2006 Rudius Syrah Spirit Rock Alder Springs Vineyard

2008 Stefania Haut Tubee

2012 Loring Wine Company Cabernet Sauvignon Blend

2009 Bodegas El Nido Jumilla Clio

 

 

 

2006 Rudius Syrah Spirit Rock Alder Springs Vineyard – $45.00

This is one of the first wines I bought from Jeff Ames’ mailing list for Rudius.  I highly recommend checking out the winery and joining their mailing list.

 

This has 15.7% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep purple color.  The nose firmly places this wine on the dark and wild side of the Syrah spectrum with roasted game, blackberry liqueur, black pepper, olive tapenade, plums, soy sauce, cocoa powder and damp underbrush.  This full bodied gem has moderate to solid tannins and nice acidity.  The wild game and berries dominate the front end on the palate with black olives, pepper and dark chocolate coming in on the back end.  The long finish adds some building earthiness and soy.  This is a wild and exotic Syrah that will please the adventurous wine drinker looking for a wine that pushes the fruit into the background.  (93 pts)

 

 

2008 Stefania Haut Tubee – $20.00

This is a blend of 37% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Syrah, 15% Merlot, 10% Zinfandel, 2% Grenache and trace amounts of Mourvedre, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Pinot Gris.  The wine is named after the owner’s hot tub in their back yard.  There were 108 cases of the wine produced.  The grapes used in this red blend change dramatically every vintage based on what is available to make this tasty blend.

 

The wine has 13.8% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to dark ruby red color with some lightening at the edge.  The nose is open and inviting with cassis, cedar, cherries, white pepper, plums, candied violets, dark chocolate, dried herbs, vanilla, and some earthiness.  This has medium body, moderate tannins and good acidity.  This is much brighter on the palate than I expected with tart cherries, plums and white pepper up front.  On the back end spicy oak, dried herbs and plums come into focus.  The finish has decent length with dark chocolate and some earthiness creeping into the picture.  This is just about as good as it gets for a $20 California blend.  Drink over the next year, maybe two.  (90 pts)

 

 

2012 Loring Wine Company Cabernet Sauvignon Blend – $16.50

This wine is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Mourvedre from Paso Robles.

 

This wine has 14.9% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off cap.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright ruby red color.  The stunning nose has cassis, licorice, earthy underbrush, black cherries, dried herbs, cedar, stony minerals, tobacco, dark chocolate and dried flowers.  This has medium body, moderate ripe tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate, juicy berries and spicy oak jump out first with dried herbs, cherries and minerals coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with a nice earthy element and chocolate coming into the picture adding some complexity.  Not a wine made to stash in the cellar but to open and enjoy over the next couple of years.  A great value for under $20.  (89 pts)

 

 

2009 Bodegas El Nido Jumilla Clio – $34.99

This is a blend of 70% Monastrell and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon that was aged in new French and American oak for 24 months.  Famed Australian winemaker Chris Ringland makes this wine in collaboration with the Gil family.

 

This has 15.5% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark, inky purple color.  The very open and opulent nose is full of blackberries, cassis, smoke, vanilla, candied violets, dark chocolate, cherries, licorice and scorched earth.  This full bodied wine has moderate tannins and decent acidity.  On the palate this powerhouse packs a punch with loads of spicy, oak driven berries and smoke on the front end with dark chocolate and earthy elements coming in on the back end.  The finish has great length with more earth and some fresh ground espresso entering the picture.  This is very tasty but could use a jolt of acidity to help hold it together and maintain focus.  Perhaps some additional cellar time will help the wine to integrate into a cohesive offering but at present it does get a touch muddled and plodding on the back end and finish.  (91 pts)

 

 

Blog Update

I am now making one post a week on all the wines I open for the week, except for one.  I will now be making a separate post each week on one wine.  That wine will be my “wine of the week”.  This may be the best wine I had during the week or one I would like to highlight for some reason.  My weekly post will usually be on Sunday evening, the wine of the week post will be on Tuesday.  I will post about special events or tastings on Thursday evenings.  As always, comments are appreciated as are likes on Facebook.

 

 

 

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!

