2013 Orin Swift D66

2009 JC Cellars Syrah Fess Parker Vineyard

2009 World’s End Merlot Little Sister Reserve

2010 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Cargasacchi Vineyard

Paul Bara Champagne Grand Cru Brut Réserve

2005 Château La Garde Pessac-Leognan

 

 

 

2013 Orin Swift D66 – $29.29

This wine was purchased from Last Bottle Wines, see below for information and a link to sign up with a $10 credit.

 

This is a blend of 75% Grenache, 15% Syrah and 10% Carignan from the Vin de Pays des Côtes Catalanes region in France’s Roussillon area.  This wine was aged for 18 months is 30% new French Oak and then bottle aged 5 months prior to release.

 

The wine is a deep maroon color.  The bold nose is full of blackberries, plums, cassis, black pepper, baking spices, charred wood, violets and dark roasted coffee.  This has a full body with moderate ripe tannins and decent acidity.  On the palate waves of fruit with pepper and charred wood quickly take control with baking spices and dark roast coffee coming in later.  The finish has nice length with a floral note providing some depth.  Not a lot of complexity but loads of up front fruit.  This has just enough structure and spice to keep it from getting boring.  This has 15.2% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2009 JC Cellars Syrah Fess Parker Vineyard – $18.99

I loved the Rosenblum wines crafted by Jeff Cohn and have never been disappointed by the ones he has produced under his own label.

 

The wine is a deep garnet color.  The inviting nose has smoky, earthy berries, dark bittersweet chocolate, minerals, meat juices, black pepper, dried herbs, warm baking spices and just a touch of road tar.  This has a fairly full body, moderate to full tannins and good acidity.  On the palate the juicy, smoky berries grab hold, slowly allowing dried herbs, black pepper, and meaty elements to slip through.  The finish has nice length with some earthiness and dark chocolate being added to the mix.  This is in its’ prime drinking window and should hold for a couple of years.  Another winner from Jeff Cohn.  This has 14.8% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2009 World’s End Merlot Little Sister Reserve – $19.48

This wine was purchased from Last Bottle Wines, see below for information and a link to sign up with a $10 credit.

 

This is a deep ruby red color.  The captivating nose has black cherries, charred wood, plums, crushed stone minerals, cocoa powder, dried herbs, vanilla bean and violets.  This has medium to full body with moderate tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate black cherries, cocoa powder, minerals and plums quickly jump out on the front end with charred wood and dried herbs coming in later.  The finish has nice length with vanilla bean and violets providing additional depth.  This is drinking very nicely right now and should hold for three to five more years.  This has 14.8% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2010 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Cargasacchi Vineyard – $46.00

I love Brian Loring’s Pinot Noirs, actually I love all the wines of his that I have tried.  Loring’s Pinot Noirs are very Californian in style, which I do not say in a bad way.  Brian’s pinots are usually ripe and bold and very tasty.  If you are looking for a Burgundian style, look elsewhere, if you are looking for a very tasty bottle of wine you’re in the right place.

 

The wine is a deep purple color.  The intoxicating nose has blackberries, minerals, baking spices, black cherries, licorice, raspberries, a touch of smoke, and some subtle earthiness.  This has medium to full body, moderate tannins, and very good acidity.  Loads of spicy berries and minerals dominate the front end with black cherries and earthy elements coming in on the back end.  The finish has very nice length but does show just a touch of alcohol, but not enough to take away from the wine.  This is a very nice combination of a big, rich California Pinot but with plenty of tannins and acidity to provide support and balance.  This is an outstanding effort.  This has 14.7% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with the usual Loring twist off closure.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

Paul Bara Champagne Grand Cru Brut Réserve – $29.29

This was picked up at a Last Bottle Marathon, always a great source for special wines at every day prices.  See below for information on the site and a discount on your first purchase.

 

I can’t find, with 100% confidence, the exact blend of grapes for this wine but it appears to be 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay.  I should note, I have even seen this noted as 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir.  This means, your guess is as good as mine.

 

This is a light golden straw color with a steady stream of pinpoint sized, persistent bubbles.  The festive nose has tart apples, lemon zest, stony minerals, toasted yeasty bread, orange blossoms, white peach and a hint of berries.  This has light to medium body with great effervescence, crisp acidity and just a touch of sweetness.  On the palate apples, minerals, orange blossoms and lemon zest quickly take control with a hint of white peach and berries slipping in on the back end.  The finish has good length and is crisp and clean thanks to lemony acidity.  This is a joy to sip on its’ own or with a light meal.  This has 12.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a standard Champagne cork.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2005 Château La Garde Pessac-Leognan – $19.99

I don’t have the exact break down of the grapes used to produce this wine, but the vineyard is comprised of 62% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, so the final blend is probably close to these percentages.

