This review is based on a sample supplied by the winery or another organization working on their behalf.

 

 

2011 Robert Mondavi Private Selection Coastal Crush – SRP $11.00

 

 

My comments

This is a blend of 67% Syrah, 24% Merlot, and 9% Malbec.

The grapes are from MontereyCounty(57%), San BenitoCounty(20%), Paso Robles(13%), and Valley South(10%),

The wine was aged in French and American oak for 10 months.  The alcohol by volume is 13.5% and there is 8g/L of residual sugar.

 

This wine was sampled as part of a ToastCentralCoast WineChat on Twitter hosted by the winery.

 

 

Winery history

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

 

 

(from the winery website)

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to dark ruby color.  The very fruity nose has strawberries, black cherries, spice, licorice, chocolate, and some black pepper.  This has medium body with soft, ripe tannins, decent acidity, and just a touch of residual sugar.  This has big, sweet, juicy fruit on the palate but with some air, licorice, spice and chocolate join in making it an easy drinking wine.  The finish has nice length with a bit extra spice adding some depth.  This is an easy drinking wine that would be perfect to share with friends or relatives over the upcoming holiday season.

 

 

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!

 

 

 

2006 Zaca Mesa Syrah – $15.67

 

My comments

This is generally a good California Syrah at a wallet friendly price.  In some vintages it seems to have that little something extra that propels it to the next level.  In my opinion, 2006 was one of those years.  I bought a half case of this from my local store and after killing two bottles fairly quickly, I’ve been showing some unusual restraint.  Even with the restraint, I’ll only have one bottle left after popping this one.  I have the 2007 in the cellar, but based on the one bottle I had upon release, it dropped back into the merely good category.

 

Winery history

The original property was purchased in 1972 by a group of friends and they started planting the vineyard in 1973.  With few other vineyards in the area to learn from, the vineyard was originally planted with numerous varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, Riesling, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Grenache, Chardonnay, and Syrah to see what would work.

 

As the vineyard came into production, a winery was built on the property in 1978 and later expanded in 1981.  1978 was another milestone for Zaca Mesa, planting the first Syrah in Santa BarbaraCounty.

 

By the early-1990’s, we had determined based on our farming experience that the Rhône varieties (Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Viognier, and Roussanne) grew best on our property.

 

As one of the pioneers in the Santa BarbaraCounty, Zaca Mesa was a training ground for many.  Ken Brown was our first winemaker and later started Byron in Santa MariaValley.  Adam Tolmach, Jim Clendenen and Bob Lindquist worked at Zaca Mesa before venturing out on their own to start Ojai, Au Bon Climat and Qupé, respectively.

 

Zaca Mesa was the first CentralCoast winery to appear in Wine Spectator’s Top 10 back in 1995.  A year later, our Syrah was served by President Clinton to French President Jacque Chirac at a White House State Dinner.  To show that we are not leaning one direction, our wines were also served at President Reagan’s 80th birthday party at the Beverly Hilton.

 

Since 1997, we have focused on growing the best Syrah, Viognier, and other Rhône varieties.  We have ripped up over half the original vines, replacing them with high-density planting of new rootstock and clone combinations that has significantly improved our quality.  We now have 9 clones of syrah and the most high density vineyard acres in the county.

 

Over time the ownership group diminished to one of the original partners. Zaca Mesa has been family owned for almost 25 years.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark maroon color.  The outstanding nose has blackberries, licorice, smoked meat, black pepper, vanilla, plums, violets, dried herbs, and a bit of dark chocolate.  This is fairly full bodied with solid tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate the peppery berries lead the way with some chocolaty oak and dried herbs in the background adding depth and complexity.  The finish features nice fruit leading to dark chocolate and dried herbs, but it could be a touch longer.  An outstanding week night Syrah for well under $20.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2005 Frenchman Hills Syrah Sentinel Gap Vineyards – $7.99

 

My comments

This was a blind purchase, which I usually avoid.  This was one of the infamous Garagiste Mystery Wines from an offer at the end of August.  For those keeping score, this was Mystery Wine #50, a Washington State Syrah for $7.99 a bottle.

 

My expectations were low, this was ordered just to fill one last case before shipping season.  After receiving the wine, my expectations were raised considerably.  The average price paid on CellarTracker was close to $30 and the two notes didn’t sound too bad.

 

Winery history

Not much information available on the internet about the winery.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep maroon color.  The nose is a bit shy but reveals blackberry, licorice, dried herbs, black pepper, and a touch of dark chocolate.  This has medium to full body with fairly solid tannins and very nice acidity.  Nice spicy, peppery berries greet the palate in a laid back style.  This is not a big, ripe, fruit forward, fruit bomb,  This is fairly elegant and nuanced, perfectly concealing its 15% alcohol.  The finish has nice length and shows a bit more fruit than the savory elements.  A solid bottle of wine for those who jumped on the Garagiste Mystery Wine offer.  A steal at $8.  (88 pts)

 

 

 

2006 Vincent Arroyo Bodega – $19.99

 

My comments

I’ve been a long time supporter and buyer of the wines from Vincent Arroyo.  This wine is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Malbec, 6% Petit Verdot, and 4% Merlot.

