2014 Brassfield Estate Winery Pinot Noir High Serenity Ranch

Domaine Chandon Brut Classic

2011 Bedrock Wine Co. Zinfandel Monte Rosso Vineyard

Bernard Remy Champagne Grand Cru

1993 Schwaab-Kiebel Erdener Treppchen Riesling Spätlese

2006 Jean Edwards Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Stagecoach Vineyard

 

 

 

2014 Brassfield Estate Winery Pinot Noir High Serenity Ranch – $12.56

This was another “steal” from Last Bottle wines, my favorite “flash” wine site.  If you use the provided link and sign up, you get an immediate $10 credit and I get a credit if/when you make a purchase.  Check them out, they have awesome deals and their Marathons are always something special.  This wine had a suggested price of $30 so the Last Bottle price was well over 50% off.

 

Brassfield’s winemaking team is headed by winemaker Matt Hughes and acclaimed consulting winemaker David Ramey.  The fruit for this 100% Pinot Noir comes from three blocks of the coldest blocks in the winery’s estate vineyard.  15% to 20% whole clusters were used after a three day cold soak.  The fermentation was completed using native yeast and twice a day pumpovers.  After fermentation, the wine was aged sur lie fin 30% new French oak and 70% once used French oak barrels for 10 months.

 

The wine is a deep ruby color.  The inviting nose has black cherries, raspberries, pencil shavings, white pepper, minerals, dry underbrush and wild flowers.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate cherries, raspberries and minerals jump out of the glass on the front end with pencil shavings and dry underbrush coming in later.  The finish has nice length with white pepper and flowers providing depth.  This seems young and fairly tight at this time, I’d give it a couple hours of air or even better, let it rest in the cellar for another year or two.  This has 14.3% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

Domaine Chandon Brut Classic – $15.49

This is a blend of mostly Chardonnay with a healthy amount of Pinot Noir and a touch of Pinot Meunier.

 

This is a light straw color with several streams of pinpoint sized bubbles.  The festive nose has green apples, yeasty bread, roasted nuts, lime zest and chalky minerals.  This has light to medium body with crisp acidity and just a hint of sweetness.  On the palate tart apples, bread and minerals take control on the front end with roasted nuts coming in later.  Mouthwatering lime zest comes in on the nice finish.  This is a very reasonably priced sparking wine to enjoy any time, not just on a special occasion.  This has 12.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a standard Champagne cork.  (88 pts)

 

 

 

2011 Bedrock Wine Co. Zinfandel Monte Rosso Vineyard – $39

Morgan sources the grapes for this wine from the same block his father used for his sought after Ravenswood Monte Rosso Zin.  This famous vineyard on the Sonoma side of Mt Veeder was planted in 1886.  This wine was fermented via native yeasts and was aged in 35% new French oak from four Burgundian coopers.

 

The wine is a deep purple color.  The intoxicating nose has brambly berries, plums, dark chocolate, dusty minerals, black pepper, dried herbs, dried wildflowers and a hint of eucalyptus.  This has full body, moderate to solid tannins, a creamy texture and good acidity.  Berries, plums and minerals thoroughly coat your palate on the front end slowly allowing black pepper and dried herbs to enter the picture.  The long, lingering finish adds a dried floral note as well as a touch of eucalyptus.  This is drinking marvelously right now but it still seems a bit young.  This one can be opened now or left in the cellar for several more years.  This wine has 14.4% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (94 pts)

 

 

 

Bernard Remy Champagne Grand Cru – $28.57

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

 

This 100% Chardonnay was aged for 5 years on its lees.

 

The wine is a light golden yellow color with several steady steams of pinpoint sized bubbles.  The alluring nose has apples, yeasty bread, lemon zest, dusty minerals, roasted nuts and spring flowers.  This has light to medium body with great acidity.  On the palate tart apples, lemon zest and minerals quickly grab control with yeasty bread and a touch of nuttiness coming in later.  The lingering finish adds a nice floral note.  The citrusy crispness in this bubbly will keep you reaching for another sip.  A very good bargain.  This has 12.0% alcohol.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

1993 Schwaab-Kiebel Erdener Treppchen Riesling Spätlese – $16.41

I have a special place in my heart for a well aged German Riesling.  In their youth these wines may seem disjointed with plenty of residual sugar and an overload of acidity.  Over time in the cellar everything comes together, the sugar and acidity evolve into a rich, silky wine that is so easy to drink they can get addictive.

