2008 Long Shadows Wineries Saggi

2011 Bedrock Wine Co. Zinfandel Puccini Vineyard

2010 Henry’s Drive Shiraz Pillar Box Reserve

2011 Bodegas Escorihuela Gascón Malbec Don Miguel Gascón Reserva

2009 Turley Zinfandel Mead Ranch

2013 River Road Vineyards Pinot Noir Reserve Selection Russian River Valley

 

 

 

2008 Long Shadows Wineries Saggi – $26.59

This was another Long Shadows wine I was able to grab for about half off from an e-mail closeout offer from a local wine store.  This is a top notch winery and I have loved every wine of theirs I was fortunate enough to drink.

 

This wine is a blend of 45% Sangiovese, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Syrah.  The winemakers for this wine are Ambrogio and Giovanni Folonari from one of Tuscany’s oldest and most prestigious wine families.

 

The wine has 14.6% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby to maroon color.  The intoxicating nose has black cherries, blackberries, licorice, dried violets, minerals, dried herbs, earthy underbrush, cedar and baking spices.  This has medium to full body with moderate to solid tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate tart cherries, spicy oak and spice hit on the front with minerals, dried herbs and some underbrush coming in on the back end.  The finish has very nice length with a dried violet note entering the picture.  This has very nice balance and is built to age.  This could be even better in a few years.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2011 Bedrock Wine Co. Zinfandel Puccini Vineyard – Free

Here is a great e-mail to receive from a winery:

If you are getting this email it means you are one of Bedrock’s 150 very best customers who ordered this Spring.  Chris and I decided that instead of writing a florid love-letter to you expressing our deep appreciation that we would just use the time honored method of sending a bottle of wine.  Of course, we wanted to make sure it was a very special bottle, and so we decided that we would devote the entire production of Puccini Vineyard, a small, but perfectly cut, ruby of a vineyard your guys’ way.  There was a single barrel of wine made from the vineyard in 2011.

 

This wine has 15.4% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

The wine is a deep maroon color.  The stunning nose is full of crushed blackberries, raspberries, dried leafy herbs, white pepper, crushed stones, melted licorice, tobacco, dried violets and dead wood embers.  This has medium body with moderate to solid tannins and very nice acidity.  Tart berries, white pepper and crushed stones coat the palate on the front end with dried herbs and tobacco coming in on the back end.  The long and lingering finish adds dried flowers and a smooth smoky wood element.  This is much more nuanced and lively than a typical over 15% alcohol zinfandel and a joy to follow over its evolution in the glass.  I wish I had a case of this stashed in the cellar.  Outstanding!  (95 pts)

 

 

 

 

2010 Henry’s Drive Shiraz Pillar Box Reserve – $8.00

The wine is a deep garnet color.  The inviting nose has ripe blackberries, plums, road tar, eucalyptus, dried herbs, dried wild flowers, vanilla and subtle underbrush.  This has medium to full body with soft to moderate ripe tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate ripe berries and dried herbs jump out first with road tar and vanilla coming in later.  The finish has nice length with a touch of eucalyptus and dried flowers adding depth.  This is fairly ripe and loaded with flavor and has just enough acidity to hold everything together.  I wouldn’t sit on this for more than a couple years, open it now and enjoy the fruity ride.  This wine has 14.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off cap.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2011 Bodegas Escorihuela Gascón Malbec Don Miguel Gascón Reserva

The wine is a deep ruby to purple color.  The enticing nose has blackberries, plums, dark chocolate, baking spices, road tar, dusty minerals and scorched earth.  This has medium body with moderate to solid tannins and good acidity.  On the palate berries, plums and spice jump out first with dark chocolate and dried earth coming in later.  The finish has nice length with a hint of road tar entering the picture.  Not profound or a wine to think over but an enjoyable weeknight change of pace wine.  This wine has 14.8% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Turley Zinfandel Mead Ranch – $33.56

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark, inky purple color.  The typically Turley nose is full of brambly berries, warm baking spices, vanilla, stony minerals, black pepper, wild flowers and dark bittersweet chocolate.  This has a full body, solid tannins and good acidity.  The palate is immediately flooded with spicy, peppery, berries and minerals with vanilla and dark chocolate coming in on the back end.  The finish is long and full of peppery berries.  This wine seems to be at its peak right now but will hold for a few more years.  The wine has a lofty alcohol of 16.1% and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (94 pts)

 

 

 

