vines were planted, Seavey Vineyard was established.  Once again, the land would be groomed to grow world-class wines, not to satisfy modern trends, but to honor age-old winemaking traditions.  The Seavey Vineyard Wine Library maintains wine from each vintage produced on this land and provides close friends of the winery a chance to taste back through twenty years of Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

In 1989, the Seaveys renovated the original 1881 stone dairy barn as their winery and tasting room.  In 1990 they made their inaugural vintages of Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay under the Seavey Vineyard label.  They added Merlot in 1994 and their second Cabernet label, Caravina, in 1999.  The success of their early vintages encouraged them to expand production, especially of Cabernet Sauvignon, requiring construction of a second winery building in 2000.

 

In 2003, the Seaveys installed one of the first solar energy systems used by a Napa Valley winery.  The project eliminates 24,000 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions annually.

 

Much more information on the Seavey family, the winery and their wines is available by clicking here.

 

 

 

 

2009 Seavey Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Caravina – $39.99

This wine is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon that was aged in 100% French oak, 50% of which were new.  This was the winery’s 11th release of their second Cabernet Sauvignon.  Seavey produces the wine with the intent to provide an accessible, yet very cellarable, Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

This wine has 14.9% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark ruby red color.  The stunning nose has cassis, black cherry, mint, licorice, smoldering wood embers, baking spices, tobacco, dark roast coffee and a touch of dark chocolate.  This has medium to full body with moderate to solid tannins and very nice acidity.  Nice fruit and spice jump out first on the palate with mint and minerals coming in quickly.  On the fairly long finish dark roast coffee and dark chocolate make an appearance.  This is on the young side but already tastes very good with some air.  (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 2014 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 my local store is usually VERY competitive.  I generally get case discounts, and since I work there part time, I get a 5% discount.  Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges.  None of the prices include the sales tax.

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

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

 

 

N.V. Bolla Prosecco Extra Dry

N.V. Bolla Sparkling Rosé Extra Dry

2013 Vigne Regali (Banfi) Brachetto d’Acqui Rosa Regale

 

 

 

Overview:

These wines, while not produced by Banfi, were imported into the United States by the company.  Banfi is the importer/distributor of over 30 different labels from around the world.  While the majority of these labels are from Italy, they also work with wineries in Australia, Chile, Spain and even a couple of American wineries.

 

These samples arrived just in time to accompany me on a vacation to South Carolina.  I looked forward to trying them in the warm South Carolina evenings before dinner.

 

 

 

About the company:

Banfi is a private concern, founded in New York in 1919 by John Mariani, Sr. and today owned and operated by his grandchildren.  The company is focused on the production and import of wine.

 

Banfi Vintners is the sole U.S. importer of the Mariani family’s internationally renowned wine estates in Italy: Castello Banfi of Montalcino, Tuscany, and Banfi Piemonte of Strevi, Piedmont.  Banfi also imports the wines of several other producers, including category leaders Bolla, Cecchi, Florio, Fontana Candida, Placido, Riunite, and Sartori from Italy, Concha y Toro and Emiliana from Chile, and Trivento from Argentina, Wisdom & Warter Sherries from Spain and Stone’s Ginger wine from England.  The company has ranked as North America’s leading wine importer for more than three decades.

 

Banfi’s success has enabled the company to play a broad philanthropic role through the Banfi Foundation.  The Foundation provided seed money to help Catholic Relief Services build a technical school and an orphanage as well as an 800-unit housing project in Potenza, Italy, where thousands were left homeless after a devastating earthquake in the early 1980s.  It also generously endows select charities and universities around the world, and sponsors annual scholastic tours to study the food and wine culture of Italy.

 

Banfi is led today by two grandchildren of the founder: James Mariani and Cristina Mariani-May, who share the title of co-CEO.  Their fathers, Chairman Emeritus Dr. John F. Mariani and President Emeritus Harry F. Mariani, continue as active counsel to the executive committee and are members of the firm’s advisory board. Banfi’s world headquarters is a 60-room Elizabethan manor located on a 127-acre estate and vineyard in Old Brookville, New York.