 

The wine is a deep ruby to maroon color.  The appealing nose has black cherries, cassis, dusty minerals, baking spices, scorched earth, violets and pencil shavings.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate cassis, cherries, minerals and spices immediately jump out with scorched earth and a hint of spicy oak coming in later.  The finish has nice length with pencil shavings and violets providing nice depth.  This is probably as good as it gets, which is still pretty good.  Pop this one over the remainder of the decade.  This has 13.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork (my cork broke and split as it was being pulled).  (90 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!

 

 

2010 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Cargasacchi Vineyard

2008 Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi Chianti Rùfina Nipozzano Riserva

2010 Domaine Notre Dame des Pallières Côtes du Rhône Villages Sablet

2012 Truett-Hurst Zinfandel Three Vineyards

2005 Copain Syrah James Berry Vineyard

2012 Gordon Estate Syrah

 

 

 

2010 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Cargasacchi Vineyard – $46.00

The wine is a deep purple color.  The intoxicating nose has blackberries, minerals, baking spices, black cherries, licorice, raspberries, a touch of smoke and subtle earthiness.  This has medium to full body, moderate tannins and very good acidity.  Loads of spicy berries and minerals dominate the front end with black cherries and earthy elements coming in on the back end.  The finish has very nice length but does show just a touch of alcohol, but not enough to take away from the wine.  This is a very nice combination of a big, rich California Pinot but with plenty of tannins and acidity to provide support and balance. An outstanding effort.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2008 Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi Chianti Rùfina Nipozzano Riserva – $17.59

This wine is a blend of 90% Sangiovese and 10% Malvasia Nera, Colorino, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.  The wine had 13.5% alcohol and the bottle was sealed with a natural cork.  Attempting to pull the cork caused it to split leaving floating pieces.  Pouring the wine through a very fine mesh strainer helped to remove most of the fragments.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a nice ruby red color.  The comforting nose has cherries, earthy underbrush, baking spices, tobacco, stony minerals, violets and well worn leather.  This has medium body with soft tannins and good acidity.  On the palate bright cherries, spice and minerals initially grab all the attention with some nice earthiness and a floral note in the background.  The finish has nice length with the earthiness and violets sharing the lead role with tart cherries.  This is in a nice place in its evolution, but I wouldn’t hold it for too much longer.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2010 Domaine Notre Dame des Pallières Côtes du Rhône Villages Sablet – $9.89

This wine has 13.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright maroon color.  The inviting nose has blackberries, crushed stones, dried herbs, dying wood embers and freshly ground dark roast coffee.  This has a medium body with moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate berries and a wall of crushed stone minerals jump out first with dried herbs and a nice smoky element coming in later.  The finish has good length with dark roast coffee and cherries adding very good depth.  This tastes great now but will be better in another year or two.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

I cooked up a pork tenderloin to go with the Domaine Notre Dame, just not in a normal manner.

 

I started with a Pork Tenderloin with a touch of Montreal Steak seasoning then wrapped it in bacon.

 

I the smoked the tenderloin at a low temperature for four hours.

 

Lastly, I briefly put the twnderloin on a hot grill for a couple minutes to crisp up the bacon.

 

The tenderloin was tender and very juicy.  The smokiness and nice peppery spice made it a perfect partner for the wine.

 

 

 

2012 Truett-Hurst Zinfandel Three Vineyards – $22.99

This wine has 15.0% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby color.  The tempting nose has brambly berries, licorice, dusty minerals, white pepper, baking spices, dried flowers and a touch of underbrush.  Ripe, spicy berries and dusty minerals coat the palate on the front end with white pepper and spices coming in later.  The finish has nice length with a dried floral note and some subtle earthiness entering the picture.  This is a nice middle of the road Dry Creek zinfandel.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2005 Copain Syrah James Berry Vineyard – $60.00

This has 14.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark ruby to maroon color.  The big and bold nose has blackberries, smoked meat, minerals, blueberries, tar, black pepper, bittersweet chocolate, and some earthiness.  This has medium to full body, fairly solid tannins, and very nice acidity.  The wine isn’t as big on the palate as the nose lead me to expect, it’s actually very civilized.  The palate has nice rich fruit but equal amounts of savory elements to steer clear of getting too fruity and boring.  The tannins and acidity easily holds everything in place and maintain control.  The finish is fairly long with some dark chocolate and earthiness creeping in to add considerable interest.  I may have been in the minority, but I liked this style of Copain Syrah.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Gordon Estate Syrah – $21.99