 

The wine is a bright yellow color with a slight golden tint.  The fresh and vibrant nose has apples, flinty minerals, orange blossoms, honey, lychee nuts, white peach and just a hint of petrol.  This has medium to full body with great acidity and nice lingering sweetness.  On the palate apples, minerals, honey and lychee nuts jump out quickly on the front end with orange blossoms and white peach coming in later.  The finish is long and lingering with a hint of petrol.  This is rich and luxurious, a wonderful bottle of wine that does not taste 24 years old.  I have no idea how long this will hold in the cellar but I am not in any hurry to open my remaining bottles.  This has 8% alcohol and the bottle was sealed with a natural cork that was nasty on the exposed end but otherwise solid.  (95 pts)

 

 

 

2006 Jean Edwards Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Stagecoach Vineyard – $40

This wine is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon with almost all the fruit from the esteemed Stagecoach Vineyard.  In this vintage, the winery and winemaker Kian Tavakoli blended in a small amount of valley floor Cabernet to “soften” the mountain fruit and add additional depth and complexity.

 

The grapes were hand picked.  After a cold soak and extended maceration with 75% crushed and 25% whole berries each lot was fermented separately in small closed top stainless steel tanks.  The wine was then aged for 20 months in 100% French oak with 60% being new.  The lots were then blended unfined and unfiltered and bottled.

 

The wine is a deep garnet color.  The sensuous nose has cassis, cedar, tobacco, dried herbs, dusty minerals, licorice, dry earth, violets and vanilla bean.  This has medium to full body with moderate to solid tannins and very good acidity.  This explodes on your palate with cassis, cedar, tobacco and minerals quickly grabbing your attention.  On the back end dried herbs and dry earth breaks through the initial wall of flavor providing a solid second wave.  The finish has outstanding length with vanilla bean and violets joining the still prominent cassis and minerals.  This still tastes on the young side, this improved steadily the more air it received.  There is no hurry with this wine, this has the balance and structure to allow it to drink very nicely for at least another decade, perhaps longer.  I’ve loved several Jean Edwards wines over the years but this is one of the best bottles from them that I have opened.  I’d love to follow this wine down the road but unfortunately this is my last bottle of this vintage, my vertical is now only from 2007 to 2014.  This has 14.8% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (96 pts)

 

 

 

A few meals paired with a couple of the wines.

 

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

 

I paired the 1993 German Spätlese with one of my favorite Cajun dishes, Crawfish and Pasta with Tasso Cream.  The recipe I use is from The Gumbo Shop in New Orleans’ French Quarter.

 

 

What goes great with a Napa Cabernet?  How about Prime Rib?  In this case, the meat was slightly over cooked, closer to medium than medium rare but it was still an outstanding meal.

 

 

I paired the Bedrock Monte Rosso Zinfandel with a burrito stuffed with homemade meat and Mexican rice with black beans and all the usual fixings.

 

 

The Brassfield Pinot Noir was paired with Rotisserie Chicken and fresh from the garden green peas.

 

 

We had the Domaine Chandon Sparking wine with a light lunch on the deck on a warm afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Connect with me

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

 

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

 

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

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 2018 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

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

 

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

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase.  I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but always check out the sale and close out items when in a store.  Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges.  None of the prices include the sales tax.

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

2010 Domaine La Garrigue Vacqueyras

2007 Jacob Franklin (Elyse) Mon Chou #50 Napa Valley

2008 Scherrer Winery Zinfandel Old and Mature Vines Alexander Valley

Nicolas Feuillatte Champagne Brut Rosé

2010 Jean Edwards Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Stagecoach Vineyard

2014 Corbera Vini Grillo

 

 

 

2010 Domaine La Garrigue Vacqueyras – $16.62

I’ve been a fan of this wine for several vintages.  To me, a nice Vacqueyras is a solid step up from a Côtes du Rhône but with only a slight increase in price.

 

This is a blend of 80% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 5% Mourvedre and 5% Cinsault.