 

 

 

Here is the line up for this tasting:

 

 

 

N.V. Bolla Prosecco Extra Dry – SRP $13

This sparkling wine is made from 100% Glera grapes which were formerly known as Prosecco.  The grapes were grown in mixed clay vineyards in Treviso which is north of Venice.  The grapes were both hand and machine harvested.  The grapes were fermented in stainless steel tanks.

 

This wine has 11% alcohol by volume and 13 g/l of residual sugar.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light yellow to straw color.  The enjoyable nose has apples, pears, lime zest, chalky minerals, some nuttiness and a hint of fresh baked bread.  This has a light body with small persistent bubbles and just a hint of lingering sweetness.  This is crisp and clean on the palate with nice length on the finish with lingering minerals and almonds to go with the fruit and nice sweetness.  This is an easy to drink, value priced sparkling wine.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

N.V. Bolla Sparkling Rosé Extra Dry – SRP $13

This sparkling wine is made from a blend of Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir and Raboso.  The grapes are from hillside vineyards in Trevigiano.

 

The grapes are gently crushed and pressed then quickly separated from the pumice to avoid imparting too much color on the young must.  After the first temperature controlled fermentation, the base wine undergoes a second fermentation in closed pressure tanks for the “prise de mousse,” resulting in a fully-sparkling wine.

 

This wine has 11% alcohol by volume.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright pink to salmon color.  The appealing nose has cherries, strawberries, minerals, citrus zest and orange blossoms.  The wine has a light body with loads of small bubbles, crisp acidity and some light lingering sweetness.  On the palate tart cherries, minerals and citrus zest hit first with a touch of spice coming in on the back end.  This has decent length with some lingering sweetness.  This would be a crowd pleaser of an easy drinker on a warm afternoon.  (87 pts)

 

 

 

2013 Vigne Regali (Banfi) Brachetto d’Acqui Rosa Regale – SRP $20

This red sparkling wine is made from 100% Brachetto grapes from Acqui Terme, Piedmont, Italy.

 

For this wine the grapes are fermented with brief contact with the skins.  Following fermentation the wine is filtered and stored 32°F.   Refermentation is in stainless-steel vats, after which the wine is bottled immediately.

 

This sparkler has 7% alcohol by volume and should be served chilled.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light, transparent red color.  The fresh and fruity nose has candied cherries, strawberries, subtle earthiness and rose water.  This has a light body with nice acidity and a fair amount of residual sweetness.  The wine pours with a nice mousse and the pinpoint bubbles are relentless.  On the palate the sweet fruit grabs your attention and refuses to let go.  The finish has decent length and again is totally fruit driven.  This is an off dry to sweet sparkling wine that would be a hit at a party where the wine is not the center of attention or as an after dinner sipper with friends beside a platter of dark chocolate.   Between the acidity and the persistent bubbles this easily avoids becoming cloyingly sweet.  (86 pts)

 

 

 

Closing Thoughts

This tasting provided a very nice variety of sparkling wines.  The two from Bolla would be perfect to sip on a warm afternoon, as an aperitif or with lighter foods.  The Rosa Regale provides more sweetness and could serve as a lighter dessert wine with a platter of cheese or dark chocolate.

 

 

 

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 2014 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 my local store is usually VERY competitive.  I generally get case discounts, and since I work there part time, I get a 5% discount.  Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges.  None of the prices include the sales tax.

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

N.V. Baron de Hoen Crémant d’Alsace Prestige Blanc de Blancs

N.V. Willm Crémant d’Alsace Blanc de Blanc

N.V. Lucien Albrecht Crémant d’Alsace Brut Rosé

N.V. Gustave Lorentz Crémant d’Alsace Pinot Noir

 

 

 

 

Overview:

Talk about perfect timing, as we were making final plans for a vacation, I get an e-mail offering me four Crémant d’Alsace wines to sample.  Since we were driving, it was very easy to make the decision to take the sparkling wines with us to “sample” during the warm South Carolina evenings before dinner.

