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

Lacuna is a winery I “found” only because Morgan Twain-Peterson is their wine maker.  This would have probably gone unnoticed until Morgan’s name jumped out at me.  Morgan Twain-Peterson is the owner/winemaker for Bedrock Wine Company.  He also is the son of Joel Peterson of Ravenswood fame.

 

Don’t miss the special deal the winery is offering below in the Special Bonus Offer area. 

 

The Winery

Our small partnership group is comprised of 3 industry friends.  None of us with any claim to fame so our names remain in the background behind our rock-star winemaker!  One of us operates a Burgundy and Bordeaux import company, the other two of us are active in the sales and marketing efforts of several wineries in California.  We’ve all worked as wine consultants.  I have worked as a sommelier in what now seems like a past life!  We all have young children and work very hard to balance the demands of juggling multiple jobs (including Lacuna) with being attentive fathers.  We are fortunate to work in our field of passion and interest and feel absolutely privileged to have the talents of Morgan Twain-Peterson on board.  He is just as enjoyable of a person as he is talented a winemaker!

 

The Wine

The 2010 is a slightly atypical wine for Lacuna.  We experimented with a much higher percentage of Petite Sirah(42%)  from 120 year old Sonoma vines than we ever had before and likely will ever again.  Not that we were entirely unhappy with the result but given our cool vineyard sources for our Syrah, Lacuna certainly exists in a more savory band-width than many other wines based on this varietal.  Our goal that year was to add some structure to the wine which philosophically all the partners at Lacuna agree is one of the cornerstones of serious red wine.  The classic European wines that we are drawn to all have an elevated element of structure (both acid and tannin).  The old vine Petite was a successful addition to achieve this but our discovery was that it sent the wine in a backwards direction on the palate took quite some time to get to an optimal “drinkability” state.  In subsequent vintages we used techniques like whole cluster fermentations with our Syrah to achieve desired levels of spice and added structure.  We found this to work ideally for us in every way and have continued with high percentages of stem inclusion in the ’11, ’12 & ’13 vintages.

 

 

 

2010 Lacuna Wines Proprietary Red Blend – $28.99

This is a blend of 58% cool climate Syrah and 42% Petite Sirah from 120 year old vines.

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep purple color.  The very powerful nose has blackberries, smoked meat, dying wood embers, licorice, roasted herbs, dried violets, blueberries, warm baking spices, vanilla, black peppercorns, and a hint of eucalyptus.  This has a full body, a solid wall of tannins and good acidity.  On the palate the smoked meat, pepper and roasted herbs initially grab hold before slowly and reluctantly allowing some fruit and spice to enter the picture.  On the back end the smoked meat and wood embers re-emerge.  The finish is surprisingly long with layers of tannins clinging to your palate.  Give this monster a few years in the cellar or as they say, “serve it with a slab of rare brontosaurus”.  (94 pts)

 

In Summary

Don’t open this expecting a soft, fruity, easy drinking California Syrah, you’ll be disappointed.  If you set your sights on a big, meaty, chewy Northern Rhone bottle of Syrah, you won’t be disappointed.  The large Petite Sirah content adds considerable muscle to this wine and helps push the fruit component a little into the background.  The fruit is there, just not up front and in your face.  In my opinion, this is very drinkable today with a chunk of rare to medium rare meat, but I like a solid wall of tannins.  That said, this will be much better down the road.  If you can, stash this in the back of your cellar for a few years, you will be very handsomely rewarded for your patience.

 

Special Bonus Offer

This wine was previously thought to be sold out but the partners found a few cases in their personal “library stash”.  The wine is not on their website, but is available to readers of Cliff’s Wine Picks.  The wine is available for $28.99 a bottle (plus shipping and applicable taxes) by e-mailing info@lacunawines.com.   That price is the same as the winery’s current release.  Like I said, this wine is not available on the winery’s website.  This is coming from their personal library and is available only via this offer.

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

2011 Ridge Lytton Springs

2012 Dutcher Crossing Zinfandel Bernier-Sibary Vineyard

2011 Dry Creek Vineyard Zinfandel Beeson Ranch

 

 

Field Blend Zinfandel from Dry Creek Valley

ZAP (Zinfandel Advocates & Producers’ annual festival) was held on January 23-25^th.  I was invited by Anne Alderete of McCue Marketing Communications to participate in a special virtual tasting for those unable to make the trip to San Francisco.  On Wednesday, January 22nd, three zinfandels were showcased that were made in an “old school” style — called “field blend Zins”.  These were all from the Dry Creek Valley, an AVA in Sonoma County that has been setting the bar for Zinfandel for more than 100 years.  These Field Blend Zins are primarily zinfandel, but are grown and picked together with a small percentage of other grapes; the fruit is then co-fermented.

 

The Dry Creek Valley is a 16 miles long, 2 mile wide valley that is the home to over 9,000 acres of vineyards.  The valley has been the home to vineyards for 140 years.  The Dry Creek Valley has one of the densest concentrations of Old Vine Zinfandel vineyards in the world

 

The winemakers participating in the event:

John Olney of Ridge Lytton Springs

Kerry Damskey of Dutcher Crossing Winery

Nova Perrill, Assistant Winemaker of Dry Creek Vineyard

 

 

You can view the video of the chat by visiting the site by clicking here.

 

 

 

The line-up for this tasting:

 

 

2011 Ridge Lytton Springs – SRP $38

This is a blend of 82% Zinfandel, 16% Petite Sirah and 2% Carignane.

