2004 Carlisle Two Acres – $32.50

 

My comments

I decided it was time to open a Carlisle to celebrate their newest offer hitting the inbox earlier in the week.  I’ve been a big fan of this wine for several years.  This is a blend of 85% Mourvèdre, 12% Petite Sirah, 2% Carignane, and 1% Alicante Bouschet from Sonoma’s Russian River Valley.

 

Winery history

We are a small Sonoma County winery specializing in the production of old-vine, vineyard designated zinfandels and red Rhone varieties (syrah, grenache, mourvèdre, and petite sirah).  While we like our wines to be bold, rich, and intensely flavored, each reflecting a sense of place, its origins in the vineyard, we also strive to create wines of balance, complexity, and perhaps most importantly, pleasure.

 

Rich.  Lusty.  Hedonistic.  These are some of the descriptors we often hear applied to our wines.  However, we also hear the words elegant, balanced, complex.  Yes, through hard work in the vineyard and winery, we believe you can have it all, the best of both worlds.  Our approach to winemaking is simple, yet difficult.  We prefer to intervene in nature’s process as little as possible but we will leave no stone unturned in our quest to maximize the quality of each wine we produce.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to dark ruby color.  The intoxicating nose has cherries, plums, earthy underbrush, violets, leather, smoke, tobacco, dark chocolate, and a touch of licorice.  This has a medium to full body with fairly solid tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate the earthy cherries and plums lead the way with dried herbs and spice providing the follow up.  The finish has decent length but is losing some of the richness and oomph and a touch of alcohol is beginning to poke through.  This still tasted very nice, but I think is has started on the downhill path.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2008 Tre Donne Barbera d’Alba d’Arc – $14.24

 

My comments

This was a new wine for me.  This was one of several wines the local wine store brought in just for a blow out sale.  I’ve been a big fan of Italian Barbera wines for a number of years.  These wines generally have nice, bright, red fruit with some spicy earthiness and a boat load of acidity.  These are generally one of the most food friendly wines around.

 

Winery history

As much as Alessandro Lequio loved his daughters, in staying with Italian traditions, there was no way he was going to hand over the family vineyard to women.  (According to his wife, Donna Bruna, Alessandro actually cried for half-an-hour when their third and final child, Daniela, was born!)  Four generations of fathers had handed the estate down to their sons, and even though he hadn’t had a boy, Alessandro would be damned if the family business was going to be run by the fairer sex.  “Marry a good winemaker,” he would tell them.  Just as stubborn as their father, the sisters all staunchly refuted this notion, and assured him that he would be handing the estate over to them one day… In the end (and presumably tired of arguing), everyone agreed to a “do-or-die” wager, and literally bet the ranch; deciding he could trick them into failure, Alessandro agreed to give the gals everything if they could pass three years of his rigorous tests, culminating in a single vintage of wine which he, himself would judge.  To everyone’s surprise, the Sisters never gave up, and moreover, they actually won more awards in their first year of production than Alessandro had in his entire career!   True to his word, their papa changed his tune and turned the estate over to his daughters.  He was so deeply impressed, he even allowed them to change the name to “Tre Donne”–which means “Three Women.”

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a touch darker than ruby red.  The elegant nose has black raspberries, melted licorice, warm baking spices, dark chocolate, a touch of mint, minerals, and some subtle earthiness.  This has medium body, soft, ripe tannins, and good acidity.  The palate has rich, spicy berries up front with more spice, mint and earthiness coming in on the back end.  The finish has decent length with the fruit turning a bit more tart and a faint herbal note coming into the picture.  A bit fuller body and darker fruit than your usual Barbera.  This would be good with a big, meaty pasta sauce, but may be too big and have too little acidity for a lighter marinara sauce.  Different, but enjoyable.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Pierre Amadieu Côtes du Rhône Roulepierre – $8.95

 

My comments

I grabbed a six pack of this wine after having a sip at a tasting.  At the time, I noted it needed a year in the cellar.  Well, it’s been 13 months, time to pop one.  This is a blend of 75% Grenache and 25% Syrah.

 

Winery history

Our history begins in 1929 when my grand father decides to bottle and trade under the signature Pierre Amadieu his wine coming from the 7 hectares (17 acres) of vineyard in Gigondas passed on by generation to generation.  He is then one of the firsts to print the name of the appellation on his bottles and obtains from 1932 a golden medal in the National Agricultural Concours of Paris.

 

I am presently on the head of the company and I am in charge of winemaking and maturing.  I work with my uncle Claude who runs the vineyard.  Together we follow the familial way of thinking by respecting soils and traditions in order to make you share wines faithful to the quality ambition of our grandfather and by adding a note of modernity in order to delight the most demanding and the most curious palates.