 

 

 

2009 Calera Pinot Noir Mills Vineyard

2005 Rudius Syrah Russian River Valley

2002 Jacob Franklin Petite Sirah Hayne Vineyard

2005 Artadi Rioja Viñas de Gain

2000 Poderi Luigi Einaudi Barolo Costa Grimaldi

 

 

 

2009 Calera Pinot Noir Mills Vineyard – $46.54

When the local wine store offered a few single vineyard Calera Pinots at a special price via an e-mail offer, I had to grab a few bottles of each.  I’ve enjoyed the lower end Calera Pinots in the past, but these single vineyard offerings are a definite few steps up in quality and price.

 

This has 14.9% alcohol by volume and is sealed with a natural cork.

 

Winery history

Calera is a vision, and Calera’s wines truly express the sense of place.  Rather than follow the recommended path, Josh Jensen became a pioneer in search of the perfect spot on the globe to grow grapes.  Taking his cue from the great domaines of Burgundy which have grown grapes in limestone soil for centuries, he set out in search of the perfect spot in California to create wines unique to the world but in the style of the greatest wines of France.  Site selection was vital as he ventured off the grid to plant on the site of an old limekiln in the Gavilan Mountains of California.  Today Calera wines still express that pioneer spirit and are revered the world over.  We are proud to report that even Robert Parker is convinced: “Calera is one of the most compelling Pinot Noir specialists of not only the New World, but of Planet Earth.”

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light, bright ruby red color.  The nose is a show stopper, full of cherries, minerals, warm baking spices, pine needles, rose petals, red raspberries, and just a touch of underbrush.  This is barely medium body with moderate ripe tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate, this is rich and silky with solid red fruit, minerals and spice well supported by the acidity.  On the back end there is a nice floral note with an appearance of the pine needles.  The finish is long and nicely layered.  This is a very nice, lighter bodied, California Pinot Noir.  This is drinkable now, but will last in the cellar for several years and improve over the next couple years.  (94 pts)

 

 

2005 Rudius Syrah Russian River Valley – $19.99

If you have never heard of Jeff Ames’ Rudius wines, you’re missing something special, very special.  Rudius produces mainly wines from Cabernet Sauvignon and the Rhone varietals, but also has released a Chardonnay.  I’ve opened a fair amount of these wines and have never had one that was less than outstanding.

 

This has 15.7% alcohol and is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark maroon color.  The intense nose is full of blackberries, Asian spices, charred meat, dark chocolate, fresh cracked black pepper, vanilla, and earthy underbrush.  This has a full body, fairly solid ripe tannins, and moderate acidity.  The palate is absolutely loaded with spicy, peppery berries, vanilla, and chocolate.  The finish is fairly long and adds a meaty element and increased pepper and spice.  This is a big, ripe, bold wine that does show some alcohol but nothing too off-putting.  This may not be for everyone, but it works for me.  (94 pts)

 

 

2002 Jacob Franklin Petite Sirah Hayne Vineyard – $51.75

Every one knows Hayne Vineyard but most people’s knowledge is limited to the wines made by Turley.  Jacob Franklin, made by Elyse Winery, also makes a top notch Petite Sirah from the famed Hayne Vineyard.

 

This has 14.4% alcohol and is sealed with a natural cork.

 

Winery history

As many of you know, when we started making our own wines in 1987, we named the tiny, 200 case operation after our daughter, Elyse.  Not wanting to leave our son, Jake, out of loop, we eventually named our Rhone blend after him – anyone remember “Jake’s Cuvee”?  It wasn’t enough, because at the ripe age of eight Jake asked, “When do I get my own label without her name on it?”  Good point!  And as parents not wanting to show favoritism, why not create a namesake label for him as well?

 

Jacob Franklin Cellars debut bottling was in 1998 and we fondly and literally refer to it as the brother label of Elyse Winery.  By this time, we had gained access to small quantities of extremely allocated fruit from some highly desirable vineyards in the valley and this label was the perfect place to showcase them along with our only estate wine, Hoffman Lane Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

Jacob Franklin Cellars is focused on small production, low yield, vineyard designate wines from Napa Valley.  Due to the extremely limited production, these wines are available exclusively through the winery, website, and wine club.