 

The wine has 14.4% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark ruby to purple color.  The nose has brambly berries, roasted herbs, white pepper, scorched earth, minerals and wild flowers.  This has medium body, moderate tannins and good acidity.  On the palate was initially restrained, with some air berries and minerals came through up front with roasted herbs, pepper and earthiness on the back end.  Nice length with some dark chocolate coming into the picture.  This was very balanced and much more open and flavorful on the second day.  I’d recommend sitting on this one for a few months or give it some air.  (91 pts)

 

 

2012 Dutcher Crossing Zinfandel Bernier-Sibary Vineyard – SRP $43

This is a blend of 75% Zinfandel, 10% Petite Sirah, 10% Carignane and 5% Matero (Mourvedre).

 

The wine has 14.9% 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 nose has brambly berries, earth, smoke, black cherries, minerals and underbrush.  This has medium to full body, moderate tannins and good acidity.  On the palate there are rich berries, minerals and smoke up front with building earthiness on the back end.  This has a long lush finish.  This is a smooth and rich style of zin that should impress most Zinfandel fans.  (93 pts)

 

 

2011 Dry Creek Vineyard Zinfandel Beeson Ranch – SRP $38

This is a blend of 85% Zinfandel and 15% Petite Sirah.

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to dark ruby color.  The nose has berries, cherry, minerals, baking spices and licorice.  This has medium body, moderate to solid tannins and good acidity.  On the palate there are berries and tart cherries up front with spice, pepper and minerals coming in on the back end.  This has decent length on the finish with some dried earth coming in.  The wine was better on the second day with some added lushness and smoother tannins.  (87 pts)

 

 

Conclusion

This was a very enjoyable event with one of my all time favorite wines in this category, the Ridge Lytton Springs.  The event also included a new winery for me, Dutcher Cross, which I will actively search for in the future.  The Dry Creek Vineyard wine wasn’t shabby and would make any evening meal a much nicer experience.

 

I want to say thanks to McCue Marketing Communications and specifically Anne Aldrete for including me in the event.  I also have to express my gratitude to the wineries for supplying the wines for the tasting.

 

 

 

Connect with me

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

 

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

 

Cheers!

 

 

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

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

2007 Scherrer Winery Syrah ‘Sasha’

2006 Pasanau Priorat Ceps Nous

2009 Reyneke Capstone

2010 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Rosella’s Vineyard

 

 

2007 Scherrer Winery Syrah ‘Sasha’ – $31.99

I’m a long time fan of Scherrer Zinfandels and Pinot Noirs.  When I saw this bottle of Scherrer Syrah on a store’s shelf, I had to grab a bottle.  It will be nice to see what Fred can do with one of my favorite grapes.

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright ruby red color.  The slightly shy nose smells like a warm berry pie with dried flowers, minerals, dark chocolate and some subtle earthiness.  This is barely medium body with moderate tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate the berry pie flavors hit first with minerals and some earthiness coming in later.  The finish has good length and picks up a nice floral note and bittersweet chocolate.  This is somewhere between your typical California Syrah and one from the France’s Rhone Valley.  (91 pts)

 

 

 

2006 Pasanau Priorat Ceps Nous – $18.99

This wine is a blend of Garnacha, Merlot, Mazuelo, and Syrah.  This was purchased a few years ago from Garagiste Wine.  I had a bottle about a year ago that was outstanding but I felt it would improve with some additional cellar time, time to check in again.

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep garnet color.  The sensuous nose has black cherries, minerals, dried herbs, raspberries, vanilla, wildflowers, blueberries, black pepper, and a slight hit of eucalyptus.  This has medium body, moderate ripe tannins, and very good acidity.  The wine is rich and velvety on the palate with lush fruit up front and minerals, dried herbs, spicy oak, and pepper kicking in on the back end and carrying through the long finish.  This is an outstanding bottle of wine, not as rough and tumble as I was expecting.  This can be enjoyed over the next half decade, perhaps longer.  (92 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Reyneke Capstone – 25.69

This is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Shiraz and 10% Merlot from the Stellenbosch region of South Africa.  I’ve never been a big fan of South African wines, to me they always seem to be looking for an identity.  This one received a high score and a great review from Wine Advocate.

This has 14.0% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep garnet color.  The exotic nose has cherries, raspberries, mint, black pepper, dried herbs, minerals and dried flowers.  This is barely medium body with moderate to solid tannins and good acidity.  On the palate the red fruit and chalky minerals start the show with dried herbs and black pepper coming through on the back end.  The finish get a touch lean but adds a nice floral note.  This just seems to be missing a few parts and comes up a bit short on providing an enjoyable glass of wine.  (86 pts)

 

 

 

2010 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Rosella’s Vineyard – $46.00

If you follow this blog, you already know I’m a big fan of Brian Loring’s wines.  His Rosella’s Vineyard is generally my second favorite wine behind the Clos Pepe wines.  These are generally made in a bigger riper style, very Californian.  If you’re looking for a Burgundian style of wine, look elsewhere.  If you are looking for a rich and flavorful Pinot Noir, welcome home.

This has 14.9% alcohol by volume and is closed with a twist off cap.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a nice deep garnet red color.  The easy to enjoy nose has black raspberries, black cherries, minerals, wild flowers, baking spices, earthy underbrush and a touch of mint.  This has medium to full body, soft to moderate ripe tannins and good acidity.  On the palate spicy dark fruit and some earthiness hit first, followed by minerals and a hint of mint.  The finish has great length and full of nicely layered fruit, spice and earthiness.  May be a touch on the young side but this tastes marvelous.  (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!

 

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 may be feeling like Spring in some parts of the country, but in the Midwest and Northeast, we can tell you it’s still Winter.  What’s better on a cold, snowy evening than a nice plate of pasta with a thick meat sauce?  The perfect pairing for this dish or even a nice pizza is an Italian Chianti.  This week’s wine of the week is a 2010 Isole e Olena Chianti Classico.