2013 River Road Vineyards Pinot Noir Reserve Selection Russian River Valley – $16.60

The wine is a light ruby red color.  The sexy nose has cherries, dusty minerals, licorice, white pepper, dried earth and violets.  This has medium body with soft to moderate tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate cherries and minerals quickly jump out first with white pepper and dried earth coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with a floral note entering the picture.  This doesn’t offer a lot of complexity but that doesn’t stop it from being tasty.  This is a nice value for a week night Pinot Noir.  This has 13.7% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.   (88 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 2015 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

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

 

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

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

2012 Schug Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

2008 Long Shadows Wineries Saggi

2009 Henry’s Drive Shiraz Dead Letter Office

2010 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands

 

 

 

2012 Schug Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast – $19.79

I decided to take a shot on this one when I was it on a local wine store’s shelf.  Early reviews called 2012 a great, can’t miss vintage.  Unfortunately I have tried more than a few misses over the last several months.  That said, a 2012 Pinot Noir with the Sonoma Coast appellation on the label for under $20 is worthy of a tryout.

 

This 100% Pinot Noir uses grapes from the following vineyards, 43% Ricci; 20% Stage Gulch; 13% Sangiacomo; 12% Schug Estate, 8% Iund and 4% La Prenda.

 

The wine has 13.5% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a synthetic Nomacorc.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright red to ruby color.  The slightly shy nose has cherries, baking spice, earthy underbrush, dusty minerals and dried flowers.  This has medium body with soft to moderate tannins and good acidity.  Tart cherries, spice and minerals hit the palate first with earthy underbrush dominating the back end.  The finish has decent length but gets a bit muddled.  Not bad for under $20 but there are better Pinots out there for the same price.  (86 pts)

 

 

 

2008 Long Shadows Wineries Saggi – $26.59

This was another Long Shadows wine I was able to grab for about half off from an e-mail closeout offer from a local wine store.  This is a top notch winery and I have loved every wine of theirs I was fortunate enough to drink.

 

This wine is a blend of 45% Sangiovese, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Syrah.  The winemakers for this wine are Ambrogio and Giovanni Folonari from one of Tuscany’s oldest and most prestigious wine families.

 

The wine has 14.6% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby to maroon color.  The intoxicating nose has black cherries, blackberries, licorice, dried violets, minerals, dried herbs, earthy underbrush, cedar and baking spices.  This has medium to full body with moderate to solid tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate tart cherries, spicy oak and spice hit on the front with minerals, dried herbs and some underbrush coming in on the back end.  The finish has very nice length with a dried violet note entering the picture.  This has very nice balance and is built to age.  This could be even better in a few years.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Henry’s Drive Shiraz Dead Letter Office – $14.88

This is another wine I was able to buy as an e-mail offer from the local wine store at a great price.  The suggested retail price for the wine is $27, so I was able to grab my bottles for close to half off.  Like I always say, it pays to support your local wine stores, besides great advice on wines you may not know, they can be the source for great values when an importer or distributor is overstocked and looks to unload some inventory.

 

This wine uses fruit from Padthaway and McLaren Vale.

 

This wine has an ABV of 14.5% and the bottle is sealed with a twist off cap.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby to maroon color.  The very open and inviting nose has plums, currants, freshly ground espresso beans, vanilla, dark bittersweet chocolate, road tar, dried sage, crushed stones and dried wildflowers.  This has medium to full body with moderate tannins and good acidity.  On the palate, fruit and espresso jump out first with vanilla, sage and minerals coming in later.  The finish has nice length with some dark chocolate adds nice depth.  This is on the young side and would benefit from some time in the cellar.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2010 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands – $25.00

In my opinion, the Loring appellation wines are some of the best bargains out there when it comes to quality California Pinot Noir.  The Loring appellation wines are, at least to me, dialed down a notch compared to their single vineyard siblings.  This and the lower prices, under $25 make them a nice way to kick up a week night dinner several notches without breaking the bank.

 

This has 14.7% alcohol and is closed via a Stelvin+ screw cap.

 

Winery history

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

 

For more information, to buy wine, or to join the mailing list, visit their website.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a ruby red color.  The alluring nose has raspberries, warm baring spices, cola, cherries, wild flowers, plums, eucalyptus, and some earthiness.  This has medium body, soft tannins, and good acidity.  On the palate the baking spices and fruit jump out and take hold slowly allowing a touch of eucalyptus and earthiness to break through on the back end.  The finish has good length and adds some minerality to the fruit and spice.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

Connect with me

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

 

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

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 2014 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

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

 

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

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!