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.

 

 

 “Adams offers a bridge between Paso’s lavish ways and a more cerebral effort”

Jon Bonne – “A Guide to the Producers and Wines Behind A Revolution in Taste”

Ledge Vineyards is a winery that appeared on my radar over a year ago.  I “met” the owner/winemaker, Mark Adams, via Twitter and after exchanging tweets about wine, he sent me a bottle of his 2009 vintage of this wine to sample.  It was a stunning bottle of wine, I needed more.  Unfortunately, that vintage was sold out.  I quickly joined their mailing list and waited for the upcoming release of the next vintage.  I also let my Twitter followers know this was a winery to check out before it was too late. I know at several of my “friends” signed up.  When the wine was released, I quickly ordered a nice stash of wine.  This vintage is now sold out.  Hopefully I helped play a part in the wine’s popularity.  I’m sure the praise and high scores the wine received from Wine Advocate and Wine Spectator helped, but I found them first.

 

The owner/winemaker is Mark Adams.  Mark is also the assistant winemaker for another outstanding Paso Robles winery, Saxum.  The San Francisco Chronicle and Jon Bonné in particular recently named Mark in column called “Winemakers to Watch 2014”.  Click here to read the story.

 

 

The Winery

The Adams Ranch is in the Willow Creek region on the west side of Paso Robles and rests on a plateau with the SantaLuciaMountains as a backdrop, with a steep drop to Vineyard Drive in the foreground. The vineyard is almost entirely Syrah, with some Grenache and Mourvedre peppered in. We expand every year at a snail’s pace, with 25 dry farmed acres as the ultimate goal. The vines are own rooted and reared in the home nursery after pruning each year. Once established, the vines are dry farmed, field-blended and co-fermented using only native yeasts and are aged in neutral oak barrels.

 

 

 

2010 Ledge Syrah Adams Ranch Vineyard – SRP $55

Ledge Vineyards is the winery owned by the One Time Spaceman, Mark Adams.  I was lucky enough to secure a sample of the 2009 vintage of this wine from Mark.  After two sips of the wine, I immediately joined the mailing list.  After securing my spot on the list, I started telling everyone who would listen to get on the list.  If you didn’t hear or heed my earlier advice, you still have time; the 2011 vintage is still available.

 

For more information, order wine, or to join the mailing list, click here.

 

This wine has 14.5% abv and is sealed with a natural cork and wax coating.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep purple color.  The very inviting nose has blackberries, minerals, smoke, raspberries, eucalyptus, black pepper, violets, roasted herbs, and a touch of dark bittersweet chocolate.  This has medium to full body, moderate ripe tannins and good acidity.  On the palate this is rich and plush with nice layers of fruit, spice and minerals.  The finish is very long with rich fruit, spice, minerals and a floral note seeming to hand on forever.  This is on the young side but already a stunning wine.  This will be a nice one to follow over the next decade, maybe even longer.  (94 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!

 

 

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

 

 

2012 Knapp Vineyards Vidal Ice Wine

2012 Boundary Breaks Vineyard Riesling No. 90 Late Harvest

2009 Höpler Pinot Noir Eiswein

 

The Event

I was invited to participate in an online #winechat about Ice wines or as it’s spelled in Germany and Austria, Eiswein.  Of course, since it is a more festive chat if you’re sipping Ice wine while chatting, three bottles were supplied to me to sip and discuss during the event.

 

 

About Ice wine (Eiswein)

Ice wine is a style of dessert wine that is produced from fully ripe grapes that were harvested while frozen on the vines.  This freezing process only affects the water in the grapes.  When the still frozen grapes are crushed, the frozen water stays behind, leaving just a couple drops of highly concentrated sugar and “dissolved solids”.

 

The production of Ice wine is a risky business.  Several things can go wrong and ruin the crop before it can even get picked.  If the grapes rot before they freeze the entire crop is ruined.  Likewise, a winery needs a large enough workforce to be able to pick and process all the grapes before they have a chance to thaw.

 

Since the process requires a good deal of labor in a short period of time and each frozen grape only yields a precious little juice, Ice wines are generally expensive.

 

As should be expected, most true Ice wine comes from countries that “enjoy” a cold and predictable winter.  About 75% of the world’s ice wine comes from Canada and Germany.

 

Some wineries “cheat” and make an ice wine style of wine by freezing their grapes after a normal harvest and processing them like they were harvested frozen.  Even though these wines are similar, they are not true Ice wines.

 

 

 

 

About Winechat

#winechat is a weekly, Twitter based discussion about something dealing with the world of wine.  Generally, each week’s chat deals with a specific theme and is lead by an “expert” in that area.  This is generally a nice way to learn about a region, winery, type of wine, etc.

 

Mission

What is #WineChat?  Click here to learn more.