 

 

The Winery

The name ‘Isole e Olena’ was conceived in the 1950’s when two adjoining estates, ‘Isole’ and ‘Olena’ were purchased by the De Marchi family and were combined to form one.  Today the Isole e Olena estate is run by Paolo De Marchi and his family.  Paolo comes from a family with three generations of winemaking experience in the northern section of Piedmont .  He was raised in close contact with the wine world as he has always enthusiastically followed the development of his grandfather’s estate located near Gattinara, Villa Sperino, where Lessona wine is produced.  The traditional 4-grape Chianti Classico blend was gradually altered to diminish the quantity of white grapes present until complete elimination.  Thus the Isole o Olena Chianti evolved from being a light, young wine to the fuller-bodied wine of today, which is destined for cellar aging.  Simultaneously Paolo began experimenting with the production of a wine made exclusively of Sangiovese grapes.  His efforts in this direction have yielded the resultant wine named Cepparello.  In 1980 he produced the first Cepparello.

 

Many of the wineries in the Chianti Region double as tourist attractions.  Not Paolo De Marchi’s Isole e Olena; when you turn right at the main gate and drive by the burnished steel fermentation tanks, you will come to a muddy square where you may find someone working on a wagon with an arc welder.

 

“We don’t have time for tourism,” says Paolo.  “It would distract us from our wines.” His dedication is our gain; Isole e Olena’s wines are superb.  In addition to Chianti Classico, there is Cepparello, a pure Sangiovese of towering complexity and finesse, and a breathtaking Vinsanto.  The winery also produces a Cabernet Sauvignon, a Chardonnay, and L’Eremo, a Syrah.

 

 

The Wine

The wines that emanate from the Isole e Olena winery in Tuscany are some of the most sought after in the region each vintage.  Run with a rigorous attention to detail and quality by Paolo de Marchi (whose family united the “Isole” and “Olena” wine estates to form Isole e Olena in the 1950s) past tasting results make it easy to see why the wines of Isole e Olena remain so sought after.

 

80% Sangiovese, 15% Canaiolo and 5% Syrah in the 2010 vintage, Isole e Olena’s Chianti Classico is probably the wine (along with the 100% Sangiovese Isole e Olena “Cepparello”) for which the Isole e Olena winery has become best known.  Fermented in stainless steel tanks, this 2010 Isole e Olena Chianti was then matured for one year in primarily older oak (the typical capacity of the barrels used was 4000 litres).

 

 

 

2010 Isole e Olena Chianti Classico – $18.59

This has been a favorite since a friend suggested I give it a try.  In the seemingly never ending Wisconsin winters, pasta and a good Chianti always makes it feel a little nicer no matter how cold it is or how hard it is snowing.

 

This wine has 14.0% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a nice ruby red color. The very enjoyable nose has cherries, plums, baking spices, dried herbs, violets, and a touch of earthy underbrush. This wine has medium body with ripe tannins and very good acidity. On the palate the wine has nice tart red fruit and spice up front with some earthy elements coming in later adding depth and complexity. The finish has good length with the tart fruit, spices, and earthiness held together nicely by the acidity. If you can find this for under $20, stock up.  (91 pts)

 

 

In Summary

Even though it makes up only 5% of the blend, the Syrah adds body, dried herbs, and a hint of darker fruit to this wine.  This is a very serious Chianti Classico that would excel with just about any Italian dish with meat included in the preparations.  The typically outstanding acidity from the predominant Sangiovese helps the wine stand up to any dish with tomatoes.

 

It looks like the 2011 vintage is the current vintage but the 2010 vintage is still readily available either on your local wine store’s shelf or via Wine-Searcher.

 

 

 

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.

 

2009 Elyse Zinfandel Morisoli Vineyard

2008 Elyse Cabernet Sauvignon Morisoli Vineyard

 

 

 

Elyse Winery

This very special tasting includes two of my favorite wines from one of my favorite wineries.  I’ve been a big fan of Elyse Winery since my first visit to wine country well over a decade ago.  Over the years I have opened and enjoyed several cases of Elyse wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Grenache, Zinfandel and more, as well as numerous blends.  These are always well made and reasonably priced wines made by very nice and friendly people.  If you ever make it to the Napa Valley, I highly recommend a stop at Elyse.

 

For more information on Elyse or to order wine, please visit their website by clicking here.

 

Morisoli Vineyard

Morisoli Vineyard is owned by Gary and Melody Morisoli.  This vineyard, in the Rutherford area of Napa Valley, has been in the Morisoli family for over 100 years.  Gary Morisoli doesn’t know when the family purchased the property, but he knows his grandfather was born in one of the property’s three houses in 1902.

 

The original property consisted of 10 acres.  Gary’s grandfather eventually doubled the size of the property and Gary added an additional 37 acres.  Today the vineyard only grows Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon.  The vineyard has been growing Zinfandel for over 100 years but Cabernet Sauvignon wasn’t planted until the early 1980s.  The youngest vines on the property are from the mid 1990s.  Until the early 1960s, the vineyard was also home to Gamay, Carignan, Sauvignon Vert and Petite Syrah.  The property survived prohibition by selling the grapes for “sacramental” winemaking purposes both in California and on the East Coast.  The family also kept a few wine barrels of their own in the basement.

 

Fun Fact: When asked what his favorite wine is, Gary responded “Pepsi.” He’s a farmer, not a wine connoisseur.  Except, of course, when he’s mixing the two.  In the tradition of the Italians, he does like to mix 2 parts Pepsi with 1 part red wine.

