2003 Chateau Pontet-Canet

2007 Diebolt-Vallois Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut

2013 Westerhold Family Vineyards Pinot Noir Westerhold Vineyard

2012 Carlisle Zinfandel Sonoma County

2012 Miner Family Grenache Hudson Vineyard

2010 Tenuta Carretta Roero Bric Paradiso

 

 

It has been a while since I have been able to post a blog.  There was an extended medical issue for a family member that required 24/7 support.  This issue consumed almost all my free time from early January through the end of July.  It took another month to get everything ironed out and try to settle back into the old routine.  Hopefully I will be able to get back on a posting schedule.  I have a couple blogs just about ready to go and have tasting notes from a couple of online tastings I have to enter.

 

 

 

2003 Chateau Pontet-Canet – $59.99

I attended a tasting of 2003 Bordeaux wines at a local wine store several years ago.  Even though I liked Bordeaux wines, I wasn’t all that experienced tasting these wines soon after release when they are generally still very tight and unyielding.  A few of the wines poured were so tight it was hard to get them to reveal very much with the usual small pours at this type of event.  That said, this wine was very tight but you could easily taste the power and depth on the palate.  It was a very easy decision to grab several bottles to stash in the cellar.

 

Winery history

Jean-François de Pontet, royal governor of the Médoc, combined several vineyard plots in Pauillac in the early 18th century.  Years later, his descendants added neighbouring vines in a place named Canet.  This was the beginning of one of the largest estates in the Médoc, which quite naturally added the name of its founder to that of the land registry reference.

 

A century later, Pontet-Canet was included in the famous 1855 classification, thereby confirming its membership among the elite of the Médoc.  This privileged position did not go unnoticed by one of the most important Bordeaux shippers of the time, Herman Cruse, who bought the estate in 1865.  He built new cellars, modernised the winemaking facilities, and established the wine’s reputation around the world.  The Cruse family owned Pontet-Canet for 110 years, until another shipper (from Cognac this time), Guy Tesseron, acquired it in 1975.

 

Over two centuries Pontet-Canet has been owned by three different families.  Today it is run by Alfred Tesseron with his niece Melanie (daughter of Gerard Tesseron) who is the descendant of Guy Tesseron.  Thirty years after their arrival in Pauillac the Tesseron have the satisfaction of knowing that they have gradually replanted some of the vineyard and renovated the buildings and the wine making facilities.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby color.  The spellbinding nose has cassis, cigar box, mint, dried herbs, minerals, warm baking spices, vanilla, well worn leather and a bit of earthiness.  This is a wine you can sit and smell for hours and “almost” be satisfied.  This has medium body, fairly solid tannins and very nice acidity.  The palate features spicy fruit with touches of oak, dried herbs and some subtle earthiness.  The finish is extremely long and full of fruit, spice and some oak, which is still noticeable but not obtrusive.  This still seems very young but with some air, it rounded into shape very nicely.  This is very drinkable and enjoyable right now but there is absolutely no hurry with this one, it will last and improve for a few decades.  This has 13% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (96 pts)

 

 

2007 Diebolt-Vallois Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut – $45.45

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

 

This 100% Chardonnay is only produced when the quality of the grapes is good enough.  It looks like that happened only 6 times since 1999.

 

The wine is a light straw yellow color with a very persistent, steady stream of pinpoint sized bubbles.  The very appealing nose has pears, lemon curd, yeasty bread, white peach, minerals, shaved almonds and orange blossoms.  This has light body with great effervescence and tart acidity.  On the palate tart pears, lemon curd and minerals quickly take control eventually allowing yeasty bread, white peach and shaved almonds to enter the picture on the back end.  The finish has great length with zippy lemon zest leaving your mouth watering for another sip.  This tastes great now but I don’t plan on opening another bottle for a few years.  I think some cellar time will allow the acidity to integrate and additional nuances to develop.  This has 12.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a standard Champagne cork.  (94 pts)

 

 

2013 Westerhold Family Vineyards Pinot Noir Westerhold Vineyard – $30

I have been a big fan of the winery’s Syrah for several years but I hadn’t had the opportunity to try their Pinot Noir.  Last year the winery had a “holiday sale” so I was able to grab several bottles to try.  The winemaker is the renowned Russell Bevan.