 

Winery history

Walking into the Vincent Arroyo Winery, one gets the sense that it has been here forever.  Is it just the comfortable atmosphere of a big barn full of oak wine barrels that lends to the sense of permanence?  Vincent Arroyo, himself, may feel like he has been here forever, as well.  He left behind a career as a mechanical engineer in the Silicon Valley during the early 70’s and headed to Calistoga, at the northern tip of the NapaValley.  He felt much more at home close to the land, being able to see and taste the fruits of his labors.

 

The purchase of the 23 acres of the Greenwood Ranch property in 1974 began the evolution of what is seen today, 85 acres cultivating 9 different wine grape varietals.  Vince has always been a farmer at heart, taking care of the land to produce the best that it can.  He began to transform the Greenwood Ranch by ripping out existing prune trees and unhealthy vines and planting new vineyards.  For many years, he did it all alone, the tractor work, cellar work and a one-man sales force.  Originally he made just a few hundred cases of his favorites, Petite Sirah and Cabernet, selling the majority of the grape tonnage to other Napa wineries.  Today, he produces over 8,000 cases of seven different varietals.

 

The wines produced at the Vincent Arroyo Winery have put a star on many NapaValley maps as a place that shouldn’t be missed.  His signature wine, still Petite Sirah, has become so popular that it often sells out before it is bottled every year.  Once you have tasted the wines, you’ll know why.  The winery also makes a Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sangiovese, Zinfandel and several red blends.

 

More information is available at http://www.vincentarroyo.com/

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to dark garnet color.  The very appealing nose features blackberries, baking spices, cedar, tobacco, cherry, vanilla, and a bit of earthiness.  This has medium body with fairly solid tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate the spicy fruit hits first with some cedar and earthiness in the background adding depth.  The finish has nice length with cherries and spice carrying the load.  A very nice Bordeaux style blend from Napa.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2010 The Lucky Country Shiraz – $9.90

 

My comments

It’s been a while since I opened a bottle of this wine.  I opened one not long after picking up a case at my local store.  The wine was decent, but seemed to be a bit below the previous vintage.  I felt a bit of cellar time should help the wine settle down a bit.  It’s time to check in to see how it is doing.  This is made by the team behind Two Hands, and the general thought is this is the declassified fruit from Two Hands.

 

Winery history

The Lucky Country Wines offers quality wines packaged with iconic Australian photography, representing the lively spirit of Australia.

 

The name is taken from the 1964 book, The Lucky Country, written by social critic Donald Horne and was originally written to be ironic, as an indictment of 1960’s Australia.  Donald believed that the economic success of 60’s Australia was derived from luck rather than skill.

 

But over the years, this phrase has taken on new meaning and is now proudly used by many to describe what is great about Australia.

 

The Lucky Country Wines is the result of hard work combined with vision, creative acumen and business ‘smarts’, and maybe just a little bit of luck to help bring it all together.  The wines are already proving a hit, available in several markets around the world and with the brand continuing to grow every day.

 

The Lucky Country Wines were created to deliver great value, stylish wines to drinkers at a reasonable price.  People everywhere can now share and enjoy the experience of what makes Australia the Lucky Country.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep purple color.  The very Australian nose features blackberries, blueberries, black pepper, vanilla, baking spices, and wild flowers.  This has a medium body with soft, ripe tannins and decent acidity.  On the palate the big fruit and peppery spice carries the load with a touch or chocolate and earthiness in the background.  The finish has decent length with sweet berries and spice.  This seems to carry a touch of residual sugar but not enough to really stick out.  This would be a nice holiday party wine.  (87 pts)

 

 

 Wines bought or received this week

It was a busy receiving week so far.  I received a couple cases from Garagiste and have a couple cases due in tomorrow from Loring.  I’ll list all the wines received in my weekend blog, to be posted on Sunday evening.

 

 

 

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 an organization acting on their behalf.

 

 

 

Winery Information  (winery supplied)

The Seeker Wines is a new line of carefully curated wines created for those who love to seek adventure.  Our wanderings yielded five unique varietals– a California Chardonnay, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, French Pinot Noir, Argentine Malbec, and Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon, each sourced from top-quality wineries celebrated for their excellence and dedication to sustainable practices and local printing.  Whether roaming far-off lands or exploring Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter, The Seeker delights the senses on a global taste journey.  Just glance at the labels and you’ll see mid-19th century flying machines that beckon a bygone era of wonder and mystery that reminds us why exploring the unknown world is all about the journey.

 

The Seeker Wines were created by a family company that called on its 65+ years of experience to source from the best family-owned wineries in the world at an affordable price.  With a dedication to reducing our carbon footprint, The Seeker Wines extends our eco-friendly philosophy from our immediate family to our global family.  So whether by land, sea, or air, take flight with us and seek more information at http://theseekerwines.com

 

 

 

 

All wines have a suggested retail price of $10 to $15.

 

 

 

 

All wines were sampled over most of an evening.  This allowed me to capture each wine when it was at its peak.

