2013 Michael-David Vineyards Petit Verdot Inkblot

2011 Cornerstone Cellars Pinot Noir Willamette Valley

2012 Freelance Wines Coup de Grace

2013 Charles Krug Winery (Peter Mondavi Family) Cabernet Sauvignon

2010 Turley Cabernet Sauvignon The Label

2012 Nobelle Grenache Syrah Paso Robles

 

 

 

2013 Michael-David Vineyards Petit Verdot Inkblot – $33.24

This is a wine I tasted during a visit to the winery as part of a group of bloggers with Snooth and the Lodi Wine organization.  I liked it enough to include a few bottles in a case of Lodi wines purchased when I returned back home.  For more information, visit the Michael-David Winery website.

 

This wine has a “touch” of Petite Sirah included with the Petit Verdot.  The grapes for this wine came from Jon Wetmore’s vineyard on the northeast side of Lodi.  This wine is always put into new barrels early in the harvest season due to the high level of tannin, color and concentration.  The wine was aged 19 months in French oak.  This is the first varietal bottling of Petit Verdot by the winery, there are very few other Lodi wineries producing Petit Verdot labeled wines.

 

The wine is a deep, dark maroon color.  The impressive nose has crushed berries, baking spices, licorice, black cherries, dusty minerals, dark chocolate, scorched earth and a touch of cedar.  This full bodied wine has moderate ripe tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate loads of crushed berries, baking spices and dusty minerals grab control on the front end with licorice, black cherries and scorched earth coming in later.  The long finish is full of berries, spice and a touch of cedar.  This is an impressive Petit Verdot.  The wine has 14.8% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2011 Cornerstone Cellars Pinot Noir Willamette Valley – $16.87

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.  In this case, the wine had a suggested price of $50.

 

The wine is a deep ruby red color.  The appealing nose has cherries, raspberries, warm baking spices, white pepper, dry underbrush, wild flowers and vanilla.  This has medium body with soft to moderate tannins and good acidity.  On the palate cherries, baking spices and white pepper take charge early with dry underbrush and raspberries coming in later.  The finish has nice length with vanilla joining the spices and cherries.  This was better after being opened for an hour.  Drink now with some air or let it sleep another year and drink it through the end of the decade.  This has 13.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Freelance Wines Coup de Grace – $26.99

“A Merciful End to All Red Blend Competitors!”

 

Freelance Wines is a joint effort of two long time Lodi locals, Adam Mettler and Mike Stroh.  Coup de Grâce is the company’s first wine to be released.

 

This is a blend of 64% Zinfandel, 19% Petite Sirah, 11% Petit Verdot and 6% Cabernet Franc mainly from Lodi.

 

The wine is a deep maroon color.  The inviting nose has brambly berries, licorice, black peppercorns, black cherries, crushed stone minerals, baking spices, dead wood embers and a hint of eucalyptus.  This has a full body with moderate ripe tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate berries, black cherries and black pepper take control on the front end with wood embers and licorice coming in later.  The finish has nice length with baking spices and dark chocolate providing added interest.  This is a ripe and rich wine front loaded with nice fruit and enough savory notes to keep it interesting.  This has 15.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2013 Charles Krug Winery (Peter Mondavi Family) Cabernet Sauvignon – $17.99

This Napa Valley wine icon celebrated their 150th anniversary a few years ago.  To me, the quality of their wines have greatly improved over the last few years.

 

This wine is a blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc that was aged 17 months in French and American oak.  The wine is a deep violet color.  The inviting nose has cassis, dried herbs, tobacco, cedar, baking spices, scorched earth and wild flowers.  This has medium to full body with moderate tannins and good acidity.  Cassis, dried herbs and cedar take control of the palate on the front end with baking spices and dried earth coming in later.  The finish has good length with a nice floral note providing depth.  This is drinking very nicely now with some air but some cellar time will be rewarded.  This has 14.7% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2010 Turley Cabernet Sauvignon The Label – $40

When I received the offer from Turley for this Cabernet, I had to grab a few bottles.  I’ve had and enjoyed a couple bottles but it has been a while since I opened one, it’s time to check in.

