2011 Loring Wine Company Grenache Russell Family Vineyard

2010 Sandler Wine Company Grenache Chalone Boer Vineyard

2012 Ledge Tempranillo Los Topos

2010 Jacob Franklin Petite Sirah Hayne Vineyard

2012 Ledge Garnacha Los Topos

2009 Vincent Arroyo Tempranillo

2008 Villa del Monte Merlot Moon Vineyard

2008 Villa Creek Garnacha Denner Vineyard

 

 

 

2011 Loring Wine Company Grenache Russell Family Vineyard – $39.67

This was a no-brainer buy for me.  I love Brian Loring’s wines and Grenache is one of my favorite grapes.  The price of admission was a touch steep for a total unknown, but I had to grab some.

 

Winery history

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

 

The wine is a deep garnet color.  The exotic and inviting nose has black cherries, black raspberries, white pepper, chocolate, crushed rocks, dried herbs, Asian spices, forest floor, and a touch of eucalyptus.  This has medium to full body, moderate ripe tannins, and good acidity.  The palate features ripe, juicy cherries and berries, minerals, spice, chocolate and some earthiness.  The finish has nice length with dried herbs and white pepper adding some kick to the chocolate and fruit.  This is a ripe and rich style of wine but it doesn’t carry excess weight and is not syrupy.  This will never be mistaken as a Rhone wine, but it is outstanding in its own right.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2010 Sandler Wine Company Grenache Chalone Boer Vineyard

Sandler Wine Company is the personal label of ever-present consulting winemaker, Ed Kurtzman.  Sandler Wine Company is devoted to small bottlings of Pinot Noir, Syrah, Zinfandel and Grenache, from some of Ed’s favorite vineyard and grower sources.  Production of most wines very seldom exceeds 100 cases and in some cases don’t even reach 25 cases.  This is a highly recommended mailing list to check out if you want very reasonably priced, small production wines.

 

For more information, checkout their website.

 

The wine is a nice, bright ruby red color.  The civilized and refined nose has raspberries, minerals, warm baking spices, mint, cherries, wild flowers, and a touch of earthiness.  This has medium body, moderate tannins, and very good acidity.  On the palate the fruit and spice grab hold initially, eventually allowing a touch of mint, earthiness, and a floral note to come through.  The finish has nice length with mint and cherries carrying the load.  This is very good now, but will be much better in another year or two.  This has 14.3% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Ledge Tempranillo Los Topos – $18.75

This is a limited production, 100% Tempranillo sourced from premium Paso Robles Vineyards.

 

The wine is a deep garnet color.  The enticing nose has black cherries, white pepper, dry underbrush, baking spices, crushed stone minerals, dried leafy herbs, wild flowers and licorice.  This has a full body with moderate tannins and nice acidity.  Black cherries, white pepper and crushed stones immediately grab hold of your palate with dried herbs and underbrush coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with licorice and a floral note entering the picture.  This will probably age and maybe even improve in the cellar but this is very hard to resist.  One of the better Tempranillo wines coming out of California.  This has 15.2% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off closure.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2010 Jacob Franklin Petite Sirah Hayne Vineyard – $32.00

This was another very easy buy, one of my favorite grapes, from a top notch vineyard, from one of my go-to wineries.

 

The wine is a deep purple color.  The inviting nose is full of crushed blackberries, dusty minerals, violets, blueberries, white pepper, road tar, dried violets and vanilla bean.  This has medium to full body with moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  For a Hayne Vineyard Petite Sirah this is bright and lively on your palate with crushed berries, minerals and white pepper hitting on the front end and blueberries, vanilla and dried violets coming in later.  The finish has very nice length with berries and white pepper seeming to linger forever.  This is on the young side but very easy to enjoy even at this stage in its development.  This has 13.6% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Ledge Garnacha Los Topos – $18.75

This is 100% Grenache from Paso Robles.

 

The wine is a bright ruby red color.  The inviting nose has cherries, baking spices, licorice, white pepper, crushed stones, dried leafy herbs, raspberries and dried flowers.  This has medium to full body with moderate tannins and nice acidity.  Tart cherries, white pepper and crushed stones jump out quickly on the front end with baking spices and licorice coming in later.  The finish has nice length with dried herbs and dried flowers joining the cherries and white pepper.  This is already very tasty but will probably improve with a year in the cellar.  This has 15.0% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off cap.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Vincent Arroyo Tempranillo – $25.20

I’ve joined the Vincent Arroyo mailing list with the 2000 vintage.  I was hooked after our first visit to the winery.  I was fortunate enough to get in on a sale of their library wines so I have had the wines from as far back as the 1995 vintage.  If you ever make it to the Calistoga area, I highly recommend a stop at Vincent Arroyo.  They generally have a couple bottles open but the highlight is the barrel tasting.  You have the opportunity to pre-order the exact wines you sample from the barrel.