 

 

 

 

 

2010 The Seeker Chardonnay

 

 

My comments

The wine is 97% Chardonnay with 3% Gewürztraminer.  The grapes were sourced from cool climate vineyards in California.

 

The wine has 13.8% alcohol and was aged in tank on light lees with no oak.  A small portion under went malolactic fermentation, which adds a bit of creaminess and body to the wine.

 

This wine was produced in a state of the art, family owned winery utilizing solar and water conservation technology.

 

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light yellow to straw color.  The fresh nose features apples, pears, pineapples, lemon zest, minerals, fresh flowers, and spices.  This has medium body with decent acidity.  On the palate, the wine is fairly creamy and rich with the apples and pears upfront and pineapple and spices in the background.  On the backend, the wine turns a bit flat and loses a bit of focus.  On the finish a bit of citrusy acidity attempts to pull the wine back into focus and generally succeeds.  A slight herbal note lingers on the finish that could be useful in pairing the wine with food.  I would serve this well chilled to help preserve the acidity on the backend.  I think this would work well with a cool chicken salad with a bit of tarragon added just before serving.  (85 pts)

 

 

 

2011 The Seeker Sauvignon Blanc

 

 

My comments

The wine is 100% Sauvignon Blanc which was sourced from both Marlborough on the south island and Martinborough on the north island.

 

The wine has 12.7% alcohol and was aged 2 months in tank on light lees. After the aging, the lots were blended then gently fined and filtered before bottling.

 

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a very light, clear, yellowish straw color.  The exotic, unusual, and appealing nose features musk laden apples, mint, lime, white pepper, saline minerality, and orange blossoms.  The wine has light body and features crisp, citrusy acidity.  On the palate the sweet, minty apples and spice get a boost when the lime kicks in.  The finish is fairly long with the saline laced minerals adding nice complexity.  This would be perfect with a relaxing dinner on the patio or deck with some grilled shellfish or a salad.  My vote would be to serve this with a shrimp salad served on a delicate, flaky croissant.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2011 The Seeker Pinot Noir

 

 

My comments

The wine is 100% Pinot Noir from vineyard sites in Auvergne.  The vineyards are on rich volcanic soils 350-500 meters above sea level.  The vines range in age from 15 to 40 years old.

 

The wine has an alcohol of 13.5% and was aged in tank on light lees with no oak.

 

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light, clear, ruby red color.  The light and fresh nose features cherries, Asian spices, raspberry, and some soft earthiness.  This is medium body, at most, with ripe tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate the wine shows spicy, red fruit with a slowly building earthy element.  The finish is more on the earthy side with the red fruit and spice more in the background.  In my opinion, this was much better with some air.  The wine initially had candied red fruit front and center which was a bit distracting.  With the air the candied elements dissipated allowing the spice and earthiness to come through.  This would work well with chicken and pork dishes and may hold up well to a rich, creamy pasta dish.  My vote would be to give the wine an hour of air and serve with Fettuccine Alfredo with some sliced grilled chicken.   (87 pts)

 

 

 

2011 The Seeker Cabernet Sauvignon

 

 

My comments

The wine is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from vineyards in both the Maipo and Colchagua Valleys.  The vineyards are 17 years old and planted in clay and alluvial soils.

 

The wine has an alcohol level of 13.5%.  The wine was aged 5 months in 20% new oak.  The oak was 50% American and 50% French.

 

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium ruby color.  The deep and dark nose features cassis, dark roasted coffee beans, smoke, dark chocolate, spices, dried herbs, vanilla, and some subtle earthiness.  This has medium body with fairly solid tannins and very nice acidity.  The upfront spicy and earthy cassis hits the palate first followed by some nice dark roast coffee and dark chocolate.  On the backend, as the fruit fades the earthiness takes over with a bit of dried herbs.  The finish has decent length but could use a touch more fleshiness.  This would be nice with a pot roast or beef stew.  My vote would be to serve with a medium rare sirloin steak that was seared to a nice charred exterior.  (88 pts)

 

 

 

2010 The Seeker Malbec

 

 

My comments

The wine is 85% Malbec with 10% Bonarda and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon.  The vineyards are Agrelo and Vistaflores in Lujan de Cuyo.

 

The wine has 14.5% alcohol and was aged for one year in French oak and a minimum of two months in bottle before release.

 

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark ruby to maroon color.  The very open and inviting nose features cherries, blackberries, licorice, Asian spices, earthy underbrush, mocha, and some violets.  This is medium to full bodied with fairly solid, ripe tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate the wine leads off with the spicy cherries and berries but the building mocha and earthy elements soon take center stage.  The earthy, dark chocolate flavors continue right through the finish, which has nice length.  This greatly improved with an hour of air, which helped it to add some weight and fill out the finish.  Serve this with something hot off the grill.  My recommendation would be a skirt steak with a bit of fine ground espresso added to the meat before a few minutes on a very hot grill.  (88 pts)

 

 

 

Contact information

 

More information can be found on the winery’s website at http://theseekerwines.com

 

You can follow the winery on Twitter at http://twitter.com/theseekerwines or check them out on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/theseekerwines

 

 

 

 

 

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!