 

The wine is a deep garnet color.  The comforting nose has cassis, baking spices, cedar, violets, cherry, dried herbs, tobacco and a touch of dark bittersweet chocolate.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and good acidity.  The creamy palate has nice up front berries, cherries, and spice with dried herbs and some building dark chocolate coming in on the back end.  The finish has decent length with a touch of earthiness and spicy oak coming into play.  This may not have a ton of complexity but is an enjoyable wine and seems to be in a very nice drinking window.  The QPR at $40 open for debate, but I’m glad I have more in the cellar.  Don’t expect a Cabernet version of a Turley Zinfandel or you will be disappointed.  This wine has 14.5% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Nobelle Grenache Syrah Paso Robles – $14.14

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.  In this case, the wine had a suggested price of $28.

 

This wine is a blend of 35% Staar Ranch Grenache and 65% Kiler Canyon Syrah.  After fermentation, the wine was aged for 24 months in new French oak barrels.

 

The wine is a deep violet color.  The very appealing nose has blackberries, fresh ground espresso beans, baking spices, black cherries, crushed stones, dark chocolate and white pepper.  This has medium to full body with moderate tannins and nice acidity.  On the palate blackberries, baking spices, crushed stones and white pepper quickly jump out on the front end with dark chocolate and black cherries coming in later.  The finish has good length with the mix of fruit and savory elements lingering nicely.  This is a very nice, easy drinking bottle of wine.  This has 14.37% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (89 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!

 

 

2007 Seven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon Klipsun Vineyard

2009 Jean Edwards Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Stagecoach Vineyard

2010 Turley Cabernet Sauvignon The Label

2011 Jean Edwards Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2011 Charles Krug Winery (Peter Mondavi Family) Cabernet Sauvignon 150th Anniversary

2009 Rudius Cabernet Sauvignon

2012 Avalon Cabernet Sauvignon

 

 

These are miscellaneous Cabernet Sauvignon wines I had over the last couple of months that missed being included a previous posting at that time.

 

 

 

2007 Seven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon Klipsun Vineyard – $25.99

This wine is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon that was aged in 100% French oak, 40% new.

 

The wine is a deep garnet to purple color.  The spellbinding nose has cassis, licorice, chalky minerals, roasted leafy herbs, white pepper, cherries, baking spices, dried earth and violets.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate tart fruit is balanced with a solid savory edge.  The finish has good length with chalky minerals and roasted herbs again buffering the fruit.  This has outstanding balance and proof that an American wine doesn’t have to posses layers after layer of fruit to be delicious.  This has 13.8% alcohol.  (93 pts)

 

 

2009 Jean Edwards Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Stagecoach Vineyard – SRP $65

The wine is 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Petit Verdot; aged 22 months in French Oak (50% new/50% one year old barrels).

 

The wine is a deep, dark purple color.  The exhilarating nose is full of cassis, dried herbs, dying wood embers, black cherry, vanilla, Asian spices, dusty minerals, dark bittersweet chocolate, white pepper, tobacco and violets.  This has medium body with solid tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate cassis, dusty minerals and wood embers jump out quickly followed by vanilla, cherries and white pepper.  The long, lingering finish seems to last forever with dried herbs and a nice floral note entering the picture.  This still has some upside and will reward additional cellar time.  Another great job from Jean Edwards Cellars.  This wine has 14.2% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (95 pts)

 

 

2010 Turley Cabernet Sauvignon The Label – $40.00

When I received the offer from Turley for this Cabernet, I had to grab a few bottles.  I’ve had and enjoyed a couple bottles but it has been a while since I opened one, it’s time to check in.