 

The wine is a deep maroon color.  The warm and relaxing nose has black cherries, blackberries, red raspberries, dried herbs, brined olives, licorice, minerals, earthy elements and wild flowers.  This has medium body, moderate to solid tannins and very good acidity.  The palate has nice, spicy fruit and olives with a touch of earthiness and chalky minerality coming in on the back end.  The finish has filled out nicely with some time in the cellar and now shows good length.  This one is rocking today and will hold for couple years.  The wine has 14.5% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2007 Jacob Franklin (Elyse) Mon Chou #50 Napa Valley – $30

“My Sweetheart”

 

The #50 in the wine’s name relates to the percentage of Cabernet Franc in the final blend.  As with most blends, the breakdown changes every vintage.  This vintage is a blend of 50% Cabernet Franc, 20% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Malbec and 6% Petit Verdot from the Abbey, Lynch, Morisoli and Wood Vineyards.  The grapes were picked from September 19 through October 14.  After fermentation, the wine was aged for 22 months in French oak barrels with 65% being new.  The total production was 375 cases.

 

The wine is a deep ruby to maroon color.  The stunning nose has cassis, dried herbs, cedar, smoke, warm baking spices, tobacco, dusty minerals, dark chocolate and licorice.  This has a medium body with moderate to solid tannins and very good acidity.  Spices, dried herbs and cassis immediately coat the palate, slowly allowing cedar and minerals to enter the picture.  On the long finish dusty minerality and dark chocolate join the cassis and dried herbs.  This is a very nicely layered wine with plenty of savory elements that nicely balance out the rich cassis.  This wine is in a prime drinking window allowing it to be a showstopper through the end of the decade.  The wine has 14.4% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (94 pts)

 

 

 

2008 Scherrer Winery Zinfandel Old and Mature Vines Alexander Valley – $20

I used to split a friend’s Scherrer allocation in their “Futures Program” when I lived in Wisconsin.  In this program, you paid for the wines early in the year before the wine was even bottled.  The advantage was you got the wine at a BIG discount.  Usuallt around $20 for a wine that would sell for $30 to $35.  I used to get three bottles of this wine and three bottles of their Shale Vineyard Zinfandel.  I miss getting these wines at those prices.  The Scherrer zinfandels aren’t big and bold zins, they are much more mild mannered and balanced.  These zins age like a Bordeaux blend.

 

The wine is a deep ruby red color.  The expressive nose has blackberries, tobacco, cedar, baking spices, crushed stone minerals, scorched earth, dried wildflowers and a touch of licorice.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate berries, minerals and baking spices jump out on the front end with cherries, tobacco and dried earth coming in later.  The finish has great length with a nice dried floral note and a hint of cedar providing good depth.  This has great balance and still has a few years in a great drinking window.  No hurry opening this gem.  This has 14.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

Nicolas Feuillatte Champagne Brut Rosé – $34.99

This is a bright salmon pink color with steady, persistent streams of pinpoint sized bubbles.  The festive and inviting nose has cherries, raspberries, orange zest, fresh bread, chalky minerals and currants.  This has might to medium body with crisp acidity and some lingering sweetness.  On the palate bright red fruit, fresh bread and orange zest quickly take control with some minerality slipping in on the back end.  The finish is dominated by sweet cherries with a hint of orange zest.  This really pushes the limits to be called Brut, to me it is distinctly off dry.  To me this is great as an aperitif but the sweetness would make it a difficult to pair with a lighter dish.  This has 12.0% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a standard Champagne cork.  (87 pts)

 

 

 

2010 Jean Edwards Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Stagecoach Vineyard – SRP $65

As in prior vintages, the fruit for this wine comes from a premium vineyard block located within the Pritchard Hill Region of Stagecoach Vineyard. This is a blend of 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Petit Verdot that was aged for 24 months in French Oak.

 

The wine is a deep maroon color.  The open and expressive nose has cassis, cedar, baking spices, tobacco, scorched earth, dusty minerals, licorice, cocoa powder, violets and dried leafy herbs.  This has medium to full body with moderate to solid tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate cassis, cedar, minerals and scorched earth jump out quickly on the front end with cocoa powder and dried leafy herbs coming in later.  The finish has very good length with baking spices and a floral note providing nice depth.  This is still on the young side, either give it an hour or two in the decanter or let it sleep for another couple of years.  This has the depth and balance to improve over the next several years and drink well for a decade or more.  (95 pts)

 

 

 

2014 Corbera Vini Grillo – $10.19

Grillo is a native Italian grape that may have originated in Puglia.  This grape has been grown in Sicily since the 8th century and today is wide spread in western Sicily.