 

 

 

The Line up

Here is the lineup for this tasting:

 

 

2009 Elyse Zinfandel Morisoli Vineyard – SRP $37

Elyse has been making Zinfandel from the Morisoli Vineyard since 1986 and have been the only producer working with these grapes since 1988.  The old field-blend vines, Rutherford Bench terroir, and traditional farming practices always create a truly distinctive Zinfandel.

 

This wine is 87% Zinfandel with the remaining 13% being a combination of Alicante Bouschet, Carignane, Durif, Grand Noir, Muscat Hamburg, Négrette, Syrah, and Valdiguié.

 

After a 16 day fermentation using native yeast, the wine was aged 10 ½ months in American oak barrels, with 25% being new.

 

The wine has 14.6% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  There were 2,397 cases of wine produced.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep ruby to purple color.  The comforting nose has brambly berries, warm baking spices, white pepper, minerals, dark bittersweet chocolate, wild flowers, eucalyptus and some subtle earthiness.  This has medium to full body, fairly solid tannins and very nice acidity.  On the palate tart berries with spice and pepper jump out first with minerals and some earthiness coming in on the back end.  The finish has nice length with dark chocolate and a hint of eucalyptus entering the picture.  This tastes very good today, but will reward a bit of time in the cellar.  (92 pts)

 

 

2008 Elyse Cabernet Sauvignon Morisoli Vineyard – SRP $70

This wine is a blend of 96% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Petit Verdot.

 

The wine was fermented for 15 days using native yeast.  The wine was then aged for 30 months in French oak barrels with 60% being new.

 

The wine has 14.8% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.  The total production was 777 cases and 20 cases of magnums.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep garnet color.  The intoxicating nose has cassis, minerals, mint, dry earth, dried herbs, tobacco, licorice, and dark chocolate.  This has medium body, solid tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate cassis, minerals and a touch of mint hit first with some building earthiness coming in on the back end.  The long and lingering finish adds some dark chocolate.  This is very young and deserves a couple years in the cellar, which will be greatly rewarded.  As of today, with plenty of air it is delicious with a piece of juicy meat to help buffer the wall of tannins.  Let this one sleep.  (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!

 

 

 

2008 Carlisle Zinfandel Gold Mine Ranch

2009 Domaine André Brunel Côtes du Rhône Cuvée Sommelongue

2011 Michael Pozzan Winery Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

2008 Villa Creek Mas de Maha

2005 Vincent Arroyo Petite Sirah

2011 Château Saint-Roch Maury Sec Kerbuccio

 

 

 

2008 Carlisle Zinfandel Gold Mine Ranch – $31.00

There were only 180 cases of this wine produced.  There is a touch of Carignane blended in with the Zinfandel.

 

This has 15.2% 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 very open and opulent nose has raspberries, licorice, dried flowers, cherries, black pepper, dried herbs, warm baking spices and a touch of scorched earth.  This has medium to full body with moderate tannins and good acidity.  Sweet, warm berry pie greets the palate and almost immediately is joined by cherries, black pepper and herbs with some building earthiness coming in late.  The finish has very nice length but a bit of alcohol is peeking through the seams.  This isn’t as bit and rich as some Carlisle zinfandels, this is more Pinot like and elegant.  I’d recommend drinking this one sooner rather than later before the alcohol gets too out of control on the back end and finish.  (91 pts)

 

 

2009 Domaine André Brunel Côtes du Rhône Cuvée Sommelongue – $8.54

This is a blend of 85% Grenache and 15% Syrah from 40 year old vineyards.

 

This has 14.0% alcohol by volume and is sealed with a twist off closure.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is garnet red color.  The enticing nose has blackberries, black olives, scorched earth, cherries, dried herbs, and wood smoke.  This has medium body, moderate chalky tannins and good acidity.  On the palate the fruit and savory elements co-exist peacefully with neither trying to steal the show.  The finish has nice length and leans on the savory side of the spectrum.  This isn’t one to stash away, open this one over the next few years and enjoy.  Offers great QPR if you can find it for under $10.  (89 pts)

 

 

2011 Michael Pozzan Winery Pinot Noir Russian River Valley – $15.38

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.

 

This has 13.5% ABV and the bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a bright, semi-transparent red color.  The soft and relaxing nose has cherries, baking spices, earthy underbrush, strawberries and a touch of licorice.  This wine is barely medium bodied with soft to moderate tannins and good acidity.  On the palate tart cherries and spice pop out first with strawberries and earthy elements coming in on the back end.  The finish has decent length but gets a touch thin and shows a bit of scratchy oak.  A nice under $20 Russian River Pinot.  (88 pts)

 

 

2008 Villa Creek Mas de Maha – $29.75

This is a blend of 60% Tempranillo, 20% Grenache and 10% each Mourvedre and Carignan from Paso Robles.  There were only 375 cases of this wine produced.

 

This has 15.2% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a twist off closure.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep maroon color, much lighter at the edge.  An outstanding nose with raspberries, black cherries, minerals, vanilla, dark chocolate, dried flowers, baking spices, dried herbs and some earthiness.  Fairly full bodied with solid, ripe tannins and good acidity.  Nice spicy fruit on the palate with savory elements kicking in on the back end.  The long finish highlighted by the spicy fruit and just a bit oak and dried herbs.  Just entering a prime drinking window, enjoy this one over the next 3 to 4 years.  The best vintage yet for this perennial favorite.  (93 pts)

 

 

2005 Vincent Arroyo Petite Sirah – $14.99

This winery produces some of my favorite Petite Sirah wines out there.  This was purchased for about half price from Wines Till Sold Out (WTSO.com).