 

The wine is a deep garnet color.  The comforting nose has cassis, baking spices, cedar, violets, cherry, dried herbs, tobacco and a touch of dark bittersweet chocolate.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and good acidity.  The creamy palate has nice up front berries, cherries, and spice with dried herbs and some building dark chocolate coming in on the back end.  The finish has decent length with a touch of earthiness and spicy oak coming into play.  This may not have a ton of complexity but is an enjoyable wine and seems to be in a very nice drinking window.  The QPR at $40 open for debate, but I’m glad I have more in the cellar.  Don’t expect a Cabernet version of a Turley Zinfandel or you will be disappointed.  This wine has 14.5% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (91 pts)

 

 

2011 Jean Edwards Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley – SRP $65

This wine has 12% Merlot blended in with the Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

The wine is a medium to deep ruby red color.  The enticing nose has cassis, dusty minerals, mint, cherries, tobacco, cedar, white pepper, baking spices and violets.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and good acidity.  On the palate cassis, baking spices and minerals jump out on the front end with mint and cedar coming in later.  The finish has very nice length with cherries and violets entering the picture and providing nice depth.  This is still very young and will reward some additional cellar time, if you open one now give it plenty of air.  This wine has 14.2% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (94 pts)

 

 

2011 Charles Krug Winery (Peter Mondavi Family) Cabernet Sauvignon 150th Anniversary – $22.49

This vintage celebrates the 150th Anniversary of the esteemed winery.

 

The wine is a medium to deep ruby red color.  The open and appealing nose has cassis, cedar, roasted herbs, tobacco, scorched earth, mint and dried violets.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate cassis, cedar and roasted herbs jump out on the front end with tobacco, cedar and scorched earth coming in on the back end.  The finish has decent length with a hint of mint adding depth.  A nice offering for a cool vintage with minimal herbal notes.  Not one to stash away, open this one over the next couple of years.  This has 13.9% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (88 pts)

 

 

2009 Rudius Cabernet Sauvignon – $65.00

I’ve been on the Rudius mailing list since the beginning.  The owner/winemaker is Jeff Ames who is also the winemaker for the prestigious TOR winery.

 

The wine is a deep ruby to maroon color.  The hypnotic nose is full of cassis, tobacco, warm baking spices, black plums, eucalyptus, white pepper, dried violets and cedar.  This has medium to full body with moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate cassis, tobacco and cedar grab hold on the front end with plums, white pepper and spice coming in later.  The finish has very nice length with a dried floral note adding depth and interest.  This is still on the young side and will reward some additional cellar time.  (94 pts)

 

 

2012 Avalon Cabernet Sauvignon 

This wine is a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Syrah, 7% Zinfandel and 4% Merlot from vineyards in Napa Valley, Lodi, Paso Robles and Monterey County.

 

The wine is a bright ruby red color.  The smooth and comforting nose has cherries, baking spices, white pepper, dried flowers, raspberries and tobacco.  This has a medium to full body with soft tannins and decent acidity.  On the palate sweet fruit and spices hit first with white pepper and dried flowers coming on the back end.  The finish has decent length and is dominated by sweet cherries and spices.  This doesn’t offer much complexity but is an easy drinking way to relax over a glass of wine at the end of an evening.  This wine has 13.8% alcohol.  (86 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 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

 

 

 

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 Bedrock Wine Co. Heirloom Wine Pagani Ranch

2006 Vincent Arroyo Petite Sirah

2005 Peter Lehmann Shiraz Stonewell

2011 Turley Cabernet Sauvignon The Label

 

 

2010 Bedrock Wine Co. Heirloom Wine Pagani Ranch – $37.00

The wine is a deep maroon color.  The sensuous nose has juicy blackberries, licorice, dusty minerals, cedar, worn leather, scorched earth, tobacco, cracked black peppercorns, dark chocolate and dried flowers.  This has a full body with solid tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate blackberries, black pepper and dusty minerals jump out first with cedar and scorched earth coming in later.  The finish has great length with a dried floral note and dark chocolate entering the picture.  This is a very easy to drink and love wine with a velvety texture and enough acidity to hold everything together.  This has 15.0% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (94 pts)

 

 

 