 

 

 

About the region:

AOC Crémant d’Alsace is the jewel in the crown of the sparkling wines produced in Alsace.  Fresh and elegant, Crémant d’Alsace is developed by secondary fermentation, and predominately made from Pinot Blanc, but also from Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Riesling or Chardonnay.  These varietals are in general picked at the very beginning of the harvest, an auspicious moment when the grapes offer the best balance and harmony for vinification.

 

As early as the late 19th century, several companies in Alsace were producing sparkling wines by the traditional method, not only in the vineyard area but also in the cities of Strasbourg and Mulhouse.  This tradition, while less commonplace during the first half of the 20th Century, was continued until the creation of AOC Crémant d’Alsace, by the decree of August 24, 1976.  For the wine houses of Alsace, this decree produced the new framework necessary for the production of a high-quality sparkling wine, applying similar, strict demands to those applied in the Champagne region.  Today, more than 500 producers are united under the Syndicate of Producers of Crémant d’Alsace.

Because of its unique personality and outstanding quality, Crémant d’Alsace is currently the top AOC sparkling wine to be consumed in homes across France.  It has also earned considerable international recognition.

 

AOC Crémant d’Alsace represents 22% of the region’s wine production.

 

For more information on Crémant d’Alsace please click here.

 

 

 

I want to thank the wineries and especially Teuwen Communications for providing me with this opportunity to try these wines.  For more information on Teuwen Communications, please click here.

 

 

Here is the line up for this tasting:

 

 

 

N.V. Baron de Hoen Crémant d’Alsace Prestige Blanc de Blancs – SRP $18

Baron de Hoen is the brand of Cave de Beblenheim.  Cave de Beblenheim was established in 1952 and today consists of 120 winegrowers and 750 acres of vineyards extending over 7 villages.

 

This 100% Pinot Blanc uses hand-picked grapes and is made using the method traditionelle, in which the second fermentation occurs in the bottle.

 

This wine has 12.5% alcohol by volume and has 10 g/l of residual sugar.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright yellow to straw color.  The inviting nose has apples, pears, spice, orange zest, minerals and a touch of nuttiness.  This has a light body with crisp acidity, very light residual sweetness and loads of pinpoint bubbles.  On the palate tart green apples, minerals and a nutty element hit first with citrus zest coming in on the backend.  This has decent length with some very slight lingering sweetness.  This doesn’t offer a lot of complexity but is still very tasty and easy to drink.  (87 pts)

 

 

 

N.V. Willm Crémant d’Alsace Blanc de Blanc – SRP $16

Emile Willm established the Willm estate in 1896 in Barr, just south of Strasbourg.  They are owners of the famed Clos Gaensbrennel, known for producing one of the greatest Gewurztraminers in the world.  The estate’s wines were the first to be imported in the United States from Alsace in the early 1930s, just after prohibition.

 

Grapes are harvested once the harvest ban has been removed, when the grapes are just about to reach full maturity, creating good acidity in the vivacity and fruitiness of the wine.   This wine is made using the méthode traditionnelle, in which the wine undergoes a second fermentation in the bottle, followed by a 12 month maturation period.

 

This 100% Pinot Blanc has 12.0% alcohol by volume.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light golden-yellow color.  The appealing nose has apples, pears, minerals, anise, spice, some nuttiness and a hint of honey.  This has a light body with crisp acidity, pinpoint sized bubbles and just a hint of sweetness.  On the palate this offers nice up front fruit, minerals and nuttiness.  The finish has good length with a just a hint of lingering sweetness.  Not a lot of complexity but easy to enjoy.  (88 pts)

 

 

 

N.V. Lucien Albrecht Crémant d’Alsace Brut Rosé – SRP $20

Domaine Lucien Albrecht is one of the oldest and leading Alsace family owned estate, tracing its roots back to 1425.  Through the Albrecht eighteen generations, they have become one of the largest owners of prime Alsace hillside vineyards.  In the early 70’s, Lucien Albrecht, the father of Jean, the current proprietor and winemaker, was one of the three founding fathers of the regulated Crémant d’Alsace.  In 2004, Lucien Albrecht Crémants made history.  At the 14th Concours National des Crémants de France (Crémant Wine Challenge), they stole the show, winning an unprecedented Four Gold Medals.