 

 

 

2005 Copain Syrah Brosseau Vineyard – $45.00

 

My comments

The last few 2005 Copain Syrahs I’ve had have been outstanding.  I bought a three pack of this wine in October 2007, this will be the first I have opened.  This is one of the nice parts of having a fairly large wine cellar, you have enough other choices so you have the opportunity to let a wine sleep until it gets into a prime drinking window.  I have a feeling this will benefit from a couple more years in the cellar but I won’t know for sure until I try one.

 

Winery history

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark purple color.  The deep and dark nose has blackberries, dried herbs, charred meat, black pepper, minerals, dark chocolate, and fresh ground espresso.  This has medium to full body with big, solid tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate the wine is much more reminiscent of a French Northern Rhone than a ripe and fruity California Syrah, think higher end Hermitage.  Meaty, spicy fruit with dried herbs hit the palate first with the dark chocolate and ground espresso beans coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length but may be clipped a bit when the tannins and acidity clamp down.  If chewy tannins don’t bother you, this is drinking very nicely with some air, if you prefer fully integrated tannins, this may take a few more years in the cellar.  I say, give a bottle a couple hours of air and serve with a nice, rare to medium rare roast beef this Winter.  (94 pts)

 

 

 

2004 Clarendon Hills Grenache Old Vines Blewitt Springs – $25.00

 

My comments

I’ve sampled a few Clarendon Hills wines over the years, but this will be my first bottle opened at home.  I know the wines are generally big, bold, and ripe.  It was a long day and I want a wine that just tastes good without pretense.

 

Winery history

In 1990, Roman Bratasiuk embarked on a truly remarkable wine making journey.  His vision: to create single vineyard wines equal to anything in the world.  Quite simply.  Working with old, dry-grown vines and performing every step of the process by hand, Roman sought to redefine the Australian fine wine landscape by solely conveying the imprint a vineyard forges on the varietal expression.  Every year a pragmatic and calculated Clarendon Hills learns a little more about our vineyards and pushes a little further to propel each one of our 100% varietal wines to the pinacle of their capability.

 

Please join Roman and the Clarendon Hills family in celebrating our 19 single vineyard, 100% varietal wines.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep garnet color.  The big and bold nose features kircsh,  raspberry, licorice, baking spices, black pepper, blackberries, and a touch of earthiness.  This has a full body with solid, ripe tannins and decent acidity.  On the palate you encounter a massive hit of ripe, juicy berries that are unrelenting only allowing a bit of spice and pepper slip through.  As the berries slowly fade, the spices, pepper, and a bit of earthiness fills in the void.  The wine has a long finish, again filled with the remaining rich berries, though the savory notes have an easier time showing through.  This wine will not appeal to anyone looking for finesse or subtle elegance.  Fortunately, it’s a Saturday night and I just wanted something big and bold, so in that regard, this is a success.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2008 Stefania Haut Tubee – $20.00

 

My comments

This is one of my favorite red blends coming out of California.  Every year the blend changes drastically based on the grapes available.  This vintage consists of 37% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Syrah, 15% Merlot, 10% Zinfandel, 2% Grenache, and trace amounts of Mourvedre, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Pinot Gris.  As a point of reference, the fantastic 2007 vintage of the wine was 50% Syrah with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, Grenache, and Mourvedre making up the remaining 50%.

 

Winery history

Stefania was born in Minnesota.  Her father was an officer in the U.S. Army and she grew up in California, Nevada and Santiago, Chile.  She uses her background in accounting to run the day to day business of a small winery as well as handling wine making duties,vineyard construction management, purchasing, and of course vineyard work.  She loves to entertain friends at home or in the winery.  She painted the art work used on our labels and takes most of the photos used in our blogs and website.

 

Paul is a California native who has lived in San Jose for over 40 years.  He has worked at various high tech companies in Silicon Valley for 20 years specializing in Technical Support Management.  He handles wine making duties, planning, vineyard design, vineyard management, and acts as the official tour guide.  He loves to cook and host visitors to the winery or home.

 

Stefania and Paul were married in Jackson Square in the the French Quarter of New Orleans in 2003.  They return every year to celebrate their anniversary with friends in New Orleans.  They began  making wine in 2005 and were most interested in finding a business that would combine their love of food, wine and entertaining.  They are hands on in all parts of the grape growing and wine making process. One of their greatest joys has been the growing number of friends across the country who enjoy their wine.