 

This wine has 12.84% alcohol and the bottle was sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly deep ruby color.  The appealing nose has blackberries, baking spices, black pepper, minerals, underbrush, and a hint of band aid or adhesive tape (bret).  The wine is barely medium body with fairly solid tannins and very good acidity.  Nice spicy, peppery fruit on the palate with some earthiness and minerals in the background.  Once again, there is just a slight hint of band aid on the palate, but it actually adds to the palate instead of coming across as a flaw.  The finish is a touch short but nice earthy berries are good while they last.  If you are overly sensitive to the band aid influences of bret, you will hate this wine, if you think a touch of bret isn’t necessarily bad, you’ll like it.  I’m in the like it but not love it camp.  With the nice balance, solid tannins and acidity, this should last in the cellar for several more years.  (90 pts)

 

It was a cold, snowy day here in the upper Midwest.  We decided to enjoy a comfort food favorite from our years in Texas.  We made up some Chicken Fried Steak with mashed potatoes and covered everything with some cream gravy.  This was a perfect accompaniment with the Vincent Arroyo Petite Sirah.

 

 

 

2011 Château Saint-Roch Maury Sec Kerbuccio – $16.06

This is a blend of 40% Syrah, 30% Mourvedre and 30% Grenache that was aged in concrete tanks for 8 months.

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

The is a deep ruby to purple color.  The very enticing nose has blackberry liqueur, blueberries, minerals, dying wood embers, scorched earth, baking spices, violets, and a touch of vanilla.  This has a fairly full body, moderate tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate the dark berries and spice coat the palate slowly allowing some earthiness, minerals, and a floral note to break through. The finish is long and nicely layered.  This is on the young side but it opened nicely after about 45 minutes.  (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!

 

 

Here are the top wines I sampled or drank in 2013.  It was a hard task since narrowing the list down to only 10 wines since I had tasting notes on well over 500 wines this year.

 

These wines were selected based purely on how much I enjoyed them.  Unfortunately, since most of the wines I open have been in my cellar for a number of years, they are not available to purchase today in the normal retail market.  Some are probably available on the auction sites, like WineBid.  If you are interested in any specific wine, let me know and I can help you track down a bottle.

 

I have another list that will come out in the next week or two of only wines that I purchased in 2013 that cost under $20.

 

 

 

 

10 – 2000 Poderi Luigi Einaudi Barolo Costa Grimaldi – $50.99

I bought this wine after trying it at a tasting event at a local store.  I liked it at that time, but knew it would be immensely better with some extended cellar time.  I was able to ignore the bottle for the better part of a decade.  It’s time to see if the wait was worthwhile.  I should note, I am generally more of a Barbaresco fan than Barolo.

This is listed at 14.0% alcohol by volume and is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium ruby red color with a slight brick tint.  The nose on this wine is absolutely stunning, full of black cherries, minerals, roses, violets, mint, licorice, tar, and earthy underbrush.  This has medium body, moderate tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate the fruit and savory elements take turns strutting their stuff with the savory notes eventually grabbing the show with the fruit providing nice background sweetness.  The finish is very long with some earthiness entering the picture.  No hurry on this one, it improved constantly until the bottle was prematurely empty.  (95 pts)

 

 

 

9 – 2010 Bedrock Wine Co. Zinfandel Monte Rosso Vineyard – $38.00

This will by my first bottle of wine from the winery using grapes from the outstanding Monte Rosso Vineyard.  Owner/wine maker, Morgan Twain-Peterson was able to secure grapes from the same block his father Joel used to create the outstanding wines for his old winery, Ravenswood.

 

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)

 

 

 

8 – 2007 Big Basin Vineyards Mandala – $35.00

I opened this wine to participate in an online winechat about the wines of the Santa Cruz Mountains of California.  Everyone has heard of Ridge, but there are loads of other wineries in the region making outstanding wines.  As I’ve said in the past, I think Big Basin is one big score from one of the major wine reviewing periodicals away from appearing everyone’s radar.  I’ve been a big fan of Big Basin’s Syrah wines and blends for a few years.  I would highly recommend checking them out.  This is mainly Syrah with a small percentage of Cabernet in the blend. I believe I read this is made up of 6.5 barrels of Syrah and 1 barrel of Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark ruby to purple color.  The explosive nose is full of blackberries, cassis, smoke, dark bittersweet chocolate, charred meat, melted licorice, vanilla, warm baking spices, and violets.  This is full bodied with moderate to solid ripe tannins and good acidity.  The wine grabs hold of your palate unleashing wave after wave of lush fruit, spice, and savory notes in unrelenting layers.  The finish is very long, almost seeming to never end with very nice fruit slowly giving way to dark chocolate and then nice meaty elements and earthiness.  The extra time in the cellar has been rewarded in this case.  There is no hurry on this one, it should hold for at least a few more years.  (95 pts)

 

 

 

7 – 2003 Corison Cabernet Sauvignon – $34.50

One of my favorite, value priced, Napa Cabernets.  Every vintage Cathy Corison seems to put out a wine that is a lot better than the competition at the same price point.  The winery never seemed to be a media darling, but the changes at the Wine Advocate lead to a new person reviewing the wines, and he seems to appreciate the wines a lot more.  These aren’t wines meant for immediate enjoyment, they need a few years in the cellar to help them transform into something magical.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly deep ruby red color.  The nose is one of those I can sit and just smell and be happy, at least for a little while then I have to take a taste.  The rich and sophisticated nose has cassis, cherry, melted licorice, dried herbs, well worn leather, spice box, tobacco, minerals, and just a bit of smoke.  This has a medium body, ripe, mostly integrated tannins, and very good acidity.  This has nice, rich and spicy fruit on the palate with dried herbs, tea leaves, and a touch of earthiness adding considerable depth and complexity.  The finish is very long and lingering with the spicy fruit and dried herbs seeming to last forever.  This was a killer bottle of wine that is in its prime drinking window.  This should last for at least a couple more years in the cellar, but if you have multiple bottles, give one a try now.  (94 pts)