2006 Vincent Arroyo Petite Sirah – $28.80

The wine is a dark, inky ruby color.  The captivating nose has blackberries, dead wood embers, black peppercorns, warm baking spices, adhesive tape, damp underbrush, black cherries, roasted herbs and a touch of mint.  This has a medium body with moderate to solid tannins and good acidity.  On the palate a quick hit of crushed berries are quickly joined by spice, wood embers, underbrush and roasted herbs.  The finish has nice length with some mint and a hint of adhesive tape.  Some vintages from this winery seem to show a bit more bret than others, this one is somewhere in the middle, it’s there but not too bad.  The wine has 13.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2005 Peter Lehmann Shiraz Stonewell – $37.99

The wine is a deep, dark purple color.  The exhilarating nose is full of crushed blackberries, licorice, crushed stones, black pepper, baking spices, roasted herbs, tobacco, violets and vanilla bean.  This has a fairly full body with moderate to solid tannins and nice acidity.  The palate is immediately coated with juicy berries, spice, minerals and black pepper with a nice floral note coming in on the back end.  The long finish is loaded with rich berries and spice and seems to linger forever.  This doesn’t offer a lot of subtlety but is, none the less, stunningly delicious.  This has 14.5% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.   (93 pts)

 

 

 

2011 Turley Cabernet Sauvignon The Label – $40.00

The wine is a medium ruby red color.  The appealing nose has cassis, tobacco, dried herbs, baking spices, cedar and a hint of leafy herbs.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate cassis and baking spices jump out first with cedar and dried herbs following in their footsteps.  The finish has nice length with a slight leafy herb note coming into the picture.  This is a nice, refined style of cabernet, not trying to get into a competition with the big, voluptuous versions common from Napa Valley.  A very enjoyable bottle of wine.  This wine has 13.4% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  (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!

 

 

 

2012 Siduri Pinot Noir Sonoma County

2007 Stolpman Syrah Estate Grown

2010 Turley Zinfandel Dusi Vineyard

2012 Helioterra Pinot Noir Willamette Valley

N.V. Laurent-Perrier Champagne Brut L.P.

N.V. Lucien Albrecht Crémant d’Alsace Brut Rosé

1992 Theo Schmitz-Schwaab Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Auslese Fuder #8

2010 Turley Cabernet Sauvignon The Label

2007 Jean Edwards Cellars Syrah Alder Springs Vineyard Mendocino County

2012 Jean Edwards Cellars Petite Sirah

 

 

 

2012 Siduri Pinot Noir Sonoma County – $21.59

When is a lot of information considered to be too much information?  The following is from the Siduri site and explains what went into this wine:

 

WINEMAKING, INGREDIENTS, ADDITIVES i.e. HOW WE MADE THE WINE

 

The Sonoma County Pinot Noir is made up of 17 different lots of Pinot Noir with each lot being made as a separate wine and then these parts were blended together. On most lots, we added a small amount of sulfur at the crush pad to prevent fermentation from starting prematurely and to allow for a “cold soak.” On some lots, we added a small amount of water to the juice prior to fermentation. We did this by draining off juice from the fermentation vessel and then adding that same amount of water back. This allowed us to reduce the sugar and potential alcohol without changing the skin-to-juice-ratio of the must. On some lots we bled off additional juice to make for a more concentrated wine. On some lots, we added a small amount of tartaric acid to the must. Tartaric acid occurs naturally in the juice/wine and the amount we added was a fraction of the total. On a very few lots, we added enzymes to the juice. Enzymes occur naturally in all fruit juices and help break down the skins allowing more flavors and colors to be extracted from the skins. On a very few lots we added yeast nutrients—these also occur naturally in the juice and help the yeast finish the fermentation. We only added these nutrients if the naturally occurring nutrients were unusually low. On some lots we added yeast to the must to complete the fermentation. Other lots fermented without the addition of yeast. All lots went through malolactic fermentation spontaneously. Sulfur was added during the wine’s elevage. The wine was bottled without fining or filtration.

The wine is 14.58% alcohol, 5.9 TA, 3.78pH, with 58ppm total SO2. This wine is Vegan-friendly. This wine has been tested and is Gluten-free.

