Each week I pick out one wine to highlight as my wine of the week.  This wine may be an outstanding wine, a great value or just something very interesting.

 

 

 

 

Overview

Like a lot of people, I love Italian wines.  The so called “Super Tuscan” wines are near the top of my list when it comes to the wines of Italy.  A “Super Tuscan” is simply put, is a wine from Tuscany that uses non-traditional grapes.  By non-traditional, they mean grapes not indigenous to Italy.  This list of non-traditional grapes includes Merlot, Syrah and a multitude of others including in this case, Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

The local wine store brought this wine in several months ago and it immediately caught my eye.  When they put it on sale, I had to grab a few bottles.  The release price of this wine is $65, which makes my under $50 price look even better.

 

I see the wine is available at several web based wine stores around the country.  One store even shows it available for only $45.  Most stores list it at $55 to $65.  A complete list is available via Wine Searcher by clicking here.

 

 

The Winery

The Castello di Bossi winery is the perfect union between innovation and tradition.

 

It consists of six large separate work-areas, each with separate temperature controls.  Despite its size and its up-to-date facilities, it is below ground on two sides and almost invisible.  The fermentation area has new temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks.

 

A timing program automatically controls pump-overs; the must breaks up the cap of skins by gravity flow, aided by a system of plates and chains inside the tank.

 

Following the alcoholic fermentation and after finishing a 20-22-day post-fermentation maceration on the skins, the wine goes unfiltered directly to barrel.  There, the malic acid will be converted and they will mature for about 2 years in the barrel cellar that holds over 1,000 light-toast French oak barrels from the Allier forest.  After this lengthy maturation, the wines are bottle-aged for 12 months at temperatures between 13 and18 C.  Correct temperatures are crucial for us, in that the wines do not undergo filtration.

 

 

Much more on the winery’s history, the winery and the wines is available by clicking here.

 

 

I chose this picture since most wineries show you a picture

of the winery surrounded by healthy, green vines.

It’s not that often you see a picture of the vineyards covered in snow. 

Personally, I love it!

 

 

 

2008 Castello di Bossi Corbaia Toscana IGT – $47.49

This “Super Tuscan” is a blend of 70% Sangiovese and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon.  The grapes for this wine are hand harvested from 35 year old vines.  After a 38 day maceration and fermentation, the wine is aged for 24 months in Barrique.  After bottling, the wine receives an additional 12 months of bottle aging before it is released.

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a dark ruby red color.  The stunning nose has black cherries, cassis, crushed stone minerals, leather, eucalyptus, roasted herbs, smoke, earthy underbrush and dried flowers.  This has a medium to full body with moderate to solid tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate waves of fruit roll in but are quickly pushed aside by eucalyptus, minerals and roasted herbs.  The finish is extremely long with some earthiness and a floral note joining the party in your mouth.  This is on the young side but is perfect with a juicy steak to help balance out the big tannins.  Enjoy this one over the next decade or two.  (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 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!

 

 

These reviews are based on samples provided by the winery or organization acting on their behalf.

 

 

 

 

2009 Bodegas y Vinedos Montecastro Alconte

2007 Bodegas Valdubon Reserva

 

 

 

Overview

I was invited to participate in a Virtual Tasting exploring the wines of Ribera del Duero.  This was perfect for me since I actually prefer this region over the other “famous” Spanish region, Rioja.  New technology and modern techniques, along with respect for tradition, have driven the quality of Ribera del Duero to its highest accomplishments in over two millennia of winemaking history.

 

Snooth’s Editor-in-Chief, Gregory dal Piaz, and Sommelier Roger Kugler led the discussion of Ribera’s rich history and amazing wines.

 

There were four wines to be discussed during the tasting.  Besides the two wines that were sent to me, 2013 Bodegas y Vinedos Monteabellon Avaniel Rose and 2010 Bodegas Montebaco Semele were also enjoyed by other participants.

 

 

 

 

About the region

The Ribera del Duero is about a two hour drive north of Madrid.  Even though wine has been made in the region for over 2000 years, the region did not receive official Denominación de Origen (DO) status until 1982.

 

The area takes its name from the Duero River that cuts through the region.  The region is about 70 miles long and over 20 miles wide and is home over 250 wineries.

 

The main wine grape in the region is Tempranillo which also answers to Tinto del País and Tinto Fino.

 

This is a large, dry area that receives very little rain.  This dry climate forces the vines to dig deep into the ground to find water and nutrients.  This “struggle” reduces the yield but ensures the grapes produced are full of flavor and minerals.  These wines are generally on the rustic side with rugged tannins and good acidity, perfect with a piece of juicy meat hot off the grill.

 

Much more information on the region and wineries is available by clicking here.

 

 

 

 

This presentation and the wines were provided by Greg Dal Piaz and Snooth.

 

Snooth is the world’s most comprehensive wine site, hosts the largest online wine community & features reviews & local prices for millions of wines.

 

Mission

Snooth is a revolutionary web-based social shopping experience that is simplifying how people select, learn about, and purchase their favorite wines.

 

Company Overview

Philip James launched Snooth in 2007 with one goal: to make wine info clear, accessible, and freely available.

The idea for Snooth first came to Philip when he began working in the wine industry and realized just how complex wine was — if even the most seasoned wine collectors could become confused, what hope was there for the casual wine lover?

He realized that the wine industry was hopelessly fragmented — with neither a standardized naming system nor a centralized repository of information — and created Snooth to change all of that.

 

Visit Snooth by by clicking here.

 

 

 

My Line Up

Here is my line up for this online tasting event:

 

 

 

2009 Bodegas y Vinedos Montecastro Alconte

2009 was considered to be a near perfect vintage, comparable in quality to 2004.

 

This was aged for 14 months in a mix of French and American oak.  The total production was 13,345 bottles.  The grapes for this wine came from younger vines.