 

 

 

6 – 2007 Jacob Franklin Mon Chou #50 Napa Valley – $30.00

This is quickly turning into one of my favorite wines.  I bought a case and this is the third bottle I have opened.  This is a blend of 50% Cabernet Franc, 20% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Malbec, and 6% Petit Verdot.  The number in the wine name indicates the percentage of Cabernet Franc in the blend.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly deep ruby to maroon color.  The outstanding nose has cassis, cedar, dried herbs, licorice, baking spices, smoke, tobacco, minerals, dark bittersweet chocolate, and cherries.  This had medium body with fairly solid, ripe tannins and very nice acidity.  The palate has a wonderful blend of fruit and savory elements with everything in balance and harmonious.  The long, lingering finish has nice spicy cassis and dried herbs with just the right amount of spicy oak adding to the profile without being too obtrusive.  I love this wine.  (95 pts)

 

 

 

5 – 2010 La Rochelle Chardonnay Ferrington Vineyard (SRP $65.00)

This was a winery supplied sample.

Ferrington Vineyard is home to our only Anderson Valley Chardonnay site as of 2012.  Located near Boonville, on the same side of Hwy 128 as Deer Meadow, Ferrington was originally planted in the late 1960s.  The 70 acre site is planted to Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc, and Gewurztraminer on decomposed sandstone and clay soils.  In 2010 we entered into a contract to purchase about two tons of Robert Young clone of Chardonnay, and the first vintage yielded just over 100 cases.  Ferrington was purchased by the Schoeneman family in 1997 and it has since become one of the most sought after sites in Anderson Valley.  We gained access to Pinot Noir from this site starting in 2012.

 

Technical info

The grapes were harvested for this 100% Chardonnay on October 18, 2010.  This was barrel fermented and aged sur-lie for 14 months in 100% French oak barrels, 40% new.

The final alcohol is 14.6%.

 

Tasting note

The wine is a very light yellow to golden color.  The very exotic and inviting nose has apples, flinty minerals, lemon curd, lime zest, Asian spices, hazelnuts, and a touch of toast.  This has medium body and tart, citrusy acidity.  Bright apples and citrus greet the palate with minerals, spice, hazelnuts pouring in over the top and from all sides.  The finish is very long with the spicy, citrus driven, fruit and spice seeming to never totally fade away, leaving a nutty, lemony note.  This is incredibly young at this time and will improve with some cellar time.  One of the best California Chardonnay wines I’ve ever had the pleasure to drink.  This is stunning.  (95 pts)

 

 

 

4 – 2009 Northwest Totem Cellars Low Man (SRP $35)

This was another winery supplied sample.  All of the wines from Northwest Totem Cellars were outstanding, but this one stood out as having that “something” that made it special.

This is a blend of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Cabernet Franc, 3% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot from the Columbia Valley.  This has 14% ABV.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a nice deep ruby red color.  The enticing nose has blackberries, cherries, warm baking spices, leather, white pepper, minerals, violets, vanilla, dried herbs, and just a touch of cedar.  This has medium body, fairly solid, ripe tannins, and good acidity.  This wine is delicious on the palate.  Nice berries and cherries start the show but are quickly joined with sweet vanilla, spices, and a touch of dried herbs.  The finish is long and nuanced with layers of fruit and savory notes finally giving way to a nice closing note of dried herbs and cherry.  For a very young Bordeaux blend it is stunning, with perfect balance.  I’m sure this will be better with some cellar time, but it will be hard to resist.  (95 pts)

 

 

 

3 – 2008 Saxum Broken Stones – $75.00

Saxum.  There are more expensive wines coming out of California, but is there a more popular mailing list out there?  I remember a glitch in their system allowed people to place their orders before the actual e-mails were even sent.  The wines sold out almost immediately.  Since that time, the wines have gone up in price considerably but still sell out.  This wine is a blend of 79% Syrah, 13% Grenache and 8% Mourvedre.

The wine has 15.6% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork and a wax seal.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark, inky purple color.  The intoxicating nose is full of blackberries, minerals, black pepper, blueberries, dried flowers, toasted Asian spices, roasted herbs and vanilla.  This has a full body, moderate to solid tannins and good acidity.  On the palate spicy, mineral driven fruit grabs hold and slowly relents to allow black pepper and roasted herbs to slip though.  The finish is very long and layered with a nice candied violet note coming into the picture.  This is on the young side but absolutely stunning with some air.  (96 pts)

 

 

 

2 – 2007 Jean Edwards Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Stagecoach Vineyard – $60.00

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

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a fairly deep ruby red color.  The absolutely stunning nose has cassis, melted licorice, dried herbs, cedar, wild flowers, tobacco, and warm baking spices.  This has medium body, fairly solid silky tannins, and very nice acidity.  This is rich and plush on the palate with cassis and baking spices up front with dried herbs and spicy oak coming in on the back end.  The finish is very long, seeming to never totally disappear and full of rich fruit and spice.  This has the balance to age gracefully for several years but it is absolutely irresistible today.  (96 pts)

 

 

 

1 – 2006 Clarendon Hills Syrah Liandra – $37.00

I had a bit of this wine several months ago at a friend’s house and thought it was outstanding, but didn’t take an official tasting note.  Since I have a few bottles, it seems like a perfect time to open one and spend an evening with it to see how it tastes.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark, inky, purple color.  The spellbinding nose has charred meat, blackberries, smoke, roasted herbs, blueberries, black pepper, vanilla, licorice, minerals, Asian spices, and dark chocolate.  This has medium to full body, ripe and velvety tannins, and good acidity.  The palate on this wine is out of the world with the berries, roasted herbs, and black pepper slowly giving way to spicy, meaty elements and dark chocolate.  The finish is extremely long and highlights the spice, meat, and roasted herbs.  This is the complete package.  Outstanding!  No hurry on this one, it has years of life ahead of it.  (96 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!