 

Lucien Albrecht Brut Rosé is made from 100% Pinot Noir.  The whole cluster hand-picked grapes are softly pressed in a pneumatic press, hence the coral, light pink salmon color.  Lucien Albrecht Brut Rosé is made by using the same methods as in Champagne, i.e “method traditionnelle”.  After the second fermentation in the bottle, lee ageing lasts for nine months, followed by remuage and disgorging.

 

This has 12.0% alcohol by volume.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright salmon pink color.  The enticing nose has cherries, strawberries, minerals, yeasty bread and a hint of citrus zest.  The wine has light body with crisp acidity and sporadic pinpoint bubbles after an initial blast of bubbles left a nice mousse.   Cherries, strawberries and minerals dominate the palate.  The finish has great length with just a hint of lingering sweetness.  Not a lot of complexity but very tasty.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

N.V. Gustave Lorentz Crémant d’Alsace Pinot Noir – SRP $25

The grapes are carefully selected and vinified according to the “Methode Champenoise.” After traditional fermentation “vin de base” in tanks, a second fermentation (“prise de mousse”) takes place in the cool cellars.  Ageing is done “sur lattes” with daily bottle rotation, going from a horizontal to vertical position, in order for the yeast deposit to accumulate in the neck of the bottle.   At the time of “degorgement,” the neck is frozen and, enclosed in ice, the sediment is ejected by natural pressure, after which the bottle is corked and wired.

 

This Cremant d’Alsace Rose is made from 100% Pinot Noir.  The wine has 12.0% alcohol by volume and has 7.8 g/l of residual sugar.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly bright pink salmon color.  The fresh smelling nose has strawberries, orange zest, minerals and yeast bread.  The wine has a light body with crisp acidity and very persistent pinpoint bubbles.  On the palate strawberries and minerals grab hold slowly allowing orange zest to come through on the back end.  The finish has decent length with a touch of yeast coming into the picture.  Not a lot of depth or complexity, but tasty and an easy drinker.  (88 pts)

 

 

 

Closing Thoughts

These sparkling wines were all delicious.  Some may have lacked some complexity but that did not hurt the taste.  These had just a touch of closing sweetness but also had plenty of acidity to make your mouth water for another sip.

 

If you are looking for an easy to drink sparkling wine, I would wholeheartedly recommend checking out one of these wines or another Crémant d’Alsace.  These offer outstanding value when compared to a bottle of Champagne.

 

 

 

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 2014 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 my local store is usually VERY competitive.  I generally get case discounts, and since I work there part time, I get a 5% discount.  Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges.  None of the prices include the sales tax.

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

 

2009 Turley Zinfandel Mead Ranch

2010 Domaine la Rocalière Lirac ikebana

2009 Borgo Scopeto (Tenuta Caparzo) Borgonero Toscana IGT

2011 Il Poggione (Proprietá Franceschi) Rosso di Montalcino

2010 Peter Lehmann Shiraz Portrait

2010 Purple Hands Pinot Noir Stoller Vineyard

 

 

 

2009 Turley Zinfandel Mead Ranch – $32.29

For some reason, this wine always slipped through the crack when I was placing my order with Turley.  I grabbed one bottle of the 2008 vintage, but that was the only bottle of this wine I ever bought.  In May 2011, the local wine store received a stash of this wine and put it on the shelf at a great price, so I had to grab a few bottles.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark, inky purple color.  The typically Turley nose is full of brambly berries, warm baking spices, vanilla, stony minerals, black pepper, wild flowers and dark bittersweet chocolate.  This has a fairly full body, solid tannins and good acidity.  The palate is immediately flooded with spicy, peppery, berries and minerals with vanilla and dark chocolate coming in on the back end.  The finish is long and full of peppery berries.  This is still on the young side but still delicious.  (94 pts)

 

 

 

2010 Domaine la Rocalière Lirac ikebana – $11.69

This is a blend of 47.5% Mourvedre, 47.5% Carignan and 5% Grenache.