 

I am not a follower of over-extracted wines and often “heavy” to taste; my ambition is rather to obtain well-balanced wines with a Burgundy fineness.  Through the maturing I try to reveal all the elegance and the richness of our protected terroirs located on the heights of the appellation Gigondas.  From vines to the bottling patience and observation are required.  Today appreciated all over the world, every vintage reserves its subtleties which I am happy to subject to your appreciation.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a ruby red color.  The open and inviting nose has blackberries, black cherries, minerals, dried herbs, spices, black pepper, and a bit of earthiness.  This has medium body, fairly solid tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate spicy, peppery, mineral laden fruit takes center stage with dried herbs and some earthiness coming in on the back end.  The finish is a touch short but very flavorful.  A bit of additional cellar time may help the finish fill out a bit.  This was an absolute steal for the $9 I paid.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2003 Corison Cabernet Sauvignon – $34.50

 

My comments

One of my favorite, value priced, Napa Cabernets.  Every vintage Cathy Corison seems to put out a wine that is a lot better than the competition at the same price point.  The winery never seemed to be a media darling, but the changes at the Wine Advocate lead to a new person reviewing the wines, and he seems to appreciate the wines a lot more.  These aren’t wines meant for immediate enjoyment, they need a few years in the cellar to help them transform into something magical.

 

Winery history

Winegrower Cathy Corison produces artisanal Cabernet Sauvignon that speaks of place, sourcing great benchland vineyards between Rutherford and St. Helena in the NapaValley.

 

The Corison Winery, in its timeless Victorian-style barn, is situated in the heart of Cathy’s beloved Kronos Vineyard.  With eight acres planted exclusively to St. Georges rootstock, Kronos is a historic treasure.  As one of the last old Cabernet Vineyards in the NapaValley, it is one of the few vineyards to have produced world class fruit continuously for more than four decades.  Farmed organically and growing on gravelly loam soils, the gnarly old veterans produce scant yields that result in wines of rare concentration and refinement.  They are juicy with blackberry and plum fruit and complex with a mineral note and exquisite violet perfume.

 

Cathy Corison’s wines are noted for their consistency and impeccable balance.  Powerful and elegant at the same time, they grace the table and enjoy a long, distinguished life.  The 2012 harvest marks Cathy’s 26th vintage of Corison Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly deep ruby red color.  The nose is one of those I can sit and just smell and be happy, at least for a little while then I have to take a taste.  The rich and sophisticated nose has cassis, cherry, melted licorice, dried herbs, well worn leather, spice box, tobacco, minerals, and just a bit of smoke.  This has a medium body, ripe, mostly integrated tannins, and very good acidity.  This has nice, rich and spicy fruit on the palate with dried herbs, tea leaves, and a touch of earthiness adding considerable depth and complexity.  The finish is very long and lingering with the spicy fruit and dried herbs seeming to last forever.  This was a killer bottle of wine that is in its prime drinking window.  This should last for at least a couple more years in the cellar, but if you have multiple bottles, give one a try now.  (94 pts)

 

 

 

***** 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

 

 

 

Music Corner – A new addition

Some favorite songs/videos (known to pair with good wine)

 

Eric Burdon & War – Spill The Wine

 

Canned Heat – On The Road Again

 

Steppenwolf – Born to be Wild

 

Marshall Tucker Band – Can’t You See

 

Neil Young – Imagine

 

 

 

 

Mailing Lists

 

It was busy earlier in the week with Saxum, Loring, and Carlisle hitting the inbox.  The mailing list action is just starting to heat up. 

 

 

Wines bought or received this week

 

Picked these up at the local wine store:

(6) 2007 Bonny Doon Vineyard Le Cigare Blanc @ $6.44

(3) 2006 Sterling Vineyards Merlot Three Palms Vineyard @ $20.89

(1) 2005 Falesco Montiano Lazio IGT @ $28.49

(1) 2008 Tre Donne Barbera d’Alba d’Arc @ $14.24

(1) 2008 C.G. di Arie Petite Sirah Estate Grown @ $15.19

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

 

2009 Domaine Roche Côtes du Rhône Villages Cairanne – $16.14

There’s nothing, in my opinion, better than a nice Côtes du Rhône when you want something interesting without dropping a load of money.  I grabbed three of these from the local wine store several months ago but until tonight, have not opened one.  This is a blend of 70% Grenache and 30% Syrah that aged in mostly cement, with a small portion in older barrels.

 

The wine is a deep garnet color.  There are cherries, licorice, roasted meat, dried herbs, minerals, black pepper, raspberry, and nice earthiness on the open and expressive nose.  This is medium body with fairly solid tannins and very nice acidity.  Loads of fruit, spice, and minerals on the palate with some dried herbs and earthiness in the background.  The finish is fairly long and again showcases the spicy, mineral driven fruit.  Very nice today, but will last in the cellar for a few years, at a minimum.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

 2007 Clos La Coutale Cahors – $13.29

I’ve been a big Cahors fan for several years, but due to lack of a decent selection locally, I got my Malbec fix from Argentina the last few years.  I always loved the big and tannic 100% Malbecs from Cahors.  Unfortunately, I was in the minority.  Over the last several years, a lot of the wineries in the region have begun blending in varying amounts of Merlot to tame the tannins and allow for earlier drinking.  This one is 80% Malbec and 20% Merlot.  I took the plunge on this one purely due to the #76 ranking in Wine Spectator’s Top 100 wines of 2009 and the killer price.  I guess I’ll find out tonight if the risk paid off.