 

The bottle is sealed with a twist off cap.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright ruby red color.  The alluring nose has cherries, raspberries, baking spices, dusty minerals, dry earth and a hint of dried herbs.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate spicy cherries and red berries jump out first with minerals and dried herbs coming in later.  The finish has good length with tart cherries and subtle earthiness carrying the load.  Very easy to drink, value priced and very food friendly, who could ask for more?  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2007 Stolpman Syrah Estate Grown – $21.99

I’m always in the mood for a good Syrah, and the ones from Stolpman definitely fall in that category.  The Stolpman Estate Syrah is consistently very good to outstanding, generally offering high quality at a very reasonable price.  This is generally a wine that greatly rewards a couple ears in the cellar.  I’m looking forward to checking in to see how this wine is progressing.

 

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

 

Winery history

Tom and Marilyn Stolpman founded Stolpman Vineyards in 1990 after making the decision that Marilyn’s dream of an “investment we can enjoy” could include finding the perfect piece of property that could grow world-class wine grapes.  Tom was seeking out Limestone hills in a cool, maritime climate.  Until 1997, when Stolpman produced its first wines, all of the grapes were sold to other wineries including the cult hits of Sine Qua Non & Ojai Vineyards.  In 2001 winemaker Sashi Moorman came aboard and began working closely with Vineyard Manager Ruben Solorzano to increase the quality of the fruit going to the winery, including experimentation with dry-farming & high density plantings.

 

After decades of careful development, Stolpman Vineyards now bottles wine from approximately 90% of the 152 acres under vine.  Through extensive experimentation with many varietals, the team has perfected its offerings of Syrah, Roussanne, Sangiovese and Sauvignon Blanc.  Limited plantings of Grenache, Viognier, Petite Sirah, and Chardonnay serve as blending grapes.  The very best limited production wines including Angeli, La Croce, and Ruben’s Block are generally only available to the Stolpman Vineyards Wine Club.

 

Today, Tom’s son Peter Stolpman manages the tightly knit family operation dedicated to making world-class wines.  The team never rests in pushing the envelope of quality through organic dry farming and the meticulous work of Stolpman’s vineyard crew, “La Cuadrilla”.

 

Much more information is available at Stolpman Vineyards website.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly deep maroon color.  The very open and inviting nose has blackberries, minerals, freshly ground espresso, smoked meat, black pepper, baking spices, licorice, dark chocolate, and violets, with just a touch of earthiness.  This is fairly full bodied with fairly solid tannins and good acidity.  The palate features spicy berries with dark chocolate and spicy oak coming in on the back end.  The finish is fairly long with fresh ground espresso and dark chocolate lingering on after the spicy fruit fades away.  This is entering a nice drinking window and should hold for a few years.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2010 Turley Zinfandel Dusi Vineyard – $39.99

It’s hard for me to believe but this is only the second vintage of this wine that I have purchased.  I didn’t even get this bottle for the winery, a local store received a cache of Turley wine a while ago and I had to grab a mixed case at below mailing list prices.

 

This wine clocks in at 16.0% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby red color.  The spellbinding nose has blackberries, blueberries, crushed stones, cracked black peppercorns, mocha, Asian spices and fresh ground espresso.  This has a full body with moderate to solid tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate a load of fruit hits first with crushed stones and black pepper providing a nice counterbalance.  The finish has outstanding length with mocha and Asian spices entering the picture.  This is a hitting is just starting to hit its stride.  Outstanding.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Helioterra Pinot Noir Willamette Valley – $25.64

This 100% Pinot Noir is a blend of grapes from Lichtenwalter Vineyard (Ribbon Ridge), Lia’s Vineyard (Chehalem Mountains), Apolloni Vineyard (North Willamette Valley) and Kathken Vineyard (Eola-Amity Hills).  The wine was fermented with a combination of native and inoculated yeasts for added complexity and aged for 11 months in 100% French Oak barrels (22% new oak).

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright red to ruby color.  The sexy nose has cherries, warm baking spices, raspberries, minerals, wildflowers, leafy herbs and subtle underbrush.  This has medium body with soft to moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate juicy red fruit and spice lead the show with leafy herbs and minerals coming in later.  The finish has very nice length with the herbs and minerals taking the lead and the red fruit providing nice background sweetness.  Very young but already tasty with a bit of air.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

N.V. Laurent-Perrier Champagne Brut L.P.