 

Oh Brother!

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark, inky purple color.  The immensely appealing nose is full of warm blackberry pie, fresh ground espresso, cracked black peppercorns, scorched earth, dark bittersweet chocolate, blueberries, melted licorice, and a touch of road tar.  This has medium to full body, moderate tannins and good acidity.  On the harmonious palate the wine shows a nice mix of the fruit and savory elements with no specific note trying to steal the show.  The finish has some building earthiness and dark chocolate taking center stage with warm berries providing nice sweetness.  This perfectly balanced wine is built to age and should do so for at least another decade but tastes stunning today.  (95 pts)

 

 

2005 Artadi Rioja Viñas de Gain – $19.99

A quick check of Cellar Tracker tells me I have been buying, drinking, and very much enjoying the Artadi Rioja Viñas de Gain since the 1999 vintage.  This is a 100% Tempranillo from vines that are 40 to 60 years old.  This is the winery’s “entry level” Rioja, but it is generally anything but “entry level” in quality.

 

The alcohol is 13.5% by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

The Winery

1985, Laguardia (Rioja Alavesa).

A group of winemakers, village men and women with rooted traditions who focused on the vineyard and its wines, founded Artadi.  Shortly after, our obsession for the careful cultivation and the cult of the vineyard allowed us to draw out the personality of our individual wines, a reflection of their origins.  In 1996 and 1999, this same conviction guided us to pursue our project in Artazu (Navarra) and Pinoso (Alicante).

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep purple color.  The sexy nose has black raspberries, minerals, licorice, cherries, vanilla, freshly sharpened pencil, and well worn leather.  This has medium body, good acidity, and mostly integrated tannins.  On the palate this is rich and plush with nice up front fruit that is quickly joined by minerals, vanilla, and spicy oak.  The finish has very nice length with an appealing herbal note coming through.  (92 pts)

 

 

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.

 

Winery History

The history of the Poderi (estates) Luigi Einaudi started in 1897, when Luigi Einaudi, still only 23 years old, acquired the farmhouse ‘San Giacomo’ in the burgh of Dogliani surrounded by 40 Piedmontese giornate of vineyards (40 acres).  The family Einaudi inherited the passion of continuous improvement of their vineyards.

 

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)

 

 

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!

 

 

 

2007 Core Elevation Sensation Alta Mesa Vineyard

2002 Serafini & Vidotto Phigaia

2002 T-Vine Cellars Petite Sirah NapaValley

2008 Melville Pinot Noir Terraces

2005 Rudius Syrah Russian River Valley

 

 

2007 Core Elevation Sensation Alta Mesa Vineyard – $27.73

I’ve been a big fan of the wines Dave Corey produces for quite a while.  These highly expressive wines are top notch and very reasonably priced.  Most of the wines are delicious blends.  In this case, Elevation Sensation is a blend of 62% Grenache and 38% Mourvedre from Santa Barbara County.  I highly recommend tracking down some Core wines and settling in for a couple hours of pleasure.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to dark ruby red color.  The big and flamboyant nose is full of kirsch, minerals, incense, blackberries, eucalyptus, earthy underbrush, dark bittersweet chocolate, and warm baking spices.  This has medium to full body, moderate ripe tannins and nice acidity.  This is “stacked” on the palate with layers of fruit, spice, minerals, and earthiness that slowly peal away revealing the next layer.  The finish has very nice length with some eucalyptus, dark chocolate and cherries closing the show.  This is in a prime drinking window now and should hold for a couple of years.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2002 Serafini & Vidotto Phigaia – $9.99

And now for something totally different.  I know a very high percentage of the wines I open are either from California or based on grapes native to the Rhone region in France.  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot from the Veneto region in Italy.  I grabbed six bottles of this from Garagiste Wine a few (several?) years ago.  I opened one not long after delivery and felt it needed some serious cellar time.  Five years later, it’s time to try another.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium ruby with a fair amount of brick especially at the edge.  The intriguing nose has blackberries, dusty minerals, tobacco, cherries, plums, baking spices, earthy underbrush, and some leafy green herbs.  This is barely medium body with fairly integrated tannins and tart acidity.  On the palate tart cherries, herbs, and minerals dominate the front end with spices and earthiness coming into play later.  The finish has decent length which leans on the savory elements with tart acidity poking through.  This wasn’t really what I expected but it was still very enjoyable.  A great value at $9.99.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2002 T-Vine Cellars Petite Sirah Napa Valley – $33.00