 

Stefania Wine is supported by a small group of part time employees, family members and close friends who volunteer to help with labor intensive tasks.   We are lucky to have such great friends who are always willing to trade a day of hard work for a good meal and an ample supply of wine.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark ruby color.  The very nice nose features blackberries, cedar, licorice, cherry, dried herbs, white pepper, plums, dark chocolate, violets, and a touch of earthiness.  This has medium body with solid, ripe tannins and very nice acidity.  Much brighter on the palate than I expected from the nose, with spicy cherries and plums leading the way with dried herbs and blackberries in the background.  The finish is full of juicy fruit and spice with a touch of earthiness.  A very tasty and unique wine for around $20.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2004 Jean Edwards Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Stagecoach Vineyard – $60.00

 

My comments

I guess you can call this a Social Media relationship.  I learned of Jean Edwards Cellars via Twitter.  I read their Tweets and started following them, luckily they followed me back.  Over the last couple of years we have exchanged jokes and Tweets about just about everything.  I was finally able to order a few bottles of their wine, and after giving a bottle a good 15 minutes to recover from the trip half way across the country, I popped the cork.  I am now a big fan and I spread their name to anyone who will listen to me.  I highly encourage you to check out their website and join their mailing list.  These are two very nice people making some of the best wine in the NapaValley.

 

Winery history

We are the owner/vintners of Jean Edwards Cellars – we share a passion for wine, a similar palate and a singular vision on the style of wines we produce.  We live by our motto that “you should only make wines you love to drink” and focus our production on artisan red wines that are full-bodied and classically styled.

 

Quality and heritage are important to us – our wines are reflective of their origins and are sourced some of the most prestigious vineyards (and vineyard blocks) throughout Napa Valley including Stagecoach Vineyard (on Pritchard Hill); vineyards on the valley floor in Rutherford, Oakville and Coombsville; and mountain vineyards on Howell and Spring Mountain.

 

Time really flies – we started producing commercial wines in 2004 but our dream of producing high quality NapaValley cabernet sauvignon wines started much earlier when we travelled to the valley in 1985.  During that trip, we developed a true appreciation for cabernet sauvignon wines and decided we would some day be a part of the business and produce a wine called Jean Edwards Cellars (our two middle names).  It was a goal worth waiting for and twenty plus years later we released our first wine in the Spring of 2006.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly deep ruby to garnet color.  The sensuous nose features cassis, cedar, tobacco, dried herbs, smoke, well worn leather, black cherry, and just a touch of earthiness.  This has medium body with nice, ripe tannins and very good acidity.  The wine is rich and velvety on the palate with dried herb laced berries and cherries up front and nice savory notes and spicy oak adding considerable depth and complexity.  The long finish adds a touch of dark chocolate and earthiness to the fruit and dried herbs.  The wine is in a perfect drinking window with absolutely no rough edges or over powering elements, but it should hold for at least a few more years if not longer.  I’ll hold my remaining bottle for another couple years.  (94 pts)

 

 

 

Mailing Lists

 

It’s getting to be about time for the few wineries who have a Winter release to hit the inbox.  There usually aren’t that many, and other than the Loring release a week or two ago, most aren’t that exciting to me.

 

 

 

Wines bought or received this week

 

Direct from the winery

(2) 2010 McPrice Myers Syrah Larner Vineyard

(2) 2010 McPrice Myers Altas Vinas Alta Mesa Vineyard

(2) 2010 McPrice Myers Syrah Les Galets

(4) 2010 Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon

(2) 2010 Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Georges III

 

From a local store

(3) 2004 Clarendon Hills Grenache Old Vines Blewitt Springs

 

Winery sample for online Twitter tasting

2011 Robert Mondavi Winery Private Selection Coastal Crush Red

 

 

 

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!

 

 

 

2008 Owen Roe Abbot’s Table – $19.99

 

My comments

I’ve had this wine a couple of times and always found it to be pretty good, but not that special.  I thought it may just have needed a bit more cellar time for it to fully open and express itself to the fullest.  It has been close to a year since I last visited the wine, time to see if the additional cellar time will be rewarded.

 

This is a bend of 24% Zinfandel, 22% Sangiovese, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Syrah, 10% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 6% Blaufrankish, and 4% Malbec.

 

Winery history

There’s really no Oregon wine quite like Owen Roe “the Abbot’s”.  A blend of five different red wine grapes, it’s a conversation starter.  Five distinctly different wines blended together make the scent and flavor like nothing else around.  It makes people curious and then wins them over.  For an intriguing, delicious wine made from unusual blends of varietals, look no further than Abbot’s Table.

 

“Abbot’s Table is a wine for all occasions and all people” says Owen Roe winemaker David O’Reilly.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to dark ruby color.  The very interesting nose has cherries, minerals, earth, licorice, underbrush, blackberries, black pepper, vanilla, violets, and a faint herbal note.  This has medium body with soft tannins and very nice acidity.  The civilized and food friendly palate has a nice mix of fruit and savory elements with no rough edges or any one flavor dominating.  The finish is very flavorful but a touch short with the herbal note making an appearance.  A nice bottle of wine for a good week night dinner.  (88 pts)

 

 

 

2010 Isole e Olena Chianti Classico – $18.59

 

My comments

It’s another cold, wet day in the Milwaukee area.  We decided it was a perfect day to defrost some of my wife’s meat sauce and cook up some pasta.  I grabbed a bottle of this from the local store a few weeks ago.  I wanted to try it so I could grab several bottles to last us over Winter if it was acceptable.

 

Winery history

Many of the wineries in the Chianti Region double as tourist attractions.  Not Paolo De Marchi’s Isole e Olena; when you turn right at the main gate and drive by the burnished steel fermentation tanks, you will come to a muddy square where you may find someone working on a wagon with an arc welder.