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a dark ruby color.  The outstanding nose has plums, blackberries, minerals, licorice, earthy underbrush, dark chocolate, baking spices and white pepper.  This has medium body with moderate to solid tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate, spicy fruit and minerals jump out first with earthy elements and dark chocolate coming out on the back end.  The finish has decent length but does get a touch rustic.  A year in the cellar may help smooth out the back end and perhaps add a bit more oomph on the finish.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2007 Bodegas Valdubon Reserva – $25

2007 was considered to be a lighter, weaker vintage for the region.

 

This wine is 100% Tempranillo (Tinto del Pais).  The total production for the vintage was 35,868 bottles, mine was number 16,974.

 

The wine has 13% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly dark violet color.  The enticing nose has black plums, berries, tobacco, baking spices, minerals and a touch of mint.  This wine is barely medium body with soft to moderate tannins and good acidity.  On the palate, spicy fruit and minerals jump out first with spicy oak coming in later.  The finish has good length with some subtle earthiness entering the picture.  I wouldn’t stash this in the cellar to too long, open the bottle and enjoy it over the next year or two.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

Conclusion

These were both easy to like wines full of character.  Even though 2007 was considered to be a weaker vintage, the Valdubon was very nice.  The Valdubon is nearing the end of its life but the Alconte has a couple years to go before it even reaches its full potential.

 

 

 

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!

 

 

 

These reviews are based on samples provided by the winery or organization acting on their behalf.

 

 

2013 Charles Krug Winery (Peter Mondavi Family) Sauvignon Blanc Limited Release Charles Krug Vineyard Estate

2011 Charles Krug Winery (Peter Mondavi Family) Merlot

2011 Charles Krug Winery (Peter Mondavi Family) Family Reserve Generations

2011 Charles Krug Winery (Peter Mondavi Family) Cabernet Sauvignon Family Reserve Howell Mountain

 

 

 

Overview

I had the extreme honor of being selected to participate in an online tasting to celebrate Charles Krug’s 150^th vintage.  This tasting featured three red wines from this monumental vintage.  The tasting also included one white wine, a Sauvignon Blanc from the 2013 vintage.

 

The wines produced still carry the historical Charles Krug name, but also carry the moniker of Peter Mondavi Family.

 

If you would like to view the recorded webcast of the event, please click here.

 

 

 

 

The Winery

The Charles Krug Winery, Napa Valley’s oldest winery, was established by Prussian immigrant Charles Krug in 1861.  In 1943, Italian immigrants Cesare and Rosa Mondavi purchased the historic property, which remains a family-owned winery producing estate-driven Napa Valley wines.  Built on a foundation of family values, hard work and European winemaking tradition, the winery offers a portfolio of Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux-styled wines.  The winery is under the direction of Peter Mondavi Jr., who along with his brother Marc Mondavi, stewards the family business passed to them by their father, legendary Napa Valley wine icon Peter Mondavi Sr., who continues to serve as President and CEO.  The family is now proudly welcoming members of the fourth generation to the business, continuing a legacy started almost 70 years ago and setting a foundation for generations to come.

 

Above all else, Charles Krug Winery is a family winery.  Peter Sr. and his sons Marc and Peter Jr. continue their dedication to producing the finest Bordeaux style wines in the Napa Valley.  To achieve this, they initiated a nine-year, $22 million investment program completed in 2010.  Over 400 of the winery’s 850 prime acres in Napa Valley have been re-planted and state-of-the-art winemaking equipment is now in use.

 

Much more information on the winery, its history and wines is available by clicking here.

 

 

 

The wines for this event were provided to me by Charles Communications.

 

About Charles Communications Associates

CCA is an independent creative marketing firm that employs traditional public relations and new media strategies to assist companies, organizations and non-profits in the creation, development and marketing of interesting and compelling brands.  Recognized as one of the most effective PR firms in the wine industry, we have an exceptional track record of promoting products in the gourmet, natural and organic food and beverage categories, from wine and tea to top shelf spirits and luxury goods.  We consider ourselves fortunate to work with clients who share our philosophy of social responsibility in work and everyday life.

 

For more information, visit the CCA website.

 

 

 

 

The  Wines

Here was the line up for this tasting.

 

 

 

2013 Limited Release Estate Sauvignon Blanc – SRP $35

This wine is 100% Sauvignon Blanc from the winery’s Estate Vineyard.  This was the third release of this “Limited Release” wine.  The total production was only 340 cases.

 

This wine was fermented in stainless steel and aged Sur lie for seven months.

 

The wine has 13.6% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright yellow with a slight green tint.  The lively nose has grapefruit, mint, minerals, spice and a touch of smoke.  This has a medium body with crisp citrusy acidity and just a touch of creaminess.  On the palate tart grapefruit, mint and minerals hit up front with a touch of spice coming in later.  The finish has good length with the mouthwatering grapefruit leading the way.  This is a very nice and serious Sauvignon Blanc.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2011 Napa Valley Merlot – SRP $25

This wine is a blend of 84% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Sirah, 3% Malbec and 1% Petit Verdot.

 

Due to below average temperatures and late Spring rains the yield was down about 30% from usual and the grapes were harvested in early September instead of the usual mid-August.  The area received a few heat spikes to help ripening.  There was also some rain while the grapes were still on the vines.  The winery performed hand thinning of the leaves and adjusted shoot positioning to provide better sun exposure and to maximize air flow to deter the development of mold.

 

The wine was aged for 18 months in a mix of French and American oak.  The wine has 14.0% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby red color.  The enticing nose has crushed berries, plums, minerals, cocoa powder, vanilla, red currants and a touch of white pepper.  This has a medium body with soft to moderate tannins and good acidity.  On the palate berries, plums, mocha and vanilla hit first with some spicy cedar coming in on the back end.  The finish has good length with a nice kick of spice. One of the best Merlot wines I have tasted in a few years.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2011 Family Reserve ‘Generations’ – SRP $50

This wine is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot, 4% Malbec and 3% Merlot.