 

Winery history

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

 

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly dark ruby red color.  The slightly reserved nose has black cherries, warm baking spices, licorice, earthy underbrush, wild flowers, dried herbs, and cedar.  This has medium body, moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate the wine shows cherries with a touch of spicy oak up front with some dried herbs and earthiness coming in on the back end.  The finish is a touch short but again has nice spicy cherries.  This doesn’t offer a lot in the complexity department but it is tasty.  A worthy entry in the Napa Valley Tempranillo category, which doesn’t have many competitors.  (88 pts)

 

 

 

2008 Villa del Monte Merlot Moon Vineyard – SRP $33

This was a sample provided by the winery for review purposes.

 

The wine is a deep ruby to maroon color.  The inviting nose has blackberries, cherries, cedar, baking spices, mint, freshly ground coffee beans, dark bittersweet chocolate and dried violets.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate tart fruit, spice and coffee beans jump out on the front end with cedar and a touch of mint coming in later.  The finish has nice length with dark chocolate and dried flowers adding nice depth.  This is drinking very nicely today but will hold for the remainder of the decade, maybe longer.  A solid effort!  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2008 Villa Creek Garnacha Denner Vineyard – $29.75

The wine is a bright ruby red color.  The sensuous nose has plums, cherries, baking spices, roasted herbs, scorched earth, white pepper, violets, crushed stones and a hint of eucalyptus.  This has medium to full body with moderate tannins and good acidity.  On the palate sweet cherries, white pepper, scorched earth and crushed stones jump out quickly with roasted herbs and spices coming in later.  The finish has good length with a touch of eucalyptus providing extra depth.  A few years in the cellar have been very kind to this wine.  (91 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 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!

 

 

2012 Coelho Winery Pinot Noir Atracao

2007 Finca Nueva Rioja Reserva

2012 Truett-Hurst The Fugitive

2012 Siduri Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands

2009 Villa Creek Granadina

2012 Loring Wine Company Grenache Russell Family Vineyard

2006 Copain Syrah Garys’ Vineyard

2011 Sextant Wines Zinfandel Wheelhouse

2011 Rocca Felice Nebbiolo d’Alba

2011 Quinta das Carvalhas Touriga Nacional Douro

 

 

 

2012 Coelho Winery Pinot Noir Atracao – $18.99

This wine has 12.94% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  The wine is a lighter ruby red color.  The enticing nose has black cherries, dusty minerals, smoke, roasted herbs, white pepper, wildflowers, orange zest and just a hint of dark chocolate.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and nice acidity.  Tart cherries, minerals and white pepper hit the palate on the front end with roasted hers and a nice floral note coming in later.  The finish has nice length with a peppery fruit and a touch of spice carrying the load.  A nice, food friendly Oregon Pinot.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2007 Finca Nueva Rioja Reserva – $16.99

This wine is 100% Tempranillo that was aged for 24 months in French oak.  The alcohol is 13% and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  The wine is a deep, saturated ruby color.  The very inviting nose has black cherries, crushed stones, tobacco, baking spices, dried herbs, dry earth and flowery potpourri.  This is barely medium body with very nice acidity and moderate tannins.  Fruit, spices and crushed stone minerals explode on the palate immediately with earthiness and a dried floral note coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with a touch of white pepper entering the picture.  This is in a great drinking window.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Truett-Hurst The Fugitive – $29.99

The wine is a deep maroon color.  The very open and exuberant nose is full of blackberries, smoky minerals, black pepper, black cherries, violets and dark chocolate.  This has medium to full body with soft ripe tannins and decent acidity.  This is front loaded with fruit and minerals on the palate with black pepper and flowers coming in late.  The finish has good length with some dark chocolate entering the picture.  I would have preferred a bit more closing intensity and focus, the low acidity and soft tannins allow the wine to lose some shape and balance on the finish.  (87 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Siduri Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands – $29.99

The wine is a deep ruby red color.  The appealing nose has cherries, roasted herbs, violets, baking spices, earthy underbrush and raspberries.  This has medium body with soft to moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate ripe cherries, spice and violets hit first with nice earthiness and raspberries coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with roasted herbs entering the picture.  I wouldn’t hold this one too long, this is drinking very nicely now.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Villa Creek Granadina – $40.00

This is a blend of 50% Carver Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Denner Vineyard Mourvedre.