 

The wine is a straw-yellow color.  The intriguing nose has ripe apples, pineapple, dried straw, juicy peaches, orange blossoms and flinty minerals.  This has medium body with good acidity.  On the palate ripe apples, pineapple, minerals and peaches quickly jump out on the front end with orange blossoms coming in later.  The finish has decent length with a dry straw note adding nice depth.  This doesn’t offer a lot of complexity but for the price this is a nice wine for a lighter week night meal.  This has 13.0% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (87 pts)

 

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Connect with me

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

 

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

 

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

 

Cheers!

 

 

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

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

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

 

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

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase.  I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but always check out the sale and close out items when in a store.  Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges.  None of the prices include the sales tax.

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

2007 Seven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon Klipsun Vineyard

2009 Jean Edwards Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Stagecoach Vineyard

2010 Turley Cabernet Sauvignon The Label

2011 Jean Edwards Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2011 Charles Krug Winery (Peter Mondavi Family) Cabernet Sauvignon 150th Anniversary

2009 Rudius Cabernet Sauvignon

2012 Avalon Cabernet Sauvignon

 

 

These are miscellaneous Cabernet Sauvignon wines I had over the last couple of months that missed being included a previous posting at that time.

 

 

 

2007 Seven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon Klipsun Vineyard – $25.99

This wine is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon that was aged in 100% French oak, 40% new.

 

The wine is a deep garnet to purple color.  The spellbinding nose has cassis, licorice, chalky minerals, roasted leafy herbs, white pepper, cherries, baking spices, dried earth and violets.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate tart fruit is balanced with a solid savory edge.  The finish has good length with chalky minerals and roasted herbs again buffering the fruit.  This has outstanding balance and proof that an American wine doesn’t have to posses layers after layer of fruit to be delicious.  This has 13.8% alcohol.  (93 pts)

 

 

2009 Jean Edwards Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Stagecoach Vineyard – SRP $65

The wine is 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Petit Verdot; aged 22 months in French Oak (50% new/50% one year old barrels).

 

The wine is a deep, dark purple color.  The exhilarating nose is full of cassis, dried herbs, dying wood embers, black cherry, vanilla, Asian spices, dusty minerals, dark bittersweet chocolate, white pepper, tobacco and violets.  This has medium body with solid tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate cassis, dusty minerals and wood embers jump out quickly followed by vanilla, cherries and white pepper.  The long, lingering finish seems to last forever with dried herbs and a nice floral note entering the picture.  This still has some upside and will reward additional cellar time.  Another great job from Jean Edwards Cellars.  This wine has 14.2% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (95 pts)

 

 

2010 Turley Cabernet Sauvignon The Label – $40.00

When I received the offer from Turley for this Cabernet, I had to grab a few bottles.  I’ve had and enjoyed a couple bottles but it has been a while since I opened one, it’s time to check in.

 

The wine is a deep garnet color.  The comforting nose has cassis, baking spices, cedar, violets, cherry, dried herbs, tobacco and a touch of dark bittersweet chocolate.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and good acidity.  The creamy palate has nice up front berries, cherries, and spice with dried herbs and some building dark chocolate coming in on the back end.  The finish has decent length with a touch of earthiness and spicy oak coming into play.  This may not have a ton of complexity but is an enjoyable wine and seems to be in a very nice drinking window.  The QPR at $40 open for debate, but I’m glad I have more in the cellar.  Don’t expect a Cabernet version of a Turley Zinfandel or you will be disappointed.  This wine has 14.5% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (91 pts)

 

 

2011 Jean Edwards Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley – SRP $65

This wine has 12% Merlot blended in with the Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

The wine is a medium to deep ruby red color.  The enticing nose has cassis, dusty minerals, mint, cherries, tobacco, cedar, white pepper, baking spices and violets.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and good acidity.  On the palate cassis, baking spices and minerals jump out on the front end with mint and cedar coming in later.  The finish has very nice length with cherries and violets entering the picture and providing nice depth.  This is still very young and will reward some additional cellar time, if you open one now give it plenty of air.  This wine has 14.2% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (94 pts)

 

 

2011 Charles Krug Winery (Peter Mondavi Family) Cabernet Sauvignon 150th Anniversary – $22.49

This vintage celebrates the 150th Anniversary of the esteemed winery.