 

“We don’t have time for tourism,” says Paolo.  “It would distract us from our wines.”  His dedication is our gain; Isole e Olena’s wines are superb.  In addition to Chianti Classico, there is Cepparello, a pure Sangiovese of towering complexity and finesse, and a breathtaking Vinsanto.  The winery also produces a Cabernet Sauvignon, a Chardonnay, and L’Eremo, a Syrah.

 

Syrah is an ancient grape from the RhoneValley, which Paolo originally intended to use to add color and depth to his Chianti Classico (he feels that the Cabernet used in most Tuscan wineries can overwhelm Sangiovese).  However, he has since decided that the best way to improve Chianti is by careful selection of Sangiovese (Chianti’s principal grape), and is working to that end.  Meanwhile, L’Eremo placed fourth in a world-wide blind tasting of Syrah, after three wines from the RhoneValley.

 

Isole e Olena is also worth visiting if you like to talk wines.  Though Paolo has dropped out of the Consorzio del Marchio Storico (formerly Gallo Nero) for philosophical reasons, he firmly believes in the Chianti Classico region, and his opinions are the result of much thought.  For example, there is a movement to establish extra-high quality subzones within the Chianti Classico region.  “Since one of these zones includes Isole e Olena, it would be good for me,” he says with a grin.  “But so long as wineries can double their quality by hiring new enologists, I’m against it — it’s too soon.”

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a nice, ruby red color.  The very nice and pleasing nose has plums, black cherries, baking spices, underbrush, dried herbs, and fresh flowers.  This is barely medium body with ripe tannins and very good acidity.  The wine is rich and lush on the palate with plenty of acidity holding everything together very nicely.  The finish has very nice length with red fruit, spice, and nice earthiness.  A very nice Chianti Classico, I need to pick up some more.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2008 Turley Zinfandel Old Vines – $25.00

 

My comments

I’ve always been a big fan of both the Juvenile and Old Vines Zinfandels from Turley.  Even though most people feel these are good to go upon release, I thing the Juvenile needs a year in the cellar and the Old Vines needs two years to lose some of the “baby fat” and to show their best.  These are two of the better priced zins on the market at $20 for the Juvenile and $25 for the Old Vines.

 

The Old Vines Zinfandel is made for “left over” juice from the single vineyard wines and from vineyards too small to warrant a single vineyard offering.

 

Winery history

In 1993, Turley Wine Cellars was founded by Larry Turley, brother of the well-known consulting winemaker Helen Turley.  Turley, had entered the wine business in 1981 as co-founder of the multi-varietal Frog’s Leap Winery, but soon realized that his interest lay in wines made from the Zinfandel grape.

 

Starting out with just one location in St. Helena, Turley Wine Cellars soon expanded to Templeton with the purchase of the historic Pesenti winery, where Zinfandel had been planted since 1923.

 

As of 2000, Turley Wine Cellars has had a two-year waiting list for new wine club customers.

 

In 2007, Turley Wine Cellars was producing approximately 14,000 cases a year of both single-vineyard and regional Zinfandel wines.

 

By 2011, Turley Wine Cellars is annually producing approximately 16,000 cases of award winning Zinfandel and Petite Sirah wines using multiple “small” vineyards located in Napa and Sonoma counties, and other Paso Robles locations.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to dark ruby color.  The very nice nose has brambly berries, black pepper, vanilla, black cherry, minerals, smoked meat, and some dried herbs.  This is medium to full bodied with fairly solid, ripe tannins and very nice acidity.  The wine is a bit brighter on the palate with cherries and black raspberries, roasted herbs, and black pepper.  The wine has decent length on the finish.  This is a very nice zinfandel that is tasty but could use a bit more complexity.  Not as big and lush as some Turleys but still very enjoyable.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2007 Core Tempranillo C3 Reserve – $17.06

 

My comments

Since it is International Tempranillo Day, I guess I better open a Tempranillo.  This is a new one for me.  This was part of a set of Core wines that was offered on WineWoot a few weeks ago.  To me, Tempranillo is a grape the California wineries have been struggling with.  I’ve had a few Tempranillo based blends from Villa Creek that have been nice, but most have been disappointing.   Some have been too ripe and jammy, others have seemed under ripe and very tart, too tart.  It’s time to see if Dave Corey is having better success with this Spanish powerhouse grape.

 

Winery history

Dave Corey’s educational background includes a bachelor’s degree in Biology from San JoseStateUniversity and a master’s degree in Entomology and Plant Physiology from KansasStateUniversity, which was completed in 1995.

 

Prior to entering the wine industry in 1996, Dave worked in Salinas and the Central Valley in agricultural fields including cole crops, cotton, almonds, citrus, walnuts, kiwi, table grapes, apples and stone fruit.  His first position in the wine industry was as a Pest Control Advisor with Cambria Winery and Vineyards and later at Kendall-Jackson Vineyards of Santa Barbara County.