 

This has 14.0% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to dark ruby red color.  The appealing nose has blackberries, raspberries, licorice, minerals, baking spices, dried herbs and a touch of mint.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and good acidity.  On the palate spicy fruit, minerals and dried herbs jump out up front with some earthy underbrush coming in on the back end.  The finish has good length.  This is a great value to enjoy over the next few years.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Borgo Scopeto (Tenuta Caparzo) Borgonero Toscana IGT

I bought 6 bottles of this wine from a local wine store e-mail offer based on a solid recommendation from a fellow wine lover.  This “Super Tuscan” is a blend of 60% Sangiovese, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Syrah.

 

This is listed at 13% alcohol and has a natural cork closure.

 

Winery history

The wine cellar of Borgo Scopeto renewed and enlarged over the last few years, is equipped with the most modern technology for vinification.

 

The cellar is composed of 50 stainless steel tanks with capacities that range from 11 to 260 hectolitres, for a total of 7000 hectolitres.

 

More information is available on the winery’s website.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to deep ruby red color, lighter at the edge.  The appealing nose has cherries, warm baking spices, blackberries, white pepper, earthy underbrush, dried herbs, and a touch of dark chocolate.  This has medium body, moderate tannins, and very good acidity.  Tart, spicy, earthy fruit dominate the palate with dried herbs and some chocolate coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length and is an extension of the palate with just a touch of spicy oak creeping into the picture.  For a very young wine, this is drinking very nicely today.  This should improve with another year in the cellar and drink well for a few additional years.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2011 Il Poggione (Proprietá Franceschi) Rosso di Montalcino – $20.69

I grabbed a bottle of this based purely on a recommendation from a friend.  I’m usually a pretty easy sell when it comes to a quality made Italian wine.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep garnet color.  The enticing nose has earthy cherries, dusty minerals, mint, raspberries, rose petals, plums and new leather.  This has medium to full body with moderate chewy tannins and good acidity.  On the palate tart berries, minerals and earthy elements jump out first with cherries and a minty note coming in on the back end.  This has very good length with the savory elements carrying the load.  Give this one another year in the cellar or give it plenty of air, it seemed to start opening up after about 3 hours.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2010 Peter Lehmann Shiraz Portrait – $13.49

I wanted something for us to sip in the hotel on our way home from vacation.  Since my wife loves Aussie Shiraz, I figured this would be a nice wine to sip while sitting back and relaxing.

 

This has 14.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off closure.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep garnet color.  The very appealing nose has blackberries, eucalyptus, dead wood embers, licorice, baking spices, minerals, dark chocolate and potpourri.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and good acidity.  Much more lively and bright on the palate than the nose lead me to expect with tart berries, cherries and spice up front with dark chocolate coming in on the backend.  The finish has nice length that closes with a touch of mouthwatering acidity and minerals.  A pretty nice Aussie Shiraz that avoids the over bearing ripeness of some similarly priced offerings.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2010 Purple Hands Pinot Noir Stoller Vineyard – $19.94

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)

 

 

 

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 2014 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 my local store is usually VERY competitive.  I generally get case discounts, and since I work there part time, I get a 5% discount.  Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges.  None of the prices include the sales tax.

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

Each week I pick out one wine to highlight as my wine of the week.  This wine may be an outstanding wine, a great value or just something very interesting.