I bought this several years ago during a visit to Napa.  I only bought one bottle so I wanted to give it plenty of cellar time.  I hate only having one bottle of a wine and opening it too early.  I think after laying untouched for 8 years, tonight is the perfect time to open the bottle.  It’s a Saturday evening and I’m grilling thick, juicy burgers.  This should (hopefully) make a nice dinner on the deck.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark, inky purple color.  The outstanding nose is full of blackberries, black pepper, dark chocolate, road tar, well worn leather, licorice, and earthy underbrush.  This has a fairly full body, integrated tannins, and decent acidity.  This is plush and velvety on the palate with lush, ripe berries, black pepper, and chocolate up front.  On the back end some spice, licorice, and earthiness add considerable depth.  The finish is very long and full of juicy, sweet, spicy, peppery berries.  This is delicious today but should hold in the cellar for at least a few more years.  I wouldn’t hold this long term since the tannins have pretty well integrated and the acidity is a touch on the low side.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2005 Rudius Syrah Russian River Valley – $19.99

If you have never heard of Jeff Ames’ Rudius wines, you’re missing something special, very special.  Rudius produces mainly wines from Cabernet Sauvignon and the Rhone varietals, but also has released a Chardonnay.  I’ve opened a fair amount of these wines and have never had one that was less than outstanding.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark maroon color.  The intense nose is full of blackberries, Asian spices, charred meat, dark chocolate, fresh cracked black pepper, vanilla, and earthy underbrush.  This has a full body, fairly solid ripe tannins, and moderate acidity.  The palate is absolutely loaded with spicy, peppery berries, vanilla, and chocolate.  The finish is fairly long and adds a meaty element and increased pepper and spice.  This is a big, ripe, bold wine that does show some alcohol but nothing too off-putting.  This may not be for everyone, but it works for me.  (94 pts)

 

 

 

2008 Melville Pinot Noir Terraces – $37.14

Melville is one of the big name Pinot producers on California’s central coast.  This family owned winery produces some of the best Pinot Noirs coming out of California that are fairly widely distributed and very fairly priced.  In recent years they have begun producing very nice Syrah based wines that I have enjoyed.  They also produce Chardonnay and Viognier wines, but I have not tried one of them up to now.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a ruby red color.  The enticing nose has black raspberries, earthy underbrush, minerals, baking spices, cherries, wild flowers, cola, and a touch of licorice.  This has medium body, soft to moderate tannins, and very good acidity.  On the palate, tart, juicy berries and sweet cherries are joined by minerals, baking spices, and some earthiness.  The finish is very long and full of layers that slowly fade allowing the next wave to wash over the palate.  This is an exceptional Central Coast Pinot Noir that will hold and perhaps improve over the next several years, but it it stunning today.  (94 pts)

 

 

 

We had a slow simmered corned beef with potatoes, carrots, and some onion for dinner with the Melville Pinot.  It may be almost the middle of June, but Summer hasn’t made an appearance in the upper Midwest.  At least it was nice enough we could enjoy our dinner and wine on the deck.

 

 

 

 

***** 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:

 

 

 

 

Wines bought or received this week

2010 Ladera Cabernet Sauvignon Stile Blocks – 3 bottles at $39.99

 

I also received these wine samples to review down the road:

2012 The Seeker Rosé (France, Provence)

2012 The Seeker Red Blend (Chile, Central Valley)

2012 The Seeker Riesling (Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer)

2012 The Seeker Pinot Grigio (Italy, Veneto)

 

I received these for an online tasting of Lodi Rosé wines next week:

2012 McCay Cellars Rosé

2012 Heritage Oak Grenache Rosé

2012 Onesta Cinsault Rosé

2012 Sorelle Winery Bella e Rosa

Check out the Twitter based tasting on Wednesday evening.

 

 

 

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!