 

Dave left Kendall Jackson Vineyards in 1999 to begin Vital Vines, a viticultural company providing technical support for vineyard property owners, vineyard managers and winemaking personnel in the promotion of sustainable agriculture.  He has worked with clients that include Laetitia, Barnwood, Beckman, Melville, Stolpman, Gainey, Zaca Mesa, Sea Smoke, Le Bon Climat, Sine Qua Non, Rideau, Carhartt, Rusack, Westerly, Fiddlestix, Vogelzang, Andrew Murray, Evergreen, Arita Hills and Royal Oaks.

 

With a major commitment and a second mortgage, Dave gradually decreased his vineyard consulting work to focus on vineyard sourcing, winemaking duties and winery direct sales for CORE wine company which he started in 2001 with his wife, Becky.  Dave passionately continues working in the same capacity today in addition to several new wine projects with family members.  He can also be found pouring wine for customers at the CORE wine company tasting room in Old Orcutt, California.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a slightly hazy deep ruby color.  The wine has an exotic and exciting nose full of cherries, black raspberries, well worn leather, earthy underbrush, baking spices, licorice, and dried herbs.  This has a medium body with fairly solid, ripe tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate the wine is loaded with tart cherries, raspberries, and baking spices up front with some earthiness and dried herbs in the background adding nice depth and complexity.   The finish is fairly long and full of juicy fruit and spice that slowly gives way to dried herbs and a touch of earthiness.  This is still very young and with the abundance of fruit, acidity, and tannins. some additional cellar time will be rewarded.  One of the better California Tempranillo wines I’ve had the pleasure to enjoy.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

 

Mailing Lists

I received the Winter offer from Villa Creek for a couple of their wines.  I do not receive an automatic shipment on these wines.  I am still deciding if I want to place an order.

 

 

 

Wines bought or received this week

Carlisle and Myriad are due in this week.

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

We had some of our best friends over for dinner on Saturday, October 27th.  Since they are into good wine as much as we are and it’s been quite a while since we’ve “broken bread” together, I decided to pull out a few special bottles.

 

They were calling for a cold day, so we decided to go with a good, nothing fancy, comfort food, style of dinner, with the wine playing the starring role.

 

I tried to pick wines that were all different but that would fit into the more laid back, easy living dinner we had planned.

 

For me, the hardest part of a dinner party is selecting the wines.  I select every one for a specific reason, even if the reason is that I just want to drink one.

 

 

 

On a sad note, after a lot of good food and wine, we ended up not opening the 2007 Saxum James Berry Vineyard.  My review of the Saxum is in my blog from Oct 26-28.

 

 

 

2010 Bedrock Wine Co. Cuvée Karatas – $28.00

 

My comments

I joined the Bedrock mailing list to get my hands on their red wines, but I am increasing impressed by their white.  I think the Bedrock white wines are some of the best being produced in California.  Across the board they have been outstanding.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a pale, golden yellow color.  The fresh and vibrant nose has melon, white peach, apples, slate, beeswax, flint jasmine, citrus zest, grapefruit, and some white pepper.  This is light to medium bodied with tart, citrusy acidity.  On the palate there is a load of spicy, mineral laden fruit with lemon zest and a healthy splash of grapefruit.  The wine has a long, lingering finish with nice tart grapefruit, lemon zest, and a touch of white pepper.  This is stunning today but will last in the cellar for at least a few years.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2010 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir “The Three” – $33.00

 

My comments

This was a special, limited production, bottling of the best of the best from Loring.  I was able to get a three pack of this wine.  It’s not for a Red Burgundy enthusiast, but a more over the top California version of Pinot Noir.

 

My Tasting Note

This is a deep, dark ruby color.  The very inviting nose is full of rich and smoky black cherries, earthy blackberries, minerals, baking spices, white pepper, underbrush, and vanilla.  This has medium to full body with fairly solid, ripe tannins and good acidity.  On the palate the wine is full of rich, spicy fruit with some subtle earthiness in the background.  The finish is fairly long with nice, ripe fruit and lingering spiciness.  This is nothing like a Red Burgundy, but that is not the winery’s goal so it succeeds, in my opinion.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2006 Glaetzer Shiraz Amon-Ra Barossa Valley – $68.74

 

My comments

Year after year, this is one of the bench mark wines from Australia.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark purple color, almost black.  The deep and alluring nose has blackberry, minerals, eucalyptus, baking spices, black cherries, earth, vanilla, licorice, and a nice floral note.  This is medium to full body with solid, ripe tannins and very good acidity.  A bit brighter on the palate than the nose lead me to expect, very ripe but not syrupy or off dry and the acidity and tannins hold everything together.  Very rich and velvety on the palate with layers of flavors that get revealed layer by layer.  The finish is extremely long with the fruit and savory notes seeming to constantly change highlighting a different sensation every couple of seconds.  On of the best wines I’ve ever had, absolutely stunning.  (96 pts)

 

 

 

2008 Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford – $48.00

 

My comments

Mike Smith is one of the up and coming wine makers in California.  I’m glad I was able to get in on the ground flood of the operation.  The winery also produces a very good Syrah to go with their numerous cabernets.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark ruby color.  On the outstanding nose the wine shows cassis, black cherry, Rutherford dust, minerals, licorice, baking spices, dried herbs, and dark chocolate.  This is fairly full bodied with solid tannins and very good acidity.  The wine has a long, lingering finish with spicy fruit and the dried herbs leading the way.  This is extremely young and will improve with a few more years in the cellar.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

 

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!