This wine is a blend of Chardonnay (45%), Pinot Noir (40%) and Pinot Meunier (15%).

 

This has 12.0% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a standard Champagne cork.l

 

My Tasting Note

The wine was a light straw color filled with steady streams of pinpoint sized bubbles.  The very inviting nose had apples, lemon zest, yeasty bread, crushed stone minerals, pears and a touch or nuttiness.  This had light body with crisp, citrusy acidity.  On the palate this was bright and fresh with tart apples, minerals and lemon zest up front with a nutty element coming in on the back end.  The finish had good length with the lemon zest leaving your mouth watering for another sip.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

N.V. Lucien Albrecht Crémant d’Alsace Brut Rosé

Domaine Lucien Albrecht is one of the oldest and leading Alsace family owned estate, tracing its roots back to 1425.  Through the Albrecht eighteen generations, they have become one of the largest owners of prime Alsace hillside vineyards.  In the early 70’s, Lucien Albrecht, the father of Jean, the current proprietor and winemaker, was one of the three founding fathers of the regulated Crémant d’Alsace.  In 2004, Lucien Albrecht Crémants made history.  At the 14th Concours National des Crémants de France (Crémant Wine Challenge), they stole the show, winning an unprecedented Four Gold Medals.

 

Lucien Albrecht Brut Rosé is made from 100% Pinot Noir.  The whole cluster hand-picked grapes are softly pressed in a pneumatic press, hence the coral, light pink salmon color.  Lucien Albrecht Brut Rosé is made by using the same methods as in Champagne, i.e “method traditionnelle”.  After the second fermentation in the bottle, lee ageing lasts for nine months, followed by remuage and disgorging.

 

This has 12.0% alcohol by volume.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright salmon pink color.  The enticing nose has cherries, strawberries, minerals, yeasty bread and a hint of citrus zest.  The wine has light body with crisp acidity and sporadic pinpoint bubbles after an initial blast of bubbles left a nice mousse.   Cherries, strawberries and minerals dominate the palate.  The finish has great length with just a hint of lingering sweetness.  Not a lot of complexity but very tasty.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

1992 Theo Schmitz-Schwaab Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Auslese Fuder #8

My comments

We are BIG fans of nicely aged German Rieslings.  The sugary sweetness these wines show in their youth melds with the citrusy acidity over the years to form a magical elixir that becomes a rich wine with just enough acidity on the back end to leave you grabbing the glass for another sip.

 

This has 8.0% alcohol by volume and the bottle was sealed with a natural cork.

 

Winery history

As is usual for a lot of the smaller, European wineries, not a lot of information seems to be available on the internet.  I can recite Jon Rimmerman’s (from Garagiste Wine) silky prose, but I don’t want this to sound like a sales pitch.  All I will say is, if you like older German Rieslings that have generally been in perfect condition, at really nice prices, check out http://garagiste.com/ and sign up for the list.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium golden yellow color.  The fresh smelling nose has apples, pears, honey, petrol, minerals, Spring flowers, pineapple, lemon zest, and a touch of spice.  This has light to medium body with very nice acidity and a ton of richness.  The sugar and acidity have melded into a very nice, rich, silky wine.  On the palate the rich, honey dipped apples and pineapple are joined with minerals and a touch of spice with a bit of citrusy acidity coming in on the back end. The finish has nice length and ends with a touch of flinty minerality and citrus zest.  Very nice and at a peak drinking window.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2010 Turley Cabernet Sauvignon The Label

When I received the offer from Turley for this Cabernet, I had to grab a few bottles.  I’ve read some mixed reviews on this wine so it seems like a perfect time give it a try.  I’m hoping the negative reviews are from the people that were expecting a big, ripe, overly rich wine.