 

The first vintage of Generations in 1991 was a blend crafted by Marc Mondavi and was suspect by Peter Mondavi Sr. who was partial to single varietal wines.  Marc demonstrated to his father that a wine of this nature could hold its own against the growing popularity of Cabernet Sauvignon in the Napa Valley.

 

The wine was aged for 20 months in a new French 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 deep ruby to purple color.  The nose has cassis, blackberries, baking spices, dark chocolate, minerals and jalapeno pepper.  This has medium body and moderate to solid tannins and good acidity.  Spicy berries, mocha and cedar coat the palate with minerals and jalapeno coming in on the back end.  The finish has good length but I wish the jalapeno wasn’t so prominent.  After a couple of hours the jalapeno notes were still present but pushed into the background.  This could use a couple of years in the cellar.  (87 pts)

 

 

 

2011 Family Reserve ‘Howell Mountain’ Cabernet Sauvignon – SRP $75

This wine is a blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Petit Verdot and 2% Malbec.

 

This is the inaugural release of the Family Reserve Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

The wine was aged for 19 months in a new French oak.  The wine has 13.7% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a dark ruby red to purple color.  The outstanding nose has cassis, cherries, cedar, mint, dried herbs, baking spices, dark chocolate, black pepper and vanilla.  This has medium body moderate to solid tannins and very nice acidity.  This is nicely layered on the palate with the fruit, spice, dried herbs and oak taking turns strutting their stuff.  The finish has very good length with “chewy” tannins kicking in.  This is a very serious wine that deserves a few years in the cellar.  Ignore this one until the end of the decade if possible.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

Closing comments

If I had to choose one word to describe this line up of wines, it would be “serious”.  These are not easy-drinking wines to open and sip, these are made to accompany a good meal.  Bravo to the Peter Mondavi Family for putting out such an outstanding group of wines.

 

 

 

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!

 

 

These reviews are based on samples provided by the winery or organization acting on their behalf.

 

 

 

2013 Domaine du Tariquet Côtes de Gascogne Classic

2012 Domaine Chiroulet Côtes de Gascogne Les Terres Blanches

2010 Producteurs Plaimont Côtes de Saint-Mont Les Bastions

2011 Producteurs Plaimont Côtes de Saint-Mont Tableaux

 

 

 

 

Overview

I was invited by Greg Dal Piaz to participate in a Snooth blogger roundtable tasting of the Wines of Southwest France.  Since this was a region I did not know a lot about, this received a pretty quick, “count me in.”

 

A few days before the tasting, I had to schedule a business trip to visit a couple facilities in Alabama.  I figured, no problem, I can catch the early flight and make it to the hotel in the early afternoon.  Not so fast, the early flight from Atlanta to Birmingham was full.  This meant I wouldn’t be able to make it into Birmingham until the tasting was starting.  Unfortunately, I still had to get my checked luggage, pick up the rental car and drive 45 minutes to the hotel.  Drats!  Once again, not so fast.  I still booked the early flight from Milwaukee to Atlanta, this would give me time to figure out my options during the 5 hour layover.  The problem was magically solved when some open seats on the early flight became available.  Some quick re-ticketing and I made it to the hotel in time to quickly chill my wines in time for the tasting.

 

 

I’m not sure if this will work for everyone or not but the link to a video of our “roundtable” is available by clicking here.  This didn’t work out as originally planned since we were all Google+ Hangout newbies.  The goal was to have everyone online via audio and video but instead we received mainly the “Greg Show” with guest star Fred Dexheimer.  That said, if you want to learn about this region and its wines, I highly recommend checking out the roundtable, it will be an hour well spent.

 

 

 

About the region

Southwest France is a lush, hilly wine region that occupies the corner bordered by the Atlantic Ocean on the west, and Spain and the Pyrenees Mountains on the south. The region is home to a string of more than two dozen winemaking appellations whose producers are united by a passion for place. Some of the world’s great grape varieties originated here and many of the area’s lesser-known varieties are grown nowhere else.

 

Inviting, authentic, and brimming with character, the quality wines of Southwest France await your discovery!

 

Tons of information on the region, the Appellations, grapes, etc. is available on their website by clicking here.

 

I highly recommend checking out the site and getting to know more about the region.

 

 

 

This presentation and the wines were provided by Greg Dal Piaz and Snooth.

 

Snooth is the world’s most comprehensive wine site, hosts the largest online wine community & features reviews & local prices for millions of wines.

 

Mission

Snooth is a revolutionary web-based social shopping experience that is simplifying how people select, learn about, and purchase their favorite wines.

 

Company Overview

Philip James launched Snooth in 2007 with one goal: to make wine info clear, accessible, and freely available.

The idea for Snooth first came to Philip when he began working in the wine industry and realized just how complex wine was — if even the most seasoned wine collectors could become confused, what hope was there for the casual wine lover?

He realized that the wine industry was hopelessly fragmented — with neither a standardized naming system nor a centralized repository of information — and created Snooth to change all of that.

 

Visit Snooth by by clicking here.

 

 

 

My Line Up

Here is my line up for this tasting:

 

 

 

2013 Domaine du Tariquet Côtes de Gascogne Classic

This wine is a blend of 45% Ugni Blanc, 35% Columbard, 10% Sauvignon Blanc and 10% Gros Manseng.