 

Description

How do you join #winechat? Using a tool such as Hootsuite, log into your twitter account & follow the #winechat stream. Be sure to include #winechat at the end of each tweet so everyone in the stream can see you!

 

Grab a glass and join in!

 

Click here for the current #winechat schedule.

 

 

#winechat is hosted by Protocol Wine Studio.  For more information on them, click here.

 

The line up for the event:

 

 

2012 Knapp Vineyards Vidal Ice Wine – SRP $24.95

Knapp Vineyards was started in 1984.  In 2000 the winery was sold to Gene Pierce and Scott Welliver, the current owners.  The winery produces Rieslings, Gewurztraminers, Lembergers, Chardonnays, Merlots, Sangioveses alongside French-American Hybrids such as Seyval, Baco Noirs, and more.

 

For this Ice Wine, the grapes were picked in the early morning hours of January 3^rd.  Even though the grapes were grown in 2011, the vintage for a wine is the year the grapes were “picked” hence the 2012.

 

This is 100% Vidal Blanc.  There were only 24 cases of wine produced.  This has 12% alcohol and there is 14% residual sugar in the wine.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light golden straw color.  The rich nose has melons, white peaches, honey, orange zest and minerals.  This has a full body, moderate acidity and has a load of residual sugar.  On the palate the honey, ripe melons and super ripe peaches coat your mouth with syrupy sweetness with some minerals coming in on the back end with some orange zest.  The finish has good length and again is dominated with sweet, ripe fruit.   (90 pts)

 

 

2012 Boundary Breaks Vineyard Riesling No. 90 Late Harvest

Grapes were first planted at Boundary Breaks in 2008.  The winery only produces single vineyard, single clone Riesling.

 

This wine is a late harvest wine, not an ice wine.  This means the grapes were picked very late in the season when the grapes were ultra ripe, but the grapes were not frozen at harvest.

 

This wine is 100% Neustadt Clone #90 Riesling.  This has 14.2% alcohol and there is 12.7% residual sugar in the wine.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a very light yellow straw, almost colorless.  The fresh smelling nose has apples, honey, stony minerals, cantaloupe, vanilla, orange blossoms and a touch of white pepper.  This has a full body with decent acidity and is very sweet.  On the palate ripe apples and orange zest hit first with minerals coming in on the back end.  The finish is fairly long but could use a jolt of acidity.  (88 pts)

 

 

2009 Höpler Pinot Noir Eiswein – SRP $69

The winery is in Breitenbrunn, South East of Vienna on the West bank of LakeNeusiedl.  The wine production is 50% white wine, 45% red wine and 5% sweet.

 

Every 10^th bottle of Austrian wine imported into the United States is from Höpler.

 

This wine made from fully matured grapes which are left on the vine until they reached a temperature of at least -7°C (19.4°F). The water in the grapes forms ice crystals, and after gentle pressing the remaining concentrate is made into an exceptional wine with elegant sweetness balanced by refreshing acidity.  The wine has 11.5% alcohol by volume and the residual sugar is 236.3 g/l.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light orange with pink highlights.  The rich nose has apricots, dusty minerals, caramel, wild flowers and cherries.  This has a full body with good acidity and nice residual sugar.  On the palate, ripe apricots and caramel jump out first with a touch of orange zest and minerals coming in on the back end.  The finish has very nice length with honey and peaches.  The acidity leaves your mouth watering for another sip.  This tastes very nice today but I’d wager it will be much better with a few years in the cellar.  (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 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!

 

 

 

2000 Château de Carles

2008 Treasure Hunter Wines Helen’s Helm

2008 Carlisle Zinfandel Sonoma County

2010 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Clos Pepe Vineyard

2008 Colognole Chianti Rùfina

2009 Patel Proprietary Red

 

 

 

2000 Château de Carles – $17.49

I tried this one at a store tasting not long after it was released.  I don’t have the specific grape make up of this wine, but the winery’s vineyard is planted to 90% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 5% Malbec.

 

This has 13.0% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium ruby red color with just a touch of brick at the edge.  The very tempting nose has black cherries, tobacco, cedar, dried herbs, earthy underbrush, minerals and violets.  This has medium body with integrated tannins and good acidity.  On the palate the savory notes rule with the fruit providing a touch of needed background sweetness.  The finish has decent length with cherries and oak dominating the show.  Probably at peak or slightly past peak but drinking nicely.  (89 pts)

 

 

2008 Treasure Hunter Wines Helen’s Helm – $17.52

This negotiant wine is a blend of 59% Syrah, 18% Grenache, 18% Mourvedre and 5% Tempranillo from Paso Robles.