 

 

 

2008 Villa Creek Willow Creek Cuvée – $29.75

 

My comments

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

 

Winery history

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

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

 

 

 

1988 Schloss Schönborn Erbacher Marcobrunn Riesling Spätlese – $34.81

 

My comments

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

 

Winery history

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

2005 Miller Wine Works Syrah Sage Canyon Vineyard – $17.99

 

My comments

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

 

Winery history

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

2007 Carlisle Petite Sirah Yorkville Highlands – $30.50

 

My comments

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

 

Winery history

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

2006 Alma Rosa Pinot Blanc Santa Rita Hills – $4.75

 

My comments

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

 

Winery history

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

 

2008 Melville Pinot Noir Carrie’s – $37.14

 

My comments

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

 

Winery history

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

Mailing Lists

 

Turley Wine Cellars

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

 

 

 

Wines bought or received this week

It was a busy week receiving previously ordered wine.

 

Direct from Bedrock (2 bottles each)

2010 Bedrock Wine Co. Syrah Griffin’s Lair

2011 Bedrock Wine Co. Heritage Wine Dolinsek Ranch

2011 Bedrock Wine Co. Zinfandel Papera Ranch

2011 Bedrock Wine Co. Zinfandel Saitone Ranch

2011 Bedrock Wine Co. Heritage Wine Evangelho Vineyard

2011 Bedrock Wine Co. Bedrock Heritage Wine

 

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

2010 Herman Story Casual Encounters

2010 Herman Story Syrah Nuts and Bolts

2010 R.P.F. Wines The Signmaker

 

Winery Samples

2011 Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Moscato

2011 One Time Spaceman MCA Rose

2009 One Time Spaceman Moon Duck

 

From local wine store

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

2009 Cellers Can Blau Montsant Can Blau (6 bottles)

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

 

From WineBid

2005 Turley Petite Syrah Hayne Vineyard (2 bottles)

 

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

2009 Bodega Catena Zapata Malbec – $16.14

 

My comments

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

 

Winery history

It is part of our family’s folklore that our forefather Nicola Catena, who sailed from Italy to Argentina in 1898, celebrated leaving the famine in Europe for this plentiful new land by eating a piece of virtually raw steak for breakfast each morning. Best described as a tireless optimist, he firmly believed that he had found the promised land in Mendoza, where he planted his first Malbec vineyard in 1902. Malbec had been a blending grape in Bordeaux. But Nicola suspected it would find its hidden splendour in the Argentine Andes. Domingo, his son, inherited that dream and took the family winery to the next level, becoming one of the largest vineyard holders in Mendoza.

 

By the 1960s, however, Familia Catena was struggling. The Argentine economy was in shambles and inflation rates were soaring. One year, Domingo realized that it would cost him more to harvest than to leave the fruit on the vines. He asked his twenty-two year old son Nicolás, a recent PhD graduate in economics, what to do about such a dilemma. Nicolás advised him not to harvest. Domingo could not follow his son’s advice with a clear conscience and picked anyway. Nicolás still remembers the sadness he felt for his father that year.

Much more information available at:  http://www.catenawines.com/eng/family.html

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

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

 

My comments

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

 

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

 

Winery history

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

 

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

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

Mailing Lists

 

Turley Wine Cellars

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

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

Winery history

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

 

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

 

 

(from the winery website)

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

My comments

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

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

The wine was aged in oak for 12 months.

 

The alcohol is a very respectable 13.5%.

 

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

The alcohol is a very respectable 13.5%.

 

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

2008 Fetish Wines Playmates – $17.09

 

My comments

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

 

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

 

Winery history

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

 

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

2005 Copain Syrah Eaglepoint Ranch – $35.00

 

My comments

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

 

Winery history

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

2005 Terre del Marchesato Emilio Primo Toscana IGT – $18.83

 

My comments

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

 

Winery history

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

2007 Saxum James Berry Vineyard – $67.00

 

My comments

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

 

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

 

Winery history

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

Mailing Lists

 

 

Westerhold Family

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

 

 

 

Wines bought or received this week

It was a busy couple of days receiving wine.

 

Samples courtesy of Elyse:

2007 Elyse Cabernet Sauvignon Morisoli Vineyard

2008 Elyse Zinfandel Morisoli Vineyard

2010 Elyse Petite Sirah Barrel Select

 

Received from Garagiste Wine

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

(This was one of their “Mystery Wines”)

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

 

From WineWoot

(3) 2007 Core Tempranillo C3 Reserve

(3) 2008 CoreGrenacheSanta BarbaraCounty

(3) 2008 Core Grenache Reserve Santa Barbara Highlands Vineyard

(3) 2007 Core Ground Around

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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!