 

 

2008 Jean Edwards Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Seventy Four – Forty One Napa Valley

 

 

 

 

The Winery

New Jersey natives John and Karen Troisi are the owner/vintners of Jean Edwards Cellars.  If you’re scratching your head wondering how John and Karen arrived at Jean Edwards for the name of their winery, the answer is simple, they used their middle names.  The third member of the Jean Edwards team is Kian Tavakoli, their consulting winemaker.

 

Karen and John started producing wines commercially in 2004.  The first wine they released was a 2004 Stagecoach Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon.  A few months after the wine was released, Wine Spectator asked them to supply their magazine with a sample.  A little while later, they awarded the wine 92 points.  A couple months later, Wine Spectator included them in an article titled, “Twenty new cabernet producers to watch” in their annual Cabernet issue.

 

After dabbling in the Syrah/Rhone Ranger camp for a period, the winery is now focused only on Napa Valley Cabernets.

 

Jean Edwards Cellars uses the “custom crush” facilities at the Michael Mondavi Family winery in southern Napa.

 

Much more information on the winery is available on their website by clicking here.  The winery is also very active on Facebook and Twitter.

 

I highly recommend joining the winery’s mailing list by clicking here.  Members of the mailing list are never under any obligation to buy a specific amount of wine to stay on the mailing list.  Members of the mailing list get a very nice “Friends and Family” discount.

 

 

The Wine

Karen and John are bi-coastal, having residences in New Jersey as well as in the Napa Valley.  The name for this wine, “Seventy Four – Forty One” was named after the coordinates of their east coast residence.

 

This 100% Cabernet is a blend of grapes from a few vineyards in the Napa Valley.  Even though the vineyard names cannot be used for contractual reasons, they can disclose some geographical information.  The major component of this wine is from a Howell Mountain vineyard.  This is combined with grapes from a vineyard in Rutherford and one in Coombsville.

 

The wine was aged 24 months in French oak, 50% new and 50% one year old.

 

This vintage is sold out at the winery.  The current vintage is 2010 and has a price of $65.

 

 

 

2008 Jean Edwards Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Seventy Four – Forty One Napa Valley – SRP $65

This bottle of wine was purchased by me and stored in my cellar since release.  This is not a winery supplied sample.

 

I’ve been a fan and customer of the winery for a few years and love opening bottles of their wines for friends to sample.  These are extremely high quality wines sourced from some of the best vineyards in the Napa Valley.  The fact the wines are also sold at very consumer friendly prices is a great bonus.  This is one of the winery’s higher end offerings.

 

The wine has 14.8% 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 is a show stopper, it is filled with cassis, dried herbs, tobacco, mint, cedar, warm baking spices and dried flowers.  This has medium body, moderate to solid tannins and very good acidity.  On the palate the cassis and mint initially carry the load, slowly allowing spice and dried herbs to slip into the picture.  On the back end some spicy oak shines through in the background.  The finish has very good length with a nice mix of fruit and savory elements.  This tastes very nice now but a few years in the cellar will be greatly rewarded.  (93 pts)

 

In Summary

In a couple of years, my rating will probably be laughably low.  As with most wines that are predominantly made from mountain fruit, they take a few years to fully open up and express their full potential.  Patience will be rewarded.

 

 

 

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!

 

 

 

2006 Rudius Syrah Spirit Rock Alder Springs Vineyard

2008 Stefania Haut Tubee

2012 Loring Wine Company Cabernet Sauvignon Blend

2009 Bodegas El Nido Jumilla Clio

 

 

 

2006 Rudius Syrah Spirit Rock Alder Springs Vineyard – $45.00

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

2008 Stefania Haut Tubee – $20.00

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

2012 Loring Wine Company Cabernet Sauvignon Blend – $16.50

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

2009 Bodegas El Nido Jumilla Clio – $34.99

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

 

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

 

My Tasting Note

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

 

 

Blog Update

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

 

 

 

Connect with me

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

 

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

 

Cheers!

 

 

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

All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Breaking news from Klout:

 

 

 

Remember to support your local wine store!

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

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

 

 

2012 Steven Kent Chardonnay Merrillie

2010 Steven Kent Cabernet Sauvignon Home Ranch Vineyard

2010 Steven Kent Cabernet Sauvignon Folkendt Vineyard

 

 

 

I was recently lucky enough to receive some wine samples from the Steven Kent Winery.  I had the opportunity to try some of their wines last year and I was very impressed.  To say I’m excited to try these wines would be a big understatement.

 

 

 

The Steven Kent Winery Was Born

In 2005, Steven joined forces with the Ghielmetti family who owned a spectacular vineyard site about three miles east of the winery.  The site was planted to Bordeaux and Rhône varieties, many of which he used to make small-lot releases for his burgeoning wine clubs.  Steven realized in 2007, though, that the farther he went down this path, the further away he’d be from the vision with which he started in the business – to make a single, great, statement wine.