 

The wine is a dark, inky purple color.  On the deep and dark nose there are blackberries, fresh ground espresso, Asian spices, dark chocolate, black cherry, and some nice earthiness.  The wine is medium body with fairly solid, ripe tannins and zippy acidity.  Not as big and bold on the palate as the nose led me to expect, it is much more restrained and laid back.  There are nice fruit and spice flavors on the palate with the acidity brightening it up considerably.  In the background some dark chocolate, walnut, and earthiness add nice depth.  Decent length on the finish, where I wish it had a bit more length and complexity.  All in all, very nice for the price, but not what the nose lead me to expect.  (88 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Novy Family Wines Four Mile Creek – $9.50

I perennial value priced favorite.  In this vintage, it seems to have a bit more oomph than most vintages.  Perhaps there was a surplus of very good grapes from some of the better vineyards or some grapes headed for single vineyard wines were declassified.  Either way, we’re the winners.  This is a jammy, fruity blend of Zinfandel, Grenache, Syrah and Nebbiolo.

 

The wine is a deep ruby color.  Blackberries, black cherries, baking spices, licorice, underbrush, with some earth and violets on the very open and interesting nose.  This is medium body with soft, ripe tannins and nice acidity.  Loads of jammy, spicy fruit grab the palate, followed by some toasty oak and earthiness.  Decent length on the spicy fruit filled finish.  Not much complexity but very tasty.  Killer QPR for under $10.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Syncline Grenache-Carignan – $19.94

Just got back home from a business trip and was in the mood for something a little different.  This is a 50/50 blend of Grenache and Carignan from the ColumbiaValley in Washington.  I’ve had a couple bottles of this wine over the last year, but felt it would be better with a bit of cellar time.  I guess it’s time to check in to see how it’s going.  As an added bonus, the wine is closed with a glass stopper.  In my opinion the best stopper for wines that will be consumed in three to eight years.  I need to see some research before I can extend the top end of that range.  I think these stoppers are a bit too costly to use on wines meant to be consumed not long after release.

 

The wine is a bit lighter than a medium ruby color.  This has a very nice nose with raspberry, meat juices, cherries, minerals, underbrush, licorice, fresh wild flowers, and baking spices with just a hint of an herbal note lingering in the background.  The wine is medium body with fairly solid, ripe tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate the wine has a nice mix of fruit and spices with some earthiness and toasty oak adding depth and some complexity.  Decent length on the finish where the slight herbal/stemmy note reappears.  Not a big, overly ripe, and bold style of wine, but very tasty and refined.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

I was out of town on a business tip most of the week.  Instead of having my wife live without wine, I have a pretty nice selection of 375ml half bottles.  I currently have 20 different wines for her to choose from when I am away.  Here are the wines she enjoyed this week.  2004 Copain Garys’ Vineyard Syrah, 2006 Scherrer Old and Mature VinesScherrerVineyardAlexanderValley Zinfandel, and a 2006 ScherrerRussianRiverValley Pinot Noir.  Sorry, no notes on these wines, all I got from her was, “they were all good”.  Luckily I have at least one bottle of all of these, so maybe I’ll be able to try them the next time one is opened.

 

 

 

Mailing Lists

 

 

Helioterra

Helioterra is a new discovery for me.  I met the owner/winemaker, Anne Hubatch, when she came back to visit her family in Wisconsin.  We tasted through her whole line up and I was very impressed.  I recommend getting in on the ground floor of this exciting Oregon winery.  Their next release is coming shortly, for more information, visit http://bit.ly/Q5TmSl

 

 

Elyse Winery

This is Elyse’s 25th year.  You can help them celebrate the momentous occasion.  They are offering 25% off all purchases made through September 25th.  I have been a big fan of the winery since my first visit there in 2000.  They make some of my favorite, mid-priced, red wines.  I think their Cabernets, Zinfandels, Petite Sirahs, and Rhone blends are all very good to outstanding.  Visit http://www.elysewinery.com/25.html for more information.

 

 

Ledge Vineyards

This is one of my latest “finds”.  Mark Adams is the owner/winemaker for this family owned winery.  He releases one wine, and the grapes all come from the family owned vineyard.  The vineyard is about 7 acres currently and is located in Paso Robles not far from Denner and the James Berry Vineyards.  Mark is also been the assistant winemaker at Saxum where he has worked since 2004.  I highly recommend getting in on the ground floor of this exciting list.  Visit http://www.ledgevineyards.com/index.php for more information or to join the list.

 

 

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!