 

The wine has 10.5% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a twist off closure.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light, pale straw color.  The outstanding nose has apples, pineapples, flinty minerals, melon and a touch of spice.  This has light to medium body with good acidity and just a bit of sweetness.  On the palate rich fruit and minerals coat the palate with a touch of spice coming in later.  The finish has decent length and leaves a bit of lingering sweetness that is nicely balanced with tart, citrusy acidity.  This is an extremely easy drinking bottle of wine for a hot Summer evening.  (88 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Domaine Chiroulet Côtes de Gascogne Les Terres Blanches         

This wine is a blend of Gros Manseng, Sauvignon Blanc and Ugni Blanc.

 

Skin maceration of the Ugni Blanc and the Sauvignon Blanc was utilized.  Long, direct pressing (as in the Champagne region) of the Gros Manseng, was used to extract as much minerality as possible.  Low-temperature fermentation was utilized to retain the wine’s floral taste.  The wine was aged 8 months on fine lees with regular stirring.

 

The wine has 12.5% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a very light, pale yellow color with flecks of green.  The inviting nose has apples, flinty minerals, citrus zest, cantaloupe and white flowers.  This has medium body, crisp acidity and seems totally dry.  On the palate apples and minerals hit first with lime zest coming in on the back end.  The finish has decent length with the minerals leading the way and the fruit providing nice background sweetness.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2011 Producteurs Plaimont Côtes de Saint-Mont Tableaux – $14

This wine is a blend of 80% Gros Manseng, 15% Petit Courbu and 5% Arrufiac.

 

The wine has 13.0% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright yellow with a slight green tint.  The nose has apples, minerals, roasted nuts, orange blossoms and a touch of smokiness.  The wine has medium body with crisp acidity and seems to be totally dry.  On the palate tart apples and minerals pop out first with a nutty quality coming in on the back end.  The finish has decent length with tart apples and citrus carrying the load until a touch of minerals come into the picture.  (90 pts)

 

 

 

2010 Producteurs Plaimont Côtes de Saint-Mont Les Bastions

This wine is a blend of Arrufiac, Petit Courbu, and Gros Manseng.

 

The wine has 13.0% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a nice yellow color with a green tint.  The nose has apples, flinty minerals, melon, white flowers and roasted nuts.  This has medium body with good acidity and just a hint of sweetness.  Apple and minerals kick off the show on the palate with melons and a floral note coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with a roasted nut element coming into the picture.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

Conclusion

The specific grapes used in the production of these wines may sound odd and unusual, but the wines are far from odd.  These all had nice up front fruit with solid minerality and crisp, citrusy acidity.  These ranged from the easy drinking, off dry Domaine du Tariquet Côtes de Gascogne Classic to the much more serious Saint-Mont wines.  All the wines are priced well enough that you can grab a case to sip during the hot weather that lies ahead and not break the bank.  I believe all these wines are well under $15 and could be under $10 a bottle if you shop wisely.

 

 

 

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 Treasure Hunter Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Panjanatan Paso Robles

2010 Reininger Syrah

2010 Franciscan Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

2006 Sterling Vineyards Merlot Three Palms Vineyard

 

 

 

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 been 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 and 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)

 

 

 

2010 Reininger Syrah – $22.96

Even though I had heard of the winery for a few years, I have not had any of their wine.  The local wine store offered this wine in an e-mail only offer at an exceptional price, so I had to grab a six pack.

 

This has 15.0% alcohol and is sealed with a natural cork.

 

The Winery

From 1997 through 2004, REININGER Winery was located in a small but functional facility located at the historic Walla Walla Regional Airport.  The “shack-teau,” as Chuck and Tracy fondly nicknamed it, was originally designated as a WWII Army Air Corp runway “crash house” and “base theater” where old time crooners and classic films entertained troops.

 

In 2003, REININGER Winery purchased seven acres of land, located six miles west of Walla Walla, adjacent to Highway 12, and began renovating two pre-existing potato sheds into a remodeled 15,000 square foot winery, complete with production facility, administrative offices, and a spacious new tasting room.  “We worked closely with architect Jon Campbell to create a modern production facility incorporating rustic design elements,” said Chuck Reininger.  “This resulted in a unique atmosphere for events and entertaining.”

 

In that same year, Chuck and Tracy partnered with Tracy’s brothers, Jay and Cyndi Tucker, and Kelly and Ann Tucker, as well as her parents, Terry and Ronnie Tucker.  Today, Kelly Tucker serves as general manager and oversees sales and marketing.  Jay Tucker functions as tasting room director, plant manager, and grower relations contact.  Terry and Ronnie Tucker, who’ve been actively involved in both vineyard and winery projects since the 1980’s, bring an abundance of guidance and support to the organization.

 

Much more information can be found on the winery’s website.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a dark, inky purple color.  The outstanding nose has blackberries, minerals, white pepper, dried herbs, warm baking spices, blueberries and a touch of cedar.  On the palate the velvety berries and minerals provide a mountain of flavor with white pepper and dried herbs creeping in on the back end.  The finish has very nice length with baking spices joining the party in your mouth.  This is obviously on the young side but it is already outstanding.  (93 pts)

 

 

 

2010 Franciscan Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

Franciscan Estate Cabs have always held a nice QPR niche when it came to Napa Valley Cabernets.  To me, Franciscan as well as Buehler offered nice Napa Valley Cabernets at exceptional price points.  Franciscan cabs generally have the quality to have with a nice weekend dinner, but at a price that won’t blow the budget if served with a good week night meal.

 

This wine has 13.5% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby to maroon color.  The wine has cassis, plums, fresh ground espresso, dark chocolate, green jalapeño, dried herbs spicy oak and violets with hints of cherry and vanilla on the nose.  This is medium bodied with fairly solid, ripe tannins and it has very nice acidity.  On the palate the spicy berries lead the way with dried herbs and vanilla adding depth and cherries and dark chocolate providing an extra element on the back end.  The finish has good length but shows a touch of excess oak and the green jalapeño makes an appearance.  The oak may integrate better with some cellar time, but I personally would prefer the green jalapeño note to not be present. (88 pts)

 

 

 

2006 Sterling Vineyards Merlot Three Palms Vineyard – $20.89

This is a very consistent, single vineyard Merlot that used to be a “house favorite”.  Unfortunately, over the years the price increases took enough of a toll, that I felt it no longer offered enough quality to merit the price.  When the local store was able to secure enough of the wine to offer via an “end of vintage” e-mail offer for a touch over $20, I had to jump in.