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

This is a deep, dark maroon color.  The very nice nose has blackberries, minerals, baking spices, charred meat, vanilla, cherries, dark bittersweet chocolate, and some earthiness.  This has a fairly full body, moderate to solid tannins, and very good acidity.  On the palate a loads of juicy berries, tart cherries, and minerals hit first with nice spice and a meaty element coming in on the back end.  The finish is long and lingering with some dark chocolate joining the spice and berries.  This is a very impressive wine that drinks several notches above its price point.  (93 pts)

 

 

2008 Carlisle Zinfandel Sonoma County – $17.50

From the winery – In 2008, the zinfandel was sourced from four appellations, Alexander Valley, Dry Creek Valley, Russian River Valley, and Sonoma Valley, to create this delicious zinfandel.  Four percent Dry Creek Petite Sirah from Teldeschi Ranch seemed to bring the components together, rounding out the palate nicely.  Think of our 2007 Sonoma County Zinfandel blended with our 2006. Aged in French oak, 20% new, and based upon our experiment last year, bottled completely in screw cap.

 

This has 15.0% alcohol by volume and the bottle was sealed with a twist off closure.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark, ruby color.  The sexy and inviting nose has black raspberries, white pepper, melted licorice, violets, dried herbs, and lesser notes of baking spice, dark bittersweet chocolate, and underbrush.  This has fairly full body, moderate ripe tannins, and outstanding acidity.  The palate starts off with solid black raspberries and pepper with the dried herbs and dark chocolate building quickly, on the back end a floral note and some earthiness come into the picture adding even more depth and complexity.  The long, lingering finish showcases the juicy berries, chocolate, and earthiness with the acidity giving a lot of lift and brightness.  This is in a nice drinking window, and the tannins and acidity will keep this alive and kicking through most of the decade.  (92 pts)

 

 

2010 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Clos Pepe Vineyard – $46.00

In most vintages, this is my favorite vineyard in the Loring Pinot Noir offerings.

 

This has 14.8% alcohol and as usual for Loring, the bottle is sealed with a twist off closure.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly deep maroon color.  The very appealing nose has black cherries, roasted herbs, white pepper, minerals, vanilla bean, crushed berries, earthy underbrush and violets.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and good acidity.  On the palate this is lighter on its feet than I expected with nice up front fruit and spice followed by minerals and some earthiness, but then the crisp acidity kicks in and cleans up leaving some white pepper and your mouth watering for more.  On the finish the berries re-enter the picture offsetting the acidity with sweet, juicy fruit.  This is not a light bodied Burgundy styled Pinot but it is also not overly ripe and plodding.  A very nice job with a high “yum” factor.  (93 pts)

 

 

2008 Colognole Chianti Rùfina – $9.49

The local store offered this wine at a close out price via their e-mail list.  Since, like a lot of people, we love pizza and Italian food, I had to grab a six pack.

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright red with a slight ruby tint.  The very inviting nose has black cherry, baking spices, vanilla, strawberry, earthy underbrush, minerals and dried flowers.  This has medium body, moderate ripe tannins and very nice acidity.  Cherries and spice jump out first on the palate with minerals and earthy elements coming in on the back end.  The finish has very nice length with the cherries and spice closing the show.  This was a steal at under $10.  (91 pts)

 

 

2009 Patel Proprietary Red – $60.00

This is a blend of 70% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Malbec.  I just found out the wine maker for Patel is the consulting winemaker for Jean Edwards, which is a winery I really enjoy.  I bought this wine based on a suggestion from a wine loving friend.

 

This has 14.2% 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 inviting nose has black cherries, cedar, dark chocolate, black currants, tobacco and wild flowers.  This has medium body, fairly solid tannins and good acidity.  Tart cherries and spicy oak pop out first on the palate with dark chocolate and minerals coming in on the back end.  The finish is dominated by the cherries and spicy oak.  A nice bottle of wine, but not a QPR star at the price.  (89 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!

 

 

 

This is based on a winery supplied sample.

 

2012 Vigne Regali (Banfi) Brachetto d’Acqui Rosa Regale

 

The Winery

In 1979, John and Harry Mariani, family proprietors of Banfi Vintners, acquired a mid-18th century winery, known as Bruzzone, revitalized it and renamed the facility Vigne Regali.  Here, with the same detailed care as a century ago, our skilled winemakers produce “Rosa Regale” Brachetto d’Acqui D.O.C.G.  This rare Brachetto, a semi-dry, red sparkling wine cherished by the courts of Europe over two centuries ago, owes its reincarnation to Banfi.

 

Rosa Regale is created in one of Italy’s smallest production zones, the Brachetto d’Acqui Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita, commonly referred to as DOCG.  It is crafted from 100% Brachetto grapes grown exclusively at the La Rosa Vineyard in the town of Acqui Terme located in the Piedmont region of Italy.  The label features a single red rose, representing the wines origin from this single vineyard La Rosa estate.