 

Some of our favorite Cabernets from Paso Robles (Adelaida Cabs from the early 90’s, Lone Madrone’s Cabs from ‘96 and ‘97) evolved from the spectacular Carver Vineyard. Carver sits high on York Mountain and is just 7 miles from the Pacific Ocean, due west of Paso Robles. It is surrounded by lush oak forests and looks south and west upon the neighboring hilltops from its steep perch. The fruit off this property actually tastes like Cabernet Sauvignon. It has nice fruit, solid acidity and a spot of that herbal (not vegetal) component that is inherent in the grape. Cab and Mourvèdre are wonderful foils to one another, like chocolate and figs. The wines were fermented separately and aged for 1 year prior to assembly of the final blend. The Cabernet was aged in 100% new French barriques and the Mourvèdre was aged in second fill French Puncheons. The wine went back into barrel for an additional 10 months.

 

15.0% alcohol natural with a wax coating

 

The wine is a deep garnet color.  The spellbinding nose has cassis, black cherries, tobacco, crushed stone minerals, cedar, roasted herbs, licorice, road tar and a touch of underbrush.  This has a fairly full body with moderate tannins and good acidity.  This bas bright fruit and minerals on the front end with roasted herbs, tobacco and spicy oak coming in later.  The finish has good length with a touch of underbrush entering the picture.  This has nice focus and balance right through the delightful finish.  This is a keeper that will provide pleasure over the next several years.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Loring Wine Company Grenache Russell Family Vineyard – $19.75

This wine has 14.9% ABV and the bottle is sealed with a twist off closure.  The wine is a deep red color.  The slightly shy nose has cherries, baking spices, crushed stones, raspberries and violets.  This has medium to full body with moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate bright cherries and baking spices immediately take control, slowly allowing minerals a touch of dry earth to slip through.  The finish has nice length with a floral note entering the picture.  This is very easy to drink.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2006 Copain Syrah Garys’ Vineyard – $50.00

This wine has 14.6% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  The wine is a deep garnet color.  The inviting nose has blackberries, violets, dark chocolate, dead wood embers and scorched earth.  This has a full body with moderate tannins and good acidity.  Tart berries and spice coat the palate quickly with charred wood and scorched earth coming in on the back end.  The finish has great length with dark chocolate coming into the picture.  This is drinking very nicely right now and it should hold for a few more years.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2011 Sextant Wines Zinfandel Wheelhouse – $18.99

The wine sports a natural cork and has 14.4% alcohol.  The wine is a dark ruby to purple color.  The outgoing nose has brambly berries, baking spices, licorice, black pepper, dusty minerals and violets.  This has medium to full body with soft to moderate ripe tannins and decent acidity.  On the palate brambly berries, baking spices and black pepper dominate the front end with a floral note coming in late.  The finish has decent length but does not have much complexity.  This is an easy drinking wine to share with friends.  (86 pts)

 

 

 

2011 Rocca Felice Nebbiolo d’Alba – $13.99

This has 13.5% alcohol and is sealed with an agglomerated cork.  The wine is a light red to ruby color.  The enticing nose has cherries, dusty minerals, roses, spice, violets and a hint of road tar.  This has a medium body with moderate to solid tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate tart cherries, spice and minerals jump out first with a nice floral note coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with a touch of road tar entering the picture.  This is a very nice, week night Italian Nebbiolo, especially for under $15.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2011 Quinta das Carvalhas Touriga Nacional Douro – $16.99

This wine was aged for 12 months in oak barrels, 50% of which were new.  The wine is a deep, dark ruby color.  The very satisfying nose has cherries, berries, forest floor, smoky embers, minerals and baking spices.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate forest floor and minerals jump out first with fruit coming into the picture later as well as nice spice.  The finish has decent length but could use a bit more depth which could come with a bit of cellar time.  For now, this is a very nice, reasonably priced change of pace wine.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

Spicy New Orleans Barbecue Shrimp

 

One of our favorite “special treat” dinners is this delicious shrimp recipe.  If you’ve never been to New Orleans or have had barbecue shrimp, this dish is well worth a try.  It is quick (other than letting it sit in the refrigerator) and easy.

 

We’ve tried several different versions of this New Orleans classic dish, but this is the one we now use.

 

 

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 15 – 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

 

Savory, spicy, shrimp that you can’t quit eating…use crusty, French bread to sop up every last drop!

 

ingredients:

2 pounds fresh,jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/2 cup butter, melted

4 tablespoons Heinz Chili Sauce

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons Worcestershire

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon fresh parsley

1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons Liquid Smoke (hickory)

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

5 cloves fresh garlic, minced

 

directions:

Peel and devein the shrimp.

 

Add all of the other ingredients in a saucepan, stir and let simmer for 10 minutes.

Remove pan from heat and let cool.