 

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

 

Winery history

Sterling Vineyards is proud to be a certified Napa County Green Winery, a distinction we achieved in 2009 as one of the first 12 wineries to be included.  This certification is a result of our diligent efforts in conserving water and energy, as well as preventing pollution and landfill waste.

 

In addition, Sterling is also certified as Napa County Green for our land and vineyard practices, which include sustainable vineyard management, water conservation, and fish-friendly farming across 100% of our estate vineyards.

 

Every year we recycle approximately 1,400 tons of waste, resulting in a waste diversion rate of 95%.  This has resulted in awards in the Waste Reduction Awards Program from the California Integrated Waste Management Board for the past three years.  (Proceeds from the award have been donated to local charities each year.)

 

Finally, in December 2008 our iconic tram was converted to solar power.  The solar energy system produces more than 100,000 kilowatt-hours per year, which is equivalent to the energy required to power 5.5 homes for a full year.  This conversion also eliminates 65 tons of CO2 emitted into the environment annually.

 

From vineyard practices to winery operations to the daily activities at our world-famous tasting rooms, Sterling Vineyards is proud to act as a dedicated steward of our environmental riches.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to dark ruby red color.  The very nice nose has cherry, cedar, melted licorice, plums, baking spices, tobacco, dried herbs, dark roast espresso, dark bittersweet chocolate and a touch of earthiness.  This has medium body, fairly solid tannins, and very nice acidity.  The palate shows no excess weight with nice balance between the fruit and savory elements.  The finish is a touch short and a bit lean but other wise this is a very sound and appealing wine.  This is a steal at $20 but questionable value at $60.  (90 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 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!

 

 

This is based on samples provided by the winery or organization acting on their behalf.

 

 

2012 Montes Twins

2011 Montes Cabernet Sauvignon Alpha

 

 

 

About the winery:

Founded in 1988, Viña Montes is the brainchild of Aurelio Montes and Douglas Murray, both veterans of the wine industry.  Along with partners Alfredo Vidaurre and Pedro Grand, they created Viña Montes with the goal of elevating the quality and reputation of Chilean wines – both in Chile and around the world.  In the quarter century since, Viña Montes has played a pivotal role in enhancing awareness, affinity, and acclaim for Chilean wines in more than 100 countries worldwide.  In essence, Viña Montes has become the benchmark for premium Chilean wines.

 

The winery produces 950,000 cases of wine a year under the following “labels”:

Montes Alpha “M” – Ultra-premium Bordeaux-variety blend

Montes Folly – Super-premium, limited-production Syrah

Purple Angel – Super-premium Carménère

Montes Alpha – Label that pioneered Chile’s first “premium” wines

          This label includes Cabernet Sauvignon, Carménère, Chardonnay,   Malbec, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Syrah

Limited Selection – Small-lot wines, limited distribution

          This labels includes Cabernet Sauvignon / Carménère, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc

Montes Classic Series – Value wines, broad distribution

          This label includes Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Malbec, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc

Montes Cherub – Rosé of Syrah

Montes Twins – Cabernet Sauvignon/Malbec

Montes Late Harvest: Botrytised Gewurztraminer

 

 

 

These wines were provided to me by feast PR.  For more information, check out their site by clicking here.  As of this posting, the site was still under construction.  Information can also be received by e-mailing Jennifer O’Flanagan at jen.oflanagan@feastpr.com.

 

 

 

Here is the line up for this tasting:

 

 

 

2012 Montes Twins – SRP $17

This wine is a blend of 50% Malbec from the Marchigüe vineyard and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon Apalta vineyard.  The yields were 3.6 tons per acre.  After fermentation, 60% of the wine was aged for 10 months in new French oak barrels.

 

The wine has 14.0% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a twist off closure.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark ruby color.  The exotic nose has blackberries, earthy underbrush, fresh ground espresso, vanilla, tomato leaf, dark chocolate and dried wildflowers.  This has medium body with soft to moderate tannins and decent acidity.  On the palate berries, espresso and earthiness jump out first with dark chocolate coming in on the back end.  A slight dried floral note comes through on the decent length finish.  This is a touch soft and seems to have a hint of residual sweetness which means the wine would work in a party setting.  This could use a bit more structure and complexity to reach the next level.  (86 pts)

 

 

 

2011 Montes Cabernet Sauvignon Alpha – SRP $25

This wine is a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot.  After fermentation, the wine was aged for 12 months in a mix of new and used French oak barrels.  The total production was 109,000 cases.

 

This wine has 13.5% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby red color.  The nose has cassis, dark chocolate, cedar, mint and a green herbal note.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and good acidity.  On the palate cassis and chocolaty oak grab hold, slowly allowing some earthiness and an herbal note to slip in.  The finish has good length with nice fruit and chocolate along with the lingering green pepper note.  If you don’t mind a green pepper note, you will like this more than I do.  (85 pts)

 

 

 

Closing Thoughts

These are two nicely priced wines that can be easily found for well under the suggested retail price.  The average price I saw for the Twins was under $12.  At that price this can be served at a party without breaking the bank.

 

 

 

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!

 

 

Each week I pick out one wine to highlight as my wine of the week.  This wine may be an outstanding wine, a great value or just something very interesting.

 

 

It takes a village to raise a wine

 

 

Overview

I joined the Bedrock mailing list just about as soon as it was created.  Besides making several outstanding wines using grapes from some of the oldest vineyards in the region, they also produce some of the best wines currently coming out of California.