 

Rosa Regale has a delicate bouquet of rose petals and offers sensuous flavors of fresh raspberries and strawberries. Its effervescence is softer than that of champagne, yet it yields a persistent and delicate pink froth.  Its lively garnet color makes other sparklers pale in comparison.  Served chilled and with a low alcohol content, it serves as the perfect partner throughout the entire meal, beginning as an elegant aperitif, moving to a savory appetizer and ending with a sweet dessert. No wine pairs better with chocolate than Rosa Regale.  The bright fresh berry flavors complement the sweet velvet of the chocolate.  Rosa Regale is a seductive red sparkler that turns any occasion into a celebration.

 

According to popular tradition, the wine was greatly appreciated by, and was the preferred beverage of one of the most famous characters of the Italian comedy in masks, Gioan d’laduja or Giovanni of the jug.  The figure is said to have drawn inspiration for his bubbly high spirits from this fizzy red wine with a fragrant foam.

 

Legend also has it that both Julius Caesar and Marc Antony presented Cleopatra with several gourds of Brachetto.  The empress then had her lovers drink the wine in order to unleash their passion.

 

Rosa Regale is produced using the Charmat process or Metodo Italiano (Italian Method).  This method forces the second fermentation to happen in large stainless steel tanks prior to bottling, rather than in the bottle like the traditional méthod champenoise.  This process is best used on sparkling wines that are meant to be enjoyed young and relatively fresh.

 

 

 

2012 Banfi Brachetto d’Acqui Rosa Regale

The wine is a light, transparent red color.  The fresh and fruity nose has candied cherries, strawberries, subtle earthiness and rose water.  This has a light body with nice acidity and a fair amount of residual sweetness.  The wine pours with a nice mousse and the pinpoint bubbles are relentless.  On the palate the sweet fruit grabs your attention and refuses to let go.  The finish has decent length and again is totally fruit driven.  This is an off dry to sweet sparkling wine that would be a hit at a party where the wine is not the center of attention or as an after dinner sipper with friends beside a platter of dark chocolate.   Between the acidity and the persistent bubbles this easily avoids becoming cloyingly sweet.  (86 pts)

 

Conclusion:

This light bodied and sweet sipper is perfect for a small gathering of friends or to sip on the patio or deck on a warm evening.  With its low 7% alcohol, a second (or third) glass is not out of the question.  The general average price for this wine is around $20, but I see it being available via wine-searcher.com for as low as $15.

 

 

 

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!

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

 The Winery

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

 

The Wine

This 100% Pinot Noir is a blend of grapes from the following Central Coast vineyards:

Laetitia Vineyard- San Luis Obispo County

Sierra Madre Vineyard- Santa Barbara County

Antle Vineyard – Monterey County

Bien Nacido Vineyard- Santa Barbara County

Doctor’s Vineyard- Monterey County

Pedregal Vineyard – San Benito County

Chula Vina Vineyard- Monterey County

Besson Vineyard- Santa Clara County

Flint Vineyard- San Benito County

Idyll Times Vineyard- San Benito County

 

 

 

2012 Calera Pinot Noir – $23.93

I’ve enjoyed previous vintages of this wine, so I’m interested in seeing how this wine turned out in the highly acclaimed 2012 vintage.  This is usually a very nice middle of the road style of Pinot Noir.  It usually has some richness but is not overly ripe.

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium ruby red color.  The tempting and inviting nose has black cherries, baking spices, earthy underbrush, wild flowers, cola and a touch of spicy oak.  This has medium body, soft to moderate ripe tannins and good acidity.  On the palate the fruit is a bit brighter than the nose lead me to expect with tart cherries and baking spices up front with some building earthiness coming in on the back end.  The finish has decent length with fruit and spice carrying the load.  This is very nice for an entry level Pinot and a keeper for a touch over $20.  (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 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!

 

 

 

2004 Kaesler Shiraz The Bogan

2007 Stefania Cabernet Sauvignon Chaine d’ Or Vineyard

2005 Terre del Marchesato Emilio Primo Toscana IGT

2007 Keplinger Grenache N=1

 

 

 

2004 Kaesler Shiraz The Bogan – $36.99

This wine has 2% Viognier blended in with the Shiraz.  I was a bit surprised to see this wine was aged in Pennsylvanian oak barrels.  I did not even know there were oak barrels produced in PA, let alone exported to Australia.