 

The wine is a deep garnet color.  The expressive nose has black cherries, forest floor, spicy oak, crushed stone minerals, baking spices, charred wood, white pepper and dried wild flowers.  This has a full body with moderate tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate black cherries, spicy oak and baking spices come through on the front end with forest floor and charred wood coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with a dried floral note providing depth.  This comes across as a bit oaky at this time but some additional cellar time may help it integrate since this has good “stuffing”.  As is, this is a tasty, bigger boned Pinot Noir that may not appeal to anyone looking for a Burgundian styled wine but if you want a big, rich Pinot, look no further.  This has 14.8% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (90 pts)

 

 

2012 Carlisle Zinfandel Sonoma County – $19.50

This wine is a Zinfandel based blend from several regions and vineyards in Sonoma County.

This is a bit confusing, but here is a breakdown of the grape sources:

28% Zinfandel from the Rossi Ranch

28% of the grapes are from Rowe Vineyard, Zinfandel (74%), Petite Sirah (16%), Syrah (8%), and Other (2%)

19% Zinfandel from Banfield Ranch in the Russian River Valley

10% are from Montafi Ranch in the Russian River Valley ( 89% Zinfandel and 11% Mixed Blacks)

8% Sonoma Valley Petite Sirah from Rossi Ranch

5% are from Sodini Vineyard in the Russian River Valley (95% Zinfandel and 5% Mixed Blacks)

2% Russian River Valley Mixed Blacks (Alicante Bouschet, Grand Noir, Petit Bouschet) from Saitone Ranch

 

There were 986 cases produced

 

The wine is a deep ruby to purple color.  The elegant nose has brambly berries, black cherries, black peppercorns, warm baking spices, dry underbrush and dried wildflowers.  This has medium to full body with moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate tart berries, black cherries, black peppercorns and baking spices come through on the front end with dry underbrush coming through on the back end.  The finish has good length with a nice dried floral note providing depth.  This is a very civilized and balanced Zinfandel that doesn’t push the ripeness.  How can this wine be under $20?  Very impressive wine that still has years of life.  This has 14.8% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (92 pts)

 

 

2012 Miner Family Grenache Hudson Vineyard – $17.91

This was another “steal” from Last Bottle wines, my favorite “flash” wine site.  If you use the provided link and sign up, you get an immediate $10 credit and I get a credit if/when you make a purchase.  Check them out, they have awesome deals and their Marathons are always something special.  This wine had a suggested price of $34 so the Last Bottle price was about 50% off.

 

This wine was produced as a “wine club exclusive” by the winery.

 

This is 100% Grenache from the Hudson Vineyard in Carneros, Napa Valley.  The wine was aged for 6 Months in Neutral French Oak.  480 cases were produced.

 

The wine is a light to medium ruby red color.  The slightly shy nose has cherries, dusty minerals, white pepper, dried flowers, plums and baking spices.  This is barely medium body with moderate tannins and good acidity.  This is much more open on the palate than it was on the nose with spicy, tart cherries, white pepper and dusty minerals with dried flowers and plums coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with cherries and white pepper holding down the fort.  Not your typical, push the ripeness limit, California Grenache.  This has nice balance and finesse.  This has 14.3% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (89 pts)

 

 

2010 Tenuta Carretta Roero Bric Paradiso – $19.13

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

 

This wine is 100% Nebbiolo that was aged 18 months in small oak casks before bottling and another 3 months of bottle age before release.

 

The wine is a deep garnet color.  The enticing nose has black cherries, tobacco, wild flowers, dusty minerals, dry underbrush, dark chocolate and baking spices.  This has medium body with moderate to solid tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate tart cherries, minerals and underbrush lead off with wild flowers and baking spices coming in later.  The finish has good length with dark chocolate and more wild flowers providing great depth.  This is on the young side but is already very tasty.  This has 14.0% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (92 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 2018 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

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

 

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

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

André Delorme Crémant de Bourgogne Terroir D’ Exception

2008 Andrew Will Sorella

2013 Ground Effect Gravity Check

2010 Tenuta Carretta Roero Bric Paradiso

2005 Kees-Kieren Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spatlese *

2007 Big Basin Vineyards Syrah Coastview Vineyard

 

 

 

André Delorme Crémant de Bourgogne Terroir D’ Exception – $14.99

This is a blend of Chardonnay and aligoté.  This is produced by the traditional method.  When the harvests arrive the grapes slowly using via pneumatic wine presses.  Only the first presses are used to produce the wines.  Malolactic fermentation takes place in 100% stainless steel vats.  Secondary fermentation is in the bottle (according to the traditional method), and carried out by adding yeasts and sugar.  This is followed by 18 months of ageing on lees in temperature-controlled cellars.