 

The Winery

Bedrock Wine Co. was founded in 2007 by Morgan Twain-Peterson in a 550 square-foot, former chicken coop with 8 foot ceilings and no fermentation space.  After six years of Bedrock being a one-man-show, Morgan was able to talk his best friend, Chris Cottrell, into moving to California from New York to join him.  They now happily have a little more space to move around in but share the same objectives that guided the winery at the start.

 

The winery’s objectives are:

 

To channel the fruit of ancient vines into powerful, elegant, and distinctly Californian wines.

To spread the gospel of Syrah in California by sourcing fruit from great terroirs throughout the North Coast.

To proclaim the greatness of Sonoma Valley Cabernet Sauvignon by sparing no expense on wines of uniqueness and personality.

To reclaim rose’ from the excesses of saignee and focus on precision, delicacy, aromatics, and food friendliness.

To make fascinating and quixotic white wines from unique sites and interesting varietals.

To dream big but keep production low!

 

 

Photo courtesy of the Historic Vineyard Society – Click here to vist their site.

 

The Vineyard

Monte Rosso, nestled on the southwest slopes of the Mayacamas Mountains, near the town of Agua Caliente, was originally planted by the Emanuel Goldstein in the early 1880s.  The vineyard fell victim to phylloxera and was replanted in 1890.  Some of his original plantings (Zin, Semillon) still remain.  Louis Martini purchased the property in 1938 and replanted some of the ranch with what is today some of the oldest cabernet sauvignon in the North America.  Martini renamed the vineyard “Monte Rosso” for its mountaintop setting and bright red, volcanic soils.

 

 

 

2010 Bedrock Wine Co. Zinfandel Monte Rosso Vineyard – $38.00

The grapes for this wine actually come from the exact block Morgan’s father, Joel Peterson, used to create his Ravenswood Monte Rosso Zinfandel many years ago.

 

For more information on the winery or to join their mailing list, please click here.

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep purple color.  The stunning nose is full of brambly berries, minerals, violets, fresh ground black pepper, toasty oak, vanilla, melted licorice, freshly ground dark roast coffee, and a touch of dark bittersweet chocolate.  This full bodied gem has moderate to solid tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate, layers of fruit, spice, and savory elements take turns engulfing the taste buds, trying to out do each other.  The finish is extremely long and again reveals new layers every few seconds.  This is obviously on the young side and even though it will last in the cellar through the end of the decade, it is absolutely stunning right now.  (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 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!

 

 

 

2013 Villa Creek Pink

2012 Carol Shelton Wines Zinfandel Monga Zin Lopez Vineyard

2012 Michael Pozzan Winery Pinot Noir Annabella Special Selection Carneros

2009 Melville Syrah Estate Verna’s

2012 Verum Pinot Noir

N.V. Taittinger Champagne Brut Réserve

 

 

 

2013 Villa Creek Pink – $12.80

This wine, as well as the Bedrock Ode to Lulu Rosé are my main pink wines from California for the warm weather.  I supplement these two with purchases from Southern France and Spain so we have plenty of variety.

 

This wine has a suggested retail price of $16 is a steal for under $13 off their e-mail list.  It looks like they still have some available on their site, if you’re interested, check out their site to order, join their e-mail list or for more information by clicking here.

 

This wine is a blend of Grenache, Carignan and Mourvèdre,

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a gorgeous bright salmon color.  The fresh and crisp nose has cherries, minerals, spice, strawberries, orange zest and ripe peaches.  This wine is barely medium body with crisp acidity and just a hint of sweetness.  On the palate tart cherries, spice and minerals quickly take over slowly allowing some orange zest to slip through.  The finish has good length with a touch of peach joining the orange zest.  The wine leaves a touch of lingering sweetness, minerals and mouthwatering orange zest.  This is a very nice rose and a steal at the mailing list price of under $13.  (88 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Carol Shelton Wines Zinfandel Monga Zin Lopez Vineyard – $20.51

Carol poured a tasting of her wines at the local wine store a month or two ago.  Even though I could not attend the tasting, I was able to get the signed bottle from the picture.  Up to this point, I had not had the opportunity to try any of the “Zin Master’s” wines from her label.

 

There is loads of great information available on her site by clicking here.

 

This wine has 14.9% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a shade lighter than ruby red.  The inviting nose has brambly berries, white pepper, cherries, baking spices, dusty minerals and vanilla.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and good acidity.  This is fairly bright and juicy on the palate with cherries and baking spices up front with minerals and a touch of peppery berries.  The finish has good length with a touch of vanilla coming into focus.  This leaves a very slight lingering sweetness.  This is an easy to drink wine without the excess weight and the high octane of most zinfandels.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Michael Pozzan Winery Pinot Noir Annabella Special Selection Carneros – $12.82

I’m always on the look out for $15 Pinot Noirs for week nights.  This is a tough category but there are a few gems out there.  I grabbed this wine as well as the winery’s slightly higher cost Russian River Valley Pinot Noir.  Even though this wine cost a couple dollars less, I think I liked it a touch more.

 

Much more information on the winery and the four labels of wine produced is available by clicking here.

 

This wine has 14.1% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is barely a medium ruby color.  The appealing nose has black cherries, warm baking spices, vanilla bean, minerals, subtle earthiness and wildflowers.  This is barely medium body with soft to moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate black cherries and spice lead off with minerals and some earthiness coming in later.  The finish has decent length with a touch of vanilla coming into the picture.  This is a very nice week night Pinot Noir that was a steal for under $13.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Melville Syrah Estate Verna’s – $20.46

I’m a big fan of Melville’s Pinot Noirs, but when I saw this at the local store, I had to grab a several bottles.  I had a bottle not long after purchase and it left me a bit underwhelmed.  I decided to give it a year in the cellar to see how it would come around.  I waited about a year and a half and it was better but still seemed to need more time.  It’s now been another year and a half, so it’s time to check in again.