 

The wine is a medium to deep ruby red color.  The open and appealing nose has cassis, cedar, roasted herbs, tobacco, scorched earth, mint and dried violets.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate cassis, cedar and roasted herbs jump out on the front end with tobacco, cedar and scorched earth coming in on the back end.  The finish has decent length with a hint of mint adding depth.  A nice offering for a cool vintage with minimal herbal notes.  Not one to stash away, open this one over the next couple of years.  This has 13.9% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (88 pts)

 

 

2009 Rudius Cabernet Sauvignon – $65.00

I’ve been on the Rudius mailing list since the beginning.  The owner/winemaker is Jeff Ames who is also the winemaker for the prestigious TOR winery.

 

The wine is a deep ruby to maroon color.  The hypnotic nose is full of cassis, tobacco, warm baking spices, black plums, eucalyptus, white pepper, dried violets and cedar.  This has medium to full body with moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate cassis, tobacco and cedar grab hold on the front end with plums, white pepper and spice coming in later.  The finish has very nice length with a dried floral note adding depth and interest.  This is still on the young side and will reward some additional cellar time.  (94 pts)

 

 

2012 Avalon Cabernet Sauvignon 

This wine is a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Syrah, 7% Zinfandel and 4% Merlot from vineyards in Napa Valley, Lodi, Paso Robles and Monterey County.

 

The wine is a bright ruby red color.  The smooth and comforting nose has cherries, baking spices, white pepper, dried flowers, raspberries and tobacco.  This has a medium to full body with soft tannins and decent acidity.  On the palate sweet fruit and spices hit first with white pepper and dried flowers coming on the back end.  The finish has decent length and is dominated by sweet cherries and spices.  This doesn’t offer much complexity but is an easy drinking way to relax over a glass of wine at the end of an evening.  This wine has 13.8% alcohol.  (86 pts)

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Connect with me

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

 

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

 

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

 

Cheers!

 

 

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

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

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

 

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

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase.  I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but always check out the sale and close out items when in a store.  Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges.  None of the prices include the sales tax.

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

Here are the top wines I sampled or drank in 2013.  It was a hard task since narrowing the list down to only 10 wines since I had tasting notes on well over 500 wines this year.

 

These wines were selected based purely on how much I enjoyed them.  Unfortunately, since most of the wines I open have been in my cellar for a number of years, they are not available to purchase today in the normal retail market.  Some are probably available on the auction sites, like WineBid.  If you are interested in any specific wine, let me know and I can help you track down a bottle.

 

I have another list that will come out in the next week or two of only wines that I purchased in 2013 that cost under $20.

 

 

 

 

10 – 2000 Poderi Luigi Einaudi Barolo Costa Grimaldi – $50.99

I bought this wine after trying it at a tasting event at a local store.  I liked it at that time, but knew it would be immensely better with some extended cellar time.  I was able to ignore the bottle for the better part of a decade.  It’s time to see if the wait was worthwhile.  I should note, I am generally more of a Barbaresco fan than Barolo.

This is listed at 14.0% alcohol by volume and is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium ruby red color with a slight brick tint.  The nose on this wine is absolutely stunning, full of black cherries, minerals, roses, violets, mint, licorice, tar, and earthy underbrush.  This has medium body, moderate tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate the fruit and savory elements take turns strutting their stuff with the savory notes eventually grabbing the show with the fruit providing nice background sweetness.  The finish is very long with some earthiness entering the picture.  No hurry on this one, it improved constantly until the bottle was prematurely empty.  (95 pts)

 

 

 

9 – 2010 Bedrock Wine Co. Zinfandel Monte Rosso Vineyard – $38.00

This will by my first bottle of wine from the winery using grapes from the outstanding Monte Rosso Vineyard.  Owner/wine maker, Morgan Twain-Peterson was able to secure grapes from the same block his father Joel used to create the outstanding wines for his old winery, Ravenswood.