 

The wine is a light golden straw color with pinpoint sized bubbles.  The refreshing nose has apples, lemon zest, orange blossoms and fresh bread.  This shows just a touch of sweetness but has plenty of citrusy acidity to keep it in check.  On the palate tart apples, lemon zest a yeasty bread grab your attention with a hint of orange blossom coming in on the lingering finish.  Not a ton of complexity but this was easy to enjoy on a warm afternoon with a light lunch on the deck.  This has 12% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a standard sparkling wine cork.  (87 pts)

 

 

 

2008 Andrew Will Sorella – $56.99

I tasted this wine not long after release at the local wine store.  The wine, though very young, showed considerable promise.  I grabbed a few bottles and left them stashed in the cellar for a few years.  It’s time to check in to see how the wine is progressing.

 

This wine is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc and 6% Merlot from the Champoux Vineyard in Washington’s Horse Heaven Hills.

 

The wine is a dark ruby red color.  The suave and enchanting nose has cassis, cherries, warm baking spices, plums, minerals, dried leafy herbs, cocoa powder, leather, cedar and earthy underbrush.  The wine has medium body, moderate to solid tannins and very good acidity.  The fruit, spices and minerals coat the palate, eventually allowing a touch of cedar and subtle earthiness to enter focus.  The finish is very long with cocoa powder and dried herbs joining the party.  This wine is the complete package and has the balance to improve over the next few years and last in the cellar for another decade or more.  This wine has 14.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (95 pts)

 

 

 

2013 Ground Effect Gravity Check

100% Chenin Blanc from the Santa Ynez Valley in California’s Central Coast region.

 

The wine is a very light, pale straw-yellow color.  The inviting nose has green apples, unripe pears, lemon grass, flinty minerals, honeysuckle and lime zest.  This has medium body with crisp acidity.  On the palate tart apples and pears are joined by lemon grass and flinty minerals.  The finish has nice length with lime zest and honeysuckle providing nice depth.  This is a nice Chenin Blanc for a meal on a sunny deck or patio.  This has 14.1% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2010 Tenuta Carretta Roero Bric Paradiso – $19.13

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

 

This wine is 100% Nebbiolo that was aged 18 months in small oak casks before bottling and another 3 months of bottle age before release.

 

The wine is a deep garnet color.  The enticing nose has black cherries, tobacco, wild flowers, dusty minerals, dry underbrush, dark chocolate and baking spices.  This has medium body with moderate to solid tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate tart cherries, minerals and underbrush lead off with wild flowers and baking spices coming in later.  The finish has good length with dark chocolate and more wild flowers providing great depth.  This is on the young side but is already very tasty.  This has 14.0% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2005 Kees-Kieren Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spatlese * – $11.39

I bought a couple bottles of this at a close out price at the local wine store (The Wine Cellar of Wisconsin) when I lived in Wisconsin.  I was hoping for a nice Riesling to enjoy on a warm day on the deck.  We opened a bottle that evening and it blew me away.  I immediately shot off an e-mail to the store to stash a case in the back for me.  This was everything I love about a young German Spätlese Riesling, nice rich sweetness along with enough acidity to leave your mouth watering.  This was drinking very nicely young, but I had no doubt this will be fantastic down the road.  An added bonus is this wine is closed with a glass stopper, which I love.  This closure ensures a nice, tight seal and no possible cork taint.  I just haven’t read any studies about long term cellaring of a wine closed in this manner.

 

This has 9.5% alcohol and is sealed with a glass stopper.