 

This has 14.7% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.

 

Winery history

In 1989, Melville Vineyards, a family owned and operated enterprise was founded in Sonoma County’s Knights Valley, where Ron Melville grew high quality, much sought after Chardonnay, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon.  In 1996, Ron’s desire to grow Pinot Noir and Chardonnay brought Melville Vineyards to Lompoc’s Sta. Rita Hills, located in the western Santa Ynez Valley of Santa Barbara County, California.  The Sta. Rita Hills appellation is where Ron Melville and his sons Brent and Chad Melville decided to develop their estate vineyards and winery.  Since then, they have also developed an interest in Rhone varietals, particularly Northern Rhone Syrah and Viognier.  The Melville estate achieves quality through the integrity of its farming practice and its respect to the microclimate.

 

Additional information available at http://www.melvillevineyards.com/index2.html

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright ruby red color.  The very nice nose features black raspberries, cherries, Asian spices, smoke, white pepper, spicy oak, dark chocolate, violets and a touch of earthiness.  This has a medium body with fairly solid tannins and good acidity.  The palate has nice spicy red and black fruit with a bit of oak and some earthiness.  The finish has nice length but does show a touch of excess oak.  This is a nice, slightly restrained style of California Syrah that will probably show a bit of oak on the back end and finish.  This is drinking nicely now but will hold for at least a few years.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2012 Verum Pinot Noir – $17.09

I participated in an online tasting of Argentine Pinot Noir wines a while ago and was impressed enough that I had to grab a few bottles.  My post on that event is available by clicking here.

 

Verum (Bodega Del Rio Elorza) is a boutique, family winery with 45 acres of high-density vineyards in the Alto Valle del Rio Negro, Patagonia.

 

The grapes for this 100% Pinot Noir are grown in 100% sustainably farmed vineyards.  The grapes are hand picked and double sorted by hand to ensure only the best grapes make it into the bottle.  The wine is fermentated using indigenous yeasts.  The wine is aged 6-12 months in 50% 1st and 50% 2nd use French oak barrels.

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright, semi-transparent ruby red color.  The inviting nose has black cherries, white pepper, minerals, baking spices, earthy underbrush and candied violets.  Cherries, minerals and spices coat your palate, eventually allowing white pepper and a touch of spicy oak to join the party.  The finish has nice length with some subtle earthiness joining coming into focus to join the fruit and oak.  This is a nice Pinot Noir that is well mannered but does show a touch of oak at times.  Enjoy over the next couple of years.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

N.V. Taittinger Champagne Brut Réserve – $24.99

We had a bottle of this wine while at a friend’s home several months ago.  He told me Costco had the wine in a special box with 4 bottles of the Champagne and for glasses for under $100.  As soon as we could we made our way to the local Costco and a box found its way into my cellar.  This was a killer bottle of bubbles for $25 a bottle.  I’m thankful I have a few more bottles to savor over the warm months ahead.

 

This has 12.0% alcohol by volume.

 

My Tasting Note

This is a yellow to light straw color with an abundance of small, pinpoint sized bubbles.  The enticing nose has apples. pears, minerals, fresh baked yeasty bread, lemon zest and white flowers.  This has a light, delicate body with crisp acidity.  On the palate this has nice tart apples, pears and minerals up front with bread and citrus coming in on the back end.  This has good length on the dry, crisp finish.  (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 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!

 

 

These reviews are based on samples provided by the winery or organization acting on their behalf.

 

 

New York’s Finger Lakes

North America’s premier cool-climate winegrowing region

 

 

 

2012 Red Newt Cellars Riesling Semi-Dry

2011 Heron Hill Vineyards Cabernet Franc

 

 

 

It was my good fortune to be able to participate in an online tasting of wines from the Finger Lakes region of New York.  The event was called the “Finger Lakes Wine Hour” but actually lasted 4 hours.  Unfortunately for me, we got a late start returning from a vacation in South Carolina and arrived home just after the event ended.  That didn’t stop me from kicking back after the long drive and sampling the wines.  Thanks to the “Save as a Stream” feature in HootSuite, I was able to bring up the entire chat session and read along as I sampled my wines.

 

To follow ongoing conversations on the wines from the Finger Lakes region, check out the hashtag #FLXWine or follow @FLXwine on Twitter or give a “Like” to Finger Lakes Wine on Facebook.

 

 

I want to thank the Finger Lakes Wine Alliance and the wineries for providing these wines for me to sample.

 

 

About the region

The Finger Lakes became an official American Viticultural Area (AVA) in 1982 but its history goes back much further.  The first vineyard in the region was planted by Reverend William Bostwick in his rectory garden in Hammondsport, NY in 1829.

 

The region is now home to over 115 wineries with about 9,200 acres of vineyards.  The region produces about 220,000 cases of Riesling wine from the 848 acres of Riesling grapes.

 

In 1998 the region was brought to the forefront in the wine world when Semi-Dry Rieslings from Dr. Konstantin Frank’s and Fox Run Vineyards each won a Gold medal in Strasbourg’s Rieslings of the World Competition in Alsace.

 

The major varieties of grapes planted in the region are Riesling, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir and Gewurztraminer.  Each of these has over 100 acres of vines in the AVA.

 

Much more information about the region is available on the Finger Lakes Wine Alliance website.

 

 

My Line Up

This event revolved around the red wines of the Finger Lakes.  There were many different and varied wines opened for the event.  Here is my line up for the event:

 

 

2012 Red Newt Cellars Riesling Semi-Dry – SRP $15

Red Newt Cellars was founded in 1998 by David and the late Debra Whiting in the hamlet of Hector on the east side of Seneca Lake.