 

 

 

We’re a small winery that produces tasty Chardonnay, Pinot Noir

and whatever else strikes our fancy 🙂

 

 

Overview

I’ve been a big fan of Brian Loring’s single vineyard Pinot Noir wine for several years.  When they started producing “appellation branded” Pinots, I was once again a big fan.  When the winery started producing other wines with Cabernet and traditional Rhone grapes, I again jumped in with both feet.

 

Brian’s wines are not made to sit in the cellar for a decade, they are made to enjoy now.  I should add, I prefer the wines with a couple years of cellar time, but it really isn’t required.

 

The Winery

Why I Make Pinot Noir

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

 

I’d made about 3 trips around the booths at the tasting without finding a single good Pinot Noir. So, being the open minded person that I am (remember I passed him up 3 times), I stopped at the Cottonwood booth. I was BLOWN away by Norm’s 1990 Santa Maria Pinot Noir. After a few years of attending every Cottonwood event and asking Norm 10,000 questions about winemaking, he offered to let come learn the process during the ’97 crush. I checked sugar levels, picked, crushed, punched down, pressed, filled barrels, and generally moved a bunch of stuff around with fork lifts and pallet jacks! It was the time of my life… I was totally hooked. And even though I hadn’t planned it, I ended up making two barrels of Pinot Noir. That was the start of the Loring Wine Company. What had started out as a dream 15 years earlier was now a reality – I was a winemaker!

 

How I Make Pinot Noir

My philosophy on making wine is that the fruit is EVERYTHING. What happens in the vineyard determines the quality of the wine – I can’t make it better – I can only screw it up! That’s why I’m extremely picky when choosing vineyards to buy grapes from. Not only am I looking for the right soil, micro-climate, and clones, I’m also looking for a grower with the same passion and dedication to producing great wine that I have. In other words, a total Pinot Freak! My part in the vineyard equation is to throw heaping piles of money at the vineyard owners (so that they can limit yields and still make a profit) and then stay out of the way! Since most, if not all of the growers keep some fruit to make their own wine, I tell them to farm my acre(s) the same way they do theirs – since they’ll obviously be doing whatever is necessary to get the best possible fruit. One of the most important decisions made in the vineyard is when to pick. Some people go by the numbers (brix, pH, TA, etc) and some go by taste. Once again, I trust the decision to the vineyard people. The day they pick the fruit for their wine is the day I’m there with a truck to pick mine. Given this approach, the wine that I produce is as much a reflection of the vineyard owner as it is of my winemaking skills. I figure that I’m extending the concept of terroir a bit to include the vineyard owner/manager… but it seems to make sense to me. The added benefit is that I’ll be producing a wide variety of Pinots. It’d be boring if everything I made tasted the same.

 

About the Name

Sounds pretty straight forward, last name Loring, therefore Loring Wine Company. Ahhh, but what about the “Wine Company” part? That is an hommage to Josh Jensen at Calera… which is actually Calera Wine Company. Since he was the guy who showed me that great Pinot Noir could be made in California, I decided to name my winery Loring Wine Company to “honor” him. Hopefully, Josh sees it for what it is and doesn’t want to sue me for trademark infringement!

 

For more information on Loring Wine Company or to join their mailing list please click here.

 

 

 

2012 Loring Wine Company Cabernet Sauvignon Blend – $16.50

This wine is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Mourvedre from Paso Robles.  I bought this as a pre-release from the winery, so the price I paid is no longer available.

 

This wine has 14.9% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off cap.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright ruby red color.  The stunning nose has cassis, licorice, earthy underbrush, black cherries, dried herbs, cedar, stony minerals, tobacco, dark chocolate and dried flowers.  This has medium to full body, moderate ripe tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate, juicy berries and spicy oak jump out first with dried herbs, cherries and minerals coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with a nice earthy element and chocolate coming into the picture adding some complexity.  Not a wine made to stash in the cellar but to open and enjoy over the next couple of years.  A great value for under $20.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

Connect with me

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

 

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 2014 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 my local store is usually VERY competitive.  I generally get case discounts, and since I work there part time, I get a 5% discount.  Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges.  None of the prices include the sales tax.