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep garnet color.  The very nice nose has cassis, baking spices, violets, cherry, dried herbs, and a touch of dark bittersweet chocolate.  This has medium body moderate tannins, and good acidity.  The creamy palate has nice up front berries, cherries, and spice with dried herbs and some building dark chocolate coming in on the back end.  The finish has decent length with a touch of earthiness joining the components from the palate.  This may not have a ton of complexity but is an enjoyable wine and seems to be in a very nice drinking window.  The QPR at $40 open for debate, but I’m glad I have more in the cellar.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2007 Jean Edwards Cellars Syrah Alder Springs Vineyard Mendocino County

I guess you can call this a Social Media relationship.  I learned of Jean Edwards Cellars via Twitter.  I read their Tweets and started following them, luckily they followed me back.  Over the last couple of years we have exchanged jokes and Tweets about just about everything.  I was finally able to order a few bottles of their wine, and after giving a bottle a good 15 minutes to recover from the trip half way across the country, I popped the cork.  I am now a big fan and I spread their name to anyone who will listen to me.  I highly encourage you to check out their website and join their mailing list.  These are two very nice people making some of the best wine in the Napa Valley.

 

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

 

Winery history

We are the owner/vintners of Jean Edwards Cellars – we share a passion for wine, a similar palate and a singular vision on the style of wines we produce.  We live by our motto that “you should only make wines you love to drink” and focus our production on artisan red wines that are full-bodied and classically styled.

 

Quality and heritage are important to us – our wines are reflective of their origins and are sourced some of the most prestigious vineyards (and vineyard blocks) throughout Napa Valley including Stagecoach Vineyard (on Pritchard Hill); vineyards on the valley floor in Rutherford, Oakville and Coombsville; and mountain vineyards on Howell and Spring Mountain.

 

Time really flies – we started producing commercial wines in 2004 but our dream of producing high quality Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon wines started much earlier when we traveled to the valley in 1985.  During that trip, we developed a true appreciation for cabernet sauvignon wines and decided we would some day be a part of the business and produce a wine called Jean Edwards Cellars (our two middle names).  It was a goal worth waiting for and twenty plus years later we released our first wine in the Spring of 2006.

 

For more information, to order wine, or to join the Jean Edwards mailing list, visit their website.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark ruby color, almost purple.  The very nice nose has blackberries, charred meat, smoke, roasted herbs, licorice, black pepper, minerals, brined olives, wild flowers, and a touch of mint.  This has medium to full body with fairly solid tannins, and very good acidity.  The palate has a nice blend between the juicy, crushed berries, and the savory elements of black pepper, roasted herbs, and charred meat.  The finish is long and layered with nice juicy berries adding sweetness to the savory elements.  This is drinking nicely, but will reward some additional cellar time.   (93 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Jean Edwards Cellars Petite Sirah

One of my favorite wineries producing a wine with grapes that were purchased from another preferred winery.  How could I not grab a few bottles of this wine.

 

This wine has 14.3% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

Unfortunately this wine was so popular at a small party, I was not able to get a good tasting note.  I poured a very small amount to make sure the wine was not flawed.  A few minutes later I went to get a decent pour and the bottle was empty.  Everyone around the table was swirling, tasting and smiling, so they liked it…obviously a lot.

 

My quick impression was that the wine was very tight, as expected.  It was not very giving fruit wise initially, relying on minerals, pepper and spice with the fruit in the background.  After about 30 minutes the fruit started to move into the foreground (based on smelling other people’s wine).  I look forward to trying another bottle in a couple months so I can get a better read on the wine.

 

 

 

Connect with me

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

 

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

 

Cheers!