 

A golden straw color.  Petrol, honey, apples, pears, peach pits, tangerine, white pepper, pineapple, strong minerality and a floral note on the enticing nose.  Medium body with loads of sweetness and nice balancing acidity.  Rich and fruity on the palate with mouthwatering citrusy acidity kicking in to keep it from being too sweet.  Long finish with the white pepper note from the nose making a background appearance.  This still tastes young and will age and improve for another decade or more.  This has 9.5% alcohol and is sealed with a glass stopper.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2007 Big Basin Vineyards Syrah Coastview Vineyard – $43.00

For the last few years I’ve felt Big Basin was one of the wineries to keep an eye on.  I think they are one big score away from popping onto most wine drinker’s radar.  Could they become the next Saxum?  In my opinion, the sky is the limit for this winery.

 

This wine is from a 2600 foot mountaintop vineyard in the Gabilan Mountains with decomposed granite and limestone soils.

 

The wine is a deep, dark purple color.  The stunning nose is full of crushed blackberries, smoke, plums, dark chocolate, vanilla, minerals, black pepper, creosote, eucalyptus, Asian spices and violets.  This full bodied wine has fairly solid tannins and good acidity.  On the palate smoke, berries and plums hit hard on the front end slowly giving way to black pepper and vanilla with building minerality and vanilla coming in on the back end.  The long, luxurious finish has a nice mix of the fruit and savory elements with minerals closing the show.  This intense wine is in a prime drinking window and should drink well for the remainder of the decade.  The wine has 15.7% alcohol and is sealed with a natural cork.  (94 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!

 

 

2012 Uvaggio (L’Uvaggio di Giacomo) Vermentino

2012 Carlisle Zinfandel Kirschenmann

2007 Tenuta Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino

2006 Cosentino Winery The Poet

2011 Bibi Graetz Casamatta Bianco Toscana IGT

2010 Jaffe Estate Transformation

2010 Tenuta Carretta Roero Bric Paradiso

 

 

 

2012 Uvaggio (L’Uvaggio di Giacomo) Vermentino – $10.00

This wine was purchased from Last Bottle.  Information on the site and a $10 credit on your first purchase is below.

 

The wine is a very light yellow with a green tint.  The fresh and lively nose has tart green apples, orange blossoms, lemon zest, white peach, lime zest, wet stone minerals and a light herbal note.  This has light to medium body with crisp acidity.  On the palate tart apples, lemon zest and minerals jump out quickly with orange blossoms and a hint of green herbs coming in later.  The lingering finish has a touch of white peach before tart lemon zest leaves your mouth watering for another sip.  This tastes wonderful and would be a great introduction to wine lovers of the white wines coming out of Lodi.  This has 13.0% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.  (91 pts)

 

 

2012 Carlisle Zinfandel Kirschenmann – $28.50

The grapes for this wine come from a vineyard owned by Tegan and Olivia Passalacqua who purchased it in 2012.  The vineyard was planted on 1916 and the soil is composed of nearly pure sand.  This sandy soil means the vines are “own rooted” and not grafted onto the root system of another grapevine since Phylloxera can’t live in sand.  This vineyard is in a cooler section of Lodi, actually cooler than some parts of Napa and Sonoma.

 

The wine is a deep garnet color.  The enticing nose has brambly berries, cherries, dusty minerals, dried violets, white pepper, roasted leafy herbs, dry earth and vanilla beans.  This has medium to full body with soft to moderate tannins and nice acidity.  This is lighter on the palate than your typical zinfandel with berries, cherries and minerals on the front end and violets, roasted herbs and some dry earth coming in later.  The finish has great length with cherries, white pepper and a nice floral note doing most of the work.  This is a more feminine version of the zinfandel grape.  This has 15.3% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (92 pts)

 

 

2007 Tenuta Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino – $28.49

The first vintage of this wine was produced in 1970.  At that time there were only 13 wineries in Montalcino.  This makes Caparzo one of the “historic” wineries in the region.  This 100% Sangiovese is a blend of grapes from four distinctly different vineyards in the region.  After hand-picking the grapes the fermentation is more involved than most other wineries.  During the first two days of fermentation, special attention is paid to the seeds.  Any seed deemed “not ripe enough” are discarded.  This operation utilizes the “cutting edge” technology of the winery’s fermentation tanks.  The temperature controlled fermentation takes 7 days but since the skins are always in great shape the wine is allowed skin contact for an additional 10 to 15 days.  After fermentation the wine is aged for 3 years in the traditional 80 hectoliter Slavonian and 50 hectoliter French oak casks.