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

 

8 – 2007 Big Basin Vineyards Mandala – $35.00

I opened this wine to participate in an online winechat about the wines of the Santa Cruz Mountains of California.  Everyone has heard of Ridge, but there are loads of other wineries in the region making outstanding wines.  As I’ve said in the past, I think Big Basin is one big score from one of the major wine reviewing periodicals away from appearing everyone’s radar.  I’ve been a big fan of Big Basin’s Syrah wines and blends for a few years.  I would highly recommend checking them out.  This is mainly Syrah with a small percentage of Cabernet in the blend. I believe I read this is made up of 6.5 barrels of Syrah and 1 barrel of Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark ruby to purple color.  The explosive nose is full of blackberries, cassis, smoke, dark bittersweet chocolate, charred meat, melted licorice, vanilla, warm baking spices, and violets.  This is full bodied with moderate to solid ripe tannins and good acidity.  The wine grabs hold of your palate unleashing wave after wave of lush fruit, spice, and savory notes in unrelenting layers.  The finish is very long, almost seeming to never end with very nice fruit slowly giving way to dark chocolate and then nice meaty elements and earthiness.  The extra time in the cellar has been rewarded in this case.  There is no hurry on this one, it should hold for at least a few more years.  (95 pts)

 

 

 

7 – 2003 Corison Cabernet Sauvignon – $34.50

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.

 

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)

 

 

 

6 – 2007 Jacob Franklin Mon Chou #50 Napa Valley – $30.00

This is quickly turning into one of my favorite wines.  I bought a case and this is the third bottle I have opened.  This is a blend of 50% Cabernet Franc, 20% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Malbec, and 6% Petit Verdot.  The number in the wine name indicates the percentage of Cabernet Franc in the blend.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly deep ruby to maroon color.  The outstanding nose has cassis, cedar, dried herbs, licorice, baking spices, smoke, tobacco, minerals, dark bittersweet chocolate, and cherries.  This had medium body with fairly solid, ripe tannins and very nice acidity.  The palate has a wonderful blend of fruit and savory elements with everything in balance and harmonious.  The long, lingering finish has nice spicy cassis and dried herbs with just the right amount of spicy oak adding to the profile without being too obtrusive.  I love this wine.  (95 pts)

 

 

 

5 – 2010 La Rochelle Chardonnay Ferrington Vineyard (SRP $65.00)

This was a winery supplied sample.

Ferrington Vineyard is home to our only Anderson Valley Chardonnay site as of 2012.  Located near Boonville, on the same side of Hwy 128 as Deer Meadow, Ferrington was originally planted in the late 1960s.  The 70 acre site is planted to Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc, and Gewurztraminer on decomposed sandstone and clay soils.  In 2010 we entered into a contract to purchase about two tons of Robert Young clone of Chardonnay, and the first vintage yielded just over 100 cases.  Ferrington was purchased by the Schoeneman family in 1997 and it has since become one of the most sought after sites in Anderson Valley.  We gained access to Pinot Noir from this site starting in 2012.

 

Technical info

The grapes were harvested for this 100% Chardonnay on October 18, 2010.  This was barrel fermented and aged sur-lie for 14 months in 100% French oak barrels, 40% new.

The final alcohol is 14.6%.

 

Tasting note

The wine is a very light yellow to golden color.  The very exotic and inviting nose has apples, flinty minerals, lemon curd, lime zest, Asian spices, hazelnuts, and a touch of toast.  This has medium body and tart, citrusy acidity.  Bright apples and citrus greet the palate with minerals, spice, hazelnuts pouring in over the top and from all sides.  The finish is very long with the spicy, citrus driven, fruit and spice seeming to never totally fade away, leaving a nutty, lemony note.  This is incredibly young at this time and will improve with some cellar time.  One of the best California Chardonnay wines I’ve ever had the pleasure to drink.  This is stunning.  (95 pts)

 

 

 

4 – 2009 Northwest Totem Cellars Low Man (SRP $35)

This was another winery supplied sample.  All of the wines from Northwest Totem Cellars were outstanding, but this one stood out as having that “something” that made it special.

This is a blend of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Cabernet Franc, 3% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot from the Columbia Valley.  This has 14% ABV.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a nice deep ruby red color.  The enticing nose has blackberries, cherries, warm baking spices, leather, white pepper, minerals, violets, vanilla, dried herbs, and just a touch of cedar.  This has medium body, fairly solid, ripe tannins, and good acidity.  This wine is delicious on the palate.  Nice berries and cherries start the show but are quickly joined with sweet vanilla, spices, and a touch of dried herbs.  The finish is long and nuanced with layers of fruit and savory notes finally giving way to a nice closing note of dried herbs and cherry.  For a very young Bordeaux blend it is stunning, with perfect balance.  I’m sure this will be better with some cellar time, but it will be hard to resist.  (95 pts)

 

 

 

3 – 2008 Saxum Broken Stones – $75.00

Saxum.  There are more expensive wines coming out of California, but is there a more popular mailing list out there?  I remember a glitch in their system allowed people to place their orders before the actual e-mails were even sent.  The wines sold out almost immediately.  Since that time, the wines have gone up in price considerably but still sell out.  This wine is a blend of 79% Syrah, 13% Grenache and 8% Mourvedre.