The wine has 13.9% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep maroon garnet color.  The appealing nose has blackberries, crushed stones, dried herbs, blueberries, smoke, vanilla bean, licorice, dark chocolate and subtle earthy underbrush.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate nice fruit and stony minerals hit first with dried herbs and dark chocolate coming in later.  The finish has nice length with smoke and underbrush coming into the picture and well as a closing blueberry note.  This is on the young side but already very tasty.  (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 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 Domaine de l’Hortus Coteaux du Languedoc Pic St. Loup Classique

2009 Turley Zinfandel Juvenile

2010 Loring Pinot Noir Cargasacchi Vineyard

2009 Hobo Wine Company Zinfandel Branham Vineyard Rockpile

 

 

2007 Domaine de l’Hortus Coteaux du Languedoc Pic St. Loup Classique – $14.53

This a blend of about 60% Syrah and 30% Grenache which were tank vinified, with 10% barrel aged Mourvedre.  I’m a big fan of the impressive, value priced, wine from the Languedoc region in France.  These are exceptional wines to pair with a piece of juicy meat hot off the grill.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a ruby red color.  The very nice and outgoing nose has blackberries, plums, smoke, roasted herbs, warm baking spices, minerals, meat juices, a touch of licorice, and some nice earthiness.  This has medium body, moderate tannins, and very good acidity.  The fruit and spice immediately grab the palate, eventually allowing smoky roasted herbs and some earthiness to break through.  The finish has nice length with the berries slowly giving way to meat juices, roasted herbs, minerals, and some subtle earthiness.  This is drinking very nicely today and should hold for at least a few more years.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Turley Zinfandel Juvenile – $16.00

The Turley Juvenile Zinfandel is a blend of grapes from younger vines in the vineyards from around the state the winery uses for their single vineyard Zinfandels.  These vineyards include some of my favorites, Hayne and Ueberroth, among others.  The vines range from 6 to 25 years old.  To me, this is one of Turley’s better value wines.  This is generally a wine to drink on the younger side while giving the single vineyard Zinfandels some cellar time.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly deep ruby red color.  The very appealing nose has brambly berries, black pepper, warm baking spices, cherries, caramel, and a touch of earthiness.  This has a full body, moderate ripe tannins, and nice acidity.  One the palate the jammy fruit, spice and pepper grab hold and grudgingly give way to some cherry.  The finish has nice length and leans on the savory notes with the fruit providing nice background sweetness.  This does show a touch of alcohol but not really enough to be a distraction, at least to me.  This seems to be hitting its stride.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2010 Loring Pinot Noir Cargasacchi Vineyard – $46.00

I love Brian Loring’s Pinot Noirs, actually I love all the wines of his that I have tried.  That said, this will be my first Cargasacchi Vineyard Pinot Noir from Loring.  I don’t know how this wine fell through the cracks, but this was the first time I bought the wine.  Loring’s Pinot Noirs are very Californian in style, which I do not say in a bad way.  Brian’s pinots are usually ripe and bold and very tasty.  If you are looking for a Burgundy, look elsewhere, if you are looking for a very tasty bottle of wine you’re in the right place.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep purple color.  The intoxicating nose has blackberries, minerals, baking spices, black cherries, licorice, raspberries, a touch of smoke, and some subtle earthiness.  This has medium to full body, moderate tannins, and very good acidity.  Loads of spicy berries and minerals dominate the front end with black cherries and earthy elements coming in on the back end.  The finish has very nice length but does show just a touch of alcohol, but not enough to take away from the wine.  This is a very nice combination of a big, rich California Pinot but with plenty of tannins and acidity to provide support and balance.  This is an outstanding effort.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Hobo Wine Company Zinfandel Branham Vineyard Rockpile – $22.32

I’ve been a big fan of the red wines coming out of the rugged Rockpile appellation in Sonoma for several years.  These are generally big, burly wines due to the area’s proximity to the cooling breezes off of the Pacific Ocean.

 

Tim Fish from Wine Spectator had a very nice piece on the area about a year ago.  I’m not sure if you have to be a subscriber or not to follow this link, but it’s well worth checking out.  I think the writer’s blogs are free with no subscription required.

Between a Rockpile and a Zin Place

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly deep ruby red color.  The outstanding nose has brambly berries, fresh ground black pepper, minerals, freshly ground dark roast coffee, melted licorice, and a touch of charred meat.  This has medium to full body, fairly solid tannins, and very good acidity.  On the palate the wine is a bit brighter than the nose lead me to expect with peppery berries and cherries leading the way with a nice jolt of minerals following closely.  The finish has decent length but gets a touch lean.  This has a pretty big acidity component that will integrate with some cellar time, perhaps allowing the finish to fill out.  This is good today, but I think it will improve with another year in the cellar.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

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!