 

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, dark ruby color.  The stunning nose has cassis, wood smoke, cedar, blackberries, warm baking spices, dark chocolate, dusty minerals, dried flowers and a touch of freshly ground dark roasted coffee.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate the rich fruit is buffered with solid spice, minerals and dark chocolate.  On the back end dark roasted coffee and a floral note come into the picture.  This is big and ripe but held together nicely with solid acidity and a good tannic backbone.  The finish shows the rich fruit with a nice overlay of spicy oak.  This is nicely balanced and seems to be entering a good drinking window and should hold for several more years.  A rock solid effort.  (94 pts)

 

 

2007 Stefania Cabernet Sauvignon Chaine d’ Or Vineyard – $30.00

I’ve been a big fan of the Rhone Ranger wines and blends produced by Stefania.  I grabbed a three pack of this wine a few years ago, but until now have yet to open one.

 

This has 14.1% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby color.  The distinct and appealing nose has cassis, mint, cedar, tobacco, baking spices, minerals, tomato leaf and dark chocolate.  This has medium body, moderate tannins and good acidity.  On the palate a nice core of cassis, mint and cedar hit up front with spice, minerals and a green herbal streak coming in on the back end.  The green element lingers through the fairly long finish and takes a turn towards jalapeño pepper.  If the green element integrates over the next couple of years, this will be an outstanding bottle of wine.  For now it’s good but not much more.  (87 pts)

 

 

2005 Terre del Marchesato Emilio Primo Toscana IGT – $18.83

This is a blend of  Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and a small amount of Petit Verdot from Tuscany.

 

The 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 with a touch of brick at the edge.  The luscious nose has cassis, cherries, baking spices, cedar, dried herbs, violets, minerals, dark chocolate and a touch of mint.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate rich fruit and spicy oak immediately grab your attention.  On the mid palate to back end dried herbs and minerals kick in.  The finish has very nice length with dark chocolate and a touch of mint entering the picture.  This seems to be at its peak right now but should easily last a few more years in the cellar.  Note, this wine threw a ton of sediment, so a quick decant is advised.  (92 pts)

 

 

2007 Keplinger Grenache N=1 – $70.00

Here’s the background on the wine’s name, N=1:

Always game for experimentation, we relented, selecting one 600L barrel to age for another year. This wine is the first iteration of this experiment, hence the name “N=1,” and it will only be repeated in truly exceptional vintages.

 

Production was a minuscule 60 cases, luckily 3 bottles were able to find a home in my cellar.

 

The wine has 15% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep dark red color.  The stunning nose has cherries, white pepper, warm baking spices, minerals, roasted herbs, cola and dried flowers.  This has medium to full body with moderate to solid tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate the tart cherries, white pepper and spices jump out first with roasted herbs and cola coming in on the back end.  The finish is extremely long and nicely layered.  This is absolutely stunning today but has not reached its peak.  Enjoy it with plenty of air or let it sleep in the cellar for a couple more years.  This would fit in nicely as a sleeper in a high end CdP tasting.  (95 pts)

 

 

Connect with me

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

 

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

 

Cheers!

 

 

This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com.  Copyright 2013 Cliff’s Wine Picks.

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

The Winery

Peay Vineyards is a first generation family winery.  Husband and wife, Nick Peay & Vanessa Wong, grow and make the wine and brother Andy Peay sells the wine and runs the business.  With minor exceptions, all wines are made from grapes grown on our 51-acre hilltop vineyard located above a river in the far northwestern corner of the West Sonoma Coast, 4 miles from the Pacific Ocean at Sea Ranch.  We grow 34 acres of Pinot Noir, 8 acres of Syrah, 7 acres of Chardonnay, 1.8 acres of Viognier, 0.4 acres of Roussanne and 0.2 acres of Marsanne.

 

Winemaker Vanessa Wong left her position as winemaker at Peter Michael Winery in 2001 to launch Peay Vineyards.  She formerly she worked at Château Lafite-Rothschild, Domaine Jean Gros and Hirsch Winery.

 

Nick, a UC Davis-trained and veteran Santa Cruz mountains winemaker, is the vineyard manager and works side-by-side with our full-time crew of 8 workers.

 

We farm organically and maintain our certifications for fish-friendly farming and integrated pest management.  The health of our vineyard dictates these approaches to farming and making wine.  We also run on bio-diesel at the vineyard and solar power at both the vineyard and winery.  The vineyard and winery are not a family heritage.  We bought an old apple orchard and sheep ranch in 1996, planted the first 30 acres in 1998, and have dedicated our lives to learning how to make superior wines from it.

 

We sell Pinot noir grapes to Williams Selyem and Failla Wineries for vineyard designate wines.

 

 

The Wine

This is the coldest Syrah vineyard in the U.S. and that is due in large part to the fog and wind blowing up the river valley from the Pacific Ocean. La Bruma (“the mist or fog”) pays tribute to the fog’s role in producing our unique microclimate.