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

2007 Myriad Cellars Syrah Las Madres Vineyard

2007 Trefethen Cabernet Sauvignon Oak Knoll

2012 Torbreck Shiraz Woodcutter’s

2011 Black Stallion Estate Winery Cabernet Sauvignon

 

 

 

2007 Myriad Cellars Syrah Las Madres Vineyard – $38.00

Besides his outstanding Cabernet Sauvignons, Mike Smith also makes some stunning Syrahs.

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby to purple color.  The stunning nose has blackberries, charred meat, stony minerals, hot asphalt, dried herbs, scorched earth, cracked black peppercorns, baking spices and dried wildflowers.  This has medium body with moderate to solid tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate the juicy berries, minerals and black pepper jump out first with charred meat and dried herbs coming in on the back end.  The finish has outstanding length with a floral note and a touch of  tart cherry entering the picture.  This is drinking very nicely but will last in the cellar  for another 4 to 6 years, maybe more.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2007 Trefethen Cabernet Sauvignon Oak Knoll – $37.99

I grabbed a few bottles of this wine at the local store during a wine tasting.  A month or two later, the store put the wine on sale for about 25% off, so a few more bottles followed me home.  I had a bottle a little over a year ago and felt it would be better in another year…time to see if I was right.

 

This wine is a blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Malbec, 2% Cabernet Franc, 1% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot from the winery’s estate vineyard, Main Ranch.

 

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

 

The Winery

Constructed in 1886 by a Scottish sea captain, Hamden McIntyre, our winery was originally known as Eshcol. McIntyre designed it as a gravity-flow system: a horse-drawn winch brought grapes to the third floor of the three-story structure for crushing; gravity carried the juice to the second floor for fermenting; and, eventually, the wine descended to the first floor for aging. Eshcol was among a number of wineries McIntyre designed during this period; the others were Greystone (now The Culinary Institute of America), Far Niente and Inglenook.

 

Much more background and information is available on the winery’s website by clicking here.

 

My Tasting Note

A couple of years in the cellar have really helped this wine open up and fill out.  The wine is a deep maroon color.  The very inviting nose has cassis, cedar, Asian spices, dried herbs, tobacco, vanilla, minerals, cocoa powder and dried flowers.  This has medium body, moderate to solid tannins and good acidity.  The wine is loaded with up front spicy fruit and minerals with dried herbs and cedar coming in on the back end.  The finish has good length with the savory elements leading the charge and the fruit in the background providing nice sweetness.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Torbreck Shiraz Woodcutter’s – $19.79

This is always an enjoyable Aussie Shiraz.  It may not be the most complex and nuanced bottle of wine on the store’s shelf, but loads of flavor is guaranteed.  This should be perfect as an after dinner sipper in a hotel after a long day on the road.

 

This has 15.0% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a twist off closure.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark ruby color.  The enticing nose has blackberries, wood embers, minerals, blueberries, licorice, Asian spice, black pepper and candied violets.  This has a fairly full body with moderate smooth tannins and decent acidity.  On the palate ripe juicy berries and smoke grab hold first with Asian spice, black pepper and a candied floral note coming in later.  The finish has good length with smoky berries leading the way.  As always, a good bargain for what’s in the bottle.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2011 Black Stallion Estate Winery Cabernet Sauvignon – $19.99

I grabbed a bottle of this value priced Napa Cab based on a recommendation from a friend.  How can you really go wrong with a $20 Napa Cab?

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby red color.  The familiar nose has cassis, dried herbs, licorice, cedar, black cherry, minerals and baking spices.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and good acidity.  On the palate spices, cassis, dried herbs and minerals hit first with cedar and black cherries coming in on the back end.  This has good length on the finish.  This is an enjoyable Napa Cab for a week night dinner or to share with friends.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

Connect with me

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

 

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

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 2014 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 my local store is usually VERY competitive.  I generally get case discounts, and since I work there part time, I get a 5% discount.  Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges.  None of the prices include the sales tax.

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!