 

Wine production started with the 1998 vintage.  The total production was only 1,200 cases of Chardonnay, Riesling, Vidal, Cayuga, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.  The first white wines were released at the grand opening of the winery and restaurant in July of 1999.  Two years later, Red Newt Cellars was celebrated and honored with the Governor’s Cup for Riesling.  In 2011 the winery was a recipient of Wine & Spirits Magazine’s 2011 Winery of the Year.

 

Much more information on the winery and their bistro is available by clicking here.

 

The Wine

Riesling production at Red Newt Cellars is straightforward and elegant. Fermentation is in stainless steel, mostly with Epernay II yeast at moderate temperatures. Fermentation is stopped with some residual sweetness. The wine is then fine-tuned and finished using the traditional method of adding back small amounts of unfermented Riesling juice reserve to the wine after fermentation.

This wine has 10.3% alcohol by volume and 2.1% residual sugar.  The bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright golden yellow color.  The enticing nose has apples, honey, minerals, petrol and lime zest.  This barely has medium body with good acidity and nice lingering sweetness.  On the palate ripe apples, honey and minerals coat the palate with nice citrusy acidity coming in on the back end.  The finish has good length with nice balance between the sweetness and acidity.  This isn’t the most complex Riesling out there but that doesn’t detract from the overall “yum” factor.  (87 pts)

 

 

 

2011 Heron Hill Vineyards Cabernet Franc – SRP $15      

Heron Hill has grown from a 5,000 case, white wine only winery in 1977 to now producing 17,000 cases.  The days of white wines only is now in the distant past.  The winery now produces almost 20 different wine varieties.  The winery greets more than 50,000 visitors a year at its location on scenic Keuka Lake.

 

Heron Hill uses only careful processes and state of the art equipment in order to produce the best quality wines possible.  The vineyard is built into the side of a hill allowing Heron Hill’s team to gravity feed the juice instead of pumping, whenever possible.

 

Much more information about the winery and their wines is available by clicking here.  You can also buy wine and gifts on their website.

 

The Wine

This 100% Cabernet Franc uses grapes that were harvested over a week in late October.  After fermentation, the wine was aged for 13 months in French, Eastern European and American oak barrels.

 

The wine has 12.5% alcohol and .03% residual sugar. The bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light to medium ruby red color.  The appealing nose has cassis, minerals, white pepper, dried herbs, cherries, tobacco, candied violets and a touch of dark chocolate.  This is barely medium body with soft to moderate tannins and good acidity.  On the palate cassis and white pepper jump out first with dried herbs and candied violets coming in later.  The finish has good length with the fruit leaning more towards cherries and some nice minerality entering the picture.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

Conclusion

Once again New York’s Finger Lakes region showed that it produces world class wines that are sold for very consumer friendly prices.  Riesling is the star of the region but their red wines can also shine brightly.  I highly encourage readers to check out wines from this region.

 

 

 

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:

 

 

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!

 

 

 

Each week I pick out one wine to highlight as my wine of the week.  This wine may be an outstanding wine, a great value or just something very interesting.

 

 

“There are no shortcuts in the vineyard.  Our wine’s best friend is time,

with patience being a gift you give to yourself.”  William A. Seavey

 

 

Overview

I saw this wine sitting on the local wine store’s shelf for a few weeks.  There were several time I almost grabbed a bottle but for some reason purchased other wines.  One day I saw the store had the wine on sale and finally just pulled the trigger and grabbed a bottle.  I just had to wait for a nice day to grill up a steak and enjoy the wine on the deck.  That day has finally arrived.

 

The current vintage of this wine, the 2011, has a suggested retail price of $55.  The 2009 vintage which is covered in this post is available direct from the winery’s “Wine Library” for $65.  I don’t know how much of this vintage is still on store’s shelves, but obviously at least one store was still selling it in April.  I see the wine is available from at least a few internet based stores for around the original release price.

 

To order this wine direct from the winery, please click here.

To find the wine on Wine-Searcher, click here.

 

 

The Winery

In 1979, William and Mary Seavey purchased the historic estate originally founded by the Franco-Swiss Farming Company in 1881.  One century after the first vines were planted, Seavey Vineyard was established.  Once again, the land would be groomed to grow world-class wines, not to satisfy modern trends, but to honor age-old winemaking traditions.  The Seavey Vineyard Wine Library maintains wine from each vintage produced on this land and provides close friends of the winery a chance to taste back through twenty years of Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

In 1989, the Seaveys renovated the original 1881 stone dairy barn as their winery and tasting room.  In 1990 they made their inaugural vintages of Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay under the Seavey Vineyard label.  They added Merlot in 1994 and their second Cabernet label, Caravina, in 1999.  The success of their early vintages encouraged them to expand production, especially of Cabernet Sauvignon, requiring construction of a second winery building in 2000.

 

In 2003, the Seaveys installed one of the first solar energy systems used by a Napa Valley winery.  The project eliminates 24,000 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions annually.

 

Much more information on the Seavey family, the winery and their wines is available by clicking here.

 

 

 

 

2009 Seavey Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Caravina – $39.99

This wine is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon that was aged in 100% French oak, 50% of which were new.  This was the winery’s 11th release of their second Cabernet Sauvignon.  Seavey produces the wine with the intent to provide an accessible, yet very cellarable, Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark ruby red color.  The stunning nose has cassis, black cherry, mint, licorice, smoldering wood embers, baking spices, tobacco, dark roast coffee and a touch of dark chocolate.  This has medium to full body with moderate to solid tannins and very nice acidity.  Nice fruit and spice jump out first on the palate with mint and minerals coming in quickly.  On the fairly long finish dark roast coffee and dark chocolate make an appearance.  This is on the young side but already tastes very good with some air.  (93 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 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!