 

To say 2010 was a harrowing year for growing Syrah on our vineyard is putting it a little lightly; we were going through verasion in the middle of September. That usually happens a full month earlier! The warm spell that hit California in mid-September helped accelerate ripening but by November we were simply out of time (and good weather) and picked what we had. What we had was one very good Syrah, not two. We did not make a 2010 Les Titans Syrah. Sigh. This is it for the next year. So, what is the 2010 La Bruma like?

 

The nose has the classic white pepper, hickory smoke, and floral perfume that have attracted people to our Syrah. The mouth adds iodine, lead and a venison quality to the floral profile that begs for it to be paired at the table. The acidity is mouth-watering and the tannins present but soft. The wine is lighter on the palate (clocks in under 13%) than our previous Syrah but is not lacking for seriousness.

 

Total production was 260 cases.

 

 

2010 Peay Vineyards Syrah La Bruma – $38.04

As a lover of cool climate Syrah, when I see a Syrah from “the coldest Syrah vineyard in the US” I have to jump in.

 

This wine has 12.8% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly deep garnet color.  The very appealing nose has blackberries, smoked meat, black pepper, plums, tobacco, baking spices, dried herbs, minerals and dried wild flowers.  This wine is barely medium body with moderate tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate fruit, spice and smoked meat grab hold initially, slowly allowing plums and black pepper to creep into the picture.  The finish has outstanding length with nice fruit slowly giving way to smoked meat.  This is very young but opened up nicely after an hour in a decanter.  Drink now with some air or preferably leave it in the cellar for another year or two.  (94 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!

 

 

 

2012 Block Nine Pinot Noir Caiden’s Vineyards

2008 Water Wheel Shiraz Plus (+)

2003 Château Potensac

2003 La Carraia Fobiano Umbria IGT

2009 Syncline Grenache-Carignan

2005 Cosentino Winery M. Coz Meritage Red

 

 

 

2012 Block Nine Pinot Noir Caiden’s Vineyards – $12.82

I grabbed a bottle of this wine from the local store as part of my search for an acceptable under $15 Pinot Noir to accompany a casual week night dinner.  I’ve actually been able to find a few keepers in the price range but I’m always on the lookout for more.

 

This has 13.1% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright red, almost transparent.  The slightly shy nose eventually shows cherries, earthy underbrush, strawberries, wild flowers and a little spice.  The wine has medium body, soft to moderate tannins and decent acidity.  This is much more open on the palate with tart cherries and nice earthiness up front with some spice and a faint herbal note coming in on the back end.  The finish is a touch short but with nice red fruit and a reappearance of the herbal note.  The wine offers no complexity but is crisp and clean with no flaws and no lingering sweetness.   For under $15 this isn’t bad for a week night family dinner, but not much more.  (86 pts)

 

 

2008 Water Wheel Shiraz Plus (+) – $10.44

The Plus in this wine’s name comes from 7% Malbec and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon being blended in with the Shiraz.  This is usually an easy drinking Aussie wine that pairs nicely with comfort foods on a week night.

 

This has 14.5% alcohol and the bottle is closed with a twist off cap.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to dark ruby color.  The very nice nose has cherries, blackberries, baking spices, dried herbs, vanilla, dried flowers and some earthy underbrush.  This has medium to full body with soft to moderate tannins and good acidity.  On the palate spicy cherries and juicy berries jump out first with some vanilla and spicy oak coming in later.  The finish has decent length with some earthiness coming into the picture.  This is a nice, easy going wine that is not very complex but tasty.  (88 pts)

 

 

2003 Château Potensac – $19.99

This is one of my favorite economically priced Bordeaux wines.  In good vintages this wine usually represents a great value.  In this vintage the wine is a blend of 43.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot and 23.5% Cabernet Franc.

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly dark ruby to purple color. The very open and inviting nose has cassis, minerals, tobacco, licorice, baking spices, leather, dried herbs, cherries, and cedar. This has medium body, moderate tannins, and very nice acidity. Nice fruit, spice and minerals take center stage on the palate with some spicy oak coming in on the back end. The finish has decent length but the oak does pop out a touch and the tannins get a touch chalky. This is a nice value priced Bordeaux.  (89 pts)

 

 

2003 La Carraia Fobiano Umbria IGT – $19.99

This wine is a blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Umbria region of Italy.  The wine was fermented in stainless steel tanks and aged in a mix of old and new oak barrels.

 

This 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 classic nose has cassis, tobacco, leather, cedar, cherries, baking spices, cocoa powder and minerals.  This has medium body with moderate tannins and good acidity.  On the palate the fruit and cedar jump out initially with baking spices, cocoa powder and cherries coming in on the back end.  The finish has decent length with a bit of earthiness coming into the picture.  The tannins do get a touch chalky on the finish.  This is probably as good as it will get with this one, which isn’t too bad.  (89 pts)

 

 

2009 Syncline Grenache-Carignan – $19.94

If you’ve been reading my posts for more than just a couple of weeks, you’ll see I love just about all wines.  That said, my heart belongs to the grapes from the Rhone region in France.  I think these are some of the most versatile grapes in the world.  These grapes seem to be able to adapt to where ever they are planted and can produce many different styles of wine.  I found this specific wine when a  friend tweeted he had this in his glass one evening.  I was able to track down a few bottles from a store in Washington.  A few days later, they were in my cellar.