The wine has 15.6% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork and a wax seal.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark, inky purple color.  The intoxicating nose is full of blackberries, minerals, black pepper, blueberries, dried flowers, toasted Asian spices, roasted herbs and vanilla.  This has a full body, moderate to solid tannins and good acidity.  On the palate spicy, mineral driven fruit grabs hold and slowly relents to allow black pepper and roasted herbs to slip though.  The finish is very long and layered with a nice candied violet note coming into the picture.  This is on the young side but absolutely stunning with some air.  (96 pts)

 

 

 

2 – 2007 Jean Edwards Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Stagecoach Vineyard – $60.00

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 Napa Valley.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly deep ruby red color.  The absolutely stunning nose has cassis, melted licorice, dried herbs, cedar, wild flowers, tobacco, and warm baking spices.  This has medium body, fairly solid silky tannins, and very nice acidity.  This is rich and plush on the palate with cassis and baking spices up front with dried herbs and spicy oak coming in on the back end.  The finish is very long, seeming to never totally disappear and full of rich fruit and spice.  This has the balance to age gracefully for several years but it is absolutely irresistible today.  (96 pts)

 

 

 

1 – 2006 Clarendon Hills Syrah Liandra – $37.00

I had a bit of this wine several months ago at a friend’s house and thought it was outstanding, but didn’t take an official tasting note.  Since I have a few bottles, it seems like a perfect time to open one and spend an evening with it to see how it tastes.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark, inky, purple color.  The spellbinding nose has charred meat, blackberries, smoke, roasted herbs, blueberries, black pepper, vanilla, licorice, minerals, Asian spices, and dark chocolate.  This has medium to full body, ripe and velvety tannins, and good acidity.  The palate on this wine is out of the world with the berries, roasted herbs, and black pepper slowly giving way to spicy, meaty elements and dark chocolate.  The finish is extremely long and highlights the spice, meat, and roasted herbs.  This is the complete package.  Outstanding!  No hurry on this one, it has years of life ahead of it.  (96 pts)

 

 

 

Connect with me

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

 

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

 

Cheers!

 

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

All rights reserved.

 

 

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

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

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

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

 

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 Elyse Syrah Napa Valley

2007 Jean Edwards Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Stagecoach Vineyard

2008 Rhys Alesia Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

2009 Murphy-Goode Sauvignon Blanc The Fumé

2004 Château La Vieille Cure

 

 

 

2006 Elyse Syrah Napa Valley – $15.00

This is a blend of 92% Syrah, 6% Mourvère and 2% Viognier from the Souyoultzis, Delouise, Massa Ranch and Naggiar Vineyards in the Napa Valley.

 

Per the winery, “Our Syrah is styled in the tradition of the great wines of the Northern Rhone (Cote Roties).  Their delightful aromas, complexity, balance and  finesse make for one of the world’s greatest food wines.”  In my opinion, based of past bottles, they succeeded.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby color, starting to show a touch of brick at the edge.  The very inviting nose has blackberries, vanilla, smoked meat, dried herbs, black pepper, and a touch of chocolaty oak.  This has medium to full body, fairly solid tannins, and very nice acidity.  The savory notes of black pepper, smoked meat, and vanilla hit the palate first with the berries in the background supplying nice sweetness.  On the back end, dried herbs and dark chocolate make an appearance.  The finish has decent length but does thin out just a touch.  This is probably as good as it will get but should hold for another year, maybe two.  This is made in more of an old world style, so don’t expect a big, fruit forward, jammy wine.  I like this style a lot.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2007 Jean Edwards Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Stagecoach Vineyard – $38.75

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 Napa Valley.

 

I opened this bottle to share with a few friends so they could sample the wine and hear a bit of the history of the winery.  I think the winery gained a few new friends based on their reaction and the quickly emptied bottle.

 

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 traveled 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.

 

For more information, to order wine, or to join the Jean Edwards mailing list, visit their website.