 

Lineage—our Livermore Valley Red Wine—then, is the renaissance of that need to have the effort mean something; for the wine to be a symbol of the passion to create something of great quality, an emblem of one family’s generations-long commitment to the grape.

 

Also in 2005, Steven found an opportunity to close a circle.  His cousins, who had earlier sold the Mirassou brand to Gallo, had started a brand called La Rochelle, named for the town north of Bordeaux from which their progenitor had come to America in 1854.  La Rochelle had an amazingly talented winemaker, Tom Stutz, and a portfolio of wines whose only focus was family vineyard fruit from Monterey.  Steven acquired the brand and brought it and Tom up to Livermore with a new focus on Pinot Noir.  Seven years later, La Rochelle is making some of the best Pinot Noirs (and a newly released, small-lot production focus on Chardonnay) in California.

 

Much more information, links to the wineries, and purchasing information is available on their website.

 

 

Steven has a very nice blog here – Steven’s Blog.

 

 

 

Steven Kent Winery Info

“Steven Kent is producing today’s greatest Livermore Cabernets, wines that hearken back to the valley’s roots as one of California’s best wine regions.” – Wine Enthusiast

 

The Steven Kent Winery was started in 1996 with one mission: to make Cabernet here in the Livermore Valley that rivals in quality the greatest red wines made anywhere in the world.

 

Livermore Valley has a long, dedicated history of growing the “Bordeaux” varietals, and in particular Cabernet Sauvignon.  In the 1880s, pioneering winegrowers began to discover the potential of the Livermore Valley region.  Then, as today, L.V.’s climate and soils closely resemble those of Bordeaux’s famed left bank of the Gironde.  By the turn of the last century, LivermoreValley was already far ahead of its NapaValley neighbor in specializing in the Bordeaux varieties.  Our goal at Steven Kent is to carry on that tradition.

 

“We have worked joyously and strenuously to know our vineyards; to learn how our fruit expresses itself from those sites; to discover the best winemaking and barrel regimens that translates those grapes into world-class vintages.  We’re very gratified that customers, critics, and collectors alike consider our “historic Cabernet” to be an essential addition to their table, their “best of lists,” and their cellars”.  – Steven Kent Mirassou

 

More information is available on their website.

 

 

To check availability or to purchase any of these wine or other wines offered by the wineries in the Steven Kent Portfolio, visit their website.

 

 

 

The line up for this tasting:

 

 

2012 Steven Kent Chardonnay Merrillie – SRP $34

This 100% Chardonnay uses fruit from the Landucci Block of Chardonnay, in the LivermoreValley, about 1.5 miles west of the winery.  This block is planted to one of the older Wente clones.  The first varietally-labeled Chardonnay was made from Wente clone fruit, and many of the most sought after clones in California (Robert Young, Hyde Selection) are children of Wente clone material.

 

After destemming and crushing the fruit was transferred to stainless steel tanks where it was allowed to settle for about 48 hours prior to fermentation.  The must was then transferred to barrel where it underwent both primary and secondary (malo-lactic) fermentation. The wine was aged sur lie for 8 months in 60% new French oak barrels.  The wine was then bottled without filtration or fining.

 

The wine has 14.7% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light golden yellow color.  The tropical and fresh smelling nose has apples, pears, flinty minerals, pineapple, lemon zest, baking spices and vanilla.  This has medium body, creamy texture and citrusy acidity.  On the palate the white orchard fruit, minerals and vanilla hit on the front end with nice closing citrus.  The finish has good length with minerals, apples and lemon zest slowly fading away.  This is on the young side but still very tasty with some air.  (91 pts)

 

 

2010 Steven Kent Cabernet Sauvignon Home Ranch Vineyard – SRP $65

This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon wine is from the site of the winery’s tasting room on Tesla Road.  The 2.8 acre vineyard block was planted in 1996.

 

After destemming & crushing the fruit was fermented in open-top fermentors.  It went through primary fermentation & maceration in bin then malolactic fermentation was induced in barrel.  The wine was aged for 24 months in 100% new French oak barrels before it was bottled without filtration and fining.  There were only 189 six-packs of wine produced.

 

The wine has 14.1% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium ruby red color.  The very inviting nose has cassis, eucalyptus, cherry, minerals, licorice, dried herbs, cedar, warm baking spices and white pepper.  This has medium body, moderate tannins and good acidity.  On the palate the laser focused fruit is joined with mint and spice on the front end with dried herbs, minerals and white pepper coming through on the back end.  The finish has good length with the fruit and minerals carrying the load.  (93 pts)

 

 

2010 Steven Kent Cabernet Sauvignon Folkendt Vineyard – SRP $65

This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon comes from a 4.5 acre vineyard planted in 1992 on Greenville Road in the LivermoreValley.

 

After destemming & crushing the fruit was fermented in open-top fermentors.  It went through primary fermentation & maceration in bin then malolactic fermentation was induced in barrel.  The wine was aged for 24 months in 100% new French oak barrels before it was bottled without filtration and fining.  There were only 143 six-packs of wine produced.

 

The wine has 14.2% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a medium to dark ruby red color.  The outgoing nose has cassis, dried herbs, minerals, plums, cocoa powder, cedar and cherries.  The wine has medium body, moderate to solid tannins and good acidity.  On the palate tart fruit, cedar and minerals carry the load with plums and dark chocolate coming in later.  The finish has good length with a touch of mint entering the picture.  (92 pts)

 

 

Conclusions

Both of the cabernets tasted better on the second and third day.  If you open one, give it plenty of air but it would be preferable to stash them in the cellar for a year or two.  The Chardonnay will also reward some time in your cellar but is very tasty with some air.

 

 

 

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!