 

This is a 50/50 blend of Grenache and Carignan from the Columbia Valley in Washington.  I’ve had a couple bottles of this wine last year, but felt it would be better with a bit of cellar time.  I guess it’s time to check in to see how it’s going.  As an added bonus, the wine is closed with a glass stopper.  In my opinion the best stopper for wines that will be consumed in three to eight years.  I need to see some research before I can extend the top end of that range.  I think these stoppers are a bit too costly to use on wines meant to be consumed not long after release.

 

The wine has 14.2% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a glass stopper.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a shade lighter than a medium ruby red color.  The bright and cheerful nose has raspberries, cherries, minerals, baking spices, licorice, wild flowers, and just a touch of underbrush.  This has medium body, moderate to solid  ripe tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate this has nice red fruits, spice and some earthiness with no rough edges.  The finish has decent length and again features the red fruit, spice and a touch of earthiness.  This should hold for a couple more years, but is very tasty today.  (90 pts)

 

 

2005 Cosentino Winery M. Coz Meritage Red – $39.99

This was the “flagship” wine from Cosentino and was priced accordingly.  The release price on this wine $150.  As you can see, I was able to grab several bottles from Invino for about 25% of that price.  This is a blend of blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, 15% Merlot, and 2% Petite Verdot from Yountville, St. Helena, PopeValley and Oakville.

 

This wine has 14.6% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby color.  The enticing nose has cassis, cedar, mocha, dried herbs, minerals, licorice, leather and dark chocolate.  This has medium body with moderate to solid tannins and very nice acidity.  This still tastes a bit young.  The palate features sweet, ripe fruit  and spicy oak up front with minerals and dried herbs coming in on the back end.  The finish has very nice length with the rich fruit and spicy oak carrying the load.  This should drink nicely through the end of the decade.  (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!

 

 

 

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.

 

The Winery

In 1971 Charles F. (Charlie) Wagner and his wife Lorna Belle Glos Wagner asked their son Charles J. (Chuck) Wagner, who had just graduated from high school, if he would be interested in joining them in starting up a winery.  If Chuck declined the offer, Charlie and Lorna were planning to sell out of their ranch in NapaValley and move to Australia.  Chuck accepted his parents’ offer to launch the winery, Caymus Vineyards.

 

The Wagners produced their first vintage in 1972, consisting of 240 cases of Cabernet Sauvignon.  Since then, Caymus has focused their efforts in the production of quality Cabernet Sauvignon.  Today’s production is 65,000 cases.

 

Caymus Vineyards remains 100% family-owned by the Wagners.  Charlie, Lorna Belle, and Chuck worked together as a remarkable team for over 30 years building Caymus Cabernet.  Today, Chuck, his two sons, Charlie and Joe, and one daughter, Jenny, have joined the family team. Farming grapes remain the priority with the family farming about 350 acres of choice Napa Valley land.

 

The Wagners took the name Caymus from the Mexican land grant known as Rancho Caymus, given to George Yount in 1836, which encompassed what eventually became the town of Rutherford and much of the surrounding area.

 

 

The Wine

Caymus Vineyards produces two Cabernets Sauvignons, the generic Napa Valley and the “Special Selection”.  The “house style” for Caymus is a dark, rich, supple wine with smooth tannins.  The winery uses extended “hang time” to achieve their style.  The technique, which risks the loss of crop if an early winter sets in, is simply allowing the grapes to “hang” on the vines as long as possible.

 

Caymus Special Selection is the flagship wine of the Wagner family.  Even though the winery says this wine is not produced in difficult years, the last vintage the wine was not produced was 1993.  Both the “Napa Valley” and “Special Selection” Cabernets are produced under the winemaking hand of Chuck Wagner.

 

Caymus has long been one of the benchmark Cabernet Sauvignon wines from Napa.  Caymus Special Selection is created by selecting the best barrels of wine from the vintage.  The grapes for this wine come from various vineyards scattered around the NapaValley.  In this vintage the appellation breakdown is Rutherford 32%, Atlas Peak 15%, Oak Knoll 14%, St Helena 9%,  Yountville 6% and 24% from lesser known areas in the valley.

 

 

2008 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection – $91.04

After 35 years of being a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon wine, this vintage included 14% Merlot.  I was able to buy my bottles at a very special price; this wine is generally over $100 a bottle.  On the current auction market, this wine is close to $125 a bottle.