 

I highly recommend at least joining their mailing list.  This would be a great time to join since their next release is just around the corner, just tell them Cliff sent you.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly deep ruby red color, a touch lighter at the edge.  The outstanding and very appealing nose has cassis, dried herbs, tobacco, melted licorice, minerals, warm baking spices, dark bittersweet chocolate, cedar, and a hint of eucalyptus.  This has medium to full body, fairly solid tannins, and very nice acidity.  The palate is rich and plush with spice and cassis stealing the show initially, as slowly building dried herbs, minerals, and toasty oak come in on the back end.  The finish is very long and full of fruit and spice.  This is still on the young side and will greatly reward some additional cellar time.  (95 pts)

 

 

 

2008 Rhys Alesia Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast – $28.00

I’ve been on the Rhys mailing list for a few years.  A lot of people knock the wines because they don’t taste great upon release.  Rhys wines require a few years in the cellar to smoothen out and open up.  That said, their Alesia wines, which are made from purchased grapes, though also needing some time in the cellar, seem to be ready to drink a couple years earlier.  I grabbed several bottles of this wine when it was offered on their e-mail release.  I’ve had a couple bottles and every bottle has been better than the previous bottle…always a good sign.  I’m glad I still have five bottles to follow over the next few years.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a nice ruby red color. The sexy nose has strawberries, raspberries, cola, baking spices, underbrush, minerals, cherries, dried flowers, and a slight herbal note. The wine has medium body with soft tannins and very good acidity. The very complex palate has layers of fruit, spice, and earthy elements that slowly reveal themselves with each sip, with the nice cleansing acidity evident at all times. The finish is fairly long and the mouthwatering acidity is ever present. This is very food friendly and civilized. There is no excess weight or overly extracted notes evident on the wine. This is still on the young side and can be enjoyed over the next several years.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

We paired the Rhys Alesia Pinot with a fairly quick and easy Saturday evening dinner of a grilled Veal Chop and some sautéed broccoli with garlic and a sprinkle of hot pepper flakes.  The acidity in the wine was able to cut right through the juicy chop.  We kicked back on the beautiful evening to enjoy a second glass of the wine and enjoy the peace and quiet.

 

 

 

2009 Murphy-Goode Sauvignon Blanc The Fumé – $7.13

This wine has a touch of Semillon blended in with the Sauvignon Blanc.  The grapes are mainly from Lake County and the Alexander Valley in Sonoma County.

 

I left this in the cellar for a year longer than I would have liked, but this will be a good experiment into how a “drink now”, fruit forward, Sauvignon Blanc will evolve with a bit of cellar time.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a pale yellow to straw color.  The clean and fresh nose has lemon zest, apples, lime, fresh cut grass, a nice floral note, and just a touch of baking spice and vanilla.  This has light to medium body with crisp acidity and just a hint of sweetness.  On the palate the sweet, juicy apples and citrus hit up front with a slight herbal note in the background.  There is decent length on the finish which also shows a touch of sweetness.  More of a nice, hot weather aperitif due to the off dry sweetness, but for $7 it works in that regard.  (87 pts)

 

 

 

2004 Château La Vieille Cure – $15.83

The local wine store brought this in as an e-mail offer to their mailing list.  I decided under $16 a bottle for a case was just too hard to pass, so I grabbed a case.  My first bottle had something wrong and just tasted horrible.  It didn’t have an easily identifiable flaw, it was just bad.  I opened a second bottle a couple weeks later, and it was perfect.  I don’t know the exact break down of the grapes in this vintage, but this wine has historically been around 74% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby to purple color.  The enjoyable nose has black cherries, dried herbs, cigar box, minerals, baking spices, dried flowers, cassis, a minty note, and a fair amount of earthiness.  This has medium body, fairly solid tannins, and very nice acidity.  Not as rich on the palate as I was expecting based on an earlier bottle.  This leaned very heavily on the savory elements with the fruit buried in the background, only showing itself on a few rare occasions.  The finish is again, a bit lean and does not show a lot of depth.  I’m not going to rate this bottle since it does not seem to be representative of how the wine tasted earlier.

 

I’ve now had three totally different bottles of this wine.  One was awful, the second was wonderful, this one was drinkable with no obvious flaws but wasn’t that enjoyable.

 

 

 

I grilled up a thick NY Strip Steak , made some thick cut onion rings and tomato bread for dinner.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

Cheers!

 

 

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

All rights reserved.

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

 

 

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!