 

The wine is a ruby red color with a touch of brick.  The inviting nose has cherries, pencil shavings, dry underbrush, wild flowers, tobacco, black raspberries and baking spices.  This has medium to full body with moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate tart cherries, spices and tobacco come through on the front end with pencil shavings and wild flowers coming in later.  The lingering finish adds dry earth and flowers.  This is drinking very nicely right now and should hold for another 4 to 6 years.  This has 13.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (92 pts)

 

 

2006 Cosentino Winery The Poet – $28.49

This wine is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc and 8% Merlot.  The wine is aged for 36 months in French oak barrels before the 1200 cases were bottled unfined.

 

The wine is a deep ruby to maroon color. The very appealing nose has cassis, cigar box, dried herbs, licorice, cherries, baking spice and dusty minerals. This has medium body with moderate tannins and good acidity. On the palate cassis, toasty oak and baking spices lead off the show with cherries and dried herbs coming in on the back end. The finish has good length and again is supported by the fruit and oak. This is drinking nicely today and should for another couple years.  The wine has 14.9% alcohol.  (91 pts)

 

 

2011 Bibi Graetz Casamatta Bianco Toscana IGT – $10.00

This wine was purchased from Last Bottle.  Information on the site and a $10 credit on your first purchase is below.

 

This is a blend of Vermentino, Trebbiano and Muscat.  This wine was included in a “mystery case” I ordered from the winery.  Upon seeing the bottle I was disappointed with its inclusion in the case.  After opening the bottle, my mood increased tremendously and I felt it was a great selection and a steal at only $10.

 

The wine is a golden-yellow color.  The intriguing nose has apples, apricots, flinty minerals, orange blossoms and lemon zest.  This has medium body with decent acidity.  Ripe apples, lemon zest, flinty minerals and apricots coat your palate right off the bat with orange blossoms coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with rich fruit and minerals taking control until a hit of tart lemon zest leaves your mouth watering.  This was a nice white wine to go with a good meal.  It could stand on its own or with a small patter of finger food and conversation with friends.  This has 12.0% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off closure.  (89 pts)

 

 

2010 Jaffe Estate Transformation – $34.00

This wine was purchased from Last Bottle.  Information on the site and a $10 credit on your first purchase is below.

 

This is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Merlot.  I really like Jaffe Estate and get any of their wine I can get my hands on.

 

The wine is a saturated ruby red color.  The open and easy nose has cassis, roasted leafy herbs, black cherries, cedar, tobacco, freshly ground espresso beans, dark chocolate, baking spices and dried violets.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate cassis, cedar, baking spices and tobacco grab your attention quickly on the front end with espresso beans, dark chocolate and roasted herbs coming in later.  The finish has nice length with a dried floral note joining the fruit, spice and cedar.  This wine isn’t a big, smooth, fruit driven wine but there are more than enough savory elements to make up for the lower fruit concentration.  This has nice balance and could use a bit of cellar time but it’s great today with something hot and juicy off the grill.  This has 14.7% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (92 pts)

 

 

2010 Tenuta Carretta Roero Bric Paradiso – $19.13

This wine was purchased from Last Bottle.  Information on the site and a $10 credit on your first purchase is below.

 

This wine is 100% Nebbiolo that was aged 18 months in small oak casks before bottling and another 3 months of bottle age before release.

 

The wine is a deep garnet color.  The enticing nose has black cherries, tobacco, wild flowers, dusty minerals, dry underbrush, dark chocolate and baking spices.  This has medium body with moderate to solid tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate tart cherries, minerals and underbrush lead off with wild flowers and baking spices coming in later.  The finish has good length with dark chocolate and more wild flowers providing great depth.  This is on the young side but is already very tasty.  This has 14.0% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

 

I am a big fan of the “Flash Wine Sale” site Last Bottle.  You probably noticed several 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 2016 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

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Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

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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!

 

 

 

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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 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!