 

This wine has 15.4% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark purple color.  The very nice and inviting nose has cassis, roasted herbs, baking spices, fresh ground dark roast coffee, dried herbs, cherry, dark chocolate, vanilla and a touch of eucalyptus.  This has medium to full body with moderate ripe tannins and good acidity.  The wine is rich and plush on the palate with loads of crushed berries, baking spices, and dark chocolate.  Dried herbs and cherries come in on the back end filling out the palate and adding depth.  The finish is long and rich with vanilla coming in as well as some eucalyptus and dark chocolate.  This is delicious right now but with all the richness, I don’t know if this will be one to hold long term.  I’d advise enjoying over the next several years.  (94 pts)

 

 

What would I pair with this wine?  How about a thick, medium rare New York Strip Steak with some freshly made herb butter served over a bed of crisp French fries.  Add a few pieces of grilled baguette and you have a perfect dinner for two.

 

 

 

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!

 

 

 

2004 Casanuova delle Cerbaie Brunello di Montalcino

2005 Carlisle Syrah Bennett Valley

2007 Von Hövel Scharzhofberger Riesling Spätlese

2009 Bedrock Wine Co. Zinfandel Old Vine

 

 

 

2004 Casanuova delle Cerbaie Brunello di Montalcino – $25.34

This wine is a prime example of why you should support your local wine store.  Sometimes a distributor for whatever reason, has excess stock they would like to clear out.  If you are on good terms with a local store, you can get a heads up of a great close out deal.  I bought this Brunello for a touch over $25 the community average cost on Cellar Tracker is over $32 and this wine sells at auction for over $37.  Of course, a great price is only great if you like the wine.  Time to see if I got this one at a great price.

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a red to ruby color with a touch of brick at the edge.  The slightly different but appealing nose has raspberries, cherries, baking spice, earthy underbrush, dried flowers, roasted herbs, minerals, mushrooms, and a touch of mint.  This has medium body, slightly chalky tannins and good acidity.  On the palate the baking spices, red fruit and earthiness kick in first with oak, minerals and more earthiness coming in on the back end.  The finish has decent length with a touch of mint add a nice closing element.  This is on the young side but came around nicely with some air.  (92 pts)

 

 

2005 Carlisle Syrah Bennett Valley – $36.00

I sure am glad I jumped on the Carlisle mailing list before they became a big name.  Mike Officer produces some of the best wines in California and sells them at very wallet friendly prices.

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark purple color.  The show stopping nose had blackberries, black olives, charred meat, cherries, bacon fat, licorice, roasted herbs and violets.  This has a fairly full body with moderate to solid ripe tannins and good acidity.  Berries, meat and cherries coat the palate slowly allowing black olives and roasted herbs to share the stage.  The long and lingering finish displays ever evolving layers of flavors.  This wine seems to be just entering a nice drinking window and should hold for several years.  (93 pts)

 

 

2007 Von Hövel Scharzhofberger Riesling Spätlese – $13.29

We love German Riesling.  To me they offer some of the best values you can find on a store’s shelf.  These are very versatile wines that go great with a wide range of foods.  If you ever have the opportunity to sample or buy a German Riesling with a decade or two of age on it, jump for it.

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a clear, pale yellow with a very slight green tint. The very fresh and inviting nose has apples, minerals, lime, orange zest, peaches, and a touch of petrol and white pepper. This has light to medium body with nice residual sweetness and very good balancing acidity. This is rich and luscious on the palate with juicy fruit, minerals, citrus, and nice sweetness. The finish is fairly long and very flavorful. This has the complete package and is very nicely balanced. This is enjoyable now but will last in the cellar for at least another decade and improve along the way.  (94 pts)

 

 

2009 Bedrock Wine Co. Zinfandel Old Vine – $22.50

Morgan Twain-Peterson has followed the lead of Carlisle’s Mike Officer, make very good fines from old vines and sell them for great prices.  I’m not sure of the status of Bedrock’s mailing list, but I recommend either getting on the list or accepting a spot on their waiting list.  Besides very good red wines, Bedrock produces some truly outstanding white wines.

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark maroon color.  The very open and expressive nose has brambly berries, plums, warm baking spices, vanilla, minerals, dried flowers, white pepper and a touch of dark bittersweet chocolate.  This has a medium to full body with moderate to solid tannins and very good acidity.  Tart berries and spice initially grab the palate with white pepper, vanilla and minerals breaking through on the back end.  The finish has nice length with dark chocolate and some earthiness coming into the picture.  I don’t remember past bottles showing as much acidity so there may be a bit of bottle variation.  (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.

 

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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

 

 

 

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

 

 

Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase.  I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but 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!