 

 

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

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts

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

 

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

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

2010 Two Hands Shiraz Angels Share

2012 Bedrock Wine Co. Albariño Abrente

2010 Treasure Hunter Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Panjanatan Paso Robles

2012 Bedrock Wine Co. Mourvedre Ode to Lulu Rosé

2010 Turley Cabernet Sauvignon The Label

 

 

 

2010 Two Hands Shiraz Angels Share – $23.74

Two Hands wines are a “house favorite” around here.  Unfortunately the prices have rapidly increased, almost to the point the “Garden Series” wines are now special occasion wines.  This wine is still fairly reasonably priced as log as you shop around.  The price I paid is several dollars below the usual price for this wine.  Its a good value at this price, but for over $30 the value starts to get a bit iffy.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark ruby to purple color.  The very inviting nose has blackberry, smoldering charcoal, minerals, vanilla, white pepper, road tar, and a slight herbal note.  This has fairly full body, moderate to solid tannins, and good acidity.  On the palate the berries, minerals, and white pepper hit first with a nice herbal note coming in on the back end.  The finish has good length with some building smokiness and dark chocolate.  This is on the young side and will probably improve with another year in the cellar.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Bedrock Wine Co. Albariño Abrente – $22.00

Though this wine is offered on the Bedrock mailing list (and listed in Cellar Tracker) as made by Bedrock, the wine is actually the result of a partnership between winemakers Michael Havens (the first person to make Albariño in the New World) and Morgan Twain-Peterson.

 

Like I noted above this is not really made by Bedrock, but is actually a “side project” for Morgan Twain-Peterson.  I think this is the only wine being made by this partnership, but I, for one, would love to see them expand the portfolio.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright and vibrant yellow to light gold color.  The crisp and refreshing nose has apples, lime, lemon zest, orange blossoms, minerals, melon, and a very slight herbal note.  This has light to medium body, crisp acidity, and just a touch of residual sweetness.  The orchard fruit and citrus play off each other very nicely on the palate with a streak of minerals coming in on the back end.  The finish is fairly long with a mouthwatering lime note and minerals slowly fading away leaving you to grab the glass for another sip.  This will really shine on a warm Summer evening over a light meal.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2010 Treasure Hunter Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Panjanatan Paso Robles – $19.79

I grabbed several bottles of this wine, since a social media friend, Mark Adams, was the wine maker.  I’m glad I loaded up since the past few bottles have all be very good.  It’s always nice to get a good Cabernet for around $20.  Mark Adams is also the owner/wine maker of Ledge Vineyards.  He is also the Assistant Wine Maker for Saxum.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark ruby to maroon color. The deep and dark nose has blackberries, cassis, cedar, dried herbs, minerals, smoke, licorice, baking spices, and violets. This has medium to full body with fairly solid, ripe tannins and good acidity. The wine is rich and velvety on the palate with spicy fruit, dried herbs, and minerals leading the way. The finish is fairly long with nice spicy fruit, dried herbs, and a touch of earthiness. A nice, rich, but not over the top Cabernet from Paso Robles.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Bedrock Wine Co. Mourvedre Ode to Lulu Rosé – $19.00

This rosé from Bedrock as well as Villa Creek’s offering, form the nucleus of my warm weather  rosé wines.  I mix in a few others I buy at the local store, but these two make up well over 50% of the rosés we drink during the year.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light pink to salmon color. The fresh and clean nose has strawberries, minerals, white peaches, cherries, and some subtle earthiness. This has light body with crisp acidity and maybe just a touch of residual sugar. Crisp, juicy fruit and minerals dominate the palate with a touch of earthiness in the background. The finish has nice length and leaves a very slightly sweet and crisp final impression. The perfect wine to enjoy on a warm Summer afternoon with or without food.  (90 pts)

 

 

2010 Turley Cabernet Sauvignon The Label – $40.00

When I received the offer from Turley for this Cabernet, I had to grab a few bottles.  I’ve read some mixed reviews on this wine so it seems like a perfect time give it a try.  I’m hoping the negative reviews are from the people that were expecting a big, ripe, overly rich wine.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep garnet color.  The very nice nose has cassis, baking spices, violets, cherry, dried herbs, and a touch of dark bittersweet chocolate.  This has medium body moderate tannins, and good acidity.  The creamy palate has nice up front berries, cherries, and spice with dried herbs and some building dark chocolate coming in on the back end.  The finish has decent length with a touch of earthiness joining the components from the palate.  This may not have a ton of complexity but is an enjoyable wine and seems to be in a very nice drinking window.  The QPR at $40 open for debate, but I’m glad I have more in the cellar.  (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 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!