 

Arrange the shrimp in an oven- proof casserole dish and pour the sauce over the shrimp.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight.

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Bake shrimp for 15 – 20 minutes.

 

Serve immediately with crusty French bread, new potatoes and a crisp salad.

 

Click here to visit the Return to Sunday Supper website.

 

 

The shrimp and sauce ready to go into the refrigerator.

 

The finished dish straight from the oven.

 

We like the buttery potatoes and a side dish with the shrimp, but the most important companion for the shrimp is a large supply of crusty bread.  You won’t want to miss a drop of that scrumptious sauce.

 

 

 

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!

 

 

 

2007 Villa Creek Garnacha Denner Vineyard

2012 Loring Wine Company Grenache Russell Family Vineyard

2007 Saxum Broken Stones

2011 Château Puech-Haut Coteaux du Languedoc Saint-Drézéry Prestige

2009 Benovia Pinot Noir Bella Una

 

 

Due to unpacking from a move from Wisconsin to South Carolina, some of these notes are short with very little background information.

 

 

 

2007 Villa Creek Garnacha Denner Vineyard – $35.00

Villa Creek is one of my favorite wineries.  This wine along with their Avenger wine are my favorites they produce.  The winery produces several very nice red wines, most of them being innovative blends from the big name vineyards in the Paso Robles area.  Besides the reds, they also produce a very nice white Rhone styled wine and a good Rosé.  The winery is worth the effort of tracking down a few bottles either locally or through their website.

 

This has 14.8% alcohol by volume and is closed with a Stelvin LUX+ stopper.

 

Winery history

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

 

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

 

Much more information is available on their website.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby red color.  The very alluring nose has cherries, black raspberries, cola, warm baking spices, white pepper, violets, stony minerals, touch of pine needles, and some earthiness.  This has medium to full body, moderate tannins and good acidity.  On the palate the spicy, peppery cherries grab hold first, slowly allowing some minerals and earthiness to slip into focus.  The finish has very nice length with a nice blend of fruit and savory elements.  This has exceptional balance and should drink well for at least another 3 or 4 years.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Loring Wine Company Grenache Russell Family Vineyard – $33.00

This is another of the non Pinot Noir wines Brian Loring has produced.  Thus far, every one has been outstanding.  This one is a Grenache from the Russell Family Vineyard in Paso Robles.

 

This has 14.9% alcohol and is sealed with a twist off closure.

 

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.

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

Bright red color with a slight ruby tint.  The comforting nose has cherries, baking spices, white pepper, raspberries, roasted leafy herbs, licorice, and dried flowers.  This has medium body, soft to moderate ripe tannins and decent acidity.  On the palate this is rich and lush with juicy cherries, berries and spice up front with raspberries and white pepper kicking in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with roasted herbs adding some complexity.  This is fairly ripe and juicy but with nice acidity holding everything together.  I wouldn’t stash this in the cellar for too long, but it should drink nicely for at least the next few years.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2007 Saxum Broken Stones – $45.00

We shared this bottle with some friends so I did not have an opportunity for a good tasting note.  Suffice it to say, this was an absolutely stunning bottle of wine and a steal at the (at that time) price of only $45.  If you have this wine in your cellar, enjoy it now or over the next several years.

 

 

 

2011 Château Puech-Haut Coteaux du Languedoc Saint-Drézéry Prestige – $15.99

This wine is a custom cuvee produced by Château Puech-Haut, Philippe Cambie and Eric Soloman, exclusively for the United States.  This is a blend of 55% Grenache from 60 to 75 year old vines and 45% Syrah from 40 year old vines.  After fermentation, the wine was aged in concrete vats.

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark maroon color.  The very open and giving nose is full of black raspberries, chalky minerals, potpourri, cherries, earthy underbrush, pencil shavings and dried herbs.  This has a fairly full body with moderate to solid tannins and good acidity.  Chalky minerals and berries immediately coat the palate, slowly allowing dried herbs, pencil shavings and dried herbs to slip in.  The long finish adds a nice dried floral note.  This does show just a touch of alcohol on the finish but that is a minor quibble.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Benovia Pinot Noir Bella Una – $40.84

The local store brought time in and put it on the shelf at a great price.  On Cellar Tracker, the average cost for this wine was close to $55.  Not one to question great values, I grabbed a few bottles.

 

This has 14.2% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright ruby red color.  The very approachable nose has cherry, raspberry, baking spices, licorice, violets, minerals and a touch of earthiness.  This has medium body, soft to moderate tannins and good acidity.  This offers up nice juicy red fruit and spice up front with  minerals and some subtle earthiness coming in on the back end.  The finish has very good length with tart cherries seeming to last forever.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

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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.

 

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Cheers!

 

 

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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!